Imatges de pàgina
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Q. 5. What may encourage us to afk forgiveness from God? 4. We may be encouraged to ask forgiveness from God, when, by his grace, we are enabled with our hearts to forgive others. Matth. vi. 14. For if ye forgive men their trefpaffes, your heavenly father will alfo forgive you.'

CVI. Queft. What do we pray for in the fixth petition?

Anfw. In the fixth petition, which is, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, we pray, that God would either keep us from being tempted unto fin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted.

Q. 1. What do we requeft in praying, Lead us not into temptation?

A. In praying, Lead us not into temptation, we request, that God would keep us from being tempted unto fin. Q. 2. How doth God keep us from being tempted unto fin? A. God keepeth us from being tempted unto fin, either when he restraineth the devil (the great tempter of mankind) from affaulting us with his prevailing temptations; or else restraineth us from coming into thofe ways where temptations are waiting for us, and where we fhould be tempters uuto ourfelves. Matth. xxvi. 41. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.' Pfal. xix. 13. Keep back thy fervant from prefumptuous fins, let them not have dominion over me.'

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Q. 3. What do we request in praying, Deliver us from evil?

A. In praying, Deliver us from evil, we request, that, when we are tempted by the devil, or the flesh, or the world, unto fin, we may be fupported and ftrengthened to refift and overcome the temptations, fo as to be delivered by the power of God's fufficient grace, from falling into the evil of fin. James iv. 7. Refist the devil, and he will flee from you.' I Cor. x. 13. 'God is faithful, who will not fuffer you to be tempted above that you are able.' 2 Cor. xii. 7, 8, 9. There was given to me a thorn in the flefh, the meffenger of Satan to buffet me. For this thing I befought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, my grace is fufficient for thee.'

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CVII. Queft. What dath the conclufion of the Lord's prayer.teach us?

Anfw. The conclufion of the Lord's prayer, which is, For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever Amen, teacheth us, to take our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise him, afcribing kingdom, power and glory to him; and in teftimony of our defire and affurance to be heard, we say, Amen.

Q. 1. What is the conclufion to the Lora's prayer itself? A. The conclufion to the Lord's prayer itself, is in thefe words, For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever Amen.

Q. 2. What is the first thing which this conclufion of the Lord's prayer doth teach us?

A. The first thing which this conclufion of the Lord's prayer doth teach us, is, to take our encouragement in prayer, not from ourselves, or any worthiness of our own but from God only, who having the kingdom and eternal fovereignty, the power, and eternal all-fufficiency, the glory forever, and therefore incomparably glorious in his faithfulnefs, goodnefs, and moft tender mercy, we may perfuade ourselves, that he is both able to give what we afk, and that he is willing, and will give what he hath promised unto us. Dan. ix. 18, 19. We do not prefent our fupplications for our righteoufnefs, but for thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken, and do; defer not, for thine own fake, O my God.' Pfal. v. 2. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my king, and my God; for unto thee will I pray.' Eph. iii. 20, 21. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Chrift Jefus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.'

Q3. What is the fecond thing which this conclufion of the Lord's prayer doth teach us?

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A. The fecond thing which this conclufion of the Lord's prayer doth teach us, is, in our prayers to God, to praise him, afcribing kingdom, power, and glory unto him. 1 Chron. xxix. 10, 11. 13. Bleffed be thou, Lord God of Ifrael our Father, for ever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatnefs, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majefty; for all that is in the heaven

and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, and thou art exalted as head above all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name?' 1 Tim. i. 17. 'Now unto the king eternal, immortal, invifible, the only wife God, be honor and glory, forever and ever. Amen.'

Q. 4. Why are we to say, Amen ?

A. We are to say, Amen, which fignifieth, so be it, or so fhall it be, in teftimony of our defires and affurance to be heard. Rev. xxii. zo. Amen. Even fo, come, Lord Jefus.'

AN

ADDRESS

ON THE SUBJECTS OF

PRAYER AND FAMILY RELIGION.

BY BENJAMIN TRUMBULL, D. D.

PASTOR OF THE CHURCH IN NORTH-HAVEN.

BELOVED BREthren and Friends,

PRAYER is not only an indifpenfable duty, but an inestimable privilege. It is an important part of that worship which all men owe to God, and so essential to religion, that without it there can be none. It affords the nobleft relief and fupport to the Chriftian in all his dangers and diftreffes; is an important mean of his growth in grace, of communion with the Father of his fpirit, of his overcoming the world, and of obtaining the inheritance of the faints in light. It has great prevalence in averting divine judgments from a people, and in obtaining for them the richest bleffings. It is the fureft defence of individuals, families, and whole nations. Family religion, including prayer, pious inftruction, and government, is no lefs important. On thefe two very much depend the religion, comfort and falvation of individuals, the religion, good order, honor and profperity of families, of the church and commonwealth. In thefe the divine honor, and the prefeat and endless happiness of men are most deeply concerned. Scarcely any thing, among a people, whofe fath ers were men of prayer, and who, like Abraham, have commanded, That their children and households after them should keep the way of the Lord, [Gen. xviii. 19.] can be a greater apoftacy, than a cafting off fear, and reftraining prayer before God, and the neglect of family re

figion. It is at once finking down from a state of christfanity, under the light of the glorious gofpel, into a state of heathenifm. It is at the fame time awfully calculated to bring down the wrath of God on all fuch children of impiety and disobedience. If men will forfake God, he will caft them off forever. [1 Chron. xxviii. 9.] Since therefore, it is lamentably evident, that prayer and family religion are exceedingly neglected, and rapidly on the decline, how deeply fhould it affect every heart? How should it awaken the united exertions of all who love human nature, of all who feek the profperity of Zion, and with the duration and happinefs of our nation, to remedy thefe alarming impieties, and to reftore ns to our primitive ftate? To effect these happy purposes, as far as may be, by the divine bleffing, is the defign of this addrefs.

Prayer is certainly an act of natural worship. If there be a God of infinite perfection, nothing is more certain than that he ought to be worshipped as fuch: and prayer is a principal part of that homage which we owe him, as our creator, constant preferver and benefactor. His perfections challenge our fupreme love, and most perfect obe. dience his daily care over us, and countless mercies towards us, our continual thanksgivings: our daily fins, our constant penitential fupplications for his pardoning goodness and our continual wants, that we should always be afking his help. Prayer, therefore, is but our reasonable service. It is founded in the very nature of things, in the infinite perfection of God, in our relation to him and dependence on him. The very heathen cried, every man to his God. They facrificed and made vows. [Jonah i. 5. 16.]

Further, the express commands of God oblige men, in all places, and circumstances, to pray to him: To pray with all kinds of prayer and fupplication : to pray without ceafing, and without fainting. It is written, Trust in him at all times: ye people pour out your hearts before him. [Pfal. lxii. 8.] I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. [1 Tim. ii. 8.] Jefus Chrift abundantly inculcated the duty of prayer. He fpake a parable to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. [Luke xviii. 1.]. He com

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