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O Most mercifully louing Lord and Sauiour, the glorie and brightnesse of thy Father, who descendedst from all thy Ioyes, taking on thee humane frailetie, to recall and recouer the sinner, and those which were disea∣sed with the vncurable plagues of sinne and wickednesse; vouchsafe, of thy infinite goodnesse, and vn∣speakable loue, to be aiding and as∣sisting
to me this day, and by thy might and power, defend me from all temptations, which may ouer∣throw my vnsettled, though well-directed, resolutions. Preserue me (O Lord) from all bodily dangers, which, without thee, continually hang ouer me, threatening my ruine and destruction. Make good (O Lord) to me my determinations and purposes, which may be answe∣rable to thy holy and blessed inspi∣rations, and graunt me patience (O Lord) meekely and contentedly to suffer, whatsoeuer I shall faile or be hindered in, referring my selfe with all humilitie and ardencie of desires, to thy diuine will and pleasure; which be done (O Lord) in Earth as it is in Heauen. Take away all rancour and malicious imaginations, that I may neither by reuiling de∣fame my brother, or swell and tor∣ment my selfe with any disgracings
he shall lay vpon me, but acknow∣ledging my basenesse and wicked∣nesse, as worthie of all reproches and dishonours, calling to mind, the Seruant is not aboue his Master, in the comfort of thy example, who aboue the meekenesse of a Lambe, vnderwentest all kind of paines and reuilings; I may behold a timely Euening, reioycing my anger hath not awaited the Sunnes setting; euer endeuouring and labouring against my fraile concupiscences and desires, euen for thy holy Names sake; Which whosoeuer ardently and continually calleth on, shall not faile to obtaine vnspeakable happinesse and felicitie world with∣out end. Amen.
O Bountifull Iesu, O sweet Iesu, O Iesu the Sonne of the liuing God; how dare I, wretched and detestable sinner, approch before thy diuine Maie∣stie? How can I, ouercome with sinne and shame, stay any longer in thy presence? Did euer the mur∣therer and slaughterer of his Lord and Master presume to offend him with his sight, whilest yet the wounds were fresh and bleeding, whilest his bodie was cruelly man∣gled and torne, and his head with an vn-vsed crueltie pained and
tormented? lest the smart and rage of his wounds, the shame and dis∣honour of his vsage, should take a∣way all hope and pitie of pardon, deliuering him in his furie to the Iudge, and he to the Executioner, to carrie him where is continuall wee∣ping and gnashing of teeth. But consider (O my Soule) how this mercifull and meeke Sauiour beha∣ueth himselfe towards his bloudie and tyrannous persecutors: behold him dropping with bloud, buffetted by the wicked ministers, scorned of the people, forsaken of his Dis∣ciples, hoysted into the ayre, cruelly nayled on the Crosse, not cursing, not reuiling, but praying, not for himselfe, but those that persecuted him. Amongst whom, running with the formost, mayest thou, in thy eternall Prouidence, O glori∣ous Patterne of all Sufferings, be∣hold me, with more crueltie laying
on thee with my sinnes, then the stonie-hearted Iewes vvith their weapons, tearing thee, if it were possible, peece-meale with my hor∣rible and blaspheming Oathes; my loose and lasciuious thoughts woun∣ding thy faire Head with more spight and rigour, then the sharpe-pointed Thornes; my Malice, En∣uie, Pride, Drunkennesse, Concu∣piscence, with innumerable other sinnes and transgressions, flaying thy reuerend Bodie. All this (O Lord) haue I done, all this commit∣ted, knowing thee, and confessing thee to be Iesus, the eternall Sonne of God, and only Redeemer of the World. Pray for me, most gentle and mild Lord, speake for me to thy eternall Father; without which, most abominable and wretched sin∣ner, I shall for euer be condemned. Forsake me not now, O Lord, goe not away from me, but renew in
me a cleane heart, and create a right spirit within me, that I may plainely see the deformitie of sinne, and the ouglinesse of my misdeedes. Giue me grace earnestly to seeke thee, and hauing found thee, ardently to loue thee; ouercome with which, I may imploy all my actions, ende∣uours, and labours, wholly to serue thee: which if I faithfully and truly doe, I shall at the end of my yeeres, hauing so indulgent and louing a Master, be made a Free-man of Heauen; and those vnconceiuable Ioyes, which no eye hath seene, eare hath heard, or tongue can tell, they onely know them, that enioy them: Which, O benigne and mer∣cifull Lord, graunt all thy seruants to inherite, for thy holy Names sake, which shall be honoured and praysed world without end.
GRaunt me (O Lord) after the many and wild distracti∣ons of this day, a holy and inward recollection, that I may re∣turne into my selfe, with due care and examination, how I haue spent and imployed my faculties of soule, and functions of bodie, which thou hast lent me, for thy vse and seruice; and giue vnto me a true compuncti∣on and sorrowfull feeling for all the passed errors and transgressions of this day, that I may heartily lament and bewayle my sinnes and wic∣kednesses, with a full resolution and constant determination of my a∣mendment. And graunt me (O Lord) this Night, I beseech thee, by thine incomprehensible Diuini∣tie and Maiestie, chastitie of mind,
cleanenesse of heart, simplicitie of spirit, and most sincere puritie of soule and bodie, that I may earnest∣ly seeke after thee, and in thee alone take my rest; since whatsoeuer is without thee, is onely vexation and trouble of mind: that hauing en∣ioyed a comfortable and peaceable Repose both of soule and bodie, I may awake with much alacritie and cheerefulnesse of spirit, to prayse and honour thee in all my workes and labours, which the following day shall call me to; for his onely sake, in whom wee are enabled to exercise whatsoeuer is good and vertuous. Amen.