114 CHRISTMAS-DAY. EVENING PRAYER. All standing, the head of the family (or the priest or deacon, if present) says: . Turn Thou us, O God our Saviour. Ry. And let Thine anger cease from us. . O God, make speed to save us. Ry. O Lord, make haste to help us. V. Glory be to the Father, &c. Ry. As it was, &c. Then he says the following hymn of praise: Jesus Christ, the mighty God, was born for us to-day- let us give praise unto Him, and say: . Glory to God in the highest, Ry And peace on earth, goodwill towards men. . Blessed Jesus, true God and man, born in the form of a helpless infant, Ry. Praise and glory be to Thee for ever. . Blessed Jesus, who, with heaven for Thy throne, didst yet choose a stable for Thy abode, Ry. Praise and glory be to Thee for ever. . Blessed Jesus, who, being God incomprehensible, was yet pleased, in love to us, to be wrapped in swaddling-clothes and laid in a manger: Ry. Praise and glory be to Thee for ever. . Glory be to the Father, &c. Ry. As it was, &c. Then he says the following Psalm: PSALM 85. hast turned away the captivity of LORD, Thou art become gra- Jacob. cious unto Thy land: Thou Thou hast forgiven the offence of ΜΑ AY the reading of the Holy Word (or Holy Gospel) be unto us salvation and protection. Amen. Then he reads the short chapter following : From the First General Epistle of 'HE St. John. E that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only-begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. Then he says, . Greatly to be praised and glorious art Thou, O Christ. Ry. For Thou camest to redeem us, O Thou God of truth. . But do Thou continue to protect and bless us; Ry. And mercifully cleanse us from our sins. 11 St. John iv. 8. Then all kneeling, say the Confession and Litany following: ETERNAL God, Father Almighty, graciously vouchsafe to hear the prayers of Thy servants, who confess and bewail the innumerable sins we have most grievously committed against Thee, by thought, word, and deed; and grant, that as in compassion to lost mankind Thou didst send Thy only Son to become his Redeemer from that unhappy state, so we who are here assembled to acknowledge the mercy of this time, may find the benefit of it to our souls in the pardon of all our sins, and deliverance from all evil; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us. O Holy Trinity, three Persons and one God, Have mercy on us. We sinners do beseech Thee to hear us, and grant that as we have heard this day in Thy house of prayer what our duty is, we may by Thy grace and help be enabled to accomplish it; We beseech Thee to hear us, O Lord. Grant that as Thou hast given us Thy only-begotten Son, to take our nature upon Him, and as at this time to be born of a pure Virgin; so we, being regenerate, and made Thy children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by Thy Holy Spirit, and walk obediently in the way of Thy commandments; We beseech Thee to hear us, O Lord. Grant that as Thy blessed Son was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil, and make us the sons of God, and heirs of eternal life; so we, having this hope, may purify ourselves, even as He is pure, that when He shall appear again in power and great glory, we may be made like Him in His glorious kingdom; We beseech Thee to hear us, O Lord. And grant that as Thou hast knit together the differing Gentile nations by the confession of Christ's name, so all they who are born again in the baptismal font, may be one both in the belief of their minds and in the piety of their actions; through Christ our Lord; We beseech Thee to hear us, O Lord. O Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour, hear the prayers of Thy servants, and have mercy upon us, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. Here may be said the Prayer which is to be used when there has been Holy Communion. See Sunday Evening Prayers (page 22). Then if Christmas-Day falls on a week-day, he says the usual Week-Day Thanksgiving Prayer, as follows: ALMIGHTY God, who observest all the actions, thoughts, and secret motions of our hearts, and who watchest over us with an incomparable love, every moment bestowing favours and shielding us from evil, blessed be Thy holy name: and may all creatures bless Thy goodness for the benefits we have ever received from Thee, especially this day; but, above all, for the surpassing riches of Thy mercy, in creating and preserving, redeeming and sanctifying us. And, Lord, we beseech Thee, never permit us to be so base and wicked as to repay Thy bounties with ingratitude, or Thy blessings with offences and injuries: but inflame our reins and hearts with the fire of Thy Holy Spirit, that we may serve Thee with a chaste body, and please Thee with a clean heart; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. But if Christmas-Day falls on a Sunday, he says the usual Sunday Evening Thanksgiving Prayer, as follows: ALMIGHTY and eternal God, who hast appointed us six days in which we may labour and do all our work, and hast consecrated the seventh to Thyself, mercifully forgive the sins, the coldness, and neglect in worshipping Thee of which we have been guilty, and give us grace to avoid them for the future. Make us sensible, O Lord, of the daily blessings we receive from Thy bounty, especially the blessing of this happy day; that as we know Thee by faith, we may love Thee by charity; and fixing all our hopes on the happiness of a future life, we may patiently suffer in submission to Thy holy will what Thou now permittest, and come at length to the joys of |