The Flower of Godly Prayers, Prayer 14 – Prayer 22
¶A prayer for bishoppes and ministers of goddes word
O Lord Iesu Christe that truePsal. ci. and euerlastynge Bishoppe the Myrrour and lyuely exemplareHebr. v.vii of all faythfull pastours and herdmē both in life and doctryne,Esay…. lxi. whiche camest down from God thy father not onelye to bee oure redeamer,Luke. iiii. but also oure teacher,Iohn. iii. to open and declare vntounto vsus the mysteryes of the holye scryptures afore hydde,Mat. xxii. and corrupte thorowe the leauen and false docrine of the Scribes,Math. xvi. Mat. viii. Luke. xii. Pharyseis, Saduces, and suche other deceiuers of the people.
We most humbly besech y•, mercyfullye to beholde thy poore and scattered flocke, whom thou hast purchased wyth thy mooste precyous blud▪ …. xx.and to send them such shepherdes as maye diligentlye seke vp the loste shepe,Luke. xv. louinglye lay thē on their shulders, & faythfully bryng them home again vntounto the shepefolde. Ah Lord, thou seest how greate the haruest is,Math. ix. Luke. x. & how few ye workmē be. Thou art lord of y• heruest, vouchsafe therfore we most hūbly prai the to sēd laborers into thi haruest.Iere. xxiii. Eze. xxxiii. Take a way these idle lubbers, which do nothīg but deuour thishepe, cloth thē selfes wt the finest of the wol and eat of the fattest of the flock Theues and robbers are they,Iohn. x. & not pastores & preachers. For the weake they holde not vp, the sick they heale not,Ez…. xxxiii. the broken they binde not to gether, the out c asts they brynge not agayne, the lost they seke not, but churlishly, and cruellye do they rule thy flocke. A good shepehearde geueth his life for the shepe, but the hyrelinge,Iohn. x. ye he yt is not the sheperde, nor owner of the shepe, seeth the wolf cō minge, and forsaketh the shepe, ye flieth, and the wolf catcheth and scattereth the shepe. Such hyrelynges, O good Lorde,Actes. xx. Roma. xvi. Philip. iii. ii. Peter. ii. take away from vsus, which seke nothīg but idelly to lyue of the swete of our browes, & of ye labour of our handes, and notwythstandynge suffer vsus to be miserabli torne of antichrist and of his Ministers,Iohn. x. both by their tirannye, and false doctrine. A thief cometh not but to steale, to sley, and to destroy. Take away frō vsus, O good Iesu those theues whych steale awaye the liuynges of ye tru shepherds, whyche sley our soules for want of thy holye worde, and destroye vsus wyth theyr corrupte maners, wicked liuinge, and most detestable cōuersacion. Take away frō vsus those heardemen,…. xi. yea rather those Idols as thy Prophet calleth thē, which are not residēt vponupon their benefices, nor geue attē daūce vpō their cure, but forsake their flock, & yet rob frō them all that they may catch, and geue vsus such pastors as wyll watch vponupon their flock, abide amōg thē, teach them thy blessed word, feede thē with hospitality, lead a godli life, bring vp their youth vertuously, and be at all tymes readye, if thy glori, & the health of their parishioners requireth to bestowe their life. Take away from vsus al those curates,… ▪ lvi. whyche are blynde, with out knowledge, dumme dogges not able to barke, which hauehave plesure to behold vain thīgs, & louelove to ly snortyng & dreaming. Most vnshamefaced dogges are they, they hauehave neuer inough, althoughe they heape benefice vponupon benefice, prebende vponupon prebende, deanerye vponupon deanery neuer so muche.Iere…y. vi▪ For al are wholy bent vntounto couetousnesse, euen frome the hyghest vntounto the lowest, and the thinges that they get, spend they in banketting, and in vaine plesures. Take away from vsus those false prophetes,Math. vi…. which come vntounto vsus in shepes clothes, but inwardly are rauening wolues. Take a way those false anoynted, & fals preachers, whyche by theyr subtile doctrin go about to bring vsus into errour,Mat. xxiii. and teache vsus not to seke the with true faith in heauē, where thou sytteste on the ryght hande of God thy father, but in the cloister, andin the pixe.Mark. xvi. Luk xxiiii. Actes. i, Heb…u. i. Take away frō vsus those greuous wolues, whyche are entred in amōg vsus, & spare not ye flock but speke peruerse thynges, that they may leade awaye the faythefull after them.…ctes▪ xx. Take away frō vsus al those men pleasers, which by their fair speche, and flatterynge wordes, deceyue the hertes of the symple,Rom…. xvi. by this meanes seruing their bellye and not the, O Lorde Iesu Christe.…la. v. Take away frō vsus those iusticiaries, whych teach that we are iustified by the workes of the lawe, and not by faythe alone in our Lord God. Ah Lorde, if oure iustifi…acion commeth of works, then diddest thou dye in vayne. But whosoeuer seketh to be iustified by works, is vtterly fallē frō the grace and fauour of god. For we know that a mā is not iustified by the works of the lawe, but by the fayth of the oure lord Iesu Christ:G…l… ii. & we hauehave beleued in ye, o Lord, that we mighte be iustified bi the faith that we hauehave in the, & not by the workes of th… law, because no mā shalbe instified by y• workes of the lawe.Philip. iii. Take away from vsus those dogges, those euil workemenne, those shauelings, whiche teache,Hebru. ix.… y• thou by the one onlye oblacion of thy bodye haste not made perfect for euer them y• are sanctified. Enemies are they of the crosse of Christ,Phili. iii. whose end is destruccyon whose God theyr belly is. Take away frō vsus these fals doctors which priuely bring in damnable sectes and deny the the Lorde,ii. Peter. ii. whiche hathe bought them, thorowe whome the waye of truthe is euell spoken of, & thorow couetousnes wt their disceit full woordes make marchandise of vsus, whose iudgemente is not far of, and whose dampnaciō slepeth not. Take awai frō vsus those false prophets and spirits of Antichrist,i. Ihon. iiii which teache that thou ye Lord Iesu Christ tokest no flesh of that blessed and vndefyled virgyn Marye thy mother. Take awaye from vsus ye proud whore of Babylon,…poc. xvii. that great and blasphemous baude of al the whordoms and abhominacions of the earth with whom euen the very kings of the earth hauehave plaid the whore mongers, and they that dwelt on the earth wer made d…ōckē wyth the wine of her whoredō. Down o Lorde with that purpled & rose coloured whore, decked wt golde, pearle & precious stones, hauyng a goldē cuppe in her hand, ful of the abhomynacions & fylthynes of her wantonnes. Down, o lord wyth that gorgyous strōpet, whiche is dronke wyth the bloude of saynctes, and with the bloude of thy Martirs, O Iesu. Let that whore behated of al menne, lette her be desolate,Apo. xviii. comfortlesse and naked, yea let the verye fleshe of her be gnawen of, & she cōsumed wyth fyre. Let that greate Babilon be made a dwellynge place of deuils, and an hold of al vnclene spirites, and a cage of all fylthye, and hatefull byrdes. For of the wine of her pestilent whordome hauehave al nacions dronken, yea the very kings of the earth hauehave committed whoredom wyth her, and the Marchauntes of the earthe hauehave waxen ryche thorowe her wantonne pleasures.
O Lorde take awai from vsus these Marchaunts, that geue attendaūce vponupon that filthy whore, & deceyue the whole world wyth theyr peltyng pedlary, thieuyshe trashe and masking marchaundyse. Lette theyre wares bee soulde no more, but boothe they and theyr bloudy whoryshe Mastresse taken away from vsus, so yt we be no more deceiued by them nor the truthe of thi glorious gospel condēpned for heresy, nor yet the bloude of the saynctes anye more shedde. O Lord take away from vsus al these aforesayed monstures euē so many as deface thi glory, corrupt thy blessed woorde despyse thy flock, and takyng vp on them to be feders, fede thē selues and not thy shepe:…. xxxiii. & in theyr steade place good Byshops, learned prechers, christen ministers, faythful teachers, true spirituall fathers, euen such as bren wyth a feruēt & vnfayned zele toward the setting forth of thy glory and the healthe of thy people. Indue them wyth thy holye spirite, that they maye be faythfull and wyse seruaunts, geuing thy houshold meate in due season,Mat. xxiii. Luke▪ xii. Geue them that thy wysdom, which no man is able to resyst, wherwyth also they maye be able both to exhort with wholsome doctrine,Lu…e. xxi. & also to conuince and ouercome thē yt speake agaynst it. Let repētance and remissiō of sins be preached of thē in thy name among al naciōs.Luke. xxii. Geue thē grace to perseuer in thy truth vntounto the end.Mat. x. … xxiiii. Graūt also, O Lord, that they may truly and reuerently minister vntounto vsus thy blessed misteries, baptisme, & thy holye supper, that oure faythe maybe confirmed, stablyshed,Math. xvii & strengthened by the worthy receiuyng of thē, and we wel comforted & made strōg agaynst ye gates of hel, ye deuil, the world, the flesh, the curse of the law,Eccles. iiii sin death, desperacion, and al that is enemi vntounto vsus. Let not their hād be stretched out to receiue, & slow to geue, but graue in thē (O blessed sauiour) a minde contēt with that is inough one shepherde to hauehave one f…ock and what so euer they receiue of theyr parishners, wyllyngelye to spend it amonge them in maintening ho…pitality for the relief of the pore,Hospitali…. that they may be found feders of the f…ock both in word and dede.Mala. iii. For thou (O Lord) commaundest by ye prophet in the olde law, that al tythe shuld be brought into thy barne, that there might be meate in thy house. Thou callest ye preachers barne▪ No….thy barne, & his house thy house▪ And vntounto thys end woldst thou hauehave temporal thinges prouided for thy preachers, that they myght hauehave wherof to liue them selfes, to fede theyr family, & also to comfort the pore of the parish. To fede wt word & not wt worcke profiteth litel To fil ye eare wt the soūd of words, & to suffer ye body starue for honger, is not the part of a good shepperde. He is not a good herdeman that standeth, al day whystlynge and callynge at his shepe, but he that driueth thē vntounto sweete & pleasaūt pastures where they may eat their bellyes ful.i. Timo. ii. Titu, i. Thy holy Apostle cōmaūdeth a Byshop or spiritual minister to maintein hospitality. Thou also which art ye mirroure of al goodnes & liueli exāplare of al true pastors, being in this world conuersaūt amōg mē, and a preacher of thy heauēly fathers blessed wyll,Mat. xiiii. and .xv, Marke. vi. Luke. ix. Iohn, vi, feddest ye people not only wt thy godly doctrine, but also wt corporal food, geuing an exāple vntounto al spiritual pastours, yt they shuld do so likewise. Thou cōmaūdest also thy blessed apostle Peter. iii. to fede thy flocke,Ihon. xxi. yt is fyrst wt the pure doctrin of thy heauēly gospel, wher vntounto thi holi sacramēts sure seales are annexed for ye cō firmaciō of thy truth. Secondly with godly conuersacion & a lyfe agreable to the doctrine, that the parishioners may the soner be allured vntounto manners worthy of ye gospel. Thirdly with hospitality. And this commaūdemēt gauest thou not onli vntounto Peter, but vntounto al other thy Apostels, yea and to al spiritual pastours that hauehave or shal succed thē vntounto the end of ye world,Actes, vi. that thy pore people may be fed both body and soule.Roma. xv. This commaundement (O swete Iesu (was diligētly executed of the holy Apostels,ii. Cor i▪ ix. and of the faithful ministers that succeded thē,Actes, xx. whiche al were moued wyth so great and so tēder compassion toward thi pore mēbers,ii. Cor. xi. that they did not onli feede them with such goods as thei receiued of ye christē cōgregacion,i. Thessa. ii. i. Thess. iiiibut also to satisfye theyr lacke, they wrought wt their hāds But o Lord this louinge pitie toward the pore in these our dayes is greatlye abated, & waxeth vtterly colde in many of the Ministers of thy church, which notwt standynge are them selfes verye wealthy, and lyue all in pleasure of the churche goodes, so that by this meanes they are not residēt vponupon theyr benifices, they mayntayne no hospitalyty, the parisheners are robbed of theyr dutyes, & the pore are not fed wyth meat as thou haste commaunded, but they rather miserably sterue for honger. Unto such shepherds as fede them selfes and not ye flock,Ez…c. xxxiii as eate the mylke, are clad wyth the wolle, and eate of ye fattest of the flock, & yet fede not ye shepe, yu threatnest dampnacyon by the prophet, promising that thou thy self wylt vponupon the shepherdes, & require thi shepe frō theyr hands & make them cease from fedinge of thy shepe. Yea yu sayest moreouer that the shepperdes shal fede them selfs no more, for thou wilt delyuer thy sheepe oute of theyr mouthes, so that they shal not deuoure them after this. Thou promisest also to set faythfull shepperdes ouer thy flock, and quietly to place thy shepe in grene, fat and pleasaunte pastures so that the beastes of the fyelde shall deuour them no more, but they shal dwel safely without anye feare, neyther shal they any more be famished with hōger, nor yet beare the spyteful words of the heathē For thou theyr Lorde God wilte take care of thē. Deale wyth thy flocke (O mooste faytheful sheppeard) accordyng to thy promise.i. Cori. xi. Dryue away from amonge vsus al rauenynge wolfes and deceitful hypocrites whyche are the Ministers of Sathan▪ chaunging thē selfes into aungelles of lyghte, and appoynte faythefull and dylygent heardmen ouer thy flock, whych may feede them wyth thy lyuely worde, leade a good lyfe▪ & maynetaine hospitalyty among them for the comfort of th… pore, and in al thyngs so behaue them them selfes according to thy blessed wyl and com…aundemente, that when thou the moost hyghe Byshoppe and chyefe shepparde shalte appeare,i, Peter. v. they may receiue the vncorruptible crowne of glorye. Amen
¶A prayer for Gentlemenne.
AL be it what soeuer is borne of flesh is flesh,Ihon. iii. and all that we receiue of our natural parents is earthe, dust, ashes & corruptiō,Genesi. iii, so that no childe of Adam hath any cause to boste hym self of hys birth and bloud,…ccle. vii.x seing we hauehave al one flesh & one bloud, begottē in sinne,Psal. ii. conceiued in vnclennes, & borne by nature the chyldren of wrathe,Ephesi. ii, yet for asmuche as some for theyr wysdom, godlynes, vertue, valeaūce, strength, eloquēce, learnynge and pollicy be auaunced aboue the commō sort of people vntounto dignities and temporal promocyons, as men worthye to hauehave superiorite in a christē comū weale, & by this meanes hauehave obtayned among the people a more noble & worthy name:Iohn, i, We moste entyrely besech the, from whom alone cōmeth the true nobility to so many as are born of ye,Galath, iii, & made thy sons thorowe faith, whether they be rich or poore, noble or vnnoble, to geue a good spirit to our superiours, that as they be called gentlemen in name, so they may shewe them selues in al their doynges, gentle, curteus, louing, pitiful, and liberal vntounto their inferiores, liuing amōg them as natural fathers amonge their chyldren, not polling, pillyng, and oppressing them, but fauoryng, helpynge, and cheryshing them, not destroyers, but fathers of the cō trey, not enemies to the pore, but ayders, helpers, and cōforters of them, that when thou shalte call them from this vale of wretchednes, thei afore shewing gētlenes to the comon people, may receiue gentelnes agayn at thy merciful hād, euē euerlasting life thorowe Iesu Christ oure Lorde. Amen.
A prayer for Landelordes.
THe earth is thine, o lord, & all that is conteined therin,Psal▪ xxiiii Psal. cxv, notwithstāding thou haste geuē the possessyon thereof vntounto the children of men, to passe ouer the time of theyr short pilgrimage in this vale of misery: We hartelye pray y• to send thy holy spirit into the harts of them that posses the groūds▪ pastures & dwelling places of ye earth, that thei remēbrīg thēselues to be thy tenaūts, may not rack and s…retch out the rēts of theyr houses and lāds, nor yet take vnreasonable fines & incōs after ye māner of couetous worldlings, but so let them out to other yt the inhabitauntes therof may both be able truly to pay ye rētes, & also honestly to liue, to nour…sh their familye, & to relief the pore. Geue them grace also to cōsider that thei are but straungers and pilgrimes in this world,Psa. xxxix, i. Peter, ii. hauing here no dwelling place, but sekīg one to come, yt they remēbring ye short continuaūce of theyr lyfe, may be content, with yt is sufficiente, & not ioyne house to house, nor couple lād to lād to ye empouerishment of other, but so behaue thē selues in lettyng out their tenemēts, lands and pasturs, yt after this life thei may be receiued in euerlasting dwellinge places thorow Iesu Christ our Lord.
¶ A prayer for Marchaunts.
O Almightye god maker & disposer of all thynges, whiche hast placed thy creatures necessary for ye vse of mē in diuers lāds & sundry countries, yea and that vntounto this end yt al kindes of men shuld be knit together in vnity & louelove, seinge we al hauehave nede one of a nothers help, one country of another coūtryes cōmodity, one realm of a nother realms gifts & frutes: we besech y• to preserue & kepe al such as trauel ether bi lād or by sea, for the gettyng of thynges that be necessary for ye welth of the realmes or coūtries where thei dwel, & to giuegive thē saf passage both in their going & comming, yt they hauynge prosperous iourenyes may shew them selfes thākful to the, and beneficyal to their neighbour, & so occupy their marchaundyse wythout fraude, gile, or deceite, that the commō weale may prospere & floryshe wyth ye abūdaūce of worldli thīgs thorow their godly & ryghteous trauaile vntounto the glory of thy name. Amē
¶A Prayer for Lawyers.
…, vii. i. Timot. i.WE know, o Lord, that the lawe is good, if a manne vse it lawfully, geuen of the as a singuler gyft vntounto ye children of men for mayntenance of godly orders, for puttynge away of iniquities and wrongs, for restoryng of men vntounto their right, for the auauncement of vertue & punishmēt of vice: we most hertely pray the, which art ye lawe geuer,Iacob. iiii. which alone is able to saue & to destroy,…ccles… ▪ i, from whom also commeth al wysdome, prudence, and knowledge, so to rule thorow the gouernaūce of thy holy spirit the harts of al lawyers, that they hering mēs causes, being in cōtrouersy, wt discreciō, & indifferēcy, and weying thē iustly and trulye accordyng to the tenore & equity of the lawe, may without parciality both faithfully geue counsel, and also indifferentlye pronoūce of al such causes as be broughte vntounto thē, & by no meanes suffer them selfes to be corrupted wt bribes and gyftes,Ecclesi. xx. Deut, xvii. which blinde the eyes of the wyse, and subuert tru iudgmēt, but walke so vprightly in al mēs matters, yt they seking wt godli trauels a quietnes amōg mē in this world, may after their departure from this troubelouse vale of misery enioy euerlastyng rest & quietnes in ye heauēly mā siō, thorow Iesu Christ our lord.
☞A praier for Laborers, and men of occupaciōs
AS the bird is borne to fly so is manne borne to laboure.… For thou,…. iii. O lord, haste commaū ded by thy holy word, ye man shall eat his bread in the labour of his hāds,…, …xviii and in ye sweat of hys face, yea thou hast geuen cōmaundement,ii. The…. iii yt if any mā wyl not labour ye same shuld not eat,i. Thes. iiii. yu requirest of vsus also that we withdraw our selfes frō eueryevery brother that walketh inordinatly, and geueth not his minde vntounto laboure: so ye thy …odly pleasure is yt no mā be idle but eueryevery man labour according to his vocaciō & callīg: We most humbly beseche the to graue in ye herts of al laborers & workemen a willing disposiciō to trauail for th…ir lyuing accordīg to th… word and to blesse the labours, payns, and trauayls of al such as either til ye earth or exercise ani other hā dy occupacion, that thei studying to be quiet,i. Thess. iiii ii. Thess. iii & to meddle with their owne busines and to work with their own hands, and thorow thi blessīg, enioying ye frutes of their laboures, may knowledge, the ye geuer of al good things,Iacob. i. and glorify thy holy name. Amen.
A Praier for Richemen.
AL beit, O Lord, thou art the geuer of al good thinges, and thorow thy blessyng,Prouerb, …. mē become rich yt are godly and iustly rich, yet are we taught in thy diuine scriptures, ye riches, and the cares of worldly thyngs smother vp thy holy word,Math. xiii. Mark. iiii.& that it is more easy for a gable rope to go thorow ye eye of a nedle,Luke. viii. then a rich mā to enter ye kingdō of heauē: again,Math. xix. Mar…ke x.yt thei which wil be rich fal into tēptacion & snares,Luke. xviii i, Tim. vi. Ecclesi, x.& into many folish & noysome lustes which whelme mē into perdyciō and destruccion (for couetousnes is ye rote of al euiles) we therfore perceiuing by thy blessed word so many incōmodities, yea pestilē ces of mans saluacion to accōpany ryches, most entirely besech y• to blesse such as yu hast made rich with a good,Luke. xvi. humble louing & fre mind, that they remembring thē selfs to be thy dispēsatours & stewerds, may not set their mindes vponupon ye deceitful tresures of this world, which are more brytle thē glasse, & more vaine thē smoke, nor yet heape vp thick clay agaīst thē selfs,…. ii. but liberalli & cherefulli bestow part of such goodes as yu hast cōmitted vntounto thē vpō their pore neighbors, make thē frēdes of wicked Māmō,Luke. xvi. be merciful to y• nedy,Math. v. be rich in good workes, & redy to geue & distribut to ye necessity of ye saints,i. Timo. vi. Roma. xii, i. Tim. vi. laying vp in store for them selfes a good foūdacyō agaynste the tyme to come, that they maye obteine euerlastynge life thorow Iesu Christ thy sōne and our Lorde. Amen.i. Timo. ….
A Prayer for poore people.
AS riches, so likewise pouerty is thy gifte, o Lorde.Ecclesi…. x. And as thou hast made some rich to dispose the worldly goodes: so haste thou appointed some to bee poore that they might receiue thi benefites at the rich mens hāds. And as the godly rich are welbeloued of the,Math. …. …o in like maner ar y• pore, if they beare the crosse of pouerty pacyently and thankfully.Ecclesi. … ▪ For good and euil, life and death, pouertye and ryches are of the, O Lord. We therfore most humblye pray the, to geue a good spirite, to al such as it hath pleased y• to burden wyth the yock… of pouertye, that they may with apacie nt and thankful hert walk in their state lyke vntounto that poore Lazare, of whō we reade in the gospel of thi welbeloued son, which chosed rather paciētly, and godly to die, thē vniustly or by force to gette anye mans goodes, and bi no meanes enui, murmur, or grudge against such as it hath pleased the to endue wyth more aboundaunce of worldly substaūs, but knowynge their state, although neuer so hū ble and base to be of the their lord God, and that thou wilte not forsake them in this their nede, but send them thinges necessary for theyr pore lyfe, may contynuallye praise the, and hope for better thī ges in the world to come, thorow thy sonne Iesu Christ our lorde. AMEN.
A prayer for the Commons.
Roma. xiii.THou hast cōmaunded, O lord in thy holy scriptures, that all subiectes shuld be obediēt to the higher powers, not only for fere▪ but also for conseyence sake,i. Peter. ii. Titum. iii. for ther is no power but of the. The powers that be, are ordeyned of the: whosoeuer therfore resisteth the power, resisteth thy ordināce, and they that resyste, shall get to thē selfs damnacion. Wherfore we knowynge this thy commaū demente and notwithstandinge not ignoraunt of the works, and subtilties of the Deuil, whych laboreth to ye vttermost of his power to driue out of mēs herts true and faithful obedyence towarde their superiours, and in the stede therof to plant disobedience, rebellion, sedicion, tumult, cōmociō insurreccion, & whatsoeuer may trouble a christē cōmō weal, and breke thy holy ordinance, most hū bly and from the very hert besech the to graue in the hertes of the comō people faithful, tru & vnfained obedience both toward oure kynge; and toward the other rulers that are sente of hym for the punyshment of euil doers,i. Pet. ii. but for the praise of thē that do wel: grāt them also O most mercyefull father (a wyllyng minde to geue to eueryevery man hys duety▪ Rom. xiii.trybute to whom tribute belōgeth, costume to whom custome is due, feare to whom feare belōgeth, honour to whom honour perteineth, and aboue al thinges to praye without ceassing for al them that be in authoritie,i. Timo ii. that we may lyue a peaceable and quiet life in al godlines and honestye vntounto the glorye of thy bles…ed name. AMEN.