Interceflory Prayers. I. A Prayer to be said after the Preaching and Hearing of God's Word, for the Whole State of Christ's Church. SENTENCES. THE restoration of the church is indeed the best consummation of all our prayers and all our labours; it is not a dream, not a prospect to be seen only in the remotest distance: it is possible; it is very near us; with God's blessing, it is in the power of this very generation to begin and make some progress in the work. MEN seem continually to forget that they are members of the church; citizens, to use St. Paul's expression, of Christ's kingdom, as much as ever they are citizens of their earthly country. WELL indeed do wicked or indifferent men bear witness that they are not of the church indeed; that their portion is not with God's people; that Christ is not their Saviour, nor the Holy Spirit their Comforter and Guide: but what blasphemy is it to call themselves friends of the church! as if Christ's church could have any friends except God and his holy angels: the church has its living and redeemed members; it may have those who are craving to be admitted within its shelter, being convinced that God is in it of a truth; but beyond these, he who is not with it, is against it; he who is not Christ's servant, serves his enemy. TEXTS. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Ps. li. 18. O how amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Ps. lxxxiv. 1, 2. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions' suke I will say now, Peace be within thee. Ps. cxxii. 6, 7, 8. The Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Acts ii. 47. That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 1 Tim. iii. 15. PRAYERS. Collect. LORD Jesu Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee; Grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world, we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen. A' LMIGHTY GOD and most merciful Father, we humbly submit ourselves, and fall down before thy majesty, beseeching thee that this seed of thy Word now sown among us, may take such deep root, that neither the burning heat of persecution cause it to wither, neither the thorny cares of this life do choke it; but that as seed sown in good ground, it may bring forth thirty, sixty, and an hundred fold, as thy heavenly wisdom hath appointed. And because we have need continually to crave many things at thine hands, we humbly beseech thee, O heavenly Father, to grant us thy Holy Spirit to direct our petitions, that they may proceed from such a fervent mind, as may be agreeable to thy most blessed will. And seeing that our infirmity is able to do nothing without thy help, and that thou art not ignorant with how many and great temptations we are on every side inclosed and compassed, let thy strength, O Lord, sustain our weakness, and so assist us with thy grace, that we may be safely |