Believers Evidences for Eternal Life, Summary of contents
The Summary Contents of the severall Chapters in this Book.
CHAP. I. Evidences of Gods love to us.
1. CHrists being sent to die for us, that we might live by him, 1 Joh. 3. 16. and 4. 9, 10.—page, 5.
2. Adoption, 1 Ioh. 3. 1.—p. 7.
3. Our not loving the world, &c. inordinately, 1 Ioh 3. 15, 16, 17.—p. 8.
4. Our true love to God, 1 Ioh. 4. 19.—p. 10.
CHAP. II. Evidences of our Regeneration, Adoption, Sonship.
1. That the world knoweth us not, 1 Ioh. 3. 1.—p. 21.
2. True believing that Jesus is the Christ, 1 John 5. 1.—p. 23.
3. Not committing or practising of sinne, 1 Iohn 3. 8, 9.—p. 29.
4. Overcoming erroneous hereticall spirits and their seducements, 1 Iohn 4 1, 4.—p. 127.
5. Overcoming the world by faith, 1 Iohn 5. 4, 5.—p. 142.
6. Doing or practising of righteousnesse, 1 Iohn 2. 29. and 3. 10.—p. 162.
7. True love of the Brethren, 1 Iohn 3. 10. and 4. 7. and 3. 14.—p. 168.
8. Hope and assured apprehension in some measure, that we shall be conforme …o God and Christ in his glorious appearing, 2 Iohn. 3. 2.—p. 173.
9. In hope of glory, purifying our selves as he is pure, 1 Iohn 3 2, 3.—p. 173.
CHAP. III. Evidences that we are of the truth, and of the number of Gods people.
1. Having an Unction from the Holy One teaching us all …hings, 1 Iohn 2. 19, 20, 27.—p. 180.
2. The Testimony of our heart touching our true love of the …rethren, 1 Iohn 3. 18, 19, 20, 21.—p. 183.
3. Perseverance with the faithfull in Christ and in the truth, … Ioh. 2. 19.
CHAP. IV. V. Evidences of being in light, not in darknesse; in life, not in death.
1 Actuall interest in, and enjoyment of Jesus Christ, 1 Iohn …. 11, 12.—p. 188.
2. Loving and not hating of our brother, 1 Ioh. 2. 9, 10, 11. and …. 14, 15.—p. 191.
CHAP. V. Evidences of our true knowledge of God, and of Iesus Christ.
1. Real and sincere keeping of Gods Commandements, 1 Iohn …. 3, 4.—p. 193.
2. Not sinning, 1 Ioh. 3. 6.—p. 197.
3. A right entertaining and hearkening to the true Apostolical …octrine, 1 Ioh. 4. 5, 6.—p. 197.
4. Brotherly love, 1 Ioh. 4. 7, 8.—p. 199.
CHAP. VI. Evidences of our true love to God, and to Iesus Christ.
1. When our love to God, flows from Gods love to us, 1 Iohn …. 19.—p. 200.
2. Casting out of base servile fear, 1 Iohn 4. 18, 19.—p. 202.
3. Not loving the world, &c. excessively, 1 Ioh. 2. 15. 16.—p. …05.
4. Keeping Gods Commandements, and that cheerfully, 1 Ioh. … 5. and 5. 3.
5. Our true love to Gods children, for the heavenly Father… sake who begat them, 1 Iohn 5. 1. and 4 11, 12, 20, 21. and 3… 17.
CHAP. VII. Evidences of our Communion with God and with Iesus Christ.
1. The Holy Spirit of God and of Jesus Christ given us▪ 1 Iohn 3. 24. and 4. 13.—p. 214.
2. The true abiding of the ancient Primitive truth and doctrine of Christ in us, 1 Ioh. 2. 22, 23, 24.—p. 217.
3. True confessing that Jesus is the Sonne of God, 1 Ioh. 4. 15.—p. 218.
4. Not doing or practising of sin, 1 Ioh. 3. 6, 8.—p. 221.
5. Unfeigned love to God and dwelling therein, 1 Iohn. 4. 16.—p. 221.
6. Walking in light, not in darknesse, 1 Iohn 1. 5, 6, 7.—p. 224.
7. Walking as Christ walked, 1 Iohn 2. 6.—p. 225.
8. Keeping his Word and Commandements, 1 Ioh. 2. 5. and 3… 23, 24.—p. 227.
9. True brotherly love, 1 Iohn 4. 12.—p. 228.
CHAP. VIII. Evidences of the unfeigned love of the Brethren.
1. True spiritual knowing of God, 1 Iohn 4. 7, 8.—p. 228.
2. Sincere loving of God, 1 Iohn 5. 1, 2.—p. 229.
3. Right keeping of Gods Commandements, 1 Iohn 5. 2, 3.—p. 229.
4. Loving the brethren peculiarly, as they are begotten … God, &c. 1 Iohn 5. 1, 2.—p. 229.
5. When we love them not verbally and complementally, b… really and sincerely; Opening tender bowels of Compassion … our brother in need, yea, if they cause require, hazzarding o… dearest lives for the children of G…d, 1 Iohn 3. 16, 17, 18, 19.—p. 230.
BELIEVERS Evidences FOR Eternall Life: Collected out of the first EPISTLE of IOHN, which is Catholique.
IOHN is an Hebrew name, and signifies, The Lord hath been gracious; or, The grace of the Lord He was Son of Ze…edee, brother of Iames; and called by Christ to the Apostolical office, Mat. 4. …1. & 10. 2 Mar. 1. 19. Luk. 5. 10. which is …he highest Ecclesiastical Office under the New Testament, 1 Cor. 12. 28: Ephes. 4. 11. Iohn was one of the three whom Christ took up with him to Mount Ta…or to behold his glorious Transfiguration, Matth. 17. &c. Mark 9. 2. Luke 9. 28, &c. One of the two whom Christ sent to prepare his last Passeover, Luke 22. 8. and that Disciple whom Iesus peculiarly loved above all the rest, Iohn 13. 23. and 19. 29. and 20. 2. and 21. 7, 20. who leaned on Iesus breast at supper, to whom Christ by a private token discovered that Iudas should betray him, Iohn 13. 23, 24, 25, 26. and to whom alone Christ dying on the Crosse commended his owne Mother, Iohn 19. 25, 26, 27. This IOHN, (this compound of love an… sweetnesse,) wrote this Epistle. A… Epistle (saith *Calvin in Argumin ep. Johan.Calvin) altogether worth of the spirit of that Disciple… who w… therefore beloved of Christ above the re… that he might render himself more famili… to us. A most sweet Epistle (saith *August. Praefa…. in 1. Johan. Epist.Austin most memorable in the Church of God, becau… love is there especially commanded. An Epistle whose principal Scope and end is, T… help the believers to a well-groun… ed Assurance of their actual inter… in eternal life; These things (sai… John,) have I written unto you that b… lieve on the Name of the Son of God, th… ye may know that ye have eternal life, 1 John 5. 13. To this end the holy Ghost by the Apostle hath replenished this precious Epistle with more variety and plenty of pregnant Marks, Signes, Characters or Evidences of Believers spiritual estate, then any other Scripture of like quantity in the whole Book of God. So that it is a Rich Treasury for Christian-Assurance. 1 Assurance (if the fault be not our owne) is Attainable, John 14 21. Rev. 2. 17. 1 Cor. 2. 9, to 13. 1 Iohn 2. 3, 5. and 3 2, 14, 19, 24. and 4. 13. and 5. 19. 2 Assurance hath been actually attained by divers; Iob, ch. 19. 25, 26, 27. David, Psal. 22. 1. and 51 8, 12. Thomas, John 20. 28. Paul, 2 Tim. 1. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 1. Rom. 8. 37, 38. Gal. 2. 20. 1 Tim. 1. 13, 14. 16. The Church of Christ, Cant 2. 16. and 7. 10. 3 The nature of faith and hope tend and lead on unto Assurance, Col. 2. 2. Heb. 6. 11, 18, 19. Heb. 10. 23. 4 Hence all Christians ought to …ontend after Assurance, 2 Cor. 13. 5. … Assurance that eternal life is ours, actually attained, brings great glory to God, Rom. 4. 20, 21. is the glory of faith, Rom. 4. 19, 20. overcomes greatest difficulties, Rom. 4. 17, 18. is an approved cordiall extraordinarily strengthening believers hearts in worst times, under saddest afflictions, yea, in the straits of death, Iob 19. 25, 26, 27. 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. and in a word, is a Paradise on earth, the suburbs of Heaven, and sweetest glimpse of glory. Come hither therefore all ye doubting soules, and drooping Christians, that walk in darknesse, and have no light of Assurance and comfort; this blessed Epistle is an Epistle for you; reade it and meditate upon it continually, till you be perswaded, setled, stablished, comforted. And for your further help peruse these evidences extracted out of it and familiarly digested by him whose comfort it will be, to be an Helper of your joy.