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 Approx. 37 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 23 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A76058 Wing A984A ESTC R228577 43077458 ocm 43077458 151515 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A76058) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 151515) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English Books, 1641-1700 ; 2262:2) 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. [2], 34, [5] p. Printed for Thomas Cockerill at the Three Legs in the Poultrey, London : 1680. Cover title. Publisher's advertisements on [5] p. at end. Reproduction of original in: William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, University of California, Los Angeles, California. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Devotional exercises -- Early works to 1800. Spiritual life -- Early works to 1800. 2007-06 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-07 Robyn Anspach Sampled and proofread 2007-07 Robyn Anspach Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion 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 your holy design . Now is a time , wherein you have your hearts at the advantage , having such weighty arguments before you , and the opportunity 〈◊〉 doing two such great things more , as the saving of your selves , and also of the people , both from iniquity and calamity . Direct . 3. Do all you do , in pursuance hereof , in the Name of the Lord Jesus . Be not discouraged at any prospect of difficulty , trust in him for his help . Encourage your hearts with the words of the Apostle , Phil. 4. 13. I shall be able to do all things through Christ that strengthens me . Direct . 4. Keep your eye and your heart much upon God and the other world ; Be able to say with the Apostle , Phil. 3. 20. Our Conversation is in heaven ; that is , there the business of our life lies ; and that not only above spiritual and heavenly things , but with God himself . Live at the fountain and spring-head ; thence all your light , and 〈◊〉 and holiness , and strength must flow down . Be much in looking upwards ; and beholding in a glass the glory of the Lord , you will be changed from glory to glory , into the same Image , 2 Cor. 3. 18. Look much and often upon the things that are not seen , if ye would be delivered from the power and malign influence of the things that are seen ; let your eye be upon the Sun , and you will see a dimness and darkness upon the earth ; get you cloathed with the Sun , and you will get the Moon under you feet . Direct . 5. See that there be no allowed sin in your heart or practice , Psal . 66. 18. If I regard iniquity in mine heart , God will not hear my prayer , nor help me . An allowed sin is as the d●●● flesh in the wound ; whatever methods or medicines be taken , there will be no healing till the dead flesh be eaten off ; you may profess , and pray , and hear all your life long , and yet will never prosper whilest you are privy to any one indulged sin . Direct . 6. Be constant and instant in dayly , secret and family Prayer . Let not extraordinary Prayer excuse your ordinary ; and let not your neglect of ordinary Prayer unfit you for extraordinary : Let not your way to your Closet be untrod . He that holds his acquaintance in Heaven by being often with God , will be the most like to prevail with God in the most pressing and difficult cases ; those that are much in Prayer , those are the men that use to be mighty in Prayer . Direct . 7. In all your praying , both ordinrry and extraordinary , let your eye be ( I say not chiefly , but ) firstly upon the case of your own Souls : What improvement you obtain here will be of this double advantage ; 1. There will be the more hope of your ●●ing heard for the publick . 2. If ●●e Lord be not prevail'd with for ●●blick mercies and deliverances , ●●t you will be the better prepar'd ●●r sufferings . If God should shew ●ercy as to the publick , should scat●●r our clouds , and blow over our ●●orms , should cause our light to ●reak forth as the morning , and our ●●ghteousness also as the noon-day ; 〈◊〉 what would all this be to thee , ●●ho art unrighteous ? What would ● be to thee , if in all the Land of ●●oshen there should be light , and ●●ou in the midst thereof shouldest 〈◊〉 covered over with the darkness 〈◊〉 Egypt ? if there should be dew 〈◊〉 all the grass of the field , and thy ●●ece only should be dry ? if thou ●●ouldest live to see thy people a fa●●d people and an holy and fruitful ●●ation , and thou should'st stand as a ●ithered and dry Tree amongst all ●●e flourishing Cedars ? Get up ●●ine own heart into good proof , 〈◊〉 whatever spiritual plenty thou maist see in Israel , yet thou wilt 〈◊〉 eat thereof . Talk no more of thi●● hopes of seeing good days , how ●●tle would that be to thee , unl●●● thou get thee a better heart ? Direct . 8. Let your Prayers followed with a constant care of y●●● wayes . Let not your pray●●● serve you instead of repenting a●● reforming , but let it quicken you 〈◊〉 your whole duty ; let your entri●● into your Closet be your ascendi●● heavenwards ; and let not your 〈◊〉 turns thence be the falling down 〈◊〉 your Souls from Heaven to Ear●● Let your duties and ways be all o● piece ; live like praying Christia● Let not the spirituality of yo● mornings and evenings , countena●● or encourage you in your all-d●● carnality . Be in the fear of the Lo●● all the day long , Prov. 23. 17. Direct . 9. Whatever incomes 〈◊〉 receeive from God into your own Sou●● ●e free in dispersing to others : I mean in a way of holy discourse and conference . Dispersing and communica●ing is the best way to thriving , Pro. 11. 24. There is that scattereth , and ●et increaseth ; there is that withholdeth , and it tendeth to poverty . 'T is true with respect to spirituals as well as to temporals . There are none that grow more rich towards God , than those , who by bringing forth what they have received , labour to make others rich also . Give the holy fire within you a vent , and it will burn the clearer . Keep not ●our Religion to your selves ; let your full cup run over , let your lips drop as the honey-comb , let your mouth be a well of life , and your ●ips feed many , Prov. 10. 11. Build up one another in the most Holy Faith ; provoke one another to love and to good works , let your Fami●ies , your Wives and Children , your Neighbours and Acquaintance , have ●ight from your Candle , and be warmed by your Fire . Doubtle●● it s one special part of Gods quarr●● with Christians , That they are , ●● very many of them , of such carn●● and unsavoury converses . Is it [ thy case ? hast thou this to charge upo● thy self ? O! amend , amend , an● see that thou continue not such ● barren Soul ; as low as 't is with th● in grace , think not to rise high , unless thou wilt make better use 〈◊〉 what thou hast . 2. Particular Directions . Direct . 1. Consider what it is wher to you have already attained , and b● thankful ; and thence be encourage● to press on and hope for more . Ha● thou obtained Grace from the Lord and hath he caused his Grace to abound towards thee and in thee 〈◊〉 and hast thou a witness within the● that thou hast not received th● Grace of God in vain ? But do●● thou study to walk worthy of tha● Grace wherein thou standest ? O rejoyce in the Lord , and let all within thee bless his Holy Name ; and take what thou hast thus received as an earnest of more . Set thy foot upon the neck of every mortified lust , take the more heart to thee to go on in the fight , and rejoyce in hope of a total and final victory . The Soldier , when one Wing of his Enemies Army is routed , or they do but give ground , and begin to fall , this raises his courage , and he falls more smartly on . Go thou and do likewise ; and let thy beginning , much more thy growth in Grace , and thy experiences hereof , be the ●oiling of thy wheels , for thy more ●igorous following on after yet a greater increase . Direct . 2. Consider what your special corruptions , infirmities , wants , neglects , temptations , or your most ordinary falls are . 1. What your special corruptions are , how far forth you have conquered them , and where you stick . In some professors , Pride , in others Covetousness , in others Sensuality , in others Slothfulness , in others Peevishness or Frowardness , or the like , may have gotten such head in them , that these weeds overtop , and even choke up all their flowers , 2. What your special wants or weaknesses are in point of Grace ; what graces they are , whether Faith , or Love , or Peacefulness , or Meekness , or Humility , or Patience , &c. wherein you are most deficient or weak . 3. What Du●ies they are , as either Prayer , Meditation , Communing with your own hearts , &c. which you are most apt to neglect , or find most difficult to go comfortably through . 4. What Temptations they are , by which you are most commonly assaulted or foiled . 5. What your most ordinary Falls are in point of practice . And here let Professors of Religion be warned to consider , if they be not overtaken ( besides many others ) by some of these three evils . 1. An over-eager and greedy following after the World : The zeal of some mens spirits after riches , hath eaten up all their zeal of God. O! into what poverty hath thy Soul fallen , whilst thou hast been so busie in the world , and hast felt the prosperities thereof come crouding in upon thee ! Some rich Professors may remember the days of old , and be troubled . This thought , When I was but a little one in this world , then was it better with me than now ; this thought may be an Arrow in their hearts , and kill the joy , and let out the juice and sweetness of their greatest abundance . I remember the kindness of my youth , and the love of mine espousals ; but O where am I now ! my very rising hath given me the fall . 2. A liberty for carnal jollity , a jovial and vainly merry life ; such there are , who have left off to walk mournfully before the Lord of Hosts , and have given themselves to live merrily with the world ; who have given over to weep with them that weep , and are fallen in to laugh with them that laugh ; to jest and sport and be vain with the vain ones , yea and it may be to drink and to sit by it with those that drink . It 's now grown too creditable to frequent drinking Houses : Tradesmen that are Professors , especially in Cities or great Towns , how ordinarily do they , upon pretence of dispatch of business , sit many hours over a dish of Coffee , or a cup of Ale , or a glass of Sack ; and carry it so , that they can hardly be distinguished from the good Fellows of the world , but perhaps by this only , That they are not down right drunken into Beasts . If there be a liberty of such Houses , and meetings in them ●●metimes necessary ( as perhaps it ●●y ) yet let not this liberty be ●●d as an occasion to the flesh . 〈◊〉 Gaudiness or over-costliness in ●pparel , wherein some of them ●itter and shine amongst the great●● Gallants of the earth . Some ●●ongst professors do not only shun ●●t disdain and despise the old self●●yal that was wont to be among ●ristians in these and the like par●●ulars . as if they were set at liberby the Gospel from the Laws of ●●rist , as well as from the Law of ●●ses . To these three let me add 〈◊〉 evil more : 4. A neglect of 〈◊〉 Families ; of the Instructing , ●●chising , and due disciplining 〈◊〉 ; the consequents of which ●●lect are very sadly to be seen in ●ignorance , errors , rudeness and ●rderliness abounding amongst ●●y of them : there are not a few 〈◊〉 take some care of themselves , 〈◊〉 leave the bridle on the necks of ●●irs , and reap many heart-breaking crops in them , as the fruits 〈◊〉 their own negligence . O let ho●● Joshua's resolution be yours : 〈◊〉 for me and mine house , we will ser● the Lord , Josh . 24. 15. Now diligently search and consi●der thy self in all these things ; a●● when thou hast faithfully studi●● thy self and thy ways , and h●● found what it is that thou art m●● peccant or wanting in , and m●● prejudiced and hindred by ; th●● conclude , here my great difficu●● lyes , and therefore here my gr●●● work lies , if ever I would prospe●● to get this or that corruption to 〈◊〉 mortified , this or that gr●● strengthened , such and such tem●●●tations to be shunned or provid● against , and such and such faults be amended ; now I have fou●● what hinders me ; and that wh●● doth hinder will hinder , till it 〈◊〉 taken out of the way . Direct . 3. Bend the main force of 〈◊〉 your Religion upon those very 〈◊〉 wherein you are most failing or ●●lty . The Devil will allow us to 〈◊〉 busie in other matters of Religi●● , so he can but keep us off from ●●ose things where our great stresses 〈◊〉 : And the deceitful heart will 〈◊〉 up with that which is most easie 〈◊〉 pleasant , that there by it may 〈◊〉 better shift it self of that which 〈◊〉 more hard , and would go to the ●●ck with it . We never purge or 〈◊〉 to purpose , till we hit upon 〈◊〉 right humour , and strike the 〈◊〉 vein . This is to act rationally and in ●●gment ; to bend our great ●●gth there , where our great ●●culty or weakness lies . When 〈◊〉 have by searching found out 〈◊〉 you mostly stick at , let it be 〈◊〉 first grand errand in every ●●ver , whether ordinary or ex●●●ordinary , to beg special help in 〈◊〉 particular case : your weakness in any particular grace or duty , th● power of any particular lust , co●ruption or temptation , your m●● ordinary and common falls in poi● of conversation ; let these have 〈◊〉 special place in every prayer yo●● make : And also let them be mo●● heedfully watched and laboured 〈◊〉 against in your lives . Turn in 〈◊〉 strength of prayer and watchfuln●● upon the strength of sin ; let yo●● main batteries be against the stron●● holds ; and where your walls 〈◊〉 weakned , there set the strong●● guard and watch . Direct . 4. Measure your prof●●ency in Religion , by the power 〈◊〉 get in those particulars , wherein 〈◊〉 have been most deficient or faul● Judge not your selves by th● things which are most easie in Re●●gion , but by your coming off 〈◊〉 your most difficult case . Some professors may at ti●●eem to be full of good affectio●● ●●rangely elevated and enlarged in ●●eir prayers , yea , and to live in so ●●eat peace , as to take themselves 〈◊〉 have attained to the riches of full ●●ssurance , and yet for all this may 〈◊〉 but very poor Christians all the ●●hile . Let them be asked , How ●●it with your Soul ? O! I bless the ●ord I find it very comfortable : I ●●ve sweet communion with God in ●rayer , and I live in the sweet and ●●freshing light of his countenance ; 〈◊〉 washeth my steps with Butter , ●●d his Sun shineth upon my paths ▪ 〈◊〉 thank the Lord I go comfortably 〈◊〉 . But stay man , How is it with ●hine old corruptions ? Thou wer 't ●●ce intollerably proud , or fro●●ard , or earthly , or a jolly and ●●ainly merry soul ; what ground ●●ast thou gotten of those very cor●uptions under which thou most ●●groanedst ? How is it with thee with ●espect to temptation ? Dost thou ●ear and fly from temptation , and ●o what thou canst to keep thy self out of harms way ? and when th● fallest into temptation , when th●● art actually tempted to Pride 〈◊〉 Covetousness , when thou art pr●voked to passion or impatience , ho●● goes it with thee then ? how stan●est thou in the day of temptation●● How is it with thee in regard 〈◊〉 thy wonted evils in thy conver●●tion ? Hast thou sounded a retrea●● from thy eager chase after the grea●● things of the world ? Thou ha●● been a zealot for increasing thin●● eart●ly Substance , art thou now become more moderate ? Thou wert● once a slothful , lazy soul in the matters of God , art thou now more diligent and industrious ? art thou 〈◊〉 servent in spirit serving the Lord 〈◊〉 Thou once livedst a jolly , frothy and merry life , dost thou now carry it with more seriousness ? Hast thou left thy lying and deceitful dealing ? Thou hast been a self-seeker and a flesh pleaser , but canst say , through the Grace of God , I have now betaken my self to a self-denying life ; ●●d doest thou deny thy self in those ●●ry things wherein thou wert us'd ●●st to seek thy self ? Put thy self ●●on a close and severe trial here , ●●d know that if the strong hold 〈◊〉 not battered and broken , if thine 〈◊〉 lusts do still hold their power in ●●ee , if the old sore be still issuing 〈◊〉 , the old stream be still running 〈◊〉 course ; if thou canst not say , I ●●ave kept me from [ mine ] iniquity , 〈◊〉 at least am fighting more resol●●edly against it ; if thou still stickest where thou wert wont to stick ; ( whatsoever flush thou seemest to have of good affections , whatsoever confidence thou hast of thy good condition ) 't is a sure sign it is not so well with thee . Look to what degree of success thou hast attained in those things wherein thy great difficulty lay ; to such a degree of soul-prosperity thou hast attained , and no more . Direct 5. Measure your hopes of the answer of your Prayers for the publick , by your experience of their speeding in your own particular cases . If thy sin can stand before all thy prayers , thine enemies , and fears , and dangers are not like to fall ever the sooner for such praying ; what God may do upon the prayers of others , thou knowest not ; but nothing is like to go the better for thee . If thou hast run with the foot-men ( within thee ) and these have been too hard for thee , how wilt thou contend with them that ride upon horses ? If thon canst not stop the muddy streams of thine own cistern , how wilt thou stand before the swelling of Jordan ? If thy prayers prevail so little to the setting thine own heart , or thine own house in order , how canst think they will do any thing against the hosts of the uncircumcised ? God heareth not sinners ; not only such sinners as are in a state of sin , and totally alienated from the life of God , but even such also , who though for the main , they have been once washed in the blood of Christ , are again fallen into , and wallowing in the mud and mire of any one allowed sin ; they are all like to be but miserable comforters in the day of distress . Remember that Scripture mentioned before , Psal . 66. 18. If I regard iniquity iu my heart , God will not hear my prayer . But on the other side , if thou dost obtain , if thou dost prevail in thine own personal case , this hath good hope in it . 'T is an argument that thy prayers are accepted with God ; and if the Lord accept thee when thou prayest for thy self , or for thine house , thence the greater hope will spring that he will accept thee when thou prayest for his own house and people . And if he doth accept thee for them , he will either deliver them out of their distress , and thou shalt have the honour to be one of those for whose sake deliverance comes ; or if he should not grant thy request as to the publick , yet he will not fail to give thee thine own soul for a prey , though he do not give thee the lives of them that sail with thee in the Ship. And now you see the best way that is open to you , to help at a pinch , to save the poor distressed Churches of God in this time of their need , such praying as may have its fruit unto holiness in your selves ; by this you may do much to promote the holiness and happiness of the people ; if any thing , this will do it . Wherefore gird up your loyns , and set in in good earnest upon this seasonable and mighty duty . Go into your closets , lift up your hearts , draw forth your souls , pour out your tears , weep in your prayer , weep over you own and the peoples sins and fears , and bow your selves with your might before the Lord ; this once try what you can do , try the strength of prayer . Pray all to rights within you and at home , and then seek and cry , and wrestle , and trust , and wait for the Salvation of God to be revealed in due time upon his people . Let us at length hear the conclusion of the whole matter , what shall be the fruit of all this : what will you now do ? If I should only ask , Who among you will join in and pray , pray for the peace of Jerusalem , the Church of the living God ? every one would readily answer , I will be for one , I for another , God forbid I should hold my peace , I will pray for the peace of Jerusalem , Let them prosper that love thee : Peace be within thy walls , and prosperity within thy palaces . For my brethren and companions sake I will pray , Peace be within thee , because of the House of the Lord our God , I will seek thy good . If it be asked further , and who will pray for the destruction of Babylon ? O , every one of us that have an heart for the peace of Jerusalem . Down with it , down with it even to the ground , Remember , O Lord , the Children of Edom , in the day of Jerusalem , who said , Raze it , raze it even to the very foundation . O Daughter of Babylon that art to be destroyed , happy let him be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us . But would you that your prayers should be heard ? Then arise out of your places , and fall every man upon a personal Reformation . Down with your sin , and out with the world ; list up Christ in your own hearts , is you would have Antichrist ●all in the earth ; let Christ have a name within you above every name , and let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity , from his own iniquity ; feek not for corn , and for wine , or for freedom to sit down every man under his own Vine , and under his own fig-tree , where none shall make them afraid ; but seek the Lord , that the Lord God may dwell among you , may delight in you and be exalted by you , that you may indeed become the people of his Holiness , and the people of his Prayer ; seek to be made partakers of his holiness , and follow after holiness , and so follow after that ye may obtain . Let there be such a heart in you , and such an holy design heartily taken up , and zealously pursued by you , and the Lord will certainly accept you ▪ and answer your prayers ; and your profane enemies will then learn to take heed how they again mock or boast themselves against the prayers of the Saints . It was reported of a great Church-man , that when several Ministers were turn'd out of their places for non-conformity , he said in disdain , Wee 'l turn them out , and let them see if they can pray them in again . Once lift up [ holy ] hands to the Lord , and God will give such Answer , that they will take heed of boasting again against prayer . And if yet they should take unto them the hardiness , to say where is your God ? Doubt not but in a little time you shall have this song put into your mouths , Lo this is our God , we have waited for him , and he will save us , this is the Lord ; we have waited for him , we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation . But if it must suffice you to pray and you will still go on to traverse your old ways , suffering your sins and the world to hold the head of you , let not such men think they shall receive any thing of the Lord. Wherefore once again be exhorted to come to a point in this matter , and determine what ye will do ; If yet will not heartily come in , in this necessary design of advancing in holiness , you may even stand aside , and sit out from that of Prayer , for any good we can expect from you : But if you are resolved on the former , and that with all imaginable seriousness , you will the more prosper in the latter ; let both go together in one , and thenceforth look for good speed in either . Well , shall this Decree immediately go forth ? Say the word once , but let it be with an unalterable resolution ; at least , be advised to this ( which I pray forget not ) from the day of your next solemn appearing before God in this duty of Prayer for the publick , let your Decree be dated ; and if need be , let the very day be written down , and so go , and let it be heedfully prosecuted ; and upon each return of this solemn service , let it be actually and expresly renewed . O Lord God of Abraham , Isaac and Israel , keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people , and prepare their heart unto thee . FINIS . Books Printed and Sold by Tho. Cockerill , at the Three-Legs over against rhe Stocks-Market . THE Morning-Exercise at Cripplegate of several Cases of ●onscience , practically resolved by ●●dry Ministers , in Quarto . A Supplement to the Morning-●xercise at Cripplegate , or several ●ore Cases of Conscience practical●●● resolved by sundry Ministers , 〈◊〉 4to . Speculum Theologie in Christo : 〈◊〉 a View of some Divine Truths , ●hich are either practically ex●●plified in Jesus Christ , set forth 〈◊〉 the Gospel , or may be reasonably deduced from thence ; 〈◊〉 Edward Polhil of Burwash in Susse●● Esq ; 4to . Precious Faith considered , in nature , working and growth ; 〈◊〉 Edward Polhil , Esq &c. 4to . Christus in Corde : Or the Mys●cal Union between Christ and Bel●●vers considered , in its Resemblance● Bonds , Seals , Privildges and Marks by Edward Polhil , Esq 8vo . The Faithfulness of God co●●dered and cleared , in the gr●● events of its works : or , a seco●● part of fulfilling the Scripture ; 〈◊〉 the same Author , in 8vo . De Causa Dei : Or , a Vindi●●tion of the Common Doctrine 〈◊〉 the Protestant Divines , concer●●ing Predetermination ( i. e. 〈◊〉 Interest of God as the first Cau●● in all Actions , as such , of all ●●tional Creatures ) from the In●●dious consequences with which 〈◊〉 burthen'd by Mr. John Ho●● in a late Letter of Postcr●● Gods Prescience , in 8vo . A Dialogue between a Romish ●riest , and an English Protestant , ●herein the Principal Points and ●rguments of both Religions are ●ruly Proposed , and fully Examined , 〈◊〉 Matthew Pool , Author of Synopsis ●riticorum , in 12s . The Spiritual Remembrancer 〈◊〉 a brief Discourse of those who ●●tend upon Preaching the Gospel , 〈◊〉 Samuel Wells , in 8vo . God , a Christians Choice , com●●ated by particular Covenanting ●●th God , wherein the Lawful●●ss and Expediency is clared ; 〈◊〉 Samuel Winney , in 12s . The Court of the Gentiles , in 〈◊〉 parts ; by Theophilus Gale , 4to . Poese ●s Grecae Medulla ; in qua ●●tinenter Insigniores Poetarum ●●aecorum gnome , versus Proverbi●●s , & Epigrammata quaedam se●●a , & in memoriae subsidium Al●●beticae disposita ; cum reisione latina in usum Scholarum ; per Johannem Langston , 8vo . Poems in two parts ; first an Interlocutory Discourse concerning the Creation , Fall and Recovery of Man. Secondly , A Dialogue between Faith and a Doubting Soul ; by Samuel Slater , in 8vo . Mr. West's Legacy , being a Discourse of the Perfect Man , in 12s . ☜ Geography Rectified : or , a Description of the World , in all its Kingdoms , Provinces , Cities Towns , Seas , Rivers , Bays , Capes , Ports ; Their Ancient and Present Names , Inhabitants , Scituations , Histories , Customs , Governments , &c. As also their Commodities , Coins , Weights and Measures , compared with those of London : Illustrated with above Sixty new Maps . The whole work performed according to the more accurate discoveries of modern Authors in 4to . A Renuncitation of several Popish Doctrines , because Contrary to the Doctrine of faith of the Church of England , by R. R. B. D. in 8vo .