The Institution of Christian Religion

This therefore we get by the benefit of prayer, that we attain to §2those riches which are laid up for us with the heavenly father. For there is a certain communicating of men with God, whereby they entering into sanctuary of heaven do in his own presence call to him touching his promises: that the same thing which they believed him affirming only in word not to be vain, they may when need so requireth find in experience. Therefore we see that there is nothing set forth to us to be looked for at the hand of the Lord, which we are not also commanded to crave with prayers: so true it is that by prayer are digged up the treasures, which our faith hath looked upon being showed to it by the gospel of the Lord. Now how necessary and how many ways profitable this exercise of prayer is, it can by no words be sufficiently declared. Undoubtedly it is not without cause that the heavenly father testifieth, that the only fortress of salvation is in the calling upon his name, namely whereby we call to us the presence both of his providence, by which he watcheth to take care of our ⟨image 294⟩matters: and of his power, by which he sustaineth us being weak & in a manner fainting: and of his goodness, by which he receiveth us into favour being miserably laden with sins: finally whereby we call him all whole, to give himself present to us. Hereby groweth singular rest and quietness to our consciences. For when we have disclosed to the Lord the necessity which distressed us, we largely rest though it were but in this only that none of our evils is hidden from him, whom we are persuaded both to be most well willing toward us, and most able to provide well for us.

This therefore we get by the benefit of prayer, that we atteyne to §2those richesses whiche are layed vp for vs with the heauenly father. For there is a certayne communicatyng of men with God, whereby they entryng into sanctuarie of heauen do in his owne presence cal to him touchyng his promises: that the same thyng whiche they beleued him affirmyng only in word not to be vayne, they maye when neede so requireth finde in experience. Therefore we see that there is nothing set forth to vs to be loked for at the hande of the Lord, whiche we are not also cōmaunded to craue with praiers: so true it is that by prayer are digged vp the treasures, which our fayth hath loked vpon beyng shewed to it by the gospell of the Lord. Now how necessarie and how many wayes profitable this exercise of prayer is, it can by no wordes be sufficiently declared. Undoutedly it is not without cause that the heauenly father testifieth, that the only fortresse of saluation is in the callyng vpon his name, namely whereby we call to vs the presence bothe of his prouidence, by whiche he watcheth to take care of our