Sermon 16

1 John 5:16-17. If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not to death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life; for them that sin not to death. There is a sin to death, I do not say that he shall pray for it.

These words contain a third motive to encourage us to that duty which is the main scope of this Epistle (to wit) to believe on the name of the Son of God; whereto the Apostle exhorts us, verse 13. and propounds first this motive, to wit, a blessed confidence of the hearing of all our petitions. Secondly, a certain knowledge verified, that he not only hears, but grants our desires. Now he propounds a third motive in these words, taken from the benefit which by believing 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 sin which is not to death, he shall ask, 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 special favor to such a man.

First, the words contain three parts; First, a promise of obtaining life for such of our brethren as we shall see sin not to death, and shall ask life for him.

Secondly, an exception from this general promise, he would have it understood of some special transgression, of them that sin not to death, he would be so understood, and would not enlarge this promise so far, as that a faithful man by his prayers shall obtain pardon of sin for such as sin to death, but not for that, that is the only caution that he gives, lest this promise be taken to extend too far.

Thirdly, a prevention of an objection or doubt that might here arise.

For might some man say, All unrighteousness is sin, and every sin is a sin to death, and the wages of every sin is death (Romans 6, last verse). And therefore if the promise extend only thus far, to procure peace and pardon for such as sin not to death; then either you must grant some venial sins, or else this promise is of none effect, for if every sin be mortal, and you only promise pardon of sin to such as is not to death; and no man sins but it is to death, this promise is of none effect.

John answers to this objection, verse 17. and says, though all unrighteousness be sin, yet there is a sin that is not to death. It is true the deserved wages of all unrighteousness is to death, but there is a sin that is not to death, not that there is any sin, which does not deserve death, but not that which does undoubtedly cut off a man from all hopes of life, but notwithstanding that sin he may be converted. As sometimes our Savior said of the sickness of Lazarus he is sick, but not irrecoverable (John 11:4). So that the meaning of the Holy Spirit is, that there is a sin to death, which does not only kill the soul, 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 faithful Christian (or which is all one) a believer on the name of Christ, is not to hide his eyes from observing, and discerning the sins, and slips of their brethren. If any man see his brother sin a sin, which is not to death, which he cannot see if he neglect to observe them.

Secondly, a faithful Christian discerning the sin of his brother, is to pray for him, let him ask when he sees him sin not to death.

Thirdly, a faithful man praying to Christ, for the sin of his brother, shall obtain life at God's hand for him, pardon and peace and grace for him.

For the first of these.

Doctrine. A faithful believer is not to hide his eyes from observing the sins and failings of his brethren.

If any man see his brother sin a sin, he must observe him, else he cannot see him (Galatians 2:14). When I saw that they walked not uprightly, according to the truth of the Gospel, etc. he observed them and discerned their course, he turned not his eyes from beholding it, but he did take notice of it (Hebrews 3:12-13). Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God, take heed: he does not speak of himself only, though that principally, but lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, that is not only for every man to take heed to himself, 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 lies, take heed to his brethren. And if you should ask how should I prevent another man, from having an evil heart of unbelief? he tells you how; by exhorting one another daily while it is called today, look to yourselves, and also to your brethren, and show your care of them, by stirring them up daily. And this is that the Apostle speaks of in Hebrews 10:24. Let us consider one another and provoke one another to love and good works, see therefore and observe one another, and see where anything is amiss, and stir up one another to every holy performance.

Reason 1. It is first taken from the love we owe them. Secondly, from the love we owe ourselves.

First, the love we owe to our brethren, God requires our love to our brethren, indeed towards our enemies' ox or ass, we should not see one of them fall under their burden or go astray, and hide our face from them (Deuteronomy 22:24). If you should see the beast of your enemy to sink down, you shall not pass by him and let him alone, but you shall raise him up from under his burden. Now if God require so much love to our beasts, and that to the beasts of our enemy, how much more does God require this love to our brethren, that if we see them going out of the way we should call them back again? If we see them to sink under the burden of sin, not there to let them lie, but though we could find in our hearts there to let them lie, yet we ought not so to satisfy ourselves, but to look to our brethren in such a case, and do the best we can to recover them from going astray.

And in respect of ourselves, this benefit we ourselves shall have, we shall learn a more holy fear of the Lord, and have a more just jealousy over ourselves, we shall keep the better watch over ourselves when we see our brethren fall before us (Romans 11:12). Be not high minded but fear; to show you, that when we see other men through unbelief, and corruption fall into any sin, we ought to benefit ourselves thereby, not to be high minded upon this occasion, to bless ourselves, and we thank 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 fear we in such a case, the failings of others should be the fears of God's people; the more they see others fall, the more should they suspect their own aptness to fail in the like kind. If such things do befall the green tree, such as are full of the Ointment of the Holy One, how easily may the dry stubble kindle, so that what out of respect to learn the more to watch ourselves, and out of compassion to our brethren to restore them, what by seasonable admonition (Leviticus 19:17), and what through prayer in his behalf, it is a necessary duty of every faithful Christian man to observe the failings of his brethren.

For further clearing of this point, let me first show you with what an eye we should look upon their falls. Secondly, come to answer an objection, and then to make use.

First, when you look at the falls of your brethren, and have occasion to behold them; look not at them with a partial eye, or a hypocritical eye, as they in (Matthew 7:3-5), but reflect we our eye upon ourselves, and conceive that there is either the same or a greater evil in our own bosoms, or at least there is a proneness in ourselves to do it if God should leave us to ourselves. A man should never see his brother fall into any sin, but if he know himself well, when he sees a mote in his brother's eye, he might see a beam in his own; for though God leave not all his servants alike to fall into scandalous evils, yet there is found in them all a root and aptness to all sin, that if God should not restrain them, they would fall into as great evils as the other have done. And hence a Christian man that is sensible of this, he knows there is not anything found in his brother that is singular, but he knows that both himself 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 does not so soon espy an evil in our brethren, but it sees the like, or a greater in itself.

Secondly, as we must not behold their falls with a partial 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 men's frailties, and love to be busy in finding fault with other men, not out of a desire to amend them, but to reprove them, and to have something against them (James 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 man's master is out of censoriousness, our natures are ready to sift into every man's failings, and would ever be taxing of them, and that is the utmost end such men aim at, not so much the healing and cleansing of our brethren's 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 busy as masters in an imperious manner.

Thirdly, neither with an envious and malicious eye, that is complained of by Jeremiah, he much complains of it; when a man opens his eyes to observe curiously, and to pry narrowly, that if they could but find him halting at any time they would recompense it (Jeremiah 20:10). When a man observes his brother's halting to heal 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 brother's failings with a wanton eye, that is, when a man is not humbled for his brother's faults, but partly puffed up with it, and prides himself with beholding another man's failings, and thinks every man's fall is a refreshing to himself; he builds his comfort upon the remembrance of the failings of his brethren, and his own falling short of them — this is an inbred vanity among men. This the Apostle taxed among the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 5:2): "You have not so sorrowed for it, you have not been so humbled for it as you 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 than he had done, they compared themselves with him, and in the balance found themselves better than he, and this puffed them up. And this is a wanton eye, for a man may behold it with a wanton eye, either when he prides himself in it, or is induced thereby to licentiousness, and is glad of the occasion, and will say, if such and such men take such liberty, then they hope they may take the same liberty as well as such men do; and therefore they run into the same course with all greediness. This is that which the Lord complained of in the whole church of Judah (Jeremiah 3:7-8): "Her treacherous sister Judah saw it, and though for all the causes whereby backsliding 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 brethren's failings was, that we should thereby come to fear, 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 herself, and went and played the harlot also. As the church of Israel had gone a whoring after false gods, Judah saw her sin, and saw me reprove and afflict her for it, yet she feared not, but went and played the harlot — to show you, that a man may see his brother's sin, priding himself in his better watching over himself, or with a wanton eye. And this kind of observing the falls of our brethren we ought not to make use of; he presupposes a man ought to observe and see his brother's sin, but not with any of these eyes.

Use 1. But for further use, let us learn from here not to neglect the falls of our brethren, and think it is good for us, neither to meddle nor make with them — let that be far from us. That was the spirit of Cain (Genesis 4:6): "Am I my brother's keeper?" as if he would neither meddle nor make with him, what had he to do with him? Now this is a churlish and an unnatural frame of spirit, for a man not to be sensible of another's failings. We should look at every man's failing, as things that concern us to observe, and as much as in us lies, rather to prevent them than not to take notice of them. Many a man thinks it is best to live quietly, and let every man say and do as he will, but this is not that which the Apostle John would have to be in faithful Christians.

Use 2. Secondly, let it be our part therefore to take a due observation not only of our own, but also of the steps of our brethren; we should not hide ourselves from the beholding of them. If we are occasioned to see it, we should not blind ourselves, and put out our eyes — you see that love to our brethren, and our neighbor's beast, would require it, if we find them out of the way, or fallen down under their burden. And you see God requires this love to ourselves, that we should make some use to ourselves of our brethren's fall.

As first, if you see a brother sin, whatever sin it be, let us learn to fear God, and that is true Christian affection — to be first affected with a holy fear of your own weakness. We should be jealous of the sinful frame of our own hearts, which doubtless of themselves are as apt to start aside as any of our brethren's are. The want of this (as you heard) Jeremiah reproved in Judah; and this Paul required of the Romans: "Be not high-minded, but fear." And what privileges has the church of Rome above others? the Apostle knew that the church of Rome had not received an impossibility of error in his time. He reckoned in his time, if Israel (which was the natural branch) were cut off, then do not be high-minded, but fear — for if they be cut off, why may not you? First therefore let us lay our hands upon our own hearts, and see if there be not the like folly in me, the same root of unbelief in me, or if I be not led to the same, am I not led to as great, or a greater evil than theirs is? This use should we make to ourselves.

Again, we should labor to make benefit to ourselves by it; look at your brethren in this case, with such an eye as may stir you up the more to pity them. If they be gone out of the way, call him back again; if he lie under his burden, lift him up; or if his estate and condition be such, as that you can by no means have opportunity to speak to him, or if you should, perhaps your labor would be in vain. And if you should fail here and cannot reach him, yet whether he will or no you may pour out your souls to God on his behalf, and so may you do him good; we ought so to do, and not to fail in this. And that will be of special use to help us this way: to hear of the sins and falls of our brethren is much, but to see them is more. To see such heavy burdens lie upon his soul that he is not able to subsist — in such a case as this, there will be a special compassion kindled in the heart of a living Christian. For living Christians are loving Christians, so far as living, so far loving — for the whole life of Christianity is but faith toward God, and love toward our brethren.

Objection: 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 does not the Holy Ghost say, love covers a multitude of sins? as if we should smother them, neither meddle nor make with them?

Answ. But yet though love cover a multitude of sins, yet how does it cover them? First, with a mantle of wisdom, then with a mantle of faithfulness, and then a mantle of compassion.

A mantle of wisdom, when a man so covers it as not to skin it over, but to cover it so effectually as that it may be covered from the eyes of God and man (James 5:19-20). This is a wise covering of a multitude of sins, when a man takes a course not only to cover them from the eyes of men, but principally from the conscience of the sinner himself, as that in time he be not over-pressed with them, and then when he is least able to bear them, and so endanger wholly to overwhelm him; for let a man go on in sin, he goes on from day to day, and thinks himself [reconstructed: whole], and yet it is neither covered from God's eye, nor from the conscience of such a soul, and in the end it cannot but see it, and then so bitterly bewail it, that it is much to be feared he will be quite overwhelmed with it. And therefore, this a man must have principal respect to, principally to cover his sin from God's eye; and that it may likewise be so covered, as not to be smothered and daubed, but cover it with a healing plaster, so as that in time it may be rooted out, that no sprig of such a sin may remain there, not a mantle of flattery, but healing; such as whereby they may be careful to take a course, that such evils may be covered with some corrosive plaster.

Secondly, with a mantle of faithfulness, not to discover the sins of others further than will be of necessity for the healing of them. If a man be fallen under his burden, or under his beast, and he is not able himself to help him up, he must then call them that are of strength, and may be of use to help a man in such a case, so that if in this case, if a man's integrity of heart tells him, that he aims at no more in making known his brethren's failings, but to help his brother out of those falls (Proverbs 11:13). When a man reveals a matter no further than to gather help to restore him, it is well; but because there is a snare in that, a man had need be wary, for a man may reveal it with derision and scorn, and then though a man should speak it to them that are able to help him, it would be a sin to him, as you may read (Genesis 9:22-23). Noah being drunk, and his nakedness discovered, [reconstructed: Ham] coming 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 nakedness, but he does it not, but goes forth and acquaints them, and they do what they can to cover it, they go backward, and draw a garment upon him. And when he awoke, he by a spirit of prophecy knowing what was done, he said, cursed be [reconstructed: Ham] forever, 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 show you that God requires this faithfulness in us in this case. If we be able to do it ourselves, we must not discover it, but do it ourselves and let it go no further; but if the burden 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 does not speak by way of derision, but rather with trouble of mind to see him thus foiled.

Thirdly, so also a mantle of compassion, so as that if so be, that a man's brother be brought at length to see his failing, and to acknowledge it, and shall express himself that it repents him he has so done, both in offending God and his brethren, then you shall forgive him, our Saviour said so (Luke 17:4). And the like you read (Ephesians 4). So that when the Holy Ghost commends this as a property of love, that it covers a multitude of sins, he means not that it covers them in silence, or forgetfulness, or carelessness, as if we never meant to meddle nor make with them, in a careless silence, and in an indifferent putting of the matter from us, as if it nothing concerned us, but cover them by wisdom, faithfulness and compassion, even such as God for Christ's sake has shown to us.

Object. But you say again, but if a man be thus willing to see and observe the failings of his brethren, it may be he shall be counted a busybody in other men's matters, a bishop in another man's diocese, meddling in matters that concern him not, and makes us to do there, where we have nothing to do?

Answ. We may be so counted, but it is not to be doing, where we have nothing to do, for God would have us to take notice of one another's failings, God and Christian love requires it, it is not out of our element and charge, but God lays a charge upon us to keep and look to this and that man's soul. As it was said to the King of Israel, keep this man, and if he be gone, your soul shall go for his soul. It is for us to keep diligent watch, and to consider one another, and to take heed, there be not an evil heart of unbelief one in another, and therefore we must not only have respect to the ways, and words of our brethren, but to the healing of their hearts to see there be no deceitfulness in the bottom, God therefore requires that we should exhort one another daily, while it is called today. If therefore you do but keep yourselves within these terms, not meddling with other men's sins, with a hypocritical eye to condemn them and to justify ourselves; nor with a censorious, envious, malicious, wanton eye, but with an eye of wisdom, faithfulness, and compassion, in such a case you do not go beyond your commission.

Object. But you say, I shall be more busy than I shall have thanks for my labor, I may be worse, and they never the better?

Answer: It may be they will be the worse for the while, and never the better, but he that rebukes a man, afterwards shall find more favor than he that flatters with his tongue (Proverbs 28:23). A man must sow this seed in patience. It may be a winter will follow upon it, but at length he shall find the fruits of his labors; even as the husbandman waits with long patience, till the season and time of harvest yield him a comfortable increase, he that deals plainly with his neighbor, shall find more favor at the length than he that flatters him. If you lose his favor, it is but for a season, and if a man in this case have been more busy than for the present he gets thanks for, yet God will bless it, and recompense it, and God will not let such a man go without finding favor with himself, however he may from others.

Doctrine: Upon the sight of a man's brother's sin, a faithful man is to pray for him.

If any man see his brother sin, let him ask. So did holy Moses (Exodus 32:31-33). This was the first work he had to do upon their sin, and he spent forty days and forty nights about that work; when he saw it was a sin, and punished it as a magistrate, he satisfies not himself in so doing, but he gets to God, and wrestles with him about it, and lays his own soul to pawn to God — either pardon that sin, or if he do condemn them, condemn him with them. The like did God direct Job to do — he bids his three friends go to Job, and he shall pray for you, him will I accept (Job 42:7-8). God would have it so, Job must pray for them when he sees them in a sin. And Jeremiah speaks to the same purpose (Jeremiah 13:17): My soul shall mourn and weep in secret for you. And the pattern of our Savior is without exception (Luke 23:34) — happy was he that could do him a mischief, and all men cried out away with him, crucify him, crucify him, so that when one would think a man's heart should burst with indignation, yet he prays to his father, Father forgive them, they know not what they do. He prays 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 (Acts 7:60), when they flung stones about his ears, he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice: Lord lay not this sin to their charge.

Reason 1: It is first taken from the compassion which we owe to our brethren, we ought to pray for them if they had been but sick (Psalm 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 sin.

Reason 2: Taken from the duty that lies upon a Christian to exhort his brethren (Hebrews 3:12-13) and (Leviticus 19:17), and neither of these can prevail without prayer, for this as well as anything else is sanctified by the Word and prayer (1 Timothy 1:4-5).

Reason 3: Taken from the desperate danger of sin, and the helplessness of a man under sin, unless God put in; and therefore in some case though if man be too weak, he may call in others to help, yet however among the rest call for God's help, for unless we do so, all helps without him are in vain. Though good helps are of special use, God blessing them to save and lift up a poor soul out of sin, but know this, that it is a work of an Almighty power to deliver a soul from sin — no less than the redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ. He redeems Israel from all his iniquities (Psalm 130, last verse) — unless he put forth a redeeming hand, there will be no good done. There is such a deceitfulness in sin, as that it will harden a man. Sin is of the nature of poison, it stiffens and hardens the body, puts out the eyes, and so inflames it with heat, that it is not possible to quench it. So when a man has once sinned against God, he presently loses his eyes, Satan and his lusts having gotten him into sin — 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 has 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.

Reason 4: Taken from the displeasure that God takes, if he see that we do 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 (Isaiah 59:15-16). God does 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 displeases him much, and God may justly leave us to the like sin for which we are not humbled in others.

[reconstructed: Taken from] the blessing that befalls God's servants, when we do so, as was upon Job (Job 42:8-9) — when Job begins to pray for his friends, then God turned the captivity of Job. He had long time lain under many vexations, woeful calamities, but when he begins to pray for his friends that had sinned, then the Lord turned his captivity. And so it is expressly said (Isaiah 57:18-19): I will restore comfort to him, and to his mourners. To show you, that God will restore comfort to us if we lament the falls of others, and mourn over them in that condition. We shall have comfort in their comfort, because we did mourn in their grief. If God's people can mourn with their brethren in sin and misery, God will restore comfort to them, and to their mourners.

Before we make use of this point, come we to the next.

Doctrine 3: A faithful Christian, praying for his brethren fallen into any sin, shall obtain peace, and pardon, and grace for him.

It is said so in the text, If any man; that is, any man that believes in Jesus Christ, he shall ask, 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 sinful brother. Who shall give him life? Interpreters take it both ways, and both agreeable to the text, and the analogy of faith; for whether he that prays be as an instrument, or God, it is all one, for it must be God that does it, and he that prays is an instrument, he procures to his sinning brother great favor from God.

Life — that is, the life of justification, and of sanctification, consolation and comfort to his soul notwithstanding his sin; the promise is evident, he shall prevail with God, to bestow life upon his brother. This you shall see evident from Scripture (Deuteronomy 9:25-26): I fell down before the Lord forty days, and forty nights, etc., and thereupon the Lord did show mercy, and pardoned their sin. Job prayed for his friends, and the Lord said he would accept him (Job 42:8-9). And so our Savior, he prayed for his crucifiers. And it is generally thought, that the powerful prevalence of Peter's Sermon in converting three thousand souls at once, did especially spring from our Savior's prayer, and the efficacy of it (Acts 2:37). And Stephen, he prayed for his persecutors, and Paul was one of them that had a hand in his death (Acts 7:6). And yet before long God answered Stephen's prayer in converting Saul; so that let a man — a believing Christian — pray for his sinning brother, and he shall give him life.

Reason 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 join us together, and so fittingly to make us useful members one to another than this, those members of the body that are most weak should be most helped this way (1 Corinthians 12:21-22). Every member should be of some use one to another, and it does better compact the body together. God did not say to Job's friends, Go you and pray for yourselves, but, Go to my servant Job, and he shall pray for you. He would have them beholden to Job, of whom they had spoken the thing that was not right, else God would not accept them.

Reason 2. It is taken from the intercession of Christ, who performs that office for every member of his body: This honor have all his saints; though they do not merit this by their prayers, yet there is this efficacy in their prayers, not of merit, but of grace, to prevail with the Father in their brethren's behalf (Romans 8:34). Intercession is such a part and kind of prayer as a man makes for other men, to procure favor 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 hear us for Christ's sake in the behalf of our brethren.

Use 1. It may be a ground of much encouragement to every Christian man, to wrestle earnestly with God in the behalf of his brethren, when you see them sin a sin that is not to death, be it a man's wicked covetousness, and such as a man is obstinate in it, and will by no means be admonished, and go on resolutely in it, yet in this case God expects and requires we should mourn for him (Isaiah 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 pass by, and to see such a man lie in sin? Assure yourself of this, God's heart will [reconstructed: sit] 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 yourselves with them, and though for the present you might seem to procure hurt to yourselves, and no good to them, yet pray, and pray heartily, and use the best means you can, and you will surely find the comfort and benefit of it; may not this be a notable encouragement to you this way, that God should be pleased to make you an instrument of life to your brother, when he is a dead man in God's sight; a dead man will be stiff, and cold, and putrefy, and yet even such a man if you pray for him, you shall give him life to his soul.

Objection. You say, But does 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 Samuel's prayer for Saul, and yet says God, How long will you mourn for Saul (1 Samuel 17:6). I have cast him off, mourn 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 vain?

Answer. 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 does not reach to such a brother; but I understand it of such as are either called, or belong to the election.

Secondly, Suppose you do 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 means, his prayers are rejected, these are not prayers of faith, when other good means are not used.

Thirdly, it is possible that a man may pray without faith, and without fervency (James 5:15), and such requests should be faithful and fervent, and God requires you should come before him, and submit yourselves to him, and acknowledge your own unworthiness to ask such a blessing, and yet in the name of Christ you press God with it, and you must walk close with God in a course of Christianity, else your prayers are to no purpose; and to wait on God through Christ for a gracious acceptance, and God will recompense your prayers, and labor of love in due time.

FINIS.