Evening Prayer

The Minister shall begin Morning and Evening Prayer by reading one or more of the following Sentences of Scripture. On any day, save a Day of Fasting or Abstinence, or on any day when the Litany or Holy Communion is immediately to follow, the Minister may, at his discretion, pass at once from the Sentences to the Lord's Prayer and Angelic Salutation, which may never be omitted.

I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

Psalm 51:3

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 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—

To be said by 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 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.

Declaration of Absolution

Almighty 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, hath given power, and commandment, to his Ministers, to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent, the Absolution and Remission of their sins. He pardoneth and ✠ absolveth all those who 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.

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who 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.

Hail Mary, full of grace; The Lord is with thee; Blessed art thou amongst women, And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

℣. O Lord, ✠ open thou our lips. ℟. And our mouth shall show forth thy praise. ℣. O God, ✠ make speed to save us. ℟. O Lord, make haste to help us. ℣. 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. ℣. Praise ye the Lord. ℟. The Lord's Name be praised.

47, 48, 49

¹O CLAP your hands together, all ye people : O sing unto God with the voice of melody.

²For the Lord is high, and to be feared : he is the great King upon all the earth.

³He shall subdue the people under us : and the nations under our feet.

⁴He shall choose out an heritage for us : even the worship of Jacob, whom he loved.

⁵God is gone up with a merry noise : and the Lord with the sound of the trump.

⁶O sing praises, sing praises unto our God : O sing praises, sing praises unto our King.

⁷For God is the King of all the earth : sing ye praises with understanding.

⁸God reigneth over the heathen : God sitteth upon his holy seat.

⁹The princes of the people are joined unto the people of the God of Abraham: for God, which is very high exalted, doth defend the earth, as it were with a shield.

¹GREAT is the Lord, and highly to be praised : in the city of our God, even upon his holy hill.

²The hill of Sion is a fair place, and the joy of the whole earth : upon the north-side lieth the city of the great King; God is well known in her palaces as a sure refuge.

³For lo, the kings of the earth : are gathered, and gone by together.

⁴They marvelled to see such things : they were astonished, and suddenly cast down.

⁵Fear came there upon them, and sorrow : as upon a woman in her travail.

⁶Thou shalt break the ships of the sea : through the east-wind.

⁷Like as we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God : God upholdeth the same for ever.

⁸We wait for thy loving-kindness, O God : in the midst of thy temple.

⁹O God, according to thy Name, so is thy praise unto the world's end : thy right hand is full of righteousness.

¹⁰Let the mount Sion rejoice, and the daughters of Judah be glad : because of thy judgements.

¹¹Walk about Sion, and go round about her : and tell the towers thereof.

¹²Mark well her bulwarks, set up her houses : that ye may tell them that come after.

¹³For this God is our God for ever and ever : he shall be our guide unto death.

¹O HEAR ye this, all ye people : ponder it with your ears, all ye that dwell in the world;

²High and low, rich and poor : one with another.

³My mouth shall speak of wisdom : and my heart shall muse of understanding.

⁴I will incline mine ear to the parable : and shew my dark speech upon the harp.

⁵Wherefore should I fear in the days of wickedness : and when the wickedness of my heels compasseth me round about?

⁶There be some that put their trust in their goods : and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches.

⁷But no man may deliver his brother : nor make agreement unto God for him;

⁸For it cost more to redeem their souls : so that he must let that alone for ever;

⁹Yea, though he live long : and see not the grave.

¹⁰For he seeth that wise men also die, and perish together : as well as the ignorant and foolish, and leave their riches for other.

¹¹And yet they think that their houses shall continue for ever : and that their dwelling-places shall endure from one generation to another; and call the lands after their own names.

¹²Nevertheless, man will not abide in honour : seeing he may be compared unto the beasts that perish; this is the way of them.

¹³This is their foolishness : and their posterity praise their saying.

¹⁴They lie in the hell like sheep, death gnaweth upon them, and the righteous shall have domination over them in the morning : their beauty shall consume in the sepulchre out of their dwelling.

¹⁵But God hath delivered my soul from the place of hell : for he shall receive me.

¹⁶Be not thou afraid, though one be made rich : or if the glory of his house be increased;

¹⁷For he shall carry nothing away with him when he dieth : neither shall his pomp follow him.

¹⁸For while he lived, he counted himself an happy man : and so long as thou doest well unto thyself, men will speak good of thee.

¹⁹He shall follow the generation of his fathers : and shall never see light.

²⁰Man being in honour hath no understanding : but is compared unto the beasts that perish.

℣. 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.

Deuteronomy 5:1-22

¹And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the rules that I speak in your hearing today, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them.

²The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.

³Not with our fathers did the LORD make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive today.

⁴The LORD spoke with you face to face at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire,

⁵while I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the LORD. For you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up into the mountain. He said:

⁶“‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

⁷“‘You shall have no other gods before me.

⁸“‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

⁹You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,

¹⁰but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

¹¹“‘You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

¹²“‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you.

¹³Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

¹⁴but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.

¹⁵You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

¹⁶“‘Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

¹⁷“‘You shall not murder.

¹⁸“‘And you shall not commit adultery.

¹⁹“‘And you shall not steal.

²⁰“‘And you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

²¹“‘And you shall not covet your neighbor's wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.’

²²“These words the LORD spoke to all your assembly at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and he added no more. And he wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.

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 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 showed 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.

Romans 3

¹Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?

²Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.

³What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?

⁴By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.”

⁵But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.)

⁶By no means! For then how could God judge the world?

⁷But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?

⁸And why not do evil that good may come? — as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.

⁹What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,

¹⁰as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;

¹¹no one understands; no one seeks for God.

¹²All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

¹³“Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.”

¹⁴“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”

¹⁵“Their feet are swift to shed blood;

¹⁶in their paths are ruin and misery,

¹⁷and the way of peace they have not known.”

¹⁸“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

¹⁹Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.

²⁰For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

²¹But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it —

²²the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:

²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

²⁴and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

²⁵whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

²⁶It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

²⁷Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.

²⁸For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

²⁹Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,

³⁰since God is one — who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

³¹Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

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.

℣. 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.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary: Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell; The third day he rose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty: From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost: The holy Catholic Church; The Communion of Saints: The Forgiveness of sins: The Resurrection of the body: ✠ And the Life everlasting. Amen.

℣. The Lord be with you. or, O Lord, hear our prayer. ℟. And with thy spirit. or, And let our cry come unto thee.

℣. Let us pray. ℣. Lord, have mercy upon us. ℟. Christ, have mercy upon us. ℣. Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil. Amen.

℣. O Lord, show thy mercy upon us. ℟. And grant us thy salvation. ℣. O Lord, save the State. ℟. And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee. ℣. Endue thy Ministers with righteousness. ℟. And make thy chosen people joyful. ℣. O Lord, save thy people. ℟. And bless thine inheritance. ℣. Give peace in our time, O Lord. ℟. For it is thou, Lord, only, that makest us dwell in safety. ℣. O God, make clean our hearts within us. ℟. And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.

Collect of the Day

Wednesday after the 13th Sunday after Trinity

Almighty and merciful God, of whose only gift it cometh that thy faithful people do unto thee true and laudable service; Grant, we beseech thee, that we may so faithfully serve thee in this life, that we fail not finally to attain thy heavenly promises. Through.

A Collect for Peace

O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed; Give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee, we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

A Collect for Aid against Perils

Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

℣. The Lord be with you. or, O Lord, hear our prayer. ℟. And with thy spirit. or, And let our cry come unto thee. ℣. Let us bless the Lord (alleluia, alleluia.) ℟. Thanks be to God (alleluia, alleluia.) ℣. May the souls ✠ of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. ℟. Amen.

The following Prayers shall be omitted here when the Great Litany is said, and may be omitted when the Holy Communion is to follow. The Prayer for the Head of State is here said.

A Prayer for the Clergy and People

Almighty and everlasting God, from whom cometh every good and perfect gift; Send down upon our Bishops, and other Clergy, and upon the Congregations committed to their charge, the healthful Spirit of thy grace; and, that they may truly please thee, pour upon them the continual dew of thy blessing. Grant this, O Lord, for the honour of our Advocate and Mediator, Jesus Christ. Amen.

A Prayer for all Sorts & Conditions of Men

O 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 and relieve them, according to their several 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

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we, thine unworthy servants, do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all men; (to those who desire now to offer up their praises and thanksgivings for thy late mercies vouchsafed unto them.) We bless thee for our creation, 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 our selves 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

Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications 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.

The Grace

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.