Ver. 9. the 17th Chapter of St. J O H N. I o5 Again, it tóncerneth Matters of Families. Your Family is your Charge, given you of God, pray for them in the Bowels of Love. You are to make an Errand to the Throne of Grace, not only for your (elves, but your Children and Servants i as the Centurion came to Chrift for his Servant, Mat. 8. 6. If We did not want Hearts, we cpuld never want an occafion of recourfe to God. By virtue of our Relation, we are to efpoufe the Interefts of our Family, and to plead with God on their behalf, as we would on our own. Job is an excellent Pattern, Yob r. 5. He role early, day by day, and ofered Burnt-Offirings for his Children, in the time of their Feafting. Hit great care was, to keep his Children in the Favour of God ; he knew no hurt in their Feaft- ing, had heard none by information ; yet becaufe Mifcarriages are ufual in the heat and licence of Feafts, the Family Ihould not be without a daily Sacrifice : For, Job faid, it may be that my Sons have finned, and turfed God in their Hearts. Up then be- times, as Job did, and milk out a Bleflrng for your Families ; not only in general, as Men will put up curfory Prayers, out of Cuftom and Ufe, for their Families ; they pray God to blefs their Families : but bring them forth by Head and Pole; and let them before the Lord ; as lob offered Sacrifices according to the member of his Children Or as Chrift here, Ipray for theft, pointing to the Apoftles; Lord ! for thefe, and eve- ry one of them. The occafion of yob's Prayer is not manifeft. If you do but fuCpeEt that a Child hath fuck a Difeafe, you will go to a Phyfician ; thould we have lets care of their Souls ? Chrift lays, they live in an evil World, verr r r. therefore he prays for them. Again, look on this Prayer of Chrift, not only as an Aft of Love to his Charge and Familiars, but as an Aét of Prudence as to the Apoftles, who were to bring others to believe by their Word. I pray for them, I pray not for. the World, &c. Theft that are defigned for the great Work of the Gofpel, chiefly for them; they had to do with Obftinate Jews, and Idolatrous Gentiles ; and they had need take the Blefling of Chrift's Prayers along with them : Minifters, and Difpenfers of the Myfteries of Salva- tion, above all Men, need the help of your Prayers. How affe tionately doth Paul call for this every where ? r Theft: 5. 2 5. Brethren, pray for us. It is a Duty you owe, and it may be not only of great comfort to us, but of great profit to your felves. God would have all Orders and Eftates in the Church, to be obliged to one another; you for our Inftrultions, we for your Prayers. The Head cannot fay to the Foot, I have no need of thee, a Cor. 12.2 r. Our Calling is encumbred with the more Difficulties ; and that we may be acquainted with all forts of Satan's Enterprizes, our Perlons may be expofed to more Temptations than Yours. The many Things requifite to make our Miniftry ufeful, call for your Prayers ; Abilities, the right ufe of them ; Fruit and rut, cefs, that we may be able Paftors, faithful, fuccefsful ; that we may have Abilities, which are a common Gain ; whatever Gifts are bellowed on Minifters, are for the Peo- ples profit; that out of love of Eafe, or love of the World, or Error, we may not miflead you, nor be dilheartned for lack of fuccefs. tnitead of praying for Minifters, many now pray againit them ; the Calling is repined at, as if it were Come heavy Plague and Judgment lent upon theWorld. But therefore you have need to pray the more, 2 Tbeffl 3. 2. That we may be delivered from unreafonable and wicl¿ed Men; for all Men have not Faith. Pray that the Lights of the Church be not eclipfed ; pray for our ftanding amidtt the Affaults of Satan. It is not enough to give us Love and Mainte- nance, but we mull have your Prayers. So much for the Obje& of Chrift's Prayer. H. Now for the Limitation of that Objet : I pray not for the World, but fir than that thon haft given me. Many Things may be inferred out of this Limitation : a. Univerfal Redemption is difproved ; for thole for whom Chrift prayed not, for them he died not. There two Offices of the Prielthood mull not be fevered ; Chrift doth not only profefs to pray for thefe, but denieth to pray for the World : His Inter - cefflon is of the fame latitude with his Redemption ; they are Alls of the fame Office, and of the fame Extent and Latitude : All Men were not intended in his Pailion and Intercefíìon ; [ See Serin, on 2 Cor. 5. r6. ] 2. The Weaknefs of the World, notwithflanding all their outward Props and Sup- ports ; altho they be ftrong, and have many op their fide, yet they have not Chrift on their fide. He hath left the World out of his Prayers, he will not fo much as take 0 o o their
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