as best we may; and for the multitude of Thy compassions, poured forth without stint upon us, Thy polluted children, sold under sin, we offer to Thee, with thanksgiving, our Sacrifice of love and praise.
Chapter III
☙ Of the reinstatement of man, and the promise of Christ's coming
ALMIGHTY and most gracious God,
Whose nature is goodness, Whose Will
is power, Whose property it is to have
mercy, I bless Thee, and render thanks
to Thee for Thy infinite love, and for Thy free and
undeserved goodness, in that Thou didst lose no
time in calling back man, who had been taken
captive in the snare of the devil, and brought low
by the poison of a mortal disease, from his manifold wanderings from the right way, and from the
defilement of his sins, into the way of repentance,
and a state of righteousness; by giving to him,
through the saving promise of Thy coming, the
hope of pardon, and the prospect of a remedy to
be brought within his reach.
And lest man should at any time seek to plead ignorance as an excuse for the malice of his sin, Thou didst give him frequent warning of the error of his ways, by revealing to him Thy law, by smiting him with Thy heavy hand, by exercising open judgements upon sinners, by working frequent miracles, and by promising good things to come; that so they might be without excuse who should not turn to Thee as their God, and to a knowledge of the truth.
