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

A. 1 He speaks falsely, which appeareth from the Efficacy of all true knowledge of Christ, which brings forth obedience; if a man knows Christ, he loves him, and affects him, and obeys him, Mat. 7.22, 23. all saving Knowledge stirs us up to obedience to God, to righteousness to man, if a man be a Son of Belial, such a man knows not God, those that obey him not never knew him, 1 Chron. 29.9. Know thou the God of thy Father and serve him, they that never served God never knew him, Joh. 14.21. if any man love me, he will keep my Commandments; and further, no man knows God but he hath known the depth and danger of sin, he hath known his enstrangement and absence from God, if a man know not himself, he knows not God.

A. 1 He speaks falsly, which appeareth from the Efficacy of all true knowledge of Christ, which brings forth obedience; if a man knows Christ, he loves him, and affects him, and obeyes him, Mat. 7.22, 23. all saving Knowledge stirs us up to obedience to God, to righteousnesse to man, if a man be a Son of Beliac, such a man knows not God, those that obey him not never knew him, 1 Chron. 29.9. Know thou the God of thy Father and serve him, they that never served God never knew him, Joh. 14.21. if any man love me, he will keep my Commandments; and further, no man knows God but he hath known the depth and danger of sin, he hath known his enstrangement and absence from God, if a man know not himself, he knows not God.

2 After that he hath known sin, he comes to know Christ and his mediation, such a man is sensible of his former misery, and knows the excellency of Christ, he hath been so bitten with sin that he looks at it as the most heinous fight, and the keeping of Gods Commandments he looks at it as the sweetest thing in the World, 2 Cor. 6.14. Gods Commandments are not grievous to him, such Knowledge springs from experience of our former misery, therefore they that never come to this never knew Christ.

2 After that he hath known sin, he comes to know Christ and his mediation, such a man is sensible of his former misery, and knows the excellencie of Christ, he hath been so bitten with sin that he looks at it as the most hainous fight, and the keeping of Gods Commandments he looks at it as the sweetest thing in the World, 2 Cor. 6.14. Gods Commandments are not grievous to him, such Knowledge springs from experience of our former misery, therefore they that never come to this never knew Christ.

2 Why is such a man a liar that saith he knows God, and keeps not his Commandments?

2 Why is such a man a lyar that saith he knows God, and keeps not his Commandments?

Obj. Are there not many that live carnally and wickedly, and yet are not convinced of their sins?

It is true there are such, but then living in such a course, they do not trespass against their Consciences, they think they keep the Law, and so think well of themselves, and they are at peace and secure.

He that walks thus civilly and conformably, yet such a mans Conscience is at uncertainty about his Estate, he is convinced that he wants something, but he cannot tell what it is, till he be throughly convinced by Gods Spirit, ⟨p. 65⟩thus it was, Mark 10.19. Matth. 19.18, 19, 20. the young man told Christ all these have I kept from my youth, what lack I yet? his Conscience guided him to feel that he wanted something, though he had kept the Law in the outward letter, yet he saw he wanted something, and his Conscience was not at rest, so that such a man as saith he knows Christ, and keeps not his Commandments speaks against the conviction of his Conscience, and therefore is a liar; I speak not of such Christians who want Peace because they do not keep Gods Commandments, but of such who when they have Peace think they keep his Commandments.

He that walks thus civilly and conformably, yet such a mans Conscience is at uncertainty about his Estate, he is convinced that he wants something, but he cannot tell what it is, till he be throughly convinced by Gods Spirit, ⟨p. 65⟩thus it was, Mark 10.19. Matth. 19.18, 19, 20. the young man told Christ all these have I kept from my youth, what lack I yet? his Conscience guided him to feel that he wanted something, though he had kept the Law in the outward letter, yet he saw he wanted something, and his Conscience was not at rest, so that such a man as saith he knows Christ, and keeps not his Commandments speaks against the conviction of his Conscience, and therefore is a lyar; I speak not of such Christians who want Peace because they do not keep Gods Commandments, but of such who when they have Peace think they keep his Commandments.

3 Why is there no truth of grace in such a man as saith thus?

Reas. From the necessary conjunction of all graces with obedience, no true grace of God but is either the cause of obedience, it breeds it, or else is a companion of obedience, or else an effect of obedience, it sprang from obedience; Faith worketh by love, Gal. 5.6. and love is the fulfilling of the Law, Rom. 13.10. 1 Tim. 1.5. and so hope, 1 Joh. 3.3. patience is joined with obedience, and meekness springs from obedience; and from the spiritual experience of a mans weakness and experience of Christs power, in him springs humility; so that all graces either spring from obedience, or serve to it, or accompany it; so that even these very graces that are more in the understanding and speculation, they either spring from obedience, or help to obedience; the Knowledge of a Christian is not unfruitful, 2 Pet. 1.8. which shows that a Christians Knowledge brings forth fruits of obedience; no gift a Christian hath but he considers what good he may do with it, and if he see it not serviceable he regards it not; so that if every grace do breed, or nurse, or accompany obedience, then whosoever professes he knows God and doth not keep his Commandments, there is no truth in such a man, no true grace.

Reas. From the necessary conjunction of all graces with obedience, no true grace of God but is either the cause of obedience, it breeds it, or else is a companion of obedience, or else an effect of obedience, it sprang from obedience; Faith worketh by love, Gal. 5.6. and love is the fullfilling of the Law, Rom. 13.10. 1 Tim. 1.5. and so hope, 1 Joh. 3.3. patience is joyned with obedience, and meeknesse springs from obedience; and from the spiritual experience of a mans weaknesse and experience of Christs power, in him springs humility; so that all graces either spring from obedience, or serve to it, or accompany it; so that even these very graces that are more in the understanding and speculation, they either spring from obedience, or help to obedience; the Knowledge of a Christian is not unfruitful,

Use 1 For trial of the truth of our profession, would you know the truth of your Grace, of your Repentance; of your Faith, of your Humility? You shall know it by your fruitfulness; what use do you make of your Graces? would you know whether your Repentance be sound? or your Love, &c. sound? would you know this? Why consider, do they make you obedient and careful to keep Gods Commandments? as your Way, your Treasure, your Ornaments, your Eye, your Life; if any grace be fruitful, make you conscionable in the keeping of Gods Commandments, that is a witness of the truth of that Grace: a painted Tree, be it never so fair, yet it bears no fruit, but a living Tree brings forth fruit, you have cause to suspect your Grace, if it make you not fruitful and careful to please God; if Grace make you obedient, it is sincere, but if a man hath never so many Gifts and Graces; if they lead him not to obedience, truly they are but counterfeit, and there is no true Grace in him, Isa. 47.10. if they caused them to rebel, there is no truth in them, if any Grace leave you more corrupt, or less fruitful, there is no truth in you.

Ʋse 1 For tryal of the truth of our profession, would you know the truth of your Grace, of your Repentance; of your Faith, of your Humility? You shall know it by your fruitfullnesse; what use do you make of your Graces? would you know whether your Repentance bee sound? or your Love, &c. sound? would you know this? Why consider, do they make you obedient and carefull to keep Gods Commandments? as your Way, your Treasure, your Ornaments, your Eye, your Life; if any grace bee fruitfull, make you conscionable in the keeping of Gods Commandments, that is a witnesse of the truth of that Grace: a painted Tree, bee it never so fair, yet it bears no fruit, but a living Tree brings forth fruit, you have cause to suspect your Grace, if it make you not fruitfull and carefull to please God; if Grace make you obedient, it is sincere, but if a man hath never so many Gifts and Graces; if they lead him not to obedience, truly they are but counterfeit, and there is no true Grace in him, Isa. 47.10. if they caused them to rebell, there is no truth in them, if any Grace leave you more corrupt, or lesse fruitfull, there is no truth in you.

Use 2 It exhorts us to a conscionable diligent keeping of Gods Commandments, hereby we shall keep our profession true, our Consciences void of offence, and shall have an evidence that we know Christ; if a man say he knows God and yet keep not his Commandments, his profession is not true, but he that both saith so, and doth so, his profession is sincere.

Ʋse 2 It exhorts us to a conscionable diligent keeping of Gods Commandments, hereby we shall keep our profession true, our Consciences void of offence, and shall have an evidence that we know Christ; if a man say he knows God and yet keep not his Commandments, his profession is not true, but he that both saith so, and doth so, his profession is sincere.

2 It will keep your Consciences in Peace; when your Conscience checks you not, but bears you witness that you desire to do Gods will in truth, this brings great Peace.

2 It will keep your Consciences in Peace; when your Conscience checks you not, but bears you witnesse that you desire to do Gods will in truth, this brings great Peace.

3 It keeps your Grace sound, the more fruitful, and the more obedient; the more doth Grace increase; a Christian that lets his Grace lye at rest, it grows rusty, and he may doubt of the truth of his Grace; if any metal lye up and rust, we may suspect whether it be right or no; but if it be kept with continual use, we suspect it not; take a Christian that doth not exercise himself in Grace, he grows so rusty, that he suspects the truth of his Grace, but put thy grace to employment, let it be in continual use, and thou shalt easily ⟨p. 66⟩see it is good metal and currant; the employment of Graces proves the truth of them, therefore as we desire to keep our profession true, or our conscience clean, or our graces sound, keep in a daily course of obedience, always be doing good, and that from Gods Commandment.

3 It keeps your Grace sound, the more fruitfull, and the more obedient; the more doth Grace increase; a Christian that lets his Grace lye at rest, it grows rusty, and hee may doubt of the truth of his Grace; if any mettal lye up and rust, we may suspect whether it be right or no; but if it be kept with continual use, we suspect it not; take a Christian that doth not exercise himself in Grace, he grows so rusty, that he suspects the truth of his Grace, but put thy grace to employment, let it be in continual use, and thou shalt easily ⟨p. 66⟩see it is good metal and currant; the employment of Graces proves the truth of them, therefore as we desire to keep our profession true, or our conscience clean, or our graces sound, keep in a daily course of obedience, always be doing good, and that from Gods Commandment.

Use 3 Of Consolation to all such as take a good course, and labour to keep Gods Commandments, who may sometimes suspect all their grace is counterfeit, and there is no sincerity in them; why if there be no sincerity in you, you do not keep Gods Commandments as your way, but you cannot say, but you would gladly find your hearts keeping them as your way, and you endeavour it, and it is the grief of your souls when you go out of the way; do you keep them as your treasure, and ornament, and apple of your eye, and life? Why then there is truth of grace in you, truth of sincerity, though not of Perfection; you must not look to keep them without sin, but if you desire to keep them as the most precious thing, as your treasure, your ornament, your life, the apple of your eye, though a man may sometimes have a moat fall into his eye; but in this case do not say, your Graces are counterfeit, for if they were counterfeit you would not keep Gods Commandments, Psalm 36.1. Wickedness saith to the wicked, there is no fear of God before his eyes; how doth that appear to David? vers. 4. he sets himself in no good way, he is in a bad way, and goes on therein, and such a one, it is plain, he hath no fear of God before his eyes, by their fruits he knows them; if you set your selves in no good way, your profession cannot be true, but if the way you take be good, and if not thou dost not take it up; why if it be thus, your profession is true, and your grace sound; it is a question whether Solomon fell finally, or his graces were true or no; you may know his repentance was true, because he found his lust to women as bitter as death, Eccles. 7.6, 7. well then, if an Adulterous, or Idolatrous Wife were as bitter as death to him, then it is an evident sign, if he looked at his transgression as death, he looked at the Commandment as life, and therefore his repentance was sincere; so then if a man find his sin as as bitter as death, it is a sign his repentance is true. But yet we must here distinguish between the horror of sin, and sin it self, the horror of sin may be as bitter to us as death, but not the sin it self, as Judas, the horror of sin was so bitter to him that for it he hanged himself; but had Judas been troubled with the sin of his conscience, as he was with the horror of his conscience, he would not have gone about to help one sin by another;

Ʋse 3 Of Consolation to all such as take a good course, and labour to keep Gods Commandments, who may sometimes suspect all their grace is counterfeit, and there is no sincerity in them; why if there be no sincerity in you, you do not keep Gods Commandments as your way, but you cannot say, but you would gladly finde your hearts keeping them as your way, and you endeavour it, and it is the grief of your souls when you go out of the way; do you keep them as your treasure, and ornament, and apple of your eye, and life? Why then there is truth of grace in you, truth of sincerity, though not of Perfection; you must not look to keep them without sin, but if you desire to keep them as the most precious thing, as your treasure, your ornament, your life, the apple of your eye, though a man may sometimes have a moat fall into his eye; but in this case do not say, your Graces are counterfeit, for if they were counterfeit you would not keep Gods Commandments,

had he hated sin for it self, he would have hated Murder as sin. So would you know whether it be horror of sin, or sin that troubles you? If it be horror, you will seek to drive it away by sin, as some do by merry company and merry Books, this is a plain sign that sin troubles them not, for then they would not seek to help one sin by another: but if a man look at the breach of the Law as the loss of his way, it troubles him as much as the losing of his Treasure, it is as a moat in his eye, he had as lief part with his life, if it be thus with thee thou mayest have comfort, thy profession is true, thy conscience clear, thy profession sound and sincere.

had he hated sin for it self, he would have hated Murther as sin. So would you know whether it be horror of sin, or sin that troubles you? If it be horror, you will seek to drive it away by sin, as some do by merry company and merry Books, this is a plain signe that sin troubles them not, for then they would not seek to help one sin by another: but if a man look at the breach of the Law as the losse of his way, it troubles him as much as the losing of his Treasure, it is as a moat in his eye, he had as lieve part with his life, if it bee thus with thee thou mayest have comfort, thy profession is true, thy conscience clear, thy profession sound and sincere.

1 JOHN 2.5, 6. But he that keepeth his Word, in him is the love of God perfect indeed, &c.