Of prayer,
An Exposition of the Assembly's Catechifm.
uponmy garden, that the ſpices thereof may flow out, &c.
Q. 12. What is the duty ofworthy receivers, after the facrament?
A. Their duty is, heartily tobleſs God for Chriſt, and the benefits of his blood, Matth. xxvi. 30. Andwhen theyhad ſunganhymn, theywent outinto the mount of olives. To double their care and watchfulneſs against fin ; Eph. iv. 30.
And grieve not the holy Spirit, whereby ye are ſealed to the day of redemption. And to grow more fruitfulin all fpiritual obedience ; Col. i. 10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto allpleaſing; being fruitful in every good work, and increaſing in the knowledge ofGod.
Q. 13. What is the firſt inference from hence ?
A. That the abuſe and profanation of this ordinance, either bycoming to it for carnal ends, or being forced upon it by fear offufferings, or approaching to itwithoutdue qualifications, is a dreadful fin, which God will terribly avenge; Mat. xxii. 11 , 12, 13. And when theKing came in to ſee the guests, he ſaw there a man which had not on awedding-garment.
Andhe faith unto him, Friend, how cameſt thou in hither, not having on awedding garment ? And he was ſpeechleſs.
Then ſaidthe king unto the ſervants, Bind him handand foot, and take him away, and caſt him into outer darkneſs :
There ſhallbe weeping, and gnaſhing ofteeth.
Q. 14. What is the ſecond inference from hence?
A. That great and manifold are thebleſſings and advantages which Chriſtians duly prepared may reap by this ordinance.
Queſt. 98 .W OfPrayer.
Hat is prayer ?
A. Prayer is an offering up ofour defire untoGod,for things agreeable to his will, in thename ofChrist, with confeffion of our fins, and thankful acknowledgment ofhis mercies.
Q. 1. Who is the proper, and only object of prayer?
A. Godonly is the proper object of prayer ; it is a part of his natural worſhip, therefore it is peculiarly his honour and prerogative, and none elſe canhear andanſwerthem butGod ;
Pfalm lxv. 2. O thou that heareſt prayer, unto thee ſhall all fleſh come.
Q. 2. Through whom, or in whoſename, areour prayers to bedirected to God ?
A. Our prayers are to be directed to God only through Chrift, andhis name; and notbythe mediation of angelsor
An Exposition of the Aſſembly's Catechism. ſaints ; Col. ii. 18. Letno manbeguile you of your reward, inavoluntaryhumility, and worshipping ofangels. For the merit and fatisfaction of Chriſt alone give ſucceſs andacceptance to ourprayers ; Rev. viii. 3, 4. Andanother angelcame, and stood at the altar, having a golden cenfer ; and there was givenuntohim much incenfe, that he ſhould offer itwith the prayers of all faints, uponthe golden altar, which was beforethe throne. And the ſmoke ofthe incenfe, which came with theprayers of the faints, afcended up before God, out of the angel's hand.
1 Tim. ii. 5. For there is oneGod, and one Mediator betweenGod and men, the man Chrift Jefus.
Q. 3. What is the firſt property, or quality of acceptable prayer?
A. No prayer can be acceptable to God, exceptthe matter ofitbe agreeable to his will ; James iv. 3. Ye atk and receive not, becauſe ye aſk amiſs, that yemayconfume it upon your
Juſts; 1 John v. 14, 15. And this is the confidence thatwe have inhim, that ifwe askanything according tohis will, he heareth us . Andif weknow that he hear us, whatsoeverwe aſk, we knowthat wehave thepetitions that we defire ofhim.
Q. 4. Is it enough to make prayer acceptable, that the matter is agreeable to God's will ?
A. No, it is not; for the manner, as well as the matter, mustbe ſo too; Pfalm lxvi. 18. If I regard iniquity inmy heart, the Lordwillnothear me.
Q. 5. What isthe firſt qualificationof an acceptable prayer, reſpecting the manner of it ?
A. That it be fincere, and flowing from the heartofaregenerate perſon ; Prov. xv. 29. The Lerd is far from the wicked; but he heareth theprayer ofthe righteous. Jer. xxix. 13.
And ye ſhall ſeek me, and find me, whenye ſhall ſearch for me with allyour heart.
Q. 6. What is theſecondqualificationofprayer, reſpecting themanner ?
A. Itmust be performed intheheartofachild ofGod, by theSpiritofadoption ; Gal. iv. 6. Andbecauſeyeare fons,God hath fent forththe Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying,
Abba, Father. Rom. viii. 26. Likewiſethe Spirit alſohelpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought,butthe Spirit itſelfmaketh interceſſionfor us, with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Q. 7. What is thethird qualification ofanacceptable prayer, reſpectingthe mariner ?
A. Itmustbeferventand importunate, not cold and formal,
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechism.
James v. 16. The effectual fervent prayer ofa righteousman availeth much; Matth. vii. 7. Afk, and itſhallbegivenyou ; ſeek, and yeſhall find; knock, and itſhallbe openeduntoyou.
Q. 8. Wherein dothtrue importunity withGod in prayer confift?
A. Not in the multitude of words; Matth. vi. 7. But whenyepray, uſenot vain repetitions, as the Heathen do : for they thinkthey ſhallbe heard for their much ſpeaking.
But in anholy earneftneſs of ſpirit to be heard ; Pfalm cxliii. 7.
Hear me ſpeedily, O Lord, my ſpirit faileth; hide not thy facefrom me, left I be like unto them that go down into the pit. Aprudent choiceof prevalent arguments ; Job xxiii. 4.
Iwould order my cauſebefore him, and fill my mouth with arguments. And a reſolute perſiſtance in our requests, till theybe granted; Ifa. lxii. 7. Andgive him noreſt, tillhe eſtabliſh, and tillhe make Jerufalem a praiſe intheearth.
Q. 9. Donot prayers thus qualifiedſometimes miſcarry ?
A. God maydelay and ſuſpend the anſwer of them for a time; Pfalm xxii. 2. O my God, I cry in the day-time, but thou heareft not, &c. But fooner or laterGod will always anſwer them, either in the very thing we aſk ; I Johnv. 15.--We know that we have the petitions that wedefired of him :
Or inthat which is equivalent, or better; Gen. xvii. 18, 19.
AndAbraham faid untoGod,O that Iſhmael might live before thee! AndGod said, Sarah thy wife ſhall bearthee a fon indeed, and thou shalt call his name Ifaac : and Iwill eſtabliſh my covenant with him, for an everlasting covenant, andwith his feed afterhim.
Q. 10 Is there no prayer but what is ſtated and fixed ?
A. Yes, there is ſudden occafional prayer, whichwe call ejaculatory.
Such was Jacob's, Gen. xlix. 18. Ihave waited for thy falvation, O Lord. And this is exceeding useful, to maintain conſtant communion withGod, and keep the heart in aſpiritual frame.
Q. 11. Is all ſtated and fixed prayer public inthe congregation, orchurch ?
1 A. No ; stated prayer ought to be in our families, with thoſe under our charge; andin our cloſets, betwi. God and us alone; Joſh. xxiv. 15.
But as for me, and my houſe, we willſerve the Lord. And Matth. vi. 6. But when thou prayeſt, enter into thy cloſet ; andwhen thou haſt ſhut thy door, pray to thy Fatherwhich is in ſecret; and thy Father whichfeeth in fecret, ſhallreward thee openly.
: VOL. VIII,