We shall close this with a caution. Though we arc to pray for all saints, yet some call for a more special remembrance at our hands : for instance, those that are near to us by bond of nature as well as of grace. 'A brother beloved, espe- cially to me ; but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord,' Philemon 16. It is true the bond of the Spirit is more sacred than that of the flesh ; yet when that of the flesh is entwined with the other, it adds force to the affection, and argument to the duty ; therefore, saitli Paul, ' nuich more unto thee :' charity may begin, though it must not end at home. Domestic rela- tion, societ}', and communion, whether civil or religious, give an enforcement to the duty; master for servant, and servant for master; minister for people, and people for minister. He that starves his family, is not likely to feast his neighbours ; he that is a churl to his neighbours, is not likely to be over-kind to strangers : so he that prays not for those who by these relations stand so near to him, is a very unlikely person to abound in this duty for others. You are to pray particidarly for those that are in distress : whoever you forget, remem- ber these : this is a fit season for love. A friend for adversity is as proper as fire for a winter's day : Job's friends chose the right time to visit him, but took not the right course of improving their visit : had they spent the time in prayer for him which they did in hot disputes with him, they had profited him, and pleased God more. This is the season that the tempter is busy ; this lion walks abroad in the night of affliction, hoping then to make the Christian his prey ; and shall not we watch to pray for him ? Again, this is the season when God answers prayers most speedily : 'In the day when I cried thou answeredst me,' Psa. cxxxviii. 3 : that is, in the day of affliction ; indeed, now is the time when the Spirit of Christ will be stirring us up to pray : he that stirs thee up to pray for them, will be as careful to deliver up thy prayers, and see an answer returned. You are again to pray for such of the saints as are of public place and use : you include many here while you pray for one. You are to pray also for such as have expressly desired and engaged you to remember them at the throne of grace : among debts, those particularly promised are paid in the first place. Thou art a debtor to all thy brethren, and owest them a remem- brance in thy prayers : but more especially them to whom thou hast particularly promised it : this is, as it were, a bond under thy hand, given for farther security of paying this debt to thy friend; whoever thou forgettest, remember him. Did the butler's conscience accuse him for not remembering his promise to Joseph, who had engaged him (when he was restored to court) to intercede with Pharaoh for him ? ' I do remember my faults this day,' Gen. xli. 9. Much more hast thou cause to confess thy faults, who forgettest to make mention of them to the Lord, who have solemnly desired it at thy hands. Thou mayest prejudice his soul more by disappointhig him of thy prayer, than his estate could suffer for want of thy money ; how knowest thou that the mercy he wants is stopped, until thy prayers come to heaven for it? That other saints obtain by their prayers for us, what sometimes we do not by our own, is clear from Job xlii. 8.
EPHESIANS vi. 19, 20.
Jnd for me, that utterance may he given unto me, that T may open my mouth boldly, to make hiown the mystery of the gospel, for ivhich I am an ambas- sador in bonds.
CHAPTER I.
SUEWS IT IS A DUTY TO DESIRE THE PUAVERS OF OTHERS, AND WHY.
The apostle having laid out this duty of prayer in its full compass, taking all the saints within its circumference ; he comes now to apply this general rule, and claims a share in it himself, — And for me.' When he bids them pray for all saints, he surely cannot be shut out of their prayers, who is not the least in the number. In the words, First, We find an exhortation, or Paul's request for himself, and in him for all ministers of the gospel — 'And for mc.' Secondly, The matter of his request — 'That utterance may be given unto me :' not that he would confine and determine them in their prayers to this request alone, but propounds it as a principal head to be insisted on by them on his behalf.
3 E 2
AND FOR ME.
Thirdly, The end why he desires this, — ' That I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel.' Fourthly, A double argument to enforce this request ; first, taken from his office, — ' for which I am an ambas- sador,' secondly, from his present afflicted state, — 'an ambassador in bonds.'