of his Spirit; with Confeffion of our Sins, and thankful Acknowledgment of his Mercies". 179. Queft. Are we to pray unto God only? Anfw. God only being able to fearch the Hearts hear the Requests, pardon the Sins, and f fil the Defires of all ; and only to be be ved in 8, and worfhipped with Religious W fhiph; Prayer, which is a. fpecial Part thereof

rily I fay unto you, Whatfoever ye fhall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

thou haft chofen. Rom. 8.27. he that fearcheth the hearts, kn eth what is the mind of the Spi because he maketh interceffion the faints according to the will God.

come.

Micah 7.18. Who is a God unto thee, that pardonething and paffeth by the tranfgreffion the remnant of his heritage: taineth not his anger forever, caufe he delighteth in mercy,

Rom, 8. 26. Likewife the Spirit alfo helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it felf Pfalm 65.2. O thou that he maketh interceffion for us with eft prayer, unto thee fhall all groanings which cannot be uttered. a Pfalm 32. s. I acknowledged" my fin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid: I faid, I will confefs my tranfgreffions unto the Lord; and thou forgaveft the iniquity of my fin. Selah. v. 6. For this fhall every one that is godly, pray unto thee, in a time when thou mayeft be found:-- Dan. 9.4. And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and niade my confeffion, and faid, O Lord, the great and dreadful God,-b. Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for no

thing but in every thing by prayer and fupplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known into God.

179. 1 Kings 8. 39. Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whole heart thou knoweft; for thou, even thou only knoweft the hearts of all the children of men. Ads 1. 24.

Pfalm 145. 18. The Lords unto all them that call upon to all that call upon him in tr v. 19. He will fulfil the defi them that fear him: he allo hear their cry, and will fave the

8 Rom. 1o. 14. How then! they call on him in whom they not believed?-

Matth. 4. 10. Then faith unto him, Get thee hence Sar for it is written, Thou fhalt fhip the Lord thy God, and only shalt thou serve.

i 1 Cor. 1. 2. Unto the church God, which is at Corinth, tot that are fanctified in Chrift Jes called to be faints, with all that

And they prayed, and faid, Thou every place call upon the nam Lord, which knoweft the hearts of all men, fhew whether of these two

Jefus Chrift our Lord, both the and ours.

s to be made by all to him alone *, and to none ther

180. Queft. What is it to pray in the Name of Chrift? Anfw. To pray in the Name of Chrift is, In obeience to his Command, and in confidence on his romifes to ask Mercy for his Sakem Not by ire mentioning of his Name "; but by drawing our couragement to pray, and our Boldness, Strength, id Hope of Acceptance in Prayer, from Chrift and s Mediation °!

181. Queft. Why are we to pray in the Name of rift?

Anfw. The Sinfulness of Man, and his Distance om God by reason thereof, being fo great, as that e can have no Accefs into his Prefence without a Me

Pfalm so. Is. And call upon in the day of trouble; I will deerthee, and thou shalt glorify me. Rom. 10. 14. How then fhall y call on him in whom they re not believed -

180. m John 14. 13. And whatver ye shall ask in my name, it will I do, that the Father may glorified in the Son. v. 14. If fhall ask any thing in my name, ill do it. John 16. 24. Hitherto ve ye asked nothing in my name: k, and ye shall receive, that your y may be full. Dan. 9. 17. Now erefore, O our God, hear the ayer of thy fervant, and his fupications, and caufe thy face to ine upon thy fanctuary that is dedate, for the Lords fake,

"Matth. 7. 21. Not every one mat faith unto me, Lord, Lord, all enter into the kingdom of eaven: but he that doth the will my Father which is in heaven. • Heb. 4. 14. Seeing then that we

f

have a great high priest, that is paffed into the heavens, Jefus the Son of God, let us hold faft our profeffion. v. 15. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without fin. v. 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. I John S. 13. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 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. v. 15. And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we defixed of him.

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Mediator ; and there being none in Heaven or Earth appointed to, or fit for that Glorious Work but Chrift alone 9; we are to pray in no other Name but his only.

182. Queft. How doth the Spirit help us to pray?

Anfw. We not knowing what to pray for as we ought, the Spirit helpeth our Infirmities, by in bling us to understand both for whom and what and how Prayer is to be made; and by working and quickning in our Hearts (although not in all Pe fons, nor at all Times in the fame Measure) tho Apprehenfions, Affections, and Graces, which ar requifite for the right Performance of that Duty!

181. P John 14.6. Jefus faith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me. Ifai. 59.2. But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your fins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Eph. 3.12. In whom we have boldness and accefs with confidence by the faith of him.

↑ John 6.27. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlafting life, which the Son of man fhall give unto you: for him hath God the Father fealed. Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able alfo to fave them to the uttermoft, that come unto God by him, feeing he ever liveth to make interceffion for them. v. 26. For fuch an high prieft became us, who is holy, harmlefs, undefiled, feparate from finners, and made higher than the heavens; v. 27. Who needeth not daily, as thofe high priests, to offer up facrifice, firft for his own fins, and then for the peoples: for this

183. Quel

he did once, when he offered himself. I Tim. 2. s. For theres one God, and one mediator be tween God and men, the man Chr Jesus.

Col. 3. 17. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jefus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Heb. 13. 15. By him therefor let us offer the facrifice of praifer God continually, that is, the fr of our lips, giving thanks in name.

182. f Rom. 8. 26. Likewifethe Spirit alfo helpeth our infirmitis: for we know not what we fho pray for as we ought: but the Spi rit it felf maketh interceffion for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. v. 27. And he that fearcheth the hearts, knoweth what isthe mind of the Spirit, because he ma keth interceffion for the faints as cording to the will of God. P 10. 17. Lord, thou haft heard the defire of the humble; thou w prepare their heart, thou wilt care

thirs

183, Queft. For whom are we to pray? Anfw. We are to pray for the whole Church of hrift upon Earth, for Magiftrates ", and Miniers", for our felves, our Brethren ; yea our Emies; and for all Sorts of Men living, or that all live hereafter b; But not for the Dead, nor r those that are known to have finned the Sin unDeath d. 184. Quest.

ae ear to hear. Zech. 12. 1o. And Il pour upon the house of David, upon the inhabitants of Jerum, the fpirit of grace and of plications, and they fhall look n me whom they have pierced, Ithey fhall mourn,--

t

183. Eph. 6. 18. Praying also ays with all prayer and fupplica1 in the Spirit, and watching reunto with all perfeverance, and plication for all faints. Pfalm 9. Save thy people, and bless ne inheritance; feed them alfo, I lift them up for ever.

1 Tim. 2. 1. I exhort therefore, it first of all, fupplications, pray, interceffions, and giving of inks be made for all men. v. 2. r kings, and for all that are in hority; that we may lead a quiet d peaceable life in all godlinefs d honesty.

W Col. 4. 3. Withal, praying alfor us, that God would open unus a door of utterance, to fpeak e mystery of Chrift, for which I n alfo in bonds.

Matth. 5. 44. But I fay unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curfe you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which defpightfully use you, and perfecute you,

a 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2. See above in ". b John 17. 20. Neither pray I for thefe alone, but for them alfo which shall believe on me through their word, 2 Sam. 7. 29. Therefore now let it please thee to bless the houfe of thy fervant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord God, haft spoken it, and with thy bleffing let the house of thy fervant be blessed for ever.

c 2 Sam. 12. 21. Then faid his fervants unto him, What thing is this that thou haft done? thou didst faft and weep for the child while it was alive, but when the child was dead, thou didst rife and eat bread. v. 22. And he faid, While the child was yet alive, I fafted and wept : for Ifaid, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live v. 23. But now he is dead, wherefore fhould I faft? can I bring him back again? I fhall go to him, but he fhall not return to me.

d

* Gen. 32. 11. Deliver me, I pray ee, from the hand of my brother, om the hand of Efau: for I fear m, left he will come and smite me, 1 John 5.16. If any man fee his d the mother with the children. brother fin a fin which is not unto y James 5. 16. Confefs your faults death, he fhall ask, and he fhall give me to another, and pray one for him life for them that fin not unto mother, that ye may be healed: death. There is a fin unto death; The effectual fervent prayer of a 'I do not fay that he thall pray for it. ghteous man availeth much.

Bb 3

e

184, Mat.

184. Queft. For what things are we to pray? Anfw. We are to pray for all things tending to the Glory of God, the Welfare of the Church our own or others Good h But not for any Thing that is unlawful i.

185. Queft. How are we to pray?

Anfw. We are to pray with an awful Apprehen fion of the Majefty of God; and deep Senfe of our own Unworthiness, Neceffities, and Sins; with penitent, thankful P, and enlarged Hearts;

with

184. Mat.6.9. After this manner to himself, he said, How many hi therefore pray ye: Our Father which red fervants of my fathers have art in heaven,hallowed be thy name. bread enough and to fpare, and I Pfalm 51. 18. Do good in thy perish with hunger! v. 18. I will good pleasure unto Sion: build thou arife, and go to my father, and will the walls of Jerufalem. Pfalm 122, fay unto him, Father, I have finned 6. Pray for the peace of Jerufalem: against heaven, and before thee, they shall profper that love thee. 19. And am no more worthy to be called thy fon: make me as one of thy hired fervants.

8 Mat. 7. 11. If ye then being eyil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more fhall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him h Pfalm 125.4. Do good, O Lord, unto thofe that be good; and to them that are upright in their hearts.

i 1 John S. 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. 5. 1. Keep thy foot when thou goeft to the houfe of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the facrifice of fools: for they confider not that they do evil.

Gen. 18. 27. And Abraham anfwered and faid, Behold now, I have taken upon me to fpeak unto the Lord, which am but duft and afhes, Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the leaft of all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou haft fhewed unto thy fervant ;--

Luke 15.17. And when he came

Luke 18.13. And the publican standing afar off, would not lift up fo much as his eyes unto heaven, but fmote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a finner. v. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his houfe juftified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself fhall be abafed; and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted.

Pfalm 51. 17. The facrifices of God are a broken fpirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not defpife.

P Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing: but in every thing by prayer, and fupplication with thanksgiving, let your requefts be made known un to God.

91 Sam. 1.15. And Hannah anfwered and faid, No, my Lord, I am a woman of a forrowful fpirit: I have drunk neither wine nor ftrong

drink,