And then, Lord, thou shalt see how religiously and wisely I shall redeem the time, 1which heretofore I have so lewdly and profanely spent. And to the end, that I may the sooner and the easier be delivered from this pain and sickness, direct me, O Lord, I beseech thee, by thy divine providence, to such a Physician and helper, as that (by thy blessing upon the means) I may recover my former health and welfare again. And, good Lord, vouchsafe, that as thou hast sent this sickness unto me, so thou wouldst likewise be pleased to send thy holy Spirit into my heart, whereby this present sickness may be sanctified unto me: that I may use it as thy School, wherein I may learn to know the greatness of my misery, and the riches of thy mercy; that I may be so humbled at the one, that I despair not of the other: and that I may so renounce all confidence of help in my self, or in any other creature; that I may only put the whole rest of my salvation in thy all sufficient merits. And forasmuch as thou knowest, Lord, how weak a vessel I am, full of frailty and imperfections: and that by Nature I am angry and froward under every Cross and Affliction:2 O Lord, who art the giver of all good gifts, arm me with patience to endure thy blessed will and pleasure, and of thy mercy lay no more upon me, 3than ⟨p. 370⟩I shall be able to endure and suffer. Give me grace to behave my self in all patience, love, and meekness, unto those that shall come and visit me; that I may thankfully receive, and willingly embrace all good counsels and consolations from them: and that they may likewise see in me such a good example of Patience, and hear from me such godly lessons of comfort, as may be arguments of my Christian faith and profession, and instructions unto them, how to behave themselves when it shall please thee to visit them, with the like affliction of sickness. I know, O Lord, I have deserved to die; and I desire not longer to live, than to amend my wicked life, and in some better measure to set forth thy glory. Therefore, O Father, if it be thy blessed will, restore me to health again, and grant me a longer life. But if thou hast, according to thine eternal decree, appointed by this sickness to call for me out of this transitory life; I resign my self into thy hands, and holy pleasure; thy blessed will be done, 4whether it be by life or by death.
And then, Lord, thou shalt see how religiously and wisely I shall redeem the time, 1which heretofore I have so lewdly and prophanely spent. And to the end, that I may the sooner and the easier be delivered from this pain and sickness, direct me, O Lord, I beseech thee, by thy divine providence, to such a Physician and helper, as that (by thy blessing upon the means) I may recover my former health and welfare again. And, good Lord, vouchsafe, that as thou hast sent this sickness unto me, so thou wouldst likewise be pleased to send thy holy Spirit into my heart, whereby this present sickness may be sanctified unto me: that I may use it as thy School, wherein I may learn to know the greatness of my misery, and the riches of thy mercy; that I may be so humbled at the one, that I despair not of the other: and that I may so renounce all confidence of help in my self, or in any other creature; that I may only put the whole rest of my salvation in thy all sufficient merits. And forasmuch as thou knowest, Lord, how weak a vessel I am, full of frailty and imperfections: and that by Nature I am angry and froward under every Cross and Affliction:2 O Lord, who art the giver of all good gifts, arm me with patience to endure thy blessed will and pleasure, and of thy mercy lay no more upon me, 3than ⟨p. 370⟩I shall be able to endure and suffer. Give me grace to behave my self in all patience, love, and meekness, unto those that shall come and visit me; that I may thankfully receive, and willingly embrace all good counsels and consolations from them: and that they may likewise see in me such a good example of Patience, and hear from me such godly lessons of comfort, as may be arguments of my Christian faith and profession, and instructions unto them, how to behave themselves when it shall please thee to visit them, with the like affliction of sickness. I know, O Lord, I have deserved to die; and I desire not longer to live, than to amend my wicked life, and in some better measure to set forth thy glory. Therefore, O Father, if it be thy blessed will, restore me to health again, and grant me a longer life. But if thou hast, according to thine eternal decree, appointed by this sickness to call for me out of this transitory life; I resign my self into thy hands, and holy pleasure; thy blessed will be done, 4whether it be by life or by death.
- 1Eph. 5. 16.
- 2Jam. 1. 17. Joh. 3. 27.
- 31 Cor. 10. 13.
- 4Psal. 31. 5.
