Devotions vpon emergent occasions and seuerall steps in my sicknes digested into I. Meditations vpon our humane condition, 2. Expostulations, and debatements with God, 3. Prayers, vpon the seuerall occasions, to Him / by Iohn Donne ...

23. PRAYER.

O Eternall and most gracious God, who though thou beest euer infinite, yet enlargest thy selfe, by the Number of our prayers, and takest

our often petitions to thee, to be an addition to thy glory, and thy great∣nesse, as euer vpon all oc∣ca••ions, so now, O my God, I come to thy Ma∣iestie with two Prayers, two Supplications. I haue Meditated vpon the Ie∣louzie, which thou h••st of thine owne honour; and considered, that Nothing can come nee∣rer a violating of that h••∣nor, neerer to the Nature of a scorne to thee, then to sue out thy P••rdon, and receiue the Seal••s of

Reconciliation to thee, and then returne to th••t sinne, for which I needed, and had thy pardon be∣fore. I know that this comes to neare, to a ma∣king thy holy Ordinan∣ces, thy Word, thy Sacra∣ments, thy Seales, thy Grace, instruments of my Spirituall Fornications. Since therefore thy Cor∣rection hath brought mee to such a participa∣tion of thy selfe (thy selfe, O my God, cannot bee parted) to such an intire possession of thee, as that

I durst deliuer my selfe ouer to thee this Minute, If this Minute thou wouldst accept my dis∣solution, preserue me, O my God the God of con∣stancie, and perseuerance, in this state, from all relapses into those sinnes, which haue induc'd thy former Iudgements vpon me. But because, by too lamentable Experience, I I know how slippery my customs of sinne, haue made my wayes of sinne, I presume to adde this petition too, That if my

infirmitie ouertake mee, thou forsake mee not. Say to my Soule, My Sonne, thou hast sinned, doe so no more; but say also, that though I doe, thy Spirit of Remorce, and Compunction shall neuer depart from mee. Thy Holy Apostle, Saint Paul, was shipwrackd thrice; & yet stil saued. Though the rockes, and the sands, the heights, and the shal∣lowes, the prosperitie, and the aduersitie of this world do diuersly threa∣ten mee, though mine

owne leakes endanger mee, yet, O God, let mee neuer put my selfe a∣board with Hymeneus, nor make shipwracke of faith, and a good Consci∣ence, and then thy long∣liud, thy euerlasting Mer∣cy, will visit me, though that, which I most ear∣nestly pray against, should fall vpon mee, a relapse into those sinnes, which I haue truely re∣pented, and thou hast ful∣ly pardoned.

Notes

• Ecclus. 21.1.
• 2. Cor. 11.25.
• Timo. 1.19.