thy servant: Thou that forgettest injuries, overlook all his failings, pardon his offences both voluntary and involuntary, and deliver him from eternal punishment. For thou art he who hast said, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loofed in heaven: Thou art our God, the God that canst shew mercy and save and forgive fins. To Thee therefore, with the Eternal Father, and the life-giving Spirit, is due all honour and glory, now and for ever, world without end. Amen. Then shall the Priest fay, GOD the Father bless thee; Jesus Christ protect and keep thee; The Holy Spirit enlighten thee all the days of thy life. The Lord pardon all thy trespasses and fins. Amen. And then the person shall take his station among the Faithful. The The PENITENTIAL OFFICE, To be used on all Wednesdays and Fridays, (except those between Easter and Pentecoft, and Christmasday,) and on the fix days next before Easter, and on every day of the week before Holy-week but Sunday and Saturday. Note, That none are to be present at this Office, but the Faithful and the Penitents. The Deacon ftanding turned towards the People, shall Say the following sentences of Scripture. Epent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. S. Matth. 3. 2. R When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his foul alive. Ezek. 18. 27. Rent your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious, and merciful, flow 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 Lord our God, to walk in his laws, which he fet before us, Dan. 9. 9, 10. If we say that we have no fin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us: But if we confefs. our fins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our fins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 S. John 1. 8, 9. Then Then shall the Deacon say the following Exhortation. DEarly beloved, the Scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge and confefs our manifold fins and wickedness, and that we should not difsemble 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 fame by his infinite goodness and mercy. Let us therefore examine our lives and conversations by the rule of God's commandments; and wherein foever we perceive our selves to have offended, either by will, word, or deed, there let us bewail our own finfulness, and confefs our selves to Almighty God, with full purpose of amendment of life, And if we perceive our offences to be such, as are not only againft God, but alfo against our neighbours, then let us reconcile our selves unto them, being ready to make restitution and fatisfaction, according to the uttermost of our powers, for all injuries and wrongs done by us to any other; and being likewise ready to forgive others, who have offended us, as we would have forgiveness of our offences at God's hand. Thus let us judge our selves, that we be not judged of the Lord; let us have a lively and stedfast faith in Christ our Saviour; and let us return to him, who is the merciful receiver of all true penitent finners; assuring our selves that he is ready to receive us, and most willing to pardon us, if we come unto him with faithful repentance; if we submit our selves unto, him, and from henceforth walk in his ways; if we will take his easy yoke and light burden upon us, following him in lowliness, patience, and charity, being ordered by the governance of his Holy Spirit, feeking seeking always his glory, and serving him duly in our vocation with thanksgiving. This if we do, Chrift will deliver us from the extreme curse, which shall light upon them that shall be set on his left hand; and he will fet us on his right hand, and give us the gracious benediction of his Father, commanding us to take poffeffion of his glorious kingdom: unto which may he vouchsafe to bring us all of his infinite mercy. Amen. Then, after a convenient pause for recollection, shall be faid or fung (in the same manner as the Pfalms for the day are said or Jung) the Pfalm following. Miserere mei, Deus. Pfal. 51. HAVE mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness: according to the multitude of thy mercies, do away mine offences. Wash me throughly from my wickedness: and cleanse me from my fin. For I acknowledge my faults; and my sin is ever before me. Against thee only have I finned, and done this evil in thy fight: that thou mightest be justified in thy saying, and clear when thou art judged. Behold, I was shapen in wickedness: and in fin hath my mother conceive me. But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts: and shalt make me to understand wisdom fecretly. Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness: that the bones which thou hast broken, may rejoice. Turn Turn thy face from my fins: and put out all my mifdeeds. Make me a clean heart, O God: and renew a right spirit within me. 1 Cast me not away from thy presence: and take not thy holy Spirit from me. O give me the comfort of thy help again: and stablish me with thy free Spirit. Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked: and finners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou that art the God of my health: and my tongue shall fing of thy righteousness. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord: and my mouth shall shew thy praise. For thou defirest no facrifice, else would I give it thee: but thou delightest not in burnt-offerings. The facrifice of God is a troubled spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou shalt not despise. O be favourable and gracious unto Sion: build thou the walls of Jerufalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the burnt-offerings and oblations: then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar. Then the Deacon shall turn to the People, and say, LET us fall upon our knees, and fervently and intensely pray to God through his Chrift. Then the Priest and People shall say the following Prayer, all kneeling. T URN thou us, O good Lord, and so shall we be turned. Be favourable, O Lord, be favour able to thy people, Who turn to thee with contrition fafting, |