=98 Sermon z. power and pra&ice of religion from the theory there- of; and that we prefer not the fearch after Tome more cryptick and dark things in religion, to the ferious pra. dice of the more plain and obvious truths thereof : For the preventing whereof, as by other means, fo w e find the apoffle very ordinarily in the dole of his epiftles, af- ter more do&rinal difcourfes, fùbjoining feme plain and familiar dire &ions, concerning the pra &ice of fuch du- ties that are generally known and acknowledged; amongst which this is one, viz Prayer for one another, and more particularly and efpecialIy for the miniffers of the go7 fpel ; Pray for us (faith he) in the firft part of this verfe. We would then learn, confcientioufly to improve our light and knowledge towards the pra &ice of the duties of religion, and moft of thefe that are moff necefiary ; and particularly, we would learn to lay due weight on the praftice of this duty : Miniflers would neither difdain nor think fhame to call for the help of the peoples pray- ers ; neither would people negle &,nor think it needlefs, or a burden to them, to take a ferious lift of their mi- niffers in their prayers to God. When we preps obedi- ence in all things, as the evidence of a good Confcience, we would preps obedience t . this amon ;íf the reff, which, whoever negle&, will in fo far mar the peace of their Confcience before God ; for they cannot have a good Con - fcience in all things, if they negle& or flight this piece of their duty : Therefore, without further infifting in ir, we exhort you in the name of the Lord, Pray for us. The other thing in the verfe, whereof we began to fpeak the laff day, is the reafon or motive whereby Paul preffes them to this duty ; by which an obje&ion is ob- viated : They might, be -like, fay, at leaff think, that he was an afperfèd, reproached and ill- fpoken of man ; and that therefore they had but fmall ground of encou- ragement to pray for him : No, faith he, notwithflan- ding thefe of jerfions (which are falle and groundlefs) Pray for us, for eve truft we have a good Confcience in all things. And, becaufe this affertion might look big, he qualifies it in the words following, wherein he clears what he means, and proves that he fpoke not at random, We Pave a good Confciencep willing in all tpi gs (frith he) to WZ
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