Outline.
Lesson 25. (The Doctrine of Prayer)

Worship 8/20/23:

It is good for us to gather together, with one heart and one voice, praising the Lord for His glorious redemption, and dedicating our lives to His service in thankful remembrance. Psalm 145:18 “The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, To all that call upon him in truth.”
Though all men on earth forsake the truth, and worship a god according to their own imagination, yet we will not lift up our hands to a strange god, nor worship the works of our hands, but we will remember the NAME of the LORD our God, who hath done great things for us. “The LORD hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.” Psalm 126:3

Psalm: 1 Whether it was Esdras, or any other that gathered the Psalms into a book, it seemeth he did set this Psalm first in manner of a preface, to exhort all godly men to study and meditate the heavenly wisdom.  For the effect hereof is,  1 That they be blessed which give themselves wholly all their life to the holy Scriptures; 4 and that the wicked contemners of God, though they seem for a while happy, yet at length shall come to miserable destruction.

1:1 Blessed is the man that doth not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful.

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

3 For he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that will bring forth his fruit in due season; whose leaf shall not wither; so whatsoever he shall do, shall prosper.

4 The wicked are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the wicked shall perish.

Opening prayer, 

Our gracious and merciful Father who dost inhabit the highest heavens, thou art king over all the earth and thou rulest over all. Wonderful, awesome, fearful and holy is thy name.  We thy people come before thee meekly, and beseech thee for that which thou hast not only promised, but also sealed the guarantee in our very hearts, and commanded us to ask for. Therefore although we wait long for the awaited fulfillment of the promise, yet we wait with patient hope and not in despair, knowing that thou wilt do even more than we ask. We pray that thy church and kingdom would be established in the world, that we would be furnished and equipped with grace and gifts, officers and ministers and that there would be kings and magistrates to support, countenance and ratify thy blessed doctrine. We pray that thy will on earth would be done swiftly and meekly, that we thy people, even in the midst of trial, suffering, persecution and the rod of affliction would be disposed the more to do thy service with alacrity and all readiness, for this is the end of our conversion, even our sanctification.  We pray for thy continual providence and care for us, for thou hast said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, and hast gently admonished us to cast our cares upon thee, for thou carest for us. For this cause thou in thy word has called us thy flock, and even thy precious possession, saying, “can a mother forget her sucking child? Yea they may forget, but I will never forget thee.” Therefore on account of this promise we have great boldness before thee to ask thee for grace, mercy, redemption, the forgiveness of sins and all things lawful that pertain to this life, (being beneficial to us and not for our lusts,) knowing that all things are ours and thou givest us all things freely. Deliver us therefore from evil, keep us in the way, if we are tempted to walk in the path of the ungodly, turn us again towards thee and show us the better way, that we according to thy word might be blessed, and thy name be forever praised for the care and gracious long-suffering thou hast towards us, for we are sinful by nature, but thou art all mercy and compassion. We give thee glory therefore, and attribute our salvation, our deliverance our care and protection to thee and thee alone who through Christ hast saved us from sin and the curse by His own precious blood, and sealed His grace in our hearts by His Spirit. In His name whose name alone is holy we pray, He who is our blessed captain, and mediator, Amen. 

Lesson 25.

Intro.
i. The confession as a singular means of our deliverance. These men labored not simply and exclusively to stimulate our minds, and tickle our sensibilities, as a novel or a work on moral philosophy, but to guide and regulate the very thoughts and intents of the mind and heart with pure doctrine, that our will might be in conformity with God’s law. The Westminster Confession is both reasonable and authoritative. 

 A famous philosopher wrote that “theology is dogma to be received on the basis of authority, but philosophy on the basis of reason”. This may be true concerning false religion (to receive doctrine on the authority of another alone), but the manner in which we are converted is God reasoning with our souls by the law saying to us, “Why will ye die, turn and live?” and henceforth showing us mercy and freely forgiving us, commands that we live in obedience to Him. This is the essence of true reason. 
(Human reason against the reasoning of scripture.)
Essential to this doctrine of obedience is hearing those whom He has sent for the work and office of the ministry. Therefore our acceptance of Westminster doctrine is partly received on authority and partly reason. 

We receive and accept it because, 1. God commands us to heed his ministers, 2. His Spirit guides us into reason and we accept it naturally and not by force. Such is the purpose of this Preface, this Epistle to the Christian reader, such is the purpose of these lectures. To solidify the confession in our minds as a reasonable authority. This document God uses as a singular means to deliver us from heathen philosophy founded on doubt and speculation, and from heresy founded on lies and misinterpretations of scripture. 
i. The heathen says, “I do not know God, therefore others also do not, and I have no reason to believe.” 
ii. The heretic says, “I do know God, he is much like me, he loves all men, and tries his best to save them.”
Both are on the broad way to destruction. 

The doctrine found in Holy Scripture and the WCF show us the narrow way of everlasting life. This was the end of their labors, to establish the church in the purity of truth, and to beautify her with the ornament of grace. 

“Christ taught us that prayer of his, as a directory what to ask.”

1.The Principle of Prayer. 
i. Knowledge and prayer.
We cannot pray without knowledge. Sound doctrine is absolutely necessary to a life of prayer, else we are praying for material things, that which the pagans do with their gods. Nor if we pray for the salvation of others without sound doctrine, for then we are still praying for their free will which cannot be violated to be violated which is a contradiction. Knowledge is the subject, doctrine the object. Unless we have knowledge of sound doctrine in our prayers, they are useless. Does God hear the prayers of hypocrites? “If ye offer the blind for sacrifice is it not evil?”
Is not then the Confession a help in prayer? Verily! 

ii. Conversion and prayer.
We are brought to a saving knowledge of Christ by the law. That is that we are made to see that Christ’s life and death, obedience and sacrifice were absolutely necessary for us to be saved. This wounding of our conscience brings us to pray to God for salvation, conversion, forgiveness. By regeneration, we understand that we cannot repent unless He grants us repentance, we cannot convert unless He converts us, we cannot be forgiven unless He forgives according to justice. We cannot be saved unless the whole work is of God. Thus all the glory in salvation belongs to God. Apart from this principle no man is saved. 

iii. The Christian Life and Prayer. 
Through regeneration which is fellowship with God as Father, we are encouraged, yea constrained by the Spirit to pray for things agreeable to His will in the name of Christ, with confession of sins and thankful acknowledgment of His mercies.
Ordinarily, formally morning and evening, but many things happen to ourselves or others that immediately bring us to our knees in prayer. Our daily trails are a reminder that we are wholly dependent upon God for His mercy and providence. Therefore pray without ceasing.

2. The Form of Prayer.
i. Christ taught His disciples to pray in an orderly and reverent manner. “Our Father which art in heaven.” God is in heaven and ruleth over all. We are on earth and subject to His sovereignty, both according providence and law. This is a confession of God’s sovereignty, or it is not sincere.
ii. For God to be glorified.
“Hallowed be thy name.”
The end of all things is the glory of God. 
As the end of the world and the purpose for which all things are created is God’s glory, so it is first and chief of that which we are to pray for and aspire after.

What do we pray for in the petition, “Hallowed be thy name?
A. In the petition, “Hallowed be thy name,” we pray — 1. That God would hallow and glorify his own name, by magnifying himself in the world, and by disposing all things for his own glory. “Let thy name be magnified for ever.”— 2 Sam. 7:26. “Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek thy name, O Lord: that men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the Most High over all the earth.”— Ps. 83: 16, 18. 2. That God would enable us to hallow and glorify his name, by confessing and forsaking our sins, which rob him of his glory; by admiring and adoring him in his glorious titles and attributes, in his infinite excellences and perfections; by believing, loving, and obeying his word; by observing and attending upon his worship and ordinances; by magnifying him in his works, and making use of his creatures for his glory; by sincere, diligent, zealous, and constant endeavours to promote his honour and interest in our places and relations; and that the chief design of our thoughts, words, and actions, may be the glory of God, and that he would enable others also thus to hallow and glorify his name. “God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.”— Ps. 67:1-3. “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things; to whom be glory for ever.”— Rom. 11:36. (Thomas Vincent)

iii. For God’s church to be established.
“Thy kingdom come.”
It is a spiritual kingdom, a kingdom established upon sound doctrine. The Holy word of God. We pray therefore for heresy to be suppressed and the true Reformed religion established in the world. A name for our church. “Westminster Reformed Church” “Orthodox Reformed Church” 

iv. For God to be obeyed by us and that His will be submitted to in all things.
“thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” 
First in obedience to His commands, then in submission to His decrees.

v. For God to provide us that which we need to serve him.
“Give us this day our daily bread” 
First daily necessity, then in those things in this life that delight us. David was wealthy and of great rank. Therefore it was not outside of the rule of holiness for David to ask God for many things pertaining to his kingdom, so long as God and His word are chief in our affections.

vi. For forgiveness of our daily transgressions. 
“and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors” 
They are all worthy of damnation, therefore God is worthy of infinite glory for His mercy, love, pity and care for His people.
And because of this principle we are taught also to forgive others. For if we ask forgiveness and forgive not our brother when we have sinned, our prayer is hypocrisy. Note, there is a double warning against hypocrisy here, first towards our brothers, or neighbors, secondly towards our own soul. 

vii. For deliverance from further sin through temptation.
“and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” 
This is the proof of sincerity, that we do not ask for forgiveness so that we may continue in it, but be free from it. Therefore we pray for safety from the devil’s molestations, and that our conscience and walk with God might be free from all offense. The greatest evil is to offend God.
“deliver us from evil” 
Note, that this prayer immediately follows, “forgive us our debts” 

viii. To attribute the whole success of religion in the world and in our souls to the might and power of God, and comfort ourselves knowing He is able to do all things for us because of His power and willing because of His love. 
“For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” 
The kingdom of heaven is His. The resurrection of His people and our partaking in His benefits is His. The credit and glory therefore is His.
We see therefore how orderly and systematic the Lord’s prayer is. All true religion is systematic by nature. Only the blind cannot see it. Therefore we have strong reasons for conforming to this confession of faith, which in its volumes hath an exposition on the Lord’s prayer in the Larger and Shorter catechisms. 

“Q. 2. What is the first thing which this conclusion of the Lord’s prayer doth teach us?
A. The first thing which this conclusion of the Lord’s prayer doth teach us, is, to take our encouragement in prayer, not from ourselves’, or any worthiness of our own, but from God only, who having the kingdom and eternal sovereignty, the power and eternal all-sufficiency, the glory for ever, and therefore incomparably glorious in his faithfulness, goodness, and most tender mercy, we may persuade ourselves that he is both able to give what we ask, and that he is willing, and will give what he hath promised unto us. “We do not present our supplications for our righteousness, but for thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken, and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God.”— Dan. 9:18, 19. “Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God; for unto thee will I pray.”— Ps. 5:2. “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end, Amen.”— Eph. 3:20, 21.

Q. 3. What is the second thing which this conclusion of the Lord’s prayer doth teach us?
A. The second thing which this conclusion of the Lord’s prayer doth teach us is, in our prayers to God to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory unto him. “Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, and thou art exalted as head above all, Now, therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.”— 1 Chron. 29:10, 11, 13. “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.”— 1 Tim. 1:18. (Vincent)

And in testimony of our desires and assurance to be heard, we say Amen.

Closing Prayer,
“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 debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”

YouTube Audio: https://youtu.be/ikYACEy0tss