N01668:33
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.
I might have added, that God does sometimes bring Afflictions on His Ministers, out of respect to the spiritual good of His People as well as of ⟨p. 16⟩their own good, that they may be the better able instruct, and comfort and edify them. If we are afflicted it is for your comfort and salvation, 2 Cor. 1. 6. Sometimes the Lord visiteth a Minister of His with Sickness. Prayer recovers him. After that Affliction, (notwithstanding he was a godly Man before that,) he will be more Prayerful, more Humble, and more Holy than before that Affliction, and so a greater Blessing to His People.
THE Enquiry here will be, What things ought the Lord's People to Pray for in behalf of His Ministers?
Answ. 1. THEY should Pray that the Lord will pour more abundantly of His Spirit upon them. That He will furnish them more and more with the Gifts and Graces thereof. Did not Moses make such a Prayer for the Ministers of God? Deut. 33. 8. Let thy Thummin and thy Urim be with thy holy one. The Minister that is Consecrated to God is in that respect an holy one. Thummin signifies Integrity and Piety. Urim signifies Light & Knowledge. Pray that those may be increased in His Ministers. The more sanctified knowledge a Man has, the more sensible he is of his want of more knowledge. As we see in Agur, who was a very knowing as well as a very pious Man. But what Opinion had he of his own knowledge? Prov. 30. 1. We have there the Prophecy, that is a Sermon of Agur, which he spake to Ithiel and Ucal. They seem to be two of his Scholars, who had an high opinion of their Teachers wisdom and knowledge,