An humble attempt to promote explicit agreement and visible union of God's people in…

As the present State of Things may well excite earnest Desires after the promised general Revival and Advancement of true Religion, and serve to show our Dependence on God for it, so there are many Things in Providence, of late, that tend to encourage us in Prayer for such a Mercy. That Infidelity, Heresy and Vice do so prevail, and that Corruption and Wickedness are risen to such an extreme Height, is that which is exceeding deplorable; But yet, I think, considering God's Promises to his Church, and the ordinary Method of his Dispensations, Hope may justly be gathered from it, that the present State of Things will not last long, but that a happy Change is nigh. We know, that God never will desert the Cause of Truth and Holiness, nor suffer the Gates of Hell to prevail against his Church; and that it has usually been so from the Beginning of the ⟨p. 74⟩World, that the State of the Church has appeared most dark, just before some remarkable Deliverance and Advancement: Many a Time, may Israel say, Had not the Lord been on our Side, then our Enemies would have swallowed us up quick;—The Waters had overwhelmed us. The Church's Extremity has often been God's Opportunity for the magnifying his Power, Mercy and Faithfulness towards her. The Interest of vital Piety has long been in general decaying, and Error and Wickedness prevailing: It looks as tho' the Disease were now come to a Crisis, and that Things can't remain long in such a State, but that a Change may be expected in one Respect or other. And not only God's Manner of dealing with his Church in former Ages, and many Things in the Promises and Prophecies of his Word, but also several Things appertaining to present and late Aspects of divine Providence, seem to give Reason to hope that the Change will be such, as to magnify God's free Grace and sovereign Mercy, and not his revenging Justice and Wrath. There are certain Times, that are Days of Vengeance, appointed for the more special Displays of God's Justice and Indignation; and God has also his Days of Mercy, accepted Times, chosen Seasons, wherein it is his Pleasure to show Mercy, and nothing shall hinder it; they are Times appointed for the magnifying of the Redeemer and his Merits, and the Triumphs of his Grace, wherein his Grace shall triumph over Men's Unworthiness in it's greatest Height.

As the present State of Things may well excite earnest Desires after the promised general Revival and Advancement of true Religion, and serve to shew our Dependance on God for it, so there are many Things in Providence, of late, that tend to encourage us in Prayer for such a Mercy. That Infidelity, Heresy and Vice do so prevail, and that Corruption and Wickedness are risen to such an extreme Height, is that which is exceeding deplorable; But yet, I think, considering God's Promises to his Church, and the ordinary Method of his Dispensations, Hope may justly be gathered from it, that the present State of Things will not last long, but that a happy Change is nigh. We know, that God never will desert the Cause of Truth and Holiness, nor suffer the Gates of Hell to prevail against his Church; and that it has usually been so from the Beginning of the