The sermons of Master Henry Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his…The sermons of Maister Henrie Smith gathered into one volume. Printed according to his…

Sixthly, it is such a profitable things, that it doth more good than […]: for with mine alms, I help but three or four: but with my prayer I help thousands Prayer is the rich-mans alms as well as the poor mans. For Pharaoh begged for prayers as well as Lazarus begged for crumbs.

Sixtly, it is such a profitable things, that it doth more good than 〈…〉: for with mine almes, I helpe but three or foure: but with my praier I helpe thousandes Praier is the rich-mans almes as well as the poore mans. For Pharaoh begged for praiers as well as Lazarus begged for cromes.

Lastly, it is victorious and powerful, that it overcometh God himself which overcometh all things. For if we will overcome our Lord as Jacob did we must overcome him with prayer. ¹This God showeth when he saith to Jeremiah: ²Pray not for this ⟨p. 863⟩people. Showing that the prayer of the righteous is of such force and power, that God is fain to forbid them to pray when he would not grant, lest he should be over come. This Christ showeth again, when he resembleth his father to the deaf Judge,³ and his suppliants to the importunate woman which cried upon him, and made him hearken to her, as if she had compelled him. Therefore one compareth prayer unto Samsons hair: As all Samsons strength lay in his hair,⁴ so all our strength lieth in prayer. I have read of many which write, that they did learn more by praying than they could by reading. And I have heard some say, that they have done that by prayer, which they could not do by counsel▪ In the 17. of Exodus, we read that the Jews prevailed more by prayer, than they could by fight. Therefore one saith: that he which can pray can do all things, because he can overcome God which helpeth him to do all things. And he which can overcome God, can overcome the devil too, which hindereth all things.