thy fervant: Thou that forgetteft 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 fhall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven ; and whatsoever ye fhall loose on earth, shall be loofed in heaven: Thou art our God, the God that canst shew mercy and fave 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 blefs thee; Jefus Chrift protect and keep thee; The Holy Spirit enlighten thee all the days of thy life. The Lord pardon all thy trefpaffes and fins. Amen. And then the person fhall take his station among the Faithful. The The PENITENTIAL OFFICE, To be used on all Wednesdays and Fridays, (except those between Eafter and Pentecoft, and Christmasday,) and on the fix days next before Eafter, and on every day of the week before Holy-week but Sunday and Saturday. Note, That none are to be prefent at this Office, but the Faithful and the Penitents. The Deacon ftanding turned towards the People, fhall Say the following fentences of Scripture. REpent yes for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. S. Matth. 3. 2. When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doth that which is lawful and right, he shall fave 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 forgiveneffes, 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 fay that we have no fin, we deceive ourfelves, and the truth is not in us: But if we confess. our fins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our fins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 S. John I. 8, 9. Then Then fhall the Deacon fay the following Exhortation. DEarly beloved, the Scripture moveth us in fundry places to acknowledge and confefs our manifold fins and wickedness, and that we should not diffemble nor cloke them before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father, but confefs 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 felves to have offended, either by will, word, or deed, there let us bewail our own finfulnefs, and confefs our felves to Almighty God, with full purpose of amendment of life. And if we perceive our offences to be fuch, as are not only against God, but also against our neighbours, then let us reconcile our felves unto them, being ready to make restitution and satisfaction, according to the uttermost of our powers, for all injuries and wrongs done by us to any other; and being likewife 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 felves, that we be not judged of the Lord; let us have a lively and stedfast faith in Chrift our Saviour; and let us return to him, who is the merciful receiver of all true penitent finners; affuring our felves that he is ready to receive us, and most willing to pardon us, if we come unto him with faithful repentance; if we fubmit our felves unto, him, and from henceforth walk in his ways; if we will take his eafy yoke and light burden upon us, following him in lowlinefs, patience, and charity, being ordered by the governance of his. Holy Spirit, feeking seeking always his glory, and ferving him duly in our vocation with thanksgiving. This if we do, Chrift will deliver us from the extreme curfe, which shall light upon them that shall be fet 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 vouchfafe to bring us all of his infinite mercy. Amen. Then, after a convenient pause for recollection, shall be faid or fung (in the fame manner as the Pfalms for the day are faid or Jung) the Pfalm following. Miferere 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 wickednefs: and cleanfe me from my fin. For I acknowledge my faults; and my fin is ever before me. Against thee only have I finned, and done this evil in thy fight: that thou mightest be justified in thy faying, and clear when thou art judged. Behold, I was shapen in wickednefs: 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 hyffop, and I fhall be clean: thou shalt wash me, and I fhall be whiter than fnow. Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladnefs: that the bones which thou haft broken, may rejoice. Turn Turn thy face from my fins: and mifdeeds. put out all my Make me a clean heart, O God: and renew a right spirit within me. Caft me not away from thy prefence: 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 fhall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from blood-guiltinefs, 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 fhall fhew thy praise. For thou defireft no facrifice, elfe would I give it thee: but thou delighteft 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 facrifice of righteousness, with the burnt-offerings and oblations: then fhall 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 intenfely pray to God through his Christ. Then the Priest and People fhall fay the following Prayer, all kneeling. TURN thou us, O good Lord, and fo fhall we be turned. Be favourable, O Lord, be favourable to thy people, Who turn to thee with contrition fafting, |