14. What did God say of Saul's prayer at his conversion? Behold, he prayeth! (9 Ac. 11.) 15. Must watchfulness be joined to prayer ? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. (26 Mt. 41.) Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving. (4 Col. 2.) Watch unto prayer. (I. Pet. 4. 7.) 16. What is our duty in affliction? Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. (5 Jas. 13.) 17. What should be our employment when cheerful? Is any merry? let him sing psalms. (5 Jas. 13.) 18. Will God reject those prayers that arise from improper motives? Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss. (4 Jas. 3.) 19. How do hypocrites worship God? This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. (15 Mt. 8.-29 Is. 13.) 20. Will God regard the prayer of those who continue sinful and disobedient? If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. (66 P. 18.) He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. (28 Pr. 9.) 21. How did Christ recommend private prayer? 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. (6 Mt. 6.) 22. Does the spirit of prayer come from God? I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications; and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn. (12 Zec. 10.) 23. How did the disciples ask Christ's instruction in prayer? Lord, teach us to pray. (11 Lk. 1.) 24. Is the Holy Spirit's influence necessary in prayer? Praying in the Holy Ghost. (Jd. 20.) 25. What prayer is successful? The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (5 Jas. 16.) 26. Is praise a delightful employment? It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High; to shew forth thy loving-kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. (92 P. 1, 2.) 27. Is it our duty to pray for kings, and all that are in authority? 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: for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour. (I. Tim. 2. 1, 2, 3.) 28. Are we to pray for the prosperity of Christ's cause? Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest. (9 Mt. 38.) 29. Was the apostle Paul anxious for the prayers of his fellow-christians? Brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified. (II. Thes. 3. 1.) 30. Does prayer, for others, return in blessings on ourselves? And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. (42 Job, 10.) XI. THE SABBATH AND THE HOUSE OF GOD. THE SABBATH. God's command-Punishment of Sabbath-breaker-His blessing on those who keep holy the Sabbath. PUBLIC WORSHIP. On going to it-Duty of Pleasantness of, and delight in Praising God in his HousePromises to encourage, and benefit of Duties and dispositions connected with. 1. What is the fourth commandment? Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work; thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; for, in six days, the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it. (20 Ex. 8 to 11.) 2. Did God connect public worship with the Sabbath? Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary. I am the Lord. (19 Lev. 30.) 3. What was the punishment which God pronounced against the "man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbathday?" And the Lord said unto Moses, The man surely shall be put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones, without the camp. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died. (15 Num. 35, 36.) 4. Has God promised his peculiar blessing to those who keep holy the sabbath-day? Blessed is the man that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it. (56 Is. 2.) If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable, and shalt honor him; not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words; then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth. (58 Is. 13, 14.) 5. Were the sabbaths a sign between God and the Israelites? Hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God. (20 Ez. 20.) 6. Does the good man rejoice in the prospect of spending the sabbath in the house of God? I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. (122 P. 1.) 7. Is great care necessary in going to the house of God? Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools; for they consider not that they do evil. (5 Ec. 1.) 8. How did the Psalmist resolve to attend public worship? As for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy; and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. (5 P. 7.) 9. Are Christians cautioned against neglecting divine service? Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is. (10 Heb. 25.) 10. Is great attention necessary in improving the means of grace? We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. (2 Heb. 1.) 11. Is praise one peculiar duty of the public assembly ? Praise ye the Lord: I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. (111 P. 1.) Therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy: I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord. (27 P.6.) Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. (100 P. 2, 4.) 12. Did the Psalmist express his gratitude to God in public worship? What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord: I will pay my vows unto the Lord, now in the presence of all his people. (116 P. 12, 13, 14.) 13. Are the people of God desirous of inviting others to join with them in worship? Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. (107 P. 31, 32.) 14. Does the saint ardently long to unite in the service of God? How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth, for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. (84 P. 1 to 4.) 15. How does he esteem one day spent in the house of God? A day in thy courts is better than a thousand: I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. (84 P. 10.) |