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1 John 5:13-15

13. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of
the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye
may believe on the name of the Son of God.

13. Haec scripsi vebis credentibus in nomen Filii Dei, ut sciatis quod
vitam habetis aeternam, et ut credatis in nomen Filii Dei.

14. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any
thing according to his will, he heareth us:

14. Atque haec est fiducia quam habemus erga eum, quod si quid
petierimus secundum voluntatem ejus, audit nos.

15. And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we
have the petitions that we desired of him.

15. Si autem novimus quod audit nos, quum quid petierimus; novimus quod
habemus petitiones quas postulavimus ab eo.


13 These things have I written unto you As there ought to be a daily
progress in faith, so he says that he wrote to those who had already
believed, so that they might believe more firmly and with greater
certainty, and thus enjoy a fuller confidence as to eternal life. Then
the use of doctrine is, not only to initiate the ignorant in the
knowledge of Christ, but also to confirm those more and more who have
been already taught. It therefore becomes us assiduously to attend to
the duty of learning, that our faith may increase through the whole
course of our life. For there are still in us many remnants of
unbelief, and so weak is our faith that what we believe is not yet
really believed except there be a fuller confirmation.

But we ought to observe the way in which faith is confirmed, even by
having the office and power of Christ explained to us. For the Apostle
says that he wrote these things, that is, that eternal life is to be
sought nowhere else but in Christ, in order that they who were
believers already might believe, that is, make progress in believing.
It is therefore the duty of a godly teacher, in order to confirm
disciples in the faith, to extol as much as possible the grace of
Christ, so that being satisfied with that, we may seek nothing else.

As the Papists obscure this truth in various ways, and extenuate it,
they shew sufficiently by this one thing that they care for nothing
less than for the right doctrine of faith; yea, on this account, their
schools ought to be more shunned than all the Scyllas and Charybdises
in the world; for hardly any one can enter them without a sure
shipwreck to his faith.

The Apostle teaches further in this passage, that Christ is the
peculiar object of faith, and that to the faith which we have in his
name is annexed the hope of salvation. For in this case the end of
believing is, that we become the children and the heirs of God.

14 And this is the confidence He commends the faith which he mentioned
by its fruit, or he shews that in which our confidence especially is,
that is, that the godly dare confidently to call on God; as also Paul
speaks in Ephesians 3:12, that we have by faith access to God with
confidence; and also in Romans 8:15, that the Spirit gives us a mouth
to cry Abba, Father. And doubtless, were we driven away from an access
to God, nothing could make us more miserable; but, on the other hand,
provided this asylum be opened to us, we should be happy even in
extreme evils; nay, this one thing renders our troubles blessed,
because we surely know that God will be our deliverer, and relying on
his paternal love towards us, we flee to him.

Let us, then, bear in mind this declaration of the Apostle, that
calling on God is the chief trial of our faith, and that God is not
rightly nor in faith called upon except we be fully persuaded that our
prayers will not be in vain. For the Apostle denies that those who,
being doubtful, hesitate, are endued with faith.

It hence appears that the doctrine of faith is buried and nearly
extinct under the Papacy, for all certainty is taken away. They indeed
mutter many prayers, and prattle much about praying to God; but they
pray with doubtful and fluctuating hearts, and bid us to pray; and yet
they even condemn this confidence which the Apostle requires as
necessary.

According to his will By this expression he meant by the way to remind
us what is the right way or rule of praying, even when men subject
their own wishes to God. For though God has promised to do whatsoever
his people may ask, yet he does not allow them an unbridled liberty to
ask whatever may come to their minds; but he has at the same time
prescribed to them a law according to which they are to pray. And
doubtless nothing is better for us than this restriction; for if it was
allowed to every one of us to ask what he pleased, and if God were to
indulge us in our wishes, it would be to provide very badly for us. For
what may be expedient we know not; nay, we boil over with corrupt and
hurtful desires. But God supplies a twofold remedy, lest we should pray
otherwise than according to what his own will has prescribed; for he
teaches us by his word what he would have us to ask, and he has also
set over us his Spirit as our guide and ruler, to restrain our
feelings, so as not to suffer them to wander beyond due bounds. For
what or how to pray, we know not, says Paul, but the Spirit helpeth our
infirmity, and excites in us unutterable groans. (Romans 8:26.) We
ought also to ask the mouth of the Lord to direct and guide our
prayers; for God in his promises has fixed for us, as it has been said,
the right way of praying.

15 And if we know This is not a superfluous repetition, as it seems to
be; for what the Apostle declared in general respecting the success of
prayer, he now affirms in a special manner that the godly pray or ask
for nothing from God but what they obtain. But when he says that all
the petitions of the faithful are heard, he speaks of right and humble
petitions, and such as are consistent with the rule of obedience. For
the faithful do not give loose reins to their desires, nor indulge in
anything that may please them, but always regard in their prayers what
God commands.

This, then, is an application of the general doctrine to the special
and private benefit of every one, lest the faithful should doubt that
God is propitious to prayers of each individual, so that with quiet
minds they may wait until the Lord should perform what they pray for,
and that being thus relieved from all trouble and anxiety, they may
cast on God the burden of their cares. This ease and security ought
not, however, to abate in them their earnestness in prayer, for he who
is certain of a happy event ought not to abstain from praying to God.
For the certainty of faith by no means generates indifference or sloth.
The Apostle meant; that every one should be tranquil in these
necessities when he has deposited his sighs in the bosom of God.