13
You have set a time for the mercy of the Lord, and you have appointed him a day, according to your pleasure.
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But forasmuch as the Lord is patient, let us be penitent for this same thing, and with many tears let us beg his pardon:
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For God will not threaten like man, nor be inflamed to anger like the son of man.
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And therefore let us humble our souls before him, and continuing in an humble spirit, in his service:
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Let us ask the Lord with tears, that according to his will so he would shew his mercy to us: that as our heart is troubled by their pride, so also we may glorify in our humility.
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For we have not followed the sins of our fathers, who forsook their God, and worshipped strange gods.
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For which crime they were given up to their enemies, to the sword, and to pillage, and to confusion: but we know no other God but him.
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Let us humbly wait for his consolation, and the Lord our God will require our blood of the afflictions of our enemies, and he will humble all the nations that shall rise up against us, and bring them to disgrace.
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And now, brethren, as you are the ancients among the people of God, and their very soul resteth upon you: comfort their hearts by your speech, that they may be mindful how our fathers were tempted that they might be proved, whether they worshipped their God truly.
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They must remember how our father Abraham was tempted, and being proved by many tribulations, was made the friend of God.
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go Isaac, so Jacob, so Moses, and all that have pleased God, passed through many tribulations, remaining faithful.