the minister's labour ; they are called soldiers, watchmen, husbandmen, yea, their work is set out by the pangs of a woman in travail : some of them indeed have easier labours than others, those who find more success of their ministry tlian their brethren ; but who can tell the throes that their souls feel, who all the time of their ministry go in travail, and bring forth dead children. Thirdlj', It is an opposed work. First, By hell. The devil never liked temple-woi'k; he that was at Joshua's right hand to resist him, is at the minister's elbow to disturb him, both in the study and in the pulpit: ' I would have come,' saith Paul, 'but Satan hindered.' Who can tell all the devices that Satan hath to take the minister off, or hinder him in his work ? One while he discovu'ageth him, so that he is read)', with Jonah, to rim away from his charge ; another while he is blowing him up with pride : even Paul himself hath a thorn given him in his flesh, to keep pride out of his heart : sometimes he disturbs him with passion, and leavens his zeal into sourness and unmercifulness ; this the dis- ciples were tainted with, when they called for fire to come down from heaven upon those who stood in their way. Sometimes he chills their zeal, and intimi- dates their spirits into cowardice and self-pity : thus Peter favoured himself when he denied his Master; and at another time, dissembled with the Jews, to obtain their favour. Secondly, It is opposed by the wicked world. ' To be a minister,' saith Luther, ' is nothing else but to drive the world's wrath and fury upon himself.' How ai'e they loaded with reproaches! This dirt nowhere lies so thick as on the minister's coat. What odious names did the apostles themselves go under ! And it were well they would only smite them with their tongues; but in all ages persecutors have thirsted most after their blood. The per- secution in the Acts begins with the cutting off of James's head ; seven thousand could lie better hid in Jezebel's time, than one prophet : these are the burden- some stones which every one is lifting at, though none can do it without bruising their own fingers. In every national storm almost, these are taken up to be thrown overboard as those that raised it. How many are there of an opinion, that nothing keeps them from seeing happy days, but the standing of ministers and their ofHce ! O, miserable happiness, which cannot be bought and purchased, but with the ruin of those that bring the tidings of peace and salvation ! Such a happiness this would be, as the sheep had in the fable, when persuaded to have the dogs that kept the wolves off, killed ; or as the passengers at sea would have, when their pilot is thrown overboard : in a word, such a happiness as the Jews had, when Christ was taken out of the way by their murderous hands ; they slew him, to preserve themselves and their city from the Romans, but brought them with irreparable ruin by this very means upon their own head. Thirdly, That which adds weight to the former, is, that the men who are to bear this heavy burden, and to conflict with all these difficulties and dangers, are those who have no stronger shoulders than others, for they are men subject to the like infirmities with their brethren. Now, will not all this melt you into compassion toward them, and your compassion send you to prayer for them ? Shall they stand in the face of death and danger, where Satan's bullets, and man's also, fly so thick, and you not be at the pains to raise a breast- work before them for their defence by your prayers ?
Section III. — In regard ofyourselves : love to yourselves shoidd induce you to pray for them. First, Consider that the ministry is an office set up on pur- pose for j'our sakes. It was never intended for the exalting of a few men above their brethren, but for the service of your faith. The gift that Christ hath given to men, Ephes. iv. 12, are for the edifying of the body of Christ; and will you not pray for those that, from one end of the year to the other, are at work for you ? If you had but a child or servant sent abroad about your worldly business, would you not send a prayer after him ? Thus did good Jacob, when his children went on his errand to Egypt, — ' God Almighty give you mercy before the man.' Will not you do this much for your minister, and pray that God Almighty may go with him, when in his study to prepare, and when in the pulpit to deliver what he hath prepared for your souls? Secondly, The minister's miscarriage is dangerous to the people ; therefore pray for them, lest you be led into temptation by their falls. The sins of teachers are the teachers of sin ; if the nurse be sick, the child is in danger ; if the minister be tahited with an error, it is strange if many of his people should not catch the
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