From the Extraordinary Lancelot Andrewes
I blogged a couple of days ago about the celebration of the memorial of Lancelot Andrewes. Mr. Core was kind enough to discover a couple of links to the Newman translation of Andrewes, one of them in a superbly formatted PDF file. From that I offer this wonderful penitential prayer.
from Private Devotions Lancelot AndrewesAn Act of Pleading
The Triumph of Mercy, Thy Name’s Sake, the glory of Thy Name, the truth of Thy Promise, intervention of Thine Oath, comfort of Love, bowels of mercies. Thy Mercy which is manifold, great (Ps. 51. 1), ancient (Ps. 25. 6), plenteous (Ps. 130. 7), everlasting (Ps. 136), exceeding (Eph. 2. 4), marvellous (Ps. 117. 8), the riches of Thy Mercy (Eph. 1. 7), its abundance (Eph. 1. 8), its excess (1 Tim. 1. 14), its superabundance (Rom. 5. 20), its exceeding riches (Eph. 2. 7), its victory over all Thy works (Ps. 145. 9), over justice (James 2. 13), the satisfaction and merits of Christ, the consolation of the Holy Ghost. Thy Mercy by which it is that we are not consumed (Lam. 3. 22), that preventeth (Ps. 79. 8), followeth (Ps. 23. 6), surroundeth (Ps. 32. 10), forgiveth (Ps. 103. 3), crowneth (Ps. 103. 4), hath length, breadth, depth, height (Eph. 3. 18), is from everlasting (Ps. 25. 6) to everlasting (Ps. 89. 2), reacheth to Heaven (Ps. 108. 4), reacheth to hell (Ps. 86. 13), is over all (Rom. 2. 32), is tender (Luke 1. 78), sweet (Ps. 69. 16; 129. 21), better than life (Ps. 113. 3), as is Thy Majesty (Ecclus. 2. 18), pardoning until seventy times seven (Matt. 18. 12), hating nothing that it hath made, neglecting neither the young ravens (Matt. 6. 26) nor the sparrow, willing that all should be saved (1 Tim. 2. 4), willing not that any should perish (2 Pet. 3. 9), bringing back the lost sheep on the shoulder (Luke 25. 5), sweeping the house for the lost drachma (Luke 25. 6), forgiving the ten thousand talents (Matt. 28. 27), binding up the wounds of the half dead (Luke 10. 34), joyfully meeting the Prodigal Son (Luke 25. 20), that freed the fugitive Jonah, received the denying Peter, did not reject the incredulous Thomas, converted the blaspheming Saul, liberated the woman taken in adultery, received Mary Magdalene, opened Paradise to the thief, standeth at the door and knocketh, the Lord Himself entreating His own servants (2 Cor. 5. 20), whose place is the Throne of Grace, the Mercy-seat, whose time is the Day of Salvation. I have deferred repentance, and Thou hast prolonged patience by Mercy, O Thou fountain inexhaustible!
