A Godly and Learned Treatise of Prayer, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. That we must pray onelyonly in the name of Christ.
BUt to leave them. For our own instruction we are to learn, that we are alwayes to call upon God in the name of Christ. Now they are said to pray in the name of Christ, who believing in him and reposing their affiance in the merits and intercession of Christ, do desire the Lord that not respecting their own unworthinesse or demerits, he would be pleased to heare them for Christs sake, and for his merits and intercession accept of their prayers.
The which includeth two things: 1. A desire that for Christs sake we may be heard. 2. A belief that for Christs sake we shall be heard. Of the desire we are here to speak; of the belief or faith afterwards.
That we are thus to pray in the name of Christ, is proved, 1. by the commandment of Christ, John 16. 24. 2. by his promise, John 16. 23. and 14. 13, 14. 3. by his prediction, John 16. 26. 4. by the practice of the faithfull not onelyonly since the ascension of Christ, who have alwayes used to conclude their prayers with this clause, per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, through our Lord Jesus Christ; but also before the incarnation, Dan. 9. 17. for the Lords sake.
And this was diversly figured in the law. For 1. Whereas by the propitiatory which covered the ark Christ was represented, therefore the faithfull when they were to pray turned their face towards the place where the ark remained.
2. Hereunto tended their sacrifices, which were a figure of Christs sacrifice, that for the merit thereof the prayers of them which did offer the sacrifice might be accepted.
3. Thirdly, as the high Priest once a yeare entred the sanctuary, bearing on his shoulders the names and on his breast twelve stones the tokens of the twelve tribes, prayed for the people, who stood in the courts of the house: even so Christ being entred into the heavenly sanctuary maketh intercession for us, Heb. 10. 19. Apoc. 8. 3, 4. Therefore as Augustine saith, If you require a priest, he is above the heavens, where he maketh intercession for thee who in earth died for thee. He is the onelyonly way by whom we have accesse unto God, John 14. 6. he is the onelyonly Mediatour by whom we have accesse with boldnesse, Ephes. 3. 12. he alone in whom God is well pleased with us, and appeased towards us, Rom. 3. 25. so that coming in his name, neither the sense of the dreadfull majestie of God, nor the conscience of our own unworthinesse shall dismay us. He is the altar, Heb. 13. 10. on which the sacrifice of our prayer or praise being offered is thereby sanctified, vers. 15. He is, as Ambrose saith, our mouth by which we speak unto the Father, our eye by whom we see the Father, our right hand by which we offer our selves to the Father, without whose intercession neither we nor the Saints have ought to do with God. And herein especially the prayers of true Christians do differ from the prayers of others, that we call upon God in the name and mediation of Christ alone.
The use of all is, Heb. 4. 16. and 10. 19. that seeing we have such an high Priest who maketh intercession for us, that we should with boldnesse and assurance of faith offer up our prayers unto God: For 1. the Spirit of Christ helpeth our infirmities, Rom. 8. 26. 2. God the Father justifieth and accepteth of us in Christ, v. 33. Who therefore shall lay any thing to our charge? who can condemn us seeing Christ died for our sinnes and rose again for our justification, and now sitteth at the right hand of God making intercession for us, v. 34. and with the odours of his own sacrifice perfumeth our prayers, making them acceptable unto God, Revel. 8. 3, 4.