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

1 JOHN 2.21.

Because ye know the truth, and that no lye is of the truth.

THese words afford us Three Doctrins.

1 That every Antichristian Doctrin is a Lye, for of that hee speaks.

2 That no Lye (that is, no Antichristian Doctrin) is of the truth, that is, flows from the truth of the Gospel.

3 Such as have received the spiritual Unction, and do know the truth, they also know that no Lye is of the truth. For the first,

Doct. Every Antichristian Doctrin is a Lye.

Q. What is a Lye in Doctrin, for that is the lye that is here meant?

A. Three things make up a Lye.

1 That the Proposition do not agree with the thing we speak of.

2 That it agree not with the Notion that we have in our mindes.

3 That we speak it a purpose to deceive, all these are found in every Anti∣christian Doctrin.

1 These enunciations do not agree with the word of truth, for else they could not be a lye; the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 shews they agree not with the truth of Christ.

2 These Doctrins are contrary to the Judgements of them that deliver them, and this may appear from the definition of an Heretick, Tit. 3.10, 11 an Heretick is one that is subverted in his errour, and is condemned of him. selfe; Heresie therefore is all subversion by errour, and maintaining of the same with obstinacy; a man may be an erroneous man, but he doth not come to be an Heretick till he be condemned in himselfe, that is, speak contrary to his judgement, which may appear, when rather then he will depart from his errour, he will contradict himself, as when he is convinced, he falls to wranglings, or blaspheming, these are signs of such as speak contrary to their own judgements.

3 They deliver them with a purpose to deceive, Ephes. 4.14. They lye in wait to deceive, they plot how to deceive the consciences of men, and this kinde of Heresie is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, Cheating every way: or they are as Coggers of Dice, so that their trade is but to deceive and cheat men, so that we see, there is a Three-fold Lye in every Antichristian Doctrin.

• 1 It is materially a Lye, the Doctrin it self is contrary to the truth.
• 2 It is a Lie formally, they speak against their judgement.
• 3 It is efficiently a Lye, they breed lies in others, 1 Tim. 4.1, 2.

Q What is the reason why every Antichristian Teacher is a Lie, and his Do∣ctrin a Lie?

A Because it springs from a lying spirit, not from a Spirit of truth, but of lyes; so the Devill describes himself when he seduceth false Prophets, 1 King. 22.22. to be a Lying spirit, as if there were no more effectual way to seduce Kings than by false Teachers, acted by the Lying Spirit; I will put errour in their hearts, and make them obstinate in it, and unanimous in it, so that four hundred false Prophets shall easily out-bear one Micaiah; the like doth the Devill in all false Teachers, he cometh, and is a Lying Spirit in them, with such seemlinesse and shew of truth, that it deceives them, they take it for truth, 2 Thes. 2.6. they shall come with deceitfulnesse of Doctrin, and many false lying wonders, whereby they shall seduce many.

Rea. 2. From the corrupt end that these false Teachers do evidently aim at in all their Doctrin, Acts 20.30. some do it in ambition to draw Disciples to themselves, and not to Christ▪ such was Simon Magus, that gave out

that he was the Christ that suffered, and so drew many after him; after him, Menander.

2 Some aimed to fill their bellies, and to get gain and pleasure from their followers, Rom. 16. whose belly is their God, so that they serve not Christ, but their own bellies, and for that end with fair flattering speeches, they beguile for filthy lucre; Tit. 1.11, 12. so that all the lust of the world, they aime at, ambition, sensuality, and filthy gain, are the ends they aime at, and if their ends be so corrupt, their Doctrin must needs be corrupt and a lye.

Reas. 3 From the sport and jeast they make at deluding people, one would thinke there should none be so desperatly wicked, to come into congrega∣tions, and obtrude false Doctrin, and delude men, and then make a sport of it 2 Pet. 2.13. it sports them to see how handsomely they circumvented such a man, at such a conference, this is matter of sport to them, to see how at feasts and meetings they could carry the whole Table before them, Gal. 6.12, 13. what is their end? they desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, and they glory in it, and triumph, and they themselves regard not many things that they ob∣trude on others, they make no scruple of it themselves, they know they are emp∣ty things, so that this is manifestly a lye.

Ʋse. 1 May teach us how to conceive of Popery, and stir up in our selves an holy indignation against it; you see that Popery is a lye, and hath deluded many; Mahivell did clearly discern, that their religion was but meer jugling, to fill the Popes Coffers, and keep his Kiching warm by purgatory and par∣dons, &c. therefore let none trust them; but indeed this was his wickednesse, though he discerned this, he sought not the true Religion, and this is the evill of their Religion, it leads simple men to superstition, and understanding men to Atheisme; and if Popery be but cheating, and jugling, and lying, it must kindle in us, an inward loathing of that Religion; Bellarmin doth directly bring that for his defence, which was palpable and ex instituto, writ against them, and therefore it is plain, that every Antichristian Doctrin si a lye; not only against the truth, but against their own judgement to deceive, Psal. 119.128. let it be our care to looke at every law of God as just, nnd to hate every false way, nothing so odious to man, as to be cheated; men take it most indignely to be made a fool of, why truly that is the end of Antichristian Do∣ctors to cheat and beguile men.

Ʋse. 2 It must teach us how prone our natures are to receive such false Doctrins, Psal. 58.3. Rom. 3.4. every mans judgement is apt to take up that opinion which suits with his understanding; now because by nature we are prone to lyes, and errours, therefore let us take heed to our selves, and watch more exactly; Heresie is a fruit of the flesh, Gal. 5.19, 20. and therefore no wonder if carnall hearts be ready to take it up, seeing by nature the truth seems harsh to us.

Ʋse. 3 It must stir us up to imbrace the Doctrin of the Gospel, the more your spirits loath falshood, the more are you to cleave to the truth, do they make a sport to juggle and deceive? do you see they aim at corrupt ends? do they speak by a lying spirit? if this be the fruit of Popery, that the whole bulk of it is but an heap of lyes, then as we are to detest that, so we are to love the truth of the Gospel, it comes from the spirit of truth, the ends of it are contra∣ry to Antichristian, they aime to bring on Disciples to Christ, they look not at their own belly and gain, but to edifie and do good to the Church of God, seeing therefore the Religion of Christ is so pure, so peaceable▪ so self-denying, so free from cheating and jugling, therefore let us be more enamoured on it, imbrace it, study it more, practice it more.

Ʋse. 4 If every antichristian Doctrin be a lye, then they that are born of it, are not born of the truth, and the Doctors of it are lyers, so that if it bee asked whether it be a true Church, we say it is a lying Doctrin they hold, those that are the Doctors and teachers of their Church are lyers; and take the body of the Church, it is a bulk of lyes, a company of lyars, deceiving the

World, and sporting themselves in their deceivings.

Doct. No lye, that is, no hereticall Antichristian Doctrin, is of the truth▪

Out of false things we may sometimes conclude falshood, and sometimes truth, but out of a true principle, you can never gather falshood; so St. John here out of the truth you cannot conclude any lye, any false Doctrin; so that no lye is of the truth.

For Explication.

A Doctrin may be sid to bee of the truth, or not of it, in a double respect.

1 Of the truth, as the cause of it, John 8.37. he that is born of the truth, 1 John 3.19. so to be of the truth, is to be a Child of the truth, so that when it is said, it it not of the truth, that is, it is not born of the truth, and it is not bred of the truth.

1 Because it springs not from the Gospel of truth.

2 It springs not from the Spirit of truth, but from a lying spirit.

3 It springs not from the truth of their own hearts, not from the very mo∣rall civill truth; they neither spring from the divine truth of the Gospel, nor from the Spirit, nor from the morall truth in their own hearts; a man may speak not from the Spirit of truth in the word, and yet speak from an honest heart, but an Heretique speakes not from the truth of his own heart, Tit. 3.10, 11. so that these mens errours are not from ignorance or infirmity, but meerly from the spirit of falshood.

2 It is not of the truth, that is, it keeps not correspondency, or fellowship with the truth, and the reason is, because no Antichristian Doctrin, but it comes from the spirit of lying and murther, and such a spirt is the Devills spirit, John 8.48. Satans intendment is to lye, and deceive, and murther mens souls; and that proceeds from the enmity betwixt Christ, and the seed of the Serpent, now the seed of the Serpent is not only Heretiques, but Hereticall Doctrin, and they strive to root out one another, Amos 7.10, 11. which shewes what little fellowship falshood hath with truth, 2 Cor. 6.14, 15. and therefore they would not suffer Christ to live, and so they persecuted the A∣postles, because they spoke the word of truth.

Ʋse. 1 May exhort all professors of the truth, to take heed of lying; if no lye be of the truth, then if you speak falshood or lyes, you walk not like your selves, such words come not from the Spirit of truth, but from the lying spirit, the spirit of wickednesse and falshood; and therefore what have the Children of the truth to do with falshood, with false words, and false dealing? and espe∣cially take heed of false Doctrin for it is not of the truth, but lyes; therefore have nothing to do with the spirit of falshood, the spirit of Popery, or the spirit of seperation, to draw you from the truth of Christ, from the communion of the Church.

Ʋse 2 If no Heresie be of the truth, then certainly it will never be for the truth; no stream riseth higher then the spring from whence it comes; if such Doctrin comes not from the truth, it will never rise so high as the truth; ne∣ver look for true dealing from an Heretique that lyes against the Gospel, and against his own conscience, never beleeve any Doctrin of theirs, for they aim at subverting; if they deal not truly with God, they will not deal truly with man, it is a conclusion of the councill of Constance, fides non est servanda cum Haereticis, why? because they are Heretiques; but you should know they were Heretiques that swore it, and therefore they shew such false dealing; there∣fore you shall never finde any true honest dealing with Antichristian states in any negotiation.

Ʋse 3 It may teach us, there is no safe reconciliation with these Doctrins, nay, no safe toleration, for no lye is of the truth; how can you reconcile night and day? light and darknesse? there is as wide a difference between the truth, and Antichristian Doctrines; therefore there is no safe toleration of them, but one of them will be rooting out the other, either lies or the truth will be banished.

Ʋse 4. It may refute an Errour of some, that say, As Anabaptisme sprang from Luther, and Libertinisme from Calvin, so Separation from Puritanism; but this cannot be, for no lye is of the truth, therefore these could not spring from any truth of Luther, or Calvin, or Puritanism.

Doct. Such as have received the unction of the Spirit, they know no Errour, no false Doctrin is of the truth.

They know it, not only think so, but know it, and they know it.

1 From the contrariety that they see betwixt that unction of the Spirit which they have received, and that Doctrin; the Spirit of God in them teaches them to be humble, 2 Pet. 2.18. but the spirit of these false Doctors is ambi∣tious, they speak great swelling words; this suites not with the Spirit of God, to look at their own ends, at their bellies, at their gain.

2 It is contrary to their experience; a true Christian knows that the Do∣ctrin of Antichrist is contrary to that experience he hath found; if they come to speak of Free Will, his owne heart tells him, he was fain to be drawn out of himselfe, he found that he could very hardly be puld out of his Naturall estate, so that a Christian heart knowes this is contrary to the truth. Let another say, we are justified by works, you cannnot perswade a Christian to that, for he knwows his best righteousnesse is defiled, Isa. 64.6. and when he hath done what he can he is but an unprofitable servant; when they tell him, there is merit and satisfaction in his Works, yea supererrogation, no Christian but he knows this to be a lye, and that he deserves wrath for his best performan∣ces, he knowes he is no way able to satisfie Gods Justice, or Gods Law, but only Christ satisfies for him. When they shall come to a poor soul and bid him confesse his sins, and tell him they have power to absolve him from his sins, he knows it will not quiet his soul; tell a Christian, that going on Pil∣grimages, and scourging himselfe will satisfie for his soul, he knows that is false; tell a Christian, he may fall away finally, he knowes that is a lye, 2 Tim. 1.12. 1 Thes. 5.24.

3. They know the truth, because they have received it from a Messenger of truth.

4 They know the truth by the effects, by the peace and grace they finde from the truth; and on the contrary, no Antichristian Doctrin ever brought peace to their souls, and there is no truth where no peace is, where you cannot finde peace of Conscience, that Religion hath no saving truth in it; if they finde not the fruit of peace, they know it is not of the truth.

2 Another fruit of the true Religion, is, it brings liberty and freedome of spirit to come to God from Sathan, from his Lusts, from the World, John 8.32. therefore if Religion do not make us free to come to God, and free from the World, and our own Lusts, surely that Religion is not of the truth, 2 Pet. 2.19. he speaks of these false Teachers, that they promise liberty, themselves being servants of sin.

Ʋse 1 May serve to reprove all such as are at an uncertainty in their Religi∣on, they know not which Religion to take, they say they finde Reasons on both sides so probable, and there are some on both sides so corrupt, that they know not which to take; why, if it be so, you have not received the unction of the Spirit, for there is not the least of these little Children which have recei∣ved this unction, but hee knows the truth, and that no Lye is of the truth.

Ʋse 2 For you that have took up your Religion, and the true Religion, but do you know your Religion to be the truth, and that it is no Lye? why they hope it is true, because the King and State follow it; but do you know it to be true, and do you know every contrary Doctrin to be a Lye? if you do not; you do not know what you should, Psal. 119.30. I have chosen the truth, he doth not say the State hath chosen it, or orhers have chosen it, and therefore I will follow it too; No, but I have chosen it, let others chuse what they will; let every Christian know that he hath chosen the truth, and that no 〈…〉〈…〉

Ʋse 3. It may teach all to grow up in discerning the truth, and that will dis∣cover all falshood; as suppose you should have some come to you, and tell you, you frequent the ordinances, and perform good duties only in the Letter, but you ought to doe nothing but when the Spirit moves you; but let a Chri∣stian examine if this be not a lye, and contrary to the truth, and to that expe∣rience I finde, for we ought to pray continually; so if one come and tell you, you ought not to read the Scriptures, your own spirit tells you, you have as much need of the Word, as a Childe of his daily Milk; therefore let Christians learn to discerne of the Spirit of Truth and Errour.