thou hast defrauded thy neighbour by extortion and hast forgotten mee saith the Lord God There is a conspiracie of her Prophets in the middest thereof like a roaring lyon rauening the pray they haue deuoured soules they haue taken the riches and precious things they haue made her many widowes in the middest therof her priests haue broken my law and haue defiled my holy things they haue put no difference betweene the holy and prophane neither discerned betweene the vncleane and the cleane and haue hid their eyes from my sabbaths and I am prophaned amongst them her Princes in the middest thereof are like wolues rauening the pray to shed bloud and to destroy soules for their owne couetous lucre The people of the land haue violently oppressed by spoyling and robbing and haue vexed the poore and the needy yea they haue oppressed the stranger Ezechiel against right I sought for a man amongst them that should make vp the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it but I found none Behold therefore I haue smitten my hand vpon the couetousnes that thou hast vsed and vpon the bloud which hath beene shed in the middest of thee Can their hart endure or can their hands bee strong in the dayes that I shall haue to doe with thee I the Lord haue spoken it and I will doe it as they gather siluer and brasse and iron and lead and tinne into the middest of the furnace to blow the fire vpon it to melt it so wil I gather you in mine anger and in my wrath and will put you there and melt you and you shal know that I the Lord haue powred out my wrath vpon you Say vnto them as I liue saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue Turne you turne you from your euill waies for why will you die When the righteous turneth from his righteousnes and committeth Cap. 33. iniquitie hee shall euen die thereby But if the wicked returne from his wickednes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shal liue therby Yee leane vpon your swords yee worke abomination and yee defile euery one his neighbours wife should yee then possesse the land Also thou sonne of man the children of thy people that talke of thee by the walles and in the doores of houses and speake one to another euery one to his brother saying Come I pray you and heare what is the word that commeth from the Lord for they come vnto thee as the people vseth to come and my people sit before thee heare thy words but they wil not do them for with their mouths they make iestes and their heart goeth after their couetousnes loe thou art vnto them as a iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice and cansing well for they heare thy wordes but doe them not Say thus vnto them thus saith the LORD GOD as I liue so surely they that are in the desolate places shall fall by the sworde and him that is in the open field will I giue vnto the beasts to be deuoured and they that be in the courts and in the caues shall die of the pestilence thē shall they know that I am the Lord when I haue laid the land desolate and waste because of their abominations which they haue committed Wo vnto the shepheards of Israel that feede Cap. 34. themselues should not the shepheards feede the flocks yee eate the fatte and ye cloath you with the wooll yee kill them that are fedde but you feede not the sheepe The weake haue you not strengthned and the sick haue you not healed neither haue you bound vp the broken nor brought again that which was driuen away neither haue you sought that which was lost but with cruelty and with rigour haue you ruled them and they were scattred without a shepheard and when they were dispersed they were deuoured of all the beasts of the field Therefore ye shepheards heare the word of the Lord As I liue saith the lord God surely because my flock was spoiled and my sheepe were deuoured of all the beasts of the field hauing no shepheard neither did my shepheards seeke my sheepe but my shepheards fedde themselues and fed not my sheepe Behold I come against the shepheards and will require my sheepe at their hands and cause thē to cease from feeding the sheepe neither shall the shepheards feede themselues any more for I will deliuer my sheepe from their mouths they shall no more deuoure them For thus saith the lord God behold I will search my sheepe and seeke them out I will seeke that which was lost and bring againe that which was driuen away and will binde vp that which was broken wil strengthen the weake but I wil destroy the fatte and the strong and feede thē with iudgement because ye haue thrust with side and with shoulder and pusht all the weake with your hornes till ye haue scattered them abroad therefore will I helpe my sheepe and they shall no more be spoiled I will iudge betweene sheepe and sheepe And ye my sheepe the sheepe of my pasture are mine and I am your GOD saith the Lord God A new heart also wil I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I wil take away the stony heart out of your bodie and will giue you an heart of flesh and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes ye shall keepe my iudgements and do them and ye shall dwell in the land that I gaue to your fathers and ye shal be my people and I wil bee your God I will also deliuer you from al your filthines Thē shall you remember your owne wicked waies and your deedes that were not good and shall iudge your selues worthy to haue bene destroied for your iniquities and for your abominations Be it knowne vnto you that I doe not this for your sakes but for my holy names sake saith the Lord God Therefore be ashamed and confounded O house of Israel for your owne waies Wee haue sinned and committed Daniel against impenitent sinners cap. 9. iniquitie and haue done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and haue departed from thy precepts and from thy iudgements for we haue not obeied the voice of the Lord our God to walke in his waies which he hath laid before vs by the ministry of his seruants the Prophets Therfore hath the Lord made ready the plague and brought it vpon vs for the Lord our God is righteous in all his workes which he doth for we would not heare his voice Many shall be purified made white and tried but the wicked shall do wickedly and none of the wicked shall haue vnderstanding but the wise shall vnderstand Heare the word of the Lord ye children Osea against ◠impenitent sinners Cap. 4. of Israel for the
manifest whâ— erected an Image of the God Pan and did consecrate and dedicate vnto him a thicke forrest offering sacrifices vnto it Achah another king of the Israelites Achab. 1. Kings 16. did erect an Altar and made sacrifices to the God Mars otherwise called Baal vnto whom he dedicated a groue to satisfie his wicked wife Iesabel Hee caused also another Altar and Temple to be erected to the God of the Ioseph lib. 8. chap. 10. Tyâ—aÌ„s he ordained Priests Sacrificers and instituted soure hunded false Prophets His sonne and successour Ochosias Ochosias taught of his father to corrupt the vse of the sacrifices did not onely offer 2 Kings 1. Ioseph lib. chap. 1. to Baal otherwise called Mars but went forward in greater abuse he builded a Temple vnto the God of Accoronites called by Iosephus Myos and by the Greekes 〈◊〉 vnto the which God he did sacrifice To be short what more abhominable Purgatorie 2. Cings 16. 2. Kings 16. 23. In the booke Alcoran Asoar 29. 46. Asoar 5. ignem geheÌ„nae non nisi numeto dierum preterminato animas sentire docet Aeoâ— liber ad diem veriatts omnes Iccedere opeâ—um suorum mercedem accepturas Aâ—â—ar corruption can bee described then the inuention of the fire Purgatorie wherewith the Israelites did transgres causing their children to passe through the fire in Tophet a valley of the sonnes of Ennon sacrifizing vnto the God Moloch This corruption of sacrifices notwithstaÌ„ding that it was in the time of Moâ—â—es yet the Idol Moloch in the valley of Ennon was not cast downe till the raigne of King Iosias more then nine hundred yeares after Moyses Neuertheles this abuse doth continue among the Arabians and Affricans to this present so that the Alcoramists and Mahometists haue this beliefe that the soules of the departed must passe through the fire to bee purged and purified from their offences By this briefe gathering a man may clearely perceiue that from the begining of the world man by his owne fault hath fallen into the bottome of errour and corruption of holy signes sacrifices and sacrameÌ„ts ordained to him of God But the principall abuse whereof is Cause of the corruption of sacraments sprung the originall of all Idolatrie entred by this meanes that fleshly carnall men did sticke more to the visible signes and outward ceremonies then to the things signified by the Sacraments Apo â—3 for in place of circumcisiing their hearts and cuting away of the old skin Deut. 10 30. of sinne to be regenerated and purified by the bloud of the heauenly sacrifice offered before all worlds they haue taken circumcisioÌ„ carnally for the cutting of the carnall skinne Wherefore did they not follow the interpretation of God by Moyses to circumcise the foreskin of their heartes Wherefore did not the children of Israel giue credit to the good prophet Ieremie Ierem. 4. which admonished them of the spiritual circumcision and to circumcise the forekinne of their hearts in putting away the foreskinne of their naturall corruption The like is come to passe of the sacrifices and holy signes ordained of God for figures of the sacrifice fulfilled by Iesus Christ For the carnall man resteth in the corporall bloud of earthly beasts where he ought to lift vp his spirit to heauen to comprehend and conceiue that which is figured and signified by the sacrifices of beastes offered vp For this therefore the iustice of God is declared by the Prophets What neede haue I saith the Lorde Esry 1. God of your sacrifices I am weary of your offerings of sheepe Moreouer I take no pleasure in the bloud of beasts lambes and goates offered Whereforâ— trauell you to addresse Altars vnto me I will none of your offerings and vaine sacrifices I abhorre your incense I can not suffer your new moones your Sabbaoths your assemblies and your feasts all is but vanitie I hate your feastes oâ— new moones O Israelites and your solemne feasts I am wearie in suffering so much You haue goodly directed your prayers vnto mee I will not heare you any more for the abuses which you haue committed with your handes embrued with bloud Moreouer I will not Psalm 51. Esay 66 Ierem. 7. receiue of the house of Israel any Bull because your sacrifices are not pleasing vnto me I am as well pleased with the Eccle. 7. offering of a beast as with the murthering of a man and with the offering of Incense as with the worshiping of an Idoll Wherefore then saith God doe ye take so much paines to seeke Incense vnto Sabba and odours from far countreyes to offer and make sacrifices vnto me wherein I delight not Who hath moued you O Israelites to erect images vnto the Gods Moloch and the star Râ—mphâ—m during the time that you were in the Wildernesse where I did nourish you with my heauenly Manna Your feasts be odious vnto me your offerings oblations and sacrifices for the Amos. 5. health I will reiect your offerings do displease me After what manner should Mich. 6. one prepare himselfe to God Shall it bee by sacrifices of Bullocks of one yeare Doth God take pleasure in a great number of sheepe offered vnto him Or in a great quantitie of holy oyles To him saith the Prophet shall I offer of the first borne for the remission of sinnes Our good God hath very cleerely Psalm 51. declared that seruice which he commaÌ„deth follow equity loue mercie and of an humble and contrite heart fal downe before him for obedience is more worthy then sacrifice or the fatte of offered Rammes What gaue an occasion to God to 1. Samuel 15. put away those sacrifices and sacramâ— which hee himselfe had ordained â— the abuse and â—orruption which the â—raeâ—ites had coÌ„mitted taking ouer grâ—sly the signes and ceremonies ordaiâ— to draw them to feare and obedience For in place of conceiuing thâ— which was figured by the signes aâ— corporall sacrifices they did rest in tâ—â— fleshe of the beastes offered And â—stead of cutting away the foreskinneâ— their hearts they rested in the carnaâ— circumcision and in the meane time tuâ—ned away from the true worshiping â— God addressing themselues to creatureâ— As to starres to the queene of hâ—auen and other strange Gods offering tâ— them incense building for them temples preparing for them priests chaplaines and sacrificers to offer vnto them oblations and sacrifices Moreouer to accoÌ„plish this corruption they did sacrifice with the bloude of â—nnocents offering of them and causing them to passe through the fire of Purgatorie in the valley of Tophet Wherefore for the abuse committed by the children of Israell against the holy 4 Esdr â— sacraments sacred signes and sacrâ—fices ordeyned of God it was saide vnto them by the Prophets that God would no more of their feastes of their newe 4 Esdr â— Moones of their circumcision nor of their sacrifices celebrated by people â—dolatrous and full of bloud When the vnserâ— heable
euerlasting life through the merits of thy percious death and passion And thus must wee that are sicke in sinne receiue this healthfull medicine of the holy Sacrament the body and bloud of Christ and when we feele through it any comfort to our soules let vs ascribe that comfort not to our selues but to the goodnes of God which so comforteth and refresheth our soules by feeding vs with his own flesh and bloud of his own great mercy grace let vs thus thinke with our selues loe thus doth our Lord vnto vs to shew vs our wretchednes and miseries wherein we lie intaÌ„gled vnles we be loosed by him and to ouercome our wickednes with the plentie of his goodnes for he maketh vs that are dead in sinne to feele life and being rotten and stincking wormes to tast heauenly sweetnes O Lord God sith thou art so mercifull to vs that now liue in sinne as to feed vs with the heauenly bread of thy owne flesh and bloud in this holy sacrament by which foode through the working of the holy Ghost wee are nourished and cherished in body and soule vnto life euerlasting let our hearts from henceforth in this most cherefully reioyce that our God our spouse and our loue is made vnto vs our spirituall meate and drinke to strengthen our bodies and soules that wee may grow vp to life euerlasting the blisle of Saints the ioy of Angels the sonne of the highest father maketh himselfe our spirituall nourishing the light of the world the sonne of righteousnes the wisedome of God is made the foode of our soule the redeemer of man the brightnes of heauen the matter of all mirth and the Lord of ioy vouchsafeth for to feed vs with himselfe what kindnes what courtesie what tokeÌ„ of loue might bee more Wherefore since wee haue him let vs not from henceforth suffer our hearts to delight in any creature for it were a great vnkindnes and vile wretchednes of vs after the receiuing of so worthy a meate so precious and sweete as it is to sâ—ttle our selues to the liking and iust againe of the world and of the flesh Keepe vs therefore sweet Iesus from such wretchednes and vnkindnes and be thou our meate and our foode our lust and our liking and make vs continually to hunger after thee and to feede on thee with greedie desire for thy sweetnes sufficeth vnto all the world why vouchsafest thou merciful Lord to feed vs with this heauenly bread and with this so precious foode of thine owne flesh and bloud what seest thou in vs or what findest thou in vs or what profit shalt thou haue of vs surely none but thy great loue constraineth thee to doe thus vnto vs since therefore thou which art the soueraigne goodnes the whitenesse of endles light and mirror without spot vouchsafest thus louingly to come to vs to dwell in vs and to feede vs how is it that wee stincking wretches desire not most earnestly to welcome thee deuoutly to receiue thee it is great shame to vs but Lord we beseech thee to take away our shame and to make vs to ameÌ„d Giue vs daily this heaueÌ„ly bread make vs daily to receiue the precious body bloud of thy son our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ either ghostly or both ghostly and sacramentally through a true liuely vnfained faith so that thou maist continually be with vs and we with thee for thou hast so limed vs with thy loue and so glewed vs with thy grace that we may not depart from thee grant therefore thy grace that Christ in vs and wee in Christ may dwell perpetually and that we may worthily beare this name sith of Christ wee are called Christen By this which hath been shewed it appeareth how Christs reall naturall holy flesh and bloud is receiued in by and with the SacrameÌ„t wherin as hath beene also shewed there is not any consubstantiation nor transubstantiation It hath beene shewed also what preparation must bee vsed that wee receiue not this holy Sacrament vnworthily whereby Christ is refused and cleane shut out from vs and wee refused and cleane shut out from him to the eternal damnation of our owne soules From which danger God of his great mercy deliuer vs and giue vs grace that wee may at all times be made thankfull and worthy receiuers to the praise of his name and the attainement of euerlasting life through his onely sonne our Lord Iesus Christ to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour glory and praise now and for euer Amen LAMENTATIONS mournings and woes pronounced by the Prophet Isaiah against impenitent sinners HEare O heauens and harken Esay against impenitent sinners cap. 1. O earth for the Lord hath said I haue nourished and brought vp childreÌ„ but they haue rebelled against me A sinfull nation a people laden with iniquitie a seede of the wicked corrupt children They haue forsaken the Lord and prouoked the holy one of Israel to anger They are gone backward for they fall away more and more The whole head is sicke and the whole heart is heauie from the soule of the foote vnto the head there is nothing sound therin but woundes and swellings and sores full of corruption When you come to appeare before the Lord who requireth this at your handes to tread in my Courts and when you shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eyes from you and though you make many praiers I will not heare for your hands are full of bloud Wash you make you cleane take away the euill of your workes from before mine eyes cease to do euill learne to do well seeke iudgement releeue the oppressed iudge the fatherles defend the widow If you consent and obey you shall eate the good things of the land but if you refuse and be rebellious you shall be deuoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it How is the faithfull citie become an haâ—lot it was full of iudgement and iustice lodged therein but now they are murtherers thy Princes are rebellious and companions with theeues euery one loueth gifts and followeth after rewards they iudge not the fatherles neither doth the widdowes cause come before them Therefore saith the Lord God of hosts the mightie one of Israel ah I will case me of mine aduersaries and auenge me of mine enemies and the strong shall be as tow and the maker thereof as a sparke and they shall both burne together and none shall quench them Enter into the rocks and hide thee in the dust from before the feare of the Lord and from the glory of his maiestie The high looke of a man shal be humbled and the loftines of men shall be abased and the Lord onely shall be exalted in that day For the day of the Lord of hosts is vpon all the proud and haughtie and vpon all that is exalted and it shall be made low The people shall bee oppressed one of another and euery
night for the staine of the daughter of my people Oh that I had in the wildernes a cottage of wayfaring men that I might leaue my people and go from them for they be all adulterers and an assemblie of rebels and they bend their tongues like their bowes for lies but they haue no courage for the truth vpon the earth for they proceed from euill to worse and they haue not knowne mee saith the lord Let euerie one take heede of his neighbour and trust you not in any brother for euery brother will vse deceit and euerie friend will deale deceitfully and euery one will deceiue his frend and will not speake the truth for they haue taught their tongues to speake lies and take great paines to do wickedly Thine habitation is in the midst of deceiuers because of their deceite they refuse to know me saith the lord Therefore thus saith the lorde of hostes behold I will melt them try them for what shall I else doe for the daughter of my people their tongue is an arrowe shot out and speaketh deceipt one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth but his hart he layeth waite for him Shall I not visit them for these things saith the lord or shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Hostes the God of Israel behold I will feede this people with wormewood and giue them waters of gall to drinke for death is come vp into our windowes and is entred into our palaces to destroy the children without and the yong men in the streetes Speake thus saith the lord the carkases of men shall lie euen as the dung vpon the field and as the handfull after the mower and none shall gather them Thus saith the Lord let not the wise man glory in his wisedom nor the strong maÌ„ glory in his strength nether the rich man glory in his riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that he vnderstaÌ„deth and knoweth me for I am the Lord which shew mercie iudgement and righteousnesse in the earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord learne not the way of the heathen be not afraid for the signes of heauen though the heathen be afraid of such Euery man is a beast by his owne knowledge for the pastors are become beasts and haue not sought the lord therfore haue they no vnderstanding and all the flocks of their pastures are scattered O Lord I know that the way of maÌ„ is not in him selfe neither is it in man to walke and to direct his steps O Lord correct me but with iudgement not in thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing power out thy wrath vpon the heathen that know thee not and vpon the families that call not vpoÌ„ thy name let me see thy vengeance on them for vnto thee haue I opened my cause O lord if I dispute with thee thou art righteous yet let me talke with thee of thy iudgements wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper why are all they in wealth that rebelliously transgresse Thou hast planted them and they haue taken roote they grow and bring forth fruit thou art neare in their mouth farre from their reines O lord thou hast ordeined them for iudgement and O GOD thou hast established them for correction Giue glory to the lord your God before hee bring draknes and or euer your feete stumble in the darke mountains and whiles you looke for light he turneth it into the shadowe of death and make it as darkenes But if you will not heare this my soule shall weepe in secret for your pride mine eie shall weepe and drop downe teares for the crowne of your glorie shal come downe froÌ„ your heads O lord though our iniquities testifie against vs deale with vs according to thy name for our rebellions are many we haue sinned against the. O the hope of Israel the sauiour thereof in the time of trouble why art thou as a stranger in the land as one that passeth by to tarry for a night why art thou as a man astonied as a stroÌ„g man that cannot helpe yet art thou O lord in the middest of vs thy name is called vpon vs O forsake vs not Thus saith the lord vnto this people thus haue they delighted to wander they haue not refrained their feete Therfore hath the lord no delight in them but he will now remember their iniquitie and visit their sinnes when they fast I will not heare their cries I will not accept them but I will consume them by the sword and by the famine and by the pestilence Wee acknowledge O lord our wickednes and the iniquitie of our fathers for wee haue sinned against thee do not abhorre vs for thy names sake cast not downe the throne of thy glory remember and breake not thy couenant with vs. Are there any among the vanities of the gentiles that can giue raine or can the heauens giue showers is it not thou O lord our God Therefore will we waite vpon thee for thou hast made all these things Then said the lord vnto me though Moises and Samuel stoode before me yet mine affection could not be towards this people Cast them out of my sight and let them depart and if they say vnto thee whither shall wee depart then tell them thus saith the lord such as are apointed to death vnto death such as are for the sword to the sword and such as are for famine to the famine such as are for the captiuitie to the captiuitie and I will appoint ouer them foure kindes saith the Lord the sword to slay and the dogs to teare in pieces and the fowles of the heauen and the beasts of the earth to deuoure and to destroy Thou hast forsaken me saith the lord and gone backward therfore will I stretch out my hand against thee and destroy thee for I am wearie with repenting Thy substance and thy treasures will I giue to be spoiled without gaine and that for all thy sinnes euen in all thy borders Behold saith the lord I will send out many fishers and they shall fish them and after I will send out many hunters and they shall hunt them from euerie mountaine and from euery hill out of the caues of the rocks for mine eies are vppon all their waies they are not hid from my face neither is their iniquitie hid from mine eies And first I will recompence their iniquitie their sinne double because they haue defiled my land and haue filled my inheritance with their filâ—hy carrions and their abhominations Thus saith the lord cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and withdâ—aweth his heart from the lord for he shall be like the heath in the wildernes shall not see when any good commeth but shall inhabite the parched places in the wildernes in a salt land and not inhabited Blessed is
doth weaken the force of all vice If therefore you will patiently beare all aduersity be a man of prayer if you will ouercome all temptations and tribulations of this world be a man of prayer if you will resist all the crafts of the Diuell and auoid his deceits be a man of praier if you desire to conquer your owne affections be a man of praier if you desire ioyfully to liue in the worke of God safely to passe thorow the labours and affections of this life be a man of prayer if you desire to lead a spirituall life and to conquer the workes of the flesh be a man of prayer if you desire to establish your heart according to the good will and pleasure of God and to root out all the vices of your soule and to adorne it with all vertues be a man of prayer if you desire to auoid all vaine thoughts to feed your soule with holy thoghts and desires and with â—eruent deuotions be a man of praier if you desire in a holy contemplation to enioy the imbracings of Christ your spouse and to tast of the heauenly sweetnes bountifulnes and goodnes of God which in some sort may be felt but cannot possibly be vttered be a man of prayer by which worke of praier only the heauenly contemplation and sweetnes may be tasted Wee must further know that prayer may be diuided into three degrees viz. Requests Beseechings Thankesgiuings Our requests as S. Bernard saith are most commonly applied about the obâ—eining of temporall things and the necessities of this life which requests God approuing of the mind of the asker doth notwithstanding that which seemeth best to himselfe Let none of the faithfull therefore thinke that their praiers or requests are little esteemed for GOD who heareth their praiers doth not lightly esteeme of them but before their praiers goe out of their mouthes he causeth a remembrance to be kept of them and one of these two all the faithful may vndoubtedly hope for that either God wil giue that which they aske or that which hee knoweth to be more profitable for them for wee know not what to aske as wee should but GOD pardoning our ignorances mercifully receiueth our praiers denying to giue vs that which he knoweth to be vnprofitable for vs or deferreth to giue it vntill he knoweth the fittest time to bestow it our praier therfore shall neuer be idle or vnprofitable so that we alwaies do that in our praier whereof we are admonished in the 37. Psalme saying Delight thy selfe in the Lord and he shall giue thee thine harts desire and giue vnto God Almightie most haâ—tie thankes for his most gratious and louing care which he hath alwaies on thee that thou doest ignorantly desire that which he knoweth to be vnprofitable for thee he hearing thy requests granteth not that which thou desirest but giueth thee for it a better gift euen as a most louing father which to his child that asketh bread giueth it most willingly but if he aske a knife he wil not giue it him but rather breaketh or cutteth the bread which hee before had giuen him Pray therefore in an assured hope both faithfully and louingly pray instantly and patiently but in these requests which pertaine to temporall blessings as if you aske continuance of peace health of body plenty of temporall things temperance of aire or such like in these things after your requests haue beene faithfully shewed forth vnto GOD waite patiently what his pleasure shall be to do in these things not importunately striuing for them because wee know not but our Father which is in heauen knoweth best what is needfull to be giuen vnto vs in these things which he will assuredly giue vnto vs but in the begging of spirituall blessings we must instantly patiently and importunatly seeke for them neuer giuing ouer till we haue obtained our requests as when we do begge the remission of our sinnes the grace of amendment of life or any other vertues pertaining to our soules health and euerlasting happinesse where both in body and soule we shal receiue full and perfect blessednes In these I say and in such like requests in all humility trusting onely to Gods merciful loue aske in faith striuing against all wauering and doubting for he is vnworthy of any spirituall blessing from God who striueth not to ouercome all wauering doubtfulnesse of Gods merciful loue towards him and when he praieth vnto God he seemeth to teÌ„pt God when he doubteth that the spirituall things which he desireth to obtaine which he hath praied for shall not be giuen vnto him Therefore when thou praiest for that which God both commendeth and coÌ„mandeth aske without doubting and thou shalt assuredly obtaine as in the examples before shewed when you aske the remission of sinnes true repentance the grace of Gods holy spirit true Christian vertue wisedome faith righteousnesse humility patience charity mercifulnesse and such like spirituall graces for God hath promised all these commanding vs to pray for them saying aske and you shalâ— haue be not faint hearted therefore in thy praiers for God will surely grant thy desire howsoeuer he deferreth to giue he will not take his mercy and grace from thee but trust in the Lord and he will giue thee thy hearts desire and though thou receiue not these blessings presently of his spirituall grace yet thou shalt surely receiue them for God who is truth it selfe neither can nor wil deceiue theÌ„ that put their trust in him hold fast therfore thy faith and God wil neuer faile to perform his promise he wil not presently giue thee that which thou askest that thou maiest learne with great desire to begge that which is great thy praiers are not presently heard that according to the time that they are deferred the greater blessings may be heaped vpon thee when therefore the spirituall graces are great which are promised vnto thee Let noâ— thy desires be small vnto them buâ— what warres what earth-quakes what ouerthrowings of all things what destructions of Cities and countries what multitudes of poysonings murders other mischiefes compasse vs about in our liues By which rich and poore prince and subiect masters seruants and all sorts of people of what age or degree soeuer being come of Adams loines are all subiect vnto Let all therefore fly vnto this healthfull remedy of praier both princes people But because the most part are vnskilfull what or how to pray our heauenly Lord and master Iesus Christ hath giuen vs a speciall forme short and most perfect and such as no Christian how rude soeuer can or ought to be ignorant of seruing as a rule that is giueÌ„ vnto all short that it may soone be learned and not forgotten of children of old men of sicke men of women of tradesmen of the vnlearned and of all sorts and yet so perfect as nothing can be asked or ought to be required of God which in these few words are not contained