importune God on his behalf. Note, 3. That a believer's prayers may prevail with God for us, when our own prayers will not prevail for ourselves. Let him ask, and he shall give him life, temporal life at least, and, upon his repentance and faith, eternal life also. Note, 4. That the state of some wicked men may be such, that, were it certainly known, it might be a christian's duty to cease praying for them. There is a sin unto death, that is, which doth not only deserve death, as all sin doth, and bespeaks a person in a state of death, but a sin that argues a person to be twice dead, dead in respect of unregeneracy, and dead in respect of wilful and sinful apostasy. I do not say that ye shall pray for it, that is, for the person guilty of it, seeing God never intends to forgive it. Lord! how deplorable is the condition of those whose sins are past prayers, who give over praying for themselves, and others are stopped from praying for them! How sad is it when the Lord shuts up the hearts of any of his from praying for us! It shows the sin of that man to be apprehended as being the sin unto death, when the faithful cease praying for him. Yet note, 5. The apostle doth not here explicitly and simply forbid praying for such wretched persons, but only says, I do not say that ye shall pray for them; that is, I cannot give you any encouragement to pray for such, nor dare I promise you any good success in praying for them who have sinned unto death. I do not say; that is, I give you no warrant, I lay you under no command, I can give you no promise that your prayers for such shall be heard and answered. 18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one touch eth him not. That is, we are well assured that sincere Christians, who are begotten and born of God, do not con.mit this sin unto death, namely, apostasy from christianity to the heathen idolatry. But he keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not; that is, he preserveth himself from the contagion of idolatry, into which the devil was so busy to seduce a great part of mankind. It may be further added, that he that is born of God, so far as he is a partaker of the divine nature, sinneth not; that is, suffers not any sin to have dominion over him, but takes care to preserve himself, through the assistance of divine grace, from Satan's deadly wound. He toucheth him not; that is, doth not touch him so as to leave an impression of his devilish spirit upon him. Non tangit tactu qualitativo, vel tactu lethali et mortifero; "He shall not mortally touch them, to make them sin unto death." 19 And we know that we are of God.— That is, do belong to the true God, and are worshippers of him: we are guided by his Spirit, we are obedient to his laws, we please him on earth, and do hope to enjoy him in heaven. -And the whole world lieth in wickedness. That is, the far greater part of the world are under the dominion of that wicked one, being sunk into idolatry, and become wormidst of their impurity and malignity, and shippers of the devil, continuing in the wholly set upon mischief and wickedness. See here the darkness and horror of an unregenerate and unconverted state. Persons in it are under the dominion of Satan, that that christianity makes, not in the profession wicked one. But behold the blessed change but in the practice of it; it delivers from the power of darkness, and from the power of Satan, the prince of darkness, and translates us into the kingdom of God's dear Son. 20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true; and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. 21 Little children keep yourselves from idols. Amen. As if the apostle had said, "We christians are better taught by our religion, to acknowledge and worship the only true God by his Son Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and therefore exhort you to keep from idols;" intimating hereby that the worshipping of any other besides this only true God, and by any other Mediator, besides Jesus Christ, is idolatry. Or the words may be sensed thus: "We are sure that the Son of God is come, and that Christ is he, who by his doctrine and Spirit hath enlightened us to know the true and living God, whilst the greatest part of the world worship false gods, yea, adore the devil himself." And farther, We are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ: that is, we are by faith implanted into Jesus Christ, who is the author, purchaser, and disposer of eternal life, and therefore is true God. This text, which proves undeniably the divinity of Christ, the Socinians pervert by applying these words, this is the true God, not to Christ, but to God the Father. But this makes the apostle guilty of a grand tautology, by saying, "The true God is the true God." Besides, it is here said of the same person, that he is the true God and eternal life. Now eternal life is thrice in this very chapter attributed to Jesus Christ, as the author and dispenser of it, verses 11, 12, 13. If then Christ be meant by eternal life, he must be also 44 meant by the true God, for they are spoken A THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OP ST. JOHN. That St. John, the apostle and disciple of our Saviour, who wrote the First, did also write this Second Epistle, seems very evident from the exact agreement of several passages in this with the former Epistle, even word for word; and accordingly it has been agreed that the same person was the author of both Epistles. But as touching the person to whom it was wrote, there have been different opinions; some think that it was a church whom he directs it to, under the title of the "Elect Lady;" and that some Jewish church, and particularly the church of Jerusalem, the mother of all, and from whence came forth the word to all other churches; the reason upon which this conjecture is grounded, is, because the rest of the Epistles, called catholic, were written to the Jews, (excepting that to Gaius,) and therefore probably this was written to some Jewish church; and because all the Jewish churches received their spiritual things from the church of Jerusalem, she may therefore (say some) be fitly styled the Lady, as she was the mother of all other churches. Others conceive this Epistle to be wrote to a particular person, some eminent and religious matron, of a great estate, and a great reliever and supporter of the members of the church in her days. Which opinion of these two has the greater probability, is a matter of no great importance : let us rather attend to the subject-matter of this divine Epistle, which speaks thus: THE VOL. 11. sus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. Observe here, 1. The person writing and directing this epistle, St. John, styling himself he being, as it is thought, the only person The Elder, partly with respect to his age, at that time living upon the earth who bore the name of an apostle: and partly with respect to his office in the church: the word 3 E elder being a name of honour and dignity, we find both St. Peter elsewhere, and St. John here, making use of it. Observe, 2. The person to whom the epistle is directed, The elect Lady and her children; either some particular church, with its religious members according to some; or some honourable person of eminent piety and usefulness in the church, according to others; and to her children, who had been religiously educated by her. Observe, 3. The solemn profession which he makes of the sincerity of his love to herself and her children, together with the ground and attractive cause of that his cordial affection to her and her's, Whom I love in the truth, and for the truth's sake. Mark, St. John here loved the lady for the truth's sake; but how many in our days love the truth for the lady's sake; I mean for sinister ends, and by-respects. It is a blessed thing when religion, and the grace of God shining in the lives of christians, is the special loadstone of our love and affection toward them. The elder to the Elect Lady, whom I love in the truth. She had embraced the truth of the gospel, and he was confidently persuaded that she would continue in the profession and practice of it for ever. Observe, 4. The salutation sent to her and her children; namely, increase of grace, and an abundance of mercy and peace from God the Father, and Christ the Redeemer; earnestly wishing that they may continue stedfast in the profession of the truth, and in the exercise of love one to another: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father in truth and love. 4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. Observe here, 1. The person rejoicing, St. John, the apostle and minister of Christ Jesus, I rejoiced greatly. 2. The mercy rejoiced in, their walking in the truth. It was not their speculative knowledge of the truth, and their taking upon them a bare profession of christianity, that he rejoiced in, but their walking in the truth, and framing their conversation according to the commandment which they had received from the Father. Christianity is not a speculative science, but a practical art of holy living; and the most exalted knowledge is insufficient to salvation, without a suitable and correspondent practice; therefore, says St. John here, I rejoiced greatly to find of thy children, not barely professing of the truth, but walking in the truth. Observe, 3. The persons rejoiced for, or in the behalf of; the youth in that church or family to which he now wrote, I rejoiced to find thy children walking in the truth; the hopes which the holy apostle had of a succession of saints, and that the children in his time would walk in their religious parents' footsteps, was matter of singular joy and rejoicing to the blessed apostle. Yet observe, 4. With what caution, restriction, and limitation, our apostle speaks, I rejoiced greatly to find of thy children ; that is, some of them, perhaps many of them, it is to be feared not all of them; to have seen all was no doubt the apostle's desire, but to find any was questionless matter of exceeding joy: I rejoiced greatly to find of thy children walking in the truth. Learn hence, That there is no greater joy to the ministers of Christ, than to see the youth, or rising generation, in their day, walking in the paths of holiness and religion, and treading in their religious parents' footsteps. 5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. : Observe here, The duty required, together with the profession of the gospel; namely, to live in unity and peace, in amity and concord, one with another. This he calls a commandment, in the singular number, to intimate that in this one commandment all the rest are contained, and in keeping this we keep all and he tells them, it is no new commandment, but an old one, from the beginning; it is as old as Moses, yea, as old as Adam, being a part of the law of nature written in Adam's heart; yet, in some respects, love may be called a new commandment, because urged from new motives, and enforced by a new example; and because it is never to wax old, but to be always fresh in the memories, and found in the practice of Christ's disciples, to the end of the world: I write no new commandment, but what we had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That (as ye have heard from the beginning,) ye should walk in it. As if our apostle had said, "By this we shall make it evidently appear that there is the true love of God in us, if we endeavour to frame our lives according to his commandments;" and this, he assures them, was the great commandment, which they heard from the beginning, when the gospel was first preached unto them, namely, that they should believe in Christ, and love one another, and constantly persevere in the practice of these duties. Learn hence, That as obedience is the natural effect and necessary product of love, so is it the best evidence, the surest mark and sign of it. This is the love of God; that is, the surest evidence that we love.him, if we keep his commandinents. Learn, 2. That it is not sufficient that we profess love to God and our neighbour, but we must walk in love, and be found in the exercise, yea, in the persevering exercise, of that grace and duty : This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Having exhorted them to perseverance in the faith before, he subjoins a reason for that exhortation now, because many deceivers are entered into the world, &c. Many impostors were gone forth abroad, who denied, some the divinity, others the humanity, of Christ, and so razed the very foundations of christianity, and thus discovered themselves to be antichrists, or persons that set themselves to oppose Jesus Christ. Learn hence, That even from the beginning our Lord Jesus has had those who have disowned his natures, and denied his offices, the divinity of his person, the meritoriousness of his satisfaction; these are antichrists, persons maliciously set against Christ, and they shall find him righteously set against them in the day when they shall be summoned by him solemnly to appear before him. 8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Here our apostle resumes his exhortation to them to constancy and perseverance in the faith and obedience of the gospel, from this argument, lest they should lose the fruit of their faith professed, the profit of their afflictions which for the sake of christianity they had suffered, and their works of piety and charity which they have performed; but continuing faithful to the death, might receive a full reward, even a crown of life. Learn hence, That it is both lawful and needful, even for the best of saints, in what they do in the service of God, to have an eye to the promised reward, by way of encouragement to them in the course of their obedience. We may with Moses have respect to the recompence of reward, but not only or chiefly, yet as a spur to provoke us to duty. Perseverance in goodness has its reward belonging to it; that reward has a fulness belonging to it, a fulness of compensation, and a fulness of satisfaction, and that it is both lawful and laudable to have an eye in our working to this full recompence of reward. abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, 9 Whosoever transgresseth and hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. Observe here, 1. The character given of the gospel, it is the doctrine of Christ : that is, the doctrine relating to Christ, and the doctrine taught by Christ. Observe, 2. What is affirmed of those that apostatize from, and abide not in, the doctrine of Christ, they have not God; that is, say some, they have not God to be their Father, nor the Spirit to be their guide and sanctifier; they have, say others, no knowledge of God, no interest in God, no influences of grace and holiness derived from God. Observe, 3. The happy condition of those that abide in the doctrine of Christ, they have both the Father and the Son: he that has one, hath both; and he that has not both, has neither: and this having may admit a threefold interpretation, thus; he has the Father and the Son by way of abode and inhabitation; he dwelleth in God, and God in him; they have the Father and the Son with them by way of society and communion, We will come unto them, and make our abode with them. by way of assistance and approbation; Lastly, They have the Father and the Son, they have God to assist them, to accept them, to reward them. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed. 11 For he that biddeth him God speed, is partaker of his evil deeds. In these words our apostle directs them how to carry themselves towards those wicked apostates and heretical seducers, that deny the gospel, or any essential part of christianity, by no means to give any countenance or encouragement to them, or to hold any familiarity or communion with them, nor to entertain them, nor so much as courteously to salute them, but, by showing them disrespect, manifest a dislike and disapproving of their errors. This form of interdict, Bid him not God speed, seems to be an imitation of the Jewish practice towards excommunicated persons, who were not only excluded from all commerce, but also from all kind of common civilities, and ordinary salutation. Learn hence, That even civil courtesy, and common respect, is not, ought not, to be paid to those that seduce others, or attempt to seduce us, from the christian faith. 12 Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink; but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. 13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen. Here our apostle concludes his epistle with an apology for the brevity of it, declaring, that he hoped to come shortly to them, and see them. And though he had many things to write, yet all things were not fit to be written: but, besides, a lively voice affects more than a written letter; and he hoped that they should be filled with mutual joy at the sight of, and converse with, each other. Presence of friends, and familiar converse with each other, is preferable to all writing to each other. By the children of the Elect Sister, some again understand the members of another church, who now sent salutations to them. The concluding word, Amen, imports his sincerity in what he had written to them, and his hearty wishes for the happiness and welfare of them. THE THIRD EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. JOHN. THE THE elder unto the well-beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Observe here, 1. The penman and writer of this epistle, St. John, who wrote the two former, as appears by the agreement of them in words and phrases, which are peculiar to this apostle; he styles himself not an apostle, though he was so, but an elder; that word being a name of honour and dignity belonging to the chief of their tribes, agrees very well with the office of the apostles, set over the twelve tribes of the house of Israel. Observe, 2. The person to whom this epistle is directed, Gaius: we find three persons of this name in the New Testament, to wit, Gaius of Macedonia, Acts xix. Gaius of Derbe, Acts xx. and Gaius of Corinth, Rom. xvi. whom St. Paul calls his host, and of the whole church, who being eminent for his hospitality, especially to the ministers who went out to preach the gospel among the Gentiles, taking nothing of them; this man seems to be the person who had the honour of an epistle sent to him from the pen of an eminent |