ASCENSION-DA Y. 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. Ry. As it was, &c. Then he says the following Psalm: PSALM 93. The floods are risen, O Lord, HE Lord is King, and hath put the floods have lift up their voice : Ton glorious king, and the Lord the floods lift up their waves. hath put on His apparel, and girded Himself with strength. He hath made the round world so sure that it cannot be moved. Ever since the world began hath Thy seat been prepared : Thou art from everlasting. I The waves of the sea are mighty, and rage horribly but yet the Lord, who dwelleth on high, is mightier. Thy testimonies, O Lord, are very sure: holiness becometh Thine house for ever. Then all say, BELIEVE in God, &c. Then he says, MAY 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 St. Paul's First Epistle to WITHOUT controversy great God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received Wis the mystery of godliness: up into glory. 11 Tim. iii. 16. Brethren, if ye then be risen | dead, and your life is hid with with Christ, seek those things which Christ in God. When Christ, who are above, where Christ sitteth on is our life, shall appear, then shall the right hand of God. Set your ye also appear with Him in glory. affection on things above, not on Mortify therefore your members things on the earth. For ye are which are upon the earth. Then he says, . Blessed art Thou, O Lord, in the firmament of heaven. Ry. Thou art greatly to be praised, and highly exalted for ever. . Our help standeth in the name of the Lord. Ry. Who made heaven and earth. . Send us help, we pray Thee, from Thy holy place. Ry. And mercifully keep us this night without sin. Then all kneeling, say the Confession and Litany following: LORD Almighty, look, we beseech Thee, with compassion upon us miserable sinners who confess, with shame and sorrow, the innumerable sins which we have most grievously committed against Thee by thought, word, and deed; and as Thy blessed Son Jesus Christ didst this day ascend into heaven to prepare a place for us, give us, we beseech Thee, humble contrite hearts, that we also in spirit may rise with Him, and be made meet at length to reign with Him in glory; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, 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 Thy only Son Jesus Christ didst leave this world, and ascended to heaven when thirty-three years old, so we may dedicate the prime of our life to Thee; despise this world when we are best able to enjoy it, and reserve our full vigour for heaven and Thy love; We beseech Thee to hear us, O Lord. 1 Colos. iii. 1. Grant that our hearts, having ascended to heaven with Christ, may never return to earth again, but may abide with Him for ever. That our hearts being united to Christ, we may be bold to confess Him before men, and be ever ready to part with any thing however dear to us, if it interferes with the love of Him; We beseech Thee to hear us, O Lord. Grant that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Thee, denying our wills, ruling our tongues, softening our tempers, mortifying our lusts, and learn patience, meekness, purity, forgiveness of injuries, and continuance in well-doing; We beseech Thee to hear us, O Lord. And grant that as Thou hast knit together the differing Gentile nations by the confession of Thy 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, hear the prayers of Thy servants, and have mercy upon us, who sittest on the right hand of God in the glory of the Father and the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen. OUR Father, &c. Then all say, Here may be said the Prayer which is to be used when there has been Holy Communion (see Sunday Evening Prayers, page 22); and if Ascension - Day happens to fall on the Feast of St. Philip and St. James, he here says the special Collect for that festival (see Saint's-Day Morning Prayers). Then 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, re deeming 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. Then he says the two Collects and Prayer for a blessing, as n Sunday or Week-Day Evening Prayers (see pages 23, 74, 106). WHIT-SUNDAY. MORNING PRAYER. All standing, the head of the family (or the priest or deacon, if present) says: . O Lord, open Thou our lips. Ry. And our mouth shall shew forth Thy praise. . O God, make speed to save us. R. O Lord, make haste to help us. . Glory be to the Father, &c. Ry. As it was, &c. Then he says the following Psalm: REAT is the Lord, and highly to be praised in the city of our God, even upon His holy hill. : The hill of Sion is a fair place, and the joy of the whole earth : upon the north-side lieth the city of the great King; God is well known in her palaces as a sure refuge. For lo, the kings of the earth: are gathered, and gone by together. They marvelled to see such things they were astonished, and suddenly cast down. Fear came there upon them, and sorrow as upon a woman in her travail. Thou shalt break the ships of the sea through the east-wind. Like as we have heard, so have I we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God upholdeth the same for ever. We wait for Thy loving-kindness, O God in the midst of Thy temple. : O God, according to Thy name, so is Thy praise unto the world's end: Thy right hand is full of right eousness. Let the mount Sion rejoice, and the daughter of Judah be glad : because of Thy judgments. Walk about Sion, and go round about her and tell the towers thereof. Mark well her bulwarks, set up her houses: that ye may tell them that come after. For this God is our God for ever and ever He shall be our guide unto death. Then all say, BELIEVE in God, &c. MAY Then he says, AY the reading of the Holy Word (or Holy Gospel) be unto us salvation and protection. Amen. |