Page 349
III.
But yet O God thou art the healer of our breaches, and the lifter up of our head; and I must not despair; and I am sure thy good∣ness is infinite, and thou dost not delight in the death of a sinner; and my sins, though very great, are infinitely less than thy mercies, which thou hast revealed to all penitent and returning sinners in Jesus Christ. I am not worthy to look up to heaven; but be thou pleased to look down into the dust, and lift up a sinner from the dunghil; let me not pe∣rish in my folly, or be consumed in thy heavy displeasure. Give me time and space to re∣pent; and give me powers of Grace and aids of thy spirit; that as by thy gift and mercy I intend to amend whatsoever is amiss, so I may indeed have grace and power faithfully to ful∣fil the same. Inspire me with the spirit of repentance and mortification, that I may al∣ways fight against my sins till I be more than conquerour. Support me with a holy hope, confirm me with an excellent, operative, and unreprovable faith, and enkindle a bright and a burning charity in my soul: Give me patience in suffering, severity in judging and condemning my sin, and in punishing the sinner, that judging my self, I may not be condemned by thee; that mourning for my