Another confession & prayer, commonly vsed in the church of Edinburgh

O Dreadfull & most mightie God, thou that from the beginning, hast declared thy selfe a consuming fire, against the contemners of thy most holy precepts: and yet to the penitent sinners, hast alwaies shewed thy selfe a fauorable Father, and a God full of mercie: we thy creatures, and woorkemanship, of thine owne handes, confesse our selues most vnworthie to open our eies vnto the heuens, but far lesse to appeare in thy presence. For our consciences accuse vs, and our manifold iniquities, haue borne witnes against vs, that we haue declined from thee. We haue bin polluted with Idolatrie, we haue giuen thy glory to creatures, we haue sought support where it was not to be founde, and haue lightlied thy most wholesome admonitions. The manifest corruptiō of our liues in al estates, euidently proueth, that wee haue not rightlie regarded thy precepts, lawes and holy ordinances, and this was not onelie done, O Lord, in the time of our blindnes: but euen nowe, when of thy mercie thou hast opened vnto vs an entrance to thy heuenly kingdom, by the preaching of thine holie Euangell, the whole bodie of this miserable Realm still continueth in their former impietie. For the most part, alas, following the foote steppes of the blinde and obstinat princesse, vtterlie despise the light of thy Gospell, and delight in ignorance and Idolatrie: others liue as a people without a God, and without all feare of thy terrible iudgments. And some, O Lorde, that in mouth professe thy blessed Evangell, by their slaunderous life blaspheme the same. We are not ignorant, ô lord, that thou art a righteous iudge, that cannot suffer iniquitie long to be vnpunished vpon the obstinat trangressors: especiallie, O Lord, when that after so long blindnes and horrible defection from thee, soe louinglie thou callest vs againe to thy fauor and felloshipp, and that we doe yet obstinatlie rebell: we haue, O Lorde, in our extreame miserie called vnto thee: yea, when wee appeared vtterlie to haue bene consumed in the fury of our enemies, and then didst thou mercifullie incline thine eares vnto vs. Thou foughtest for vs, even by thine owne power, when there was in vs neither wisedome nor force. Thou alone brakest the yoke from our neckes, and set vs at liberty, when we by our foolishnes had made our selues slaues vnto straungers, and mercifullie vnto this day, hast thou continued with vs the light of thine Evangell, and so ceasest not to heape vpon vs benefites, both spiritual and temporal. But yet alas, O Lord, we clearly see, that our great ingratitude craueth farther punishement at thy hands, the signs wherof, are evident before our eies. For the whispering of sedition: the contempt of thy graces offered, and the maintenance of Idolatrie, are assured signes of thy farther plagues to fall vpon vs in particular for our grieuous offences. And this vnmeasurable intemperatenesse of the aire, doeth also threaten thine accustomed plague of famin, which commonlie followeth riotous excesse, and the contempt of the poore, wherewith, alas the whole Earth is replenished. Wee haue nothing, O Lord, that we may lay betwixt vs and thy iudgment, but thine onelie mercy, freely offred vnto vs in thy dear Son our Lorde Iesus Christ, purchased to vs by his death and passion. For if thou wilt enter into iudgement with vs thy creatures, and keepe in minde our grieuous sinns and offences, then can there no flesh escape condemnation. And therefore wee most humblie beseech thee, O Father of mercies, for Christ Iesus thy Sonnes sake, to take from vs these stony hearts, whoe soe long haue heard, aswell thy mercies, as seuere iudgments, and yet haue not bin effectuallie moued with the same, and giue vnto vs hartes mollified by thy Spirit, that may both conceiue & keepe in minde the reuerence that is due vnto thy maiestie. Look O Lorde, vnto thy chosen children, labouring vnder the imperfection of the fleshe, & graunt vnto vs that victory, that thou hast promised to vs by Iesus Christ: thy Sonne, our onely Sauiour, Mediatour, and Lawgiuer. To whome with thee and the holy Ghost, bee all honour and praise, nowe and ever.