Traditional Ceremonial and Customs connected with the Scottish Liturgy (Appendix II)

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Alcuin Club Collections
XVII

Traditional Ceremonial and Customs connected with the Scottish Liturgy.

by
F. C. Eeles, F.R.Hist.S, F.S.A. Scot.
Diocesan Librarian of Aberdeen

[pp 144-145]

Appendix II.
Bishop Robert Forbes' Prayer at the Mixture

From:—

A Catechism dealing chiefly with the Holy Eucharist, by Robert Forbes, A.M., afterwards Bishop of Ross and Caithness, together with a Prayer at the Mixture of the Chalice. Edited from the original MSS. for the Scottish Clergy Society, by John Dowden, D.D., Bishop of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, 1904.

A Prayer which may be used by the Priest when he is performing the Mixture, compos'd according to St Cyprian's Explanation of this Usage.

O most gracious and merciful Lord God, as this Wine represents to us the Sacred Blood of Christ, and this Water thy people [1], and also as the Mixing of these two together [2] represents to us the blessed Union between Christians and their merciful Saviour and Head; so, if thy infinite mercy grant, that those thy Servants, who are to partake of this mixed Cup, may no more be separated from Christ their Head than this Water can now be separated from this Wine, but they may continue their unmerited Union with him by a firm and steady perseverance in that Faith once delivered to the Saints, and by the serious Practice of all virtuous and godly Living, till at last they arrive at that unspeakable Bliss in the glorious Mansions above, which thou hast prepared for those who are thy faithful Servants, through the same Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, O Father, and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, World without End. Amen.

Our Father, which art in Heaven, etc.

[Forbes' MSS. old Press-mark F. I. 7, p. 268]

[1] Aquas namque populos significare in Apocalypsi (cap. 17, ver. 15) Scriptura Divina declarat, dicens, "Aquae quas vidist, super quas sedet meretrix illa, populi et turbae gentes Ethnicorum sunt et linguae." Quod scilicet perspicimus et in Sacramento Domini Calicis contineri. Nam quia nos omnes portabat Christus, qui et peccata nostra portabat, videmus in Aqua Populum intelligi, in Vino ostendi Sanguinem Christi. Quando autem in Calice Vino Aqua miscetur, Christo Populus adunatur, et credentium plebs ei, in quem credidit, copulatur et jungitur, Quae copulatio et conjunctio Aquae et Vini six miscetur in Calice Domini ut commixtio illa non possit ab invicem separari.—Nam si Vinum tantum quis offerat, Sanguis Christi incipit esse sine nobis. Si vero Aqua sit sola, plebs incipit esse sine Christo. Epistola Cypriani ad Caelicium de Sacramento Domini Calicis. Edit Eras. Roterodami, Tom. I. page. 85.

[2] At the pronouncing of these Words the Mixture may be performed.

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