and in confidence on his promises to ask mercy for his sake, not by
bare mentioning of his name, but by drawing our encouragement to
pray, and our boldness, strength, and hope of acceptance in prayer,
from Christ and his mediation.
QUEST. CLXXXI. _Why are we to pray in the name of Christ?_
ANSW. The sinfulness of man, and his distance from God by reason
thereof, being so great as that we can have no access into his
presence without a Mediator; and there being none in heaven or earth
appointed to, or fit for that glorious work, but Christ alone; we
are to pray in no other name but his only.
In these answers we have a farther explication of what is briefly laid
down in the last; and that, more especially, as to what respects the
object of prayer; and the method prescribed in the gospel, relating to
our drawing nigh to God, through a mediator, which is called praying in
the name of Christ; together with the reason hereof.
I. It is observed, that prayer is to be made to God alone, and to none
other. This appears,
1. Because it is an act of religious worship, which is due to none but
God; as our Saviour says, _Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him
only shalt thou serve_, Matt. iv. 10.—This can be denied by none who
are, in any measure, acquainted either with natural or revealed
religion; in which we are obliged to extol, adore, and admire those
divine perfections which are displayed in the works of nature and grace,
and to seek that help from him, and those supplies of grace that we
stand in need of to make us completely blessed, which supposes him to be
infinitely perfect and all-sufficient. Now to ascribe this divine glory
to a creature, either directly, or by consequence, is, in effect, to say
that he is equal with God, and thereby to rob him of that glory that is
due to him alone, to seek that from the creature, that none but God can
give, or to ascribe any of the perfections of the divine nature to it,
is the highest affront that can be offered to the divine Majesty. Now as
prayer without adoration and invocation, is destitute of those
ingredients which render it an act of religious worship; so to address
ourselves, in such a way, to any one but God, is an instance of such
profaneness and idolatry, as is not to be mentioned without the greatest
detestation.
2. Prayer is to be made only to God, inasmuch as he only is able to
search the heart, which is a glory peculiar to himself, in which he is
distinguished from all creatures, 1 Kings viii. 39. Acts i. 24. It is
the heart that is principally to be regarded in prayer: If this be not
right with God, there is no glory that we can ascribe to him, that will
be reckoned any better than _flattering him with our mouth_, and _lying
to him with our tongues_, Psal. lxxviii. 36, 37. as the Psalmist says:
Therefore, the inward frame of our spirit, and the principle, or spring
from whence all religious duties proceed, being only known to God,
prayer is only to be directed to him.
3. He alone can hear our requests, pardon our sins, and fulfil our
desires. Prayer, when addressed to God, is not like that in which we
desire those favours from men, which are of a lower nature, whereby some
particular wants are supplied, in those respects in which one creature
may be of advantage to another; but when we pray to God, we seek those
blessings which are the effects of infinite power and goodness, such as
may make us completely happy, both in this and a better world. Moreover,
we are to implore forgiveness of sin from him in prayer; which is a
blessing none can bestow but God, Mark ii. 7. for as his law is the rule
by which the goodness or badness of actions are determined; and the
threatening which he has annexed to it, is that which renders us liable
to that punishment sin deserves; so it is he alone that can remit the
debt of punishment, which we are liable to, and give us a right and
title to forfeited blessings; which being the principal thing that we
are to seek for in prayer, this argues that none but God is the object
thereof.
4. God alone is to be believed in: Accordingly prayer, if it be
acceptable to him, must be performed by faith. Thus the apostle says,
_How shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed?_ Rom. x.
14. There must be a firm persuasion that he can grant us the blessings
we ask for; herein faith addresses itself to him as God all-sufficient;
and is persuaded that he will fulfil all his promises, as a God of
infinite faithfulness; and accordingly we are to give up ourselves
entirely to him as our proprietor and bountiful benefactor, the only
fountain of blessedness, and object of religious worship: This is to be
done by faith in prayer, and consequently it is to be directed to God
only.
II. We are now to consider what it is to pray in the name of Christ:
This doth not consist barely in a mentioning his name; which many do
when they ask for favours for his sake, without a due regard to the
method God has ordained; in which we are to draw nigh to him by Christ
our great Mediator, who is to be glorified as the person by whom we are
to have access to God the Father as the fountain of all the blessings,
which are communicated to us in this method of divine grace. To come to
God in Christ’s name, includes in it the whole work of faith, as to what
it has to plead with, or hope for, from him, through a Mediator, in that
way which he has prescribed to us in the gospel. And this more
especially consists in our making a right use of what Christ has done
and suffered for us, as the foundation of our hope, that God will be
pleased to grant us what he has purchased thereby; which contains the
sum of all that we can desire, when drawing nigh to him in prayer. Here
let it be considered,
1. That the thoughts of having to do with an absolute God, cannot but
fill us with the utmost distress and confusion, when we consider
ourselves as guilty sinners, and God, out of Christ, as a sin-revenging
Judge, a consuming fire, Heb. xii. 29. in which case we may well say, as
our first parent did, immediately after his fall, _I heard thy voice and
I was afraid_, Gen. iii. 10.
2. God is obliged, in honour, as a God of infinite holiness, to separate
and banish sinners from his comfortable presence, they being liable to
the curse and condemning sentence of the law; by reason whereof his
terror makes them afraid, and his dread falls upon them; nevertheless,
3. They have, in the gospel, not only an invitation to come, but a
discovery of that great Mediator, whom God has ordained to conduct his
people into his presence, having procured liberty of access to him, or,
as the apostle expresses it, _boldness to enter into the holiest by his
blood, by a new and living way, which he has consecrated for us through
the vail, that is to say, his flesh_, Heb. x. 19, 20. and he has, for
this end, erected a throne of grace, and encouraged us to come to it,
and given many great and precious promises, whereby we may hope for
acceptance in his sight; these being all established in Christ, and the
blessings contained therein procured by his blood, and having liberty,
in coming, to plead what he has done and suffered, as what was designed
to be the foundation of our hope of obtaining mercy, we are said to come
and make our supplications to God in the name of Christ.
III. We are now to consider the reason why we are to pray in the name of
Christ; and that we have in one of the answers we are explaining. In
which it is observed; that man, by sin, is set at such a distance from
God, that he cannot, by any means, come into his presence. God cannot
look upon him with any delight or complacency; inasmuch as his guilt
renders him the object of his abhorrence; and he cannot do any thing
which has a tendency to reconcile God to him, and therefore he is
speechless, and can ask for no blessing at his hand. And it is farther
observed, that there is none in heaven or earth, that is, no mere
creature, that is fit for that glorious work; none has a sufficiency of
merit to present to God, whereby he may be said to make atonement for
sin; or, as Job expresses it, there is _no days-man that might lay his
hand on both_ parties, Job ix. 33. that is, able to deal with God in
paying a ransom; which he may, in honour accept of; or with man, by
encouraging him to hope that he shall obtain the blessings which he
stands in need of; and bringing him into such a frame, that he may draw
nigh to God in a right manner. This is only owing to our Lord Jesus
Christ; and he does it as our great Mediator, who alone is fit to manage
this important work; therefore we are to pray to God, only in his name,
who is, by divine appointment, an advocate with the Father, pleading our
cause before his throne, and thereby giving us ground of encouragement,
that our persons shall be accepted, and our prayers answered upon his
account, who is the only Mediator of redemption and intercession, in
whom God is well pleased, and gives a believer ground to conclude that
he shall not seek his face in vain.
Quest. CLXXXII., CLXXXIII., CLXXXIV.
QUEST. CLXXXII. _How doth the Spirit help us to pray?_
ANSW. We not knowing what to pray for as we ought, the Spirit
helpeth our infirmities, by enabling us to understand both for whom,
and what, and how prayer is to be made, and by working and
quickening in our hearts (although not in all persons, not at all
times in the same measure) those apprehensions, affections, and
graces, which are requisite for the right performance of that duty.
QUEST. CLXXXIII. _For whom are we to pray?_
ANSW. We are to pray for the whole church of Christ, upon earth, for
magistrates and ministers, for ourselves, our brethren, yea, our
enemies, and for all sorts of men living, or that shall live
hereafter, but not for the dead, nor for those that are known to
have sinned the sin unto death.
QUEST. CLXXXIV. _For what things are we to pray?_
ANSW. We are to pray for all things tending to the glory of God, the
welfare of the church, our own, or other’s good, but not for any
thing that is unlawful.
As there is no duty that we can perform in a right manner, without help
obtained from God—And the same may be said, in particular, concerning
that of prayer: Accordingly we are led,
I. To speak of the help that the Spirit of God is pleased to afford
believers, in order to their engaging aright in this duty. Here we may
observe,
1. That it is supposed that we know not what to pray for as we ought, or
how to bring our souls into a prepared frame for this duty, without the
Spirit’s assistance.
(1.) We are oftentimes at a loss with respect to the matter of prayer;
and this may be said to proceed from our being unacquainted with
ourselves, and not duly sensible of our wants, weaknesses, or secret
faults: Sometimes we cannot determine whether we are in a state of grace
or no; or, if we are, whether it is increasing or declining; or, if we
have ground to complain by reason of the hidings of God’s face, and our
want of communion with him, we are oftentimes hard put to it to find out
what is that secret sin which is the occasion of it; nor are we
sufficiently apprized of the wiles of Satan, or the danger we are in of
being ensnared or overcome thereby. Moreover, we are oftentimes not able
to know how to direct our prayers to God aright, as we know not what is
most conducive to his glory, or what it is that he requires of us,
either in obedience to his commanding will, or in submission to his
providential will. Hence it arises, that many good men, in scripture,
have asked for some things which have been in themselves unlawful,
through the weakness of their faith, and the prevalency of their
corruption: Thus some have desired, that God would call them out of this
world by death, being impatient under the many troubles they met with
therein; accordingly we read concerning Elijah, that ‘he requested for
himself that he might die, and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take
away my life; for I am not better than my fathers,’ 1 Kings xix. 4. and
Job says, ‘O that I might have my request! and that God would grant me
the thing that I long for! Even that it would please God to destroy me;
that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off,’ Job vi. 8, 9. And
Jonah says, ‘O Lord, I beseech thee, take my life from me; for it is
better for me to die than to live,’ Jonah iv. 3. And Moses, though he
had the character of the meekest man upon earth, and doubtless excelled
all others in his day, in those graces which he had received from God,
as well as in the great honours conferred on him; yet he puts up a most
unbecoming prayer, both as to the matter and manner thereof; as it is
observed, that he said unto the Lord, ‘Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy
servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou
layest the burden of all this people upon me? Have I conceived all this
people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry
them in thy bosom (as a nursing-father beareth the sucking child) unto
the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? Whence should I have
flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give
us flesh, that we may eat. I am not able to bear all this people alone,
because it is too heavy for me. And if thou deal thus with me, kill me,
I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let
me not see my wretchedness,’ Numb. xi. 11-15. And, in another instance,
he asks for a thing which he knew before hand, that God would not grant
him, when he says, ‘I pray thee, let me go over and see the good land
that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon:’ Upon which
God says, ‘Let it suffice thee, speak no more unto me of this matter,’
Deut. iii. 25, 26.—Many instances of the like nature are mentioned in
scripture; and, indeed, nothing is more obvious from daily experience,
that what the apostle James observes, that persons ‘ask and receive not,
because they ask amiss,’ James iv. 3. or what the apostle Paul says, ‘We
know not what we should pray for as we ought,’ Rom. viii. 26.
(2.) We are, at other times, straitened in our affections, and so know
not how to ask any thing with a suitable frame of spirit: It is certain
we cannot excite our affections, or especially put forth those graces
which are to be exercised in prayer, when we please. Our hearts are
sometimes dead, cold, and inclined to wander from God in this duty; and,
at other times, we pray with a kind of indifferency, as though it was of
no great importance whether our prayer were answered or no. How seldom
do we express that importunity in this duty which Jacob did, ‘I will not
let thee go, except thou bless me?’ Gen. xxxii. 26. And as for those
graces that are to be exercised in prayer, we often want that reverence,
and those high and awful thoughts of the divine Majesty, which we ought
to have, who draw nigh to a God of infinite perfection; nor, on the
other hand, do we express those low and humble thoughts of ourselves, as
our own meanness, the imperfection of our best performances, and the
infinite distance which we stand at from God, ought to suggest; and to
this we may add, that we are often destitute of that love to Christ, and
trust in him, which are necessary to the right performance of this duty,
as also of that hope of being heard, which is a very great encouragement
to it.
2. We are now to enquire wherein the Spirit is said to help our
infirmities; and this may be considered as adapted to that two-fold
necessity which we are often under, respecting the matter or frame of
spirit with which this duty is to be performed.
(1.) The Spirit helps our infirmities, with respect to the matter of
prayer. This is not in the least derogatory to his divine glory, if he
is pleased to condescend thus to converse with man, and it is not
contrary to the nature of things; for the Spirit, being a divine Person,
searches the heart, and can impress those ideas on the souls of his
people, whereby they may be led into the knowledge of those things that
they ought to ask in prayer, with as much facility as any one can convey
his ideas to another by words. If it was impossible for God to do this,
his providence could not be conversant about intelligent creatures, any
otherwise than in an objective way, in which it would not differ from
that which may be attributed to finite spirits. And it would have been
impossible for God to have imparted his mind and will by extraordinary
revelation, (without which, it could not have been known) if he may not,
though it be in an ordinary way, communicate those ideas to the souls of
his people, whereby they may be furnished with matter for prayer.
I am not pleading for extraordinary revelation; for that is to expect a
blessing that God does not now give to his people: But I only argue from
the greater to the less; whereby it may appear, that it is not
impossible, or absurd, from the nature of the thing, or contrary to the
divine perfections, for God to impress the thoughts of men in an
ordinary way; since he formerly did this in an extraordinary, as will be
allowed by all, who are not disposed to deny and set aside revealed
religion. Moreover, there was such a thing in the apostle’s days, as
being led by the Spirit, which was distinguished from his miraculous and
extraordinary influences, as a Spirit of inspiration; otherwise, it is
certain, he would not have assigned this as a character of the children
of God, which he does, Rom. viii. 14. And when our Saviour promises his
people the _Spirit to guide them into all truth_, John xvi. 13. I cannot
think that this only respected the apostles, or their being led into the
truths that they were to impart to the church by divine inspiration; but
it seems to be a privilege that belongs to all believers: Therefore, we
conclude, that it is no absurdity to suppose that he may assist his
people, as to what concerns the matter of their prayers, or suggest to
them those becoming thoughts which they have in prayer, when drawing
nigh to God in a right manner.
Some have enquired, whether we may conclude that the Spirit of God
furnishes his people with words in prayer, distinct from his impressing
ideas on their minds? This I would be very cautious in determining, lest
I should hereby not put a just difference between this assistance of the
Spirit, that believers hope for, and that which the prophets of old
received by inspiration. I dare not say, that the Spirit’s work consists
in furnishing believers with proper expressions, with which their ideas
are clothed, when they engage in this duty, but rather with those
suitable arguments and apprehensions of divine things, which are more
immediately subservient thereunto: Accordingly the apostle, speaking of
the Spirit’s assisting believers, when they know not what to pray for as
they ought, says, that he does this _with groanings that cannot be
uttered_: that is, he impresses on their souls those divine breathings
after things spiritual and heavenly, which they sometimes,
notwithstanding, want words to express; though, at the same time, the
frame of their spirits may be under a divine influence, which God is
said to know the meaning of, when he graciously hears and answers their
prayers, how imperfect soever they may be, as to the mode of expression.
(2.) The Spirit helps our infirmities by giving us a suitable frame of
spirit, and exciting those graces which are to be exercised in this duty
of prayer. This the Psalmist calls, _preparing their hearts_; which God
does, and then _causes his ear to hear_, Psal. x. 17. which is a very
desirable blessing; and, in order to our understanding it aright, let it
be considered,
[1.] That we cannot, without the Spirit’s assistance, bring our hearts
into a right frame for prayer; and that is the reason why we engage in
this duty, in such a manner as gives great uneasiness to us when we
reflect upon it; so that when we pretend to draw nigh to God, we can
hardly say that we worship him as God, but become vain in our
imaginations; and the corruption of our nature discovers itself more at
this time than it does on other occasions; and Satan uses his utmost
endeavours to distract and disturb our thoughts, and take off the edge
of our affections; whereby we seem not really to desire those things
which, with our lips, we ask at the hand of God. As for an unregenerate
man, he has not a principle of grace, and therefore cannot pray in
faith, or with the exercise of those other graces which he is destitute
of; and the believer is renewed but in part, and therefore, if the
Spirit is not pleased to excite the principle of grace which he has
implanted, he is very much indisposed for this duty, which cannot be
performed aright without his assistance.
[2.] We are, nevertheless, to use our utmost endeavours, in order
thereunto, hoping for a blessing from God to succeed them. Accordingly,
we are to meditate on the divine perfections, and the evil of sin, which
is contrary thereunto; whereby we are rendered guilty, defiled, and
unworthy to come into the presence of God; yet we consider ourselves as
invited to come to him in the gospel, and encouraged by his promise and
grace, to cast ourselves before his footstool, in hope of obtaining
mercy from him.
We are also to examine ourselves, that we may know what sins are to be
confessed by us, and what are those necessities which will afford matter
for petition or supplication in prayer, together with the mercies we
have received; which are to be thankfully acknowledged therein. We are
also to consider the many encouragements which we have, to draw nigh to
God in this duty, taken from his being ready to pardon our iniquities,
heal our backslidings, help our infirmities, and grant us undeserved
favours. We must also impress on our souls a due sense of the
spirituality of the duty we are to engage in, and that we have to do
with the heart-searching God, who will be worshipped with reverence and
holy fear; and therefore we are to endeavour to excite all the powers
and faculties of our souls, to engage in this duty in such a way that we
may hereby glorify his name, and hope to receive a gracious answer from
him.
[3.] When we have used our utmost endeavours to bring ourselves into a
praying frame, yet we must depend on the Holy Spirit to give success
thereunto, that we may be enabled to exercise those graces that are more
especially his gift and work: And, in order thereunto,
_1st_, We must give glory to him as the author of regeneration, since no
grace can be exercised in this duty but what proceeds from a right
principle, or a nature renewed, and internally sanctified, and disposed
for the performance hereof; which is his work, as the _Spirit of grace
and of supplication_, Zech. xii. 10.
_2dly_, As we are to draw nigh to God in this duty, as a reconciled God
and Father, if we hope to be accepted by him; so we are to consider,
that this is the peculiar work of the Spirit, whereby we are _enabled to
cry, Abba, Father_, Rom. viii. 15. Gal. iv. 6. This will not only
dispose us to perform this duty in a right manner, so as to enable us to
pray in faith; but it will afford us ground of hope that our prayers
will be heard and answered by him.
_3dly_, Inasmuch as we often are straitened in our spirits, which is a
great hindrance to us in this duty, we must consider it as a peculiar
blessing and gift of the Holy Ghost, to have our hearts enlarged; which
the Psalmist intends, when he says, _Bring my soul out of prison, that I
may praise thy name_, Psal. cxlii. 7. and it is a peculiar branch of
that liberty which he is pleased to bestow on his people, under the
gospel-dispensation; as the apostle says, _Where the Spirit of the Lord
is, there is liberty_, 2 Cor. iii. 17. And by this means our affections
will be raised, and we enabled to pour out our souls before him.
This may give us occasion to enquire concerning the difference that
there is between raised affections in prayer, which unregenerate persons
sometimes have, from external motives; and those which the Spirit
excites in us as a peculiar blessing, whereby he assists us in the
discharge of this duty. There are several things in which they differ;
as,
_1st_, The former of these oftentimes proceeds from a slavish fear and
dread of the wrath of God; the latter from a love to, and desire after
him, which arises from the view we have of his glory, as our covenant
God, in and through a Mediator.