A34689:1845
A34689:1845
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 From the disposition of men; and aptness then to catch the greatest cold, when their spirits have been most warmed and heated; no man so apt to take ⟨p. 148⟩cold, as they who are very warm and hot; so in the days of the Apostles, they did not only fill them with Knowledge, but warmed the Church with Zeal, and Heat: zeal towards their Ministers, zeal in their liberality, they loved not their own lives in respect of Christ, now their spirits being so warm, they are more subject to get cold and distemper; every Christian in particular finds it so; when he hath been most enlarged at the Word, or Prayer, ere long he will be more straitened, there being a secret pride in the experience of Gods favour, and to rest in our selves, thinking that we have sufficient grace in our selves, when we see our need of Christ, we depend only on him, but when we are full, we depend on our selves, and so by sitting loose from Christ we get a great cold; we are cold in Prayer, Word, Sacrament; thus it is with the Church, when God sheds his Spirit abundantly in the Church, they grow secure, and depend upon themselves, thus we see, Josh. 1.9, 10, 11. so that one would have thought that that generation would have been more zealous, yet none so Idolatrous till God quickened them by their enemies: so in the Apostles times, the Church was very forward and zealous, a few Generations after, their spirits were carried away with errors.
3 From the disposition of men; and aptnesse then to catch the greatest cold, when their spirits have been most warmed and heated; no man so apt to take ⟨p. 148⟩cold, as they who are very warm and hot; so in the days of the Apostles, they did not only fill them with Knowledge, but warmed the Church with Zeal, and Heat: zeal towards their Ministers, zeal in their liberality, they loved not their own lives in respect of Christ, now their spirits being so warm, they are more subjesh to get cold and distemper; every Christian in particular finds it so; when he hath been most enlarged at the Word, or Prayer, ere long he will be more straitned, there being a secret pride in the experience of Gods favour, and to rest in our selves, thinking that we have sufficient grace in our selves, when we see our need of Christ, we depend only on him, but when we are full, we depend on our selves, and so by sitting loose from Christ we get a great cold; we are cold in Prayer, Word, Sacrament; thus it is with the Church, when God sheds his Spirit abundantly in the Church, they grow secure, and depend upon themselves, thus we see, Josh. 1.9, 10, 11. so that one would have thought that that generation would have been more zealous, yet none so Idolatrous till God quickned them by their enemies: so in the Apostles times, the Church was very forward and zealous, a few Generations after, their spirits were carried away with errors.
4 From the disposition of Satan, he hath great rage because the time is short, Rev. 12.8. and we shall always find that the Devil hath imitated God, if God have Sacrifices from his people, so the Devil from the Pagans; so if God set up a Christ, Satan will have an Antichrist set up, that may be, not only a substitute, but an enemy to Christ, that as God had won the world by Christ, so he would delude the world by Antichrist.
4 From the disposition of Satan, he hath great rage because the time is short, Rev. 12.8. and we shall always finde that the Devil hath imitated God, if God have Sacrifices from his people, so the Devil from the Pagans; so if God set up a Christ, Sathan will have an Antichrist set up, that may be, not only a substitute, but an enemy to Christ, that as God had won the world by Christ, so he would delude the world by Antichrist.
5 From the wise and just dealing of God, if God reveal more means of knowledge, he will use many means of trial, he will have them winnowed, that so the good may remain as Wheat, the Chaff may be blown away, if God give more Talents, he will put them upon more employment and exercise.
5 From the wise and just dealing of God, if God reveal more means of knowledge, he will use many means of trial, he will have them winnowed, that so the good may remain as Wheat, the Chaffe may be blown away, if God give more Tallents, he will put them upon more employment and exexercise.
Use 1 To teach Christians not to be offended, if they find variety of seducing spirits in these days, a man would wonder in such peaceable days, when Religion is maintained, there should be so many opinions and agitations, how comes this about? you must know that God never dispensed generally more knowledge since the revelation of Antichrist than now; now where there is most knowledge, Satan will be seducing and corrupting their wisdom; where there is more wisdom there is more curiosity and pride; so much knowledge, so much want of truth many times, and so putting off the truth, men run into several errors, and it is just with God, seeing they put away a good Conscience, and would not give heed to sound Doctrine, therefore God gave them up to follow lies, 2 Thes. 2. and their longing desire and zeal in former times, will end in such a cold, that there will be a defect of all warmth and heat, and wheresoever you see the truth not held in a good Conscience; they run their faith on Rocks, some split on a rock of Arminianism, some on a rock of Popery; so that it must needs be that in these last times many Antichrists must be.
Ʋse 1 To teach Christians not to be offended, if they finde variety of seducing spirits in these days, a man would wonder in such peaceable days, when Religion is maintained, there should be so many opinions and agitations, how comes this about? you must know that God never dispenced generally more knowledge since the revelation of Antichrist than now; now where there is most knowledge, Sathan will be seducing and corrupting their wisdom; where there is more wisdome there is more curiosity and pride; so much knowledge, so much want of truth many times, and so putting off the truth, men run into several errors, and it is just with God, seeing they put away a good Conscience, and would not give heed to sound Doctrine, therefore God gave them up to follow lyes, 2 Thes. 2. and their longing desire and zeal in former times, will end in such a cold, that there will be a defect of all warmth and heat, and wheresoever you see the truth not held in a good Conscience; they run their faith on Rocks, some split on a rock of Arminianism, some on a rock of Popery; so that it must needs be that in these last times many Antichrists must be.
Use 2 Since many Antichrists are, and will be in these last times, let us labour to be so established in the truth, that however the times be, we may keep our faith and religion.
Ʋse 2 Since many Antichrists are, and will be in these last times, let us labour to be so established in the truth, that however the times be, we may keep our faith and religion.
Q. How shall we be thus established?
A. 1. Get contrary spirits to the former, give not up your selves to curiosity, and vain speculations, if the Lord find you humble, he will teach you in his ways; if when you are warm and hot, you have a care that you get not cold, 1 Chron. 29.18. Pray to God to keep your hearts always in that frame, or at least in such a frame as may befit every days business, and then whatsoever the times be, our hearts and judgements shall be established in the truth, but unless God give you a good Conscience with your knowledge, you will be soon perverted, and therefore I say, as Paul to the Ephesians, Ephes. 2.12. continue in a firm love of the truth, as well as in the knowledge of it.
A. 1. Get contrary spirits to the former, give not up your selves to curiosity, and vain speculations, if the Lord find you humble, he will teach you in his ways; if when you are warm and hot, you have a care that you get not cold, 1 Chron. 29.18. Pray to God to keep your hearts always in that frame, or at least in such a frame as may befit every days businesse, and then whatsoever the times be, our hearts and judgements shall be established in the truth, but unless God give you a good Conscience with your knowledge, you will be soon perverted, and therefore I say, as Paul to the Ephesians, Ephes. 2.12. continue in a firm love of the truth, as well as in the knowledge of it.
1 JOHN 2.19. They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us, &c.
The Apostle, Vers. 18. had instructed Babes of the coming of Antichrist, now in this Verse he first describes them;
THe Apostle, Vers. 18. had instructed Babes of the coming of Antichrist, now in this Verse he first discribes them;
1 By their Apostasy, they went out from us:
1 By their Apostacy, they went out from us:
2 Their condition before, They were not of us, he amplifies both, the latter he proves by an Argument, They were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us.
The former he amplifies by the reason, why God gave them up to Apostasy, which was, that these Seducers might be made manifest that they were not of us.
The former he amplifies by the reason, why God gave them up to Apostacie, which was, that these Seducers might be made manifest that they were not of us.
Q. 1. What is meant by this, They went out from us?
A. 1. They departed from their Doctrine in Judgment, and from their Fellowship in Practise.
A. 1. They departed from their Doctrin in Judgment, and from their Fellowship in Practise.
Acts 2.42. Now these men departed from both, they forsook the truth which before they profest, 2 Joh. 9. and not in circumstantial points, but in such, whereby they denied both the Father and the Son, as verse 22. 1 Tim. 1.19.
Acts 2.42. Now these men departed from both, they forsook the truth which before they profest, 2 Joh. 9. and not in circumstantial points, but in such, whereby they denyed both the Father and the Son, as verse 22. 1 Tim. 1.19.
2 In their fellowship, they declined from them in communion of Ordinances, and mutual help, Heb. 10.25.