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

It is full of carnal security, making me to apprehend no danger, when as I walk in the middest of pernicious snares, which are in every place laid in my way by my spiritual enemies, and to put the evil day far from me, when as pulling it on with my sins, it approacheth near, and is ready to seize upon me. It is much hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, custom in sinning depriving me of the sense of it. There is much spiritual pride that lieth lurking in it, which maketh me ready to arrogate the good things I have not, to overween those I have, and to attribute the praise of both unto my self, and so to rob thee of the glory of thine own gifts. Hypocrisy also still hangeth upon me, being ready, like a sly thief, to steal in, when I open the door of mine heart, to let in any grace or religious duty. I am still tainted and poisoned with carnal self-love, which maketh me oftentimes to incur spiritual hurt and damage, whilst I labour over-eagerly after worldly good, and earthly advantage. Yea as hereby I am made apt to neglect my soul, for the seeming and present good of my body, defrauding it of all dues that belong unto it; so likewise the duties of righteousness and love which I owe to my neighbours, when as they are in my partial affection over-balanced with some worldly profit, pleasure or preferment. O that my head were a fountain of tears, that I might wash my defiled body and soul in the floods of unfeigned sorrow! O that I could mourn for my sins, as a man mourneth for his only son, and be sorry for them, as a man is sorry for the death of his first-borne! O that I could look upon him whom I have pierced with bitter grief, and be thoroughly displeased with my self, because I have by my sins so much displeased thee, who hast been ever unto me so gracious a God, and so loving a Father! O that thou wouldest come down and strike my rocky heart, that out of it might flow wholesome streams of repentance! But alas, the filthy stains and deep dye of my sins cannot be washed clean with these waters. It is only that Fountain which thou hast opened to the house of David, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness, that is sufficient to purge me from my ingrained filthiness.

It is full of carnall security, making mee to apprehend no danger, when as I walke in the middest of pernicious snares, which are in euery place laid in my way by my spirituall enemies, and to put the euill day farre from me, when as pulling it on with my sins, it approcheth neere, and is ready to seaze vpon me. It is much hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne, custome in sinning depriuing mee of the sense of it. There is much spirituall pride that lyeth lurking in it, which maketh me ready to arrogate the good things I haue not, to ouerweene those I haue, and to attribute the praise of both vnto my selfe, and so to rob thee of the glory of thine owne gifts. Hypocrisie also still hangeth vpon me, being ready, like a slie thiefe, to steale in, when I open the doore of mine heart, to let in any grace or religious duty. I am still tainted and poysoned with carnall selfe-loue, which maketh mee oftentimes to incurre spirituall hurt and damage, whilest I labour ouer-eagerly after worldly good, and earthly aduantage. Yea as hereby I am made apt to neglect my soule, for the seeming and present good of my body, defrauding it of all dues that belong vnto it; so likewise the duties of righteousnesse and loue which I owe to my neighbours, when as they are in my partiall affection ouer-ballanced with some worldly profit, pleasure or preferment. O that my head were a fountaine of teares, that I might wash my defiled body and soule in the floods of vnfained sorrow! O that I could mourne for my sinnes, as a man mourneth for his onely sonne, and be sorry for them, as a man is sorry for the death of his first-borne! O that I could looke vpon him whom I haue pierced with bitter griefe, and be thorowly displeased with my selfe, because I haue by my sinnes so much displeased thee, who hast been euer vnto me so gracious a God, and so louing a Father! O that thou wouldest come downe and strike my rocky heart, that out of it might flow wholesome streames of repentance! But alas, the filthy staines and deepe dye of my sinnes cannot bee washed cleane with these waters. It is onely that Fountaine which thou hast opened to the house of Dauid, and the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for vncleannesse, that is sufficient to purge me from my ingrained filthinesse.