MORNING and EVENING PRAYER Daily throughout the YEAR. At the beginning of Morning Prayer, the Minister shall read with a loud voice some one or more of these § Sentences of the Scriptures that follow : and then he shall say that which is written after the faid Sentences. WHEN : HEN the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his foul alive. Ezek. 18. 27. 2 I acknowledge my transgressions, and my fin is ever before me. Pfal. 51. 3. 3 Hide thy face from my fins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Ver. 9. 4 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Ver. 17. 5 + Rent your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, flow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Joel 2. 13. 6 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him: neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his laws which he fet before us. Dan. 9. 9, 10. 7 O Lord, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, left thou bring me to nothing. Jer. 10. 24. Pfal. 6. 1. 8 Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. S. Mat. 3.2. 9 I will arife and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have finned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. S. Luke 15. 18, 19. 10 Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord; for in thy fight shall no man living be justified. Pfal. 143. 2. 11 If we say that we have no fin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confefs our fins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our fins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 S. John 1. 8, 9. Paraphrase on the SENTENCES. 5 Think not to appease God merely by outward marks of penitence, but show such a forrow of Heart, as will produce a real amendment of Life: and God, who is infinitely merciful, will pardon your Sins. 6 Though we have forsaken the Service of God, yet he is still ready to pardon us upon our fincere Repentance. 7 O Lord inflict not upon me that punishment which my Sins have justly deserved; but deal with me according to thy Mercy. 8 Repent: for the Gospel will shortly be revealed. + Rent your Heart, &c. It was customary with the Jews in Timesof public Penitence, to shew many outward Marks of it, luch as renting their Cloaths, throwing Athes upon their Heads, and fitting in the Duf. 9 I will return to my Father, and acknowledge that my Sins are so many, that I am unworthy of Pardon, either from God or him. 10 Lord examine not too strictly into my Conduct; for under such trial the best of Men must not hope to be acquitted from blame. 11 We are greatly mistaken if we suppose we are clear from Sin. But if we fincerely confefs and forsake our Sins, we may affuredly hope that God will Pardon us, according to his promises in Jefus Chrift. But as these outward signs were too often abused to the purposes of Hypocrify; the Prophet therefore recommends a real contrition and change of the Heart preferably to all such external appearances. : § Early beloved brethren, the Scripture moveth us in fundry places to acknowledge and confefs our manifold sins and wickedness, and that we should not dissemble 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 fame by his infinite goodness and mercy. And although we ought at all times humbly to acknowledge our fins 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 requifite and necessary as well for the body as the foul. 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. D the A general Confeffion to be faid of the whole Congregation, after the Minister, all kneeling. Almighty and most merciful Father, We have erred and strayed from thy ways like loft sheep. We have followed 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 done; And there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miferable offenders. Spare thou them, O God, which confefs their faults. Reftore 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 fake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and fober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. too much the devices and defires of our own hearts. Paraphrafe on the EXHORTATION. We learn from the foregoing passages of Scripture that it is our Duty to confefs our Sins to God with fincere and truly penitent Hearts, as a means to obtain his Forgiveness. And though we ought to do this at all Times, yet it seems particularly requifite when we assemble and meet together, to thank and praise Him to hear his Word, and to pray to Him. Wherefore I defire you would repeat after me fincerely, and with a This Exhortation is a very judicious preparation for the folemn Work we are entering upon, as it serves to inftruct the ignorant, to admonish the negligent, to support the fearful, to comfort the doubtful, to caution the formal; according to that general rule of the Son of Syrach, before thou prayest prepare thyself; and be not as one that tempteth the Lord. Whilst this Exhortation is reading, every Person ought diligently to listen to its fenfe, and not to repeat the Words low Voice, the following Confession. Paraphrafe on the CONFESSION. Most mighty yet merciful Father, we acknowledge and bewail the many Sins both of Omiffion and Commission, whereby we have provoked thy divine Majesty. Pardon and Forgive us who Repent of them, according to thy promises by Jesus Chrift: and, for his fake, we befeech thee to give us Grace, to live hereafter godly, righteously, and soberly to the Glory of thy Name. after the Minister. ‡ This Confeffion is in its Form most solemn, in its extent most comprehensive: for it takes in all kinds of Sin, both of Omission and Commission. And whilft every single Person makes this general Confession with his Lips, he may make a particular Confeffion with his Heart, of his own personal Sins: which if particularly, tho' fecretly confeffed and repented of, will assurdly be forgiven. Amen. The Absolution or Remission of fins, to be pronounced by the Prieft alone, standing; the People ftill kneeling. Lmighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who defireth not the death of a finner, but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live; and hath given power and commandment to his ministers, to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent, the Absolution and Remission of their fins: He pardoneth and abfolveth all them that truly repent, and unfeignedly believe his holy Gospel. Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true repentance, and his Holy Spirit, that those things may please him, which we do at this present, and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy, fo that at the last we may come to his eternal joy, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Paraphrafe on the ABSOLUTION. God, who defireth not the Destruction but Reforma- him therefore to give us such a real Repentance, and tion of Sinners, and hath authorized his Ministers to fuch assistance of his holy Spirit, as may enable us to declare his Pardon to the Penitent: He assures you serve Him acceptably both now and for ever: that we that whosoever truly repents and believes the Gospel, may attain that Eternal Life, which he hath given us shall obtain Forgiveness of his Sins. Let us beseech in Jesus Christ. || This Absolution is a comfortable declaration that his holy Spirit, in order to our present acceptance and God will pardon the Sins, of them that truly repent future conduct, and as the end of both, everlasting and believe his Gospel, together with an Exhortation Life. This is to be pronounced by the Minifter to pray that God will grant us true Repentance and only. The People shall answer bere, & at the end of all other Prayers, Amen. Then the Minister shall kneel, and say the Lords Prayer with an audible voice; the People also kneeling, and repeating it with him, both here, and wheresoever else it is used in Divine Service. 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, and the power, and the glory, for ever and i ever. Amen. Then likewife he shall fay, § O Lord, open thou our lips, Anfw. And our mouth shall shew forth thy praise. Prieft. O God make speed to fave us. Anfw. O Lord, make haste to help us. [Thus far the Morning and Evening Service are alike; but in the Evening Service, Venite exultemus is not used; the Pfalms of the Day are read, and then follows the First Lesson, and after that one of the Hymns, Magnifica Cantate.] or C T Parapbrafe on the LORDS PRAYER Father of all Men, who dwellest in Light unapproachable, and in Bliss inexpressible, teach us to reverence and worship Thee, in a manner becoming thy divine Majesty, Let thy: Kingdom of Grace extend to all Nations: and enable us to serve thee on Earth, with that diligence, fervency and chearfulness with which thine Angels do in Heaven. Give us daily fuch Things as are needful both for our Bodies and Souls: and pardon our Sins, as we forgive those who have injured us. And permit us not to be led into Temptation, but so as to deliver us from the evil of it: for thou ruleft over all, and alone art able to fulfil our The Lords Prayer being added in this place after the Confeflion and Absolution, makes the whole, as it were, a short distinct Office, and contains an excellent fummary of what has been already prayed for, which is now followed by one of another kind, viz. of Thankigiving; which this very properly produces: for till we be reconciled unto God, how can we hope that our other Offices will be acceptable, which affords requests: and therefore to thee all Glory and Praise is due for ever and ever. Paraphrafe on the VERSICLES. Lord grant us hopes of thy Pardon and we will praise thee with joyful Lips. -Haften O God to deliver us from the dominion of Sin Speedily affift, us to ferve thee acceptably. All Glory and Praife, be afcribed unto God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. - As this Offering was due from Man from the beginning of the World, so it is now, and shall be hereafter to all Eternity. - Let us now join together in Hymns of praife to the Lord. We readily unite in this Service. a just reason why we should always attend at the beginning of the Services. $ The short petitions before we enter upon the Office of praise seem very proper after the confeffion of Sin, which naturally inspire us with humility and a deeper sense of our own inability to please God without his assistance... |