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

Doct. The state of the Children of God in this Life, is as darknesse passing, and true light now shining.

It is an excellent description of a godly mans Estate from his first Conversi∣on forward, the word in the Original signifies passing, or a driving away 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, it is not so well translated, past, For the opening of the point consi∣der, there is a threefold darknesse, and a threefold light.

1 Darknesse of

• 1 Ignorance, Mat. 4.16.
• 2 Uncleannesse, 2 Cor. 6.16.
• 3 Affliction or discomfort, Psal. 112.4.

2 Light of

• 1 Knowledge, Mat. 4.16.
• 2 Holinesse, 2 Cor. 6.16. Ephes. 5 8.
• 3 Comfort, Psal. 92.11.

It may be spoken of all here, but chiefly of the two former, darknesse of ignorance and uncleannesse is passing away in a Christian, and light of Know∣ledge and Holinesse is shining forth daily more and more in his heart, Rom. 13.12. the day is at hand, i. e. not yet come, yet near at hand, and the night far spent, i. e. almost gone and spent, yet not so spent as wholly gone, the sha∣dows of the night still remain, but the day begins to dawn, 2 Pet. 1.19. the dawning of the day, is when the shaddows of darknesse are not yet clearly va∣nished; and he doth not say the Sun, but the day star, which riseth ••efore the Sun a good while; he there describes the State of the Church till the day of resurrection, the light of the Gospel doth not yet clearly and fully shine, but is only dawning, Christ is in his Children, as a day Star, gives them comfortable light, but the Sun is not yet in his strength, Prov. 4.18. it is not yet perfect day with us, no, not with the best Christians under Heaven, but it grows by degrees, till it be perfect day with them, which is at the day of their dissoluti∣on, like to the earthen Pitchers of Gideons men, Judg. 7.16.20. when they brake their Pitchers, the Lamps gloriously shone forth, and dazled their eyes, thus it is with a Christian when these earthen Pitchers, and carkasses are broken, his light will shine forth gloriously, in the mean time we have light, we have lamps, but they are in Pitchers, shining very dimly.

Q. If we had been perfected the first day, and the light had shined gloriously forth at the first, had it not been better?

A. Yes, if God had been pleased so to have done, but God would not have it so, and therefore it were not better, God rather sees it fit that we should car∣ry our light in earthen Vessels, wherein there is partly darknesse, and partly light, 2 Cor. 4.7. and that for these reasons.

Reas. 1 That God might shew his power in our weaknesse, 2 Cor. 12 9, 10. we should never have known Christs vetrue, the power of Grace, or the depth of our corruptions, if wee had been perfected the first day of our conversion, as God made the world by degrees, and described it so, because he would have us discern his power, so God doth display the power of his grace, by perfe∣cting us by degrees and not all at once.

Reas. 2 That God might teach us to war with spirituall enemies, as God left Canaanites among those Isralites, that had not known, and were untaught in the wars of Canaan, to prove them, and to know, if they would hearken to Gods Commandements, Judg. 3.3. so God leaves his Children some im∣bred enemies still in their soules, to humble us, and to prove us, and try if wee will cleave to him; besides Jesus Christ loves and takes delight in ruling especially at home, in the midst of his enemies (Psal. 110.2.) in the midst of our corruptions; in the midst of unbelief; Faith rules in the midst of pride; Humility rules; in the midst of anger; Meeknesse rules; &c. Grace gets ground in the midst of corruptions, which is to the glory of Jesus Christ.

Reas. 3 To prevent the multiplication of the Beasts of the Field amongst us, as God left Canaanites among the Israelites, to that end, Exod. 23.29.30. if there were not weaknesses in us, it were impossible for Gods people to live in the World, 1 The World would not bear with us, you know it would not bear with Christ who walked as meekly as might bee, Joh. 14.30. i. e. Satan found no weaknesse in him, no corruption in Christ for him to work

upon; if christians had a full and cleare light of grace breaking forth at once, all would cry, away with them, they are not worthy to live.

Ʋse 1. See here a ground of the great difference between christians and christians, differing in Faith, differing in manners, some are comfortably per∣swaded of their own Estates, but others full of fears and doubts, how comes this about? truly it is with christians as it is with mornings of the day, some mornings are a great deale more bright than others, and some more dusky and dark; you will say, why should not a soul come to some setled peace? true, but it will never be perfect day with us. St. John was an old christian, and yet you see what he saith, the darknesse was but going, and the light coming, so that we by degrees get hold of God, and strength against corruption; you have some Summer mornings more lightsome than all the dayes of the year be∣sides, so it is with some christians in this morning of their first con∣version, they see more clearly their own Estates by far, than others in their whole conversation, and though all have partly darknesse, and partly light, yet some get more light in one thing, some in another, such a christian it may be, though he doe not get such hold of Peace, yet some corruptions, as Wan∣tonnesse, Pride, Covetousnesse, he subdues and gets greater hold of the contra∣ry Graces; as it was with the pillar of the Cloud, Exod. 14.20. unto which the Apostle alludes, Heb. 12.1. just so is it with the spirits of Gods servants, something there is in them that is cloudy, something in them that is lightsome; old Peter, John 21.18. would not have gone to Martyrdome, and yet he would, partly willing, and partly unwilling, thus it is with the Spirit even of the best christian, he hath some unwillingnesse to some good duty that God calls him unto.

Ʋse 2. To teach us somewhat the more to bear with one anothers infirmi∣ties and eclipses, Jam. 3.1, 2. be not of an unruly, imperious, and censorious spirit, over piercingly, and censoriously judging others; as we have streams of light, so streams of darknesse, vapours, therefore bear with, and succour one a∣nother, and helpe one another out of this darknesse, as in a Lanthorn there is a pane of light, and a pane of darknesse; so in every good quality, we have all some darknesse, Rev. 12.1. the church is compared to the Moon, which when she is at the full, is fullest of spots; and yet we do not neglect the Moon because she hath spots, but make use of the Moon because she hath light: so neglect not any christian because of his spots, but make use of his light, of that good he hath, also be something forbearing of carnal men, for ye were sometimes dark∣nesse as they are, Tit. 3.1, 2, 3.

Ʋse 3. Let no mans life be an absolute patrern to you to follow; but so far as they are light in the Lord, 1 Cor. 11.1. see how this in the Text proves what the Apostle speaks of, follow Christ, why? because our perfection is but imperfect, we are but darknesse passing, if you follow us in all things, you may take us on the blind side, and so fall.

Ʋse 4. To teach us to be driving away darknesse, and to be trudging out of it; as it is with a Candle, the least snuffe in a Candle doth not onely dim the light, but doth waste the Candle; so it is with our spirits, the least snuffe of Corruption doth waste that oyl of Grace which is in our hearts, and dim and damp the light which is in us, therefore snuffe we our hearts often, take we the Thief out of the Candle, let us shew forth the vertues of him that hath called us out of darknesse into his marvelous light, 1 Pet. 2.9. Ephes. 5.8. Rom. 13.12. away with darknesse, all darknesse of doubtings, of unbelief, of pride, &c. this darknesse is passing away from us, we must not call it back a∣gain, doe not again draw the curtains of darknesse about us; when the Sun is risen, and a man begins to sleep, and draw the curtains about him again, it is a sign he means to slug it out; so when new light shines in our hearts, and we draw our old corruptions about us again, it is a shame fot us, Gal. 3.12. 2 Pet. 3.18. helpe one another out of darknesse, helpe thy Wife, and children, and Servants, and Friends, and Neighbours out of it, 1 Cor. 13.9.12. we

cannot practise better than we know, but we know but in part, therefore pray, admonish, exort, cleanse thy self, and cleanse others from the mist and shad∣dow of darknesse, as much at may be.

Ʋse 5. Of comfort to a Christian; 1. Against troubles which many un∣dergo in regard of darknesse of Spirituall estate; it is a common thing for Christians to complain of darkness, of pride, of unbeliefe, of dulnesse; fear lies upon us, with what should we comfort our selves? we think no body is so, yes, here is some comfort for thee, all are so in some measure, it is so with the best, they have but a mixed estate, one crossing and thwarting another; the fairest day hath dark Clouds.

2 Is our darknesse deeper than others? but doe you not yet find it passing a∣way? doe you not finde more faith, more obedience? doe you not make more conscience of your thoughts, words, and actions? this is a comfort, your darknesse is going away, it wasts apace.

3 Here is a comfort against death; the time will come when all darknesse shall vanish away, Death will be but the breaking of our earthen Pitchers, and our light shall breake forth. Epictetus came forth one day, and saw a Woman mourning for breaking her pitcher, the next day he came forth, and saw another weeping for her Son, and he said, Yesterday an earthen pit∣cher broken, and to day a mortall body dead; as if it were the same to have a Pitcher broken, and to dye.

Ʋse 6. Of tryall of our estates; would you know whether your grace be true or no? whether doe you finde your darknesse passing away, and light shi∣ning? a man may walke in a condition of darknesse, and see no light, viz. of peace and comfort, Isa. 50.10 I, but doe you not then walke in a greater light of innocency, and watchfulnesse and obedience? When a man is in the dark, he goes slowly, and warily, and lifts up his feet high every step, Prov. 14.16. a godly man is afraid of something in the way, but a wicked man goes on boysterously; and confidently, he knows his way as well as you can tell him, but he is but a foole for his labour.