Page images
PDF
EPUB

EVENING PRAYER.

At the beginning of Evening Prayer the Minister shall read, with an audible voice, some one or more of these Sentences of Scripture; and then the exhortation following.

HEN the wicked man turneth away

WHEN the wickedness that he hath

committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. Ezek. 18. 27.

I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Psal. 51. 3.

Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Psal. 51. 9.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Psal. 51. 17.

Rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Joel. 2. 13.

To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenessess, though we have rebelled. against him: neither have we obeyed the

voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his laws which he set before us. Dan. 9. 9, 10.

O Lord correct.me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing. Jer. 10. 24. Psal. 6. 1.

Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. S. Matth. 3. 2.

I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. S. Luke 15. 18,

19.

Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. Psal. 143. 2.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1. S. John 1. 8. 9.

DEAR Lovethes in
EARLY beloved brethren, the Scrip-:

ture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins, and wickedness, and that we should not dessemble nor cloke them before the face of Almighty God, our heavenly Father, but confess them with an humble, lowly,

penitent, and obedient heart, to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same by his infinite goodness and mercy. And although we ought at all times humbly to acknowledge our sins before God, yet ought we most chiefly so to do when we assemble and meet together, to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at his hands, to set forth his most worthy praise, to hear his most holy Word, and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as the soul. Wherefore I pray and beseech you, as many as are here present, to accompany me with a pure heart and humble voice, unto the throne of the heavenly grace, saying after me.

A general Confession to be said of the whole Congregation after the Minister, all kneeling.

LMIGHTY and most merciful Father; We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have

D

done; and there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults. Restore thou them that are penitent; according to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.

A Prayer for Absolution or Remission of Sins.

LMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father,

A who of thy great mercy hath promised

forgiveness of sins to all them that with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto thee; Have mercy upon us, pardon and deliver us from all our sins, confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and bring us to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶Then the Minister shall say the Lord's Prayer; the People also kneeling, and repeating it with him.

UR Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily

bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil : For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

¶ Then likewise he shall say,

O Lord, open thou our lips.

Answ. And our mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

Minis. O God, make speed to save us. Answ. O Lord, make haste to help us.

¶ Here all standing up, the Minister shall

say:

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;

Answ. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.

Minis. Praise ye the Lord.

Answ. The Lord's Name be praised.

Then shall be said the Psalms in order as they are appointed. Then a Lesson taken out of the Old Testament, and after that, this Hymn.

« PreviousContinue »