As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel' ? Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart, and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all My statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his trangressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done, he shall live". But if ye will not do so, behold ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin shall find you out. Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that My fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of Hosts ', b Ezek. xxxiii. 11. c Ezek. xviii. 31, 32. d Ibid. 21, 22. f Jer. ii. 19. e Numb. xxxii. 23. Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause Mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God'. Remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed". Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto Him, take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips". If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness'. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. I have sinned: what shall I do unto Thee, O Thou Preserver of men1? 'I will arise and go to my Father, and will Jer. iii. 12. 13. i 1 John i. 8, 9. 8 Ezek. xx. 43. h Hos. xiv. 2. 1 Job vii. 20. say unto Him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before Thee, and am no more worthy to be called Thy son ". Confession of sin, and humble supplication for pardon and grace. O MOST Holy and most merciful Lord God, Who by reason of the infinite purity of Thy nature canst not look on iniquity without the utmost detestation, but out of the exceeding riches of Thy goodness hast graciously promised, that all those who confess and forsake their sins shall obtain of Thee forgiveness of the same, and be cleansed from all unrighteousness; I, a most miserable sinner, in a deep sense of mine own vileness and wretchedness, and an humble dependence on Thy mercy and truth, prostrate myself at the footstool of Thy grace, desiring to confess and bewail before Thee mine innumerable transgressions of Thy holy laws, whereby I have rendered myself most justly liable to the severest of Thy judgments in this life, and to everlasting punishments in the world to come. I confess, O Lord, that I have grievously offended Thee, by indulging to evil thoughts of many kinds; by vain, rash, false, and " Luk. xv. 18, 19. wicked words; and by many unrighteous, sensual, and ungodly deeds, which I have from time to time committed, against the dictates of reason, the checks of mine own conscience, and the known precepts of Thy holy word. I have frequently neglected the duties of religion, which is the great and most important concern of my life; and when I have performed them, it hath been very often carelessly and out of custom, and without due affection and attention of mind. I have not served Thee with that purity of intention, with that sincerity of heart, with that fervency of spirit, with that zeal for Thy glory, with that watchfulness, care, diligence, and constancy, that I ought to have done. But I repent; O my God, I repent; Lord, lay not these sins to my charge: Father, forgive me, for Jesus Christ's sake! I know that religion has nothing in it that is worthy of blame or reproach; nothing but what is perfectly agreeable to right reason, and truly perfective of human nature; and yet, out of a foolish regard to the opinions and censures of men, I have too often been ashamed to practise divers important duties, and to discountenance the evil practices and vices of others, or maintain the cause of virtue and piety; not considering that whosoever is ashamed of Christ and His words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels. But I repent &c. I believe that all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that they who desire and sincerely endeavour to serve Thee truly may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works and yet, O God, how seldom, how little have I read and pondered Thy holy word: how shamefully have I omitted the important and necessary duty of searching the Scripture; and how foolish have I been in applying myself more diligently to, and taking more satisfaction in the reading of other books than of them; not considering that they best set before us the way of life and the way of death; and teach us what we must do to be saved from the wrath to come, and to inherit eternal life and even when I have read them, it hath not been with such good dispositions, with such an attentive and teachable mind, such an humble heart, and sincere intentions to do whatever I should perceive to be Thy will, as I knew were neces |