MORNING AND EVENING PRAYER.

TA general Confession( D) to be said of the whole Congregation after the Minister, all kneeling.

( 1) ALMIGHTY and most merciful Fa- 1. An acknowledge.

ment that we have offended the omni­

potent Author of our being by sins of omission and

commission.

ther; 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. ( 2) 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.

T The( E) Absolution, or Remission of sins, to be pronounced by the Priest alone, standing; the people still kneeling.

( 3) ALMIGHTY God, the Father of our

2. A petition for pardon, and for the grace of prevention.

3. A declaration of mercy, and an assu­rance of pardon on our faith and re­

Lord Jesus Christ, who desireth not pentance.

( D) Confession of sins forms part of all Christian Liturgies. It was the custom of the primitive church: but, in the church of Rome, the Priest and congregation confess for themselves separately; thereby breaking that union which in our church subsists between the Minister and the People. We are directed to kneel in the humble posture of suppliants. We find this form in the 2d edition of K. Edward's Common Prayer Book.

( E) Our church maintains that, a power of remitting sins is derived from the Apostles, to their successors in the ministry, to be pronounced by the Priest alone publicly, conditionally of penitence, and in the name of God! In the church of Rome the absolution is given privately by the Priest. This form is in the 2d ed. of King Edward's Common Prayer Book. At the last

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