I confess, Lord, that thou dost justly afflict my Body with sickness, for my Soul was sick before of a long prosperity, and surfeited with ease, peace, plenty, and fullness of bread. And now, O Lord, I lament and mourn for my sins:1 I acknowledge my wickedness, and mine iniquities are always in my sight. Oh, what a wretched sinner am I, void of all goodness by nature, and full of evil by sinful custom! Oh, what a world of sin have I committed against thee, whilst thy long-sufferance expected my conversion, and thy blessings wooed me to repentance! Yet, O my God, seeing it is thy property more to respect the goodness of thine own nature, than the deserts of sinners, I beseech thee, O Father, for thy Son Jesus Christ his sake, and for the merits of that all saving death which he hath voluntarily suffered for all which believe in him,2 Have mercy upon me, according to the multitude of thy mercies; turn thy face ⟨p. 368⟩away from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities: 3Cast me not out of thy presence, †neither reward me according to my deserts: For if thou dost reject me, who will receive me? or who will succour me, if thou dost forsake, me? But thou, O Lord, art the helper of the helpless: 5and in thee the fatherless findeth mercy: for though my sins be exceeding great, yet thy mercy, O Lord, far exceedeth them all: neither can I commit so many, as thy grace can remit and pardon. Wash therefore, O Christ my sins with the virtue of thy precious Blood, especially those sins, which from a penitent heart I have confessed unto thee: but chiefly, O Lord, for Christ his sake forgive me*. And seeing that of thy love thou didst lay down thy life for my ransom, when I was thine enemy: Oh save now the price of thine own Blood, when it shall cost thee but a smile upon me, or a gracious appearance in thy Father's sight in my behalf. Reconcile me once again, O merciful Mediator, unto thy Father: for though there be nothing in me that can please him: yet I know that in thee, and for thy sake,7 he is well pleased with all whom thou acceptest and lovest. And if it be thy blessed Will, remove this sickness from me, and restore me to my former health again; that I may live longer to set forth thy glory and to be a comfort to my friends which depend upon me; and to procure to my self a more settled ⟨p. 369⟩assurance of that heavenly inheritance which thou hast prepared for me.
I confess, Lord, that thou dost justly afflict my Body with sickness, for my Soul was sick before of a long prosperity, and surfeited with ease, peace, plenty, and fulness of bread. And now, O Lord, I lament and mourn for my sins:1 I acknowledge my wickedness, and mine iniquities are always in my sight. Oh, what a wretched sinner am I, void of all goodness by nature, and full of evil by sinful custom! Oh, what a world of sin have I committed against thee, whilst thy long-sufferance expected my conversion, and thy blessings wooed me to repentance! Yet, O my God, seeing it is thy property more to respect the goodness of thine own nature, than the deserts of sinners, I beseech thee, O Father, for thy Son Jesus Christ his sake, and for the merits of that all saving death which he hath voluntarily suffered for all which believe in him,2 Have mercy upon me, according to the multitude of thy mercies; turn thy face ⟨p. 368⟩away from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities: 3Cast me not out of thy presence, †neither reward me according to my deserts: For if thou dost reject me, who will receive me? or who will succour me, if thou dost forsake, me? But thou, O Lord, art the helper of the helpless: 5and in thee the fatherless findeth mercy: for though my sins be exceeding great, yet thy mercy, O Lord, far exceedeth them all: neither can I commit so many, as thy grace can remit and pardon. Wash therefore, O Christ my sins with the vertue of thy precious Blood, especially those sins, which from a penitent heart I have confessed unto thee: but chiefly, O Lord, for Christ his sake forgive me*. And seeing that of thy love thou didst lay down thy life for my ransom, when I was thine enemy: Oh save now the price of thine own Blood, when it shall cost thee but a smile upon me, or a gracious appearance in thy Father's sight in my behalf. Reconcile me once again, O merciful Mediator, unto thy Father: for though there be nothing in me that can please him: yet I know that in thee, and for thy sake,7 he is well pleased with all whom thou acceptest and lovest. And if it be thy blessed Will, remove this sicknes from me, and restore me to my former health again; that I may live longer to set forth thy glory and to be a comfort to my friends which depend upon me; and to procure to my self a more setled
- 1Psal. 51. 3.
- 2Psal. 51. 1.
- 3Verse 11.
- †Psal. 28. 4.
- 5Hos. 14. 3.
- *Here name that sin which most troubleth thy conscience.
- 7Mat. 3. 17.
