[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].

☞ A thanksgeuyng vnto God for sendynge his sonne into this world to die for our sins.

VUither soeuer we tourn our eyes (O mooste louynge and heauenlye father) the bottō∣lesse seas of thyne vnspeakeable goodnesse towarde mankynde, plenteouslye stowe in, and lyuely offer thē selfs vnto vs to beholde and to wonder at.* 1.1 After thee fall of the sinnefull angels, what an

exceadynge greate kyndenesse was thys,* 1.2 to make man after thy similitude, image & liknesse,* 1.3 that he and hys posteritye myght fur∣nyshe and occupy those places in thy gloryous kyngedome,* 1.4 whych the proude and dysobedient aun∣gels loste for theyr proude dysobe¦dyēce & disobediēt pride. Not on∣ly to place man in earthe, but also to prouyde aforehande all things necessary for hym yea to make hī Lorde and ruler of al thyngs con¦tayned in the earth vnder y^•, hys Lorde GOD?* 1.5 O what a wōder¦full louynge kyndenes was thys Again to preserue, kepe & defend man, to watch continually vppon hym whether he wake or slepe, as the deligēt and carefull shepherd watcheth ouer his flock, that no euyl chance to man, & to dyrrecte hys thoughtes, counsells & deuy∣ses vnto the best, neuer leauinge

hym, til thou haste broughte hym into thy heuenly kyngedome. O who is able with tong to expresse or wyth herte to thyncke thys thy hertye good wil towarde manne. These benefites (O most merci∣ful father) are exceadynge greate tokens of thy deare loue toward mankind, but the gyft of thi one∣lye begotten sonne Iesu Christe our Lorde,* 1.6 whom thou gauest vn¦to vs to be our sauyoure, oure re∣demer,* 1.7 our peacemaker, our wys∣dome, our santificacion, and our ryghteousnesse, is the most excel∣lent gift & most precius treasure? A chylde to be born for our sakes The sonne of the most hiest God to be geuen vs for a newe yeares gifte,* 1.8 to be our owne for euer? O loue passynge all loue. O kynde∣nes rather to be merueled at, thē able by mouth to be vttered.* 1.9 God y^e father so derely to loue y^e world

that he wold geue his only begot¦ten sonne, that euery one that be¦leueth in him, maye not pearishe, but haue euerlastyng life? God y^e father to sende hys sōne into the worlde, not to condēne the world but that the worlde thorowe hym shuld be saued? God y^e father not to spare his own sonne, but to de∣lyuer hym euē vnto death for vs al, yea & w^t him euē to geue vs al thinges? O most gentle kīdnesse excellyng al loue & kindnes.* 1.10 Wō∣derfully (O moost louing father) doth this thing set forth thy herti loue toward vs y^t whē we wer yet vngodly & wycked sinners y^u ga∣uest thi sonne to dye for our sins.* 1.11 He was wounded for oure offen∣ces, and smitten for our wycked∣nes. The paine of our punishmēt laiedst thou vpon him, & with hys stripes were we healed. Thorow him, O lord, dyddest thou pardon

all our sins. It was thy good ple¦sure to smyte hym with infyrmi∣ty,* 1.12 y^t when he had made hys soule an offering for synne, he myghte se longe lasting seede. For he is y^t thy righteous seruāt, which with his wisdome doth iustify and de∣liuer the multytude, for he hathe born awai our sins. In his name & in none other vnder he auē doth our saluacion consist.* 1.13 By him are we at peace w^t the our Lord God.* 1.14 Bi him haue we redempc••on tho∣row hys bloud, euen remission of our sinnes.* 1.15 By him are we deli∣uered frō the power of darken••s and translated into thy heauen∣lye kingdome.* 1.16 By hym hast thou recōciled all things vnto thi self. By hym haste thou sette at peace thorowe the bloude of hys crosse, both thyngs in heauen and thin∣ges on earthe. By him haste thou quickned vs, and forgenen vs al

oure trespasses. He hath put oute the hande wryghtyng that was a¦gaynste vs contayned in the law written.* 1.17 Yea he heath taken that hande wryghtyng out of the way and hath fastened it to hys crosse and hath spoyled rule and power and hath made a shewe of them o¦penlye,* 1.18 and hath triumphed ouer theym in his owne parson.* 1.19 He is that seede of the woman, that tre¦deth downe Satans head.* 1.20 He is that seede, in whom al nacions of y^e world shalbe blessed.* 1.21 He is that Lorde, whiche alone hath troden doun the wynepresse, nether was ther any at al that helped him.* 1.22 He is that sauiour, which saueth his people from theyr sins,* 1.23 He is that they welbeloued sōne, for whose sake y^u art well pleased with man He is that breade of lyfe, whyche came down frō heuē.* 1.24 If any eate of y^t bread he shall lyue for euer.

He is that good shepherd, which gaue his life for his shepe.* 1.25 He is y^e resurrection & life. Who so bele∣ueth on hym,* 1.26 althoughe he were dead, shal liue, & euery one that li∣ueth & beleueth in hym, shall ne∣uer die.* 1.27 He is that mighty Prince that hath ouercome the world. He is the perfect fulfillinge of y^e law to iustify all that beleue.* 1.28 * 1.29 He hathe deliuered vs frō the cursse of the lawe, whē he was made accursed for vs. He in his own person hath purged oure synnes.* 1.30 He thorowe death hath putte down hym that had rule ouer death, that is to sai the deuyll, and hath made vs free from the daunger of bondage. He with one offering of his bles∣sed bodye hath made perfecte for euer them that are sanctified.* 1.31 He now in the end of the world hath app••ared once for all to put synne to flyghte, by the offerynge vp of

hym selfe. He hath loued vs, and washed vs from our syns in hys owne bloud,* 1.32 and made vs kyngs and priestes vnto the God his fa∣ther. Inestimable ar the tresurs & infinite are y^e pleasures whych we receiue of the thorow this thy sonne Iesu Christ our Lord and sauyoure.* 1.33 And thys thy welbelo∣ued & onli begotten son w^t al hys, hast thou geuen vnto vs, so that booth he and all that he hathe is oures, and we maye thorowe thy gyft iustly, chalenge it to be oure owne. For thys thy fatherlie loue and vnspekable kyndenes in ge∣uynge thy sonne vnto the deathe for oure sake, and for al thy other benefits, which we haue receued at thy merciful hand thorow him, we geue the most herty thankes, desyryng the, that we neuer com∣mit any thinge in thought, word, or dede, that maye offende thy de∣uyne

Maiestie: but callyng to re∣membrance that we are not rede¦med with corruptyble syluer and golde from our vayne conuersa∣cion,* 1.34 but with the precyous bloud of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled and wythoute spot, we may lyue worthi of this thy kidnes, & shew oure selfs obedyente chyldr••n to the, oure heauenly father, not fa∣shyonynge oure selfes any more after this vnto our olde lustes of ignorancye, but as thou, whyche hast called vs arte holye, euen so in lyke manner we maye be holie in all oure conuersacyon and ly∣uyng vnto the glori of thy blessed name. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Esay. xxiiii
• * 1.2

  Iob. iiii.
• * 1.3

  ii. Peter. ii.
• * 1.4

  Gene. ii.
• * 1.5

  Psalm••. ••••.
• * 1.6

  Mathe. i. ii. Timo. ii Ephesi. ii▪
• * 1.7

  i. Cor. i.
• * 1.8

  Esaye. ••x.
• * 1.9

  Iohn. iii.
• * 1.10

  Roma••••. v.
• * 1.11

  Esaye. ••iii. Math v••i••. i. Peter. ii.
• * 1.12

  Esaye. liii▪
• * 1.13

  A••t••s. iiii.
• * 1.14

  Romay. v.
• * 1.15

  Ephe. i.
• * 1.16

  Collosso. i.
• * 1.17

  Ephe. ii.
• * 1.18

  Collos. ••.
• * 1.19

  Gene. iii.
• * 1.20

  Gene.
• * 1.21

  Esay••.
• * 1.22

  Mathe. ••.
• * 1.23

  Mat▪ xvii.
• * 1.24

  Iohn. vi.
• * 1.25

  Iohn. x.
• * 1.26

  Iohn. xi.
• * 1.27

  Iohn. xvi.
• * 1.28

  Romay. x.
• * 1.29

  Gala. iii.
• * 1.30

  Hebrues. ii.
• * 1.31

  Hebru••s, x.
• * 1.32

  Apoca. i.
• * 1.33

  Rom. viii.
• * 1.34

  i. Peter. i.