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place to vifit the wickedness of fuch as dwell upon the earth. But who may abide the day of his coming? Who fhall be able to endure when he appeareth? His fan is in his hand, and he will purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the barn, but he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire. The day of the Lord cometh as a thief in the night and when men fhall fay, Peace, and all things are fafe, then fhall fudden deftruction come upon them, as forrow cometh upon a woman travelling with child, and they fhall not efcape. Then fhall appear the wrath of God in the day of vengeance, which obftinate finners, through the ftubbornness of their heart, have heaped unto themselves, which defpifed the goodness, patience and long-fuffering of God, when he called them continually to repentance. Then fhall they call upon me (faith the Lord) but I I will not hear; they fhall feek me early, but they fhall not find me; and that be cause they hated knowledge, and received not the fear of the Lord; but abhorred my counsel, and defpifed my corcorrection. Then fhall it be too late to knock when the door fhall be fhut; and too late to cry for mercy when it is the time of juftice. O terrible voice of most juft

judgment, which fhall be pronounced upon them, when it shall be faid unto them, Go ye curfed into the fire everlafting, which is prepared for the devil and his angels. Therefore, brethren, take we heed betime, while the day of falvation lafteth; for the night cometh wher none can work: but let us, while we have the light, believe in the light, and walk as children of the light, that we be not caft into utter darkness, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Let us not abuse the goodness of God, who calleth us mercifully to amendment, and of his endless pity promiseth us forgiveness of that which is paft, if with a perfect and true heart we return unto him. For though our fins be red as fcarlet, they fhall be made white as wool. Turn ye (faith the Lord) from all your wickedness, and your fin fhall not be your deftruction. Caft away from you all your ungodliness that ye have done, make you new hearts, and a new spirit: wherefore will ye die, O ye houfe of Ifrael; feeing that I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, faith the "Lord God; Turn ye then, and ye fhall live. Although we have finned, yet have we an Advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous,

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and he is the propitiation for our fins. For he was

wounded for our offences, and fmitten for our wickednefs. Let us therefore return unto him, who is the merciful receiver of all true penitent finners; affuring our felves that he is ready to receive us, if we come unto him with faithful repentance; if we submit our felves unto him, and from henceforth walk in his ways; if we will take his eafy yoke, and light burden upon us, to follow him in lowlinefs, patience and charity, and be ordered by the governance of his Holy Spirit; feeking always his glory, and ferving him duly in our vocation with thanksgiving. This if we do Chrift will deliver us from the extreme curse which fhall light upon them that shall be fet on the left-hand; and he will fet us on his righthand, and give us his gracius bleffing of his Father, commanding us to take poffeffion of his glorious kingdom: unto which may He vouchsafe to bring us all, for his infinite mercy. Amen. Then fhall they all kneel upan their knees, and the Priest and the People (in the place where they are accustomed to fay the Litany) fhall fay this Pfalm,

Pfalm 51.

HAve mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness: according to the multitude of thy mercies, do away mine offences.

Wash me throughly from my Wickedness, and cleanse me from my fin.

For I acknowledge my faults, and my fin is ever before me.

Against thee only have I finned, and done this evil in thy fight; that thou mightft be justified in thy faying, and clear when thou judgeft.

Behold, I was fhapen in wickedness, and in fin hath my mother conceived me.

But lo, thou requireth truth in the inward parts: and fhalt make me to underftand wisdom fecretly.

Thou shalt purge me with hyffop, and I fhall be clean thou fhalt wash me, and I fhall be whiter than fnow.

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Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness: that the bones which thou haft broken may rejoice.

Turn thy face from my fins, and put out all my mifdeeds.

Make me a clean heart, O God: and renew a right firit within me.

Caft me not away from thy prefence: and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. O give me the comfort of N 2 thy

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Let us pray.

troubled fpirit: a broken and ALmighty God, Father

contrite heart, O God, fhalt thou not defpife.

O be favourable and gracious unto Sion: build thou the walls of Jerufalem.

Then fhalt thou be pleafed with the facrifice of righteoufnels, with the burnt offerings and oblations: then fhall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar. O

God, whofe nature and property is ever to have mercy, and to forgive all that are truly penitent; Receive our humble petitions; and feeing we are tied and bound with the chain of our fins, let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loofe us, for the honour of Jefus Christ our Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

of our Lord Jefus Chrift, Maker of all things, Judge of all men; We acknowledge and bewail our manifold fins and wickednefs, which we from time to time moft grievously have committed, by thought, word, and deed, against thy Divine Majefty, provoking moft justly thy wrath and indignation against us. Grant that we may earneftly repent, and be heartily forry for all our fins, and provocations: that the remembrance of them may be grievous unto us; as the burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, moft merciful Father; for thy Son our Lord Jefus Chrift's

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fake, forgive us all that is paft; and grant that we may ever hereafter ferve and please thee in newness of life, to the honour and glory of thy Name, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

O Lord, we beseech thee mercifully hear our prayers, and spare all those who confefs their fins unto thee; that they whofe confciences by fin are accufed, by thy merciful pardon may be abfolved, through Chrift our Lord. Amen.

O

Moft mighty God, and merciful Father, who haft compaffion upon all men, and hateft nothing that thou haft made, who wouldft not the death of a finner, but that he should rather turn from his fin, and be faved; Mercifully forgive us our trefpaffes; receive and comfort us, who are grieved and wearied with the burden of our fins. Thy property is always to have mercy; to thee only it appertaineth to forgive fins. Spare us therefore, good Lord, fpare thy people whom thou haft redeemed; enter not into judgment with thy fervants, who are vile earth and miferable finners; but fo turn thine anger from us, who meekly acknowledge our

vileness, and defire truly to repent us of our faults; and fo make hafte to help us in this world, that we may ever live with thee in the world to come, thro' Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. Then fhall the People fay this that followeth, after the Prieft.

TURN thou us, O good

Lord, and fo fhall we be turned. Be favourable, O Lord, be favourable to thy people, who turn to thee by contrition, fafting and prayer. For thou art a merciful God, full of compaffion, Long-fuffering, and of great pity, Thou fparest when we deferve punishment, And in thy wrath thinkeft of mercy: fpare thy people, good Lord, fpare them, and let not thine heritage be brought to confufion. Hear us, O Lord, for thy mercy is great, and after the multitude of thy mercies look upon us. Thro the merits and mediation of thy bleifed Son, Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. Then the Priest alone shall fay THE Lord blefs us, and

keep us; the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon us, and give us peace, now and for ever. more. Amen.

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TABLE

Of the Pfalms before the Collect for the Day, in
King Edward VI. first Liturgy.

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