A06743:41
[The flour of godly prayers] [most worthy to be used in these our days…[The flour of godly praiers] [most worthy to be vsed in these our daies…
[The flour of godly prayers] [most worthy to be used in these our days for the safeguard, health, and comfort of all degrees, and estates / newly made by Thomas Becon].[The flour of godly praiers] [most worthy to be vsed in these our daies for the sauegard, health, and comforte of all degrees, and estates / newlie made by Thomas Becon].
London: printed by John Day, 1550London: printed by Ihon Day, 1550
No title page in the transcription: set from the catalogue record.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The confession of our sins unto God the Father.
The confession of our sinnes vnto God the Father.
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