Treatise of Good Works, Commandment 3

Treatise of Good Works · Commandment 3

¶The thyrde cōmaundement.

WE hauehave nowe ſeen howe manye good workes, be in y^e ſeconde cōmaundement, of god / whiche be not good in them ſelues / except they procede out of fayth / & truſt of the louelove of god toward vsus / I wolde to god therfore we kept onelyonly this cōmaundemēt ſo that we were not ſo occupyed & buſye with other workꝭ / that we vtterly forget this worke / nowe than foloweth y^e thyrde cōmaundement. Kepe thy ſabboth day, y^e thou ſanctyfye it / as y^e lorde thy god hath cōmaūded the / In the fyrſt it is cōmaunded how y^t our herte oughte to be byfore god in thoughtes. In y^e ſeconde both in herte & alſo in mouthe with wordes. In this thyrde is cōmaunded howe we ſhuld gyue our ſelfes to god by workes / And this the ryght & fyrſte table of Moyſes / in the whiche theſe thre cō maundemētes be wryten, rulynge man on the right ſyde / y^t is to ſay / in ſuche thyngꝭ as perteyne vntounto god / without the meane of any creature. The fyrſte workes therfore of this precept be groſſe & ſenſyble / which the moſt parte we cal diuyne ſeruyce, as to here maſſe, to pray, to heare ſermons, vponupon the holy dayes / & after this opynyon: there be but fewe good workꝭ in this cōmaūdemēt. And yet thyſe except they ron out of y^e louelove, grace, truſt, & fayth of god / be nothynge at all as I ſayd byfore. Wherfore it were wel yf there were leſſe holy dayes / in aſmoche as now a dayes / the workes done in ſuche holy dayes ben cō monly worſe than the workes of feryall or workye dayes by Idelnes, eatyng, drynkyng, playeng & ſuch other yll dedꝭ. Moreouer the maſſes be herde w^tout any ꝓfyte, & the prayes ſayde without any fayth. For y^e moſt ꝑte thus it is / that we thynke we hauehave done ynoughe / whan we hauehave ſeen maſſe with our eyes / prayed w^t our mouth / paſſynge ouer theſe thynges outwardlye, not thynkynge that we ſhulde conceyue ſome thynge of the maſſe in to our hertes / that we ſhuld gette ſome lernyng out of y^e ſermōde / and that we ſhuld deſyre / aſke, and loke for ſome thynge in our prayers. Albeit here is y^e greatteſt faute of byſſhops, & preſtꝭ, and of them to whome the offyce of preachynge is enioyned, in that, that they preache not the goſpell, and teache not men / howe they ſhuld ſe maſſe, here ſermondes / and praye / wherfore we wyll declare theſe thre workes in fewe wordes.

IN the maſſe it is neceſſarye / that we be there preſent in herte / How y^e maſſe oughte to be herde and what to be done thereat of y^e hearers.& than be we preſent in herte / whan we exercyſe faith in our herte, here we ought to nombre & weye the wordes of Chryſt: wherby he ordayned y^e maſſe, ſayeng / Take & ete / this is my body whiche is gyuen for you / lykewyſe ouer the cuppe / take and drynke of this all / this is y^e cuppe of the newe Teſtament / in my blode / whiche for you and manye ſhall be ſhedde / ſo ofte as you ſhall do this / do it in the remembraunce of me. By thyſe wordes / Chryſte ordayned Diriges & yere myndes / daylye to be kepte for hym / throughe out all Chryſtendome And made ſolempne, lawfull / ryche, and ſo great a teſtament / in the whiche he bequethed, no rentes monye, or temporal goodes / but forgyueneſſe of all ſynnes, grace, mercye / and euerlaſtynge lyfe / that who ſoeuer come to theſe diriges / may hauehave this teſtamēt. And vponupon this he dyed / wherby this teſtamēt was made ſure fyrme & ſtable, and neuer to be reuoked. And in a token of y^t / in the ſtede of a wrytynge and ſeale / he hath lefte here his proper body vnderunder breade and wyne. Here nowe therfore is neade / that a man exercyſe well y^e fyrſte worke of this cōmaundement / y^t he doute nothynge: but that this is for a ſuertye, & that he ſuffer & byleue the teſtament to be certayne vntounto hym / leſt he make chryſt a lyer. For what other thynge is it / yf thou, ſtandyng at the maſſe and nother thynke nor byleue / y^e chryſte hath bequethed & gyuen the / by his teſtamēt forgyuenes ſyn̄es / than as yf thou ſhuld ſay, I knowe not or byleue not that it is true / that forgyuenes of all my ſyn̄es is here bequethed & gyuen vntounto me. O how many maſſes ben there now in y^e worlde? & how fewe that heare them / after this fayth & maner? wherby god is greuouſly offēded. Wherfore there is no man y^t heareth maſſe profytablye / except other y^t he be in aduerſytie, temptacyons, and deſyrynge y^e grace of god / or els whiche wolde gladlye be rydde of his ſyn̄es, or els yf he be in an yll mynde, and yet chaūge it in the meane tyme / and attayne the deſyre of the teſtament. And for this cauſe the cōmune and open ſynners, weare not ſuffered in tymes paſte to come to maſſe. Therfore this faythe, goynge ryghte forthe after her maner / it can not be / but the herte of man / made merye with this teſtament muſte waxe hoote and melte in y^e louelove of god / and than foloweth prayſe & gyuyng of thankꝭ with a ſwete herte / vponupon this in y^e greke tonge / the maſſe is called Euchariſtia / that is to ſay,Euchariſtic. kyndnes or gyuynge of thankes / bycauſe we prayſe god, & gyue hym thankes / for ſuche a comfortable, ryche and blyſſed teſtamente, euen as he / whome a notable & faythfull frēde hath bequethed a thouſande poūdes or more / prayſeth, gyueth thankes / and is merye. But it happeneth ofte tymes to chryſte / as it doth to ſome other / whiche by theyr teſtament make them, that they bequethed vntounto, ryche / whiche neuer after remembre them / nother prayſynge nor gyuynge vntounto them thankꝭ. So be our maſſes done nowe a dayes / y^t we in the meane tyme / nother know nor be ſure what they profytte vsus / or wherfore they be done / which thynge is the cauſe / that we nother prayſyng, nother gyuyng thankes / nor dylygent / but drye and harde, contynue at maſſe / content with our owne prayers & ſmall deuocyons / of the whiche I ſhall ſpeake more an other tyme.

PReachyng ſhuld be none other thynge / Preachyng.but the declarynge of this teſtamente / but who can here, whan no man dothe preache? for now truely they vnderſtond not this teſtament / whoſe duty it is to preache it / & prechynges alſo for the moſt parte go a brode / & at large into tryfelyng tales nothyng worth / & ſo whyles Chriſt is forgotten / it happeneth to vsus as it dyd to them in the .iiii. boke of kyngꝭ, the .vii. chapytre / thou ſhalte ſe / and therof thou ſhalte not eate / bycauſe that we ſeynge our good, do not vſe it / of y^e whiche ſpeketh Eccleſiaſtices. This is a great myſchyefe, y^e god hath gyuen ryches to man / whiche he ſuffereth hym not to vſe. So we ſe innumerable maſſes, and yet ignoraūte in y^e meane tyme whether the maſſe be a teſtament or no / or rather ſome other thynge / as though it were a good worke by it ſelfe.The maſſe is no good worke of it ſelfe, that is to wytte, it ꝓfyteth not whan it is herde or ſaid without the faythe therunto, neceſſarely requeſyte, & this is thauthors mynde. O good lorde / howe vtterly blynded be we? But where as this thyng is well preched / it muſte neades be delygentlye harde, receyued, ofte tymes ſpoken of / and ſo ſhall the faythe be ſtrengthed agaynſte tēptacyons of ſynnes, paſt, preſēt, & to come. Lo this is the onelye ceremony, & the onelyonly exercyſe ordayned of Chryſt / in y^e whiche we ought all to be gathered togyther, come togyther, exercyſed, and be agreed. The which ceremony is not yet, as other bare ceremonyes ben / but he hath put in it an excellent ryche treaſure / to be delyuered & gyuen to all thē y^t byleue in this teſtament / with ſuch preachyng ſhulde the ſynner be prouoked / that he beynge ſorye for his ſynnes / may be kyndell with the deſyre of this treaſoure / therfore it is a great ſynne of thē, that here not the goſpell / and regarde not ſuche treaſoures, and ſo ryche a feaſte / to y^e which they be called / but it is a greatter ſynne not to preache the goſpell, and to ſuffre ſo manye people / deſyrous to here the goſpell, to peryſhe, notwithſtandynge the ſtrayte commaundemente and ordenaunce of Chryſte to the cōtrary whiche wyll no maſſe to be done / but that euen than the goſpell alſo ſhuld be preached / The goſpell oughte to be preached at eueryevery maſſe.as he hymſelfe ſayde / ſo ofte as you ſhall do this / you ſhall do it in my remē braunce / wherfore it is a fearful and abhomynable thynge / to be a byſſhope / a curate / a paryſſhe preſt / or a precher nowe adayes / for there is no man y^t leſſe knoweth this teſtamente I tell not, howe fewe there be that preache it. And yet this is theyr ſpecyall offyce and onelye duetye / Howe harde accompte / therfore ſhall they make for ſo many ſoules loſt / for the lacke of ſuche preachynges.

WE muſt praye / Prayer.not as it is cōmenlye vſed, to mūble vp manye leaues, or bedeſtones, but to take in our handes ſome preſent troubles / and handel them with all our deſyre, and in them to exercyſe oure faythe and truſte towarde god / that we doubte not but that we ſhall be harde.Saynt Bernarde. So ſaynt Bernarde taught his bretherne to praye, ſayeng / dere bretherne deſpice not your prayers / for I tell you for a truthe byfore you hauehave ended youre wordes, your prayer is wryten ī heuen / & one of theſe two / may you be ſure of vponupon god / that ones youre prayer ſhall be fulfylled / or yf it be not fulfylled / it ſhulde not be for your ꝓfyte / that it were fulfylled. So is prayer, a ſynguler exercyſe of the fayth / which faythe maketh the prayer ſo acceptable to god / that other it ſhal be fulfylled / or els better ſhall be gyuen thā is aſked. So ſayd ſaynt Iames / By Iames wordes eueryevery man may perceyue the great force & ſtrengthe of a ſure fayth.yf any that is amonge you lacke wyſdome / let him aſke of god, which gyueth to all men abundantly / and caſteth no man in the tethe with his benefyces, & it ſhalbe gyuen hym / but let hym aſke in fayth and wauer not / for he that doubteth is lyke the waues of the ſee, toſte of the wynde and caryed with vyolēce / nother let that man thinke, that he ſhall receyue any thynge of god. Is not this a playne and clere ſentence / as it ꝓmyſeth to hym that byleueth / He that byleueth not receyueth no benefyte.ſo it denyeth to hym that byleueth not, that he ſhall nother obtayne that whiche he deſyreth, nor no better. And to ſturre vp this ſame fayth / Chriſt hym ſelfe ſaid. Marke y^e .xi. chap. Therfore I ſay vntounto you / what ſoeuer you deſyre whā you pray / byleue y^t you ſhal hauehave it, & it ſhal be done vntounto you. And Luke the xi. And I ſay vntounto you / aſke & it ſhal be gyuē you / ſeke & you ſhal fynde / knocke and it ſhall be opened vntounto you / for eueryevery mā that aſketh, receyueth / and he that ſeketh, fyndeth / and to hym that knocketh, ſhall it be opened / yf y^e ſone axe breade (ſayeth Chryſte) of any of you whiche is his father / wyll he profre hym a ſtone? or yf he aſke fyſſhe / wyll he gyue hym a ſerpent? yf ye than whiche are euyll / knowe howe to gyue good gyftes vntounto your chyldren / how moch more, ſhall your father celeſtyal gyue a good ſpyryte to them y^t deſyre it of hym.

WHo is ſo herde or ſo ſtonye, whan ſuche myghty and ſtronge wordꝭ can not moue to pray merely and boldely with all truſte? But nowe how many prayers were it nede to reforme, yf we ſhulde praye a ryghte? Be not al churches and abbeys full and replenyſſhed with prayers and ſonges? And howe is it, that there cōmeth ſo lytell profyte of them? Yea that it is eueryevery daye worſe and worſe? Certeyſe there is no other cauſe, but that that ſaynt Iames ſheweth, ſayenge / ye aſke, and ye receyue not / becauſe ye aſke it euyll / for yf this truſte & faythe in prayer wante, the prayer is deade / & nothynge elles, but a paynfull labour and werynes / for y^e which, yf there be any thynge gyuen / it is nought but temporall profyte / without any good helpe of the ſoule / yea rather they be great hurtes and blyndynges of the ſoules / in the whiche they procede, mumblyng moche with the mouthe / not regardynge to truſt to obtayne y^t, whiche they deſyre / and ſo they cōtynue ſtyffelye in ſuche vnfaythefulnes / as in moſt the worſte cuſtome that can be agaynſt the vſe of faythe / and the nature of prayer. Wherof whiche that foloweth / that he that preacheth truelye / doubteth not, but that his prayer is for a ſuretie accepted & harde / yea thoughe he obtayne not that, that he deſyreth. For in oure prayer we may ſette our trouble before god, but yet we can appoynte hym no maner of meaſure, meane, ende, marke, or place to helpe vsus / but permyt all vntounto hym / whiche wyll gyue other that / or better than we can ymagyne or thynke / As ſaynte Paule ſayeth to the Romaynes, the .viii. chapytre / & to the Epheſianes the .iii. chapytre. And god worketh more profoundely and better / than we perceyue and vnderſtande / ſo that there muſte be no doubte, but that the prayer is herde and accepted. Prouyded alwaye that the tyme, place, maner and ende, be fre to god / whiche knoweth beſte howe to ende the mater / as it is moſte conuenyent. Theſe be the trewe worſhyppers / which worſhyp the father in ſpyryte & truthe. For whoſoeuer byleue not theyr prayer to be herde, do ſynne vponupon y^e lyft hande, agaynſte this cōmaundement, bowynge to moche from it by vnbyleue. But they that ſette god a marke or meaſure, ſynne vponupon y^e ryght hande, cōmyng to nyghe by temptyng of god. But god hathe forbyden / y^t we ſhulde ſwarue from his cōmaūdement, eyther vponupon the ryght hande, or vponupon the lyfte hāde / that is, that we ſhuld not ſynne, nother by vnbyleue, nor by temptyng of god / but abydynge in the playne and ſtreyght waye of fayth / we ſhuld truſte in hym / & not ſet hym any terme to helpe vsus.

SO we ſe, y^t as the ſeconde commaundement / ſo this ought to be nothynge els, but the exercyſe and workynge of the fyrſt cōmaundement / that is to ſay, of faythe, truſte, boldenes, hope, and louelove toward god / ſo that the fyrſte cōmaundement is the ruler and captayne in all the other cōmaundementes / and fayth is y^e chyefe worke & lyfe of all other workes / without y^e whiche (as it is ſayd before) they cannot be good. But and yf thou wylte ſaye / what and I can not byleue that my prayer is harde & accepted / I anſwere ſpecyallye for that cauſe / faythe, prayer, & all other good workes be commaunded, y^t thou mayſte knowe what thou canſte do / and what thou canſte not do / but & yf thou fynde thy ſelf, that thou can not byleue and do / than do thy dylygence, to humble thy ſelfe before god / makynge thy complaynte, and begynnynge, in this weake ſparkyll of fayth / ſtablyſſhe and comforte it eueryevery daye more and more / by vſe in all thy lyfe, and in al thy workes. For there is no man in the worlde, whiche lacketh not a great parte of faythe / that is of the fyrſt and chyefe cō maundement. Yea the holy apoſtels in the goſpell / and ſpecyally ſaynte Peter, were weake in the faythe / ſo y^t they prayed Chryſte ſayenge. Lorde increaſe fayth in vsus / and he alſo rebuked theym / bycauſe they had weake faythe. Therfore thou oughteſt not to dyſpayre / leuynge as they ſaye (hande & foote) whan thou perceyueſt that thou byleueſt not ſo ſtronglye in thy prayer or other workes / as thou oughteſt and wolde / yea than thou oughteſt to thanke god, with all thy hert / that he hathe ſhewed thy weakeneſſe vntounto the / teachynge & warnynge the by that / howe neceſſarye it is for the to exercyſe & dayly ſtablyſſhe thy ſelfe in faythe. For howe manye doſte thou ſe / faſtynge, prayeng, ſyngynge, redynge, workynge, ſhynynge, as thoughe they were meruaylous holy & good / and yet neuer commynge ſo farre, that they knowe howe y^t faythe is y^e chyefe worke of all other / wherby they be blynded & deceyued / both them ſelfes and other / alſo thynkynge them ſelfes well ynoughe & buyldyng vponupon the grauell of theyr owne workes without all faythe. And not truſtyng vponupon y^e fauour and ꝓmyſe of god by ſure & pure faythe. And thus thou ſeeſt that we hauehave ynoughe to do all our lyfe / to do y^e workꝭ of the fyrſt cōmaū dement & fayth, euer lernynge & contynueng ſcolers / for no man knoweth, howe great a thyng it is, to byleue onelyonly in god / but he that begynneth to practyſe it.

NOwe ſe agayne / yf there were no other worke cōmaunded / than prayer, were it not only ynoughe to exercyſe in faythe, all the tyme of mans lyfe? for the which purpoſe ſpecyally were ordeyned holy ordres / & in tyme paſt, ſome holy fathers prayed bothe nyght and daye / yea there is no man at all, but y^t he hath to pray at al tymes without ceaſyng. But I ſpeake of ſpyrytual prayer / y^t is no man is ſo payned with his labour (yf he wyll) but he may alſo ſpeake to god in his herte / and ſette before hym, other his owne troubles, or other mens / prayenge & beſechyng for helpe / & in al theſe exercyſe & ſtrēgth his faythe / for this is it that oure lorde wolde. Luke y^e .18. ſayeng we muſt pray without ceaſynge / all thoughe Mathewe the .vi. he forbyd many wordes and longe prayers / in the which he rebuked y^e Pharyſeis and hypocrytes / not that vocall & longe prayers be euyll / but that it is not the true prayer whiche muſte be done alwaye / & which without y^e inward prayer of faythe, is nought worthe / for y^e outwarde prayer muſt be vſed alſo at tymes / ſpecially at maſſe, as it is requyred by this cōmaū dement / and not onelyonly than, but alſo at any other tyme where ſoeuer it ſhall ꝓfyte to thynwarde prayer & fayth / whether ye be at home, in y^e fylde, or in any other worke. Wherof nowe it is no tyme to ſpeake more / for it ꝑtayneth to y^e Pater nr̄ / in the whiche al peticyons & vocall prayers be comprehended in ſhort wordes.

WHere be they nowe y^t deſyre to knowe and do good workes? What ſoeuer they be, let thē ſet onelyonly prayer before them / & they ſhall fynde this trewe / that holy fathers hauehave ſayd / there is none ſo great labour, as it is to pray / it is but a lyght thyng to mumble with thy mouthe / Here haſte thou deſcrybed whatte true prayere is.but to put out the wordes ſadlye with thy herte, with inwarde godlyneſſe, and deuocyon. That is with deſyre & faythe, that the herte may erneſtly aſke that thynge / that y^e wordes pretend / doubtynge not but that it ſhall be herde. This truely is a good worke in y^e ſight of god / and to let this, the deuyll ſtryueth and wraſteleth with all his myght. O howe ofte wolde he let our pleaſure in prayenge / & ſuffre vsus nother tyme nor place / yea ofte tymes make vsus dyſpayre / whether a man be worthy to praye to ſo hyghe a maieſtye as god is / & ſo prouoke man, y^t he can not tel / whether that it be in erneſte or no that he prayeth / whether it be poſſyble / that this prayer be accepte or not / & many ſuch other thoughtes, caſt the deuyll to vsus / for he knoweth howe myghty, ſtronge, & profytable to all men / is the prayer of a faythfull man. Wherfore he wold not gladly ſuffre vsus to praye. Here a man muſte playe the wyſe man / & not for this cauſe to dyſpeyre / y^t other our ſelfes or our prayers be vnworthy in the ſyght of the excedynge maieſtye of god / nor to laboure by his owne worthyneſſe / nor to lyue by this vnworthyneſſe / but we muſt marke the cōmaundement of god, and laye that agaynſte hym / and to preuente the deuyll / ſayenge as I wyll begynne nothynge by my owne worthyneſſe / ſo I wyll omytte nothyng for myne vnworthyneſſe. For I do onelyonly praye & worke for this / y^t god of his pure mercye & grace, hath ꝓmyſed hearynge and grace to all men / thoughe they be vnworthye / yea he hathe not alonly ꝓmyſed / but alſo moſt erneſtly cōmaūded vnderunder the payne of his euerlaſtyng indygnacyō & angre / to praye, to be bold, & to receyue. If therfore it was no lytel thyng to ſo hygh a maieſty / to bynde ſo greatly ſuche his vnworthye wormes / to pray, to truſt ī hym, & to receyue of hym / howe ſhulde it be a lytel thīg to me / to take ſuch a cōmaū dement w^t all ioye / whether I be worthy or vnworthy? Thus the ſuggeſtyon of the deuyll / muſte be ouerthrowen, by the cōmaundement of god / for ſo wol he leaue vsus, or els neuer.

The cauſes and neceſſytyes y^t ſhuld moue vsus to praye.BVt what be y^e cauſes & neceſſyties / y^t ſhulde be put and complayned vponupon to almyghtye god in prayer / to exercyſe faythe? I anſwere fyrſt of all / ben pryuate troubles, temptacyons, and aduerſyties of a mans owne / of the whiche ſpeaketh Dauyd the .31. pſalme. Thou arte my defender from trybulacyon, thou ſhalt kepe me / and make me glade excedyngly for my delyueraūce. Alſo the .141. pſalme. I cryed vntounto the lorde / before y^e lord I fell downe and made my prayer / before him I powred forth my heuy medytacyon / before hym I layde my ſtrayte anguyſſhe. So ought a chryſten man to remembre hym ſelfe before maſſe / what he thynketh what he lacketh, or what he hathe to moche / & to powre that frely out before god, wepynge, mournynge, ſyghynge / and that as pyteouſly as he can / as before his moſt truſtye father & moſt redy to helpe hym. But and yf thou nother knowe, nor ꝑceyue thy neceſſyties / or yf thou lacke temptacyon, or perſecucyon / thā thynke thy ſelfe in an euyll caſe. For this is the greatteſt perſecucyon / yf thou fele thy ſelfe / ſo blockyſſhe, ſo herde, ſo dull, that thou arte moued by no perſecucyon. There is no better glaſſe / The glaſſe, in the which we maye ſe our neceſſyties, is the cō maundemēt of god.wherin thou mayſte beholde thy neceſſyties / than the .x. cōmaundementes of god / in the whiche thou mayſte fynde, what thou wanteſt, & what thou oughteſt to ſeke / and ſo thou ſhalte fynde in thy ſelfe weake faythe / ſclender hope, lytel louelove toward god / and that thou doſt nother prayſe nor worſhyppe hym / but loueſt thyne owne prayſe and boſtyng, and ſetteſt moche by the fauour of men / not glad to here maſſe, and ſermons / ſlow to praye, in whiche thynges, eueryevery man fayleth and dothe amyſſe / Suche defautes, thou oughteſt to regarde more, than all corporall damages / of fame, of honoure, or of body, in ſo moche that they are more to be ſorowed, thā deth it ſelfe, or all bodelye dyſeaſes. Whiche all thou oughteſt to lay before god with reuerēce, feare, and faythe, complaynynge and cryenge for helpe, with all truſt / lokynge ſurelye to be herde, and that he wyll graunt the ſocoure and grace. And of this facyon, goynge further in the ſeconde table of the cōmaundementes of god / take hede howe dyſobedyent thou haſte ben / and yet arte, to thy father and mother, to the offycers, and ſuperyours / howe thou haſte offended thy neyghbour with angre, hate, and checkes / howe that wantones, couetyſe, & vnryghtwyſeneſſe hathe tempte the / bothe in worde and dede / and than without doubte, thou ſhalte fynde thy ſelfe ful of trouble and myſeryes / that thou ſhuldeſt hauehave cauſe ynoughe (yf thou myghteſt) to weape teares of blode.

BVt I knowe many, that be ſo folyſſhe, y^t they wyll not praye and deſyre ſuche thynges, before they fynde theym ſelues cleane / thynkynge that god heareth none y^t is in ſynne / the whiche thyng all togythers falſe prechers hauehave made / whiche teache that we muſte begynne / not at the grace of god and faythe / but at our owne workes. Nowe beholde thou wretched man / yf thy legge be broken / or yf thou be brought in to any other bodelye ieoperdye / thou calleſt vponupon god or vponupon this ſaynte or that / and taryeſte not vntyll thy legge be hole or thy ieoperdy be paſt. Nother arte thou ſo folyſſhe, y^e thou wyll thynke, that no man ſhalbe herde that hath a broken legge / as in ieoperdy of dethe. Yea thou thynkeſt than to be moſte ſpecyallye herde of god / whan thou arte in moſt ieoperdye & ſorowe. Wherfore thā art thou ſo folyſſhe here / where is moſte neceſſytye and greatteſt hurt / that thou wylte not fyrſt praye / for faythe, hope, louelove, humylytie, obedyēce, chaſtetye, gentylnes, peace, and ryghtwyſeneſſe / before thou be without all vnbyleue, wātones, couetyſe, and vnryghtwyſenes / whā that the more thou fyndeſt thy ſelfe a ſynner ī theſe thyngꝭ / the more largelye thou oughteſt to praye and call to god. We be ſo blynde, that ī bodely troubles & ſynnes we ron vntounto god / but in the ſyckenes of our ſoules we ronne from hym, not wyllyng to come to hym, except we be hoole & perfyte before / as though god were not alwaye one in helpyng the body & y^e ſoule / or as though we coulde helpe our ſelfe in ſpyrytuall trouble / which is greatter than bodelye dyſeaſes, in the which we can not helpe our ſelf. This is a deuelyſſhe counſell & purpoſe. Therfore (O man) do not ſo / for yf thou be wyllyng to be helped of thy ſynnes / thou muſt not withdrawe thy ſelfe frō god / but moche more boldelye ronne & preyſe vntounto hym / thā yf bodely trouble & ꝑſecucion come vpō the.God refuſeth no man but if he refuſe hym fyrſt by vnfaythfulneſſe. For god is no enemy to ſyn̄ers / but to vnfaythful / y^e is to them y^e knowlege not theyr ſynnes, & wyl not cōplayne & ſeke to god for helpe, but of theyr owne pryde & preſūpcion fyrſt do purge theym ſelfes / as men y^t wyll not ſtāde nede of his grace / & as men, not ſufferyng god to be w^t thē / which gyueth to al men frely, & receyueth nothyng agayne.

ALl theſe thynges be ſpoken of y^e prayer, both for thyne owne trouble & alſo for cō mon trouble / but prayer properly pertaynyng to this cōmaūdement,To this cō maundemēt ꝑtayneth cō men prayer, for all chryſtendome. is called the worke of the holy day / moch better & greatter to be done for al chryſtēdome for y^e troubles of al mē / for enemyes & frendꝭ, ſpecyally for them y^e be ī eueryevery mans paryſſhe or dyocꝭ / & ſo ſayd ſaynt Paule to his dyſcyple Timothe, in his fyrſt epyſtle the .ii. chapytre ſayeng, I exhort therfore y^e aboue al thyngꝭ prayers, ſupplycacyons, peticyons, & gyuynge of thankes / be had for all men / for kynges & for al that are had in prehemynence / y^e we may lyue a quyete and peaſable lyfe in all godlyneſſe and honeſtye / for y^t is good & accepted in the ſyght of god our ſauyour. And Heremie the .xxix. chapytre / he cōmaunded the people of Iſraell to pray to god for the cytie, and for the coūtrey of Babylon / bycauſe that the peace of Babylon, was theues alſo. And Baruche the fyrſt chapytre. Praye you for the lyfe of Nabugodono for kynge of Babylon, and for y^e lyfe of Balthaſar, his ſone / that theyr dayes may be as the dayes of heuen vponupon erth / and that the lorde wolde gyue vsus vertue and lyghte our eyes / that we may lyue vnderunder the ſhadowe of Nabugodonoſor kynge of Babylon / & vnderunder the ſhadowe of his ſone Balthaſar / & that we may ſerue them many dayes, and fynde fauour in theyr ſyghte. This commune & publique prayer is moſt precyous and effectuous, for the whiche alſo we come togyther. Alſo vponupon this the temple is called the houſe of prayer / that there all togyther we ſhulde ſet our eyes / bothe vponupon our owne trouble / and the trouble of all other, and ſhewe theym vntounto god / callynge for grace. But this muſt be erneſtlye done / and whiche trewe compaſſyon that we moued by ſuche trouble and euyll of al men / and by clere petye vponupon them / we may praye for them in true faythe and truſte. Where therfore ſuch prayer, is not done at maſſe / it were ſurer and better not to be at maſſe.Agaynſt priuate prayers. For how doth it agre / that we come boldely all togyther in the houſe of prayer / wherby is ſygnifyed, y^e we ſhuld inuocate & praye openlye for the vnyuerſall cōpanye of all faythfull people / & in the meane tyme, we ſo ſcatter & deuyde our prayers / y^e eueryevery mā prayeth only for hym ſelfe no mā caryng or buſye for other / nother pyteynge other mens trouble / howe thā can this prayer be called ꝓfytable / good, acceptable, cōmon, or y^e worke of y^e holy day, & cōmyng togyther / as they make it / whā eueryevery man kepeth his owne propre prayer / this mā prayeng for one thyng / & y^t for another / hauyng nothīge but prayers / ſeruynge for theyr owne priuate ꝓfyte, whiche god hateth.

OF this cōmon prayer, after the olde cuſtome / is this argument left vsus / y^t in y^e ende or in ſome other tyme of the ſermonde,We hauehave a tokē yet left in the church of the cōmen prayour. is the beades reherſyd / & they pray for al chryſtendome / & the cōpanye there gathered togyther. But they ſhulde not lyue here as though y^e matter were ended, as the maner & vſe is now / but there ought to be a warnyng y^t they ſhulde pray all y^e maſſe tyme / for ſuch troubles as y^e p̄cher ſhall put vsus in remēbraūce y^t we be indaūgered to. And y^t we may pray worthely / he warneth vsus before of oure ſynnes, to make vsus lowe / which muſt be don w^t fewe wordꝭ, y^t the people may al togyther by thē ſelf, ſhew theyr ſyn̄es to god / ſo prayeng ī fayth for all men / euen frō y^e hert. Oh, I wold to god y^t ſome cōpany myght here maſſe & pray after this maner, y^e openly & in y^e cōpany myght aryſe a clere crye frō y^e hert, & aſcē de to god / howe ineſtymable vertue & helpe ſhulde folowe of ſuch a prayer / what thynge may be more fearefull to all euyll ſpyrytes? what greatter worke can be done in the worlde / by the which ſo many good men maye be preſerued, and ſo many ſynners cō uerted? for the congregacyon of Chryſt in erthe / hathe no greatter power or greatter worke / thā ſuche open and cōmen prayere / agaynſt al aduerſytie / that may happen vntounto it. And that the deuyll knoweth well / & therfore he goeth about to lette this prayer. Here he ſuffereth vsus to buylde goodly churches / to founde many chauntryes / to blowe & playe vponupon y^e organs, to rede, to ſyng, to ſaye many maſſes / and to exercyſe innumerable ſuche other ceremonyes, whiche he feareth not / yea he ſo furthereth theym / that we iudge ſuche for the beſt / and thynke the mater is wel ended with ſuche worſhyppynge. But amonges all theſe, whan this cōmon ſtronge and profytable prayer is ſubuerted / & by this maner letten alone / he hath that he wolde. For this prayer layde aſyde or banyſſhed awaye / no man can take any thinge fro the deuyll, or ſtryue agaynſt hym. But he wyll watch yf we vſe any ſuche prayer / Yea and yf it be in our cotage, or poore thackyd houſe / truely he wyl not ſuffre it (yf he maye) to procede / but feareth it, moche more / than all the hyghe, great, & godly churches / towres, bellꝭ, where ſoeuer they be / yf there be no ſuche prayer in them: truely it maketh no matter, in what places or buyldyngꝭ we come togyther / but all the pythe is ī this inuyncyble prayer / that we all vnyuerſally do it well / & that we care that it may come to god.

The vertue of a deuoute & faythfull prayer.WE may coniecture y^e myghte & power of this prayer / vp on this / that Abraham prayed vsus for the fyue cyties / Sodoma, Gomor. &c. And he preuayled ſo moche, that yf there had ben tenne ryghtwyſe men in theym / that is in eueryevery one of theym two / god wolde not hauehave dyſtroyed them. What than ſhall be done by this prayer / where many in one congregacyon / and truſtynge in the true god / cal hertely vponupon hym / as ſaynt Iames ſayeth / pray ye one for another, that ye may be healed / the prayer of a ryghtwyſe man auayleth moche yf it be feruent / that is to ſaye / not leauynge to praye more and more / yea thoughe he obtayne not by and by that, that he aſketh / as do ſome men that be weake ſpyryted / of the whiche he bryngeth an example and ſayeth. Helyas was a man in daunger to trybulacyon, as we are / & he prayed in his prayer / that it myghte not rayne / and it rayned not on the erthe, by the ſpace of .iii. yeres & ſyxe monethes / and agayne he prayed, and the erthe broughte forthe her fruyte. There ben many ſuch ſayenges and examples mouynge vsus in ſcrypture. But yet this prayer muſte be done w^t grauyte, faythe, & from y^e herte / as ſayeth Dauyd / the eyes of y^e lorde be vponupon ryghtwyſe men / & his eares vponupon theyr prayers. And alſo the lorde is nyghe vntounto theym / that call vponupon hym / to all that call vponupon hym in truth / why dyd he adde to theym / that call vponupon hym in truthe? bycauſe y^t there is nother prayer nor inuocacyon / where y^e mouthe onelye mumbleth.The onelye mumblynge with y^e lyppes is no prayer. What than wyll god do with the / whan thou cō meſt with thy boke, with thy mouthe, with thy beades / & thynkeſt no other thynge / but y^t thou mayſte ende thy prayer and fulfyll thy nombre? ſo that yf thou be aſked what was the cauſe / or wherfore thou purpoſedeſt to pray / thou knoweſt not thy ſelf / nother dyddeſt thou conſydre or regarde to put forth this or that vntounto god / or to aſke any thynge of hym. This is the onelyonly cauſe / that this & ſo many prayers be inioyned vntounto the / this wylte thou keape and no more. What meruayle therfore is it / that the churches be ofte tymes ſet a fyre with lyghtenynge and thundre from heuen / Churches ſet a fyre.ſeynge that of the houſe of prayer / we make y^e houſe of mockynge and ylluſyone? ſhall we ſaye that we praye / whā we nother ſet forthe any thyng, nor aſke any thynge. But we ſhulde do as they do / that aſke any thyng of a greatter prynce / whiche do not onelyonly purpoſe to clatter with the mouthe manye wordꝭ / (for than y^e prynce wolde thynke that they mocked hym / or y^t they were madde) but they that ſhall go vntounto ſuch prynces / conſyder theyr matter well before, and declare well and dylygentlye theyr trouble / and yet they permytte all to his grace / truſtyng that they ſhalbe herde / ſo muſte we do with god / with a ſure and indoubted accyon / expreſſynge ſome troubles by name / ſhewynge thē by his fauour and good wyll / doubtynge nothynge but y^t we ſhall be harde / for he hathe promyſed y^t he wyll here ſuche a prayer, the whiche no other erthely god hathe promyſed.

WHan we be lette with bodely trouble / than we knowe ꝑfyghtlye this maner of prayer. For whan we be taken with ſyckeneſſe / we call vponupon ſaynte Chryſtofer in this place / & ſaynt Barbara in that place. Here we vowe to ſaynt Iames, there to a nother ſaynt. Than praye we w^t herte and mynde / than is oure truſte good / and al the condycyons of prayer requiſyte ben preſent. But whan we come in to y^e churche to maſſe, we ſtande lyke ymages / and can remembre nothyng / nother ſhewe or cōplayne any thynge / there our beade ſtones maketh a noyſe, and our leaues ſounde / & our mouth mumbleth, & nothyng els do we. And yf thou wylt aſke, what thynge thou ſhuldeſt put forthe or complayne of / yf thou be not lerned, open thy eyes, and loke vpō thy lyfe / and the lyfes of other chryſten men / & ſpecyally of the ſtate of the ſpyrytualtie / & thou ſhalte than fynde, howe y^t faythe, hope, charytie, obedyence, chaſtytye, & to be ſhorte / all other vertues be banyſſhed / and all maner of vyces nowe reygne. Thou ſhalte ſe howe great a lacke is of good prechers / howe y^t there be none that rule, but vayne perſones, women, boyes, and foles. Than thou ſhalte fynde, that it is neceſſary for all y^e worlde to praye eueryevery houre with blodye teares / that this excedyng indygnacyon of god, ceaſe / for this is true / y^t it was neuer more nede of prayer than nowe, and ſhall be hereafter to the worldes ende. Wherfore yf thou be not moued to pytie and complaynte, by ſo many troubles & myſeryes / ſe that thy owne condycyon, ſtate, degree, thy owne good worke or prayer, corrupte or deceyue the not / yea to be playne thou haſt no poynt of a chriſtyan in the. Howe good ſoeuer thou thynkeſt thy ſelfe. But it was propheſyed lōge before that all theſe thynges ſhuld happen, & that god beynge moſt angre / and the chryſten people ſufferynge many troubles / there ſhuld be no interceſſours or prayers for theym to god / as Eſaye ſayeth weapyng, the .64. there is none that wyl call vponupon thy name, or that myght ryſe and hold the. Alſo Ezechiell the .2.2. chapy. I hauehave ſought for a man amonges theym, the whiche may ſet a hedge, and ſtande agaynſt me for the erthe / Behold here the wrathe of god and lerne to fere it.that I ſhulde not deſtroye it / but I founde none / and I hauehave powred my indygnacyon vponupon them. And I hauehave waſted theym in the fyre of my wrathe / by the whiche wordes god ſheweth, howe that he wold we ſhulde reſyſte hym / and preuent his yre / as it is oft redde of the prophete Moyſes / whiche ofte tymes by prayer helde god / that he powred not his wrathe vponupon the people of Iſraell.

BVt where ſhall they abyde / whiche not alonlye care not and bewayle not ſuche calamyte of chryſten people. But alſo they laughe ſtandyng in theyr owne conceyte / iudgynge euyll ſpeakynge, backebytynge, ſyngynge and ſpeakynge of theyr neyghbours fautes / and yet they be ſo without feare & ſhame / that they doubte not to come into y^e churche to heare maſſe and pray, and to reken them ſelfes good chryſten men. Theſe men hauehave nede of twyſe aſmoch prayer as they / whome they iudge, mocke & condempne. It was ſhewed that ſuche men ſhuld come, by the thefe that hanged on the lyfte hande of Chryſt which checked Chryſt in his paſſyon & trouble. Theſe men alſo be lyke vntounto them that blaſphemed Chryſte vponupon the croſſe, what tyme they oughte chefelye to hauehave helped hym. O god how blynde, ye how madde be we all chryſten men made. O heuenly father whan ſhall there be an ende of this yre? y^e we may ones make no more blaſpheme / & iudge the ſorowes of chryſten men / for y^e which we ſhuld come into y^e churche to maſſe / & gather togyther, to pray god to take thē awaye. This maketh our folyſſhe inſenſybilytie & groſeneſſe. For the Turke pyllynge cyties / coūtreys, & men, we thynke that chryſtendome hath a great loſſe / here we morne, here we call for helpe bothe kyngꝭ and princes / but that fayth is loſte / y^e charytie waxeth colde / y^t the word of god is lefte of / y^e all maner of ſynnes preuayle / here is no man at all y^t ones thynketh of fyghtynge agaynſt them / but rather y^e Pope, byſſhoppes, preeſtes, & monkes, be moche worſe than the Turkes / and they be the capytaynes and ſtanderberers of ſuch Turkes & deuelyſſhe hooſtes / whom it wolde be ſeme to be y^e guydes / banerbearers, and rulers of this ſpirytuall warres / agaynſt theſe ſpirytuall enemyes. And as Iudas was the guyde to them that toke Chryſt. (For it was neceſſary that he ſhulde be an apoſtell / byſſhoppe, preeſt, or one of the chyefe that ſhulde go aboute to oppreſſe Chryſte). Euen ſo chryſtendome, muſte be ſubuerted of them / whiche ought to defende it. And yet they beynge in theyr owne opynyon ſo ſtronge / manly and wyſe / that they wold eate vp the Turke / leaue the folde & houſe of god kyndelyd and ſet a fyre of theyr owne ſelfes, with y^e ſhepe and all that is in it / not regardynge to perſecute the wolfe that lyeth hydde in the graſſe. This therfore is the tyme and rewarde, more mete and worthy for our vnkyndenes / thā the fauoure of god, whiche Chryſte gotte for vsus frelye by his precyous bloode / greuous laboure & moſt bytter deathe.

LO where be now theſe ydell men, whiche knowe not how they oughte to do good workes? where be they y^e ronne to Rome and to ſaynt Iames? ſette before thyne eyes this one good worke, the maſſe / lokynge vponupon the trouble and myſerye of thy neyghboure / hauehave pytie of his ſtate / complayne that vntounto god, and praye to god for hym / doynge the ſame for the trouble of all chryſtendome / and eſpecyally for al prynces, prelates, and rulers / whome god ſuffereth to fall & to be ſynfully corrupte for our intollerable payne & punyſſhement. And yf thou do this delygently from the herte / be thou ſure, y^t thou arte one of the beſte warryours & capytaynes / not onelyonly agaynſt y^e Turkes / but alſo y^e deuyls and powers of hell. And I pray the, yf thou doſt not this / what profyte is it to the, to do all y^e myracles of all ſayntes? to kyll all Turkꝭ / & yet be foūde coulpable & gyltie, as not regardynge the ſorowe of thy neyghboure / & by y^e meanes, ſynnynge agaynſt the ryght. For Chryſt at the laſt iudgemēt, wyll not aſke y^e howe moche thou haſte faſted, prayed, gone pylgrymages, or done this or that, for thy ſelfe. But howe moch good thou haſt done to other / yea y^t were poore. And without doubt there be mo poore mē oppreſſyd with ſynne / ſpirytuall pouertie,Spirytuall pouertie. pryſon and nede, than with bodely trouble. And therfore take hede to thy ſelfe / for oure choſen workꝭ, and peculyar purpoſes, do bryng vsus aboue our ſelfes / ſo that we onelyonly ſeke for our owne profyte and welthe. But the cōmaundementes of god / compelle vsus to oure neyghbours / & to ſerue for theyr welthe onelyonly / by the example of Chriſt vponupon the croſſe, prayenge not onelyonly for hym ſelfe / but for vsus / ſayenge, father forgyue thē / for they wot not what they do. So muſt we one praye for another. Of this eueryevery man maye knowe, howe froward and wycked this people is / which backebyte, iudge raſſhelye / & do none other but dyſpyſe thē for whome they ought to praye / in the whiche vyce, no man ſtycketh ſo deapelye / as they that wery theym ſelfes in theſe peculyer and choſen workes / whiche appere moche ſhynynge and beautefull before men, for theyr goodlye and outwarde lyfe, with theyr manyfolde good workes.

The ſaboth day.AFter the ſpirytuall ſence / this cō maūdement hath a more excellente worke / cōtaynynge the hole nature of man.Saboth, in Hebrewe ſignyfyeth / holye, reſt, and quyetneſſe. Here therfore muſt be knowen / that y^e Saboth day after the Hebrewe tonge / ſygnifyeth, holy or reſte / bycauſe that god reſted and ceaſed the ſeuenth day from all his workes / whiche he create y^e ſyxe dayes before. Geneſis the ſecōde chapytre. Therfore god cōmaū ded, that we ſhulde ſanctifye the ſaboth daye / and ceaſe from all our workes / whiche we worke y^e ſyxe dayes. This ſaboth daye is nowe chaūged into the ſonday / and thother dayes be called prophane or workedayes. But the ſonday is called, the day of quyetneſſe or reſt, or the holy daye. And I wolde to god, that there were no holy day ī chryſtendome but the ſonday / ſo that the feaſtꝭ of our lady and al other ſayntes were chaunged into the ſonday / for ſo ſhulde moche vyce be exchued & lefte throughe y^e workedayes / and the countreys ſhulde not be ſo oppreſſed with penury. But nowe we be ſo laden with y^e multytude of holydayes / that it is dyſtruccyon / bothe of ſoules, body, and goodes / of the whiche many thyngꝭ myght be ſpoken. Furthermore this reſt from workes is two maner of wayes / There ben two maner of ſabotes.bodely and ſpirytually / ſo this commaūdement is here vnderſtāde / two maner of wayes / for the bodely ſaboth day or reſt / The bodely ſaboth.is, of the whiche / we hauehave ſpoken before / as the ceaſynge fro our crafte or labour / in tyme conuenyent to ſe maſſe / to here the worde of god / and to praye all togyther for the cōmon welthe of all men / y^e whiche bodely ſaboth day is not cō maunded to chryſten men / in ſo moche that the apoſtell to y^e Colloſſyans the .ii. chapytre, ſayeth. Lette no man therfore trouble your conſcyence about meate or drynke / or for an peaſe of an holy day, as the holy daye of the newe moone / or of the ſabothe daye / whiche are nothynge but ſhadowes of thynges to come / but the body is Chryſte. Nowe verely the truthe is fulfylled / ſo that eueryevery daye is holy daye / as Eſaye ſayeth the. 6.6. chapytre. And the monethmonth ſhall be of the monethmonth / and the ſaboth daye / of the ſaboth daye. And agayne all dayes be prophane and workedayes. But yet this ſaboth daye is neceſſarye and ordayned of chryſten people / for the prophane and lay men / for craftes men / labourers and hyred ſeruaūtes / that they may come togyther / to here the worde of god / for as we ſe / the preeſtes and monkes dayly ſacryfyce and ſaye maſſe / pray eueryevery houre / and exercyſe them ſelfe in the worde of god / by ſtudyeng, readyng, or hearyng. For the which cauſe they be without labour in comparyſon to other / theyr rentes & penſyons increaſed and prouyded for / hauynge dayly holydayes, dayly doynge the workꝭ of y^e holydayes / without all worke dayes / & to whome all dayes be indyfferent. So yf we were all perfyte, & knewe the goſpell / we myght dayly ayther worke & labour / or yf we wolde reſt and kepe holy day yf we myghte / for the ſaboth daye is not nowe neceſſary nor cōmaunded / but to lerne the worde of god, & to praye.

The ſpirytuall ſaboth which ought to be halowed eueryevery dayTHe ſpirytuall holy day, whiche god hathe ſpecyally cō maunded in this cōmaūdement is / that not onelyonly we labour not, and leaue our occupacyon / but moche more that we ſuffre god onelyonly to worke in vsus / workynge nothyng of our owne, in all our power / but howe ſhulde that be? Thus it is, man corrupte with ſynne / hathe moche euyll louelove & deſyre to al ſynnes / as the ſcrypture ſayth. Geneſis the .viii. cha. All the thoughte of mānes herte is gyuen to euyll at all tymes / that is, to pryde, dyſobedyence,The ſpirytuall ſaboth is to reſte & ceaſſe frō all y^e workes of our olde Adam, to mortefye thapetytes of our corrupte nature, and to put on Ieſu Chryſt, and all his workes. yre, hate, couetyſe, vnclennes. And to be ſhort in all thynges y^t he dothe or leaueth vndone. He ſeaketh more his owne profyte and pleaſure / than the glorye of god or his neyghbour / ſo that al his workes, all his thoughtes, & all his lyfe / is yll and not godly. Therfore to the ende y^t god may worke in hym / all theſe vyces & malyces muſte be dyſtroyed and plucked vp / y^t here may ſprynge the reſt and ceaſyng of our workes, thoughtes, wordes, & lyfe, that hereafter, not we / but as ſaynt Paule ſayeth to the Galatianes the fyrſt chapytre. Chryſt may worke, lyue and ſpeake in vsus. But this is not done with pleaſaūt dayes / but we muſt do vyolence to nature, and ſuffre / y^e vyolence be done vntounto it / for here begynneth the batayle betwene the ſpiryte & the fleſſhe / here the ſpiryte wraſteleth agaynſte yre / voluptuouſnes, & pryde / the fleſſhe wyllynge to flowe full of pleaſure, honoure, ydelnes, & reſte / of the whiche ſpeaketh ſaynt Paule to the Galatianes / the .v. chapy. They that be of Chryſt, hathe crucyfyed theyr fleſſhe, w^t appetytes and luſtes. Out of this ſaboth therfore folowe good workes / to faſte, to watche, to pray, to labour / of the which, many men ſpeake & wryte ſo moch, & yet they knowe nother the begynnnge nor ende of them.The ſpirytuall ſaboth is kepte two maner of wayes. And therfore at this tyme we ſhall ſpeake of theym. This holy day whiche god worketh in vsus, whan oure workes ceaſe / is kept two maner of wayes. Fyrſt by our owne exercyſe / ſecōdarely by another outwarde exercyſynge or mocyon. Therfore our exercyſe muſt be ſo ordered / that fyrſt we ſe wherunto our fleſſhe is gyuen / and to what our wyll and reaſon prouoketh vsus / & that we reſyſt them and folowe them not / as the wyſe man ſayeth, do thou not go after thyne owne luſtes and appetytes / and Deuteronomye the .xii. chapytre. Do that onelyonly that I cōmaunde the / and thou ſhalte put nothynge to the lorde, nor take nothynge awaye. Here a man muſte hauehave the prayers euer in vſe / whiche Dauyd prayed, ſaynge. Lorde brynge me in the way of thy cō maundementꝭ / and not into couetyce. Item ſhewe me thy wayes / and teache me thy pathes / y^t my ſteppes be not moued, & ſuch many / the which all this prayer conteyneth. Lorde let thy kyngdome come / for there be ſo many and ſo manyfold appetytes and luſtes / and ſomtyme ſo ſubtyll and goodly by the ſuggeſtion of the euyl ſpiryte / that it is vnpoſſyble for a man to rule hym ſelfe in his lyfe. Let hym therfore forſake handes and fete, & put hym ſelfe / to the rule of god / truſtyng nothyng in his owne reaſon / as Hieremye ſayth. Lorde the waye of man is not in his owne power. And that was fygured, whan y^e chyldren of Iſrael went out of Egypt / where they had no way / no meate, no drynke, nor helpe. Therfore god went byfore them by daye tyme in a clere clowde / but at nyght in a fyerye pyllar / nouryſſhyng them w^t aungelles foode / from heuen / ſo kepynge theyr ſhoes and clothes / that they were not torne / as it is red in the bokes of Moyſes. And therfore let vsus praye / lorde lette thy kyngdome come / that thou mayſt rule vsus, and not we our ſelfes / For there is nothyng more perillous ī vsus / than our owne propre wyll & reaſon. And this is the cheyf and hygheſt worke / of god, and the beſte exercyſe to leaue our owne workes / and to be voyde fre and ydle from all our owne wyll and reaſon / commyttynge our ſelfe to god in all thynges / ſpecyally / where as ſpirytuall & good thynges appere.

AFter this ſpirytuall exercyſe foloweth the exercyſe of the fleſſhe / to kyll his euyll & groſſe deſyres / to make reſt and quyetneſſe, whiche we muſte kyll with faſtyng,Here lerne of faſting, watchyng, with other laboures and exercyſe of y^e body, wherfore they ſerue, & for what intēt they ſhulde be done. watchyng, and labour. Out of the whiche grounde we lerne howe moch / and wherfore we ought to faſt, watche, and labour. For there be many blynde men (alas for ſorowe) that faſte, watche, & laboure, onelyonly for this cauſe / that they thynke they be good workes in them ſelfe / and that they deſerue many thynges in them / and ſo contynuynge in ſuche thynges ſo longe / that otherwhyles they dyſtroye theyr owne bodyes, and make theym ſelfes deſye in the heades. But yet they be more blynde / whiche meaſure not onelyonly theyr faſt after theyr multytude or greatnes / but alſo after y^e meates thin kynge that it is moche better yf they eate not fleſſhe, egges, or butter. And yet of all other they be worſe / that faſte for ſayntes & choſe dayes / as whā one faſteth wednyſday, and another ſaturdaye / & he faſteth for ſaynt Barbara, and another for ſaynt Sebaſtyan, & ſuche other. All theſe ſeke none other thīge in faſting, but the worke in it ſelfe / by the which they thynke they do well. I here wyttyngly paſſe ouer many, which ſo faſt fro meate / that yet they drynke tyl they be dronken / ſome eate fyſſhe, & other deintyes ſo coſtly whan they faſte / y^t they might eate fleſſhe, egges, and butter farre better cheape / but ſuche maner of faſtynge / is no faſtynge / but rather a mocke both to faſtyng and to god / therfore I wolde y^e eueryevery man ſhuld choſe what daye, what meate, & howe moche he wolde faſt / after his owne mynde / ſo y^t he there reſt not / but let hym marke the ſtate of his fleſſhe / & ſo faſt watche and labour / that he tame the fearſnes and wantones of it / & neuer the more that the pope / byſſhop / churche / gooſtly father, or any other man cōmaunded it / For the maner and rule of faſtīg watchynge and labour / is to be taken of no man / nother after y^e multytude of meates or dayes / but after the increaſynge or dyſcreaſynge of the concupyſſence and outragyouſnes of y^e fleſſhe / and for to kyll & oppreſſe them / faſtynges / watches / and labour was ordayned / & for none other cauſe / for yf there were no ſuche deſyres, it were as good to eate / as to faſte, to ſlepe, as to watch, to be ydell, as to laboure / & one as good as another, without all dyfference.

IF therfore a man perceyue & fynde / that ther groweth more fearſneſſe in his fleſſhe, by eatynge of fyſſhe / than by egges & fleſſhe. He than oughte to eate fleſſhe & no fyſſhe. And agayne yf he feale his heade to be corrupte, and his body and his ſtomake to be weake with faſtyng / or that he hathe no neade to oppreſſe the fearſneſſe of his fleſſhe let hym leaue faſtynge, eatynge, ſlepynge, reſtynge, as moche as he hathe nede for y^e helthe of his body / not lokynge whether it be agaynſte the cōmaundementes of the churche / her ordre or decre / for there is no cōmaundement of the churche, nor conſtytucyons of any ordre / that maye ordayne & preſcrybe faſtynges, watchynges, and laboure, more ſtraytelye, than they profyte to tame and mortyfye the voluptuous deſyres of the fleſſhe. But where ſoeuer (without this purpoſe and ende) they cōmaunde faſtyng, meates, ſlepe, and watches, more hardely than the fleſſhe may ſuffre / or more than is neade to the kyllynge of the luſt of the fleſſhe / ſo that nature is corrupt and the heade loſt / than let no man thynke that he hathe done a good worke / excuſynge hym ſelfe, other by the cōmaundementes of the churche / or els by the conſtytucyons of his ordre / for he ſhall ſeme to hauehave wanted to hym ſelfe / and as moche as laye in hym to be a manſleyer and ſtryker of hym ſelfe. No truely, the bodye is not gyuen to kyll his naturall lyfe or worke / but onelyonly to oppreſſe his fyerſneſſe / excepte the fyerſneſſe be ſo great / that it can not be reſyſted without the hurte & loſſe of naturall lyfe. And as I ſayde before, in the exercyſynge of faſtynge, watchynge and labour / a man muſt hauehave an eye not to the worke in it ſelfe, not to y^e dayes, multytude, or meates / but onelyonly to the fyers & wanton Adam / ſo that the wantoneſſe and fyerſeneſſe may be taken from hym.

OF theſe we may perceyue howe wyſelye or folyſſhelye ſome woman great with chylde do / and howe ſycke men ſhulde be intreated. For folyſſhe women ſtycke ſo to faſtynges, y^t they wyll rather put bothe theyr byrthe, & theym ſelfes in ieoperdye / than they ſhulde not faſt equally togyther with other mē / hauyng conſcyence there where is none / and agayne, there as is conſcyence hauynge none. The cauſe of the which thyng be prechers / prechynge, faſtynges, ſo raſſhelye & folyſſhelye / that they ſhewe neuer the truthe / vſe, maner, profyte, cauſe, or ende of it. So we ſhulde ſuffre the ſycke to eate and drynke daylye what ſoeuer they wyll. And to be ſhorte, whan the fearſneſſe of the fleſſhe ceaſeth by and by / ceaſeth all the cauſe of faſtynge, watchynge, labourynge, eatyng this meate or that, nother is there / any other cōmaūdement that cōpellyth or byndeth vsus to faſte. And of the other ſyde, we muſt take hede leaſte by this lybertie / there grow a vnluſty ſlouthfulneſſe of y^e fleſſhe. Truth it is y^t our olde Adam is paſſyng ſubtyll in ſekynge his owne eaſe and pleaſure, pretendynge euer this dyſeaſe, or that dyſeaſe to auoyde faſtynge, as y^e ache of the heade, weakeneſſe of body with ſuch lyke. As there be ſome / bablynge that it is not neceſſarye / that we ſhuld faſte and abſteyne, wyllynge y^t we ſhulde eate this or y^t without any feare at all tymes / as thoughe they had ben longe / and moche exercyſed in faſtynge / and yet truely they neuer taſted it. And no leſſe we ought to auoyde ſclaunders before them / whiche be not inſtructe and wyſe ynoughe / but take it for a great ſynne, yf we do not bothe faſt and eate togyther with theym after theyr maner and cuſtome. And in dede ſuche men ſhulde be inſtructe and taught ſwetely and not diſpyſed cruellye / nor we ſhulde eate this or that for the dyſdayne or hate of them / but we muſte ſhewe a reaſon / why this may be well & laufull ye done / & ſo they alſo by a lytell, & lytell, may be broughte vntounto the ſame vnderſtandyng. But yf they be ſo ſtubbornely frowarde y^t they wyll here no man. Than let them alone. & let vsus do that that we knowe to be good and ryght.

THe latter exercyſe whiche happeneth vntounto vsus, is whā we be hurte, other by mē or by y^e deuyll, whā we be ſpoyled other of goodes, or ryches, whan the body is ſycke / whan honour is taken from vsus / and what ſeeuer moueth vsus to impacyency, wrathe, and vnquyetneſſe. For as y^e worke of god ruleth in vsus after his wyſdome, and not after our owne reaſon, after his clennes / and not after the fyerſnes of our fleſſhe. For charyte & wyſdome be the workes of god / but folyſſheneſſe and vnclenneſſe be oure workes, from y^e whiche we muſte abſteyne / ſo he oughte to rule in vsus after his peace, and not after our yre, impacyence and warre For peace alſo is the worke of god / but impacyency is y^t worke of our fleſſhe, which muſt be left & mortyfyed. Wherfore to mortyfye ſuche our workes and the olde Adam / god layeth vponupon our neckes many aduerſyties / mouynge vsus to wrathe / many paſſyons prouokynge vsus to impacyence / and at laſt dethe & ſclaū der of the worlde / ſekynge no other thynge by this meanes, but that yre, impacyence and warre dryuen out of vsus, he might come to his worke, that is to ſaye / to peace in vsus. So ſayeth Eſaye y^e xxviii. chapytre. His worke is ſtraūge, that he may worke his worke, that is to ſay / he ſendeth vsus paſſyons, warre, and debate that he may lerne vsus to hauehave pacyence & peace. He cōmaundeth to dye that he may quycken / vntyll a man be ſo exercyſed, ſo pacyfyed and ſo quyete / that he be nothynge moued in proſperytie nor in aduerſytie, whether he lyue or dye / whether he be honoured or ſclaunderyd / than there worketh god onelyonly / thanne is there no mans worke / than this ſhall be called the trewe ſabothe day / thā a mā is not led of hym ſelfe / than he foloweth not his owne wyll, than is he troubled in no thynge / but god his ſelfe guydeth hym. Than there is playnly the wyll of god, peace & myrthe with all other good workes and vertues.

GOd ſettyth ſo moche by theſe workes / that he commaunded not onelyonly the ſaboth to be obſerued and called ſaboth day / but that it ſhulde be ſanctifyed or iudged holy / ſo ſhewyng that there is nothing better, nothyng more precyous / than to ſuffre al troublous. For they be the relyques, the holy thynges that conſecrate or holowe a man frō his owne workes / to the workes of god / as the temple is conſecrate from all naturall workes to the worſhyppe of god. And therfore let a man knowlege thē as worſhypfull relyques / ioynynge and gyuyng thankes to god yf they come. For whā they come / they ſo ſanctifye a man, that he doth the cōmaundent of god / and is made ſafe & de…yuerde frō all his ſynnes, ſo ſayth Dauyd / y^e dethe of his ſayntes is precious in the ſyght of the lorde. And to y^e ende that god myghte bolden & quickenvs to theſe thynges / he hath not onelyonly cōmaunded vsus the kepynge of the ſaboth day (for it is greatly agaynſt nature to dye & to ſuffre to reſt & be deade from her owne workes). But alſo he cōforteth vsus by manyfolde wordes in ſcrypture / ſayenge to vsus the .89. pſalme. I ſhall be preſent with hym in trybulacion, I ſhal defende hym & indue hym with dygnytie. Alſo y^e .xxxiii. pſalme full nyghe is the lorde to men broken ī the hert / he ſaueth the contryte in ſpiryte / nor he was content with this / but he hathe gyuen vsus a myghty and ſtronge example / his onelyonly ſone Ieſus our lorde / whiche all the hole ſabothe daye lay voyde, & without al his workes / as ꝑtaynyng to y^e manhode / & fyrſte of all men fulfylled his cōmaūdment / for no nede of hym ſelfe, but onelyonly for our comforte / that we in all our ſufferynges / yea euyn in dethe / myght be quyete and at reſte / & hauynge peace, lokynge vponupon Chryſte / reaſed vp agayne after his reſte and ſabothe daye / daye thenſforth lyuyng in onelyonly god, and god in hym. And ſo we after the mortyfyenge of oure Adam / whiche ſhall not be fully vntyll the honour of dethe, ſhall be rayſed vp in god / y^t god may worke and lyue in vsus for euermore. Lo theſe be the thre partes of man / reaſon, pleaſure, and heuyneſſe / in the whiche all his workes go forth / which muſt be mortyfyed by theſe thre exercyſyngꝭ / y^e rule or gouernyng of god / our chaſty ſynges and outwarde hurtes / that ſo we kepynge a ſabothe day ſpirytuall, may gyue pla / ce to the workes of god.

BVt ſuche workes & ſufferyngꝭ muſt be done in faythe and good truſte of goddes louelove / A recapulacyon of all y^t is gone before, whiche cō cerneth the fyrſte table of cōmaundementes.y^t all workes may abyde in y^e fyrſt cōmaū dement and fayth, as is ſayd before / and y^e faythe maye exercyſe & ſtrength her ſelfe in them / for the which thyng be all the other workes & cōmaundementes ordeyned. Marke therfore howe goodlye a golde rynge is made / of theſe thre cōmaundementes / and theyr workes / and how out of the fyrſt cōmaundement and faythe, ronneth the ſeconde in to the thyrde / and agayne y^e thyrde by the ſeconde / entreth in to the fyrſt / for the fyrſt worke is to beleue, and hauehave a good herte and truſte in god / out of this ſpryngeth the ſeconde good worke / whiche is to prayſe the name of god, to confeſſe his grace, and to aſcrybe & gyue all glorye to hym onelyonly. Than after foloweth the thyrde worke / y^t is the worſhype or ſeruyce of god / to exercyſe thy ſelfe in prayer / in hearyng of ſermondes, in remembryng the benefytes of god. Alſo to chaſtyſe hym ſelfe & to tame his fleſſhe. The deuyll therfore ſeynge ſuch faythe, glorye, and worſhype of goo / waxeth madde, begynnyng ꝑſecucyon comynge vpō our body, goodꝭ, honour, & lyfe / & putteth vntounto vsus ſyckenes, ſclaūder, & deth / god ſo ſufferyng & ordeynyng hym. Lo than beginneth y^e ii. worke, or .ii. ſaboth day of the iii. cōmaūdement / wherby fayth is meruaylouſlye proued, euyn as golde in a fornayſe. For it is a great thyng to kepe good truſt to god / yea whā he ſendeth deth, ſclaūder, ſyckenes, & pouertie: & yet neuertheleſſe in ſuch a fearefull Image of deth to coūt hym for a moſt meke & gentyl father / the which thynge muſt be in the worke of this thyrde cōmaundement / where ſufferyng cōpelieth faythe, to call vponupon the name of god, & to prayſe hym in ſuch ſufferynges / & ſo agayne turneth the thyrde cōmaūdement in to y^e ſecōde. And by the prayſyng and callyng vponupon y^e name of god, ryſeth fayth / cōmyng agayne in to her ſelfe / & ſtablyſſhyng her felfe by two workes of the ſeconde & thyrde cōmaūdement / ſo faythe goeth out in to workes, and by workes commeth agayne to her ſelfe. Lyke as the ſonne ryſynge ī the Eaſt, goeth to the Weeſt / after that retouryng agayne to the Eaſte.Daye. For the whiche cauſe the day in holy ſcrypture is properly lykened vntounto the workꝭ of a quyte & peaſable lyfe.Nyght. But the nyght is lykened to y^e ſufferynge lyfe, oppreſſed with trouble and aduerſytie. And ſo faythe lyueth & worketh in bothe theſe lyues / goeth out & cōmeth in, as Chryſt ſayeth in the .vi. chapi. of Iohn̄.

Se here how the ordre of the .x. cōmaū demētes ben obſerued in our Pater noſter.WE praye for this ordre of good workes in our Pater noſter, in y^e whiche, the fyrſt thyng that we ſay, is our father whiche arte in heuen, whiche be the wordes of the fyrſt worke of faythe / whiche by the tenoure of the fyrſte cōmaundement doubteth not / but y^t ſhe hathe a good & mercyfull father in heuen. Secondely, halowed be thy name / by the which, faythe deſyreth the name, prayſe, and glorye of god to be ſhewed / callynge vponupon the name of god in all aduerſytie. Thyrdly, let thy kyngdome come, wherby we do praye / for the trewe and laufull ſaboth day / & reſt from our workes, that the worke of god be onelye in vsus / and that Chryſte may ſo reygne in vsus / as in his kyngdome, as he hym ſelfe ſayd. Verely I ſaye vntounto you / the kyngdome of god is no where but withī you. The fourthe peticyon is. Thy wyll be fulfylled, in the which we praye, that we may kepe and do the ſeuen cōmaundementes of the ſeconde table / in the which and by the whiche, faythe is exercyſed to our neyghbours / as in theſe thre fyrſt / ſhe is exercyſed in workes towarde god. And theſe thre prayers, in the whiche ben theſe pronounce / thou thyne / ſeke nothynge els but that, that belongeth to god, but al other prayers ſay, ours, to vsus & for vsus. &c. For we pray there for our gooddes & for our helth. Hytherto hauehave we ſpoken of the fyrſte table of Moyſes / & truely the more groſely to ſhewe the chyef good workes vntounto the ſymple. Nowe therfore folowe the ſeconde table.