IN ITS DEVOUT DISCHARGE. WITH A FEW FORMS OF PRAYER. BY THE REV. EDW. BICKERSTETH, ASSISTANT MINISTER OF WHELER CHAPEL. THE THIRD EDITION. LONDON: By J. Seeley, Buckingham. 1819. 1265 0.21 CONTENTS сHAP. PAGE :::::::: : 1. The Nature and Duty of Prayer .... 3. The Assistance of the Holy Spirit 4. The Intercession of Jesus Christ 5. Private Prayer .. .. .. .. .. .. 7. Family Worship .. .. .. .. .. 8. Social Prayer .. .. .. .. .. .. 162 9. The General Habit of Prayer .. .. .. 167 10. The Spirit of Prayer for the Enlargement of the Kingdom of Christ' .. ..... 174 11. Distractions in Prayer .. .. .. .. 184 12. On Devotional Feelings merely .. .. 194 13. Directions to assist in attaining the Spirit of 14. An Exhortation to Constant Prayer.. . 227 15. Forms of Prayer .. .. .. .. .. 238 A Prayer for the Gift and Grace of Prayer 239 Private Morning Prayer . o o 241 Another Private Morning Prayer .. .. 244 257 Another Private Evening Prayer Prayer before the Lord's Supper Prayer after the Lord's Supper Another Evening Fanvily Prayer Prayer for a Benevolent Society . .. 280 A Social Prayer .. .. .. .. .. 281 284 Another on the sanje subject o' .. .. 288 Ejaculatory Prayers from the Scriptures .. 292 PREFACE. THE acceptance which it has pleased God to give to the “ SCRIPTURE HELP,” and the testimonies which the writer has received of benefit derived from that work, have induced him to endeavour to call the attention of Christians, and particularly the young, for whom he wishes to be considered as especially writing, to another most important means of grace. It seemed also peculiarly needful to press the duty of prayer now; for it appears to the writer to be one of the dangers of the present reviving state of the Church, that men gain knowledge without corresponding feelings; they are tempted to make a profession of religion, and to talk about it, while, it is to be feared, the more retired and all-important duties of devout prayer, meditation, self-examination, and reading the Scriptures, are neglected. He has felt a personal advantage in his former Treatise, from its imposing on him an additional obligation to the study of the Word of God. He hopes for a similar benefit in the present publication. His various public engagements have indeed left him |