GRatious Lord God and most mercifull father , I humblie beséech thée in Iesus Christ thy deare sonnes name , and for his sake , to strike continually , vnfeigned reuerence , and humble feare of thy Maiestie into my heart , that the praiers which I shall offer vp vnto thée at this time , or at any other time héereafter , may procéed from an earnest minde : To this end I pray thée , not onely to be present with me by thy holy spirit , but also thée onlie to prepare my heart vnto prayer , and to teach me to pray a right . Lord remooue farre from me , all idle discourses , and wandring imaginations : and graunt me grace , O Lord , not onely to shake of the heauinesse and dulnesse which hangeth vpon this my flesh , but giue me in steed thereof all spirituall liuelinesse and readinesse , that both with the heart and mouth I may powre foorth in thy presence , such earnest , hartie , and vnfeigned supplications , as for Iesus Christ thy sonnes sake , may be accepted and regarded before thée . Indéed Lord I confesse , that if I should one the one side consider mine owne sinne , wretchednes , and pouertie : and on the other side respect the fulnesse and excellencie of glorie , power , might , and maiestie , which is in thée , I might iustlie be discouraged from appearing in thy sight , or calling vppon thy name : The comforts and incouragements which thou hast giuen me in thy holy word are these : Thou doest not onlie commaund me to call vppon thée , but hast bound thy selfe vnto me in the truth of thy promises , that thou wilt heare my prayers , and graunt my requests , yea that my faith might be the more confirmed and strengthened in the certaintie thereof , thou hast ratified and sealed the same by the death and bloudshedding of thy sonne Iesus , in whome all thy promises are yea and Amen . In full and assured confidence whereof , I do with all boldness and humilitie present my selfe before thée at this time , praying thée to couer and burie in perpetuall forgetfulnesse , all my iniquities , to supplie all my wants and imperfections : and because thou canst not at any hand abide hypocrisse : so to syft and trie my verie hart and raines , that I may be thy speciall goodnes and assistance , be alwaies found sincere and round harted in thy presence , endeuouring euer through thy strength , to fight against , and to bee frée from cloaking of my sinne with hypocrites , or excusing of my sinne with Adam and Eua my first parents : but that I may vnfeinedlie , and from the bottom of my hart , confesse my sinnes , with thy holy seruants Dauid , Paul , and manie other thy deare children , and wéepe bitterlie for them as did Peter , for if we confesse our sinnes , thou art faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes , and wilt cleanse vs from all iniquitie . O Lord there are an infinite multitude of sinnes , which I poore and miserable wretch haue without ceasing committed against thée : many are hid from my selfe , because I remember them not , but are yet notwithstanding present and naked before thine eyes : touching these , I pray with thy seruant Dauid ; Cleanse mee O Lord from secret faults , and kéepe thy seruant from presumptuous sinnes . An innumerable heape of others , many times I feele in my selfe , and my conscience often accuseth me of as great faintnes , coldnes , and vnwillingnes to prayer , wonderfull weakenes in faith , ouer much loue of the world , a gréedy desire to satisfie mine owne vile , and carnall affections , licentiousnes in vaine and foolish spéeches , my heart fraught almost full with hipocrisie , vaine glorie , and I my selfe giuen to inconstancie , carelesnesse , and slacknesse , in turning by repentance to thy maiestie , and very much neglecting my dutie towards my house and familie . I féele also in my selfe , a wonderfull want of earnest zeale and sincere loue towards thy maiestie , which should consumethe diuelish delights , and vile vanities of this present euill world : and in thée and for thée , the lack of bowels and charitable compassion towards my brethren , whose miseries do not liuelie touch me , and whom I cannot easilie forgiue , if they do offend me : yea in one word , to confesse all my whole man , both inward and outward , is a very huge lumpe of horrible corruption , the soule and the body , yea euery part and péece of the same , both inward and outward , haue most vngratiouslie broken thy holie precepts and commandements , so that in respect hereof , condemnation is due vnto me : the comfort I haue is this , that thou hast in the aboundant riches of thy mercies , giuen thy deare sonne to die for all my sinnes , and to rise for my full righteousnesse : for whose sake Lord I beséech thée , to pardon all my sinnes whatsoeuer , and to make his death and resurrection so effectuall in me , that I may daylie die to sinne , and liue to righteousnes : that by the working of thy holy spirit , I may fight against and ouer come all the former euils , and be strengthened and inabled to the contrarie good things , that weakenesse of faith may be turned into stedfastnes and strength of beléefe , that the loue of this life being shaken off , I may earnestlie thirst and breath after eternall glorie , that I may renounce mine owne will as vile and wicked , and be wholie giuen ouer to the obedience of thy most blessed will , that all idle and vnprofitable spéeches may be auoyded , and my wordes so powdred with Salt , as may bring grace and edification to the hearers , that ficklenes of minde being remooued , I may be stayed and stedfast in all goodnes and well dooing , that all backwardnes and slothfulnes in turning to thy Maiestie , and negligence in caring for those whom thou hast committed vnto me , being vtterlie shaken of , I may thankfullie accept , and rightly vse this time of gratious visitation , which thou offerest vnto me , both of repentance to my selfe , and also of knowledge of dutie toward other , carefullie indeuouring to bring vp those , whom thou hast committed vnto me in thy nurture and feare , hauing alwaies a diligent and watchfull eye ouer them , both for the increase of their knowledge , and also for the yeelding and shewing foorth of the fruits of holie conuersation . Worke in me O Lord , with continuance and increase , an earnest zeale towards thy truth and religion , and vnfeigned loue towards thy maiestie , and an vpright affection towards the brethren . Lord let their miseries pearse me as mine owne , make me readie to succour and comfort them with all the meanes that thou hast bestowed vpon me , that I may not onelie with good countenances testifie my good will , and with ioyfull words make their heauie harts glad , but also be liberall handed towards them , according to the great measure of graces that thou hast bestowed vpon me , euen to that end and purpose . And be●ause without brotherlie reconciliation , neither I nor any thing which commeth from me , can be agréeable in thy sight : I doe most humblie pray thée , to make me ready and willing vnfeinedlie , and from the very bottom of my hart , to forgiue those that any manner of way haue trespassed against me , as I would gladlie obtaine pardon and forgiuenes of all my sinnes at thy merciful hands . Lastly that it would please thee of thy great goodnesse and mercie , to turne away mine eies from beholding vanitie , my tongue from speaking foolishlie or vnaduisedlie , my heart from imagining mischiefe , my feete from running to doe that which is euill : yea so guide and gouerne ( good Lord ) euery part and member both of my bodie and of my minde , that as thou hast created both : so I may in both , set foorth thy glorie and praise , in the middest of a froward and crooked generation . And because ( O Lord ) I know nothing of my selfe , for my ignorant hart is full of darkenesse , I most humbly beséech thee , first to aide me by thy grace , that I be not puffed vp in the heyght of mine owne imagination , to flatter my selfe that I know much , when as indéed I know verie little or nothing at all : Next , so direct me , that I may without wearisomnes , vse all the holie meanes that thou hast sanctified in thy blessed word , for my grouth and continuance in stedfast faith , in spirituall knowledge , and sinceare obedience , that my darkenes may be turned into light , and my ignorance into knowledge , that I may dailie learne in euery respect , trulie to humble and throw downe my selfe before the presence of thy maiestie , in regard of whom , not onelie I , but all the creatures in the world , are but vile dust and ashes . I haue not O Lord anie good thing in my selfe , for I am not sufficient of my selfe , as of my selfe to thinke a good thought , much lesse so do anie good thing which is acceptable in thy godlie sight . Giue me grace good Lord , not to burie this knowledge , but continuallie to remember it , that it may stand me in stead of a strong and necessarie weapon , to beat downe and ouerthrow the height and pride which abideth in this my flesh : yea Lord , I further confesse , that so vile is the filthines of mine owne nature , that these good things which I daylie and hourelie receiue at thy mercifull hands of thy goodnes onelie , without any merit or desert of mine at all , I do manie times , most wickedly prophane and abuse , but I pray thee giue me grace , more heedelie and carefullie to looke to my walking in this and other respects , thou heretofore I haue doone , that these good and gratious gifts which thou in loue doost continuallie powre forth vpon me , may not be testimonies of iudgement against me , but assured pledges of thy loue towards me : & certeine seales of fruitfull obedience in me towards thy maiestie , Graunt me grace ( O deare father ) to consider of thy vnspeakable blessings , and innumerable benefits bestowed vpon me , thou hast neuer béene wearie in keeping defending , and prouiding for me , from the very time of my conception , vntill this present howre , thou hast bestowed vpon me large gifts which I neuer either laboured for or thought of , yea such a huge heape of benefits haue I receiued from thy mercifull hands , as all the dayes and times of my life , are not sufficient inough to thinke vpon them , much lesse to be thankfull vnto thee for them , in such sort and dutie as I ought , besides infinite bodelie blessings , as health , wealth , libertie , and many other such like . Thou hast freelie bestowed vpon me inward and spirituall graces , for of thine owne mercie thou hast chosen me to life euerlasting , before the foundations of the world were laid : and for a sure pledge of the same in my conscience , thou hast redeemed me by the bloud of thy deare sonne , & hast made mine election sure by an effectuall calling , in that of thine owne good will , then hast begotten me vnto thy selfe by the word of truth , thou hast taken me out of the power of sathan , and translated me into the kingdome of thy deare sonne in light , and made me a partaker of his misticall bodie with the saints , that I may inioy his presence for euer . Touching which , and all other graces of thine so plentifullie powred foorth vpon me , I say with thy seruant Iames , that I am not worthie of the least of all these thy mercies : yea so much the more vnworthy am I of them , or any of them , because that though thou in the riches of thy goodnes neuer ceasest to heape vp continuallie new benefits and blessings vppon me , I am notwithstanding , a most vile wretch and miserable sinner , haue little or no care at all in offending thy maiestie in mine old sinnes , yea many times in multiplying new iniquities against thee : but circumcise my heart good Lord I pray thee , and turne the affections thereof to newnes of life , and holines of conuersation , that that hart which now is so hard and stonie , that it will not be peirced with the considerations and remembrances of thy manifold graces , may by the mightie working of thy blessed spirit , be softened and inlarged , that I may deeplie consider of thy mercies , and that my mouth which is greatlie stopped vp through sinne and iniquitie , may of thy gratious goodnes be now at the length opened , and I both secretlie and openlie speake forth thy praises .

Lord keepe me farre from murmuring , grudging , or repining at any of thy gratious and louing corrections , whether it be that thou withdraw from mee any of these temporall blessings and benefits , which most fauourablie thou hast bestowed vpon mee , or otherwise shall chastise me for the punishment of my sinne , for the triall of my faith , for the manifestation of thy power and goodnes , or for anie other cause best knowne vnto thy heauenlie wisdom . Thou knowest O Lord what is better for me then I my self , and therfore good cause haue I in all willingnes , to subiect my selfe vnder thy mightie hand , that at the length I may be trulie exalted . Graunt me grace therefore O deare father , in all time of afflictions , pacience to possesse my soule , and to refer all calamities to the right end : that is , that by them I might be brought to be more neere vnto thee , and so learne to keepe thy commandements , and according to thy promise made in thy holie word : so I humblie beseech thee , in the middest make a way out for me to escape , as may be most for thine owne glorie , and mine eternall comfort at the last , through Iesus Christ thy sonne , my Lord and onlie Sauiour , in whose name , and for whose sake , I humblie craue at thy mercifull hands , these and all other things necessarie for me , concluding with that prayer that he himselfe hath made , saying : O our Father , &c.