A Promise wée haue in these words, more excellent, more certaine, and more vniuersall, then euer as yet hath come, or euer at any time can come out of the mouth of any prince or Monarch, vniuersall, for that it promised all, and excluded nothing, more certaine, for that he promiseth which neuer decei­ued, Dabit vobis, what so frée as gift? most high and ex­cellent, because he promised to giue from the highest, a Patre, from the Father.

Out of the coafer the treasure may be taken, the coa­fer is as it were the Father, the treasure is all grace, quicquid: the Key in nomine meo, will open to this trea­sure.

From the cipher letter, the sense is to be found, the let­ter is as it were the father, therefore aske the father, the sense is all grace, quicquid, the expositor in nomine meo, will finde out the sense. Therefore that yée pray, and pray effectually in your prayers. 1. Know whom you are to aske. 2. What things you are to aske. 3. And what maner you are to aske. 1. Whom you must aske, the father, petite patrem. 2. What things you must aske, quid, or quicquid, that which is worthy of the name of a thing. 3. In what maner, in nomine meo, in the sonnes name: of euery one of these, and first of the person whom we must aske, and that is the father, petite patrem. The most mercifull name of father in holy Scripture, giueth [Page 24] vs many things to vnderstand in God, to wit, assentia­litie, eternitie, antiquitie. 1. Generation, spiration, pro­duction. 2. Predestination, prouidence, gouernment. 3. Creation, disposition, distinction. 4. Adoption, gu­vernation, education. 5. Instruction, redargution, cor­rection, many more remaine.

But principally in asking graces, the name of father implieth two things, which we ought alwayes to set before our eyes in prayer, to wit, the power of God, & the will of God, the might of God, and the mercy of God, his great abilitie, and his great loue; for so it fal­leth out amongst men, in asking any thing of a man, I consider whether he can do it of his power, and if he can do it of his power, whether he will do it of his loue, and so it is with God.

Therefore these two conceits of power and will, of might & mercie, Mary Magdalen had when she prayed Ioh. 11. in the behalfe of her brother Lazarus. Lord, he whom thou louest is sick: Lord, is a name of power, therefore thou canst, he whom thou louest, therefore I am to per­swade my selfe, that in mercy thou wilt restore him.

These two conceits of power and will, the Leaper had when he prayed, Lord if thou wilt thou canst make Math. 9. me cleane, vis, there is the will: potes, there is the pow­er: and our Sauiour answered to both, to the will, volo, to the power, mundare, in the Imperatiue moode.

These two conceits of power and will, of might and mercie, our Sauiour himselfe had when he praied; Fa­ther, althings are possible vnto thee, if thou wilt let this cup passe away from me: All things are possible vnto Math. 27. thée, there is the power: if thou wilt, there is the loue.

Here the Prophet Dauid doth will, that men ioyne together in their prayers, these two; Semel loquutus est Psalm. 62. Dominus duo haec audiui: God spake once, and heard these two things from his mouth; Power belongeth vnto God, and mercie vnto the Lord, for that he will render to euery one according to his workes, note it: God speaketh onely one thing, he willeth me in my [Page 25] prayers to call him father: but by this one word father, he will haue me to vnderstand two things, his power & his loue, his might, & his mercy. And as touching the power, who is more able then the father. 1. The father can do euery thing in his sonne. 2. The father of the houshold in the familie. 3. The father of heauen in hea­uen. 4. The father of the world in the world. 5. The father of all can do euery thing in all. And as touching the will, who loueth more then a father, and what na­turall father so much as our spirituall and heauenly fa­ther? Math. 6. If you being euill (saith our Sauiour Christ) can giue your children good things, if so bee they aske them, how much more shall your heauenly father giue you good things, if so be you desire them?

Wherefore as the wittie Bées, when they go about to make their swéete hony-combes, licke first vpon the swéetest flowers of the fields and gardens of the world, and then carry the swéete ioyce into their hiues, so be­fore you enter to your prayers, fixe your cogitations vpon these two swéet flowers of power and loue, which you finde in the name of the father, and then carrie the pure ioyce of them into the inward hiues of your soules and consciences, and so shall you make a most precious hony-combe of all spirituall deuotion.

The consideration of these two things, will bréed in vs two other things, 1. humilitie, out of the consideratiō of the power of a father. 2. Confidence out of the con­sideration of the loue of a father.

A most potent father, but to so great mightinesse what profound humilitie will be sufficient. The Pro­phet Dauid, to humble himselfe in his Prayers, some­times reckoneth vp his naturall defects, as where he Psalm. 22. saith: I am a worme and no man, a very scorne and derision amongst men: sometimes his originall sinne, as where he saith; I was borne in wickednesse, and in Psalm. 51. sinne hath my mother conceiued me: Sometimes his actuall sinnes, as where he saith, We haue sinned with Psal. 110. our Fathers, we haue done wickedly.

[Page 26] And how many things are there to humble vs before the maiestie of God? speake we one word, make we one becke thinke we one thought, but in God and from God, in him we liue and moue and haue out being. O poore wretched miserable beggers that we are, that which a great King said of himselfe may be said of any, Ego autē mendicus sum, let vs aske then as beggers, acknowled­ging Psalm. 29 our déepe sores & wounds of sin crauing like beg­gers knéeling like beggers, following like beggers, im­portaning like beggers, let vs aske the father, petite pa­trē, let vs aske y ^t father w ^e great renerence euen for this, because hee is a father of great power, pater potestatis, aske y ^e father w ^e great reuerēce, because he is a father of great power, aske the father w ^e great cōfidence, because he is a father of much merey, Pater misericordiarum, Eph. 2. Confidence and assurance in asking graces, is the only strength & marrow as it were of all our prayers, there­fore the holy Ghost saith, Si fiduciam habemus apud De­um, if wée haue confidence with God, what soeuer wée 1. Ioh 2. aske we shall obtaine, now the name of a father imply­eth all confidence. 1. The father is mercifull, therefore Saluum me fac propter misericordiam tuam. 2. Great are the merits of the sonne of so louing a father, therefore Respice in faciem Christitui. 3. True are the promises of the father, therefore fulfill thy word vnto thy seruant, Vt in sermonibus tuis iustificeris. 4. Can my faults, can my defects, can my vanities set a barre against me, and the father? I set against my faults the mercy of the fa­ther, against my defects the merits of the sonne, against my vanities, the inward comfort and consolation of the holy Ghost, and therefore I implore, I beséech, I intreat I importune, I am instant, in season and out of sea­son onely let not my heart condemne mee of any soule or grosse thing, and then praying to the father in Thrists name, and for such a thing as I ought to do, I shall be sure to obtaine: so the holy Scripture, Si cor nostrum nos non reprehendit, tunc fiduciam habemus apud Deum. 1. Ioh. 2.

[Page 27] Haue you euer marked that when you would looke vpon the sunne, your eyes béeing not able to behold so great a light, yee vse the defence of your hands, and the same sunne causeth the reflection of a shadow from both your hands vnto your breasts, I must tell you, God the Father is the true bright cleare sunne, vnto whom you may not approach with so confident an eye to aske gra­ces, without the interposition of these two hands of po­wer and leue, which you haue in the name of Father, and the interposition of these too, will cause a shadow to reflect vpon your breast, that is, will worke in you good desires, good purposes, and vertuous actions whiles out of the consideration of the power of the father, riseth humility, and out of the consideration of the loue of the Father riseth confidence, these are 2. legges, 2. armes, 2. wings which will carry vs into heauen, two things very néedefull and necessary in our prayers, and both are produced in considering God as a Father.

Secunda pars.

But to rise a point higher, from the person whom we must aske, to the thing what wee must aske, what may we aske, nap what thing may we not be bould to aske? Si quid, si quid, without any limitation, quicquid, quicquid, without any determination. All fauour, al goodnesse, all grace, all glory, all this may I aske as much as you can sée, as much as you heare, as much you can belecue, as much as you can hope for, all this may you aske, temporall things for the world, spiri­tuall things for the soule, corporall things for the bodye, eternall things for glory, all this may you aske.

What will ye that the heauens be shutte vp? Eli­as asked it and obtayned, that the heauens bée opened, the same desired it, and had it. That the Sunne stand still, Iosua asked it and obtayned it, that the Sunne goe back ward, Ezechias desired it, and had it. That [Page 28] fire come downe from heauen, Elias asked and obtained it: that waters spring out of the rocks, Moyses asked it and had it.

That the floods and waues sustaine yée? Peter asked it and obtained it: that the dead rise againe, sundrie haue asked it, and haue had it.

What will ye, wisdome? Salomon asked it and ob­tained it. Grace? Dauid asked it and had it.

Heauen and Paradice? the Theefe asked it and obtaned it, quicquid, quicqud, without any limitation, si quid, si quid, without anie determination, and to the reason, we may aske all of him, which can giue all, we may aske all of him which will giue all, voluntate labiorum non fraudabo te, saith God, I will not de­fraude the desire of thy lippes, you may aske all there­fore, euen as much as your tongue can speake, or heart imagine.

And for this cause we Christians, though we be poore, yet are we the richest of all other Creatures, note it, for Cattell and bruite beasts, nature hath prouided foode and sustenance, and many getteth it only by his work and labour God hath clothed beasts which skinnes, and the trees with barke, man only is borne poore and naked, the beasts haue for armour to defend them both hornes and hoofes, and téeth and cloues, man onely is borne disarmed in all, the open ayre hurteth not them, man scarce defendeth himselfe with houses and buil­dinges, the life of all other things is quiet and secure, and this life of ours, wee know not how to tearme it, a life or a death, surely, if not a perpetual shipwracke, yet a continuall warfarre, neuerthelesse the beasts make no request, but man requesteth, these Creatures vse no praiers, man praieth, now if by this meane of praier, hée may get, all what soeuer is behoueable for him, quicquid petiaritis, who can be more rich, or who can be more wealthy then a Christian?

All vniuersalitye is in this word quicquid, or si quid, [Page 29] wée may aske and obtaine it, so that it bée quid, that is worthye of the name of a thing, now hée that prayeth God will further him in his sinnes, prayeth not for quid, but for nihil, Sine ipso factum est nihil, God made not sinne, so doth Saint Austine conster it, Sinne destroyeth in vs the true quid, which is good­nesse, and maketh a man as nothing, or worse then nothing, Quia melius nihil esse quam infaeliciter Mat. 15. esse.

Therefore it is said of the child of perdition, that it had béene good for him he had neuer béene borne: that man therefore that prayeth that GOD will helpe him in his sinnes shall not bée heard, because hée asketh not quid, but nihil, witnesse the Prophet Dauid, Si iniquitates asperunt in corde meo, dominus non exaudi­et, If there be any iniquity in my heart, the Lord will Psa. 14. not heare me.

Againe, note farther, not onely hée that asketh not quid, receiueth not quid, but hée that asketh nihil, re­ceiueth nihil, hée that asketh nothing, receiueth no­thing, he that asketh sinne, receiueth sinne, for in as­king a sinne, he committeth a new sinne, and so his ve­ry prayers are turned into sinne, according to that in the Psalme, Fiat oratio eius in peccatum, Let his praier Psa. 102. be turned into sinne.

In an other sense doth Gregory the great expound this word, this word quicquid, as si quid, that is, that ye aske quid, & not quale, that is, that ye aske substances & not accidents, that is, that ye aske substantiall things, and not vayne things, that is, that yee aske perma­nent things, and not transitory things, for all these corporall and worldly things beeing compared to spi­rituall and eternall things, are not quid, but quale, va­nities, toyes, leaues, trifles, shadows, smoke, nay that are nothing, or very neere nothing, they are the nihil, or very neere to the nihil, I say, and will proue it.

1. Either nothing for this cause, because manye [Page 30] in séeking after them by sundry feares & cares, and tur­moyles, and tumults, and labours, & vexations, do waste and consume their vitall spirits, and so bring themselues to nothing, according to that of S. Austine, propter talia se homines ānihilant imitando, insidiando, machinando, bellādo. Ad fratres in eremo.

2. Or nothing for this cause, because they auaile and helpe vs nothing in the fearfull triall of examination, and seueritie of iudgment, according to the censure of the Psalmist, Dormierunt somnum suum & nihil inuenerunt: Psalm. 54. the rich men of this world haue slept their sléepe, & found nothing, for their bodies must to the earth, their riches to the world, their soules to iudgment, & so there is nothing left of all that euer they had to plead for them.

3. Or nothing for this cause, because they neuer sa­tiate or content the soule, for the soule hauing receiued many of them, desireth still to receiue more of them, as if she had receiued nothing at all, according to that experi­ment, which Salomō found to be true in his owne heart. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare with Eccles. 4. hearing. Can honors satiate the soule, many great ho­nours were vnto Hamon, and yet he is discontented in respect of Mardochay. All this can nothing auaile me, saith he, as long as I see Mardochaie the Iew sitting at the Kings gate.

Can pleasures satiate the soule? Salomon had his eyes, his eares, his hands, his heart, full of pleasure, and yet he cries out: All things are full of labour, and man cannot expresse them, can riches satiate the soule? Of & against couetous rich men, God saith: Yee eate and are not fil­led, yee drinke and are not satisfied, yee cloth, yee, and Hagge. 2. yee are not warmed, he that earneth money, putteth the same into a bottomlesse bagge. Can humane learning, can learning satiate the soule? the Philosophers excelled in this, yet Saint Paul obbraideth them, where is the scribe, where is the learned, where is the disputer of this 2. Cor. 4. world, is not the wisdome of this world foolishnesse before God can territories, can dominions, can Empires, sati­ate the soule? Alexander hearing that there were thrée [Page 31] worlds wéept bycause he had got but one of them of whome this verse was made.

For de opibus praua, of riches comes wicked thinges, de voluptatibus turpia, of pleasures comes filthie things, de honoribus vana, of honors comes vaine thinges, all Innocentius tends to that which the Prophet Ieremie an eye wit­nesse saw, aspexi terram et ecce erat inanis & nihil, I be­beld the whole face of the earth and behold it was emp­tie Ier. 4. and nothing, emptie, for that it had no fulnesse in it to satiate the soule, and nothing, for that it was ful of sinne to defile the soule. And therefore pray not so much for honors, or riches or treasures, or pleasures, or health or wealth, or prosperitie, and such like: these are not the essentiall quid, but the accidental quale, nay they are nothing in comparison of the true quid, heare the Eccl. 7. censure of the wisest King, diuitias nihil duxi in compa­ratione illius, I estéeme riches nothing in comparison of wisdome, and if hee estéeme riches nothing in compa­rison of wisdome, the whole world estéemes al the rest no­thing in Comparison of riches for.

And therefore for honors and riches and treasures and pleasures, and health, and wealth, and prosperitie, wée pray not absolutely but conditionally, so farre forth as they tend to the true quid, that is to the glory of God, & bettering of our soules, for that petition for temporall things, Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis, hath al­wayes a reference to the other petitions for grace and glory: idueniat regnum tuum, fiat voluntas tua, to shut vp all in one, if ye aske that which is euill, you sinne and aske nothing, in that ye aske that which is worse then nothing, if ye aske temporary things only, ye erre, be­cause ye aske not the substantial quid, but accidental quale, shadowes not substances, if ye aske them in a disorderly manner, preferring temporall things before spirituall things, you aske amisse, because you would [Page 32] imploy them vpon your lusts.

If you aske them conditionally, so farre foorth as they tend to the true quid, to the good of the glory of God, and saluation of the soule: you aske that which by good vsage may be made quid, although in it selfe it Antonius. be not the true quid, for as a wittie Schooleman saith, Temporall things stand as things indifferent be­twéene quid and nihil, the good vsage of them makes them to be quid, the bad vsage of them brings them Sermone 3. [...]. to nihil, for as holy Barnard saieth; Vsus eorum bonus, abi sus malus, sollicitudo peicr, questus turpior, the vse of them is good, the abuse of them is naught, ouer much care to get them is worse, and béeing euilly gotten, and prodigally spent, they prooue worst of all: but the best way is alwayes to aske that which is quid, which is worthy of the name of a thing. Foure things may we aske which are the true quid: to wit, Remission of sinnes, Grace, Perseuerance, and Glorie: in the te Deum, which is sung in the Morning prayer, you haue all these; for remission of sinnes, Lord saue thy people: for grace, And blesse thine inheritance: for perseuerance, And gouerne them: for glorie, And lift them vp for euer.

Thrée things you may aske which are the true quid: Mercie for that which is past, Grace for the pre­sent, and illumination for the future. In the Psalme which is sayde in the Euening prayer, yée haue all these: for that which is past, God bee mercifull vnto vs: for that which is present, And blesse vs: for that which is to come, And shew the light of thy counte­nance vpon vs.

Two things yée may aske which are the true quid, to eschew euill, and doe good, Declinare a malo, facere bonum, What will yée that the quid be one and sin­gular? Heare the Prophet Dauid, Ʋnum petij a Do­mino, Psalm. 88. One thing haue I desired of the Lord, and I will not cease to require the same, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, to behold the beautie of [Page 33] his countenance, and to visit his Temple: But in this one thing there are all things: And therefore as Saint Austine saieth; Ama vnum bonum in quo sunt omnia bona, Loue one thing, in which are all things: Pete vnum bonum, in quo sunt omnia bona, and yée haue enough.

For 1▪ if ye be delighted with beautie, here the iust shall rise, and shall shine as the firmament; and they that lead many vnto righteousnesse, shall shine as the starres for euer & euer, 2. if with a long and healthfull life, here shall be healthfull eternitie, and euerlasting sanitie, for the bodies of the Saints shall liue for euer, and their health is from the Lord. 3. If for fulnesse and satietie, here the Saints of God shall be made drun­ken Bonauent. de diala sa­lutis. with the riuers of Paradice, they shall bée filled with the beautie of Gods countenance. 4. if for concord or charitie? here the Saints of God shall loue God better then themselues, and their bretheren as them­selues, and God shall loue them better then they can loue their owne selues, and they shall loue God and themselues, and their brethren, for Gods sake; and God shall loue them all for his owne sake. 5. If for power & abilitie? here the will of Gods Saints shall haue an omnipotent operation, for as God can doe all things whatsoeuer he will by himselfe, so they shall doe all whatsoeuer they will thorough God. 6. If with honour and dignitie, here God shall make his faithfull ser­uants, honours ouer much, euen heyres of immorta­litie, and heyres of a kingdome, and fellow heyres with Iesu Christ: Therefore aske this one thing with the Prophet Dauid▪ and yée haue asked the true es­sentiall quid, in which are all things, and so much of the second.

Pars tertia.

In the third place, I obserued the meane how wée come to obtaine all those things which is néede­full and behooueable for vs, and that is by offering vp [Page 34] our prayers in the sonnes name. In the same little in­struments which are made with many whéeles, one within the other, and each of them hauing imprinted vpon them sondry letters, vntill you turne them for­ward and backward, in such sort, that the straight line do direct to euery letter, it is impossible that the order of opening shold be disclosed or that drawne out which is fast inclosed. The Father is the fountaine and ori­ginal of graces, from the aboundance of whose streame, all manner of grace and goodnesse doth flowe, so sayth Saint Iames, Euery good and perfect gift com­meth from aboue, and proceedeth from the Father of lights, howbeit as Saint Paul saith, He dwelleth in the light which no man can attaine vnto to discouer him, therefore vnto vs, and to open all the treasure inclosed in him, behold the straight line, behold the true letter, Petite in nomine meo, aske in Christs name, and you shall obtaine.

But here it may be demaunded what it is to aske in Christs name, Chrisostome saith, that then we aske in the name of Iesus, which signifies saluation, when as we aske nothing else, but that which appertaineth to saluation, S. Austine saith, that then we aske in the name of Christ, which signifieth annointed when as we are annointed in the faith and vertues of Christ: the word Nomen according to the Scriptures, some­times signifieth authority, as to baptize in the name of Christ is to baptize out of the authority of Christ: sometimes to haue such a name, signifieth to be such an one as his name shalbe called Emanuel, that is by inter­pretation God with vs, somtimes the word name is taken for the vertue of the merit of Christ, as where it is said, At the name of Iesu Christ, euery knee shall bowe, the things in heauen, the things in earth, and vnderneath the earth, That is, giue thankes for the vertue of Christs merit, Angels in heauen shall bowe their knees, for that implentur ruinas, there seates are filled vp, and men on earth, for that their sinnes [Page 35] are remitted, and the bodies of faithfull persons vnder the earth, for that they are to be restored to the fulnesse of life, and therefore with Cirrell I take the word, No­men, in the last sense for the vertue & merite of Christ, and say that Petere patrem in nomine Christi, Is to de­sire him, not to looke vpon any vnworthinesse in vs, but vppon the worthinesse of his sonne, Respice in faci­em Christi tui.

Thus you sée, it is not enough in your prayers to aske such a one, that is such a person, such a good­nesse, or such a gift, or such a grace, but you must haue a speciall care in vertue, of whose merit you aske that gift, not in the vertue of the merit of Patriarke, or Prophet, Angell or Archangell, Saint, or Saints, but in the vertue of the merit, and satisfaction of Christ Ie­sus in nomine meo, there is the meane.

The Prophet Dauid vseth many arguments and reasons, by the which (as he thinkes) hee might and should preuaile with God in his prayers, of the which some are drawne from GOD, some from himselfe, others from externall things. 1. From GOD, heare me O Lord for that thou art mighty, heare mée for thy mercye sake, heare me for that thou vsest to take compassion, heare mée that thou mightest bée iustified in thy sayings. 2. From himselfe heare me, for that in comparison of others, I may séeme to bée righte­ous, heare me for that I haue washed my handes in innocencie, heare, mée for my soule trusteth in thée, heare mée for that I am abandoned of all others. 3. From externall things, heare me for the reproach of the enemy, heare me, why should hee tryumph this day ouer mée, heare me, why should he say to my soule there, there, so would we haue it, heare me, why should the enemy blaspheme thée thus dayly? thus the deuout king Dauid laboured by all possible meanes, to preuaile with God in his prayers.

But to say truely, we haue a more pregnant and [Page 37] vrgent motiue to obtaine at Gods handes, and that is Petere patrem in nomine Christi, a name which the Sinagogue neuer vsed for ordinary, for they neuer went higher then to pray, propter Abrahā, Isaac, et Ia­cob: Ierem. 12. calling on the father Enigmatically in the vertue of the promised séede, which was to issue out of these Patriarches loynes: and the most illuminate a­mongst them, neuer vsed this name but figuratiue­ly when they prayed, Respice in faciem Christi tui, nay the Apostles themselues were not come to this high manner of praying as to aske in Christs name: And therefore our Sauiour tells them in this Chap­ter: Vs (que) modo nihil petieritis, hitherto ye haue asked no­thing in my name, and exhorteth them, aske and ye shal obtaine.

And as the Apostles of Christ, so the Church of the Apostles, learned to offer vp theyr prayers in the name of Christ: concluding euery prayer and Collect as you may sée in the communion booke with this clause, Per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum, Through our Lord Iesus Christ, O most bountifull Lord of whom we may say. Petimus te, per te, et propter te. Wee aske Gloss. ord. in loco. thee, we aske by thée, and wée aske for thee, wee aske thee in that thou art God, we aske by thee, in that thou art our mediatour, we aske for thee, in that by the vertue of thy merit, all our prayers are founded and grounded.

To make your prayers to bee effectuall, many conditions are to bée required. 1. Let your prayers bée fitly and aptly prepared, for a medicine which is prepared, helpeth, and not prepared, hurteth. 2. Let it bée innocent and pure for the spouse then pleaseth the Bridgrome best, when shee is a Vir­gin, and beautifull▪ 3. Let it be mentall and vo­tall, as occasion is offered, for deuotion like the fire of Willowe, vnlesse it be blowne, it will goe out and [Page 36] die. 4. Let it bee well desposed and quiet, for the harmonie delighteth not where there is a noyse. 5. Let it be discreete and wary, for salte is alway conuenient to a sacrifice. 6. Let it be faithfull and humble, for humilitie aduanceth vs, and faith ma­keth God to stoupe. 7. Let it be lifted vp on high, for a pigme must be lifted vp aboue his owne measure, to talke with a giant. 8. Let it be deuout and sincere, for the incense vnlesse it bée put on fire sinelleth not. 9. Let it be forcible and strong, for the darte with the more force it is cast, the farther it flieth, and déeper it pierseth. 10. Let it be full of loue and ardent, for the Iron burning, pierseth more then when it is colde. 11. Let it be moist and wéeping, for with that tempe­rature the hardest stone is dissolued. 12. Let it bée bold and importune, for the silly whelpe after the re­pulses, obtaineth the morsels at his masters table. 13. In a word to say all, let it be in Christes name, for an oyntment powred forth, made the whole house to smell, and Christs name is an oyntment powred forth, oloum effusum nomen tuum, not only an oyntment, as holy Barnard well noteth, quia lucet praedicatum, for it shineth while it is preached, pascit [...]ecogitatum, for that it féedeth, whilest it is thought vpon, lenet inuoca­tum, for that it quieteth the conscience whiles it is called vpon, but oloum effusum, an oyntment powrod forth powred forth, for that maiestie tooke vpon it, humility, power tooke vpon it infernitie.

The mightie GOD became the prince of peace, the wounderfull became the councellor, Ego dominus, et ego dominus, became misericors, et miserator Dominus, powred forth vpon men, vpon Angles, vpon Saints, vpon sinners, vpon bonde, vpon frée, vpon male and female; powred forth from heauen vnto earth, from the east to the west, from the Iewes to the gentles, from the Grecians to the Barba­rians, from the knowen word, to the vnkowen world, [Page 38] from Ierusalem, to Tubal, and Iapan, the Isles a farre off, powred forth like the oyle of the widowes cruse of Sa [...]repta, tooke greater aduantage, for of one Christ, is risen a whole world of Christians, powres forth like the pretious oyntment which ranne downe Arons beard, vnto the skirts of his garment, for we haue all receiued of his fulnesse, grace for grace: powred forth, for the holy oyntment of the Arke of Gods Testament, the sauor and swéetnesse of that oyntment, drew on all the Iewes to follow the Arke, and the swéete sauor of Christs vertues, had drawne on all the world in the name of the sonne to worship the father. Petite in no­mine meo, Aske in my name, a name of greatnesse, a name of maiestie, a name of saluation, a name of glory, a name of greatnesse, his name shall be called wonder­full, counsellor, the mightie God, the euerlasting father, the prince of peace, a name of Maiestie at the name of Iesus Christ, euery knée shall bowe, the things in hea­uen, the things in earth, and things vnderneath the earth, a name of saluation, there is no name giuen vs vnder heauen, by the which we may be saued, but only in the name of the Lord Iesu Christ, a name of glory, in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome, knowledge and vnderstanding, because it pleaseth the father that in him all fulnesse should dwell. Petite in nomine meo, aske in my name, which hath bin derided by the Gen­tles, scorned of the Iewes, abused of the Heretickes, persecuted by tyrants, and trembled at by the diuels, but within short time shall eate idolatry from the Gen­tles, superstition from the Iewes, the Church vsurped from the heretickes, the fiercenesse to shed blood from tyrants, and the very seates of heauen from the repro­bate flocks of diuels, Aske in my name, and yee shall receiue, and my heauenly father Dabit vobis, shall giue vnto you.

You will say perchance, yée haue asked many times in this name, yet haue not béene heard: but I say vnto you, that yée were more then heard, when as it séemed [Page 39] vnto you yée were not heard. Foure wayes there bée by the which God imparteth his fauour and goodnesse, and graces vnto vs. 1. By deferring grace. 2. By changing grace. 3. By denying grace. And 4. by kindling our zeale to aske grace. What saith the zea­lous man and woman? that they haue praied for feruor of spirit, and could not be heard, yée but if God hath gi­uen vnto them to be sorrowfull, with a godly sorrow, for the wante of this feruour, behold grace granted vn­to them, by deferring of grace. 2. What say the sonnes of Zebedie? that they haue asked dextram & sinistram, and could not be heard yée but if God hath giuen vnto them, to drinke of the bitter cup of his passion, that for this they might receiue a greater crowne of glory, be­hold grace giuen by changing of grace. 3. What sales the luxurious? what say the wantons? what say the ambitious? what say the couetous? that they haue as­ked pleasures, and honours, and riches, and could not be heard: I but if God had giuen them, they would haue mispent them vpon the lewd shamefull lusts, be­hold grace here giuen by denying of grace. 4. What say the hipocrits, the worldlings, the Athiests? that they haue prayed in his name, and could not be heard: I but they prayed faithlessely, I but they praied coldly, I but they prayed Kemissely: when they shall pray faith­fully, and feruently, and deuoutly, they shall be heard, behold grace here granted, in quickning our zeale to aske grace. And surely that oftentimes yée aske and do not receiue, yée séeke and doe not finde, yée knocke and it is not opened vnto you, either it is because when yée pray, yée curse, and that is, to say the Popes and deuils Pater noster: or else it is, because yée aske amisse, as Saint Iames saith: or else it is because although yée aske honest things enough, yet not according to Gods will, as Saint Paul did: or else it is because yée pray vainly, as Zebedeus the wise did, or else it is because yée pray proudly, as the Pharasies did: or else it is be­cause yée pray with your hands full of bloud, as the [Page 40] Iewes did: or else it is because yée pray ignorantly as the Papists did, or else it is because yée pray faithlessely and coldly, as the Athiests doe. If any fault be, the de­fect is on our side, on Gods part, this promise remaineth firme, quicquid petieritis, whatsoeuer yée shall aske the father in the sonnes name, shall be giuen vnto you.

O most powerfull, and profitable, and holy prayer, the comfort of the soule, the key to grace, the Ladder to heauen, the entrie to saluation, a most rich field of Man­na, a most endlesse fountaine of Paradice, the heart of the spirit, the spirit of the life, the life of him that liueth well. Now the reason why I haue thus magnified and extolled this holy exercise of prayer, is to diminish and abate the credit, of a certaine new-fangled, and ouer­licentious opinion which is of late conceiued amongst men, to wit, that all the chiefe parts, and points of the christian religiō consisteth in the reading of scriptures, frequenting of Lectures, and hearing of Sermons, and here it is necessarie that I preface, least I be mistaken. Therfore as S. Iames is not to be vnderstood to dispraise faith, when as he preferred charitie before it, in respect of continuance, nor almes déeds, nor martyrdom, when as he preferred charitie before them both, in respect of the dayly vse, nor the operation of great and mightie workes, and the speculation of high knowledge, when as he preferred charitie before them both, in respect of pietie: no more would I be thought to dispraise reading of Scriptures, frequenting of Lectures, and hearing of Sermons, when as I preferred prayer before them all, in respect of the vncessant vse we haue of it: in the dayly seruice of God, let euery thing be placed in his proper roome and order, because they are giuen, and procéede all from him, which liketh so well of order, that he vouchsalfeth to be called the God of order.

Surely, as touching reading of Scriptures, & hearing of Sermons, we must néedes confesse both these to be great helps vnto the man of God, in y ^t cause of saluatiō. Whence is faith? but of hearing, whence is hearing but [Page 41] of the word, howbeit let the vngenerate man heare the Apostles preach strange tounges, he estéemes them as dronkennesse, let Festus heare S. Paul preach of Iudg­ment to come, he iudgeth it as madnesse, let a multitude come to the hearing of the one of the selfe same sermon, some by the hearing of the same are conuerted, some by the hearing of y ^t same are preuerted, some beléeue, some doubt, some disdaine, whats the reason? they vse not al a­like, the ordinary meanes of illuminating their minds, & rectifiyng their wills, & that is prayer: witnesse truth it selfe aske and ye shall receiue seeke and ye shall finde, knock and it shall be opened vnto you, and therefore hée which comes to heare a sermon hauing not prepared, and santified his heart before hand with prayer, is like vnto a marriner which would gouerne his ship without a rounder, or like to a way-faring mā which wil come to his ioyrnies end, by going a diuerse and contrary way: praier therfore vnto our preaching and your reading, is the most necessarie externall coagiuant meanes, which maketh them both effectuall, for to read the word is to receiue it more confusedly, in great gobbots & morsels, to heare the word preached, is to receiue it more orderly deuided and cut, to thinke vpon it seriously is to chew it with the cleane tooth of godly meditatiō, but to pray vn­to God, to haue the true vnderstanding of the same in our mindes, and a liuely féeding of it in our hearts, and consciences, this thoroughly to degest it in euery part of our bodies, & in euery power of our soules: prayer there­fore vnto our preaching & your hearing, is euen as the salte, which quickneth y ^e sacrifice, it is as y ^e leauen, which seasoneth y ^e lampe, it is as the soule which giueth life to y ^e body, it is as the sunne which giueth light to the world.

And certainely I am perswaded that as we preach the word sometimes vnto men, so if they did pray at the same time together with vs, not for a fashion sake, with showe to the eye, but in truth & earnestnesse and from y ^e groūd of the heart: this long planting, watring, & sowing which hath bin bestowed, in husbādring the hearts of y ^e [Page 42] men of our age, would haue yeelded more fruit of piety and godlinesse, to the praise of the glory of God, bette­ring the whole world, and stopping of the mouths of our aduersaries on both sides, which haue spoken and written so much euill of vs. But as it was said of Ze­ched▪ short in stature, so it may be said of the children of this generation, they are short, they are dwarfs, they are little in stature, little in faith, little in worke, little in modesty, little in sobriety, little in temperance, little in chastity little in piety, little in hospitality, little in charity, little in vertue. To make you men of better groth, tall trées are strong pillers in the house of God, as you come diligently to heare, so remember also de­uoutly to pray, to pray I say vnto him which hath the kéees of Dauid, openeth, and no man shutteth, shutteth and no man openeth, that he wil illuminate the beames of our vnderstanding, that we may knowe, and direct the streams and courses of our affections, that we may do accordingly. A souldier goeth not to warre without his weapons, a Christian, not without his prayers. Cassiodor

Be pleased I most humbly beseech you to heare the explication of one argument more, which induceth mée in respect of the common necessity to magnifie prayer aboue hearing of sermons. Prayer in all extremities remayneth like a Christian tried companion which neuer leaueth his friend, but hearing of Lecturers, & preaching of Sermons, in diuers cases faileth. 1. A mā may be silenced from preaching, as we know Micheas was, but he cannot be silenced from praying, though he be silenced from the vocal prayer of his tongue, yet can he not be silenced from the mentall prayer of his heart. 2. A man may be cast into prison, and fettered in cold i­rons as Ioseph was. 3. A man may be captiuate, and carried away prisoner with the Turkes and Sarisons, as we know the people of God were, with the Syrians and Babilonians. 4. A man may walke vp and downe in the wildernes, solitary, distressed, and afflicted, as di­uers of the holy men of God, did before the comming of [Page 43] Christ. 5. A man may come into a place which is ful of the botch of Aegypt & dangerous infection of pestilence.

In some of these cases, nay in euery one of these, how can a mā cōueniently be edified by preaching, I meane for the present? I deny not, but if he had bin a diligent obseruer, he may call to mind sondry things, which hée had heard and read, and so ease his oppressed & distressed soule by them But as S. Paul sayd of charity, it neuer falleth away in respect of continuāce, so we may say of prayer, it neuer falleth away at any time, in any place, or vpon any occasion Ieremie by prayer can cōfort him­self Aug. 12. ser. de tem. in prison. Daniel by praier, can reioyce in the gréedy Lyons denne, the three children by prayer can triumph in the fiery flaming furnace. Iob can pray vnto God lying on his dunghill, the théefe can pray vnto God hanging on the tree, Non est locus vbi non est Deus, God is in euery place and euery place a man may po­wre out his prayers to God, yet the heddy, giddy, pre­size disciplinarian cannot perswade himselfe that hée can be edified by comming to the Church, vnlesse there be a sermon, he must haue a sermon, to informe his vn­derstanding, he will come to the Church for that, I tell him, he hath as great néede of prayer to sanctifie his soule and body, let him come to the Church for that: 1. Vnlesse he be an infidell, a profession, is to bee made here of his faith. 2. Vnlesse he be too much a Puritant a confession is to be made heere of his sinnes. 3. Vn­lesse he be a scismatike, his consent is required here by saying, Amen, with the congregation assembled. 4. Vn­lesse he be a Traytor his prayers are to perse forth here for the good of the king, the state, and the country.

Tell me doest thou euer read that Gods house was cald the house of preaching, this thou readest not, but to show that the most vsuall and ordinary exercise which God will haue to be practised in his Church, is prayer, he thought it best to call the place of his wor­ship by the name of the one, and not by the name of the other, the Church was sanctified for preaching, thou [Page 44] wilt come vnto it while this is a doing, the church is sanctified for prayer, and hath his name of prayer, Do­mus mea, domus orationis. Come vnto it also while this is a doing. Salomon vpon, and after the dedication of the temple, went into the temple to prayer, it is read of the Publican & Pharisie, that they went both to y ^e tem­ple to pray. Peter & Iohn went both into the temple at y ^e 9. hours, at the appointed time for prayer: old Anna & Simeon continued dayly in the temple praying, the tē ­ple then to those men, was y ^e conuenienst place to prai­er, so thought the good, so the bad, so the beléeuer, so the infidel, so the Publican, so the Pharisie, what a strange Cockatrice egge, hath the madnesse of certaine Scis­matikes hatcht amongst vs, they wil come forsooth to y ^e church, but not to prayer? O how much impiety. O how much profanenes hath the liberty & licencionsnes of this our age brought forth? we read of certen of the aūtient fathers, that they made their knées as hard as Camels hoofes, with continuall praying, we read of S. Ierome in moderate fastings, & wonderfull humiliati­ons of himselfe in watchings & praiers: we haue S. Au­stins meditations & soliloquia, solitary spéeches, which he vsed vnto God, we see oratoria, not auditoria, orato­ries, churches, Colleges chappels, so many signes & to­kens of our parents manificence, & vneōparable deuo­tion these men thought these to be the godly exercises of religion, to water their couch day & night, for the sins they had committed, with Dauid to chastice the re­bellions of the flesh, w ^t saint Paul to meditate vpon their fraile state & miserable conditiō, w ^t holy Iob to intertain poore, néedy, naked, distressed soules into their houses, & at their tables with faithfull Abraham: al these are for­gottē, nay, which I speake with the griefe of my soule, they account them vanity, & superstition, & men thinke that they are come to the very mount Nebo, the height of religion, if so be they are come to the church, turned ouer their bookes, found the text, looke on the preacher, marke his diuision, heard the sermon, where is woun­ding of the conscience, where is compunction of y ^t heart? [Page 45] where is mortification of the flesh, where is detestation of sin, where is satisfactiō for the wrong to thy brother, where is pitty & compassion, where are sighes, where are teares, where are strong cries & gronings, where is the wish of the prophet Ieremy, to haue riuers of wa­ters in your heads, to wéepe day and night, for the ma­nifold sinnes ye committed against the maiesty of god? The end of preaching is to teach men to liue wel & ver­tuous, heare S. Paul. The grace of God bringeth sal­uatiō vnto al men, hath appeared, & reacheth vs, there is the preaching what to do? mary to deny vngodlinesse & worldlines, & then we should liue soberly, iustly, & god­lily in dispraise of the world: make not thy porch bigger then thy house it is a foolish kinde of building, it is the property of an Athenian to know much, and do litle, it is the duty of a christian to heare often, and do stil that is to pray stil: for it is written, pray continually. This is the perfume made of the gal, & liuer of the fish in the tooke Iob. which driueth away al kind of diuels, Ex­terminabit omne genus demoniorum, al kind of diuels, al Tob. 6. kind of plots, al kind of practises al kind of treasons, all kind of treacherers: oh as the Angel acuised Toby in that place, that you would giue vs leaue (and so you do) which stand vp in these pulpits, as vpon the bankes, and speake in your eares, which lept too too many times be­yond your bounds, like to the great fish of Tybris, vsed to deuoure, to take hold of your soules, to pack your af­fections, from the fluxible watry cogitations of al world­ly affaires, vnto the immoueable centers of heauenly meditations, to sette your gaules and your liuers, and your bowels, and your entralls, that is your hearts, and affections, vpon the burning coals of the incompa­rable loue of God, and Iesus Christ his Son: vndoub­tedly this wil not only make a persume which wil driue away all manner of diuels from vs, but will make for your good, to the good of Gods glory, and the good of the Church, and the good of this noble Kingdome, a most swéete, & adoriferous sauour in the nosestrills of God, [Page 46] I will speake what I intend more plainly. Your sacred presence (most dread and mightie Soueraigne) at the morning and euening Sacrifice, will induce others to present themselues, they will come, they will runne, they will prostrate themselues, they will worship, they will adore in the holy Sanctuarie of God, the swéete o­dor of the oyntments of this your gratious deuotion, hath, and doth, and will drawe on others, yea many o­thers for to follow: yea the strange children will be brought to follow, vnto whom all that euer we could doe, both our preaching and praying, were the sauour of death vnto death, euen an abhominatiō: for this cause of set purpose haue I compiled this Sermon, according to the measure of grace which is giuen vnto me, haue preached the same in the eares of Maiestie, the holi­nesse of holinesse, which was ānointed with the fulnesse of all graces, confirme & continue your gratious heart, in this most holy and Christian exercise of pietie and godlinesse, that that may be spoken and written, spoken to them that are liuing, and written to the posterities to come, of the most religious King Iames, that was spoken and written of the most zealous king Iosias, that 2. Reg. 23. you may match him in all things, euen by being a king as young and yonger then he, like vnto him was there not any before him, neither arose there any after him, which turned vnto the Lord his GOD, with all his heart, with all his minde, and with all his soule, to loue him, and to feare him and to serue him, and here imita­ting the wise gouernour, reserued the best Wine for the last, I end. Now vnto God immortall, inuisible, and onely wise, the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, thrée persons in trinitie, one God in vnitie, be rendred all power, dominion, glory, maiestie, and seruice, for euer, and for euer.

Amen.