The Practice of Piety

O Lord most high, ¹O God eternal, all whose Works are glorious, and whose Thoughts are very deep: there can be no better thing, then to praise thy Name, and to declare thy ⟨p. 582⟩loving kindness in the morning, on thy holy and blessed Sabbath day. For it is thy will and commandment, that we should sanctify this day in thy service and praise: and in the thankful remembrance, as of the creation of the World by the power of thy Word: so of the redemption of mankind by the death of thy Sonne. ²Thine (O Lord) I confess, is greatness, and power, and glory, and victory, and praise, for all that is in heaven and earth is thine: Thine is thy Kingdom, O Lord, and thou excellest as head over all: both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all, and in thine hand is power and strength, and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give ⟨p. 583⟩grace unto all. Now therefore O my God, I praise thy glorious Name: that whereas I a wretched sinner, having so many ways provoked thy Majesty to anger and displeasure: thou notwithstanding (of thy favour and goodness, passing by my profaneness and infirmities,) hast vouchsafed to add this Sabbath again, unto the number of my days. And vouchsafe O heavenly Father, for the merits of Jesus Christ thy Son (whose glorious Resurrection thy whole Church celebrateth this day:) to pardon and forgive me, all my sins and misdeeds. Especially, O Lord, [^*] cleanse my soul from those filthy sins, with the blood of thy most pure ⟨p. 584⟩and undefiled Lamb, ⁴which taketh away the sins of the world. And let thy holy Spirit more and more subdue my corruptions, that I may be renewed after thine own Image, to serve thee in newness of life, and holiness of conversation. And as of thy mercy, thou hast brought me to the beginning of this blessed day: so I beseech thee, make it a day of Reconciliation, betwixt my sinful soul, and thy Divine Majesty. Give me grace to make it a day of Repentance unto thee, that thy goodness may seal it to be a day of pardon unto me: and that I may remember, that the keeping holy of this day, is a Commandment which thine own finger