Here after ensueth a proper treatise of good worksHere after ensueth a propre treatyse of good workes

When we be let with bodily trouble / than we know perfectly this manner of prayer. For when we be taken with sickness / we call upon saint Christopher in this place / & saint Barbara in that place. Here we vow to saint James, there to another saint. Than pray we with heart and mind / than is our trust good / and all the conditions of prayer requisite ben present. But when we come in to the church to mass, we stand like images / and can remember nothing / neither show or complain ⟨image 83⟩any thing / there our bead stones maketh a noise, and our leaves sound / & our mouth mumbleth, & nothing else do we. And if thou wilt ask, what thing thou shouldest put forth or complain of / if thou be not learned, open thy eyes, and look upon thy life / and the lives of other christen men / & specially of the state of the spirituality / & thou shalt than find, how that faith, hope, charity, obedience, chastity, & to be short / all other virtues be banished / and all manner of vices now reign. Thou shalt see how great a lack is of good preachers / how that there be none that rule, but vain persons, women, boys, and fools. Than thou shalt find, that it is necessary for all the world to pray every hour with bloody tears / ⟨image 84⟩that this exceeding indignation of god, cease / for this is true / that it was never more need of prayer than now, and shall be hereafter to the worlds end. Wherefore if thou be not moved to pity and complaint, by so many troubles & miseries / see that thy own condition, state, degree, thy own good work or prayer, corrupt or deceive thee not / yea to be plain thou hast no point of a christian in thee. Howe good soever thou thinkest thy self. But it was prophesied long before that all these things should happen, & that god being most anger / and the christen people suffering many troubles / there should be no intercessors or prayers for them to god / as Isaiah sayeth weeping, the .64. there is none that will call upon thy name, ⟨image 84⟩or that might rise and hold thee. Also Ezekiel the .2.2. chapy. I have sought for a man amongst them, the which may set a hedge, and stand against me for the earth / ¹that I should not destroy it / but I found none / and I have poured my indignation upon them.