At long last, below you will find the final prayer included at the end of Andreas Hyperius’s Elementa Christianae Religionis. This one is to be used before reading or hearing the Bible. Once again, the attempt (doubtless insufficient) was made to put it in Cranmerian Plain Style. The content of the prayer, in any case, gives more than sufficient justification for making it available in English.
For the reading or hearing of the Sacred Books.
It hath seemed good to you, O God our Heavenly Father, to reveal all thy plan for our salvation in the sure volumes that have been written for the instruction of the universal church as well as of all particular men.
Grant, therefore, that the same Holy Spirit, who formed the minds of the prophets and apostles by whom those books were brought forth, rouse, cleanse, and teach also mine own understanding and all my senses: in order that those things that I eagerly read or hear in them I, together with the rest of the little children whom thou hast chosen, may be able rightly and with simplicity to understand.
Grant, moreover, that of those things to which I have attended in thy Word, I may take as my harvest that which is useful for teaching and rebuke, for instruction and correction, and, finally, for consolation.
Grant as well that at the same time I may put all these things to good use: first, for the sanctifying of thy Name on earth; next, for the steadfastness of mine own faith; for a testimony of mine obedience; and, finally, for the edification of all men soever with whom I share a common life:
Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son, who with thee and the same Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth unto all ages. Amen.
