O Almighty and everlasting God,1 thy holy word teacheth us, that thou art not only a father, but also a Lord, not only a forgiver, but also a revenger, not only a saviour, but also a Judge. And as thou being a father, a forgiver a saviour dost pardon & show mercy, so thou being a Lord a revenger, a Judge punishest and condemnest. Neither doth thy holy scripture only set fourth unto us a gospel, which comforteth us, quickeneth us, showeth us merry tidings, forgiveth our sins ⟨p. lxxxiiii⟩quieteth our conscience, and brim geth unto us everlasting life, but also a law, which reproveth accuseth, condemneth us,2 woundeth and slayeth our conscience, yea and throweth us down headlong into the deep dungeon of hell. And as the Gospel lifteth us up, and maketh us merry with the hope of remission and forgiveness of our sins: so doth the law pluck us down and almost drive us unto desperation, for fear of the plagues and everlasting punishments, which thou haste prepared for them that despise thy holy ordinances, so that we may not only love thee as a father, a forgiver a saviour, but also fear thee as a Lord, a revenger a judge. Forasmuch therefore (O most gentle saviour and most righteous judge) as nothing doeth so mightily put away, sin, ⟨image 100⟩and maketh us to walk in the way of thy commandments,3 as reverently to fear the to stand in awe of thy judgement and heavy displeasure, we most entirely pray the to give us that fear, which thou requirest of us in thy holy scriptures,4 and whereunto thou haste promised so many large & bounteous benefits that we may not only love thee as a saviour, honour thee as a father, but also reverence thee as a Lord, fear thee as a judge. O Lord all things are open unto thy eyes, neither is any thing hid from the which seest the very secretes & most inward thoughts of our hearts, give us therefore grace that in all our enterprises,5 we ever set thy fear before our eyes, & so stand in awe of thee and of thy righteous judgements, that we attempt nothing whereby we should provoke thy heavy ⟨p. lxxxv⟩displeasure against us, but so walk in thy fear and in thy holy ordinances, that we may at all times love thee as a saviour, honour thee as a father, reverence y• as a Lord, fear thee as a judge. So shall it come to pass:
O Almighty and euerlastynge God,1 thi holi worde teacheth vs, that thou arte not onlie a father, but also a Lorde, not onlye a forgeuer, but also a reuenger, not onlye a sauioure, but also a Iudge. And as thou beeinge a father, a forgiuer a sauiour dost pardon & shew mercye, so thou beinge a Lord a reuenger, a Iudge punysheste and condempneste. Neyther dothe thy holye scripture onelye set fourth vnto vs a gospelle, whyche comforteth vs, quyckenethe vs, sheweth vs mery tidings, forgiueth our sinnes ⟨p. lxxxiiii⟩quyeteth our conscience, and brī geth vnto vs euerlastynge lyfe, but also a lawe, whych reproueth accuseth, condemneth vs,2 woundeth and sleath oure conscyence, yea and throweth vs down headlonge into the deepe dongeon of helle. And as the Gospell lyfteth vs vp, and maketh vs merie with the hope of remissiō and forgiuenes of our sīnes: so doth the law plucke vs down and almost driue vs vnto desperacyon, for feare of the plages and euerlastynge punishementes, whyche thou haste prepared for them that despise thi holy ordynances, so that we may not onelye loue the as a father, a forgeuer a sauioure, but also fere the as a Lord, a reuēger a iudge. Forasmuche therefore (O moost gentel sauyoure and moost righteous iudge) as nothynge doeth so myghtelye put awaye, synne, ⟨image 100⟩and maketh vs to walke in ye wai of thy cōmaundements,3 as reuerentelye to feare the to stande in awe of thy iudgement and heuye displeasure, we most entirly pray the to geue vs that feare, whyche thou requireste of vs in thy holye scriptures,4 and whereunto thou haste promysed so manye large & boūteous benefites that we may not only loue the as a sauiour, honor the as a father, but also reuerence the as a Lord, fear the as a iudge. O Lord all thynges are open vnto thy eyes, neyther is any thynge hid from the which seeste the verie secretes & most inward thoughtes of oure heartes, geue vs therfore grace that in all oure enterprises,5 we euer set thy feare before our eies, & so stand in awe of the and of thy righteous iudgements, that we attempt nothing wherby we shuld prouoke thi heauie ⟨p. lxxxv⟩
- 1Mala i.
- 2ii. Cor. iii.
- 3eccle. i.•ccle. i.
- 4[…]. xxxiiii.••ii.cxxviii〈…〉. xxxiiii.••ii.cxxviii
- 5Hebru. iiii. Jeri. xvii.Hebru. iiii. Ieri. xvii.
