Part 37

Moreover, we are to confess the sins we have committed against the engagements or grace of the gospel; the low thoughts we have sometimes had of the person of Christ, his love to us, or the benefits we have been made partakers of from him, while we have been ready to say, as the daughters of Jerusalem are represented speaking, _What is thy beloved more than another beloved,_ Cant. v. 9. and how much we have hardened our hearts against him, refusing to submit to his yoke, or bear his cross; how often we have been ashamed of his cause and interest, especially when called to suffer reproach for it. Have we not sometimes questioned the truth of his promises, refused to submit to his righteousness, and depend upon it alone for justification, while we have had too high thoughts of ourselves, glorying and valuing ourselves upon the performance of some moral duties, which we have put in the room of Christ?

We ought to confess how much we have opposed him in all his offices; not depending on him as a prophet to lead us in the way of truth and peace, but have leaned to our own understanding, and therefore have been left to pervert, disbelieve, or, at least, entertain some doubts about the great doctrines of the gospel; or, if our minds have been rightly informed therein, yet we have not made a practical improvement thereof, for our spiritual advantage. Have we not opposed him as a priest, and neglected to set a due value on that atonement he has made for sin, not improving his intercession for us, who is entered into the holy place, made without hands, to encourage us to come boldly to the throne of grace? Have we not also refused to submit to him as king of saints, or seek protection from him against the assaults of our spiritual enemies? These things are to be confessed by us in prayer; and that with such a sense of our own guilt, that we ought to acknowledge ourselves to be, (as the apostle says concerning himself,) _the chief of sinners,_ 1 Tim. i. 15.

I am sensible that many will be ready to conclude, that much of what has been said concerning sins to be confessed, is applicable to none but those that are in a state of unregeneracy; and, among them, few can say, that they are the chief of sinners, unless they have been notoriously vile and scandalous in the eye of the world; and that the apostle Paul, when he applies this to himself, has a peculiar reference to what he was before his conversion.

But to this it may be replied; that it is impossible we should know so much of the sins of others, together with their respective aggravations, as we may of those that have been committed by ourselves. And if we have not been left to commit those gross and scandalous sins, which we have beheld in them with abhorrence, this is not owing to ourselves, but the grace of God, by which we are what we are; which, if we had been destitute of, we should have been as bad as the worst of men; and if our hearts have been renewed and changed thereby, so that we are kept from committing those sins that are inconsistent with a state of grace; yet there are very heinous aggravations attending those we have reason to charge ourselves with; whereby we have acted contrary to the experience we have had of the efficacious influence of the Holy Spirit, and have been guilty of very great ingratitude against him, that has laid us under the highest obligations. Thus concerning confession of sin, when drawing nigh to God in the duty of prayer.

(2.) We are now to consider another part of prayer, namely, that we are therein thankfully to acknowledge the mercies of God: Thus the Psalmist says, _Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; be thankful unto him, and bless his name,_ Psal. c. 4. And elsewhere, _I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving; and will call upon the name of the Lord,_ Psal. cxvi. 17. that is, I will join prayer and praise together. Nothing is more obvious, than that favours received ought to be acknowledged; otherwise we are guilty of that ingratitude which is one of the vilest crimes. Not to acknowledge what we receive from God, is, in effect, to deny our obligation to him; which will provoke him to withhold from us those other mercies which we stand in need of.

This duty ought to be performed at all times, and on all occasions: Thus the apostle says, _In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God,_ Phil. iv. 6. This is evident, in that there is no condition of life but what has some mixture of mercy in it; and that this may be more particularly considered, we may observe, that the mercies we receive from God, are either outward or spiritual, common or special; the former of these he gives to all without distinction; as it is said, _The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works,_ Psal. cxlv. 9. And elsewhere, he is _kind unto the unthankful, and to the evil,_ Luke vi. 35. _and maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust,_ Matt. v. 45. The latter sort of mercies he bestows on the heirs of salvation, in a covenant-way, as the purchase of the blood of Christ, and a pledge of farther blessings which he has reserved in store for them: There are mercies which we have in hand, or in possession, and others which we have in hope or in reversion: Thus the apostle speaks of the _hope_ which is _laid up for_ the saints _in heaven,_ Col. i. 3, 5. which he _thanks_ God for in his prayer for the church.

Again, the mercies of God may be considered either as personal or relative; the former we are more immediately the subjects of; the latter affect us so far as we stand related to others, for whose welfare we are greatly concerned, and whose happiness makes a very considerable addition to our own.

[1.] We are to express our thankfulness to God for personal mercies; and accordingly we are to bless him for the advantages of nature, which are the effects of divine goodness: Thus the Psalmist says, _I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made,_ Psal. cxxxix. 14. Though the human nature falls very short of what it was at first, when the image of God was perfectly enstamped on all the powers and faculties of the soul; and it is not what it shall be when brought to a state of perfection in heaven: Yet there are many natural endowments which we have received from God, as a means for our glorifying him, and answering the end of our being, in the whole conduct of our lives: And,

_1st_, As to what concerns the blessings of providence, which we have received in every age of life. In our childhood and youth we have great reason to be thankful, if we have had the invaluable blessing of a religious education, and have been kept or delivered from the pernicious influence of bad examples, from whence that age of life oftentimes receives such a tincture as tends to vitiate the soul, and open the way for all manner of sin, which will afterwards insinuate itself into, and prevail, like an infectious distemper, over all the powers and faculties thereof. What reason have we to bless God if we have been favoured with restraining or preventing grace, whereby we have been kept from youthful lusts, which are destructive to multitudes, and lay a foundation for their future ruin; and especially if it has pleased God to bring us under early convictions of sin; so that we have experienced in that age of life, the hopeful beginnings of a work of grace, which is an effect of more than common providence! We ought to take notice, with great thankfulness, of the methods of divine grace, if we have been early led into the knowledge of the first principles of the oracles of God, especially if they have made such an impression on our hearts, that we can say, with good Obadiah, _I thy servant, fear the Lord from my youth,_ 1 Kings xviii. 12.

Again, we are to express our thankfulness for the mercies which we have received in our advanced age, when arrived to a state of manhood; and accordingly are to bless him for directing and ordering our settlement in the world, in those things more especially that relate to our secular callings and employments therein, and the advantages of suitable society in those families in which our lot has been cast, as well as the many instances of divine goodness in our own. We ought also to bless him for succeeding our industry and endeavours used, to promote our comfort and happiness in the world, together with that degree of usefulness which it has pleased God to favour us with, therein. We ought also to bless him for carrying us through many difficulties that lay in our way, some of which we have been almost ready to think insurmountable; as also for bringing us under the means of grace, in which the providence of God is more remarkable, in those who have not been favoured with a religious education in their childhood; and more especially if these means have been made effectual to answer the highest and most valuable ends.

There are other mercies which some have reason to bless God for, who are arrived to old age, which is the last stage of life, wherein the frame of nature is declining and hastening apace to a dissolution. These, I say, have reason to be thankful, if they have not, as it were, outlived themselves, wholly lost their memory and judgment, by which means they would have been brought back again, as it were, to the state of childhood, as some have been; or, if old age be not pressed down beyond measure, with pain and bodily diseases, or a multitude of cares and troubles about outward circumstances in the world, which would tend to embitter the small remains of life, which has not much strength of nature to bear up under great troubles, nor can those methods be made use of, whereby others, without much difficulty, are able to extricate themselves out of them: But they, of all others, have most reason to bless God, who can look back on a long series of usefulness, in proportion to the number of years they have lived; so that that promise is fulfilled to them, _They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing_, Psal. xcii. 14. This is more than a common mercy, and therefore requires a greater degree of thankfulness, when it may be said of them, _The hoary head is a crown of glory, being found in the way of righteousness_, Prov. xvi. 31. and grace keeps equal pace with age; and they have nothing to do but to wait for a release, from a careful, vain, uneasy life to heaven. Thus concerning the occasions we have for thankfulness in every age of life.

_2dly_, We are now to consider the reason that we have to be thankful in the various circumstances or conditions of life; particularly,

_1st_, When we have a great measure of outward prosperity, which is more than many enjoy; which calls for a proportionable degree of thankfulness, especially if it be sanctified and sweetened with a sense of God’s special love, so that it is a pledge and earnest of better things reserved for us hereafter. When we have the good things of this life for our conveniency, that our passage through the world may be more easy and comfortable to us; and yet we have ground to hope that this is not our portion, or that we are not like those whom the Psalmist speaks of, and calls _the men of the world, who have their portion in this life_, Psal. xvii. 14. or, like the rich man in the parable, to whom it was said, _Son, remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things_, Luke xvi. 25. We have reason to bless God when outward prosperity is a means of our glorifying him, and being more serviceable to promote his interest, and not a snare or occasion of sin, when it is not like the _prosperity of fools_, which has a tendency to _destroy them_, Prov. i. 32. or when what is said concerning that murmuring generation of men, whom the Psalmist speaks of, that _lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert_: so that though _he gave them their request, he sent leanness into their soul_, is not applicable to us, Psal. cvi. 14, 15. Again, when we enjoy the outward blessings of providence, and, at the same time, live above them; so that our hearts are not too much set upon them; but we are willing to part with them, when God is about to deprive us of them, or take us from them; and when outward enjoyments are helps, and not hindrances to us in our way to heaven. These are inducements to the greatest thankfulness, and ought to be acknowledged to the glory of God.

_2dly_, We have reason to be thankful, though it pleases God to follow us with many afflictions and adverse providences in the world: These are not, indeed, to be reckoned blessings in themselves; nevertheless, they are not inconsistent with a thankful frame of spirit; especially,

_1st_, When we take occasion from hence to be affected with the vanity, emptiness, and uncertainty of all outward comforts, which perish in the using.

_2dly_, When afflictive providences have a tendency to humble and make us submissive to the divine will, so that we are hereby led to have a deep sense of sin, the procuring cause thereof. Thus Ephraim speaks of his being chastised by God, and, at the same time, _ashamed and confounded_, as _bearing the reproach_ of former sins committed by him, Jer. xxxi. 18, 19. or, when those sins, which before prevailed, are hereby prevented, and we enabled to mortify them: Thus the Psalmist says, _Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now I have kept thy word_, Psal. cxix. 67. And when God is pleased to cause his grace to abound as outward troubles abound. 2 Cor. iv. 16. and when the want of outward mercies makes us see the worth of them, and puts us upon improving every instance of the divine goodness, as a great inducement to thankfulness.

_3dly_, We have reason to be thankful under afflictions, when we have a comfortable hope that they are evidences of our being God’s children, interested in his special love, Heb. xii. 7. so that we have ground to conclude, that he is hereby training us up, and making us more meet for the heavenly inheritance, so that we can say with the apostle, _Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory_, 2 Cor. iv. 17.

[2.] We are to express our thankfulness for those mercies which we call relative, or for the blessings that others enjoy, in whose welfare we are more immediately concerned. As it is the duty of every one to desire the good of all men; so we ought to bless God for the mercies bestowed on others as well as ourselves. The relation we stand in to others, is either more general or extensive, and, in this respect, it may include in it all mankind; and accordingly we are to be thankful for the mercies which our fellow-creatures receive from the hand of God, inasmuch as hereby the divine perfections are magnified: And, as for those who receive the blessings that accompany salvation, the ends of Christ’s death, and the dispensation of the gospel, are hereby attained; and whatever mercies God bestows on others, we bless him for them, as taking encouragement to hope that he will bestow the same blessings upon us, when we stand in need of them.

As for those who are related to us in the bonds of nature, or as members of the family to which we belong, for whose welfare we are more immediately concerned, we may, in some measure, reckon the mercies they enjoy, our own, and therefore should be induced to bless God, and be thankful for them, as well as for those which we receive in our persons.—There is also another relation, which is more large and extensive, namely, that which we stand in to all the members of Christ’s mystical body, whom the apostle calls _the household of faith_, Gal. vi. 10. and, as such, supposes them to be entitled to our more special regard: Accordingly we are to express our thankfulness to God, in prayer, for all the mercies they receive, especially those that are of a spiritual nature; inasmuch as herein Christ is glorified, and his interest advanced, which ought to be dearer to us than any thing that relates to our own private or personal interest, as the Psalmist speaks of his preferring Jerusalem’s welfare above _his chief joy_, Psal. cxxxvii. 6. And that which farther inclines us to do this, is, because we hope that we shall be made partakers of the same blessings, whereby others will have occasion to bless God on our behalf. Thus concerning the inducements we have to thankfulness for blessings received, either by ourselves or others.

I shall conclude this head by considering, that thankfulness, which ought to be a great ingredient in prayer, is always to be accompanied with the exercise of other graces, whereby we are disposed to adore and magnify the divine perfections that are displayed in the distribution of those favours which we bless him for; together with an humble sense of our own unworthiness of the least of those mercies which we enjoy, and an earnest desire that we may be enabled, not only to do this in words, but to express our thankfulness to him by such a frame of spirit as is agreeable thereto.

There are two things more, contained in the answer we have been explaining, without the due consideration whereof, the duty of prayer would be very imperfectly handled, namely, its being an offering up of our desires to God in the name of Christ, and by the help of the Spirit: But since these are particularly insisted on in some following answers, I have purposely waved the consideration of them at present.

Footnote 103:

_See Quest._ CLI.

Quest. CLXXIX., CLXXX., CLXXXI.

QUEST. CLXXIX. _Are we to pray unto God only?_

ANSW. God only being able to search the hearts, hear the requests, pardon the sins, and only to be believed in, and worshipped with religious worship, prayer, which is a special part thereof, is to be made by all to him alone, and to none other.

QUEST. CLXXX. _What is it to pray the name of Christ?_

ANSW. To pray in the name of Christ is in obedience to his command, 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,