A. It is the duty of such who are rightly baptized to give up themselves to some particular and orderly church of Jesus Christ, that they may walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless (Acts ii. 41, 42, and v. 13, 14, and ix. 26; 1 Pet. ii. 5; Luke i. 6). Q. 102. What is the Lord's supper? A. The Lord's supper is an ordinance of the New Testament, instituted by Jesus Christ; wherein by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to his appointment, his death is shown forth, and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace (Matt. xxvi. 26, 27, 28; 1 Cor. xi. 23, 24, 25, 26, and x. 16). Q. 103. Who are the proper subjects of this ordinance? A. They who have been baptized upon a personal profession of their faith in Jesus Christ, and repentance from dead works (Acts ii. 41, 42). Q. 104. What is required to the worthy receiving of the Lord's supper? ? A. It is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord's supper, that they examine themselves of their knowledge to discern the Lord's body (1 Cor. xi. 28, 29), of their faith to feed upon him (2 Cor. xiii. 5), of their repentance (1 Cor. xi. 31), love (1 Cor. x. 16, 17), and new obedience (1 Cor. v. 7, 8), lest coming unworthily they eat and drink judgment to themselves (1 Cor. xi. 28, 29). Q. 105. What is prayer? A. Prayer is an offering up our desires to God (Psa. lxii. 8), by the assistance of the Holy Spirit (Rom. vi. 26), for things agreeable to his will (1 John v. 14), in the name of Christ (John xvi. 23), believing (Matt. xxi. 22; James i. 6), with confession of our sins (Psa. xxxii. 5, 6; Dan. ix. 4), and thankful acknowledgments of his mercies (Phil. iv. 6). Q. 106. What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer? A. The whole word of God is of use to direct us in prayer (1 John v. 14); but the special rule of direction is that prayer which Christ taught his disciples, commonly called the Lord's prayer (Matt. vi. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, with Luke xi. 2, 3, 4). us? Q. 107. What doth the preface of the Lord's prayer teach A. The preface of the Lord's prayer, which is Our Father which art in heaven (Matt. vi. 9), teacheth us to draw near to God with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father, able and ready to help us (Rom. viii. 15; Luke xi. 13); and that we should pray with and for others (Acts xii. 5; 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2). Q. 108. What do we pray for in the first petition ? A. In the first petition, which is, Hallowed be thy name (Matt. vi. 9), we pray that God would enable us and others to glorify him in all that whereby he maketh himself known (Psa. lxvii. 2, 3), and that he would dispose all things to his own glory (Psa. lxxxiii. throughout). Q. 109. What do we pray for in the second petition? A. In the second petition, which is, Thy kingdom come (Matt. vi. 10), we pray that Satan's kingdom may be destroyed (Psa. lxviii. 1, 18), and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced (Rev. xii. 10, 11), ourselves and others brought into it and kept in it (2 Thess. iii. 1; Rom. x. 1; John xvii. 19, 20), and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened (Rev. xxii. 10). Q. 110. What do we pray for in the third petition? A. In the third petition, which is, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. vi. 10), we pray that God by his grace would make us able and willing to know, obey, and submit to his will in all things (Psa. Ixvii. throughout; Psa. cxix. 36; Matt. xxvi. 39; 2 Sam. xv. 25; Job i. 21), as the angels do in heaven (Psa. ciii. 20, 21). Q. 111. What do we pray for in the fourth petition? A. In the fourth petition, which is, Give us this day our daily bread (Matt. vi. 11), we pray that of God's free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy his blessing with them (Prov. xxx. 8; Gen. xxviii. 20; 1 Tim. iv. 4, 5). Q. 112. What do we pray for in the fifth petition? A. In the fifth petition, which is, And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors (Matt. vi. 12), we pray that God, for Christ's sake, would freely pardon all our sins (Psa. li. 1, 2, 7, 9; Dan. ix. 17, 18, 19); which we are rather encouraged to ask because by his grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others (Luke xi. 4; Matt. xviii. 35). Q. 113. What do we pray for in the sixth petition? A. In the sixth petition, which is, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil (Matt. vi. 13), we pray that God would either keep us from being tempted to sin (Matt. xxvi. 31), or support and deliver us when we are tempted (2 Cor. xii. 8). Q. 114. What doth the conclusion of the Lord's prayer teach ? A. The conclusion of the Lord's prayer, which is, For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen (Matt. vi. 13), teacheth us to take our encouragement in prayer from God only (Dan. ix. 4, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, 18, 19), and in our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory, to him (1 Chron. xxix. 10, 11, 12, 13). And in testimony of our desire and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen (1 Cor. iv. 16; Rev. xxii. 20, 21). FINIS, |