Twenty-Seven Sermons, Sermons 1 · Sermon
OVR FATHER vvhichwhich art in heauen. I hauehave entred of late in the wase of preachyng, and spoken many thynges of prayer, and rather of praier than of any other thing. For I thinke there is nothing more necessarie to be spoken of, nor more abused than praier was by the craft and suttletie of the deuill: for many thynges were taken for prayer whan they were nothyng lesse. Therefore at this same … also I hauehave thoughte it good to entreate of prayer, to thintent that it might bee knowen what a precious thyng ryghte prayer is. I tolde you first what prayer is. Secondarily, to whom we ought to praye. Thirdely, where and in what place we ought to pray. And fourthely I tolde you the diuersitie of prayer, namely of the common prayer and the priuate. These and such lyke thynges I hauehave dilated and cxpounded vntounto you of late in the open pulpet.
Nowe at this present tyme I … as by the way of a lecture, at the request of my most gracious Lady, to expoūd vntounto you, (her housholde seruantes, and other that be willing to heare) the right vnderstandyng and meaning of this most perfect prayer, which our sauior hymself taught vsus, at the request of his disciples, which prayer we call the Pater noster. This prayer of our lorde maye be called a prayer aboue all prayers, the principall and moste perfect prayer, whyche prayer ought to be regarded aboue all others, consideryng that our Sauior hym selfe is the author of it, he was the maker of this prayer, beeyng very God and very man. He taught vsus this prayer whiche is a moste perfecte scholemaister, and commanded vsus to … it, whiche prayer conteineth great and wonderfull thinges, if a learned man had the handlyng of it. But as for me, suche thynges as I hauehave conceiued by the readyng of learned mens bookes, so … foorth as GOD will geue me his grace and spirite, I will shewe vntounto you touchyng the … meanyng of it, and what is to bee vnderstand by eueryevery worde contained in that prayer. For there is no worde ydle or spoken in vaine. For it must nedes be perfect, good, and of great … our sauiors teachyng, which is the wysedom of God it self. There be many other psalmes & prayers in scripture very good and godly, and it is good to know …. But it is with this prayer (the Lordes prayer I say) lyke as with the lawe of louelove. All the lawes of Moses, as concernynge what is to be done to please God, how to walke before him vprightly and godly: All such lawes are … in thisThe Abridgemēt of the lavv of god. lawe of LoueLove, Diliges Dominum Deum … ex toto corde tuo, & in tota anima tua, & in tota mente …, & proximum sicut reipsum. Thou shalt louelove the lorde thy God with all thy hart, with all thy soule, and with all thy mynde, andMat. 22. thy neighbor as thy self:) euen so is it with this prayer. For like as the law of LoueLove is the sūme and … of thother lawes, so this prayer is the … and abridgement ofThe … of al praiers. all other prayers: all the other prayers are conteined in this prayer, yea whatsoeuer mankynd hath nede of to soule and body, that same is conteyned in this prayer.
This prayer hath. ii. partes, it hath a preface, which some call a salutation or a louing entrance: secondarily the praierMat. 6. it self. The entrance is this: … Pater nosterLu. II. qui es in coelis, Our father which art in heauen. as who say you christen people, you that beare the name of christians, you must pray so. Before I go any further, I must put you in remembrance to consider how much we be bound to our sauior Christ, that he wold vouchsafe to teache vsus to pray: & in this prayer to signifie vntounto vsus the good will whiche oure heauenly father beareth towardes vsus. Now to the matter.
Our Father, These wordes … not to the petitions, they be but an entring, a sekyng fauor at Gods hande, yetThe entrance into praier. if we well way & consider them, thei admonish vsus of many things, and strenghthen our faith wonders well. For thisVVhat it is to call God Father. worde Father signifieth that we be Christes brothers, and that God is oure Father. He is the eldest sonne, he is the sonne of GOD by nature, we be his sonnes by adoption thorough his goodnesse, therefore be biddeth vsus to call hym our Father, which is to be had in freshe memory, and great reputation. For here we are admonished howe that we bee reconciled vntounto God: we which before tymes were his enemies, are made nowe the children of GOD, and inheritoures of euerlasting lyfe. Thus we be admonished by this woorde Father. So that it is a woorde of muche importance and great reputation: For it confyrmeth our fayth, whan we call him …. Therfore our Sauiour whanne he teacheth vsus to call God father, teacheth vsus to vnderstande theVVhae Christ … by … vsus to call god father. fatherly affeccion which God beareth towardes vsus, whiche thing maketh vsus bolde and hearty to call vponupon him, knowyng that he beareth a good wil towards vsus, and that he wil surely heare our praiers. Whan we be in trouble we doute of a straunger whether he wil helpe vsus or not: but our sauiour commaundyng vsus to call God father, teacheth vsus to be assured of the louelove and good will of GOD towarde vsus. So by this woorde Father, we learne to stablish and to comforte oure saythe: knowyng moste assuredlye that he wyl be good vntounto vsus. For Christ was a perfecte schoolemaister, he lacked no wysedome, he knewe his Fathers wyll and pleasure: he teacheth vsus, yea and moste certainely assureth vsus, that GOD will be no cruell iudge, but a louyng Father. Here we see what commodities we hauehave in this word Father. Seyng no we that we fynde suche commodities by this one word, we ought to consider the whole praier withNo vvorde in this prai er … his vvaight great diligence and earnest mynde. For there is no worde nor letter conteined in this prayer, but it is of great importance and waighte, therfore it is necessarye for vsus to knowe and to vnderstande it thoroughlye, and thanne to speake it consideratelye wyth greate deuotion: elles it is to no purpose to speake the woordes withoute vnderstandyng, it isNote what lyplabour is. but lyplabour and vayne bablying, and so vnworthy to bee called prayer (as it was in tymes … vsed in Englande.) Therefore whenne you saye thys prayer, you muste well consyder what you saye. For it is better once sayde deliberately with vnderstandyng, then a thousand times without vnderstanding, which is in very dede but vain babling: and so more a displeasure than pleasure vntounto God. For the mat ter lyeth not in muche sayeng, but in well saying. So if it be sayd to the honor of God, than it hath his effect, and we shall hauehave our petitions, for God is trewe in his promises: and our Sauior knowing him to be well affected towardes vsus, commaundeth vsus therefore to calle hym Father.
Here you must vnderstande, that lyke as our Sauior was most earnest and feruent in teachyng vsus … to pray and call vponupon God for ayde and helpe, and for thynges necessarieThe deuill is diligēt to let praier. both to our soules and bodies: So the deuill that old serpent, with no lesse diligence endeuoreth himselfe to let and stoppe our prayers: so that we shall not cal vponupon god. And amongest other his lettes, he hath one especially, where with he thynketh to keepe vsus from prayer, whiche is the remembraunce of our synnes. When he perceiueth vsus to be disposed to praye, he commeth with his crafte and suttle conueiaunces, saying: What, wylte thou praye vntounto god for aide and helpe? knowest thou not that thou art a wicked synner and a transgressour of the law of God? Looke rather to beeThe slights of the deuil damned and iudged for thy yll doynges, than to receiue any benefite at his handes. Wylt thou call him father whiche is so holye a god? and thou art so wicked, and miserable a synner? This the deuill will saye, and trouble our myndes to stoppe and let vsus from our prayer: and so to giuegive vsus occasion not to praye vntounto god. In this temptatiō we must secke for some remedy and comfort, for the deuil doth put vsus in remē braunce of our sinnes to that ende, to keeye vsus from prayer and inuocation of GOD. The remedye for this temptation is to call our Sauiour to remembraunce, who hath taughte vsus to say this prayer: he knew his fathers pleasure, he knew what he did. Whan he commaunded vsus to call GOD oure Father, he knew we should fynde fatherly affections in god towardes vsus. Call this (I saye) to remembraunce, and than agayn remember that our Sauiour hath cleansed, thorough his passion, all our synnes, and taken away all our wickednesse. So that as many as beleue in hym shalbe the children of God. In suche wise lette vsus striue and fyghte agaynst the temptacions of the deuill, which would not hauehave vsus to call vponupon god: because we be synners. Catche thou holde of out sauior, beleue in hym, be assured in thy hearte that he with his sufferyng toke away all thy synnes. Consider agayne, that our Sauiour calleth vsus to prayer, and commaundeth vsus to praye: Our synnes lette vsus, and withdrawe vsus from prayer, but our sauiour maketh them nothyng: whan wee beleeue in hym, it is lyke as if we hadde no synnes. For he chaungeth with vsus, he taketh our synnes and wickednesse frome vsus, and geueth vntounto vsus his holynesse, rightuousnes, iustice, fulfyllyng of the lawe, and so consequentely euerlastyng lyfe: So that we … lyke as if we hadde doone no synne at all: for his ryghtuousnesse standeth vsus in so good steade, as though we of our owne selues had fulfylled the lawe to the vttermoste.
Therfore our synnes can not lette vsus, nor withdraw vsus from prayer: for they be gone, they are no synnes, they can not be hurtfull vntounto vsus. Christ dyeng for vsus, as al the scripture both of the new and old testament witnesseth: Dolores nostros ipse portauit, He hath taken away our sorowes.…. 53. Lyke as when I owe vntounto a man an hundreth pounde, the daye is expired, he wille hauehave his moneye, I hauehave it not, and for lacke of it, I am layde in pryson. In suche dystresse cometh a good frende, and sayth: Syr, bee of good cheere, I will paye thy dettes, and foorthwith payeth the wholle summe, and setteth me at libertie. Suche a frende is our Sauiour, he hath payde our dettes, and sette vsus at libertie, els we should hauehave ben damned worlde withoute end in euerlastyng prison and darknesse. Therfore though oure synnes condemne vsus, yet whanne we alledge Christe and beleue in hym, our sinnes shall not hurt vsus. For saint Iohn saythe: … peccauerit aduocatum habemus apud1 Ioh. 2. …, lesum Christum iustum, Wee hauehave an aduocate with God the Father, Iesus Christe the rightuous. Marke that he sayth …, non aduocatos, he speaketh singularly, not plurally. We hauehave one aduocate, not many,One …, not many. neyther sayntes nor any body els, but onelyonly hym: and none other neyther by the waye of Mediation, nor by the waye of redemption. He onelyonly is sufficiente, for he onelyonly is all the dooer, lette hym hauehave all the wholle prayse. Lette vsus not withdrawe frome hym his …, and geue it to creatures: for he onelyonly satisfieth for the sinnes of the whole world. So that all that beleue in Christe be cleane from all the fylthines of their synnes. For saint Iohn Baptist saith.Iohn 1. Ecce agnus dei qui … peccata mundi. Beholde the lambe of God which taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde: Doth yt deuil call thee frō prayer? Christ calleth the vntounto it again:2. Iohn. 3. For so it is written. In hoc aparuit filius dei vt destruat opera diaboli, To that ende the son of god appeared to destroy the workes of the deuill.
But marke here, Scripture speaketh not of … synners, Christe suffred not for them, his deathe remediethChrist suffe red not for …. not their synnes. For they be the bondmen of the deuil and his slaues, and therfore Christes benefytes pertayne not vn to them. It is a wonderfull saying that … Iohn hathe. Beholde the lambe of GOD that taketh away the synnes of the worlde. The … upll sayth vntounto me: thou art a sinner. No, sayth Sainet Iohn, the lambe of God hath taken away thy synnes. Item Habentesigitur pontificem …, qui peHebr. 4 Christ is an highe bishop.netrauit coelos, lesum filium Dei, accedamus cum fiducia, ad thronum gratiae, vt consequamur misericordiam. We therfore hauing a great highe …, whiche hathe passed thorough the heauens euen Jesus the sonne of GOD, let vsus with boldenesse gee vntounto the seate of his grace that we may obtayne mercye. O it is a comfortable thing that we hauehave an accesse vntounto God: Esay saith, … eius sanati sumus:Esa 53 The paine of our punnishment was laide vppen hym, and with his stripes are we healed. Further in the newe testament we reade, Huie omnes Prophetaetestimonium perhibent,Act. 10 All the pro phetes testi fie of Christ. remissionem peccatorum accipere per nomen eius om nes qui credunt in eum. Unto the same beare all Prophetes witnesse, that all they do receaue forgeuenesse of synnes by his name, which beleue on him. Now you see how ye be remedied from your synnes, you heare howe you shall wythstande the deuyll when he wyll wythdrawe you from prayer: Lette vsus therfore not giuegive ouer prayer, but stick vntounto it, lette vsus rather beleue Christe our Sauiour, then the deuill, whiche was a lyar at the beginning. You knowe now howe you may preuent hym, how you may put hym of, and auoid his temptations.
There is one other addicion afore we come to the peticions, whiche dothe muche confirme oure faith, and increaseVvhat these woordes vvhichwhich arre in heauen do teach vsus the same. Qui es in coelis, which art in heauen. These wordes put a diuersitye betwene the heauenly father, and oure temporall fathers. There be some temporall fathers which would fayne helpe their children, but they can not, they bee not able to helpe them. Agayne there bee some fathers whiche are ryche and myght helpe their children, but they be so vnnaturall they wyll not helpe them. But oure heauenlye Father, in that we call hym Father, we learne that he wyl helpe, that he beareth a fatherlye louelove towardes vsus. … heauen, here we learne that he is able to helpe vsus, to geue vsus al good thynges necessarye to soule and bodye: and is mightye to defende vsus from all yll and peryll. So it appeareth that he is a Father whiche will help, and that he beyng celelestiall, whyche is able to helpe vsus. Therfore we maye hauehave a boldenesse and confidence, that he maye helpe vsus, and that he wyll helpe vsus, where and whensoeuer we call. he sayth: Coelum & terram impleo. I syll heauen and earthe. And agayneHie. 23. Coelum mihi sedes est, & terta scabellum pedum meorum,Esa 66. Heauen is my seate, and the earth is my footestoole. Where we see that he is a mighty GOD, that he is in heauen and earthe with his power and might. In heauen he is apparantly, where face to face he sheweth himself vntounto his Angels and Saines. In earth he is not so apparantly, but darkelye and obscurelye he exhibiteth himselfe vntounto vsus: for oure corrupte and feble fleshe coulde not beare hys maiestye:VVhy god is not appa rantly vpō, earthe. Yet he … the earth, that is to saye, he ruleth and gouerneth the same, ordering all things according vntounto his will and pleasure. Therefore we muste learne to persuade our selues, and vndoutedlye beleue that he is able to helpe: and that he beareth a good and fatherly wyll towardes vsus, that he will not forgette vsus. Therfore the king and prophet Dauid sayth, Dominus de coelo prospexit, The Lorde hath seene doune from heauen. As farre as the earthe is fromPsal 53. heauen, yet GOD loketh doune, he seeth all thynges, heThe … see not loun from heauen. is in euerye corner. He sayethe the Lorde hathe looked doune, not the Saynctes. No, he sayeth not so. For the Sainctes hauehave not so sharpe eyes to see doune from heauen: they be spurre blynde, and sande blynd. they can not see so farre, nor hauehave not so long eares to heare. And therefore our petition and prayer shoulde bee vntounto hym, whyche wyll heare, and can heare. For it is the Lorde that looketh downe. He is here in earth (as I tolde you) verye darkely, but he is in heauen moste manifestely: where he sheweth him … vntounto his angels and sayntes face to face. We reade in Scripture that Abels bloode dydde crie vntountoGene 4 God: where it appeareth that he can heare, yea not onelyonlyGod heard the crye … Abels bloude. heare, but also see and feele. for he seeth ouer all thynges, so that the least thought of our heartes is not hydde frome hym. Therfore ponder and consyder these wordes well, for they fortifie oure saythe. We call hym Father, to put our selues in remembraunce of his good wylle towardes vsus. Heauenly we calle hym, signifying his myghte and power that he maye healpe and doo all thynges accordynge to his wyll and pleasure. So it appereth moste manifestly, that there lacketh neither good will nor power in hym. There was ones a prophete whiche whan he was yll intreated of kyng Ioas, sayde: Dominus videat & …, The Lorde…. Para. 24 looke vppon it, and require it. There bee many menne in Englande and other where els, whiche care not for God: yea they be cleane without God, whych saye in their heartes, Nubes latibulum eius, … nostra considerat, & circa carIohn. 22. dines … ambulat, Tushe the cloudes couer hym that he may not se, and he dwelleth aboue in heuen. But as I told you before, Abels blood may certifie vsus of his present know ledge. Let vsus therfore take hede that we doo nothyng that myght displease his maiestie, neither openly nor secretely. For he is eueryevery where, and nothyng can be hyd from hym, Vider & requiret, He seeth it, and will punishe it.
Further this worde Father is not onelyonly apt and conuenient for vsus to strengthen oure faith withall (as I tolde you) but also it moueth God the sooner to heare vsus when we callAn other commoditie of this worde Father. him by that name Father. For he perceiuing our confidence in him, can not chose but shew hym lyke a Father. So that this word Father is most mete to moue god to pitie, and to graunt oure requestes. Certaine it is, and proued by holy Scripture, that God hath a fatherly and louyng affection towarves vsus, farre passyng the louelove of bodilye parentes to their children. Yea as far as heauen and earth is a sonder,The louelove of god tovvardes vsus excedeth the natural louelove of parentes to their ovvn children. Esa. 49. so far hys louelove towards mankynd exccdeth the louelove of natu ral parentes to theyr children, which louelove is set out by the mouthe of hys holye Prophete Esay, Where he sayeth: Num … tradet … suum, quo minus misereatur … vteri sui? si esto … illae ego tamen … non … Wyll a wyfe forget the chyld of her womb, and the sonne whome she hathe borne? and though she doe forgette hym, yet wyll not I forgette thee. Here are … the affections and vnspeakeable louelove, whiche GOD beareth towarde vsus. He sayeth: … potest …? Maye a woman? He speaketh of the woman, meanyng the man too: but because women moste commenly are more … towardes theyr Children then men bee, therefore he nameth the woman. And it is a verye vnnaturall woman that hateth her chylde or neglecteth the same. But O lorde what craftes and conueiaunces vseth the deuyll abroade, that he can bryng his matters so to passe, that some women sette a syde not alonely all motherly affections, but also all naturall humanitye, in so muche that they kyll theyr owne children, their owne bloud, and fleshe.
I was a late credibly informed of a prieste whiche had takenA … the mid vvife. in hande to be a middewyfe: O what an abhominable thyng is this: but what folowed? he ordered the matter so, that the poore innocente was loste in the meane season. Suche thynges the deuyll cannebrynge to passe, but what then: God sayeth. Though a woman doe forgette her chyldren, though they kyll theym, yet wyll I not forgette thee sayeth the Lorde GOD almightye. Truthe it is there bee some women verye vnnaturall and vnkynde, whiche shall receiue their punishements of GOD for it. But for all that we oughte to beware and not beleue euerye tale tolde vntounto vsus, and so rashelye iudge, I knowe what I meane. There hathe bene alate suche tales spreade abroade, and most vntruly, such false taletellers shal hauehave a greuous punishement of the Lorde whan he shall come to rewarde eue rye one according vntounto his desertes.
Here I hauehave occasion to tell you a storye whyche happened at Cambridge. Mayster Bylney (or rather Saint Bylney that suffered death for Gods worde sake) the same Bilney was the instrumente wherby God called me to knowledge,… vvas gods instrument to …. for I maye thanke him, next to god, for that knowledge that I hauehave in the woord of GOD. For I was as obstinate a … as anye was in Englande, in so muche that when I shoulde bee made Bacheler of Diuinitie, my whole oration went against Philip Melanchton, & agaynst his opinions. Bilney heard me at that tyme, and perceiued that I was zelous without knowlage, and he came to me afterwarde in my studie, and desired me for Gods sake to heare his confession, I dyd so. And to say the truthe, by his… by hearing …. confession I learned more than asore in many yeares. So from that tyme forwarde I began to smell the word of god, and forsoke the schole doctors and such foolries. Now after I had ben acquainted with him, I went with hym to visiteBilneys ex ercise the prisoners in the towre at Cambridge, for he was euer visityng prisoners and sicke folke. So we wente togither, and exhorted them as well as we were able to doo, mouing them to pacience, and to acknowlage their faultes. Among other prisoners there was a woman whyche was accused that she had killed her owne childe, whiche acte she plainely and stedsastly donyed, and coulde not be brought to confesse the acte, whyche denyeng gaue vsus occasion to searche for the …, and so we dydde. And at the lengthe wee founde that her husbande loued her not. And therefore he soughte meanes to make her out of the …. The matter was thus.
A chylde of hers had ben sicke by the space of a yeare, andNote this …. so decayed, as it were in a consumption: At the lengthe it dyed in haruest tyme. She wente to her neyghboures and other frendes to desyre their healpe, to prepare the chylde to the buryall, but there was no body at home, eueryevery man was in the fielde. The woman in a heauynesse and trouble of spirite, wente to beeyng her selfe alone prepared the chylde to the buryall: her husbande comynge home, not hauynge greate louelove towardes her, accused her of the murther, and so she was taken and brought to Cambridge: But as … as I coulde learne, through earnest inquisition I thoughte in my conscience the woman was not gilty, all the circumstances well consydered. ImmediatelyHe … king Henry the eighte. after thys I was called to preache before the kyng, whyche was my firste sermon that I made before his …, and it was done at Wyndsore: where his maiestye after the sermon was done did most … talke with me in a gallerye. Nowe, when I sawe my tyme, I kneeled downe before hys Maiestye openyng the whole matter, and afterwarde moste humblye desyred his Maiestye to pardone that womanne. For I thoughte in my conscience she was not giltye: elles I woulde not for all the worlde sewe for a murtherer. The kyng moste graciousely hearde my humble requeste, in so muche that I had a pardon redy for her at my retourne homewarde. In the meane season that same woman was deliuered of a chylde in the toure at Cambridge, whose Godfather I was, and mystresse… is godfather to a childe borne in prison. Cheeke was godmother. But all that tyme I hidde my par don, and tolde her nothyng of it, onelyonly exhortyng her to confesse the trueth: At the lengthe the tyme came whan she looked to suffre, I came as I was wonte to dooe, to instructe her, she made greate mone to me, and moste earnestlyeNote one of the … of ignorance requyred me, that I would fynde the meanes that she myghte bee … her sufferynge. For shee thoughte she shoulde hauehave bene damned yf she shoulde suffer without purification. Where mayster Bilney and I tolde her that that that lawe was made vntounto the Iewes, and not vntounto vsus, and that women lyeng in chyldbedde … not vncleane afore God; neither is purification vsed to that end that it should clense from sinne, but rather a … and … law made for natural honestie sake: signifieng that a woman before the time of her purification, that is to say, as long as she is a grene woman, is not mete to do such acts as other women, nor to hauehave … with her husband, for it is against natural honestie, and again the cōmon wealth, to that ende purification is kepte and vsed, not to make a … or holynesse of it, as some doo, whyche thynkeNote here one other … of ignorance. that they maye not fetche neyther fyre nor any thynge in that house where there is a greene woman: whiche opinion is erronious and wicked. For women (as I sayde afore, be as well in the fauour of god afore they be purified,Thus hath God as after. So we trauailed with this woman tyl we broughtvvrought a double … uerance at one tyme. her to a good trade, and at the length shewed her the kyngs pardon and let her go.
¶ This tale I tolde you by this occasion, that though some women bee verye vnnaturall, and forgette their chyldren,The purpos of Latimers tale. yet when we heare any bodye so reporte, we should not be to hastye in beleuynge the tale, but rather suspende oure iudgementes till we know the truth.
And againe we shall marke hereby the great louelove and louyng kyndnes of GOD our louing father. Who sheweth himselfe so louing vntounto vsus, that notwithstandyng women forget sometymes their owne naturall children, yet he wyll not forgette vsus, he will heare vsus, whan we call vppon hym, as he sayeth by the Euangelist Mathew. Aske and it shalbeMat. 7. geuen vntounto you: Seeke and ye shall fynde: knocke and it shalbe opened vntounto you. &c. Then he commeth and bringeth in a prety similitude, saying: Is ther any mā amongest you,A similitude. which if his son aske bread, wyl offer him a stone? yf ye then Cum sitis mali, beyng euyll, can geue your Chyldren good giftes &c. In these woordes where he sayeth: Cum sitis maliThe mea ning of these … des, Cum … tis mali. whiche be euyll, he geueth vsus oure owne proper name, he paynteth vsus out, he pincheth vsus, he cutteth of our comes, he plucketh doun our stomacks. And here we lerne to acknow lege our selues to be wicked, & to knowe him to be the welspring & fountain of al goodnes, and yt al good things come of him. Therfore let euerye man thinke lowly of himselfe, humble himselfe, and call vponupon god, which is redye to geus vsus, not onelyonly bread and drinke, or other necessaries, but the holye ghoste: to whome will he geue the holye ghoste, to lordes and ladies? to gentilmen or gentilwomen? No not so, he is not ruled by affections, he hath not respecte vntounto personages. Poscentibus (sayeth he,) vntounto those whiche call vppon hym, beyng riche or poore, lordes or kinghtes, beggers or ryche, he is redy to geue vntounto them whanne they come to him. And thys is a greate comforte vntounto those whyche beeGod ge ueth his … respecte of persons. poore and myserable in this worlde For they maye be assured of the helpe of GOD, yea and as boldely goe vntounto him and desyre his helpe, as the greatest kyng in earthe. But we muste aske, we must inquyre for it: He would hauehave vsus to bee importune, to be earnest and diligent in desiring, than we shall receiue whan we come with a good fayth andHe that vvil receiue at go … hande any thinge muste aske vvith faith. VVe muste pray to god only. confidence. To whom shall we call? not vntounto the Sayntes, poscentibus illum (sayeth he) those that call vponupon him shalbe hearde therfore we ought to come to him onelyonly, and not vntounto hys Sayntes.
But one worde is lefte whiche we must needes consyder. Noster, oure, he sayeth not my, but our. wherfore sayeth he, our? This woorde our teacheth vsus to consyder that the Father… vvhat is to be lear ned by this vvorde our. of heauen is a common father, as well my neighbours Father as myne, as well the poore mannes Father as the ryche, so that he is not a pecultar father, but a Father to the hole churche and congregation, to all the faythfull, be they neuer so poore, so vyle, so foule, and despysed, yet he is their father as well as myne: and therfore I shoulde not despyse them, but cōsyder that God is their father as well as myne.
Here may we perceiue what communion is betwene vsus, so that when I praye, I pray not for my selfe alone, but for all the reste: Agayne, when they praye, they praye not for themselues onelyonly, but for me: for Christ hath so framed this prayer, that I muste needes include my neighbour in it. Therfore all those which pray this prayer, they pray as welChristvvold hauehave oure praiers cō mon to vsus all. for me as for them selues, whiche is a great comfort to eueryevery faithfull heart, whan he considereth that all the churche prayeth for hym. For amongest suche a great numbre there be some which be good, and whose prayer God will heare. As it appeared by Abrahams prayer, whiche prayer was so… 18. …, that God woulde hauehave pardoned Sodome and Gemorre if he might hauehave founde but tenne good personsAct. 27. therin. Lykewyse Sainct Paule in shipwracke preserued his companie by his praier. So that it is a greate comforte vntounto vsus to knowe that all good and faythfull persons pray for vsus. There be some learned men whiche gather oute of scripture that the prayer of saincte Stephen was the occasionAct 7 of the conuersion of Saint Paule. Saint ChrysostomChrisost. … is not to be … in this pointe. sayth, that that prayer that I make for my selfe is the best, and is of more efficacie than that whiche is made in …. Which saying I lyke not very well. For our sauiour was better learned than sainct Chrysostome. He taught vsus to praye in common for all: therfore we ought to folow him and to be glad to pray one for an other. For we hauehave a common sayeng amongest vsus: Who so euer loueth me, louethA prouerbe louelove me louelove my hounde. my hounde. So who so euer loueth God, wil louelove his neigh bor, which is made after the image of God.
And here is to be noted that prayer hath one propretie before all other good workes: for with my almes I healpe but one or two at ones, but with my faithful prayer I help all.The propertie of praier. I desire God to cōfort al men liuing, but specially domesticos fidei, those which be of yt houshold of god. Yet we ought to pray with all our heartes for the other which beleue not, that God wil turne their heartes and renew them with his spirite: yea our prayer reacheth so far, that our very capitall ennemie oughte not to bee omitted. Here you see whatThe excellency of praier. an excellent thyng prayer is, whanne it proceedeth frome a faithfull heart, it dooth farr passe all the good workes that men can doo.
Now to make an ende, we are monished here of charitie, and taught, that God is not only a priuate father, but a cō mon Father vntounto the whole worlde, vntounto all faithfull, bee they neuer so poore and miserable in this worlde, yet he is their Father. Where we may learne humilitie and lowlynesse, specially great and riche men shall learne here, not to be loftie, or to despise the poore. For whan ye despise theVVhat it is to despise the poore. poore myserable manne, whome despyse ye? ye despyse hym whyche called GOD his father as well as you: and peraduenture … acceptable and more regarded in his syghte than you bee. Those proude persones maye learne here to leaue their stubbornesse and loftynesse. But there be a great meany whych lyttle regarde this: they thynke theim selues better than other men be, and so despise and … the poore: in so muche that they wyll not heare … mennes causes, nor defende theym from wrong and oppression of the ryche and myghtie. Suche proude menneA lesson for them that … aloft. despyse the lordes prayer, they shoulde bee as carefull for their brethren as for theymselues. And suche humilitie, suche … and carefulnesse towardes our neyghbours wee learne by this woorde Our. Therefore I desyre you on Goddes behalfe, lette vsus cast away all disdainfulnesse, all proudenesse, ye and all bybble bable. Lette vsus pray this prayer with vnderstandyng and greate deliberation, not folowyng the trade of monkerye, whiche was without all … and vnderstandyng. There be but fewe whiche can saye frome the bottome of their heartes, Our Father, a lyttle numbre. Neither the Turkes neither the Iewes,The number ofthem that may call god Fa ther is but smal. nor yet the impenitent synners can call God theyr Father. Therefore it is but vayne babblynge what so euer they praye: GOD heareth them not, he wyll not receaue theyr prayers. The promyse of … is made vntounto theym onelyonly whyche bee faythfull and beleue in God, whych endeuour them selues to lyue accordyng vntounto his commaundementes. For Scripture saythe: Oculi Domini super iustos, The eyes of the Lorde are ouer the ryghtuouse, andPsal. 33. his eares open vntounto theyr prayers. But who are those ryghtuous? eueryevery penytente synner that is sorye from the bottome of his hearte for his wyckednesse, and beleueeth that GOD wyl forgeue hym his synnes, for his sonne our … Iesus Christes sake. This is called in Scripture a iust man, that indeuoreth hym self to leaue all wickednes. In suche forte Peter and Paule were iuste, because theyVVhat it is to be iust. dyd repente and beleued in Christe, and so endeuored them selues to liue according vntounto Gods lawes. Therfore like as they were made iust before god, so may we too, for we hauehave euen the self same promise. Let vsus therfore folow their ensample, let vsus forsake all sinnes and wickednesse: than god will heare our praiers. for Scripture saithe, Dominus facit quicquid volunt timentes eum, & clamorem eorum exaudit ac seruat eos, The Lorde fulfylleth the desyre of theim that feare hym, he also wyll heare theyr crye, and healpePsal. 145. theym. In an other place he saythe: Si manseritis in sermone meo, & verba mea custo diueritis quicquid volueritis petentes accipietis, If ye abyde in me, and my woordes abyde in you, aske what ye will, and it shall be done for you. So we see, that the promises pertain only to the faithful, to these which endeuor themselues to lyue accordyng to godsVVho they be vvhomo God vvill heare. will & plesure, which can be cōtent to leue their wickednes and solowe godlynesse, those God will heare at all tymes, whansoeuer they shall call vponupon hym.
Remembre now what I hauehave sayd. Remembre what is ment by this worde Our, namely that it admonysheth vsus of louelove and charitie, it teacheth vsus to be ware of stubburnesse and proudnesse, consyderyng that God loued as well the begger as the ryche man: for he regardeth no persones. Agayne, what is to bee vnderstand by this woorde Father, namely that he beareth a good wyll towardes vsus, that he is redy and willyng to healpe vsus. Heauenly, that admonisheth vsus of his potencie and abilitie, that he is ruler ouer al thinges. This I say remembre and folowe it, then we shall receyue all thynges necessary for this lyse, and fynally cuerlastyng ioy and felicitie. Amen. Let vsus pray. Our father.