A practical commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and uses upon the first…A practicall commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and vses upon the first…

Doct. The sin unto death, or the sin against the holy Ghost, we have no warrant to pray for it.

I do not say; that is, I give you no warrant, nor any other of the Apostles, to pray for it, that is, for the good or salvation of them that have sinned this sin. Though Paul bide us pray for all men, 2 Tim. 2.1. yet St. John excepts them that have sinned this sin; and Paul himself is so far from praying for them that he prays against them, 2 Tim. 4.15. Alexander the Coppersmith hath done me much harm, the Lord reward him according to his works. No more dangerous curse, then to be dealt with according to our works. Indeed David sometimes desires to be dealt with according to his works, Ps. 18. but he means according to the innocency of his cause, not of his person; in case of some particular action he may plead so, but if it be spoken at large, in general, that the Lord would reward us according to our works, no more heavy curse; therefore when he prays so against Alexander, 2 Tim. 4.14. he means that God would confound him; whatever he was, no doubt he was a member of the Church, for Paul judged not them that were without, 1 Cor. 5. ult. Whether it were that Alexander spoken of, Acts 19, that bec••ed with the hand, as if he would have pleaded for Paul, and the people esteemed him an enemy to their superstition; or whether it were that Alexander, 1 Tim. 1.20. whom Paul delivered to Satan (as is likely) certainly he had formerly been a professor of the truth, who afterward ⟨p. 429⟩