Question 98

What are the parts of Prayer?

Confession, Petition, and Thanksgiving.

And how many things are there, as the matter of these?

Three; our sins, as the matter of our Confession; our desires and wants, as the matter of our Petition; and our Mercies as the matter of our Thanksgiving.

What is Confession?

A due acknowledgement of our sins with all their several aggravating circumstances.^a

What is Petition?

The offering up of our desires to God.

To whom are we to direct our Prayers?

To God only.^b

Why are we to direct our Prayers only to God?

1. Because Prayer is such a special part of religious worship, that it is sometimes in holy Writ put for the^c whole worship of God, and God is the only object of religious worship.^d 2. Because God only is omniscient and omnipresent to know our wants and hear our Prayers. 1 Kings 8. 38, 39. Psal. 34. 15. Isa. 63. 16. 3. Because the Title of a Hearer of Prayers is one of Gods Peculiars, and that glory which he will not give to any other.^e 4. It is Paganism, and gross Idolatry to give so principal a part of divine worship, and to do service to them that by nature are no Gods. Gal. 4 8. 5. Because God only is Almighty and can answer our Prayers, he is All-sufficient and will fulfill all our Petitions.^f

Are therefore forbidden to Pray to Saints and Angels?

We are forbidden to Pray to them, upon pain of Gods high displeasure, and such punishments as he will inflict upon all such as shall contemn or neglect their known duty to him, by intruding into those things which they have not seen. Exod. 20. 5. and 34. 14. Col. 2. 18.

The Papists please themselves, and condemn Protestants in point of Praying to Saints and Angels, as Intercessors to God, as if there were some special humility in so doing; Have they any ground for this Doctrine?

They search into those things which they know nothing of, and have no other ground for this Doctrine but their own carnal Phantasie. Col. 2. 18.

For what must we make our addresses to God in Prayer, or offer up our desires to him?

For things agreeable to his Will.^g

How shall we know what things are agreeable to the Will of God?

By the written Word, the Commandments and Promises of it.

In whose Name must we Pray?

In the Name of Christ.^h

What mean you by that?

For Christs sake and worthiness.ⁱ

Doth not the Romish Divinity say plainly that there are some Saints and Martyrs, who have suffered more than their sins did deserve; and that their superabundant satisfactions are put into the Treasury of the Church, and distributed by the Popes Indulgences?

Yes.

The Papists with one hand lay hold on the Merits of Christ, but with the other they lay hold on the Merits of Saints, and Martyrs: Can they deny this?

They cannot deny it: For before God and his Angels, their Priests, when they sing Mass, Pray unto God, not only through the Merits of Jesus Christ, but also through the Merits of Saints, whose Reliques are under the Altar.

Do not their Devotoes [the more superstitiously devout Papists] publickly assert that the holy Virgin saves us, and brings us into heavenly glory, not only by her Prayers, but also by her Merits?

Yes.

Doth not this Opinion of theirs border upon Blasphemy?

Yes.

Are there not in Rome it self published certain Indulgences, By the Prayers, and by the Merits of the holy Virgin Mary, of Michael the Archangel, of St. John Baptist, of the holy Apostles, Peter and Paul, and of all the Saints, without any mention at all of Iesus Christ, or his Merits?

Yes.

And is not this egregious horrid Sacriledge?

Yes.

Are we therefore to Pray to the Father in the Name of Christ, and in his Name only?

Yes.

Why so?

1. Because none but Christ were ever called to the honour of an everlasting Priest-hood, to appear in the presence of God for^j us: And it would be sinful in us to imagine the Saints or Angels to usurp an Office, and assume to themselves that honour they were never called unto by God, as Christ was. 2. Because he alone is able to save us to the utmost; and seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for us (presenting himself before God, and that one once offered perfect Sacrifice for sin for us) we should much derogate from the sufficiency of Christs undertakings, to suppose any need of the Intercession of Saint or Angels.

And what is the third part of Prayer?

Thanksgiving.

What is Thanksgiving?

The thankful acknowledgement of, and a faithful rendring unto God the praise that is due unto his Name.^k