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

Doct. 3. Such as know that Christ is righteous, they doe know that every one that doth righteousnesse is born of God, a Child of God.

Q. What is it to know Christ to be righteous?

A. It doth not consist in the understanding of it, conceiving it, and ac∣knowledging it; for Pharaoh could say, The Lord is righteous, Exod. 9.27. and yet he could not come to say, that Gods people were righteous, and born of God, he did not see that God afflicted him for oppressing his people, this he was convinced of, that God was righteous, but yet he would not say, you Moses and his people are born of God. Luke 23.47. certainly saith the Cen∣turion, this was a righteous man, and yet we doe not read that he joyned himselfe to the Disciples of Christ; but this Testimony was extorted by the wonderfull works of God.

To know therefore that Christ is righteous, is to acknowledge him by divine Faith; and they know, that he that doth Righteousnesse is born of God.

There are three things implyed in it.

1. No man knows Christ to be Righteous, but he that is sensible of his own unrighteousnesse, otherwise he cannot know that Christ is Righteous, Phil. 3.6, 7, 8. Paul before his calling, thought himselfe Righteous, and un∣blameable, but when he saw that Christ was Righteous, he saw that himselfe was unrighteous; therefore he thought all his own Righteousnesse losse in re∣spect of Christs, his education, his profession, his wisdome, his zeal, his privi∣ledges, he counted all losse to win Christ.

2. It implies a sensible experience of the Righteousness of Christ, pacifying our consciences, and purging them from dead works, Heb. 10.22. for Christs Righteousnesse doth both; none know Christ to be Righteous, but they that know that in his Righteousnesse, they have their consciences quieted and puri∣fied, they are freed from the guilt and uncleannesse of an evill conscience, they know that they are such grievous sinners, that if Christ were not Righteous, they could never look for pardon.

3. They finde the power of Christs Righteousnesse, purging their consci∣ences from dead works, Heb. 9.14. all our works before were dead, but now by the blood of Christ we are purged from them, and quickned to doe him lively service, though a man may have a good opinion that Christ was a good man, and may have a generall beliefe that he was so, and that he was both God and Man, yet none know it, but those that know they have so woefully provoked, that if Christ their Mediator were not Righteous, they could have no hope of pardon or mortification, such onely know it certainly by experience in their own soules, for Scientia est rerum certarum & ne∣cessariarum.

Q. How doe such know that they that work Righteousnesse are born of God?

A. 1. They know him by experience of their own spirits, they know them∣selves that they never wrought a work of Righteousnesse, till they were born of Christ; all their works before, were for the World, or for self-love; there∣fore if they find a man denying himselfe, not looking at his own ends, going out of himselfe, not relying upon himselfe, nor aiming at his own ends; they know such are born of God, or else they could not doe so, Rom. 3.10.12. not one naturall man comes off with a good work.

2. They know it from the life of Christ that breaths and works in every work of Righteousnesse, and the works of it, they know their own spirits would not reach it.

Two things make our conversion to be called a new birth, for in it selfe it is but onely an alteration, not in substance, but in qualities, which is properly cal∣led alteration, but it is called a new birth, or regeneration.

1. Because it changes the whole man: as in generation, there is a whole change from one thing to another; so in regeneration, there is an alteration of

the whole old man, into the whole new man, a new heart, new judgement, new affections.

2. It is the mighty power of God, as in generation, there is more in it than any work of Parents, it could not be without a speciall concurrennce of Gods mighty power: so in conversion, there must not onely be a change of some qualities, but a mighty power in changing us wholly, from our old Estate to a new.

Ʋse 1. Discovers the fond Paganish Ignorance of such that know not that they that doe Righteousnesse are born of God; we would account him no Christian, but a very Pagan, that should deny Christ to be righteous, why if thou dost not know that they that doe Righteousnesse are born of God, thou knowest not that Christ is righteous, therefore this shews their great Errour that maligne Gods Servants, for surely if they knew they were the children of God, they would not oppose them, or injure them, but because they con∣ceive them to be new-fangled persons, and likely to prove hurtfull to the State and Kingdome, therefore they cast them out, but thereby they manifest that they doe not know that they are born of God, and if they know not that, they do not know that Christ is righteous, Isa. 66.5. they cast them out in pretence of Gods glory, but they shall know that they are born of God, and they shall be ashamed that they did not know it before; therefore there lies a Paganish Ignorance on the hearts of all oppressors.

Ʋse 2. May serve for a ground of tryall; dost thou know that they that work Righteousnesse are born of Christ? as many a poor soul can testifie it of others, that will not say it of himselfe; but thou couldest not have known that others were born of Christ, unlesse thou hadst known it thy selfe, thy own un∣righteousnesse, and Christs Righteousnesse, pacifying and purifying thy consci∣ence; therefore let it comfort thee.

Object. May not a carnall man see plainly by common illumination, that such are Gods Servants? they see a broad difference between them and others.

Ans. So far as they know Christ is Righteous, so far they may know, that those that work Righteousnesse are born of Christ; they have no true knowledge that Christ is Righteous, but onely an opinion, and this opinion aftewards they may doubt of; therefore it is no knowledge, but if thou knowest it, then thou seest it by experience of his Righteousnesse pacifying thy conscience, and purging it from dead works; and if thou knowest that Christ is Righteous, thou knowest also that they that doe Righteousnesse are born of God, but if thou knowest not that Christ is Righteous, thou canst not know experimentally that those that doe Righteousnesse are born of God.

Ʋse 3. Here is a notable encouragement to all that are born of God, to work Righteousnesse, for if you work Righteousnesse, not one Righteous man but shall know you are born of God, and testifie it of you; not that I would have men practice Righteousnesse for their credit, that they may be known, &c.

Object. May not a man doe many works of Righteousnesse, of Prayer, and Alms, and yet doe them out of his own ends, so that others may be de∣ceived in him?

Ans. Though Christian Charity is apt to think the best, yet none will say they know thou art born of God, till thou deny thy selfe, and thine own ends, and thou dost things in vertue of Christ, and walkest con∣stantly in a Christian course; therefore walk humbly before God, doe things in the power of Christ; and if it come, that your ends, and Christs ends cannot stand together, if they see that you willingly leave your own way, and take Christs, though it cost you much, why, this will be your encou∣ragement, every one that doth Righteousnesse will know that you are born of God.

Ʋse 4. May discourage every man from evill wayes, from doing un∣righteousnesse; for if Christians know, that they that doe Righteousnesse are born of God, then they will know that they that doe unrighteousnesse are born of the Serpent; if they see that you work for your own ends, and by your own gifts, not by vertue of Christ, they may wish you well, but they know, that you are not born of Christ; as in nature, the spirit of a noble man and a peasant, will much differ, though they should be educated both alike, yet a noble mans spirit, will be rising to higher matters; so if you see a Chri∣stians spirit reach higher than the World, he cannot confine himselfe within the limits of the World, but he is lifted up to heavenly spirituall matters for Gods glory, and he doth things from Christs vertue, this makes it e∣vident he is born of God; a worldly man cannot rise higher than his own ends: a thing riseth no higher than the originall it comes from; therefore let it discourage you from working unrighteousnesse, from looking at your own ends, and gifts, and abilities, for if you doe, you will be known to doe un∣righteously, and so are not born of God; therefore walk 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as you would be known to be indeed, you cannot be hid; if you would be counted Righ∣teous, be doing Righteousnesse, and then you shall be known to be born of God.