Again here I am taught to be content with sufficient for the present time, as thy children be which have the shortness of this life always before their eyes, and therefore they ask but for daily sustenance, knowing this life to be compared to a day, yea a watch, a sound, a shadow, &c. Moreover I may learn to see the con passion and brotherly care, thy children have one for an other. Last of all here I may see thy goodness, which as thou wilt give me all things necessary for this life (or else thou wouldest not bid me ask &c) so thou commandest all men to pray and care for me, and that bodily, much more then if they be able, they are commaū dead to help me both in body & soul. By reason whereof I have great cause to lament and rejoice. To lament because I am not so affected, as thy children be, because of my ignorance my ingratitude, my perversity and ⟨image 23⟩contempt of thy goodness, and of the necessity of thy people, which alas be in great misery, some in exile, some in prison, some in poverty, sickness. &c. To rejoice I have great cause, because of thy goodness, in teaching me these things, in commanding me to ask what soever I want, in giving me so many things unasked, in keeping the benefits given me, in commanding men to care for me, to pray for me, to help me. &c. But alas, how far I am from true lamentation and rejoicing, lord thou knowest. Oh be merciful unto me, and help me, forgive me, and grant me thy holy spirit, to reveal to me my need, ignorance, great ingratitude, & contempt of thy mercies & thy people, and that in such sort, that I might heartily lament and bewail my misery, and through thy goodness be altered with thy people, to mourn for the miseries of thy children, as for mine own.
Againe here I am taught to be content with sufficient for the present time, as thy children be which haue the shortnes of this life alwaies before their eyes, and therefore they aske but for daily sustenaūce, knowing this life to be cōpared to a day, yea a watch, a sounde, a shadow, &c. Moreouer I may learne to se the cō passion and brotherly care, thy children haue one for an other. Last of al here I may see thy goodnes, which as thou wilt geue me all thinges necessarie for this life (or els yu woldest not bid me aske &c) so thou commaundest all men to praye and care for me, and that bodely, much more then if they be able, they are cōmaū ded to help me both in bodie & soule. By reasō wherof I haue great cause to lament and reioyse. To lament because I am not so affected, as thy children be, because of my ignoraūce my ingratitude, my peruersitie and ⟨image 23⟩contempt of thy goodnes, and of the necessitie of thy people, whiche alas be in greate miserie, some in exile, some in prisō, some in pouertie, sicknes. &c. To reioyce I haue greate cause, because of thy goodnes, in teaching me these thinges, in commaundinge me to aske what soeuer I wante, in geuinge me so manye thinges vnasked, in keping the benefits giuen me, in commaundinge men to care for me, to praie for me, to helpe me. &c. But alas, how farre I am from true lamentacion and reioysing, lorde thou knowest. Oh be mercifull vnto me, and help me, forgeue me, and graunte me thy holie spirit, to reueale to me my nede, ignoraunce, great ingratitude, & contempt of thy mercies & thy people, and that in such sorte, that I might hartely lament and bewaile my miserie, and throughe thy goodnes be altered with thy people, to mourne for the miseries of thy children, as for mine owne.
