THese words are part of a lesson, which our Sauiour Christ taught vnto his Disciples; being desirous how to pray aright that they might be heard. In the first verse of this chapter one in the behalfe of the rest puts vp this pe­tition: M ^r. teach vs how to pray as Iohn also taught his disciples. In the se­cond verse he as a louing and carefull [Page 2] master as willing to profit his schollers, as they to learne: he sets them downe this absolute forme of prayer, teaching them what to aske, in these words when you pray say, Our Father which art in heauen &c. As followeth vnto the 5. verse. In which 5. verse and in the 6.7.8. verses: least they should be discouraged if they did not inconti­nently and at the first, obtaine that which they prayed for: he bringeth the similitude or parable of the impor­tunate borrower of three loaues of bread, teaching them not to be weary but to perseuere in praier; and in this 9 verse, in these words which I haue now reade vnto you least they should be fearefull, and so not pray at all, or faint harted and so make weake prai­ers: he emboldens them, willing them to pray, and to be confident in prayer, giuing his word vnto them that he wil heare them: and promising that he will graunt their requests: Aske, (saith Christ) and it shall be geuen you.

In these words I will obserue two things, first an Inuitation in this word, [Page 3] Aske: secondly a promise, in these words, and it shall be giuen you. In the inuitation I will obserue. Quid, and Quomodo; quid? what wee must aske, Quomodo? how wee must aske; in the promise, I will obserue: the promiser, and the thing promised; the promi­ser God, the thing promised; whatso­euer wee shall aske; in the promiser, I will obserue first his abilitie: in that he is able to performe, whatsoeuer he promiseth. Secondly his willingnesse: in whatsoeuer he promiseth he is will­ing to performe. In the thing promi­sed: I will likewise obserue these two two things; first the generallitie, in this word It. Secondly the certainty of it, in this word, Shall; It shall be giuen you; Aske, and it shall be giuen you. And first of the first thing obserued, in the in­uitation, Quid? what wee must aske.

Saint Augustine in a certaine home­ly saith, that the first condition of prai­er is, that that which wee do aske, ought to be somthing; that when we doe pray we must pray for somthing; now his opinion is: that temporary [Page 4] matters, that the things which belong vnto the body, be nothing, and there­fore are not to be asked, but aboue all things he would haue vs seeke the kingdome of heauen and the righte­ousnes thereof and then al these things below shall be cast vpon vs, and ther­fore he saith that it was but one thing, that the Prophet Dauid did require of the Lord: Vnum petij Psal. 27.4. one thing haue I desired of the Lord, which I will require, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord; all the daies of my life; Qui vere christianus est, (saith hee) non ista temporalia appetere debet, sed totum pon­dus orationis & intentionis suae ad aeternam beatitudinem debet impendere; He that is a true christian, ought not to aske and begg of God temporary matters, but the whole intent of all his prayers, ought to be bestow­ed in begging of the summum bonum the vnum necessarium, aeternall blessednes; but he thus expounds himselfe saying, Sed tamen haec absolute petenda non esse, intelligendum est; But not withstanding it is to be vnderstood: that these things ought to be asked; but not absolutely; he doth [Page 5] not say, that we must not aske them at all, but he saith we must aske them spa­ringly, and conditionally and compa­ratiuely, not at all in respect of spiritu­all blessings these temporary matters are not to be asked; temporary bles­sings wee may pray for, but aboue all things, let vs aske of God those spiri­tuall graces which will bring vs to the kingdome of heauen. Ecce alius in ora­tione (saith S ^t. Gregorie) postulat ves­tem: alius sibi dari alimentum et: quidem si haec desint, ab omnipotenti deo, sunt pe­tenda: haec petere, non est errare, sed tamen non nimie petantur; one (saith he) desires of God i [...] his prayer raiment, and clothing, another begs for food, and nourishment, these things if they be wanting, must be as­ked of the almighty God; to begg them is no sinne, but yet wee must not too greedily desire them. But Barnard de oratione, al­though mellifluously, yet plainely comes vnto the matter: for he sets downe what wee must pray for, and also the condition of our prayers what they must be: The prayers of the heart (saith he) I doe beleeue do consist in these [Page 6] three things; neither doe I see what else besides these three things any child of God can pray for: two of which concernes this world: the third concernes the world to come; all that wee can pray for, in this world, is that God would bestow vpon vs, the goods of our bodyes & soules, all outward blessings necessarie for the body, and all inward graces conueni­ent for the soule, and all that wee can desire in the world to come: is aeternall Blessednesse: that God as he hath giuen vs the kingdome of grace: so he would giue vs the kingdome of glory; that he would in his good time bring vs out of this transitory world to his perpetuall kingdome, there to raigne with him world without end. And therfore wee pray Thy kingdome come. There is no­thing else that wee can pray for; All our prayers tend to this end that whilst wee liue in this world, wee may haue sufficient nourishment for our bodyes spirituall foode for our soules, and in the world to come, wee may haue life euerlasting. And in begging of these three things, three things must be auoi­ded: [Page 7] in the first, Superfluitas; in the second, Impuritas; in the third, Arro­gantia. In the first, superfluitie; we must aske of God those things onely, which be necessary, for our bodies. In the second, Impuritie; we must not aske and beg of God, spirituall graces, to brag and boast of them. In the third, Pride and arrogancie; not seeking saluation in our owne works and me­rits, but in the mercies of God, and in the merits of our Sauiour and Redeemer Christ Iesus. In the first, in beg­ging of things for the bodie, we must auoide superfluitie: for God will not grant our greedy desires; neither will he listen vnto our prayers, if we doe not aske those things, which be meete for him to giue, and conuenient for vs to receiue. In oratione (saith Ze­gedine) duo spectanda: In prayer there are two things to be considered; necessitas vel decorum; the necessitie of those things which we aske; and the come­linesse and meetnes of them: the ne­cessitie (that is) those things which concerne the sustentation, the nourish­ment, [Page 8] the health, the freedome, and liberties of our bodies. Foode and clothing, health and liberty, is neces­sarie for our bodies: and these things must be asked of God, and so much of them, as will suffice, and no more: If we aske more then will suffice, to spend vpon our pleasures, or to satisfie our lusts, we shall not be heard, be­cause we aske amisse: Yee aske and re­ceiue not (saith S. Iames 4.3.) because you aske amisse, that yee might consume it on your lusts. We must pray, as our Sauiour Christ commandeth vs; Fa­nem nostrum quotidianum, da nobis hodie, Giue vs this day our daily bread: that is, giue vs those things, which be suffici­ent both for our bodies and soules; giue vs the staffe of bread, which is sufficient for our bodies; giue vs Christ, which is the bread of the faithfull, the foode of our soules; giue vs panem praeter panem & super panem, aboue bread and besides bread; Da nobis vtrum (que) panem corporis & animae, giue vs foode both for the body and soule. This I take to be the mea­ning [Page 9] of the words in generall. But if we come to handle the words in par­ticular; we shall finde that these three words, panem, nostrum, quotidianum, affords vs three speciall doctrines, fit for our purpose; for whereas he saies Pan m, he bids vs aske for bread which is the common sustinance for our bo­dies, he would haue vs to be content with that which the Lord sends: and not to lust after the flesh pots of Egipt, to be fed with delicates and fare delici­ously euery day, for if wee haue bread, if we haue wherewithall to satisfie our hunger, to quench our thirstes, and to clothe our bodyes; wee must learne with the Apostle Paule, therewithall to be content. And whereas he saith, panem nostrum, our bread he would haue vs to be content with that which is ours, which is our owne, and not too greedily desire that which is other mens: he would not haue vs to liue vp­on vsurie, oppression, theft, deceipt, fal­shood, he would not haue vs, so much as to couet our neighbours goods: nei­their Oxen, nor their asses, their man-seruants [Page 10] or their maide seruants, their wiues or their cattle nor any thing which belongs vnto them; much lesse by force or violence, by craft or cun­ning to steale, or to purloine any thing from them: but to be content with that which is our owne: desiring of the Lord only (panem nostrum) our bread and no more. And wheras, he saith, panem nostrum quotidianum, our daily bread, he would not haue vs be too carefull for the time to come, for what wee shall eat, and what wee shall drinke and where withall wee shall be clothed; but to take that which is present thankfully, confidently reposing and putting our trust, in the Almighty, that no want shall happen vnto vs, in regard wee haue him for our louing father, who will be as carefull ouer vs as wee can be ouer our selues: neither would he haue vs to be gluttons, and drunkards, and eate and drinke as much in one day, as would serue for many dayes; but he would haue vs to be sober and temperate, and take no more in the day, then will serue for the [Page 11] day: auoiding all superfluitie, taking that only which is necessarie, no more we must vse no more wee must pray for, if wee do our p ayers shalbe in vaine, wee shall not be heard, because wee aske amisse. And as wee must re­spect the necessi ie, so also must wee keepe a decorum in our prayers. Wee must aske of God that, which is meete for him to giue and conuenient for vs to receiue; all superstitious, all wicked, vniust, curious, rash, presumptuous, & vnprofitable prayers must be laide a side; and in all our prayers the special thing wee must aime at is the glory of God; that those things, which wee pray for may be to Gods glory and our owne comfort. The prayer of the mother of Zebedeus children, was vnlaw­full, because it was full of ambition, for shee dreaming of a temporall kingdome desired of our Sau our Christ honor and preferment for her sonns, that the one might sitt on his right hand th'other on his left hand in his kingdome; Mat: the. 20.21. Our Saviour Christ answered her with Nescitis [Page 12] quid petitis, you know not what you aske, rebuking them for their presumption for asking those things, which were not meete, for him to giue, and conue­nient for them to receiue. The request also of Herodias daughter who asked of the king, Iohn Baptists head, was not to the glory of God; but altogether abominable and vnlawfull and if we must not desire of men those things which be vnlawfull: much lesse of our heauenly father. Yf shee might not aske Iohn Baptist head of the king; who was her mothers enemie: much lesse ought wee to desire of God, the hurt, destruction, or confusion of our enemies as they bee our owne enemies. Indeed, if in being our enemies, they be the enemies of God: then wee may pray with the prophet Dauid: Oh Lord confound our foes, let shame and confusion smite them, so that they may not be able to preuaile against thee and against thine a­nointed; but the deprecations that wee daily vse, the curles and the plagues, which wee pray for, to light vpon one anothers heads, nay, and vpon our [Page 13] selues be most fearefull and most abo­minable; we pray the plague, the pox, the gallowes, sudden death and a l manner of punnishments, to light vp­on our selues and others: whereas if God were not more mercifull in hea­ring and granting, then wee be in desiring, there is no day but many of vs should be consumed: there is no hower but many of vs should perish; there is no minute of an hower, but many of vs should haue one punishment or o­ther light vpon vs; Epicurus was wont to say, as Maximius Maximius reports: breui spatio homines omnes perituros esse, si ho­minum preces sequeretur deus; that in a little time, all men should perish, and vtter­ly be consumed, if God should grant all men their desires; and his reason is this, quoniam multa & acerba alij in alios precantur; because men pray so bitterly one against another. If he might say so in his time: well wee may say so in our times: vpon whome the latter ends of the world be come: amongst whome iniquitie abounds; for, whereas wee should pray for our enemies, and for [Page 14] one another, either wee neglect it, and pray not at all: or else wee pray for cur­ses to light vpon them; witnesse the continuall & common deprecations, which be as rise in mens mouthes, as their ordinary talking For which of vs amongst vs, (I speake of the most part of vs) doth not curse his enemie? nay curse his friend? nay, the fruit of our owne bodies? wee do not spare, but many of vs commonly curse and bann our owne children: nay, our selues wee curse: wishing plagues to light vpon our bodyes, our soules, wee do not spare, but many of vs commonly wish damnation vnto them; which prayers and curses if the Lord should heare, (as no question but he doth heare them) but if he should grant them, fearefull and lamentable were our e­states? beloued; he doth grant them, & many times according to our owne harts desire, our bodyes consume and come to vntimely ends; our wealth decayes and no way prospers; our chil­dren turne disobedient riotous, vnru­ly and euill conditioned, & our soules [Page 15] are finally [...] in hell fire; how feare­full and lamentable be these our pray­ers? and yet how ordinarily do wee vse them? which of vs (if wee examine our selues) be free from them? take heed, and take the psalmists councell; stand in awe and sinne not; Be carefull how thou makest such prayers vnto God; for as sure as he liueth in heauen, he will heare them, and will send such plagues & curses vpon thee and thine as thou desirest: vnlesse thou speedily repent, such prayers wee must not vse, for they be neither meet nor conueni­ent, meete for God to heare, conuenient for vs to receiue, rather let vs pray with the heathen man: Da bona siue pe­tare deus seu nulla petare & procul a no­bis mala quae (que) petentibus aufer, & mala siue petare nega, seu nulla petare. Grant oh Lord that wee may pray for such things as be to thy glory, or else that wee may not pray at all: and remoue farre from vs, wee beseech thee, all wicked prayers, either de­ny vs those things, which be hurtfull and not conuenient for vs, or else grant, that wee may make no such prayers vnto thee. [Page 16] And as in praing for temporary matters: wee must respect the necessitie, & keepe a Decorum: so in praying for spi­rituall graces, and for life euerlasting wee must respect th'end, why we pray and the manner how wee pray: wee must not pray for spirituall graces, to the end wee may be puffed vp, and so bragg and boast of them, as Hypocrits doe; for then the Lord will not heare vs; neither must wee seeke the king­dome of heauen, relying vpon our owne workes, and merits: as did the proud Pharisie, for then the Lord will not regard vs, but with the Apostle Paule, let vs begg for the graces need full for our soules in all simplicitie: and with the Publican for the kingdome of heauen in all humilitie: and then the Lord will giue vs those things which we desire, and then he will heare vs in those things which we pray for: Aske, (saith Christ) and it shall be giuen you

Thus much for the first thing ob­serued in the invitation; Quid, what we must aske: the second thing obser­ued, is Quomodo, how we must aske. [Page 17] For as the Lord will not heare vs, if we doe not aske those things, which be meet and conuenient: so he will not grant our requests, vnlesse we pray as we ought to doe; therefore it is very necessarie, for vs to learne how to pray. Now if we will pray as we ought to do, we must pray after this manner, Innocenter, humiliter, fideliter, amanter, constanter, and audacter; innocently, humbly, faithfully, louingly, constant­ly and boldly: for if with our prayers, these six vertues be not ioyned, Innocencie, humilitie, faith, charitie, constan­cie, and courage, our prayers can be to no effect: neither can they enter into the Lords eares. For the two first: In­nocencie and Humilitie, be the wings of prayer, whereby our prayers pierce the skies, and ascend to heauen gates. The second two, Faith and Charitie▪ be the keyes of heauen gates, to let in our prayers when they are ascended: and the third two, Constancie and boldnes, be prayers aduocates to deliuer our praiers vnto the Lords eares, and to plead for such things as we pray for. [Page 18] Now if they want Innocencie or humi­litie, our prayers cannot ascend: for they cannot flie without wings, nei­ther will one winge suffice them to flie withall: If they want faith and cha­ritie, they cannot enter into heauen gates, although they do ascend; for heauen gates cannot be opened with­out these two keyes: neither can one key open them. And if they want con­stancie and boldnes, they cannot enter into the Lords eares; for vnlesse these two preferre them, the Lord will listen to no petitions, neither dare one of these, come in Gods presence without the other. So that we may see, if any one of these vertues be wanting, we had as good not to pray at all; for our prayers shall be in vaine; and if with our prayers, these six vertues be ioy­ned, pray for what we will, (secundum voluntatē) according to his will, our prayers shall be heard, our requests shall be granted; he himselfe doth promise it, Aske, (saith Christ) it shall be giuen you.

First, say, we must pray with inno­cencie, with pure hearts, cleane hands, [Page 19] innocent tongues, with hearts purified from idle thoughts, and world y cogitations: Longe est enim à Deo animus qui in oratione cogitationibus saeculi est occupatus: For that heart is farre from God, which in the time of prayer is busied with the cares of this world. With hands washed from euill works, from all manner of wickednes and vngodlines; Citius enim ad preces index flectitur, si peccator à prauitate sua corrigatur: For the iudge is sooner moued to listen vnto vs, when he sees our liues to be amended: with tongues seasoned with godly speeches, Nisi enim lingua sit pura, orati­ones impuras esse necess [...] est: For vnles our tongues be pure, it must needs be that our prayers must be altogether vnholy. Ther­fore when we come to pray, we must come with repentant hearts, with soules and bodies washed cleane, with the teares of repentance, hating the sinnes that we haue committed, hating our selues for committing of sin, then our prayers shall be offered vpon the Altar of our hearts, as the Lambe vp­on the Altar of the Tabernacle Exo: 2. [Page 20] without spot or blemish: Then our prayers will smell sweet, will be as a sweet sauour in Gods nostthrills; then our prayers will be powerfull, and will wrest blessings from the Lord: Nay then the Lord will willingly heare vs, and will willingly grant our requests: Si enim obedierimus Deo, obediet Deus orationibus nostris: If wee serue God, God will not faile, but he will be sure to serue vs. But if we come vnto him, in the midst of our sinnes, hauing our hearts polluted with wicked imaginati­ons, our tongues poysoned with odi­ous blasphemies, and our hands be­smeared with the blood of his onely sonne, with the blood of Innocents, being full of wrongs and oppressions; heare what the Prophet Esay saith 1.15. When you spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea when you make many prayers, I will not heare you. Now we know that the Lord will not heare sinners, saith S. Iohn 2.31. But as the Ʋnicorne will not be taken with the singing voice of a corrupt, but of a pure Virgin: and as the fish, will not [Page 21] come into or suffer it selfe to be inclo­sed, in an impure vessell, which is before moystned, and besmeared with the blood of other fishes: So the Lord will not (as we may say) be taken, with the hymnes, psalmes nor songs, nei­ther with the prayers of the wicked, and vngodly; neither is he inclined to heare those, whose hands be imbrued with cruelty, with wrongs and iniuries, and the blood of poore innocents. The Prophet Dauid often sung vnto the Lord, often cryed, often fasted, and often prayed, yet heare what he saith Psal. 66.8. If I regard iniquitie in my heart, the Lord will not heare me. For as Bernard saith, Neque ietunium, neque silentium, neque vigilia, ne (que) orationes, & alia bona opera grata sunt Deo, vbi virtus obedientiae deest: Neither fasting, nor silence, nor watching, nor praying, neither any good workes, are acceptable vnto God. if obedience vnto his lawes he wanting in vs: for to obey is better then sacrifice, to harken is better then the fat of Lambes. Therefore when we come to pray, with Dauid let vs wash our [Page 22] hands in innocencie, let vs clense our prayers in the deepe sighes of contri­tion, let vs wash them in the watery eares of Attrition, and embrue them in vertuous actions, and in holy cogitations, then they will shine in the Lords sight, then they will sound in the Lords eares, then they will turne vnto vs not empty, but la­den with many blessings.

The second vertue, that we must ioyne with our prayers, is Humilitie; thy prayers must be humble; thou must pray, verecundo affectu, not da­ring to speake vnto the Lord, with the woman, Luk. 8. Et duro affectu, not daring to appeare in his sight, with the woman Luk. the 7. In the 8 of Luke, the woman who had the issue of blood, being ashamed to speake to IESVS; she durst no more but touch the hemme of his garment: and Mary Magdalen in the 7. of Luke, being ashamed to appeare in his presence, shee stood behind him weeping, being wonderfully affectioned, shee washed his feete vvith her teares, and vviped [Page 23] them with the haires of her head. When we pray, let vs be ashamed of our selues, let vs be ashamed to come before God, let vs stand a far off, with the Publican, let vs hold downe our heads, knock our brests, and iudge our selues altogether vnworthy to bee heard, or to be regarded of the Almighty, and then our prayers from our lowly hearts, will no question flie vnto the highest heauens: Nam quan­do humilis oratio fuerit, (saith S. Ber­nard) coelum sine dubio penetrabit, vnde certum est, quod vacua redire non possit; When our prayer is humble, it will with­out all question, pierce into the highest heauens, from whence it can by no meanes returne empty. Let me speake vnto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes, saith the holy father Abraham: He vvas a holy Patriarke, a man of great sub­stance, one beloued of God, one vvho vvas reputed faithfull, and one in vvhose seede all the nations of the earth should be blessed; yet vvee may see, hovv in his prayer he humbleth himselfe; he brags not [Page 24] of his riches, he boasts not in his good workes, he glories not in his promised posteritie, but acknowledgeth from whence he came, namely, out of the earth; he confesseth what he is, made of, Dust and Ashes; and as dust and ashes he humbles himselfe at Gods feete, before he durst make his praier vnto him: Haec est vera oratio this is true prayer, which is made in all humi­litie: so saith Gregory in his Mor: Ille Deo veram orationem exhibet, qui se­metipsum cognoscit, quia puluis humiliter vi it, qui nihil sibi virtutis tribuit, qui bona quae ugit, esse de misericordia condi­toris agnoscit: He prayes rightly vnto God, (saith he) which knowes himselfe to be but iust and ashes, who attributes no goodnes vnto himselfe, but ascribes all vnto his Lord and maker. So did the Prophet Dauid, who makes himselfe a worme and no man, he makes himself a worme the least of all creatures, and by that meanes, becomes to be one of the greatest in Gods fauour: He sin­ned, and acknowledged his sinnes, he prai'd in all humilitie, and by his hum­ble [Page 25] confession and lowly prayers, he obtained pardon for all his transgres­sions. So must we pray, if we will be heard, if we will haue our prayers as­cend: wee must descend, not downe into earth, but cast our selues vpon the earth: wee must become lowly in our owne eies, and little in our owne conceipts, if wee will haue our prayers mount, if with the archer wee will haue our arrowe fly very high, if wee will haue our prayers fly to the highest: wee must bend backward very low, wee must humble our selues in all humilitie and then they will pierce the skies, for the praiers of him that humbleth himselfe, (sayth the sonne of Si­rach) Eccle: 35.14. goeth through th clouds, and ceaseth not vntill it come neere: and will not depart vntill the most high haue respect thereunto.

The third vertue that wee must ioyne with our prayers is faith, wee must Credere Deum, wee must beleiue that there is a God that doth heare our prayers and wee must Credere Deo, wee must beleeue that God, who doth [Page 26] heare our prayers, will performe our requests, it he shall see them conueni­ent for vs: If we do not beleeue there is a God, how shall we call vpon him; How shall they call vpon him, in whom they haue not beleeued? saith the Apostle Paul, Rom. 10.14. And if we do not be­leeue, that this God will heare vs, and will grant our requests, let vs neuer looke to receiue any blessing, so saith S. Iames, speaking of the wauering-minded man; Let not that man (saith he) thinke that he shall receiue any thing of the Lord, Iam. 1.7. If any man lacke wisdome, let him aske, and it shall be giuen him: But let him aske in faith, and wauer not, for he that wauereth (as you may read in the former verses) is like vnto the waues of the sea tossed in the winde, and caried away, he is vnconstant in all his actions, and therefore vnconstant in all his prayers; hee beleeues euery thing, and therefore he beleeues no­thing: as the waues of the sea be tos­sed here and there, and seldome at quiet; so his minde neuer rests vpon one thing, but he is subiect to much [Page 27] variablenes, for now he thinks he shall be heard, presently he thinks not, some­times he thinks that there is a God, another time doubts whether there be or no; at one time he make no que­stion of Gods abilitie and all-suffici­encie, another time he makes a que­stion, as in his actions doeth plainely appeare, whether God can heare if his necessitie should require. How can God heare this man, who is so suspi­cious of him? he cannot heare him: and why? because he doth not pray; for prayer without faith, is no prayer at all. Sola enim fides invocat ea (que) sola impetrat, fieri enim potest vt citra fidem quis Deo placeat: For it is faith onely that prayes, it is faith onely that calls vp­on God, and without faith it is impossible to please him. Hebr. 11.6. for he that com­meth to God must beleeue that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him. Therefore saith our Sauiour Christ, Mar. 11.24. I say vnto yee, whatsoeuer you desire when you pray, be­leeue that yee shall haue it, and [...] be done vnto you. This counsell the Pro­phet [Page 28] Dauid tooke Psal. 17.6. I haue called vpon thee, ô God, for thou shalt heare me: and in the 55.17. As for me I will call vpon God, and the Lord shal saue me. He prayed without wauering, he prayed without doubting; he was so confident in prayer, that he said the Lord should heare him: he bindes God to performe that which he pro­miseth. God promiseth to heare all those who faithfully call vpon him, and therefore Dauid according to Gods promise will be heard. This counsell of our Sauiour Christ let vs also embrace, that which we pray for, let vs make no question but to ob­taine; let not the least doubt at all en­ter into vs; let vs pray without doub­ting, and then without doubt we shall be heard.

The fourth vertue that we must ioyne with our prayers is Charitie; and if we will haue this vertue Charitie ac­companie our prayers, dandū est egen­tibus, ignoscendum est delinquentibus & orandum est pro omnibus: We must giue to others, we must forgiue others, and we [Page 29] must pray for others. We must giue vn­to others, we must ioyne with our prayers, Almes; and then our prayers and our Almes shall come vp into re­membrance before God, as did the prayers and Almes of Cornelius, Act: 10. Then our prayers will enter into the Lords eares, Esay 58.7. Deale thy bread to the hungry; bring the poore that wander vnto thine house, and when thou seest the naked couer him, then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer, thou shalt cry, and he shall say, here I am. Second­ly, we must forgiue others, if we our selues will be forgiuen, we must for­giue them that trespasse against vs: It is a petition we daily vse, Forgiue vs our trespasses, as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Thus we say: Sed vide quid dicas (saith Ambrose) quomodo dimitto sic & tu dimitte mihi, si dimiseris, bene conuenit vt dimittat tibi: si non di­miseris, quomodo convenit vt tibi dimit­tat? Take heede and marke well what thou sayest, as I forgiue, so doe thou O Lord forgiue me; if thou doest forgiue, it agrees well that God should forgiue thee: [Page 30] but if thou dost not forgiue, it doth not agree with Gods Iustice to forgiue thee thy sinnes committed against him. If thou dost not forgiue, thou shalt not be forgiuen; if thou shewest no mer­cy, thou shalt finde no mercy in the time of neede; for there shall be iudg­ment mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy, saith S. Iames. 2.13. Quod seri­mus metimus, quod damus accipimus: That which we sowe we shall reape, that which we giue we shall receiue. If wee sowe no forgiuenesse, we shall reape none; if we giue no forgiuenesse, no forgiuenesse shall be giuen vnto vs when we pray for it. Therefore saith our Sauiour Christ Mar. 11.25. But when you shall stand and pray forgiue, if you haue any thing against any man, that your Father also which is in heauen may forgiue you your trespasses: for if you will not forgiue, your Father which is in hea­uen will not pardon you your trespasses. Thirdly, wee must pray for others: We must pray for all men, first of all sorts: I will that first of all supplicati­ons and prayers, intercessions and giuing [Page 31] of thanks be made for all men, for Kings and all that are in authoritie; for all men: that is, for all that be the chil­dren of election, for those that be of the houshold of Faith: For all men, that is, for all men in generall: for if we be bound by the words of the Apostle to doe good vnto all men, I see no reason, no more doe many other Diuines, which I haue read vpon this place, but that likewise we should pray for all men; be they either Turkes, infidels, heathen, the enemies of God, or the enemies of our selues; we must pray for their conuersion, if it be the will of God, that they may be conuer­ted. But most especially we that be Christians, we that be of the houshold of Faith, we ought to pray for one another; Charitie bids vs, God com­mands vs: Non dicimus, pater meus, (saith Cyprian de orat: Dom [...]) sed noster, nec da mihi, sed da nobis, quia Christiani­tatis magister, noluit pri [...]atim precem fieri, vt scilicet quis prose tant [...]m prece­tur: vnum enim orare pro omnibus vo­luit, quando in vno omnes ipse portauit. [Page 32] We doe not say when we pray, as Christ hath commanded vs, my Father, but our Father; nor, giue vnto me, but giue vnto vs: because he that is master of Christi anitie, would not that priuate prayer should be made, that is, that a man should pray for himselfe onely, or for his priuate houshold: but he would haue vs to pray for all in one, because as all in one he hath borne our infirmities. And the same Father writing vpon Matthew, vseth these words: Pro se orare necessitas co­git, pro alijs autem Charitas fraternitatis hortatur: To pray for our selues, necessi­tie compells vs; to pray for others, bro­therly Chatitie exhorts vs. Let vs ther­fore when we doe pray, pray not only for our selues, but for others; not only for our friends, but for our enemies; not only for some particular men, but for all men in generall. Pray for one another (saith S. Iames) that ye may be healed, for the praier of the righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent. Iam. 5.16.

Fiftly, we must pray with constancie, with perseuerance, holding out vn­to the end: Pray continually (saith the Apostle Paul, Thessal: 5.17. that is, [Page 33] continue in prayer: not all the time of your liues; for the Wiseman saith, Eccles. 3.1. That to all things there is an appointed time, a time to be borne, a time to dye, a time to plant, and a time to plucke vp that which is planted, a time to weepe and a time to laugh. But he would haue vs spend as much time as may be in prayer: we must with our Sauiour if need require, spend whole nights in prayer: we must with Daniel, pray thrice a day, in the morning, at noone, and at night: wee must begin our worke with prayer, goe forward with prayer, end it with prayer: and not onely doe thus one day, but all the daies of our liues; we must hold out vnto the end, and then we shall ob­taine the crowne. Let perseuerance plead for thee, and then thou shalt be surely heard: leaue not the Lord, but call vpon him continually from time to time, and at the end he will heare thee. The Cananitish woman with her constancie and perseuerance in calling vpon Christ, moued him to heale her daughter: the borrower of three [Page 34] loaues of bread, with his often knock­ing, obtained his request: and the widdow with her importunitie, moued the vnrighteous Iudge, to doe her iu­stice: And shall not God auenge his? shall he not heare his Elect, which day and night call vpon him? yea though he suffer them long, I tell you he will auenge them, he will heare them, and that quickly. If we continue to call vpon God, he will heare vs although not at the first time, yet at the second; if not at the second, yet at the third; if not at the third time, yet at many times; if not at many times, yet once amongst many times he will heare. And if he once heare vs, we shall be sure to haue, that which is conuenient for vs; and if before he had seene it necessarie for vs, we should without all question haue had it. Fideliter enim sup­plicans Deo (saith Aug. in lib. Sent:) mi­sericorditer auditur, & misericorditer non auditur, quid enim infirmo sit vtilius, no­uit magis medicus quam aegrotus: He that makes his faithfull and humble sup­plication vnto God, in mercy he is heard, [Page 35] and in mercy he is not heard: because he who is the phisition of our soules knowes better what is needfull for vs, then wee who be his weake patients. Therefore let vs be constant in calling vpon God and continue to cry vnto him: knowing that although he tarry long, that yet at last he will heare vs to our greater benefit.

Sixtly and lastly we must pray with courage, with boldnesse, the Deuill must not scare vs, desperation must not out face vs, our sinns must not dis­may vs: but throwing downe the deuil, casting aside desperation, treading downe our sinns vnder our feete, let vs runn vnto our redeemer, fly vnto the mercies of our creator, and lay hold vpon them: then let the deuill roare against thee l ke a roring lion, despe­ration assault thee like a hellish hagg, and thy sinnes encounter thee like so manie enemies, yet thou needs not feare, for thy redeemer will defend thee, & the mercy of thy creator will ouer-shadow thee, though the Deuill whisper in thy conscience & tell thee, [Page 36] that it is needlesse for thee to pray, yet pray: the Deuill is a lyar, be not ruled by him: though desperation tell thee that there is no hope of pardon; yet for all that pray for pardon & beleeue me thou shalt haue it: though thy sins say they be greater then can be forgiuen: mentiuntur peccata, thy sinnes lie; for the mercies of God be greater then thy sinns, if they were ten thousand more then they bee. If thou be'st bold, and of a stout courage, the deuill can­not hurt thee, for as Lactātius reports, the Deuill hurts none, but the faint-hear­ted: And if thou dost confidently trust in the mercies of God, thou shalt be saued, let thy sinns and desperation do what they can against thee. Pray bold­ly and the Lord will heare thee al­though thou beest in depth of misery, yet he wil heare thee in height of mer­cye. Si turbata fuerit anima (saith one) memor esto multitudinis misericordiae eius, & respira in eum. If thy mind be troubled, be mindfull of the mercies of God: and stay thy selfe vpon them. By all meanes be not faint hearted, for ex pu­sillanimitate [Page 37] spiritus, & timore immode­rato, impeditur oratio. For there is no greater enemie vnto thy prayers, then faint heartednesse and immoderate feare. Qui enim timide rogat docet negare: for he that asketh fearefully, teacheth him of whom hee beggs how to denie him. Pray therefore boldly and with a confident corage, seeke to thy creator: although in respect of thy selfe and thy sinnes, thou mayest feare: yet in respect thou hast a louing Sauiour, and a mercifull creator, thou mayst be bold: let boldnesse pleade for thee, and then thou mai'st be bold to expect thy desires, for boldnesse will haue no deniall, but will be heard.

Thus haue I shewed you how we must pray in respect of the inward man, the outward manner of praying, the Lord doth not so much regard: I meane the outward gesture of ours, which wee vse when we do pray: some when they pray fall vpon their knees, as Daniell when he p ayed thrice a day our Sauiour Christ, when he prayed in the garden: & Paule when he prayed [Page 38] for the church of the gentiles: Ephe. 3. others lift vp their hands to heauen: as Salomon. 1. kings. 8. others, cast vp their faces, Mat. 16. others lie groue­ling: Psal. 35. some, humble them­selues in sackcloath: Ionas. 3. some pray sitting, as Elias. Kings. 19. some standing Luke. 18. some lying vpon their beds: as Ezekia. 1. King: 20. These indeed be the signes of an humble minde: for as one saith, Humiliatio cor­poris, est signū humilitatis mentis: that the humility of the body, is a signe of the humblenesse of the minde: Yet it skilleth not how wee pray outwardly, either sitting, kneeling, lying, walking, or standing, speaking or not speaking for it is not the body that the Lord lookes vpon: neither is it the words that he doth respect: but it is the hart. If wee pray with an humble heart wee shalbe heard: pray after what manner we will pray. For (as Isidorus saith in his booke de summo bono:) oratio cordis est non la­biorum, ne (que) enim verba deprecantis, deus intendit: sed orantis cor aspicit: melius est enim cum silentio orare, corde sine sono vo­cis [Page 39] quam solis verbis sine intuitu mentis. Prayer (saith he) doth not belong vnto the body but vnto the heart, neither is it the words of him that prayes, that the Lord doth marke: but he beholds the hart for it is better to pray with silence, with the heart without the voice: then with words with the voice, without the hart. And so much concerning the inuitation, both quid what wee must pray for: and quo­modo, how wee must aske; the promise followes: in which if you remember, I obserued these two things: the pro­miser: and the thing promised: in the promiser: I obserue also two things: his abilitie, in that he is able to performe, whatsoeuer he promiseth: secondly his willingnesse, that whatsoeuer he promiseth he is willing to performe. And first of the abilitie of the promi­ser, who is able to performe whatsoe­uer he promiseth. If wee do but cōsider with our selues, who the promiser is, wee cannot make any doubt at all, of the thing promised: the promiser is God, and not such a God, who is with­out motion, who hath no eares to [Page 40] heare, no eyes to see, no tongue to speake, no hands to giue: but such a God, who heares all things, who giues all things, who sees all things, who is able to doe all things, whatsoeuer him pleaseth, both in heauen and earth: his name shewes his nature, he is powerfull Iehoua, Quod infinitum sig­nificat; which signifies infinite. Infinite in greatnes, infinite in maiestie, infi­nite in mercy, infinite in power, able to doe things impossible to mans capa­citie, and to bring that to passe, which the reach of man cannot imagine. The Hebrues call him Ethau; Quod fortem significat; which signifies strong, and mighty; Quoniam omnipotens est, because he is Almighty: In Greeke he is called [...], which signifies Currens, running; quia vbi (que) est, & omnia implet sua illa infinita essentia; because at one time he is able to be, and is euery where, and with his infinite essence fill all places. And in Latine he is called Deus, à do, [...]as, which signifies to Giue, quia omne datum optimum de sursum est, because he is able to giue all good gifts, and because [Page 41] euery good gift comes from him. He is Clemens & misericors ad dimittendum, potens ad auxiliandum, ad beatificandum copiosus: He is pittifull and mercifull, to forgiue; strong and mighty to helpe; and to blesse most bountifull. He is called a Rocke, a fortresse, a strong tower, a shield, a horne of saluation, a refuge, the Lord of hostes, able to deliuer vs from ten thousand enemies: He is the An­gell of great counsell, wisdome and vn­derstanding, able to direct vs in all our consultations. He is the Treasurer of the earth, and all that is therein; the world, and they that dwell therein, able to releeue vs in all our wants and necessities. He is the onely earthly and heauenly Physition, able to cure all our maladies: and he is the onely Com­forter, able to succour vs in all our miseries. The gods of the Gentiles, be stocks & stones: the gods of Papists, be crooked Crucifixes, which haue eares and heare not, eyes and see not, tongues and speake not, the works of mens hands, the deuises of mens wit, made of base earth, of rotten wood, [Page 42] of consuming mettall: but our God is the Creator of the deuiser of these gods, who is able and will confound these gods and god-makers. Our God hath eares to heare, and able to heare all in all places; eyes to see all in all countries; hands to giue, able to satisfie all that be in neede; whose hands be alwaies open to giue vnto them, which faithfully call vpon him. Let vs not therefore bee so ignorant with the Gentiles, as to pray vnto Idols; nor so wilfully blinde with the Papists, as to pray vnto Saints or An­gels, who be the creatures, of our Cre­ator: but let vs pray vnto the Almigh­ty Iehoua, the Lord of Hostes, who is onely able to helpe; who is only able to deliuer vs, in the time of trouble. Call vpon me (saith the Lord, Ps. 50 15.) in the day of trouble; so will I deliuer thee: Here is no mention of any Idol, here is no mention of any Saint or Angell; therefore let vs not turne the glory of the incorruptible God, to the similitude of the image of a corrupti­ble man, of birds, of foure-footed [Page 43] beasts, & of creeping things, Rom. 1.23 for cursed be the Image & Image-maker Deut. 2.15. Neither let vs giue the wor­ship of the Creator vnto the creature, and direct our prayers vnto Saints or Angels, which we should direct vnto God. For the Angell in the Reuela­tion, which forbad Iohn to worship him, is able to satisfie a million of Pa­pists, and sufficiently to proue vnto them, that neither Saint nor Angell is to be worshipped. They know not when we pray, nor how we pray, nor how we pray, nor for what we pray: how can they then giue & grant vnto vs, that which we pray for? there is nei­ther Angell or Virgin, nor Patriarke, Saint or Martyr (saith S. Augustin. in his book de cura promat:) that knowes, more what we doe in earth, then we know what they do in heauen. Which he proues by this place of Esay 63.16. Doubtles thou art our father, though Abraham be igno­rant of vs, & Israel know vs not; yet thou ô Lord art our father and redeemer, thy name is for euer. There is neither Abra­ham, nor Isaac, nor Iacob, neither any [Page 44] Angell in heauen, knowes what we do vpon earth, more then God himself reueales vnto them at such time as he is to vse them vpon his message. If only God be our Lord, & if he only is able to heare and see, and to releeue our ne­cessities; then is he only to be called vpon, according to the cōmandment of our Sauiour Christ, Matth. 11.28. Come vnto me all yee that are weary and heauy laden, and I will ease you. He is able and only able, to succour vs in all our wants & necessities: in the time of pestilence, he is only able to send deli­uerance: in the time of famine, he is only able to send sustenance: in the time of drought, he is only able to open riuers in the tops of hils, & foun­taines in the midst of the vallies. When the poore and the needy seek for water (saith the Lord by the Prophet Esay 41.17, 18.) and there is none; so that their tongue faileth for thirst. I the Lord will heare them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them, I will open the riuers in the tops of the hills, and fountaines in the midst of the vallies, I will make the wildernes as [Page 45] a poole of water, and the waste lands as springs of waters. Seeing therefore it is he & he only, that can helpe and send releife, let vs with the Prophet Dauid, take him onely for our rocke, and for­tresse, and Call vpon the Lord only who is only worthy to be praised. And as he is able, so he is willing; he is as willing to heare vs, as we are to cry; as willing to help vs, as we are to request: he invites vs, he bids vs aske; and withall promi­seth to heare vs, and it shall be giuen you, saith he: he is willing to heare vs, and therefore he bids vs aske; and because we should aske, he promiseth to grant those things that we do aske. God pro­miseth nothing, but that he would haue vs aske of him: and therfore he promi­seth it, because we should aske it. Deus (saith a Father) vult à se requiri quod pollicetur: & ideo multa quae dare dispo­suit, prius pollicetur, vt ex promissione de­uotio excitetur: God (saith he) would haue vs challenge his promises, and there­fore those things which he purposes to be­stow vpon vs, he first promiseth, to stir vp our deuotion to pray for them. Ipse facit vt [Page 46] ipsum quaramus, at (que) invocemus: he him­selfe is the cause that we seeke vnto him, & call vpon him. He calls vs and bids vs come, & if we do come, he tells vs, that we shall haue, that for which we come. Come ye oppressed, come ye greiued, come yee distressed, come yee vexed, come all that are heauy laden, and yee shall haue ease, Come vnto me all ye that are heauy laden, and I will ease you: he cryes vnto vs, he makes proclamation, to the poore & the needy, to the hun­gry & thirsty, either corporally or spi­ritually: If any man thirst, let him come vnto me, and I will satisfie him, Ioh. 6.35. he invites vs to come vnto him, that is, to pray vnto him; not once but many times; not in one place, but in many places. In the 26 of Mat: Watch & pray (saith he): Pray continually, 1 Thes. 5.17 Continue in prayer, Col. 4. Be sober and watching in prayer, 1 Pet: 4.7. All which promises, & all which places, shew vn­to vs, how willing the Lord is to helpe vs, when we pray, seeing he is so desi­rous, that we should pray, whensoeuer we pray, and whatsoeuer we pray; for [Page 47] he is at hand to help. For what nation is so great (saith Moses) vnto whom the gods come so neere vnto them, as the Lord our God is neere vnto vs, in all that we call vnto him for? Deut. 4 7. yea, before we call vpon him, he will answer vs, and whil'st we speake, he will heare vs, Esay 65.24. Though he withdraw his hand from vs, for a time; we must not think, that his arme is altogether shortned, & though a while he hide his face from vs, we must not think that he will be an­gry with vs for euer; for his arme is not shortned, that it cannot help; nei­ther doth his anger indure longer then the twinckling of an eye. If he be for­ced to plague vs, he is sorry for our af­flictions; and willingly would he help vs, if we would come for helpe vnto him: O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent vnto thee, how often would I haue gathered you together, as the hen doth her chickens, and you would not? As the mo­ther is willing to help her children, and the hen naturally her young ones: so is the Lord as willing to helpe those, w ^ch [Page 48] willingly cal vpon him. He is so willing to heare vs, and to help vs in all our ne­cessities, that if in our afflictions, we do doe not come vnto him, he is angry with vs, and layes the more crosses and troubles vpon vs, to make vs more spe­dily, to seek vnto him. Thus he dealeth with vs, in the time of his plague & vi­sitation: thus he dealeth with vs in the time of famine: thus he dealeth with vs in the time of drought: thus he dea­leth with vs, in the crosses, plagues, and punishments, that he layeth vpon vs: he suffers them to tarry the longer vp­on vs, & to be more greiuous vnto vs, because he being willing to help vs, we are vnwilling & negligent in going vn to him for help. If the plague continue at any time any long season in our lād; if the windowes of heauen be long shut, so that the earth is dryed vp for lack of moysture (as now of late it hath bin): let vs not thinke, that it is the Lords fault, and that he is vnwilling to heare vs when we pray: for indeed it is our owne faults; for either we do not pray at all; or else we prolong to pray; or [Page 49] else we mingle our prayers with mur­murings or grudgings, praying not as we ought to do: for if we do pray, and pray as we ought to do, the Lord with­out all question, will heare vs without all faile; he will helpe vs, and for the time that he hath plagued vs, he will comfort vs, & for the time of scarsitie, he will send vs a time of abundance: for the Lord will be found of those that seeke him: if we seeke him, we shall be sure to finde him Ego diligentes me ai­ligo, Prou. 8.17. I loue them (saith he) which loue me; and they that seeke mee early, shall finde me. Seeing therefore, that he would haue vs pray vnto him, and if we do not pray, when we stand in neede, he is offended: I say, as Cassiodorus sayes vpon the Psalms, Iustū est vt iugiter rogetur, qui si non peratur, of­fenditur. It is meete and requisite, that we should pray vnto him, seeing he is so willing to helpe vs; that if we neglect to pray, he is offended with vs. And also seeing the promises of Christ, both to giue and forgiue: to giue graces and other ne­cessaries; to forgiue sins and offences, [Page 50] be so many; and seeing he that hath power, it is he that hath promised; we may be fully resolued of this point, that as he is able, so he is willing; and promising, he willingly will performe, whatsoeuer he promiseth. And thus much of his abilite, & of his willingnes, in that he is able to perform, whatsoe­uer he promiseth; & in that whatsoeuer he promiseth, he is willing to perform.

Now I am to speake of the thing promised, of the generalitie of it, in this word, It: then of the certainty of it, in this word, Shall, it shall be giuen you: Aske, and it shall be giuen you. And first of the generalitie of the gift: it is ge­nerall; he excepts nothing from vs, which is good for vs; if it be conueni­ent, it shall be giuen vs: be it what it will be, that we do aske; be it what it will be, that we neede, he can giue it vs, he can bestow it vpon vs. Quicquid enim opus est ipse habet: for whatsoeuer is neeedfull for man, he hath it, and whatsoeuer we can desire, it is in his hand to giue: Wouldst thou haue life, and dost thou desire to see long dayes? wouldst thou [Page 51] faine go to heauen, and dost thou not know the way? dost thou desire to search the scriptures, and wouldst faine be acquainted with the truth? aske them of God; he can giue thee them: he can giue thee life: he can shew the way vnto heauen, & acquaint thee with the truth: for Ego sum vita, via, & ve­ritas: He himselfe is the way, the truth, & the life, & none can go vnto the father but by him, Ioh. 14.6. Dost thou want the sight of the body, the light of thine eyes, which is more pretious vnto thee then all the gold & pretious things in the world? goe vnto the fountaine of light, go vnto God, & he can giue thee it. Est enim lux à Deo splendens, vt inac­cessibilis dicatur: for he is a light so glori­ously shining, that no mortall man can, or euer could, once behold or come neere him. Dost thou want reason & wouldst faine haue vnderstanding? Intellectū tibi da­bo, saith the Lord in the Psalmes, I will giue thee wisdom. If thou beest hungry, he is the bread of life; vnto whom if thou goest, thou shall neuer hunger, Ioh. 6.35. If thou beest thirst, he is the true [Page 52] vine, of which whosoeuer tasteth, shall neuer thirst. Ioh. 15 1. whereupon saith S. Amb: Christꝰ via est ōnibꝰ si vulnera cu­rare desideras, medicꝰ est: si fabribꝰ aestuas, fons est: si grauaris iniquitace, iustitia est: si auxilio iudiges viriꝰ est: si moriē times, vita est: si coetū desideras, vta est: si tene­bras fugis, lux est: si cibūquaeris, alimētū est. Christ is all vnto all: if thou art wounded and desirest to be healed, he is a phisition: if thou art possessed with a burning feuer, he is the foūtaine wherein thou maist coole thee: if (with Mary Magdalen) thou hast seuen deuills in thee, he is thy righte­ousnesse, which must cleanse thee from thy filthynesse: if thou beest oppressed, & wan­test one to succour thee, he is thy power that must defend thee: if thou fearest death, he is the life: if thou wouldest ob­teine heauen, he is the way: if thou fliest darknesse, he is the light: & if thou beest hungrie, he is thy food; therefore saith S. Augustin: cur per mult a vagaris homūcio, quaerenda bona anima & corporis, quaere vnum bonū, in quo sunt omnia bona, & suffi [...]it: ibi enim est quicquid amas, quic­quid desideras, Wherefore dost thou o man [Page 53] (saith he) weary thy selfe in going about, seeking for the goods of the body and the soule, seeke one thing, which is Christ, in whom is all things, & thou hast enough: for in him is all things, that y ^u louest, all things that thou desirest; & he will deny thee nothing, that thou doest faithfully call vnto him for, he has all things, & he can do all things; thou canst not aske, that thing at his hand, which he will not grant thee, if with feruent prayer thou desirest it. For so great is the force of prayer, that ther is nothing that can withstand it: if prayer once command it, be it a thing vnpossible, it must obey: contrary to all naturall reason; if Paule be in prison and pray for deliuerance, the prison doores must open of their owne accord: and his bands fall from him contrary to all expectation. The childe of God must haue deliuerance, or else the foundation of the prison must be shaken by the power of heauē. Acts. 16.26. If Peter be in prison, a­nother child of God, although he be kept & watched, by two soldiers, boūd with to chaines the prison doores wat­ched [Page 54] by two soldiers, bound with two chaines, the prison dores watched by the prison keeper: yet if the church, that is the children of God, pray for him: the angell of the Lord must come himselfe, the child of God must be loosed, and Peter, (do the souldiers what they can with their we­pons, the bands what they can with their strengths, the prison doores what they can, with their bolts, & the prison keepers what they can with there nar­rowe watching) must be deliuered, must go out of prison conducted by the Angell, Act: 12.7. The Israelites being oppressed by the Philistins. 1. Sam. 7.8. they come to Samuell & de­sire him to pray, & crie vnto the Lord for them: Samuell cried vnto the Lord; and the Israelites were deliuered as you may reade in the 10. verse. The Lord sent his thunder, which fought for thē after a most wonderfull manner: that scattered thē so, that they all lay slaine before Israell. And Iosua by his prayer: Ios: 18.14. made the sun to stand still in the firmament after it had runne his ordinarie course: he made it (I say) [Page 55] stand still to giue him light, vntill hee had made an end of slaying his ene­mies▪ O potens praecatio! O powerfull prai­er! that cammandes all things. It com­mandes the Angells in heauen, for at the prayer of Hezekia. 2. king. 19.35. The Angell of the Lord smote a hun­dred fowerscore & fiue thousand of the souldiers of blaspheming Saneherib in one night, so that in the morning they were all found dead corpses. It com­mandes the heauens, for at the prayer of Elias the heauens were locked vp for three yeares, & six months, so that no raigne fell vpō the earth in all that time: & againe he praied & the heauen gaue raigne & the earth brought forth her fruit. Iames. 5.17. It commands God iudgments: for at the prayer of Aa­ron, the plague (that great iudgment of God) being begun among the Is­raelites ceased. Numb: 16.47.48. It cō ­mandeth Gods afflictions: for at the prayer of Moses Miriam was healed of her leprosie Numb. 12.14. And at the prayer of the man of God, Ieroboams hand that was dried vp, was restored. 1. King. 13.6. It commands the barren [Page 56] wombe, for Anna being childlesse, prai­ing vnto the Lord, obteyned a sonne: 1. Sam. 1.20 It commands life, for at the praier of Eliah, the widdowes sonne of Zarepthah being dead was re­stored vnto life. 1. King: 17. At the prayer of Elisha, the Shunamites sonne being dead was reuiued. 2. King. 4.35. And at the prayer of Paule, the sleeper, which fell downe dead, was caried a­way aliue. Act: 20.9. Superat tentamē ­ta inimicorum, vincit demones, superat immundos spiritus, It beats downe the temptations of our enemies, ouer­comes deuills, driues away vncleane spirits: & dominum mundi flectere vota valent. Martial: lib. 8. epig: ad Domit. Praier commands God himselfe, makes God obedient vnto mans voice: and when our praiers cannot come vnto Gods eares, it brings Gods eares vnto our prayers. Aske therfore and it shall be giuen thee, what soeuer thou dost aske, his promise is generall: he will keepe nothing from thee, if thou do'st faith­fully pray for it. Therefore in all thy needs & extremities pray: pray & thou shalt haue help. If thou beest in pri­son, [Page 57] pray for liberty, if thou beest oppressed, pray for succour: if thou hast enemies pray for deliuerance: if there be famine, pray for plenty: in the time of the plague, pray: if wee want raigne, pray: if thou art diseased pray: if thou art afflicted, pray: if thou art child­lesse, pray: if thou art tempted, pray: pray: & thou shalt haue what thou wilt: for Aske, & it shalbe giuen thee (saith christ). And so much for the generalitie, of the thing promised, which is laid downe in this word It, It shall be giuen you. Now a word or two of the certainty of it, and so I will conclude. If he were not able to giue vs those things, which we aske, or if he were vnwilling to grant our desires, then we might well feare the obtaining of our re­quests; but he is able to help vs, & he is wil­ling to heare vs, as we haue heard in the two last points: if he were a stranger vnto vs, or an enemy against vs, that might breed suspition in vs; or if he were only a familiar friend, or a neere kinsman, still we might doubt of the matter: but he is no stranger, neither is he an enemy, for he is of our familiar acquaintāce, with whom whensoeuer we pray, we talk fa­miliarly: as S Aug: saith vpon the 85 Psalm: Oratio tua locutia est ad deū: quādo legis, deus ti­bi [Page 58] loquitur: quando oras tu cū deo loqueris. Thy prayer (saith he) is a talking vnto God, whē thou readest, thē God speaks vnto thee: but whē thou prayest, then thou talkest with God: Nay, he is not only our familiar acquaintance, but he is also nere vnto vs, as nere as possible can be: for he is our father: our father by creatiō, our father in education, our father in instructiō, our father in compassiō, our father in correctiō, our father in adoption, as M. Boys wittily obserues in his exposition on the Lords prayer. He is our father, and therfore wisheth vs well; he is our father in heauen, where there is all good things, & nothing wanting, & can giue vs all good things. Therfore I wil end, with this ad­monition of S. Bern: Nemo nostrū, parui pēdat orationē suā: dico cuī vobis, quod ipse ad quē ora­mꝰ, non parui pēdat eā: postquā egressa est ab ore nostro, ipse scribit ipsā in libro suo: & vnū è duobꝰ indubitanter sperare possimus, quoniam aut dabit quod petimꝰ, aut quod novit vtiliꝰ. Let no man set lightly by his praier: for I say, that God doth greatly esteem of it, after it is once out of our mouthes: & doth write it in his book, & without all doubt, we shall haue one of two; either we shall haue that, which we pray for; or else we shall haue that, that is more profitable for vs.