THE PRECEP ­tes of the Gospell moste louynge bre­therne, are none o­ther thing, than di­uine techinges, the foundacions of edifyenge hope, the sure groundes of fortifyenge faith, the nourysshmentes to che­ryshe the harte, the stere to directe our iourney, and the firme defen­ces to opteyne saluation, whiche preceptes whyle they instructe in erthe the apte myndes of the bele­uers, they bryng them to the kingdome of heuen. Goddis wyl was, that many thynges shuld be both spoken and harde by the prophe­tes his seruantes: but how farre [Page] greatter are those thynges, that the sonne speketh, which the word of god, that was in the prophetes, witnesseth with his owne voyce? not nowe commaunding, that the waye be made redy for hym com­myng: but commynge hym selfe, and openynge and shewing to vs the way, that we, that fyrste were blynd and wandryng in the dark­nes of deathe, beinge illumyned with the grace of his lyghte, Psalm. 5. and he beinge our leder and gide, may holde on our iourney to lyfe: whi­che among other his helthful mo­nitiōs and diuine preceptes, with whiche he allureth his people to saluation, he also gaue a forme of prayer, he monyshed and instruc­ted what we shulde pray. He that made vs to lyue, taughte vs also to pray, this dyd he of his benig­nitie, [Page] whereby he vouchesaued to gyue and conferre other thynges, that whyle we in prayer and ory­son, that the son taught vs, speke to the father, we may be the soner hard. He than tolde vs before, the howre commeth, whan the trewe worshyppers, shulde worshyp the father in spirite and trouthe, and hath fulfylled that he before pro­mysed, that we, which of his sanc­ctification haue receyued spyrite and trouthe, of his tradition also shall truely and spiritually pray. For what prayer can be more spi­ritual than that, that is gyuen vs of Christe, frome whome also the holy ghoste is sente to vs? What prayer maye do more with the fa­ther, than that, that the son, whi­che is the veritie spake with his owne mouthe? in soo moche that [Page] to praye otherwyse than he hathe taught, is not onely ignoraunce, but also offence, Matth. 15. seinge he hath set forthe, and sayde, Ye caste asyde the commandement of god, to the ende you wolde stablysshe youre own tradition. Therfore dere brethern, let vs pray, as god our ma­ster hath taught vs. It is a frendly and familyar oryson, to praye god of his owne, the prayer of Christe to ascend to his eares, the father wyll acknowlege the wor­des of his sonne. Whan we make our prayer, lette hym that dwel­leth within the breaste be in the voyce. And seynge that we haue hym as an aduocate to the father for our synnes, whan we synners pray for our offences, let vs bring forth the wordis of our aduocate. For syth he saith: Ioan. 1 What so euer ye [Page] wylle desyre of the father in my name, he shall gyue it you: than howe moch more effectually shall we obteyn that we axe in Christis name, if we craue it with his own prayer? But suche as woll praye, let their wordis & prayer be lowly quiete and honest. Let vs thinke, that we stand in the syght of god. The diuine eyes must be pleased bothe with the behauyour of the body, and maner of speche. For as it is an imprudent poynt, to make a clamorous noyse, so cōtrarywise it is conuenient, shamefastely to praye with sober and temperate prayers. Furthermore the lorde commandeth vs secretely to pray in priuie, secrete, or out places, ye in oure bedde chaumbers, whiche thynge dothe greately agree with our fayth, to thende that we shuld [Page] knowe God to be presente euerye where, to here and see vs all, and with the fulnesse of his maiestie, also to perse and enter into secret and hydde places, as it is writen, I am god drawyng nere, Hier. 23. and nat god afarre of. If a man were hid in priuie and secrete places, ergo shall nat I see hym? Do not I fyl both heuen and erth? Pro. 15. And ageyn, The eies of god do beholde in e­uery place bothe the good & bad. Whan we com togyther with our brethern, and do celebrate diuine sacrifyces with goddis mynister, the prieste, we must be myndefull of shamefastnesse and dyscipline, not to blaste abrode our prayers, with vnordered voyces, nor oure petition, soberly to be commended to god, we shuld cast out with tu­mustuouse ianglynge, for god he­reth [Page] the harte, and not the voyce. Nor we shoulde crye out to hym, whyche seeth oure thoughtes, the lord prouokyng and saying, Luc. 5. what thynke you wyckednesse in youre hartis? and in an other place. Hier. 17. And let all congregations knowe, that I am the sercher of the rainis and harte. Whiche thyng Anna in the fyrst boke of kynges, bearing the figure of the church, obseruid and kepte, whyche not with a clamo­rous peticion, but styll and softly within the pryuye partes of her breast, prayd vnto the lorde. She spake with a hyd prayer, but with an open fayth: she spake not with voyce, but with harte, for soo she knewe god herde, and she obtey­ned effectuallye that she desyred, bycause she axed faythfully. Holy scripture declareth what she sayd: [Page] She spake in her harte, 1. Reg. 1. and her lippes moued, and her voyce was not harde, and god herd her. Also we rede in the psalmes: Psalm. 4. Speke in your hartes, and in your beddes, and remember your selfis. By Ieremye also, the same thynges the holy ghooste dothe perswade and teache, sayenge: Hier. 29. It behoueth the to praye to god inwardelye. But yet well beloued brethern, he that dothe pray, shuld not forget, after what maner in the temple the pu­blycane prayed with the pharisee, his eies not vnsemely lifted vp to heuen, nor his handes insolently stratched out, knocking his brest, and acknowlegynge his secrete & hydden synnes, lamentably desy­red succour of goddis meecy. But seinge the Pharisee stoode in his owne conceite, this man deserued [Page] more to be sāctified, which so prai­ed, that he had no hope of salua­tion in his innocēcy, sythe no man is innocente, but confessynge his synnes, he humbly prayde, and he that forgyueth the humble, harde his prayer: The whiche thinges the lord in his gospel putteth and sayth: Luc. 18. Two men went vp into the temple to pray, the one a pharisee, and the other a Publycane: The pharisee stode, and prayed by him self after this maner: God I thāk the, bicause I am nat as other mē vniuste, robbers, adulterers, as this publycane. I faste twyse in the weke, I gyue the tythes of al what so euer I possesse. But the publycane stoode afarre of, and wolde not lyfte vp his eies to he­uen, but knockid his brest, saying God be mercyfull vnto me a syn­ner. [Page] I telle you this manne went downe moore iustyfyed into his hous, thē he the pharisee. [...]th. 23. For who so euer exalteth hym selfe, shall be humbled, and who so euer wolle humble hym selfe, shalbe exalted. Whiche thynges dere bretherne, we lerning of the diuine lesson, after that we knowe how we ought to ꝓcede to praier, we must know alsoo, the lorde instructynge vs, what we shulde pray, thus saythe he, praye ye.

[Page]Aboue all thynges, the teacher of peace, and mayster of vnitie, wyl not singular & priuate prayer to be made, that whā any prayeth y ^t he shuld not onely pray for hym selfe, We say nat, My father, whiche art in heuen, nor Gyue me my dayly bread. Nor there is no man that desyreth to haue his synnes forgyuen hym aloone, or prayeth for hym selfe alone, that he shulde nat be led into temptation, and delyuered from euyl. Our prayer is publyke and common, and whan we pray, we pray not for one, but for all the people, for we all be but one. The lorde of peace and may­ster of concorde, whiche taughte vnitie, wolde oone to pray soo for all, as he hym selfe bare al in one. This rule of prayer, the thre chil­dern inclosed in the forneis of fire [Page] obserued, agreing and accordyng in prayer and consente of spirite. Whiche thynge the trouthe of di­uine scripture declareth, & whan it teacheth howe they prayd, it gi­ueth example, whiche in our prai­ers, we ought to folowe, that we may be suche as they were. Daniel. 5. Than (sayth, the scripture) they thre as out of one mouth, sang an himne, and blessed the lorde. They spake as out of oone mouthe, and yet Christe had not tought theym to pray, and therfore to theym pray­inge, their wordes were effectuall and toke place, for their peasyble, symple, and spirituall prayer, de­serued to be accepted of god. And so we fynd, that the apostels with the disciples prayid after thascen­tion of the lorde. Act. 1. They were all, sayth the scripture, of one mynde, [Page] and continuynge in prayer, with the womē, and Mary the mother of Iesu, and with his bretherne. They being of one mynde perse­uered in prayer, declaryng bothe the instance and concorde of their prayer. For god whyche maketh the inhabitantes of one mynde in the house, Psal. 67. admitteth none into the diuine and eternall house, but su­che as are of one mynd in prayer. But what be the misteries of the lordis prayer, most dere brethern, how many, how great, how brefe­ly gathered togither, but in ver­tue spirituall, howe copious and abundant? that there is nothing omittid, that is not in our praiers and orysons, comprysed in this compendiouse heauenly doctrine. Thus sayth he, pray ye, Matth. 6. Our father whiche arte in heauen, The man that [Page] is renewed and borne ageyn, and restored to god by his grace, sayth in the fyrst place, Father, bycause he begynneth nowe to be his sonne. He came (sayth the scripture) into his owne, Ioan. 1. and his owne receyued hym not, But as many as recey­ued hym, to theym gaue he power to be the chylderne of god, which beleue in his name. Therfore he that beleueth in his name, and is made the chyld of god, must forth withall begyn both to gyue than­kes, and acknowlege him selfe to be the chylde of god, whan he na­meth his father to be in heauen, god. He woll also among the first wordes of his byrthe declare hym selfe, to haue forsaken his erthely and carnall father, and to begyn to haue hym his only father, that is in heuen, as it is writen: They [Page] that say to the father and mother, I knowe the not, & they acknow­leged not their children, they haue kepte thy preceptes, and haue ob­serued thy testamēt. Matt. 23. Also the lord in his gospel commaundeth, that we shulde calle no man father in erthe, bycause we haue one father whiche is in heuen. And to the di­sciple, that shewid, that his father was deade, he sayde: Matth. 8. Suffre the deade to burye the deade. For he sayde, that his father was deed: sythen they that beleue, haue a ly­uynge father. Nor we ought not dere bretherne, to marke and con­syder this onely, that we shuld cal hym father that is in heauen, but we ioyne therwith, and say, Oure father, that is of them that beleue of thē that by hym bd sauctifyed, and with the natiuite of spiritual [Page] grace restored, beganne to be the chyldren of god. Whyche voyce also doothe wrynge and sharpely touche the Iewes, whych not on­ly vnfaythfully despised Christe, forshewed to them by the prophe­tes, and to them fyrst sent, but al­so cruelly slewe hym. The whiche Iewes can nat nowe call god fa­ther, sythen the lord confoundeth and reproueth them, sayeng: Ioan. 8. You are of the father the dyuelle: and after the lustes of your father wyl ye do, for he was a murderer frō the begynnynge, and abode not in the truthe: bycause the truthe is not in hym. And by Esaie Esay. 1. the pro­phete god disdaynyng crieth out: I haue begottē chyldren, and ex­alted them, but they haue despised me. The oxe knowith is lord, & the asse his masters stable, but Israell [Page] knoweth not, and my people hath not vnderstand, out vpon ye synfull nation, people full of syn­nes, wycked seede, vngracyouse childerne. you haue forsaken the lorde, and haue prouoked him the holy one of Israel to indignatiō.

To whose rebuke and shaame, whan we Christians pray, we say, Our father. bycause he hath begon to be ours, and hath lefte to be the Iewes father, which forsoke him. Nor a synfulle people can nat be his chylde, but they, whose syn­nes are forgyuen, be callyd chyl­derne, and to theym euerlastynge ioye is promysed, oure lorde hym selfe sayenge: Ioan. 8. Who so euer dothe synne, is the seruant, of synne, as for the seruant, abydeth not in the house foreuer, but the sonne aby­deth for euer. But howe greate is [Page] the gentylnesse of the lorde? howe plentiful is his fauour & goodnes towarde vs? That so wolde haue vs celebrate our prayer in goddis sight, that we shuld cal god, fader and that as Christ is the sonne of god, so we also shoulde be cleped the chyldren of god. Which name none of vs durste ones touche in prayer, but if he had permitted vs soo to praye. Therfore deere bre­therne, we ought to remēbre and knowe, that whan we cal god, fa­ther, we oughte to behaue vs as children of god, that as we take a pleasure to haue god our father, so he maye be pleased to haue vs his chyldren: we shoulde behaue vs as the temples of god, that it myght appere, that god dwelleth in vs. Ne our dedes shoulde not vary from the spirit, that we that [Page] haue begunne to be heuenly and spirituall, shulde thynke nor doo but heuenly and spiritualle thyn­ges. For god hym selfe saythe: 1. Reg. 2. I wyll glorifie theym, that glorifie me, and he that despiseth me, shal be despised. 1. Cor. 6. Also the blessed apo­stel in his epistell sayth: ye are not your owne, for ye be bought with a great price: glorifie and beare god in your body.

¶After this we saye, Halowed be thy name, not that we desyre of god that his name shulde be halowed by oure prayers, but we aske of him, that his name maye be halo­wed in vs. For of whome is god sanctified, whiche hym selfe san­ctifieth other? but bicause he saith Be ye holy, Leuit. 20. for I am holy, therfore we desyre and pray, that we, that are sanctified in baptysme, maye [Page] perseruer & abyde in that we haue begun: and this daily we pray for.

For truly we had nede to be dayly sanctified, that we, whiche synne dayly, might pourge our synnes with continuall fanctifycation.

But what this sanctification is, that god vouchsafeth to giue vs, the apostelle declareth, 2 Cor. 6. sayienge: Nother fornicatours, nor Idoll worshippers, nor brekers of wed­locke, nor weakelynges, nor abu­sers of them selfes with mākynd, nor theues, nor the couetous, nor drunkardes, nor sclanderers, nor cursed speakers, nor extorcioners shall inheryte the kyngedome of god. And suche haue you ben, but ye be washed, ye ar made rightu­ous, ye are sanctified in the name of oure lorde Iesu Christe, and in the spirite of our god. He saythe, [Page] we be sāctified in the name of our lorde Iesu Christe, and in the spi­rite of our god. That this sancti­fication shulde remayne in vs, we pray: and bycause god our iudge menasseth the healed and the relyued of hym, to sinne no more now leste he shulde be worse handled, we make this continuall prayer, this we craue bothe daye & night, that the sanctification and viui­ficatiō, that is goten by the grace of god, might be kept by his pro­tection.

There foloweth in this prayer, Thy kyngdome come. We desyre al­so, that his kyngedome be repre­sented vnto vs, lykewyse as we aske that his name maye be halo­wed in vs. For whanne doth not god reigne? or whan begynneth his reigne, which alway was, and [Page] euer shalbe? We desyre our kyngdome to come, of god to vs pro­mysed, and with the bloudde and passion of Christ gotten, that we, which before serued in the world, may afterward reigne with Christ rulyng, lyke as he promyseth and sayth: Mat. 25. Come ye blessed of my fa­ther, take and receyue the kynge­dome, whiche is prepared for you from the beginnyng of the world. Truely it may be, dere bretherne, that Christ hym selfe is the kyngdome of god, whiche dayly we de­syre to come: whose commyng we couete soone to se. For seyng that he is oure resurrection, and that we ryse agayn in him: so likewise he may be vnderstande the kyng­dome of god. For in hym we shall reigne. Heauenly and erthly kyngdom. And we do well, to desyre the kyngdome of god, that is, [Page] the kyngdom of heuen. For there is also an erthely kyngdome. But he that now forsaketh the worlde, is greatter than the honours and kyngedome therof: and therfore he that dedicateth hym self to god and Christe, desyreth not the erth­ly, but the heauenly kyngdome. We had nede to pray cōtinually, leste we falle frome the heauenly kyngedome, as the Iewes dyd, to whom it was fyrste promysed, as oure lorde hym selfe manyfestely proueth: Matth. 8. Many (saythe he) shall come from the easte and west, and shall reste with Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, in the kyngedome of heuen. But the chylderne of the kyngedome shall be caste out into vtter darknesse, there shalbe wai­lynge and gnashynge of tethe. He sheweth this, bycause the Iewes [Page] were afore chylderne of the kyng­dome, as longe as they continued to be the chyldren of god. But af­ter the name of the father ceassed amonge them, theyr kyngedome ceassed withall. And therfore we christians, whiche in our prayer haue begonne to call god, father: do also praye, that the kyngedom of god may come to vs.

¶We adde therto and saye, Thy wyll be done in erthe, as it is in heuen, not that god shuld do that he wol, but that we may do that god wol. For who withstandeth god, but that he may do what he wol? But bycause the dyuelle withstandeth vs, that our myndes in all thyn­ges, and in euery act obeyeth nat god, we praye and desyre that the wylle of god maye be done in vs, whiche to the ende it may be done [Page] in vs, we haue nede of Goddes wyll, that is, of goddis helpe and protection: for no man is stronge of him selfe: but is sure and safe by the indulgence and mercye of god. For god declaryng the infir­mitie of man, whiche he bare himselfe, sayth: Matt. 26 Father, if it be possi­ble, let this cuppe passe from me. And gyuynge an exaumple to his disciples, that they shulde not do theyr owne, but goddis wylle, he added therto sayinge: Neuerthelesse, not as I wylle, but as thou wylte. And in an nother place he saythe: Ioan. 6. I discended not from he­uen to do myn owne wyll, but his that sente me. If that the sonne was obedient to doo the fathers wyll: Howe moche more oughte the seruaunt to be obedient to do goddis wyll; 1. Ioan. 2 Saynte Iohū alsoo [Page] lykewyse in hys epistle exhortethe and instructeth vs to do the wylle of god, sayenge: Se that ye loue not the world, neither the thinges that are in the world. If any man loue the world, the loue of the fa­ther is nat in hym. For all that is in the worlde, is the luste of the fleshe, the luste of the eies, and the pryde of lyfe, whyche is not of the father, but of the concupiscence of the worlde, and the world passeth awaye, and the luste therof. But he that doth the wyll of god, aby­deth for euer, lyke as god abydeth for euer. We that woll abyde for euer, must fulfyl the wyll of god, whiche is eternalle. The wylle of god is, which Christ both taught and fulfilled: humilitie in conuer­sation, stablenesse in feyth, myld­nes in wordes, ryghtousenesse in [Page] dedes, mercy in workes, discipline in maners, not to knowe to do in­iurie, and to suffre wronge done, to lyue quietly amonge brethern, to loue god with all the harte, to loue hym bycause he is the father to feare hym bycause he is god, to esteme nothynge aboue Chryste, for he estemed nothing aboue vs, to cleaue to his charitie insepara­bly, & to sticke to his crosse strongly and faythefullye, whan for his name and honoure there is anye stryfe: to shewe constancy in wor­des, that we confesse hym with: and sure truste in question, wher­with we assayle other: pacience in dethe, wherto we contende, this is to wylle to be heire wyth Chryste, this is to do goddis commaundement, this is to fulfyll the wyll of the father. We desyre the wylle of [Page] god to be done in erthe as it is in heuen: bothe whiche apperteyne to the consummation of our wyll and saluation. For sythen we pos­sesse a body of the erth, and a gost of heuen, we be erthe and heuen, and in bothe, that is, bodye and gooste, we praye, that the wyll of god be doone. Trewely there is a wrastlyng betwene the fleshe and the spirite, and stryuinge oone a­geynste the other, they dayly con­tende together, that we canne not doo the thynges that we wolde: while the spirite seketh for heuen­ly and diuine thynges, the fleshe coueiteth erthly and worldly thinges. And therfore we ernestly de­syre, that betweene these two, by the ayde and helpe of god, agree­ment may be made, that whan the wylle of god is fulfylled bothe of [Page] the spirite and the fleshe, the soule whiche by hym is borne agayne, may be saued. Whych thynge the apostel Paule playne and openly declareth with his owne voyce: The fleshe (saythe he) lusteth a­gaynste the spirite, and the spirite agaynst the fleshe. These two are so contrarye one to the other, that you can not do what thinges that ye wolde. Galat. 5. The dedes of the fleshe be manyfeste, whiche are, adulte­ries, fornications, vnclennes, fyl­thy wantonnesse, idolatry, witch-craft, murder, hatred, contention, spite, wrath, prouocation, debate, heresye, enuye, dronkennes, glot­tony, and suche lyke, which I tell you before, as I haue tolde you, that they whiche do such thinges, shall not possesse the kyngedome of god. But the fruit of the spirite [Page] is Charitie, ioye, peace, long suf­ferynge, feythe, mekenesse, conti­nence, chastite. And therfore daily yea continually we praye, that the wyll of god be done concernynge vs, bothe in heauen and in erthe, For this is the wylle of god, that erthely thynges shuld gyue place to heuenly, and that spiritual and diuine thynges, shulde preuayle. It may also be thus vnderstande dere bretherne: that bycause god commandeth, ye and monyssheth vs to loue our ennemies, and also to pray for them that ꝑsecute vs, we shulde praye for them that be as yet erthy, and haue not yet be­gun to be heuenly, that touchyng them the wyl of god may be done, whiche Christ fully dyd, in cōser­uynge and renewynge man. For sythen he called his disciples not [Page] erthy, Matth. 5. but the salte of the erth, 1. Cor. 15. and the apostell calleth the fyrste man of slyme of the erthe, erthy, the se­conde of heauen, heauenly: with good cause we, whiche oughte to be lyke god the father, that ma­keth his sonne to ryse vppon the good and bad, Matth. 5. and sendeth rayne vpon the iuste and vniuste, shulde so praye and desyre (god admo­nishynge) that we myghte make prayer for the helthe of all men. That lyke as in heuen, that is, in vs by our faythe, the wylle of god is done, that as we shuld be of he­uen, so euē in erth, that is in them beleuynge, the wyll of god maye be done, that they, whiche as yet of theyr fyrste byrthe, be erthye, borne of water and the holy goost may begynne to be heuenly.

¶Procedyng forth in our prayer [Page] we aske and say: Gyue vs this daye our dayly breade, whiche saieng may be vnderstād spiritually and sim­ply: for bothe the vnderstandyn­ges with diuine vtilitie, profytte vnto saluation. For the breade of lyfe is Christ, and this is not eue­ry mans breadde, but it is oures. And lyke as we saye, our Father by cause it muste be vnderstande, he is father of theym that beleue: so we cal hym our bread. Luc. 14. For Christ, whose bodye we touche, is oure breade. This bread we aske day­ly to be gyuen vs, leste we, that be in Christe, and receyue dayly his precious body, by some greuouser offence chaunsynge, whyle we be accursed out of the churche, & not communicating, Matth. 6. shulde be prohy­bited from that heuenly breadde, and shulde be separated from the [Page] body of Christe, hym selfe before shewyng and monysshynge: Iohan. 6. I am the breade of lyfe that descen­ded from heuen. he that woll eate of this breade, shall lyue for euer. The breade that I woll gyue for the lyfe of the world, is my fleshe. Therfore whan he saythe, Eodem. he that woll eate of this bread, shall lyue for euer, it is than manyfest, they lyue, whiche touche his body, and receyue it by the right of commu­nion: soo contrarywyse it is to be feared and prayed for, leste while one accursed out of the churche, is separated from the body of Christ he remayne farre from saluation, hym self thretnynge and saying, Excepte ye eate the flesshe of the sonne of man, Eodem. & drynke his bloud, ye shall haue no lyfe in you. And therfore we aske daily our breade, [Page] that is, Chryst to be gyuen to vs, that we, that abyde and lyue in Chryste, shulde not departe from his sanctification and body.

It may also be thus vnderstād, that we, whiche haue forsaken the wolde, and by grace of spirituall feythe, haue caste away the riches and pompe therof, woll desyre on­lye oure meate and foode, seinge Chryst woll vouchsafe to instruct vs and saye: Luc. 14. He that woll not for­sake all that he hath, canne not be my disiple. He that hathe begūne to be Christis disciple, forsakynge all that he hath, after the wordes of his mayster, ought to aske his daily foode: ne we may nat extend the desyres of our petition to any longe tyme. Matth. 6. For Christ ageyn pre­scribeth and saith: Be not ye care­ful for the morowe: for the morow [Page] shall care for it selfe. Euery daye hath inough of his own trauaile. Therfore Chrystis dysciple skyl­fully asketh his dayly foode: whi­che is prohibited to be carefull for the morowe. For it is bothe con­trarye and repugnant in it selfe, that we shuld desyre to lyue longe in this worlde, whiche prayer, that the kingedome of god may quick­ly come. And so the blessed apostel monisheth, forinynge & strength­thyng the stedfastnes of our hope and faithe: 1. Timo. 6 Nothynge (sayth he) we brought into the worlde, aud truely we can carye nothyng out. Therfore hauyng foode and ray­ment, let vs be content therwih. For they that woll be ryche, falle into the temptation and snares of the dyuell, and into many noysom lustes, which drowne a man into [Page] distruction and damnation. For couetousnes is the roote of all y­uels: whiche, some moch desiring, haue rounne to wrecke frome the faythe, and tangled theym selfes with many sorowes. He teacheth not onely, that ryches shoulde be despised, but also that they be pe­ryllous, and that in theym is the rote of blandysshinge yuelles, the blyndnes of mans mynde, begy­ling with priuie deceyt. Wherfore Christe reprouynge the foolysshe ryche man, that had set his mynde on his worldly substance, & reioy­ced in him self for the great abun­dance of his fruites, saythe in the gospell: Luce. 12. Thou foole, this nyghte shall they require thy soule frome the, than whose shall those thyn­ges be that thou haste prepared? The fole that shuld dye the same [Page] nyght, reioysed in his fruites, and he, whose lyfe nowe fayled, was carefull for abundance of foode. But Christe teacheth a contrarye lesson, Matth. 19 that he that wol be perfect, muste selle a way all that he hath, and deale it amonge poore men, and make hym a tresure in heuen. This man (saith Christ) foloweth him, and the glorie of his passion, whiche is expedite and lyght ap­parayled, not wrapped and loded with householde stuffe, but leuse and at lybertie, his goodes and substāce sent afore to god, he also foloweth after. To the which that eche of vs may p̄pare him selfe, he lerneth vs to pray, & to knowe af­ter what maner our prayer ought to be. For no ryghtous man can lacke his dayely foode, Prou. 10. sythe it is written: The lorde kylleth not the [Page] soule of a iuste man with hunger. Psal. 38. And agayne: I haue ben yonger, and nowe am olde: and haue nat sene the iuste man forsakē, nor his sede seke theyr breadde. Matth. 6. Also the lorde promyseth and saythe: Be not ye carefull, sayeng: what shall we eate, or what shall we drinke, or wherwith shall we be clothed? For those thinges the hethen peo­ple seke. But your heuenly father knowethe, that ye haue neede of those thynges. Seke ye fyrst the kyngedome of god, and the righ­tuousnes therof, & all these thin­ges shall be ministred vnto you. To them that seke the kyngdome and rightuousnes of god, al those thynges he promyseth to be mini­stred. For sythen all thynges be goddes, he that hath god, lacketh nothynge, yf he hym selfe be not [Page] wantyng to god. Deute. 14 So for Daniel, by the kynges commaundemente inclosed in the lyons denne, a dy­ner from heauen was prepared, and he the man of god dydde eate among the hungry wyld beastes, that hurte hym not. 3. Reg. 17 So Helyas in his flyght was fed, and in wil­dernes by rauens and byrdes mi­nistrynge and bryngynge to hym meate, he was norished in perse­cution. O detestable crueltie of mans malyce, the wylde beastes forbeare to doo hurte, the byrdes bryng fode to nourishe, men prac­tise wyles, and cruellye demeane them selfes.

¶After all this we praye for our synnes, sayeng: And forgyue vs our trespaces, as we forgyue them that tres­pas agaynst vs. After helpe of fode, forgyuenesse of synne is desyred, [Page] that he that is fedde of god, may lyue in god, hauynge respecte not only to this present and temporal, but to the eternal lyfe, to the whi­che he may come, if his synnes be forgyuen, whiche the lorde callith dettes, lyke as in his gospelle he sayth: Matth. 18 I haue forgyuen the all thy dette, bycause thou praydest me. But howe nedefully, howe proui­dently, and howe holsomly be we admonyshed, that we be synners, whiche be compelled to praye for our synnes, that while forgiuenes is craued of god, the mynde maye remember his conscience. For to the ende no man shulde stande in his owne conceyte, as though he were an innocent, and extollynge hym selfe, shuld peryshe the more he is instructed & taughte, that he synneth dayely, sythen he is com­maunded [Page] dayely to praye for his synnes. And thus fynallye Iohn̄ in his epistell admonyssheth vs, 1. Iohan. 1 sayeng: If we saye that we haue no synne, we deceyue our selues, and the truth is not in vs. But if we woll confesse oure synnes, the lorde is faithfull and iuste, whiche wol forgyue vs our sinnes. Both these he hath comprised in his epi­stell: that we oughte to praye for our synnes, and that we shall op­teyne forgyuenes whan we praye. And therfore he saith, god is faith full to forgyue synnes, holdynge the faith of his promise. For why he that taught vs to praye for our sinnes, hath ꝓmised, that fatherly mercy and forgyuenes shulde fo­lowe. He hath ioyned and added therto a lawe, constraynynge vs with a certayn condition and pro­mise, [Page] that we shulde so desyre our synnes to be forgiuen vs euen as we forgiue theym that trespas a­geynste vs: Knowynge well, that it canne nat be obteyned, that we aske for our sinnes, rxcept we wol doo the lyke to them that trespas agaynste vs. And therfore in an other place he saithe: Matth 7 With what measure ye mette, with the same shall it be mesured to you agayn. And he the seruaunt, whiche after his lord hadde forgyuen hym all his duetie, wolde not forgyue his felowe, was trowen into pryson. Bicause he wold not gentilly for­giue his felowe, he loke that that his lord had courteisly giuen him. Whiche thynges Chryste in his preceptes more strongly, and with more vigour of his sharpe iudge­ment, fortolde vs: Matt. 11. And whan ye [Page] stande to praye (sayth he) forgiue, yf ye haue ought against any mā, that your father also whiche is in heuen, may forgiue you your tres­passes: but if you wol not forgiue, no more woll your father that is in heauen forgyue your offences. There is no excuse for the, at the day of iudgement, whanne thou shalt be iudged after thyne owne sentence: and that thou hast done, that shalt thou suffre. For god cō ­mandeth, that such as loue peace, concorde, & to liue in vnitie, shuld dwelle in his house: and suche as he made vs in our seconde natiui­tie, suche he woll vs beinge borne againe, to perseuer: that we whi­che haue begunne to be the childrē of god, shuld remain in the peace of god, and we that haue one spi­citie, shoulde be of one minde and [Page] intent: for so god receyueth our sacrifice. He commaundethe the stryuer, retournyng from the al­tare, fyst to reconcile hym to his brother, that with prayers com­mynge from an harte, that loueth peace, god may be pacified. Our peace and brotherly concorde, and the people knytte togyther in the vnitie of the father & of the sonne, and of the holy goste, is a sacrifice hyghly acceptable vnto god. For god regarded not the gyftes and offerynges that Abill and Cayne the fyrst, Genes. 4. offred vp in sacrifice, but he behelde theyr hartes, that he shulde pleace hym with his gyfte, that pleased hym in his hart. The peasible and iust Abell innocent­ly offrynge vp his sacrifyce vnto god, taught all other, whan they offre theyr gyft at the altare, so to [Page] come with the drede of god, with a symple harte, with the lawe of iustice, with the peace of concord. He that was suche in the sacrifice of god, was afterwarde worthily made a sacrifyce to god: that he fyrste shewyng a profe of martir­dome, with the glory of his bloud tasted the lordes passion, the whi­che had in hym bothe iustyce and peace. Suche the lorde crowneth, such at the day of iudgement shal with the lorde be reuenged. But he that is at debate and strife, and lyueth not in peace with his bre­therne (lyke as the blessed apostle & holy scripure witnesse) though he shuld be slayne for the name of Chryst, yet coude he not escape the cryme of dyssention. For as it is written: 1. Iohan. 3 who soo euer hateth his brother, is a mankyller: & a man [Page] sleer commeth not to the kynge­dome of heuen, that he may lyue with god. For he can nat be with Chryst, that had rather be the fo­lower of Iudas than of Chryste. What maner synne is it, that can nat with the baptisme of bloudde be washed awaye? What faute or offence is it, that can nat be pur­ged with martyrdome?

¶This also our lord necessarily werneth vs, that in our prayer we shulde saye: And let vs not be ledde into temptation. In the whiche part it is sheweth, that our aduersarye can nothynge do ageynst vs, without god before permytte hym: to the ende that all our feare and de­uotion, and obseruation, shulde be conuerted to God. For in oure temptations the fende hathe noo power, without it be gyuen hym [Page] of god, as holy scripture proueth, whiche sayth: 4. Reg. 24. Nabuchodonosor, the kynge of Babylon camme to Hierusalem, and cōquerid it, and god gaue it into his hande. Po­wer is gyuen to the dyuell ageinst vs, after as our synnes be, as it is wryttē: Esay. 42. Who gaue Iacob and Israel to them to be trodē vnder foote and spolyed? Dyd not god, ageynst whome they synned, and wolde nat walke in his ways, nor here his lawes, therfore hathe he brought on them the wrath of his displeasure? And agayne, of Sa­lomon synnynge and leauyng the commandementes and wayes of the lorde, thus it is wrytten: 3. Reg. 12. The lorde raysed an aduersarye vnto Salomon.

¶Power is gyuen agaynste vs two maner of wayes: eyther for [Page] our punishment, when we offend, or elles for our glorie, when we be proued: lyke as we see doone on Iob, Iob. 1. god declarynge and saying, Beholde, all thyuges, what so e­uer he hath, I gyue into thy han­des, but beware thou touche hym not. And Christ in the tyme of his passion, Iohan. 19 saith in the gospel: Thou shuldest haue no power on me, yf it were not gyuen the from aboue Whā we pray, that we fal not in­to temptation, we be admonished of our infirmitie and weakenes, while we so pray, to thend no man shuld extolle hym selfe, that noo man shuld proudely & arrogantly take any thing vpon him, that no man shuld repute it his owne glorie, eyther of confessyon, or of pas­sion, sithen our lord hym felf tea­chynge humilitie, Marc. 14 sayth: Watche [Page] and pray, that ye fal not into tem­ptation, The spirite is wyllynge, but the flesh is weke: so that when an humble and lowly confessyon goth before, and al togither ascri­ued vnto the lorde: what soo euer in lowly wyse, with feare and ho­nour of god is asked, of his mer­cy he woll graunt vs.

¶After all these thynges, in the fynyshynge of our prayer cometh this clause in a briefe collection, concludyng all our petitions, and prayers. For in the laste place we saye: But delyuer us from euyll, com­prehendynge all aduersities, that our ennemye endeuoureth to doo agaynst vs in this worlde: frome the whiche a trustye and sure de­fence may be, yf god woll delyuer vs, yf we humblye prayenge and tenderly besechynge hym, he woll [Page] vouchesafe to helpe vs. Whan we say: Delyuer vs from euyll, there remaynethe nothynge nowe that ought to be farther asked, whan we shall haue oones desyred the Protection of god agaynst yuell: whyche being opteyned agaynste all thynges, that the dyuell and the worlde worketh, we may stand sure and safe. For wat dreede of the worlde is to hym, to whom in the worlde god is the defendour? What meruail is it, dere brethern if the prayer be suche, whiche god taught, whiche as a maister most worthye, hath abreuiate all oure peace with his helthefull worde? Nowe this thing was before told by the prophete Esaye, whanne he beinge replenyshed with the holy gooste, Esaye. 10. spake of the maiestie and pitie of god: A worde consumyng [Page] (sayth he) and breuiatynge in iu­styce: for god shall make shorte his worde in all the roundnesse of the erthe. For whan the worde of god, our lorde Iesus Christe, came to all men, gatherynge to­gyther bothe the lerned and vn­lerned, to euery kynde and aege, he gaue preceptes of saluation: he made a compendyous worke of his preceptes, bycause the me­morie of the lerners shoulde not be greued in the heuēly discipline but shulde quickly lerne that that shuld be necessary to the pure and symple faith. So whan he taught what euerlasting life is, in a great and diuine briefenes, he compre­hended the mistery of lyfe, Iohan. 17 saying: This is the lyfe euerlastyng, that they know the, to be the only true god, & whom thou hast sent. Iesu [Page] Christ. Also when he gatherid out of the law & prophetes, the fyrst & chiefest preceptes: Deuter. 6 Harke (he said) Israell, thy lorde god, is one lord onely. And thou shalte loue thy lorde god with all thy harte, with all thy soule, & with all thy myght and power. This is the fyrst, and the seconde is lyke to this: Thou shalt loue the neyghbour as thy selfe. In these two commaunde­mentes hange al the lawe and the prophetes. And agayne he sayth: What so euer you wold that men shulde do to you, euen so do ye to them. Math. 7. This is the lawe and the prophetes. And the lorde hath not taught vs with onely wordes to praye, but also with dedes: he him selfe ofte prayenge, and with the wyttenesse of his owne exaumple shewynge vs, what we oughte to [Page] do, lyke as it is wryten: Luc. 9. He was goynge into wyldernes and pray­inge. And agayne: Mat. 14. He went into a mountay ne to praye, Marc. 6. and was all nyghte in his prayers. Nowe if he prayed, that was withoute synne, howe moche more oughte synners to praye? And yf he wat­chynge all the nyght longe pray­ed continually, howe moche more ought we to watche in the nyghte and busily praye? The lorde prai­ed and made petition, not for hym selfe: for what shuld an innocent praye for hym selfe? but for our offences, lyke as he hym selfe de­clareth, where he saythe to Peter: Beholde, Sathan hath desyred, Luc. 22. that he myghte syfte you euen as wheate: but I haue prayd for the, that thy feyth fayle not. And af­terwarde he prayed the father for [Page] all sayinge: Iohan. 17 I praye not for these onely, but also for those, whiche throughe theyr worde shall beleue on me, that they all maye be one, lyke as thou father art in me, and I in the, that they also may be one in vs. Great is the benignitie and mercy of the lorde for our saluati­on, that was not contented to re­deme vs with his bloud, but more ouer wolde vouchesafe to pray for vs. But se what he desyred in his prayer, That lyke as the father and the sonne be one, soo we also shuld remayne in that Vnitie, wherby we maye well perceyue, howe gretly he offendeth, that breaketh that vnitie and peace, seinge the lorde prayed for it, wyllynge to haue his people knytte to gether in one: knowynge full well, that Discorde cōmeth not to the kyng­dome [Page] of god. But whan we stand to praye, dere bretherne we muste watche, and with all the hole hart applye our selfe to prayers. All worldely and carnall care muste be laid apparte, ne the mind shuld runne on no other thing than that that is prayed for. And therfore the priest before he prayeth, with a preface prepareth the mindes of his bretherne, sayeng, Sursum corda, vp the hartes: that whan the peo­ple answereth. Habemus ad dominum, we haue to the lorde: he is admo­nyshed, that he shulde thynke on none other thing than on the lord. Let the breaste be shutte agaynste the aduersary, & open to god one­ly: ne he shulde not suffre the ene­mie of god to approche nere hym in the tyme of prayer: For often tymes he cometh priuely, and en­treth [Page] in, and subtilly deceyuynge, draweth our prayers frome god: to thend we shuld haue one thing in our hartes, and an other in our wordes. whan the mynde & sense, and not the sounde of the voyce, must pray to the lorde with a syn­cere intention. For what a slug­gysshe slouthfulnesse is it, to be withdrawen and caught with py­uysshe and prophane thoughtes, whan thou shuldest praye to the lorde, as thoughe there were any other thynge, that thou shouldest more thinke vpon, than that thou speakest with god? Howe desyrest thou to be herde of god, whanne thou canst not here thy selfe? wol­dest thou haue god myndefull of the in thy prayer, whan thou re­membrest not thy selfe? that is, not to be beware vtterly of thyne [Page] ennemie, that is, whā thou prayst the lorde, to offende the maiestie of god with thy negligent praier: that is, to watche with the eyes, and flepe with the hart: where as a chrysten man ought to watche with the harte, whanne he slepeth with the eyes. Lyke as it is writ­ten in the name of the Churche in the Canticles: Cant. 1. I slepe, and myn harte waketh. Wherfore the apo­stel carefully and warely warneth vs sayenge: Coloss. 4. Continue in prayer, watchynge in the same, teachyng and shewyng vs, that they maye optein that that they aske of god, whome god seeth watchefulle in prayer. But prayenge, we ought not to comme vnto god with vn­fruytefull and naked prayers. The petition is of none affecte, whan bareyn prayer is offred vn­to [Page] god. Matth. 3. For sithen that euery tree, that bryngeth forth no fruite, shal be hewen downe, and cast into the fyre, euen soo the prayer hauynge no fruite, whiche is not fertile in operation, canne not merite with god. And therfore the diuine scri­pture instructethe vs, sayinge: Prayer is good with fastyng and almes dede. [...]obi. 12. For he that at the day of Iudgement shall rewarde vs for our workes and almes dedes, wolle also dayely here that pray­er benygnely, whiche commeth to hym with good warkes, So Cor­nelius the Centurian, whan he prayed, deserued to be herde: he dyd greatte almes dedes amonge the people, aud was alwayes in prayer to god, before whom pray­inge about. ix. of the clocke, stode an angell, yeldyng witnesse of his [Page] worke, and sayinge: Actuū. 10. Cornelius, thy prayers & almes dedes haue ascended vp to the remembraūce before god. The prayers do soone ascende vp to god, whiche the me­rites of our worke do bryng vnto god. So the aungelle Raphaell was alway to Tobie praying and workynge a continuall wytnesse, sayenge: To reuele and aknow­lege the warkes of god is moche honourable. For whan thou and Sara prayedst, I offered vp the memorie of your prayer before the syght of the clerenes of god. And whan thou symplye buriedst the deade, and bycause thou taryedst nat to rise, and to leaue thy dynar and wentest & buriedst the deade, and I was sent to tempte the, and agayne god sent me, to heale the, and Sara thy daughter in lawe. [Page] For I am Raphael one of the. vii ryghtous aungels, whiche stande and ar conuersant before the clerenes of god. Esay. 58. Also the lord, by Esai admonysheth and teacheth lyke thynges, sayenge: Unknyt euery knotte of vnryghtuousnes: vn­lose the stranglynges of wycked bargaynes: Let the oppressed go free, and disparple al vnrightous thoughte. Deale thy bredde to the hungrye, and bryng the poore fatherles home into thy house. If thou see oone naked, clothe hym and despise not the household seruauntes of thy sede. Than shall thy lyght breake forthe in tyme, and thy garmentes shall soone a­ryse, and ryghtousnes shall goo before the, and the clerenes of god shall compasse the aboute. Than thou shalte crye out, and god shal [Page] here the, whyle thou art speakyng he shall saye: Lo, I am here. He promyseth to be present, and to here, and to defende those, whiche vnknytte the knottes of vnright tousnes of the hart, and do almes dedes amonge the housholde ser­uauntes of god, accordyng to his p̄ceptes, whyle they here that god cōmaundeth to be done, they also meryte to be harde of god. The blessed apostle Paul, Phil. 4. being holpe of the bretherne in the nede of tri­bulation, calleth the workes that were done to him, the sacrifices of god: I was (saith he) euen fylled, receiuyng of Epaphroditus those thynges, whiche were sent frome you, an odour of swetenes, a sa­crifice acceptable and pleasant to god. For whan a mā taketh pitie on the poore, he playeth the vserer [Page] with god: and he that gyueth to the pore and nedy, gyueth to god, spiritually he doth sacrifice to god an odour of swetenesse. In cele­bratynge prayers we fynde, that the thre chyldern with Daniel, be­ing stronge in feith, and victours in captiuitie, obseruyd the thyrde, the syxte, and nynthe howre, as a sacramente of the Trinite, why­che shoulde be opened in the laste dayes. For the fyrste houre com­mynge into the thyrde, shewethe the perfecte nūber of the Trinite. Also from the fourthe, procedyng to the syxte houre, declareth an o­ther Trinite. And whan from the vii. the. ix. houre is accomplished, by thyrde houres the perfecte try­uitie is numbred: whiche spacys of houres, the true worshyppers of god, dyd lōge sence spiritually [Page] determine, that they seruid to prai­er at certayne lauful and appoin­ted tymes, and afterwarde, the thynge was manyfest, to be some tyme a sacrament, that iuste men afore dyd so praye. For the thyrde houre, the holy ghost came downe vpon the disciples, whiche fulfyl­lid the grace of the lordis promise. Also Peter, at the. vi. houre ascen­dynge vp into the howse aboue, was instructed bothe with sygne and voyce of God, monysshynge hym, that he shulde admyt al men to the grace of saluation, when he before doubted, whether he shuld admyt and clense the gentyles or no. And the lorde being crucified at the howre of. vi. at. ix. of the clocke, with his bloud dyd washe away our synnes: and to thende he myght redeme and reuyue vs, [Page] he than with his passyon accom­plysshed his vyctorie. But to vs, dere bretherne, besyde the howres of praying, of olde time obserued, bothe the tymes and sacramentes haue increasid. For now we must praye in the mornynge, that the lordes resurrection maye be cele­brate with the mornynge prayer: whiche thynge the holy goost dyd notifie longe ago in the psalmes, saying: Psalm. 5. My kynge and my god, yarly in the mornynge to the lord woll I pray, and thou shalte here my voyce, Betime in the morning I woll gette me to the, and wolle intentiuely beholde the. And a­geyne by the Prophete, the lorde saythe: Yarly before the sonne ri­syng, they shall watche to me, say­enge: Lette vs go and returne to the lorde our god.

[Page]¶Also whanne the sonne gothe downe, and the daye fayleth, it is necessarye that we praye ageyne. For, bycause Christe is the verye sonne and the very day, the sonne and the day of this worlde depar­tynge, whan we pray and desyre, that lyght maye come ouer vs a­geyne, we craue the commyng a­geyne of Christe, the grace of e­ternal light, to be giuen vs. That Christe is called the day, the holy ghooste declareth in the psalmes, sayenge: Psal. 117. The same stone, whiche the buylders refused, is made the hed stone of the corner: this is the lordis doinge, and it is meruay­lous in our eies. This is the day, whiche the lorde hath made, lette vs walke, and be ioyfull in it.

Also that he is callid the Sonne, the prophet Malachie doth wyt­nesse, [Page] sayeng: Malach. 3. But vnto you, that feare the Lordes name, shall the sonne of rightousnes arise, and in his wynges is healthe. Howe yf Christ in holy scripture be the ve­ry sonne and the very daye, there is no houre exceptid to christē mē, but that god ought to be ofte and alwaye adored: that we, whyche be in Christe, that is, in the verye sonne, and in the very day, shuld styl pray, and bryng the day to an ende with prayers: and whan the day is gone, and the nyght by al­teration and course is come, it is noo dammage to them, that woll praye in the darke season of the nyghte. For with the chyldern of lyghte, the daye is in the nyghte. For whan is he without lyght, in whose harte is lyghte? Or howe dothe the sonne and the day fayle [Page] hym, with whome the sonne and the day Christe, is? We that be al­way in Christ, that is, in the light, shulde not in the night cesse from prayer. Soo Anna the wydowe, without intermission praying al­waye and watchynge, perseuered in meritynge with god, lyke as it is written in the gospell: Luc. 2. She de­parted not (sayth he) frō the tem­ple, nyght and day seruynge god in fastynge and prayeng. Let the gentiles, y ^t are not yet illumined: or the Iewes, which leauyng the light, haue remained in darknes, Ioke vp and se. We dere brethern, which be alway in the light of the lorde, whyche remember and vn­derstand, what we haue begun to be sens we receyued grace, shulde recken the nyght for daye. Let vs beleue, to walke alway in y ^e light, [Page] we can not be hyndered with the darknes, which we haue escaped: let no houre scape vs from prayer in the nyght, let no prayer be lost, through slouth and sluggyshnes. We, that by the mercy and good­nes of god, are spiritually newe made and borne ageyne, shoulde folowe that that we shall haue in the kyngdome of heauen, oonely day without any night. So in the night as in the light, let vs alway watche and pray, and gyue than­kes to god. Also lette vs not here ceasse to pray and thanke hym.