¶ At the beginning of Evening Prayer the Minister shall read with a loud voice some one or more of these Sentences of the Scriptures that follow. And then he shall say that which is written after the said Sentences.
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Psalm 51:9
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 after me;
¶ A general Confession to be said of 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 them, O God, who 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.
¶ The Absolution or Remission of sins to be pronounced by the Priest alone, standing: the people still kneeling.
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; and 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 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.
¶ Then the Minister shall kneel, and say the Lord's Prayer: the people also kneeling, and repeating it with him.
OUR Father, which 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, The power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.
¶ Then likewise he shall say,
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.
¶ Here, all standing up, the Priest shall say,
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.
Psalm 37
F1ret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!
2For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.
3Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.
6He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.
7Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
8Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
9For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.
10In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
11But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.
12The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him,
13but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.
14The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright;
15their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
16Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.
17For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
18The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever;
19they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance.
20But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish — like smoke they vanish away.
21The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives;
22for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
23The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way;
24though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand.
25I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.
26He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.
27Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever.
28For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
29The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.
30The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
31The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.
32The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death.
33The LORD will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.
34Wait for the LORD and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
35I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
36But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found.
37Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.
38But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off.
39The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
40The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.
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.
¶ Then a Lesson of the Old Testament, as is appointed. And after that Magnificat (or the Song of the blessed Virgin Mary) in English, as followeth.
A1nd when the tumult of men that were about the council was ceased, Holofernes the chief captain of the army of Assur said unto Achior and all the Moabites before all the company of other nations,
2And who art thou, Achior, and the hirelings of Ephraim, that thou hast prophesied against us as to day, and hast said, that we should not make war with the people of Israel, because their God will defend them? and who is God but Nabuchodonosor?
3He will send his power, and will destroy them from the face of the earth, and their God shall not deliver them: but we his servants will destroy them as one man; for they are not able to sustain the power of our horses.
4For with them we will tread them under foot, and their mountains shall be drunken with their blood, and their fields shall be filled with their dead bodies, and their footsteps shall not be able to stand before us, for they shall utterly perish, saith king Nabuchodonosor, lord of all the earth: for he said, None of my words shall be in vain.
5And thou, Achior, an hireling of Ammon, which hast spoken these words in the day of thine iniquity, shalt see my face no more from this day, until I take vengeance of this nation that came out of Egypt.
6And then shall the sword of mine army, and the multitude of them that serve me, pass through thy sides, and thou shalt fall among their slain, when I return.
7Now therefore my servants shall bring thee back into the hill country, and shall set thee in one of the cities of the passages:
8And thou shalt not perish, till thou be destroyed with them.
9And if thou persuade thyself in thy mind that they shall be taken, let not thy countenance fall: I have spoken it, and none of my words shall be in vain.
10Then Holofernes commanded his servants, that waited in his tent, to take Achior, and bring him to Bethulia, and deliver him into the hands of the children of Israel.
11So his servants took him, and brought him out of the camp into the plain, and they went from the midst of the plain into the hill country, and came unto the fountains that were under Bethulia.
12And when the men of the city saw them, they took up their weapons, and went out of the city to the top of the hill: and every man that used a sling kept them from coming up by casting of stones against them.
13Nevertheless having gotten privily under the hill, they bound Achior, and cast him down, and left him at the foot of the hill, and returned to their lord.
14But the Israelites descended from their city, and came unto him, and loosed him, and brought him to Bethulia, and presented him to the governors of the city:
15Which were in those days Ozias the son of Micha, of the tribe of Simeon, and Chabris the son of Gothoniel, and Charmis the son of Melchiel.
16And they called together all the ancients of the city, and all their youth ran together, and their women, to the assembly, and they set Achior in the midst of all their people. Then Ozias asked him of that which was done.
17And he answered and declared unto them the words of the council of Holofernes, and all the words that he had spoken in the midst of the princes of Assur, and whatsoever Holofernes had spoken proudly against the house of Israel.
18Then the people fell down and worshipped God, and cried unto God. saying,
19O Lord God of heaven, behold their pride, and pity the low estate of our nation, and look upon the face of those that are sanctified unto thee this day.
20Then they comforted Achior, and praised him greatly.
21And Ozias took him out of the assembly unto his house, and made a feast to the elders; and they called on the God of Israel all that night for help.
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.
¶ Then a Lesson of the New Testament, as it is appointed. And after that Nunc dimittis (or the Song of Simeon) in English, as followeth.
W1orking together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
2For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
3We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,
4but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities,
5beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;
6by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love;
7by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;
8through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true;
9as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed;
10as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
11We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open.
12You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections.
13In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.
14Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
15What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?
16What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,
18and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”
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.
¶ Then shall be sung or said the Apostles' Creed, by the Minister and the people standing.
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 Catholick Church; The Communion of Saints: The Forgiveness of sins: The Resurrection of the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen.
¶ And after that, these Prayers following, all devoutly kneeling: the Minister first pronouncing with a loud voice,
The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.
¶ Minister: Let us pray.
Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us.
¶ Then the Minister, Clerks, and people shall say the Lord's Prayer with a loud voice.
OUR Father, which 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. Amen.
¶ Then the Priest standing up shall say,
O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us.
And grant us thy salvation.
O Lord, save the King.
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.
Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God.
O God, make clean our hearts within us.
And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.
Collect of the Day
¶ Then shall follow three Collects; the first of the day; The second for Peace; The third for Aid against all Perils, as hereafter followeth: which two last Collects shall be daily said at Evening Prayer without alteration.
Collect of the Day
Wednesday after the 18th Sunday after Trinity
LORD, we beseech thee, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow thee the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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 both 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.
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.
O LORD, our heavenly Father, the high and mighty, King of kings, Lord of lords, the only Ruler of princes, who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers upon earth; Most heartily we beseech thee with thy favour to behold our most gracious Sovereign Lord, the King; and so replenish him with the grace of thy Holy Spirit, that he may always incline to thy will, and walk in thy way. Endue him plenteously with heavenly gifts; grant him in health and wealth long to live; strengthen him that he may vanquish and overcome all his enemies; and finally, after this life, he may attain everlasting joy and felicity; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who alone workest great marvels; Send down upon our Bishops, and Curates, and all 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.
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 of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.