therunto make vs we beséech thée willingly and readily to subscribe to desire both his life our own onely so far forth as may be for his and our further good in the more diligēt zealous aduancement of thy glory Frame him also we pray thee vnto the like yéelding and so blesse vnto him this visitation that by it he may be more and more hūbled in the sight of his owne sinnes may encrease withall in an vnfayned and longing desire after Christ Enlighten his eyes that hee may know what is the hope of his calling what is the excéeding greatnes of thy mercy and power towards all belieuers Strengthen his faith that hee may with it vtterly renouncing himselfe lay fast holde vpon the merites of our onely Sauiour Protect him against sathan blunt the edge of his assaults that they may neuer wound him to despaire Remooue from him a dull spirit and all secure and hardned thoughts all worldly desires al lingring after the deceiuing swéetnesse of these earthly things Giue him patience to beare constancy to endure whatsoeuer it shal be thy pleasure to inflict Vouchsafe him comfort in conscience ioy in the spirit peace in belieuing together with a setled and wel grounded exspectation of eternall life and saluation by thy Sonne Graunt to vs tender and féeling hearts that both his sorrowes and the griefes of other of thy seruāts may be apprehended by vs as if they were our owne Let thy word of grace bee in our lips that we may be able to speak holily soundly and chéerefully to the comfort of his soule Teach vs in him and in this house of mourning to sée the ende of vs all and to lay it to our hearts that so wee may labour to bee prepared for our last departure All these graces both for him and for our selues we begge in all humilitie at thy mercifull hands in the name and worthines of thy beloued Sonne calling further on thee as hee hath taught vs in his word Our Father c. 18. A thankesgiuing for a sicke man if God be pleased to send recouery SVffer me not O Lord to be in the number of those who are forward to aske in the time of neede but carelesse to shew themselues thankefull when mercy is bestowed Make me as desirous to come vnto thee with this sacrifice of prayse as I was ready to beg ease and refreshing in the day of my great necessitie Thou hast chastened me O gratious God and corrected me but thou hast not giuen mee ouer vnto death I looked to haue beene cleane depriued of the residue of my yeares and thought I should haue séene man no more among the inhabitants of the world but it was thy pleasure to deliuer my Soule from the pit of corruptiō Oh what shal I render vnto thee for this and all other thy benefits towards mee Oh how and by what meanes shal I shew my selfe thankefull to thy Maiestie I haue nothing O Lord to render thee but the calues of my lips accept my seruice I beséech thée in Iesus Christ and let not the memory of this thy kindnesse dye within me but graunt that I may often recount thy mercy working there-with vpon mine owne heart and applying it as an effectuall motiue to obedience Make me euer mindfull of the vowes promises which I made in my sicknesse to serue thee more faithfully then heretofore that I may make conscience to performe them knowing that thou delightest not in fooles that by my neglect herein I shall lay my selfe open vnto a greater iudgement Teach me also to remember this that albeit thou hast now giuen me some little respite yet I must not deceiue my selfe in putting far off the day of my death but that I ought rather to vse my health strength to the better fitting and more effectuall preparing my selfe thereunto Together with the encrease of bodily and outward strength encrease in me strength of care to walk with thee and to approoue my selfe vnto thee in al holy cōuersation and godlinesse being more zealous in Religion more watchfull ouer my wayes more earnest in Prayer more feruent in Spirit more carefull to profite by thy Word more faithful in my place and calling then heretofore alwayes looking for the blessed hope and appearing of Iesus Christ my Sauiour to whom with thee the holy Ghost let my heart féelingly effectually giue all honour prayse might maiestie and dominion both now and for euer Amen 19. A Prayer for a woman in the time of her trauaile O Lord I now finde by experience the trueth certaintie of thy word the smart of that punishment which thou laidst vpon me being in the loynes of my Grād-mother Eue for my disobediēce towards thee Thou hast greatly encreased the sorowes of our sex our bearing of children is ful of paine Teach me by this to sée the desert of sinne and to grow into the hatred of that which hath brought into the world such store of miserie Giue mee true repentance pardon for my sinnes past that they may not stand at this time in this my néed betwixt me thy mercy Giue mee a comfortable féeling of thy loue in Christ which may swéeten all other pangs thogh neuer so violent or extreame Make mee still to lift vp my Soule vnto thee in my greatest anguish knowing that thou alone must giue a blessing to the ordinarie meanes for my safe deliuery Strengthen my weake body to the bearing of what sorrow soeuer by which it shall séeme good vnto thee to take triall of me Make mee to remember that howsoeuer it be with me yet I am alwayes in thy hād whose mercyes fayle not and which canst giue issue to the greatest paine And when thou hast safely giuen mee the exspected fruite of my wombe make mee with a thankefull heart to consecrate both it and the residue of my life to thy seruice through Iesus Christ my Sauiour and Redeemer Amen 20. A Thankesgiuing after deliuery BLessed bee thy great Name O my most deare louing Father for thy large mercy to me most weake sinfull woman Thou hast shewed thy power in my frailtie and thy louing kindnesse hath preuailed against my vnworthinesse Thou mightest for my sinnes haue left mee to perish in my great extremitie but thou hast compassed me about with ioyfull deliuerance Maruailous O Lord are thy workes infinite are thy mercyes and my Soule by present experience knoweth it well O my Soule prayse thou the Lord and all that is within mee praise his holy Name My Soule prayse thou the Lorde and forget not all his benefits hee hath heard thy Prayers hee hath looked vpon thy sorrowe hee hath forgiuen thine iniquities he hath healed thine infirmities hee hath redéemed thy life from the graue hée hath euen crowned thée with compassions Oh giue mee I beséech thee a thankefull heart not only now while the memorie sense of thy fauor is fresh before me but
with thee and to approue our very thoughts vnto thee Giue vs a sober vse of thy creatures make vs readie to reach out our hands vnto the wants of others beget in vs a godlie iealousie ouer our selues that we may walke circumspectly taking heede to our selues in our eatings in our apparell in our companie in our recreations often considering our wayes and labouring quicklie after euerie error to turne our féete into thy testimonies And Lord cause vs to be earnestlie mindfull of the estate of thy whole Church blesse all kingdomes and states professing thy truth bee gratious especiallie to this our kingdome forgiue the crying sins of the times continue thy gospel disappoint the hope and expectation of all Papists let them perish as manie as haue euill will at Sion discouer Antichrist more and more enlarge the territories of thy church stablish thy kingdome of grace hasten the kingdome of glorie Heape thy blessings vppon our gratious King make him a further instrument of much good vnto thy chosen blesse his Quéen prosper the worke of thine owne handes begun in the young Prince shew mercy to the rest of the royall progenie Be gracious to the Councell to the Court the Nobles the Gentry of the Realme graunt that they may all ayme at the honouring of thee by whom they haue receiued honor amongst men Bee with the Magistracy Ministrie of the Realme make thy word to grow by the labours of those whome thou hast appointed to the seruice of thy church Containe the subiects in their due obedience to authority bring to nought all tumultuous rebellious practises comfort al thine afflicted seruants refresh them with a sweete feeling of thy fauour Giue vs compassionate harts and a fellow feeling of others miseries prepare vs vnto the daie of triall and keepe vs by thy mightie power through faith vnto saluation Graunt vs these good thinges for Christs sake in whose name wee commend our selues and our sutes vnto thee saying as he hath taught vs Our Father c. 2. An Euening Prayer for priuate Families O Lord our GOD most mercifull and gratious in Iesus christ among other thy mercies with which thou doest euen follow vs thy most vnthankfull seruants we acknowledge this to be none of the least that we haue this comfortable freedom of comming into thy presence there to poure out our soules before thee and to laie open our necessities vnto thee We praie thee teach vs to value this priuiledge according to the true worth thereof that wee may come together to the performance of this duty with glad hearts and cheerefull spirits reioycing in it that wee haue opportunitie giuen vs to testifie some part of that great dutie which in manie respects wee owe vnto thy maiestie And now Lorde being come before thee wee cannot but confesse the vilenesse of our estate wee were conceiued in sinne and in sin wee haue continued all our dayes wee haue euen drunke iniquitie like water wee haue drawne it after vs and tyed it vnto vs as with cartropes wickednesse hath beene swéet in our mouth we haue fauoured it and would not forsake it we haue euen made a mocke of sinne and it hath beene a pastime to vs to doe wickedly Thou hast often called vs but we haue still refused thou hast againe and againe stretched out thine hand but wee haue not regarded thou hast sought to reclayme vs but wee haue hardned our neckes as it were yron sinewes and haue hated to be reformed Thou hast waited to haue mercie vppon vs thy spirit hath striuen with vs thy verie bowels haue beene troubled for vs and how graciouslie hast thou called vpon vs by thy word saying Returne yee sonnes of Adam why will ye die Come vnto me and ye shall finde rest for your soules Yet we notwithstanding haue despised thy patience wee haue abused thy goodnes we haue turned thy graces into wantonnesse and haue giuen thee cause to heape vppon vs all those fearefull plagues and punishmentes which in the extreamitie of thy law are belonging to the wicked When we looke into our hearts we see nothing but a confused heape of grosse corruptions vanitie ignorance frowardnes vnteachablenes dulnes vnwillingnes and vnaptnes vnto good pronenesse readines to any manner of euill secure irreligious profane vncleane enuious couetous and gréedy thoughts peruerse and disordred affections all these as it were marching together to rebell against thee and leading vs captiue vnto sinne The verie wisedome of our flesh is death and the spirits of our minds are defiled when we look forth into our liues wee behold sinnes more in number then the haires of our head when wee take view of our selues in the glasse of thy Law we can see in our bodies and soules in our outward and inward man nothing but vglines and deformitie Yea the sinnes of this one daie are sufficient to bring downe vppon vs the eternall weight of thy displeasur How negligent haue we béen in our callings how haue we yeelded to our own vnbridled lusts in the vse of thy creatures how haue we cherished in our selues worldlie carnall and voluptuous thoughts howe many blessings haue we vnthankefully enioyed neuer thinking vpon thee which didst bestow them how haue wee misspent this pretious time which thou vouchsafest vs how manie good opportunities haue we let slip by which wee might haue edified our selues done good to others howe negligentlie haue wee kept our heartes by meanes whereof sathan hath got great vantage against vs how slenderlie haue wee bewailed the iniquities of the times howe poorelie haue wee striuen against our owne corruptions O LORD if thou shouldest straightlie marke our iniquities O Lord how shall wee stand where shall we appeare what shal become of vs what answere shall wee bee able to make thée to one of a thousand And yet most gratious God which is worst of all custome in euill hath bred such a hardnesse in vs and hath brought such a crust vpon our consciences that wee cannot be perswaded that thy wrath is so terrible or our sinne so greeuous or our estate so wofull as indeede it is Hence it commeth that we do not stand in such awe of thy maiestie as we should we doe not so tremble at thy iustice nor esteeme thy promises and mercies as we ought to doe wee beseech thée therefore to take the stony hearts out of our bodies and to put newe spirites into our bowels that wee maie with feeling and with a liuelie and sensible apprehension confesse our selues to bee as we are poore and wretched and miserable and blind naked such as in whom there is no goodnes such as to whom there is nothing due but shame and confusion of face for euer And héere Lord according to that measure of spirituall féeling which by thy grace wee haue attayned to wée doe vtterlie renounce our selues wee doe whollie disclaime all hope of help by our selues we account all that is in vs but as drosse and dung and
labouring daily to bee led forward vnto more perfection And séeing hearing and knowing without practise doe but encrease vnto more condemnation therefore O Lord do thou so water that which I heare with thy heauēly deaw that it may bring foorth much fruit in my life that I maybe a credite to my profession and no disgrace nor slander to thy trueth Grant all these things for thy deare Sons sake Iesus Christ to whom with thee thy blessed Spirit I desire to ascribe all honour and glory now and for euer Amen 7. Another of the like nature respecting the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper I Am taught O Lorde that without thee I can doe nothing and that all mine endeauours are in vaine without thy blessing In due regard whereof I am become an humble suter vnto thy maiestie that thou wouldest bée pleased to prosper and to direct my present purpose of communicating at thy table It is thy will that I should often come vnto this holy banquet for the strengthening my fayth for the preseruation of the memory of Christes death O Lord strike my heart with reuerence vnto it as vnto thy ordinance and as to a feast to which thou hast tyed thy more especiall presence that I may not dare to presse in before thee vnprepared Before I come teach me to grow into a very strict examinatiō of mine own Soule that I may sée how I haue liued in what measure I am furnished for so waighty a seruice And because I know that the more I looke into my selfe the more I shall sée mine owne nakednesse and deformity therefore I pray thee to supply mee from thy infinite fulnesse Giue mee a through vnderstanding of the miserie of my estate who am by nature a childe of wrath as well as others Make me to sée the hainousnesse of those innumerable euils and grosse sinnes which I haue multiplyed before thee from time to time nay which I haue runne into since my last presenting my selfe before thee at thy board when I promised better obedience O cause my stony heart to bléede within mee when I thinke vpon mine owne scantnesse in good dutyes and vpon my delight and forwardnesse to transgresse Make me to be ashamed and euen confounded in my self for those many enormities which frō my corrupt and vnreformed heart doe continually breake foorth into my outward man euery member being a very weapon of vnrighteousnesse to doe seruice vnto sathan Thus O Lord shall thy mercyes in Christ be swéet vnto me I shall come with an hungring and thirsting soule vnto thy table And I pray thee to encrease in mée that gift of fayth that I may both come to this thine ordinance with a desire to enlarge it and may also féele it to receiue strength and growth of assurance of mine owne personall and particular interest into the death of Christ Remooue farre from mee all swelling disdainefull and vncharitable affections O Lorde this is a feast of loue and to it a malicious and a reuengeful heart can be no welcome guest And when I haue presented my selfe at thy table I beséech thee to restraine my idle and gadding thoughts drawe them to the earnest serious meditation of that which is the life of the Sacrament the death of my Sauiour Rauish my Soule with the admiratiō of his loue that should giue himselfe to dy for me a most vile vnworthy and sinfull creature Stirre mee vppe euen to vowe and consecrate my selfe for euer vnto him that hath vouchsafed himselfe to bée a sacrifice for mée And after I haue receiued these pledges of thy loue and seales of thy fauour in thy dearest Sonne O make me truely thankefull to thy maiestie and carefull both at the present and euer after to shew foorth the fruits of thankfulnesse in an holy and religious conuersation to thy glorie the good of others and mine owne eternall comfort in Iesus Christ my Sauiour Amen 8. Presently after Receiuing before the Thankesgiuing by the whole Congregation a man may secretly lift vp his soule on this fashion AFfect my heart O Lorde with this euidence of thy loue teach me in it to sée the riches of thy grace who art pleased for my weakenes sake by such familiar meanes to figure out before me and to seale vp vnto my soule a treasure of that infinite worth as is thy fauour in Iesus Christ O that I may as sensibly féele his death to be swéet vnto my Soule as I do these creatures of bread and wine to afford a pleasing taste and refreshing to my body O Lord euermore giue mee such a féeling And now O heauenly Father suffer mee not to depart hence forgetfull of thy kindnesse but graunt that I may now at this instant euen couenant with mine own soule to walke in a better course of holy obedience then heretofore respecting all thy commandements and endeauouring alwayes to haue a cleare conscience before thee before all men that so glorifying thee in this life I may be glorified with thee in thy kingdom through Iesus Christ Amen 9. A Prayer for the afflicted in what kind soeuer O Gratious God how happy am I who haue such a strōg tower as thy great name to run vnto especially now in this sad heauy day of tribulation I sée O Lord by continuall experience that the help of man is vaine and that all earthly cōtentments notwithstanding the flattering shewe they make yet are but as a staffe of réede vpon which if a man leane it will runne into his hand and pearce it If I turne mee to my auncient louers and friendes it may bee they will stand aside from my plague mine olde acquaintance wil hide themselues and I shal be euen as a stranger in the sight of my familiars If I séeke to my neighbours alas what refreshing shall I finde Trueth it is O God thou hast so ordayned that he which is in misery should be cōforted by his neighbor but men haue forsaken the feare of the Almightie so that hee which is ready to fall is as a despised lampe and few are apt to wéepe with him that is in trouble Besides the greatest part are so ouercome with grosse ignorāce that they are miserable cōforters physiciās of no value not able to minister a worde in time to him that is weary Whither then or to whom shall I goe but vnto thee O most gratious tender Father Thou art a pitifull God thy compassions are great thou art the Father of mercies the God of all comfort thou makest the wound and bindest it vp thou smitest thy hands doe make whole thou hast commaunded to call vpō thee in the day of trouble and thou art a helpe ready to be found To thee therefore do I lift vp my soule Encline thine eare O Lord and heare open thine eyes O Lord and sée look mercifully vpon thine afflicted seruant the dayes of sorow are come vpon me euen changes armies
there being no hope of mercy left for such offendours that it is to no purpose for mee to pray for as I can not pray as I should otherwise then in hypocrisie so neither if I could pray aright can there bee any accesse vnto the throne of grace for the requests of such a trespasser Notwithstanding O most gracious God euen in despite of his suggestions and amidst all those discouragements which mine own heart mustereth against mee I doe héere aduenture my selfe into thy most glorious presence If I shall find fauour in thine eyes shew me the light of thy countenance and I shall bee safe If thou say I haue no delight in thee behold héere I am do to me as séemeth good in thine owne eyes I knowe what thou hast spoken in thy worde namely that if I draw néere vnto thee thou wilt drawe néere vnto mee and that thou wilt fulfill the desires and accept the vnexpresseable grones and sighings of thy seruants Trueth it is O Lord I dare not say that I draw néere vnto thee as I should or that my desires are such as they ought to be or that I groane vnder my sinnes with such an effectuall and pearcing féeling as is fit All that I am able to doe and that in much weakenesse is to cry fayntly vnto thee Oh draw mee and I will runne after thee make mee to desire thy mercy in sinceritie bruise my heart that it may yeeld out many vndissembled sighings after thee Yet O Lorde though there bee in mee but such poor beginnings of grace suffer me not I beséech thee to cast away my confidence I am well assured that thou hast not forgotten the promise of not breaking the bruised réede nor putting out the smoking flaxe and of giuing a blessing vnto those which hunger after righteousnesse Is it possible O Lorde that thou shouldest leaue off to bee gracious and shut vppe thy tender mercies in displeasure Didst not thou send thy sonne into the world to dye euen for chiefe sinners Is it not true that wheÌ„ sinne abounds there thy grace abouÌ„deth much more Could I euer so much as trulie desire reconciliation with thâ—e vnlesse thou didst worke it in me Is not this request Lord helpe my vnbeliefe the very voyce of thy spirit within me Could I complaine of the hardnesse of my heart or sincerely lothe mine owne corruptions as being displeasing to thy maiestie if thine owne finger had not effected it Should I féele such a combate in my Soule such a tumult within me if thou hadst not truely begun to draw mee to thy selfe Would sathan so continually molest me and so egerly pursue me with variety of most malicious and sharpe assaults if I were still held captiue by him at his will Rayse me vppe therefore O Lord I pray thee refresh my deiected and cast downe soule perfit the work of grace which thou hast begun within mee make mee to heare of ioy and gladnes that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce Thou hast set me as a marke vnto thy selfe thou hast written bitter things against mee and made mee to possesse my former iniquities thou hast hidden thy face from me and taken me for thine enemy coÌ„fort me now according to the dayes that thou hast afflicted me let mee behold thy face in righteousnesse and restore vnto me the ioy of thy saluation Rebuke sathan I most humbly beséech thee though thou please to buffet mee with his messengers yet let thy grace be sufficient for me and make thine owne power in reuiuing mee perfect and manifest by my weakenes which of it sell is ready to bee pressed downe with euery tentation Giue mee that holy wisedome not to belieue sathan no though he speake the trueth inasmuch as he is the father of lyes and neuer speaketh trueth but for a wicked purpose And O Lorde as thou encreasest my comfort so withall encrease my care that I may not fall from perplexitie to securitie but that I may alwayes keep my heart with all diligence proouing my fayth and searching my wayes and exercising my selfe vnto godlinesse Make mee a carefull and an vnderstanding hearer of thy word sith it is the word of life a quickening word a worde which doeth reioyce the heart and because except that be my delight I shall vtterly perish in mine afflictions Make mee circumspect to preuent sinne and fearefull ouer my selfe that sinne may not grow strong vpon me and graunt that I may study to preserue the peace of my conscience aboue all things taking héed of wounding it with presumptuous sinnes And O Lord stablish me with thy frée spirit that albeit sathan séeke to sift me to winnow me as wheat yet my faith may neuer fayle but may be as mouÌ„t ZioÌ„ which caÌ„not be remooued but remaineth for euermore Thus O my gracious God hauing through thy mercy peace in belieuing and ioy in thy holy spirit I shal finish my course in comfort which I pray thee graunt mee for his sake who is the Prince of peace euen Iesus Christ to whom with thee and the holy Ghost bée all honour and glory now and for euer Amen 13. A Prayer then needfull when a man hath some speciall combate with some one or moe special sinnes against which hee desireth victory O Louing Father in Iesus Christ it hath pleased thee of thine abundant mercie to giue leaue to euery humbled distressed sinner to pour out his Soule before thee and thou hast bound thy selfe by a promise both to heare and to helpe all those which séeke thée with an vnfained heart The confident assuraÌ„ce hereof hath giueÌ„ me courage albeit most vnworthy to present my self here before thee to conceiue hope that thou wilt not send me empty away Wounded O Lord I am with mine owne hainous sins my vntamed flesh doth alwayes rebel lust against my spirit some good motions and purposes I sometimes haue but alas they are quickely quenched the law of my members so preuaileth that I cannot do the good which I would I haue in me I confesse the séed of euery sin my nature is apt to be wrought vnto any kind of euill But O God there are some principall corruptioÌ„s which do beare in me the greatest sway they do so euen raign in my mortal body that I am forced to obey them in the lusts therof The deuil also is ful of most malicious policie he still worketh vpoÌ„ all aduaÌ„tages out of al things almost taketh occasion to adde fuel to my wicked desires by pleasing delightful baites to lead them on vnto a hellish perfection The more I striue the stronger mee thinketh these corruptions grow which maketh me to feare the vtter quenching of thy gracrs the grieuing of thy holy spirit Hereby my Prayers are interrupted my meditations perplexed and robbed of their wonted swéetnesse my hearing and reading of thy word is made vnprofitable My fayth is encountred with grieuous doubtings because I cannot
féele that strength and power of thy spirit which I would O Lord if thy mercy be not my stay I must néedes bee ouercome whom haue I in Heauen but thee whither shall I fly but to thy gracious assistance I beséech thee to haue compassion on me crucifie and kill these vnruly lusts abate the strength of these violent and wicked desires Weaken them I pray thee suffer them not to haue dominion ouer mee Let thy Spirit guide me and lead mee into the land of righteousnesse Or if it bee thy pleasure O Lord still to exercise me yet leaue me not destitute of thy grace but encrease it in mee that I may grow vnto a larger measure of sanctification Make me hereby the more feruent and frequent in Prayer the more strait to preuent all occasions leading vnto euill the more ielous ouer my wayes the more humble and vile in mine owne sight that so euen out of euill there may spring good vnto me that I may sée the fulfilling of that holy promise that all things worke together for the best vnto thy seruants Heare me I entreate thee in this and in all other my requests for Christ Iesus sake thy best beloued Sonne and the onely sauiour of thy chosen Amen 14. A Prayer of Humiliation and sorrow after some special sinne committed O My God I am ashamed and confounded to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee mine iniquities are encreased ouer my head and my trespasses are growne vp vnto the heauen I must néedes wonder at thy great forbearance that I am not euen swallowed vppe or swept away with some extraordinary iudgemēt And now O Lord especially hauing so grosly sinned against thee and done so great an euill in thy sight How haue I vile wretch that I am wounded my owne conscience How haue I laid my self open to the malice mischief of the diuel What a disgrace slander haue I broght vpon my profession What an offence scandal haue I giuen vnto others What a ioy will this be to the wicked that they haue now by me gotten something to speak euil of But aboue all O Lord how haue I dishonoured thee whose fauors haue bin so many so continuall towards me I know not with what names tearms to set out my sin sufficient to expres the hainous hideous nature thereof When I thinke vpon thy patience vpon the meanes of grace which thou hast afforded me vpon the light of knowledge which thou hast giuen me vpon the good motions as it were so many gracious aduertisements which thou hast from time to time stirred vp in me vpon the profession which I make vpon the sundry promises vowes of better obedience with which I haue tied my selfe vnto thy Maiestie vpon the diuers admonitions which by thy prouidence I knowe haue béene vsed to mee by thy seruaunts purposely to preuent and to stoppe this euil in me me thinketh I may call it rebellion which is as the sin of witchcraft or presumption in the highest degrée And yet O Lord I féele such a benummednesse to créepe vpon mée such a hardned crust to growe vpon my secret parts that albeit I sée my sinne and knowe it to be excéeding great neuerthelesse I cannot so bemone it so lament it so grieue for it so detest abhorre it as I should Smite O gracious God smite I beséech thée my flinty heart make it euen to melt within me at the sight of mine own transgressions Settle in it the godly sorrow which canseth repentance vnto saluatiō Humble my soule vnder thy mightie hand and suffer mee not to fréeze in the dregs of mine own corruptions Make mine head full of water and mine eyes a foūtaine of teares which may runne downe like a riuer day and night Oh let me take no rest nor suffer the apple of mine eye to cease cause mee to powre out my heart like water before thy face that I may by all meanes testifie the vnfayned griefe of my soule that I haue so displeased thee And grant O Lord that I may not sorrow so much because of hell and condemnation which I haue made to be due vnto me but that my chiefe vexation may bée to thinke how I haue abused thy mercy and requited thy exceeding loue with so foule a trespasse Withall O most gracious Father séeing there is mercy with thee and that thou hast no desire that the wicked should dye giue me leaue to become a sufer vnto thy grace not in mine owne name for what am I that I should presse into thy presence but in the name of thy dearest Sonne the alone Mediatour and the onely Peace-maker of his chosen I most hūbly beséech thee for his sake to haue mercy on me O Lord a plaister of his blood shall be a most soueraigne medicine to cure my running and rotten and festered sore His stripes wounds are of an healing nature no sope nor nitre of mine owne tempering can purge away my filthines onely his bloud hath that scouring force that it can make scarlet and crimson sinne as white as wooll Oh then I pray thee wash me throughly from mine iniquitie and according to the multitude of thy compassions cleanse me from my sin Turne thy face from mee and from my hatefull and enormous course and look vpon the perfite and vnspotted righteousnes of thy son Supply my emptienes out of his infinite fulnes the depth wherof cannot be fadomed nor the store thereof consumed Couer my vncleannesse with the rove of his holinesse euen with the garment of saluation with which thou deckest and tirest thine elect And albeit I am of all others which either haue béene are or shall be the most vnworthy yet vouchsafe to certifie my Soule of thy grace fauor by the secret teaching of thy holy Spirit make me to féele inwardly the ioy of thy saluation restore to mee that sweet taste of thy loue which I was wont to haue which I now haue robbed my selfe of by this my disobedience towards thee Let the apprehension of my sinne bee tempered with a cōfortable application of thy mercy that I may hold an euen course betwixt fearelesse security and faith-lesse despaire beholding at once both my vilenes to humble me the riches of thy grace to reuiue me And as an euidence of thy loue in this behalf strengthē me by thy grace to the making of the best vse of mine owne corruptiōs Grant that the thought of them may kill in me al pride of heart and may make me to abase my self and to become euen vile in my own sight Grāt me to be hereupō the more watchfull ouer my course the more diligent to auoyd all inducements inticements vnto these or the like euils the more apt to be taught the more willing to bee admonished the more forward to beg thy assistance the more charitably cōpassionate towards others rather pitying and bemoaning and praying for then censuring their infirmities And Lorde