The Pomander of Prayer, Prayer 14 – Prayer 38
¶ Of Mayds.
THere is nothing that becommeth a mayd better thē silence, shame fastnes & chastitye of bothe body and mynde. For these thynges beīg once lost, she is no more a maid but a Strompet in the sight of God: howsoeuer she disgiseth her selfe & dissembleth with the world I therfore moste humbly beseeche thee (O merciful Father) from whom commeth eueryevery good and perfect gift, and without whom we are able to doo nothing, yt thou wilt so order my tong, and dispose my talke yt I speak nothing but that become mi state, age and person, nether that I delight to heare any talk, that might in any point moue me to lewdnes, seeyng that euil words corrupt good maners. Geue me also such shaine fastnes as may pluck me away from the delectacion either of thinking speaking, hearing, seing, or doing euil, that my whole delight may be in vertue, in godlines in exchewing ydlenes, in geuing my selfe continually to some godly exercyse, but aboue all thinges in thinking and speaking of thee in reading thy blessed worde and heauenly law, which is a lā tern to my feet and a light to mi pathes. Moreouer suffer neyther my minde to be defiled with euil thoughts nor my body to be corrupted with any kinde of vnclēnes, but geue me grace so to order my self in exchewing idlenes and wanton wicked cōpany, ytmy mynde being free from euill affectes, and my bodye cleare from all vnclennes, I may be found a mete temple for the holy Ghost to inhabit and if it bee thi good pleasure hereafter to call me vntounto the honorable state of Matrimony, yt I may bring also vntounto my husbande a pure and vndefiled body, and so liue with him in thi feare vntounto ye praise and glori of thy blessed name.
Amen.
¶ Of Singlemen.
LOrd thou hast commaunded by thine holi Apostle, that we should abstaine from fornicacion, and that euerye one of vsus shoulde knowe how to keep his vessel, that is to say his body in holines and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence: as doo the heathen whiche knowe not God: I beseeche thee geue me grace to behaue my selfe according to thys thy holy commaundemente▪ that in this time of my single lyfe I defile not my body wt who redom or with ani other vnclennes: but so order my self with all honesty: and purenes of life, that I may glorify thee my Lord God both in body and spirite.
Amen.
¶ Of Husbandes.
FOrasmuche (O heauenly father, as thou hast called me from the single lyfe vntounto the holy state of honourable wedlocke, which is thy good and blessed ordinaūce for all them to liue in, that hauehave not the gift of continēcy, and hast geuen me a woman to wyfe, that I liuing with her in thy feare mai auoid al vnclēnes, I moste hartelye pray thee geue me grace to liue with her accordinge to thy godly pleasure. Kil in me al filthy & fleshly lustes. Suffer me not to delyght in any straunge fleshe, but to content my self onelyonly with her louelove, to louelove her as Christe loued the congregacion, to cherishe her as I wold cherishe mine owne body, so prouide for her according to my ability, to instruct her with ye knowledge of thy blessed worde, quietly and peaceably to liue with her, and to agree together in suche perfecte concorde and vnitie, as is founde among many members in one body▪ seing now yt we also are nomore two, but one fleshe, that other seeyng our godly and quiet conuersacion, may her by be prouoked to forsake theyr filthy liuing, & so embrace the holy state of honorable wedlock vntounto ye glori & praise of thi holi name.
Amē.
¶ Of Wyues.
Lord forasmuch as thou Oof thy Fatherly goodnes hast vouchedsafe to keep me from my tender age vntounto thys presente and hast, now called me from mi single life vntounto the holy state of honorable wedlock, that I liuing therein, might according to thine ordinaunce bring forth childrē vntounto thy glori: Geue me grace I moste entierlye beseche thee to walke, worthy of mi vocacion, to know ledge my husbande to be my head, to be subiect vntounto him, to learn thy blessed word of him, to reuerēce him, to obey him, to please him, to be ruled by him, peaceably and quietly to liue with him, to weare suche apparell as is mete for midegree, and bi no meanes to delight in costly Iewels and proud galaunt vestures, but alway to vse suche clothing as become a sober Christen woman, circumspectly & warely to look vntounto my housholde, that nothing perish through my negligence, and alwayes hauehave a diligent eye, that no dishonesty, no wickednes, no vngodlynes be cōmitted in my house, but yt in it all thinges be ordeined according to thy holy wil, whiche art worthy all honour, glory and prayse for euer and euer.
Amen.
¶ Of Housholders.
TO hauehave childrē and seruaunts, is thy blessinge (O Lord) but not to order thē according to thy word, deserueth thy dredful cursse. Graunt therfore, that as yu hast blessed me with an houshold, so I may diligentlye watche that nothing becommitted of ye same that might offend thy fatherli goodnes, and be an occasion of turning thi blessing into curssīg but that so manias thou hast cōmitted to my charge, may exchew all vice, embrace all vertue, lyue in thy feare, call vponupon thi holi name, learn thi blessed commaundementes, heare thy holy worde, and auoyding idlenes diligentlye execute them selues euerye one in his office according to theyr vocacion and callyng vntounto the glorye of thy moste honorable name.
Amen.
¶ Of all Christians.
Albeit (O heauenly Father) all we that vnfaynedly professe thy holy religion, and faithfully call on thy blessed name, are thy sonnes and heyres of euerlasting glory, yet as all the members of a body hauehave not one office, so likewyse we being many & making one body (whereof thy dearely beloued Sonne is the head) hauehave not all one gifte, neyther are we all called to one office, but as it hath pleased ye to distribute, so receyue we. We therfore moste humbly pray thee, to send the spirit of louelove & concord amōg vsus, that without any disorder or debate, eueri one of vsus may be content we our calling, quietly lyue in ye same, study to doo good vntounto all men by the true and diligēt exercise therof without to muche seking of our owne priuat gain, & so order our lyfe in all points according to thy godly will, that by wel doing we mai stop ye mouthes of such foolish and ignoraunt people, as report vsus to be euill dooers, & cause thē through our good works to glorify thēe our Lord god in yt dai of visitacion.
Amen.
¶ For the Grace & fauour of God.
WHosoeuer liueth wt out thy grace & fa uour (O moste gracious and fauorable Lorde) although for a time he waloweth in all kinde of fleshely pleasures, and abound with to muche wordly ryches, yet is he nothing els but ye wretched bond slaue of sathan, & the vile dūghil of syn. Al his pleasure is extreme poison, all his welth is nothing but plain beggeri. For what felicitie can ther be, where thy grace and fauour wanteth▪ But where thi grace and fauour is present (though the Deuel roar, the world rage, ye flesh swel) ther is true blissednes, vnfained pleasure & cōtinual welth. Pour down therfore thi heauēly grace & fatherly fauour vpō vsus, that we beeynge assured of thy fauorable goodnes towards vsus may reioyce and glory in thee, and hauehave mery hartes when so euer we be most assailed with any kinde of aduersitie, be it pouerty or sicknes, losse of freends, or persecution for thy names sake, to whom be glorye for euer.
Amen.
¶ For the gift of the holy Ghost.
SO frayl is our nature, so vile is our flesh, so lewd is our hart, so corrupt are our affects, so wicked are al our thoughts euen frō our child hod vpward, yt of our selues we can nether thinck, breath, speak or doo any thing yt is praise worthy in thy sight (O heauenly father) yea, except thou doost assist vsus with thy mercifull goodnes all things are so far out of frame in vsus, that we se nothing present in our selues but thy heauy displeasure and eternal damnacion. Uouche safe therfore (O swete father, to send thy holy spirite vntounto vsus, whiche may make vsus new creatures, put away frō vsus al fleshly lustes, fil our harts wt new affects & spiritual mociōs, & so altogether renew vsus bothe in body & soule through his godly in spiracion, ytwe may dye vntounto olde Adam, & lyue vntounto thee in newnes of lyfe seruynge thee our Lorde God in holines and righteousnes all ye daies of our lyfe.
Amen.
¶ For the true knowledge of our selues.
IT is written in thy holye Gospel, moste louing Sauiour yt thou cammest into this world not to call ye righteous, that is such as iustifie thē selues, but sinners vntounto repentaunce. Suffer me not therfore (o lord) to be in ye nū ber of those iusticiaris, which boasting their owne righteousnes, theyr owne wurks, and merits, despise that righteousnes that commeth by faith, whiche alone is alowable before thee. GiueGive me grace to knowe & to knowledge my selfe as I am euen ye sonne of wrath by nature, a wretched synner, and an vn profitable seruaunt, & wholy to depend on thy mercifull goodnes with strōg and vnshaken faith, yt in this world, thou mayest continually call me vntounto true repentaunce, seeyng I continually sinne, and in ye worlde to come brīg me vntounto euerlasting glorye.
Amen.
¶ For a pure and clene Hart.
THe hart of man naturalli is lewd and vnsearcheable through the multitude of sinns, which as in a stinking dūghil lyeth buried in it, in so much that no man is able to say: mi hart is clene and I am cleane from syn. Remoue from me therfore (O heauēly Father) my leud, stony, stuburn, stincking and vnfaithfull hart. Creat in me a clene hart free from al noisom and vngodly thoughts. Breath into my hart by thy holy spirit, godly and spirituall mocions, that out of the good treasure of the hart, I maye bring foorth good things vn to the praise and glory of thy name.
Amen.
¶ For a quiet conscience.
THe wicked is like a ragīg sea whyche is neuer in quiet, neither is ther ani peace to the vngodly, but such as louelove thy law (O Lorde) they hauehave plenty of peace, they hauehave quiet mindes and contented consciences, whiche is the greatest treasure vnderunder ye Sun geuē of thee to so mani as seek it at thy hand wyth true faith & cōtinuall praier. Gyue me (O Lord) that ioyfull Iewell, euen a quyet mynde and a free mery conscience ytI beeing free from the damnable accusacions of Sathā, from the crafty perswacions of the worlde, from the subtil entysements of the flesh, from the heauy curs of the law, and fully perswaded of thy merciful goodnes toward me through faith in thy Sonne Christe Iesu, may quietly serue thee both bodyly and ghostly in holines and rightuousnes al the dayes of my lyfe.
Amen.
¶ For Faith.
FOrasmuche as nothīg pleaseth thee, that is doon wt out faith, appereit before the blinde world neuer so beautyful and commendable, but is counted in thy sight sinfull and damnable, yea, the selfe syn and damnacion, this is moste humbly to desyre thee (O father) for Christes sake, to breathe into my hart bi thi Spirit, this moste precious and singular gifte of faith, which worketh by Charity, whereby also we ar iustified and receiued into thy fauor, yt I truly beleeuing in thee, and fully perswaded of the trueth of thy holy word, may be made thy sonne and inheritour of euerlasting glorye, throughe Iesu Chryste our Lorde.
Amen.
¶ For Charitie.
THy cognisaunce & badge, whereby thy Disciples are knowen (O Lorde & sauiour Iesu Christe) is charitie or louelove, which cometh out of a pure hart, and of a good conscience, and of faith vnfayned. I pray thee therfore gyue me this Christen louelove, and perfect charitie, that I may louelove thee my Lord God with all my hart, with al my minde, with all my soule, and with all my strēgths, dooing alway of very louelove yt onelyonly, whiche is pleasaunte in thy sight: again that I may louelove my neighbour and Christen Brother as my self, wishing as well to him as to my self, & redy at al tymes to doo for him, what so euer lieth in my power, that when we al shal stād before thy dreadful iudgyng place, I beeing knowē by thy badge, may be nūbred among thy disciples, and so through thy mercye receyue the reward of eternall glory.
Amen.
¶ For Pacience.
WHen thou liuedst in thys world (O Lorde) Christe, thou shewedst thy self a mere mirrour of perfect pacience sufferīg quietly not ye spiteful words, but also ye cruel dedes of thi most cruel enemies forgeuing thē & praying for thē, whiche moste tyranlike hādled thee. GiueGive me grace (O thou moste meek and louing lamb of God) to folow this thy pacience, quietly to bear the slaunderous wordes of mine aduersaries, paciently to suffer the cruel dedes of mine enemies, to forgiue thē, to pray for them, yea, to doo good for thē, & by no meanes to go about once to auenge my selfe, but rather giuegive place vntounto wrath, seeing yt vengeaunce is thine, and yu wilt reward, seing also that thou helpest them to theyr ryght that suffer wronge, that I thus paciently suffering all euils, may after ward raign with thee in glory.
Amen.
❧ For Humilitie.
WHat hauehave we, O heauēly Father, that we hauehave not receyued▪ EueryEvery good gyfte, and eueryevery perfect gift is frō aboue and cometh downe from thee, which art the father of lightes. Seyng then all yt we hauehave is thine whether it pertaine to the body or to the soule, how can we be proud, and boast our selues of that whiche is none of our own seing also ytas to geue, so to take away againe thou art able and wilt, whēsoeuer thy gifts be abused, and thou not knowledged to be the giuer of them. Take therfore away from me all pride & hautynesse of mynd and graffe in me true humilitie, that I may knowledge thee the giuer of al good things, be thāk full vntounto thee for them, & vse them vntounto thy glorye and the profyte of my neyghboure. Graunt also, that all my glorye and reioysynge maye bee in no earthly creatures, but in thee alone whiche doost mercy, equitie, and ryghtuousnes vponupon earth. To thee alone be all glory.
Amen.
❧ For Mercifulnes.
THy deerelye beloued sō ne in his holy Gospell exhorted vsus to be mercyfull euē as thou our heauenly Father art merciful and promisest that if we be merciful to other, we shall obtaine merci of thee, which art the father of mercies, and God of al consolacion. Graunt therfore that for asmuch as thou art oure Father, and we thy children, we may resemble thee in all our life and conuersaciō, and that as thou art beneficial & liberal, not onli to ye good, but also to the euil: so we likewise mai shew our selues merciful gentil and liberall to so many as hauehave nede of our healp, ytat the dredful day of dome we may be found in the number of those merciful, whom thou shalt appoint by thy onelyonly begotten sonne to go into euerlasting lyfe, to whō with thee and the holy ghost be all honour and praise.
Amen.
For true godlynes.
IN thy law (O thou maker of heauen and earth) thou hast appoynted vsus a waye to walke in, and hast commanded that we shuld tourn neither on the right hand, nor on the left, but doo according to thy good will and pleasure, with out adding of our own good entents and fleshly imaginacions. As thou hast cōmaunded, so giuegive me grace good Lorde, to doo. Let me neither folowe mine owne will, nor the fancies of other men, neither let me be begiled with the visar of olde customes, long vsages, fathers, decres, auncient lawes, nor any other thing that ffghteth with thy holy ordinaunces & blessed commaundemēt, but faithfully beleue & stedfastly confes yt, to be the true godlines, which is learned in thy holy Bible, & according vntounto that to order my life vntounto the praise of thy holy name.
Amē.
❧ For the true vnderstanding of Gods word.
O Lorde as thou alone art the Authour of the holy scriptures, so lykewyse can no manne, althoughe neuer so wise, politike and learned, vnderstand them, except he be taught by thy holy spiryt, which alone is the Scholemaster to lead the faithfull into all truth. Uouchesafe therfore I moste humbly beseeche thee to breath into my hart thy blessed Spirit, whiche may renew the senses of my minde, open my wits, reuele vntounto me the true vnderstāding of thy holy misteries▪ and plant in me such a certaine and infailyble knowledge of thy truthe, that no subtyll perswasyon of mans wysdom may pluck me from thy truth, but that as I hauehave lerned the true vnderstāding of thy blessed wyll, so I may remayne in the same continually, come lyfe, come death, vntounto the glory of thy blessed name.
Amen.
❧ For a lyfe agreable to our knowledge.
AS I hauehave prayd vntounto thee (O heauenly Father) to be taught the true vnderstāding of thi blessed word by thi holy spirit, so I moste entierly beseech thee to giuegive me grace to lead a lyfe agreable to my knowledge. Suffer me not, to be of the number of them which profes that they know God with theyr mouth, but deny hym with theyr dedes. Let me not be lyke vntounto that sonne which sayd vntounto hys father, that he would labour in his vineyeard, and yet labored nothing at al, but went abrode lottering idely. Make me rather lyke vntounto that good and fruteful land which yeldeth agayne her sede with great increase, that men seing my good workes, maye glorify thee my heauenly father
Amen.
❧ For the health of the body
I Fele in my selfe (O mercifull Sauiour) how greuous a pryson thys my body is vntounto my Soule, which contynually wysheth to be loosoned oute of thys byle carcasse and to come vntounto thee, seeing it hath heere no reste, but is at eueryevery houre vexed wyth the filthy lustes of the flesh, wyth the wicked assaultes of the deuyll and the worlde, and is neuer at quiet but alway in daunger to be ouercome of her ennemyes, were it not preserued of thy goodnes by the mynistery and seruice doing of thy holy Angels. Notwythstāding (O most louing lord) forasmuch as it is thy good pleasure that my bodye and soule shall styl remain heere together as yet in this vale of mysery: I beseche thee to preserue my soule from all vyce, and my body from al sycknes that I enioying through thy benefyte the helth bothe of body and soule, maye be the more able to serue thee & my neighbour in such works as are acceptable in thy sighte.
Amen
❧ For a good name.
NOthing becometh ye professour of thy name better (O heauenly Father) thē so to behaue him selfe accordyng to hys professyon, that he maye be well reported of them, that be of the houshold of Faith, yea such synceritie and purenes of lyfe ought to be in them which profes thy holy name, that the very aduersaryes of thy truth should be ashamed once to mutter a gaynst them. GiueGive me grace therfore I moste intierly desyre thee soo to frame my lyfe accordinge to the rule of thy blessed word, that I may giuegive no man occasyō to speak euill of me, but rather so lyue in my vocacion, that I may be an exsample to other, to liue Godly and vertuously vntounto the honour and praise of thy glorious name.
Amen.
❧ For a compitent liuing.
ALthough I doubt not of thy fatherly prouision for this my poore & nedy lyfe, yet for as much as yu hast bothe commaunded and taught me by thy deere Sonne to praye vntounto thee for thinges necessary for thys my lyfe. I am bolde at this present to come vntounto thi diuine maiesty moste humbly beseching thee that as thou hast geuen me lyfe, so thou wylte giuegive me meat and drincke to sustayn the same. Again as thou hast geuē me a body, so thou wilt gyue me clothes to couer it, that I hauing sufficyent for my liuing, may the more fre ly & with the quieter minde apply my selfe vntounto thy seruice and honour.
Amen,
¶ For a pacient and thankfull hart in sicknes.
WHō thou louest (O lorde) him doost thou chasten, yea eueryevery sōne that thou receiuest, thou scourgest, & in so dooing: thou offerest thy self vntounto him, as a father vn to his Sōne. For what sōne is he whom the father chast neth not? Graunt therfore I moste hartely pray thee, that whēsoeuer thou layest thy cros on me, and visitest me with thy louing scourge of sicknes. I may by no meanes striue against thy fatherly pleasure, but paciently & thankfully abide thy chastisemēt, euer being perswaded, that it is for ye helth bothe of my body and soule, & that by this meanes thou wurkest my saluacion, subduest the fleshe vntounto the spirit, & makest me a new crea ture, that I may hereafter serue thee the more freely, & cōtinue in thy fear vntounto my lyfes ende.
Amen.
¶ For strength against the deuell, the world, and the flesh.
O Lorde God, the Diuell goeth about like a roring Liō, seeking whom he may deuour. The Flesh lusteth against the Spirite. The world perswadeth vn to vanities, yt we may forget thee our Lorde God, & so for euer be dāned. Thus are we miserably on eueryevery side beseeged of cruell & vnrestful enemies, & like at eue ri moment to perish, if webe not defended with thy godly power against their tirā ny. I therfore poore & wretched siner dispairīg of mine owne strengthes, whiche in deed are none, moste hartely pray thee to endue me wt strēgth from aboue, that I may bee able through thy help with strong faith to resist Satā, with seruēt prayer to mortify ye raging lusts of the Fleshe, with continuall meditation of thy holy law, to auoyde the foolish vanities & transitory pleasures of this wicked world, that I through thy grace be ing set at libertie from the power of mine enemies, may liue and serue thee in holines & rightuousnes all the days of my life.
Amen.
¶ For the helpe of Gods holy Aungels.
AN infinit nūber of wicked Aungels are there, (O Lorde Christe) whiche without ceasing seek my de strucciō, Against this exceding great multitude of euill spirits, sēd thou me thy blessed and heauenly angels, which may pitche their tēts round about me, & so delyuer me from their tirany.
Thou (o lorde) hast deuoured hel, & ouercom ye Prince of darknes with all his ministers, yea and that not for thy self, but for them that be leue in thee. Suffer men of therfore to bee ouercome of Satan, & of his seruaunts, but rather let me triūphe ouer them (yt I through strōg faith & the help of the blessed angel hauing the victory of the hellish armi) mai with a ioisul hart sai: Death where is thy stīg? hel where is thy victory? & so for euer & euer magnifi thy holy name.
Am̄