The whole works of W. Tyndall, John Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs,…The vvhole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs,…

Either prayer is a complaining & a showing of thine own misery and necessity, or of they neighbours before God: desiring him with all the power of thine hart, to have compassion and to succour. Contrary to this, they have excluded with their prayers all necessity, & misery from among them. They be Lords over all, and do what they will through the whole world. King and Emperor are their servants: they need but say the word, and their will is fulfilled. And as for their neighbours, they have no compassion upon them, to bring their complaints before God. But with their prayers rob them of that little they have, and so make them more miserable.

Either prayer is a complaynyng & a shewyng of thyne owne miserie and necessitie, or of they neighbours before God: desiring hym with all the power of thine hart, to haue compassion and to succour. Coutrary to this, they haue excluded with their prayers all necessitie, & miserie from among them. They be Lordes ouer all, and do what they will through the whole world. Kyng and Emperour are their seruauntes: they neede but say the word, and their wil is fulfilled. And as for their neighbours, they haue no compassion vpon them, to bryng their complaintes before God. But with theyr prayers robbe them of that litle they haue, and so make them more miserable.

Of entering into the chamber and ¹shutting the door to, I say as above ²of that the lift hand should not know what the right hand doth: the meaning is, that we should avoid all worldly praise and profit, and pray with a single eye and true intent according to Gods word: and is not forbidden thereby, to pray openly. For we must have a place to come together to pray in general, to thank and to cry to God for the common necessities, as well as to preach the word of God in. Where the Priest ought to pray in the mother tongue, that the name of God may be hallowed and his word faithfully taught and truly understood, and faith and godly living increased: and for the king and rulers, that God will give them his spirit, to love the common wealth: and for peace, that God will defend us from all enemies: for weathering and fruits, that God will keep away pestilence and all plagues. And the Priest should be an example to the people how they should pray. There be of such things as the Priests and other babble (and not pray) many good Collects that should much edify the people if they were spoken in the mother tongue. And then while the Priests sing Psalms, let every man pray privately and give God thanks for such benefits as his hart knoweth he hath received of God, & commend to God his private necessities, and the private necessities of his neighbours which he knoweth, & is privy to. Neither is there in all such any jeopardy of vain glory. But and if God have given any man the spirit of praying, as all men have not like gifts, that he pray oft and when other do not: then to have a secret place to pray in, both for the avoiding of vain glory, & speech of people, and that thou mayst be free, to use thy words as thou lustest, and what soever gestures and behaviours do move the most to devotion, is necessary and good.