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of misery. He cometh up, and is cut down, like a flower; he fleeth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one stay.

In the midst of life we are in death: of whom may we seek for succour, but of thee, O Lord, who for our sins art justly displeased?

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 thy merciful ears to our prayer; 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.

Then, while the earth shall be cast upon the Body by some standing by, the Priest shall say,

FORASMUCH as it hath pleased Al

mighty 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 the Resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be like unto his glorious body, according to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.

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Then shall be said or sung, HEARD a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, From henceforth blessed are the dead which die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit; for they rest from their labours.

Then the Priest shall say,
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

UR Father, which art in heaven,

dom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass

against us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil. Amen.

Priest.

ALMIGHTY God, with whom do live

the spirits of them that depart hence in the Lord, and with whom the souls of the faithful, after they are delivered from the burden of the flesh, are in joy and felicity; We give thee hearty thanks, for that it hath pleased thee to deliver this our brother out of the miseries of this sinful world; beseeching thee, that it may please thee, of thy gracious goodness, shortly to accomplish the number of thine elect, and to hasten thy kingdom; that we, with all those that are departed in the true faith of thy holy Name, may have our perfect consumination and bliss, both in body and soul, in thy eternal and everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Collect.

MERCIFUL God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life; in whom whosoever believeth shall live, though he die; and whosoever liveth, and believeth in him, shall not die eternally; who also hath taught us, by his holy Apostle Saint Paul, not to be sorry, as men without hope, for them that sleep in him; We meekly beseech thee, O Father, to raise us from the death of sin unto the life of righteousness; that, when we shall depart this life, we may rest in him, as our hope is this our brother doth; and that, at the general Resurrection in the last day, we may be found acceptable 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 from the beginning of the world: Grant this, we beseech thee, O merciful Father, through Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Redeemer. Amen.

THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.

call with those on the right hand to the Kingdom of the Father.

These two most beautiful Collects evidently suppose the dead to have died in the Communion of the Church of Christ, and in the profession of Christian faith. In them, therefore, lies the chief difficulty of the use of the Service over those who have lived a notoriously immoral and ungodly life; because they do not merely abstain from all judgment of the dead (which all would desire to do), but express a positive hope and thankfulness, on which we dare not venture without solid

ground. The reality of the difficulty cannot be doubted; but it is hard to know how it can be satisfactorily met. In the Service of 1549 these Collects contained more distinct prayer for the souls of the dead, and were prefaced by a series of Versicles, in which it was prayed that "God would deliver their souls from the gates of hell." The special Communion Service was also

added, with Ps. xlii. as an Introit, our present Second Collect as the Collect, the Epistle from 1 Thess. iv. 13-18, and the Gospel from John vi. 35-39.

THE CHURCHING OF WOMEN.

The use of some such Service after childbirth is most ancient, both in the East and in the West; and it is possible that it may have been borrowed from the older Jewish observance, involving the double idea of Purification and of Thanksgiving. Our present Service is taken from the Service for the "Purification of Women' in the Sarum Manual; and the old title was retained in 1549, but changed to the "Thanksgiving of Women in 1552.

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PLACE AND TIME OF SERVICE.

It was directed in the Manual that the Service should be performed at the Church door; and at the close the Priest took the woman by the hand, and led her into the Church with the words, "Enter into the Temple of God, that thou mayest have eternal life." In 1549 the place was changed to "near the Quire door;" in 1552 to "nigh unto the place where the Table standeth; in 1662 the present vaguer direction was substituted. The phrase "decently apparelled has been thought to contain a reference to the old practice of wearing a veil. The time at which the Service should take place is not laid down; but both custom, and inference from the closing Rubric, suggest that it should come just before the Communion Service.

The PSALM. — Till 1662 the exxist Psalm was used (which Psalm, with the cxxviiith, was used in the old Service). In 1662 the present alternative Psalms were substituted. The cxvith Psalm is one of thankgiving for deliverance from danger and sorrow by God's mercy; the cxxviith a thanksgiving for domestic blessing, especially the blessing of children.

Then the SERVICE OF PRAYER opens, as usual, with the Kyrie and Lord's Prayer; next includes the same Versicles as in the Marriage Service; and ends with

a Collect, partly of thanksgiving, partly of prayer, for holy life here and eternal glory hereafter.

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The final RUBRIC in 1549 directed that the child's Chrisom, or white garment, should be at this time presented, with the offering "(a thank-offering for the Service of God). The direc tion as to the Holy Communion is as in the Marriage Service. In both ideas of the Ordinance, as a restoration to the privilege of worship, and as a Thanksgiving, the attendance at the Holy Communion is certainly most "convenient," i.e., appropriate.

THE THANKSGIVING OF WOMEN AFTER CHILD-BIRTH,

COMMONLY CALLED,

THE CHURCHING OF WOMEN.

The Woman, at the usual time after her Delivery, shall come into the Church decently apparelled, and there shall kneel down in some convenient place, as hath been accustomed, or as the Ordinary shall direct: And then the Priest shall say unto her,

FORASMUCH as it hath pleased Al

mighty God of his goodness to give you safe deliverance, and hath preserved you in the great danger of Childbirth; you shall therefore give hearty thanks unto God, and say,

(Then shall the Priest say the 116th Psalm.)

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Dilexi quoniam.

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 found trouble and heaviness, and I called upon the Name of the Lord: 0 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 delivered my soul from death: mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

I believed, and therefore will I speak; but I was sore troubled: I said in my haste, All men are liars.

What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all the benefits that he hath done unto me?

I will receive the cup of salvation : and call upon the Name of the Lord.

I will pay my vows now in the presence of all his people in the courts of the Lord's house, even in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end.

Amen.

Or, Psalm 127. Nisi Dominus.

EXCEPT the Lord build the house :

their labour is but lost that build it. Except the Lord keep the city the watchman waketh but in vain.

It is but lost labour that ye haste to rise up early, and so late take rest, and

eat the bread of carefulness: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

Lo, children and the fruit of the womb are an heritage and gift that cometh of the Lord.

Like as the arrows in the hand of the giant even so are the young children. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.

Then the Priest shall say,
Let us pray.

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

OUR

UR Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil : For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen. Min. O Lord, save this woman thy

servant

Ans. Who putteth her trust in thee.
Min. Be thou to her a strong tower;
Ans. From the face of her enemy.
Min. Lord, hear our prayer.
Ans. And let our cry come unto thee.

Minister. Let us pray.

ALMIGHTY God, we give thee humble thanks for that thou hast vouchsafed to deliver this woman thy servant from the great pain and peril of Child-birth; Grant, we beseech thee, most merciful Father, that she, through thy help, may both faithfully live, and walk according to thy will, in this life present; and also may be partaker of everlasting glory in the life to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Woman, that cometh to give her Thanks, must offer accustomed Offerings; and, if there be a Communion, it is convenient that she receive the holy Communion.

THE COMMINATION.

The former part of this Service-the "Commination" properly so called-was composed in 1549; the latter part is borrowed from the Benedictio Cinerum appointed in the old Manual for Ash Wednesday. In 1549 the Service was fixed for Ash Wednesday only; in 1552 for "divers times in the year;" in 1662 the present direction was substituted. The introduction of the Commination--which is (be it observed) not an invoking of God's curse on sin, but simply a warning that it must rest on sin, till penitence follows-was, no doubt, thought seasonable at the time when compulsory Auricular Confession was passing away, especially to meet a certain tendency to neglect God's Law, on pretence of the sufficiency of faith alone. Hence its austere severity, breathing perhaps the spirit of the Old Testament (from which most of its language is drawn) more than the New.

In the RUBRIC the word "reading pew" was introduced in 1662, for the first time recognising its existence (traceable since 1569) in the Church.

(A) THE COMMINATION ITSELF.

The INTRODUCTION refers to the primitive discipline of public Confession and Penance inflicted on notorious offenders, especially at the opening of Lent, with a view to Absolution and restoration to Communion at Easter. This gradually gave place, first, to private Confession (beginning in the case of sins of which it was a scandal to speak) to a Priest specially appointed as a "Penitentiary;" and then to systematic Private Confession and Absolution, made a regular part of Christian life, and a necessary preparation for Holy Communion, and exalted to the dignity of a Sacrament. When this was abolished as obligatory, the Reformers of the 16th century, being stern upholders of discipline, desired (as this Exhortation shows) to return to the substance of the primitive practice. Finding this impracticable, they inserted this solemn Service of Warning; falling back, at the same time, on the General Confession and Absolution as a

rule, and on Private Confession and Absolution as the exception. Of the COMMINATION SENTENCES the first seven are selected from Deut. xxvii. 15-26, the solemn roll of curses to be pronounced from Mount Ebal. They condemn the breach of the varous Commandments of the Second Table. The eighth is, from Jer. xvii. 5, against the ungodliness of a mere worldly life; and the ninth is directed against an agglomeration of the various sins of the flesh, condemned everywhere in Holy Scripture. The "Amen" at the end of eachsince they are declarations and not imprecations-must be taken to mean "So it is," not "So be it," "affirming the curse of God to be due." It will be observed that the denunciation is only of impenitent sinners, and that, stern as it is, it is intended to lead up to the most gracious promises of pardon to repent

ance.

The EXHORTATION, although it is really a succession of quotations from Holy Scripture, yet

A COMMINATION,

OR DENOUNCING OF GOD'S ANGER AND JUDGMENTS AGAINST

SINNERS,

With certain Prayers, to be used on the first Day of Lent, and at other times, as the Ordinary shall appoint.

After Morning Prayer, the Litany ended according to the accustomed manner, the Priest shall, in the Reading-Pew or Pulpit, say,

BRETHREN, in the Primitive Church

there was a godly discipline, that, at the beginning of Lent, such persons as stood convicted of notorious sin were put to open penance, and punished in this world, that their souls might be saved in the day of the Lord; and that others, admonished by their example, might be the more afraid to offend.

Instead whereof, (until the said discipline may be restored again, which is much to be wished,) it is thought good, that at this time (in the presence of you all) should be read the general sentences of God's cursing against impenitent sinners, gathered out of the seven and twentieth Chapter of Deuteronomy, and other places of Scripture; and that ye should answer to every Sentence, Amen: To the intent that, being admonished of the great indignation of God against sinners, ye may the rather be moved to earnest and true repentance; and may walk more warily in these dangerous days; fleeing from such vices, for which ye affirm with your own mouths the curse of God to be due.

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Min. Cursed is he that taketh reward to slay the innocent.

Ans. Amen.

Min. Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, and taketh man for his defence, and in his heart goeth from the Lord.

Ans. Amen.

Min. Cursed are the unmerciful, fornicators, and adulterers, covetous persons, idolaters, slanderers, drunkards, and extortioners.

Ans. Amen.

Minister.

NOW seeing that all they are accursed (as the prophet David beareth witness) who do err and go astray from the commandments of God; let us (remembering the dreadful judgment hanging over our heads, and always ready to fall upon us) return unto our Lord God, with all contrition and meekness of heart; bewailing and lamenting our sinful life, acknowledging and confessing our offences, and seeking to bring forth worthy fruits of penance. For now is the ax put unto the root of the trees, so that every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God: he shall pour down rain upon the sinners, snares, fire and brimstone, storm and tempest; this shall be their portion to drink. For lo, the Lord is come out of his place to visit the wickedness of such as dwell upon the earth. But who may abide the day of his coming? Who shall be able to endure when he appeareth? His fan is in his hand, and he will purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the barn; but he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire. The day of the Lord cometh as a thief in the night: and when men shall say, Peace, and all things are safe, then shall sudden destruction come upon them, as sorrow cometh upon a woman travailing with child, and they shall not escape. Then shall appear the wrath of God in the day of vengeance, which obstinate sinners, through the stubbornness of their heart, have heaped

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