to the father, through the son and with the holy spirit · to the father, through the son and with...

January/February 1999 Volume 18, Number 1

THE BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE PRAYER BOOK SOCIETY

The Common Prayer To THE FATHER, THROUGH THE SON

AND WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

^

Let us celebrate the 450th Anniversary of "The Common Prayer" in English, 1549 -1999

(See inside for the text of the original services from the 1549 Prayer Book)

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3. Inl oduction: the first English Book of the Common Prayer.

5. Mattins: the Order for Moming Prayer.

7. Litany: the Litany and Suffrages.

9. Holy C on: The Supper of the Lord, commonly called the Mass.

15. Evensong: the Order for Evening Prayer.

16. Diagram illustrating the origins of The Common Prayer.

17. Cranmer's homily on Reading the Scriptures.

20. Homily 2: Cranmer's homily on Salvation.

23. Join in the Celebration of the Anniversary of the Common Prayer.

24. A Bidding for use at the Anniversary Services.

What is the Prayer Book Society? First of all, what it is not:

1. It is not a historical society — though it does take history seriously. 2. It is not merely a preservation society — though it does seek to preserve what is good. 3. It is not merely a traditionalist society — though it does receive holy tradition gratefully. 4. It is not a reactionary society, existing only by opposing modem trends. 5. It is not a synod or council, organized as a church within the Church. In the second place, what it is:

1. It is composed of faithful Episcopahans who seek to keep alive in the Church the classic Common Prayer Tradition of the Anglican Way, which began within the Church of England in 1549. They wish to worship the Lord in the beauty of hohness and in a dignified and understandable English.

2. It claims that the Constitution of the Episcopal Church gives to rectors and parishes, as well as individual Episcopahans, the right to use the last genuine Book of Common Prayer in America, the 1928 BCP.

3. It is committed to educating and informing people of the natare and content of the Common Prayer Tradition, and its use for Holy Communion, the Daily Offices, Baptism, Funerals, family prayers and personal devotions.

4. It is involved (in cooperation with sister societies in Canada, Britain and Australia) in maintaining and teaching that Biblical Faith, Order and Morality to which the Common Prayer Tradition, along with the other Anghcan Formularies, witness.

5. It seeks to do the above through lectures, seminars, pubhcations, phone conversations, an intemet web site and work in local churches. Its educational outreach is called the Cranmer-Seabury House of Studies.

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TO MAINTAIN THE ANGLICAN WAY SUPPORT THE PRAYER BOOK SOCIETY Especially consider giving specific support to the Cranmer-Seabury House of Studies

Send your gift to the Philadelphia P.O.Box. 35220 Philadelphia, PA 19128 Call 1-800-727-1928 for details. '

MANDATE. Vol. 18.1. is P.B.S. are tax-deductable

I/J. I'll ULsT .\ 1 Ii

Editor: The Rev'd Dr Peter Toon

aubUshed six times a year by the Prayer Book Society, a non-profit organization serving Recipients of Mandate are encouraged to send a minimum gift of $28.00.

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Celebrating God's Gift of "The Common Prayer" The 450th anniversary of "The Common Prayer" in English

I N T R O D U C T I O N

O n March 7, 1549, a major moment in the reform and renewal ofthe Church of England, the national Ecclesia Anglicana, had begun. The Book of the Common

Prayer and Administration ofthe Sacraments, and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, after the use of the Church of England was ready for distribution at the office of the printer, Edward Whitchurch, south of Fleet Street, in London. For the first time the services of worship appointed for daily, Sunday, and occasional use were printed together in one book and in "the vulgar tongue." Moreover, an act of Parliament required the exclusive use of this Book ofthe Common Prayer and its services in all cathedrals and parishes of the Church of England no later than Whitsunday, June 9, 1549.

By mid-1549, therefore, all of England had the Bible and the Common Prayer in the English language. No longer were daily prayer and Sunday worship to be in the Latin of clerics and scholars, and thus inaccessible to the majority of the people of the realm.

Certainly, the Bible had been available in English before 1549. A royal injunction of Henry VIII had set up The Great Bible in every parish church from 1539. Certainly also, parts of the public worship ofthe Church of England had been translated into or made available in English before 1549. An English version of the Litany was in use from 1544. In the early part of the reign of Edward VI, from January 1547, not only were the Epistle and Gospel read in English, but also the words for the administration of the Holy Communion were said in English (and the Cup was restored to the laity). And from May 1548, the daily offices were also conducted in some London churches, wholly or in part, in English.

However, only with the appearance of The Book ofthe Common Prayer was the Church of England committed, as her norm, to the worship of God, the Father Almighty, in the Enghsh language. Some resistance to this change occurred, of course, just as centuries earlier some had resisted the Westem Church's replacement of Greek with Latin for worship. But two important benefits proceeded from this change. English as an idiom of thought and beauty was greatly invigorated by its use to express the highest things of all: the glory of God and the Gospel of his

Christ. We would be speaking a different language if those foun-tainheads of modem Enghsh, the Prayer Book and the English Bible, had never existed. More important still, "the Common Prayer," that universal inheritance of worship and order that belongs to all the Church of Jesus Christ, was made the common possession once again of any English speaking person who was willing to pray, Usten, and leam.

Before the appearance of The Book ofthe Common Prayer a library of books (the Breviary, Missal, Manual, Pontifical, and Pie - a guide to using all of the others) was needed to pray the daily offices, to celebrate the Holy Communion, and to perform the occasional offices (baptism, confirmation, matrimony, burial, etc.). As the Preface to the new English Prayer Book pointed out, "...many times there was more business to find out what should be read, than to read it when it was found out." Such complexity must inevitably remove the daily practice of the Christian religion from the hands of ordinary people. In place of it, the Preface offers this "order," which anyone can understand: "the curates shall need none other books for their public service but this book and the Bible."

Similarly, before the advent of The Book of the Common Prayer, various "uses" or rites were to be found in different parts of the country. The uses of Sarum, Lincoln, Hereford, York, and Bangor each required its own set of books for worship. From Whitsunday 1549, a new unity was achieved. The Church of England spoke to God in a single English voice, according to a single national use shared by every Christian in the realm. Now king and courtier, aristocrat and peasant, archbishop and deacon, priest and parishioner, male and female were all to use the one and the same Common Prayer.

The contents of The Book ofthe Common Prayer were more than a translation, adaptation, and renewal of the medieval services of prayer and worship. They reached behind the Middle Ages and witnessed to the recovery of a godly ordering of the whole of life on earth from birth to death, 365 days a year, within the discipline and rhythms of the Church Year with its weekly Lord's Day and its Feasts and fasts. The Common Prayer ofthe

INTRODUCTION continued on page 4

The Prayer Book Society of the Episcopal Church MANDATE: January/February 1999

FORMULARIES continued from page 3

universal Church, as given structure and form in the offices and services of The Book ofthe Common Prayer, became the Anglican Way of relating to God, for and in a national Church with her dioceses, colleges, schools, famihes, and baptized members. The Common Prayer became the model of an entire life lived in communion with God, the Father, through His Son our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

In Mattins and Evensong the medieval daily offices (Mattins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline) were compressed into two. What had previously been seen as primarily the business of clergy, monks, and nuns was now available in English and recommended for all. At their local church or in their homes, all people could now be joined by the Holy Spirit to the communion of saints, together with the angels and archangels, in offering daily worship to God on behalf of the whole created order. United to Jesus Christ the Head ofthe Body, they could pray the Psalter moming and evening as the intelligent members of the Body of Christ. And on Wednesdays and Fridays, as well as on Sundays, they could intercede for one another by joining in the Litany.

On Sundays and Feasts, as well as on other days of solemn obligation, all could hear the liturgy in English, including a sermon or homily. Parish priests not competent to prepare a sermon themselves were required to read a homily from the Certain Sermons or Homilies (1547). If duly prepared, the people could receive the Holy Communion in both kinds, just as their priest did.

At each of the Daily Offices were readings from both the Old and the New Testaments. At the Holy Communion there were the Epistle and Gospel, together with a Psalm for each Sunday and Feast. Great emphasis was therefore placed upon the Christian duty of hearing and reading the Holy Scripture, followed by meditating upon the same, to be completed by obeying it as the Word of God in daily living.

Unlike other European countries where the Protestant Reformation took place in the sixteenth century, England had no one reformer from whom churches or movements took their name. England had no John Calvin (Calvinists) or Martin Luther (Lutherans). What England did have was an Archbishop of Canterbury by the name of Thomas Cranmer (1489 to 1556). By reason of his position in the Church, and in relation to Convocations (Canterbury andYork), Kings (Henry VHI and Edward VI) and Parliament, Cranmer led the movement both in nation and in Church towards a reformed catholic Church of England.

One special gift that God had given to Cranmer was the ability to write fine English prose. Thus, most of the contents of The Book ofthe Common Prayer which were not from the Great Bible came from his hands, either as the translator of older Latin texts or as the editor of the work of others.

Following the publication of the first Book ofthe Common Prayer in 1549, there was a further modified edition in the reign of Edward VI, that of 1552. Between 1553 and 1558, the use of the English Prayer Book was forbidden by the Parliament under the Roman Catholic Queen Mary. In 1559, Elizabeth I restored the use of The Book of Common Prayer, the edition of 1552 with a few amendments. This edition of 1559, slightly modified again in 1604 by James I, served as the basis for the edition of 1662, which is still the most widely used edition of the Common Prayer and remains the official prayer book of the Church of England.

Much of the Daily Offices, Litany and Order for Holy Communion were intended to be sung. The responses on behalf of the congregation were sung by "the clerks" as is seen in the rubrics printed in the Communion Service. John Merbecke produced music for the Liturgy of 1549 in his Common Prayer Noted (1550, reprinted 1939 by the SPCK). Parts of this are printed in the Episcopal Hymn Book of 1940.

To celebrate the 450th anniversary of the first Book of the Common Prayer, here are printed the two Daily Offices of Mattins and Evensong, the Litany, and the Order for Holy Communion. Also included are the Propers for WTiit-Sunday and two of the official homilies from Certain Sermons or Homilies (1547) written by Archbishop Cranmer. These clearly reflect the nature of the commitment of the reformed Church of England to the authority of Holy Scripture and to justification by faith.

The spelling and punctuation ofthe original texts have been preserved, except the prayers for Edward VI have been removed.

Common Prayer, now expressed in a variety of editions and languages in the Anghcan Communion of Churches, remains the godly order of the Anglican Way. Perhaps the reprinting of these services and homilies will stimulate and renew commitment to this godly order of the Common Prayer of the Anglican Way.

— The Rev'd Dr. Peter Toon

MANDATE: January/February 1999 The Prayer Book Society of the Episcopal Church

AN ORDER FOR MATTINS DAILY THROUGH THE YEAR

The Priest being in the Choir [Chancel] shall begin with a loud voice the Lord's Prayer, called the "Pater Noster".

OUR Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in 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. Then likewise he shall spy, O Lord, open thou my lips. Answer. And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. Priest. O God, make speed to save me. Answer. O Lord, make haste to help me. Priest. 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. Priest. Praise ye the Lord. And from Easter to Trinity Sunday Alleluia. Then shall be said or sung without any invitatory this Psalm, "Venite exultemus ", in English: PSALM 95.

OCOME, let us sing unto the Lord: let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation.

2. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving: and shew ourselves glad in him with psalms. 3. For the Lord is a great God: and a great King above all gods. 4. In his hand are all the comers of the earth: and the strength of the hills is his also. 5. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands prepared the dry land. 6. O come, let us worship and fall down: and kneel before the Lord our Maker. 7. For he is the Lord our God: and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. 8. To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts: as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness. 9. When your fathers tempted me: proved me, and saw my works. 10. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said: It is a people that do err in their hearts, for they have not known my ways; 11. Unto whom I sware in my wrath: that they should not enter into my rest. 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. Then shall follow certain Psalms appointed for Whit-Sunday, Psalms xlviii, Ixvii, cxlv. At the end of every Psalm shall be repeated, "Glory be to the Father and to the Son &c..." Then shall be read a Lesson from the Old Testament distinctly with a loud voice that the people may hear. The minister who reads the lesson shall stand and tum so as he may best be heard

by all who are present. Here beginneth the third chapter of the Book of Joel. Here endeth the third Chapter of Joel. After the first Lesson shall follow the "Te Deum Laudamus" in English.

TE DEUM LAUDAMUS We praise thee, O God, we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting. To thee all Angels cry aloud, the heavens and all the powers therein. To thee Cherubin and Seraphin continually do cry. Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; Heaven and earth are replenished with the Majesty of thy glory. The glorious company of the Apostles, praise thee. The goodly fellowship of the Prophets, praise thee. The noble army of Martyrs, praise thee. The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee; The Father of an infinite Majesty; Thy honourable, true and only Son; The Holy Ghost also being the Comforter. Thou art the King of glory, O Christ. Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father. When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man, thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb. When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers. Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father. We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge. We therefore pray thee, help thy servants, whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood. Make them to be numbered with thy Saints in glory everlasting. O Lord, save they people: and bless thine heritage. Govern them, and lift them up for ever. Day by day we magnify thee; And we worship thy Name ever world without end. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin. O Lord, have mercy upon us: have mercy upon us. O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us: as our trast is in thee. O Lord, in thee have I tmsted: let me never be confounded.

The New Testament Lesson.

Here beginneth the tenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Here endeth the tenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.

And after the second lesson throughout the whole year shall be used "Benedictus dominus deus Israel" in English as followeth:

BENEDICTUS S.Luke 1.68

BLESSED be the Lord God of Israel: for he hath visited, and redeemed his people;

MATTINS continued on page 6


MATTINS continued from page 5

And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us: in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets: which have been since the world began; That we should be saved from our enemies: and from the hands of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers: and to remember his holy covenant; To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham: that he would give us; That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies: might serve him without fear; In holiness and righteousness before him: all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people: for the remission of their sins; Through the tender mercy of our God: whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us; To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death: and to guide our feet into the way of peace. 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.

"Then shall be said daily through the year the following prayers." Lord have mercy upon us. Christ have mercy upon us. Lord have mercy upon us. "On the feast of Pentecost the following shall be sung or said instead ofthe Apostles' Creed."

QUICUNQUE VULT

WHOSOEVER will be saved : before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholick Faith.

Which Faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled: without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the Catholick Faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons: nor dividing the Substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son: and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one: the Glory equal, the Majesty co-etemal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son: and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate: and the Holy Ghost uncreate. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible: and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible. The Father etemal, the Son etemal: and the Holy Ghost etemal. And yet they are not three eternals: but one etemal. As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated: but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible. So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty: and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties: but one Almighty. So the Father is God, the Son is God: and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods: but one God. So hkewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord: and the Holy Ghost


Lord. And yet not three Lords: but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity: to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the Catholick Religion: to say there be three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is made of none: neither created nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone: not made, nor created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son: neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons: one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other: none is greater, or less than another; But the whole three Persons are co-etemal together: and co-equal. So that in all things, as is aforesaid: the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved: must thus think of the Trinity. Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation: that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is that we beheve and confess: that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, ofthe Substance ofthe Father, begotten before the worlds: and Man, of the Substance of his Mother, bom in the world; Perfect God, and Perfect Man: of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting; Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead: and inferior to the Father, as touching his Manhood. Who although he be God and Man: yet he is not two, but one Christ; One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh : but by taking of the Manhood into God; One altogether, not by confusion of Substance: but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man: so God and Man is one Christ. Who suffered for our salvation: descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty: from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies: and shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting: and they that have done evil into everlasting fire. This is the Catholick Faith: which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost; As is was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be : world without end. Amen.

The Apostles' Creed

IBELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, Who was conceived

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ofthe Episcopal Church

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by the Holy Ghost, Bom of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was cracified, 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 Catholick Church; The Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body. And the hfe everlasting. Amen.

OUR Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done; In 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: Answer. But deliver us from evil. Amen. Priest. O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us. Answer. And grant us thy salvation. Priest. O Lord, save the State. Answer. And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee. Priest. Endue thy Ministers with righteousness. Answer. And make thy chosen people joyful. Priest. O Lord, save thy people. Answer. And bless thine inheritance. Priest. Give us peace in our time, O Lord. Answer. Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God.

Here followeth the Litany, or General Supplication, to be sung or said after Moming Prayer, upon Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and at other times when it shall be commanded by the Ordinary.

O GOD the Father of heaven: have mercy upon us miserable sinners.

O God the Father of heaven: have mercy upon us miserable sinners.

O God the Son, Redeemer of the world: have mercy upon us miserable sinners. O God the Son, Redeemer of the world have mercy upon us miserable sinners.

O God the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son: have mercy upon us miserable sinners. O God the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son: have mercy upon us miserable sinners.

O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three Persons and one God: have mercy upon us miserable sinners. O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three Persons and one God: have mercy upon us miserable sinners.

Remember not. Lord, our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers; neither take thou vengeance of our sins : spare us, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood, and be not angry with us for ever. Spare us, good Lord. From all evil and mischief; from sin, from the crafts and assaults of the devil; from thy wrath, and from everlasting damnation.

Priest. O God, make clean our hearts within us. Answer. And take not thy Holy Spirit from us. Priest. The Lord be with you. Answer. And with thy spirit. Then shall follow three Collects. The Collect for Whit-Sunday/Pentecost

God, who as upon this day has taught the hearts of thy faithful people, by the sending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit;

grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour; who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same Spirit, one God world without end. Amen.

The Second Collect, for Peace.

O GOD, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our etemal life, whose service

is perfect freedom: Defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trasting in thy defence, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Third Collect, for Grace.

O LORD our heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day:

Defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that is righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Good Lord, deliver us. From all blindness of heart; from pride, vain-glory, and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and mahce, and all uncharitableness. Good Lord, deliver us. From fomication, and all other deadly sin; and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Good Lord, deliver us. From lightning and tempest; from plague, pestilence, and famine; from battle and murder, and from sudden death. Good Lord, deliver us. From all sedition, privy conspiracy, from the tyranny of the bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities; from all false doctrine, heresy, and schism; from hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word and Commandment, Good Lord, deliver us. By the mystery of thy holy Incarnation; by thy holy Nativity and Circumcision; by thy Baptism, Fasting and Temptation, Good Lord, deliver us. By thine Agony and bloody Sweat; by thy Cross and Passion; by thy precious Death and Burial; by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension; and by the coming of the Holy Ghost, Good Lord, deliver us. In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our wealth; in the hour of death, and in the day of judgement. Good Lord, deliver us. We sinners do beseech thee to hear us, O Lord God: and that it

THE LITANY continued on page 8

The Litany


THE LITANY continued from page 7

may please thee to rule and govern thy holy Church universal in the right way. We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to illuminate all Bishops, Pastors and Ministers of the Church, with trae knowledge and understanding of thy Word; and that both by their preaching and living they may set it forth and shew it accordingly. We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to bless and keep the Magistrates, giving them grace to execute justice, and to maintain truth. We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to bless and keep all thy people. We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to give to all nations unity, peace, and concord, We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to give us an heart to love and dread thee, and diligently to live after thy commandments. We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to give to all thy people increase of grace, to hear meekly thy Word, and to receive it with pure affection, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit. We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred, and are deceived. We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to strengthen such as do stand; and to comfort and help the weak-hearted; and to raise up them that fall; and finally to beat down Satan under our feet. We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to succour, help, and comfort all that are in danger, necessity, and tribulation. We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to preserve all that travel by land or by water [or by air], all women labouring of child, all sick persons, and young children; and to shew thy pity upon all prisoners and captives. We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to defend, and provide for, the fatherless children, and widows, and all that are desolate and oppressed. We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to have mercy upon all men. We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to tum their hearts. We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to give and preserve to our use the kindly fruits of the earth, so as in due time we may enjoy them. We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please thee to give us trae repentance; to forgive us all our sins, negligences, and ignorances; and to endue us with the grace of thy Holy Spirit, to amend our hves according to thy holy Word, We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. Son of God :we beseech thee to hear us. Son of God :we beseech thee to hear us. O Lamb of God : that takest away the sins of the world;

Grant us thy peace.

O Lamb of God : that takest away the sins of the world; Have mercy upon us.

O Christ, hear us.

O Christ, hear us. Lord, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us.

Christ, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us.

Then shall the Priest, and the people with him, say the Lord's Prayer.

OUR Father which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy Name, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, in 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.

Priest. O Lord, deal not with us after our sins. Answer. Neither reward us after our iniquities.

Let us pray.

OGOD, merciful Father, that despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart, nor the desire of such as be sorrowful:

Mercifully assist our prayers that we make before thee in all our troubles and adversities, whensoever they oppress us; and graciously hear us, that those evils, which the craft and subtilty of the devil or man worketh against us, be brought to nought, and by the providence of thy goodness they may be dispersed; that we thy servants, being hurt by no persecutions, may evermore give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord. O Lord, arise, help us, and deliver us for thy Name's sake.

OGOD, we have heard with our ears, and our fathers have declared unto us, the noble works that thou didst in their

days, and in the old time before them. O Lord, arise, help us, and deliver us for thine honour.

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.

From our enemies defend us, O Christ. Graciously look upon our afflictions. Pitifully behold the sorrows of our hearts. Mercifully forgive the sins of thy people. Favourably with mercy hear our prayers. O Son of David, have mercy upon us. Both now and ever vouchsafe to hear us, O Christ. Graciously hear us, O Christ; graciously hear us, O Lord Christ.

Priest. O Lord, let thy mercy be shewed upon us; Answer. As we do put our trust in thee.

Let us pray.

WE humbly beseech thee, O Father, mercifully to look upon our infirmities; and for the glory of thy Name tum

from us all those evils that we most righteously have deserved; and grant that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy, and evermore serve thee in hohness and pureness of living, to thy honour and glory; through our only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ALMIGHTY God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supphcations unto thee;

and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests : Fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of thy trath, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.

MANDATE; January/February 1999 The Prayer Book Society of the Episcopal Church

THE SUPPER OF THE LORD, AND THE HOLY COMMUNION,

COMMONLY CALLED THE MASS So many as intend to be partakers of the Holy j

Communion shall signify their names to the Curate, over night: or else in the morning, before the beginning of Mattins, or immediately after.

And if any of those be an open and notorious evil liver, so that the congregation by him is offended, or have done any wrong to his neighbours by word or deed: The Curate shall call him, and advertise him, in any wise not to presume to the Lord's Table, until he hath openly declared himself to have truly repented, and amended his former naughty life: that the Congregation may thereby be satisfied, which I before were offended; and that he have recompensed the parties, whom he hath done wrong unto, or at least be in full purpose so to do, as soon as he conveniently may.

The same order shall the Curate use, with those betwixt whom he perceiveth malice, and hatred to reign, not suffering them to be partakers ofthe Lord's Table, until he know them to be reconciled. And if one of the parties so at variance, be content to forgive from the bottom of his heart all that the other hath trespassed against him, and to make amends for that he himself hath offended: and the other party will not be persuaded to a godly unity, but remain still in his frowardness and malice: The Minister in that case, ought to admit the penitent person to the holy Communion, and not him that is obstinate. .

Upon the day and at the time appointed for the ministration of the holy Communion, the Priest that shall execute the holy ministry, shall put upon him the vesture appointed for that ministration, that is to say: a white Alb plain, with a vestment or Cope. And where there be many Priests, or Deacons, there so many shall be ready to help the Priest, in the ministration, as shall be requisite: And shall have upon them likewise the vestures appointed for their ministry, that is to say, Albs with lunacies.

The Priest standing humbly before the midst of the Altar, shall say the Lord's Prayer, with this Collect.

ALMIGHTY God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are

hid; Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name: through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then shall he say, or the Clerks sing, a Psalm appointed for the introit [Whit-Sunday, Psalm 33]: which

Psalm ended the Priest shall say, or else the Clerks shall sing,

Lord have mercy upon us (3 times). Christ have mercy upon us (3 times). Lord have mercy upon us (3 times). Then the Priest standing at God's board shall begin,

GLORY be to God on high. The Clerks. And in earth peace, good will towards men. We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we

glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord GOD, heavenly king, God the Father almighty.

O Lord the only begotten Son Jesu Christ, O Lord GOD, Lamb of GOD, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins ofthe world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.

Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us: For thou only art holy, thou only art the Lord. Thou only (O Christ) with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Then the priest shall turn him to the people and say. The Lord be with you. The Answer. And with thy spirit. The Priest. Let us pray. Then shall follow the Collect ofthe day. GOD, which as upon this day hast taught the hearts of

thy faithful people, by the sending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit; grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity ofthe same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

The Collect ended, the priest, or he that is appointed, shall read the Epistle in a place assigned for the purpose, saying.

The Epistle is written in the second Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles (verses 1 to 11)

The Minister then shall read the Epistle. Immediately after the Epistle is ended, the priest, or one appointed to read the Gospel, shall say.

The holy Gospel, written in the fourteenth Chapter of the Gospel according to St John (verses 15 to 21)

MASS continued on page 10


MASS continued from page 9

The Clerks and people shall answer. Glory be to thee, 0 Lord.

The priest or deacon then shall read the Gospel: After the Gospel ends, the Priest shall begin,

1 BELffiVE in one God. The clerks shall sing the rest. The Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and

of all things visible and invisible: And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of GOD, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of GOD, light of light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made, who for us men, and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incamate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried, and the third day he arose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father: and he shall come again with glory, to judge both the quick and dead. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the Prophets. And 1 believe one Catholick and Apostolick Church. I acknowledge one Baptism, for the remission of sins. And I look for the resurrection of the dead: and the life of the world to come. Amen.

After the Creed ends, shall follow the Sermon or Homily, or some portion of one of the Homilies, as they shall be hereafter divided: wherein if the people be not exhorted to the worthy receiving ofthe holy Sacrament of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ: then shall the Curate give this exhortation, to those that be minded to receive the same.

DEARLY beloved in the Lord, ye that mind to come to the Holy Communion of the body and blood

of our Saviour Christ, must consider what Saint Paul writeth to the Corinthians [1 Cor.xi.28], how he exhorteth all persons diligently to try and examine themselves, before they presume to eat of that bread, and drink of that cup: for as the benefit is great, if with a truly penitent heart, and lively faith, we receive that holy Sacrament; (for then we spiritually eat the flesh of Christ, and drink his blood, then we dwell in Christ and Christ in us; we be made one with Christ, and Christ with us;) so is the danger great, if we receive the same unworthily; for then we become guilty of the body and blood of Christ our Saviour, we eat and drink

1 our own damnation, not considering the Lord's body. We kindle God's wrath over us, we provoke him to plague us with divers diseases, and sundry kinds of death. Therefore if any here be a blasphemer, adulterer, or be in malice, or envy, or any other grievous crime (except he be truly sorry therefore, and earnestly minded to leave the same vices, and do tryst himself to be reconciled to almighty God, and in Charity with all the world), let him bewail his sins, and not come to that holy table; lest after the taking of that most blessed bread, the devil enter into him, as he did into Judas, to fill him full of all iniquity, and bring him to destruction, both of body and soul.

Judge therefore yourselves (brethren) that ye be not judged of the Lord. Let your mind be without desire to sin, repent you truly for your sins past; have a lively and steadfast faith in Christ our Saviour, be in perfect charity with all men, so shall ye be meet partakers of those holy mysteries. And above all things: ye must give most humble

1 and hearty thanks to God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for the redemption of the world, by the death and passion of our Saviour Christ, both God and man, who did humble himself, even to the death upon the cross, for us miserable sinners, which lay in darkness and the shadow of death, that he might make us the children of God: and exalt us to everlasting life. And to the end that we should always remember the exceeding love of our master, and only Saviour Jesus Christ, thus dying for us, and the innumerable benefits (which by his precious blood-shedding) he hath obtained to us, he hath left in those holy mysteries, as a pledge of his love, and a continual remembrance the same his own blessed body, and precious blood, for us to feed upon spiritually, to our endless comfort and relief. To him therefore, with the Father and the Holy

\ Ghost, let us give (as we are most bounden) continual ; thanks, submitting ourselves wholly to his holy will and

pleasure, and studying to serve him in true holiness and righteousness, all the days of our life. Amen.

In Cathedral churches or other places, where there is I daily Communion, it shall be sufficient to read this \ exhortation above written, once in a month. And in parish

churches, upon the weekdays it may be left unsaid. Then shall follow for the Offertory, one or more, of

these Sentences of Holy Scripture, to be sung whilst the people do offer, or else one of them to be said by the minister, immediately before the offering.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see



http://Cor.xi.28


your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. St. Matt. v. 16.

Lay not up for yourselves treasure upon the earth; where the rust and moth doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven; where neither rust nor moth doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal. St. Matt. vi. 19,20.

Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do unto them; for this is the Law and the Prophets. St. Matt. vii. 12.

Not every one that saith unto me. Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. St. Matt. vii. 21.

Zaccheus stood forth, and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have done any wrong to any man, I restore four-fold. St. Luke xix.8.

Who goeth a warfare at any time of his own cost? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not ofthe milk ofthe flock? 1 Cor. ix.7.

If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your worldly things? 1 Cor. ix.II.

Do ye not know, that they who minister about holy things live of the sacrifice; and they who wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord also ordained, that they who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel. 1 Cor. ix.I3.

He that soweth little shall reap little; and he that soweth plenteously shall reap plenteously. Let every man do according as he is disposed in his heart, not grudging, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver. 2 Cor. ix. 6,7.

Let him that is taught in the Word minister unto him that teacheth, in all good things. Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he reap. Gal. vi.7

While we have time, let us do good unto all men; and specially unto them that are of the household of faith. Gal. vi.10.

Where there be Clerks, they shall sing one, or many of the sentences above written, according to the length and shortness ofthe time, that the people be offering.

In the mean time, whilst the Clerks do sing the Offertory, so many as are disposed, shall offer unto the poor men's box every one according to his ability and charitable mind. And at the offering days appointed, every

man and woman shall pay to the Curate, the due and accustomed offerings.

Then so many as shall be partakers of the Holy Communion, shall tary still in the choir [chancel], or in some convenient place near the choir, the men on the one side, and the women on the other side. All other (that mind not to receive the said Holy Communion) shall depart out ofthe choir, except the ministers and clerks.

Then shall the minister take so much Bread and Wine, as shall suffice for the persons appointed to receive the Holy Communion, laying the bread upon the corporal, or else in the paten, or in some other comely thing, prepared for that purpose. And putting the wine into the chalice, or else in some fair or convenient cup, prepared for that use (if the chalice will not serve), putting thereto a little pure and clean water: And setting both the bread and wine upon the Altar: then the Priest shall say.

The Lord be with you. Answer. And with thy spirit. Priest. Lift up your hearts. Answer. We lift them up unto the Lord. Priest. Let us give thanks to our Lord God. Answer. It is meet and right so to do. The Priest. It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty,

that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto thee, O Lord holy Father, Almighty, Everlasting God.

Here shall follow the proper preface for Whit-Sunday

THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord, according to whose whose most true promise, the Holy Ghost came down

as at this time from heaven with a sudden great sound, as it had been a mighty wind, in the likeness of fiery tongues, fighting upon the Apostles, to teach them, and to lead them to all truth, giving them both the gift of divers languages, and also boldness with fervent zeal, constantly to preach the Gospel unto all nations, whereby we have been brought out of darkness and error, into the clear light and true knowledge of thee, and of thy Son Jesus Christ.

After which preface shall follow immediately,

THEREFORE with Angels and Archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy

glorious name, evermore praising thee, and saying. Holy, holy, holy. Lord God of Hosts: heaven and earth

are full of thy glory: Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he that cometh in the name ofthe Lord: Glory to thee, O Lord in the highest.

This the Clerks shall also sing.




When the Clerks have done singing, then shall the Priest, or Deacon, turn him to the people, and say.

Let us pray for the whole state of Christ's church. Then the Priest, turning to the Altar, shall say or sing,

plainly and distinctly, this prayer following:

ALMIGHTY and everliving GOD, which by thy holy Apostle hast taught us to make prayers, and

supplications, and to give thanks for all men: We humbly beseech thee most mercifully to receive these our prayers, which we offer unto thy divine Majesty, beseeching thee to inspire continually the universal church with the spirit of truth, unity, and concord: And grant, that all they who 1 do confess thy holy name, may agree in the truth of thy holy word, and live in unity and godly love. Specially we beseech thee to save and defend thy Servant, [our President], that under him we may be godly and quietly governed. And grant unto his whole council, and to all that he put in authority under him, that they may truly and impartially minister justice, to the punishment of wickedness and vice, and to the maintenance of God's true religion, and virtue. Give grace (O heavenly Father) to all Bishops, Pastors, and Curates, that they may both by their life and doctrine set forth thy true and lively word, and rightly and duly administer thy holy Sacraments: and to all thy people give thy heavenly grace, that, with meek heart and due reverence, they may hear, and receive thy holy word, truly 1 serving thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life: And we most humbly beseech thee of thy I goodness (O Lord) to comfort and succour all them, which in this transitory life be in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity. And especially we commend unto thy merciful goodness, this congregation which is here assembled in thy name, to celebrate the commemoration of the most glorious death of thy Son: And here we do give unto thee most high praise, and hearty thanks, for the wonderful grace and virtue, declared in all thy saints, from the beginning of the world: And chiefly in the glorious and most blessed virgin Mary, mother of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord and God, and in the holy Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles and Martyrs, whose examples (O Lord) and steadfastness in thy faith, and keeping thy holy commandments, grant us to follow. We commend unto thy mercy (O Lord) all other thy servants, which are departed hence from us, with the sign of faith, and now do rest in the sleep of peace: Grant unto them, we beseech thee, thy mercy, and everlasting peace, and that at the day of the general resurrection, we and all they which be of the mystical body of thy Son, may altogether be set on his


right hand, and hear that his most joyful voice: Come unto me, O ye that be blessed of my Father, and possess the kingdom, which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Grant this, O Father, for Jesus Christ's sake, our only Mediator and Advocate.

O God heavenly Father, which of thy tender mercy didst give thine only Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the cross for our redemption, who made there (by his oblation once offered) a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins ofthe whole world, and did institute, and in his holy Gospel command us to continue to celebrate a perpetual memory of that his precious death, until his coming again: Hear us (O merciful Father) we beseech thee; and with thy holy spirit and word, vouchsafe to bl[+]ess and sanc[+]tify these thy gifts, and creatures of bread and wine, that they may be unto us the body and blood of thy most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ. Who in the same night that he was betrayed: [Here the Priest must take the bread into his hands.] took bread, and when he had blessed, and given thanks, he brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you, do this in remembrance of me.

Likewise after supper he [Here the Priest shall take the Cup into his hands.} took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying: drink ye all of this, for this is my blood of the new Testament, which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins: do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.

These words before rehearsed are to be said, tuming still to the Altar, without any elevation, or shewing the Sacrament to the people.

WHEREFORE, O Lord and heavenly Father, according to the Institution of thy dearly beloved

Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, we thy humble servants do celebrate, and make here before thy divine Majesty, with these thy holy gifts, the memorial which thy Son hath willed us to make, having in remembrance his blessed passion, mighty resurrection, and glorious ascension, rendering unto thee most hearty thanks, for the innumerable benefits procured unto us by the same, entirely desire thy fatherly goodness, mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving: most humbly beseeching thee to grant, that by the merits and death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood, we and all thy whole church, may obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of


The Prayer Book Society of the Episcopal Church


his passion. And here we offer and present unto thee (O Lord) our selves, our souls, and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and lively sacrifice unto thee: humbly beseeching thee, that whosoever shall be partakers of this holy Communion, may worthily receive the most precious body and blood of thy Son Jesus Christ: and be fulfilled with thy grace and heavenly benediction, and made one body with thy Son Jesu Christ, that he may dwell in them, and they in him. And although we be unworthy (through our manifold sins) to offer unto thee any sacrifice: Yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and service, and command these our prayers and supplications, by the ministry of thy holy Angels, to be brought up into thy holy Tabernacle before the sight of thy divine Majesty; not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offences, through Christ our Lord, by whom, and with whom, in the unity of the Holy Ghost: all honour and glory be unto thee, O Father almighty, world without end. Amen.

Let us pray. AS our Saviour Christ hath commanded and taught

us, we are bold to say. Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in 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. The Answer. But deliver us from evil. Amen.

Then shall the priest say. The peace of the Lord be always with you. The Clerks. And with thy spirit. The Priest. Christ our Paschal Lamb is offered up for

us, once for all, when he bare our sins on his body upon the cross, for he is the very Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world: wherefore let us keep a joyful and holy feast with the Lord.

Here the priest shall tum toward those that come to the Holy Communion, and shall say.

YOU that do truly and eamestly repent you of your sins to almighty God, and be in love and charity with your neighbours, and intend to lead a new life, following the commandments of God, and walking from henceforth in his holy ways: draw near and take this holy Sacrament to your comfort, make your humble confession to Almighty God, and to his holy church here gathered in his name, meekly kneeling upon your knees.

Then shall this general Confession be made, in the name of all those that are minded to receive the holy Communion, either by one of them, or else by one ofthe ministers, or by the priest himself, all kneeling humbly upon their knees.

ALMIGHTY GOD Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, maker of all things, judge of all men, we acknowledge

and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we from time to time, most grievously have committed, by thought, word and deed, against thy divine Majesty, provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us, we do eamestly repent and be heartily sorry for these our misdoings, the remembrance of them is grievous unto us, the burden of them is intolerable: have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, most merciful father, for thy son our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, forgive us all that is past, and grant that we may ever hereafter, serve and please thee in

I newness of life, to the honour and glory of thy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Then shall the Priest standing up, and turning himself to the people, say thus,

ALMIGHTY GOD, our heavenly Father, who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all

them, which with hearty repentance and true faith, tum unto him: have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all

j goodness, and bring you to everlasting life: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then shall the Priest also say,

HEAR what comfortable words our Saviour Christ saith, to all that truly tum to him. Come unto me all

that travail, and be heavy laden, and I shall refresh you. So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten

Son, to the end that all that believe in him, should not perish, but have life everlasting

Hear also what Saint Paul saith. This is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be received, that Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners.

Hear also what Saint John saith. If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins.

Then shall the Priest tuming to God's Board kneel down and say in the name of all them, that shall receive the Communion, this prayer following.

WE do not presume to come to this thy table (O merciful Lord) trusting in our own righteousness,

but in thy manifold and great mercies: we be not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy table: but thou art the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy: Grant us therefore (gracious Lord) so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood




in these holy Mysteries, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our souls washed through his most precious blood. Amen.

Then shall the Priest first receive the Communion in both kinds himself, and next deliver it to other Ministers, if any be there present, (that they may be ready to help the chief Minister,) and after to the people.

And when he delivereth the Sacrament of the body of Christ, he shall say to every one these words.

THE body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was givenfor thee, preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life. And the Minister delivering the Sacrament ofthe blood,

and giving every one to drink once and no more, shall say,

THE blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for thee, preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life. If there be a Deacon or other Priest, then shall he

follow with the Chalice: and as the Priest ministereth the Sacrament of the body, so shall he (for more expedition) minister the Sacrament ofthe blood, inform before written.

In the Communion time the Clerks shall sing, O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world:

have mercy upon us (twice). O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world: grant us thy peace.

Beginning so soon as the Priest doth receive the holy Communion, and when the Communion is ended, then shall the Clerks sing the post Communion.

Sentences of Holy Scripture, to be said or sung every day one after the Holy Communion, called the post Communion.

If any man will follow me, let him forsake himself, and take up his cross and follow me. Math, xvi.24.

Whosever shall endure unto the end, he shall be saved. Mark, xiii.13.

Praised be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his people: therefore let us serve him all the days of our life, in holiness and righteousness accepted before him. Luke i.68.

Happy are those servants, whom the Lord (when he cometh) shall find waking. Luke xii.37.

Be ye ready, for the Son of Man will come at an hour when ye think not. Luke xii.40.

The servant that knoweth his master's will, and hath not prepared himself, neither hath done according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. Luke xii.47.

The hour cometh, and now it is, when true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and tmth. John iv.23.

Behold, thou art made whole, sin no more, lest any worse thing happen unto thee. John v. 14.

If ye shall continue in my word, then are ye my very

disciples, and ye shall know the trath, and the tmth shall make you free. John viii.31-32.

While ye have light, believe on the light, that ye may be the children of light. John xii.36.

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, the same is he that loveth me. John xiv.2I.

If any man love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and dwell with him. John xiv.23.

If ye shall abide in me, and my word shall abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done to you. John xv. 7.

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, and become my disciples. John xv.8.

This is my commandment, that you love together as I have loved you. John xv.12.

Then the Priest shall give thanks to God, in the name of all them that have communicated, turning him first to the people, and saying.

The Lord be with you. The Answer. And with thy spirit. The Priest. Let us pray.

ALMIGHTY and everliving God, we most heartily thank thee, for that thou hast vouchsafed to feed us

in these holy Mysteries, with the spiritual food ofthe most precious body and blood of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, and hast assured us (duly receiving the same) of thy favour and goodness towards us, and that we be very members incorporate in thy Mystical Body, which is the blessed company of all faithful people, and heirs through hope of thy everlasting kingdom, by the merits of the most precious death and passion of thy dear Son. We therefore most humbly beseech thee, O heavenly Father, so to assist us with thy grace, that we may continue in that holy fellowship, and do all such good works, as thou hast prepared for us to walk in: through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

Then the Priest turning him to the people, shall let them depart with this blessing.

THE peace of GOD (which passeth all understanding) keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love

of GOD, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord: And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you and remain with you always.

Then the people shall answer. Amen.

MANDATE; January/February 1999 The Prayer Book Society of the Episcopal Church

AN ORDER FOR EVENSONG THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

The priest shall say the "Our Father, &c." Then likewise he shall say:

O God, make speed to save me. Answer. O Lord, make haste to help me. Priest. 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. Praise ye the Lord.

And from Easter to Trinity Sunday Alleluia.

The Psalms appointed for Whit-Sunday/Pentecost are Psalms civ & cxlv

Then shall be read distinctly with a loud voice so that the people may hear the first lesson.

Here beginneth the eleventh chapter of the Book of Isaiah. Here endeth the eleventh chapter of the Book of Isaiah.

After the lesson then the Magnificat in English.

MAGNIFICAT S.Luke 1.46

MY soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the lowliness of his hand-maiden. For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath magnified me and holy is his Name. And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations. He hath shewed strength with his arm, he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seat: and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away. He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel: as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever. 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.

Then a lesson ofthe New Testament.

Here beginneth the nineteenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Here endeth the nineteenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.

NUNC DIMITTIS S. Luke 2. 29

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.

Then the Suffrages used in Mattins, the clerks kneeling likewise, with three Collects. Lord have mercy upon us. Christ have mercy upon us. Lord have mercy upon us.

Then shall the minister say the Creed and the Lord's Prayer in English with a loud voice.

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, bom of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was cracified, 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 Catholick Church; the Commumon of Saints; the Forgiveness of sins; the Resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

OUR Father, which art in heaven, hallowed by thy Name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, in 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.

The Collect for Whit-Sunday/Pentecost GOD, which as upon this day hast taught the hearts of thy faithful people, by the sending to them the tight of thy Holy Spirit; grant unto us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things,

I and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end.

The Second Collect at Evensong. O GOD, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed: Give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that both our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee we being defended from the fear of our enemies may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

The Third Collect, for Aid against all Perils. 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 Great Tradition

A Chart to illustrate the Sources of Thomas Cranmer ' s inspiration in compiling The Books of Common Prayer

mmm TRADITION

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MISSAL BREVIARY lAIIUAL

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A FRUITFUL EXHORTATION TO THE READING AND KNOWLEDGE OF HOLY SCRIPTURE

Unto a Christian man, there can be nothing either more necessary or profitable, than the knowledge of Holy Scripture; forasmuch as in it is contained God's true

word, setting forth his glory, and also man's duty. And there is no truth nor doctrine, necessary for our justification and everlasting salvation, but that is, or may be, drawn out of that fountain and well of truth. Therefore, as many as be desirous to enter into the right and perfect way unto God, must apply their minds to know Holy Scripture; without the which, they can neither sufficiently know God and his will, neither their office and duty.

And as drink is pleasant to them that be dry, and meat to them that be hungry; so is the reading, hearing, searching, and studying of Holy Scripture, to them that be desirous to know God, or themselves, and to do his will. And their stomachs only do loathe and abhor the heavenly knowledge and food of God's word, that be so drowned in worldly vanities, that they neither savour God, nor any godliness: for that is the cause why they desire such vanities, rather than the true knowledge of God. As they that are sick of an ague, whatsoever they eat and drink, though it be never so pleasant, yet it is as bitter to them as wormwood; not for the bitterness of the meat, but for the corrupt and bitter humour that is in then-own tongue and mouth; even so is the sweetness of God's word bitter, not of itself, but only unto them that have their minds corrupted with long custom of sin and love of this world. Therefore, forsaking the corrupt judgment of fleshly men, which carenot but for their carcase, let us reverently hear and read Holy Scripture, which is the food of the soul. Let us diligently search for the well of life in the books of the New and Old Testament, and not run to the stinking puddles of men's traditions, devised by men's imagination, for our justification and salvation. For in Holy Scripture is fully contained what we ought to do, and what to eschew, what to beheve, what to love, and what to look for at God's hands at length. In these books we shall find the Father from whom, the Son by whom, and the Holy Ghost in whom, all things have their being and keeping up; and these three Persons to be but one God, and one substance. In these books we may leam to know ourselves, how vile and miserable we be; and also to know God, how good he is of himself, and how he maketh us and all creatures partakers of his goodness. We may leam also in these books to know God's will and pleasure, as much as, for this present time, is convenient for us to

know. And, as the great Clerk and godly Preacher, Saint John Chrysostom, saith, whatsoever is required to the salvation of man, is fully contained in the Scripture of God. He that is ignorant, may there leam and have knowledge. He that is hard-hearted, and an obstinate sinner, shall there find everlasting torments, prepared of God's justice, to make him afraid, and to mollify, or soften, him. He that is oppressed with misery in this world, shall there find relief in the promises of everlasting life, to his great consolation and comfort. He that is wounded by the Devil unto death, shall find there medicine, whereby he may be restored again unto health....

These books, therefore, ought to be much in our hands, in our eyes, in our ears, in our mouths, but most of all in our hearts. For the Scripture of God is the heavenly meat of our souls: the hearing and keeping of it maketh us blessed, sanctifieth us, and maketh us holy; it tumeth our souls; it is a light lantern to our feet; it is a sure, steadfast, and everlasting instrument of salvation; it giveth wisdom to the humble and lowly hearts; it comforteth, maketh glad, cheereth, and cherisheth our conscience; it is a more excellent jewel, or treasure, than any gold or precious stone; it is more sweet than honey or honey-comb; it is called the best part, which Mary did choose; for it hath in it everlasting comfort. The words of Holy Scripture be called words of everlasting life: for they be God's instrument, ordained for the same purpose. They have power to tum, through God's promise; and they be effectual through God's assistance; and being received in a faithful heart, they have ever an heavenly spiritual working in them. They are lively, quick, and mighty in operation, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and enter through, even unto the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit, or the joints and the marrow. Christ calleth him a wise builder, that buildeth upon his word, upon his sure and substantial foundation. By this word of God we shall be judged: for the word that I speak, saith Christ, is it that shall judge in the last day. He that keepeth the word of Christ, is promised the love and favour of God, and that he shall be the dwelling-place or temple of the blessed Trinity.

This word whosoever is diligent to read, and in his heart to print that he readeth, the great affection to the transitory things of this world shall be minished in him, and the great

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desire of heavenly things, that be therein promised of God, shall increase in him. And there is nothing that so much strengtheneth our faith and trust in God, that so much keepeth up innocency and pureness of the heart, and also of outward godly life and conversation, as continual reading and recording of God's word. For that thing, which by continual reading of Holy Scripture, and diligent searching of the same, is deeply printed and graven in the heart, at length tumeth almost into nature. And, moreover, the effect and virtue of God's word is to illuminate the ignorant, and to give more light unto them that faithfully and diligently read it; to conform their hearts, and to encourage them to perform that which of God is commanded. It teacheth patience in all adversity, in prosperity humbleness; what honour is due unto God, what mercy and charity to our neighbour. It giveth good counsel in all doubtful things. It sheweth of whom we shall look for aid and help in all perils; and that God is the only giver of victory in all battles and temptations of our enemies, bodily and ghostly.

And in reading of God's word, he not always most profiteth, that is most ready in tuming of the book, or in saying of it without the book; but he that is most tumed into it; that is most inspired with the Holy Ghost; most in his heart and life altered and changed into that thing which he readeth; he that is daily less and less proud, less wrathful, less covetous, and less desirous of worldly and vain pleasures; he that daily, forsaking his old vicious life, increaseth in virtue more and more. And, to be short, there is nothing that more maintaineth godliness of the mind, and driveth away ungodliness, than doth the continual reading or hearing of God's word, if it be joined with a godly mind, and a good affection to know and follow God's will. For without a single eye, pure intent, and good mind, nothing is allowed for good before God. And, on the other side, nothing more darkeneth Christ and the glory of God, nor bringeth in more blindness and all kinds of vices, than doth the ignorance of God's word.

If we profess Christ, why be we not ashamed to be ignorant in his doctrine, seeing that every man is ashamed to be ignorant in that leaming which be professeth? That man is ashamed to be called a Philosopher which readeth not the books of philosophy; and to be called a Lawyer, an Astronomer, or a Physician, that is ignorant in the books of law, astronomy, and physic. How can any man, then, say that he professeth Christ and his religion, if he will not apply himself, as far forth as he can or may conveniently, to read and hear, and so to know, the books of Christ's Gospel and doc

trine? Although other sciences be good, and to be learned, yet no man can deny but this is the chief, and passeth all other incomparably. What excuse shall we therefore make, at the last day, before Christ, that delight to read or hear men's fantasies and inventions, more than his most holy Gospel? And will find no time to do that,which chiefly, above all things, we should do; and will rather read other things than that, for the which we ought rather to leave reading of all

j other things? Let us therefore apply ourselves, as far forth as we can have time and leisure, to know God's word, by diligent hearing and reading thereof, as many as profess God, and have faith and trust in him.

But they that have no good affection to God's word, to colour this their fault, allege commonly two vain and feigned excuses. So go about to excuse them by their own frailness and fearfulness, saying, that they dare not read Holy Scripture, lest through their ignorance they should fall into any error. Others pretend that the difficulty to understand it, and the hardness thereof, is so great, that it is meet to be read only of Clerks and learned men. As touching the first: ignorance of God's word is the cause of all error; as Christ himself affirmed to the Sadducees, saying, that they erred, because they knew not the Scripture. How should they then eschew error, that will be still ignorant? And how should they come out of ignorance, that will not read nor hear that thing which should give them knowledge? He that now hath most knowledge, was at the first ignorant: yet he forbare not to read, for fear he should fall into error; but he diligently read, lest he should remain in ignorance, and, through ignorance, in error. And if you will not know the truth of God - a thing most necessary for you - lest you fall into error, by the same reason you may then lie still, and never go, lest, if you go, you fail into the mire; nor eat any good meat, lest you take a surfeit; nor sow your com, nor labour in your occupation, nor use your merchandise, for fear you lose your seed, your labour, your stock: and so; by that reason, it should be the best for you to live idly, and never to take in hand to do any manner of good thing, lest peradventure some evil thing may chance thereof. And if you be afraid to fall into error by

1 reading of Holy Scripture, I shall shew you how you may read it without danger of error. Read it humbly, with a meek

! and lowly heart, to the intent you may glorify God, and not yourself, with the knowledge of it: and read it not without daily praying to God that he would direct your reading to

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MANDATE: January/February 1999 The Prayer Book Society of the Episcopal Chur

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good effect; and take upon you to expound it no further than you can plainly understand it: for, as Saint Augustine saith, the knowledge of Holy Scripture is a great, large, and a high place: but the door is very low, so that the high and arrogant man cannot ran in; but he must stoop low, and humble himself, that shall enter into it. Presumption and arrogancy is the mother of all error; and humility needeth to fear no error. For the humility will only search to know the truth: it will not presumptuously and rashly define any thing which it knoweth not. Therefore the humble man may search any trath boldly in the Scripture, without any danger of error. And if he be ignorant, he ought the more to read and to search Holy Scripture to bring him out of ignorance.

I say not nay, but a man may profit with only hearing; but he may much more profit with both hearing and reading. And conceming the hardness of Scripture; he that is so weak that he is not able to brook strong meat, yet he may suck the sweet and tender milk, and defer the rest until he wax stronger, and come to more knowledge: for God receiveth the learned and unlearned, and casteth away none, but is indifferent unto all. And the Scripture is full, as well of low valleys, plain ways, and easy for every man to use and to walk in; as also of high hills and mountains, which few men can climb unto. And whosoever giveth his mind to Holy Scripture with diligent study and burning desire, it cannot be, saith Saint John Chrysostom, that he should be left without help. For either God Almighty will send him some godly Doctor to teach him - as he did to instruct the Eunuch, a nobleman of Ethiopia, and treasurer unto Queen Candace; who having a great affection to read the Scripture; although he understood it not, yet, for the desire that he had unto God's word, God sent his Apostle Philip to declare unto him the trae sense of the Scripture that he read - or else, if we lack a leamed man to instruct and teach us, yet God himself from above will give light unto our minds, and teach us those things which are necessary for us, and wherein we be ignorant. And in another place Chrysostom saith, that man's human and worldly wisdom, or science, is not needful to the understanding of Scripture; but the revelation of the Holy Ghost, who inspireth the trae meaning unto them that with humility and diligence do search therefore. He that asketh shall have, and he that seeketh shall find, and he that knocketh shall have the door opened. If we read once, twice, or thrice, and understand not, let us not cease so; but still continue reading, praying, asking of others: and so, by still knocking, at last the door shall be opened, as Saint Augustine saith. Although many

things in the Scripture be spoken in obscure mysteries, yet there is nothing spoken under dark mysteries in one place, but the self-same thing in other places is spoken more familiarly and plainly, to the capacity both of leamed and unlearned. And those things, in the Scripture, that be plain to understand, and necessary for salvation, every man's duty is to leam them, to print them in memory, and effectually to exercise them; and, as for the dark mysteries, to be contented to be ignorant in them, until such time as it shall please God to open those things unto him. In the mean season, if he lack either aptness or opportunity, God will not impute it to his folly: but yet it behoveth not, that such as be apt should set aside reading, because some others be unapt to read: nevertheless, for the hardness of such places, the reading of the whole ought not to be set apart.

And briefly to conclude: as Saint Augustine saith. By the Scripture all men be amended; weak men be strengthened, and strong men be comforted. So that surely none be enemies to the reading of God's word, but such as either be so ignorant, that they know not how wholesome a thing it is; or else be so sick, that they hate the most comfortable medicine, that should heal them; or so ungodly, that they would wish the people still to continue in blindness and ignorance of God. Let us thank God heartily for this his great and special gift, beneficial favour, and fatherly providence. Let us be glad to receive this precious gift of our heavenly Father. Let us hear, read, and know these holy rales, injunctions, and statutes of our Christian religion, and upon that we have made profession to God at our baptism. Let us with fear and reverence lay up, in the chest of our hearts, these necessary and fruitful lessons; let us night and day muse, and have meditation and contemplation in them; let us ruminate, and, as it were, chew the cud, that we may have the sweet juice, spiritual effect, marrow, honey, kemel, taste, comfort, and consolation of them. Let us stay, quiet, and certify our consciences with the most infallible certainty, truth, and perpetual assurance of them. Let us pray to God, the only Author of these heavenly studies, that we may speak, think, believe, five, and depart hence, according to the wholesome doctrine and verities of them. And, by that means, in this world we shall have God's defence, favour, and grace, with the unspeakable solace of peace, and quietness of conscience; and, after this miserable life, we shall enjoy the endless bliss and glory of heaven: which he grant us all, that died for us all, Jesus Christ: to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, both now and everlastingly. Amen.

The Prayer Book Society of the Episcopal Churcf MANDATE: January/February 1999

THE SALVATION OF MANKIND, BY ONLY CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR, FROM SIN AND DEATH EVERLASTING

Because all men be sinners and offenders against God, and breakers of his Law and Commandments, therefore can no man, by his own acts, works, and deeds,

seem they ever so good, be justified and made righteous before God: but every man, of necessity, is constrained to seek for another righteousness of justification, to be received at God's own hands; that is to say, the forgiveness of his sins and trespasses, in such things as he hath offended. And this justification or righteousness, which we so receive of God's mercy and Christ's merits, embraced by faith, is taken, accepted, and allowed of God, for our perfect and full justification.

For the more full understanding hereof, it is our parts and duties ever to remember the great mercy of God; how that all the world being wrapped in sin by breaking of the Law, God sent his only Son our Saviour Christ into this world, to fulfil the Law for us; and, by shedding of his most precious blood, to make a sacrifice and satisfaction, or, as it may be called, amends to his Father, for our sins; to assuage his wrath and indignation conceived against us for the same. Insomuch that infants, being baptised and dying in their infancy, are by this sacrifice washed from their sins, brought to God's favour, and made his children, and inheritors of his kingdom of heaven.

And they, which in act or deed, do sin after their baptism, when they tum again to God unfeignedly, they are likewise washed by this sacrifice from their sins, in such sort, that there remaineth not any spot of sin, that shall be imputed to their damnation. This is that justification, or righteousness, which Saint Paul speaketh of, when he saith. No man is justified by the works of the Law, but freely by faith in Jesus Christ. And again he saith. We believe in Jesus Christ, that we be justified freely by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the Law; because that no man shall be justified by the works of the Law.

And although this justification be free unto us, yet it cometh not so freely unto us, that there is no ransom paid therefore at all.

But here may man's reason be astonished, reasoning after this fashion; If a ransom be paid for our redemption, then is it not given us freely. For a prisoner that payeth his ransom is not let go freely; for if he go freely, then he goeth without ransom: for what is it else to go freely, than to be set at liberty without payment of ransom?

This reason is satisfied by the great wisdom of God in this mystery of our redemption; who hath so tempered his justice and mercy together, that he would neither by his justice condemn us unto the everlasting captivity of the devil, and his prison of hell, remediless for ever without mercy; nor by his mercy deliver us clearly, without justice, or payment of a just ransom: but with his endless mercy he joined his most upright and equal justice. His great mercy he shewed unto us in delivering us from our former captivity, without requiring of any ransom to be paid, or amends to be made upon our parts; which thing by us had been impossible to be done. And, whereas, it lay not in us to do that, he provided a ransom for us; that was, the most precious body and blood of his own most dear and best beloved Son Jesus Christ; who, besides this ransom, fulfilled the Law for us perfectly.

And so the justice of God and his mercy did embrace together, and fulfilled the mystery of our redemption. And of this justice and mercy of God, knit together, speaketh Saint Paul in the third chapter to the Romans; All have offended and have need of the glory of God; but are justified freely by his grace, by redemption which is in Jesus Christ; whom God hath set forth to us for a reconciler and peace-maker, through faith in his blood, to shew his righteousness. And in the tenth chapter; Christ is the end of the Law unto righteousness, to every man that believeth. And in the eighth chapter; That which was impossible by the Law, inasmuch as it was weak by the flesh, God sending his own Son in the similitude of sinful flesh, by sin condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, which walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

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In these foresaid places, the Apostle toucheth specially three things, which must go together in our justification. Upon God's part, his great mercy and grace: upon Christ's part, justice; that is, the satisfaction of God's justice, or the price of our redemption, by the offering of his body, and shedding of his blood, with fulfilling of the Law perfectly and thoroughly: and upon our part trae and lively faith in the merits of Jesus Christ; which yet is not ours, but by God's working in us. So that in our justification, there is not only God's mercy and grace, but also his justice; which the Apostle calleth the justice of God; and it consisteth in paying our ransom and fulfilling of the Law. And so the grace of God doth not shut out the justice of God in our justification; but only shutteth out the justice of man; that is to say, the justice of our works, as to be merits of deserving our justification. And therefore Saint Paul declareth here nothing, upon the behalf of man, conceming his justification, but only a trae and lively faith; which nevertheless is the gift of God, and not man's only work, without God. And yet, that faith doth not shut out repentance, hope, love, dread, and the fear of God, to be joined with faith in every man that is justified; but it shutteth them out from the office of justifying. So that, although they be all present together in him that is justified, yet they justify not altogether. Neither doth faith shut out the justice of our good works, necessarily to be done afterwards of duty towards God - for we are most bounden to serve God, in doing good deeds commanded by him in his Holy Scripture, all the days of our life - but it excludeth them so that we may not do them to this intent, to be made just by doing of them.

For all the good works, that we can do, be imperfect; and therefore not able to deserve our justification: but our justification doth come freely, by the mere mercy of God; and of so great and free mercy, that, whereas all the world was not able of themselves to pay any part towards their ransom, it pleased our heavenly Father, of his infinite mercy, without any our desert or deserving, to prepare for us the most precious jewels of Christ's body and blood; whereby our ransom might be fully paid, the Law fulfilled, and his justice fully satisfied. So that Christ is now the righteousness of all them that truly do believe in him. He for them paid their ransom by his death. He for them fulfilled the Law in his life. So that now in him, and by him, every true Christian man may be called a fulfiller of the Law: forasmuch as that

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which their infirmity lacked, Christ's justice hath supplied....

Nevertheless, this sentence, that we be justified by faith only, is not so meant, that the said justifying faith is alone in man, without trae repentance, hope, charity, dread, and the fear of God, at any time and season. Nor when they say that we be justified freely, do they mean that we should or might afterward be idle, and that nothing should be required on our parts afterward: neither do they mean so to be justified without our good works, that we should do no good works at all; like as shall be more expressed at large hereafter. But this saying that we be justified by faith only - freely - and without works, is spoken for to take away clearly all merit of our works, as being unable to deserve our justification at God's hands: and thereby most plainly to express the weakness of man, and the goodness of God; the great infirmity of ourselves, and the might and power of God; the imperfection of our own works, and the most abundant grace of our Saviour Christ; and therefore wholly to ascribe the merit and deserving of our justification unto Christ only, and his most precious blood-shedding. This faith the Holy Scripture teacheth us; this is the strong rock and foundation of Christian religion; this doctrine all old and ancient authors of Christ's church do approve; this doctrine advanceth and setteth forth the trae glory of Christ, and beateth down the vain glory of man; this whosoever denieth, is not to be accounted for a Christian man, nor for a setter-forth of Christ's glory; but for an adversary to Christ and his Gospel, and for a setter-forth of men's vain-glory.

And although this doctrine be never so trae - as it is most trae indeed - that we be justified freely, without all merit of our own good works, as Saint Paul doth express it; and freely, by this lively and perfect faith in Christ only, as the ancient authors use to speak it; yet this true doctrine must be also truly understood, and most plainly declared; lest carnal men should take unjustly occasion thereby to live carnally, after the appetite and will of the world, the flesh, and the devil. And, because no man should err by mistaking of this doctrine, I shall plainly and shortly so declare the right understanding of the same, that no man shall justly think, that he may thereby take any occasion of carnal liberty, to follow the desires of the flesh; or that thereby any kind of sins shall be

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committed, or any ungodly living the more used.

First, you shall understand that, in our justification by Christ, it is not all one thing. The office of God unto man, and the office of man unto God. Justification is not the office of man, but of God; for man cannot make himself righteous by his own works, neither in part, nor in the whole: for that were the greatest arrogancy and presumption of man, that Antichrist could set up against God, to affirm that a man might by his own works take away and purge his own sins, and so justify himself. But justification is the office of God only; and is not a thing which we render unto him, but which we receive of him; not which we give to him, but which we take of him, by his free mercy, and by the only merits of his most dearly beloved Son, our only Redeemer, Saviour, and Justifier, Jesus Christ. So that the trae understanding of this doctrine - We be justified freely by faith without works, or that we be justified by faith in Christ only - is not, that this our own act, to believe in Christ, or this our faith in Christ, or this our faith in Christ, which is within us, doth justify us, and deserve our justification unto us - for that were to count ourselves to be justified by some act or virtue that is within ourselves - but the trae understanding and meaning thereof is, that, although we hear God's word and believe it; although we have faith, hope, charity, repentance, dread, and fear of God within us, and do never so many good works thereunto; yet we must renounce the merit of all our said virtues, of faith, hope, charity, and all our other virtues and good deeds, which we either have done, shall do, or can do, as things that be far too weak and insufficient, and imperfect, to deserve remission of our sins, and our justification.

And therefore we must trust only in God's mercy, and that sacrifice which our High Priest and Saviour Christ Jesus, the Son of God, once offered for us upon the cross, to obtain thereby God's grace, and remission, as well of our original sin in baptism, as of all actual sin committed by us after our baptism, if we traly repent and tum unfeignedly to him again. So that, as Saint John Baptist, although he were never so virtuous and godly a man, yet in this matter of forgiving of sin, he did put the people from him, and appointed them unto Christ, saying thus unto them. Behold, yonder is the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world: even so, as great and as godly a virtue as the lively faith is, yet it putteth

us from itself, and remitteth, or appointeth, us unto Christ, for to have only by him remission of our sins, or justification. So that our faith in Christ, as it were, saith unto us thus: It is not I that take away your sins, but it is Christ only; and to him only I send you for that purpose, forsaking therein all your good virtues, words, thoughts, and works, and only putting your trast in Christ....

Therefore to conclude, considering the infinite benefits of God, shewed and given unto us mercifully without our deserts; who hath not only created us of nothing, and from a piece of vile clay, of his infinite goodness, hath exalted us, as touching our soul, unto his own similitude and likeness; but also, whereas we were condemned to hell and death everlasting, hath given his own natural Son, being God etemal, immortal, and equal unto himself in power and glory, to be incarnated, and to take our mortal nature upon him, with the infinnities of the same; and in the same nature to suffer most shameful and painful death for our offences, to the intent to justify us, and to restore us to life everlasting; so making us also his dear children, brethren unto his only Son our Saviour Christ, and inheritors for ever with him of his etemal kingdom of heaven: These great and merciful benefits of God, if they be well considered, do neither minister unto us occasion to be idle, and to live without doing any good works; neither yet stir us up by any means to do evil things: but contrariwise, if we be not desperate persons, and our hearts harder than stones, they move us to render ourselves unto God wholly, with all our will, hearts, might, and power; to serve him in all good deeds, obeying his commandments during our lives; to seek in all things his glory and honour, not our sensual pleasures and vain-glory; evermore dreading willingly to offend such a merciful God and loving Redeemer, in word, thought, or deed.

And the said benefits of God, deeply considered, move us, for his sake also, to be ever ready to give ourselves to our neighbours; and, as much as lieth in us, to study with all our endeavour to do good to every man. These be the fruits of trae faith: To do good as much as lieth in us to every man; and, above all things, and in all things, to advance the glory of God; of whom only we have our sanctification, justification, salvation and redemption. To whom be ever glory, praise, and honour, world without end. Amen.

MANDATE: January/February 1999 The Prayer Book Society of the Episcopal Churc

CELEBRATE THE 450TH ANNIVERSARY

OF THE COMMON PRAYER

Join others around the world in the Celebration of 450 years of

"The Book of Common Prayer" of the Anglican Way in English

n March 7, 1549, the first copies of The Book ofthe Common Prayer were printed in London. At Pentecost 1549 the whole of the Church of England began to use the new Prayer Book for its daily worship and occasional offices. 450 years ago the Church of England created the

tradition of The Common Prayer in English.

The Episcopal Church in America has used four editions of this Enghsh Prayer Book. In the Colonies until Independence, the classic English edition of 1662 was used. Then in 1789 the first American edition of The Book of Common Prayer was produced, and this has been revised twice, in 1892 and in 1928.

Though the Episcopal Church produced a wholly new kind of Prayer Book in 1979, thousands of Episcopahans still use the 1928 BCP for their public, family and private prayers. Whether we use the modem or the classic Prayer Book the heritage of Episcopahans remains The Common Prayer, which began in English in 1549.

The Prayer Book Society has written to every diocesan bishop as well as to the Presiding Bishop urging them to recommend to every parish the solemn celebration of this important Anniversary. Further, the Prayer Book Society suggests to every parish that it set aside one Sunday, e.g., Whit-Sunday/Pentecost, in the first half of 1999 to use the original services, Mattins, Litany, Holy Communion and Evensong from the first Book of Common Prayer of 1549. Thereby modem Episcopalians will experience the authentic Common Prayer of the Anghcan Way!

The Services from The Book ofthe Common Prayer (1549) are printed in the January 1999 edition of The Mandate and may be photocopied from there.

Or they may be downloaded from the Website of the PBS. Visit for more details.

Call 1-800-PBS-1928 if you need help.

Peter Toon (President); Keith Ackerman (Episcopal Patron); John Rhein (Chairman)

The Prayer Book Society, P.O. Box 35220, Philadelphia, PA.19128-0220


GIVING THANKS TO GOD FOR THE GIFT

OF THE COMMON PRAYER

(M Bidding prepared for use in the Divine Service at the 450th Anniversary of The Book of Common Prayer during 1999.

• I l Dearly beloved in the Lord, we are met together to render thanks to Almighty God for the gift which we have received at His hands of The Book of Common Prayer, and for the great benefits which it brought to our forefathers, as also to ourselves; acknowledging and accepting with grateful hearts its decent and comely ordering of the Divine Service and Liturgy of the Church in our own tongue; whereby our people have been edified through the knowledge of God revealed in Holy Scripture and have offered in the congregation with humble and obedient hearts their sacrifice of prayer and praise.

And first let us remember with gratitude all those whose translations ofthe Bible laid the sure foundations of this scriptural worship, especially William Tyndale, martyr, and Miles Coverdale, bishop; together with the later scholars and divines who diligently compared and revised their work in the enduring Version authorized in 1611: and to their names let us join that of Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury whose skill and judgment composed the Enghsh Litany in the reign of King Henry VIII and contrived and shaped the First Prayer Book of 1549. In particular, let us remember those who in 1789 in Philadelphia revised the Enghsh Prayer Book for use as the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Let us also thank God for the noble tradition of our sacred music and for every other adornment of the Liturgy and Offices of the Church agreeable to the use of the Book of Common Prayer.

Futhermore, let us offer to Almighty God our hearty thanks for the apostolic zeal which has carried the Prayer Book overseas to our brethren of other nations and of other tongues the model and the inspiration of their doctrine and worship, and to bind together in one feUowship the whole Anglican Communion.

Finally, to these our thanksgivings let us add our prayers that we be mindful of the heritage that has been entrusted to us in the Church of Christ: that we may have grace to use the Book of Common Prayer, and all God's other gifts by us inherited, to the edifying of his Church and to the sanctifying of our common life; that in all things God will teach us to worship Him in spirit and in truth.99

The Society for the Preservation of the Book of Common Prayer (The Prayer Book Society of the Episcopai Church) P.O. Box 35220 Phiiadeiphia, PA 19128-0220

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