the same in both places the comparing of them together in this exposition will not be vnprofitable And here we must obserue that some latin books omitting some things do repeat this form of praier more briefly in S. Luke then it is described by Mathew For in the beginning it is only said Father and this which followeth in S. Matthew which art in heauen is omitted The third petition also is omitted thy wil be dōe in earth as it is in heauen This also is omitted But deliuer vs from euill And Austine saith expressely in his Enchiridion cap. 115. 116. that the lords praier in Mathew containeth seauen petitions but in S. Luke it hath not seauen but fiue petitions onely And he sheweth that that petition thy wil be done is contained in the two former this but deliuer vs in that which went before it Lead vs not into temptation Whence I gather that the Latin bookes euen in Austins time had the Lords praier according to Luke as it is now read But the Greeke bookes doe set downe that whole prayer euen so with Luke as it is in Mathew saue onely that with Luke doth wāt that conclusiō for thine is the kingdome Now it might seeme that such things as were wanting with Luke in this place haue beene added from the Greeke bookes out of Mathew But Austine in his booke of the words of the Lord vpon Luke cap. 28. And Ambrose in his fift booke of the Sacraments cap. 4. doe so rehearse that whole praier out of Luke as it is extant in Mathew Whence I gather that the latin bookes differed at that time and some of them read it so in Luke in this place as it is in the greeke others read it so as it is now in the vulgar latin translation As for the differēce which is in some words that we wil note in the exposition And that very diuersity of some wordes doth shew that we are not bound to a superstitious rehearsall of wordes in prayer This praier containes three parts the entrance or preface petitions and the conclusion of each whereof I will speake in order Our father which art in heauen The Preface Austine saith whereas in euery earnest sute we ought to procure his good will to whome we make our request and that is most conueniently done by the praise and commendation of his benefites to whome we praie therefore seeing we neither can nor ought to boast of our owne merits before God Christ in the beginning of this praier hath commanded vs to say nothing else but Our father Hugo saith that Christ like a good oratour before the petitions prefixeth a short preface wherin fauour is sought for from the person asked when we say Father from the person asking when we say Our And surly these aduertisments haue their vse But because it hath beene declared before that we are to vse words in praier not so much to mooue the minde of God by rhetoricall insinuations as by rehearsing and meditating on the wordes to stirre vp in our selues attention deuotion confidence and care to frame our praiers aright that we may shew our selues to be such suiters as the Lord would haue therefore those words are principally to be imploied for this ende and purpose We will briefly note out in seuerall points those things which are principally to be thought vpon by occasion of these words As first these words Our father doe giue vs to vnderstand that praier ought not to be such a bare desire in a wishing manner as men are woont to say would God this good might happen vnto me oh that this danger or this euill might be remooued God blesse it and prosper it God forbid and such like but we must expressely name him of whome we desire to haue our request graunted vnto vs. And not in generall tearmes onely as when we say God graunt God forbid but we must by name speake vnto and call vpon him that our praier may be directed vnto him our father as it were in communication And whereas the psalmes doe speake in the third person God be mercifull vnto vs God blesse vs we must vnderstand that praier to be directed either to the mediatour that for his sake God would be mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs or else the deuotion of the mind is to be referred to the second person For it is the Scripture phrase to speake vnto a person present in the third person as Gen. 33.14 Let my lord goe before his seruant 1. King 16.16 Let my lord the King command and chap. 25.25 Let not my lord the King I pray thee set his heart against Nabal And in that vsuall phrase of Scripture let the king liue is vnderstoode I pray God the King may liue And therefore in what words soeuer the prayer be framed the minde must alwaies thinke vpon God and behold him that our desires and requests may be directed vnto him For this is the forme and rule of our prayer to say our Father Secondly these wordes doe admonish vs that prayer or invocation is not to bee directed to any creature but onely to the heauenly father so as we may not direct our prayer to them of whome we are sure their spirits doe liue with God For the name Father is also opposed vnto thē Isay 63. v. 16. Doubtles thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of vs Israell know vs nos thou Lord art our Father and our redeemer Thirdly those wordes doe teach vs that we must so conceiue of God and speake to god in prayer as he hath revealed his essence vnto vs in his word For the heathen when they goe to pray they thinke of a God that is eternall the Creatour almighty but who that God is they knowe not But we are taught by these wordes to make a difference betweene our calling vpon God and the praiers of the heathen and to thinke that we call vpon that God who hath thus made knowne his beeing vnto vs in his word that he is the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost to witte the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who sendeth the spirit of his sonne into the hearts of the faithfull whereby we crie Abba father For so the word Father is to be vnderstood essentiallie in this place for God or for the Diuine Maiesty or for the whole Trinity which is the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost as it is written Deut. 32. v. 6. Is not he thy father that hath bought thee which hath made thee and proportioned thee Isaie 63. v. 16. Thou Lord art our father and our redeemer or he that dischargeth vs from bondage The Sonne also is called by this generall title Father of Eternity Isay 9.6 And the holy ghost is called the Father of the poore This title therefore doth admonish vs when we are about to pray to settle our minde against all levity inconsideration pride in such deuotion reuerence and humility as those which
HONI SOIT QVI MAâ—â— PENâ—â— Newly translated out of Latine into English Printed by Iohn Legate Printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge 1598 The Printer to the Reader CHristian Reader although the very name of the author of this exposition vvere a sufficient argument to commend the same vnto thee yet because I haue vndertaken the publishing hereof after so many labours of our ovvne learned and godly countrimen faithfully performed in this kinde I thought it not amisse in a word or two to giue some reason of my fact And first of all the excellencie of this exposition vvhich I commend not so much of mine owne knowledge as vpon the iudgement of very godly and learned men mooued me in this sort to communicate it to the whole countrie The praise vvhich seemeth peculiar vnto it issueth from a double fountaine first from the learned interpretation of the words in their natiue sense secondly from the ample and euideiâ—â— declaration of the true and full meaning of the Spirit of God in euery petition which he hath indeauoured to set downe from the proprietie of the wordes in the Greeke and Hebrew tongue shewing in such sort what blessings we are to aske and what sinnes we must bewaile that not onely the simple by the blessing of God vpon their endeauour may in short time hereby learne to pray in faith and in obedience but the godly also and the learned that haue atteined to further measure of knowledge and of grace may increase their knowledge and further edifie themselues in their most holy faith Thus wishing vnto thee the Spirit of prayer which may teach thee to vse the meanes whereby thou maist pray with the Spirit and with vnderstanding also I take my leaue and here ende AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORDS PRAIER Our father which art c. THere be not onely cauills of profane men but also conceits in the hearts of the godly themselues which trouble them much against the necessitie and benefit of vsing praier For first if God know what we want before we aske what neede is there or what auaileth it to shew and solicite our suits to him which knoweth them alreadie for such rehearsalls are woont to be troublesome and grieuous S. Hierome answereth very finely That in prayer we are no shewers but suiters and it is one thing to make knowne to him that is ignorant and another thing to intreat and aske of him that knoweth Yet this answer remooueth not all difficultie For our heauenly father doth not onely know what thing we want but also vnasked of his fatherly care and fauour is readie and forward of his owne accord to helpe vs before we aske And therefore it seemeth there is either no benefit or no neede of praying I answer we doe not pray with that intent and for that ende as though we would by our praiers stirre vp God and put him in minde of his dutie beeing negligent and careles of our affaires or otherwise as beeing hard and merciles allure him by our praiers and bring him into an other minde We know indeede that God is readie of his owne accord to giue good things but yet to those which doe repent and humble themselues vnder the mightie hand of God who by faith do seeke knocke and aske And therefore we doe poure out our praiers before God not for that we doubt of his good will but that we may indeede shew our selues to bring true repentance because he hath promised sorgiuenesse of sinnes to them which repent Ezek. 8.23 that he will asswage his iudgements and bestow his blessings Ier. 18.8 and giue grace vnto the humble 1. Pet. 5.5 And that it may appeare that when we call vpon God and thinke vpon his promises we bring with vs and likewise doe exercise true faith because the Lord hath promised all good things to him that doth knocke and aske Math. 7.7 and that we doe come boldly to the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and find grace to helpe in time of need Hebr. 4.16 Againe spirituall blessings can not otherwise be receiued then by faith indeede bodely or outward benefits are oft bestowed vpon the wicked also and yet that those may be profitable vnto vs it is the will of God that we should wait for them by hope and receiue them by faith from his fatherly hand And therefore we pray in faith that we may shew forth our desire to receiue from God not onely corporall blessings but those especially which are spirituall heauenly and eternall And that we would so receiue from God the blessings of this life that by his blessing they may be profitable vnto vs. And because God would haue this glorie giuen to himselfe to be the fountaine the author and giuer of euery good thing Iam. 1.17 that we should wholly relie vpon him we therfore in praier doe testifie that we neither ascribe them to any other nor seek them elswhere but doe wholly hope for expect and require the same from God alone for God hath promised that he will be readie and willing to helpe such Also in our praiers we doe thus lay open our wants and miseries before God not as though we knewe them not but that by pouring out our cares in the Lords boâ—some we may disburden ease our owne soule And the promise is most sweete and comfortable Psal 37.5 and 55.22 1. Pet. 5.7 Roule cast thy waies vpon the Lord and he will haue care and bring it to passe Chrysostome addeth also this reason why we should pray That by often calling vpon God we may become familiar with him Again that we may more highly esteem and more reuerently vse that which God bestoweth vpon vs when we aske and knocke These things are carefully to be thought vpon concerning the necessitie and benefite of praier least that beeing otherwaies too cold and backward vnto praier by these conceits that God is forward to help vs of his owne accord we doe suffer our selues to be withdrawne from the exercise of praier Neither let vs abuse that most sweete sentence of the readie good-will of God toward vs which ought rather to be an incitation and a motiue to excite and confirme our diligence confidence in praier There be some which reason thus or at least doe trouble themselues with those conceits seeing God vnasked and before we pray doth know yea beforehand hath set down appointed what he will doe and what he will giue we doe therefore either aske in vain that which otherwaies should come to passe or els doe wickedly in praying as though we hoped by our praier to turne God from his firme decree and purpose and so make him changeable and vnconstant To this obiection some answer thus If that which we aske be ordained before-hand to be done then we pray vpon good and sure confidence If it be not yet we goe not about to hinder or stoppe the course of Gods predestination because we pray that Gods
deuotion is kindled and beeing once kindled is conunued and increased Also the diligent marking of those things we are to aske whereof we are put in minde by the words of our praier doth excite and kindle in our benummed and frozen heart a good affection vnto praier For those wordes because they are the words of Christ be the toole or instrument of the Spirit whereby the Spirit of praier will be powerfull and effectuall in vs. And therefore that which Christ here deliuereth When we pray SAY doth binde vs so farreforth as the rehearsall of words in praying is hereunto auaileable to excite and kindle to continue and increase our deuotion least it should waxe colde and benummed and be quenched altogether And hereunto sometime longer praiers serue best otherwise those which are shorter To this purpose Austin in his 121. epistle to Proba writeth many things substantially some whereof pertaining to this place I will here set downe He which forbiddeth much babbling in praier because he knoweth what is needefull for vs doth likewise command that we should alwaies pray and not faint not because he would haue our will made knowne to him whereof he cannot be ignorant but to exercise our desire whereby we may receiue that which we are about to giue For that which he would giue is very great but we are little and strait and can not receiue the same And therefore it is saide vnto vs open thy mouth for so much the more fully shall we receiue that which is exceeding great by how much we doe more faithfully beleeue it more firmely hope for it and more earnestly desire it Therfore we doe alwaies praie in faith hope and charitie with a continued desire but yet at certaine times we doe with words intreat the Lord that so we may admonish our selues how much we haue profited in this desire and likewise excite our selues to doe the same more chearefully That therefore which the Apostle saith pray continually is nothing els but this continually desire a blessed life And therefore at certaine houres we doe withdraw our minde from other cares and busines whereby this desire is cooled in some sort vnto this exercise of praier and by the words of the praier doe admonish our selues to giue heede to that which we desire least that which hath begunne to be warme doe waxe cold altogether and at length be wholly put out vnles it be more often kindled And therefore to continue in praier some long time is not as some thinke to vse much babbling for much speach is one thing and long continued affection is another thing It is saide of the Lord himselfe that he continued whole nights in praier and vsed to pray very lōg The brethren in Egypt are saide to pray very often but yet very briefly and in a manner to dispatch them quickly least that earnestnes which was carefully begū should by longer delay waxe dull and vanish away And by this also they doe sufficiently declare that this earnestnes as it is not to be forced when it will not continue so it is not speedily to be broken off if it will longer endure For in praier we must not vse many wordes and yet we must not want much desire if so be our zeale will perseuere To pray much is to knocke vnto him whome we pray vnto with a continuall and a godly lifting vp of the heart and for the most part this businesse is better performed in sighes and grones then with wordes and by weeping then by speaking For our groning is not hid from him who by his word made all things and desireth not the wordes of man But therefore must we vse words in praier that we may be put in minde to haue regard to that we aske not that we may thinke thereby to teach or mooue the Lord. These things doth Austin teach And for this ende doth S. Paul appoint the publike rehearsall of praier and psalmes in the Church Coloss 3.6 Teach and ad monish your own selues in psalmes hymnes and spirituall songs singing with grace in your hearts vnto the Lord that the words of Christ may dwell in you plenteously 1. Corinth 14.26 When ye come together hath any one a psalme let him pray vvith the Spirit and with the vnderstanding that all things may be done to edification And because it is sometime needefull that we should vse words in praier The excellency of the Lords praier there can be no praier more profitable then that which the Lord himselfe deliuered and appointed For first of all it doth briefly comprehende all those things which can be well and fittely asked of the Lord shewing of whome we must aske them in what manner and order and for what ende and purpose And Saint Austin saith If you shall peruse the wordes of the praiers of all the Saints of God which are extant in the whole scripture and cheifly in the Psalmes you shall finde nothing which is not briefly contained and concluded in this Lords praier Secondly as the Creede containes the rule of faith so this Lords prayer is the rule of all prayers For he that desires any thing in prayer saith Austine or speaketh any thing which cannot pertaine to this Evangelicall prayer his prayer is not spirituall but carnall and vnlawefull Thirdly for authority for the sonne of god himselfe who is our advocate that bringeth our praiers vnto the father who obteyneth for vs the spirit of praier who together with the father heareth vs he prescribed vnto vs this forme of prayer It is a friendly and familier praier saith Cyprian to intreat the father by the words of the sonne The father will acknowledge the wordes of the sonne when we make our prayer and then we haue Christ our advocate with the father for our sinnes Let vs propound the wordes of our aduocate when we miserable sinners intreat for our sinnes These thinges saith Cyprian How the Lords praier must be vsed And it were not onely rashnes but impietie to disdaine either the shortnesse or simplicity of the Lords prayer as though thou thy selfe couldst finde out and compose a better forme of praying And yet the rehearsing of the Lords prayer must be no vaine mumbling ouer as though the wordes vttered without vnderstanding had some magicall force but we must consider what the wordes do signifie and put vs in minde of how farre they reach and how many things they conteyne vnder them that we may pray with the spirit and with the vnderstanding 1. Cor. 14. v. 15. and may include our wants in those petitions For by this meanes as it hath bin said those words will stirre vp our deuotion Let vs therefore briefly consider euery point compare the description of S. Mathew with that which is set downe by Luke cap. 11. v. 2. c. For although according to S. Luke Christ repeated that form of prayer at another time and vpon other occasion then Matthew recordeth yet because the forme therof is
will may be done But Luthers exposition is more plaine safe to wit that we are not commaunded to busie our selues about the hidden foreknowledge of God or to search into his secret counsels but we must dispose our selues according to his will reuealed vnto vs in his word where he teacheth that by repentance and praier gods wrath is appeased many dangers and euills are avoided and many benefits obtained Ier. 18. v. 8. Ezek. 33. v. 11.1 King 8. v. 56. And therefore he hath straitly charged vs to pray yea he is angry when no man sets himselfe by praier betweene the Lord and the land lest it be destroied Ezek. 22. v. 30. Both these therefore do warne vs to pray first that god of his owne accord is readie to helpe and knoweth what we want what himselfe will doe Secondly that it is his will and commaundement we should pray Neither must we from the secret foreknowledge of god frame or admitte exceptions against those things which are plainely revealed and commaunded in the word If thou canst not reconcile them leaue vnto god the hidden reasons of his secret foreknowledge and doe thou those things which are commaunded and appointed to thee in the reuealed word to witte that thou maist pray and that continually These things I haue noted by occasion of that saying Your heauenly father knoweth whereof yee haue need euen before ye aske Math. 6. v. 8. Our Sauiour Christ before this prayer giues this commaundement After this manner pray ye whereby he would not bind those whome he teacheth to pray vnto this set number of wordes as vnto a worke done for that were to babble indeede And the Apostles themselues as we may read in their acts and epistles often prayed in other wordes after the deliuerie and receiuing of this forme of prayer from our Sauiour Christ And that which is the strongest proofe Mathew and Luke setting downe this Lords prayer doe not cuâ—iously obserue the selfe same wordes altogether But our Sauiour Christ in a short example would shew vnto his disciples the manner howe to pray according as his custome was to teach a generall doctrine by propounding some particular example where vnder the speciall we are to vnderstand the generall And therefore in this platforme of prayer his purpose is to shewe howe few and small a number of wordes we must vse in prayer contrary to the vaine babbling of the Pharises of the Heathen VVho is to be called vpon or to whome we must direct our praier with what confidence we must pray howe and for what causes what thinges we are to aske in what order by what meane and for what end And thus are all the principall points which are required in true prayer contained in this platforme So that it was both truely and finely saide of Austine in an Epistle to Proba we haue libertie in praying to vse other wordes so that we say the same things which this prayer containeth but we haue not libertie to say other diuers or contrarie things And this it is which Mathew saith cap. 6. v. 9. thus or after this manner pray ye And that saying of Christ recorded by S. Luke 11. v. 2. when ye pray say is all one with this But here Austine mooues this obiection if we must not vse many wordes in prayer for that our heauenly father knows our want by the same reason and for the same cause we should not vse fewe wordes no not those which are here appointed by our Sauiour Christ The answere is that in regard of God and for his cause we neede neither many nor few nor any wordes at all in prayer neither doth the forme of prayer consist in the repetition of wordes For to pray is to lift vp the minde vnto god What it is to pray to poure out the heart before God to aske something of him but no man doth truely aske any thing which desireth not the same and desire is an affection of the minde And therefore though he vtter with his mouth the best wordes that can be vnles there be also a lifting vp of the minde with attention and deuotion so as the heart may truely desire that which he asketh that man prayeth not indeed But he that lifteth vp his mind and with a deuoute inward affection of heart doth intirely aske any thing of God that man doth truly pray although he expresse not in wordes his desire One man cannot intreat another vnles he vse words or gesture but the inward and most secret corners of the mind and heart are plainely seene of God and therfore Dauid saith my growning is not hid from thee Psal 38. v. 10. Psal 10. v. 17. The Lord heareth the desire of the poore thine eare harkeneth to the preparation of their heart And Psal 38.10 My whole desire is before thee Rom. â— v. 26. When we knowe not what to aske the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed And it were a foolish thing therefore to vtter our praier in wordes as though god could not vnderstand the desire of our heart And yet the Saints of god in the old testament and the Apostles in the new are said to haue vsed wordes in praying Neither doth Christ without cause say thus in Luke when ye pray say but it was for our sakes and for our prayers Which is carefully to be considered that we may learne to vse vocal prayer wel and profitably for our minde doth not throughly coÌ„sider and regard those things which we want or are to aske especially if they be spirituall and pertaine to the glory of god And therefore the words which we vse in praying doe by a kind of advertisement lead vs to that consideration that so the desire of our heart may be rightly informed Now the heart in praier ought to be penitent and humble But because we doe for the most part rush vpon this exercise of praier without due coÌ„sideration of our sinnes and vnworthines therefore the rehearsing of words is profitable whereunto if the minde giue heede that we may pray with the Spirit and with the vnderstanding also 1. Cor. 1.15 then will the meditation thereof prepare the heart to serious repentance and to true humilitie The desires of our heart are commonly out of order so as oftentimes men neither think vpon the order nor on the ende of those things they are to require but the words which we vse in praier doe aduertise vs of those things we are to thinke vpon when we pray And doubtles the rehearsing and meditation of Gods promises doth stirre vp kindle and increase our faith We are often slow to praier and in praying cold and drowsie neither doe we come vnto God with the deuotion of minde we ought to doe But when as in praying we repeat the words by diligent meditation thereon and by due consideration of the promise and commandement our minde is mooued to lift vp it selfe vnto God our
God be not taken from vs Mat. 21.43 that the kingdome of God may be within vs Luke 17.21 That Christ may remember vs in his kingdome Luke 23.42 And that this kingdome may continually be spread further abroad may also come to other nations and countryes and more men euer nowe and then may be gathered to that kingdome And to be short that we may earnestly say Blessed be the kingdome promised to Dauid which commeth in the name of the Lord Marke 11.10 that we may receiue that kingdome Luke 19.15 be made and remaine citizens with the Saints and of the houshould of God Ephe. 2.19 And concerning the kingdome of glory we pray that God would make vs meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Colos 1.12 that we may inherit and possesse that kingdome by the grace of adoption Math. 25.34 1. Cor. 15.50 that we may be mercifully kept and preserued from all things which may hinder vs from the entrance and possession thereof And that 2. Tim. 4.18 we may loue waite for and desire the comming of the kingdome of glory and make haste therevnto 2. Pet. 3.12 That we may be counted worthy the kingdome of God 2. Thes 1.5 who hath called vs into his kingdome and glory 1. Thes 2.13 that an entrance may be made vnto vs into the euerlasting kingdome of God 2. Pet. 1.11 and that we may be ready at the comming of that kingdome Luk 12.40 These things we must aske in generall for the whole body of the Church and priuately euery one for himselfe for those whome we knowe both friends and enimies Likewise we must apply the same to those foure chiefe heades before set down To wit what good things we are to pray for in this petition what euills we are to pray against for what benefits we are to giue thankes and what sinnes of ours we must humbly acknowledge and confesse in this petition Thy will be done The will of God is taken diuers waies and therefore from the distinction of gods will we shall most easily come to the meaning of this petition Auncient writers call one will of god the will of his good pleasure disposition or decree when as god himselfe willeth and appointeth to do any thing Now our wil is weake euen in it owne strength and is often hindred by some other thing whervpō we had need to pray that god would minister strength to that good thing that we purpose in our owne heart and remooue all impediments so that we may performe the same in action But we neede not to pray for that concerning this disposing will of god because he is almightie neither can it be well and in a godly manner prayed for For god doth whatsoeuer he will in heauen and in earth Psal 115.3 Who hath withstood his will Rom. 9.19 The will of god abideth for euer Isaie 14.27 The Lord hath decreed it who can disanull it his hand is stretched out who can turne it away Isay 4.6.11 My counsell shall stand and my whole will shall be done There is another reuealed or signified will called volunt as signi Wherby god commaunding or forbidding any thing in the law or in the Gospell sheweth and declareth what he will haue vs to doe and to leaue vndone Rom. 12.2 This is called the good will of god his well pleasing and perfect will So that in this petition we acknowledge and confesse that by our own strength we cannot doe and fulfill the will of god propounded vnto vs either in the lawe or in the gospell We pray therefore that god would giue vs the spirit of regeneration and sanctification which may create in vs a newe heart take away our stony heart subdue and abolish our carnall stubbernesse and impatience that we may thinke vpon desire wil and doe such things as please god that we may auoide and omitte the contrary lest we should doe any thing that is contrary to the will of god And if we find our selues not to regard not to approoue not to will not to doe those things which god willeth but such as god forbiddeth hateth and abhorreth we pray that those things may be amended in vs by his holy spirit in true repentance that our will may be turned from euill and made conformable to that which is good On the contrarie there is another will of the deuill of the world and of the flesh altogither vnlike and resisting the will of God Those therefore we renounce and reiect in this petition praying that the will of the world and of the deuill may be hindred and subdued and the suggestions of Satan may be broken of that we may not obey them nor conforme our selues like vnto the world and that the lusts and concupiscence of the flesh in vs may be crucyfied and mortified by the spirit that hauing the disobedience the impatience and the wicked lust of the flesh suppressed in vs our will may become so conformable to the will of God that we shall desire couer or do nothing but which that is well pleasing and approued of god That we may iudge reverently of the will of God and submitte our selues thereto and that the will of God may be done in vs. Which good will of god the scripture containeth in these three points I will that a sinner may be converted Ezek. 33.11 It is the will of God that we should beleeue in the sonne of God Ioh. 6.39 This is the will of God euen your sanctification that we should abstaine from sinne 1. Thes 4.3 And therefore doe we aske of god grace strength and aide that we may beginne and accomplish the same An other will of God they call his operatiue and permitting will For whatsoeuer is done in all the worlde and in the Church whatsoeuer befalleth vs sure it is it commeth not to passe without the will of god Math. 10.29 either working or permitting the same And because we doe either not approove this will of god in resoning or els complaine thereof through impatience murmuring and striuing against the same therefore we pray for patience that we may with reuerence and obedience submit or at least indeauour to submit our will to the will of god may striue against impatience not iudging malitiously of those things which happen vnto vs by the will and permission of god but saying as it pleaseth the lord so commeth it to passe And because we cannot doe this of our owne strength therefore we pray especially that god would giue vs patience subiection and obedience and strength and courage against impatience Those things also which we aske though they seeme very conuenient meete and profitable for vs yet we must alwaies submitte them to the will of god Not my will but thine is fulfilled Others also make an optatiue will of god wherein he sheweth by the very fact that he wisheth and desireth those things which are profitable and holesome for vs which notwithstanding we our selues do often