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O Mnipotent and most mercifull God, thou art truely good, and in deede I am euill, thou arte holy, I am wretched, thou art iuste, I am vniuste: thou arte the lighte, I am
blinde, thou art the lyfe, I am dead: thou arte a conuenient medicine, I am weake and sicklye: thou arte ioy, I am heuines: thou art the so∣ueraigne veritie, I am the vniuer∣sall vanitie, and so is euery liuinge man.
VVhat shall I saye then my crea∣tor? heare me my maker, I am thy creature and the worke of thy handes, but O Lorde, I am nowe brought to nothing, and I am dye∣ing dayly, thy handes haue made and framed me: euen those handes I saye which were nayled to the Crosse for my sake.
Most benigne redeemer dispise not the worke of thy handes, but looke vpon the woundes of thine owne handes: loe my Lorde God thou haste written me in thy hands, reade the wrytinge and heale me, beholde I thy creature doe sighe
vnto thee, thou arte my creator comfort me: I cry vnto thee, thou arte the lyfe, quicken me, and gyue me lyfe: to thee I lift vp my voyce helpe me and restore me.
Spare me O God for my dayes are nothinge, what is man that he can thus speake to God his crea∣tor? pardonne me thy seruaunte which presumeth to speake to so great a Lorde, neede hath no lawe, griefe and sorowe compell me to speake, the calamitie and miserye which I indure, enforce me to crye out: I am sicke, therefore I call to the phisition: I am blind therefore I hasten vnto the light, I am deade therefore I sigh after lyfe.
To thee O Iesus of Nazareth I hasten, thou arte the fountayne of lyfe: O Iesu sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me, haue mercy vpon me O fountayne of mercy, thou
haste hard me being sicke callinge vpon thee, reach me thy hande O moste gentle Father: bring me to thee, that I may come to thee, and in thy lighte, may see that euerlast∣ing light: spare and pardonne me O Lorde, I am the vnhappie man borne of a woman, lyuinge but a shorte time, and yet replenished with much misery: I am earth and ashes, and by and by in griefe and anguishe I muste dye, and then I shall be but wormes meate.
VVhat other thing is my lyfe O my Lorde God, then a shadowe which soudenly vanisheth awaye, lyke as the flower which doth flo∣rishe and is greene, & by & by doth wither: euen so my frayle and de∣ceiptfull lyfe passeth away, and yet notwithstanding, it is on euery side hedged in with the snares of death, I knowe assuredly that I must dye,
but when or howe I can not tell.
I therefore beseeche thee O meeke and mercifull God to helpe me: holde me vppe and staye me in thy power and strength: appeare vnto me O euerlasting lighte, and shine in my hart that I may reioyse in thee: come vnto me O my lyfe moste noble, and most sweete, that through thee I maye lyue in thee, and with thee in thy kindome for euer: heare me O Lorde God to the glory of thy name, and the fe∣licity and blisse of my soule. Amen.