A34689:1650
A34689:1650
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.
Use May dehort both old and young from affecting the lusts of the World, you see from the Father they are not, but from the World: and the means to help us against these lusts are,
Ʋse May dehort both old and young from affecting the lusts of the World, you see from the Father they are not, but from the World: and the means to help us against these lusts are,
1 Abstain from fleshly lusts as Peter speaks, Rom. 13.14. make no provision for the flesh, take heed of all occasions; I have made a Covenant with mine eyes (saith Job) not to look upon a Maid, Job 31.1. so for drink, Prov. 23.31. Prov. 4.15. it is a notable means of mortification, to withhold the blood and spirits from flowing into that member, thereby in a good measure they stupefy it. Secondly, Use some course to stupefy that part. Thirdly, Cut it off; would you mortify lust? Beware of all occasions, if such meats or drinks wilt make you Gluttons or Drunkards, meddle not with them, and so you shall hinder influence to these lusts: apply the death of Christ, the threatenings of God, and so when it begins to stupefy, cut it off; better it is to want all the sinful pleasures of this life, than having of them to be cast into Hell.
1 Abstain from fleshly lusts as Peter speaks, Rom. 13.14. make no provision for the flesh, take heed of all occasions; I have made a Covenant with mine eyes (saith Job) not to look upon a Maid, Job 31.1. so for drink, Prov. 23.31. Prov. 4.15. it is a notable means of mortification, to withhold the blood and spirits from flowing into that member, thereby in a good measure they stupifie it. Secondly, Use some course to stupifie that part. Thirdly, Cut it off; would you mortifie lust? Beware of all occasions, if such meats or drinks wilt make you Gluttons or Drunkards, meddle not with them, and so you shall hinder influence to these lusts: apply the death of Christ, the threatnings of God, and so when it begins to stupifie, cut it off; better it is to want all the sinful pleasures of this life, than having of them to be cast into Hell.
2 Refrain from bringing forth fruit of these lusts, the more fruitful a Tree grows; the more sap and strength it draws, and strikes deeper into thee earth; so let sin once grow fruitful, bring forth acts, it will get deeper hold, and grow so rooted that it will reign in you; if you avoid all occasions; and yield not ⟨p. 131⟩to satisfy the least of them, it will soon be gone; if a strange Dog comes in, if you feed him, he stands waiting for one piece after another, but if you beat him he is gone, where he may find better entertainment; so if lusts find, that they can have no entertainment, they cannot get one morsel, no yielding to them, but repulsing, they will be gone from you, where they may find better welcome.
2 Refrain from bringing forth fruit of these lusts, the more fruitful a Tree grows; the more sap and strength it draws, and strikes deeper into thee earth; so let sin once grow fruitful, bring forth acts, it will get deeper hold, and grow so rooted that it will reign in you; if you avoyd all occasions; and yeeld not ⟨p. 131⟩to satisfie the least of them, it will soon be gone; if a strange Dogg comes in, if you feed him, he stands waiting for one piece after another, but if you beat him he is gone, where he may finde better entertainment; so if lusts find, that they can have no entertainment, they cannot get one morsell, no yeilding to them, but repulsing, they will be gone from you, where they may finde better welcome.
3 When thou findest any lust of the flesh arising in thee, turn the strength of it to a Spiritual end; A man hath an affection to meat or drink, what saith Christ, I have meat and drink that ye know not of; though he were very faint and hungry, yet when he saw a company come, he attended not to his meat and drink, but there was Spiritual food, and that comforted and refreshed him; so, art thou troubled with lust after Women? and God calls thee not to Marriage, why turn the strength of thy affection to another, that is white and ruddy, the fairest of ten thousand. The more you set your heart to consider, how amiable, and beautiful, and excellent he is, you shall find he will so satisfy your heart, that you will find little content in any other thing besides: As the Sun, if it shine hot on a fire it puts it out, so the love of Christ, if it once shine in your hearts, and fill your souls with light; and joy unspeakable and glorious, you shall find all base Kitchen lusts were they never so vehement, the Sun of Righteousness will soon eat them out; so for love of idleness and rest, let but a Soul consider what comforts he ever found in the favour of God when his left hand was under him, and when God held him up in his everlasting Arms, do but consider how sweet was one hour of that inward peace you found then above all outward comforts, you shall easily see, that though your body should never find rest more, yet this inward peace will so satisfy you, that you will be ready to say with Paul, I have enough, I have learned in all these to be [Greek or Hebrew] self-sufficient, that I need not more, Phil. 4.11, 12.
3 When thou findest any lust of the flesh arising in thee, turn the strength of it to a Spiritual end; A man hath an affection to meat or drink, what saith Christ, I have meat and drink that ye know not of; though he were very faint and hungry, yet when he saw a company come, he attended not to his meat and drink, but there was Spiritual food, and that comforted and refreshed him; so, art thou troubled with lust after Women? and God calls thee not to Marriage, why turn the strength of thy affection to another, that is white and ruddy, the fairest of ten thousand. The more you set your heart to consider, how amiable, and beautiful, and excellent he is, you shall finde he will so satisfie your heart, that you will finde little content in any other thing besides: As the Sun, if it shine hot on a fire it puts it out, so the love of Christ, if it once shine in your hearts, and fill your souls with light; and joy unspeakable and glorious, you shall finde all base Kitching lusts were they never so vehement, the Sun of Righteousnesse will soon eat them out; so for love of idlenesse and rest, let but a Soul consider what comforts he ever found in the favour of God when his left hand was under him, and when God held him up in his everlasting Arms, do but consider how sweet was one hour of that inward peace you found then above all outward comforts, you shall easily see, that though your body should never finde rest more, yet this inward peace will so satisfie you, that you will be ready to say with Paul, I have enough, I have learned in all these to be self-sufficient, that I need not more,
4 Walk faithfully and constantly in your general and particular Callings; the reason why a Christian grows carnal and sensual is, because either in Gods Ordinances, or his particular Calling he was not spiritually minded, walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh, Gal. 5.16. be spiritual and heavenly, in Prayer, in hearing the Word, in your Calling, and you shall find your lusts decay; otherwise, he that rusheth into occasions of sin needlessly, he tempts the Devil to tempt him, so that whereas the Devil might otherwise be much weakened, and not so able to overcome, if we invite occasions, and rush into such places where Satan reigns, we thrust Weapons into Satan's hand, and a man never ordinarily leads himself into temptation but he falls; let Peter go into the High Priests Hall, he shamefully denies his Master before he come out, therefore take heed of running into occasions of sin.
4 Walk faithfully and constantly in your general and particular Callings; the reason why a Christian grows carnal and sensual is, because either in Gods Ordinances, or his particular Calling hee was not spiritually minded, walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, Gal. 5.16. be spiritual and heavenly, in Prayer, in hearing the Word, in your Calling, and you shall finde your lusts decay; otherwise, he that rusheth into occasions of sin needlesly, he tempts the Devil to tempt him, so that whereas the Devil might otherwise be much weakened, and not so able to overcome, if we invite occasions, and rush into such places where Satan reigns, we thrust Weapons into Satans hand, and a man never ordinarily leads himself into temptation but he falls; let Peter go into the High Priests Hall, he shamefully denies his Master before he come out, therefore take heed of running into occasions of sin.
2 Refrain from the fruits of sin, and grow Spiritually minded, look after Spiritual objects, when we are carried to Sensual objects, when we are carried to delight in pleasures, and pastimes, why let us remember, Blessed is the man that hath not walked, &c. Psal. 1.1, 2, 3. but his delight is in the Law of the Lord, he recreates himself, his Soul in that, such a man shall be as a tree planted by the rivers of water, ever sucking sap and grace from the Ordinances, that so he grows up; but contrary, such a one as runs into occasions, and fulfils his ••sts, he shall be as a barren Heath, and parched Wilderness, his leaf and fruit blasted.
2 Refrain from the fruits of sin, and grow Spiritually minded, look after Spiritual objects, when we are carried to Sensual objects, when we are carried to delight in pleasures, and pastimes, why let us remember, Blessed is the man that hath not walked, &c. Psal. 1.1, 2, 3. but his delight is in the Law of the Lord, he recreates himself, his Soul in that, such a man shall be as a tree planted by the rivers of water, ever sucking sap and grace from the Ordinances, that so he grows up; but contrary, such a one as runs into occasions, and fullfills his ••sts, he shall be as a barren Heath, and parched Wildernesse, his leaf and fruit blasted.
We come now to the second sort of lusts.
By the lust of the Eye is meant Covetousness, or inordinate desire of profit.
By the lust of the Eye is meant Covetousnesse, or inordinate desire of profit.
1 Because the Eye makes us covet it, as Achan, Josh. 7.21.
2 Because the eye in some measure is glutted with the sight of it.
Obj. Why doth he not speak of lusts of the Ear? for 2 Tim. 2.4. there is an ⟨p. 132⟩itching Ear; thus the Athenians, Acts 17 21, and so some have a strong affection to Music, and never well without it; this is a lust of the Ear, and why is not this reckoned as well as the lust of the eye?
Obj. Why doth he not speak of lusts of the Ear? for 2 Tim. 2.4. there is an ⟨p. 132⟩itching Ear; thus the Athenians, Acts 17 21, and so some have a strong affection to Musick, and never well without it; this is a lust of the Ear, and why is not this reckoned as well as the lust of the eye?
Aquinas makes this Objection, and answers it thus, That these lusts stand not so much on the bodily eye as the imagination, but the man may as well desire curiosities by the Ear, as the Eye make us covet what it sees?
Answ. The answer therefore is, the Eye is the seat of sundry Faculties.
1 It may be referred to the Understanding and Imagination, for that is in the Soul, Psal. 33.18.
2 The hope of a man is translated to his Eye, 2 Chron. 20.12. sometimes pity, Thine eye shall not spare, Deut. 13. sometimes disdain expresseth it self in the eye, sometimes pride, Prov. 30. in a lofty look, and the eye is put oft for the desire of the heart, when the eye looks long after it, Matth. 5.28. there is a desire that reacheth to something, Psal. 54. Psal. 92.1. Mine eye also shall see my desire upon mine enemies; not only hopes, but desires are ever in the eye.
2 The hope of a man is translated to his Eye, 2 Chron. 20.12. sometimes pity, Thine eye shall not spare, Deut. 13. sometimes disdain expresseth it self in the eye, sometimes pride, Prov. 30. in a lofty look, and the eye is put oft for the desire of the heart, when the eye looks long after it, Matth. 5.28. there is a desire that reacheth to something, Psal. 54. Psal. 92.1. Mine eye also shall see my desire upon mine enemies; not onely hopes, but desires are ever in the eye.