The practice of piety directing a Christian how to walk, that he may please…

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,