So that the sun shall not burn thee by day : neither the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: yea, it is even he that shall keep thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in: from this time forth for evermore. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, &c. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever &c. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. ¶dOur Father which art in heaven, &c. And lead us not into temptation. Answer. But deliver us from evil. Amen. Priest. Be thou to her a strong tower; Answer. From the face of her Priest. Lord, hear our prayer. enemy. Answer. And let our cry come to thee. Priest. Let us pray. O ALMIGHTY God, which hast delivered this woman thy servant from the great pain and peril of childbirth; Grant, we beseech thee, (most merciful Father,) that she, through thy help, may both faithfully live and walk in her vocation, according to thy will, in this life present; and also may be partaker of everlasting glory in the life to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The woman that is purified, must offer her chrism, and other accustomed offerings; and if there be a communion, it is convenient that she receive the holy communion. c the Son, and to &c. 1552. thee 1552. The woman that cometh to give her thanks, must offer accustomed offerings; and if there be a communion, it is convenient that she receive the holy communion. Our Father which &c. 1552. e unto The first Day of Lent, commonly called Ash- Wednesday. A Commination against Sinners, with certain Prayers to be used divers times in the year. ¶ After f Matins ended, the people being called together by the ringing of a bell, and assembled in the church, the English Litany shall be said after the accustomed manner; which ended, the Priest shall go into the pulpit, and say thus : BRETHREN, in the primitive church there was a godly discipline, that, at the beginning of Lent, such persons as were notorious sinners were put to open penance, and punished in this world, that their souls might be saved in the day of the Lord; and that other, admonished by their example, might be more afraid to offend. In the stead whereof, until the said discipline may be restored again, (which thing is much to be wished,) it is thought good, that at this time (in your presence) should be read the general sentences of God's cursing against impenitent sinners, gathered out of the xxviith chapter of Deuteronomy, and other places of scripture; and that ye should answer to every sentence, Amen to the intent that you, being admonished of the great indignation of God against sinners, may the rather be called to earnest and true repentance; and may walk more warily in these dangerous days; fleeing from such vices, for the which ye affirm with your own mouths the curse of God to be due. CURSED is the man that maketh any carved or molten image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place to worship it. And the people shall answer and say, Amen. Minister. Cursed is he that curseth his father and mother. Answer. Amen. Minister. Cursed is he that removeth away the mark of his neighbour's land. Answer. Amen. Minister. Cursed is he that maketh the blind to go out of his way. Answer. Amen. f Morning Prayer 1552. g others 1552. Minister. Cursed is he that letteth in judgment the right of the stranger, of them that be fatherless, and of widows. Answer. Amen. Minister. Cursed is he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. Minister. Cursed is he that lieth with his neighbour's wife. Minister. Cursed is he that taketh reward to slay the soul of innocent blood. Answer. Amen. Minister. Curseth is he that putteth his trust in man, and taketh man for his defence, and in his heart goeth from the Lord. Answer. Amen. Minister. Cursed are the unmerciful, the fornicators, hand advowterers, the covetous persons, the worshippers of images, slanderers, drunkards, and extortioners. Answer. Amen. The Minister. Now seeing that all they be accursed (as the Ps. cxviii. prophet David beareth witness) which do err and go astray from Matt. iii. Heb. x. Psalm x. the commandments of God; let us (remembering the dreadful judgment hanging over our heads, and being always at hand) return unto our Lord God, with all contrition and meekness of heart; bewailing and lamenting our sinful life, knowledging and confessing our offences, and seeking to bring forth worthy fruits of penance. For even now is the axe put unto the root of the trees, so that every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God: he shall pour down rain upon the sinners, snares, fire and brimstone, storm and tempest; this shall be their portion to drink. For lo, the Lord is come out of his place to visit the wickedness of such as dwell upon the earth. But who may abide the day of his coming? Who shall be able to endure when he appeareth? His fan is in his hand, and he will purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the barn; I Thess. v. but he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire. The day of the Lord cometh as a thief upon the night: and when men shall say, Peace, and all things are safe, then shall k sudden destruction come upon them, as sorrow cometh upon a woman travailing with child, and they shall not escape. Then shall appear the wrath Isai. xxvi. Mal. iii. Matt. iii. h and adulterers, and the covetous persons 1552. k suddenly 1552. i For now is 1553. of God in the day of vengeance, which obstinate sinners, through the stubbornness of their heart, have heaped upon themselves; which despised the goodness, patience, and long-sufferance of Rom. ii. God, when he called them continually to repentance. Then shall Prov. i. they call upon me, (saith the Lord,) but I will not hear; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me; and that, because they hated knowledge, and received not the fear of the Lord, but abhorred my counsel, and despised my correction. Then shall it be too late to knock when the door shall be shut; and too late to cry for mercy when it is the time of justice. O terrible voice of most just judgment, which shall be pronounced upon them, when it shall be said unto them, Go, ye cursed, into the fire ever- Matt. xxv. lasting, which is prepared for the devil and his angels. There fore, brethren, take we heed betime, while the day of salvation 2 Cor. vi. lasteth; for the night cometh when none can work. But let us, John ix. while we have the light, believe in the light, and walk as the children of the light; that we be not cast into the utter darkness, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Let us not abuse Matt. xxv. the goodness of God, which calleth us mercifully to amendment, and of his endless pity promiseth us forgiveness of that which is past, if (with a whole mind 'and a true heart) we return unto him. For though our sins be red as scarlet, they shall be as white as Isai. i. snow; and though they be like purple, yet shall they be as white as wool. Turn you clean (saith the Lord) from all your wick- Ezech, xxvii. edness, and your sin shall not be your destruction. Cast away from you all your ungodliness that ye have done: make you new hearts, and a new spirit: wherefore will ye die, O ye house of Israel, m seeing I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth? (saith the Lord God.) Turn you then, and you shall live. Although we have sinned, yet have we an Advocate with the 1 John ii. Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he it is that obtaineth grace for our sins: for he was wounded for our offences, and Isai. liii. smitten for our wickedness. Let us therefore return unto him, who is the merciful receiver of all true penitent sinners; assuring ourself that he is ready to receive us, and most willing to pardon us, if we come to him with faithful repentance; if we will submit ourselves unto him, and from henceforth walk in his ways; if we will take his easy yoke and light burden upon us, to follow him Matt. xi. in lowliness, patience, and charity, and be ordered by the governance of his Holy Spirit; seeking always his glory, and serving 1 and true heart 1552. с с 4 m seeing that I have 1552. Matt. xxv. him duly in our vocation with thanksgiving. This if we do, Christ will deliver us from the curse of the law, and from the extreme malediction which shall light upon them that shall be set on the left hand; and he will set us on his right hand, and give us the blessed benediction of his Father, commanding us to take possession of his glorious kingdom: unto the which he vouchsafe to bring us all, for his infinite mercy. Amen. Then shall they all kneel upon their knees; and the i Priest and Clerks kneeling, (where they are accustomed to say the Litany,) shall say this Psalm. Miserere mei, Deus. Psalm li. HAVE mercy upon me, (O God,) after thy great goodness: kaccording unto the multitude of thy mercies do away mine of fences. Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin. For I knowledge my faults: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified in thy saying, and clear when thou art judged. Behold, I was shapen in wickedness and in sin hath my mother conceived me. But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly. Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean : thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness: that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Turn thy face from my sins: and put out all my misdeeds. Make me a clean heart, (O God) and renew a right spirit within me. : Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. O give me the comfort of thy help again: and stablish me with thy free spirit. Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked: and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, (O God,) thou that art the i Priests 1552. * according to 1552. 1 in inward parts 1552. |