B07431:39
Two treatises. 1. The holy exercise of a true fast, described out of God's…
Two treatises. 1. The holy exercise of a true fast, described out of God's word. / Written by T.C. ; 2. The substance of the Lords Supper. / Written by T.W..Two treatises. 1. The holy exercise of a true fast, described out of God's word. / Written by T.C. ; 2. The substance of the Lordes Supper. / Written by T.W..
London: printed for I. Harison, 1610
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
O Lord which art glorious in power and holiness, we being but Dust and Ashes, with the casting of our selves down, at the foot of thy high Majesty: confess that we are most vile sinners, conceived & borne in sin, & that we are by nature nothing else, but a lump of all wickedness, whose natural property is, to grow in sin, as we grow in years, & to wax strong ⟨p. 59⟩in wickedness, as the powers of our minds and bodies receive strength. There is in us, no wholesome nor sound knowledge how to obey: there is no manner of good will or affection to please thee: finally, there dwelleth no good thing in our flesh. And although our cursed estate doth herein greatly appear, yet our sin is made out of measure sinful, through the exceeding grace which thou offerest by the Gospel of thy dear Son; whereby we are so far from profiting, that of our selves we should wax worse and worse. For the more light of knowledge is showed, the blinder would we remain: the greater obedience is ⟨p. 60⟩taught, the frowarder and stubborner would we become, if thou by the mighty working of thy holy spirit, shouldest not cause it to be fruitful. And although we have this natural corruption in common, with the whole rotten race of Adam; yet we confess, that in us it hath budded, & shot forth so much more then in others, as we have had moe means to kill it, and to cause it to wither, then others have had. Where first of all, the gracious offer of the treasure of thy holy Gospel unto us, maketh us guilty many ways. For where passing by many other nations, thou hast trusted our nation withal: yet with a number of ⟨p. 61⟩us, hath it found as small entertainment, and felt as great resistance, as amongst them, at whose Gates it never knocked. For a great portion of the land, partly never yielding them selves to the obedience thereof; and partly falling from it, after they had once yielded; stand proudly as it were at the staves end with thee. The rest which make profession of their submittaunce unto it, do it not accordingly. For first, there be heaps of our people, which either through an irksomeness of the iron-yoke of the Popish Religion, or through a wicked opinion which they nourish, of embracing any Religion set forth; so cast aside the former Popery, as ⟨p. 62⟩