Why believers are to be specially remembered in prayer 1/3

           In praying for others, of all we remember, saints must not be forgot.  The apostle hints this, by making them the instance for all, as the species famosa—or chief rank of men, for whom we are to pray; and it suits well with Paul's doctrine elsewhere.  We are here bid ‘As we have opportunity, let us do good unto all, especially unto them who are of the household of faith,’ Gal. 6:10.  Now this of prayer I take to be one of the most eminent ways of doing them good.  What greater kindness can a man do for his sick friend than to go to the physician for him.  By other acts of charity we give a little out of our own purse; but, by praying for the poor saints, we open God’s treasury for them.  If one should meet a beggar, and out of his purse throw him a few pence; but another tells him, I have no money of my own to give, yet I will go to court, and open your necessitous condition to the king my master; it were easy to tell which of these does the poor man the greatest kindness.  A poor saint may thus do more for another, though, as Peter told the cripple, he hath neither silver nor gold to give, than he who hath the largest purse of his own. That of Araunah is observable, where we have his bountiful offer to king David: ‘Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt‑sacrifice,’ II Sam. 24:22.  This was much, and showed his heart to be noble and large, as it follows, ‘All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king,’ ver. 23.  Yet one thing he did amounted to more than all this, which was his hearty prayer to God for David's acceptance: ‘And Araunah said to the king, The Lord thy God accept thee.’  He might have done all the other for fear; a subject sometimes gives his prince, because he knows he may take though he gives it not.  But by his pray­ing for him he discovered his hearty affection to him. There are several weighty reasons for this duty. First. >From God.  Second. From Satan.  Third. From the saints prayed for.  And, Fourth. From the saints praying.