ers of Chrift's Interceffion: We must make ourselves the proper Subjects of it; and how the proper Objects of it? The Sincerity of our Defires and Endeavours after Holiness, must make us meet to be the Partakers of Divine Grace; and the Fervency of our Prayers, muft recommend fuch our Sincerity to the Divine Acceptance. Chrift's Interceffion is not abfolute, but conditional; He will not follicit Pardon of Sin for them, who will not repent; He will not beg the Influences of God's Holy Spirit for them, who trample upon the Riches of his Grace; He will not apply the Merits of his Sufferings to them, who crucify Him afresh by their daily Sins; nor become the Author of eternal Happiness to them, which despise the Glories and reject the Offer of fo great Salvation. However powerful and effectual Chrift's Mediation may be in itself, its Power and Efficacy is quite loft to them who will not obey the Gospel. To believe that the Holy Jefus is our Advocate, and not to render ourselves worthy of fuch his Advocation, is to deftroy the bleffed Effects of his Office, Office, and to turn them to our own Reproach and Condemnation. Again, we muft recommend ourfelves to the Divine Notice, by frequent and fervent Prayer; It is the Priest's Bufinefs not to pray for them, who neglect to pray for themselves, but only to offer up the Prayers of those that ask, and by fuch Oblation, to render them more effectual: Having indeed fo great an High Prieft, we may with Boldness and Freedom, come unto the Throne of Grace, and be affured, that whatever we afk in Chrifts Name, we shall receive; but come we muft, before we can obtain Mercy, and find Grace to help in Time of Need. We must ask in Chrift's Name, difclaiming all Worthiness of our own, putting our whole Truft in his Merits, depending entirely upon his Mediation Accordingly we fee, how wifely and piously our excellent Mother of fers up every Collect of the Liturgy in Chrift's Name, by inferting at the End of each her firm Confidence in her fole Reliance upon his powerful Interceffion : And what the perverfe Ignorance of our Diffenters call the disturbing of our Prayers, Prayers, and the breaking in upon our Devotions, is in Reality, the most accepttable Way of offering them up to God, it is praying according to God's Will; according to his exprefs Command. But having jo great an High Prieft, do we want, shall we defire, fhall we accept any other Interceffors? The Saints and Angels are not, cannot be our Mediators, and confequently not the proper Objects of our Invocation; and to pray to them as fuch, is facrilegiously to rob Christ of his Mediatorial Power: Lord, we difclaim every other Advocate but Thee, Lord, do Thou hear our Prayers; Thou that takeft the Sins of the World, have Mercy upon us; Thou that fitteft at the Right-Hand of God, have Mercy upon us; Thou that makeft Interceffion for us, receive our Prayers: For Thou only art Holy; Thou only art the Lord; Thou only, O Chrift, with the Holy Ghoft, are most high in the Glory of God the Father. FINI S. |