prophaned by the Enemies of the Gospell and how they insult and triumph ouer Christ and his holy ordinances It grieues their soules and humbles them often vnto the very dust that Christ will no more shew himselfe in his owne causes Also the consideration of their owne weakenesses and infirmities which in such times they cannot hide whereby they are often a reproch and dishonour to Iesus Christ and a meanes of triumph and glory to the enemies of Christ doth much dismay them but the more Christ suffers himselfe to be reproched and dishonoured in his Saints in this life and the more the wicked do glory and triumph ouer their basenes and infirmities the more will he to the wonderment of all the world glorifie them and glorifie himselfe in them that which he withholds in this life he will pay with infinite vsurie and aduantage in this day if we can patiently wait vntill then And thus much of the description of the day of Doome into which the Apostle for the further consolation of this persecuted Church did digresse Because our testimonie was beleeued of you in that day Here the Apostle returneth againe to that point which a litle he digressed from for hauing in the beginning of the seuenth verse affirmed thus much in effect That it was righteous with God that they which were molested and troubled by wicked men for the Gospels sake in this life should rest with the Euangelists and Apostles in the life to come he here rendreth a reason thereof Because our testimonie was beleeued of you in that day By their testimonie he meaneth the doctrine of the Gospell which they preached the substance where of is contained in their writings This is it they testified of and the testimonie they giue thereof ought to be the ground and foundation of euery Christians beleefe There is no other doctrine of Saluation that a Christian ought to beleeue but what the Apostles and Euangelists giue testimonie of That which hath not their tongue or hand or seale at it doth not appertaine to the Christian Faith yea if our beliefe of the principall parts of the Gospell be grounded onely vpon custome heare-say or tradition from our Auncestors and not vpon their testimonie it is but a fansie and no sound beliefe no though we should giue our bodies to the fire to be burned for the same Would we then be sure whatsoeuer betide vs in this life to rest after this life for euer and euer with the Apostles and be partakers with them in that glorious estate that we perswade our selues they are in Let vs beleeeue their testimonie and so farre forth as we beleeue the same one may be assured to rest with them and the more disquietnesse and restlesnesse we indure in this life for beleeuing them the more we may secure our selues after this life to rest with them little hope can they haue to enter into this rest whose greatest hope lies in the beliefe of that the Apostles neuer gaue any testimony vnto The superstitious ignorant Papist lookes to rest with the Apostles for going on Pilgrimage for his worshipping of Saints Angels for his praying vnto our Lady for his whipping of himselfe for his praying for the dead for forbearing to eate flesh vpon Fridayes and Saturdayes and such like will-worship whose testimonie doe they beleeue herein Not the Euangelists and Apostles They no where giue any testimonie vnto any such matters but rather testifie against them The like may be said of others who though in words they professe that they beleeue the doctrine of the Apostles yet in their deeds they giue the lie thereunto so liuing as if that which the Apostles haue preached or written were but so many fables To goe no further we haue heard the Apostle testifie in this very place That in the latter day Christ will come in flaming fire to render vengeance vnto them that know not God and obey not the Gospell of Iesus Christ would we not if we did beleeue this testimonie striue by all meanes to attaine vnto the knowledge of God to yeeld all due obedience to the Gospell Would we please our selues as we doe in ignorance of God and purposely continue in disobedience and rebellion against the Gospell if we did beleeue this testimonie It is not possible Well we must know that we must neuer looke to enter into rest with the Apostles so long as in this manner we shall refuse to beleeue their testimonie And thus much of the second part of the Apostles Consolation VERS 11. Wherefore we also pray alwayes for you THe third part of the Apostles consolation followeth wherein First he certifieth this Church that He and Siluanus and Timothie doe alwayes pray for them i. doe daily in their ordinarie and extraordinarie prayers remember their afflicted state vnto the Lord and become humble and incessant suiters and suppliants vnto Christ Iesus for them And was not this thinke we matter of great comfort vnto them that such Worthies as these so deepe in grace and fauour with God should so take their afflictions to heart that they should become daily and continuall petitioners vnto God for them neuer giuing the Lord any rest vntill he should heare them and grant their requests If poore oppressed subiects that should indure daily wrongs and molestations from great men should be assuredly certified of this that some speciall Fauourites about the King did take notice of the wrongs and iniuries that were offred vnto them and did daily sollicite the King to releeue them would it not be a great matter of comfort vnto them would they not conceiue hope that at length they should haue some remedie against their oppressors Much more might these poor persecuted Saints in this Church comfort hearten themselues in the midst of all their miserie to consider that they had such continually to supplicate for them who could preuaile as much with God as if Noah Daniel and Iob should haue stood vp and haue intreated the Lord in their behalfe especially seeing they could not be ignorant but that the prayers of men so faithfull must needs preuaile exceedingly with God First in that Paul to the end that he might comfort them certifieth them that he prayeth for them it sheweth that himselfe was perswaded that they were the better for his prayers and that he assured himselfe that they so esteemed themselues to be Though therefore it should be farre from Christians to be proud and conceited of their prayers yet we cannot pray either for our selues or others with that earnestnesse and feruencie of spirit that we ought except we esteeme our prayers certaine and sure instruments of blessings vnto others And this should be the solace and ioy of euery poore Christian soule that thirsteth after the good and welfare of his neighbour that though we be not able to do them that we loue and wish well vnto any other good yet we may pray for them and in praying for them
if they looke not to themselues to be seduced and drawne into most pestilent and pernicious errors such as may take away all hope of and comfort in the comming of Christ. 4. That the serious meditation and consideration of Christs comming and the hope of our assembling vnto him is a speciall meanes to vphold and support all good Christians against such errors It is a speciall bond to binde vs vnto the truth The matter of the Admonition followeth which is this That whereas some secret enemies of the Gospell and of their saluation went about vnder diuers pretences to perswade them that the second comming of Christ should be in their dayes they would not in any case be disquieted and troubled in their mindes or suffer themselues to be deceiued by any such falshood what colors soeuer they should bring for the same Wherein the Apostle offreth to our consideration 1. The error it selfe wherewith seducers went about to corrupt their mindes 2. The pretences which they either did or might vse for the colouring of their error 3. Their intent in perswading togither with the effect and consequent that would follow vpon the entertaining thereof 4. The dutie of Christians in this case 1. The error is this that Christ would come to iudgement out of hand euen in their dayes An euident vntruth as the experience of many ages since hath discouered It ought to be an Article of our Faith to beleeue that Christ shall certainly come againe to iudge the world But it is a pernicious error to determine of this or that particular time of his comming any further then we haue cleare euidence out of the word In matters of Faith we ought not to be wise aboue that which is written And obserue we how busie Satan hath bin from the beginning to fill mens mindes with errors in religion He that durst be so bold to corrupt the doctrine of Faith in the Apostles time will be much more bold now And therefore we had neede to looke vpon what grounds we build our Faith 2. The pretences that either they did or might alledge are these Priuate Reuelation Apostolicall Tradition Writings of the Apostle wrested and misinterpreted These were the meanes whereby euen in the Apostles time the Mysterie of Iniquitie went about to corrupt infect and poyson the Church with errors and heresies And these they are by which they labour to seduce to this day 3. The intent of these seducers in perswading hereunto is not manifestly expressed And surely it may seeme at the first to be a godly error and that they could meane no hurt but good that taught it and that it could produce nothing but religious thoughts deeds in the receiuers thereof causing them the more carefully to prepare themselues that they might the more boldly hold vp their heads in that day And surely those Christians liue a most holy life that so liue to day as if they looked that Christ should come vnto iudgement to morrow And therefore it might seeme that the Diuell should rather be a looser then a sauer much lesse a gainer by this error· But the Apostles earnestnes doth plainly shew that the Diuell and those instruments which he vsed in perswading to this error had a pestilent intent and purpose therein and that it came from the mischieuous Spirit of Antichrist who was now working in a mysterie his owne greatnesse For though for a time the perswasion hereof might stir vp some to looke to their wayes and bridle their natures from many sinnes yet when at length they should perceiue that they feared in vaine and that their religious feares were vpon a wrong ground it would make them afterward breake forth into so much the more profanenesse yea and be a meanes to make them at length to beleeue that there shall be no such day at all and so would it proue a meanes also to open the mouths of profane mockers as it did indeed in those times 2. Pet. 3.4 and so by that meanes to weaken the credit and autoritie of the Scriptures wherein for this error there might seeme they being not rightly vnderstood some ground Let vs therefore beloued take heede of any error in Religion though it haue neuer such a shew For many times those errors in the euent proue most pestilent that carry most shew of piety Note we withall how Antichrist in the very egge hath endeuoured by all wayes to weaken the authoritie of the Scriptures 4. The dutie that the Apostle in this case requireth of them is twofold First that they be not distracted in minde shaken as it were beside their wits and troubled Wherein the Apostle intimateth 1. That it is Satans slight and policie oft by false and strange doctrines to distract and astonish the minds of men to disturbe and driue them in a manner out of their wits by that meanes not onely to make them vncapable of such holy and sound instruction as might stay them in the truth but to make them fit instruments for him further to worke vpon to possesse them with fond illusions and delusions at his pleasure That which we may obserue in the doctrine and practise of the Familists Anabaptists and other like Enthusiasts of our times as also in the courses of some of some of those in the Romish Church who vnder pretence of affecting a seuerer and austerer course of life then ordinarie haue so weakned their braines and confounded their imaginations that they haue afterward fallen into a number of strange fantasticall conceits which partly Satan taking his opportunitie hath suggested vnto them and partly their owne distemper hath of it selfe forged and fraught their heads with The second thing he here intimateth is this that men are vsually very prone to be distracted and perplexed with such strange and vnsound doctrines and with such groundles conceits And surely such indeed is our naturall corruption some remainders whereof abide in the best that the truth of God euidently taught out of the word oft affecteth vs but faintly when such friuolous conceits though hauing no truth in them or ground of them so strongly possesse vs that with many false feares they affright and amase vs and make vs in a manner beside our selues This corruption should we take notice of and striue and contend to the contrary that howsoeuer we labour to keepe our hearts tender and pliable for Gods Spirit and word to worke vpon yet we strengthen our mindes against such friuolous and false feares and terrors as Satan by his instruments and their strange fancies shall assay to possesse vs with The second dutie that the Apostle requireth of them is to take heede that no man by any meanes deceiue them Wherein the Apostle forewarneth them that by no manner of man or meanes they suffer themselues to be deluded on this wise That neither the persons of those that publish such points though they seeme to be neuer so holy and religious in their life or to be neuer so
sound in their doctrine and teaching otherwise nor the meanes they shall pretend for the ground of such their doctrine be it reuelation or tradition or authoritie of other learned or counterfeit writings or the like preuaile so far with them as to cause them to giue credit to any erronious doctrine contrary to that that the Apostle had before deliuered vnto them and did now further informe them of Whence we learne as in hearing to respect and regard not so much who it is that speaketh as what it is that is deliuered so withall to be carefull to examine whatsoeuer doctrine shall be deliuered of any vpon any grounds or termes whatsoeuer with the doctrine of the Prophets Apostles in the holy Scriptures recorded and take heede how we admit any whatsoeuer the bringer of it be or whatsoeuer plausible pretences shall be alledged for it that we shall finde vpon due examination to dissent and swerue from the written word or not to haue sure footing and foundation from thence For that day shall not come except there come an Apostasie first The Apostle hauing in the two former verses admonished the Church to beware of a dangerous error that some went about to corrupt their mindes withall concerning the comming of our Sauiour Christ as if it were instant For the further strengthning of them against the same error be taketh occasion by way of prophecie to foretell of great matters that must come to passe before that day which could not within the compasse of one or of sundry ages following be fulfilled The matter of this prophecie is concerning Antichrist the most pestilent and cruell enemie of the Church of Christ a matter of great vse and consequence to all the faithfull people of God The parts of it are three For 1. He foretelleth an Apostasie 2. He foresheweth an Effect thereof 3. He layeth downe the meanes and the cause thereof And this he doth to the end that all Gods people that haue vnderstanding may take heede both of the one and of the other For the first he affirmeth that before that that day shall come there must be an Apostasie An Apostasie generally signifieth a reuolting or falling away from him whom we are bound haue vndertaken to serue and a betaking of our selues to the seruice of his enemie As when Souldiers in the field forsake their own Captaine or Emperor vnto whom they haue sworne allegiance and perfidiously and traiterously ioyne themselues to the aduerse partie And such a kinde of Apostasie is it that the Apostle here meaneth Now that we may make the more vse of this point let vs in order consider 1. From whom this Apostasie is made 2. Vnto whom it is made 3. By whom 4. By how many 5. Where 6. Wherein it consisteth 7. When it beginneth 8. When it shall end The discussing of these points is needfull in regard of that wicked opposition that is made vnto the truth contained in this Scripture by the enemies of the Grace of God who are wounded to the quicke by the same and labour by all wicked fraud possible to couer it from vs. For the first it is plaine that this Apostasie is a reuolting or falling from Iesus Christ. He is the Emperor from whom the departure here mentioned shall be made This our Aduersaries themselues dare not denie yet faine they would shift it of and therefore their great Champion saith that it may be vnderstood to be a departing from the Romane Empire For the confirmation whereof he bringeth the names of three Latine Fathers But it cannot be so vnderstood For 1. this sense contradicteth that which Bellarmine himselfe maketh the best sense of these words For if by Apostasie in this place be ment as he saith Antichrist himselfe who should be such a notable Apostata that he may well be called Apostasie it selfe then it cannot by any meanes be ment of an Apostasie from the Romane Empire Since it is out of all question that the Apostasie of the great Antichrist must needs be from Christ. 2. That must needs be an Apostasie from Christ wherein Antichrist worketh and by which he groweth to his height 3. This Apostasie is afterwards in the 7. verse called the Mysterie of Iniquitie which must needs be opposite to the Mysterie of Godlinesse of the Gospell and so by consequent it must needs be a departure from Christ. Neither can it bee shewed that the Scripture any where taketh this word in any other sense where it vseth it indefinitely 4. The vse that the Apostle maketh of this in the 15. verse manifesteth the same Therefore saith he brethren stand fast and keepe the instructions you haue bin taught What Doth he herein moue them to stand fast to the Romane Emperor and Empire No but Iesus Christ of whom he had spoken before This standing fast is opposite to falling away which therefore the Apostle expresseth else-where by a word that signifieth to fall Looke therefore what the Apostle willeth them to stand fast to was this departure to be made from This point then is cleare that Christ is the person fron whom this Apostasie shall be made And yet suppose it were from the Emperor what good getteth the Iesuite or his Master or his Church by that Surely none at all For they are all of them Apostataes from the Empire of Rome they haue thrust the Emperor from Rome they haue taken his authoritie from him and the loialtie and homage that they owe to him do they giue to a proud vsurping Prelate who out of this Apostasie is risen vp and so by the same consequent is reuealed to be Antichrist 2. The Person vnto whom in this Apostasie they flie must needs be some speciall aduersarie of Christ. And that must needs be Antichrist who is the head ring-leader in this Apostasie though masked and couered for a time For he is the party that in this Apostasie shall be discouered and he is afterward described to be the Aduersarie to whom but to Christ and all true Christians Now reuolters euer flie to the aduerse partie I know none that denieth this or maketh any question of it And this confirmeth the former point For to fall to Antichrist is to fall from Christ. 3. This Apostasie is to be made by Christians that is such as haue giuen their names to Christ and haue bin baptised into his Name This is plaine For none can reuolt or fall from Christ but he that is the professed seruant and follower of Christ. 4. This Apostasie is to be a generall or vniuersall departure of the whole Christian world tho not of euery particular Christian in the world This is manifest 1. By the indefinite speech of the Apostle For if he had ment otherwise then of a generall defection he would some way or other haue limited his speech 2. Our Sauiour speaking of the latter times saith When the Sonne of Man commeth shall he finde Faith vpon earth 3. Many of
vnto it and embraceth it This Faith and Sanctification go hand in hand togither The motions of a sanctified spirit goe no further then the light of this truth and this eye of faith doth direct And what neede they feare to be seduced or drawne out of the way that haue such a Spirit to moue them such an eye and light and rule to direct them Vers. 14. Wherevnto he hath called you by our Gospell to obtaine the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ. THe outward meanes whereby the inward meanes were wrought was the Ministerie of the Apostles and Euangelists which he calleth their Gospell Whereby he declareth that whatsoeuer they ministred to the people it was the Gospell and therefore that we that are Ministers should tread in their steps and minister that onely to Gods people that we may avow to be Gospell By this Ministerie being nothing else but the Ministerie of the Gospell were they called saith the Apostle to sanctification and faith in the truth The Gospell then yea our Gospell .i. the Ministerie of the Gospell practised and instituted by the Apostles is Gods owne consecrated instrument whereby the Spirit worketh sanctification faith Thus doth the Lord honor his Ministerie So that they which are the despisers thereof neuer had any true faith or sanctification and therefore are a prey to Antichrist And surely who are they that he preuaileth against in our Kingdome Are they not manifest despisers of this ordinance For as for those that are called by the same vnto sanctification and faith they cannot but honor it as the blessed instrument of their conuersion and eternall saluation He sheweth further wherein the end of this their Ministerie consisted in calling of them to the obtaining of the glory of Christ. i. of that euerlasting glory and happines by Christ which Christ our Head himselfe in Heauen now enioyeth So that this is a notable meanes to debase the glory of Antichrist to fix our eyes on the glory that Christ hath purchased for vs and is entred into heauen to take seisen and possession of in our behalfe And surely one maine cause why a many are so carried away with the glittering shewes of Antichrists pompous estate is because they haue not their mindes set nor the eyes of their soules fixed on that wonderfull and vnutterable and inconceiuable glory that for all Christs faithfull followers is prepared in heauen All the glory of Antichrist would be vile in their eyes if they so did Vers. 15. Therefore Brethren stand fast and keepe the instructions which you haue bin taught either by word or by our Epistle THe Use and Application followeth As if he had said Seeing you haue so great matter of comfort Brethren stand fast c. Wherein we are to consider these 3. things 1. The dutie that he exhorteth them vnto 2. The ground of the dutie 3. The meanes of performing of the dutie The dutie is that they stand fast It is a metaphor borrowed from Souldiers who in brunt of battell gather their strength togither that they may not be ouerthrowne So he would haue them to do to gather togither all the strength they can that they may stand against the brunt and storme of Antichrist Whence we may learne 1. The beloued and elect of God shall bee powerfully and strongly assaulted by the Man of sinne and in great danger to fall into the Apostasie aforesaid if they looke not vnto themselues 2. That they must therefore gather all their force and strength togither to stand strongly to the defence of the true faith and religion that no tempests and stormes may remoue them from it 2. The ground of this dutie is implied in the word Therefore i. Seing that the Lord hath elected you c therefore stand fast The doctrine then of the certainty of our saluation and of our election is not a doctrine of securitie but it hath this nature in whomsoeuer it is found to stir vp men so much the more to stand to the truth So that the more that a man is assured of his saluation the more he will striue to keep the faith So that if he should see his name written in the booke of life yet would not this make him wax secure but so much the more carefull to please God and so much the more resolute against the enemies of God If a man should know that his body were in that case that he could not be slaine in battell howsoeuer he might be wounded maimed and hurt would that make him to yeeld himselfe to his enemies or to suffer them to wound and hurt him Would it not rather make him fight so much the more couragiously 3. The meanes follow of performing this dutie whereby they and all other may stand fast The first is that they hold fast or lay a sure hand as the word signifieth vpon the Apostles Traditions These Traditions are all such Ordinances of religion and diuine worship as were taught and established by the Apostles and Euangelists whether by word or by Epistle For vnto them whom the Apostles with their owne mouths preached their words were of equall authoritie with their writings But with vs to whom they neuer spake their writings onely are authenticall and not their words because we know not what they spake more then they writ 1. The dutiâ— then is this to lay hold with both hands on the doctrine of the Apostles and not to suffer any part or parcell thereof to be wrung forth of our hands 2. This shewes the meanes whereby Antichrist hath so much preuailed for that men haue not held fast the Apostles traditions but the Churches of Christ haue suffred now one Ordinance and then an other to be wrung out of their hands Vers. 16. Now the same Iesus Christ our Lord and our God euen the Father which hath loued vs and hath giuen vs euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace 17. Comfort your hearts and stablish you in euery word and good worke THe second meanes of standing fast is in the hand of God and it is twofold 1. Consolation of the heart Except the Lord from heauen send a comfortable and cheerefull heart that it be not daunted and terrified one shall hardly hold fast Whereas so long as the Lord comforteth the heart so long we shall vphold and maintaine the faith 2. God must also establish vs and confirme vs in euery word and good worke that we may so carry our selues in word and deed that we giue no aduantage to the aduersarie For if Antichrist can trip vs in either he will giue vs a dangerous blow The Apostle therefore concludeth this matter with a prayer to Iesus Christ and to God the Father stirring him thereunto by mention of that free fauour of his toward them whereby in Christ he hath loued them and giue them euerlasting consolation by putting them in good hope of eternall saluation through grace Thereby teaching vs that the maine ground of our assurance of future
and further mercies from God ariseth from the consideration of his former fauour and loue toward vs. And that therefore we must labour to get assurance of the one if we desire to haue our faith confirmed and strengthned in the hopefull expectation of the other And thus much of the fourth part of this Epistle THE THIRD CHAPTER Vers. 1. Furthermore Brethren pray for vs that the word of the Lord may haue free passage and be glorified as it is with you THE fift part of this Epistle followeth which is a petition wherin the Apostle becōmeth an earnest suter vnto the Church that he writes vnto And what doth he sue for For their prayers He entreateth them that they would pray for him for Syluanus and Timothy his fellow-labourers And to the end that he might obtaine his desire he calleth vpon them by the name of Brethren as he hath done twise or thrise in this Epistle already Wherein we must not thinke that the Apostle according to the common vsage of this age doth it onely for courtly complement a thing far from the disposition of that Spirit by which he writ this Epistle but he doth vnfainedly desire this office at their hands as a principall fruit of their brotherly loue and affection towards him and as a matter whereby he expecteth a speciall blessing from God Whence we may learne these lessons 1. That it is the dutie of Christian brethren mutually to pray one for an other vnto God their Father Paul he prayes for the Thessalonians and he prayes them to pray for him The brethren in Christ doe mutually merit one an others prayers when they pray one for an other Doe I pray vnto God for thee I haue therein deserued that thou shouldst pray for me The wages of an hired labourer are no more due to him then thy prayers are due vnto me And thou shalt answer at Gods tribunall vpon an action of debt and default of payment if thou answer not the same Though I should not pray for thee yet art thou bound to pray for me the Lord hath laid this law vpon vs to pray euen for them that persecute vs and to blesse them that curse vs How much more are we then to pray for them that pray for vs and to blesse them that blesse vs And as this is a mutuall dutie and debt that one Christian owes to an other so ought all Christians to make that reckoning of this debt as that they should vpon all occasions demand and require it and not remit or forgiue it We can demand our temporall debts and will thinke much to remit a penny in the payment of a great summe But for this spirituall debt we can be content to let it goe and neuer demand it Or if we do at any time demaund it it is but for ceremonie and fashion we care not whither men pay it or no. This shewes beloued that we make no reckoning or account of an others prayers For if we did we would oftner demand them then we do And the rather because the debt is of that nature that the more we vrge the payment thereof the more we fauour the person indebted the more we neglect to vrge the same the more wrong we doe vnto him For there is no prayer that he makes for vs but he obtaines thereby as great a blessing for himselfe as for vs. 2. If we desire that others should pray effectually vnto God for vs let them see that we esteem them as brethren and let vs so demeane our selues towards them as they may esteeme of vs as brethren For howsoeuer the prayers of the faithfull may do good to them that as yet are not brethren in Christ yet is there a more liuely feeling of the efficacie and power of prayer and of the sweet influences of Gods graces obtained by them when professed brethren pray one for an other And onely by their prayers can we looke to get good that are our brethren For otherwise their prayers are an abomination to God and their blessings in themselues but so many curses 3. The prayers of the faithfull are the common goods of the Church And there are none so high and great in fauour with God but they stand in neede of the prayers of others euen of their inferiours Behold here Paul a great Apostle of Iesus Christ that had bin rapt vp into the third heauen and there heard things vnutterable he that had the Spirit of Prophecie and the gift of working miracles and who was in a singular manner illuminate in the mysterie of the Gospell and inspired to be a pen-man of holy Scripture desires the prayers of this poore Church Would that Spirit by which he writ this Epistle haue suffred him so to haue done but that through the same Spirit he had a liuely sense of his owne neede and a confidence that he should be the better blessed by meanes of them and that God would for their sakes shew the more fauour vnto him There are none therefore so low meane in Gods Church but the highest may be beholden to them for their prayers Paul here desires the Thessalonians to speake to and entreat God for him and his fellowes This should teach vs to stir vp this gift in our selues and highly to esteeme the prayers euen of the meanest of Gods seruants For if the Spirit of God taught Paul to make that reckoning of them much more ought we euen the Ministers who as we are many degrees inferiour to Paul so doe we by so many degrees more need the helpe of the prayers of the meanest of Gods people euen we I say that are Ministers do need the prayers of our people and the people need to pray for their Minister yea the meanest of them must learne to be Orators vnto God for him if they looke to reap fruit by his labours And this no doubt is one maine cause that the Lord doth no more blesse our labours vnto you because you neuer pray for vs nay because many of you cannot pray for vs. The Apostle doth not onely in generall require this Churches prayers but he giues them speciall directions concerning the matter of those prayers which he would haue them to make for him Wherein in generall and by the way he teacheth that if Ministers will looke to reap fruit from the prayers of their Churches they must teach and direct them how to pray and informe them in the speciall matter of their prayers We must not onely call vpon men to pray but we must teach them how to pray as both CHRIST and IOHN taught their Disciples It is very fitting and necessarie that Christians should haue directions for prayer yea and for the further helpe of their weaknes set formes of prayer also though they are not to be tied onely vnto them and stinted streitned so as they may not vse any other prayers but according to the practise of our Churches that prescribe and vse set formes