III. Of Prayer and Thanksgiving

Master. Thou hast in good time made mention of prayer. For now thou hast ended the declaration of the law of God, and of the Creed, that is to say, the Christian confession, it followeth next to speak of prayer, and of thanksgiving, which is nearly conjoined to it: for these are in order knit, and fitly hanging together with the rest.

Scholar. They be indeed most nearly joined, for they belong to the first table of God's law, and do contain the principal duties of godliness toward God.

Master. In declaring of prayer what order shall we follow?

Scholar. This order, master, if it so please you: first, to shew who is to be prayed unto: secondly, with what affiance: thirdly, with what affection of heart: and, fourthly, what is to be prayed for.

Master. First, then, tell me who thou thinkest is to be called upon?

Scholar. Surely, none but God alone.

Master. Why so?

Scholar. Because our life and salvation standeth in the hand of God alone, in whose power are all things. Sith then God doth give us all that is good and that a Christian man ought to wish and desire; and sith he alone is able, in every danger, to give help and succour, and to drive away all perils, it is meet that of him we ask all things; and in all distresses flee to him alone, and crave his help. For this he himself in his word asketh and requireth, as the peculiar and proper worshipping of his majesty.

Master. Shall we not then do well to call upon holy men that are departed out of this life, or upon angels?

Scholar. No. For that were to give to them an infiniteness to be present everywhere, or to give them, being absent, an understanding of our secret meanings, that is, as much as a certain godhead, and therewithal partly to convey to them our confidence and trust, that ought to be set wholly in God alone, and so to slide into idolatry. But forasmuch as God calleth us to himself alone, and doth also, with adding an oath, promise that he will both hear and help us; to flee to the help of other were an evident token of distrust and infidelity. And as touching the holy men that are departed out of this life, what manner of thing, I pray you, were this, forsaking the living God, that heareth our prayers, that is most mighty, most ready to help us, that calleth us unto him, that in the word of truth promiseth and sweareth, that, with his divine power and succour, he will defend us; forsaking him, I say, to flee to men dead, deaf, and weak, which neither have promised help, nor are able to relieve us, to whom God never gave the office to help us, to whom we are by no scriptures directed, whereupon our faith may surely rest, but are unadvisedly carried away, trusting only upon the dreams, or rather dotages of our own head.

Master. But God doth to our salvation use the service of angels, that wait upon us, and therefore do hear us.

Scholar. That is true. But yet it appeareth nowhere in the word of God that God would have us pray to angels, or to godly men deceased. And sith faith resteth upon the word of God, and what is not of faith is sin, I said rightly that it is a sure token of infidelity to forsake God, to whom alone the scriptures do send us, and to pray to and crave help of angels, or godly men departed this life, for calling upon whom there is not one word in the holy scriptures.

Master. But seeing charity never falleth out of the hearts of the godly, even while they be in heaven they are careful for us, and do desire our salvation.

Scholar. That cannot be denied; yet it doth not follow that we must therefore call upon them, unless we think that we must call for the help and succour of our friends, be they never so far from us, only because they bear us good-will.

Master. But we oft crave help of men that be alive, and with whom we are presently conversant.

Scholar. I grant. For men, as they have mutually need one of another's help, so hath God granted them power, one mutually to help another; yea, and he hath expressly commanded every man to relieve his neighbour with such help as he can. We do therefore call upon men, as ministers of God's goodness, according to the will of God, looking for help and succour of them: but yet so that all our trust be settled in God alone, and that we reckon received from him, as the spring-head of all liberality, whatsoever is delivered us by the hands of men. Therefore this is well and orderly done, and no impediment to the calling upon of God alone, so that we confess that we do not from elsewhere look for any good thing, nor settle our whole succour in any other.

Master. Dost thou then say that we must use prayer and supplication, like as all other duties of godliness, according to the prescription of God's word, or else we cannot please God?

Scholar. Yea, verily; for all offence in religion is committed by changing the order and manner appointed by God.

Master. Hitherto then thou hast said that God alone is to be called upon, putting all our trust in him, and that to him all things, as to the spring-head of all good things, are to be imputed; now followeth next to declare with what confidence we wretched mortal men, that are so many ways unworthy, ought to call upon the immortal God.

Scholar. We are indeed every way most unworthy. But we thrust not ourselves in, proudly and arrogantly, as if we were worthy, but we come to him in the name, and upon trust of Christ our Mediator, by whom the door being opened to us, though we be most base silly wretches, made of clay and slime, oppressed with conscience of our own sins, we shall not be forbidden to enter, nor shall have hard access to the majesty of God, and to the obtaining of his favour.

Master. We need not then, for access to God, some man to be our mean or interpreter, to commend and declare our suit unto him, as it were unto some worldly prince.

Scholar. Nothing less; unless we will think that God is as men be, bound to one place; that he cannot understand many things but by his servants; that he sometime sleepeth, or hath not leisure to hear. For, as touching our unworthiness, we have already said, that our prayers stand in confidence, not upon anything in us, but upon the only worthiness of Christ, in whose name we pray.

Master. Dost thou then think that God the Father is to be called upon in the name, and upon trust of Christ alone?

Scholar. Yea, forsooth, master; for he alone, above all other, most singularly loveth us, so far that he will do all things for our sakes: he alone is with God his Father, at whose right hand he sitteth, in most high favour, that he may obtain what he will of him: he therefore alone is the Mediator of God and men, the man Jesus Christ; he alone, I say, is the Mediator of redemption, and also of invocation, in whose name alone the holy scriptures do expressly bid us to go unto God the Father, adding also promises that he by his intercession will bring to pass that we shall obtain all that we pray for: otherwise without Christ the ear and heart of God abhorreth men.

Master. But we do yet with mutual prayers one help another, so long as we abide in this world.

Scholar. That is true. But we do not therefore set other mediators in place of Christ; but with conjoined hearts and prayers, according to the rule of charity and the word of God, we do by one Mediator call upon our common Father.

Master. Thou sayest then, that to appoint other mediators to God, or patrons for our cause, but Christ alone, is both against the holy Scriptures, and therefore against faith, and also containeth great injury to Christ himself.

Scholar. Yea forsooth, master.

Master. Go on then.

Scholar. The sum is this, that we must come to call upon God the Father, resting upon affiance of the promises made to us by Christ, and trusting upon his intercession, leaving all respect of our own worthiness, and framing our prayers, as it were, out of the mouth of Christ; which doing, as it is most agreeable to the truth of the Scriptures, so is it most far from the fault of arrogancy and presumption.

Master. Thinkest thou that they which so pray to God as thou sayest, ought to have a good hope to obtain what they ask?

Scholar. The Lord himself doth also command us to ask with sure faith, making therewith a promise, and adding an oath, that it shall be given us whatsoever we ask with faith. And likewise his apostles do teach that right prayer proceedeth from faith. Therefore we must alway lay this most assured foundation of prayer; that, resting upon sure trust of his fatherly goodness, we must determine that God will hear our prayers and petitions, and that we shall obtain so far as it is expedient for us. Therefore they that come rashly and unconsiderately to prayer, and such as pray doubting and uncertain of their speeding, they do without fruit pour out vain and bootless words.

Master. I see with what confidence thou sayest we must call upon God. Now tell me with what affection of heart we must come unto him.

Scholar. Our hearts must be sore grieved with feeling of our need and poverty, and miseries that oppress us, so far forth that we must burn with great desire of deliverance from that grief, and of God's help which we pray for. Being thus disposed in heart, it cannot be but that we shall most attentively and with most fervent affection, with all manner of prayers and petitions, crave that we desire.

Master. I see then it is not enough to pray with tongue and voice alone.

Scholar. To pray, not applying thereto our mind and attentiveness, without which our prayers can never be effectual, is not only to take fruitless labour in vain (for how shall God hear us when we heed not nor hear not ourselves?), and not only to pour out vain and fruitless, but also hurtful words, with offending God's majesty; so far off is it that such prayers can appease the majesty of God that is displeased with our offence.

Master. How know we that it is thus?

Scholar. Sith God is a Spirit, and (as I may so call him) a most pure mind; he both in all other things, and specially in prayer, whereby men, as it were, talk and commune with God, requireth the soul and mind. And he also testifieth that he will be near to them only that call upon him truly; that is with their heart, and that their prayers please him. On the other side, God doth worthily abhor and detest their prayers that feignedly and unadvisedly utter with their tongue that which they conceive not with their heart and thought; and deal more negligently with immortal God, than they are wont to do with a mortal man. Therefore in prayer the mind is ever needful, but the tongue is not alway necessary.

Master. But there is some use of the tongue in prayer?

Scholar. Yea forsooth. For meet it is that the tongue do also diligently and earnestly employ all her strength and ability to set forth the honour of God, sith it is above all other parts of the body properly created by God to that use. Moreover, as from a mind earnestly bent with study and care, sometime words break out of us ere we be aware; so oftentimes the very sound of utterance, and the hearing of our own words, quickeneth and sharpeneth our mind, and helpeth the heedfulness thereof, and keepeth off and driveth away slackness wherewith the heart is continually tempted.

Master. Sith it is so, what thinkest thou of them that pray in a strange tongue, and such as they understand not?

Scholar. I think that they not only lose their labour, but therewith also mock God himself. For if loqui, to speak, be wittingly to bestow each word in his right place, they that utter words which they understand not, chatter rather than speak, so far be they from praying. For they play the parrots rather than men, much less Christian men. Therefore far be from godly men such hypocrisy and mockery; for if St Paul think it an absurdity for a man to speak to other that speech which they understand not, because words move no man but him that hath the same language, and affirmeth that both he that speaketh and he that heareth shall either of them be an alien to the other, how much greater absurdity is it that we ourselves be aliens to ourselves, while we use that speech that we know not, and go about to utter our meanings and prayers in that tongue wherein ourselves are deaf? Wise men in old time thought that such men, as most fond, were most worthy to be laughed at.

Master. I see how heedful a mind and fervent affection is required in prayer. But tell me, dost thou think this ferventness to be natural, and by kind planted in our hearts, or that it is a raising up of our minds by God?

Scholar. The holy scriptures do testify that the Spirit of God raiseth up unspeakable groanings, whereby our prayers are made effectual. He therefore, without doubt, with his inspiration stirreth up our minds, and whetteth and helpeth us to pray.

Master. How then, when this ferventness of mind, that cannot alway be present, is slacked, or wholly quenched, shall we, as it were drowsy with sloth and sleeping, idly look for the stirring and moving of the Spirit?

Scholar. Nothing less. But rather, when we be faint and slack in mind, we must by and by crave the help of God, that he will give us cheerfulness, and stir up our hearts to prayer. For this mind and will we conceive by the guiding of God.

Master. Now remaineth that I hear of thee what we ought to ask of God by prayer. Is it lawful to ask of God whatsoever cometh in our mind and mouth?

Scholar. When men that were strangers to true godliness had such an honest opinion of the majesty and mind of their gods, that they thought they ought not to ask of them anything unjust or dishonest, God forbid that we Christians should ever ask anything of God in prayer that may mislike the mind and will of God. For this were to do God's majesty most high injury and dishonour; so much less may such a prayer please him, or obtain anything of him. And sith both the wits of men are too dull to understand what is expedient for them, and the desires of their hearts are so blind and wild, that they not only need a guide whom they may follow, but also bridles to restrain them, it were too great an absurdity that we should in prayer be carried rashly and headlong by our own affections. By a certain rule therefore and prescribed form our prayers ought wholly to be directed.

Master. What rule and form?

Scholar. Even the same form of prayer verily which the heavenly Schoolmaster appointed to his disciples, and by them to us all; wherein he hath couched in very few points all those things that are lawful to be asked of God, and behoveful for us to obtain; which prayer is after the Author thereof called the Lord's Prayer. If therefore we will follow the heavenly teacher with his divine voice, saying before us, truly we shall never swerve from the right rule of praying.

Master. Rehearse me then the Lord's Prayer.

Scholar. When ye will pray (saith the Lord) say thus:— "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation: But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."

Master. Dost thou think that we are bound ever so to render these very words that it is not lawful in one word to vary from them?

Scholar. It is no doubt that we may use other words in praying, so that we swerve not from the meaning of this prayer. For in it the Lord hath set out certain special and principal points, to the which, unless all our prayers be referred, they cannot please God. Yet, let every man ask of God as the present time and his need shall require; and let him tarry upon which part of this prayer he will, and so long as he list, and dilate it in sundry sorts as he will; for there is no impediment to the contrary, so that he pray to God with such affiance and affection as I have before spoken of, and to the same meaning that is set out in this prayer.

Master. How many parts hath the Lord's Prayer?

Scholar. It containeth indeed six petitions, but in the whole sum there are but two parts; whereof the first belongeth only to the glory of God, and containeth the three former petitions; the second, which containeth the three latter petitions, belongeth properly to our commodity.

Master. Dost thou so sever and divide our profit from God's glory, that thou also makest equal partition between them?

Scholar. I do not sever things conjoined, but for plainness of the whole declaration I distinguish things to be severally discerned, for understanding whereunto each thing belongeth. Otherwise those things that do properly belong to the glory of God, do also bring most great profits to us; and likewise those things that serve our profit, are all referred to the glory of God. For this ought to be the end whereunto all things must be applied; this ought to be our mark, that God's glory be most amply enlarged. Yet in the meantime, I think that this division in parts shall not be inconvenient, and is made not without reason, but according to the property of the things themselves: because, while we ask those things that belong properly to the advancing of God's glory, we must for that time omit our own profits, when yet in the later petitions we may well intend our own commodities.

Master. Now let us somewhat diligently examine the weight of every word. Why dost thou call God, "Father"?

Scholar. There is great pith in the use of this one name "Father." For it containeth two things which we have before said to be specially necessary in praying.

Master. What be those?

Scholar. First, I speak not as to one absent or deaf, but I call upon and pray to God as to one that is present and heareth me, being surely persuaded that he heareth me when I pray, for else in vain should I crave his help. And this surely without all doubting I cannot so affirm of any angel or any man deceased. Secondly, we have before said, that sure trust of obtaining is the foundation of right praying. And dear is the name of Father, and of fatherly love, and most full of good hope and confidence. It was God's will therefore to be called by the sweetest name in earth, by that mean alluring us to himself, that we should without fear come to him, taking away all doubting of his fatherly heart and good will. For when we determine that he is our Father, then being encouraged with his Spirit, we go to him as children use to go to their father. God therefore in this place liked better to be called "Father," by name of dear affection and love, rather than "King" or "Lord," by terms of dignity and majesty; and so there-withal to leave to us, as to his children, a most rich inheritance of his fatherly name.

Master. Shall we then come to God with such sure trust of obtaining, as children use to come to their parents?

Scholar. That far more sure and stedfast is the trust of the good-will of God than of men, Christ the natural Son of God, best acquainted with his Father's mind, doth assure us, saying "If ye," saith he, "being evil, suffer not your children to crave in vain, but grant their requests, how much more shall your heavenly Father, who is self-goodness and liberality, be bountiful to you?" But Christ, as is aforesaid, bringeth us all this confidence. For God doth not adopt us, or acknowledge us to be his children, who by nature are the children of wrath, but by Christ.

Master. What else doth the name of Father teach us?

Scholar. That we come to prayer with that love, reverence, and obedience, which is due to the heavenly Father from his children, and that we have such mind as becometh the children of God.

Master. Why dost thou call God "our Father" in common, rather than severally thine own Father?

Scholar. Every godly man may, I grant, lawfully call God his own; but such ought to be the community and fellowship of Christian men together, and such dear love and goodwill ought every one to bear to all, that no one of them, neglecting the rest, care for himself alone, but have regard to the public profit of all. And therefore in all this prayer nothing is privately asked, but all the petitions are made in the common name of all. Moreover, when they that be of smallest wealth and basest state do call upon their common heavenly Father, as well as the wealthy and such as have attained degrees of highest dignity, we are taught not to disdain them to be our brethren that are accepted with God to the honour of his children. On the other side, the most despised, and they that in this world are vilest, may yet in the mean-time ease and relieve themselves with this comfort, that in heaven they have all one most mighty and most loving Father. Furthermore, we that trust in God do rightly profess him to be our Father. For the wicked and unbelieving, howsoever they dread God's power and justice, yet can they not have trust in his fatherly goodness toward them.

Master. Why dost thou say that God is in heaven?

Scholar. As heaven with round and endless circuit containeth all things, compasseth the earth, hemmeth in the seas, neither is there anything or place that is not environed and enclosed with the roominess of heaven; and it is on every side wide and open, and alway so present to all things, that all things universally are placed, as it were, in sight thereof: so we thereby understand that God, possessing the tower of heaven, therewith also holdeth the governance of all things, is eachwhere present, seeth, heareth, and ruleth all things.

Master. Go forward.

Scholar. God is also therefore said to be in heaven, because that same highest and heavenly region doth most royally shine, and is garnished with his divine and excellent works. Moreover by God reigning in heaven is declared that he is in eternal and highest felicity, while we as yet in earth, expulsed from our country, like children disherited from their father's goods, live miserably and wretchedly in banishment. It is as much therefore to say, that God is in heaven, as if I should call him heavenly and altogether divine; that is to say, incomprehensible, most high, most mighty, most blessed, most good, most great.

Master. What profit takest thou of these things?

Scholar. These things do pull out of our hearts base and corrupt opinions concerning God, and do instruct our minds to conceive a far other thinking of our heavenly Father, than we use to have of earthly parents; to use most great reverence towards his holy majesty, and in worshipping manner to look up to it, and have it in admiration, and certainly to believe that he doth hearken to and hear our prayers and desires; to put our whole trust in him, that is both governor and keeper of heaven and earth. And therewith also we are by these words admonished not to ask anything unmeet for God; but, as speaking to our heavenly Father, to have our hearts raised from earth, high and looking upward, despising earthly things, thinking upon things above and heavenly, and continually to aspire to that most blessed felicity of our Father, and to heaven as our inheritance by our Father.

Master. This then so happy a beginning and entry of prayer, being now opened unto us, go to rehearse me the first petition.

Scholar. First we pray that God's name be hallowed.

Master. What meaneth that?

Scholar. Nothing else but that his glory be everywhere magnified.

Master. Why do we ask this first?

Scholar. Because it is most meet that the children should principally desire and wish the glory of their father, the servants of their master, and the creatures of the Creator to be increased.

Master. Can God's glory be anything increased or decreased?

Scholar. The glory of God, forasmuch as it is continually most ample, cannot indeed in itself be made either greater by increase, or lesser by decrease. For it is not changed with any addition or diminishing, as our earthly things be. But our prayer is, that the name of God be made renowned and known to mortal men, and his praise and glory be celebrated here in earth, as it is meet to be. And as the infinite power, wisdom, righteousness, and goodness of God, and all his divine works, do truly set forth the glory and majesty of God, so we wish that they may appear noble and glorious to us, that the magnificence of the author of them, as it is in itself most large, so it may also in all sorts shine honourable and excellent among us, and be both privately and publicly praised and honoured.

Master. Go forward.

Scholar. Moreover, we pray that the holy name of God be not evil spoken of for our faults, and as it were dishonoured thereby; but rather that his glory be, by our godliness toward God, and goodness towards men, everywhere magnified. Finally, we wish that the names of all other that in heaven, earth, sea, or elsewhere, have attained the names and honours of gods, and be worshipped in temples in sundry forms and with sundry ceremonies; or to whom men, filled with error and false fond opinions, have dedicated their hearts, as it were churches; the names, I say, of all those imagined and feigned gods, once utterly destroyed, and drowned and defaced with eternal forgetfulness, the only divine name and majesty of God the heavenly Father be great and glorious, and that all men in all countries may acknowledge it, honourably and holily worship and reverence it, and with pure desires and hearts pray to it, call upon it, and crave help of it.

Master. Thou hast said well; I pray thee go forward.

Scholar. Secondly, we pray that "God's kingdom come;" that is, that he suffer not the divine truth of his word, which also Christ calleth the gospel of the kingdom, to lie hidden in darkness, but that he daily more and more bring it abroad, and with his succour maintain and defend it against the devices, craft, and policy of Satan and of wicked men, and against their feigned treasons, that labour to darken the truth, and to defame it, or spot it with lies; and against the violence and cruelty of tyrants, that travail by all means to extinguish and oppress the truth, and utterly to root it up; so as it may be made manifest and well known to all men that there is nothing able to resist the invincible strength of God's truth.

Master. Say on more of the kingdom of God.

Scholar. We pray him to bring very many out of darkness into the light, instructed in the doctrine of this holy word, and led by truth; and that, winning them to his number and holy company, that is to say, his church, in the which he reigneth specially, he will continually govern them with his Spirit, and strengthen them with his aid as his soldiers; alway earnestly fighting with their enemies, the band of sin and the army of Satan; that having strength and stedfastness by his divine power, restraining corrupt and crooked affections, subduing and taming lusts, conquering, vanquishing, putting to flight, and chasing away all vices, they may increase and enlarge the heavenly common-weal and kingdom; God in the meantime reigning and ruling imperially in their hearts by his Spirit.

Master. This we see daily done.

Scholar. These things are indeed daily done, so as we sufficiently perceive that God hath an eye both to the godly and to the wicked, and so as the kingdom of God may seem to be fair begun in this world; yet we pray that with continual increasing it may grow so far, that all the reprobate that, by the motion of Satan, stubbornly and obstinately resist and strive against God's truth, and defiling themselves with all vices and heinous sins, refuse to submit themselves to the kingdom and dominion of God, being once subdued and destroyed, and the tyranny of Satan himself utterly rooted out, and all the enemies slain, oppressed, and trodden down, so as nothing may once breathe against the beck and power of God, he alone may everywhere gloriously reign, imperially rule, and triumph. And as, while God reigneth by his Spirit in us, men have a certain community with God in this world, so we pray and wish that he will also by Christ communicate with us in heaven the joy of the most blessed kingdom, and the glory that in everlasting ages of worlds shall never be changed; that we may be not only children, but also heirs of our heavenly Father; which desire also we verily nothing mistrust or doubt that our heavenly Father will one day grant us to enjoy.

Master. What followeth next?

Scholar. That "God's will be done." For it is the duty of children to frame their life according to the will of their fathers; and not, contrariwise, the parents to conform themselves to the will of their children.

Master. Dost thou then think that men are able to do anything against the will of God?

Scholar. Surely it is evident and plainly known among all, that many sins and foul deeds are daily done and committed by mortal men, to the grievous offending of his will, yet so as God cannot by any force or necessity be compelled, but that he can most easily bring to effect whatsoever he hath purposed to do. We do therefore pray, not only that that may come to pass which he hath decreed, which must needs come to pass, because the will of God doth ever carry with it a necessity of performing; but forasmuch as our minds, burning with lusts, are commonly carried to desire and to do those things that most displease God, we pray that he will, with the moving of his Holy Spirit, so change and fashion all the wills of us all to the meaning and will of his majesty, that we may will or wish nothing, much less do anything that his divine will misliketh; and that whatsoever we perceive to betide by his will, we may receive and suffer it, not only with contented, but also with gladsome hearts.

Master. Whereto dost thou add, that God's will be done "in earth as it is in heaven?"

Scholar. Forsooth, that we be in all things serviceable and obedient to God's majesty, after the example of those heavenly spirits whom we call angels; and as in heaven there is no rebellion, so in earth also there be none anywhere found that will or dare resist and strive against the holy will of God. Yea, and when we behold the sun and moon, and other stars which we see in the heaven, to be carried with continual motion and perpetual stirring, and with their beams to lighten the earth by the will of God, we behold an example of obedience set forth for us to follow. Moreover, whereas God hath in the holy scriptures expressly declared his will, which he hath plainly notified by giving them the name of his testament or last will, they that vary from the meaning of the scriptures surely do manifestly depart from the will of God.

Master. Now I think thou hast sufficiently spoken of the first part of the Lord's Prayer, which part containeth these three points that belong only to the glory of God. Now it is good time for us to go forward to the second part, which properly concerneth things profitable for us, and meet for our commodities.

Scholar. The first point of the second part is, "Give us this day our daily bread."

Master. What dost thou mean by the name of daily bread?

Scholar. Not only those things that minister us food and apparel, but also all other things universally that are needful to the maintaining and preserving of our life, and leading it in quietness without fear.

Master. Is there anything else whereof this word "bread" doth admonish us?

Scholar. That we seek not and gather together curiously dainty things for banqueting, or precious apparel, or sumptuous household stuff, for pleasure; but that we, despising delicacies and excess, and contented with little, be satisfied with temperate and healthful diet, and with mean and necessary apparel.

Master. How dost thou call bread thine, which thou prayest to have given thee of God?

Scholar. By God's gift it becometh ours, when he liberally giveth it us for our daily uses, though by right it be not due to us.

Master. Is there any other cause why thou callest it thy bread?

Scholar. By this word we are put in mind that we must get our living with our labour, or by other lawful mean, that, being therewith contented, we do never by covetise or fraud seek anything of other men's.

Master. Seeing God biddeth us get our living by our own labour, why dost thou ask bread of him?

Scholar. It is God alone that giveth fruitfulness to the ground, that maketh the land plentiful, and to bear fruit abundantly; and therefore it is certain that in vain shall we waste and spend out all the course of our life in toil of body and travail of mind, unless it please God to prosper our endeavours. It is meet therefore that we daily crave in prayer things necessary for our food and life at the hands of Almighty God, which, according to the divine saying of David, as he created all things, so doth also feed and preserve them, and that with thankful hearts we receive the same, as it were given and reached to us by God, and delivered by his own hand into our hands.

Master. Thinkest thou that rich men also, which have flowing plenty and store of all things, must daily crave bread of God?

Scholar. In vain shall we heap together and lay up plenty, yea, such as may for many years suffice either our vain-glory, or our daily expences, or necessary use, unless God of his grace do make the use of them healthful to us for our life. Yea, in vain shall we cram meat into our stomach, unless God's power, by which we are rather fed and sustained, than by nourishments of meat, do give both to the meat power to nourish, and to the stomach ability to digest it. For which cause, even after supper, we pray to have the daily meat which we have already received, to be given us of God, that is to say, to be made lifeful and healthful to us.

Master. Why be added these words, "daily," and "this day?"

Scholar. To pull out of our hearts the stings of cares for tomorrow, that we be not day and night tormented with them in vain, and that the unsatiable covetise, and, as it were, raging hunger of excessive wealth, being driven from our minds, we diligently doing our duty, should daily crave of our most liberal Father that which he is ready daily to give.

Master. Go forward to the rest.

Scholar. Now followeth the fifth petition, wherein we pray our Father "to forgive us our trespasses."

Master. What fruit shall we get by this forgiveness?

Scholar. Most large fruit. For where God hath mercy on humble suitors, we shall be in like place and all one favour with him as if we were innocent, holy, and upright in all parts of our life.

Master. Is this asking of forgiveness necessary for all men?

Scholar. Yea; forasmuch as there liveth no mortal man that doth not oft slip in doing his duty, and that doth not oft and grievously offend God; yea, and as the scripture beareth witness against us, he that offendeth in any one point is holden manifestly guilty of all, and that he who laboureth to purge himself of one sin to God, shall be convicted of a thousand heinous offences; that we may therefore obtain forgiveness of sins, one only hope remaineth, one only refuge for all men, the goodness and mercy of God through Christ. As for them that do not confess that they have sinned, nor do crave pardon of their defaults, but with that Pharisee do glory in their innocency and righteousness before God, or rather against God, they exclude themselves from the fellowship of the faithful, to whom this form of prayer is appointed for them to follow, and from the haven and refuge of safety. For this is it that Christ saith, "That he came into this world, not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

Master. Dost thou affirm that God doth freely forgive our sins?

Scholar. Yea, altogether; for else it could not seem forgiveness, but amends; but to make sufficient amends for one, yea, the very least fault, we are not by any power of ours in any wise able. We cannot therefore with our works, as it were with a certain price, redeem both the offence past and the peace of God, and make recompense of like for like, but ought with all lowly prayers to crave of God pardon both of our fault and punishment, which pardon is not possible to be obtained but by only Christ, and most humbly to beseech him to forgive us.

Master. But this, and the condition which is by and by after limited unto us, seem scant to agree fitly together. For we pray that God so forgive us as we forgive our debtors, or them "that trespass against us."

Scholar. Surely God doth offer us forgiveness upon a most reasonable condition, which yet is not so to be taken as if in forgiving men we should so deserve pardon of God, that the same should be as a certain recompense made to God. For then should not God's forgiveness be freely given, neither had Christ alone, as the scriptures teach us, and as we have before declared, upon the cross fully paid the pains of our sin due to us. But unless other do find us ready to forgive them, and unless we in following the mercifulness and lenity of God our Father, do shew ourselves to be his children, he plainly warneth us to look for nothing else at his hand but extreme severity of punishment. He hath, therefore, appointed our easiness to forgive, not as a cause to deserve pardon of God, but to be a pledge to confirm our hearts with sure confidence of God's mercy.

Master. Is there then no place of forgiveness with God left for them that shew themselves to other not intreatable to forgive and to lay away displeasures, and such as will not be appeased?

Scholar. No place at all. Which both is confirmed and manifest by many other places of the holy scripture, and namely, by that parable in the gospel, of the servant, which, owing his lord ten thousand talents, refused at the same time to forgive his fellow-servant one hundred pence that he had lent him, he notably warneth us. For according to the same rule of rigour, and the same example, shall justice without mercy be done upon him that cannot find in his heart to shew lenity and mercy to other.

Master. Thinkest thou that suits in law about right and wrong are here condemned?

Scholar. A wreakful mind and revengeful of injuries the word of God doth surely condemn. Let contenders at law, therefore, look well to it with what mind they sue any man. But the laws and ordinances of common right, and their lawful use, that is to say, such use as is directed by the rule of justice and charity, are not taken away or condemned by the gospel of Christ. But in this part of the Lord's Prayer our minds are bound to follow the rule of Christian lenity and love, that we suffer not ourselves to be overcome of evil, that is to say, to be drawn so far by other men's offence, as to have will to render evil for evil, but rather that we overcome evil with good; that is, recompense evil deeds with good deeds, and bear and keep good will toward our foes, yea, and our cruel and deadly enemies.

Master. Now go forward to the sixth petition.

Scholar. Therein we pray that he "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." For as we before do ask forgiveness of sins past, so now we pray that we sin no more. A thousand fears are set afore us; a thousand perils threatened us; a thousand snares provided and laid for us. And we on our part are so feeble by nature, so unware to foresee them, so weak to resist them, that with most small force and occasions we are shoved down, and carried headlong into deceit.

Master. Go forward.

Scholar. Sith, therefore, we be most sharply and continually assaulted both by crafty and violent men, and by concupiscence and our own lusts, by the enticements of the flesh, this world and all means of corruption, but specially by that subtle, guileful, and old wily serpent, the devil, which like a ravening lion, seeking whom he may devour, together with infinite other malicious spirits, armed with a thousand crafty means to hurt us, is ever ready to destroy us, and thereby, as our weakness is, we must needs by and by fall down and be utterly undone, we flee to the faithful protection of our almighty most loving Father; and pray to him in these distresses and perils not to forsake us and leave us destitute, but so to arm us with his strength, that we may be able not only to resist and fight against the lusts of our flesh, the enticements of this world, and the force and violent assault of Satan, but also to overcome and get the overhand of them; and that therefore he will withdraw our hearts from vices and offences, that we fall not into them, nor at any time fail in our duty, but may ever lie safe and without fear in the protection and defence of our most good and also most mighty Father.

Master. Then thou meanest by the name of tentation the craft and violence of the devil, the snares and deceits of this world, and the corruptions and enticements of our flesh, by which our souls are moved to sin, and holden fast entangled.

Scholar. Yea, forsooth, master.

Master. Since, then, to catch and entangle men, as it were, in snares of tentation, is the propriety of Satan, why dost thou pray that God lead thee not into tentation?

Scholar. God, as he defendeth and preserveth them that be his, that they be not snared with the guiles of Satan, and so fall into vices and foul sins; so from the wicked he holdeth back and withdraweth his help and succour, whereof they being destitute, blinded with lust and running headlong, are catched in all sorts of deceitful traps, and carried unto all kind of wickedness; and at length with custom of ill-doings, as it were gathering a thick tough skin, their hearts wax hard; and so they becoming bondmen, and yielding themselves to slavery to the tyrant Satan, they run in ruin to their undoing and everlasting destruction.

Master. There remaineth yet a certain appendant of the Lord's Prayer.

Scholar. "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."

Master. Why would Christ have this conclusion added?

Scholar. First, to make us understand that our sure confidence of obtaining all those things that we have before prayed for standeth in his goodness and power, and not in any deservings of our own or of others. For by these words is declared, that there is nothing that He which ruleth and governeth the world, in whose dominion and power are all things which most nobly shining in most ample and immortal glory, infinitely excelleth above all other, either cannot or will not give us, when we pray for it, so that it be asked rightly and with assured faith; that now there be no more doubting left in our hearts; which is also declared and confirmed by this word, "Amen," added to the end of the prayer. Moreover, forasmuch as God alone is able at his own will to give whatsoever he hath appointed, it most plainly appeareth, that of him alone all these things ought to be asked, and may be obtained; and that there is no peril or evil of ours so great, which he is not able most easily by his exceeding power, wisdom, and goodness, to overcome and drive from us, and also to turn it to our safety.

Master. Why is there in the latter end mention made of the glory of God?

Scholar. To teach us to conclude all our prayers with praises of God: for that is the end whereunto all things ought to be referred, that issue ought always to be set before the eyes of us Christians, for all our doings and our thoughts to reach unto, that God's honour be most largely amplified and gloriously set out to sight; howsoever yet among men, in whose hearts Christian religion is not settled, there is scarce any one found, that for his enterprises attempted and perils adventured desireth not glory as a reward of his deeds and virtues, which yet as not true and sound glory, but vain shew and boasting, the Lord vehemently and earnestly commandeth them that be his to eschew.

Master. Then after entreating of prayer, shall we fitly and in good time add somewhat of the praises of God and thanksgiving?

Scholar. Surely most fitly. For not only in the last end of the Lord's Prayer God's glory is mentioned, but also the very first entry of it beginneth with the glory and praises of God. For when we pray that God's name be hallowed, what pray we else than that of all his works his glory be stablished, that is, that he be judged in forgiving sinners, merciful; in punishing the wicked, righteous; in performing his promises, true; in heaping daily benefits upon the unworthy, most good and liberal; that whatsoever of his works we see or understand, we be thereby stirred to advance his glory with praises. So was it God's will to have his glory most nearly joined with prayer to him. For meet it is that as, when we are touched and troubled with distresses, we flee as humble petitioners to God's help and mercy, so we unfeignedly acknowledge that by him we obtain deliverance from all evils and griefs, and that he is to us the only author of all good things. For of whom we crave pardon and all good things, to him, when he giveth them, not in heart and speech to render thanks were surely most great unkindness. We ought therefore continually with mindful heart and due honours to yield deserved thanks to the ever-living God.

Master. Go forward.

Scholar. Moreover, to praise and magnify God's goodness, justice, wisdom, and power, and to give him thanks in our own name and in the name of all mankind, is parcel of the worshipping of God, belonging as properly to his majesty as prayer; wherewith if we do not rightly worship him, surely we shall not only be unworthy of his so many and so great benefits as unthankful persons, but also shall be most worthy of eternal punishments, as wicked against God.

Master. Sith we also receive benefits of men, shall it not also be lawful to give them thanks?

Scholar. Whatsoever benefits men do to us, we ought to account them received of God, because he alone indeed doth give us them by the ministry of men. For which cause also, though men ought not be beneficial and liberal of intent to get thanks, but to set forth the glory of God, yet to give thanks to them, that, moved by kindness, grant us anything beneficially and friendly, why should it not be lawful, sith both equity requireth it, and by law of natural kindness we are bound unto it? Yea, and God himself by this mean binding us unto them, willeth us to acknowledge the same.

Master. Dost thou then allow a thankful mind to men also?

Scholar. Yea. Sith our thankfulness to men redoundeth to God himself, because from the spring-head of his divine liberality, as it were by certain guiding of water-courses, God conveyeth his benefits to us by the hands of men; therefore if we shew not ourselves thankful to men, we shall be also unthankful to God himself. Only this let us look well to, that his full glory return and redound to God alone, as to the author and fountain of all good things.

Master. Is there any rule and prescribed form for us certainly to follow, when we glorify and honour God, or give him thanks?

Scholar. Innumerable praises of God are commonly to be seen set out in his word, from the rule whereof if we vary not, we shall alway have a good pattern to follow, in giving to God his glory and honour, and in yielding him thanks. Finally, in a sum, seeing the holy scriptures do teach that God is not only our Lord, but also our Father and Saviour, and we likewise are his children and servants, it is most meet that we employ all our life to the setting out of his glory, render to him his due honour, worship, pray to and reverence him, and with heart and mouth continually thank him; sith we are to this end created by him, and placed in this world, that his immortal glory should be in most great honour among men, and rise to most high magnificence.