N04757:256
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.
I would say something to one Objection more, and then hasten to the Conclusion of this Discourse.
OBJECT. VI. Some may be ready to object, That what is proposed in this Memorial is a new Thing, such as never was put in Practice in the Church of God before.
Ans. 1. If there be something circumstantially new in it, this can't be a sufficient Objection. The Duty of Prayer is no new Duty: For many of God's People expressly to agree, as touching something they shall ask in Prayer, is no new Thing: For God's People to agree on Circumstances of Time and Place for united Prayer, according to their own Discretion, is no new Thing: For many, in different Places, to agree to offer up extraordinary Prayers to God, at the same Time, ⟨p. 177⟩as a Token of their Union, is no new Thing; but has been commonly practised in the Appointment of Days of Fasting and Prayer for special Mercies. And if the People of God should engage in the Duty of Prayer, for the coming of Christ's Kingdom, in a new Manner, in that Respect, that they resolve they will not be so negligent of this Duty, as has been common with Professors of Religion heretofore, but will be more frequent and fervent in it; this would be such a new Thing as ought to be, and would be only to reform a former Negligence. And for the People of God in various Parts of the World, visibly, and by express Agreement, to unite for this extraordinary Prayer, is no more than their Duty, and no more than what it is foretold the People of God should actually do, before the Time comes of the Church's promised Glory on Earth. And if this be a Duty, then it is a Duty to come into some Method to render this practicable: But it is not practicable (as was shown before) but by this Method, or some other equivalent.