as call upon me." And hereto correspond and agree the words of Jesus Christ, saying, "If ye, being wicked, can give good gifts to your children, much more my heavenly Father shall give the Holy Ghost to them that ask Him" (Matt. vii.). And that we should not think God to be absent, or not to hear us, Moses occurreth, saying, "There is no nation that have their gods so adherent or nigh unto them as our God, who is present at all our prayers" (Deut. iv.). Also the Psalmist, "Near is the Lord to all that call upon Him in verity." And Christ saith, "Wheresoever two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Readiness of God to hear Sinners.-That we may not think that God will not hear us, Isaiah saith, "Before ye cry I shall hear, and while they yet speak I shall answer." And also, "If at even come sorrow or calamity, before the morning spring, I shall reduce [restore], and bring gladness." And these most comfortable words doth the Lord not speak to carnal Israel only, but to all men sore oppressed, abiding God's deliverance: "For a moment and a little season have I turned my face from thee, but in everlasting mercy shall I comfort thee."

The Hope to Obtain our Petitions Should Depend upon the Promises of God.-Oh! hard are the hearts which so manifold most sweet and sure promises do not mollify, whereupon should depend the hope to obtain our petitions. The indignity or unworthiness of ourselves is not to be regarded; for albeit to the chosen who are departed, in holiness and purity of life we be far inferiors; yet in that part we are equal, in that we have the same commandment to pray, and the same promise to be heard. For His gracious majesty esteemeth not the prayer, neither granteth the petition, for any dignity or worthiness of the person that prayeth, but for His promise' sake only. And therefore, saith David, "Thou hast promised unto Thy servant, O Lord, that Thou wilt build a house for him; wherefore Thy servant hath found in his heart to pray in Thy sight. Now, even so, O Lord, Thou art God, and Thy words are true: Thou hast spoken these good things unto Thy servant. Begin, therefore, to do according to Thy promise: multiply, O Lord, the household of Thy servant." Behold, David altogether dependeth upon God's promise; as also did Jacob, who, after he had confessed himself unworthy of all the benefits received, yet

durst he ask greater benefits in time to come, and that because God hath promised. In like manner, let us be encouraged to ask whatsoever the goodness of God hath freely promised. What we should ask principally, we shall hereafter declare.

Of Necessity we must have a Mediator.-The fifth observation which godly prayer requireth is the perfect knowledge of the advocate, intercessor, and mediator; for, seeing no man is of himself worthy to compear or appear in God's presence, by reason that in all men continually resteth sin, which, by itself, doth offend the majesty of God, raising also debate, strife, hatred, and division, betwixt His inviolable justice and us, for the which, unless satisfaction be made by another than by ourselves, so little hope resteth that anything from Him we can attain, that no surety may we have with Him at all. To exeme us from this horrible confusion, our most merciful Father, knowing that our frail minds should hereby have been continually dejected, hath given unto us His only beloved Son, to be unto us righteousness, wisdom, sanctification, and holiness. If in Him we faithfully believe, we are so clad that we may with boldness compear and appear before the throne of God's mercy, doubting nothing, but that whatsoever we ask through our Mediator, that same we shall obtain most assuredly. Here, is most diligently to be observed, that without our Mediator, Fore-speaker, and Peacemaker, we enter not into prayer; for the incallings of such as pray without Jesus Christ are not only vain, but also they are odious and abominable before God. Which thing to us in the Levitical priesthood most evidently was prefigured and declared: for as within the sanctum sanctorum, that is, the most holy place, entered no man but the high priest alone, and as all sacrifices offered by any other than by priests only, provoked the wrath of God upon the sacrifice · maker; so, whoever doth intend to enter into God's presence, or to make prayers without Jesus Christ, shall find nothing but fearful judgment and horrible damnation. Wherefore it is plain that Turks and Jews, notwithstanding that they do apparently most fervently pray unto God who created heaven and earth, who guideth and ruleth the same, who defendeth the good and punisheth the evil, yet never are their prayers pleasant unto God; neither honor they His holy majesty in anything, because they acknowledge not Jesus Christ. For he who honoreth not

the Son, honoreth not the Father. For as the law is a statute that we shall call upon God, and as the promise is made that He shall hear us, so are we commanded only to call through Jesus Christ, by whom alone our petitions we obtain; for in Him alone are all the promises of God confirmed and complete. Whereof, without all controversy, it is plain that such as have called, or call presently unto God by any other means than by Jesus Christ alone, do nothing regard God's will, but obstinately prevaricate, and do against His commandments; and therefore obtain they not their petitions, neither yet have entrance to His mercy; "for no man cometh to the Father," saith Jesus Christ, "but by me." He is the right way: who declineth from Him erreth, and goeth wrong. He is our leader, whom, unless we follow, we shall walk in darkness; and He alone is our captain, without whom, neither praise nor victory ever shall we obtain.

Against such as depend upon the intercession of saints, no otherwise will I contend, but shortly touch the properties of a perfect mediator. First, the words of Paul are most sure, that a mediator is not the mediator of one; that is, wheresoever is required a mediator, there are also two parties; to wit, one party offending, and the other party which is offended; which parties, by themselves may in no ways be reconciled. Secondly, the mediator who taketh upon him the reconciling of these two parties must be such a one as having trust and favor of both parties, yet in some things must differ from both, and must be clean and innocent also of the crime committed against the party offended. Let this be more plain by this subsequent declaration:

Angels may not be Mediators.-The eternal God, standing upon the one part, and all natural men descending of Adam upon the other part; the infinite justice of God is so offended with the transgression of all men, that in no wise can amity be made, except such a one be found as fully may make satisfaction for man's offences. Among the sons of men none was found able; for they were all found criminal in the fault of one; and God, infinite in justice, must abhor the society and sacrifice of sinners. And as to the angels, what might prevail their substitution for man? who, albeit they would have interposed themselves as mediators, yet they had not the infinite righteousness.

Jesus Christ, God and man, is Mediator.-Who, then, shall here be found the peacemaker? Surely the infinite goodness

and mercy of God might not suffer the perpetual loss and repudiation of His creatures; and therefore His eternal wisdom provided such a mediator, having wherewith to satisfy the justice of God-differing also from the Godhead-His only Son, clad in the nature of manhood, who interposed Himself a mediator; not as man only; for the pure humanity of Christ of itself might neither make intercession nor satisfaction for us; but God and man. In that He is God He might complete the will of the Father; and in that He is man, pure and clean, without spot or sin, He might offer sacrifice for the purgation of our sins, and satisfaction of God's justice. For unless saints have these two, Godhead equal with the Father, and humanity without sin, the office of mediators saints may not usurp.

But here will be objected, "Who knoweth not Jesus Christ to be the only mediator of our redemption? but that impedeth or hindereth nothing saints and holy men to be mediators, and to make intercession for us." As though that Jesus Christ had been but one hour our mediator, and after, had resigned the office to His servants!

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Who maketh other Mediators than Jesus Christ, taketh Honor from Him.-Do not such men gentilly entreat Jesus Christ, detracting from Him such a portion of His honor? Otherwise speak the Scriptures of God, testifying Him to have been made man, and to have proved our infirmities, to have suffered death willingly, to have overcome the same, and all to this end, that He might be our perpetual high sovereign priest, into whose place or dignity none other might enter (Heb. vi., vii., ix., x.). As John saith, "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John ii.). Mark well these words. John saith, "We have presently a sufficient advocate; whom Paul affirmeth to sit at the right hand of God the Father" (Rom. viii.), and to be the only mediator between God and man; for He alone, saith Ambrose, is our mouth, by whom we speak to God, He is our eyes, by whom we see God, and also our right hand, by whom we offer anything unto the Father, who, unless He make intercession, neither we, neither any of the saints, may have any society or fellowship with God. What creature may say to God the Father, "Let mankind be received into Thy favor; for the pain of his transgression, that

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have I sustained in my own body; for his cause was I encompassed with all infirmities, and so became the most contemned and despised of all men, and yet in my mouth was found no guile nor deceit, but always obedient to Thy will, suffering most grievous death for mankind. And therefore, behold not the sinner, but me, who, by my infinite righteousness, have perfectly satisfied for his offences?" May any other, Jesus Christ except, in these words make intercession for sinners? If they may not, then are they neither mediators, nor yet intercessors. 'For albeit," saith Augustine, "Christians do commend one another unto God in their prayers, yet make they not intercession, neither dare they usurp the office of a mediator; no, not Paul, albeit under the Head he was a principal member, because he commendeth himself to the prayers of faithful men." But if any do object, such is not the condition of the saints departed, who now have put off mortality, and bear no longer the fragility of the flesh; although I grant this to be most true, yet are they all compelled to cast their crowns before Him who sitteth on the throne, acknowledging themselves to have been delivered from great affliction, to have been purged by the blood of the Lamb; and therefore none of them do attempt to be a mediator, seeing they neither have being nor righteousness of themselves. But in so great light of the Gospel which now is beginning (praise be to the Omnipotent!), it is not necessary upon such matter long to remain.

Some say, we will use but one mediator, Jesus Christ, to God the Father; but we must have saints, and chiefly the Virgin, the mother of Jesus Christ, to pray for us unto Him.

Against Such as would have Mediators to Jesus Christ.Alas! whosoever is so minded, showeth himself plainly to know nothing of Jesus Christ rightly. Is He who descended from heaven, and vouchsafed to be conversant with sinners, commanding all sore vexed and sick to come unto Him (Matt. xi.), who, hanging upon the cross, prayed first for His enemies, become now so untractable that He will not hear us without a person to be a mean? O Lord! open the eyes of such, that they may clearly perceive Thy infinite kindness, gentleness, and love towards mankind.

Above all precedents is to be observed, that what we ask of God ought to be profitable to ourselves and to others, and hurt