heart pvizctli higlily, though it costs him dear to promote it. Now, in praying but for one single saint, thou dost both, 2 Cor. i. 1 1 : ' Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf.' Paid begging prayers enforceth his request with a double argument. First, From the prevalency^ of joint-prayers. When twenty pull at a rope, the strength of every one is in- fluential to the drawing of it ; so in prayer, where many concur, all help. God looks at every one's faith and fervency exerted in the duty, and directs the answer to all. Secondly, From the harmony of joint-praises. The fuller the concert in praises, the sweeter the music in God's ear: joint-prayers produce social praises. He that concurs to a prayer, and not in returning praise, is like one that helps his friend into debt, but takes no care to help him out. Secondly, By praying for others, we increase our own joy. When Paul saw the prayers which he'had sown for the Thessalonian saints come up in their faith and zeal, he is transported with joy, as an incomparable mercy bestowed upon himself: ' What thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God?' 1 Thess. iii. 9. He had watered them with his prayers : God gives him joy for their grace : his joy flourisheth, and his heart is so ravished, that he knows not what thanks to God are enough for the mercy he receives through their hands. Truly, the reason why we gain no more from the graces of our brethren is, because we venture no more prayers upon them. Thirdly, This would be an undoubted evidence to prove ourselves saints, could we but heartily pray for them that are such. Love to the brethren is often given as a character of a true saint. Now, there is no act whereby we express our love to saints, which stands more clear from insincerity than this of praying for them. Will you say you love the saints, because you frequent their company, shew kindness to their persons, stand up in their defence against those that reproach them, or because you can suffer with them? All this is excellent, if sincere ; yet how easy is it for vain-glory, or some other carnal end, to mingle with these ! But if thou canst find thy heart in secret, where none of these temptations have such an advantage to corrupt thee, pray to God for them with a deep sense and feeling for their sins, wants, and sorrows ; this will speak more for the sincerity of thy love than all the former without this.
CHAPTER XX.
THE APPLICATION OF THE POINT.
Must we pray above all for saints? Woe then to those who, instead of praying for them, had rather ' make a prey of them,' Isa. lix. 15 ; who, instead of praying for them, can curse them, pei'haps not under the plain name of saints, but a.s fanatics, puritans, or some other name of scorn, invented to cover their malice, so they can devour and tear them in pieces. The saints are a sort of people that none love, but those that are themselves such. The righteovis are an abomination to the wicked : it is a sect ' everywhere spoken against.' The feud began at the first between Abel and Cain, and so spread over the whole world: one generation takes up the cudgels against them as another lays them down. Hamilcar bequeathed his hatred against the Romans to his son Hannibal ; so is the feud transmitted by the wicked from one generation to another against the saints : nothing can quench their wrath : let the saint be ever so wise, meek, aifable, and bountiful, yet this, that he is a Christian, is enough to blot all in the wicked world's thoughts ; no near relation can wear off their spite; Michal cannot repress her scornful spirit, but jeers her husband to his face for his zeal before the Lord. In a word, no benefit which accrues to the wicked b\' the saints can make them lay down their hatred : they are the cause of blessings to the families, towns, and kingdoms they live in, and yet the butt at which their en- venomed arrows are levelled. The whole city is against Lot, so true and constant are the wicked to their own side. Tertullian tells us of some heathen husbands that liked their wives, though loose and wanton, and lived with them (when such) before they were converted to Christianity ; but when once they had embraced the faith, and thereby were made chaste, they put them away : fathers, that could bear undutiful, rebellious children, when once converted, turned them out of
AND SUPPLICATION FOK ALL SAINTS. 783