We have known to do good and have not done it; therefore deserve the doom of the wicked and slothful servant. We have been unfaithful stewards, that have wasted our Lord's goods.q We have cast off fear and restrained prayer before God.r against heaven We have sinned, Father, and before thee;s we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God; t for the God in whose hand our breath is and whose are all our ways, have we not glorified.u Against thee, thee only have we sinned and have done much evil in thy sight; w neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his laws, which he hath set before us, though they are holy, just, and good.y In many things we all offend,z and our iniquities are more than the hairs of our head.a We have all reason to be humbled for the pride of our hearts,6 that we have thought of ourselves above what is meet; c and have not thought soberly nor walked humbly with. our God.d Our conversation has not been without covetousness; e nor have learned in every p Matt. xxv. 18. 26. q Luke xvi 1. r Job xv. 4. Luke xv 18. t Rom. iii. 23. u Daniel v. 23. y Rom. vii. 12. b 2 Cor. xxxii. 26, e Heb. xiii. 5. state to be content with such things as we have.f We have made provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts of it;g even those lusts which war against the soul,h and in many instances have acted as if we had been lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.i We have put far from us the evil day.k We have been ready to trust in uncertain riches, more than in the living God; to say to gold thou art our hope, and to the fine gold thou art our confidence.m We have either despised the chastening of the Lord, or fainted when we have been rebuked of him.n We have been desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another; o when we should have considered one another to provoke unto love and to good works. We have been slothful in the business of religion and not fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.g Our goodness hath been as the morning cloud, and the early dew, which soon passeth away.r Oh, that sin may appear sin to us, may appear in its own colors, and that by the com mandment we may see it to be exceeding sinful; & because it is the transgression of the law.t By every wilful sin we have in effect said, we will not have this man to reign over us; u and who is the Lord that we should obey his voice? w O God, thou knowest our foolishness, and our sins are not hid from thee; x we were foolish in being disobedient,y and our lust are foolish and hurtful.z Our way hath been our folly,a and in many instances we have done foolishly, very foolishly.b Sin hath deceived us, for our hearts have been hardened through the deceitfulness of sin; c and we have been drawn away of our own lusts and enticed.d By breaking the law we have dishonored God,e and have provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger.f We have grieved the holy Spirit of God, by whom we are sealed to the day of redemp tion.g Our sins have separated between us and God, and have kept good things from us, and Rom. vii. 13. w Exod, v. 2. z 1 Tim. vi. ix. Heb. iii. 13. fIsaiah i. 4. t 1 John iti. 4. u Luke xix. 14. y Titus iii. 3. b 2 Sam. xxiv. 10. Rom. ii. 23. b Isaiah lix. 2. by them our minds and consciences have been defiled.i We bewail before thee all our sins and transgressions. We have known our Master's will, but have not done it, and therefore deserve to be beaten with many stripes.k For we have dishonored that worthy name by which we are called, and given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme./ We have named the name of Christ, and yet have not departed from iniquity.m Thou hast nourished and brought us up as children, but we have rebelled against thee.n We have ill requited thee, O Lord, as a foolish people and unwise.o Thou art our Father, that made us and bought us; yet we have not rendered again according to the benefits done unto us. Thou hast stricken us, but we have not grieved; we have refused to receive correction, and have made our faces harder than a rock; and the rod hath not driven the foolishness out of our hearts.” And when thy hand has been lifted up, we have not seen it.s And now, O our God, what shall we say i Titus i 15. k Luke xii. 47. 12 Sam. xii. 14. m 2 Tim ii. 19. n Isaiah i. 2. o Deut xxxii. 6p 2 Chron. xxxii. 25. q Jere. v. 3. y Prov. xxii, 15. Isaiah xxvi. 11. after this, for we have forsaken thy commandments; t we have sinned, what shall we do unto thee, O thou preserver of men ? Thou mightest justly swear in thy wrath, that we should never enter into thy rest.w Thou art just in whatever thou art pleased to lay upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly. Nay, thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities have deserved.y Thou therefore shalt be justified, when thou speakest, and clear when thou judgest; z and we will accept of the punishment of our iniquity,a and humble ourselves under thy mighty hand, and say, the Lord is right eous.c Oh, the riches of the patience and forbearance of God!d how long-suffering is he to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.e Thou hast not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us after our iniquities, ƒ but thou waitest to be gracious to us.g And, oh, that this goodness of God might lead us to repentance./ Wherefore we abhor ourselves, and repent in dust and ashes.i |