and to be continued in the church of Christ until his second coming. Q. 177. Wherein do the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper differ? A. The sacraments of baptism and the Lord's supper differ, in that baptism is to be administered but once, with water, to be a sign and seal of our regeneration and ingrafting into Christ', and that even to infants'; whereas the Lord's supper is to be administered often, in the elements of bread and wine, to represent and exhibit Christ as spiritual nourishment to the soul, and to confirm our continuance to you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread. 1 Cor. iv. 1. Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Heb. v. 4. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 9 Mat. xxviii. 19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Ver. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. 1 Cor. xi. 26. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 177. Mat. iii. 11. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. Tit. iii. 5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.. Gal. iii. 27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. s Gen. xvii. 7. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. Ver. 9. And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee, in their ge nerations. Acts ii. 38. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Ver. 39. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 1 Cor. vii. 14. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. t1 Cor. xi. 23. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread: continuance and growth in him", and that only to such as are of years and ability to examine themselves". Q. 178. What is prayer? A. Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God *, in the name of Christ, by the help of his Spirit; with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies". Q. 179. Are we to pray unto God only? A. God only being able to search the hearts, hear the requests, bread: Ver. 24. And, when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. Ver. 25. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. Ver. 26. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 1 Cor. x. 16. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? W1 Cor. xi. 28. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. Ver. 29. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 178. Psal. lxii. 8. Trust in him at all times, ye people; pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah. y John xvi. 23. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 2 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 intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. a Psal. xxxii. 5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. Ver. 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 confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, b Phil. iv. 6. Be careful for nothing: but in every thing by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. 179. 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. 24. And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these requests, pardon the sins, and fulfil the desires of all; and only to be believed in, and worshipped with religious worship; prayer, which is a special part thereof, is to be made by all to him alone, 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 ask mercy for his sake; not by bare mentioning of his name", but by drawing our encouragement to pray, and our boldness, strength, and hope of acceptance in prayer, from Christ and his mediation °. e Micah v. 18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. f Psal. cxlv. 18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. Ver. 19. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their cry, and will save them. 8 Rom. x. 14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?— h Mat. iv. 10. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. i1 Cor. i. 2. Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in Q. 181. Why every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. k Psal. 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? 180. m John xiv. 13. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. Ver. 14. If ye shall 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 servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake. n Mat. vii. 21. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which 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 profession Q. 181. Why are we to pray in the name of Christ? A. The sinfulness of man, and his distance from God by reason thereof, being so great, as that we can have no access into his presence without a mediator; and there being none in heaven or earth appointed to, or fit for, that glorious work but Christ alone, we are to pray in no other name but his only'. Q. 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 (although not in all persons, nor at all times, in the same measure) those profession. Ver. 15. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like us we are, yet without sin. Ver. 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. 1 John v. 13. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the 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. Ver. 14. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. Ver. 15. And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 181. P John xiv. 6. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me. Isa. lix. 2. But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins 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. 9 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 intercession for them. Ver. 26. For such an high priest be came us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens ; Ver. 27. Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's; for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 1 Tim. ii. 5. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 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 those apprehensions, affections, and graces which are requisite 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 earth; for magistrates", and ministers"; for ourselves *, our brethren, yea, our enemies'; and for all sorts of men living", or that shall live hereafter; but not for the dead, the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. 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 intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Ver. 27. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Psal. x. 17. Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare 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 Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications; and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn. t 183. Eph. vi. 18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all saints. Psal. xxviii. 9. Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever. "1 Tim. ii. 1. I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men: Ver. 2. For kings, and for all that are in nor authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. w Col. iv. 3. Withal, praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds. x Gen. xxxii. 11. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. y James v. 16. Confess 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 which despitefully use you, and persecute you,, a 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2. [See above in ".] b John xvii. 20. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word. 2 Sam. vii. 29. Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, 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 servant be blessed for ever. C2 Sam. xii. 21. Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this |