316 There is a sin unto death, not to be prayed for. SECT. an ineffectual notice; for if we know that he that he hearus, whatix. hearethus, whatsoever we ask, we know, as a far- soever we ask, we know that we have ther consequence, since he is ever able to carry the petitions that we 1 John V. 15 all his gracious purposes into immediate execu- desired of him. tion, that we shall certainly have an accomplishment of those petitions which we have asked of him; supposing, as I said before, they are agreeable to his will; and it is always his will, that his people should be truly happy, and be supplied with every necessary good. с 16 16 If any man see his brother sin a sin sin not unto death. it. And let me now add one precaution, with regard to the cases, in which it may be proper which is not unto to remember offenders in our prayers: if any death, he shall ask, one see his brother commit a sin, [which is] not and he shall give him unto death, that is, any sin, but that which is life for them that marked out in the awful words of our Lord There is a sin unte Jesus Christ as unpardonable; he shall ask, and death: I do not say may hope that, through the Divine goodness, that he shall pray for he shall give him life: he may cheerfully expect, that God will return in mercy to those who sin, not unto death. There is indeed a sin, [that is,] unto death, I mean, such an apostasy from Christianity, as is attended with blaspheming the operations of the Spirit of God, and ascribing them to Satan; and I say not, that he, whose aid may be requested on such a sad occasion, should pray concerning that, for Christ has told us it shall never be forgiven in this world, or the next. And as nothing but a miracle of If we know that he heareth-we shall but I can see no sort of reason for refusing have the petitions.] Hearing cannot, in the charity of our prayers to persons in the preceding verse signify merely know- such circumstances. Others think it reing what we say; for then there would fers to the case of illness; but there is no be no reason to limit the assertion to our express mention of it here; and it seems asking any thing according to his will: to have been taken for granted without and it may seem, that if we take it for reason, that this text is parallel to James answering our petitions, it is a mere tau- v. 14, 15. It is certain, that illness in tology it is therefore necessary to in- case of a capital crime, would not delay the terpret the former clause of taking notice execution. The popish distinction between of us, the other of operating in consequence of that notice. The almighty power of God to fulfil all his gracious purposes in favour of his people, seems to be the medium on which the inference is grounded. mortal and venial sins will however appear to have no foundation in this text upon the interpretation we have given, or indeed upon any we have mentioned. The chief difficulty remaining is, how it could be known, that the apostasy in question was attended with such circumstances as made it the unpardonable sin Where it was most difficult to distinguish, the gift of discerning spirits might infallibly decide; where it was dubious, charity would incline to the milder extreme; and conditional prayer might however be I say not that he should pray concerning that.] It seems to be intended as a brand set on a person who had been guilty of the sin here specified, that he was not to be prayed for by his converted fellow Christ. ians. Some indeed would interpret this sin of the more heinous kind of offences punishable with death by human laws offered. : there is a sin not unto death. And there is a sin not unto death. 317 1John V. Divine grace, never to be expected, can recov- SECT. er a person in such circumstances, it is better ix. to wave the petition, how much soever we may be disposed to lament the misery of the un17 All unright- happy creature who is fallen into it. Every 17 eousness is sin; and instance of unrighteousness is indeed sin, and every breach of his law must be displeasing to God, and be esteemed matter of just censure and lamentation; but there is a sin, not unto death, in the sense just assigned. There are indeed many, from which it evidently appears, that persons may be recovered; and in all such cases, christian charity will require you to 18 We know that pray for vour brethren. And from this dread- 18 whosoever is born of ful evil Divine grace will preserve every good God, sinneth not; man; for we know that whoever is born of God, but he that is begot. ten of God, keepeth does not sin, in this terrible and ruinous manhimself, and that ner; but he who is born of God, diligently keepwicked one toucheth eth himself from it, and Satan, the wicked one, who is the great abettor of all evil, doth not him not. 19 And we know touch, or come near him, but is immediately that we are of God, repelled in his first assaults. We Christians 19 and the whole world do indeed know, that we are of God, and the lieth in wickedness. whole world lieth in wickedness 20 And we know it is in sub that the Son of God jection to the wicked one, and lies wounded is come, and hath and slain under him. But we know, that 20 given us an under- when the whole human race was in this helpstanding that we may know him that less and miserable condition, the Son of God is is true and we are come, and hath given us an understanding, that in him that is true: we may know him that is true, and we are in even in his Son Jesus him that is true, even in the Father, and in his true God, and eter- Son Jesus Christ: he is the true God and eternal life, he partakes with the Father in proper Christ. This is the nal life. it is often used by Homer; and on this interpretation it gives us a most compassionable idea of the great misery and helpless state of mankind, fallen by the stroke of this formidable enemy, the wicked one, (o ovnpos,) and insulted over by him as his prey. • The world lieth in wickedness: oxo- of a body which lies slain; in which sense MOS OROS EV TO wonpe neilas.] The whole world here, as the whole creation, Rom viii. 22, signifies that part of the world in which Christianity was not received. Some imagine, that by the world's lying in wickedness, by Two worn, the apostle refers to the abandoned wickedness of the Roman emperors, by whose means the most enor. mous impiety and immorality was propagated through the whole empire by præfects, officers and soldiers Gosp Truths Vindic. p 174. Mr Reynolds, who supposes that hell is situated in the air, observes, that the earth, on that hypothesis, lies, as it were, in the suburbs and frontiers of it. See his Inquiries concerning the angelic world, p. 191 But I rather think the word xulas alludes to the circumstance This is the true God.] To paraphrase this of the true religion, as a very celebrated divine does, is quite enervating the force of scripture, and taking a liberty with plain words by no means to be allowed. It is an argument of the Deity of Christ, which almost all those who have wrote in its defence have urged; and which, I think, none who have opposed it, have so much as appeared to answer. 318 Reflections on the helps given to confirm our faith : SECT. deity; and our immortal life is supported by ix. union with him. 1 John v. 21 21 Little children, idols. Amen. See to it, therefore, my dear little children, verse IMPROVEMENT. LET us thankfully own the Divine goodness, in giving us so many helps for the confirmation of our faith; and learn the importance of its being thus confirmed, from that variety of provision made for its establishment. The declared end of the apostle in writing this epistle was, that they who believed in the name 13 of the Son of God, might more firmly believe in it. Lord, increase our faith, and with it our zeal for him, in whose name we be14, 15 lieve, and our love to each other, for his sake: then shall we have eternal life, the gift of God, in Christ Jesus our Lord; and in the mean time may address the throne with cheerfulness, and present our petitions in a pleading and confident hope, that asking what is agreeable to his will, (and all that he knows to be subservient to our truest interest is so,) he will hear us, and we shall receive the things that we ask. Encouraged by this promise, with what boldness may we come to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and grace to help in every time of need! 16 (Heb. iv. 16.) Let his compassion to us teach us to have compassion on our brethren, on our afflicted brethren; yea, on those, whose miscarriages have evidently brought their afflictions upon them. Let us not too soon pronounce the case of a sinner hopeless; but rather subject ourselves to the trouble of some fruitless attempts to reclaim him, than omit any thing where there may be a possibility of succeeding. May Divine grace awaken all to stand at the remotest distance, not only from the unpardonable sin, but from whatever might dishonour God, and 17 endanger our own souls: for every sin is deadly and malignant, and on our boldness of access to the throne of grace. 319 though every one be not the sin unto death. May we keep our- SECT. selves, and be kept by Divine grace, in such a manner, that the ix. wicked one may not touch us; but all his attempts be turned into verse his own shame and confusion ! 17, 18 And O, may God excite our pity to a world which lies in 19 wickedness; and animate us to use our utmost endeavours, to recover those out of the snare of the devil, who are led captive by him at his pleasure. (2 Tim. ii. 26.) May we be made sensible of the rich and distinguishing grace of God, if we can say that we are, not only by an external profession, but an inward union, in him that is true in the Lord Jesus Christ. Him let us adore, as with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, the true God. 21 Him let us seek, as eternal life; and let us keep ourselves from all those idols, which would alienate our regard from God, and by the pursuit of which our eternal life might in any degree be endangered. The END of the FAMILY EXPOSITOR on the FIRST CATHOLIC |