or shall so ask of him for your selves or others To his Grace I leave you and remain Your most affectionate Pastor Devoted to the service of your faith W. Crompton Mr FORD'S PREFACE TOUCHING The ensuing Treatise and the Subject thereof I Need not commend the Subject of this Discourse to any that confesses there is a God He that hath but so much Divinity as to acknowledge a Deity must needs grant Prayer to be a necessary duty For the usefulnesse I appeal to all that have found the benefit of it by experience And they are such as count of no enjoyment but what is the fruit and return of prayers It may be truly said of Prayer It is not more our duty then our priviledge T is as one saith piae mentis cum Deo colloquium The converse and commerce that a gracious soul on earth hath with God in Heaven A priviledge indeed as great as we are here capable of that we may come to God as children to a father and speak to him as a man speaketh to his friend Now he that hath but so much leasure and patience as will give him leave to peruse this short Discourse will finde many encouragements to presse the performance of this duty and many helps to direct him in it It s aim and scope is nothing else but to teach us to pray It meddles with no controversie only resoves a Case or two in order to practice the design of it being only to learn us how to reason the case and plead our cause with God In one word It shews nothing but the practice of Religion in one great and necessary part of it And if those who pretend most to godliness would fall closer to their work in the practice and think more of expressing the life and power of it in effectual-fervent-prayer the duties of personal relations and particular callings I am sure they should finde more sound peace and comfort then now they do in many frivolous controversies and perverse disputings For foolish questions do but puff men up in pride and self-conceitednesse whereas effectual-fervent-prayer and practical godlinesse edifie and establish in grace render men approved to God and amiable in the sight of all that have to do with them T is very remarkable what the reverend Authour observes in this ensuing Treatise That whilst we are quarrelling and striving one with another we can never wrestle and strive with God as we ought to do in Prayer And then what marvel is it if iniquity do abound and the love of many wax cold as it doth But I shall Preface no more Let it suffice to say of this Treatise that it is short and sweet Hath in it plenty with much variety and all couched into a narrow compass so as the Reader is in no danger of being cloyed as some guests are wont to be at a great Feast where the sight of so much as is served in takes off their stomacks that they can eat little Here is enough and no more of what is singularly useful for all that have but a minde and good will to pray And in testimony hereof I subscribe my self an hearty well-willer to the publication of this Treatise and the Readers due improvement of it Tho. Ford. Exceter Decem. 16. 1658. Mr. SAUNDER'S PREFACE Christian Reader IT was the respect I had to the Reverend Authour and the content I took in the perusal of this Tract being therewith entrusted by him before it was committed to the Presse rather then expectation to adde reputation to it by prefixing my name that drew this Epistle from me But if the matter treated of meet with the better entertainment from any by this means I shall count a little time and pains well spent As for the subject 't is such as needs not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Letters of commendation 2 Cor. 3. â— or any Panegyrick to usher it in to an honest heart Yet in our giddy-headed times 't is its lot with all other the sacred institutions of Christ to have its legitimatenesse made matter of dispute yea zealously impugned We read of Hereticks very ancient called Euchitae that held men must be ever praying Aug. de Haer l 1. De quibus etiam Epiphan but who ever heard before men should never pray Yes for there is no new thing under the Sun * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. strom lib. 7. Clemens Alexandrinus mentions an old Heresie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That men should not pray at all God gives blessings unaskt Prayer therefore is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 superfluous Our unhappy times have given a resurrection to this monstrous conceit I take thee Reader to be a Christian and if thou be so indeed thou knowest thou canst no more be without Prayer then thou canst be without thy food 'T is not so much thy duty as thy priviledge Wouldest thou please God I know thou wouldst The Prayer of the righteous is his delight Prov. 15.8 'T is like honey drops Cant. 4.11 Sweet to his taste Incense to his nostrils Psal 141.2 Dionis Carth. in Matth. Carthusian observes that of all other Christian services Prayer only is compared to incense In it we strive with God but he likes such striving Haec vis Deo grata est says Tert. This force is grateful to God Wouldest thou glorifie God and pay him the homage thou owest him This is Census subjectionis nostrae our suit fine or homage in which God has the glory of all his Attributes returned him Solater on Psa 116. pag. 194. his All-sufficiency Omnipotency Omniscience Love Mercy Dominion Truth Is Heaven shut against thee This is Clavis Coeli as Austin The key of Heaven Not of the aerial only it opens that as Elias prayed for rain and it came yea and an Heathen Emperour M. Aurelius relates how that in the German Expedition Tert. ed sâ—â—p c. 4. in apolog cap. 5. Justia Mâ—â— Apol 2. Euseb l. 5. cap. 5. the Christian souldiers by their prayers made the clouds to yield down water to his Host ready to die for thirst But 't is Clavis Paradisi the key of Paradise too by this key maist thou get into Gods presence and have what thou wilt of him 'T is Res omnipotentissima Luthers devout Hyperbole a kinde of omnipotent thing which makes God himself to say Sine me Let me alone Exodus 32.10 It does with reverence be it spoken strangely charm the Majesty of Heaven The word which is rendred Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—cantatio Iâ—cantam mum Dâ—us ipsâ— qâ—i nullis câ—â—â—â— se vâ—â—bus superarâ— potest Pâ—â—icani pâ—â—â—bus 〈◊〉 Hiâ—â—â—on Epist. Isa 26.16 signifies a charm Fearest thou the Devils assaults 'T is Flagellum Satanae as Austin a whip for Satan and a bulwark for thee that is says Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not to be broken not to be shaken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the same Father a strong weapon 'T is
both offâ—nsive and defensive Desirest thou sweetest communion with thy blessed Saviour here on earth This is Osculum pacis as an Antient styles it The kisse of peace with which the soul kisseth the lips of her beloved 'T is Sabbathum animae as another calls it the souls sabbath Wouldst thou visit Canaan before hand and get to Heaven once before thou come to settle there Prayer is scala Coeli a Ladder for thee 'T is Ascensus intellectus ad Deum The ascent of the minde to God Damascen's definition To be short 't is a Catholicon good for every thing and nothing good without it All things are sanctified by it 1 Tim. 4.4 5. Weems Christ Synag Sâ—ct 3. Paragâ— 5 All things upheld by it The Jews have a saying sine stationibus non subsisteret mundus The world would not endure without Standing Gnammuda standing is one of the seven names they give to Prayer without this the world would not stand This rich treasure Reader is here put into thine hand with direction how to use it Here is not Novum any thing new but perhaps Novè good old truths in a new and delightful dresse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Reverend Authour hath in this little piece well mixed utile dulci thou canst not mâ—sse desired content in reading it nor can I choose but heartily commend it to thy serious perusal Read and practice but remember write over thy closet door what the Jews use to write about the doors of their Synagogues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. They expresse it by this Abbrâ—viature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the first letter of each word Bux oâ—s de Abbr. Heb. A Prayer without affection is like a body without a soul Maintain inward warmth of devotion in thine heart he that does not Loquitur non precatur as says Salvian he talks he does not pray if thou do Gen. 32.28 Thou shalt be caled Israel because as a Prince thou shalt have power with God and with men and thou shalt prevail That thou mayest is the hearty desire of him who is Desirous of the prosperity of thy precious and immortal soul RICH. SAUNDERS A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS THe Introduction and opening of the Text. pag. 1 Two Doctrines from it viz. First That when we have to do with God in prayer it is our duty to make use of fervency Secondly that righteous mens prayers are powerful and effectual 5 The first point opened and proved 6 Prayer described to be a fervent expression of holy desires to God only by Jesus Christ. 7 This description of Prayer explained in the several branches of it viz. 1. It is a fervent expression Wherein is enquired First What this fervency is Answered in three particulars Secondly When are men said to be fervent in prayer p. 10. Answered in seven things Thirdly Why men must be thus zealous p. 19. Made good by eight reasons following 1. Not because God like man stands in need of it 2. Because the Lord loves an importunate sutor 3. Because he that asketh any thing coldly asketh a denial 4. The matter about which you are emploied is weighty 5. There are many and prodigious sins crying 6. By this means we declare at what rate we value Gods mercies 7. Fervent-prayer is most effectual 8. There are other reasons why the Lord will have it so First So much the more to astonish the Devil Secondly To give good example to the Church Thirdly To bring the hearâ— into a better temper p. 26 The Doctrine farther cleared by Scripture-Presidents p. 27. Fourthly How may a man keep his heart iâ— this height of heavenly fervor and thaâ— constantly for sometimes it is so Answered 28 Use 1. To condemn the Roman society and too many formal Protestants 33 A formal Christian described in five particulars 1. He is destitute of spiritual life and heat 2. He saith or repeats prayers often but without zeal 3. He is taken up with self-seeking and variety of distracting cares 4. He is oppressed with corruption and carried away with a violent stream of wordly cares 5. He is not in charity with his neighbour Use 2. To excite men to the duty of fervent prayer p. 35 Directions for that purpose in three things To which are annexed three serious motives 38 One weighty Objection answered viz. These fervent expressions are not always successeful a time may come when a Moses and a Samuel may not be heard 42 The second branch of the description of Prayer viz. Of holy desires how to be understood They must be holy for Person Principle Matter and End 43 First The Person must be holy Farther explained by enquiring first What an holy heart is Secondly Why prayer must come from an holy heart 46 Secondly The Principle must be holy Vnder which head is discovered First Why Prayer must come from a spiritual principle Secondly How Prayer coming from the Spirit may be discerned 49 51 Thirdly Desires must be holy for the Matter of them and that 1. In the ground 2. In the matter instanced in several particulars p. 53 Fourthly Desires must be holy for the end Where is discovered 1. When a mans end is holy 2. Why it must be so To which reasons are given both Philosophical and Theological 56 57 Use 1. For correction of those that pray but in a cold manner ib. Marks of such indisposednesse to prayer 60 61 Use 2. For instruction in two things 1. All prayer will not serve the turn 2. Learn the art of praying 62 The third branch of the dâ—scription of Prayer Vnto God 65 Prayer must be directed to God only Reasons of it 66 Only by Jesus Christ â—8 Where is enquired First What it is to offer up prayers by Christ Secondly Why it must be so Use 1. Shews the misery of gracelesse persons in that they cannot prâ—y See it discovered in two things Use 2. To shew the duty of all to amend their praying 74 To whâ—â—â— are annexed Objections to be answered viz. First What need this ado lesse pains may serve the turn God knows our wants and he will do what seemeth good in his sight 75 Secondly Some say they cannot pray or at least not according to this description of Prayer 76 Thirdly Many that have used thus to pray have proved counterfeits Ergo c. 81 Fourthly Many we see have blessings of all sorts who yet never did nor could pray thus for them 82 Fifthly Should we practise this duty every day as is pressed it would waste and spend our spirits hinder us in our callings and expose us to the derision of others 84 Cases of Conscience to be resolved viz. First What should a man do that cannot utter his minde he wants fit words for such a presence 89 Secondly What should he do that findes his heart unfit and altogether indisposed for prayer especially with such holy fervency 92 Thirdly I am distracted with vain thoughts and terrified with strange fears especially
what successe can be expected That 's a true rule Bonum est ex integris causis malum è quolibet defectu Good like harmonious Musick if one string jar the hâ—rmony is marred and like beauty which is compleated of the Symmetry of parts if one part be deformed the beauty is vitiated thus it is in any good action let it be never so admirable for the matter of it if there be any failing or crack in the principle manner or end the man loseth the comfort and the reward of the duty You ask and have not because you ask amisse Let such consider two things First That all their hope such as it is themselves confessing is upon their prayers good meaning and good deeds now without grace and Christs Spirit you can do none of these he that wants the Spirit of Grace must needs be destitute of the Spirit of Supplication You hope to be saved by your good prayers and cannot pray by your good deeds and can do none without faith it is impossible to please God In what condition are you then Secondly None can stead you but God not friend not wit not wealth were you set as the Caliph of Babylon once was in the midst of a golden treasure and yet starved in the midst of all these and cannot pray in what a miserable case are you The dead praâ—se not God they that are in the pit call not upon him and without prayer no good thing can be had Use 2 Secondly Let all learn their duty to amend your praying else you may howl upon your beds and call loud upon him and not be heard It is not speaking or babling but praying that hath the promise Psal 50.16 Matth. 7. See wherein you have been faulty apprehend and acknowledge it for time to come number not measure not the length of your prayers weigh them in Christs ballance viz. by the heat and holinesse of your desires by the merit of Christ and by the reverent fervency of expression And thus from the description of fervent-working prayer I proceed to Objections Cases Conditions and Motives so to close this Doctrine Obj. 1 It may be objected first What need of this ado Will not lesse pains serve the turn God knows our wants already he will do what seemeth good in his sight His Decrees are immutable and cannot be alter'd by all our eâ—rnestnesse and endeavours Thus indeed argued Maximus Tyrius an Heathen Ans And thus many Libertines in our daies But to the Answer Prayer is not for Gods information but the creatures submission we pray for his leave yea when he will do any thing he stirreth up those that are his to desire that which otherwise he would have done to the intent that for honours sake he might attribute the same unto their prayers Besides Gods Decrees do not exclude the duty of the creature and the work of second causes Jer. 29.11 12. I know the thoughts of peace I have toward you yet yee shall call upon me and I will hear you This Moses and Elias knew and the former turned Gods predictions and the latter his promises into prayers Finally We pray not in any case to the intent that God should be changed which thing should be attempted in vain for he is immutable but rather that we our selves should be changed for so much as in praying we are made capable of the divine benefits By vertue of Gods Ordination a spiritual holy prayer casteth the soul into a better disposition so that now he is made capable of spiritual blessings which before it was not So that we draw not God neerer to us by our arguments but we draw neerer unto him Obj. 2 2. Some say they cannot pray or at least not according to that description of Prayer Ans I Answer 1. If you cannot pray at all then you are spiritually dead The blinde man may justly say he cannot see the deaf man that he cannot hear the same man that he cannot go but nemo vivens potest dicere non possum orare No living man can say cannot pray The blinde the lame the deaf if they have any grace any joâ— of spiritual life may pray the dead only praise thee not O Lord Neither can any man pray acceptably without the Spirit 2. It is true you cannot pray of your selves by natural abilities or any innate principle Pray that you may pray for you know not what you should pray for as you ought but the Spirit helpeth your infirmities As a poor hungry man craves an alms or a condemned prisoner a pardon so humbly and earnestly seek of God the assistance of his blessed Spirit the Spirit of Prayer eying what is written for your comfort Luke 11.13 If you being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Spirit to them that ask 3. Sâ—ir up those gifts and abilities connatural and acquired whatever they be though never so few or weak and do what you can with them If you can but look up and sigh out your wants and with silent motions of the heart where words and other skill is wanting send up your complaints to Heaven The Ravens call upon the Lord he hears and feeds them you are better in Gods esteem then Ravens 4. By timely and stirring endeavours remove the impediments of Prayer As are ignorance pride distraction through variety of evil motions or earthly employments difuse and the like These clip the wings of the soul and are to it as lead to the net bear it down they are the rust of the soul and do mightily streighten and render it uselesse Many complain of power when will is wanting They say they cannot do this or that when through spiritual sloth they never tried 5. Hear and join sometimes as conveniently you may with such as can pray fervently Those that have any sparks of heavenly fire in their breasts may be a means to inflame others as a dead coal catcheth fire being cast among living coals and green wood taketh fire when it is laid with the dry at least to give a good president and great encouragement to the duty I heartily wish you knew the benefit of good company The communion of Saints is the perfection of beauty and joy of the whole earth No better help to Prayer then the society of those who can and do pray with frequent fervency Especially be careful to note your enemies which go about yea often hinder you from this duty And they are such as these viz. First Your sleighting of the duty that it is an easie thing to pray And so it is indeed as most go about it not distinguishing between reading and saying over a prayer and prayer indeed Commonly men yea good men and women put not their strength to it but hastily run over it as a task insomuch that frequency doth allay fervency and custome doth turn prayer into a fruitless formality indeed vain babling Secondly Living
11.6 He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is the rewarder of those that diligently seek him this you must be well settled in that he is such in himself and such towards you as he stands described in his Word and be acknowledged of God or else the answer will be I have no pleasure in you saith the Lord of Hosts neither will I accept an offering at your hands Malac. 1.10 I care not for your persons I respect not your performances 2. To men whether friends or enemies to be in love and charity Matth. 5.23 24. Matth. 6.14 15. Gods bounty to us requires our obedience to him he will not give except we forgive if you forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you Though our love to men be not a cause of our acceptance with God yet it is a necessary antecedent yea forasmuch as he hath made us this promise here our forgiving others seemeth to have the nature of an intervenient cause a cause sine qua non of his forgiving us How can we look our Father in the face or ask him a blessing when we are conscious that he knows hatred or heart-burning between us and our brethren 3. Towards himself he must be an hater of sin if I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer so as to pursue it with a serious intent and hearty desire to have it taken and killed he must be a lover of Gods image where ever it truly appears it was the expression of a good man I dare not but love him in whom I see any thing of Christ If thou love not thy brother whom thou hast seen how canst thou l ve God whom thou hast not seen As Dalilah said to Sampson so it may be said to most men how can yee say yee love God or good men seeing your heart is not with them Now that you may not be mistaken take along with you some properties of men and women thus qualified viz. First They will be ready to part with any thing for Christ Matth. 13.46 to sell all and purchase this pearl Phil. 3.8 I count all things but dung c. Now I know that thou lovest me saith the Lord to Abraham seeing thou art content to part with thy onely son at my word Christ hath taken up their souls unto the top of Pisgah and discovered to them the Land of Canaan and hath given them such more then ordinary tastes of the world to come that the whole lower world though vailed with the most glorious and glistring temptations is all scorned as too low a bribe to draw off the soul from Christ Theodosius will value his Christianity above his Empire Luther would rather be Christianus rusticus quà m Ethnicus Alexander i. e. a Christian clown then an Heathen Emperour Secondly They are not long angry but easily entreated in the matters of God or in their transactions with men ready to any good office Like the waters at the foot of Sion that run softly 1 Cor. 13.4 Charity suffereth long and is kinde Charity envieth not it doth not behave it self unseemly James 3.17 The wisdome that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be entreated full of mercy and good works A good garment for a Christian without which he is naked before God Thirdly They are open-ear'd and handed towards any in misery They resent the misery of others their hearts do yearn over the Brethrens calamities As Pharaohs daughter when she saw the childe in the Ark of Bull-rushes a very sad Cradle and that the babe wept the Text saies She had compassion on him Exod. 2.6 And so in the good Samaritan when he passed by the poor man who had fallen among thieves and saw him stripped of all woundeâ— this good man had an eye and an hand toward him So it is in this case Fâ—urthly They are wondrous cheerful in seeâ—ing heavy conditions especially in afflictions for the truth's sake rejoycing in the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 Which hope holds them above fears so that they are not moved with love or fear as the Romans wrote on their Targets though at first they may be daunted yet at length they look up and gather strength Hannah was much troubled for want of a childe she went to God by fervent prayer anâ— was no more sad With thiâ— David was wont to cheer himself in the depth of troubles the Lord hath heard my prayer Fifthly They can deny themselves whom God cannot deny in their fervent suits being divorced from their own will by an over-powering work of the Spirit in Legal convictions they leâ—â— not to their own understandings Thus must the person be qualified foâ— Prayer Object Then it seems a wicked unrighteous person may not pray Or if he may his prayer will be to little or no purpose ineffectual A. Prayer is considerable two waies 1. In a large sense as a commanded duty and part of Gods worship in its ordinary use whereby we give God the glory of his Omnisciency Mercy Power and Wisdome 2. In a more strict sense for the putting up of a formal request or petition to God which may consist in an exercise of the soul and of the graces in it whether common or saving And the Answer to the Objection I shall lay thus before you First Prayer considered as a duty must be performed by unrighteous men and a great sin it is to neglect it it is the worst thing can be said of any man that he restraineth prayer before God in Job 15.4 it is joined with casting away the fear of God i. e. with professed Atheisme and prophanenesse Mans defects as he now stands can give no excuse to a wilful neglect his impotency cannot prejudice Gods authority or diminish his own duty Prayer is a thing good in it self and not evil propter fieri because it is done but by accident vitio personae by reason of some defects cleaving unto it In which sense only it is that the Scriptures cry down the prayers of wicked men as an abomintion as Pro. 15.8 28.9 Cartwright on the Text gives that same glosse not that it is so as to the substance of the duty but because whatever it be they pray for they resolve to go on in their wicked practises as the latter Scripture expresses in the beginning of it He that turneth his ear from hearing the Law even his prayer shall be abomination And besides though prayer not made in faith cannot please God as the prayers of holy â—en do yet being good for the substance of it giving glory to God of sundry Attributes of his it may probably avail for procurement of a temporal blessing as the Pharisees prayers had the reward of mens praises Ahabs humiliation and the Ninevites repentance procured a delay of punishment Secondly Prayer considered as a formal request in the exercise of the soul and of some
repent yet sin again A. 1. A truly gracious soul though it sin yet it makes no league oâ— peace with sin but keeps the war on fooâ— still As Hannibal took an Oath to his father to maintain perpetual hostility with Rome So have gracious souls covenanted with â—od to wage a perpetual war with sin though it sometime receives a foil and losse yet thereby it is more enraged against the adversary Carnal counterfeit persons once foiled seldome come on again but the true penitent riseth and fights most valiantly doubles his guard after unwarinesse strengthens the battle after a blow laying on more strongly after sin hath been too hard as we see in Peter and Paul and many other Scripture-examples 2. True grace gets advantage by the stirring and sometimes prevailing power of sin which meer nature cannot do it alwaies loseth the heart is made worse sin loved holinesse loathed some degrees more and security surpriseth the soul When as in gracious hearts every thing falleth out otherwise the heart is made better sin more loathed holinesse prized some degrees more the soul strengthned like the Giant Anteus who in his wrestling with Hercules is seigned to get strength by every fall to the ground The Third Grace required to be acted in prayer is humility which may serve as the pins of Jacobs Ladder whereby the soul climbeth up to Heâ—ven He that would leap highest must stoop lowest God exalteth the humble whilst he resisteth the proud and sends them empty away As men use to lay up the richest wine in the lowest Ceâ—lars so doth God the choicest mercies in humble and lowly hearts Christ when he was upon the earth did most for those that were humble and so continues to do The truly humble soul is Gods second Heaven I will dwell with the contâ—â—â—e spirit The Valleys shall laugh with satnesse when the Hills are barren And this Grace may be discerned thus First By a grateful disposition for former favours Of old a peâ—ce-offering was appointed to be joineâ— with the trespasse-offering to teach the Church ever to join praise with prayer But the proud heart hath never enough is ever unthankful Secondly By a mean and low conceit of your selves and your own unworthinesse before God Like that of Abraham Gen. 18.27 that am but dust and ashes or of David â—o foolish was I as a beast before thee and Agur Prov. 30.2 I am more brutish then any man or as that Martyr who cried out Gehenna sum Domine c. Lord thou art Heaven but I am as bad as Hell Tantillitas nostra said Ignatius of himself and his Colleagues the humble man like Paul doth not elevate but aggravate his sins against himself vails all the top-sails and sits down in the dust Job 42.6 Mine eye seeth thee therefore I abhorre my self in dust and ashes when he had a glorious apparition of God he vanished into nothing in his own thoughts The stars vanish when the Sun appears and our poor Candle vanisheth into a disappearance when the glory of God ariseth in the thoughts of the humble Thirdly By this when heavenly Objects appear in our eye great and beautiful more and more As in David Psal 4.6 who preferred Gods favour to all things and in Paul Phil. 3.8 who counted all things but dung in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ He undervalues a whole sky full of stars to one Sun of Righteousnesse And as holy Lambert None but Christ none but Christ To them that believe he is precious they can see those beauties and excellencieâ— in him that are not discovered to others To unbelievers heavenly objects are as orient pearls in an heap of sand and a Mine of gold covered over with rubbish and earth Fourthly By meeknesse and readinesse to yield in all your own causes but resolutenesse in the cause oâ— God in behalf of his truth Moses one of the meekest men on earth yet who more hot and zealous in the service of God The three children Dan. 3.16 are well resolved in the like case and will not suffer truth to fall for them Luther regards not himself nor the rich presents but is eaten up with the zeal of Gods house Fifthly By a patient waiting upon God till the time appointed He that believeth will not make hast to step aside through indirect means to obtain what is prayed for or promised not sorcery charms witchcraft to finde things lost to obtain health or grow rich who art thou that fearest God and obeyest the voice of his servants and yet walkest in darknesse wait upon God and stay thy self on the Lord. We reâ—d of Zachary that he prayed for a childe heretofore while there was any ordinary ground of hope but after as it is probable left off that suit but not waiting what God would do for him and he had his request at last Prayers are often granted long before manifested Thus must grace be exercised in acceptable prayer it is the Palaestra the Arena the Artillary-yard of all our graces in which they must shew their activity And thus much may suffice for the discovery of the Conditions required in prayer In the last place we come to the Motives not to the reading or repeating saying over of prayers onely not to a cold carelesse performance of this duty at all but to fervent praying this is praying with power whereof that passage is fitly verified and rightly to be understood Acts 9.11 Behold he prayeth Saul struck to the ground remained three days without sight and did neither eat nor drink but behold he prayeth i. e. with all his might as one that taketh no denial To pray fervently is the point in hand first undertaken and hitherto prosecured And to this there are seveâ—all Motives and they may be taken â—irst From the Lord to whom we must pray Secondly From men Thirdly â—rom prayer it self First From the Lord and then you may take into consideration such Motives as these 1. He commands that you should pray to him as you love him i. e. strongly vehemently and constantly My son give me thy heaâ— It is a special part of Divine worship and if you make conscience of any duty you will of this especially Hos 14.2.2 He delights in earnest and zealous prayers and petitioners God is not a man who may be tired with uncessant suits and frequent visits Prov. 25.17 as was the unjust Judge and the Disciples with the poor womans cries repeating the same request over and over Such were Moses and David highly commended of God for their skill art in praying one the meekest man on earth thâ— other a man after Gods own heart and he can deny them nothing provided they referre the time and measure to him As men take delight in the deep-mouâ—h'd hound and the shrill sound of the Trumpet and the loud report of the Piecâ— so doth God take delight in the fervent reports of his people 3. He is ready to return answer
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 John 16.23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing Verily verily I say unto you Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name he will give it you Coloss 4.2 Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving London Printed by J. H. for Philemon Stephens at the Gilded Lion in S. Pauls Church-Yard 1659. ALthough there be many excellent Treatises already printed concerning Prayer yet this ensuing Discourse hath a peculiar excellency in it for which it deserves to be bought and diligently perused And let me assure the Reader that he will neither repent of his mony nor his pains and that it will be his happinesse to be transformed into the doctrine herein delivered Febr. 15. 1658. Imprimatur EDM. CALAMY I Have perused this Treatise of Prayer from the beginning to the end and I conceive it will be good service to God and his Church in the making of it publick not so much because of the delight it will yield to those that read it as because I hope the holy directions which are herein given will be of much avail to teach men to pray so that their prayers may be the Lords delight Pro. 15.18 ARTH. JACKSON Pastor of the Church of Faiths under Pauls Januar. 19. 1658. TO THE VVORSHIPFUL ROBERT COCKRAM Esquire his honoured Patron with the rest of my constant Auditours in the Town and Parish of Columpton The dew of Heaven be your portion as the beauty and fatnesse of the earth is your habitation grace mercy and peace be upon the heads and hearts of you all that love Christ Jesus in sincerity BEsides my readinesse to gratifie the desire of some among you and willingnesse to give some signal of my unfeigned love to you all I have been easily induced to publish the following Treatise by these following considerations viz. 1. That I might the better confirm these things wherein you have been instructed * Luke 1.4 and not seem to labour altogether in vain by bestowing so much time on that which was to vanish in the hearing a sad lot which waits on the best things committed to leaking ears as water poured into a vessel full of chinks 2. That I might benefit those absent yea if it may be the people that are yet unborn Psal 102.18 3. That I might leave a memorial with you whenever it shall please the Lord of the Vineyard whose I am to call me off from you and so supply my absence though by death speaking to you when I cannot see you yea living with you when dead and laid in the dust †Sic Mathaeus cum praedicasset Hebraeis ad gentes ire pararet utile judicavit si iis quos corpore deserebat aliquid memoriale doctriâ—ae suae relinqueret Ut Bel lib. 4. de verb. Dei non scrip c. 4. notavit ex Eusebio 4. Because the matter thereof is weighty and the designe of no small consequence it is to guide you in your going to God how to converse with him to manage well your performances in which if you are defective the whole will be unprofitable Religion is curious clock work if but one wheel fail so wâ—ll all the rest and as one string in a Lute dissonant and unharmonious to the rest corrupteth the whole Musick There is in every duty absolutely required righteousnesse quoad substantiam operis and no lesse quoad modum the matter and the manner are of equal concernment the flie in the Apothecaries ointment and miscarriage in the Christians performance render both unsavoury If you are resolved to the duty as I hope you are and more Practitioners in it see here what it is will adorn your sacrifice why it must be so accommodated and how it may be discerned besides other things which occur for your information therein There are its true other more excellent Discourses of this nature extant some of the same metal bearing a better stamp but this I commend to you soonest because your own it is hony that was gathered for your use milk drawn from your own brest and therefore most proper for you it is a sheaf gathered out of your own field a dish taken from your own table if it be not so well filled as might be expected so circumstantiated as the subject doth deserve you cannot despise it except you blame your selves who chose the Cook Accept it then with the same love it is offered read it with the same diligence you heard it If any among you may be informed convinced confirmed resolved comforted quickned by any thing here presented I shall account a sufficient recompence and rejoice that I have not run in vain And now my Beloved since I have opportunity suffer me in the eye of the world to exhort you The publishing of these things was chiefly intended for you let it be your care to be the principal Proficients by it here is a talent committed to your careful improvement lay it not in a napkin hide it not in the earth Now be doing move Planet-like uniformly Covet grace rather then gifts as to pray more fervently though lesse notionally yet strive to come behinde in no spiritual gift Be men of excellent spirits and expresse sincerity by your fervent endeavours after communion with God and fellowship with Christ Like the Eagle soar aloft but out of love to Heaven Trade for grace your trading on earth is slack unprofitable Let your conversation be now where you would have it to be shortly when you shall be here no more be not slack in closet-services do not you as others that restrain prayer before God but continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving O pray continually and that not out of form but feeling Serve God faithfully keep close to Christ your Captain Stand in your order O 't is a stragling age fly not from your colours quit your selves like men and men of valour souldiers in the spiritual war for Christ and his truth manifest your actual membership of the Militant Church be mindeful of the yet suffering body of Christ join your mutual forces for her help fervent prayer will do it be not weary nor wanting But my-thinks I hear you reply and say with Samuel God forbid that we should sinne against the Lord in ceasing to pray I will therefore dismisse you with prayer to God for you in the words of old Eli Go in peace and the Lord of Israel grant you your Petitions which you have
when alone and in the dark what shall I do 98 Fourthly I finde not any successe in my prayer but am rather crossed in them therefore I fear it is in vain to pray 96 Fifthly What should a man settle his minde upon while he is framing and directing his prayer 100 Sixthly But when I do mâ—thinks my own unworthinesse doth so much the more present it self and make me ready through fear to sink 101 Conditions required that praâ—er may be accepted 103 First The Person must be riâ—htly qualified and that standing in a threefold relation viz. 1. To God ibid. 2. To Men. 104 3. To it self 104 105 Five properties of persons thus qualified 105 Quest It seems by this that wicked unrighteous persons may noâ— pray or if so their prayers will â—e to little or no purpose ineffectual 108 Secondly All the graces muâ—t be set on work viz. Faith where is enquired how may a man know when he prayeth in faith 110 Repentance which gives occasion to consider How true penitency in gracious souls may be discerned from feigned sorrow in gracelesse persons 114 115 Humility Q. How this grace may be discerned 117 Motives to fervent prayer drawn 1. From the Lord. 120 121 2. From Men. 125 3. From prayer it self 130 Object Answered with respect to such persons as were effectual in prayer 132 Second Doctrine 134 Proved by Scripture ibid. Explained by enquiring First Wherein they are so prevailing 135 Secondly Why they are so prevalent 139 Use 1. To let us see what to expect from the prayers of too many among us unrighteous unholy 142 Use 2. To shew us what to do that we may be powerful and effectual in prayer viz. First get the qualification in the Text. 143 Secondly Pray in a time while he may be found p. 144 When these two are joined prayer never failed 1. When they are joined in Persons 2. When they are joined in a Nation 145 Obj. When will that be 146 A. 1. It hath been often promised 2. This is the way whereby â—ll those that belong to God may be brought in ibid. Causes discovered why prayers have been so ineffectual 147 Directions how to prevail more 151 A TREATISE OF PRAYER JAMES 5.16 The effectual fervenâ— Prayer of a righteous man availeth much THE Spring-head of this Scripture doth arise at the 13th verse of the Chapter and the streams run down to the 18th The general scope of the whole is to give direction in a matter of no small concernment viz. how the Flock of Christ should demean themselves in every condition Divine providence might cut out for them in the present evil world According to our Apostle whose pen was held and ruled by the Spirit of truth the state of the Church and as here described is two-fold Prosperity and Adversity happinesse and misery frowns and smiles like the Sun which sometimes appears bright and glorious but sometimes is hid under dusky clouds now in health then in an Hectick weeping and joy a summers day and a winters night as she gives her own motto Psal 102.10 Thou hast life me up and cast me down an uncertain câ—ndition and such as wants peculiar direction especially if it be considered how easie it is to miscarry in both He that runs may read the purpose of the Apostle to ballast the people of God in this unequal condition to help them walk steadily both in their up-hill and down-hill way Is any afflicted then let him pray Is any merry then let him sing Psalms Needfull it is for Christians to be doing in each condition My Text is a branch of the first direction and is laid down as a Motive and Encouragement to the duty drawn from the excellent successe of it which he proves by induction of particular examples in the following verseâ— The words in themselves are a good mans encouragement and testimoniall subscribed by God himself which doth certifie what he is and what he must be viz. Fervent in prayer They are easie in the sense of them clear and plain it will be time and labour spent impertinently to give account what Interpreters say of them how they differ or agree this were almost to strike fire and light up a candle at noon-day to seek for that which is neither hid nor lost As for partâ— to prevent confusion and to clear our entrance I shall divide the handling of them into three generals In them we have to consider First The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or duty commended and directed unto viz. Pâ—ayer A necessary and usefull duty which neither the decree of God in regard of its immutability nor the promise of God in regard of its infallibility Ezek. 36. v. 37. nor the effectual intercession of Christ our Lord who taught his Disciples to pray can dispense with us for not doing it The Gospel commands it Secondly The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or quallification mentioned which is two-fold viz. First Of the duty it must be fervent such as sets the whole man on work and such as notes the most lively activity that can be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ardens 1. fervent as Piscator renders it Efficax i. effectual as Beza It is both effectual-fervent as in the text Secondly Of the person he must be righteous i. so made by the righteousnesse of Christ by faith justified by righteousnesse impured called the righteousnesse of God sanctified by righteousnesse imparted called ours because inherent in us They must be men of penitent renewed hearts men of faith evangelically righteous Thirdly The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or effect successe and good issue of prayer so quallified and performed It availeth much they are prayers that carry force with them thus quallified they are a mighty engine to move heaven and earth a key to open the door of the treasury of God to fetch mercies for our selves and others a Panecaea a receipt for every disease and a soveraign one too it brings present ease and future health God never said to the seed of Jacob Seek ye my face in vain The parts thus set we may â—asily read the meaning of the Spirit in them Supposing the first I shall handle the two later and labour to condescend to the meanest capacity and point out the full scope of the words in two usefull Observations First That when we have to do with God in prayer it is our duty to make use of strength and fervency Secondly That righteous mâ—ns prayers are powerfull and effectual Both these observations God willing I shall labour to explain laying them as the foundation of my intended Discourse For the first viz. That when we have to do with God in prayer it is our duty to use strength and fervency I shall prove this Doctrine first by Scripture presidents and precepts We must put to our strength as Abraham did in his intercession for Sodom Gen. 18. and as Jacob in wrestling with the Angel Gen. 32. v. 26. who held with his hand when
knows not how or what to pray for as he ought God puts words into his mouth and these would freeze there and never vent did he not by the same influence of some heart-heating affections prevail to thaw the tap In a word a Christian hath not a spark of this fire on his own hearth except some that is strange fire which will not serve the turn he must fetch it from Heaven continually Thirdly By a continual supposal that the present opportunity may be the last how earnest would you pray how fervent would you be were you to dye presently provided this be in earnest settled on a grounded knowledge of your mortality the uncertainty of the last hour else this also will degenerate into formality Fourthly By weighing the causes moving unto and requiring this fervency as fear of Gods displeasure of the curse of the sentence of death and of Hell following Want of Gods image and love of Christ and his grace imminent judgments hanging over our heads ready to fall every moment with some hope of speeding in our requests knowing who hath said Ye shall reap if you faint not Fifthly By a true love unto that we pray for Strong affections cause fervent prayers True love makes weak things strong it is as an addition of fire to the flame It was love to God that made Moses so fervent Mary Magdalen so earnest It hath a constraining vertue it made the dumb son to speak Love if true will make a man do that 's beâ—ond his power as the Corinthians when they were poor in estate yet were rich in liberality Christ loving Lazarus well wept and groaned in spirit when he prayed for him and so did David for his son Where affection is wanting there will be cold praying we see it in sutors among men Sixthly By a proposal of some moving presidents as of a poor man that comes to your door for an alms hear how he cries with hands and eyes lift up he multiplieth and continueth Petitions For the Lords sake for Christs sake some relief Of one naked and almost starved see and behold he will have no denial Or of a condemned prisoner at the bar his knees are bowed to the ground as if his heart would touch the Judges feet his hands elevated his looks ruful his eyes full of distilling tears his words earnest and constant Mercy O Merciful Judge save or I perish Set these patterns before you and make their case your own Be earnest the matter is weighty you must either speed there or no where now or never I shall apply this in a few things Use 1 First The Use may serve to condemn as the society of Rome requiring and resting in the work done whether mighty or weak hot or cold they enquire not so the number and tale be up So too many among our selves that content themselves with a cold and carelesse form of praying a bedulling strain like the pace the Spaniard is said to ride Let us take a character of them First Such as are destitute of spiritual life and heat who have no grounded hope in any promise of speeding How should they pray lively that want life When life goeth out of the body it groweth cold and so where the life of grace is not all is cold no vigour no zeal in the discharge of duty The dead do not praise thee neither can they pray unto thee O Lord Secondly They are meerly formal in Prayer who say or repeat Prayers often but without any zeal or serious bent of minde to the passages thereof as if they cared not whether they were heard or no. Negare docent qui frigide rogant Such persons do far rather suggest a denial then move pitty it was hinted before Thirdly All they who are wholly taken up with self-seeking and variety of distracting employments so that they spend most of their strength about the perishing comforts of this life such are the malicious envious covetous and voluptuous men and women Moses was fervent in Prayer hot in the cause of God but in his own the meekest man on earth his heat was not spent for himself it was reserved for God Therefore our Saviour checks his Disciples when they would pray down fire from Heaven upon the Samaritans telling them they knew not what spirit they were of In our own businesse and wrongs our heat should be hid and as it were wrapt up in the embers but when Gods honour is endangered or obscured then should our fire break forth nay it will if we have any as Cyril sometimes advised Theodosius Fourthly They are cold in prayer who are oppressed with corruption or are carried away with the violent streams of worldly cares for the present they are all choaking and quenching as water abateth the heat of the fire or else lie under desertion or a divine restraint as Jeremiah was often forbid if not disabled to pray in some cases and for some people Fifthly They that are not in charity with their neighbours Love â—s the bond of perfection and the heat of the soul no love no heat so much want of heat as is want of love Forgive and it shall be forgiven Confesse your fâ—ults one to another and pray one for another James 5.16 Be reconciled then come and offer Matth. 5.24 God will not appear to Abraham till Lot and he be agreed Jacob being reconciled to hiâ— brother first builds an Altar Prayer offer'd up with uncharitable hands though otherwise most excellently accomplished is but as sounding brasse and a tinkling Cymball Secondly The Use serves to advise Use 2 excite and quicken you When you pray do it with all your might Water runs most swiftly and strongly when it swells over its own banks and is mounted above its chanel so will our souls move and apprehend with most strength when they are lifted on high and tend to God Be not like the glow-worm fervent in appearance onely take you heed of Jehu's countenance full of flushing heat and Nabals heart as cold as the stone Bid defiance to Laodicean luke-warmnesse Remember the sweet perfumes under the Law were burnt before they ascended Hoc agite Attend on your selves when you call upon God to attend you lest frequency diminish fervour which should encrease it and custome take away the sense When you are to go with a Petition to Christ to be presented to the Father First Let the minde be withdrawn from all prevalency of lust though from the presence it cannot Of worldly employments say as Abraham to his servant with the asses Stay here while we go yonder and worship These Birds would rob Abraham of his Sacrifice Call in and concenter your thoughts as men do the Sun-beams into a burning glasse Have your hearts at your right hand with Solomons wise man or else be sure of this that which is upmost will be out ever and anon distracting dragging downward and cooling your prayers Secondly Be well verst with that Divine Rhetorick in the
if your ends be evil which move you to pray and may be known from these three companions Fâ—rst Hypocrisie when men neither oâ—it the duty wholly nor go through with it in an hearty and chearful performance Secondly Vain-glory praying to be heard and praised Matth. 6.5 A thing hateful among Heathens Tâ—lly taxed Gracchus for this that he referr'd all his actions not to the rule oâ— vertue but to the favour of the people that he might have their esteem and applause And as Pliny telleth the Nightingale singeth far longer and sweeter when men are by then at other times Thirdly Self-love which keeps men at home to look only or chiefly to their own good If thus you pray see what follows Your outward grosse sins are daily increased by this addition of spiritual sins An unprepared irreverent Petitioner takes Gods Name in vain Besides your pains and labour upon the matter are lost the Lord will not heat such prayers the grunting of Hogs in the stye saith Hierom is as pleasing to God because he expects no more then he hath given or offered Use 2 The second Use is for Instructionâ— 1. Know then every kind of praying will not serve the turn Every sound is not Musick The followers of Baaâ— called on his name from morning even until noon but there was no voice nor any thing that answered 1 Kings 26.28 Yea and they cryed aloud and cut themselves aftâ—r their manner c. and no voice nor any to answer c. Papists say over abundance of composures which they call prayers in so much as they need beads to help them keep nuâ—ber yet Saint James his Prayeâ— is to be desired among them So too many among our selves who rest on the Idol opus operatum or work wrought If they be frequent in some common forms they think themselves boon-Christians though they do nothing lesse then pray Take heed of this God is in Heaven and thou on earth Eccles 5.2 â—et your expressions be heated with reveâ—ent fervency 2. Learn the Art of Praying He is a good Christian that can pray well not contenting himself with the form without the power My Brethren It is not the labour of the lips but the travel of the heart Common beggary is the easiest and poorest trade but this beggary is the richest and the hardest Then to the work redeem the time It is observed of the Camel that having long travell'd through sandy desartâ— without water impletur cum bibendi est occasio in praeteritum in futurum i. e. drinks for the time past and for the time to come so do you for past neglects act with more diligence now do for what is past and to come And for your direction herein know that he that would pray well must have first Ability consisting in knowledge of his own wants and Gods treasury in his word and promises Blind devotion cannot please God I will pray with understanding In assent not only to the verity but also to the equity and congruity between the desire and the offer In a fiducial resting on the fidelity of the promiser with reference to his own case All which is ordinarily got by hearing of the Word and former experience of Gods goodnesse An humble hearer is alwaies a zealous Petitioner Secondly He must have flexibility or a bending of the mind to or with the duty He must not be content to be down on his knees if his heart be not up to have his hand in the work if his soul be not also in it It was the saying of holy Bradford that he would never leave a duty till he had brought his heart into the frame of the duty He would not leave confession of sin till his heart was broken for sin He would not leave Petitioning for grace till his heart was quickned in desire A property of a good honest soft and humble heart which is a jewel an ornament of great price in the sight of God Thirdly He must have dignity or worth both for composition and presentation The Spirit of Prayer to compose it and the personal merit of Christ to presenâ— it Pray alwaies with all supplication in the Spirit Ephes 6.18 3. Be instructed when you are about to pray call these things to mind Prayer is a fervent expression of holy desires holy for person principle matter and end And so I come to the last part of the description that these holy desires with spiritual fervency must be presented Unto the only true God by Jesus Christ To God only Prayers must be directed not to creatures Angel or Saint In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God Phil. 4.6 This will be cleared with a little labour For first he only can hear and relieve you Psal 65.11 O thou that hearest prayers to thee shall all flesh come Isa 63.16 Doubâ—lesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledge us not thou art our Father O Lord our Redeemer Look as nature teacheth our children to come to their parents for every thing and to give thanks to them so grace teacheth the children of God to cry Abba Father to resort to him in every condition as they did to Joseph in Egypt and to praise him for every blessing As it is one of the Royalties of the King to be petitioned unto as a common parent for grace in sundry cases so is this a divine Royalty of God that all flesh should come to him in their several necessities abasing themselves in confessing their indignity exalting him with whom is all fulnesse of good things and uncontrolable power to effect for us whatever is good according to his own pleasure Secondly For this you have a command Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble Acts 8.22 Pray God if perhaps c. Yea and a promise Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my Name he will give it you And God complains of such who forsake the fountain of living waters and dig to themselves pits that can hold no water Thirdly We have presidents for it The Church directs her prayer to God Lam. 5.1 And herein she is like to John Baptist a shining and a burning light She shines as knowing the rich storehouse where in her exigence to fetch relief and she goes to none below God She burns the fire of her zeal is kindled in her breast and therefore goes not with cold luke-warm affections In that Prayer our blessed Saviour taught his disciples we are taught the same Look over the form observe the phrases and see whether you can imagine that prayer should ever be directed to any other Read through all the Records of the world and shew if you can where any Saint of God made suppâ—ica ion unto any but to God only You cannot no not to the Virgin the Mother of Christ nor to any other Saint or Angel And in all the presidents recorded in the sacred
expression However we finde that through slownesse of phantasie bashfulnesse unreadinesse of speech men that have good affections may yet need forrain helps as to words 3. Let such a one read or hear to get by heart such passages of Scripture as being orderly joined will make an excellent Prayer It is best praying in the Lords own words The Scripture is a Magazine of matter Many complain they have a great dearth of expressions when the cause is in themselves they do not study the Word of God the most genuine off-spring of expressions Case 2 Secondly What shall he do that findes his heart unfit and altogether indisposed for Prayer especially such Prayer with holy fervency Ans For Answer to this 1. Let him consider whence that indisposition is whether from some prevailing corruption which must be mortified or from omission of some duty which must be bewailed and redeemed or from a temptation which must be resisted or else from a desertion in which case there must be a waiting and earnest seeking for the Lords return 2. In this danger and damp of the soul know there is most need of praying to bring the heart into temper and to free it from those pressing weights which do so clog and keep it down The only way to fit a soul for this duty is to fall presently upon it and the very doing of the duty doth fit to the duty As one expresseth it for as all actions of the same kinde encrease the habit so prayer will make ready for prayer By setting a mans self on the work he shall gather disposednesse though unfit before as joints benummed get life being used 3. Know such is your condition here below like a watch though it be brought in order yet ere long it will be out again like the house that is swept and the childes face that is washed gathers dust and is fouled again Yet let not this discourage you but rather excite you to resolution and diligence in keeping the soul Heaven-ward and like the Palm-tree which by how much the more weight is laid upon it gathers the more strength the more to encounter Assailants Especially take heed of living in any beloved sin and thinking to pacifie Conscience and satisfie offended Justice by a task of daily prayer a wile of Satan â—eigning among Papists who hearing the Masse and confessing their sins once a year audibly think they may live as they list and spend the day as they pleâ—se as if they had taken a new licence to commit iniquity a practice too too common amongst ourselves resting on a cold performance of some duties without truth of grace or any thought of a necessity of universal obedience Case 3 I am distracted with vain thoughts and terrified with strange fears especially while alone and in the dark what shall I do 1. Consider whence they come from without Ans as injections or from within as corruptions prevailing through negligence or meer weaknesse judge and shame thy self for such distractions strive to do better so shall they never be imputed To be wholly freed from them is a priviledge proper to the state of perfection as some diseases cannot will not be cured neer home but men must repair to the Bath or to the City for help this infirmity is not to be quite healed till we come to Heaven 2. Admit not such vain and hurtful thoughts while you are in your civil emploiments at least play not with them as children use to do with motes in the air for there begins your bane You admit them at other times and they will be admitted at prayer If once the minde is let loose to rove idly it will hardly be brought in to attend upon God wholly in the duty of Prayer or otherwise as the trifling fellow that wanders up and down will not easily be tied to work The best way to keep the heart from gadding is to keep it as much as may be in â—une and rightly disposed before as when a man is to use his horse he will have him under bridle 3. Though you be set with terrors and fears yet flie not upon such imaginations but resist and the enemy will yeeld leave not the place where you are but buckle so much the closer to the duty in hand When Christ sweat drops of blood he prayed most fervently Remember Satan is chained he hath no enforcing power Distrustful fear giveth advantage and that you are in Gods presence who hath power over the Devil 4. Know that these defects and displeasing thoughts do disturb and discomfort the praying soul but cannot evacuate your prayers This is the priviledge of a true Christian his spotty and defiled prayers as other services are washed in the Founâ—â—in opened for sin and uncleannesse he corrects interlines and paraphrases them puts them into the method and language and expected constitution of the Court of Heaven that what goes from us with sincerity is immediately taken and entred on the File and become standing Records of that Office Case 4 But I finde not any successe in my prayers but am rather crossed in them therefore I fear it is in vain to pray Ans 1. If you pray amisse for matter manner or end no marvail in the matter as Moses in his desire to enter into the promised Land the matter of prayer being temporal we have no absolute promise to obtain Spiritual mercies indeed are bona absoluta bona bonum habentem facientia ever good to him that hath them and therefore we have an absolute promise to speed in our requests for them he will never deny good things to them that ask Luke 11.13 But outward blessings are onely bona respectiva good in reference to a certain end and our expectations may fail with reference to them In the manner as the Church in the Cant. 5.3 She would and she would not There is it may be a kinde of wambling willingnesse and velleitie but it boils not up to a full height of resolution for God and utmost endeavours after the thing desired Now affection without endeavour is like Rachel beautiful but barren Or Lastly Your prayers may misse in the end either of intention or of duration They draw not neer him with true heart that is contented either to wait for or to want the thing desired being heartily willing that God should be glorified though themselves be not answered They that ask aright may have any thing Mat. 5.6 2. Prayers may be successeful and yet not found or felt The grant may be past and you not know it for it is made to Christ first who by the worth of his Intercession merits a return of Prayers to himself and after to his Saints besides somewhat equivolent or better for you then that which you requested may be given and you not discern it for the vehement intention of your eies upon your own will or the veâ—y thing may be granted though not for the time manner means and measure by