A Prayer for all Conditions of Men. GOD, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of men; that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all nations. More especially we pray for thy holy Church universal; that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those who are any ways afflicted, or distressed, in mind, body, or estate; [*especially those for whom our prayers are desired,] that it may please thee to comfort said when any and relieve them, according to their several Prayers of the necessities, giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. A General Thanksgiving. *This may be desire the Congregation. ALMIGHTY God, Father of all mercies, we thing *This may any desire to for mercies them. unworthy servants, do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us, and to all men ; [*particularly to those who desire now to offer up their praises and be said when thanksgivings for thy late mercies vouchsafed return thanks unto them.] We bless thee for our creation, vouchsafed to preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, and that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives; by giving up ourselves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen. A Prayer of St. Chrysostom. LMIGHTY God, who hast given us grace at this ALMIGHTY word to make our common sup plications unto thee; and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests; Fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen. 2 Cor. xiii. 14. THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen. Here endeth the Order of Morning Prayer. DAILY THE ORDER FOR EVENING PRAYER. The Minister shall begin the EVENING PRAYER by reading one or more of the following Sentences of Scripture, and then he shall say that which is written after them. But on days other than the Lord's Day, he may, at his discretion, pass at once from the Sentences to the Lord's Prayer. THE HE LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him. Hab. ii. 20. LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. Psalm xxvi. 8. Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense; and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice. Psalm cxli. 2. O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth stand in awe of him. Psalm xcvi. 9. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Psalm li. 17. I acknowledge my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me. Hide thy face from my sins; and blot out all mine iniquities. Psalm li. 3, 9. 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 ii. 13. O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing. Jer. x. 24. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 St. John i. 8, 9. Watch ye, for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: lest Advent. coming suddenly he find you sleeping. St. Mark xiii. 35, 36. Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. Rev. xxi. 3. Christmas-day. Come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD. And he will teach us of his ways, and we Epiphany. will walk in his paths. Isai. ii. 5, 3. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on Easter-day. the right hand of God. Col. iii. 1. Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. Heb. ix. 24. Ascension-day. The Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Rev. xxii. 17. Whitsun-day. O send out thy light and thy truth, that they may lead me, and bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy dwelling. Psalm xliii. 3. Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. Isai. vi. 3. Trinity Sunday. LET us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty DEA ¶ Or else he shall say as followeth, EARLY 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 cloak 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 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 A General Confession. ¶To be said by 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 done; And there is no health in us. 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, 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. |