CHA P. XXI.

Of the neceffity and benefit of Interceffion, confider'd as an exercife of univerfal love. How all orders of men are to pray and interceed with God for one another. How naturally fuch interceffion amends and reforms the hearts of thofe that use it.

T

HAT interceffion is a great and neceffary part of Christian Devotion, is very evident from fcripture.

THE firft followers of Chrift seem to fupport all their love, and to maintain all their intercourfe and correfpondence, by mutual prayers for one another.

St. Paul, whether he writes to churches, or particular perfons, fhews his interceffion to be perpetual for them, that they are the conftant fubject of his prayers.

THUS to the Philippians, I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. Always in every prayer of mine for you all, making request with joy. Phil. i. 4, 5. Here we fee, not only a continual interceffion, but perform'd with fo much gladnefs as fhews that it was an exercise of love, in which he highly rejoic'd.

HIS Devotion had alfo the fame care for particular perfons; as appears by the following paffage. I thank my God, whom I ferve from my fore-fathers, with a pure confcience, that, withoutceafing, I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day. 2 Tim. i. 3. How holy an acquaintance and friendship was this, how worthy of perfons that were rais'd above the world, and related to one another, as new members of a kingdom of heaven!

APOSTLES and great Saints did not only thus bénefit and blefs particular churches, and private perfons; but they themselves alfo received graces from God by the prayers of others. Thus faith St. Paul to the Corinthians. You also helping together by prayer Cc 3

for

for us, that for the gift beftowed upon us by the means of many perfons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf. 2 Cor. i. 11.

THIS was the ancient friendship of Chriftians, uniting and cementing their hearts, not by wordly confiderations, or human paffions, but by the mutual communication of spiritual bleffings, by prayers and thankf givings to God for one another.

IT was this holy interceffion that rais'd Chriftians to fuch a state of mutual love, as far exceeded all that had been prais'd and admir'd in human friendship. And when the fame spirit of interceffion is again in the world, when Chriftianity has the fame power over the hearts of people, that it then had, this holy friendship will be again in fashion, and Christians will be again the wonder of the world, for that exceeding love which they bear to one another.

FOR a frequent interceffion with God, earnestly befeeching him to forgive the fins of all mankind, to bless them with his providence, enlighten them with his Spirit, and bring them to everlasting happiness, is the divineft exercise that the heart of man can be engaged in.

BE daily therefore on your knees in a folemn, deliberate performance of this devotion, praying for others in fuch forms, with fuch length, importunity, and earneftnefs, as you ufe for yourself; and you will find all little, ill-natur'd paffions dye away, your heart grow great and generous, delighting in the common happiness of others, as you used only to delight in your own. FOR he that daily prays to God, that all men may be happy in heaven, takes the likelieft way to make him wish for, and delight in their happiness on earth. And it is hardly poffible for you to befeech and intreat God to make any one happy in the highest enjoyments of his glory to all eternity, and yet be troubled to fee him enjoy the much fmaller gifts of God in this fhort and low fate of human life.

FOR how strange and unnatural would it be, to

to pray

to

to God to grant health and a longer life to a fick man, and at the fame time to envy him the poor pleasures of agreeable medicines?

YET this would be no more ftrange, or unnatural, than to pray to God that your neighbour may enjoy the highest degrees of his mercy and favour, and yet at the fame time envy him the little credit and figure he hath amongst his fellow-creatures.

WHEN therefore you have once habituated your heart to a ferious performance of this holy interceffion, you have done a great deal to render it incapable of pight and envy, and to make it naturally delight in the happiness of all mankind.

THIS is the natural effect of a general interceffion for all mankind. But the greatest benefits of it are then receiv'd, when it defcends to fuch particular inftances as our ftate and condition in life more particularly require of us.

THOUGH We are to treat all mankind as neighbours and brethren, as any occafion offers; yet as we can only live in the actual fociety of a few, and are by our ftate and condition more particularly related to fome than others; fo when our interceffion is made an exercise of love and care for thofe amongst whom our lot is fallen, or who belong to us in a nearer relation, it then becomes the greatest benefit to our felves, and produces its beft effects in our own hearts.

IF therefore you fhould always change and alter your interceffions, according as the needs and neceffities of your neighbours or acquaintance seem to require; befeeching God to deliver them from fuch or fuch particular evils, or to grant them this or that particular gift, or bleffing; fuch interceffions, befides the great charity of them, would have a mighty effect upon your own heart, as difpofing you to every other good office, and to the exercise of every other virtue towards fuch perfons, as have fo often a place in your prayers.

THIS would make it pleasant to you to be courteous civil, and condefcending to all about you; and make

you

you unable to fay, or do, a rude, or hard thing to thofe, for whom you had ufed your felf to be fo kind and compaffionate in your prayers.

FOR there is nothing that makes us love a man fo much, as praying for him; and when you can once do this fincerely for any man, you have fitted your foul for the performance of every thing that is kind and civil towards him. This will fill your heart with a generofity and tenderness, that will give you a better and sweeter behaviour, than any thing that is called fine breeding, and good manners.

By confidering your felf as an advocate with God for your neighbours and acquaintance, you would ne ver find it hard to be at peace with them your self. It would be easy to you to bear with, and forgive those, for whom you particularly implor'd the divine mercy and forgiveness.

SUCH prayers as these amongst neighbours and acquaintance, would unite them to one another in the ftrongeft bonds of love and tenderness. It would exalt and ennoble their fouls, and teach them to confider one another in a higher ftate, as members of a spiritual fociety, that are created for the enjoyment of the common bleffings of God, and fellow-heirs of the fame future glory.

AND by being thus defirous, that every one fhould have their full fhare of the favours of God, they would not only be content, but glad to fee one another happy in the little enjoyments of this tranfitory life.

THESE Would be the natural effects of fuch an interceffion amongst people of the fame town or neighbourhood, or that were acquainted with one another's ftate and condition.

Ouranius is a holy prieft, full of the spirit of the Gospel, watching, labouring, and praying for a poor country village. Every foul in it is as dear to him as himfelf; and he loves them all, as he loves himself; because he prays for them all, as often as he prays for himself.

IF his whole life is one continual exercise of great zeal and labour, hardly ever fatisfy'd with any degrees of care and watchfulness, 'tis because he has learn'd the great value of fouls, by fo often appearing before God, as an interceffor for them.

He never thinks he can love, or do enough for his flock; because he never confiders them in any other view, than as fo many perfons, that by receiving the gifts and graces of God, are to become his hope, his joy, and his crown of rejoicing.

HE

He goes about his Parish, and vifits every body in it; but vifits in the fame spirit of piety that he preaches to them; he visits them to encourage their virtues, to affift them with his advice and counfel, to discover their manner of life, and to know the state of their fouls, that he may interceed with God for them, according to their particular neceffities.

WHEN Ouranius firft entered into holy orders, he had a haughtiness in his temper, a great contempt and difregard for all foolish and unreasonable people; but he has pray'd away this fpirit, and has now the greateft tenderness for the most obftinate finners; because he is always hoping, that God will fooner or later hear thofe prayers that he makes for their repentance.

THE rudeness, ill-nature, or perverfe behaviour of any of his flock, used at first to betray him into impatience; but it now raises no other paffion in him, than a defire of being upon his knees in prayer to God for them.

THUS have his prayers for others, alter'd and amended the ftate of his own heart.

IT would ftrangely delight you to fee with what Spirit he converfes, with what tenderness he reproves, with what affection he exhorts, and with what vigour he preaches; and 'tis all owing to this, because he reproves, exhorts, and preaches to thofe, for whom he first prays to God.

THIS devotion foftens his heart, enlightens his mind, fweetens his temper, and makes every thing that comes from him, inftructive, amiable and affecting.

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