Amen, Amen, dico vobis, si quid petieritis.—JOHN xvi. [23.]
CRIST telliþ in þis gospel hou his disciplis shulden be helpid by vertue of her preier, whan he was styed in to hevene. And first he seiþ a general word, and takiþ boþe his kyndis to witnes, þat, ȝif þei axen ouȝt þe Fadir of hevene in his name, he shal ȝyve it hem. But, as Crist seiþ, unto þat tyme his disciplis axiden not in his name, and herfor aftirward shulden þei axen þat þere joie were ful, and þei shulden take. Al þe hardnesse of þis mater is to cunne perfitly to axe in Cristis name, for he shal have þat axiþ þus. But siþ oure Jesus is treuþe and helþe of men þat trowun in him, þat man axiþ in Cristis name, þat axiþ in treuþe his soule helþe. Crist is moost lord of al, and þerfore he wole have dispit, but ȝif men axen him a greet þing; ffor ellis his lordship and þat axing acorden not to his name. And so, ȝif þou wilt axe in Cristis name, axe þe blisse þat evere shal laste; and siþ Crist is treuþe and resoun, loke þi axinge be resonable, and þan maist þou be sure to have þe þing þat þou axist þus. And herfore Crist in þis gospel biddiþ us to axe oure ful joie, and þan shal we have it, if þat we axen it in resoun; for no man haþ but half joie, but ȝif he be ful of blisse. And þis greet lord wole not be axid but þis blisse, or menes þerto; and ȝif man axe þus in resoun þat he be worþi to have it, he shal have it wiþouten doute whan best tyme were þat he hadde it; and he shal have on þe best manere þe þing þat he axiþ þus.
And herfore þe seven axingis þat Crist techiþ in þe Pater noster meneþ [So in B; menen, E, C; moveþ, A.] þis forme of axinge; and algatis to axe in charite; and þerfore men þat lyven in werre ben unable to have þer axinge: but þei axen þer owne dampnynge in þe fifte peticioun, for þer þei axen þat God forȝyve hem þer dettis þat þei owen to hym, riȝt as þei forȝyven men þat ben dettours unto hem. And
