and meadows, pastures and forests, which yield us grass, corn, and hay, herbs, and flowers, and plants, for food, for pleasure, for physic; fruitful trees for wine, oil and spices: The bowels of the earth, out of which proceed drugs and minerals, stones and metals, fuel and fire. An An ACT of CONFESSION, WHO can tell how oft he offendeth? O cleanse thou me from my secret faults. Keep thy servant also from presumptuous sins, lest they get the dominion over me, For thy name's sake, O Lord, be merciful to my sin, for it is great. My sins have taken such hold upon me, that I am not able to look up: Yea, they are more in number than the hairs of my head, and my heart hath failed me, O Lord, let it be thy pleasure to deliver me. Make haste, O Lord, to help me. Shew me thy marvellous loving kindness; thou that art the Saviour of them who put their trust in thee. I said, Lord, be merciful unto me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee. I have sinned, I have done perversely, I have committed wickedness. But lo! I bethink myself, and return unto my God with all my heart, and with all my soul. Now, therefore, hear thou my prayer, and my supplication from heaven, thy dwelling-place, and, when thou hearest, forgive. God be merciful to me a sinner; have pity, Lord, on me, the chief of sinners. Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son; make make me as one of thy hired servants, though but the very last and lowest of thy servants. What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the pit? Shall the dust give thanks unto thee, or shall it declare thy truth? Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me; Lord, be thou my helper. Turn, I beseech thee, my heaviness into joy; put off my sackcloth, and gird me with gladness. So shall every good man sing of thy praise without ceasing; and I will give thee thanks for ever, PRAYER PRAYER for GRACE, TURN, I most humbly pray thee, my levity and vain imaginations into seriousness and watchfulness; my sinful gaiety into holy indignation; my hardiness to offend into prudent and godly fear; my wanderings and coldness into vehement desire and zeal; my wilful defilements into severity and self-revenge. |