1 Because he sets before them, where eternal life is to be found, and that is in Jesus Christ, as vers. 12.
2 He directs them to certain means, whereby they may attain eternal life. As 1 Confession of sins, 1 John 1.9. 2. By looking up to Christ as our Pro∣pitiation and Advocate, cap. 2.1, 2. 3. By walking in the light. cap. 1.8, 9.
3 He gives certain signs, whereby we may know whether we be in an estate of eternal life. As 1 Walking in the light, cap. 1.7. 2 Keeping his Commandements, cap. 2.3. 3 Purifying our selves from sin, cap. 3.3. 4 Love of our brethren, cap. 3.14, 5 Boldnesse towards God, cap. 3.21.
Ʋse 1. This may be a just refutation of the Popish Doctrine, that saith we cannot know that we have eternal life, but if that be true, then St. Johns end in writing these Epistles is disappointed, and not onely St. John, but the holy Ghost himself is deceived: Whereas they tell us we cannot have a certain, but conjectural knowledge only, there is a contradiction; for if a man saith he knows such a thing, it implyes he is certain of it, or else he speaks safely: and were it for nothing else, this doctrine of doubtings were a suffi∣cient discouragement against their Religion; that Church, that trains up her selfe and children to be ignorant of their Father, is not the true Spouse of Christ, but an Harlot; a sign the Church of Rome hath mixt her selfe with so many false gods, that she knows not of whom her children are begot.
Ʋse 2. It condemns their excluding the vulgar sort from reading the Scriptures, for if by them we may come to know Christ, and that we have eternal life, then take away them, and you take away a principal means of salvation.
Ʋse 3. For such Christians as are doubtful of their estate, above all the writings of the Apostle read this Epstile, it was the main scope of St. John, in this Epistle, that their joy might be full, and that they might know they had eternal life, here you shall finde a good ground-work of your good estate.
Ʋse 4. To teach all believers to know what they have profited by read∣ing: it's an usual thing to content our selves, if we do but read a chapter, and pray every morning, and our conscience is not satisfied if we omit it, but a man may read and pray, and yet get no good, but if you would read pro∣fitably, so read that you may know that you have eternal life, & when you have so