Thursday 18th March, 2010
The Fourth Sunday In Lent
Holy Communion
The Epistle
And immediately after the Collect the Priest shall read the Epistle, saying, The Epistle [or, The portion of Scripture appointed for the Epistle] is written in the — Chapter of — beginning at the — Verse. And the Epistle ended, he shall say, Here endeth the Epistle.
The Fourth Sunday In Lent
The First Reading. Galatians 4:21-31
TELL me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Back to top of pageA Hymn
God of Unexampled Grace
GOD of unexampled grace,
Redeemer of mankind,
Matter of eternal praise
We in thy passion find:
Still our choicest strains we bring,
Still the joyful theme pursue,
Thee the friend of sinners sing,
Whose love is ever new.
2 Endless scenes of wonder rise
From that mysterious tree,
Crucified before our eyes,
Where we our Maker see:
Jesus, Lord, what hast thou done?
Publish we the death divine,
Stop, and gaze, and fall, and own
Was never love like thine!
3 Never love nor sorrow was
Like that my Saviour showed:
See him stretched on yonder cross,
And crushed beneath our load!
Now discern the Deity,
Now his heavenly birth declare!
Faith cries out, " 'Tis He, 'tis He,
My God, that suffers there!"
Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
Back to top of pageThe Gospel
Then shall he read the Gospel (the people all standing up) saying, The holy Gospel is written in the — Chapter of — beginning at the — Verse.
Ed.— Several 17-18th century authorities state that the People traditionally respond Glory be to thee, O Lord in this place. And after the Gospel is ended, they say Thanks be to God for this Gospel. Bishop Sparrow (1612-1685) recommends kissing the Gospel book.
The Gospel. John 6:1-14
JESUS went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world.
The Nicene Creed
And the Gospel ended, shall be sung or said the Creed following, the people still standing, as before.
Percy Whitlock (1903-1946), Rochester Cathedral Choir |
Communion Service in G: Credo
I BELIEVE in one God,
the ' Father Al'mighty :
Maker of heaven and earth,
Ps 33:6
Rev 14:6-7
and of all things ' visi·ble
' and in'visible
Col 1:16;
2 And in one Lord
Eph 4:4-6
' Jesus ' Christ : the only-be' gotten ' son
of ' God;1 Jn 4:9
3 Begotten of his Father be'fore all
' worlds :
Jn 1:3
God of God,
Jn 1:1
Light of Light,
1 Jn 1:5-7
Jn 1:5
Very ' God of ' very ' God
Jn 20:28.
4 Begotten, not made, Being of one '
substance with the ' Father :
By ' whom all ' things
were ' made Jn 1:2.
5 Who for us men, and for our salvation came ' down from
' heaven :
Jn 3:16
And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin
Mary,
Lk 1:26-38
' And was ' made ' man
Jn 1:14;
6 And was crucified also for us under ' Pontius ' Pilate
Mk 15:15.
He ' suffered ' and was ' buried.
Mk 15:42-47
7 And the third day he ' rose a' gain :
ac' cording ' to the
' Scriptures;
Mk 16:1-8
Acts 2:22-36
8 And ascended ' into ' heaven :
Acts 1:6-11
and sitteth on the ' right hand ' of the
' Father
Heb 1:3-4.
(2nd pt) 9 And he shall come again with glory to judge both the
' quick and ' dead :
Rom 2:14-16:
Whose ' kingdom shall ' have no ' end
Lk 1:31-33.
10 And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord and ' giver
of ' life :
2 Cor 3:6
Who proceedeth from the ' Father
' and the ' Son;
Jn 15:26
Jn 16:7
Rom 8:9
11 Who with the Father and the Son together is
' worshipped and ' glorified :
Who ' spake '
by the ' Prophets.
Zech 7:12
12 And I believe one Catholick and
' Apostolick ' Church :
I acknowledge one Baptism for the re' mis'sion of
' sins.
Eph 4:4-6
13 And I look for the Resurrection '
of the ' dead,
1 Cor 15:20-22
Rom 6:5
And the life of the
' world to ' come,
Rom 8:18
2 Cor 5:1-5 A' men.
Then the Curate shall declare unto the people what Holy-days, or Fasting-days, are in the week following to be observed. And then also (if occasion be) shall notice be given of the Communion; and Briefs, Citations, and Excommunications read. And nothing shall be proclaimed or published in the Church during the time of Divine Service, but by the Minister : nor by him any thing, but what is prescribed in the Rules of this Book, or enjoined by the Queen, or by the Ordinary of the place.
Back to top of pageThe Sermon
Then shall follow the Sermon, or one of the Homilies already set forth, or hereafter to be set forth, by authority.
Ed.— The following is a Prayer Before the Sermon, by Bishop Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667).
O LORD God, fountain of life, giver of all good things, who givest to men the blessed hope of eternal life by our Lord Jesus Christ, and hast promised thy Holy Spirit to them that ask him; be present with us in the dispensation of thy holy word and sacraments; grant that we, being preserved from all evil by thy power, and, among the diversities of opinions and judgments in this world, from all errors and false doctrines, and led into all truth by the conduct of thy Holy Spirit, may for ever obey thy heavenly calling: that we may not be only hearers of the word of life, but doers also of good works, keeping faith and a good conscience, living an unblamable life, usefully and charitably, religiously and prudently, in all godliness and honesty, before thee our God, and before all the world, that, at the end of our mortal life, we may enter into the light and life of God, to sing praises and eternal hymns to the glory of thy name in eternal ages, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Bishop Sparrow (1612-1685) quotes a canon of Queen Elizabeth I's time (1571), saying "The Preachers chiefly shall take heed that they teach nothing in their preaching, which they would have the people religiously to observe and believe, but that which is agreeable to the Doctrine of the Old Testament and the New, and that which the Catholick Fathers and Ancient Bishops have gathered out of that Doctrine".
Thomas Ken (1637-1711)
FOR what is Lent, in its original institution, but a spiritual conflict, to subdue the flesh to the spirit, to beat down our bodies, and to bring them into subjection? What is it, but a penitential martyrdom for so many weeks together, which we suffer for our own and other sins?
A devout soul, that is able duly to observe it, fastens himself to the cross on Ash Wednesday, and hangs crucified by contrition all the Lent long; that having felt in his closet, the burthen and the anguish, the nails and the thorns, and tasted the gall of his own sins, he may by his own crucifixion be better disposed to be crucified with Christ on Good Friday, and most tenderly sympathize with all the dolours, and pressures, and anguish, and torments, and desertion, infinite, unknown, and unspeakable, which God incarnate endured, when he bled upon the cross for the sins of the world; that being purified by repentance, and made conformable to Christ crucified, he may offer up a pure oblation at Easter, and feel the power and the joys, and the triumph of his Saviour's resurrection.
And to encourage you to such a devotion, thus enforced with fasting, and mourning, and alms, as was this of Daniel (Dan 9:3-4, 4:27), reflect on the wonderful success he found; for when he began his supplications, the angel Gabriel was sent to him by God, and arrived before he had ended them; and by that heavenly messenger, God then honoured him with that glorious prophecy of the seventy weeks.
And the prophet Ezekiel joins Daniel with Noah and Job, as the three greatest instances of prevalence with God that ever prayed.
Prose Works Of Thomas Ken. A Sermon Preached At The King's Chapel In Whitehall, 1685.
A Prayer After the Sermon, by Jeremy Taylor
O LORD, pity and pardon, direct and bless, sanctify and save us all. Give repentance to all that live in sin, and perseverance to all thy sons and servants for his sake, who is thy beloved, and the foundation of all our hopes, our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus; to whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be all honour and glory, praise and adoration, love and obedience, now and evermore. Amen.
