Question 36 -- May not the church, in the solemn worship of God, and

and natural worship, among the institutions of Christ in his church?

Answer -- On many accounts; as, -- ^abecause the Lord Christ hath commanded his church to attend unto the worship of God therein; ^bbecause he bestows on the ministers of the church gifts and ability of prayer for the benefit and edification thereof; ^che hath appointed that all his other ordinances should be administered with prayer, whereby it becomes a part of them; ^dbecause himself ministers in the holy place, as the great high priest of his church, to present their prayers unto God at the throne of grace; ^ebecause in all the prayers of the church there is an especial regard had unto himself and the whole work of his mediation. ^aLuke xviii. 1, xxi. 36; Rom. xii. 12; 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2. ^bEph. iv. 8, 12, 13; Rom. viii. 15, 16; Gal. iv. 6. ^cActs ii. 42; 1 Tim. iv. 5. ^dRev. viii. 3, 4; Heb. iv. 14-16, vi. 20, x. 19-22. ^eJohn xiv. 13, John xv. 16, xvi. 23, 26; Eph. iii. 14, 15.

celebration of the ordinances of the gospel, make use of and content itself in the use of forms of prayer in an unknown tongue composed by others, and prescribed unto them?

Answer -- So to do would be ^acontrary to one principal end of prayer itself, which is, that believers may therein apply themselves to the throne of grace for spiritual supplies according to the present condition, wants, and exigencies of their souls; ^bto the main end that the Lord Jesus Christ aimed at in supplying men with gifts for the discharge of the work of the ministry, tending to render the promise of sending the Holy Ghost, which is the immediate cause of the church's preservation and continuance, needless and useless. Moreover, ^cit will render the discharge of the duty of ministers unto several precepts and exhortations of the gospel, for the use, stirring up, and exercise of their gifts, impossible; and ^dthereby hinder the edification of the church, the great end of all ordinances and institutions. ^aRom. viii. 26; Phil. iv. 6; Heb. iv. 16; 1 Pet. iv. 7. ^bEph. iv. 8, 12, 13. ^c1 Tim. iv. 14; 2 Tim. i. 6, 7; Col. iv. 17; Matt. xxv. 14-17. ^d1 Cor. xii. 7.