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commaundementes. For this is the holye and perfecte wyll of God, whiche God graunte vs to keape nowe and Amen.

euer.

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Gyue vs this daye our dayly breade.

Ye haue herd, how in the former petitions we desyer of God, to gyue vs all thinges that belong to the fulfyllynge of his holy commaundementes, that we maye leade a godly lyfe, aswell towardes God, as also towarde our neighbours. Wherby we be euidently taughte, that we be not able to fulfyll the lawe and commaundementes of God, without the grace of Christe and Goddes healpe. Nowe foloweth the other four peticions, in the whiche we praye God, that he wyll vouchesafe to gyue vs all those thinges, whiche be promised vnto vs in the gospell, and which our crede teacheth vs to loke for. And first in this fourth petition, we sue to God, to graunte vs all those thinges, which we be taught to beleue in the first parte of oure crede concernyng our creation. For when we saye. Gyue vs thys daye oure daylye breade, we praye to God, that as through his great mercye and goodnesse, he dydde create vs, so he wyl lykewise nouryshe and feade vs. Wherefore good children, yf you wyll vnderstande this peticion, you must call to your remembraunce, those lessons which wer taught you in the fyrst

John vi. a.

Mat. iv. b.

and xv. d.

Mark vi. d.

viii. a. b. c.

Luke ix. b.

article of oure belefe, intreatyng of the creation. For seynge that God hathe made heauen and earth, he is lorde and mayster of al creatures in heauen or erthe, and all be vnder his wil and pleasure. And forasmuche as he made them all for vs, he hath appointed them all to serue vs, and to healpe and releue our necessities. Wherefore let vs not be carefull for meate or drincke or other thinges necessary for oure lyuynge. But lette vs put oure confidence in God oure father, whiche hath made vs, and giuen vs our lifes, and we may be sure, that he wyll also sende vs all thinges necessarie for the preseruation and mayntenaunce of the same. For seyng that he made al creatures of nothing, it muste nedes be, that all creatures muste obey hys wyll and commaundemente. And in case ther were not in the world, creatures sufficient to nourish vs, yet we shoulde not mystrust hym, for he is able to make newe creatures, to gyue vs all thynges necessarie. And to the intent, that no man shoulde truste in hymselfe, thynkynge that by hys owne wisdome or laboure he is able to get all thynges necessarye to the maintenaunce of his lyfe, Christe hathe taught vs, to aske these thynges of oure heauenlye Father, whiche onely is able to preserue and feade vs. Of hym therefore oughte we hertely to aske the same, sayinge. Gyue vs this daye oure daylye breade. For this thinge tendeth to the glorie of God, and syngulerly pleasethe hym, whan we aske of hym all thynges necessarie for vs. And for this cause Luke xviii. God hath commaunded vs to praye contynually wythout

John xiii.

ceasynge.

And our sauyoure Christ hath promysed vs, that he wil gyue vs all thynges, whiche we shall aske in his name. And it is euident by the wordes of this petition, that we ought oftentymes to praye. For Christ hath not taught vs to aske our sustinaunce for fyfthy or thre score yeare, nor yet for one yeare, no nor for one moneth or weake, but he hath wylled vs to aske our dayly breade.

And he saieth. Be not careful for to morowe, for to morow bryngeth care enough of it selfe.

is

Now yf we shal not be careful for to morow, but onely require of God sustinance necessarye for the present daye, it is manyfest hereby, that it is Gods wyll, that we shoulde aske agayne of hym to morow. For we shal haue asmuch nede of meate and drynke to morowe, as we haue this present daye, and yet we praye not for to morowes fode but for this dayes sustinance only. Wherfore good children accustome youre selfes frome youre tendre age, to pray gladly and often, for that pleaseth God, and he veray redy, to giue you al thinges that you nede, so that we giue hym his due honoure, and aske of hym as our dutie is. But specyally they that be godly, muste vse to praye, whan they go to bedde, whan they ryse, whan they go to the churche, or syt doune at the table. For these times are chiefly appoynted to prayer; as scripture doth witnesse in many places. And forasmuch as we be not able to get our dayly breade, by oure owne wit, laboure and dylygence, except God giue it vs, let vs therfore before all thynges seke hys kyngdome and studye to please him, that he maye gyue vs al thinges necessarye for vs.

And although many men in this worlde, get their lyuyng and ryches by crafte and deceipte, yet let vs absteyne from such vnlawful meanes. For they do rather bryng pouertye to a man, then ryches. And althoughe brybers, extorcioners, vsurers, and craftye deceauers of their neighbours, do prosper for a whyle in this world, yet they seldome establyshe theyr thynges. For it is written, that scasely the thyrde heyre shal enioy goods yll gotten. And God doth only wynke at theim, suffryng them to floryshe for a tyme, that afterwarde he maye the more greuouslye punyshe, and sodenly destroy them. And when we desyer God to gyue vs oure dayly breade, thynke not (good children) that our heauenly

Father wyl gyue vs only a morsell of bread, and nothyng besyde, but vnder the name of breade be all thynges conteyned, whiche be necessarie to the maintenance of our lyfe, as meate, drynke, apparell, house, landes, cattell, and monye, accordyng to the saynge of saincte Paule. God gyueth all thynge to our vse richely and aboundantly. But Christe teacheth vs in thys petition, to aske only for our dayly breade, for this entent, that we shoulde be content with suche a meane, as oure dayly vse and necessitie doth require, and that we should not by ouer muche eatyng and drynkynge, wastfully spende those thynges, wherwith poore people myght be releued. For sayncte Paule doth commaunde vs to laboure and worke, that we maye eate our awne breade, and also gyue to them that haue nede. The which commaundement we shall easely kepe, yf we wyll be contente with a meane dyet, and kepe a measure in our apparell. But they that delyght in superfluitie of gorgyous apparel and deynty fare, and make pleasure the ende of their eatynge and drynkyng, and not necessitie, they be not wont to gyue muche to the poore, but commenly suche do deceaue the nedye, brybe and pyle from them, and oftentymes by plaine robberies and force do steale other mens goods, that they maye haue wherwith to mainteyne their charges and sumptuous expenses. As we see by daily experience, that couetous persons and the ryche men of this worlde, that be gyuen to ryot and superfluitye, vse to gyue lytle or nothyng at all to the poore. Furthermore in thys petition we do not only desyer our bodily fode and sustinance, but also all thyng necessarye to the same, wherby we maye vse and inioy suche as God hath sent vs, that is to saye, we praye for seasonable wether and holsomenes of the ayer, for helthe of bodye, for peace and quyetnes of the commen welthe, for trustye and faythful seruants, and suche lyke. For except God sende a faire and seasenable wether all the fruites and

corne growyng vpon the earth are lyke to peryshe, and so all our laboure in plowyng, sowyng and plantyng shall be bestowed in vayne. Also he that hath not his helth, he can haue no pleasure in his ryches, or greatly ioy in his meat or drinke, be it neuer so deinty. Furthermore in warre time, althoughe God sende vs great plentye of corne and wyne, yet all is destroyed of oure ennemyes, somuche that we maye scant truste our frendes from spoilyng of vs. For than all is full of robbynge, burninge, beatyng, kyllynge and wasting with fire and sworde. And yf we haue any thynge left vs in the tyme of warre, yet we can not quyetly haue the vse of it, for feare, care and trouble of the warres.

And yf it be a tyme of peace, yet yf thou haue an enemye within the walles of thyne awne house, that is to saye, yf thou haue an vnkynde or vnfaithful wyfe, vnthryftye children, vntrustye and neglygente seruauntes, then by them, thy lyuynge is wasted and consumed. For al these do defraude the of thy dayly breade, and by the occasion of thy great losse and hynderance. The pryncipal cause of all these aduersities is the Deuel. For he is so mortal an enemie to mankynde, that he is desyrous not only to destroy our souls with false doctryne and erroneous opinions, but also throughe tempestes, infection of the ayer, dyuerse kyndes of sykenesses by famyne, batteyl, by the malyce and falsehed of our owne householde and of our neyghbours, he wolde fayne consume our life, helth, house and goods, and clerely destroy them.

And this wicked spirite would ouerthrowe, in a momente of an houre whole realmes and commen welthes, yf God dyd not let hym. Wherfore we must ernestly praie to God that he wil staye this wicked spirite, and giue vs our daily bread, that he wil preserue vs from all sycknes, that hauynge helthe of our bodyes, we may vse and inioy our substance. And that also he wil sende

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