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holy reverence and confidence, as children to a Father, able and ready to help us and that we should pray with and for others.

Q. 1. What doth the word Father import in this preface ? A. It imports the Spirit of adoption to be the principle of all acceptable prayers; Gal. iv. 6. And because ye are fons, God hath fent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Q. 2. What is the firft benefit, or help we have in prayer, from the Spirit of adoption?

A. He excites our fpirits to feek God in prayer; Pfal. xxvii. 8. When thou faidft, Seek ye my face; my heart faid unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I feek.

Q. 3. What is the fecond affiftance he gives us in prayer A. He indites and fuggefts fuitable and acceptable matter to us in prayer; 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, &c.

Q. 4. What is the third benefit we have by him in prayer? A. He fills our fouls with fpiritual and holy affections in prayer, and helps us to act his graces in our duties; Rom. viii. 26. Likewise the Spirit alfo helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we fhould pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh interceffion for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Q. 5. What elfe doth this word Father import?

A. It imports that holy confidence which believers may, and ought to draw near to God withal, as children to a Father; Eph. iii. 12. In whom we have boldness and access, with confidence, by the faith of him.

Q. 6. Doth it only fignify our relation and confidence?

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A. No, it alfo fignifies the reverential fear of God, which ought at all times to be on our hearts, especially in prayer; Mal. i. 6. A fon honoureth his father, and a fervant his master; If then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a mafter, where is my fear?

Q. 7. What is further imported in this word Father?

A. It imports God's willingness and readiness to grant the beft mercies to his people that feek them duly at his hand ; Matth. vii. 11. If ye then being evil, 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? Q. 8. Why is he here called our Father?

A. To fignify to us, that it is not only our duty to pray

fecretly by and for ourselves, but also with and for others; Eph. vi. 18. Praying always, with all prayer and fupplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perfeverance, and fupplication for all faints.

Q. 9. Why is God faid here to be in heaven?

A. It is to note his fovereign power and dominion over all, as a ground-work of faith in prayer.

Q. 10. What elfe doth it import?

A. The great distance between God and us, which fhould fill our hearts with an holy awe of him; Ecclef. v. 2.------God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

Q. II. What is the first inference from hence?

A. It fhews us, what a fad cafe all thofe are in, that have no fpecial intereft in God as a Father.

Q. 12. What is the second inference from hence?

A. It fhews us what a glorious privilege the Lord Jefus Chrift hath purchased for, and fettled on his people; Heb. iv. 15, 16. For we have not an high-prieft, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without fin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Q. 13. What is the last inference from hence ?

A. That feeing believers have a Father in heaven, they should never fear wants while they live, nor be afraid to die, fince death brings them to heaven, their Father's house.

Quest. 101.

of fanctifying God's Name.

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Hat do we pray for in the first petition? A. In the firft petition, which is, [Hallowed be thy name,] we pray, that God would enable us, and others, to glorify him in all that whereby he maketh himself known, and that he would difpofe all things to his own glory.

Q. 1. Is there any word full enough, perfectly to express what God is?

A. No, his name is fecret; Judges xiii. 18. And the angel of the Lord faid unto him, Why afkeft thou thus after my name, feeing it is fecret? A name which none can tell; Prov. XXX. 4.- -What is his name, and what is his Son's name, if thou canst tell? A name above every name; Phil. ii. 9. Wherefore God alfo hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name. But the name by which he more especially manifefts himself, is the name I AM;

Exod. iii. 14. And God said unto Mofes, I AM THAT I AM: And he said, Thus fhalt thou fay unto the children of Ifrael, I AM hath fent me unto you..

Q. 2. What doth the name of God, I AM, fignify to us? A. It fignifies to us, firft, The reality of his being, in oppofition to idols, which are but imaginary and fantastic things; 1 Cor. viii. 4.- We know that an idol is nothing in the world, & God is not only the most perfect being, but the root of all other beings.

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Q3. What elfe doth this name I AM import?

A. It imports both the perfection and eternity of God's being. I AM implies, he hath not that now, which he had not formerly; and that he fhall not afterwards have, what he hath not now: and that there is neither beginning, end, or succesfion with God, whose name is I AM.

Q. 4. But what are we here to understand by the name of God? A. All thofe things are here intended, by which he manifests himself to the creature; as his word, works, and ordinances, but especially his glorious attributes; Exod. xxxiv. 5, 6.— The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-fuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.

Q. 5. What is it to hallow, or fanctify his name?

A. Not to infuse any holiness into him, which he had not before; fo he fanctifies us; but to manifeft and acknowledge the holiness of God; Ifa. xxix. 23. But when he feeth his children, the work of my hands in the midft of him, they fhall fanctify my name, and fanctify the holy One of Jacob, and fhall fear the God of Ifrael.

Q. 6. Why hallowed or fanctified, rather than glorified? Why that word, rather than this?

A. Because his holiness is the beauty and luftre of his other attributes. His greatness appears in his holiness; Ifa. xii. 6.--Great is the holy One of Ifrael in the midft of thee. So doth his power; Luke i. 49. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is his name.

And therefore his holiness is that attribute, which angels fingle out especially to celebrate; Ifa. vi. 3. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hofts, &c. And fo do men' alfo, as it is the caufe why they fhould glorify him; Exod. xv. Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, &c.

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Q.7. What is the first thing we are to intend in this petition? A. The meaning is, that God would fo difpofe and order all things in the world, as may best promote and advance the glory of his name; on which account we may pray for the

defeat of God's enemies; Pfalm lxxxiii. 16, 17, 18. Fill their faces with fhame, that they may seek thy name, O Lord. Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to fhame, and perish; that men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the most High over all the earth. And the deliverance of his church and people; Pfalm lxxix. 9. Help us, O God of our falvation, for the glory of thy name; and deliver us, and purge away our fins for thy name's fake.

Q. 8. What is the second thing we are to intend in it?

A. That God would fit us for, and use us in the most serviceable capacity for the glorifying of his name; Pfalm lxvii. 1, 2, 3. God be merciful unto us, and bless us, and cause his face to fhine upon us: That thy way may be known upon earth, thy faving health among all nations. Let the people praife thee, O God, let all the people praise thee.

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Q. 9. What is the third thing intended in this petition?

A. That God may not only glorify his own name, and use us to glorify it, but that it fhould be our endeavour and joy to have it glorified by others all the world over; Pfalm cxlv. 4, 5, 6. One generation fhall praise thy works to another, and fhall declare thy mighty acts. I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majefty, and of thy wondrous works. And men fhall speak of the might of thy terrible acts; and I will declare thy greatness.

Q. 10. Why muft our hearts be fo intently set upon the fanctification of God's name?

A. Because this is the ultimate end of our own, and every other being; Rom. xi. 36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things; to whom be glory for ever, Amen. And the particular end of God in our effectual calling; 1 Pet. ii. 9. But ye are a chofen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye fhould fhew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

Q. What is the firft inference from hence?

A. That the dishonour of God's name must needs be a cutting affliction to a gracious foul; Pfalm xlii. 10. As with a fword in my bones my enemies reproach me; while they fay daily unto me, Where is thy God?

Q. 12. What is the second inference from hence?

A. That it is a dreadful infatuation, and spiritual judgment: upon thofe men that think they glorify God in doing hofe things which his foul hateth; Ifa. Ixvi. 5. Hear the word of

the Lord, ye that tremble at his word: Your brethren that hated you, that caft you out for my name's fake, faid, Let the Lord be glorified: But he fhall appear to your joy, and they fhall be ashamed. And John xvi. 2. They fhall put you out of the fynagogues: Yea, the time cometh, that whofoever killeth you, will think that he doth God fervice.

Q. 13. What is the third inference from hence?

A. That it fhould be indifferent to a Chriftian what condition God puts him into, fo that he may but be useful to fanctify and exalt the name of God therein; Phil. i. 20.—As always, fo now alfo Chrift shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death.

Q. 14. What is the laft inference hence?

A. That it is an high and dreadful provocation of God to prophane and abuse his worthip, whereon his name is called, and wherein it is to be fanctified; Lev. x. 1, 2, 3. And Nadab and Abihu, the fons of Aaron, took either of them his cenfer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered ftrange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. Then Mofes faid unto Aaron, this it that the Lord fpake, faying, I will be fanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people will I be glorified.

Quett. 102. W

of God's Kingdom.

Hat do we pray for in the fecond petition A. In the fecond petition, which is, [Thy kingdom come,] we pray that Satan's kingdom may be deftroyed, and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced, ourfelves and others brought into it, and kept in it, and that the kingdom of glory may be haftened,

Q. What is the first thing fignified by the kingdom of God here?

A. The gospel is here intended by the kingdom of God, Matth. xiii. 47.Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was caft into the fea, and gathered of every kind. Q. 2. What is the thing fignified by the coming of this kingdom of God?

A. It fignifies the removal of all impediments, that hinder its propagation in the world; 2 Theff. iii. 1. Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you.

VOL. VIII.

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