The Exhortation at Mattins and Evensong: Worship

Continuing the exposition of the Exhortation at Morning and Evening Prayer by John Shepherd in his A Critical and Practical Elucidation of the Morning and Evening Prayer of the Church of England (1796), we turn to the second part of the Exhortation, addressing the worship offered "when we assemble and meet together". Again we are struck by the Exhortation providing a meaningful, attractive, and compelling account of public worship, an account which we heard week by week at Sunday Mattins.

In this sacred place we meet together for the purpose of performing the four principal parts of public worship.

1. To "give him thanks" for his innumerable blessings and benefits, for all his goodness, and loving kindness to the children of men. This we do in our general Thanksgiving, and in several of the Psalms.

2. To "set forth his most worthy praise," to laud and glorify his holy name, which we do in Psalms, Hymns, Anthems, and Doxologies.

3. "To hear his most holy word," which is read to us in the Lessons, and expounded to us in Sermons.

4. And, lastly, "to ask those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as the "soul;" that is, to pray for the continuance of spiritual and temporal blessings, which we do in the Collects, Supplications, Intercessions, and more particularly the Litany.

Now not one of these Services can be duly performed, that is, so performed as to become acceptable

to God, and beneficial to ourselves, without previous confession, and sincere repentance ...

The ambassador of God, knowing that our heavenly Father stands ready to receive us, and is graciously disposed to grant our requests, entreats us to accompany him to the throne of grace.

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