hearty thanks therefore, he t doth eat and drink spiritually the body and blood of our Saviour Christ profitably to his soul's health, although he do not receive the sacrament with his mouth. The Order for the Burial of the Dead. The Priest, meeting the corpse at the church stile, shall say, or else the Priests and Clerks shall sing, and so go either s into the church, or towards the grave. I AM the resurrection and the life, (saith the Lord :) he that believeth in me, yea, though he were dead, yet shall he live : and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall not die for ever. John xi. I KNOW that my Redeemer liveth, and that I shall rise out of the earth in the last day, and shall be covered again with my skin, and shall see God in my flesh yea, and I myself shall behold him, not with other, but with these same eyes. Job xix. We brought nothing into this world, neither may we carry any thing out of this world. The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away. Even as it pleaseth the Lord so cometh things to pass. Blessed be the name of the Lord. 1 Tim. vi. Job i. When they come at the grave, whiles the corpse is made ready to be laid into the earth, the Priest shall say, u or else the Priest and Clerks shall sing, MAN that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live, and is full of misery. He cometh up, and is cut down, like a flower; he flieth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one stay. Job ix. ¶ In the midst of life we be in death of whom may we seek for succour, but of thee, O Lord, which for our sins *justly art moved? Yet, O Lord God most holy, O Lord most mighty, O holy and most merciful Saviour, deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death. Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts; shut not up thy merciful eyes to our prayers; but spare us, Lord most holy, O God most mighty, O holy and merciful Saviour, thou most worthy Judge eternal, suffer us not, at our last hour, for any pains of death, to fall from thee. s unto 1552. t as it hath pleased 1552. u or the Priest 1552. * justly art displeased 1552. Then the Priest, casting earth upon the corpse, shall say, I COMMEND thy soul to God the Father Almighty, and thy body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be like to his glorious body, according to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself. Then, while the earth shall be cast upon the body by some standing by, the Priest shall say, FORASMUCH as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the soul of our dear brother here departed, we therefore commit his body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be like to his glorious body, according to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself. Then shall be said or sung, I HEARD a voice from heaven, saying unto me, y Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord: even so saith the Spirit; that they rest from their labours. Apoc. xiv. Let us pray. WE commend into thy hands of mercy (most merciful Father) the soul of this our brother departed, N. And his body we commit to the earth; beseeching thine infinite goodness to give us grace to live in thy fear and love, and to die in thy favour; that when the judgment shall come, which thou hast committed to thy wellbeloved Son, both this our brother and we may be found ac y Write, From henceforth blessed are the dead 1552. ceptable in thy sight, and receive that blessing which thy well-beloved Son shall then pronounce to all that love and fear thee, saying, Come, ye blessed children of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you before the beginning of the world. Grant this, merciful Father, for the honour of Jesu Christ our only Saviour, Mediator, and Advocate. Amen. This prayer shall also be added. ALMIGHTY God, we give thee hearty thanks for this thy servant, whom thou hast delivered from the miseries of this wretched world, from the body of death, and all temptation; and, as we trust, hast brought his soul, which he committed into thy holy hands, into sure consolation and rest. Grant, we beseech thee, that at the day of judgment his soul, and all the souls of thy elect, departed out of this life, may with us, and we with them, fully receive thy promises, and be made perfect altogether; through the glorious resurrection of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. These Psalms, with other suffrages following, are to be said in the church, either before or after the burial of the corpse. Dilexi, quoniam. Psalm cxvi. I AM well pleased: that the Lord hath heard the voice of my prayer; That he hath inclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. The snares of death compassed me round about: and the pains of hell gat hold upon me. I shall find trouble and heaviness, and I shall call upon the name of the Lord (O Lord) I beseech thee, deliver my soul. Gracious is the Lord, and righteous: yea, our God is merciful. The Lord preserveth the simple: I was in misery, and he helped me. Turn again then unto thy rest, O my soul for the Lord hath rewarded thee. And why? thou hast deliver |