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Thou shalt not have no other gods before me.- Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength. Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people.which are round about you; (For the Lord thy God is a jealous Gon among you;) lest the anger of the Lord thy GoD be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy Gop, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. Ex. 20. 3. Is. 26. 4. Deut. 6. 14, 15. and 8. 19. || Jer. 25. 4-7. Josh. 24. 20. Eph. 5. 5. Col 3. 5.

Little children have you kept yourselves from idols? Have you loved nothing better than you have God? What have been the nature and the degree of your attachments to yourselves, your relatives, your possessions, or pursuits?

106. Is image worship forbidden by Jɛшov▲¤?

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any Hikeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous Gon, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of Gon, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Ex. 20. 4-6. Is. 42. 8. Rev. 14. 9-11. || Deut. 4. 15, 16, 23. Is. 2. 8-12, 18-21. Ez. 8. 12, 18.

May not man be guilty of image worship, by misconceiving the character of God? Have you never considered him all mercy and no justice?

107. Is it our duty to worship the God of heaven by prayer in secret, in private and in public?

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.→

I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the Lord's house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord. Mat. 6. 6. Ps. 116. 17-19. || Ps. 96. 8, 9. Mat. 18. 19, 20. Is. 56.7.

What more reasonable, than that dependant, accountable, and sinful beings, should live prayerful lives? Have you done it?

108. What form of prayer has our blessed Saviour given us ?

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtAnd lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (q) Mat. 6. 9-13.

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How concise yet how full the Lord's prayer! Did you ever der utly use it? Can the unforgiving use it without virtually praying that God would not forgive them?

109. How did Daniel pray when in captivity?

And I set my face unto the Lord GOD, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting and sackcloth, and ashes: And I prayed unto the Lord my Gon, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful GOD, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments. Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; Neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our GOD, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice. O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations,and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and

(q) See Appendix, Note Q.

do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my GoD: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name. Dan. 9. 3-5, 8-10, 14, 18, 19. || and 9. 1—23. (r)

Did you ever pray with such deep self-abasement? Have you like Daniel in youth poured out your heart to God?

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110. What is the summary of Esra's prayer? And at the evening sacrifice 1 rose up heaviness and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord my Gon. And said, O my GoD, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my Gon: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. And now, O our GoD, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments. And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our GoD hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this; Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping? O Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day : behold, we are before thee, in our trespasses; for we cannot stand before thee because of this. Ezra 9. 5, 6, 10, 13-15.

Have you felt to loathe yourselves when in prayer, you have approached a holy God? Have you prayed like the publican?

111. How are we directed to pray? (s)

GOD is a Spirit: and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth.- Take with you words, and turn to the Lord say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips.- For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities: but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.- O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. John 4. 24. Hos. 14. 2. Heb. 4. 15, 16. Hab. 3. 2. 2 Sam. 7. 18, 28, 29. 2 Kin. 19. 15, 16, 19. Hab. 1. 12, 13. 1 Chron. 4. 10. Heb. 10. 22.

Have you ever prayed in a sincere, spiritual, humble, and be lieving manner?

See Appendix, Note R. (3) See Appendix, Note S.

112. When are we to pray?

My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?- Pray without ceasing. Ps. 5. 3. and 55. 17. Luke 18. 1, 7. 1 Thes. 5. 17. || Ps. 86. 3. and 119. 147, 164. Dan. 6. 10. Luke 6. 12. Ps. 22. 2. and 88. 13. and 130. 6. Is. 26. 9. Mark 1. 35. Jam. 5. 13.

Are you accustomed by prayer to acknowledge your dependance and Gon's goodness, when you lie down, and when you arise, in the house and by the way? Have you habitually a devotional spirit?

113. For whom are we to pray?

For

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. this is good and acceptable in the sight of GoD our Saviour.Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will. send forth labourers into his harvest.- Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.- Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. 1 Tim. 2. 1-3. Ps. 122, 6. Mat. 9. 38. Luke 6. 28. Eph. 6. 18. | Jam. 5. 14-18. 1 John 5. 16. Hab. 3. 2. Is. 62. 6, 7. Jer. 29. 7. Ps. 141. 5. 2 Thes. 3. 1.

Do you fervently pray for Zion's prosperity and for the salvation of Jews and Gentiles; bond and free? Can you even pray for your enemies?

114. In what name and through whose assistance, should our prayers be offered?

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.- Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. 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. 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. John 14. 13, 14, and 16. 24. Rom. 8. 26, 27. || Col. 3, 17. Gal. 4. 6. Rom. 8.

15.

Do you go to the throne of grace divested of self-righteousness and self-confidence? Do you ask, expect, and receive the aids of the Holy Spirit in prayer?

115. Whose prayers will be heard and answered?

Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of GOD, and doeth his will, him he heareth.-The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.- 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. John 9. 31. Ps. 34. 15, 17. Jam. 5. 16. 1 Tim. 2. 8. Ps. 4. 3. and 26. 6. Prov. 15. 29.

Are you a doer of God's will? Have you ever received merciful answers to prayer?

116. What is said respecting the prayer and sacrifice of the wicked?

He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to GoD must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Prov. 28. 9. and 15. 8. Heb. 11. 6. || Ps. 66. 18. and 109. 7. Is. 1. 10—17. Mat. 23. 14.

Are your ears open to instruction from the law of GOD? Have you never offered the sacrifice of the wicked?

117. Are not the carriage, the conduct, and even the thoughts of the wicked displeasing to God?

A high look, and a proud heart, and the ploughing of the wicked, is sin. The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord; but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness. The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord: but the words of the pure are pleasant words.- Because the carnal mind is enmity against GoD: for it is not subject to the law of GOD, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Prov. 21. 4. and 15. 9, 26. Rom 8. 7, 8. || Prov. 1. 27-29. Is. 55. 7. and 59. 1, 2.

Is any thing done under the influence of an unholy heart, morally pleasing to GOD? Have you an unsanctified heart?

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