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I. JOHN.

bodily death, because he hath repented, or is in a disposition to reon his Son, if any one endowed with spiritual gifts is sensible that CHAP. V. his brother hath committed a sin which is not to be punished with

not unto death, let him ask2 GOD, and he will
grant to him life3 for those who sin not unto
death. There is a sin unto death. I do not
and Doddridge, it is expressly promised, that any one who seeth his
brother sinning a sin not unto death, and asketh of God eternal life
for him, shall certainly have it granted to him; as if, without such
a prayer, the sinner's own repentance would not procure him that
favour from the mercy of God. See note 3.-We may therefore be-
lieve, that, in this passage, John speaks of persons and things very dif-
ferent from those which the authors now mentioned had in their
eye. What these were will appear, if we attend to the following par-
ticulars.

Because it was necessary to the successful propagation of the gos-
pel, that its professors should in the first age be remarkably holy,
God so ordered it, that the open miscarriages of individuals were
often punished with visible temporal judgments. So Paul told the
Corinthians, who had been guilty of great irregularities in the cele-
bration of the Lord's Supper, 1 Cor. xi. 30. For this cause many of
you are sick, and some are dead.' These judgments being public,
had no doubt a great influence in restraining the first Christians from
sin.-On the other hand, to encourage those to repent who by their
sins had brought on themselves mortal diseases, there were in the
first age persons, who being endowed with the gift of healing dis-
eases miraculously, (1 Cor. xii. 9.), were moved by the Holy Ghost
to heal the sick, who had repented of the sins which had brought on
them the diseases under which they were labouring. We may
therefore believe, that when John directed any one, who saw his
brother sinning a sin not unto death, to ask God to give him life, he
did not mean any ordinary Christian, but any spiritual man who
was endowed with the gift of healing diseases; and that the brother
for whom the spiritual man was to ask life, was not every brother
who had sinned, but the brother only who had been punished for
his sin with some mortal disease, but who having repented of his
sin, it was not a sin unto death: and that the life to be asked for
such a brother, was not eternal life, but a miraculous recovery
from the mortal disease under which he was labouring.

According to this view of matters, John, in the passage before us,
istreating briefly of the subject concerning which James hath treat-
ed more at large, chap. v. 14. 'Is any sick among you? Let him
send for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, hav-
ing anointed him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15. And the
prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise
him up; (xx, Ess. iv. 212.) and so, although he hath committed sins,
they shall be forgiven him. 16. Confess your faults one to another,
and pray for one another that ye may be healed. The inwrought
prayer of the righteous man availeth much.'-Now if John, in the
passage before us, is treating of the subject which James hath
handled in the above verse, the any one, who seeth his brother
sinning a sin not unto death,' of whom John speaks, was any elder
of the church endowed with the gift of healing diseases miraculous-
ly; and the asking prescribed by John, is what James calls 'the
prayer of faith,' see note 2.; and the life to be obtained by such
asking, was a miraculous recovery of the sick sinner from the
mortal disease under which he was labouring; called also, the rais-
ing him up, namely to health, as is plain from James v. 16.

2. Let him ask of God.]-In the original it is, he shall ask.' But the future of the indicative is often put in scripture for the imperative. This asking James hath termed 'the inwrought prayer of the righteous man,' because the elder was inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to pray for the miraculous recovery of the sick person: Also he termed it the prayer of faith,' because the elder, feeling himself moved by the Holy Ghost to pray, prayed in the full assurance that the Lord would raise the sick person up to health. See note 3. In this passage, therefore, St. John directed the spiritual men, who had the gift of healing diseases miraculously, to exercise that gift only in behalf of those who had sincerely repented of the sins which had brought on them the diseases under which they were labouring. For the spiritual men could know with certainty the truth of the sick sinner's repentance, either by the gift of discerning spirits with which they were endowed, or, if any spiritual man had not that gift, he must have known it by feeling himself inwardly moved to pray for the sick sinner's recovery.-The anointing of the sick with oil, though not mentioned by John, was fitly prescribed by James; not however on account of any efficacy which it had, as a natural remedy, to procure health for the sick, but merely as an outward sign to the sick person himself, and to those who were present, that a miracle of healing was to be wrought. For the same purpose the twelve, when sent forth by Christ to heal discases miraculously, anointed the sick persons with oil whom they were to recover. For, although that rite is not mentioned by any of the evangelists who have given an account of their commission, Mark, who hath described the success with which they executed their commission, tells us, chap. vi. 13. They anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.' 3. He will grant to him life.]-The life which was to be asked for those who sinned not unto death,' and which God was to grant, could not be eternal life, because nowhere in scripture is eternal life promised to be given to any sinner, at the asking of another. Besides, right reason teaches, that eternal life should not be granted to any sinner, merely because another asks it for him; nay, that the prayers of the whole world united will not procure eternal life for an impenitent sinner.-On the other hand, if a sinner truly repents of his sin, he will assuredly obtain eternal life through the intercession of Christ, whether any of his fellow men ask it for him or not. Since then, one person's asking God to grant eternal life to another, hath no influence to procure that favour, the life which was to be asked for the person who had not sinned unto death, and which God promised to grant, must have been temporal life only; consequently, John's direction, 'Let him ask God, and he will grant to him life, is equivalent to that of James, 'Let them pray over them, and the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will

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raise him up; and so, although he hath committed sins, they shall be forgiven him; that is, although he hath committed sins which have of sins, the forgiving of sins, James hath followed his Master, who occasioned him to be punished with a mortal disease, he shall be called the recovery of the sick of the palsy the forgiving of his delivered from that punishment. In calling a miraculous recovery sins,' Matt. ix. 2-5. In like manner the Psalmist represents 'the from a mortal disease, which had been inflicted as the punishment healing of all his diseases, as the forgiving of all his iniquities.'

plural, notwithstanding the antecedent adcov is singular. But the 4. For those who sin not unto death.]-Here the relative To is death, but extended to all of that description. See Ess. iv. 22.number of the relative is changed, to shew that the promise was not restricted to any particular person who had not sinned unto For an account of sin not unto death, see note 1. on ver. 16.

In this 16th verse the apostle, according to the Bible translation, directed any one who saw his brother sinning a sin not unto death, to ask life for him from God at the very time he was sinning that agreeably to the import of the word gravovт, considered as sin; and assured him that God would at his request grant life to such a sinner. But this is evidently a great impropriety; which however will be removed by translating the clause in the past time, the participle, not of the present but of the imperfect of the indicaning, but after he had sinned, and had repented.-I have no doubt tive, thus: If any one see his brother hath sinned a sin not unto death, let him ask God,' &c. According to this translation, the prayer for life to the sinner was to be made, not while he was sinthat the translation ought to run in the past time; yet I have not ventured to make the alteration in the new translation.

It is now time to inform the unlearned reader, that on this 16th verse of the fifth chapter of John's First Epistle, taken in conjunction with the parallel passage transcribed from the epistle of James, note 1. the Papists have built what they call the sacrament of ex treme unction, which the priests of their communion dispense to pardoned. But, to shew that that rite is no sacrament, and that it dying persons, by anointing them with consecrated oil, accomby no means produceth the excellent effects attributed to it by the panied with a prayer for the pardon of their sins, and with an Papists, I submit the following arguments to the intelligent reader's authoritative declaration importing that their sins are completely consideration.

1. If the anointing with oil prescribed by James, and the prayer of the elder which accompanied that anointing, be a sacrament to which the graces of pardon and salvation are really annexed, it ought not to be confined to the sick and dying, but, agreeably to Papists, it is ministered only to such of the sick as are at the point the nature of a sacrament, all who profess to believe the gospel have a right to partake of it. Nevertheless, by the apostolic injunction, it is appointed only for the sick; and, by the practice of the of death. Wherefore, since those who are in health are precluded from this rite, and multitudes of them die without being in.a condition to receive it, it cannot be a sacrament instituted for conferring pardon and salvation on those who die in a sick-bed, since those who are cut off in health are, by the apostle's injunction, excluded from these great graces; but it must have been appointed for some such purpose as that which hath been already explained.

2. This pretended sacrament being built on the passages of scrip-
only to the sick, and the sick immediately on receiving it ought to
ture mentioned ver. 6. note 1. it should be dispensed as directed in
have their sins pardoned, without any regard to their character and
these passages; and being so dispensed, it should be followed with
the effects there described; that is to say, it should be dispensed
temper of mind at the time. The reason is, to the forgiving of the
sins of the sick, nothing is required in the above-mentioned pas-
sages, but that they be anointed with oil in the name of the Lord, and
that the elder pray over them the prayer of faith; that is, pray in the
ful! assurance that their sins shall be forgiven them.-If the Papists
reply, that to the forgiveness of the sick person's sins his repentance
is necessary, the answer is, That in so far as the pardon of sin de-
pendeth on the repentance of the sick, the prayer of the elder and
authoritative declaration of pardon, have no influence in procuring
for the sick that grace. Perhaps we shall be told, that anointing and
prayer being expressly required, they are equally necessary to the
however, it is to be presumed, no charitable Papist will venture to
pardon of the sick sinner as repentance, both being implied condi-
tions. Be it so. But in that case, no person, who hath the sacrament
of extreme unction in his power and neglects it, can be saved. This
affirm.

dispensed must not only receive the eternal pardon of all his sins,
3. If the elder's anointing the sick with oil, and his praying over
them the prayer of faith, be a sacrament, the person to whom it is
giveness of the sins which he hath committed. To avoid this con-
but he must also be immediately raised up to health by the Lord;
for that grace is as expressly promised, James v. 15. to follow the
anointing of the sick with oil and the praying over him, as the for-
and for the good of the sick person himself. But to this it is answer-
sequence, the Papists affirm, that the raising up of the sick to health
is conditional, depending on its being expedient for the glory of God,
ed, as before, That to the raising up of the sick nothing is required
ought to shew how it hath come to pass, that, of the multitudes to
but anointing and prayer. Granting, however, for argument's sake,
whom their sacrament of unction and prayer hath been dispensed
that expediency as well as repentance is tacitly implied as the con-
in their dying moments, so few have been raised up to health by the
dition on which the sick are to be raised up to health, the Papists
Lord. Hath this happened, because hitherto the Lord hath not
seen it expedient to raise up many of them to health, notwithstand-

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19 We know that we are BEGOTTEN of God.' (K, 205.) But the whole world lieth (w, 175.) under the wicked one.2

20 (, 104.) Moreover, we know that the Son of God (u) hath come, and hath given us understanding, that we might know the true GOD, (xx, 212.) and so we are (, 175.) under the true GOD, (w) under his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, the eternal life.

pent, let him pray to God, and he will grant, at his request, recovery to those who have not sinned to death. There is a sin which will be punished with death, because the sinner is impenitent. I do not say concerning it, that the spiritual man should ask God to recover such a person by miracle.

17 Every unrighteous action is sin, and merits death; but there are sins which, because they are not committed presumptuously, nor continued in, will not be punished with temporal death.

18 We know, that whoever hath been begotten of God (chap. ii. 29. note) doth not sin habitually, (chap. ii. 6. note 1.), because he who is begotten of God guardeth himself, and the devil doth not lay hold on him so as to enslave him: For such an one, when sick, ye may pray in the hope of being heard.

19 By keeping ourselves from habitual sin, we know that we are begotten of God. But the whole world of idolaters and infidels lieth under the dominion of the devil. See Col. i. 13. notes.

20 Moreover, we know that the Son of God hath come in the flesh to destroy the works and power of the devil, (chap. iii. 8.), and hath given us his disciples understanding, that we might know the true God; and so we are subject to the true God, by being subject to his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and the eternal life, which God hath promised to all them who know him, John xvii. 3.

ing that grace is as expressly promised to follow the anointing of the sick, and the elder's prayer for their recovery, as the forgive. ness of their sins? Or, hath this happened, because of those to whom their sacrainent of extreme unction hath been dispensed, few have been sincere penitents? I suppose the Papists will affirm neither of these, as they would be a great dishonour to their church. And therefore, till they produce some satisfactory reason for God's not raising up the sick now, as anciently, according to his promise, after they have been anointed and prayed for by the priest, we must believe that these rites are a sacrament to which the graces of pardon and salvation are not annexed.

The foregoing three arguments demonstrate, that the anointing of the sick with oil, and the praying for their recovery, were not appointed as a permanent office in the church, which every priest may perform, and every professing Christian who is sick may demand, as the effectual means of procuring the plenary pardon of his sins. These rites were peculiar to the first age, being appointed, not for procuring an eternal pardon of sins to the sick, but a miraculous recovery from some mortal disease which had been inflicted on them as the temporal punishment of their sins. And no person could minister these rites with efficacy, except those who had the gift of healing diseases miraculously. The directions therefore which the apostles have given concerning these rites, were not intended for the instruction of the ministers of religion in every age, but merely to teach those who in the first age were endowed with the gift of healing diseases miraculously, in what cases and for what ends they were to exercise that gift. See the preceding note 2. Here a saying, which Bengelius hath quoted from Whitaker, may be introduced as a fit conclusion of this important controversy. "Let them," saith he, "anoint with oil who can procure health for the sick, and let those who cannot, abstain from the vain symbol."

5. There is a sin unto death.]-From the account of 'the sin not unto death,' given in note 1. the reader will easily perceive that 'the sin unto death,' is a sin obstinately continued in, or at least not particularly repented of, the punishment of which is therefore to end in the sinner's death. This the spiritual man knowing, by his not being inwardly moved of the Holy Ghost to pray for his recovery, the apostle in the subsequent clause forbade him, in such a case, to ask it of God.

6. I do not say concerning it, that he should ask.]-Doddridge, who understands this of our praying for repentance and pardon in behalf of obstinate sinners, thinks the apostle's meaning is, 'I do not say that he should pray with a full assurance of being heard.' But as there is neither precept nor example in scripture, authorizing us to pray for pardon to obstinate sinners, the only thing we can pray for in their behalf is, that God would grant them repentance. And if he heareth us in that request, their pardon will follow. On this subject, Doddridge's reflection is both pious and benevolent. "Let us not," saith he, "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."

Ver. 17. All unrighteousness is sin.]—By unrighteousness the apostle means, every thing by which our neighbour is injured; and by sin, a violation of the law of God. See chap. iii. 4.-Perhaps by mak ing this observation here, the apostle intended to intimate to the sick sinner, that to render his repentance sincere, restitution must be made to every one whom he hath injured by his unrighteousness; in which case his sin, as the apostle adds, will not be unto death. Ver. 18. And the wicked one doth not hold him,)-namely, in subjection; for 1 signifies to hold fast, as well as to touch. Thus John xx. 17. Musou, 'Hold me not; for I do not yet ascend to my Father.' Moreover, to touch signifies to hurt, John ix. 19. 2 Sam. xiv. 10. 1 Chron. xvi. 22. and even to destroy, Job i. 11.-The Syriac version of this clause is, 'Malus, non appropinquat ei.'-The devil is called the evil or wicked one, by way of eininence, because he entertains the greatest malice towards mankind, and is indefatigable in his endeavours to ruin as many of them as he can. Ver. 19.-1. We know that we are begotten of God.]-In the ori. ginal it is, we know that we are ix But the expression

being elliptical, must be completed from ver. 18. by supplying 7 17 v. vvor, as I have done in the translation. See chap. ii. 12. note 1. 2. But the whole world lieth under the wicked one.)-Here, as in chap. ii. 16. note 1. the world signifies not the material fabric of the world, but the wicked men of the world. Wherefore, the whole world denotes all the idolaters, infidels, and wicked men of the world, who having made themselves the subjects of the devil, it may be said of them, that ( TO TOVNEW XEIT) they lie under the wicked one;' they are under his dominion: just as it is said of be lievers in the next verse, that 'they are (T CANJIVE, IV TW) in or under the true God by being under his Son;' see 1 Thess. i. 1. note. The power of the devil in this lower world, and over its inhabitants, is often spoken of in scripture. Thus, Eph. ii. 2. he is called 'the prince of the power of the air, the spirit which now inwardly worketh in the children of disobedience.'-2 Cor. iv. 4. He is called 'the god of this world,' and is said to blind the minds of the unbelievers.'-1 Pet. v. 8. He is called our adversary, and is said to be going about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may swallow up.'-Farther, wicked men are said, 2 Tim. ii. 26. to be held in the snare of the devil.'-And, Eph. vi. 11. he is said to use crafty methods for the destruction of mankind.-And, 2 Cor. xi. 3. he is said to have beguiled Eve by his subtilty.'-And, Col. i. 13. believers are said to be delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of his beloved Son.' See the notes on 2 Cor. iv. 4. and on Eph. ii. 2.-Because Homer uses the word to denote the bodies of men lying on the ground slain, Doddridge thinks the apostle, by using that word here, represents the wicked men of the world as lying slain by the devil, to give us an affecting idea of the miserable and helpless state of mankind fallen by the stroke of that malicious merciless enemy.

Ver. 20.-1. Hath given us understanding, that we might know the true God. In the translation of this clause I have supplied the word God from the end of the verse, not only because it is found in the Alexandrian MS., and in the Vulgate version, but because the sense of the passage requires it. In the Vulgate, this verse is translated as follows: Et dedit nobis sensum ut cognoscamus verum Deum, et simus in vero filio ejus: Hic est verus Deus, et vita eterna.-And hath given us understanding, that we might know the true God, and might be in his true Son. This is the true God, and life eternal.' It seems the copy from which the Vulgate translation was made, read here, του αληθινόν Θεόν, και ωμεν εν τω αληθινώ ύσω αυτού.

2. This is the true God.]-Because the person last mentioned in what goes before is Jesus Christ, many commentators and theologians contend, that the demonstrative pronoun ivros stands here for Jesus Christ, and that he is the person who is called the true God. But as pronouns often denote the remote antecedent, when the cir cumstances of the case require them to be so understood, (Ess. iv. 63.), others are of opinion that vros, in this passage, refers, not to Jesus Christ the near antecedent, but to Texnivov, the true one, or true God, whom the Son of God had given the Christians under standing to know. And this opinion they think probable, because, if the apostle by bures means Jesus Christ, he maketh him the true God, notwithstanding in the sentence which immediately precedes Tos, he distinguisheth the true one from his Son Jesus Christ: Και εσμεν εν τω αληθινώ, εν τω ύλω αυτού Ιησού Χρισω: 'And we are under the true one, under his Son Jesus Christ.' Now, although our translators have destroyed that distinction, and have made Jesus Christ the true God, by inserting the word even, in their translation, between the two clauses of the sentence in this manner, 'And we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ;' yet as they have inserted that word without the authority of any ancient MS., the critics who make duros refer, not to Jesus Christ, but to Tov vy, think their opinion ought to have no weight in a matter of such importance.-Glassius, Philolog. Sacr. p. 714. tells us that Athanasius, in the council of Nice, disputing against Arius, called this text of John a written demonstration; and added, That as Christ said of the Father, John xvii. 3. This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God;' so John said of the Son, 'This is the true God and eternal life: And that Arius then acquiesced in this written demonstration, and confessed the Son of God

21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

I. JOHN.

21 Dear children, keep yourselves from worshipping false gods and images. Now, to shew my sincerity in this, and in all the things CHAP. V. I have written to you, I conclude the whole with an Amen.

to be the true God. For these facts Glassius appeals to Athanasij
Oper. tom. 3. p. 705.

Ver. 21. Little children, keep yourselves from idols.]-For the
meaning of the word dwv, idols, see 1 Cor. viii. 4. note 2.-The
apostle cautioned his disciples against going with the heathens into
the temples of their idol gods, to eat of their feasts upon the sacri-
fices which they offered to these gods, and against being present at

any act of worship which they paid to them, because, by being present at the worship of idols, they participated in that worship; as is plain from what St. Paul hath written on that subject, 1 Cor. viii. and x.-The exhortation to the brethren to keep themselves from idols, sheweth that this epistle was intended for the converted Gen. tiles everywhere, as well as for the Jews in Judea, to whom I sup. pose it was first sent.

PREFACE.

II. JOHN.

SECT. I. Of the Authenticity of John's Three Epistles.
THE internal evidence of the authenticity of the three
epistles commonly ascribed to John, having been explain-
ed in the Preface to the First Epistle, sect. 2., this section
shall be employed in setting before the reader what is call-
ed the external evidence, arising from the testimony of
contemporary and of succeeding authors, who speak of these
epistles as written by John the apostle.

Lardner on the Canon, vol. iii. p. 262. hath shewed,
That the first epistle of John is referred to by Polycarp,
and by the martyrs of Lyons ;-That his first and second
epistles are quoted by Irenæus, and were received by
Clemens of Alexandria;-That Origen saith, "John
beside the Gospel and Revelation, hath left us an epistle
of a few lines: Grant also a second and third: For all
do not allow these to be genuine;"-That Dionysius of
Alexandria received John's first epistle, which he calls
his Catholic Epistle, and likewise mentions the other two
as ascribed to him ;-That the first epistle was received by
Cyprian ;-And that the second is cited by Alexander,
bishop of Alexandria.

Eusebius's testimony to the first epistle of John hath been already mentioned in his own words; Pref. to James, sect. 2. paragr. 2. In bearing that testimony, Eusebius insinuateth that some ascribed the second and third epistles to another person of the name of John, called the Elder, of whom he speaks, lib. iii. c. 39.-Jerome likewise hath mentioned this John in his catalogue. And Grotius, on a circumstance mentioned by Bede, in a passage to be produced immediately, hath ascribed the second and third epistles to him, in opposition to the testimony of the earliest and best Christian writers.

All the three epistles were received by Athanasius, by Cyril of Jerusalem, by the Council of Laodicea, by Epiphanius, and by Jerome. But the second and third were doubted by some in Jerome's time.-All the three were received by Ruffin, by the third council of Carthage, by Augustine, and by all those authors who received the same Canon of the New Testament which we do.-All the three are in the Alexandrian MS. and in the catalogue of Gregory Nazianzen, and of Amphilochius, who observes that some received only one of them.-The Syrian churches received only the first. See Pref. to James, sect. 2. paragr. 3. Nor did Chrysostom receive any other.

Bede, in the beginning of the eighth century, wrote thus in his exposition of the second epistle: "Some have thought this and the following epistle not to have been written by John the apostle, but by another, a presbyter of the same name, whose sepulchre is still seen at Ephesus; whom also Papias mentions in his writings. But now it is the general consent of the church, that John the apostle wrote also these two epistles, forasmuch as there is a great agreement of the doctrine and style between these and his first epistle. And there is also a like zeal against heretics."

in sentiment, phraseology, and manner of expressing things.-The resemblance in the sentiments and phraseMill, in his Prolegomena, No. 153, observes, that the second and third epistles of John resemble the first ology may be seen by comparing 2 Epistle ver. 5. with John xix. 35.-Of John's peculiar manner of expressing things, 2 Epistle ver. 7. and 3 Epistle ver. 11. are ex1 Epistle ii. 8.-and ver. 6. with 1 Epistle v. 3.-and ver. 7. with 1 Epistle v. 5.-and 3 Epistle ver. 12. with which consists only of 13 verses, 8 may be found in the first, either in sense or in expression. See Whitby's Pref. amples.-Mill farther observes, that of the 2d Epistle, to 2 John.

third epistles hath taken, is no reason for thinking that
they were not written by John the apostle. For elder
denotes that the person so called was of long standing
The title of elder, which the writer of the second and
in the Christian faith, and had persevered through a long
persecutions to which all who professed the gospel were
exposed in the first age. It was therefore an appella-
tion of great dignity, and entitled the person to whom it
course of years in that faith, notwithstanding the many
Christ. For which reason it was assumed by the apostle
Peter, 1 Pet. v. 1.-Heuman gives it as his opinion, that
in the title of elder there is a reference to John's great
belonged to the highest respect from all the disciples of
age when he wrote these epistles, and that he was as
well known by the title of elder as by his proper name;
apostle.-The circumstance that the writer of these epis-
John's manner, who neither hath mentioned his name in
so that elder was the same as if he had said the aged
his gospel, nor in the first epistle, which is unquestiona-
tles hath not mentioned his own name, is agreeable to
in the writer of these epistles to conceal himself, under the
appellation of the elder, from his enemies, into whose
bly his. Besides, it may have been a point of prudence
hands these epistles might come.

cond and third epistles, take notice that the writer of the
of a particular church could not pretend to, "and which
Beausobre and L'Enfant, in their preface to the se-
did not suit John the presbyter, even supposing him to
have been bishop of the church of Ephesus, as the pre-
third epistle speaks with an authority which the bishop
tended Apostolical Constitutions say he was appointed
by John the apostle. For if Diotrephes was bishop of
Ephesus had no right to say to him, as the writer of this
epistle doth, ver. 10. If I come, I will remember his
deeds which he does.' That language, and the visits
one of the churches of Asia, as is reckoned, the bishop of
suit St. John the apostle." This threatening, therefore,
made to the churches, denote a man who had a more
is an internal proof that the third epistle belongs to John,
general jurisdiction than that of a bishop, and can only
who, by his miraculous powers as an apostle, was able
to punish Diotrephes for his insolent carriage toward
the members of his church, and toward the apostle him-
self.

SECT. II. Of the Person to whom John wrote his
Second Epistle.

THE inscription of this epistle is Exλтn nug; which hath been translated and interpreted differently, both by the ancients and the moderns.-Some, fancying Eclecta to be a proper name, have translated the inscription thus; To the Lady Eclecta.' Accordingly, in the Adumbrations of Clemens Alexandr. this epistle is said to have been written to a Babylonian woman, or virgin, named Eclecta. Among the moderns, Wolf and Wetstein are of the same opinion as to the name of this woman. But Heuman and Benson contend that her name was Kuga, Kyria, and translate the inscription thus: To the elect Kyria.'-Oecumenius in his prologue saith, "He calls her Elect, either from her name, or on account of the excellence of her virtue." And in his commentary on the beginning of the epistle he saith," John did not scruple to write to a faithful woman, forasmuch as in Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female."-On the other hand, Cassiodorus, among the ancients, thought a particular church was meant by the apostle; and of the moderns, Whitby and Whiston were of the same opinion; for they say, this epistle was not written to a particular lady, but to a particular church: And Whiston mentions the church of Philadelphia; but Whitby that of Jerusalem, the mother of all the churches. Our English translation expresses the commonly received opinion concerning this matter; which Mill also, and Wall, and Wolf, with Le Clerc and Lardner, have adopted.-Beza too was of the same opinion, for in his note on the inscription he thus writes: "Some think Eclecta a proper name, which I do not approve, because in that case the order of the words would have been Kugi ExλT, To the Lady Eclecta. Others think this name denotes the Christian church in general. But that is disproved, first, by its being a manner of speaking altogether unusual; secondly, by the apostle's expressly promising, in the last two verses, to come to her and her children; thirdly, by sending to her the salutation of her sister, whom also she calls Eclecta. I therefore think this epistle was inscribed to a woman of eminence, of whom there were some here and there who supported the church with their wealth; and that he called her Elect, that is excellent, and gave her the title of Kigu, Lady, just as Luke gave to Theophilus, and Paul gave to Festus, the title of xgarises, most excellent. For the Christian religion doth not forbid such honourable titles to be given, when they are due."

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It is supposed, that the writer of this letter did not mention the name of the lady to whom it was sent, lest the enemies of the gospel into whose hands it came, finding her pointed out as a person of eminence among the Christians, might have given her trouble. But the same reason should have hindered the writer of the third epistle from mentioning the name of Cuius in its inscription. Benson therefore thinks Kyria the name of the woman to whom the second of these epistles was written and in support of his opinion observes, that the authors of the second Syriac, and of the Arabic versions of this epistle, understood Kyria to be her name; for they have inserted the word Kyria in their versions, without translating it.

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It is not known where this lady lived; but from the apostle's proposing to visit her soon, it is conjectured that she lived not far from Ephesus, where the apostle abode when he wrote to her.

SECT. III.-Of John's Design in writing his Second Epistle.

THE Continuator of Estius's commentary saith, that any one who compares ver. 7. of this epistle with what is written in the first letter, and with what Tertullian hath said De Prescript. c. 46., and Epiphanius Heres. 24.,

will be sensible that this short epistle was written to confute the errors of Basilides and his followers, who affirmed that Christ was not a real man, but only a man in appearance; consequently, that he neither did nor suffered what he appeared to do and suffer.

In the preface to the first epistle, sect. 3. it was observed, that in the latter end of the first age many false teachers, the disciples of Basilides, were going about disseminating his doctrine concerning the person of Christ. Wherefore, as that doctrine overturned the whole scheme of the gos pel, and in particular annihilated the atonement which Christ is said in the gospel to have made for the sin of the world by his death, robbed Christians of their best hopes, and turned the whole of their faith into a dream or illusion, John did not content himself with condemning that pernicious doctrine in his first epistle, but judged it neces sary, in a more particular manner, to put this lady and her children on their guard against the deceivers who taught it. He therefore said to them, ver. 7. If any teacher come to you, who doth not hold the true doctrine concerning the person of Christ, do not receive him into your house, neither wish him health and prosperity; lest, by seeming to encourage him in his errors, ye become partakers in his evil deeds.

Some readers, not attending to the circumstances in which this lady was, may, perhaps, from the apostle's advice to her, conclude that he was of an evil disposition himself, and encouraged in his disciples an intolerant spirit toward those who differed from them in opinion concerning matters of religion. But those who thus reason ought to consider, that the person to whom the apostle gave this advice was a woman, whose benevolent disposition laid her open to be imposed on by cunning deceivers. They ought also to call to mind the black picture which the apostle Paul, in his second to Timothy, chap. iii. 6, 7. and his epistle to Titus, chap. i. 10. 12. hath given of the ancient heretical teachers; together with what the Fathers have written concerning their base arts, their impiety, their monstrous tenets, their hypocrisy, their covetousness, and their debauchery. For, if they attend to these things, they will be sensible that the apostle's directions to this lady and her children were by no means too severe; especially as these heretical teachers pretended to be inspired; nay, to possess an higher degree of inspiration than even the apostles themselves were endowed with.-Besides, John's direction to this lady and her children are not inconsistent with the precepts of the other apostles, who have commanded us meekly to bear with those who err, and in the spirit of meekness to reclaim them: for the persons they had in view in these precepts were not false teachers, who disseminated their corrupt doctrines and who erred from corruption of heart, but persons who erred through weakness of understanding and ignorance. This is plain from Paul's ordering Titus to rebuke the false teachers in Crete with a cutting sharpness; and from his commanding Timothy to shun the company of obstinate heretics. And as John's advice to this lady is not inconsistent with the precepts of his brethren, so neither do they contradict his own precepts, earnestly and repeatedly delivered in his first epistle, to love and to do good to the worst of men. They are only advices to this lady and her children, not to expose themselves to the danger of being seduced by false teachers, and not to aid them in spreading their errors.-His advice, therefore, ought to be attended to by those who, either from piety or benevolence, are disposed to shew hospitality to teachers, of whose character and tenets they are ignorant; because such, notwithstanding their shew of godliness, and their plausible discourse, may be deceivers: in which case, the persons who entertain them in their houses, or who give them money, certainly become partakers of their evil deeds, as the apostle in this epistle hath expressly declared.

View and Illustration of the Matters contained in John's Second Epistle.

THE apostle, after addressing this letter to a woman of distinction and her children, and expressing a great affection to them on account of their adhering to the truth of the gospel, ver. 1.-declared that he was moved thus to love them, by the gospel itself, ver. 2.-And as a testimony of his love, he gave them his apostolical benediction, ver. 3.-Then told this lady, that he felt the greatest joy when he found some of her children, with whom he had conversed, perhaps at Ephesus, walking in the truth; that is, holding the true doctrine of the gospel, and behaving suitably to that doctrine, ver. 4.--From this he took occasion to exhort them, to love all the sincere disciples of Christ, and to do them good offices, according to the commandment which Christ gave to his apostles at the beginning, ver. 5.—and to express their love to Christ by obeying all his commandments; particularly the commandment they had heard from the beginning, that they should love one another sincerely with a pure spiritual love, ver. 6.-Next he told this excellent lady, that his joy on account of her children's walking in the true doctrine of the gospel concerning the person of Christ, was the greater, that many false teachers were going about, who denied that Jesus Christ had come in the flesh. Each of these, he told her, was the deceiver and the antichrist foretold by our Lord to come. This account of the false teachers the apostle gave, lest the lady and her children, deceived by their plausible speeches, and their shew of extraordinary piety, might have been disposed to shew them kindness, supposing them to be the servants of Christ, ver. 7.-He, therefore, desired them to be on their

NEW TRANSLATION.

VER. 1. The elder' to the elect lady2 and ner children, whom I love sincerely: And not I only, but all also who know the truth.

2 (A) WE LOVE YOU through the truth' which abideth (w, 172.) among us, and shall be with us for ever.2

3 Grace, mercy, AND peace, be with you, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, (w, 162.) with truth and love.'

4 I rejoiced greatly (T, 259.) when I found SOME of thy children' walking in truth,2 as we received commandment from the Father.

guard against such teachers, for this among other reasons, that if they should be drawn away by them, he would lose the reward which he expected for his having, not only faithfully, but successfully, taught them the true doctrine of the gospel: For he wished that his reward might be complete, through their continuing in the belief and practice of the truth, ver. 8.--Moreover he told them, that the teacher who doth not abide in the true doctrine concerning Christ, doth not acknowledge the truth of God's testimony concerning his Son. But the teacher who continueth to hold that doctrine, acknowledges the Son's testimony concerning himself, as well as the Father's, ver. 9.--Wherefore, if any teacher came to them, and did not bring the true doctrine concerning Christ, he forbade them to receive him into their house, or so much as to give him the common salutation or wish of health, ver. 10. --Because the person who gives any encouragement to false teachers, though it be done inconsiderately, is in some sort accessory to the mischiefs which his pernicious doctrine may occasion, ver. 11.-He then told them, that he had many other things to say to them concerning these impostors, but he would not commit them to writing, because he hoped to come soon and converse with them personally, in a more free manner than he could do by letter, that their mutual joy might be complete, ver. 12.-And so concluded with giving this lady the salutation of the children of her sister, to whom likewise he gives the appellation of elect, on account of the excellence of her character, ver. 13.

COMMENTARY.

VER. 1. I the aged apostle of Christ to the excellent lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not I only, but all also who know the true doctrine of the gospel, love her and her children sincerely.

2 This love I and all who know the truth bear to you, through the influence of the gospel which abideth among us, and shall be continued with us to the end of the world.

3 Grace, mercy, and peace, (sa, the future for the imperative, Ess. iv. 13.), be with you, from God the Father of all, and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, together with the possession of truth, and of love to God and to man.

4 I rejoiced greatly when I found some of thy children, with whom I conversed lately, holding the doctrines and observing the precepts of the gospel, as these were preached by us according to the commandment which we received from the Father.

Ver. 1. The elder.]-For the import of this title, see Pref. sect. 1. penult paragr.

2. To the elect lady ]-The apostle gave to this lady the appellation of elect or excellent, (see Ess. iv. 41.), not only on account of her virtues, but, as Estius observes, because she was distinguished by her birth and opulence; and to shew his respect for her on account of her beneficence to the poor, and to strangers. See ver. 13. note, and Pref. sect. 2.

3. And her children.]-There is no mention made by the apostle of this lady's husband, either because he was dead, or because he was not a Christian.

4. Whom I love.]-The pronoun vs, though the antecedents xve and Tixvo be, the one in the feminine gender, and the other in the masculine, is put in the masculine, because, according to the usage of the Greek language, the masculine gender comprehends both the masculine and the feminine. See Ess. iv. 60.

5. Sincerely. The sincerity and purity of his love to this lady, the apostle shewed on the present occasion, by his earnestness to guard her and her children against being deceived by the false teachers who were then going about among the disciples of Christ. See ver. 7.-Ify and is translated in truth, John's meaning may be, whom I love on account of their adherence to the true doctrine of the gospel. Accordingly he adds, 'And not I only, but all also who know the truth.'

Ver. 2.-1. Through the truth.]-As the apostle is here explaining the principle from which his love to this lady and her children proceeded, I have translated the preposition by the word through, to mark that principle: His love to these excellent persons proceeded from the influence which the true doctrine of the gospel had on his mind, to make him love all the real disciples of Christ.

2. And shall be with us for ever.]—John mentioned the continuance of the Christian religion in the world for ever as a proof of its excellence, and of God's care to support it, notwithstanding the attempts of infidels to destroy it; for these considerations must have been a great encouragement to all in the first age who had received the gospel, to maintain it, although by so doing they exposed them. selves to much persecution.

Ver. 3. And from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, with truth and love.]-Whitby, supposing the clause box aga to be an Hebraism, connects it with the Son of the Father,' and translates the passage thus: From Jesus Christ the true and beloved Son of the Father.' But others construe the passage in this manner: Grace, mercy, and peace, with truth and love, be with you from God the Father, and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father. This construction, I think, should be followed.

Ver. 4.-1. I rejoiced greatly when I found some of thy children.] -So jugaxx 8x TWP TEXOV GOU signifies. From this expression Estius inferred that some of this lady's children were not Christians. But I rather suppose with Grotius, that Jolin speaks of such of her children as in the course of their affairs had come to the place where he was; and that, having conversed with them, he had found them sound, both in the faith and in the practice of the gospel. After they returned hoine, the apostle inscribed this letter to them, as well as to their mother, and by the commendation which he bestowed on them in it, he no doubt encouraged them much to perse

vere in the truth.

2. Walking in truth.]-As walking denotes in scripture the course of a man's behaviour, Ess. iv. 59. walking in truth' may signify, not only that these young persons maintained the true doctrine of the gospel concerning the person of Christ, ver. 7. but that their con

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