The Larger Catechism – Questions 191-196
Q. 191. What do we pray for in
the second petition?
A. In the second petition, (which
is, Thy kingdom comea,) acknowledging ourselves and all mankind to
be by nature under the dominion of sin and Satanb, we pray, that
the kingdom of sin and Satan may be destroyedc, the gospel
propagated throughout the worldd, the Jews callede, the
fulness of the Gentiles brought inf; the church furnished with all
gospel-officers and ordinancesg, purged from corruptionh,
countenanced and maintained by the civil magistratei: that the
ordinances of Christ may be purely dispensed, and made effectual to the
converting of those that are yet in their sins, and the confirming,
comforting, and building up of those that are already convertedk:
that Christ would rule in our hearts herel, and hasten the time of
his second coming, and our reigning with him for everm: and that he
would be pleased so to exercise the kingdom of his power in all the world, as
may best conduce to these endsn.
a Matt.6:10 b Eph.2:2,3 c
Ps.68:1,18; Rev.12:10,11 d 2 Thess.3:1 e Rom.10:1 f John
17:9,20; Rom.11:25,26; Ps.67 g Matt.9:38; 2 Thess.3:1 h
Mal.1:11; Zeph.3:9 i 1 Tim.2:1,2 k Acts 4:29,30; Eph.6:18-20;
Rom.15:29,30,32; 2 Thess.1:11; 2 Thess.2:16,17 l Eph.3:14-20 m
Rev.22:20 n Isa.64:1,2; Rev.4:8-11
Q. 192. What do we pray for in
the third petition?
A. In the third petition, (which
is, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heavena,) acknowledging,
that by nature we and all men are not only utterly unable and unwilling to
know and do the will of Godb, but prone to rebel against his wordc,
to repine and murmur against his providenced, and wholly inclined
to do the will of the flesh, and of the devile: we pray, that God
would by his Spirit take away from ourselves and others all blindnessf,
weaknessg, indisposednessh, and perverseness of hearti;
and by his grace make us able and willing to know, do, and submit to his will
in all thingsk, with the like humilityl, cheerfulnessm,
faithfulnessn, diligenceo, zealp, sincerityq,
and constancyr, as the angels do in heavens.
a Matt.6:10 b Rom.7:18; Job.21:14; 1
Cor.2:14 c Rom.8:7d Exod.17:7; Num.14:2 e Eph.2:2 f
Eph.1:17,18g Eph.3:16 h Matt.26:40,41i Jer.31:18,19 k
Ps.119:1,8,35,36; Acts 21:14l Micah 6:8 m Ps.100:2; Job 1:21; 2
Sam.15:25,26 n Isa.38:3 o Ps.119:4,5 p Rom.12:11 q
Ps.119:80 r Ps.119:112 s Isa.6:2,3; Ps.103:20,21; Matt.18:10
Q. 193. What do we pray for in
the fourth petition?
A. In the fourth petition, (which
is, Give us this day our daily breada,) acknowledging, that in
Adam, and by our own sin, we have forfeited our right to all the outward
blessings of this life, and deserve to be wholly deprived of them by God, and
to have them cursed to us in the use of themb; and that neither
they of themselves are able to sustain usc, nor we to meritd,
or by our own industry to procure theme; but prone to desiref,
getg, and use them unlawfullyh: we pray for ourselves
and others, that both they and we, waiting upon the providence of God from day
to day in the use of lawful means, may, of his free gift, and as to his
fatherly wisdom shall seem best, enjoy a competent portion of themi;
and have the same continued and blessed unto us in our holy and comfortable
use of themk, and contentment in theml; and be kept from
all things that are contrary to our temporal support and comfortm.
a Matt.6:11 b Gen.2:17; Gen.3:17;
Rom.8:20-22; Jer.5:25; Deut.28:15-68 c Deut.8:3 d Gen.32:10 e
Deut.8:17,18 f Jer.6:13; Mark 7:21,22 g Hosea 12:7 h
James 4:3 i Gen.43:12-14; Gen.28:20; Eph.4:28; 2 Thess.3:11,12;
Phil.4:6 k 1 Tim.4:3-5l 1 Tim.6:6-8 m Prov.30:8,9
Q. 194. What do we pray for in
the fifth petition?
A. In the fifth petition, (which
is, Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtorsa,)
acknowledging, that we and all others are guilty both of original and actual
sin, and thereby become debtors to the justice of God; and that neither we,
nor any other creature, can make the least satisfaction for that debtb:
we pray for ourselves and others, that God of his free grace would, through
the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, apprehended and applied by faith,
acquit us both from the guilt and punishment of sinc, accept us in
his Belovedd; continue his favour and grace to use,
pardon our daily failingsf, and fill us with peace and joy, in
giving us daily more and more assurance of forgivenessg; which we
are the rather emboldened to ask, and encouraged to expect, when we have this
testimony in ourselves, that we from the heart forgive others their offencesh.
a Matt.6:12 b Rom.3:9-22;
Matt.18:24,25; Ps.130:3,4c Rom.3:24-26; Heb.9:22 d Eph.1:6,7 e 2
Pet.1:2f Hosea 14:2; Jer.14:7 g Rom.15:13; Ps.51:7-10,12 h Luke
11:4; Matt.6:14,15; Matt.18:35
Q. 195. What do we pray for in
the sixth petition?
A. In the sixth petition, (which
is, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evila,)
acknowledging, that the most wise, righteous, and gracious God, for divers
holy and just ends, may so order things, that we may be assaulted, foiled, and
for a time led captive by temptationsb; that Satanc, the
worldd, and the flesh, are ready powerfully to draw us aside, and
ensnare use, and that we, even after the pardon of our sins, by
reason of our corruptionf, weakness, and want of watchfulnessg,
are not only subject to be tempted, and forward to expose ourselves unto
temptationsh, but also of ourselves unable and unwilling to resist
them, to recover out of them, and to improve themi; and worthy to
be left under the power of themk: we pray, that God would so
over-rule the world and all in itl, subdue the fleshm,
and restrain Satann, order all thingso, bestow and bless
all means of gracep, and quicken us to watchfulness in the use of
them, that we and all his people may by his providence be kept from being
tempted to sinq; or, if tempted, that by his Spirit we may be
powerfully supported and enabled to stand in the hour of temptationr;
or when fallen, raised again and recovered out of its, and have a
sanctified use and improvement thereoft: that our sanctification
and salvation may be perfectedu, Satan trodden under our feetx,
and we fully freed from sin, temptation, and all evil, for every.
a Matt.6:13 b 2 Chron.32:31 c 1
Chron.21:1 d Luke 21:34; Mark 4:19 e James 1:14 f
Gal.5:17 g Matt.26:41 h Matt.26:69-72; Gal.2:11-14; 2 Chron.18:3
compared with 2 Chron.19:2 i Rom.7:23,24; 1 Chron.21:1-4; 2
Chron.16:7-10 k Ps.81:11,12 l John 17:15 m Ps.51:10;
Ps.119:133 n 2 Cor.12:7,8 o 1 Cor.10:12,13 p Heb.13:20,21
q Matt.26:41; Ps.19:13 r Eph.3:14-17; 1 Thess.3:13; Jude 24 s
Ps.51:12 t 1 Pet.5:8-10 u 2 Cor.13:7,9 x Rom.16:20;
Zech.3:2; Luke 22:31,32 y John 17:15; 1 Thess.5:23
Q. 196. What doth the conclusion
of the Lord's prayer teach us?
A. The conclusion of the Lord's
prayer, (which is, For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for
ever. Amena.) teacheth us to enforce our petitions with argumentsb,
which are to be taken, not from any worthiness in ourselves, or in any other
creature, but from Godc; and with our prayers to join praisesd,
ascribing to God alone eternal sovereignty, omnipotency, and glorious
excellencye; in regard whereof, as he is able and willing to help
usf, so we by faith are emboldened to plead with him that he wouldg,
and quietly to rely upon him, that he will fulfil our requestsh.
And, to testify this our desire and assurance, we say, Ameni.
a Matt.6:13 b Rom.15:30 c
Dan.9:4,7-9,16-19 d Phil.4:6 e 1 Chron.29:10-13 f
Eph.3:20,21; Luke
11:13
g 2
Chron.20:6,11 h 2 Chron.14:11 i 1 Cor.14:16; Rev.22:20,21
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