Burial of the Dead
The Order for the Burial of the Dead.
¶ When the Procession is entering the Church, the Minister shall read these sentences of Scripture; all standing. If the service be held in a private house, it may begin in the same way.
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 xi. 25, 26.
The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. Job i. 21.
All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: but the word of the Lord endureth forever. I Peter i. 24, 25.
¶ Then shall be said or sung one of the following Psalms:
Psalm xxxix.
Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.
Behold, thou hast made my days as an hand-breadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity.
Surely every man walketh in a vain show: Surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.
Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.
I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.
Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand.
When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity.
Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
0 spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.
Psalm xc.
Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
Thou bast set our iniquities before tbee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
We spend our years as a tale that is told.
The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.
Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our bands establish thou it.
¶ Here, if the Psalm be read, a Hymn may be sung.
¶ Then shall follow this Lesson from 1 Cor. xv.:
Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits 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.
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 dishonor; 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 also 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 show 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.
0 death, where is thy sting? 0 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 steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
¶ Or the Minister may read one or more of the following
Lessons:
St. John xiv.
Let not your heart be troubled, saith the Lord, our Redeemer: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself that where I am, there ye may be also.
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;
Even the Spirit of truth ; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.
Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
¶ 2 Corinthians iv., v.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceedincg and eternal weight of glory;
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building, of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
Revelation xxi., xxii.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming, down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month ; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple : and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
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.
And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true.
And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy bath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known
.
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him: for we shall see him as he is.
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty band of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
For I am persuaded, that 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.
St. Mark x. 13-16. St. Matthew xviii. 10, 14.
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.
Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones: for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
¶ Here a Hymn may be sung.
¶ If there be an Address, it may be introduced here. And then the Minister may offer Prayer in his own words, or say one of the following Prayers:
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 thank thee for having given to us the dear friend whom thou bast now taken away; and for the blessed assurance that, though he will not come to us, we shall go to him. 0 grant, we beseech thee, that we, with all those who are departed in the true faith of thy holy name, may have our perfect consummation and bliss in thine eternal glory. Amen.
Lord God, holy Father, be thou blessed both now and evermore: for all that thou doest is good. Thou bast seen fit to take away one who is dear to us: give us, we beseech thee, the spirit of filial submission. Enable us to say, It is well, for thou didst it. May we feel that thy will is better than anything we can desire for ourselves; and find comfort in holy and happy thoughts of the unseen world. Bring home to our hearts thy Son’s promises to those who fall asleep in him.
0 Lord, teach us how to live so as to please thee. May nothing cause us to forget that we are pilgrims and sojourners here, as our fathers were; arid may we set our chief affections on those things which are above. Merciful Father, forgive us our sins, and raise us from the death of sin to a life of righteousness.
0 Lord God, fill our hearts with gratitude for thy great loving-kindness to us. When thou takest away, we see how much thou bast given. We thank thee for the sweet memory of blessings which are for a season withdrawn from us, and for the many blessings which yet remain, and for hopes which no earthly troubles can overshadow. Hear, accept, and answer these our prayers, which we would offer to thee in the faith and spirit of Jesus Christ. Amen.
¶ Then the Lord’s Prayer, to be said after the Minister.
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
¶ Here may be sung a Hymn of Consolation (unannounced).
¶ Then the Minister, on the way to the Grave or in the body of the Church, shall say:
We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2
Cor. v. 1.
I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
For thou wilt not leave my soul in the grave; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Psalm xvi. 8-10.
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 they comfort me. Psalm xxiii. 4.
¶ When they come to the Grave, while the Body is made ready to be laid into the Earth, the Minister shall say:
Man, that is born of a woman, hath but a short time to live, and bath much trouble. 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 succor, but of thee, 0 Lord, in whom our souls do rest and hope?
¶ When the Body has been lowered into the Grave, the Minister shall say:
Forasmuch as it hath pleased God of his great mercy to take unto himself the life of our dear friend 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 a resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; who hath overcome death, and opened to all men the life of the Spirit; according to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.
¶ Then shall be said:
I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, From henceforth blessed are the dead who die in the Lord: even so saith the Spirit; for they rest from their labors, and their works do follow them.
¶ At the Burial of a Young Child, may be said, instead of the above:
I heard the voice of Jesus, saying, Suffer little children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
¶ Then shall the Minister say the following Collect:
O God, our heavenly Father, grant that we sorrow not as those who know not the promises of thy holy Gospel: but may we look forward to the great gathering of thy faithful servants and children into their everlasting home. 0 thou in whom we trust, help us by thy grace, that we may live as the heirs of this blessed and glorious hope, which thou hast set before us in thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
¶ And this Benediction:
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.
At the Burial of the Dead at Sea.
¶ The above Office may be used: only, when the Body is lowered into the Sea, the following words shall be said, instead of those to be said when the Body is lowered into the Ground.
We now commit the body of our dear departed friend to the deep, in the blessed hope that as he has borne the image of the earthy, so also he shall bear the image of the heavenly, through our Lord Jesus Christ.