GODLY meditations upon THE lords PRAYER, THE belief, and ten commandments, with other comfortable meditations, prayers and exercises. Whereunto is annexed a defence of the doctrine of gods eternal election and predestination, gathered by the constant martyr of God john Bradford in the time of his imprisonment. The contents whereof appear in the page next following.  
POST TENEBRAS lux  
AFTER DARKNESS, LIGHT.  
Now first printed by Roland Hall, dwelling in gutter lane at the sign of the half Egle and key, the. 12. of October 1562.   

A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS of this book.  

Instructions concerning praierr  
A meditation upon the lords prayer.  
A meditation upon the belief.  
A meditation upon the x. commandments.  
A meditation concerning prayer.  
A brief paraphrase upon the lords prayer.  
A meditation of the coming of Christ to judgement etc.  
A meditation of the sober usage of the body and pleasures in this life.  
another meditation to the same effect.  
A meditation for the exercise of mortifications.  
A meditation of the providence of god.  
A meditation of the presence of god.  
A meditation of god's power etc.  
A meditation of death.  
A meditation upon the passion.  
A confession of sins.  
another confession of sins.  
A prayer for the remission of sins.  
another prayer for remission of sins.  
A prayer for deliverance from sin etc.  
A prayer for the obtaining of faith.  
A prayer for repentance.  
A communication between Satan and our conscience.  
A defence of predestination.  
A treatise of election and free-will.  
A sum of the doctrine of election and predestination.    

TO THE READER.  
HEre hast thou (good reader) such godly meditations, prayers and other exercises of that worthy witness of god john Bradford, as god by his singular providence hath betherto preserved and now at the length brought to light for thy comsort and commodity. Daily and howerlye was this his exercise, to talk with god by faithful and hearty meditation and prayer with power piercing the heavens, and many such godly exercises did he leave behind him, which either time hath consumed or else such as keep them in store to their own private use, do little consider what benefit they withhold from the church of god, which if they shall yet brotherly communicate, there shall not lack good will and diligence to set them abroad. In the mean season, let us with thankfulness receive, read, and practise these, as means to quicken our spirits, to stir up our dull hearts to a more feruenre invocation of gods holy name. Which how far it is from that it should be in us, and what need we have thereof, if our dead senses cannot feel, here may we see and perceive. Here may we learn to flee unto god by prayer, that we run not on still with this unthankful world, into forgetfulness of his great benefits powered upon us, especially for the liberty of his gospel, which we (in much mercy restored now unto us again) so unthankfully receive, so ungodly neglect, so wickedly abuse. God grant us his good spirit to work in us this good work: to look about us in time: to consider our state past and present, as in deed we have great cause to do, & so with hearty prayer flee unto god to prevent the plagues that are at hand, lest with double woe we find the later end worse than the beginning.   

Instructions to be observed concerning Prayer.  

There be nine things that pertain to the knowledge of true prayer.  
first to know what prayer is. secondly, how many sorts of prayer there be. thirdly, the necessity of prayer. fourthly, to whom we ought to pray. By whom we must pray. Where to pray, and what to pray. The excellency of prayer. What we must do that our prayers may be heard.   

What prayer is.  
Prayer is a simple, unfeigned, humble and ardent opening of the heart before God, wherein we either ask things needful, or give thanks for benefits received. Paul in the first to timothe &. 2. Chap. calleth it by four sundry names in one sentence, to wit, prayer, supplication, intercession and thanks giving. In latin, Deprecatio, Obsecratio, inte recssio, et gratiarum actio. Whereof the first is for the advoiding and preventing of evil, the second is an earnest and fervent calling upon god for any thing, the third is an intercession for other, the fourth is a praising of God for things received.   

¶ There be ii manner of ways how we should pray.  
2. First publicly, and that is called common prayer: and privately, as when men pray alone, and that is called private prayer: and how both these two are allowed before god the scripture beareth testimony by the example of all the holy men and women before and after Christ.   

¶ Of the necessity of prayer.  
3. There be four things the provoke us to pray, first the commandment of god, secondly sin in us, which driveth us of necessity to god for succour, life, & mercy, thirdly our weak nature being unable to do any good requireth prayer to strengthen it, even as a house requireth principal pillars for the upholding of it, fourthly the subtlety of the enemy (who privily lurketh in the inward parts, waiting to overthrow us even in those things which we think to be best done) stirreth us vehemently thereunto.   

¶ To whom we ought to pray.  
4. Three things pertain to him that must be prayed unto, first that he have such ears as may hear all the world at ones, secondly that he be in all places at ones, thirdly that he have such power that he may be able to help, and such mercy that he will deliver.   

By whom we should pray  
5. Christ only is the way by whom we have free access unto the father and for whom our prayers are accepted (our infirmities notwithstanding) without whom all our prayers are abominable.   

Where to pray and what to pray.  
6. As touching the place where we should pray, seeing all places are one, there is none forbidden: only the common prayer must be made in what place so ever the congregation of Christ doth assemble.  
7. What to pray, lieth in the necessity of every man: & for as much as we need both spiritual and corporal things, we may boldly ask them both. For as to ask spiritual gifts it is profitable & commanded, so to ask corporal, it is necessary and allowed.   

Of the excellency of prayer.  
8. The worthiness of prayer consisteth in ii things: in the dingnitye of the commander who is god the fountain of all goodness, who also commandeth only good things, and in the effect the followeth it, which is the obtaining of whatsoever we desire faithfully, according to the will of God.   

What to do that we may be heard  
9 First we must put of our own righteousness, pride, and estimation of ourselves, and put on christ with his righteousness: secondly, an earnest faith and fervent love, with the putting of all rancnor, malice & envy is required: finally true repentance knitteth up the knot, for in it are contained all the virtues aforenamed.   
I. Breadford.   

A meditation of the lords prayer.  

Our father.  
THou good lord, which madest heaven & earth the sea and all that is therein, together with 
Gene. 1.  thy dearly beloved son jesus Christ's, and with thy holy spirit: Thou the same god, which openedst thyself 
Genes. 3.  to Adam by thy promise: Thou the 
Gene. 12. 22 23. 24, 25.  God of Abraham, Isaac and jacob: Thou which broughtest thy people of Israel forth of Egypt with a mighty 
Exod. 13. 14 15. etc.  hand and a stretched out power: Thou which gavest thy law upon mount Sinai: Thou which spakest 
Exod. 19 20  by thy prophets, & last of all in these latter days by thy dearly beloved 
Heb. 1.  son jesus Christ, whom the wouldest should be made a second Adam, that 
1. cor. 15.  as by the first we are children of wrath, carnal and full of concupiscence: so 
Rom. 5.  by him we might be made children of grace and spiritual, by communicating with him the quality, merits virtues, and grace of his flesh, through the operation of the holy spirit, as he communicated with us the substance of our flesh in the 
Mat. 1. Luck. 1.  womb of the virgin Marie, by the operation of the same holy spirit, being that blessed seed which was promised to Adam, Abraham, Isaac jacob, 
Gene. 3. 12. 26. 28. Psal. 89.  David, which should browse the Serpent's head, which should bring the blessing on all nations, which should reign over thy house for ever, and mightily overcome thine and 
2. Reg. 7. Luk. 1. Psal. 110.  our enemies, as in deed he did by his incarnation, nativity, circumcision, erile, baptism, fasting, tentation, doctrine, deeds, mracles, workings, agonies, bloody prayer, passion, death resurrection, and ascension, and yet he still doth by his mediation and intercession for us, and at the length 
Rom. 8.  he will on all parts fully accomplish by his coming to judgement, which willbe suddenly in the twinkring 
Mat. 24. 1. Cor. 15. 1. Thess. 4. 2. Cor. 5.  of an eye, in the blast of a trompete and shout of an Archangel, when he shallbe seen with thousands of Saints & innumerable thousands of Angels, all the whole world being on fire, and all people that ever were, are or shallbe then standing before his tribunal or judgement seat to render an account of that they have done in this body, be it good or bad: Thou I say, this god which 
Exod. 32. 33 Psal, 5. joel. 2.  art holy, righteous, true, wise, pure, chaste, mighty, merciful, good, gracious, a hater of sin, an avenger of unrighteousness etc., wouldst that I which am borne in sin and 
Psal 51. Eph. 2. Genes. 9 8. jerem. 17.  conceived in iniquity, which by nature am a child of wrath (for my heart is so unsearcheably evil that out of it springeth corrupt concupissence, so that the inclination thereof is prone to evil always even from my youth up: as is my understanding and mind so darkened, that I cannot perceive those things, that be 
2. Cor. 2. 2. cor. 3.  of god of myself, and all the wisdom which I receive from Adam naturally or other wise attain by labour or study before regeneration: I cannot think a good thought much less wish it or consent unto it and least of all do it) thou I say yet wouldst that I being such a one, in whom dwelleth continual 
Rom. 〈◊〉.  enmity against thee, that I which am nothing but sin and one that doth evil always before thee, should call thee and believe thee this god & father of our lord and Saviour jesus Christ, to be in very deed my father, that is, thou wouldst I should be most assured, that thou of thine own good will, which thou barest to me wards before I was, yea before 
When and wherefore god is become our father. Ephe. 1.  the world was, hast in Christ chosen me to be thy child, & through him art become my most loving father, from whom I should look for all good things, & be most certainly persuaded, that look how much thou art more than man, so much thy love and fatherly providence towards me passeth the love & providence of any father towards his child, in loving me, caring how to help me, providing for me, nurturing 
We should be certain and without doubt that god is our father.  me, & helping me in all my needs. So certain the wouldest have me to be of this, that to doubt of it, doth most displease thee & dishonour thee, as either  
thou were not true, or not able to do 
The great test dishonour to god is to doubt  these things, or else becamest not my father in respect of thine own goodness in christ only, but also in respect of my worthiness and deserts. And that I should not waver or doubt 
Causes to confirm our faith that god is our father.  of this that thou art my dear father & I thy child for ever through jesus Christ, it is required in the first commandment, which saith I am the lord thy god, thou shalt have none other gods but me: again, thy son doth here command me to call thee by the name of father: moreover in the first article of my belief I profess the same in saying, I believe in god the father almighty: besides this their are many other things to confirm me herein, as the creation and government of the world generally, and of every creature particularly, for all is made and kept for man and so for me, to serve me for my commodity, necessity & admonition. Again the creation of me, in that thou hast made me after thy Image, having a reasonable soul, body, shape etc. where thou mightest have made mea toad, a Serpent, a swine, deformed frantic etc. moreover thy wondered conservation, nourishing and keeping of me hitherto in my infancy, childhood, youth etc. All these I say, should confirm my faith of thy fatherly love. But of all things the opening of thyself by thy word & promise of grace, made after man's fall, first to Adam, then to Abraham Isaac, jacob, and so to other, being published by the prophets from time to time, and last of all accomplished by thy dear son jesus Christ, in 
2. Cor. 1.  whom thy promises are yea & Amen: The opening of thyself thus, I say, in and by Christ, is the most chief & sure certificate, that thou art my father for his sake, & I thy dear child, although of myself I am most unworthy. For thou according to thy promises, hast not spared thy dear 
john. 3.  son jesus Christ, but given him to the death of the cross for my sins. Thou wouldest he should be made flesh of our flesh, and blood of our blood in the womb of the virgin Marie, by the operation of the holy Spirit 
Ephe. 5.  that we by the working of the same spirit, through the merits of his flesh & blood, might be made flesh of his flesh and blood of his blood, that is, as he hath the substance of our flesh & blood: even so we might have and forever enjoy in him and through him, the qualities, virtues and gifts of righteousness, holiness, innocency, immortality, and glory, wherewith he hath endued our nature in his own person for us all; that as now in faith & hope we have the same, so in his coming we might fully enjoy them in very deed, for than shall our bodies now vile, be 
Phil. 3. 1. john. 3  like to his glorious body. Herein appeareth thy love, not that we loved thee but that the lovest us, & hast given thy son for us: herein dost thou commend unto us thy love, that when we were yet sinners, Christ thy der●sonne 
Rom. 5.  died for us, so that nothing should separate us from thy love in christ jesus, 
Rom. 8.  neither death nor hunger etc. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled 
Rom. ●.  unto thee by the death of thy son, much more we being reconciled shallbe saved by his life. And that I should not doubt hereof, but certainly be per swaded all this to pertain to me, where I might have been borne of Turks, lo thou wouldest I should be borne of Christian parents, brought into thy church by baptism, which is the Sacrament of Adoption, and requireth 
What baptism is & what it requireth.  faith as well of remission of my sins, as of sanctification and holiness, to be wrought of thee in me by thy grace and holy spirit. Where I might have been borne in an ignorant time and region, thou wouldest I I should be borne in this time and region, wherein is more knowledge revealed, then ever was here or in many places is. Where I might have been of a corrupt judgement, & entangled with many errors, lo thou of thy goodness, as thou hast reform my judgement, so dost thou keep it, and now for the same judgements sake dost vouchsalfe somewhat by the cross to try me. By all which things I should confirm my faith of this, that thou always haste been, art and wilt be for ever my dear father: in respect whereof I should, be as certain of salvation & of these aheritaunce of heaven for ever: 
what is the effect or fruit that cometh of thy, certteine persuasion that god is our father.  〈◊〉: thankful, cast my whole care on thee, trust on thee, and call on thee, with comfort: and certain hope for all. things that I wants. For in that thou hast given to men this benefit to be thy child undeserved, undeseced on my behalf, 〈◊〉 and only in respect of thine own goodness and grace in Christ, lest at any time I should doubt of it: how should I but hope certainly that nothing profitable to me can be denied, in that thy power is infinite? For as thy good will is declared in adopting me, so nothing can be finally wanting me, which may make for my weal (for that should improve thy power to be almighty) in that thy will is so bounteously already declared: whereas my be●e●●e requireth to believe in thee the father almighty, in consideration whereof I should in all things behave myself as a child, rejoice in thee, praise thee, trust in thee, fear thee serve thee, love thee, call upon thee etc.  
But alas how heavy hearted am I? How unthankful am I? How full of unbelief, & doubting of this thy rich mercy? How little do I love thee, fear thee, call upon thee. etc.  
Oh be merciful unto me, forgive me good father for thine own sake, and grant me the spirit of thy children, to reveal thyself unto me, and jesus Christ thy dear son our lord, by whom we are made thy children, that I may truly know thee, heartily love thee, faithfully hang upon thee in all my needs, with good hope call upon thee, render faithfully this honour to thee, that thou art my god & father, & I thy dear child through thy grace in Christ, and so always be endued with an assured hope of thy goodness, and a faithful obedient heart in all things to thy holy will. At thy hands and from thee as I must look for all things, so come I unto thee and pray thee to give me these things which thy dear children have, and thou requirest of me, that I might come & ask them of thee, as now I do through jesus Christ our lord.  
As by this word (father) I am taught to glory of thee and in thee, and all that ever thou hast (for thou art wholly mine, my lord, my god, my father) so by this word (Our) I am taught to glory of all the good, that all & every of thy servants that ever were, are, or shallbe, had, have, and shall have. For now I am taught to believe, that thou hast called me into the communion of thy church & people, whom hereby I perceive thou hast commanded, to be careful for me, as for themselves, and in all their prayers to be as mindful of me, as of themselves. Again as by this word (Father) I am taught to remember & render my duty I own to thee wards, faith, love fear, obedience &c: so by thy word (our) I am taught my duty towards thy people to be careful for them & to take their sorrow, poverty, & affliction etc. as mine own: and therefore to labour to help them in heart and hand, after my vocation & ability, utterly abhorring all pride, self-love arrogancy, & contempt of any. By reason whereof I have great cause to lament & to rejoice. To lament because I am so far from consideration, much more from doig my duty to thy people in thoughts, words, or deeds. To rejoice, because I am called of thee, & placed in the blessed society of thy saints, & made a member & citizen of the heavenly jerusalem, and because thou hast given in commandment to all thy church to be as care full for me, as for themselves.  
But alas how far am I herefrom? As I am guilty of unthankfulness for this thy calling me into the blessed communion of thy dear son, & church, yea of thyself: so am I guilty of self-love, unmercifulness, pride, arroganty, forgetfulness, contempt of thy children: for else I could not but be other wise affected & otherwise labour than I do. Oh be merciful unto me good father, forgive me, & grant for Christ's sake, that as my tongue soundeth this word (our) so I may in heart feel the true joy of thy blessed communion, and the true love & compassion which thy children have and feel towards their brethren, that I may rejoice in all trouble, in respect of that joyful communion: that I may deny myself to honour thy children upon earth, and endeavour myself to do them good for thy sake through jesus christ our lord. I come only to thee to give me that which I cannot nor must not else where have, and thou requirest it of me, that therefore I should as thy child come and crave it to thy glory.   

Which art in heaven.  
AS by these words (Our father) I am taught to glory and rejoice for the blessed communion which I am called to with thee, dear father, with thy Christ, and with thy holy church: so also am I hear taught by these words (Which art in heaven) to rejoice in respect of the place and blessed joys, whereunto at the length in thy good time I shall come. For now I may perceive, that as heaven is thy home, so is it mine also, being (as I am) thy child through Christ, although hear for a time I am bodily on earth and in misery.  
Again by these words (which art in heaven) I am admonished, not only to discern thee from earthly fathers, and to know how that thou art almighty, present in all places, and of most purity, to confirm thereby my faith, to be provoked the more to fear thee, to reverence thee &c: but also I am admonished to judge of thy fatherly love by heavenly benefits, and not by corporal simply and alonely, for often times the wicked prosper more in the world, and have more worldly benefits, than thy children. So that by this I see thou wouldest pull up my mind from earth and earthly things, to heaven and heavenly things; and that I should see further by corporal benefits, thy heavenly providence for me. For if thou place me thus on earth and thus bless me as thou dost & hitherto hast done from my youth up, in that thou art nothing so careful for my body as for my soul, how should I but think much of thy providence for it in thy home, where is such glory, as that eye hath not seen &c. of which things, these corporal benefits of thine, given me on earth, should be as it were inductions, and the taking of them away, admonitions to be more mindful of permanent things, and less mindful of transitory things.  
By reason hereof I have great cause to lament, and to rejoice. To lament because I am so earthly minded, so little desirous of my home, so unthankful for thy providence, and fatherly correction here on earth. To rejoice because of my home, and the great glory thereof, because thou dost so provide for me here, because thou dost so correct and chasten me etc. but alas I am altogether a wretch, earthly & unthankful, not only for these corporal benefits, health, riches, friends, fame, wisdom &c: for thy fatherly correction, sickness, temptation &c: but also for thy heavenly benefits, for Christ jesus, for the promise of thy spirit, for thy gospel etc. Yea even for heaven itself and thy whole glory, as the Israelits were for the land of Canaan, & therefore never enjoyed it but perished in the 
Psal. 106.  wilderness. I am proud in prosperity and forget thee, waxing secure & careless. &c: I am impatient in the cross, and to much consider worldly discommodity. Oh dear father forgive me, for thy Christ's sake all mine unthankfulness, love of this world, contempt and oblivion of thy heavenly benefits, and grant me thy holy spirit, to illuminate the eyes of my mind with the light and lively knowledge of thy presence, power wisdom, & goodness in thy creatures, but specially in christ jesus thy son, & so by the same spirit inflame mine affections, that I may desire nothing in earth but thee, and to be present with thee, that my conversation may be in heaven continually. From whence grant me still to look for the lord 
Col. 3. Phil. 3.  jesus, to make this my vile body like unto his own glorious and immortal body, according to his own power by which he is able to do all things. As thou hast given me to be thy child: so I pray the give me these things which be the properties of thy children given from y● in thy good time.   

hallowed be thy name.  
THy name is that whereby thou art known: for names serve to discern, and know one thing from an other. Now though thou art known by thy creatures, yet in this our corrupt estate, they serve but to make us excuseles. Therefore properly, 
Rom. 1.  most lively, and comfortably thou art known by thy holy word, and specially by thy promise of grace, and freely pardoning and receiving us into thy favour for christ jesus sake. For the which goodness in Christ, thou art praised & magnified, according to thy name, that is, so much as men 
Psal. 48. 138  know thee in Christ, they magnify 
How gods name is hallowed.  thee, & praise thee, which here thou callest hallowing or sanctifying: not that thou art the more holy in respect of thyself, but in respect of men: who the more they know thee, the more they cannot but sanctify thee, that is, they cannot but as ●n themselves by true faith, love, fear, and spiritual service, honour thee: so also in their outward behaviour and words, they cannot but live in such sort, as other seeing them, may in and by their holiness & godly conversation, be occasioned, as to know thee so to sanctify thy name accordingly. And therefore thou settest forth here 
The chief desire of gods children.  unto me what is the chief and principal wish and desire of thy children and people, namely, that thou in Christ mightest be truly known and honoured both of themselves, and of others inwardly and outwardly. By reason whereof easily a man may perceive by the contrary, that the greatest sorrow & grief thy people 
The greatest grief of god's people.  have, is ignorance of thee, false service or religion, and wicked conversation. Against the which they pray and labour diligently after their vocations, as they for the obtaining of the others, both to others and to themselves, do take no small pain in prayer, study, and godly exercise. By reason hereof I see that I am far from this desire and lamentation which is in thy children: I see mine ignorance of the true knowledge 
Our ignorance.  of thee and thy name, for else it had not needed thee so by thy word to have revealed thyself: I see also mine ignorance of the excellency of the same. For else wouldst y● not have told me, that the sanctifinge of thy name is the chiefest thing, thou requirest of every man. Again I see my great want 
Our great need.  of holiness, for else thou needest not to teach me, to seek & pray for that I want not. Moreover I see my great perversity, which would not seek at thy hands for sanctification, although I 
Our perversity.  see my need thereof. For else thou wouldest not have commanded me to pray for it, if I seeing my want, would have prayed unto the therefore. Last of all I 
God's love  see thy wonderful goodness, which will undoubtedly give unto me sanctification & holiness: for thou wouldest not that I should ask for that thing that thou wilt not give me. So that I have great cause to lament and rejoice. To lament, because I am so far from this desire and lamentation, which thy children have: also because of my ignorance, poverty perversity, unthankfulness etc. but most of all because thy holy name, word, and religion is so blasphemed both in doctrine and in living of many, especially in this Realm. To rejoice I have great cause, for thy exceeding goodness and merry, which wouldst so disclose thyself by thy works, word, & gospel: which wouldest open these things thus unto me and also give unto me & others sanctification in thy sight by saith; & in the sight of men by pureness of life & godly conversation. But alas I do heartily neither the one nor that other, that is lame● or rejoice: as thou father which searchest my heart dost right well know, Oh be merciful unto me and forgive me, yea give me, of thin own pity, thy holy spirit, to reveal & open to my mind effectually my miserable estate & condition, my ignorance, perversity, & my carelessness for thy true honour & dishonour in such sort, that I may heartily lament these evils, & have them pardoned & taken from me through jesus christ our lord. Again good father give me the same thy holy spirit to reveal to me thy name, word, & gospel, that I may lively know thee, unfeignedly love thee, heartily obey thee, and above all things desire and labour by all means lawful that all godliness in doctrine and conversation may be exercised both in me and in all others, for whom thou wouldest I should pray.  
Hear think upon the state of religion, and the life of the professors of the gospel, that you may lament some, pray for some, and give thanks for some.   

Let thy kingdom come.  
THy kingdom is in ii sorts to be considered, universally and particularly. Universally according 
God's kingdom in respect of his power.  to thy power, wherewith thou governest all things every where, in earth, heaven, hell devils, Angels, men, beasts, fowls, fishes, & all creatures animate & inanimate, sensible and insensible. Of this kingdom spoke David when he said: thy kingdom ruleth over al. Particularly thy kingdom is to be considered 
Psa. 104.  according to thy grace wherewith thou reignest only in thy church 
God's kingdom in respect of his grace.  and elect people, ruling and governing all & every member of thy church to thy glory & their eternal comfort: not that out of this church I exclude thy power (for as therewith thou defendest thy people, so thou punishest thy enemies) but because thy grace is specially considered, being (as it were) the very keeper that keepeth and guideth thy people. The time 
God's kingdom in respect of his glory.  willbe when this kingdom of grace and power, now being as distinct, shallbe united & made one kingdom of glory: which willbe when christ shall give up his kingdom into thine hands, that is in the resurrection, when death the last enemy shallbe subdued, and thou shalt be all in all. In the mean season this kingdom of grace is miraculously & mightily 
How gods kingdom hear is conserved and enlarged.  propagated, enlarged, and governed by the true ministry of thy word and Sacraments, thorough the working of thy holy spirit. And this is the mean and way, whereby as thou diddest first plant, so dost thou enlarge, amplify and preserve the same. This kingdom of grace begun, continued, & enlarged by the true preaching of thy gospel and ministration of thy Sacraments, is the thing which Christ teacheth here thy children to pray for, that it might come, that is to say, that thy gospel might so mightily, purely, & plenteously be preached (maugre the head of all thine enemies) that the numbered of thine elect might be brought in, and so the kingdom of thy glory might appear. So that as I see thy children desire, pray, & labour, that thy gospel might be truly preached, hard, and lived in themselves, & in others: so they lament the not preaching & refusing, the not living & unbelieving thy gospel: yea they lament the lingering of the coming of thy christ, for in his coming they know they shallbe like unto him, and having this hope they purify themselnes as he is pure.  
By reason hereof I see first that I 
1. john. 3.  am far from this desire and lamenting, which thy children have, I see my ignorance of thy kingdom and 
Our ignorance.  power every where, of thy grace only in thy church, & of thy glory, when all the enemies of thy grace shallbe cast down, & thy glory and power shall embrace each other. I see my ignorance how acceptable a service to thee is the true preaching & the hearig of thy gospel: for else thou hadst not needed to have placed this petition next to the petition of the sanctifiing of thy name. Again I see here my unableness to enter into thy kingdom, 
Our need  and to attain to it. For else what need should I have to pray for that to come from thee, which other wise may be archeived. Thirdly I 
our perversity  see also my perversity, & contempt of thy kingdom & grace. For although I see my want, yet I would not desire thy kingdom to come, if thou diddest not command me to pray so: for if I would have prayed for it, thou wouldst not have commanded me. Last of all I see 
god's goodness.  thy goodness, which wilt bring thy kingdom, & that as generally by sending forth ministers to preach truli: so particularly by regenerating me more and more, and by giving me as grace here, so glory else where: for thou wouldest not I should pray for that, which thou wilt deny. So that I have great cause to lament and rejoice. To lament because of my miserable estate and condition, because of my sin, ignorance, rebellion, perversity, Satan's power, contempt of thy grace, thy gospel & ministery, here or else where. To rejoice because of thy goodness and great mercy, which hast brought me into thy church, keepest me in it, and wilt do so still: also because of the ministery of thy word and Sacraments, by which the holy ghost is and willbe effectual: and finally because of the great glory, whereunto thou hast called me, & now wilt give unto me, ask the same. But alas how unthankful I am & sorowles, lord thou knowest for my heart is not hid from thee etc. Oh be merciful unto me and forgive me, good father, and grant the Spirit of thy children, to reveal unto me my ignorance of thy kingdom, my poverty and perversity, that I may lament the same, and daily labour for thy help and thy holy spirit, to suppress the kingdom of sin in myself and in others. Again grant me that same thy holy spirit to reveal to me thy kingdom of power, grace, and glory, to kindle mine affections, to regenerate me more & more, to reign in me, as in a piece of thy kingdom, to give to me to desire, to pray, and to labour for thy kingdom, both to myself and to others effectually, to thy glory, & to assure my conscience of thy goodness, that thou wilt give me grace, and glory etc.  
Here call to mind the state of the ministery & ministers, the light and life of gospelers, therrors & heresies which men be entangled withal.   

Thy will be done.  
AS thy power is infinite, so is thy 
God's omnipotent will unknown & unreveled.  wisdom accordingly. Whereby as we may perceive, that nothing is or can be done against thy power, or otherwise then by it: so is there not nor cannot be any thing done against, or otherwise, then by thy omnipotent & secret will, which is always, as thou art, good holy, and just, how far so ever it seem otherwise to our foolish reason and indgement. And therefore here we are taught to pray that thy will may be done here without sin on man's behalf, as it is on the angels behalf in heaven.  
Again for asmuch as thou art incomprehensible 
Gods will revealed & known.  of thyself as well concerning thy power as concerning thy wisdom, we may not according thereto search thee, but rather adore and worship thy majesty, & tremble at thy judgements and works, and therefore pray always, that we may be content with thy will, and be borome thereto. And for asmuch as thou hast revealed to us so much of thy will in thy word written as is necessary for us in this life to know, yea as we can attain unto, and a little further: we ought to take all things done there against as sin and transgression, although thou canst use the same sin to serve thy providence. Of the which providence w● can not nor may not judge further than thou hast & shalt open it unto us. So that this petition (Thy will be done) is not simply to be understand concerning thy omnipotent will unrevealed, against the which nothing is nor can be done, but rather concerning thy will revealed in thy law & gospel, the which thou here teachest me that we should desire, not only to know it, but also to do it, and that in such perfection & willingness, as it is in heaven. The which thing I perceive hereby that thy children do desire daily in & for themselves and others, & do lament the contrary, in whomsoever it be, so that often their eyes gush out with rivers of tears because men keep not thy laws. 
Psa. 119.   
By reason hereof I see that I am far from the sighs and tears of thy people. I see my ignorance 
Our ignorance.  of thy will if thou hadst not opened the same by thine own mouth. I see my ignorance, how acceptable a service obedience to thy will is, and therefore dost thou place this petition amongs the first and continual desires of thy children. Again I see my poverty in godly obedience, which had need to be taught to pray 
Our need  for it, thereby to signify unto me my want and unability to attain it, but by thy gift. Thirdly I see my disobedience: 
Our disobedience.  for else never wouldst thou have commanded me to have prayed for the doing of thy will, if I seeing my want, would have prayed so.  
Last of all I see thy goodness, which 
god's goodness.  wilt give to me and others to obey thy will: that is, to love thee with all our hearts, to love our neighbour as ourselves, to die to ourselves, to live to thee, to take up our cross and to follow thee, to believe, to repent &c: for else thou wouldest never have bidden us, to pray for a thing which we should not look for.  
So that I have great cause to lament and rejoice. To lament, because of my miserable state and condition, because of my sin, ignorance, poverty, and perversity, also because thy will is every where either not known, or contemned, and Satan's will, the will of the world, and of the flesh readily obeyed. To rejoice I have great cause, for that thou hast opened thyself and will unto mankind, for that also▪ thou peculiarly hast taught me these things, and because also thou wilt grant me grace to do the same. But alas how unthankful I am, and how hard hearted, thou Lord dost know. Oh be merciful unto me and forgive me. I pray thee gracious god grant me thy holy spirit, to reveal to me my ignorance of thy will, my poverty and perversity, that I may heartily bewail it etc., and by thy help and working of the same spirit may suppress the will of the flesh. Again grant me thy holy spirit, to reveal to me thy will declared in thy law and gospel, that I may truly know the same, and inflame so my affections, that I may will and love the same, in such sort, that it may be my meat and drink to do thy will.  
Here call to mind the ten commandments of god particularly or generally, what therein he requireth, and pray for the same particularly as you see your need, & that not only for yourself but also for other.  
Pray for patience to suffer what cross soever god shall lay upon you, & pray for them that be under the cross that they may be patient: pray for spiritual wisdom in every cross peculiarly, or publikelye, that you may see and love gods will.   

give us this day our daily Bread.  
BY Bread the food of the body, is understand all things necessary 
Bread.  for this corporal life, as meat, drink, health, success in vocation etc. By this word give, we should understand, that 
give.  not only spiritual things, but also corporal benefits are gods free gifts, and come not for our worthiness, or travail taken about the same, although ours traveyls be often times means, by the which god doth give corporal things.  
By daily is understand the contented 
Daily.  minds of thy children with that which is sufficient for the present time, as having hope in thee, that they shall not want, but daily shall receive at thy hands plenty and enough of all things. By this word our, is as well understand public 
Our.  benefits, as peace in the common weal, good Magistrates, seasonable wether, good laws &c: as particular benefits, as be children, health name, success in the works of our vocation, etc. And besides this, by it we should see the care even for corporal things, which thy children have for others aswell as for themselves.  
So that here I may learn how far I am from that I should be, and I see thy children are come unto. I see my ignorance also, how that as spiritual things do come from thee: so do temporal things: and as they come from thee, so are they conserved and kept of thee. And therefore thy children are thankful and look for them as thy mere gifts, notwithstanding the means which they use if they have them. How be it they use them but as means, for except thou work therewith, all is in vain. 
Psal. 127.   
Again here I am taught to be content with sufficient for the present time, as thy children be which have the shortness of this life always before their eyes, and therefore they ask but for daily sustenance, knowing this life to be compared to a day, yea a watch, a sound, a shadow, etc. Moreover I may learn to see the compassion and brotherly care, thy children have one for an other. Last of all here I may see thy goodness, which as thou wilt give me all things necessary for this life (or else thou wouldest not bid me ask etc.) so thou commandest all men to pray and care for me, and that bodily, much more than if they be able, they are commanded to help me both in body & soul. By reason whereof I have great cause to lament and rejoice. To lament because I am not so affected, as thy children be, because of my ignorance my ingratitude, my perversity and contempt of thy goodness, and of the necessity of thy people, which alas be in great misery, some in exile, some in prison, some in poverty, sickness. etc. To rejoice I have great cause, because of thy goodness, in teaching me these things, in commanding me to ask what soever I want, in giving me so many things unasked, in keeping the benefits given me, in commanding men to care for me, to pray for me, to help me. etc. But alas, how far I am from true lamentation and rejoicing, lord thou knowest. Oh be merciful unto me, and help me, forgive me, and grant me thy holy spirit, to reveal to me my need, ignorance, great ingratitude, & contempt of thy mercies & thy people, and that in such sort, that I might heartily lament and bewail my misery, and through thy goodness be altered with thy people, to mourn for the miseries of thy children, as for mine own.  
Again reveal to me thy goodness (dear father) even in corporal things that I may see thy mercy, thy presence, power, wisdom, and righteousness in every creature, and corporal benefits, and that in such sort, that I may be thoroughly affected, truly to reverence, fear, love, obey thee, hang upon thee, to be thankful to thee, & in all my need to come unto thee, not only when I have ordinary means by the which thou commonly workest, but also when I have none, yea when all means and helps are clean against me.  
Here remember the state of your children, and family, also your parents neighbours, kinse folks, also your friends, country, and magistrates &c: as you shall have time thereto and by gods good Spirit shallbe provoked.   

¶ forgive us our debts, as we forgive them that are debtors unto us.  
BY our Debts are understand, 
Debts.  not only things we have done, ●ut the omission and leaving undone of the good things we ought to do.  
By our, is not only understand the particular sins of one, but also 
Our.  generally the sins of all and every one of thy church.  
By forgiveness, is understand free 
forgiveness.  pardon and remission of sins, by the merits and deserts of thy dear son jesus Christ, who gave himself a ransom for us.  
By our forgiving of other men's 
As we forgive etc.  offences to us ward, is understand thy good will, not only that it pleaseth thee that we should live in lone and amity, but also that thou wouldst have us to be certain of thy pardoning us of our sins. For as certain as we are that we pardon them that offend us, so certain should we be that thou dost pardon us: whereof the forgiving our trespassers is (as it were) a sacrament unto us.  
So that by this petition I am taught to see that thy children, although by imputation they be pure from sin yet they acknowledge sin to be & remain in them, and therefore do they pray for the remission & forgiveness of the same.  
Again I am taught hereby, to see how thy children do consider & take to heart, not only the evils they do, but also the good thy leave undone. And therefore they pray thee heartily for pardon.  
Moreover I am here taught, to see that thy children are careful for other men, and for their trespasses, and therefore pray, that they might be pardoned in saying, our sins, and not my sins.  
Besides this I am taught here to see, how thy children not only forgive all that offend them, but also pray for the pardoning of the offences of their enemies, and such as offend them. So far are they from malicousnes, pride, revengement etc. Last of all I am taught to see how merciful thou art, which wilt have me to ask pardon: whereof thou wouldest that we should in no point doubt, but be most assured, that for Christ's sake thou hearest us, and that not only for ourselves, but also for many others, for y● dost not command us to ask for any thing thou wilt not give us.  
By reason whereof I have great cause to lament, and rejoice. To lament because of my miserable estate, which am so far from these affections, that are in thy children: which am so ignorant & careless of sin, not only in leaving good undone, but also in doing evil, and that daily in thought word and deed etc. I speak not of my carelessness for other folks sins, as of my parents, children, family, magestrats etc. neither of the sins of them, to whom I have given occasion to sin.  
To rejoice I have great cause, because of thy mercy in opening to me these things, in commanding me to pray for pardon, in promising me pardon, and in commanding others to pray for me. I ought surely to be persuaded of thy mercy, though my sins be innumerable. For I see not only in this but in every petition how that every one of thy church prayeth for me: yea christ thy son who sitteth on thy right hand, prayeth for me etc. Oh dear father be merciful unto me, and forgive me all my sins, and of thy goodness give me thy holy spirit to open mine eyes, that I may see sin, the better to know it, the more truly to hate it, & most earnestly to strive agaist it, & that effectually both in myself, and others.  
Again, grant me the same thy holy spirit to reveal unto me the remedy of sin by christ only, & to work in me faith, to embrace the same thy Christ and mercies in him, that I may henceforth be endued with thy holy spirit more & more to begin and obey thy good will continually, & to increase in the same for ever.  
Here call to mind the special sins 
Pray for them to whom you have given any occasion of sin.  you have committed heretofore. Remember, if you have occasioned any to sin, to pray for them by name: remember that god's law should be so dear unto us that the breaking thereof in others, should be an occasion to make us to lament with tears etc.   

Lead us not into tentation.  
BEcause of our continual & great infirmities, because of the great diligence & subtleties of our enemies, and because y● art wont to punish 
the greatest punishment. Remedy against evil is prayer. Our sins should not be forgotten of us, if we would have them forgotten with god. Commodities coming by remembering our sins, be thankfulness, vigylancy and gentleness to offenders.  sin with sin (which of all punishments is the greatest & most to be feared) In this petition y● wouldst have thy children to have the same in remembrance, & for a remedy hereof y● hast appointed prayer. So that y● only cause why any are overcome & led into tentation, is for that they forget, what they desire in y● petition going before this: which should be never out of their memory, to provoke them to be more thankful to thee, & more vigilant & heedy hereafter for falling into like perils. For which to be avoided, y● dost most graciously set forth a remedy, in commanding us to pray after pardon for our sins past, for thy grace to guide us, so that we be not led into tentation, but might be delivered from evil. And because thou wouldst have all thy children to hang wholly upon thee, 
Why we pray not suffer us not to be led. etc.  to fear thee only, and only to love thee, thou dost not teach them to pray, suffer us not to be led, but lead us not into tentation, that (I say) they might only fear thee, & certainly know that Satan hath no power over so much as a pig, but what soever thou givest unto 
Mat. 8.  him, and of thy secret but most just judgement dost appoint him to use, not as he will (for then we were all lost) but as thou wilt, which canst will nothing, but that which is most just. As to give them to the guiding of Satan, which will not be guided by thy grace, as y● didst Saul etc.  
Occasions to evil are in two sorts. 
Occasions to evil in two. sorts.  One by prosperity & success, another by adversity & the cross etc. the evils coming of success, commonly are unthankfulness, pride, security, & forgetting ourselves, forgetting of others, forgetfulness of god, of our mortality etc. The evils coming of adversity, commonly are impatiency, murmuring, grudging despairing, contemning of god, flattering of men, stealing, lying etc., which many other evils, whereto temptations will entice a man that is left to himself: whereas to one that is guided with god's spirit, tentations are but trials to the glory of god, 
what temptations are to the godly, & what they are to the wicded  comfort of the tempted, and edifying of thy church. But as I said, if a man be left alone, tentations entice even to the devil himself. And therefore thy children pray to be delivered from evil, understanding thereby Satan himself, the sour and supporter of all evil. And this thy children do aswell for others, as for themselves. So that I may learn hereout many good things.  
First to remember often our infirmity and weakness, and the dangerous estate we stand in in the respect of our flesh, of the world which is full of evil, of Satan which seeketh to sift us and as a roaring lion to destroy us, & of our sins, which deserve all kinds of punishments and correction: that I might with thy children fear thee, watch, pray and desire the day of redemption from all evils.  
Again I may learn here, that to avoid all dangers & evil, is not in the power of man, but only thy work. By reason whereof I should consider thy great goodness, which hither to hast kept me from so many evils, both of soul & body, yea of name, goods &c: as thou hast done in my infancy, childhood, youth, middle age etc.  
Thirdly I may learn here, that I should be careful for others, both that they might be delivered from their evils, & that they might be preserved from tentation, & from being overcome in the same, and therefore y● teachest me to pray, not deliver me from evil simply, but deliver us from evil.  
Last of all I am taught hereby, so see thy goodness towards me which wilt deliver me from evil, and from being overcome in temptations. For thou wouldst not have me to ask for that, which I should not look for at thy hands certainly. By reason whereof thou wouldest have me to be in a certainty of salvation, for ever. For else I cannot believe my prayer to be heard, if that finally I should not be delivered from evil.  
And therefore thou joinest hereto 
Thine is the kingdom. etc.  a giving of thanks, which with thy Church I should say (For thine is the kingdom, thine is the power, thine is the glory for ever)  
By reason whereof I have great cause to lament, and to rejoice. To lament because of my corruption, infirmity, weakness, oblivion, and carelessness for thy people, ingratitude &c: because of Satan's power, vigilancy, & prudency, which hath overcome most grave, wise and holy men, whereof some never recovered: as Cain, Cham, Achitophel, Saul, ●udas etc. To rejoice because of thy goodness, which teachest me this, & she west me the remedy, commandest all thy Church to pray for me, 〈◊〉 wilt at length deliver me from all ●uel, and give me glory. But alas I ●m all together careless & miserable. Oh be merciful unto me dear father and for Christ's sake forgive me all my ●innes: Grant me thy holy spirit to reveal to me mine infirmties, weakness, perils, dangers &c: in such sort, that as I may heartily lament my miseries, so I may ask and obtain thy grace to guide me from all evil for ever more.  
Again grant me the same thy holy spirit, to reveal to me thy love & kindness towards me (and that in eternity) in such sort, that I may be throughly persuaded of the same, become thankful unto thee, & daily expect and look for the revelation of thy kingdom, power, and glory, as one that forever shall have the fruction of the same, through thine own goodness and mercy in Christ, prepared for me before the beginning and foundation of the world was laid.  
Here call to mind our security, Satan's vigilancy, our negligence, his diligence, our infirmity, his ability, our ignorance, his craft and subtility, etc.  
Item call to mind how that he hath overthrown for a time many of the dear Saints of god, to whom we are to be compared in nothing: a● Adam, Eve, Lot, judas, Thamer, Moses, Aaron, Mirtan, Samson, Gedeon, Clie, David, Solomon, Ezechias, josias, Peter, Thomas, and innumerable more.  
Item call to mind the goodness of god, and of our Shepherd Christ, which hath kept us hitherto, keepeth us still, & teacheth us here to know that he will keep us for ever. For he would not have us to ask for deliverance from evil, if that he would not we should certainly look for the same. If thou doubt of final perseverance, y● dishonourest god. Be certain therefore, rest in hope, be still in his word. See also how he hath commanded his whole church and every member thereof, to pray for thee aswell as for themselves, in these and all other things.  
Now and then go about to reckon how many and divers kinds of evils there be, that thereby, as you may know you are delivered from none, but by gods great goodness: so you may see that the number of evils that you have, are nothing to be compared to the multitude of evils wherewith (if your christ were not) the devil would all to bewray and daub you.  
But what are all the miseries and evils that can be, to be compared to the least joy, prepared for us in heaven? Oh think of those joys, and pray that when the tide of death cometh, we may hale forth of the haven of this flesh & this world joyfully. In praying this petition call to mind the evils you have been in, the evells you are in, and the evells you may fall in, if god should not preserve you, that you might be stirred up the more to thankfulness to prayer, to trust in god, to modesty etc.   

For thine is the kingdom, thine is the power, thine is the glory for ever.  
AS in the beginning of this prayer by these words (our father which art in heaven) thy children are excited & stirred up to a full confidence of obtaining the petitions following & all things necessary: So in the latter end thou hast added for the same purpose, these words (For thine is the kingdom thin is etc.) Wherein I am taught these many things: First that in prayer I should have such consideration of thy kingdom, power, glory and eternity, that my mind should be stricken with an admiration of the same. Secondly that I should so consider them, especially in prayer, that I should not doubt, but that thou workest, rulest & governest all things every where in all persons and creatures, most wisely, justly, and mercifully. thirdly that in prayer all my petitions should tend to the setting forth of thy power, of thy kingdom, and of thy glory. last of all that in prayer I should in no wise doubt of being heard but be assured, that thou which hast commanded me to pray, and hast promised to hear me, dost moste graciously for thy mercies sake and truths sake hear my petitions, according to thy good will through jesus Christ thy dear son our lord and only saviour.  
By reason whereof I have great cause to lament and rejoice. To lament, because I consider not these things in prayer, in such sort, as should move me to admiration and gratitude: because I consider not thy power, and wisdom generally in all things: because I am so careless, for thy kingdom: and because I am so full of dubitation and doubting of thy goodness. To rejoice I have great cause, because thou revelest these things unto me on this sort: because of thy power, kingdom and glory, which maketh to the hearing of my prayers, and helping of me: be cause thou wilt use me as thine instrument to set forth thy kingdom, power, & glory: and because it pleaseth thee to here my prayers and assuredly wilt save me for ever.  
But alas how far am I from these lamentations and rejoicings? by reason whereof I deserve damnation. Oh be merciful unto me▪ forgive me, and of thy 〈◊〉 grant me thy holy spirit 〈◊〉 reveal to me my blindness, oblivion, and contempt of thy kingdom, power and glory, with the greatness of my doubtings: that I may heartily as lament them, so have them pardoned, and taken from me through the merits of jesus Christ thy son.  
Again give me thy holy spirit, to reveal to me in such sort thy kingdom, power, glory, and eternity, that I may always have the same before mine eyes, be moved with thadmiration thereof, labour effectually to set forth the same, and finally as to have the sruic●on thereof after this life: so increase ●an assured, certain and lively expectation of the same, that I may always & in all things rejoice in thee thorough Christ, and give lauds thanks & praises perpetually unto thy most holy name, oh blessed father, son and holy ghost, three persons & one god, to whom be all honour & glory world without end.  
Here think, that if the kingdom power, glory and eternity be gods which is our father, what our dignity is, which be his children: if the power be our fathers, of whom should we be affrays? if the devil be subject to the lords power & kingdom (as he is) how can the subject have power over us, which be sons and heirs, in that he hath not power over porketts without the providence and permission of god? Therefore full well should we pray, lead us not into temptation, rather than let us not be led into tentation. For power is the lords, and the devil hath none, but that he hath of god's gift. No he were not of capacity, to receive power, if god did not make him of capacity, although the execution of it, is rather of god's permission.  
¶ give all thanks, praise, and glory, to god our father through Christ our lord and saviour. So be it.    

A meditation upon the twelve articles of the Christian faith.  

I believe in god the father. etc.  
THy people (oh lord god the father of our saviour jesus Christ) do here in saying this article (I believe in god the father almighty etc.) by faith know that thou together with jesus Christ and the holy ghost, didst create all things that be in heaven and in earth (for by heaven and earth are understand all things therein). And as they know this, so they by the same faith do see thee the same god the father the son and the holy ghost, to govern all things after thy great wisdom, power, righteousness, and mercy, using every creature they see as means to put them in remembrance of fearing, reverencing, trusting, & loving thee: for in every creature they behold thy presence, power, wisdom and mercy,  
Again by this word (Father) they declare their belief, how that they are not only thy creatures, and all that ever they have to be thy gracious gifts and blessings, but also how that they are thy children, dearly beloved & cared for of thee through jesus christ. Where through (notwithstanding their unworthiness) as they conceive a sure hope of thy goodness and fatherly love towards them in soul and body for ever: so are they thankful for their creation, & for that thou hast made them thy excellet creatures, lords of al. They are thankful for the creation of all creatures, & use the same with thankfulness, as visible tokens of thy invisible love: they are thankful for thy conserving and keeping them, & for the governing them and all this world, lamenting that they are no more thankful, that they believe no deeper, that reason hath so great a swing with them in these matters.  
But I most gracious good lord and father, though I say, I believe in thee my father almighty maker of heaven and earth, yet thou knowest that I am full of much doubting, not only of this whether thou art my good, almighty, and most loving dear father in christ (because I feel in myself such a conscience of unworthiness, & so great want of those things which thou requirest of thy children, and so transfer the cause of my being thy child in part to myself where it is due only and wholly always to thy mercy and grace in Christ) but also thou knowest my doubting of my creation and governance, and of the creation and governance of all this world (as I declare by my unthankfulness for my creation, for mine adoption, for my gubernation, for thy providence for me) or else dear father I could not but heartily with thy children rejoice and praise thy holy name, and that continually, being hence forth careful for nothing but how to please thee & profit thy people, & that they might praise thy name in all things for overmore, desiring the sanctification of thy name, the coming of thy kingdom, the doing of thy will upon earth as it is in heaven.  
Thou mightest have made me a dog, but of thy goodness hast made me a creature after thine Image: y● mightest have made me a turk, a jew, a Sarracen, but thou hast made me a christian, a member of thy Church, thou after my birth mightest have left me, and in all need have made no providence for me, as we sometimes see hath happened unto others, but yet thou never didst so with me, and yet I am of all others most unthankful.  
Thy creatures I thankfully use not, thy invisible love by thy manifold visible tokens I consider not, as now, I should by this apparel of my body, by this corporal health by this light, by this my hearing, seeing, feeling, memory, understanding, time, place, company, creatures, and benefits, aswell in keeping innumerable evils from me both in soul and body, which else could not but come to me: as also in giving to me presently so many things as without thy especial grace & working I never could have had, or presently could keep them. In thy creatures I see not thy power, for I fear the not, I see not thy presence for I reverence thee not, I see not thy wisdom, for I adore the not, I see not thy mercy, for I love the not I praise the not but in lips & tongue and therefore in that all thy creatures do teach me, cry out upon me to be thankful to thee, to love, fear, serve thee and trust in the and that continually, in that I do not so, they cannot but cry out upon me and against me in thy sight, & in the day of judgement will weapon themselves against me.  
Oh that I did now consider this. Oh that my blind eyes & my deaf ears were opened: oh that my miserable and foolish heart were made wise and converted. This only thou canst do which haste all men's hearts in thy hands to bow▪ them as pleaseth thee: bow my heart good Lord into thy testimonies, open my eyes make me to here for thy mercy's sake, that I may believe and so love thee, be thankful to thee, amend in all things and serve thee, though not as thy dear servants do, yet at the least as other brute creatures do, that is to obey the and to be profitable to others.  
Now for asmuch as my sins let this and all good things from me, I beseech the pardon me all my sins according to thy gracious promise for our lord jesus Christ sake. Amen.   

I believe in jesus Christ his only son etc.  
THy servants (O Christ jesus) and people do know by faith, that as thou art almighty and god with the father by whom all things were made, and are ruled (for thou art god eternal coequal and consubstantial with the father and the holy ghost) so thou art man and haste taken our nature upon thee by the operation of the holy ghost in the womb of the virgin marry, and art become the blessed seed which hast bruised the serpent's head, the blessed 
Gens. 3.  seed in whom all nations are blessed, the prophet whom Moses died 
Gens. 23. Deut. 18. Exod, 25.  prophecpe of, the samplare he saw in the mount, the truth and body of all the types, figures, and shadows of the old law, the Messiah Christ and saviour of thy people, the advocate and redeemer, the pacifier of god's wrath for sins, the opener of heaven, and giver of everlasting life.  
This they know thou broughtest to pass in thy human nature, by thy incarnation and nativity, by thy being here on earth, by thy lining, teaching, fasting, praying, especially by thy suffering under Pontius Pilate, by thy death, burial, resurrection, ascension unto the heavens, and reigning on the right hand of the father, from whence thou shalt come to judge both the quick & the dead: and as they know this, so by faith they apply it also to themselves, that for their sake thou waste made man, diddest pray, fast, wast tempted diddest die, rosest again, & didst ascend into heaven, and there art set their advocate, bishop, and high priest, always appearing in gods sight for them, from whence they look for thee, knowige that 〈◊〉 wilt not enter into judgement with them to damn them, which wouldst damn thyself for them.  
By this faith they felt these affections in themselves, namely the battered of sin, the fear of god, the love of god, trust in thee, and love to thy church. The hatred of sin they felt because it is so foul a thing as would not be washed away with any other thing then with thy precious blood shedding: the fear of god, because his anger is so great against sin that no less price could pacify his wrath then thy most painful death: the love of god, because he hath so loved them that he would not spare thee his dear son for them, ever when they were his enemies: trust in thee, because thou hadst no respect to thyself but most willingly diddest give thyself wholly to be our saviour and servant: love to thy people and church, because generally & particularly in every member of the same, they see how dear they are to thee, and therefore they can not but be so to them. Oh how do they imitate and follow thy foot steps? how do they rejoice when they are in any thing by afflection made like to thee? Oh how do they lament their sins, ingratitude, unbelief, love thee, and wholly yield themselves unto thee? where as I (o gracious god & dear saviour jesus Christ) though I say I believe in thee which was conceived by the holy ghost, yet alas I do but babble this, for nothing is else in me but unbelief. Of thy power & love, of thine anger & mercy I have but an opinion, as my insensibleness and unthankfulness doth declare.  
If a man should show me friendship but in a trifle, or suffer any thing at all for me, I could not but be thanfull: and thou besides my creation, hast redeemed me and brought me into the number of gods children (than which thing nothing is greater) and lo I am unthankful.  
Thou hast suffered much for me: from heaven thou camest into earth to fetch me into heaven, but I regard it not.  
Thou barest my sins on thy back suffering a most bitter death, but I am so far from thankfulness, that I still more and more loath the.  
Thou wouldest enter into a communion with me, taking my nature unto thee concerning the substance thereof, that I might enter into a commnuion with thee concerning the qualities where▪ in thyself thou hast endued it, but I consider it not.  
Thou didst die to deliver me from death, but I still more and more geum thee cause to die: so ingrate full am I  
Thou didst arise to justify me, but I with the jews would still kept thee down, because I would not leave my wickedness.  
Thou ascendedst to heaven to take possession for me there, to be always in the sight of thy father for me, to send me down gifts, to pray for me: but I daielye am pulling the● down again, as much as in me ●ieth, I am altogether earthly, I hide myself out of thy sight by forgetting thee, I reject and abuse thy gifts, I neglect prayer.  
Thou art now in a readiness to come to judge both quick and dead, but I tremble not at this gear, nor beseech thee before thou come, to be merciful unto me & not to enter into judgement with me, yea I think nothing at all of thy coming: malison cogitant judicium, the wicked consider not the end, they think not on thy judgement.  
Thou wouldst bring me to thy father that I might find grace, but I put this of, & therefore am worthy to feel thee a judge, which refuse to feel thee a saviour.  
Now the cause of all these things is unbelief, the which though it be natural by reason of the corruption of our nature, pet I have augmented the same maliciously in not labouring there against, and continuing in all sins and wickedness: by reason whereof I deserve most justly thy anger thereupon, even rejection from thy face for ever.  
Long hast thou mourned even with displeasure & anger the incredulity of my heart, calling me there from, and offering me thy grace, which I have neglected and rejected, and therefore am never worthy to have it any more offered unto me, much more than I am unworthy to have grace given me to receive thy mercy.  
Alas what shall I do? shall I dispraier or as long as I can, keep me unmindful of my misery? o saviour Christ jesus wilt not thou be merciful unto me? thou didst die for me when I deserved it not, and now is thy mercy shortened? wilt not thou give me thy grace, and take from my heart this horrible unbelief? Shall I never love thee? shall I never hath sin? shall I never, as with my mouth I say: I believe in jesus Christ, so in heart say the same? shall Satan possessed me for ever? o christ jesus which hast led captivity captive, what? wilt not thou help me? though I desire it not as I should, yet give me to desire when thou wilt.  
Thou didst appear to destroy the work of the devil: thou seest his work, in me: good christ destroy his work but not thy work: save me for thy great mercy's sake. give me to believe in thee, in thy death, resurrection, & ascension: pardon me my sins, and mortify now in me my corrupt affections, raise me up and justify me, regenerate me daily more and more, give me faith of immortality, resurrection of this body, give me faith to ascend into heaven, and to be certain that thou hast already taken possession for me there: give me to look for thy coming, and to be ready in thy coming to find mercy to everlasting life etc.   

I believe in the holy ghost. etc.  
O Holy spirit the third person in trinity, which didst descend upon Christ our saviour in his baptism in the likeness of a dove, thy children know that with the father and the son thou madest and rulest all creatures visible and invisible, they know thee in their redemption to be no less willing & loving then the father and the son: for y● didst always declare Christ to be the son of god & gavest testimony in wardly in the hearts of thy elect, to believe and embrace the same, & outwardly by miracles and wonders they know thee to be the comforter and governor, whom Christ did promise in his corporal absence should teach, rule, keep, comfort and govern his church and people.  
Again, as in the former part of their belief they consider the works of creation and redemption, so in this part they consider the place where the same is most effectual & taketh place, even thy holy church which is catholic, that is, extending itself to all times, to all places, to all kinds of people.  
For in this church only they know that as all things were made, so the work of redemption was taken in hand, that y● blessed trinity, mightest in this church be praised, magnified, served, & worshipped for ever.  
This church is nothing else but a communion and society of saints: that is, not only a society of all such as be, have been, or shall be thy people, but also a society or partaking of Christ jesus which is the head of the same: yea by him of thee (oh blessed father) which art the head of Christ, and of thee (oh holy ghost) which now shadowest and sittest upon the same to hatch and cherish it as the hen her chickens, by the extending of thy wings, not only to defend them from their enemies, but also to cover their sins and to remit them in this life, beginning also here the resurrection of the flesh and everlasting life, the which thou wilt in the end of the world consummate, so that they shall not need to be covered for sin: for than shall they be pure and have gtoriouse bodies, immortal and spiritual, the which shall have the fruition of eternal ieye, life everlasting, and glory, such as the eye hath not seen, the ear hath heard, nor the heart of man can conceive. For then christ jesus shall give up his kingdom to god the father, that god may be all in all concerning the governance of it by the ministration of his word and other means whereby now he governeth it, that it may be his father's kingdom, we being become like unto him: that is, as to the manhood of 
1. iohn. 3.  Christ the godhead is united and is all in all without any other means, even so god shallbe in us, assuming then not only in the person of christ the humane nature, but also all the humane nature of his church which be members of Christ, the wicked & reprobate being separate then from this communion & cast into eternal perdition with Satan, & antichrist, there to be in torments and horror for ever.  
By reason of this their faith, they are thankful to thee (o holy spirit) which hast taught them this & given them to believe it.  
By reason of this faith they singularly pray love, & help thy church here militant, & labour to be holy 〈◊〉.  
By reason of this faith they confess themselves sinners, they desire and believe pardon of their sins, they are risen and rise daily concerning the inwards man, and do feel the life eternal begun in them, more & more labouring, praying, wishings and desiring for the same wholly and perfectly.  
Where as (oh lord god and most gracious holy spirit) thou knowest that it is otherwise with me. I do but babble with my lips in saying, I believe in the holy ghost, for I am unthankful for calling me into thy church, I do not live holy, I confess not, I lament not my sins, I pray not for remission of them, I stand in doubt thereof: as I feel not myself risen from a sinful life as I should be, or as I feel not life begun in me, as it is in thy dear children, so do I doubt hereof, whether I have pardon of my sins, whether I am regenerate, whether I feel truly everlasting life (the which thing doth most displease thee) and yet with my tongue I say I believe in the holy ghost. Oh I beseech thee (good holy spirit) for thy love sake which moved the to agree and be willing to patifye and open thy goodness, not only in the work of creation (for thou didst lie upon the waters and as the been her chickens didst, as it were, hatch the work of creation) but also in the work of redemption, and therefore didst descend and abide not only upon Christ in his baptism, but also on the apostles & church in fiery tongues visibly the fift day after Christ's resurrection: as now thou dost invisibly, generally, and particularly sit upon thy Church and children, being the consolator the comforter, the teacher and leader, the guider and governor of us all.  
For this thy loves sake (I say) I beseech thee to be merciful unto me, and forgive me my doubting, unbelief, ingratitude and horrible monstrous uncleanness and sin; and utterly take them from me. Bring me unto thy church which thou guidest, that is guide me, make me holy and by faith couple me to christ, by charity to thy people: that is give me the communion of saints which thy saints, over shadow my sins, raise me up to righteousness, begin in me everlasting life, and now more and more to expert and look for all these great mercies, and at length to possess eternal felicity which thee, o blessed trenitie the father the son and the holy ghost, three persons and one almighty, eternal, most just, wise and good god: to whom be all glory power and dominion now and for ever.    

A meditation upon the ten commandments.  

¶ I am the lord thy god which brought thee out of the land of Egypt. etc.  
O Good lord and dear father, here y● wouldest I should know that thou, which broughtest thy people of Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand and a stretched out power, which gavest thy law upon mount Sinai in great thundering, lighting, fire, which spakest by the prophets, and didst send thy dearly beloved son jesus Christ coequal and consubstantial with thee in power, majesty, & glory, to take upon him our nature by the operation of the holy ghost in the womb of that virgin Marry, of whose substance he was made and borne man, but pure without sin, that we by birth children of wrath, by him might be made thy children, children of grace, communicating with him righteousness, bolines, & immortality by the working of the spirit, as he communicated with us flesh and blood (but not infected with sin, as is ours) by the working of the same holy spirit: which spirit after his bitter death, resurrection, and ascension into the heavens, he sent plentifully and by a visible sign unto his Apostles and Disciples: by whom he published, the gospel thorough out the whole world, and so continually hath done from age to age, doth, and will do unto the end of the world by the ministry of preaching: Thou wouldest I say that we should know and believe, that thou this Almighty lord and god, which on this sort hast revealed and opened thyself, art the one alone, very true and eternal almighty god which madest and rulest heaven and earth, and all things visible and invisible, together with this thy dearly beloved son jesus Christ, and with the holy spirit, consubstantial and coeternal with thee dear father: Not only this, but also thou wouldest that I should know and believe, that by the same thy dearly beloved son, thou hast brought me from the tyranny and captivity of Satan, & this sinful world (whereof the captivity of Egypt under pharaoh, was a figure) and in his blond shed upon the cross, y● hast made a covenant with me, which thou wilt never forget, that thou art and wilt be my lord and my god, that is, thou wilt forgive me my sins and be wholly mine with all thy power, wisdom, righteousness, truth, glory & mercy. Wherefore although I might confirm my faith by the innumerable mercies hither to powered upon me most abundantly, as thy children of Israel might have done and did confirm their faith, by the manifold benefits powered upon them in the desert: yet specially the seal of thy covenant, I mean thy holy Sacrament of baptism, wherein thy holy name was not in vain called upon me (O dear father, sweat son and saviour jesus Christ, and most gracious good holy ghost) should most assuredly confirm, and even on all sides seal up my faith of this thy covenant that y● art my lord and my god: even as Abraham and thy people of Israel did by the Sacrament of Circumcision, which as the apostle calleth the seal or signacle of righteousness: so dost thou call it being but the sign of thy covenant in deed, yet thy very covenant, because as thy word is most true and cannot lie, as thy covenant is a covenant of pear unfallible and everlasting: even so the Sacrament and seal of the same is a most true testimonial and witness thereof.  
In consideration therefore of this, that thou the almighty god, of thine own goodness hast vouched safe not only to make me a creature after shine own Image & likeness, which mightest have made me a beast: to give unto me a reasonable soul, endued with memory, judgement &c: which mightest have made me an ●●fote without wit or discretion &c: to endue me with a body be wetifyed with right shape, limbs, health etc., which mightest have made me a ceeple, lame blind &c: graciously to enrich me concerning fortune, friends, living, name &c: which mightest have made me a slave, destitute of all friends, and helps for this life: but also hast vouchsafe, that I being a a miser, borne in sin, conceived in iniquity, to whom nothing is dew (more than to a turk, jew, or Saracen) but eternal damnation, should be called into the number of thy people, enroledde in thy book, & now in thy covenant, so that thou with all that ever thou hast arte mine: for which causes sake hitherto thou hast kept me cherished, defended, spared, & fatherly chastised me and now graciously dost keep me and care for me, giving me to live, be, & move in thee, expecting also & waiting how thou mightest show mercy upon me: In consideration (I say) 
isaiah. 30.  of this, most justly and reasonably thou requirest that as thou art my lord god: so I should be thy servant and one of thy people: As thou hast given thyself wholly unto me, to be mine with all thy power wisdom etc. (For he that giveth himself giveth all he hath) so should I be wholly thine, and give over myself unto thee to be guided with thy wisdom, defended with thy power, holpen, relieved, and comforted by thy mercy.  
First therefore to begin with all, thou commandest that I should have none other gods in thy sight: that is to say, as I should have thee for my lord & god to look for all good things most assuredly at thy hands, and therefore I should put all my trust in thee, be thankful unto thee, love thee, fear thee, obey thee, and call upon thy holy name in all my needs: so should I give this faith, love, fear obedience, thankfulness and invocation or prayer, to none other, no not in my heart, but only to thee or for thee where thou commandest. All this to do (oh lord god) and that which most ioieful heart, I have great cause. For what a thing is it that thou jehovah wouldest vouchesalfe to make me, as thou haste do●●? to give thy son for me, and to become my ●ode Oh what am I that thou wouldest I should put my trust in thee? This y● dost that I might never be confounded, but might be most happy. What am I that y● wouldest I should fear thee? Where the only cause, why y● requirest this of me, is not only because thou haste power to cast both body & soul into hell fire, & because they that fear thee not, shall perish: but also that y● mightest give me thy wisdom, that it might go well with me in the evil day, that thou mightest reveal thy son to me, and thy mercy might be upon me from generation to generation. Oh what am I, that thou wouldest have me to obey thee, not only that I never perish with the disobedient, but that thou mightest give me thy holy spirit, and rewards innumerable? Oh what am I that y● wouldest I should love thee? the which thing thou dost to this end that I might fully and wholly enjoy and possess thee, according to the nature of love, and therefore dost thou require my whole heart, that I might dwell in thee and thou in me. What am I, that thou wouldest I should call upon thee? verily because thou wilt give me whatsoever I shall ask of thee in the name of thy dear child jesus Christ: and even so wouldest y● have me thankful, that y● mightest pour out upon me yet more plentifully, all good things. So that great cause have I to put my trust in thee, to love, fear, and obey thee, to call upon thee, to be thankful unto thee, not only in respect of the hurt which else will ensue, but also in respect of the commodity that hereby cometh unto me: but most of all yea alonely for thy own sake, for thy goodness, wisdom, becutie, strength & power, truth and great mercies.  
But alas (dear father) what shall I say? As in times passed horribly I have broken this thy law, in trusting in thy creatures, calling upon them, loving, fearing, and obeying many things besides thee, and rather than thee: even so at this present I am a most miserable wretch, blinded I am through unbelief, & mine own wickedness, so that I see not firmly this thy power, wisdom goodness &c: but waver and doubt of it. I love little or nothing, I fear less, I obey least of all, thankfulness and prayer are utterly quenched in me: by reason whereof I am worthy of eternal damnation. If after thy justice thou shalt deal with me simply, I am (oh lord) damned and lost for ever, for I am very wicked. But yet in asmuch as thou baste given thy son jesus Christ to be a slain propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, so that he which be leaveth in him shall not perish but be saved (for so thou hast promised) thy truth now requireth to save me. No wbeit here thou mayest say unto me that I do not believe, and therefore notwithstanding thy truth & promise, in that I believe it not, thou mayest most justly after thy justice, damn me. Oh lord god, to this I cannot otherwise answer (my unbelief is so great) but because thy mercy is above all thy works, and thy goodness and love is that which all creatures most highly commend and magnify, as the thing whereof thou art called god: because y● art right good and lone itself: because of this thy mercy (gracious god) if thou wilt look thereon and couple thy truth therewith, then (good lord) I shallbe saved, and praise thy name for ever more.   

¶ Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven etc.  
AS the first commandment teacheth me, as well that thou art my god, as what god thou art, and therefore of equity I should have noon other gods but thee: that is, I should alonely hang on thee, trust in thee, love thee, serve thee, call upon thee, obey thee, be thankful to thee: so because y● didst reveal thyself visibly that thou mightest visibly be worshipped, this commandment is concerning thy worship, that in no point I should follow in worshipping thee, the devise or intent of any man, saint, Angel, or spirit: but should take all such as Idolatry & Image service, be it never so glorious. And why: for soothe because y● wouldest I should worship thee as thou hast appointed by thy word. For if service be acceptable, it must needs be according to the will of him, to whom it is done, and not of him which doth it. But in asmuch as of man none knoweth the will and pleasure, but his spirit, except he reveal by word or sign the same: much more of thee o lord, none doth know thy will, but thy spirit and they to whom thou dost reveal the same. And therefore abominable even in thy sight are all those things, which with men are in most force and estimation because they are not after thy word. So that the meaning of this precept is, that as in the first I should have none other gods but thee: so I should have no worship of thee, but such as thou appoitest. Herby therefore I see great cause of thankfulness for this commandment, in that thou wouldest have mine outward service, and that after thy appointment, lest I should busy my brain how best to serve thee. Good lord thou needest not my service, perfect thou wast before I was, therefore it is for mine own commodity that thou commandest me, yea even for mine own wealth. Thou mightest have let me have stand all day idle, but such is thy love, that thou wouldest I should go into thy vinyeard, that which thy servants I might receive the hire of blessedness. And how great a benefit is it, 
If we should serve god after man's devise, the burden would be in tolerable, for men's devices are infinite.  to deliver me of so great a burden wherewith I should have been cumbered, if I should have served thee in any point after my wit and reason. But halas, I not considering what a promotion thy service is, nor what an easy service it is, and simple (for one may well know what to do, & when he pleaseth thee, namely when he serveth thee as thou hast appointed) as I am and always have been unthankful: so I am and always have been a grievous transgressor of this thy law. For as in times past, when I did not know this commandment, I was an Image worshipper of stocks, stones &c: yea bread and wine: so now I am a worshipper of mine affections, offering to them the service due unto thee, though not thereby to worship thee, as I thought when I kneeled to stocks and stones, bread & wine &c: yet with no less transgression of thy law: for the which I have deserved, and do deserve everlasting damnation. Of thy goodness and great mercy (dear father) I beseech thee forgive me for Christ's sake, whom thou didst give to be the fulfilling of the law to all them that should believe. Oh father I believe, help mine unbelief. As thou haste of thy goodness hitherto spared me, transgressing this thy holy precept: so of thy goddnes forgive me, as well mine Idolatry done in times passed, as that which of late time I have committed & do commit. And as thou by this commandment hast delivered me from the one, that is, bowing myself to stocks & stones: so (dear father) deliver me from all other bowing myself after mine own will to mine own affections: that I may have none other god in heart but thee, nor do service to any other but only to thee, & for thee, after thy word as thou commandest. Oh open mine eyes to see thy will in this thy gracious precept. give me a will to love it heartily, & an heart to obey it faithfully, for thy dear sons sake jesus Christ our lord. Amen.   

Thou shalt not take the name of the lord thy god in vain.  
By this commandment I perceive (oh lord) that as in the first thou wouldest in the exterior service of thee, I should utterly abandommine own will and reason, and all the reasons or good intents of man, and wholly give myself to serve thee after thy will and word: so here dost thou begin to tell me, how thou wilt have my tongue to be exercised in thy service, and therefore thou biddest me not to take thy name in vain: as by temeraryouse or vain swearing, by cursing praying without sense, as those boe that pray in a tongue they know not, praying without faith or attended consideration of the thing desired, with out hearty desire and certain expectation of obtaining that which is to thy glory and my salvation: also by jesting, or foolish abusing, or negligent reading or hearing of thy holy word, by the which thou, as by thy name, art known: and in like manner by denying thy truth and word, or conceiling it when occasion is offered to promote thy glory and confirm thy truth. By reason whereof I may well see, that y● wouldest have me to use my tongue in humble confessing thee and thy word and truth after my vocation: in praying heartily and calling upon thy name: in reading and hearing thy word, and speaking thereof withal reverence, diligence, and attention: in thanks giving and praising thee for thy great mercy: in instructing my brother and admonishing him, when he erreth, after my calling and vocation, withal humbleness, gentleness and love.  
Thus wouldest thou have me to exercise my tongue, and not to think that the exercising of it in this sort, is a vain and & unprofitable thing, but a thing that pleaseth thee, and profiteth myself and other.  
And for asmuch as thou knowest that our tongue is a slippery member, and we very negligent over it, and of the great commodity that might thereby come to us and other by using it in thy service accordingly: thou hast added a fearful, & most true communication, that though men will find no fault or punish us therefore, yet wilt not thou hold him gilt les, that taketh thy name in vain: As by many examples we are taught, 
Levit, 23.  as in thy holy word, so by daily experience, if we would consider the same.  
And therefore I have great cause to give praise and thanks to thy most holy name, for many great benefits which by this commandment I receive and aught with thankfulness to consider. First that it would please thee, not only to give me a tongue, where thou mightest have made me speechless: but also that y● wouldest have it santified to thy service. Again that thou wouldest not only reveal thy name unto us, but also wouldest give me leave to call up on it, praise and publish it: yea thou hast commanded me so to do, and not only commanded, but hast promised, that thou wilt here my prayer and that my praising of thee and confessing thy word and truth, shall not be in vain.  
Thirdly that thou wouldest all men should use their tongue so, that thereby I might be the better instructed, admonished, and occasioned to use myself well and in the obedience of this thy holy precept. But what go I about to reckon by tale the causes of thanks for this commandment, seeing that they be innumerable if a man should but look even upon thy very word, by the which as by thy name thou art most truly known: the which word thou commandest unto us in this commandment &c: as thou dost preaching, private admonishing, thanks giving, and prayer: then the which, nothing is more profitable to us in this vale of misery. But gracious good lord, I acknowledge myself not only to be a most unthankful wretch for this thy holy precept, and the great mercies which here through I perceive thou haste most gracyouselye powered upon me, and dost yet still offer unto me: but also that I am a miserable transgressor of this thy most holy, good, and blessed cammaundement, as always I have been in times past. Horribly have I abused thy name in swearing, cursing and jesting wickedly: I have called upon other names than thine, as the names of peter, Paul, Mary &c: yea of some, whose salvation is to be doubted of: I have foolishly prayed in such a tongue as I knew not what I prayed & said, with many other transgresiions of this precept, wherein yet I am conversant: as in seldom praying, and when I pray I am not attended nor very desirous of the thing I ask with my tongue. After prayer I do not earnestly look for the good things asked and prayed for, & therefore when I obtain my request, I am most unthankful: thy word I read little and most negligently, forgetting for with what I read: I admonish not others when I here them abuse thy holy word: I am affrayed, for fear of loss of friends, name or life, to confess thy truth, gospel and name, which was called upon me in baptism, and not in vain, if I did not thus make it in vain. But alas I can in no wise comprehend the multitude of my transgressions concerning this thy law. But this is a sin above other sins, that under thy name, word, and gospel I play the hypocrite, having more care for mine own name, then for thine. For if my name were evil spoken of, it would grieve me, and I would defend it: but alas I hear thine daily evil spoken of, & see it profaned by false doctrine, and evil living, but it grieveth me not. After my vocation I ●●ke not nor do not go about to redress these things in myself & in others. And why? because (good lord) I love myself better than thee, and not thee with my whole heart. Thy first commandment hath no place with me as it should have, it possesseth not my heart, mind, and will as thou requirest, most to mine own commodity. By reason where of I am worthy of eternal damnation. Oh what shall I do (gracious god) which not only have been so grievous and filthy a swearer curs●er &c: so great a callour upon dead creatures, & so heinous a transgressor of this law: but also at this present do so horribly and hipocriticallye offend thee in taking thy name in vain, & that so many ways, in praying and not praying, in reading and not reading, in speaking and not speaking, & not confessig simply & from my heart thy doctrine, truth & name, but regarding mine own name far above it. Shall I file from thee? then undoubtedly I am more guilty, and more shall disobey this thy holy precept, adding sin to sin, where as y● wouldest I should call upon thy holy name (dear lord) which hast given thy dear son jesus Christ to be a mediator for us, that thorough him we might find not only grace for the pardon of our sins paste: but also for the obtaining of thy holy spirit, as well the better to under stand, as also the better and more frankly to obey this thy holy precept for ever. For his sake (therefore dear god) pardon my sins paste & present, whereof this law doth accuse me, and grant (most gracious father) that I may be endued with thy holy spirit to know and love thy holy name, word and truth in jesus Christ, that I may be zealous, wise, and constant, and that my tongue may be sanctified henceforth & guided with thy holy spirit and grace to publish, confess and teach, after my vocation to others as occasion is offered, thy truth and gospel, to call upon thy name in all my need, to give thanks unto thee, praise thee, magnify thee, and to sanctify thy holy name as a vessel of thy mercy for ever and ever.   

Remember that thou keep holy the Saboth day etc.  
AFter thou hast told me how in the external service of thee (gracious lord) thou wilt have my tongue used, so dost thou now teach me, how thou wilt have mine ears & all my whole body occupied, namely in sanctification and holiness: that is, in those things which thou pecularly hast appointed to be means immeditately to help to that end: As in hearing thy word preached, & using the ceremonies of thee appointed even as y● hast commanded. For the which things to be exercised of thy people thou at the first didst appoint a certain day, namely the seventh day, which therefore thou called'st thy Sabbath, that thereby they with their children and family, resting from all exerior labour, which hindereth the meditation of the mind, might not only be more able to go on through with their travel and labour (for without some rest nothing can endure, in respect whereof thou wouldest the very beasts which in labour were exercised, should have the privilege of this Saboth) but also and much rather, that thy people might with their family and children, be instructed and taught: first by the mivistery of thy word in preaching and catecchising: secondly by the using of thy sacraments appointed after thy commandment and institution, they might be assured of thy promises: thirdly by praying they might be augmented in all godliness: and last of all by their metting together & exercising all these thy works of sanctification, they might increase in love and charity: one towards another, as members of one body and fellows of one inheretaunce, and thus by meeting together, praying and using thy sacraments, they might be instructed in thy law and of that Saboth, wherinto thou thyself didst enter after thou hadst made the world, ceasing from thy works, not of conservation but of creation, into the which as after this life and the works of this time, they should enter: so now they begin spiritually to enter in resting from their own works which the old man moveth them unto: not that (good lord) thou wouldest these works appointed for the Saboth day, should not be exersised at any other time but only on the seventh day: but because thou didst as well ordain them for a policy to endure till the coming of Christ, as also according to the revelation or thee in that time, didst open thyself, beginning then in figures and shadows, whose verifiens in thy time were to be opened: therefore it pleased thee to appoint then the seventh day, which seventh day, although by reason of the policy being by thee be streied, and by reason of Christ the verity and body of all shadows, if be abrogate from us: yet standeth this commandment in force aswell for the works of santification, that is for preaching thy word, coming to hear it, for praying, using thy sacraments, and coming together to that end: as also for those days which by common order, and on good ground are ordained and received: howbeit with this liberty, that necessity of our faith and sanctification and charity may dispense therewith, occasion of wilful and witting offence being avoided etc.  
So that hereby I perceive thy will and pleasure to be, that I should at all times, as much as charity and necessity will permit, give over myself, and cause all other over whom I have charge, so to do (especially on the sundays and other holy days being received and to that end appointed) to the resorting to the temple and places appointed to prayer, to here with meekness thy holy word and use thy sacraments and ceremonies as thou hast commanded, and to exercise all things which might be to the confirmation & propogation of thy holy religion, or make to the increase of love and charity: as giving to the poor, reconciling such as be in variance, visiting theficke, & even (as it were) beginning that sabbath whereof Esay speaketh. 
isaiah. 1.   
By reason whereof I have great cause to thank thee (most gracious father) that thou wouldst appoint me to be in this time, wherein thou hast more plentifully revealed thyself then thou didst, not only before Christ's coming, but also since Christ's ascension. Never since England was England didst thou so manifestly reveal thy truth, as thou hast done in these days. Great cause I have to thank thee that thou wouldst institute the ministry of thy word and sacraments as means whereby thy holy spirit is effectual to work in our hearts sanctification. Great cause have I to thank thee, that thou wouldest keep the books of the prophets & apostles until this time. Great cause have I to praise thee, that thou wouldst give me such knowledge in them as thou hast done of thy great mercy. Great cause have I to thank thee for the good & true ministers and preachers of thy word which thou hast sent amongs us, and genen me grace to hear them. Great cause have I to thank thee that in this religion thou hast given so long quietness, and harborough to thy church. Great cause have I to thank thee, for that thou wouldst make me such a man in whom thy holy spirit might work. Great cause I have to thank thee which wouldst call me into thine eternal Saboth and rest full of all joy, such as the eye hath not seen, the pare hath not hard. Great cause have I to thank thee that so many days are appointed for this end, that we should meet together to here thy word and receive thy sacraments. Great cause have I to thank thee for the institution of thy sacraments, which thou hast ordained as thy visible and palpable lords, to the obsignation and confirmation of the faith of all such as use the same after thy commandments. But, infinite are the causes for the which I ought to gene thee thanks for this commandment.  
But alas I am not only unthankful, but also a most miserable transgressor of it. I will not now speak of my transgressions past concerning this commandment: presently they are so many that I cannot. For thou knowest how I do not only at convenient times on the work days keep myself away from common prayers in the congregation & assemble of thy people and from hearing of thy word: but also on the Sabbath days to ride or go about this or that worldly: business I am very priest, to sit down at this tavern, and to go to that man's table I am ready at the first vydding: but alas to resort to the table of thy son & receive with thankfulness the sacrament of his body and blood for confirmation of my faith, that 〈◊〉 to learn spiritually to taste Christ's body broken and his blood shed for the remission of my sins: so do this, oh how unwillig am I? To go to mass and sacrynges with such like idolatry, I have been a great time more ready than now I am to hear thy word, & use thy sacraments as I should do, thy ministers I pray not for: thy church I am not careful for, no not now (good lord) when wicked doctrine most prevaileth. idolatry, superstition, and abomination aboundeth, the sacrament and sacrifice of thy dear son jesus Christ is blasphemiusly corrupted: when for preaching there is nothing but massing, for catechizing, sensing, for reading of the scriptures belleringing, for singing of Psalms and godly songs to our edification, all is done in latin, with such Notes, Tunes, ditties, & descantes, that utterly the mind is pulled from the consideration of the thing (if men did understand it) unto the melody. All which my wickedness hath brought in, my profaning of this commandment, and my not praying. Thy ministers are in prison, dispersed in other countries spoiled, burnt, murdered, many fall for fear of goods, life, name etc., from the truth they have received unto most manifest Idolatry: false preachers abound amongst thy people: thy people dearly bought even with thy blood, are not fed with the bread of thy word but with swyllings: antichrist wholly prevailethe, and yet for all this, alas I am to careless, nothing lamenting my sins which be the cause of all this. O dear father forgive me for Christ's sake and be merciful unto me, and as of thy mercy thou didst give me time to repent, so give me repentance. Grant me thy holy spirit to open to me this thy law, so that I may know thy will in it, love it, and always obey it: thy good spirit sanctify me and work in me a true taste of eternal life and pleasure in the meditation of it: give me (gracious good father) one little mouthful of the bread that thou feddest Helye which all, give me that with him I may 
1. Reg. 19  come into mount horeb. Help thy church, cherish it and give it harbo routh here and else where for Christ's sake: purge thy ministry from corruption and false ministers: send out preachers to feed thy people, destroy antichrist & all his kingdom, give to such as be faullen from thy truth repentance, keep others from falling, and by their falling do thou the more confirm us, confirm the ministers & poor people in prison & exile, strengthen them in thy truth, deliver them if it be thy good will, give them that with conscience they may so answer their adversaries, that thy servants may rejoice and the adversaries be confounded, avengen thou thy own cause (Oh thou god of hosts) and help all thy people, & me especially because I have most need.   

Honour thy father and mother that thou mayst live long etc.  
AFter that thou haste told me (good lord) thy will concerning the service which thou requirest inwardly and outwardly to be given unto thee: now dost thou begin to tell me what thy will is that I should do & leave undone for thy sake unto man. And first thou settest before mine eyes, them whom thou for orders sake and the more commodity of man in this life, hast set in degree and authority above me, comprehending them under the name of father & mother, that I might know that as of thee they are commanded to bear towards me a faithful love and a motherly care in the very names of father and mother, wherewith thou honourest them: so am I commanded of thee to do that which is most equal & just (as the very brute beasts do teach us) that with childly affection and duty, I should behave myself towards them, that is I should honour them, which comprephendeth in it, love, thankfulness, reverence and obedience, & that not so much because they be my parents, and in their offices are careful for me (for it may be they will neglect the doing of their duties towards me) but because thou commandest me so to do, how so ever they do. So that by this commandment I perceive that thou wouldest I should consider them whom thou hast placed in authority and superior degree: as parents, maiestrats, masters or such like, and accordingly behave myself toward them, honour them, that is to say love them, be thankful unto them, reverence them and obey them for thy sake so long as they pass not their bounds, that is so long as they require not otherwise then thou hast given them commission or permission to do.  
And for as much as thou seest their care and office is great, and our corruption to obey is very much, as well to encourage them in their vocation to be diligent, as to inflame me to humble obedience unto them, therthroughe to make them more willing to sustain cares for me: thou addest a promise, that is long life which so far as it is ablessing from thee thou wilt endue us which all. Whereby we may gather that a civil life doth much please thee and receiveth here rewards, especially if we lead it for conscieunce to thy law. And on the contrary part, a disobedient life to them that be in authority, will bring the sooner thy wrath and vengeance in this life. All which worketh much to the commendation of the state of politic & civil maiestrats. By reason hereof (dear father) I see myself much bound to praise thee, and heartily to obey this thy commandment. For in it & by it thou declarest thy great love toward us, which even in this present life our pylgermage and passage to our home, wouldst have us to enjoy the benefit of peace, and most seemly quietness and order, and by this order so couple us that none should contemn or despise another, but even high & low to be and account themselves as parents & children. Particularly for my part I cannot but say that I have most cause to thank thee for my parents, schoolmasters, and others under whose tuition thou hast put me. No pen is able to write the particular benefits, which I have her by received in my infancy, childhood youth, middle age, and always hither to. Oh how good a lord haste thou declared thyself to me, which in them and by them hast nourished, fed, instructed, corrected, defended and most graciously kept me. I could reckon innumerable behind me & but few before me, so much made of & cared for as I have been hitherto. No small token of thy love to me ward is it, that thou wouldest engrave in their hearts and command them under pain of damnation to be careful over me, to do me good and provide for me, as they have done or rather thou by them publicly. Also for the comen wealth & such as thou hast placed in aucthorie over me in both thy regenientes, if I considered them that have been, and them that be, I could not but praise thee good lord. For no less praise worthy art thou for this chastening us and admonishing us now presently by them that be in authority, of our ungratitude and unthankfulness, then by such as have been, for all kinds of good things. But infinite are the causes of thankfulness which this commandment considered, should stir up in me. But alas (most merciful father) as I acknowledge myself most unthankful unto thee for all thy benefits powered upon me in this life by my parents, nurses, tutoures, masters, magistrates, bishops, pastors, and good friends, even from my cradle unto this hour: so unto them have I always been & am, in not loving them, as my coldness in praying for them and to my power in helping them, declareth: and also my not reverencing them, my contemning them, & temerariousnes in my mistrusting or to narrowly & to straightly looking at them & their duties, showeth: and not obeying them, as by my contumacy appeareth, not only when any thing to me unpleasant or unprofitable, but also profitable & convenient is required. And yet I speak not of the evil & muttering reports, of the offences in transgressing the politilie laws for apparel & meats & other no small offences which I have committed & given. Oh this is a sin dear father that I always have been a private more than a common weal man, always I seek for mine owen commeditie, contemning that which maketh to the conmmoditie of others. As for my disobedience and wicked behaviour towards my own parents and all others whom thou hast set over me (dear father) no tongue can express it, and therefore I am worthy of danynation. But (gracious good lord and dear father) I beseech thee for thy Christ's sake, to have mercy upon me, & pardon me, as of thy goodness it pleased the to pardon the patriarchs. Thou hast given this commandment as thy holy law to open to us how corrupt we are, and how much we serve from the pattern whereafter we were first made & once agreed thereto before Adam's fall, that we might loath ourselves and even thereby be driven to seek and set by thy sweet mercies in jesus Christ, whom therefore thou didst send to fulfil the law in his flesh that we might borrow of him the same, by true faith: which of thy goodness work in us by thy holy spirit, and open this law unto us that we may more & more increase in the knowledge, love & obedience of it to thy glory and our salvation, Amen. Dear father be merciful to our magestrats, especially the queens highness, whose heart with the residue of her counsellors, turn into thy testimonies, give them thy wisdom and a zeal to the truth according to knowledge, that they may use the power they have received of thee to the cherishing of thy church, that which us here thy word may have free passage and thy true worship may be maintained, and not onclye here but also every where amongs those whom thou wouldest we should pray for. Be merciful to my poor parents (gracious lord) with my brethren, sisters, wife, children, family, servants, kinsfolks, neighbours, as thou knowest they have all need. give unto the hearts of all parents, magistrates and such as be in aurtherite here or else where that they may according to that thou hast put them in trust withal, be faithful, deligent, careful, and happy. Grant unto children, servants and subjects, that every one may render love, obedience, thankfulness and reverence to all such as thou hast put in authority over them: bless the church and send it peace and harborough here or else where: bless the common weal and send us peace: bless the dioceses and shires and send them good bishops and justices: bless every household and family, that thy peace may be in the same continually. Finally writ this law & all thy laws in our hearts we be sech thee that we may keep them Amen.   

Thou shalt do no murder etc.  
AS in the commandment going next before, thou settest before me the personages of all such as thou for the commodity, order, and peace of man in this life hast placed in authority, accordingly of us for thy sake to be esteemed: so dost thou in this commandment set before us to look on, the personages of all men generally, high and low, over whom thou givest us a charge that we shall not kill or murder them. In which word thou comprehendest all kind of hatred or malice, in word thought or deed, as thy dearly beloved son expounding this commandment 
Mat. 5.  doth teach. Yea because thou wouldest all men should be dear unto us, being all of one substance, of one similitude, coming of the same parents Adam and Eve, made of one God, redeemed of one Christ, in whom we should be coupled as members of one body, and live to the aid, succour and comfort one of another, because of this (I say) easily we may see that not only thou forbiddest here to beware of all kinds of displeasures, but also thou commandest us to bear and exercise all kind of love and favour in heart word and deed, and that for thy commandments sake, for else towards our enemies our hearts would arise, and be great, in that they contemning their duties towards us seem to deserve the like at our hands.  
By reason hereof I have great cause to thank thee dear father. For here by I see how that thou dost much love my soul which art so careful over my body, so that he which hurteth it displeaseth thee and he that doth it good pleaseth thee, if so be he do it for thy sake. By this commandment now I see that it is thou that hast kept me from doing many evils, which else I should have outrageously done, & hast stirred me up to do good to my brethren if at any time I have done any: even as thou hast also kept and dost keep presently others from doing me hurt, & hast and dost stir up those that do me good to do so unto me. Oh how great is the multitude of thy benefits (good lord) wherewith thou hast overwhelmed me, and the which through this commandment I perceive myself to have received, presently do receive, & so long as I live am like to receive, for thou commandest all men every where to do me good, love me, defend me, & cherish me: such is thy love to me in this present life & that for my body. oh how great is thy love then to me in everlasting life, & that for my soul? If in a strange country so great is thy protection, how great is it at home? But alas (dear lord) how unthankful have I been & am yet still for these thy fatherli benefits, oh mine ingratitude: yea lord horribly have I transgressed & still do transgress this thy gracious precept in pride, envy, disdain malice, hardness of heart, unmercifulness & contemning thy children, saints & servants: Self love all together reigneth in me and desire of praise, rule & fame: I am so far from love & mercy in heart (good lord) that no man can here it in my tongue, nor see it in my works, but rather clean contrary, and that generally and to them, to whom I am most bound particularly. By reason whereof I have deserved ever lasting damnnation and to be cast away from thy presence for ever. Oh most gracious father forgive me for Christ'S sake I beseech the. For to this end didst thou give this commandment, that I seeing my corruption and depravate nature by sin might come to thy mercy deserved by christ, and through faith in him, might find not only pardon of that which is paste: but also thy grace and holy spirit to begin in me the obedience to this and all other thy holy precepts for ever more, so be it. For this thy Christ's sake (dear father) I beseech thee therefore to take from me and all other for whom thou wouldest that we should pray, all enupe, pride, arrogancy disdain, hatred and all suspitiousnes: and grant unto us bowels of mercy, humility, patience, meekness, long suffering, gentillnes, peace, charity and all kind of brotherly love comfort the feeble, relieve the poor, help the fatherless, heal the sick, bless the afflicted, show thy great mercy upon all poor prisoners & deliver them in thy good time, remember thy pity toward strangers, captives, widows, and such as be oppressed.   

¶ Thou shalt not commit adultery.  
HEre (good lord) thou ghost about to command unto me as love in the other, so pureness and chastity in this, and therefore thou sayest I should not commit adultery: in the which word thy son our saviour jesus Christ, doth comprehend all uncleanness, yea the very concupiscence and abusing of the heart in lusting after any man's wife or otherwise unchastely. By the which, in that thou wouldest have us to love in ourselves and others purity & cleans, that we might be holy as thou our god art holy, and our bodies being temples of thy holy spirit might be kept pure and accordingly: easily we may see that as thou forbiddest all unclean deeds, words, looks, and thoughts: so dost thou command us to love and exercise all purity, chastity, cleanness, sobryety temperancy etc.  
By reason whereof I have great cause to be thankful unto thee, which not only for the help & commodity of man, but also for remedy of man's infirmity, hast made woman kind and ordained the state of matrimony, which in thy sight is so holy and pure that thou accountest the bed and act of generation between man and wife in this state of matrimony to be an undefiled thing, and such care thou hast over the personages married and their condition, that unto damnation they sin, which not only go about to defile that bed, but within there hearts do wish or desire it, yea which do not endeavour themselves with thought, word and deed to help that purity & cleans between married folks be kept. But the great causes thou givest us to thank thee for this state and ordinance, and for thy defending us by this commandment, are innumerable.  
Full well I see that it is thou which by this commandment not only refraynest me, but also keepest my wife from impurity which else we might both commyte.  
Great is thy lous (Oh good lord) and more than I am able to consider, which declarest thyself to be thus careful over me concerning the benefits which come unto me both for the mind, body, and goods, by sobryetye and temperance, which here thou requirest. Only this I cannot but see, that I have great cause to thank thee which art so careful over me, as by this commandment I well see.  
But alas (good lord) what shall I say, which am and have been so far from thankfulness that I am to be accounted amongst the most unthankful: yea thou knowest it good lord. filthily have I broken this law, & caused other so to do, of whose repentance I am uncertain: as also my tongue alas hath often been to shamefully exercised, mynetes & my thoughts to wickedly abused.  
All this gear I have increased by mine intemperauncye in eating, drinking, cherishingemy body etc. I have also hurt my bodily health, minished that which I and others should live on, and horribly hindered all good prayers, and meditations: wherein though I have time & place, yet alas I nothing exercise myself as I should do.  
By reason whereof, I have deserved everlasting damnation. Oh good lord and gracious father, do thou for thy name's sake and in Christ's blood, pardon me and forgive me I beseech thee, & as thou hast most mercifully hitherto spared me: so of thy mercy put away my trespasses, & the transgressions of those whom I have caused to sin: let that love which moved thee to pardon judas with Thamar, David, Berthsabe, and the great sinner, of whom we read in S. Luke, move thee to pardon 
Luke 7.  and forgive me also. Thou gavest this commandment to this end that I might know my sin and sinful nature and so thereby be driven to thy Christ crucified, for whose sake I ask mercy, & also that thy good spirit may be given unto me to purify me and work so in me and with me, that I may truly know, heartily love, & faithfully obey this thy holy precept inwardly and outwardly now and for ever Amen. Gracious good lord, grant to me & my wife that we may dwell together according to knowledge, and may keep our vessels in holiness: grant (Oh lord) that we may be pure and undestled: and grant the same to all that be married, and to them which be unmarried grant, that they may live a pure, chaste, and undefiled life, and if they have not the gift of singleness of life, grant them such makes with whom they may live holily to thy praise. Dear father give me the gift of Sobriety and Temperauncy, and grant the same to all them whom thou wouldest I should pray for. As in times paste I have used my tongue and other members evil, so now good lord grant that I may use them well, chastened and godly. This I prays thee grant through jesus christ, and finally (Oh lord) both in soul and body sanctify me, and as in thy temple dwell in me now and forever more Amen.   

Thou shalt not steal.  
Now that thou hast taught me the service required of thee for me to observe towards the personages of all men and women of every condition: thou beginnest to tell me what thou wouldest I should do concerning their goods: and as in the next commandment before this thou didst command unto me sobriety & pureness, so dost thou in this justice and righteousness, forbidding me to steal. Under the which word thou comprehendest all kinds of desceite. The which thing thou dost because thou wouldest that I should give myself wholly to the study and exercise of justice, as in the precepts next going before, thou wouldest I should give over myself wholly to the keeping of sobriety & pureness. So that I see thy good pleasure herein is not that I sheuld alonely abstain from all theft: but also from all fraud and craft in word or deed, yea that I should earnestly follow and exercise all equity, truth and justice.  
By reason whereof I see myself much bound to praise thee which art so carful over mi goods & substance, that if any man should go about to steal from me, or to defraud me in any thing, yea whosoever goeth not about to keep & care for that I have as he would do for his own, the same displeaseth the.  
Oh lord if thou hast such care for my goods, cattle, and such pelf, how great is thy care for my soul? If this one commandment were not, I perceive as I for my own part should have done and do much worse than I have done: so much worse had been done to me and mine then hath been. It is thou good lord (I perceive) that hast both given me all that I have, and also still conservest and keepest the same, and not my own policy, wisdom and industry, for in vain were all this, except thou didst vouchsafe to use & take it as a mean to work by. There is nothing therefore that I have but when soever I look upon it, by this commandment I learn thy goodness, strength and power, for as thou givest it of thy mercy, so it speaketh to me that presently thou still dost keep it for me: so that exceeding great cause have I to thank thee for this precept dear god and most gracious lord.  
But alas I am so far from thankfulness (as always I have been for all thy care for me and for all that ever thou haste given unto me) that as I have used subtlety and craft, yea some times theft and bribery: so now (good lord) I still when occasion is offered, do exercise the same. I live also voluptuously of that thou hast given & lent me, & nothing consider what equity requireth, and what or how great the necessity of the poor is, whom I do thus defraud by excess and prodigality. That which I borrow, I with unwillingness do repay, I use it more negligently than I would do mine own. Lack of excommunication, of justice, the great usury, robbery, oppression and such like wickedness as is exercised amongs us I lament not, labour not after my vocation for the redress of the same, I pray not to thee thereabout, but neglect altogether.  
Yea even those things wherewith I am put in trust, or am hirid to do, those (I say) I do with great negligence, so that great is my sin here in and worthy I am of damnation. But merciful god I beseech thee for Christ's sake, to have mercy upon me, and to pardon me my unthankfulness, thefts, frauds, deceits, avarice, neglegences & great carelessness for the lack of justice & for the monstrous oppression, usuries, excess, riot, the which be horribly exercised in the common weal. For thy mercy's sake in Christ jesus (o lord) whom thou haste given to fulfil the law for them that do believe, give me true faith and thy holy spirit, to work in me the knowledge, love and perpetual obedience of this thy holy precept and all other thy commandments for ever.  
Dear lord give unto me and to all whom thou wouldest I should pray for, the hatred of all craft, and love of all justice, grant to the oppressed thy comfort, to wronger's repentance, to thieves and deceivers, that they may make restitution, to justices of peace, land lords & the rich of the world, that they may have thee before their eyes, love their poor tenants & brethren, to labourers & artificers that they may be diligent in their work & labour● that wherewith they are put in trust.   

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.  
NOw dost thou (most gracious lord) instruct me in this commandment how I should use my ton● towards my neighbour & behave myself concerning his name, forbidding me to bear false witness: in the which thou forbiddest me all kinds of slandering, lying, hipocricy & untruth. And why? because as members of one body, thou wouldest we should speak● truth one to another, and be careful every one to cover others infirmity, and with our tongue defend the names of others, even as we would that other should defend ours. So that in this commandment, as thou forbiddest me all kind of evil, perilous, calumnious, and untrue speaking: so dost thou command to me all kind of godly, honest and true report and talk.  
By reason whereof I have great cause to praise thee, in that I see thee to be so careful over my name, that all men are by thee commanded to defend the same. O precious god, great is thy care over my soul I now perceive. If this commandment were not, I see, as I should have done & do much worse with my tongue to others then is happened, so should I have felt of others towards me.  
Besides this no small commodity is it to me that thou wouldst all men should use truth in all thire words to me.  
Oh how great a good thing is this unto me? If we consider the hurt the cometh by untruth & by words, where through many are deceived: easily may we se a wonderful benefit and care of thee for us in this commandment.  
But (gracious lord) like as I acknowledge my unthankfulness to be monstrous and great & always hath been hitherto: Even so yet continue I in wonderful hypocrisy in all my conversation, often lying, and speaking as vainly so offensively, fleshly subtly, calunniously, & gevig my ears to here such things as be slanderously spoken, not repugning or admonishing other: as the slanderer to do as he would be done by, to tell his tale where he should tell it: neither admonishing the parties slandered of that which is reported of him, thereby to take better heed, but rather I augment it. By reason whereof I have deserved eternal damnation.  
But thou (good lord) be merciful unto me I beseech thee for Christ's sake, whom thou hast ordained to be the end of the law to all them that do believe, as well for pardon of that which is past, as for not imputing the imperfection that remaineth. In his name therefore (good lord) I beseech thee to pardon me, and give me thy holy spirit to open to me this law and all other thy precepts, so to understand them, that I may heartily love them & faithfully give myself to the obedience of them for ever. Grant me thy good spirit to sanctify my tongue that it may be kept fronlying, slandering & all such vices, & that it may be continually used in thy service, and speaking that which may be to edify, to thy glory and praise through jesus Christ our lord. Amen.   
¶ Through unperfectness of copies his doing upon the tenth commandment is not yet come to light. Therefore take this in good part till god send the rest.   

A meditation concerning prayer, with a brief paraphrase upon the petitions of the lords prayer.  
THe mind of man hath so large roumthe to receive good things, that nothing in deed can fully fill it but only god, whom then thy mind fully possesseth, when it fully knoweth him, it fully loveth him, and in all things is framed after his wil They therefore (dear lord god) that are thy children and have tasted somewhat of thy goodness, do perpetually sigh, that is do pray until they come thereto: and in that they love thee also above all things, it wonderfully woundeth them that other men do not so, that is love thee & seek for thee with them. Whereof it cometh to pass that they are inflamed with continual prayers and desires that thy kingdom might come every where, and thy goodness might be both known, and in life expressed of every man.  
And because there are innumerable many things, which as well in themselves as in others be against thy glory, they are kindled with continual prayer and desire, sighing vnspeakably in thy sight for the increase of thy spirit: & some times when they see thy glory more put back then it was wont to be either in themselves or in any other, then are they much more disquieted & vexed. But because they know that thou dost rule all things after thy good will, and that none other can help them in their need, they often times do go asideall businesses laid a part, and give themselves to godly cogitations and talk with thee, complaining to thee as to their father, of those things that grieve them, begging thereto and that most earnestly thy help, not only for themselves, but also for others, especially for those whom singularly they embrace in thee, and often do repeat and remember thy gracious benefits both to others and to themselves also, wherethrough they are provoked to rē●er to thee hearty thanks, thereby being inflamed, aswell assuredly to hope well of thy good will towards them and patiently to bear all evils, as also to study and labour to mortify the affections of the flesh, and to order all their whole life to the service of their brethren and to the setting forth of thy glory.  
This they know is that prayer thy son jesus Christ our lord commanded to be made to thee in the chamber, the door being shut. In this kind of prayer he himself did watch often, even all the whole night: herein was Paul frequent, as all thy saints be. This kind of prayer is the true liffting up of the mind unto thee, this standeth in thaffections in the heart, not in words & in the mouth. As thy children be endued with thy spirit, so frequent they this talk which thee, the more thy spirit is in them, the more are they in talk with thee. Oh give me plentifully thy spirit which thou hast promised to power out upon all flesh, that thus I may with thy saints talk with thee night and day, for thy only beloved sons sake jesus Christ our lord Amen.  
Moreover thy saints, to provoke them to this kind of prayer, do use first their necessity, which they consider in three sorts, inwardly concerning their souls, outwardly concerning their bodies, and finally concerning their names and fame, whereto they add the necessity of those that be committed to them, the necessity of thy church, and of the common weal.  
Secondly they use thy commandments, which require them under pain of sin to pray to thee in all their need.  
Thirdly they use the consideration of thy goodness, which art naturally merciful to young ravens calling upon thee, much more than to them for whom ravens & all things ellswere made, for whom thou hast not spared thy dear son, but given him etc.  
Fourthly they use thy most sweet and free promises made to hear and help all them that call upon thee in Christ's name.  
Fiftly they use examples, how that thou which art the god of all and rich unto all them that call upon thee in Christ's name, hast heard & helped others calling upon thee.  
Sixtly they use the benefits given them before they asked, thereby not only provoking them to ask more, but also certifying their faith, that if thou waste so good to grant them many things unasked, now thou wilt not deny them any thing they ask to thy glory and their weal.  
Last of all they use the reading and weighing of psalms and other good prayers, because they know thereby peculiarly beside the other scripture, there is no small help: as may apere by paul Ephes' 5. Col 3. where be will ●eth the congregation to use psalms hymns and spiritual songs, but so that in the heart we should sing and say them: not that thy children do not use their tongues & words in praying to thee, for they do use their tongues, speech, & words to stir up their in ward desire & fervency of the mino, full well knowing that else it were a plain mocking of thee to pray with lips & tongues only. Oh that I might feel now thy spirit so to affect me, that both with heart and mouth I might heartily and in faith pray un to thee.  
Now concerning the things that are to be prayed for, thy children know that the prayer taught by thy son, most lively and plainly doth contain the same. And therefore they often use it, first asking of thee their heavenly father through christ, that thy name might every where be had in holiness and praise: then that thy kingdom by regeneration & the ministry of the gospel might come.  
And so thirdly that willingly perfectly & perpetually they might study to do, yea do in deed thy will, with thy holy & heavenvly angels & spirits. These things they seek & pray for, namely thy kingdom & thy righteousness before any worldly benefit. After which petitions, because all things, yea even the benefits of this present life do come from thee, they do godly desire the same under the name of daily bread being instructed of thy wisdom, that after small benefits to ask corporal is not unseemly to thy children, which know both spiritual and corporal to come from thy mercy. In the other petitions they pray for things to be taken from them, beginning with forgiveness of sins, which were impudently prayed for, if the their hearts were not so broken that they could forgive all things to all men for their part. They add their profession, that is charity, whereby they profess that they have forgiven all offences done to them. Howbeit because it is not enough to have pardon of the which is past, except they be preserved from new offinces, they pray thee not to lead them in 〈◊〉 temptations by permitting them to the perverse suggestion of Satan, but rather to deliver them from his importunity and power, by evil understanding Satan the author of all evil. Oh (dear god) that y● wouldest endue me which thy spirit of grace and prayer with thy children accordingly to make this prayer always whensoever I do pray.  
As for outward evils so long as they do not (as it were) enforce thy people to sin, in that christian profession doth account them amongst thy benefits: thy son hath not taught thy church to pray for the taking away of them in this prayer, for here he hath contained but those things, for the which all Christians generally and particularly may of faith pray at all times. It often cometh to pass that exterior evils, because they be not evils in deed, that is they are not against god's grace in us, therefore they cannot of faith be prayed for to be taken away, for thy children that have faith, do always prefer thy judgement before their own, the which judgement w●en they know by that which happeneth to them, they submit themselves there to wholly, although the spirit make his unspeakable groanings to help their infirmities by prayer, not to have them taken away, but y● they might have strength and patience to bear the burden accordingly, which burden if it be to heavy in the better sense and feeling thereof, they in their prayers do complain some thing, rather than pray to have it taken away, as our saviour did in the garden when he added to his complaint not my will but thy will be done. So do thy people in all their complaints add, not as we will but as thou wilt, for they are taught by thy spirit no otherwise to pray for the taking away of corporal evelles either from themselves or from others, unless they by the same spirit do certainly see the same to make to thy glory: as did thine Apostles and servants, when absolutely & without condition they did ask health or miracle for any, when they healed or raised the dead by prayer: for they know nothing can be better than when it is according to thy wil Oh that I might always know thy will in all things, and for ever apply me self thereto. Hereof it cometh that thy saints and dear children which love their neighbours as themselves, do yet notwithstanding in their prayers ask vengeance of some, as we may read in the psalms of David, because in praying & talking with thee they see by thy holy spirit (for without it is no true prayer) sometimes thy judgements upon some which they perceive to sin to death, and therefore ought not to be prayed for, but rather to be prayed against, because thy glory cannot be set forth as it should be without their destruction: thy will is always best & the thing whereto they frame all their desires.  
Therefore when they perceive it decreed with thee such and such by their destruction to set fourth more mightily thy glory, how should they but desire and pray for the same, & writ it as David hath done, that the godly in reading and weighing such prayers, might receive comfort, and the ungodly be afraid: else when that they perceive not so manifestly the determined judgement of god, they in their prayers do most heartily pray for them as Samuel did for Saul, Moses for the Israelites, Abraham for the Sodomites. Oh good faher for thy mercies sake give me the truces love of mankind, but yet so that I may love man for thee and in thee, and always prefer thy glory above all things through Christ our lord.  
Now though thy children do know that thy will cannot but be done, and nothing can be done but that thou of thine own will hast determined to do, although no man should desire the same, yet are they earnest and frequent in prayer: first to render obedience to thee, which requyreste prayer as a spiritual service to thee: secondly because thou hast ordained prayer to be as an instrument and mean, by the which thou workest things with thee already decreed & determined. Thy children do use prayer to offer thee their service, if it shall please the to use the same. As they do eat and drink, which is a mean ordained of thee for the conservation of their life, not looking hereby to lengthen their days above their bounds which already thou hast appotnted, but as becometh them, to use thy means which thou hast ordained to serve thy providence: So do they (herein as men not curious to know thy providence further than thou reuai●est it) use prayer as a mean by the which thou art accustomed to work many of thy chidrens' ●e●re, that according to thy good will thou mayest use the same: they do not think a mutability in thee (for y● art god & art not changed, with thee there is no variableness) and therefore they pray, not as men which would have thy determinations and ordinances, which are in most wisdom and mercy, to be altered, but rather that they might submit their wills to shine, & make them more able to bear thy will and pleasure. They know thou haste promised to help them calling upon thee, wherefore they doubt not but thou so wilt do and therefore pray accordingly. They love thee heartily, and therefore they cannot but desire much ●s talk with thee, that is to pray, even as a well mannered and lavinge wife will not take upon her to ask any thing of her husband at all but that, she hopeth he would take in good part and do of his own fres will, although she had spoken nothing thereof. When she knoweth what her husbands will is in things, she gladly talketh with him thereof, and accordingly as she seeth he is purposed to do, she will often desire him to do it: even so thy children (I say) which heartily love thet, in that they know thy wisdom and will is best, how can they but often talk with thes and desire thee to 〈◊〉 that which they know is best, which they know also thou wouldest do 〈◊〉 none should ask or pray for the same? Thy children use prayer as a mean by which they see plainly thy power, thy presence, thy providence, mercy 〈◊〉 goodness towards them in granntinge their petitions, and by prayer they are confirmed of them all. Yea thy children use prayer to admonish them how that all things are in thy hands. In prayer they are as it were of thee put in mind of those things they have done against thee their good lord. By reason whereof repentance ensueth, and they conceive a purpose to live more purely ever afterwards, and more heartily to apply themselves to all innocency & goodness. Who now considering so many great commodities to come by reason of prayer, would marvel why thy children are much in prayer and in labouring to provoke others there unto?  
For as none that is a suitor to any other wit use any thing which might offend or hinder his suit, so no man that useth prayer will flatter himself in any thing that should desplease thee, to whom by prayer he moveth suit whensoever he prayeth: so that nothing is a more provocation to all kind of godliness than prayer is.  
And therefore not without cause we may see thine Apostles and servants to labour so diligently, and desire that others might use, prayers for themselves and others.  
As concerning outward things which thy children pray for, although they know thy will & decree is not variable & thy purpose must neds come to pass, yet do they receive by their prayer no small commodity. For either they obtain their requests or no. If they do obtain them, then prove they by experience that thou dost the will of them that fear thee, & so they are more kindled to love & serve thee. And in deed for this purpose 〈◊〉 art wont, when thou wilt do good to any, to stir up their minds to desire the same good of thee to th'end that both thou and thy gifts may be so much more magnisted and set by of them, by how much they have been earnest suitors and petitioners for the same. For how can it but en● a 〈◊〉 them with love towards thee, to perceive and feel thee so to care for them, hear them and love them. If they do not obtain that they pray for, yet undoubtedly they receive great comfort to see that the evils which press them and whereof they complain still, do not oppress and over come them, & therefore they receive strength to bear the same the better. O good father help me that I might heartily love thee, complain to thee in all my needs and always by prayer to power out my heart before thee. Amen   

AN OTHER paraphrase or meditation upon the lords praser.  
O Almighty & eternal god of whom all fatherhood in heaven and in earth is named, whose seat is the heaven, whose foot stool is the earth, which of thy great clemency & unspeakable love hast not weighed nor considered our great unkindness and wilful disobedience, but according to the good pleasure of thy eternal purpose hast in thy well-beloved son jesus Christ, chosen us out of the world and dost accept us far other wise than we be in deed, to be called yea and to be in deed thine adopted sons, and dost vouchsafe (oh loving father) that we as it were heavenly children, should every one of us confess, declare and call thee our heavenly father: grant (dear father) that among us thy poor children by pureness of minds 
hallowed be thy name,  and conscience, by singleness of heart, by uncorrupt and innocent life, and example of virtue and godliness, thy most holy name may be sanctified, and that so many of all other nations as thou hast there unto choose and predestinate, beholding our godliness & virtuous deeds that thou workest in us, may be the more stirred to hallow and glorify thy blessed name.  
Oh faithful father we beseech thee that the kingdom of thy holy spirit 
Thy kingdom come  of grace and prayer, of thy loving kindness and mercy, and of all other thy holy virtues, and of thy holy & most blessed word may continually reign in our hearts, so that thou wouldest vouchsafe thereby to make us worthy to be partakers of the realm & kingdom of thy glorious and blessed presence.  
Oh dear god and heavenly father we humbly desire thy goodness to bow our hearts unto thee, to make 
Thy will be done.  us humble of mind, to make us low in our own fight and obedient, that like as thy dear son our only saviour jesus Christ counted his meat, works, praise, and life to be only in obeying to thy most blessed will, where in for our sakes he became obedient to the death of the cross: so we may even unto the very death, in lowliness, in meekness, patience and thankfulness, ohey unto thy holy will and not to murmur and grudge norrefuse whatsoever thy fatherly piety shall think good to lay on us, be it poverty, hunger, nakedness, slcknes, slanders, oppressions, verations, persecutions, yea or death itself for well doing: but in all things seek and labour to make these our earthly bodies serviceable to do thy will, and to refuse that thou wilt not, never to strive nor wrestle against thy holy will, but with thy heavenly citizens and household bull did upon the foundation of thy holy prophets and apostles, thy son jesus Christ being the head corner stone, all selfwill and controversy in opinious secluded, the lusts, desieres & affections of the flesh mortified, the flattering assaults of the vain world, the cruel and subtle await wait of the devil overcome, agreeing together quietly, and united in spirit, we may freely obey unto thy most blessed will, therein to walk all the days of our life.  
Oh dear god give unto our needful 
give us this day our daily bread.  bodies necessatie sustenance, & take from us all love of wordly things, all carefulness and covetousness, that we may the more freely worship & serve thee. Oh merciful father we beseech thee to give unto us that heavenvly bread to strenghten our hearts, I mean the body of thy dear son jesus christ the very food & health of our souls, that we may always with thankfulness firmly feed on him by faith & utterly forsake & abhor all false doctrine & persuasions of men, and all lying spirits that shall persuade us any other wise of him then thy holy word doth teach & assure us satisfy our hungry souls (dear father) with y● marry & fatness of thy rich mercy promised to us in y● same thy son, and of our eternal election, redcmption, justification, & glorification in him. Make us (Oh gracious god) to contemn and despise this world with the vain things and pleasures thereof, and inwardly to hunger for thy blessed kingdom and presence, which do thou satisfy (good god) in thy good time according to thy good will and pleasure. Oh most loving god, give us the bread of thy divine precepts and make our hearts perfect, that we may truly & freely walk and live in them all the days of our life. Oh dear and merciful father, we beseech thee give us the bread of thy lively and heavenly word & the true understanding thereof, which is the light of our paths, the food, strong tower and sure defence of our saul's, that we being well sensed with this munition, fed and filled with this food, may be worthy guests at thy celestial feast and wedding, where we shall never hunger nor want.  
Oh most righteous and merciful 
And forgive us our trespasies.  god, father and governor of our life, we confess that we have grievously sinned against thee from our youth up until now in ingratitude, in unthankfulness, wilfulness, disobedience, presumption & innumerable our negligences & sins which we frontime to time most heinously have committed, whereby we have deserved not only sore ad grievous plagues, but even eternal damnation, were it not that thou art the lord of mercy, and hast power to show mercy on whom thou wilt, wherein thou art rich and plentiful to all them that call by on thee faithfully: wherefore (dear father) we seeing our manifold and grievous sins, which we have committed against thee, & also thy great mercy, loving kindness, patience, and long suffering towards us, are compelled not only to bear patiently and suffer our enemies when they rail on us, slander us, oppress us, vex us, or trouble us, curse, persecute, & kill us: but also to speak well of them, to instruct them, to pray for them, to do them good, to bliss them, to clothe them, feed them, so heaping coals of thy charity and love upon them, and mercifully to forgive them even as thou (dear father) for thy beloved Christ'S sake haste forgiven us. Thus hast thou taught us (good father) not as the hypocrites to look narrowly on our neighbours faults, but diligently to examine our own consciences wherein we have offended thee, & also what occasion of offence or falling we have given to our brethren in eating, drinking, going, apparel, speaking, dissolute or uncomely laghter, in bargaining, or by any means, and with all speed seek to reconcile ourselves to them, & to forgive unto other from the bottom of our hearts, whatsoever they have offended us, and to do none other wise than we wish and desire in our hearts that other should do to us, that so we may find thee (o lord) in forgiving us our trespasses, mild & mer cifull, which speedily do thou show thyself unto us, for thy dear Christ's sake.  
Oh lord, thou god of the righteous, we feel the frailtis of our nature to 
And lead us not into tentation.  be so perverse and apt to sin, that when thou by the gifts of thy holy spirit dost move us, and (as it were) call us, yea rather draw us unto thee then are we drawn away & tempted of our own concupiscence & lust, beside the great and dangerous assaults of the world and devil: therefore (faithful father) we thy poor children beseech thee to take from us all those evils and accasions that may draw us from thee. Oh dear god, protect, defend, and strengthen us against all the suggestions & assaults of our enemies, the world, the flesh, and the devil, that neither in prosperity we were haute or high minded to say unthankfully what fellow is the lord, nor yet in the abundance of temptations, anguish, vexation, tribulation, or persecution, to be oppressed with fear, nor deceived by flattery, nor yet to fall in despair and so utterly perish: but in all dangers and perils of temptations, and in the midst of the stormy tempests of tribulation (dear father) make us thy poor children to feels the consolation of the certainty of our eternal election in christ jesus our lord, and to perceive thy fatherly succour ready to help us, lest that we being overcome with the wicked sleights and veceitfull invasions of the enemies, should (as without thy grace and merciful protection we shall) be drawn into an obstinate mind & so shut up the cundite that should lead thy gracious gifts & benefits unto us, to our commodity & comfort, that thou mightest lead us forth with the evil doers & barden our hearts. Therefore (Oh good god) give us these thy good gifts, namely strength, patience & joyfulness of heart, to rejoice in temptation & assure us that it is the trial of our faith, that faith in us may have her perfect work, that when we be well approved and purged with the fire of temptations, we may finish our life in in victory, and ever more live with thee in thy heavenvly kingdom, where no temptation shall do us hurt.  
Finally (most merciful father) we 
But deliver us from evil.  humbly beseech thee to deliver us from this present evil world, from all humane & worldly fear, from all infirmities of the flesh & mind, from false prophets and teachers, from false brethren, from traitors & tyrants &c: and if it be thy good pleasure and may make most to the glory of thy name, deliver us from the hands of our enemies & from all other evils present and to come both of body & soul, that we being by the great mercy defended from all hurtful things, may always use those things that be profitable for us, devoutiye given to serve thee in good works, that y● yoke of our enemies and the bands of sin being shaken of, we may possess the inheritance of thy heavenly kingdom, which thy dear son jesus christ hath with his precious blood purchased for, thine elect from the beginning of the world: for thine is the kingdom, thou only haste the majesty, thou only art the god above all gods, king of all kings, and lord of all lords, thou only, haste the power and authority to set up kings, and to put them down, thou liftest the poor once of the dust and makesste him to sit among the princes of thy people, thou only makest wars to cease and gevist victory to whom thou wilt. Oh dear god, there is neither majesty rule nor power, honour nor worship, dignity nor office, riches nor poverty, health nor sickness, plenty nor scar●●tie, presycritie nor adversity, war nor peace, life nor death, nor any other thing but it is all thine & thou both hast the power & also wilt give it to whom it pleaseth thee in thy time and season, that all glory may be given to the alone, for thou art worthy.  
O dear father to thee we come therefore for help and succour, for without thee there is no help at al. Oh good father deliver us from all that is evil in thy sight, for thy own name sake and for thy dear Christ's sake, that we being arms with thy holy armour, and weaponed with thy blessed word, and instructed by thy holy spirit, may according to thy holy promise, serve thee without 〈◊〉 are all the days of our life, in such holiness and righteousness as is acceptable in thy sight. To thed therefore (our dear father) our creator, feader, protector, governor, and defender, and thy beloved son jesus christ our only peace, merciseate redeemer, iustister, and advacate, and thy holy spirit our sanctificaton, our wisdom, teacher, instructor, & comforter, be all dominion power and glory for ever and ever Amen.   

A MEDITATION of the coming of Christ to judgement and of the reward both of the faithful and unfaithful.  
OH lord jesus Christ the son of the everliving god, by whom all things were made, are ruled and governed, as of thy love for our redemption thou didst not disdain to be our mediator and to take upon thee our nature in the womb of a virgin poorly and with out sin by the operation of the holy spirit, that both thou mightest in thine own person wonderfully beutifye and exalt our nature and work the same in us also, first abolishing the guiltiness of sin by remission, than sin itself by death, and last of all death by raising up again these our bodies, that they may be like unto thine own glorious & immortal body, according to the power wherewith thou art able to subject all things unto thee: As I say of thy love for our redemption thou becamest man, and that most poor and afflicted upon earth by the space of xxxiii. years at the least, in most humility, and paidest the price of our ransom by thy most bitter death & passion, for the which I most heartily give thanks to thee: So of the same thy love towards us in thy good time, thou wilt come again in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, with flaming fire, with thousands of Saints, with 
Mat. 25.  Angels of thy power, with a mighty cry, shout of an Archangel, & blast of a trump, suddenly as the lightning which shineth from the east etc. when men think least, even as a thief in the night, when men be a sleep, y● wilt so come (I say) thus suddenly in the twinkling of an eye, all men that ever have been, be and shallbe, with women & children, appearing before thy tribunal judgement seat, to render an account of all things which they have thought spoken 〈◊〉 done against thy law, openly and before all Angels, saints, and devils, and so to receive the just reward of thy vengeance, if that they have not repent and obeyed the gospel, & so to depart from thee to the devil & his angels & all the wicked which ever have been, be, or shallbe, into hol●ster, which is unquenchable & of pains intolerable, easeles, endless, hopeless, even from the face of thy glorious and mighty power: but it they have repent and believed thy gospel, if they be found watching with their lamps and oil in their hands, if they be found ready apparelled with the wedding garment of innocency, if they have not hardened their hearts, & hoarded up their treasure of thy vengeance in the day of wrath to be revealed, but have used the time of grace, the acceptable time, the time of salvation, that is the time of this life in the which thou stretchest out thy hand and spreadest thine arms calling and crying unto us to come unto thee which art meek in heart and lowly; for thou wilt ease all that labour and are heavy laden, if they have visited the sick & prisoners, comforted the conferties, fed the hungry, clothed the naked, lodged the harbourless, if they have not laden their hearts with glotteny and surfeiting and carefulness of this life, if they have not digged & hid their talon in the ground doing no good there with, but have been faithful to occupy thy gifts to thy glory and hear washen their garments in thy blood by hearty repenting them: Then shall thy Angels gather them together, not as the wicked which shallbe collected as fagotts and cast into the fire, but as the good wheat that is gathered into thy barn, then shall they be caught up to meet thee in the clouds, then shall their corruptible body put on incorruption, then shall they be endued with immortality and glory, then shall they be with thee and go whether thou goest, then shall they hear, come blessed of my father possess the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning etc., then shall they be set on seats of majesty judging the whole world, then shall they reign with the● for ever, then shall god be all in all with them and to them, then shall they enter & enherete heavenly jerusalem and the glorious reastful land of Canaan, where is always day and never night, where is no manner of weeping, tears, infirmity, hunger cold, sickness, envy, malice, nor sin, but always ioic without sorrow, mirth without measure, pleasure without pain, heavenly harmony, most pleasant melody, saying & singing holy holy, holy lord god of hosts &c: Suma the ●le hath not seen the ear hath not heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man that they shall then enherete & most surely enjoy, although here they be tormented prisoned, burned, solicited of Satan, tempted of the flesh, and entangled with y● world, wherethrough they are enforced to cry, thy kingdom come: come lord jesus &c: how 
Apoc. 22.  amiable are thy tabernacles? Like as y● heart desireth the water brooks &c: 
Psa. 42.  Now let thy servant depart in peace: I desire to be dissolved & to be with Christ: we morn in ourselves waiting 
Rom. 8.  for the deliverance of our bodies etc. Oh gracious lord when shall I find such mercy with thee, that I may repent, believe, hope and look for this gear, with the full fruition of these heavenvly joys which thou hast prepared for all them that fear thee, and so rest with thee for ever more.   

A MEDITATION CONCERning the sober usage both of the body and pleasures in this life.  
THIS our body which god hath made to be the tabernacle and mansion of our soul for this life if we considered accordingly, we could not but use it otherwise then we do, that is we would use it for the souls sake being the geste thereof, and not for the body itself, and so should it be served in things to help, but not to hinder the soul. A servant it is and therefore it ought to obey to serve the soul that the soul might serve god, not as the body will neither as the soul itself will, but as god will, whose will we should learn to know & behave ourselves thereafter. The which thing to observe, is hard for us now by reason of sin which hath gotten a mansion house in our bodies, and dwelleth in us as doth the soul, to y● which (sin I mean) we are altogether of ourselves inclined, because we naturally are sinners & borne in sin, by reason whereof we are ready as servants to sin and to use our bodies accordingly, making the soul to sit at reward, & pampering up the servant to our shame. Oh therefore (good lord) that it would please thee to open this gear unto me, and to give me eyes to consider effectually this my body what it is, namely a servant lent for the soul to sojourn in & serve thee in this life: yea it is by reason of sin that hath his dwelling there, become now to the soul nothing else but a prison & that most strait, vile, stinking, filthy, and therefore in danger of miseries, to many in all ages, times, & places, till death hath turned it to dust whereof it came and whether it shall return, that the soul may return to thee from whence it came, until the day of judgement come, in the which thou wilt raise up that body, that then it may be partaker with the soul & the soul with it inseparably of weal or woe, according to that is done in & by the same body here now in earth.  
Oh that I could consider often and heartily these things, than should I not pamper up this body to obey it, but bridle it that it might obey the soul, then should I fly the pain it putteth my soul unto by reason of sin and provocation to all evil, & continually desire the dissolution of it with Paul, & the deliverance from it, as 
Philip. 1.  much as ever did prisoner his deliverance out of prison, for alonelyr by it the devil hath a door to tempt and so to hurt me: in it I am kept from thy presence, and thou from being so conversant with me as else thou wouldest be: by it I am restrained from the sense and feeling of all the joys and comforts (in manner) which are to be taken as joys and comforts in deed. If it were dissolved and I out of it, than could Satan no more hurt me, then wouldst thou speak with me face to face, than the conflicting time were at an end, than sorrow would cease and joy woldencrease, and I should enter into inestimable rest. Oh that I considered this accordingly   

AN OTHER mediation to the same effect  
THE beginning of all evil in our kind of living springeth out of the depravation and corruptness of our judgement, because our will always foloweth-that which reason judgeth to be followed. Now that which every man taketh to be friendly and agreeing to his nature, the same doth he judge necessarily to be good for him and to be desired. This is meat, drink, apparel, riches, favour, dignity, rule, knowledge, and such like, because they are thought good and agreeing either to the body or to the mind or to both, for they help either to the conservation or to the pleasure of man, accounted of every one amongst good things.  
Howbeit such is the weakness of our wit on y● one part, & the blindness and to much rage of our lusts on the other part: that we being left to ourselves, cannot but in the desire of things which we judge good and agreeing to our nature, by the judgement of our senses and reason, we cannot (I say) but over pass the bounds whereby they might be profitable unto us, and so we make them hurtful to us, which of the themselves are ordained for our health. What is more necessary than meat and drink, or more agreeing to nature? but yet how few be there which de not hurt themselves by them? In like manner it goeth with riches, estimation, friends, learning etc. Yea although we be in these most. temperate, yet when there wanteth the spirit our regeneratour, we are so drowned. in them, 〈◊〉 we utterly neglect to lift up our minds to the good pleasure of god, to the ends we might imitate and follow god our maker by yielding ourselves oiver duly to use his gifts to y● common & private utility of our neighbours. But now, gond only is life & cternity, & cannot but demand of us his. handiwork, that we should render ●ure selves & all we have to the end wherefore we were made, that is to resemble for our portion his goodness, as those which be nothing else but witnesses & instruments of his m●●●y. So that when we wholly do naturally ●●riue against the kind of life whereto he hath create us, by seeking always ourselves, what other thing ought to ensue, but y● he should again destroy us & take away his notable gifts, where with be endued us that by all kind of well doing we should resemble his image, yea what other this may ensue but that he should leave us & the eternally, that we might feel & by experience prove how bitter a thing it is to leave the lord 〈◊〉 whom is all goodness. Oh that therefore I might find such favour in thy sight dear father, that thou wouldest work in ●●e by thy holy spirit a true knowledge of all good things and hearty love to the same through. Christ jesus our lord and only saviour Amen.   

A MEDITATION FOR THE exercise of true mortification.  
HE that willbe ready in weighty matters to deny his own w● & to be obedient to the will of God, the same had need to accustom himself to deny his desires in matters of jesse weight, and to exercise mortification of his own will in trifles. For if that 〈◊〉 affections by this daily custom, be not (as it were) half slain, surely surely when they lung shall come, we shall find the more to do, If we cannot watch with christ one hour, as he saith to Peter, we undoubtedly can much less go to death with him. Wherefore that in great temptations we may be ready to say with Christ, not my will but thine be done, in that this commonly cometh not to pass but where the roots of our lusts by thy grace (dear father) are almost rotten and rooted out by a daily denial of that they desire: I humbly beseech thee for Christ's sake to help me herein. First pardon me my cherishing, & (as it were) watering of mine affections, obeying them in their devices and superfluous desires: wherthroughe in that they have taken deep root, and are to lively in me, I secondly do beseech thee to pull them up by the roots out of my heart, and so henceforth to order me, that I may continually accustom myself to weaken the principal rote, that the byrotes & braunthes may lose all their power. Grant me (I beseech thee) that thy grace may daily mortify my concupiscence of pleasant things, that is of wealth, riches, glory, liberty, favour of men, meats, drinks apparel, ease, yea & life itself that the horror and impatiency of more grievous things, may he weakened, and I made more patient in adversity. Whereunto I further desire & pray thy goodness (dear father, that thou wilt add this, namely that I may for ever become obedient & ready to thy good will in all things, heartily & willingly to serve thee, & do whatsoever may please the. For doubtless, although we accustom our selves in the pleasant things of this life to a mortification & denial of our selves, yet we shall find enough to do when more bitter & weighty crosses come. For if thy son our saviour (ever wont to obey thy good will) prayed so heartily & often: not my will but thy will be done, whereby he declareth himself to be veri man, how can it be but we whose nature is corrupt not only in nativity but in the rest of our whole life also, shall find both our hands full in great & grievous temptations, wholly to resign ourselves unto thee? Grant therefore, dear father, for thy Christ's sake to me a most miserable wretch, thy grace & holy spirit to be effectual in me, that daily I may accustom myself to deny my will, in more easy & pleasant things of this life, that when need shall be I may come with christ to thee with a resigned will, always steadfastly expecting thy mercy, & in the mean season, continually obeying thee with readiness and willingness, doing what so ever may most please thee, through christ our lord, which liveth with thee etc.   

A GODLY MEDITATION and instruction of the providence of god towards mankind.  
THis aught to be unto us most 
God worketh all in all marvelously, justly & holily  certain, that nothing is done without thy providence (oh lord) that is, that not nothing is done be it good or bad, sweet or sour, but by thy knowledge, that is, by thy will, wisdom, and ordinance (for all these knowledge doth comprehend in it) as by thy holy word we are taught in many places, that even the life of a sparrow is not without thy will, nor any 
Mat. 10. Mat. 8.  liberty or power upon a porket have all the devils in hell, but by thy appointment & will: which will we always must believe most assuredly to be all just & good, how soever otherwise it seem unto us. For thou art marvelous & not comprehensible in thy ways and holy in all thy works.  
But hereunto it is necessary also 
God worketh by means, without means, & against means.  for us to know no less certainly, that though all things be done by thy providence, yet the same providence hath many & divers means to work by, which means being contemned thy providence is contemned also. As for example, meat is a mean to serve thy providence, for the preservation of health and life here, so that he which contemneth to eat because thy providence is certain & unfallible, the same contemneth thy providence. In deed if y● it were so the meat could not be had, then should we not tie thy providence to this mean, but make it free as thou art free that is, that without meat thou canst help and give health and life, for it is not of any need that thou usest any instrument or mean to serve thy providence: thy power and wisdom is infinite and therefore should we hangon thy providence even when all is clean aghast us. But for our erudition and infirmities sake, it hath pleased thee by means to work, and deal with us here, to ex exercise us in obedience, & because we cannot else (so great is our corruption) sustain thy naked and bare presence. Grant me therefore dear father I humbly beseech thee for Christ's sake, y● as I something now know these things: so I may use this know ledge to my comfort & commodity in thee: that is, grant that in what state so ever I be, I may not doubt but the same doth come to me by thy most just ordinance, yea by thy merciful ordinance, for as thou art just so art thou merciful, yea thy mercy is above all thy works.  
And by this knowledge, grant me that I may humble myself to obey thee and look for thy help in time convenient, not only when I have means, by which thou mayst work & art so accustomed to do: but also when I have no means but am destitute, ryea when that all means be directly & clean against me: grant I say yet that I may still hang upon the and thy providence, not doubting of a fatherly end in thy good time.  
Again, lest I should contemn thy providence or presume upon. it by uncoupling those things, which thou hast coupled together, preserve me from negleating thy ordinary & lawful means in all my needs, it so be I may have them and with good conscience use them, although I know thy providence be not tied to them, further than pleaseth thee: but grant that I may with diligence, reverence and thankfulness use them, and there to my diligence, wisdom and industry in all things lawful, to serve thereby thy providence, if it so please thee: howbeit so that I hang in no part on the means or on my diligence, wisdom, & industry, but only on thy providence, which more & more persuade me to be altogether father lie and good, how far so ever other wise it appear & seem, yea is felt● of me. By this I being preserved from negligence on my behalf and despair or murmuring towards thee, shall be come diligent and patient, through thy mere and alone grace: which give and increase in me, to praise thy holy name for ever, through jesus Christ our lord and only saviour, Amen.   

A MEDITATION of the presence of god.  
THERE is nothing that maketh more to true godliness of life then the persuasion of thy presence, dear father, & that nothing is hid from thee, but all to thee is open & naked, even the very thoughts, which one day thou wilt reveal and open either to our praise or punishment in this life: As thou didst David's faults which he did secretly. 2 Reg 12. or in that life to come Mat 25: For nothing is so hid that shall not be revealed. Therefore doth the prophet say: woe to them that keep secret their thoughts to hide their counsel from the lord, & do their works in darkness, saying who seeth us? grant to me therefore (dear god) mercy for all my sins, especially my hid & close sins, enter not into judgement with me, I humbly beseech thee, give me to believe truly in thy christ that I never come into judgement for them, that with David I might so reveal them and confess them unto thee, that thou wouldest cover them: And grant further, that hence forth I always think myself continually conversant before thee, so that if I do well I pass not of the publishig of it as hypocrites do, if I do or think any evil, I may forth with know that the same shall not always be hid from men. Grant me that I may always have in mind that day wherein hide works of darkness shallbe illumined, & also the sentence of thy son, that nothing is so secret which shall not be revealed. So in trouble and wrong I shall find comfort, and otherwise be kept through thy grace from evil, which do thou work I humbly beseech thee for Christ's sake, Amen.   

A MEDITATION OF GODS power, beauty, goodness etc.  
BEcause thou lord wouldst have us to love thee, not only dost thou will, entice, allure and provoke us, but also dost command us so to do, promising thyself unto such as love thee, and threaning us which damp nation if we do otherwise: whereby we may see both our great corruption & naughtiness, & also thine exceeding great mercy towards us.  
First, concerning our corruption and naughtiness, what a thing is it, that power, riches, authority, beauty, goodness, liberality, truth, justice, which all thou art good lord, cannot move us to love thee? whatsoever things we see fair, good, wise, mighty, are but even sparkles of that power, beauty, goodness, wisdom, which thou art. For to the end thou mightest declare thy riches, beauty, power, wisdom, goodness &c: thou hast not only made but still dost coserue all creatures to be (as David saith of the heavens) declarers & setters forth of thy glory, and as a book to teach us to know thee.  
How fair thou art the beauty of the son, moan, stars, light, flowers, rivers, fields, hills, birds, beasts, men & all creatures, yea the goodly shape & form of the whole world doth declare.  
How mighty thou art, we are taught by the creation of this world even of nought, by governing the same, by punishing the wicked mighty giants thereof, by overthrowing their devices, by repressing the rages of the sea within her bounds, by storms, by tempests, by fires: these & such like declare unto us thine invisible, almighty and terrible power, whereby thou subduest all things unto thee. How rich thou art this world, thy great & infinite treasure house, doth well declare. What plenty is there, not only of things, but also of every kind of things? Yea how dost thou yearly & daily multiply these kinds? How many seeds dost thou make of one seed, yea what great increase dost thou bring it unto? These cannot but put us in remembrance of the exceeding riches that thou haste. For if to thine enemies which love thee not (as the most part in this world be) if to them thou givest so plentifully thy riches here, what shall we think that with thyself thou haste laid up for thy friends? How good thou art, all creatures generally and particularly do teach. What creature is there in the world which thou hast not made for our commodity? I will not say how that thou mightest have made us creatures without sense or reason if thou hadst would. But amongst all things none doth teach us so thy great love towards us, as doth the death of thy most dearly beloved son, who suffered the pains & terrors thereof, yea & of bell itself, for our sakes. If this thy love had been but a small love, it would never have lasted so long nor Christ should never have died.   

A MEDITATION OF DEATH and the commodities it bringeth  
WHat other thing do we daily in this present life, then heau sin to sin & hoard up trespass upon trespass? so that this day is worse always then yesterday, by increasing as days, so sins, & therefore thy indignation good lord, against us: but when we shallbe let go out of the prisen of that body, & so taken into thy blessed company, then shall we be in most safety of immortality & salvation, then shall come unto us no sickness, no need no pain, no kind of evil to soul or body, but whatsoever good we can wish, that shall we have, & what so ever we loath shallbe far from us. O dear father, that we had faith to be hold these things accordingly. Oh that our hearts were persuaded thereof, & eure affections inflamed which the desire of them. Then should we live in longing for the which now we most loath. Oh help us & grant that we being ignorant of things to come, & of the time of our death, which to thee is certain, may so live & finish our journey here, that we may be ready and then depart, wht our departing may make most to thy glory & our comfort through christ.  
What is this life but a smoke, a vapour, a shadow, a warfare, a bubble of water, a word, grass, a flower? Thou shalt die is most certain, but of the time no man can tell when. The longer in this life thou dost remain, the more thou sinnest, which will turn to thy more pain. By cogitation of death our minds be often in manner oppressed with darkness, because we do but remember the night of the body, forgetting the light of the mind, & of the resurrection. Thereto remember the good things that after this life shall ensue, without wavering, in certainty of faith, & so shall the passage of death be more desired. It is like a sailing over the sea to thy home & country: it is like a medicine or purgation to the health of soul & body: It is the best phicision: It is like to a woman's travail: for as the child being delivered, cometh into a more large place then the womb wherein it did lie before, so thy soul being delivered out of the body, cometh into a much more large and fair place, even into heaven.   

A GODLY MEDITATION upon the passion of our savour jesus Christ.  
OH lord jesus Christ, the son of the everliving and almighty god, by whom all things were made, and be ruled and governed, thou the lively Image of the substance of the father, the eternal wisdom of god, the brightness of his glory, god of god, light of light, coequal, coeternal, and consubstantial with the father, thou of the love thou hadst to mankind, that when he was fallen from the fellowship of god into the society of Satan and all evil, didst vouchsalfe for our redemption to become a mediator between god and man, taking to the godhead our nature, as concerning the substance of it, and so becamest man, also the heir of all, and most merciful Messiah, which by the power of thy godhead, and merits of thy manhood, haste made purgation of our sins, even by thine own self, whilst thou wast here on earth being now set on the right hand of thy father for us, even concerning our nature, in majesty, glory, & power infinite: I beseech and humbly pray thy mercy, to grant me at this present, to rehearse some of thy passions and sufferings for me the last night thou waste here before thy death, that thy good spirit might thereby be effecttuall to work in me faith, as well of the pardon of my sins by them, as mortification of mine affections, comfort in my crosses, and patience in afflictions, Amen.  
In the midst of thy last supper with thy dear Apostles, these things could not but be before thee, namely that they all would leave thee, the most earnest would for swear thee, & one of the xii should most traitorously betray thee, which were no small crosses unto thee. judas was admonished of thee to beware, but when he took no heed, but wilfully went out to finish his work, contemning thy admonition & counsel, he could not but vere thy most loving heart.  
After supper there was contention amongs thy disciples who should be greatest after thee, yet dreaming carnally of thee and thy kingdom, & having this affection of pride & ambition busy amongs them, notwithstanding thy diligence in reproving and teaching them.  
After thy admonition to them of the cross that would come, thereby to make them more vigilant, so gross were they, that they thought they could with their ii swords put away all pertis: which was no little grief unto thee. After thy coming to Gethsemane, heaviness oppressed thee, & therefore thou wouldest thy disciples to pray, thou didst tell to peter and his fellows, that thy heart was heavy to death, thou didst will them to pray, being careful for them also lest they should fall into tentation. After this thou wentest a stones cast from them & didst pray thyself, falling flat & groveling upon the earth, but alas y● feltst no comfort, & therefore thou camest to thy disciples, which of all others were most sweet & dear unto thee, but lo to thy further discomfort, they pass neither of thy perils nor of their own, & therefore sleep a pace. After y● hadst awaked them, thou goest again to pray, but thou foundest no comfort at all, & therefore didst return again for some comfort at thy dearest friends hands. But yet again, alas, they are fast a sleep: whereupon thou art enforced to go again to thy heavenvly father for some sparkle of comfort in these thy wonderful crosses & agonies. Now here thou waste so discouraged & so comfortless, that even streams of blood came running from thine eyes & cares & other parts of thy body. But who is able to express the infiniteness of thy crosses even at thy being in the garden? all which y● sufferdest for my sake, aswell to satisfy thy father's wrath for my sins, as also to sanctify all my sufferings the more gladelye to be sustained of me.  
After thy bloody prayer, thou camest, and yet again foundest thy disciples a sleep, and before thou canst well awake them, lo● judas cometh with a great band of men, to apprehended thee a these, & so doth, leading thee away bound to the high bishops house Annas, and so from him to Caiaphas. Here now to augment this thy misery, behold thy Disciples i'll from thee, false witnesses be brought against thee, thou art accused and condemned of blasphemy, Peter even in thy sight forsweareth thee, thou art unjustly stricken for answering lawfully, thou art blindfelde, stricken & buffeted all the whole night in the bishop Caiaphas' house of their cruel servants.  
In the morning by times thou art condemned again of the priests of blasphemy, and therefore they bring thee before the secular power to Pilate, by whom thou art openly arraigned as other thieves and malefavoures were: when he saw that thou wast accused of malice, yet he did not desmysse thee, but did send thee to Herode where thou was derided shamefully in coming and goeinge to and from him all the way wonderfully, especially after Herod had appareled thee as a fool.  
Afore pilate again therefore thou wast brought, and accused falsely, no man did take thy part or speak a good word for thee.  
Pilate caused thee to be whipped & scourged and to be handled most pitifully, to see if any pity might appear with the prelate's, but no manat all pitied thee.  
Barrabas was preferred before thee, all the people head & tail, was against thee & cried hang thee up, unjustly to death wast thou judged, thou waste crowned with thorns that pierced thy brains, thou wast made a mocking stock, thou wast reviled, re●aited, beaten and most miserably handled.  
Thou goest through jerusalem to the place of execution, even the mount of calvary: A great cross to bang thee on was laid upon thy back to bear and draw, as long as thou wast able.  
Thy body was racked to be nailed to the tree, thy hands were bored thorough, & thy feet also, nails were put thorough them to fasten thee there on, thou wast hanged between heaven and earth, as one spewed out of heaven, & vomited out of the earth unworthy of any place: the highpriest laughed thee to sckorne, the elders blasphemed thee, and said god hath no care for thee, the common people laughed and cried out upon thee, thirst oppressed thee, but vinegar only and gall was given to thee to drink, heaven shined not on thee, the son gave thee no light, the earth was afraid to bear thee, Satan tempted thee, and thine own senses caused thee to cry out: my god my god, why hast thou forsaken me? Oh wonderful passions which thou suffered'st. In them thou teachest me, in them thou comfortest me: for by them god is my father, my sins are forgiven: by them I should learn to fear god, to love god, to hope in god, to hate sin to be patiented, to call upon god, & never to leave him for any temptations, but with thee still to cry father in to thy hands I commend my spirit.   

A CONFESSION OF SINS, and prayer for the mitigation of god's wrath and punishment for the same.  
O Almighty god, king of all kings & governor of all things, whose power no creature is able to resist, to whom it belongeth justly to to punish sinners, and to be merciful unto them that truly repent: we confess that thou dost most justly punish us, for we have grievously sinned against thee, and we acknowledge that in punishing us thou dost declare thyself to be our most merciful father, aswell because thou dost not punish us in any thing as we have deserved, as also because, by punishing us thou dost call us and (as it were) draw us to increase in repentance, in faith, in prayer, in contemning of the world and in hearty desiring for everlasting life and thy blessed presence. Grant us therefore gracious lord thankfully to acknowledge thy great mercy, which haste thus favourably dealt with us in punishing us, not to our confusion but to our amendment. And seeing thou hast sworn that thou wilt not the death of a sinner but that he turn & live, have mercy upon us and turn us unto thee for thy dearly beloved son jesus Christ's sake, whom thou wouldst should be made a slain sacrifice for our sins, thereby declaring thy great and unspeakable anger against sin, & thine infinite mercy to wards us sinful wretches.  
And for as much as the dullness of our hearts, blindness, and corruption is such, that we are not able to arise up unto thee by faithful & hearty prayer, according to our great necessity, without thy singular grace and assistance: grant unto us gracious lord, thy holy and sanctif●inge spirit to work in us this good work, with a pure and clean mind, with an humble and lowly heart, with grace to way and consider the need and greatness of that we do desire, and with an assured faith and trust that thou wilt grant us our requests, because thou art good and gracious even to young ravens catling upon thee, much more then, to us for whom thou haste made all things, yea & hast not spared thine own dear son: because thou hast commanded us to call upon thee: because thy throne whereunto we come is a throne of grace & mercy: because thou hast given us a mediator Christ to bring us unto thee, being the way by whom we come, being the door by whom we enter, and being our head on whom we hang and hope that our poor petitions shall not be in vain through and for his name's sake.  
We beseech thee therefore of thy rich mercy, wherein thou art plentiful to all them that call upon thee, to forgive us our sins, namely our unthankfulness, unbelief, self love, neglect of thy word, security, hypocrisy, contempt of thy long suffering, omission of prayer, doubting of thy power, presence, mercy, and good will towards us, unsensyblenes of thy grace, impaciencye &c: and to this thy benefit of corrcaing us, add these thy gracious gifts, repentance, faith, the spirit of prayer, the contempt of this world and hearty desiring for everlasting life: endue us with thy holy spirit according to thy covenant and mercy, aswell to assure us of pardon and that thou dost accept us into thy favour, as thy dear children in Christ and for his sake, as to write thy law in our hearts & so to work in us, that we may now begin and go forwards in believing, living, fearing, obeying, praying, hoping & serving thee as thou dost require most fatherly and most justly of us, accepting us as perfect through Christ and by imputation.  
And moreoner when it shall be thy good pleasure & most to thy glory, deliner us we (beseech thee) out of the hands of thine adversaries by such means, be it death or life, as may make to our comfort most in Christ. In the mean season and for ever, save us and govern us with thy holy spirit and his eternal consolation.  
And concerning thine adversaries which for thy sake are become ours adversaries, so many of them as are to be converted, we beseech thee to show thy mercy upon them and to convert them: but those that are not to be converted which thou only dost know (most mighty god and terrible lord) confound, and get thy name a glory over them, abate their pride, assuage their malice, bring to nought their devilish devices, and grant that we and all thine afflicted children, may be arms with thy defence, weaponed with thy wisdom and guided with thy grace and holy spirit, to be preserved for ever from all giving of offences to thy people, and from all perils, to glorify thee which art the only giver of all victory through the merits of thy only son jesus Christ our lord Amen.   

AN OTHER CONFESSION of sins.  
AS David, seeing thine angel with his sword ready drawn (most righteous lord) to plague jerusalem, cried out unto thee, it is I lord that have sinned, & I that have done wickedly, thine hand lord be on me and not on thy poor sheep: wherethrough thou waste moved to mercy, and badst thine Angel put up his sword, thou hadst taken punishment enough: Even so we gracious lord, seeing thy fearful sword of vengeance ready drawn and presently striking against this common weal and thy Church in the same, we (I say) are occasioned every man now to cast of our eyes from beholding and narrowly spying out other men's faults, and to set our own only in fight, that with the same Davide thy servant, and with jonas in the ship we may cry, it is we (o lord) which have sinned and procured this thy grievous wrath.  
And this we now gathered together in Christ's name, do acknowledge, confessing ourselves guilty of horrible ingratitude for our good king, for thy gospel and pure religion, and for the peace of thy church & quietness of the common weal, besides our negligences & many other our grievous sins, where through we have deserved not only these but much more grievous plagues, if that even presently thou didst not as thou art wont, remember thy mercy.  
Hereupon (that thou in thine anger remembrest thy mercy before we seek & sue for it) we take boldness as thou commandest us to do in our trouble, to come and call upon thee to be merciful unto us, and of thy goodness now we humbly in Christ's name pray thee to hold thy hand and cease thy wrath, or at the least so to mitigate it, that this realm may be quietly governed and the same eftsoons to be a harborowe for thy church and true religion, which do thou restore to us again according to thy great power and mercy, and we shall praise thy name for ever through jesus Christ our only mediator and saviour, Amen.   

A PRAYER FOR THE REMISsion of fins  
OH lord god and dear father, what shall I say, that feel all things to be in manner with me as in y● wicked, blind is my mind, crooked is my will, and perverse concupiscence is in me as a spring or stinking puddle. Oh how faint is faith in me? how little is love to thee or thy people? how great is self love? how hard is my heart? etc. By the reason whereof I am moved to doubt of thy goodness towards me whether thou art my father or Noah, and whether I be thy child or Noah. In deed worthily might I doubt if that the having of these were the causes and not the fruits rather of thy children. The cause why thou art my father is thy mercy, goodness, grace and truth in christ jesus, the which cannot but remain for ever. In respect whereof thou hast borne me this good will, to accept me into the number of thy children, that I might be holy, faithful, obedient, innocent etc. And therefore thou wouldst not only make me a creature after thy Image, enduing me with right limbs, shape, form, memory, wisdom etc., where thou mightest have made me a beast, a maimed creature, lame, blind, frantic &c: but also thou wouldst that I should be borne of Christian parents, brought into thy Church by baptism, and called divers times by the ministry of thy word into thy kingdom, besides the innumerable other benefits always hither to powered upon me. All which thou haste done of this thy good will that thou of thine own mercy barest to me in Christ & for Christ before the world was made. The which thing as thou requirest straightly that I should believe without doubting, so in all my needs that I should come unto thee as to a father, & make my moan without mistrust of being hard in thy good time, as most shall make to my consort. Lo therefore to thee dear father I come through thy son our lord, mediator and advocate jesus christ, who sitteth on thy right hand making intercession for me, & pray thee of thy great goodness & mercy in christ, to be merciful unto me, that I may feel in deed thy sweet mercy as thy child. The time (oh dear father) I appoint not, but I pray thee that I may with hope still expect & look for thy help. I hope that as for a little while thou hast left me, thou wilt come and visit me, and that in thy great mercy whereof I have need by reason of my great misery. Thou art wont for a little season in thine anger to hide thy face from them whom thou lovest, but surely (o● redeemer in eternal mercies) thou wilt show thy compassions. For when thou leavest us oh lord, thou dost not leave us very long, neither dost thou leave us to our loss, but to our lucre & advantage: even that thy holy spirit with bigger portion of thy power & virtue, may lighten and cheer us, that y● want of feeling to our sorrow, may be recompensed plentifully with the lively sense of having thee, to our eternal joy: and therefore thou sworest, that in thine everlasting mercy thou wilt have compassion on us. Of which thing to th'end we might be most assured, thin o●he is to be marked, for thou sayst: as I have sworn that I will not bring any more the waters to drown the world: so have I sworn that I will never 
isaiah. 54.  more be angry with thee nor reprove thee. The mountains shall remove & the hills shall fall down, but my loving kindness shall not move, & the bond of my peace shall not fail thee: thus sayest thou the lord our merciful redeemer. Dear father therefore I pray thee remember, even for thine own truth & mercy's sake, this promise & everlasting covenant, with in thy good time I thee to write in my heart, that I may know thee to be the only true god, and jesus Christ whom thou hast sent: that I may love thee with all my heart for ever: that I may love thy people for thy sake: that I may be holy in thy sight through Christ: that I may always not only strive against sin, but also overcome the same daily more and more, as thy children do, above all things desiring the sanctification of thy name, the coming of thy kingdom, the doing of thy will here on earth as it is in heaven &c: through jesus Christ our redeemer, mediator & advocate, Amen.   

AN OTHER PRAYER FOR remission of sins.  
O Gracious god, which seekest all means possible how to bring thy children into the feeling and sure sense of thy mercy, & therefore when prosperity will not serve, than sendest thou adversity, graciously correcting them here whom y● wilt shall with thee else where live for ever: we poor misers give humble praises and thanks unto thee (dear father) that thou hast vouched us worthy of thy correction at this present, hereby to work that which we in prosperity & liberty did neglect. For the which neglecting and many other our grievous sins, whereof we now accuse ourselves before thee (most merciful lord) thou mightest most justly have given us over and destroyed us both in souls and bodies. But such is thy goodness towards us in Christ, that thou seemest to forget all our offences, and as though we were far otherwise then we be in deed, thou wilt that we should suffer this cross now laid upon us for thy truth and gospels sake, and so be thy witnesses with the prophets, apostles, martyrs and confessors, yea with thy dearly beloved son jesus Christ, to whom thou dost now here begin to fashion us like, that in his glory we may be like him also.  
Oh good god, what are we on whom thou shouldest she we this great mercy? Oh loving lord forgive us our unthankfulness & sins. Oh faithful father give us thine holy spirit now to cry in our hearts, Abba dear father, to assure us of our eternal elections in Christ, to reveal more & more thy truth unto us, to confirm, strengthen and stablish us so in the same, that we may live and die in it as vessels of thy mercy, to thy glory and to the commodity of thy church. Endue us with the spirit of thy wisdom, that with good conscience, we may always so answer the enemy's in thy cause, as may turn to their conversion or confusion and our unspeakable consolation in jesus christ: for whose sake we beseech thee hence forth to keep us, to give us patience, and to will none otherwise for delyneraunce or mitigation of our misery, then may stand alway with thy good pleasure and merciful will towards us.  
Grant this dear father not only to us in this place, but also to all other else where afflicted for thy name's sake, through the death and merits of jesus Christ our lord Amen.   

A PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE from sin and to be restored to god's grace and favour againé.  
OH almighty and ever lasting lord god which hast made heaven earth etc., oh incomprebensible unity, oh always to be worshipped most blessed Trinity: I humbly beseth thee and pray thee, by the assumption & crucified humanity of our lord jesus Christ, that thou wouldst incline and bow down the great depth of thy deity to the bottomless pit of my vility: drive from me all kind of vice, wickedness, and sin, and make in me a new and clean heart, and renew in me a right spirit for thy holy names sake.  
Oh lord jesus I beseech thy goodness for the excedig great love which drew thee out of thy father's bosom, into the womb of the holy virgin, and for the assumption of man's nature, wherein it pleased thee to save me & to deliver me from eternal death, I beseech thee (I say) that thou wouldest draw me out of myself into thee my lord god, and grant this thy love may recover again to me thy grace, to increase and make perfect in me that which is wanting, to raise up in me that which is fallen, to restore to me that which I have lost, & to quicken in me that which is dead & should live, that so I may be come conformable unto thee in all my life and conversation, thou dwelling in me and I in thee, my heart being suppled with thy grace, & settled in thy faith for ever.  
Oh thou my god, lose & set at liberty my spirit from all inferriour things: govern my soul & so work, that both in soul and body I may be holy and live to thy glory world with out end Amen.   

A PRAYER FOR THE OBTAIning of faith.  
O Merciful god and dear father of our lord & saviour jesus christ, In whom as thou art well pleased, so hast thou commanded us to hear him, for as much as he often biddeth us to ask of thee, and thereto promiseth that thou wilt hear us and grant us that which in his name we shall ask of thee: lo gracious father, I am bold to beg of thy mercy through thy son jesus Christ, one sparkle of true faith and certain persuasion of thy goodness and love towards me in Christ, wherethrough I being assured of the pardon of all my sins by the mercies of Christ thy son, may be thankful to thee, love thee and serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life, Amen.   

A PRAYER FOR REPENTANCE  
MOst gracious god and merciful father of our saviour jesus Christ, because I have sinned and done wickedly, and through thy goodness have received a desire of repentance, whereto this long suffering doth draw my hard heart: I beseech thee for thy great mercy's sake in Christ, to work the same repentance in me, and by thy spirit, power, and grace, to humble, mortify and fear my conscience for my sins to salvation, that in thy good time thou mayst comfort and quicken me through jesus Christ thy dearly beloved senne, So be it.   

A DIALOGUE OR communication between Satan and our conscience.  Satan. 
THOU hast sinned against god, therefore thou must die.  Conscience. 
Why then died Christ?  Sa. 
For sinners, but how know'st thou he died for thee?  Con. 
Because I am a sinner: and he is both able and willing to forgive me.  Sa. 
I grant that he is able to forgive thee, but how knowest thou he will?  Con. 
He would not surely have died if he would not forgive.  Sa. 
But how knowest thou that he will forgive thee?  Con. 
Because I would sayne be forgiven.  Sa. 
So would judas as well as y●, and prevailed not.  Con. 
The scriptures went upon judas fact which must needs be fulfilled, they never went upon mine.  
Again judas bore a figure of the people of thee jews, which tribe only fell from Christ, when all other eleven tribes of the world did styeke fast unto him. I am a poor sinner of the gentiles, of whom it is written I willbe eraited in the gentiles.  Sa. 
If thou be a sinner of the gentiles, yet thou must consider thy sin is great.  Con. 
I grant, but Christ's passion is greater.  Sa. 
Oh but y● hast sinned very often  Con. 
Tell me not Satan what I have done, but what I will do.  Sa. 
Why what will thou do?  Con. 
By god's grace my full purpose is here after to take better heed and to amend my former life.  Sa. 
Is that enough thinkest thou?  Con. 
What lacketh?  Sa. 
The favour of God, which hath clean forsaken thee.  Con. 
So God favoured & loved the world, that he gave his own dear son, that whosoever seeth him as the Israelites did the brazen serpent, they shall not perish but have life everlasting.   

A short and pithy defence of the doctrine of the holy election and predestination of God, gathered out of the first Chapter of S. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians. By I. bradford.  
THere is neither virtue nor vice to be considered 
All things must be esteemed after gods will.  according to any outward action, nor according to the will and wisdom of man: but according to the will of god. Whatsoever is conformable thereto, the same is virtue, and the action that springeth thereof is laudable & good, howsoever it appaere otherwise to the eyes and reason of man: as was the lifting up of Abraham's hand to have stain his son. 
genes. 22.  Whatsoever is not conformable to the will of god, that same is vice, & the action springing thereof is to be disallowed & taken for evil: & that so much the more and greater evil, by how much it is not consonant and agreeing to gods will, although it seem fair otherwise to man's wisdom, as was Peter's wish of making three tabernacles, and the request 
Math. 17.  of some which would have had fire to have come down from heaven, 
Luke, 9  upon a zeal to god etc.  
Now, the will of God is not so known as in his word. Therefore 
God's will must be sought for in his word  according to it must vice and virtue, good and evil, be judged: and not according to the judgement, wisdom, reason, and collection of any man, or of all the whole world, if all the Angels in heaven should take their part.  
But this word of god which is written in the canonical books of 
god's word is written in the bible. In the bible is predestination published.  the bible, doth plainly set forth unto us that god hath of his own mercy and good will, and to the praise 〈◊〉 his grace and glory, in christ elected some and not all, whom he hath predestinate unto everlasting life in the same Christ, and in his time calleth them, justfieth them, and glorifieth them, so that they shall never perish and err to damnation finally.  
Therefore to affirm, teach, and preach this doctrine hath in it no 
No enormity is therefore in it.  hurt, no vice, no evil, much less than hath it any enormities (as some do affirm) to the eyes and spirit of them which are guided and will be, by the word of god.  
That god the eternal father of 
The proposition that showeth what is meant by election and predestination.  mercies, before the beginning of the world, hath of his own mercy and good will, and to the praise of his grace and glory, elected in Christ some and not all of the posterity of Adam, whom he hath predestinate unto eternal life, and calleth them in his time, justifieth them, and glorifieth them, so that they shall never perish or err to dampnatiou finally: that this proposition is true and according to gods plain and manifest word, by the help of his holy spirit (which in the name of jesus christ I humbly beseech his mercy, plenteously to give to me at this present and for ever, to the sanc tification of his holy name: by the help I say of his holy spirit I trust so evidently to declare, that no man of god shallbe able b● the word of god ever to impugn it, much less to confute it.  
In the first chapter of the epistle to the Ephesians, the apostle saith thus: Blessed be God the father of our Lord jesus Christ, which hath blessed us with all manner of blessings in heavenly things by Christ, 
Eph●. 8.  according as he hath elect or chosen us in him before the foundation of the world was laid, that we should be holy and without blame before him through love: & hath predestinate us (or ordained us) through jesus Christ, to be heirs unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, where with he hath made us accepted in the beloved, by whom we have received redemption thorough his blood, and the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of his grace, which grace he hath shed on us abundantly in all wisdom & understanding and hath opened unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in himself, to have it declared when the time was full come, that he might gather together all things by (or in) Christ, as well the things that be in heaven, as the things that be in earth. even in (or by) him: by (or in) whom we are made heirs, being thereto predestinate according to the purpose of him which worketh all things according to the decree (or counsel) of his own will, that we which hoped before (you) in Christ, should be unto the praise of his glory: in whom ye also hoped after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, wherein ye also believing, were sealed with the holy spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption (or full fruition) of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory.  
These be y● words of Paul, which I have faithfully translated according to the very text in the greek, as by the judgement of all that be learned I desire herein to be tried: out of the which words of Paul we may well perceive every thing affirmed in my proposition, as I will give occasion plainly to them that will, to see it.  
First, that y● cause of god's election is of his good will, the Apostle showeth in sayig that it is through his 
The cause 〈◊〉 gods election is his grace and good will.  love, whereby we are holy and without blame: also, according to y● good pleasure of his will: according to his good pleasure purposed in himself: according to his purpose which worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.  
Secondly, that election was before 
The time of god's election was from the begiuning  the beginning of the world, the apostle plainly showeth in saying, that we were chosen before the foundatios the world was laid: and afterwards, in calling it the mystery of his will purposed with himself, in time to be declared.  
thirdly, that election is in christ, 
Election is in Christ.  the Apostle doth so flatly and plainly set it fourth, that I need not here to repeat it. We (sayeth he) are chosen in him: we are heirs by him: we are accepted by him: we are gathered together in him etc.  
fourthly, that election is of 
Election is not of all men.  some of Adam's posterity and not of all, we may plainly see it, if we consider that he maketh the true demonstration of it believing, hoping, and having the earnest of the spirit. In whom yea hoped (sayeth he) after ye hard the word &c: in whom ye believed, were sealed up etc. Again in attributing to the elect, forgiveness of sins, holiness, blameless living, being in Christ etc. That we should be holy saith he &c: we have received forgiveness of sins etc. Who seeth not that these are not common to all men? All men have not saith, sayeth paul else where. None believed 
2. ●hess. 3.  (sayeth ●ake) but such as were 
Act 13.  ordained to eiernail life. None believe but such as be borne of god. 
〈◊〉. john. 1.  None believe treewlye but such as have good hearts, and keep 
Math. 13.  goods seed to bring forth fruits by patience.  
So that it is plain (faith being a 
Faith is a demonstration of election to such as be of years of discretion. Psa 125.  demonstration of god's election to them that be of years of distretion) that all men are not elect because all men believe not. For he that believeth in the lord, shallbe as mount Zion: that is, he shall never be removed. For if he be removed, that is finally perish, surely he never truly believed. But what go I about to lighten a candle in the clear son light, when our saviour plainly saith that all be not chosen, but few? Many be called (saith he) but few be chosen. And 
Math. 20.  in the second chapter to the eph: the Apostle plainly saith that the great riches of gods mercy through his exceeding great love, hath saved them before their parents & many other gentiles, which were excluded from Christ, and strangers from the promise, hoples, godless etc. Whertherough we may be occasioned to cry: Oh the depth of the judgements of god, which is just in all his doings 
Rom. 11.  and holy in all his works, extending his mercy after his good pleasure & 
Psal. 144.  will, above all his works.  
fifthly, that god hath predeffinate these, thus elect, unto everlasting life 
Election to eternal life.  in Christ, the apostle doth also in the words before written, declare in saying: & hath predestinate us through jesus Christ to be heirs unto himself. Again, by him (saith he) ye are made heirs and predestinate to the praise of his glory. So saith the Apostle else where: whom he hath predestinate, 
Rom. 8.  them he hath predestinate to be like fashioned unto the shape of his son. And Christ therefore saith, rejoice in this, that your names 
Luke. 10.  are written in heaven.  
Sirtly, that the end of election is 
The end of election is to the praise and glory of god.  to the praise of god's glory and grace, the Apostle showeth here, in saying: we are predestinate to be holy and without blame before god &c: in saying, we are predestinate to y● glory of his grace, and in saying also, unto the praise of his glory: so that nothing can be more manifest.  
Seventhly, that predestination is 
Election is not without vocation & justification in time.  not without vocation in gods time, and justification, the Apostle here doth teach in bringing us to the consideration of hearing the word of truth, believing and receiving the holy spirit, remission of sins etc. In whom (saith he) ye have hoped, after that ye heard the word of truth etc. Again, by whom ye have redemption, that is, remission of sins through the shedding of his blood &c: Also, he hath in his full time declared the mystery of his will etc. Unto the Rom. the apostle showeth it most manifestly in saying: whom he hath predestinate them he calleth, whom he calleth them he justifieth. Whereby we may see that predestination or election is not universal of all, for all be not justified.  
eightly and last of all, that election is so certain, that the elect and 
Election is certain for ever.  predestinate to eternal life shall never finally perish or err to damnation, the apostle doth here also very plainly show in saying: that they are predestinate to the praise of god's grace: he saith not to the praise of has justice, to the praise of his wisdom, to the praise of his power (although he might most truly say so) but he saith to the praise of his grace: which were not grace if there were any respect at all of works on our behalf, for than were 
Rom. 11.  grace not grace. If there should be any condemnation of the elect and predestinate to eternal life, it must needs be because of their sins: but where were the praise of gods grace then, which is the end of god's election? Shall we not by this means make gods election without an end, and so without a head, and so no election at all, as some would have, further than they elect themselves? Let such fear they shall not find the benefit of god's election, because they seek it as the Israelites did and not as the elect, which not only find it but also obtain it. The other are blinded, as it is written: god hath 
Rom. 11. Psal. 69.  given them the spirit of unquietness, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, even to this day etc. Again, he showeth the certainty of salvation to them that be elected, in saying that they be accepted in the beloved. once accepted and beloved, in Christ and ever beloved: for whom he loveth, he loveth to the end. And gods 
〈…〉  gifts are such that he cannot repent him of them. And therefore saith christ I know whom I have chosen, attributing to election the cause of final persenerance. By which thing judas was seen not to be elected to eternal life, although he was elected to the office of an Apostle, as Saul was elected to the office of a king. Which kind of election is to be discerned in reading the scriptures, from this kind of election the which I speaks of now, that is, from election to eternal life in christ. Thirdly he showeth the certainty of salvation of the elect, by calling them heirs. For if we be heirs of god, then are we fellow hei res with Christ, to be afflfcted and 
rom, 8.  glorified with Christ, and therefore saith he, according to the decree of his own will. Lo he calleth it a decree or counsel which shall stand, as Csai saith: the counsel of the lord shall stand. fourthly he showeth 
isaiah. 46.  this certainty by saying that they are elect and predestinate to y● praise of god's glory, which we should more care for, then for the salvation of all the world. This glory of the lord is set forth as well in them that perish & are reprobates, as in the elect, & therefore S. john bringing in the place of isaiah 
john. 〈◊〉.  speakig of the reprobate saith, that isaiah spoke that when he saw the glory of the lord. This glory of the lord to be set forth by us, is a great mercy and benefit of god. I am assured that if the very devils and reprobates did not repine hereat, but were thankful that they might be ministers in any point to set fourth goddess glory: I am assured (I say) that they should find no hell nor torments. Their hell and torments cometh of the love they have to themselves and of the malice, envy, and hatred they have against God and his glory. Let them tremble and fear that may not away with the glory of the lord in election and reprobation.  
Let not their eyes be evil because god is good, and doth good to whom it pleaseth him: wrong he doth to no man, nor can do, for than he were 
Rom. 8.  not righteous and so no god. He can not condemn the just, for them were be untrue, because his word is contrary. He cannot condemn the penitent and believer, for that were against his promise. Let us therefore labour, study, cry and pray for repentance and faith, and then cannot we be damned, because we are y● blessed of the father before all worlds, & therefore we believe, therefore we repent. And for asmuch as it pertaineth 
Math. 25.  to us which be within, to see and to speak of those things which are 
〈◊〉. Cor. 2.  given unto us of god in Christ: let us labour hereabouts, and leave them that be without to the lord, 
〈◊〉. Cor. 5.  which will judge them in his tyme. The Apostle prayeth for the Ephesians, for none other wisdom and revelation 
Ephe. 〈◊〉.  from god, then whereby they might know god & have their minds illumined, to see what they should hope for by their vocation, and bow 
Co●. 〈◊〉.  rich the glory of his inheretaunce is upon his saints. Further than this, I think is unsemly for us to search, until we have sought out, how rich gods goodness is and willbe to us his children. The which we can never do, but the more we go thereabouts and the more we taste his goodness, the more we shall love him and loath all things that displease him. This (I say) let us do, and not be to busy bodies in searching the majesty and glory of god, or in norrishing in any wise the doubting of our salvation, whereto we are ready enough, and the devil goeth about nothing else so much as that: for by it we are dull to do good to other, we are so careful for ourselves. By it we are more dull to do good to ourselves, because we stand in doubt whether it profiteth us or no. By it we dishonour god, either in making him as though he were not true, or else as though our salvation came not only and altogether from him, but hanged partly on ourselves. By it the devil will bring men at length to despair and hatred of god. Doubt once of thy salvation and continue therein, and surely he then will ask no more. It was the first thing wherewith be tempted Christ: if thou be the son of god &c: It is the first and 
Math. 4.  principalest dart he casteth at gods ele●t. But as he prevailed not against Christ, no more shall he do against any of his members, for they have the shield of faith which quencheth his 
Eph. 6.  fiery darts, they praise god night & day, how then should they perish? 
Luk. 18.  The Angels of the lord pitch their tents round about them, how then 
Psal. 34.  should Satan prevail? They are borne in y● hands of the angels lest they should hurt their feet at any stone: God hath given commandment 
Psal. 92.  to his Angels over them: The Angels are ministers unto them: 
Heb. 1.  Their names are written in y● book of life, & therefore Christ bade them rejoice: 
Luk. 10.  as paul doth the philippians, for nothing shall separate them from the love 
Ph. 4.  wherewith god loveth them in Christ jesus, who saith that it is impossible for 
Rom. 8.  them to err finally to damnation: 
Math. 24.  for he is their light to illumine their 
Psal. 18. john. 610.  darkness: They are given to him to keep, & he is faithful over all god's children. He saith he will keep them so that they shall never perish. After 
Hebr. 3.  they believe, they are entered already 
john. 5. 6.  into everlasting life. Christ hath set them there already: he hath committed 
john. 17.  them into his father's hands by prayer, which we know is sure, & therefore 
Heb. 5.  death, hell, devils nor all power, sins nor mischief, shall never pull 
Rom. 8.  us out of our heads hands whose membres we are, & therefore receiving of 
1. Cor. 6.  his spirit as we do, we cannot but bring forth the fruits thereof, though 
1. Cor. 1.  now & then the flesh fail us. But the lord, even our lord be praised which is more strong in us than he which is in y● world: he always putteth 
1. john.  under his hand that we lie not still nor 
Psal. 67. Ose. 6.  shall do as the reprobat, whose piety is as the mornig dew, soon come & soon gone: & therefore they cannot continued to y● end. Cannot? no they will not if they cold, because they hate god & his glori & therefore all them that seek it or set it forth: whereas the elect love all men & seek to do all men good in god, suspendig their judgements of others, that they may stand or fall to the lord and 
Rom. 14.  not to them.  
Hitherto out of this one place of Paul to the Ephesians, if the matter of election and predestination be so fully set forth, to god's glory and to the comfort of his Church: how may we suppose is this matter set fourth in the whole body and books of the canonical scripture? whereto I had rather send thee good reader, with this candle light which I have now given thee then in a matter so manifest to make more a do then needeth.   

another treatise of election and free-will by 1. bradford.  
THat there is and always hath been with God, even before the world was made, an election in christ, of all those that shallbe saved, many places in the scriptures do teach: as to the Eph. 1. rom. 8. 9 11. 1. Thes. 1. Math. 20. 22. 24. Mark. 13. Tit. 1. Act. 13. Philip. 11. Luke. 10 18. Apoe 3. 13. 17. 21. 22. Ihon. 6. 8. 10. 13. 17. And almost every where in the new testament. In no case therefore it may be denied of any that is godly, although be cannot attain to god's wisdom justice, and mercy in it, For that 
Erod. 33.  were to see gods fore parts. We must grant it therefore because the word of god doth not only teach it, but also it standeth with the very nature of god, that to him not only men, but all things also that have been or shallbe for ever, in all creatures are not only certain, but so certain, that they cannot but be accordingly, & serve his providence: for else god were not god, if any thing were, hath been, or could be without his knowledge, yea certain knowledge: which knowledge in god may not be separated of any man from his wisdom, & so not from his will, except we would make two gods, as did the Manichees, one the author of all good, and another the author of all evil, both which (say they) were eternal & without beginning. Which their opinion is devilish & against the word of god most manifestly, which affirmeth in many places that there is no more gods but one, or any other that have power to do good or evil absolutely, or of themselves. But lest some men which are to curious should hereout gather, that then all things come by fatal necessity, as the stoics thought, or by compulsion and coaction, as other think, and therefore say they, all god's precepts requiring that which we cannot do, are in vain: I think it good to speak some thing hereof.  
first the stoics opinion is to be condemned as concerning fatal 
Against the stoics fatal necessity.  necessity, for that it tieth and bindeth god to the second causes, and maketh him, which is a most free agente, bound and tied, so that he cannot work but as the second cause moveth him. For they did imagine a perpetual connexion and knyttinge together of causses by a perpetual order which is contained in nature, where as we should certainly know that it is God which is the ruler and arbyter of all things, which of his wisdom hath foreseen and determined all things that he will do, and now of his power doth in his time put the same in execution, according as he hath decreed with himself. Herein to tarry any longer I need not, for that I think there be none now which be of this opinion, to attribute things to fortune, a word unsemly for Christians.  
Secondly, that all things are done by coaction or compulsion, is false and out of god's providence and predestination cannot be gathered or maintained, for there must be a difference put between necessity and constraint. All things that have been done, be or shallbe, in consideration of god's providence, as it is with god, are of necessity, but yet not of compulsion or constraint: As for example you shall see that necessity is one thing and constraint is an other thing. God is good of necessity, but who now will say then that he is so by coaction or enforced thereto? The devil is nought of necessity, but not by coaction. Good men do well of necessity, but not by compulsion. Wicked men do evil of necessity, but not of constraint. A thing that is done willingly, is not to be said to be done by constraint. God is good willingly, but not by compulsion. The devil is nought willingly, but not of enforcing. Good men do good willingly, but not constrainedly. Wicked men do transgress willingly, but not compelled. So that it is plain, though all things be done of necessity, yet are they not of compulsion and enforcement. By reason whereof, a man that willbe diligent in looking hereon, may see matter enough to purge god from being the author of all evil or of any evil: although he be the author of all things and of all actions, which are to be construed according to the will of the doers: and so may we see one Action to be both good & evil in respect of gods will and Satan's will. For in asmuch as a thing is done according to gods will, the same is good, for his will is good. And in asmuch as a thing is done according to Satan's will, it is evil because his will is evil.  
But now to the third thing, that is, whether gods precepts requiring that which is not in our powers, be frustrate or no, although all things are done of necessity and by god's providence. To the understanding hereof ii things are to be considered. First that we must think of god, not as he is in himself, but as by his word he teacheth us. Secondly, the state of man before his fall is to be compared with the state of man presently, as he is now brought into this world. For the first, although it be most true that to god all things are so certain as before is spoken: yet in that god hath opened to us by his word so much of his will as we should with diligence search and observe, we may not think otherwise, but that whatsoever is done aghast that word, the same is sin & evil in him whosoever he be that doth there against: although the same transgression god doth & can use to serve his providence accordingly. Of which providence we may not otherwise judge, than his word giveth us leave, that is, we must do nothing to serve it, but as his word teacheth. If Adam had been ruled hereby, than he had not eaten the apple: for in that he obeyed not the word of god, which he knew, easily we may perceane, that he did not eat the apple to obey gods providence which he knew not. So that evident it is, Adam's fall to be sin and evil, and he himself with the serpent to be the author thereof, god not allowing or approving the evil. which is to be construed according to the will of the doer, which will in Adam was nought, although the action god turned to serve his providence, thereby setting forth his wonderful wisdom, power, & goodness: whereat we ought rather with reverence to wonder, then by wandering further than beseemeth us, to call into question, why god did so. Which why, no man is able to understand, & therefore we should bid our busy brain sit down, and not to covet again to be like to god as Adam did, and therefore he fell so foul as he did.  
For the second man's state, I mean before his fall, & his state now, thus let us think, namely that god made man after his Image, that is, endued man with a soul immortal, wise, righteous, & holy: for the Image of god is not concerning the body, which man hath comen with the beasts of the earth, but it is from abone and of gods breathing. So that Adam transgressing gods precept, did not according as he should and might have done, but according as he should not have done, and might have avoided, if that he had not received the persuasion and counsel of the Serpent. Which god permitted him to do, thereby to declare, that perfect justice, wisdom and holiness, is not nor cannot be in any creature, which is not god also, and therefore Christ being god was made man, that in man there might be this perfection and justice, which is in Christ our lord, and in Adam we could never have had. Which wisdom of god we shall joyfully one day behold, if we will now restrain our busy brain and curiosity, from searching further than we should do. But to return again, Adam (I say) being made after god's Image, which he received for us all, to have derived the same unto us all by natural propagation, by transgressing the commandments, lost and mangled so the same Image of god in himself and in us all, that for mortality came death, for wisdom came foolishness, for righteousness came unrighteousness, for holiness came corruption, concerning god's judgement and in god's sight: although there remained in him, concerning man's judgement and the sight of the world, life, wisdom, righteousness and holiness, that which all we by propagation do from our mother's womb receive: so that we may well see our state now to be far from the state, we had before Adam's fall, and therefore gods law requireth nothing of us but that which was in our nature before the fall, which we see is impossible for us to pay accordingly, and yet god not unjust, in that he asketh of us nothing thereby but the self same thing which he gave us in our creation. The law then and the precepts of god were given after the fall of man, not that man should thereby get life, and the thing which was lost by sin (for the blessed Seed was promised for the recoverig hereof, and to him that partained) but that man by it might know sin, and what he had lost, thereby to desire more deeply the promised seed, by whom as we be received, so our evils be not imputed; and that we being renewed by his holy spirit and new seed, should as new borne babes desire, and by will begin to do the law of god, which after our deliverance fourth of this corrupt body and man of sin by death, we shall without all let fully accomplish, & at the length receive the body, to be spiritual (as Paul saith) and holy, ready to obey and serve the spirit, as an helper rather than an hinderer. Oh happy day when wilt thou appear?  
By this which I have already spoken, I think the diligent reader may see, how that there is election of gods children, & how that gods providence stretcheth itself to all things, so that all things in respect there of come of necessity, but yet nothing thereby to be done by constraint and enforcement: wherthroughe god is seen to be the author of all things & yet of no evil or sin.  
The state of man before his fall & after, with the cause of god's law & precepts given to man, I have briefly touched. Now it resteth that I should speak some thing of free-will, what it is, and how far we may grant that man hath free will.  
That this may be understand: as I would have the end wherefore god gave his law to be considered, namely not for man to get thereby eternal life which appertained to y● promised sede, but to show man what sin is & what by sin he lost, that he might by his unability be driven to desire of very necessity, the promised Mesias, and so by him to receive the spirit, wherethrough being regenerate he might learn to love the law, to take it as a directory & rule to live by, and to hedge in his old man from controlinge: this gear (I say) as I would have it considered, if we will understand man's free-will, so would I have this marked, namely the difference betwixt the life which we lost & had in our first creation, and now have by birth before regeneration. In our first creation we had a life, not only which the creatures, but also with god, which life utterly Adam lost, as he declareth by the running away to hide himself from god. And this he lost for us also, aswell as for himself: in respect whereof the scripture calleth us dead. Concerning this life therefore that is with god, we have no will at all, much less any free-will. For how can a dead man have any will? The will therefore we have, is only for this life and with men, that is, it is not good and free but in respect of men: and in this life in respect of god and life with him, all our will is as we are, even dead: yea and the will we have for this present life, if a man will consider the god of this world, and how we are his slaves by birth and continually till we be regenerate, and how ready our affections are to serve his purpose, I think none will say otherwise but that man's will unregenerate is none otherwise free, then pleaseth his master, who must needs serve spite of his head, our god: and therefore all to be done by god's providence, as I said before, without any imputation of evil to our good and most holy father. Yea but (saith one) what free-will hath man that is regenerate? This will I briefly show when that I have spoken of justification, the which precedeth regeneration: from whom we may discern it, but not divide it, no more than heat from the fire.  
justification in scripture is taken for the forgiveness of our sins, & consisteth in the forgiveness of our sins. This is only gods work & we nothing else but patientes & not agentes. After this work, in respect of us and our sense, cometh regeneration, which altogether is god's work also. For as to our first birth we bring nothing (bring quoth I? yes we bring to let it, many things but to further it nothing at all) so do we bring nothing that can help to our justification: as S. Austen full well saith: he that made thee without thee, shall he not justify thee without thee? which the papists have perverted, reading it affirmatively, without interregation, as thought we brought some thing to our justifying: 
The papists read thus with out interogation. quifecit te ●ine etc., non justificabit etc. sine etc. He that made thee without thee shall not justify thee without thee. That is, without thy help, thy works, thy worthiness.  where as it (I mean justification) is a much more excellent work then the work of our creation, and therefore to arrogant are they, which will not give all to god in it, as they do in their creation. Good men sly from that pride, and are content to give no less to god justifying & regenerating them, than they do to their parents for their first generation. Afore we be justified and regenerated of god, we are altogether dead to god and to all goodness in his sight, & therefore we are altogether patients till god have wrought this his only work, justification & regeneration. Which work in respect of us and our imperfection and falls, in that it is not so full and perfect but it may be more & more, therefore by the spirit of santifycation, which we receive in regeneration as the seed of god, we are quickened to labour with the lord, and to be more justified, that is, by faith & the fruits of faith, to ourselves and others to declare the same, and so to increase from virtue to virtue, from glory to glory, having always need to have our feet washed, although we be clean not withstanding.  
Now to the question. A man regenerate (which we ought to believe o● ourselves, I mean that we are s● by our baptism, the sacrament there of requiring no less faith) a man I say regenerate, that is, borne of god, hath the spirit of god. And as a man borne of flesh & blood hath the spirit thereof, whereby as he can stir up himself to do more and more the deeds of the flesh: so the other can by the spirit of god in him, stir up in himself the gifts and graces of god, to glorify god accordingly. Howbeit hear let us mark, that as the old man is a perpetual enemy to the new borne man: so accordingly to his strength, the works of the new man are letted and made uneffectual. Therefore god hath taught us to pray, and promised his help, which he commonly in manner giveth by y● cross: whereby the old man is weakened and the new receiveth strength more and more, d●●●ring a dissolution and an utter destruction of the old man by death, that it might go to god from whence it came, and to his home even heaven, where in the last day it shall receive the old Adam, now so schooled, that it will never more be but a most faithful friend to serve and praise the lord for ever more.  
Thus have you now, what free-will the regenerate children of god have, for whose sakes the gospel and sweet free promises are given, and to the regenerate new man they properly do pertain: As doth the law, with all comminations, and the conditional promises (I mean promises hanging upon condition on our worthiness) pertain properly to the old and ungenerate man, so that when he kicketh, he must by them be bridled and kept down: when the inward man would be comforted, be must have, not the law nor her comminations and conditional promises, but the gospel and her most sweet free promises. So shall we walk neither on y● right nor on the left hand, but keep the right way to heaven ward, even Christ our lord and captain, as his soldiers, servants, and lively members, neither dispa●ring nor carnally living, but fearing and rejoicing as is appertaining● which God grant for his mercies sake, Amen.  
And thus my dearly beloved, I have sent to you briefly my mind here in according to your desire. Because I have had little time and many other lets, I shall heartily pray you to take this in good part, & with the more indifferency and attention to read it, for my desire was to writ fully and speedily, therefore it perchance hath the more obscurity and desireth a friendly reader, construing all to the best, and brotherly admonishing where cause may appear.   

A BRIEF SUM OF THE doctrine of election and predestination.  
GOds fore sight is not the cause of sin or excusable necessity, to him that sinneth. The damned therefore have not nor shall have any excuse because god foreseeing their condemnation through their own sin, did not draw them as he doth his elect, unto Christ. But as the elect have cause to thank god for ever for his great mercies in Christ: so the other have cause to lament their own wilfulness, sin and contemning of christ, which is the cause of their reprobation, & wherein we should look upon reprobation: as the only goodness of god in Christ is the cause of our election and salvation, wherein we should look upon god's election. He that will look upon god or any thing in god▪ simply and barely as it is in god, the same shallbe stark blind. Who can see gods goodness as it is in god? Who can see his justice as it is in him? If therefore thou wilt look upon his goodness, not only look upon his works, but also upon his word: even so if thou wilt look upon his justice do the like. Then shalt the see that election is not to be looked on but in christ, nor reprobation but in sin. When the second cause is sufficient, should not we think that they are to curious that will run to search the first cause, further than god doth give them leave by his word? The which first cause, because they cannot comprehend, therefore do they deny it. God be merciful unto us for his name's sake, & give us to love & live his truth, to seek peace & pursue it. Because god of his goodness, for the comfort of his children, and certainty of their salvation, doth open unto them some thing the first cause of their salvation, that is, his goodness before the beginning of the world, to be looked upon in Christ, a man may not therefore be so bold as to wade so 
mark this well and be not to curious.  in condemnation further than god revealeth it. And for as much as he hath not revealed it but in sin, therefore let us not look on it otherwise. Seek to be delivered from sin and fear not reprobation: but if thou wilt not, thou shalt find no excuse in the last day. Say not but thou art warned.  
To the former meditations and prayers, for your further comfort and godly exercise, you may join those most godly and comfortable meditations which are annexed to his book lately imprinted aghast the fear of death.   

Printed at London by Roland Hall, dwelling in gutter lane at the sign of the half Egle and Key. 1562.   

Faults escaped in the printing.  

In A. the 7 leaf second side. 19 line, for thou lovest, read thou lovedst.  
C. 3 leaf, second side. 13 line, for is read are.  
C. 6 leaf second side. 10 line, for thy read they. And in the 15 line, for malicousnes read maliciousness.  
D. 3 leaf, second side. 4. line, for daub read dress.  
D. 6 leaf second side. 25 line, for swing read swing.  
E. 2 leaf first side. 8 line, for afflection read affliction, and in the. 15. line, for was, read waist.  
E. 3 leaf second side. 12 line, for dispraier, read despair.  
F. 3 leaf, second side. 6 line, for helps, read helpless.  
F. 4 leaf second side. 14 line, for thy wilt, read the will.  
G. 6 leaf first side. 12. line for didst give, read hast given.  
G. 7 leaf first side. 9 line, for faithful, read fatherly.  
I. 7 leaf first side. 6 line, for profession read perfection.  
I. 8 leaf second side. 26 line, for me, read my.    

A PRAYER FOR THE faithful afflicted in France for the gospel.  
O Merciful father, who never dost sorsake such as put their trust in thee: stretch forth thy mighty arm to the defence of our brethren and neighbours in France, who in their extreme necessity cry for comfort unto thee: prevent the cruel devise of Aman, stay the rage of Holophernes, break of the counsel of Achitophel, Let not the wicked say, where is now their god? Let thy afflicted flock feel present aid & relief from thee (oh lord): look down up on them with thy pitiful eye from thy holy habitation: send terror and trembling among their enemies: make an end of their outrageous tyranny: beat back their boldness in suppressing thy truth, in destroying thy true servants, in defacing thy glory, and in setting up Antichrist. Let them not thus proudly advance themselves against thee and against thy Christ, but let them understand and feel that against thee they fight. Preserve & defend the vine which thy right hand hath planted, and let all nations see the glory of thine anointed, Amen.