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. _St Luke_ xv. 18, 19.
Enter not into judgement with thy servant, O Lord; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. _Psalm_ cxliii. 2.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive our selves, 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 _St John_ i. 8, 9.
| _These sentences of Scripture may be used at the beginning of_ | _Evening Prayer at the Great Festivals_.
| | _Christmas-day and seven days after_.
| | Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour which | is Christ the Lord. _St Luke_ ii. 11.
| | _Easter-day and seven days after_.
| | The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia. _St Luke_ xxiv. 34.
| | _Ascension-day and seven days after_.
| | Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting | doors; and the King of Glory shall come in. _Psalm_ xxiv. 7.
| | _Or_, We have a great high priest that is pa.s.sed into the | heavens, Jesus the Son of G.o.d. Let us therefore come boldly | unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find | grace to help in time of need. _Heb_. iv. 14, 16.
| | _Whitsunday and six days after_.
| | When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with | one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from | heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house | where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven | tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them: and they | were all filled with the Holy Ghost. _Acts_ ii. 1-4.
Dearly beloved brethren, the Scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness; and that we should not dissemble nor cloke them before the face of Almighty G.o.d 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 G.o.d; yet ought we most chiefly so to do, when we a.s.semble 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:
| _The exhortation_, Dearly beloved brethren, _except on occasions_ | _specified by the Bishop, may be omitted, or may be abbreviated_ | _as follows_: | | Dearly beloved brethren, 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; | | _Or the following may be said instead_, | | Let us humbly confess our sins to Almighty G.o.d.
_A general Confession to be said of the whole Congregation after the Minister, all kneeling_.
Almighty 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 done, And there is no health in us: But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us miserable offenders; Spare thou them, O G.o.d, 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 here after live a G.o.dly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.
_The Absolution or Remission of sins to be p.r.o.nounced by the Priest alone, standing: the people still kneeling_.
Almighty G.o.d, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live; and hath given power and commandment to his Ministers, to declare and p.r.o.nounce to his people, being penitent, the Absolution and Remission of their sins: He pardoneth and absolveth 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; so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.
_Then the Minister shall kneel, and say the Lord"s Prayer: the people also kneeling, and repeating it with him_.
Our 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 trespa.s.ses, As we forgive them that trespa.s.s 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.
_Answer_. And our mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
_Priest_. O G.o.d, make speed to save us.
_Answer_. O Lord, make haste to help us.
_Here, all standing up, the Priest shall say_,
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;
_Answer_. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.
_Priest_. Praise ye the Lord.
_Answer_. The Lord"s Name be praised.
_Then shall be said or sung the Psalms in order as they be appointed. Then a Lesson of the Old Testament, as is appointed.
And after that_ Magnificat (_or the Song of the Blessed Virgin Mary_) _in English, as followeth_.
MAGNIFICAT.
St Luke i.
My soul doth magnify the Lord: and my spirit hath rejoiced in G.o.d my Saviour.
For he hath regarded: the lowliness of his hand-maiden.
For behold, from henceforth: all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me: and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him: throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat: and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel: as he promised to our forefathers Abraham and his seed for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.
_Or else this Psalm: Except it be on the nineteenth day of the month, when it is read in the ordinary course of the Psalms_.
CANTATE DOMINO.
Psalm xcviii.
O sing unto the Lord a new song: for he hath done marvellous things.
With his own right hand, and with his holy arm: hath he gotten himself the victory.
The Lord declared his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.
He hath remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel: and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our G.o.d.
Shew yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands: sing, rejoice, and give thanks.