and callynge and that only for god / haue no respecte to our selfe Thus we maye heare / knowe what frute commeth of the worde of god preached / that is to saye / throughe the holy spirite is gyuen / certantye of goddes fauour / knowledge of goddes wyll / of our offyce and dutye bothe to god and also to our neighbour and lyfe euerlasting ¶ Wherfore also in so muche as I haue hearde of the fayth whiche ye haue in the lorde Iesu of your loue vnto the sayntes / I cease nat to gyue thankes for you / make mentyon of you in my prayers / that the god of our lorde Iesus Christ the father of glory may gyue vnto you the spirite of wisdome / open vnto you that knowledge of hym selfe and lyghten the eyes of your vnderstandynge that ye may knowe what is the hope of your callynge and what the ryches of his gloryous inheritance is vpon the saintes Saynt Paule here sheweth the offyce of one christen man toward an other / that it is to geue thankes to god for fayth / hope / charyte / other gyftes spirytuall geuen to other of god And in this he teacheth christen men what they shulde do when they heare that the worde of god is puerly truly preached without all dregges of mans inuentyon dreames / or phantasyes / and that other receyue faythe and exercyse the workes of charyte to the pore people / that they shuld gyue laude prayse and thankes to the lorde for it / to desyre of god that they may continue in the truth go forward in it / and encrease euery day more and more in all godly knowlege and spirytual wysdome that they maye knowe what is the hope / that is to saye the thyng that they hoped for / whiche is the heuenly inherytaunce whiche they hope and loke for to the whiche god hath called them / these be the dutyes of a chrysten man one to an other to wysshe and desyre of god / and nat to be sory that so muche spirytuall knowlege of God be shewed to the rude and ignoraunt people as is nowe shewed in our tyme. And here Saynte Paule reproueth those that be sory that there is so muche knowledge of goddes worde shewed and opened to the symple people as is / it checketh also all them that dysswadeth the laye people vnlearned / from the hearynge of the worde of god from the readyng of it / from the study of it 22. Vertue can nat be byd where someuer it is but it wyll be knowen although they wolde it shuld nat be knowen that do vertuously to auoyde prayse of men / as the fayth and charyte of these Ephesians came to Paule in prison / for the whiche Saynt Paule praysed them / and vertue shal not lacke his prayse or reward in this worlde / or at the lesse in the worlde to come 23. Saynt Paule commendeth these Ephesians / nat for theyr goodly temple / nor yet for their noble worshyppinge of Diane / nor yet for their religyouse men called of dyuers sectes / and of dyuerse habytes / for theyr goodly syngynge in the queare / or theyr orgaynes and playeng in their churches / or for other goodly ceremonyes / nor for their tapers / torches / carued paynted / or gylded Images / or for theyr goodly greate belles or multitude of masses or suche lyke / but for theyr fayth in Iesus Christ / and their charyte to the poore people that hathe nede of helpe and socour And Paule cōmendeth them nat bicause he wolde make them proude / but bicause he wolde prouoke them to go forwarde and continue in faythe and charyte / and encrease them euery day more and more / and that they shulde knowe good workes nat to lacke his reward with god in the world to come 4. In this prayer he teacheth vs what thynges we shulde desyre of god in our prayers / that it wolde please God to gyue vs the spirite of spirytuall wysdome and knowledge / that we myght be lyghtened with all godly knowledge / that we myght knowe howe ryche is our hope in the thynge we hope for / the heauenly inherytaunce / vnto the whiche Christ hath bought vs with his preciouse bloude shed for vs / of this place we maye learne that we can not knowe what is our hope / glorye / and inheritaunce whiche we loke for after this present lyfe / except that God shewe it to vs by his spiryte of wysdome and knowledge / and open our eyes that we may see and perceyue it And to optayne this spiryte of God / and that we maye euery daye encrease more and more in this diuyne knowledge / saynt Paule moneth vs to praye to god which alone doth geue this spiryte This place maketh agaynst them that wolde the ignorant symple people shulde haue no furder knowlege of god then be conteyned in the pater noster / and to be contented wtih that knowledge / and desyre no furder / but to leue to hie dyuynes the furder knowledge in the scriptures of god / but let suche blynde gydes and ignorāt teachers put away theyr blyndnes and ignoraunce / and learne better knowlege of god / desyre it in faythe by prayer / by study / by hearyng and reading of holy scriptures / that they may encrease in more knowledge and teache other better to seke to more knowledge / that they may come to the more knowledge of god / and of the celestyall kyngdome / whiche thinges they know better the more knowledge they haue in the holy scryptures of god Also saynt Paule sheweth here that faythe / charyte / knowledge of godly wysdome may be encreased in sayntes lyuing here in his world / and therfor he exorteth euery man to encrease theyr faythe / theyr charite / theyr knowledge / in the which he sheweth that there is no man so good but that he maye be better encrease in goodnes / in the whiche he exorteth euery one to encrease / euery day be better better ¶ And what is the excedyng gretnes of his power toward vs which beleue accordynge to the working of his myghty powre whiche he wrought in Christ when he raysed him vp from the deade and set him on his ryght hand in heuenly thinges aboue al rule / powre / might and domynatiō and aboue al that maye be named / nat onely in this worlde / but also in the worlde to cōe And hathe put all thynges vnder his fete / hathe made hym aboue al thinges / the head of the congregacyon whiche is his body the fulnes of hym that fylleth all in all The Apostle goeth forth with his prayer for these Ephesyans and desyreth God that they myghte knowe by the spirite of wisdome and knowledge of god that they myght knowe the excellent power of god which god hath declared myghtely in the raisynge vp his sonne Iesus Chryst from deathe to lyfe / and made him
rulers beare nat the swerde without a cause and that princes are to be feared of them that do euyll The Anabaptystes are worthy to be reproued that abuse this place of Paule to proue their errour and herysye / sayenge that christen men shulde vse none other swerde then the worde of God / and that it is nat lawfull for christen prynces to vse a seculer or a temporall swerde by the whiche errour they denye powers and lawfull rulers ordinated of God to punyshe malefactours and euyll doers as manyfestly is wryteÌ„ RomÌ„ 13. 1. Pe. 2. These Anabaptistes in this poynte shewe theyr blindnes and ignoraunce in scripture / and taketh away al order al coÌ„moÌ„ wealthes quietnes in the worlde In that they deny hye powers / and lawfull rulers ordinated of god / for the coÌ„mon welth / and take froÌ„ them authorite to punysshe by the temporall swerde malefactours / and troublers of the coÌ„mon wealth and pace / what mischeife shulde nat be yf there were no rulers none to punyshe malefactours what peace what quietnes shulde be surely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all who shulde lye in his house sure from theues and murderers who shulde kepe his goodes in sauegard who shulde walke by the waye or by the strete sure of his lyfe ye who shulde nat be kylled at hys owne dore / within his owne house yf ther were no rulers to punysshe malefactoures with the temporall Swerde surely none shulde be in peace / quietnes / saffe of his lyfe Therfore let these Anabaptystes reade the .13 Chapiter to the Romaines / they shall clerely se that saynte Paule condemneth their heresy as a damnable heresy / very hurteful for the coÌ„mon wealth / peace quietnes And as for this place / of saynt Paule maketh nothynge for the Anabaptistes For saynte Paule here speaketh of weapons that christiaÌ„s shulde vse to fyght against the deuyl / and his temtations and nat of weapoÌ„s whereby seculer rulers shuld punyshe malefactors / euyll doers or euyll sayers to feare al other from euyll doynge and euyll sayenge ⧠And pray alwayes with al manes of prayer and supplycacyon in the spirite and watche thereunto 〈◊〉 instaunce and supply catyâ—â—… for all sayntes and for me that 〈◊〉 worde maye be gyuen me that I maye open my mouth boldly to vtter the secrets of the Gospell whereof I am a messenger in bouÌ„des that I may speake therein frely as it becoÌ„meth me to speake ⧠The Apostel hathe shewed them with what armour they shulde fyght agaynste the deuyll Nowe he sheweth / howe they shulde get this spirituall armour / and of whome it muste be required and gotten by what meanes / he sayeth it muste be desired of god the father and optayned of hiÌ„ by meke supplycation and prayer for Iesus Christes sake / and for none other sake that all prayse and thanke myght be gyueÌ„ to god alone for it / and he sheweth that we muste oftymes pray in the spyryte for this armour be diligent ferueÌ„t iÌ„ prayer feruently desyrynge of god this armoure 2 He desyreth all sayntes that is al faythful christen liuers to pray for hiÌ„ In the which he teacheth vs to desyre them that be on lyue to pray to god for vs / as he desyred these EphesiaÌ„s to pray for hiÌ„ to god 3 For what thinge Paule dyd pray and desired these Ephesyans to pray for him / he sheweth that it was / that god wolde open his mouth that he myght speake the worde of god frely with boldenes with our all feare / and that he myghte make open to all men the gospell whiche he preached for whose sake he was in pryson and in cheynes as apppereth Fynally he desyred that he myght speake the gospell as it dyd be come hym to speake / and in thys saynt Paule gyueth exsample to all preachers ernestely and feruentely to desyre of god these thynges / that God wolde open their mouth / that they myght speake frely the worde nat of maÌ„ but of god / that they might speake goddes worde frely fraÌ„kely without al feare of man coÌ„temning al effecsyon or persecucyoÌ„ for goddes worde / that they might nat disseÌ„ble iÌ„ the word of god for pleasure or dyspleasure of man Also learne in Paule that he preferred the fre preachynge of Goddes worde aboue his deliuerauÌ„ce out of prisone / to teach vs to do suche lyke / nat to care for our selfe so by vs goddes worde be promoted ⧠But that ye maye also knowe what case I am in and what I do Tichicus my dere brother and faythfull mynyster in the Lorde shall shewe you all Whom I haue sent vnto you for the same cause that ye myght knowe what case I staÌ„d in and that ye might comfort your hart ♣ These thiÌ„ges that was for the eternall saluacion of these EphesiaÌ„s / the Apostle sent theÌ„ by wrytiÌ„g These thingê that ê‘teined to him selfe his case he was in / he wrote nat theÌ„ / but left theÌ„ to be shewed by a faythful messeÌ„ger called Tichicus a faythful ministre to Paul in ê‘son / which shuld certify these EphesiaÌ„s of al thiÌ„ges coÌ„cerniÌ„g Paul / which shulde coÌ„forte their hartê he rynge the lorde to be presente with Paule in preson / glad in the lorde / patiently takyng his affection / also that more glory was gyuen to god and the worde of God more promoted by Paules prisonmeÌ„t / theÌ„ yf he shulde haue ben out of prison / tha fewe or none dyd shrynke from the gospel by reason of his affliction or imprisonmeÌ„t ye that many did receyue the gospel vnfainedly seiÌ„g hys patieÌ„ce coÌ„stancy in his affliccyons / these thiÌ„ges with dyuerse other he lefte to be shewed by Tichicus a faythfull messeÌ„ger whoÌ„ he greatly coÌ„mendeth / by whoÌ„ he seÌ„t this Epestle to these EphesiaÌ„s Peace be vnto the brethren loue with fayth froÌ„ god the father from the lorde Iesu Christ Grace be with all them that loue oure Lorde Iesus Christ vnfaynedly Amen ♣ Nowe he makes and ende of hê Epestle desireth peace / charyte / faith grace the fauer of god to al theÌ„ that loue our lord Iesê° christ vnfaynedly / to god be al honour glory worlde without ende Amen ¶ FINIS ¶ Sent from Rome to the Ephesians by tychicus ¶ Imprinted at london by me Robert Redman Cum preuilegio ad imprimendum solum
their faith in good workes .4 in whome whan ye beleued / ye were sealed with the holy spirite of promes here is shewed what frute dothe come of hearyng of the worde of truthe that by it is gotten faythe / without the whiche no man can please God / and hauynge it all thynges pleaseth God / and these that beleue receyue the spirite of God / as an earnest to put them in suretye that they shall receyue and haue all thynges that be promysed them to haue by goddes word / that is to saye that they shall haue lyfe euerlastynge and the inherytaunce of heauen / and for a suretye of that promise the beleuers receyue the holy ghoste as an oblygacyon for the perfourmaunce of that promyse by the whiche they be made as sure to haue the promyse of god as yf they had receyued it all ready This place maketh agayne them that saye no man can know whether he is in the fauour of God or no / or whether they be worthy hatred or loue of god alledginge for them the sayenge of Ecclesyastes .9 to whome this aunswere I make that men can not knowe of them selfe whether they be in the fauour of god or no / but that they maye knowe by the holy spirite whome they haue that beleue faythfully / yf a man may knowe whether he hathe fayth or no / he may knowe whether he be in the fauour of god or no If he haue true fayth God fauoryth hym / yf he lacke faythe god fauoureth hym nat / so a man maye knowe by fayth the spirite of god gyuen to glorifye vs of goddes fauour and loue towardes vs / and that god fauoureth vs as longe as we shall haue fayth the spiryte of god which faythfull beleuers haue and possesse / so a man may knowe whether he is now at this present time in the fauor of god or no hated or beloued / but what he shal be to morowe / the next day or in time to come no man can tel Therfore he that stādeth in the fauor of god by fayth / by the holy ghoste / let hym loke that he fal nat from god by vnfaithfulnes and incrudelite by vnkindnes / contempnyng of godes word / disobedient to goddes cōmandementes / and so fall from the fauour of god / lose fayth the holy spirite of god / lose lyfe eternal As for the wordes of Ecclesiastes .9 where it is written that no man can knowe whether he is worthy hatred or loue / the wordes are to be vnderstande thus that of good or euil that chance to men in this worlde / no man can knowe whether he is worthy hatred or loue / for goodes and euyls / prosperyte aduersyte chaunce equal to good men and euyl men oftymes it chaunceth that euyl men haue more prosperite then good men / euyl haue ryches / welth / pleasure / good men haue pouertye nede / payne / and punysshmente / wherfore of prosperytie or aduersytie in this worlde is no man to be estemed more or lasse in the fauour of God / seynge these thynges chaunce equally to the good and the euyl / in this worlde / I wolde that euery man shulde not only thynke hym selfe that he is in the fauour of god / but also knowe it surely that god fauoureth hym excepte he thinke so howe can he fauour god for loue yf he dout whether god loue hym or no / or in this thyng be waueryng / thynke some tyme god loue hym somtyme he loueth hī nat The spirite of god is giuen vs to put vs in a suretye that God fauoureth vs / and yf we lacke this spirite / we be nat of Chryste Ro. 8. we haue also receyued the spirite of adopcyon by whome we call father father / and this spirite sheweth to our spirite that we are the chyldē of god Ro. 8 therfore I wolde that euery man shulde certaynly thynke and persuade with hym selfe that he is in the fauour of God / and that god wyll gyue hym euerlastynge lyfe ioye blysse in the worlde to come / which they that beleue nowe haue by fayth / and in the worlde to come shal possesse in dede / then I suppose they wolde contynewe in fayth and shewe theyr faythe by all good workes commaunded in the Scrypture Some also here wyll aske howe shall we knowe whether we haue faith the spirite of god or no / this thyng maye be knowen by the frutes / by the wordes mocyons that they shal perceyue in theyr hartes / yf they perceyue that they be glad to heare goddes worde / to reade it / study it / be glad it goth forwarde for Goddes glory onely / do beleue it to be true / and that God wyll performe and brynge to passe all thynges promysed or thretened in his worde / that he wyll rewarde good men / and punysshe euyll men in the worlde to come / yf they shall perceyue a redynes a towardnes to be obedyente to do Goddes commaundement / ye to do it in dede for god only to the vttermost of theyr power / if these thinges they perceyue in them selues / they be sure sygnes that they be in the fauour of god / haue faith and the spyrite of god / and shal haue lyfe euerlasting / of the contrary part if you perceyue in your selfe no desyre / luste / or wyll to heare the worde of god / to reade it / to studye it / ye thynke it is but folysshenes a vayne thing / an vnprofytable thing or that you care nothynge for it / or that you hate it and enuy it and the professors of it persecute them as auctors of deuyles doctryne / you feele your selfe nothyng redy to obey the commaundementes of god but ready to all pleasure of the flesshe and of the worlde / to do synne and noughtines these be sure tokens that you be out of the fauour of god / lacke fayth and the spiryte of god / and in the hie displeasure with god of these thynges and tokens shewed / you shall knowe whether you be in the fauour of god / more sure than by the fyght of the holy blode of hayles / or by the goyng thoroughe saynt wylfredes nedle / and also yf you be oute of Goddes fauoure / you lacke faythe and the spiryte of god that moueth and stereth men alwaye to all good workes for god only / alone regarding his wyl and pleasure 7. That we might be his owne to the prayse of his glory / for what ende god hath chosen vs made the word of god to be preached to vs / surely for this ende / that we shuld haue faith / receiue the holy spirite / be made sure of goddes fauour towardes vs and that he loueth vs / that we shulde glorify hym agayn / by faith / by loue to hym to our neyghbour to do the workes of god cōmaunded vs to do in the holy scrypture in our vocacyon
in Christe to come the onely sauyour of the worlde / by the whiche faythe they were saued that they knewe nat whan Christe shulde come / after what maner / howe / and by what meanes he shulde redeme saue the worlde from euerlastyng deathe / so the Gentyles was counted without Christe that amongest the Gentyles the knoweledge of Christe was nat so comon before Christes incarnatioÌ„ as it was after WhaÌ„ the gospell was preached equally to the Gentyles as to the Iues. Also the Gentyles was counted aliantes from the comon wealthe of Israel / that is to say they were as foryners hauyng no clayme ne tytle to any prophet or coÌ„modyte gyuen or ê“mysed of god to the Israeletes that they had or professed Here he taketh his similitude of auncetry that hathe priuileges and greate coÌ„modities graunted to them whiche the Cytizens haue enioye and possesse / straungers and foreners haue no parte of these coÌ„modities that the cytizens haue / this priuilege of the which is spoken here is the inheritauÌ„ce of the kyngdome of heauen whiche was promysed to the faythfull that kepte goddes coÌ„maundementes as well of the Gentyles as of the Iues / although the Gentyles coulde nat chalenge it by no tytle gyuen to them as yet whaÌ„ the gospell was hyd from theÌ„ 4. And were straungers from the testament of promyse / as who shulde saye / the promyses of lyfe euerlastyng was strauÌ„ge to you / you knew nat that they perteyned to you / you coulde clame nothyng of the lyfe nor inheritauÌ„ce in heauen Also you were without hope of lyfe to come and waÌ„tyng god in the worlde / nat that they wanted God / or though there was no God / but that they beleued nat in the true god / and thought the god of heauen nat to be theyr god / a gentle / meke good / and a mercyfull god / theyr sauyour and redemer without al hope of lyfe to come in the other worlde Thys was the state of these Ephesyans before the gospell was preached to theÌ„ by the apostles and by other after Christes incarnation 5. In the apostle speaketh of the cyrcumcision of the fleshe to whom the name of prepution was odiouse / the apostle sheweth two maner of cyrcumcisions / one is in the fleshe another is in the spirite or in the herte / all the Iewes was cyrcumcised in the fleshe / but nat cyrcumcised in the herte / for there was many vnfaythefull Iues rebelles to god murmuring against him disobedient to hys coÌ„maundementes whiche althoughe they were cyrcuÌ„cised in the fleshe yet in the spirite and in the herte they were nat cyrcumcised Amonge the GeÌ„tyles that neuer harde of Christe none was cyrcumcised in the fleshe / but dyuerse was circumcised in spirite and in herte / as all they of the Gentyles that beleued in god was obedient to hys worde as was Naaman / Cyrê° / Abimelech / Ietro father in lawe to Moyses / and other mo of the Gentyles / That some of the GeÌ„tyles vncircumcised in the fleshe but cyrcumcised in spirite in herte / and was of the electe people of god to saluacyoÌ„ / we may gather that there maye be of the electe of god amongest the Turkes Pagans although they haue nat our outwarde christian profession as was amongest these Gentyles some bette christians then was many amongest the Iewes Also me thynke the apostle in these wordê that he sayeth some were cyrcuÌ„cised iÌ„ the fleshe checketh some of the Iewes cyrcumcised in the fleshe but nat in the spirite Whiche was nat to be preferred before the GeÌ„tyles / and in these wordes he checketh some amoÌ„gest vs that be worse in lyuynge then the Turkes or Pagans / whiche thyng is a greate shame to all suche euyl and vnfaythful christiaÌ„s ¶ BVT nowe ye that be in Christ Iesu and a fore tyme were farre of are nowe made nye by the bloude of Christe ¶ Before these the apostle hathe shewed the state of thesed Ephesians of all Gentyles before they receiued fayth / that they had an odiouse name that was in hatred / they were called vncyrcumcised Preputians / without Christe / aleauntes from the comon wealthe of Israell / straungers froÌ„ the promyses of god that promysed lyfe / without hope of lyfe / wantyng god in the worlde / people gyueÌ„ to ydolatry / folowyng al pleasures of the fleshe / ygnorant of god Nowe he sheweth that they be delyuered from that vngodly state and be receyued amoÌ„gest the people of god as of theÌ„ by the grace of god only / through fayth iÌ„ Christ 2. By Christe you be receyued whiche were before aleauÌ„tes / be made of the housholde and cytezins by the bloude of Christ shed on the crosse to saue all theÌ„ that were loste by synne / and that wyll beleue truly in Christe and knowe hym to be an hole sauyour / no botcher / or a parte sauyour / but an hole sauyor / as I haue sayd before ⧠FOR he is our peace whiche of bothe hathe made one and hath broken downe the wall that was a stop by twexte vs and hathe also thorough his fleshe put away the cause of hatred namely the lawe of the coÌ„maundementes conteyned in the lawe wrytteÌ„ that of twayne he myght create one newe man in him selfe and make peace and to reconcyle bothe vnto God in one body thorough the crosse and so he slewe the hatred thorough his owne selfe and came and preached peace in the gospel vnto you which were a farre of and to them that were nye ¶ Christe is our peace and our peace maker with the father / and howe he was our peace here he sheweth Fyrste in that he made of two people the Iues and the GeÌ„tyles one people to hym agreynge in one thyng s in the true worhsyp of god and healthe by Christe Secondely in that he toke away the wal of debate / that is to say the causes and the occasions of all stryfe and controuersy by twene the Iewes and the Gentyles / whiche was the lawe as cyrcumcision / ceremonies and other sacrifices coÌ„mauÌ„ded in the lawe to be kepte for a tyme to Christes comynge / whiche the Iues styfly defeÌ„ded and wolde haue them kepte after Christe as they were before / or els they sayde no man coulde be saued / for without cyrcumcision they thought no man coulde be saued / and therfore they coÌ„demned the Gentyles vncyrcumcised / and thought they coulde nat be saued by cause they were nat cyrcuÌ„cised / but Christe toke away this conteÌ„cion and shewed that cyrcumcision was nat of necessite to saluacioÌ„ of the soule 2. Christe hathe taken away the lawe as touchynge the ceremonials and iudiciall lawes Ye and the morall lawe also that it shal be done no more for feare seruyll and bounde feare as in tyme paste / but that it shal be kepte for loue onely to god Christe hathe taken away the lawe as touchyng the ceremonials and iudicials that it is nat nowe
he shall fynde euerlastynge lyfe in ioy and blysse ♣ For this cause I bow my knees vnto the father of our Lorde Iesê° Christe Whiche is the true father ouer all that is called Father in heuen and in earthe that he grauÌ„t you accordynge to the ryches of his glorye to be strengthed with power by his spirite in the inwarde men that Christe maye dwell in youre hertes by faythe that ye beynge rooted and grounded in loue / maye be able to comprehende with all Sayntes / what is the bredth and length and the depth and the heyght to knowe the loue of Christe whiche loue yet passeth al knowledge that ye may befylled with all maner of fulnes of God ¶ Saynte Paule moueth and gyueth example to al Bishoppes / Pastoures / Curates / and to all whome cure of other is coÌ„mytted / that they shulde praye for their flocke committed to theyr spirituall charge / and desyre of god that they shrynk nat from fayth and from goddes word for feare of persecution and affliction / or for loue of worldly goodes / pleasurê or riches / whiche oftymes plucketh men froÌ„ god from his worde / and that they maye haue true fayth and contynue in it / louynge God aboue al thinges in this worlde / preferring his worde aboue all worldely ryches / honoures / or pleasures In this prayer he sheweth that Byshoppes and Pastoures / haue nede to praye thus for there flocke / yee euery one of vs to pray for an other that we shrynke nat from God and his worde by infidelite / vnkyndnes or by other synnes Also in this prayer he sheweth that one of vs shulde desyre an other to praye for vs / and to whom our prayer shulde be made / nat to Peter or Paule IohnÌ„ or Iames / but to god whiche is the gyuer of all goodnes / and for what thynge prayers at to be made for some certayne thynge that we haue nede of / and that is profitable to the helth of the soule / as here it was necessary / that Paule shulde praye that they myght contynue in fayth / and in the loue of god nat shrynke from fayth for feare of affliccions / or for loue of worldly riches or pleasures And this is to be desyred of god alway / and euery one shulde desyre thê of God for an other as a thynge very necessary for euery one So was the comon prayers made to god / for necessities to be opteyned by prayer of god / to put awaye euyls that appeared to approche to men at the wyll of god / and when suche necessitie was the people gathered togyther desyred the helpe of god fastyng that ther prayers shulde be with more deuocion and more feruent / that they myght escape the euyll that was lyke to come and fal amonges them They fasted without mete or drynke that theyr prayer myght be more deuoute / but nowe is true prayers true fastynges almoste all put awaye / and our prayer and fastynge at full of superstition and fayned holines / for what an holy fast is it to absteyne frome flesshe / and fyll theyr bely with fysshe for flesshe / is fysshe more holyer then flesshe who made that holynesse yf fysshe be more holsome for mannes body then flesshe / euery man can iudge / I thiÌ„ke that ther be few phesycyoÌ„s that wyll so saye Therfore lette vs faste a true fast from al sinne and pray in fayth askyng thynges mete to be asked for Christes sake / and without doute we shall optayne our desyre of god / for so he hath promysed the performaunce of our desyre and he wyll perfourme his promyse 2 In that Saynte Paule dyd bowe his knees to God / he sheweth the feruentnes of his mynde and of his prayer to God / whiche was shewed euer by this exterior gestour / of the whiche we maye lerne that it is lawefull to shewe our inwarde hertes and mynde by exterior gesture and sygnes whiche of tymes sheweth the good deuotion of the herte / but in these exterior signes in prayenge hipocrites do passe muche theÌ„ that truely pray in fayth / in spirite / in truth Therfore of these exterior signes is nat al wayes the herte to be Iudged 3 Here we may lerne / that we haue nede of feruente prayer to God in fayth that we may coÌ„tinue in fayth in charite in the fauoure of god / in the truth of his worde and encrease iÌ„ it euery day more and more whiche thyng we can nat of our selfe with out the grace of God of whome we haue that we contynewe in fayth / in charite / in the fauour of god / whiche thinges god gyueth for the moste parte by faythful prayer Therfore let vs faythfully pray and oftymes / that we maye contynewe and encrease in al goodnes / but we be slacke and dull to praye faythfully to god / therfore it is no meruayle yf God take his grace froÌ„ leue vs to oure selfes and suffer vs to folowe our owne carnall and sensuall lustes and desyres and so to fall to all noughtynes and synne / it is a token that our fayth is faynt and scarse luke warme / ye I feare me it is colde and almoste frosen vp hole / that it brynketh fourth no mo good workes / specially nowe when it is shewed so playnely what maner of workes pleaseth god beste / and howe they shulde be done / for god onely 4 In that he mouyth vs to pray to him of whome all thynges was made and are ruled and gouerned / whiche is our father he gyueth vs boldenes maketh vs bolde to praye to hym trustyng our father wyll nat denye to vs that is profytable for vs / but wyll be muche more gladder to graunt our lawefull petition / then we be to praye and desyre of him that is for our helth and saluacyon 5 What charite sainte Paul had / is here playnely shewed in that he desyred that these Ephesians myght be encreased in the ryches of god that is to saye in fayth / hope / charite / patience / mekenes in the truth in the spirite of God / by whome they shulde be made stronge in fayth / that they refuse no persecution no affliccyon so that they myght promote goddes glory the truth of his gospel / to the saluacioÌ„ of meÌ„ he desyreth also that they myght be made so strong by the spirite iÌ„ the inward maÌ„ / that Christ myght dwell in they re inwarde harte by fayth roted in charite that bryngeth forth good workes of the spirite of god at all occasion gyuen / he desireth that they myght know the length the bredth / the heygth / the deapnes of god / that is to saye that they myght knowe god perfytely / as men knoweth a thynge perfetly when they knowe the length / the bredth / the heyth / and the deapnes / and that they myght haue the loue of god / whiche passeth al knowledge and that they