A Case of Conscience

CHVR.

MAnie among vs denie the God-head, & many the Manhood of Christ.

IOH.

1. That which was from the beginning (and therefore true God,) which wee haue hearde (namelie, speaking,) which wee haue seen with these our eies, which we haue looked vpon, and these hands of ours, haue handled of that Word (not the sounding, but the essentiall word of the Father,) of life. (liuing of himselfe, and giuing life to all other.)

Before you goe any further, this word of life is inuisible: how then could it be seene?

IOH.

(Yes) 2. For that life was made manifest, (to wit, in the flesh,) and we (I with many others) haue seen it, and beare witnesse, and publish vnto you, that eternall life, which was with the father (eternallie before this manifestation) p. 4and was made manifest vnto vs.

Menander, Ebion, and Cerinthus, hauing bin teachers among vs, confidently denie these thinges which you say: and they beare vs in hand, that they seek our good.

IOH.

3. That (which I wil repeat again, for more certainties sake) which wee haue seen and heard, declare we vnto you, that ye may haue fellowship with vs, and that our fellowship also may be with the father, and with his sonne Iesus Christ.

4. And these things write we vnto you, that your ioy might be ful. (vz. might haue sound consolation in your consciences.)

Wel then, lay vs down som groūd, wherby we may come to be assured, that we haue fellowship one with an other, and with Christ.

5. This then is the message which we haue heard of him, and declare vnto you, that God is light (vz. purenes it selfe, and blessednesse; whereas men and Angels are neither, but by participation) and in him is no darknes.

Som that make profession among vs, continue stil in their olde course and conuersation; and yet they say, they haue fellowship with God.

IOH.

[Profession without practise, a note of an hypocrite.] 6. If we say that we haue fellowship with him, and walk (lead the course of our liues) p. 5in darknes (vz. ignorance, error, impietie,) wee lie (dissemble) and do not trulie. (deal not sincerely.)

What then is the true marke of one, which hath fellowship with God?

7. If we walk in the light (lead the cours of our liues in sinceritie of life & doctrin) wee haue fellowship one with another. [Sincerity of life and religion, a note of communion with God.]

We are so defiled with sinne, that we often doubt, least wee haue no fellowship with God.

IOH.

The bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne, cleanseth vs from all sinne.

Some among vs are come to that passe, that they say, they haue no sinne: & that this estate is a signe of fellowshippe with God.

IOH.

8. If vve say that vve haue no sinne, [To professe perfect sanctification in this life, a note of an hypocrite.] vve deceiue our selues, (imagining that to bee true which is otherwise) & truth is not in vs

How then may we know that our sinnes are washed away by Christ?

IOH.

9. If vve confesse our sinnes (namely, [humble confession of sin to God▪ is a note of remission of sinne.] with an humbled heart, desiring pardon) he is faithfull & iust (in keping his promise) to forgiue vs our sinnes, and to clense vs from al vnrighteousnes.

10. If vve say (as they before named do) vve haue not sinned, vve mak him a liar (whose word speaks the contrarie,) and his vvorde p. 6is not in vs. (his doctrine hath noe place in our heartes.

IF this be true which hath bin saide, that the bloud of Christ doth clēse from all sinne: and that if we do confesse them, they shal be pardoned; our corruption tels vs, that we may sinne freely.

Ioh.

1. My litle children, these thinges I write vnto you, that yee sinne not.

Alas, we fall oft by infirmitie: what shall we then do?

Ioh.

If any man sinne, vve haue an aduocate (who in his own name, and by his own merites, pleades our cause) to the Father, Iesus Christ the iust (and therefore fit to make intercession)

But howe may euery one of vs in particular, knowe that Christ is his aduocate?

IOH.

2. He is the propitiation (vz. a couering of sinne, or reconciliation, as the propitiatorie of the Arke couered the lawe) and not for our sinnes onely, but also, for the sins of the vvhole vvorld (not onely Iewes, but also Gentiles of all sortes.)

Be it that I knowe him to be my aduocate: may I not be deceaued? howe may I knowe, that this my knowledge is p. 7effectuall to saluation?

IOH.

3. Hereby are vve sure that vve know him (here, that knowledg is ment, [An endeuo • to keep th • commandementes, a sign of faith▪] whereby a man applies Christ and all his benefites to his own soule) If vve keepe (to keep is not to fulfill, but to haue a care and desire to do it; for God of his mercie in his seruants, accepts the will for the deede.) his commandements.

Many among vs, professe that they know Christ; but their liues be not according.

Ioh.

4. He that saith, I know him, & keeps not his commandements, is a lyer, [Faith without obedience, a note of an Hypocrite.] and the trueth is not in him.

How may it be prooued, that the endeuour to keep gods commandements is a mark of faith, & felloship with Christ?

Ioh.

(He in whome the loue of God is perfecte, may hereby know, that hee is in Christ.) 5. But he that keepeth his vvord, in him is the loue of God: (vz. not that loue wherewith God loueth him; but that, whereby he loueth God) is perfect indeede: (vz. sincere and sounde perfection, being opposed, not to imperfection, but to hypocrisie:) hereby (therefore) we know that we are in him. 6. He that saith he remaineth in him, ought to walke euen so, as hee hath walked: (and therefore he must needes endeuour p. 8himselfe in the commandementes.