Absolution 3.

Grant to us, merciful Lord, that, whereas we are sore let and hindered in running the race that is set before us, Thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Benediction 7.

Lesson 7.

Reader. Sir, be pleased to bless us.

Minister. The reading of the Gospel be to us salvation and a defence. Amen.

And he said unto thein, The Kings of the Gentiles exerLuke xxii. 25-30. cise lordship over them and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

(From the works of Jeremy Taylor, Bishop.)

But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger: and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.

And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;

That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

The nature of honour is to be a reward of virtue; and by how much greater the reward is, by so much the greater is the honour which is conferred. What honour shall it then be, when God shall give unto those who served Him, not only to tread upon the stars, to inhabit the palaces of honour, to be lords of the world, but, transcending all that is created, and finding nothing among his riches sufficient to reward them, shall give them His own Infinite Essence, to enjoy, as a recompence of their holiness, not for a day, but to all eternity. O happy labour of the victorious, and glorious combat of the just, against the vices and temptations of the world, when victory deserves so inestimable a crown! How great shall be that glory, when a just soul shall, in the presence of an infinite number of angels, sit in the same throne with Christ: and shall, by the just sentence of God, be praised for a conqueror over the world, and the invisible powers of hell! What can it desire more, than to be partaker of all those Divine goods, and even to accompany Christ in the same throne? How cheerfully do they bear

all afflictions for Christ, who with a lively faith and certain
hope apprehend so sublime honours.

Thou, then, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
Thanks be to God.

Response 7.

Benediction 8.

Lesson 8.

Whosoever shall confess Me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the Angels of God.

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne.

Him shall the Son of man also confess before the Angels of God.

Reader.-Sir, be pleased to bless us.

Minister.-Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.

Amen.

If the applause of men, and the good opinion which they
have from others, be esteemed an honour, what shall be the
applause of heaven, and the good opinion not only of Saints
and Angels, but of God himself, whose judgment cannot
err? David took it for a great honour, that the daughter of
his king was judged a reward of his valour; God surpasses
this, and honours so much the service of His elect, that He
pays
their merits with no less a reward than Himself. Be-
sides this, he who is most known, and is praised and cele-
brated for good and virtuous by the greatest multitude, is
esteemed the most glorious and honourable person: but all
this world is a solitude in respect of the citizens of heaven,
where innumerable angels approve and praise the virtuous
actions of the just; and they likewise are nothing: and all
creatures, men, and angels, are but a solitary wilderness, in
respect of the Creator. What man so glorious upon earth,

whose worth and valour hath been known to all? Those
who were born before him could not know him; but the
just in heaven shall be known by all, past and to come, and
by all the angels, and by the King of men and angels.
But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.

Thanks be to God.

Response 8.

In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die, and their departure is taken for misery, but they are in peace. Though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality.

But they are in peace.

Glory be to the Father, &c.

But they are in peace.

Benediction 9.

Lesson 9.

Te Deum.

Reader-Sir, be pleased to bless us.

Minister. The Lord of peace Himself give you peace always by all means. Amen.

The honour of the just in heaven depends not, like that of the earth, upon accidents and reports, nor is exposed to dangers, or measured by the discourse of others; but in itself contains its own glory and dignity. The Romans erected statues unto those whom they intended to honour; because, being mortal, there should something remain after death, to make their persons and services, which they had done to the common weal, known to posterity; but in heaven there is no need of this artifice, because those, which are there honoured, are immortal, and shall have in themselves some character engraved, as an evident and clear token of their noble victories and achievements; what greater honour than to be friends of God, sons, heirs, and kings in the realm of heaven?

We praise Thee, O God; we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord.

All the earth doth worship Thee: the Father everlasting. To Thee all angels cry aloud: the heavens, and all the Powers therein, &c.

.-75. VOL. III.

L

§ 7. SERVICE IN COMMEMORATION OF THE DEAD IN CHRIST.

[It is perhaps scarcely necessary to observe, that the complaints and supplications contained in the Psalms and Lessons selected, are introduced in memory of those temporal miseries, especially in sickness and dying, from which death opens an escape. On the subject of the state of the Dead, vide No. 5 of Mr. Dodsworth's recent Sermons.]

Antiphon.

FIRST VESPErs.

Behold, O Lord, how that I am Thy servant.

Psalm 116. (1)

I am well pleased, &c.

(Instead of Glory

be, &c.) Antiphon.

Antiphon.

Psalm 120. (2)

Antiphon.

Antiphon.
Psalm 121. (3)

Antiphon.

With thee is the well of life.

And in Thy light they shall see light.

Behold, O Lord, how that I am Thy servant; Thou hast broken my bonds in sunder.

My soul hath long dwelt among.

When I was in trouble, &c.

With Thee, &c.

And in Thy, &c.

My soul hath long dwelt among them that are enemies unto peace.

The Lord shall preserve Thee from all evil.

I will lift up mine eyes, &c.

With Thee, &c.

The Lord shall preserve Thee from all evil; yea, it is even He that shall keep Thy soul.

Antiphon.

Psalm 130. (4)

Antiphon.

Antiphon.

Psalm 138. (5)

Antiphon.

I look for the Lord.

Out of the deep, &c.

With Thee, &c.

I look for the Lord, my soul doth wait for Him.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble.

I will give thanks unto Thee, &c.

With Thee, &c.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, yet shalt Thou refresh me.

2

(fff) Verse and
Response.
(ggg) Ant.
Magnificat.
Ant.

I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me,
Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord.

All that the Father giveth Me.

My soul doth magnify, &c. Glory be, &c.

All that the Father giveth Me, shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out.

The Lord's Prayer. (privately.)

Psalm 146.

Our Father, &c.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.
Praise the Lord, O my soul, &c.
With Thee is the well of life.

And in Thy light shall they see light.
In the valley of the shadow of death.

They shall fear no evil.

Into Thy hands we commend their spirit.

For Thou hast redeemed them, O Lord, Thou God of truth. Lord hear our prayer.

And let our cry come unto Thee.

The Lord be with you.

And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

O God, the Maker and Redeemer of all believers, grant to all Thy servants a merciful judgment at the last day, that they, in the face of all creatures, may then be acknowledged as Thy true children, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

O Almighty God, who hast knit together thine elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of Thy Son Christ our Lord, grant us grace to follow Thy blessed Saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeakable joys which Thou hast prepared for them that unfeignedly love Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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 pleased Thee, as on this day, to deliver our dear 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 consummation and bliss, both in body and soul, in Thy eternal and everlasting glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.