Chapter 20.





20. Of prayer--a perpetual exercise of faith. The daily benefits

derived from it.



    The principal divisions of this chapter are,-- I. Connection of

the subject of prayer with the previous chapters. The nature of

prayer, and its necessity as a Christian exercise, sec. 1, 2. II. To

whom prayer is to be offered. Refutation of an objection which is

too apt to present itself to the mind, sec. 3. III. Rules to be

observed in prayer, sec. 4-16. IV. Through whom prayer is to be

made, sec. 17-19. V. Refutation of an error as to the doctrine of

our Mediator and Intercessor, with answers to the leading arguments

urged in support of the intercession of saints, sec. 20-27. VI. The

nature of prayer, and some of its accidents, sec. 28-33. VII. A

perfect form of invocation, or an exposition of the Lord's Prayer,

sec. 34-50. VIII. Some rules to be observed with regard to prayer,

as time, perseverance, the feeling of the mind, and the assurance of

faith, sec. 50-52.

    

Sections.

    

1. A general summary of what is contained in the previous part of

    the work. A transition to the doctrine of prayer. Its

    connection with the subject of faith.

2. Prayer defined. Its necessity and use.

3. Objection, that prayer seems useless, because God already knows

    our wants. Answer, from the institution and end of prayer.

    Confirmation by example. Its necessity and propriety.

    Perpetually reminds us of our duty, and leads to meditation on

    divine providence. Conclusion. Prayer a most useful exercise.

    This proved by three passages of Scripture.

4. Rules to be observed in prayer. First, reverence to God. How the

    mind ought to be composed.

5. All giddiness of mind must be excluded, and all our feelings

    seriously engaged. This confirmed by the form of lifting the

    hand in prayer. We must ask only in so far as God permits. To

    help our weakness, God gives the Spirit to be our guide in

    prayer. What the office of the Spirit in this respect. We must

    still pray both with the heart and the lips.

6. Second rule of prayer, a sense of our want. This rule violated,

    1. By perfunctory and formal prayer 2. By hypocrites who have

    no sense of their sins. 3. By giddiness in prayer. Remedies.

7. Objection, that we are not always under the same necessity of

    praying. Answer, we must pray always. This answer confirmed by

    an examination of the dangers by which both our life and our

    salvation are every moment threatened. Confirmed farther by the

    command and permission of God, by the nature of true

    repentance, and a consideration of impenitence. Conclusion.

8. Third rule, the suppression of all pride. Examples. Daniel,

    David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Baruch.

9. Advantage of thus suppressing pride. It leads to earnest entreaty

    for pardon, accompanied with humble confession and sure

    confidence in the Divine mercy. This may not always be

    expressed in words. It is peculiar to pious penitents. A

    general introduction to procure favour to our prayers never to

    be omitted.

10. Objection to the third rule of prayer. Of the glorying of the

    saints. Answer. Confirmation of the answer.

11. Fourth rule of prayer,--a sure confidence of being heard

    animating us to prayer. The kind of confidence required, viz.,

    a serious conviction of our misery, joined with sure hope. From

    these true prayer springs. How diffidence impairs prayer. In

    general, faith is required.

12. This faith and sure hope regarded by our opponents as most

    absurd. Their error described and refuted by various passages

    of Scripture, which show that acceptable prayer is accompanied

    with these qualities. No repugnance between this certainty and

    an acknowledgment of our destitution.

13. To our unworthiness we oppose, 1. The command of God. 2. The

    promise. Rebels and hypocrites completely condemned. Passages

    of Scripture confirming the command to pray.

14. Other passages respecting the promises which belong to the pious

    when they invoke God. These realized though we are not

    possessed of the same holiness as other distinguished servants

    of God, provided we indulge no vain confidence, and sincerely

    betake ourselves to the mercy of God. Those who do not invoke

    God under urgent necessity are no better than idolaters. This

    concurrence of fear and confidence reconciles the different

    passages of Scripture, as to humbling ourselves in prayer, and

    causing our prayers to ascend.

15. Objection founded on some examples, viz., that prayers have

    proved effectual, though not according to the form prescribed.

    Answer. Such examples, though not given for our imitation, are

    of the greatest use. Objection, the prayers of the faithful

    sometimes not effectual. Answer confirmed by a noble passage of

    Augustine. Rule for right prayer.

16. The above four rules of prayer not so rigidly exacted, as that

    every prayer deficient in them in any respect is rejected by

    God. This shown by examples. Conclusion, or summary of this

    section.

17. Through whom God is to be invoked, viz., Jesus Christ. This

    founded on a consideration of the divine majesty, and the

    precept and promise of God himself. God therefore to be invoked

    only in the name of Christ.

18. From the first all believers were heard through him only: yet

    this specially restricted to the period subsequent to his

    ascension. The ground of this restriction.

19. The wrath of God lies on those who reject Christ as a Mediator.

    This excludes not the mutual intercession of saints on the

    earth.

20. Refutation of errors interfering with the intercession of

    Christ. 1. Christ the Mediator of redemption; the saints

    mediators of intercession. Answer confirmed by the clear

    testimony of Scripture, and by a passage from Augustine. The

    nature of Christ's intercession.

21. Of the intercession of saints living with Christ in heaven.

    Fiction of the Papists in regard to it. Refuted. 1. Its

    absurdity. 2. It is no where mentioned by Scripture. 3. Appeal

    to the conscience of the superstitious. 4. Its blasphemy.

    Exception. Answers.

22. Monstrous errors resulting from this fiction. Refutation.

    Exception by the advocates of this fiction. Answer.

23. Arguments of the Papists for the intercession of saints. 1. From

    the duty and office of angels. Answer. 2. From an expression of

    Jeremiah respecting Moses and Samuel. Answer, retorting the

    argument. 3. The meaning of the prophet confirmed by a similar

    passage in Ezekiel, and the testimony of an apostle.

24. 4. Fourth Papistical argument from the nature of charity, which

    is more perfect in the saints in glory. Answer.

25. Argument founded on a passage in Moses. Answer.

26. Argument from its being said that the prayers of saints are

    heard. Answer, confirmed by Scripture, and illustrated by

    examples.

27. Conclusion, that the saints cannot be invoked without impiety.

    1. It robs God of his glory. 2. Destroys the intercession of

    Christ. 3. Is repugnant to the word of God. 4. Is opposed to

    the due method of prayer. 5. Is without approved example. 6.

    Springs from distrust. Last objection. Answer.

28. Kinds of prayer. Vows. Supplications. Petitions. Thanksgiving.

    Connection of these, their constant use and necessity.

    Particular explanation confirmed by reason, Scripture, and

    example. Rule as to supplication and thanksgiving.

29. The accidents of prayer, viz., private and public, constant, at

    stated seasons, &c. Exception in time of necessity. Prayer

    without ceasing. Its nature. Garrulity of Papists and

    hypocrites refuted. The scope and parts of prayer. Secret

    prayer. Prayer at all places. Private and public prayer.

30. Of public places or churches in which common prayers are offered

    up. Right use of churches. Abuse.

31. Of utterance and singing. These of no avail if not from the

    heart. The use of the voice refers more to public than private

    prayer.

32. Singing of the greatest antiquity, but not universal. How to be

    performed.

33. Public prayers should be in the vulgar, not in a foreign tongue.

    Reason, 1. The nature of the Church. 2. Authority of an

    apostle. Sincere affection always necessary. The tongue not

    always necessary. Bending of the knee, and uncovering of the

    head.

34. The form of prayer delivered by Christ displays the boundless

    goodness of our heavenly Father. The great comfort thereby

    afforded.

35. Lord's Prayer divided into six petitions. Subdivision into two

    principal parts, the former referring to the glory of God, the

    latter to our salvation.

36. The use of the term Father implies, 1. That we pray to God in

    the name of Christ alone. 2. That we lay aside all distrust. 3.

    That we expect every thing that is for our good.

37. Objection, that our sins exclude us from the presence of him

    whom we have made a Judge, not a Father. Answer, from the

    nature of God, as described by an apostle, the parable of the

    prodigal son, and from the expression, _Our_ Father. Christ the

    earnest, the Holy Spirit the witness, of our adoption.

38. Why God is called generally, Our Father.

39. We may pray specially for ourselves and certain others, provided

    we have in our mind a general reference to all.

40. In what sense God is said to be _in heaven_. A threefold use of

    this doctrine for our consolation. Three cautions. Summary of

    the preface to the Lord's Prayer.

41. The necessity of the first petition a proof of our

    unrighteousness. What meant by the name of God. How it is

    hallowed. Parts of this hallowing. A deprecation of the sins by

    which the name of God is profaned.

42. Distinction between the first and second petitions. The kingdom

    of God, what. How said to come. Special exposition of this

    petition. It reminds us of three things. Advent of the kingdom

    of God in the world.

43. Distinction between the second and third petitions. The will

    here meant not the secret will or good pleasure of God, but

    that manifested in the word. Conclusion of the three first

    petitions.

44. A summary of the second part of the Lord's Prayer. Three

    petitions. What contained in the first. Declares the exceeding

    kindness of God, and our distrust. What meant by _bread_. Why

    the petition for bread precedes that for the forgiveness of

    sins. Why it is called ours. Why to be sought _this day_, or

    _daily_. The doctrine resulting from this petition, illustrated

    by an example. Two classes of men sin in regard to this

    petition. In what sense it is called, our bread. Why we ask God

    to give it to us.

45. Close connection between this and the subsequent petition. Why

    our sins are called debts. This petition violated, 1. By those

    who think they can satisfy God by their own merits, or those of

    others. 2. By those who dream of a perfection which makes

    pardon unnecessary. Why the elect cannot attain perfection in

    this life. Refutation of the libertine dreamers of perfection.

    Objection refuted. In what sense we are said to forgive those

    who have sinned against us. How the condition is to be

    understood.

46. The sixth petition reduced to three heads. 1. The various forms

    of temptation. The depraved conceptions of our minds. The wiles

    of Satan, on the right hand and on the left. 2. What it is to

    be led into temptation. We do not ask not to be tempted of God.

    What meant by evil, or the evil one. Summary of this petition.

    How necessary it is. Condemns the pride of the superstitious.

    Includes many excellent properties. In what sense God may be

    said to lead us into temptation.

47. The three last petitions show that the prayers of Christians

    ought to be public. The conclusion of the Lord's Prayer. Why

    the word Amen is added.

48. The Lord's Prayer contains every thing that we can or ought to

    ask of God. Those who go beyond it sin in three ways.

49. We may, after the example of the saints, frame our prayers in

    different words, provided there is no difference in meaning.

50. Some circumstances to be observed. Of appointing special hours

    of prayer. What to be aimed at, what avoided. The will of God,

    the rule of our prayers.

51. Perseverance in prayer especially recommended, both by precept

    and example. Condemnatory of those who assign to God a time and

    mode of hearing.

52. Of the dignity of faith, through which we always obtain, in

    answer to prayer, whatever is most expedient for us. The

    knowledge of this most necessary.

    

    

    1. From the previous part of the work we clearly see how

completely destitute man is of all good, how devoid of every means

of procuring his own salvation. Hence, if he would obtain succour in

his necessity, he must go beyond himself, and procure it in some

other quarter. It has farther been shown that the Lord kindly and

spontaneously manifests himself in Christ, in whom he offers all

happiness for our misery, all abundance for our want, opening up the

treasures of heaven to us, so that we may turn with full faith to

his beloved Son, depend upon him with full expectation, rest in him,

and cleave to him with full hope. This, indeed, is that secret and

hidden philosophy which cannot be learned by syllogisms: a

philosophy thoroughly understood by those whose eyes God has so

opened as to see light in his light (Ps. 36: 9.) But after we have

learned by faith to know that whatever is necessary for us or

defective in us is supplied in God and in our Lord Jesus Christ, in

whom it hath pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell, that

we may thence draw as from an inexhaustible fountain, it remains for

us to seek and in prayer implore of him what we have learned to be

in him. To know God as the sovereign disposer of all good, inviting

us to present our requests, and yet not to approach or ask of him,

were so far from availing us, that it were just as if one told of a

treasure were to allow it to remain buried in the ground. Hence the

Apostle, to show that a faith unaccompanied with prayer to God

cannot be genuine, states this to be the order: As faith springs

from the Gospel, so by faith our hearts are framed to call upon the

name of God, (Rom. 10: 14.) And this is the very thing which he had

expressed some time before, viz., that the _Spirit of adoption_,

which seals the testimony of the Gospel on our hearts, gives us

courage to make our requests known unto God, calls forth groanings

which cannot be uttered, and enables us to cry, Abba, Father, (Rom.

8: 26.) This last point, as we have hitherto only touched upon it

slightly in passing, must now be treated more fully.

    2. To _prayer_, then, are we indebted for penetrating to those

riches which are treasured up for us with our heavenly Father. For

there is a kind of intercourse between God and men, by which, having

entered the upper sanctuary, they appear before Him and appeal to

his promises, that when necessity requires they may learn by

experiences that what they believed merely on the authority of his

word was not in vain. Accordingly, we see that nothing is set before

us as an object of expectation from the Lord which we are not

enjoined to ask of Him in prayer, so true it is that prayer digs up

those treasures which the Gospel of our Lord discovers to the eye of

faith. The necessity and utility of this exercise of prayer no words

can sufficiently express. Assuredly it is not without cause our

heavenly Father declares that our only safety is in calling upon his

name, since by it we invoke the presence of his providence to watch

over our interests, of his power to sustain us when weak and almost

fainting, of his goodness to receive us into favour, though

miserably loaded with sin; in fine, call upon him to manifest

himself to us in all his perfections. Hence, admirable peace and

tranquillity are given to our consciences; for the straits by which

we were pressed being laid before the Lord, we rest fully satisfied

with the assurance that none of our evils are unknown to him, and

that he is both able and willing to make the best provision for us.

    3. But some one will say, Does he not know without a monitor

both what our difficulties are, and what is meet for our interest,

so that it seems in some measure superfluous to solicit him by our

prayers, as if he were winking, or even sleeping, until aroused by

the sound of our voice?[1] Those who argue thus attend not to the

end for which the Lord taught us to pray. It was not so much for his

sake as for ours. He wills indeed, as is just, that due honour be

paid him by acknowledging that all which men desire or feel to be

useful, and pray to obtain, is derived from him. But even the

benefit of the homage which we thus pay him redounds to ourselves.

Hence the holy patriarchs, the more confidently they proclaimed the

mercies of God to themselves and others felt the stronger incitement

to prayer. It will be sufficient to refer to the example of Elijah,

who being assured of the purpose of God had good ground for the

promise of rain which he gives to Ahab, and yet prays anxiously upon

his knees, and sends his servant seven times to inquire, (1 Kings

18: 42;) not that he discredits the oracle, but because he knows it

to be his duty to lay his desires before God, lest his faith should

become drowsy or torpid. Wherefore, although it is true that while

we are listless or insensible to our wretchedness, he wakes and

watches for use and sometimes even assists us unasked; it is very

much for our interest to be constantly supplicating him; first, that

our heart may always be inflamed with a serious and ardent desire of

seeking, loving and serving him, while we accustom ourselves to have

recourse to him as a sacred anchor in every necessity; secondly,

that no desires, no longing whatever, of which we are ashamed to

make him the witness, may enter our minds, while we learn to place

all our wishes in his sight, and thus pour out our heart before him;

and, lastly, that we may be prepared to receive all his benefits

with true gratitude and thanksgiving, while our prayers remind us

that they proceed from his hand. Moreover, having obtained what we

asked, being persuaded that he has answered our prayers, we are led

to long more earnestly for his favour, and at the same time have

greater pleasure in welcoming the blessings which we perceive to

have been obtained by our prayers. Lastly, use and experience

confirm the thought of his providence in our minds in a manner

adapted to our weakness, when we understand that he not only

promises that he will never fail us, and spontaneously gives us

access to approach him in every time of need, but has his hand

always stretched out to assist his people, not amusing them with

words, but proving himself to be a present aid. For these reasons,

though our most merciful Father never slumbers nor sleeps, he very

often seems to do so, that thus he may exercise us, when we might

otherwise be listless and slothful, in asking, entreating, and

earnestly beseeching him to our great good. It is very absurd,

therefore, to dissuade men from prayer, by pretending that Divine

Providence, which is always watching over the government of the

universes is in vain importuned by our supplications, when, on the

contrary, the Lord himself declares, that he is "nigh unto all that

call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth, (Ps. 145: 18.) No

better is the frivolous allegation of others, that it is superfluous

to pray for things which the Lord is ready of his own accord to

bestow; since it is his pleasure that those very things which flow

from his spontaneous liberality should be acknowledged as conceded

to our prayers. This is testified by that memorable sentence in the

psalms to which many others corresponds: "The eyes of the Lord are

upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry," (Ps. 34:

15.) This passage, while extolling the care which Divine Providence

spontaneously exercises over the safety of believers, omits not the

exercise of faith by which the mind is aroused from sloth. The eyes

of God are awake to assist the blind in their necessity, but he is

likewise pleased to listen to our groans, that he may give us the

better proof of his love. And thus both things are true, "He that

keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep," (Ps. 121: 4;) and

yet whenever he sees us dumb and torpid, he withdraws as if he had

forgotten us.

    4. Let the first rule of right prayer then be, to have our

heart and mind framed as becomes those who are entering into

converse with God. This we shall accomplish in regard to the mind,

if, laying aside carnal thoughts and cares which might interfere

with the direct and pure contemplation of God, it not only be wholly

intent on prayer, but also, as far as possible, be borne and raised

above itself. I do not here insist on a mind so disengaged as to

feel none of the gnawings of anxiety; on the contrary, it is by much

anxiety that the fervor of prayer is inflamed. Thus we see that the

holy servants of God betray great anguish, not to say solicitude,

when they cause the voice of complaint to ascend to the Lord from

the deep abyss and the jaws of death. What I say is, that all

foreign and extraneous cares must be dispelled by which the mind

might be driven to and fro in vague suspense, be drawn down from

heaven, and kept groveling on the earth. When I say it must be

raised above itself, I mean that it must not bring into the presence

of God any of those things which our blind and stupid reason is wont

to devise, nor keep itself confined within the little measure of its

own vanity, but rise to a purity worthy of God.

    5. Both things are specially worthy of notice. First, let every

one in professing to pray turn thither all his thoughts and

feelings, and be not (as is usual) distracted by wandering thoughts;

because nothing is more contrary to the reverence due to God than

that levity which bespeaks a mind too much given to license and

devoid of fear. In this matter we ought to labour the more earnestly

the more difficult we experience it to be; for no man is so intent

on prayer as not to feel many thoughts creeping in, and either

breaking off the tenor of his prayer, or retarding it by some

turning or digression. Here let us consider how unbecoming it is

when God admits us to familiar intercourse to abuse his great

condescension by mingling things sacred and profane, reverence for

him not keeping our minds under restraint; but just as if in prayer

we were conversing with one like ourselves forgetting him, and

allowing our thoughts to run to and fro. Let us know, then, that

none duly prepare themselves for prayer but those who are so

impressed with the majesty of God that they engage in it free from

all earthly cares and affections. The ceremony of lifting up our

hands in prayer is designed to remind us that we are far removed

from God, unless our thoughts rise upward: as it is said in the

psalm, "Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul," (Psalm 25: 1.) And

Scripture repeatedly uses the expression to _raise our prayers_

meaning that those who would be heard by God must not grovel in the

mire. The sum is, that the more liberally God deals with us,

condescendingly inviting us to disburden our cares into his bosom,

the less excusable we are if this admirable and incomparable

blessing does not in our estimation outweigh all other things, and

win our affection, that prayer may seriously engage our every

thought and feeling. This cannot be unless our mind, strenuously

exerting itself against all impediments, rise upward. Our second

proposition was, that we are to ask only in so far as God permits.

For though he bids us pour out our hearts, (Ps. 62: 8) he does not

indiscriminately give loose reins to foolish and depraved

affections; and when he promises that he will grant believers their

wish, his indulgence does not proceed so far as to submit to their

caprice. In both matters grievous delinquencies are everywhere

committed. For not only do many without modesty, without reverence,

presume to invoke God concerning their frivolities, but impudently

bring forward their dreams, whatever they may be, before the

tribunal of God. Such is the folly or stupidity under which they

labour, that they have the hardihood to obtrude upon God desires so

vile, that they would blush exceedingly to impart them to their

fellow men. Profane writers have derided and even expressed their

detestation of this presumption, and yet the vice has always

prevailed. Hence, as the ambitious adopted Jupiter as their patron;

the avaricious, Mercury; the literary aspirants, Apollo and Minerva;

the warlike, Mars; the licentious, Venus: so in the present day, as

I lately observed, men in prayer give greater license to their

unlawful desires than if they were telling jocular tales among their

equals. God does not suffer his condescension to be thus mocked, but

vindicating his own light, places our wishes under the restraint of

his authority. We must, therefore, attend to the observation of

John: "This is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask

any thing according to his will, he heareth us," (1 John 5: 14.) But

as our faculties are far from being able to attain to such high

perfection, we must seek for some means to assist them. As the eye

of our mind should be intent upon God, so the affection of our heart

ought to follow in the same course. But both fall far beneath this,

or rather, they faint and fail, and are carried in a contrary

direction. To assist this weakness, God gives us the guidance of the

Spirit in our prayers to dictate what is right, and regulate our

affections. For seeing "we know not what we should pray for as we

ought," "the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings

which cannot be uttered," (Rom. 8: 26) not that he actually prays or

groans, but he excites in us sighs, and wishes, and confidence,

which our natural powers are not at all able to conceive. Nor is it

without cause Paul gives the name of _groanings which cannot be

uttered_ to the prayers which believers send forth under the

guidance of the Spirit. For those who are truly exercised in prayer

are not unaware that blind anxieties so restrain and perplex them,

that they can scarcely find what it becomes them to utter; nay, in

attempting to lisp they halt and hesitate. Hence it appears that to

pray aright is a special gift. We do not speak thus in indulgence to

our sloth, as if we were to leave the office of prayer to the Holy

Spirit, and give way to that carelessness to which we are too prone.

Thus we sometimes hear the impious expression, that we are to wait

in suspense until he take possession of our minds while otherwise

occupied. Our meaning is, that, weary of our own heartlessness and

sloth, we are to long for the aid of the Spirit. Nor, indeed, does

Paul, when he enjoins us to pray _in the Spirit_, (1 Cor. 14: 15,)

cease to exhort us to vigilance, intimating, that while the

inspiration of the Spirit is effectual to the formation of prayer,

it by no means impedes or retards our own endeavours; since in this

matter God is pleased to try how efficiently faith influences our

hearts.

    6. Another rule of prayer is, that in asking we must always

truly feel our wants, and seriously considering that we need all the

things which we ask, accompany the prayer with a sincere, nay,

ardent desire of obtaining them. Many repeat prayers in a

perfunctory manner from a set form, as if they were performing a

task to God, and though they confess that this is a necessary remedy

for the evils of their condition, because it were fatal to be left

without the divine aid which they implore, it still appears that

they perform the duty from custom, because their minds are meanwhile

cold, and they ponder not what they ask. A general and confused

feeling of their necessity leads them to pray, but it does not make

them solicitous as in a matter of present consequence, that they may

obtain the supply of their need. Moreover, can we suppose anything

more hateful or even more execrable to God than this fiction of

asking the pardon of sins, while he who asks at the very time either

thinks that he is not a sinner, or, at least, is not thinking that

he is a sinner; in other words, a fiction by which God is plainly

held in derision? But mankind, as I have lately said, are full of

depravity, so that in the way of perfunctory service they often ask

many things of God which they think come to them without his

beneficence, or from some other quarter, or are already certainly in

their possession. There is another fault which seems less heinous,

but is not to be tolerated. Some murmur out prayers without

meditation, their only principle being that God is to be propitiated

by prayer. Believers ought to be specially on their guard never to

appear in the presence of God with the intention of presenting a

request unless they are under some serious impression, and are, at

the same time, desirous to obtain it. Nay, although in these things

which we ask only for the glory of God, we seem not at first sight

to consult for our necessity, yet we ought not to ask with less

fervor and vehemence of desire. For instance, when we pray that his

name be hallowed--that hallowing must, so to speak, be earnestly

hungered and thirsted after.

    7. If it is objected, that the necessity which urges us to pray

is not always equal, I admit it, and this distinction is profitably

taught us by James: "Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is

any merry? let him sing psalms," (James 5: 13.) Therefore, common

sense itself dictates, that as we are too sluggish, we must be

stimulated by God to pray earnestly whenever the occasion requires.

This David calls a time when God "may be found," (a seasonable

time;) because, as he declares in several other passages, that the

more hardly grievances, annoyances, fears, and other kinds of trial

press us, the freer is our access to God, as if he were inviting us

to himself. Still not less true is the injunction of Paul to pray

"always," (Eph. 6: 18;) because, however prosperously according to

our view, things proceed, and however we may be surrounded on all

sides with grounds of joy, there is not an instant of time during

which our want does not exhort us to prayer. A man abounds in wheat

and wine; but as he cannot enjoy a morsel of bread, unless by the

continual bounty of God, his granaries or cellars will not prevent

him from asking for daily bread. Then, if we consider how many

dangers impend every moment, fear itself will teach us that no time

ought to be without prayer. This, however, may be better known in

spiritual matters. For when will the many sins of which we are

conscious allow us to sit secure without suppliantly entreating

freedom from guilt and punishment? When will temptation give us a

truce, making it unnecessary to hasten for help? Moreover, zeal for

the kingdom and glory of God ought not to seize us by starts, but

urge us without intermission, so that every time should appear

seasonable. It is not without cause, therefore, that assiduity in

prayer is so often enjoined. I am not now speaking of perseverance,

which shall afterwards be considered; but Scripture, by reminding us

of the necessity of constant prayer, charges us with sloth, because

we feel not how much we stand in need of this care and assiduity. By

this rule hypocrisy and the device of lying to God are restrained,

nay, altogether banished from prayer. God promises that he will be

near to those who call upon him in truth, and declares that those

who seek him with their whole heart will find him: those, therefore,

who delight in their own pollution cannot surely aspire to him. One

of the requisites of legitimate prayer is repentance. Hence the

common declaration of Scripture, that God does not listen to the

wicked; that their prayers, as well as their sacrifices, are an

abomination to him. For it is right that those who seal up their

hearts should find the ears of God closed against them, that those

who, by their hardheartedness, provoke his severity should find him

inflexible. In Isaiah he thus threatens: "When ye make many prayers,

I will not hear: your hands are full of blood," (Isaiah 1: 15.) In

like manner, in Jeremiah, "Though they shall cry unto me, I will not

hearken unto them," (Jer. 11: 7, 8, 11;) because he regards it as

the highest insult for the wicked to boast of his covenant while

profaning his sacred name by their whole lives. Hence he complains

in Isaiah: "This people draw near to me with their mouth, and with

their lips do honour me; but have removed their heart far from men"

(Isaiah 29: 13.) Indeed, he does not confine this to prayers alone,

but declares that he abominates pretense in every part of his

service. Hence the words of James, "Ye ask and receive note because

ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts," (James iv.

3.) It is true, indeed, (as we shall again see in a little,) that

the pious, in the prayers which they utter, trust not to their own

worth; still the admonition of John is not superfluous: "Whatsoever

we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments," (1

John 3: 22;) an evil conscience shuts the door against us. Hence it

follows, that none but the sincere worshippers of God pray aright,

or are listened to. Let every one, therefore, who prepares to pray

feel dissatisfied with what is wrong in his condition, and assume,

which he cannot do without repentance, the character and feelings of

a poor suppliant.

    8. The third rule to be added is: that he who comes into the

presence of God to pray must divest himself of all vainglorious

thoughts, lay aside all idea of worth; in short, discard all self-

confidence, humbly giving God the whole glory, lest by arrogating

any thing, however little, to himself, vain pride cause him to turn

away his face. Of this submission, which casts down all haughtiness,

we have numerous examples in the servants of God. The holier they

are, the more humbly they prostrate themselves when they come into

the presence of the Lord. Thus Daniel, on whom the Lord himself

bestowed such high commendation, says, "We do not present our

supplications before thee for our righteousness but for thy great

mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do;

defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people

are called by thy name." This he does not indirectly in the usual

manner, as if he were one of the individuals in a crowd: he rather

confesses his guilt apart, and as a suppliant betaking himself to

the asylum of pardon, he distinctly declares that he was confessing

his own sin, and the sin of his people Israel, (Dan. 9: 18-20.)

David also sets us an example of this humility: "Enter not into

judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be

justified," (Psalm 143: 2.) In like manner, Isaiah prays, "Behold,

thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we

shall be saved. But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our

righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf;

and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is

none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take

hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed

us, because of our iniquities. But now, O Lord, thou art our Father;

we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy

hand. Be not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity for

ever: Behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people." (Isa.

64: 5-9.) You see how they put no confidence in any thing but this:

considering that they are the Lord's, they despair not of being the

objects of his care. In the same way, Jeremiah says, "O Lord, though

our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name's sake,"

(Jer. 14: 7.) For it was most truly and piously written by the

uncertain author (whoever he may have been) that wrote the book

which is attributed to the prophet Baruch,[2] "But the soul that is

greatly vexed, which goeth stooping and feeble, and the eyes that

fail, and the hungry soul, will give thee praise and righteousness,

O Lord. Therefore, we do not make our humble supplication before

thee, O Lord our God, for the righteousness of our fathers, and of

our kings." "Hear, O Lord, and have mercy; for thou art merciful:

and have pity upon us, because we have sinned before thee," (Baruch

2: 18, 19; 3: 2.)

    9. In fine, supplication for pardon, with humble and ingenuous

confession of guilt, forms both the preparation and commencement of

right prayer. For the holiest of men cannot hope to obtain any thing

from God until he has been freely reconciled to him. God cannot be

propitious to any but those whom he pardons. Hence it is not strange

that this is the key by which believers open the door of prayer, as

we learn from several passages in The Psalms. David, when presenting

a request on a different subject, says, "Remember not the sins of my

youth, nor my transgressions; according to thy mercy remember me,

for thy goodness sake, O Lord," (Psalm 25: 7.) Again, "Look upon my

affliction and my pain, and forgive my sins," (Psalm 25: 18.) Here

also we see that it is not sufficient to call ourselves to account

for the sins of each passing day; we must also call to mind those

which might seem to have been long before buried in oblivion. For in

another passage the same prophet, confessing one grievous crime,

takes occasion to go back to his very birth, "I was shapen in

iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me," (Psalm 51: 5;) not

to extenuate the fault by the corruption of his nature, but as it

were to accumulate the sins of his whole life, that the stricter he

was in condemning himself, the more placable God might be. But

although the saints do not always in express terms ask forgiveness

of sins, yet if we carefully ponder those prayers as given in

Scripture, the truth of what I say will readily appear; namely, that

their courage to pray was derived solely from the mercy of God, and

that they always began with appeasing him. For when a man

interrogates his conscience, so far is he from presuming to lay his

cares familiarly before God, that if he did not trust to mercy and

pardon, he would tremble at the very thought of approaching him.

There is, indeed, another special confession. When believers long

for deliverance from punishment, they at the same time pray that

their sins may be pardoned;[3] for it were absurd to wish that the

effect should be taken away while the cause remains. For we must

beware of imitating foolish patients who, anxious only about curing

accidental symptoms, neglect the root of the disease.[4] Nay, our

endeavour must be to have God propitious even before he attests his

favour by external signs, both because this is the order which he

himself chooses, and it were of little avail to experience his

kindness, did not conscience feel that he is appeased, and thus

enable us to regard him as altogether lovely. Of this we are even

reminded by our Savior's reply. Having determined to cure the

paralytic, he says, "Thy sins are forgiven thee;" in other words, he

raises our thoughts to the object which is especially to be desired,

viz. admission into the favour of God, and then gives the fruit of

reconciliation by bringing assistance to us. But besides that

special confession of present guilt which believers employ, in

supplicating for pardon of every fault and punishment, that general

introduction which procures favour for our prayers must never be

omitted, because prayers will never reach God unless they are

founded on free mercy. To this we may refer the words of John, "If

we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness," (1 John 1: 9.) Hence,

under the law it was necessary to consecrate prayers by the

expiation of blood, both that they might be accepted, and that the

people might be warned that they were unworthy of the high privilege

until, being purged from their defilements, they founded their

confidence in prayer entirely on the mercy of God.

    10. Sometimes, however, the saints in supplicating God, seem to

appeal to their own righteousness, as when David says, "Preserve my

soul; for I am holy," (Ps. 86: 2.) Also Hezekiah, "Remember now, O

Lord, I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth, and

with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy

sight," (Is. 38. 2.) All they mean by such expressions is, that

regeneration declares them to be among the servants and children to

whom God engages that he will show favour. We have already seen how

he declares by the Psalmist that his eyes "are upon the righteous,

and his ears are open unto their cry," (Ps. 34: 16:) and again by

the apostle, that "whatsoever we ask of him we obtain, because we

keep his commandments," (John 3: 22.) In these passages he does not

fix a value on prayer as a meritorious work, but designs to

establish the confidence of those who are conscious of an unfeigned

integrity and innocence, such as all believers should possess. For

the saying of the blind man who had received his sight is in perfect

accordance with divine truth, And God heareth not sinners (John 9:

31;) provided we take the term sinners in the sense commonly used by

Scripture to mean those who, without any desire for righteousness,

are sleeping secure in their sins; since no heart will ever rise to

genuine prayer that does not at the same time long for holiness.

Those supplications in which the saints allude to their purity and

integrity correspond to such promises, that they may thus have, in

their own experience, a manifestation of that which all the servants

of God are made to expect. Thus they almost always use this mode of

prayer when before God they compare themselves with their enemies,

from whose injustice they long to be delivered by his hand. When

making such comparisons, there is no wonder that they bring forward

their integrity and simplicity of heart, that thus, by the justice

of their cause, the Lord may be the more disposed to give them

succour. We rob not the pious breast of the privilege of enjoying a

consciousness of purity before the Lord, and thus feeling assured of

the promises with which he comforts and supports his true

worshippers, but we would have them to lay aside all thought of

their own merits and found their confidence of success in prayer

solely on the divine mercy.

    11. The fourth rule of prayer is, that notwithstanding of our

being thus abased and truly humbled, we should be animated to pray

with the sure hope of succeeding. There is, indeed, an appearance of

contradiction between the two things, between a sense of the just

vengeance of God and firm confidence in his favour, and yet they are

perfectly accordant, if it is the mere goodness of God that raises

up those who are overwhelmed by their own sins. For, as we have

formerly shown (chap. 3: sec. 17 2) that repentance and faith go

hand in hand, being united by an indissoluble tie, the one causing

terror, the other joy, so in prayer they must both be present. This

concurrence David expresses in a few words: "But as for me, I will

come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy, and in thy fear

will I worship toward thy holy temple," (Ps. 5: 7.) Under the

goodness of God he comprehends faith, at the same time not excluding

fear; for not only does his majesty compel our reverence, but our

own unworthiness also divests us of all pride and confidence, and

keeps us in fear. The confidence of which I speak is not one which

frees the mind from all anxiety, and soothes it with sweet and

perfect rest; such rest is peculiar to those who, while all their

affairs are flowing to a wish are annoyed by no care, stung with no

regret, agitated by no fear. But the best stimulus which the saints

have to prayer is when, in consequence of their own necessities,

they feel the greatest disquietude, and are all but driven to

despair, until faith seasonably comes to their aid; because in such

straits the goodness of God so shines upon them, that while they

groan, burdened by the weight of present calamities, and tormented

with the fear of greater, they yet trust to this goodness, and in

this way both lighten the difficulty of endurance, and take comfort

in the hope of final deliverance. It is necessary therefore, that

the prayer of the believer should be the result of both feelings,

and exhibit the influence of both; namely, that while he groans

under present and anxiously dreads new evils, he should, at the same

times have recourse to God, not at all doubting that God is ready to

stretch out a helping hand to him. For it is not easy to say how

much God is irritated by our distrust, when we ask what we expect

not of his goodness. Hence, nothing is more accordant to the nature

of prayer than to lay it down as a fixed rule, that it is not to

come forth at random, but is to follow in the footsteps of faith. To

this principle Christ directs all of us in these words, "Therefore,

I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe

that ye receive them, and ye shall have them," (Mark 11: 24.) The

same thing he declares in another passage, "All things, whatsoever

ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive," (Matth. 21.

22.) In accordance with this are the words of James, "If any of you

lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally,

and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. But let him ask in

faith, nothing wavering," (James 1: 5.) He most aptly expresses the

power of faith by opposing it to wavering. No less worthy of notice

is his additional statement, that those who approach God with a

doubting, hesitating mind, without feeling assured whether they are

to be heard or not, gain nothing by their prayers. Such persons he

compares to a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed.

Hence, in another passage he terms genuine prayer "the prayer of

faith," (James 5: 15.) Again, since God so often declares that he

will give to every man according to his faith he intimates that we

cannot obtain any thing without faith. In short, it is faith which

obtains every thing that is granted to prayer. This is the meaning

of Paul in the well known passage to which dull men give too little

heed, "How then shall they call upon him in whom they have not

believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not

heard?" "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of

God," (Rom. 10: 14,17.) Gradually deducing the origin of prayer from

faith, he distinctly maintains that God cannot be invoked sincerely

except by those to whom, by the preaching of the Gospel, his mercy

and willingness have been made known, nay, familiarly explained.

    12. This necessity our opponents do not at all consider.

Therefore, when we say that believers ought to feel firmly assured,

they think we are saying the absurdest thing in the world. But if

they had any experience in true prayer, they would assuredly

understand that God cannot be duly invoked without this firm sense

of the Divine benevolence. But as no man can well perceive the power

of faith, without at the same time feeling it in his heart, what

profit is there in disputing with men of this character, who plainly

show that they have never had more than a vain imagination? The

value and necessity of that assurance for which we contend is

learned chiefly from prayer. Every one who does not see this gives

proof of a very stupid conscience. Therefore, leaving those who are

thus blinded, let us fix our thoughts on the words of Paul, that God

can only be invoked by such as have obtained a knowledge of his

mercy from the Gospel, and feel firmly assured that that mercy is

ready to be bestowed upon them. What kind of prayer would this be?

"O Lord, I am indeed doubtful whether or not thou art inclined to

hear me; but being oppressed with anxiety I fly to thee that if I am

worthy, thou mayest assist me." None of the saints whose prayers are

given in Scripture thus supplicated. Nor are we thus taught by the

Holy Spirit, who tells us to "come boldly unto the throne of grace,

that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need,"

(Heb. 4: 16;) and elsewhere teaches us to "have boldness and access

with confidence by the faith of Christ," (Eph. 3: 12.) This

confidence of obtaining what we ask, a confidence which the Lord

commands, and all the saints teach by their example, we must

therefore hold fast with both hands, if we would pray to any

advantage. The only prayer acceptable to God is that which springs

(if I may so express it) from this presumption of faith, and is

founded on the full assurance of hope. He might have been contented

to use the simple name of faith, but he adds not only confidence,

but liberty or boldness, that by this mark he might distinguish us

from unbelievers, who indeed like us pray to God, but pray at

random. Hence, the whole Church thus prays "Let thy mercy O Lord, be

upon us, according as we hope in thee," (Ps. 33: 22.) The same

condition is set down by the Psalmist in another passage, "When I

cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know, for

God is for me," (Ps. 56: 9.) Again, "In the morning will I direct my

prayer unto thee, and will look up," (Ps. 5: 3.) From these words we

gather, that prayers are vainly poured out into the air unless

accompanied with faith, in which, as from a watchtower, we may

quietly wait for God. With this agrees the order of Paul's

exhortation. For before urging believers to pray in the Spirit

always, with vigilance and assiduity, he enjoins them to take "the

shield of faith," "the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the

Spirit, which is the word of God," (Eph. vi. 16-18.) Let the reader

here call to mind what I formerly observed, that faith by no means

fails though accompanied with a recognition of our wretchedness,

poverty, and pollution. How much soever believers may feel that they

are oppressed by a heavy load of iniquity, and are not only devoid

of every thing which can procure the favour of God for them, but

justly burdened with many sins which make him an object of dread,

yet they cease not to present themselves, this feeling not deterring

them from appearing in his presence, because there is no other

access to him. Genuine prayer is not that by which we arrogantly

extol ourselves before God, or set a great value on any thing of our

own, but that by which, while confessing our guilt, we utter our

sorrows before God, just as children familiarly lay their complaints

before their parents. Nay, the immense accumulation of our sins

should rather spur us on and incite us to prayer. Of this the

Psalmist gives us an example, "Heal my soul: for I have sinned

against thee," (Ps. 41: 4.) I confess, indeed, that these stings

would prove mortal darts, did not God give succour; but our heavenly

Father has, in ineffable kindness, added a remedy, by which, calming

all perturbation, soothing our cares, and dispelling our fears he

condescendingly allures us to himself; nay, removing all doubts, not

to say obstacles, makes the way smooth before us.

    13. And first, indeed in enjoining us to pray, he by the very

injunction convicts us of impious contumacy if we obey not. He could

not give a more precise command than that which is contained in the

psalms: "Call upon me in the day of trouble," (Ps. 50: 15.) But as

there is no office of piety more frequently enjoined by Scripture,

there is no occasion for here dwelling longer upon it. "Ask," says

our Divine Master, "and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall

find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you," (Matth. 7: 7.) Here,

indeed, a promise is added to the precept, and this is necessary.

For though all confess that we must obey the precept, yet the

greater part would shun the invitation of God, did he not promise

that he would listen and be ready to answer. These two positions

being laid down, it is certain that all who cavillingly allege that

they are not to come to God directly, are not only rebellious and

disobedient but are also convicted of unbelief, inasmuch as they

distrust the promises. There is the more occasion to attend to this,

because hypocrites, under a pretense of humility and modesty,

proudly contemn the precept, as well as deny all credit to the

gracious invitation of God; nay, rob him of a principal part of his

worship. For when he rejected sacrifices, in which all holiness

seemed then to consist, he declared that the chief thing, that which

above all others is precious in his sight, is to be invoked in the

day of necessity. Therefore, when he demands that which is his own,

and urges us to alacrity in obeying, no pretexts for doubt, how

specious soever they may be, can excuse us. Hence, all the passages

throughout Scripture in which we are commanded to pray, are set up

before our eyes as so many banners, to inspire us with confidence.

It were presumption to go forward into the presence of God, did he

not anticipate us by his invitation. Accordingly, he opens up the

way for us by his own voice, "I will say, It is my people: and they

shall say, The Lord is my God," (Zech. 13: 9.) We see how he

anticipates his worshippers, and desires them to follow, and

therefore we cannot fear that the melody which he himself dictates

will prove unpleasing. Especially let us call to mind that noble

description of the divine character, by trusting to which we shall

easily overcome every obstacle: O thou that hearest prayer, unto

thee shall all flesh come," (Ps. 65: 2.) What can be more lovely or

soothing than to see God invested with a title which assures us that

nothing is more proper to his nature than to listen to the prayers

of suppliants? Hence the Psalmist infers, that free access is given

not to a few individuals, but to all men, since God addresses all in

these terms, "Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver

thee, and thou shalt glorify me," (Ps. 50: 15.) David, accordingly,

appeals to the promise thus given in order to obtain what he asks:

"Thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant,

saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found

in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee" (2 Sam. 7: 27.) Here we

infer, that he would have been afraid but for the promise which

emboldened him. So in another passage he fortifies himself with the

general doctrine, "He will fulfill the desire of them that fear

him," (Ps. 145: 19.) Nay, we may observe in The Psalms how the

continuity of prayer is broken, and a transition is made at one time

to the power of God, at another to his goodness, at another to the

faithfulness of his promises. It might seem that David, by

introducing these sentiments, unseasonably mutilates his prayers;

but believers well know by experience, that their ardor grows

languid unless new fuel be added, and, therefore, that meditation as

well on the nature as on the word of God during prayer, is by no

means superfluous. Let us not decline to imitate the example of

David, and introduce thoughts which may reanimate our languid minds

with new vigor.

    14. It is strange that these delightful promises affect us

coldly, or scarcely at all, so that the generality of men prefer to

wander up and down, forsaking the fountain of living waters, and

hewing out to themselves broken cisterns, rather than embrace the

divine liberality voluntarily offered to them (Jer. 2:13). "The name

of the Lord," says Solomon, "is a strong tower; the righteous

runneth into it, and is safe." (Pr. 18:10) Joel, after predicting

the fearful disaster which was at hand, subjoins the following

memorable sentence: "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall

call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered." (Joel 2: 32) This

we know properly refers to the course of the Gospel. Scarcely one in

a hundred is moved to come into the presence of God, though he

himself exclaims by Isaiah, "And it shall come to pass, that before

they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will

hear." (Is. 65: 24) This honour he elsewhere bestows upon the whole

Church in general, as belonging to all the members of Christ: "He

shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in

trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him." (Ps. 91:15) My

intention, however, as I already observed, is not to enumerate all,

but only select some admirable passages as a specimen how kindly God

allures us to himself, and how extreme our ingratitude must be when

with such powerful motives our sluggishness still retards us.

Wherefore, let these words always resound in our ears: "The Lord is

nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in

truth," (Ps. 145: 18.) Likewise those passages which we have quoted

from Isaiah and Joel, in which God declares that his ear is open to

our prayers, and that he is delighted as with a sacrifice of sweet

savour when we cast our cares upon him. The special benefit of these

promises we receive when we frame our prayer, not timorously or

doubtingly, but when trusting to his word whose majesty might
otherwise deter us, we are bold to call him Father, he himself

deigning to suggest this most delightful name. Fortified by such

invitations it remains for us to know that we have therein

sufficient materials for prayer, since our prayers depend on no

merit of our own, but all their worth and hope of success are

founded and depend on the promises of God, so that they need no

other support, and require not to look up and down on this hand and

on that. It must therefore be fixed in our minds, that though we

equal not the lauded sanctity of patriarchs, prophets, and apostles,

yet as the command to pray is common to us as well as them, and

faith is common, so if we lean on the word of God, we are in respect

of this privilege their associates. For God declaring, as has

already been seen, that he will listen and be favourable to all,

encourages the most wretched to hope that they shall obtain what

they ask; and, accordingly, we should attend to the general forms of

expression, which, as it is commonly expressed, exclude none from

first to last; only let there be sincerity of heart, self-

dissatisfaction humility, and faith, that we may not, by the

hypocrisy of a deceitful prayer, profane the name of God. Our most

merciful Father will not reject those whom he not only encourages to

come, but urges in every possible way. Hence David's method of

prayer to which I lately referred: "And now, O Lord God, thou art

that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this

goodness unto thy servant, that it may continue for ever before

thee" (2 Sam. 7: 28.) So also, in another passage, "Let, I pray

thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word

unto thy servant," (Psalm 119: 76.) And the whole body of the

Israelites, whenever they fortify themselves with the remembrance of

the covenant, plainly declare, that since God thus prescribes they

are not to pray timorously, (Gen. 32: 13.) In this they imitated the

example of the patriarchs, particularly Jacob, who, after confessing

that he was unworthy of the many mercies which he had received of

the Lord's hand, says, that he is encouraged to make still larger

requests, because God had promised that he would grant them. But

whatever be the pretexts which unbelievers employ, when they do not

flee to God as often as necessity urges, nor seek after him, nor

implore his aid, they defraud him of his due honour just as much as

if they were fabricating to themselves new gods and idols, since in

this way they deny that God is the author of all their blessings. On

the contrary, nothing more effectually frees pious minds from every

doubt, than to be armed with the thought that no obstacle should

impede them while they are obeying the command of God, who declares

that nothing is more grateful to him than obedience. Hence, again,

what I have previously said becomes still more clear, namely, that a

bold spirit in prayer well accords with fear, reverence, and

anxiety, and that there is no inconsistency when God raises up those

who had fallen prostrate. In this way forms of expression apparently

inconsistent admirably harmonize. Jeremiah and David speak of humbly

laying their supplications[5] before God (Jer. 42: 9; Dan. 9: 18.)

In another passage Jeremiah says "Let, we beseech thee, our

supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the Lord

thy God, even for all this remnant." (Jer. 42: 2) On the other hand,

believers are often said to _lift up prayer_. Thus Hezekiah speaks,

when asking the prophet to undertake the office of interceding (2

Kings 19: 4.) And David says, "Let my prayer be set forth before

thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening

sacrifice." (Ps. 141: 2) The explanation is, that though believers,

persuaded of the paternal love of God, cheerfully rely on his

faithfulness, and have no hesitation in imploring the aid which he

voluntarily offers, they are not elated with supine or presumptuous

security; but climbing up by the ladder of the promises, still

remain humble and abased suppliants.

    15. Here, by way of objection, several questions are raised.

Scripture relates that God sometimes complied with certain prayers

which had been dictated by minds not duly calmed or regulated. It is

true, that the cause for which Jotham imprecated on the inhabitants

of Shechem the disaster which afterwards befell them was well

founded; but still he was inflamed with anger and revenge, (Judges

9: 20;) and hence God, by complying with the execration, seems to

approve of passionate impulses. Similar fervor also seized Samson,

when he prayed, "Strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God,

that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes,"

(Judges 16: 28.) For although there was some mixture of good zeal,

yet his ruling feeling was a fervid, and therefore vicious longing

for vengeance. God assents, and hence apparently it might be

inferred that prayers are effectual, though not framed in conformity

to the rule of the word. But I answer, _first_, that a perpetual law

is not abrogated by singular examples; and, _secondly_, that special

suggestions have sometimes been made to a few individuals, whose

case thus becomes different from that of the generality of men. For

we should attend to the answer which our Saviour gave to his

disciples when they inconsiderately wished to imitate the example of

Elias, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of," (Luke ix. 55.)

We must, however, go farther and say, that the wishes to which God

assents are not always pleasing to him; but he assents, because it

is necessary, by way of example, to give clear evidence of the

doctrine of Scripture, viz., that he assists the miserable, and

hears the groans of those who unjustly afflicted implore his aid:

and, accordingly, he executes his judgments when the complaints of

the needy, though in themselves unworthy of attention, ascend to

him. For how often, in inflicting punishment on the ungodly for

cruelty, rapine, violence, lust, and other crimes, in curbing

audacity and fury, and also in overthrowing tyrannical power, has he

declared that he gives assistance to those who are unworthily

oppressed though they by addressing an unknown deity only beat the

air? There is one psalm which clearly teaches that prayers are not

without effect, though they do not penetrate to heaven by faith,

(Ps. 107: 6,13,19.) For it enumerates the prayers which, by natural

instinct, necessity extorts from unbelievers not less than from

believers, and to which it shows by the event, that God is,

notwithstanding, propitious. Is it to testify by such readiness to

hear that their prayers are agreeable to him? Nay; it is, first, to

magnify or display his mercy by the circumstance, that even the

wishes of unbelievers are not denied; and, secondly, to stimulate

his true worshippers to more urgent prayer, when they see that

sometimes even the wailings of the ungodly are not without avail.

This, however, is no reason why believers should deviate from the

law divinely imposed upon them, or envy unbelievers, as if they

gained much in obtaining what they wished. We have observed, (chap.

3: sec. 25,) that in this way God yielded to the feigned repentance

of Ahab, that he might show how ready he is to listen to his elect

when, with true contrition, they seek his favour. Accordingly, he

upbraids the Jews, that shortly after experiencing his readiness to

listen to their prayers, they returned to their own perverse

inclinations. It is also plain from the Book of Judges that,

whenever they wept, though their tears were deceitful, they were

delivered from the hands of their enemies. Therefore, as God sends

his sun indiscriminately on the evil and on the good, so he despises

not the tears of those who have a good cause, and whose sorrows are

deserving of relief. Meanwhile, though he hears them, it has no more

to do with salvation than the supply of food which he gives to other

despisers of his goodness. There seems to be a more difficult

question concerning Abraham and Samuel, the one of whom, without any

instruction from the word of God, prayed in behalf of the people of

Sodom, and the other, contrary to an express prohibition, prayed in

behalf of Saul, (Gen. 18: 23; 1 Sam. 15. 11.) Similar is the case of

Jeremiah, who prayed that the city might not be destroyed, (Jer. 32:

16ff.) It is true their prayers were refused, but it seems harsh to

affirm that they prayed without faith. Modest readers will, I hope,

be satisfied with this solution, viz., that leaning to the general

principle on which God enjoins us to be merciful even to the

unworthy, they were not altogether devoid of faith, though in this

particular instance their wish was disappointed. Augustine shrewdly

remarks, "How do the saints pray in faith when they ask from God

contrary to what he has decreed? Namely, because they pray according

to his will, not his hidden and immutable will, but that which he

suggests to them, that he may hear them in another manner; as he

wisely distinguishes," (August. de Civit. Dei, Lib. 22: 100: 2.)

This is truly said: for, in his incomprehensible counsel, he so

regulates events, that the prayers of the saints, though involving a

mixture of faith and error, are not in vain. And yet this no more

sanctions imitation than it excuses the saints themselves, who I

deny not exceeded due bounds. Wherefore, whenever no certain promise

exists, our request to God must have a condition annexed to it. Here

we may refer to the prayer of David, "Awake for me to the judgment

that thou hast commanded," (Ps. vii. 6;) for he reminds us that he

had received special instruction to pray for a temporal blessing.[6]

    16. It is also of importance to observe, that the four laws of

prayer of which I have treated are not so rigorously enforced, as

that God rejects the prayers in which he does not find perfect faith

or repentance, accompanied with fervent zeal and wishes duly framed.

We have said, (sec. 4,) that though prayer is the familiar

intercourse of believers with God, yet reverence and modesty must be

observed: we must not give loose reins to our wishes, nor long for

any thing farther than God permits; and, moreover, lest the majesty

of God should be despised, our minds must be elevated to pure and

chaste veneration. This no man ever performed with due perfection.

For, not to speak of the generality of men, how often do David's

complaints savour of intemperance? Not that he actually means to

expostulate with God, or murmur at his judgments, but failing,

through infirmity, he finds no better solace than to pour his griefs

into the bosom of his heavenly Father. Nay, even our stammering is

tolerated by God, and pardon is granted to our ignorance as often as

any thing rashly escapes us: indeed, without this indulgence, we

should have no freedom to pray. But although it was David's

intention to submit himself entirely to the will of God, and he

prayed with no less patience than fervor, yet irregular emotions

appear, nay, sometimes burst forth,-emotions not a little at

variance with the first law which we laid down. In particular, we

may see in a clause of the thirty-ninth Psalm, how this saint was

carried away by the vehemence of his grief, and unable to keep

within bounds. "O spare me,[7] that I may recover strength, before I

go hence, and be no more," (Ps. 39: 13.) You would call this the

language of a desperate man, who had no other desire than that God

should withdraw and leave him to relish in his distresses. Not that

his devout mind rushes into such intemperance, or that, as the

reprobate are wont, he wishes to have done with God; he only

complains that the divine anger is more than he can bear. During

those trials, wishes often escape which are not in accordance with

the rule of the word, and in which the saints do not duly consider

what is lawful and expedient. Prayers contaminated by such faults,

indeed, deserve to be rejected; yet provided the saints lament,

administer self-correction and return to themselves, God pardons.

Similar faults are committed in regard to the second law, (as to

which, see sec. 6,) for the saints have often to struggle with their

own coldness, their want and misery not urging them sufficiently to

serious prayer. It often happens, also, that their minds wander, and

are almost lost; hence in this matter also there is need of pardon,

lest their prayers, from being languid or mutilated, or interrupted

and wandering, should meet with a refusal. One of the natural

feelings which God has imprinted on our mind is, that prayer is not

genuine unless the thoughts are turned upward. Hence the ceremony of

raising the hands, to which we have adverted, a ceremony known to

all ages and nations, and still in common use. But who, in lifting

up his hands, is not conscious of sluggishness, the heart cleaving

to the earth? In regard to the petition for remission of sins, (sec.

8,) though no believer omits it, yet all who are truly exercised in

prayer feel that they bring scarcely a tenth of the sacrifice of

which David speaks, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a

broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise," (Ps. 51:

17.) Thus a twofold pardon is always to be asked; first, because

they are conscious of many faults the sense of which, however, does

not touch them so as to make them feel dissatisfied with themselves

as they ought; and, secondly, in so far as they have been enabled to

profit in repentance and the fear of God, they are humbled with just

sorrow for their offenses, and pray for the remission of punishment

by the judge. The thing which most of all vitiates prayer, did not

God indulgently interpose, is weakness or imperfection of faith; but

it is not wonderful that this defect is pardoned by God, who often

exercises his people with severe trials, as if he actually wished to

extinguish their faith. The hardest of such trials is when believers

are forced to exclaim, "O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be

angry against the prayer of thy people?" (Ps. 80: 4,) as if their

very prayers offended him. In like manner, when Jeremiah says "Also

when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayers (Lam. 3: 8,) there

cannot be a doubt that he was in the greatest perturbation.

Innumerable examples of the same kind occur in the Scriptures, from

which it is manifest that the faith of the saints was often mingled

with doubts and fears, so that while believing and hoping, they,

however, betrayed some degree of unbelief, But because they do not

come so far as were to be wished, that is only an additional reason

for their exerting themselves to correct their faults, that they may

daily approach nearer to the perfect law of prayer, and at the same

time feel into what an abyss of evils those are plunged, who, in the

very cures they use, bring new diseases upon themselves: since there

is no prayer which God would not deservedly disdain, did he not

overlook the blemishes with which all of them are polluted. I do not

mention these things that believers may securely pardon themselves

in any faults which they commit, but that they may call themselves

to strict account, and thereby endeavour to surmount these

obstacles; and though Satan endeavours to block up all the paths in

order to prevent them from praying, they may, nevertheless, break

through, being firmly persuaded that though not disencumbered of all

hindrances, their attempts are pleasing to God, and their wishes are

approved, provided they hasten on and keep their aim, though without

immediately reaching it.

    17. But since no man is worthy to come forward in his own name,

and appear in the presence of God, our heavenly Father, to relieve

us at once from fear and shame, with which all must feel

oppressed,[8] has given us his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, to be our

Advocate and Mediator, that under his guidance we may approach

securely, confiding that with him for our Intercessor nothing which

we ask in his name will be denied to us, as there is nothing which

the Father can deny to him, (1 Tim. 2: 5; 1 John 2: 1; see sec. 36,

37.) To this it is necessary to refer all that we have previously

taught concerning faith; because, as the promise gives us Christ as

our Mediator, so, unless our hope of obtaining what we ask is

founded on him, it deprives us of the privilege of prayer. For it is

impossible to think of the dread majesty of God without being filled

with alarm; and hence the sense of our own unworthiness must keep us

far away, until Christ interpose, and convert a throne of dreadful

glory into a throne of grace, as the Apostle teaches that thus we

can "come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy,

and find grace to help in time of need," (Heb. 4: 16.) And as a rule

has been laid down as to prayer, as a promise has been given that

those who pray will be heard, so we are specially enjoined to pray

in the name of Christ, the promise being that we shall obtain what

we ask in his name. "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name," says our

Saviour, "that will I do; that the Father may be glorified in the

Son;" "Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name; ask, and ye shall

receive, that your joy may be full," (John 14: 13; 16: 24.) Hence it

is incontrovertibly clear that those who pray to God in any other

name than that of Christ contumaciously falsify his orders, and

regard his will as nothing, while they have no promise that they

shall obtain. For, as Paul says "All the promises of God in him are

yea, and in him amen;" (2 Cor. 1: 20,) that is, are confirmed and

fulfilled in him.

    18. And we must carefully attend to the circumstance of time.

Christ enjoins his disciples to have recourse to his intercession

after he shall have ascended to heaven: "At that day ye shall ask in

my name," (John 16: 26.) It is certain, indeed, that from the very

first all who ever prayed were heard only for the sake of the

Mediator. For this reason God had commanded in the Law, that the

priest alone should enter the sanctuary, bearing the names of the

twelve tribes of Israel on his shoulders, and as many precious

stones on his breast, while the people were to stand at a distance

in the outer court, and thereafter unite their prayers with the

priest. Nay, the sacrifice had even the effect of ratifying and

confirming their prayers. That shadowy ceremony of the Law therefore

taught, first, that we are all excluded from the face of God, and,

therefore, that there is need of a Mediator to appear in our name,

and carry us on his shoulders and keep us bound upon his breast,

that we may be heard in his person; And secondly, that our prayers,

which, as has been said, would otherwise never be free from

impurity, are cleansed by the sprinkling of his blood. And we see

that the saints, when they desired to obtain any thing, founded

their hopes on sacrifices, because they knew that by sacrifice all

prayers were ratified: "Remember all thy offerings," says David,

"and accept thy burnt sacrifice," (Ps. 20: 3.) Hence we infer, that

in receiving the prayers of his people, God was from the very first

appeased by the intercession of Christ. Why then does Christ speak

of a new period ("at that day") when the disciples were to begin to

pray in his name, unless it be that this grace, being now more

brightly displayed, ought also to be in higher estimation with us?

In this sense he had said a little before, "Hitherto ye have asked

nothing in my name; ask." Not that they were altogether ignorant of

the office of Mediator, (all the Jews were instructed in these first

rudiments,) but they did not clearly understand that Christ by his

ascent to heaven would be more the advocate of the Church than

before. Therefore, to solace their grief for his absence by some

more than ordinary result, he asserts his office of advocate, and

says, that hitherto they had been without the special benefit which

it would be their privilege to enjoy, when aided by his intercession

they should invoke God with greater freedom. In this sense the

Apostle says that we have "boldness to enter into the holiest by the

blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated

for us," (Heb. 10: 19, 20.) Therefore, the more inexcusable we are,

if we do not with both hands (as it is said) embrace the inestimable

gift which is properly destined for us.

    19. Moreover since he himself is the only way and the only

access by which we can draw near to God, those who deviate from this

way, and decline this access, have no other remaining; his throne

presents nothing but wrath, judgment, and terror. In short, as the

Father has consecrated him our guide and head, those who abandon or

turn aside from him in any way endeavour, as much as in them lies,

to sully and efface the stamp which God has impressed. Christ,

therefore, is the only Mediator by whose intercession the Father is

rendered propitious and exorable, (1 Tim. 2: 5.) For though the

saints are still permitted to use intercessions, by which they

mutually beseech God in behalf of each others salvation, and of

which the Apostle makes mention, (Eph. 6: 18, 19; 1 Tim. 2: 1;) yet

these depend on that one intercession, so far are they from

derogating from it. For as the intercessions which, as members of

one body we offer up for each other, spring from the feeling of

love, so they have reference to this one head. Being thus also made

in the name of Christ, what more do they than declare that no man

can derive the least benefit from any prayers without the

intercession of Christ? As there is nothing in the intercession of

Christ to prevent the different members of the Church from offering

up prayers for each other, so let it be held as a fixed principle,

that all the intercessions thus used in the Church must have

reference to that one intercession. Nay, we must be specially

careful to show our gratitude on this very account, that God

pardoning our unworthiness, not only allows each individual to pray

for himself, but allows all to intercede mutually for each other.

God having given a place in his Church to intercessors who would

deserve to be rejected when praying privately on their own account,

how presumptuous were it to abuse this kindness by employing it to

obscure the honour of Christ?

    20. Moreover, the Sophists are guilty of the merest trifling

when they allege that Christ is the Mediator of _redemption_, but

that believers are mediators of _intercession_; as if Christ had

only performed a temporary mediation, and left an eternal and

imperishable mediation to his servants. Such, forsooth, is the

treatment which he receives from those who pretend only to take from

him a minute portion of honour. Very different is the language of

Scripture, with whose simplicity every pious man will be satisfied,

without paying any regard to those importers. For when John says,

"If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ

the righteous," (1 John 2: 1,) does he mean merely that we once had

an advocate; does he not rather ascribe to him a perpetual

intercession? What does Paul mean when he declares that he "is even

at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us"?

(Rom. 8: 32.) But when in another passage he declares that he is the

only Mediator between God and man, (1 Tim. 2: 5,) is he not

referring to the supplications which he had mentioned a little

before? Having previously said that prayers were to be offered up

for all men, he immediately adds, in confirmation of that statement,

that there is one God, and one Mediator between God and man. Nor

does Augustine give a different interpretation when he says,

"Christian men mutually recommend each other in their prayers. But

he for whom none intercedes, while he himself intercedes for all, is

the only true Mediator. Though the Apostle Paul was under the head a

principal member, yet because he was a member of the body of Christ,

and knew that the most true and High Priest of the Church had

entered not by figure into the inner veil to the holy of holies, but

by firm and express truth into the inner sanctuary of heaven to

holiness, holiness not imaginary, but eternal (Heb 9: 11, 24), he

also commends himself to the prayers of the faithful (Rom. 15: 30;

Eph. 6:19; Col. 4: 3.) He does not make himself a mediator between

God and the people, but asks that all the members of the body of

Christ should pray mutually for each other, since the members are

mutually sympathetic: if one member suffers, the others suffer with

it (1 Cor. 12: 26.) And thus the mutual prayers of all the members

still laboring on the earth ascend to the Head, who has gone before

into heaven, and in whom there is propitiation for our sins. For if

Paul were a mediator, so would also the other apostles, and thus

there would be many mediators, and Paul's statement could not stand,

'There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man

Christ Jesus;' (1 Tim. 2: 5) in whom we also are one (Rom. 12: 5) if

we keep the unity of the faith in the bond of peace (Eph. 4: 3),"

(August. Contra Parmenian, Lib. 2: cap. 8.) Likewise in another

passage Augustine says, "If thou requirest a priest, he is above the

heavens, where he intercedes for those who on earth died for thee,"

(August. in Ps. 94:) We imagine not that he throws himself before

his Father's knees, and suppliantly intercedes for us; but we

understand with the Apostle, that he appears in the presence of God,

and that the power of his death has the effect of a perpetual

intercession for us; that having entered into the upper sanctuary,

he alone continues to the end of the world to present the prayers of

his people, who are standing far off in the outer court.

    21. In regard to the saints who having died in the body live in

Christ, if we attribute prayer to them, let us not imagine that they

have any other way of supplicating God than through Christ who alone

is the way, or that their prayers are accepted by God in any other

name. Wherefore, since the Scripture calls us away from all others

to Christ alone, since our heavenly Father is pleased to gather

together all things in him, it were the extreme of stupidity, not to

say madness, to attempt to obtain access by means of others, so as

to be drawn away from him without whom access cannot be obtained.

But who can deny that this was the practice for several ages, and is

still the practice, wherever Popery prevails? To procure the favour

of God, human merits are ever and anon obtruded, and very frequently

while Christ is passed by, God is supplicated in their name. I ask

if this is not to transfer to them that office of sole intercession

which we have above claimed for Christ? Then what angel or devil

ever announced one syllable to any human being concerning that

fancied intercession of theirs? There is not a word on the subject

in Scripture. What ground then was there for the fiction? Certainly,

while the human mind thus seeks help for itself in which it is not

sanctioned by the word of God, it plainly manifests its distrust,

(see s. 27.) But if we appeal to the consciences of all who take

pleasure in the intercession of saints, we shall find that their

only reason for it is, that they are filled with anxiety, as if they

supposed that Christ were insufficient or too rigorous. By this

anxiety they dishonour Christ, and rob him of his title of sole

Mediator, a title which being given him by the Father as his special

privilege, ought not to be transferred to any other. By so doing

they obscure the glory of his nativity and make void his cross; in

short, divest and defraud of due praise everything which he did or

suffered, since all which he did and suffered goes to show that he

is and ought to be deemed sole Mediator. At the same time, they

reject the kindness of God in manifesting himself to them as a

Father, for he is not their Father if they do not recognize Christ

as their brother. This they plainly refuse to do if they think not

that he feels for them a brother's affection; affection than which

none can be more gentle or tender. Wherefore Scripture offers him

alone, sends us to him, and establishes us in him. "He," says

Ambrose, "is our mouth by which we speak to the Father; our eye by

which we see the Father; our right hand by which we offer ourselves

to the Father. Save by his intercession neither we nor any saints

have any intercourse with God," (Ambros. Lib. de Isaac et Anima.) If

they object that the public prayers which are offered up in churches

conclude with the words, _through Jesus Christ our Lord_, it is a

frivolous evasion; because no less insult is offered to the

intercession of Christ by confounding it with the prayers and merits

of the dead, than by omitting it altogether, and making mention only

of the dead. Then, in all their litanies, hymns, and proses where

every kind of honour is paid to dead saints, there is no mention of

Christ.

    22. But here stupidity has proceeded to such a length as to

give a manifestation of the genius of superstition, which, when once

it has shaken off the rein, is wont to wanton without limit. After

men began to look to the intercession of saints, a peculiar

administration was gradually assigned to each, so that, according to

diversity of business, now one, now another, intercessor was

invoked. Then individuals adopted particular saints, and put their

faith in them, just as if they had been tutelar deities. And thus

not only were gods set up according to the number of the cities,

(the charge which the prophet brought against Israel of old, Jer. 2:

28; 11: 13,) but according to the number of individuals. But while

the saints in all their desires refer to the will of God alone, look

to it, and acquiesce in it, yet to assign to them any other prayer

than that of longing for the arrival of the kingdom of God, is to

think of them stupidly, carnally, and even insultingly. Nothing can

be farther from such a view than to imagine that each, under the

influence of private feeling, is disposed to be most favourable to

his own worshippers. At length vast numbers have fallen into the

horrid blasphemy of invoking them not merely as helping but

presiding over their salvation. See the depth to which miserable men

fall when they forsake their proper station, that is, the word of

God. I say nothing of the more monstrous specimens of impiety in

which, though detestable to God, angels, and men, they themselves

feel no pain or shame. Prostrated at a statue or picture of Barbara

or Catherine, and the like, they mutter a _Pater Noster_;[9] and so

far are their pastors[10] from curing or curbing this frantic

course, that, allured by the scent of gain, they approve and applaud

it. But while seeking to relieve themselves of the odium of this

vile and criminal procedure, with what pretext can they defend the

practice of calling upon Eloy (Eligius) or Medard to look upon their

servants, and send them help from heaven, or the Holy Virgin to

order her Son to do what they ask?[11] The Council of Carthage

forbade direct prayer to be made at the altar to saints. It is

probable that these holy men, unable entirely to suppress the force

of depraved custom, had recourse to this check, that public prayers

might not be vitiated with such forms of expression as _Sancte

Petre, ora pro nobis-- St Peter, pray for us_. But how much farther

has this devilish extravagance proceeded when men hesitate not to

transfer to the dead the peculiar attributes of Christ and God?

    23. In endeavouring to prove that such intercession derives

some support from Scripture they labour in vain. We frequently read

(they say) of the prayers of angels, and not only so, but the

prayers of believers are said to be carried into the presence of God

by their hands. But if they would compare saints who have departed

this life with angels, it will be necessary to prove that saints are

ministering spirits, to whom has been delegated the office of

superintending our salvation, to whom has been assigned the province

of guiding us in all our ways, of encompassing, admonishing, and

comforting us, of keeping watch over us. All these are assigned to

angels, but none of them to saints. How preposterously they confound

departed saints with angels is sufficiently apparent from the many

different offices by which Scripture distinguishes the one from the

other. No one unless admitted will presume to perform the office of

pleader before an earthly judge; whence then have worms such license

as to obtrude themselves on God as intercessors, while no such

office has been assigned them? God has been pleased to give angels

the charge of our safety. Hence they attend our sacred meetings, and

the Church is to them a theatre in which they behold the manifold

wisdom of God, (Eph. 3: 10.) Those who transfer to others this

office which is peculiar to them, certainly pervert and confound the

order which has been established by God and ought to be inviolable.

With similar dexterity they proceed to quote other passages. God

said to Jeremiah, "Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my

mind could not be toward this people," (Jer. 15: 1.) How (they ask)

could he have spoken thus of the dead but because he knew that they

interceded for the living? My inference, on the contrary, is this:

since it thus appears that neither Moses nor Samuel interceded for

the people of Israel, there was then no intercession for the dead.

For who of the saints can be supposed to labour for the salvation of

the peoples while Moses who, when in life, far surpassed all others

in this matter, does nothing? Therefore, if they persist in the

paltry quibble, that the dead intercede for the living, because the

Lord said, "_If they stood before me_," (_intercesserint_,) I will

argue far more speciously in this way: Moses, of whom it is said,

"_if he interceded_,," did not intercede for the people in their

extreme necessity: it is probable, therefore, that no other saint

intercedes, all being far behind Moses in humanity, goodness, and

paternal solicitude. Thus all they gain by their caviling is to be

wounded by the very arms with which they deem themselves admirably

protected. But it is very ridiculous to wrest this simple sentence

in this manner; for the Lord only declares that he would not spare

the iniquities of the people, though some Moses or Samuel, to whose

prayers he had shown himself so indulgent, should intercede for

them. This meaning is most clearly elicited from a similar passage

in Ezekiel: "Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in

it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness,

saith the Lord God," (Ezek. 14: 14.) Here there can be no doubt that

we are to understand the words as if it had been said, If two of the

persons named were again to come alive; for the third was still

living, namely, Daniel, who it is well known had then in the bloom

of youth given an incomparable display of piety. Let us therefore

leave out those whom Scripture declares to have completed their

course. Accordingly, when Paul speaks of David, he says not that by

his prayers he assisted posterity, but only that he "served his own

generation," (Acts 13: 36.)

    24. They again object, Are those, then, to be deprived of every

pious wish, who, during the whole course of their lives, breathed

nothing but piety and mercy? I have no wish curiously to pry into

what they do or meditate; but the probability is, that instead of

being subject to the impulse of various and particular desires,

they, with one fixed and immovable will, long for the kingdom of

God, which consists not less in the destruction of the ungodly than

in the salvation of believers. If this be so, there cannot be a

doubt that their charity is confined to the communion of Christ's

body, and extends no farther than is compatible with the nature of

that communion. But though I grant that in this way they pray for

us, they do not, however, lose their quiescence so as to be

distracted with earthly cares: far less are they, therefore, to be

invoked by us. Nor does it follow that such invocation is to be used

because, while men are alive upon the earth, they can mutually

commend themselves to each other's prayers. It serves to keep alive

a feeling of charity when they, as it were, share each other's

wants, and bear each other's burdens. This they do by the command of

the Lord, and not without a promise, the two things of primary

importance in prayer. But all such reasons are inapplicable to the

dead, with whom the Lord, in withdrawing them from our society, has

left us no means of intercourse, (Eccles. 9: 5, 6,) and to whom, so

far as we can conjecture, he has left no means of intercourse with

us. But if any one allege that they certainly must retain the same

charity for us, as they are united with us in one faith, who has

revealed to us that they have ears capable of listening to the

sounds of our voice, or eyes clear enough to discern our

necessities? Our opponents, indeed, talk in the shade of their

schools of some kind of light which beams upon departed saints from

the divine countenance, and in which, as in a mirror, they, from

their lofty abode, behold the affairs of men; but to affirm this

with the confidence which these men presume to use, is just to

desire, by means of the extravagant dreams of our own brain, and

without any authority, to pry and penetrate into the hidden

judgments of God, and trample upon Scripture, which so often

declares that the wisdom of our flesh is at enmity with the wisdom

of God, utterly condemns the vanity of our mind, and humbling our

reason, bids us look only to the will of God.

    25. The other passages of Scripture which they employ to defend

their error are miserably wrested. Jacob (they say) asks for the

sons of Joseph, "Let my name be named on them, and the name of my

fathers, Abraham and Isaac," (Gen. 48: 16.) First, let us see what

the nature of this invocation was among the Israelites. They do not

implore their fathers to bring succour to them, but they beseech God

to remember his servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Their example,

therefore, gives no countenance to those who use addresses to the

saints themselves. But such being the dullness of these blocks, that

they comprehend not what it is to invoke the name of Jacob, nor why

it is to be invoked, it is not strange that they blunder thus

childishly as to the mode of doing it. The expression repeatedly

occurs in Scripture. Isaiah speaks of women being called by the name

of men, when they have them for husbands and live under their

protection, (Isa. 4: 1.) The calling of the name of Abraham over the

Israelites consists in referring the origin of their race to him,

and holding him in distinguished remembrance as their author and

parent. Jacob does not do so from any anxiety to extend the

celebrity of his name, but because he knows that all the happiness

of his posterity consisted in the inheritance of the covenant which

God had made with them. Seeing that this would give them the sum of

all blessings, he prays that they may be regarded as of his race,

this being nothing else than to transmit the succession of the

covenant to them. They again, when they make mention of this subject

in their prayers, do not betake themselves to the intercession of

the dead, but call to remembrance that covenant in which their most

merciful Father undertakes to be kind and propitious to them for the

sake of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. How little, in other respects,

the saints trusted to the merits of their fathers, the public voice

of the Church declares in the prophets "Doubtless thou art our

Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us

not; thou, O Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer," (Isa. 63: 16.) And

while the Church thus speaks, she at the same time adds, "Return for

thy servants' sake," not thinking of any thing like intercession,

but adverting only to the benefit of the covenant. Now, indeed, when

we have the Lord Jesus, in whose hand the eternal covenant of mercy

was not only made but confirmed, what better name can we bear before

us in our prayers? And since those good Doctors would make out by

these words that the Patriarchs are intercessors, I should like them

to tell me why, in so great a multitude,[12] no place whatever is

given to Abraham, the father of the Church? We know well from what a

crew they select their intercessors.[13] Let them then tell me what

consistency there is in neglecting and rejecting Abraham, whom God

preferred to all others, and raised to the highest degree of honour.

The only reason is, that as it was plain there was no such practice

in the ancient Church, they thought proper to conceal the novelty of

the practice by saying nothing of the Patriarchs: as if by a mere

diversity of names they could excuse a practice at once novel and

impure. They sometimes, also, object that God is entreated to have

mercy on his people "for David's sake," (Ps. 132: 10; see Calv.

Com.) This is so far from supporting their error, that it is the

strongest refutation of it. We must consider the character which

David bore. He is set apart from the whole body of the faithful to

establish the covenant which God made in his hand. Thus regard is

had to the covenant rather than to the individual. Under him as a

type the sole intercession of Christ is asserted. But what was

peculiar to David as a type of Christ is certainly inapplicable to

others.

    26. But some seem to be moved by the fact, that the prayers of

saints are often said to have been heard. Why? Because they prayed.

"They cried unto thee," (says the Psalmist,) "and were delivered:

they trusted in thee, and were not confounded," (Ps. 22: 5.) Let us

also pray after their example, that like them we too may be heard.

Those men, on the contrary, absurdly argue that none will be heard

but those who have been heard already. How much better does James

argue, "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he

prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the

earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed

again and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her

fruit." (James 5: 17, 18.) What? Does he infer that Elias possessed

some peculiar privilege, and that we must have recourse to him for

the use of it? By no means. He shows the perpetual efficacy of a

pure and pious prayer, that we may be induced in like manner to

pray. For the kindness and readiness of God to hear others is

malignantly interpreted, if their example does not inspire us with

stronger confidence in his promise, since his declaration is not

that he will incline his ear to one or two, or a few individuals,

but to all who call upon his name. In this ignorance they are the

less excusable, because they seem as it were avowedly to contemn the

many admonitions of Scripture. David was repeatedly delivered by the

power of God. Was this to give that power to him that we might be

delivered on his application? Very different is his affirmation:

"The righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal

bountifully with me," (Ps. 142: 7.) Again, "The righteous also shall

see, and fear, and shall laugh at him," (Ps. 52: 6.) "This poor man

cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his

troubles," (Ps. 34: 6.) In The Psalms are many similar prayers, in

which David calls upon God to give him what he asks, for this

reason, viz., that the righteous may not be put to shame, but by his

example encouraged to hope. Here let one passage suffice, "For this

shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou

mayest be found," (Ps. 32: 6, Calv. Com.) This passage I have quoted

the more readily, because those ravers who employ their hireling

tongues in defense of the Papacy, are not ashamed to adduce it in

proof of the intercession of the dead. As if David intended any

thing more than to show the benefit which he shall obtain from the

divine clemency and condescension when he shall have been heard. In

general, we must hold that the experience of the grace of God, as

well towards ourselves as towards others, tends in no slight degree

to confirm our faith in his promises. I do not quote the many

passages in which David sets forth the loving-kindness of God to him

as a ground of confidence, as they will readily occur to every

reader of The Psalms. Jacob had previously taught the same thing by

his own example, "I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies,

and of all the truth which thou hast showed unto thy servant: for

with my staff l passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two

bands," (Gen. 32: 10.) He indeed alleges the promise, but not the

promise only; for he at the same time adds the effect, to animate

him with greater confidence in the future kindness of God. God is

not like men who grow weary of their liberality, or whose means of

exercising it become exhausted; but he is to be estimated by his own

nature, as David properly does when he says, "Thou hast redeemed me,

O Lord God of truth," (Ps 31: 5.) After ascribing the praise of his

salvation to God, he adds that he is true: for were he not ever like

himself, his past favour would not be an infallible ground for

confidence and prayer. But when we know that as often as he assists

us, he gives us a specimen and proof of his goodness and

faithfulness, there is no reason to fear that our hope will be

ashamed or frustrated.

    27. On the whole, since Scripture places the principal part of

worship in the invocation of God, (this being the office of piety

which he requires of us in preference to all sacrifices,) it is

manifest sacrilege to offer prayer to others. Hence it is said in

the psalm: "If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched

out our hands to a strange god, shall not God search this out?" (Ps.

44: 20, 21.) Again, since it is only in faith that God desires to be

invoked, and he distinctly enjoins us to frame our prayers according

to the rule of his word: in fine, since faith is founded on the

word, and is the parent of right prayer, the moment we decline from

the word, our prayers are impure. But we have already shown, that if

we consult the whole volume of Scripture, we shall find that God

claims this honour to himself alone. In regard to the office of

intercession, we have also seen that it is peculiar to Christ, and

that no prayer is agreeable to God which he as Mediator does not

sanctify. And though believers mutually offer up prayers to God in

behalf of their brethren, we have shown that this derogates in no

respect from the sole intercession of Christ, because all trust to

that intercession in commending themselves as well as others to God.

Moreover, we have shown that this is ignorantly transferred to the

dead, of whom we nowhere read that they were commanded to pray for

us. The Scripture often exhorts us to offer up mutual prayers; but

says not one syllable concerning the dead; nay, James tacitly

excludes the dead when he combines the two things, to "confess our

sins one to another, and to pray one for another," (James v. 16.)

Hence it is sufficient to condemn this error, that the beginning of

right prayer springs from faith, and that faith comes by the hearing

of the word of God, in which there is no mention of fictitious

intercession, superstition having rashly adopted intercessors who

have not been divinely appointed. While the Scripture abounds in

various forms of prayer, we find no example of this intercession,

without which Papists think there is no prayer. Moreover, it is

evident that this superstition is the result of distrust, because

they are either not contented with Christ as an intercessor, or have

altogether robbed him of this honour. This last is easily proved by

their effrontery in maintaining, as the strongest of all their

arguments for the intercession of the saints, that we are unworthy

of familiar access to God. This, indeed, we acknowledge to be most

true, but we thence infer that they leave nothing to Christ, because

they consider his intercession as nothing, unless it is supplemented

by that of George and Hypolyte, and similar phantoms.

    28. But though prayer is properly confined to vows and

supplications, yet so strong is the affinity between petition and

thanksgiving, that both may be conveniently comprehended under one

name. For the forms which Paul enumerates (1 Tim. 2: 1) fall under

the first member of this division. By prayer and supplication we

pour out our desires before God, asking as well those things which

tend to promote his glory and display his name, as the benefits

which contribute to our advantage. By thanksgiving we duly celebrate

his kindnesses toward us, ascribing to his liberality every blessing

which enters into our lot. David accordingly includes both in one

sentence, "Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee,

and thou shalt glorify me," (Ps. 50: 15.) Scripture, not without

reason, commands us to use both continually. We have already

described the greatness of our want, while experience itself

proclaims the straits which press us on every side to be so numerous

and so great, that all have sufficient ground to send forth sighs

and groans to God without intermission, and suppliantly implore him.

For even should they be exempt from adversity, still the holiest

ought to be stimulated first by their sins, and, secondly, by the

innumerable assaults of temptation, to long for a remedy. The

sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving can never be interrupted

without guilt, since God never ceases to load us with favour upon

favour, so as to force us to gratitude, however slow and sluggish we

may be. In short, so great and widely diffused are the riches of his

liberality towards us, so marvellous and wondrous the miracles which

we behold on every side, that we never can want a subject and

materials for praise and thanksgiving. To make this somewhat

clearer: since all our hopes and resources are placed in God, (this

has already been fully proved,) so that neither our persons nor our

interests can prosper without his blessing, we must constantly

submit ourselves and our all to him. Then whatever we deliberate,

speak, or do, should be deliberated, spoken, and done under his hand

and will; in fine, under the hope of his assistance. God has

pronounced a curse upon all who, confiding in themselves or others,

form plans and resolutions, who, without regarding his will, or

invoking his aid, either plan or attempt to execute, (James 4: 14;

Isaiah 30: 1; 31. 1.) And since, as has already been observed, he

receives the honour which is due when he is acknowledged to be the

author of all good, it follows that, in deriving all good from his

hand, we ought continually to express our thankfulness, and that we

have no right to use the benefits which proceed from his liberality,

if we do not assiduously proclaim his praise, and give him thanks,

these being the ends for which they are given. When Paul declares

that every creature of God "is sanctified by the word of God and

prayers" (1 Tim. 4: 5,) he intimates that without the word and

prayers none of them are holy and pure, _word_ being used

metonymically for _faith_. Hence David, on experiencing the loving-

kindness of the Lord, elegantly declares, "He hath put a new song in

my mouth," (Ps. 40: 3;) intimating, that our silence is malignant

when we leave his blessings unpraised, seeing every blessing he

bestows is a new ground of thanksgiving. Thus Isaiah, proclaiming

the singular mercies of God, says, "Sing unto the Lord a new song

(Is. 42: 10.)" In the same sense David says in another passage, "O

Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise,"

(Ps. 51: 15.) In like manner, Hezekiah and Jonah declare that they

will regard it as the end of their deliverance "to celebrate the

goodness of God with songs in his temple," (Is. 38: 20; Jonah 2:

10.) David lays down a general rule for all believers in these

words, "What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits

toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name

of the Lord," (Ps. 116: 12, 13.) This rule the Church follows in

another psalm, "Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among

the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in

thy praise," (Ps. 106: 47.) Again, "He will regard the prayer of the

destitute, and not despise their prayer. This shall be written for

the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall

praise the Lord." "To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and his

praise in Jerusalem," (Ps. 102: 18, 21.) Nay, whenever believers

beseech the Lord to do anything _for his own name's sake_, as they

declare themselves unworthy of obtaining it in their own name, so

they oblige themselves to give thanks, and promise to make the right

use of his lovingkindness by being the heralds of it. Thus Hosea,

speaking of the future redemption of the Church, says, "Take away

all iniquity, and receive us graciously; so will we render the

calves of our lips," (Hos. 14: 2.) Not only do our tongues proclaim

the kindness of God, but they naturally inspire us with love to him.

"I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my

supplications," (Ps. 116: 1.) In another passage, speaking of the

help which he had experienced, he says, "I will love thee, O Lord,

my strength," (Ps. 18: 1.) No praise will ever please God that does

not flow from this feeling of love. Nay, we must attend to the

declaration of Paul, that all wishes are vicious and perverse which

are not accompanied with thanksgiving. His words are, "In everything

by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be

made known unto God," (Phil. 4: 6.) Because many, under the

influence of moroseness, weariness, impatience, bitter grief and

fear, use murmuring in their prayers, he enjoins us so to regulate

our feelings as cheerfully to bless God even before obtaining what

we ask. But if this connection ought always to subsist in full vigor

between things that are almost contrary, the more sacred is the tie

which binds us to celebrate the praises of God whenever he grants

our requests. And as we have already shown that our prayers, which

otherwise would be polluted) are sanctified by the intercession of

Christ, so the Apostle, by enjoining us "to offer the sacrifice of

praise to God continually" by Christ, (Heb. 13: 15,) reminds us,

that without the intervention of his priesthood our lips are not

pure enough to celebrate the name of God. Hence we infer that a

monstrous delusion prevails among Papists, the great majority of

whom wonder when Christ is called an intercessor. The reason why

Paul enjoins, "Pray without ceasing; in every thing give thanks," (1

Thess. 5: 17, 18,) is, because he would have us with the utmost

assiduity, at all times, in every place, in all things, and under

all circumstances, direct our prayers to God, to expect all the

things which we desire from him, and when obtained ascribe them to

him; thus furnishing perpetual grounds for prayer and praise.

    29. This assiduity in prayer, though it specially refers to the

peculiar private prayers of individuals, extends also in some

measure to the public prayers of the Church. These, it may be said,

cannot be continual, and ought not to be made, except in the manner

which, for the sake of order, has been established by public

consent. This I admit, and hence certain hours are fixed beforehand,

hours which, though indifferent in regard to God, are necessary for

the use of man, that the general convenience may be consulted, and

all things be done in the Church, as Paul enjoins, "decently and in

order," (1 Cor. 14: 40.) But there is nothing in this to prevent

each church from being now and then stirred up to a more frequent

use of prayer and being more zealously affected under the impulse of

some greater necessity. Of perseverance in prayer, which is much

akin to assiduity, we shall speak towards the close of the chapter,

(sec. 51, 52.) This assiduity, moreover, is very different from the

BATTOLOGIAN (Greek--English "yammering"), _vain speaking_, which our

Saviour has prohibited, (Matth. 6: 7.) For he does not there forbid

us to pray long or frequently, or with great fervor, but warns us

against supposing that we can extort anything from God by

importuning him with garrulous loquacity, as if he were to be

persuaded after the manner of men. We know that hypocrites, because

they consider not that they have to do with God, offer up their

prayers as pompously as if it were part of a triumphal show. The

Pharisee, who thanked God that he was not as other men, no doubt

proclaimed his praises before men, as if he had wished to gain a

reputation for sanctity by his prayers. Hence that vain speaking,

which for a similar reason prevails so much in the Papacy in the

present day, some vainly spinning out the time by a reiteration of

the same frivolous prayers, and others employing a long series of

verbiage for vulgar display.[14] This childish garrulity being a

mockery of God, it is not strange that it is prohibited in the

Church, in order that every feeling there expressed may be sincere,

proceeding from the inmost heart. Akin to this abuse is another

which our Saviour also condemns, namely, when hypocrites for the

sake of ostentation court the presence of many witnesses, and would

sooner pray in the market-place than pray without applause. The true

object of prayer being, as we have already said, (sec. 4, 5,) to

carry our thoughts directly to God, whether to celebrate his praise

or implore his aid, we can easily see that its primary seat is in

the mind and heart, or rather that prayer itself is properly an

effusion and manifestation of internal feeling before Him who is the

searcher of hearts. Hence, (as has been said,) when our divine

Master was pleased to lay down the best rule for prayer, his

injunction was, "Enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy

door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which

seeth in secret shall reward thee openly," (Matth. 6: 6.) Dissuading

us from the example of hypocrites, who sought the applause of men by

an ambitious ostentation in prayer, he adds the better course--enter

thy chamber, shut thy door, and there pray. By these words (as I

understand them) he taught us to seek a place of retirement which

might enable us to turn all our thoughts inwards and enter deeply

into our hearts, promising that God would hold converse with the

feelings of our mind, of which the body ought to be the temple. He

meant not to deny that it may be expedient to pray in other places

also, but he shows that prayer is somewhat of a secret nature,

having its chief seat in the mind, and requiring a tranquillity far

removed from the turmoil of ordinary cares. And hence it was not

without cause that our Lord himself, when he would engage more

earnestly in prayer, withdrew into a retired spot beyond the bustle

of the world, thus reminding us by his example that we are not to

neglect those helps which enable the mind, in itself too much

disposed to wander, to become sincerely intent on prayer. Meanwhile,

as he abstained not from prayer when the occasion required it,

though he were in the midst of a crowd, so must we, whenever there

is need, lift up "pure hands" (1 Tim. 2: 8) at all places. And hence

we must hold that he who declines to pray in the public meeting of

the saints, knows not what it is to pray apart, in retirement, or at

home. On the other hand, he who neglects to pray alone and in

private, however sedulously he frequents public meetings, there

gives his prayers to the wind, because he defers more to the opinion

of man than to the secret judgment of God. Still, lest the public

prayers of the Church should be held in contempt, the Lord anciently

bestowed upon them the most honourable appellation, especially when

he called the temple the "_house of prayer_," (Isa. 56: 7.) For by

this expression he both showed that the duty of prayer is a

principal part of his worship, and that to enable believers to

engage in it with one consent his temple is set up before them as a

kind of banner. A noble promise was also added, "Praise waiteth for

thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed,"

(Ps. 65: 1.)[15] By these words the Psalmist reminds us that the

prayers of the Church are never in vain; because God always

furnishes his people with materials for a song of joy. But although

the shadows of the law have ceased, yet because God was pleased by

this ordinance to foster the unity of the faith among us also, there

can be no doubt that the same promise belongs to us--a promise which

Christ sanctioned with his own lips, and which Paul declares to be

perpetually in force.

    30. As God in his word enjoins common prayer, so public temples

are the places destined for the performance of them, and hence those

who refuse to join with the people of God in this observance have no

ground for the pretext, that they enter their chamber in order that

they may obey the command of the Lord. For he who promises to grant

whatsoever two or three assembled in his name shall ask, (Matth. 18:

20,) declares, that he by no means despises the prayers which are

publicly offered up, provided there be no ostentation, or catching

at human applause, and provided there be a true and sincere

affection in the secret recesses of the heart.[16] If this is the

legitimate use of churches, (and it certainly is,) we must, on the

other hand, beware of imitating the practice which commenced some

centuries ago, of imagining that churches are the proper dwellings

of God, where he is more ready to listen to us, or of attaching to

them some kind of secret sanctity, which makes prayer there more

holy. For seeing we are the true temples of God, we must pray in

ourselves if we would invoke God in his holy temple. Let us leave

such gross ideas to the Jews or the heathen, knowing that we have a

command to pray without distinction of place, "in spirit and in

truth," (John 4: 23.) It is true that by the order of God the temple

was anciently dedicated for the offering of prayers and sacrifices,

but this was at a time when the truth (which being now fully

manifested, we are not permitted to confine to any material temple)

lay hid under the figure of shadows. Even the temple was not

represented to the Jews as confining the presence of God within its

walls, but was meant to train them to contemplate the image of the

true temple. Accordingly, a severe rebuke is administered both by

Isaiah and Stephen, to those who thought that God could in any way

dwell in temples made with hands, (Isa. 66: 2; Acts 7: 48.)

    31. Hence it is perfectly clear that neither words nor singing

(if used in prayer) are of the least consequence, or avail one iota

with God, unless they proceed from deep feeling in the heart. Nay,

rather they provoke his anger against us, if they come from the lips

and throat only, since this is to abuse his sacred name, and hold

his majesty in derision. This we infer from the words of Isaiah,

which, though their meaning is of wider extent, go to rebuke this

vice also: "Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth,

and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far

from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this

people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their

wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men

shall be hid," (Isa. 29: 13.) Still we do not condemn words or

singing, but rather greatly commend them, provided the feeling of

the mind goes along with them. For in this way the thought of God is

kept alive on our minds, which, from their fickle and versatile

nature, soon relax, and are distracted by various objects, unless

various means are used to support them. Besides, since the glory of

God ought in a manner to be displayed in each part of our body, the

special service to which the tongue should be devoted is that of

singing and speaking, inasmuch as it has been expressly created to

declare and proclaim the praise of God. This employment of the

tongue is chiefly in the public services which are performed in the

meeting of the saints. In this way the God whom we serve in one

spirit and one faith, we glorify together as it were with one voice

and one mouth; and that openly, so that each may in turn receive the

confession of his brother's faith, and be invited and incited to

imitate it.

    32. It is certain that the use of singing in churches (which I

may mention in passing) is not only very ancient, but was also used

by the Apostles, as we may gather from the words of Paul, "I will

sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also,"

(1 Cor. 14: 15.) In like manner he says to the Colossians, "Teaching

and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual

songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord," (Col. 3: 16.)

In the former passage, he enjoins us to sing with the voice and the

heart; in the latter, he commends spiritual Songs, by which the

pious mutually edify each other. That it was not an universal

practice, however, is attested by Augustine, (Confess. Lib. 9: cap.

7,) who states that the church of Milan first began to use singing

in the time of Ambrose, when the orthodox faith being persecuted by

Justina, the mother of Valentinian, the vigils of the people were

more frequent than usual;[17] and that the practice was afterwards

followed by the other Western churches. He had said a little before

that the custom came from the East.[18] He also intimates (Retract.

Lib. 2:) that it was received in Africa in his own time.