The Flower of Godly Prayers, Prayer 31 – Prayer 36
A prayer for them that are sicke.
O Iesu the sauiour of ye world, and the true Phisicion both of the body and of the soule,Math. ix. we are not altogether ignorante howe detestable a thing sinne is in thi sight and how greatli thou abhorrest them that commyt i… quitye and shake of the yoke of thy lawe,Psalme. v. geuing their mindes to the filthy lustes of the fleshe, and the vaine pleasures of the world, Som that thus vngodly behaue them selfes, thou sufferest to go forthe stil in theyr be as…like manners wythoute correccion or punyshment to liue in pleasure and wantonnes vpō the earth,Iacob. v. Philip. iii. to noryshe their heartes as in a day of slaughter, to serue theyr belly as theyr God, and voluptuouslye to spende theyr dayes wythoute all feare of the, that at the laste, they beinge altogether nousled in voluptuousnes and dying wythout repentaūce (for the sorowes,Psa. cxiiii. plages and punyshments of the wicked begynne at theyr death) may wyth that riche and beastlike gloton be tormented for euer in the flames of hel fyre. For conueniēt it is that thei which in this world liue, all in pleasure,Luke, xvi. do in another worlde receyue theyr paynes, euen as thou haste promised in thy holye Gospel sayinge. Wo bee to you that are full, for ye shall hongre, Wo be to you y• now laughe, for ye shall wayl and wepe. Again some that walke inordinatli▪ Luke. vi.and contrary to the rules of thy holye lawe, thou tendryng theyr saluacion visitest them with syckenes their & punishest their bodies wyth the louing rod of thi correctiō ▪ yt they maye no lenger be proude, cruell and fearce againste the spyryte, whose seruaunte and bond slaue the bodye of ryghte oughte to be, but rather be obediēt and seruice able, that it may from h…nsforthe not so much as once lust against the spirite, and by thys meanes thou mercifulli callest them (whiche as wanderyng sh…pe,Luke, …v. hauehave so long strayed abrode) home again vntounto thy shepefold…. For thys. O Lord, is an euident tokē of thine exceadynge goodnes and tender mercy towarde vsus, when thou seing vsus moost greuously thorowe our wicked and synneful conuersacion to offend thy deuine Maiesty, to forsake thy lawe, not too walk in thy ordinan̄ces, to breake thy statutes, not to kepe thy commaundements,Ps. …xxxix. doest not take away from vsus thy louing kindnes but vysytest our iniquityes wyth thy gentyl rodde, and punysheste our synnes wyth thy correccions swete to the spirite,i. Cor. xi. but bitter to to the flesh (for whyle we are punished we are corrected of ye lorde least we shuld wyth thys worlde be cōdēpned) and by this meanes thou prouokeste vsus to leaue oure ryotous and vngodly manners, and to seke after the oure moste louynge sauiour, leadynge a lyfe from henseforthe, accordynge to thy mooste blessed wyll and commaundemente. Some also thou throweste into aduersity, and punyshest wyth syckenesse to proue and try theyr fayth, whether they be constante in confessynge, callinge vponupon, and praisinge thy holye name, lyke vntounto that pacyent man and faythefull warryoure, whyche sayed.
If we hauehave receiued good & prosperous thinges at the lords hād,Iob. i. why shulde we not be content to suffer euill & troublous things? The Lord gaue them, the Lorde hath taken them away, as it pleased the lord, so is it come to passe, blessed be the name of the Lord. So manye, O Lorde, as thou louest, thou sometime visitest wyth thy louinge rod of correcciō, least that they cōtinually enioyenge y• to muche felicitie and wealthe of worldely thynges, shuld forgette the theyr Lord God, and walke in the vanities of a lewde minde.Heb. xii. For if we endure chastenīge, thou offerest thy selfe vntounto vsus as vntounto sonnes.Prouer. iii Apoca. iii.For whō thou louest, him thou chastnest, yea and thouscourgest eueryevery sonne that thou receyuest?Hebru. xii. what sonne is that whō the father chastneth not, if we be not vnderunder correccion, whereof all are partakers then a…e we bastard… and not s…ns. And albeit no maner chastising for the presēt time semeth to be ioious but greuous, neuerthelesse afterward it bryngeth the quiet frute of righteousnesse vntounto them, which are exer…ised therin. Forasmuch (therfore O most merciful sauiour) as sicknesse and aduersyty is sent from the vntounto the chyldren of men for theyr greate profyt and singuler commoditie, euen that the bodye with the workes thereof shuld be subiect to the spirit, and as a witnesse, and zele of thy louing kindnesse and harty good wyl toward them, we most hartelye praye th… mercyefullye to beholde all suche as are sycke, and as that pytyfull Samaritane, to poure wine and oyle into theyr woundes,Luke. …. and to bynd them vp, that is, to comfort them, geuing them grace paciently to bere the crosse that thou hast laied vpō them, to shew thē selfs conformable to thy blessed will, & in the myds of theyr trouble and syckenesse to prayse thy gloryous name, and wyth stronge fayth to say:Ose. vi. come and let vsus retourne vntounto the lord for he hath begun and he wil heale vsus, he hath strikē vsus, and he wil sureli make vsus whole. For it is the Lorde that bryngeth downe to the graue & fetcheth vp again.Deu. xxxii. i. Reg. ii. It is the Lorde that punysheth with pouertye,Tobi. xiii. and maketh welthy again.Sapi. xvi. It is the lord that …ringeth lowe, & lifteth vp again, yea it is the lord that killeth, and maketh aliue again. It is for our greate profit,Psal. cxix. that the Lorde hath thus plaged vsus, euē that we shuld learn to forsake our owne fleshly wil, & to walk in his holi ordinaū ces: Therfore as it is gods good plesure,Mat. xxvi. so let it come to pas. His wil be done, & not oures.Psal. …c…. We are his people, and the shepe of his pasture, let him deale with vsus, as semeth best in his godly syght.Rom. xiiii. For whether we liue or die, we are the Lords. Geue thē grace O swete Iesu, thus to be perswaded of thy good wyl euen in the middes of the shadow of death, that they faīt not vnderunder the crosse, and become of a desperat mind▪ but valeantly abide thy good pleasure, and al the time of their trouble & sicknes paciently & thākfully t… cal vponupon thy blessed name, which is a stronge tower for al thē that f…ee vntounto it,Pro. xviii. and euersette before theyr eyes thy louinge kyndnes, beleuīg stedfastly, that although their crosse be paīful to the flesh, yet is it swete to the spirite, and al be it the outwarde manne be made weake thorow it, yet is the inwarde manne made stronge; whych wysheth to be losoned frō thys wretched body,Philip. i. & to be wyth the in glorye. For so longe as we are at home in the bodi, we are absente from the fruicion & syghte of thy deuine maiesty.ii. Corin. i. O Lord it is not thi property alwai to chide,Psa. iiii. alwai to be angri, nether to deale with vsus according to our sinnes, nor yet to reward vsus after our in inquities: but as a tender father pitieth his natural sonne, so arte thou merciful to sinners, if they repēt,Mach. x. beleue, & amend. For thou cāmest into this world not to call the ryghteous, but sinners to repentance. Neither art thou a phisicion for the whole, but for the sicke. Be thou therfore, O moste merciful Sauiour, a phisicion to such as ar diseased …ther body or some, & after this thy louyng correcciō, restore vntounto thē ye benefit of health, both corporally and spirituallye. Make whole so manye as knowledg their miseris, repēt them of their sinful maners, flee vntounto the for succour, beleuing to enioy all good things at thy merciful hād. And as thou hast made them heauy with laying thy cros vpō them, so make thou them ioiful by restoryng vntounto thē the gift of healthe, that they may liue and glorify thy blessed name for euer. Amen.
¶ A prayer for Souldioures.
IN the whole bodye of the holye scripture (O Iesu▪ thou son of the liuyng God (there is nothīg more commended and setforthe vntounto vsus then peace, vnity, quietnes and concord. Unto this Moses and the Prophetes, thou and thyne Apostels do diligentlye exhorte,Gene. lxiii. Iob. xxii. Iere. xxix. …achar ix. Math. v. and contraryewyse vehemently disswade from discord, ē mitie, malice, war &c. For what is more semely for man, then to embrace amyable peace,Luke. ii. Marke. ix. Iohn. xvi. ii. Cor. xiii. Hebru. xii. frendly concorde, and quiet amyty? The creacion, the shape, ye byrthe of man proueth euidently, man to be formed and made vntounto peace.…. Peter. v. But Satan that olde enemy of mankinde, which goth about like a roring lion, seking whome he may deuour, sweateth & with al main laboureth to banyshe peace from the chyldren of menne, and in the stead therof violently to thrust in discord, tumults, sedicions, wars bloud sheding, manslaughter, destrucciō of realmes & coūtries, by this meanes entending to make hauock of altogether, so y• he furiously raging in his mēbers, prouoketh mani times thi seruaūts, for the defence of their country & the safegarde of theyr people, to wage battel with their enemies. We therfore most humbly besech the to assist al such as iustly attēpt any warres againste their ennemies, and mightelye to defende them against theyr aduersaryes, that they may receiue thorow thy puissance a gloriouse victory and noble tryumphe.Gene. xxxii.iiii. Re. vi. and .vi…. P. …. xxxiii… Send thy holy aungell vntounto them that he maye pitch his tent amonge them and ouerthrow their ennemies. GiueGive all souldiours grace so to behaue them selfs in the warres wyth al godlines, & honesty, yt thou mayst hauehave a pleasure to be presente amonge them, to be theyr captaine and valeant defendour. Suffer them not to be discouraged for ye multitude of theyr enemies, but with strong faith let them whole lye depend on the, ye most mighty cōquerer, with whom it is al one to help in fewe or in manye,ii. par. xiiii. and with ye prīcelike warriour bouldlye say the Lord is my light & my healthe, whome shall I feare? The Lord is the defender of my lyfe of whom shal I be a frayed?Psa. xxvii. If mine ennemies pitche pauilyons against me, my hart shal not feare. If men of war rise against me, I wil truste in the Lorde my God.Psal. xx. Psa. xxxiii. …. xxi. And when thou hast geuen them the victory ouer theyr ennemyes, g…e them also a thankful harte, that they maye confesse to hauehave gotten the victory not by theyr horses, bowes or guns, nor ye… by their own strength and polli…y but by thine almighty power and so be encouraged for euer after to magnifi thi holi name. amē
A prayer for Mariners.
THi power, o Lord, wonderful both vponupon the lande & sea, & whatsoeuer thy good pleasure is,Psa. l…xxix. Dani. iii.that worckest thou in thē boothe. Sometime thou makest the earth fruteful,…achary. ix. somtyme barrē. The sea also somtim is calme and pleasaunte,Psa. cxiiii. sometime rough & boisterous. So that whether they bringe troublous or prosperous thynges vntounto vsus,Deu. xxvii. Eccle. xi. Proue. xvi. all come from the our Lorde God, that thy power and glory maye be shewed in thy creatures vntounto the prayse of thi name. Seing that thou art ruler bothe of the earthe and sea, we mooste hartely beseche the to preserue al such as laboure either by land or by sea, but namely thē, whiche forgettinge and maintenaunce of their liuinge are compelled to trauaile the seas, and to commite them selfes to the daungers therof.Psal. cxiii. O Lord thoughe the scourges of ye sea be maruelous yet art thou, whiche sittest on hye more maruelous. Though y• windes be boisterous, stronge & vehemente, yet doest thou excell them in power.Psa cxlviii. For thou haste geuen a commaundment to thy creaturs and none shal go beyond it. Fire, hail, snow, ise, and vapours, stormie windes accomplish the word. Thou hast limited ye waters their bounds,Psal. …iiii. which they may not pas. Thou also with a word, when the ship wherein thou & thy disciples wer, was greuously tossed with ye waues,Mat. viii. Mark. iiii. Luke. v. and at the poynt of drownyng thorow the wynd and tempest yt arose, causedst at the desire of thy disciples the wynd to cese, the sea to be quiete, and a greate calme to be made, in so much that they which were in the ship marueyled, and sayed: What man is this, that both winds, and the sea obey him? Graūt therfore (o most gentle sauiour that whēsoeuer anye troubleouse tēpest ariseth in the sea, so that thorowe it such as ar vponupon the sea be indanger, they callyng on thy blessed name with stronge fayth for helpe, may fynd fauoure at thy mercifull hand, be deliuered out of feare, escape all daungers, and trauayle a fortunate iourney. So shal it come to passe, that they thorowe thyne almyghty power beyng safely deliuered from all perylles, shal continuallye praise, and gloryfye thy blessed name. .Amen.
A praier for trauelers by lande.
O LORDE, whyche arte the waye, the truthe, and lyfe, thou haste promysed in the holye scripture,Iohn. xiiii. that they whyche put theyr truste in thee, looke for healpe at thy hande, and take the for theyr myghtye defender and stronge castell, shall be preserued harmelesse, and walcke in all theyr iourneys safelye, and withoute daunger.P…alm. xci.
For thou thy self wilt take charge of them and shadowe thē vnderunder thy merciful wings, so that none euill shal chance vntounto them,…. xii.xv.xviii xix xxiiii.xxv…. and .xxviii. …obi v. …ctes. xii. yea as thou diddest send thy holy angel with Abraham and Tobye, & with other thy faithful seruants to be their guide and defender, & to make their iourni prosperous, so wilt thou send thy blessed aungels with them that wholy depēd on the, and with strong faith cō mit them selfs to thy most godly tuicion:P…alm. xii. M…h. iiii. Mark. i. Luke. iiii. whiche shal safelye kepe them in fal their wais, yea and soner hold them vp with theirhāds then they shal dash theyr foote agaynst a stone. This thy accustomed gentlenesse toward thy seruants, and these thy louinge promyses encourage vsus greatlye at this presēt to come vntounto thy Maiesty moost humblye besechynge the, to send thy holy aungel vntounto all such as trauaile by the way in thy feare, to take care of them, to defend tham frō al misfortunes, and so to guyd them thorowoute al theyr iournye, that they maye both prosperously and ioyfully finish their purposed trauail, euer praising thi blessed name. Amen.
A praier for a faithful manne beynge in trouble or enduraunce.
O Lorde,ii. Co…. i. father of mercis and God of all consolacyon, whiche ruleste and disposeste all thynges after thyne vnsearcheable wisdome,Sapi. viii.ix.xii. and workest in thi creatures accordīg to thy blessed wyll, whyche is alwaye good and godlye, howsoeuer blynde & frail flesh iudgeth of it, we know and vnfaynedly cōfesse thyne omnypotencye and almyghtye power. We know that thou artable to do whatsoeuer thi good pleasure is.Psa. …xiiii. Math xix. Mark. x. Luk. x.viii We knowe that thou bryngeste downe to the graue, and fetchest vp againe. Thou punishest with pouerty,Deu. xxxii. i. regum. ii. Tobi. xiii. Sapie. xvi. and makest wealthye agayne. Thou bryngest lowe, and liftest vp again. Yea thou, o lord, killest and makest alyue agayne. Oh wōderfully doest thou worke in al thi creatures, specialli in thē whome thou hast appointed to be vessels of merci and enheritours of thine eternal glory. If they at anytime greuously offēd thy deuine maiesty,…sal. xiiii. …nd .lii. Roma. iii. Iacob. iii. i. Iohn. i. psal. lxxxix. (as we be al siners and redy at eueryevery moment to fal) thou dost neither long wincke at theyr wickednes, nor yet for euer cast them frō thy fauour, but like a louynge Phisicion wyth some emplasture, or salue, although bitter to the fleshe, yet wholesome to the soule, thou healest thē, and like a tender or gentle father correctest them with some temporal punishemente,… Cor. xi. Exo. x…xii. …osu…. vii. that by thys meanes they escapyng euerlastynge punishmēt, mai repēt thē of their vngodly behauour, confes theyr wickednes, fl…e vntounto thy mercy, & for euer after be the more circumspect in treadyng y• pathes of thy holy lawe.Iud. i.ii.iii vi.vii.viii. and .ix.iii. r…g. xxv.ii. pa. xxxvi ii. regu. xii.xiii.xv.xvi.xxiiii. On this manner didst thou handle the Israelits, when they offended thy fatherly goodnes. On this manner didst thou deale with king Dauid,Ion. i.ii.iii Iudi. viii.xiii.xv.xvi. Heste xiiii.xv, and .xvi. & prophet Ionas for their disobediēce, with many other, whome not withstā dinge for thy mercyes sake after they had knowledged theyr offē ces, & called vpō thy holy name, yu wonderfully deliuerest, & broughtest them again as it were into ye hauē of quietnes. We therfor thy poore & sorowfull creatures perceiuinge in thy holy scriptures so large fountaynes of thy greate mercies plenteously issuing oute toward all thē that be of a cōtrite and broken hearte, are boulde at this present for thy promyse sake to come vntounto the, moost humblye besechinge the, that as y• delyuerest Ionas out of ye whales bely,Dani. vi and .xiiii. Actes, xii.i. …egu. xix.xxi.xxiii. Dani. xiii. Daniel from pryson, Peter thine Apostle out of warde, Dauid frō the handes of his enemies, Susāna frō the power of her aduersaries, with other, so in like mā ner thou wilte deliuer and set at lybertye thy seruaunte and oure faithful brother. Yea and that on such sort that it may be to thi glory, to his healthe, and to the comfort of so manye as vnfaynedlye louelove thy blessed woorde. And although we for oure inperfeccion be not worthy to craue and enioy so great and confortable benefit at thy merciful hand, yet we dout not, but for thy derely beloued sō Iesu Christes sake, yu wilt moste fauourablye heare vsus, mooste fatherlye pitie vsus, and moste bounteously graunt vsus this our humble requeste. And we again receiuing this benefit of oure dere brothers deliueraunce at thy hande shall not be vnthankeful, but continually magnifye thy holye and glorious name, which dealest so fauourably with thi seruaunts whē they cal vpō the in the name of Iesu Christ thy onlye begotten sōne, and our alone mediatour and aduocate, to whom wyth the and the holy goste be al prayse and honour for euer and euer. Amen.i. Timo. ii. i. Iohn. ii.
A thankesgeuinge for theyr deliueraunce.
SO often as we consider thy wō derfull worckes (O blessed and heauenlye father) whyche thou workest of thyne owne good wyll for so many as in their troble and aduersitye fle for refuge vntounto thy holy name as vntounto a strong hold, and mighty fortres, we cā not but confesse and acknowledge thy singuler kindenes and vnspeakable good wil, which yu continually thorow thy fatherly goodnes bearest towardes thyseruauntes, and for thesame not merited of any man but frely of thy mere mercy geuē, we render vntounto the accordinge to our most bounden dueti most herty praises and entiere thanks. In consideracyon wherof the childrē of Israel being in miserable captiuity,Exodus. ii. lamentably lamenting before the their to muche sorowfull state by heartye praiers, after that thou hadst deliuered them frō that land of seruitud, brast out into exceading great praises, glorifyinge thi most holi and blessed name, for their swete and confortable delyueraunce.Exodu. xv. The citizens of Bethu…a likwise being in great dystres called vppon thy glorious name,Iudit. iiii. and .xvi. & thou most mercifullye deliueredst them, and they agayne with mery voyces, and more ioyfull heart … song vntounto the most harty thanks▪ In like maner thou didist deliue… Ioseph, Danyell Peter,Gene xli. Dani, vi. and .xiiii. Actes. iii. and many other thy seruaunts from their sorowes and calamities: Oh, who is able to expres with how readye and glad myndes they magnified the and thy holy name? We therfore synfull wretches excyted and stirred vp with the godlye exāples of these thi seruants, knowīg how greatlye thou delightest in the sacryfyc… of prayse,Psalme. l. Psal. …xvi. Hebru. xiii. confessynge also (suche is oure beggary) that we hauehave none other thyng worthy to offer vntounto thy diuine maiesty, are at this present gathered together to celebrate thy great mercyes, t… magnify thy blessed name, and … render vntounto the mooste humble ble thanks and immortal praises, that it hath pleased the of thine excedinge goodnes the rather at the contempl…cion of oure prayers, to shew thy fauorable mercye in the deliueraunce of thy seruaunt and our dere brother. N. vntounto oure singuler ioye, and greate comfort. For this thy benefite, most beneficiall father, we so hertely thancke the, as herte can thyncke, most entirely beseching the that thou wilt geue vsus al grace, euen so many as louelove thy blessed worde▪ neuer to be vnmyndefull of this thy benefyte, nor to cōmit any thinge hereafter y• should offend thy fatherly goodnesse, or prouoke thi wrath against vsus,Iohn. v. leaste thorowe oure disobedyence we after this, feele more bitter tokēs of thy heaui displeasure, then hitherto we hauehave done, but in all oure enterprises so too behaue oure selues accordyng to thy blessed wyl, that thou mayst delyghte in vsus as a father in hys chyldren, and vouchesafe to blesse vsus wyth all spirituall blessynge, to enryche vsus wyth the knowledge of thy heauenly worde,i. Cor. i. and to worke in vsus a life conformable to the same, that other seinge oure Godly maners, and christian conuersacyon, maye be encouraged to imbrace thi blessed worde, to magnyfye thy holye name, and in all poyntes to frame theyr life according to y• rule of thi holy commaundementes, thorow the inspiraciō of thy blessed spirite to whom wyth the, and thy dearelye beloued sonne Iesu Christe be all honoure, prayse and glorye for euer and euer. Amen.