the displeasure and terrible hate of the Lord hosts desired earnestlye to knowe by what meanes they myght escape the vengeance being readie to fall on their heades and sorowfully lamented their dauÌ„gerous ignorance And Peter answereth with these words Delictorum paenitentiaÌ„ agite c. Repent your offences Here we sée that the salue wherwith their heauy harts wounded with wickednesse were first refreshed was hartie repentaunce after they came to the faith of Christ Iesus The Niniuits 3. Ionae beleeued God commaunded a generall fasting which did well declare their remorse of conscience for their former contempt of Gods commaundement and refusall of his mercies and tormenting of his Prophetes whereby they turned away at the last the wrath of the Lord from themselues and their citie all which doe proue that where faith is there is repentaunce Nowe let vs consider a while whether true repentance may be found in them that continue the vse of prayer or no. â—â—scription of repentaunce and the partes therof and the example of the saued theefe The .xiiij. Chapter REpentauncâ— is a true griefe and sorrow for the offence committed against GOD wherewith the minde is opprest the sorrowfull hart most miserably tormented the senses troubled the vnderstanding ouerwhelmed the life afflicted the woonted wanton ioyes altogither banished but so that the valiant force of a liuely faith doth agayne reuiue the languishing spirit with an earnest desire and constant assurance hoping for frée pardon for the merites of Christ his passion whereby is ingendered a full purpose neuer more to haunt the brothell houses of sinne and iniquitie but alwaies to liue in pure conuersation and sincere pietie Herein be principall and especiall partes due contrition and constant faith Contrition maketh a man to tremble and quake to consider the violent 〈◊〉 â—he oâ— God incensed against sinne wherewith he is brought into extreme feare terror and anguishe and for that detesteth the horrible filthynesse and deformitie of the same And in such case is it possible to stand and not to desire pardon To require mercie To craue deliuerance To complaine our estate To lament our miseries To seeke a salue To procure an holesome medicine whereby we may be restored to our helth No no and especially seing fayth instilled into our hartes by the spirite of God doth perswade vs that we shall obtaine if we call that we shall be raunsomed if we require it that we shall be healed if humbly with hartie prayers we repaire to the good Phisition of the soule Christ Iesus our Lord and sauiour What madnesse were it to thinke that any man being sure of most miserable tormentes if he holde his peace and is alreadie plunged into the desperate consideration of the same and féeling their extreme bitternesse and cruell sharpnesse if on the contrarie part he were sure to escape so great a daungâ—r so apparent a perill so mischieuous a miserie by opening his mouth and desiring mercie that he woulde not with readie minde with chéerefull hart with all spéedie hast prostrate himselfe before the iudge and in most lowly wise and carefull humilitie beséech him of his gracious goodnesse and desired bountie to delyuer him The théefe which was hanged with Christ on his right hande when he had receyued the boldnesse of fayth and therewith was brought to godlye repentaunce did desire Christ most humbly to remember him whan he came to his glorious euerlasting kingdome Ye he did not refuse to call vpon him but by calling was delyuered from the power of Sathan from the mouth of hell from the anguish of the soule from the death eternall to which he had surely bene condemned if he had despised or not regarded the profite of faithfull prayer The things that hinder the fruiteful exercise of praier desperation and the contrarie thereof that is securitie The .xv. Chapter WHat is it therefore that hindreth a man so that he doth not vse the fruitefull exercise of prayers â–ª Surely eyther desperatioÌ„ or else securitie Desperation drowneth a man in deadly sorrowes in bitternesse of soule in the furious floudes of most déepe and despitefull dolours Therefore wheresoeuer it is founde it shutteth out cleane the force of fayth But securitie maketh a man carelesse hardneth his heart indureth his stonie spirites and causeth to cry peace peace when destruction hangeth ouer his heade This also when contrition is absent hath no parte or porcion in a faythfull heart Whereof it foloweth that true repentaunce whereby the harts of christians are regenerated their willes chaunged their mindes framed a newe their desires reformed their liues amended their cogitations cleÌ„sed their thoughtes purified their spirite sanctified cannot be founde in those that doe not continually burst out in most hartie prayers desiring grace goodnesse pardon and amendment and consequently that such are not faithfull but faithlesse not fruitfull but fruitlesse not gracious but gracelesse persons Secondly faith doth apprehend the spirite of god For Christ saith Iohn 7. If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke He that beleueth in me as the scripture sayth shall haue floudes of water of lyfe flowing from his bellye and this he spake of the spirite which they that beleue him should receyue And ad Ephesios 1. Paule sayth In whome speakyng of Christ also ye after that you had heard the worde of truth I meane the gospell of your saluation wherein you beleue were sealed with the holye spirite of promise which is the earnest pledge of our inheritaunce to redéeme the purchased possession and that vnto the lawde and glory of god The spirite of God therefore doth possesse the hartes of the faythfull But let vs now consequently consider whither iâ— may be founde in such that will not feare God which saint Paule séemeth to denye Romanes 8. By these wordes Non enim accepistis spirituÌ„ seruitutis in timore sed accepistis spirituÌ„ adoptionis filioruÌ„ dei in quo clamamus Abba pater c. For ye haue not againe receyued the spirite of bondage in feare but ye haue receyued the spirit of adoption of the sonnes of god whereby we cry Abba father For that spirite doth testifie to our spirite that we are the sonnes of God and in the fourth to the Galathians bicause you are the sonnes of God God hath sent the spirite of his sonne into your harts crying Abba father Here in these places Paule doth manifestly shewe that the spirite of God when it resteth in the hartes of the faythfull doth so mollifie mans stony minde so breake downe the brazen walles of sléepie securitie so confounde the pernitious and pestilent purposes of negligent impietie and agayne so comforteth the sorrowfull soule so refresheth the weary wil so repaireth and healeth the broken hart that neyâ—her by contempt of Gods wrath is proudâ—ed neyther by lacke of trust and confidence helth is togither banished but contynuall prayer is poured out to God as to a father that with naturall yea more then naturall affection
wicked disobedience and returning vnto his Father driuen therevnto by necessitie was ioyfully receyued opening and humbly confessing and therewithall lamenting his former wickednesse only cleaueth vnto the mercies of God and desertes of our Sauiour Christ Iesus Thus therefore he loueth vs so feruently that he remembreth no our former wickednesse when once wée shall call vppon him but will with ioye graunt and giue vnto vs a wedding garment that is constant faith righteousnesse iustification thorowe Christ Iesus that with the same we being apparelled may be present at the kings feast wythout shame or confusion Thus by prayers poured out vnto God we shall with the fiue wise Virgines haue Oyle sufficient in our Lampes to maintaine the light and shall enter into the Palace of the bridegrome with ioy and gladnesse and all felicitie Thus we shall enter into the kingdome which God hath prepared for himselfe and his Aungels there to inioye the crowne of immortall glorie The example of the theefe hanging on the right hande of Christ applied to the efficacie of prayer The .xxi. Chapter HEre I might with examples declare the force and effect of prayer but for breuitie sake I will onely set before your eyes the example of the théefe which was hanged vpon the right hand of Christ at his passion He after that he had passed his life in such sort that there appeared no way but eternall damnation vnlesse by méere mercy he had béene receyued called vppon Christ for grace and mercy desiring him with heauie penitent and oppressed hart with hartie contrition with earnest repentaunce with constaunt liuely and stedfast fayth to remember him when he came to hys kingdome to deliuer him from the power of the deuill who was readie to receyue him to purge him from his vncleannesse wherwith he before had defaced the similitude of God that was placed in his owne brest had as it were desperatly throwne himselfe in the most cruell and horrible bondage of curssed Sathan But by calling for the louing mercies and incredible goodnesse of Christ Iesus then hanging vpon the crosse for the redemption of him and all mankinde miserably plunged inâ—o a Sea of miseries was by the raunsome of his most precious bloud most happily deliuered For after he had poured out his humble and hartie prayers his pityous complaints his wofull wretchednesse his sorowfull sighes his repentaunt teares â–ª he heard this comfortable answere This daye thou shalt be with me in Paradise Loe the readinesse of Christ Iesus in receyuing our prayers in graunting ouâ— peticions in wyping awaye our wofull wéeping in rewarding them that turne vnto him in comforting them that sorowfully doe séeke him and in exalting crowning and glorifying them that faythfully doe folowe him in workes in wyll in truth in trust in obedience and earnest charitie This théefe was as it may be gathered in his yong tender age lewdely losely and dissolutely brought vp wickedly nurtered vnaduisedly instructed lightly regarded trayned vp in euill company fostered in all abhomination rapine robbing stealing spoyling and such like neuer respecting the seuere iustice or gentle dealing the rigorous seueritie or louing mercies of God almightie the iudge of all men vntill his last ende approched and then being terrified with remorse of conscience and driuen into extreme agony with the remembrance of his wicked life knowing that he coulde not escape most terrible vengeaunce vnlesse he should flie to the present comfort of Gods méere mercie then relented and charitably rebuked his fellowe théefe for despysing and reuyling Christ Iesus and then faithfully calling vppon Christ was paciently ioyfullye and readilye receyued and as Christe promysed was that same daye brought vp into the most pleasant region of heauenlye delites euer to enioye an immortall crowne of eternall felicitie O most blysful estate obtayned by prayer O the maruellous mercies of Christ our sauiour O the most happie hope of a repentaunt hart He is crowned with immortall glorie which hath worthily deserued extréeme miserie He is accoumpted worthy of eternall saluation which for his desertes shoulde rather be condemned wyth deadly damnation He is deliuered from the power bondage and crueltie of Sathan which all his lyfe time for the most part hath vowed and yelded his seruice to all impietie going to warfare vnder the banner of the deuill a tormenting tyrant This miraculous effect and incomparable worke was brought to passe by pouring out of his pensiue heart most wofull complaints with hope in Gods mercies thorowe the manifolde merits of Christ Iesus our onely redéemer to be deliuered from present daunger of his damnable deserts If therefore we thinke that Christ is able to perfourme that which he hath promised if we think that his arme is not abridged if we thinke him not to be inconstant if we beléeue his faithfull promises if we giue credite to his reuealed worde and holy gospel if we doubt not of his infinite mercies if we think that his most precious bloud poured out most plentifully vpon the aultar of the crosse haue still his force for our iustificatioÌ„ we must also necessarily knowe that with the poore widowe we shal obtain our request thorow earnest prayer at God his hande that through him we shall be able to daunt the power of the Deuill that with the lost sonne we shall of our father be ioyfullye receyued that with the repentant théefe we shall reigne in Paradise for euer and euer in all felicitie For hartie prayer cannot be without stedfast faith 1. Iacob Postulet in fide nihil hesitans let him pray in fayth nothing doubting at all And Paule sayth Quomodo inuocabunt eum in quem non crediderunt howe shall they call vppon him in whome they haue not beléeued Fayth bringeth a suretie of eternall happinesse For. 3. Iohn so God loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne for this purpose that euerye one which beléeueth on him shoulde not perishe but haue lyfe euerlasting And agayne in the ende of the same Chapter it is written He that beléeueth the wordes which the sonne of God speaketh hath life euerlasting And in the fift Chapter it is sayde Verily verily I say vnto you hée that heareth my wordes and beleueth in him that sent me hath eternall lyfe And in the sixt Chapter we reade Haec est voluntas patris mei c. This is the will of my father which sent me that euery one that séeth the sonne and beléeueth on him should haue eternall lyfe Also in the same place Verily I say vnto you he that beléeueth me hath euerlasting lyfe And Iohn also in the .xx. chapter hath these wordes Haec auteÌ„ scripta sunt c. These things are written that you may beleue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that beleuing you may haue lyfe thorowe his name And another sayth laetabuntur omnes qui sperant in te in aeternum exultabunt all shall reioyce that trust in thée O Lord they shall for euer be
he fauoreth imbraceth loueth tendereth vs he wil for asking bestowe vpon vs such infinite and excéeding commodites whose greatnesse excellency can neither by though of man be conceyued nor by force of wordes expressed Moreouer he repeateth the same in one place and at one time as it appeareth the more to confirme vs to incourage vs to strengthen vs to encrease our desire to pray vnto him that neyther doubtfulnesse in asking neyther lacke of hope in receyuing might hinder our endeuours In the .15 of Iohn likewise he saith Si manseritis in me et verba mea in vobis manserint quicquid volueritis petetis fiet vobis If you abide in me and my wordes abide in you whatsoeuer you will haue you shall aske and it shall be done and then he conteyneth these wordes in this my father is glorified that you bring forth good fruite plentifully and be made my disciples so that by praying vnto him we shal glorify his name bicause that by that meanes we shall be made fresh and fruitfull gardens fullye replenished with the flourishing flowers of most excellent vertues which will yéelde so swéete a sauor to God and Christ our sauiour that we shall be most acceptable sacrifices and pleasant offeringes vnto him He subuerteth also these wordes which containe incredible comfort to the solace of siely soules Euen as my father hath loued me so I haue loued you What more ioye and pleasure What so much comfort can we conceyue What earnest loue of Christ Iesus towardes vs maye we gather of this that he loueth vs as his father hath loued him His father to shewe his loue towardes him spake on this sorte out of a clowde This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased Him he raysed from death to life from earth to heauen from cruell crosse affliction to an eternall crowne of glorie immortall and hath set him on his right hande in all power and dominion and hath made his enimies his footestoole all which doe well declare his loue he beareth towardes him Nay he loueth him as he loueth his owne substance or his owne selfe For he is God of the same substance that his father is Let vs therefore be sure that if we call vppon him with feruent and humble and heartye prayer hée will heare vs hee wyll sanctifie vs he will direct vs he will leade vs in all holynesse and purenesse of life and he will preserue our soules and bodies to euerlasting felicitie For so he loueth vs as his father hath loued him And Christ sayth in an other place Beati pauperes spiritu quoniam illorum est regnum coelorum Blessed are the poore in spirite for theirs is the kingdome of heauen And to be poore in spirite is nothing else but to humble himselfe before the face of God to put awaye all confidence in himselfe to craue mercie for his committed wickednesse to poure out his complaint before his onely redéemer to acknowledge his owne vnworthynesse to confesse his weakenesse not to bost of his merites not to bragge with boldnesse his owne abilitie not to trust in his owne deseruings but to lye prostrate before the iudgement seate of God to wayte for the crūmes of mercy that fall from the Lords table to cal and cry for grace and bounty through Christ Iesus his death and passion by whome alone he seeketh for reliefe health and comforte in all humylitie Againe we haue a sure promise of Christ himselfe saying vnto vs. 16 of Iohn Verily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer you shall require my father in my name he will giue it you Aske and you shall receyue If then we shall desire God the father in the merites of his most dearelye beloued sonne Christ Iesus to water our harts with the dew of his heauenly grace and to refresh our hungry soules with the foode of his holye worde and still to preserue protect and gouerne our heauie hartes wyth the wisedome of his heauenlye spirite he will no doubt assist vs helpe vs heale vs direct vs shadow vs with the wings of his mercy and at the last when our soule is dissolued from the pryson of the body will place it in eternall paradise For Christ is the truth and therefore cannot lye and he hath promised faithfully to fulfill all our godly desires The comparison of God vnto the vnrighteous Iudge which is ouercome with continuall and importune sute The .xviij. Chapter ANd he the more to encourage vs doth make a comparison Luke 18. betwixt his father and an vnrighteous Iudge on this maner There was a Iudge in a certaine Citie sayth he who neyther feared God nor estéemed man There was also a widow in the same citie and came vnto him saying Reuenge me of mine aduersary and for a while he woulde not But at the last he sayde within himselfe Although I neyther feare God nor care for man yet bycause this widowe still troubleth me I will reuenge hir of hir enimie least at the last the come and reproue me And the Lorde sayde heare what the vnrighteous iudge sayth And shall not God reuenge his elect people that cry vnto him night and day although he differre it I say vnto you that he shal reuenge them quickly Here Christ doth expresse and paynt out in liuely colours the force of earnest and harty prayer For that Iudge that was of so rough and rigorous a nature of so fierce and austere conditions of so vngentle and cruell disposition that he dispysed the complaints of the poore regarded not the requests of the miserable refused to giue eare to the cryes of Orphanes contemned the lamentations of the oppressed people cared not for thretnings set religion at naught considered not the terrible strokes of Gods vengeaunce lightly loked vpon his duetie gaue himselfe to vayne pleasure and was in wordes vnkinde in witte wilye in countenaunce terrible in iesture fearefull in lyfe tirannicall in manners monstrous in conuersation sauage in dealings dreadfull in hart spitefull in wyll a wolfe in thoughtes outragious in office cruell in menacing more than manful and beyonde measure ful of al iniquity by the continual calling vpon of this woman by hir pitious complaintes was reformed and brought to mercie was contented to deliuer hir from hir oppressing enimie was perswaded to leaue of his olde seueritie or rather carelesse cruelty in that case and was readie to fulfill hir will to graunt hir request and to agree to hir desire and then Christ transferreth it to his father who is our tender fauourer to shewe how much more he woulde be glad to haue vs poure foorth our prayers vnto him that he might satisfie our willes and shew mercie vnto thousandes that call vpon him For he doth of his infinite and excéeding goodnesse with fayre and faythfull promises allure vs with bonntiful rewards endeuor to entise vs with offred proffred benifits to binde vs with mercy to moue vs with kindnesse to constraine vs with curtesie to
most glad and ioyfull It is therfore euident that all those which with constant hope and sure fayth and contrite hart humble minde call vpon God in his sonne Iesus Christ shall be deliuered from the deceites of the Deuill and shall enioye for euer an incorruptible crowne of immortall glory The conclusion of the seconde part of the Authors diuision with notable testimonies thereof out of the scriptures The .xxij. Chapter BVt what hath so bewitched oure mindes or benummed our senses or bereaued vs of our right vnderstanding that we so sluggishely nay vnreasonably doe neglect our dueties to God not regarding our owne commoditie welth happie estate and felicitie but rather voluntarilie running into wickednesse doe deserue most déepe daungers and deadly miseries and dolefull damnation Christ commaundeth vs carefullye faythfully continually to call vpon him with hartie prayers and we refuse to folowe him That open enimie of mankind Sathan chargeth vs to liue in sléepie sinfull and slothfull securitie and we readily conforme our selues to his cursed commaundement Christ came downe from his celestiall throne 〈◊〉 glorious and immortall maiestie to séeke vs which were lost and wandring and wayward shéepe driuen from the folde by the craftie conueyaunce of the subtile Serpent and we vngratefully refuse the exceeding gentlenesse and meere mercy of him that séeketh our saluation Sathan when we were in the fauour of God subtilly deceyued vs and miserably plunged vs into the terrible seas of Gods heauie vengeaunce and displeasure yet hym we fréely doe folow in all our attemptes and endeuours Christ promyseth vs eternall life in heauenly ioy solace and all felicitie if we will kéepe his commaundements and call vpon him yet we wilfully despise him Sathan wil performe that we shall liue or rather die in terrible flames of hell fire in all dolour griefe and miserable anguish if we frame our liues according to his deuilishe desire and yet we delite to liue in his obedience O straunge maner of outragious madnesse Shall bitter sorrowes for euer to endure be preferred before incomparable ioyes which neuer haue ende Shall Sathan be satisfied and our euer lyuing and almightie God be wrathfully displeased Shall we loue a deuouring enimy leaue our louing Lord God forbid Let vs nowe prostrate our selues before the iudgement seat of God let vs lament our miserie let vs crie for grace and mercy with continuall prayer that we may for all our sinnes obtaine remission that we may not be ashamed in the day of the Lorde when the hidden thoughtes of our secrete mindes shall openly be declared and for the same most iust iudgement seuerely pronounced Let vs no more lye groueling vppon the grounde wyth the hatefull serpent but let vs set our thoughtes and hartes a lofte wyth the chast turtle doue that is let vs forsake earthly fond and deuilish delites let vs not set our harts vpon worldly treasure let vs not féede vpon vaine pleasures and fading fantasies but let vs lodge with Christ Iesus in heauen or rather let vs haue him lodging in our brestes and possessing our harts directing our thoughts which we shall easily obtayne if wyth repentaunt hartes we offer vnto him the sacrifice of prayer and thankesgiuing For seing that he did vouchsafe to come downe from heauen to clense vs when we were deformed and depraued with the foule spottes and blemishes of deadly sinne he will now much more if we humbly and hartily request the same make vs méete vessels to receyue the most holesome and comfortable blessing of the holy ghost that we may continue in his most gracious fauour But this is sufficient for the godly minded members of Christ and to them especiallye doth belong the sure hope of eternall happinesse Those I call the members of Christ which haue alwayes a cleare conscience before the face of God and men and also those for of the former sorte there are very fewe which although they haue béene polluted with the filthinesse of wicked and abhominable impietie yet now at the last are returned from the same vngodlinesse and with all diligence loue and obedience doe imbrace the Gospell abhorre hypocrisie detest their former vilanie and sequester themselues from blinde securitie Such I say shall be sure by prayer to obtayne eternall saluation For before God they are counted iust through the merites of Christ Iesus and Saint Iames sayth that the prayer of the iust man preuayleth much The thirde parte of the Authors diuision that is the waye how to be hearde in our prayer with a definition of it comprysing two Chapters The .xxiij. Chapter NOw I will by the fauour of god speake a worde or two of the last poynt that is how we maye so pray that we may be hearde and obtayne our request Here I thinke that it be most necessarie for me to vse in this matter such breuitie as is most méete for those to whome I direct this my talke I speake onely of those which be rude and ignoraunt in this case and that haue bene through méere simplicitie blinded by the vaile of cursed poperie and not to such as obstinately harden their harts and shutte their eyes and stop their eares that they may not be healed To such as these simple ignoraunt and séely soules be bréefe notes without large discourse is vndoubtedly most commodious I will therfore in a shorte difinition first shew what prayer is and then will adioyne those properties as it were which are necessarily required to faythfull and true prayer For by this meanes they may the soonest learn the maner of true prayer and beare it in memorie Subtilly to dispute of the dyuers kinds of prayer such like rather belongeth to curious schoolemen in vniuersities than to the simple christians in their priuate houses or cōmon churches Prayer therfore is a religious declaration of the minde before God wherin we desire with earnest affection either to be preserued from daūger of discōmodity spiritual or temporall either to enioy some desired benifit belonging to soule or body either else wherin we yelde most hartie thankes for some receyued benifite Bycause here be mentioned diuers kindes of benifites to be desired as necessitie 〈…〉 God 's handes wée must know tha◠they are not without difference all to be requested after one sort◠▪ For those things which belong to the bodie are alwayes to be requested with a condition that is if they be not hurtfull for the soule if it be Gods good pleasure to graunt them if it be for the glorie of God to condiscende to our request But such things as tende to the safegarde of the soule to heauenly felicitie to godly charitie with such lyke are to be desired symply without condition of bodily welth or worldly safety These things well considered we must obserue these rules folowing if we will obtayne our request The sixe rules which must bee obserued to obtaine our requests wythall The .xxiiij. Chapter FFirst we must direct our prayers to God alone
our heauenly father and not to Aungels deade sainctes Deuils stocks stones or such lyke For it is written thou shalt worshippe the â—or◠〈◊〉 God and him onely shalt thou serne Aâ—â—â—e God saith in Esay the .43 Ego sum ego sum c. I am I am and without me there is no sauiour And .45 Chapter A iust and sauing God there is none but I. And such places there are to be founde a great number which for breuitie sake I of purpose doe omitte partly bicause of the rude and simple peoples sake that they may the better remember these rules and partly bycause there is a notable treatise against the worshipping inuocation of saintes now extaunt wherin this question is fullye debated by Iohn Veron a worthye member of the Church of Christ 2 Secondly we must poure out oure supplications before God in all humilitie trusting fauourably to be accepted onely for the merites passion of Iesus Christ who is our onely satisfaction iustification and righteousnesse before the Lorde not for the worthinesse of our owne workes For Christ Iesus when we were accursed came downe from heauen to delyuer vs from the curse whervnto al we were subiect was 〈…〉 â—â—crifice for our sinnes Wherevpo◠〈◊〉 â—â—â—h ye are saued by grace through â—â—th and that not of our selues for it is the gift of God and commeth not of workes least any man should boast 3 Thirdely they which present themselues before God to request any thing of him must cast of all cruelty violence and oppression towardes other For in Esay 1. we read When you shall stretch out your handes I will turne mine eies from you and when you shal multiply your praiers I will not heare you sayth the Lorde For your hands be full of bloud Washe your selues and be cleane They must put all vnmercifulnesse out of their mindes For in the .xxj. of the Prouerbes it is written He that stoppeth his eare at the cry of the poore shall cry himselfe and not be heard This is plaine by the example of Lazarus and the riche Glutton They must plucke out of their hartes all enuye hatred malice and dissension they must forgiue the faultes of their brethren For Christ sayth When ye stande to praye forgiue your brothe◠〈…〉 haue anything against him 〈…〉 sixt of Mathew If you for◠〈…〉 euen from the bottome of your hart neyther shall your father which is in heauen forgiue you They must be humble and banishe away all pride or disdaine oute of the closet of their minde For Psalme 51 An humble and contrite heart God will not despise And Peter saith God resisteth the prowde giueth grace to the humble Examples hereof be the prowde Pharisey and poore Publicane in the gospell They must be sure stedfast and constaunt in fayth For it is said Let him aske in fayth doubting nothing Iacob 10. They must with harty sincere and true repentaunce bewayle their sinfull wickednesse and wicked wilfulnesse and haue an earnest desire to set forth the glorie of God to liue in due obedience to God and his gospell to subuert the raging affections of the corrupt fleshe vnto the heauenly pure and angelicall motions of the spirite they must be enflamed with a feruencie of spirite ioyned to continuance in supplication and not come 〈…〉 â—art and a babling 〈…〉 â—or chalenge the hart 〈…〉 and also â—â—ou â—â—ard apperance â—â—â—leâ—se both hast and mouth agrée zeâ—â—â—ly in one kinde of worship it cannot he pleasant vnto God nor Christ Whereâ—â—â— is sayd of some this people honoreth me with their lips but their hart is farre from me Such God will spue out of hys mouth and vtterly refuse them Briefly these rules maye be thus concluded They which minde to obtayne their requestes when they yéelde vp their supplications must direct the same to God in the name of Christ Iesus but so that they themselues be in minde mercyfull in manners milde in loue charitable in affection amyable in fayth constant in lyfe obedient in spirite feruent and in hart repentaunt Nowe moreouer there be other circumstances which are to be annexed as when where for whom for what things with what iesture after what manner we ought to pray The circumstances â—â—â—h ought to be obserued in prayer beside the sixe rules The .xxv. Chapter FOr the first it is written indesinenter oratâ— pray continually that is whensoeuer you shall be assaulted with temptation eyther in prosperitie or in aduersitie call vpon God not that at all times without ceasing or intermission we should onely be occupied in prayer but that we should as godly men haue done before time appoint certayne tymes to poure out our complaintes before God also at other times in what thing soeuer we be occupied in spirite in truth in sighes in thought in worke in will call vpon God for the helpe of his grace and accesse of his mercie As the Ploughman at his labour the Marchaunt at his occupying the Scholer at his studie and so forth ought not onely at certaine houres giue himselfe to prayer but also when he is most occupied ought in he 〈…〉 with God through prayer in â—â—â—â—es but especially in the church in the congregation of christians For when many togither in one spirit yéelde vp their prayers then are they moste acceptable to God and gracious to Christ our Sauiour 3 For the thirde we ought to praye for the good and prosperous estate of godlye Princes and magistrates and principallye it belongeth to our bounden duties to beseech God in the bowels of mercye to preserue for the glorye of his holy name our good and gracious soueraigne Ladie Quéene Elizabeth in these troublesome times from all daunger in most happie estate and felicitie which I beséech him to doe for Iesus Christ his sake in whome he is well pleased to the subuersion of hir enimies the mayntenaunce of true relygion and confusion of cursed Sathan Then we ought to pray for the good estate of Gods holy Ministers for our selues for 〈…〉 â—hey 〈…〉 flesh but 〈…〉 â—â—e they be 〈…〉 out of the prison of the body For 〈◊〉 â—â—ther they raigne with Christ or dye wyâ—h Deuilles where there is no redemption 4 For the fourth we may praye for things pertayning to the necessitie of the body and of the soule and for eternall saluation in Iesus Christ alwayes in all prayers hauing respect to our own selues and to the will of God that we aske nothing which eyther is not competent for our estate or not agreable to the glory of God. 5 For the fifte we may vse any comely iesture eyther knéeling or standing or sitting as present occasion shall moue vs so that we haue an humble minde and contrite hart in all our prayers 6 For the sixt we may vse the forme of prayer that Christ hath taught vs or any other not repugnaunt to the same or vse such wordes as the present estate wyll gyue occasion vnto as Christ did in the 〈…〉 â—s not alwayes ne◠〈…〉 â—â—ng â—recisely that prayer 〈…〉 â—â—mnâ— only called the lords prayâ—◠〈◊〉 or things as certayne circumâ—â—â—â—es considered let vs now search out the effect of prayer which may easily be perceyued by examples taken out of scripture Iosuae 10. By prayer the Sunne stoode in the middle of heauen the space of a whole day Moyses by prayer wrought meruellous effectes Samson Samuel Elias Dauid Ezechias Salamon Anna Cornelius Paule and Silas wonderfullye preuayled by force of prayer as in scriptures manifestly is declared But of these things no man meanely conuersant in scriptures can be ignoraunt Therfore without longer discourse I will make an ende And here I beséeche thée good reader to call to minde the threates of God against obstinate sinners the plagues of God executed against rebellious persons the daungerous and miserable estate of harde harted christians and so perhaps thou shalt be touched with feare of anguishe and extreme misery Then ponder in thy minde wha◠〈…〉 hartie prayer wh◠〈…〉 hath prouided for them 〈…〉 â—ble suire to him in Iâ—â—◠〈…〉 eternall felicitie thou shalt enioy 〈◊〉 earnest supplication thou craue 〈◊〉 â—â—nde his grace mercy And last of all in consideration of these things let prayer be thy continuall exercise and dayly practise For prayer is the quietnesse of them which be tormoyled the rest of them that are molested the hauen of them which suffer shipwracke the comfort of the sorowfull the salue of the sinfull the shielde of the fearefull the hope of the helpelesse the holde of the harbourlesse the helpe of the hopelesse the solace of the comfortlesse Prayer is in welth a safegarde in health a preseruatiue in griefe a gracious comfort in warre a sword in peace a garden of delites in bondage libertie in sorow swéetnesse in death lyfe in penurie a storehouse of all things necessarie And to conclude prayer is the readie path to the pleasaunt pasture of eternall Paradise FINIS The purpose of the Author Tomo 5. lib. De precatione Psalm 2. Num. 16. Exod. 14. Deut. 6. Math. 4. Ephe. Mar. 11. 1. Petr. 5. 〈…〉 great 〈…〉 â—â—pe 〈…〉 are 〈◊〉 â—â—las princely 〈◊〉 â—â—de what foyzen fertyle springs 〈◊〉 from the learned skill â—f those that trauell earnestly to clyme Parnassus hill Beholde what youthfull yeres can doe through great studie and paine Beholde what knowledge tender age by labour can attaine This little booke so well compact deserueth worthy prayse Which the Authour hath published a mirror in these dayes A mirror yea a looking glasse for so I may him name Bycause by sacred scripture he his first attempt doth frame The stile of some is praysed much that fayned stories write Collected out of Poets workes for that they doe delite And please 〈…〉 who 〈…〉 Some 〈…〉 that 〈◊〉 some 〈…〉 Then waâ— doth 〈◊〉 for due rewarde deserue that vertuously Doth vse his tallent which he hath obtayned painefully Eternall prayse as I doe iudge and fame that aye shall dure For vayne delites doe vanishe all when vertue shineth pure The worde of God mans soule doth féede the scripture bringeth light But fonde and foolish tales are naught Therfore as willeth right The Authors enterprise commende conceiue his good intent Commende his trauell which he hath in sacred scripture spent Then truly shall you stirre him vp as now he hath begonne So to procéede and faythfully this kinde of race to runne FINIS