_Or thus, when brevity is necessary._
O Most great, most just, and gracious God, thou art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, thou condemnest the ungodly, impenitent, and unbelievers; but hast promised mercy through Jesus Christ to all that repent and believe in him. We confess that we were conceived in sin, and are by nature children of wrath; and have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. In our baptism thou tookest us into the bond of the holy covenant, but we remembered not our Creator in the days of our youth, with the fear, and love, and obedience which we owed thee: not pleasing and glorifying thee in all things, nor walking with thee by faith in a heavenly conversation, nor serving thee fervently with all our might; but fulfilled the desires of the flesh, and of the carnal mind. We have neglected and abused thy holy worship, thy holy name, and thy holy day. We have dishonoured our superiors, and neglected our inferiors. We have dealt unjustly and uncharitably with our neighbours, not loving them as ourselves, nor doing to others as we would they should do to us. We have not sought first thy kingdom and righteousness, and been contented with our daily bread, but have been careful and troubled about many things, neglecting the one thing necessary. Thou hast revealed thy wonderful love to us in Christ, and offered us pardon and salvation in him; but we made light of it, and neglected so great salvation, and resisted thy Spirit, word, and ministers, and turned not at thy reproof. We have run into temptations; and the sin which we should have hated, we have committed in thy sight, both secretly and openly, ignorantly and carelessly, rashly and presumptuously, against thy precepts, thy promises, and threats, thy mercies and thy judgments. Our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us. If thou deal with us as we deserve, thou wilt cast us away from thy presence into hell, where the worm never dieth, and the fire is not quenched. But in thy mercy, thy Son, and thy promise, is our hope. Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father. Be reconciled to us, and let the blood of Jesus Christ cleanse us from all our sins. Take us for thy children, and give us the Spirit of thy Son. Sanctify us wholly, shed abroad thy love in our hearts, and cause us to love thee with all our hearts. O make thy face to shine upon thy servants; save us from our sins, and from the wrath to come; make us a peculiar people to thee, zealous of good works, that we may please thee, and show forth thy praise. Help us to redeem the time, and give all diligence to make our calling and election sure. Give us things necessary for thy service, and keep us from sinful discontent and cares. And seeing all these things must be dissolved, let us consider what manner of persons we ought to be, in all holy conversation and godliness. Help us to watch against temptations, and resist and overcome the flesh, the devil, and the world; and being delivered out of the hand of all our enemies, let us serve thee without fear, in holiness and righteousness before thee all the days of our life. Guide us by thy counsel, and after receive us into thy glory, through Jesus Christ our only Saviour. Amen.[193]
[Here use the Lord's Prayer as before.]
_For the strengthening of Faith, and raising the Penitent, some of these Sentences of the Gospel may be here read._
Hear what the Lord saith to the absolution and comfort of penitent believers.
The Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.[194]
If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.[195]
Be it known unto you, men and brethren, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses.[196]
Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.[197]
If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.[198]
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.[199]
Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.[200]
All that the Father hath given me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in nowise cast out.[201]