N04757:104
An humble attempt to promote explicit agreement and visible union of God's people in…
An humble attempt to promote explicit agreement and visible union of God's people in extraordinary prayer for the revival of religion and the advancement of Christ's Kingdom on earth, pursuant to Scripture-promises and prophecies concerning the last time. By Jonathan Edwards, A.M. Minister of the Gospel at Northampton. ; With a preface by several ministers.
printed for D. Henchman, 1748
Part 2: MOTIVES to a Compliance with what is proposed in the Memorial.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The Spirit of God is the Chief of the Blessings, that are the Subject-Matter of christian Prayer; for it is the Sum of all spiritual Blessings; which are those that we need infinitely more than all others, and are those wherein our true and eternal Happiness consists. That which is the Sum of the Blessings that Christ purchased, is the Sum of the Blessings that Christians have to pray for; but that, as was observed before, is the Holy Spirit: And therefore when the Disciples came to Christ, and desired him to teach them to pray, Luke xi. ⟨p. 55⟩and he accordingly gave them particular Directions for the Performance of this Duty. The Conclusion of his whole Discourse, in the 13th Verse, plainly shows that the Holy Spirit is the Sum of the Blessings that are the Subject Matter of that Prayer about which he had instructed them. If ye then being evil, know how to give good Gifts unto your Children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? From which Words of Christ, we may also observe, that there is no Blessing that we have so great Encouragement to pray for, as the Spirit of God; the Words imply that our heavenly Father is especially ready to bestow his Holy Spirit on them that ask him. Of the more excellent Nature any Benefit is that we stand in Need of, the more ready God is to bestow it in answer to Prayer: The infinite Goodness of God's Nature is the more gratified, and the grand Design and Aim of the Contrivance and Work of our Redemption is the more answered, and Jesus Christ the Redeemer has the greater Success in his Undertaking and Labours; and those Desires that are expressed in Prayer for the most excellent Blessings are the most excellent Desires, and consequently such as God most approves of, and is most ready to gratify.
The Spirit of God is the Chief of the Blessings, that are the Subject-Matter of christian Prayer; for it is the Sum of all spiritual Blessings; which are those that we need infinitely more than all others, and are those wherein our true and eternal Happiness consists. That which is the Sum of the Blessings that Christ purchased, is the Sum of the Blessings that Christians have to pray for; but that, as was observed before, is the Holy Spirit: And therefore when the Disciples came to Christ, and desired him to teach them to pray, Luke xi