THE SEASONS OF THE YEAR. By attention to the construction of the Daily Services, additional Prayers and Collects will be readily found in each, adapted to those seasons of the year which each day in part commemorates. Advent. The 3rd or 4th week in Advent is an Ember Week. NOW it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now is xiii. our salvation nearer than when we believed. Rom. The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Rom. xiii. Let your moderation be known unto all men; the Lord is at hand. Phil. iv. We look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body that it may be made like unto his glorious body. Phil. iii. Behold, the Lord will come, and all his saints with him. Zech. xiv. This is his name, whereby he shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness. Jer. xxiii. The following Sentences are translations of Seven Ancient Anthems, alluded to on December 16, in the Calendar, under the words "O Sapientia," which were formerly sung on seven days preceding Christmas day. Dec. 16 or 17. O Sapientia. WISDOM, which camest out of the mouth of the Most High, reaching from one end to another, mightily and sweetly ordering all things; Come, and teach us in the way of understanding. Dec. 18. O Adonai. O Lord and Ruler of the house of Israel, who appearedst to Moses in a flame of fire in the bush, and gavest him the law in Sinai; Come and deliver us with an outstretched arm. Dec. 19. O Radix Jesse. O Root of Jesse, which standest for an ensign of the Ipeople, at whom kings shall shut their mouths, thou to whom the Gentiles shall seek; Come, and deliver us now, tarry not. Dec. 20. O Clavis David. O Key of David, and sceptre of the House of Israel, thou that openest and no man shutteth, and shuttest and no man openeth; Come and bring the prisoner out of the prison house, and him that sitteth in darkness, and in the shadow of death. Dec. 21. O Oriens. O Orient, Brightness of the Everlasting Light, and Sun of Righteousness; Come and enlighten them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death. Dec. 22. O Rex Gentium. O King and Desire of all Nations, Thou Corner-stone, who hast made both one! Come and save man, whom thou formedst from the clay. Dec. 23. O Emmanuel. O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, Hope of the Gentiles, and their Saviour; Come and save us, O Lord our God. The Advent Invocation. O Thou who didst come down in the form of sinful men, who shalt come again in glory to judge the world. Glory be to thee, O Lord. Appropriate Psalms.-ii. xix. xlvii. 1. lxxxv. xciii. xcvi. xcvii. xcviii. Prayer in Advent. GOD, who by thy Church hast appointed this holy time as a preparation for the great solemnity of thy mercy in the birth of our Redeemer, grant that we may make a right use thereof, and so employ this Advent as to prepare our souls for meeting him, and may search into all our sins, and enter upon such means as may be necessary to overcome them, that having a memory of thy judgments, we may be watchful over all our ways, and calling over the account of our whole lives may accuse and condemn ourselves, and laying hold of the mediation of thy blood, O Blessed Jesus, and looking for none other but thee, and placing our whole confidence in thee, may find mercy with thee, and acceptance in the last great day. Amen. GL Christmas-tide. LORY to God in the highest; and in earth peace, good will towards men. Luke ii. The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, as of the only-begotten Son of the Father) full of grace and truth. John i. God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world. Heb. i. The Christmas Invocation. O Thou who to save sinners tookest upon thee the frail nature of man, who wast incarnate of a pure virgin. Glory be to thee, O Lord. Appropriate Psalms.-xix. xlv. lxxxv. lxxxix. cx. cxxxii. ETERNAL God, Father Almighty, who, in compas Redeemer, have mercy upon us. And thou, O Blessed Jesus, who wast born in the form of an helpless infant, and subject to all our infirmities, who wast born in poverty and want, that we might learn to renounce all pride, and follow thy great humility, look down, we beseech thee, and vouchsafe to give us thy grace, that we may make thee our pattern, and become thy disciples. Have compassion on us, and perfect in us the work of our redemption; We have no help nor hope but by thee, no redemption of sin but through thee, no peace with God but through thee, no expectation of blessing, nor hopes of life but in thee. Be thou our God to protect us, our Master to teach us, our Light to direct us, our Redeemer to save us; and help us to give thee glory, and praise henceforth, and for ever. Amen. Circumcision. HE is not a Jew, who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh-But he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God. The Invocation. O Thou who wast made obedient to the law for man. Appropriate Psalms.-ii. xix. xl. On this day may be also used the prayer for New Year's Day, BEH further on. Epiphany. EHOLD the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world. John i. The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Is. lx. Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Ib. Sing, O ye heavens, for the Lord hath done it; shout, ye lower parts of the earth, break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest and every tree therein, for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel. Is. xliv. Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw herself, for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Is. lx. The Epiphany Invocation. O Thou who of thy grace didst manifest thyself unto the Gentiles. Glory be to thee, O Lord. Appropriate Psalms.-xxix. xlvi. lxxii. Prayer for the Epiphany. GOD, we come this day before thee to acknowledge thy infinite mercy towards us, in that thou didst as at this time manifest thy goodness to the Gentiles, and didst open a gate to all to come into the fold of Christ, to become his members, and partake of the redemption wrought by him. We confess thee to be our Lord, and that in love to our souls thou hast undertaken our redemption. Grant us, we beseech thee, a spirit like those holy men of old, that, like them, we may obey thy call, may lay before thee whatsoever we have, may offer thee the incense of our hearts in prayer, and receive with patience all the troubles of this life. And accept thou this our offering, and confirm us by thy grace, that we may abide faithful to thee all our lives. Amen. Septuagesima, or the Season before Lent. ΚΑ NOW ye not, that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain. Ib. 1 Cor. ix. Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things; now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. Ib. Now abideth faith, hope, and charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. Ib. For this season many of the Prayers for Fast-Days, Vigils, Ember-Days, and Rogation-Days are applicable, with slight alteration; this season not being one of actual fasting, but intended as a gradual preparation for the fast of Lent. Lent. The week following the first Sunday in Lent is an Ember week. TURN URN ye even to me, saith the Lord, with all your heart, and with weeping, and fasting, and mourning. Joel ii. |