2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. IV, VER. 15. 473
The graces of God bestowed on St Paul raiseth up thankfulness of many, and that tcndeth to the glory of God. Many had the prayers of St Paul,* for he had commended himself to their praj'ers: Piom. xv. 30, ' Strive with God for mo by prayer ;' and so the Philippians and others, ' I shall be de- livered by your prayers,' Philem. ver. 22. It was usual with Paul to com- mend himself to the church and people of God ; and having done so, he knew that of course they would praise God. As he desires them to pray for him, that God would be present with him in trouble, and deliver him out, so he knew they would praise God. And as many prayers for him, so many praises for him ; and therefore, * through the thanksgiving of many,' &c.
Beloved, here see that the blessing of God bestowed upon pubhc persons, or upon the church, or public persons in the church, should stir up thanks, and many thanks of many persons. Many thanks v,-ere given for the grace of God shewed to St Paul.
Reason 1. I said before, that a Christian, when he becometh a true Christian, hath the Spirit of Christ in him, and hath learned self-denial. He can love others, especially public persons that be eminent in their standing for the good of the church, upon whom the good and honour of the church dependeth in a great measure. And therefore you see the Corinth [ianjs praise God for St Paul.
We should therefore labour for to consider what favours God sheiceth to his church, to a )i )j jmblic person in the church, magistrates, ministers, or any notable Christian or friend; praise God for his benefits to others. Thus, in the prophet David's time, the good people made a circle as it were ; 'The righteous shall come about me,' and were glad and joyful, and gave praise for his sake, and this made him, Ps. Ixvi. 16, say, ' Come hither, ye chil- dren, and I will teach you what the Lord hath done for my soul.' He inviteth them to come, and tells them what the Lord hath done for him, that they may praise God. ' The righteous shall hear it and be glad,' Ps. Ixiv. 10. And therefore, in the communion of saints, the sweetest com- munion is the rejoicing and giving of thanks for the good that God doth to others, especially those that be eminent in the church.
Reason 2. Another reason that concerns ourselves is this : Our good is laid up in the good and prosperity of others ; our good is in the communion- ship of the church and commonwealth ; our private welfare in the public. As it is in the state, so especially in that heavenly commonwealth of the church, the communion of saints, the good of one dependeth on the good of the other. Why ? Because God deriveth and conveyeth all good to man by man. It is his ordinance, he will have it so. And therefore, con- sidering he deriveth good to men by men, therefore, when he sheweth any favour unto men, we ought to praise God for it, because God deriveth good by that man to us. A Christian is a public good, because he hath a public mind. When any favour he hath of God, he is sure the public shall be the better for it, he will be useful, he will be serviceable. As soon as ever a man is a Christian, he becomes as a tree of righteousness ; and therefore, if you see favours bestowed upon any good man, thank God for it, especially if it be a Paul, a blessed instrument on whom the good of many dependeth.
Therefore, what shall we say of them that be led by the spirit of envy, that think they have the less the more others have, that have an ill eye ? Oh, beloved, take away that cursed spirit of envy ! That that I have is thine, and that that thou hast is mine ; in religion, there is a kind of blessed community. The more thou hast the more I have. If thy envy * Qu. ' St Paul had the prayers of many' ? — G.
474 COMMENT AKY ON
hinder thee not, and if envy be taken away, the more thou hast the more I have. Oh take heed of this cursed sjiirit, that hinders us from praising God for the good of others ; as Paul doth hero, that saith, God shall have praise, and many praises for his goodness shewed to me.
Now, he saith many praises, because many had prayed. When they receive the harvest of prayers, they are thankfuL You know prayer is a sowing in God's bosom. Prayer is a seed. So many prayers, so many seeds sown in heaven. "When the han'est comes, when they see the fruit and issue of their prayers, then they praise God.
If we will therefore praise God, learn this one thing, for to ohscrve uhat tee pray for ; not to pray at random and never to observe whether God answers or no, that we may be able to render his tribute due to him. How he answers our prayers for the church, for the special instruments of the church's good, king, and state ; how he answers our prayers for our par- ticular friends ; and then let him have the tribute that he requires of every one, which is only praise. There is a kind of friendship between God and us, by which we enter into covenant with him ; and friendship is maintained by duty, by returning of whatsoever we receive. Now, when we pray to God, and have this blessing, and that blessing, and give nothing to God again, friendship will not be maintained without. When men are graves for benefits, to bury them, and return nothing again, this dissolveth the bonds of friendship among men, and it dissolveth also that bond with God, when they derive blessed benefits and return nothing back again. Thanks is nothing but a reflection to the favours wherein he hath shined on us first. It is his due, and an echo ; therefore, give thanks for blessings to ourselves and others. And to that end, observe how he hears our prayers for ourselves and others.