A Golden Chain

Well then, this also is Gods commandment, to pray. Let this consideration breed in thee a conscience of this duty: and although thy corrupt nature shall draw thee away from it, yet strive to the contrary, and know it certainly, that •he breach of this commandment makes thee as well guilty of damnation before ⟨p. 529⟩God as any other. Furthermore, this must be a motive to prick thee forward to this duty, that as God commands us to pray, so also he gives the spirit of prayer, whereby the commandment is made easy unto us. If the Lord had commanded a thing impossible, then there had been some cause of discouragement, but commanding a thing through the grace of his spirit very easy and profitable: how much more are we bound to obedience of the same? Again, prayer is the key whereby we open the treasures of GOD, and pull down his mercies upon us. For as the preaching of the word serves to declare and to convey unto us Gods graces: so in prayer we come to have a lively feeling of the same in our hearts. And further, this must move us to prayer, seeing in that, we have familiarity with Gods majesty. It is an high favour for a man to be familiar with a prince; how much more then to be familiar with the king of kings the mighty Jehovah? This then can be no burden or trouble unto us, being one of the many prerogatives that god bestows on his church. For in the preaching of the word, it pleased God to talk to us, and in prayer, God doth vouchsafe us this honour, to speak, and as it were familiarly to talk with him, not as to a fearful Judge, but as to a loving and merciful God.

Well then, this also is Gods commandement, to pray. Let this consideration breed in thee a conscience of this dutie: and although thy corrupt nature shall draw thee away from it, yet striue to the contrarie, and know it certainly, that •he breach of this commandement makes thee as well guilty of damnation before ⟨p. 529⟩God as any other. Furthermore, this must be a motiue to pricke thee forward to this dutie, that as God commands vs to praie, so also he giues the spirit of praier, whereby the commandement is made easie vnto vs. If the Lord had commaunded a thing impossible, then there had beene some cause of discouragement, but commaunding a thing through the grace of his spirit very easie and profitable: how much more are we bound to obedience of the same? Againe, praier is the key whereby we open the treasures of GOD, and pull down his mercies vpon vs. For as the preaching of the word serues to declare and to conuey vnto vs Gods graces: so in praier wee come to haue a liuely feeling of the same in our hearts. And further, this must mooue vs to praier, seeing in that, we haue familiaritie with Gods maiestie. It is an high fauour for a man to be familiar with a prince; howe much more then to bee familiar with the king of kings the mightie Iehoua? This then can be no burthen or trouble vnto vs, being one of the many prerogatiues that god bestows on his church. For in the preaching of the word, it pleased God to talke to vs, and in praier, God doth vouchsafe vs this honour, to speake, and as it were familiarly to talk with him, not as to a fearefull Iudge, but as to a louing and mercifull God.