Α FORM OF PRAYER WITH THANKSGIVING TO ALMIGHTY GOD, For having put an end to the Great Rebellion, by the restitution of the King and Royal Family, and the restoration of the government after many years interruption; which unspeakable mercies were wonderfully completed upon the Twenty-ninth of May, in the year 1660. And, in memory thereof, that day in every year is, by Act of Parliament, appointed to be for ever kept holy. The Act of Parliament made in the twelfth, and confirmed in the thirteenth, year of King Charles the Second, for the observation of the twenty-ninth day of May yearly, as a day of public Thanksgiving, is to be read publicly in all Churches at Morning Prayer, immediately after the Nicene Creed, on the Lord's Day next before every such twenty-ninth, of May, and notice to be given for the due observation of the said day. The Service shall be the same with the usual Office for Holy-days; except where it is, in this Office, otherwise appointed. If this Day shall happen to be Ascension-day, or Whit-sunday, the Collects of this Office are to be added to the Offices of those Festivals, in their proper places: If it be Monday or Tuesday in Whitsunweek, or Trinity-sunday, the Proper Psalms appointed for this day, instead of those of ordinary course, shall be also used, and the Collects added as before; and in all these cases the rest of this Office shall be omitted; But if it shall happen to be any other Sunday, this whole Office shall be used, as it followeth entirely. And what Festival soever shall happen to fall upon this solemn day of Thanksgiving, the following Hymn, appointed instead of Venite exultemus, shall be constantly used. Morning Prayer shall begin with these Sentences. The Lord our God O the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; neither have we obeyed the voice of neither we the Lord our God, to walk in his laws which he set before us. 9, 10. Dan. ix. It is of the Lord's mercies that we were not consumed, because his compassions fail not. Lam. iii. 22. Instead of Venite exultemus shall be sung, or said, this Hymn following; one Verse by the Priest, and another by the Clerk and people. My shall from one generation Y song shall be alway of the loving-kindness of the Lord; with my to another. Psalm lxxxix. 1. A Form of Prayer with Thanksgiving to Almighty God, &c. &c.]-It is not recollected, perhaps, so often as it should be, how very important events, in the religious history of England, were "the restitution of the King (Charles II.) and Royal Family, and the restoration of the government, &c." The Great Rebellion which had lasted eighteen years, that is, from the year 1642, to the year 1660, had overwhelmed the Church no less than the Throne; and, inseparably connected as these always are, the "restitution" of the one was the "restoration" of the other. The merciful and gracious Lord hath so done his marvellous works, that they ought to be had in remembrance. Psalm cxi. 4. Who can express the noble acts of the Lord, or show forth all his praise? Psalm cvi. 2. The works of the Lord are great; sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. Psalm cxi. 2. The Lord setteth up the meek, and bringeth the ungodly down to the ground. Psalm cxlvii. 6. The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all them that are oppressed with wrong. Psalm ciii. 6. For he will not alway be chiding, neither keepeth he his anger for ever. Verse 9. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our wickedness. Verse 10. For look, how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. Verse 11. Yea, like as a father pitieth his own children, even so is the Lord merciful unto them that fear him. Verse 13. Thou, O God, hast proved us; thou also hast tried us, even as silver is tried. Psalm lxvi, 9. Thou sufferedst men to ride over our heads, we went through fire and water; but thou hast brought us out into a wealthy place. Verse 11. O how great troubles and adversities hast thou showed us! and yet didst thou turn, and refresh us; yea, and broughtest us from the deep of the earth again. Psalm lxxi. 18. Thou didst remember us in our low estate, and redeem us from our enemies; for thy mercy endureth for ever. Psalm cxxxvi. 23, 24. Lord, thou art become gracious unto thy land; thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob. Psalm lxxxv. 1. God hath showed us his goodness plenteously; and God hath let us see our desire upon our enemies. Psalm lix. 10. They are brought down, and fallen; but we are risen, and stand upright. Psalm xx. 8. There are they fallen, all that work wickedness; they are cast down, and shall not be able to stand. Psalm xxxvi. 12. The Lord hath been mindful of us, and he shall bless us; even he shall bless the house of Israel, he shall bless the house of Aaron. Psalm cxv. 12. He shall bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great. Verse 13. O that men would, therefore, praise the Lord for his goodness, and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men! Psalm cvii. 21. That they would offer unto him the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and tell out his works with gladness! Verse 22. And not hide them from the children of the generations to come; but show the honour of the Lord, his mighty and wonderful works that he hath done! Psalm lxxviii. 4. That our posterity may also know them, and the children that are yet unborn; and not be as their forefathers, a faithless and stubborn generation. Verses 6, 9. Give thanks, O Israel, unto God the Lord in the congregations, from the ground of the heart. Psalm Ixviii. 26. Praised be the Lord daily; even the God who helpeth us, and poureth his benefits upon us. Verse 19. O let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish thou the righteous. Psalm vii. 9. Let all those that seek thee be joyful and glad in thee; and let all such as love thy salvation say alway, The Lord be praised. Psalm xl. 19. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Proper Psalms. cxxiv, cxxvi, cxxix, cxviii. Proper Lessons. The First, 2 Sam. xix. ver. 9. or, Numb. xvi. The Second, The Epistle of St. Jude. The Suffrages next after the Creed shall stand thus. Priest. O Lord, show thy mercy upon us; O Lord, save the Queen; Who putteth her trust in thee. Send her help from thy holy place; And, evermore, mightily defend her. Let her enemies have no advantage against her: Let not the wicked approach to hurt her. Endue thy Ministers with righteousness; Aad make thy chosen people joyful. Give peace in our time, O Lord; Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God. Be unto us, O Lord, a strong tower, From the face of our enemies. O Lord, hear our prayer; And let our cry come unto thee. Instead of the first Collect at Morning Prayer shall these two which follow be used. Almighty God, who art a strong tower of defence unto thy servants against the face of their enemies; we yield thee praise and thanksgiving for the wonderful deliverance of these Kingdoms from THE GREAT REBELLION, and all the miseries and oppressions consequent thereupon, under which they had so long groaned. We acknowledge it thy goodness, that we were not utterly delivered over as a prey unto them; beseeching thee still to continue such thy mercies towards us, that all the world may know that thou art our Saviour and mighty Deliverer; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Lord God of our salvation, who hast been exceedingly gracious unto this land, and, by thy miraculous providence, didst deliver us out of our miserable confusions, by restoring to us, and to his own just and undoubted rights, our then most gracious sovereign Lord, King Charles the Second, notwithstanding all the power and malice of his enemies; and, by placing him on the Throne of these Kingdoms, didst restore also unto us the public and free profession of thy true religion and worship, together with our former peace and prosperity, to the great comfort and joy of our hearts; we are here now before thee, with all due thankfulness, to acknowledge thine unspeakable goodness herein, as upon this day showed unto us, and to offer unto thee our sacrifice of praise for the same: humbly beseeching thee to accept this our unfeigned, though unworthy, oblation of ourselves; vowing all holy obedience in thought, word, and work, unto thy Divine Majesty; and promising all loyal and dutiful allegiance to thine anointed servant now set over us, and to her heirs after her; whom we beseech thee to bless with all increase of grace, honour, and happiness, in this world, and to crown her with immortality and glory in the world to come, for Jesus Christ his sake, our only Lord and Saviour. Amen. In the end of the Litany (which shall always this day be used) after the Collect [We humbly beseech thee, O Father, &c.] shall this be said which next followeth. ALMIGHTY God, who hast, in all ages, showed forth thy power and mercy in the miraculous and gracious deliverances of thy Church, and in the protection of righteous and religious Kings and States, professing thy holy and eternal truth, from the malicious conspiracies and wicked practices of all their enemies; we yield unto thee our unfeigned thanks and praise, as for thy many other great and public mercies, so especially, for that signal and wonderful deliverance, by thy wise and good providence as upon this day completed, and vouchsafed to our then most gracious sovereign King Charles the Second, and all the Royal Family; and, in them, to this whole Church and State, and all orders and degrees of men in both, from the unnatural rebellion, usurpation, and tyranny of ungodly and cruel men, and from the sad confusions and ruin thereupon ensuing. From all these, O gracious and merciful Lord God, not our merit, but thy mercy; not our foresight, but thy Providence; not our own arm, but thy right hand, and thine arm, did rescue and deliver us. And, therefore, not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name be ascribed all honour, and glory, and praise, with most humble and hearty thanks, in all Churches of the Saints: even so, blessed be the Lord our God, who alone doeth wondrous things, and blessed be the Name of his Majesty for ever; through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour. Amen. In the Communion Service, immediately before the reading of the Epistle, shall these two Collects be used, instead of the Collect for the Queen, and the Collect of the Day. O Almighty God, &c. } As before, at Morning Prayer. The Epistle. 1 St. Pet. ii. 11. EARLY beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain DEARL Yobbly fats, which war against the soul; having your con versation honest among the Gentiles; that, whereas they speak against you as evil-doers, they may, by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake; whether it be to the King, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God; that, with well-doing, ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the King. The Gospel. St. Matth. xxii. 16. ND they sent out unto him their disciples, with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man; for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us, therefore, what thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? show me the tribute-money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Cæsar's. Then saith he unto them, Render, therefore, unto Cæsar, the things which are Cæsar's; and, unto God, the things that are God's. When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way. No In the Offertory shall this Sentence be read. OT every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven. St. Matth. vii. 21. After the Prayer [For the whole state of Christ's Church &c.] this Collect following shall be used. ALMIGHTY LMIGHTY God and heavenly Father, who, of thine infinite and unspeakable goodness towards us, didst, in a most extraordinary and wonderful manner, disappoint and overthrow the wicked designs of those traitorous, heady, and high-minded, men, who, under the pretence of religion and thy most holy Name, had contrived, and well-nigh effected, the utter destruction of this Church and Kingdom; as we do this day most heartily and devoutly adore and magnify thy glorious Name, for this thine infinite goodness already vouchsafed to us; so do we most humbly beseech thee to continue thy grace and favour towards us, that no such dismal calamity may ever again fall upon us. Infatuate and defeat all the secret counsels of deceitful and wicked men against us; abate their pride, assuage their malice, and confound their devices. Strengthen the hands of our gracious sovereign Queen VICTORIA, and all that are put in authority under her, with judgment and justice to cut off all such workers of iniquity as turn religion into rebellion, and faith into faction; that they may never again prevail against us, nor triumph in the ruin of the Monarchy and thy Church among us. Protect and defend our sovereign Lady the Queen, with the whole Royal Family, from all treasons and conspiracies. Be unto her a helmet of salvation, and a strong tower of defence against the face of all her enemies; clothe them with shame and confusion, but, upon herself and her posterity, let the Crown for ever flourish. So we, thy people, and the sheep of thy pasture, will give thee thanks for ever, and will always be showing forth thy praise, from generation to generation; through Jesus Christ our only Saviour and Redeemer; to whom, with thee, O Father, and the Holy Ghost, be glory in the Church throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. |