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

Doct. That there are three Persons, yet but one God, that doe bear witnesse to the divinity of Christ, and of the plenteous salvation wrought by him.

For Explication.

Quest. Who those three Persons be, and why so called?

Answ. The first Person is the Father, so called,

1. Chiefly because he is the Father of Christ, 1 Pet. 1.3. Partly by eternall generation, as he is God; partly by adoption, as he is man.

2. As he is the Father of all the Elect, 1 Pet. 1.3, 5. John 20.17.

The second Person is styled the Word, as likewise, John 1.1. A solemn name given him in his greatest triumph, Rev. 19.13. A style seldome attributed to Christ, but by St. John in all his Books, although some understand it of Christ, Heb. 4.12.

Christ is called the Word in a fourfold sence, he is a Word of wisdome, of representation, of revelation, of promise.

1. Christ is a word of wisdome: for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is not onely 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ratio: now Wisdome is accidental, but ratio is essential to a humane soul: Now such a thing is Christ to his Father, he is the wisdome or reason to his Fa∣ther, Prov. 8.23, 24: he is the begotten of his Father; they that write of the Trinity expresse it thu••, the Father from eternity considering and understanding himselfe, from this conceiving of the Father resulted the Image of himselfe, that was his Son, from them both resulted the holy Ghost.

2. He is called the Word of God, as he is a word of representation, for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, so Christ is the living Image of God, Heb. 1.3. the cha∣racter of the Father, like a seal stampt in wax, they answer in every point.

3. He is a word of revelation, John 1.18. No man hath seen God at any time, but Christ the Wisdome of the Father hath declared unto us, and revealed Gods

will, it was the Lord Christ that appeared to Adam, and Moses, and Abra∣ham, and Gideon, and the rest of the Patriarchs; as a word expounds all our meaning and reveals our will, so it is Christ the Word of God, that reveals the will of God to us.

4. He is a word of promise, Heb. 11.39. Christ was promised of old, but not exhibited till the last days.

The third witnesse is the Spirit, every Person in the Trinity is an holy Spi∣rit▪ John 4.24. yet it is more particularly attributed to the third Person, be∣cause he works powerfully and effectually, all that life and power we see the creature expresse, so we see that there are three 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as that bear witnesse to the Divinity of Christ, and if three, there is a difference in number▪ now there is no dissertion but a Personall difference, Heb. 1.3. so that the Father is one Person, the Son a 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the holy Ghost •• third, yet these Persons make but one in Na••••, and so they are one in witnesse, D••••. 6.4. Jehovah our God is but one, for it is impossible there should be more then one God: Nature of it selfe abhors more Infinites then one; if there were more Gods then one, if many gods, how could they be Al sufficient, but that one should have the perfection of another?

Quest. What is that they witnesse to?

Answ. They all witnesse Christ to be to the Son of God, and that he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by water and bloud.

1. The Father testifies this, by that voyce that came down from Heaven, T•••• is my 〈…〉〈…〉 and well ••••••sed, Mat. ••.17.

He 〈…〉〈…〉 to his works, John 6.••••, 9••, 3••, 36, 3••.

2. Christ 〈…〉〈…〉 himselfe; that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Son of God by his Mi∣nistry as oft as occasion ••r••••d, John 14, 17, ••8.

2. By his works, John 5.36.

3. By his Resurrection he declared himselfe mightily to be the Son of God, Rom. 1.

3. The holy Ghost have witnesse of him, by descending upon him in the shape of a Dove.

2. By convincing the world of sin, because they did not believe on him.

3. By sealing up this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to the conscience of men, Eph. 1:13.

Ʋse 1. Of refutation of the Jewish heresie, that denies the Trinity of the Persons, and others that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the unity of the Godhead, all such heresies are here condemned, There are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that bear witnesse in heaven, the Father, the W••••d, and the S••••ing and yet the•••• 〈…〉〈…〉.

Ʋse 2. Learn here a just 〈◊〉〈◊〉 work of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 faith, there is nothing we be∣lieve concerning Christ, but we ••••••e sufficient testimony 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Mat. ••.19, 15. At the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 two or three witnesses every truth shall stand: now we have s•••• wit∣••esses, thee 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and three 〈◊〉〈◊〉, if therefore we believe this truth, we ••et to 〈…〉〈…〉 God is 〈◊〉〈◊〉, who hath witnessed it, 1 John ••.10. But if we believe not Jesus to be the Son of God, we make God a lyar, because we be∣lieve worthe testimony that he hath given us of his Son, were not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hearts slow to believe this truth, what need we so many witnesses?

Object. There is none but believes this truth.

Answ. •••• not enough to believe this upon antiquity, or authority, or uni∣versall consent of the Christian world, but God calls us to believe this, upon some divine testimony of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Spirit; its 〈◊〉〈◊〉 enough for us •••• believe that Christ is the Son of God, but that God is our ••••ster in him▪ so that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that doth not give up it selfe to be conformable to the Image of God, the wisdome and revelation of Christ, and unlesse the Spirit likewise transform our spirit to holinesse and purity, we doe not believe this truth upon any Divine testimony, but upon humane credulity.

Ʋse 3. If all the three Persons in the Trinity agree together in the witnesse of this ••••••th, their we see what manner of men we ought to be in our witnesse

were we never so many persons; as the Persons in the Trinity are three, and yet their nature such, as they cannot be but one, one holinesse, one goodnesse, one truth, so all that worship him, though their persons be never so different, yet let their spirits be all one.

1. Hence learn, not to take up a truth upon a slight report; God would not commend any work of his to us, unlesse he had confirmed it by three wit∣nesses, therefore believe not single reports; say not he was a good man that said it, for God would not put upon us any truth, but confirmed it by sundry wit∣nesses, therefore believe not every report, though brought by a good man, let God be true and every man a lyar, Rom. 3.15. Jer. 9.2, 3, 4, 5.

2. Hence learn, that all that believe this divine testimony of the Son, ought to be compounded into unity; it was the last solemn Prayer that Christ put up for the Church, that they all might be one with him, as he was one with the Father, John 17.8, 9, 20, 21. where he useth this as a motive to God, to bring on all believers to unity, because he was one with the Father, and the Father with him, and therefore he prayes that they be one, that hereby the world might believe that God had sent him; as if dissensions among brethren would bear witnesse to the world, that God did not send his Son to be our Saviour; so that by these dissensions, as much as in them lies, they make the promises of God of none effect.

2. They annihilate all the testimony that the three Persons give to Christ; this unity is that mark whereby all the world shall know them to be Christs Disciples, and it is the main duty Paul calls for, Ephes. 4.3, 6. from this ground, because there is but one God; and one Christ, and one faith, Acts 4.31, 32. And indeed all the dissensions of the world have sprung from this ground, that they doe not all worship one God, or believe not that God is but one: For what makes a man to fall out with his brother, but either his profit, or pleasure, or credit is conceived to be hindered, and is not this because I make my profit, or my credit my God? and so I had ra∣ther lose God, and fellowship with his Saints, then lose any gain and plea∣sure, and so I am a lover of pleasure more then of God: Now the Apostle made account, if we professe but one God, the unity of God should be more powerfull to make us one, then any thing in the world should be to make us two: so much dissension, so much atheism: If we suffer the world to be more mighty to make difference then God to make unity, we make God our Idoll.