A Guide to Go to God, Petition 6 · Section 201
§. 201. Of duties required in the laſt Petition in regard of others.
Q. VVHat duties doth the laſt Petition teach vsus in the behalfe of others?
A. 1. To conſider one another. Heb. 10. 24.We ought to take notice of one anothers ſpirituall eſtate, that ſo we may the better know how to do good mutually for one another. This is a generall dutie whereby way is made vntounto other duties.
2. To keepe others from ſinne. Thus will they bee kept from being hurt by any temptation.2. Chro. 28. 12, 13. The Captaines of Ephraim, that ſtood vp againſt them that came from the warre with ſundrie captiues of Iudah, and ſuffered them not to carrie their captiues away, render this reaſon, Ye intend to adde more to our ſinnes, and to our treſpaſſe. Their intent therefore was to keepe their brethren from ſinne.
3. To edifie others. 1. Theſ. 5. 11.They who are well built vp in grace, are well armed againſt all temptations. This is an eſpeciall fruite of louelove.1. Cor. 8. 1. For louelove edifieth: and that by inſtruction, exhortation, admonition, and other like duties.
4. To encourage others againſt their enemies. What a notable encouragement is this of the Apoſtle,1. Cor. 16. 13. Watch you, ſtand faſt in the faith, quit you like men, …e ſtrong. Another like, but more large encouragement is ſet downe, Eph. 6. 10, 11, 12, 13, &c. By good encouragement life and ſpirit is put into men: and they are enboldened like Lions to ſtand againſt their enemies. For this, the true grounds of good encouragement muſt bee laid downe: which are Gods preſence, Gods promiſes, Gods properties, the neceſſitie of ſtanding out and fighting valiantly, the glorie of the conqueſt, the damages of yealding, the miſerie of being ouercome, with the like.
5. To ſtrengthen the weake. bLuke 22. 32.This did Chriſt expreſly giuegive in charge to Peter. And this is done not onelyonly by encouragement, but alſo bycRom. 15. 1. bearing their infirmities, anddGal. 6. 2. burdens. Thus they which through their owne weakeneſſe might hauehave bene made a prey to tempters, may be kept ſafe from them.
6. To keepe others from falling from the grace of God. Heb. 12. 15.The Apoſtle aduiſeth to looke diligently hereunto. There is no place of ſtanding betwixt Gods grace and Satans ſnare: he that falleth from that, falleth into this.
7. To reſtore ſuch as fall. Gal. 6. 1.We may not leaue ſuch as are fallen: for wee pray that they may be deliuered. gDeut. … 4.The Law teacheth to helpe vp a beaſt being fallen.h1. Cor. 9. 9, 10. Doth God take care for beaſts? Or ſaith he it altogether for our ſakes? For our ſakes, no doubt, this is written.
8. To ſaue the obſtinate with feare. Iude ver. 23.Though men blinded in mind, and hardned in heart, wilfully giuegive themſelues ouer to Satan, yet ought we not to ſuffer them to abide in his clutches.foreign. But as we would ſnatch, and with violence pull men out of the fire, ſo ought wee to pull ſuch out of the temptation wherein they lie.1. Cor. 5. 5. Thus dealt Saint Paul with the inceſtuous Corinthian,Si, qui in tentationem inciderunt, ceperint infirmitate adprehendi, & agant paenitentiam facti ſui, & deſiderent communionem, vli que ſubueniriijs debet. Cypr. epiſl. 3. §. 2. He deliuered him vntounto Satan for deſtruction of the fleſh, that the Spirit might be ſaued. Was not this to ſaue him with feare?
9. To receiue the penitent. If a man hauehave beene ouertaken with a temptation, and by his repentance manifeſt a recouerie from the ſame, wee ought ſo to account of him, as if he had not fallen at all. So S. Paul requireth the Corinthians to receiue the forenamed inceſtuous perſon: and to forgiue him and comfort him. This is an eſpeciall meanes to make his deliuerance firme and ſtable.2. Cor. 2. 7.
10. To pray for others. Iam. 5. 16.This is the maine duty here intended.See §. 180. This I referre to the laſt place, becauſe it is a duty which may be performed when no other can be: euen to ſuch as will not accept any other duty, of all the reſt it is the moſt effectuall.