A practical commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and uses upon the first…

Every Christian be he never so poor that hath but the least pittance or shred of true grace, hath a mighty power in him to overcome the world. It was a famous thing of old to be but conquerors of the world, as the Babylonian and Roman Monarchies were. But St. John testifies here, that every Christian is Lord of the whole world, 1 Cor. 3.22, 23. He hath it there by gifts, but here by conquest, he overcomes the world viz. so far as it is an enemy to grace. Indeed, in themselves the comforts of the world are good and useful but as far as they have a snare in them, he overcomes them, 1 John 4.4. The honours of the world have a snare in them to puff up our hearts, 2 Chron. 26.16. Profit of the world choke the good seed of the Word, Mat. 13.22, 23. So the pleasures of the world they make the Word unfruitful, Luk. 8.19.

Every Christian be he never so poor that hath but the least pittance or shred of true grace, hath a mighty power in him to overcome the world. It was a famous thing of old to be but conquerors of the world, as the Babilonian and Romane Monarchies were. But St. John testifies here, that every Christian is Lord of the whole world, 1 Cor. 3.22, 23. He hath it there by gifts, but here by conquest, he overcomes the world viz. so far as it is an enemy to grace. Indeed, in themselves the comforts of the world are good and usefull but as far as they have a snare in them, he overcomes them, 1 John 4.4. The honours of the world have a snare in them to puffe up our hearts, 2 Chron. 26.16. Profit of the world choak the good seed of the Word, Mat. 13.22, 23. So the pleasures of the world they make the Word unfruitfull, Luk. 8.19.

Now, how doth a regenerate Christian overcome this?

1 He abideth constant in his Christian course, notwithstanding the flattering or threatening of the world, so that he will not be seduced by any of these snares, Eph. 6.11, 13. Paul would not give place to such seducements; no, not for an hour: Now, that is a part of a mans victory, to hold his own, and to keep his standing, and not to flit; such a man is never said to be overcome that keeps his standing.

1 He abideth constant in his Christian course, notwithstanding the flattering or threatning of the world, so that he will not be seduced by any of these snares, Eph. 6.11, 13. Paul would not give place to such seducements; no, not for an hour: Now, that is a part of a mans victory, to hold his owne, and to keep his standing, and not to flit; such a man is never said to be overcome that keeps his standing.

3. To overcome a temptation, is to make a good use of every temptation, and to get ground by it, that the more he is invited by a temptation the more earnest he is against it, and the more forward in his Christian course. When Michael reproved David for his unseemly dancing (as she thought) Why, saith he, I will be yet more vile. Whereas her temptation was fetched from his disgrace; why, he would bear more such disgrace: So when Johns Disciples stirred him up to emulation against Christ, that he carried away all the applause of the people after him. What saith John, He must increase, and I must decrease. He is the Bridegroom, and I but his friend. And it is my joy and ⟨p. 354⟩glory to see him glorious: so that he made an advantage by that temptation, and drew them on the more to honour Christ, by how much the more they sought to debase him: the more we are tempted to covetousness, wantonness, or emulation, the more liberal; chaste, and •umble let us grow. This is to overcome a temptation, to take a spoil, to enrich our selves by the spoil of our enemies, that is such a conquest as the Apostle calls more then a conquest, Rom. 8.37. In all this we do more then conquer. For a conqueror gets a victory sometimes, but with much wounds and loss▪ we sometimes with no loss. 2 After victories they grow Inxurious. As it was said of the Romans after their great conquests.

3. To overcome a temptation, is to make a good use of every temptation, and to get ground by it, that the more he is invited by a temptation the more earnest he is against it, and the more forward in his Christian course. When Michael reproved David for his unseemly dancing (as she thought) Why, saith he, I will be yet more vile. Whereas her temptation was fetcht from his disgrace; why, he would bear more such disgrace: So when Johns Disciples stirred him up to emulation against Christ, that he carryed away all the applause of the people after him. What saith John, He must increase, and I must decrease. He is the Bridegroome, and I but his friend. And it is my joy and ⟨p. 354⟩glory to see him glorious: so that he made an advantage by that temptation, and drew them on the more to honour Christ, by how much the more they sought to debase him: the more we are tempted to covetousnesse, wantonnesse, or emulation, the more liberall; chaste, and umble let us grow. This is to overcome a temptation, to take a spoyl, to enrich our selves by the spoyl of our enemies, that is such a conquest as the Apostle calls more then a conquest,

Luxuria incubuit, victumque ulciscitur urbem.

But a godly man so overcomes and divides the spoil that he spoils not himself. Worldly conquerors fall to riot and excess after their victories, but a Christian conqueror grows more wary and humble, and sober then before. As it was said of John Baptist by Christ, A Prophet, yea more then a Prophet: So, a regenerate man is a conqueror, yea more then a conqueror.

But a godly man so overcomes and divides the spoyl that he spoyls not himself. Worldly conquerors fall to ryot and excesse after their victories, but a Christian conqueror grows more wary and humble, and sober then before. As it was said of John Baptist by Christ, A Prophet, yea more then a Prophet: So, a regenerate man is a conqueror, yea more then a conqueror.

Reas. From Christs victory over the world, Rom. 8.37. It is through him that loved us. Christ hath overcome the world, John 16. ult. Therefore I am to wrestle but with a wounded, pinioned enemy, Christ having led captivity captive, I come but to contend with a captive world, and so I overcome through Christ that hath loved me. It's the death of Christ that hath crucified the world to me, Gal. 6.14. And therefore I am to fight but with a crucified enemy.

Reas. From Christs victory over the world, Rom. 8.37. It is through him that loved us. Christ hath overcome the world, John 16. ult. Therefore I am to wrestle but with a wounded, pimoned enemy, Christ having led captivity captive, I come but to contend with a captive world, and so I overcome through Christ that hath loved me. It's the death of Christ that hath crucified the world to me, Gal. 6.14. And therefore I am to fight but with a crucified enemy.

2 From the mighty power of Gods Word abiding in a Christians heart, 1 John 2.14. The commandments of God, and his promises do so rule in his heart, that no flatterings of the world, no commandments of men can oversway him.

2 From the mighty power of Gods Word abiding in a Christians heart, 1 John 2.14. The commandements of God, and his promises do so rule in his heart, that no flatterings of the world, no commandements of men can oversway him.

3 From the Spirit of God dwelling in them, which is greater then the spirit of the world, 1 John 4.4. This Spirit doth so mortify him to the world, and so quicken him to grace, that he overcomes the world.

3 From the Spirit of God dwelling in them, which is greater then the spirit of the world, 1 John 4.4. This Spirit doth so mortifie him to the world, and so quicken him to grace, that he overcomes the world.

Obj. Did not Demas a great professor, forsake Paul, and embrace this present world? 2 Tim. 4.10, Have not many for the live of the world erred from the faith? 1 Tim. 6.9, 10. Was it not so with Ananias and Sapphira, and Judas? The love of this world overcame them. Hath not the love of the world overcome many of the Germane Christians to apostatize to Idolatry, and yield themselves to the temptations thereof? How is it true then, that every poor Christian overcomes the world?

Obj. Did not Demas a great professor, forsake Paul, and embrace this present world? 2 Tim. 4.10, Have not many for the live of the world erred from the faith? 1 Tim. 6.9, 10. Was it not so with Ananias and Saphira, and Judas? The love of this world overcame them. Hath not the love of the world overcome many of the Germane Christians to apostatize to Idolatry, and yeeld themselves to the temptations thereof? How is it true then, that every poor Christian overcomes the world?

Answ. 'Tis true, the world prevails with many professors, but many of them were never truly born of God, as Demas and Judas, Ananias and Sapphira.

Answ. 'Tis true, the world prevails with many professors, but many of them were never truly born of God, as Demas and Judas, Ananias and Saphira.

Obj. Do you think that every one that is led away with the world, hath no shred of true grace in him?

Answ. No, for then I might condemn the generation of the righteous; for it may easily fall out, that sometimes the servants of God are so filled with the world, that they have much ado to take pains about edifying themselves, or keeping peace with God. But yet, though a true Christian be led captive by the world, so as he hath little skill in any thing else but worldly matters; full of dexterity in the world, and but a bungler in grace; yet if a man be born of God, the Spirit of God at length will let him see his error, and then be will mourn for it, and oppose and resist to the death. As a child getting into a boat, at length the wind riseth, and carrieth the boat from the shore, and tosses him in the deep, he is not able to use the oars to bring him to the shore, but after much toiling he is drowned, and a puff of wind, or the return of the flood, casts him on the shore dead: So, many times a Christian falls a tampering with the world, and it pleaseth him well, till at length the world heaves and carries him up, until he be carried into the main, plunged so deep in the world, that he sees he hath lost his love to God, and then he strives to recover himself, and labours and goes mourning to his ⟨p. 355⟩grave but at his death, he is cast up safely on the shore, the seed of God hath kept some life of grace in him.

Answ. No, for then I might condemne the generation of the righteous; for it may easily fall out, that sometimes the servants of God are so filled with the world, that they have much ado to take pains about edifying themselves, or keeping peace with God. But yet, though a true Christian be led captive by the world, so as he hath little skill in any thing else but worldly matters; full of dexterity in the world, and but a bungler in grace; yet if a man be born of God, the Spirit of God at length will let him see his error, and then be will mourn for it, and oppose and resist to the death. As a childe getting into a boat, at length the wind riseth, and carryeth the boat from the shoar, and tosses him in the deep, he is not able to use the oares to bring him to the shoar, but after much toyling he is drowned, and a puffe of wind, or the return of the floud, casts him on the shoar dead: So, many times a Christian falls a tampering with the world, and it pleaseth him well, till at length the world heaves and carries him up, untill he be carryed into the main, plunged so deep in the world, that he sees he hath lost his love to God, and then he strives to recover himselfe, and labours and goes mourning to his ⟨p. 355⟩

Use 1. Shows the hypocrisy of such as are carried wholly captive with the world, such were never truly born of God. Stella cadens, nunquam stella, cometa fuit. Some illumination may make them blaze a while, but they vanish away at length.

Ʋse 1. Shews the hypocrisie of such as are carryed wholly captive with the world, such were never truly born of God. Stella cadens, nunquam stella, cometa fuit. Some illumination may make them blaze a while, but they vanish away at length.

Use 2. Shows us the marvellous danger of the world. We think it an happy thing to lade our selves with thick clay, to have our treasuries full, and our houses well furnished. Why, would a man think himself rich, if his house were full of enemies? Why, truly such is the world, it carries us into the deep, and drowns us with many sinful lusts. Therefore the more we have of the world, the more wary grow we of keeping the world shackled, that it may not hinder us, but help us to more freedom; as a man, the more Sea-room, the better he sails: So let Christians that have much of the world, learn to be more free for God.

Ʋse 2. Shews us the marvellous danger of the world. We think it an happy thing to lade our selves with thick clay, to have our treasuries full, and our houses well furnished. Why, would a man think himselfe rich, if his house were full of enemies? Why, truly such is the world, it carries us into the deep, and drowns us with many sinfull lusts. Therefore the more we have of the world, the more wary grow we of keeping the world shackled, that it may not hinder us, but help us to more freedome; as a man, the more Sea-room, the better he sails: So let Christians that have much of the world, learn to be more free for God.