Meditation Upon the Lords Prayer 2, Title page – To the reader
¶A meditacion vpō the the lordes praier, made by Thomas Leuer, at sainct MAry Woll churche in London.
Anno. 1551.
To the christian reader.
PRopter laborem inopū, et gemitum pauperum, nunc exurgā dicit dominus. Psal. xij.Surely euen now in greate scarsitee lacke and dearth of meate, drynke, clothyng, and all other necessaries, the sorowfull sighes of the poore and needy, muste either sinke into the riche mennes hartes, and from theim procure releue and comforte, vntounto the needy members of Christes body: or els directly ascende vntounto the throne of Goddes Iustice, and from thence bryng doune indignacion and vengeaunce, to destroye wicked worldlynges, whiche beeyng thē selfes in welth and aboundance, fele no griefe of their brothers distresse and miserie.
But if any man, eueryevery weke will be content, to spare one meale of hym self, & bestowe the price of that meale in Charitable Almose to releue the poore, and the tyme of thesame in godly meditacion and Praier, to dispose his awne mynde deuoutly: then shall all suche feele and tast, bothe of poore mennes honger, and of Godly comfort in abstinence and praier, yea, and many poore be muche releued, and no riche man any thyng charged, and so thereby Goddes vengaunce auoyded and Goddes grace procured, when as fastyng and praier dooeth plucke out of mennes hartes coueteousnes whiche is the roote of all euil, and the cause of all calamities that now dooe trouble, greue, and daunger all men: This meditacion therfore of the Lordes praier, shall be good comfortable spirituall fode, in that tyme of bodily abstinence.