A general Confession to be said by the whole Congregation after the Minister. 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 miserable offenders. Spare thou those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore thou those who are penitent, According to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, 0 most merciful Father, That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life; To the glory of thy holy name. Amen. Then shall the Minister say this Prayer. ALMIGHTY God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who desirest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live; pardon and absolve all those who truly repent, and unfeignedly believe the holy gospel. We beseech thee to grant us true repentance, and thy holy Spirit ; that those things may please thee 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 thine eternal joy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Or this. O MOST mighty God and merciful Father, who hast compassion upon all men, and hatest nothing that thou hast made; who wouldest not the death of a sinner, but that he should rather turn from his sin and be saved; mercifully forgive us our trespasses; receive and and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen. comfort us, who are griev ed with the burden of Then likewise he shall say, O LORD, open thou our lips; Answ. And our mouth shall show forth thy praise. Min. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise our sins. Thy property God; Answ. Be honor and Jesus through glory, Christ, for ever and ever. Amen. Min. Praise ye the Answ. The Lord's name be praised. Then shall be said, by the Minister and People alternately, the Psalms for the Day. And at the close of the Psalms shall be repeated the following Doxology. NOW unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God; Be honor and glory, through Jesus Christ, for ever and ever. Amen. Then may follow an Anthem or a Voluntary on the Organ, after which the minister shall read the FIRST LESSON, from the Old Testament; and at the end of it he shall say, Here endeth the First Lesson. Then shall be sung, or else said, by the Minister and People alternately, the song of the Virgin Mary, as followeth. LUKE, I. 46. MY soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden. For behold, from henceforth, all generations shall call me blessed. For he who is mighty hath magnified me; and holy is his name. 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. Or else this Psalm. PSALM 98. 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 shown is on in the sight of the heahim, then. And his mercy them that fear throughout all generations. He hath shown strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 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 God. Show yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands; sing, rejoice, and give thanks. Praise the Lord upon the harp; sing to the harp with a psalm of thanksgiving; With trumpets also and shawms, O show yourselves joyful before the Lord the king. Let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is; the round world, and they that dwell therein. Let the floods clap their hands; and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth. With righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity. Then shall the Minister read the SECOND LESSON, from the New Testament, and at the end of it he shall say, Here endeth the Second Lesson. Then shall be sung, or else said, by the Minister and People alternately, the song of Simeon, as followeth. LUKE, II. 29. LORD, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; To be a light to lighten the Gentiles; and to be the glory of thy people Israel. Or else this Psalm. PSALM 67. GOD be merciful unto us, and bless us; and show us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us; That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. Let the people praise thee, O God; yea, let all the people praise thee. O let the nations rejoice and be glad; for thou shalt judge the folk righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Let the people praise thee, O God; yea, let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth bring forth her increase; and God, even our own God, shall give us his blessing. God shall bless us, and all the ends of the world shall fear him. works do proceed; give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that both our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that being defended by thee from the fear of our enemies, we may pass our time in rest and quietness, through Min. The Lord be Jesus Christ our Saviour. THE COLLECT FOR PEACE. lords, who dost from thy O GOD, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just throne behold all the dwellers upon the earth; most heartily we beseech thee with thy favor to be |