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

1 JOHN 5.1. latter part.

And every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him.

Doct. EVery Christian that is affected with the love of God as a father, is inlarged also with love to his brethren, as those that are be∣gotten of him.

This Doctrine is not delivered in these expresse termes any where else, but something like is found, John 20.17. I ascend to my Father and your Fa∣ther. He acknowledgeth his Father to be their Father reconciled in him, and he looks at them as his bre hren, therefore tell my Brethren. He therefore that acknowledgeth God as his father, and bears a child-like love to him, by the same affection is he carried to love his brethren, as those that are begot∣ten of God.

Reas. 1. Because he takes them all to be his Brethren. And 2. Because he looks at God as their father as well as his, so that he that looks at God as his Father, and yet respects not his children as his brethren, is a lyer; he that loves his Father, loves all his children, because they are his brethren of the same bloud, of the same womb.

2. If we look at God as our Father, and love him accordingly, then we look at his children as those that have the image of God stampt upon them, and therefore we look at them as of the same temper with our selves, as partakers of the divine nature with our selves, 2 Pet. 1.4.

3. If we look at God as our Father, and so at every believer as the son of God, then we cannot but conceive that they are beloved of God, and that God pities them as a father doth his children, Psal. 103.13. Why then we cannot love God the Father, but we must love his children, for the

loves sake▪ that God bears them: It 〈…〉〈…〉 for, 2 Chron. 19.2. Shouldest thou love 〈…〉〈…〉 those whom the Lord loves 〈…〉〈…〉 20, 21. so 〈…〉〈…〉 those 〈◊〉〈◊〉 love•••••• Lord, 〈…〉〈…〉

〈…〉〈…〉 God, 〈…〉〈…〉 then 〈…〉〈…〉 for 〈…〉〈…〉 w••••ked in 〈…〉〈…〉 Lord spare•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for, David 〈…〉〈…〉 1 Kings 〈…〉〈…〉 of Abija•• 〈…〉〈…〉 God, yet for David 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Fathers 〈…〉〈…〉 ••hough God see the children o•• 〈…〉〈…〉 yet 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their ••thers sake, 〈…〉〈…〉, Israel. So 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••e, if God th•• ••••ther ••e holy a•••• 〈…〉〈…〉 and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 though his children so••••times walk 〈…〉〈…〉 for their fathers like vnto m••st ••ave them a 〈…〉〈…〉 ••amp, 〈…〉〈…〉 helpfull and loving to them for their ••ood fa•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 What 〈…〉〈…〉 spo•••• be not the sp•••••• Gods child•••••• De•••• ••.5. 〈…〉〈…〉 ••not see those badges of holinesse and righteousnesse 〈◊〉〈◊〉 yet because God is holy, and just, we are to respect them 〈…〉〈…〉 God bea•••• them and us. It was observ••••e, that speech 〈…〉〈…〉 of God, whe•••• came to Jezabel, and comman•••••• 〈…〉〈…〉 down out of a window and slain, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••••ds forth his 〈…〉〈…〉 that cursed woman, for she is a Kings dange∣•• 〈…〉〈…〉 34. What Kings ••••ghter? but an Idolatrous King; and yet becau•••• 〈…〉〈…〉 daughter, bury her. Now if this speech of 〈…〉〈…〉 by Go•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉; it should th•••• the children of Kings and Princes, 〈…〉〈…〉 ••atiou•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 must be respected for their ••••••ds sake. Why, how much 〈…〉〈…〉 ••ill God look you should put 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and 〈…〉〈…〉 any of his children be so far fo•••••• 〈…〉〈…〉 blaspheme, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them be respected, no•• 〈…〉〈…〉 but beca••••e the sons and daughters o•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 King 〈…〉〈…〉 they 〈…〉〈…〉 and sinfull passages 〈…〉〈…〉 offices 〈…〉〈…〉 sons and 〈…〉〈…〉 of God, they have 〈…〉〈…〉 of the•• Father in them, though 〈…〉〈…〉 degenerate, and that's gre••••, then to be born of any earthly 〈◊〉〈◊〉

〈◊〉〈◊〉 1. Ex••lu•••• all such from the love•••• God as their Father, who••e 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 up fr•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as their brethren, i•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they come 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the stamp of Go•• ••••ildren upon them, his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 stampt upon them, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they begin to sit 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••trange themselves from them, though formerly they loved them 〈◊〉〈◊〉. What a poor case is his blinde world 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that the more any 〈…〉〈…〉 the nature of God, the mo•• ••••ey hate the••? 〈◊〉〈◊〉 such know, 〈…〉〈…〉 ••ever look up to God as their Father, and 〈…〉〈…〉 and neglect their brethren: we•••• the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Prin•••• you wou•••• ••••our and respect them for their Fathers 〈◊〉〈◊〉 why, 〈…〉〈…〉 Gods sake? But know, that if you estrange•• you 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from the••, you plain•••• shew that for want of love to them that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 gotten, you w•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to their father that begat them.

Ʋse 2. To exhort at all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his brotherly love for if God use so many Exhortations and Arguments to stir us up to this duty, ••t shewes that we are very backward 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and that our Spirit lusts to envy, James 5.5, ••. And to help us to this duty of love, this is an especiall good means, by looking at them as born of God, and so partakers of the same faith, par∣takers

of the same divine nature; by looking at them as our Brethren, as the beloved of God, 〈…〉〈…〉 great King; and though they walk in many, ••••ose 〈…〉〈…〉 children of good parents, and doth not easily break out 〈…〉〈…〉 how much more ought we to love the children of 〈…〉〈…〉, and Jehu could respect the Daughter 〈…〉〈…〉 and enemy to the State 〈◊〉〈◊〉 though 〈…〉〈…〉 ••od on the•••• 〈…〉〈…〉 love and 〈…〉〈…〉 their ••••nities they are King 〈◊〉〈◊〉. We use to say so to some 〈◊〉〈◊〉, I lov'd your 〈…〉〈…〉 my good friend, and as honest man, the•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I cannot 〈◊〉〈◊〉 love you 〈◊〉〈◊〉 your Fathers ••ake, and therefore I am so•••• ••ou take course•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 your good Father; 〈…〉〈…〉 and desire you to break off 〈◊〉〈◊〉 such bad company. Thus we dea•• 〈…〉〈…〉 whom we love and shall we not doe so much 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for 〈…〉〈…〉 children that we see degenerate from him, and 〈…〉〈…〉 you should take such courses as no way beseech the children of such a good Father▪ I beseech you carry your selfe like h•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉, be holy as he is holy, and this is a true act of love.