John 3:36

The last difference, (and the use to be made of all the excellency of Christ formerly mentioned) is, that he is to be believed in for attaining of eternal life, and that without this we perish. Whence learn, 1. It is the prerogative of Christ above all others, even the choicest messengers of God, that he is the object of saving Faith, as being the Son of God equal with the Father; for, so are we taught here, and by this John would quench all carnal emulation in his followers. 2. The excellencie of Christ is never rightly studied nor acknowledged, till it draw men out of themselves, and discover fulnesse and worth in him to be closed with by faith; Therefore doth John summe up all this doctrine concerning Christ, in this Use, That the Son should be believed on. 3. Such as close with Christ by faith, are not only sure of eternal life at the close of their dayes, but they have it here, partly, in the word of Promise, partly, in Christ who is the fountain of it, and in whose hands it is given, and partly, in the bud of begun cummunion with Christ, which is an heaven on earth; for, he that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life, where faith only is held out as the hand to receive this benefit. 4. How excellent soever Christ be, yet there are still many who will not close with him, nor see any worth in him, wherefore they should renounce themselves, and flee to him; for, it is imported there are who believe not the Son. 5. Unbelievers do lie under the dreadful hazard of the losse of salvation, which only deserveth the name of a life, other living being but a death without it. While they do not beleeve they have no right to it, nor bud of it, and continuing therein, they are eternally secluded from it, without so much as a sight thereof, save so much at the last day, as shall adde to their torment in hell; for, he that believeth not the Son shall not see life. 6. Unbelievers are not only secluded from heaven, but are under wrath, which is sad and insupportable, as being the wrath of God: this wrath under which the unbeliever is by nature, by reason of the sentence of the Law, resteth upon him in the state of infidelity, till he hath filled up his measure, and be ripened for hell, and then he lieth eternally under wrath; for, he shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him; and by all these considerations would John presse his heaters, to flee from the danger, by beleeving,