1. THEY are called unto a great and difficult Work, which they are not able to manage aright without special help from Heaven; Therefore it becomes them to say, Pray for us. They that think their Work is easy know not what it is. Nehemiah said, I am doing a great Work, Neh. 6. 3. Why? What was he doing? He was repairing the Walls of Jerusalem. The Ministers of the Gospel are engaged in building not the Material but the Spiritual Jerusalem, ⟨p. 4⟩and that's a great Work. Precious Souls are committed to their Care and Charge, for which they must be accountable. And if any of those Souls perish through their negligence the Account will be dreadful. In the Verse before my Text it is said, They watch for your Souls, as they that must give Account. Is not the work of a Watchman attended with difficulty and hazard? The words of God to the Prophet are exceeding awful, Ezek. 33. 7, 8. I have set thee a Watchman to the house of Israel; when I say to the Wicked, O Wicked Man thou shalt surely die, if thou dost not speak to warn the Wicked Man from his way, that Wicked Man shall die in his iniquity, but his Blood will I require at thy hand. The thought of that is tremendous. A Minister of the Gospel is engaged in a Work for which it is said, Who is sufficient, 2 Cor. 2. 16. The ablest Minister in the World has not self sufficiency for so great an undertaking. 2 Cor. 3. 5. We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves. Are we are able by our thinking or studying, to prepare Sermons that shall Convert or Edify Souls? No: all our sufficiency is of God. Therefore He is to be Prayed unto. It is said concerning the Levites who were Ministers and Teachers, that they managed their bearing the Ark as became them, when God helped them, 1 Chron. 15. 25. Then it concerns them to say, Pray for us, that God will please to help us in the Work whereunto He has called us, and separated us.
1. THEY are called unto a great and difficult Work, which they are not able to manage aright without special help from Heaven; Therefore it becomes them to say, Pray for us. They that think their Work is easy know not what it is. Nehemiah said, I am doing a great Work, Neh. 6. 3. Why? What was he doing? He was repairing the Walls of Jerusalem. The Ministers of the Gospel are engaged in building not the Material but the Spiritual Jerusalem, ⟨p. 4⟩and that's a great Work. Precious Souls are committed to their Care and Charge, for which they must be accountable. And if any of those Souls perish through their negligence the Account will be dreadful. In the Verse before my Text it is said, They watch for your Souls, as they that must give Account. Is not the work of a Watchman attended with difficulty and hazzard? The words of God to the Prophet are exceeding awful, Ezek. 33. 7, 8. I have set thee a Watchman to the house of Israel; when I say to the Wicked, O Wicked Man thou shalt surely die, if thou dost not speak to warn the Wicked Man from his way, that Wicked Man shall die in his iniquity, but his Blood will I require at thy hand. The thought of that is tremendous. A Minister of the Gospel is engaged in a Work for which it is said, Who is sufficient, 2 Cor. 2. 16. The ablest Minister in the World has not self sufficiency for so great an undertaking. 2 Cor. 3. 5. We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves. Are we are able by our thinking or studying, to prepare Sermons that shall Convert or Edify Souls? No: all our sufficiency is of God. Therefore He is to be Prayed unto. It is said concerning the Levites who were Ministers and Teachers, that they managed their bearing the Ark as became them, when God helped them, 1 Chron. 15. 25. Then it concerns them to say, Pray for us, that God will please to help us in the Work whereunto He has called us, and separated us.
