Grant that all temporal rulers may use their office justly and godly, seek not only to be feared but also to beloved,1 maintain the good, punish the evil, accept no person in judgement, allow no false accusation,2 shed no innocent blood, hear the small so well as the great, receive no bribes, set forth thy glory advance thy holy word, promote thy faithful preachers, and in all their doings seek the profit of the comm•n weal, and ⟨p. lxi⟩so behave them selves that they may be found worthy officers in thy sight.3 Grant that the subjects may show all reverent submission to their rulers, obey them in all things, be faithful and true to them, yea and that not only for fear of punishment but also for conscience sake.4 Grant that the Bishops, the preachers of thy word & all other spiritual ministers may take heed to them selves and to all the flock,5 in the which the holy ghost hath appointed them overseers to feed thy holy congregation which thy dearly beloved son purchased with his blood,6 and take the oversight of them, not as though they were compelled, but willingly, not for the desire of filthy lucre, but of a good mind, not as lords, over the Parishes, but that they be an example unto the flock. Grant that they may lay aside ⟨image 77⟩all tyranny and haughtiness of mind▪ and walk with all gentle softness and tender compassion toward the sheep of Christ committed to thei• cure and charge. Let them be as most loving fathers to Christs flock, & if any of the sheep chance to run astray & to go out of the way let them not therefore ungently entreat them, but as it is the office of a good shepherd, by fair means call them home again unto y• sheep folde•, seeking rather their salvation then destruction.7 Let them remember the history of y• lost sheep, & consider how tenderly the head shepherd Christ thy son and our Lord fetched it home again even upon his shoulders.8 For the servant of the Lord may not fight, but be peaceable & gentle toward all, and ready to teach, suffering the evil with meekness, informing them that resist if at any time thou, O God mayest ⟨p. lxii⟩give them repentance to know the truth.9 Let them cast away ungodly old wivish fables, teaching thy heavenly word purely & truly, & be unto them that believe an example in the word, in conversation, in love, in spirit, in faith, in pureness.
Graūt that al tēporal rulers maye vse theyr offyce iustelye and godly, seke not only to be feared but also to beloued,1 maintaine the good, punysh the euill, accepte no person in iudgement, allow no fals accusacion,2 sheede no innocēt bloud, heare the smal so wel as the greate, receyue no bribes, set forth thy glory auaunce thy holy worde, promote thy faythfull preachers, and in all theyr doynges seeke the profyte of the comm•n weale, and ⟨p. lxi⟩so behaue them selfs that thei mai be founde worthy offycers in thy syght.3 Graunte that the subiectes may shewe all reuerent submission to theyr rulers, obey theym in all thynges, bee faythful and true to them, yea and that not onlye for feare of punyshmente but also for conscyence sake.4 Graunt that the Byshoppes, the preachers of thy word & al other spiritual ministers may take hede to them selfes and to al the flock,5 in the which the holy gost hath appointed them ouerseers to fede thy holy congregaciō which thy dereli beloued sōne purchased with hys bloude,6 and take the ouersight of thē, not as though they were compelled, but wyllinglye, not for the desyre of fylthy lucre, but of a good mind, not as lordes, ouer the Paryshes, but that they be an example vnto the flock. Graunte that they maye lay asyde ⟨image 77⟩al tiranny and hautines of mind▪ and walke with al gentel softnes and tēder compassion toward the shepe of Christ committed to thei• cure and charge. Let theim be as moost louinge fathers to Christes flocke, & if any of the shepe chance to run astrai & to go out of the wai let them not therfore vngētly entreate them, but as it is the offyce of a good shepherd, by fayr means cal thē home againe vnto y• shepe folde•, sekyng rather theyr saluacion then destrucciō.
- 1Magistrates.Magystrates.
- 2Jere. xxi. and .xxii. zacka. vii.ii. para. xix. Eccle. iii. Deut. xvii. Eccle. xx.Iere. xxi. and .xxii. zacka. vii.ii. para. xix. Eccle. iii. Deut. xvii. Eccle. xx.
- 3Subiect••. Roma xiii. i. Peter. ii.
- 4Spiritual Ministers.Spiritu•ll Ministers.
- 5Acte•. ••.
- 6i. Peter. v.
- 7Luke. xv.
- 8ii. Timo. ii.
- 9i. Tim. ii•• ▪
