oure neyghbour for Goddes sake But when we wyll serue God onely with suche a kynde of worke that perteyneth not to our neyghbour but is propre and seuerall to God alone than God commaūdeth you not to set before your eyes any outwarde worke but to rest from such workes For this God requireth of vs in thys commaundement And now good children listen vnto me and you shall know the cause why god doth thus He is so riche a God and his maiestie is so mighty y t he hath no nede of our outwarde workes nor wourshyppinges Againe he is so gentle lyberal and mercyfull that of his awne accorde he desireth to do good to all men wherby his name is praysed and honored Therfore he y t wil do pure seruice honor to God let hym gyue himselfe to rest and quietnes not workyng to be made holy by his owne outwarde workes but let hym kepe holy day let him suffer the benefites of God to be powred lyberally and frely vpō hym For to beleue that we receaue all good thinges frely from God to acknowlege them with a trew fayth and gladly to prayse thanke God for thesame is the most excellente and highest honor that can be yelded to him in this life But it is not sufficiēt for vs to kepe y e Sabboth day But the Lorde saith Thou shalte sanctifie the Sabboth day that is to saye we shall bestowe that day about holy heuenly godly thynges Now yf ye desier to knowe with what holye workes you shoulde passe away this day you shal vnderstāde that we can do no geater holy workes thā to heare y e worde of god and to learne y e trew feare of God the right faith in him to prepare our selfes that we may worthely be partakers of the Lordes table therby to receyue great comfort to the quiet of our consciences confirmatiō of oure fayth And moreouer on such dayes cheflye we ought in faythe and spirite feruently to praye to God to gyue vs all good thinges that we lacke and haue nede of and to defende and deliuer vs frō all yl thynges And thus praing we shal not faile to be hearde These be y e chiefe holy daye workes by the whiche God rather serueth and worketh for vs then we for him For when he by hys mynisters causeth his wourde to be preached vnto vs when he distributeth to vs ineffable gyftes of hys sacramentes when he heareth our prayers he is rather beneficial vnto vs thē we be to him Therfore theffecte sūme of this commaundement is as God shoulde say thus Good childerne wil you serue me do that thing that may please me then truste not in your awne workes nor put your confidence in theim For I haue no nede of your labour and workes Come hyther I wyll teache you what ye ought to beleue and to do I wil comforte you wyth the meruelous giftes of my sacramētes I wil heare your praiers you can not giue to me greater honor thē to repayre to me and to suffer me y t I maye powre my benefites vpon you that you may acknowlege me to be your father that you may cast your hole affiance in me and y t you maye loue me as chyldren loueth their fathers and mothers But of this matter you shal heare more in the Crede or articles of the faith In the meane tyme you shall specially marke that althoughe euery man hath nede to labour daily for his dayly fode yet God hath gyuen vs Sabboth dayes or resting tymes in the whiche he hath commaunded not onelye the maisters themselues but also their seruantes and cattel to cesse from bodily labores And yet on those dayes he fedeth vs aswel as on the workynge dayes By the whiche he signifieth vnto vs that althoughe we toyle not continually vntil we be wery yet he wil gyue vs aboūdantly all thinges necessarie when we obey his will first of all seke the kyngdome of God that all other thinges maye be gyuen vs. Hytherto good children you haue bene taughte in what holy workes you ought to spende the Sabboth day now it shall be declared vnto you how great a sinne it is not to sanctifye the same The whiche synne is then committed when we vpon the holye dayes do not heare with greate dilygence and reuerence sermons the most frutefull woorde of God when we do not gyue our myndes to prayer and other Godly workes but to idlenes eatinge drynkynge bankettynge dauncynge lechery dicing cardynge backebytynge slaunderyng and other vngodly workes For the which abuse of holy daies God is grieuously prouoked and punisheth vs greuouslye with dyuerse kyndes of plages but specially with nede and pouertie For so God threateneth in the .xxviii. chapter of Deuteronomie that mē shall labour and toyle bothe daye and nyght and yet shall not be able to worke themselues out of pouertie And it is no meruell For when God gyueth them restynge dayes they doo not sanctifie the same they do not heare the worde of God nor pray to him but wickedly dispise God and his honor spendyng the sabboth daye in the aboue named synfull and vngodly lyfe wherfore God iustly punisheth them with pouertie But peraduenture you wyl say God doth not punishe all y e breakers of this commaundemente with nede and pouertie Trueth it is in deede some there be whiche God doeth not punishe in this lyfe but defferreth theyr punishement vntill the houre of death whē they be vtterlye forsaken of hym whiche is a payne most horrible and euerlastyngly condemned if they amend not in due tyme. Therfore good children eschewe these synnes that be so heynous in the sight of god sanctifie youre Sabboth daye be desirouse to heare the woorde of God praye continually and gyue thankes to God for all his benefites In so doyng you shall surelye please hym and he shall sende you his grace fauour blessynge that all thing maye prosper wyth you that you maye with ioye and gladnes serue youre Lorde God and enioy manye sabbothes or restyng dayes For God is wel content that we haue many restynge dayes so that we spende them wel in holy and godlye exercises and cause not only oure bodyes to rest from labours but also oure myndes from synne For we must kepe the Sabbothe daye not onelye with our bodye but also with oure hartes and myndes which we do when we bridle our owne wil and fleshely lustes and with all reuerence humble our selues to Goddes wyll so that when we reherse the Lordes prayer we maye saye trewly and hertely Thy wyll be donne in earth as it is in heauen For so God testifieth by the prophet Esaie in the .lviii. chapiter saying yf thou wilt absteyne from doyng thy wyll on my holy daye then thou shalt be called a pleasāt Sabboth day that is to saie whē we submit our wyl to the holy wil of God and patiently suffre those thinges whiche he worketh in vs and willeth vs to suffre
be their true and faithfull subiectes of their realmes And euery king geueth commaundementes vnto his subiectes gouerneth theim in suche wyse that they do not euery man what he lyst hym selfe but what it pleaseth his prince to cōmaunde hym Euen so almighty God hath here in earth in his church an heuenly kyngdō And this kyngdō which Christ in his gospell so often calleth the kyngdome of heauen begynneth among his faithful peoble in this worlde And al that truly beleue kepe his commaūdementes parteyne vnto thys kyngdom And whan God by his gospel begynneth to cal vs vnto this kyngdom than the kyngdom of God commeth vnto vs and begynneth in vs. For God beginneth and in dede is the kyng and Lorde of theim that be godly he gouerneth and ruleth theim so that they worke not after y e lustes and desiers of their owne fleshe but as the Lord God who is their kyng teacheth and commaūdeth theim by his worde And kynges and great men in this worlde rule and gouerne by forse by soore threatenynges and greuous paynes and comstrayne their subiectes to obedyence and so they ought to do for it is the ordinance of God but God doeth not order his affaires so ī this forsaid kingdom of heuen but ruleth his subiectes lyke a gentle father by the worde of his gospel and by the holy gost that after this sort God causeth his ghospel to be preached vnto vs howe Christe for our sakes suffered death was buried and rose againe as before you herd in y e Crede Moreouer he openeth oure hertes gyueth vs faith to beleue his gospel And to them y t beleue his gospel he giueth the holy gost which doth gouerne vs and leade vs vnto all trueth For fyrste by faythe we be iustified before God for fayth maketh vs partakers of y e iustice of christ and planteth vs in Christ and he that by true faithe do receyue the promyse of grace to him God gyuethe the holye ghoste by whome charitie is spred abrode in our hertes whiche perfourmethe all the commaundementes Therfore he that beleueth in Christ and truely beleueth y e gospel he is iust holy before God by y e iustice of Christ whiche is imputed gyuē vnto hī as Paule saith Ro. iii. we thinke y t mā is iustified by faith w tout workes He is also iust before y e world because of y e loue charitie which the holy gost worketh in his herte Secondly faith worketh peace and quietnes in oure heartes and consciēces For by faith we be certified that our synnes be forgiuen Therfore saythe sayncte Paule to the Romanes Beyng iustified we haue peace and quyetnesse wyth God by our Lorde Iesus Christ. Thirdely this peace bringeth vnto vs a great and synguler ioy in our hertes and consciences and maketh vs for this excedyng benefite of gods mercy and grace towarde vs feruentely to loue him gladly to laude and praise him to honoure his name and to professe the same before all the worlde euermore to gyue vnto hym moste harti thankes and to be swift and redye to do all thinges that maye please God and to eschewe those thynges that may dysplease hym Thys good children is the sayd kyngdome of God whan by the gospell and the holy ghoste God raygneth in oure hartes whan he worketh in vs our Iustification that we hauynge peace of conscience may haue ioye and comforte in the holy gost of the abundance and plentifulnes of grace and the benefytes of Christe And this is that thinge whiche sayncte Paule speaketh of to y e Romaynes The kyngdome of God is iustice peace and ioy in the holy gost Nowe as an earthly kyng doeth gouerne his subiectes by hys lawes and commaundementes and by his mighte and power so doeth God rule and gouerne his church and true faithfull people whiche although they be here in earth yet they be of his heuenly kyngdome suche I saye he gouerneth by the holy worde of his gospell and the power of the holy ghost whom he powreth plentifully vpon al them that beleue the gospel and by that comfortable worde of the ghospell he gentilly entiseth and drawethe vs vnto him that we should gladly of our owne free will obey him For God loueth not seruyce constrayned by forse suche as slaues and bonde menne do more for the feare then loue but he wold haue his people to serue him willyngly of hearte and loue as Dauid said in the .cx. Psalme And this is the forsayde kyngdome of God whan he dothe in suche wyse raigne in vs and gouerne vs that we do not wourke after our owne wylles but in body and minde do ceasse rest from our owne euyl workes and shrewed wylles and folowe the workyng of God and the holye goste in vs. And this is to sanctifye the sabbot daye that is to say to kepe an holy rest whan we honor God with true honour whan we heare dilygently the worde of God whē we yelde our selfes clerly to God that his holy spirite maye worke in vs holy godly heuenly workes y t is to say iustice peace comfort other workes of y e holy gost Therfore he that praieth thus Thy kingdome come he prayeth nothynge elles but that God wil gyue vs grace that we maye rest from our own propre willes that we do not those thynges that delyte the body and please oure appetites but that we maye suffre God by his holy worde spirite to worke in vs holy workes that so the thirde cōmaundement maye be fulfilled Remembre that thou sanctifye the sabboth daye For so doth Esaye declare this commaūdement saying If thou worke not after thine own wyl in my holy day than thou shalt be called a pleasant rest to sanctifye and honoure the Lorde yf thou honoure him so that thou worke not after thyne owne wayes nor fynde the meanes to folowe thyne own wil nor speake thyne owne pleasure than shalt thou haue pleasure in the Lorde For all these thynges therfore good children ought you to praye to God that hys kyngdome maye come that he wil here in earth begynne his kyngdome in vs that we maye obey him in suche wyse as you haue herde Nowe the kyngdome of God commeth vnto vs two maner of wayes first by his worde faithe whan the gospell is preached vnto vs that our Lorde Iesus Christ delyuered vs frō synne death and hel by crosse death resurrection For by the preaching of his word we do lerne to put oure truste in God and to loue God And this knowlege and faith in Christe increaseth from tyme to tyme not only in theim that haue but newlye begonne to beleue but they also whiche many yeares haue professed Christe do profyt in the same faith more and more For their faith and loue towardes God by the dayly preachyng of the gospel is confirmed made more strong Secondly the kyngdome of God shall come to vs at the laste daye whan
God thou shalt haue none other Goddes but me ▪ The seconde Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vayne for he shal not be gyltles before the Lorde that taketh hys name in vaine The thirde Remember that thou sanctifye the Sabboth daye The fourthe Honour thy father and thy mother that thou mayst lyue a longe lyfe in the lande whiche the lord thy God shall gyue vnto thee The fifthe Thou shalt not kyll The sixte Thou shalt committe no adulterye The seuenth Thou shalt not steale The eyght Thou shalt not beare false witnes agaynst thy neighboure The nynthe Thou shalt not couet thy neyghbours house The tenth Thou shalt not couet thy neyghboures wyfe nor hys man seruaunte nor his mayde seruaunt nor hys oxe nor hys asse nor anye thynge that is thy neyghboures Nowe good children these are the ten holye commaundementes of the lorde God in the whiche he hath opened his wyl vnto vs and hath declared what is godly and what is vngodly what we should do and what we should not do These ye shall learne with greate diligence not only to reherse them but also to vnderstande what is ment by them and what the lorde God doeth require of vs in these his commaundementes to thintēt that when you be asked any questian of them you maye answere to y ◠purpose and that also in time to come you may teache your children to feare God after suche sort and maner as you your selfes be nowe instructed For it is a great shame bothe before God and the worlde for a Christen man to be ignoraunt in the commaundemētes of God and not to know that doctryne that perteyneth to euery Christen man seynge that euerye Christen man is bounde openly to declare his doctrine to gyue a rekenyng of his fayth whē nede shall so requyre and to brynge vp his children in the same The first sermon Thou shalt haue none other Goddes but me A declaration of the first commaundement TO thintente good children that you maye the better vnderstande the lawe of the tenne commaundementes you muste firste of all knowe that God gaue to Moses the ten commaundementes writtē in two tables of stone wherfore they be diuided in two partes In the first table were written the three firste commaundementes pertaynynge to God whiche teache vs howe we shoulde behaue our selues toward God as well inwardelye in harte and mynde as outwardly in wordes and deades In thother table were grauen seuen preceptes perteynynge to oure neyghboures whiche teache vs howe we oughte to ordre our selues towardes our Prynces magistrates and rulers towardes oure wyues children seruauntes and towardes all states of men teachynge vs that we shoulde not be dysobedient that we do wronge to no man that we hurt no man that we ley not in wayte to kyll anye man that we defloure not other mennes wyfes and to be shorte that we hurte not our neighboures neither in body goods nor good name But nowe let vs consyder the first commaundement and the declaracion of the same I am the Lorde thy God thou shalte haue none other goddes but me This commaundemente good children teacheth vs howe we ought to vse oure hartes towarde God Firste that we ought to acknoulege with all our harte that God made heauen and earthe and all thinges conteyned therin and to take hym onely to be the true God and to be our God Secondarely this commaundement teacheth vs to feare him as a lyuyng God because he doeth punyshe the vngodlye and to cleaue vnto him with a sure faith because he is true and faithfull and doeth not deceyue vs in any thing whiche he hath spoken or promysed Thyrdly this commaundement teacheth vs to loue him with all our heart for of him we receiue oure lyfe oure breath oure health and all other gyftes both bodyly and goostly And we haue not the least of his giftes by our desertes but he poureth them all vpon vs frely through his infinite goodnes and endles mercy Contrarywise we ought not to receaue into our hertes as God any creature eyther in heauen or in earth that is to saye we oughte to feare no creature neither in heauē nor in earth so much as God neyther ought we to put such cōfidēce truste in any thynge neyther should we so hartily loue any creature as our Lorde God omnipotent For yf we attribute to anye creature so much feare trust loue as apperteyneth only to him that made all creatures by and by we make that creature our God ▪ and of it we frame to oure selues an Ydoll The whiche is a very heynous an abominable horrible sinne directly against the first table and the first and chefest commaundement of God Therefore suche greate offences the trewe and lyuinge Lorde God will not leaue vnpunished for he hymselfe sayeth I am the Lorde my title my name is the Lorde I wyl not gyue my glorye to another meanyng therby that he wyll not suffer that any other thinge shoulde be estemed as God besydes hymselfe or that we shoulde gyue godly honoure in heart affection woorde or deede to anye creature but onely to hym that was neuer created and yet dyd create all thinges But here peraduenture you wil muse good children askyng this question How can we haue other goddes before the Lorde seeynge there is but one God one Lorde whiche hathe made heauen and yearth To thys I aunswere that in deede there is none other God but that most excellent and omnipotent Lorde Ley sure hold on this article w t a stedfast faithe good children ▪ beleue this dowbting nothing therin cleaue surely to this rocke But yet this not withstandyng fooles infidels vngodlye men take some other thing for theyr God the which in dede is not god nor can be by any meanes For lyke as many times we take some men for honest riche or noble whiche be not so in dede so oftentimes we feare something asmuche as we do God whiche is not God in dede And of creatures we make goddes thre manner of wayes The fyrst is when a man feareth anye creature and thynketh thus with himself yf such a thing be taken away from me yf such a greate man be angrye wyth me yf I escape not suche a daungier then I am vtterly vndone then I knowe not whether to runne for ayde and succoure whether then shall I goo who shall saue or helpe me yf thou haue anye suche thought of any creature trewly in thine harte thou makest it a God althoughe with thy mouthe thou doest not call it God And this affeccion lieth lurckynge so deaply hydde within manye mens hartes that they theimselfes scaselye feale or perceaue it But this feare oughte to be remoued farre from vs. For we must cleaue stedfastly by faithe to the trew and lyuynge God and in all kynde of aduersitie reason on this faschion Althoughe men of greate power be myne enemyes althoughe this or that perrell doeth presse me verye
be my dysciple And this is not a token of gods angre when he sendeth vs afflyetion or aduersitie but rather a signe of his loue toward vs. For he chasteseth euery childe whome he loueth as the wyse man Salomon witnesseth And they that fele not his rodde be not his true children but rather bastardes as sainte Paule writeth in thepistle to the Hebrues Wherefore good children larne patience that you may gladly suffer aduersitie For correction is a teachyng and whē God shall trye your faith with sycknes pouertie persecution or any other kynde of aduersitie reioyce and be glad For these be euident tokens of gods fatherly loue towarde you and that he wil kepe you cleane from synne and corruption of this worlde and brydle your wyll that you maye learne to knowe gods holy wyll whiche is a wonderful wisdome And therefore sayncte Paule so many tymes repeteth in his epystles these wordes that is to say that you maye knowe the wyll of God For this knowledge is a most high and heauēly wysedome and obedyence most lyke to the obedience and holines of thangels in heauen And you be bounde to obey God in sufferyng his rodde and crosse For God in our baptysme hath made this couenaunt with vs that we must dye and be buryed with Christe be grafted in his passion and death if we wil ryse againe and be glorified with him in the kyngdome of heauen whereunto he is rysen and assended Wherefore good children marke wel these lessons that you maye learne pacience in all afflictions and aduersities whether you suffre sycknes pouertie reproches or persecution for the gospel And what soeuer kynde of aduersitie troubleth you perswade your selues for a suertye that it is Gods wil that you should suffer and be tryed And therfore Christ sayeth One heare shal not fal from your headde without the wyll of your father whiche is in heauen Therfore yf perchaunce at any tyme you shalbe moued to impacience in your trouble and aduersitie then with all your hertes call vpon God for his ayde and succour desyre hym to sende you the gyfte of pacience and saye Thy wyll good Lorde be done and not ours For so oure sauyour Christ hath not onely taught vs to pray but he himselfe also dyd vse the lyke prayer not longe before he suffered his passion And this is the playne meaning of this thirde petition concernyng y e fulfyllyng of Gods wyll Nowe I pray you good children applye your willes and mindes to learne y e same that whē you be demaunded how vnderstād you y e thirde petition you may answer after this maner Althoughe Gods holy wyll be done w tout our praier yet we pray that it maye be done in vs and fulfylled among vs here in earth Which is done whan God doeth ouerthrow and destroy the wicked counsels of the deuell of worldlye people and of oure owne fleshe whiche do all that lyeth in theim to let and hynder the kyngdome of God and the halowynge of his name and doeth kepe vs in the true knowledge of his worde in the lyuely faithe of Christ in hys loue and obedyence of hys commaundementes For this is the holye and perfecte wyll of God whiche God graunte vs to keape nowe and euer Amen Gyue vs this daye our dayly breade YE haue herd how in the former petitions we desyer of God to gyue vs al thinges that belong to the fulfyllynge of hys holy commaundementes that we maye leade a godly lyfe aswell towardes God as also towarde oure neighbours Wherby we be euidently taught that we be not able to fulfyll the lawe and commaundementes of God without the grace of Christe and Goddes healpe Nowe foloweth the other four peticions in the whiche we praye God that he wyll vouche safe to gyue vs all those thinges whiche be promysed vnto vs in the gospell and whiche our Crede teacheth vs to loke for And first in this fourth petition we sue to God to graunte vs all those thinges which we be taught to beleue in the first parte of oure Crede concernyng our creation For when we saye Gyue vs thys daye oure daylye breade we praye to God that as through his great mercye and goodnesse he dydde create vs so he wil lykewyse nouryshe and feade vs. Wherefore good children yf you wyll vnderstande this peticion you must call to your remembraunce those lessons which wer taught you in the first article of oure belefe intreatyng of the creation For seynge that God hathe made heauen and earth he is lorde and mayster of al creatures in heauen or erthe and all be vnder his wil and pleasure And forasmuche as he made them all for vs he hath appointed them all to serue vs and to healpe and releue our necessities Wherefore let vs not be carefull for meate or drincke or other thinges necessary for oure lyuynge But lette vs put oure confidence in God oure father whiche hath made vs and giuen vs our lifes and we may be sure that he wyll also sende vs all thinges necessarie for the preseruation and maintenaūce of the same For seyng that he made al creatures of nothing it muste nedes be that all creatures muste obey hys wil and commaundemente And in case ther were not in the world creatures sufficient to nourish vs yet we shoulde not mistrust hym for he is able to make newe creatures to gyue vs all thinges necessarie And to the intent that no man shoulde truste in hymselfe thynkynge that by his owne wysdome or laboure he is able to get all thynges necessarye to the maintenaunce of his lyfe Christe hathe taught vs to aske these thynges of oure heauenlye father whiche onely is able to preserue and feade vs. Of him therefore oughte we hertely to aske the same saying Gyue vs this daye oure daylye breade For this thinge tendeth to the glorie of god and syngulerly pleasethe him whan we aske of hym al thynges necessarie for vs. And for this cause God hath commaunded vs to praye contynually wythout ceasynge And our sauyour Christ hath promysed vs that he wyl gyue vs all thynges whiche we shall aske in his name And it is euident by the wordes of this petition that we ought oftentymes to praye For Christ hath not taught vs to aske our sustinaunce for fyfthy or thre score yeare nor yet for one yeare no nor for one moneth or weake but he hath wylled vs to aske our dayly breade And he saieth Be not carefull for to morowe for to morow bryngeth care enough of it selfe Now yf we shal not be careful for to morow but onely require of God sustinance necessarye for the present daye it is manyfest hereby that it is gods wyll that we shoulde aske agayne of him to morow For we shal haue asmuch nede of meate and drynke to morowe as we haue this presēt daye yet we praye not for to mrowes fode but for this dayes sustinance onli Wherefore good children accustome
youre selfes frome youre tender age to pray gladly and often for that pleaseth God and he is veray redy to giue you al thinges that you nede so that we giue him his due honoure and aske of hym as our dutie is But specyally they that be godly muste vse to praye whan they go to bedde whan they ryse whan they go to the churche or syt doune at the table For these times are chiefly appoynted to prayer as scripture doth witnesse in many places And forasmuch as we be not able to get our dayly breade by oure owne wit laboure and dylygence except God giue it vs let vs therfore before all thynges seke his kyngdome and studye to please him that he may gyue vs al thinges necessarye for vs. And although many men in this worlde get their lyuyng and ryches by crafte and deceipte yet let vs absteyne from such vnlawful meanes For they do rather bryng pouertye to a man then ryches And althoughe brybers extorcyoners vsurers and craftye deceauers of their neighbours do prosper for a while in this worlde yet they seldome establyshe theyr thynges For it is written that scasely the thyrde heyre shal enioy goods yll gotten And God doth only wynke at theim suffryng thē to floryshe for a tyme that afterwarde he maye y e more greuouslye punyshe and sodenly destroy thē And when we desyer God to gyue vs our dayly breade thynke not Good children that our heuenly father wyl gyue vs only a morsell of bread and nothyng besyde but vnder the name of breade be all thinges conteyned whiche be necessarie to the maintenance of our lyfe as meate dryncke apparell house landes cattell and monye accordyng to the saying of sainct Paule God gyueth all thynge to our vse richely and aboundantly But Christe teacheth vs in this petition to aske only for our dayly breade for this entent that we shoulde be content with suche a meane as oure dayly vse and necessitie doth require and that we should not by ouermuche eatyng and drynkynge wastfully spende those thynges wher w t poore people myght be relyued For sayncte Paul doth commaunde vs to laboure and worke that we maye eate our awne breade also gyue to thē that haue nede The which commaundement we shall easely kepe yf we wyll be contente with a meane dyet and kepe a measure in our apparell But they that delyght in superfluitie of gorgyous apparel and deynty fare make pleasure the ende of their eatynge and drynkyng ▪ and not necessitie they be not wont to gyue muche to the poore but commenly suche do deceaue the nedye brybe and pyle from thē and oftentynes by plaine robberies force do steale other mens goods that they maye haue wherwith to mainteyne their charges and sumptuous expēses As we see by daily experience that couetous persons and the ryche men of this worlde that be gyuen to ryot superfluitye vse to gyue lytle or nothyng at all to y e poore Furthermore in this petition we do not only desier our bodily fode and sustinance but also all thyng necessarye to the same wherby we maye vse and inioy suche as God hath sent vs that is to saye we praye for seasonable wether and holsomenes of the ayer for helthe of bodye for peace and quyetnes of the commen welthe for trustye and faithful seruantes and suche lyke For except God sende a faire and seasenable wether all the fruites and corne growyng vpon the earth are lyke to peryshe and so all our laboure in plowyng sowyng and plantyng shall be bestowed in vaine Also he y t hath not his helth he can haue no pleasure in his riches or greatly ioy in his meat or drinke be it neuer so deinty Furthermore in warre time all thoughe God sende vs great plētye of corne and wyne yet all is destroyed of oure ennemyes somuche that we maye scante truste our frendes from spoilyng of vs. For than all is full of robbynge burnynge beatyng kyllynge and wasting with fire sworde And yf we haue any thinge lefte vs in the tyme of warre yet we can not quyetly haue y e vse of it for feare care and trouble of the warres And yf it be a tyme of peace yet yf thou haue an enemye within the walles of thyne awne house that is to saye yf thou haue an vnkynde or vnfaythful wyfe vnthryftye children vntrustye and neglygente seruauntes then by them thy lyuynge is wasted and cōsumed For al these do defraude the of thy dayly breade and by y e occasion of thy greate losse and hynderance The principal cause of all these aduersities is the deuel For he is so mortal an enemie to mankynde that he is desyrous not onli to destroy our souls with false doctrine and erroneous opinions but also throughe tempestes infection of the ayer dyuerse kyndes of sykenesses by famyne batteyl by the malyce and falsehed of oure owne householde and of our neyghbours he wolde fayne cōsume our lyfe helth house and goods clerely destroy them And this wicked spirite woulde ouerthrowe in a momente of an houre whole realmes commen welthes yf God dyd not let hym Wherefore we must ernestly pray to God that he wil staye this wycked spirite and gyue vs our daily bread that he wil preserue vs frō all sycknes that hauynge helthe of our bodyes we may vse inioy our substance And that also he wil sende vs godly and dilygente rulers to defēde vs from our enemyes and to prouide that nether our goodes be stollen from vs by thefes or robbers neyther lost or conuayed from vs thorowe the vntrustynes or falsenes of oure householde seruauntes Furthermore you shall note good childrē that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath not taught vs to saye father gyue me my dayly breade but gyue vs oure dailye breade and lykewyse in all the petitions that folowe no man prayeth in the synguler noumber for himselfe alone but in the plurel noumber aswel for other as for himselfe By y e whiche lesson we be admonyshed of the brotherly charitie whiche one of vs shoulde beare towardes an other For we be all offenders and from our birth the children of yre Neuertheles God so loued vs that he gaue his only sonne Iesus Christ to suffer deathe for vs to obteyne for vs remyssion of oure synnes to reconcile vs to him to make vs his children Therefore nowe is God our father Christe oure brother and we be goddes children and heyres and coinheriters with Christ and amonge oure selues we be brethren and all brethrē to Christ. And therefore we ought to ioyne altogyther in one prayer and to be glad one to healpe another bothe in worde and dede to the vttermost of our power Furthermore this is a great comforte for vs to know that all the church and congregation of Christ doeth praye for vs and that all the treasurs of Gods riches that is to say Christ himselfe the kyngdome of heauen the holy gospell the sacramentes and the prayers of al