Christ the Fountain of Life, Sermon 16
SERMON XVI.
1 JOHN 5.16, 17.
If any man ſee his brother ſinne a ſinne which is not unto death, he ſhall aske, and he ſhall give him life; for them that ſinne not unto death. There is a ſinne unto death, I doe not ſay that he ſhall pray for it.
THeſe words containe a third motive to encourage us unto that duty which is the maine ſcope of this Epiſtle (to wit) to beleeve on the name of the Sonne of God; whereto the Apoſtle exhorts us, verſ. 13. and propounds firſt this motive, to wit, A bleſſed confidence of the hearing of all our petitions. Secondly, a certaine knowledge verified, that he not only heares, but grants our deſires. Now he propounds a third motive in theſe words, taken from the benefit which by beleeving on Chriſt we ſhall in ſome meaſure be enabled, and made capable of beſtowing the like bleſſing upon our brethren, and that by our prayers. If ſuch a man ſhould ſee his Brother ſin a ſinne which is not unto death, he ſhall aske, and he ſhall give him life. As an inſtrument, God at his requeſt ſhall give him life, God will make him an inſtrument of conveying ſpeciall favour to ſuch a man.
Firſt, the words containe three parts; Firſt, a promiſe of obtaining life for ſuch of our brethren as we ſhall ſee ſinne not unto death, and ſhall aske life for him.
Secondly, an acception from this generall promiſe, he would have it underſtood of ſome ſpeciall tranſgreſſion, of them that ſinne not unto death, he would be ſo underſtood, and would not inlarge this promiſe ſo farre, as that a faithful man by his prayers ſhal obtaine pardon of ſinne for ſuch as ſin unto death, but not for that, that is the onelyonly caution that he gives, leaſt this promiſe be taken to extend too far.
Thirdly, A prevention of an objection or doubt that might hence ariſe.
For might ſome man ſay, All unrighteouſneſſe is ſinne, and every ſinne is a ſinne to death, and the wages of every ſinne is death, Rom. 6. ult. And therefore if the promiſe extend only thus farre, to procure peace and pardon for ſuch as ſinne not unto death; then either you muſt grant ſome veniall ſins, or elſe this promiſe is of none effect, for if every ſin be mortall, and you onelyonly promiſe pardon of ſin to ſuch as is not unto death; and no man ſins but it is unto death, this promiſe is of none effect.
Iohn Anſwers to this Objection, verſ. 17. and ſaith, though all unrighteouſnoſſe be ſin, yet there is a ſin that is not unto death. It is true the deſerved wages of al unrighteouſnes is unto death, but there is a ſin that is not unto death, not that there is any ſin, which doth not deſerve death, but not that which doth undoubtedly cut off a man from all hopes of life, but notwithſtanding that ſin he may be converted. As ſometimes our Saviour ſaid of the ſickneſſe of Lazarus he is ſick, but not irrecoverable, Iohn 11.4. So that the meaning of the Holy ghoſt is, that there is a finne unto death, which doth not onelyonly kil the ſoule, but irrecoverably, out of which there is no hope of recovery or ſalvation, and that ſin they muſt forbear to pray for.
This promiſe thus opened will afford us three notes.
Firſt, That a faithfull Chriſtian (or which is all one) a beleever on the name of Chriſt, is not to hide his eyes from obſerving, and diſcerning the ſinnes, and ſlips of their brethren. If any man ſee his brother ſinne a ſin, which is not unto death, which he cannot ſee if he neglect to obſerve them.
Secondly, A faithfull Chriſtian diſcerning the ſinne of his brother, is to pray for him, Let him aske when he ſees him ſin not unto death.
Thirdly, A faithfull man praying unto Chriſt, for the ſinne of his brother, ſhall obtaine life at Gods hand for him, pardon and peace and grace for him.
For the firſt of theſe.
Doct. A faithfull beleever is not to hide his eyes from obſerving the ſinnes and failings of his brethren.
If any man ſee his brother ſinne a ſinne, he muſt obſerve him, elſe he cannot ſee him, Gal. 2.14. When I ſaw that they walked not uprightly, according to the truth of the Goſpel, &c. he obſerved them and diſcerned their courſe, hee turned not his eyes from beholding it, but he did take notice of it, Heb. 3.12, 13. Take heed leaſt there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeleefe, in departing from the living God, take heed: hee doth not ſpeak of himſelfe onelyonly, though that principally, but leaſt there be in any of you an evil heart of unbeleefe, that is not only for every man to take heed to himſelfe, but to his brethren alſo, as appears by the following verſe, implying that a man ſhould not only take heed to himſelf, but as much as in him lyes, take heed to his brethren. And if you ſhould aske how ſhould I prevent another man, from having an evill heart of unbeleefe? he tells you how; By exhorting one another daily while it is called to day, looke to your ſelves, and alſo to your brethren, and ſhew your care of them, by ſtirring them up daily; And this is that the Apoſtle ſpeakes of in Hebr. 10.24. Let us conſider one another and provoke one another to love and good workes, ſee therefore and obſerve one another, and ſee where any thing is amiſſe, and ſtir up one another to every holy performance.
Reaſ. 1. It is firſt taken from the love we owe them. Secondly, from the love we owe our ſelves.
Firſt, The love we owe to our brethren, God requires our love to our brethren, yea towards our enemies Oxe or Aſſe, we ſhould not ſee one of them fall under their burden or goe aſtray, and hide our face from them, Deut. 22.24. If you ſhould ſee the beaſt of your enemy to ſink down, you ſhall not paſſe by him and let him alone, but you ſhall raiſe him up from under his burthen. Now if God require ſo much love to our beaſts, and that to the beaſts of our enemy, how much more doth God require this love to our brethren, that if we ſee them going out of the way we ſhould call them back againe? if we ſee them to ſinke under the burthen of ſinne, not there to let them lye, but though we could finde in our hearts there to let them lye, yet we ought not ſo to ſatisfie our ſelves, but to looke unto our brethren in ſuch a caſe, and doe the beſt we can to recover them from going aſtray.
And in reſpect of our ſelves, this benefit we our ſelves ſhall have, we ſhall learne a more holy feare of the Lord, and have a more juſt jealouſie over our ſelves, we ſhall keep the better watch over our ſelves when we ſee our brethren fall before us, Rom. 11.12. Be not high minded but feare; to ſhew you, that when we ſee other men through unbeleefe, and corruption fall into any ſinne, we ought to benefit our ſelves thereby, not to be high minded upon this occaſion, to bleſſe our ſelves, and we thanke God it is not with us as it is with other men, we are not ſuch and ſuch as theſe Publicans are wont to be, but feare we in ſuch a caſe, the faylings of others ſhould be the feares of Gods people; the more they ſee others fall, the more ſhould they ſuſpect their owne aptneſſe to faile in the like kinde. If ſuch things doe befall the greene tree, ſuch as are full of the Oyntment of the Holy one, how eaſily may the dry ſtubble kindle, ſo that what out of reſpect to learne the more to watch our ſelves, and out of compaſſion to our Brethren to reſtore them, what by ſeaſonable admonition, Levit. 19.17. and what through prayer in his behalfe, it is a neceſſary duty of every faithfull Chriſtian man to obſerve the failings of his brethren.
For further clearing of this point, let me firſt ſhew you with what an eye we ſhould looke upon their falls. Secondly, come to anſwer an objection, and then to make uſe.
Firſt, when you looke at the falls of your brethren,Firſt, partiall eye. and have occaſion to behold them; looke not at them with a partiall eye, or an hypocriticall eye, as they in Matth. 7.3, 4, 5. but reflect we our eye upon our ſelves, and conceive that there is either the ſame or a greater evill in our owne boſomes, or at leaſt there is a pronneſſe in our ſelves to doe it if God ſhould leave us to our ſelves. A man ſhould never ſee his brother fall into any ſinne, but if he know himſelfe well, when he ſees a moate in his brothers-eye, he might ſee a beame in his owne; for though God leave not all his ſervants alike to fall into ſcandalous evils, yet there is found in them all a root and aptneſſe to all ſinne, that if God ſhould not reſtraine them, they would fall into as great evils as the other have done. And hence a Chriſtian man that is ſenſible of this, he knowes there is not any thing found in his brother that is ſingular, but he knowes that both himſelfe and all the reſt of his brethren are ſubject to the like evils, and that is an eye of ſincerity, by which we ſhould ever ſurvey the falls of our brethren, an eye that doth not ſo ſoone eſpy an evill in our brethren, but it ſees the like, or a greater in it ſelfe.
Secondly, As we muſt not behold their falls with a partiall eye,Cenſorious eye. ſo neither muſt we obſerve them with a curious or cenſorious eye, for there is ſuch an in-bred vanity in the hearts of men, that we love to be prying into other mens frailties, and love to be buſie in finding fault with other men, not out of a deſire to amend them, but to reprove them, and to have ſomething againſt them, Jam. 3.1, 2. Be not many Maſters, for in many things we offend all. What is his meaning? his meaning is, Be not of a maſterly ſpirit, be not maſters of many perſons, to be every mans maſter is out of cenſoriouſneſſe, our natures are ready to ſift into every mans failings, and would ever be taxing of them, and that is the utmoſt end ſuch men aime at, not ſo much the healing and cleanſing of our brethrens ſins, but to be maſters over them; but my brethren, be not many maſters: As if this were the frame of our ſpirit, to be buſie as Maſters in an imperious manner.
Thirdly, Neither with an envious and malicious eye, that is complained of by Jeremiah, Malicious eye.he much complaines of it; when a man opens his eyes to obſerve curiouſly, and to pry narrowly, that if they could but finde him halting at any time they would recompence it, Jer. 20.10 When a man obſerves his brothers halting to heale it, but for this very end, that he may take advantage againſt him, and overthrow him, they did ſtare in his face, and they thought to be even with him, they watched for his halting; this was an envious and malicious eye.
Fourthly, Neither muſt I behold my brothers failings with a wanton eye, that is, when a man is not humbled for his brothers faults, but partly puffed up with it,Wanton eye. and prides himſelfe with beholding another mans failings, and thinkes every mans fall is a refreſhing to himſelfe; he builds his comfort upon the remembrance of the failings of his brethren, and his owne falling ſhort of them, this is an inbred vanity amongſt men; this the Apoſtle taxed among the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 5.2. You have not ſo ſorrowed for it, ye have not been ſo humbled for it as ye ſhould have been, but rather have been puffed up; Puffed up, why ſo? what reaſon had they to be puffed up? Why only this, that they were not ſuch as he was, they had carried themſelves better then he had done, they compared themſelves with him, and in the ballance found themſelves better then he, and this puft them up. And this is a wanton eye, for a man may behold it with a wanton eye, either when he prides himſelfe in it, or is induced thereby to licenciouſneſſe, and are glad of the occaſion, and will ſay,Note. If ſuch and ſuch men take ſuch liberty, then they hope they may take the ſame liberty as well as ſuch men doe; and therefore they run into the ſame courſe with all greedineſſe. This is that which the Lord complained of in the whole Church of Judah, Jer. 3.7, 8. Her treacherous ſiſter Judah ſaw it, and though for all the cauſes whereby back-ſliding Iſrael committed Adultery I had put her away, and given her a divorce, yet her treacherous ſiſter Judah feared not, but went and played the Harlot alſo. You heard one uſe that we ought to make of our brethrens failings was, that we ſhould thereby become to feare, but ſhe ſaw the fall of Iſrael, and would not be reformed, ſhe feared not, ſhe was not humbled at ſuch falls of her Siſter Church, but was wanton her ſelfe, and went and played the Harlot alſo. As the Church of Iſrael had gone a whoring after falſe gods, Iudah ſaw her ſinne, and ſaw me reprove and afflict her for it, yet ſhe feared not, but went and played the Harlot; to ſhew you, that a man may ſee his brothers ſinne, priding himſelfe in his better watching over himſelfe, or with a wanton eye; and this kinde of obſerving the falls of our brethren we ought not to make uſe of, he pre-ſuppoſeth a man ought to obſerve and ſee his brothers ſinne, but not with any of theſe eyes.
Vſe 1. But for further uſe, learne we from hence not to neglect the falls of our brethren, and thinke it is good for us, neither to meddle nor make with them, let that be farre from us; that was the ſpirit of Caine, Gen. 4.6. Am I my brothers Keeper? as if he would neither meddle nor make with him, what had he to doe with him? now this is a churliſh and an unnaturall frame of ſpirit, for a man not to be ſenſible of anothers failings. We ſhould looke at every mans failing, as things that behoove us to obſerve, and as much as in us lyes rather to prevent them then not to take notice of them. Many a man thinkes it is beſt to live quietly, and let every man ſay, and doe as he will, but this is not that which the Apoſtle Iohn would have to be in faithfull Chriſtians.
Vſe 2. Secondly, Let it be our parts therefore to take a due obſervation not only of our owne, but alſo of the ſteps of our brethren, we ſhould not hide our ſelves from the beholding of them, if we be occaſioned to ſee it, we ſhould not blinde our ſelves, and put out our eyes, you ſee that love to our brethren, and enemies beaſt, would require it, if we finde them out of the way, or fallen downe under their burthen; and you ſee God requires this love to our ſelves, that we ſhould make ſome uſe to our ſelves of our brethrens fall.
As firſt, if you ſee a brother ſinne, whatever ſinne it be, learne we to feare God, and that is true Chriſtian affection, to be firſt affected with an holy feare of your owne weakneſſe; we ſhould be jealous of the ſinfull frame of our owne hearts, that doubtleſſe of themſelves are as apt to ſtart aſide as any of our brethrens be, the want of this (as you heard) Ieremiah reproved in Iudah; and this Paul required of the Romans, Be not high minded, but feare; and what priviledges hath the Church of Rome above others? the Apoſtle knew that the Church of Rome had not received an impoſſibility of errour in his time; he made account in his time, if that Iſrael (which was the naturall branch) were cut off, then be not thou high minded, but feare, for if they be cut off, why maiſt not thou? Firſt therefore lay we our hands upon our owne hearts, and ſee if there be not the like folly in me, the ſame roote of unbeleefe in me, or if I be not led to the ſame, am not I led to as great, or a greater evill then theirs is? This uſe ſhould we make to our ſelves.
Againe, we ſhould labour to make benefit to our ſelves by it, looke at your brethren in this caſe, with ſuch an eye as may ſtirre you up the more to pitty them; if they be gone out of the way call him back againe, if he lye under his burthen lift him up, or if his eſtate and condition be ſuch, as that you can by no meanes have opportunity to ſpeake to him, or if you ſhould, happily your labour would be in vaine; and if you ſhould faile here and cannot reach him, yet whether he will or no you may power out your ſoules to God in his behalfe, and ſo may you doe him good; we ought ſo to doe, and not to faile therein; and that will be of ſpeciall uſe to helpe us this way; to heare of the ſinnes and falls of our brethren is much, but to ſee them is more; to ſee ſuch heavie burthens lye upon his ſoule that he is not able to ſubſiſt, in ſuch a caſe as this, there will be a ſpeciall compaſſion kindled in the heart of a living Chriſtian; for living Chriſtians are loving Chriſtians, ſo farre as living ſo farre loving, for the whole life of Chriſtianity is but faith towards God, and love towards our brethren.
Object. But ſay you, you would not have us to ſhut our eyes upon the failings of our brethren, but to ſee and obſerve them; but doth not the Holy Ghoſt ſay, Love covereth a multitude of ſinnes? as if we ſhould ſmother them, neither meddle nor make with them?
Anſw. But yet though love cover a multitude of ſins, yet how doth it cover them? Firſt, with a mantle of wiſdome, then with a mantle of faithfulneſſe, and then a mantle of compaſſion.
A mantle of wiſdome, when a man ſo covers it as not to skin it over,Mantle of wiſdome. but to cover it ſo effectually as that it may be covered from the eyes of God and man, Iam. 5.19, 20. this is a wiſe covering of a multitude of ſinnes, when a man takes a courſe not only to cover them from the eyes of men, but principally from the Conſcience of the ſinner himſelfe, as that in time he be not over-preſſed with them, and then when he is leaſt able to beare them, and ſo endanger wholly to over-whelme him; for let a man goe on in ſinne, he goes on from day to day, and thinkes himſelfe fiſh whole, and yet it is neither covered from Gods eye, nor from the Conſcience of ſuch a ſoule, and in the end it cannot but ſee it, and then ſo bitterly bewaile it, that it is much to be feared he will be quite over-whelmed with it. And therefore, this a man muſt have principall reſpect unto, principally to cover his ſinne from Gods eye; and that it may likewiſe be ſo covered, as not to be ſmothered and dawbed, but cover it with an healing Plaiſter, ſo as that in time it may be rooted out, that no ſprig of ſuch a ſinne may remaine there, not a mantle of flattery, but healing; ſuch as whereby they may be carefull to take a courſe, that ſuch evils may be covered with ſome corriſive Plaiſter.
Secondly,Mantle of faithfulneſſe. with a mantle of faithfulneſſe, not to diſcover the ſinnes of others further then will be of neceſſity for the healing of them. If a man be fallen under his burthen, or under his beaſt, and he is not able himſelfe to helpe him up, he muſt then call them that are of ſtrength, and may be of uſe to helpe a man in ſuch a caſe, ſo that if in this caſe, if a mans integrity of heart tells him, that he aymes at no more in making knowne his brethrens failings, but to helpe his brother out of thoſe falls, Prov. 11.13. When a man reveales a matter no further then to gather helpe to reſtore him, it is well; but becauſe there is a ſnare in that, a man had need be wary, for a man may reveale it with deriſion and ſcorne, and then though a man ſhould ſpeake it to them that are able to helpe him, it would be a ſinne to him, as you may read, Gen. 9.22, 23, Noah being drunk, and his nakedneſſe diſcovered, Cam comming and ſeeing his father thus naked, he in a deriding manner, goes forth, and tells his other two brethren, when as he might himſelf have covered his nakedneſſe, but he doth it not, but goes forth and acquaints them, and they do what they can to cover it, they goe backward, and drawes a garment upon him, And when he awoke, he by a ſpirit of propheſie knowing what was done, he ſaid, curſed be Cam for ever, and he made him a ſervant to both his brethren, when it was in his power to have covered him but did not, but made a jeſt of it to his brethren, he was accurſed for it, but becauſe they in a modeſt reverent manner did cover him, a bleſſing fell upon them to this day.
To ſhew you that God requires this faithfulneſſe in us in this caſe. If we be able to doe it our ſelves, we muſt not diſcover it, but doe it our ſelves and let it go no further; but if the burthen be too great, that he cannot lift it up, it is too weighty a matter for him, then he may call in thoſe that are able to help him in ſuch a work, ſo as that he do not ſpeak by way of deriſion, but rather with trouble of mind to ſee him thus foiled.
Thirdly, So alſo a mantle of compaſſion,Mantle of compaſſion. ſo as that if ſo be, that a mans brother be brought at length to ſee his failing, and to acknowledge it, and ſhall expreſſe himſelfe that it repents him he hath ſo done, both in offending God and his Brethren, then thou ſhalt forgive him, our Saviour ſaid ſo, Luke 17.4. and the like you read, Eph. 4. ſo that when the Holy Ghoſt commends this as a property of love, that it covers a multitude of ſins, he meanes not that it covers them in ſilence, or forgetfulneſſe, or careleſneſſe, as if we never meant to meddle nor make with them, in a careleſſe ſilence, and in an indifferent putting of the matter from us, as if it nothing concerned us, but cover them by wiſdome, faithfulneſſe and compaſſion, even ſuch as God for Chriſts ſake hath ſhewed to us.
Object. But you ſay againe, but if a man be thus willing to ſee and obſerve the failings of his brethren. It may be he ſhall be counted a buſie body in other mens matters, a Biſhop in another mans Dioceſſe, meddling in matters that concerns him not, and makes us to do there, where we have nothing to doe?
Anſw. We may be ſo counted, but it is not to be doing, where we have nothing to doe, for God would have us to take notice of one anothers failings, God and Chriſtian love requires it, it is not out of our element and charge, but God layes a charge upon us to keepe and looke to this and that mans ſoule. As it was ſaid to the King of Iſrael, keep this man, and if he be gone, thy ſoule ſhall goe for his ſoule. It is for us to keepe diligent watch, and to conſider one another, and to take heede, there bee not an evill heart of unbeleefe one in another, and therefore wee muſt not onelyonly have reſpect to the wayes, and words of our brethren, but to the healing of their hearts to ſee there be no deceitfulnes in the bottome, God therefore requires that we ſhould exhort one another daily, while it is called to day, If therfore you do but keep your ſelves within theſe termes, not medling with other mens ſinnes, with an hypocriticall eye to condemne them and to juſtifie our ſelves; nor with a ſenſorious, envious, malicious, wanton eye, but with an eye of wiſdome, faithfulneſſe, and compaſſion, in ſuch a caſe you do not go beyond your Commiſſion.
Object. But you ſay, I ſhall be more buſie, then I ſhall have thanke for my labour, I may bee worſe, and they never the better?
Anſw. It may be they will be the worſe for the while, and never the better, but he that rebuketh a man, afterwards ſhall find more favour, then he that flattereth with his tongue, Prov, 28.23. A man muſt ſow this ſeed in patience. It may be a winter wil follow upon it, but at length he ſhall find the fruits of his labours; even as the Husband-man waiteth with long patience, til the ſeaſon and time of harveſt, yeeld him a comfortable increaſe, he that deales plainly with his neighbour, ſhall find more favor at the length then he that flatters him; If you looſe his favour, it is but for a ſeaſon, and if a man in this caſe have been more buſie then for the preſent he gets thankes for, yet God will bleſſe it, and recompence it, and God wil not let ſuch a man go without finding favour with himſelfe, how ever he may from others.
Doct. VponUpon the ſight of a mans brothers ſin, a faithfull man is to pray for him.
If any man ſee his brother ſin, let him aske, So did holy Moſes, Exod. 32.31, 32, 33. This was the firſt worke he had to doe upon their ſin, and he ſpent forty dayes and forty nights about that worke; when he ſaw it was a ſin, and puniſhed it as a Magiſtrate, he ſatisfies not himſelfe in ſo doing, but he gets to God, and wraſtles with him about it, and layes his owne ſoule to pawne to God, either pardon that ſinne, or if he do condemn them, condemn him with them. The like did God direct Iob to doe, he bids his three friends goe to Job, and he ſhall pray for you, him will I accept Job 42.7, 8. God would have it ſo, Iob muſt pray for them when he ſees them in a ſinne. And Ieremiah speaks to the ſame purpoſe, Chap. 13.17 My ſoule ſhall mourne and weep in ſecret for you, and the patterne of our Saviour is without exception, Luke 23.34 happy was he that could doe him a miſcheife, and all men cried out away with him, crucifie him, crucifie him, that when one would thinke a mans heart ſhould burſt with indignation, yet he prayes to his father, Father forgive them, they know not what they doe, he prayes for pardon of their ſin, when they uſe him moſt wickedly, one that had never done them wrong. And ſo you read of Stephen, the firſt Chriſtian Martyr Act. 7 60. when they flung ſtones about his ears, he kneeled down and cryed with a loud voyce; Lord lay not this ſinne to their charge.
Reaſ. 1. It is firſt taken from the compaſſion which we owe to our brethrrn, we ought to pray for them if they had been but ſick, Pſal. 35.13. When they were ſick I mourned for them, my prayer ſhall be for them in their miſery. Now if a man ſhould pray for men in any calamity, how much more in this, the greateſt of all the reſt, we ought moſt to pray for our Brethren when they ſinne.
Reaſ. 2. Taken from the duty that lyes upon a Chriſtian to exhort his brethren, Heb. 3.12, 13. and Levit, 19.17. and neither of theſe can prevaile without prayer, for this as wel as any thing elſe is ſanctified by the Word and prayer, 1 Tim. 1.4, 5.
Reaſ. 3. Taken from the deſperate danger of ſin, and the helpleſneſſe of a man under ſinne, unleſſe God put in; and therefore in ſome caſe though if man be too weake, he may call in others to help, yet however amongſt the reſt call for Gods help, for unleſſe we doe ſo, all helps without him are in vaine; though good helpes are of ſpeciall uſe, God bleſſing them to ſave and lift up a poore ſoule out of ſin, but know this, that it is a worke of an Almighty power to deliver a ſoule from ſinne no leſſe then the Redemption of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, He redeemes Iſrael from all his iniquities, Pſal, 1 30. laſt, unleſſe he put forth a redeeming hand, there will be no good done, there is ſuch a deceitfulneſſe in ſin, as that it will harden a man. Sinne is of the nature of poyſon, it ſtiffens and hardens the body, puts out the eyes, and ſo inflames it with heate, that it is not poſſible to quench it; ſo when a man hath once ſinned againſt God, he preſently looſeth his eyes, Satan and his Luſts having gotten him into ſinne, they firſt put out his eyes, that he ſhall ſee no danger nor hurt in it, and then he is ſo hardened with the ſin he hath committed, that no counſels or admonitions can recover him out of it, but only the mighty hand of God, and therefore prayer muſt be made to God for him.
Reaſ. 4. Taken from the diſpleaſure that God takes, if he ſee that we doe not pray for them, when we forget to remember them before the Lord, this is ill taken, God is diſpleaſed when there is none to ſtand in the gap in ſuch a caſe as this, Eſa, 59.15, 16. God doth not afflict willingly, and yet if he be ſtirred up he muſt deſtroy them, if there be none to ſtand in the gap; you then provoke the wrath of the Lord, and this diſpleaſeth him much, and God may juſtly leave us to the like ſinne for which we are not humbled in others.
Reaſ. 5. Tak… …om the bleſſing that befalls Gods Servants, when we doe ſo, as was upon Job, in chap. 42.8, 9. when Iob begins to pray for his friends, then God turned the captivity of Iob, he had long time laine under many vexations, wofull calamities, but when he begins to pray for his friends that had ſinned, then the Lord turned his captivity; and ſo it is expreſly ſaid, Eſa. 57.18, 19. I will reſtore comfort unto him, and to his mourners. To ſhew you, that God will reſtore comfort to us if we lament the falls of others, and mourne over them in that condition. We ſhall have comfort in their comfort, becauſe we did mourne in their griefe. If Gods people can mourne with their brethren in ſinne and miſery. God will reſtore comfort to them, and to their mourners.
Before we make uſe of this point, come we to the next.
Doct. 3. A faithfull Chriſtian, praying for his brethren faln into any ſin, ſhall obtaine peace, and pardon, and grace for him.
It is ſaid ſo in the text, If any man; that is, any man that beleeves in Jeſus Chriſt, he ſhall aske, and he ſhall give him life So that you ſee here is the promiſe made to ſuch, the promiſe is, that upon asking, he ſhall give life to his ſinfull brother. Who ſhall give him life? Interpreters take it both wayes, and both agreeable to the text, and the Analogie of faith; for whether he that prayes be as an Inſtrument, or God, it is all one, for it muſt be God that doth it, and he that prayes is an Inſtrument, he procures to his ſinning brother great favour from God.
Life] that is, the life of Iuſtification,, and of Sanctification conſolation and comfort to his ſoule notwithſtanding his ſinne; the promiſe is evident, he ſhall prevaile with God, to beſtow life upon his brother. This you ſhall ſee evident from Scripture, Deut. 9.25, 26. I fell downe before the Lord forty dayes, and forty nights, &c. and thereupon the Lord did ſhew mercy, and pardoned their ſin. Iob prayed for his friends, and the Lord ſaid he would accept him, Job 42.8, 9. And ſo our Saviour, he prayed for his crucifiers. And it is generally thought, that the powerfull prevalency of Peters Sermon in converting three thouſand ſoules at once, did eſpecially ſpring from our Saviours prayer, and the efficacy of it, Act. 2.37. And Stephen, he prayed for his perſecutors, and Paul was one of them that had an hand in his death, Act. 7.6. And yet ere long God anſwered Stephens prayer in converting Saul; ſo that let a man (a beleeving Chriſtian) pray for his ſinning brother, and he ſhall give him life.
Reaſ. 1. It is taken from the pleaſure that God takes to knit the Members of the Body of his Son together, and no better means to joyne us together, and ſo fitly to make us uſeful Members one to another then this, thoſe members of the body that are moſt weak ſhould be moſt helped this way, 1 Cor. 12, 21, 22. Every member ſhould be of ſome uſe one to another, and it doth better compact the body together. God did not ſay to Iobs friends, Goe you and pray for your ſelves, but, Goe to my ſervant Job, and he ſhall pray for you He would have them beholden to Iob, of whom they had ſpoken the thing that was not right, elſe God would not accept them.
Reaſ. 2. It is taken from the Interceſſion of Chriſt, who performes that office for every member of his body: This honour have all his Saints; though they doe not merit this by their prayers, yet there is this efficacy in their prayers, not of merit, but of grace, to prevaile with the Father in their brethrens behalfe, Rom. 8.34. Interceſſion is ſuch a part and kinde of prayer as a man makes for other men, to procure favour from God to them, to be Mediators for them, to pray for others in the name and mediation of Jeſus Chriſt, and that for his ſake they may be accepted, God will then heare us for Chriſts ſake in the behalfe of our brethren.
Vſe 1. It may be a ground of much encouragement to every Chriſtian man, to wraſtle earneſtly with God in the behalfe of his brethren, when you ſee them ſinne a ſinne that is not unto death, be it a mans wicked covetouſneſſe, and ſuch as a man is froward in it, and wil by no meanes be admoniſhed, and goe on reſolutely in it, yet in this caſe God expects and requires we ſhould mourne for him, Eſay 57.17, 18. and therefore neglect not to pray for your brethren in this caſe.
Firſt, it will diſpleaſe God if you pray not for them, is it nothing to you to paſſe by, and to ſee ſuch a man lye in ſinne? aſſure your ſelf of this, Gods heart will fit looſe towards you, if your hearts ſit looſe to your brethren, and therefore neglect not to pray for them.
Secondly, if you pray for them you ſhall have comfort reſtored to them, and to your ſelves with them, and though for the preſent you might ſeeme to procure hurt to your ſelves, and no good to them, yet pray, and pray heartily, and uſe the beſt meanes you can, and you will ſurely finde the comfort and benefit of it; may not this be a notable encouragement to you this way, that God ſhould be pleaſed to make thee an Inſtrument of life to thy brother, when he is a dead man in Gods ſight; a dead man will be ſtiffe, and cold, and putrifie, and yet even ſuch a man if thou prayeſt for him, thou ſhalt give him life to his ſoule.
Object. You ſay, But doth not many a man pray for his brethren, and yet is not heard and accepted, did not Abraham pray for Iſhmael? And what think you of Samuels prayer for Saul, and yet ſaith God, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, 1 Sam. 17.6. I have caſt him off, mourne no more for him; ſo that ſometimes a man may pray for his brethren, and that earneſtly, and yet his prayers fall to the ground in vaine?
Anſw. Firſt, it would be conſidered whether a man be a brother or no; Abraham did not pray for one that was already gracious, that did belong to the election of grace, and the text doth not reach to ſuch a brother; but I underſtand it of ſuch as are either called, or belong to the election.
Secondly, Suppoſe you doe not know whether he belong to the election of grace or no, it may be you pray for them whom you have not uſed other means to heal them, I doubt not but David prayed for Abſalom, and Adonijah, but not uſing other meanes, his prayers are rejected, theſe are not prayers of faith, when other good means are not uſed.
Thirdly, Its poſſible that a man may pray without faith, and without fervency, Jam. 5.15. and ſuch requeſts ſhould be faithfull and fervent, and God requires you ſhould come before him, and ſubmit your ſelves to him, and acknowledge your owne unworthineſſe to aske ſuch a bleſſing, and yet in the name of Chriſt you preſſe God with it, and you muſt walke cloſe with God in a courſe of Chriſtianity, elſe your prayers are to no purpoſe; and to waite on God through Chriſt for a gracious acceptance, and God will recompence your prayers, and labour of love in due time.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Cotton, Christ the Fountain of Life (1651)