[The Apoſtle now draws towards the cloſe of his Epiſtle, as appears by the word Finally, which healſo uſeth in the cloſe of other Epi- ſtles, as 2 Cor. 13. 11. Eph. 6. 10. Phil. q. 8. 9 aormy. It imports the adding of ſomething that remains. # And that waich he firft ad deth, is the defire oftheir Prayers, as he had defired them in the for- mer Epiſtle, chap. 5. verſe 25, And lo of the other Churches, 2 C92. I. 11, Eph. 6, 19, H:b. 13. 15, &c, He had prayed for them in the foregoing Chapter, and now he begs their Prayers. It isa mur 21 D'1- ty, that Miniſters and People owe to one another ; thonzh the Avoſtiz gave himſelf to the Word, and prayer alo, Aets 6. 4. yet the prayers of many may be more prevalent than of one, though an Apoſtie : And they being concerned for the advancing of Chriſt's Intereſt im-the World, as they were Chriſtians, were therefo:e ingaged to pray for him. And the Apoſtle was ſenſible of the greatnels of the Work which was in his Hand,and his own Inſatticiency, without Gui ; therce= fore he deſires Prayer ; and it is of them whom he here calls B--thren he knew the Prayers of the Wicked and Unhelicvers woull avail no- thing 5; and though he was a great Apoſtle, yet the greateſt ki the Church may ftand in need of,and be helpeit by chePrayers of tte meaty eft Brethren. # And their Prayers he defices are, fit, with reſpect 5 his Miniſtry ; That the Word of the Lord may have free equrſe, or, 1:4y run : that the courſe of it may nor be ſtopt, it being as a River of "t!:c Waterof Life. The Apofile was to teach all Nations, and fo dhe; the Word may pa from one Nation to another, yea, and rut 20w* from one Generation to another, that it may ſpread, and diftuie if
i
elf, and Diſciples might be multiplied. T his :s Galled the incr2u/irg of fy
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* Rom. BS. 3s
j| Or, 4b- » Their Prayers are heredefired by the Apoſtle,with reſpe& to their
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Chap. III.
ir, Affs 6. 7. The growing and multiplying of it, Ats 12, 24, The grow- ing and rrevailing of it, As 19, 20, Which Chriſt ſets forth by the Parable of the Muſtard-ſeed, which grew and ſpread,and of the Leaven that diffuſed its vertue in the Meal, Mar. 13731, 32,33. The Apoſtle referring, here to the external courſe of the word, rather than its in- ward efficacy in the Soul, as alſo Chrift ſeems chiefly to do in thoſe pa- rables. There are many things that hinder the courſe of the Goſpel, ſometimes wicked Rulers make Laws azainſt it, ſometimes great per- ſecutions have heen raiſed, ſometimes falſe Teachers oppole it, ſome- times Profeſſors prove Apoſtates, and ſcandalize the world againſt it ſomerimes reproaches are thrown in the way of it. And to the free courſe of it is required, on the contrary, a proviſion of ſuitable help herein, both of Magiſtracy and Miniſtry, and the beſtowing of the Spirit, and the bleſſing of endeavours uſed herein. All theſeare co be ray'd for,as the former to be pray'd againſt. wHe means that it might hve honour, reputation, and high efteem in the world, and not lye under reproach. As the Fews accounted it Herefie, and the Gentiles fooliſhnels : As it's ſaid of thoſe Gentiles, Ats 13, 48, they glorified the word of theLord,by their honourable reſpett to it,and joy In it: As alſo that it might produce glorious effetts in the World, in ſubduing people to God, and making men new creatures, and bringing them out of the Devil's into Chriſt's Kingdom, &:, That it may evidence it felf to be from Heaven, and the power of God to mens Salvation, and not an invention of man: To which we may add, that it may be honoured in the unblameable and exemplary walking of the Profeſ- forsof it. x The glorious ſucceſs of it with them, he had largely ſhewn before in both theſe Epiſtles 3 and he would have them pray for the like with others. Thoſe that have felt the power of the Goſpel themſelves to their Converſion and Salvation, ſhould pray that others may partake of it with them. Herein they ſhew their charity to men, and love to God, which the Apoſtle here puts them upon, as that which would be acceptable to God ; and the rather, becauſe their own experi- ence might teach them, what God was able to do for others. Or elſe the Apoſtle in theſe words ſets forth theſe Theſſalontans, as a pattern of the mighty ſaccels ofthe word 2 It had its free courſe,and was glorified among them, They received it as the word of God, and not of men. As if the Apoſtle ſhould fay, they that would know the glorious ſuccels
of the word of the Lord, let them go to Theſalonica, 2 And * that we may bedelivered from || unreaſonable
and wicked men y, for all men have not faith z.