To such will I discover myself: they
will breathe freely at my good deeds, sigh for my ill. My good deeds
are Thine appointments, and Thy gifts; my evil ones are my offences,
and Thy judgments. Let them breathe freely at the one, sigh at the
other; and let hymns and weeping go up into Thy sight, out of the
hearts of my brethren, Thy censers. And do Thou, O Lord, he pleased
with the incense of Thy holy temple, have mercy upon me according to
Thy great mercy for Thine own name's sake; and no ways forsaking
what Thou hast begun, perfect my imperfections.
This is the fruit of my confessions of what I am, not of what I have
been, to confess this, not before Thee only, in a secret exultation
with trembling, and a secret sorrow with hope; but in the ears also of
the believing sons of men, sharers of my joy, and partners in my
mortality, my fellow-citizens, and fellow-pilgrims, who are gone
before, or are to follow on, companions of my way. These are Thy
servants, my brethren, whom Thou willest to be Thy sons; my masters,
whom Thou commandest me to serve, if I would live with Thee, of
Thee.
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