And he that taketh not God to be his father, yet he may learn that it is so by this prayer. For Christ our Lord knew most certainly the will of his heavenly father, that is to say, that he would be our most sweet and loving father (for else he would not have taught us this title, our father) and therefore must we again ⟨p. clii⟩upon our parties have such a love and obedience to him, as becometh the children unto their father, & conceive a most assured trust in God (who is all our fathers) that we shall lack nothing necessary for us, and that nothing shall be able to hurt, as long as we have so mighty and so loving a father. We see by daily experience, how entirely the fathers loveth their children, what care they take to bring them up in virtue and learning and to get them good masters and governors, how they labour to provide for their living, and all things necessary for them. And if perchance their children con mitteth any fault, for the which they deserve correction yet we see how the fathers love remaineth, what pity and compassion he hath of them, how loth he is to beat ⟨image 175⟩them, and would rather forgive them, if it were not for their benefit and amendment. And when the child falleth on his knees, and asketh forgiveness, promising amendment, we see how ready and willing the father is to forgive. Now seeing our earthly fathers, be so loving to their children, much more God our heavenly father will be our most kind and loving father, will nourish keep and defend us, teach & instruct us, the way to everlasting salvation. And if we fall into any error or sin, yet for Christs sake he is willing to forgive us, and although he punisheth us here for a time, yet he doeth it of fatherly love that he beareth towards us not to punish us for ever, but to amend us and to make us to know our faults, ⟨p. cliii⟩and to bring us again into the right way. And like a most loving father he correcteth us for a small time in this world, lest he should punish us for ever in the world to come. Of this therefore so loving and so mighty a father we may well rejoice, and have an exceeding great comfort, far passing any heart to think, or tongue to tell. And him again we ought most entirely to love and obey, seeing that he is our father, and hath laden us with so many gifts and benefits.
And he yt taketh not God to be his father, yet he maye lerne that it is so by this prayer. For Christ our Lorde knewe most certenly the wil of his heuenly father, that is to say, that he would be oure moste swete and louynge father (for els he woulde not haue taught vs this title, our father) and therfore must we again ⟨p. clii⟩vpō our parties haue suche a loue and obedience to hym, as becommeth the childrē vnto their father, & conceyue a most assured trust in God (who is all our fathers) that we shall lacke nothyng necessarye for vs, and that nothyng shalbe able to hurt, as long as we haue so mighty and so louyng a father. We see by dayly experience, howe intierlye the fathers loueth their children, what care they take to bryng theim vp in vertue and lernyng and to get theim good maysters and gouernours, howe they labore to prouide for their liuing, and al thīges necessary for theim. And if perchance theyr childrē cō mitteth any faulte, for the whiche they deserue correction yet we se how the fathers loue remayneth, what pitie and compassiō he hath of them, howe lothe he is to beate ⟨image 175⟩theim, and wolde rather forgyue theim, yf it wer not for their benefite and amendment. And whē the childe falleth on his knees, and asketh forgyuenes, promysynge amendement, we see how redy and willynge the father is to forgiue. Now seyng our earthly fathers, be so louynge to their children, muche more God our heauenlye father wil be our most kynde and louyng father, wil nourysh kepe and defende vs, teache & instructe vs, the way to euerlastyng saluation. And yf we fall into anye errore or synne, yet for Christes sake he is wyllynge to forgyue vs, and althoughe he punysheth vs here for a tyme, yet he doethe it of fatherlye loue that he beareth towardes vs not to punyshe vs for euer, but to amend vs and to make vs to know our faultes, ⟨p. cliii⟩and to bryng vs agayne into the right waye. And lyke a most louyng father he correcteth vs for a smal tyme in this worlde, lest he shoulde punyshe vs for euer in ye worlde to come. Of this therefore so louyng and so mightie a father we may wel reioyce, and haue an excedynge great comforte, farre passyng any harte to thynke, or tongue to tel. And hym agayn we ought moste entierlye to loue and obey, seyng that he is our father, and hath loden vs with so many gyftes and benefites.
