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

Doct. Every sinner hath Enemies, that before the Father in heaven plead against him.

If any man sin, &c. there were no use of an Advocate to plead for us, if we had none to accuse us, and plead against us; we no sooner sin, but we have accusations put up in heaven against us, and so our Advocate puts in for us; what be these adversaries?

1 Our own sins, they plead against us, and accuse us day and night, some sins doe in a speciall manner plead against us, and those are crying sins, Gen. 4.10. the murther of Abel was a crying sin, Gen. 18.20. the sins of Sodom cri∣ed, and Ezek. 16.49. there are four things of Sodom mentioned, which cryed to heaven for Vengeance, Pride, Idlenesse, Intemperance, Unmercifulnesse to the poor; so sometimes detaining the labourers wages, James 5.4. so also oppres∣sion, Exod. 22.22.27. these are speciall crying sins, because they will give God no rest, till he hath revenged them in this World, they will not stay till the last judgment, but call for present judgment; but all sins doe speake in the Lords ear, and call for vengeance against us.

2 Another Adversary that accuseth us, is the righteous Law of God, which we have broken, that the word may not be in vain, Joh. 5.45.

3 The third Enemy is Satan, that accuseth us night and day, Rev. 12.10. so he did, Job Chap. 1.9, 10, 11. he accused him of hypocrisie, because he had no reall reason to accuse him, therefore he surmiseth one.

4 Our own conscience accuseth us, and that is as a thousand witnesses, Rom. 2.15.

Ʋse 1 To take heed how we make bold with any sin, you may put upon them a pretence of pleasure, or profit, or credit, but there is no sin we commit, but pleads against us, yea and stirs up the Law and Satan, and our own consci∣ences to plead against us too.

2 It teacheth us the miserable Estate of a poor sinner that goes on in sin, and never takes any care to get Christ to be an Advocate for him, he may hope that Christ pleads for him in Heaven, but this is a vaine hope, so long as he goes on in sin, but he may be sure that sin, and Satan, and the Law, and his conscience accuseth him, and he having none to plead for him, what a wofull case is he in?

3 It may stir us up to get an Advocate that may plead for us against our accusers.