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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

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common graces in it especially argumentative prayer may perhaps avail through the help of Gods Spirit bringing the soul into a better temper and frame and so making it capable of spiritual and outward b●essings Prophane Esau could go to his father for a childes portion and so could the Prodigal and had it I come to the second qualification of acceptable effectual prayer viz. all the Graces must be set on work faith repentance humility the very lungs whence prayer is bre●thed First Faith for where it lives it will breath in devotion in the Divine History touching what is there revealed to be true because he hath said it Faith in Gods Providence concerning his wise and stable government of the world that he can and will provide for bodies and souls out of the rich Magazine of infinite tre●sures laid up in Christ If an Elijah want the Ravens will come at Gods command and bring him mea● morning and evening Faith in Gods promises which are the air and elements wherein faith breaths touching free justification sanctification and acceptation of you unto life and glory for Christs sake If any want wisdome let him ask of God who giveth liberally unto all men but let him ask in Faith nothing wavering James 1.5 6. And again the Apostle willeth men to pray without doubting 1 Tim. 2.8 the more doubting the lesse faith For he that cometh unto God must believe c. as before He that wants this ingredient doth no more then deny his own requests and shuts up the door of Heaven Q. How may a man know when he praies in faith A. 1. By an hearty resistance with some comfortable power and gaining strength against fears doubts and distractions that do oppose This is the victory that overcometh the world even your faith it overcomes a world of enemies 1 John 5.4 It is a victorious grace and it acts by purifying the heart and mortifying lusts And though a man may be foiled now and then in a skirmish when very hotly charged and over-born by violence yet these foils tend to hi● further establishment and like the tree stands the firmer for shaking This ●s a fruit of praying in faith 2. By st●adinesse of the heart at least in desire and endeavour upon the right object God in Christ Moses his hand being underpropt and stayed by Aaron and Hur as by the Spirit and faith were steady unto the going down of the Sun Exod. 17.12 Christ continued all night in prayer to God Luke 6.12 But take heed of the error of the Heathen Matth. 6.7 that thought to be heard for their much speaking and of the hypocrisie of the Scribes Matth. 23.14 who made long prayers for the praise of men Carry an equal minde in the duty they are not gifts but graces that God looks for in prayer 3. By that calmnesse of minde after trusting God with the successe and resolving patiently to wait When Hannah 1 Sam. 1.18 had made her supplication to God for a childe it is said She went her way and did eat and her countenance was no more sad Which alteration hapned through an inward comfort of Gods Spirit which sealed in her heart that her prayers were heard This is an effect of the witnessing of the Spirit together with ours Rom. 8.16 A refreshing of the heart after duty with a secret content with an hidden approbation If our hearts condemn us not then we have confidence towards God 1 John 3.21 4. By due care in the use of appointed means not to cleave to any particular means with a sinful resolution to have mercy that way or not at all This is to limit a most free agent to circumscribe Gods will and to streighten our selves in a narrow path Psal 78.41 5. By constancy even when the Lord seems to frown and turn away his face A notable instance you have in the woman of Canaan Matth. 15.22 she cried earnestly after Christ Have mercy on me O Lord c. One Copy hath it and cried behinde him which implies that Christ had turned his back on her seeing her now coming towards him well the Disciples intercede he tells them He was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel She comes again but receives a rough answer It is not meet to take childrens bread and cast it to dogs out of all we may conclude great faith to act that poor woman View her temptations in that doubtful case it is Mr. Boltons Observation in his Treatise Of the Nature and Roialties of saith First There was tentatio taciturnitatis the trial of silence she prayes and not a word comes Secondly Tentatio particularitatis first nothing and then worse then nothing I am not sent but c. as if he had said thou dost not belong to the election of grace thou art not in Covenant I came onely to my own not to thee therefore I will not help thee Thirdly Tentatio indignitatis the trial of indignity It is not meet c. And yet see the strength of her faith Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs if she may not have a childes yet a dogs portion if not childrens morsels yet childrens crumbs but such as fall from the table such as they have no need of She was that well resolved Christian whose part is as Luther sometime said to believe things invisible to hope for things deferr'd and to love God when he seems most angry with and opposite to him With this measure of faith Christ is overcome Oh woman great is thy faith Such force there is in faithful-fervent prayer A Second Grace to be set on work in prayer is Repentance Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil learn to do well c. then come and let us reason together saith the Lord Isa 1.16 17 18. I will wash mine hands in innocency and so will I compasse thine Altar O Lord was Davids practice Typified in Aarons washing of his feet befo●e he went into Sacrifice and continued as a borrowed rite among the Turks to wash and put off their shoes before they enter on their idol-worship A plain doctrine that Saint James teacheth ch 4. v. 8. Draw nigh to God c. cleanse your hands ye sinners c. And the reason is because in prayer you crave pardon of sin and removal of judgements with the favour of Gods blessed presence which cannot be without repentance Conscience of sin unrepented of will clip and dull the wings of prayer set a damp on the petitioner separate between him and God but the blood of Christ will cleanse cheer and elevate the soul as the waters did No●hs Ark far above all danger Repentance is a Rain-bow which if God see shining in our hearts when we come before him he will not drown the soul Q. How may true penitency in gracious hearts be discerned from seigned sorrow in gracelesse persons tha● sin and after say they