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7 The LORD looseth men out | cattle, and feedeth the young of prison; the LORD giveth sight ravens that call upon him. to the blind.

8 The LORD helpeth them that are fallen; the LORD careth for the righteous.

9 The LORD careth for the stranger; he defendeth the fatherless and widow: as for the way of the ungodly, he turneth it upside down.

10 The LORD thy GOD, O Sion, shall be King for evermore, and throughout all generations.

EVENING PRAYER.
PSALM 147. Laudate Dominum.

O PRAISE the LORD, for it is a good thing to sing praises unto our GoD; yea, a joyful and pleasant thing it is to be thankful.

2 The LORD doth build up Jerusalem, and gather together the outcasts of Israel.

3 He healeth those that are broken in heart, and giveth medicine to heal their sickness.

4 He telleth the number of the stars, and calleth them all by their names.

5 Great is our LORD, and great is his power; yea, and his wisdom is infinite.

6 The LORD setteth up the meek, and bringeth the ungodly down to the ground.

70 sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praises upon the harp unto our God;

8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds, and prepareth rain for the earth; and maketh the grass to grow upon the mountains, and herb for the use of men;

10 He hath no pleasure in the strength of an horse: neither delighteth he in any man's legs.

11 But the LORD's delight is in them that fear him, and put their trust in his mercy.

12 Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise thy GOD, O Sion;

13 For he hath made fast the bars of thy gates, and hath blessed thy children within thee.

14 He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the flour of wheat.

15 He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth, and his word runneth very swiftly.

16 He giveth snow like wool, and scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes.

17 He casteth forth his ice like morsels; who is able to abide his frost?

18 He sendeth out his word, and melteth them; he bloweth with his wind, and the waters flow.

19 He showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and ordinances unto Israel.

20 He hath not dealt so with any nation; neither have the heathen knowledge of his laws.

PSALM 148. Laudate Dominum.

O PRAISE the LORD of heaven; praise him in the height.

2 Praise him, all ye angels of his; praise him, all his hosts.

3 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all ye stars and light. 4 Praise him, all ye heavens, and ye waters that are above

9 Who giveth fodder unto the the heavens.

5 Let them praise the name of the LORD; for he spake the word, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created.

6 He hath made them fast for ever and ever; he hath given them a law which shall not be broken.

7 Praise the LORD upon earth, ye dragons, and all deeps;

8 Fire and hail, snow and vapours, wind and storm, fulfilling his word;

9 Mountains and all hills; fruitful trees and all cedars;

10 Beasts and all cattle; worms and feathered fowls;

11 Kings of the earth, and all people; princes and all judges of the world;

12 Young men and maidens, old men and children, praise the name of the LORD; for his name only is excellent, and his praise above heaven and earth.

3 Let them praise his name in the dance; let them sing praises unto him with tabret and harp.

4 For the LORD hath pleasure in his people, and helpeth the meek-hearted.

5 Let the saints be joyful with glory; let them rejoice in their beds.

6 Let the praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hands.

7 To be avenged of the heathen, and to rebuke the people;

8 To bind their kings in chains, and their nobles with links of iron.

9 That they may be avenged of them; as it is written, Such honour have all his saints.

PSALM 150. Laudate Dominum.

O PRAISE GOD in his holiness; praise him in the firma ment of his power.

2 Praise him in his noble acts; praise him according to even the his excellent greatness.

13 He shall exalt the horn of his people: all his saints shall praise him; children of Israel, even the people that serveth him.

PSALM 149. Cantate Domino.

O SING unto the LORD a new song; let the congregation of saints praise him.

2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him, and let the children of Sion be joyful in their King.

3 Praise him in the sound of the trumpet; praise him upon the lute and harp.

4 Praise him in the cymbals and dances; praise him upon the strings and pipe.

5 Praise him upon the welltuned cymbals; praise him upon the loud cymbals.

6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD

THE END OF THE PSALTER.

AS ESTABLISHED BY THE BISHOPS, THE CLERGY, AND LAITY OF THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IN CONVENTION, ON THE TWELFTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1801.

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ART. II. Of the WORD, or SON OF GOD, which was made very man.

The SON, which is the WORD of the FATHER, begotten from everlasting of the FATHER, the very and eternal GoD, of one substance with the FATHER, took man's nature in the womb of the blessed virgin, of her substance: so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the GODHEAD and manhood, were joined together in one person, never to be divided, whereof is one CHRIST, very GOD, and very man; who truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, to reconcile his FATHER to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but

also for actual sins of men.

First Book of Samuel, The Second Book of Samuel, The First Book of Kings, The Second Book of Kings, The First Book of The first Book of Esdras, The Second Book Chronicles, The Second Book of Chronicles, of Esdras, The Book of Hester, The Book of Job, The Psalms, The Proverbs, Eccle Solomon, Four Prophets the greater, Twelve siastes or Preacher, Cantica or Songs of Prophets the less.

And the other books, (as Hierome saith) the Church doth read for example of life and instruction of manners; but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine; such are these following:

Book of Esdras, The Book of Tobias, The The Third Book of Esdras, The Fourth Book of Judith, The rest of the Book of Hester, The Book of Wisdom, Jesus the Son of Sirach, Baruch the Prophet, The Song of the three Children, The Story of Susanna, Manasses, The First Book of Maccabees, Of Bel and the Dragon, The Prayer of The Second Book of Maccabees.

All the books of the New Testament, as they ART. III. Of the going down of CHRIST into are commonly received, we do receive and

Hell.

AS CHRIST died for us, and was buried; so also is it to be believed, that he went down into hell.

ART. IV. Of the Resurrection of CHRIST. CHRIST did truly rise again from death, and took again his body, with flesh, bones, and all things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, wherewith he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth, until he return to judge all men at the last day.

ART. V. Of the HOLY GHOST.

The HOLY GHOST, proceeding from the FATHER and the SON, is of one substance, majesty, and glory, with the FATHER and the SON, very and eternal GOD.

ART. VI.

Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for salvation.

Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those canonical books of the Old and New-estament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church.

Of the names and number of the
Canonical Books.

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numeri, Deuteronomium, Joshue, Judges, Ruth, The

account them canonical.

ART. VII. Of the Old Testament. The Old Testament is not contrary to the New; for both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is offered to mankind by CHRIST, man, being both GoD and man. who is the only mediator between GOD and Wherefore they are not to be heard, which feign, that the old fathers did look only for transitory promises. Although the law given from GoD by Moses, as touching ceremonies and rites, do not bind Christian men, nor the civil precepts thereof ought of necessity to be received in any commonwealth; yet notwithstanding, no Christian man whatsoever is free from the obedience of the commandments which are called moral.

ART. VIII. Of the Creeds.

monly called the Apostles' Creed, ought The Nicene Creed, and that which is comthoroughly to be received and believed: for they may be proved by most certain warrants of Holy Scripture.

ART. IX. Of Original or Birth-Sin. Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk; )but it is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness. and is of his own nature inclined to evil, SO that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the Spirit; and therefore in every person born into this world, it deserveth GoD's wrath and damnation. this infection of nature doth remain, yea, in

And

them that are regenerated; whereby the lust of the flesh, called in Greek, póvпμа σapкòs, which some do expound the Wisdom, some Sensuality, some the Affection, some the Desire of the Flesh, is not subject to the law of GOD. And although there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized; yet the Apostle doth confess, that concupiscence and lust hath of itself the nature of sin.

ART. X. Of Free-Will.

The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and good works, to faith, and calling upon GOD: wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to GOD, without the grace of GOD by CHRIST preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us when we have that good will.

ART. XI. Of the Justification of Man. We are accounted righteous before GOD, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST by faith; and not for our own works or deservings. Wherefore, that we are justified by faith only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort, as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification.

ART. XII. Of good Works.

Albeit that good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of GOD's judgment; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to GoD in CHRIST, and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith; insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known, as a tree discerned by the fruit.

ART. XIII. Of Works before Justification. Works done before the grace of CHRIST, and the inspiration of his SPIRIT, are not pleasant to GOD, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in JESUS CHRIST, neither do they make men meet to receive grace, or (as the Schoolauthors say) deserve grace of congruity: yea rather, for that they are not done as GOD hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature of sin.

ART. XIV. Of Works of Supererogation. Voluntary works, besides over and above GOD's commandments, which they call Works of Supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety. For by them men do declare, That they do not only render unto GOD as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for his sake than of bounden duty is required: whereas CHRIST saith plainly, When ye have done all that are commanded to you, say, We are unprofitable servants.

ART. XV. Of CHRIST alone without sin. CHRIST in the truth of our nature, was made like unto us in all things, sin only except, from which he was clearly void, both in his flesh, and in his spirit. He came to be a Lamb without spot, who by sacrifice of himself once made, should take away the sins of the world; and sin (as St. John saith) was not in him. But all we the rest (although baptized and born again in CHRIST) yet offend in many things; and if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us,

ART. XVI. Of Sin after Baptism. Not every deadly sin, willingly committed after baptism, is sin against the HOLY GHOST, and unpardonable. Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after baptism. After we have received the HOLY GHOST, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and by the grace of GoD (we may) arise again, and amend our lives. And therefore they are to be condemned, which say, they can no more sin as long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent.

ART. XVII. Of Predestination and Election. Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of GoD, whereby (before the foundations of the world were laid) he hath constantly decreed, by his counsel, secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation, those whom he hath chosen in CHRIST out of mankind, and to bring them by CHRIST to everlasting salvation, as be endued with so excellent a benefit of GOD, vessels made to honour. Wherefore they which be called according to GOD's purpose by his SPIRIT working in due season: they through grace obey the calling: they be justified freely: they be made sons of GOD by adoption: they be made like the image of his only begotten Son JESUS CHRIST: they walk religiously in good works; and at length by God's mercy they attain to everlasting felicity.

As the godly consideration of predestination, and our election in CHRIST, is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons, and such as feel in themselves the working of the SPIRIT of CHRIST, mortifying the works of the flesh and their earthly members, and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things, as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation, to be enjoyed through CHRIST, as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards GOD so, for curious and carnal persons, lacking the Spirit of CHRIST, to have continually before their eyes the sentence of GOD's predestination, is a most dangerous downfall, whereby the devil doth thrust them either into desperation, or into wretchlessness of most unclean living, no less perilous than desperation.

Furthermore, we must receive God's promises in such wise as they be generally set doings, that will of GOD is to be followed, which forth to us in holy Scripture and in our we have expressly declared unto us in the word of GOD.

ART. XVIII. Of obtaining Eternal Salvation only by the Name of CHRIST.

They are also to be had accursed, that prethe law or sect which he professeth, so that sume to say, that every man shall be saved by he be diligent to frame his life according to that law, and the light of nature. For holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the name of JESUS CHRIST, whereby men must be saved.

ART. XIX. Of the Church.

The visible Church of CHRIST is a congregation of faithful men, in the which the pure word of God is preached, and the sacraments be duly ministered according to CHRIST's ordi nance, in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the sanie.

As the Church of Hierusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch, have erred; so also the Church

of Rome hath erred, not only in their living and manner of ceremonies, but also in matters of faith.

ART. XX. Of the Authority of the Church. The Church hath power to decree rites or ceremonies, and authority in controversies of faith and yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to GoD's word written; neither may it so expound one place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to another. Wherefore, although the Church be a witness and a keeper of Holy Writ, yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the same, so besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of salvation. ART. XXI. Of the Authority of General Councils. *

ART. XXII. Of Purgatory.
The Romish doctrine concerning purgatory,
pardons, worshipping, and adoration, as well
of images, as of reliques, and also invocation of
saints, is a fond thing vainly invented, and
grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but
rather repugnant to the word of Gon.

ART. XXIII. Of Ministering in the
Congregation.

It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office of public preaching, or ministering the sacraments in the congregation, before he be lawfully called, and sent to execute the same. And those we ought to judge lawfully called and sent, which be chosen and called to this work by men who have public authority given unto them in the congregation, to call and send ministers into the LORD's vineyard.

ART. XXIV. Of Speaking in the Congregation in such a tongue as the People understandeth.

It is a thing plainly repugnant to the word of God, and the custom of the primitive Church, to have public prayer in the Church, or to minister the sacraments in a tongue not understanded of the people.

ART. XXV. Of the Sacraments. Sacraments ordained of CHRIST be not only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession; but rather they be certain sure witnesses, and effectual signs of grace, and GOD's good will towards us, by the which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our faith in him." There are two sacraments ordained of CHRIST our Lord in the Gospel, that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the LORD.

Those five commonly called Sacraments, that is to say, Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and Extreme Unction, are not to be counted for sacraments of the Gospel, being such as have grown, partly of the corrupt, following of the apostles, partly are states of life allowed by the Scriptures; but yet have not like nature of sacraments with Baptism and the Lord's Supper, for that they have not any visible sign or ceremony ordained of GOD.

The sacraments were not ordained of CHRIST to be gazed upon, or to be carried about, but that we should duly use them. And in such only as worthily receive the same, they have a

The Twenty-first of the former Articles is omitted, because it is partly of a local and civil nature, and is provided for, as to the remaining parts of it, in other articles.

wholesome effect or operation: but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves damnation, as St. Paul saith.

ART. XXVI. Of the Unworthiness of Ministers, which hinders not the effect of the Sacraments.

Although in the visible Church the evil be ever mingled with the good, and sometime the evil have chief authority in the ministration of the word and sacraments: yet, forasmuch as they do not the same in their own name, but in CHRIST's, and do minister by his commission and authority, we may use their ministry, both in hearing the word of God, and in receiving the sacraments. Neither is the effect of CHRIST's ordinance taken away by their wickedness, nor the grace of God's gifts diminished from such, as by faith, and rightly, do receive the sacraments ministered unto them, which be effectual, because of CHRIST's institution and promise, although they be ministered by evil men.

Nevertheless, it appertaineth to the discipline of the Church, that inquiry be made of evil ministers, and that they be accused by those that have knowledge of their offences: and finally being found guilty, by just judgment, be deposed.

ART. XXVII. Of Baptism.

mark of difference, whereby Christian men are Baptism is not only a sign of profession, and discerned from others that be not christened :

but it is also a sign of regeneration, or new birth, whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive baptism rightly are grafted into the Church: the promises of the forgiveness of sin, and of our adoption to be the sons of GOD by the HOLY GHOST, are visibly signed and sealed: faith is confirmed, and grace increased by virtue of prayer unto God. The baptism of young children is in any wise to be retained in the Church as most agreeable with the institu

tion of CHRIST.

ART. XXVIII. Of the Lord's Supper.

The Supper of the LORD is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among sacrament of our redemption by CHRIST'S themselves one to another; but rather it is a death: insomuch that to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith receive the same, the bread which we break is a partaking of the body of CHRIST; and likewise the cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of CHRIST.

Transubstantiation (or the change of the substance of bread and wine) in the Supper of the LORD, cannot be proved by Holy Writ; but overthroweth the nature of a sacrament, and it is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, hath given occasion to many superstitions.

The body of CHRIST is given, taken, and eaten in the supper, only after an heavenly and spiritual manner. And the mean whereby the body of CHRIST is received and eaten in the Supper, is faith.

The sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by CHRIST'S ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped.

ART. XXIX. Of the wicked, which eat not of the Body of CHRIST in the use of the Lord's Supper.

The wicked, and such as be void of a lively faith, although they do carnally and visibly press with their teeth (as St. Augustine saith) the sacrament of the body and blood of CHRIST; yet in no wise are they partakers of CHRIST;

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