Page:Prayer book for families and private persons (1).pdf/7

 dependence upon thee ; for our lives, and all the comforts of them, we are indebted to thy bounty. Thy hand have fashioned us in the womb; brought us into this world; and, ever since we saw the light, filled us with variety of good. We adore thy sparing mercy: justly mightest thou have brought upon us all the curses written in the book of thy law against thy transgressors; and had thy ways been as our ways, and thy thoughts like our thoughts towards our enemies, we had long since been past the power of offering to thee our thanks and praise, — beyond the benefit of prayer, or the hope of pardon.

We confess, O Lord, we have been transgressors of thy law, in thought, word, and deed. We are chargeable with the workings and defilements of pride and hypocrisy, uncharitableness and sensuality of self-love, and worldliness of heart, not-withstanding all the methods thou hast taken to heal these diseases of our souls. We have sinned against the clear revelation of thy will, and the strongest obligations binding us to comply with it. We have sinned against thy most inviting promises, and thy most dreadful threatnings; against the frequent warnings of thy Word, the renewed motions and powerful convictions of thy Spirit, and the precious blood of Christ. We have sinned against the light of our understanding, against promises and purposes of obedience, and against the strongest remonstrances of our own consciensesconsciences [sic].

O God, we cannot recount the number of our sins, nor fully set in order all their aggravations. We should not thoreforetherefore [sic] presume to ask for thy pardoning mercy, if we do not trust that thy Spirit hast created within us a holy mourning for