The 1549 Book of Common Prayer: Service for Ash Wednesday · The 1549 Book of Common Prayer: Preface

The Book of Common Prayer

	The Book of Common Prayer - 1549

THE FIRSTE DATE OF LENTE	Note:
	In subsequent books this service is called "A Commination against
	Sinners'
COMMONLY CALLED
ASHE-WEDNISDAYE.
¶
After mattens ended, the people beeyng called together by the ryngyng
of a bel, and assembled in the churche: Thinglyshe [The
English] letanye shall be sayed after thaccustomed
maner: whiche ended, the prieste shal goe into the pulpitte and saye
thus:
BRETHREN,
in the prymitive churche there was a godlye disciplyne, that at the
begynnyng of lente suche persones as were notorious synners, were put
to open penaunce, and punished in this worlde, that theyr soules myght
bee saved in the day of the lord. And that other admonished by theyr
example, might he more afrayed to offende. In the steede [stead]
whereof until the saide disciplyne maye bee restored agayne; (whiche
thynge is muche to bee wyshed,) it is thoughte good, that at thys tyme
(in your presence) shoulde bee read the general sentences of goddes
Cursyng agaynste impenitente sinners, gathered out of the xxvii Chapter
of Deuteronomie, and other places of scripture. And that ye shoulde
aunswere to every sentence, Amen: To thentente that you beeyng admonished
of the greate indignacion of God agaynste sinners: may the rather be
called to earneste and true repentaunce, and maye walke more warely
in these daungerous dayes, fleyng from suche vices, for the whiche ye
affirme with your owne mouthes: the curse of god to be due.
¶ CURSED
is the man that maketh any carved or molten image, an abominacion to
the Lorde, the woorke of the handes of the craftesmanne, and putteth
it in a secrete place, to wurship it.
And
the people shal aunswere, and saye,
Amen.
Minister.
Cursed is he that curseth his father, and mother.
Answere.
Amen.
Minister.
Cursed is he that removeth awaye the marke of hys neighbours
land.
Answere.
Amen.
Minister.
Cursed is he that maketh the blinde to goe oute of
hys waye.
Answere.
Amen.
Minister.
Cursed is he that letteth [=prevents]
in judgemente the right of the straungier, of them that be fatherlesse,
and of widowes.
Answere.
Amen.
Minister.
Cursed is he that smiteth his neighbour secretely.
Answere.
Amen.
Minister.
Cursed is he that lieth with his neighbour's wyfe.
Answere.
Amen.
Minister.
Cursed is he that taketh rewarde
to slea the soule of innocent bloude.
Answere.
Amen.
Minister.
Cursed is he that putteth his
truste in man, and taketh manne for his defence, and in his harte goeth
from the Lorde.
Answere.
Amen.
Minister.
Cursed are the umnercifull, the
fornicators and aduouterers, the covetous persones, the wurshyppers
of images, slaunderers, drunkardes, and extorcioners.
Aunswere.
Amen.
The minister. Nowe seeing
that all they bee accursed (as the Prophete David beareth witnesse)	Psal.
whiche doe erre and goe astray from the commaundementes of God, let	cxviii.
us (remembring the dredefull judgement hanging over our heades,
and beyng alwayes at hande) returne unto our lorde God, with all
contricion and mekenes of heart, bewailing and lamenting our sinful	Mat iii
life, knowlaging and confessing our offences, and seekyng to bring
furth worthie fruites of penance. For even now is the axe put unto
the roote of the trees, so that every tree whiche bryngeth not furth
good fruite, is hewen downe and cast into the fyer. It is a fearefull	Hebru. x.
thing to fall into the handes of the living God: he shal powre downe
rayne upon the sinners, snares, fyer and brimstone, storme and tempest:	Psal. x.
this shalbe theyr porcion to drynke. For loe, the lorde is cummen*
out of his place, to visite the wickednes of such as dwell upon the	Esai. [Isaiah] xxvi.
earth. But who may abyde the daye of his cumming? Who shalbe hable	* come in
to endure whan he appeareth? His fanne is in his hande, and he wil	some printings
pourge his floore, and gather his wheate into the barne, but he will
burne the chaffe with unquencheable fier. The day of the lorde cummeth	Mal. iii.
as a thiefe upon the night, and when men shall say peace, and all
thynges are safe, then shall sodayne destruccion come upon them,	Mat. iii.
as sorowe cometh upon a woman travaylyng with chylde, and they shall
not escape: then shall appeare the wrathe of God in the daye of vengeaunce,	1 Thess.
whiche obstinate synners, through the stubbernes of theyr hearte,	v.
have heaped unto themselfe, which despised the
goodnesse, pacience an long-sufferaunce of god, when he called them
continually to repentaunce. Then shall they cal upon me (sayth the	Rom.
lorde), but I wil not heare: they shal seke me early, but thei shal	ii.
not finde me, and that because they hated knowlage, and received not
the feare of the lord, but abhorred my counsell and despised my correccion:
then shal it be to late to knocke, when the doore shalbe shut, and	Prover. i
to late to cry for mercy, when it is the tyme of justice. O terrible
voice of most just judgement, which shalbe pronounced upon them when
it shalbe sayde unto them. Go ye cursed into the fyer everlasting,
which is prepared for the devil and his angels. Therfore brethren,
take we hede by time, while the day of salvacion lasteth, for the night	Mat. xxv.
cometh when none can worke: but let us while we have the light, beleve	ii. Cor.
in the light, and walke as the children of the light, that we be not	vi.
cast into the utter derkenes, where is weping and gnashing of teeth.
Let us not abuse the goodnes of god, whiche calleth us mercifully to	John ix.
amendement, and of his endlesse pitie, promiseth us forgevenes of that
which is past: if (with a whole mind and a true hert) we returne unto
him: for though our sinnes be red as scarlet, they shalbe as white	Mat. xxv.
as snowe, and though they be lyke purple, yet shall they be as whyte
as woolle. Turne you cleane (sayth ye lord) from all your wickednes,	Esai.
and your synne shall not be your destruccion Cast away from you all	[Isaiah]
your ungodlines that ye have doen, make you new hertes, and a new spirite:	i.
wherfore will ye dye, O ye house of Israel? seing I have no pleasure
in the death of him that dieth (sayth the Lord God). Turne you then,	Esech. [Ezek.]
and you shall lyve. Although we have sinned yet have we an advocate	xviii.
with the father Jesus Christ
the righteous, and he it is that obteyneth grace for our sinnes; for
he was wounded for our offences, arid smitten for our wickednes: let	1 John
us therfore returne unto him, who is the merciful receiver of al true	ii
penitent sinners, assuring ourselfe that he is ready to receive us,
and most willing to pardon us, if we come to him with faithful repentaunce:	Esai.
if we wil submit ourselves unto him, and from heceforth walke	liii
in hys waies: if we wil take his easy yoke and light burden upon
us to folowe hym in lowlynesse, pacience, and charitie, and bee ordred
by the governaunce of his holy spirite, seking alwayes his glorye,
and serving him duely in our vocacion with thankesgevyng. This yf	Mat. xi.
we doe, Christe wil deliver us from the curse of the law, and from
the extreme malediccion whiche shall lyght upon them that shalbee
set on the left hand: and he wyl set us on his right hand, and geve
us the blessed benediccion of hys father, commaundyng us to take	Math.
possessions of hys glorious kyngdome, unto the whiche he vouchsafe	xxv.
to bryng us al, for hys infinite mercye. Amen.
	* pity in some printings
¶
Then shall they all kneele upon theyr knees: And the prieste and
clerkes kneelyng (where they are accustomed to saye the letanye) shall
saye this psalme.
Miserere
mei Deus. Psal. li.
HAVE
mercye upon me, (O God,) after thy greate goodnesse according to the multitude
of thy mercies, do away mine offences.
Washe me throwly from my wickednes, and clense me from
my synne.
For I knowlage my faultes, and my sinne is ever before
me.
Agaynst thee only have I synned, and done this evyl
in thy syght: that thou myghtest bee justified in thy saying, and clere
when thou art judged.
Behold, I was shapen in wickednes, and in synne hath
my mother conceived me.
But loe, thou requirest trueth in the inward partes,
and shalte make me to understande wysedome secretelye.
Thou shalt pourge me with Isope [hyssop],
and I shall bee cleane thou shalt washe me, and I shal bee whyter then
snowe.
Thou shalte make me heare of joye and gladnesse, that
the bones whiche thou haste broken, maye rejoyce.
Turne thy face from my synnes, and putte out all my
mysdedes [misdeeds].
Make me a cleane herte, (O God) and renue a ryght spyrite
within me.
Caste me not awaye from thy presence, and take not
thy holy spirite from me.
O geve me the coumforte of thy helpe agayne, and stablishe
me wyth thy free spirite.
Then shal I teache thy waies unto the wicked, and sinners
shal bee converted unto thee.
Deliver me from bloud-giltinesse, (O God,) thou that
art the god of my health : and my toungue shall syng of thy righteousnesse.
Thou shalt open my lippes, (O Lorde) my mouthe shal
shewe thy prayse.
For thou desyreste no sacrifice, els would I geve it
thee : but thou deliteste not in burnt offeryng.
The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirite, a broken
and contrite herte, (O God), shalt thou not despise.
O bee favourable and gracious unto Syon, build thou
the walles of Hierusalem [Jerusalem].
Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousnesse,
wyth the burnt-offeringes and oblacions : then shall they offre young
bullockes upon thyne aultare.
Glorye to the father, &c.
As it was in the beginning, &c.
¶ Lorde have mercie upon us.
¶ Christe have mercye upon
us.
¶ Lorde have mercye upon us.
Our father whiche art in heaven, &c.
And leade us not into temptacion.
Answere.
But deliver us from evyll. Amen.
Minister.
O Lorde save thy servauntes.
Answere.
Whiche put theyr truste in thee.
Minister.
Sende unto them helpe from above.
Aunswere.
And evermore mightily defende them.
Minister.
Helpe us O God our saviour.
Aunswere.
And for the glory of thy names
sake delyver us, be mercifull unto us synners for thy names sake.
Minister.
O Lorde heare my prayer.
Aunswere.
And let my crye come to thee.
Let us praye.
O
LORD, we beseche thee mercifully heare our prayers, and spare all those
which confesse theyr synnes to thee, that they (whose consciences by
synne are accused), by thy mercyfull pardon may be absolved, through
Christe our Lorde. Amen.
O
MOST mightie god and mercifull father, which hast compassion of all
menne, and hateste nothyng that thou haste made: whiche wouldeste not
the deathe of a sinner, but that he shoulde rather turne from sinne
and bee saved: mercifully forgeve us oure trespasses, receyve and coumforte
us, whiche bee grieved and weried with the burden of our sinne: Thy
propertie is to have mercie, to thee onely it apperteineth to forgeve
sinnes: spare us therfore, good Lorde, spare thy people whome thou hast
redemed. Enter not into judgemente with thy servauntes, which be vile
yearthe, and miserable sinners: But so turne thy ire from us, which
mekely knowlage our vilenes, and truely repent us of our fautes: so
make hast to helpe us in this worlde: that wee may ever live with thee
in the worlde to come: through Jesus Christe our Lorde. Amen.
Then
shal this antheme he sayed or song.
TURNE
thou us, good Lord, and so shall we be turned: bee favourable (O
Lorde) he favourable to thy people, whiche turne to thee in wepyng,
fasting and praying: for thou art a mercifull God, full of compassion,
long sufferyng, and of a great pietie*. Thou sparest when we deserve
punishement, and in thy wrathe thynkest upon mercy. Spare thy people,
good Lorde, spare them, and lette not thy heritage bee brought to
confusion: Heare us (O Lorde) for thy mercy is great, and after
the multitude of thy mercyes looke upon us.

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