CHRIST, have mércy-upon-us. Our Father-which-art-in-Héaven-hállowed' be thy name; Thy kingdom' cóme; Thy will' be done in Eárth, ás it is' in Heaven.-Give (0) us this-day' our dáily bread; and forgive-us our trés passes, as wè forgive thém' that tréspass against ùs; and léad-us-not into temptátion,, but deliver-us from èvil. 26 Almighty God,, with whóm do líve the spírits of them that depárt-hence in the Lord, and with whom' the souls of the faithful, after they are delivered from the burden of the flésh, are in joy and felicity-we give-thee heàrty thanks, for that it hath pléased thee' to deliver this our Brother' out of the miseries of this sínful world; beseeching-thee, that it may pléase-thee' of thy gràcious goodness' shortly to accomplish the number of thine elèct, and to hasten thy kingdom; that wé, with all those that are departed in the trúe 13 2 faith of thy holy náme, may have our perfect 16 consummation and bliss' both in body and sóul, in thy eternal and everlasting glóry; through Jesus Christ our Lord. THE COLLECT. Ō merciful God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life; in whom whosoever believeth, shall live' 14 25 though he die; and whosoever liveth and believeth in Hím, shall not-die eternally; who also hath taught us, by his holy Apostle' Saint Paúl, not to be sorry, as men without hope, for them that sleep in Him;-We meekly beseech-thee-O-Father, to raise ús' from the death of sin' unto the life of righteousness; that when wé-shall-depart-this-life, we may rèst in Him, as our hópe-is' this our Brother-doth; and that, at the general Resurrection at the làst dáy, we may be found accéptable-in-thy-sight; and receive that blessing, which thy well-beloved Són' shall then pronounce' to all that love and fear Thée,, saying, "Cóme, ye blessed children of my Father,, receive the kingdom' prepáred-for-you from the beginning of the world."-Grant this, we beseech-thee' O merci (0) 19 ful Father,, through Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Redeemer. 15 The Grace' of our Lord Jésus Christ, and 15 the Love' of God, and the Fellowship' of the Holy Ghost-be with-us áll' évermòre * *To say that the Burial Service should always be read slowly and impressively, may appear superfluous; but the author, having formerly had the charge of a London parish in which the funerals were very numerous, knows by experience, that frequent and immediately successive repetitions of the service, powerfully tend to produce a habit of rapid delivery; and therefore he feels assured, that a few words of caution may not be unnecessary. Many a clergyman insensibly acquires this habit; and is quite unconscious of it himself, though it may be very striking to others. The sentiments being familiar to him, his mind has no difficulty in accompanying the words, however rapidly they may be uttered; but the case is often materially different with regard to the hearers. Among the train of mourners at a funeral, probably there may be some who have seldom or never heard the service before: such persons will hardly be able to join in the prayers, unless they be read with distinctness and deliberation. (A similar remark is applicable to all the occasional offices of the Church.)-This mode of delivery is still further necessary, since the supplicatory part of the service takes place in the open air. It should also be recollected, that on these occasions the congregation frequently includes dissenters from our establishment, whose natural prejudices will either be diminished or encreased, according as the service is read in a solemn and impressive, or in a hurried and careless manner. Indeed, any thing that, in the mode of officiating, looks like haste or indifference, is offensive to all, and naturally subjects the minister's piety to suspicions, which the most exemplary discharge of the other parts of his sacred office will scarcely be able to remove.-Nor let it be forgotten, that at such times the heart is frequently softened by sorrow; even the most inconsiderate are taught to think, and the most hardened are made to feel: on such hearers, the service, if read with proper solemnity and earnestness, is likely to produce the most beneficial effects; and thus, through the divine blessing, the Burial of the Dead' may become spiritual life to the li ving.] Whilst this sheet was passing through the press, the author had the gratification to find, that several of the sentiments contained in the preceding note, had been enforced with the weight of episcopal authority: "Few things give greater offence, or create more estrangement from the Church, than a hasty and slovenly manner of performing the occasional offices. These seem to have been drawn up with an immediate view to effect on the minds of individuals, at a time when it is particularly desirable that they should receive good impressions. Thus in the office of baptism, the foundations of our faith, the terms of the Christian covenant, and the instruction to be given to children, are set forth so clearly and fully, that no one who listens with attention can be ignorant of his obligations to Christ, or his duty to his own family. The careless performance of the Service defeats this good intention; the ceremony passes off as a matter of course, and is regarded as a mere formality. How beautifully, again, in the Burial Service, are the considerations of the frail tenure of life, the comfortable promises of immortality, and the certainty of a judgment to come, adapted to the state of the heart, when it is prepared by affliction to listen to the warnings, or to receive the consolations of religion! But the effect depends on the minister; if he is careless and cold, or shews signs of haste and impatience, the mourner who follows, in all the excitement of sorrow, the remains of a friend or relation to the grave, retires disappointed and grieved at an indifference so little in accordance with the awful solemnity, so offensive to his own feelings. This latter Service, in particular, is often attended by those who are not in the habit of resorting to our places of public worship, and may sometimes afford the only occasion of awakening the conscience of the profane or immoral, or softening the prejudices of Dissenters. It is therefore the more to be lamented, that, through want of attention, it should ever produce a contrary effect. I will not conceal that I have occasionally heard complaints on these subjects; and though I am aware that in populous parishes the strength of the minister must be sometimes exhausted by the incessant recurrence of these duties, I do not think it too much to expect that he should use a little exertion, (recollection, perhaps, I should say) to overcome his lassitude. If he reflects for an instant on the nature of the service, he will perform it with due solemnity. I am persuaded that no serious man will regard these matters with indifference."-See p. 17, of a Charge delivered to the Clergy of the Diocese of London, at the Visitation in July 1826, by William, Lord Bishop of London. 6 |