principle. To us, as minifters, the command fhould be of great force-" Pray for the peace of Jerufalem"-This peace depends upon the Lord's fending and bleffing his ambaffadors of peace. They are his ministers attending continually for this very thing. He raises them up, he fits them for the advancement of it; he profpers them for the fake of the profperity of his church, as he fays, "I will clothe the priests in Zion with falvation, and then her faints shall shout aloud for joy." For this reafon we find St. Paul in all his epiftles defiring to be prayed for-" Pray for us"-for grace, for gifts, for fuccefs. He He puts the churches upon asking what their minifters wanted. Although God has promifed it, yet he will be intreated for it. The prayer of faith never returns without a bleffing, which I have remarked again and again to the praise of him who fays, "Afk, and ye fhall have," and this has been a

2. Second argument very powerful with me. The command given to pray for the peace of Jerufalem has a promise-"They fhall profper that love thee."

This has been fulfilled. I have. feen manifeft fenfible answers to this prayer-clear displays of the faithfulness of the promise-maker. He has vouchfafed to give the defired mercy-not for the merits of our prayers, but for the fake of his own great Name. He put it into our hearts to fee what his church wanted, to afk the fupply of him, and now. having received it, to afcribe all the glory to his. grace-" Worthy is the Lamb," His kindnefs hi

therto

therto is a mighty encouragement to go on, and

is a

3. Motive for me to perfevere, and for you to join with me. He fays when the work is great and the minifters but few-" Pray ye the Lord of the harvest that he would fend forth labourers into his harveft field." This was our warrant to afk, and asking in faith according to his will, we had confidence in him that he would hear and answer; and he has been as good as his word; we have tried it, and found it cannot be broken. For these last eleven years we have been praying for more labourers, and every year he has fent forth fome more. O that he may give the word, and greater ftill may be the company of the preachers. Have we not all the reafon in the world to expect it? The promise ftands fure-his hand is not fhortened-his love is not abated-prayer has not loft its efficacy with him to engage his love and power to fulfil the promife. Doubtless more, more labourers fhall be fent out, if more of us join in fervent prayers, nothing wavering. While we continue to pray, he will continue to answer. This is fixt as the throne of God-"I will not fuffer my faithfulness to fail." O how has my dependance on his unalterable word been strengthened, by feeing it fo conftantly fulfilled and how has my attachment increased to our established church, by his raifing up more ministers among us! Indeed he owns our establishment at this day; and thereby he encourages us to pray on;

and

and if we do, we may hope to fee greater things than these. May you and I find reafon to be afking the enlargement of Chrift's kingdom in our land, until he remove us into his kingdom of praise.

4. These arguments are continually enforced by the constraining love of Jefus, which keeps the foul in a good frame to pray for the advancement of his honour and glory. While I find a warm heart to him, I cannot help wishing that others may be won over to the love of him. To fet him forth, that they may behold his matchlefs glory, is our office, Every gofpel minifter is raised up to found aloud the praises of the wonderful perfon, and of the infinitely perfect work of the divine Saviour, in whom all the perfections of the Godhead fhine out in the richeft difplay of their beauty, love, and power. The gospel-miniftry was ordained for this purpose, and it is bleffed to this day to the hearts of poor finners, by bringing them to fee, to admire, and to enjoy the love of the Father through the falvation of the Son, by the grace of the Spirit. This is the ministration, which exceedeth in glory. O, what an honour is it that we fhould be called to partake of these bleffings ourfelves, and that by our means the Lord would, and does, convey them to our people. The sense of this is constraining. Under the influence of it we cannot but pray for his mi nifters, that they may spread his gofpel, and advance his fame O, for more love to this precious Jefus! and to his cause in your heart, it will be as a thou

fand

fand arguments to put you upon praying for an increase of labourers, and for an increase of usefulnefs in thofe he has already fent out: and, if you do pray thus, and continue to pray, it will be the most likely means of your experiencing more of his love, for he cannot alter the word that is gone out of his mouth. His promise to them that pray for the peace of Jerufalem is, "( They fhall profper who love thee,"

which is a

Fifth encouragement. It is good for our own fouls. They profper by it; while we are concerned for the honour of Jefus, and for the advancement of his gofpel, we are taking the best care we can of our own intereft. The foul that watereth others, shall be watered itfelf; fo it profpers. The prayer for bleffings on our fellow-labourers brings a fhower of bleffings into our own bofom. I should be very unthankful, yea, beyond measure, if I did not acknowledge it. I have not prayed in vain for these eleven years. No. I have indeed profpered, and have received many mercies; fome I will mention, not to set myself up for any thing, who am the very fink of hell, and feel in me to this moment indwelling corruptions enough to damn a thousand worlds; but I mention them to the glory of fovereign grace. There is in every one of us a defire to be great and esteemed, a bitter root of pride, which works in abundance of vile tempers, all difhonourable to Jefus, and hurtful to our own fouls; I have found this praying for my dear brethren, and always

by

by name, has given many a blow at that bitter root, and has checked feveral of its branches, fuch as envy at their fuccefs, fhynefs to their perfons, an evil eye at their gifts or their graces. That party fpirit, under the bondage of which no one ever laboured more than myfelf, has been in a good degree conquered; and fo has the unwillingness to bear reproof, very hard to bear: and the will given to be thought less than the leaft, the fole work of almighty grace. And I ascribe it to my conftantly praying for God's minifters, that he has enabled me in any degree not only to get the better of thofe vile tempers, but also to grow in brotherly love. I find my heart knit to those I never faw, and am glad of their profperity in mind, body, or estate. My very foul rejoices in any good in them, or good done by them. Their prefent number (may the Lord add to them an hundred-fold), their being almoft of one mind, and of one heart, their growth in grace, their usefulness among their own people, and their writings for the public benefit; these are become fweet fubjects of thankfulness. My prayers are more in faith because I reap the fruit of them, and can join praise with them. To every petition I can say, thanks be to the Lord; I have good er.couragement to pray on. Every year I fee our Jerufalem profper, and they alfo profper that love it. Are not these great advantages, and are they not fufficient to induce you to join your prayers with mine? As for me, God forbid, my dear brother, that I fhould

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