A New Pathway Unto Prayer, Part 1
¶ What prayer is.
¶ The fyrste Chapter.
PRayer after the cōmon diffinicion of the Doctors, The diffinicion of prayer.is a lyftinge vp of a pure mynde to God, wherein we aske somewhat of hym.
This diffiniciō of prayer semeth vntounto me so godly & in eueryevery parte agreable to the holye scriptures that I thyncke it my bounden dutye to search out eueryevery word of it in order, & to cōpare it wyth the moost sacred Scriptures, & the sayenges of y• aū cient Doctors.
Fyrste it teacheth vsus that prayer is a lyftynge vppe of a pure mynde. Note fyrst of all that he sayeth, a liftynge vp,Lyftynge vp, what at signifyethe. What other thynge meaneth this worde, lyftynge vp, than to shewe that who soeuer entendeth to praye, must vtterly seclude & put out of his herte all vayne cogitaciō … & wordly thoughtes, all carnall fantasies, all vngodlye ymaginacions, to cōclude al such thynges as might make the herte of hym that prayeth to crepe vponupon the grounde, to alienate & estraung his mynde from the meditaciō of celestiall & deuyne matters? And this is y• very same thing that Christ teacheth in y• Gospell of Mathewe,Math. vi. where he sayth: Whan y• prayest, thou shalte not be lyke to y• Hypocrites. For theyr manner is to stonde prayenge in ye Synagoges & in the corners of the stretes, that mē maye se thē, Certes I saye vntounto you they hauehave theyr reward. But wha… thou prayest enter into thy closet, & when y• hast sparred thy dore, praye to thy father whiche is in secte…e, & thy father which seeth ī secrete, shal …eward the opēly. In theyse wordes Christ doth not only rebuke y• false & …ayned maner of prayenge, whiche the Hypocrites vse huntyng only after vayne glory, & sekyng the prayse of men more then the glory of God & the health of theyr owne soules, but he also declarethe howe we shall prepare our selues for to pray, that we maye be hearde. He cōmaundeth vsus to enter into oure closet, & to sparre our dore. What other thynge meaneth Christe by this, but that, as I hauehave sayde before, we should expulse all tēporall thynges out of our hartes, whansoeuer we entend to pray, & hauehave our myndes altogyther set vponupon celestiall & heauenly thynges?Mark wel & followe. Therfore ought so many as entend to praye with fruyte to seke an occasion to be seguestred from all temporall affaires & from the troubles of wordely thynges, whiche myght be an impediment to them in theyr holy meditacions, & so to be free from all externall & mundane thynges, y• theyr prayer in dede maye be a very lyftynge vp, according to the begynnynge of our diffinicion.
¶ The second Chapter.
ANd that this thynge maye the more conueniently be brought to passe, it shalbe expedient for such as intende to exercyse prayer to repose them selues and to sette theyr hertes quiette from all the troubles of the worlde, yea & to subduce & conuaye thē selues from the cōpany of the worldely people into some secrete & solitarye place for the tyme of theyr prayer, that they maye the more frely gyue theyr myndes to deuout & holy meditacion, as the maner of many holy men was in times paste. Examples hauehave we of dyuers in the holye Scripture, whiche vsed this trade. The gospel sheweth how Christ was won… many tymes whē …e would praye to go into the feldes …nd ther beyng alone vponupon a moun…ayne vtterly secluded frō all other …ompany,Luke. vi. to perseuer & continue in …he prayer of God al y• whole night. Agayne a lytle before his passion we …ead that he entendynge to pray vntounto his celestiall father forsoke the cō …any of other,Mat. xx…. yea and although he …oke with him only thre of his disciples at that instant. Peter, Iohn, & Iames, yet notwithstandynge whā …e was in the moūt of Oliuete, y• accustomed place of hys prayenge, he …ent awaye from thē also aboute a …ones cast, & he kneling downe, prai…d so hertely & so longe to God his father, that for very anguysh, payne & …orow the sweat of his moost blessed …ody was euē as y• droppes of bloud …unnynge downe vponupon the earthe.Act. x. Peter also beyng in the house of Simon the Tanner went vp into y• vpper parte of the house to praye, tha… he myght not be troubled wt y• othe… cōpany.…ii. Re. iiii. Helyseus also, whā he shul… pray to God for a certayne chylde… was deade, went alone into the chā ber, where the chylde laye, & sperre… the dore & so prayed.…ob. …. Agayne Sar… the doughter of Raguell, desyryng… to be delyuered from thē improper… & imbraydyng, as it would appere, of a certayne default, wherwith on… of her fathers hādmaydens dyd imbrayd & caste her in the teth, forsoke all cōpany, & went streyght into an… vpper chāber of her house, & ther beyng alone, dyd nether eate nor drīke by y• space of thre dayes & thre nightes, but continued in prayer, & beseched God euen wt teares ye he would delyuer her from this imbraydyng & rebuke.Iu. x. xii. Iudith ī lyke maner, whā she should put herselfe in ioperdy for the helth of her people, went fyrst in to her Oratory & secrete place, wher …he was wonte to praye, & so desyred the helpe of God. At certayne other tymes also before she slewe Holofer…us she went forth ī the night time for to praye quietly by herselfe. Quene Hester also puttinge of her Pryncelike garmentes,Hest. xiiii. prayed for her people to God secretely ī her chā ber. Agayne Daniel,Dau. vi. when certayne Dukes & Earles for the hatred and euell wyll that they bare vntounto him, had caused kynge Darius to make an Acte that who soeuer asketh any Peticion of theyr God, yea or of ony man but of the Kynge alone for the space of thy… tye dayes, he shoulde be cast into the denne of Lyons, ceased not to praye for al ye Acte of y• kyng, but styll as he was wont to do, praied boldely to his LORDE God, beyng in his chāber secretely by himselfe alone. Thus se we that both Christ… & other holye men also, sought euermore an occasion to be quiet & sollitary, that they myght the more … ly talke with God in theyr prayer, & so came it to passe that theyr prayer was vnfaynedly a lyftynge vp.
¶ The thyrde Chapter.
Psal. xxi.IT is not without a cause y• Prayer in the holy scripture is compared to a sweate perfume, whose nature is alwaye, yf it be once incēsed or set on fyre,Prayde cō pared to a perfume. to lyft vp it selfe & styl to go vpward so lōg as it lasteth I… lyke maner the true & christen prayer ought to lyfte vp it selfe with deuynd cōtemplacion, & styll to go vp so longe as it lasteth with the medi…acion of celestiall thinges, & not to …repe vponupon the grounde with …am… thoughtes & wordely ymaginaciōs. For so is that prayer no lyftyng vp of mynde or of him that prayeth, vntounto heauen, but rather a thrustynge … to hell, yea & worketh s…nne … dam…nacion to hym that prayeth as the …salmograph… sayeth:… Oratio … fiat in peccatum. …f you be rysen agayne with Christ sayth S. Paule seke for those thynges ye are aboue,Colos. iii. where Christ is sittyng on the right hand of God. Set your myndes vppon the thynges aboue & not vpō ye thynges of the earthe. For you are dead, & your lyfe is hyd with Christ in God. Whā so euer Christ our lyfe shall appeare, then shall we also appeare with hym in glorye. So that not onlye prayer but also the whole lyfe of a Christen man ought to be a lyftyng vp, that is to saye, a feruēt desyre & diligent sekyng of supernal & heauenly thynges. But let vsus procede with our diffinicion. Hytherto hauehave we heard that Prayer is a lyftyng vppe. Wherof I praye you? of hādes or eyes? Nay verely, but of a pure mynde. For as touchynge the …yftyng vp of handes & eies, it maye …lso be vsed so wel of Hypocrites as …f true Christians.… Therfore sayeth Chrisostome,De oratiōe thouhg thou doest not bow thy knees, nor knocke thy brest, nor strecthe oute thy handes vntounto heauen, yet yf thou onlye shewe forth a ferue…e mynde, thou shalte make a perfecte prayer.Note of externall gestures in Prayer. Not wtstandyng yf such thinges be done ī time of prayer procedyng from y• feruent & inward affeccion of ye spirite, they are not to be discūmended.Psa. …xxii. For Dauid sayth, I hauehave lyfted vp myne eies vntounto the, which dwellest in heauē And S. Paule sayth,…. Tim. ii. I wyll y• men pray in eueryevery place, liftyng vp your handes wtoute wrath & contencion. We read also y• Christe vsed to knele when he prayed.Luke. xxii. And the hūble and poore Publicane knocked his breste when he prayed,Luke. xviii sayenge: O God be thou merciful to me a synner. Therfore as touchyng ye external gesture & outward behauour, as ye lyftynge vp of hādes or eyes, the knelyng o… knockynge on the brest, in as muche as they are meane & indifferēt thynges, they are to be lefte to the iudgement of deuout & well disposed people, eyther to be done or to be left vndone, as their mindes shal serue thē. And for as muche as they pertayne nothynge to our matter, I wyll le… thē passe & go forth wt our diffiniciō.
¶ The fourth Chapter.
PRayer, say the holy Doctors, is a lyftynge vp of a pure mynde. Theise wordes are not to be gone ouer wyth a lyghte foote, as they vse to saye, but depely to be weyed, & seriously to be pondered. For in them doth cōsist in a maner the whole efficacy, vertue, strength, power & pith of prayer.Prayer▪ is … wor… of the mynd. Fyrst we shall note ye prayer is not the worke of y• mouth, but of the mynde, yea & that not of a corrupte, flesshely, malicious & synfull, but of a pure, immaculate, clene, vnspotted, faithful & charitable mynd. But I wyll fyrst shewe by the scriptures & holy fathers, yt prayer is the worke of the mynde accordynge to our diffinicion, & afterwarde somewhat declare of y• purite of y• mynd.
That prayer is the worke of the mynde, it is manifest by dyuers places of holy scripture.Exo. xiiii. For whan …oses at the commaundement of God led y• people of Israel out of Egipte, & Pharao with his cruell army followed, purposynge vnmercifully to slaye thē, he beyng in great thought & care howe he myght safely cōdu… the Israelites, & yet styll trustynge & hauyng his whole affiaunce reposed in theyr LORDE God, prayed nothyng at all with his mouth, but only vttered his cause secretlye in his herte vntounto God, & he was hearde. For the LORDE God sayd vntounto him▪ What cryest yu vntounto me▪ His cryeng was not the voice of the mouth, but the affeccion of the herte. He cryed wt a pure mynde to God, & therfore was he hearde, though the mouthe kepte sylence.…. Reg. i. In lyke maner Anne the wyfe of Helcana, when she had ben long baren & wtout fruyte, prayed God, that he woulde take awaye from her opprobry and shame, and gyue her chyldrē, wich thynge she obtayned. And yet sayth the scripture she spake in her herte. Her lippes only moued,Luke. vii. but her voyce was hearde nothynge at all. Mary Magdalene also prayed, not wyth her lyppes & mouthe, when she wasshed Christes fete wt y• teares of her eyes, & wyped them with the heere of her head, kyssynge & annoynted thē full tenderly in the house of Symon the Pharyse, she only lamēted in her herte her synfull lyuynge & dissolute cōuersacion, desyryng in her mynde to hauehave remission of her synnes, & she hearde this swete voyce of Christ. Her synnes are forgynē her, bicause she hath loued much. …ea & immediatly after Christ sayde to her. Thy fayth hath saued the,Ioan. iiii. go thy way ī peace. Christē also the selfe trueth & wisdom of his father sayd to the woman of Samaria, whan they talked togyther of worshyppyng God. Woman, beleue me, the hour cōmeth, whan neyther in this mountayne, nor yet at Ierusalem, ye shall worship the father. …e worshyp that ye knowe not, we worshyp that we knowe. For helth is of the Iewes. But the houre cōmeth & nowe it is, whan the true worshyppers shall worshyp the father in spirite & trueth. For the father sekethe such yt shoulde worshyp hym. God is a spirite, & they that worshyp hym, must worshyp hī in spiryte & trueth. Here christ,Ioan. xiiii Titus. i. which is y• very trueth & can not lye, sheweth vsus two notable thynges. One that God his father is a spirite, another, that as he is a spiryte, so wyll he be worshypped in the spirite,Note. who perceyueth not thā that it is the Spirite, the herte, the mynde, I meane the inwarde & spirituall man, that must worshyp God▪ It is a common sayeng among vsus, lyke wyll to lyke. And eueryevery one desyreth suche as he is hīselfe. Trueth it is. Now is God a spirite, therfore requireth he a spirituall manner of worshyppynge, which doubtles procedeth from the herte, & not from y• stētoreous voyce of the mouth. The pure affeccion of the herte, & not the whysperynge noyse of y• lyppes doth God requyre. God which is the searcher of the herte, seaketh to be worshypped in the herte, as he sayth by Salomō,Pro. xxiii. sonne gyue me thy herte. Moreouer S. Paule sayth,Rom. i. God is my witnes, whom I worshyp in my spirite. In my spirite, sayth he, and not in the vnfruytefull bablyng of my lyppes.Ephe. v. Agayne, Speake amōg yourselues in Psalmes, Hymnes, & spirituall songes, syngyng and makynge melody in youre hertes to the LORDE. Lostyll he maketh mencion of the herte, wyllynge y• all prayses, songes & melody be done in our hertes to ye LORD our God. As though he shoulde saye, all that euer is done wtout the herte, is vayne, vnfruytefull, yea & playne abhominacion before God, rather workynge dānaciō then saluacion to the doers of it, as Christ sayeth:Mat. xv. This people honoure me wt theyr lyppes, but theyr herte is farre from me. Uerely they worshyp me in vayne. Thus se we proued by the scripture, that Prayer is the worke of the herte, of the spiryte of the mynde, & not of mouth & lyppes. But let vsus heare what the Doctors saye to this matter.
¶ The fyfte Chapter.
In oratiō ▪ Dom. Ad transismund. Lib. it.SAynt Cipriane y• blessed martyre sayth, which Fulgentius also recyteth, that God is not the hearer of the voyce, but of the herte, neyther is he to be admonysshed wt exclamacions & outecryes, whiche seeth the thoughtes, as the LORDE proueth & sayth, what do ye thinke wyckednes in youre hartes▪ & in another place, All congregacions shall know, that I am the searcher of the raynes and harte, that is to saye, of the inward parte.Libro de Cain et Abel. cap. ix. Also S. Ambrose sayeth, take hede that thou doste not babble out rasshely the mysteries of the Crede, or of the LORDES prayer. Doste thou not knowe, howe greuous a thynge it is to heape vppe synne in Prayer, where thou trusteste to hauehave remedy▪ Certes y• LORDE taught by the Prophet ye this is a greuous cursse,Psa. …viii. sayeng: His praier is becōe euē very synne. Excepte peraduenture thou recoūtest it but a tryfle to mistrust. It is surely a great incredulite and vnfaythfulnes to thynke thus of y• power of God, y• thou canste not be heard,Mark this wel. excepte thou cryest oute. Let thy worke crye, let thy fayth cry, let thy mynde crye, let thy passions and suffrynges cry, let thy bloud, as the bloud of holy Abell, cry, wherof god sayde to Caym,Gen. iiii. the voyce of thy brothers bloud cry vntounto me. For he heareth in secrete, which maketh cleane in secrete. We can not heare a mā excepte he speaketh vntounto vsus, but vntounto God, not wordes but thoughtes do speake.Moral. lib xxii. cap. xviii. Agayne, S. Gregory sayth, vndoubtedly true prayer consysteth not in the voyce of the mouthe, but in the thoughtes of the herte. For our wordes do not make the voyces the more pythethy and valeaunt to come vntounto the moost secrete eares of God, but our desyre and affeccions. Therfore sayth the LORDE in y• Gospell: Enter into thy closet & sparreMat. vi. thy dore.Note. He sparreth y• dore, & prayeth in his closet, whiche holdeth his peace wt his mouth, & powreth oute the affecciō of his mynde in y• syghte of God aboue.Lib. de mag. i. Moreouer S. Austē …ayeth: Thou knowest, I am sure, y• …t is commaunded vsus for none other thynge that we should praye in our closettes▪ being sparred (wherby the secrete partes of the mynde are signifyed) but that God seaketh not to be monyshed or taught by oure speakynge of that thynge, whiche we co…uyt that he shoulde gyue vsus. For he that speaketh gyueth outwardely a sygne or token of his wyl by some articulate, playne & euidente sounde. But God is both to be soughte & to be prayed vntounto, euen in the very secrete partes of a reasonable soule, whiche is called the inward mā. For he wylleth that these be his Tēples. Wherfore we nede no speakyng whē …e praye, that is to saye, no wordes that shall make any sounde, excepte peraduenture as y• prestes do, for to vtter theyr mynde, not y• God, but that man shoulde heare thē, & wyth a certayne consent be drawen to cō tēplacion by remēbrynge thē. Here… to agreeth the sayēg of S. Jerome… In Epist. …d Ephe.we ought, sayth he, to syng, to make melody, & to prayse ye LORDE rather in mynde then in voyce. And this is it that is sayd, syngynge & makyng melody to the LORDE … your hertes.Ephe. v. A good lesson for our musi…ions and …haunters Let yong men heare these thyr…ges, yea let them heare, whose offyce it is to syng in y• Chyrch, that they must singe to God not in the voyce but in the herte, neither must theyr throte & chawes be annoynted after y• maner of Gameplayers wt swete oyntementes, that in the chyrch syngyng more fytte for game places shoulde be hearde, but in feare, in worke, in knowledge of the scriptures ought they to synge vntounto the …ORDE. …d Roma. Lib. vir. cap. v….Drigen also sayeth, God in prayer doth not so much weye & ponder our wordes, as he doth the herte & ye mynde▪ For he it is, whyche searchethe th… hertes and the raynes.
Although I coulde reherse many no notable sayēges of these & other Doctors,Psal. vii. Sap. i. Apo. ii. Jere. xvii. which proue manifestly ye …rayer is not the worke of ye mouth …ut of the herte, not of ye voyce, but …f ye thought, not of ye lyppes but of …he mynde, yet these at this present …aye seme aboundantly to satisfye. …eyther do I recyte ye testymonies …f ye old fathers to confyrine & make …ur matter the more stronge, which …redy is sufficiently establysshed by …he holy Scriptures, neyther nede …hey the confyrmacion of any man…es doctryne, whiche of them selues …ught to be beleued without hesita…on or doubtynge of the faythefull, … asmuch as they be y• Oracles & in …llible spech… of God, in whome al …ecessary trueth for our saluaciō is …prehended,The cause of …hersynge the Doctors … this …oke & without the authori… wherof all that euer is taught or …ritten, be but mere fantasies & h… …ayne inuencions: but I hauehave called the holy & catholyke Doctors t… witnes, bicause they reach the sam… thynge yt the Scripture dothe, & t… stop the mouthes of certayne wycked & ignorāt persons, which thick… no trueth to be trueth except by m… nes authoritie it be establyshed, an… that men seyng & hearyng the iudg… ment of such as are learned, should… be the more redy to cast away they… Hypocrisye & accōmodate thē selues to the true maner of worshyppyng… and prayeng to our LORDE God.
¶ The syxte Chapter.
VUell of these thynges thā … heretofore rehearsed is it easye to lerne that such as wyll pray to God with fruyte, must praye in herte, in spirite, in mynde, in thought, in affeccion, in the soule, in the inward… man, or els the noyse of the mouth, … mūblynge of the lippes, the roryng… of the throte, the shakynge of ye head the knockynge on the brest, the kne… lynge on the ground, & what soeuer canne be rekened more is vayne, vn fruytful, & nothyng to y• purpose, rather bryngynge damnacion then saluaciō, as we hauehave heard heretofore.
What is than to be thoughte of such personnes, which whā they are in the tēple or els where, neuer leue …ablynge, theyr myndes beynge vtterly drawen from theyr prayers, & altogyther set vponupon transitory and wordely thynges▪ Some streatche …ut theyr prayers into an innumerable nōber of leaues, thynkynge so to do God an hygh sacrifyce.Agaynste y• vayne beblers & supersticious worshyppers of saynctes Some also vponupon theyr bedes taly vp, I cā not tel howe many Lady Psalters, …heynge perswaded ye by that menes they shall se our Lady corporally before they dye, & that whan they are once dead, our lady & all the. xi. M virgins wt other saintes mo, whose nomber is infinyte, shall mete wyth thē, eueryevery one hauyng in theyr handes a brennynge taper of wa…e, & so receyue thē ito glory, puttynge vpō theyr heades a crowne of golde garnysshed, I can not tell you, wt howe many red Roses. Some agayn worshyp dayely a great nomber of sayntes eueryevery one hauige to theyr parte an hundred Pater nosters, wyth as many Aues, besydes ye Credes, and that for diuers causes. These thynges be more openly knowen than ye they nede here to be rehersed, except we be so blynde that we wyll se nothynge, & so ignorant that we wyll nothyng knowe. I feare greatly vnlesse that may iustly be spokē of such vayne bablers, whiche is spoken by the Prophet Esay,Esa. xxix. & rehersed of our sauiour Iesus Christ in the Gospel of Mathewe:Math. xv. This people, sayth he, honoreth me with theyr lyppes, but theyr herte is far from me. Uerelye they worshyppe me in vayne. Yea I feare vnlesse that they thorow such vnfaythfull bablyng do acumulate & heape vp to them selues the greater da…acion, as Christ wytnesseth in the Gospell.Mat. xxiii. Wo be to you Scribes & Pharises Hypocrites, sayethe Christ, which eate the houses of wydowes, yea and ye vnderunder the pretext of longe Prayer.Luke. xx. For this shal ye be punyshed ye more greuously. Agayn he sayeth: Beware of the Scribes, whiche hauehave a pleasure to walke in longe roobes, & louelove to be saluted in the Markettes, & to hauehave the chefe preminence in the Synagoges, and the hygh seates at feastes, which deuour ye houses of wydomes fayning outewardely longe Prayers. They shall receyue the greater damnaciō.Mat. xii. If we shall at the daye of iudgemēt render an accountes of euerye ydle worde yt we speake, as the holy scripture testifyeth, what is then to be thought of those wordes, whiche we vnfruitfully waste, whē we pretend outwardly to pray, & yet inwardly hauehave our myndes entāgled wt ye care of worldly thīges, or els entysed frō the affecciō of prayer with vayne cogitacions of thynges carnall. It is to be feared vnlesse we īcurre & run into greater damnacion, then they which praye nothynge at all. For is suche prayer any other thynge than playne mockynge of God▪ Our external pretext is as though we praied and desyred to hauehave our prayers heard of God, but ī dede our maner of prayeng is nothyng els I speke of the vnfruytfull bablers, but only a desyrynge of God that he shoulde heare vsus & our prayers nothyng at al, seyng we our selues do not heare them, nor yet mynde them in oure hertes, yea we desyre hī that he wyl take vengeaunce on vsus for our mockyng & ydle bablyng. And this is it that S. Ambrose sayth,Lib…. de Cain et Abell. cap. ix. take hede y• thou doste not bable oute rashly the misteries of the Crede & of the LORDES prayer. Doste thou not knowe howe greuous a thyng it is in prayer for to heap vp synne, where thou trustest to hauehave remedye▪ Certes y• LORD taught by ye Prophet,Psal. cviii. that it is a greuous cursse, sayēg: His prayer is become to hym euen very syn. …. Gregory also saith. Simulata sanctitas est duplex iniquitas. Fayned holynes is double iniquite. To praye nothyng at al is iniquite & playne synne,Note. but to pretende outwardly an holy maner of prayenge, & yet not praye in dede in our hertes, is double iniquite, & encreaseth much dānaciō vntounto vsus, as we hauehave hearde heretofore, in asmuch as we are dissemblers both before God & mā. But let vsus heare what S. John Chrisostome sayeth:Homel. xii. Demul. canan. Many cōmynge into the chyrch do extende & streytch out theyr prayer vntounto a thousand verses, as though the multitude of wordes were nedeful vntounto God as vntounto one that doth not knowe what y• arest, which knoweth the matter, before thou thynkest. For they thē selues also do not knowe what they saye. Theyr lyppes are moued only, but theyr mide is without fruyte, & therfore are y• eares of God deafe. Thou heareste not thine owne prayer, & wylt thou that y• LORDE should heare thy prayer? I hauehave bowed, yu sayst, my knees. Thou hast bowed in dede thy knees wythin, but thy mynde wādreth abroad. Thy body is within, but thy thought is without. Thy mouth in dede spake, but thy mynd dyd thike vponupon vsuries. It dyd count the reuenewes of thy possessions. It dyd behold the descripcions & valowynges of houses. It remēbred the wordes of thy frendes. It loked vponupon y• negligenses of thy seruauntes. It laughed at the pleasaunt iestyng of the Pharasites. It consydered the beau…ty of women. Therfore know that these thinges are done. Follow thou beynge a man the womā of Canane, which very diligently and wt hygh wisdome prayed vntounto yc LORD & therfore deserued to obtayne her requestes. But thou wylte saye peraduēture, I hauehave no doughter, whiche is replete with the dyuell, but yu hast a soule, whiche is stuffed full of synne.Homil. lxxix. De oratione. Agayne he sayth, If whan ye bodye lyghtethe prostrate vponupon the grounde, & the mouth bableth vaynly, the mynde goeth about the house and market, how maye such one say that he hath prayed in the syghte of God. For he prayeth in the syght of GOD, which gathereth altogyther his mynde quietly, & hath nothyng to do wt the worlde, & lyfteth vp himselfe euen vntounto heauen, and putteth out of his mynd al humayn thoughtes. For he yt prayeth, must so praye, that he settethe his mynde at quiet from worldly thynges, & calleth on God with a sorowfull and contryte herte. Neyther maye he vse many wordes, nor draw out his prayer on a great length, but speake fewe wordes, yea & those symple, playne and homely. For not in the multitude of wordes, but in ye quycknes of mynd doth the whole matter consyst, that we should be heard.Ibidem. Once agayne he saith: In prayer ther is not so much nede of the voyce as of the thought, nor of the stretchyng out of ye hādes as of the intencion of the mynde.
Thus se we also proued by ye Doctors, that it is the mynde, wher wt a Christen man must pray. The mū blinge ouer multitude of prayers, y• cryenge out of the voyce, ye yellynge of the throte, the lyftynge vp of the handes, the knockynge of the brest, the shakyng of the head, the knelyng on the knees, & whatsoeuer can be in uēted or rehersed besydes these thinges, are i vayne, yf the mynd be not present in the tyme of prayer. I wyl pray in spiryte, sayth Paule,i. Cor. xiiii. and I wyll praye also in mynde. I wyll synge in Spirite, and I wyll synge also in mynde. Therfore ye it maye be prayed aryght, let eueryevery mā say, farewel to al humayne affayres and worldely matters, and so quietly repose himselfe, while he prayeth, that accordyng to our diffiniciō, his prayer in very dede may be a lystynge vp of the mynde.
¶ The seuenth Chapter.
BUt some man wyll saye peraduēture, is it ynough, yf I pray with my mynde, the herte …eynge semoted from mundane affayres and worldly businesses? I aūswere: Our diffinicion teacheth vsus not onlye to pray with the mynde, but also with a pure mynde. For Prayer is y• lyftyng vp of a pure mynd.Pray … a pure myn… So fewe yt it is not ynough to pray we ye mynd, excepte it be pure. It wyll be obiected, than shall we neuer praye. For who can say, my herte is cleane and I am pure from synne?Pro. xx. i. Ioan. i. I aunswere: If ye saye, we hauehave no synne, we deceyue our selues, & the trueth is not in vsus. But yf we confesse our synnes, God is faythfull & ryghteous to forgyue vsus oure synnes, and make vsus cleane from all vnryghteousnes. The scripture sayth,Psal. xxxi. Rom. iiii. blessed are they whose iniquities are forgyuen, & whose sinnes are couered, blessed is that man to whom the LORDE hathiputed no synne. It sayth not Blessed are they, which hauehave no iniquities, or which hauehave no sinne. For S. James sayethe:Iaco. iii. In many thynges we synne al. So long as we are in this mortall flesshe we can neuer be pure & cleane from the dregges of synne, yf from the synne it selfe. We can neuer in this lyfe aspyre vntounto so great perfeccion of innocency, that we maye appeare pure & gyltelesse in the syghte of God,Iob. xxv. in whose eies ye very sterres & Aūgels be not clene. Howe than maye we praye wythe & pure mynde?Learne here howe we may praye▪ wyth a faythfull mynde. Uerely yf oure mynde be faythfull to God, & charitable to our neyghbour, God doth dissemble all our faultes, & in as muche as we are faythfull vntounto hym, & louyng to oure christen brothers, he counteth vsus all pure,i. Ioan. iii. as S. Iohn sayth: He y• is borne of God, sinneth not, that is to saye, he that beleueth in God,Mark wel. his synne is not imputed vntounto hym, in asmuch as he consenteth not to the synne, but hongreth and thyrstethe after the perfeccion of true innocency. Our hertes be purifyed by fayth sayeth the scripture,Act. xv. so that who so euer prayeth with a faythfull & charitable mynde, he is counted before God to praye with a pure mynde.God and the worlde iu…geth not alphe. The world. For God iudgeth not as the worlde dothe. The worlde thynketh hym to be a good deuoute man that goethe vp & downe wyth a coggyrnge payre of Bedes in his handes, or knelethe downe in his stole solēly with a great Matters boke in his hand, making such a noyse with his lyppes & tōge, that all the whole chyrch ryngethe of it, although his harte be farre frō God, & his mynde occupied aboute worldely businesses.God. But God beholdeth the mynde, the herte, ye inwarde man, & loketh whither he prayeth in purite & cleanes or not. If the herte be stuffed with fayth & charite, then is God well pleased, & accepteth the prayer for an hygh & pleasaunt Sacryfyce. Who beynge in the temple hearynge the proude Pharise,Luk. xviii. & the poore Publicane prayeng togyther would not hauehave estemed the Pharise to be more ryghteous & pure in y• syght of God, then ye wretched Publicane▪ For the Pharise confessed no syn, but vertues many. He gaue god thankes ye he was not lyke other mē, whiche are extorcioners, vnryghteous, adulterers, & as the Publicane was. He fasted twyse in the weke, & gaue the tentes of all thynges that he possessed. Dangelyke righteousnes and seraphical perfeccion. Who woulde not hauehave thought this holy religious father worthy to be canonysed & related into the nomber of Sayntes▪ …et sayth Christ playnly that the poore Publycane, whyche broughte forthe no good dedes, but stode a farre of & durste not lyfte vp his eies to heauen, but humbly knocked his brest, sayēge: O God be thou mercyfull vntounto me a synner, wente home more ryghteous i Gods syght then the Pharise. Whye so? For the Pharise had no true Fayth in hym but an arrogant presumpcion, bostynge & cra…yng of his good dedes, as though God were in his det, and he not in Gods. And that he had no christen charite in him, it is euident seyng yt he despysed his neighboure. For Charite,… x. i. Det. iiii. sayth the Scripture, couereth the multytude of synnes.
That the Publicās prayer came from a pure mynde, that is, from a mynde faythfull & charytable, it is manifest. Fyrste bycause that with an humble herte he came to God for remission of his synnes, beleuyng to obtayne it. Secondely, seynge that he accused no mā but himselfe only. Therfore went he home more iustifyed, sayeth the holye Scripture. Therfore to all suche as outwardly pretende holynes,Mat. xxi. & yet are vnpure in theyr mynde, Christe sayeth. The Harlottes & Publicans shall go before you into the kyngdō of heauen. Agayne,…uk. xvi. ye are they y• iustify youre selues before mē, but God knoweth your hertes. For yt whiche is prayse worthy before men, is playne abhominacion before God.
Abell also & Caym offred both sacrifices to god,Gen. iiii. & the scripture sayth that God loked vntounto Abell & vntounto his gyftes, but vntounto Caym and vntounto his giftes he loked not. God iudgeth not y• personne of the acte but the arte of the personne.It is here to be noted, that God not after the fasshyon of the world iudgeth ye person of the acte, but the acte of ye person. He fyrste loketh to the person, & afterward vntounto the acte, as the holy scripture sayeth here. He loked vntounto Abell, & vntounto his gyftes. Fyrst vntounto Abell, & afterward vntounto Abels gyftes. If the person be good, that is, faythful & charitable, thā doth God accepte the gyfte, not for the dignite of the gifte it selfe, but for ye faith of him that offereth.Psal. xv. Psal. xxiii. For as ye Psalmograph sayeth, God hath no nede of oure goodes. The earth is y• LORDES, & all yt euer is contayned in it.
As concernynge that the Scripture sayth, God loked vntounto Abell, it signifieth that God fauoured Abel, i asmuch as his hart was both …aithful & charitable. And yt God loked to ye gyftes of Abell, it she wethe ye God was well pleased wt thē, seyng they proceded frō the herte of such one as was enfarsed with fayth & charite.
As touchynge that the scripture sayeth, God loked not vntounto Caym & vntounto his gyftes, it sygnifyethe that God neyther fauoured Caym, nor yet accepted his gyftes, seynge that Caym had in him neyther fayth nor Charitie. For his herte was stuffed full of yre & wrath towarde his brother Abell, in so much that shortely after it came to passe accordynge to his pretensed malyce, that he slewe his brother. And wherfore dydde he slaye hym▪ 1. Ioan. iii.verely bycause his owne workes were euell, and his brothers ryghteous. Thus sewe, that be our gyftes neuer so precious in ye syght of men,Ec. xxxiiii. yet yf the gyuer be wicked, that is, vnfaythefull and vncharytable, God vtterlye contēneth & setteth thē at noughte, as the wyse mā sayeth: The gyftes of the wycked, y• moost hygh doth not alowe and approue. S. Iustē also sayth,Det. ccxxvi. De tēpore. the prayer of an enuious man is wont to be put a backe from the eares of God. Hereto agreeth the sayenge of Chrisostome: Let vsus, Dom xxvii. in Gen. cap. viii.sayethhe, in eueryevery place brynge forth a pure mynde. For that is the cause of al good thinges. The good LORDE is not wonte to attende & gyue hede to those thinge that are done of vsus, but vntounto the inwarde mynde, wherof we are moued to do these thynges. And good lokynge to this mynde, doth eyther approue or turne awaye those thynges that we do. Therfore whythe… we praye, or faste, or gyue almes (for those are our spiritual Sacrifyces) or whyther we do ony other certayn spiritual worke, let vsus do that, beig moued therunto with a good mynd Therfore sayth Christe,Mat. v. when thou… offrest a gyfte at the Aultare, & the… doste remē …er that thy brother hath… any thynge agaynste the, leaue thy… gyfte there before the Aultare, & ga… thy waye, be fyrste reconcyled to thy… brother, & thā come & offer thy gyft. In lyke maner when we praye, we maye not onelyonly prouyde ye we maye pray wt the mynd, al humayne thin… ges & worldly affayres semoted and layde a syde, but also we must gyue… earneste diligence, that we praye wt a pure mynde, that is, with a mynd stuffed ful… of fayth & charite. For as Dauyd sayeth:Psal. ixv. I perceyue ony vnrighteousnes, ye is to saye, vnfaythfulnesse, in my herte, God wyll not heare me.Psa. cxliiii Agayne: The LORD is ny… to all that call vponupon hym, yea to all that call vponupon hym in trueth. And the wyse man sayth:Sap. i. Into a ma… lycious soule wisdome wyll not enter, nor into a bodye subiecte vntounto synne.1. Tim. ii. S. Paule also sayth, I wyl ye men praye in eueryevery place, lyftynge vp pure hādes without wrath and contencion. So that he whiche beareth a herte faythful towarde God, and charite towarde his neyghbour is fytte to praye in ye syghte of God. Therfore let vsus laboure seryously, ye whan we ītende to pray, we maye exclude & put out of our hertes all infidelite wrathe & cōtēciō, & be so plēteously enfarsed with Fayth & Charite, that our prayer maye iustly seme to be a very lyftynge vppe of a pure mynde. And that this maye be done the more conueniently, it shall be necessary for vsus to praye with Dauid.Psal. 1. Create in me O God a pure & clene herte, & a right vp spirite make thou a newe in my inwarde partes. But …et vsus heare more of our diffinicion. It followeth.
¶ The eyght Chapter.
VNtoUnto God. Note that he sayth, vntounto God, not vntounto Iupiter, Apollo, Mercurius, Bacchus, Iuno, Minerua, Pallas Uenus & such other Gods & Godesses, yea rather dyuels,Ps. lxxxx…. as the Psalmograph sayth, the Gods of the Neythen are dyuelles, vntounto whom the Ethuyckes and Gentyles dyd fly in theyr prayer for succoure, nor vntounto Baal, Astaroth, Moloch, the Quene of heauen, and such other Idolles, as the olde Idolaters the Iewes, worshypped & cryed vntounto for helpe, no nor yet as oure new Idolaters were wont to do,Agaynste y• supersticious Inuocacion of Say•nctes as vntounto Luke for ye Oxe, vntounto Iob for the poxe, vntounto Anthony for the pyg, vntounto Loye for the horse, vntounto Apoline for the to thake, vntounto Rooke for the pestilence, vntounto Syth for thynges loste, vntounto Gertrude for the ratonnes & myse, vntounto Blase for the Ague, vntounto Agues for the fyre, vntounto Barbara for the the thonder, vntounto Christopher for continuall helth, vntounto Annes for a husband, vntounto Margarete for women with chylde, vntounto Kateryne for learnyng, vntounto Crispyne & Crispiniane for shoes makig vntounto Cosme and Damiane for Phisicke, vntounto Clemēt for bruing beere, and such other īnumerable, but vntounto God. For Prayer is a lyftyng vp of a pure mynde vntounto God. Unto God ought we to lyfte vp oure hartes, when we pray,Psa. cxxii. as ye Psal. sayth, vntounto ye hauehave I lyfted vp myne eyes, which dwellest ī heuē Agein, I hauehave lyfted vp myne eyes into the Mountaynes, frō whence helpe may cōe vntounto me.Psal. cxx. My helpe cometh frō ye LORD which made heauen & earth. Also in another place,Psal. cxix. when I was in trouble, I cryed vntounto the LORDE, & he fauourably heard me.Psa. xxxiii. 1. Pet. iii. Psa. xxiiii. The eyes of the LORDE are vpō the ryghteous, and his eares are bent vntounto theyr prayers. Myne eyes, sayeth Dauid, are cryed Adam, Abell, Seth, Enos, Enoch, Nohe, Thare, Abrahā, Isaac, Iacob, Ioseph, Moses, Aaharon, Ietro, Eleazar, Phinees, Iosue, Caleb Othoniel, Gedeon, Helcana, Samuell, Nathan, Dauid, Salomon, Helias, Micheas, Elizeus, Ezechias, Esaias, Iosias, Iob, Mathatias, Thoby, wt all the other auncient fathers & holye Prophetes of the olde Testament, but vntounto GOD alone. Agayne vntounto whom prayed Ioseph Iohn̄ Baptiste, Lazarus, Nicodemus, Gamaliel, Cornelius, Apollo, Dionisius, Aquilia, Steuen, Philip, Agabus, Ananias, Timothe, Titus, Ioses, Philemon, and all the Apostles, with many other, whiche are contayned in ye volumes of both Testamentes, but vntounto God alone? The prayed, and were heard. Shall oure Prayers than be vayne,Esa. xxviii yf we pray with that same purite of mind that they dyd? The scripture sayth: Who so euer beleuethe in God,Rom. x. Ioel. ii. Act. ii. shall not be confounded. For there is no differēce betwene Iewe & Gentyle. For one is LORDE of all, whiche is rytche ynough vntounto all that call on hym. For whosoeuer shall call on the name of the LORDE, he shall be safe, Let vsus therfore trust in God,Psa. lxi. poure out oure hartes before hym, lament our cause to him, desyrynge to hauehave his mooste gracious ayde & helpe in all our trouble & aduersitie, and we may be sure to obtayne whatsoeuer we aske accordynge vntounto his wyll,1. Ioan. v. & to seale remedye so present, that nothynge can be wysshed nerer.
Thus se we that Prayer is a lyftyng vp of a pure mynd vntounto God. It followeth.
¶ The nynthe Chapter.
VUherī we aske somewhat of hī He that entendethe to praye wt fruyte, muste before he begynne to praye, consider wt hymselfe for what thynge he hath moost nede to praye. If thou be proude, than haste thou nede to praye for humilitie. If thou be wrathfull & enuyous, than haste thou nede to praye for charite. If yu be a glotton or dronkarde, thē haste thou nede to praye for sobrtete. If yu be faulte in ony vice, than hast thou nede to pray for ye vertue cōtrary to the vyce. If thou be a magistrate & ruler of the people, than hast yu nede to praye vntounto God for grace, that yu mayste gouerne his people commytted vntounto thy charge accordyng to equite & mercy. Yf thou be a Bysshop or spirituall ouersear, thā hast thou a great occasion to flye vntounto God wt thy prayers, that thou mayst fayth fully gyue attendaūce on the flocke, ouer whome the holye Ghoste hathe made the an ouersear to gouerne ye congregacion of God,… Act. xx. whom he hath purchased wt his bloud. To be shorte in whatsoeuer state of lyuyng thou be, yf yu cōsyderest & weyest depely wt thy selfe thy maner of lyuīg, y• shalt find sufficient occasions for to pray. They therfore which pray but for a customs,Note. & because they wyl exercise theyr lyppes, vnlesse they shuld seme to ye Cōgregaciō but a lytle deuout & holy mē, not carīg what they pray so they praye, & do not before they praye determyne wt thēselues wherfore they wyll praye, certes thoughe they spende whole worldes in suche kinde of prayer, yet do they nothing lesse then praye. If we searche ye holy volumes of the deuine scriptures we shall easely perceyue, that they whiche prayed, dyd neuer praye but for vrgent and ryght necessary causes. As for an example:Exo. xxxii. Whan Moses perceyued the wrathe of God to be whotte agaynst the Israelites, bicause they had worshypped the golden calfe, he streyghte wayes for the helthe of his people prayed, sayenge: Eyther forgyue thē this faulte, or … thou do not, wype me oute of ye boke of lyfe,Psal. l. whiche thou haste wrytten. Kynge Dauid prayed many tymes for dyuers vrgēt causes as we may se in the Psalmes.ii. Par. l. Kynge Salomō his sonne prayed for wisdome, that he myght gouerne the people a right Ezechias hearyng the blasphemies & proud crakes of Senacherib,…ii. Re. xix Iudi. x.xii Hest. xiiii. praied to the LORDE for helpe. Iudith & Hester prayed for the delyueraunce of theyr people.
Luk. xviii. Mat. i…ii.Agayne in the newe Testament, the blynde prayed for theyr syght, ye lame for theyr goynge, the deafe for theyr hearynge, the sycke for theyr helth.Luk. xviii Mat. xv. Mat. viii. Luk. xxiii. The poore Publicane prayed for remission of synnes. The womā of Canane prayed for the healthe of her doughter, as dyuers other dyd for theyr chyldren and seruauntes. Christ & Steuen prayed for theyr enemies.Act. vii. Act. xii. The chyrch of Christ praied for the delyuerance of Peter. Paule & al the Apostles prayed for ye swifte & redye passage of the Gospell, & for the fortunate conuersion of the vnfaythfull, vntounto the fayth of Christ. Thus se we that all holye & deuoute persons dyd euer premeditate with them selues, wherfore they shoulde pray before they prayed. And so sone as an occasion of prayenge was offered vntounto thē, they fell streyghtwayes vntounto prayer, & fled vntounto God wt moost herty supplicacion for ye purchasynge of theyr hertes desyre. So ought we to do, & not rasshely to mū ble ouer a great multitude of Psalmes or other prayers after the maner of certayne ydiots & vnlearned prestes, we care not how, nor cā not tell wherfore, but ponder, weye and consyder depelye oure cause, and se what a greate occasion we hauehave to praye, & than with an hūble cōtryte & sorowfull herte lament our cause before God wyth moost bytter & heuy teares, neuer leauynge vntyl we hauehave obtayned that for the whyche we praye. If we would do thus, thā should our prayers be modest, sober & decēt, & not temerarious, …asshe, & babled oute of order, & by this meanes accepted of GOD, hearde and graunted.
Thus hauehave I declared as I trust accordynge vntounto the vayne of ye holy scripture, & the mynde of the aunciēt Doctors, what prayer is. Now I wyll haste to declare of what vertue & strēgth the true and Christen prayer is, ye men knowyng ye efficacy & dignite, yea & the necessite therof, may we ye more plansible & ioyful mī des delyght in it, exercysynge them selues therin bothe daye & nyght to the great glorye of God, & the vtter cōfusion of Satan, & the hygh consolacion of theyr owne soules.