Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A26705
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A companion for prayer, or, Directions for improvement in grace and practical Godliness in time of extraordinary danger by Richard Allein.
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R. A. (Richard Alleine), 1611-1681.
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1684
(1684)
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Wing A985; ESTC R19955
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10,781
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17
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A COMPANION FOR PRAYER OR Directions for Improvement in Grace and Practical Godliness in time of Extraordinary Danger By RICHARD ALLEIN Author of Vinditiae Pietatis LONDON Printed by J. R. for T. G. MDCLXXXIV Reverend Sir THE motion made in yours concerning Prayer hath much affected me and hath occasioned some workings of my thoughts which though in a conscience of mine own weakness I more than once laid aside yet they still return'd upon me and I do now here offer the result of them to your Consideration We all know and teach that they are only returning and reforming Prayers that will prevail with God and 't is to be doubted that in this dead and decayed age there are too many professors who will joyn in the design of Prayer whom this must serve instead of Reformation 't is to such especially that the Directions in the inclosed Papers are intended I send them to you desiring you to read them and then to do what you please with them beseeching you and trusting upon your friendly faithfulness herein thar you will take your full freedom either to keep them in silence to your self or else to communicate and make them publick I should thankfully accent of any expungings alterations or additions that you shall think needful The Lord pardon the failings and accent the sincere aims of my soul herein To his Grace I commend you and in him I rest Dear Sir Your unworthy Friend and Servant RICHARD ALLEIN A COMPANION FOR PRAYER OR Directions for Improvement in Grace and Practical Godliness c. TO make way for and to press to the diligent observing the following Directions let these things be premised 1. That the Power of Religion is much fallen at least is at a stand amongst multitudes of Professors in England Sure this needs no proof when we have so many sad ocular Demonstrations hereof before us 2. That for this the Lord hath a controversie with us at this day Rev. 2.4 Whatever controversie the Lord hath with the Belials amongst us whose horrible wickedness hath even repined them for vengeance his special quarrel seems to be with his own people We may guess against whom the special anger is by observing at whose faces chiefly his arrows are levelled Against whom do our enemies the rod of his anger make a wide mouth and draw forth the tongue and lift up their fiercest hands 3. No Prayers will avail nor have the least help in them but the Prayers of such with whom the Lords controversie is taken up and composed those with whom he hath a particular quarrel are like to be unhappy Mediators for others We chuse the savourites of Princes to be our Intercessors with them 4. There can he no taking up Gods controversie unless the matter of it be removed by repentance and reformation Rev. 2.5 Isa 1.15 16 18. When ye make many prayers I will not hear your hands are full of blood wash ye make you clean c Come now and let us reason together Josh 7.10 Get thee up wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face Israel hath sinned they have taken the accursed thing and v. 12. I will not be with you any more except the accursed thing be destroyed from amongst you Is there no accursed thing amongst even the Professors of Religion Behold the wedg of Gold and the Babylonish garment their pride and their covetousness hid in their hearts for a tent Go search out these and every other accursed thing within you let them be destroyed if ye would have the Lord to be at peace 5. If there may be such a spirit of Prayer stir'd up amongst us as may have his fruit unto Holiness and real reformation of the evils of our ways this would comfort us and give us great hopes in the hardest cases 6. Therefore in all our crying to God for his help in case of publick fears dangers or distresses our eye should be firstly upon and we should wrestle with the Lord for the pardoning purging and sanctification of our own hearts and lives wherein if we prevail not we shall be as a rotten tooth or a bone out of joynt for any help there is in us or in any thing we do unless we can pray up a spirit of Holiness in our selves a spirit of Love and of Power and of a sound mind we are not like to do any thing to purpose in praying down Mercy for the people the Devil will give us leave to vifit the Throne of Grace so we will but carry our hard and uncircumcised hearts with us if we cannot get to be of the Lords holy Ones though we make many Prayers he will not hear here the interest and the hopes of the people of God lye in the shedding abroad of the sanctifying and quickning spirit upon them for this therefore should we firstly pray 7. 'T is not praying alone that will do to the bringing on our Reformation there must be also a constant and sedulous use of all Gods other means in our whole course of Life 8. Some of these means are presented in the following Directions 1. General Directions Direct 1. Take up a deep and serious design of making an advance in serious Religion Sit not down by take not up with what you have already attained but resolve for reaching forward and following after towards that which you have not attained content not your selves to drive gently on as your flesh will bear but stir up your selves to follow hard after the Lord and let this be the deliberate decree and intent of your hearts Say to thine heart How is it with me Doth my Soul prosper Are my ways such as please the Lord What is mine expectation and mine hope What is the aim and business of my life Is it that Christ may be magnified by me and that I may be made partaker of his Holiness and shew forth his Vertues in my generation Can I say with the Apostle To me to live is Christ Ah wretch that I am how deeply hath this self and this world gone shares with my Lord O! how little of my time my parts my strength yea and of my very heart also have been inclosed and consecrated as Holiness to the Lord how much of me hath been left out in common for the world Well but what meanest thou for the future Wilt thou henceforth change the purpose and intent of thine heart Come man wilt take up a design for and henceforth determine and set thine heart upon a more watchful fruitful and heavenly life If thou wilt not be brought to decree and resolve upon a better life much less wilt thou be perswaded actually to it What 's begun well is half done and an holy design deeply laid is a good beginning Direct 2. Let Gods Calls to extraordinary prayer and a sense of the necessity of your recovery and reformation to your prevailing in prayer quicken you on in the vigorous pursuance of your holy design Now is a time wherein