Page:The Nestorians and their rituals, volume 2.djvu/255

Rh death till I come. Whosoever shall approach and partake of these in true faith, they shall be effectual for the forgiveness of his sins, for the pardon of his iniquities, for the resurrection from the dead, and for a new life in the kingdom of heaven.

We offer glory, honour, praise, and worship, unto Thee, Thou adorable, and to Thy glorious , and to Thy living and life-giving Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen. [Here the Priest shall sign the sacraments.]

R. Amen.

Deacon. With the enlightened eyes of the mind behold the meekness, humility, and lowliness of our, and with the thought of pure intention let us discern and see the , the Only-begotten of the , led away to the passion of the cross, and let us pray. Peace be with us.

Priest [silently]. O, the compassionate, the merciful, the pitiful, now that I have taken upon me to speak, which am but dust and ashes,—I Thy sinful and weak servant, who am Thy debtor from the womb, a stranger to Thee from the belly, and poor with respect unto Thee from the bowels of my mother, in Thy mercy have pity upon me, save me from the ocean of my sins, and draw me and lift me out of the depth of my iniquities, and in Thy goodness heal the wounds and sores of my ignorances with Thy all-healing medicine, and grant that I may open my mouth before Thee, and move my lips unto Thee, and suffer me to plead with Thee for my ignorances, and for the pardon of my sins and iniquities, and for the washing out of my stains, and also for those of these sinners my companions, and make me fit to ask from Thee such things as we ought to ask of Thy Godhead; for unto Thee, O Thou whose riches cannot be impoverished. Thou inexhaustible Treasure, are ever offered up right prayers, and from Thee proceed answers of liberal gifts, and Thou upbraidest not. Be not angry with me, O Thou righteous and long-suffering God, because I am not innocent before Thee. With confidence I address Thy majesty, and with boldness I beseech Thee to accept my person, for I am called by Thy name. Receive this sacrifice at my frail hands in behalf of Thy people and the sheep of Thy pasture, and I will