* Please see the ADDENDUM I've added below. ~ 2.27.2013 *
This past weekend, my husband and I took a little getaway. I loaded my backpack with a few books, one of which includes a reprint of Jonathan Edwards' "An Humble Attempt..." ¹
The full title of Edwards' work is more than a mouthful! . . .
An
Humble Attempt
to Promote Explicit Agreement and Visible Union of God's People,
in
Extraordinary Prayer,
for the Revival of Religion and the Advancement of Christ's Kingdom on Earth.
I'd already read through the book last year, and I've dabbled in it since, but I took it along with me since I've been wanting to reread it...
A little background...
Jonathan Edwards wrote and published "An Humble Attempt" in 1748 as an expansion of a sermon he had originally preached to his congregation in Northampton, Massachusetts, in 1747. Edwards' spirit had been stirred up to this good work through a holy exhortation and godly challenge which came to him from across the Atlantic, in both word and deed: through the written text drawn up by several ministers in Scotland in "A memorial from several ministers in Scotland, to their brethren in different places, for continuing a Concert for Prayer, first entered into in the year 1744" (the full text of which Edwards included in "An Humble Attempt" ² ), as well as through the vibrant example of several societies and concerts of prayer for revival which had sprung up in Scotland beginning in the early 1740's.
Initially Edwards' "An Humble Attempt" had little impact, but several decades later, it began to bear much fruit among the Calvinistic Baptists in England. The Scottish minister, John Erskine, had corresponded with Edwards during his lifetime, and in 1784, he sent John Ryland Jr. a copy of Edwards' "An Humble Attempt." God's Providence had brought Ryland Jr. into geographic proximity as well as spiritual kinship with Andrew Fuller and John Sutcliff (as well as William Carey) in the East Midlands. Ryland Jr. passed along Edwards' "Humble Attempt" to Fuller and Sutcliff, and a fire was kindled. Both Fuller and Sufcliff were already familiar with Edwards; Edwards' writings had served to inform, shape and reform their theology, moving them from a high (hyper) Calvinism to Biblical, evangelical Calvinism.
In response to reading Edwards' "An Humble Attempt," a similar call to prayer for revival now rang out loudly in England: "The Prayer Call of 1784," which, according to Michael A.G. Haykin, was most likely penned by Sutcliff himself. Soon afterwards, societies of prayer for revival arose, old churches were revitalized, new members were welcomed in through conversion, many new churches were planted, and in 1792, the Baptist Missionary Society was formed and along with it, the advent of the modern missionary movement, with William Carey and others sailing off to India the following year to fulfill Jesus' great commission to preach the Gospel to every creature, to proclaim repentance and forgiveness in His name to all nations and fulfill God's covenant promises to Abraham: that through Abraham, in his seed (in Christ), all the families of earth would indeed be blessed to the praise, honor, and glory of God!
In 1789, Sutcliff republished Edwards' "An Humble Attempt." In the Preface, Sutcliff expressed his heart's desire to see the Body of Christ raised up in united, extraordinary prayer for revival, so God might pour out of His Holy Spirit in Pentecostal power as He did in the book of Acts.
O for thousands upon thousands, divided into small bands in their respective cities, towns, villages, and neighbourhood, all met at the same time, and in pursuit of one end, offering up their united prayers, like so many ascending clouds of incense before the Most High!—May he shower down blessings on all the scattered tribes of Zion! Grace, great grace be with all them that love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity! Amen!
As I re-read those words this past weekend, over two hundred years after Sutcliff wrote them, my heart broke and ached...
O! for thousands upon thousands ... offering up their united prayers, like so many ascending clouds of incense before the Most High! Where are the intercessors after Christ's own heart, quickened by the resurrection life of the Christ who Himself is seated at the right hand of Majesty where He ever lives to intercede for His Church? Where are the watchmen on the walls breathing forth prayers day and night for God's Church to be a praise in the earth, even as the Holy Spirit, the Breath of God, unceasingly intercedes for us?
After that, I went back and read once again these words of Sutcliff from earlier in the Preface, and my heart broke further and my heart ached more intently (emphasis mine):
If any inquire why the ensuing work is re-published, I would beg leave to lay before them the following intelligence.
At an association of the ministers and messengers of the Baptist Churches in the counties of Northampton, Leicester, &c. held at Nottingham, in the year 1784, a resolution was termed to establish through the association, a meeting of prayer for the general revival and spread of religion. This was to be observed the first Monday evening in every calendar month, by all the churches. It still continues.—In 1786, another Baptist association commonly called the Midland, held that year at Aulcester, in the county of Warwick, entered into the same resolution. Many other churches, particularly in Yorkshire, have adopted, and now follow, the above practice. We have the pleasure also to find, that several Pædobaptist churches statedly meet on those evenings for the same purpose.
The re-publication of the following work is with the avowed design of promoting the above agreement and practice. Those concerned in its first institution, never intended it should be confined to any peculiar connexion, or particular denomination. Rather they ardently wished it might become general among the real friends of truth and holiness. The advocates of error are indefatigable in their endeavours to overthrow the distinguishing and interesting doctrine of Christianity; those doctrines which are the grounds of our hope, and sources of our joy. Surely it becomes the followers of Christ, to use every effort, in order to strengthen the things which remain...
In the present imperfect state, we may reasonably expect a diversity of sentiments upon religious matters. Each ought to think for himself; and every one has a right, on proper occasions, to show his opinion. Yet all should remember, that there are but two parties in the world, each engaged in opposite causes; the cause of God and of Satan; of holiness and sin; of heaven and hell. The advancement of the one, and the downfall of the other, must appear exceedingly desirable to every real friend of God and man. If such in some respects entertain different sentiments, and practise distinguishing modes of worship, surely they may unite in the above business.
* * *
Though firmly settled in his Calvinist Baptist beliefs, John Sutcliff had the strong desire for all the children of God to be gathered together with one heart and one mind to pray in one accord for the reviving of God's one Church. And that's the same desire God has been working in me over the past few years.
When I look out at the Church today, my heart weeps like Jesus' heart did over Jerusalem. And when I hear good-meaning, orthodox Christians use the word "strategies" my heart cringes within me. Don't get me wrong, it's not that we shouldn't strategize. Buy my question and my concern is this: Where is the strategy the 120 members of the early church used in Acts 1 and 2? My heart cries with Sutcliff: "O! for thousands upon thousands!" Where is the burning heart of prayer that filled Edwards and Sutcliff and the rest of these men, the zealous intercessions ushered in great movements of reformation and revival and missionary zeal? Where is the midnight, unceasing asking, seeking and knocking for God to rend the heavens and come down? Where is the call to continuing devotion to prayer and to the ministry of the Word that we find in Acts 6?
And when I look back at the Biblical narrative and throughout Church history at God's mighty power and wondrous works in reviving His people time and time again, my heart aches that our God might once again show us grace in the wilderness, that He might awake and arise and appear to us for the sake of His name! O! We are living so very far below what He has intended for us! Have we forgotten that we serve a living Savior! Have we forgotten that He is risen from the dead and He is Lord!? Have we forgotten that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit? Have we forgotten that without Him we can do nothing? O! That our God might pour out upon us His Spirit of grace and supplications! O! That we might follow the example of David, and have our eyes opened to see that the fleshly armor we have been using is no match at all for the spiritual warfare in which we are engaged!
Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.”
So David put them off.
(I Samuel 17:39c)
O! That we might put off all of our futile, fleshly ways, and seek the Lord, seek His face, and seek His strength in unceasing, importunate, fervent prayer day and night!
II Corinthians 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds...
Do we not understand our God is the God who does wonders?
Do we not understand that our God is the true God, a great and everlasting King over all the earth?
Thou art coming to a King,
Large petitions with thee bring;
For His grace and pow'r are such
None can ever ask too much.
(John Newton)
* * *
The "resolution" to which Sutcliff referred was the "Prayer Call of 1784," and in it, we find his catholic sentiment and spirit overflowing (emphasis mine):
Upon a motion being made to the ministers and messengers of the associate Baptist churches assembled at Nottingham, respecting meetings for prayer, to bewail the low estate of religion, and earnestly implore a revival of our churches, and of the general cause of our Redeemer, and for that end to wrestle with God for the effusion of his Holy Spirit, which alone can produce the blessed effect, it was unanimously RESOLVED, to recommend to all our churches and congregations, the spending of one hour in this important exercise, on the first Monday in every calendar month.
We hereby solemnly exhort all the churches in our connection, to engage heartily and perseveringly in the prosecution of this plan. And as it may be well to endeavour to keep the same hour, as a token of our unity herein, it is supposed the following scheme may suit many congregations, viz. to meet on the first Monday evening in May, June, and July, from 8 to 9. In August from 7-8. Sept. and Oct. from 6 to 7. Dec. Jan. and Feb. from 5 to 6. March, from 6 to 7; and April, from 7 to 8. Nevertheless if this hour, or even the particular evening, should not suit in particular places, we wish our brethren to fix on one more convenient to themselves.
We hope also, that as many of our brethren who live at a distance from our places of worship may not be able to attend there, that as many as are conveniently situated in a village or neighbourhood, will unite in small societies at the same time. And if any single individual should be so situated as not to be able to attend to this duty in society with others, let him retire at the appointed hour, to unite the breath of prayer in private with those who are thus engaged in a more public manner.
The grand object of prayer is to be that the Holy Spirit may be poured down on our ministers and churches, that sinners may be converted, the saints edified, the interest of religion revived, and the name of God glorified. At the same time, remember, we trust you will not confine your requests to your own societies (i.e. churches); or to your own immediate connection (i.e. denomination); let the whole interest of the Redeemer be affectionately remembered, and the spread of the gospel to the most distant parts of the habitable globe be the object of your most fervent requests. We shall rejoice if any other Christian societies of our own or other denominations will unite with us, and do now invite them most cordially to join heart and hand in the attempt.
Who can tell what the consequences of such an united effort in prayer may be! Let us plead with God the many gracious promises of His Word, which relate to the future success of His gospel. He has said, "I will yet for this be enquired of by the House of Israel to do it for them, I will increase them with men like a flock." Ezek. xxxvi37. Surely we have love enough for Zion to set apart one hour at a time, twelve times in a year, to seek her welfare.
* * *
I know I can sometimes become quickly frustrated and flustered and irritated and distracted by those who disagree with me on Calvinistic doctrine. In a recent post, "Will it not, in the end, destroy brotherly love..." ~ Whitefield | welcome one another, I wrote about "an interesting tension in my soul" over these matters, and in fact, I had found that tension increasing to the point where it was in danger of overwhelming me and drying up my soul. But thanks be to God, in the past few days, God's Spirit sent His refreshing rain upon me, and stirred me up to remind me how deeply I long (and He longs) to see such explicit agreement and visible union of God's people in extraordinary prayer, for the revival of religion and the advancement of Christ's Kingdom on earth.
Therefore, as God's Spirit permits me and equips me, along with Edwards and along with Sutcliff, I humbly desire to attempt to promote explicit agreement and visible union of God's people, be they Calvinistic or Arminian, in extraordinary prayer, for the revival of religion and the advancement of Christ's Kingdom on earth. And along with Sutcliff, I will greatly "rejoice if any other Christian societies of [my] own or other denominations will unite with [me], and do now invite them most cordially to join heart and hand in the attempt."
* * *
As I further reflected on Sutcliff's words, Caiphas' prophecy in John 11 was brought to mind:
49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.”
51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.
The Lord Jesus Christ did indeed die to gather into one all the children of God who are scattered abroad –– to bring all of us back to God –– both Jew and Gentile, both male and female, both young and old, both Arminian and Calvinist, etc., etc.
I Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit...
The apostle Paul reminds us of the unity, oneness and fellowship believers share with Christ and with one another:
Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.
18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Having been brought near by the blood of Christ, yes, we do have peace, and yes, we do have access –– but, my brothers and sisters, let's not become short-sighted, self-absorbed, ingrown, apathetic, and indifferent, and forget that one blessed responsibility of that access is that we are called to pray for more and more souls to be gathered in, so along with us, they too might enjoy that blessed union, fellowship with, and access to God the Father through Jesus Christ in one Spirit! That is part of God's design for us as He builds His Church :–– In His mysterious and marvelous workings, God builds His Church through the prayers of saved sinners like us. Yes, God is altogether sovereign in the building, but we are still responsible nonetheless! Can we say we truly love Zion if we don't mourn and weep and plead for her, and seek her welfare in prayer?
Isaiah 66:10
Rejoice with Jerusalem,
and be glad for her,
all you who love her;
rejoice with her in joy,
all you who mourn over her...
The Good Shepherd continues to call and to gather all of His sheep to Himself, so His Church might be a house of prayer of all nations and a house of prayer for all nations... and that in-gathering will carry on until the Day our Lord descends from heaven and returns to the earth to judge the living and the dead and set up His Kingdom upon the new earth, and all things will be put under His feet, death will be destroyed, and we shall no longer see Him through a glass darkly, but see Him face to face, and we shall always be with Him forevermore!
However, in the meantime, so long as the Lord Jesus tarries, we know for certain there is still room at the Great Banquet! (Luke 14:15-24). And, my dear friends, because there is still room at His Great Banquet, we know for certain there is still room at His throne of grace where we might come together and prostrate ourselves in prayer and supplication and weeping and mourning and fasting to seek Him, to seek His face, to seek His strength with boldness and confidence –– that His Gospel would go out in the Holy Spirit, in power, and in boldness and in much assurance to all the ends of the earth, so other sheep who have not yet be gathered to Him may be gathered to Him, and that along with us, they may begin to taste and see He is good, and all the nations might praise the name of the LORD from the rising of the sun until its setting down, and all the ends of the earth might fear Him!
John 10:16
And I have other sheep that are not of this fold.
I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.
So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
Isaiah 56
7 these I will bring to my holy mountain,
and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house shall be called a house of prayer
for all peoples.”
8 The Lord GOD,
who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,
“I will gather yet others to him
besides those already gathered.”
Philippians 2:1-2
So if there is any encouragement in Christ,
any comfort from love,
any participation in the Spirit,
any affection and sympathy,
complete my joy by being of the same mind,
having the same love,
being in full accord and of one mind.
ADDENDUM: I realized I needed to make some clarifications to this post. I realize that Edwards was preaching against Arminianism in his day (and, in fact, God sent down revival blessings as a result), and I'm not sure at all what Sutcliff's viewpoint on 21st century Arminianism would be, but I continue to find myself falling into the interesting and necessary tension in which Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (also a Calvinist) found himself, which was recently described in this blog post by Exiled Preacher:
Lloyd-Jones was prepared to work with other Evangelicals whose views were quite different from his own on the charismatic gifts, worship styles, Calvinism and Arminianism and so on. His attitude to dealing with differences between Evangelicals was this, 'If am I convinced that a man is my brother I am going to bear with him. I am not going to divide from him. What makes us one is that we are born of the same blood, of the same Spirit. We are born again by the same Spirit into the same family... I do not separate from my brother.' (Unity in Truth, p. 120-121).
In closing, I'd like to repost my own words I'd written earlier this month in this post:
I want to make it clear that I very well know that souls can be saved and not hold to the tenets of Calvinism. I know this because for years, I was saved, but I wasn't a Calvinist! (In my post, "True Calvinism is not," I wrote about how I balked at and rejected many of the doctrines of grace for years. I'd encourage you to read that account here.)
... I am ten thousand times more convinced of Calvinistic doctrine than I was at this time year. I believe it is critical and vital that the doctrines of grace are preached and taught. And I strongly and urgently assert that one reason why the Church is in such a sad, sorry, and ruined state right now is because those doctrines have not been preached and taught as they ought to have been –– since those doctrines provide the true kindling for the fire of personal and corporate reformation, renewal, and revival –- which results in an overflowing love and zeal for God, God's glory, God's Word, God's Gospel, and God's mission –– exactly what happened on the Day of Pentecost. O! We are in desperate need of the heavens being rent again and the Holy Dove to descend with His baptizing fire!
However, all that said, I am compelled by the Spirit of Christ to welcome ALL the saints (both Arminians and Calvinists) whom Christ Himself has welcomed, for Christ's sake and for the sake of the Gospel, for the glory of God. (Makes for an interesting tension in my soul, to say the least!)
In Romans 15, Paul reminds us of our holy obligation to welcome one another:
5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
May the God of endurance and encouragement grant me to live in such harmony with one another in accord with Christ Jesus, and welcome one another, that together we may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ in extraordinary prayer for the revival of religion and the advancement of Christ's Kingdom on earth, for the glory of God!
II Corinthians 13:11-14,
Karen
You can read about some of the journey to prayer God has had me on over the past few years in these posts:
Naphtali News: Ministry of the Word and Prayer (see especially the second portion)
Here I stand & from here I cast (devoted to prayer & the ministry of the Word)
Silent Night - Not! ~ "Prayer also will be made for Him continually" ... day and night
If God has been giving you a burden to pray for revival, please visit my other blog dedicated to prayer for revival: tent_of_meeting.xanga.com.
Other related posts...
on catholicity...
a Calvinist, a Wesley bobblehead, the holy catholic Church & the communion of saints
"Will it not, in the end, destroy brotherly love..." ~ Whitefield | welcome one another
I can't keep walking on eggshells here (more on Revelife, Calvinism, the Body of Christ and self)
May the mind and word of Christ dwell in us so we might arise as one man
on prayer & revival...
the lost treasures of Christianity & the call to pray for revival (Bible reading: Ezra 1)
Revival resources, etc.
More revival resources: opportunity and eyes to see the ruins, a burden from God
postcards from England: "The Burden for Revival" (ML-J)
The Day of Pentecost ... the first of a series (Martyn Lloyd-Jones on revival)
an advent of a different sort for the "glorious progress of the work of God"
Are you storming heaven – or are you sleeping?
Prayer & Revival in Ireland (R.A. Torrey) & Livingstone in Africa: Are we in our closets?
References and Acknowledgements
¹ "A Call to United Extraordinary Prayer... ('An humble attempt...)" (Fearn, Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Heritage imprint by Christian Focus Publications: 2003, republished 2004). Includes an introduction by David Bryant.
² You can access "The Memorial" from Scotland here: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/edwards/works2.viii.iii.i.html (see Section IV.)
HT for the text from Sutcliff's Preface to "An Humble Attempt" found at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/edwards/works2.viii.html / Please note: The Preface itself can be accessed here: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/edwards/works2.viii.ii.html.
HT for the text of The Prayer Call of 1784: http://www.calltoworship.org/calltoworship/articles/sutcliff.html.
Other Sources (in addition to those cited above):
Andrew Fuller, "A Memoir of the Rev. John Sutcliff, of Olney, Bucks" - http://baptisthistoryhomepage.com/sutcliff.john.memoir.html.
Michael A.G. Haykin, “The 18th Century Great Commission Resurgence: Part 2. Praying for Revival” - http://baptistmessenger.com/the-18th-century-great-commission-resurgence-part-2-praying-for-revival/.
.
Michael A.G. Haykin, "John Sutcliff and the Concert of Prayer," in Reformation & Revival, A Quarterly Journal for Church Leadership (Summer 1992, 1:3) - http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/ref-rev/01-3/1-3_haykin.pdf.
(All resources referenced were accessed 2.26.2013)
Work found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Corriedale_lambs_in_Tierra_del_Fuego.JPG / CC BY-SA 3.0.
Work found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Osmar_Schindler_David_und_Goliath.jpg / CC BY-SA 3.0 / {{PD-Art|PD-old-70}}
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