Sight implies cleernesse, certainty, (know him) he speaks of such a knowledg, whose ground is experience, Word, Spirit, Phil. 3.10. whose fruit is obedience, 1 Joh. 2.3. whose end salvation, Joh. 17.3.
Reas. 1. Men that have had an experimentall knowledge of God, they have a spirit within them, that they cannot sin, Gal 5.17. If they doe, their conscience will so smite them, as that they shall be glad to be rid of it, the Spirit keeps possession for God.
2. From the perseverance of Saints, or else they should never have fellow∣ship.
Ʋse 1. To refute the doctrine of the Papists, who say, that a man that is in Christ may fall away, St. John here refutes them, If they sin they never knew him. Stella cadens, nunquam stella, cometa fuit.
2. As we would rivet this comfort in our soules, that we have knowne and seen Christ, let us keep our hearts innocent from sin.