Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	heart_n	pray_v	prayer_n	13,124	5	6.7659	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76058	A companion for prayer, or, Directions for improvement in grace and practical Godliness in time of extraordinary danger by Richard Alleine, author of Vinditiae Pietatis.	R. A. (Richard Alleine), 1611-1681.	1680 (1680)	Wing A984A; ESTC R228577	12,119	45

A COMPANION FOR PRAYER OR Directions for Improvement in Grace and Practical Godliness in times of extraordinary Danger ●y Rich. Alleine Author of Vinditiae Pietatis LONDON ●rinted for Thomas Cockerill at the Three Legs in the Poultrey 1680. 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 Paper are intended I send them to you desiring you to read them and then to do what you please with them beseeching you and tru●●ing upon your friendly faithfulne●● herein that you will take your f●● freedom either to keep them in silen● to your self or else to communic●●● and make them publick I should thankfully accept af any expungings alterations or additions that you shall thi●● needful The Lord pardon the failings and accept the sincere aims of my so● herein To his Grace I commend yo● and in him I rest Dear Sir Your unworthy Friend and Servant RICHARD ALLEINE 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 England Sure this needs no proo● when we have so many sad ocul● Demonstrations hereof before us 2. That for this the Lord ha●● a controversie with us at this day Rev. 2. 4. Whatever controversie t●● Lord hath with the Belials among●● us whose horrible wickedness ha●● even ripened them for vengean●● his special quarrel seems to be wi●● his own people We may guess against whom the special anger is b●● observing at whose faces chiefly h●● arrows are levelled Against who● do our enemies the rod of his a●ger make a wide mouth and dra● forth the tongue and lift up the●● fiercest hands 3. No Prayers will avail no● have the least help in them but th● Prayers of such with whom th● Lords controversie is taken up an● composed those with whom h●● hath a particular quarrel are lik● to be unhappy Mediators for others We chuse the favourites of Princes to be our Intercessors with them 4. There can be 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 its 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 visit 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 you 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 heat 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