Catechismus, that is to say, a short instruction into Christian religion for the singular…Catechismus, that is to say, a shorte instruction into Christian religion for the synguler…

For your heavenly father, knoweth what you lack before you ⟨image 227⟩ask of him. Now forasmuch as the evils of this miserable life, be so many, that we can neither number them, know them, nor rightly judge of them, (as I have heretofore declared) therefore our master christ (which forbiddeth us to use many words in our prayers) hath as it were knit up together in one fardel all the plagues & adversities that can happen unto us in this world, and hath taught us to say this short prayer. Good Lord deliver us from evil. As though he should say thus. Be not discouraged from praying, although you perfectly know not all the kinds of evils, from the which you desire to be delivered, but only say these few words, deliver us from evil, and by and by your heavenly father knoweth, from what thing he ought to deliver ⟨p. ccv⟩you, and will gladly do it.

For your heauenly father, knoweth what you lacke before you ⟨image 227⟩aske of hym. Now forasmuche as the euelles of this myserable lyfe, be so many, that we can neyther noumbre them, knowe theim, nor rightly iudge of them, (as I haue hertofore declared) therfor our master christ (which forbyddeth vs to vse many wordes in our prayers) hath as it were knyt vp together in one ferdel al ye plages & aduersities yt cā happen vnto vs in this worlde, and hath taught vs to say this short prayer. Good Lord delyuer vs from euel. As though he shoulde saye thus. Be not dyscoraged from praying, although you perfectely knowe not all the kyndes of euels, from the whiche you desyer to be delyuered, but only saye these fewe wordes, delyuer vs from euel, and by and by your heuenly father knoweth, frō what thynge he ought to delyuer ⟨p. ccv⟩you, and wyl gladly do it.

Now (good children) you see how good and merciful is God our heavenly father, who so much loveth us, and hath so fatherly a care for us, that he seeth what we lack, & what evils he should deliver us from, before we begin to ask. And he requireth not, that we should use many words, but only that from the deepness of our hearts we should call upon him, and do to him this honour, that is to say, to ask all things of him, to take him for our only God, and to trust assuredly, that he will hear us. Therefore good children, learn perfectly this lesson, that God willeth and requireth of us, that we in all necessities and danger, that may chance unto us, should call of him for help, and to put our trust and confidence in him alone,