§ 6. MATIN SERVICE FOR MARCH 21. Bishop Ken's day. (a) Invitatory with Psalm 95. O come, let us worship the Lord, the King of Confessors. Ask not of Him more than this, Leave it to his Saviour's breast, He in youth shall find his rest, Gales from heaven, if so He will, Sweeter melodies can wake, On the lonely mountain rill, Than the meeting waters make, (c) Antiphon. Psalm 1. (1) (c) Antiphon. NOCTURN I. Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord. Blessed is the man that, &c. Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord, who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, and hath not sat in the seat of the scornful. (d) Antiphon. Psalm 2. (2) (d) Antiphon. (e) Antiphon, Psalm 3. (3) (e) Antiphon. (f) Verse and Response. The Lord's Prayer, (privately.) Desire of me, and I will give thee the heatheu for thine inheritance. Why do the heathen, &c. Desire of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt bruise them with a rod of iron. Thou, O Lord, art my worship. Lord, how are they, &c. Thou, O Lord, art my worship, and the lifter up of my head. I did call upon the Lord with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill. The Lord loved him and adorned him. Our Father, &c. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Absolution 1. O Lord Jesus Christ, mercifully hear the supplications of Thy people, and grant us Thy peace all the days of our life, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen. Benediction 1. Lesson 1. 1 Tim. iii. 1-6. Reader.-Sir, pray for a blessing. Minister.-The Lord bless us and keep us. Amen. This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a Bishop, he desireth a good work. A Bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous : One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. Response 1. Well done, thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Lord, Thou deliveredst unto me five talents, behold, I have gained besides them five talents more. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Benediction 2. Lesson 2. Tit. i. 7-11. Reader.-Sir, pray for a blessing. Minister. The Lord make His face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us. Amen. For a Bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision. Response 2. Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not for filthy lucre's sake. But Thou, O Lord, have merey upon us. Thanks be to God. Let Thy Thummin and Thy Urim be with Thy holy one, whom Thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom Thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah ; they shall put incense before Thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon Thine altar. Bless, Lord, his substance, and accept the work of his hands; smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again : They shall put incense before Thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon Thine altar. Benediction 3. Lesson 3. Tit. ii. 1-8. Reader.-Sir, pray for a blessing. Minister. The Lord lift up His countenance upon us, and give us peace. Amen. But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine. That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works; in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. But Thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. Thanks be to God. Response 3. Let the saints be joyful with glory, let them rejoice in their beds, let the praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hands: to bind their kings in chains, and their nobles with links of iron. (g) Antiphon. Psalm 4. (4) (g) Antiphon. (h) Antiphon. (i) Antiphon. Psalm 8. (6) (i) Antiphon. That they may be avenged of them, as it is written, Such honour have all His saints. To bind their kings in chains, and their nobles with links of iron. Glory be, &c. To bind their kings in chains, and their nobles with links of iron. NOCTURN II. Thou hast put gladness in my heart. Hear me when I call, &c. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, since the time that their corn, and wine, and oil increased. Lead me, O Lord, in Thy righteousness. Lead me, O Lord, in Thy righteousness, because of mine enemies; make Thy way plain before my face. Out of the mouth of very babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength. O Lord, our Governor, &c. Out of the mouth of very babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength, because of Thine enemies, that Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. (j) Verse and Response. The Lord's Prayer, (privately.) Absolution 2. The Lord hath chosen Him as a priest unto Himself. Our Father, &c. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Grant, O Lord, we beseech Thee, that we, who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of Thy grace may mercifully be relieved, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. Benediction 4. Reader.-Sir, pray for a blessing. Minister. The love of God be upon us now and for ever. Thomas Ken, the son of an ancient family, was born at Berkhamstead in Hertfordshire, in the year of grace 1637, |