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

O Lord our God, most high and holy, most dreadful and glorious in thy might and Majesty unto all creatures, terrible and like a consuming fire unto all impenitent sinners; but a most gracious and loving Father unto all those, who are reconciled unto thee in Jesus Christ. Thou hast commanded us to call upon thee in all our necessities, and hast encouraged us hereunto by thy most gracious and free promise, that where two or three are gathered together in the name of thy Son, there thou wilt be present amongst them by thy holy Spirit, to hear their suits, and relieve their wants. In obedience to which Commandment, and in some assurance of thy gracious promise, we thy poor and unworthy servants, do here, in the mediation of Jesus Christ, humbly prostrate our selves before thy Throne of grace and mercy, acknowledging our selves guilty of innumerable sins, and thereby liable to as many fearful punishments; but yet in the merits of thy Son, and in the truth of thy promises, pleading for pardon and forgiveness. We confess unto thee, that we were conceived and borne in sin, having all the faculties and powers of our souls and bodies so wholly defiled with original corruption, that we are utterly disabled for thy service, and prone unto all manner of wickedness; and have, in the whole course of our lives, multiplied against thee our actual transgressions, by breaking thy whole Law, and every Commandment thereof, in thought, word, and deed. We are naturally full of ignorance and blindness of mind, neither knowing thee, nor thy truth, and after that thou hast caused the light of the Gospel to shine unto us for many years, our minds are still full of darkness. We content our selves with a small measure of knowledge, and continue children in understanding, when we should be of ripe age, not striving after more perfection; neither according to the measure of our means, are we rich in knowledge, and in the fruits of new obedience. We are full of infidelity and doubting, and negligent in the use of the means, whereby our faith should be confirmed and strengthened; and are full also of impenitency, security and hardness of heart, and do both seldom and slightly bewail our sins past, and but weakly and unconstantly resolve and endeavour to amend our lives for the time to come.

O Lord our God, most high and holy, most dreadfull and glorious in thy might and Maiesty vnto all creatures, terrible and like a consuming fire vnto all impenitent sinners; but a most gracious and louing Father vnto all those, who are reconciled vnto thee in Iesus Christ. Thou hast commanded vs to call vpon thee in all our necessities, and hast incouraged vs hereunto by thy most gracious and free promise, that where two or three are gathered together in the name of thy Sonne, there thou wilt be present amongst them by thy holy Spirit, to heare their suits, and relieue their wants. In obedience to which Commandement, and in some assurance of thy gracious promise, we thy poore and vnworthy seruants, doe heere, in the mediation of Iesus Christ, humbly prostrate our selues before thy Throne of grace and mercy, acknowledging our selues guilty of innumerable sinnes, and thereby lyable to as many fearefull punishments; but yet in the merits of thy Sonne, and in the truth of thy promises, pleading for pardon and forgiuenesse. We confesse vnto thee, that wee were conceiued and borne in sinne, hauing all the faculties and powers of our soules and bodies so wholly defiled with originall corruption, that wee are vtterly disabled for thy seruice, and prone vnto all manner of wickednesse; and haue, in the whole course of our liues, multiplied against thee our actuall transgressions, by breaking thy whole Law, and euery Commandement thereof, in thought, word, and deed. Wee are naturally full of ignorance and blindnesse of mind, neither knowing thee, nor thy truth, and after that thou hast caused the light of the Gospell to shine vnto vs for many yeeres, our minds are still full of darknesse. We content our selues with a small measure of knowledge, and continue children in vnderstanding, when we should be of ripe age, not striuing after more perfection; neither according to the measure of our meanes, are we rich in knowledge, and in the fruits of new obedience. We are full of infidelity and doubting, and negligent in the vse of the meanes, whereby our faith should be confirmed and strengthened; and are full also of impenitency, security and hardnesse of heart, and doe both seldome and slightly bewaile our sinnes past, and but weakly and vnconstantly resolue and indeuour to amend our liues for the time to come.