696 eiHelpevnto Deuûtion. and goodneffetowardsmee : and all to range jute amongtheft hypocrites this for Chrift Iefus fake , thy onely which makea thewofgodineffe, but Sonne,and myalone Sauiour. yet deny the power thereof. Beget in meethatgodly forrow which caufeth 4sEarning Prayerforapriúatë true repentance neuertobe repented patio. of: thatI may beegrieued in my very foulefor myfins, not fomuchbecaufe `A AOft mercifull God and grad.. ofthe danger ofHell that followeth, jVjous .father in Iefus Chrift, asbecaufe I haue offended thee, the were it not that thou haft made a loue ofwhofe Maiefty ought tobee a gracious promife in thyword, that fufficient motiue to obedience. And whatfoeuer is asked of thee in the for the furtherance of myhumiliati- nameofthy Sonne,fhallbebeftowed, onand forrow,taufe me OLord , to I Mould not dare to preffe into thy "fearch andtotriemywaies,tocallmy pretence,being guilty tomyOfoffo felfe to aftrai ghtaccount, that Inlay many ftnneswhich I haue heapedvp feemy fins in particular, thevanityof inthy fighe,from thebeginsingofmy myheart, my extreame deadneffeand claies till hi prefect. Iam bynature (OLord)thechilde ofwrath, avaffall ofSatan, nobetter then a very fierbrand of Hell. It is thy great mercy that I efcaped. the furyof thywrath , due unto mee at the very inftant ofmybirth , in re- . fpeet of that matte of corruption which I brought withmee from my mothers wombe. Neither haue I, fine I amcometovnderftanding,any whit amended or bettered my firft cItate : butI haue added to ita num- berleffe number of tranfgrefeions, breaking every of thy commande- ments,bythought, word, ,and deed, finning in manythings againflknow- ledge,againft confcience, and againft that light which thou haftgiuenmee: yea, clean againft many vowes and protrudesofbetter obedience. I haue no colourof excufe , nothing haue I toplead in the defence ofmy many flippes:Ifldifputewith thee , Imuft needeslay ny handupon my mouth, and learnt toabhorre my felfe induft and afhes. And(Lord) giue me, Ibe- feechthee , a flelhy andmeltingheart, that nothing may more affeet mee, ortouch meemore deepely, then to fee myownevileneffe, and howdiffo- bedient and ftubbome I haue been towards thee, which haft cuenhea- pedupon mefomany fauours. Make met afhamed of mybarren.. neffe and vnfruitfulneffein my pro- fefsion,whohauegiuenthee iulteau& fecurity,mypride andhaughtineffe of fpirit,my backwardnes toal goodfer_ uices, my worldly mindedneffe, my ambitiousriling Sc craving thoughts, mywant ofcharity and mercytoo_ then, my mifcarriage in my place and calling,myidleandvnbefeeming fpee- ches, my offenfue andfcandalous be- hauiour : thus (0 Ford) make mee carefulto ripvpmyheart andlife,that fo I mayfetmy fines inorderbefore mee, and may thereby become the more humbleand the moreforward to call downmyfelfebeföre thee,and to iudge my felfe, thatI maynotbee fudgedofthee.Yetwithall(molt gra- ciousGod) makeme ablein themidit of all this, to reach outthehandof Faith and to lay hold upon Íefus Chrift, whom thou haft ordainedto bee the reconciliation ofmyfines. I know (O Lord) the vertue of his blond, that it can make my fines, though they wereascrimfon, yetto become aswhiteas fnow. O then (I befeech thee) couer my filthy naked.. neswith his glorious righteoufneffe: doathmee with the garmentsof his falnation that fo thereby I may bee holy andvnblameable, and without fault in thy fight. Speake peace vnto my confcience by thy holy Spirit. Sayvntomy foule Iam thyfalsiarion. My faith (OLord) is butweake and .poore : ftrengthenit, I befeech thee, andbring it forward by thy mighty working vntomore perfection. Thou
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