To the ryght honorable and vertuous Lady Anne Grey Theodore Basille wissheth longe â—yfe contynual helth and prosperous â—eâ— licitie ✚ IT is not without an vrgent and moost necessarye cause that we are so ofte commauÌ„ded in the moost sacred holy Bible to match praye For yf we that professe our selues to be souldiours of Christes armâ— do seriously w tout saynynge ponder weye consyther our state maner of lyuyng in this world we shall shortly be occasioneâ— to confesse and graunte with the holy pacient man Iob that the lyfe of man is nothynge els than a very knyghthode or warrefare vpon the erth full of misery trouble replete with lytle ioâ—e plesure To whom is it vnknowen what a great multitude of mortall ennemies euery one hath â— this world that doth professe Christ aright Among al other haue we not thre capital chefe aduersaries the dyuell the world the flesh whiche cease not dayly to assayle vs after the moost crafty subtyle maner Howe doth Satan spreade his nettes in euery Forreste Parke y â— no dere maye escape his deuouryng teth rauenyng pawes Howe many wayes seketh he to destroye kyll and sâ—ay the innoceÌ„t shepe of Christ Euen froÌ„ the beginnyng of y â— world hath he exercised his tyrannicall fury furious tyranye agaynst manâ—â—d Who hath at any tyme ben free were he neuer so good perfecte froÌ„ his subtile to much craftye assaultes He is so beÌ„t ferueÌ„tly addict to the destruccion of man that so sone as we are regenerate borne anew â—n Christ by the holy Ghost y â— most blessed honorable Sacramente of Baptisme he streyght falleth in haÌ„d with vs labouryng by one meanes or other vtterly to allure entise vs from our profession as we may se in our sauyour LORDE Iesus Christ whome after his Baptisme Satan dyd not feare to assayle and to teÌ„pte vnto muche absurditie and wickednes â—f the sonne of God were not free from his crafte subtilite gyle howe shall we than miserable creatures eschewe his tyranny whiche are redy to faull at euery houre excepte we watche and praye Our stryfe is not sayth S. Paule agaynst bloud flesshe but agaynst rulers against the powers agaynste the Lordes of the world I mene the gouernours of y e darkenes of this world agaynst spirituall subtilities in heaueÌ„ly thiges Therfore sayeth S. Peter Be ye sober and watche for your aduersary the dyuel goeth about lyke a roryng Lyon sekynge whome he maye deuoure Moreouer what an extreme enemy is the worlde to so many as professe Christe Howe many occasions haue we thorowe the entysementes and vayne pleasures therof to faull from the true godlynes Howe doth it allure vs to the loue of transitory thynges Howe doth it delyghte vs with the beholdyng of the vayne spectacles therof Howe doth it drawe vs to the loue of mundane thynges to the vtter contempt of thynges celestiall and heauenly â—ea how almoost doth it wynne vs altogyther on her syde WhaÌ„ the scripture not withstandyng sayeth Loue not the world nor those thynges that are in the worlde If ony man louethe the worlde the loue of the father is not in hym For all that is in the world as the concupiscence of the flesshe the lust of the eies the pryde of the lyfe is not of the father but it is of the world And the world passeth awaye y e lustes therof But he that dothe the wyll of God abyde the for euermore S. Iames also sayeth O ye adulterers and alulteresses do ye not knowe that the frendeshyp of y e world is emnite with God Who soeuer therfore wyll be the freende of the world he is become an enemy of Gods Furthermore what a cruell aduersary is the flesshe vnto a christen man Howe doth it at all tymes lust contrary to the spirite Howe doth it continually fyght with the heaueÌ„ly mocions of the holy Ghost Howe dothe it moue vs to the loue of oure selues to pryde vncleannesse glotony couetousnesse wantonnesse of lyuynge vnmercifulnesse crudelite al that euer nought is And this enemy do we norysshe in oure owne brestes He is a domesticall aduersarye one of houshold as they vse to say He is euer at hande to do vs displeasures He is neuer froÌ„ home but alwayes within the dores so that we are in daunger of destruccion at euery hour excepte we deligeÌ„tly watch and take hede Whyther so euer we turne vs our enemies mete with vs so cruelly assayle vs that excepte the grace of God assyst vs valeauntlye we are at euerye moment of an houre redy to be caste into hell fyre O the vnspekable misery of man in this moost miserable worlde Where are they nowe y â— so lyue in all worldely ioye pleasure that they take no thoughte for the cruell assaultes of theyr enemies â–ª Where are these wicked â—dolaters supersticious Hypocrites abhominable blasphemers of Gods moost blessed name brekers of y â— Sabboth day which settynge asyde al loue and feare of God throw theÌ„ selues headlong into al kynde of vngodlynes Where are these dishonorers of our moost excelieÌ„t moost redoubted kynge of the other publigue magistrates sente by hym for the punisshement of euell doers but for the prayse of them that do well Where are the disobediente to theyr parentes Where are these mansâ—ayers which daily thyrst inoceÌ„t bloud no lesse then the thyrstye herte pantynge for hette desyreth the lyuysh springes of waters Wher are these abhominable adulterers vncleane fornicatours and stynckyng whoremongers which conteÌ„nyng y e bonde of honorable wedlocke the lawe of y e vndefyled bed the chast lyuyng w e theyr owne wyues do dayely hunte after whores defile virgins pollute maried women corrupte wydowes as I maye passe ouer much other detestable vncleannes whiche it shameth not theÌ„ to perpetrate and do yea that so boldely that this synne of fornicacioÌ„ is among many at this present recouÌ„ted no synne but a naturall inclinacion a token of loue a puttyng awaye of emnite discord I thynke yf it be not redressed shortly it wyl growe vp into such freedoÌ„e libertie that it shalbe counted no synne at all but rather a vertue or at the leest a spurre prouocacioÌ„ to vertue O the abhominacion of the worlde O intollerable wickednes O vncleannes more detestable then it maye any lenger be suffered The great displeasure the fearce wrath the extreme vengeaunce the fearce and cruell plages of God hang ouer our heades yf this to much detestable vyce be not shortely remoued froÌ„ the bouÌ„des of Christianite Agayne where are theise malicious Theues which despisyng laboure lyue of the sweate of other mennes faces of y e labour of other mennes handes after an vniust and wronge maner Wher are these false wytnesses
loue not only our frendes but also our enemies yea that froÌ„ the bottome of the herte Let vs forgyue so many as offende vs shew our selues of such affeccion toward them that offende vs as we desyre y â— Christ should be towarde vs. Lette vs be so feruentely gyuen vnto the preseruacion of fraternall concorde mutuall charitie that yf thorowe humayne infirmite it chaunseth at ony tyme that coÌ„tencion ryseth vp amonge vs we maye notwythstandynge so shortely put it away by reconcylynge one to another that all displeasure taken awaye the sonne maye not faull downe vpon our anger Let vs euer set before oure eyes this sayeng of S. Paule â–ª As y â— elect of God holy beloued put on teÌ„der mercy kyndenes huÌ„blenes of mynd mekenes longe sufferynge forbearynge one onother and forgeuynge one another yf oâ—â—e manne haue a quarell to another as Christe forgaue you so do ye But aboue al thiÌ„ges put on loue whiche is the bonde of perfeccion And the peace of God mought rule in your hertes vnto y â— whiche peace ye are called in one body and se that ye be thanckefull If we wyll do thus whan soeuer we praye we maye be sure to praye wyth fruyte we maye be sure to obtayne what so euer we aske of God the father thorowe Iesus Christ we maye be sure to haue forgyuenes of all oure synnes euer to haue God the father a bounteous and gentle father vnto vs. Hytherto haue I declared what prayer is of what vertue streÌ„gth the true christen prayer is howe we ought to prepare oure selues for to praye Now it remayneth that I declare in what place a Christen man should praye after what maner Agayne for what thynges at what tyme he ought to praye ¶ In what place a Chrysten shoulde Praye ¶ The. xxii Chapter ALthough God in y â— olde lawe was called vpon prayed vnto of y e Iewes in the temple of IerusaleÌ„ which SalomoÌ„ buylded although God had choseÌ„ that place wherâ— chefely they shoulde call vpon his name offer Sacrifyce vnto hym read learne his moost holy law do such thynges as he had appoynted them in his word yet both at that tyme yea also many yeres before we read that dyuers holy meÌ„ prayed in other places besydes that Temple were harde Neyther dyd God so institute that temple to be a house of prayer as though it should only be there lawefull to call on hys diuyne name but y t by that meanes he shoulde kepe the grosse Iewes in an order whiche els would haue inueÌ„ted newe kyndes of worshyppyng God after theyr owne fantasy resorted to such places wher Idolles were worshypped by this meanes be prouoked vnto Idolatrye where vnto they were very much bent as we may se in the holy Scriptures Therfore god appointed theÌ„ to pray in that temple of Salomon not takynge awaye yet for all that the lybertie of prayeng in euery place froÌ„ the faythfull For we read y e Enos y â— sonne of Seth dyd fyrst begynne to call on the name of the LORDE before ony temple was buylded And it is to be thoughte that Abell also prayed vnto God whan he offred in crisyce Enoch Nohe Thare Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph with many other of the auncieÌ„t Patriarkes worshypped prayed vnto God one in this another in that place before ony one peculiar house was appointed dedicated vnto prayer yea and God hearde those prayers accepted them graunted the peticions asked in them What other thynge do the examples of all these holye men teach vs than that it is lawfull for a faythfull man to praye wythoute ony differency in euery place Dyd not the chyldren of Israell praye to God whaÌ„ they were oppressed wyth miserable captiuite in Egypt a lond full of Idolatrye supersticion all kynde of wickednes Dyd not Moses Aaron many tymes praye vnto y e LORDE in wyldernes Dyd not Iosue praye vnto God in hys watres before we read that dyuers holy meÌ„ prayed in other places besydes that Temple were harde Neyther dyd God so institute that temple to be a house of prayer as though it should only be there lawefull to call on hys diuyne name but y t by that meanes he shoulde kepe the grosse Iewes in an order whiche els would haue inueÌ„ted newe kyndes of worshyppyng God after theyr owne fantasy resorted to such places wher Idolles were worshypped by this meanes be prouoked vnto Idolatrye where vnto they were very much bent as we may se in the holy Scriptures Therfore god appointed theÌ„ to pray in that temple of Salomon not takynge awaye yet for all that the lybertie of prayeng in euery place froÌ„ the faythfull For we read y t Enos y e sonne of Seth dyd fyrst begynne to call on the name of the LORDE before ony temple was buylded And it is to be thoughte that Abell also prayed vnto God whan he offred sacrifyce Enoch Nohe Thare Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph with many other of the auncieÌ„t Patriarkes worshypped prayed vnto God one in this another in that place before ony one peculiar house was appointed dedicated vnto prayer yea and God hearde those prayers accepted them graunted the peticions asked in them What other thynge do the examples of all these holye men teach vs than that it is lawfull for a faythfull man to praye wythoute ony differency in euery place Dyd not the chyldren of Israell praye to God whaÌ„ they were oppressed wyth miserable captiuite in Egypt a londfull of Idolatrye supersticion all kynde of wickednes Dyd not Moses Aaron many tymes praye vnto y e LORDE in wyldernes Dyd not Iosue praye vnto God in hys warres whan he made the Sonne and Moone to stand styll vntyll he had reuenged hymselfe of hys enemyes Dyd not Helias praye in the house of the wydowe of Sarepra whaÌ„ he restored her soÌ„ne from death to syfe Dyd not he agayne pray in y e toppe of the mounte Carmelus obtayned after long droute pleÌ„te of rayn Dyd not Ezechias the kynge whan he heard that he should dye pray to the LORDE in his bed obtayned to lyue xv yeres longer Dyd not Nehemias but lare vnto kyng Artaxerzes both do seruyce vnto his Lorde also pray vnto God Dyd not Toby Sara his wyfe pray vnto God in theyr houses Dyd not Iob pray vpon y e dungehyll Dyd not Iudith praye vnto the LORDE in her Oratory diuers other places Dyd not Daniel when he serued the wycked kynge knele downe pray vnto the LORDE thryse euery daye in his chaÌ„ber Dyd not he praye to God whaÌ„ he was cast into the denne of LyoÌ„s Dyd not Ionas pray in the whales belly Dyd not quene Hester praye secretlye in her chamber Dyd not Susanna pray in the streate as she wente for to be stoned
vengeaunce on vs caste vs headlonge â—nto heâ— fyre as he dyd y e auÌ„gels but he pacieÌ„tly abydeth our coÌ„uersioÌ„ loketh dayly whan we wyll repent and amend as the Prophet sayth y â— LORDE longe abydeth vs y e he maye haue mercy on vs. Also the Psalmogra\`ph The LORDE is gentle mercifull pacient of great pitie The LORDE is good gentle to all men his reÌ„der mercies are stretched forth vpon all his workes Ieremy also saieth It are the mercies of the LORDE that we are not consumed Yea he exciteth storeth vs vp by his holy spiryte and gyueth vs grace to repent turne amende as he sayeth by his Prophet I wyl gyue them an herte a new spiryte wyl I gyue in theyr in warde partes I wyll take away the stony herte from theyr flesh and giue them a fleshly herte y e they may walke in my preceptes and kepe my iudgementes do them And they shall be my people I shâ—ll be theyr God Agayne I wyll powre out vpoÌ„ you cleane water ye shall be made cleane from all youre vncleannes from all youre Idolles wyll I make you cleane I wyll gyue you a new herte a newe spiryte wyll I putte in the myddes of you I wyll take awaye the stony herte from the flesh gyue you a fleshly hert and I wyl putte my Spiryte in the myddes of you I wyll make you to walke in my preceptes kepe and worke my iudgemeÌ„tes ye shal dwel in y e laÌ„d y e I gaue to your fathers ye shall be my people I shalbe your God and I shall saue you from all youre vnclennes Moreouer he styll calleth vpoÌ„ vâ— to come vnto him sayenge Turne repente you of all youre iniquities And youre iniquite shall worke you â—â—spleasure Caste awaye from you â—l your wickednesses in the whiche â—e haue offended make you a new â—erte a new spirite Wherfore wyâ—â—e dye O ye house of Israell For I â—yll not that any shoulde dye sayth â—he LORDE GOD. Retourne and â—â—ue Agayne it is commonlye sayde â—f a man leaue his wyfe and she going away marieth another husbod â—hal he returne any more agayne vn â—o her Shall not the woman be polâ—ted defyled But thou hast playâ—d the whore with many louers yet â—eturne agayne vnto me sayeth the â—ORD I wyll receyue the. O moost â—were coÌ„fortable sayenge O moost â—entle Sauyour worthy all prayse â—lory and honoure Here maye ye se howe greatly we â—re bounde to God and howe great â—hanckes we ought to gyue hym seâ—ng that he so greatly desyreth oure â—elth lyfe saluacion wyllethe by no meanes our decaye death damnacion He is y e gentle father which ioyefully receyueth agayne his loste sonne moost louyuglye enbrase theâ— hym He is that shepehearde whiche bryngeth home agayne on his shoulâ— ders that shepe that was wandered awaye He is that Phisicion y e healeth the sycke diseased He is y e Sauiour which came not to call y â— righteous but synners vnto repentauÌ„ce He is that helper whiche dayly cryeth come vnto me all ye that labour are laden and I shall refresh you Seke therfore the LORDE whyle he maye be founde Call on hym whyle he is nygh Let the vngodly forsake his waye and the wycked man his thoughtes let hym returne to the LORDE he shall haue mercy on him yea but let hym not fayle to turne vnto our God For he is bounteous very redy to forgyue ¶ The. xlv Chapter FUrthermore who is able to expresse howe greatly we are bouÌ„d vnto God for his diligent conseruacion kepynge vs If we were not preserued kepte of hym into howe many euels shoulde we faull Howe were it possible for vs to be fre from the captiuitie of Satan to be pure from the fylthynesse of the flesshe to be kepte harmeles from the tyranny of the world yf God dyd not defend vs Howe many kynde of euelles do we se dayely perpetrated done before our eyes as theft murder treason adultrye fornicacion couetousnes glotony droÌ„ckenshyp c. which all vndoubtedly we should lykewyse do yf we were not preserued froÌ„ theÌ„ by the goodnes of God For the fragilite of nature the pronyte vnto euell is all one in them in vs yf we be lefte vnto our selues Our perdicion commeth of our selues but our saluacion commeth only of God as the Prophet sayth Excepte y â— LORD sayeth Esaie had lefte vnto vs seed we had ben as Sodome we might well haue ben lykened vnto Gomorre Therfore seyng that God kepeth vs from theyse great enormities we are very much bounde to gyue hym right herty thanckes Agayne with howe many gyftes doth he enduâ—e vs dayly What haue we y t is not his gyftes yf it be good godlye He engraffeth in vs by hys moost holy spiryte Fayth hope charite peace ioye pacience longe sufferynge mekenes leuite softenes modesty honest behauour c. He giueth vs helth for our body He gyueth vs spirituall gladnes for our soule He prepareth all thynges necessarye for this our nede lyfe He getteth frendes for vs. He defeÌ„deth vs from our enemies He preserueth vs iÌ„ all goodnes To conclude loke what a moost naturall father is vnto his moost entierlye beloued sonne the verye same is he vnto vs. So y e what soeuer we haue beyng good eyther pertayning to the soule or to the body we altogither receyue it of this oure celestiall father What great thanckes therfore he is worthi to haue who perceiueth not S. Bernarde sayth let vs gyue thaÌ„ckes to our God for y e good thiÌ„ges y e we do let vs huÌ„bly say to hiÌ„ w t Esay the Prophet All our workes haste y u wrought in vs O LORDE our God Herto pertayneth the sayenge of S. Gregory It is coÌ„uenieÌ„t y t we gyue thanckes alway to God which neuer ceseth to do wel except he be letted hyndred thorowe the noughtines of men Therfore what soeuer worke y u shalte begynne fyrst call on God cease not to gyue thaÌ„kes whan thou hait fynysshed it ¶ The. xlvi Chapter ALthough it be so y t all nacions of y e world euen from the Easte to the West ought to prayse y â— name of the LORDE for his iÌ„numerable benefytes that they without desertes receyue of him dayly yet I thyncke ther is no Realme thorowe out Christendome that hath so many vrgent weyghty necessary causes to gyue God thanckes as we Englyshe men haue at this present To whome is it vnknowen with howe miserable captiuitie we haue ben detayned suppressed theyse many hundred yeares thorowe the vsurped power and greuous tyrany of y c Bysshop of Rome Who knoweth not howe greatly the consciences of Christen menne were snarled yea