N04757:153
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
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.
And the Wisdom of God seems to dictate the same Thing, in appointing that his People, through' the World, in all Ages, in their stated and ordinary public Worship, every Week, should manifest this Union and Communion one with another, in their Worship, as one holy Society, and great Congregation of Worshippers, and Servants of God; by offering up their Worship on the same Day; for the greater Glory of their common Lord, and the greater Edification and Comfort of the whole Body.
And the Wisdom of God seems to dictate the same Thi•g, in appointing that his People, thro' the World, in all Ages, in their stated and ordinary publick Worship, every Week, should manifest this Union and Communion one with another, in their Worship, as one holy Society, and great Congregation of Worshippers, and Servants of God; by offering up their Worship on the same Day; for the greater Glory of their common Lord, and the greater Edification and Comfort of the whole Body.
If any yet find Fault with the Proposal of certain Times to be agreed on by God's People in different Places, in the Manner set forth in the Memorial, I would ask whether they object against any such Thing, as a visible Agreement of God's People, in different Parts of the World, in extraordinary Prayer, for the Coming of Christ's Kingdom? Whether such a Thing, being visible, would not be much for the public Honour of God's Name? And whether it would not tend to Christians Assistance, Quickening and Encouragement in the Duty united in, by mutual Example, and ⟨p. 94⟩also to their mutual Comfort, by a Manifestation of that Union which is amiable to Christ and Christians, and to promote a christian Union among professing Christians in general? And whether we haven't Reason to think, from the Word of God, that before that great Revival of Religion foretold is accomplished, there will be a visible Union of the People of God, in various Parts of the World, in extraordinary Prayer, for this Mercy? If these Things are allowed, I would then ask further, whether any Method can be thought of or devised, whereby an express Agreement, and visible Union of God's People, in different Parts of the World, can be come into, and maintained, but this, or some other equivalent to it? If there be any express Agreement about any extraordinary Prayer at all, it must first be proposed by some, and others must fall in, in the Manner as is represented in my Text. And if extraordinary Prayer be agreed on and maintained by many in different Places, visibly one to another, then it must be agreed in some Respect, and with Regard to some Circumstances, what extraordinary Prayer shall be kept up; and it must be seen and heard of, from one to another, what extraordinary Prayer is kept up. But how shall this be, when no Times are agreed upon, and it is never known nor heard, by those in different Parts, nor is in any Respect visible to them, when, or how often, those in one Town or Country, and another, do attend this extraordinary Prayer? And the Consequence must necessarily be, that it can never be known how far, or in what Respect others join with them in extraordinary Prayer, or whether they do it at all; and not so much as one Circumstance of extraordinary Prayer will be visible; and indeed nothing will be visible about i.