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

3 He gives us his name and his Spirit to use in our Prayers, now to use his name had been of no effect, if he had been a sinner.

4 He prays for us, makes known his will to his Father concerning us, but this would do no good, had he been a sinner.

4 He prayes for us, makes known his will to his Father concerning us, but this would do no good, had he been a sinner.

3 It is meet he should be righteous, that he might be our justifier, our justification is by his obedience, his righteousness is imputed to us, now his righteousness could not have been imputed to us, had it been imperfect, 1 Cor. 2.3.

3 It is meet he should be righteous, that he might be our justifier, our justification is by his obedience, his righteousnesse is imputed to us, now his righteousnesse could not have been imputed to us, had it been imperfect, 1 Cor. 2.3.

Object. 1 I much doubt the pardon of my sins, if I could be sure of that, I should be joyful.

Object. 1 I much doubt the pardon of my sins, if I could be sure of that, I should be joyfull.

Ans. You have such a Reconciles as is Just and Righteous, and therefore will procure pardon for you.

Object. 2 But I am still unjust and unrighteous.

Ans. But your Reconciler is Just and Righteous, and it is not required that the reconciled should be righteous, but he that reconciles us, it is meet that he be righteous.

Object. 3 I cannot pray, my prayers are heartless and faithless, &c.

Object. 3 I cannot pray, my prayers are heartlesse and faithlesse, &c.

Ans. Well, but we have an advocate that is holy and just, and that prays and intercedes for us, and we shall find the benefit of his Righteousness, though we fall daily into much unrighteousness, yet Jesus Christ our Mediator is righteous.

Ans. Well, but we have an advocate that is holy and just, and that prayes and intercedes for us, and we shall find the benefit of his Righteousnesse, though we fall daily into much unrighteousnesse, yet Jesus Christ our Mediator is righteous.

Use 2 To teach us to be Righteous, as he is Righteous, God would have us conformable to the image of his Son, Rom. 8.29. and that consists in Holiness and Righteousness, God would have us so to walk, that our Sir-name may be Justus, Righteous towards God, to give him his due, Righteous to others, to give them their due, and Righteous to our selves.

Ʋse 2 To teach us to be Righteous, as he is Righteous, God would have us conformable to the image of his Son, Rom. 8.29. and that consists in Holinesse and Righteousnesse, God would have us so to walk, that our Sir-name may be Justus, Righteous towards God, to give him his due, Righteous to others, to give them their due, and Righteous to our selves.

To be called Christians, and yet not to be righteous, is to be called Christians, and yet to be no Christians. Why are we called Christians, but because we are anointed with the Unction of Christ? If a man profess himself to be a Christian, and is not Righteous, he is not a Christian, for he hath not the Spirit of Christ, and therefore is none of Christs; not but that we may fail, but it is required that the stream and bent of our hearts and ways be to walk Righteously; we aim at Righteousness, though sometimes we miss the mark.

To be called Christians, and yet not to be righteous, is to be called Christians, and yet to be no Christians. Why are we called Christians, but because we are anoynted with the Unction of Christ? If a man professe himself to be a Christian, and is not Righteous, he is not a Christian, for he hath not the Spirit of Christ, and therefore is none of Christs; not but that we may fail, but it is required that the stream and bent of our hearts and wayes be to walk Righteously; we aim at Righteousnesse, though sometimes we misse the mark.

Use 3 May quiet us, if we fear evil in well doing, why? Because Christ was most Righteous, yet he suffered much unrighteous dealing in a Righteous ⟨p. 58⟩cause, we think we have much wrong, if for righteous dealing we meet with unrighteous dealing, if in innocency we meet with crosses and Fire and Faggot, we cry out, O tempora, O mores, but it was the case of Christ, and therefore we must not think it strange to suffer ill for well-doing, not only to be reviled, but to loose our goods and our lives, if we should meet with them, it is no more than Christ suffered, it was the ground of Atheists in old time, if they did see Bona maelis, & maela bonis evenire, why is there a God that doth govern the earth? But we must consider God is patient as well as just, and therefore many times forbears punishment.

Ʋse 3 May quiet us, if we fear evil in well doing, why? Because Christ was most Righteous, yet he suffered much unrighteous dealing in a Righteous ⟨p. 58⟩cause, we think we have much wrong, if for righteous dealing we meet with unrighteous dealing, if in innocency we meet with crosses and Fire and Faggot, we cry out, O tempora, O mores, but it was the case of Christ, and therefore we must not think it strange to suffer ill for well-doing, not only to be reviled, but to loose our goods and our lives, if we should meet with them, it is no more than Christ suffered, it was the ground of Atheists in old time, if they did see Bona maelis, & maela bonis evenire, why is there a God that doth govern the earth? But we must consider God is patient as well as just, and therefore many times forbears punishment.

1 JOHN 2.3. And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments.

The Apostle St. John having showed in the former Verses that Christ is our Advocate, and Propitiation, here might his little Children reason, But how shall I know that Christ is my Advocate, and Reconciler? though he be both, yet how shall it appear that it is so to me? Why, hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments.

THe Apostle St. John having shewed in the former Verses that Christ is our Advocate, and Propitiation, here might his little Children reason, But how shall I know that Christ is my Advocate, and Reconciler? though he be both, yet how shall it appear that it is so to me? Why, hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments.

Saint John here speaks of such a knowledge as we call acquaintance, and familiarity; and fellowship, I know you not, Matth. 7.23. that is, I have no acquaintance and fellowship with you, hereby we know we have fellowship with Christ, if we keep his Commandments, you may know whether you have fellowship with Christ or no by this. This third Verse therefore shows our fellowship with Christ in his mediation.

Saint John here speaks of such a knowledge as we call acquaintance, and familiarity; and fellowship, I know you not, Matth. 7.23. that is, I have no acquaintance and fellowship with you, hereby we know we have fellowship with Christ, if we keep his Commandments, you may know whether you have fellowship with Christ or no by this. This third Verse therefore shews our fellowship with Christ in his mediation.