Many things confound a weak memory: a few places well weighed and perceived, lighten the understanding. Truth is there to be searched, where it is certain to be had. Though God doth speak the truth by man, yet in mans word (which God hath not revealed to be his) a man may doubt, without mistrust in god. Christ is the truth of God revealed unto man from heaven by God him self, and therefore in his word the truth is to be found, which is to be embraced of all that be his. Christ biddeth us ask, & we shall have: search, and we shall find: knock, and it shall be opened unto us. Therefore our heavenly father, the author and fountain of all truth, the bottomless sea of all understanding, send down (we beseech thee) thy holy spirit in to our hearts, and lighten our understanding with the beams of thy heavenly grace. We ask thee this (O merciful father) not in respect of our deserts,1 but for thy dear son our saviour Jesus Christs sake. Thou knowest (O heavenly father) that the controversy about ⟨image 3⟩the Sacrament of the blessed body and blood of thy dear son, our saviour Jesus Christ, hath troubled not of late only, the church of England, France, Germany, and Italy, but also many years ago. The fault is ours (no doubt) therefore, for we have deserved thy plague. But (O Lord) be merciful, and relieve our misery with some light of grace. Thou knowest (o Lord) how this wicked world rolleth up and down, and reeleth to & fro: and careth not what thy will is, so it may abide in wealth. If truth have wealth,2 who are so stout to defend the truth, as they? But if Christs cross be laid on truths back, than they vanish away straight, as wax before the fire. But these are not they (O heavenly father) for whom I make my most moan, but for those silly ones (O Lord) which have a zeal unto thee: those I mean, which would and wish to know thy will, and yet are letted, holden back, & blinded by the subtleties of Satan and his Ministers, the wickedness of this wretched word, and the sinful lusts and affections of the flesh. Alas Lord, thou knowest that we be of our selves ⟨image 3⟩but flesh, wherein there dwelleth nothing that is good. How than is it possible for man without the (O Lord) to understand thy truth in deed? Can the natural man perceive the will of God?
MAny thynges confounde a weake memorie: a fewe places well weighed and perceaued, lyghten the vnderstādyng. Truthe is ther to be searched, wher it is certayne to be hade. Though God dothe speake the truthe by man, yet in mannes worde (which God hath not reuealed to be his) a mā may doubt, without mystrust in god. Christ is the truthe of God reuealed vnto man from heauen by God hym selfe, and therfore in his worde the truthe is to be founde, which is to be embraced of al that be his. Christ biddeth vs aske, & we shall haue: searche, and we shall fynde: knocke, and it shal be opened vnto vs. Therfore our heauenly father, the autor and fountayne of all truthe, the botomles sea of al vnderstanding, sende downe (we beseche the) thy holy spirite in to our heartes, and lyghten our vnderstanding wyth the beames of thy heauenly grace. We aske thee this (O merciful father) not in respecte of our desartes,1 but for thy deare sonne oure saueour Iesus Christes sake. Thou knowest (O heauenly father) that the controuersie about ⟨image 3⟩the Sacrament of the blessed bodye and blood of thy deare sonne, our saueour Iesu Christ, hathe troubled not of late only, ye churche of Englāde, Fraunce, Germanye, and Italie, but also many yeares agoo. The fault is ours (no doubt) therfore, for we haue deserued thy plague. But (O Lorde) be mercifull, and releue our myserie with som light of grace. Thow knowest (o Lorde) how this wicked world rolleth vp and downe, and releth to & fro: and careth not what thy will is, so it maye abyde in wealthe. If truthe haue wealthe,2 who are so stowte to defende the truthe, as they? But if Christes crosse be layed on truthes backe, than they vanyshe awaye straight, as waxe before ye fire. But these are not they (O heauenly father) for whom I make my most moane, but for those sely ones (O Lord) which haue a zeale vnto thee: those I meane, which wold and wishe to knowe thy will, and yet are letted, holden backe, & blynded by the subtilties of Satan and his Ministers, the wickednesse of this wretched worde, and the synful lustes and affectiones of the fleshe. Alas Lorde, thow knowest that we be of our selues ⟨image 3⟩but fleshe, wherin ther dwelleth nothing that is good. How than is it possible for mā without the (O Lorde) to vnderstande thy truthe in dede? Can the natural man perceaue the will of God?
- 1The. blessed martyrs prayerThe. blessed martirs prayer
- 2Note.