and with all the soul; and to love our neighbour as ourselves, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. 1 Cor. viii. 6, Mark xii. 33. 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 God our heavenly Father, but confess them with a 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 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 by the whole Congregation after the Minister; all kneeling or standing. 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.-But thou, O LORD, have mercy upon us. Spare thou them, O God, who confess their faults. Restore thou them that are penitent; According to thy promises declared unto mankind by Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous and sober life, to the glory of thy holy name. Amen. The following Prayer to be said by the Minister alone. ALMIGHTY God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid; purify the thoughts of our hearts, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. At the end of this and all other Prayers, the word Amen is to be said by the Choir and the Congregation. To be said by the Congregation after the Minister. OUR Father who 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 ever. Amen. Then shall the Minister say, O Lord, open thou our lips; Congregation. And our mouth shall shew forth thy praise. Here all stand up. Then shall be read part of the xcvth Psalm, in alternate verses, by the Minister and Congregation, or otherwise chanted by the Choir. Psalm xcv. O COME, let us sing unto the LORD; let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; and shew ourselves glad in him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God; and a great King above all gods. In his hand are all the depths of the earth; and the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it; and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship, and bow down, and kneel before the LORD our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Minister. Glory Glory be to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God; Congregation. As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Then shall be read the FIRST LESSON, taken out of the Old Testament; the Minister standing, the Congregation sitting. After that let the following Hymn be read, in alternate_verses, by the Minister and Congregation standing; or otherwise chanted by the choir. WE praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the LORD. All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting. Holy, Holy, Holy: Lord God of Sabaoth. Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory. The Christian church throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee; The Father of an infinite majesty ; Also, thine honourable, true, and wellbeloved Son; whom thou hast sent to be the Saviour of the world. When he had overcome the sharpness of death, he opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. He sitteth at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father: Whence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. We pray thee, therefore, help thy servants, whom he hath redeemed from death: Make them to be numbered with thy saints in glory everlasting. O LORD, save thy people, and bless thine heritage. Govern them, and lift them up for ever. |