[Sd. 1892] [Ed. 1790, Sds. 1793-1871] And forgiveness of the same, by his infinite goodness and mercy. 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.1 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.2 The Declaration of Absolution, or Remission of Sins. To be made by the Priest alone, standing; the people still kneeling.3 A 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, 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. The People shall answer here, and at the end of every Prayer, Amen. 1 Until the Sd. of 1845 this rubric stood thus as in the Sealed Books:A general Confession to be said by the whole Congregation after the Minister, all kneeling. 2 In the Ed. of 1790 and the Sd. of 1793 the word Amen is everywhere printed in Italics, but in the Sd. of 1822 it was for the first time printed in Roman type at the end of prayers to be said by the Minister and people together, or by the Minister alone. [Prop. Bk. 1786] [Eng. Bk. 1775 (1662)] 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: ¶ A general Confession to be said of the whole Congregation after the Minister, all kneeling. A 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." A Declaration concerning the Forgiveness of Sins; to be made by the Minister alone, standing; the People still kneeling. A Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults. Restore thou them that are penitent; According to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord. The Absolution, or Remission of sins, to be pronounced by the Priest alone, standing; the people still kneeling. 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 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. ¶ The people shall answer here, and at the end of all other prayers, Amen. 3 Until the Sd. of 1845 this rubric was printed thus: ¶The Declaration of Absolution, or Remission of Sins; to be made by the PRIEST alone, standing; the people still kneeling. 4 we chiefly [Prop. Bk.] 6 Amen [Prop. Bk.] The Prop. Bk. omits "who." 5 to be said by [Prop. Bk.] 8 those who [Prop. Bk.] [Sd. 1892] Ed. 1790, Sds. 1793-1871] Or this. LMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all those who, with hearty repentance and true faith, turn unto him; Have mercy upon you; pardon and deliver you from all your sins; confirm and strengthen you in all goodness; and bring you to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.1 ¶ Then the Minister shall kneel, and say the Lord's Prayer; the People still kneeling, and repeating it with him, both here, and wheresoever else it is used in Divine Service. UR Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy Name; Thy Kindom 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. ¶ Then likewise he shall say, O Lord, open thou our lips. Answ. And our mouth shall show forth thy praise. ¶Here, all standing up, the Minister shall say, Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; Answer. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.2 1 "The introducing in this place of the second Absolution, the same as in the Communion Service, has been objected to on a ground not foreseen. My view of the subject, and I suppose that of others, was as follows. The words of the first Absolution fall short of the precatory form which prevailed in the Primitive Church, and indeed, seems below its name for altho' it affirms a certain authority in the speaker, he is not made to exercise the authority on those before him, however possessed of the necessary requisites. The other form in the Communion Service (sic, but probably a slip for "Visitation Service") properly discarded from ours, is in a tone not warranted by ancient usage. The unforeseen objection has been grounded on a wish to restrict the precatory form to the time and to the recipients of the Communion. I fear that this countenances the delusion of recourse to the holy ordinance as a periodical sponge. Perhaps a similar abuse may be inci [Prop. Bk. 1786] [Eng. Bk. 1775 (1662)] ¶ Then the Minister shall kneel, and say the Lord's Prayer with an audible voice; the people also kneeling, and repeating it with him, both here, and wheresoever else it is used in Divine Service. UR Father, which art in UR Father, who art in heaven, heaven, Hallowed be thy 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 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. ¶ Then likewise he shall say, O Lord, open thou our lips: Answ. And our mouth shall shew forth thy praise. Minister. O God, make speed to save us. Answ. O Lord, make haste to help us. Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy Then likewise he shall say, Priest. O God, make speed to save us. Answ. O Lord, make haste to help us. Here all standing up, the Min-¶Here all standing up, the Priest shall say, ister shall say, Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost; Answ. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen. dental to Mr. Wheately's notion of the Minister's reading of the Absolution in the Service. The correct doctrine, as apparent to me, is, that the truth in the form applies at any time, and by whomsoever said, the proper conditions being found, and that the only difference between its being declared by a proper Minister, or by another person, is, that the former is acting under a commission, a circumstance the most likely to wing what he says with comfort."—(Letter of Bp. White to Bp. Brownell.) 2 In American Books the Gloria Patri both here and in Evening Prayer was without the Amen" until the Sd. of 1845, in some editions of which the 66 Amen was inserted. The word was formally introduced in the Sd. of 1871. Vide Report of the Committee of 1844, and a Letter of the Rev. T. W. Coit, D. D., printed in the Journal of the Convention of 1868, pp. 455, 474. [Sd. 1892] Minister. Praise ye the Lord. Answ. The Lord's name be praised. [Ed. 1790, Sds. 1793-1871] Then shall be said or sung the following Anthem; except on those days for which other Anthems are appointed; and except also, when it is used in the course of the Psalms, on the nineteenth day of the month. Venite, exultemus Domino. COME, let us sing unto the Lord, let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and show ourselves glad in him with Psalms. For the Lord is a great God; and a great King above all gods. In his hand are all the corners of the earth; and the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it; and his hands prepared the dry land. O come, let us worship and fall down; and kneel before the Lord, our Maker. For he is the Lord our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth stand in awe of him. For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth; and with righteousness to judge the world, and the people with his truth.2 ¶Then shall follow a Portion of the Psalms, as they are appointed, or one of the Selections of Psalms. And at the end of 1 ¶ Then shall follow a PORTION of the Psalms, as they are appointed, or one of the SELECTIONS of Psalms set forth by this By the action of the Conventions of 1889 and 1892, all the Canticles, as well as the Psalter, are in the Standard of 1892 punctuated with the musical colon, as in the English Book. 2" We left out the latter part of the 'Venite' as being limited to the condition of the Jews, but I wish we had ended with the seventh verse, as |