A34689:4113
A34689:4113
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.
Obj. True, as long as he keeps perfect to his love, but may he not fall off from his love, and so from his good estate?
Answ. The Apostle •ith, there is no fear in love; then if there be no fear, there is no fear of falling away.
Use 2. Of direction to poor souls, against those […] and fears of their hearts, if we would be quit• of all those cares and grief […] g• •p in love to God, & to your brethren, for there is no fear in love […] therefore from all hatred of God; learn to take all Gods d•g• in good part as proceeding from his love to your souls; Look at all th•se fears and anguishes he puts you to, as wholesome for your spirits, and the very apprehension of Gods love to you in these will quiet your consciences, and scatter those fears. Grow up likewise in love to your brethren, lay aside all wrath and revenge, be tender-hearted and merciful unto them; and thus growing in love, you shall grow in fearlessness.
Ʋse 2. Of direction to poor souls, against those 〈…〉 and fears of their hearts, if we would be quit• of all those cares and grie• 〈…〉 g• •p in love to God, & to your brethren, for there is no fear in love 〈…〉 therefore from all hatred of God; learn to take all Gods d•g• in good part as proceeding from his love to your souls; Look at all th•se fears and anguishes he puts you to, as wholsome for your spirits, and the very apprehension of Gods love to you in these will quiet your consciences, and scatter those fears. Grow up likewise in love to your brethren, lay aside all wrath and revenge, be tender-hearted and merciful unto them; and thus growing in love, you shall grow in fearlesnesse.
Use 3. Shows the fearful estate of a hateful heart; as there is no fear in love, so there is nothing but fear in hatred; he that finds his heart estranged from God, and […] love to his brethren, why when troubles comes, fears increase. What is […] reason natural men are so afraid of death and judgement? Why, because they have hateful spirits, whereas a loving soul prays for the hastening of the day of judgement, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly: But an hateful spirit knows, the Lord Jesus comes to take vengeance on all his hateful carriages, and hard speeches, and therefore he trembles at judgement. Yea, this hateful disposition is more dangerous to the soul then any sin besides. Let a godly man be defiled with many sins, fall into divers weaknesses and frailties; yet because he maintains a loving heart to God and his people, they do not eclipse his boldness. David confesseth, That the iniquities of his heels compassed him about: yet because he kept his heart sincere and upright to God, he dares be confident, wherefore should I be afraid? whereas on the contrary, let a man walk never so justly and honestly, and do many good things, yet if the heart be estranged from God, have no fellowship with him, nor his Saints, let death and judgement come, because his heart is not possest of Gods love, therefore he is oppressed with many fears and anguishes.
Ʋse 3. Shews the fearful estate of a hateful heart; as there is no fear in love, so there is nothing but fear in hatred; he that findes his heart estranged from God, and 〈…〉 love to his brethren, why when troubles comes, fears increase. What is 〈…〉 reason natural men are so afraid of death and judgement? Why, because they have hateful spirits, whereas a loving soule prays for the hastning of the day of judgement, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly: But an hateful spirit knows, the Lord Jesus comes to take vengeance on all his hateful carriages, and hard speeches, and therefore he trembles at judgement. Yea, this hatefull disposition is more dangerous to the soule then any sinne besides. Let a godly man be defiled with many sins, fall into divers weaknesses and frailties; yet because he maintains a loving heart to God and his people, they do not eclipse his boldnesse. David confesseth, That the iniquities of his heels compassed him about: yet because he kept his heart sincere and upright to God, he dares be confident, wherefore should I be afraid? whereas on the contrary, let a man walk never so justly and honestly, and do many good things, yet if the heart be estranged from God, have no fellowship with him, nor his Saints, let death and judgement come, because his heart is not possest of Gods love, therefore he is opprest with many fears and anguishes.
Use 4. Of consolation to every loving heart, if thou findest thy heart possest with love to God and his Saints, that there is none in heaven or earth, that thou desirest in comparison of him, and for the Saints they are the •ly men of thy delight; if thou beest afraid, thou art much too blame: If thou discernest •ods love in thy heart, bid farewell to groundless fears.
Ʋse 4. Of consolation to every loving heart, if thou findest thy heart possest with love to God and his Saints, that there is none in heaven or earth, that thou desirest in comparison of him, and for the Saints they are the •ly men of thy delight; if thou beest afraid, thou art much too blame: If thou discernest •ods love in thy heart, bid farewel to groundlesse fears.
Object. But will a loving heart say, Have not I just cause to fear, do you not see how loosely I walk, how often I trip and fall in my Christian course?
Object. But will a loving heart say, Have not I just cause to fear, do you not see how loosely I walke, how often I trip and fall in my Christian course?
Answ. There is no causes of fear, Wherefore should I fear in the day of evil, when the iniquities of my heels compass me about? These are causes to make me love love God the more that pardons these fallings, and to hate sin the more, but they ought to weaken thy confidence, for there is no fear in love.
Answ. There is no causes of fear, Wherefore should I feare in the day of evill, when the iniquities of my heels compasse me about? These are causes to make me love love God the more that pardons these fallings, and to hate sin the more, but they ought to weaken thy confidence, for there is no fear in love.
1 JOHN 4.19. We love him, because he first loved us.
These words depend on the former words, vers. 17. he delivered this truth; that those that are sound-hearted in love, may have boldness against the day of judgement, this he proves from the resemblance that is between God and a loving heart.
THese words depend on the former words, vers. 17. he delivered this truth; that those that are sound-hearted in love, may have boldnesse against the day of judgement, this he proves from the resemblance that is between God and a loving heart.
2 from the contrariety betwixt fear and love, there is no fear in love, which he proves.
1 From the eff••• of love, perfect love casts out fear. 2 From the •nct of fear, Fear hath torment, therefore love that is a quiet peaceable gr• cannot stand with it. 3 From the •oundnesse of fear, he that fears is not perfect in love.
The fourth argument is taken from the cause of love, which is Gods love to us, if we love God, because God loved us first, then perfect love casts out fear, but we do so: Ergo. For this is the nature of love, it makes us look at God as good and merciful to us, and therefore love casts out all fear of evil from the hand of God.
In this 19 verse observe two parts.
1 The freedom of Gods love to us, he loved us, not because we loved him, but he first loved us.
2 The root and spring of our love to God, is Gods love first to us, preventing us. For the first part observe,