A34689:909
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.
2 It refutes them in this, in that they say we are wont to discourage men from good works; we say indeed, none can be justified by the works of the Law, but we do not discourage them from good works; for we say thus, if men keep Gods Commandments, which is to perform good works, hereby we say we may come to know that we know Christ; we say more, not only a perfect keeping, but a sincere keeping of them, though imperfectly, with respect and care, though this doth not justify us, yet we say, it doth justify the truth of our Estate, and that is no small matter; we challenge them for discouraging of men from good works, for they will not grant that hereby we know that we know him, but still leave a man in doubt, but we grant much comfort from good works, for though they do not justify us, yet hereby we know that we are justified.
2 It refutes them in this, in that they say we are wont to discourage men from good works; we say indeed, none can be justified by the works of the Law, but we do not discourage them from good works; for we say thus, if men keep Gods Commandments, which is to perform good works, hereby we say we may come to know that we know Christ; we say more, not only a perfect keeping, but a sincere keeping of them, though imperfectly, with respect and care, though this doth not justifie us, yet we say, it doth justifie the truth of our Estate, and that is no small matter; we challenge them for discouraging of men from good works, for they will not grant that hereby we know that we know him, but still leave a man in doubt, but we grant much comfort from good works, for though they do not justifie us, yet hereby we know that we are justified.
Use 2 To confute the Arians, this shows a certain ground of the divinity of Christ, because by keeping his Commandments we may come to know him; now this would not hold, if he had not the same authority to command with God himself, Jam. 4.12. there is but one Law-giver: therefore if Christ be our Law-giver, he is one God with the Father, his Commandments are of like benefit and use with the Fathers Commandments.