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dead, nor for those that are known to have sinned the sin unto death.

Q. 184. For what things are we to pray?

A. We are to pray for all things tending to the glory of Gode, the welfare of the church, our own or others good: but not for any thing that is unlawful.

Q. 185. How are we to pray?

A. We are to pray with an awful apprehension of the majesty of God, and deep sense of our own unworthiness, necessities",

these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word. 2 Sam. vii. 29. Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it, and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ver.

c 2 Sam. xii. 21. Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? Thou didst fast and weep for the child while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and did eat bread. Ver. 22. And he said, While the child was yet alive I fasted and wept; for I said, Who can tell whe. ther God will be gracious to me, that the child may live? Ver. 23. But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

1 John v. 16. If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death; I do not say that he shall pray for it.

184. e Matt. vi. 9. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Psal. li. 18. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Psal. cxxii. 6. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love theer

g Matt. vii. 11. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

h Psal. cxxv. 4 Do good, 0 Lord, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.

i 1 John v. 14. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us

185. Eccl. v. 1., Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do avil.

/ Gen. xviii. 27. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I' have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes. Gen. xxxii. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant.

m Luke xv. 17. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and T perish with hunger! Ver. 18. I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee, Ver. 19. And am no more worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired servants.

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and sins"; with penitent, thankful, and enlarged hearts"; with understanding, faith, sincerity, fervency ", love", and perseverance, waiting upon him with humble submission to his will

Q. 186. What rule hath God given for our direction in the duty of prayer?

A. The whole word of God is of use to direct us in the duty of prayer; but the special rule of direction is that form of prayer which our Saviour Christ taught his disciples, commonly called The Lord's Prayer.

n Luke xviii. 13, And, the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto hea. ven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner Ver. 14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that, exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

o Psal. li. 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

p Phil. iv. 6. Be careful for nothing but in every thing bý prayer and supplication, with thanksgiv ing, let your requests be made known unto God.

91 Sam. i. 15. And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord; I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink but have poured out my soul before the Lord. 1 Sam. ii. 1. And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.

1 Cor. xiv. 15. What is it then I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understand ing also

Mark xi. 24. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. James i. 6. But let him ask in

faith, nothing wavering: for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind, and tossed.

t Psal. cxlv 18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. Psal xvii. 1. Hear the right, O Lord, attend unto my cry; give ear unto my prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips.

u James v. 16.-The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

rv 1 Tim. ii. 8. I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. ›

x Eph. vi. 18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all saints.

Micah vii. 7. Therefore I will look unto the Lord: I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.

z Matt, xxvi. 39. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, butas thou wilt.

186.a 1 John v. 14. And this is the confidence that we have in him,' that, if we ask any thing acording to his will, be heareth us.

b Matt. vi. 913 After this man ner therefore pray ye: Our Father, &c. Luke xi. 2, 3, 4. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father, &c.

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Q. 187. How is the Lord's prayer to be used?

A. The Lord's prayer is not only for direction, as a pattern, according to which we are to make other prayers; but may also be used as a prayer, so that it be done with understanding, faith, reverence, and other graces necessary to the right performance of the duty of prayer.

Q. 188. Of how many parts doth the Lord's prayer consist? A. The Lord's prayer consists of three parts; a preface, petitions, and a conclusion.

Q. 189. What doth the preface of the Lord's prayer teach Us?

A. The preface of the Lord's prayer (contained in these words, Our Father which art in heaven) teacheth us, when we pray, to draw near to God with confidence of his fatherly goodness, and our interest therein; with reverence, and all other child-like dispositions, heavenly affections, and due apprehensions of his sovereign power, majesty, and gracious, condescension: as also, to pray with and for others.

187. c Matt. vi 9. Compared with Luke xi. 2 [See above in letter b.] 189. d Matt. vi. 9.

e Luke xi. 13. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Rom. viii. 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

fIsa. ixiv 9. Be not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.

g Psal. cxxii. 1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Lam. iii. 41. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.

h Isa. lxiii. 15. Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels, and of thy mercies towards me? are they restrained? Ver. 16.

Doubtless thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us," and Israel acknowledge us not; thou, O Lord, art our Father, our > Redeemer, thy name is from everlasting. Neh. i. 4. And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted," and prayed before the God of heaven, Ver. 5. And said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth"> covenant and mercy for them that love him, and observe his com mandments: Ver. 6. Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes. open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray. before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned. *

i Acts xii. 5. Peter therefore was kept in prison; but prayer was made without eeasing of the church unto God for him.

Q. 190. What do we pray for in the first petition?

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A. In the first petition, (which is, Hallowed be thy name *,) acknowledging the utter inability and indisposition that is in ourselves and all men to honour God aright, we pray, that God would, by his grace, enable and incline us and others to know, to acknowledge, and highly to esteem him, his、 titles", attributes", ordinances, word P, works, and whatsoever he is pleased to make himself known by ; and to glorify him in thought, word, and deed: that he would;

190. k Matt, vi. 9.

2 Cor. iii. 5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is of God. Psal. li. 15. O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

m Psal. Ixvii. 2. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. Ver. 3. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.

n Psal. lxxxiii. 18. That men may know that thou, whose name is alone is JEHOVAH, art the Most High over all the earth.

o Psal. lxxxvi. 10. For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone. Ver. 11. Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. Ver. 12. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart; and I will glorify thy name for evermore. Ver. 13. For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. Ver, 15. But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

p2 Thess. iii. 1. Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you. Psal. cxlvii, 19. He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. Ver. 20. He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they

have not known them. Praise ye the Lord. Psal. cxxxviii. 1. I will praise thee with my whole heart; before the gods will I sing praise' unto thee. Ver. 2. I will worship towards thy holy temple, and praise. thy name, for thy loving-kindness, and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. Ver. 3. In the day when I cried, thou answeredst me: and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. 2 Cor. ii. 14. Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. Ver. 15. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish.

q Psal. cxlv. throughout. I will extol thee my God, O King, &c. Psal. viii. throughout. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! &c.

r Psal. ciii. 1. Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Psal. xix 14. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer.

S.Phil. . 9. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge, and in all judg ment; Ver. 11. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory, and praise of God,

prevent and remove atheism, ignorance", idolatry, profaneness, and whatsoever is dishonourable to him; and, by his over-ruling providence, direct and dispose of all things to his own glory 2.

Q. 191. What do we pray for in the second petition?

A. In the second petition, (which is, Thy kingdom come,) acknowledging ourselves and all mankind to be by nature under the dominion of sin and Satan, we pray, that the king

't Psal. lxvii. 1. God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us. Selah. Ver. 2. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. Ver. 3. Let the people praise thee. O God; let all the people praise thee. Ver. 4. O let the nations be glad, and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth Selah.

u Eph. i. 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; Ver. 18. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints

the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth Ver. 16. Lord, bow down thine ear, and bear; open, Lord, thine eyes, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.

≈ 2 Chron. xx 6. And (Jehosha. phat) said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that nowe is able to withstand thee? Ver. 10. And now, behold, the children of Ammon, and Moab, and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not: Ver. 11. Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit. Ver. 12. O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great ompa. Ony that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee. Psal, lxxxiii. throughout. Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, &. Psal. cxl. 4. Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked, preserve me from the violent man, who have purposed to overthrow my goings. Ver. 8. Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; further not his wicked devices, lest they exalt themselves. Selah.

w Psal. xcvii. 7. Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: wor ship him, all ye gods.

x Psal. lxxiv. 18. Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, Lord, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name. Ver. 22. Arise, O God, plead thine own cause remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily. Ver. 23. Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.

y 2 Kings xix. 15. And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said, O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all

191. a Matt. vi 10.

Eph. ii. 2, Wherein in time past,

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