Two sermons. The almost Christian, and Intercession every Christian's duty. By the Reverend George Whitefield.

INTERCESSION EVERY CHRISTIAN's DUTY.

I THESS. V. 25.

Brethren, pray for us.

IF we enquire, why there is so little love to be found amongst Christians, why the very characteristic, by which every one should know that we are disciples, of the holy Jesus, is al|most banished out of the Christian world—we shall find it, in a great measure owing to a ne|glect or superficial performance of that most God-like part of secret prayer INTERCESSION, or imploring the divine grace or mercy in be|half of others.

Some forget this duty of praying for others, because they seldom remember to pray for them|selves; and even good people, who are constant in praying to their Father, which is in heaven, are often so constrained and selfish in their ad|dresses to the throne of grace, that they do not enlarge their petitions for the welfare of their fellow Christians as they ought, and thereby fall short of attaining that Christian charity, that unfeigned love of their brethren, which their sac••ed profession obliges them to aspire after, and without which, though they would

bestow all their goods to feed the poor, and even give their bodies to be burned, yet it would profit them nothing.

Since then these things are so, I shall, from the words of the text, (though originally in|tended to be more confined) endeavor to shew,

• I. That it is every Christian's duty to pray for others, as well as for himself.
• II. Who are those that we ought to pray for, and in what manner we shall do it. And,
• III. I shall offer some motives to excite all Christians to abound in this great duty of In|tercession.

I. First, then, I shall endeavor to show, that it is every Christian's duty to pray for others, as well as for himself.

Now prayer is a duty founded on natural re|ligion; the very heathens never neglected it, though many Christian heathens amongst us do; And it i•• so essential to Christianity, that you might 〈◊〉〈◊〉 reasonably expect to find a living man without breath, as a true Christian with|out the spirit of prayer and supplication: Thus, no sooner was St. Paul converted, but behold he prayeth, saith the Lord Almighty. And thus will it be with every child of God, as soon as he becomes such, prayer being truly called— The natural cry of the new born soul.

For in the heart of every true believer there is a heavenly tendency, a divine attraction, which as sensibly draws him to converse with God, as the load-stone attracts the needle.

A deep sense of their own weakness, and of

Christ's fulness; a strong conviction of their natural corruption, and of the necessity of re|newing grace, will not let them rest from cry|ing day and night to their Almighty Redeemer, that the divine image, which they lost in Adam, may, through his all-powerful mediation, and the sanctifying operations of his blessed spirit, be begun, carried on, and fully perfected both in their souls and bodies.

Thus earnest, thus importunate, are all sin|cere Christians in praying for themselves; but then, not having so lively, lasting, and deep a sense of the wants of their Christian brethren, they are, for the most part, too remiss and de|fective in their prayers for them; whereas was the love of God shed abroad in our hearts, and did we love our neighbor in that manner in which the Son of God, our Saviour loved us, and according to his command and example, we could not but be as importunate for their spiritual and temporal welfare, as for our own, and as earnestly desire and endeavor that o|thers should share in the benefits of the death and passion of Jesus Christ as we ourselves.

Let not any one think, that this is an uncom|mon degree of charity, an high pitch of per|fection, which every one cannot attain unto, since it is no such thing:—For if we are all commanded to love our neighbor, that is every m••n, 〈…〉〈…〉, ••ay to lay down our lives for the brethr•••• 〈…〉〈…〉 is the duty of all to pray for their neighbors as much as for themselves,

and by all possible acts and expressions of love and affection towards them, at all times, to shew their readiness even to lay down their lives for them, if ever it should please God to call them to it.

Our blessed Saviour, as he hath set us an ex|ample, that we should follow his steps in every thing else, so hath he more especially in this: For in that most divine, that most perfect and inimitable prayer, recorded in the xviith of St. John, which he put up just before his passion, we find but few petitions for his own, though many for his disciples' welfare: And in that most perfect form which he has been pleased to prescribe us, we are taught to say—not my, but our Father; thereby to put us in mind, that, whenever we approach the throne of grace, we ought to pray not for ourselves alone, but for all our brethren in Christ.

Intercession then is certainly a duty incum|bent upon all Christians.

II. Whom we are to intercede for, and how this duty is to be performed, comes next to be considered, under my second general head.

1. And first, our intercession must be univer|sal. I will, says the apostle, that prayers, sup|plications, and intercessions be made for all men: For as God's mercy is over all his works, as Jesus Christ died to redeem a people out of all nations and languages; so we should I pray, that all men may come to the knowledge of the truth, and be saved. — Many precious promises are made in holy writ, that the gospel shall be published through the whole

world, that the earth shall be covered with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea: And therefore it is our duty not to confine our petitions to our own nation, but to pray that all those nations, who now sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, may have the glorious gospel shine out upon them, as well as upon us. But you need not that any man should teach you this, since ye yourselves are taught of God, even of Jesus Christ himself, to pray, that his kingdom may come; part of the meaning of which petition is, that God's ways may be known upon earth, and his saving health a|mong all nations.

2. Next to the praying for all men, we should, according to St. Paul's rule, pray for those in au••hority, that we may lead quiet lives, in all godliness and honesty. For if we consider how heavy the burden of government is, and how much the welfare of any people depends on the zeal and godly conversation of those that have the rule over them: If we set before us the many dangers and difficulties to which gover|nors, by their station, are exposed, and the con|tinual temptations they lie under to luxury and self-indulgence, we shall not only pity but pray for them—that he who preserved Esther, Da|vid, and Josiah unspotted from the world, amidst the grandeur of a court, and gave success to their designs, would also preserve them holy and unblamable, and prosper all the works of their hands upon them.

3. But, thirdly, you ought, in a more especi|al

manner, to pray for those, whom the Holy Ghost hath made overseers over you. This is what St. Paul begs, again and again, of the churches to whom he writes. Brethren, says he in the text, pray for us; and again, in his epistle to the Ephesians—Praying always, says he, with all manner of supplication; and for me also, that I may open my mouth boldly, to declare the mystery of the gospel. And in another place, to express his earnestness in this request, and the great im|portance of their prayers to him, he bids the church strive, or, as the original word signifies, be in an agony, together with him in their prayers. And surely, if the great St. Paul, that chosen vessel, that favorite of heaven, needed the most importunate prayers of his Christian converts, much more do the ordinary ministers of the gospel stand in need of the intercession of their respective flocks.

And I cannot but, in a more especial manner, insist upon this branch of your duty, because it is a matter of such importance; for, no doubt, much good is frequently with-held from many by reason of their neglecting to pray for their ministers, which they would have received, had they prayed for them as they ought. Not to mention, that people often complain of the want of diligent and faithful pastors: But how do they deserve good pastors, who will not ear|nestly pray to God for such.

The church has set apart four seasons in the year for this purpose, and to call down a bless|ing on those who are to be ordained to any

holy function; but by how very few are the ember days observed! And if we will not pray to the Lord of the harvest, can it be expected, he will send forth laborers into his harvest?

Besides, what ingratitude is it, not to pray for your ministers! For shall they watch and labor in the word and doctrine for you, and for your salvation, and shall not you pray for them in return? If any bestow favors on your bodies, you think it right, meet, and your bounden duty, to pray for them; and shall not they be remembered in your prayers, who daily feed and nourish your souls? Add to all this, that praying for your ministers will be a manifest proof of your believing, that though Paul plant and Apollos water, yet it is God alone who giv|eth the increase. And you will also find it the best means you can use, to promote your own welfare; because God, in answer to your pray|ers, may impart a double portion of his Holy Spirit to them, whereby they will be qualified to deal out to you larger measures of know|ledge in spiritual things, and be enabled more skilfully to divide the word of truth.

Would men but constantly observe this di|rection, and when their ministers are praying in their name to God, humbly beseech him to perform all their petitions: Or, when they are speaking in God's name to them, pray that the Holy Ghost may fall on all them that hear the word; we shall then find a more visible good effect of their doctrine, and a greater mutual love be|tween

ministers and their people. For minis|ters' hands would then be held up by the peo|ple's intercessions, and the people will never dare to vilify or traduce those who are the con|stant subjects of their prayers.

4. Next to our ministers, our friends claim a pla••e in our intercessions; but then we should not content ourselves with praying in general terms for them, but suit our prayers to their particular circumstances. When Meriam was affl••cted with a leprosy from God, Moses cried and said—Lord heal her: And when the noble|man came to apply to apply to Jesus Christ, in behalf of his child, he said— Lord, my little daughter lieth at the point of death, I pray thee come, and heal her. In like manner, when any of our friends are under any afflicting circumstances, we should endeavor to pray for them, with a particular regard to those circumstances. For instance—is a friend sick? We should pray, that if it be God's good pleasure, it may not be unto death; but if otherwise, that he would give him grace, so to take his visitation, that, after this painful life ended, he may dwell with him in life everlasting. Is a friend in doubt, in a matter? We should lay his case before God, as Moses did that of the daughters of Ze|lophehad, and pray, that God's Holy Spirit may lead him into all truth. Is he in w••nt? We should pray, that his faith may never fail, and that in God's due time, he may be reliev|ed. And in all other cases, we should not pray for our friends, only in generals, but suit our

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difficult duty, yet not impracticable to those who have renounced the things of this present life, (from an inordinate love of which alone all enmities arise) and who, knowing the terri|ble woes denounced against those who offend Christ's little ones, can, out of real pity, and a sense of their danger, pray for those by whom such offences come.

6. Lastly, and to conclude this head, we should intercede for all that are any ways af|flicted in mind, body, or estate; for all who de|sire, and stand in need of our prayers, and for all who do not pray for themselves.

And Oh! that all who hear me, would set apart some time every day for the due perform|ance of this most necessary duty!—In order to which,

I shall now proceed to the third general thing proposed, namely,

III. To shew the advantages, and offer some considerations to excite you to the practice of daily intercession.

1. And first, it will fill you hearts with love one to another. He that every day hear••••ly intercedes at the throne of grace for all man|kind, cannot but in a short time be filled with love and charity to all; and the frequent exer|cise of his love in this manner, will insensibly enlarge his heart, and make him partaker of that exceeding abundance of it which is in Christ Jesus our Lord! Envy, malice, revenge and such like hellish tempers, can never long harbour in a gracious intercessor's breast; but

he will be filled with joy, peace, meekness, long-suffering, and all other graces of the holy spirit. By frequently laying his neighbour's wants before God, he will be touched with a fellow feeling of them; he will rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with those that weep. Every blessing bestowed on others, in|stead of exciting envy in him, will be looked on as an answer to his particular intercession, and fill his soul with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Abound therefore in acts of general and par|ticular intercessions, and when you hear of your neighbour's faults, instead of relating them to, and exposing them before others, lay them in secret before God, and beg of him to correct and amend them. When you hear of a noto|rious sinner, instead of thinking, you do well to be angry, beg of Jesus Christ to convert and make him a monument of his free grace; and you cannot imagine what a blessed alteration this practice will make in your heart, and how much you will increase, day by day, in the spi|rit of love and meekness towards all mankind!

But, further to excite you to the constant practice of this duty of intercession, consider the many instances given us in holy scripture of the power and efficacy of it. Great and ex|cellent things are there recorded as the effects of this divine employ. It has stopped plagues, it has opened and shut heaven, and has fre|quently turned away God's fury from his peo|ple. How was Abimelech's house freed from

the disease God sent amongst them, at the in|tercession of Abraham! When Phineas stood up and prayed, how soon did the plague cease!— When Daniel humbled and afflicted his soul, and interceded for the Lord's inheritance, how quickly was an angel dispatched to tell him his prayer was heard! And to mention but one ins••ance more, how does God own himself, as it were, quite overcome with the importunity of Moses, when he was interceding for his ido|latrous people—Let me alone, says God!

This sufficiently shews, I could almost say, the omnipotency of intercession, and how we may, like Jacob, wrestle with God, and by an holy violence prevail both for ourselves and o|thers. And no doubt it is owing to the secret and prevailing intercessions of the few righte|ous souls who still remain among us, that God has yet spared this miserably sinful nation; for were there not some such faithful ones, like Moses, left to sta••d in the gap, we should soon be destroyed, even as was Sodom, and reduced to ashes like unto Gomorrah.

But, to stir you up yet farther to this God-like exercise of intercession, consider that, in all probability, it is the frequent employment even of the glorified saints; for though they are delivered from the burden of the flesh, and re|stored to the glorious liberty of the sons of God, yet as ••heir happiness cannot be perfectly con|summ••ted 'till the resurrection of the last day, when all their brethren will be glorified with them, we cannot but think they are often im|portunate

in beseeching our heavenly Father shortly to accomplish the number of his elect, and to hasten his kingdom. And shall not we, who are on earth, be often exercised in this di|vine employ with the glorious company of the spirits of just men made perfect? Since our happiness is so much to consist in the commu|nion of saints in the church triumphant above, shall we not frequently intercede for the church militant here below, and earnestly beg, that we may all be one, even as the holy Jesus and his Father are one, that we may also be made per|fect in one?

To provoke you to this great work and la|bor of love, remember that it is the never ceas|ing employment of the holy and highly exalt|ed Jesus himself, who sits at the right hand of God to hear all our prayers, and to make con|tinual intercession for us! So that he who is constantly employed in interceding for others, is doing that on earth, which the eternal Son of God is always doing in heaven.

Imagine, therefore, when you are lifting up holy hands in prayer for one another, that you see the heavens opened, and the Son of God in all his glory, as the great high priest of your salvation, offering up and pleading for you, the all-sufficient merit of his sacrifice before the throne of his heavenly Father? Join then your intercessions with his, and beseech him, that they may, through him, come up as incense, and be received as a sweet smelling savour, ac|ceptable in the sight of God! This imagina|tion

will strengthen your faith, excite a holy earnestness in your p••••yers, and make you wres|tle with God as Jacob did, when he saw him face to face, and his life was preserved; as A|braham, when he pleaded for Sodom; and as Jesus Christ himself, when he prayed, being in an agony, so much the more earnestly the night before his bitter passion!

And now, brethren, what shall I say more, since you are t••ught of Jesus Christ himself to abound in love, and in this good work of pray|ing one for another. Though ever so mean, though as poor as Lazarus, you will then be|come benefactors to all mankind; thousands, and twenty times ten thousands, will then be blessed for your sakes! and after you have em|ployed a few years in this divine exercise here, you will be translated to that happy place, where you have so often wished others might be ad|vanced, and be exalted to sit at the right hand of our all-powerful, all-prevailing Intercessor, in the kingdom of his heavenly Father here|after!

However, I cannot but in an especial man|ner press this upon you now, because all ye, a|mongst whom I have now been preaching, in all probability will see me no more; for I am now going (I trust under the conduct of God's most holy spirit) from you, knowing not what shall befal me: I need therefore your most im|portunate intercessions, that nothing may move me from my duty, and that I may not count even my life dear unto myself, so that I may fi|nish

my course with joy; and the ministry I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God!

Whilst I have been here, to the best of my knowledge I have not failed to declare unto you the whole will of God:—And though my preaching may have been a savour of death un|to death to some, yet I trust it has been also a savour of life unto l••fe to others; and therefore I earnestly hope that those will not fail to re|member me in their prayers. As for my own part, the many unmerited kindnesses I have re|ceived from you, will not suffer me to forget you: Out of the deep, therefore, I trust, shall my cry come unto God, and whilst the winds and storms are blowing over me, unto the Lord will I make my supplication for you. For it is but a little while, and we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, where I must give a strict account of the doctrine I have preached, and you of your improvement under it. And Oh! that I may never be cal|led out as a swift witness against any of those, for whose salvation I have sincerely, though too faintly, longed and labored!

It is true, I have been censured by some as acting out of sinister and selfish views; but it is a small matter with me to be judged by man's judgment: I hope my eye is single, but I be|seech you, brethren, by the mercies of God in Christ Jesus, ••ay that it may be more so! and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I may 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with the increase of grace

in the knowledge and love of God through Je|sus Christ our Lord.

And now, brethren, what shall I say more? I could wish to continue my discourse much longer, for I can never fully express the desire of my soul towards you! Finally, therefore, brethren, Whatsoever things are holy, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are honest, what|soever things are of good report; if there be any consolation in Christ, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any hopes of our appearing to the comfort of each other at the awful tribunal of Jesus Christ, think of the things that you have heard, and of those which your pastors have declared, and will yet declare unto you: and continue under their ministry to work out your own salva|tion with fear and trembling; so that, whether I shall see you any more, or whether it shall please God to bring me back again at any time, I may always have the satisfaction of knowing that your conversation is such as becometh the gos|pel of Christ.

I almost persuade myself, that I could wil|hogly suffer all things, so that it might any ways promote the salvation of your precious and immortal ••ouls: And I beseech you, as my last request, obey them that have the rule over you in the Lord, and be always ready to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 on their ministry, as it ••ay our bounden 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ Think not that I desire to have myself exalted at the expence of another's 〈◊〉〈◊〉, but ••••+ther think this—Not to have 〈…〉〈…〉 too much in admiration, but esteem 〈…〉〈…〉

ministers highly in love, as they justly deserve for their work's sake.

And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and give you an inheritance a|mongst all them that are sanctified. May God reward you for all your works of faith, and la|bors of love, and make you to abound more and more in every good word and work towards all men. May he truly convert all that have been convinced, and awaken all that are dead in trespasses and sins? May he confirm all that are wavering! And may you all go on from one degree of grace unto another, till you arrive un|to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, and thereby be made meet to stand be|fore that God, in whose presence is the fulness of joy, at whose right hand there are pleasures for ever more!—AMEN! AMEN!