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

1 JOHN 3.16.

Hereby perceive we the Love of God, because he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren.

THese words are part of the exhortation St. John useth to all christians to love one another. He useth many arguments, vers. 14. He tells us, It is a sign we are translated from death to life.

2. From the danger of the hatred of our Brother.

3 From the exemplary and strong love of Christ.

4 From the emptinesse of such hearts of grace, when there is no love of their Brethren.

These words are a notable motive to christians. to expresse and abound in love, taken from the great love of God to us.

Doct. The death of Christ for us, is the manifestation of his love to us.

Such a manifestation, as makes it a certain and known truth that he loves us, Rom. 5.10. 1 Joh. 4 10. He gave his Son to be a propitiatory sacrifice, Eph. 4.5. Gal. 2.20.

Reas. 1. From the greatnesse of Christs self-deniall. That which commends love is this, to bestow so great matters, and to come off freely with it. Joh. 15.12. Greater love then this can no man expresse, then to lay down his life for his friend. But Christ did it for his enemies, 2 Cor. 3.8.

2 It farther magnifies his love, if we consider the great benefit we receive; as reconciliation, pardon of sins, 1 Joh. 4.10. Secondly, adoption of Sons, Gal. 4.4, 5. Such favour as to be accepted as his Sons and Daughters.

2. Our corruptions are deaded and mortified, Heb. 9.14. Gal. 1.14. Wc are crucified to the world; to all objects that draw us to sin, temptations and snares.

4 Christian liberty, that by virtue of Christs death we should be deli∣vered from the curse of the Law, Col. 2.13. from the enmity we stood in against the Church, Eph. 2.14.15, 16. from hell and feare of death, Heb. 2.14. that we should have liberty to call God Father, enter into his Sanctu∣ary, have confidence our prayers are heard, have assurance when we dye that we shall enter into the holy place, that we shall have right and liberty to the

Creation. Rrm. 5.1, 2, 3. Heb. 12.19. This benefit will appear; if we con∣sider how miserable our estate had been. If Christ had not done this, we had been in our sins, under the guilt of them, and in horror and anguish of spirit.

5 How freely hath God done it. We gratified God with no kindnesse. Some will recompence a small kindnesse with a great reward, Rom. 11.35. But all we have done, hath been to abuse every mercy of God to his dishonor, Col. 1.10.20

Ʋse 1. It reproves such weaknesse of Gods servants in time of temptations, that can see no love of God, because he doth not gratifie them with something in this life. Gods servants many times doe want necessaries the world abounds withall; therefore David hath cleansed his heart in vain, Psal. 73. But what though Gods servants never see good dayes? Yet here is abundant, rich, and inestimable love, that when you were enemies, strangers, children of wrath, Christ dyed for you. God hath shewed you more love, then the Angels for he laid not down his life for the Angels, Heb. 11.14 And if he had done so, he had laid down his life for his friends, who never displeased him.

2 To teach such as abound in outward things, not to content themselves therein, Eccl. 4.2. We can perceive neither love nor hatred by those outward things, Psal. 17.14. Labour you to say that God hath laid down his life for you, ••••se you cannot say he loves you.

3 It teacheth us, that the death of Christ was not the cause of Gods love, Gods love is more antient then the death of Christ. Where shall we lay the foundation of Gods love, but in eternity? He hath loved me, and given himself for me, Gal. 2.20. Gal. 3.16.

Obj But doth not God attribute his love to the death of Christ? 1 John 4.10. Rom. 3.24, 25. Eph. 2.14, 15, Col. 2.21.27.

Answ. In a double respect Christs death is said to make this reconciliation. Hereby he hath slain the enemy and hatred on our part, that we might be no more enemies to him.

Obj. But Christ is sent not only to make reconciliation on our part, but propiti∣on on Gods part.

Answ. 'Tis true, Christ by his death hath made a way whereby God might shew his love to us, whilest sin was in the way, he could not shew it. Many a Father bears a tender affection to a childe, yet will not seem to regard him, shuts him out of doores, and though he be intreated, yet he thinks it not meet for him to expresse his love; he will have his childe humble himselfe, acknow∣ledge his faults; and will send some body to perswade his Son to humble him∣selfe: So God sends his Son out of love, to take a course, that he might shew us favour, notwithstanding his justice.

4 Of exhortation, to take a view of Gods love, that we may be able to say freely, We perceive the love of God. Rest not in any spirituall duty, nor in a∣ny common gift, till you know that Christ dyed for thee.

How shall I know this?

Some will say, that Christ dyed for all, and so all may know. True, the sufficiency of Christs death reacheth to all, but none can say Christ dyed for him, till he find in his soul some fruits of the death of Christ.

5 To encourage Gods servants to expect offices of love from God to us and ours all his dayes. He hath given his Son, what would you have more? Psal. 84.11. Lay hold on this love of God, and plead with him upon his love. All blessings are wrapt up in his Son, Gal. 4.4. As God in fulnesse of time sent his Son, so will he every other mercy.

6. To teach us to abound in love to God, and to his children, hatred against sin. Give up all to God, work for him, suffer for him, he loves us being stran∣gers and enemies.

Doct. Christian men ought to be ready to lay downe their lives for their Brethren.

The exemplary love of Christ in laying down his life for us, ought to pro∣voke us in like sort to lay down our lives for our Brethren, Rom. 10.3, 4. The Apostle doth extoll the love of Aquila and Priscilla: as if all the Church and himselfe were bound to them that were so ready to lay down their lives, Phil. 2.17. If I be poured out as a drinke-offering.

R••as. From the example of our blessed Saviour: He laid down his life for us. This is an imitable practice of Christ, this is none of his miraculous works but one wherein he sets forth himself as a pattern to us.

2. To this add Christs command, which binds us to the imitation of this, John 13 34.

3. From the neer fellowship of our brethren with Christ. We fulfill the suf∣ferings of Christ, for his Body, Col. 1.2, 4. He calls them Christs sufferings, Christ suffered in him, and he for Christ in his Saints.

4. From the subordination of Gods eminentest servants to the Church of God, as Christ is for God, so Paul and Cephas for the Church, God hath sub∣ordinated the life of his servants to the Church, and the Church to Christ, and Christ to God, Christ the head of the Church, the Church the head of the Members, Phil. 2.17.

5. From the rule of love God hath given in ancient time, Levit. 19.18. We must love our neighbour as our selves. Many a christian will lay down his life for himselfe, therefore must in some cases lay down his life for the Church. A man will lay down his life for his own salvation, and for honour; therefore how much more for God and for the honour of Religion.

In what cases is a man to lay down his life?

Answ. The Apostle meanes, we should be ready to doe it for the service of the Church, if it cannot be otherwise.

1. In heat of persecution, to confirme the faith of the people of God, who would be ready to think much if he shou••d withdraw himselfe, though he might escape, yet a minister or eminent person is bound to goe before in sufferings. So Paul, if he be poured out as a dr nke offering, every drop of blood in his body poured out, if it be for the strengthning of the faith of weak christians, he re∣joyceth, Phil. 2.17. The stronger must lay down their lives for the confirma∣tion of the faith of the weaker.

2. There may be a case wherein the weaker are to lay down their lives for the stronger: Aquila and Priscilla were ready to lay down their lives for Pauls life; they thought it better to expose themselves to the utmost extre∣mity then that Paul should be hurt. I must not spare my own life, if it may be serviceable to God and the Church, Rom. 16, 4, 5. 2 Sam. 21.16, 17. & 18.3.

3. When we perceive it would much advantage the glory of God, that we should rather perish then our brethren, Rom. 9.2, 3. He could wish himselfe accursed for the Jewes, even his soul for a sacrifice. Thus Moses, Exod. 32.33.

4. When a man doth see that the wrath of God is kindled against others for his sin, he must rather offer himselfe to death, then that that evill should be upon them that converse with him, Jonah 1.22. 2 Sam. 24. in David.

Ʋse 1. Learn we from hence to justifie our selves and others. If we should be called to lay down our lives to suffer for our Brethren, here is a direction how to suffer. Phil. 2.5. God hath given us a commandement to love our Brethren as our selves. Also, God hath subordinated the members of his Church to the body of it.

2. To teach us, that though it be lawfull to fly in time of persecution, yet if it cannot be without weakning the Church wherein we live, we must in heart live and dye together.

3. To teach ministers when they are called by God for the service of any Congregation, not to dispense with themselves for air or health, fearing the cutting short of his dayes. You must not live from your meanes. Either ne∣ver take such a charge, or make account you must hazzard your lives for the people of God, unlesse upon tryall it appears you may doe more good in some other place.

4. It reproves such as are so far from laying down their lives, as that they will not lay down their estates, nor the superfluities of their estates for their Brethrens necessities, 1 Sam. 25.11. How shall such ever perswade them∣selves that Christ dyed for them?

5. A ground of such thankfulnesse, that God should not only give Christ to dye for us, but also would have christians to be fitted to lay down their lives for their Brethren.