they are dull and drowsy.

A. Such prefer the world to

God, and offer to him a corrupt thing, Mal. i, 14.

Q. What is social prayer.

A. Prayer performed by two or more persons occasionally, or at such stated times as they agree on betwixt themselves. Q. How prove you that social prayer is a duty.

A. Reason and scripture do both call for it, Mal. iii, 16. Q. What is public prayer. A. That which is performed in a public congregation, Zech. ix, 1 Kings viii.

A. Because it

Q. Why is prayer to be so much joined with our work, and especially that which is religious. tends to compose our heart, opens it for receiving God, and draws down his blessing on our labors, Luke xviii, 1.

Q. To whom only are we to pray.

A. To God; Father Son, and Holy Ghost, as one God, Psalm lxv, 2.

Q. Why must we pray to God only.

A. He only deserves religious honour and worship; and he only can know or supply all our wants, Matth. iv, 10.

Q. Why may we not pray to angels and saints departed A. They are creatures and so unworthy of such honor: nor can they fully know or supply our wants.

Q. For whom are we to pray. A. For all men living, or that shall live hereafter, except such as have known to have sinned the unpardonable sin, 1 Tim. ii, 1.

Q. Why must we not pray for the dead.

A. Because departed saints have no need of prayers as they have no wants; and the wicked in hell are without the reach of God's mercy, Mat. xxv, 10, 11, 22.

Q. For whom ought we chiefly to pray.

A. For

Hints, ministers, magistrates, professors, the sick, &c.
Q. Why are we especially to pray for these.

A. Their work is most hard and useful; or their sin most dishonouring to God, and hurtful to men.

Q. What should we plead for to saints.

A. Protec

tion, comfort, increase and perseverance in grace, &c.

mies.

Q. What should we plead for to the wicked and our eneA. Conviction of sin, pardon, repentance, peace with God, and all other blessings, Luke xxiii, 34.

Q. What should we plead for to ministers.

A. Knowledge, prudence, humility, harmony, zeal, spiritial comfort, success in their labours, &c. Eph. vi. Q. What should we plead for to magistrates.

A. Eminent grace, prudence, courage, safety, &c.
Q. What should we plead for to the poor and afflicted.
A. Support under affiction, a blessing on it, and deliver

ance from it in God's time and way, Psalm xxxv, 13.
Q. In whose name are we to pray.

A. In the name of Christ alone, John xvi, 23. 1 John ii,
Q. Why may we not pray in our own name.

A. Because we, and all our services, are worthless and
polluted before God, Isa. Ixiv, 6. Phil. iii, 8, 9.

Q. Why are we to pray in the name of Christ alone.
A. Because he in his righteousness and intercession, is our
only way to the Father, Eph. ii, 18, and iii, 12.

Q. What is it to pray in the name of Christ.

A. To pray in his strength; out of obedience to his com-
mand; with confidence in his promise; and dependence on
his merit and intercession, as the only ground of God's ac-
ceptance and answer of our prayer.

Q. How ought we to prepare for prayer.

A. By emptying our hearts of carnal thoughts and cares,
holy humiliation of soul, careful examination of our sins, wants
and mercies, and looking up for the assistance of the Holy
Ghost, Luke xi, 1 Pet. iii, 7.

Q. How may carnal thoughts in prayer and other religious
exercises be prevented.

A. By watchfulness against the first motions of them, and
a deep sense of our wants, and of God's greatness, holiness,
omniscience and love, Mark xiii, 37. Eccl. v, 1, 2.

Q. In what manner are we to pray.
A. With faith
of the acceptance of our persons in Christ, and of the good
ness of what we ask; hope of obtaining it; and with humi
ity, sincerity, fervour and constancy.

Q. Can we pray aright of ourselves.

A. No; we neither know what we pray for, nor how to
pray; the greatest saints, as Moses, Elias, Job, Jonah, &c.
mistook in prayer for what they ought not, and all saints
daily mistake in the manner of prayer, Num. xi, &c.

Q. How doth Christ cure these mistakes in us.
A. By giving his Spirit to assist us in our prayers.
Q. Wherein doth the Spirit of God assist us in prayer.
A. In the matter and manner of it, Rom. viii, 26, 27.
Q. How doth he assist us in the matter of prayer.
A. By leading us out to pray for the things which we most
need, and God is most ready to bestow, Rom. viii.

Q. How doth the Spirit assist us in the manner of prayer.
A. By implanting and exciting in our soul all these inhere
ent graces which are necessary in prayer.

Q. What graces are necessary to be exercised in prayer.
A. knowledge, faith, love, repentance, humility, &c.

Q. Why is knowledge necessary in prayer.

A. That we may not pray for unlawful things, or to a wrong object, or in a wrong manner, James iv, 3.

Q. Why is faith necessary in prayer.

A. To lay hold on the promises and perfections of God as our encouragement, and to depend on the strength, merit, and intercession of Christ, for enabling us to prayer, and obtaining answer in it, Jam. i, 6.

Q. Why should we pray with hope and expectation.

A. Because God hath promised, and Christ hath purcha sed all that we need, Phil. iv, 19. Heb. ix. 12.

Q. Why should we pray with great humility. A. Because we are so vile and unworthy, Luke xviii. Q. Why should we pray with fervency and earnestness. A. Because of the greatness of our need, Psalm lxx. Q. Why must we pray with sincerity, repentance, and love. A. Because if we indulge hatred, dissimulation, or any iniquity in our heart, the Lord will not hear us. Q. Why must we pray with constancy.

A. Because of our frequent need, and God's frequent deTay to answer our prayer, Luke xviii, 1. 1 Thess. v, 17. Q. What is meant by praying without ceasing.

I

A. Our keeping our heart always in a praying frame; and being frequent in the exercise of prayer, Eph. vi, 18,

Q. What is meant by praying in the Spirit.

A, Our praying with the gifts and especially with the grace of the Spirit, Jude 20. 1 Cor. xiv, 15. Rom. viii, 26.

Q. Wherein do the gift and grace of prayer differ.

A. The gift of prayer lieth in conceiving and uttering suitable expressions in an affecting manner, but the grace of prayer lies in the fervency of our desire after God.

Q. In whom is the gift, or grace of prayer to be found.
A. Wicked men may have the gift of prayer; but only
believers have both the gift and grace of prayer.
Q. Have all saints the gift of prayer.

A. Some saints as well as others have very little of it.
Q. Whence doth that proceed.

A. From their negligence in searching the scripture and their own hearts. Q. May not such wicked men as have the gift of prayer pray with great warmth of affection.

A. Yes.

Q. Wherein do the raised affections of wicked men in prayer, and of believers, differ.

A. The raised affections of the wicked flow from fear of God's wrath, false confidence of his love, or the weight of affiction, and encourage their pride; but these of believers

flow from desire to be like and with Christ, and are attended with great humility, Psalm 1xxviii.

Q. Of how many parts doth prayer consist.

A. Three; petition, confession, and thanksgiving; but most properly prayer consists in petition.

Q

use of.

Which of these parts will the saints longest retain the A. Of thanksgiving, Rev. v, Psal. cxlvi,-cl. Q. What is petition. A. The offering up of the de sires of our hearts unto God, Psal, lxii, 8.

Q. Are not mere verbal requests prayer.

A. They are prayer before men, but not in the sight of God.

Q. What things may we desire and plead for in prayer. A. Whatever is agreeable to God's will of precept and promise, 1 John v, 14.

Q. What is agreeable to this revealed will of God.

A. The removing or preventing of all evil, and the be stowing of every thing good for our soul and body.

Q. Why must we plead for these mercies.

A. Not to change God's will; but to testify our needy. dependence on him and to prepare our heart to receive these mercies with thankfulness, Ezek. xxxvi, 37.

Q. May we pray for all mercies in the same manner, A. No; we must pray for some mercies absolutely, and for others conditionally, Psalm xxv Gen. xviii.

Q. For what may we pray absolutely.

A. For a new nature, justification, adoption, sanctification, and every other thing inseparable from our eternal salvation, Psalm li, Dan. ix.

Q. Why may we pray absolutely for these mercies.

A. Because our receiving them cannot but tend to the glory of God, and our real advantage, Psalm cxlii, 4,-7. Q. For what mercies must we pray conditionally. A. The good things of this world, sensible comfort to our soul, freedom from temptation, &c. 2 Cor. xii.

Q. Under what condition or limitation must we pray for these. A. If they tend to God's glory and our good. Q. Why must we pray for them with this limitation. A. Because it may be for the glory of God, and our real advantage that we want them, 2 Cor. xii, 9. Q. What are we to confess in prayer. A. All our sins, with the several aggravations of them, Psal. xxxii, li, Q. Why ought we to confess our sins in prayer.

A. To testify our belief of God's holiness and omniscience; and to affect our heart with a sense of our vileness and uns worthiness before him, Dan. ix, 3,—19,

J

Q. In what manner are we to confess our sins. A. In an humble and affectionate manner, with faith's views of a crucified Christ as the propitiation for them.

Q. For what are we to give God thanks in prayer.

A. For all his mercies spiritual or temporal, Ps. cv, cvii. Q. What call you mercies. A. Whatever springs from "God's pity, and tends to the good of our soul or body.

Q. Is there ground of thanksgiving in our afflictions. A. Yes; it is matter of thanksgiving that they are not more severe, and are sent while they may be useful to us. Q. Why is thanksgiving necessary in prayer.

A. To acknowledge the goodness and mercy of God, and stir up our heart to love him, Psalm ciii, cxlv, cl.

Q. What is our duty after offering up our requests unto God. A. To expect an answer; wait for it in the diligent use of means, submitting the season, measure, and form of the blessings asked to God's sovereign will.

Q. What mean you by an answer of prayer.

A. God's granting the very thing we ask in prayer, or something as good, or better, in its place, Psalm xci, 15. Q. May not God answer wicked men's prayers, which he Sever accepts. A. Yes, as in the case of Nineveh, &c. Q. Doth God accept and answer all the prayers of belieA. No; but only these that are offered up in

vers.

· faith, James ì, 6, 7. Dan. ix, 1 Kings viii.

Q. When doth God grant the answer of such prayers. A. When it is most for his glory and his people's good, but not always when they would have it.

Q. Why doth God often long delay the answering of his people's prayers, which he hath already accepted.

A. To keep them in the exercise of waiting on, and crying to him; and that their mercy may be the greater when it comes, Isa. xxx, 18. Luke xviii, 1,—§.

Q. How may we know that God hath heard and accepted our prayer, and will grant an answer, though he long delay sit. A. If we are led out to much resignation to his will, waiting on him for an answer in a holy practice and deep sense of our unworthiness of the least of his mercies; Psalm v, 2. Isa. viii, 17. Gen. xxxii, 10.

QUEST. 99. What rule hath God given for our divection in prayer?

ANSW. The whole word of God is of use to direct us in prayer; but the special rule of direction is that form of prayer which Christ taught his disciples, Commonly called the Lord's Prayer.