A. First, Because God commanded Solomon to build him a temple, and dedicate it to his service. 2 Paral. vii. 19. Secondly, out of St. Luke xix. 45, 46, where Christ calls the material temple his house, casting the buyers and sellers out of it. "My house (saith he) is the house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves." Thirdly, out of St. Luke xviii. 10, 14, where the publican "ascended to the temple to pray, and descended into his house justified." Q. How do you prove it lawful to dedicate or consecrate material temples? A. Out of Paral. above cited vii. and out of St. John x. 22, where it is recorded, that Christ himself kept the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem, instituted by Judas Maccabeus. 1 Mac. iv. 56, 59. Q. How do you prove it lawful to adorn the churches with tapestry, pictures, and the like? A. Out of St. Mark xiv. 15, where Christ commanded his last supper to be prepared in a great chamber adorned. Q. What proof have you for the order and number of the canonical hour? A. For Mattins, Lauds, and Prime, that of Psal. v. 4. "Early in the morning will I stand up to thee, early in the morning wilt thou hear my voice." Q. What for the third, sixth, and ninth hours? A. For the third, out of Acts i. 16. "At the third hour the Holy Ghost descended on the apostles." For the sixth, out of Acts x. 9, Peter and John went up into the higher part to pray, about the sixth hour." And for the ninth, out of Acts iii. 1, "And at the ninth hour Peter and John went up into the temple to pray." Q. What for the Even-song and Complin ? A. That of the Psalmist," Morning and Evening will I declare the works of our Lord." Psal. liv. 18. And again, "the lifting up of my hands is as an evening sacrifice." Psal. cxl. 2. Q. Is it good to use outward ceremonies in a time of prayer, as kneeling, knocking the breast, and such like ? A. It is; for they declare the inward reverence and devotion of the heart; and Christ himself prostrated, when he prayed in the garden. St. Matt. xxvi. 29. And the poor publican beat his breast, and cast down his eyes, in that prayer by which he merited to descend justified. St. Luke xviii, 13, 14. Q. Why is the morning so fit a time for prayer. A. Because as God is our supreme good and last end, we should begin our work each day by worshipping him in prayer, and by offering to his honor all we do. Also, because the mind is refreshed after sleep, and more able to direct its thoughts and desires to God: hence he says by the Prophet, "He who will watch to me in the morning will find me." Prov. viii. 17. Q. Why is the night also a time of prayer? A. Because it is a figure of death, and should remind us of the account we are to render to God: hence we should examine our consciences, ask pardon of our offences, give thanks for the benefits conferred on us in the day, and pray for the divine protection against the illusions of the night. Q. What things ought we to pray for? A. For all good things both spiritual and temporal, and to be freed from evil; for so our Lord hath taught us by his prayer. CHAP. V. The Lord's Prayer Expounded. Q. WHAT is the Lord's Prayer? A. It is the most holy and most excellent of all prayers Q. Who made it? A. Christ our Lord, the eternal wisdom of his Fatner. St. Matt. vi. 9, 10. Q. Why did he make it? A. To teach us a set form of prayer, and how we ought to pray. Q. Why did he make it in so short and plain a manner? A. That all might be capable of using it. Q. What doth it contain? A. All those chief things which we can ask or hope for of God, Q. How many petitions doth it contain? A. Seven. Q. What understand you by these words, with which it begins? Our Father, who art in heaven, &c. A. I understand that God is our Father, both by creation and adoption: and, if we be in the state of grace, we may confidently come to him, and beg all blessings of him. E Q. How prove you that? A. Out of St. John iii. 1. "See what manner of charity the Father hath given us, that we should be named, and be the sons of God." Q. Why do you say our Father, and normy Father? A. Because God is the common Father of all, and all good christians must, pray for one another, according to that article of the creed, "I believe in the communion of saints." Q. What understand you by the words, Who art in heaven? A. I understand that God, who fills heaven and earth, and is in all things, times, and places, is in heaven in a peculiar manner, declaring aud manifesting his glory to the blessed; and therefore when we pray, we must lift up our minds to him, and keep them fixed upon heavenly things. Q. How prove you that? A. Out of Jer. xlviii. 10. "Cursed be he that doth the work of God negligently." The First Petition. Q. WHAT is the first petition? Q. What do we beg by this? A. That God may be known by the whole world, and that he may be worthily praised, served, and honoured, by all his creatures, which cannot be effected but by his grace. Q. Who are those that say this petition ill? A. Such as dishonour the name of God by blaspheming, swearing, lying, cursing, and scurrilous discourses. The Second Petition. Q. WHAT is the second petition? A. Thy kingdom come. Q. What do we beg of God by this petition? A. We beg, that our miseries and afflictions in this life may be such, as that we may be made partakers of his joyful and heavenly kingdom hereafter. Q. What else do we beg? A. That Christ may reign in us in this life by grace, and in the next by glory, presenting us a kingdom to his Father, Q. Who say this petition ill? A. Such as are willing slaves to sin, and to the devil. The Third Petition. Q. WHAT is the third petition? A. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. A. That God would enable us by his holy grace to keep his commandments, and obey his will in all things. Q. What mean you by the words, on earth as it is in Heaven? A. We beg by those, that we may be as ready and willing to do the will of God on earth, as the blessed saints and angels are in Heaven. The Fourth Petition. Q. WHAT is the fourth petition? Q. What do we beg by this? A. All food and nourishment for our souls and bodies. A. The word of God, the holy sacraments, especially the blessed Eucharist, and divine grace. Q. How prove you, that by this petition Christ intended the blessed bread of the Eucharist? A. Because in St. Matt. vi. 11, we read "our supersubstantial bread. Q. Why is the Eucharist called our daily Bread? A. Because it is daily offered for our sins on the altar, and we ought daily to receive it, at least in spirit and desire. Q. Who say this petition ill? A. Such as are cold and careless in coming to the sacraments, and in hearing divine service, or exhortations; and such as ascribe their temporal goods and blessings to their own industry and providence, and not to any special bounty or gift of God. The Fifth Petition. Q. WHAT is the fifth petition? A. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. A. That God would pardon us the sins of our life past, as also the punishments which are due unto them. Q. Why are sins, and the penalties of sin, called debts? A. Because they make us debtors to the justice of God, whom by sin we rob of his due honour. Q. Why is it added, As we forgive our debtors? A. To signify that God will not forgive us, unless we also forgive our brethren; "If you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offences." St. Matt. vi. 15. Q. Who say this petition ill? A. Such as bear malice against their neighbour, and seek revenge. The Sixth Petition Q. WHAT is the sixth petition? A. That God would not permit us to be tempted above our strength. Q. Doth God tempt any man to sin? A. No, "God is not a tempter of evils, he tempts no man." St. James i. 13. Q. What other proof have you? A. Out of Psalm v. 5, "Thou art not a God willing iniquity." And out of Rom. ix. 14. "Is there iniquity with God? No, God forbid." Q. By whom then are we tempted? A. By the devil, and our own concupiscence. Q. Can a man live in this world, and be free from all temptations? A. Morally speaking he cannot: "for the whole life of man on earth is a warfare." Job vii. 1. Q. Why then do we pray to be delivered from temptations? A. That we may not be overcome, or vanquished by them. Q. Is temptation of itself a sin? A. No, not without consent on our part; nay, it is a great occasion of merit, if we resist it as we ought. Q. How prove you that? A. First out of Apoc. ii. 10, 11. "Be thou faithful unto death (saith our Lord) and I will give thee a crown of life: he that overcometh, shall not be hurt of the second death." Secondly, Because Christ himself, who never sinned, would be tempted," and the tempter came unto him, &c." St. Matt, iv. 3. |