A Golden Chain

Euseb. Prayer and thanksgiving to God. For God hath promised very bountifully unto them which pray in trueth, and it is one of the greatest comforts I have at all times. Again, God which commanded me not to steal, commandeth me also to pray, and his will is, that one commandment should be as well kept as another: and therefore I am persuaded that condemnation will befall a man as well for the one as for the other. And that prayer ought to be continually even in every business a man doth, me thinketh it most agreeable to Gods will. For if I should come into my neighbours house and take his goods, and use them, not borrowing them, or asking any leave, they would lay hands on me, and make me a thief. The world, and all the things in the world are the Lords, not mine: so then if I shall daily use them, never seeking to the Lord by prayer for the use of them, before God I am an usurper, nay a rank thief, & therefore I desire of God heartily that I may use all his good creatures with fear and reverence; and that I may sanctify his name in them, which Paul showeth me to be done by the word of God and prayer, the word showing me the lawful use of his creatures: prayer obtaining at Gods hands, that I may use them aright. If this practise were used of men in their professions & callings, I am persuaded there would be a thousand vices cut off which in men abound, and are committed without shame.

Euseb. Praier and thanksgiuing to God. For God hath promised very boū tifully vnto them which praie in trueth, and it is one of the greatest comforts I haue at all times. Againe, God which commanded me not to steale, commandeth me also to praie, and his will is, that one commandement should bee as well kept as another: and therefore I am perswaded that condemnation will befall a man as well for the one as for the other. And that prayer ought to bee continually euen in euery busines a man doth, me thinketh it most agreeable to Gods will. For if I should come into my neighbours house and take his goods, and vse them, not borrowing them, or asking any leaue, they would lay handes on me, and make me a theefe. The worlde, and all the things in the world are the Lords, not mine: so then if I shall daily vse them, neuer seeking to the Lord by praier for the vse of them, before God I am an vsurper, nay a ranke theefe, & therefore I desire of God hartely that I may vse all his good creatures with feare and reuerence; and that I may sanctifie his name in them, which Paul sheweth me to be done by the word of God and praier, the word shewing me the lawefull vse of his creatures: praier obtaining at Gods hands, that I may vse them aright. If this practise were vsed of men in their professions & callings, I am perswaded there would be a thousād vices cut off which in men abound, and are committed without shame.