oh this people haue done a greate synne and haue made them Goddes of golde Nowe forgyue theÌ„ theyr synne or els wipe me out of this boke that thou hasle wrytteÌ„ S. Paule also wyssted hymselfe to be cursed from Christ for the Israelites Christ commaundeth to blesse theÌ„ that cursse vs to praye for theÌ„ that do vs wroÌ„ge persecute vs howe much more than ought we seynge ther is one boâ—y one spirite one LORDE one sayth one baptisme one God father of vs all to praye one for another generally in the vnite of the spiryte thorowe the bond of peace If we search in the Histories of the moost sacred Byble we shal in manny places fynde and euidently perceyue with howe gredy affeccion and feruent minde one prayed for another so y e there was in theyr prayers a certayne godly coÌ„munion a lâ—ke thought or care for all meÌ„ For as he that loueth y e father of y e house holde vnfaynedly doth also loue her tely all his whole familye so in lyke manner they that loue our celestial father with a true affecte mynde can none otherwise do but loue also his people his householde his heritage whom he hath so greatly honored y e he hathe not disdayned to call them the plenitude fulnesse of hys onlye begotten sonne Therfore the prayer of a Christen man oughte on such maÌ„ner to be made that it may be common coÌ„prehende in it all meÌ„ that are his brothers in Christ and pertayne to the housholde of fayth Yea he ought to praye for all men lyuyng in this world be they Turkes SaraceÌ„nes Iewes or ony other of the hethenysh vnfaythfull sorte y e God maye delyuer them by this holy spiryte out of the darkenesses of ygnorancy brynge them into y e meruaylous lyghte of his mooste blessed worde that in the vnite of the Spirite they maye also confesse with vs one LORDE one God one sauyoure one faythe one Christen religion one trueth But some men wyll say peradueÌ„ture is it not lawefull for a man to praye seuerally for himselfe for his owne priuate affayres Yies verely so that the mynde be not vtterly deflected turned awaye from the coÌ„templacion of this coÌ„munite but referreth all thynges vnto that For Christ prayed perticularely for hymselfe vnto hys Father a lytle before his passion Ezechias prayed for his owne health Dauid prayed for the remission of his synne The Publycane desyred mercy forgyuenes of his offence The these desyred Christ to remember hym whan he came in to his kyngedome All theise prayed theyr owne priuate affayres were hearde Semblably it is lawfull for euery Christen man to lamente his owne cause before the mercyful eies of the diuyne maieste Arte thou a magistrate gouernoure of the common weale perceyuynge that thou wanteste wisdome to gouerne the people of God aright accordyng to iustyce Than mayst thou lawfully pray w t Salomon to God for the gyfte of wisdome Arte thou a minister of Goddes worde so mayst thou after the example of the Apostles pray for the influence of the holy Ghost that y e mayst be repleted with the knowledge of spiritual thynges so feed the flocke of Christ whome he hath purchased w e his moost precious bloud that thou mayst receiue y e iÌ„marcessible crowne of glory whan that Prynce of shepe heardes shall appeare Arte y â— an housholder thaÌ„ mayst thou lawefullye praye vnto God for grace that thou mayst gouerne and rule thy family accordynge to Goddes moost holy worde Arte thou a rytch man thaÌ„ oughtest thou for to pray vnto God that thou mayeste distribute his goodes coÌ„mytted vnto the accordyng to his pleasure vpon the poore people Arte thou poore than pray to God that thou mayst paciently suffer the crosse of pouerte which he hath layd vpon the. Felest thou ony vyce to raygne in the â–ª So mayeste thou be â—olde to praye vnto GOD for the suppression of that vyce and for the obtaynynge of y e vertue coÌ„trary to the vyce To be shorte arte thou a ChristeÌ„ man So mayst thou at al tymes be bolde to praye that God maye so endewe the with strength from aboue that thou mayst lyue in all poyntes accordynge to thy profession ¶ The. xxxi Chapter BUt in thus prayenge for our selues we must take hede that we desyre not those thiÌ„ges which should turne to oure owne priuate auauntage to the hynderaunce or discoÌ„moditie of other For this is not acceptable in y e syght of God The chyldren of Zebedeus desyred Christe y e one of them might sitte on his right hande another on his lyfte hande But Christ answered and sayde ye knowe not what ye aske They desyred the primacy to be alofte in superioryte aboue aâ— y e disciples which made the other to haue indignacion at them bâ— the. That Peticion therfore is not lawefull nor ryghteous whiche hathe a respecte more to pryuate auauntage theÌ„ to publique vtâ— lite As yf a Phisicion shoulde praye that many might faull sycke or that they that are sycke myght so contynue longe that he myghte haue the more auauÌ„tage Or yf an heyre dyd praye that his parentes myght dye wortly that y e heritage myght quickely chaunse vnto hym Or yf a wicked Souldiour dyd desyre that many temples might be spoyled and diuers honest men robbed y e he myght come home looden with proyes and robberies These such lyke requestes in as muche as they come for the from the fleshe and not froÌ„ the spiryte God whiche is a spiryte dothe not heare theÌ„ as S. Iames sayth ye aske and receyue not bycause ye aske euell y e ye maye consume it on your pleasures And yf he heareth certes he heareth vnto the great euell incoÌ„moditie of them y e praye For they store vppe prouoke the anger of God towarde them S. Austen sayth thiÌ„ke it no great thyng to be herd at your owne wyll but rather thyncke it a great thynge to be heard vnto your profytte For the dyuels were herde at theyr owne wyl were suffred to go into y e swyne accordyng to theyr desyre Theyr Prynce also the diuell was heard at his owne wyll whiche desyred to haue Iob to tempt him The Israelites also were hearde at theyr owne wyll whan the meate was yet in theyr mouthe ye knowe what thynges followed Thyncke it therfore no great thynge to be heard at youre owne wyll pleasure For God sometyme beynge angrye gyueth that which thou askest God beynge mercyfull well pleased denyeth that which thou askest But yet is theyr prayer much more wicked which beyng enflamed with the fyre of malicious fury furious malyce do desyre euell to theÌ„ selues that worse maye chauÌ„se vnto theyr brother whome they hate Yea there want not which
whence helpe may coÌ„e vnto me My helpe cometh froÌ„ y e LORD which made heauen earth Also in another place when I was in trouble I cryed vnto the LORDE he fauourably heard me The eyes of the LORDE are vpoÌ„ the ryghteous and his eares are bent vnto theyr prayers Myne eyes sayeth Dauid are cryed Adam Abell Seth Enos Enoch Nohe Thare AbrahaÌ„ 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 w t all the other auncient fathers holye Prophetes of the olde Testament but vnto GOD alone Agayne vnto whom prayed Ioseph IohnÌ„ 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 y e volumes of both Testamentes but vnto God alone The prayed and were heard Shall oure Prayers than be vayne yf we pray with that same purite of mind that they dyd The scripture sayth Who so euer beleuethe in God shall not be confounded For there is no differeÌ„ce betwene Iewe Gentyle For one is LORDE of all whiche is rytche ynough vnto all that call on hym For whosoeuer shall call on the name of the LORDE he shall be safe Let vs therfore trust in God poure out oure hartes before hym lament our cause to him desyrynge to haue his mooste gracious ayde helpe in all our trouble aduersitie and we may be sure to obtayne whatsoeuer we aske accordynge vnto his wyll to seale remedye so present that nothynge can be wysshed nerer Thus se we that Prayer is a lyftyng vp of a pure mynd vnto God It followeth ¶ The nynthe Chapter VUheriÌ„ we aske somewhat of hiÌ„ He that entendethe to praye w t fruyte muste before he begynne to praye consider w t 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 y u be a glotton or dronkarde theÌ„ haste thou nede to praye for sobrtete If y u be faulte in ony vice than hast thou nede to pray for y e vertue coÌ„trary to the vyce If thou be a magistrate ruler of the people than hast y u nede to praye vnto God for grace that y u mayste gouerne his people commytted vnto thy charge accordyng to equite mercy Yf thou be a Bysshop or spirituall ouersear thaÌ„ hast thou a great occasion to flye vnto God w t thy prayers that thou mayst fayth fully gyue attendauÌ„ce on the flocke ouer whome the holye Ghoste hathe made the an ouersear to gouerne y e congregacion of God whom he hath purchased w t his bloud To be shorte in whatsoeuer state of lyuyng thou be yf y u coÌ„syderest weyest depely w t thy selfe thy maner of lyuiÌ„g y â— shalt find sufficient occasions for to pray They therfore which pray but for a customs because they wyl exercise theyr lyppes vnlesse they shuld seme to y e CoÌ„gregacioÌ„ but a lytle deuout holy meÌ„ not cariÌ„g what they pray so they praye do not before they praye determyne w t theÌ„selues 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 y e 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 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 theÌ„ this faulte or â— thou do not wype me oute of y e boke of lyfe whiche thou haste wrytten Kynge Dauid prayed many tymes for dyuers vrgeÌ„t causes as we may se in the Psalmes Kynge SalomoÌ„ his sonne prayed for wisdome that he myght gouerne the people a right Ezechias hearyng the blasphemies proud crakes of Senacherib praied to the LORDE for helpe Iudith Hester prayed for the delyueraunce of theyr people Agayne in the newe Testament the blynde prayed for theyr syght y e lame for theyr goynge the deafe for theyr hearynge the sycke for theyr helth The poore Publicane prayed for remission of synnes The womaÌ„ of Canane prayed for the healthe of her doughter as dyuers other dyd for theyr chyldren and seruauntes Christ Steuen prayed for theyr enemies The chyrch of Christ praied for the delyuerance of Peter Paule al the Apostles prayed for y e swifte redye passage of the Gospell for the fortunate conuersion of the vnfaythfull vnto 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 vnto theÌ„ they fell streyghtwayes vnto prayer fled vnto God w t moost herty supplicacion for y e purchasynge of theyr hertes desyre So ought we to do not rasshely to muÌ„ble ouer a great multitude of Psalmes or other prayers after the maner of certayne ydiots vnlearned prestes we care not how nor caÌ„ not tell wherfore but ponder weye and consyder depelye oure cause and se what a greate occasion we haue to praye than with an huÌ„ble coÌ„tryte sorowfull herte lament our cause before God wyth moost bytter heuy teares neuer leauynge vntyl we haue obtayned that for the whyche we praye If we would do thus thaÌ„ should our prayers be modest sober deceÌ„t not temerarious â—asshe babled oute of order by this meanes accepted of GOD hearde and graunted Thus haue I declared as I trust accordynge vnto the vayne of y e holy scripture the mynde of the auncieÌ„t Doctors what prayer is Now I wyll haste to declare of what vertue streÌ„gth the true and Christen prayer is y e men knowyng y e efficacy dignite yea the necessite therof may w e y e more plansible ioyful miÌ„ des delyght in it exercysynge them selues therin bothe daye nyght to the great glorye of God the vtter coÌ„fusion of Satan the hygh consolacion of theyr owne soules Of what vertue and strength the true and Christen Prayer is ¶ The. x. Chap. IN declaryng the efficacye vertue strength power of the true chrishen Prayer I woulde gladly wysshe vnto me the pleasaunt speache sugred vtteraunce of the moost famous excellent Oratoure Pericles whose eloquence was so great wonderous as it is reported that euen of very nature it semed incomparable and not of iÌ„ any part able of ony mortal man to be followed practised of so great admyracion yea estimacion in the syght of all
tollerable but also coÌ„mendable to pray both with tonge and herte Nowe as coÌ„cernyng the externall gesture in prayeÌ„ge as knelyng knockyng on the brest lyftynge vp of the handes c. in asmuch as they be indifferent we reade that they were vsed of Christ many holy men in times past they are not to be despised Nothynge is vnsyttynge that procedeth from the seruent affeccion of the mynd But I haue spokeÌ„ of this thynge also before in the diffinicion of prayer Therfore wyll I haste to these thinges that remaine as more necessary to be intreated of ¶ For what thynges we ought to praye ¶ The. xxix Chapter FOr asmuche as we are so ignorant blynde of oureselues y e we knowe not what we shoulde desyre as we ought vnles we shoulde aske ony thynge vnsyttynge otherwyse than becommeth vs or that shoulde not be acceptable to God our sauiour Christ wyilyng in this behalfe to succour our necessite to helpe our ignoraÌ„cy blyndnes hath appoynted set forth as it were in a certaine table the true maÌ„ner of prarenge in the Pater noster wher he hath coÌ„pendiously declared for what thynges we ought to pray eyther pertaynynge to the glorye of God or to the profitte of so many as professe his moost holy name And although euery daye and euery houre doth offer to vs occasions sufficiently for to praye vnto God yea that for innumerable causes yet it maye seme that Christ i that prayer which he taught his disciples hath in sewe wordes comprehended whatsoeuer we haue nede to praye for Therfore who soeuer at any tyme shal be mynded to praye let hym aboue all thynges seke the auauncement of Gods glory in his prayer For the fyrst peticion of the Pater noster with the nexte two that followe pertayne only to the glory of GOD wherin we aske that the name of God maye be sanctified y e his kingdoÌ„e may reigne amonge vs that his wyll maye be done here in earthe as it is in heaueÌ„ So lykewyse dyd Christe a lytle before his passion pray sayeng O father glorify thy name Goddes glory therfore ought we to seke aboue all thinges in our prayers at al tymes After that we haue sought y e glory of God place requireth that then we should aske those thynges which pertaine vnto the euerlasting helth saluacion of oure soules For the helth of our soules oughte to be desyred before the welthe of our body as Christ monyssheth fyrst seke y e kingedome of God and the righteousnesse therof And all these thynges he speketh of meate dryncke clothe shall be caste vnto you Dauid also sayth one thyng haue I desyred of y e LORD whiche I wyll require namely that I maye dwell in y e house of y e LORDE all the dayes of my lyfe And in asmuch as the syncer prechynge of Gods word helpeth much vnto the saluacion of our soules for the Gospell of Christ is the power of God vnto saluacion for euery one y e beleueth a maÌ„ shall not lyue with breâ—d alone but with euery worde y e commeth out of the mouth of God for fayth commeth by â—earyng and hearynge by y â— worde of God it shal be necessarye for vs to praye y e Gods worde maye haue fre passage among vs that all wicked doctrine supersticious teachynge heresy â—â—strall opinions sictes all that euer is coÌ„trary to wholsome doctryne maye be exiled banisshed out of Christes chyrch Praye for those thynges salâ— eth Dauid that make vnto y e peace of Ierusalem that is vnto the safe quiet lucky prosperous preseruacion of Christes chyrch that the doctryne of the gospel which bryngeth peace quietnes to the hertes of the faythfull maye triuÌ„phantly reygne amonge vs. But in asmuch as this Euangelion and glad tydynges of christ caÌ„ neuer be ministred to y e christen congregacion withoute syncer true preachers of the worde therfore oughte â—e also praye y e at Ante christes Papistes Heretikes Schismatyckes sedicious praters submoued put asyde true Euangelystes faythefull Prophetes syncâ—r Preachers maye reygne among vs vniuersallye For howe shall they preach except they be sent Therfore sayth Christ praye vnto the LORDE of y e Heruest that he may shoreforth workemen into his Heruest Moreouer seynge that we haue â—uot only a soule but also a body and God hathe appoynted ministers for them hath it shall alio be conuenieÌ„t accordyng to the admonicion of S. Paule to praye for the magistrates of y e publique weale as for our most â—edoubted moost excellent kynge for all other that are in authoritie that we maye lead a peasable quiet lyfe vnder theyr dominion wyth all godlynes and honestye After these thynges it shal not be vnsyttynge to praye for thynges necessary for our body as meate drike cloth freÌ„dshyp helth wisdom knowledge reason c. yet in the requeste of al these thiÌ„ges aforesayd we must referre the matter whollye vnto the wyll of God be coÌ„teÌ„ted to receaue as it shall be his pleasure to gyue eyther much lytle or nothynge To be short what soeuer we haue nede of we must streight wayes run vnto God aske it of him only why ther it pertayneth to the soule or to the body whiche gyuethe to all men without doublenes casteth no maÌ„ into the tethe as S. Austen sayeth We ought to aske of none but of the LORDE God what soeuer we truste that we eyther should worke well or obtayne for good workes ¶ The. xxx Chapter BUt this is to be noted in prayer that in asmuche as all that professe Christ vnfaynedly haue one coÌ„moÌ„ heaueÌ„ly father are brothers one to another yee brothers to christ fellowe heyres with hym seynge that Christe also hath taught vs in his moost godly prayer not onlye to praye for oure selues but also for all other in common it shall be necessary that a christeÌ„ man doth so directe his prayer vnto God that he maye seme no lesse to seke in it the helpe of his Christen brothers than of hymselfe For true vnfayned Charite which procedeth from a pure herte a good conscience a fayth not fayned seketh not her owne but rather that whiche pertaynethe to other She reioyceth no lesse in the health of other than in her owne She taketh no lesse thought to profit other than her selfe She reioyceth wyth them that reioyce wepeth w t them that wepe Yea she many tymes forgetteth her selfe is wholly bent to seke the commoditie of other as S. Paule sayth Charite seketh not her owne We read that such ferueÌ„t charite was in Moses which whan the people of Israell had greuously offeÌ„ded God by worshippynge the goldeÌ„ Calfe perceyuynge y e wrath of God to be whotte agaynst theÌ„ prayed on this manner sayde