neuerthelesse is so loving soe sweeet and so mercifull that he doth not disdeigne to incline his most sacred eares vnto our prayers so that we haue a purpose heereafter to resist sinne For almightie God is soe willing and propense to forgiue our sinnes and loueth our soules so dearely that though he be the supreme Lord Paramount and gouernour of the world and wee nothing but vncleane durt and ashes yet doth he not contemne our miserie nor keepe in memorie our old sinnes be they neuer so great but presently being attentine vnto our grifes and moued with our teares grants our desires and pardons our offences and which is more preuents vs so with his grace that wee are by him stirred vp to pray before we beginne to pray O inestimable loue of God! O incomparable clemencie So deepely is God almightie in loue with our soules that he doth as it were studie sweetly t' intice and allure vs and endeavoureth by all meanes to draw vs to meditate and contemplate the splendor of his glory to imbrace the largepesse of his bounty to tast of his pleasing sweetnesse and lastly to kisse the vnspeakeable delights of his mouth O miserable and vnhappie men who doe not striue with all theire forcesto be drawne with this silken cord But more miserable they who doe not follow so sweet a draught but of all most miserable and vnhappie are those who being so drawne doe wittingly refuse and spurne against this ineffable clemency of almightie God And this may suffice for the first reason or motiue to prayer The second reason why God is to be prayed vnto CHAP. III. BVt now let vs come to the second reason which may edge vs to this exercise of prayer It is most certaine that mans cheifest good is beatitude which is constituted and ordeined by God as the last end of man To this end no man can attaine but by fitt meanes conducing thereunto And these among many others be two which whosoeuer hath shall neuer want any thing necessarie for the obteining of this happinesse These two are prayer and good workes In these two as we reade in the Acts of the Apostles Cornelius the Centurion was very well exercised and by them did so please God that though he were yet a heathen or Ethnicke it was sayd vnto him by the mouth of an Angell Thy prayers and thy almesdeeds haue ascended into remembrance in sight of God whosoeuer then shal exercise himselfe wel in these two that is prayer and good workes shall not be destitute of any thing that may helpe him to obteine this end of his saluation But God will also further haue vs to hūble our selues in the sight of his diuine Majestie acknowledging our selues not to be able of our owne forces to doe any thing worthy of his acceptance but that a good life that is the life of good workes is to be obteined from him by prayer and by this meanes to come to our last end which is aeternall happinese By cause therefore no man can come vnto this end without the grace of good workes and man obteines not this grace but by prayer It followeth that if we will escape aeternall miserie and possesse aeternal ioy in heaven we must dayly exercise our selues in prayer Let no man here obiect vnto me that absurd and ridiculous reason of the fore kmowledge of God which cannot be frustrated or deceiued God say they in his know ledge seeth all things shall be before they come to passe For exāple without all question he knoweth whether I shal be saved or adiudged to perpetuall torments and if he knweth me to be saved I haue no need to pray by cause without any prayer of mine I shall be saved to wit by vertue of his foreknowledge which cannot be deceiued But if he knowes me to be dāned no prayers of myne can helpe or avayle me seing Gods foreknowledge cannot be frustrated This very dilemma hath indeed seduced many But how deceipt full it is we shal presently perceiue if we make a litle try all how small force it hath in other things For example sake Conuenient exempes he that is sicke of any dissease by this reason shal take noe phisicke for God knowes whether he shall liue or die of this infirmitie But if he foreknowes him to liue then he hath no neede of medicine at all for without all question he shall recouer without it for the diuine foreknow lege cānot be deceiued But if God foresees that he shall die of this disease no phisike can helpe him for that he foreseeth shall be and can by no meanes be avoyded So by this reason you see the Commodious art of phisike is quite taken away But let vs trye in another The husband man may say I will not plough my land for God fore seeth whether it will bring forth fruit or no this next yeare if he foreseeth that it wil bring forth fruit it will doe it without any labour If he know also it will not my labour will be in vaine And thus you see all husbandrie is to delayd aside And soe will it fall out in other things if we examine them Thus is the weakenesse and the wicked nesse of this former discourse made euident by cause by it neyther the sicke man shall take any phisicke nor the ploughman tille his land Wherefore as the husband man can expect no fruit from the earth vn lesse he shall plough and sowe the same nor the sicke man expect health vn lesse he shall vse the art of phisicke anh obey the preceps of the phisitian So no Christian can euer come vnto aeternall happinesse but by leading a godly life which he cannot atteine vnto but by prayer And we see by experience that sicke people would die if they did not vse the art and follow the councell of their Doctor and fe ilds without plowing And good seede vould bring forth no fruit Soe can we neyther euer thinke or expect without prayer and good pious workesto obtaine eternall ioy and happinesse For although God almightie hath ordeined this eternall beatitude for mans last end yet he will not that we attaine vnto it without the proportionable meanes which he hath appointed for it For vnlesse a man heere beginneth a good life lett him neuer expect the glory which is inthe other and good life let no man looke for vnlesse he beggeth it att the hands of God by dayly prayer We must therefore beginne with prayer from whence proceedes good life by which at last we are brought vnto the heavenly glory which is the most cleere vision of almihtie God of which whilst we are deprived we must needes thinke our selues most miserable and vnhappie men And this most manifestly appeares by the vnsatiable desire of ovr soules which never are quiet but still labouring and endeavouring to find out some thing that might satiate and fill vs. And this we thinke to find eyther in having riches or pleasures or honours or in
all of them together and yet it will not be From hence proceedes that theire is never an end of desiring these things and for the obteining of these things all good order is broken and a generall confusion of all things brought into the world Yet nothing of all these can satiate our desires which are of so large an extent and capacitie that they cannot be satisfide but with the cheifest good which is God himselfe The contemplation therefore and fruition of this good is aboue all things to be desired this onely satisfieth this banisheth all longing But this cannot be obteined but by good life nor good life without prayer where by it appeares that whosoever desires to in ioy this happinesse must cheifely aboue all things be intent to this holy exercise of prayer Thus much for the second reason The third reason why God in to be prayed vnto CHAP. II. IN this third place it will not a litle stirre vs vp that Christ Iesus himselfe hath warned vs with his owne mouth to be sedulous in prayer we ought alwayse to pray For who knowes better how to instruct vs in those things that belong to our eternal saluation then the sonne of Almightie God in whome God the father placed the treasures of his wisedome and knowledge and who for that purpose discended into this world to show vs the right way to our heavenly countrie Or who will endeavour with more efficacy to teach vs the way then hee who for the loue of vs hath vndergonne the most troublesome most ignominious and most painfull and contemptible death of the Crosse Neyther hath he onely admonished vs of the necessitie of praying continuallie but he hath likewise promised that we shall obteine any thing we desire of him in prayer saying Aske and yee shall receiue seeke and yee shal find knocke and is shall be opened vnto yee This Iesus Christ the sonne of God who is truth it selfe hath promissed with his owne mouth Let vs therefore flie vnto the throne of his clemency and lett vs there continuallie pray for the grace of good life and perseuerāce in good workes nothing doubting but he wil more willingly and liberallie grant our requests then we know to begg or demād them at his hands Therefore seing he hath taught vs the necessitie of prayer and that we ought alwayse to pray it cannot be doubtfull to any but that aboue all things it is dayly and houerly to be practissed And especiallie of vs Christians who wander in the miseries of this world exiled from the face of our heavenly father it is so necessarie for vs to obey this wholesome councell of Christ that if any one shall determinately resolue with himselfe not to pray he sinneth mortally And which is more whosoeuer shall maliciously neglect to pray having time and opportunitie and cheifely when he seeth himselfe in danger to fall into sinne such negligence may like wise be mortall although the negligence of its owne nature be but a venial sinne greater or lesser according to the greatnesse of the negligence But if wee shall more diligently discusse the words of our Saviour the necessitie of prayer will yet more manifestly appeare The saluation certeinly of euery Christian depends of God whome we must dayly implore for obtaining of the same and because this saluation of ours is in continual danger and that euery one is bound to procure it with all the care and diligence he can hence is it that euery moment we are bound to pray to God for it alwaise to lift vp our eyes to heauen alwayse to lift vp our hearts to God seing it is not to be obteined by any other meanes then from him and by him Neyther must we onely pray for our owne salvation but also for the saluation of our neighbours For as euery one is bound to succour and releiue him when he seeth him in corporall and temporal necessitye soe is he much more bound when heseeth him in any spirituall danger of his soul to releiue him And at this present time we haue most neede to pray seing the times be such and so dangerous as they now be sinners being so multiplied vpon the earth and sinne it selfe so dayly encreased as we see it is Now adayes sinne is applauded and commended as Iustice and good workes reputed sinnes Now to sim is to doe welle and contrary wise to doe well to sinne Woe be vnto vs that are borne in these miserable times In which with teares I speake whosoeuer indureth with the zeale and feare of God beholdeth the manners and conversation of the people he will presently be moved to greife and teares This very consideration ought iustly to moue vs that being humbled and truly sorrie for our sinnes we should by prayer lye continuallie knocking at the Gates of Gods mercy and clemency not onely for our owne safety but also for the recouery of our neighbours whome we see in so miserable and extreame danger of theire souls from whence they cannot arise but by continuall prayer and imploring of Gods diuine assistance The fourth and last reason why God ought to be prayed vnto CHAP. V. THe fourth and last reason may be gathered after this manner There is noe man clothed with this mortall flesh who hath not sometimes finned and highly offended the Maiestie of God nor that hath any warrant or securitie heereafter not to sinne And in this respect it is most necessary for vs by dayly prayer not onely to seeke that he would graciously pardon and forgiue our former sinnes But also that he would be pleased to prevent vs with his grace lest we fall againe into other sinnes through which we may incurre eternal punishment And first there is no man whose soul hath once been infected with sinne that certeinly knowes whether he be in the grace of God or noe vnlesse it be reuealed vnto him Wherefore Salomon sayth in his booke of Ecclesiastes There be iust and wise men and theire workes be in the hands of God and yet man knoweth not whether he be worthy of loue or hatred but all things are kept vncertaine vnto the last that is all things are left to the last examine where nothing shall be hidden not the least thought that hath entered into mans herat shal be concealed from the most strict iudge But although no man in this estate of life knowes certeinty whether he be in state of grace or noe yet by certeine coniectures he may vndoubtedly beleeue it and especiallie when he knowes not that his conscience is charged with any mortall sinne of which he hath not heere to fore repented or which he hath not discouered to his ghostly father or doth intend to discouer at his first opportunitie And if moreouer he finds himselfe inclined to doe and put in execution those things which belong to the honour of God if he be delighted to heare holy scriptures to be often present at diuine seruice and be resolute by Gods grace so much
requisite for euery one that will inioy the benefitt of his prayer that he indeavour by all meanes not to want charitie that is that be be in the state of grace In 105. Which saint Chrisostome vpon the ghospell of saint Iohn doth affirme to be a very easie thing euen for him whoe is laden with great sinns Onely lett him heartily repent him of his finns and resolue to leade a new life in Christ to get his grace Which saying is confirmed by the Prophet Ezechiell whoe from the mouth of God almightie promiseth Ezech. 33. that In what houre soeuer a sinner shal repent all his iniquities shal be forgotten I will not sayth he remember all his iniquities But sinns are not thought to be blotted out of the memorie of God by any other way then by the gift and infusion of grace and charitie By which meanes it comes to passe that a sinner whoe giues ouer sinning that is whoe is truly sorrowfull for his former life and is become obedient to Christ is esteemed to be in the state of grace and charitie And for so much as the leaving of our former sinns and changing our old life depeÌ„deth partly of our owne free will which is free to euery man and life dependeth partly of the helpe of diuine grace which is wanting to no man that is not wanting to himselfe it is not very hard for a sinner in a short time to become a iust man so that he effectuallie desires it and haue a great coÌ„fidence in almightie God Who so then goeing about to pray renewes his fayth in Christ Iesus by a new act and detesteth the impuritie of his former life and resolueth heereafter to absteine from sinne and to doe according to the decrees and ordinances of the Church without all question such an one is in the state of grace and charitie and shal not be frustrated of this fruit of his prayer that is of such meritt to which a reward in the kingdome of heauen belongeth And thus much of the first fruit of prayer Of the second fruit Which is the obtaining of the thing We pray for CHAP. III. THe second fruit we sayd to be the obteining of the thing we aske in prayer This fruit whosoeuer will inioy it is not sufficient for him that he be in charitie also he must stand firmely vpon the foundation of profound humilitie â—evo prayer may be impetratory so that from the bottome of his hart he must thincke himselfe most vnworthie that God should bestow vpon him any grace or benefit or inspire him with any good at all And yet let him not cease still to thanke god for what he hath alreadie receiued attributing nothing to himselfe if any thing be well donne but referring all to God what he hath donne good and to himselfe all that is evill A similitude For so oft as we doe any thing well we are in the hands of God as the mallett is in the hande of the carpenter and as one shold say as the carpenter in working vseth the mallet as an instrument even so doth almightie God vse vs as his instruments so oft as we doe any thing well For whatsoeuer seemes to be well donne by vs it is not wee of our selues but God that worketh in vs. wherefore as the mallet cannot boast it selfe against the carpenter nor ascribe vnto it selfe that it hath framed this or that worke for the hammer or mallet doth nothing of it selfe Ro. â— but the carpenter that worketh with it as his instrument So likewise it is not lawfull for vs to say against God or to thinke that we of our selues or by our owne forces onely haue doÌ„ne these good workes but by the assistance of Gods grace by which he moues vs and by vs as by his instruments produceth good workes Wherefore we ought with all the humilitie we can to render thankes vnto God who hath vouchsafed graciously to vse vs as his instruments when if it had so pleased his goodnesse and benignitie he might haue vsed others and perhapps with so much more fruit by how much they should haue better cooperated with his grace then we haue donne And when one by this consideration hath humbled himselfe in the sight of his diuine Majestie yet must he further diligently examine whether that which he is about to pray for be against his souls health or not if it be he must not expect to obteine any such thing att the hands of God For God being of his owne nature most good most bountifull cannot grant vnto his petitiones that which he knowes to be pernitious and hurtfull vnto him And he knoweth long before we demand it whether it will damnifie or proffit vs. Hence it is that we doe not presently obteine that which we aske for be cause God seeth it will be a hinderance to our soule But there is yet a third thing required to the obteining of this fruit of prayer that is Vve obteine not for others as for our selues that it concernes our selues that we pray for For although we be bound to pray for our neighbours yet are we not alwayse heard praying for them especiallie for so much as apparteines to this fruit For perchance eyther they are not worthy to haue that granted vnto them that we pray for or perhapps it is not profitable for theire souls health And in case we doe not obteine the thing for which we pray yet shall not our prayer be in vaine and frustrate of all reward for he whoe prayeth for his neighbour and obteiyneth not for him yet he meriteth for himselfe My prayer saythe the prophet shall be turned into my owne bosome as if he had sayd my prayer when I praye for others Psalm 34. if it profiteth them not yet shall it not want its reward because I know it will be turned to my good the proffitt will redound to me it will be turned into my owne bosome with advantage If therefore the prayer of any one be grounded vpon this profound humilitie Three things requisit that oâ— prayer be imperator and for himselfe and demanding nothing preiuditiall to his souls health let him proceede in Gods name whosoeuer he be not doubting but that he shall obtein what he prayeth for not doubting I say be cause saint Iames promiseth saying let him aske in fayth nothing doubting and it shal be granted vnto him Iac. 1. And our lord also in the gospell sayth what socuer praying yee shall aske beleiue that yee shall receiue and it shall be donne vnto yee Marc. 11. And let this suffice concerning the second fruit of prayer and how we may atteine vnto it Of the third fruit of prayer which is spirituall sweetnesse CHAP. IIII. THe third fruit of prayer we haue sayd to be a certeine Spirituall sweetnesse with which our soule is marvelously affected and deligheted in praying Of this fruit whosoeuer desireth to tast and to be pertaker off it
she suffered short delay and had not her petition so quickely granted in so much that the Disciples came vnto our Lord and intreted in her behalfe and sayd Dismisse her for she cryeth after vs. Let vs by example learne to persist in prayer if we doe not spee dily obteine what we aske And our Saviour sayth which of you having a freind and he shall come to him by night and say Freind lend me three loaves because my freind is come vnto me and I have none to put before him and he answereth from with in and sayth good freind doe not trouble me my dores are shutt and my children are in bed with me I cannot rise to giue them thee and he still knocketh on I say vnto you that although he doth not rise and giue him as his freind yet for to avoyd his importunitie he will giue him so many as he hath neede of And I say vnto you aske and it shall be giuen vnto you as likewise it is sayd in the psalme Expecting I haue expected our Lord Psal 39. and he hath attended vnto me and hath heard my prayers Wherefore my brother grow not in thy prayer slacke and dull but expect request knocke hard and thou shalt haue soe much as thou hast neede of Listen vnto me deare brother and imbrace my councell If thou askest any thing at Gods hāds doe not request it presently and prefix him not a time when thou wouldest haue it but leaue it wholy to him and to his divine will As for exāple thou art many times vexed and perplexed with euill vncleane thoughts att which thou art much afflicted and thou prayest God that he would free thee from this conflict yet my brother it is many times expedient for thee to be thus tryed Looke vpon that most excellent pillar of the Apostles how for his profit and aduantage the sting of the flesh the very Angell of Sathan 1. Cor. 12. was giuen him which beate him and boxed him least he should grow proud 1. Cor. 12. If then he which was of soe excellent and great meritts was thus exercised least he should grow proud how much more neede haue we poore weake ones whoe still thinke our selues some thing to be thus beaten and cuffed that we growe not insolent and proud in heart Gal. 6. And if againe any other tribulation fall vpon thee doe not in thy prayer limitt a time whē he shall precisely free thee from it for it is many times expedient that thou suffer this also For it happens many times when thou prayest that thou doest not soe 〈…〉 know what is good for thy soules health as Israëll suffered For Israel did eate and was filled Deut. 32. and my beloued kicked backe he grewe fatt he waxed ouer lustie he grew proud and forsooke God his maker If thou againe prayest to obtaine any thing doe not desire it to be immediately granted thee For it falls out many times that thou being a man thinkest this thing expediēt for thee when indeede it is not But if forsaking thyne owne will thou resigne thy selfe to the will of God and according to that goe on thou art secure For he who knew all things before they were and are gouerneth and disposeth all according to his owne benignitie and pleasure For we know not whether that we aske at Gods hands be expedient for vs or noe seinge that many whē they haue obteyned what they haue asked of God afterwards haue been very sorry and haue oftentimes fallen into great defects and euills because they did not diligently search whether that which they desired was agreeable to the will of God but thinking it soe haue been deluded by the devill and vnder the shape and pretext of vertue and iustice haue been seduced and cast into many dangers and such petitions are many times wayted one by greife and repentance whilst euery one followes thedesire and concupiscence of his owne heart Harken vnto the Apostle saying For we know not what we should pray for as we ought and againe All things are lawfull for me Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 9.10 Ibid. but all things are not expedient for me All things are lawfull for me but all things doe not edifie he onely knoweth what is expedient for vs and what doth edifie vs. And this I doe wish should beleft and referred to his will not that I prohibite thee to aske whatsoeuer thou desirest from him for I rather pray thee and admonish thee that thou shouldest aske all things from him from the least to the greatest but that when thou doest pray and lay thy heart open before him thou shouldest say But let not my owne will but thine be donne if what I aske be expedient doe as thou knowest for soe the scripture adviseth vs saying Reveale vnto our Lord thyway and hope in him and he will doe it Behold our Lord Iesus-Christ praying in our flesh which he assumed and saying Father if it be possible lett this chalice part from me but not as I will but as thou wilt Wherefore deere brother if thou doest aske any thing of God A short prayer for the obteyning of things necessarie persist in thy petition saying Lord if it be thy will I shall obteine what I demand of thee doe thou permitt it to prosper and be effected but if it be not thy will and pleasure permitt it not O my God to come to passe I humblie beseech thee not to deliuer me to my owne concupiscence for thou knowest my follie but preserue me vnder the shadowe of thy protection as thou best knowest and gouerne me and direct me O my God for thy owne mercyes sake But if thou doest pray against any tribulation or vncleane thoughts say with the Prophett Lord rebuke me not in thy furie nor chastise me in thy wrath Lord haue mercy vpon me for I am weake but looke vpon me O Lord and see that I am earth and dust and ashes and can beare nothing Deliuer me not O Lord to my sinns for then I shal be like vnto those that descend into the lake But forgetting my wickednesse giue glory to thy owne name And doe not remember I beseech thee my sinns but thy owne mercyes towards me and hearken vnto my prayer And if it be possible lett this tribulation passe from mee but not as I will O Lord but as thou pleasest Only strengthen my soule and defend me that I may beare it patiently and find grace before thee in this world and in the next And cast thy thoughts vpon him and he will doe what is fitt for thee For know this that he being good and full of benignitie willeth all things that are for our soules health for he the good shepheard layed downe his soule for all vs his sheepe To him beglory world without end Amen FINIS
prison Prayer was made by the Church without intermission to God for him Act. 12 By which words it doth clearely appeare that a true Christian in euery worke euen when he sleepeth doth alwayse pray which cannot betrue vnlesse by prayer we vnderstand the continuall desire of the mind Prayer a continuall desire of the mind A similitude which is alwayse flourishing and mouing in the heart For euen as one in prison bound with iron fetters of great weight moued with the irksomnesse of the miseries and affliction which he suffereth doth vehemētly desire and seeke his libertie and if he shal conceiue any hope of his deliuery he incessantly wisheth and desireth to be freed from that imprisonment So doubtlesse euery Christian who is not ignorant how vehemētly he is incited to sinne by the flesh the world and the diuell and how many and various kinds of troubles he suffers in this vale of miseries and to how many and how great perills and dangers of this life he is exposed is dayly forced and cōpelled euery moment to desire the ayd and assistance of gods diuine grace Whereby he may att length freed from these euills fly vp to the most cleere sight of God and to the fruition of aeternall happinesse And this desire is oftentimes in holy writt vnderstood to be as a certeine crye in the eares of God Our Lord Psal 9. sayth the Prophet David hath heard the crye of the poore For the desire of those who are troubled and afflicted doth quickly come to the presēce of God and makes a great crye in his eares And because in the hearts of the godly this desire doth neuer cease but is incessantly moved and stirred and alwayse seeketh and imploreth the diuine assistance euen whether they are then a wake or sleepe or eate or drinke or what else so euer they doe they are rightly sayd alwayse to pray and without intermission Which moveth S. Augustin to say Epist 112. c. 9. ad Drobam Pray yee without intermission what other thing doth it meane then desire without intermission aeternel life let vs desire this of our Lord and we alwayse pray Thus S. Augustin without this desire noe muttering of words though neuer so prolix can open the eares of his diuine Majestie But this desire of it selfe if it be fervent although there be no noyse at all of words doth most easilie penetrate and without any delay obteines a present hearing as we shal declare more plainely heereafter Whosoeuer therefore shal vnderstand this saying of Christ according to this sense shal in my opinion rightly vnderstād it neyther can wee other I se easilie conceiue any man alwayse to pray to God and to spend both night and day without intermissiō in prayer But by this desire which in the heart of holy men is neuer extinguished God is alwayse and incessantly prayed vnto and by it wee knoke perpetuallie at the gates of his diuine mercy for the obtaining of his grace and assistance Therefore it is most true which Christ sayd Lu. 18. we ought alwayse to pray and not to giue ouer But not soe that any sett prayer formed by words must alwayse be vttered by vs eyther by our mouth or mind but that no moment of time doe passe vs where in we doe not desire the ayde of his grace and euerlasting happinesse But because we are to speake somewhat more heereafter of this mattere Therefore we will now produce some reasons which if we shal diligently obserue they will both encourage vs to shalke of sloath and with more diligence and and facilitie stirre vs vp to pray The first reason why God is to be prayed vnto CHAP. II. THis ought first of all to moue vs A similitude that prayer is like to a certeine golden rope or chaine lett downe from heaven by which we cndeavour to draw God to vs whereas in deed we are more truly drawne by him For so it is as if one standing in a higher place and wold draw another from below he letteth downe some cord or line vnto him on which he laying hould and with all his forces drawing is att last elevated to the topp This rope or golden Chaine holy S. Dionisius calleth prayer Cap. 3. de diuinis nomibus which truly is let downe to vs from heauen and by God himselfe fastened to our hearts for no man truly and heartily prayes if he be not inspired by God 2. Cor. 3. Seing we are not of our selues as Saint Paul sayth Sufficient to thinke any thing that is good but our sufficiency is of God This line therefore is let downe vnto vs that we continuallic hanging at it may att last be lifted vp to heauen to the fruition of God But let vs lay open this matter yett more at large When one considers deepely on the one side the infinite goodnesse pietie and benignitie of God and on the other side his owne pouertie want and miseric then is he presently forced to seeke after the ayde comfort and presence of God his most benigne Creator and Protector as the kingly Prophet Sayth Psalm 26. I haue sought after thy countenance O Lord I will seeke after thy countenance And when he beleives that he is truly present then he exposeth and discouereth his miseries and necessities then he doubleth his desires then with many teares and sithes he imploreth the diuine goodnesse that he would be graciouslic pleased to helpe him in his necessities and not to forsake him in these his afflictions and to assist him with his helping grace by wich he may in all things best please his diuine Majestie And whē the soule doth this what other thing doth it but seeme to be drawne vp to God by this line or cord of prayer What els doth it but striue to be sweetly bound vnto hits Creator What doth it but labour to conioyne its vnderstanding with the incomprehensible light of his diuine Majestie What cls doth it but vnite its affections with his vnspeakeable goodnesse Lastly what other thing doth it but elevates the mind aboue all things created soe that att last it is made one spirit with God fast bound vnto him with this golden line or chaine of prayer Behold now what kind of bond this prayer is O line more then golden O chaine aboue all iewells to be desired O most sweet bond of loue who would not most willingly be bound with this most soft and silken cord Or lastly who doth not desire from the bottomè of his heart to repose himselfe in the armes of so loving à Prince so potent a King Verely this onely cogitation if it were deepely considered might suffice to inflame the most frozen heart and to stirre it vp to frequēt this holy exercise of prayer And the rather for that euery one how miserable a sinner so euerhe be may and ought without all question to hope that his diuine Majestie though incomparablie high and supereminēt yet
as is in his power to absteine from all contagion of sinne This man doubtlesse may belecue that he is in the state of grace but as I sayd before no man can certeinly know this vnlesse he be speciallie illuminated from aboue And for this cause it is necessarie for all men to cōteine themselues within the limitts and bounds of feare and to be perseuerantly knocking at the gates of gods mercy To this feare doth the holy scripture perswade vs saying Be not without feare of the forgiuenesse of thy sinns And truly this feare will so much helpe and avayle vs that if the greife before taken for our sinns were not sufficient Almightie god now approuing of this feare and withall accepting of the prayer which this feare begetteth it wil satisfie Gods wroth and obteine mercy and pardon of all his sinnes before committed Moreouer if we grant there be any man that knowes he hath full remission of all his sinnes and that he be wholy reconciled to God and certeinly in his grace yet may such an one very well doubt whether he may not fall from this so happie an estate seing that there is no man so confirmed in grace but that he may fall from it wherefore S. Paul giues this councell to the Romans Thoustandest by fayth Ro. 11. be not Onerwise but feare as if he should say if thorough fayth any one be in state of grace let him not therefore presume of himselfe but let him rather feare seing he may so easily fall No man can be secure in this world as S. Paul likewise sayth to the Corinthians He that thinketh himselfe to stand 2. Cor. 10. lett him take heed he fals not Wherefore it is most necessarie for vs to lift vp our eyes and hands to heaven and with most humble heartie prayers to intreate of God to grant vs the grace of perseverance least we fal from this happie estate we are in by his grace For we reade of many whoe haue stood vp like pillers a long time in the Church of Christ and haue shined like as burning lamps of sanctitie yet because they haue not conteined themselues within the limitts of this humble feare they haue fallen headlong into the bottomelesse pitt of hell not onely to their owne ruine and infamie but the ruine of many others which here but that I feare to be tedious I could confirme by the authoritie of holy doctors and indubitable histories of the Church Now out of this we haue heere sayd it appeares to euery man that we ought alwayse to pray as well for the obteining pardon of our sinns as also to avoyde the imminent dangers we may so easily fall into And thus having treated of these foure reasons so much I hope as is sufficient I will now speake something of the fruit of prayer which I promised to doe in this second part THE SECOND PART OF THE THREE CHEIFE FRVITS of prayer CHAPT I. ALTHOVGH the a foresayd reasons may seeme more then sufficient to stirre vp mens minds vnto prayer yet not with stāding there be many very slow and dull to this exercise because forsoth they doe not tast that inward sweetnesse which many devout souls doe oftentimes find in themselues They would willingly they say pray if they could in ioy that such inward comfort and content which others doe But withall they then doe not consider that prayer must goe before and swetnesse and delight will come after For as in the bodie by long motion and agitation of it heate comes and increaseth euen so by long vse and perseuerance in prayer begineth and increasseth that sweetnesse and comfort in the soul which is most pleasant and aboue all mesaure comfortable And although euery one tasteth not this sweetnesse in prayer yet there be other fruits which we reape by praying which be of three sorts The first is the meritt it selfe which God hath proposed to giue vnto vs for praying The second is the obteining of the thing we pray for The third is the tast of that wonderfull sweetnesse which we find in our selfes in the time of prayer Which three kind of fruits are so different in themselues that one may attaine vnto the first without the other two For one may by prayer meritt yet not obteine that which he prayeth for as saint Paul did whoe sayth that 2. Cor. 12. He prayed to God three times that the sting of the fleshe with which he was very much troubled might be taken from him Yet he did not obteine what he prayed for but for all this it is most certeine he did not loose the meritt of his prayer And the two first may be obteined without the third which questionlesse dayly happens vnto many who begging pardon of their sinns doe obteine it and besides this they are not frustrated of the meritt of prayer yet theyare not refreshed with that inward ioy and spirituall sweetnesse For the Publican which Christ speaketh of in the ghospel when he begged pardon of his sinns saying God haue mercy on me a sinner Mart. 18. obteined bothe the meritt of his prayer and the forgivenesse of his sinns for it followeth in the ghospell Ibid. He went away iustified into his owne bowse But we doe not reade that he receiued any spirituall sweetnesse or delight in his soul Whereby it is most apparant that these three fruits are so different that happen not all to euery one But that we may more eleerely fee the excellency of each of them we will treat of them in order apart and first of the meritt of prayer Of the first fruit of Prayer that is of the meritt CHAP. II. VVe haue before sayd that meritt is the first fruit of prayer which we will not haue vnderstood of any meritt but of that onely to which a reward in heaven doth correspond and is due which diuines call essentiall For it is certeine Vvicked man haue some meritt of their prayers that there is no man with how great sinns socuer he be charged that shal be deprived of all meritt of his prayer for he shall eyther be rewarded in this world with some temporall reward or at best his paines shal be somewhat mittigated in the next but in respect of such prayer he shall neuer obteine any the Ieast portion of heavenly glory for that is not obteined by any but those whose prayer springeth from the roote of charitie that is who are in the state of grace when they pray Whosoeuer therefore desireth not to be depriued of this meritt must first indeavour to haue charitie deepely planted and rooted in his heart and so not onely his prayer but all his workes shal be meritorious And the greater that the charitie is the more meritorius will the worke be whence I gather that they meritt most 〈◊〉 prayer is most meritorious who heartily pray for their enimies because that kind of prayer proceedes from the highest degree of charitie And therefore it is
or shapeth to it selfe of God must not be vnder any colour or light or figure or any other corporal likenesse for all these things are created and so not God whereas we seeke the vnion and coniunction of our selues with God only and not with any other thing distinct from him If therefore one goeth about to thinke of God himselfe let him with his vnderstanding flie aboue all things created Hovv vvemay atteine to the conceiving of God alone conceiueing in his mind a thing most high most excellent and by infinite degrees surpassing all other things imaginable This if he can doe without the apprehension of anie light colour figure or likenesse as I sayd before then hath he apprehended God himselfe In which affaire if thou wilt continue and diligently imploy thy selfe thou shalt at last atteine to that vnspeakable sweet ness and withall obteine the three fould fruit of thy prayer But if in the beginning this way seeme difficult to any one The meditation of the humanitie of Christ leadeth to higher contemplation of God let him first exercise himselfe in thinking vpon Iesus Christ who is both true God and true man let him therefore fix the eye of his vnderstanding vpon him as true God calling to remembrance his holy Incarnation birth painfull labours and cruel death Let him consider likewise his heavenly glory where with he now shineth sitting att the right hand of his father Whosoever shall diligently exercise himselfe in these or any other meditation of Christ Or more proportionable for him shall easily from his most sacred humanitie mount to the contemplation of the most vnspeakeable inscrutable diuine Majestie of God For this is the necrest way that leadeth vs to the tast of that most pure and diuine sweetnesse And if perchance he cannot yet atteine vnto this inward comfort and sweetnesse almightie God withdrawing himselfe eyther because as yet he seeth it will but litle proffitt him or because he is not fervent enough or sufficiētly attentiue considering the greatnesse and dignitie of the thing he desires yet for all this he shall not loose the reward of his prayer The best therefore and most pure way of prayer is The most perfect vvay of prayer if one after he hath most seriously recollected himselfe and directed his mind with all his force vnto God himselfe who is verely there present doth offer vnto him from the bottome of his heart and with a pure affection the prayers which he is about to say whether he vnderstand them or not it is not materiall and shal soe fix his mind vpon God that his imagination wāders not Such an one shal proffit more in the love of God which is the end of prayer then if he were never so attentiue to the words or sense of them For this setling of his mind vpon God is for the most part accompanied with such an eleuation of heart that the mind having forgotten all earthly things many times knoweth not where it is or what it doth as if a man were become a meere stranger to himselfe and the spirit is sometimes soe greatly moved that vnadvisedly it cryes out or doth some other action which immediately after a man remembers not because the spiritt worketh so mightily in him that he can by no meanes suppresse those actions in himselfe And as the holy fathers whoe in this art were very expert and skilfull affirme there is oftentimes so great sweetnesse tasted in prayer that it even redoundeth to the flesh so that the flesh is made pertaker of so great sweetnesse and such as it never tasted before To which the Prophet David accordeth saying My heart and flesh have exulted in the living God as if he should say my heart through the bounteous overflowing of my spirit hath received so wonderfull a sweetnesse from God that my very flesh through delight of it is over come with ioy and such as I am not able to cōteine my selfe This very exultation is as it were a sparkle of eternall life which we shall inioy after the vniucrsall resurection of our bodies for then the glory of the soule shall so exceedingly aboūd that it shall flow into the bodie and both soule and bodie with this abundāce shal be fullie satisfied Out of what hath heere beē sayd before in this chapter it may easily be gathered that the cheifest attention to be vsed in prayer is to have continuallie in our memorie the presence of God to whom we pray and to fix him immoueablie before the eyes of our heart which to doe though in the beginning of this exercise it be some what difficult and trouble some yet by successe of time and vse of prayer it will become more easie and more pleasant but to them cheifely whoe are most inflamed with the spirit of deuotion and contemplation Now let vs passe to the next question How long our prayer ought to be CHAPT III. NOw in the second place we must inquire how long our prayer ought to be for being it may be longer or shorter as we please therefore to know of what length or how short it must be belongeth to the manner of prayer I say therefore that although Iesus Christ admonisheth vs alwayse to pray it is not so to be vnderstood as we have declared in the first chapter that we ought alwayse actuallie to pray for no man is able so to continue our weakenesse and frailtie being such that it will not permitt vs to be still intent eyther to vocall or mentall prayer without any intermission yet notwithstanding doth Christ admonish vs rightly for that we are in continuall neede of Gods aide and assistance which we must continuallie begge and intreate at his hands It hath pleased therefore some grave Authors to giue vs this rule that we should so farre prolong our prayer A similitude vntill we have atteined the end for which it was first instituted For as the phisitian applieth no greater or stronger medecine to his patient then will serve to cure his disease which is the end of the art of phisicke Even soe must our prayer be soe long till wee have atteined to the immediate end for which it was instituted But the first and cheifest end of prayer is the fervor of charitie which is the healh of our soules It is fervor then of charitie that God requireth of vs for he doth despise the lukewarme and in the Apocalyps he preferrethe the key cold before him saying I would thou wert hot or cold Apoc. 9. but by cause thou art luke-arme I will beginne to vomitt thee out of my mouth See heere in how great hatred almightie God hath those that are luke-warme Wherefore we must labour by all meanes possible to procure in our selves this feruency of charitie For the obteining of which fervour prayer is of all things most necessarie which feruor so soone as we have obteined we are exceedingly enabled with great alacritie to vndertake any worke whatsoever we thinke to
be most gratefull vnto almightie God and for which att last we shal be rewarded with aeternal happinesse We see then that our cheifest labour in prayer must be to inflame and sett our hearts on fire with this fervency of charitie and then as it were to spinne out our prayer so long vntill we have atteined vnto this our end But when through the wearinsse of our frayle bodie we find this heate or fervour in vs to grow cold then must we desist and pray no longer but presently applie our selves to some other workes of vertue For if we shall suffer this fervour to be altogether ex tinguished in vs we doe not onely not obteine our end intended in prayer but also we giue no smal occasion to induce the contrarie For so soone as this fervour by ouroverlēgth of prayer shall wax cold or remisse we are presently destitute and forsaken of all inward comfort whereby many times it comes to passe that our minds are wandering abroad seeking some thing pleasing and delight ful to our senses which doth often introduce a dissolution most pernitious to our soules and drawes vs by litle and litle into many evills and inconueniences which had not happened if we had risen from prayer before and not have suffered that burning fervour to have been vtterly extinguished in vs and therefore saint Augustine commendeth certaine Monkes in Egipt for that they vsed short prayer The brothers in Egipt sayth he Epist 121. de orādo Deum are sayd to have often prayers but very short and as it were iaculatoire Therefore doubtlesse they vsed often that they might often renew this fervor and short for no other cause but that the fervour which they had gotten in prayer should not grow cold or remisse through length of prayer The cheifest care therefore of him that prayeth must be to nourish and mainteine this fervour inkinled in his soul and not to suffer it to die nor to desist frō prayer so long as it may be maintened or increased vnlessesome great wearinesse of the bodie and soe allwais by this end we ought to measure the length or shortnesse of our prayer For as the phisitian hauing reguard to the end of his art which is the health of this bodie tempers his medicine and giues it to his patient not in so great a quantitie as he can but in such as is convenient eyther for gaigning or conserving the health of his patient So he that prayeth must not prolong his prayer as long as he can but so long as it is conuenient eyther for the getting or preserving of this fervour And when he finds himselfe through this vnion with God so gently inflamed and sweetly affected let him then goe in silence withsighes and teares full of ioy and loue and accomplishe the remainder of his deuotions according as the holy Ghost shall inspire him For I would councell no man to giue over his prayer so long as this fervour and heate indureth vnlesse there happens some thing which may be more to the honour and glorie of God or of more necessitie to him that prayeth or more profitable to our neighbour But soe soone as he finds himselfe through the weakenesse and wearinesse of his body to be come cold and dull and drie let him forthwith give ouer and content himselfe i th what he hath alreadie gaigned and applie himselfe to some occasion or other fitt for his state and calling vntill some other opportunitie But if that he be stirried vp againe by some new affection let him by no meanes suffer it to die but at least with some short and iaculatorie prayer let him offer it and himselfe vp to God and desire his clemency towards him For seing this affection as we may very well imagine proceedes and is stirred vpp in him by the holy Ghost he may in no wise refuse it without great ingratitude vnto almightie God Wherefore all businesse layd aside so farre as necessitie will suffer wee must follow and cherish this motion and not suffer it to perish and die in him by his negligence But heere some may say vnto me how can he Seculer persones may attend vnto prayer possibly who is in this life soe troubled with cares so perplexed with worldly occasions and full of businesse how can he attend soe strictly to prayer Harken a litle to Saint Chrisostome and he will answere Chrysost l. 5. ho. 79. de orat He may and that very easily may though he were in publick court or if he were present before any tribunal we have not sayth the such need of ourspeech as of our thoughts not of the lifting vp of our hands as of our hearts If thou hast thy mind inflamed thou hast the perfection of prayer thus he Thou mayst pray therefore wheresoeuer thou art though thou beest in companie thou mayest for à moment of time with draw thy selfe Prou. 9 and by stealth offer to God some litle prayer as the Scripture sayth stolne waters are the sweeter And truly prayers thus on the suddaine and by stealth as it were darted vp to heaven doe oftentimes stirre vp our minds more vigorously and more ardently inflame our hearts Iaculatorie prayers with that most excellent loue of God and are indeede as they affirme whome experience hath taught most acceptable to our heauently spouse Christ Iesus but if thou canst by no meanes withdraw thy selfe from their sights with whome thou doest conuerse out of the respect thou bearest to them yet mayest thou in their presence lift vp thy heart to God whoe thou art sure is present with thee and in a few words say vnto him with the Prophet David Intend vnto my ayde Psa 37. Psa 63. O Lord God of my salvation Or this incline vnto my ayde o God Then which words Cassianus affirmeth there can be none more powerfull and efficacious If thou shalt but in thy heart repeate these words thy prayer shal peirce the heavens and thus much thou maiest doe wheresoever thou beest Lib. 1. collat Patrū collat 10. Wheresoever thou art sayth S. Chrisostome thou mayest erect thy altare no place can hinder thee from dedicating thy selfe to God if thout wer mending they shoes or washing dishes or what els soever thou mayest pray it is lawfull for the servant what businesse soever he is about of his masters to pray In the court in the market place in the midst of never soe great a multitude of people a man may pray Saint Paul prayed in the prison the Prophet Hieremie in the durt Act. 16 Hier. 38. Ez ech 38. Daniel 9. 13. Ionae 2 Lu. 23. Ezechias against the wall Daniell in the lions denne Ionas in the whales bellie the theife on the Crosse and all theise were heard praying in very few words All this out of Saint Chrisostome in seuerall places Whosoeuer therefore shall exercise himlselfe from time to time after this manner that is now praying then doeing some
other good worke still imployed eyther to gett this fervour of charitie or in increasing or nourishing the same never suffering it so farre as he is able tho rough his negligence or fault to be extinguished or to grow cold nor suffers the good motions and inspirations of the holy Ghost to die in him without some fruit he without all doubt in short time shal come vnto that vnspeakble tranquilitie of mind and to such à pleasant ioy in heart as incomparablie surpasseth all wordly solace and contentment all ioy all laughing and meriment all pleasure that heere can be affoorded or expected And thus let vs come to the third qustion Wether the prayer of the heart onely is more aduantagious then that which is made both with heart and speech CHAP. IV. IT remaineth now that we treate whether prayer of the heart only or prayer which is made with the heart and lipps together be most proffitable vnto him that prayeth I doe protest heere that it is not my intention to affirme any thing in derogation of vocall prayer such as is eyther receiued by custome or ordeined by the constitutions of the Church or inflicted by way of pennance or assumed by vow or any other promise whatsoever by which a man hath bound himlselfe to vocall prayer But my opinion is that whosoever is free from theise bonds and in possession of his absolute libertie and desires to serve God after the best purest and most pleasing way vnto him it is farre more proffitable for such an one to pray with his heart only then with his tongue and heart together Because as Saint Augustine in a certaine Epistle of his to Proba speaking of the fruit of prayer affirmeth saying The office of praying is better performed by sithinge and mourning then by speech of lipps Epist 121. better by weeping then speaking Which if it be so verily the prayer of the heart from whence the sorrow breaketh is much more availeable then the wordes which proceede from the lipps And rightly by cause as saint Cyprian testifierh De oratione pau lo pòst principium God is the hearer of the heart not of the voyec he is not to be moved by clamour or noyse who sees the inward thoughts of the mind Wherefore a poore Wretch who casteth himselfe prostrate on the earth with great humilitie acknowledging himselfe to be a sinner and laying open his miseries pouring forth the bottome of his heart before God not vttering words but pittifull groanes this poore soule without all question shall soone obteine what he requireth att Gods hand Which appeares plainely to be true in Anna the mother of Samuell For she being barren earnestly desired att the hands of God that he would giue her a sonne for which cause she often frequented the temple imploring his diuine goodnesse by dayly prayer that he would be pleased to be propitious vnto her in this her suit yet did she not forme any one word att all but prayed in hart only as the Scripture sayth She prayed in her heart and novoyce was heard for her lipps onely moved Why doe I vse many words By this only prayer that is of her heart she obteined what she asked for she brought forth a sonne whome she with so many teares and soe much sorrow had begged att the hands of God and not with the noyse of her lipps and tongue To this also doth saint Hierome agree explicating that of S. Mathewe But thou when thou prayest enter into thy chamber Math. 6. and having shutt the dore pray to thy father It seemeth to me sayth he we are rather commanded to pray vnto our Lord Hier. in cap. 6. with our thougts in our breast then with our lipps as we reade in the booke of Kings that Anna did her lipps sayth the Scripture were moved and hervoyce was not heard Thus S. Hier. in this way of prayer vehemently moves his diuine Majestie and powerfullie inclines him seedily to heare vs. Moreouer the holy Ghost is our teacher and aduiser to this way of prayer as S. Paul testifieth Ro. 8. who sayth what we should pray as we ought we know not but the spiritt himselfe asketh for vs with groanings in speakeable As if he would say we know not after what manner to aske any thing but the spiritt of God inwardly stirring vp our hearts makes vs with vnspeakeable groanings to aske what is most fitting for our soules health Yet notwithstanding I doe not denie but that some deuout person may beginne his prayer with what wordes he pleaseth from his lipps But soe soone as ever he shall find himselfe a litle enkindled and as it were set on fire with that sweet flame of the holy Ghost then it will be fitt for him to leave of vocall prayer and follow the leading of the diuine spiritt and in silēce to permit himselfe to be wholy gouerned by it For as I sayd a litle aboue the end which we should prefix to our selues in our prayer is cheifely the fervour of charitie with which we begin to be possessed and inflamed then by devout prayer our minds are stirred vp and clevated vnto God on high As soone therefore as we find our selves to have atteined to this end then must we striue by all meanes to continue it in vs which to doe without all doubt we have no better way then to follow the leading of the holy ghost whose conduct farre more advanceth our affaire then any words we can invent or bring forth Wherefore must wee with all our might follow the instinct and motion of the holy spiritt whether soever it shall leade vs neyther neede we from thence forth vtter any words of our owne Not vnlike vnto him who after great labour and long travaile hath passed the sea A similitude and is arrived at his desired haven then he forsaketh the shipp that brought him and applieth himselfe wholy to the end and purpose for which he came and is no more sollicitous for the poore vessayle that brought him thither So also he that by the helpe and vse of vocall prayer as by a shipp hath atteined vnto the inward consolation of his soule and to this fervour of charitie in God must then make it his cheifest care and study that this fervour by no meanes grow cold but then leaving of his vocall prayer he must follow this holy spirit who hath brought him to this fervour wither soever it shall leade him then he must not vse his owne words but whatsoever the holy Ghost shal suggest vnto his heart that let him desire not with words but with burning sighes of ioy But that thou mayst more certeinely know that this manner of prayer to wit which is offered in spirit and mind is more excellent then that which is performed with speech and words listen to that which Christ sayth in the ghospell Ioā 4. God is a spirit and they that adore him must adore him in spirit and veritie