MY voice shalt thou hear betimes O
Lord: Early in the morning will I di-
rect my prayer unto thee, and will look
up.
Blessed art thou, O Lord, who, as
on this day, didst create the firmament,
the heaven, and the heaven of heavens,
inhabited, by the celestial powers; an-
gels and archangels, cherubim and sera-
phim: Who, as on this day, didst di-
vide and fix the waters that be above
the firmament; and make those mists
and exhalations, from whence proceed
showers and dew, hail and sleet, snow
like wool, hoar-frost scattered like
ashes, ice cast out like morsels, clouds
brought from the ends of the earth,
lightning and thunder, winds, which
thou drawest out of thy treasures, and
storms, which fulfil thy word.
Then also didst thou separate the wa-
ters under the heavens, and fit them for
our service here below, by the uses of
drinking and washing.
An Act of Confession.
I ACKNOWLEDGE my wickedness,
O Lord, and the iniquities of my fa-
ther’s house; for we have transgressed,
and walked contrary to thy command-
ments, and dealt very corruptly against
thee.
Set not, Lord, my misdeeds before
thee, nor my secret sins in the light of
thy countenance: But pardon, 1 beseech
thee, the iniquity of thy servant, accord-
ing to the greatness of thy mercy; as
thou hast used to forgive thy servant,
from my childhood even until no w»
I have sinned, what shall I do unto
thee, O thou preserver of men? O blot
out my transgressions, and remember
not my sin; deliver me from going
down to the pit, for thou hast found a
ransom.
O Son of David, have mercy on me;
Lord Jesus do thou help me; for even
the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall
from their master’s table: Have pa-
tience with me, and what shall thy ser-
vant say? — That I will pay thee all?
O no! I most truly and sorrowfully do
confess, that I have nothing at all to
pay; forgive me, therefore, this whole
debt, I beseech thee.
Forget me not O Lord, for ever;
how long wilt thou hide thy face from
me.
How long shall I seek counsel in my
soul, and be so vexed in my heart; how
long shall mine enemies triumph over
me?
Consider and hear me, O Lord my
God, lighten my eyes, that I sleep not
in death; lest mine enemy say, I have
prevailed against him: For if I be cast
down, they that trouble me will rejoice
at it; but my trust is in thy mercy.
A Prayer for Grace to keep the Commandments.
Remove from me, O my God, all
irreligion and profaneness, superstition
and hypocrisy, enthusiasm and unwor-
thy conceits of thee:
Image worship and idolatry:
Perjury and vanity, curses and bitter
imprecations:
Neglect of public worship, irreve-
rence in thy house, abuse of the times
set apart for thy service:
Pride and disobedience, faction and
schism, unnatural coldness to relations,
and inordinate love of myself:
Fierceness and contention, malice and
cruelty, anger and revenge:
Unlawful lust, uncleanness in deed,
word, or thought:
Idleness and extravagance, dishones-
ty and fraud;
False testimony and lying, reviling
and slandering, censuring and cause-
less suspicion;
All corrupt and impure imaginations,
all ungovemed and unbecoming de-
sires.
And, of thy goodness, give me grace
constantly to serve and please thee, in
reverence and godly fear, in worthy ap-
prehensions of, and a rational obedience
to thee;
In bodily adoration, and spiritual wor-
ship, confined to thee alone:
In an awful regard to oaths, in strict
truth, and cautious conversation, in bles-
sings, intercessions and good wishes:
In diligent attendance at religious as-
semblies, in devotion and decency, and
exemplary zeal, through every part of
thy service; and conscientious improve-
ment of the times set apart for religi-
pus exercises:
In dutiful demeanour and submission
to superiors; in peace and unity, with
regard to the church and state; in ten-
der affection to kindred and allies:
In gentleness and meekness, in pa-
tience and forgiveness, in general good
will, and an engaging conversation;
In chastity and sobriety, in modest
behaviour, and unreproachable dis-
course, and in a moderate use of plea-
sures, even those that are innocent and
lawful:
In frugality and industry, in just and
conscientious dealing, in contentedness,
and compassion to the poor:
In truth and integrity, good nature
and candour, and a charity that believes,
and hopes, and always speaks, the best:
In moderate and virtuous affections,
holy and clean imaginations, and perse-
verance in good works unto the end.
Make me to go in the path of these
commandments, for herein is my de-
sire.
Consider my spiritual enemies, how
many they are; and the tyrannous hate
they bear against me.
O keep my soul, and deliver me:
Let me not be confounded, for I have
put my trust in thee.
Repeat the Articles of the Apostles Creed.
[After which say,]
GRANT me always to hold fast the
profession of my faith without waver-
ing; for thou art faithful who hast pro-
mised.
To this hope set before me I have fled
for refuge; O let me lay hold upon,
and always find it, an anchor of the soul
both sure and steadfast, and which en-
tereth into that within the veil.
An Act of Intercession, as before on Sunday.
[After which add,]
God, be merciful unto me, and bless
me, and shew me the light of his coun-
tenance, and be merciful unto me.
O God, even my own God, give me
thy blessing, and receive my supplica-
tions.
Direct my life according to thy word;j
grant me a holy soul, an undefiled body,
pure thoughts, orderly desires: And
since, if thou wilt, thou canst make me
whole. Lord, renew every part of me,
and say, I will, be thou all over clean.
An Act of Praise.
I WILL always give thanks unto the
Lord, his praise shall ever be in my
mouth.
For he is the Lord, the Lord God,
merciful and gracious, long-suffering,
and abundant in goodness and truth;
keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving
iniquity, transgression and sin: Who,
notwithstanding, will by no means clear
the obstinate guilty, but visit the iniqui-
ty of such fathers upon their children,
and upon their children’s children.
Glory, therefore, be to God in the
highest, and on earth peace, good will
towards men.