A34689:1345
A34689:1345
A practical commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and uses upon the first Epistle general of John by ... John Cotton ...A practicall commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and vses upon the first Epistle generall of John by ... John Cotton ...
London: printed by M.S. for Thomas Parkhurst, 1658
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. By the power of the Spirit, that is stronger in them, than he that is in the world, 1 John 4.3, 4.
Use 1. Since young men may, and do so overcome the World, it must teach young men to make this their glory, to be fighting this spiritual battle; there is no gifts they should so much please themselves in, as in this, Prov. 20.29. What a shame is it for young men to show their strength in pouring down strong drink, and spend their strength upon women? what a pitiful thing is it, for young men to strive to overcome one another in drinking and gaming? &c. nay, were they valiant in war, yet how much more honourable is it to fight the Lords battles, to over-wrestle our lusts? when a young man shall single out that grand Captain the Devil, and foil him in war, that is truly honourable; if Satan in a special manner strive to overcome you, then strive you most against him, stand out against him, resist him, and yield not to him; and examine what spiritual battles you have had with Satan, if none, then your case is not good.
Ʋse 1. Since young men may, and doe so overcome the World, it must teach young men to make this their glory, to be fighting this spiritual battell; there is no gifts they should so much please themselves in, as in this, Prov. 20.29. What a shame is it for young men to shew their strength in powring down strong drink, and spend their strength upon women? what a pittifull thing is it, for young men to strive to overcome one another in drinking and gaming? &c. nay, were they valiant in war, yet how much more honourable is it to fight the Lords battells, to over-wrestle our lusts? when a young man shall single out that grand Captain the Devill, and foil him in war, that is truly honourable; if Satan in a speciall manner strive to overcome you, then strive you most against him, stand out against him, resist him, and yield not to him; and examine what spirituall battells you have had with Satan, if none, then your case is not good.
Use 2. May hearten the feeblest Christians not to be discouraged with conflicts; many a soul saith, my corruptions are so strong, and my lusts so powerful, I shall never be able to stand out against them, and overcome them, why St. John writes here to young men, whose corruptions were strong and violent, and yet he saith, You have overcome the wicked one.
Ʋse 2. May hearten the feeblest Christians not to be discouraged with conflicts; many a soul saith, my corruptions are so strong, and my lusts so powerfull, I shall never be able to stand out against them, and overcome them, why St. John writes here to young men, whose corruptions were strong and violent, and yet he saith, You have overcome the wicked one.
Use 3. Of reproof to old men and children, if they do not overcome; children are not come to, and old men are past the dints of lusts; therefore they may be the more ashamed, if they be given to voluptuousness, and gluttony, and gaming, and lying, and company-keeping; Children and old men, their bodies are dead to such lusts.
Ʋse 3. Of reproof to old men and children, if they doe not overcome; children are not come to, and old men are past the dints of lusts; therefore they may be the more ashamed, if they be given to voluptuousnesse, and gluttony, and gaming, and lying, and company-keeping; Children and old men, their bodies are dead to such lusts.
Use 4. It exhorts all, though we cannot put Satan to death, or captivate him, yet what we may do, let us do; in every temptation, let us stand fast, and put him to flight, and labour by temptations to spoil him, let his temptations make you more humble, and fruitful, and obedient: this is the greatest honour of a Christian, thus to put Satan to flight and spoil him.
Ʋse 4. It exhorts all, though we cannot put Satan to death, or captivate him, yet what we may doe, let us doe; in every temptation, let us stand fast, and put him to flight, and labour by temptations to spoil him, let his temptations make you more humble, and fruitfull, and obedient: this is the greatest honour of a Christian, thus to put Satan to flight and spoil him.
1 JOHN 2.13. The latter end. I write unto you Babes, because you have known the Father.
WE have heard of old men, and young men, now we come to his Apostolical writing to Babes.
For the proof of this,
1. I will show it by Examples, 1 Sam. 3 1. though at first he knew not, yet from that time forward he knew God, 2 Chron. 34. see it in Josiah; so Timothy, it is said that he knew the Scripture of a child, 2 Tim. 2.15. Luke 1.15. and our Saviour bears testimony of little children, Suffer little children to come unto me, for to such belongs the Kingdom of Heaven. Mark 10.14. and that they were little ones, we may see, in that he took them in his arms, as we use to do infants, and whereas the Anabaptists say, he means not of these, but of such as are of years but little children in grace, this cavil is vain, for otherwise his reason had been in vain▪ for he might have said it as well of Sheep as little Lambs, for such are Gods Servants, but yet he never mentions such, but only these little ones, that is, little children.
1. I will shew it by Examples, 1 Sam. 3 1. though at first he knew not, yet from that time forward he knew God, 2 Chron. 34. see it in Josiah; so Timothy, it is said that he knew the Scripture of a childe, 2 Tim. 2.15. Luke 1.15. and our Saviour bears testimony of little children, Suffer little children to come unto me, for to such belongs the Kingdome of Heaven. Mark 10.14. and that they were little ones, we may see, in that he took them in his armes, as we use to doe infants, and whereas the Anabaptists say, he means not of these, but of such as are of years but little children in grace, this cavill is vain, for otherwise his reason had been in vain▪ for he might have said it as well of Sheep as little Lambs, for such are Gods Servants, but yet he never mentions such, but onely these little ones, that is, little children.
There are Three grounds of the Regeneration of little children.
1. From the Original Sin that they are born in, for they that are capable of sin are also capable of grace, for no subject is capable of sin but it is capable of grace, and the greatest part of their sin is the privation of grace, which they are capable of, Luke 1.15. Psal. 58.3.
1. From the Originall Sin that they are born in, for they that are capable of sin are also capable of grace, for no subject is capable of sin but it is capable of grace, and the greatest part of their sin is the privation of grace, which they are capable of, Luke 1.15. Psal. 58.3.
2. From their interest in the Covenant, they enter into a Covenant with God even from their childhood, as we may see, they brought their young Babes to enter into a Covenant with God, Deut. 29.10. to 14. and so are capable of grace, Joel 2.15, 16. In times of great dangers in the Land, God required little children and Babes to humble themselves for breach of the Covenant, which implies they were in a Covenant; indeed the Ninevites made their Beasts fast, and their Children, but they were Heathen, and were not within the Covenant.
2. From their interest in the Covenant, they enter into a Covenant with God even from their childhood, as we may see, they brought their young Babes to enter into a Covenant with God, Deut. 29.10. to 14. and so are capab•e of grace, Joel 2.15, 16. In times of great dangers in the Land, God required little children and B•bes to humble themselves for breach of the Covenant, which implies they were in a Covenant; indeed the Ninivets made their Beasts fast, and their Children, but they were Heathen, and were not within the Covenant.
3. Children are capable of the seals of the Covenant of Grace, Gen. 17.7, 8. therefore capable of the righteousness of faith, Rom. 4.11. so that we see little children may know God as their Father.
3. Children are capable of the seals of the Covenant of Grace, Gen. 17.7, 8. therefore capable of the righteousnesse of faith, Rom. 4.11. so that we see little children may know God as their Father.
Q. How soon do children come to be capable of this grace, to know God as their Father?
Q. How soon doe children come to be capable of this grace, to know God as their Father?
1. They are capable of the habits and gifts of grace from their first Conception, Luke 1.15. he was sanctified from his Mothers womb, and the reason is, as soon as capable of sin, capable of grace.