And forasmuch as the dulness, blindness, and corruption of our hearts is such, that we are not able to arise up unto thee by faithful and hearty prayer, according to our great necessity, without thy singular grace and assistance, grant unto us, gracious Lord, thy holy and sanctifying Spirit, to work in us this good work, with grace to weigh and consider the need and greatness of that we do desire, and with an assured faith and trust, that thou wilt grant us our requests, because thou art good and gracious even to young ravens calling upon thee; much more then to us, for whom thou hast made all things, yea, and hast not spared also thine own dear Son; because thou hast commanded us to call upon thee; because thy throne whereto we come, is a throne of grace and mercy; because thou hast given us a mediator, Christ, to bring us unto thee, being the way by whom we come, being the door by whom we enter, and being our head on whom we hang and hope, that our poor petitions shall not be in vain through him, and for his name's sake. We beseech thee therefore, of thy rich mercy, wherein thou art plentiful to all them that call upon thee, to forgive us our sins, namely, our unthankfulness, unbelief, self-love, neglect of thy word, security, hypocrisy, contempt of thy longsuffering, omission of prayer, doubting of thy power, presence, mercy, and good will towards us, unsensibleness of thy grace, impatiency, &c. and to this thy benefit of correcting us, add thy gracious gift of repentance, faith, the spirit of prayer, the contempt of this world, and hearty desiring for everlasting life. Endue us with thy holy Spirit, according to thy covenant and mercy, as well to assure us of pardon, and that thou dost accept us into thy favour as thy dear children in

Christ and for his sake, as to write thy law in our hearts, and so to work in us, that we may now begin and go forwards in believing, living, fearing, obeying, praying, hoping, and serving thee, as thou dost require most fatherly and most justly of us, accepting us as perfect in thy sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE OBTAINING
OF FAITH.

MERCIFUL God and dear Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in whom as thou art well pleased, so hast thou commanded us to hear him; forasmuch as He often biddeth us to ask of thee, and also promiseth that thou wilt hear us, and grant us that which in his name we shall ask of thee; lo, gracious Father, we are bold to beg of thy mercy, through thy Son Jesus Christ, one sparkle of true faith and certain persuasion of thy goodness and love towards us in Christ; wherethrough I being assured of the pardon of all my sins by the merits of Christ thy Son, may be thankful to thee, love

thee, and serve thee in

holiness and right

eousness all
the days

of my
life.

A PRAYER FOR REPENTANCE.

MOST

OST gracious God and merciful Father of our Saviour Jesus Christ, because I have sinned and done wickedly, and through thy goodness have received a desire of repentance, whereunto this thy longsuffering doth draw my hard heart; I beseech thee, for thy great mercies' sake in Christ, to work the same repentance in me, and by thy Spirit, power, and grace, so to humble, mortify, and fear my conscience for my sins to salvation, that in thy good time thou mayest comfort and quicken me again, through Jesus Christ, thy dearly-beloved Son. So be it.

A PRAYER FOR REMISSION OF SINS, AND FOR THE COMFORT AND TRUE FEELING OF GOD'S FAVOUR AND MERCY.

LORD God and dear Father, what shall I say, that feel all things to be (in manner) with me as in the wicked? Blind is my mind, crooked is my will, and perverse concupiscence is in me as a spring or stinking puddle. Oh how faint is faith in me! how little is my love to thee or thy people! how great is self-love! how hard is my heart! By the reason whereof I am moved to doubt of thy goodness towards me, whether thou art my merciful Father, and whether I be thy child, or no. Indeed worthily might I doubt, if that the having of these were the cause, and not the fruit rather, of thy children. The cause why thou art my Father is thy mercy, goodness, grace, and truth in Christ Jesus, the which cannot but remain for ever. In respect whereof thou hast

borne me this good will, to bring me into thy church by baptism, and to accept me into the number of thy children, that I might be holy, faithful, obedient, and innocent; and to call me divers times by the ministry of thy word into thy kingdom: besides thy innumerable other benefits, always hitherto poured upon me. All which thou hast done of this thy good will, which thou of thine own mercy barest to me in Christ and for Christ, before the world was made. The which thing as thou requirest straitly that I should believe without doubting; so wouldest thou that in all my needs I should come unto thee as to a Father, and make my moan without mistrust of being heard in thy good time, as most shall make to my comfort.

Lo, therefore, to thee, dear Father, I come through thy Son, our Lord, Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ, who sitteth on thy right hand, making intercession for me, and pray thee of thy great goodness and mercy in Christ to be merciful unto me, that I may feel indeed thy sweet mercy as thy child. The time, O dear Father, I appoint not; but I pray thee that I may with hope still expect and look for thy help. I hope that as for a little while thou hast left me, so thou wilt come and visit me, and that in thy great mercy, whereof I have need by reason of my great misery. Thou art wont for a little season in thine anger to hide thy face from them whom thou lovest; but surely, O Redeemer, in eternal mercies thou wilt shew thy compassions. For when thou leavest us, O Lord, thou dost not leave us very long, neither dost thou leave us to our own loss, but to our lucre and advantage; even that thy holy Spirit with bigger portion of

thy power and virtue may lighten and cheer us, that the want of feeling, to our sorrow, may be recompensed plentifully with the lively scent of having thee, to our eternal joy: and therefore thou swarest, that in thine everlasting mercy thou wilt have compassion on us. Of which thing to the end we might be most assured, thine oath is to be marked; for thou sayest, As I have sworn that I will never bring any more the waters to drown the world, so have I sworn that I will never more be angry with thee nor reprove thee. The mountains shall remove, and the hills shall fall down; but my lovingkindness shall not move, and the bond of my peace shall not fail thee': thus sayest thou the Lord, our merciful Redeemer.

Dear Father, therefore I pray thee remember, even for thine own truth and mercies' sake, this promise and everlasting covenant, which in thy good time I pray thee to write in my heart, that I may know thee to be the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent; that I may love thee with all my heart for ever; that I may love thy people for thy sake; that I may be holy in thy sight through Christ; that I may always not only strive against sin, but also overcome the same daily more and more, as thy children do; above all things desiring the sanctification of thy name, the coming of thy kingdom, the doing of thy will here on earth as it is in heaven, &c. through Jesus Christ our Redeemer, Mediator, and Advocate. Amen.

1 Isai. liv.