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

Doct. That the people of God may well 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the spirit of their Ministers, by the confession which their spirits make of Christ come in the flesh.

What is it to confesse?

There is a threefold confession in Scripture:

1. To acknowledge the truth, doctrine and worship of Christ, even before Rulers, Matth. 22.25. to confesse is to professe, to bear witnesse of the grace of Christ.

2. 〈…〉〈…〉 of a mans Ministry, as it is said of John John 1.20.

3. There is a conf••sion of a mans work, Tit. 1.16. that is, by our life or 〈…〉〈…〉 be Saviour, Matth. 1.21. the anoynted of the Lord 〈…〉〈…〉 Prophet, and King, Jesus Christ the second Person in the Trinity, 〈…〉〈…〉 in the flesh, which is a great mystery 1 Tim. 3.16.

What is it 〈…〉〈…〉 spirit of a Prophet to confesse Christ Jesus? By spirit is not 〈…〉〈…〉 for body 1 Thess. 5.23. but the i••••mation both of soul and body 〈…〉〈…〉 else it is carnal, sensuall, and devillish: when the spirit 〈…〉〈…〉 the be••t both of soul an•• body, the incli∣nation of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 whole man doth ••old forth Christ Jesus; that is the mighty saving 〈…〉〈…〉 revealed in humane infirmities: What is Pauls mean∣i••••, when he saith I desire to know nothing, 1 Cor. ••.3, 4. He means he desires to expresse nothing in his life and 〈…〉〈…〉 Christ Jesus revealed in the flesh in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 infirmities: wh•••• the Corinthians 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a sign of Christ in 〈…〉〈…〉 acknowledgeth that for his outside he was weak; but yet he did ex∣•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the mighty ••••ving power of Christ crucified in his Ministry, 2 Cor. 13.3, ••, 5. and he tels the Galatians, They knew, that through 〈◊〉〈◊〉 infirmities of the flesh, he preached the Gospel at the first, Gal. 4, 13, 14, 15. Was any doctrine weakly delivered? he speaks of his bodily presence, for in his life he shewed such a mighty power of Christ, as that they looked at him as an Angel of God, yea, they did so affect him, that if it were possible they would have pluckt out their eyes to have doth him good.

Reas. 〈…〉〈…〉 ••is cannot 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from mans nature, for mans spirit comes short of it, Phil. ••.20. every man s••••ks his own, Demas hath forsaken Christ and embraced this present world, 2 Tim. 4.10. Some men look too high, they look to their own profits and preferments in 〈…〉〈…〉 and account the seek∣ing to save souls, a matter n••t pertainin•• 〈…〉〈…〉 if they preach, they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 some moral discourse ••hich 〈…〉〈…〉 ••hose that are looking to∣wards the wayes of grace, 〈…〉〈…〉 the mighty saving power o•• ••••rist Jesus is not 〈…〉〈…〉 their Ministry.

2▪ It's not from the spirit o•• 〈…〉〈…〉 spirit far exceeds his spirit, he c••v•••• own Ch•••••• ••••sus, Ezek••. •• 22. he speaks with envy against Christ, therefore it must needs ••e the 〈…〉〈…〉 that confesseth Christ Jesus come in the flesh.

Ʋse 1: To teach Gods people 〈…〉〈…〉 acq••ainted with the Lord Jesus, or else they will not be able to discern 〈…〉〈…〉 their Minister in doctrin, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and carriage; it is 〈…〉〈…〉 Saints to expresse their carnall excellencie•• 〈…〉〈…〉 complains of the Galatians, that they made a fair shew 〈◊〉〈◊〉 flesh•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••at make a fair shew i•• the flesh, when they come to 〈…〉〈…〉 out, their spirits will not bear it; a Christian should sa•• of those outward 〈…〉〈…〉 Da••••d of Sauls armour, if any man will come after Christ, he must 〈…〉〈…〉 wisdome, life, and car∣nal excellency▪ God ••••ts ho••••••r, upon many Christians, and gives them car∣nal excellency, but they must take heed that they doe not darken the power of the Lord Jesus Christ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by.

2. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 tryal ••••ur estates; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 whether the bent of our carriage doth hold forth the Lord Jesus in 〈…〉〈…〉 infirmities: God is not affected with our humane excellencies, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 please him, when we shew forth the hidden man of the heart, this the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 exhorts women to, 1 Peter 3.3, 4. Isa. ••2. & 53. there was no 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or beauty in Christ, why he should be de∣sired.

3. If there were so many false Prophets in St. Johns time, then this reproves

the Papists, that are burthened with traditions, Col. 2.20. they much adore Venerable Antiquity, as they call it; true indeed, an hoary head is a crown of glory; but it is when it is found in a way of righteousnesse.

4. Labour now especially to discern the spirits of your Ministers, for many a man makes a fair shew, hath a faire outside, but nothing within him but rot∣tennesse; many again have a fair outside, and as for their inside are like emp∣ty shels, they have no power of godlinesse, Col. 2.22, 23.