Page:The Nestorians and their rituals, volume 2.djvu/261

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LITURGY OF NESTORIUS.
233

promised us in our Lord Jesus Christ, and that we may all agree together in one concord, in one bond of love and peace, and become one body and one spirit, even as we are called in one hope of our calling. May no one eat and drink hereof to the damnation of his body and soul, or to sickness and disease; through eating this Body and drinking this Blood unworthily; but may it be to our strengthening and refreshing in all those things which are approved before Thee, so that with a good conscience we all may be made meet to partake of the Body and Blood of Thine Anointed;—

Canon.

That when we shall stand in Thy presence in the glorious and awful day of judgment, we may find mercy and compassion before the throne of Thy majesty, and rejoice with all those who through the grace and mercy of Thy Only Begotten have pleased Thee from the beginning, to Whom with Thee and the holy, living, and life-giving Spirit, we ascribe glory, honour, dominion and power, now and for ever and ever. Amen. [Here the Priest shall sign the sacraments.]

R. Amen.

Then the priest shall bow before the altar without suffering his knee to touch the ground, and shall say:[1]

I thank Thee, O my Father, Lord of heaven and earth, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, because that in the abundance of Thy mercy Thou hast by Thy grace fitted me, who am a sinner and imperfect, to offer unto Thee these awful, holy, lifegiving, and divine sacraments of the body and blood of Thine Anointed, and through them to administer to Thy people and the sheep of Thy pasture the pardon of their sins, the forgiveness of their transgressions, and the salvation of their souls, the reconciliation of the whole world, and peace and safety to all creatures.

O Christ, the Peace of those above, and the great safety of those below, let Thy peace and safety, O Lord, rest upon the four corners of the earth, and especially upon Thy holy Catholic Church. Make Thy priests and kings to dwell in unity, cause

  1. Here ends the part of the Liturgy ascribed to Nestorius; what follows is from the "Liturgy of the Apostles."