Prayer for the Church

by Rev. John Willison

What things shall we pray for at this time unto this church, for preventing her reproach, retrieving her credit, and promoting her welfare?

Ans. 1. Let us pray for a spirit of repentance, mourning, and supplication, to all ranks among us, that we may all be disposed to humble ourselves before the Lord, and mournfully to bewail our sins, our backslidings, and defections, which have provoked God to withdraw from us, and threaten to give us up to reproach. O that Scotland were brought to the temper of penitent returning Israel, 1 Sam. 7: 2, where it is said, that “all Israel lamented after the Lord!” Were all ranks moved in a penitent manner to come and lament after a departing God, it would be a hopeful token for the land.

1. Let us pray for God’s pouring out his Spirit from on high upon the ordinances and assemblies of this land, for convincing, enlightening, and converting of souls to the Lord: for our affairs will never take a turn to the better, “until the Spirit be poured out from on high,” Isa. 32: 15; till then, our wilderness will not be turned to a fruitful field. Well, then, let us all pray for a time when gospel-ordinances, dispensed by us, shall be remarkably backed by God’s power, and presence; for a time when, by the effusion of the Spirit, a great and effectual door shall be opened to us, as was to Paul at Ephesus, 1 Cor. 16: 9, “a door of utterance” opened in ministers’ mouths, and a door of entrance in sinners’ hearts; a time when ministers’ minds shall be enlightened, their hearts warmed, memories strengthened, and tongues loosed; so that they shall have a great facility in uttering their thoughts; “their hearts shall indite a good matter, and their tongues be as the pen of a ready writer.” Let us pray for the time when ministers’ mouths shall be opened, and hearers’ appetites sharpened, when ministers’ hearts shall be enlarged, and hearers’ hearts melted; when the arrows of the word shall be directed by a powerful hand, to pierce the consciences of men, and they brought thereby to make serious inquiries about their eternal state, “What must we do to be saved?” This would retrieve our credit.

2. Let us pray earnestly for the down-pouring of the Spirit upon young students and expectants of the holy ministry, that God may make them acquainted with regeneration-work in their younger years, and raise up amongst them eminent instruments of his glory; make them burning and shining lights, men of public spirits, who will desire to spend and be spent for the glory of Christ and the winning of souls; men that will prefer Jerusalem to their chiefest joy; men that will be suitably weighted with the work they are undertaking, and concerned to be cleared about their having God’s call to it; men that will not rush forwardly upon the work, have an active hand in thrusting themselves into the vineyard, and so run unsent, but wait patiently till God clear their way. O that God would raise up such a ministry in Scotland for the next age! O that he would send such labourers into his harvest! This would prevent our reproach, and retrieve our credit.

3. Let us pray for the continuance of the purity of doctrine and worship in the land, that God may preserve us from deism, and whatever hath a tendency thereto; and from all Popish, Socinian, or Arian errors; and that he may deliver us from all Pelagian and Arminian tenets and opinions; that so men may see and acknowledge God in every thing; whereas Pelagians and Arminians scarce see God in any thing, but make man himself, as it were, a god, by ascribing all to his natural powers, and making him independent with respect to his conversion and spiritual performances. O what a reproach would it be to us, if such errors should prevail among us!

4. Let us pray for the preservation of the peace and unity of this church, and that our breaches may all be healed, and greater breaches prevented; that God may pity us in our present situation, and raise up peace-makers amongst us; that he may inspire all the ministers of this church with a spirit of meekness, charity, and forbearance towards their brethren, who cannot attain to the same light with them in some lesser matters; and that he may deliver us from a spirit of bitterness, malice, or persecution, against our brethren. O how monstrous and reproachful will it be, for those who bear the character of Christ’s lambs and doves, to fall to a-biting and tearing one another, like lions and beasts of prey!

5. Let us pray for the removing of all these things which are the causes of division and contention amongst us; and, particularly, for deliverance from all spiritual oppression, and encroachments upon the rights and liberties of this church, by patrons and others, that so congregations may be supplied with pastors, with the consent and good-liking of the members thereof; this would contribute much for the welfare, and prevent our reproach.

6. Let us pray that God would pour out a spirit of reformation, and of zeal for piety, and against all manner of sin and vice, upon all ranks of persons amongst us; such as magistrates, ministers, elders, heads of families, parents, and teachers of youth; so that every person, in their respective stations, may vigorously exert themselves for suppressing sin, and recommending the exercise of godliness amongst those committed to their charge; and hereby the credit and prosperity of the church would be in a great measure promoted.