A Discourse Concerning the Gift of Prayer

John Wilkins — EEBO-TCP A66029, keyed from the 1653 edition.

What the gift of prayer is, why it is ascribed to the Spirit, and how far it may be attained by industry — written in the middle of the quarrel over set forms and free prayer, and answering it by teaching the thing itself. Half the book is a storehouse of matter for confession, petition, intercession and thanksgiving, arranged under the commandments.

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Contents (31)

1. To the Reader
2. Chapter 1. What this Gift is, why ascribed to the Spirit; the ingredients required to it
3. Chapter 2. Two extreams that make men defective in this Gift. Confining themselves wholly to set-formes. Depending wholly upon sudden suggestions
4. Chapter 3. Arguments, or motives to excite men unto the labour after this Gift
5. Chapter 4. The general directions for the attaining of this Gift. Namely Rules and Practice. Some particular Rules to engage the affections in this service. What we are to do upon any invincible indisposition or aversness from it
6. Chapter 5. Other Rules to furnish the Judgement in respect of Matter, Method, Expression
7. Chapter 6. Concerning the most proper materials for the Preface
8. Chapter 7. Confession of sins, by enumeration of them, and first of Original sin
9. Chapter 8. The enumeration of actuall sins, both Nationall and Personal, against the Law and Gospel, and particularly against the first Commandment
10. Chapter 9. Sins against the second Commandment
11. Chapter 10. Sins against the third and fourth Commandment
12. Chapter 11. Sins against the second Table
13. Chapter 12. Sins against the Gospel
14. Chapter 13. Concerning the aggravation of sins
15. Chapter 14. Of our acknowledging the punishments that are due to sin
16. Chapter 15. Of the proper materials for a Transition, whereby Confession and Petition may be annexed
17. Chapter 16. Conrerning Deprecation of evill, with several Arguments to back our requests of this nature
18. Chapter 17. Of comprecation for spiritual good things· The sanctification of our Natures, the obedience of our Lives
19. Chapter 18. Of the several graces and duties injoyned in the first Commandment
20. Chapter 19. What are we directed to pray for out of the second Commandment
21. Chapter 20. Of the duties required in the third and fourth Commandment
22. Chapter 21. What we are directed to pray for in the second Table
23. Chapter 22. Of the graces that are more particularly required in the Gospel
24. Chapter 23. Of petitioning for temporal good things, Provision and Protection
25. Chapter 24. Concerning Intercession, more General, both Ordinary and Occasional
26. Chapter 25. Of Particular Intercession for our several relations
27. Chapter 26. Of occasional intercession for those who are afflicted either in Minde. Body
28. Chapter 27. Concerning Thanksgiving by enumeration of Temporal favours
29. Chapter 28. Of the kindes of spiritual mercies to be enumerated
30. Chapter 29. Of Occasional thanksgiving, either for inward, or outward mercies
31. Chapter 30. Of the Amplification of mercies. The Conclusion