saluation in his innoceÌ„cy sythe no man is innocente but confessynge his synnes he humbly prayde and he that forgyueth the humble harde his prayer The whiche thinges the lord in his gospel putteth and sayth Two men went vp into the temple to pray the one a pharisee and the other a Publycane The pharisee stode and prayed by him self after this maner God I thaÌ„k the bicause I am nat as other meÌ„ vniuste robbers adulterers as this publycane I faste twyse in the weke I gyue the tythes of al what so euer I possesse But the publycane stoode afarre of and wolde not lyfte vp his eies to heuen but knockid his brest saying God be mercyfull vnto me a synner I telle you this manne went downe moore iustyfyed into his hous theÌ„ he the pharisee For who so euer exalteth hym selfe shall be humbled and who so euer wolle humble hym selfe shal be exalted Whiche thynges dere bretherne we lerning of the diuine lesson after that we knowe how we ought to ê“cede to praier we must know alsoo the lorde instructynge vs what we shulde pray thus saythe he praye ye Our father whiche art in heuen halowed be thy name Thy kyngedome come Thy wyl be done in erth as it is in heuen Gyue vs this day our dayly breade And forgyue vs our trespaces as we forgyue them that trespas agaynst vs. And let vs not be ledde into temptation But delyuer vs from euyll Amen Aboue all thynges the teacher of peace and mayster of vnitie wyl not singular priuate prayer to be made that whaÌ„ any prayeth y t he shuld not onely pray for hym selfe We say nat My father whiche art in heuen nor Gyue me my dayly bread Nor there is no man that desyreth to haue his synnes forgyuen hym aloone or prayeth for hym selfe alone that he shulde nat be led into temptation and delyuered from euyl Our prayer is publyke and common and whan we pray we pray not for one but for all the people for we all be but one The lorde of peace and mayster of concorde whiche taughte vnitie wolde oone to pray soo for all as he hym selfe bare al in one This rule of prayer the thre childern inclosed in the forneis of fire obserued agreing and accordyng in prayer and consente of spirite Whiche thynge the trouthe of diuine scripture declareth whan it teacheth howe they prayd it giueth example whiche in our praiers we ought to folowe that we may be suche as they were Than sayth the scripture they thre as out of one mouth sang an himne and blessed the lorde They spake as out of oone mouthe and yet Christe had not tought theym to pray and therfore to theym prayinge their wordes were effectuall and toke place for their peasyble symple and spirituall prayer deserued to be accepted of god And so we fynd that the apostels with the disciples prayid after thascention of the lorde They were all sayth the scripture of one mynde and continuynge in prayer with the womeÌ„ and Mary the mother of Iesu and with his bretherne They being of one mynde perseuered in prayer declaryng bothe the instance and concorde of their prayer For god whyche maketh the inhabitantes of one mynde in the house admitteth none into the diuine and eternall house but suche as are of one mynd in prayer But what be the misteries of the lordis prayer most dere brethern how many how great how brefely gathered togither but in vertue spirituall howe copious and abundant that there is nothing omittid that is not in our praiers and orysons comprysed in this compendiouse heauenly doctrine Thus sayth he pray ye Our father whiche arte in heauen The man that is renewed and borne ageyn and restored to god by his grace sayth in the fyrst place Father bycause he begynneth nowe to be his sonne He came sayth the scripture into his owne and his owne receyued hym not But as many as receyued hym to theym gaue he power to be the chylderne of god which beleue in his name Therfore he that beleueth in his name and is made the chyld of god must forth withall begyn both to gyue thankes and acknowlege him selfe to be the chylde of god whan he nameth his father to be in heauen god He woll also among the first wordes of his byrthe declare hym selfe to haue forsaken his erthely and carnall father and to begyn to haue hym his only father that is in heuen as it is writen They that say to the father and mother I knowe the not they acknowleged not their children they haue kepte thy preceptes and haue obserued thy testameÌ„t Also the lord in his gospel commaundeth that we shulde calle no man father in erthe bycause we haue one father whiche is in heuen And to the disciple that shewid that his father was deade he sayde Suffre the deade to burye the deade For he sayde that his father was deed sythen they that beleue haue a lyuynge father Nor we ought not dere bretherne to marke and consyder this onely that we shuld cal hym father that is in heauen but we ioyne therwith and say Oure father that is of them that beleue of theÌ„ that by hym bd sauctifyed and with the natiuite of spiritual grace restored beganne to be the chyldren of god Whyche voyce also doothe wrynge and sharpely touche the Iewes whych not only vnfaythfully despised Christe forshewed to them by the prophetes and to them fyrst sent but also cruelly slewe hym The whiche Iewes can nat nowe call god father sythen the lord confoundeth and reproueth them sayeng You are of the father the dyuelle and after the lustes of your father wyl ye do for he was a murderer froÌ„ the begynnynge and abode not in the truthe bycause the truthe is not in hym And by Esaie the prophete god disdaynyng crieth out I haue begotteÌ„ chyldren and exalted them but they haue despised me The oxe knowith is lord the asse his masters stable but Israell knoweth not and my people hath not vnderstand out vpon ye synfull nation people full of synnes wycked seede vngracyouse childerne you haue forsaken the lorde and haue prouoked him the holy one of Israel to indignatioÌ„ To whose rebuke and shaame whan we Christians pray we say Our father bycause he hath begon to be ours and hath lefte to be the Iewes father which forsoke him Nor a synfulle people can nat be his chylde but they whose synnes are forgyuen be callyd chylderne and to theym euerlastynge ioye is promysed oure lorde hym selfe sayenge Who so euer dothe synne is the seruant of synne as for the seruant abydeth not in the house foreuer but the sonne abydeth for euer But howe greate is the gentylnesse of the lorde howe plentiful is his fauour goodnes towarde vs That so wolde haue vs celebrate our prayer in goddis sight that we shuld cal god fader and that as Christ is the sonne of god so we also
his name and honoure there is anye stryfe to shewe constancy in wordes that we confesse hym with and sure truste in question wherwith we assayle other pacience in dethe wherto we contende this is to wylle to be heire wyth Chryste this is to do goddis commaundement this is to fulfyll the wyll of the father We desyre the wylle of god to be done in erthe as it is in heuen bothe whiche apperteyne to the consummation of our wyll and saluation For sythen we possesse a body of the erth and a gost of heuen we be erthe and heuen and in bothe that is bodye and gooste we praye that the wyll of god be doone Trewely there is a wrastlyng betwene the fleshe and the spirite and stryuinge oone ageynste the other they dayly contende together that we canne not doo the thynges that we wolde while the spirite seketh for heuenly and diuine thynges the fleshe coueiteth erthly and worldly thinges And therfore we ernestly desyre that betweene these two by the ayde and helpe of god agreement may be made that whan the wylle of god is fulfylled bothe of the spirite and the fleshe the soule whiche by hym is borne agayne may be saued Whych thynge the apostel Paule playne and openly declareth with his owne voyce The fleshe saythe he lusteth agaynste the spirite and the spirite agaynst the fleshe These two are so contrarye one to the other that you can not do what thinges that ye wolde The dedes of the fleshe be manyfeste whiche are adulteries fornications vnclennes fylthy wantonnesse idolatry witch-craft murder hatred contention spite wrath prouocation debate heresye enuye dronkennes glottony and suche lyke which I tell you before as I haue tolde you that they whiche do such thinges shall not possesse the kyngedome of god But the fruit of the spirite is Charitie ioye peace long sufferynge feythe mekenesse continence chastite And therfore daily yea continually we praye that the wyll of god be done concernynge vs bothe in heauen and in erthe For this is the wylle of god that erthely thynges shuld gyue place to heuenly and that spiritual and diuine thynges shulde preuayle It may also be thus vnderstande dere bretherne that bycause god commandeth ye and monyssheth vs to loue our ennemies and also to pray for them that ê‘secute vs we shulde praye for them that be as yet erthy and haue not yet begun to be heuenly that touchyng them the wyl of god may be done whiche Christ fully dyd in coÌ„seruynge and renewynge man For sythen he called his disciples not erthy but the salte of the erth and the apostell calleth the fyrste man of slyme of the erthe erthy the seconde of heauen heauenly with good cause we whiche oughte to be lyke god the father that maketh his sonne to ryse vppon the good and bad and sendeth rayne vpon the iuste and vniuste shulde so praye and desyre god admonishynge that we myghte make prayer for the helthe of all men That lyke as in heuen that is in vs by our faythe the wylle of god is done that as we shuld be of heuen so eueÌ„ in erth that is in them beleuynge the wyll of god maye be done that they whiche as yet of theyr fyrste byrthe be erthye borne of water and the holy goost may begynne to be heuenly ¶ Procedyng forth in our prayer we aske and say Gyue vs this daye our dayly breade whiche saieng may be vnderstaÌ„d spiritually and simply for bothe the vnderstandynges with diuine vtilitie profytte vnto saluation For the breade of lyfe is Christ and this is not euery mans breadde but it is oures And lyke as we saye our Father by cause it muste be vnderstande he is father of theym that beleue so we cal hym our bread For Christ whose bodye we touche is oure breade This bread we aske dayly to be gyuen vs leste we that be in Christe and receyue dayly his precious body by some greuouser offence chaunsynge whyle we be accursed out of the churche not communicating shulde be prohybited from that heuenly breadde and shulde be separated from the body of Christe hym selfe before shewyng and monysshynge I am the breade of lyfe that descended from heuen he that woll eate of this breade shall lyue for euer The breade that I woll gyue for the lyfe of the world is my fleshe Therfore whan he saythe he that woll eate of this bread shall lyue for euer it is than manyfest they lyue whiche touche his body and receyue it by the right of communion soo contrarywyse it is to be feared and prayed for leste while one accursed out of the churche is separated from the body of Christ he remayne farre from saluation hym self thretnynge and saying Excepte ye eate the flesshe of the sonne of man drynke his bloud ye shall haue no lyfe in you And therfore we aske daily our breade that is Chryst to be gyuen to vs that we that abyde and lyue in Chryste shulde not departe from his sanctification and body It may also be thus vnderstaÌ„d that we whiche haue forsaken the wolde and by grace of spirituall feythe haue caste away the riches and pompe therof woll desyre onlye oure meate and foode seinge Chryst woll vouchsafe to instruct vs and saye He that woll not forsake all that he hath canne not be my disiple He that hathe beguÌ„ne to be Christis disciple forsakynge all that he hath after the wordes of his mayster ought to aske his daily foode ne we may nat extend the desyres of our petition to any longe tyme. For Christ ageyn prescribeth and saith Be not ye careful for the morowe for the morow shall care for it selfe Euery daye hath inough of his own trauaile Therfore Chrystis dysciple skylfully asketh his dayly foode whiche is prohibited to be carefull for the morowe For it is bothe contrarye and repugnant in it selfe that we shuld desyre to lyue longe in this worlde whiche prayer that the kingedome of god may quickly come And so the blessed apostel monisheth forinynge strengththyng the stedfastnes of our hope and faithe Nothynge sayth he we brought into the worlde aud truely we can carye nothyng out Therfore hauyng foode and rayment let vs be content therwih For they that woll be ryche falle into the temptation and snares of the dyuell and into many noysom lustes which drowne a man into distruction and damnation For couetousnes is the roote of all yuels whiche some moch desiring haue rounne to wrecke frome the faythe and tangled theym selfes with many sorowes He teacheth not onely that ryches shoulde be despised but also that they be peryllous and that in theym is the rote of blandysshinge yuelles the blyndnes of mans mynde begyling with priuie deceyt Wherfore Christe reprouynge the foolysshe ryche man that had set his mynde on his worldly substance reioyced in him self for the great abundance of his fruites saythe in the gospell Thou foole this nyghte
A SERMON OF S. CYPRIAN made on the Lordes prayer that is to wytte the Pater noster AN. M. D. XXXIX TO THE RIGHT VVORshypfull mayster Antony Deny esquier Thomas Paynel sendeth gretynge THIS Sermon by me translated out of latine into englysh I dedicate vnto you not so moch for instruction as for a token of the good mynd I beare you For whā I consyder your syncere affection to god and his holy worde your great fidelytie and dilygence towarde our moste gracyous souerayne lorde the kyng your pure honest and lowly behauiour to all men in worde and dede your faythful wyse and frendly councels your continuall exhortations and perswasyons to vertue your lyberall and moste gentylle nature I can not chose but vehemently loue you and therfore I ofte thynke what I haue or howe I a poore man myght doo you any pleasure Wherefore suche thynge as I maye gyue with my entier hartes loue I sende you And as this my booke goeth on prayer soo pray I God sende you abundaunce of all welthe and good Fortune this newe yere The Sermon of saynte Cyprian made on the Pater noster THE PRECEPtes of the Gospell moste louynge bretherne are none other thing than diuine techinges the foundacions of edifyenge hope the sure groundes of fortifyenge faith the nourysshmentes to cheryshe the harte the stere to directe our iourney and the firme defences to opteyne saluation whiche preceptes whyle they instructe in erthe the apte myndes of the beleuers they bryng them to the kingdome of heuen Goddis wyl was that many thynges shuld be both spoken and harde by the prophetes his seruantes but how farre greatter are those thynges that the sonne speketh which the word of god that was in the prophetes witnesseth with his owne voyce not nowe commaunding that the waye be made redy for hym commyng but commynge hym selfe and openynge and shewing to vs the way that we that fyrste were blynd and wandryng in the darknes of deathe beinge illumyned with the grace of his lyghte and he beinge our leder and gide may holde on our iourney to lyfe whiche among other his helthful monitiōs and diuine preceptes with whiche he allureth his people to saluation he also gaue a forme of prayer he monyshed and instructed what we shulde pray He that made vs to lyue taughte vs also to pray this dyd he of his benignitie whereby he vouchesaued to gyue and conferre other thynges that whyle we in prayer and oryson that the son taught vs speke to the father we may be the soner hard He than tolde vs before the howre commeth whan the trewe worshyppers shulde worshyp the father in spirite and trouthe and hath fulfylled that he before promysed that we which of his sancctification haue receyued spyrite and trouthe of his tradition also shall truely and spiritually pray For what prayer can be more spiritual than that that is gyuen vs of Christe frome whome also the holy ghoste is sente to vs What prayer maye do more with the father than that that the son whiche is the veritie spake with his owne mouthe in soo moche that to praye otherwyse than he hathe taught is not onely ignoraunce but also offence seinge he hath set forthe and sayde Ye caste asyde the commandement of god to the ende you wolde stablysshe youre own tradition Therfore dere brethern let vs pray as god our master hath taught vs. It is a frendly and familyar oryson to praye god of his owne the prayer of Christe to ascend to his eares the father wyll acknowlege the wordes of his sonne Whan we make our prayer lette hym that dwelleth within the breaste be in the voyce And seynge that we haue hym as an aduocate to the father for our synnes whan we synners pray for our offences let vs bring forth the wordis of our aduocate For syth he saith What so euer ye wylle desyre of the father in my name he shall gyue it you than howe moch more effectually shall we obteyn that we axe in Christis name if we craue it with his own prayer But suche as woll praye let their wordis prayer be lowly quiete and honest Let vs thinke that we stand in the syght of god The diuine eyes must be pleased bothe with the behauyour of the body and maner of speche For as it is an imprudent poynt to make a clamorous noyse so cōtrarywise it is conuenient shamefastely to praye with sober and temperate prayers Furthermore the lorde commandeth vs secretely to pray in priuie secrete or out places ye in oure bedde chaumbers whiche thynge dothe greately agree with our fayth to th ende that we shuld knowe God to be presente euerye where to here and see vs all and with the fulnesse of his maiestie also to perse and enter into secret and hydde places as it is writen I am god drawyng nere and nat god afarre of If a man were hid in priuie and secrete places ergo shall nat I see hym Do not I fyl both heuen and erth And ageyn The eies of god do beholde in euery place bothe the good bad Whan we com togyther with our brethern and do celebrate diuine sacrifyces with goddis mynister the prieste we must be myndefull of shamefastnesse and dyscipline not to blaste abrode our prayers with vnordered voyces nor oure petition soberly to be commended to god we shuld cast out with tumustuouse ianglynge for god hereth the harte and not the voyce Nor we shoulde crye out to hym whyche seeth oure thoughtes the lord prouokyng and saying what thynke you wyckednesse in youre hartis and in an other place And let all congregations knowe that I am the sercher of the rainis and harte Whiche thyng Anna in the fyrst boke of kynges bearing the figure of the church obseruid and kepte whyche not with a clamorous peticion but styll and softly within the pryuye partes of her breast prayd vnto the lorde She spake with a hyd prayer but with an open fayth she spake not with voyce but with harte for soo she knewe god herde and she obteyned effectuallye that she desyred bycause she axed faythfully Holy scripture declareth what she sayd She spake in her harte and her lippes moued and her voyce was not harde and god herd her Also we rede in the psalmes Speke in your hartes and in your beddes and remember your selfis By Ieremye also the same thynges the holy ghooste dothe perswade and teache sayenge It behoueth the to praye to god inwardelye But yet well beloued brethern he that dothe pray shuld not forget after what maner in the temple the publycane prayed with the pharisee his eies not vnsemely lifted vp to heuen nor his handes insolently stratched out knocking his brest and acknowlegynge his secrete hydden synnes lamentably desyred succour of goddis meecy But seinge the Pharisee stoode in his owne conceite this man deserued more to be sāctified which so praied that he had no hope of
that he may lyue with god For he can nat be with Chryst that had rather be the folower of Iudas than of Chryste What maner synne is it that can nat with the baptisme of bloudde be washed awaye What faute or offence is it that can nat be purged with martyrdome ¶ This also our lord necessarily werneth vs that in our prayer we shulde saye And let vs not be ledde into temptation In the whiche part it is sheweth that our aduersarye can nothynge do ageynst vs without god before permytte hym to the ende that all our feare and deuotion and obseruation shulde be conuerted to God For in oure temptations the fende hathe noo power without it be gyuen hym of god as holy scripture proueth whiche sayth Nabuchodonosor the kynge of Babylon camme to Hierusalem and cōquerid it and god gaue it into his hande Power is gyuen to the dyuell ageinst vs after as our synnes be as it is wryttē Who gaue Iacob and Israel to them to be trodē vnder foote and spolyed Dyd not god ageynst whome they synned and wolde nat walke in his ways nor here his lawes therfore hathe he brought on them the wrath of his displeasure And agayne of Salomon synnynge and leauyng the commandementes and wayes of the lorde thus it is wrytten The lorde raysed an aduersarye vnto Salomon ¶ Power is gyuen agaynste vs two maner of wayes eyther for our punishment when we offend or elles for our glorie when we be proued lyke as we see doone on Iob god declarynge and saying Beholde all thyuges what so euer he hath I gyue into thy handes but beware thou touche hym not And Christ in the tyme of his passion saith in the gospel Thou shuldest haue no power on me yf it were not gyuen the from aboue Whā we pray that we fal not into temptation we be admonished of our infirmitie and weakenes while we so pray to thend no man shuld extolle hym selfe that noo man shuld proudely arrogantly take any thing vpon him that no man shuld repute it his owne glorie eyther of confessyon or of passion sithen our lord hym felf teachynge humilitie sayth Watche and pray that ye fal not into temptation The spirite is wyllynge but the flesh is weke so that when an humble and lowly confessyon goth before and al togither ascriued vnto the lorde what soo euer in lowly wyse with feare and honour of god is asked of his mercy he woll graunt vs. ¶ After all these thynges in the fynyshynge of our prayer cometh this clause in a briefe collection concludyng all our petitions and prayers For in the laste place we saye But delyuer us from euyll comprehendynge all aduersities that our ennemye endeuoureth to doo agaynst vs in this worlde frome the whiche a trustye and sure defence may be yf god woll delyuer vs yf we humblye prayenge and tenderly besechynge hym he woll vouchesafe to helpe vs. Whan we say Delyuer vs from euyll there remaynethe nothynge nowe that ought to be farther asked whan we shall haue oones desyred the Protection of god agaynst yuell whyche being opteyned agaynste all thynges that the dyuell and the worlde worketh we may stand sure and safe For wat dreede of the worlde is to hym to whom in the worlde god is the defendour What meruail is it dere brethern if the prayer be suche whiche god taught whiche as a maister most worthye hath abreuiate all oure peace with his helthefull worde Nowe this thing was before told by the prophete Esaye whanne he beinge replenyshed with the holy gooste spake of the maiestie and pitie of god A worde consumyng sayth he and breuiatynge in iustyce for god shall make shorte his worde in all the roundnesse of the erthe For whan the worde of god our lorde Iesus Christe came to all men gatherynge togyther bothe the lerned and vnlerned to euery kynde and aege he gaue preceptes of saluation he made a compendyous worke of his preceptes bycause the memorie of the lerners shoulde not be greued in the heuēly discipline but shulde quickly lerne that that shuld be necessary to the pure and symple faith So whan he taught what euerlasting life is in a great and diuine briefenes he comprehended the mistery of lyfe saying This is the lyfe euerlastyng that they know the to be the only true god whom thou hast sent Iesu Christ. Also when he gatherid out of the law prophetes the fyrst chiefest preceptes Harke he said Israell thy lorde god is one lord onely And thou shalte loue thy lorde god with all thy harte with all thy soule with all thy myght and power This is the fyrst and the seconde is lyke to this Thou shalt loue the neyghbour as thy selfe In these two commaundementes hange al the lawe and the prophetes And agayne he sayth What so euer you wold that men shulde do to you euen so do ye to them This is the lawe and the prophetes And the lorde hath not taught vs with onely wordes to praye but also with dedes he him selfe ofte prayenge and with the wyttenesse of his owne exaumple shewynge vs what we oughte to do lyke as it is wryten He was goynge into wyldernes and prayinge And agayne He went into a mountay ne to praye and was all nyghte in his prayers Nowe if he prayed that was withoute synne howe moche more oughte synners to praye And yf he watchynge all the nyght longe prayed continually howe moche more ought we to watche in the nyghte and busily praye The lorde praied and made petition not for hym selfe for what shuld an innocent praye for hym selfe but for our offences lyke as he hym selfe declareth where he saythe to Peter Beholde Sathan hath desyred that he myghte syfte you euen as wheate but I haue prayd for the that thy feyth fayle not And afterwarde he prayed the father for all sayinge I praye not for these onely but also for those whiche throughe theyr worde shall beleue on me that they all maye be one lyke as thou father art in me and I in the that they also may be one in vs. Great is the benignitie and mercy of the lorde for our saluation that was not contented to redeme vs with his bloud but more ouer wolde vouchesafe to pray for vs. But se what he desyred in his prayer That lyke as the father and the sonne be one soo we also shuld remayne in that Vnitie wherby we maye well perceyue howe gretly he offendeth that breaketh that vnitie and peace seinge the lorde prayed for it wyllynge to haue his people knytte to gether in one knowynge full well that Discorde cōmeth not to the kyngdome of god But whan we stand to praye dere bretherne we muste watche and with all the hole hart applye our selfe to prayers All worldely and carnall care muste be laid apparte ne the mind shuld runne on no other thing than that that is prayed for And