pentance, felf-judging, and godly forrow for our fins, which have brought fufferings upon our Lord. 1 Cor. xi. 31. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judg. ed.' 4. In our love to Chrift, who in his death expreffed fuch love to us; and in our love to one another, who are redeemed by the fame blood. 5. In our new and fincere obedience to the gofpel, which we muft engage in, and be fully refolved, in the ftrength of the Lord, to perform, before we can worthily receive this facrament. I Cor. v. 8. Therefore let us keep the feaft, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of fincerity and truth.'

2.5. What is requifite, by way of preparation for this facrament, befides felf-examination?

A. By way of preparation for this facrament, befides felf-examination, there is requifite, prayer to God for his prefence, bleffing, and affiftance of his Spirit; and meditation, in order to the exciting of our affections, and the drawing forth of our graces into exercife.

Q. 6. Who are they that came to the Lord's table unworthily?

A. 1. Such come to the table of the Lord unworthily, as have no habitual preparation, being in a gracelefs and Christless state; who, having no faith, can neither discern the Lord's body, nor fpiritually feed upon him; who, being without repentance, love, and new obedience, can neither bring glory to the Lord, nor enjoy communion with him, by receiving this facrament, 2. Such alfo come to the table of the Lord unworthily, who, although they are gracious, and have habitual preparation, yet take no care, by felf-examination, prayer, and meditation, to attain actual preparation, whereby they difplease God, and lofe alfo the benefit of the ordinance.

Q. 7. If fuch as are gracious do take pains in felf-examina tion and other duties, to get their hearts prepared, and yet they are fill out of frame, would they not be unworthy receivers, Should they come to the Lord's table?

4. When fuch as are gracious do by felf-examination and other duties endeavor to get their hearts prepared, though they be out of frame, they ought to come to the Lord's table, because God may bring them into frame, in

and by the ordinance: however they must wait there, and attend upon God out of obedience, when they cannot do it with fenfible, melting, warm, and delightful affections, and their fincerity through Christ will be accepted.

Q. 8. When we doubt and fear whether we be truly gra cious, may we come to the Lord's table?

A. We may and ought to come to the Lord's table, although under doubts and fears, if we have a sense of our need of, and hungering defires after Jefus Christ, together with refolutions to give up ourselves in covenant to the Lord: This facrament being a mean of getting evidences of God's love; and, when we cannot come with affurance, we may come for assurance.

Q. 9. What must be our behavior at the table of the Lord, that we may be worthy receivers ?

A. That we may be worthy receivers, our behavior at the table of the Lord must be humble and reverent, as to the outward gefture of our bodies, and inward frame of our hearts: we muft feriously mind the outward elements. and actions, looking chiefly to the things fignified, reprefented, and exhibited in the ordinance: we must meditate upon Chrift's death, fo difgraceful and painful for us; grieving for our fins, the cause of it; hungering and thirsting after him, and the benefits purchafed by his death; applying the promises of the covenant and new teftament, which is of full force through the death of the teftator; drawing nourishment, and all needful fpiritual fupplies from him, in whom all fulness doth dwell; rejoicing in his love; giving thanks for his grace; renewing our covenant; and mingling all especially with faith and moft endeared love to the Lord, and with love in him one to another.

Q. 10. What is required of worthy receivers after they come from the table of the Lord?

A. It is required of worthy receivers after they come from the table of the Lord, that they examine themselves as to their carriage and fuccefs. If they have not met with God, and have been out of frame, that they inquire into the cause, mourn for their defects, be earnest for a pardon, and by after pains, labor to get the benefit of the ordinance, and withal, endeavor to amend for the

future. If they have met with God, and been enlarged' and fweetly refreshed, they must be very thankful for af fiftances and enlargements, labor to retain the sweet relish they have had still upon their spirits; they must en deavor to draw more and more virtue from Chrift, for the crucifying the world and the flesh; they must be very watchful against fatan, fin, and carnal fecurity: they must be careful to perform their vows, and keep the cov enant, which they have renewed.

Q. 11. What is the fin of unworthy receiving the Lord's -Supper?

A. The fin of unworthy receiving the Lord's fupper, is, that fuch are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord; that is, they are guilty of an affront and indig nity which they offer to the Lord's body and blood. I Cor. xi. 27. 'Whofoever fhall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, fhall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.'

Q. 12. What is the danger of our unworthy receiving the Lord's Supper?""

A. The danger of our unworthy receiving the Lord's fupper is, the eating and drinking judgment to ourselves; that is, provoking the Lord by our unworthy receiving, to inflict temporal, fpiritual, and eternal judgments upon us. 1 Cor. xi. 29, 30. 'For he, that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not difcerning the Lord's body. For this caufe many are weak and fickly among you, and many fleep.' XCVIII. Queft. What is prayer?

Anfw. Prayer is an offering up of our defires to God, for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, with confeffion of our fins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies.

Q. 1. How many parts are there in prayer ?

A. There are three parts in prayer, petition, confeffion, and thanksgiving: but most properly prayer doth confift in petition.

2. What kind of petition is prayer unto God?

A. The petition of the lips, without the defire of the heart, may be accounted prayer by men, but it is not ac ceptable prayer unto God, which is an offering up of

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the defires unto him," and pouring forth of the heart before him. Pfal. Ixii. 8. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your hearts before him.'

J: 3. Unto whom are we to direct our prayers?

A. We are to direct our prayers to God only. Pfal. v. 2,3. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my king, and my God; for unto thee will I pray. My voice fhalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.'

Q. 4. Why are we to direct our prayers only unto God? A. We are to direct our prayers only unto God, 1. Because prayer is a part of religious worship, and God is the only object of religious worship. Matth. iv. 10. Then fhalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only fhalt thou ferve.' 2. Because God only is every where present to see his people, and to hear their prayers. Pfal. xxxiv. 15. • The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.' 3. Because God only can anfwer our prayers, by fulfilling our defires, and giving the things which we pray for, and ftand in need of. Pfal. cxlv. 18, 19. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him. He will fulfil the defire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and fave them.' Q. 5. For what things may we pray unto God? A. 1. We may not pray for the fulfilling of finful defires. James iv. 3. Ye afk, and receive not, because ye ask amifs, that ye may confume it upon your lufts.' 2. We may and ought to pray unto God only for fuch things as are agreeable unto his will. 1 John v. 14, 15. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we afk any thing according to his will, he heareth us. And if we know that he hear us, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.'

any

Q. 6. What are the things agreeable unto God's will which we may pray for?

4. The things which we may pray for, are not all things which are agreeable unto his fecret will; for thus all things which come to pafs even the worst of fins which are committed, are agreeable unto God's fecret counsel and eternal determination: but all things which are agreeable unto God's revealed will in his word, we

may pray for; fuch as the pardon of our fins, the fupplies of his grace, fpiritual life and ftrength here, eternal life and glory hereafter, deliverance from fpiritual and eternal evils; alfo whatever temporal good things we ftand in need of, and all thofe things which either exprefsly or inclufively he hath promifed in his covenant

unto us.

Q7. In whofe name ought we to pray unto God?

A. We ought to pray unto God only in the name of the Lord Jefus Christ. John xiv. 13, 14. Whatfoever ye fhall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye fhall afk any thing in my name I will do it.'

Q. 8. What is it to pray unto God in the name of Chrift ? A. To pray unto God in the name of Chrift, is not barely to mention the name of Chrift with our lips in the conclufion, or any part of our prayers; but it is by faith to mention his name, depending upon Chrift alone for admittance and accefs unto God in prayer, for acceptance, audience, and a gracious return unto our prayers. Eph. iii. 12. In whom we have boldnefs and accefs with confidence by the faith of him.'

Q. 9. Why must awe pray unto God in the name of Chrift? A. We must pray unto God in the name of Christ, becaufe God being fo infinitely holy and jealous, fo infinitely juft and righteous, and we being fo unholy and finful, and our prayers at beft fo imperfect, and fo mingled with defilement, that neither our perfons would find acceptance, nor our prayers any audience with God, without the name and mediation of Christ, and the mixture of the sweet incenfe of his merits, with our prayers to take away the ill favor of them, and the ufing of his interest with the Father, upon his account alone, to give an answer unto them. Rev. viii: 3, 4. And another angel came

and stood at the altar [that is, the Lord Jefus Chrift, who is the angel of the covenant] having a golden cenfer; and there was given unto him much incenfe, that he fhould offer it with the prayers of all faints upon the golden altar, which was before the throne. And the fmoke of the incenfe, which came with the prayers of the faints, afcended up before God, out of the angel's hand.