2-Why I Use the 1662 Book of Common Prayer

Why I Use the 1662 Book of Common Prayer-Part Two

Immediately below is the "Exhoration to the Confession of Sin, but also Stated Reasons for Worship."

Beneath that follows my "Observations, Correlation, Interpretation, Applications."

"DEARLY beloved brethren, the Scripture moveth us, in sundry places, to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness; and that we should not dissemble nor cloak them before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father; but confess them with an humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient heart; to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same, by his infinite goodness and mercy. And although we ought, at all times, humbly to acknowledge our sins before God; yet ought we chiefly so to do, when we assemble and meet together to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at his hands, to set forth his most worthy praise, to hear his most holy Word, and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as the soul. Wherefore I pray and beseech you, as many as are here present, to accompany me with a pure heart, and humble voice, unto the throne of the heavenly grace, saying after me; "

Observations:

1. Modern day, daily piety has no sense of sin.
2. Many Reformed Churches, while good on paper, do not have liturgical prayers of Confession and Absolution. Where they do, there is no "congregational involvement," or "common prayer," but it devolves to the clergyman. Wider evangelical circles don't have any clues at all. We omit the mainline liberals.
3. We cited, in the last post, eleven Scriptures that begin morning prayer.
4. The BCP says we “the Scripture moveth us.” Why the Scriptures? They are the oracles of God. Romans 3.1.
5. We are called to “acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness.”
6. What modern day clergyman--at large--says “I am a wicked man?” How can he lead from out front if he can't say this?
7. The absence of these in daily and worship piety “shapes” modern theology.
8. This is a powerful evangelistic tool. No more of Campus Crusade for Christ with their "Four Spiritual Laws" or similar outfits.
9. This is necessary for the justified saint and believer, given simul iustus et peccator. If the saint thinks he or she is without daily sins, he or she doesn’t know the Law of God.
10. We make the approach in prayer with an “humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient heart.”
11. This “confession” of sin, “ought we chiefly so to do” when we gather for Morning and Evening Prayer.
12. In addition to confession of sin, which we “ought we chiefly so to do,” we meet for the stated reasons.
a. “To render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at his hands.”
b. “To set forth his most worthy praise.”
c. “To hear his most holy Word.”
d. “And to ask those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as the soul.”
13. It does not say we meet to “entertain, enthuse, revive or do evangelism.” However, joy, confidence, and rejoicing most assuredly come to expression later in Morning Prayer. Evangelism has already been noted. Energetic searching of the soul, the mind, the heart and the patterns of life and habit in sanctifying grace and power is the agenda of the “communion of the saints.”

Correlations:

1. Lutheran and Reformed church liturgies. Lutherans, we believe, will be closer to us as Reformed Anglicans.
2. Anabaptist and charismatic worship, if we can bring ourselves to look at it.
3. The revisions of the 1928 and 1979 Books of Common Prayer that dilutes the old book. These two books, American books, dilute the doctrine of sin. There are other reasons to use neither.
4. 1549, 1552, 1559 BCPs in England.
5. 1785, 1789, 1892 Books in the US, as well as the 1873 REC BCP.
6. Studies in “reverence” and “respect” during worship, Contemporary Christian music, Owen’s unhelpful comments on liturgy, literature on the seeker-sensitive models of church worship, comparison to the enthusiasts like Hinn, Meyers, etc.
7. Review of worship patterns used in Reformed seminary chapels, e.g. Westminster Seminaries, Reformed Seminaries, inter alia.
a. Although the Confessional posture was excellent, there was no worship-liturgy at Westminster Seminary.
b. Street reports note CCM at Reformed Seminary in Orlando, FL. (??)

Interpretation:

At the outset, for child, woman, man, unconverted and justified believer, the view of “sin” is as “high” as the need for the solution, a “sure and Sovereign Saviour.”

Application:

1. Avoid American worship. Never again, anywhere or any circumstance.
2. Help young people get free of CCM, modern patterns of worship and on track with godly patterns for daily worship and prayer.
3. Help brave Pastors who will confront the unseemly and indecent forms of worship. Most won’t. “Dollas and numbas” rule. Fear precludes Reform.
4. Remain involved with the Reformed on theology, confessions, practice and piety, but teach another way regarding worship. Westminster was poor, poor, poor.
5. Use daily until death. As the evangelical Anglican, Charles Simeon, stated (in essence), “I never was or felt closer to heaven than when praying and reading the prayer book.”
6. Keep reading the Bible. This is closer to it than anything on the modern streets.
7. Avoid any and all appearances that this and only this is the appropriate form of worship. Revisions are needed to the 1662 BCP at numerous points. On the other hand, (1) above rules. This is a top-tiered way to teach, shape youth, govern piety, and form of prayer.
8. Defend the BCP as needed, but the issue is helping the next generation mature—they won’t get the old book anywhere, including England, U.S. or Australia. The new ACNA has no doctrinal core and, while claiming the 1662 BCP as the core, it’s going nowhere in that gaggle.
9. Provide a summary of revisions later.