Transcribed from the 1846 John Snow edition ,
THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH ESSENTIAL TO THE
CONVERSION OF THE WORLD.
A SERMON,
PREACHED BEFORE
THE DIRECTORS AND FRIENDS OF THE LONDON
MISSIONARY SOCIETY,
DURING
Their Anniversary
IN MAY, 1846,
IN THE CHURCH OF ST. MARY, SPITAL SQUARE,
LONDON,
BY
J. H. GWYTHER, M.A.
VICAR OF MADELEY, SALOP.
LONDON:
JOHN SNOW, PATERNOSTER-ROW; THE SOCIETY’S OFFICES,
BLOOMSBURY HOUSE, FINSBURY SQUARE. GEO. M. SMITH,
IRONBRIDGE, SALOP.
1846.
Price Sixpence.
p.3SERMON.
“Neither pray I for these alone,but for all who shall believe in me through their Word:that they all may be one: that the World may believethat thou hast sent me.”—John xvii. 20, 21.
The last earthly act of one we love and honour, is oftenreferred to with deepest interest, and revolved with the mostthoughtful attention. It is then that the dying Parentdelivers his solemn counsels, and unbosoms his most sacredlycherished feelings. If ever the tenderest and earnestworkings of the heart are laid open, it is as the scene drawsnear and yet nearer to its close.
And as our beloved Saviourapproached the termination of His earthly history, the strongcommanding feelings of his soul were displayed, and thenespecially he taught his disciples what sentiments he would havethem cultivate, and what objects he would have them propose;whilst by his example, he taught them in what spirit, andby what means to seek those high and holy ends.
It was then, assembled with his disciples in the Garden ofGethsemane, that He as the Great High Priest of Our Profession,breathed forth in earnest prayer, the words before us:—
“The last acts of theGreat Mediator, were acts of prayer.”
He prayed! that he might impresshis people with the importance of prayer. He made themwitnesses of his prayer, that when they hereafter mightfollow him their divine intercessor, by faith, within theveil, they might know for what ends, and in what spirit, hisintercession is carried on. His lastacts were prayer. It was in prayerthat he closed his last interview with his Apostles. It wasin this exercise that he passed his hour of agony in the Garden;and when on the Cross, His dying breath was spent in repeated andsolemn application.
p. 4Oh!beloved brethren! ’twas a solemn scene;—the adorableMediator with the shadows of death deepening around him, employedin earnest addresses to his Father. The Garden—the JudgmentSeat—the Scourge—the Cross, were full beforehim. On what now is His spirit bent? On what subjectsdoes he meditate? His prayer will tell, and tell how fullyhis heart was occupied with the work of mercy—thewell-being of his church—the honour of