Jesus Christ and dost assure us thereby of thy favour and goodness toward us, and that we be very members incorporate in thy mystical body, which is the blessed company of all faithful people, and be also heirs through hope of thy everlasting kingdom, by the merits of the most precious death and passion of thy dear Son: we now 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 shall be said or sung. GLORY be to God on high. 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: 0 Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us: thou that takest away the sins of the 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' or the Bishop, if he be present, 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 Jesu 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. Amen. ¶ Collects to be said after the Offertory, when there is no Communion: every such day one. And the same may be said also as often as occasion shall serve after the Collects, either of Morning and Evening Prayer, Communion, or Litany, by the discretion of the minister. ASSIST us mercifully, O Lord, in these our supplications and prayers, and dispose the way of thy servants toward [Grafton, among.] [1578, the Minister.] the attainment of everlasting salvation: that among all the changes and chances of this mortal life, they may ever be defended by thy most gracious and ready help: through Christ our Lord. Amen. O ALMIGHTY Lord and everliving God, vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to direct, sanctify and govern both our hearts and bodies, in the ways of thy laws, and in the works of thy commandments that through thy most mighty protection, both here and ever, we may be preserved in body and soul: through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that the words which we have heard this day with our outward ears, may through thy grace be so grafted3 inwardly in our hearts, that they may bring forth in us the fruit of good living, to the honour and praise of thy name: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. PREVENT us, O Lord, in all our doings, with thy most gracious favour, and further us with thy continual help, that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy name, and finally by thy mercy obtain everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ALMIGHTY God, the fountain of all wisdom, which knowest our necessities before we ask, and our ignorance in asking: we beseech thee to have compassion upon our infirmities, and those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask, vouchsafe to give us for the worthiness of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ALMIGHTY God, which hast promised to hear the petitions of them that ask in thy Son's name: we beseech thee mercifully to incline thine ears to us, that have made now our prayers and supplications unto thee: and grant that those things which we have faithfully asked according to thy will, may effectually be obtained, to the relief of our necessity, and to the setting forth of thy glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [3 Grafton and 1596, graffed.] Upon the holy days, if there be no Communion, shall be said all that is appointed at the Communion, until the end of the Homily, concluding with the general prayer, for the whole state' of Christ's church militant here in earth and one or mo of these Collects before rehearsed, as occasion shall serve. And there shall be no celebration of the Lord's Supper except there be a good number to communicate with the priest, according to his discretion. And if there be not above twenty persons in the Parish of discretion to receive the communion: yet there shall be no Communion, except four, or three at the least communicate with the priest3. And in Cathedral and Collegiate churches, where be many Priests and Deacons, they shall all receive the Communion with the Minister every Sunday at the least, except they have a reasonable cause to the contrary. ¶ And to take away the superstition which any person hath, or might have, in the bread and wine, it shall suffice that the bread be such, as is usual to be eaten at the Table with other meats, but the best and purest wheat bread, that conveniently may be gotten. And if any of the bread or wine remain, the Curate shall have it to his own use. The bread and wine for the Communion shall be provided by the Curate, and the Churchwardens, at the charges of the parish, and the parish shall be discharged of such sums of money, or other duties, which hitherto they have paid for the same, by order of their houses every Sunday". ¶ And note, that every Parishioner shall communicate at the least three times in the year: of which Easter to be one: and shall also receive the Sacraments, and other rites, according to the order in this book appointed. And yearly, at Easter, every Parishioner shall reckon with his Parson, Vicar or Curate, or his, or their deputy or deputies, and pay to them or him all Ecclesiastical duties, accustomably due, then and at that time to be paid. [Grafton, estate.] [21578, a great number. This alteration first appears in a quarto Prayer Book of 1576 by Jugge, prefixed to a copy of the Bishops' Bible. Afterwards, as in 1617, it crept also into some of the authorised folios.] [3 1578, the Minister.] [+ 1578, or.] [ 1578, Ministers.] [ See Liturgies of K. Edward VI.', Parker Society, p. 98.] [Grafton, of.] The Ministration of Baptism. to be used in the Church. Ir appeareth by ancient writers, that the sacrament of Baptism in the old time was not commonly ministered, but at two times in the year: at Easter, and Whitsuntide. At which times it was openly ministered, in the presence of all the congregation: which custom (now being grown out of use,) although it cannot for many considerations be well restored again, yet it is thought good to follow the same as near as conveniently may be: wherefore the people are to be admonished, that it is most convenient that Baptism should not be ministered but upon Sundays and other holy days, when the most number of people may come together, as well for that the congregation there present may testify the receiving of them that be newly Baptized into the number of Christ's Church, as also because in the Baptism of Infants every man present may be put in remembrance of his own profession made to God in his Baptism. For which cause also, it is expedient that Baptism be ministered in the English tongue. Nevertheless (if necessity so require) children may at all times be baptized at home. Publick" Baptism. ¶ When there are children to be baptized upon the Sunday, or holy day, the Parents shall give knowledge over night, or in the morning, afore the beginning of Morning prayer, to the Curate. And then the Godfathers, Godmothers, and people with the children, must be ready at the Font, either immediately after the last Lesson at Morning Prayer, or else immediately after the last Lesson at Evening Prayer, as the Curate by his discretion shall appoint. And then standing there, the Priest" shall ask whether the children be Baptized or no. If they answer, no: Then shall the Priest" say thus. DEARLY beloved, forasmuch as all men be conceived and born in sin, and that our Saviour Christ saith, none can enter into the kingdom of God (except he be regenerate, and born [Grafton, tyme.] [ 1578 omits this rubric.] [10 Not in Grafton, nor in 1578.] anew of water and the Holy Ghost:) I beseech you to call upon God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that of his bounteous mercy, he will grant to these children, that thing which by nature they cannot have, that they may be Baptized with water and the Holy Ghost, and received into Christ's holy church, and be made lively members of the same. Then the Priest' shall say. Let us pray. ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, which of thy great mercy didst save Noe and his family in the Ark, from perishing by water and also didst safely lead the children of Israel thy people through the Red Sea figuring thereby thy holy Baptism; and by the Baptism of thy wellbeloved Son Jesus Christ, didst sanctify the flood Jordan and all other waters to the mystical washing away of sin: We beseech thee, for thy2 infinite mercies, that thou wilt mercifully look upon these children, sanctify them and wash them with thy Holy Ghost: that they, being delivered from thy wrath, may be received into the Ark of Christ's Church; and being stedfast in faith, joyful through hope, and rooted in charity, may so pass waves of this troublesome world, that finally they may come to the land of everlasting life, there to reign with thee, world without end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. the ALMIGHTY and immortal God, the aid of all that need, the helper of all that flee3 to thee for succour, the life of them that believe, and the resurrection of the dead: we call upon thee for these infants, that they, coming to thy holy Baptism, may receive remission of their sins by spiritual regeneration. Receive them, (O Lord) as thou hast promised by thy wellbeloved Son, saying, Ask and you shall have, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. So give now unto us that ask. Let us that seek find. Open thy' gate to us that knock, that these infants may enjoy the everlasting benediction of thy heavenly washing, and may come to the eternal Kingdom, which thou hast promised by Christ our Lord. Amen. [ 1578, the Minister.] [ Grafton and 1596, thine.] |