A sinfull mans solace most sweete and comfortable, for the sicke and sorowful soule: contriued, into seuen seuerall daies conference, betweene Christ and a carelesse sinner. Wherin, euerie man, from the highest, to the lowest: from the richest, to the poorest: and aboue all, the sorowfull sinner: maye take such sweet repaste of resolution, to amendment of lyfe, and confirmation of fayth: that (in respect of the heauenlie solace, therin faithfully remembered:) all the pompes and pleasures of this wicked worlde, shall be plainely perceiued to be meere miserie. Writcen [sic], by Iohn Norden.

¶A prayer for true repentance.

OH Lord my god,* 1.1 father of meruailous louing kindnes, who in my greate slumber, and sleepe of sinfull securitye, hast awakned me: and by thy sweete, and welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ, called me out of darknes to light: out of errour to the trueth: and haste opened the eyes of mine hearte, to see mine owne corruption: vouchsafe (oh Lord) for that thy sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christes sake, that as hee hath called me, to the ende I should giue ouer the wayes of wickednes, to walke in thy wayes and lawes: to for sake sinne, & cleaue vnto righteousnes: slye Sathan, & follow thee: I moste humbly beseech thee to accept mee againe for his sake, into thy fauour, who long haue erred and gone a∣stray: to forgiue mee who haue offended thee, and who am moste ignoraunt, how (truely) to return to the, and to repent my former corrupt and most sinfull life. But vnto thee most mercifull Lord god, in the name of Iesus Christe, thy deare Sonne,

I prostrate my selfe in all humblenesse of heart, bewayling my filthines, and lamen∣ting the frowardnes and corruption of my former life: humbly appealing vnto thy mercies, as one who haue rebelled moste traiterously against thee, and most wicked∣ly and wilfully transgressed thine holy pre∣cepts and will. And yet, suche is thine vn∣speakeable mercy, that thou hast most lo∣uingly warned mee, to forsake mine euill and peruerse wayes, and vntoward imagi∣nations, which I haue heretofore accomp∣ted, most right and deare. And which now by the light of thy counsailes, I vnderstand to be altogether wicked, altogether fro∣warde, foolishe and meere vanitie it selfe. I now feele mine owne corruption (swete Iesu) mine owne blindnes, and error, and perceiue thy wisdome which is infinite, thy mercies vnspeakeable, and loue aboue measure: whereby (sweet Iesu) I am stri∣ken with a desire to be vnburdened of the weight of this mine obstinat errour, which by the illusion of mine aduersarie Sathan, I haue followed with such greedines, that without thy meere mercies, I haue no hope of saluatiō. Extēd therfore (o father of mer∣cy) for Iesus Christes sake thy fauour vnto mee againe, and deale not in iustice, as my deedes haue deserued, but giue me: that

godly sorrow, that true and vnfayned sor∣row for my sins, which may mooue in me repentance vnto saluation, which may kill and speedely mortefy, all euill desires, all the corrupt affections, and vngodly moti∣ons, of the world and flesh, & the deceites of subtle Sathan, whoe goeth about lyke a Lyon, seeking whome he may keepe back from that most acceptable worke of true repentaunce: And thou (good Iesu, knowest, what, and how manie and great are the letts, and wiles which he vseth, in laying stumbling blockes, before the feete of those that endeuour thēselues to returne to thee: And my wil, which is peruers, rea∣dy to yeeld vnto him, & slacke in comming vnto thee, pulleth me often-times back∣ward, and suffereth me not to doe that which I should▪ but thrusteth me forward to doe that which I should not, to followe darknes, and to forsake the light, so lo∣uingly profered. Oh good Iesu, consi∣der these conflictes of mine. Looke vppon the want which I haue of thine holy spirit, without the ayde whereof, I can not truely turne to thee. Assist me therefore, sweete Iesu, that I may now, as I haue promised, forsake sinne, and cleaue vnto righteous∣nes: mortesie the old man, and be renued ••nto thee: forsake Sathan, and follow thee:

that vnto my liues ende, I maye flye and eschue, whatsoeuer worketh to true repen∣tance: that as thou hast sayde, there may be more ioye in heauen for mee, faythfully re∣returning vnto thee, then for many that neede no repentance. And in the ende, I may enioy that heauenly inheritaunce which by thy blood-shedding, thou hast purchased for all such as in a true fayth follow thee. Graunt this, oh God, mine heauenly father for Iesus Christes sake. AMEN.

Oh Lord increase my Fayth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A prayer.