O BLESSED Lord, the Father of mercies,
and the God of all comforts, look, I beseech
Thee, in pity and compassion upon Thy
afflicted servant. Thou writest bitter things
against me, and makest me to possess my
former iniquities: Thy wrath lieth hard
upon me, and my soul is full of trouble;
but, O merciful God, who hast written Thy
holy word for our learning, that we, through
patience and comfort of Thy holy Scriptures,
might have hope; give me a right under-
standing of myself, and of Thy threats and
promises; that I may neither cast away my
confidence in Thee, nor place it any where
but in Thee.
O most gracious and eternal Son of God,
who only hast power to forgive sins, and to
rescue erring souls from the power of sin
and Satan; be gracious to me, seeing I con-
fess Thy justice in my sufferings, and beg
to feel Thy mercy in my pardon, and Thy
pity in my ease and restitution. Reject me
not; for I implore for remission of my sins.
Remember not against me the follies of my
childhood, nor the vanities and sins of my
youth. Thou, O Lord Jesus, hast glorified
Thyself in all generations, by giving pardon
to the penitent, ease to the afflicted, comfort
to the comfortless, and refreshment to the
weary; behold also, O Lord, the sorrows of
Thy servant, and remember my sins no
more. Let me feel the effects of Thy mighty
power and of Thy glorious victory over sin
and all the powers of darkness, and grant
me graciously the comforts of a holy hope.
O God of compassion, give to my sorely
vexed spirit strength against all my tempta-
tions, and heal all my afflictions; break not
the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking
flax: shut not up Thy tender mercies in dis-
pleasure; but make me to hear of joy and
gladness, that the bones which Thou hast
broken may rejoice: Deliver me from fear
of the enemy, and lift up the light of Thy
countenance upon me; and give me peace,
through the merits and mediation of Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
Unto Thy gracious mercy and protection
I commit myself: The Lord bless me, and
keep me: The Lord make His face to shine
upon me, and be gracious unto me: The Lord
lift up His countenance upon me, and give
me peace, both now and evermore. Amen.