The Spirit of Prayer, Title page – Errata
THE SPIRIT of PRAYER.
OR, A DISCOURSE, WHEREIN The Nature of Prayer is Opened, the Kinds of Prayer are Handled, and the Right Manner of Praying Diſcover'd: Several Caſes about this Duty are Reſolved, From
EPH. 6. 18.
Praying Alwayes with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit, and Watching thereunto with all Perſeverance, and Supplication for All Saints.
Unto which is Added, A Direction for the Attaining the Gift of Prayer, That Family-Duty may not be Omitted, nor Secret Duty diſcouraged, through Inability of Utterance and Expreſſion.
BY Nathanael Vincent M. A. Miniſter of the Goſpel.
London, Printed for Tho. Parkhurſt, at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapſide near Mercers Chappel, and at the Bible on London-Bridge near the Gate, 1674.
To the Truly HONOURABLE LADY, Heſter, LADY BLOƲNT, Mercy, and Grace, and Peace, be Multiplyed.
Much Honoured Madam,
WHen I had the happineſs to belong unto your Noble Family; the Favours I received were Weighty ones, and have left too deep an impreſſion upon me ever to be worn off. I never lived more free from Care & Trouble, then when I lived with your Ladyſhip. Your Civility, your Bounty, your being ſo much concerned when I went away, I muſt Remember, while I have Memory.
'Tis very pleaſing to me to reflect upon the Opportunities I had when I lived at Tittenhanger, your Stately Houſe; not only of ſtudying, but of performing thoſe Secret duties of Prayer and Meditation; wherein Communion with God is ſo exceeding ſweet, that all ſenſual delights and pleaſures are contemptible in compariſon. At that time the World was preſented to me in the Gayeſt dreſs: Your Houſe Large, and bravely Furniſhed; your Gardens Delighful; your Park and Walks hardly to be Matched; your Table abundantly & ſumptuouſly Furniſhed. Yet I muſt needs tell You, That God was ten Thouſand times more to me than all this. When I ſought him with my whole Heart, and found him; when I begg'd his Grace, and had the Grace I begg'd for. This, This was it, which made my life happy; This made me Cheerful indeed, onelyonly I was ſorry to ſee others take up, and be ſo much tranſported with lower Pleaſures.
Believe me Madam, nay, believe the Lord himſelf, Religion and Joy are not inconſiſtent. The wayes of Wiſdom, are wayes of Pleaſantneſs; and all the paths thereof, are paths of Peace. Though David had a Crown of pure Gold on his Head, though he was Lord of ſuch a Country which was then the glory of all Lands, yet we find that God was his Joy; and that was his Language; Whom have I Heaven but Thee, and there is none on Earth that I deſire beſides Thee. Whereas Solomon his ſon, indulging his Fl…ſh, and too much forgetting God, did but hereby contribute to his own diſquiet. He made him great Works, he built Houſes, and planted Vineyards; he made Gardens and Orchards, and planted Trees in them of all ſorts of Fruit; he made Pools of Water, that the Trees might be the more Flouriſhing. He had Servants & Maidens, Poſſeſſions of great and ſmall Cattel, above all that were before him in Jeruſalem. He gathered Silver and Gold, and the peculiar Treaſure of Kings, and of the Provinces. He had Men-ſingers, and Women-ſingers▪ and the Delights of the Sons of Men; and Muſical Inſtruments of all ſorts. Nay, whatſoever his Eyes deſired, he kept not from them; neither did he withold from his Heart, any Joy. How large an Inventory is here of what is gratifying to the Senſes? Yet in the midſt of all, he cryes out, Behold, all is Vanity and Vexation of Spirit, and there is no Profit under the Sun, Eccleſ. 2. 4, 11.
Madam, I earneſtly deſire your Eternal welfare; and alſo your preſent Joy: And truly, there muſt be Godlineſs not in the Form only, but in the Power alſo; or elſe you will be a Stranger to the pleaſure of Chriſtianity. God is the Souls centre. Reſt is elſewhere in vain expected. The more you acquaint your ſelf with Him, the more perfect your peace will be; & thereby good will come unto you.
Theſe enſuing Sermons concerning Prayer, I hope, through the bleſſing of God, may be a means to make Devotion much more ſervent. And 'tis not in vain to ſeek Him that is ſo willing to be ſound, and whoſe Sufficiency is ſuch, that he can ſatisfie your deſires when they are moſt Enlarged.
That the Lord of Heaven would bleſs You, and all the Branches of your Illuſt…ious Family, and make all eminent for Piety and Holineſs, which will be your trueſt Honour, and greateſt Dignity, is the Prayer of
Madam, Your Ladiſhips moſt humble, and moſt obliged Servant, Nathanael Vincent.
To the Readers, eſpecially them that were Hearers of theſe Following Sermons.
Beloved Brethren,
BEing about to Read a Book concerning Prayer; how convenient is it you ſhould begin with Prayer, that you may read with profit? Lift up therefore your hearts unto God, and deſire Grace to do what is made known to be your duty.
Gods Precepts are for your profit; He is not capable of being advantaged, for he is infinitely and eternally ſelf-ſufficient; but you your ſelves will be benefited by your Obedience. He requires you to come to the throne of Grace, that he may impart his Grace and Mercy unto you that ſo much ſtand in need of it. 'Tis the property of Good to be communicative of it ſelf: And the Lord who is the Summum Bonum, higheſt and chiefeſt Good, does give moſt of all liberally.
Prayer is an Ordinance that He has appointed; and 'tis a great priviledge we are allowed, to pour out our Souls before him; His Hand is not ſhortned, His Ear is not heavy; we ſhall not be ſtraitned in Him; if we are not ſtraitned in our own Bowels.
You that never have pray'd with any ſeriouſneſs of Spirit, ſhould cry now with the greater fervency. You have not one Sin pardoned, not one Corruption mortified, not one ſaving Grace wrought in your Hearts; you have not the leaſt part of your main work don; no proviſion at all made for Eternity and another World. It concerns you therefore to begg as for your Lives, that God would recon…cile you to himſelf in Chriſt, and make you new Creatures, and become a Father and a Portion to you.
Now is the accepted time; Now the Father of Mercies is upon the mercy Seat. Now the Lord Jeſus is willing to be your Advocate, and to intercede for you. Now the ſpirit of Grace is ready to help our infirmities; Now forgiveneſs of ſin and life and Immortality are freely offer'd, nay you are intreated to accept them. But it will not be thus alwayes, ſhortly, God will be inexorable; the Advocate will be a judg to condemn, and the ſpirit will withdraw for ever, and the day of grace will be ended. Oh therefore pray now, for then 'twill be to late to pray.
And for you that make conſcience of this duty, wreſtle ſtill with greater Vigour. Thoſe are the ſtrongeſt Chriſtians that are mightieſt in praier. He that prayes well, will do all wel beſides; for by prayer ſtrength is obtained for the performance of every Duty.
I have added a ſhort treatiſe concerning the gift of prayer, bebecauſe many are weak and unexerciſed in this Duty. and I have furniſhed them with Scripture expreſſions which are without controverſy, the beſt of all; and by practiſe and diligence their ability may be increaſed.
Theſe Sermons were beggd from Heaven, I follow them with prayer, that from thence they may be effectual, not only to thoſe that have deſired the publiſhing of them, but unto all others, unto whoſe hands the providence of God ſhall bring them.
Nathanael Vincent.
Pray before you Read; Correct theſe ERRATAES.
PAge. 2. lin. 31. for dart, r. darts, p. 9. l. 18 for vow. r. voice. l. 19. blot out, and thoſe things onelyonly muſt be directed unto God alone. p. 12. l. 22. for God ever r. Gods ear. p. 18. l. 6. for in our directory r. is our directory l. 9. for foreign p. 21. l. 4. blot out and. p. 26. l. 11 for price r. prize p. 33. l. 3. for which r. that p. 37. l. 14. for, or the rock r. for the rock p. 62. l. 29. for innumeration, r. ennumeration p. 69. l. 19. for thee r. this. p. 72. l. 25. for carnal deſires r. carnal deſigns p. 73. l. 10. for veins r. reins p. 77. l ult. for Spirti r. Spirit, p. 97. l 19. for hirado r. hirudo p. 100. l. 9. for emfulneſs r. Sinfulneſs p. 122 l. 10. for is r. are p. 110. l. 7. for exalted r. excelled p. 146 for night. r. nigh p. 167. l. 13. for court r. coaſts.