1926 Irish Book of Common Prayer: Penitential Service (Lent 2012)

http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/Ireland/Ireland_Penitential.htm A PENITENTIAL SERVICE, TO BE USED ON THE FIRST DAY OF LENT, AND AT OTHER TIMES AS THE ORDINARY SHALL APPOINT. ¶ After Morning Prayer, the Litany ended according to the accustomed manner, the Priest shall, in the Reading pew or Pulpit, say, BRETHREN, there hath been, from ancient times, a godly custom in the Church, that, at the beginning of Lent, Christian people should be admonished, in an especial manner, of the great indignation of God against sin, and be moved thereby to earnest and true repentance, lest any be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.      Remembering, therefore that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness, let us return unto our Lord God, with all contrition and meekness of heart; bewailing and lamenting our sinful life, acknowledging and confessing our offences, and seeking to bring forth worthy fruits of repentance.	This service, originally developed from the 1662 Book's Commination Against Sinners service, was extensively reworked for the 1926 Book.
For now is the axe put unto the root of the trees, so that every tree that 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; but he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire. The day of the Lord cometh as a thief in the night and when men shall say, Peace, and all things are safe, then shall sudden destruction come upon them, as sorrow cometh upon a woman travailing with child, and they shall not escape. Then shall appear the wrath of God in the day of vengeance, which obstinate sinners, through the stubbornness of their heart, have heaped unto themselves which despised the goodness, patience, and long-sufferance of God, when he called them continually to repentance. 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 judgement which shall be pronounced upon them, when it shall be said unto them, Go, ye cursed, into the fire everlasting, which is prepared for the devil and his angels.	Matt. 3. 10. Heb. 10. 31. Ps. 11. 6. Isa. 26. 21. Mal. 8.2. Matt. 3.12. 1 Thess. 5. 2, 3. Rom. 2. 4, 5. Matt. 25. 10,11,12. Matt. 25. 41.
Therefore, brethren, take we heed betime, while the day of salvation lasteth; for the night cometh, when none can work. But let us, while we have the light, believe in the light, and walk as children of the light; that we be not cast into utter darkness, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Let us not abuse the goodness of God, who calleth us mercifully to amendment, and of his endless pity promiseth us forgiveness of that which is past, if with a perfect and true heart we return unto him. For though our sins be as red as scarlet, they shall be made white as snow; and though they be like purple, yet they shall be made white as wool. Turn ye (saith the Lord) from all your wickedness, 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, seeing that I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God? Turn ye then, and ye shall live. Although we have sinned, yet have we an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins. For he was wounded for our offences, and smitten for our wickedness. Let us therefore return unto him, who is the merciful receiver of all true penitent sinners; assuring ourselves that he is ready to receive us, and most willing to pardon us, if we come unto him with faithful repentance; if we 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 in lowliness, patience, and charity, and be ordered by the governance of his Holy Spirit; seeking always his glory, and serving 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 gracious benediction of his Father, commanding us to take possession of his glorious kingdom: Unto which he vouchsafe to bring us all, for his infinite mercy. Amen.	2 Cor. 6.2. John 9.4. John 12. 35, 36. Matt.25. 30. Isa. 1. 18. Ezek. 18. 30, 31, 32. 1 John 2. 1, 2. Isa. 53. 5. Matt. 11. 29, 30. Matt. 25. 33, 34.
And now, brethren, I beseech you to ponder secretly in your hearts the commandments of God, and, humbling yourselves before him, to consider your ways, meekly kneeling upon your knees. ¶ Then shall the Minister read the following Sentences collected out of holy Scripture leaving short spaces for silent prayer, all kneeling.
THE first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.	Mark 12. 29, 30.
No man can serve two masters : for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.	Matt. 6. 24.
Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire.     Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.	Heb. 12. 28, 29. Rev. 4. 8
Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness.     Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another.	Matt. 6.33. Heb. 10. 25.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Render to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom ; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.	Eph. 6. 1. Rom. 13. 7.
He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hash eternal life abiding in him. Whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue ; but in deed and in truth.	1 John 3. 14-18
Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.	1 Cor. 6. 19, 20. 1 Thess. 4. 7.
Putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.	Eph. 4. 25, 28.
Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking, be put away from among you, with all malice.	James 4. 11. Eph. 4. 31.
Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Godliness with contentment is great gain. They that will be rich fall into tempts- tion and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.	Luke 12. 15. 1 Tim. 6. 6,9, 10.
¶ Then shall the Minister say, SEARCH me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any way of wickedness in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¶ Then, all still kneeling upon their knees, the Priest and Clerks kneeling (in the place where they are accustomed say the Litany) shall say this Psalm: Miserere mei, Deus. Psalm 51. HAVE mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness : according to multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences. Wash me throughly from my wickedness : and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge 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 blood-guiltiness, O God, thou that art the God of my health : and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness. Thou shalt Open my lips, O Lord : and my mouth shall shew thy praise. For thou desireth no sacrifice, else would I give it thee : but thou delights not in burnt-offerings. The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit : a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise. 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. Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us.
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, Aswe forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil. Amen.     Minister. O Lord, save thy servants; Answer. That put their trust in thee. Minister. Send unto them help from above; Answer. And evermore mightily defend them. Minister. Help us, O God our Saviour; Answer. And for the glory of thy Name deliver us; be merciful to us sinners, for thy Name's sake. Minister. O Lord, hear our prayer; Answer. And let our cry come unto thee. Minister. Let us pray. O LORD, we beseech thee, mercifully hear our prayers, and spare all those who confess their sins unto thee; that they, whose consciences by sin are accused, by thy merciful pardon may be absolved; through Christ our Lord. Amen. O MOST mighty God, and merciful Father, who hast compassion upon all men, and hatest nothing that shod hast made; who wouldest not the death of a sinner, but that he should rather turn from his sin, and be saved; Mercifully forgive us our trespasses; receive and comfort us, who are grieved and wearied with the burden of our sins. Thy property is always to have mercy; to thee only it appertaineth to forgive sins. Spare us therefore, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed; enter not into judgement with thy servants, who are vile earth, and miserable sinners; but so turn thine anger from us, who meekly acknowledge our vileness, and truly repent us of our faults and so make haste to help us in this world, that we may ever live with thee in the world to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ¶ Then shall the people say this that followeth, after the Minister: TURN thou us, O good Lord, and so shall we be turned. Be favourable, O Lord, Be favourable to thy people, Who turn to thee in weeping, fasting, and praying. For thou art a merciful God, Full of compassion, Long-suffering, and of great pity. Thou sparest when we deserve punishment, And in thy wrath Thinketh upon mercy. Spare thy people, good Lord, spare them, And let not thine heritage be brought to confusion. Hear us, O Lord, for thy mercy is great. And after the multitude of thy mercies look upon us; Through the merits and mediation of thy blessed Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ¶ Then the Minister alone shall say, THE Lord bless us, and keep us: the Lord make his face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us: the Lord lift up his countenance upon us, and give us peace, both now and for evermore. Amen. ¶ If it be found convenient, this Office may follow Evening Prayer. ¶ If there be a Sermon, all that precedes the Fifty-first Psalm may be omitted from the Office.

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Romanist Confession Box Encounters by Rev. Richard Bennett

9th Collect after Trinity, Rightful Thinking, Formula of Concord, Justification, Justifying Faith

The Ninth Sunday after Trinity.
The Collect.

GRANT to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and do always such things as be rightful; that we, who cannot do any thing that is good without thee, may by thee be enabled to live according to thy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
http://www.eskimo.com/~lhowell/bcp1662/communion/trinity.html

1. The phrase from our Collect for this week: “…the spirit to think and do always such things as be rightful…” This is the God-given gift of faith within the justified saint, justified extra nos...thirsting, hungering, and seeking Godly, ordered, directed, disciplined, and decorous thinking and living. This collect conjoins thinking and living.

2. We ponder the word rightful in relation to thinking, living, and justifying faith.

3. Rightful = rightful (adjective) /ˈraɪt.fəl/
= rightfully (adverb) /ˈraɪt.fəl.i/

= A rightful position or claim is one which is morally or legally correct

Examples:
Don't forget that I am the rightful owner of this house.
The furniture rightfully belongs to you.

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/rightful

3. This Collect corresponds, succinctly, to the doctrine, worship and piety of the justified Psalmist (cf. Rom.4 closely) in Psalm 119, an earnest and determined effort to think and live rightfully.

4. Thinking rightly about what? An entire front of doctrine and living. The prayer pertains to us at every level. Every theological loci, sermon, Sunday School lesson, worship service, and every piece of music for the seminarians and Churchmen. And we're just warming to our subject here. Every paper, every exam and every text-book for secondary, collegiate, graduate or doctoral students. Every family, sociological, political or economic matter for the exegetes of culture. Engaging with this particular Collect for the Day--this specific prayer--is reminiscent of the phrase from St. Chrysostom's prayer at Mattins or Evensong, to wit, "...granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting, Amen." Getting it right matters.

5. It is consoling to parents if they have children living and thinking rightly. With this focus, they do well in all things insofar as their abilities allow. In fact, it's hard to imagine a parent not wanting a child to pray or live this Collect as his or her own: "GRANT to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and do always such things as be rightful..." A life-changing prayer for a covenant child and just one more reason for our 1662 Book of Common Prayer.

Getting it right, will keep you from traffic tickets and accidents (stay in the lane), mis-expenditures of assets, mis-prescribing meds or amounts by nurses or physicians, and 100's of other practical problems--getting it wrong hurts.

Aside from the width of practicality, however, we are re-directed to one specific area by the directed reading for Mattins, Thursday, 5 Aug 2010. In fact, through this period, the lectionary involves re-reading Paul's magnum opus and governing letter, the "battleground of the Reformation." Ergo, from the noises, din and demands of this widely applied Collect, we are refocused on Paul. The NT lection for 5 Aug 2010 is Paul's Romans, specifically, chapter 5 and it concerns rightful thinking, justification by faith alone and faith itself.

6. We always do aright and well to meditate and ponder the insights from Confessional Lutheran Churchmen concerning rightful thinking, justification by faith alone (Romans 3.28, inter alia) and faith itself. Confessional Lutherans always afford us fine specimens of theological deliberation. From The Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord, III. The Righteousness of Faith (http://bookofconcord.org/sd-righteousness.php). For your meditation and rightful thinking, we quote III.9-10:

"9] Concerning the righteousness of faith before God we believe, teach, and confess unanimously, in accordance with the comprehensive summary of our faith and confession presented above, that poor sinful man is justified before God, that is, absolved and declared free and exempt from all his sins, and from the sentence of well-deserved condemnation, and adopted into sonship and heirship of eternal life, without any merit or worth of our own, also without any preceding, present, or any subsequent works, out of pure grace, because of the sole merit, complete obedience, bitter suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord Christ alone, whose obedience is reckoned to us for righteousness.

"10] These treasures are offered us by the Holy Ghost in the promise of the holy Gospel; and faith alone is the only means by which we lay hold upon, accept, and apply, and appropriate them to ourselves. 11] This faith is a gift of God, by which we truly learn to know Christ, our Redeemer, in the Word of the Gospel, and trust in Him, that for the sake of His obedience alone we have the forgiveness of sins by grace, are regarded as godly and righteous by God the father, and are eternally saved. 12] Therefore it is considered and understood to be the same thing when Paul says that we are justified by faith, Rom. 3:28, or that faith is counted to us for righteousness, Rom. 4:5, and when he says that we are made righteous by the obedience of One, Rom. 5:19, or that by the righteousness of One justification of faith came to all men, Rom. 5:18. 13] For faith justifies, not for this cause and reason that it is so good a work and so fair a virtue, but because it lays hold of and accepts the merit of Christ in the promise of the holy Gospel; for this must be applied and appropriated to us by faith, if we are to be justified thereby. 14] Therefore the righteousness which is imputed to faith or to the believer out of pure grace is the obedience, suffering, and resurrection of Christ, since He has made satisfaction for us to the Law, and paid for [expiated] our sins. 15] For since Christ is not man alone, but God and man in one undivided person, He was as little subject to the Law, because He is the Lord of the Law, as He had to suffer and die as far as His person is concerned. For this reason, then, His obedience, not only in suffering and dying, but also in this, that He in our stead was voluntarily made under the Law, and fulfilled it by this obedience, is imputed to us for righteousness, so that, on account of this complete obedience, which He rendered His heavenly Father for us, by doing and suffering, in living and dying, God forgives our sins, regards us as godly and righteous, and eternally saves us. 16] This righteousness is offered us by the Holy Ghost through the Gospel and in the Sacraments, and is applied, appropriated, and received through faith, whence believers have reconciliation with God, forgiveness of sins, the grace of God, sonship, and heirship of eternal life."

5. This is sheer gold. This is rightful Biblical and Pauline thinking. The justification of the ungodly is a once-for-all declaration of the Divine Majesty, His Sovereign Majesty. Justification is not progressive. The passive voice of Romans 5.9 means there is no cooperation on our part. See: http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2010/08/romans-59-justification-future.html. Justification is purely by grace through God-given faith. This is rightful thinking.

Without further development, we would direct you to another golden confession that gets it right, the Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 11, "Of Justification." http://www.reformed.org/documents/wcf_with_proofs/

6. In response, Psalm 100 (Jubilate Deo) follows the New Testament lection.

7. We close with “The Old Hundredth,” arranged by R.V.Williams, and as sung by the Choir of Westminster Abbey. The music is put to pictures of various cathederals around the UK.

Yes, getting music, liturgy and architecture aright is an Anglican characteristic. No apologies to the Reformed or Baptists here.

But grander than these veritable and justifiable beauties, in music and architecture, we point to Jesus Christ, our "greater than the Temple," the "Temple" of His body, His holiness and beauty, His transcendance and sovereignty, and His immanence to us and His Church Militant on earth by Word and the Sacraments. His staggeringly perfect righteousness put to our beggarly accounts, freely and abidingly by His life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension. We stutter to adequately appreciate this, yet we must get it right and side with the Catholic Church of the Reformation--Anglican, Lutheran and Reformed.

Rightly, with the Reformation, we use Psalm-singing, specifically, Psalm 100 to guide, restrain, direct, control and express our thanksgiving and joy. Sola Deo gloria. Sola fide. Solo Christo. Sola gratia. Sola scriptura.

All people that on earth do dwell,
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.
Him serve with fear, His praise forth tell;
Come ye before Him and rejoice.

The Lord, ye know, is God indeed;
Without our aid He did us make;
We are His folk, He doth us feed,
And for His sheep He doth us take.

O enter then His gates with praise;
Approach with joy His courts unto;
Praise, laud, and bless His Name always,
For it is seemly so to do.

For why? the Lord our God is good;
His mercy is for ever sure;
His truth at all times firmly stood,
And shall from age to age endure.

To Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
The God Whom Heaven and earth adore,
From men and from the angel host
Be praise and glory evermore.

Westminster Confession, Anglicans, Saving Faith

Can the Westminster Confession of Faith be improved in any way? As it is, Ch.14, it's most excellent and warrants memorization, meditation and exposition. It's clearly superior to the XXXIX Articles.

Westminster Confession of Faith, Ch.14 (http://www.reformed.org/documents/wcf_with_proofs/):

"Of Saving Faith

I. The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls,[1] is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts,[2] and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word,[3] by which also,... and by the administration of the sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and strengthened.[4]

II. By this faith, a Christian believes to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God Himself speaking therein;[5] and acts differently upon that which each particular passage thereof contains; yielding obedience to the commands,[6] trembling at the threatenings,[7] and embracing the promises of God for this life, and that which is to come.[8] But the principal acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.[9]

III. This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong;[10] may often and many ways assailed, and weakened, but gets the victory:[11] growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance, through Christ,[12] who is both the author and finisher of our faith.[13]"

But while, at many places, the WCF is more excellent than the 39 Articles, nothing beats a good, classical, 1662 Prayer Book service where music also, alongside the liturgy, in the Cathedral and parish tradition, is viewed as theology, worship and piety. As Anglicans, we just don't throw out our goodly, Godly, and Biblical Prayer Book, despite rash imputations from Anabaptists, Revivalists, or some Puritans.

I strongly expect the Formula of Concord (F o C) to have some good sections on par with the WCF concerning "Saving Faith." In fact, I suspect--without checking again--that there are some "very superior" sections in the F o C.

A few recommended edits to the Westminster Confession of Faith "for the Presbyterians."

Add another sentence or two re: the comforts and joys of the Gospel. Recognize the joy, praise and thanksgiving in doctrine, worship and piety as evinced by Psalms 95 (Venite), 96, 98, 100 and so many other places. Also, add a few sentences about the great delight that the justified saints take in His Majesty's Word, Sacraments, and the Communion of the Saints. Buff it with the spirit of the Heidelberg Catechism and amplify Q/A 1 of the WSC, about "enjoying God."

"For the Anglicans," get hot and get on it! Grow up and learn to confess the Biblical faith!