To God the Father, who first loved us, and made us accepted in the Beloved; to God the Son, who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood; to God the Holy Ghost, who sheddeth the love of God abroad in our hearts: to the one true God be all love and all glory for time and for eternity.
Nice, Kendall. I’m glad you posted this.
However, I wonder how many readers are aware that the Doxology that doubtless most of us know best was written by +Thomas Ken. “Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise him all creatures here below. Praise him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.”
Even fewer readers may be aware that his famous doxology is but the last stanza of two marvelous hymns that Ken wrote for use with the Daily Office. Namely, “Awake my soul and with the sun…” for the morning, and “All praise to thee, my God, this night…,” for use in the evening. Like +Lancelot Andrewes before him, +Ken through his own deep piety has greatly enriched the private (and public) devotions of Anglicans. Although he died as a “Non-Juror,” who refused to swear allegiance to William and Mary after they took the throne in 1689, +Ken died insisting that he remained a faithful Anglican. I tend to think of him as the last great Caroline divine.
Thanks God for Ken’s faithful life and witness, and his rock solid integrity.
David Handy+