An antidote against lust: or, A discourse of uncleanness, shewing its various kinds, great evil, the temptations to it, and most effectual cure. By Robert Carr, minister of the Church of England

A Prayer.

O Most Holy Lord God, the Heavens are not clean in thy fight, and the purest Seraphims veil their Faces before the transcendent Purity and Splendor of thy Glory; how much more may I sinful Creature, polluted and unclean, be ashamed and blush to lift up my eyes unto thee, who canst not behold evil, nor look upon Iniquity, nor suf∣fer any but the Pure in Heart in thy Sight and Presence. Not only my Nature is exceeding vile and corrupt, and prone to evil, but I have offend∣ed the pure Eyes of thy Majesty by the naughti∣ness of my Heart, in a multitude of filthy Imagi∣nations, and evil lustings, (and as Guilty or not Guilty, put in or leave out the following words,) corrup•• communication, actual pollutions and un∣cleanness, multiplied Whoredoms and Adulteries; and it is in my Nature yet to sin against thee, and to work all Uncleanness with greediness, ad∣ding sin unto sin, until I have filled up the mea∣sure of mine Iniquity in an utter hardness and im∣penitency of Heart: But as there is in me a Foun∣tain

of Iniquity, sending forth evil Thoughts, For∣nication and Adulteries, if thy Grace be not ever present to restrain and prevent it: So thou hast opened a Fountain for Sin and Uncleanness, the Blood of Jesus Christ which cleanseth from all un∣righteousness: Look upon me in him with distin∣guishing mercies, wash me thoroughly from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my Sin. Make me clean, O God, purging out every corruption. It is thy work to sanctifie and purifie the Heart, and to rescue it from the World, the Flesh, and the Devil, to thy Self, and thy Service. By the mighty Power of thy Grace enable me to do Vio∣lence to my corrupt Nature, to crucifie the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts thereof, to reject it's motions, resist its temptations, and remembring my ways and my doings which have not been good, to loath my self for all mine Iniquities and Abomina∣tions: And Lord grant, that I may never betray my Soul to sin by Gluttonny or Drunkenness, Ease and Idleness, spiritual Pride, or any lewd Company; but that I may ever escape the Pollutions which are in the World through Lust; and Soul and Body be preserved chast and pure, to be undefiled Mem∣bers of Christs Body, and Temples fit for the Ho∣ly Spirit to dwell in: And finally by thy Mercy that: may attain that Inheritance which is in∣corruptible, undefiled, reserved in Heaven for me, through the Merits and Mediation of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen.