Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
saint_n	incense_n	prayer_n	smoke_n	1,391	5	11.4786	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

Scriptures not only in the Old Testament while the Fathers are fondly supposed to be in Limbo as Bellarmine gives the reason why we do not then read of any praying to Saints but in the New after our Saviours ascension And if there be neither command promise nor president in the Old or New Testament for invocation of Saints is it not a wonder it hath been so much pressed and practised To the contrary we have viz. Matth. 4.10 Colos 2.18 Rev. 19.10.22.9 Alas all other persons are rather praying to God then to be prayed to as God God is the authour of every perfect gift and to seek it from any other is flat idolatry and to give the praise thereof to any but God is sacriledge Further we add By and through Jesus Christ We cannot mount to Heaven on our own wings nor reach God by our own strength as soon may we scale Heaven with ladders And besides how terrible and horrible is it to think of God much more to come to him without Christ The holinesse and justice of God were before Christ as two flaming swords to keep off souls from coming to him but by Christ they both look on the soul with a lovely and aimable countenance And whatever you ask the Father in Christs name believing ye shall receive For the farther benefit of Practitioners in this holy Art here will be enquired 1. What it is to offer up Prayers by Christ 2. Why they must be so offered up Qu. 1 First What is it to offer up Prayers by Christ Ans I answer 1. It is to have them composed by the Spirit of Christ I name this the oftner lest you should trust to your own spirits content your selves with meer natural desires And further to move you both to prize and to procure and cherish the spirit of prayer 2. It is to direct Prayers to Christ ascending by his glorious humanity towards the Deity that so the gift may be sanctified by the Altar It is Christs office to pray the Father for his Saints and it is their priviledge to call upon him so to do and direct their holy desires to him Joh. 14.16 Thirdly It is to have Prayers presented by Christ to the Father and taken as immediately from him who is heard in all his suits John 11.42 I know that thou hearest me alwaies This ●s to offer up Prayers by Christ Secondly Why must Prayers be offered Qu. 2 up by him I Answer 1. Ans Because of the Covenant is made with him all the promises are in him yea Yea indeed all the promises are made to him first and by him to us Heb. 9.15 He is called the Mediator of the Covenant No intercourse now between God and man but by and through him The keys of the house of David are laid on his shoulders He is the only door and through him we have boldnesse of accesse to the Father and confidence to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way Heb. 10.20 2. He is both the Priest and Altar for his Church No other Priests or Altars now properly but Christ Since Priest Altar and Sacrifice met in one in him No more Priests Altars or Sacrifices but Metaphorical As then all Sacrifices were to be brought to the Priest and offered on the Altar appointed so it must be now We have an Altar upon which all our spiritual Sacrifices must be offer'd even the Lord Jesus Heb. 13.10 If we go and offer without him the Altar and in our own name the sacrifice will be loathed It is not because we perform a duty in the most excellent manner that it is accepted but because Christ our high-Priest presents both us and our performances to the Father So that if a man should offer as many Sacrifices as were at the dedication of Solomons Temple and all without blemish and that all the qualifications did meet in the person that did offer yet all these are accursed if offer'd in their own name As the least things that were offer'd even an Epha or a Gomer a pair of Turtle Doves or a mite were accepted from the hand of the high-Priest when rivers of oil should be refused if presented otherwaies We must do therefore in this case as the Country of Tyre and Sidon having need of Herods favour made suit to Blastus his Chamberlain that was gracious with him And as Themistocles being to make a great request to King Philip of Macedon took with him young Alexander Philips beloved son We can then hope to speed with God when by faith we take Christ Jesus with us to be our Intercessour to present and offer our prayers to God Thirdly Because the best prayers of the Saints here as they proceed from men are tainted and unsavoury yea to go farther the most gracious actions which they are enabled to do by Gods Spirit are coming through them so imperfect as pure water running through a foul pipe getteth some soil upon it and excellent generous wine will taste of the cask if it be not sweet so vitiated as they become very unfit for the Lords holy and pure presence And therefore we read of the smoak of the incense coming with the prayers of the Saints They must be dipped in his blood perfumed with his odours otherwise they will stink worse in Gods nostrils then ever did the Onions and Garlick of Egypt It was the fault of King Uzziah to burn incense upon the Altar without a Priest he was resisted by eighty valiant Priests of the Lord and struck with Leprosie to make you fear to do the like by offering up prayers to God without Christ The work cannot be accepted where the person is not and the person is accepted in and for Christ's sake Now stand still look back lay all together and conclude two things by way of Application Use 1 First The misery of gracelesse persons though indowed with many naturall abilities in that they cannot pray in best health and prosperity much lesse in sicknesse and danger They have no ability skill nor will to pray with any power and life The Painter can give external lineaments and outward representations but he cannot give that which is the actus primus life to them the hypocrite may give outward colours and shades but he wants this Principle As the Satyre in Plutarch who strove to make a dead man stand upright but could not said Deest aliquid intus there wants a principle within to enable him to stand So may we say the carnal man that praies wants a principle within to put forth spiritual prayer He is that like a ship that is wind-bound No stirring without the Spirits gales There is great difference between praying and reading or saying over a prayer these have no fervent expressions their heat goeth another way no holy desires can come from such impure proud prophane spirits either they go to the creature as the end or by the creature as the mean and