Public, efficacy of, i. 8 ; private, encouragements to, from God's sight and God's reward, 9 ; how he openly rewards secret prayer, ih.
Closet, a duty very necessary, i. 10 ; appears from God's precept, ih. ; from Christ's example, ih. ; from God's end in pouring out the Holy Ghost, 11 ; from the practice of the saints, 12 ; from our private necessities, ib. ; very profitable, 13 ; conduceth much to enlargement of heart, ih. ; makes way for secret manifestations of love on God's part, ib. ; is a mighty solace and support in affliction, ih. ; is a great trial of sincerity, faith, love, and obedience, 14 ; because of the great promises made to it, ib.
Neglect of secret, a sin of omission, i. 14 ; omission of a duty which is very natural to the saints, 15 ; secret should in some respects be more prized than other prayer, 16 ; mischief which follows neglect of, 17.
Private, excuses for neglecting, i. 19; want of time, ib. ; want of a place, ib. ; want of parts, ib. ; exhortation to frequency in, 20 ; its seriousness, cautions, and warnings, 21.
Ought to be simple and plain, i. 28; vocal, useful to bound our thoughts, warm our affections, and strengthen our faith, ib.
Increases faith, love, and hope, i. 30 ; five abuses in, 31 ; idle and foolish loqi;acity, ib. ; frothy eloquence and affected language, ib. ; heartless speaking, ih. ; mere outward vehemency and loud speech, 32 ; Popish repetition, and loose shreds of prayer often repeated, ih. ; directions in, ib. ; about our words, ib. ; thoughts, 33; affections, 37.
Affections proper in, i. 37 ; fervency, ib. ; reverence, 38 ; confidence, ib.
The Lord's, to be highly esteemed by christians, i. 39 ; though we are not tied to it as a form, yet it may be humbly used, ib. ; preface to, 40.
Incumbent as a duty on natural men, and yet they cannot discharge it, i. 49 ; duty with reference to, of those who do not know their adoption, 50,
An act of the heart, not of the lips, i. 60.
Lord's, contains four petitions for the bestowal of good, two for the removal of evil, i. 66.
Is both an expression of a desire, and an implicit vow or solemn obligation that we take upon ourselves to prosecute what we ask, i. 66, 75.
To be in love as well as in faith, i. 108.
Is oftener from our memories than our consciences, and oftener from our consciences than our aflections, i. 126. VOL. XXII. T
290 INDEX.
I'rayer, the Lord's, the glory of God the beginning and ending of, i. 245.
Secret, usually most ardent, i. 339.
Its use is not to inform the judgment, but to raise the affections, i. 347 ; the nearest approach to God while we are in the flesh, 349.
Agents in, the human spirit, the new nature, and the Holy Spirit, i. 350 ; must be daily and constant, but also special on extraordinary occasions, 351 ; why no life in, 352.
Often answered while it is being offered, i. 353.
Secret, every christian should work conscious of, ii. 28.
Spiritual blessings to be mainly sought in, ii. 210.
A gracious soul delights in ; a hypocrite is incapable of, ii. 238.
Must be made to God alone, iii. 137 ; Jesus Christ invoked together with the Father as an author of grace,. 138.
God's love giveth great boldness in, iii. 148 ; not a cold ineffectual, but an operative, active love, ib. ; such infinite love to give Christ to die for us as may raise our wonder and astonishment, ih. ; gift of Christ a gift in order to other things, and therefore he will com- plete that gift, ib. ; the giving of Christ showeth how freely God will give all things to us, 149 ; in prayer, God to be conceived of aa one that loveth us, ib.
Wiiat is won by, usually worn with thanks, iv. 41.
God always satisfies, though not carnal desires, iv. 45 ; we desire a knife, he giveth us bread, ib. ; encouragement in, to consider that not only is there bounty in God, but bounty engaged by promise, 46 5 trial of true, is by the faith of it, 47; requires an actual reliance on the grace and merits of Christ, ib. ; none must be put up but what can be put up in faith, 48 ; soul must magnify God's attributes in, ib. ; when we have a certain promise, we must have no doubt of his will, ib. ; wlien we have no certain assurance of his will, faith must glorify and apply his power, ib. ; and his love, 49 ; some that have more near communion with God may have a parti- cular faith of some particular occurrence, 50.
Fruit of, received from the hand of Christ, iv. 54.
Not for God's information, but the creature's submission, iv. 338.
The best remedy for sorrows, iv. 441.
Should be nothing else but faith exercised, iv. 455.
Intercessory, must be for the whole community of saints, every mem- ber of Christ's body, iv. 461 ; those especially to whom we are more nearly related, ib. ; for magistrates and officers of the church, ib. ; the weak for the strong, and the strong for the weak, ib.