XVI. THE LORD’S PRAYER.

IN this age we begin to think meanly of the Lord’s prayer; O how basely may the Lord think of our prayers! Some will not forgive the Lord’s prayer for that passage therein, as we forgive them that trespass against us.

Others play the witches on this prayer. Witches are reported (amongst many other hellish observations, whereby they oblige themselves to Satan) to say the Lord’s prayer backwards. Are there not many, who, though they do not pronounce the syllables of the Lord’s prayer retrograde (their discretion will not suffer them to be betrayed to such a nonsense sin), yet they transpose it in effect, desiring their daily bread before God’s kingdom come, preferring temporal benefits before heavenly blessings. O, if every one by this mark should be tried for a witch, how hard would it go with all of us! Lamiarum plena sunt omnia.