A LOOKING-GLASS FOR PETITIONERS.  
Wherein every Christian man and woman, may clearly see, what they are to beg at God's hands, the manner how they are to beg, and the assurance of those things which they do beg.  
In a Sermon preached at Framlingham Castle in high Suffolk.  
By JOHN NEWMAN Master of Artes.  JOH. 16.24. 
Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.  
LONDON, Printed by Edward Griffin for john Barnes, and are to sold at his shop in Christ-Church walk. 1619.   

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL Sr HENRY MILDMAY Master of his majesties JEWELS.  
Right worthy Sir,  
I Little thought of printing this Sermon, when I preached it, much less of dedicating it to your Worship, after I had resolved to print it. But I was persuaded unto the one, by many of my friends and auditors (who do better conceit of it then I myself): and I am emboldened unto the other; first, quadam affinitate, by some small alliance, which makes me to presume more upon you, then upon any other. Secondly, by the report of your Worship's love towards virtue & learning, which, as most men say, exceeds your greatness: and herein you do no whit degenerate from your Ancestors and forefathers, whose love unto learning did so abound, that their famous and charitable deeds, (of which both the University of Cambridge, and many other places, can testify) do aeternize their memories, in the Register of everliving fame: There let them live, and may your Worship continue in treading their footsteps, that your virtues may as long continue also after your obsequies. And as I am bold to present unto you this small gift, this plain Looking glass; so I humbly entreat your Worship, as willingly to accept of it, and to look in it, that being shrouded in the chamber of so worthy a Gentleman, it may be kept from being cracked by the calumniations of censorious tongues. So shall I remain  
Yours in all dutiful service J. N.   

A LOOKING-GLASS FOR PETITIONERS.  LVK. 11.9. 
Ask, and it shall be given you.  
THese words are part of a lesson, which our Saviour Christ taught unto his Disciples; being desirous how to pray aright that they might be heard. In the first verse of this chapter one in the behalf of the rest puts up this petition: Mr. teach us how to pray as john also taught his disciples. In the second verse he as a loving and careful master as willing to profit his scholars, as they to learn: he sets them down this absolute form of prayer, teaching them what to ask, in these words when you pray say, Our Father which art in heaven etc. As followeth unto the 5. verse. In which 5. verse and in the 6.7.8. verses: lest they should be discouraged if they did not incontinently and at the first, obtain that which they prayed for: he bringeth the similitude or parable of the importunate borrower of three loaves of bread, teaching them not to be weary but to persevere in prayer; and in this 9 verse, in these words which I have now read unto you lest they should be fearful, and so not pray at all, or faint hearted and so make weak prayers: he emboldens them, willing them to pray, and to be confident in prayer, giving his word unto them that he will hear them: and promising that he will grant their requests: Ask, (saith Christ) and it shall be given you.  
In these words I will observe two things, first an Invitation in this word, Ask: secondly a promise, in these words, and it shall be given you. In the invitation I will observe. Quid, and Quomodo; quid? what we must ask, Quomodo? how we must ask; in the promise, I will observe: the promiser, and the thing promised; the promiser God, the thing promised; whatsoever we shall ask; in the promiser, I will observe first his ability: in that he is able to perform, whatsoever he promiseth. Secondly his willingness: in whatsoever he promiseth he is willing to perform. In the thing promised: I will likewise observe these two two things; first the generality, in this word It. Secondly the certainty of it, in this word, Shall; It shall be given you; Ask, and it shall be given you. And first of the first thing observed, in the invitation, Quid? what we must ask.  
Saint Augustine in a certain homely saith, that the first condition of prayer is, that that which we do ask, aught to be something; that when we do pray we must pray for something; now his opinion is: that temporary matters, that the things which belong unto the body, be nothing, and therefore are not to be asked, but above all things he would have us seek the kingdom of heaven and the righteousness thereof and then all these things below shall be cast upon us, and therefore he saith that it was but one thing, that the Prophet David did require of the Lord: unum petij Psal. 27.4. one thing have I desired of the Lord, which I will require, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord; all the days of my life; Qui vere christianus est, (saith he) non ista temporalia appetere debet, sed totum pondus orationis & intentionis suae ad aeternam beatitudinem debet impendere; He that is a true christian, ought not to ask and beg of God temporary matters, but the whole intent of all his prayers, aught to be bestowed in begging of the summum bonum the unum necessarium, aeternal blessedness; but he thus expounds himself saying, Sed tamen haec absolute petenda non esse, intelligendum est; But not withstanding it is to be understood: that these things ought to be asked; but not absolutely; he doth not say, that we must not ask them at all, but he saith we must ask them sparingly, and conditionally and comparatively, not at all in respect of spiritual blessings these temporary matters are not to be asked; temporary blessings we may pray for, but above all things, let us ask of God those spiritual graces which will bring us to the kingdom of heaven. Ecce alius in oratione (saith St. Gregory) postulat vestem: alius sibi dari alimentum et: quidem si haec desint, ab omnipotenti deo, sunt petenda: haec petere, non est errare, sed tamen non nimie petantur; one (saith he) desires of God i● his prayer raiment, and clothing, another begs for food, and nourishment, these things if they be wanting, must be asked of the almighty God; to beg them is no sin, but yet we must not too greedily desire them. But Barnard de oratione, although mellifluously, yet plainly comes unto the matter: for he sets down what we must pray for, and also the condition of our prayers what they must be: The prayers of the heart (saith he) I do believe do consist in these three things; neither do I see what else besides these three things any child of God can pray for: two of which concerns this world: the third concerns the world to come; all that we can pray for, in this world, is that God would bestow upon us, the goods of our bodies & souls, all outward blessings necessary for the body, and all inward graces convenient for the soul, and all that we can desire in the world to come: is aeternal Blessedness: that God as he hath given us the kingdom of grace: so he would give us the kingdom of glory; that he would in his good time bring us out of this transitory world to his perpetual kingdom, there to reign with him world without end. And therefore we pray Thy kingdom come. There is nothing else that we can pray for; All our prayers tend to this end that whilst we live in this world, we may have sufficient nourishment for our bodies spiritual food for our souls, and in the world to come, we may have life everlasting. And in begging of these three things, three things must be avoided: in the first, Superfluitas; in the second, Impuritas; in the third, Arrogantia. In the first, superfluity; we must ask of God those things only, which be necessary, for our bodies. In the second, Impurity; we must not ask and beg of God, spiritual graces, to brag and boast of them. In the third, Pride and arrogancy; not seeking salvation in our own works and merits, but in the mercies of God, and in the merits of our Saviour and Redeemer Christ jesus. In the first, in begging of things for the body, we must avoid superfluity: for God will not grant our greedy desires; neither will he listen unto our prayers, if we do not ask those things, which be meet for him to give, and convenient for us to receive. In oratione (saith Zegedine) duo spectanda: In prayer there are two things to be considered; necessitas vel decorum; the necessity of those things which we ask; and the comeliness and meetness of them: the necessity (that is) those things which concern the sustentation, the nourishment, the health, the freedom, and liberties of our bodies. Food and clothing, health and liberty, is necessary for our bodies: and these things must be asked of God, and so much of them, as will suffice, and no more: If we ask more than will suffice, to spend upon our pleasures, or to satisfy our lusts, we shall not be heard, because we ask amiss: Ye ask and receive not (saith S. james 4.3.) because you ask amiss, that ye might consume it on your lusts. We must pray, as our Saviour Christ commandeth us; Fanem nostrum quotidianum, da nobis hody, Give us this day our daily bread: that is, give us those things, which be sufficient both for our bodies and souls; give us the staff of bread, which is sufficient for our bodies; give us Christ, which is the bread of the faithful, the food of our souls; give us panem praeter panem & super panem, above bread and besides bread; Da nobis utrumque panem corporis & animae, give us food both for the body and soul. This I take to be the meaning of the words in general. But if we come to handle the words in particular; we shall find that these three words, panem, nostrum, quotidianum, affords us three special doctrines, fit for our purpose; for whereas he says Pan m, he bids us ask for bread which is the common sustenance for our bodies, he would have us to be content with that which the Lord sends: and not to lust after the flesh pots of Egypt, to be fed with delicates and far deliciously every day, for if we have bread, if we have wherewithal to satisfy our hunger, to quench our thirsts, and to cloth our bodies; we must learn with the Apostle Paul, therewithal to be content. And whereas he saith, panem nostrum, our bread he would have us to be content with that which is ours, which is our own, and not too greedily desire that which is other men's: he would not have us to live upon usury, oppression, theft, deceit, falsehood, he would not have us, so much as to covet our neighbour's goods: neither Oxen, nor their asses, their man-servants or their maid servants, their wives or their cattle nor any thing which belongs unto them; much less by force or violence, by craft or cunning to steal, or to purloin any thing from them: but to be content with that which is our own: desiring of the Lord only (panem nostrum) our bread and no more. And whereas, he saith, panem nostrum quotidianum, our daily bread, he would not have us be too careful for the time to come, for what we shall eat, and what we shall drink and where withal we shall be clothed; but to take that which is present thankfully, confidently reposing and putting our trust, in the Almighty, that no want shall happen unto us, in regard we have him for our loving father, who will be as careful over us as we can be over ourselves: neither would he have us to be gluttons, and drunkards, and eat and drink as much in one day, as would serve for many days; but he would have us to be sober and temperate, and take no more in the day, then will serve for the day: avoiding all superfluity, taking that only which is necessary, no more we must use no more we must pray for, if we do our p airs shallbe in vain, we shall not be heard, because we ask amiss. And as we must respect the necessi ie, so also must we keep a decorum in our prayers. We must ask of God that, which is meet for him to give and convenient for us to receive; all superstitious, all wicked, unjust, curious, rash, presumptuous, & unprofitable prayers must be laid a side; and in all our prayers the special thing we must aim at is the glory of God; that those things, which we pray for may be to God's glory and our own comfort. The prayer of the mother of Zebedeus children, was unlawful, because it was full of ambition, for she dreaming of a temporal kingdom desired of our Sau our Christ honour and preferment for her sons, that the one might sit on his right hand th'other on his left hand in his kingdom; Mat: the. 20.21. Our Saviour Christ answered her with Nescitis quid petitis, you know not what you ask, rebuking them for their presumption for ask those things, which were not meet, for him to give, and convenient for them to receive. The request also of Herodias daughter who asked of the king, john Baptists head, was not to the glory of God; but altogether abominable and unlawful and if we must not desire of men those things which be unlawful: much less of our heavenly father. If she might not ask john Baptist head of the king; who was her mother's enemy: much less ought we to desire of God, the hurt, destruction, or confusion of our enemies as they be our own enemies. Indeed, if in being our enemies, they be the enemies of God: then we may pray with the prophet David: Oh Lord confound our foes, let shame and confusion smite them, so that they may not be able to prevail against thee and against thine anointed; but the deprecations that we daily use, the curls and the plagues, which we pray for, to light upon one another's heads, nay, and upon our selves be most fearful and most abominable; we pray the plague, the pox, the gallows, sudden death and a l manner of punishments, to light upon ourselves and others: whereas if God were not more merciful in hearing and granting, than we be in desiring, there is no day but many of us should be consumed: there is no hour but many of us should perish; there is no minute of an hour, but many of us should have one punishment or other light upon us; Epicurus was wont to say, as 
* Maximius  Maximius reports: brevi spatio homines omnes perituros esse, si hominum preces sequeretur deus; that in a little time, all men should perish, and utterly be consumed, if God should grant all men their desires; and his reason is this, quoniam multa & acerba alij in alios precantur; because men pray so bitterly one against another. If he might say so in his time: well we may say so in our times: upon whom the latter ends of the world be come: amongst whom iniquity abounds; for, whereas we should pray for our enemies, and for one another, either we neglect it, and pray not at all: or else we pray for curses to light upon them; witness the continual & common deprecations, which be as rise in men's mouths, as their ordinary talking For which of us amongst us, (I speak of the most part of us) doth not curse his enemy? nay curse his friend? nay, the fruit of our own bodies? we do not spare, but many of us commonly curse and ban our own children: nay, ourselves we curse: wishing plagues to light upon our bodies, our souls, we do not spare, but many of us commonly wish damnation unto them; which prayers and curses if the Lord should hear, (as no question but he doth hear them) but if he should grant them, fearful and lamentable were our estates? beloved; he doth grant them, & many times according to our own heart's desire, our bodies consume and come to untimely ends; our wealth decays and no way prospers; our children turn disobedient riotous, unruly and evil conditioned, & our souls are finally 〈◊〉 in hell fire; how fearful and lamentable be these our prayers? and yet how ordinarily do we use them? which of us (if we examine ourselves) be free from them? take heed, and take the psalmists council; stand in awe and sin not; Be careful how thou makest such prayers unto God; for as sure as he liveth in heaven, he will hear them, and will send such plagues & curses upon thee and thine as thou desirest: unless thou speedily repent, such prayers we must not use, for they be neither meet nor convenient, meet for God to hear, convenient for us to receive, rather let us pray with the heathen man: Da bona sive petare deus seu nulla petare & procul a nobis mala quaeque petentibus aufer, & mala sive petare nega, seu nulla petare. Grant oh Lord that we may pray for such things as be to thy glory, or else that we may not pray at all: and remove far from us, we beseech thee, all wicked prayers, either deny us those things, which be hurtful and not convenient for us, or else grant, that we may make no such prayers unto thee. And as in praying for temporary matters: we must respect the necessity, & keep a Decorum: so in praying for spiritual graces, and for life everlasting we must respect th'end, why we pray and the manner how we pray: we must not pray for spiritual graces, to the end we may be puffed up, and so brag and boast of them, as Hypocrites do; for then the Lord will not hear us; neither must we seek the kingdom of heaven, relying upon our own works, and merits: as did the proud Pharisie, for then the Lord will not regard us, but with the Apostle Paul, let us beg for the graces need full for our souls in all simplicity: and with the Publican for the kingdom of heaven in all humility: and then the Lord will give us those things which we desire, and then he will hear us in those things which we pray for: Ask, (saith Christ) and it shall be given you  
Thus much for the first thing observed in the invitation; Quid, what we must ask: the second thing observed, is Quomodo, how we must ask. For as the Lord will not hear us, if we do not ask those things, which be meet and convenient: so he will not grant our requests, unless we pray as we ought to do; therefore it is very necessary, for us to learn how to pray. Now if we will pray as we ought to do, we must pray after this manner, Innocenter, humiliter, fideliter, amanter, constanter, and audacter; innocently, humbly, faithfully, lovingly, constantly and boldly: for if with our prayers, these six virtues be not joined, innocency, humility, faith, charity, constancy, and courage, our prayers can be to no effect: neither can they enter into the Lords ears. For the two first: innocency and Humility, be the wings of prayer, whereby our prayers pierce the skies, and ascend to heaven gates. The second two, Faith and Charity▪ be the keys of heaven gates, to let in our prayers when they are ascended: and the third two, Constancy and boldness, be prayers advocates to deliver our prayers unto the Lords ears, and to plead for such things as we pray for. Now if they want innocency or humility, our prayers cannot ascend: for they cannot fly without wings, neither will one wing suffice them to fly withal: If they want faith and charity, they cannot enter into heaven gates, although they do ascend; for heaven gates cannot be opened without these two keys: neither can one key open them. And if they want constancy and boldness, they cannot enter into the Lords ears; for unless these two prefer them, the Lord will listen to no petitions, neither dare one of these, come in God's presence without the other. So that we may see, if any one of these virtues be wanting, we had as good not to pray at all; for our prayers shall be in vain; and if with our prayers, these six virtues be joined, pray for what we will, (secundum voluntatem) according to his will, our prayers shall be heard, our requests shall be granted; he himself doth promise it, Ask, (saith Christ) it shall be given you.  
First, say, we must pray with innocency, with pure hearts, clean hands, innocent tongues, with hearts purified from idle thoughts, and worldly cogitations: Long est enim à Deo animus qui in oratione cogitationibus saeculi est occupatus: For that heart is far from God, which in the time of prayer is busied with the cares of this world. With hands washed from evil works, from all manner of wickedness and ungodliness; Citius enim ad preces index flectitur, si peccator à pravitate sua corrigatur: For the judge is sooner moved to listen unto us, when he sees our lives to be amended: with tongues seasoned with godly speeches, Nisi enim lingua sit pura, orationes impuras esse necess● est: For unless our tongues be pure, it must needs be that our prayers must be altogether unholy. Therefore when we come to pray, we must come with repentant hearts, with souls and bodies washed clean, with the tears of repentance, hating the sins that we have committed, hating ourselves for committing of sin, than our prayers shall be offered upon the Altar of our hearts, as the Lamb upon the Altar of the Tabernacle Exo: 2. without spot or blemish: Then our prayers will smell sweet, will be as a sweet savour in God's nostthrills; then our prayers will be powerful, and will wrest blessings from the Lord: Nay then the Lord will willingly hear us, and will willingly grant our requests: Si enim obedierimus Deo, obediet Deus orationibus nostris: If we serve God, God will not fail, but he will be sure to serve us. But if we come unto him, in the midst of our sins, having our hearts polluted with wicked imaginations, our tongues poisoned with odious blasphemies, and our hands besmeared with the blood of his only son, with the blood of Innocents, being full of wrongs and oppressions; hear what the Prophet Esay saith 1.15. When you spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea when you make many prayers, I will not hear you. Now we know that the Lord will not hear sinners, saith S. john 2.31. But as the Unicorn will not be taken with the singing voice of a corrupt, but of a pure Virgin: and as the fish, will not come into or suffer itself to be enclosed, in an impure vessel, which is before moistened, and besmeared with the blood of other fishes: So the Lord will not (as we may say) be taken, with the hymns, psalms nor songs, neither with the prayers of the wicked, and ungodly; neither is he inclined to hear those, whose hands be imbrued with cruelty, with wrongs and injuries, and the blood of poor innocents. The Prophet David often sung unto the Lord, often cried, often fasted, and often prayed, yet hear what he saith Psal. 66.8. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. For as Bernard saith, Neque ietunium, neque silentium, neque vigilia, neque orationes, & alia bona opera grata sunt Deo, ubi virtus obedientiae deest: Neither fasting, nor silence, nor watching, nor praying, neither any good works, are acceptable unto God. if obedience unto his laws he wanting in us: for to obey is better than sacrifice, to hearken is better than the fat of Lambs. Therefore when we come to pray, with David let us wash our hands in innocency, let us cleanse our prayers in the deep sighs of contrition, let us wash them in the watery ears of Attrition, and imbrue them in virtuous actions, and in holy cogitations, than they will shine in the Lord's sight, than they will sound in the Lords ears, than they will turn unto us not empty, but laden with many blessings.  
The second virtue, that we must join with our prayers, is Humility; thy prayers must be humble; thou must pray, verecundo affectu, not daring to speak unto the Lord, with the woman, Luk. 8. Et duro affectu, not daring to appear in his sight, with the woman Luk. the 7. In the 8 of Luke, the woman who had the issue of blood, being ashamed to speak to JESUS; she durst no more but touch the hem of his garment: and Mary Magdalen in the 7. of Luke, being ashamed to appear in his presence, she stood behind him weeping, being wonderfully affectioned, she washed his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. When we pray, let us be ashamed of ourselves, let us be ashamed to come before God, let us stand a far off, with the Publican, let us hold down our heads, knock our breasts, and judge ourselves altogether unworthy to be heard, or to be regarded of the Almighty, and then our prayers from our lowly hearts, will no question fly unto the highest heavens: Nam quando humilis oratio fuerit, (saith S. Bernard) coelum sine dubio penetrabit, unde certum est, quod vacua redire non possit; When our prayer is humble, it will without all question, pierce into the highest heavens, from whence it can by no means return empty. Let me speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes, saith the holy father Abraham: He was a holy Patriarch, a man of great substance, one beloved of God, one who was reputed faithful, and one in whose seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed; yet we may see, how in his prayer he humbleth himself; he brags not of his riches, he boasts not in his good works, he glories not in his promised posterity, but acknowledgeth from whence he came, namely, out of the earth; he confesseth what he is, made of, Dust and Ashes; and as dust and ashes he humbles himself at God's feet, before he durst make his prayer unto him: Haec est vera oratio this is true prayer, which is made in all humility: so saith Gregory in his Mor: Ille Deo veram orationem exhibet, qui semetipsum cognoscit, quia pulvis humiliter vi it, qui nihil sibi virtutis tribuit, qui bona quae ugit, esse de misericordia conditoris agnoscit: He prays rightly unto God, (saith he) which knows himself to be but just and ashes, who attributes no goodness unto himself, but ascribes all unto his Lord and maker. So did the Prophet David, who makes himself a worm and no man, he makes himself a worm the least of all creatures, and by that means, becomes to be one of the greatest in God's favour: He sinned, and acknowledged his sins, he prayed in all humility, and by his humble confession and lowly prayers, he obtained pardon for all his transgressions. So must we pray, if we will be heard, if we will have our prayers ascend: we must descend, not down into earth, but cast ourselves upon the earth: we must become lowly in our own eyes, and little in our own conceits, if we will have our prayers mount, if with the archer we will have our arrow fly very high, if we will have our prayers fly to the highest: we must bend backward very low, we must humble ourselves in all humility and then they will pierce the skies, for the prayers of him that humbleth himself, (saith the son of Sirach) Eccle: 35.14. goeth through th' clouds, and ceaseth not until it come near: and will not departed until the most high have respect thereunto.  
The third virtue that we must join with our prayers is faith, we must Credere Deum, we must believe that there is a God that doth hear our prayers and we must Credere Deo, we must believe that God, who doth hear our prayers, will perform our requests, it he shall see them convenient for us: If we do not believe there is a God, how shall we call upon him; How shall they call upon him, in whom they have not believed? saith the Apostle Paul, Rom. 10.14. And if we do not believe, that this God will hear us, and will grant our requests, let us never look to receive any blessing, so saith S. james, speaking of the wavering-minded man; Let not that man (saith he) think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord, jam. 1.7. If any man lack wisdom, let him ask, and it shall be given him: But let him ask in faith, and waver not, for he that wavereth (as you may read in the former verses) is like unto the waves of the sea tossed in the wind, and carried away, he is unconstant in all his actions, and therefore unconstant in all his prayers; he believes every thing, and therefore he believes nothing: as the waves of the sea be tossed here and there, and seldom at quiet; so his mind never rests upon one thing, but he is subject to much variableness, for now he thinks he shall be heard, presently he thinks not, sometimes he thinks that there is a God, another time doubts whether there be or no; at one time he make no question of God's ability and all-sufficiency, another time he makes a question, as in his actions doth plainly appear, whether God can hear if his necessity should require. How can God hear this man, who is so suspicious of him? he cannot hear him: and why? because he doth not pray; for prayer without faith, is no prayer at all. Sola enim fides invocat eaque sola impetrat, fieri enim potest ut citra fidem quis Deo placeat: For it is faith only that prays, it is faith only that calls upon God, and without faith it is impossible to please him. Hebr. 11.6. for he that cometh to God must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him. Therefore saith our Saviour Christ, Mar. 11.24. I say unto ye, whatsoever you desire when you pray, believe that ye shall have it, and 〈◊〉 be done unto you. This counsel the Prophet David took Psal. 17.6. I have called upon thee, o God, for thou shalt hear me: and in the 55.17. As for me I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me. He prayed without wavering, he prayed without doubting; he was so confident in prayer, that he said the Lord should hear him: he binds God to perform that which he promiseth. God promiseth to hear all those who faithfully call upon him, and therefore David according to God's promise will be heard. This counsel of our Saviour Christ let us also embrace, that which we pray for, let us make no question but to obtain; let not the least doubt at all enter into us; let us pray without doubting, and then without doubt we shall be heard.  
The fourth virtue that we must join with our prayers is Charity; and if we will have this virtue Charity accompany our prayers, dandun est egentibus, ignoscendum est delinquentibus & orandum est pro omnibus: We must give to others, we must forgive others, and we must pray for others. We must give unto others, we must join with our prayers, Alms; and then our prayers and our Alms shall come up into remembrance before God, as did the prayers and Alms of Cornelius, Act: 10. Then our prayers will enter into the Lords ears, Esay 58.7. Deal thy bread to the hungry; bring the poor that wander unto thine house, and when thou seest the naked cover him, then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer, thou shalt cry, and he shall say, here I am. Secondly, we must forgive others, if we ourselves will be forgiven, we must forgive them that trespass against us: It is a petition we daily use, Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. Thus we say: Sed vide quid dicas (saith Ambrose) quomodo dimitto sic & tu dimit mihi, si dimiseris, bene convenit ut dimittat tibi: si non dimiseris, quomodo convenit ut tibi dimittat? Take heed and mark well what thou sayest, as I forgive, so do thou O Lord forgive me; if thou dost forgive, it agrees well that God should forgive thee: but if thou dost not forgive, it doth not agree with God's justice to forgive thee thy sins committed against him. If thou dost not forgive, thou shalt not be forgiven; if thou showest no mercy, thou shalt find no mercy in the time of need; for there shall be judgement merciless to him that showeth no mercy, saith S. James. 2.13. Quod serimus metimus, quod damus accipimus: That which we sow we shall reap, that which we give we shall receive. If we sow no forgiveness, we shall reap none; if we give no forgiveness, no forgiveness shall be given unto us when we pray for it. Therefore saith our Saviour Christ Mar. 11.25. But when you shall stand and pray forgive, if you have any thing against any man, that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses: for if you will not forgive, your Father which is in heaven will not pardon you your trespasses. Thirdly, we must pray for others: We must pray for all men, first of all sorts: I will that first of all supplications and prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men, for Kings and all that are in authority; for all men: that is, for all that be the children of election, for those that be of the household of Faith: For all men, that is, for all men in general: for if we be bound by the words of the Apostle to do good unto all men, I see no reason, no more do many other Divines, which I have read upon this place, but that likewise we should pray for all men; be they either Turks, infidels, heathen, the enemies of God, or the enemies of ourselves; we must pray for their conversion, if it be the will of God, that they may be converted. But most especially we that be Christians, we that be of the household of Faith, we ought to pray for one another; Charity bids us, God commands us: Non dicimus, pater meus, (saith Cyprian de orat: Dom●) sed noster, nec da mihi, sed da nobis, quia Christianitatis magister, noluit pri●atim precem fieri, ut scilicet quis prose tant●m precetur: unum enim orare pro omnibus voluit, quando in uno omnes ipse portavit. We do not say when we pray, as Christ hath commanded us, my Father, but our Father; nor, give unto me, but give unto us: because he that is master of Christi anitie, would not that private prayer should be made, that is, that a man should pray for himself only, or for his private household: but he would have us to pray for all in one, because as all in one he hath borne our infirmities. And the same Father writing upon Matthew, useth these words: Pro se orare necessitas cogit, pro alijs autem Charitas fraternitatis hortatur: To pray for ourselves, necessity compels us; to pray for others, brotherly charity exhorts us. Let us therefore when we do pray, pray not only for ourselves, but for others; not only for our friends, but for our enemies; not only for some particular men, but for all men in general. Pray for one another (saith S. james) that ye may be healed, for the prayer of the righteous man availeth much if it be fervent. jam. 5.16.  
Fiftly, we must pray with constancy, with perseverance, holding out unto the end: Pray continually (saith the Apostle Paul, Thessaly: 5.17. that is, continue in prayer: not all the time of your lives; for the Wiseman saith, Eccles. 3.1. That to all things there is an appointed time, a time to be borne, a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted, a time to weep and a time to laugh. But he would have us spend as much time as may be in prayer: we must with our Saviour if need require, spend whole nights in prayer: we must with Daniel, pray thrice a day, in the morning, at noon, and at night: we must begin our work with prayer, go forward with prayer, end it with prayer: and not only do thus one day, but all the days of our lives; we must hold out unto the end, and then we shall obtain the crown. Let perseverance plead for thee, and then thou shalt be surely heard: leave not the Lord, but call upon him continually from time to time, and at the end he will hear thee. The Cananitish woman with her constancy and perseverance in calling upon Christ, moved him to heal her daughter: the borrower of three loaves of bread, with his often knocking, obtained his request: and the widow with her importunity, moved the unrighteous judge, to do her justice: And shall not God avenge his? shall he not hear his Elect, which day and night call upon him? yea though he suffer them long, I tell you he will avenge them, he will hear them, and that quickly. If we continue to call upon God, he will hear us although not at the first time, yet at the second; if not at the second, yet at the third; if not at the third time, yet at many times; if not at many times, yet once amongst many times he will hear. And if he once hear us, we shall be sure to have, that which is convenient for us; and if before he had seen it necessary for us, we should without all question have had it. Fideliter enim supplicans Deo (saith Aug. in lib. Sent:) misericorditer auditur, & misericorditer non auditur, quid enim infirmo sit utilius, novit magis medicus quam aegrotus: He that makes his faithful and humble supplication unto God, in mercy he is heard, and in mercy he is not heard: because he who is the physician of our souls knows better what is needful for us, than we who be his weak patients. Therefore let us be constant in calling upon God and continue to cry unto him: knowing that although he tarry long, that yet at last he will hear us to our greater benefit.  
Sixtly and lastly we must pray with courage, with boldness, the Devil must not scare us, desperation must not out face us, our sins must not dismay us: but throwing down the devil, casting aside desperation, treading down our sins under our feet, let us run unto our redeemer, fly unto the mercies of our creator, and lay hold upon them: then let the devil roar against thee like a roaring lion, desperation assault thee like a hellish hag, and thy sins encounter thee like so many enemies, yet thou needs not fear, for thy redeemer will defend thee, & the mercy of thy creator will overshadow thee, though the Devil whisper in thy conscience & tell thee, that it is needless for thee to pray, yet pray: the Devil is a liar, be not ruled by him: though desperation tell thee that there is no hope of pardon; yet for all that pray for pardon & believe me thou shalt have it: though thy sins say they be greater than can be forgiven: mentiuntur peccata, thy sins lie; for the mercies of God be greater than thy sins, if they were ten thousand more than they be. If thou beest bold, and of a stout courage, the devil cannot hurt thee, for as Lactantius reports, the Devil hurts none, but the fainthearted: And if thou dost confidently trust in the mercies of God, thou shalt be saved, let thy sins and desperation do what they can against thee. Pray boldly and the Lord will hear thee although thou be'st in depth of misery, yet he will hear thee in height of mercy. Si turbata fuerit anima (saith one) memor esto multitudinis misericordiae eius, & respira in eum. If thy mind be troubled, be mindful of the mercies of God: and stay thyself upon them. By all means be not faint hearted, for ex pusillanimitate spiritus, & timore immoderato, impeditur oratio. For there is no greater enemy unto thy prayers, then faint heartedness and immoderate fear. Qui enim timide rogat docet negare: for he that asketh fearfully, teacheth him of whom he begs how to deny him. Pray therefore boldly and with a confident courage, seek to thy creator: although in respect of thyself and thy sins, thou mayest fear: yet in respect thou hast a loving Saviour, and a merciful creator, thou mayst be bold: let boldness plead for thee, and then thou may'st be bold to expect thy desires, for boldness will have no denial, but will be heard.  
Thus have I showed you how we must pray in respect of the inward man, the outward manner of praying, the Lord doth not so much regard: I mean the outward gesture of ours, which we use when we do pray: some when they pray fall upon their knees, as Daniel when he prayed thrice a day our Saviour Christ, when he prayed in the garden: & Paul when he prayed for the church of the gentiles: Ephe. 3. others lift up their hands to heaven: as Solomon. 1. kings. 8. others, cast up their faces, Mat. 16. others lie groveling: Psal. 35. some, humble themselves in sackcloth: jonas. 3. some pray sitting, as Elias. Kings. 19 some standing Luke. 18. some lying upon their beds: as Ezekia. 1. King: 20. These indeed be the signs of an humble mind: for as one saith, Humiliatio corporis, est signum humilitatis mentis: that the humility of the body, is a sign of the humbleness of the mind: Yet it skilleth not how we pray outwardly, either sitting, kneeling, lying, walking, or standing, speaking or not speaking for it is not the body that the Lord looks upon: neither is it the words that he doth respect: but it is the heart. If we pray with an humble heart we shallbe heard: pray after what manner we will pray. For (as Isidorus saith in his book de summo bono:) oratio cordis est non labiorum, neque enim verba deprecantis, deus intendit: sed orantis cor aspicit: melius est enim cum silentio orare, cord sine sono vocis quam solis verbis sine intuitu mentis. Prayer (saith he) doth not belong unto the body but unto the heart, neither is it the words of him that prays, that the Lord doth mark: but he beholds the heart for it is better to pray with silence, with the heart without the voice: then with words with the voice, without the heart. And so much concerning the invitation, both quid what we must pray for: and quomodo, how we must ask; the promise follows: in which if you remember, I observed these two things: the promiser: and the thing promised: in the promiser: I observe also two things: his ability, in that he is able to perform, whatsoever he promiseth: secondly his willingness, that whatsoever he promiseth he is willing to perform. And first of the ability of the promiser, who is able to perform whatsoever he promiseth. If we do but consider with ourselves, who the promiser is, we cannot make any doubt at all, of the thing promised: the promiser is God, and not such a God, who is without motion, who hath no ears to hear, no eyes to see, no tongue to speak, no hands to give: but such a God, who hears all things, who gives all things, who sees all things, who is able to do all things, whatsoever him pleaseth, both in heaven and earth: his name shows his nature, he is powerful jehova, Quod infinitum significat; which signifies infinite. Infinite in greatness, infinite in majesty, infinite in mercy, infinite in power, able to do things impossible to man's capacity, and to bring that to pass, which the reach of man cannot imagine. The Hebrues call him Ethau; Quod fortem significat; which signifies strong, and mighty; Quoniam omnipotens est, because he is Almighty: In Greek he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifies Currens, running; quia ubique est, & omnia implet sua illa infinita essentia; because at one time he is able to be, and is every where, and with his infinite essence fill all places. And in Latin he is called Deus, à do, ●as, which signifies to Give, quia omne datum optimum de sursum est, because he is able to give all good gifts, and because every good gift comes from him. He is Clemens & misericors ad dimittendum, potens ad auxiliandum, ad beatificandum copiosus: He is pitiful and merciful, to forgive; strong and mighty to help; and to bless most bountiful. He is called a Rock, a fortress, a strong tower, a shield, a horn of salvation, a refuge, the Lord of hosts, able to deliver us from ten thousand enemies: He is the Angel of great counsel, wisdom and understanding, able to direct us in all our consultations. He is the Treasurer of the earth, and all that is therein; the world, and they that dwell therein, able to relieve us in all our wants and necessities. He is the only earthly and heavenly Physician, able to cure all our maladies: and he is the only Comforter, able to secure us in all our miseries. The gods of the Gentiles, be stocks & stones: the gods of Papists, be crooked Crucifixes, which have ears and hear not, eyes and see not, tongues and speak not, the works of men's hands, the devices of men's wit, made of base earth, of rotten wood, of consuming metal: but our God is the Creator of the deviser of these gods, who is able and will confound these gods and godmakers. Our God hath ears to hear, and able to hear all in all places; eyes to see all in all countries; hands to give, able to satisfy all that be in need; whose hands be always open to give unto them, which faithfully call upon him. Let us not therefore be so ignorant with the Gentiles, as to pray unto Idols; nor so wilfully blind with the Papists, as to pray unto Saints or Angels, who be the creatures, of our Creator: but let us pray unto the Almighty jehova, the Lord of Hosts, who is only able to help; who is only able to deliver us, in the time of trouble. Call upon me (saith the Lord, Ps. 50 15.) in the day of trouble; so will I deliver thee: Here is no mention of any Idol, here is no mention of any Saint or Angel; therefore let us not turn the glory of the incorruptible God, to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man, of birds, of four-footed beasts, & of creeping things, Rom. 1.23 for cursed be the Image & Image-maker Deut. 2.15. Neither let us give the worship of the Creator unto the creature, and direct our prayers unto Saints or Angels, which we should direct unto God. For the Angel in the Revelation, which forbade john to worship him, is able to satisfy a million of Papists, and sufficiently to prove unto them, that neither Saint nor Angel is to be worshipped. They know not when we pray, nor how we pray, nor how we pray, nor for what we pray: how can they then give & grant unto us, that which we pray for? there is neither Angel or Virgin, nor Patriarch, Saint or Martyr (saith S. Augustin. in his book de cura promat:) that knows, more what we do in earth, than we know what they do in heaven. Which he proves by this place of Esay 63.16. doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, & Israel know us not; yet thou o Lord art our father and redeemer, thy name is for ever. There is neither Abraham, nor Isaac, nor jacob, neither any Angel in heaven, knows what we do upon earth, more than God himself reveals unto them at such time as he is to use them upon his message. If only God be our Lord, & if he only is able to hear and see, and to relieve our necessities; then is he only to be called upon, according to the commandment of our Saviour Christ, Matth. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you. He is able and only able, to secure us in all our wants & necessities: in the time of pestilence, he is only able to send deliverance: in the time of famine, he is only able to send sustenance: in the time of drought, he is only able to open rivers in the tops of hills, & fountains in the midst of the valleys. When the poor and the needy seek for water (saith the Lord by the Prophet Esay 41.17, 18.) and there is none; so that their tongue faileth for thirst. I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them, I will open the rivers in the tops of the hills, and fountains in the midst of the valleys, I will make the wilderness as a pool of water, and the waste lands as springs of waters. Seeing therefore it is he & he only, that can help and send relief, let us with the Prophet David, take him only for our rock, and fortress, and Call upon the Lord only who is only worthy to be praised. And as he is able, so he is willing; he is as willing to hear us, as we are to cry; as willing to help us, as we are to request: he invites us, he bids us ask; and withal promiseth to hear us, and it shall be given you, saith he: he is willing to hear us, and therefore he bids us ask; and because we should ask, he promiseth to grant those things that we do ask. God promiseth nothing, but that he would have us ask of him: and therefore he promiseth it, because we should ask it. Deus (saith a Father) vult à se requiri quod pollicetur: & ideo multa quae dare disposuit, prius pollicetur, ut ex promissione devotio excitetur: God (saith he) would have us challenge his promises, and therefore those things which he purposes to bestow upon us, he first promiseth, to stir up our devotion to pray for them. Ipse facit ut ipsum quaramus, atque invocemus: he himself is the cause that we seek unto him, & call upon him. He calls us and bids us come, & if we do come, he tells us, that we shall have, that for which we come. Come ye oppressed, come ye grieved, come ye distressed, come ye vexed, come all that are heavy laden, and ye shall have ease, Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden, and I will ease you: he cries unto us, he makes proclamation, to the poor & the needy, to the hungry & thirsty, either corporally or spiritually: If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and I will satisfy him, joh. 6.35. he invites us to come unto him, that is, to pray unto him; not once but many times; not in one place, but in many places. In the 26 of Mat: Watch & pray (saith he): Pray continually, 1 Thes. 5.17 Continue in prayer, Col. 4. Be sober and watching in prayer, 1 Pet: 4.7. All which promises, & all which places, show unto us, how willing the Lord is to help us, when we pray, seeing he is so desirous, that we should pray, whensoever we pray, and whatsoever we pray; for he is at hand to help. For what nation is so great (saith Moses) unto whom the gods come so near unto them, as the Lord our God is near unto us, in all that we call unto him for? Deut. 4 7. yea, before we call upon him, he will answer us, and whilst we speak, he will hear us, Esay 65.24. Though he withdraw his hand from us, for a time; we must not think, that his arm is altogether shortened, & though a while he hide his face from us, we must not think that he will be angry with us for ever; for his arm is not shortened, that it cannot help; neither doth his anger endure longer than the twinkling of an eye. If he be forced to plague us, he is sorry for our afflictions; and willingly would he help us, if we would come for help unto him: O jerusalem, jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered you together, as the hen doth her chickens, and you would not? As the mother is willing to help her children, and the hen naturally her young ones: so is the Lord as willing to help those, which willingly call upon him. He is so willing to hear us, and to help us in all our necessities, that if in our afflictions, we do do not come unto him, he is angry with us, and lays the more crosses and troubles upon us, to make us more speedily, to seek unto him. Thus he dealeth with us, in the time of his plague & visitation: thus he dealeth with us in the time of famine: thus he dealeth with us in the time of drought: thus he dealeth with us, in the crosses, plagues, and punishments, that he layeth upon us: he suffers them to tarry the longer upon us, & to be more grievous unto us, because he being willing to help us, we are unwilling & negligent in going un to him for help. If the plague continue at any time any long season in our land; if the windows of heaven be long shut, so that the earth is dried up for lack of moisture (as now of late it hath been): let us not think, that it is the Lords fault, and that he is unwilling to hear us when we pray: for indeed it is our own faults; for either we do not pray at all; or else we prolong to pray; or else we mingle our prayers with murmurings or grudge, praying not as we ought to do: for if we do pray, and pray as we ought to do, the Lord without all question, will hear us without all fail; he will help us, and for the time that he hath plagued us, he will comfort us, & for the time of scarcity, he will send us a time of abundance: for the Lord will be found of those that seek him: if we seek him, we shall be sure to find him Ego diligentes me ailigo, Prou. 8.17. I love them (saith he) which love me; and they that seek me early, shall find me. Seeing therefore, that he would have us pray unto him, and if we do not pray, when we stand in need, he is offended: I say, as Cassiodorus says upon the Psalms, justum est ut iugiter rogetur, qui si non peratur, offenditur. It is meet and requisite, that we should pray unto him, seeing he is so willing to help us; that if we neglect to pray, he is offended with us. And also seeing the promises of Christ, both to give and forgive: to give graces and other necessaries; to forgive sins and offences, be so many; and seeing he that hath power, it is he that hath promised; we may be fully resolved of this point, that as he is able, so he is willing; and promising, he willingly will perform, whatsoever he promiseth. And thus much of his ability, & of his willingness, in that he is able to perform, whatsoever he promiseth; & in that whatsoever he promiseth, he is willing to perform.  
Now I am to speak of the thing promised, of the generality of it, in this word, It: then of the certainty of it, in this word, Shall, it shall be given you: Ask, and it shall be given you. And first of the generality of the gift: it is general; he excepts nothing from us, which is good for us; if it be convenient, it shall be given us: be it what it will be, that we do ask; be it what it will be, that we need, he can give it us, he can bestow it upon us. Quicquid enim opus est ipse habet: for whatsoever is needful for man, he hath it, and whatsoever we can desire, it is in his hand to give: Wouldst thou have life, and dost thou desire to see long days? wouldst thou feign go to heaven, and dost thou not know the way? dost thou desire to search the scriptures, and wouldst feign be acquainted with the truth? ask them of God; he can give thee them: he can give thee life: he can show the way unto heaven, & acquaint thee with the truth: for Ego sum vita, via, & veritas: He himself is the way, the truth, & the life, & none can go unto the father but by him, joh. 14.6. Dost thou want the sight of the body, the light of thine eyes, which is more precious unto thee then all the gold & precious things in the world? go unto the fountain of light, go unto God, & he can give thee it. Est enim lux à Deo splendens, ut inaccessibilis dicatur: for he is a light so gloriously shining, that no mortal man can, or ever could, once behold or come near him. Dost thou want reason & wouldst feign have understanding? Intellectum tibi dabo, saith the Lord in the Psalms, I will give thee wisdom. If thou be'st hungry, he is the bread of life; unto whom if thou goest, thou shall never hunger, joh. 6.35. If thou be'st thirst, he is the true vine, of which whosoever tasteth, shall never thirst. joh. 15 1. whereupon saith S. Amb: Christus via est omnibus si vulnera curare desideras, medicus est: si fabribus aestuas, fons est: si gravaris iniquitace, justitia est: si auxilio iudiges virius est: si morien times, vita est: si coetum desideras, uta est: si tenebras fugis, lux est: si cibunquaeris, alimentum est. Christ is all unto all: if thou art wounded and desirest to be healed, he is a physician: if thou art possessed with a burning fever, he is the fountain wherein thou mayst cool thee: if (with Mary Magdalen) thou hast seven devils in thee, he is thy righteousness, which must cleanse thee from thy filthiness: if thou be'st oppressed, & wantest one to secure thee, he is thy power that must defend thee: if thou fearest death, he is the life: if thou wouldst obtain heaven, he is the way: if thou fliest darkness, he is the light: & if thou be'st hungry, he is thy food; therefore saith S. Augustin: cur per mult a vagaris homuncio, quaerenda bona anima & corporis, quaere unum bonum, in quo sunt omnia bona, & suffi●it: ibi enim est quicquid amas, quicquid desideras, Wherefore dost thou o man (saith he) weary thyself in going about, seeking for the goods of the body and the soul, seek one thing, which is Christ, in whom is all things, & thou hast enough: for in him is all things, that thou lovest, all things that thou desirest; & he will deny thee nothing, that thou dost faithfully call unto him for, he has all things, & he can do all things; thou canst not ask, that thing at his hand, which he will not grant thee, if with fervent prayer thou desirest it. For so great is the force of prayer, that there is nothing that can withstand it: if prayer once command it, be it a thing unpossible, it must obey: contrary to all natural reason; if Paul be in prison and pray for deliverance, the prison doors must open of their own accord: and his bands fall from him contrary to all expectation. The child of God must have deliverance, or else the foundation of the prison must be shaken by the power of heaven. Acts. 16.26. If Peter be in prison, another child of God, although he be kept & watched, by two soldiers, bound with to chains the prison doors watched by two soldiers, bound with two chains, the prison doors watched by the prison keeper: yet if the church, that is the children of God, pray for him: the angel of the Lord must come himself, the child of God must be loosed, and Peter, (do the soldiers what they can with their weapons, the bands what they can with their strengths, the prison doors what they can, with their bolts, & the prison keepers what they can with there narrow watching) must be delivered, must go out of prison conducted by the Angel, Act: 12.7. The Israelites being oppressed by the Philistines. 1. Sam. 7.8. they come to Samuel & desire him to pray, & cry unto the Lord for them: Samuel cried unto the Lord; and the Israelites were delivered as you may read in the 10. verse. The Lord sent his thunder, which fought for them after a most wonderful manner: that scattered them so, that they all lay slain before Israel. And josua by his prayer: Ios: 18.14. made the sun to stand still in the firmament after it had run his ordinary course: he made it (I say) stand still to give him light, until he had made an end of slaying his enemies▪ O potens praecatio! O powerful prayer! that cammandes all things. It commands the Angels in heaven, for at the prayer of Hezekia. 2. king. 19.35. The Angel of the Lord smote a hundred fourscore & five thousand of the soldiers of blaspheming Saneherib in one night, so that in the morning they were all found dead corpses. It commands the heavens, for at the prayer of Elias the heavens were locked up for three years, & six months, so that no reign fell upon the earth in all that time: & again he prayed & the heaven gave reign & the earth brought forth her fruit. James. 5.17. It commands God judgements: for at the prayer of Aaron, the plague (that great judgement of God) being begun among the Israelites ceased. Numb: 16.47.48. It commandeth Gods afflictions: for at the prayer of Moses Miriam was healed of her leprosy Numb. 12.14. And at the prayer of the man of God, jeroboams hand that was dried up, was restored. 1. King. 13.6. It commands the barren womb, for Anna being childless, praying unto the Lord, obtained a son: 1. Sam. 1.20 It commands life, for at the prayer of Eliah, the widows son of Zarepthah being dead was restored unto life. 1. King: 17. At the prayer of Elisha, the Shunamites son being dead was revived. 2. King. 4.35. And at the prayer of Paul, the sleeper, which fell down dead, was carried away alive. Act: 20.9. Superat tentamenta inimicorum, vincit demones, superat immundos spiritus, It beats down the temptations of our enemies, overcomes devils, drives away unclean spirits: & dominum mundi flectere vota valent. Martial: lib. 8. epig: ad Domit. Prayer commands God himself, makes God obedient unto man's voice: and when our prayers cannot come unto God's ears, it brings Gods ears unto our prayers. Ask therefore and it shall be given thee, what soever thou dost ask, his promise is general: he will keep nothing from thee, if thou dost faithfully pray for it. Therefore in all thy needs & extremities pray: pray & thou shalt have help. If thou be'st in prison, pray for liberty, if thou be'st oppressed, pray for succour: if thou hast enemies pray for deliverance: if there be famine, pray for plenty: in the time of the plague, pray: if we want reign, pray: if thou art diseased pray: if thou art afflicted, pray: if thou art childless, pray: if thou art tempted, pray: pray: & thou shalt have what thou wilt: for Ask, & it shallbe given thee (saith christ). And so much for the generality, of the thing promised, which is laid down in this word It, It shall be given you. Now a word or two of the certainty of it, and so I will conclude. If he were not able to give us those things, which we ask, or if he were unwilling to grant our desires, than we might well fear the obtaining of our requests; but he is able to help us, & he is willing to hear us, as we have heard in the two last points: if he were a stranger unto us, or an enemy against us, that might breed suspicion in us; or if he were only a familiar friend, or a near kinsman, still we might doubt of the matter: but he is no stranger, neither is he an enemy, for he is of our familiar acquaintance, with whom whensoever we pray, we talk familiarly: as S Aug: saith upon the 85 Psalm: Oratio tua locutia est ad deum: quando legis, deus tibi loquitur: quando oras tu cum deo loqueris. Thy prayer (saith he) is a talking unto God, when thou readest, then God speaks unto thee: but when thou prayest, than thou talkest with God: Nay, he is not only our familiar acquaintance, but he is also near unto us, as near as possible can be: for he is our father: our father by creation, our father in education, our father in instruction, our father in compassion, our father in correction, our father in adoption, as M. Boys wittily observes in his exposition on the Lord's prayer. He is our father, and therefore wisheth us well; he is our father in heaven, where there is all good things, & nothing wanting, & can give us all good things. Therefore I will end, with this admonition of S. Bern: Nemo nostrum, parvi pendat orationem svam: dico cuin vobis, quod ipse ad quem oramus, non parvi pendat eam: postquam egressa est ab ore nostro, ipse scribit ipsam in libro suo: & unum è duobus indubitanter sperare possimus, quoniam aut dabit quod petimus, aut quod novit utiliꝰ. Let no man set lightly by his prayer: for I say, that God doth greatly esteem of it, after it is once out of our mouths: & doth write it in his book, & without all doubt, we shall have one of two; either we shall have that, which we pray for; or else we shall have that, that is more profitable for us.  
FINIS.