Ver(.3o, the Epifile liberty, living, and life.So Chrift,fo the Prophets,and fo Apoftles have walked. DIAL oFiva VI. Verfts 30, 35, 32, 33. Now I be leech you brethren,for the Lord 3efue Chrifis f aloe, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye do ffrive together with me in your prayers to God for me. 3e. That Imight be delivered frock thole which do not beleeve in Judea, and that my ferviee which I have for Jerufalem, may be accepted of the Saints, 32.7hatl may come to you with joy, by the will of God, and may with you be refrefbed. 33. Now the God afpcace be Withyou 414 Amen. TIMOTH &us. TT Et ur have the meaning, method,and mat- Liter of there foure verfes withmofi perJpi- cuous brevity. S r L. They contain the.laft part of this Chapter his commending. himfelf to their prayers, with an exceeding relis. gious obteflation (even as Chrift or his Spirit be dear unto then)) fo that they be ready (not to helpe) but to fight to- gether with him in prayer to God the author of all good,the próteltor again ft all evil], verfe 3 t.Then in verfe 33. the fubje& of their prayer, or things to be prayed for on Paul, behalfe are two : Firft, to be let free from the unbelee- ving and cruel! Jewes which maligned Paul molt of all other Apoûles and difciples of Chrif. Secondly, that the poor Church of Jerufalem, might as thankfully accept the aimes brought them by him , as it was freely and voluntarily given them. Afterwards he noteth the cf3è &s and fruites of their mutuall prayers ; one was that he might come to them, being Paved from the fury of enemies;and the other, that he might come with more gladneffe, if he under - flood his fervice for the poor Brethren to be accepted, otherwife his coming would be with grief, verfes 32, 33. T o M. Come to the matter, and touch the doarines, reafons,and ufes, ver fe by verfe, as ye did before. to the Romans. 617 s r L. The firft Doo`trtne ottt of the 3o.verfe is, that the ftronger do need the prayers of the weaker. The reafon is, becaufethere will be fti!l fomewhat wanting to the heft, and the force of prayers depends not upon the worthi- neffe of perlons (tor the Romans were lei%wórthy then Paul) but on Chrifts merits, in whole name whofoever come to God, fhall be heard for themfelves and other. For that God which com- mands us to pray for our felves, enjoy - nett: us to pray for others:efpecially our Teachers, as having more nerd unto, and more right in our prayers, then other Chriftians have. The Life is to warne the weaker to Phew their charity in praying for the worthier, and the worthier} their hu- mility in feeking the repel} of the meaneft. How much more ought the infirme to defire earneftly the helpe of the zealous prayers of the ftrong,when the ftrongeft,fuch as Paul, doth crave the weaker fort to remember him?Secondly, GodsprovidenGe which is firft and fove- raigne caufe, and mens prayers which are fecond caufcs, be not repugnant but fubordinate; the One deftroyes not the other, brit they mutually require one the other. Paul was lure to come to Rome by Gods power, yet he negle ð not the meanes, he prayeth and intreateth them to pray, for hint : fee Atl. 23.3 2. Mat. 7.7,8. The reafon is, becaule God bath ordainedprayer and other in canes, with a commandement to Life theme alto he ufeth to face his providence by meanes, though he be free and untied to any meanes, yea, even when he fetteth Inftruments aworke, yet he doth all, becaule he will; for he is a molt free agent. This checkes fuch as forellow prayer and other helpes as need requireth, and as God offereth them ; they are in his obedience and fear to be tiled, left he be tempted. When a certaine Pallor had laid to a great Warriour, going to bartaile, that he would pray for him; who replyed that it fhould not neede, becaule if God meant him vi &ory, it fhould come without his prayers; to Ggg a whom
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