Praying Ground

[clunacleena]

The prayer entitled "Meeting God" in The Valley of Vision has the term "praying ground." I have spent time trying to figure out what it means. Anything I have found does not make sense when put into the context of the prayer (at least to me).

 

[Deleted member 6112]

The prayer entitled "Meeting God" in The Valley of Vision has the term "praying ground." I have spent time trying to figure out what it means. Anything I have found does not make sense when put into the context of the prayer (at least to me).

Can you quote the broader context?

 

[davejonescue]

The prayer entitled "Meeting God" in The Valley of Vision has the term "praying ground." I have spent time trying to figure out what it means. Anything I have found does not make sense when put into the context of the prayer (at least to me).

It would also be good to keep in mind that VoV isn't a collection of prayers by Puritans per se, but a collection of prayers based on the Puritan style, or different Puritan prayer snippets combined. Searching a combined 649,000 pages of Puritan text, by 980 Puritans and Non-Conformists I could only find 2 instances of it being used. Below is them in their following contexts.

"The higher the rise, the greater the fall, the higher the profession, the lower the damnation: he miscarrveth with a light in his hand, he perisheth under many convictions, and convictions never end but in a sound conversion as in all Saints; or in a sad damnation, as in all Hypocrites; praying ground, hearing ground, professing ground, and conviction ground, is of all the worst ground to perish upon."
Matthew Mead, The Almost Christian Discovered (En Olingo Christianos)

"Lastly, When at any time thou art afraid to go away from an Ordinance utterly unregarded, from a Sermon, from a Sacrament, from off praying ground, and no notice taken of thee: say secretly in thy heart, Lord I am here; thy poor client whom thou knowest so well, lo here am I; not one word? not one look? not one touch this day in this duty?"
Thomas Harrison, Spiritual Logic (Topica Sacra)

 

[CathH]

Something along the lines of "while you have the opportunity to pray"? especially perhaps "that window of opportunity which will close if/when you become incapacitated through illness and/or die." Metaphorically, a patch of earth/ground is marked out and within it you may pray, but once you step off that ground there is no more possibility of prayer.

That's just a guess, as I'm not familiar with the Valley of Vision. But I used to hear the term "on mercy's ground" a lot as a child and I am guessing it's the same idea. Along the lines of Isaiah 55, "Seek the Lord while he may be found, while he is near" (implicit: because a time is coming when he won't be).

 

[Phil D.]

Great God, In public and private in sanctuary and home,​

may my life be steeped in prayer,​

filled with the spirit of grace and supplication,​

each prayer perfumed with the incense of atoning blood.​

Help me, defend me, until from praying ground I pass to the realm of unceasing praise.​

Urged by my need,​

invited by thy promises,​

called by thy Spirit,​

I enter thy presence,​

worshipping thee with godly fear,​

awed by thy majesty, greatness, glory,​

but encouraged by thy love.​

​

In context ground is apparently used in the sense of "a basic metaphysical condition or realm" (Merriam Webster) that Christians find themselves in, specifically where supplicatory prayer is still a necessity, prior to entering sinless glory.