to help us, full fair and many; of which the chief and principal mean is the blessed nature that He took of the maid, with all the means that go afore and come after which belong to our redemption and to endless salvation.  Wherefore it pleaseth Him that we seek Him and worship Him through means, understanding and knowing that He is the goodness of all.  For the goodness of God is the highest prayer, and it cometh down to the lowest part of our need.  It quickeneth our soul, and bringeth it on life, and maketh it for to wax in grace and virtue.  It is nearest in nature and readiest in grace; for it is the same grace that the soul seeketh, and ever shall seek till we know verily that He hath us all in Himself beclosed.”

“After this our Lord showed concerning Prayers.  In which showing I see two conditions signified by our Lord; one is rightfulness, another is assured trust.  But oftentimes our trust is not full; for we are not sure that God heareth us, as we think because of our unworthiness, and because we feel right nought; for we are as barren and dry oftentimes after our prayers as we were before....  But our Lord said to me, ’I am the ground of thy beseechings:  first, it is My will that thou have it; and then I make thee to wish for it; and then I make thee to beseech it, and thou beseechest it.  How then should it be that thou shouldest not have thy beseeching?’ ...  For it is most impossible that we should beseech mercy and grace and not have it.  For all things that our good Lord maketh us to beseech, Himself hath ordained them to us from without beginning.  Here may we see that our beseeching is not the cause of God’s goodness; and that showed He soothfastly in all these sweet words which He saith:  ‘I am the ground.’  And our good Lord willeth that this be known of His lovers in earth; and the more that we know it the more should we beseech, if it be wisely taken; and so is our Lord’s meaning.  Merry and joyous is our Lord of our prayer, and He looketh for it; and He willeth to have it; because with His grace He would have us like to Himself in condition as we are in kind.  Therefore saith He to us ’Pray inwardly, although thou think it has no savour to thee:  for it is profitable, though thou feel not, though thou see not, yea, though thou think thou canst not.’”

“And also to prayer belongeth thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving is a true inward knowing, with great reverence and lovely dread turning ourselves with all our mights unto the working that our good Lord stirreth us to, rejoicing and thanking inwardly.  And sometimes for plenteousness it breaketh out with voice and saith:  Good Lord! great thanks be to Thee:  blessed mote Thou be.”

“Prayer is a right understanding of that fulness of joy that is to come, with great longing and certain trust....  Then belongeth it to us to do our diligence, and when we have done it, then shall we yet think that it is nought; and in sooth it is.  But if we do as we can, and truly ask for mercy and grace, all that faileth us we shall find in Him.  And thus meaneth He where He saith:  ’I am the ground of thy beseeching.’  And thus in this blessed word, with the Showing, I saw a full overcoming against all our weakness and all our doubtful dreads.”