it, not with eye-service as a pleaser of men, but with singleness of heart and a willing mind as the servant of Christ, Who will one day call me to a strict account for every soul committed to my charge. O Almighty and merciful Lord, Who knowest to how important and difficult a work Thou hast called Thy sinful and most unworthy servant, I humbly and earnestly beseech Thee to consider my weakness, and the manifold temptations and dangers that encompass me on every side. And O let Thy holy Spirit of grace be ever present with me to direct and govern me, to strengthen and assist me, to animate and invigorate me throughout the whole course of my duty, and to fortify my soul with such degrees of patience, and meekness, of prudence, and courage, and industry, that I may never be weary of doing the work of the Lord, because I know that my labour will not be in vain in the Lord. And O Thou, Who art the sole Ruler and Disposer of the event and issue of all human endeavours, give Thy blessing, I beseech Thee, to my labours, that they may be instrumental to the advancement of Thy glory, the edification of Thy church, and the everlasting salvation of my own soul, and the souls of many others. SECTION VI. THE PENITENT'S THANKFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GOD'S MERCIES. Preparatory sentences of Scripture-Thanksgiving for all God's mercies, both spiritual and temporal; -with prayers for grace to make a right use and improvement of them. Preparatory sentences of Scripture. OFFER unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto The Most High'. Whosoever offereth praise, glorifieth Me2. Continue in prayer; and watch in the same with thanksgiving 3. Be filled with the Spirit: speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ *. By Him let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips; giving thanks unto his Name". In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the 1 Psal. 1. 14. 2 Ibid. ver. 23. 3 Col. iv. 2. 1 Thess. v. 18. Name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him'. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ'. Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy Name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits3. Thanksgiving for all God's mercies, both spiritual and temporal: with prayers for grace to make a right use and improvement of them. ALMIGHTY and eternal Lord God, and most merciful Father, I prostrate myself now before Thee in a most humble and thankful acknowledgment of Thine unspeakable mercy and goodness to me, Thy sinful creature, and most unprofitable servant. Blessed be Thy great and glorious Name for creating me after Thine own image, and giving me a nature capable of everlasting happiness; for my reason and understanding; my senses, memory, and speech, and all my powers of mind and body. Lord, give me grace to live suitably, and to answer the end of my creation by making a right use and improvement of all the faculties Thou hast endowed me withal, to Thy glory, my own good, and the benefit of others. Blessed be Thy Name, O God, that I was born of christian parents, and early dedicated to Thee in holy baptism, and have been brought up in the knowledge and worship of Thee, the only true God, and of Jesus Christ Thine only Son our Lord. 1 Col. iii. 17. 2 Eph. i. 3. 3 Psal. ciii. 1, 2. Make me thoroughly sensible, I beseech Thee, of the inestimable privileges my baptism entitles me unto; and grant me grace to give all diligence to make my calling and election sure, and to walk worthy of my holy profession. I bless Thee, O Lord, for Thine unwearied patience towards me after so many and so great provocations and for Thy merciful preservation of me from innumerable dangers through the whole course of my life. I bless Thee for supporting me under divers temptations; and for preserving me from many which would have been too hard for me, if Thy grace had not prevented them, and kept me from falling into them. O let Thy goodness lead me to repentance: and as I live by Thy mercy, let me live henceforward to the glory of Thy grace, O Lord God, I bless Thee for the continual and bountiful support of Thy Providence in affording me so plentifully all things needful to make my passage through this world easy and comfortable: for the measure of health which I have enjoyed; for any degree of reputation in the world; for the friends and benefactors Thou hast raised up for me: and especially for the opportunities Thou givest me of being instrumental to Thy glory, and the good of my fellowcreatures. O make me ever mindful of the strict account I must one day give at Thy dread tribunal; and help me so diligently to improve all these blessed advantages, that I may give up my accounts with joy, and for my Blessed Saviour's sake receive the reward of a good and faithful servant. I bless Thee likewise, O Heavenly Father, for all the gracious methods of Thy goodness to reclaim me from the ways of sin and vanity, and to bring me to a sense of my dependence and duty; even for the chastisements of Thy fatherly hand, all the light troubles and afflictions of my life. Sanctify, I beseech Thee, all Thy corrections to the good of my soul, and make them effectual to wean my heart from the world, and to root out the remains of all sinful habits; so that I may be found of Thee in the last day without spot and blameless, and meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of Thy saints in light. But above all, I bless and adore Thy tender love and compassion to me and all mankind, in the redemption of the world by the death and passion of our Saviour Christ, both God and Man; Who humbled Himself even to the death upon the cross, for us miserable sinners who lay in darkness and the shadow of death, that He might make us the children of God, and exalt us unto everlasting life. Accept, I humbly pray Thee, of the expiation which He hath made for all our transgressions by the sacrifice of Himself, as of a lamb without blemish: and grant me such a sense of my sins, and of the sufferings of my blessed Saviour for them, as may affect my heart with a deep sorrow and contrition for the unworthy returns. I have made to His infinite love, and engage me to dedicate myself entirely and for ever to the service of my most gracious Redeemer, Who has loved me, and washed me from my sins in His own blood. I bless Thee also, O God, and give Thee most hearty thanks for the exceeding great love of our Master and only Saviour Jesus Christ, as in dying for us, so in instituting and ordaining holy mysteries as pledges of His love, and for a continual remembrance of His death, to our great and endless comfort. Grant, I humbly pray Thee, that as often as I eat of that bread and drink of that cup, I may worthily |