EVENING PRAYER,

DAILY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

¶ 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.

WHEN the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and
right, he shall save his soul alive.    Ezekiel 18. 27.
    I acknowledge my transgressions : and my sin is ever before me.    Psalm 51. 3.
    Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Psalm 51. 9.
    The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit : a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.    Psalm 51. 17.
    Rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Loan your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.    Joel 2. 13.
    To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him : neither have we obeyed the voice of the Loan our God, to walk in his laws which he set before us.    Daniel 9. 9, 10.
    O LORD, correct me, but with judgement; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.    Jeremiah 10.24; Psalm 6.1.
    Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.    St. Matthew 3. 2.
    I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.    St. Luke 15. 18, 19.
    Enter not into judgement with thy servant, O Lord; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.    Psalm 143. 2.
    If we say that we have no sin, we deceive our. selves, and the truth is not in us : but, if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us out sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 St. John 1. 8, 9.

¶ Then shall the Minister say this Exhortation, or a portion thereof:

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 cloke 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 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.

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, 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.

¶ 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 joys through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶ 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.
    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 the Psalms of the day of the month, or one or more of them; or the Psalms proper to the Day. Then a Lesson of the Old Testament, a is appointed. And after that, Magnificat (or the Song of the Blessed Virgin Mary), as followeth; except when that shall happen to he read in the Lesson of the Day.

MAGNIFICAT.

St. Luke 1. 46.

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 shewed 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.

Or else this Psalm except when it is read in the ordinary course of the Psalms.

CANTATE DOMINO.

Psalm 98.

O SING unto the LORD a new song : for he hath done marvellous things.
    With his own right hand, and with his holy arm : hath he gotten himself the victory.
    The LORD declared his salvation : his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.
    He hath remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel : and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God.

    SHEW yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands : sing, rejoice, and give thanks.
    Praise the Lord upon the harp : sing to the harp with a psalm of thanksgiving.
    With trumpets also and shawms : O shew yourselves joyful before the Lord, the King.

    LET the sea make a noise and all that therein is : the round world, and they that dwell therein.
    Let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the LORD : for he cometh to judge the earth.
    With righteousness shall he judge the world : and the people with equity.

    GLORY be to the Father, sad 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 from the New Testament as it is appointed. And after that, Nunc Dimittis (or the Song of Simeon), as followeth; except when that shall happen to be read in the Lesion of the Day.

NUNC DIMITTIS.

St. Luke 2. 29.

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.

Or else this Psalm; except when it is read in the ordinary course of the Psalms.

DEUS MISEREATUR.

Psalm 67.

GOD be merciful unto us, and bless us : and shew us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us;
    That thy way may be known upon earth : thy saving health among all nations.
    Let the people praise thee, O God : yea, let all the people praise thee.

    O LET the nations rejoice and be glad : for thou shalt judge the folk righteously, and govern the nations upon earth.
    Let the people praise thee, O God : yea, let all the people praise thee.

    THEN shall the earth bring forth her increase : and God, even our own God, shall give us his blessing.
    God shall bless us : and all the ends of the world shall fear 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 shall be said or sung 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;
    Answer. And with thy spirit.
    Minister. Let us pray.

¶ When this Office is used in conjunction with any other Service in the Book of Common Prayer, the Minister may omit the Lord's Prayer and the three Versicles preceding it.

    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;
    Answer. And grant us thy salvation.
    ^N.I.[Priest. O Lord, save the King;]
    ^R.I.[Priest. O Lord, guide and defend our Rulers;]
    Answer. And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
    Priest. Endue thy Ministers with righteousness;
    Answer. And make thy chosen people joyful.
    Priest. O Lord, save thy people;
    Answer. And bless thine inheritance.
    Priest. Give peace in our time, O Lord;
    Answer. Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God.
    Priest. O God, make clean our hearts within us;
    Answer. And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.
 

¶ Then shall follow three Collects : the first, of the Day; the second, for Peace; the third, for Aid against all Perils, or that for Grace and Protection, as hereafter followeth.

The Second Collect at Evening Prayer.

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.

Or this:

For Grace and Protection.

O ALMIGHTY Lord, and everlasting God, vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to direct, sanctify, and govern both our hearts and bodies, in the ways of thy laws, and in the works of thy commandments; that through thy most mighty protection, both here and ever, we may be preserved in body and soul through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

¶ Here may follow an Anthem or Hymn.

¶ Then may be said these Prayers following, or the Litany, or such other Prayers taken out of this Book, as the Minister shall think fit ; the whole to conclude with A Prayer of St. Chrysostom and The grace of, etc.

^N.I.[A Prayer for the King's Majesty.

O LORD, our heavenly Father, 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, King GEORGE; and so replenish him with the grace of thy Holy Spirit, that he may alway 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.]
 

^N.I.[A Prayer for the Royal Family.

ALMIGHTY God, the fountain of all goodness, we humbly beseech thee to bless our gracious Queen Elizabeth, Mary the Queen Mother, the Princess Elizabeth, and all the Royal Family : Endue them with thy Holy Spirit; enrich them with thy heavenly grace ; prosper them with all happiness; and bring them to thine everlasting kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ]

^N.I.[A Prayer for the Chief Governors in Ireland.

¶ No Chief Governor is to be prayed for until he be sworn.

ALMIGHTY God, from whom all power is derived ; We humbly beseech thee to bless thy servants, the Chief Governors in Ireland. Let thy grace enlighten them, thy goodness confirm them, and thy providence protect them; and grant that they, and all who are in authority under them, may advance thy glory, the honour of his Majesty the King, and the welfare of this our land; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.]

^N.I.[A Prayer for the High Court of Parliament, and the Parliaments in Ireland,

to be read during their respective sessions.

MOST gracious God, we humbly beseech thee, as for this kingdom in general, so especially for [the High Court of Parliament, and] the Parliaments* in Ireland, under our Sovereign Lord the King at this time assembled, that thou wouldst be pleased to direct and prosper all their consultations to the advancement of thy glory, the good of thy Church, the safety, honour, and welfare of our Sovereign, and his Dominions : that all things may be so ordered and settled by their endeavours, upon the best and surest foundations, that peace and happiness, truth and justice, religion and piety, may be established among us for all generations. These and all other necessaries, for them, for us, and thy whole Church, we humbly beg in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ our most blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen.]

¶ Instead of the Prayers for the King's Majesty, for the Royal Family, for the Chief Governors in Ireland, and for the High Court of Parliament and the Parliaments in Ireland, may be said the following
 

In later Prayer Books, the names are omitted in this Prayer, and the following note added:

* Here shall be said the names and the titles of members of the Royal Family, as directed.

^N.I.[A Prayer for the King and Commonwealth.

O LORD, God of our fathers, we humbly beseech thee to look with thy favour upon our Country and Empire, and preserve them from all perils. Save and protect our Sovereign Lord, King GEORGE, enrich him plenteously with heavenly gifts, and prosper his counsels for the welfare of his people. Bless also our gracious Queen Elizabeth, Mary the Queen Mother, the Princess Elizabeth and all the Royal Family. Guard in thy good providence this our land. Bless and direct the Chief Governors in Ireland, and those who bear rule under them. Endue with wisdom and strength the ministers of the Crown, [the High Court of Parliament, and] the Parliaments* in Ireland, at this time assembled, and all who are set in authority; grant them so to use the power entrusted to them for thy honour and glory that righteousness and peace may be established among us for all generations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.]  

^R.I.[A Prayer for The President and all in authority.

ALMIGHTY God, who rulest over the nations of the world; We commend to thy merciful care the people of this land, that, being guarded by thy providence, they may dwell secure in thy peace. Grant to The President of this State and to all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do thy will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness, that they may serve thy people faithfully to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.]

^R.I.[A Prayer for the Parliaments in Ireland,

to be read during their respective sessions,

ALMIGHTY God, the fountain of all goodness; We humbly beseech thee for the Parliaments* in Ireland, that thou wouldest be pleased substituted. so to direct and prosper their consultations, that all things may be ordered in wisdom, righteousness, and peace, to the honour of thy holy Name, and the good of thy Church and people; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.]

A Prayer for the Clergy and People.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who alone workest great marvels Send down upon our Bishops and Clergy, and all People 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.

¶ Then may be said this Prayer following:

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 the good estate of the Catholick Church; 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, m mind, body, or estate; [*especially those for whom our prayers are desired;] that it prayers 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 his sake. 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.

2 Cor. 13. 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 for Evening Prayer throughout the year.

In later Prayer Books, the names are omitted in this Prayer, and the following note added:

* Here shall be said the names and the titles of members of the Royal Family, as directed.