The Great Festivals.

CHRISTMAS-DAY.

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.

Ry. O Lord, make haste to help us.

. Glory be to the Father, &c. R. As it was, &c.

Then he says the following hymn of praise:

Jesus Christ, the Mighty God, was born for us to-daylet us give praise unto Him and say:

V. Glory to God in the highest,

Ry. And peace on earth, goodwill towards men.

V. Blessed Jesus, true God and Man, born in the form of a helpless Infant,

R. 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.

BL

Then he says the Benedictus, or Song of Zacharias:

LESSED be the Lord God of Israel for He hath visited and redeemed His people;

:

To perform the oath which He sware to our forefather Abraham: that He would give us ;

the hand of our enemies: might serve Him without fear;

In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.

And thou, Child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest : for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways;

To give knowledge of salvation unto His people: for the remission of their sins.

Through the tender mercy of our God: whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us;

To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into

:

That we being delivered out of the way of peace.

Then all say,

I 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.

Then he reads the short chapter following:

The Lesson is taken from St. Paul's | sent world; looking for that blessed Epistle to Titus.

hope, and the glorious appearing of

BRETHREN, the grace of God the great God and our Saviour Je

that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this pre

sus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

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.

1 Tit. ii. 11.

Then all kneeling, say the Confession and Litany following:

0

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.

From the spirit of unbelief, from all abuse of this joyful day and those places which are sacred to Thee—from whatever is an offence to Thee, or a scandal to the weak,

O Lord, deliver us.

From contempt of Thy worship, and all kinds of irreverence in Thy holy presence; from sloth, coldness, and levity in time of prayer, from the neglect of prayer and of Thy sacred word, O Lord, deliver us.

We beseech thee to hear us, O Lord, and mercifully vouchsafe us Thy assistance, that we may celebrate this great and joyful day, with thankful, fearing, and rejoicing hearts;

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 is Holy Communion. See Sunday Morning Prayers (page 11).

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 receved froim Thee, especially during the night past; 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 fall on a Sunday, he says the usual Sunday Morning Thanksgiving Prayer, as follows:

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who at the beginning of the world didst bless and sanctify the Sabbath-day, in memory of Thy finishing the glorious work of the creation, and

who in the new law didst teach the apostles to transfer the duty of it to the Lord's day, in honour of Thy finishing the more glorious work of the redemption and sanctification thereon, by the resurrection of Thy divine Son, and the descent of the Holy Ghost-behold, we Thy servants are here on this day assembled to bless and praise Thee for these incomprehensible blessings, and for every other favour Thou hast bestowed upon us, especially for the protection Thou hast afforded us during the week past. Grant, we beseech Thee, that we may sanctify this day, by devoting it entirely to Thy love and service; and that whatever portion of time Thou hast decreed for each of us to live may be dedicated to the glory of Thy name, and employed in faithfully serving Thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then he says the two Collects and Prayer for a blessing, as in Sunday or Week-Day Morning Prayers (see pages 12, 50, 90).

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