For the people, that it is their duty to pray to God, and be thankful for their minister it is plain. Heb. 13. 18. where this commandment is given: Pray for us, for we are assured that we have a good conscience &c. And Paul to Philemon saith: That he hopes through their prayers to be given unto them. and 2. Thes. 3. 1. ⟨p. 22⟩He wills them to pray for him that he may have free passage, and that he may be delivered from unreasonable men. And to Timothy. 2. 1. he wills that prayers be made for all in authority, that as God hath set them over us as governors, so he will govern their hearts, and order their proceedings aright. This confutes those people, that a long time have lived under a ministry, but all that space cannot say that they have once offered up a true and hearty prayer to God for their pastor, that he might be furnished with gifts for the faithful discharge of so great and weighty an office, never spoken to God in his behalf, to give him a door of utterance to deliver aright, and divide the word of truth, to be with his meditations, and direct his tongue that he might to their consciences, and for their edifying. And again if at any time God have poured down more plentiful grace upon their minister, that he hath been better stirred up to teach them, and hath spoken with more power and zeal then ordinary, more earnestly reproving their sins, and exhorting them to repentance; yet they take it but as an ordinary thing, and let it pass without any notice, as though it were not any mercy of God to prepare the ministers mouth to speak to their conscience. And because they be thus slack in desiring, and negligent in thanksgiving for so great a favour, God doth justly deprive them of a great part of the blessing that have carelessly omitted a great part of their duty. So for the ministers of the word, many be there that can say they have preached many sermons, and delivered many doctrines and admonitions to their parishioners; given them many good exhortations. But who of many can say as Jerome did, My soul shall weep for you in secret; if public preaching will not prevail, I will try what private weeping can do, and if I cannot move them by speaking to them to amend, I will move God with many tears in secret to convert them. And thus much for the common duties of both. The particular follow.
For the people, that it is their dutie to pray to God, and be thankfull for their minister it is plaine. Heb. 13. 18. where this commaundement is giuen: Pray for vs, for we are assured that we haue a good conscience &c. And Paule to Philemon saith: That he hopes through their praiers to be giuen vnto thē. and 2. Thes. 3. 1. ⟨p. 22⟩He wils them to pray for him that he may haue free passage, and that he may be deliuered from vnreasonable men. And to Timothie. 2. 1. he wils that prayers be made for all in authoritie, that as God hath set them ouer vs as gouernours, so he will gouerne their hearts, and order their proceedengs aright. This confutes those people, that a long time haue liued vnder a minstry, but all that space cannot say that they haue once offered vp a true and hartie prayer to God for their pastor, that he might be furnished with gifts for the faithfull discharge of so great and waightie an office, neuer spoken to God in his behalfe, to giue him a dore of vtterance to deliuer aright, and deuide the word of truth, to be with his meditations, and direct his tongue that he might to their consciences, and for their edifying. And againe if at anie time God haue powred downe more plentifull grace vpon their minister, that he hath beene better stird vp to teach them, and hath spoken with more power and zeale then ordinarie, more earnestly reprouing their sinnes, and exhorting them to repentance; yet they take it but as an ordinarie thing, and let it passe without any notice, as though it were not any mercie of God to prepare the ministers mouth to speake to their conscience. And because they be thus slacke in desiring, and negligent in thanksgiuing for so great a fauour, God doth iustly depriue them of a great part of the blessing that haue carelesly omitted a great part of their dutie. So for the ministers of the word, many be there that can say they haue preached many sermons, and deliuered many doctrines and admonitions to their parisioners; giuen them many good exhortations. But who of many can say as Ierome did, My soule shall weepe for you in secret; if publike preaching will not preuaile, I will trie what priuate weeping can doe, and if I cannot mooue them by speaking to them to amend, I will mooue God with many teares in secret to conuert them. And thus much for the common duties of both. The particular follow.
