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

We have sinned against thee before our conversion, when as Satan's throne being set up in our hearts, we performed unto him in all things cheerful obedience, and suffered sin to reign and rule in us, without any gainsaying or resistance; and since we have been called to the knowledge of thy Truth, though we have submitted our selves as subjects of thy Kingdom, to be governed by thy Word and Spirit, yet have we much failed in yielding that obedience which is due unto thee, being so led captive by our corruptions, that we could neither do the good we would, nor leave undone the evil we would not; and though by thy holy Spirit, we have cast Satan out of his Throne, and vanquished the flesh with the lusts thereof, so as they could not reign over us, as in former times, yet these enemies of our salvation do still fight against our souls, and being not quite cast out, are as thorns in our sides, and as pricks in our eyes, disturbing continually our peace, wounding our consciences, and leading us captive unto sin. And hereof it is, that we have so often, and upon such slight occasions utterly neglected the duties of thy service, and when we have set our selves about them, have done them so coldly and carelessly, and discovered therein so many wants and weaknesses, imperfections and corruptions, that if thou shouldest deal with us according to thy righteous Judgement, even the best duties that ever we performed, could not escape unpunished. O Lord our God, make us truly apprehensive of our sin and misery, that we may humble our selves under thy mighty hand, and turn unto thee by unfeigned repentance, and not only bewail our sins past with unfeigned sorrow, but amend our lives for the time to come; and so accept of us in thy Best-beloved, and whilst we are returning unto thee, meet us in the way, and like a tender Father embrace us in the arms of thy mercy. Do away all our sins, and blot out all our iniquities; and so wash and purge our defiled souls and bodies in the precious blood of thine innocent Son, from the guilt and punishment of all our sins, that they may never be laid to our charge, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.

We haue sinned against thee before our conuersion, when as Satans throne being set vp in our hearts, wee performed vnto him in all things cheerefull obedience, and suffred sinne to raigne and rule in vs, without any gainesaying or resistance; and since wee haue beene called to the knowledge of thy Truth, though wee haue submitted our selues as subiects of thy Kingdome, to be gouerned by thy Word and Spirit, yet haue we much failed in yeelding that obedience which is due vnto thee, being so led captiue by our corruptions, that wee could neither doe the good we would, nor leaue vndone the euill we would not; and though by thy holy Spirit, wee haue cast Satan out of his Throne, and vanquished the flesh with the lusts thereof, so as they could not reigne ouer vs, as in former times, yet these enemies of our saluation doe still fight against our soules, and being not quite cast out, are as thornes in our sides, and as prickes in our eyes, disturbing continually our peace, wounding our consciences, and leading vs captiue vnto sinne. And hereof it is, that wee haue so often, and vpon such slight occasions vtterly neglected the duties of thy seruice, and when we haue set our selues about them, haue done them so coldly and carelesly, and discouered therin so many wants and weakenesses, imperfections and corruptions, that if thou shouldest deale with vs according to thy righteous Iudgement, euen the best duties that euer we performed, could not escape vnpunished. O Lord our God, make vs truely apprehensiue of our sinne and misery, that we may humble our selues vnder thy mighty hand, and turne vnto thee by vnfained repentance, and not onely bewaile our sins past with vnfained sorrow, but amend our liues for the time to come; and so accept of vs in thy Best-beloued, and whilest we are returning vnto thee, meete vs in the way, and like a tender Father imbrace vs in the armes of thy mercie. Doe away all our sinnes, and blot out all our iniquities; and so wash and purge our defiled soules and bodies in the precious blood of thine innocent Sonne, from the guilt and punishment of all our sins, that they may neuer be layd to our charge, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.