A34689:3914
A34689:3914
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.
If a man refuse the love of his brethren, he denies, that God sent his Son to be a Saviour of his brethren from his wrath. God sent his Son to save us from hell, death, and the grave, and from all evil we may meet with. God hath promised to with hold no good thing from them that fear him; but if death and sickness be good, we shall have them, Psal. 84.11. Now if we with-hold any good from our brethren, we bear witness that Christ came not into the world to save them.
If a man refuse the love of his brethren, he denies, that God sent his Sonne to be a Saviour of his brethren from his wrath. God sent his Sonne to save us from hell, death, and the grave, and from all evill we may meet with. God hath promised to with hold no good thing from them that feare him; but if death and sicknesse be good, we shall have them, Psal. 84.11. Now if we with-hold any good from our brethren, we bear witnesse that Christ came not into the world to save them.
Use 1. This should teach us to lay down all wrath and hatred, and to be discouraged from harbouring any such distempers in our souls, for else you proclaim before God, Angels, and men, that God did did not send his Son to be a Saviour; for shall Christ come to save his people from the wrath of God, and from the Devil, and shall he not free his people from my wrath? Either make Christ a whole Saviour, else make him no Saviour at all. If Christ save from any evil, he will save from all. Agrippa was a Christian in part, but Christ was not a Saviour in part.
Ʋse 1. This should teach us to lay down all wrath and hatred, and to be discouraged from harbouring any such distempers in our souls, for else you proclaim before God, Angels, and men, that God did did not send his Son to be a Saviour; for shall Christ come to save his people from the wrath of God, and from the Devil, and shall he not free his people from my wrath? Either make Christ a whole Saviour, else make him no Saviour at all. If Christ save from any evill, he will save from all. Agrippa was a Christian in part, but Christ was not a Saviour in part.
2 To exhort every soul to be loving to their brethren; the more you abound in love to your brethren, the more you testify that God sent his Son into the world to be a Saviour, and the more love will God express to your souls.
2 To exhort every soule to be loving to their brethren; the more you abound in love to your brethren, the more you testifie that God sent his Sonne into the world to be a Saviour, and the more love will God expresse to your soules.
3 Of consolation to such as love all men, but especially to such as are of the household of Faith, such a man hath seen that God hath sent his Son to be a Saviour of the world; As Gods will is they should be saved, so for his part, his will is they should be saved, such a man may be persuaded that God hath forgiven him his sins.
3 Of consolation to such as love all men, but especially to such as are of the houshold of Faith, such a man hath seen that God hath sent his Son to be a Saviour of the world; As Gods will is they shou d be saved, so for his part, his will is they should be saved, such a man may be perswaded that God hath forgiven him his sins.
1 JOHN 4.15. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
1 JOHN 4.15. Whosoever shall confesse that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
The 14 and 15 verses contain an argument of Gods love dwelling in us, the proposition is laid down, vers. 14. the assumption, vers. 15.
THe 14 and 15 verses contain an argument of Gods love dwelling in us, the proposition is laid down, vers. 14. the assumption, vers. 15.
They have entire fellowship, because they do not only dwell one with another, but one in another, as members in the body, as branches in the root; Whosoever shall confess Jesus, &c. So that this is one mark of true Christianity, in that it seals up a mans soul to everlasting fellowship with God; There are many marks of Christianity, but none so general, so that where this confession is, there is true fellowship with God, this is certain and true, Mat. 16 16, 17. Whom say men that I the Son of man am? &c. But saith Christ, Who say ye that I am? Peter answered and said, we confess thee to be the Son of the ever-living God; what saith Christ to him? Blessed art thou Simon; if he were blessed, then his soul was wrapped up into the fellowship of the souls of just men made perfect, and so into fellowship with God. The same acceptance did Christ give to the Thief upon the Cross, when his Disciples left him, when the Soldiers spitefully entreated him, and all despised him, one of the thieves railed on him; saith the other, Fearest thou not God? sith we are in the same condemnation, Luk. 23.42.3. Remember me, saith he, when thou comest into thy kingdom. He acknowledgeth here that Christ was the Son of God, because he saith, Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom, knowing that power and glory was his: what saith Christ to this confession of his? That he should confess him in the midst of so many reproaches and disgraces, that one Thief should confess more then all the rest; Christ saith to him, This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise, his soul was taken up into heaven, and ⟨p. 313⟩so he was a blessed man, and had fellowship with God, 1 John 5.5. He that overcometh, believeth that Jesus is the Son of God, so chap. 2. & 3. of the Revel. if any man overcome the world it is only he that confesseth that Jesus is the Son of God, 1 Cor. 12.3. No man can truly say, that Jesus is the Lord, but by the holy Ghost; such is the work of the holy Ghost, that God dwells in him, and he in God.
They have entire fellowship, because they doe not onely dwell one with another, but one in another, as members in the body, as branches in the root; Whosoever shall confesse Jesus, &c. So that this is one mark of true Christianity, in that it seals up a mans soul to everlasting fellowship with God; There are many marks of Christianity, but none so general, so that where this confession is, there is true fellowship with God, this is certain and true,
Object. But if that be such an argument that we are blessed, if we confess that Jesus is the Lord, then I hope we shall do all well enough, for who of all the sons of men that profess Christianity are not persuaded, and do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God? Papists believe this, and the Pharisees that sinned against the holy Ghost, believed this, Matth. 21.38. This is the Heir, say they, therefore the Son of God, come let us kill him; they sinned against the holy Ghost, because they knew that Christ was the Lord: there are two things in the sin against the holy Ghost, light in the mind, and malice in the heart, the Devils profess that they knew Jesus, Mark 1.24. What then doth God dwell in the Devil, or the Devil in God? God forbid.
Object. But if that be such an argument that we are blessed, if we confesse that Jesus is the Lord, then I hope we shall doe all well enough, for who of all the sons of men that professe Christianity are not perswaded, and doe not believe that Jesus is the Son of God? Papists believe this, and the Pharisees that sinned against the holy Ghost, believed this, Matth. 21.38. This is the Heir, say they, therefore the Son of God, come let us kill him; they sinned against the holy Ghost, because they knew that Christ was the Lord: there are two things in the sin against the holy Ghost, light in the mind, and malice in the heart, the Devils professe that they knew Jesus, Marke 1.24. What then doth God dwell in the Devill, or the Devil in God? God forbid.
Answ. There is something in respect of the time, it was something in the days of St. John, for a man to confess, that Jesus was the Son of God, for then men durst not, because this was but a new doctrine, this point had Universality, and antiquity against it, but now it is burning to ashes to deny it; It is now no thank for men to confess that Jesus is the Son of God, he that shall not confess it, shall have cause of confusion in this world, and in the world to come. The Devils did believe this, but they did not confess him truly; and good men will sore distrust this point, because the Devil confesseth this, the Devil was convinced of the truth of this, but yet it was no argument of his dwelling with God, because he did this fraudulently.
Answ. There is something in respect of the time, it was something in the dayes of St. John, for a man to confesse, that Jesus was the Son of God, for then men durst not, because this was but a new doctrine, this point had Universality, and antiquity against it, but now it is burning to ashes to deny it; It is now no thank for men to confesse that Jesus is the Son of God, he that shall not confesse it, shall have cause of confusion in this world, and in the world to come. The Devils did believe this, but they did not confesse him truely; and good men will sore distrust this point, because the Devill confesseth this, the Devil was convinced of the truth of this, but yet it was no argument of his dwelling with God, because he did this fraudulently.
Object. But the Pharisees they confessed this, and they knew that he was the Son of God.
Quest. What is it to confess that Jesus is the Son of God?
Quest. What is it to confesse that Jesus is the Son of God?
Answ. It is not only an act of judgement, neither is it barely an act of the lips to say, that Jesus is the Son of God, this is no such sign of our fellowship with God; for it is now as great a wonder for a man to deny it, as it was then to confess it.
Answ. It is not onely an act of judgement, neither is it barely an act of the lips to say, that Jesus is the Son of God, this is no such sign of our fellowship with God; for it is now as great a wonder for a man to deny it, as it was then to confesse it.
That there is an act of the works or deeds of a man, and so confessing it is an argument that we have fellowship with God, God doth not take that for a true confession, when a man doth confess him with his lips, but in his works deny him, Tit. 1.16. Isa. 29.13. This confession is twofold 1. with the heart, 2. with the life, Confession with the heart is double.
That there is an act of the works or deeds of a man, and so confessing it is an argument that we have fellowship with God, God doth not take that for a true confession, when a man doth confesse him with his lips, but in his works deny him, Tit. 1.16. Isa. 29.13. This confession is twofold 1. with the heart, 2. with the life, Confession with the heart is double.
First, A looking to Christ for salvation, and this is an evident pledge of Gods dwelling with us, and we with him, Isa. 45.22. to 25. Rom. 14.11. Phil. 2.10, 11. Look to me and be saved, no man can look up to God as a God of his salvation but shall be saved; this is the proper work of faith.