AN ORDER FOR
COMPLINE
This Service may be used when Evening Prayer has been previously said.
All standing up, the Minister shall say:
THE Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. Amen.
Minister. O God, make speed to save us;
Answer. O Lord, make haste to help us.
Minister. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
Answer. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Minister. Praise ye the Lord;
Answer. The Lord’s Name be praised.
Then shall be said or sung one or more of the following Psalms: Psalm 4; Psalm 31. 1-6; Psalm 91; Psalm 134; or any other Psalm or Psalms.
Then shall be read one of the following short Lessons, or some other passage of holy Scripture at the discretion of the Minister:
THOU, O LORD, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name. Leave us not, O LORD our God.
Jeremiah 14. 9.
Or
COME unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
St Matthew 11. 28-30.
Or
NOW the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working In you that which is well-pleasing In his sight; through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13. 20, 21.
To which the people shall answer:
Thanks be to God.
Then may be said the following Respond:
Minister. Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit;
Answer. Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Minister. For thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth;
Answer. I commend my spirit.
Minister. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
Answer. Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Here may follow this or some other Hymn.
Te lucis ante terminum.
BEFORE the ending of the day,
Creator of the world, we pray
That with thy wonted favour thou
Wouldst be our guard and keeper now.
From all ill dreams defend our eyes,
From nightly fears and fantasies;
Tread under foot our ghostly foe,
That no pollution we may know.
O Father, that we ask be done,
Through Jesus Christ, thine only Son;
Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee,
Doth live and reign eternally. Amen.
Minister. Keep us as the apple of an eye;
Answer. Hide us under the shadow of thy wings.
Anthem. Preserve us, O Lord, waking, and guard us sleeping, that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
In Eastertide in place of this Anthem may be said or sung:
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
NUNC DIMITTIS.
LORD, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, / according to thy word.
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, / which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, / and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, / and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Anthem. Preserve us, O Lord, waking, and guard us sleeping, that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
Then shall be said the Apostles’ Creed by the Minister and people, standing.
I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell; The third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; The holy Catholic Church; The Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen.
And after that these Prayers following, all devoutly kneeling:
Minister. Let us pray.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
OUR Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as It is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.
Minister. Blessed art thou, Lord God of our fathers;
Answer. To be praised and glorified above all for ever.
Minister. Let us bless the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost;
Answer. Let us praise him and magnify him for ever.
Minister. Blessed art thou, O Lord, in the firmament of heaven;
Answer. To be praised and glorified above all for ever.
Minister. The Almighty and most merciful Lord guard us and give us his blessing.
Answer. Amen.
Then shall the Minister and people say together the Confession and the Prayer for Forgiveness following.
WE confess to God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, through our own grievous fault. Wherefore we pray God to have mercy upon us.
Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us all our sins and deliver us from all evil, confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and bring us to life everlasting; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
If a Priest be present, he shall stand and pronounce the following Absolution:
MAY the Almighty and merciful Lord grant unto you pardon and remission of all your sins, time for amendment of life, and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Then shall be said:
Minister. Wilt thou not turn again and quicken us;
Answer. That thy people may rejoice in thee?
Minister. O Lord, show thy mercy upon us;
Answer. And grant us thy salvation.
Minister. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this night without sin;
Answer. O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.
Minister. O Lord, hear our prayer;
Answer. And let our cry come unto thee.
Then shall follow the Collect for Protection, with which may be said the Collect of the day.
The Collect for Protection.
VISIT, we beseech thee, O Lord, this place, and drive from it all the snares of the enemy; let thy holy angels dwell herein to preserve us in peace; and may thy blessing be upon us evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Or
LIGHTEN our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
The following prayers may be added.
O LORD Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who at this evening hour didst rest in the sepulchre, and didst thereby sanctify the grave to be a bed of hope to thy people: Make us so to abound in sorrow for our sins, which were the cause of thy passion, that when our bodies lie in the dust, our souls may live with thee; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
LOOK down, O Lord, from thy heavenly throne, illuminate the darkness of this night with thy celestial brightness, and from the sons of light banish the deeds of darkness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
BE present, O merciful God, and protect us through the silent hours of this night, so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of this fleeting world, may repose upon thy eternal changelessness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Other prayers from this Book may be said.
See Family Prayer, page 728.
Minister. We will lay us down in peace and take our rest;
Answer. For it is thou, Lord, only, that makest us dwell in safety.
Minister. The Lord be with you;
Answer. And with thy spirit.
Minister. Let us bless the Lord;
Answer. Thanks be to God.
THE Almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, bless and preserve us. Amen.