no farther; he would have done nothing Amifs. But if a Man's Defire be Violent, and Unrea-. fonable, if it makes him Refolve to compass what he Covets by any means; If fair means will not do, to have it by foul Ones; fuch a Defire as this is Sinful. And therefore when Ahab grew difcontented at Naboth's Refufal; 1Kings xxi.6. and after that the Malice and Cunning of Jezebel had deftroy'd him, went down, and ...-16. took poffeffion of his Vineyard; the Event fhew'd his Coveting to have been Criminal; and that his Defire was as Inordinate, as the Effect of it was Tragical. 5. 2. What think you of fuch a Defire, as tho' it be Violent and Immoderate, yet is prefently Supprefs'd, and does not proceed to any Wicked Refolutions, Endeavours, or Actions, in Order to the Accomplishing of what it Covets? A. St. James feems to warrant us to think favourably of it: Jam. i. 14, 15 Yet it can. not be doubted but that all fuch Defires proceed from an Evil Principle within us; and we ought to Watch all we can, even against the first Motions of them, and fupprefs them. Mat. v. 28, 29, 30. 6. 2. What is the Duty Required in this Commandment? Cor. xiii.4. A. Contentment with our Eftate whatsoever it be, so as neither to Murmur against God, nor to Mat. vi. 25, Envy our Neighbour, upon the Account of any &c. thing which he poffeffes. There being nothing more Certain, than that He who is not fatisfied with what Himfelf Enjoys, will be apt, upon every Occafion, criminally to Covet what is "Another Man's. Phil. iv. 11. 11, 12. Heb. xiii. 5. Of the Duty of Prayer in General. 1.2.2 See the Pre XXXIII. E have now done with the feveral Branches of that Duty which God Requires of Ús; and which our Godfathers, and Godmothers, promised at our Baptism, that we fhould fulfil: Is there any thing yet re maining neceflary to be known by Us in Order to our Salvation? A. Yes there is; namely, To understand what face to this thofe Means are which God hath Ordain'd for Prayer ; the conveying of his Grace to Us, and to ena Pfal. iv. 1, able Us to fulfil that Duty which He has Re1.15. xcix.6. quired of Us. Cb. Cat. cxvi. 17. Jer. xxix. 12. 2. 2. By what means may we obtain the Grace of God in order to this End? A. Chiefly by thefe two: Hearty Prayer to God for it; and a Right Ufe of the Holy Sa 1 Cor. i. 2. craments. 34. 2 Tim.ii.22. 1 Pet.i. 17. 2. -----xciv. 9. exxxix. 7, &c. 3. 2 What is Prayer? + Jo.xvi.24. A. It is a Religious a Calling upon God; Pfal. Ixv. founded upon the Belief both of his Infinite Knowledge, Power, and Prefence; and of his Gracious Goodnefs, and Mercy towards Us in b JefusChrift: And by Virtue whereof, He is not only always 1 Kings viii. c Prefent with us, toHear and Receive our Prayers, 29, 30, &c. d Mat, vi. 8. Throughly Acquainted with all our Needs; and e Mat. vii.7. fully Able to Supply them; but is also most willing and ready fo to do; if We call upon Him Luke xi. 9. as we ought to do. John xvi.24. Jam, i. 6. xxi. 22. 4.2. 4. 2 What do you mean by Calling upon God? A. I understand thereby the Elevation of the Mind to God, by what way foever it be made: Whether we utter our Requefts to him with our Mouths; Or only Lift up the Thoughts of our Hearts to Him; both which are to God alike. 5. 2. Upon what is the Neceffity of our Praying to God founded? 1. 23. Ifa. xlv. 20, a &c. A. Befides that it is a part of that Religious Pl. v. 2. Worship which it behoves Us to Pay to Him, xliv. 20, 21. and being publickly performed is one of the Highest Acts of outward Honour, that we are capable of Giving to him; it is neceffarily Eftablish'd upon these Two Principles: a First, A due Senfe of our Own Weakness, and Wants And Secondly, A firm Belief that God is both Able, and Willing, to relieve Us. : 1 Kings viii. 28, 31. &c. Pfal. iv. 1, 3. 1.15. xci. 15. lxxxvi. 5, 6, 6. 2. What are the Wants, which we chiefly 7. cxlv. 18. Joel ii. 32. Jam. i. 5.. need to have Supply'd by God? 7A. There is Nothing wherein we do not ftand John xiv. 13. -in Need of his Support. b Our Life, Health, xv. 7. Food, and Raiment, all that we have, or hope to xvi. 23. Enjoy, in our prefent Eftate, proceeds from him; 1 John iii. 22. and We do, in all Thefe, intirely depend upon v. 15. his Providence. But that for which we ought Acts xvii. to be more especially concern'd, and have yet 25, 28.. more need to beg the Divine Affiftance, c is for the Supply of our Spiritual Wants: That God Luke xi. 9. would Enable Us to fulfil our Duty towards Him; John xvi. 24. and thereby, would both Qualify Us for his Jam. i, 5. Favour at the prefent, and for his Pardon and Acceptance when we Come to die. C Mat. vi. 32, 33. 7.2. Are we not able, of Ourfelves, to fulfil Deut. xxix. our Duty towards God as we ought to do? 4. Luke xxiv. 45. A. So far from it, that, we cannot have fo much as any Saving Knowledge of it, or Defire ai. lxiii. after it, without the Concurrence of his Grace, 17. to Open our Understandings, to Purify our Af John vi. 44, G4 fections, 65. xvi. 14. Acts xiii.48. fections, to Regulate our Wills, and to enable us both to Believe, and Do, according to his Good Pleafure. 1 Cor. iii. 6. Eph. ii. 8. Phil. ii. 13. 8. 2. By what Means may we be Enabled 2 Cor. iii. 5. to Live, according to God's Commandments? Heo,xiii.21, A. By the Special Grace of the Holy Spirit'; which he never denies to any Chriftian who a Luke xi. 9. heartily a Prays for it, and b duly Improves that b Mat. xiii. Portion of it, which God had before bestowed 12. xxv. 29. upon him. Luke viii. 18. xix. 26. Mat, vii. 7. xxi. 22. 24. 9. 2. Does God always Answer the Prayers that are made to Him? A. He does, if they are made after Such a Manner as he Requires; and for fuch Things as John xvi.23, He fees to be Expedient for Us, unless he fhould have fome extraordinary Reafon to Refufe Us; Jam. iv. 3. John .22. In which Cafe, though he may not grant Us the very Things which we defire, yet He will recompenfe Us the more abundantly in fome other way. v. 14. . Mark xi. 24. 10. 2. After what Manner ought we to Pray to God? A. With Faith, with d Diligence; with Attention; with Fervoure; and with Perfeve 1 Tim. ii. 8. rance. Jam. i. 6. d Luke xviii. 11. 2. Are thefe Conditions fo ftrictly Re1. xxi. 36. quired by God, that no Prayers are heard by e Rom. xii. Him, which want any of them? 12. A. That may not generally be affirm'd: Eph. vi. 18. There are great Inequalities in the Affections Thef.v.17. of the beft Men in their Prayers; Nor can Col. iv. 2. Any avoid all kind of Wanderings, and Dif turbances in them. That which is certain is this, that Every Man ought to Pray as frequently as his Circumftances of Life will permit him; and when he does pray, ought to do it with the utmost Zeal, and Attention, that He is able to do. Which having fincerely Endeavour'd, he ought not to doubt, but that God God will Pardon his Infirmities, in that, as well as in the other Inftances of his Duty; and accept his Prayers; and grant him his Defires. 12. 2. What are the Things which we ought to Pray for? a Pfal. xxxvii. 5. Iv. 22. Mat. vi. 25. A. For thofe of a this Life We muft Pray only in General, unless it be upon fome fpecial Occafions; and with an intire Submiffion of Our felves to God's Will, in whatfoever He fhall please to Order for Us. But as to the b Graces 6. which are neceffary for Us, in order to the Prov. xvi. 3. Other Life, we are to pray particularly, ear-, Phil. iv. 6. neftly, abfolutely; and without any Qualifica-b Luke xi.g. tions: Because we know thefe Things to be al- Joh. xiv. 13. ways proper for Us to Ask; and always fuitable to the Will of God to Give to Us. xxx. 8. xv. 7, 8, &c. Jam. i. 5. v. 16. 2 Theff. i. 13. 2. At what Times ought we to Pray? A. Continually, and without Ceafing. Not 11, 12. that we are to account ourselves thereby obliged to spend our whole Time in Prayer, but Luke xviii. to look upon thofe Expreffions to imply a con- 1. ftant Attendance upon this Duty every Day, as our State and Condition fhall permit; befides Rom. i. 9. fuch other Occafions as the Providence of God xii. 12. fhall minifter to Us, for the farther Performance Theff. iii. of it. Luke xxiv. 53. 10. V. 17. Ephef. vi. 14. 2. What is the General Proportion which 18. Every Chriftian ought to obferve in the Times Colof, iv. a. of his daily Prayers? A. If he has Opportunity for it, and can have leifure fo to do, it were to be wish'd that He fhould come every Day to the Publick Prayers of the Church: But if this cannot be done, He muft at leaft, every Day, without fail, Pray Pfal. lv. to God in Private, Morning and Evening; and, if He has a Family, he fhould every Day, at Jof. xxiv. fome convenient Time, Pray with that alfo, 15. in Order to the better keeping up a Sense of Religion in it. G5 15.2. |