for magiftrates v, and minifters w, for ourselves x, our brethren y, yea our enemies z; and for all forts of men living a, or that fhall live hereafter b: But not for the dead c, nor for those that are known to have finned the fin unto death d.

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

A. We are to pray for all things tending to the glory of God e, the welfare of the church f, our own g or others good h:But not for any thing that is unlawful i.

Q. 185.

VITim.2.1. Iexhort therefore, didit faft and weep for the child that first of all, fupplications, pray- while it was alive, but when the ers, interceffions, and giving of child was dead, thou didst rife and thanks be made for all men: v. 2. eat bread. v. 22. And he faid, For kings, and for all that are in While the child was yet alive, I authority; that we may lead a falted and wept: for I faid, Who quiet and peaceable life in all god- can tell whether God will be gralinefs and honefty. cious to me, that the child may

w Col.4.3. Withal,praying,alfo live? v. 23. But now he is dead, for us, that God would open unto wherefore fhould I faft?canI bring us a door of utterance, to fpeak him back again? I fhall go to him the mystery of Chrift, for which I but he shall not return to me. am alfo in bonds d1 John 5.16.If any manfee his xGen.32.11. Deliver me, Ipray 'brother fin a fin which is not unto thee,from the hand of my brother, death,hefhall afk,and he fhall give from the hand of Efau: for I fear him life for them that fin not unto him,left he will come and fmite me, death. There is a fin unto death: and the mother with the children. I do not fay that hefhall pray forit. 184. e Mat 6.9.After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

y Jam.5.16.Confefs your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed: The effectual fervent, prayer of righteous man availeth much.

a

fPfal. 51. 18. Do good in thy z Mat.5.44.But I fay unto you, good pleafure unto Sion: build love your enemies, blefs them that thou the walls of Jerufalem. Pfal. curle you, do good to them that 122, 6. Pray for the peace of Jeruhate you,and pray for them which falem: they fhall profper that love defpitefully ule you,and perfecute thee.

you.

g Mat 7. 11. If ye then being a 1 Tim.2.1,2. (See above in v) evil,know how to give goodsgifts b John 17. 20. Neither pray I unto your children, how much for these alone, but for them also more shall your father which is in which fhall believe on me thro' heaven give good things to them their word.2 Sam.7.29. Therefore that afk him? now let it pleafe thee to blefs the h Pfal. 125 4.Do good,O Lord, houfe of thy fervant, that it may unto thofe that be good; and to continue for ever before thee: for them that are upright in their thou, O Lord God, haft fpoken it, hearts.

and with thy bleffing let the houfe iJohn 5. 14. And this is the of thy fervant be bleffed for ever. confidence that we have in him, c 2 Sam. 12. 21. Then faid his that if we afk any thing according fervants unto him, What thing is to his will, he heareth us. this that thou hast done? thou Y 2

185, k Eccl

Q. 185., How are we to Pray?

A, We are to pray with an awful apprehenfion of the majefty of God, and deep fenfe of our own unworthiness, neceffities m, and Sins n, with penitent o, thankful P, and inlarged hearts with understanding r, faith 1, fincerity t, fervency v, love w, and perfeverance x, waiting upon him y with

1 Gen. 18 27. And Abraham anfwered & faid, Behold now,I have taken upon me to fpeak unto the Lord, whicham but duft and afhes. Gen.32.10.1 amnot worthy of the leaft of all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou haft fhewed unto thy fervant.

mLuke 15.17. And whenhe came to himself, he faid, How many hired fervants of my fathers have bread enough and to fpare, and I perith with hunger! v. 18. I will arife and go to my father,andI will fay unto him, Father, Ihave finned against heaven, and before thee, v. 19. And am no more worthy to be calledthy Son; make me as one of thy hired fervants.

n Luke 18. 13. And the publican ftending afar of, would not lift up fo much as his eyes unto heaven butfmote upon, his breast, saying, God bemercifulto meafinner.v.14, I tell you, this man went down to his houfe juftified rather than the other for every one that exalteth himfelf fhall be abafed, & he that humbleth himfelf, thall be exalted 9 al. 51. 17. The facrifices of God are a broken Spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not difpife,

p Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for no, thing; But in everything by pray. er,and fupplication with thankfgiving, let your requests be made known unto God,

q1 Sam. 1. 15. And Hannah anfwered and faid, No, my lord, I am a woman of a forrowful fpirit, Ihavedrunkneither winenorftrong drink,but have pouredout my foul beforethe Lord. 1 Sam. 2. 1. And Hannah prayed,and faid, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord,minehorn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; becaufe I rejoice in thy falvation. r I Cor. 14. 15. What is itthen? 1 will pray with the fpirit, & Iwill pray with the understanding alfo, f Mark 11. 24. Therefore I fay unto you, what things foever ye defire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them,and ye fhall have them. James. 1.6. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering, for he that wavereth is like a wave of the fea, driven with the wind, and toffed.

t Pfal. 145, 18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth, Pfal, 17.1, Hear the right, Lord attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips.

v James 5. 16.-The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much,

w I Tim. 2.8. I will therefore that menpray every where,lifting up holy hands,without wrath and doubting,

x Eph. 6. 18. Praying always with all prayer and fupplicationin the fpirit and watching thereunto with all perfeverance, and suppli, cation for all faints,

y Micah 7. 7. Therefore I will look unto theLord I will wait for

the

with humble fubmiffion to his will z,

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 praying a; but the fpecial rule of direction is that form of prayer which our Saviour Chrift taught his di ciples, commonly called, The Lord's prayer, b.

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, fo that it be done with underftanding, faith, reverence, and other graces necessary to the right performance of the duty of prayer c.

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

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 d) teacheth us, when we pray, to draw near to God with confidence of his Fatherly goodnefs, and our intereft therein e; with reverence, and all other child-like difpofitions f, heavenly affections g, and due apprehenfions of his fovereign power, majefty, and

the God of my falvation; my God will hear me.

z Mat. 26. 39. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, faying, O my Father, if it be poflible, let this cup pals from me nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.

186. a 1 John 5. 14. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will,he heareth us. b Mat. 6. verfes 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father, &c. Luke 11. verfes 2, 3, 4. And he faid unto them, When ye pray, fay, Our Father, &c.

187. c Mat.6.9. Compared with Luke 11.2.(See above in letter b.)

189. d Mat. 6. 9.

gra

e Luke 11. 13. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more fhall your heavenly Father give the holy fpirit to them that afk him? Rom. 8. 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the fpirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

f Ifa. 64. 9. Be not wroth very fore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, fee, we befeech thee,we are all thy people.

g Pfal. 123. 1. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwelleft in the heavens. Lam. 3,41. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. Y 3

h Ifa.

gracious condefcenfion h,As alfo to pray with and for d thers i.

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

A. In the first Petition (which is, Hallowed be thy Namek) acknowledging the utter inability and indifpofition that is in ourfelves and all men to honour God aright 1, we pray, that God would by his grace enable and incline us and others to know, to acknowledge, and highly to esteem him m, his, titles, Attributes o, ordinances, word P, works, and whatfoever

foever is pleafed to make himself known by q; and to glorify him in thought, word r, and deed f. That he would prevent and remove Atheism t, ignorance v, idolatry w, profaneness X, and whatfoever is difhonourable to him y: and, by his over-ruling providence, direct and dispose of all things to his own glory z. Q. 191,

willworship towards thy holy tem- v. Eph.i. 17. That the God of ple, and praise thy name, for thy our ord JefusChrift,the Father of loving kindness,and for thy truth: glory,may give unto you the fpirit for thou haft magnified thy word of wifdom and revelation in the above all thy name.".3. In the day knowledge of him. 18. The when I cried thou anfweredft me eyes of your understanding being and strengthnedft me with strength enlightned; that ye may know in my foul. 2Cor,2.14. Now thanks what is the hope of his calling,and be unto God which alwayscauleth what the riches of the glory of his us to triumph in Chrift, & maketh inheritance in the faints.

manifeft the favour of his know- w Pfal.97 7.Confounded be all ledge by us in every plaee. v.15. they that fervegraven images,that Forwe are unto God a fweetfavour boaft themselves of idols: worship of Chrift, in them that are faved, him, all ye gods.

and in them that perish.

x Pfal. 74. 18. Remember this

Pfal. 145 throughout, Iwill ex- that the enemy hath reproached, tol thee, my God, O king, &c. O Lord, & that the foolish people, Pfal. 8. throughout, O Lord our have blafphemed thy name v. 22. Lord, how excellent is thy name Arife, O God, plead thine own in all the earth! &c. caufe: remember how the foolish

r Pfal. 103. 1. Blefs the Lord, man reproacheth thee daily; v.23. my foul and all that is within Forget not the voice of thine eneme,blefs hisholyname.Pfal 19.14. mies: the tumult of thofe that rife Let the words of my mouth, and up against thee, increaseth conti the meditation of my heart be ac- nually. ceptable in thy fight, O Lord my y 2 Kings 19. 5.And Hezekiah ftrength, and my Redeemer. prayed before the Lord, and faid, fPhil. 9. And this I pray, that O Lord God of Ifrael, which dwelyour love may abound yet more left between the cherubims, thou and more in knowledge and in all art the God,even thou alone, of all judgment. v. 11. Being filled with the kingdoms of the earth, thou the fruits of righteoufnefs, which haft made heaven and earth.v. 16. are by Jefus Chrift unto the glory Lord, bow down thine ear, and and praife of God. hear: open, Lord, thine eyes, and t Pfal. 67. 1. God be merciful fee: and hear the words of Sennaunto us.& blefs us; and caufe his cherib, which hath fent him to reface to fhine upon us. Selah. v. 2. proach the living God That thy way may be known upon z 2 Chron. 20. 6. And Jehofhaearth, thy faving health among all phat) faid, O Lord God of our Fa nations. 3. Let the people praife thers,art not thou God in heaven? thee, O God let all the people and ruleft not thou over all the praife thee. v.4. O let the nations kingdoms of the heathen? and in be glad and fing for joy: for thou thine hand is there not power and fhalt judge the people righteoufly might,fo that none is able to withandgovern the nationsupon earth. ftand thee? v. 10. And now be Selah, Y A

hold