have compassion on our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, sin excepted. Let us go boldly therefore unto the throne of his grace, that we may receive mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Heb. iv.) And as we are commanded to call upon God, and have a promise also to be heard; even so are we commanded to make our prayers unto him in the name, faith, and confidence of this our Mediator, and we have no promise to be heard without him; in whom are all the promises of God yea and amen, confirmed and fulfilled (2 Cor. i.) And no man cometh to the Father but by the Son (Luke. xi.) For he is our mouth, whereby we speak to the Father; he is our eye, whereby we see the Father; and he is our right hand, whereby we offer ourselves to the Father. Whatsoever therefore we ask in his name, we have a promise to obtain it. Verily, verily, (saith Christ,) I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he shall give it you. In my name, that is, for my sake, your high bishop praying for you. Hitherto ye have not asked any thing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive (John xvi.) In that day ye shall ask in my name, and whatsoever ye ask I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John xiv.)

Of Prayer there be two parts, Petition and Thanksgiving. By petition, we pour forth our desires before God, requiring first those things that may set forth his glory, and then such benefits as are profitable for our use. By giving of thanks, we praise and magnify his benefits bestowed upon us, acknowledging that whatsoever good things we enjoy, we have received them of his free goodness and liberality. Therefore David joineth these two parts together in one verse, when he saith, Call upon me in the day of necessity: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me (Psalm L.) The scripture commandeth us to use both, and that continually. For our necessity is so great, our life is so full of troubles and calamities, and so many dangers hang over our heads every moment, that we have all cause enough, yea, even the most holy, with sighs and groanings continually to

fly unto God, and to call upon him in most humble wise. But this we may better perceive in things pertaining to the soul. For when shall so many great sins, whereof we know ourselves guilty, suffer us to sit still without care, and not to crave pardon of God for the same? when will Satan give us rest and quietness? when will he cease to range about seeking whom he may destroy? when shall our temptations give us truce, so that we shall not need to hasten unto God for help? Finally, the desire of the kingdom and glory of God ought so to draw us wholly unto it, not by fits, but continually, that it should be alway fit and convenient time for us to pray. Wherefore, not without cause, we are so often commanded to pray continually. And though we be not driven with like necessity at all times to pray, yet in this case St. James teacheth us what we ought to do. Is any man heavy or afflicted? saith he, let him pray; that is, let him crave of God help and comfort: and whoso is merry, let him sing; that is, let him praise God. Moreover, the benefits and blessings of God are so large and plentiful towards us, which way soever we turn us, that we can never want matter and occasion of praise and thanksgiving. And seeing we ought to acknowledge God to be the author and giver of all good things, we should alway receive the same at his hands with thanksgiving: for to that end God bestoweth his good blessings and benefits upon us, that we should continually shew forth his praise, and be thankful unto him for the same; and so we render unto him his due honour. And St. Paul, when he saith that they are sanctified by the word and prayer, signifieth that to us they are not holy and clean without the word and prayer1: and therefore David saith, when he had felt the liberality of the Lord, there was put into his mouth a new song, that is, a new occasion of praise and thanksgiving: whereby he signifieth that it is a wicked silence if we pass over any of God's benefits without

1 Mark that the creatures of God are not holy unto us, but by the word and prayer.

us.

praise, seeing that as often as he doth good unto us, so often he giveth us occasion to speak good of him. We should therefore continually, that is, as much as is possible, at all times, in all places, and in all things, as occasions are continually offered unto us, lift up our prayer unto God in craving help at his hand and confessing his praise, whereby we may both obtain of him all good things, and also praise and magnify his name for all. Now this perseverance in prayer is required of Christ himself teacheth us by the parable of the three loaves, (Luke xi.), and of the widow and wicked judge (xviii.), whereby we are taught to continue in prayer with all earnestness and fervent supplication, and never to faint, or give over, until we be assured in our spirit that our prayer is heard. The prayer of the humble, saith the son of Sirach, goeth through the clouds it ceaseth not until it come near, and it will not depart until the most high God have respect thereunto (Ecclus. xxxv.) Behold, saith David, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us (Psalm cxxiii.) And this must we not cease to do, until we may boldly say also with David, The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping, the Lord hath heard my humble petition, the Lord hath received my prayer (Psalm vi.)

Now concerning the form and manner of praying, lest we should follow our own fantasy, being of ourselves so blind that we know not how to pray, or what is meet and expedient for us, the Lord himself hath sufficiently instructed us; who, as he hath taught us throughout the whole scripture, how and for what things we ought to pray, so hath he set forth one manner of prayer, in the which he hath briefly comprehended all such things as we ought, yea, or in any wise may ask of God: wherein he hath expressed what is due, pleasing, and acceptable to him, what is necessary for us, and what he will grant: so that there is nothing herein omitted, that might be thought upon to the praise and glory of God, or come into the mind of man for his profit and commodity.

And this is that prayer that our Lord Jesus taught
his disciples, when they asked of him how they
should pray (Matt. vi. Luke xi.) Whosoever there-
fore will ask any thing that is not contained in this
prayer, they presume to add something of their own
to the wisdom of God; they are not obedient to his
will; and they pray without faith, having no word
of God to warrant them, and therefore they shall
obtain nothing. Wherefore Tertullian doth very well
call this a lawful prayer, meaning that all other are
unlawful, disallowed, and rejected of God: for this is
the doctrine of the wisdom of God, which hath taught
whatsoever he willed, and willed whatsoever was need-
ful. Albeit we are not so bound to this form of
prayer,
that we should not use any other kind of words than
the Lord himself herein hath used. For there are
elsewhere set forth in the scriptures many prayers
far differing from this in words, and yet written by
the same Spirit, and very profitable to be used of us.
And many prayers also are continually uttered of the
faithful by the same Spirit, which in words hereunto
do not so much agree. But this is required of us,
that none should look for, seek, or ask any other
thing at all, than that which is briefly comprehended
in this prayer, and which, though it most differ in
words, yet differeth not in sense and substance: like
as it is certain, that all the prayers which are found
in the scriptures, and which do continually proceed
from the hearts of the faithful, are referred by the
direction of God's Spirit unto this prayer, howsoever
they differ in the variety of words. Many good and
godly men even in our days, well exercised in prayer,
have left unto us most worthy examples and testi-
monies hereof, furnished with ample and large matter
to form holy and true prayer, and full of power to
inflame the heart to a fervent invocation of God's
holy name: whereof we have given here
some taste unto the godly, and especially

to the simple, not yet well exercised.
Read them, meditate, and pray,
and ye shall find comfort
in your souls.

CHRISTIAN PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS.

1

A MEDITATION CONCERNING PRAYER.

THE

HE mind of man hath so large room to receive good things, that nothing in deed can fully fill it but only God; whom then the mind fully possesseth, when it fully knoweth Him, it fully loveth Him, and in all things is framed after his will. They therefore, dear Lord God, that are thy children and have tasted somewhat of thy goodness, do perpetually sigh, that is, do pray, until they come thereto; and in that they love thee also above all things, it wonderfully woundeth them that other men do not so, that is, love thee and seek for thee with them. Whereof it cometh to

pass, that they are inflamed with continual prayers and desires that thy kingdom might come everywhere, and thy goodness might be both known and in life expressed of every man.

And because there are innumerable many things, which as well in themselves as in others be against thy glory, they are kindled with continual prayer and desire, sighing unspeakably in thy sight for the increase of thy Spirit. And sometimes when they see thy glory more put back than it was wont to be, either in themselves or in any other, then are they much more disquieted and vexed. But because they know that thou dost rule all things after thy good will, and that none other can help them in their need, they oftentimes do go aside, all business laid apart, and give themselves to godly cogitations and talk with thee, complaining to thee, as to their Father, of those things that grieve them, begging thereto, and that most earnestly, thy help, not only for themselves, but also for others, especially for those whom singularly they embrace in thee, and often