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MOST mercifull and indulgent Jesu, hear the complaint of a sad and misera∣ble sinner, for I have searched into the secret recesses of my soul, and there I finde nothing but horror, and a barren wilderness, a neglected conscience overgrown with sins and cares and beset with fears and sore amazements. I finde that I have not observed due reverence to∣wards
my superiours, nor modesty in my dis∣course, nor discipline in my manners. I have been obstinate in my vain purposes, cosen'd in my own semblances of humility, pertinacious in hatred, bitter in my jesting, impatient of Subjection, ambitious of power, slow to good actions, apt to talk, ready to supplant my neighbours, full of jealousies & suspition, scorn∣full and censorious, burdensome to my friends, ingratefull to my benefactors, imperious to my inferiours, boasting to have said what I said not, to have seen what I saw not, to have done what I did not, and have both said, and seen, and done what I ought not, provoking thy di∣vine Majesty with a continuall course of sinne and vanity. And yet, O Lord, thou hast spared me all this while, and hast not taken away my life in the midst of my sins, which is a mercy so admirable and of so vast a kindness, as no heart or tongue can think, or speak. If thou hadst dealt with me according as I had deserved, and might justly have expected, I had been now, now at this instant seal'd up to an eternity of torments; hopelesly miserable, fearing the re∣velation of thy day with an unsupportable amazement: and now under the sweet influen∣ces of thy mercies, I am praying to thee, con∣fessing my sinnes, with shame, indeed at my basenesse and ingratitude, but with a full hope and confidence in thy mercy. O turn the eys
of thy divine clemency with a gracious aspect upon a wretched sinner, open the bowels of thy mercy, and receive me into favour. O my dear God, let thy grace speedily work that in me for which thou so long hast spared me, and to which thou didst design me in thy holy pur∣poses and mercies of eternity, even a true faith, and a holy life, conformable to thy will, and in order to eternall blessednesse. I remem∣ber, O Lord, the many fatherly expressions and examples of thy mercies to repenting sinners, thy delight in our conversion, thy unwillingnes to destroy us, thy earnest invitation of us to grace and life, thy displeasure at our dangers and miseries, the infinite variety of means thou usest to bring us from the gates of death, and to make us happy to eternity. These mercies, O Lord, are so essentiall to thee, that thou canst not but be infinitely pleased in demon∣strations of them. Remember not, O Lord, how we have despised thy mercies, sleighted thy judgements, neglected thy Commandments; but now at length establish in us great contri∣tion for our sins, lead us on to humble con∣fession and dereliction of them, and let thy grace make us bring forth fruits meet for re∣pentance, fruits of justice, of hope, of charity, of religion and devotion, that we may ••e what thou delightest in, holy, and just, a••d mercifull, vessels prepared for honour, tem∣ples
of the holy Ghost, and instruments of thy praises to all eternity, O blessed Jesu, who livest and reignest, ever one God, world with∣out end. Amen.
O Lord Jesu Christ, Sonne of the eternall God, interpose thy holy Death, thy Crosse and Passion between thy judgement and my soul, now and in the hour of my death, granting unto me grace and mercy, to all faith∣full people pardon and peace, to the Church unity and amity, and to all sinners repentance and amendment, to us all life and glory ever∣lasting, who livest and reignest ever one God, world without end. Amen.