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III.

For Forgiveness of Sins.

MY GOD, when I call sadly to mind what I have done and what I have left undone, when of my

I consider the vanity

thoughts, and above all the sinfulness of my actions, my flesh trembles and my heart sinks at the recollection. For O my God, if thou shouldest be extreme to mark what is amiss, what would become of me, for so many millions of sins as I have committed. But, O my Saviour, who hast revealed it as a faithful saying that thou camest into the world to save sinners, look down with mercy on me, one of the greatest of sinners. O pardon and forgive all my past offences, lay them no longer to my charge, cast them behind thee, scatter them as a mist, and as a morning cloud let them vanish away and O, my merciful God, leave me not to myself: create in me a new heart, and renew a right spirit within me: let me once feel the effects and saving operation of thy grace in fervency of devo

tion towards thee, in bitterness of repentance for offending thee, in holy resolutions never wilfully to sin against thee more, and in perseverance in these resolutions till I shall pass out of this life into those everlasting joys where no evil can approach Amen.

me.

same.

IV.

Against Relapses into Sin.

MY gracious God, the only stay and comfort of my soul, seeing thy will is that in all things I should sincerely serve thee, and I through thy grace only desire to do the How is it, O my Lord, that I still offend thee, and why fall I so often into my former sins? Alas thy grace is not wanting, but the corruption of my nature, my inconstancy in my best resolutions, and my forgetfulness of my purposes is the cause of it; and for this once more I humble myself before thee, beseeching thee not to judge me according to my multiplied

sins, but to remember that I am only weak and sinful dust and ashes. Thou hast visited and considered me in this my wretched state, O then shew thy strength in my weakness, thy glory in my infirmities: increase to me daily thy renewing grace, and strengthen me against all future temptations, that I may not relapse into wickedness, but go on my course, though with weak and trembling steps, till I shall appear before the God of gods in Sion. Amen.

V.

For Preparation for Death. ETERNAL GOD, my Maker and Redeemer, I adore and bless thy holy name that thou hast suffered me to live till this hour, and multiplied thy daily blessings on me, though I have so often rebelled against thee. Yet, O merciful Lord, how soon may thy abused patience end, and how speedily mayest thou call me to a sad account for all the days so miserably misspent. How many are they on whom thy

morning sun has shone, that shall not live to see it set? And how know I that this may not be my last day: the only day which thou, O God, hast left me to set my soul in order, and to prepare me for that day which shall never end. O dear God, suffer me not then to neglect this blessed respite, but by a heartfelt sorrow and repentance, this day, even this instant to return to thee, that when thou shalt call me out of this life, my sins may be cancelled and my soul acquitted by the blood of that Lamb which hast taken away the sins of the world. Grant this O my God for his sake who vouchsafed to die for sinners, thy only Son Jesus Christ the Righteous. Amen.

VI.

After Self-Examination.

THE GOD of my soul! with all humble reverence I appear before thee, not as the Pharisee, to justify myself, but as the poor Publican, who dared not so much as

to lift up his eyes towards heaven, nor say more than, "Lord be merciful to me a sinner," for I have sinned, Lord I have sinned; woe is me, I cannot call to mind any of thy commandments that I have not disobeyed. But whether in thought, word, or deed, whether secretly or openly, O my merciful God, I have offended, I repent from the very root and ground of my heart, beseeching thee to look with compassion on the frailty, ignorance, and presumption of my life; and graciously to forgive all I have done amiss. But I am neither able to endure thy indignation nor to appease thy anger be reconciled to me O God, in the blood of thy dear Son, which was so freely offered as a ransom for the sins of the whole world. O blot out all my past sins, new and old; and for the time to come let there be an everlasting tie between my soul and thee, that thou mayest be my God, and I may live and die thy servant. Amen.

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