Sixth. The love we owe to our brethren requires that we should desire others to pray for us. The saints here live where none else love them but themselves, therefore they need not make much of one another. Now this of desiring their prayers carries a threefold expression of love to them.
- By this we acknowledge the grace of God in our brethren, or else it is supposed we would not employ them in such a work. He that desires a friend to present a petition to the king on his behalf, shows he believes him to be in favour, and one that hath some interest in the prince. Now, what more honourable testimony can we give to another than to own him as a child of God, one whose prayers are welcome to heaven? We are bid to ‘prefer every one his brother in honour.’ Now no one way can we do this more than by making use of their help at the throne of grace to be our remembrancers to the Lord.
- By this we do our utmost to interest our brethren in the mercy we desire them to pray for. Were a merchant to send some commodity to Turkey or Spain which he knows will make a gainful return, it would be a great favour to take others into partnership with him in the adventure. And what voyage is gainful like this of prayer? and whoever shares in the duty is partner in the mercy.
- By this we confirm them in a confidence of our readiness to pray for them. What consists good neighbourhood in but a readiness to reciprocate kindnesses one to another?—when that is at the service of one neighbour which is in the house of another? Now, who will be bold or free with his neighbour to take a kindness from him that is not willing to receive the like? Be ye strange to your friend, and you teach him to be so to yourself. Nothing endears Christians more in love than an open heart one to another. A friend should have no cabinet in his bosom to which he allows not his friend a key.
Objection (1.) But do we not, by desiring our fellow-saints’ prayers, intrench upon Christ’s mediatory office?
Answer. No; surely Christ would not command that which would be a wrong to himself. There is great difference betwixt our desiring Christ to pray for us and our fellow-brethren. We desire Christ to present our persons and prayers, expecting acceptation of both through his blood and intercession. But no such matter from the prayers of our brethren; we only desire them as friends to bear us company to the throne of grace, there to present our prayers in a communion together, expecting the welcome of both their and our prayers, not from them, but from Christ —relying on Christ to procure the welcome both to our prayers and theirs at our heavenly Father’s hand.
Objection (2.) But why, then, may we not desire the prayers of the deceased saints for the same purpose we desire the prayers of those that yet live with us?
Answer (1.) We have no precept or example for this in the word; and unbidden there in duties of worship, is forbidden. We must not be ‘wise above what is written.’ Not to use the means which God hath appointed is a great sin, which was Ahaz’s case; but to invent ways or means more than God hath appointed is far worse. It is bad enough for a subject not to keep the king’s laws, but far worse for him to presume to mint a law of his own head. The first is undutiful, but the latter is a traitor.
Answer (2.) We have no way of expressing our thoughts and desires to the saints departed. Why should we pray to them that cannot hear what we say? or where is the messenger to send our minds by? or which the word in Scripture that saith they hear in heaven what we pray on earth?
Answer (3.) It is the prerogative of Christ to be the only agent in heaven for his saints on earth. ‘To which of the angels or saints did God say, ‘Sit thou at my right hand?’ In the outward temple we find the whole congregation praying, but into the holy of holiest entered none but the high priest with his perfume. Every saint is a priest to offer up prayers for himself and others on earth; but Christ only as our High-priest intercedes in heaven for us. The glorious angels and saints there no doubt wish well to the church below; but it is Christ’s office to receive the incense of his militant saints’ prayers, which they send up from this outward temple here below to heaven, and to offer it with all their desires to God; so that, to employ any in heaven besides Christ to pray for us, is to put Christ out of office.
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