* By the means of many persons.' God bestowed health on St Paul, but it was by the means of many prayers of many persons.
Quest. Would not God have bestowed health upon St Paul if he had not had their prayers ?
Ans. Yes, doubtless. But yet notwithstanding when there are many prayers, they prevail much more. Manj^ streams make a river run more strongly, and so many prayers prevail strongly. Health is such a blessiog as may be begged by others.
Therefore it is a good thing in sickness, and in any trouble, to beg the prayers of others, that they may beg health and deliverance of God for us. The good Corinthians here, they pray St Paul out of his trouble. And God so far honours his children, even the meanest, that they are a means to beg health and deliverance for others, even to pray them out of this or that trouble.
And what a comfort and eucom'agement is this, that a Christian hath so many factors for him ! He hath all the saints in the world that say, ' Our Father,' praying for him. He must needs be rich that hath a world of factors, that hath a stock going in every part of the world. A Christian hath fectors all the world over. He is a member of the mystical body, and many prayers are made for him. It is a great comfort.
And it is a great encouragement for us to pray for one another, consider- ing that God will so far honom- us. St Paul's health here, it was a gift by the prayers of many.
Obj. But thou wilt object : I am a weak Christian, a sinful creature. What, should God regard my prayers ? Alas ! my prayers will do you little good.
Soltitioii. Yes, they will do much, not only for thyself, but for others. What are prayers ? Ai-e they not incense kindled by the lire of the blessed Spirit of God ? Are they not in themselves good motions, stirred up by the Spirit ? Themselves in their nature are good, though they be imperfect and stained. The^ Spirit that stirs them up is good, the good Spirit of God. ' We know not how to pray,' Rom. viii. 26, but the Spirit teacheth us. The Mediator through whom they are offered, who mingles his odour with them. Rev. viii. 3, ' He is the angel that mingleth odours with the prayers of the saints,' and makes them acceptable to God. The person likewise that offers them is good. What is he ? Is he not God's child ? Do not parents love to hear the voice of their children ? If, therefore, the person be good, though weak, and the prayer be good, and the Spirit good, * That is, = keeping off ill health.— G.
2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 11. 193
and the Mediator so good, then let no man be discouraged, not only to pray for himself, but to pray for others. God would hear the Corinthians, though they were stained with schism, and many other weaknesses. They were none of the most refined churches that St Paul wrote to, as we may see in the first epistle ; yet saith St Paul, my health and deliverance is a gift, and a gift by the prayers of many, weak and strong joining together.
Ohj. It is the subtilty of Satan, and our own hearts join with him in the temptation. What should I pray ? My conscience tells me this and that.
Ans. Dost thou mean to be so still '? Then indeed, as it is, ' If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer,' Ps. Ixvi. 18. But if thou have repented thee of thy sins, and iutendest to lead a new life for the time to come, God will hear thy prayers, not only for thyself, but for others. God will bestow gifts upon others, by means of thy prayers.
To go on.
' Thanks may be given by many persons.' God's end in delivering St Paul by prayer, was that he might have many thanks for many prayers, when they were heard once. ' That thanks may be given b}^ many on our behalf,' that is, because we are delivered, and restored to health and strength again, to serve the church as we did before. You see here how
Obs. Praitie follows prayer.
Many prayers, and then many praises ; these follow one another. Indeed this is God's order ; and we see in natm'e, where there is a receiving, there is a giving. We see the earth, it receives fruit, it yields fruit, as Christ saith of the good ground, sixty-fold, many-fold. You see bodies that receive the sun, they reflect their beams back to the sun again.
The streams, as they come from the sea, so by an unvv-earied motion they return back again to the sea. And men do eat the fruit of their own flocks, they reap the fruit of their own orchards and gardens. In nature, whatsoever receives, it returns back again. The influence and light that those heavenly bodies, the stars, and the planets, &c., have from the sun, who is the chief light of all, they bestow it upon the inferior bodies. You see it in nature, much more is it in gi'ace. What we receive from God by gift, obtained hj prayer, he must have the praise for it. Many prayers, many praises. As soon as ever a benefit is received, presently there is an obligation, a natural obligation, and a religious obligation. Upon the receipt of a benefit, there must be some thought of returning something presently.