The second tome of homilies of such matters as were promised, and entitled in…The second tome of homilees of such matters as were promised, and intituled in…

Therefore most fond and foolish is the opinion and reason of those men, which therefore think all prayer to be superfluous and vain, because God searcheth the heart and the reins, and knoweth the meaning of the spirit before we ask. For if this fleshly and carnal reason were sufficient to disannul prayer: then why did ⟨p. 231⟩our saviour Christ so often cry to his disciples, ¹watch and pray? Why did he prescribe them a form of prayer, saying, when ye pray, pray after this sort: Our father which art in heaven ²&c. Why did he pray so often and so earnestly him self before his passion? Finally, why did the ³Apostles immediately after his ascension, gather them selves together into one several place, and there continue a long time in prayer? Either they must condemn Christ and his Apostles of extreme folly, or else they must needs grant that prayer is a thing most necessary for all men, at all times, and in all places. Sure it is, that there is nothing more expedient or needful for mankind in all the world, then prayer. Pray always (saith saint Paul) with all manner ⁴prayer and supplication, and watch thereto with all diligence. Also in another place he willeth us to pray continually without any intermission ⁵or ceasing, meaning thereby that we ought never to slack or faint in prayer, but to continue therein to our lives end. A number of other such places might here be alleged of like effect, I mean, to declare the great necessity & use of prayer: But what need many proofs in a plain matter? seeing there is no man so ignorant but he knoweth, no man so blind but he seeth, that prayer is a thing most needful in all estates and degrees of men. For only by the help hereof, we attain to those heavenly and everlasting treasures, which God our heavenly father hath reserved and laid up for his ⁶children in his dear and well beloved Son