A06743:109
[The flour of godly prayers] [most worthy to be used in these our days…[The flour of godly praiers] [most worthy to be vsed in these our daies…
[The flour of godly prayers] [most worthy to be used in these our days for the safeguard, health, and comfort of all degrees, and estates / newly made by Thomas Becon].[The flour of godly praiers] [most worthy to be vsed in these our daies for the sauegard, health, and comforte of all degrees, and estates / newlie made by Thomas Becon].
London: printed by John Day, 1550London: printed by Ihon Day, 1550
No title page in the transcription: set from the catalogue record.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
A prayer for Masters.
Although (O Christ thou most highest Lord) all power both in heaven and in earth,1 be given unto the of thy heavenly father, and albeit thou hast given us a commandment, that we should not desire to be called master,2 for we have but one master, which thou art, & all we are brethren having one father which is in heaven, yet forasmuch as thou according to thy blessed will hast appointed some superiors, some inferiors, some masters, some servants, some to command some to obey, some to rule, some to serve, and by this means such as be in superiority have obtained by thy holy word, the ⟨p. xliiii⟩name of masters, or Lords, because they have servants under them, and rule under the according to thy good pleasure, & godly appointment, which art the most supreme power, and most excellent majesty King of kings, and Lord of Lords,3 to whom all things both in heaven, and in earth, and under the earth do bow their knees, and give reverence, & honour,4 whose praise also every nation and language doth advance and set forth, confessing that thou art the Lord Jesus Christ, unto the glory of God the father: We most humbly pray thee, which art the greatest master, and most highest Lord, to send thy holy spirit upon all such as are called masters here in earth, and have superiority over other, that they remembering them selves ⟨image 60⟩to be thy servants,5 and that they also have a master in heaven, with whom there is no respect of persons may put away all threatenings, all cruelty, all unrighteousness, and do that unto their servants, which is just & equal.