wherby from our youthe we haue prouoked thy dyspleasure and wrathe agaynste vs and dayly do prouoke it by doynge that is yuell and omyttynge that is good And so wasshe our synnes dayly more and more throughe the bloode of thy sonne and our sauyoure Iesu Christe And for asmoche as it is al repugnant contrary vnto our frayle and corrupte nature to loue them whiche hate vs or to forgyue them without reuengynge whiche do hurte or offende vs gyue vs we beseche the this heuenly grace and make thou our hartes soo meke and gentyll that we maye gladly and vnfaynedly forgyue them whiche haue hated or hurted vs in worde or in deade and that we maye behaue our selfe vnto all men frendes and foes with suche mercy gentylnes and kyndenes as we wolde desyre not onely that they but also that thou good lorde shuldest vse vnto vs. For we can not other wyse truste or loke for any forgyuenes or remyssion of our trespasses at thy handes oneles we shall accordyng to thy commaundement forgyue all them that haue trespassed in any wyse agaynste vs. ¶ For the better vnderstandynge of this fyfte Petition we thynke it conuenyent that all bysshoppes and preachers shal instructe and teache the people commytted vnto theyr spirituall charge that no manne oughte to glorye in hym selfe as though he were innocent and without synne but rather that euery good christen man without exception ought to knowledge hym selfe to be a synner and that he hath nede to aske forgyuenes of god for his synnes and to requyre hym of his mercy For doubtles he dayely commytteth synne whiche is commaunded dayely to aske remyssyon of his synnes i. Ioan. i. And saynt Iohn̄ sayth in his epistle If we say that we be without synne we deceyue our selfes and trouth is not in vs. ¶ Seconde that god woll not forgyue vs oure synnes but vppon condicion that we shall lykewyse forgyue all theym whiche trespasse ageynst vs and that not in tongue onely but also in our hartes And that this is a certayne sure lawe and decree of god Christe declareth in sondry places of the gospell Mat. vi For fyrste by expresse wordes Christe saythe If you forgyue men theyr offences done ageynste you your heuenly father woll forgyue you your offences And yf you woll not forgyue them that offende you be you assured youre father woll not forgyue you your offences And in an other place whan Peter came to our lorde Mat. xviii and demaunded of hym howe ofte he shulde forgyue his brother whiche had offended hym and whether it were not sufficient to forgyue hym seuen tymes Our lorde answered hym and sayde I telle the Peter that thou oughtest to forgyue hym not onely seuen tymes but seuenty tymes seuen tymes meanynge therby that from tyme to tyme we must contynuallye forgyue our brother or neyghbour althoughe he trespasse agaynst vs neuer so often And Christe also declareth the same by a Parabole Mat. xviii There was sayth Christe a kynge whiche callyng his seruauntes vnto an accompte fyndynge that one of them shulde owe vnto hym the somme of .x. M. talentes because he had it not to pay commaunded that the sayd dettoure his wyfe and his chyldren and all that he had shulde be solde But whan this dettour came vnto the kynge and prayed hym on his knees to haue pacience with hym promysynge hym to paye all the kynge had pytie of hym and forgaue hym the hole dette It fortuned afterwarde that this man being thus acquited met with an other of his felowes that ought hym but an hundred pence and with violence almoost strangled hym and sayd to hym Pay me my money And the sayd seruaunt his felowe fel vpon his knees and prayde hym to haue pacience promysyng to pay al. albe it he wolde not but cast hym into prison vntyll all was payde And whan the rest of theyr felowes seynge this crueltie had tolde the kynge therof the kynge forthwith sent for this cruell felowe and sayd to hym O wycked man I forgaue the thy hole det at thy suite and request It shulde therfore haue besemed the to haue shewed lyke compassyon to thy felowe as I had shewed to the. And the kynge beynge sore displeased with this crueltie commytted hym to tourmentours that shulde roughly and straytly handell hym in pryson tyll he had payde the hole det Vpon this parabole Christ inferreth and sayth Euen so shall your heuenly father doo with you yf you woll not forgyue euery one of you his brother euen from the harte Thus it appereth playnly that yf we woll be forgyuen if we woll escape euerlastynge damnation we must hartily forgyue those whiche haue trespassed and offended agaynst vs. No man can offende vs soo moche as we offende god and yet he is alwaye redy to forgyue vs. What ingratitude is it than what hardenes of harte what cruelnes is in vs yf we for his sake woll not forgyue one an nother There is none offence great that man dothe to man yf it be compared to our offences agaynst god And therfore we maye be well accompted to haue lyttell respecte and consyderation vnto our owne benefyte yf we wol not remitte and forgyue smal fautes done vnto vs that we maye haue pardone and forgyuenes of so many thousandes of greatte offences whiche we haue committed agaynst god And if any peraduenture wol thynke it to be a harde thynge to suffre and forgiue his ennemie whiche in worde and dede hath done hym many dyspleasures lette hym consyder agayne howe many harde stormes our sauiour Christe suffred and abode for vs. What were we whan he gaue his moste precyouse lyfe and blode for vs but horrible synners and his ennemyes Howe mekely toke he for our sake all rebukes mockes byndyng beatynge crownynge with thorne and the moste opprobrious deathe Why do we boste vs to be chrysten men yf we care not for Christe of whom we be soo named yf we endeuoure not our selfe to take example at him we be not worthy to haue the name of the membres yf we folowe not the heed And if any wol say that his ennemie is not worthy to be forgyuen let hym consyder and thynke that no more is he worthy to haue forgiuenes of god And by what equitie or iustyce can we requyre that god shulde be mercyfull vnto vs yf we woll shewe noo mercy but extremytie vnto our neyghbour and brother Is it a great matter for one synner to forgiue an other seing that Christe forgaue them that crucified hym And althoughe thy ennemie be not worthy to be forgyuen yet we be worthye to forgyue And Christe is worthye that for his sake we shulde forgyue But surely it is aboue our frayle and corrupte nature to loue our ennemies that doo hate vs and to forgyue them that do hurte and offende vs. Thus to do is a greatter grace thā can come of our selfes Therfore our sauiour Christ teacheth vs to aske this heuenly gyfte of
agayne hath cōmytted deedly synne can without the same be saued or attayne euerlastyng lyfe Item that lyke as suche men whiche after baptisme do fal agayne into synne if they do not penaunce in this lyfe shall vndoubtedly be damned Euen soo whan soo euer the same men shall conuerte them selfe from theyr noughty lyfe and do suche penaunce for the same as Christe requireth of them they shal without doubte attayne remissyon of theyr synnes and shall be saued Item that the sacrament of perfyte penaunce which Christ requireth of suche maner persons consysteth of thre partes Wherof the one is Contricion the other is Confessyon and the thirde is the amendement of the former lyfe or the newe obedient reconsiliation vnto the lawes and wyll of god that is to say exteriour actes and workes of charitie accordynge as they be cōmaunded of god whiche be called in scripture Fructus digni penitencia The worthy fruites of penaunce Furthermore as touchynge Contrition Cōtritiō whiche is the fyrste parte we thynke it conueniente that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe the people commytted vnto theyr spirituall charge that the sayde contrition consistethe in two speciall partes whiche muste alwayes be conioyned togyther and can not be disseuered That is to say the penitent and contrite man muste fyrste knowledge the fylthines and abhomination of his owne synne vnto whiche knowledge he is brought by herynge and consyderinge of the wyll of God declared in his lawes and feelynge and perceyuynge in his owne conscience that god is angry and displeased with hym for the same he muste also conceyue not onely great sorowe and inwarde shame that he hath so greuously offended god but also great feare of goddis displeasure towardes hym consyderynge he hath no workes or merytes of his owne whiche he may wortily say before god as sufficient satisfaction for his synnes Whiche done than afterwarde with this feare shame and sorowe muste nedes succede and be conioyned the seconde parte that is to wytte a certayn faythe trust and confidence of the mercy and goodnes of god wherby the penitente muste conceyue certayne hope and faithe that god wyll forgyue hym his synnes and repute hym iustified and of the nombre of his electe chyldren not for the worthynes of any merite or worke done by the penitent but for the onely merites of the blode and passion of our sauyour Iesu Christe Item that this certayne faythe and hope is gotten and also confyrmed and made more stronge by the applyenge of Christis wordes and promyses of his grace and fauoure conteyned in his gospell and the sacramentes instituted by hym in the newe testament And therfore to attayne this certayne faythe the seconde parte of penaunce is necessarye That is to say Confession to a prieste yf it may be hadde For the absolution gyuen by the prieste was instituted of Christe to applye the promyses of goddis grace and fauour to the penytente Wherfore as touchynge Confession we thynke it conueniente that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people cōmytted vnto theyr spirituall charge that they oughte and muste certaynely beleue that the wordes of absolution pronounced by the prieste be spoken by the auctoritie gyuen to hym by Christe in the gospelle And that they ought and muste gyue no lesse faythe and credence to the same wordes of absolution so pronounced by the ministers of the churche than they wolde gyue vnto the veray wordes and voyce of god hym selfe yf he shulde speake vnto vs out of heuen Ioan. xx Luc. x. accordynge to the sayenge of Christe whose synnes soo euer you doo forgyue shall be forgyuen whose synnes soo euer you doo reteyne shall be reteyned And agayne in an other place Christe saythe Luc. x. who so euer hereth you hereth me Item that the people may in no wyse contemne this auricular confession whiche is made vnto the mynysters of the churche but that they oughte to repute the same as a veray expedient and necessary meane wherby they maye require aske this absolution at the priestes handes at suche tyme as they shal fynd theyr consciēces greued with mortal synne haue occasion so to do to thintent they maye therby attayn certayne comforte and consolation of theyr consciences As touchynge the thyrde parte of penaunce we thynke it conueniente that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people cōmitted vnto theyr spirituall charge that althoughe Chryste and his deathe be the sufficient oblation sacrifice satisfaction and recompense for the whiche god the father forgyueth and remytteth to all synners not onely theyr synnes but also eternall peyne due for the same yet all men truely penitente contryte and confessed muste nedes also brynge forthe the fruites of penaunce That is to saye prayer fastynge and almes dede with moche mournynge and lamentyng for theyr synnes before commytted And they muste also make restitution or satisfaction in wyll and dede to theyr neyghbours in suche thynges as they haue done them wronge and iniurie in And fynally they muste do all other good workes of mercye and charitie and expresse theyr obediente wyll in the executynge and fulfyllynge of goddis commaundement outwardely whan tyme power and occasion shall be ministred vnto them or elles they shall neuer be saued For this is the expresse precepte and comaundemente of god Luc. iii. Rom. viii Do you the worthy frutes of penaunce And sayncte Paule saythe Lyke as in tymes paste you haue gyuen and applyed youre selues and all the membres of your bodyes to all fylthy lyuynge and wyckednes contynually encreasynge in the same In lyke maner you be nowe bounde and muste gyue and apply your selfes holly to iustice encreasynge contynually in puretye and cleannes of lyfe And in an other place he sayth i. Cor. ix I chastyse and subdue my carnall body and thaffections of the same and make them obediente vnto the spirite Item that these preceptes and workes of charitie be necessary workes to our saluation and god necessarily requireth that euery penitente man shall perfourme the same whan so euer tyme power and occasion shall be minystred vnto hym so to do Item that by penance and suche good workes of the same we shall not only obteyne euerlastyng lyfe but also we shal deserue remission or mitigation of the presente peynes and afflyctions whiche we susteygne here in this worlde For sainte Paule sayth i. Cor. ii That yf we wolde correcte and take punyshement of our selues in this worlde we shulde not be so greuously corrected of god Zach. i. And god by his prophete Zacharie saythe Tourne your selues vnto me and I wyll tourne agayne vnto you Esai xxviii And the prophete Esai sayth Breake and deale thy breade vnto the hungrye brynge into thy house the poore man and suche as want harboroughe whan thou seest a naked man gyue hym clothes to couer hym with and refuse not to succoure and helpe the poore and nedye for he is
his sayde churche that is to saye to be the onely patrone and aduocate and thonely mediatour betwene god and mankynde and the onely intercessor for the synnes of all them that ryghtfully beleue in hym And I beleue that accordynge therunto our sauiour Iesu Christ is of his owne goodnes not onely more redy alwayes than any other creature in the worlde is to helpe me by his mediacyon and intercession but also that whan so euer I do inuocate and calle vpon hym in ryght fayth and hope with full intent and purpose to amende and retourne from my noughty lyfe he presenteth and exhibiteth vnto the sight of his father his moste blessed body as it was wounded crucified and offred vp in sacrifyce for the redemption of mankynde and so from tyme to tyme maketh continuall request and intercession vnto god his father for the remission of all my synnes and for my reconciliation vnto his fauour and finally doth obteyne that god so reconciled woll vouchsafe to sende downe his holy spyrite to dwell within my harte there to rule to gouerne and to sanctifie me with all my thoughtes and dedes and to comforte and strengthe me with all spirituall gyftes necessary to the attaynynge of euerlastynge lyfe And therfore sithe my heed and my sauiour Iesu Christ ascended vp into heuen and sytteth there vpon the ryght hand of his father and maketh there continuall intercession for me I shall neuer from hens forthe by the grace of god seke nor set my felicitie in any worldly thynge but shall alwayes vse the creatures and ordynaunces of this worlde and all worldly thynges as a passynger or a pylgrime vseth the commodities of a straunge countrey wherin he intendeth not to tary but to passe forthe vntyll he shall come vnto his owne dwellynge place And I shall conuerte my hole cure desyre and study from these erthely pleasures to the attaynynge of that heuenly and euerlastynge life whiche is prepared and ordeyned for me And beinge assured of so good so louynge and therwith so myghty a gouernour mediatour and aduocate in heuen as Chryst is I woll by the helpe of his grace from hens forth continue styll perseuer vnder his kyngedome his tuicion and his gouernaunce and so being I woll accompt my selfe safe and sure in all maner aduersities and agaynst all maner aduersaries and enmyes And I woll neuer by the helpe and grace of god seke other gouernour or mediatour nor all the displeasures iniuries or aduersities in the worlde nor all the malyce crafte and subtilitie of the dyuell nor all the multitude or burden of my sinnes shall cause me to distruste or dispayre of helpe at his handes nor yet shall make me afrayde to prosecute this my said desyre and purpose or cause me to desyst from the same The sence and interpretation of the seuenth Artycle I Beleue assuredly and constanly do professe that our sauiour Iesu Christ beyng thus ascended in to heuen sette there on the right hand of almighty god his father shall at the laste ende of the worlde whiche we call Domesday retourne ones ageyne and come from heuen and appere vnto all the people of the worlde both quicke and deed in his perfyte manhode and in the selfe same body wherin he ascended to the inestimable comforte and reioyce of the good and to the extreme terrour confusyon of the wycked And although our sauiour Iesu Christ at his fyrst aduent or commyng into the world which was whan he came to be incarnate appered in the habyte and fourme of a very lowe seruaunt and of an abiecte person in all humblenes pouertie affliction and myserie and suffred him selfe to be iniustly iudged and condempned to dethe by others and although he hath euer syth that tyme and euer shal vntyl Domesday vse his mercy and longe pacience and suffrance towardes the wretched synners of the worlde inuitinge alwayes and callynge them from tyme to tyme to repentance yet I beleue assuredly that at his seconde aduent or commynge he shall appere in the high and almighty power glorie and maiestie of his kyngedome and beinge accompanyed with all the orders of aungelles waytinge vpon hym as his ministres Matth. xxv Apoc. i. he shall sytte openly in the clowdes of the ayre and shall iudge all the worlde quicke and deed and that straitely accordynge to trouthe and iustice and accordynge as he hathe promysed and thretned to do by his holy worde expressed in scripture that is to say accordynge to euery mannes owne workes and dedes done by hym while he lyued in the world without sparyng or fauourynge or shewynge of mercy vnto any whiche haue not deserued the same in theyr lyfe tyme. And I beleue assuredly that at this day whan Christ shal thus sytte in the seate or throne of his iudgement all the people of the worlde quicke dead that is to saye aswell al those whiche shall be founde on lyfe in the worlde at the daye of this seconde aduent or commynge of Christ as also al those whiche euer sythe the creation of Adam lyued here in this worlde and dyed before that daye shall come and appere before the presence of Christe in theyr very bodyes and sowles And whan they shal be so gathered and assembled togyther our sauiour Iesu Christe shall pronounce the extreme or fynall sentence and iudgement of euerlastynge saluation vpon all those persones Ro. ii whiche in theyr lyfe tyme obeyed and conformed them selfe vnto the wylle of god and exercysed the workes of ryght belefe and charytie and so perseuerynge in well doynge soughte in theyr hartes and dedes the honoure and glorye of god and lyfe immortall And contrarye vppon all those whiche in theyr lyfetyme were contentious and dyd repugne agaynst the wyll of god and folowed iniustice and iniquitie rather than trouthe and vertue our sauyour Christe shall than and there pronounce the sentence of euerlastynge punyshement and dampnation And I beleue that our sauyour Iesu Christe shall also than and there calle a parte and make a perfyte separation or diuysyon betwene these two sortes of people that is to saye betwene the shepe and the gootes the corne and the chaffe the good and the bad the blessed and the cursed the membres of his bodye and the membres of the dyuell And so settynge the good and the blessed vppon his ryght hande he shall cleerely and perfytely rydde delyuer and redeme them for euer from the power and malyce of the wycked and from all paynes and euyll and so take them all vp with hym into heuen there to be crowned and rewarded in body and sowle with honour glorie and euerlastynge ioye and peace whiche was prepared for them from the begynnynge of the worlde And contrary he shall sette all the other whiche shall be iuged to euerlastynge peyne and death vpon his lefte hande and so shall sende them downe into hell there to be punysshed in body and soule eternally with fyre that neuer shall haue ende whiche was
damage and peryll to the common weale And that all subiectes do owe vnto theyr pryncis and gouernours suche honour and obedience as is before sayde it appereth euidently in sondry places of scrypture but specially in the Epistles of saynct Paule and saynct Peter For sayncte Paule sayth in this maner Rom. xiii Euery man muste be obedient vnto the hyghe powers for the powers be of god And therfore who so euer resisteth the powers resysteth the ordynaunce of god And they that resyste shall get to them selfes damnation i. Pet. ii And saynt Peter sayth Obey vnto all sortes of gouernours for goddis sake whether it be vnto the kynge as vnto the chiefe heed or vnto rulers as vnto them that be sent of god for to punysshe euyll doers and to cherysshe them that do well And shortely after it foloweth Feare god Honour thy kynge And there be many exaumples in scripture of the greatte vengeaunce of god that hath fallen vpon rebels and suche as haue ben disobedient vnto theyr pryncis Num xvi But one princypall example to be noted is of Chore Dathan and Abiron Whom for their rebellyon almyghty god soo punysshed that Whan they and two hundred and fyftye capitaynes mo with other people to a great nombre were all to gyther the erthe opened and swalowed them downe with their houses their wyfes and theyr chyldren and all their substaunce And they went downe quycke in to hell with all that they had ¶ Fyftely we thynke it conuenient that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people commytted vnto their spirituall charge that this commaundement doth also conteyne the honour and obedience that seruauntes do owe vnto theyr maysters and the office and duetie agayne of the maysters vnto their seruauntes ¶ Item that the honoure and obedyence of the seruauntes vnto theyr maysters is to loue theyr mayster to be reuerente and lowly vnto hym in al theyr wordes and gesture to suffre and forbeare hym to be redy and with a good wyll without murmuration or grutchynge to obey all his lawfull or reasonable commaundementes to feare hym and to be lothe to displease hym to be faythfull and true vnto hym and to theyr power to procure and do that whiche is to theyr maisters honestie and profyt and that as well in theyr maisters absence and out of his syght as whan he is present and loketh vpon them accordynge to the wordes of sayncte Paule Ephe. vi where he sayth Seruantes be you obedyente vnto your maisters with feare and tremblyng with symple and playne hartes as vnto Christe not seruynge onely in theyr syght as pleasers of men but as the seruantes of Christe doynge the wyll of god from the harte and with good wyll thynkyng that you serue god and not men And be you sure that of all your good seruyce you shall receyue rewarde of god Tit. ii And agayne to Titus he wryteth thus Exhorte the seruantes to be obedyent vnto theyr maysters to please them well in all thynges not to be patterers and praters agaynst them nor pyckers or pryuey conueyers of theyr maysters goodes but to shewe all trouth and faythfulnes i. Pet. ii Saynte Peter also byddeth seruauntes to obey theyr maysters with all feare not onely yf they be good and gentle but also though they be frowarde ¶ Item that the offyce and duetie of the maysters vnto theyr seruauntes is to prouyde suffyciently for them of all thynges necessary To se them instructed in the lawes of god and that they obserue the same not to be ouer rygorouse vnto theym to correcte theym whan they do amysse and to cōmende and cherysshe them whan they do well accordynge to the sayinge of sayncte Paule You that be maysters Collo iiii doo vnto your seruaūtes that is right and reason know that your selues haue also a mayster in heuen And in an other place he saythe Ephe. vi Be not rygorous vnto your seruantes for you haue a mayster in heuen that regardeth all persons indifferently Ecclesi xxxiii And the wyse man sayth Meate correction and worke is due vnto the seruauntes Sette thy seruaunt to labour that he be not idell For idelnes bryngeth moche euyll Sette hym to worke for that belongeth vnto hym Yf he be not obedyent correcte hym ¶ Item that in this commaundement is also implyed that chyldren and yonge folkes shulde gyue due honoure and reuerence to olde men and to all suche as be theyr maysters and tutours to brynge them vp in lernynge and vertue whiche be in this behalfe as fathers vnto them and soo as fathers muste be honoured and obeyed ¶ Fynally we thynke it conuenient that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people commytted vnto theyr spiritual charge that al fathers ought diligētly to consider and remembre howe moche and howe greuousely they do offende god and of howe many euylles they be the cause whiche eyther brynge vp theyr chyldren in wantonnes and ydelnes and do not put them forth in tyme to some facultie exercyse or labour wherby they may after get their lyuynge or occupie theyr lyfe to the profyte and commoditie of the common weale or els do suffre theyr chyldren in youth to be corrupted for lacke of good teachynge and bryngynge vp in the true knowlege of god and of his wyll commaundementes or commytte in worde or dede suche thynges in the presence of theyr chyldren wherof the yonge tender hartes of theyr sayde chyldren whiche lyke a smalle twigge is inclyneable euery waye and by fraylenes of youth is inclyned to euyll do take so euyll example and corruption of vices and worldly affections that harde it woll be for them after to eschewe the same ¶ The declaration of the syxte commaundement AS touchynge the syxte commaundement we thynke it conuenyente that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people cōmytted vnto theyr spyrytuall charge Fyrst that in this commaundement is forbyden not onely bodely kyllynge and all maner of violent layinge of handes vpon any man as strikynge cuttyng woundynge and all maner of bodely hurtynge by acte and dede but also al malyce angre hate enuy dysdayne and al other euyll affections of the harte and also all sclaunder backbytyng chidyng bannynge raylynge scornyng or mockynge and all other euyll behauiour of our tongue agaynst our neighbour Whiche all be forbydden by this cōmaundement For they be rotis occasions of murder or other bodyly hurt ¶ Item that the contrary of all these thynges be commanded by this cōmandement that is to say that we shuld with our hartis loue our neyghbours and with our tongues speke well of them and to them and in our actes and dedes do good vnto them shewynge towardes them in hart word and dede pacience mekenes mercye and gentylnes yea thoughe they be our aduersaries and ennemyes And that this is the true sense and meanynge of this commandement it appereth by the exposition of our sauyour
for all that we haue of hym must we hange in hym must we caste our hole hope and truste that he shal sende vs sufficient and in noo wyse mystruste hym For yf he prouyde sufficiently for all fysshes and byrdes and other creatures whiche laboure not for theyr lyuynge as we doo howe moche more oughte we beynge his owne chyldren and also vsynge all labour and diligence to get our lyuynges to trust that our father whiche hathe all thynges in his disposition wyll se vnto vs that we shall lacke nothyng necessarie And as the husbande man tylleth and soweth his grounde wedeth it and kepeth it from destroyenge and yet he prayeth to god for thencrease and putteth all his truste in hym to sende hym more or lesse at his pleasure Euen soo besydes our owne diligence policie labour trauayle we must also pray dayly to god to sende vs sufficient we muste take thankfully at his handes all that is sent and be no further carefull but put our hole confidence and truste in hym For our sauyoure Christe saythe in the gospell Matt ix I saye to you be not carefull for your lyuynge what you shall eate ne what clothes you shall weare Is not lyfe better than your meate and youre bodye better than your clothynge Loke vpon the byrdes of the ayre they sowe not they reape not they brynge nothynge into the barne but your heuenly father feadeth them Be not you of more price then they Loke vpon the lillies in the fyelde they labour not they spynne not and yet I tell you that Salomon in all his precious and royall apparell was not soo clothed as one of them Therfore care you not for these thynges Leaue this care to them that knowe not god You re heuenly father knoweth that you haue nede of all these thynges but seke you fyrst the kyngdome of god and his ryghtuousnes than god shall cast all these thynges vnto you These be the wordes of Christe full of good and comfortable lessons that we shulde not care ne sette our hartes to moche vpon these worldly thynges ne care soo moche for to morowe that we shall seme to mystruste our lorde And that we shulde sequester this care frome vs and seeke for the kyngedome of god and employe our selfes holly to the gettynge therof and than he maketh a comfortable promyse that we shall not lacke thynges necessary for vs. And althoughe our lorde hath soo prouyded for some that they haue all redy sufficient and plentie for many days or yeres yet that not withstandynge they ought to make this petition to god and say Gyue vs this daye our dayly breade For asmoche as theyr substaunce thoughe it be neuer so great lyke as it coulde not haue ben gotten without god hadde sent it so it can not prospere and contynue excepte god preserue it For howe many great ryche men haue we knowen sodeynly made pore some by fyre some by water some by thefte some by exchete and many other wayes Was not Iob the one daye the rychest man that was in all the Estlande and the morowe after had vtterly nothynge It is therfore as nedefull to pray our lorde to preserue that he hath gyuen vs as to praye hym to gyue it For yf he gyue it and doo not preserue it we shall haue no vse of it ¶ Fourthely that by this breade whiche oure sauyoure teacheth vs to aske in this petytyon is pryncypally mente the worde of god whiche is the spirituall breade that fedeth the soule For as the body is nourysshed broughte vp groweth and fedeth with breade and meate soo nedeth the soule euen from our youth to be nourisshed brought vp with the worde of god and to be fed dayly with it And lyke as the body wol faynte and decay yf it be not from tyme to tyme releued and refresshed with bodyly sustenaunce euen so the soule waxeth feble and weake towardes god oneles the same be contynually cherysshed Mat. iiii refresshed kepte vp with the worde of god accordynge to the sayinge of Christe A man lyueth not with meate only but by euery word that procedeth from the mouth of god And surely there is no other thynge that can fede and comforte the soule but onely this breade of the worde of god For if we haue aduersitie in this worlde as pouertie sycknes imprisonment and suche other myseries where shulde we seke for comforte but at goddis wordes yf we thynke our selfe so holy that we be without synne where shuld we fynd a glasse to se our synnes in but in the worde of god If we be so ful of synnes that we be lyke to fall in to desperation where canne we haue comforte and lerne to knowe the mercy of god but onely in goddes worde Where shall we haue armure to fyght agaynste our thre great ennemies the worlde the flesshe and the dyuell where shall we haue strengthe and power to withstande them but onely as Christe dyd in and by the worde of god And fynally if we haue any maner of sicknes or disease in oure sowles what medicine or remedy can we haue but onely the worde of god So that the worde of god is the veray breade of the soule And therfore as well for this breade of the soule as also for the breade and dayly sustenaunce of the body oure sauyoure Christe teacheth vs to praye in this fourthe petition ¶ The sense and interpretation of the fyfthe petition OVr heuenly father loo we wretched synners knowlegynge and confessynge vnto the our moost mercyfull father the great and manyfolde synnes wherwith our conscience is contynually combred and hauynge none other refuge but vnto thy mercy we moost humbly beseche the comforte our conscience bothe now and in the howre of our dethe whiche is nowe abasshed asshamed to loke vpon our synne iniquitie and than also shall be more asshamed afrayde remembrynge thy harde and strayte iugement whiche shall than be at hande Gyue vs thy peace in our hartes that we to our comforte maye loke for thy iugement Entre not into iugement agaynste vs with the strayte extremitie of thy iustice Psal xxx for in thy syght noo man shall be founde innocente or ryghtuous but manyfolde wayes to haue synned agaynste the. Gyue vs grace dere father not to stycke stay or grounde our selfes in our owne good workes or deseruynges but to gyue and submyt our selfes playnly and faythfully to thyne infynyte and incomparable mercy Helpe and comforte all mennes conscience whiche in poynte of deathe or in any suche other temptation are vexed with desperation Forgyue bothe them and vs our offences comforte vs refresshe vs and be reconciled vnto vs. Iudge vs nat after the accusation of the dyuell and our wretched consciences neyther here the voyce of our ennemyes whiche accuse vs daye and nyght before the. But like as we forgyue them hartely which trespasse agaynste vs Euen so we beseche the forgyue vs the manyfolde synnes