O that I could engrave the love of it in your hearts, as with a Diamond, and so instill your minds, that my words might be pricks to your consciences, and thereby give you occasion to pray often. It is a wonderful matter to be able to persuade men: but if prayer be able to persuade the living God, O how great is the force thereof, it goeth through the clouds, and ceaseth not till it come near, and will not depart till the most high have respect thereunto. O that you would therefore pray often, and learn of Christ (the most absolute pattern of our life) to pray continually. He prayed in his baptism, in the wilderness, 1in preaching, in working of miracles, in his passion on the mount, in the garden, in his last supper, in commending his spirit to God at all times, and in all places, that he might leave unto us an example of the same It followeth. And pray to the Almighty. To those three former reasons which I brought, why we must seek and pray to GOD alone, I added this as a fourth: because there is none so able to help us as the Lord. He that trusteth in the Lord, shall be as mount Zion. If God be on our side, who can be against us? It is God that justifieth who condemneth? the Lord destroyeth the counsel of the heathen, he maketh their devices to be of no effect ⟨image 38⟩Christ is the Angel of great counsel, wisdom, and 2understanding, and there is no device against the Lord. The world notwithstanding is come to that frame, that every man hath got him a strange kind of belief, Some believe not the Law, but the Prophets: Some be persuaded in the Supremacy, but not in the Sacrament: some in free-will, but not in merit: Some in invocation on Saints, but not in Purgatory: Some in pilgrimages and pardons, but not in Images: Some like the doctrine well enough, but not the Preachers: the most believe little, yet many believe somewhat, few believe all: therefore to deal plainly, because plain dealing is best, you must not believe by the halves: I mean, you must not repose some trust in GOD, and some in Saints, but all in the Lord. 3The Gods of the Gentiles they have mouths and speak n•t, eyes and see not, ears and hear not: then what can be looked for at their hands? But the Lord is strong and mighty, a merciful God:
O that I could engraue the loue of it in your hearts, as with a Diamond, and so instill your mindes, that my words might bee prickes to your consciences, and thereby giue you occasion to pray often. It is a wonderfull matter to bee able to perswade men: but if prayer bee able to perswade the liuing God, O how great is the force thereof, it goeth through the clouds, and ceaseth not till it come neere, and will not depart till the most high haue respect thereunto. O that you would therefore pray often, and learne of Christ (the most absolute paterne of our life) to pray continually. Hee prayed in his baptisme, in the wildernesse, 1in preaching, in working of miracles, in his passion on the mount, in the garden, in his last supper, in commending his spirit to God at all times, and in all places, that hee might leaue vnto vs an example of the same It followeth. And pray to the Almightie. To those three former reasons which I brought, why wee must seeke and pray to GOD alone, I added this as a fourth: because there is none so able to helpe vs as the Lord. Hee that trusteth in the Lord, shall bee as mount Sion. If God bee on our side, who can bee against vs? It is God that iustifieth who condemneth? the Lord destroyeth the counsell of the heathen, hee maketh their deuices to bee of no effect ⟨image 38⟩Christ is the Angell of great counsell, wisedome, and 2vnderstanding, and there is no deuice against the Lorde. The world notwithstanding is come to that frame, that euery man hath got him a strange kinde of beleife, Some beleeue not the Lawe, but the Prophetes: Some bee perswaded in the Supremacie, but not in the Sacrament: some in free-will, but not in merite: Some in inuocation on Saintes, but not in Purgatorie: Some in pilgrimages and pardons, but not in Images: Some like the doctrine well enough, but not the Preachers: the most beleeue little, yet many beleeue somewhat, few beleeue all: therefore to deale plainely, because plaine dealing is best, you must not beleeue by the halfes: I meane, you must not repose some trust in GOD, and some in Saintes, but all in the Lord. 3The Gods of the Gentiles they haue mouthes and speake n•t, eyes and see not, eares and heare not: then what can be looked for at their hands? But the Lord is strong and mightie, a mercifull God:
- 1Luke. 6. John. 11. Mat. 26. John. 18. Luke 22. Luke. 23 Mat. 19. Psal. 40. Rom. 8. 2. Tim 4Luke. 6. Iohn. 11. Mat. 26. Iohn. 18. Luke 22. Luke. 23 Mat. 19. Psal. 40. Rom. 8. 2. Tim 4
- 2Psal. 83. Isaiah. 9. Pro. 2.Psal. 83. Esay. 9. Pro. 2.
- 3Psal. 10. 5
