The Flower of Godly Prayers, Prayer 53 – Prayer 60
A prayer to be said before the receiuinge of the holy Communion.
THy louelove toward vsus (O most Gentell Sauyoure) is so greate and vume asurable, yt it rāne by no meanes bee expressed by mouthe, nor sufficyentlye conceyued in herte, For our louelove withoute any desertes on ourbehalfe, euen frely and willingli at thy heauēly fathers cōmaundemēt yu cāmest down frō the glorious seate of thy deuine maiestie,…sa…e vii. …. i. Luke. i. Iohn i. … …x. Math. ii.i. tokest veri flesh, & becā …est perfect man of the substaūce of that pure and vndefiled virgin Mari thorow the operacion of the holy gost, taughtest the wil of thy heauenly father, confirming ye same with wōderfull miracles vntounto ye great comfort of many which thē liued, & vntounto the perfect establishment of our fayth whych lyue at thys presēt. After thou hadst trauayled in thys worlde certayne yeres, the tyme to fore appointed frō euerlasting of thi heauēly father drawing nie▪ that thou shuldest geue thy self an oblacyō and sweete smellyng sacrifice to god the father for the sins of ye whole worlde,Ephe v. euen so many as repent, beleue and amēd, willing that so noble & worthy benefit of our redempcion shuld not be forgottē, nor fal out of remēbraūce,Galath. vi. which is the alone authore of our saluacion, & the onli comfort of weake conscyences. Whē thou haddest …atē the Pascal lābe wyth thy disciples according to the appointemēt of the law, thou tokest bread into thy hand, gauest thancks to thy heauenly father,Mat. xxvi. Mat. xiiii. brakest it, & delyuerest it to thy disciples, saying. Take ye, eat ye, this is mi body, which is betraied for you. Do this in the remembraunce of me.Luke. xxii. i. Cor. xi Because the singuler & inestimable benefyte of our redempcyon, brought to passe by the one & onlye oblacion of thy blessed bodye, brokē on the aulter of the crosse,Hebru. ix.x. shuld not be forgotten, thou brakest the breade in the syght of thy discyples, and gauest it vntounto thē, commaundynge them to eat it in the remēbrance of the breakyng of thi bodi, which thē was betraied by thy traiterous disciple Iudas that sōne of perdicyon,Iohn. xvii. & the day folowynge was vnfaynedly broken on the crosse for our raū some, delyueraunce & saluacion. Here didst thou appoint the breakīg of the breade amōg the faithfull gathered to gether for y• purpose, a worthy and blessed memorial of thi bodi breaking. And because the breakinge of thy bodye shuld be ye better remēbred, thou dyddest ennoble the breade wyth the name of thy body,Note. when notwithstādīg it was only ye figure, sign, token and memorial of thy holy body. In like manner when supper was done thou tokest the cup into thy hands, gauest thāks to thy heuēly father, and delyuerest it to thy Discyples, sayinge, drinck of this al ye. For this is mi bloud of the new testamēt, couenaunt or bargaine, which shalbe shed for many into the remission of sinnes▪ Thys do as oftē as ye drīcke it in the remēbraūce of me As by the breakyng of thy blessed body our raunsome is perfectlye paied: so bi the sheding of thy precious bloud are al our synnes euen vntounto the vttermoste washed away.…. Iohn. i. Therfore as by ye breaking of the breade thou wouldest the breakyng of thy body & the benefites gotten bi it, to be rem… ̄bred among the faythful, so to the end that the sheddyng of thy bloud, & the merytes therof should not be forgottē, thou gauest thē the cup of wine to drink, commaundyng them, that so oft as they or any of ye faythful gathered together for that purpose, do drink of the cup, thei shuld remēber thi death and the sheding of thy precious blud, as thy holy Apostle sayeth:i. Cor. xi. as oft as ye shal eat this bread & drinck of the cup▪ ye shal shew the lor…s deathe tyll he come.☜ And asthou dyddest ennoble the bread with ye name of thy body▪ being but ye figure of thy body, because the breking of thi body, shuld ye better be remēbred: so likewise, here doest thou garnish and nobly set forth the wine, naminge it thy bloude, when notwythstandynge it only representeth and preacheth vntounto vsus ye sheding of thi bloud, because it shuld be the more depely grauē & the better retained in our mindes. O most mercifull redemer & gentel sauioure, we are come together at this presēt to celebrate the memoryall of thy blessed and gloryous passyon, and to eat and drinke this breade and wine in ye remēbraunce of thy blessed body breaking, and thy precious bloud sheddyng, moost humbly and frō ye very hert beseching the to gyue vsus grace, worthelye to eate thys breade and drinke of thys cuppe, least by the vnworthy receiuing of them,…. Cori. xi. we be gylty of thy bodye and bloud▪ and so eate and drink our own dampnacion. And that we may come the more worthely vntounto thys thy table, graunte we mooste entyrely pray the, that we may so earnestly be at defiaunce wyth al synnes, and so inwardly be ashamed, that we at any tyme hauehave so greuously offēded thi deuine maiesty by attemptynge anye thing, that is not agreable to thy good pleasure, that from hēsforth we may not only lothe, detest and abhor, whatsoeuer is displeasaunt vntounto the, but also embrace and lay hand on that, whiche is good and acceptable in thy sight.Math. v. Roma. xii. Forgeue vsus al our sīnes & giuegive vsus grace euen wt our whole hert to louelove al men, yea our very enemies, and not onli to forgiue al suche as hauehave offēded vsus, but also to be ready at all times to do for them what soeuer good or plesure we be able. And yt we maye be the more welco…e vntounto the, & be found mete and worthy gests to sitte at this thy table, & to eate of these thi bless…d gifts that our soule may be wel comforted, norished, fedde and made mery by ye worthy receiuing of them, clothe vsus, we pray the,Math. xx… wyth yt weddyng garment, euē true & liuely faith, wherwith our herts are purified, wherwith we are maryed vntounto ye & made one flesh one bloud with the,Act…s, …vi Osee. ii. wherwyth also we are iustified and counted righteous in thy sight, and graūt that thorowe the same faith we ernestly set ye eies of oure minde on these thy moste swete and louing promyses.Ephe v. Rom. iii.v My bodye shall be broken for you.Mat. xxvi. Ma…. ii…ii. Luke xxii. …. Cori. …. My bloude shalbe shedde for you. And wythoute anye doubtyng loke for remissiō of all our synnes at thy heauenly fathers hande, accordynge to thy mooste gentle promyses, yea and that not for our good dedes and merites,Titu. iii, which in this behalf are none, but for ye worthynes of thy blessed passion, for the dignity of thy precious bloude, and for that only and alone sacrifice of thy holye body. For that O Lord, is the salue, ye healeth our souls. That is the medecine, that comforteth our weake and troubled consciē ces.Iohn, vi, That is the liuinge breade: whosoeuer eateth of ye bread shal neuer honger, but lyue for euer. That is ye Iewel of ioy, that maketh our sorowfull hertes mery. That is the mighty bulwark the stronge defēce, the sure fortres, ye preserueth and kepeth vsus harmlesse against Satā, synne, death, hel, desperacion, and al the infernal power. To come to the table, to be presēt at the supper,☜ to here and se what is there don, yea & to receiue ye holy mistiries of thy body & bloud ther setforth vntounto vsus, profiteth vsus nothyng at all▪ if we faithfully beleue not, that thy bodi was brokē & thy bloud shed for our sinnes, and that by the alone oblacion therof done once for al, our syns are forgeuen vsus,Hebru. vii▪ ix.x. thy heuenly father is recōciled vntounto vsus his wrath stored vp thorow sin against vsus, is pacified, quietnes of consciēce and euerlasting lyfe is geuen vsus, but rather turneth vntounto our dāpnacion, because we eat of thys breade and drinck of this cuppe vnworthely: and shal with that Hipocrite, whyche presumed to come vntounto the mariage, not hauing ye wedding garmēt, be boūd hād and fote,…ath. xxii and caste into vtter darcknes, wher weping and gnashīg of teeth shalbe. Therfor we most hūbly besech the, to geue vsus grace according to thy holy Apostles councel, diligently to proue, try & examin our selfes, whether such repentance, such faith, such louelove,i. Cori. …i. suche disposition toward al godlines be foūd in vsus, or not as thou dost require in them, whych come worthely & with frute vntounto thy table. And forasmuch as it is thy gift to repēt hertely, to beleue truly, to louelove vnfaynedly, & to be disposed earnestly, to ēbrace true godlynes, and to go forward in ye same from vertueto vertue vntounto the end, graunt, we most entirely pray the,Math. iii. we may so repent, that ye frutes of repentāce may be foūd in vsus, so beleue, that we may knoledge y• our alone sauiour, so louelove that al oure affeccion may be set on the alone, and so embrace true godlynes, that our h…le lyfe may be a cleare Myrrour of vertue & goodnesse. So shall we thorowe thi merci, be foūd worthi gests of this thy table,Phil lp. ii. & receiue these holy misteries vntounto ye saluacyon of our soules, yea so shal we be wel assured of the remission and forgeuenes of all our synnes by the breaking of thy blessed body and the sheding of thi precious bloud our consciences shalbe quiet, our hertes shalbe filled wyth all true and spirituall ioye, wee shall tryumph ouer Satan, sinne, death, hell, and desperacyon, we shal be partakers of all the fruites and merytes of thy blessed passyon, and bee made one bo…ye wyth the, and fellowe heyres of euerlastynge glorye. O Lord God, lette it so come to passe for the honour of thy name. Amen.
A thankesgeuinge after the receiuynge of the Communion.
IE thanck the (O heauēly father) for the blessed passion and gloryous death of thy derelye beloued sonne our Lorde and sauiour Iesu Christ,Ephe. ii. …olloss. ii. by whō & by whose holy woūdes we faythfully beleue and are assuredly perswaded, yt thy wrathe is not onlye pacified toward vsus, but that thou also art now becōe oure moost mercyful father, and haste frelye forgeuen vsus all oure synnes, restored vsus to thy heuēly grace, and made vsus sonnes & heiers of thyne eternall glorye. And because we shuld not dout of thi fatherly goodnes toward vsus set forthe in the deathe of thi sonne, the same thy sonne Christ Iesu our Lorde hathe leafte vntounto vsus not onlye his holy word,Ma…. x…vi. Mat. xiiii. Luke xxii. …. Cor. xi. but also a blessed memoryal of hys death, and passyon, set forth in the holy breade and holy wine, whych we at this presēt hauehave receiued both for a remembraūce of ye brekyng of hys blessed body, and the shedding of his most precious bloud, and also for the quietnes of oure conscience, and for the assurance of the remission of our syns thorow fayth. We besech the (O heauēli father) that we be neuer vnmyndeful of this thy exceadinge greate kindenes, nor vnthanckful, for thy manyfold & vnspekeable mercys declared vntounto vsus in the gloryous death of thy welbeloued sōne, but so worcke y• in vsus thorowe thy holy spirite, that we maybe made worthye members of that bodye, whereof thy sōne and oure sauyoure Christe Iesu is the heade,Eph. i.iiii. Colloss. i. and that we may so faythfullye beleue in the, and so feruentlye louelove one another, alwaye liuinge in thy feare, and in the obediēce of thy holy law and blessed wyl, that we being fruteful in al godly and chryst…n workes, may traine our life accordig to thy good pleasure in this transitory world, and after this fraile and shorte lyfe obtaine that true and immortall lyfe, wher thou wt thy derely beloued sōne our lord and sauiour Iesu Christ, and the holy gost that most sweete cōfortour, liuest and reignest one true God in all honor & glory worldes without ende. Amen.
¶ A shorte prayer to bee sayed at the receiuynge of the mysterye of Chrystes body in the holy Communion.
O Heauenly and blessed father, I render vntounto thee mooste heartie thanckes for al thy benefytes, whiche thou hast shewed vntounto me most wret…hed synner, but speciallye for that moost swete smelling sacrifyce, whyche thy onelyonly begotten sōne offred vntounto ye on yt aulter of the crosse,Ephe. v. by giuīg his most pure & vndefyled body vntounto the death for the redempcion of mākind,Philip. ii▪ in remembraūce wherof according to thy welbeloued sōns ordināce I nowe receyue this holy breade moost entirely beseching, that I may both be partaker of ye merites of thi dere sōnes bodi brekīg and also lead a lyfe worthy of so greate a benefite, vntounto the glory of thy name. Amen.
A prayer to be sayed at the receiuynge of the misteryes of Christes bloude in the holy Communion.
O Blessed & mercifull father, thy louelove towarde me sinneful creature is so exceadyng greate and vnspeakable,Roma. v. that I can not but geue vntounto the, moost humble thanckes,Ephe▪ ii. namely for the shedding of the moost precious bloud of thy deare sonne Iesu Christe, by the vertue where of thy wrath styrred vp againste me wretched synner, is pacyfyed my raunsōe is payed, the law is fulfylled, my enemyes are ouercome and put to flyghte. In remembraunce of this so noble a victorye and of so great a benefit I am come vntounto this thy table, O merciful father to drinke of this cup, desiring the that as my outward man is comforted by the drynkekyng of thys wyne: so lykewyse my inwarde man mai be comforted and made stronge by true faythe in the precious bloud of thy mooste dearly sonne. O Lord and my heauenli father, geue me thy holye spirite, whych may so rule and gouerne my hert, yt I neuer be vnthanckful nor forgetful of this thine excedinge, greate kindenes; but so trayne my lyfe accordynge to thy blessed will, yt whatsoeuer▪ I do speke, or thinke, may be vntounto the glorye of thy blessed name & the health of my soule▪ thorow Iesu Christ our Lord, Amen.
A Prayer againste Idolatry.
THou, O Lord art God alone, and besydes the,Esay. lxvi. there is no God nether in heauen nor in earth. As for the gods of the heathen, thei are deuils and the images,Malach. ii i. Cor. xviii which the ignoraunt people worshyppe as gods, by knelynge praying and offering vntounto them are no gods, but stocks & stones,Ephe. iiii. Idols and Mamets. They hauehave mouthes & speake not,i. Timo. ii. eies hauehave they but theyse not They hauehave eares, and heare not,Psal. xl…i. noses hauehave thei but thei smel not.Psal. c…ii. Thei hauehave hands and handle not, fete hauehave they, but they can not go, neyther canne they speake thorowe theyr …hrotes. O how vayne thē are all they, that put their trust in suche mad fan…ies, as can doo them no good?Psalm▪ ii. Al health and saluation, al ioye, and comfort come frome the alone,Esaye xlv ii. Cor. i. Ieremy. li. Psam. xlv▪ Ps. …xlv. Iere, xvii▪ O Lord, Thou art the god of al consolacion, and father of al mercyes. Thou arte the lyuynge fountayne, from who…e alone …loweth whatsoeuer good or godlye is. Thou arte the refuge and succour of thy people. Thou hearest thy seruāts, whēsoeuer they cal on the. Who euer trusted in ye and was not holpen. Blessed are they which put their trust in the, and cursed are they that forsake the and folow the Idols of their owne heart.Psal▪ cxiii▪ Esaye. lxv. Deu. xxviii For as the faithfull in thy presēce shall fynde fauour and merci: so shal al Idolatours receiue before the shame of face and confusion of conscience, yea terrible iudgement and euerla…ting dampnacion,Esaye, i, …euit. …xvi. I…remy. ix. besides those temporal punishmentes, whiche thou threatnest in thy holy lawe. We beseche the therfore, O thou alone true and liuing god, to endue vsus with thy holi spirit which may clense vsus from al blynde erroures, al folysh fansyes,I…o…. xvi. Ioh. xvii. al vain supersticions, and frō the whole lumpe of Idolatry, and leade vsus vntounto thy godlye truthe, that wee maye knowe the to bee the alone true, euerlasting and immortall God, beleue in the, feare & louelove, cal on thy blessed name, seke thy honoure and glory, and craue at thy merciful hande alone, alone, whatsoeuer good thing we hauehave nede of, concerning the bodye or the soule, that we in th…s worlde, glorifi…ng the our lord god, alone alone, accordynge to thy blessed woorde, maye after this present life be glorified of the in thy heauenly kingdom, wher thou wyth thy dearelye beloued sonne & the holy gost liuest and reygnest one true and euerlasting god foreuer and euer. Amen.
A prayer against Swearynge
O Almighty and euerlastinge God,Exod. xxi. how greatly they that abuse thy holy name bi vain and vnlawful othes shall be plaged,Deute. i. it is euident inoughe in the sacred scripturs. For thou thi self saiest, that whosoeuer taketh thi name in vain shal not escape vn punished.…a…ha. v. And thy prophet sawe flying in the ayre a great & large boke, euen twēty cubyts in lēgth and ten cubits in breadth, wherin were contayned the cursses & plages that are prepared for thē, which vainly or falsly sweare by thy holy name. It is wrytten also that whosoeuer vseth muche to sweare, shalbe fylled with iniquity, and the plage, yt is the vengeaunce of thy wrath shal not depart from his house.Ecle. xxxii. Seing that so many, yea & those terrible punishments, and moost greuous plages are threatned, prepared & setforth to all idle swearers and wycked blasphemers of the & of thy blessed name, we most hertely pray the, so to order our tunge, that it vtter no vngodlye nor file thy communication, that it abuse not the nor thy name, nor any of thy cre… tures eyther in heauē or in earth, by vnlawful and vayne othes, but that with all diligence we obserue the cōmaundemēt of thy only begotten sonne, whiche streightly chargeth vsus,Math. v. that wee sweare not at al,Iacob, v. nether bi heauē for it is godds seat, nor yet by the earthe, for it is his footestole, nether by Ierusalē, for it is the city of the greate kyng, neither saith he, shalte thou swere by thy head because thou canst not make one whyte here or black. But thy cō munication shalbe yea, yea, naye nay. For whatsoeuer is more thē that commeth of euyll. Gyue vsus grace therfore (O moost louinge God) to auoyde all vngodlye and wicked othes, to reuerēce thy holy name, to ste vntounto it as a strong castell by herty prayer in aduersitie, and at al tymes to prayse, and magnifi it. Graunt also that our communicacion be yea, yea, nay naye that is, yea in herte, & yea in mouthe, nay in herte, and nay in mouth, that ther be foūde no dissi…ulaciō in vsus, but such symplicitie and truthe in our talke, and such sīcerity & purenes in al our conuersaciō and lyuynge, as becōmeth them that profes thy holi name, which alone is worthy all honour and glory. Amen.
A prayer against Pride.
O Most louing and gentle sauiour the only begotten son of the eternall and lyuynge god thou commaundest al them,Math. x…. that wyll come vntounto the and bee thy scolers to learne of the to be meke, humble and lowly in hert,Math. …. to be pore in spirit, not to be puffed vp with arrogancy, pride, ambicion, and vayn glory. For thou scatterest thē that ar proud in the Imaginacion of theyr heartes.Luke. …. Thou puttest downe the mighty from theyr seats and exaltest thē of lowe degre. Thou resistest the proud,i. Peter. … & geuest grace to the humble. Thou throwest down ye hauty minded, and exaltest the meke spirited. Thou so greatly abborrest Pride,Eccle. x. that thbou ryngest also the proude to nought and makest the memoryall of theym to ceasse from out of the earth.
For pryde is the orygynall of al synne, whoso taketh hold therof, shalbe fylled wyth cursings,…. x. and at the last it shal ouerthrow hym. O Lord, what is to be foūd in vsus being our owne, that may make vsus to glory in our selfs and to be proud?… ▪ iii. As concerning our body what is it, but earthe, ashes, dust & donge?… As for the beauty & fauour of it. Oh how disceitful and vayn it is.…. x…xi. And as for the strēgth therof, howe shortelye dothe a litle feuer make the most myghty, the most weake.…. iii. Who thā wil be proud of so vyle a carcas & sacke of donge?…. ii. … ▪ v. As touching our soule if it be regenerat by thy holy spirit what other thing is it, thē the bonde slaue of satan and sinne. If any thing we hauehave, that good is (for all naughtines cōmeth of oure selues) it is thy gyft.Os…. xiii. If we hauehave receiued it, why do we glory in our felfs, as though we had …ot receiued it? It may plese the therefore whiche arte the Myrrour of true, humility and geuer of al vertu, to graue in our herts the true knowledge of our selfes that we maye bothe willyngelye and vnfainedly confes, whatsoeuer goodnes we hauehave, to be thy gyfte and so not to glory in oure selfes, but to geue vntounto the most humble and herty thanks for all thy giftes, euer walkynge before ye with al submissiō & lowlines of mind, that thou maiest exalte vsus whē the tyme commeth. Suffer vsus not to be hye mynded, but to make our selfs equall to thē of ye lower sort, & gyue vsus that humiliti & lowlines of hert, that mortifieth & killeth in vsus al louelove of o ur selfs al pride & arrogācy, that our whole glory & reioising may only be in the our Lord and sauioure to whō be al honor for euermore. Amen.
A prayer agaynste whoredome.
…. xlvii.HOwe greatly thou doste abhorre whoredom, fornicaciō and all vnclennes O Lord,…. xix. ye drownyng of the whole world, the destruccion of Sodome and Gomorre with water,Exod, xx. fire & brimstone,Deute. v. from heuen, and such other like plages mencioned in the holy scriptures▪ do euidētly declare and shew.Deu. xxiii. Thy cōmaundement is that we shulde cōmit none adultry.Leuit. …x. And in the common▪ weale of the Israelits thou cōmaūdest,Deut. xxii that there shuld neither be whormonger nor whore. If any suche wer found, ye thei shuld be stoned vntounto deathe.Prou…r. v. For althoughe the l…ppes of an harlotte are to the folyshe a droppynge hony come, and her necke softer then oyl: yet at ye last is she as bitter as wormwod, and as sharp as a swearde. Her feete go down vntounto death, & her steppes haste them into hell, and he ye accompanieth him selfe with an whore,Prouer. ix. shal go doun vntounto hel but he that goeth away frō her, shalbe saued.Proue. x…x. Yea he y• mainteineth an whore, shal come vntounto beggery in this world, and after this life shal hauehave his part in the lake that burneth wyth fire and brymstone. O Lorde,Apoca. xx i. Tess. iii…. thou haste called vsus not vntounto vnclēnes, but vntounto holynes & purenes of lyfe,i. Corin. vi thou hast made vsus one body and one spirit with the: how vnsemely thē is it to take the mēbers of Christ,Psalm. li. & to make thē the mēbers of an harlot? We therfore moste humbly besech the to make in vsus a clene hert to renue a right spirite within vsus, & to turn away al voluptuousnesse from vsus.Ecle. xxiii. Take from vsus the lusts of the body, let not the desires of vnclēnes take hold vponupon vsus, and geue vsus not oouer into an vnshamefaste and obstinate minde.Ephesi. v. Let not fornicaciō, adultery, nor any kind of vnclēnes be once named amōg vsus. Let no fylthye communicaciōn procede out of your mouthes,Ephe. iiii. but that which is good to edifie with al when nede is,i. Cor. vi. that it may hauehave fauour with the hearers. And for asmuch as nether fornicatours, neyther whoremongers,Ephesi. v. nether weaklīgs, nether abusers of thē selfs with the mankinde, shal enherit the kingdome of God: grāt we hertely pray the that suche as be vnmaried, may kepe thē selfs pure and vndefiled after the exā ple of that godly yong man Ioseph and bring with thē vntounto honorable wedlocke both their bodyes and myndes chast & honest. Graunte also yt the maryed men may beware and kepe thē selfes from all whoredome,Gen. xxxix. and vse the companye of no woman besides theyr wife. Again,Tobi. iiii. Iob. …iii. graunt that al maried women may practyse the maners of that vertuous womā Susāna, & nether for flattering nor manacing words at anytime consent vntounto vnclennes, but so kepe the bed vndefiled, that their mariage may be honorable, that God may blesse thē & theyr godly trauels, and make theym ioyfull Mothers of manye children. Fynally graūt (O most merciful father) yt we may so auoid al vnclē nes, yt we being pure both in bodye & soule may deserue to se thy glorious face in thi heuēly kīgdō thorow Iesu christ our lord. Amē