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SECTION V.

THE PENITENT'S DEVOUT PETITIONS FOR GRACE TO LIVE ANSWERABLY TO HIS CHRISTIAN PROFESSION.

Preparatory sentences of Scripture-Petitions for the graces and virtues of the Christian life-with a prayer especially for the use of the Clergy.

Preparatory sentences of Scripture.

Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin'.

Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well 2.

Put off concerning the former conversation the old man; which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your minds3 ;

And put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness*.

Set your affection on things above, and not on things on the earth: for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God: when Christ, Who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry'.

1 Ezek. xviii. 30.
4 Ibid. ver. 24.

3 Eph. iv 22-24.

2 Isai. i. 16, 17.

5 Col. iii. 2-5.

Flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called'.

According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him That hath called us to glory and virtue whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the Divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ 2.

But who is sufficient for these things 3.

Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights'.

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God Which worketh in : you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather, glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon For when I am weak, then am I strong'.

me.

I can do all things through Christ Which strengtheneth me 3.

8

By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God'.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ

1 1 Tim. vi. 11, 12.
4 Jam. i. 16, 17.
7 Ibid. ver. 10.

2 2 Pet. i. 3-8.
5 Phil. ii. 12, 13.
$ Phil. iv. 13.

32 Cor. ii. 16. 62 Cor. xii. 9. 9 Eph. ii. 8.

Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them '.

Petitions for the graces and virtues of the Christian life.

MOST blessed God, the fountain of all goodness, Who didst create man at first in Thine own image, and when that was defaced by sin wast graciously pleased to create us again in Christ Jesus, after Thine own likeness, in righteousness and true holiness; I humbly beseech Thee of Thine infinite goodness and mercy to endue me, Thy most unworthy creature, with that god-like temper of mind and those heavenly virtues, which constitute the new creature, and which may dispose me for the attainment of that glorious end, for which I was created and redeemed.

Send down, O Heavenly Father, Thy holy Spirit upon Thy servant to sanctify my nature; to renew me in the spirit of my mind: and to enable me so diligently to tread in the blessed steps of my Divine Master and Saviour, that the life of Jesus may be seen in all my actions, and His image be formed in my soul; and that, devoting myself wholly to Thy holy will and pleasure, I may make it my constant endeavour to employ every faculty of my soul, and every member of my body, and every day of my life in Thy service, and to Thy glory.

Possess my soul, I beseech Thee, with such strong and lively apprehensions of the adorable perfections of Thy Majesty, and of the absolute necessity of my being in some measure a partaker of the divine nature here, in order to qualify me for the fruition of Thy glorious Godhead hereafter, as may effectually engage me to be holy, as Thou art holy; pure, as Thou art

1. Eph. ii. 10.

pure; and conformable to Thee in all Thine imitable excellencies.

Give me grace, O Lord, to love Thee with all my heart, and to serve Thee with all my strength; and to make Thee, the Omnipresent and Omnipotent God, my only fear and hope, my trust and confidence, my joy and desire. Dispose me to hear, and read, and meditate on Thy word with attention and pleasure; to pray without ceasing; to give thanks to Thee in every thing; to be constant and conscientious in the performance of all religious duties; and to perform them always with such reverence and devotion, as may be acceptable in Thy sight through the mediation of Jesus Christ my Saviour.

O Holy Father, enable me, I beseech Thee, to cleanse my heart from all evil imaginations; to subdue every inordinate passion and desire; to fix my mind upon those transcendent and durable pleasures which are at Thy right hand; and to make it my principal concern to recommend myself to Thy favour, by being pure and chaste in all my thoughts, sober, contented, and thankful in all my enjoyments, humble in all my opinions of myself, charitable in all my sentiments and speeches of others, meek and patient under provocations and injuries, sincere and faithful in all my professions, just and upright in all my dealings, diligent and cheerful in all my employments, discreet, inoffensive, and blameless in my conversation, and useful in every relation and capacity of life.

And I beseech Thee, O Lord, to pour into my heart such a measure of that most excellent gift of charity, as may dispose me for Thy sake to love all men as I love myself; to forgive and pray for mine enemies, persecutors, and slanderers; and to be constantly willing and ready to do all the good offices in my power to any of my fellow-creatures.

Finally, O Lord, I most humbly beg that, whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, I may think on these things; and that

they may abound in me every day more and more : that I may be always growing wiser and better; always studying to do more and more good; always labouring to be stronger in the faith, richer in good works, more frequent in my devotions, more fervent in Thy service, more zealous for Thy glory, more eminent in meekness and humility, in patience, charity, and every thing that is good and acceptable to Thee; that so I may shine as a light in the world, and excite others by my example to glorify Thee our Heavenly Father; and when Jesus Christ, the Chief Shepherd, shall appear, I may receive of Him a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Amen.

For the use of the Clergy.

And since Thou Lord hast been pleased of Thy special grace and favour to call me, Thy most unworthy servant, to the holy office of priesthood, and to entrust me with the cure of souls, give me grace, I humbly beseech Thee, diligently to discharge the weighty office which Thou hast called me to, and to be a faithful and industrious labourer in Thy vineyard.

Enrich my understanding with the knowledge of Thy truth; and so replenish my soul with the gifts and graces of Thy blessed Spirit, that I may be thoroughly furnished to vindicate and defend the doctrine and discipline of Thy holy catholic and apostolic church, and to feed the flock over which Thou hast set me, with the wholesome food of Thy word.

O Lord, help me to take diligent heed to my ministry, and conscientiously to apply myself to fulfil all the duties of it. Give me a mind after Thine own heart, that I may delight to do Thy will, O my God: and whatsoever I do in word or deed, grant I may do

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