(5) Praise.

O direct my life towards Thy commandments,

hallow my soul,

purify my body,

correct my thoughts,

cleanse my desires.

soul and body, mind and spirit,
heart and reins.

Renew me thoroughly, O GOD,
for, if Thou wilt, Thou canst.

The LORD, the LORD GOD,
merciful and pitiful,

long-suffering and full of pity, and true,

keeping pity for thousands,

taking away iniquities and unrighteousnesses and sins ;
not clearing the guilty one,

bringing sins of fathers upon children.
I will bless the LORD at all times,
His praise shall ever be in my mouth.
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace,

goodwill towards men.

THE THIRD DAY.

Introduction.

O GOD, Thou art my God,
early will I seek Thee.

Blessed art Thou, O LORD,

who gatheredst the water into the sea,
and broughtest to sight the earth,
and madest to sprout

herb and fruit tree.

There are the depths and the sea as on an heap, lakes, rivers, springs;

earth, continent, and isles, mountains, hills, and valleys; glebe, meadows, glades, green pasture, corn, and hay; herbs and flowers

for food, enjoyment, medicine;

fruit trees bearing wine, oil and spices,

and trees for wood;

and things beneath the earth, stones, metals, minerals, coal, blood and fire, and vapour of smoke.

(1) Confession.

Who can understand his errors?

Cleanse Thou me from secret faults.

Keep back Thy servant also from presumptuous sins,

lest they have the dominion over me.

For Thy Name's sake,

be merciful unto my sin,

for it is great.

My iniquities 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.

Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me,

Make haste, O LORD, to help me.

Magnify Thy mercies upon me,

O Thou who savest them that trust in Thee.
I said, LORD, have mercy upon me,
heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee;
I have sinned but I am confounded,

and I turn from my evil ways,

and I turn unto mine own heart,

and with my whole heart I turn unto Thee;
and I seek Thy face,

and I beseech Thee, saying,

I have sinned, I have committed iniquity,
I have done unjustly.

I know, O LORD, the plague of my heart,

and lo, I turn to Thee with all

my

and with all my strength.

heart,

And Thou, O LORD, now from Thy dwelling-place,

and from the glorious throne of Thy kingdom in heaven O hear the prayer

and the supplication of Thy servant; and be propitious towards Thy servant and heal his soul.

O GOD, be merciful to me a sinner,

be merciful to me the chief of sinners.

Father, I have sinned against heaven, and against Thee, and am no more worthy to be called Thy son, make me one of Thy hired servants;

Make me one, or even the last,

or the least among all.

What profit is there in my blood,

when 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 my heaviness into joy,
my dreamings into earnestness,
my falls into clearings of myself,
my guilt, my offence into indignation,
my sin into fear,

my transgression into vehement desire,
my unrighteousness into strictness,
my pollution into revenge.

(2) Prayer for grace. Hosanna in the highest1.

Remember, me, O LORD,

with the favour that Thou bearest unto Thy people,

O visit me with Thy salvation

n;

that I may see the felicity of Thy chosen,
and rejoice in the gladness of Thy people,
and give thanks with Thine inheritance.
There is glory which shall be revealed;
for when the Judge cometh
some shall see Thy face cheerful,
and shall be placed on the right,

and shall hear those most welcome words,

They shall be caught up in clouds

to meet the LORD;

they shall enter into gladness,

they shall enjoy the sight of Him,

they shall be ever with Him. These alone, only these are blessed

among the sons of men.

O to me the meanest grant the meanest place there under their feet;

under the feet of Thine elect,

the meanest among them.

1 Vide p. 186, edit. 1675.

of faith,

of hope,

of love,

And that this may be,

let me find grace in Thy sight

to have grace,

so as to serve Thee acceptably

with reverence and godly fear. (Heb. xii. 28.)

Let me find that second grace,

not to receive in vain

(2 Cor. vi. 1.)

(Heb. xii. 15.) (1 Tim. iv. 14.)

(Gal. v. 4.)

(2 Tim. i. 6.)

(2 Pet. iii. 18.)

And O, perfect for me what is lacking

of Thy gifts,

help Thou mine unbelief,

establish my trembling hope,

kindle its smoking flax.

Shed abroad Thy love in my heart,

so that I may love Thee,

my friend in Thee, my enemy for Thee.

O Thou who givest grace to the humble-minded, also give me grace to be humble-minded. O Thou who never failest those who fear Thee, my Fear and my Hope,

let me fear one thing only,

the fearing ought more than Thee.

As I would that men should do to me
so may I do to them;

not to have thoughts beyond what I should think,
but to have thoughts unto sobriety.
Shine on those who sit in darkness,
and the shadow of death;

guide our feet into the way of peace.
that we may have the same thoughts
one with another,