Jeremy Taylor and the Eucharistic Sacrifice, Part Two

This second post continues with selections from the Eucharistic Liturgy of Jeremy Taylor which he composed for use during the period when the Book of Common Prayer and the Anglican Church were banned. The Eastern Divine liturgies such as the Liturgy of St. James of Jerusalem provide much of the source material employed by Taylor in both his actual language as well as theological framework.



Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up unto the Lord.

Let us give thanks unto our Lord God.
It is just and right so to do.

It is indeed truly just, righteous, and fitting to praise and to glorify, to worship and adore, to give thanks and to magnify thee the great Maker of all creatures, visible and invisible, the treasure of all good, temporal and eternal : The fountain of all life, mortal and immortal : The Lord and God of all things in Heaven and Earth, the great Father of his Servants, and great Master of his Children.

The Heavens and the Heaven aof Heavens, and every power therein ; the Sun and the Moon, and all the stars of the sky ; the sea and the earth, the heights above and the depths below ; Jerusalem that is from above, the Congregation celestial, the Church of the first-born written in the Heavens, the spirits of the Prophets and of just men made perfect, the souls of the Apostles and all holy Martyrs, Angels and Archangels, Thrones and Dominions, Principalities and Powers, the spirits of Understanding and the spirits of Love, with never ceasing Hymns and perpetual Anthems cry out Night and Day,

HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, Lord God of Hosts :
Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

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Let all corruptible flesh be silent, and stand with fear and trembling, and think within it self nothing that is earthly, nothing that is unholy. The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, Christ our God comes down from Heaven unto us, and gives himself to be meat for the Souls of all faithful People. All the glorious companies of Angels behold this and wonder, and love and worship Jesus. Every Throne and Dominion, The Cherubim with many Eyes, and the Seraphim with many Wings cover their Faces before the Majest of his Glory, and sing a perpetual song for ever : Allelujah, Allelujah. Glory be to God on high ; and in Earth peace ; good will towards men. Allelujah.

Then shall follow this Prayer of Consecration, to be said by the Presbyter standing,

Have mercy upon us, O Heavenly Father, according to thy glorious mercies and promises, send thy Holy Ghost upon our hearts, and let him also descend upon these gifts, that by his good, his holy, his glrious presence, he may sanctify and enlighten our hearts, and he may bless and sanctify these gifts:

THAT THIS BREAD MAY BECOME
THE HOLY BODY OF CHRIST.

Amen.

AND THIS CHALICE MAY BECOME
THE LIFE-GIVING BLOOD OF CHRIST.

Amen.

That it may beome unto us all that partake of it this day, a Blessed instrument of Union with Christ, of pardon and peace, of health and blessing, of holiness and life Eternal, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

+Holy and blessed art thou, O King of Eternal ages, fountain and giver of all righteousness.
+Holy art thou the eternal and only-begotten Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, Redeemer of the World.
+Holy art thou, O Blessed Spirit, that searchest all things, even the depths and hidden things of God.

Thou, O God, art Almighty: thou art good and gracious, dreadfull and venerable, holy and mercifull to the work of thine own hands.

Thou didst make man according to thine Image ; thou gavest him the riches and the rest of Paradise : When he fell and broke thy easy Commandment thou didst not despisehis folly, nor leave him in his sin but didst chastise him with thy rod, and restrain him by thy Law, and instruct him by thy Prophets, and at last didst send thy Holy Son into the World, that he might renew and repair thy broken Image.

Blessed be God.

He coming from Heaven, and taking our flesh, by the power of the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, conversed with men, and taught us the way of God, and the dispensation of eternal Life.

Holy Jesus! Blessed be God.

But when for the redemptionof us sinners he would suffer death upon the Cross without sin, for us who were nothing but sin and misery, in the night in which he was betrayed, he took bread, he looked up to Heaven, he gave thanks, he santified it, he brake it, and gave it to his Apostles saying.

Take, eat,
THIS IS MY BODY
which is broken for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.

Likewise after Supper he took the Cup, and when he had given thanks and blessed it he gave it to them saying,

Drink ye all of this, for
THIS IS MY BLOOD OF THE NEW TESTAMENT,
which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins.
Do this in remembrance of me.

For as often as ye shall eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, ye shall shew forth the Lord's death till he come.

Amen.

We believe, and we confess.

We delcare thy Death, and confess thy Resurrection.


Then the Presbyter kneeling shall say the Prayer of Oblation...

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