Lord GOD eternal, who knowest ⟨image 57⟩that every man is but flesh, and that flesh is but corruption, so that although thou hast endued him with a reasonable soul, which doth distinguish him, from other creatures, yet his light is notwithstanding converted into darkness, when thereby he seeketh to penetrate into the glory of thy kingdom, and the mysteries of thy grace: who knowest that this poor blind borne, destitute of thy supernatural light, doeth in lieu ⟨image 58⟩of his God, forge to him self an idol, and instead of truth, taketh lies, for thy word, his own inventions, for goodness vanity, and for the path to life, the way to death. And albeit thou hast even from the beginning made thy self as it were visible to man, in the table of the Universal world, that thou hast many times revealed thy self unto him in a lively voice, by thy eternal word in Eden, Horeb, in the burning bush, and ⟨image 58⟩elsewhere, afterward by thy prophets insinuating thy self by thy spirit into their harts & thoughts, to the end by their ministry to instruct thy people: and finally that thou hast also manifested thy self in greater light by thy own word made flesh for our redemption, and speaking unto us by his mouth: Yea which is more, that thou hast so far graced us, that this thy word of life hath been, and still remaineth among us, faithfully ⟨image 59⟩collected in the sacred registers of the holy scripture, so to be unto us, the image of thy glory, the Law of thy Kingdom, the ladder to Heaven, the gate to paradise, the trumpet of salvation: to be brief, the treasury of piety, virtue, wisdom, consolation, and perfection: Yet the flesh nevertheless ignorant, rash, and perverse, hath neither eyes to perceive these spiritual riches, nor ears to hear the wholesome doctrine, ⟨image 59⟩but doth rather disdain it, as it were some devised discourse, & unprofitable voice: or howsoever it be, suffering it self to be carried away with it own & feeble imaginations, taketh in this verily, the thorn for the rose, the leaf for the fruit, and the husk for the kernel. And thus are we all borne in this error, in this calamity, in this way to mortal ruin, until that thou, O merciful God, makest us to be borne again, of ⟨image 60⟩the spirit, and in will to make our thoughts capaof the light of thy word;
LOrd GOD eternall, who knowest ⟨image 57⟩that euerie man is but flesh, and that flesh is but corruption, so that although thou hast endued him with a reasonable soule, which doth distinguish him, from other creatures, yet his light is notwithstanding conuerted into darknes, when therby he seeketh to penetrate into the glorie of thy kingdome, and the mysteries of thy grace: who knowst that this poore blind borne, destitute of thy supernaturall light, doeth in lieu ⟨image 58⟩of his God, forge to him selfe an idol, and instead of truth, taketh lies, for thy worde, his owne inuentions, for goodnesse vanitie, and for the path to life, the way to death. And albeit thou hast euen from the beginning made thy selfe as it were visible to man, in the table of the Vniuersall worlde, that thou hast many times reuealed thy selfe vnto him in a liuely voyce, by thy eternall worde in Heden, Horeb, in the burning bush, and ⟨image 58⟩elsewhere, afterward by thy prophets insinuating thy selfe by thy spirit into their harts & thoghts, to the end by their ministrie to instruct thy people: and finally that thou hast also manifested thy selfe in greater light by thy owne worde made flesh for our redemption, and speaking vnto vs by his mouth: Yea which is more, that thou hast so farre graced vs, that this thy word of life hath beene, and stil remaineth among vs, faithfully ⟨image 59⟩collected in the sacred registers of the holy scripture, so to be vnto vs, the image of thy glory, the Lawe of thy Kingdome, the ladder to Heauen, the gate to paradice, the trumpet of saluation: to be briefe, the treasury of piety, vertue, wisdome, consolation, and perfection: Yet the flesh neuerthelesse ignorant, rash, and peruerse, hath neither eyes to perceiue these spirituall riches, nor eares to heare the wholsome doctrine, ⟨image 59⟩but dooth rather disdaine it, as it were some deuised discourse, & vnprofitable voice: or howsoeuer it be, suffering it self to be carried away with it owne & feeble imaginations, taketh in this verely, the thorne for the rose, the leafe for the fruite, and the huske for the kernell. And thus are wee all borne in this error, in this calamitie, in this waie to mortall ruine, vntill that thou, O mercifull God, makest vs to be borne againe, of ⟨image 60⟩the spirite, and in will to make our thoughts capaof the light of thy word;
