THE ORDER FOR

THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD.

¶ Here it is to be noted that the Office ensuing is not to be used for any that die unbaptized, or for any that are excommunicate, or have laid violent hands upon themselves, or in the act of committing any grievous crime.

¶ If question arise as to whether this Office should be used for the burial of any person, reference shall (if time and opportunity permit,) be made to time Bishop, who shall decide the question.

¶ Unless the nearest relative present request the use of the Order contained in the Book of 1662, any of the permissive deviations from that Order authorized in this Office may be used at the discretion of the Minister.

THE INTRODUCTION.

¶ The Ministers and Clerks, meeting the body at the entrance of the church yard, and going before it either into the church or towards the grave, shall say or sing one or more of the following Sentences ; together with one or more of the Penitential Psalms (6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 1-43) if need so require.

I AM the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord : he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. St. John 11. 25, 26.

I KOW that may Redeemer liveth, amid that he shall stand up at the last upon the earth: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another.   Job 19. 25-27.

WE brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.   1 Timothy 6. 7. Job 1. 21.

REMEMBER not the sins and offences of my youth: but according to thy mercy think thou upon me, O Lord, for thy goodness.   Psalm 25. 6.

THE eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.   Deut. 33. 27.

NEITHER death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.   Rom. 8. 38, 39.

WHETHER we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.   Rom. 14. 8, 9.

BLESSED are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.    St. Matthew 5.4.

LET not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house there are many mansions.    St. John 14.1.

These last two sentences added in the Final Draft.

 
¶ At the end of all the psalms appointed for the Burial of the Dead the Gloria patri may be left unsaid, and instead thereof may be sung or said,

    Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord : and let light perpetual shine upon them.

¶ After they are come into the church, shall be read one or more of these psalms following.

¶ Before and after any psalm or group of psalms may be said or sung the Anthem following,

O SAVIOUR of the world, who by thy Cross and precious Blood hast redeemed us : Save us and help us, we humbly beseech thee, O Lord.

Dixi, custodiam. Psalm 39.

I SAID, I will take heed to my ways : that I offend not in my tongue.
    2 I will keep my mouth as it were with a bridle : while the ungodly is in my sight.
    3 I held my tongue, and spake nothing : I kept silence, yea, even from good words; but it was pain and grief to me.
    4 My heart was hot within me, and while I was thus musing the fire kindled : and at the last I spake with my tongue;
    5 Lord, let me know mine end, and the number of my days : that I may be certified how long I have to live.
    6 Behold, thou hast made my days as it were a span long : and mine age is even as nothing in respect of thee ; and verily every man living is altogether vanity.
    7 For man walketh in a vain shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain : he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them.
    8 And now, Lord, what is my hope : truly my hope is even in thee.
    9 Deliver me from all mine offences : and make me not a rebuke unto the foolish.
    10 I became dumb, and opened not my mouth : for it was thy doing.
    11 Take thy plague away from me : I am even consumed by means of thy heavy hand.
    12 When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sin, thou makest his beauty to consume away, like as it were a moth fretting a garment every man therefore is but vanity.
    13 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and with thine ears consider my calling: hold not thy peace at my tears.
    14 For I am a stranger with thee : and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
    15 O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength : before I go hence, and be no more seen.

    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 with. out end. Amen.

Domine, refugium. Psalm 90.

LORD, thou hast been our refuge : from one generation to another.
    2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever the earth and the world were made : thou art God from everlasting, and world without end.
    3 Thou turnest man to destruction : again thou sayest, Come again, ye children of men.
    4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday : seeing that is past as a watch in the night.
    5 As soon as thou scatterest them, they are even as a sleep : and fade away suddenly like the grass.
    6 In the morning it is green, and groweth up : but in the evening it is cut down, dried up, and withered.
    7 For we consume away in thy displeasure : and are afraid at thy wrathful indignation.
    8 Thou hast set our misdeeds before thee : and our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
    9 For when thou art angry all our days are gone : we bring our years to an end, as it were a tale that is told.
    10 The days of our age are threescore years and ten; and though men be so strong, that they come to fourscore years : yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow; so soon passeth it away, and we are gone.
    11 But who regardeth the power of thy wrath : for even thereafter as a man feareth, so is thy displeasure.
    12 So teach us to number our days : that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
    13 Turn thee again, O Lord, at the last : and he gracious unto thy servants.
    14 O satisfy us with thy mercy, and that soon : so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
    15 Comfort us again now after the time that thou hast plagued us: and for the years wherein we have suffered adversity.
    16 Shew thy servants thy work : and their children thy glory.
    17 And the glorious Majesty of the Lord our God be upon us : prosper thou the work of our hands upon us, O prosper thou our handy-work.

    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.

Dominus regit me. Psalm 23.

THE Lord is my shepherd: therefore can I lack nothing.
    2 He shall feed me in a green pasture : and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort.
    3 He shall convert my soul : and bring me forth in the paths of righteousness, for his name’s sake.
    4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil : for thou art with me ; thy rod and thy staff comfort me.
    5 Thou shalt prepare a table before me against them that trouble me : thou hast anointed my head with oil, and my cup shall be full.
    6 But thy loving-kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

    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.

De profundis. Psalm 130.

OUT of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord : Lord, hear my voice.
    2 O let thine ears consider well : the voice of my complaint.
    3 If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss : O Lord who may abide it?
    4 For there is mercy with thee : therefore shalt thou be feared.
    5 I look for the Lord; my soul doth wait for him : in his word is my trust.
    6 My soul fleeth unto the Lord : before the morning watch, I say, before the morning watch.
    7 O Israel, trust in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy : and with him is plenteous redemption.
    8 And he shall redeem Israel : from all his sins.

    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 shall follow the Lesson, taken oat of the fifteenth chapter of the former Epistle of Saint Paul to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 15. 20.

NOW is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first-fruits ; afterward they that are Christ’s, at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority, and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
    But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die. And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: But God giveth it a body, as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. All flesh is not the same flesh; but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars ; for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead : It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption : It is sown in dishonour ; it is raised in glory : It is sown in weakness ; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit, that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy : the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they that are earthy : and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
    Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery : We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, (for the trumpet shall sound,) and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality ; then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting ? O grave, where is thy victory ? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Or one of the following Lessons:

2 Corinthians 4. 16-end. and 5. 1-10.
Rev. 7. 9-17.
Rev. 21. 1-7.

THE BURIAL.

¶ When they come to the grave, while the body is made ready to be laid into the earth, the Minister shall say, or the Minister and Clerks shall sing [these anthems*].

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 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.

Or this.

Psalm 103. 13-17.

LIKE as a father pitieth his own children : even so is the Lord merciful unto them that fear him. 14
    For he knoweth whereof we are made : he remembereth that we are but dust.
    The days of man are but as grass : for he flourisheth as a flower of the field.
    For the wind goeth over it, and it is gone : and the place thereof shall know it no more.
    But the merciful goodness of the Lord endureth for ever and ever upon them that fear him : and his righteousness upon children's children.

 
¶ Then, while the earth shall be cast upon the body by some standing by, the Minister 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 the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change the body of our low estate that it may be like unto his glorious body, according to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.

Or this.

WE commend unto thy hands of mercy, most merciful Father, the soul of this our brother departed, and we commit his body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust ; and we beseech thine infinite goodness to give us grace to live in thy fear and love and to die in thy favour, that when the judgement shall come which thou hast committed to thy well-beloved Son, both this our brother and we may be found acceptable in thy sight. Grant this, O merciful Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our only Saviour, Mediator, and Advocate. Amen.

¶ Then shall be said or sang,

I HEARD a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, From hence forth blessed are the dead which die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit; for they rest from their labours.

¶ Here may be added by the Minister,

UNTO the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

THE PRAYERS.

¶ Then shall the Minister say,

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

OUR 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. Amen.

‘The following Versicles and Responses may then be said by the Minister and people.

¶ Then shall be said one or more of the following prayers, the Minister first saying,

Let us pray.

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 consummation and bliss, both in body and soul, in thy eternal and everlasting glory ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶ The Collect.

O 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.

FATHER of all, we pray to thee for those whom we love, but see no longer. Grant them thy peace; let light perpetual shine upon them; and in thy loving wisdom and almighty power work in them the good purpose of thy perfect will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ALMIGHTY God, Father of all mercies and giver of all comfort; Deal graciously, we pray thee, with those who mourn, that casting every care on thee, they may know the consolation of thy love ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O HEAVENLY Father, who in thy Son Jesus Christ, hast given us a true faith, and a sure hope: Help us, we pray thee, to live as those who believe and trust in the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection to life everlasting, and strengthen this faith and hope in us all the days of our life: through the love of thy Son, Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

This prayer added in the Final Draft.

 
Here may follow the Collect of All Saints’ Day, or that of the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity, or others from the Prayers upon Several Occasions.

2 Corinthians 13.

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.

¶ The whole of this Order, with the exception of THE BURIAL, may be said in the church; or, if occasion require, the whole of the Order with the exception of the words of committal.

¶ THE BURIAL may precede the SERVICE IN CHURCH and THE PRAYERS.

¶ At the SERVICE IN CHURCH three of the above lessons may be read, each preceded by one of the psalms above-mentioned: but a hymn may be sung in place of a psalm before the Third Lesson.

The Lesson from 1 Corinthians 15 may be divided to form the three Lessons.

¶ THE SERVICE IN CHURCH together with THE PRAYERS may be used as a Memorial Service for the Departed apart from the funeral.

¶ When a child is buried at the same time with an adult person one more of the prayers provided in The Order for the Burial of a Child may be said before The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¶ When there is a special celebration of the Holy Communion on the day of the Burial, the Priest shall use the Collect appointed in this Order, or the Collect of Easter Even, and for the Epistle 1 Thessalonians 4. 13-18 I would not have you. . - these words’ or 2 Corinthians 4. 16-5. 4 ‘Though our outward man. . . swallowed up of life’: and for the Gospel St. John 6. 37-40 ‘Jesus said, All that the Father . . . heaven’ or St. John 5. 24—29 ‘Jesus said, Verily, verily, . . . the resurrection of judgement’.

 
¶ If the ground be not consecrated, the Priest on coming to the grave may say the prayer following.

O GOD, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to bless this grave to be the peaceful resting-place of the body of thy servant; through the same thy blessed Son, who is the resurrection and the life, and who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost; one God, world without end. Amen.

¶ When this Order is used at the cremation of the body, in place of the words commit his body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust’ shall be said the words ‘commit his body to be consumed by fire’ : and in this case it shall suffice to say one or more of the PRAYERS at the burial of the ashes.

When this Order is used at the burial of the body after cremation, in place of the words ‘commit his body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust’ shall be said the words ‘commit his ashes to the ground, earth to earth, dust to dust’, or ‘commit his ashes to their resting-place'.

AN ORDER

WHICH MAY BE USED FOR

THE BURIAL OF A CHILD.

¶ The Minister and Clerks meeting the body at the entrance of the church yard, and going before it either into the church or towards the grave, shall say or sing,

INTRODUCTION.

I AM the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord : he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall lie live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. St. John 11. 25, 26.

I KNOW that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand up at the last upon the earth. Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another.   Job 19. 25, 27.

WE brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.   1 Timothy 6. 7. Job 1. 21.

HE shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom.   Isaiah 40. 11.

THE SERVICE IN CHURCH.

¶ After they are come into the church shall be read this psalm,

Dominus regit me. Psalm 23.

THE Lord is my shepherd : therefore can I lack nothing.
    2 He shall feed me in a green pasture : and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort.
    3 He shall convert my soul : and bring me forth in the paths of righteousness, for his name’s sake.
    4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil : for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff comfort me.
    5 Thou shalt prepare a table before me against them that trouble me : thou hast anointed my head with oil, and my cup shall be full.
    6 But thy loving-kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life : and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

    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 shall follow this Lesson.

St. Mark 10. 13.

AND they brought young children to him, that he should touch them : and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not ; for of Such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

¶ When they come to the grave, while the body is made ready to be laid into the earth, the Minister shall say, or the Minister and the 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 fleeth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one stay.

¶ Then, while the earth shall be cast upon the body by some standing by, the Minister shall say,

FORASMUCH as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the soul of this child 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 the body of our low estate, that it may be like unto his glorious body, according to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.

Or this.

WE commend unto thy hands of mercy, most merciful Father, the soul of this thy child; and we commit his body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; and we beseech thine infinite goodness to give us grace to live in thy fear and love and to die in thy favour, that when the judgement shall come which thou hast committed to thy well-beloved Son, both this child and we may be found acceptable in thy sight. Grant this, O merciful Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our only Saviour, Mediator, and Advocate. Amen.

¶ Then shall be said or sung,

THEY shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

¶ Here shall be added by the Minister,

NOW unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

¶ Then shall the Minister say,

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

OUR 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. Amen.

¶ The following Versicles and Responses may then be said:

Then shall be said one or both of the following prayers, the Minister first saying,

Let us pray.

O LORD Jesu Christ, who didst take little children into thine arms and bless them : Open thou our eyes, we beseech thee, to perceive that it is of thy goodness that thou hast taken this thy child into the everlasting arms of thine infinite love ; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

O GOD, whose ways are hidden and thy works most wonderful, who makest nothing in vain and lovest all that thou hast made: Comfort thou thy servants, whose hearts are sore smitten and oppressed and grant that they may so love and serve thee in this life, that together with this thy child, they may obtain the fulness of thy promises in the world to come ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

2 Corinthians 13.

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.