The Practice of Piety

that thy judgements denounced against my sins, by the faithful Preachers of thy Word do not terrify me to return unto thee by unfeigned ⟨p. 409⟩repentance for them. And if thou Lord, shouldst but deal with me, according to thy justice and my desert, I should utterly be confounded and condemned. But seeing that of thine infinite mercy thou hast spared me so long, and still waitest for my repentance: I humbly beseech thee, for the bitter death and bloody Passion• sake, which Jesus Christ hath suffered for me: that thou wouldest pardon, and forgive unto me all my sins and offences, and open unto me that ever-streaming fountain of the blood of Christ, which thou hast promised to open under the New Testament, ¹to the penitent of the house of David: that all my ⟨p. 410⟩sins and uncleanness may be so bathed in his blood, buried in his death, and hid in his wounds: that they never be more seen, to shame me in this life, or to condemn me before thy Judgement-seat, in the world which is to come. And forasmuch, O Lord, as thou knowest, that it is not in man to turn his own heart, ²unless thou doest first give him grace to convert: And seeing that it is as easy with thee to make me righteous and holy, as to bid me to be such: O my God, give me grace,³ to do what thou commandest, and then command what thou wilt, and thou shalt find me willing to do thy blessed will. And to this end, give unto me thine holy ⟨p. 411⟩spirit, which thou hast promise• to give to the worlds end, ⁴unto all thine elect people. And let the same thy holy spirit, purge my heart, heal my corruption, sanctify my nature, and consecrate my soul and body, that they may become the Temples of the holy Ghost,