A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties

Almighty and eternal God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in him our gracious Father, we thy poor children by adoption and grace, here acknowledge, that we are utterly unworthy to be counted in the number of thy meanest servants, and much less deserve that high title and privilege to be called thy sons and children. For we have not demeaned our selves as it becometh children of such a Father, in all love, reverence, and obedience, nor approved our selves to be like unto thee, in wisdom, holiness, and righteousness. We have abased our selves, to do service unto sin and Satan, for the trifling wages of worldly vanities; never considering that we are the children of such a glorious Father, and heirs to such an heavenly inheritance. We do not like children securely rest upon thy fatherly providence, and cannot with boldness approach to the Throne of Grace, to make our suits known unto thee, by reason of our self-guiltiness and ill deserving, though thou art gracious and ready always through Christ, to hear and help us. We have not duly feared thee, though thou art our heavenly Father, full of Majesty and power, neither have we been afraid to sin against thee, though we stand always in thy presence, who art able to cast body and soul into hell We have not glorified thy holy Name, by renouncing impiety and worldly lusts, and consecrating our selves wholly to thy worship and service, but have served sin and Satan, for the base hire of worldly vanities. We have not glorified thee in thy mercies by our unfeigned thankfulness, nor have been encouraged by thy liberal wages, to perform unto thee diligent and cheerful service, but have abused thy good gifts to thy dishonour, and have set our minds and hearts more upon them, then upon thee who hast graciously bestowed them upon us. We have not sanctified thee in thy Judgements, by humbling our selves under thy hand, nor have profited by thy fatherly corrections for the amendment of our lives, and turning unto thee from our sins by unfeigned repentance. We have not suffered thee to reign and rule in our hearts and consciences by the Sceptre of thy Word and holy Spirit, but have often grieved it, by resisting and quenching the good motions thereof, and by subjecting our selves to be governed by our own lusts.

ALmighty and eternall God, Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, and in him our gracious Father, wee thy poore children by adoption and grace, heere acknowledge, that wee are vtterly vnworthy to bee counted in the number of thy meanest seruants, and much lesse deserue that high title and priuiledge to bee called thy sonnes and children. For wee haue not demeaned our selues as it becommeth children of such a Father, in all loue, reuerence, and obedience, nor approoued our selues to be like vnto thee, in wisedome, holinesse, and righteousnesse. We haue abased our selues, to doe seruice vnto sinne and Satan, for the trifling wages of worldly vanities; neuer considering that wee are the children of such a glorious Father, and heires to such an heauenly inheritance. We doe not like children securely rest vpon thy fatherly prouidence, and cannot with boldnesse approch to the Throne of Grace, to make our suits knowne vnto thee, by reason of our selfe-guiltinesse and ill deseruing, though thou art gracious and ready alwayes through Christ, to heare and helpe vs. Wee haue not duely feared thee, though thou art our heauenly Father, full of Maiesty and power, neither haue we beene afraid to sinne against thee, though we stand alwayes in thy presence, who art able to cast body and soule into hell We haue not glorified thy holy Name, by renouncing impiety and worldly lusts, and consecrating our selues wholly to thy worship and seruice, but haue serued sinne and Satan, for the base hire of worldly vanities. Wee haue not glorified thee in thy mercies by our vnfained thankefulnesse, nor haue beene incouraged by thy liberall wages, to performe vnto thee diligent and cheerefull seruice, but haue abused thy good gifts to thy dishonour, and haue set our mindes and hearts more vpon them, then vpon thee who hast graciously bestowed them vpon vs. We haue not sanctified thee in thy Iudgements, by humbling our selues vnder thy hand, nor haue profited by thy fatherly corrections for the amendment of our liues, and turning vnto thee from our sinnes by vnfained repentance. We haue not suffered thee to raigne and rule in our hearts and consciences by the Scepter of thy Word and holy Spirit, but haue often grieued it, by resisting and quenching the good motions thereof, and by subiecting our selues to be gouerned by our owne lusts.