If they confess their iniquity, and their hearts be humbled, and they accept of the punishment of their iniquity,

then will I remember My covenant.
When all these evils are come upon thee,
and thou shalt call them to mind,
and return unto the Lord thy God,
then the Lord thy God

will have compassion upon thee,
and bless thee,

and will circumcise thy heart to love the Lord.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul?
and why art thou so disquieted within me?
O put thy trust in God,

for I shall yet praise Him.

Turn again then unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord will deal bountifully with thee.

PLEADING OF GOD'S PROMISES.

O think upon Thy servant,

as concerning Thy Word,

wherein Thou hast caused me to put my trust. O stablish me according unto Thy Word, that I may live,

and let me not be disappointed of my hope. He will not always be chiding,

neither keepeth He His anger for ever.
He hath not dealt with us after our sins;

P

neither rewarded us according to our
wickednesses.

But He was so merciful that He forgave their misdeeds, and destroyed them not:

Yea, many a time turned He His wrath away, and would not suffer His whole displeasure to arise.

He remembered that they were but flesh: a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

THE IMMEASURABLE HEIGHT OF GOD'S

MERCY.

Come now, and let us reason together,
saith the Lord:

though your sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
and though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool.

In returning and rest shall ye be saved.
And therefore will the Lord wait,
that He may be gracious unto you.
A bruised reed shall He not break;
and smoking flax shall He not quench.

I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine Own Sake: return unto Me, for I have redeemed thee.

And even to your old age I am He,
and even to hoar hairs will I carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
even I will carry and will deliver you.

Surely He hath borne our griefs,
and carried our sorrows;

He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes are we healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray ; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.

And it shall be, that before they call,
I will answer:

while they are yet speaking,
I will hear:

Have I any pleasure at all

that the wicked should die;

and not that he should return from his way

and live?

Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions;

so iniquity shall not be your ruin.

As I live, I have no pleasure

in the death of a sinner,

but that the wicked turn from his way and live : turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

As for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness.

If the wicked turn from his wickedness, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and unto our God,

for He will abundantly pardon.

+

AN ACT OF CONFESSION.

GOD, Thou knowest my foolishness,
and my sins are not hid from Thee.
I also acknowledge them,

and my sin is ever before me.

I do not cover my transgressions, as Adam. I incline not my heart to any evil thing, But I will acknowledge my sin unto Thee, and all that is within me,

yea, all my bones shall say, I have sinned: I have gone astray, like a sheep that is lost; as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke; I have returned like a dog to his vomit; as a sow that was washed,

to her wallowing in the mire.

I give glory to the Lord God of Israel, saying, I have sinned; and thus and thus have I done.

But, O Lord, break not the bruised reed; quench not the smoking flax;