[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 prayer for oure ennemyes.

THe poisōful corrupciō of our nature, whiche we haue suc∣ked out of our fyrst parentes Adam and Eue, worketh so strōg¦ly in vs, O Lord and so myghte∣ly striueth againste the mocyons of thy holy spirit,* 1.1 that we can not do that we wold, nor accomplysh that y^• requirest of vs. Thou hast cōmaunded vs to loue, not onlye our frends, but also our very ene¦myes to forgeue them y^• offēd vs to blesse thē that cursse vs,* 1.2 to do good to them that hate vs, to prai for theim that do vs wronge and persecute vs, if oure enemy hon∣ger to feede him▪ if he thyrste,* 1.3 to geue him drinke, but our corrupt

nature,* 1.4 which euer striueth agaīst thy blessed wyl, seketh al meanes possible to be reuēged, to requite toothe for toothe, and eye for eye, to render euyl for euyl, when vē∣gaunce is thyne,* 1.5 and thou wylte reward and by thys meanes we greuously offende the and breke the order of charity, & the bond of peace, which seketh not to be reuē¦ged,* 1.6 but to forgeue one another, e¦uen as Christ forgaue vs. It mai p••ese the therfore (O most merci∣ful Lord) of thy bountyful good∣nes to forgiue our enemyes, and not to laye to their charge those thynges, that they haue vniustly committed against vs, & so to sle in vs oure old corrupte and can∣kard nature, by takyng away frō vs oure stonye hearte, and by ge∣uynge vs a fleshye heart,* 1.7 that we thorow the opperacyon of thy ho∣lye spirite maye bee contente ac∣cording

to thy blessed wyl & com∣maūdement,* 1.8 and after the exāple of thy son Iesu Christ our Lord, & of that blessed martyr. S. Ste∣phan, frely, and euen frō the veri hert to forgeue our ennemyes, to speake wel of them, to loue them, and to do for thē what so euer ly∣eth in oure power, & by this mea∣nes vnfainedli shew our selfs to be thy sōnes,* 1.9 which causest y^e sun to aryse on the euyl, & on y^e good, and sendest the rain on the righ∣tous & on the vnrightous, geuīg vs example, that we, if we wyl be thy true sonnes, shuld do likwise & shew our selfes beneficial, not only to the good and godlye, but also to the wicked and vngodli, y^t by thys meanes we may allure e∣uen the very aduersaryes of thy truth to speake wel of the profes∣sours of thy blessed name, and to glorify the oure heauenly father,

which fashionest vs according to thy maners thorow the myghtye workinge of thy holye spirite, to whō with the, and thy onli begot∣ten sonne, be al glori and honour AMEN.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Galathi. v. Roma. vii.
• * 1.2

  Math v. Luke. vi.
• * 1.3

  Pro. xxv. Roma. xii.
• * 1.4

  Exodu. xxi. Math. v.
• * 1.5

  Deu. xxxii. Hebru. x. Roma. xii.
• * 1.6

  i. Cor. xiii. Colloss. iii,
• * 1.7

  E••••chi. xi. an•• .xxxvi.
• * 1.8

  Mathe vi. and .xviii. Marke. xi. uke. vi. Luke xxiii. Acte••. vii.
• * 1.9

  Mathe. ••.