Why then should a Christian wish to add to that which
God has been pleased to appoint and to reveal? Why should I attempt to
enter heaven through any other gate than {398} that gate which the Lord
of heaven has opened for me? or why should I seek to reach that gate by
any other way than the way which He has made for me; which He has
Himself plainly prescribed to me; in which He has promised that his word
shall be a lantern unto my feet; and along which those saints and
servants of his, who received the truth from his own lips, and sealed it
by their blood, have gone before?
Whenever a maintainer of the doctrine and practice of invoking the
Saints asks me, as we have lately been asked in these words, "May I not
reasonably hope that their prayers will be more efficacious than my own
and those of my friends? And, under this persuasion, I say to them, as I
just now said to you, holy Mary, holy Peter, holy Paul, pray for me.
What is there in reason or revelation to forbid me to do so?" To this
and similar questions and suggestions, I answer at once, God has
solemnly covenanted to grant the petitions of those who ask HIM for his
mercy, in the name and for the sake of his Son; and in his holy word
has, both by precept and example, taught us in this life to pray for
each other, and to ask each other's prayers [James v. 16; I Tim. ii.
1.
Pages:
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467