A34689:1476
A34689:1476
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.
Love not the world, nor the things of the world, that is, our own Lusts, implying, there is in us by nature a love to the world, and the things of the world, the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life.
The lust of the flesh is such a corrupt inclination, whereby our bodies do affect sensual lusts, and sensual objects, as meat and drink, that is, intemperancy, or women, that is Incontinence, or Pastimes and Pleasures; and that is Voluptuousness; and they are called the Lusts of the flesh because our flesh sets us a work to them, what are the lusts of the eye? there is a good eye, a bountiful eye, but an evil eye is called a covetous eye, Pro. 23.6. Deu. 15.7. so then the lusts of the eye is Covetousness, and it is called the lust of the eye, because the eye stirs us up to it; and that is all he hath to behold them, Eccles. 5.10, 11. the very beholding satisfies.
The lust of the flesh is such a corrupt inclination, whereby our bodies do affect sensual lusts, and sensual objects, as meat and drink, that is, intemperancy, or women, that is Incontinencie, or Pastimes and Pleasures; and that is Voluptuousnesse; and they are called the Lusts of the flesh because our flesh sets us a work to them, what are the lusts of the eye? there is a good eye, a bountiful eye, but an evil eye is called a covetous eye, Pro. 23.6. Deu. 15.7. so then the lusts of the eye is Covetousnesse, and it is called the lust of the eye, because the eye stirs us up to it; and that is all he hath to behold them, Eccles. 5.10, 11. the very beholding satisfies.
The pride of Life, is the affecting of a mans own carnal excellency, when as he doth look at himself only, whether he doth it in heart by high conceit, or worldly boastings, or in outward carriage, now all these we are ready to love, we are ready to love our own wantonness, our intemperancy, or to be carried away with the lust of the Eye, the profits of the World, or else to be puffed up with our own excellency: whatsoever the heart lusts after, it is either honour, or profit, or pleasure: now, love not the World, nor the lusts of it: why, would you think a man should be so wicked as to love Voluptuousness, or Profit, or Honour? Yes, St. John else would not so carefully have forbidden it.
The pride of Life, is the affecting of a mans own carnal excellency, when as he doth look at himself only, whether he doth it in heart by high conceit, or worldly boastings, or in outward carriage, now all these we are ready to love, we are ready to love our own wantonnesse, our intemperancy, or to be carried away with the lust of the Eye, the profits of the World, or else to be puft up with our own excellency: whatsoever the heart lusts after, it is either honour, or profit, or pleasure: now, love not the World, nor the lusts of it: why, would you think a man should be so wicked as to love Voluptuousnesse, or Profit, or Honour? Yes, St. John else would not so carefully have forbidden it.
Reas. 1 Now that this is so, appears, 1. From our aptness to take part with our own lusts, when they are either discovered or reproved; thus Herod loved his lust, his Herodias, which appears in that he took part with his lust against John Baptist, and took it heinously that he should reprove him for it, Matth. 14.3. he will rather restrain John than restrain his lust, when a man would rather restrain the Ministers than his lust, that is a sign of his love to his lust. So Asa, 2 Chron. 16.10. he not only affected his security, but he loved his lust, which is manifest, in that he took it so heinously when the Prophet reproved him for it: so for pride of life, it was Jonahs greatest lust, love of his own credit, which appears, in that he was displeased exceedingly, because he was crossed in it, that the City was not destroyed: he had Prophesied destruction to Nineveh, and God upon their repentance spared them, and he thought he should be counted a false Prophet, and lose his credit, and therefore he was much displeased, yea, he was displeased that God should reprove him for his frowardness, Jon. 4. so that he loved this pride and anger in himself, because he pleaded for it, when God asked him, Dost thou well to be angry? Yea, saith he, I do well to be angry even to the death. If a man plead for his Lust, and stand out against reproof, that is a sign he loves that lust.
Reas. 1 Now that this is so, appears, 1. From our aptnesse to take part with our own lusts, when they are either discovered or reproved; thus Herod loved his lust, his Herodias, which appears in that he took part with his lust against John Baptist, and took it hainously that he should reprove him for it, Matth. 14.3. he will rather restrain John than restrain his lust, when a man would rather restrain the Ministers than his lust, that is a sign of his love to his lust. So Asa, 2 Chron. 16.10. he not only affected his security, but he loved his lust, which is manifest, in that he took it so hainously when the Prophet reproved him for it: so for pride of life, it was Jonahs greatest lust, love of his own credit, which appears, in that hee was displeased exceedingly, because he was crost in it, that the City was not destroyed: hee had Prophecied destruction to Niniveh, and God upon their repentance spared them, and he thought he should be counted a false Prophet, and lose his credit, and therefore he was much displeased, yea, he was displeased that God should reprove him for his frowardnesse,
Reas. 2 From the slight regard we give to exhortations against our Lusts: if Ministers exhort, Love not the world, nor the things of the world, if we slight them, and search not out our lusts, and put them away, and mortify them: if we favour our selves therein, it plainly appears we love them. If a Prince should send to a City, not to harbour such and such Traitors, but to seek ⟨p. 112⟩them out and punish them, if they never look after them, never seek them out, is it not a sign of their love to those Traitors? so if we hear of sinful lusts, that we should not love them: if yet notwithstanding we go home, and never regard them, it is a manifest sign that we love these lusts.
Reas. 2 From the slight regard we give to exhortations against our Lusts: if Ministers exhort, Love not the world, nor the things of the world, if we slight them, and search not out our lusts, and put them away, and mortifie them: if we favour our selves therein, it plainly appears wee love them. If a Prince should send to a City, not to harbour such and such Traitors, but to seeke ⟨p. 112⟩them out and punish them, if they never look after them, never seek them out, is it not a sign of their love to those Traitors? so if we hear of sinfull lusts, that we should not love them: if yet notwithstanding we go home, and never regard them, it is a manifest sign that we love these lusts.
Use 1 May show us the wonderful depth of the wickedness that is in our hearts; one would think it were wickedness enough to have Voluptuousness, and Covetousness, and Pride, and vanity in our hearts, but this is nothing in respect of our love to them, we not only have these lusts, but we love them; therefore this should learn us to abhor our own carnal estate, that we are not only full of pride, and covetousness, and intemperance, but that we should love these lusts, that is a depth of wickedness; that a man should stand out against any friend, or counsel, or reproof, or exhortation, and take part with his lusts, this is a sign that the heart is desperately wicked, Jer. 17.9. therefore let no man have an high conceit of himself, but labour to see the depth of the wickedness of his heart by Nature, in that he not only is filled with these lusts but loves them.
Ʋse 1 May shew us the wonderfull depth of the wickednesse that is in our hearts; one would think it were wickednesse enough to have Voluptuousnesse, and Covetousnesse, and Pride, and vanity in our hearts, but this is nothing in respect of our love to them, we not only have these lusts, but wee love them; therefore this should learn us to abhor our own carnal estate, that we are not only full of pride, and covetousnesse, and intemperancie, but that we should love these lusts, that is a depth of wickednesse; that a man should stand out against any friend, or counsel, or reproof, or exhortation, and take part with his lusts, this is a sign that the heart is desperately wicked, Jer. 17.9. therefore let no man have an high conceit of himself, but labour to see the depth of the wickednesse of his heart by Nature, in that he not only is filled with these lusts but loves them.
Use 2 May serve to teach us, whensoever we renew our repentance, and find out any covetousness, or pride, or intemperance, go but a little lower, and you shall find a love of those lusts in your hearts; and as God said to Ezekiel, Ezek. 8.6. Turn thee, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these, so shall we find in our own hearts; whence else comes all extenuating, and mincing, and hiding of sin? whence else comes disputing, and pleading for our lusts? it is made manifest, that rather than we will be accounted proud, or wanton, or covetous, we will bid defiance to all; alas, what is this but to love the world, and the the things of the world?
Ʋse 2 May serve to teach us, whensoever we renew our repentance, and finde out any covetousnesse, or pride, or intemperance, go but a little lower, and you shall finde a love of those lusts in your hearts; and as God said to Ezekiel, Ezek. 8.6. Turn thee, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these, so shall we finde in our own hearts; whence else comes all extenuating, and mincing, and hiding of sin? whence else comes disputing, and pleading for our lusts? it is made manifest, that rather than we will be acccounted proud, or wanton, or covetous, we will bid defiance to all; alas, what is this but to love the world, and the the things of the world?
The love, of Christians is not to be set on the lusts of the world.
The Holy Ghost dehorts from this by Scriptures that enforce restraint from these lusts, 1 Pet. 2.11. 2 Tim. 2.22. Fly youthful lusts, and St. Peter wishes them to abstain from them, as if they were some deadly poison, that would stain and infect our souls; it implies some great danger, Rom. 13.14. fly from them, make no means to accomplish them.
The Holy Ghost dehorts from this by Scriptures that enforce restraint from these lusts, 1 Pet. 2.11. 2 Tim. 2.22. Fly youthful lusts, and St. Peter wishes them to abstain from them, as if they were some deadly poyson, that would stain and infect our souls; it implies some great danger, Rom. 13.14. fly from them, make no means to accomplish them.
2 There are other words which show more enmity, as mortifying; Col. 3.5. there he calls Lusts the members of the body, implying, there is a body of sin; now this mortifying is a metaphor taken from Chirurgeons, who when they would cut off a Member, they mortify it, by binding it, and hindering the recourse of the blood and and spirits, and so benumb it. Secondly, They apply Corrosives to stupefy it, and then cut it off, lest it fret and kill the whole body; so we ought to mortify our lusts, by restraining and binding our hearts from delight in any pleasure, Psal. 119.101. my feet, that is, the inclination of my heart, he had bound up his spirit from them, and restrained it from any fellowship with them.
2 There are other words which shew more enmity, as mortifying; Col. 3.5. there he calls Lusts the members of the body, implying, there is a body of sin; now this mortifying is a metaphor taken from Chirurgions, who when they would cut off a Member, they mortifie it, by binding it, and hindering the recourse of the bloud and and spirits, and so benumb it. Secondly, They apply Corrosives to stupifie it, and then cut it off, lest it fret and kill the whole body; so we ought to mortifie our lusts, by restraining and binding our hearts from delight in any pleasure, Psal. 119.101. my feet, that is, the inclination of my heart, he had bound up his spirit from them, and restrained it from any fellowship with them.
2 As Chirurgeons apply Corrosives, so Christians to mortify their lusts apply such Corrosives may subdue their lusts, Rom. 8.13. If ye walk after the flesh ye shall dye, but if ye through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live; either kill your lusts, or else you will kill your souls, therefore mortify your lusts through the Spirit that you may live; which is a notable Corrosive to mortify them by the Spirit of God; so another Corrosive is, when a man applies the threatenings of God to his soul, and against his Lusts; if you shall lay to heart all the dangers of your lusts, it will eat out the corruption of the flesh. Another special Corrosive is the Death of Christ, when we consider Christ dyed for us, and we are dead in him, how then should we live any longer to sin, Rom. 6.1 to 6.
2 As Chirurgions apply Corrosives, so Christians to mortifie their lusts apply such Corrosives may subdue their lusts, Rom. 8.13. If ye walk after the flesh ye shall dye, but if ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body, ye shall live; either kill your lusts, or else you will kill your souls, therefore mortifie your lusts through the Spirit that you may live; which is a notable Corrosive to mortifie them by the Spirit of God; so another Corrosive is, when a man applies the threatnings of God to his soul, and against his Lusts; if you shall lay to heart all the dangers of your lusts, it will eat out the corruption of the flesh. Another special Corrosive is the Death of Christ, when we consider Christ dyed for us, and we are dead in him, how then should we live any longer to sin, Rom. 6.1 to 6.
3 As Chirurgeons cut off that Member that is thus mortified, so Christians, that they may not love their lusts, must cut off those lusts, and cast them away, Matth. 18.8, 9. were our lusts as near and precious to us as our right eye, were they never so convenient or necessary, even as our right hand, ⟨p. 113⟩though we should dis-enable our selves in our Callings, yet cut them off, it is better you should be lame in your business, better you should go with reproach and shame in the world, than at length be cast body and soul into Hell fire; cut off the members of sin, which are as near, and dear, and necessary unto you, as right eyes and hands, in regard of your worldly employments, yet away with them, mortify them.
3 As Chirurgions cut off that Member that is thus mortified, so Christians, that they may not love their lusts, must cut off those lusts, and cast them away, Matth. 18.8, 9. were our lusts as near and precious to us as our right eye, were they never so convenient or necessary, even as our right hand, ⟨p. 113⟩though we should dis-inable our selves in our Callings, yet cut them off, it is better you should be lame in your businesse, better you should goe with reproach and shame in the world, than at length be cast body and soul into Hell fire; cut off the members of sin, which are as near, and dear, and necessary unto you, as right eyes and hands, in regard of your worldly employments, yet away with them, mortifie them.