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
but durynge thys lyfe we fyght agaynst synne vntyl we die and so be tryed and proued whether we loue him and his commaūdementes better then oure owne wylles and pleasures Also oure mercyefull father layeth on oure backes diuerse afflictions and aduersities to pul downe our proud and hyghe stomakes and to mortifie our fleshe that we may be like oure brother Christe who by the crosse ouercame synne deathe and the deuyll and so entred into euerlastynge glorye So that in this petitiō we must lerne both wisedome and pacience wisdome to beware of synne whā it prouoketh vs and in no wise to folow the same Pacience to suffer willyngly the crosse and suche afflictions as God shall sende vnto vs to pray god with feruent desier that he suffer vs not to perishe in the same but mercifullye to defende vs vntyll suche tyme as it shall please hym clearly to delyuer vs whiche shalbe when we shal dye and by Goddes power be raised agayne from death to lyfe and be delyuered from all maner of euels Therefore when we say in the Lordes prayer delyuer vs from euyll we chiefly desyre God to send vs a good deathe that then aboue all other tymes we may be delyuered from all euels For as muche as at that houre we be in the most daunger of all euels and temtations Wherfore it is moste necessarie for vs euen from our tender age to praye to oure Lorde that at that laste houre chiefly he wyll be good and gracious vnto vs delyueryng vs from all maner of euell So that death maye be to vs none euyll but a clere acquayntaūce frome al euels And this the lordes prayer we must euer ende with this word Amen Wiche is asmuche to saye as suerly I trust it shalbe so And it is not ynough to say Amen with our tongue only but also Amen muste be in oute harte and continew and tary there that is to saye we ought to beleue suerly and constantlye that our prayer is hearde and that oure heauenly father wil graunt vs oure petitions For so Christ hath promysed that what soeuer we aske the father in hys name it shalbe gyuen to vs. And for that intente Christe confirmeth this his promise w t an othe saying Amen Nowe you haue hearde good children the true and playne exposition of the seuenth and last petition whiche I praye you to place in your memories that when you be demaunded howe vnderstande you the seuenth petition you may redely answere Herein we generally desyre our heauenly father to delyuer vs frō all euell and perell bothe of body soule lande catell and riches And that when we shall ley on oure death bed he wyll than graunt vs a good houre that we may departe oute of thys vale of miserie in hys fauoure and from thys transitorie lyfe enter into life euerlastynge The whiche God graunte vs all Amen ¶ A sermon of Baptisme OUre Lorde Iesus Christ good children ▪ in y e gospell of Iohn saith thus Except a man be borne agayne of y e water and the spret he can not enter in to the kyngdome of God Nowe we ought to direct our hole lyfe to come to the kyngedome of heauen For the Lorde sayth First seke the kyngdō of god And you haue heard heretofore that we dayly make thys petition to god thy kingdō come Wherfore it is very necessarie for vs to know how we must be borne againe what thys secōd birth is w tout the which we can not entre into the kingdōe of God But when we speake of a seconde birth you shal not so grosse lye vnderstande this sayinge as though a mā which is once borne should entre agayne into hys mothers wombe so be borne againe as he was before For it were great folyshenes so to thinke But here we meane of a seconde birthe which is spiritual wherby our inwarde man and minde is renewed by the holye ghost so that our hertes and myndes receaue newe desiers which they had not of theyr first birth or natiuitie And the seconde birth is by the water of Baptisme whiche Paule calleth the bathe of regeneration because oure synnes be forgyuen vs in Baptisme and the holy gost is powred into vs as into goddes beloued childrē so that by the power and wourkynge of the holye Ghost we be borne agayne spiritually and made newe creatures And so by baptisme we enter into the kingdome of God shalbe saued for euer yf we continewe to oure lyues ende in the faithe of Christe Wherfore good childrē cōsidre diligently y e strength of baptisme and marke wel howe greate treasures and howe excellent benefites you receaued in youre baptisme that you maye thanke God for the same and comfort youre selfes by theim in all your temptations and endeuoure youreselfes faithfully to performe al thinges which you promised in your baptisme And that you mai do this y e better hear and learne the wordes of our master Christe by the whiche he dyd ordeyne and institute baptisme And oftentymes repete the same that you maye lerne them worde for worde wythout y e boke These be the wordes of our Lord Iesus Christ spoken to his dyscyples Go into the whole world and teache al nations baptise thē in the name of the father the sonne and the holi gost He that wyl beleue and be baptised shalbe saued But he that wyll not beleue shall be damned By these wordes oure Lorde Iesus Christe dyd institute baptisme wherby we be borne agayne to the kyngdom of God And you good childrē shall gyue diligence not onely to reherse these wordes but also to vnderstād what christe ment by the same That when you be demaunded any questyon herein you maye bothe make a dyrecte answere and also in tyme to come be able to teache youre children as you your selues are nowe instructed For what greater shame can ther be then a man to professe him selfe to be a Christen man because he is baptised and yet he knoweth not what baptysme is nor what strength the same hathe nor what the dyppyng in the water doth betoken wher as all oure lyfe tyme we ought to kepe those promises which there we solemply made before God and man and all oure profession and lyfe oughte to agre to our baptisme Wherefore good children to thentent you may the better know the strength power of baptisme you shall first vnderstande that our lorde Iesus Christ hath instituted and annexed to the gospel thre sacramēts or holy seales of his couenāt and lege made with vs. And by these thre gods ministers do worke with vs in the name and place of God yea God him selfe worketh with vs to confirme vs in our faith to asserten vs that we are y e lyuely membres of Gods trew churche and y e chosen people of God to whome the gospell is sent and that all those thinges belong to vs wherof the promises of the gospel make mentiō The first of
the euerlastynge glorye and kyngdome of God shalbe reueled whan at the laste daye we shalbe raysed from death to lyfe and be receyued into the kyngdome of heauen where we shalbe made perfytely iuste holy and safe for euer whiche thynge so long as we be here in this worlde is hyde from vs and appereth not clerlye vnto vs but at that last daye shal appere to all men that excedynge ioye which no tonge is able to expresse As saith saint Iohn in hys Canonical epistle Yet it appereth not what we shalbe but we know that whan it shall appere we shalbe lyke vnto hym and we shall see hym euen as he is All these thynges oure Lorde God causeth to be preached in the hole worlde of his mere goodnes and most abundāt mercie not for our workes or merites but before we desiered him But although it be preached through y e world yet it should not auayle vs if we beleued not that is to say if he came not into oure hartes yf the kyngdome of God wer not within vs. Therefore must we with all dilygence praye that God not onely may make this to be preched but also y t he wil gyue faith not onely to other but also to our selfes And shortly this is the summe of this petition that God by his syncere preachers wil sende his worde and gospel of Christ and by his holy spirite brynge vs to the faith and obedience to God and daily to encreace the same And than vtterly to abolyshe and take awaye from vs the rest of the worlde whiche is wicked and disobediēt withal their sinne and wickednes and to receiue vs in to his eternall kyngdome and glorye This is the meanyng plaine vnderstanding of this secōde petition The kyngdome of god cōmeth of it selfe w tout our prayer but here we pray that it may com to vs. Whiche commeth to passe whan the heauenly father gyueth vs his spirite to beleue his holy word to lyue wel and godly here in his churche for a tyme and after in heauen for euer The thirde petition Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen YE haue herde how in the former petycions we require of our Lord God to gyue vs al thinges that perteyne to his glorye and to the kyngdom of heauen whereof he hath gyuen vs commaundemente in the three preceptes written in the first table Nowe foloweth the thirde peticyon wherin we praye God to graūt vs that we maye fulfyll the other seuen commaūdementes also the whiche intreat of matiers concernyng this worldly kingdome and transitorye lyfe that is to saye to honoure our parentes and gouernours to kyl no man to committe none adulterye to absteyne from thefte and lyinge and to behaue our selfes in all thinges obedyentlye honestlye peaceably and godly And these be the wordes of this petitiō Thy wil be don in erth as it is in heauen And to the intent that you maye the better vnderstande this petition you shall knowe that there be two maner of kingdomes The first is the kingdome of God or of heauen wherof we spake in the second petition The other is an earthly or worldly kyngdome of the whiche you shall nowe heare Nowe our Lord God is the chiefe ruler and gouernoure in bothe these kyngdomes In the kyngdome of heauen he doth so raygne that he begynneth in vs here in this world the kingdome of euerlastyng lyfe and saluation And the worldlye kingedomes he doeth so gouerne that here he gyueth vs peace and quietnes that we may heare and learne the kyngdome of God and so atteyne the kyngdom of heuen And God hath ordeined in this erthlye kyngdome commen officers and rulers vnder him whiche he hath appoynted for thys purpose that they shoulde in his name gouerne the commen people and laboure with all dyligence that peace and quietnes maye be maynteyned in the same And he hath gyuen them the authoritie of the sworde that they shoulde not onely therewyth defende the godlye but also punishe malefactours and breakers of the commen peace and quietnes as traytours rebellions māquellers adulterers theues and false wytnesse bearers and all wronge doers to other men accordynge to the sayinge of sayncte Paule in the .xiii. chapiter to the Romayns Let euery soule saieth he submit himself vnto the higher powers For there is no power but that commeth of God And the powers that be are ordeyned of God Whosoeuer therfore resisteth the superiour powers resisteth the ordinaunce of God And they that resist do purchase to thēselues damnation For the rulers are not fearefull to theym that do good but to theym that do euell wylte thou be withoute feare of the powers do well then and so shalte thou be praised of the same For he is the minister of God for thy wealth But yf thou do euell then feare for he beareth not the sworde in vayne For he is y e mynister of God to punishe him that doeth euell Wherefore you muste nedes obey not onely for feare of punyshement but also for veraye conscience By these wordes you may well perceyue good children that it is Gods will and pleasure that we shoulde leade here in this worlde an honest and quyet lyfe and that they whiche be sedytyous and full of trouble and vnquietnes in the commen wealthe shoulde be punyshed And vpon these considerations he hath gyuē vs these commaundementes Honour thy father and mother Thou shalt not kyll Thou shalt not commytte adulterye Thou shalte not steale Thou shalte beare no false witnesse against thy neyghboure Thou shalt not desier anye thynge that is thy neyghbours And God hath commaunded the gouerners of commen welthes to punyshe suche as do not obey these commaundementes and he himselfe wyll punyshe theym also wherefore lette suche as be disobedient loke for punyshment not onely of the gouerners here in the sight of the worlde but also of God hymselfe And the gouernours whiche accordyng to gods commaundement do correcte and punyshe offenders they do wourshyppe God highly and do to him a pleasaunt and acceptable sacryfice And God hathe ordeyned the higher powers and quietnes to be in commen welthes that thereby we might heare and learne the gospell more easely and quietly For where as warre and sedycion is there is not the place to preach the worde of god with fruyt profit For the whiche cause saynt Paul wrytynge to Tymothye sayeth on this wyse I charge you that prayers and supplications be made for all men for kinges and for al that are in authoritie that we may lyue a quiet and a peaseable lyfe with all godlynesse and honestye For this is good and accepted in the syght of God our sauiour whiche wylleth all men to be saued and to come to the knowlege of the truth Nowe therefore forasmuche as we know by Goddes holy commaundementes what his wyll is it is our part to confirme our willes to his wyll and to desier him to giue vs his grace and ayde to accomplyshe his most holy
and giue vnto vs the iustice and ryghtuousnes of his sonne Iesus Christ whiche suffered for vs. These are but fewe wordes but surely they be of greate importaunce For in this sentence saynct Paule includeth the summe and effecte of the holy ghospell when he sayeth Christ was deliuered to death for our synnes and rose agayne for oure ryghtuousnes For lykewise as when an other man doeth pay my raunsome and satisfye or suffre for me I my selfe am iudged to paye the same and no man after can accuse me therof And whē an other is bounde for me yf he be by any lawful meanes discharged I my selfe am counted to be dyscharged also euen so forasmuche as Christe hymselfe toke vpon him the bande of death for vs and to satisfye for vs so did in deede by hys death we our selues for whō he was thus bounde iustely be delyuered and dyscharged from death and damnation And so we be counted righteous for asmuche as no man dare accuse vs for that syn for the which satisfaction is made by our Sauiour Christ. And when oure sauiour Iesus Christ had thus satisfied for our synne and so ouercame deathe and hell than lyke a most valiant conquerer he ascended into heauen where God hys father receyued him with a moost gloriouse triumphe and placed hym on hys ryghte hande and made him Lorde ouer all creatures and therefore he is called in y e crede also our Lorde For yf he had not raunsomed and redemed vs we had bene cast downe to hel for euer But seynge y t he redemed and bought vs therfore bewe his he is our Lorde and mayster hym we must loue obey and serue And this is oure moste hye and euerlastynge comforte that Iesus Christ is our Lorde and we his seruauntes For because he is oure Lorde therefore he wyll defende vs and delyuer vs from all daungers And althoughe we be synners yet he wil forgiue vs our synnes because he hathe payed y e raūsome and det due for thesame And althoughe we dye yet he wil rayse vs vp agayne because he hathe ouercome and conquered death And althoughe we be neuer so muche afrayed of the sorowes and paynes of hell yet they shall not be able to holde vs bycause that to theym that be hys seruauntes he hathe broken hell and set open the gates thereof Wherfore seynge that we haue so myghtye a Lorde and maister we be out of all peryll and daunger But we agayne aboue all thynges we muste studye to obey oure lord mayster and do those thinges whiche he commaundeth For he hath redemed and bought vs for thys entente and purpose that we shoulde be iust and holy as he hymselfe is holy And he that is not obediēt vnto Christes commaundementes shall be sore punyshed for oure Lorde Iesus Christ shal come agayne to iudge both the quicke and the dead Wherefore good children laboure wyth all diligence and studye that when Christe shall come againe to iudge the world he may finde you holy and obedient For then he wyll rewarde you wyth euerlastyng lyfe After thys maner Christ redemed vs frō synne and from the horryble offence of Adam by whome we were al condemned For by Christes passyon death by hys ghospell we haue obteined thus much that we may beleue and trust in god And trustyng in God we haue his holy spirite whereby we maye also loue God And thys holy gooste renueth vs and clemeth vs from all euell lustes and desires that we beynge thus made holye and rightuouse maye kepe Goddes commaundemētes and serue our Lord Iesus Christ. Wherfore good chyldren beleue ye with al your heart in thys Iesus Christ the onelye sonne of God oure Lord and doubte not but that he hath suffered for our synnes and contented the iustyce of his father for y e same and hath brought vs agayne vnto his fauour made vs his wel beloued children and heyres of hys kyngdome And when you be asked howe vnderstande you the second parte of the Crede you shall answer I beleue that Iesus Christ veray God begotten of God the father and verye manne borne of the virgin Marie is my Lorde whiche by hys precyouse bloode and holy passyon hathe redemed me a myserable damned wretch from all my synnes frome death eternall and from the tyrannie of the Deuell that I should be his owne true subiect and lyue within his kyngdome and serue hym in a newe and euerlastynge lyfe and iustice euen as oure Lorde Christe after he rose from deathe to lyfe lyueth and raygneth euerlastyngly Or elles if you wyl answere more shortely you may say thus I beleue that Christe was deliuered to death for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification The thirde sermon of our Sanctification NOwe remayneth the third parte of the Crede to be declared whiche entreateth of our sanctificatiō how we be made holy And it is spokē in these wordes ¶ I beleue in the holy gost the holy catholicke churche the communion of saynctes the forgyuenes of synnes the risyng agayne of the bodye and lyfe euerlastyng Amen IN the seconde parte of the Crede which treateth of our Redemption and pryce giuen for vs you haue bene taughte good children to knowe the seconde persone in Trinitie Iesus Christe what he is and what he hath done for vs that he was made man for our sakes that he toke vpon him our synnes and suffered for vs y e feare and panges of deathe hel and had victory ouer them by hys passiō and death And after by his godly and victorious power he arose again from death to lyfe And after this most glorious conquest he ascended into heauen where he sitteth at the ryghte hande of his father is our Lorde and we his seruantes derely boughte All this you haue learned in the last sermon but now good childrē in this thirde parte of the Crede you shall lerne to knowe the thirde person in trinitie y e holy gost and also his benefites and giftes that we maye knowe what we haue receyued of God after our redēption wherby we may be made mete to come to euerlastynge lyfe thorough the merites of Christ. For althoughe our Lord Iesus Christ hath redemed vs from y e captiuitie of synne death and hel and hath set vs agayne in the fauor of God yet we should haue no knowledge of these great benefites we should feale in our cōsciences no comforte ioy or peace by the same yf they were not declared vnto vs by the preachīg of gods most holy word And our consciences should styl remaine troubled and the feare of eternal death and all noughty desiers and concupiscences of the frayle fleshe shoulde euer remaine in vs euē as frō Adams time thei be in vs as sone as we be borne and so we shuld be vtterly vnapte to the kyngdō of God lyfe euerlasting yf we shulde stil remayne as we be borne For yf we wyl be the heyres of god euerlastynge
wyll saying as Christ hath taught vs. Thy wyll be donne in earthe as it is in heauen And because the wyl of God wherby he requireth here in earth obedience to lawes and gouernours is expressed very plainly in the seuen latter commaundementes before rehersed therefore whensoeuer you wyll make thys prayer to God and saye Thy wil good Lorde be done in earth as it is in heauen you must before call to your remembraunce these seuen commaundementes with their exposition vnto you hertofore declared For in this shorte request you comprise asmuche as yf you shuld praye on this fashion O God oure mooste mercyfull father in heauen gyue vs thy grace and healpe that we maye obey our parentes and commen officers and honour them with all our hertes keape vs frome manslaughter from enuye hatred malice anger desyre of reuengynge and all euell myndes towarde our neyghbours Graunt that we may hartely loue oure neyghbours and do theim good both in wordes and deades Graunte vs to lyue purelye and chastely to auoyde all occations of offence to prouoke no bodye to vncleane lyuynge but y t we maye studye to saue euery mans womans chastitie and honestye Graunt that neyther by thefte gyle or anye craftye meanes we take brybe or keape awaye anye mans goods from him but rather that we maye helpe theim to saue and kepe their riches and yf any of thē be in pouertie that we maye be wyllyng to releaue them wyth our almes and charitie Graunte that we hurte no man wyth false witnes bearing or lying but that we maye bothe iudge and speake all goodnes of our neyghboure Kepe vs from all euell lustes and desyres that we couet not oure neyghbors goodes nor hauke or hunt after any thinge that is hys For all these be the commaundementes of thy holy godlye wyll wherto thou hast commaūded vs to be obedyente And marke well these wordes I praye you good children that we do not onely praye God that hys wyll maye be donne but also we desyer y t it maye be fulfylled here of men in erth euen as it is of the angels in heauen Nowe the angels in heauen fulfyll Gods wyll most perfectlye bothe with moost feruent loue and moste perfyte obedience And there is not in anye of the heauenly spirites any euell desier to do any thynge contrarye to gods wyll but they be whollye inflamed with moste perfecte loue towarde God Euen so oughte we also to be that dwell here in earth But the wekenes and euylnes of mans hart is so greate that we be not able to perfourme the same For oftentymes we obey Gods wyll nothyng at all but gyue our selues wholly to the lustes of our fleshe oftentimes we do that God requirethe of vs grudgynglye coldly as it were halfe agaynste our willes This is a great feblenes or rather an horrible sykenes lepry corruption and pestylente contagion of originall synne by meanes wherof they that be most holy here in earthe be not perfecttely iust and rightuous but euer they want many thinges that belong to their perfection We must therefore continually praye God to gyue vs his grace helpe that we may fulfyll his holy wyll and be made as iust and obediente as the angels whiche be in heauen Forthermore good children you shall note that when we saye thy wyll be donne we do not onelye praye for our selues but for other also that bothe we they maye do the holy wyl of God And whē any man goeth about to do anye vngodly thinge whiche is agaynste gods wyll then we praye in this petition that God wyll let his naughty purpose that gods wyl onely maye be donne This praier also is against the deuyl and thys most corrupte worlde that neither the deuels will neither the wyll of the wicked worlde maye be done For when we heare the gospell preached vnto vs and gyue credyte to it and frame our lyfes and conuersation after the same then Satan rageth and is sore greued and vexed than he calleth all hys wittes vnto him setteth all hys studye craftye to styrre vp false and braynesyke doctors to sowe the cockell of heresye and erroneous opinions wher the good sede of gods word was first sowē Thē he is busye to rayse vp persecutions seditiōs insurrections cōmotyons warre and blasphemies whereby ye maye let the worde of God to haue his course and trouble the kingdome of Christe And Satan is not alone whē he fyghteth against Christ and his kyngdome but he hath on his syde this false and deceyuable worlde and also oure owne fleshe whyche do not cease to intyce and moue vs agaynst gods most holy wil. But when we say in the lordes prayer thy wyll be donne then we do not only pray that both we and other maye kepe gods commaundemētes but we praye also that the moste naughty wyll of the Deuel and the corrupte worlde maye be broken and only the wyll of God maye be fulfilled that in commen welthes maye be peace and quietnes the gospell frely fruitefully preached and that we may lede in this world holy and godly lyues And forasmuche as Christe oure Lord hath cammaunded vs thus to praye and hath promysed that whatsoeuer we aske the father in his name he wyl gyue it vnto vs we ought stedfastly to beleue and nothyng doubte but that he wyll staye all the craftye imaginations and compassynges of the worlde and the deuel and defende vs against all persecutions that we maye kepe and lerne his worde in peace and quietnes Wherefore our dewtie is stedfastly to cleue to the gospell dylygently to studye and learne the worde of God and constantly w tout feare to confesse and abyde by the same For Christ himself saith He that confesseth me before men I wyll also confesse and acknowlege him before my father in heauen But he that denyeth me before men I wyll denye hym before my father in heauen Also good childrē you shal dilygently learne this lesson whiche I praye you to prynt wel in your memories that in this peticion we yelde oure selues wholly to God to be ordered after his wyll and pleasure and willynglye to beare what soeuer crosse or trouble he shal lay vpon our sholders For we praye y t hys wil maye be done than we forsake our awne wyl and make a whole resignation thereof into Gods hādes that it may not take effecte whiche of it selfe desier nothynge but helth of body riches honors rest and quietnes where as gods wyll is contrarye that oftentymes we shoulde be tryed in oure faithe by aduersyties and beare oure crosse as our Lorde and mayster Christ was crowned with thornes and nayled on the crosse for oure sakes This sainct Paule witnesseth writyng these wordes whom God hathe chosē before the beginnyng of the worlde them also hath he ordeyned to be lyke the image of his sonne And our sauioure Christe himselfe sayeth He that taketh not his crosse foloweth me is not worthye to