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head corner-stone; and hast committed to thy ministers the word of reconciliation, that, as ambassadors speaking in the stead of Christ, they might beseech us to be reconciled unto thee. We thank thee that by them thou hast opened our eyes, and turned us from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God. We were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, taken captive by Satan at his will: but thy mercy saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Thou mightest justly have left us to the blindness of our minds, and to the hardness of our hearts, to seared consciences, to be past feeling, to our own hearts' lusts, to walk in our own counsels, and to work uncleanness with greediness, when we so oft refused to come to Christ that we might have life, and would not have him to reign over us. But thy patience waited on us in our sin; and all the day long didst thou stretch forth thy hand to a disobedient and gainsaying people. When we turned from thee, thou calledst after us to turn and live: thou drewest us to thy Son, and openedst our hearts to attend to thy call: thou lovedst us first, and wast found of them that sought thee not. Thou hast

pardoned our great and manifold transgressions, and justified us by faith in Christ, and given us repentance unto life. Thou hast adopted us to be thy sons, and joint-heirs with Christ; and made us his members, and given us his Spirit: we are no more strangers, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of thy household. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who of his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us. Thou keepest us by thy mighty power through faith unto salvation, ready at last to be revealed; though (when they are needful) we must for a season be in heaviness under tribulations. Thou hast promised that all things shall work together for our good. In all our straits thou grantest us access to the throne of grace; bidding us call upon thee in the time of trouble, and promising to deliver us, that we may glorify thee. Everywhere we have leave to lift up unto thee holy hands; especially in the house of prayer, and the assembly of the saints. Thou hast heard the voice of our supplications, when we have cried unto thee; great is thy mercy towards

us.

xxxi. 20;

xxxii. 7; xxxi.

33; ciii. 10;

xxx. 5.

Hab. iii, 2.
Psal. xxxii. 6;
xxv. 10; v. 7;
cvii. 1; cv. 3;

a

lxxxix. 15,

O Lord, thou hast delivered our souls from the lowest hell: thou hast sent forth from heaven thy mercy and truth; and saved us from the reproach of him that would swallow us up. Thou art our hiding-place in the secrets of thy presence thou preservest us from trouble, from the pride of men, and from the strife of tongues. Thou Psal. lvii. 3; dost compass us about with songs of deliverance. O love the Lord, all ye his saints for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. He dealeth not with us after our sins: his anger is but for moment; but in his favour is life. In his wrath he remembereth mercy. paths, O Lord, are mercy and truth to such as keep thy covenant. We come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercies. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. Glory ye in his holy name; let the hearts of them rejoice that seek him. Blessed are the people that know the joyful sound; they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance : in thy name they shall rejoice all the day, and in thy righteousness and favour shall they be

E

16.

All thy

Psal. lxxxiv. 4; exalted. Blessed are they that dwell xc.14; lxxiii. 24. in thy house; they will be still thee. O satisfy us early

John xvii. 24.

Rev. xxii. 4.

praising

with thy mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad in thee all our days. Guide us by thy counsel, and afterwards receive us unto thy glory: where, with all the blessed host of heaven, we may behold, admire, and perfectly and joyfully praise thee, our most glorious Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, for ever and for ever. Amen.

3, 4.

The Hymn.

The First Part.

Psal. ciii. 1, 2. BLESS the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me bless his holy name: bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities, and healeth all thy diseases; who redeemed thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Behold, what love the

12.

1 John iii. 1. Father hath bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God. Because thy

lxxiii. 25, 26,

27, 28.

loving-kindness is better than life, my Psal. Ixiii. 3, 4 ; lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live; I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee! My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. For lo, all that are far from thee shall perish but it is good for me to draw near to God. I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Psal. xciv. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul. Thou Psal. Ixxiii. 24. shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory.

The Second Part.

How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O Psal. xxxvi, 7, God! therefore do the sons of men put

8, 9.

their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, and thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures,

For with thee is the fountain of

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