PrMan 1
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Prayer of Manasses -- O Lord, Almighty God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
and of their righteous seed;
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who have made heaven and earth, with all its ornament;
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who have bound the sea by the word of your commandment; who have shut up the deep,
and sealed it by your terrible and glorious name;
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whom all men fear, and tremble before your power;
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for the majesty of your glory cannot be borne, and your angry threatening toward sinners
is importable:
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but your merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable;
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for you are the most high Lord, of great compassion, patient, very merciful, and repent
of the evils of men. You, O Lord, according to your great goodness have promised repentance
and forgiveness to them that have sinned against you: and of your infinite mercies
have appointed repentance to sinners, that they may be saved.
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You therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the just, have not appointed repentance
to the just, as to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, which have not sinned against you;
but you have appointed repentance to me that am a sinner:
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for I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea. My transgressions, O Lord,
are multiplied: my transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold and
see the height of heaven for the multitude of mine iniquities.
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I am bowed down with many iron bands, that I cannot lift up mine head, neither have
any release: for I have provoked your anger, and done evil before you: I did not your
will, neither kept I your commandments: I have set up abominations, and have multiplied
offences.
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Now therefore I bow the knee of mine heart, beseeching you of grace.
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I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniquities:
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wherefore, I humbly beseech you, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and destroy me not
with mine iniquities. Be not angry with me for ever, by reserving evil for me; neither
condemn me to the lower parts of the earth. For you are the God, even the God of them
that repent;
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and in me you will shew all your goodness: for you will save me, that am unworthy,
according to your great mercy.
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Therefore I will praise you for ever all the days of my life: for all the powers of
the heavens do praise you, and your is the glory for ever and ever. Amen.