Lk.1.57-80: Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity

25 Sep 2010, NT lection for the 16th Sunday after Trinity. Luke 1.57ff to the end.

Eternal God, Thou hast kept Thy word of promise through the Edenic, Noahaic, Abrahamic, Sinaitic and Newer Covenants to "be our God," to us and our children. Despite the vast defections and manifold sins of wickedness of ourselves and our peoples--including so-called Anglicans--yet, Thou hast been faithful...even in the wilderness and Babylonian Captivity. Thou art always faithful. Zacharias, like Mary, saw Thy historic fidelity in this evening's lection. Help us to arise above the infidelities of our times--including Anglican Bishops. O God, this nation is awash with Anabaptistic-Pentecostalists who appear to have no knowledge of the Abrahamic Covenant--they have cast it off, if they even know of it. Even R.C. Sproul, Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, and Ref21 make common cause with those who oppugn, impugn and dismiss Thy covenant with Abraham. Strengthen Thy remnant, merciful Sovereign. Strengthen our arms for war that we may tower above that "of teachers" (Ps.119.99-100), several who--bishops included--have deserted, fled and left us as orphans. But, Thou, O God, hast not deserted. Thy Son has prayed for us in John 17. Nor has our our faithful High Priest deserted us, Christ Jesus, who is ever the same and ever faithful...forever, through all generations. It is through HM, our Saviour, in Whom we explicitly and exclusively trust, that we pray, Amen.

We close as a responsorial to Luke 1.67ff with the Nunc Dimittis by Stanford. We depart in peace, "according to Thy Word." Not a Pope's, Bishop's or any other's word, but HM's Word. Simeon had it right (Luke 2.29-32). We Prayer Book Anglicans repair to God's Word and biblical responsorials to it.

Many of us have been deserted by bishops, presbyters and deacons. Good lesson--depend on HM.

Also, for "new joins, we begin EP or Evensong with a Psalm at the beginning and end. Psalm 88 and 89 tonight, using the chants from St. Paul's, London, UK, a set we continue to commend for Heritage Anglicans. Of course, we sang the 25th day for Psalms, 119.73-104. As historic Anglicans, we are Psalm-singers.

Hosea in the 16th Sunday After Trinity

25 Sept 2010, Hosea 10-12, our readings at Evensong. Our Bishops, Presbyters and Deacons have erred and strayed like lost sheep. The congregations are at "ease in Zion." What will the righteous do (Ps.12.1-3)? Short answer: man up and hold the fort. A prayer based on Hosea 11-12.7.

Almighty and most merciful Father, Thy judgments against Thy people are fair, accurate, just, honourable, instructive, humbling and encouraging. We live in a land of Anglican defections, derelictions, defamations, disorders, dysfunctions and the tolerations of such--by leaders and by languishing congregations of indifference. Thy worship has been weakened and polluted. Ever spare us, good LORD. Strengthen the remnant that remains faithful. "Cunning and deceit" are on every hand and everywhere. Help us and make speed to help us as Thou, alone, dost for for us in the Captivity. We bless Thee for Hosea and your perpetual mercy to him. Help us to stand stedfast as he did in the 8th century BC. Through Christ alone we pray and through His Majesty's name, birth, life, death for us, and resurrection for our justification, Amen.

We always use Stanford's Magnificat--here in eastern NC--for the response. The words are given in the text. Ever true, no matter how dark, HM's covenanted mercies are to His people "throughout all generations." His mercy is to "Abraham's seed, forever." An assured comfort!

The Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity

The Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity.
The Collect.

O LORD, we beseech thee, let thy continual pity cleanse and defend thy Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without thy succour, preserve it evermore by thy help and goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Recasting in my mind Genesis through Judges over the last month. Sickening failures of every leader who might be elevated, e.g. Noah, Abraham, etc. Joshua included.

Every one of these Churchmen was born dead in their sins and trespasses. Perhaps Moses and Joshua get better press. The entire cast is under review. Our need and desire for "heroes" may well be met by these stalwart Churchmen. We might do the same for our great forbears in the English Reformed tradition. But, lest we forget. It has been HM's mercy and grace alone that permitted and grants the gift of faithfulness. Our natural proclivity to idolatry--even as justified Churchmen--warns us.

Anything they may have done was undergirded, initiated, and supported by HM.

All braggarts need to check their arrogances, boast and pompous show at the door.

The collect notes that. Thump! Succinctly, our Collect rightly gets at it: "...and, because it cannot continue in safety without thy succour..."

Now, magnify His manifold mercies. Had His mercies not have stood, oh my...have you read Judges lately?

Or, have you considered the ACNA-mishmashers? The latter give us good reason to plead:

O LORD, we beseech thee, let thy continual pity cleanse and defend thy Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without thy succour, preserve it evermore by thy help and goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Second Collect for Evensong gets at the same point. Whence come the anti-Augustinianism these days? We have absolutely nothing, nada, zero, apart from the promised mercies of HM.

The Second Collect at Evening Prayer.

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.

Christ's Churches rest on HM's mercies, nothing more and nothing less.

From yours truly, an Anglican in the Babylonian Captivity.

Robert Andrew Faussett on the "Judges"

http://books.google.com/books?id=YlMHAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=judges+commentary&hl=en&ei=K76UTM7UHcL58Abcq7mQDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q&f=false

Robert Andrew Faussett on the "Judges" is sufficient to remind us of the 1000's of subtle capitulations in theology over the last century in Anglicanism--the failure to drive off and banish erring theologies, doctrines and piety.

It is sufficient for us to continue use of "The Litany" as directed, Sunday, Wednesday and Friday--remember not our offenses nor the offenses of our fathers and forefathers, O LORD.

LORD, have mercy!

The moderns act like the OT Judges and the Litany have no modern significance. We grieve in Babylon, upheld by Christ's mediation alone.

Judges 2.1-5

1 The angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, "I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I swore to give to your forefathers. I said, 'I will never break my covenant with you, 2 and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.' Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? 3 Now therefore I tell you that I will not drive them out before you; they will be thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you."

Hoping to finish Faussett on "Judges" this weekend. Will need the consolations from Romans this weekend and the LORD's Supper of consolation, feeding and comfort! Thank God for Christ alone and His effectual mediation! How fitting is our Collect for this week and the one from the Fifteenth week also.

The Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity.
The Collect.

O LORD, we beseech thee, let thy continual pity cleanse and defend thy Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without thy succour, preserve it evermore by thy help and goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity.
The Collect.

KEEP, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy Church with thy perpetual mercy: and, because the frailty of man without thee cannot but fall, keep us ever by thy help from all things hurtful, and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Thou Great Jehovah, guide us in this barren and pilgrim land: I am weak, but Thou art mighty; Hold me with Thy powerful hand. Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven,
Feed me till I want no more; Feed me till I want no more, through the life, merits, death and resurrection of Thy Son our only Redeemer, Amen.





Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
[or Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer…]
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand.
Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven,
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.

Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield;
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield.

Lord, I trust Thy mighty power,
Wondrous are Thy works of old;
Thou deliver’st Thine from thralldom,
Who for naught themselves had sold:
Thou didst conquer, Thou didst conquer,
Sin, and Satan and the grave,
Sin, and Satan and the grave.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of deaths, and hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to Thee;
I will ever give to Thee.

Musing on my habitation,
Musing on my heav’nly home,
Fills my soul with holy longings:
Come, my Jesus, quickly come;
Vanity is all I see;
Lord, I long to be with Thee!
Lord, I long to be with Thee!