The "General Confession" from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer follows directly below, for daily and weekly corporate worship. This informed Anglican piety for centuries. Occasionally, we hear of Reformed Churchmen who use it on the Q.T. Observations, Correlation, Interpretation, Applications follow below the prayer.A general Confession to be said of the whole Congregation after the Minister, all kneeling.
ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father; We have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou them, O God, who confess their faults. Restore thou them that are penitent; According to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.
Observations.
1. Again, a daily routine throughout the year; to be used for corporate worship.
2. It is also corporate, “We have erred…”
3. The people kneel with the Minister. On the Protestant side, 98% of America will be on the bottoms instead of their knees this coming Lord's Day. Further, if much prayer is to be had at all, it will be led by the minister and there will be little corporate prayer. Godly Lutherans are excepted, except they generally don't kneel either.
4. Strong language is used; there is no Robert Schuller or Joel Osteen theology.
5. As an instructor, this inculcates a depth of piety infrequently--very infrequently--evident in Reformed circles. Worship services at Reformed seminaries spread the impoverishment.
6. It teaches the justified sinner that he still violates God’s moral laws, by omission and commission.
7. The believer begs for mercy based upon Christ.
8. This comports with the piety of the Psalter.
9. The believer seeks restoration and forgiveness; further, it is evangelistic; it teaches the “outsider,” the “new join,” the non-churched,” or the modern man without Christ what sin is and the proper, godly approach to the Sure Redeemer.
10. There is no “easy believe-ism,” but reflect the constant effort at renewal of the mind, heart and life.
Correlations:
1. Lutheran and Reformed church liturgies.
2. Anabaptist and charismatic worship.
3. Contemporary worship services.
Interpretation:
At the outset, prior to praises and worship, prior to hearing God’s word, and prior to any other prayers, the matter of “sin” as an obstacle is handled and handled well leading one again to Christ alone.
Application:
1. Avoid contemporary worship; advise youth to avoid Professors, seminaries, elders or deacons that advance this abominable shallowness re: Law and Gospel said to include, but not limited to Rick Warren, John Frame and others ; advise them to get into Confessional Churches that are liturgically mature; rigourously rebuke leaders for advancing impiety.
2. Use daily until death. As the evangelical Anglican, Charles Simeon, stated (in essence), “I never was or felt closer to heaven than when praying and reading the prayer book.
3. Advocate for the recovery of Psalm-singing rather than hymns in connection with the BCP.
4. No revisions are necessary.
5. Track down studies that show that the average Southern Baptist cleric prays 5-7 minutes per day. If accurate, one wonders about this as an extrapolation more widely. One's chief end is to "glorify God and enjoy Him."
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