1637 Scottish Book of Comon Prayer: Commination · The 1637 Scottish Book of Common Prayer: Front Matter

The Book of Common Prayer

	The Book of Common Prayer for Scotland (1637)

A
commination against sinners,
with certain Prayers to be used divers
times in the year, and especially on the first
day of Lent, commonly called,
Ashwednesday
¶
After Morning prayer, the people being called together by the ringing
of a bell, and assembled in the Church, the English Letany shall be
said, after the accustomed manner ; which ended, the Presbyter shall
go into the Pulpit and say thus, the people sitting and attending with
reverence.
BRethren,
in the primitive Church there was a godly Discipline, that at the beginning
of Lent, such persons as were notorious sinners were put to open penance
and did humbly submit themselves to undergo punishment in this world,
that their souls might bee saved in the day of the Lord ; and that others
admonished by their example might bee more afraid to offend.
In the stead whereof, untill the said discipline
may be restored againe (which thing is much to be wished) it is thought
good, that at this time (in your presence) should be read the generall
sentences of Gods cursing against impenitent sinners, gathered out of
the xxvii chap. of Deuteronomy, and other places of Scripture : and
that ye should answer to every sentence, Amen : to the intent that you,
being admonished of the great indignation of God against sinners, may
the rather be called to earnest and true repentance, and may walk more
warely in these dangerous dayes, fleeing from such vices, for the which
yee affirm with your own mouths, the curse of God to be due.
CUrsed	Deut.
is the man that maketh any carved or molten image, an abomination to	27.15.
the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in
a secret place to worship it.
¶
And the people shall answer and say.
Amen.
Presbyter.	Deu.
Cursed is he that curseth his father and mother.	27.16
Answer.	Prov. 20.20
Amen.
Presbyter.	Deut.
Cursed is hee that removeth away the marke of his neighbours	27.17.
land.
Answer.
Amen.
Presbyter.	Deut.
Cursed is he that maketh the blinde to go out of his way.	27.18
Answer.
Amen.
Presbyter.	Deut.
Cursed is he that in judgement hindereth, stoppeth, or preventeth the	27.19.
right of the stranger, of them that be fatherlesse, and of widows.
Answer.
Amen.
Presbyter.	Deut.
Cursed is he that smiteth his neighbour secretly.	27.24.
Answer.
Amen.
Presbyter.
Cursed is he that
lyeth with his neighbours wife.
Answer.Amen.
Lev.
20.10
Presbyter.	Deut.
Cursed is he that taketh reward to slay the soul of innocent bloud.	27.25.
Answer.
Amen.
Presbyter.	Jer.
Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, and taketh man for his defence,	17.5.
and in his heart goeth from the Lord.
Answer.
Amen.
Presbyter.	Mat.
	25.41
Cursed are the unmercifull, the fornicatours, and
adulterers, and the covetous persons, the worshippers of images, slanderers,	1 Cor. 6.9,10.
drunkards, and extortioners.
Answer.	Gal. 5.19,20,21.
Amen.
Presbyter.	Psal. 15.3
NOw	Psal.
seeing that all they be accursed (as the Prophet David beareth witnesse)	119.
which doe erre and go astray from the commandements of God, let
us (remembering the dreadfull judgement hanging over our heads, and
being allwayes at hand) return unto our Lord God, with all contrition
and meeknesse of heart, bewayling and lamenting our sinful life, acknowledging	Matt.
and confessing our offenses, and seeking to bring forth worthy fruits	3.10
of penance. For now is the axe put unto the roote of the trees, so that
every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewen down and cast
into the fire.
	Heb.
It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God. For	10.31
upon the wicked hee shall raine snares, fire, and brimstone,
and a horrible tempest ; this shall be the portion of their cup. For lo,	Psal. 11.6.
the LORD is come out of his place,
to visit the wickednesse of such as dwell upon the earth. But	Esa. 26.21.
who may abide the day of his coming? Who shall bee able to endure when
hee appeareth? His fanne is in his hand, and he will purge his	Mal. 3.2.
floore, and gather his wheat into the barn : but hee will burn the chaff	Matt.
with unquenchable fire. The day of the LORD	31.2.
cometh as a thief upon the night : and when men shall say, peace, and
all things are safe, then shall sudden destruction come upon them, as	(actually
sorrow cometh upon a woman travailing with childe, and they shall not	Matt. 3.12)
escape. Then shall appeare the wrath of God in the day of
vengeance, which obstinate sinners, through the stubbornnesse of their	1 Thess. 5.2,3.
heart, have heaped unto themself, which despised the goodnesse, patience,
and long-sufferance of God, when he called them continually to repentance.
Then shall they call upon mee (saith the LORD)	Rom. 2,4.5.
but I will not heare. They shall seek me early, but they shall not finde
me, and that because they hated knowledge and received not the fear
of the LORD, but abhorred my counsell,
and despised my correction. Then shall it be too late to
knock, when the doore shall be shut, and too late to cry for mercy,	Prov. 1.28,29,30.
when it is the time of justice. O terrible voyce 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. 25.10,11,12.
	Matt.
	25.41.
	2
Therefore brethren, take wee heed betime, while the day of salvation	Cor. 6.2.
lasteth, for the night cometh when none can work : but let us, while
we have the light, beleeve in the light, and walk as the children of	John 9.4.
the light, that we be not cast into the utter darknesse where is weeping
and gnashing of teeth. Let us not abuse the goodnesse of	John 12.35,36.
God, which calleth us mercifully to amendment, and of his endlesse pitie
promiseth us forgivenesse of that which is past, if (with a whole minde	Matt. 25.30
and true heart) we return unto him. For though our sinnes be red as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, and though they be like purple,
yet shall they be as white as wool.	Isa.
	1.18.
	Ezek.
Turn you clean (saith the LORD) from	18.
all your wickednesse, and your sinne shall not be your destruction.
Cast away from you all your ungodlinesse that ye have done, make	30,31,32.
you new hearts, and a new spirit, wherefore will yee die, O yee house
of Israel, seeing that I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth,
saith the LORD GOD? Turn you then
and yee shall live.
	1
Although we have sinned, yet have wee an Advocate with the Father, Jesus	John 2.1,2.
Christ the righteous, and he it is that obtaineth grace for our sinnes.
	Isa.
For he was wounded for our offenses, and smitten for our wickednesse.	53.5.
Let us therefore re turn unto him, who is the mercifull receiver
of all true penitent sinners, assuring our selves, that he is ready
to receive us, and most willing to pardon us, if wee come to him with	Matt.
faithful repentance, if wee will submit our selves unto him, and from	11.29,30.
henceforth walk in his wayes, if we will take his easie yoke and light
burden upon us, to follow in lowlinesse, patience, and charity, and
bee ordered by the governance of his holy spirit, seeking allwayes his
glory, and serving him duely in our vocation, with thanksgiving. This
if wee do, Christ will deliver us from the curse of the Law, and from
the extreme malediction which shall light upon them that shall bee set	Matt. 25.33,34.
on the left hand, and he will set us on his right hand and give us the
blessed benediction of his Father, commanding us to take possession
of his glorious kingdome : unto the which he vouchsafe to bring us all,
for his infinite mercie. Amen.
¶
Then shall they all kneel upon their knees, and the Presbyters and
Clerks kneeling (where they are accustomed to say the Letany) shall
say this Psalm.
Miserere
mei Deus. Ps. 51.
HAVE
mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindnesse : according
unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity :
and cleanse me from my sinne.
For I acknowledge my transgressions : and my sin
is ever before me.
Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this
evil in thy sight : that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest,
and clear when thou judgest.
Behold, I was shapen in iniquitie : and in sinne
did my mother conceive me.
Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts :
and in the hidden part thou shalt make mee to know wisdom.
Purge me with hysope, and I shall be clean : wash
me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to heare joy and gladnesse : that
the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce.
Hide thy face from my sinnes ; and blot out all mine
iniquities.
Create in 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.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation : and uphold
me with thy free spirit.
Then will I teach trangressours thy ways,
and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Deliver me from bloud guiltinesse, O God, thou art
God of my salvation : and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousnesse.
O Lord open thou my lips : and my mouth shall shew
thy praise.
For thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give
it : thou delighteth not in burnt-offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit
: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Do good in thy god pleasure unto Sion : build thou
the walls of Jerusalem.
Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of
righteousnesse, with the burnt-offering and whole burnt-offering : then
shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Sonne : and to the holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, and 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, &c.
And leade us not into temptation
Answer.
But deliver us from evil. Amen.
Presbyter.
O Lord save thy servants.
Answer.
Which put their trust in thee.
Presbyter.
Send unto them help from above.
Answer.
And evermore mightily defend them.
Presbyter.
Help us, O God our Saviour.
Answer.
And for the glorie of thy Names sake deliver us, be mercifull unto us
sinners, for thy Names sake.
Presbyter.
Lord heare our prayer.
Answer.
And let our cry come unto thee.
¶
Let us pray.
O
LORD we beseech thee mercifully heare
our prayers, and spare all those which confesse their sinnes to thee
: that they, whose consciences by sinne are accused, by thy mercifull
pardon may be absolved, through Christ our LORD.
Amen.
O
Most mighty GOD and mercifull Father,
which hast compassion of all men, and hatest nothing that thou hast
made, which wouldest not the death of a sinner, but that he should rather
turn from sinne, and be saved : mercifully forgive us our trespasses,
receive and comfort us, which be grieved and wearied with the burden
of our sinne. Thy propertie is to have mercie, to thee onely it appertaineth
to forgive sinnes : Spare us therefore, good LORD,
spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed : enter not into judgement
with thy servants, but turn thine anger from us, and make haste to helpe
us in this world, that wee 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 Presbyter
or Minister.
TUrn
thou us, O good LORD, and so shall
we be turned : be I favourable, O Lord, bee favourable to thy people,
which turn to thee in weeping, fasting, and praying : for thou art a
mercifull GOD, full of compassion,
long-suffering, and of great pitie. Thou sparest when wee
deserve punishment, and in thy wrath thinkest upon mercie. Spare thy
people, good Lord, spare them and let not thy heritage be brought to
confusion. Heare us, O Lord, for thy mercie is great, and after the
multitude of thy mercies, look upon us.
F
I N I S.

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