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.6 Grant that they entreat not evil their servants which work truly, nor the hireling that is faithful unto them.7
ALthoughe (O Christe thou most hyghest Lorde) al power both in heuen and in erth,1 be geuē vnto the of thy heauenly father, and albeit thou hast geuē vs a commaundement, that wee shuld not desire to be called master,2 for we haue but one mayster, whyche yu art, & al we are brethren hauing one father which is in heauen, yet forasmuch as thou accordyng to thy blessed will hast appoīted some superiours, some inferioures, some masters, some seruaunts, some to commaunde some to obey, some to rule, some to searue, and by thys meanes suche as be in superiorytye haue obteyned by thy holye worde, the ⟨p. xliiii⟩name of maisters, or Lordes, because they haue seruauntes vnder them, and rule vnder the accordynge to thy good pleasure, & godlie appointment, whyche art the mooste supreame power, and mooste excellente maiesty Kinge of kinges, and Lord of Lordes,3 to whom all thinges both in heauen, and in earth, and vnder the earthe do bowe their knees, and geue reuerēce, & honoure,4 whose praise also euery nacion and language doth auance and set forth, cōfessing that thou art the Lorde Iesu Christe, vnto the glorye of God the father: We moste humblye praye thee, whyche arte the greatest master, and moste hyghest Lorde, to sende thy holye spiryte vppon all suche as are called masters here in earthe, and haue superioritie ouer other, that they remembrynge them selues ⟨image 60⟩to be thy seruaunts,5 and that thei also haue a master in heauē, with whō ther is no respect of persons may put awaye all threatninges, al cruelty, al vnrightousnes, and do that vnto their seruaūts, whiche is iust & equall.6 Graunte that they entreate not euyll theyr seruauntes whiche worke truly, nor the hyreling that is faithful vnto thē.7
- 1M•t xxviii
- 2Mat. xxiii.
- 3i. Timo. vi. Apoc. •vii. and .xix.
- 4Philip. ii.
- 5Ephesi. vi. Collo. iiii.
- 6Eccle. vii.
- 7Eccle. iiii. Eccle. vii.
