O Eternal GOD, and most graciour Father, we thine unworthy Servants, here ⟨p. 469⟩assembled, do cast down our selves, at the foot-stool of thy grace, acknowledging that we have inherited our Fathers corruption, and actually in thought, word and deed, transgressed all thy holy commandments. So that in us naturally, there dwelleth nothing that is good: for our hearts are full of secret pride, anger, impatience, dissembling, lying, lust, vanity, profaneness, distrust, too much love of our selves, and the world, too little love of thee, and thy Kingdom: but empty and void of faith, love, patience, and every spiritual grace. If thou therefore shouldest but enter into judgement with us, and search out our ⟨p. 470⟩natural corruptions, and observe all the cursed fruits and effects that we have derived from thence: Satan might justly challenge us for his own, and we could not expect any thing from thy Majesty, but thy wrath, and our condemnation, which we have long ago deserved. But good Father, for Jesus Christ thy dear Sons sake, in whom only thou art well pleased, 1and for the merits of that bitter death, and bloody passion, which we believe that he hath suffered for us: have mercy upon us, pardon and forgive us all our sins, and free us from the shame and confusion which are due unto us for them: that they may never seize upon us to ⟨p. 471⟩our confusion in this life, nor to our condemnation in the world which is to come. And forasmuch as thou hast created us to serve thee, as all other creatures to serve us: so we beseech thee inspire thy holy Spirit into our hearts that by his illumination and effectual working, we may have the inward sight, and feeling of our sins and natural corruptions, and that we may not be blinded in them through custom, as the Reprobates are: but that we may more and more loath them, and be heartily grieved for them, endeavouring by the use of all good means to overcome and get out of them. Oh let me feel the power of Christs death, killing ⟨p. 472⟩sin in our mortal bodies,2 and the virtue of his resurrection, raising up our souls to newness of life. Convert our hearts, subdue our affections, regenerate our minds, and purify our nature; and suffer us not to be drowned in the stream of those filthy vices and sinful pleasures of this time, wherewith thousands are carried headlong to eternal destruction:
O Eternall GOD, and most graciour Father, wee thine vnworthy Seruants, here ⟨p. 469⟩assembled, doe cast downe our selues, at the foote-stoole of thy grace, acknowledgeing that wee haue inherited our Fathers corruption, and actually in thought, word and deed, transgressed all thy holy commandements. So that in vs naturally, there dwelleth nothing that is good: for our hearts are full of secret pride, anger, impatiency, dissembling, lying, lust, vanity, prophanenesse, distrust, too much loue of our selues, and the world, too little loue of thee, and thy Kingdome: but empty and voide of faith, loue, patience, and euery spirituall grace. If thou therefore shouldest but enter into iudgement with vs, and search out our ⟨p. 470⟩naturall corruptions, and obserue all the cursed fruits and effects that we haue deriued from thence: Satan might iustly challenge vs for his owne, and wee could not expect any thing from thy Maiestie, but thy wrath, and our condemnation, which we haue long agoe deserued. But good Father, for Iesus Christ thy deare Sonnes sake, in whom onely thou art well pleased, 1and for the merits of that bitter death, and bloody passion, which wee beleeue that he hath suffered for vs: haue mercy vpon vs, pardon and forgiue vs all our sinnes, and free vs from the shame and confusion which are due vnto vs for them: that they may neuer seaze vpon vs to ⟨p. 471⟩our confusion in this life, nor to our condemnation in the world which is to come. And forasmuch as thou hast created vs to serue thee, as all other creatures to serue vs: so wee beseech thee inspire thy holy Spirit into our hearts that by his illumination and effectuall working, we may haue the inward sight, and feeling of our sinnes and naturall corruptions, and that wee may not be blinded in them through custome, as the Reprobates are: but that wee may more and more loath them, and be heartily grieued for them, endeauouring by the vse of al good meanes to ouercome and get out of them. Oh let me feele the power of Christs death, killing ⟨p. 472⟩sinne in our mortall bodies,2 and the vertue of his resurrection, raising vp our soules to newnesse of life. Conuert our hearts, subdue our affections, regenerate our mindes, and purifie our nature; and suffer vs not to be drowned in the streame of those filthy vices and sinfull pleasures of this time, wherewith thousands are caried headlong to eternall destruction:
- 1Mat. 3.17.
- 2Rom. 6.6. Phil. 3.10.
