Lancelot Andrewes' Adoration  

Posted by Joe Rawls

Lancelot Andrewes (1555-1626) was a distinguished bishop, prolific theologian, and compelling preacher--he was a great favorite of James I.  But he seems to be more accessible to 21st century people through his Preces Privatae, a notebook of prayers for his own use that was not published during his lifetime.   Gifted with a passionate intellectual and spiritual curiosity, his superb classical education enabled him to read both the Latin and Greek Fathers in the original.  He drew on  this material to supplement what some might consider to be the sparse resources of the official Book of Common Prayer.  "An Act of Adoration" is a good example of Andrewes as a man of prayer.

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O God the Father of heaven,
     who hast marvellously created the world out of nothing,
      who dost govern and uphold heaven and earth with thy power,
     who didst deliver thine only begotten for us unto death;

O God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
     who didst will to be incarnate of a virgin,
     who hast washed us from our sins by thy precious blood,
     who rising from the dead didst ascend victorious to heaven:

O God the Holy Ghost, the Comforter,
     who didst descend upon Jesus in the form of a dove,
     who coming upon the apostles didst appear in fiery tongues,
     who dost visit and confirm with thy grace the hearts of the saints:

O Sacred, Higher, Eternal, Blissful, Blessed Trinity,
     always to be praised, yet always unspeakable:
          O Father good,
          O Son loving,
          O Spirit kind,
     whose majesty is unspeakable,
     whose power is incomparable,
     whose goodness is inestimable,
     whose work is life,
     whose love is grace,
     whose contemplation is glory:

Deity, Divinity, Unity, Trinity:
     Thee I worship, Thee I call upon,
     with the whole affection of my heart I bless now
          and for evermore.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 28, 2016 at Wednesday, September 28, 2016 . You can follow any responses to this entry through the comments feed .

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