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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00765	A treatise of prayer, and of the fruits and manner of prayer. By the most Reuerend Father in God Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochestre, Preist and most eminent Cardinall of the most holy Catholike Church, of the title of S. Vitalis. Translated into English by R.A.B.; Tractatus de orando Deum. English	Fisher, John, Saint, 1469-1535.; Roe, Alban, 1583-1642, attributed name.; Anderton, Robert, attributed name.; Batt, Antonie.; R. A.	1640 (1640)	STC 10890; ESTC S115046	39,954	190

any vaine and hurtful plesures wherefore that wee may feele the more sweetnesse in prayer First it will be proffitable to haue at hand some motieues by which as with certaine spurrs so oft as we grow could we may stirre vp our selues to prayer Secondly it wil not meanely helpe vs if we consider the excellēt fruits and commoditie that many haue obteined by prayer for by that meās also wes hall easily stirre vp our selues to that exercise And lastly it will proffitt much to know the manner which euery one ought chelfely to obserue in praying seing that in euery worke the maner of doeing beinge knowne is of no small moment to perfect the work it selfe that we goe about Of these three things therefore in order we purpose by Gods assistance to speake Thres principall points ●andlied in this treatise to wit of the necessitie of the fruits and of the maner of praying But because the foresaid words of our Saviour moue some scruple in many it will not be amisse if we first declare in what manner they may be vnderstood First assuredly it is most true u. 18. which Christ our Saviour said we ought alwayse to pray For there is no momēt of time in which prayer is not necessary for vs. Neuerthe lesse God almightie is not so seuere an exactor as to oblidge vs to continual prayer of the lipps which certeinly no man euer did or could observe But because there neuer passeth any moment of time wherein we doe not exceedinglie stand in neede of his divine assistance Therefore our great necessitie enforceth vs by continuall prayer alwaise to implore his aide For who Knoweth not if he diligently consider that if God should Withdraw his helping hand from vs we should instantlie then returne into dust and ashes neyther is there any man who of hymselfe can continue the least moment of time for as holy Iob sayth In his hand is the soule of euery living thing Iob A simslitude For soe it is with euery one of vs as if one should hang by a rope in a coffine ouer a deepepitt for he doubtlesse stands in great neede of his helpe who holdeth the rope in his hand and keepeth the other from faling in to the pitt For so soone as he withdra weth his hand from the rope he that before was held vp doth instantly fall healdlōg in to the pitt Neyther would it be otherwise with euery one of vs if God should not incessantly susteine vs With his hād He holdeth the cord in his hād least wee instātly be brought to nothing to omitt many other eminent dangers which euery moment hang ouer our heads Who therefore is so grosse and blind as not to consider that there is no time yea no moment of time wherein it is not necessarie for vs to call on God and to implore his gratious helpe and assistance And this is the meaning of those words that we ought alwayse to pray But because according to this sense there is no man that doth fulfill this saying of our Saviour by actuall prayer as they call it that is who doth alwayse euery moment pray therefore an other sense is to be found out Wherefore this saying of Christ may be vnderstood an other way to wit that which wee shall now declare One of the ancient Monkes being demāded in what maner he did satisfie that saying of Christ The first vvay hovv vve may alvvayse pray The 〈◊〉 Euthstis in the 〈…〉 holy fathers alphabeto 26. part 12 litera 4. we ought alwayse to pray answered forthwith That after he had ended his dayly prayers the rest of the time according to the abilitie of his body he spent in manuall labours by which meanes it came to passe that he dayly gaigned somethinge whereby he notonly susteined himselfe but also in some sort other poore people and those he sayd did pray for him so often as the care he was bound to take of his bodie would not permitt him to doe it himfelse whose opinion is agreable to holy Scripture which Sayth Eccl. 19. Hide thy almes in the bosome of the poore and it shal pray for thee Loe heere how the Scripture confirmeth that our almes pray for vs. If therefore any one shal diligently imploy himfelse in the workes of mercy if he defend the fatherlesse and orphans if he comfort poore widdows being destitute of all consolation if he protect from iniuries those that are violently oppressed And lastly if he administer helpe to those are in want soe that in the meane time he neglecteth not the times of prayer instituted by the Church he also shall fulfill the sayd words of Christ for he alwayse eyther prayeth himselfe or hath his almes praying for him which will supplie what is wanting of his owne prayers weought alwaise to pray In this sense also may the aforesayd saying of Christ we ought alwayse to pray The se● cōdvv●y hovv vvem●y a vvay 〈◊〉 be vnderstood that is we ought alwaise to liue well and dowell which we may doe cuēwhen we sleepe For whensoeuer we sleepe or wake when wee walke or sitt when we eate or drinke when we are molested or conforted lastly whatsoeuer we doe or suffer if they be referred truely to the glorie and honour of God doubtlesse they belong to a good and vpright life Otherwise Saint Paul would not haue commanded the Corinthians that whatsoeuer they did theyshoud doe it to the glorie of God 1. Cor. 10. saying whether yee eate or drinke or what else yee doe doe it te the glory of God And truely if God be moued by our words to be bene fieiall vnto vs questionlesse he is much more moued thereto by our good workes seing that workes doe supplie the place of words And therefore the diuine benignitie is moued with our workes which we doe with a desire to please his diuine Majestie seing they doe expresse the force of our prayers yea and much more forcibly then doe the words themselues Whosoeuer therefore doth referre to the glorie of God all that he doth and suffereth prayeth euery moment and alwayse satisfieth the affore sayd saying of Christ For he that alwayse directeth all his actions to the glorie of God may be sayd not vnworthely alwayse to pray But although these words we ought alwayse to pray may be vnderstood according to this sense yett bycause Christ maketh a difference betwixt prayer and workes and maketh almes prayer and fasting as distinct things therefore we wil now sett downe the third way how this saying may be vnderstood Saint Paul therefore admonisheth the Thessaloniās that they should incessantly pray The third vvay hovv vve may alvvayse pray 1. Thes sal 2. Ro. 1.1 Thes sal 1. Pray yee sayth he without intermission Ānd in some other places of his epistles he affirmeth that he was mindfull of some in his prayers without intermission Besides in the acts of the Apostles it is sayd that whilst S. Peeter was kept in

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

fruitlesse and vnprofitable thoughts but with such as are most odious and bring damnation to our soules whereas the memorie of those things we spake of before were an imployment farre more aduātagious and profitable for vs farre more pleasant and the most excellent studie that mortall man can enterteine himselfe with For it is as it were a twinkling or a small glimps of Gods heavenly light it is a sparke of our future happinesse it is a pledge or earnest penny of eternall life And if any man in this dying life may be termed happie and blessed it is onely he whoe hath his mind conuersant in the memorie of these holy thoughts it is he who wholy giues himselfe to prayer and contemplation But having as I hope spoken sufficiently of the three fruits of prayer I will now att length come to treate of the manner of prayer THE THIRD PART OF THE MANNER OF PRAYER CHAP. I. IT will not be very hard for vs to know which way of prayer is most proffitable if the three things wee presently shall treat of be once rightly vnderstood The first is to what thing we should cheifely be attentiue in our prayer whether to the words or to the sense of the words or whither rather to him to whome we powre forth our prayers The second is how long or short a time it is conuenient for vs to spend in prayer to witt whether we should make long or shòrt prayers The third and last is whether to pray in mind onely or to pray both in mind and speech be more availeable to our soule and more acceptable to God which three wayes when we haue examined it will easilie appeare which is the most excellent and to be preferred before the rest Wherefore we will a part speake some thing of each of them that is of attention of prolixitie or length and of pronuntiation To what thing we ought cheifely to attend when we pray CHAP. II. LEt vs now examine whither the force of our intention is to be directed whether to the words or to the sense or rather to him whome we pray And first of all I affirme that if there be any man of such dexteritie in praying that he can at one and the same time attend vnto them all together so that his attention to the words or to the sense of the words diminisheth nothing of the attention of his mind to God that way of prayer is most powerfull One attentïon commony hindereth another But because it cannot be or very hardly but that one of these attentions must needs hinder the other let vs perticularly see which of the three is most perfect No man who will diligently examine this businesse can doubt but the attention which is derected vnto God considered in it selfe is the most perfect and that most meritorious that is if it be not more remisse then that which is directed to the words or the sense of the words before God And this I will not haue vnderstood in those prayers only which we voluntarily say and of our owne accord but in all others euen those to wich we are bound eyther by wow or by the constitutions of the Church There be many doubtlesse whoe haue so weake and scrupulous consciences that for feare least they should overslipp any litle word or passe any sillable in the diuine office they bend all their forces and strength of their mind to the distinct pronuntiation of the words And such I doe verily beleeue doe seldome or never tast the sweetness of prayer for which the ancient fathers first ordained the diuine office which we call the canonicall howres Vvhy the canonical houres vvere enstituted For these ancient and holy men had this theire prefixed end and it was theire studie and intention that the minds of the Preists who are the mediators betwixt God and the people should by these offices be more stirred vp to the contemplation of God and be more inflamed with his love Wherefore if any one shal be so farre forth attentiue to expresse his words that he doth not come vnto the end and scope which those holy fathers proposed vnto them selues in theise diuine offices I cānotapproue of such prayer as the best or iudge it more fruitfull or meritorious then the other But I would not heere by that those who so hastily huddle ouer theire prayer that they scarsely vnderstād themselues not considering eyther the excellēcy of him to whome they pray nor the sense of the words I would not I say that by these my words such negligent people should pretend vnto themselues any the least defence of theire sloath and negligence For I doe not speake this with any intention to condemne them Attention to the vvords satisfiethe precept whose attentions are transported to the words because I doubt not but that they satisfie the precèpt but rather to perswade them to the other way of prayer which is more excellent and more proffitable But they who cheifly attend to the sense of the words may sometimes perhapps receiue some litle sweetnesse and spirituall comfort in their souls But surely they doe not receiue that most excellent comfort and sweetnesse which ariseth from the vnion and coniunction of our soules with God For it may sometimes also happen The svveetnesse vvhich comes from the sense of the vvords is farre lesse thē that comes by a thought vpon God that by one pleasing sentence of holy scripture being deepely ruminated one may atteine vnto some small sparkle of this most excellent sweetnesse but that which proceeds out of the consideration of any part of scripture is farre more weake farre more remisse then that which proceedes from the fountaine it selfe of his divinitie For Gods holy writt though it proceedes from himselfe yett it is notwithstanding à creature and what creature or what created thing soeuer possesseth our minds be it neuer so excellent that thing is interposed betwixt God and vs so that it is but a lett vnto our minds that we cannot so in wardly be vnited with God and therefore deminisheth that admirable sweetnesse which proceedes frō that fountaine it selfe wherefore although they who attend onely to the sense of the words perceiue or find a litle sweetnesse yet are they farre short of that pure sweetnesse which those onely tast who thinke of nothing but God himselfe and haue nothing interposed betwixt God and their minds but are vnited wholy to him which can neuer be vnlesse the mind relinquish the cogitation of euery imaginable thing or fantasie and presenteth nothing to it selfe but God only for then are we most perfectly vnited and immediatly conioyned to our heavēly Creator To whome when we find our harts so to adhere and be as it were firmely fixed presently beginneth soe pleasant a tast of sweetnesse as no man can expresse but he only to whome it hath pleased almightie God to grant it But obserue this that that thought or cogitation which the mind formeth