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

1 JOHN 5.8.

And there are three thus bear witnesse in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the bloud: and these three agree in one.

IN these words is described the testimony given on earth to the Divinity and Sonship of Christ. Wherein

• 1. Their number, Three.
• 2. Their names, the Spirit, the Water, and the Bloud.
• 3. Their consent, and these three agree in one.

Doct. The Spirit, the Water, and the Bloud, are three principal witnesses on earth, that bear witnesse to the Sonship of Christ.

The three principall witnesses, for he doth compare them to the three wit∣nesses in Heaven.

Quest. What these three witnesses be?

Answ. The Spirit partly breathing in the Scripture, partly in the conscience of men.

First, The Spirit breathing in the Scriptures, for they in a speciall man∣ner bear witnesse to Christ, and they are called Testaments, and indeed they are so farre witnesses, as no witnesse is to be received, unlesse it be

consonant to the testimony of the Scripture, Gal. 1.7, 8. and it is not Paul, or Peter, that testifies this, but the Sp••rit breathing in them, otherwise Christ receives not the testimony of men, neither doth the conscience of a Christian receive the testimony of any living man, except he finde the Spirit breathing in him; for let God be true, and every man a lyar. This Spirit breathing in the Scripture is a Spirit of power, and perfection, the Spirit of power in the Scrip∣ture, is discerned partly,

• 1. In convincing men, John 16.9.
• 2. In comforting those that are dejected, Rom. 3.16.
• 3. In strengthing us against temptation, 1 John 2.14.

Secondly, There is in the Scripture a Spirit of perfection, so that if we have but the testimony of the Scripture, what need we any further witnesse? 2 Tim. 3.16, 17.

Thirdly, There is a Spirit that bears witnesse in our hearts, that Jesus is the Son of God, and that Spirit is the same that breathed in the Scripture, so that when we are hearing, or reading, yet the Spirit sets it home to your hearts and souls, so that we goe home either convinced, or comforted, or strengthned to every good work and duty God requires; now this Spirit fully perswades us, that Jesus is the Son of God; for this Spirit goes beyond the power of all crea∣ted things; for no created power is able to convince an hard heart, or comfort a dejected Spirit, or strengthen us in our Christian course, therefore if we find a Spirit in us, inabling us to doe all this, the soul rests satisfied without any need of further witnesse, that Jesus is the Son of God.

Fourthly, Water bears witnesse to this; by water some understand the wa∣ter of baptism, and indeed that gives strong testimony to Christ, especially to them that are prepared to receive it: as in the Apostles times, when they were first brought on to believe, and then to be baptized, God then strongly testified this truth, so that after baptism, they were filled with much joy, and oft-times with divers gifts and tongues, Acts 8.36. The water of baptism sent away the Eunuch rejoycing, see Acts 19.6, 7. and though children be not capable of this mercy now in their Infancy, except by an extraordinary power, yet not∣withstanding a Christian afterwards findes such vertue and strength from his baptism, that he sees there is no water like it, but that there is a divine testimo∣ny in it: But because water is but a representation of this Spirit, therefore by water here, may be understood the water of sanctification, the Spirit of God sanctifying and regenerating us; for besides the Spirit of God, that at some extraordinary times fills with unspeakable joy of the holy Ghost; there is also an ordinary work of Gods Spirit, partly cooling, refreshing us, as water doth, partly making us fruitful in our Christian course; for those great inlarge∣ments of Gods Spirit, doe not always abide with us in that measure, but this water is a spring in us, continually afording us something which evidently wit∣nesseth this truth, Tit. 3.5. John 4.14.

1. In this water of Gods Spirit, we finde a power to cleanse us from our lusts, as running waters doe channells and sinks, Ezek. 36.25. when I see something in me conforming me to Christ, that water bears witnesse, that Jesus is the Son of God.

2. There is a power in water to cool and refresh us, when God sheds abroad his Spirit in us, there is something that cools us from the heat of Gods wrath, Isa. 44.3.

3. This water is of a mighty power to make us fruitfull, Psal. 1.3. A Chri∣stian watered by the Spirit of God, draws such moysture and life from every Ordinance of God, that he brings forth fruit in due season, according to his calling, Ezek. 30.26, 27.

Quest. How doth this water bear witnesse that Jesus is the Son of God?

Answ. Because all the vertue that this water hath to cleanse, comfort, or fructifie us, springs onely from faith in the testimony, that Jesus is the Son of God, Gal. 2.19, 20. Let Christians observe, when we walk in the strength

of our own spirits and graces, we shall grow so dry and barren, that not one good fruit comes from us, and this is because we suck from our owne graces, and so spend on the stock, and so soon draw our selves dry, for want of living by faith in the Son of God; but a Christian that hath the water of Sanctification, let him doe all in the Name of Christ, and suck life from him daily, and he shall be sufficiently inabled to every duty that God re∣quires; we never found this water, till we believed on Christ, and this water no longer runs fresh and full, then we renew our dayly dependence on him, and if we did so dayly, we should alwayes find it full Sea in our hearts.

3 Bloud is a third witnesse on earth, and that is the bloud of his sufferings that doth bear witnesse to our souls, that Jesus is the Son of God.

And it bears witnesse to us, 1. by pacifying our conscience, Heb. 12.24. There is a louder cry in the bloud of Christ to pacifie our souls, then in the guilt of sin to bring wrath upon us, and this is so lively a testimony, that a Christian knows, were it not for the bloud of Christ, all the things in the world would not have quieted his conscience.

2 The bloud of Christ, purchaseth us to become his, Acts 20.28. Now when we can find our selves the purchased ones of God, the peculiar people of God, this bloud of purchase witnesseth, that it was the Son of God that redee∣med us from the world and our own corrupt hearts.

3 The same bloud doth therefore bear witnesse, that Jesus is the Son of God, because it's a bloud of purity, sprinkled upon every Ordinance and creature, every thing was purified by bloud, Heb. 9.19. to 23. this bloud of Christ on every thing makes it pure, To the pure all things are pure, so that to such a one, his calling and company, his meat and drink doe not insnare him, as they doe other men, set further off from God, but by this bloud it is, and the bles∣sing of God, that we are made more fruitful and serviceable to God, yea were it not for the bloud of Christ, our very graces would corrupt us, it's the bloud of Christ that makes them all usefull and savory, and turn to our good.

Doct. These three witnesses, the Spirit, the Water, and the bloud are in one.

Not only in this witnesse, but they are all one for one work; in the Original, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is, they all consent to one truth.

And 2. they all goe an end and conspire in one work of our Redemption, so that one would be of small use without the other.

Ʋse 1. To establish our hearts in this testimony, that Jesus is the Son of God, and so to believe it, that we may overcome the world; In the mouth of two or three witnesses every truth shall stand, how much more when three in hea∣ven and three on earth testifie the truth? and it's not enough to believe this up∣on the authority of the State, or thy Parents, or upon the universal con∣sent of all men, for this is no part of divine testimony, and this beliefe will never help thee to overcome the world; and yet this is the testimony of the Church of Rome, but these humane testimonies will beget but humane cre∣dulity.

Ʋse 2. For tryall, whether you believe this truth aright or no; if your faith be built upon the testimony of the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, upon the testimony of the Spirit breathing in the Scripture, and in your own con∣science upon the water of Sanctification and bloud of Redemption, if your faith be built on these principles it will stand.

Ʋse 3. Reproves that Popish doctrine that maintains a Christian can ne∣ver attain to any certain assurance; Why, if a Christian have six such strong witnesses, and divine, as these, will they not breed more then probable con∣jecture? Six be ••est mens testimonies would breed more then probability; And doe not God the Father, Son and holy Ghost breed assurance in their testimonies? It's a dishonourable thing to think otherwise.

Ʋse 4. Of consolation to every one that hath found this witnesse in

him, it is a ground of singular comfort to them, that that Jesus on whom they have believed, will help them to overcome the world.

Ʋse 5. Since these three, the Spirit, the water, and bloud, doe bear witnesse to the Sonship of Christ, it should teach us to keep our hearts and ears always open to these testimonies. Two things hinder this testimony, the noyse and tumults of worldly businesses so fill our hearts and hands, that we cannot hear what the Spirit speaks. Secondly, the noyse of our lusts doth so fill our souls, that we cannot listen to the peace Christs bloud speaks, which speaks better things then our lusts: therefore we should alwayes keep our hearts and ears o∣pen, and free from tumults of the world, or the noyse of our own lusts, that so we might hear what Gods Spirit testifies to our own hearts.