The Collects of the Church of England, Imitated in Verse

The Collects of the Church of England, Imitated in Verse.

By John Rusher.

Oxford: Printed for the Author, 1790.

I trust, the truly pious and devout Members of the Church will not think this little Work beneath their notice; and am encouraged by several eminent Schoolmasters, who have seen it in manuscript, to hope that it will be found of infinite service in Sunday and other Schools, where (as rhime is pleasing, especially to young persons, and such a powerful and necessary assistant to the memory) one of these Collects may be every Week learned and retained, by the most indigent capacity.

What heavenly fruit may be expected from thus planting the fertile soil of the infand mind with comprehensive Prayer which, if water with the Divine Blessing, will continually grow, take deep root, and can never be eradicated; but even, when lopped by the broad axe of Death, will break out more abundantly in praise and adoration, and flourish through a glorious Eternity.

The First Sunday in Advent.

LORD, we beseech thee give us grace, That we may cast away The works of darkness, and embrace The gospel light today;

Now, in the time of life when we Believe thy blessed Son Came down in great humility To put our nature on; That in the great and awful day When he shall come again, Array’d in glorious majesty To judge the sons of men,

We may to life immortal rise, And join the heav’nly host, Through Him who reigns above the skies With Thee and Holy Ghost.

The Second Sunday in Advent.

BLESSED Lord, who hast caus’d holy scriptures of truth To be written as precepts for age and for youth, Grant that we may so hear, read, mark, learn, and digest Their contents, and so treasure them up in our breast, That by patience and comfort deriv’d from thy word, We may perfect our hope in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Third Sunday in Advent.

O Lord Jesu Christ, who preceding thy birth Didst send a glad messenger to us on earth, To make ready thy way in a wild barren land, By proclaiming the kingdom of heaven at hand; Grant that those who now act as thy ministers may So likewise prepare and make ready thy way, By turning the heart from its favorite lust, And conducting the feet to the paths of the just; That when thou shalt come to take judgment around We may an acceptable people be found, Who livest and reignest our Saviour and friend, With the Father and Spirit one God without end.

The Fourth Sunday in Advent.

O Lord arise, and come with power Among thy feeble flock, Be thou our strength, our mighty tower, And never failing rock;

Beneath the weight of sin we bow, We falter in our pace, We find our nature weak and slow To try the christian race.

Then gracious God renew our powers, Enable us to run, And let th’eternal prize be ours, Thro’ Jesus Christ thy Son.

Christmas-Day.

Gracious God, whose dear Son as at this time began His pure life, the blest patern and ransom of man; Grant, we pray thee, that we and the whole christian race, May become thy true sons by adoption and grace; And (being renew’d and sustain’d by the Spirit) May thro’ his atonement thy kingdom inherit; Who livest and reignest our heavenly friend, With the same Son and Spirit, one God, without end.

The Circumcision of Christ.

O God, who didst permit thy only Son To put the Sign of Circumcision on, And pay obedience to the law for man, According to the great redemption plan; Grant us the circumcision of the heart, That all our members being set apart From carnal lust, and ev’ry kind of ill, We may in all things do thy holy will, Thro’ Him who did all righteousness fulfil.

The Epiphany, or Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles.

O God, who by the leading of a star Didst manifest thy well-beloved Son, And safely guide the wise men from afar Into the presence of the little one;

So grant that we who see thee now by faith, And walk according to thy holy word, May have our full fruition after death, In endless bliss, thro’ Jesus Christ our Lord.

The First Sunday after the Epiphany.

Lord, we beseech thee, graciously to hear The voice of sinners turn’d to thee in prayer; Illuminate our minds, and clearly show What we ought not, and what we ought to do; That what thou hast forbidden we may shun, And follow thy commands thro Christ, thy Son.

The Second Sunday after the Epiphany.

Almighty God, eternal King, Who rulest over ev’ry thing In heav’n, and earth, and seas; Attend for Christ our Saviour’s sake, The fervent pray’rs which sinners make, And grant us endless peace.

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany.

Almighty and eternal God, Look down from thy supreme abode, And be our guardian and defence, Till thou art pleas’d to cal us hence To an unmerited reward, Thro’ Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord.

The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany.

O God, thou know’st before we speak, That dangers are at hand, And that our nature is so weak We cannot them withstand;

Then grant us thy peculiar care, Thy gracious aid afford, That all temptations we may bear Thro’ Jesus Christ, our Lord.

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany.

Lord, keep thy church in ev’ry part, Teach us with purity of heart To worship in thy holy place, And find the riches of thy grace Apply’d by thy most holy word, To heal our sins thro’ Christ, our Lord.

The Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany.

O God, who blessed Son came down on earth, That he the works of Satan might destroy, And make us all by virtue of his birth The sons of God, and heirs of endless joy;

Enable us t’improve the present hour, And purify ourselves as he is pure; That when he shall appear again with power We may be happy with him evermore,

In his eternal kingdom, where with thee, O Father, and with thee, O Holy Ghost, He reigns; the Three in One, and One in Three, Amid the praises of the heav’nly host.

Septuagesima Sunday.

Lord, we beseech thee, fav’rably to hear The voice of sinners turn’d to thee in pray’r That we who for our heinous crimes are griev’d May by thy gracious goodness be reliev’d; And by repentance see our peace restor’d, Thro’ Jesus Christ, thy only Son, our Lord.

Sexagesima Sunday.

O God, who know’st we put no trust In what ourselves can do, Repel the cruel and unjust, And all our foes subdue; That we may triumph in thy word Thro’ Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord.

Quinquagesima Sunday.

Lord, who hast taught that all our deeds on earth, Divest of Charity are nothing worth; Send down thy Spirit, fix our hopes above, And fill our hearts with universal love, The very bond of unity, of peace, And every virtue in the christian race; Without which holy bias, thou hast said Whoever lives, is notwithstanding dead. O heavenly Father, hear the pray’rs we make, And grant them for thy son, our Saviour’s sake.

Ash-Wednesday.

O gracious God, who madest all, And hatest nothing thou hast made, Who hearest sinners, when they call In faith and penitence for aid;

Create us new and contrite hearts, That we who do our sins confess, Convicted in our inward parts Of folly, sin, and wretchedness;

May thro’ the riches of thy grace To perfect favor be restor’d; And come to that eternal place Prepar’d thro’ Jesus Christ, our Lord.

The First Sunday in Lent.

O Lord, who (as thy blessed word recites) Didst once fast forty days, and forty nights, Restrain our nature, succour us within, And give us grace and pow’r to fast from sin; That leaving all inordinate desires, And doing what thy holy will requires, We may be sav’d according to thy word, Thro’ thy transcendent love, O blessed Lord, Who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, One God, dost reign amid the heav’nly host.

The Second Sunday in Lent.

Almighty God, who know’st our helpless state, Our num’rous foes, their strength, and vile deceit; Protect our outward and our inward parts From sin, the world, and Satan’s evil darts; Let no bad deeds our mortal frame controul, Nor evil thoughts afflict th’immortal soul, But give us cause to triumph in thy word, Thro’ Jesus Christ, thy only Son, our Lord.

The Third Sunday in Lent.

Almighty God, receive our fervent pray’rs, And when our foes beset us unawares, Or openly and terribly arise, Be our defence against our enemies:

O hear, and grant us what we have implor’d, Thro’ Jesus Christ, thy only Son, our Lord.

The Fourth Sunday in Lent.

O God, our hearts have daily swerv’d, Our evil deeds have long deserv’d The threat’nings of thy word; Yet give us grace to turn from sin, That we the promises may win, Thro’ Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Fifth Sunday in Lent.

We beseech thee, O God, to look graciously down, Where the seeds of the glorious Gospel are sown, And encourage the growth of thy word; Let thy Spirit direct, rule, and govern the whole, And preserve us for ever in body and soul, Thro’ thy only Son Jesus our Lord.

The Sunday next before Easter.

Almighty God, who of thy tender love, Hast sent thy Son, our Saviour, from above, To take our flesh, and suffer death, that we Might imitate his great humility; Endue us all with patience and subjection, And make us sharers in his Resurrection.

Good Friday. The Collects.

Almighty God, send down thy grace On us, and all the christian race; Nor leave us destitute of aid, For whom our Saviour was betray’d, And given up to wicked men; Was crucify’d, and rose again; And reigns with Thee, and Holy Ghost, Ador’d by all the heav’nly host.

O God, whose Spirit as a holy torch Illuminates and sanctifies thy church, Hear us for all estates of men therein, And keep us safe from falling into sin; That we, with those who preach thy holy word, May do thy will, thro’ Jesus Christ our Lord.

O gracious God, who madest all, And hatest nothing thou hast made, Nor would’st have sinners die, but call To Thee, the living God, for aid; Forgive the stubborn Jews and Greeks, Turks, Infidels, and Hereticks; Illuminate their inward parts; Soften the hardness of their hearts; Convince them of thy holy word; And fetch them home, O blessed Lord, As thy Apostle hath foretold; “That all may be one flock, one fold, Under one shepherd, Jesus Christ;” To whom be glory in the high’st.

Easter-Eve.

Gracious God, grant that we thro’ faith in thy word Are baptiz’d in the death of Christ Jesus our Lord, May conquer our evil affection; And be bury’d with him, and may pass thro’ the grave, And gate of mortality, thence to receive A joyful and sure Resurrection; Thro’ his merits who dy’d, and was bury’d, and rose, And gave us the victory over our foes.

Easter-Day.

O God, who thro’ thy only Son Hast set insolvent sinners free, And open’d wide to ev’ry one The gates of immortality;

Afford us thy especial grace, Quicken our minds with good desires, Teach us to love thy blessed ways, And what thy holy will requires;

Let perfect love extinguish fear, Thro’ Faith in thy most holy word, And lead us on in comfort here, To endless bliss, thro’ Christ our Lord.

The First Sunday after Easter.

Blessed Father, who (graciously pleas’d to evince Thy tender regard in our lost situation) Didst give thy Son Jesus to die for our sins, And to rise from the dead for our justification;

Grant that hatred and malice, in aged and youth, Being wholly cast off, and compleatly abhorr’d, We may serve Thee in pureness of living and truth, For the sake of thy only Son, Jesus, our Lord.

The Second Sunday after Easter.

O merciful God, who hast given thy Son, As a ransom and pattern for every one Who sincerely believe in his word; Let us share the kind offers his Gospel displays, And daily endeavour to walk in his ways, Thro’ the same, thy Jesus our Lord.

The Third Sunday after Easter.

Gracious God, who dost show rich and poor, age and youth, When in darkness and error, the light of thy truth, Such beams of instruction afford, That we who profess to believe in thy Son, May follow that pure and immaculate one, Thro’ the same, thy Son Jesus our Lord.

The Fourth Sunday after Easter.

O God, who alone hast the power and skill To restrain the unruly affections and will, Enable us truly to love and desire Thy commands, and thy promises; and to retire From the world, and the many vain things that surround, To devotion and Thee, where true joys may be found.

The Fifth Sunday after Easter.

O Almighty God, from whom Every perfect gift doth come, Grant that we and all our race, By the comfort of thy grace, May not only see, and know What is good and right to do, But may keep thy holy word, Thro’ thy only Son our Lord.

Ascension-Day.

Grant, O Lord, that thy servants to whom thou hast given True faith in a Saviour, his birth, Life, death, resurrection, ascension to heaven, And atonement for sinners on earth,

May clearly the way to eternity see, And joyfully thither ascend, Where the same, thy Son Jesus, now reigneth with Thee, And the Spirit, one God, without end.

The Sunday after the Ascension-Day.

O God, the King of Glory, who hast given Our Saviour an exalted place in heaven, Send down thy Spirit, teach us to explore The way to bliss, where He is gone before, And lives, and reigns with Thee and Holy Ghost, Amid the praises of the heavenly host.

Whit-Sunday.

O God, who didst send thy good Spirit below To teach and to comfort the faithful and true, Send down the same Spirit to us, who desire To know and perform what thy precepts require; Cause our hearts to rejoice in Christ Jesus thy Son, And to publish what he for lost sinners hath done, Who reigns with the Spirit and Thee, Three in One.

Trinity Sunday.

O gracious God, who faith to man hast given To own the wond’rous mysteries of heaven, The glorious Three in One, and One in Three, And in their boundless pow’r to worship Thee; Keep us, we pray Thee, stedfast in this faith, And be our guardian and defence till death.

The First Sunday after Trinity.

O gracious God, the strength of all, Of rich, and poor, and great, and small, Who trust in Thee for aid, Look down in mercy, hear our prayers, And keep us safe from all the snares That are or shall be laid.

Our sinful nature’s weak and frail, Fain would our enemies prevail, And cause our hearts to bleed Lord, soften theirs, thou canst with ease, And teach us all thro’ Christ to please Thee both in will and deed.

The Second Sunday after Trinity.

O God, who hast in mercy chose To succour, help, and govern those Who know thy fear and growing love, Send thy good Spirit from above, And give us such a lively sense Of thy endearing Providence, That love to full perfection grown, May banish fear, thro’ Christ thy Son.

The Third Sunday after Trinity.

Lord, we beseech thee, lend a gracious ear To us, whose hearts incline to thee in prayer; Instruct, defend, and comfort us therein; Pardon, and cleanse us from the guilt of sin; And give us grace to keep thy holy word, Thro’ Jesus Christ, thy only Son, our Lord.

The Fourth Sunday after Trinity.

Blessed maker, supporter, and guardian of all, The Author of every thing perfect and holy, Hear the voice of thy servants who earnestly call, Forgive us our former transgression and folly;

And be our perpetual ruler and guide, That we may so pass thro’ this temporal scene As to win the eternal, and ever reside Where Thyself, Son, and Spirit, one God, ever reign.

The Fifth Sunday after Trinity.

Grant, O Lord, we beseech thee, thy heavenly love, That the course of this world may so peaceably move We may stir up each other to hearing thy word, And performing thy will, thro’ Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Sixth Sunday after Trinity.

O God, who hast prepar’d for them that love Thy holy name, such glorious things above As pass our understanding to conceive; Fill us with love, that we who do believe May win the blessings promis’d in thy word, Thro’ Jesus Christ, thy only Son, our Lord.

The Seventh Sunday after Trinity.

Lord of power and might, by our faith understood As the author and giver of all that is good, O teach us the love of thy word; Increase true religion and goodness within, And of thy great mercy restrain us from sin, Thro’ thy only Son Jesus our Lord.

The Eighth Sunday after Trinity.

Almighty God, whose providential worth Doth govern all things both in heav’n and earth, Bow down thy gracious ear we humbly pray, And, keeping ev’ry hurtful thing away, Give us the good things promis’d in thy word, Thro’ Jesus Christ, thy only Son, our Lord.

The Ninth Sunday after Trinity.

Grant us, Lord, we beseech thee, the Spirit to know And to practise the thing that is right; That we all may be able, and willing to do, What is lawful and good in thy sight; And may finally win an eternal reward, For the merits and sake of Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Tenth Sunday after Trinity.

O most merciful God, we beseech thee to hear Our imperfect addresses, assist us in prayer To order and frame our petitions aright, And to ask only that which is good in thy sight, That we may not fall short of an endless reward, For the merits and sake of Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity.

O God, who ever since the world began Hast been exceeding merciful to man, Afford us such a measure of thy grace That we with joy may run the christian race; And win the glorious prize for which we run, Eternal bliss, thro’ Jesus Christ thy Son.

The Twelfth Sunday after Trinity.

O gracious God, who standest day by day Readier to hear than sinners are to pray, And infinitely more inclin’d to serve Than we desire, or do, or can deserve; Send down thy Holy Spirit to our aid; Forgive us all whereof we are afraid; And give us ev’ry blessing, and reward We ask or need, thro’ Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity.

Almighty and eternal God, of whom The comforts of thy faithful people come, And strength to act according to thy will, Teach us thy holy statutes to fulfil; And give us that exceeding great reward Which thou hast promis’d, thro’ thy Son our Lord.

The Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity.

O Lord God Almighty, send down an increase Of faith, hope, and charity, never to cease; And, that we may win an eternal reward, Make us love thy commands, thro’ Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity.

O gracious God, look down from heav’n above, And keep thy church with thy perpetual love; Our strength is weak, our resolution frail, But thy great pow’r and mercy never fail; Then take us under thy especial care, Support and keep us safe from ev’ry snare, And lead us on by thy most holy word To endless bliss, thro’ Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity.

Lord, we beseech thee, let thy Spirit search, Correct, amend, and sanctify thy church; And guide us safe by thy unerring word, Thro’ Jesus Christ, thy only Son, our Lord.

The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.

O Lord, we pray thee, let thy sovereign grace Conduct and aid us in the christian race; And teach us to obey thy holy word, Thro’ Jesus Christ, thy only Son, our Lord.

The Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity.

Lord, we beseech thee, grant thy people grace To see the error of their wicked ways; To shun their darling fins, to flee from evil, The allurements of the world, the flesh, and devil; And with pure hearts and minds to follow thee, Thro’ Christ thy Son, to all eternity.

The Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity.

O God, in whose most holy sight We cannot think, or do aright; Send thy good Spirit down, impart Divine ideas to the heart, And guide our actions by thy word, Thro’ Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord.

The Twentieth Sunday after Trinity.

O most merciful God, our immutable friend, On thy infinite goodness and aid we depend, That preserv’d and supported in body and mind, And to public and private devotion inclin’d, We may know and accomplish what thou would’st have done, For the merits and sake of Christ Jesus thy Son.

The Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity.

Lord, bless the faithful, make their faith increase, Assure their hearts of pardon, and of peace; That blest with pure serenity of mind, And more and more to holiness inclin’d, We may at length obtain that great reward, Which thou hast promis’d, thro’ thy Son our Lord.

The Twenty-second Sunday after Trinity.

Lord, we beseech thee, constantly to keep Thy faithful flock, collect the scatter’d sheep, Reclaim the wand’rers, set stray’d captives free, And fetch home all, O blessed Lord, to Thee; To hear, obey, and love thy holy word, Till ripe for bliss, thro’ Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Twenty-third Sunday after Trinity.

O God, our refuge, strength, and trust, The fount of all that’s good and just, Be pleas’d to lend a gracious ear To our devout and hearty prayer; Incline us, morning, noon, and night, To pray thee, and pray aright; That so we may not ask in vain, But thro’ thy sov’reign grace obtain The blessings promis’d in thy word, Thro’ Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord.

The Twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity.

O God, who know’st our weak and vain pretences, Absolve us from our manifold offences; That being loosen’d from the bands of sin We may a life of holiness begin: O heavenly Father, hear the pray’rs we make, And grant them for thy Son, our Saviour’s sake.

The Twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity.

Stir up, we beseech thee, O merciful God, The wills of the faithful, encourage the bud To dilate and expand, cause the branches to shoot, And the blossoms to bring forth abundance of fruit; Such fruit as thou’rt pleas’d to accept and reward, For the sake of thy only Son Jesus our Lord.

Saint Andrew’s Day.

O God, who mad’st Saint Andrew’s heart rejoice To hear, and to obey his Saviour’s voice; Enable all who hear thy holy word To do thy will, thro’ Jesus Christ our Lord.

Saint Thomas the Apostle.

O God, who as the holy Gospel saith, (For confirmation of the christian faith) Didst let Saint Thomas for a while go on To doubt the Resurrection of thy Son; Let unbelief be far from us remov’d, That so our faith may never be reprov’d: Hear us, O heavenly Fathr, thro’ the same, We come in Christ thy Son, our Saviour’s name; To whom, with Thee and Holy Ghost, be pure And holy worship, now and evermore.

The Conversion of Saint Paul.

O God, who by the preaching of Saint Paul Hast caus’d the Gospel light to shine on all, Shine in our hearts, and let us often find His wonderful Conversation in our mind; Teach us to praise the wonders thou hast wrought, By following the doctrine he has taught; Which leads to an exceeding great reward, Thro’ Jesus Christ, thy only Son, our Lord.

The Presentation of Christ in the Temple; or, Purification of St. Mary the Virgin.

Almighty God, who hadst thy only Son Brought to the Temple, when a little one, And introduc’d according to thy word; Renew, and sanctify our inward parts, And graciously accept our contrite hearts, Thro’ Jesus Christ, thy only Son, our Lord.

Saint Matthias’s Day.

O Lord God Almighty, who into the place Of Judas, the traitor, didst chuse Thy servant Matthias, and gavest him grace The Apostleship duly to use.

So grant that thy church being always preserv’d From Apostles who err from thy word, May be order’d, and govern’d, and faithfully serv’d By true Pastors, thro’ Jesus our Lord.

The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Lord, send thy grace, our hearts renew, Refresh us with thy heavenly dew; That as an angel hath made known The Incarnation of thy Son, So let thy Spirit shew us plain; He’s born, and dead, and rose again; And lives, and reigns with Thee above, To crown us with his wond’rous live.

Saint Mark’s Day.

O God, endue us with a heavenly spark Of that pure fire which shone in holy Mark; That, not like children running here and there, And won by each new doctrine that we hear, We may be well established in thy word, Thro’ Jesus Christ, thy only Son, our Lord.

Saint Phillip and Saint James’s Day.

Almighty God, who offers those that strive, To know Thee truly, everlasting life; Reveal Him whom the word of truth doth call “The way, the truth, the life, the all in all;” That we, thy servants, who have heard the names Of those good men, Saint Philip and Saint James, May follow them by thy most holy word, To endless bliss, thro’ Jesus Christ our Lord.

Saint Barnabas the Apostle.

Almighty and eternal God, of whom Each truly good and perfect gift doth come, Who gave th’Apostle Barnabas t’inherit A liberal portion of thy Holy Spirit, Pour down on us thy gifts, and give us grace To use them all to thy eternal praise.

Saint John Baptist.

Almighty God, who by a wond’rous birth Didst send John Baptist graciously on earth, To preach Repentance, and prepare the way, For Christ the Saviour, pardon our delay; Grant us Repentance, make us cease from strife, And follow the example of his life, By turning others to thy holy word, Thro’ Jesus Christ, thy only Son, our Lord.

Saint Peter’s Day.

Almighty God, who by thy blessed Son Didst make thy kindness to Saint Peter known, Didst build his faith on that eternal rock, And give him earnest charge to feed thy flock, Blessed every one ordain’d to preach thy word, And those who hear them, thro’ thy Son our Lord.

Saint James the Apostle.

Grant, O God, as Saint James the Apostle was glad To leave his dear father, and all that he had, And accompany Christ at a word; So, forsaking all worldly and carnal affections We may readily follow thy holy directions, Thro’ the same, thy Son, Jesus our Lord.

Saint Bartholomew the Apostle.

O merciful God, who (to heighten our praise) Didst give thine Apostle Bartholomew grace To believe, and to publish thy word; Enable thy church to believe in the same, And to publish, and love, and rejoice in the name Of thy only Son Jesus our Lord.

Saint Matthew the Apostle.

Almighty God, who by thy blessed Son Didst call Saint Matthew from a wealthy place, To preach and make the glorious Gospel known, Afford us such a measure of thy grace, That leaving all inordinate desires, And love of wealth repugnant to thy word, We may do what thy holy will requires, Thro’ Jesus Christ, thy only Son, our Lord.

Saint Michael and All Angels

O merciful God, whom the Angels obey, And art worship’d, by men in a more humble way, Send down thy good Angels to watch at our birth, To succour, direct, and defend us on earth, And to show us the way to an endless reward, For the sake of thy only Son Jesus our Lord.

Saint Luke the Evangelist.

O God, who calledst the physician Like, (Whose praise is mention’d in thy holy book For making the distemper’d body whole,) And mad’st him a physician of the soul; Give us the wholesome med’cines he reveal’d, And let our sin-disorder’d souls be heal’d.

Saint Simon and Saint Jude.

Lord, who hast built thy holy church upon The prophets and Apostles, with thy Son Our Saviour Christ, the head and corner stone, Entreat us not according to our merit, But build us up, in unity of Spirit An holy Temple, fit for Thee t’inherit.

All Saints Day.

O God, who hast united us in One, In the mysterious body of thy Son; Teach us, like former Saints, to cease from strife, To follow peace and holiness of life, And finally to win that great reward Which thou hast promis’d thro’ thy Son our Lord.