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

1 JOHN 2.29.

If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doth righteousnesse is born of him.

IN the former Verse he had exhorted all to abide in Christ, and that from an Argument of boldness and confidence at the day of Death, and Judgement: In his Verse he proves that such may have boldnesse; they that are born of Christ are children of God, may lift up their heads with joy at his coming; a Childe is not afraid, but glad of his Fathers coming, but such as abide in Christ are born of God, Ergo. But how doe they know they are born of God? why they that doe Righteousnesse are born of God, but those that abide in Christ doe Righteously; how appears that? they that know that Christ is Righteous, they know that such as doe Righteousnesse are born of God.

Doct. 1. Jesus Christ is Righteous.

Isa. 53.11. Mat. 27.19. & 24. That just one, Acts 22.14. 1 Pet. 3.8.

Reas. 1. From his Righteousnesse, and innocent Conception, and Birth; he was not begot as other men, but the Holy Ghost over-shadowed the Virgin.

2. From his innocent Life, he fulfilled all Righteousnesse, Mat. 3.15. Heb. 4.15. John 14.30. Sathan could finde no sin in him to take advan∣tage of.

3. From the necessary use of his Righteousnesse, he must be Righteous.

1. To overcome the sorrows of Death, one sin would have kept him under death, Acts 2.24, 25. but by his innocency he overcame death.

2. That he might be an holy High Priest to us, and a perfect Sacrifice for us, Heb. 7.26, 27. had he not been innocent and harmlesse he could not have been so; the Priests in the Law were to be without blemish, Lev. 2.17. to shew, that the great High Priest should be so; so was the Offering to be

without blemish, Lev. 27.7. and therefore requisite Christ should be so, Heb. 9.4.

3. It was needfull he should be righteous, for the use and end of his righte∣ousnesse, his righteousne is imputed to us for righteousnesse.

4. That he might work inherent righteousness in us, that we might do righ∣teousnesse, had Christ been blemished in one sin, he could not have begot us righteous to God.

Q. What is it to be righteous?

A. Holinesse gives God his due, Righteousnesse, man his due: but righ∣teousnesse put alone, implies both giving due to God and man; so Christ, he gave to Caesar what was his due, to the Pharisees their due, and every one their due.

Ʋse. A ground of wonderfull consolation to every poor soul, that is bur∣thened with his own unrighteousnesse, though we are unrighteous, yet Christ is righteous, and what is wanting in our parts, is supplyed on his: this comfort Elihu gives to a man in extreamity of body and soul, Job 33.23. to declare where his righteousnesse is to be found, that is, it is not to be found in him∣selfe, God will say of such a soul, deliver his soul from going into the pit, for I have received a recompence: what though we have cause to complain as the Church? Isa. 64.6. yet if we know Christ is innocent, and pure, and holy, why then his righteousnesse is imputed to us: what though we were born sinfull? yet Christ was born without blemish: what though our lives be unclean and wicked? yet Christs life was innocent and harmelesse: what though we should have dyed for our iniquities, as the good Thiefe said, Luke 23.41. yet this man hath done nothing worthy of death, verse 47. certainly this is a righteous man; so every soule that is sensible of his own unworthi∣nesse, as the good Thiefe said, verse 40. Fearest thou not God, &c. if a man fear before God and tremble at his wrath, in such a case, Christ will say as he did to the good Thiefe, this day shalt thou be in Paradice, or at least have right to it.

Obj. Christ is righteous, but what is that to me? doe all wicked men receive righteousnesse from him? alas, I have nothing to move God to impute his righ∣teousnesse to me.

Ans. If thou canst but find this in thine heart, that thou fearest God because of thy sins, and art humbled, why then if Christ be righteous, thou needest not fear his coming, for his righteousnesse shall veil thy unrighteousnesse, and thy estate shall be happy.

Obj. Was not Judas afraid of the horrors of Hell, when he had betrayed Christ? did not he fear sin, and it was a ••••rror to his soule?

Ans. Judas was afraid of that sin, but he was not afraid of all sin, for then he would have been as much afraid of hanging himselfe, as betraying his Ma∣ster; therefore he feared the horror of that sin, but not of all sin: but take a man fearing God for all sin, and fearing other mens sins, as the good Thiefe, a∣fraid least Children and Servants should sin, and looks at Christs righteousnesse; this is a supersedeas of all danger at death, we may expect death and judgement with comfort and joy.

2. It is a ground of comfort likewise to such as having found comfort heretofore in the righteousnesse of Christ, are now in that case that they doubt of their Estate, why? what though you faile in many things, yet look up to Christ? he is pure and righteous: and so being cloathed with his righ∣teousnesse, we may lift up our heads with comfort, and this Paul comforted himselfe in, Phil. 3.7, 8, 9. in that, he counted all dresse and dung in respect of the righteousnesse of Christ: here is the comfort of a Christian, he should not look to his own righteousnesse, never think to get any thing by your own works, but if you lay hold on Christs righteousnesse, you may know that you are born of God, and so may expect the last day with joy and comfort.

Doct. 2. Such as work righteousnesse are born of Christ.

1 John 3.10. The manifest difference between the children of God, and of the Devill, is working of righteousnesse.

Reas. 1. From the weaknesse and impotency of nature to bring forth a righ∣teous work, Rom. 8.3, 4. Rom. 7.18. & 3.10.12. none of the famous Heroes among the Heathen, but their best actions were splendida peccata. Deut. 32.32, 33. Gods people had corrupted themselves, and the Spirit of God was not up∣on them; their sweetest works were like the Grapes of Sodom and Gomorrah, which are fair to the eye, but if touched vanish away; there is a fair out∣side, but no nourishment: none so opposite to Christ, as men of best naturall abilities, Acts 17.32.19.20. Rom. 11.17.20. Phil. 3.6. though Paul was clean in his own and others eyes, yet did he persecute the Church of God, there is no power of nature, can reach to a supernaturall work, Rom. 6.16, 17, 18, 19.20.

2. From the impotency and weaknesse of common Graces, Mat. 12.33. Heb. 9.14. untill Christs blood hath sprinkled our consciences, all our works are but dead works, every work that is spirituall, must

1. Spring from Faith, Gal. 3.14. Rom. 14. ult.

2. The end must be the glory of God, 2 Cor. 10.13. nature never works higher then its own glory. Brutus when he heard his Sons conspired with the Tarquins, he sent for them and cut off their heads, whereof the Poet spake thus, Vivit aemor patriae, laudumque immensa cupido, had this been bounded in Gods glory, it had been good: let Saul Prophesie, let Jehu set upon refor∣mation with great zeal, let Herod hear John Baptist gladly, yet all these detain the truth in unrighteousnesse.

3. From the necessity of abiding in Christ, to the performing of every duty, John 15.5. he doth not say without me ye can doe no great matter, but with∣out me ye can doe nothing.

4. From the resemblance that is between Christ and such as work righteous∣nesse, there is such a resemblance as is between Father and Son, John 3.2. we are the seed of Christ, and are made like him; as a child is known to be born of such a man, by his look, speech, carriage: such as work righteousnesse, their works will own them, Isa. 61.1, 2, 3. Isa. 9.6.

Q. How are we said to be born of Christ?

A. He is sometimes (though he be our elder Brother) called our Father, we are born of his Seed, his Word and Spirit, and we resemble Christ as well as the Father, Rom. 8.29.

Ʋse 1. This reproves the Jesuits and Franciscans Doctrine, that hold, that by strength of common graces a man may receive justifying grace when it is offered, a man must be born of God, that will doe so good a work; it is there∣fore a Doctrine contrary to the Word of God.

Ʋse 2. Those that are in state of nature or common grace, should not rest there.

Ʋse 3. Such as are born of God should make use of their new birth; walk in the life of the new birth, else thou dost nothing, Gal. 2.20. we must doe all out of the strength of the new birth: if the Sun should shine into our houses, and we shut up all the doors and windows to keep it in, we shut it out; so we must keep the windows of our hearts open to Christ.

Ʋse 4. Have respect to works of righteousnesse: it is injustice to sell places of office, and suffer men to sell them; if men buy dearly, they must be forced to deale hardly.

Obj. A man that buyes dearly, may sell so.

Ans. A man may sell what he bought justly, a man may but his own right, yet not sell it; it is injustice to sell what is not our own, as places in free election.

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.