A profitable and necessarye doctrine with certayne homelyes adioyned therunto / set forth by the reuerend father in God, Edmunde Byshop of London ...

〈◊〉〈◊〉 Thexposition or declaration of the thyrde petition whyche is.

Thy wil be done in earth, as it is in hea∣uen.

AFter that in the seconde petition we doo aske of God oure eternall father that hys kyngedome of grace, maye come vnto vs in thys worlde, & that we maye finallye come to hys eternal kyngdome in heauen (whyche is the hyghest degree of mans filicitye) there doth by ryghte order folowe thys thirde petition, wherein we doo aske of God oure eternall father, that hys wyll maye be fulfylled here in earthe, by the fulfyllynge, and ke∣pynge of hys commaundementes, whyche is the best and mooste perfecte meanes, to procure vnto vs the foresaide highe degree of our felicytie. And for the bet∣ter and playner vnderstandynge of thys thyrde pe∣tition, you shall note that by disobedience, and synne of our fyrst father Adam, we be, as of our nature one∣lye, without the grace of God, vnhable to fulfyll the wyll, and preceptes of God, and so are enclyned to loue our selues, and oure one wylles, that we canne not hartely loue, neither god, nor man, as we oughte to doo. And therfore (we being once chrysten men) it is requisite for vs to praye, that lyke as the holye aungelles and saynctes in heauen (in whome GOD reygnethe perfectlye, and holye) doo neuer cease, ne shall cease, to gloryfye hym, to prayse hym, and

to fulfyll hys wyll and pleasure in all thynges, and that moste readylye and gladely, without any maner of grudgynge, or resystinge there vnto, knowyng cer∣tainelye and clearelye, that hys will is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the best euen so that we the chyldren of God, in earthe, maye daylye and continuallye prayse God, and by our holy conuersation in good workes, and good lyfe, honour and groryfye hym, and that we maye from tyme to tyme so mortyfye oure owne naturall corrupte and synnefull appetyte, and wyll, that we maye be euer redye lyke louynge children, humbly, lowely, and obe dientlye, to approue, allowe, and accomplyshe the wil of God oure father in all thynges, and to submytte our selues wyth all oure hearte vnto the same, and to acknowledge that whatsoeuer is the wyll of GOD, the same is moste perfecte, moste iuste, most holy, and mooste expediente for the health and wealthe of oure soules, we (I say) ought also for these things to pray.

Wherefore in this petition also, we desyre of God true and stable pacience, when oure wyll is letted or broken. And that whan anye man speaketh or doeth contrarye to our wyll, yet therefore we be not oute of pacyence, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 curse, or murmure, or seke venge∣aunce agaynste our aduersaryes, or them whyche let oure wyll but that we maye saye well of them, and doe well to them. We pray also that by goddes grace we may gladelye suffer all diseases pouerty, dispysyn∣ges, persecutions, and aduersities, knowynge that it is the wyll of God, that we shoulde crucyfye and mortyfye oure wylles. And whan any such aduersitie chaūceth vnto vs, to attribute al vnto the wil or suf∣feraunce

of GOD, and geue hym thankes therefore who doth order all suche thynges for oure weale and benefytte, eyther for the exercyse and the tryall of the good to make them stronger in goodnes and vertue, or ells for the chastysemente and amendemente of the euyll, to suppresse theyr euyll motyons and desyres.

And also we praye that whansoeuer it shall please god to call vs oute of thys transytorye lyfe, we maye be wyllyng to dye, and that consyrmynge our will to the wyll of God, we maye take our deathe gladely, so that by feare, or 〈◊〉〈◊〉, we be not made dysobe∣dyent vnto hym.

We desyre furthermore, that all oure members, eyes, tonge, hart, handes, and feete, be not suffered to follawe the desyres of the fleshe, but that all maye be vsed to the wyll and pleasure of GOD, and that ma∣lycyouslye we reioyse not in theyr troubles, whyche haue resisted our wyll, or haue hurt vs, nor that we be enuyously sorye, when that they prosper and haue welfare, but that we maye be contented and pleased, with althing that is gods wyll.