A06743:62
[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 the judges.
¶A prayer for the iudges.
O God thou most righteous judge, which commandest ⟨image 33⟩by thy holy word such to be chosen judges over thy people as be of approved conversation,1 wise, & learned in thy holy laws, & fear the their lord God, and such as both are true them selves, & also love truth, and hate covetousness we beseech y• to send us such Judges as thy sacred scriptures do paint, and set forth unto us, & so to rule their harts with thy holy spirit, that in their judgements they admit no false accusations, have no respect of persons, nether to be desirous of gifts,2 which make wise men blind and corrupt the causes of the righteous, nor yet give sentence with the ungodly for bribes, and so condemn the innocent and shed righteous blood, but that they having thy fear alway before their eyes, and knowing that they execute the judgment not of man,3 but of the their lord God ⟨p. xviii⟩may here indifferently all matters, judge according unto equity and justice, deliver the oppressed from the power of the violent,4 be favourably to the stranger, defend the fatherless & widow, plead the cause of the righteous, help the pore, advance virtue, suppress vice, and in all both their words & works so behave them selves, as though they should straightways appear before the righteous throne of thy majesty, and render accounts of their doings. Grant this o most merciful father for thy dear sons sake Jesus Christ our lord. Amen