Wednesday Prayers by Lancelot Andrewes

Lancelot Andrewes (1555 – 25 September 1626) was an Anglican priest and bishop in England, where he served “on the committee of scholars that produced the King James Translation of the Bible, and probably contributed more to that work than any other single person. It is accordingly no surprise to find him not only a devout writer but a learned and eloquent one, a master of English prose, and learned in Latin, Greek, Hebrew and eighteen other languages.” [1] During his life, Andrewes “prepared for his own use a manuscript notebook of Private Prayers, which was published after his death” – The Private Devotions and Manual for the Sick of Lancelot Andrews. [2] “The material was apparently intended, not to be read aloud, but to serve as a guide and stimulus to devout meditation.” [3]

Easter “is the day on which the very essence of what it means to be human is transformed and elevated in Christ – the first day of a new creation that neither negates nor overpowers the old but restores and raises it up.” [4] One of the ways we celebrate the joyful season of Eastertide is through our lectionary readings recalling the Creation and focusing on renewal in Christ. Another way we celebrate is through prayer. Included in Andrewes’s manual are prayers for each day of the week, each day recalling God’s act of creation. These prayers serve as wonderful meditations during Eastertide.

Below are excerpts of Lancelot Andrewes’s prayers for Wednesday from The Private Devotions and Manual for the Sick of Lancelot Andrews.

IN the morning-watches I will meditate on thee, O Lord; because thou hast been my helper.^{— Psalm lxiii. 6, 7.}

Blessed art thou, O Lord, who, as on this day, didst make two lights, the greater light, the sun, and the lesser light, the moon; and the stars also; ^{— Gen. i. 16.}

To give light upon the earth,^{— Verse 17.}

And for signs and for seasons;^{—Verse 14.}

For spring, summer, autumn, winter;

For days, weeks, months, and years;

And to rule over the day, and over the night.^{— Verse 18.} _[5]

…I BELIEVE and acknowledge,

💠In THE FATHER, his paternal affection;

In the Almighty, his saving power;

In the Creator, his providence,

Whereby the world Is preserved, governed, and perfected.

💠In JESUS, his salvation;

In CHRIST, his holy unction;

In the only Son, adoption; abolished. In the Lord, a master’s care.

In his conception and nativity,

The purification of our impure conception and nativity.^{—Psalm li. 5.}

In his sufferings, those evils turned away,

Which we most righteously have deserved.^{— Liturgy.}

In his cross, the curse of the law, ^{—Gal. iii. 10.}

In his death, the sting of death,^{— 1 Cor. xv. 56.}

In his burial, our final corruption in the grave,

In his descent, that we are saved from going whither we merit to go;

In his resurrection, the first-fruits offered of them that sleep;^{—1 Cor. xv. 20.}

In his ascension, that he goeth to prepare a place for us;^{—John xiv. 2.}

In his seat at the right hand, his willingness to make intercession for us;^{—Heb. vii. 25.}

In his second coming, his reception of his own to himself;^{—John xiv. 3.}

In his judgment, the reward of every man according to his works.^{—Matt. xvi. 27.}

💠In THE HOLY GHOST, his power from on high,^{— Luke xxiv. 49.}

Secretly and invisibly,

Yet effectually and undeniably,

Converting unto holiness.

💠In the Church, the mystical body of those, who are called from all the quarters of the world unto a brotherhood in faith and godliness.

💠In the Communion of Saints, the mutual participation in sanctification vouchsafed to every member of that mystical body, unto an assurance of the remission of sins, and unto a hope of resurrection from the dead, and of exaltation unto life eternal.

I TRUST in thy mercy, O God, for ever and ever.^{—Psalm Hi. 8.}

How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God. ^{—Psalm xxxvi. 7.}

If I have any hope, it is in thy mercy: let me not be ashamed of this my hope.^{—Ps. cxix. 116.} _[6]

[5] [6]

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Citations:

[1] Kiefer, J. E. (n.d.). Lancelot Andrewes, Bishop and Scholar. Biographical sketches of memorable Christians of the past. Retrieved May 16, 2022, from http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/252.html 

[2] Ibid. 1

[3] Ibid. 1

[4] Balsbaugh, J. (2019, April 22). Easter Monday and the New Creation. Veritas Journal. Retrieved May 16, 2022, from https://veritasjournal.org/2019/04/22/easter-monday-and-the-new-creation/ 

[5] Andrewes, Lancelot. The Private Devotions and Manual for the Sick of Launcelot Andrews (Kindle ed., p. 1274). Kindle Edition. 

[6] Ibid. 5, P. 1363-1389