¶Vpon the first Chapter.

O Iesu Christ, redéemer of the world, I thanke God through thee for all his be­nifites, and specially for the great gift of our redemption by thée, which wast borne of the sede of Dauid after the flesh, and are knowen the [Page] Sonne of God by the diuine power which thou hast decla­red to the whole world, hea­ling the bodies and sanctifi­ing the soules of the faithful with thy spirite, the which thou hast communicated a­bundantly to mans genera­tion, after that destroying our death with thy death, thou art retourned vnto lyfe for to be euerlasting life of whosoeuer accepteth thée for their onely Sauiour.

O my Lord, graunt me so much of thy grace, that I al­waies may be in the number [Page] of those. O Lord, the onely hope of my soule, cause me to know and to perceaue in the depnes of my harte, this thy vnspeakable benefite. Exer­cise in me thy healthful pow­er, so that I may know thée alwayes, as well the Sonne of God, as the sonne of man. Heale the sences of my bodie to thentent that to my eyes, eares, smelling, tast and tou­ching, all those things may be abhorred which be contrarie to thy holy lawe. Sanc­tifie my soule and my spirite, that they may be a worthy [Page] habitacle of thy spirite. Make me, my Lord, to vnderstand effectually the vertue of thy wonderfull resurrection, re­uiuing me from day to day, and causing me to liue as dead to the world, and liuing to God: to whom with thée and the holy Ghost be glory.

Lord God graunt vs so great loue of our saluation that alwaies we may remember thée & none other in our prayers. Geue vs so great desire of thy glory that our soule may reioyce and render thée thankes through Iesus [Page] Christ, when the faith of the electes is séene in this darke­nes of the world. Geue vs such perfection, that euery one of vs may serue thée with faith, and our neigh­bour with charitie in our vo­cation. Graunt vs such a tast of the fellowshipp of true christians, that nothing may delight vs more, than to comfort our selues with them by mutuall faith. Grant vs such light of thy spirite that we may vnderstande our selues to be debteours for to distri­bute frely to other the graces [Page] which by thee be geuen vs. Graunt vs so much strength of spirite that we be not a­shamed of the Gospell of thy onely begotten Sonne: the which doctrine is accompted foolishnes to the wisedome of the flesh, but in veritie it is thy sauinge power to euery faithfull person. For by it is reueled and communicated thy iustice, with faith com­ming betwene, the which is planted by thy spirite in the harts of y ^e elects, & encreaseth alwaies, & brīgeth forth most swéete fruites of charitie. [Page] O father of mercies, graunt vs all these graces, that we may alwayes be knit in one spirite of faith and of charitie with Iesu Christ our head & thy Sonne, which with thée liueth and raigneth.

I sée my Lorde, by the grace that thou giuest me, that the knowledge of thée which is gathered by the meanes of naturall perseue­raunce, is not inough of it selfe to make vs good, sith it is so that men by the contem­plation of visible things created from the beginning, come [Page] into the knowledge of the e­uerlasting power & diuinitie inuisible, haue not glorified thée as God, neyther were thankfull to thée, but vainely wandering in their owne imaginations and makinge profession of wisedome, be­came most folish, in somuch that they worshiped the crea­tures in stede of the creatour. Wherupon thy iustice, for to punish their vnthanckfulnes deth depraue them of all good iudgement, in such wise that they embrace euill for good, & sewer for swéete. They haue [Page] defiled their bodies & soules with all abhominable vices and vncleanes.

O Lord god of my salua­tion, kepe me and al thy faithfull seruaunts from so great abomination, and from such great blindnes. Grant vs O father of lightes, in stede of the darke light of our vnder­standing, the cleare light of faith, that we may acknow­ledge thée truly, and know­ing thée euery one of vs, to loue thée, feare thée, and glo­rifie thée, putting al the hope of our saluation in thy mercy [Page] through Iesus Christ our Lord.

¶Vpon the ij. Chapiter.

O How great gods iustice and mercy is, we are ve­ry redy to iudge, & condemne other, not perceauinge that then we cōdemne our owne selues, for because that now with will and now in dede, we do those thinges that be­cōdemned by vs in our neighbour, and plainely we know that after thy most iust iudgement, whosoeuer sinneth is worthy of death, and certein­ly [Page] we weare already all con­demned to death euerlasting if thy mercy & pacience were not, the which forbeareth vs and calleth vs to repentance.

Graunt vs perseuerance, O Lord, to vnderstand so great a benifite, and mollifie our hartes with thy grace, to the end that our hardnes and vnrepētance do not encrease towards vs so much the greater wrath in the day of an­ger when thy iust iudgement shalbe reueled, in the which thou wilt tender to euery persō according to his doings [Page] that is, eternal death to those which continuing in euill works & resisting the truth, do prouoke against them thy furor. O lord suffer not that we, whom thy holy name is called vpon, be nombred a­mong those, but for thy glory geue vs thy spirite, the which may teach vs to do thy will, and lead vs in the way of thy most holy precepes, to glory honour & peace euerlasting, through Iesus Christ.

When Iesus Christ shal come to iudge the quicke and the dead, no body shalbe ha­ble [Page] to excuse his vnrighteousnes with the pretēce of igno­raunce, because that they which haue not had the light of the lawe written, haue not lacked the knowledge of good and euill by the lawe of nature: as clearly the consci­ence of euery on sheweth, the which aloweth that is good, and reproueth that is euill. But I know my Lord, that the knowledge of the lawe without thy grace can no­thing profite a man, because he is not iust by the law. But who can obserue the same? & [Page] our nature is so corrupt and peruerse, that it séeth the better and taketh the worse: wherby it cōeth to passe that many do know thy will and make profession to rule the blind, to lighten those that be in darkenes, to instructe the ignorant, and to vnderstand thy doctrine and the veritie of thy lawe, and yet neuer­thelesse teaching others they teach not them selues: they forbid theft and adulthy, and be theues & adulterers, they speake against Idoles, and be Idolaters, they glorie of [Page] the lawe, & be transgressors of the lawe, and slaunder thy holy name, and cause it to be euill spoken of amongst the wicked. Therfore to the end that we runne not into so great wickednes, and that the knowledge of the law be not to vs an occasion of greatter damnation: write the same (O Lord) in our hartes by faith, and graunt vs such grace that nothing may ap­péere to vs either so good or so profitable or so delectable, as the obseruation of thy com­maundements: that hauing [Page] our hartes circumcised, wée may be thy true people, that our light may shyne after such a sort in the sight of men that seing our good works e­uery one of them may glory­fie thee O heauenly father, through Iesus Christ our Lord

¶Vpon the iij. Chapiter.

MY Lord, like as the naughtines of the Iewes was not sufficient to make voyd thy faith of the noble promises made by thée vnto that people, because [Page] that thou art true and al men liares: semblably our iniqui­tie can neuer be hable to dis­anull the faith of thy promi­ses which thy onely Sonne hath made to his faithful congregatiō, saying to the same: I am with you euen to the consumation of the world. Therfor although I sée the same altogether vexed, de­formed, and as a little shippe in the middest of the sea bea­ten of furious windes, not­withstanding I am sure that she can not perish because that Iesus Christ, according [Page] to his promise, ruleth and gouerneth her, and bringeth her at the length to the porte of eternall saluation. And how much greater our vn­righteousnes is, so much more commendable is his iustice the which forsaketh vs not for our deserts, but defen­deth vs for his promise sake.

Ought we therfore to continue in sinne to thintent that our vnrighteousnes may cō ­mend the iustice of Christ? nay, aboue all other thinges we should abhorre sinne, as that which of his owne na­ture [Page] dishonoreth Christ, and yet he by his goodnes & wise­dome, of so euill sede gathe­reth the fruite of his glory. Deliuer therfore, lord Iesus, thy Church from all slaun­ders and from all iniquities, so that like as now by our sinnes thou settest forth the faith of thy promises, so in time to come by our saluati­on we may glorifie thy holy name.

My Lord, when thou ga­vest thy holy lawe to the people of Israell, they promised earnestly to obserue the same [Page] but afterward comming to the performance, they wan­ted so much of their promise, that one of the Prophetes speaking of them, saith: that there is not one iust, or wise, neither that seketh after god. By the which thing it is re­quisite that all mouthes bée shutte, and all the world confesse to be giltie and to be thy debtour, because that none shalbe pronounced iust by the workes of the lawe in thy iudgement, sith it is so that the lawe doth not iustifie, but doth vs to vnderstand [Page] sinne: the which knowne leadeth a man to desperation if thy grace comforteth hym not. Therfore we thanke thée (O my Lord) with al our harte, for thy iustice, the which to put away our vn­righteousnes, thou hast ma­nifested to the world, besides the lawe I meane the iustice which thou doest communi­cate by the faith of Iesus Christ, to all them that be­leue, of all nations, for that without exception euery one hath sinned and is destitute of thy glory, and whosoeuer [Page] is iustified, receaueth wyth­out any deseruing, the iustice of thy grace, through the re­demptiō wrought by Christ Iesu, whom frō euerlasting thou hast determined to bée by the meditation of faith, the propitiation of the world through his bloud, meaning to set forth thy iustice by the remission of sinnes past, the which thou hast suffred for to shew thy iustice in the time of grace, to thintent that e­uery one might knowe that thou art iust and the iustifier of euery one that beleueth in [Page] Iesus Christ, the which with thée liueth & raigneth world without end.

My Lord, when thy saints do say that we be iustified frely by the meanes of faith, many beleue that by the preaching of faith thy holy law is destroyed: but I through ex­perience that thou geuest me of my selfe, am constrained to say the contrary, that thy lawe is confirmed and esta­blished by fayth, sith it is so that the man which is not iustified through faith, doth feare thée as a sharpe and ri­gorous [Page] iudge, where as he that is iustified by faith, loueth thée & worshippeth thée as a father: the one as a most vile slaue serueth thée for feare: the other as a right lo­uing sonne serueth thée for loue. Whereupon to the one thy commaundements do appeare very greuous, and vn­to the other they be very pleasant. The one hauing the­spirite of the world through the wisedome of the flesh lo­ueth himselfe and the world: the other hauing thy spirite by faith loueth thée and his [Page] neighbour for thy sake: and the more faith encreaseth, so much y ^e more groweth chari­tie in y ^t which cōsisteth al the obseruation of the lawe. Therfore my Lord, encrease in vs faith, so that in vs may be established and fulfilled thy holy lawe, to thy honour and glory.

¶Vpon the iiij. Chapiter.

O My Lord, if that noble Abraham could not glory in thy sight y ^t he was iustifi­ed by his works, what ought I vnhappy sinner to hope of [Page] my workes? Wherfore, like as he beleuing thy promises was fréele iustified by faith: so I besech thée, that I may obtaine from thy mercy the frée remission of my sinnes, beleuing on Iesus Christ. And like as Abraham recea­ued the circumcision of the flesh for a token of the iustice of faith, semblably let me receyue from thy spirite the circumcision of the harte, to thintent that I may serue thée in holines and in iustice all the dayes of my lyfe. And euen as Abraham receiuing [Page] the promise of posteritie in­numerable as the starres, he doubted not through infideli­tie, neither be considered his bodie vnable to procreation by age, neither his wyfe which was baren by nature, but beinge strengthned by fayth and trustinge through thy word, for y ^t which he could not loke for by his naturall reason, he beleued that hée should be the father of many nations, and geuing glory to thée, beleued assuredly that thou wast able to perfourme that which thou haddest pro­mised, [Page] which raisest vp the dead, and with thy word ge­uest being to thinges which as yet be not: likewise pro­mising me (my Lord) by thy mercy the remission of sinnes and to take me for thy sonne & also to geue me euerlasting lyfe: graunt me grace that I thereof may not doubte through vnfaithfulnes, ney­ther permitte me to behold so much my vnworthines, that I should not fasten the eyes of my minde alwayes stedfastly vpon thy veritie, the which is more able to [Page] saue me, then my iniquitie to damne me, and geue me a fayth so strong that hopinge through thy promise for that which I could not trust for by my sinnes, I may beleue by the merites of thy onely begotten sonne, to become of the child of wrath, the child of grace and inheritour of eternall lyfe, and that I may render thée dew glory, beleuing stedfastly that no­thing is impossible to thée, whom, though I be dead in sinne, thou canst reuiue with thy iustice. If my soule bée [Page] brought in a maner to no­thing through iniquitie, thou hast power to geue it a being most noble and immortall, restoringe in it thy image. The which grace my Lorde I besech thée that thou wilt graunt vnto me and to all o­ther thy elects, through Iesu Christ our Lord, the which by thy ordinaunce died vpon the crosse for our sinnes, and rose againe for our iustice.

¶Vpon the v. Chapiter.

MY Lord, we are iustified through the liuely faith [Page] which thou hast geuen vs, and be reconciled vnto thée, through Iesu Christ our re­déemer, which hath brought vs vnto his kingdome by the meanes of fayth. Graunt vs O Lord, grace to continue in thy grace, and augment in vs fayth in such wise, that our soule may reioyce and glory, not onely in hope of eternall glory, but also in the tribulations of this present life, knowing for a suretie that tribulation worketh pa­cience, and pacience probati­on, & probation hope, which [Page] deceaueth not, by thy increa­dible loue that thou heare bearest vs (wherof the holy ghost rendreth a most certein testimony, which is geuen vnto our spirite) and the pas­sion of thy onely begotten sonne, the which, to obey thy will, died vpon the crosse for vs miserable sinners and thy enemies, where as scarse might be founde one that wold die for his frende either for one iust & vertuous man. If therfore thy charitie to­ward vs hath ben so great that while we were euill [Page] and wicked, Christ dyed for vs, much more now that we are iustified through hys bloud, we shalbe saued from thy anger by him: because that being thy enemies hée hath brought vs in fauour with thée by his death, much more now being reconciled we shalbe saued through his life. O Lord God, write these most sweete thoughts with thy finger in our hartes, that being crucified by thy grace, we may here glory that thou art our God and our father, through Iesus Chryst thy [Page] sonne & our redéemer. Amen.

My Lord God, man was by thée created vnto thy i­mage & similitude, that is, most holy, iust, and Lorde of the world: but he through his disobedience became vn­iust, vngodly, deceitfull and seruaunt of the Deuill, nei­ther should this our misierie euer haue had an end, if thy mercy had not ordeyned it from euerlastinge that thy onely begotten should be the beginning, the middest, and thend of our saluation. Therfore we can not so much bée [Page] sory for the sinne of Adam, as we ought to be thankefull vnto thée for thy benifites, because that, like as by Adam sinne entred into the world and so death, euen so through Iesu Christ is come vnto vs life, iustice and grace, a great deale more and of more force (which wée haue receiued from thy kindnes by Iesu Christ) than the hurte that Adam hath done vs through his transgression, because that one sinne alone hath condemned vs, and the grace of Christ doth deliuer vs from [Page] many sinnes. And if by the sinne of Adam death hath reigned in the world, much more through Iesus Christ life shall reigne in those that receiue the aboundaunce of grace and of iustice which he geueth to the faithfull. Therfore like as the disobedience of our first parents made vs sinners & worthy of eternal death, so the obedience of thy sonne maketh vs iust and worthy of eternal life: And if afterward the lawe taking place sinne dyd abound, the Gospell comming after the [Page] lawe, grace hath much more abounded, to thend that like as sinne hath reigned which leadeth to death, so now grace may reigne that iusti­fieth & guideth such as beleue vnto eternall lyfe, through Iesus Christ thy sonne and our redéemer.

¶Vpon the vj. Chapiter,

O Iesu Christ my Lord, we are dead and buried in baptisme and be risen againe with thée as thy true mem­bers. Therfore my lord with thy spirite mortifie our flesh [Page] and quicken our spirite, that we may liuely perceiue the vertue of thy death and of thy resurrection. If our old man be crucified with thée, to thintent we might walke to­ward heauen in the newnes of lyfe, why in vs as yet do liue the lustes of the flesh which do drawe vs vnto the earth? Why do they not suffer vs to worke all that which the spirite desireth? O our Sauiour, heare our la­mentations and helpe vs for the glory of thy holy name sake: and if we be verely [Page] thine, make vs in dede con­formable vnto thy image. And like as death after thy gloryous resurrection hath no more power ouer thée, but beinge destroyed by thée thou liuest eternally wyth God, semblably we all being releued by thy grace, permit not (my Lord) that we be any longer maistered of sinne which is the death of our soule, but graunt vs grace to liue alwayes to thée, and to sanctifie our soules & bodies to thy seruice, to thend that vnto thy honour may be set [Page] vpon the earth a resemblance of that holy and blessed lyfe which we shal liue in heauen after the last resurrection.

¶Vpon the vij. Chapiter.

MY Lord, when I consider the great cor­ruption of mans nature, on me cometh a horror and in­credible feare of my selfe, sithens it is so that whyle thou leauest man in his dark­nes and in his ignorance, he hath neuer true feare of thée, nor true knowledge of thy lawe, but may be well com­pared [Page] vnto foolish beastes, & is verely like vnto them, and now thinketh that sinne which reigneth in hym is dead, and it liueth. But when thou giuest him such perceueraunce that he is hable to sée and to consider to what thing the lawe bindeth him, then sinne shewing forth his force declareth it selfe aliue, hor­rible and very mightie, and man is knowne to be moste weake and worthy of death, because that the lawe is spiritual and requireth the puri­tie of the harte, and man is [Page] carnall and full of affections and of vncleane desires. The lawe commaundeth that a man should loue thée with al his soule, with all his harte, and with al his powers, that he put al his hope in thy mercie, and that he directe al his doings to thy honour: but man loueth himselfe aboue all things, he dependeth vp­on creatures, and is most de­sirous of glory, and for euery little trifle he is angry with his neighbour, and (as much as he can) persecuteth him, whereas the lawe cōmaun­deth [Page] him that he should loue him as himselfe. Finally the the law forbiddeth the desire of the flesh, & the more it is forbiddē, so much more it wareth fierce, & bringing forth fruite to death, encreaseth damnation. Likewise sinne which dwelleth in man, ta­king an occasion by the lawe that is holy and iust, becom­eth more mightie and more pernicious, and by the lawe, in which is set forth iustice & life, is gendred in man death and vnrighteousnes. And while the power of the lawe [Page] lasteth there continueth en­mitie of man with thée and with the lawe. Let therfore (my lord) thy mercy be blessed the which hath brought vs from most greuous bondage of the lawe vnto the moste pleasaunt libertie of the gos­pell, and to the kingdome of grace, and in the stede of the face of Moyses, which feareth, threatneth, curseth and con­demneth, serueth vs the face of Christ which assureth, blesseth, and saueth vs, geuing vnto the faithfull the holy ghost, the which deliuering [Page] them from the yoke of the lawe, maketh them in loue with thée and with the lawe, that liuing iustly and holily vpō the earth, we may liue in Paradise eternally, through Iesus Christ our Lord. We besech thée my Lord, when that day shal come, and when this most greuous battayle shall end, that the spirite may not desire against the flesh, & that the flesh likewise may not desire against the spirite: which eftsones maketh my life very bitter, because I do not that which I would, but [Page] I do that which displeaseth me. Albeit, it is not I that any longer in this wise do worke, but the sinne that dwelleth in me, for that I know there dwelleth not in me, that is, in my flesh, any goodnes. Then it is so that I haue a good will, but I can not do that good which I de­sire. Wherfore I do not that good which I would, but that euill which I wold not. And if I do that euill which I would not, it is but the sinne that remaineth in me. This I say because thy holy lawe [Page] deliteth me as touching the inward man, that is, as con­cerning the spirite, the which is prone and bent to serue thée and to liue after the or­der of thy lawe. But I se an other lawe in my flesh, that is, an other inclination that striueth continually against y ^e inclination of my spirite, & maketh me prisoner and ser­uaunt of the tyranous lawe of sinne, the which is directly contrary to thy holy lawe. Wherby it cometh to passe, that like as my spirite is wholy geuen vnto iustice & [Page] to holines, and desireth the death of the body for to liue with Christ, farre from the greuaunces of the flesh: euen so my flesh is delited with iniquitie, it feareth nor lo­ueth thée my Lord, neither geueth credite to thy promi­ses: it loueth the entisements of the appetites & the pomps of the world, neither wisheth euer to come to an end of this mortall life. Vnhappy person that I am, who shall deliuer me from this defiled and sinfull flesh? from this mortal clod of concupiscence, [Page] the which neuer giueth me rest, but alwaies vexeth me, and continually fighteth a­gainst my spirite. I yeld thée thankes my Lord, through Iesus Christ, which with the sacrifice of his flesh hath purged all the sinnes of my sin­ful flesh, in so much that they be not imputed to me by thée to damnation. In the meane season I liue after thy spirite and through liuely faith I am partaker of the most pure flesh of Christ, which at length shall make my cor­ruptible flesh conformable to [Page] his glorious flesh, and shall deliuer me from the body of this death, makinge that which is carnall, spirituall, after such sorte that all the lustes and rebellings of the flesh shall bée brought to nought, that all the parts of my body and of my soule and of my spirite might be pure, holy and cleane, and most redie to accomplish eternally thy holy will.

Therfore I that in times past was wont to serue with the mind of my flesh to the lawe of sinne, now with a [Page] mind renewed by thy spirite I serue thy lawe, my Lord: but with the remnantes of my flesh, that is, of the olde man, I serue neuerthelesse the lawe of sinne, and do know my selfe so farre from the perfecte iustice of thy ho­ly lawe, that altogether I should despayre of my salua­tion, if I did not acknow­ledge Iesus Christ for my redemer and for my iustice. To him with thée be glory euerlastingly.

¶Vpon the .viij. Chapiter.

MY Lord, my soule mel­teth for swetenes, when I read these moste swéete wordes pronounced by thy spirite: that they be frée from all condemnation which be in Christ Iesu, which do not liue after the flesh but after the spirite, because that the law of the spirite & of the life which is in Christ Iesu hath deliuered me frō the lawe of sinne & of death, so that now I am become by thy grace a member of Christ Iesu, the which making a sacrifice of his flesh vppon the trée of [Page] the crosse, hath destroyed sinne and death, to iustifie & to geue vs eternall life, that we should not liue after the flesh but after the spirite, because that if we shall liue after the flesh we shall dye, for that the affection of the flesh is contrary vnto thy holy lawe and to the spirite of Christ, which is the foun­taine of life. Mortifie ther­fore my Lord, the affections & appetites of our flesh, that the spirite of Christ may liue in vs, the which now shall sanctifie our soules with his [Page] presence, and thou hereafter shalt make glorious and im­mortal our bodies in the last resurrection.

My Lord, if the people of Israel haue gloryed so much of the lawe, by the which they receaued the spirite of bondage that engendreth feare: how much more ought we Christians to reioyce of thy gospell, by the which we receaue thy sonne, whose spi­rite bringeth forth loue, and geueth vs boldnes to cal thée father. O my Lord, graunt me to taste so much of thy [Page] spirite, that my soule may onely glory of this incomprehensible treasure. Cause my lord, that thy spirite alwaies may render testimony vnto my spirite that I am thy sonne, and consequently thy heyre and coheritour with Christ, which through re­proch and bitter death entred into the kingdome of glory and of life. Therefore my Lord, strengthen my harte so that following thy steps I may boldly set thy crosse before the honours and plea­sures of the world and this [Page] temporall life, loking with pacience for the redemption of my body, and knowing for a suertie that the tribulati­ons which be susteined in this world for Christes sake, be not worthy y ^e glory which shalbe reueled vpon vs in the world to come. And for because the inuocation of thy holy name is our onely re­fuge in our afflictions, and I of my selfe know not how to pray as it is mete, let thy ho­ly spirite (O Lord) helpe my infirmitie, direct my praiers: & in my tribulatiōs comfort [Page] me, certifyinge me that like as to Iesu Christ all thinges wrought together for the best when he semed to the world forsaken of thée: semblably euery thing hel­peth the saluation of those which loue thée, and be called by thée after the determina­tion of thy good pleasure, be­cause thou hast appoynted from euerlastinge that thy children should become con­formable to the image of thy sonne in the crosse and in glorie, to thend that he might be the first begotten among [Page] many bretherne. If therfore (my Lord) thou hast shewed me this fauour, to call mée vnto this brotherhod, why should not I glory with my selfe in the crosse of Christ, specially knowing that thou iustifiest them whom thou callest, & doest gloryfie those that be iustified by thée. And if thou be with vs, who shal­be against vs? If thy charitie was so great, that to deliuer vs from death, thou hast ge­uen to death thy sonne, how can it be that thou wilt not graūt vs with him al things? [Page] Who then shalbe so bold to accuse at thy iudgement seat thy electes? If thou by thy mercy assoylest them and ac­ceptest them for good & iust: yea if Christ be dead to deli­uer them from damnation, and be risen againe and as­cended into heauen to make intercession for them, who shalbe hable to condemne them? And if thou hast geuen vs so great and worthy ga­ges of thy loue, who may make vs beleue that thou lo­uest vs not? Whether tri­bulation, misery, persecution [Page] hunger barenes, daungers, or swerd? yea I do beleue that all these thinges shall cause vs to be more certaine of thy good will towards vs, because that through thy grace we shal ouercome, and in ouercoming let vs vnder­stand & be assuredly perswa­ded that we shall haue the vpper hand in all our temta­tions. I besech thée, my lord, to confirme vs with thy spi­rite in this holy persuasion, so that euery one of vs may say with thy Apostle: I am sure that neither death ney­ther [Page] life, neither Angelles, neither princes, neither powers, neither thinges present neither things to come, nei­ther highnes, neither low­nes, neither any other crea­ture shalbe able to separate vs from the loue that God beareth vs in Christ Iesu our Lord.

¶Vpon the .ix. Chapiter.

MY Lord, when thy sainctes do say that the predestination of the e­lectes doeth not depend of mans workes but of thy mercie, [Page] because that onely they be saued which by thée be chosen through grace: the wisedome of man can not a­bide this veritie, saying that this being true, thou should­dest be vniust, cruell and parciall: As though that if a potmaker can make of one lumpe of clay some vesselles to honour and some other to dishonour, it might not bée lawfull for thée to fashion of one selfe substaunce some men to perdition, which bée the vesselles of wrath, in the which doth appeare thy iust [Page] iudgement, and some other to saluation, which be the vesselles of grace, in whom is set forth thy glory. But the wise of the world say as pleaseth them. I for my selfe (my Lord) do render thée infinite thankes that it hath pleased thée that eternall life should depend of thy mercy and not of mans will, because that my corruption is so great, that I am sure I should go into perdition, if my saluati­on did depend vpon me. And I knowe for a suertie that e­uery one to whom it shalbe [Page] graunted by thy grace to en­ter into the knowledge of his vanity, wilbe of the same opinion, because he is wret­ched which trusteth in his owne power, and blessed is he that putteth affiaunce in thy mercy throuh Iesus Christ our Lord.

¶Vpon the x. Chapiter.

MY Lord, I know by ex­perience that thy onely begotten sonne Iesu Christ, is thend of thy holy law, be­cause he promiseth lyfe to all the fulfillers, and curseth the [Page] transgressoures therof. But how much more a man vn­derstandeth the lawe, and is enclined to obserue the same so much more hée knoweth himselfe for a sinner, and doth despayre of his owne strength. And for what end doth the lawe bring a man to desperatiō? To this end that he might be constrayned to runne vnto Iesus Christ the onely Sauiour, whereunto the iustice of faith exhorteth him, speaking to him in this wise: O sinfull man despeire thou not for thy vnrighteousnes, [Page] for if thou wilte beleue with thy harte and confesse with thy mouth, that Iesus Christ very God and very man, dyed for thy sinnes, and is risen againe & ascen­ded into heauē for thy iustice, thou shalt be iust and saued. Graunt therfore (my Lord) for the glory of thy holy name, a liuely fayth to those which be as yet vnder the lawe, that beleuing and con­fessing with harte and with mouth the Lord Iesu, they may be iustified and receaue thy holy spirite, the which [Page] writeth the lawe in their hartes, and of seruauntes of the lawe maketh them thy children, and leadeth them by the way of good workes vnto eternall life, the which thou hast promised to euery one that shall beleue in Iesu Christ our Lord.

My Lord, thou hast promi­sod that who so euer calleth vpon the name of Iesu, shal­be saued. But how be they able to call vpon the name of Iesu, which beleue not in him? and how shall they be­leue in him if they haue no [Page] knowledge of him? and how shall they haue the same, if thy gospel be not purely preached vnto them? and how shal it be sincerly preached if thou send not faithfull prea­chers vnto them? Send ther­fore my Lord, preachers vnto thy people, & open our harts with thy spirite, to thend we may liuely beleue thy word, and beleuing may call vpon Iesu Christ our mediatour, and by calling vpon him we may be preserued from thy anger, because that without his protection, no liuinge [Page] creature shalbe iustified in thy sight, sith there is not geuen vnto men vnder hea­uen any other name by the which they may bée saued, but the name of Iesus our redemer, to whom with thée and the holy ghost be glory world without end.

¶Vpon the .xj. Chapiter.

MY Lord, we are thy faithfull, but greater is the number of y ^e vnfaithful. The which thinge may minester an occasion vnto our flesh to waxe proud, if thy spirite did [Page] not restraine it. Graunt vs therfore grace (my lord) that we may knowe our faith to be the gift of thy mercy, and not the reward of iust works which we haue done: So y ^t we ought not to put our affi­aunce in our selues, but to feare, because that if thou shouldest leaue vs in the power of our owne dispositi­on, we should fall into incredulitie: like as contrary wise they that be now vnfaithful shal beleue if they shalbe vi­sited with thy mercy. O the depenes of the riches of thy [Page] wisedome and of thy know­ledge. How vnserchable bée thy iudgementes, and thy waies impossible to be found out? And yet not withstand­ing mans wisedome presu­meth to call thée in iudge­ment, and to require the reason of that thou doest. From this wicked presuption kepe vs (my Lord) and graunt vs grace to bée fooles in this world, to thentent we may be wyse in thy sight, for that the wisedome of the worlde is folishnes wyth thée, to whom be honour and glory.

¶Vpon the .xij. Chapiter.

MY Lord, graunt mée grace that like as thy onely begotten sonne offe­red vp in sacrifice his flesh vppon the trée of the crosse for our saluation, semblably we may make a sacrifice of our selues to thy glory, by mor­tifying our will and our rea­son in the seruice of fayth. Wherfore let thy spirite liue in vs, the which permitteth not vs to be conformable to worldly men, but transfor­meth vs into thy image [Page] through the renuing of our mind, to thend that we may knowe and worke thy holy will, in the which consisteth felicitie & perfection. Graunt my lord, that euery one of vs may be sober, neither let vs presume of our selues more then that which is conueni­ent, but humbly conteine our selues within our voca­tion, in exercising that talent faithfully which thou haste geuen vs to profite our neighbour. Giue vs (my Lord) a pure loue, to thentent wée may be louers of goodnes. [Page] Make vs feruent in spirite, diligent in thy seruice, paci­ent in aduersitie, continuall in prayer, louing and gentle toward our brethren, keping hospitalitie, glad with them that be glad, sory with the sorowfull, of one mind and of one accord: not proud and arrogant, but gentle and courteous to our inferriours: not sclaunderous, but shew­ing good example to al men: not contentious, but quiet: not reuenging, but ready to forgeue. Poure into vs my lord, so much swetenes of thy [Page] spirite, that euery one of vs may blesse and not curse, pray for his persecutours, & not be ouercome of euill, but ouercome euell with good, recompensing wrongs with well doing, that we beinge holy and perfect, through our perfection and holines thy holy name may be gloryfied.

¶Vpon the .xiij. Chapiter.

MY Lord, I sée many amonge Christian people the which vnder the pretence of the libertie of the Gospell (which is all spiritu­all) [Page] do hide the licentiousnes of the flesh, and will not obey their superiours: as though the powers being ordayned by thée, he dyd not resist thy ordinaunce, and condemned not himselfe whosoeuer re­sisteth power.

Therfore we pray thée, my Lord, that thou wilt graunt vs grace to obey re­dily the commaundements of our heads, the which now are not against thy ordinaunces, and make vs to render willingly that which is our dutie, to euery person, either [Page] reuerence, either tribute, ether honour, or what soeuer it be, that we may remaine in nothinge dettoures one to an other, but onely to loue together, because that loue is the acomplishment of the lawe. Behold now the night approcheth to an end, & draweth neare to the day of eter­nall lyfe. Therfore (my lord) send forth thy spirite that may clense our soules from the workes of darkenes, and put vpon vs Iesus Christ thy brightnes, causing vs to liue after such a sorte, that our [Page] life may be a true resēblance of him, to the honour and glory of thy holy name.

¶Vpon the .xiiij. Chapiter.

IESV Christ my Lord, I perceaue by the light that thou hast geuen me, that I ought to accuse me selfe, and not to iudge other: neuerthelesse I heare oftentimes the accusation of my selfe, and do take vpon me wrongfully the iudgement of my neigh­bour. Therfore I hartely besech thée, that thou wilt vouchsafe to restraine this [Page] my presumption wyth thy spirite, saying vnto my soule I was dead and am risen a­gaine to be Lord of the dead and of the liuinge: wher­fore then iudgest thou thy brother? Speak these words O Lord vnto my soule, and make them to enter into the bottome of my harte, that in time to come I may forbeare to iudge an other, and attend to the consideration of my selfe, lyuing in such wise that I may not be condemned in thy iudgement, but be called to possesse with thy elects the [Page] kingdome of euerlasting life

My Lord, thy kingdome is iustice, peace, ioy in the holy spirite. Graunt vs ther­fore fayth that iustifieth, and peace which pacyfieth the conscience, and the ioy that sweteneth the bitternes of the world, that we may know by these most precious giftes, that we are heires of thy kyngdome, & may serue thée in iustice, peace, and ioy­fulnes all the dayes of our lyfe.

My Lord, for as much as all that is not done in fayth [Page] is sinne, we besech thée that thou wilt geue vs so much strength of spirite that nei­ther feare, neither hope, nei­ther tribulation, neither pro­speritie may entise vs to do any thing the which we be­leue doth displease thée, to the end that liuing in faith & in feare, we may alwayes preferre thy holy will before all things.

¶Vpon the .xv. Chapiter.

O Lord Iesu Christ heare our prayers, and poure thy loue into our hartes, that [Page] setting aparte all carefulnes of our owne commodities, we may procure with al our endeuour the profit and the saluation of others: like as to deliuer vs from the bond­age of the deuil and of death, thou becamest a seruaunt, & taking vpon thée all our ini­quities, hast cancelled them with thy bloud vppon the crosse. And euen as thou ca­mest to saue not onely the people of God, but all other nations the which worship­ped false gods: semblably graunt that we may be benificiall [Page] and liberall toward our familiars and strangers, toward our frendes and ene­mies, neither permitte any dissension to rise among vs, to thentent that by all men, with one spirite & with one mouth together, the holy name of thy eternall father may be gloryfied. Replenish my Lord, with peace & with spirituall ioy, our harts, en­creasing in vs faith, that hope may abound in vs by y ^e pow­er of thy spirite, the which leadeth vs by the way of loue vnto thy holy kingdome.

¶Vpon the xvj. Chapiter.

MY Lord, graunt vs grace to beleue, and without contradiction to obey the preachers of thy word, which do preach purely Iesus christ and the Gospell, and suffer vs not to be deceiued by preachers which do come in the forme of shéepe and be raue­ning Wolues, and wander about, causing diuision & of­fenses, as those that serue not Christ Iesu in the Gospell, but their belly by false doc­trine, and with the swéete [Page] venome of their wordes do corrupt the hartes of the simple. Kepe vs my Lord, from the deceite of such, & graunt vs grace to be prudent and wise vnto good, and pure and simple as infants vnto euill, and treade downe shortly vnder the féete of thy fayth­full, Sathan with his mi­nisters, that thy gospel may be sincerely preached in all partes: the which thou hast promised by thy prophets in the holy scripture, and the fulnes of time being come, thou haste declared by thy [Page] Apostles to the whole world that whosoeuer shal beleue: and be baptized shalbe saued, through Iesus Christ our redemer: the whych with thée liueth and reigneth in the v­nitie of the ho­ly Ghost world without end. Amen.