Posts Tagged ‘Thomas Ken’

Thomas Ken: the grace, love and communion of the Holy Trinity

Saturday, May 29th, 2010
An image of Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711)

Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711)

TOMORROW is Trinity Sunday.

I BELIEVE, O my God, that Thou art one, and that there is no other God besides thee; Thou art that one infinite and independent Being, that one only true God, whom all men, and all angels, are to adore: all glory be to Thee.

O Lord God, help me to love and to praise Thee with godlike affections, and a suitable devotion.

I believe, O my God, that in the unity of Thy Godhead there is a Trinity of persons. I believe, in Thee, O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in whose name I was baptized, to whose service I am religiously devoted: all glory be to Thee.

I believe, I admire, I love, I praise, I adore Thee, O most blessed and glorious Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, for being the joint authors of our salvation: all glory be to Thee.

O sacred, and dreadful, and mysterious Trinity, though I cannot conceive Thee, yet let me daily experiment Thy goodness; let Thy grace, O Lord Jesus; let Thy love, O God the Father; let Thy communications, O Holy Spirit, be ever with me.

Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711). The Practice Of Divine Love.

“Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord”

GOD the Father! be thou near,
Save from every harm to-night;
Make us all thy children dear,
In the darkness be our light.

2 God the Saviour! be our peace,
Put away our sins to-night;
Speak the word of full release,
Turn our darkness into light.

3 Holy Spirit! deign to come!
Sanctify us all to-night;
In our hearts prepare thy home,
Turn our darkness into light.

4 Holy Trinity! be nigh
Mystery of love adored,
Help to live, and help to die,
Lighten all our darkness, Lord!

Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

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Posted in Doctrine, Holy Trinity, Prayers, Trinitytide | Comments Closed

Thomas Ken on Daniel and the Lenten fast

Monday, March 15th, 2010
An image of Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711)

Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711)

IN a Sermon preached at King James II’s chapel in Whitehall, Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711) offered some remarks on Lent and on the discipline of fasting.

His subject was the prophet Daniel, who made appeal to God over the Exile of the Jews under Babylonian rule (597 -539 BC) by “prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes” (Dan 9:3), and who “ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine into his mouth” (see Dan 10:2).

In keeping with the Reformers, Ken recommended that those who fast in Lent should not cherry-pick things to “go without”, but should adopt a general simplicity of fare – always in keeping with our health and situation, and without becoming legalistic about it.

NOTHING is more plain than this, that Daniel did not think the bare abstaining from flesh to be fasting, when in the mean time we indulge ourselves in all the most palatable wines, all the delicacies of fish, and all the luxury of banquets. This is a licentious notion, which rose by the decay of christian piety. When he fasted, his diet was afflicting, and such as became a mourner; not to humour, but to chastise nature; not to pamper his appetite, but merely to appease it.

The ancient Christians knew no such distinction between fish and flesh; their lenten-fare was bread and water and salt; and their first meal on fasting days, was not till the evening.

I mention this example, to show you what the ancients thought fasting, and how they kept Lent; I do not exhort you to follow them any further, than either our climate, and our constitutions will bear; but we may easily follow Daniel, in abstaining from wine, and from the more pleasurable meats, and such an abstinence as this, with such a mourning for our own sins, and the sins of others, is the proper exercise of a primitive spirit, during all the weeks of Lent.

Prose Works Of Thomas Ken. A Sermon Preached At The King’s Chapel In Whitehall, 1685.

More by Thomas Ken here. He also wrote many prayers, and a preparation for Holy Communion.

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Thomas Ken on prospering healthful ease and remedy

Sunday, February 28th, 2010
An image of Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711)

Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711)

THE Gospel reading today tells the story of the Canaanite woman, whose perseverance led to her healing (Mt 15:21-28).

The lively expectation of divine healing is embedded in the traditional beliefs and liturgy of the Church of England. Many Divines wrote prayers for the sick full of hope.

For too long, a proper scepticism among the Reformers and Divines towards the outlandishly miraculous has masked the real character of the Anglican tradition.

Bishop Lancelot Andrewes (1555-1626) compiled a number of Biblical quotations suitable for his visits to the sick room, which you can find here. Many speak very positively of a heavenly cure, and all are full of comfort and encouragement.

Every single day, at Morning and Evening prayer, the minister invites us to accompany him to the throne of the heavenly grace, “to ask those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as the soul”. The Litany is a catalogue of pleas for God to intervene decisively in our private and public lives by his almighty power.

We have a dedicated service of prayer and priestly confession and absolution in the Visitation of the Sick, during which the priest prays:

O LORD, look down from heaven, behold, visit, and relieve this thy servant. Look upon him with the eyes of thy mercy, give him comfort and sure confidence in thee, defend him from the danger of the enemy, and keep him in perpetual peace and safety; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Wesley discovered for himself the power of counselling (here), and some doctors, I see, are beginning to catch up (Telegraph). The key to all this is that we are looking not for an abstract wonder, but for a deeply satisfying spiritual renewal that results in real bodily healing.

Moreover, our tradition admires medical science conducted within Christian boundaries. For those seeking the cure at Bath, Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711) stressed the importance of reliable doctors and medicines, as complementary to our more radical spiritual therapy.

THE son of Sirach gives excellent advice to both the sick and the physician: “Honour a physician with the honour due unto him, for the uses which you may have of him, for the Lord hath created him; the Lord hath created medicines out of the earth, and he that is wise will not ahhor them; and with such doth he heal men, and taketh away their pains.” But then he adds, “My son, in thy sickness be not negligent, but pray unto the Lord, and He will make thee whole; leave off from sin, and order thine hands aright, and cleanse thy heart from, all wickedness; then give place to the physician. There is a time when in their hands there is good success; for they also shall pray unto the Lord, that He would prosper that which they give for ease and remedy to prolong life.” (Ecclus. xxviii. 1, &c.)

More extracts on healing here.

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Thomas Ken on preparing for Holy Communion

Sunday, February 21st, 2010
An image of Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711)

Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711)

DESPITE writing one himself (see here), Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711) was of the opinion that it is not necessary to encumber oneself with dozens of devotional books in order to prepare for Holy Communion.

AN humble, poor Christian, who, it may be, has no other book but his Common Prayer-book, and who intends to come to the holy communion, may learn to turn the Communion Office to his own private use, after this manner.

ALMIGHTY God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid, cleanse the thoughts of my heart by the inspiration of Thy Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love Thee, and worthily magnify Thy holy name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

I GIVE most humble and hearty thanks to Thee, O God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for the redemption of the world by the death and passion of our Saviour Christ, both God and man, who did humble himself even to the death upon the cross for us miserable sinners, who lay in darkness and the shadow of death, that He might make us the children of God, and exalt us to everlasting life.

GLORY be to Thee, O Jesus, our Master and only Saviour, who to the end that we should always remember Thy exceeding great love in thus dying for us, and the innumerable benefits which by Thy precious bloodshedding Thou hast obtained to us, hast instituted and ordained holy mysteries as pledges of Thy love, and for a continual remembrance of Thy death, to our great endless comfort.

TO Thee therefore, O blessed Saviour, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, I will give (as I am most bounden) continual thanks : I submit myself wholly to Thy holy will and pleasure, and will study to serve Thee in true holiness and righteousness all the days of my life.

ALMIGHTY God, Father of our Lord Jesus confession Christ, Maker of all things, Judge of all men, I acknowledge and bewail my manifold sins, &c.

I LIFT up my heart unto Thee, O Lord I give praise thanks unto Thee, O Lord our God; it is meet and right so to do; it is very meet, right, and my bounden duty, that I should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O Lord, holy Father, Almighty, everlasting God.

But chiefly am I bound to praise Thee for giving Thy only Son Jesus to die for my sins, and to rise again for my justification.

THEREFORE, with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, I laud and magnify, &c. (read)

I DO not presume to come to Thy table, merciful Lord, trusting in my own righteousness, &c. (read)

GLORY be to God on high, and on earth Praise, peace, good-will towards men : I praise Thee, &c. (read)

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Thomas Ken on the Lord’s Prayer

Saturday, January 16th, 2010

THE Orgelbüchlein by J. S. Bach is a collection of short chorale preludes for the Christian year. Vater Unser Im Himmelreich, which you can listen to in the video opposite, is a setting of the Lutheran melody for the Lord’s Prayer.

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, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711) composed a series of catechetical prayers intended to take adults through the Catechism, teaching as well as praying (see here). Among these, are the following reflections on the Lord’s Prayer:

AH, Lord, there is a dark cloud spread over my soul, that intercepts Thy beams. I cannot clearly see, I cannot fully know, how lovely Thou art. Ah, Lord, whenever any gleams of Thy loveliness break in upon my spirit and attract my will, a crowd of strange loves importune and tempt me to wander after them. …

I ADORE and love Thee, O munificent Goodness, for inviting (Psalm 50:15), for commanding us to pray (Phil 4:6). I adore and love Thee for pouring out Thy Holy “Spirit of grace and supplication” (Zech 12:10) on us, to help our infirmities, to assist us in praying, to make “intercessions for us, with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered,” (Rom 8:26) with the utmost ardours of a penitential and indigent love. I adore and love Thee for giving us so many glorious promises (Matt 7:7) of hearing our prayers, so many firm assurances of a gracious acceptance. …

GLORY be to Thee, O beloved Jesu, who, in teaching us to call God Father, hast taught us to pray with the affections of a child, with reverential love, and reliance on the paternal care, and benignity, and love, of our heavenly Father (Isaiah 63:15-16; Luke 11:13; Mal 1:6).

Bishop Thomas Ken, “Exposition Of The Church Catechism”

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