1. They may, and ought to pray in Faith. That the Gospel may be sent among them. That it may be Received by them. And be blessed to the Conversion, and Salvation, of all that are ordained to Eternal life, among them. For such Prayers, being according to the Will of God, They may be confident, that he heareth them, 1 Joh. v. 14. And that God requireth, and expecteth such Prayers from them, cannot be unknown to any, who acquaint themselves with the Scriptures. For, (1.) Our Lord Jesus Christ recommendeth this matter to the Prayers of private Christians, Matth. ix. 37, 38. Then, saith he unto his Disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the Labourers are few. Pray ye therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth Labourers into his harvest. Here we may take notice, (1.) That by the Metaphor, or Allegory of an Harvest our Saviour ⟨image 127⟩would instruct us, That, as when the Corn is ripe, Men use to employ Reapers, to cut it down, and gather it in: So there are some blessed Seasons, wherein God hath decreed, to send the Gospel among a People, and accordingly prepares, and disposeth them for the Reception of it, and raiseth in them a propensity, and strong affection toward it. Thus it was, when John the Baptist came, and Preached, That the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand, Matth. iii. 2. and it follows in verse the 5th, Then went out unto him, Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan. And our Saviour sets a special remark upon that time, Matth. xi. 12. And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. When, therefore, ye hear, That the Day of the Gospel, begins to Dawn, in any of the dark corners of the Earth, Then, Lift up a Prayer, That the Grace and Power of the Spirit, may accompany it, and make it successful. (2.) Our Saviour teacheth you to pray, That the Labourers may be increased, proportionably to the work; as when he saith, [The Harvest is plenteous, but the Labourers are few.] Pray then, that God would employ such as are Skilful, and Industrious; such as Paul describes, 2 Tim. ii. 15. Study to show thy self approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth; And pray, That God would employ such a number of them, as is sufficient for the work.
1. They may, and ought to pray in Faith. That the Gospel may be sent among them. That it may be Received by them. And be blessed to the Conversion, and Salvation, of all that are ordained to Eternal life, among them. For such Prayers, being according to the Will of God, They may be confident, that he heareth them, 1 Joh. v. 14. And that God requireth, and expecteth such Prayers from them, cannot be unknown to any, who acquaint themselves with the Scriptures. For, (1.) Our Lord Jesus Christ recommendeth this matter to the Prayers of private Christians, Matth. ix. 37, 38. Then, saith he unto his Disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the Labourers are few. Pray ye therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth Labourers into his harvest. Here we may take notice, (1.) That by the Metaphor, or Allegory of an Harvest our Saviour ⟨image 127⟩would instruct us, That, as when the Corn is ripe, Men use to employ Reapers, to cut it down, and gather it in: So there are some blessed Seasons, wherein God hath decreed, to send the Gospel among a People, and accordingly prepares, and disposeth them for the Reception of it, and raiseth in them a propensity, and strong affection toward it. Thus it was, when John the Baptist came, and Preached, That the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand, Matth. iii. 2. and it follows in verse the 5th, Then went out unto him, Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan. And our Saviour sets a special remark upon that time, Matth. xi. 12. And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. When, therefore, ye hear, That the Day of the Gospel, begins to Dawn, in any of the dark corners of the Earth, Then, Lift up a Prayer, That the Grace and Power of the Spirit, may accompany it, and make it successful. (2.) Our Saviour teacheth you to pray, That the Labourers may be increased, proportionably to the work; as when he saith, [The Harvest is plenteous, but the Labourers are few.] Pray then, that God would imploy such as are Skilful, and Industrious; such as Paul describes, 2 Tim. ii. 15. Study to shew thy self approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth; And pray, That God would imploy such a number of them, as is sufficient for the work.
