Q. 9. Do not prayers thus qualified sometimes miscarry ;
J. God may delay and suspend the answer of them for a time ; Psal. xxii. 2. O my God I cry in the day-time, but thou hearest not, &c. But sooner or later God will always answer them, either in the
very thing we ask ; 1 John v. 15. -We know that we have the
petitions that we desired of him : Or in that which is equivalent, or better ; Gen. xvii. 18, 19. And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee : And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed, and thou shalt call his name Isaac : and 1 will establish my covenant with him, for an everlasting cove- nant, and with his seed after him.
Q. 10. Is there no prayer but what is stated and fixed ?
A. Yes, there is a sudden occasional prayer, which we call ejacu- latory. Such was Jacob's, Gen. xlix. 18. I have waited for thy sal- vation, O Lord. And this is exceeding useful, to maintain constant communion with God, and keep the heart in a spiritual frame.
Q. 11. Is all stated and fixed prayer public in the congregation or church ?
A. No ; stated prayer ought to be in our families, with those under our charge ; and in our closets, betwixt God and us alone ; Josli,
xxiv. 15. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,
And Mat. vi. 6. But when thou prayest, enter into thy closet ; and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in se- cret ; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Q. 12. What do you infer from hence ?
A. That the restraint of prayer is not only a great sin, but an ill sign of a graceless heart ; Job vi. 4. Yea, thou castest off* fear, and restrainest prayer before God. And that which entails a judgment and curse upon men, and their families ; Jer. x. 25. Pour out thv fury upon the Heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not upon thy name.
Q. 13. What is the second inference from the ordinance of prayer ?
A. That the true reason why we enjoy not the mercies we pray for, is not because God is unwilling to grant mercies, but because wc either neglect prayer, or miscarry in the manner of prayer; James iv. 2, 3. Ye lust, and have not : ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain : ye fight and war, yet ye have not, l^ecause ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Of Direction in Prayer .
Quest. 99. W HAT rule hath God given for our direction in the duty of prayer.^
294? AN EXPOSITION OF THE ASSEMBLy's CATECHISM.
A. 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 LordCs prayer.
Q. 1. Do men need directions, rules, and helps in prayer ?
A, They do greatly need them, for in, and of ourselves we know not what to pray for as we ought ; Rom. viii. 26. Likewise the Spi- rit also helpeth our infirmities ; for we Vuow not what we should pray for as we ought, &c. Nor how to pray in a right manner, and for right ends; and a mistake in either frustrates our prayers; James iv. 3. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Q. 2. When do men mistake in the matter of their prayer.?
A. They mistake in the matter of prayer, when they ask of God things that are not lawful, good and agreeable to his will. So the dis- ciples were ready to do, in calling for fire from heaven on the Sama- ritans ; Luke ix. 54, 55. And when his disciples, James and John, saw this, they said. Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did ? But he tunied and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
Q. 3. When do men mistake in the manner of prayer ?
A. They mistake in the manner, v.hen they ask mercies of God for carnal ends, to satisfy their lusts ; James iv. 3. Ye ask, and re- ceive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Or in a drowsy and careless manner ; Isa. Ixiv. 7. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee, &c.
Q. 4. What helps hath God afforded us to furnish us to prayer, both in respect of the matter and manner ?
A. The scriptures abundantly furnish us with all sorts of helps and directions for the matter of prayer. It directs us, both in confession of sin, original and actual ; Psalm li. 4, 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, &c. Peti- tion and thanksgiving ; 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.
Q. 5. Doth it afford us any help, or direction, as to the manner of prayer also ?
A. Yes, it doth; and that both as to, (1.) Our sincerity in pray- er ; Heb. x. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith ; having our hears sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (2.) As to our humility in pray- er; Psalm X. 17. Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble; thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear. (3.) As to our faith in prayer; James i. 6. But let him ask in faith, no- thing wavering, &c. (4.) As to our fervency in prayer ; James v. 6.
AN EXPOSITION OF THE ASSEMBLY'S CATECHISM. S95
—The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Q. 6. Are these external rules and directions sufficient in them- selves to enable us to pray acceptably ?
A. In respect of external direction they are sufficient, and we need no other outward rules than what the scriptures furnish ; but besides that, the internal helps and assistances of the Spirit are necessary to the offering up acceptable 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 intercession for us, &c.
Q. 7. But doth the scripture only furnish us with general rules of direction for prayer ;
J. No, it furnishes us also with an excellent pattern and example of prayer, composed by Christ for our direction ; Matth. vi. ^. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father, which art in heaven, &c.
Q. 8. Are Christians tied by a necessity to use that form of words .^ Or was it only intended for a directory to them ?
A. That form of words may be lawfully used, but it is plain its intention was to regulate our petitions by it ; and therefore they that use it in spells and charms, as the Papists ; or those that think nothing is prayer, but that form of words ; abuse Christ's intention in it.
Q. 9. How doth it appear, it was not Christ's intention strictly to bind us to that very form of words in our prayers ?