A practicall commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and vses upon the first Epistle generall of John by ... John Cotton ...

Doct. Sin pardoned is ever cleansed, sin pardoned is sin cleansed, what sin God pardons, the same sin he cleanseth.

Heb. 9.14. The same bloud that pardons, cleanseth us from sin.

Reas. From the power of the death of Christ, which serves not onely to procure pardon of sin, but likewise healing of sin, for his bloud is offered up as a ransome for sin, well then it is pardoned, but it is not onely so, but it is a means to kill and mortifie sin, Rom. 6.6. there is a destructive power to kill sin, as well as meritorious power to pardon sin; now his death is said to mortifie sin in us.

1. Exemplariter, For if Christ be dead, we also shall die with him to sin, Rom. 6.9. & 11.

2. It hath a natural Efficacy, as it is an object for us to look at as fearful and formidable; when sin presents it selfe, we look at it as crucifying Christ, and shall we look on it without mourning, Zech. 12.10. shall we wrong him so much as to crucifie him again?

3. His bloud cleanseth sin, in obtaining at Gods hand a Spirit of Sanctifi∣cation, which makes the death of the Head, reach to the lowest Members of the body, as when the head dies, all the Members die, so the death of Christ having obtained the Spirit of God from him, if he our head die, then we

shall die to sin: as the resurrection of Christ procures vivification, so the death of Christ, mortification, Gal. 4.4, 5.

Obj: If sin be always mortified where it is pardoned, how comes it to passe that godly men fall so often into the same sin? Doth not David confesse that there was a way of lying in him, Psal. 119.29: Remove from me the way of lying; which implies it was not one act, but a way, a course that he walked in sometimes; so Isaac, Gen. 26. told the same Lye, both to the Philistims, and Abimelech; so it was with Jonah, he was froward before he went to Niniveh, and froward after∣ward; how is it then, that sin may be cleansed and yet renewed, and if renewed how cleansed?

Ans. It is with Sin in this respect as with Sampsons Hair, it may be cut, but it will grow again; Sin may be mortified in some kinde, and yet renewed again, because Sin in this Life is mortified but in part; Pride, Wantonnesse, Coveteousnesse in part are mortified, but in part alive, and if we neglect the practise of mortification, that sin we had got some mastery of, we shall fall into again: if Sin break out again it is because we neglect those means we should mortifie Sin by; he doth not say, the bloud of Christ hath cleansed us, but cleanseth; Doth cleanse, implying that cleansing is a continued Act, the bloud of Christ is a notable Medicine to heal Sin, and purge from filthinesse, but if a man neglect to apply this Plaister to his Soul, it may not be so effectu∣all as it would.

Ʋse 1. For tryall, whether our Sins be pardoned or no, would you know whether your Sin be pardoned? why then it is also cleansed, if your Sin be not cleansed in some measure, it is not pardoned at all; therefore look at your Sins if they be healed, then they are certainly pardoned, for it is the same bloud of Christ that both heals and pardons Sin, Hos. 14.4. God doth not onely love freely, and pardon graciously, but he heals them also; therefore consider, doe you finde your Sins healed, that is, that they have not that power they had before, doe they seem loathsome to you, whereas before you delighted in them, now in heart you hate them, and in practise avoyd them, then those Sins are pardoned, and if he pardons one Sin he pardons all, his pardons are univer∣sall; but if a man live in Sin still, and love it as well, and is no more ashamed than formerly he had been, but goes on in the same Sin, truly it is not healed, and then not pardoned.

Obj. I feel my sin so far from being mortified, that it grows more strong and vigorous, therefore what shall I think of my selfe?

Ans. It may grow stronger in our feeling, when it is not so in it self, it is not because Sin is stronger, but our sense is more quick, a man that is in extemity of Sicknesse, he feels no pain, but when be begins to recover, he feels more pain, why then the Disease is not stronger, but he is more sensible.

2. Doe you not find that Sin is more loathsome and bitter to you? then it is in some measure mortified, for mortifying is a borrowed specch from a Surgi∣ons mortifying a Wound: they use to binde the joynt, and stop all spirit and bloud, so that it is made insensible of pain; so if we have stopt the freenesse of our spirits to Sin, we are not so lively and frolick to Sin, it is a signe corruption is mortified, but if you see you are as lively, and ready, and delight as much in Sin as before, Sin is not mortified, but if it grow loathsome and bitter to us, it is a signe of mortification.

Ʋse 2. Directs us how to make good use of the bloud of Christ, not onely to pardon our Sins, but to heal them; we are not wont to make use of it for pardon, but we must make use of it as well for healing, for else we take the bloud of Christ in vain, if we make use of it to pardon and not to cleanse, for his bloud was sent as well to pardon as to heal, therefore pray not to God to pardon your sins through Christs bloud onely, but lay his bloud warm to your hearts every day, that so you may have your hearts and ways cleansed; it is a continued act, not of one day or two, but throughout our whole life we should make use of Christs bloud to cleanse us.

1. Consider what great things he did for us, the just for the unjust, and the meditation thereof will make us ashamed of sin.

2. Pray to God for the quickning work of his Spirit, that the same bloud of Christ that hath procured pardon, may also procure healing for us.

Ʋse 3. It may teach us all to labour to grow in cleannesse of heart and life, for the bloud of Christ cleanseth us, Zech. 13.1. a Fountain that runs into a Channel that is muddy, it will by continuall running cleanse it; so though Christ finde our spirits muddy and defiled, yet we should let it run daily on us, and be ever rincing of our hearts at the fountain.

Ʋse 4. Comfort to all Gods Servants, that have had any experience of the pardon of their sins; you shall certainly in time feel and finde healing and cleansing from your sins; if you see a clear Fountain running into a filthy Channel it is very muddy and the worse for the present, the mud being stir∣red, but afterwards it is cleansed and made pure and clean; so Christs bloud may run into muddy spirits, and that bloud at first may make corruption more stirring, you finde more pride, and vanity, and uncleannesse; but will it hold so? no truely, in cleansing it will cleanse, and go on till it hath purged all corruption.