A deuoute treatise vpon the Pater noster, made fyrst in latyn by the moost famous doctour mayster Erasmus Roterodamus, and tourned in to englisshe by a yong vertuous and well lerned gentylwoman of. xix. yere of age

¶Here after folowethe seuyn peticions of the Pater noster / translated out of La∣tyn in to Englysshe.

¶The fyrst peticion.

PAter noster qui es in celis / sanctificetur nomen tuum. Here O father in heuyn the petycions of thy chyl∣dren / whiche thoughe they be as yet bodily in erthe / natwithstan∣dynge / in mynde euer they desyre and long to come to y^e countre celestiall / & fathers house / where they well knowe and vnderstande / that the treasure of euerlastyng welthe and fely∣cite / that is to saye / the inherytaunce of lyfe im∣mortall / is ordayned for theym. We aknowledge thyne excellency / O maker / sauyour / and gouer¦nour of all thyng / conteyned in heuen & in erthe / And agayne we aknowledge & confesse our owne vylenesse / & in no wyse we durst be so bolde to call the father (whiche are farre vnworthy to be thy bonde men) ne take vpon vs the most honorable name of thy children / whiche vnneth thou vouch sauest thyne angelles / except thy mere goodnesse hadde: by adoptyon receyued vs in to the great honour of this name. The tyme was / whan we were seruaūtes to wyckednesse and synne / by the miserable generacion of Adam: we were also chil¦dren of the fende / by whose instinction and spyrite we were driuen and compelled to euery kynde of myschefe and offēce. But that thou of thyne infi∣nite

mercy / by thyne onely begoten sonne Iesus / made vs free from the thraldome of syn̄e / & dely∣ueredest vs frō the deuyll our father / & by violēce riddest vs frō thinheritaunce of eternall fyre / & at the last / y^u vouchsaffest to adopt vs by faythe and baptyme / as membres in the moost holy body of thy sonne: nat onely in to the felowshyppe of thy name / but also of thyne inheritaūce. And bycau∣se we shulde nothyng mystrust ī thy loue towarde vs / as a sure token therof / thou sendest from he∣uen downe in to oure hertes / the moost holy spy∣rite of thy sonne: Whiche (all seruauntlye feares shaken of) boldely cryeth out in our hertes with∣out cessyng / Abba pater / Whiche in Englysshe is as moche to saye / as O father father: & this thy sonne taught vs / by whome (as mynister) thou gyuest vs all thynge: That whan we were as it were borne agayne by thy spyrite / and at the fōt∣stone in baptyme / renounced and forsaken our fa∣ther y^e deuyll / and had begon to haue no father in erthe / than we shulde aknowledge onely oure fa∣ther celestyall: By whose marueylous power we were made somwhat of ryght nought: by whose goodnesse we were restored / whan we were loste: by whose wysedome incomparable / euermore we are gouerned & kepte / that we fall nat agayne in to distruction. This thy sonne gaue vs full truste to call vpon the / he assigned vs also away of pray¦eng to the / aknowlege therfore the desire & prayer of thy sonne / aknowlege the spirite of thy sonne / whiche prayeth to thy maiestie for vs by vs: Do

y^u nat disdayne to be called father of those / whom thy sonne moost lykest thy ymage / vouchesafe to call his brethern / and yet we ought nat her vpon to take lykyng in our selfes / but to gyue glorie to the and thy sonne for that great gentylnesse: sithe no man can here of hym selfe ought deserue / but that thyng whatsoeuer good it be / cometh of thy onely and free lyberalite. Thou delytest rather in names louyng and charitable / than terrible and fearefull: Thou desyrest rather to be called a fa∣ther / thanne a lorde or maister: Thou woldest we shulde rather loue the as thy children / than feare the as thy seruaūtes and bonde men: Thou fyrst louedest vs / and of thy goodnesse also it cometh / and thy rewarde / that we do loue the agayne. Gyue eare / O father of spyrites to thy chyldren spyrituall / whiche in spyrite praye to the: For thy sonne tolde vs / that in those that so prayed thy de¦lyte was / whom therfore y^u sēdest in to the worlde that he shulde teache vs all veryte and trouthe. Here nowe the desyres of vnyte and concorde / for it is nat sytting ne agreable / that bretherne whō thy goodnes••e hath put in equall honoure / shulde disagre or varry among themselfe / by ambicious desyre of worldely promocion / by contencious de∣bate / hatered or enuy / all we hang of one father / we all one thyng praye for and desyre / no man as∣keth ought for hym selfe specially or a parte / but as membres of one body / quyckened and releued with one soule: We requyre and praye in cōmen / for that whiche indyfferētly shalbe expedient and

necessary for vs all. And in dede / we dare none o∣ther thyng desyre of the / than what thy sonne cō∣maūded vs / ne otherwise aske / than as he apoyn¦ted vs / for in so askyng / his goodnesse promysed we shulde optayne / what soeuer we prayed for in his name. And for as moche as whan thy sonne was here in erthe / he nothyng more feruently de∣syred / than that thy moost holy name shulde ap∣pere and shyne / nat onely in Iudea / but also tho¦rowe all the worlde / besyde we also / bothe by his encoragyng and ensample / this one thing aboue all desyre / that the glorie of thy most holy name / maye replenisshe and fulfyll bothe heuen & erthe / so that no creature be whiche dredeth nat thy hye power and maieste / whiche do nat worshippe and reuerēde also thy wysdome eternall and maruey∣lous goodnesse / for thy glorie as it is great / so ney¦ther hauyng begynnyng nor endyng / but euer in it selfe florisshynge / can neyther encreace nor de∣creace / but it skylleth yet mākynde nat a lytell / y^t euery man it knowe and magnifye / for to knowe and cōfesse the onely very god. And Iesus Christ whom thou fendest in to y^e worlde / is as moche to vs / as lyfe eternall. Let the clere shynyng of thy name / shadowe & quenche in vs all worldly glory. Suffre no man to presume to take vpō hym selfe any {per}te of glory / for glory out of y^t is non / but very sclaūdre & rebuke. The course of nature also in car¦nall children this thyng causeth / that they great¦lye desyre the good fame and honest reputacion of their father: for we maye se howe glad they be / &

howe they reioyce / howe happy also they thynke them selfe / if happen their fathers any great ho∣noure / as goodly tryumphe / or their ymage and picture to be brought in to y^e court or cōmen place with an honourable preface / or any other goodly royalte what soeuer it be. And agayne we se how they wayle / and howe agast & astonyed they be / if chaunce their fathers sclaundre or infamy. So depely hath this thyng naturall affection routed in mannes hert / that the fathers reioyse in their childrens glory / and their children in the glorie of their fathers. But for asmoche as y^e gostly loue & affection of god / farre passeth and excedeth y^e car∣nall affecion of m••: therfore we thy spirituall chil¦dren / moche more feruently thurst and desyre the glory and honour of thy most holy name / & great¦ly are vexed and troubled in hert / if he / to whom alone all glorye is due chaunce rebuked or sclaun∣dred to be / nat that any sclaundre or rebuke can mynisshe or defoule the clerenesse of thy glory / but that we / as moche as lyeth in vs / in a maner do wronge and iniury to thy name / whan soeuer the gentyls eyther nat knowyng / or elles dispisynge the maker and originall of all / do worshippe & ho∣mage to creatures most vyle / as made of tymbre or stone: or other peynted images / some also to oxē some to bulles / and suche other lyke: And moreo∣uer / in all these foule and wycked deuylles / in ho∣nour of thē they sing hymnes: to these they do sa∣crifyce / before these they burne ensence and other swete sauours / than we thy spirytu••ll chyldren /

seyng all this / doubly are agreued / bothe y^t thou hast nat that honour whiche is due to the / & that these wretches perisshe by their owne madnesse & follye. The iewes also neuer cesse in their sinago∣ges and resorte of people / from dispitefull and ab∣ominable bacbytinge of thy onely sonne / wherby in the meane tyme they sclaundre the / sithe it can nat be chosen whan thy sonne is misfamed (whi∣che is y^e very clerenesse of thy glorie) but that in∣famy also must redounde in the. They cast eke in our tethe / as a thyng of great dishonestie / y^e most glorious name of thy chyldren / sayeng / y^t it were better to be called theues or manquellers / than̄e christen men and folowers of Christ. They ley a∣gaynst vs also that thy sonne was crucified / whi∣che is to vs great glorie and renoume / We maye thāke thy mercy father of all this thyng that we haue / and aknowledge the as originall and cau∣ser of all oure helthe / that we worshyppe also thy sonne in egall authorite with the / & that we haue receyued in to our hertes the spirite of you bothe. But yet good father in heuen / we pray y^t to shewe thy mercy to those also / that bothe the gētyls lea∣uyng and forsakyng the worshippyng & homage of counterfaite ymages: maye do all honour and reuerence to thy maiestie alone / and the iewes re∣leued with thy spyrite / renounsing their supersti∣cious vsyng of the lawe maye confesse god / from whom all thyng so abundantly cometh / may con¦fesse the fonne of god / by whome we receyue all: maye confesse the holygost / parttaker and felowe

of the diuyne nature / Let them worshippe in thre persons / one and egall maiestie / and aknowledge thre persons as one proper persone / so that euery nacyon / euery tonge / euery secte / euery age / as well olde as yong / maye with one assent auaunce and praise thy moost holy name. And I wolde to god that we also / whiche beare the name of thy children / were nat dishonestie to thy glorie / amon¦gest those y^t knowe the nat: for lyke as a good and wise sonne is the glorie and honour of his father / so a folisshe & vnthrifty childe / getteth his father dishonestie and shame / & he is nat a naturall and {pro}per chylde / whosoeuer do nat labour all that he can to folowe and be like his father in wytte & con¦dicions: But thy son̄e Iesus is a very kynde and naturall childe / for he is a very full and perfite y∣mage & similitude of the / whom holly he is lyke & representeth. We whiche are become thy children by adopcion and nat by nature / confermyng our selfes after his ensample / endeauer as moche as lyeth in vs / to come to some maner lykenesse of y^•: that lykewise as thou waste moost parfitely exal∣ted and glorified in thy son̄e Iesus: so as farforth as our weakenesse wyll suffre / thou mayst be glo∣rified also in vs / but the wayes howe thou mayst be glorified in vs / is / if the worlde perceyue that we lyue after y^e teaching and doctrine of thy son̄e that is to say / if they se that we loue the aboue all thyng / and our neighbour & brother no lesse than our owne selfes / & that we euer beare good mȳde and loue to our ennemy and aduersary / also well

doing and profyting those / whiche do vs iniury & wrong: For these thynges thy sonne badde vs we shulde do / whan he prouoked vs to the folowyng and likenesse of our father in heuen / whiche com∣maundeth his sone to shyne vpon good and yuell: And howe great a shame and dyshoneste are they to thy glorie / whiche whan they haue professed & taken vpon them thy name / natwithstandynge / do robbery and thefte: commyt aduoutrie: chyde and braule: study to reuēge: go about to disceyue: forswere theym selfe by thy moost holy name: a∣monge also sclaundre and backebyte: haue their belly as their god: dispyce the / and do seruice and homage to worldely richesse. And truely the com∣men sorte of people for the moost {per}te / esteme god after the lyueng and cōdicions of his seruaūtes. For if they may parceyue that they whiche haue professed thy name / lyue viciouslye: thanne they crye out and saye. What a god is he / that hath su¦che maner of worshippers? Fye on suche a may∣ster that hath so vnrewly seruauntes: Out vpon suche a father / whose children be so leude: Banis∣shed be suche a kyng / y^t hath suche maner of peo∣ple and subiectes. Thy sonne therfore consydring this / taught vs that lykewise as he bothe lyue∣eng and dyeng euer glorified thy name / so we al∣so all that we might / shulde endeuer by chast and blamelesse condicions / to auaunce and preyse the clerenesse of thy glorie / sayeng vnto us. Let your light shine in the sight of men / that they maye se your good workes / & in those glorify your father

in heuen. But in vs O good father / there is no lyght at all / excepte it wyll please the to sende vs any / whiche arte the contynuall and euerlastyng spring of all lyght: nor we of our selfes can bring forthe no good workes. Therfore good lorde we praye the / lette thy goodnesse worke in vs / & thy clere lyght shine in vs: as in all thynge that thou hast created / dothe shine thy eternall and endlesse power / thy wysdome vnable to be expressed & thy wonderfull goodnesse whiche moost specially / yet thou vouchsafest to shewe to mankynde. Nowe than whyder soeuer we loke / all thynges glorifye thy name: the erthely spirites bothe day & nyght neuer lynne prayeng their lorde and kyng: y^• wō∣derfull also & heuenly ingen that we beholde: the disagreyng concorde moreouer of the elamentes: the flowing and ebbyng of the see: y^e bublisshyng of ryuers: the enduring courses of waters: so ma¦ny dyuers kȳdes of thynges / so many kyndes of trees and of herbes / so many of creatures / and to euery thyng the proper apoynted and sette na∣ture: As in y^• Adamant stone to drawe yron / y^e her¦bes to cure and heale diseases and sickenesse: All these thynges I saye / what other thyng do they shewe to vs than the glorie of thy name / & that thou arte onely very god / onely immortall / onely of all power and might / onely wyse / onely good / onely mercyfull / onely Iuste / onely trewe / onely marueylous / onely to be loued & had in reuerēce. Than father / we may well se that he doth wrong to thy glorious name / who soeuer take vpon him

self to be called by any of these names / for though there be in vs any of these rehersed vertues / yet all that cometh to vs from thy liberall goodnesse. Graunt nowe therfore father / that thy name on euery side be glorified / and that the light and glo∣ry of thy name / maye no lesse appere and shyne in our maners and lyuenge / than it shyneth in thy Angels / and in all thynge that thou hast created and made: that in lykewise as they / whiche be∣holde and loke vpon this worlde of the wōderfull and marueylous workemanshippe / do guesse the excellēcy of the maker therof: so they that knowe the nat / moued and stered by our example / maye bothe cōfesse their owne misery and wretchednes and marueile thy liberall goodnesse / and by these meanes turned and cōuerted / may togyder with vs glorify the most holy name of the / of thy son̄e / and of the holy gost / to whom indifferently all ho∣nour and glorie is due for euer. Amen.

¶ The seconde peticion.

ADueniat regnum tuum. O father in heuen / whiche arte the onely causer / maker / sa∣uiour / restorer / & gouernour of all / bothe ī heuen and in erthe / out of whom cometh & procedeth all authorite / power / kyngdome / and rule / aswell to thynges vncreated as created / aswell to thinges inuisible as visible / whose trone and seate of ma∣iestie is the heuen: & the erthe as fotestole: whose kyngly septre & mace / is thyne eternall and most

establisshed wyll / whom no power is able to with¦stāde. Ones thou promisest thy people by y^e mou∣thes of thy prophetes / for the helth of makynde / a certayne spirituall realme whiche shulde brȳg into liberte / those that were thyne & borne anewe in the / and shulde delyuer them out of the tyran∣nous hādelyng of the fende / whiche in tyme past raigned as prince in the worlde / sore entangled & combred with synne. And to the gettyng & optay∣nynge of this realme / thou vouchsauest to sende from heuen downe into the erthe thy onely son̄e / whiche with the losse of his owne lyfe / redemyn∣ge vs / where we were afore seruauntes of the de∣uyll / shulde make vs the children of god: and ve∣rily thy sonne / while he lyued here in erthe / was wont to call his gospell / the heuenly kyngdome a the realme of god: whose knowlege yet he sayde to be hydde and kepte secrete from vs / but nat w^t∣standyng / thy children humbly require / and with feruente desyre / beseke the that this realme / whi∣che our lorde Iesus chal••ged for the / myght day∣lye more and more be disclosed and opyned here in erth / vntyll that tyme come / in whiche that same thy sonne shall restore and rendre it vp to the full and hole / whan all those haue subdued themselfe / whom thy goodnesse or the begȳnyng of y^e worlde hath apoynted to dwell in this realme. And whā all obstinate and rebelleous spirites / and all ma∣lycious and yuell desyres be fully quenched & wy∣ped away / whiche hiderto and at this day / make warre and insurrection agaynst thy maieste / whi¦che

vexe and vnquiete thy cōmunalte / what time thy royalme shalbe in sure peace and trāquillite: For verily as yet the worlde / by all the meanes & subtilties it can / oppresseth thy childrē / wādryng here bodily in erth as yet: also corrupt & vnclene affections / and olde original synue / rebell & striue ayenst the spirite: as yet noyous and wycked spi∣rites / whiche thou banyssheddest / and put out of the heuēly cite / do assaut with fyrely dartes from aboue those / whom thou of thy mere goodnesse hast deuyded frō this worlde / and as chosen folke and parttakers of thy sōne / hast apoynted to thy royalme. Graunt father of all myght / that they / whom thy goodnesse ones hath delyuered frō the tyrāny of synne / and assygned to dwell in thy roy∣alme / maye by the benifitte of the same benygne goodnesse contynue / and stedfastly abyde in theyr liberte and fredome: and that none leauynge and fayling from the and thy sonne / retourne agayne in the tyrannous seruice of the deuyll: & so bothe we by thy sonne shall raigne in the to our welthe / and thou in vs to thy glorie: for thou art glorified in our blysse / and our blysse is of thy goodnesse. Thy son̄e Iesus taught vs we shulde dispice the realme of this worlde / whiche standeth all by ry∣chesse / and is holde vp by garrisōs of men / by ho∣stes and armour / which also what soeuer it doth / dothe by pryde and violence / and is both gotten / kept / & defended by fierse cruelnesse: & he with the holy goost / ouercame y^e wycked spirite that ruled as chefe and heed in the worlde: afore he by inno∣cency

and purenesse of lyuyng / had the victorie of synne / by mekenesse venquesshed cruelnesse / by suffraūce of many dispitefull rebukes / recouered euerlastyng glory / by his owne deth restored life / and by his crosse had triumphe vpon the wycked spirites. Thus wōderfully hast thou father war∣red and ouercome: after this maner thou both tri¦umphest & reignest in thy sonne Iesus / by whom it hath pleased the of thy goodnesse / to take vs in to the cōgregaciō of the dwellers in thy royalme. Thus also thou tryūphest and reignest in thy ho∣ly martyrs / in thy chast virgins and pure confes∣sours / whiche yet neyther by theyr owne strēgth nor power / dyde ouercome the fiersenesse and dis∣pleasure of tyrantes / ne the raging or the wantō∣nesse of the flesshe / ne the maliciousnesse of this worlde. But it was thy spirite father / Whiche it pleased the to gyue them to y^e glorie of thy name / and the helthe of mankynde / that was bothe the begȳner and ender of all this in them: And we fa∣ther / hertely desire the / that thy realme may flo∣risshe also in vs: whiche all though we do no my∣racles / for asmoche as neyther tyme nor mater re¦quireth: albe it we be nat imprysoned nor turmen¦ted: though we be nat woūded nor brent / althogh we be nat crucified nor drowned: thoughe we be nat beheeded: yet natwithstandyng / the strength and clerenesse of thy realme: may shine and be no∣ble in vs / if the worlde perceyue / that we by the helpe of thy spirite / stande stedfast & sure agaynst all assautes of the deuyll / and agaynst the flesshe:

whiche alwaye stereth and prouoketh vs to those thynges / that be contrary to the spirite / & agaȳst the worlde / whiche by all the wayes it can / mo∣ueth vs to forsake and leaue the trust that we ha∣ue ones put in the / As often so euer as for thy loue we despice and sette nought by the realme of this worlde / and with full trust hange vpon the heuē∣ly kyngdome / that thou hast promysed vs: as of∣ten also / as we forsake and leaue honourynge of erthely richesse / and onely worshyp and enbrace y^e precious and gostly lernyng of the gospell / as of∣ten as we refuse those thȳges / that for the season seme swete and pleasaunt to the flesshely & carnal appetite / and in hope and trust of eternall felicite we suffre paciently and valiantly all thynge / be it neuer so harde: as often also as we can be content to forsake our naturall affections / and that whi∣che we haue moost dere / as our fathers and mo∣thers / wyues / chyldren / and kynsefolke / for the loue of the: Likewise as often as we oppresse and refrayne y^e furious and fiersely braydes of angre / and gyue mylde & meke wordes / to those y^• chyde and ••raule with vs / and do good to them / whiche do vs iniury and wronge: and all for thy sake. So often father thou warrest in vs / and ouerco∣mest the realme of the deuyll / & openyst y^• myght and power of thy realme. Thus it hath pleased and lyked thy wysdome father / by continuall and greuous batayle / to exercise / confyrme / and make stedfaste the vertue and strengthe of thy people. Encrease suche strengthe in thy childrē / that they

maye euer retourne stronger from their batayle•• and that whan by lytell and lytell / their enemies and aduersaries myght is minysshed and broken thou mayest euery day more and more raygne in vs: But the tyme is nat yet come good father / in whiche all the worlde haue subdued them selfe to thy yoke: For as yet / that tyrannous fende hath a do with many and diuers naciōs: There is nat yet one herde / and one herde mayster / whiche we hope shalbe / whan the iewes also shall bryng and submyt them selfe to the spirituall and gostely ler¦nyng of y^e gospell: for yet many knowe nat howe great a liberte it is / and what a dignite / and how great a felicite / to be subiectes to the heuenly re∣alme: and that is the cause why they had rather be the seruaūtes of the deuyll / than thy children inheritours with Iesu / and parttakers of y^e kȳg∣dome of heuen / and amongest those two father / that walke within the cloyster of thy churche / & seme as chefe in thy realme / there are nat a fewe / (alas) which holde on their aduersaries side: and as moche as lyeth in them / abate / shame / & dis∣honest the glory of thy realme. Werfore we speci∣ally desyre and wisshe for that tyme / whiche thou woldest none to knowe but thy selfe alone / in whi∣che / acordyng to the promyse of thy sonne / thy an∣gels shall come and make clene the floore of thy churche / and gader to guether into thy barne the pure corne / deuyded and seuered fro the cockle / & plucke out of thy realme / all maner occasyon of sclaundre / What tyme there shall neyther be hun∣ger

nor pouerte: no necessite of clothīg: no disease: no dethe: no pursuer: no hurt or yuell at all / ne a∣ny feare or suspicion of hurte but than all the bo∣dy of thy dere sosie heaped togyder in theyr heed / shall take f••uicion and pleasure of thy blessed com¦pany of heuen. & they whiche in the meane tyme had rather serue the tyrannous fende / shall togy∣ther with their maister be banysshed and sente a∣waye to euerlastyng punisshement: And trewely this is the realme of Israell / whiche whan Ie∣sus Christ forsoke the erthe / & retourned agayne to his disciples / desyred / myght shortely be resto∣red. Than thou madest heuen free and rydde frō all rebellion / what tyme Lucifer•• with his com∣pany was caste out. So ones in the day of dome and iugement whan the bodyes shall aryse / thou shalte departe the sheepe from the gottes: & than who so euer hath here with all d••••••gēce embrased the spirytuall and goollely realme of the gospell / shalbe desyred and brought to the / to the inhery∣taūce of the euerlastynge kyngdome / to y^e whiche thy goodnesse had apoynted theym or the worlde was made. This fortunate and happy day whi∣che thy sonne Iesus promysed shulde come / we thy children good father / greatlye desyre / whiche dwelle here in erthe as outlawes in exyle / sore lo∣dened with the hugenesse of the erthely body / suf∣fryng in the mean tyme / many greuous displea∣sures / and sorowyng that we be withdrawen frō thy company / wherof than we shall haue perfite pleasure and fruycion / Whan face to face we shall

se and beholde our kyng and father / raignyng in his great glorie. And yet we haue nat this hope & truste of our owne merites and desertes / whiche we knowe verily as non / but onely of thy liberall goodnesse: Wherby it lyked the to bestowe thyne owne sonne holly for vs / and to sende vs the holy goost as pledge and token of this inheritaunce: & if it wyll please the also to graunt / that we maye stedfastly and without any waueryng / contynue in thy sonne Iesus: than thou canst nat departe vs from the company of thy realme: To whome with that same thy son̄e and the holy goost / all re¦nome / honour / and glorie is due worlde without ende. Amen.

¶The thyrde peticion.

EIat voluntas tua sicut in ceso et in terra. O fa∣ther whiche art the noryssher and ordrer of all / whom it pleaseth thy sonne to aknowlege as his bretherne / and he so aknowlegeth all those / y^t in pure faythe professeth his name in baptysme: Thy children here in erthe call and crye to y^e dwel¦lyng in heuen / a place farre out of all chaūgeable mutabilite of thynges created / desyryng in dede / to come to thy heuenly and celestiall cōpany / whi¦che is defouled with no maner spotte of yuell / sa∣uyng they knowe well that non can be taken and receyued in to so great a tranquillite & quietnesse / but onely they / whiche with busye studye / whyle they lyue here / labour to be such as ther must be:

Therfore it is all one realme / bothe of heuen and erthe / sauyng this difference / that here we haue sore & greuous conflicte w^t the flesshe / the worlde / and the deuyll: and there all though there is no∣thyng that might minysshe or defoyle the welthe of blessed soules: Yet as touchynge the full perfe∣ction of felicite / there is some maner mysse / whi∣che is / that all the membres and partes of thy sonne be gathered together / and that the hole bo∣dy of thy sonne / safe and sounde be ioyned to his heed / Wherby neyther Christe shall lacke any of his partes and mēbres / nor good mennes soules theyr bodyes: whiche lykewise as they were euer here in erthe parttakers of theyr punīsshementes and afflictiōs: so their desyre is to haue them com¦paniōs of their ioye in heuen. And they finally in this worlde / go about to folowe the vnite and con∣corde of the heuenly kyngedome / whiche all the tyme they lyue bodily in erthe / as it becometh na∣turall and obedient children / studye with all dili∣gence to fulfyll those thȳges / whiche they knowe shall cōtent thy mynde & pleasure / and nat what their owne sensuall appetite gyueth them / ne iu∣gyng or disputyng why thou woldest this or that to be done / but thynkyng it sufficient / that thus thou woldest it / whom they knowe surely to wyll nothing / but that that is best. And what thy will is / we lerned sufficiently of thy onely begotton & moost dere sonne. He was obeydient to thy wyll / euyn to his owne dethe / and thus he sayd / for our lernyng and instruction. Father / if it may conue∣nyently

be / suffre this drynke of my passyon to be withdrawen from me / howe be it / yet thy wyll be fulfylled and nat myne. So that thā nedes must man be a shamed / to preferre & set forth his owne wyll / if Christ our maister was cōtent to cast his owne wyll awaye / and subdue it to thyne. The flesshe hath his propre wyll and delyte / whi∣che man naturally desyreth to kepe and folowe. The worlde also hath a wyll by it selfe / and the de¦uyll his wyll / farre contrarye to thyne. For the flesshe coueteth agaynst the spirite whiche we ha¦ue receyued of the: and the worlde entyseth vs to sette our loue on frayle and vanysshyng thynges: and the deuyll laboureth about that / that might bring mā to euerlasting distruction. Nor it is nat inough / y^t in baptyme we haue {pro}fessed / y^t we wyll be obedient to thy preceptes / and there to haue re¦nounced the deuyls seruice / excepte we labour all our lyfe / to perfourme stedfastly that / whiche we haue professed: But that we can nat perfourme / but if thou gyue vs strengthe / to helpe forthe our purpose: so that our wyll haue no place in vs / but let thy wyll father worke in vs that / whiche thy wysdome iudgeth and thynketh best for vs. Who so euer lyueth after the flesshly & carnall appetite they are deed to the / and than nat as thy childrē. Ye / and we thy children also / as longe as we are here bodily in erthe / haue among nat a litell busi∣nesse and a do / in venquesshyng the flesshly delite: whiche laboreth to preuent thy wyll: but graunt good father / that thyne euer ouercome & haue y^•

better / whether it lyke the we lyue or dye / or to be punisshed for our correction / or be in prosperite / to the entent we shulde gyue the thankes for thy li∣berall goodnesse. And they folowe and obeye the wyl of the deuyl / whiche do sacrifice and homage to idols / whiche sclaūderously backebite thy most honorable sonne / and for enuy and yuell wyll / go about to brynge theyr neyghbour in to perill and distruction: and so they may shortly waxe ryche / care nat whether they do ryght or wrong / and are al fulfylled with corrupt and vnclene thoughtes / But this is thy wyll father / that we shulde kepe both our body and mynde chast and pure from al vnclenesse of the worlde / and that we shulde pre∣ferre and set more by thyne honour & thy sonnes / thā all other thynges besyde. And that we shulde be angry with no man / ne enuye or reuenge any man / but alway be redy to do good for yuell: ye / & to be content rather with turmentes / hūger / im∣prisonement / banysshement / and dethe / than in any thynge to be contrarye to thy pleasure: And that we may be able euery day more and more / to perfourme all this / helpe vs O father in heuen / that y^e flesshe may euer more and more be subiect to the spirite / and our spirite of one assent / and one mynde with thy spirite. And likewyse as nowe in dyuerse places thy children / whiche are obedient to the gospell / obey and do after thy wyll: so graūt they may do in all the worlde besyde / that euery man may know and vnderstāde / that thou alone art the onely heed and ruler of al thyng / and that

in lyke wyse as there are none in heuen / Whiche mutter and rebell agaynst thy wyll / so let euery man here in erthe / with good mynde and gladde chere obey thy wyll and godly preceptes. Nor we can nat effectually and fully mynde what y^• good lorde wyllest / excepte it wyll please the to plucke & drawe vs therto. Thou cōmaundest vs to be obe∣dyent to thy wyll and pleasure / and in dede they are nat worthy to be called children / but if in all poyntes they folowe and obey theyr fathers byd∣dyng: but sithe it hath liked thy goodnesse to take vs / although farre vnworthy into so great an ho∣nour of thy name: let it please the also of thy gen∣tylnesse to gyue vs a redy and stedfast wyll / that in nothyng we ouerhippe or be agaynst that / whi¦che thy godly and diuine wyll hath apoynted vs / but that we kyll and mortifye our flesshly and car¦nall lustes / and by thy spirite be ledde to y^e doyng of all good workes / and al thyng that is pleasaūt vnder thy sight. Wherby y^u father mayst aknow∣ledge vs as thy children naturall / and nat out of kynde / and thy sonne as kynde & good bretherne: that is to saye / that bothe twayne maye aknow∣ledge in vs his owne propre benefyte / to whome with the holy goost equall and indifferent / glorie is due for euer. Amen.

¶The fourthe peticion.

PAnem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie. O fa∣ther in heuē / whiche of thy excedyng good¦nesse / moost plentuously fedest all thynges y^t thou

hast so wondersly created / prouide for vs thy chil∣dren / whiche are chosen to dwelle in thy celestiall and heuēly house / and that hang holly and onely of thy son̄e / some spirituall and goostly fode / that we obeyng thy wyll and preceptes / may dayly en¦crease and waxe bigger in vertue / vntyl after the course of nature we haue optayned and gathered a full and {per}fyte strength in our lorde Iesu Christ. The children of this worlde / so longe as they are nat banysshed ne out of theyr frendes fauour / all that tyme they take lytell care of their meate and drynke: sithe their fathers of their tendre loue to∣warde them / make sufficient prouision for them. Than moche lesse ought we to be carefull or studi¦ous / whom thy sonne Iesus taught shulde caste away all care of the morowe meale / perswadyng and assuring vs / that so riche a father / so gentyll / so louynge / and that had so great mynde of vs / & whiche sente meat to the lytell byrdes / and so no∣bly clotheth y^e lyles in the medowe / wolde nat suf∣fre his childrē / whiche he hath endued with so ho¦nourable a name / to lacke meate and bodily appa¦rayle: but all thyng sette asyde that belongeth to the body / We shulde specially and aboue all / seke and labour about those thynges / whiche pertay∣neth and belongeth to thy realme / and the iustice therof. For as touching the iustes of the pharises that sauereth all carnally / thou vtterly dispysest and settest nought by: For the spirituall iustes of thy realme / stādeth by pure faythe and vnfayned charyte. And it were no great mater or shewe of

thy plentye / to fede with breed made of corne the body / whiche althoughe it perisshed nat for hun∣ger / yet it must nedes dye & perysshe within short space / eyther by syckenesse / age / or other chaūce / but we thy spirituall and goostly children / desyre and craue of our spirituall father / that spirituall & celestiall breed / Wherby we are verily relyued / whiche be verily and truely called thy children: y^• breed is thy worde full of all power / bothe the gy∣uer and norissher of lyfe: Whiche breed y^u vouche∣sauest to sende vs downe from heuen / what tyme we were lyke to haue perisshed for hūgre. For ve∣rily / the breed and teachynge of the proude philo∣sophers and pharises / coude nat suffice and con∣tent our mynde: But that breed of thyne / whiche thou sendest vs / restored deed men to lyfe / of whi∣che who soeuer dothe eate shall neuer dye. This breed relyued vs: by this breed we are norysshed and fatted: and by this we come vp to the perfite and full strength of y^e spirite. This breed though day by day it be eaten and distributed to euery bo¦well of the soule / yet but if thou father doest gyue it / it is nat holsome nor any thyng auayleth. The blessed body of thy dere sonne is the breed / wher∣of we be all parttakers / y^t dwell within thy large house of the churche. It is one breed that indiffe∣rently belōgeth to vs all / lykewyse as we are but one body / made of sondrye and diuers membres / but yet quickened with one spirite: and though al take of this breed / yet to many it hath ben dethe and distruction / for it can nat be relefe / but to su∣che

as thou reachest it vnto / mynglynge it with thy heuenly grace / by the reason wherof it maye be holsome to the receyuours. Thy son̄e is verite and trouth / trouth also is the breed and teachyng of the gospell / Whiche he lefte behynde hym for our spirituall fode / and this breed likewise to ma∣ny hath ben vnsauery / which haue had y^e mouth of theyr soule out of taste / by the feuer of corrupte affectiōs. But and it wyll please the good father to gyue forthe this breed / than it must of necessite be swete & pleasaūt to the eaters: thā it shal cōfort those that be in tribulation / and plucke vp those that be slydden & fallen downe / and make stronge those that be sicke and weake / and finally brynge vs to euerlasting lyfe. And for asmoche as the im¦becilite and weakenesse of manes nature / is euer redy & apt to declyne into the worse / & the soule of man so cōtynually assauted & layde at with so ma¦ny subtile ingyns / it is expedient and necessary / that thou dayly make stronge & he•••• thy children with thy breed / whiche elles are farre vnable to resyst so many and so stronge ennemyes so many assautes / and so many fearefull & terrible dartes. For who father might abyde to be had in derision of the worlde / to be outlawed and banisshed / to be putte in prison: to be fettred and manacled: to be spoyled of all his goodes / and by stronge hande / be depriued of the cōpany of his moost dere wyfe and welbeloued children / but if nowe and thā / he were hertened with thy heuēly and gostly breed? He that teacheth the lernyng of the gospell / he is

he / y^e gyueth vs forthe this breed / whiche yet he gyueth all in vayne / except it be also gyuen by y^e. Many there are / whiche receyue the body of thy son̄e / and that here the worde and doctryne of the gospell / But they departe fro thence no stronger than they came / bycause they haue nat deserued that thou good father / shuldest priuely and inui∣sibly reache it forthe vnto them. This breed / O most benigne father / gyue thy childrē euery day / vntyll that tyme come / in whiche they shall eate of it / at thy heuenly and celestiall table: Wherby the children of thy realme shalbe fulfylled with y^e plentuous abundancye of euerlastynge trouthe. And to take fruiciō therof / it were a marueylous felicite and pleasure / whiche hath nede of none o∣ther thyng at all / neyther in heuen nor erthe: For in the O father alone is all thynge / out of whom is right nought to be desyred / whiche toguyther with thy sonne and the holy gooste / raygnest for euer. Amen.

¶The fyfte peticion.

EL dimitte nobis debita nostra / sicut et nos dimitti∣mus debitoribus nostris. This is thy wyll and mynde O father in heuen / whiche art the maker of peace and fauourer of concorde / that thy chyl∣dren / whom it hath pleased thy goodnes to cou∣ple and ioyne in the bōdes of one assent: & whom thou quickenest with one spirite / & with one bap∣tysme purgest and makest clene / and in one house

of the churche acōpanyest / and with the cōmen sa¦cramentes of the churche doest norisshe: & whom thou hast indifferently called to the inheritaunce of the kyngedome of heuen / bycause they shulde be of more strength / and shulde lyue toguyder in thy house of one mynde: and that there shulde be no stryfe or contencion amongest the partes and membres of one body / but eche to lyue in charite with other: Yet in so moche as they are fayne to kepe styll theyr mortall body / it can nat be chose / but by reason of the weakenesse and frailte of na∣ture amonge / displeasure & offences shall chaūce / wherby though the clerenesse of brotherly loue & concorde be nat vtterly extinct and quenched / yet it is made all faynt and colde / and lyke in conclu∣sion to be quenched: Except y^u father of thy great gentylnesse & mercy / shuldest dayly forgyue those that euery day offended the: for as often as we of¦fende our brother / so often also we offende and dis∣please y^e father / whiche cōmaūdeddest we shulde loue our brother as our owne selfe / but thy sonne knowyng well inough the imbecilite and weake∣nesse of this membre / shewed vs a remedy ther∣fore / gyuyng vs sure hope y^t thy goodnesse wolde remytte and forgyue vs all our offences / if we on the other side with all our hert wolde forgyue our brother / what so euer he trespaceth agaynste vs / and this is a very equall and indifferent waye to optayne {per}don and forgyuenesse / whiche thy son̄e Iesus hath assigned: For howe can any mā be so bolde to desyre his father to withdrawe his reuē∣gynge

hande from hym / if he hym selfe go about to reuenge a lytell offence in his brother / or who is of so shamelesse boldenesse / that wolde nat be a¦frayde to saye to the / Slake thy angre / whan he contynueth in rancoure and malyce styll towarde his brother? And howe can he surely boost and a¦uaunce hym selfe as a membre of thy sonne / whi∣che beyng fre from all synne hym selfe / prayde the to forgyue the theues on the crosse / if he all entan¦gled with synne / and a synner coulde nat fynde in his hert to forgyue his brother / agaynst whome nowe and than he offendeth? so that amōgest vs it maye be called rather as mutuall chaūge of {per}∣done / than very forgyuenesse: that sacrifice is im¦pleasaunt in thy sight / whiche is offred in remē∣braunce of displeasure or neglygence / of reconcy∣lyng his brothers good wyll. Therfore thy sonne gaue vs this in cōmaundement / that we shulde leaue our offring euyn at y^e auter / & hye vs a pace to our brother / and labour to be in peace with hȳ / and than returne agayne & offre vp our rewarde: Lawe nowe / we folowe y^t thy sonne hath taught vs / we endeuer to performe that he hath done / if thou aknowlege the couenant & bargayne made of thy son̄e / as we dout nat but thou doest / graūt vs we beseke the / that thyng wherof we had full hope & trust by thy sonne: Thus he bad vs praye whan he answered nat a fewe tymes / y^t we shulde optayne what soeuer we desyred of y^• in his name he made vs bolde to pray to the / vouchesafe thou by him / to forgyue those that call vpon the: we a¦knowlege

our owne imbecilite & feblenesse / wher∣by we well perceyue / in to howe shamfull and ab∣homynable offences we were lyke to fall into / ex∣cept we were preserued by thy goodnesse frō gret∣ter synnes: and the same mekenesse thou leftest in vs / as a remedy against y^e pride which we shulde haue ben in ieopardy to haue fallen in dayly: We offende and fall / to the entent that euery daye we might glorify thy gētylnesse: Graunt father that we may hertely forgyue our bretherne / that whā we be in peace and vnite amongest our selfes / we may haue the alway mercyfull vnto vs / and if in any thyng we offende the / amēde vs with thy fa∣therly correction / so that thou vtterly forsake vs nat / nor disinherite vs / ne cast vs in to hell: ones in baptyme thou hast remytted vs all our sȳnes / but that was nat inoughe / for thy tendre loue to∣warde vs / but thou hast also shewed a sure & redy remedy / for the dayly offences of thy children / for the whiche we thanke thy great gētylnesse / whi∣che vouche sauest by thy sonne and the holy gost / to endewe vs with so great benifytes / to the euer lastyng glorie of thy moost holy name. Amen.

¶The sixte peticion.

EL ne nos in ducas in tentationem. O good fa∣ther in heuen / albeit there is nothing that we greatly feare / hauyng the mercyfull vnto vs / and whyle mutuall loue and charyte eche with o∣ther / maketh vs thy children of more strength a∣gaynst

euery yuell assaut / yet whan we consydre howe weake and fraile the nature of man is / and howe ignorant also we be / whome thy goodnesse wyll iudge and thynke worthy the contynuaunce in thy loue / to the ende of this lyfe / in whiche as long as we are / a thousande maner of wayes we be stered to fall and ruyne / therfore we can nat be vtterly seker and carelesse: all this lyfe is rounde about be sette with the dyuelles snares / he neuer cesseth temptynge vs / whiche was nat a frayde with craftie subtylteis to sette vpon thy sonne Ie¦sus / We call to mynde howe greuously the fende assauted thy seruaunt Iob: We remembre howe Saull was fyrst thy electe and chosen seruaunt / & within a while after cast out of they light: We can nat forget howe Dauyd whom y^u calleddest a mā euyn after thyne owne appetyte / was drawen to that great villany of synne / that he mengled ad∣uoutre with māslaughter: We cōsydre howe So∣lomon whom in the begynnyng of his rule / thou gauest wysedome aboue all men / was brought to that madnesse and folly / that he dyde sacrifyce to strange & vtter goddes: We remembre also / what befell the chefe and heed of thyne apostles / whi∣che after that he had so valyantly professed / that he wolde dye with his mayster / natwithstādyng thrise forsware his maister. These and suche ma∣ny other / whan we cōsydre / we can nat but feare and aborre the ieopardy of temptacion: and thy fatherly loue wolde vs alway to be in this feare / bycause we shulde nat sluggisshely & slouthfully

begyn to trust in our owne helpe / but defēde and arme our selfe agaynst euery saute of temptacion with sobre temperaūce / watche / & prayer: wher∣by we shulde neyther prouoke our ennemy / remē∣bring our owne feblenesse / nor be ouerthrone in y^e storme of temptacion trustyng to thy ayde / with out whiche we are able to do right nought / y^u suf∣frest among tēptacion to fall / eyther to proue and make stedfast the suffraūce & pacience of thy chil∣dren / as Iob and Abraham were tempted / or els by suche scourges to correcte and chasten our offē∣ces: but howe often soeuer thou suffrest this / we praye the thou wylt bring that same temptacion to good and lucky ende / & gyue vs strength egall to the moūtenaunce & weight of the yuels y^t come vpon vs / it is no lytell ieopardy whan soeuer we be thretned with losse of our goodes / w^t banysshe∣ment / rebukes / imprisonment / with bandes and bodily turmentyng / & horrible and fearfull dethe But we are in no lesse peryll at all / whan {pro}sperite to moche laugheth on vs / than whan we be ouer moche feared with trouble and aduersyte: They are an īnumerable sorte whiche fall on euery side / some for feare of punysshment do sacrifyce to wic∣ked deuyls / some ouerthrone and astonyed with yuels and vexaciōs / do blaspheme thy most holy name: & agayne / some drowned with ouermoche worldely welthe / sette at nought and dyspice thy gyftes of grace / and retourne agayne in to their olde and former fylthynesse / as the sonne that the scripture speketh of / whiche after tyme he hadde

spent and reuelled out all his fathers substaunce / by vnthrifty and vngracious rule / was brought to that misery and wretchednesse / that he enuyed the swyne their chaffe. We knowe well good fa∣ther / that our aduersary hath no power ouer vs at all / but by thy suffraunce: Wherfore we be cō∣tent to be put to what soeuer ieopardy it pleaseth the / so it wyll lyke thy gentylnesse to measure our ennemys assaute and our strength / for so though we be somtyme in the fyrst metyng to weake / yet thy wysedome in the conclusyon wyll tourne it to our welthe. So thy most dere and honorable son / was euer wonte to ouercome the deuyll: thus the flesshe: and thus the worlde: that whan he semed moost to be oppressed / he than moost specially tri∣umphed / and he fought for vs / he ouercame for vs / and triumphed for vs: Let vs also ouercome by his ensample with thy helpe / and by the holy goost / procedyng frō bothe for euer. Amen

¶The seuenth peticion.

SEd libera nos a malo. O almyghty father / it hath pleased thy mere and liberall good¦nesse / ones whan we were rydde from sȳne / to de∣lyuer vs by thy son̄e Iesus Christ / out of the hā∣des of our moost foule and vnclene father the de∣uyll / & to electe & take vs in to the honour bothe of thy name and thyne inherytaūce: but yet of this condycion that all the while we lyue here in erthe we shulde be in cōtynuall batell with our enemy /

nothyng mystrust / but that thou wylte performe that whiche we desyre of the. Amen.