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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80869	An useful tractate to further Christians of these dangerous and back-sliding times, in the practice of the most needful duty of prayer Wherein are discover'd the nature, necessity and successe of fervent prayer: many objections answered, several practical cases of conscience resolved; and all briefly applied from this text, viz. James 5. 16. The effectual fervent-prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Being the substance of several sermons preached in the town of Columpton in Devon. / By William Crompton M.A. minister of that part of Christs Church there.	Crompton, William, 1599?-1642.	1659 (1659)	Wing C7033; Thomason E2142_2; ESTC R210127	70,200	187

of greatest weight and concernment for comfort credit and profit and to matters of greatest importance we account all other things but lets but not them as lets to any thing of a subordinate nature If the King or some special Favourite should come to your Place and publish a will to admit any to his presence that you might confer with him an hour or two about your wrongs and wants would you so plead Alas we have not the leasure it would hinder us in our callings I trow not but rather put off all occasions attend this So judge in the Case now in question Secondly It doth much further you in all your worldly affairs You know the baiting of the horse doth not hinder the journey nor the whetting of the sythe the work but further them The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and fervent prayer is the souls messenger sent up to fetch it down on servants cattle grounds and the whole day and night Therefore is prayer called by one of the Fathers the lock of the night and the key of the day to shut up from harm and to let in the Sun even the Sun of righteousnesse in his glorious beams and ravishing influence into every sad dark and drooping soul 4. Grant all you say Suppose it some hinderance will you be at no charge to wait upon God and to prefer your Petitions to him You can hardly expect so easie and such cheap audience in any earthly Princes Court to have your Petitions presented and answered without fees or moving gratuities And will you part with nothing for God not so much as hazard a pretended losse David was of another minde when called to build an Altar 2 Sam. 24. He would not offer that to God which cost him nothing It is true God is not won thus our good extends not to him yet he would have us willing to part with all for the purchase of the pearl to account all things but dung in respect of communion with him and the fruition of Christ he can give you a rich dew upon your labours much more then this and infinitely recompence your supposed hinderance A whet is no let you say and for all the haste of work and businesse you will have time to eat your meat three or four times a day that you may do your work both better and speedier O fools and unwise to judge prayer a losse a hinderance while it refresheth the soul of poor Pilgrims setteth edge on all our spiritual implements and calleth in the Lord to be and help you in your businesse Many thousands now in Heaven are blessing God for the benefit of Prayer No time can be spent better But I am sensible of a Digression my aim is to assure you my Beloved in the Lord for whose sake this is written that Prayer is the best way to thrive To such as rested on the Lords day according to the command did not the Lord give a double portion of Manna the day before And to such as paid their Tythes for the maintenance of the Sanctuary did not the Lord promise to open the windows of Heaven Malac. 3.10 Abraham had this promise of abundance performed to him So had Constantine the first Christian Emperour the Churches great Benefactor so many temporal blessings as never any man durst to wish Aug. de Civit. Dei Lastly Where you mention fear of Derision it is of all other the least discouragement If others laugh do you mourn if they scoff do you counsel if they curse do you blesse and pray The best things do hear ill from the worst men They know not what they do Let Dogs bark or mad men shoot arrows to the Lights of Heaven they with their radiant light and motion do still serve their Creatour So say you If this be to be vile I will be more vile then thus Chuse you whether you will pray or no as for me I will pray fervently to God who only is able to save us from sin and Hell From Objections we proceed to some Cases of Conscience First What should a man do that Case 1 cannot utter his minde he wants fit words for such a presence 1. Let such a one know Ans that an unfeigned fervent desire of the heart is to God an acceptable prayer and broken language coming from a broken heart avails more then affectation of well-couched words without affection of prayer I say the businesse of prayer is more dispatched by sighs then speeches by inward groans more then outward garnishes As the Lord heareth without ears so he understandeth without words Sighs and breathing● to God are articulate There is great dispute among the Schoolmen about the speech of Angels but this they agree in that one Angel speaketh thus to another when any one hath a conceit in his minde of any thing with a will that another should understand it and that God should also that is enough for the expression of it So it is with the spirit of man in speaking to God for the spirit of man agreeth with Angels Though it is our duty to strive to pray in fit words and to be enriched in all utterance and knowledge Hosea 14.1 1 Cor. 1.5 Therefore 2. Let him for a time use the help of godly mens prayers composed to his hand by the same Spirit and purposely intended for such as want knowledge memory or utterance till the Lord further enable the willing minde to make its requests known in a reverent and sober manner as savouring more of grace then art Young beginners may finde great help in the matter fit words good method from such a form and which being applied to particular occasions do not a little quicken revive and enlarge the heart If you should say Is it lawful so to pray I shall answer by asking this question Where is there any law against it And where there is no law there is no transgression I can finde no command against it This we finde in Scripture that Prayer is an Ordinance of God but whether to be conceived only in the heart or uttered by words whether in our own or in others words by pronunciation or reading that is not appointed Why then may not a godly man and in some cases especially as when the soul cannot put forth its operations do as Christ did pray oft in the same words to God and that though composed by another Neither is there any thing hinders but that a man thus doing may pray by the Spirit the work of the Spirit being rather 1. To teach us what graces to pray for 2. To raise fervent and devout desires after the things we pray for groans that cannot be expressed then to give in words which a man may want and yet not want the Spirit of Prayer Nor that I deny that the Spirit of God doth at all help as to words and expressions for he doth it mediately by stirring up the affections which being raised are some advantage to

paying her life for it though for her Nero. We cannot lay out too much strength in obtaining objects of so great worth Fifthly There are many and prodigious sins cry aloud to God in your own breasts families place and Country ye● Nation wherein you live we are like the land of Egypt which though it bring forth multa salubria yet withall it brings forth plurima venena in our Garden are many pleasant Flowers but withal more poisonful unsavoury weeds if we look within or without almost all things are to be sound as the Physitians facies hypocratica of a dying man very gastly and tantum non deadly the whole head is sick sin cryes aloud and if you be not earnest indeed will out-cry your prayers Sixthly By this means we declare at what rate we value Gods savour and mercies A fervent request doth advance the person and thing petitioned for It is an argument we disesteem and undervalue the blessing that we think may be obtained by slender peti●●ns as if the purchase we were about would not quit the cost nor be worth the pains that is required for it When Callidius the Roman Oratour pleaded a cause but faintly and exp●essed little or no affection Tully told him that sure he was not in earnest otherwise the tide of affection would have been up in like manner it is an argument we reckon not much the blessing when we are faint in our pursuits after it Seventhly Fervent prayer is best and most effectual like an arrow shot with full strength and a ship carryed on with full sails Powder and shot in the Musquet will do no execution unlesse the Souldier gives fire well Prayers without fervency are but as powder and shot without fire they will never go off so as to reach Heaven or our wants Of all elements that of fire is neerest Heaven and the more fire in any thing the higher it ascends Heaven-ward cold and sluggish prayers have so much earth in them that like the Grashopper if they mount a little upward they are presently down again fall short of Heaven Of all warlike Engins your Granadoes and Fire-works are of most force and of all prayers those that have most fervency are most effectual Lastly The Lord will have you to be fervent First To the end you may so much the more anger and astonish the Devil who is eaten up with envy to see God so much honoured the inward heat and voice of the heart he cannot hear divine at it he may but outward expressions he doth note and observe Secondly To give good example to the Church who are much moved and stirred up by prayer especially if it be fervent as in the body of an Army concurrent shoutings of Souldiers do as it were infuse mutually spirits into one another Thirdly To bring the heart into a better temper which is enlarged and made more capable of spiritual blessings by this fervency A zealous petitioner is but preparing and enlarging his rooms to store up the return of his holy adventures Thus you may answer the question of the rich man What shall I do because I have no room to bestow my fruit A manifest sign they were never gotten by prayer it makes room before the blessing comes he that is much in fervent prayer shall never be brought into such a streight of vexing cares And thus you have the third Quere dispatched and it shall now suffice onely a little to clear your judgments and help you in practice by some presidents I refer you to Moses Exod. 32.11 12 13. he doth as it were put God to it to free himself as if Moses his Devotion were stronger then Gods indignation To Joshuah c. 7. v. 6 7 8 9. he rent his cloaths fell to the earth on his face before the Ark of the Lord c. there is fervency in the very manner and so in the matter of his prayer Alas O Lord God wherefore hast thou at all brought this great people over Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites What shall I say when Israel turneth their back before the enemy What wilt thou do unto thy great Name To David in most of his Psalms To Ezra c. 9.56 O Lord God of Heaven the great and terrible God c. Let thine ear now be attentive and thine eyes open that thou maist hear the prayer of thy servant which I pray before thee day and night And to Daniel c. 9. v. 3 4. He set his face to seek the Lord by supplication and prayer with fasting sackcloth and ashes saying O Lord the great and dreadful God keeping Covenant and Mercy c. we have sinned and committed iniquity and have done wickedly c. as you may farther read I come to a fourth Quere viz. Qu. 4 Fourthly How may a man keep his heart in this height of heavenly fervour and that constantly for sometime it is so Ans I answer First By soundnesse and depth of spiritual union between Christ and the soul who is the Fountain of spiritual life and heat as the Sun is the Fountain of all life and heat to sublunary things as also between you and the members of Christ where you live they pray most fervently that love most entirely therefore S. P●ter adviseth men and their wives to live lovingly together lest their prayers should be hindred How much enmity and strangenesse do hinder prayers the common enemy of mankind knoweth well enough he is busie in sowing cares and glad to see men divided for then they cannot use this spiritual weapon against him nor weild this instrument one of the chiefest Engines to batter down the gates of Hell To make much of those that are godly is a ready way by allurement to make others good let this band be strong and your prayers cannot be weak Secondly By dependance on the strength of God and not upon your own abilities or graces this is to fetch fire from Heaven because no sacrifice must be offered up with common fire Our strength is weaknesse and it is one of Gods names the Strength of Israel 1 Sam. 15.19 When the wheel is set on going the soul set on work how long will it hold to its motion No longer then turned by the same hand that first moved it We shall soon work out the strength received and therefore to maintain the vigour of a fervent course there must be renewing strength from Heaven every day This David knew and therefore when his heart was in good frame as ever he felt it and his people likewise by their free-will-offering declared so much in themselves yet even then he prays that God would keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of his people and establish their heart in them 1 Chron. 29.18 He adored the mercy that made them willing and then implores his farther grace to strengthen them Would a Christian pray Where else will he finde materials for his prayer Alas he

holy Scriptures to move attention and to procure compassion Setting forth your own misery and using arguments for mercy out of Gods own Word God loves to be sued on his own bond Thus did Hester with the King and so must we if we will speed in Heaven Produce Gods own words and say as she did to Judah Whose are these It is acceptable to God to be prest with his promise this David knew and therefore cries Unite my heart to fear thy Name Ps 86.11 which is as if he had said thou hast promised to give me one heart behold I find my heart divided my thoughts dissipated and my self disabled for duty anima dispersa sit minor Unite it I beseech thee This is a ready way to have our prayers nigh to the Lord day and night Thirdly Though your own Conscience should trouble and check you though Satan labour mightily to hinder you yea say the Lord seem to turn away his face from you as he did once to David and to shut the door of mercy against you yet faint not cry still plead free grace and look on Christ against all replies remember who saith You shall reap if you faint not And great cause you have to improve your strength this way For 1. The Lord is greatly incensed against us and others round about us we may say as Moses sometime did in a case not much different Numb 16. v. 46. Wrath is gone out from the Lord the plague is begun it is a time now especially to be strong in Prayer the onely way to heal the Land 2 Chron. 7.14 Besides a multitude of sins are between God and you and therefore great need of fervent praying the Lord will be intreated if you be earnest what father seeing his indigent childe though a Prodigal on his knees with hands lift up with tears in his eyes can forbear to embrace him and to grant him his request If you who are evil know how to give good things to such children how much more will your heavenly Father give the Spirit to them that ask 2. You may hear and see the poor Church of Christ lying and languishing before you withering in her cadency like a May-flower Jerusalem is become an heap of rubbish our fair hopes of her establishment almost blasted her enemies potent and we cannot rationally conceive her ever able to wrestle through her difficulties and if the Church wither the Commonwealth cannot grow like Hippocrates his twins they smile and weep live and die together the children of both have cause to pray if either languish yea to pray fervently for both Surely if we have any bowels of compassion we cannot hold our peace for the misery of Zion the Gangrene of Heresie hath overspread her more then the present sicknesse on the Nation the raging billows of prophanenesse is ready to overwhelm her hell and the bottomlesse pit are open home-bred vipers and forrain enemies like the children of Edom cry out and gape for her destruction she is in great bitternesse and is it nothing to you that passe by When one of Darius King of Persia's Eunuchs saw Alexander the great set his feet on a low cable that had been highly prized by his master he wept and being asked the reason by Alexander he answered I mourn to see that thing my master so highly esteemed to be contemned and made a foot-stool What pious heart cannot bleed and weep to hear and see in these degenerate times the despisings of those things which God so highly prizeth Jerusalem the perfection of beauty and joy of the whole earth should not this make a dumb man to speak to pray to use strong cries Let every son of Zion consider this 3. You have many and those mighty enemies within you original sin which never resteth to draw you to evil in act without you Satan and his Agents either to tempt terrifie or persecute you this should make your hearts boil up in devotion But be sure to pray aright Some of old cryed our like a wind-instrument loud enough on their beds but could not be heard and were turned off with the censure of howling on their beds like Balaam who had words enough in his mouth without any heat in his heart A man may pray for pardon as Josephs brethren did and yet not be sorry for what is past nor resolve to amend for time to come A man may pray for power over lust as Austine confesseth of himself and yet fear as unwilling to be heard A man may pray for removal of judgments and when on the r●ck roar out a confession as Pharaoh Ahab and Simon Magus did like the mill-wheel driven by the force of waters and yet not think of much lesse be sorry for the cause and perhaps repent of their repentance thawing in the Sun and freezing in the shade As the Historian relates of William Rufus that in a great sicknesse he vowed amendment to reform his hard laws and taxes to give spiritual livings freely but recovering repented of his promise And as the captivated Jews fasted and prayed for seventy years but to get off their chains more then their sins and so like melted me●tal held no longer then the fire lasted Isa 26.16 They poured out prayer when thy chastening was upon them A man may pray for grace as Spira said he did and yet have no love to it for its excellency and beauty All this men do and yet not pray fervently to God Pauci quaerunt Deum propter se sed propter aliud He onely that is mighty in Scripture that is mighty in the Spirit that is mighty by Christ to do all things can thus pray O God create in me a clean heart and renue a right spirit within me Object These fervent expressions are not alwaies successful a time may come when a Moses and a Samuel may not be heard A. 1. Fervent expressions though they be one and chief yet not the onely means somewhat else must be done viz. submission in Petitioners and reformation in those for whom it is petitioned 2. These fervent expressions are alwaies First According to the divine purpose though not alwaies to your intents and ends Secondly For your selves and own good though not alwaies for others your prayers shall return into your own bosome Thirdly it may be your Petition is heard and granted but the time of manifestation is not yet come be constant and wait a while you shall reap Zacharies prayers for a childe were granted long before it was discovered to him Fourthly Else you may be out in the thing desired either for the matter it may not be good in it self or not for you or not for the measure not so much as is desired or for the time it may not be good now and then no wonder if you be not heard which is the second branch in my description of Prayer viz. Fervent expressions Secondly Of holy desires These are the feet on which the soul runs the

my will be done And hence that request of Bernard to his friend whom he had advised for strict and holy walking cum talis fueris memento mei i. e. When thou art such a one remember me in thy prayers All Gods family-servants are Israels prevailers with him Secondly They have the Spirit of prayer whereby they are enabled to cry powerfully Abba Father As the Spirit wrought powerfully in those men who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moved by the holy Ghost to speak the Word of God to men so it works powerfully in all righteous men speaking to God The Spirit doth both disponere and excitare give the habit and the act also brings the fuel of good desires into the soul and there sets it a burning so that in a sense they are the prayers of Christ indited by the Spirit put up in his Name and presented by ●his mediation And it cannot otherwise be but that they should find the way back again and reach that bosom whence they came These waters will rise as high as the fountain especially being conveyed by such a Conduit-pipe If the holy Spirit be the Inditer the Son the Advocate the Father the Register of the Saints prayers whatever weaknesses there be if not wilful they cannot non-suit them in that Court He cannot dislike the petition which himself hath framed Prayer is the counterpane and reflection of his own good pleasure and he can no more resist it than his own will Thirdly They have disposed and enlarged hearts though not alwaies alike Utinam eodem ardore orare possim saith Luther The more they pray the better it is with them in that regard The Lord doth enlarge their hearts that they may pray and then by prayer that enlargement is encreased that they may be fitted to receive more blessings Prayer doth not merit mercy but sits us for mercy empties the heart of self and takes in the more of God Fourthly There is nothing that can totally and finally hinder them whilst Christ Heavens Favourite and Master of requests is their friend and husband whilst the blessed Spirit is their assistant and no sin beloved Distracted and weakned they may be but wholly disappointed and kept off they cannot be The Use followes And it may serve First To let us see what to expect from the prayers of too many among us● those birds without wings and messengers without feet good for nothing at all Divide us into four sorts viz. Prophane Civil Formal and penitent We find the first sort pray not at all the second repeat a prayer the third sort make a prayer but the last sort only pray in Faith and power The prayers of unrighteous persons are little worth confundunt opera sermonem their works confute their words s●ith Hierom. And as Tacitus speaks of some words of Tiberius Preclara verba c. They are good words but not sutable to him and the reason he gives is because ad haec caetera non conveniunt his other words and actions are not of the same stamp This we may read in many Scriptures Isa 1.15 When you make many prayers I will not he●r your hands are full of blood Jer. 7.9.16 Will ye steal murther c. and come before me Jer. 14.10 11 12. See the place Secondly What you must do that you may be powerful and effectuall in prayer viz. 1. Get this qualification be righteous men You must lay aside all your sins not for a time only as 't is said of the snake that she laies aside her poyson whilst she drinketh Or as the Persians who kill all their venomous creatures one day in the year and after that suffer them to swarm as before nor blot out the old score to begin a new one as 't is said of Lewis the eleventh of France that when he had done evil he would kisse his crucifix and then God and he were good friends as he thought and so might go to his old work again but for ever in desire and endeavour Is not this the fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickednesse and to undo heavy burdens and to let the oppressed go free that ye break every yoke Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry c. Isa 58.7.55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way c. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning c. Then thou shalt call and the Lord shall answer thou shalt cry and he shall say here I am Your stubbornnesse and pride must submit or else never hope to speed all your time and strength is spent in vain When you spread forth your hands to me I will not hear I will hide mine eies from you while your hands are full of blood Sin is a devil in the air to hinder the ascending of prayer a thick cloud to stop the Sun-shine of mercy That which was noted of Co●sar may be here applied when one that was up in Arms against him yet at the same time sent him a Crown Coesar sends back the Crown with this message Let him return to his obedience and then the Crown may be accepted Certainly whatever means we use to obtain favour and prevail with God remaining in our sins had we Crowns to dedicate to his honour all would be in vain Then turn from sin 2. You must pray in a time while he will be found Isa 55.6 and call upon him while he is neer In giving you peace and liberty in the Ordinances while the Spirit strives lovingly and the Angel moves the water God cals waits Grace is dispensed the door is open whilst the day continues a time may come when he may not be found a black night may come and hide his gracious presence the Sun and the Stars may be turned into blood Lose not opportunity be gathering Manna whilst it fals call upon him Say his own beauty mercy goodnesse moved you Where these are joined there is a promise of good successe they neve● yet failed this better deserves then any an affix of probatum est saepissimè 1. When they are join'd in Persons so that the petitioner be penitent and the penitent a petitioner such as see their s●ns convictingly and distinctly such as bewail and flie to the fountain opened for sin and for uncleannesse may run and re●d comfort Isa 1.18 Matth. 21.22 Jo●n 15.7 A penitents prayer doth presuppose a promise though not alwaies in particular yet alwaies in general which is sufficient 2. When they are general in a Nation when those that sit in the throne as stars in the superiour Orb le●d the way and give light and influence in the power of godlinesse splendour of grace and gracious performances to deny themselves in all hurtful vanities and pr●y fervently as did Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 20.3 c. When there is a Court-reformation and a Country-reformation when young and old in City Church and State reform and cry fervently to God when all join in acting as well as in