I Am not able to express (oh wretched sinner that I am) how grievously the burden of my sins oppress me, whither soever I turn me, whatsoever I do speak or think, I perceive such corruption ⟨image 19⟩and wickedness, such abomination & uncleanness to reign in me,1 that it utterly confoundeth my conscience, and in a manner fettereth me with the chain of desperation. No marvel. For my outward man is flesh, earth, ashes, dust, dung, and all that most vile is. My thought & disposition is altogether nought even from my very cradles, my heart is unclean, defiled with most filthy sin, lewd, & unable to be searched, for the manifold wickedness thereof, but of God alone. My works are abominable and loathsome in the sight of the most highest, yea my very righteousnesses, if any I have, are even as a defiled cloth. Again my inward man hath lost his former beauty. In stead of the Image of god he is miserably deformed with the wicked visor of wily Satan. In the ⟨p. iiii⟩place of innocency, faith, love, hope▪ patience, mercy, obedience goodness, gentleness, liberality, joy, and such other fruits of the holy ghost: wickedness, unfaithfulness▪ hatred, desperation, vengeance, covetousness, rebellion, maliciousness, churlishness, unmercifulness, pensiveness of mind & such other damnable works of the flesh are entered into me, and holy posses me, so that whether I consider my outward or inward man, I find my self the bond slave of Satan,2 the vile dunghill of sin, the miserable debtor of the law, the fire brand of hell, the child of wrath, the vessel of vengeance the son of perdition, the wandering sheep, the wounded man an hypocrite, an unprofitable servant, inheritor of everlasting pain & all that ever nought is. To rid my self of all these most ⟨image 20⟩detestable enormities, I am not able. To seek remedy at any other mans hand, to buy their merits, prayers, watchings, fastings & their other works oh, it is but vain.3 Moses can not heal my diseases, neither the Levite, nor the priest can bind up my wounds, and make them whole. For vain is the health that is looked for at mans hand.4 Al have sinned, all have gone astray, all owe to that heavenly king ten thousand talents. Al are become abominable, there is not one that doth good, no not one. Ah who then can be made clean of them that are unclean? Ah, who being sick,5 will seek to be made whole of them that are altogether diseased?
I Am not able to expres (oh wretched sinner yt I am) how greuously the burden of my sins oppresse me, whyther soeuer I turn me, whatsoeuer I do speke or thinke, I perceiue such corruption ⟨image 19⟩and wickednes, such abhominacion & vnclennes to raign in me,1 that it vtterly confoūdeth my conscience, and in a manner fettereth me with the cheyne of desperaciō. No maruell. For my outward manne is flesh, earthe, ashes, duste, donge, and all that moost vile is. My thought & disposicion is altogether nought euē frō my very cradels, my harte is vnclean, defiled wt most filthy synne, leude, & vnable to be searched, for ye manifolde wickednes thereof, but of God alone. My works are abominable and lothsome in the syght of ye most highest, yea my very ryghtousnesses, if any I haue, are euen as a defyled cloth. Againe my inward mā hath lost his former beautye. In steade of the Image of god he is miserabli deformed with the wicked visare of wily Satā. In the ⟨p. iiii⟩place of innocencye, fayth, loue, hope▪ pacience, mercy, obedience goodnes, gentilnesse, liberality, ioy, and suche other frutes of the holi gost: wickednes, vnfaithfulnes▪ hatred, desperacion, vengeaunce, couetousnes, rebelliō, maliciousnes, churlishnes, vnmercifulnes, pensiuenes of minde & such other dampnable works of the fleshe are ētred into me, and holy posses me, so that whether I consider my outwarde or inward mā, I fynde my self ye bōd slaue of Sathan,2 the vile dōghil of sīne, the miserable debtour of the law, the fyre brond of hel, the childe of wrath, the vessel of vengaunce the sonne of perdicion, ye wandring shepe, the woūded mā an hipocrite, an vnprofitable seruant, enheritour of euerlasting payne & al that euer noughte is. To ryd my selfe of al these most ⟨image 20⟩detestable enormities, I am not able. To seeke remedy at any other mans hand, to bie their merit•s, praiers, watchings, fastīgs & their other workes oh, it is but vayne.3 Moses can not heale my diseases, neither the Leuite, nor the priest can binde vp my woundes, and make them whole. For vayne is the health that is loked for at mannes hand.
- 1Gen. vi. Psal▪ l•v. John, iii.▪ Genesi, i•i, Eccl, vii.x, Gene, viii, Prover, x. Jere. xvii. Tobi, ix, Isaiah. lxiiii Genesi. iii, Roma. v. Ephesi, ii▪ Collos. iii,Gen. vi. Psal▪ l•v. Iohn, iii.▪ Genesi, i•i, Eccl, vii.x, Gene, viii, Prouer, x. Iere. xvii. Tobi, ix, Esay. lxiiii Genesi. iii, Roma. v. Ephesi, ii▪ Collos. iii,
- 2Roma. vi. Deu. xxvii. Mat. xviii Gala, iii▪ Ephesi▪ ii▪ Luke xv▪ Luke, x▪ Isaiah▪ ix▪Roma. vi. Deu. xxvii. Mat. xviii Gala, iii▪ Ephesi▪ ii▪ Luke xv▪ Luke, x Esaye ix
