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 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;

2.

A general Confession to be said of the whole 3. Congregation after the Minister, all kneel- 4 ing.

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

5

3.

4.

God, 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 hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.

2

The Absolution, or Remission of sins, to be pronounced by the Priest alone, standing; the people still kneeling.

ALMIG

LMIGHTY God, 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 pronounce to his people, being penitent, the Absolution and 6. 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.

8.

The people shall answer here, and at the end of all other Prayers,
AMEN.

1. Aot only for our own credit & repute, but that gooi name
may be honored also. __
2. One of the few words preserved in all churches without
translation. Some have likewise Alleluia & Hosannah
as in our Bible: but in the Prayer Brook, we have translated
them into "Praise qe the Lord" & "&God, make speed &c. "M
is itself a prayer : except after a creed te : or in the Commi
: nation. The Jews ascribe great efficacy tit, and it was
Coudly pronounced in the primitive church.

3. Not a declaration of absolution sc.
4. That no deacon (or layman) may read it, is clear

: cisim

read it, is clear from the de: of the Bishops at the Savoy conference, in answer to the Presbyterians' desire that "the word "Minister" &? by used instead of Priest... hither can the ordinary decide to the contrary & permit a deacon to do so. _ See Appendix. K. of authority.

5. Brause it is an act

6. If this is a mere declaration of pardon, it seems thigh: : Car that it &? be placed of just after Confessim, in order to comfort sinners, & induce sorrow & repentance: indeed the first of the sentences has this effect : and a Deacon may read it. – Asain, if it comt implied no more than that upon repentance all sinners are pardoned, it might have been equally pronounced to ale present, & not limited to those "bing penitent" : but as the impenitent are left out, we may conclude that it is truly effective, by means of the Priests reading & pronouncing it, the he he knows not bowhom it is applied, nor can he restrain it's power. Being to be used in a mixed congregation, it is drawn up in a declarative form, for the minister not known whether all are dincue penitents, is not allowed to prostitute so sacred an ordinance promiscuously surongst the good bad._ as a bracon may not und this, he must proceed at once to the Lord's Prayer. 7. Ser Appendix. I.1. A.

8. Ser Appendix. P.I. B.

9. See Appendix. P.1. E.

cause it is an

1. From Earth to Whitsuntide, in the punitive Church, they were accustomed to pray standing. _ The publican in y Temple stood, & our Lord said," when ge stand praying te. 2. Until the Cast review, the minister said it alone, the people joining only at the words "deliver us from evil": The Doxology is sometimes added, sometimes not: here be: office of praise. The reviewers who added it were justified in to doing, because it is found in many ancient copies of & Matt. Gospel, is in the Syrine versions in the Early Greek liturgies te . _ And it is not probable that we have so tampered with such a composition as &o have interpolated it into I. Matt: Gospel.__ He do not know the exact grounds. grouss on wh the reviewers added the sentences &c but reverence for this prayer highly probable._ In all other offices of the Church, scept in the Communim (towh there is usually as a prepara: : tion the daily prayers) the Lord's Payer is uniformly prefaced with the Kyrie Eleison &c._ And at any rate the propriety of the addition is unquestionable: els we cannot so properly call God" Our Father". _

any

3. See Appendix . P.1. C!

4. Responses were anciently used in the primitive church, after the model of the Jews: among whom we must however rr: : member that the Priest, & Levites only performed them. They are plected from the Psalmus, and connect the preceding, penitential part of the service, with enther they belong with the Eucharistic, whe immediaks follows.

7.

Called the lesser doxology, in distinction to the "Glory be God on high &c "und in the communion. (Lesser, good by custom) . _ It has been used instead of other variations, since the intro: duction of the Arian heresy. — See Appendix. D.

:

529

S. An addition not used at first, but in oppositim also to Aria: : nism. _ It rests upon the testimony of Scripture — The 1! Expres mention we have of the clause is in the 2nd Con: of Paisons in France. 9. 777. which word itself is appointed in Edwo: 1. ^ B.. Lobe used from Easter to Trinity Sunday after these versicles.

so. This was introduced at the last review. Defne wh however it was in the Scotch Book of Ch: 15 - 7 20m Wh many of the altera: :tions of 16by were tation. ww was not to be sung account to Edw: / Book. _ Called invitatoy, because ancienty before all wees assembled, both to warn the twiterer, and fill up the time

11. The following is not the invitatry but the 6th wern of it.

Then the Minister shall kneel, and say the Lord's Prayer with an 1. audible voice; the people also kneeling, and repeating it with 2. him, both here, and wheresoever else it is used in Divine Service.

UR Father, which art in heaven, Hal- 3. lowed 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. 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.

And

Answer. And our mouth shall shew forth thy_praise.

Priest. O God, 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;

4.

5.

6.

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 this Psalm following: except on Easter-Day, upon which another Anthem is appointed; and on the Nineteenth day of every Month it is not to be read here, but in the ordinary course of the Psalms.

9.

10.

11.