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

1 JOH. 2.17.

And the world passeth away, and the lusts thereof, but he that doth the Will of God abideth for ever.

TO disswade them from the love of the World, and the Lusts of it, the Apostle useth three Arguments; 1 Vers. 15. 2 Vers. 16. 3 From the contrary disposition of them that love the World, and them that keep the Word: as if he should say, That which is eternal ought not to addict it self to transitory things, but you that have your sins forgiven, &c. are so, Ergo. So then this third Argument is taken from the frailty and ficklenesse of all these outward things, and the constancy and perpetuity of heavenly things, therefore be weaned from the one, and affect the other. By the World is meant all the Creatures, all the fashions and courses of the World: the condition thereof, Honour, Credit, Profit, Pleasure, all these passe away.

Doct. The World, and all the Lusts thereof are of a transitory and fading condition.

So saith the text, very inconstant, now here, presently gone: the things of the World are transitory, and transitory they are in three respects.

1 The world passeth away, 1 Cor 7.31. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. the shape and fashion of the world passeth away, the word is taken from the presentation of the world, as upon a Stage, a man seldom acts the same part a week together; you shall never see the world, or the Creatures in the same state long, now in one state, then in another; come now and you shall see a man married, come again, and you shall finde him a Widower; sometimes joyful, sometimes doleful, crying, Have pity on me, O my friends; sometimes again in abundance of sorrow o∣ver-night, and joyful in the morning.

2 In respect of the fleeting and fading condition of the estate we do enjoy whilst we do enjoy it, fleeting and passing away by little and little, even while you rejoyce in it, Isa. 40.6, 7. where hee compares them to flowers, which whilst they flourish, decay; what are all the comforts of the world, but a Nose-gay? which for the present thou smellest sweetnesse and comfort in, yet even as a Posie, whilst thou smellest at it, fades, and dyes; so are all the comforts of this World, even fading, and decaying whilst thou enjoyest them.

Again, All the sorrows and vexations of the world passe away, sorrow a∣bides not ever, nor cares, yea in the midst thereof wee may finde some joy; Psal. 94.18, 19. yet many times we adde sorrow to sorrow, wee think wee shall go on in the bitternesses of our souls all the day, but he was deceived, Isa. 38.15.

3 In regard of the passing away, and fading of all worldly things, Eccles. 1.4. one generation passes after another, and so do all other comforts, yea the World it self shall be consumed, 2 Pet. 3.10. the individuals consumed, the Ele∣ments changed, Psal. 102.6, 7.

Q. 2. How do the lusts of the World passe away?

A. The lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and pride of life, which are the sum of all the ways of the sons of men, all his time is spent either in pleasure, or profit, or credit, and now all these passe away.

1 Because they are oft disappointed of those objects which they aime at, a man pursues pleasure, but he findes sorrow; another Profit, but it fades away; another in ambition seeks Honour, and Glory, but Psal. 112.8, 9. The desire of the wicked shall perish, it shall be as the house of the Spider.

2 These passe away, because when a man doth enjoy them, they fade and wither away in it; a man strongly desires a thing, but as soon as hee hath it

he is weary of it, 2 Sam. 3. as David that desired the water of Bethlehem, or as Children soon weary when they have that thing they desire, so Gal. 4.15, 16. see how their affections to him were dead, Psal. 26.2. & 139.23, 24. when Da∣vid lookt at the wayes of his own lusts, he desired God to winnow him, and see if there were any way of wickednesse in him, implying, though sometimes he had lusts in his heart, yet now he found none, 2 Sam. 13.15. Ammon had a strong lust to his Sister Tamar, but when he had fulfill'd it, he hated her more than he loved her, so when we have fulfilled a lust, we are not satisfied with it, but say to it, arise be gone, as a Bee, when it hath suckt something from one Flower, goes to another, and then to a third, so we are soon weary of lusts, there is an emptinesse in the Creature, no way able to satisfie the desires of mans heart, but they are soon weary, and therefore desire variety.

3 From the perpetuall destruction of these lusts and our selves with them; when we dye, all our lusts dye with us, all our pride and wantonnesse, yea in Hell there are none remaining, but such as come from disappointment of hope, as discontent and murmuring, and obstinacy, and Blasphemy, and dis∣pair, but all other lusts, gluttony incontinency, ambition, dye with us, therefore well saith the Apostle, the World passeth away, and the lusts thereof, they are all but for a season.

Ʋse 1. Is it so, that they all passe away, all the Creatures, and all the lusts of the World are transitory? then it may be a strong ground of exhortation to old men and young, love not the World, nor the things of the World, this is the coun∣sell of an aged Apostle, when he was near a hundred years old, he spake it out of experience of heavenly things, and vanity of the World; doe but consider the things themselves in their own estate; love not the World, nor the things of the World, for they all passe away; on this ground Solomon exhorts us not to set our hearts on the World, Prov. 23.4, 5▪ on riches, which is the way to honour, cease from thine own wisdome, you think it wisdome to provide a large Estate, but it is folly: Wilt thou set thine eye on that which is not? riches certainly make themselves wings, and fly away like an Eagle; suppose one of you should invite your friend to dinner, and lead him to your Garden or Orchard, where he finds a company of w••ld fowle, and you tell him, be of good chear, yonder is good store of wild fowle we shall have, but when you goe to take them, they fly away, how will his expectation b•• frustrate? so it may be thou hast thy fields well stockt, thy houses well fil'd and thou sayest now, soul, eat, drink, thou restest refreshed in them, and settest thy heart on them, but God saith, O fool this night thy soul shall be taken away, and then whose shall all these things be? or else sheep rot, and Cattle dye; casualties by Sea, heavy losses take away a mans Estate suddainly, never did wild fowle more deceive them that set their eyes upon them, than riches doe the owners thereof

Ʋse 2. May teach all that desire perpetuity and constancy in any condition, trust not in riches, honour, no nor in life it selfe, for they are all transitory, but intreat God to set your hearts on everlasting things, on everlasting life, and induring riches and pleasures, for from him they flow, Psal. 16. ult. these are an abiding inheritance, and will stick close to us; this is the vanity of earthly things, the fulnesse of them breeds loathsomnesse, and fulsomnesse, and a man is duld with them, they seem full of comfort, till we get them, and when we have them, we are weary of them: but grace on the contrary, seems hatefull till it be got, but when it is once got; the more a man hath the more he desi∣reth; godly sorrow breeds repentance never to be repented of, 2 Cor. 7.10. neither by God, nor by them, never did christian repent of his repentance, or Faith, or godlinesse; Riches profit not in the day of wrath, Prov. 11.4. there∣fore love not those things which cannot comfort us when we have most need, Joh. 6.26, 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth; so labour not for the riches, or honour, or pleasure that perish, but labour for that profit, and plea∣sure, and honour which endures for ever.

We come now to the opposition, that which is opposed to the transito∣riness

of these things, the World, and the lusts thereof, viz. He that doth the will of God abideth for ever.

Doct. Such as doe the will of God, are not as the World and lusts of it, of a fading transitory condition, but they stand in a permanent abiding Estate.

Q. 1 What is it to abide for ever?

A. 1 It implies, he is not of an unsteady fleeting temper, but of a constant and even frame of spirit and life, not now in and now out, and never of a con∣stant frame, but of an even temper, as mountaines are not easily shaken, or dri∣ven to and fro, but remaine in their strength and place; why so, such as trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, that shall not be moved, Psal. 125.1. and he gives the reason, vers. 2. without any changing or removing.

2 He is said to remain for ever, because he doth abide in that Estate for e∣ver; there is a difference between constancy and perseverance; a man may be said to goe to London, though he keeps not even on, but goes out and in; so such a man as aimes at heaven, and goes on as evenly as he can, and if he goes out, he gets in again, such a one perseveres in his way to heaven.

Q. 2 What is it to doe the will of God?

A He that doth the will of God, stands in opposition to the World, and the lusts of it, and by this will is not m••ant only the will of Gods pleasure, but the will of Gods Commandement, for all the Creatures doe the will of Gods good pleasure, for they all doe things, so far as God wills; so that if a man doe his own will, he sh ll not goe besides Gods will; but here he means the will of Gods Commandement; Not every one that saith Lord, Lord, shall enter into Heaven, but be that doth the will of my Father, Mat. 7.21. t••at is, the revealed Will of God, Joh. 8.51.

For the ground of the point, why they abide for ever?

1 Because they are born of the unchangeable Will of God, of his own Will begat he us, Jam, 4.18. and he means that Will, which is not dependant on the Creature, but free, Rom. 9.15. There is no cause moving, but the only Will of God, he will have mercy, because he will have mercy; therefore when God bestows any mercy on the Creature because he will doe it, it puts the Creature on an unexchangeable condition.

2 From the vigour and strength of doing the Will of God, no man doth the Will of God, but the more he shall be inabled and caused to doe it, the doing of Gods Will, is the ground and strength of a Christian life, Joh. 4.34. he means not only he did it chearfully, but it was that which refreshed his soul, and strengthened his body, so that he felt neither hunger nor thirst, but it was strength and freedome of spirit to doe his Fathers Will, so that though he was thirsty, yet his words to the woman did so refresh him, that it was his strength and refreshment; now if it be so, that the more a man doth the Will of God, the more strength he hath to doe it, nay it conveyes not only strength to the soul, but also to the body, as a Tree, the more fruit it brings forth upwards, the deeper rooting it takes downwards, so a Christian, the more fruit he brings forth to God, the deeper he strikes his root in Christ, John 14.21, 22. if it be thus, I say, well may he abide for ever.

3 From the near union which such have with Christ, that doe the Will of his Father, Christ came for that end, to doe his Fathers Will, Joh. 6.38 there∣fore he that doth the Will of his Father, is near to Christ, he is Father, and Mother, and Brother, and Sister, Mark. 3. ult, because they are born of the same Father, of the same Spirit, and they doe the same work, if therefore we doe his Will, not as Servants, but as Children, then we are as heirs, and remain in the house for ever, Joh. 8.35, 36.

4 From Gods readinesse ever to hear the prayers of such as doe his Will, as the blind man said, Joh. 8.34. If any man doe the Will of God, him he hears, wherein he shews that suitable to our hearing of God, God hears us; if we hear God in his Commandements, he will heare us in our petitions, if

we take up Gods Word, he will take up our prayers that they be not lost; if we be sinners God hears not us, why? because we hear not him, God is as ready to doe our wills, as we are to doe his, Mat. 7 2. with what measure we meet to him he will meet to us; if we be careful to attend to his Word, and in∣dustrious to doe his Will, God will certainly doe our wills, as we have done his, Psal. 139. ult. he desires to be led in everlasting wayes, that is the Will of God, for that is only everlasting, and a Christian praying to doe Gods Will as the Angels, God will fulfil his will, and his Will is to abide for ever, and so it is Gods Will that he should abide for ever.

Obj. Doth not David complain, I am tossed to and fro as a Grashopper? Psal. 109.22.

Ans. He speaks not there of his inward estate, which was constant and even, but his outward estate, which was very unconstant, sometimes puld from the Ordinances, he hopt from one place to another, from Mountains to Woods, and Caves, from place to place like a Grashopper, but his inward frame was constant and even.

Obj. But was not Davids inward frame s metimes very uneven? he that had sometimes shewed much kindnesse to Mephibosheth, after took away his Lands; he that sometimes was smitten for cutting off Sauls skirt, after sticks not to commit Adultery, and slay Uriah, and after that to number the people.

Ans. He may erre through infirmity, as a man in a Journey, he propounds no other end but to goe on, but yet he goes out of the way sometimes through ignorance, and carelesnesse, but then when he knows it, he makes the more hast to get in again; so a Christian, he aims at a good course, even wayes, but sometimes through heedlesness, or ignorance, he falls into by wayes, but when he knows it, he makes hast to recover himselfe, and the cause why he goes aside, is because he doth not the Will of God, but his own will.

Ʋse 1 Justifie the Doctrine of the perseverance of the Saints, and confutes the contrary opinion of their Apostacy, for every Christian doth the Will of God, now he that doth the Will of God abides for ever, such make Gods Will their meat and drink, and so they lead an everlasting life, they feed on everlast∣ing food, Joh. 6.26. they have neer union with Christ, they are such as fulfill Gods Will, and therefore he will fulfil their desire.

Ʋse 2. A ground of direction to all such as would find comfort in Life and Death, if you follow the lusts of the World, they will not last alwayes, Consci∣ence accuseth, God will judge you, Eccles. 11.9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth, &c. so Riches endure not always, nor Honour, therefore though a man now pride himselfe in his youth, or riches, or lusts, why these will not hold, time will come when you shall be weary of all these, but would you abide for ever? why this is the way, doe Gods will, and then thou chusest that part which shall never be taken from thee, Luke 10. two last verses Psal. 125.1, 2. let a man be doing Gods Will, he shall never dye, there is no man but would have his Estate confirmed to perpetuity, from age to age; why all the lusts of the World continue but for a while, but would you turne all to per∣petuity? be doing Gods Will, and then you shall abide for ever; so, would you heal all the fleeting unstablenesse of our spirits? sometimes you are much inlarged, sometimes as much straitned; sometimes you have vigour of Spirit, and sometimes you are dull, and quite out of frame, what is the reason? all this is because thou art out of the way, and therefore the Star hath left thee as it did the Wise men, when they went out of the way to Bethlehem to goe to Jerusa∣lem; even so when thou art in the way to Bethlehem to seek Ch••ist, and give up thy selfe to such courses as leads to him, why all this while the comfortable power of the Spirit shall goe with thee, but when thou consultest with flesh and blood, to satisfie any lust of the World, the Star will leave thee, till thou come into the way again; so if you walke in the even wayes of God, you shall find your selves always enlarged, though sometimes more, sometimes less, yet alwayes so much as is sufficient for your present condition.

Ʋse 3 Of consolation to every obedient Christian that breaks off from his own will, and sets himself with all his power to doe Gods Will, and is grieved when he doth any thing against it; why this is your comfort, that is an ever∣lasting way which leads to eternity, He that doth the Will of God, shall never see Death; that is, with fear or danger; nay he shall stand as a Mountaine that shall not be shaken, which is a great blessing for a poor Christian.

Obj. May not mountains be shaken and removed, are they not shaken by Earth∣quakes? so may not Christians be shaken and removed; are they not tossed up and down in the World, and never in a setled condition?

Ans. Mountains may be shaken and removed, Isa. 54.10.11. and Christians may be tossed in their outward Estate, but yet though Mountains remove, and hills be shaken, yet Gods loving kindnesse shall never depart from them.

Now from the scope the Apostle aims at, observe thus much.

Doct. The disproportion that is betwixt the World, and the lusts thereof, and the Children of God that doe his Will, ought to weane them all from the love of the World, and the lusts thereof.

John 6.27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth, as who should say, this meat is corruptible, and you corruptible, but that meat I give you is eternall, and will nourish eternall life in you.

Quest. Wherein stands the disproportion between the World, and the lusts there∣of, and those that doe Gods Will?

1 The World and the lusts thereof are transitory and fading, neither conti∣nue at a stay, nor last long, but all perish, But he that doth Gods Will, the more he doth it, the more he is strengthned, and confirmed, and supported to ever∣lasting life.

2 The World it selfe and all the things thereof, are ordinarily bodily, and sensuall, and not heavenly; take all the frame of the Creatures, they are bo∣dily things, and all the comforts of them, tends to sensuall life, What will it profit a man to win the whole World, and loose his own soul? implying, a man may have all the World, and yet loose his own soul; it never feeds a spirituall heavenly life, but there is a spirituall eternall bread, that feeds to everlasting life, it is not for a body to nourish a spirit, nor earthly things heavenly, not can a transitory thing feed everlasting life.

Q. 1. Why should this disproportion wean us from the love of the World, and the lusts thereof? what is the ground?

1 From the vanity that is found in all these things, they are bodily and tran∣sitory, it is impossible they should nourish heavenly and permanent life; there∣fore godly men should withdraw their affections from them inordinately, Isa. 55.2. why doe you lay out your money for that which satisfieth not? and for that which is not bread? why doe you spend cost and pains about that which is not bread? which will never satisfie your souls, but your souls in the midst of them may be as Pharaohs lean Kine, hungry, and empty of grace, void of good things.

Reas. 2. From the corruption these things will put upon our spirits, if we set our love and lust on them; it will be as a running Issue which will empty us of all goodnesse, either they will draw us from comming to the Ordinances; I have married a wife and cannot come; or secondly, they will fill our hearts with cares when we come, Ezek. 33. ult. or else after we are gone, they will choak the Word of God, so that they draw away our hearts from spirituall food.

2 There is a power in them, to assimilate us to themselves, what we feed on we are like unto, feed on wild meats, you will be wild men, feed on grosse meats, your spirits will be more grosse and dull, feed on light meats, your spirits will be more quick and agill; so if a man feed on the World, glut himself with the World, he can relish nothing but the World, his spirit is made carnall, and stupid, and worldly, and can arise no higher, therefore when Solomon gave himselfe to seek pleasure, Eccl. 2.3. to try what was in them,

though he did not neglect Wisdome, as Eccles. 1.8. yet he found by experi∣ence, deal as wisely as he could, in the end they did so stupifie him, that he was led away by them to Idolatry, 1 King. 11.4. then is a man become stupid, when he is serious about trifles, and trifling about serious things; by pursuit of these, his judgment was quick in earthly matters, but in matters of Religion he began to grow very weak and ignorant; how much more then they that wholly give themselves to the lusts and pleasures of the World.

Reas. 3. Ever since the fall of our First Parents, there lyes a Curse of God upon all the Creatures, Gen. 3.17, 18. now in cursing the ground he Cursed all the Creatures with it, so that now there is a disproportion and unsuitable∣nesse betwixt the Creatures and man, for whom they were made, so that the whole Creature is subject to vanity, Rom. 8.19, 20. Eccles. 1.2. Vanity of vanities all is vanity. Now if they be all accursed, you shall finde that there is a venemous corruption in them all, which with-holds us from that chiefe good for which we were made; so that let any man put upon you any Pro∣fit, or Honour, or Credit, continually you would think your selfe engaged to him, and set your selves to be serviceable to him, and should not we deale as kindly with God? should not we be more obedient to God, for his following us with his blessings? one would think we should; but what is the reason of it? the more we have of Profits, and Honours, and Credit, the more full we are of our selves, and the more loose from God, so that the more he blesseth us, the more we neglect him; the more he comforts us, the more we grieve him; how comes this, but from a secret curse that lies upon all the Crea∣tures? otherwise it could not be, that we should grow so carelesse and stupid; as the Moon when it wants light, it draws nearer to the Sun, but when it is at the full, and hath most Light, it is furthest from the Sun; so when God fils us, we sit furthest from God, our spirits become empty of grace, and regard∣lesse of God, therefore this should move us from affecting the World, and the lusts of the World.

Ʋse 1. A ground of strong exhortation to both old men and young, Love not the World, nor the lusts of it; for there is no proportion betwixt the World and a Child of God, what proportion betwixt transitory and everlasting things? fading and permanent? these are bodily and carnal, your hearts are spirituall and heavenly, therefore it is for you to look out for other things that will ab de; nay, why doe you spend your strength for that which will not profit? all will not help your souls; why should a man swear, and toyle for that, which when he hath he may loose his own soul? he may get credit in the World, and yet may be base in Gods eyes, it is that which will not satisfie the soul, the immortall soul will not be contented with transitory fading things, these are but as dreams, they dream of abundance, but their souls are all this while empty and starving, and if these be so transitory, why doe we feed on meats that are so unsuitable to our souls? if we have once made the World our Element, if we be lifted up out of the World to heavenly and Spirituall things, we are like a Fish out of the water, we faint and gasp, and are weary, and must return to our mud again, we have no comfort at all, is not this a woful disproportion? Nay further, seeing all the things of this World are va∣nity, and folly, even lawfull pleasures, I said of mirth it is madnesse and folly, Eccl. 2.2. why therefore let us be exhorted to wean our affection from them, walke among them as snares, take heed you be not trapt by them; all the Blessings of this life are but Curses, if you use them for themselves, and then they weaken your spirits, and corrupt your hearts, therefore love not the World, nor the things of the World, for these all fade away; there is a disproportion betwixt the cursed things of this World, and spirituall Blessings; indeed they are not Curses, if you receive them as coming from God, and use them to him, otherwise, if you set your hearts on them, and use them for themselves, they will prove a curse to you.

Ʋse 2. Let us be exhorted to lift up our hearts to more heavenly and spiri∣tuall

things, let us lift up our souls to those pleasures and profits that endure for ever, Joh. 6.26. labour for those pleasures that may truly satisfie your souls, desire God to lift up your hearts from worldly to spititual things, and then we shall find the Word of God sweeter than Honey and the Honey-comb; there∣fore feed not on Husks and Chaff, but feed on Spiritual things, which may nourish you to eternal life, and for earthly things, use them as helps to Spiritu∣al things, to make you more vacant for religious exercises, more fruitfull in good works, so you shall find them helpfull to you, and you shall draw near to God by them, when we look not so much at honour, or pleasure, or pro∣fit, as Gods hand giving them,