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

though, since our last coming to thine holy Table, we have often renewed our sins; neither have we brought forth such plentiful fruits of charity towards our brethren for thy sake, as thou requirest, and as it becometh the true members of Jesus Christ, either by liberal giving unto those that want, or free forgiving those who have offended us. We have not showed our Saviours death in this holy action, nor thankfully remembered the great work of our Redemption, by his precious death and blood-shed. And though we have professed our selves thy servants by wearing thy livery, yet we have not endeavoured to walk worthy this high calling, by glorifying thee our Lord and Master. O Lord our God, shame and confusion covereth our faces, not only in the sight and sense of our manifold and grievous sins, both original and actual, but also of our great imperfections and corruptions, which we show in the best duties of thy worship and service. We confess, holy Father, that if thou shouldest enter into judgement with us, and deal with us according to our deserts, thou mightest justly make void thy Covenant with us, deprive us of these means of our salvation, or else make them uneffectuall and of no use unto us whilst we enjoy them. But seeing we are heartily sorry for our sins, and not only unfeignedly bewail our imperfections, but also desire and labour after more perfection, promising for the time to come, that we will more carefully use all good means, whereby we may be enabled to perform all duties of thy service in a more perfect manner; Good Lord, we most humbly beseech thee, for Jesus Christ his sake, to pardon graciously all our wants and weaknesses, to accept, according to thy gracious promises, our will, for the deed; our poor endeavours, for perfect performance, and to cover all our imperfections, with ⟨p. 922⟩Christs perfect righteousness and obedience, and to wash away all our corruptions in his most precious Blood. And seeing we do now again intend to perform the holy duties of thy service, in hearing thy Word, Prayer, and receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper:

though, since our last comming to thine holy Table, we haue often renewed our sinnes; neither haue we brought foorth such plentifull fruits of charity towards our brethren for thy sake, as thou requirest, and as it becommeth the true members of Iesus Christ, either by liberall giuing vnto those that want, or free forgiuing those who haue offended vs. Wee haue not shewed our Sauiours death in this holy action, nor thankefully remembred the great worke of our Redemption, by his precious death and blood-shed. And though wee haue professed our selues thy seruants by wearing thy liuery, yet wee haue not indeuoured to walke worthy this high calling, by glorifying thee our Lord and Master. O Lord our God, shame and confusion couereth our faces, not onely in the sight and sense of our manifold and grieuous sinnes, both originall and actuall, but also of our great imperfections and corruptions, which wee shew in the best duties of thy worship and seruice. Wee confesse, holy Father, that if thou shouldest enter into iudgement with vs, and deale with vs according to our deserts, thou mightest iustly make voyd thy Couenant with vs, depriue vs of these meanes of our saluation, or else make them vneffectuall and of no vse vnto vs whilest wee inioy them. But seeing wee are heartily sorry for our sinnes, and not onely vnfainedly bewaile our imperfections, but also desire and labour after more perfection, promising for the time to come, that wee will more carefully vse all good meanes, whereby wee may bee inabled to performe all duties of thy seruice in a more perfect manner; Good Lord, wee most humbly beseech thee, for Iesus Christ his sake, to pardon graciously all our wants and weakenesses, to accept, according to thy gracious promises, our will, for the deed; our poore indeuours, for perfect performance, and to couer all our imperfections, vvith