O My God , Our Father . I come vnto thee , as to the common Father of all the world ; euen vnto thee doe I make my supplication , who in the creation and preseruation of all thy works , hast manifested thy more then fatherly loue and affection . I come to thee , as to my true and gracious Father , which hast not onely giuen me my being , life , and motion , as thou diddest to other creatures ; but powred out thy spirit vpon me , and lightened my soule with the heauenly rayes of thy diuinity . I come vnto thee , my God , beeing regenerate and incorporated into thy family , by thy free grace and boundless bounty . I come , hauing appeased the anger of my Father , by the satisfaction of my Redeemer ? I come , because it hath pleased thee to call mee , and to spread out thy gracious armes , ready to receiue me . Receiue me then , not in the austeritie of a iust Iudge , but in the tender compassion of a mercifull Father . And accept this my humble prayer , which my heart hath conceiued , my lippes disclose , and my voice doth send vp to the fauourable eares of my heauenly Father . And since it is thy good pleasure , O Lord , that I thus cal vpon thee , Grant , Which art in Heauen . O grant I beseech thee gracious God , that it may reach euen vnto thee which art in heauen . I know assuredly that thy throne is in the highest heauens ; that the Sunne , the Moone , and the stars , are vnder thy feet , that the earth is but a point , to thee , and I the least part of the earth , yea , lesse then nothing . Who then hath made mee so hardy as to dare to lift vp mine eyes to thy most glorious Maiestie ? It is euen thou my God ; who hast set thy selfe so high , to behold all the workes of thine hands , to supply all our wants , and dayly to distill downe thy grace into our hearts , as a most sweet morning deaw . It is thou , who hast said , Aske and yee shall receiue : Call vpon mee , and I will heare thee . But how can I call vpon thee , vnlesse I put my confidence in thee , and take fast hold of thy promises by a firme and fast faith ? O then infuse it into my soule , and engraft it in my heart ; ( for it is a gift that commeth from the store-house of thy grace . ) And as sometimes thou didst cause the mouthes of babes and sucklings to resound thy praise , so at this time gouerne the Infancy , and strengthen the weakenes of my hart , that it may send out that prayer which is acceptable in thy sight . And that it may appeare that the prayer of my lips proceedeth from the meditation of my heart : and that notwithstanding the heauie masse of my sinfull flesh doth oppresse my spirit ; yet , vnder that burthen , it doth breath fotth thy honour and praise . Hallowed be thy name The first request which I make vnto thee , is , that thy name may be sanctified ; or rather that thy Name may so sanctifie mee , as that I may be able to blesse and magnifie it . But , which of thy names shall I blesse . That wherewith thou hast destroyed , and confounded all the enemies of thy people ; or that wherewith thou hast blessed all the Nations of the earth ? Wilt thou bee praised , as Lord of Hostes , the God of power ; or as the Sauiour and Redeemer of the world ? Shall I declare how thou hast made all things of nothing , how thou hast spangled the heauens with starres , adorned the earth with fruits and flowers , watered it with rivers , and filled it with liuing creatures ; yea , and aboue all , hast created man , & formed him after thine owne Image ? Or shall I speak only of this incredible loue , wherby thou hast giuen-ouer vnto death thine only Sonne , that we might bee restored to euerlasting life ? My spirits , O Lord , are too faint for so great an enterprise , and my breath would faile before I could recount the least part of them . Let it therefore suffice , that I sanctifie thy name in an humble and chast thought , and that my minde may euer be fast fixed in the meditation of thy goodnes : forasmuch as it hath pleased thee at all times to bee so good and gracious to mee . So that I and all those whom thou hast placed in this world , as in the midst of a rich and glorious Temple to behold , and admire thy diuine Maiestie ; may wholly apply all our faculties and vnderstanding , to the apprehending of thy will . Thy Kingdom come . That so beeing all of vs re-vnited and linked in one and the selfe-same desire to serue thee , thy Kingdome may come : that wee hauing cast off the yoake of sin , which hath so long held vs in thraldome , thy loue alone may rule in our consciences full of happiness and true felicitie . For to obey thee , is to commaund our disordinate affections : to commaund them , is to be Maisters of our selues ; and to bee Maisters of our selues , is more then soueraigne principalitie . A sweet thing it is , to serue thee , O my God : thy yoake is easie : and al the tribute thou exactest of vs , is onely that wee will be willing to be made happie . Confirme and strengthen in vs this will ; and graciously assist the zeale of thy seruants , to the beating downe and repressing of their insolence who blaspheame thy sacred Maiestie : to the ende that thy Law and truth may raigne ouer all the world . O thou King of Kings , who rulest in our hearts , and in our humilitie & obedience doest establish thine Empire ; subdue our wils vnto thy law : that so whilest all of vs , with one accord , shall aime at the same marke , & aspire to the aduancement of thy glorie ; our good workes may testifie the discipline of our heauenly King : to whom ( as his deuoted subiects ) wee render homage and fealtie , for those manifold and great gifts and graces which wee hold of his bountie . But what obeisance can wee render thee ? How can wee attaine to that height of perfection as is due vnto thee ? who is able to sound the depth of thy thoughts ? or who is able to fulfill thy will ? All wee can doe , Thy will be done . is but to pray vnto thee that thy will may bee done . For seeing that thou art euen goodnes it selfe , and therefore wilt nothing but what is good , and that with thee to will and to doe , is all one ; wee doe in this Prayer whollie commit our selues to thy will , who art neuer wanting to will vs well , and to do whatsoeuer thou in thy goodnes knowest to be expedient for vs . Whatsoeuer thou hast willed , O Lord , hath been done : and from this thy good wil and pleasure , as from an euer-flowing fountaine , are deriued so many good things , as the whole Globe of the earth is filled , and the immense circle of the heauens is beautified therewith . Continue then this thy goodnes vnto vs : and forasmuch as thy loue is as fire , ( which augmenteth where it meeteth with combustible matter ) and that it encreaseth in wel-doing to vs , euen to vs poore miserable wretches , in whose misery and infirmitie , it may finde matter enough to worke vpon ) when I pray to thee , my God , that thy will may bee done , the intent of my prayer is , that it may please thee to roote out of mine hart all worldly wil , which springing from the corruption of the flesh , is no waies compatible with the law of the spirit : That thou wilt neuer giue me the raines to liue at mine owne pleasure : and seeing that thou hast vouchsafed to honour me with so high a title as to be stiled thy sonne , thou wilt not emancipate or giue me ouer to mine affections ; but keepe me vnder the rodde of thy lawe , vnder the tutelage of thy Commandements . So shall I , In earth as it is in heauen . togither with all those that haue vowed alleageance , and are thy faithfull seruants , readily and cheerefully betake our selues to thy seruice ; and during our abode in this life , striue to set forth thy glorie here on earth : which is sounded without ceasing by that heauenlie quire of blessed Saints and Angels , in thy holie and heauenly habitation .

But such is the frailetie of our mortall bodies , daily fading and falling away , that without dayly repairing and sustenance , they make vs vnapt to serue thee ; Giue vs this day our daily bread . wee therefore make our daily recourse vnto thee , for such things as are necessarie to the maintenance of our life ; beseeching thee to giue vs our daily bread . But giue vs withall , O God , grace so to vse it and all other good gifts ; that in nourishing our bodies , wee starue not our soules , and make them vnable to attaine to the knowledge of thy truth . That togither with thy bountie , receiuing also thy benediction , we settle not our affections vpon worldly , and transitorie things ; so passing through things temporall that wee finally lose not the eternall . Let not the taste of this earthly bread make vs to forget that heauenly Manna , that bread of life , which nourisheth and cherisheth our feeble soules , filleth our mouthes with heauenlie plenty , and maketh vs the liuing Temples of our God , by receiuing him into our bodies through a stedfast and liuely faith . Grant vnto vs , my God , that by receiuing this bread , our hearts & consciences may bee fullie assured that wee are incorporate with our Redeemer , and become fellow-members of our head Christ Iesus : and that as hee taking vpon him our flesh did vndergoe our death ; so wee clad and inuested with his , may bee made partakers of his immortalitie . And since it hath pleased thee to make vs the vessels and receptacles of thy diuinitie , purifie and cleanse our hearts , and renew and rectifie all our affections , that there may bee nothing to cause thee retire , and leaue vs destitute of thy grace and our saluation . Forgiue vs our trespasses , But wee cannot bee cleansed , vnlesse thou forgiue vs our trespasses , and wipe away our iniquities . For wee haue beene slaues vnto sinne and death : and whatsoeuer wee can call ours , belongeth vnto them . Neither haue wee so much as one mite toward the paying of our ransome or acquiting our debt . Of thee therefore must wee expect forgiuenes , who hast once redeemed vs by thy precious bloud , and made vs free from Satan our arch enemie : but wee daily fall againe into the hands of our enemies by committing millions of sins which bring into slauerie , and make vs lyable to grieuous punishment . Yet let not this O my God , cause thee to shutte vp that treasure from vs , whence wee may take the price of our libertie . Let not , O Lord , our obstinacie in back-sliding , take away thy constancy in pardoning : but let thy mercifull hand be euer ready to reforme vs . For sinne euer since the fall of our first father Adam , is as it were incorporated into our sinfull flesh , and dayly increaseth and groweth with vs : so that the older we grow , the fowler and filthier wee appeare , vnlesse it please thee to apply dayly vnto our maladies the merits of thy Passion : that as we by our in-bred corruption do wound and exulcerate our conscience , so thou wilt gratiously refresh it , by curing our wounds , and suppling them with thine oile of mercy . Otherwise , well might we feare , O Lord , least casting downe thine eyes dayly vppon vs , it would as it were grieue thy holy spirit so oft to returne vnto vs , by reason of our manifold sins and offences . O then pardon our offences , that is to say , our whol life : and so pardon vs O heauenly Father , As we forgiue them that trespasse against vs . as we forgiue them that haue offended vs . Make vs euermore to set before our eyes that loue wherewith thou hast lou'd vs , in vndertaking the paiment of our debts , and the punishment of our sins . That we may duely consider , how vnreasonable it were for vs to expect that grace of thee which wee can not afford our neighbour ; since there is no comparison betwixt the offences they commit against vs , and those wherwith we offend thy diuine Maiesty . Root out of our hearts all malice , fiercenes , and bitternes : giue vs a calme and peaceable spirit , which may foster and maintaine in vs vnity and brotherly loue , teaching vs to support with gentleness one anothers infirmities . For wee can not but acknowledge , O Lord , how easily we slippe , yea stumble , and tumble , in the slippery paths of this refractorie life . Too too slender is our owne force and abilitie to hold vs on foot , and vphold vs against those whirle-windes which are euer ready to driue vs headlong into Iniquitie . And therefore most earnestly doe we beseech thee , Lead vs not into temptation . not to forsake vs in our temptations ; but to remoue farre from vs all occasions of offending thee ; and to arme vs against all obiects , with thy Spirit : without which we shall be euer vanquisht ; & by whom wee bee sure to vanquish . For the price and crown of victory is reserued for those and those alone who follow thee their Captaine . Graunt vs then this grace , that whensoeuer any inordinate desire of worldly wealth shall assaile vs ; wee may oppose as a rampier , against it the desire of heauenly gifts and graces , generously scorning and contemning the pelfe and transitorie trash of this world , as iustly suspecting their deceitfulnes & fragility . That we may call to minde that they are but as a cloud , which for a while fleeteth from one country to another , and suddenly vanisheth away and appeareth no more ; & that many times that gold and siluer which wee heape vp with much sweate and trauell , doth serue but to the procuring of our owne damnation . And if it shall please thee to bestowe vpon vs riches in greater aboundance ; grant vnto vs likewise the grace to vse them well , and lovingly and charitably to communicate them to such as haue want . For the whole earth is thine , and wee are but the tillers and tenants thereof : our goods belong vnto thee , and wee are but thy depositaries and vassals . So that if we refuse to impart them to such as demaund them in thy name , thou maiest not onely put vs out of possession , but make vs pay the vsurie of our ingratitude & vnfaithfulnes .

Furthermore , we begge of thee , that the false lustre of the honors of this world may not deceiue our dazeled sight , nor drawe vs on to desire more then is expedient for vs . Let it alwaies be imprinted in our hearts and thoughts , that there is no true honour in this wotld , but to serue thee aright ; and that in thy seruice , the seat of honor is lowlinesse , and the greatnes thereof consisteth in humilitie .

Furthermore , that this same deceitfull lure , which wee so much admire ( after which we runne our selues out of breath , and all but to our ruine ) is but like an Ignis fatuus , about the riuers , that shineth not but in the darke , and draweth them into mischiefe that vnwarily follow it . Our worldly pompe and secular dignities appear not but in the obscuritie of this world . If once we close our eyes against the heauenly light , they seeme to vs as bright as fire , & their lustre appeareth as burnisht gold : but when we come to follow them , wee fall into swift torrents and daungerous whirl-pooles , where we are plunged , floting in vncertaintie betwixt the willes of Princes , and the vnstedfast opinions of the wauering vulgar , vntill we meete with some rocke of offence : and there wee are crusht .

Giue me therefore , O my God , constancie , to withdraw mine affections , and withhold my sight from such vanities ; make mee only ambitious of thy glorie ; let my spirit bee so addressed to immortalitie , that shee make no repose in the choaking smoke of this world . Let mee neuer enuy them that enioy all these fickle goods , and fading honours : but let all my aemulation bee to come as neere as possible to that onely example and perfect patterne of good life which most liuely appeareth in that absolute tabliture of thy most innocent life . That so all the violent passions of anger , rancour , and disdaine , may be banished out of my soule , my heart enflamed with desire to doe good to all , hurt to none , and both bodie and soule may be alwaies watchfull , and dayly emploied about good and laudable workes , neuer languishing in slothfull stupiditie . That this base and infamous gourmondizing ( which abuseth thy good gifts , being drowned in wine , and buried in daintie dishes ) may euer be farre from me . Extinguish also , O heauenly Father , all vnchaste prouocations of the flesh , which allure vs to violate the chastitie of our bodies , and the puritie of the soule . And remoue far from vs all those obiects which may stir vp any slippery and vnchaste affections .

To conclude , But deliuer vs from euil . deliuer vs from all euill , euen from the hands of wicked Angels , not suffering them to haue any power ouer vs . And when we of our selues shall bee running headlong into mischiefe ; preuent vs with speede , draw vs back , and stretch out thy fatherly hand ouer vs , euer readier to shew thy mercy then to execute thy iustice . Saue vs , euen maugre our owne selues ; and let not our backsliding and obstinacie alienate thee from vs , or cause thee to forget , to bee both our mercifull GOD , and also our louing Father .