not as absolute promises in any respect, but as friendly har monious resolutions, with liberty to alter circumstances as shall be found expedient. On account of all which latitude, and that the circumstantial part extends only to a few years, it is apprehended the concert cannot be liable to the objections against periodical religious times of human appointment.

III. It is also humbly offered to the consideration of ministers, and others furnished with gifts for the most public instructions, whether it might not be of great use, by the blessing of God, if short and nervous scriptural per suasives and directions to the duty in view, were composed and published (either by particular authors, or several join ing together; which last way might some times have peculiar advantages) and that from time to time, without too great intervals; the better to keep alive on men's minds a just sense of the obligations to a duty so important in itself, and in which many may be in danger to faint and turn remiss, without such repeated incitements: and whether it would not also be of great use, if ministers would be pleased to preach fre quently on the importance and necessity of prayer for the com ing of our Lord's kingdom; particularly near the quarterly days, or on these days themselves, where there is public wor ship at that time.

IV. They who have found it incumbent on them to publish this memorial at this time, having peculiar advantages for spreading it, do intreat that the desire of concurrence and assist ance contained in it may by no means be understood as restricted to any particular denomination or party, or to those who are of such or such opinions about any former instances of remarkable religious concern; but to be extended to all who shall vouchsafe any attention to this paper, and have at heart the interest of vital christianity and the power of godliness; and who, however differing about other things, are convinced of the importance of fervent prayer to promote that common interest, and of scripture persuasives to promote such prayer.

V. As the first printed account of this concert was not a proposal of it as a thing then to begin, but a narration of it as a design already set on foot, which had been brought about with much harmony, by means of private letters; so the farther continuance, and, it is hoped, the farther spread. ing of it, seems in a promising way of being promoted by the same means; as importunate desires of renewing the concert have been transmitted already from a very distant corner abroad, where the regard to it has of late increased: but notwithstanding what may be done by private letters, it is humbly expected that a memorial spread in this manner, may, by

God's blessing, farther promote the good ends in view; as it may be usefully referred to in letters, and may reach where they will not.

VI. Whereas in a valuable letter, from the corner just now mentioned, as a place where a regard to the concert has lately increased, it is proposed that it should be continued for seven years, or at least for a much longer time than what was specified in the first agreement; those concerned in this memorial who would wish rather to receive and spread directions and proposals on this head, than to be the first authors of any, apprehend no inconvenience, for their part, in agreeing to the seven years with the latitude above described, which reserves liberty to make such circumstantial alterations as may be hereafter found expedient: on the contrary it seems of importance, that the labour of spreading a concert which has already extended to so distant parts, and may, it is hoped, extend farther, may not need to be renewed sooner, at least much sooner; as it is uncertain but that may endanger the dropping of it; and it seems probable there will be less zeal in spreading it, if the time proposed for its continuance be too inconsiderable.-Mean time, declarations of concurrence for a less number of years may greatly promote the good ends in view: though it seems very expedient that it should exceed what was first agreed on; seeing it is found on trial that that time, instead of being too long, was much too short.

VII. If any person who formerly agreed to this concert, should now discontinue it; would it not look too like that fainting in prayer, against which we are so expressly warned in scripture? And would not this be the more unsuitable at this time, in any within the British dominions, when they have the united calls of such public chastisements and deliverances, to more concern than ever about public reformation, and consequently about that which is the source of all thorough reformation, the regenerating and sanctifying influence of the Almighty spirit of God?-August 26, 1746."

N. B. The minister in Boston afore-mentioned to whom most of the copies of this Memorial were sent, who, I suppose, has had later and more full intelligence than I have had concerning the proposal, in a letter, "The motions seem to come from above, and to be wonderfully spreading in Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, and in North America."

* Alluding, probably, to the Rebellion in 1745, and the defeat of the Rebels.

W.

PART II.

MOTIVES TO A COMPLIANCE WITH WHAT IS PROPOSED IN THE MEMORIAL.

I now proceed to the second Thing intended in this Discourse, viz, to offer to Consideration some Things, which may tend to induce the people of God to comply with the proposal and request, made to them in the Memorial.

SECT. I.

The Latter-Day Glory not yet accomplished.

It is evident from the scripture, that there is yet remaining a great advancement of the interest of religion and the kingdom of Christ in this world, by an abundant outpouring of the Spirit of God, far greater and more extensive than ever yet has been. It is certain that many things, which are spoken concerning a glorious time of the church's enlargement and prosperity in the latter days, have never yet been fulfilled. There has never yet been any propagation and prevalence of religion in any wise, of that extent and universality which the prophecies represent. It is often foretold and signified, in a great variety of strong expressions, that there should a time come when all nations, throughout the whole habitable world, should embrace the true religion, and be brought into the church of God. It was often promised to the patriarchs, that in their seed all the nations, or (as it is sometimes expressed) all the families of the earth shall be blessed.* Agreeably to this, it is said of the Messiah, Psal. lxxii. 11. "That all nations shall serve him;" and in ver. 17. "Men shall be blessed in him, and all nations shall call him blessed." And in Isai. ii. 2. it is said, that "all nations shall flow unto the mountain of the house of the Lord." And, Jer. iii. 17. That "all nations shall be gathered unto the name of the Lord to Jerusalem, and shall walk no more after the imagination of their evil heart. That all flesh shall come and worship before the Lord," Isai. lxvi. 23. "And that all flesh should see the glory of God together," Isai. xl. 5. "And that all flesh should come to him that hears prayer," Psal. lxv. 2. Christ compares the kingdom of heaven in this world to "leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened," Mat. xiii. 33.

It is natural and reasonable to suppose that the whole world should finally be given to Christ, as one whose right it is to reign, as the proper heir of him who is originally the King of all nations, and the possessor of heaven and earth. And the scripture teacheth us that God the Father hath constituted his Son, as God-man, in his kingdom of grace, or mediatorial kingdom, to be the heir of the world, that he might in this kingdom have the heathen for his inheritance, and the utmost ends of the earth for his possession. Heb. i. 2. and ii. 8. Psal. ii. 6,7,8. Thus Abraham is said to be "the heir of the world," not in himself, but in his seed, which is Christ, Rom. iv. 13. And how was this to be fulfilled to Abraham, but by God's fulfilling that great promise, that "in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed?" For that promise is what the apostle is speaking of: which shows that God has appointed Christ to be the heir of the world in his kingdom of grace, and to possess and reign over all nations, through the propagation of his gospel, and the power of his Spirit communicating the blessings of it. God hath appointed him to this universal dominion by a most solemn oath; Isai. xlv. 23. "I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall swear." (Compared with Phil. ii. 10, 11.) Though this solemn oath of God the Father is to be understood in so comprehensive a sense, as to extend to what shall be accomplished at the day of judgment, yet it is evident by the foregoing and following verses, that the thing most directly intended, is what shall be fulfilled by spreading the gospel of his salvation, and the power ower of the Spirit of grace, bring all the ends of the earth to look to him that they may be saved, and come to him for righteousness and strength, that in him they might be justified, and might glory.

God has suffered many earthly princes to extend their conquests over a great part of the face of the earth, and to possess a dominion of vast extent, and one monarchy to conquer and succeed another, the latter being still the greater: it is reasonable to suppose that a much greater glory in this respect should

be reserved for Christ, God's own son and rightful heir, who has purchased the dominion by so great and hard a service: it is reasonable to suppose, that his dominion should be far the largest, and his conquests vastly the greatest and most extensive. And thus the scriptures represent the matter in Nebuchadnezzar's vision, and the prophet's interpretation, Daniel ii. There are four great monarchies of the earth, one succeeding another, are represented by the great image of gold, silver, brass, iron and clay; but at last a stone, cut out of the mountain without hands, smites the image upon his feet, which breaks the iron, clay, brass, silver and gold in pieces, that all become as the chaff of the summer threshing floors, and the wind carries them away, that no place is found for them; but the stone waxes great, becomes a great mountain, and fills the whole earth: signifying the kingdom which the Lord God of heaven should set up in the world, last of all, which should break in pieces and consume all other kingdoms. Surely this representation leads us to suppose, that this last kingdom shall be of much greater extent than any of the preceding.

The like representation is made in the viith chapter of Daniel; there the four monarchies are represented by four great beasts that arose successively, one conquering and subduing another: the fourth and last of these is said to be dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly, and to have great iron teeth, and to devour and break in pieces, and stamp the residue with his feet; yea, it is said, ver. 23, that the kingdom represented by this beast shall "devour the whole earth: but last of all, one like the Son of man appears, coming to the Ancient of days, and being brought near before him, and receiving of him a dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, THAL ALL PEOPLE, NATIONS and LANGUAGES should serve him." This last circumstance, of the vast extent and universality of his dominion, is manifestly spoken of as one thing greatly distinguishing this holy kingdom from all the preceding monarchies. Although of one of the former it was said, that it should devour the whole earth, yet we are naturally led, both by the much greater emphasis and strength of the expressions, as well as by the whole connection and tenor of the prophecy, to understand the universality here expressed in a much more extensive and absolute sense. And the terms used in the interpretation of this vision are such, that scarcely any can be devised more strong, to signify an absolute universality of dominion over the inhabitants of the face of the earth; ver. 27. "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the most high God." Agreeably to this, the gospel is represented as " preached unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and tongue, and kindred, and people." Rev. xiv. 6.