Devotions of Bishop Andrewes. Vol. I

PROFESSION

I believe, O Lord,
in Thee, Father, Word, Spirit, One God;
that by Thy fatherly love and power
all things were created;—
37that by Thy goodness and love to man
all things have been begun anew
in Thy Word,—
Who for us men and for our salvation,
was made flesh,
was conceived and born,
suffered and was crucified,
died and was buried,
descended and rose again,
ascended and sat down,
will return and will repay;—
that by the shining‑forth and working
of Thy Holy Spirit,
hath been called, out of the whole
world
a peculiar people into a polity,
in belief of the truth
and sanctity of living:—
that in it we are partakers
of the communion of saints
and forgiveness of sins
in this world;—
that in it we are waiting
for resurrection of the flesh
and life everlasting
in the world to come.—
38This most holy faith
which was once delivered to the saints
I believe, O Lord;
help Thou mine unbelief,
and vouchsafe to me
to love the Father for His fatherly love,
to reverence the Almighty for His
power,
as a faithful Creator, to commit my
soul to Him in well doing;
vouchsafe to me to partake
from Jesus of salvation,
from Christ of anointing,
from the Only‑begotten of adoption;
to worship the Lord
for His conception in faith,
for His birth in humility,
for His sufferings in patience and hatred
of sin;
for His Cross to crucify beginnings,
for His death to mortify the flesh,
for His burial to bury evil thoughts in
good works, for His descent to meditate upon hell,
for His resurrection upon newness of life,
for His ascension; to mind things above,
39for His sitting on high, to mind the good
things on His right,
for His return, to fear His second
appearance,
for judgment, to judge myself ere I be
judged.
From the Spirit
vouchsafe me the breath of salutary
grace.
In the Holy Catholic Church
to have my own calling, and holiness,
and portion,
and a fellowship
of her sacred rites, and prayers,
fastings and groans,
vigils, tears, and sufferings,
for assurance of remission of sins,
for hope of resurrection and translation
to eternal life.