N01668:23
A sermon wherein is showed, I. That the ministers of the Gospel need, and…A sermon wherein is shewed, I. That the ministers of the Gospel need, and…
A sermon wherein is showed, I. That the ministers of the Gospel need, and ought to desire the prayers of the Lord's people for them. II. That the people of God ought to pray for his ministers. : Preached at Roxbury, October 29. 1718. When Mr. Thomas Walter was ordained a pastor in that church, by his grand-father, Increase Mather. D.D. : [Seven lines of Scripture texts]A sermon wherein is shewed, I. That the ministers of the Gospel need, and ought to desire the prayers of the Lord's people for them. II. That the people of God ought to pray for his ministers. : Preached at Roxbury, October 29. 1718. When Mr. Thomas Walter was ordained a pastor in that church, by his grand-father, Increase Mather. D.D. : [Seven lines of Scripture texts]
Boston: printed by S. Kneeland for J. Edwards, 1718
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. THE Ministers of the Gospel are more exposed to Temptation than any other Men in the World. Therefore have they cause to say to the Lord's People, Pray for us. The Devil hates them above all other Men, for he knows they are the greatest destroyers of his Kingdom. When the Lord Jesus Christ sent His Ministers to Preach the Gospel, He said, I beheld Satan as Lightning fall from Heaven, Luk. 10. 18. Sometimes by the Preaching of the Gospel whole Kingdoms have been recovered out of Satan's hand, and become visibly the Kingdom of Christ. The Thunder of the Gospel has caused Satan to fall like Lightning. And therefore it is not to be wondered at, if the Devil has a peculiar spite at the Preachers of it. He will molest them with inward Temptations. Within are fears, it may be very afflictive ones; and yet altogether groundless ones. The fiery darts of the wicked one enter into their Souls. And he will raise Persecutions from the Word upon them, In the Twelfth Chapter of the Revelations, the Devil is called a Red Dragon, because of his being the Author of bloody Persecutions; and it is said, that he cast a Flood out of his mouth. That Flood Interpreters suppose intends the Arian ⟨p. 8⟩Heresy and Persecution. The Historians informs us, that that Persecution fell chiefly on the Ministers of the Gospel. And often times it is so, that Persecuting Laws take hold on Ministers when their People escape. They shall be Silenced, Imprisoned, and subject to severe Penalties for Preaching the Gospel. They shall be Subjects of obloquy and reproach, more than others in the World. Shall be slanderously reported, and hear the slander of many. If there is a Minister that the wickedest of Men cry him up, we may conclude that he has not been Faithful in bearing witness against the Sins of the time. Christ says, Luk. 6. 26. Woe unto you when all Men, the generality of wicked Men, shall speak well of you, for so did their Fathers to the false Prophets. But how was it with the Faithful Prophets of God? Christ has said in another place, Blessed are you when Men shall revile you, and speak all manner of evil against you, for my sake, for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you. We often see that if there is a Tree in our Orchards, that has better Fruit on it than others, many sticks and stones will be thrown at it.