The Priest. The souls of the just are in the hands of the Lord. Answer. The torments of hell shall not come near them. Let us pray. Lord God, the resurrection and life of them that believe, who art always to be praised both in the living and in the dead, we give Thee thanks for N. our founder, and all others our benefactors, through whose bounty we are here maintained, for the exercise of piety and increase of learning; humbly beseeching Thee that we, employing these gifts to Thy glory, may at length with them be brought to the everlasting glory of the resurrection, through Christ our Lord. Amen. This office being contrived anno 2 Elizabeth, was, I conceive, rather at first commended than commanded; and being so, it may be questioned whether it prevailed to an universal practice in the first publication of it; but leaving that as dubious, of this certain we are, it was ten years after positively imposed by the statutes of that queen, then dated, and since that constantly, to this very day, observed at the end of every term, as the rubric enjoineth, that is, thrice in the year. 306 (A) THE THANKSGIVING OF WOMEN AFTER CHILDBIRTH, COMMONLY CALLED THE CHURCHING OF WOMEN. 1 B. OF EDW. VI. THE ORDER OF THE (B) PURIFICATION OF WOMEN. а XI. The woman shall come into the (C) Church, and there shall CHAP. kneel down in some convenient place nigh [1 B. of Edw. VI. "unto the choir door"] unto the place where the table standeth; and the priest standing by her, shall say these words, or such like, as the case shall require. Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of His good- Then shall the priest say this psalm. [Scotch Lit. " or else I have lifted up mine eyes unto the (D) hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh eben from the Lord: which hath made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved : and He that keepeth thee will not sleep. Behold he that keepeth Israel : shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord Himself is thy keeper: the Lord is thy defence upon thy right hand. So that the sun shall not burn thee by day : neither the moon by night. СНАР. XI. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: yea it is even He that shall keep thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in: from this time forth for evermore. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, &c. As it was in the beginning, is now, &c. Christ have mercy upon us. Lord have mercy upon us. Our Father which art in heaven, &c. O Almighty God, which hast delivered this woman Thy serbant from the great pain and peril of childbirth: grant we beseech Thee, most merciful Father, that she, through Thy help, may both faithfully live and walk in her vocation, 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. Common Prayer. The woman that cometh to give her thanks, must offer Scotch Lit. The woman that cometh to give her thanks: it is con is 1 B. of Edw. VI. The woman that purified, must offer her chrisom 308 309 After morning prayer, the people being called together by the ringing of a bell, and assembled in the church, the English litany shall be said, after the accustomed manner : which ended, the priest shall go into the pulpit, (G) and say thus. [Scotch Lit. "The people sitting and attending with reverence."] Brethren, in the primitive Church there was a godly discipline, that at the beginning of Lent such persons as were notorious sinners were put to open penance, (H) and punished in this world, that their souls might be saved in the day of the Lord: and that other admonished by their example, might be more afraid to offend. In the stead whereof, until the said discipline may be restored again, (which thing is much to be wished,) it is thought good that at this time (in your presence,) should be read the general sentences of God's cursing against impenitent sinners, gathered out of the xxviith chapter of Deuteronomy, and other places of Scripture; and that ye should answer to every sentence, Amen: to the intent that you, being admonished of the great indignation of God against sinners, may the rather be called to earnest and true repentance, and may walk more warily in these dangerous [Scotch Lit. "and did humbly submit to undergo punishment in this world."] CHAP. days, fleeing from such vices, for the which ye affirm with your own mouths, the curse of God to be due. XI. Cursed is the man that maketh any carbed or molten image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the crafts-man, and putteth it in a secret place to worship it. Amen. And the people shall answer and say, Minister. Cursed is he that curseth his father and mother. Amen. Answer. Minister. Cursed is he that remobeth away the mark of his neighbour's land. Amen. Answer. Minister. Cursed is he that maketh the blind to go out of his way. Amen. Answer. Minister. Cursed is he that letteth in judgment the right of the stranger, of them that be fatherless, and of widows. Cursed is he that lieth with his neighbour's wife. Amen. Answer. Minister. Cursed is he that taketh reward to slay the soul of innocent [Scotch Lit. "in judgment hindereth, stoppeth or perverteth."] 310 |