mercies b. Q. 179. Are we to pray unto God only? A. God only being able to search the heartsc, hear the request d, pardon the finse, and fulfil the desires of allf; and only to be believed ing, and worshipped with religious worshiph: prayer, which is a special part thereof i, is to be made by all to him alonek, and to none other 1. Q. 180. What is it to pray in the name of Christ? A. To pray in the name of Christ, is, in obedience to his command, and in confidence on his promises, to afk mercy for his sakem: not by bare mentioning of his namen; but by drawing our encouragement to pray, and our boldness, strength, and hope of acceptance in prayer, from Christ and his mediation o. fess my tranfgressions unto the Lord: and thou forgavest the iniquity of my fin. Selah. v. 6. For this shall every one that is godly, pray unto thee, in a time when thou mayest be found:-Dan, ix. 4. And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confeffion, and faid, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, Phil. iv. 6. Be careful for nothing: but in every thing by prayer and fupplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. 179. c 1 Kings viii. 39. Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; for thou, even thou only knowest the hearts of all the children of men. Acts i. 25. And they prayed, and faid, Thou Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen. Rom. viii. 27. And he that fearcheth the hearts, knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh interceffion for the faints according to the will of God. d Pfal. lxv. 2. O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. e Micah. vii. 18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the tranfgreffion of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. f Pfal. cxlv. 18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him in truth. v. 19. He will fulfil the defire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. g Rom. x. 14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed. b Mat. iv. 1o. Then faith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. iCor. i. 2. Unto the church of God, which is at Corinth, to them that are fanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be faints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. Pfal. 1. 15. And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. 1 Rom. x. 14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? Q. 181. Why are we to pray in the name of Christ? A. The finfulness of man, and his distance from God by reason thereof, being so great, as that we can have no access into his prefence without a mediatorp; and there being none in heaven or earth appointed to, or fit for, that glori⚫ous work, but Christ aloneq; we are to pray in no other 180. m John xiv. 13. And whatfoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. v. 14. If ye Thall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. John xvi. 24. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. Dan. ix. 17. Now, therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy fervant, and his fupplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy fanctuary that is defolate, for the Lords fake. ■ Mat. vii. 21. Not every one that faith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven. • Heb. iv. 14. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profeffion. v. 15. For we have not af high priest who 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 v. 13. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the hame 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 defired of him. 181. p John xiv. 6. Jesus faith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me. Ifa. lix. 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. iii. 12. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. q John vi. 27. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. Heb. vii. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make interceffion for them. v. 26. For fuch an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from finners, and made name but his only r. 182. How doth the Spirit help us to pray? A. We not knowing what to pray for as we ought, the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, by enabling us to understand both for whom, and what, and how prayer is to be made; and by working and quickening in our hearts (altho' not in all perfons, nor at all times in the fame measure) those apprehensions, affections, and graces, which are requifite for the right performance of that duty/. Q. 183. For whom are we to pray? A. We are to pray for the whole church of Christ upon eartht, for magistrates, and ministers w, for ourselves x, higher than the heavens; v. 27. Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up facrifice, firit for his own fins, and then for the peoples: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 1 Tim. i. 5. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jefus. Col. iii. 17. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Heb. xiii. 15. By him therefore let us offer the facrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks in his name. our pare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear. Zech. xii. 10. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerufalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications, and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they fhall mourn, 183. t Eph. vi. 18. Praying always with all prayer and fupplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perfeverance, and fupplication for all faints. Pfa. xxviii. 9. Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance; feed them also, and lift them up for ever. 182. Rom. viii. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we. should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh interceffion for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. v. 27. And he that searcheth the hearts, knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh interceffion for the faints according to the will of God. Pfal. x. 17. Lord, thou hast heard the defire of the humble; thou wilt pre v1 Tim. ii. 1. I exhort therefore, that first of all, fupplications, prayers, interceffions, and giving of thanks be made for all men: v. 2. For kings, and for all that are in anthority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. w Col. iv. 3. Withal, praying alfo for us that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Chrift, for which I am alfo in bonds. x Gen. xxxii. 11. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my bro ther, T our brethreny, yea our enemiesz; and for all forts of men living a, or that shall live hereafterb: 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 Gode, the welfare of the churchf, our own g or others good h: but not for any thing that is unlawfuli. Q. 185. How are we to pray? A. We are to pray with an awful apprehension of the ther, from the hand of Efau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the chil dren. Jam. v. 16. Confefs your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed: The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. z Mat. v. 44. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and perfecute you. a 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2. (See above in v.) b John xvii. 20. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them alfo who shall believe on me thro' their word. 2 Sam. vii. 29. Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy fervant, 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 fervant be blessed for ever. c 2 Sam. xii. 21. Then faid 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 eat bread. v. 22. And he faid, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept, for I faid, Who can tell whether God majestý will be gracious to me, that the child may live?, v. 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. d 1 John v. 16. If any man see his brother fin a fin which is not unto death, he shall afk, and he shall give him life for them that fin not unto death. There is a fin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. 184. e Mat. vi. 9. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. f Pfal. li. 18. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Sion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Pfal. cxxii. 6. Pray for the peace of Jerufalem: they shall profper that love thee. g Mat. vii. 11. If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Pfal.cxxv. 4. Do good, O 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. Aa 185. majesty of God k; and deep sense of our own unworthiness I, neceffuiesm, and finsn; with penitento, thankfulp, and enlarged heartsq; with understanding r, faith/, fincerityt, fervencyv, love w, and perfeverancex, waiting upon him 185. k Eccl. v. 1. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the facrifice of fools: for they confider not that they do evil. 1 Gen. xviii. 27. And Abraham answered and faid, Behold, now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who 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 fer vant; m Luke xv. 17. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired fervants of my fathers have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! v. 18. I will arife, and go to my father, and will fay unto him, Father, I have finned against heaven, and before thee, v. 19. and am no more worthy to be called thy fon: make me as one of thy hired fervants. * Luke xviii. 13. And the publican standing afar off, would not lift up so 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 house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself, shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted. • Pfal. li. 17. The facrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. ? Phil. iv. 6. Be careful for no thing, but in every thing by prayer, and fupplication with thankfgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. q 1 Sam. i. 15. And Hannah anfwered and faid, No, my lord, I am a woman of a forrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my foul before the Lord. I Sam. ii. 1. And Hannah prayed, and faid, 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. r1 Cor. xiv. 15. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding alfo : / Mark xi. 24. Therefore I fay unto you, what things foever ye defire 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. + Pfal. cxlv. 18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. Pfal. xvii. 1. Hear the right, -O Lord, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips. v James v. 16. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous mar availeth much. w1 Tim. ii. 8. I will therefore that men pray every where, liftingup boly hands, without wrath and doubting. * Eph. vi. 18. Praying always with all prayer and fupplication in the |