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

Doct. That the Sons ef God ought to be the men of our love and delight, 3 Epist. Joh. 1.2, 5. 1 Pet. 2.11. Phil. 4.1.

Where we see his deep affection towards them, he looks at them as born of God, and therefore he stiles them Beloved, and Dearly beloved.

In those things we love, there is first an affection of desire to be united to them: Secondly, a communication of good unto them.

For the first. Pfal. 119.63. & 79, If he be to choose company, he will make choyce of such as fear God. And this is called, amor concupiscentiae.

Secondly, there is a love with desires to communicate good to the thing beloved. And this is Amor amicitiae, Psal. 60.1. 2 Pet. 1.7. Do good to all, but specially to the houshold of faith. Such as are born of God. So that whe∣ther we desire union or communion of good company to any, we should chiefly desire it to the company of beleevers. This was Davids grief, that he could not enjoy the company of good men, Psal. 120.

Reas. 1. For Gods singular love to them, verse 1. What manner of love. And if God love them so dearly, we ought also to love them.

1. From their love above all others back again to God: when others sit loose in their affections, Christians should love them that love God, who hath loved them so dearly, Psal. 139.21, 22.

3. From the truth that is in every Christian beleever, 2 John 1.2. If a man loves Gold, he loves to have true Gold, so if we love any, let us love them in whom is truth; of other men, not one of a thousand that hath truth in them, you shall finde them no further loving then may be to their own ends; in latter times men shall be lovers of themselves; for in former times God did inlarge the worlds affections, many brethren would have hazarded their lives for their friends; but now no further love then they shall finde aliquid jucundum, or utile. But Christians love one another for the loves sake that is in them. Many complain much that true friendshiip is gone, it's an hard thing to find a faithfull friend, Prov. 20.6. This faithfullnesse in friendship is a proper badge of the Son of God, John 13.35. & 15.19.

Ʋse 1. This should teach Ministers with what affection they should speak to their people, when they call them Beloved. This ought not to be a word of complement, but their hearts should go with it. How can such call them Dearly beloved, when they come at them but once a year? how doe they love union with them, or communication of good to them?

2. This may be a direction to us all, as we would approve the truth of our hearts before God, to love all that are born of God, as St. John he calls them Beloved. Look at all beleevers as the Sons of God, and look at them as be∣loved, if they walk in the truth.

3. This may be a reproof of all such as estrange themselves from Chri∣stians; yea, many there be that are glad of any advantage to trouble them that are born of God, they are far from St. John's spirit. There are some that will not maligne and oppose them; but yet if they be such as are poor, from whom they can get neither pleasure nor profit, they estrange themselves from them. But St. John calls any Beloved, in whom he findes the truth of grace. There is no Christian but hath something for which he ought to be beloved, there is something in them worthy our imitation. You shall finde more com∣fort in your love to poor weak Christians, then if you fasten your love upon more eminent persons, and greater in place.