The Plain Man's Pathway to Heaven

O Lord my God, and heavenly Father, I thy most unworthy child, do here in thy sight freely confess that I am a most sinful creature, and damnable transgressor of all thy holy Laws and Commandments: that as I was borne and bred in sin, and stained in the womb, so have I continually brought forth the corrupt & ugly fruits of that infection & contagion, wherein I was first conceived, both in thoughts, words, & works. If I should go about to reckon up my particular offences, I know not where to begin, or where to make an end. For they are moe then the hairs of my head, yea far moe then I can possibly feel or know. For who knoweth the height, and depth of his corruption: who knoweth how oft he offendeth? Thou only O Lord knowest my sins, who knowest my heart: nothing is hid from thee, thou knowest what I have been, & what I am: yea my conscience doth accuse me of many & grievous evils, and I do daily feel by woeful experience how frail I am, how prone to evil, & how untoward to all goodness. My mind is full of vanity, my heart full of profaneness, mine affections full of deadness, dullness & drowsiness in matters of thy worship & service. Yea, my whole soul is full of spiritual blindness, ⟨image 216⟩hardness, unprofitableness, coldness, and security. And in very deed I am altogether a lump of sin, & a mass of all misery: & therefore I have forfeited thy favour, & incurred thy high displeasure, & have given thee just cause to frown upon me, to give me over, & leave me to mine own corrupt will and affections. But (O my deer father) I have learned from thy mouth, that thou art a God full of mercy, flow to wrath & of great compassion & kindness, towards all such as groan under the burden of their sins. Therefore extend thy great mercy towards me poor sinner, and give me a general pardon for all mine offences whatsoever: seal it in the blood of thy son, and seal it to my conscience by thy spirit, assuring me more and more of thy love & favour towards me, & that thou art a reconciled father unto me. Grant that I may, in all time to come love thee much, because much is given, and of very love fear thee, and obey thee. O Lord increase my faith, that I may steadfastly believe all the promises of the Gospel made in thy son Christ & rest upon them altogether.

O Lord my God, and heauenly Father, I thy most vnworthy childe, doe héere in thy sight fréely confesse that I am a most sinnefull creature, and damnable transgressor of all thy holy Lawes and Commandements: that as I was borne and bred in finne, and stained in the wombe, so haue I continually brought foorth the corrupt & vgly fruits of that infection & contagion, wherein I was first conceiued, both in thoughts, words, & works. If I should goe about to reckon vp my particular offences, I know not where to begin, or where to make an end. For they are mo then the haires of my head, yea farre moe then I can possibly féele or know. For who knoweth the height, and depth of his corruption: who knoweth how oft he offendeth? Thou onely O Lord knowest my sins, who knowest my heart: nothing is hid from thée, thou knowest what I haue béene, & what I am: yea my conscience doth accuse mée of many & gréeuous euils, and I doe daily féele by woful experience how frail I am, how prone to euill, & how vntoward to all goodnesse. My minde is ful of vanity, my hartfull of prophanenes, mine affections full of deadnesse, dulnesse & drowzinesse in matters of thy worship & seruice. Yea, my whole soule is full of spirituall blindenesse,