A34689:744
A practical commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and uses upon the first…A practicall commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and vses upon the first…
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 2. It may teach Hearers how to hear the Word of God aright, if Ministers are so to dispense the Seed of the Word that they may beget Children to God, then Hearers must learn how to apply themselves towards their Ministers, not to content themselves in having gotten good Ministers, and their respect to them (though these be very good) till you be Children to him whom he hath begot if you were not so before, or if you were, yet Children to be nursed by him; suck nourishment from him, grow in grace under him, labour to receive stronger meat from him, that you may become Fathers to others, Heb. 5.12. it yields much comfort to the spirit of a man, when he can say, the seed of such and such a Sermon converted him, it often fills a man with many doubts, because he hath not discerned the power of the Word.
Ʋse 2. It may teach Hearers how to hear the Word of God aright, if Ministers are so to dispense the Seed of the Word that they may beget Children to God, then Hearers must learn how to apply themselves towards their Ministers, not to content themselves in having gotten good Ministers, and their respect to them (though these be very good) till you be Children to him whom he hath begot if you were not so before, or if you were, yet Children to be nursed by him; suck nourishment from him, grow in grace under him, labour to receive stronger meat from him, that you may become Fathers to others, Heb. 5.12. it yeelds much comfort to the spirit of a man, when he can say, the seed of such and such a Sermon converted him, it often fills a man with many doubts, because he hath not discerned the power of the Word.
Use 3. It may teach both Ministers and people so to carry themselves one towards another, as Fathers and Children; as many times a Mariner carries a King over Sea, but though he be a Prince, yet in that case he must be ⟨p. 48⟩ruled by the Mariner; so a Minister may teach Princes and great men, and they in this case must be as Children to him.