To the intent good children that you may the better understand this petition, you shall call to your remembrance that lesson, which you learned a little before, that is to say, that Christ hath promised, that he will give us all things, ⟨image 210⟩which we ask in faith and true belief. Now true faith is grounded upon the promise of god, and it is not builded, but upon the foundation of his word. Wherefore if we will ask any thing in true belief, we must ask as the word of God teacheth us, and we must take sure hold of Gods promise, declared in the scripture. For it is not faith, to believe our own phantasies or dreams, of the which God hath nothing spoken or taught. As if a man would believe that by God's help he should not be drowned, although he leapt into the sea, this were no faith, but a temptation of god, a very heinous sin, coming doubtless of the devil, who on this wise tempted our master Christ, when he set him upon the pinnacle of the temple in the holy city,1 and said unto ⟨p. clxxxviii⟩him. If thou be the son of God, cast thy self down. But Christ refused so to do, & answered thus. It is written.2 Thou shalt not tempt thy Lord God. Now there is not in the whole scripture any one promise, that God will help me, if I do any such act, but if we do such things as God hath commanded us, he hath made us many promises, that he will aid and succour us, in all our necessities and troubles. By the which promises, he hath declared his fatherly love towards us, intending thereby to stir and provoke us, to run unto him in all our cares and needs. Wherefore it is our bounden duty, to call upon his name in all our necessities, to trust upon his promises, to put him as it were in remembrance of them, and earnestly ⟨image 211⟩to desire him to perform the same. But among all other promises, this promise is specially to be remembered where Christ promiseth thus. If ye will forgive men their trespasses, my heavenly father also will forgive you, your trespasses. But if you will not forgive men their trespasses, then will not my heavenly father forgive you. In the which promise, Christ doth not only offer unto us remission of our since, and such things as appertain to everlasting life, but also he promiseth us hereby peace and quietness in this transitory life, with concord and a loving heart toward our neighbour.
To the intent good childrē that you maye the better vnderstande this petition, you shal call to your remembraunce that lesson, whiche you lerned a lytle before, that is to saye, that Christ hath promysed, that he wyll gyue vs all thinges, ⟨image 210⟩whiche we aske in faithe and true belefe. Nowe true faith is grounded vpon the promyse of god, and it is not buylded, but vpon the foūdacion of his word. Wherfore yf we wyll aske any thing in true belefe, we must aske as the worde of God teacheth vs, and we muste take suer holde of Gods promise, declared in the scripture. For it is not faithe, to beleue oure owne phantasies or dreames, of the whiche God hath nothynge spoken or taught. As yf a man would beleue that by Goddes healpe he shoulde not be drouned, although he leapte into the sea, this were no faith, but a tēptaciō of god, a very heynous sinne, commyng dowtles of the deuel, who on this wise tēpted our master Christ, when he set him vpon the pinnacle of the temple in the holy cytie,1 and said vnto ⟨p. clxxxviii⟩him. If thou be the sonne of God, cast thy selfe downe. But Christe refused so to do, & answered thus. Yt is written.2 Thou shalte not tempte thy Lorde God. Nowe there is not in the whole scripture anye one promyse, that God wyll helpe me, yf I do any suche acte, but yf we do suche thynges as God hathe commaunded vs, he hathe made vs manye promyses, that he wyll ayde and succour vs, in al our necessities and troubles. By the whiche promyses, he hath declared his fatherly loue towardes vs, intendyng therby to stirre and prouoke vs, to runne vnto him in all oure cares and nedes. Wherefore it is our bounden dutye, to cal vpon his name in al our necessities, to trust vpon hys promyses, to put him as it were in remembraunce of them, and ernestly ⟨image 211⟩to desier hym to performe ye same. But amonge al other promyses, this promyse is speciallye to be remembred where Christ promyseth thus. Yf ye will forgyue men their trespaces, my heauenly father also wyll forgyue you, youre trespaces. But yf you wyl not forgyue men their trespaces, thē wyl not my heuēly father forgiue you. In the whiche promyse, Christe dothe not onely offer vnto vs remission of our synnes, and suche thynges as apperteyne to euerlastyng lyfe, but also he promiseth vs hereby peace and quietnes in this transitorye lyfe, with concord and a louyng harte towarde our neyghboure.
- 1Mat, iiii,
- 2Deut. vi.
