Meditations and Motives for Prayer Upon the Seven Days of the Week, Prayer 2 – Half title 2
A Prayer to be said upon Munday.
O Most gracious God, how much are we bound to thy Divine Majestie for this great respect thou shewest to us; that when thou didst rest thy selfe, thou wouldst have us also to rest, & the dayes which thou spendedst in Creating, thou wouldst have us to spend in labouring: (which is our kind of creating) that so in our course of life, as farre as mortality is capable, wee might be like unto thee; but alas, O Lord, what labour can there be, where there is no strength? and what strength can we have, if we have not health? O therefore vouchsafe O God, to bestow upon mee the comfortable blessing of bodily health; not that onelyonly which comes from thy immediate hand, but that also which comes by a temperate and sober course of living: which if it bring not the body, at least it keepes it in a due proportion. It was eating at first that brought infirmities upon our bodies: and it is the intemperance of eating and drinking that brings infirmities still upon our bodies: O therefore most gracious God, be pleased to give me the Spirit of Temperance, and Moderation in my meat and drinke, that to my originall corruption, I may not adde actuall; but may, as it were, deliver back the Apple, which our first Parents did eate, to all our undoing: for whilst intemperately wee use thy creatures; and eate and drinke without moderation; what do wee but joyne with our first Parents in their Transgression? and therefore justly partake of their infirmities. O therefore vouchsafe, O God, to give mee temperance as a meanes of health: and health as a meanes to enable mee to labour: that so I may performe thine ordinance, by labouring in my calling: and not be forced to spend my time in idlenesse, which is worse than any labour. It is true indeed, none labour so much, as they that be in sicknesse, and cannot labour: but this is not the labour which thou appointest us. It is rather a punishment for not labouring as thou appointest us. O therefore let it not bee unpleasing to thee, O God, that I pray to thee for this health of my body; seeing upon thee onelyonly it depends: and therefore though thou sentest thy Sonne Christ Jesus to be chiefly a Physitian to heale our soules: yet the most visible testimonies hee gave were of beeing a Physitian, to heale our bodies: for hee made the Blind to see, and the Lame to goe: and cured diseases, which neither Time, nor Art, nor course of Diet could ever cure. And indeed, as the Soule is the life of the Body, so Health is the Soule of Life: withwhich wee are but dead while wee live: and not able so much as to make use of the Poole of Bethefda. O therefore most Glorious Lord God, now that I am entring upon my dayes of labour; vouchsafe to continue my health and strength unto mee: let no disorder in meat or drinke distemper mee; that I may goe thorough with my labours, and not faint under them: and then I shall make it (and O grant that I may make it) a part of my labour to praise thee for thy loving kindnesse; and to give thankes to thee for this inestimable favour. For alas, O Lord, what part is there in my whole body, that is not subject to a thousand infirmities, to a world of Diseases: And O Gracious God, how much am I then bound to thee; that where many others lye groaning under the torture of paines: lye languishing under the but then of infirmities: thou givest unto mee the sweete comfort of health, and ease in all my parts; that if I labour not now, according to thy holy Ordinance, thou mayst justly take from mee this great benefit of health which thou hast given mee: and leave mee in the tortures which many others feele. But farre be it from mee I should bee so ungratefull: As therefore I pray thee, O God, to give mee health for a foundation to labour: so I give thee all Land and Praise for a foundation of Thanksgiving: and with all Saints and holy Angels I Blesse and Magnifie thy Glorious, most Glorious Name for ever, and ever.
Amen.
MOTIVES FOR PRAYER VPONUPON TVESDAY.