The Lessons Appointed for Use on the Feast of
Jeremy Taylor
Bishop of Down, Connor, and Dromore, 1667 August 13

Romans 14:7-9, 10b-12
Matthew 24:42-47
Psalm 139:1-9 or
Psalm 16:5-11

The Preface of a Saint (1)

O God, whose days are without end, and whose mercies cannot be numbered: Make us, like your servant Jeremy Taylor, deeply aware of the shortness and uncertainty of human life; and let your Holy Spirit lead us in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Romans 14:7-9, 10b-12

We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written,

"As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall give praise to God."

So then, each of us will be accountable to God.

Psalm 139:1-9 Page 794, BCP

Domine, probasti

1

LORD, you have searched me out and known me; *
you know my sitting down and my rising up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.

2

You trace my journeys and my resting-places *
and are acquainted with all my ways.

3

Indeed, there is not a word on my lips, *
but you, O LORD, know it altogether.

4

You press upon me behind and before *
and lay your hand upon me.

5

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; *
it is so high that I cannot attain to it.

6

Where can I go then from your Spirit? *
where can I flee from your presence?

7

If I climb up to heaven, you are there; *
if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.

8

If I take the wings of the morning *
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

9

Even there your hand will lead me *
and your right hand hold me fast.

or

Psalm 16:5-11 Page 600, BCP

Conserva me, Domine

5

O LORD, YOU are my portion and my cup; *
it is you who uphold my lot.

6

My boundaries enclose a pleasant land; *
indeed, I have a goodly heritage.

7

I will bless the LORD who gives me counsel; *
my heart teaches me, night after night.

8

I have set the LORD always before me; *
because he is at my right hand I shall not fall.

9

My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices; *
my body also shall rest in hope.

10

For you will not abandon me to the grave, *
nor let your holy one see the Pit.

11

You will show me the path of life; *
in your presence there is fullness of joy,
and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.

Matthew 24:42-47

Jesus said to his disciples, "Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

"Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions."

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.

The Collects, Psalms and Canticles are from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979.

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