by Us in order to our better Performance of those Duties we have before mentioned Such are Some extraordinary Acts of Prayer and Devotion A Retirement from the Business and Conversation of the World but especially from the Follies and Vanities of it And these accompanied with some Acts of Prayer and Mortification whilst we are making the Examination of our Selves before proposed But these must be govern'd by the Rules of Prudence as every Man's Business Opportunities Needs State of Health and the like Circumstances either Require or will allow of Q. Is such a Preparatory Examination of our Selves so necessary before we Come to the Holy Table that we may in no Case presume to Come without it A. No it is not Those who live in a Strict and Regular Course of Life and have nothing extraordinary happen'd to Them as they always know what their State towards God is so are they always Ready to Receive this Holy Sacrament and need not be afraid to partake of it because they had not the Opportunity of making a particular previous Preparation of themselves for it Yet if even these should design to go at a certain Time before known to the Communion they not only piously may but in duty Ought to do somewhat of this kind in order to their going with the better Dispositions to it Q. What if by this means a Good Christian should not be able fully to satisfy himself concerning his Worthiness to Go to the Holy Table A. In that Case he ought to Consider what it is that puts him in doubt of it and having so done let him take the Advice of some Person whom he can Rely upon but especially of his Minister about it That so being free'd from his Scruples he may Go with a Quiet Mind and a full Perswasion of Conscience to this Spiritual Feast and certainly Receive the Benefits of it Q. What if it shall appear that He is not in a State of Going worthily to this Sacrament A. He must for the present Refrain from it and make all the haste He can to Remove the Impediment and Reconcile himself to God that so He may be in a Condition both to Come worthily to it and to be made Partaker of those Graces which are thereby Communicated to every Faithful Receiver of it SECT LII Q. IS there Any Thing yet farther Required of Those who Come to the Lord's Supper A. Yes there is namely that they be first CONFIRM'D by the Bishop It being ordain'd by the Church That none shall be admitted to the Holy Communion until such time as He be Confirm'd or Ready and Desirous to be Confirmed Q. What do you mean by Confirmation A. I mean the Solemn laying on of the Hands of the Bishop upon such as have been Baptized and are come to Years of Discretion Q. How is this performed among Us A. It is directed to be done after a very Wise and Solemn Manner For First The Bishop having given Notice to the Minister of his Intention to Confirm and Appointed a Time for the doing of it the Minister is to call together such of his Parish as are Come to Years of Discretion and have not yet been Confirmed and to Examine them in their Church-Catechism and to prepare as many as he can for the Bishop to Confirm Secondly Having done this he is either to bring or send in Writing with his Hand Subscribed thereunto the Names of all such Persons within his Parish as he shall think fit to be presented to the Bishop to be Confirm'd These being Approved of by the Bishop are brought openly into the Church and Required by the Bishop in the Presence of God and the Congregation there Assembled to Renew the Solemn Vow and Promise which was made in their Names at their Baptism and in their Own Persons to Ratify and Confirm the same acknowledging themselves bound to believe and do all those Things which their Godfathers and Godmothers then undertook for them Which having done the Bishop heartily prays to God for his Grace to enable them to fulfil this their Vow and laying his Hand severally on Every One's Head Beseeches God to defend this His Servant with his heavenly Grace that He may Continue His for Ever and daily Increase in his Holy Spirit more and more until He comes to his Everlasting Kingdom To all which are finally added the Joint Prayers both of the Bishop and the Church to the same Effect and so the Ceremony is ended Q. What are the Reasons that chiefly moved the Church of England to Retain such a Ceremony as this A. There may several be assigned but especially these Four * Apostolical Practice * The Reasonableness of the Thing its self * The Benefit of it to the Person who is Confirmed and * The Satisfaction that arises from hence to the Church of Christ. Q. Did the Apostles Practise such an Imposition of Hands A. The Apostles did lay their Hands on those who had been Baptized and by their Imposition of Hands such Persons did Receive the Holy Ghost Acts viii 17 xix 6 Q. Does the Bishop give the Holy Ghost now as the Apostles did by their Imposition of Hands A. That we do not say nor did the Apostles themselves do it They Laid on their Hands and God Gave his Holy Spirit to those on whom they Laid them And we piously presume that by the fervent Prayers of the Bishop and the Church those on whom He now Lays his Hands shall also Receive the Holy Ghost if they do but worthily prepare Themselves for it Q. Is there any Promise of God on which to build such a Hope A. A General One there is and such as may in this Case above any be depended upon by Us. For First We are directed to Pray not only for Our Selves but for One Another also To encourage us hereunto Christ has promised Us to Grant whatsoever is piously ask'd by the joint Suffrages of his Church of Him Mat. xviii 19 And particularly has declared That God will Give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him Luk. xi 9 Add to this That it has always been accounted a part of the Ministerial Office not only to Instruct but to Pray for and Bless their People When therefore the Chief Pastor of the Church and his Congregation solemnly join together to beg of God the Grace of his Holy Spirit in behalf of such Persons as these who have just now been dedicating themselves a-new to his Service and Ratifying the Covenant made between God and them at their Baptism how can we chuse but believe that God will certainly Grant their Request and Give His Holy Spirit to those for whom He is thus earnestly and solemnly Ask'd of Him Q. From whence does it appear that such an Imposition of Hands was Reasonable to have been Ordain'd and to be Continued in the Church A. From the Condition of those who are commonly Baptized among Us and who being for the most
The Image of the invisible God Col. i. 15 2 Cor. iv 4 to be from God Jo vii 29 to have Life from the Father Jo. v. 26 and the like And upon this Account it is that our Saviour himself says that the Father is greater than he Jo. xiv 28 That he can do Nothing of Himself but what he seeth the Father do Jo. v. 18 19. Or if this be not yet plain enough they tell us farther in express terms that he is the Begotten and the Only begotten Son of the Father Jo. i. 14 18. iii. 16 18. Heb xi 17 1 Jo. iv 9 v. 1 Q. But will not this make the Holy Ghost as much God's Son as Christ And how then is Christ his Only Son A. In Matters of this kind which are so far above our Capacities and of which we know Nothing but what God has been pleased to Reveal to Us we must speak as God in his Word has taught us to speak Now the Scriptures no where call the Holy Ghost the Son of God nor God the Father of the Holy Ghost And therefore though we know not what the precise Difference is yet because the proper Act of a Father is to beget we say that Christ Received his Divine Nature from God by Generation but of the Holy Ghost we say as the Scriptures do that He Proceedeth from the Father Jo. xv 26 and is the Spirit not of the Father only but of the Son also Gal. iv 6 Rom. viii 9 Phil. i 19. 1 Pet. i. 11 Q. What is the last Respect in which our Saviour is here Represented to Us A. His Relation to Vs OVR LORD Eph. iv 5 1 Cor. viii 5 Rev. x. 6 Q. How is Christ OVR Lord A. As he is God together with the Father and as by Him God Created the World so has he the same Original Right of Dominion with him and is Lord of All his Creatures Q. Is there not some Other ground for this Title and which Restrains it in a particular Manner to Mankind A. Yes there is Inasmuch as by his Coming into the World and Dying for Us he Redeemed Us from Death and so became Our Lord by virtue of that Purchase which thereby he made of Us. Q. When did Christ begin in this Respect to be Our Lord A. He entred in part upon this Authority before his Death though not without Respect to his dying for Us As is Evident from his publishing his Gospel abrogating the Law and setting out the Conditions of Life and Death to Mankind Hence before his Death he asserted to himself the Power to forgive Sins Mat. ix 2 6. But the full exercise of his Dominion he entred not upon till after his Resurrection when as himself declared to his Apostles Mat. xxviii 18 All Power in Heaven and Earth was given unto Him See Eph. i. 20 21. Q. How long will Christ continue in this Respect to be Our Lord A. Christ will continue to be Our Lord for Ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no End Luk. i 32 33. But then as the subject Matter of a great part of that Authority which he now exercises over his Church is proper only to the present State of it and will determine at the Day of Judgment so will all the farther exercise of such Authority cease together with it Christ as Mediator must Reign till he has put all his Enemies under his Feet till Sin Death the Devil and all Wicked Men shall be destroy'd and all his Faithful Servants be delivered from the Power of them Psal. cx 1 1 Cor. xv 25 But that being done Christ will deliver up this Authority to God even the Father 1 Cor. xv 24 Nevertheless still as God-Man he will continue to Reign with and over his Saints to all Eternity in Heaven And so make good what Daniel foretold concerning him Dan. vii 14 That his Dominion is an Everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed SECT X. Q. WHAT does your Creed teach you farther to Believe concerning our Lord Jesus Christ in the following Articles which Relate to Him A. All such Matters as are necessary to be Known and Believed by Us with Relation to the great Work of our Redemption which was accomplish'd by Him Q. By what means did Christ accomplish the Redemption of Mankind A. By giving up Himself to the Death upon the Cross for Us. 1 Pet. i. 18 19. Q. How could Christ whom you believe to be God die A. He took upon him our Nature He became Man like unto one of Us and being found in fashion as a Man he yielded up himself to Death even the Death of the Cross for Us Phil. ii 7 8. Act. xx 28 Q. After what manner was Christ made Man A. Not by the Conversion of his Divine Nature into the Humane nor by any Confounding of the Two Natures together But by Vniting our Humane Nature to His Divine after a Singular manner and such as cannot be perfectly Express'd by Us. Q. Were then Two distinct Natures the Divine and Humane Vnited together in Christ A. Yes there were And that in such wise as to make the same Jesus Christ by the distinction of the Two Natures in the Vnity of the same Person become truly and really at Once both God and Man Q. How was Christ made Man A. He was Conceived by the Holy Ghost and Born of the Uirgin Mary Q. How could Christ be conceived by the Holy Ghost A. Not by the communication of any part of his Own Substance to Him but as that Blessed Spirit set Nature on Work and took away the need of any Human Concurrence to his Production And as having thus prepared a Body for him of the Substance of the Virgin he breathed into it a most Perfect Reasonable Soul Q. Wherefore was it needful for the Holy Ghost to do this A. Both for the Honour and Purity of our Blessed Saviour That so he might come into the World free from all tincture of Sin And also that by the extraordinariness of His Birth He might fulfil the Prophecies which God had before deliver'd concerning it Q. How was Christ born of the Virgin Mary A. The Substance of his Body was derived from that of the Blessed Virgin He grew in her Womb and at the full time of her Delivery she brought him into the World And upon all these Accounts she was as much his Mother as any Other Woman is Mother of the Child that is born by Her Q. Had our Saviour then a Real Body like unto One of Us A. He had both a Real Humane Body Luke xxiv 39 1 Jo. iv 2 3 and Rational Soul Mat. xxvi 28 Luk. xxiii 46 And was in all things like unto Us only without Sin Heb. ii 17 iv 15 Q. Wherefore do you give the Title of Virgin to the Mother of our Lord A. To testify our belief that
Holy Scriptures For First Our Blessed Saviour promised the penitent Thief but a little before his Death that That Day he should be with him in Paradise Luk. xxiii 43 And Secondly As he was Expiring he gave up the Ghost with these Words Father into thy Hands I Commend my Spirit Christ therefore having now finish'd his Passion expired upon the Cross. His Body was laid in the Sepulchre his Spirit Return'd unto God that gave it and together with the Soul of the Penitent Thief was carry'd by the Holy Angels into Paradise where the Souls of the Righteous rest till the Day of the Resurrection And from thence it return'd on the third Day and was again Reunited to its Body as Ours also shall be at the Day of Judgment Q. What is your Opinion of the Limbus Patrum or Prison in which those of the Church of Rome suppose the Souls of Holy Men who dyed before the time of Christ to be shut up And to deliver whom they say our Saviour now went down thither A. As of a meer Fiction for which there is not the least ground in Scripture but much to the contrary and fit to keep Company with their Other Dream of Purgatory since SECT XII Q. WAS Christ to continue always under the Power of Death A. No but the contrary was foretold concerning Him That God would not leave his Soul in Hell nor suffer his Holy One to see Corruption Psal xvi 10 Acts ii 31 Q. How was he deliver'd from the Power of the Grave A. He Rose again the Third Day from the Dead Q. How do you understand these Words A. That upon the Third Day after his Death his Soul and Body which had been separated from One Another were by the mighty Power of God brought together again and vitally United to One Another And so the same Jesus who was dead became again alive or as it is in my Creed Rose again the Third Day from the Dead Q. Did Christ Raise Himself from the Dead A. I before said that he was Raised by the mighty Power of God Nor could any thing less than a Divine Power have done it Eph. i. 19 20. Yet as Christ was God as well as Man so he did also upon that account concur to his Own Resurrection And thus the Scripture tells us Jo. ii 19 Destroy this Temple says Christ to the Jews and in Three Days I will Raise it up Jo. x. 17 18. Therefore doth my Father Love me because I lay down my Life that I may take it up again No Man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have Power to lay it down and I have Power to take it again Which is also by the way another Evident Argument to prove that Christ is God Q. How does it appear that He did thus Rise from the Dead A. By the Testimony of Those who were Eye-witnesses of it And saw Him first cruelly put to Death and afterwards beheld Him Alive again Q. Are the Persons who give testimony hereunto such as may be securely Rely'd upon in a Matter of this Moment A. They are For First we have the Testimony of his most bitter Enemies as well as of his Friends to prove his Death Mar. xv 39 44 45. Mat. xxvii 62 c. Nor will the Sufferings which He underwent permit Us to doubt of it Jo. xix 33 34. And Secondly as for his being Alive after the Jews who set a Guard upon his Sepulchre on purpose to prevent his being Stollen away and the Pretence of his Resurrection which they were afraid his Disciples had design'd to Raise thereupon yet could not deny but that in despight of all their Care He was Gone out of the Sepulchre and what was become of Him they could not tell Mat. xxvii 62 c. xxviii 11 c. Q. But what positive Witness have you of his being Alive after his Crucifixion A. We have the Witness of his * Apostles of his * Disciples of above * Five hundred Persons who saw him and conversed with him and many of which died for the Testimony which they gave unto it None ever went back from it We have besides this the Witness * of Angels The Witness * of a Persecutor by this very Assurance converted into an Apostle And lastly the Witness * of God Himself who without all dispute enabled the first Preachers of this very Article to work wonderful Miracles in Confirmation of it and thereby as effectually as could be desired Gave his Own Evidence to the truth of it Q. Why do you add the Circumstance of the Time of his Resurrection that He Rose the Third Day A. To shew that he Rose according to the Types and Prophecies that had gone before concerning Him and upon the very Day that He himself had foretold he would Rise Jon. i. 17 ii 10 compare Mat. xii 38 Mat. xvi 21 Jo. ii 19 20. Q. How does it appear that it was the Third Day on which he Rose A. He Suffer'd on the Sixth Day being Our Friday between Nine and Twelve a Clock in the Morning He Rose on the First commonly called Our Sunday Morning after and so was Dead part of Friday all Saturday and part of Sunday For the Jews computed the Day from the Evening and so Saturday Night Six a Clock the First Day of the Week according to them began Q. Was there any thing Remarkable in the Day on which he Rose A. It was the Day on which God had before designed he should Rise And therefore on this Day the Sheaf of the First-fruits by which their Harvest was to be consecrated was lifted up before God among the Jews Lev. xxiii 10 to signify that Christ our First-fruits should on this Day be Raised up by God from the Dead and so become a Surety to Us of our future Resurrection See Rom. xi 16 1 Cor. xv 20 23. Q. What is the special Importance of this Article to Us A. It is very great Inasmuch as First It does beyond contradiction confirm the Divine Authority of our Blessed Lord Rom. i. 4 and the Truth of our Religion Rom. viii 33 34. And in the next Place does Assure Us that the Price of our Redemption was fully paid by Him Rom. iv 25 and is a Pledg to Us that as Christ was raised from the Dead so shall our mortal Bodies be quickned also by the same Spirit of Christ which dwelleth in Vs. Rom. vi 5 9. viii 11 SECT XIII Q. HOW did our Blessed Lord dispose of Himself after that he was Risen from the Dead A. He continued upon the Earth Forty Days with his Disciples both to Confirm them in their Belief of his Resurrection Jo. xx 19 25 27. Act. i. 3 and to Instruct them more fully in all those things which they were afterwards to preach to the World Acts i. 3 And then at the End of them He Ascended into Heaven
Person and that distinct both from the Father and from Our Lord Jesus Christ. Q. Wherein do the Holy Scriptures speak of this Blessed Spirit as of a Person A. * They give him the Proper Names of a Person God Acts v. 3 4. Lord 2 Cor. iii. 17 The Spirit 1 Sam. xvi 14 Jo. xvi 13 The Comforter Jo. xiv 26 xvi 7 c. * They ascribe to Him the Properties of a Person Vnderstanding 1 Cor. ii 11 Will 1 Cor. xii 11 * They Represent Him as doing Personal Acts He is Sent He Cometh Goeth Heareth Teacheth Jo. xiv 26 xv 26 27. Jo. xvi 7 13 c. Is Tempted Resisted Grieved Eph. iv 30 Speaketh Commandeth Intercedeth Acts x. 19 xiii 2 Rom. viii 26 * They join him with those who are confessedly Persons viz. God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. In the Form of Baptism Mat. xxviii 19 In St. Paul's Wish for the Corinthians 2 Cor. xiii 14 In St. John's Catalogue of Witnesses 1 Jo. v. 7 They Oppose him to such Spirits as We All allow to be Persons 1 Sam. xvi 14 * They represent him under Personal Apparitions Mat. iii. 16 Acts ii 3 and by all this undoubtedly assure Us that He is a Person Q. By what Arguments from the Holy Scriptures do you prove that He is a Divine Person A. By the same by which I before shew'd the Son so to be They ascribe to him the Names of God Acts v. 3 4. 2 Cor. iii. 17 The Attributes of God Heb. ix 14 Psal. cxxxix 7 Job xxvi 13 The Honour of God They tell us That He is the Spirit of God 1 Cor. ii 11.17 That a Sin may be immediately committed against Him Mat. xii 31 That his dwelling in Us makes our Bodies the Temples of God 1 Cor. iii. 16 That Christ by being Conceived by him became the Son of God Luke i. 35 They teach us to Baptize in his Name together with those of the Father and Son Mat. xxviii 19 And shew Us even St. Paul himself paying a Religious Invocation to him 1 Thes. iii. 12 13. 2 Thes. iii. 3 c. Q. How do you prove him not only to be a Divine Person but a Person distinct both from the Father and the Son A. He proceedeth from the Father and therefore is not the Father Jo. xv 26 He is sent by the Son and therefore is not the Son Jo. xvi 7 15. He is sent sometimes by the Father in the Name of the Son and sometimes by the Son from the Father and therefore is neither the Father nor the Son Jo. xiv 26 xv 26 Q. But did not you before say that there is but One God And how now do you say that the Father is God the Son is God and the Holy Ghost is God A. That there is but One God the Holy Scriptures plainly declare and even Reason it self confirms it to Us. And yet the Same Scriptures as plainly declare Every One of these Three to be God And the only way we know of Reconciling these Two seemingly contrary Assertions is to say that these Three partake of One and the same Divine Nature communicated from the Father to the Son and from Both to the Holy Ghost And that therefore They together make but One God Q. How can it be possible that Three distinct Persons should so partake of the One Divine Nature or Essence as All together to make but One God A. That is not my Concern to determine This I am sure that if the Scriptures be as We all allow that they are the Word of God what they plainly deliver must be true because it is in effect delivered by God himself who can neither be Himself deceived nor will deceive Me. Now that they deliver both these Propositions to me That the Father is God the Son is God and the Holy Ghost is God And yet that there are not Three Gods but One God I am as sure as I can be of any thing that is spoken or written for my Understanding That therefore both these Assertions are True and Credible I am sure But how or after what manner I am to understand them so as to remove all shew of Contradiction in them this the Holy Scriptures have not Revealed nor do I therefore presume to pronounce any thing more particularly concerning it Q. Why then do you say that they are Three Persons and but One in the Divine Essence A. Because I know not how better to express the Vnity and Distinction of them and they are Terms which the Church has long Received and I see no Reason to depart from them unless I knew of some better and more apt Expressions to Use in their Stead Q. Is there any thing farther needful to be known concerning the Holy Ghost A. Yes there is and that is with Relation to his Office That it is he who Sanctifieth Me and All the Elect People of God Q. How is it that the Holy Ghost does this A. He Regenerates Us at our Baptism Jo. iii. 5 Tit. iii. 5 Gal. v. 15 He Vnites Us unto Christ 1 Cor. xii 12 13. 1 Jo. iii. 24 Co-operates with Us in all our Religious Vndertakings 2 Cor. ix 5 He Illuminates our Vnderstandings Psal. cxix 18 Acts xvi 14 Disposes our Wills Phil. ii 12 Settles us in the Faith of Christ Eph. ii 8 Phil. i. 29 Heb. iv 2 Enables us to fulfil our Duty Rom. viii 14 Gal. v. 16 Helps our Prayers Rom. viii 26 34. 1 Jo. v. 14 Fortifies us against Temptations 1 Cor. x. 13 And Carries us through all the Dangers that either our Own Weakness or the Cunning and Malice of the Devil may raise against Us to draw us away from or hinder Us in Our Duty Phil. i. 6 1 Cor. i.8 2 Cor. i. 22 Eph. iv 30 Q. Will the Holy Ghost alone do all this for Us A. No but we must Use our Own Endeavour if ever we mean to be assisted by him It is by the Grace of the Holy Spirit alone that we are Able to do those things which God and our Duty Require of Us. But that Grace is not to exclude but to assist and perfect our Own Endeavours and to enable us thereby to do that which without it we should never have been able to have done Phil. ii 12 Work out your own Salvation with Fear and Trembling For it is God which Worketh in you both to Will and to Do of his Good Pleasure Q. By what means may we obtain this Help of the Holy Spirit A. By fervent Prayer to God for his Grace Luke xi 9 and by a diligent Care to use that Portion of it whatever it be which God hath given Us to his Honour and Service Mat. xiii 12 xxv 29 And upon our doing of which not only that Grace which we have already shall be sure to be continued to Us but greater Degrees shall be added to it 2 Pet. iii. 18 Q. Are these the only Ends
with Diligence with Attention with Fervour and with Perseverance Q. Are these Conditions so strictly Required by God that no Prayers are heard by Him which want any of Them A. That may not Generally be affirm'd There are great Inequalities in the Affections of the best Men in their Prayers Nor can Any avoid all kind of Wandrings and Disturbances in them Nay sometimes the best Christians may be the most distracted with vain Thoughts and melancholy Fancies in their Devotions That which is certain is this that Every Man ought to Pray as frequently as his Circumstances 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 sincerely Endeavour'd he ought not to doubt but that God will Pardon his Infirmities in that as well as in the other Instances of his Duty and accept his Prayers and grant him his Desires Q. What are the Things which we ought to Pray for A. For those of this Life in General only unless it be on some special Occasions and with an intire Submission of our Selves to God's Will in whatsoever He shall please to Order for Us. But as to the Graces which are necessary for Us in Order to the Other Life we are to pray particularly earnestly absolutely and without any Qualifications because we know these Things to be always proper for Us to Ask and always Suitable to the Will of God to Give to Us. Q. At what Times ought We to Pray A. Continually and without Ceasing Not that we are to account our selves thereby Obliged to Spend our whole Time in Prayer but to look upon those Expressions to imply a constant daily Attendance upon this Duty the Frequency whereof must be left to Every One's State and Condition to determine Q. What is that General Proportion which Every Christian ought to observe in the Times of his daily Prayers A. If He has Opportunity for it and can have leisure so to do it were to be wish'd that He should come Every Day to the Publick Prayers of the Church But if this cannot be done He must at least every Day without fail Pray to God in Private Morning and Evening and if He has a Family he should every Day at some convenient Time Pray with that also in Order to the better keeping up a Sense of Religion in it Q. Do you think it to be a Matter of Necessary Duty to Pray Publickly with the Church A. In General it certainly is especially upon the Lord's Day and such Other Solemn Times of Prayer as both the Laws of the Realm and the Canons of the Church require of Us. As for the daily Prayers if we live in a Place where they are publickly Read and are not hinder'd by any necessary Business to come to Them I do not see how we can excuse our selves from usually joining to Them Q. Has our Saviour left Us any particular Direction how we should Pray A. He has left Us a Form of his Own Composing not only to be continually made Use of by Us but also to be a Pattern to Us after what manner We ought to put up our Own Addresses to God Q. In what does that Form chiefly direct Us to compose aright our Own Prayers A. It teaches us especially these Four Things First That we should make our Prayers short and pertinent as being most suitable both to the Wisdom and Majesty of God and to our Own Weakness and Infirmities Secondly That we should Pray for Others as well as for our Selves and that in our Private as well as our Publick Prayers Thirdly That we may pray for the Necessaries of this Life though our main Concern should be in our Prayers as well as our Endeavours after Those of the Other Fourthly That we should Pray to God ONLY and to Him as our Father through Jesus Christ our Lord. Q. Have you any thing Else to Observe from the Form of this Prayer A. This only that to Pray to God by a Set-form is so far from being a Thing either in its self Vnlawful or Injurious to the Holy Spirit that we see our Saviour himself has here given Us an Example for it as under the Law God was pleased in several Cases to direct the very Words in which he would be address'd to by the Jews SECT XXXIV Q. SAY the Lord's Prayer A. Our Father c. Q. What are the General Parts of this Prayer A. It is divided into Three General Parts * A Preface or Introduction * The Petitions and * A Doxology or Conclusion Q. What is the Preface to this Prayer A. Our Father which art in Heaven Q. Wherefore did our Saviour begin his Prayer with this Compellation of God Our Father A. To shew us that all our Hope of being heard or accepted by God is by vertue of that Relation wherein we stand to him in and through his Son Jesus Christ. Jo. xiv 6 No Man cometh unto the Father but by Me. Jo. xv 16 xvi 23 24. Verily Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you Ask and ye shall Receive that your Joy may be full See Col. iii. 17 Q. Why was that Circumstance added Which art in Heaven A. To shew the Difference between Him and our Earthly Parents who sometimes are hard towards their Children and will not give them what they ask Oftentimes are not able to supply their Needs And in many Cases cannot tell what is best for them but either deny them when they ought to have given them what they desired or Give them when it would have been more advisable not to have done it Whereas our Heavenly Father is All-Merciful All-Powerful and All-Wise and by consequence liable to none of these Defects Q. What do you Learn from this Introduction A. To come to God with Great Assurance but with Great Reverence too Who as Our Father will not fail to hear his Children if they ask as they ought of him As he is a Heavenly Father can give us whatsoever we stand in Need of Q. Is God so in Heaven as our Earthly Fathers are upon Earth A. No by no means For God being infinite is every where present neither shut out of any Place nor Circumscribed by any But because God is pleased to shew himself in Heaven in the highest Excellencies of his Divine Majesty and Glory and is there attended by his Holy Angels therefore Heaven is consider'd as his Court and his Throne And we very properly direct our Prayers to God there where our Saviour sits to Intercede with Him for Us and where the Blessed Spirits attend upon him and fall down before him and worship him Q. Wherefore are we taught to say OVR Father A. Not as if God were not the Father of Every One of Us in Particular as well as of Us All in General or that We might