GOOD FRIDAY
¶ The Office being ended, the Priest and Ministers, in black vestments, and without candles and incense, shall go unto the Altar; and prostrating themselves before it, shall pray for a while. And the Acolytes shall spread one cloth and no more upon the Altar. His prayer being finished, the Priest, with the Ministers, shall go up to the Altar, and kiss it in the middle: and thereafter the Reader, going to the place where the Epistle is read, shall read the Prophecy, beginning it without any announcement, and the Priest shall read it at the same time in a low voice, standing at the Epistle corner.
Hosea 6.
THUS saith the Lord: In their affliction they will seek me early. Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? For your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away. Therefore I have hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth. For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
