send faithful labourers into thy harvest and grant that all the people which from this place shall hear thy word may not receive it as the word of man but as the good word of God able to save their souls and let thy holy Spirit for ever be the Preacher and imprint thy word in their minds opening their hearts convincing their understandings over-ruling their wills and governing their affections that they may not be hearers of the Word onely but doers of good works that they by their holy lives adorning the Gospel of God and seeking for glory and honour and immortality may attain eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ Then the Bishop and Clergy shall go towards the Chancel the doors of which being shut he shall stand there and with the Priests recite this Hymn alternately HYMN II. 1. O Pen to me the gates of righteousness I will go into them and praise the Lord. 2. This is the gate of the Lord into which the righteous shall enter 3. The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner 4. This is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes 5. This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it 6. Save now I beseech thee O Lord O Lord I beseech send us now prosperity 7. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. 8. God is the Lord which hath shewed us light bind the sacrifice with chords even to the horns of the altar 9. O Lord open thou my lips and my lips shall shew forth thy praise 10. For thou desirest not sacrifice else would I give it thee but thou delightest not in burnt offerings 11. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise 12. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Sion build thou the walls in Jerusalem 13. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar 14. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his conversation right I will shew the salvation of God 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 doors being open'd the Bishop with his Clergy shall enter and ascend to the Communion Table and sitting in a chair on the South side of it shall appoint the Dean or Archdeacon to read this Lesson ¶ The Lesson at the Communion Table I Speak as to wise men judge what I say The cup of 1 Cor. 10. 15. blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ The bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils ye cannot be partakers of the Lords table and the table of Devils Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie Are we stronger then he Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God We have an altar whereof they have no right to eat Heb. 13. 10. which serve the Tabernacle Wherefore Jesus also that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered without the gate Let us go forth therefore unto him bearing his reproach For here we have no continuing city but we seek one to come By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name But to do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased ¶ Then the Bishop arising from his chair shall kneel before the Altar or Communion Table and say ¶ Let us pray O Eternal God who in an infinite mercy to mankind didst send thy holy Son to be a sacrifice for our sins and the food of our souls the Author and finisher of our faith and the great Minister of eternal glory who also now sits at thy right hand and upon the heavenly altar perpetually presents to thee the Eternal Sacrifice and a never ceasing prayer be present with thy servants and accept us in the dedication of a Ministerial altar which we humbly have provided for the performance of this great Ministery and in imitation of Christs Eternal Priesthood according to our duty and his Commandment Grant that all the gifts which shall be presented on this table may be acceptable unto thee and become unto thy servants a savour of life unto life Grant that all who shall partake of this table may indeed hunger after the bread of life and thirst for the wine of elect souls and may feed upon Christ by faith and be nourished by a holy hope and grow up to an eternal charity Let no hand of any that shall betray thee be ever upon this table let no impure tongue ever taste of the holy body and blood which here shall be Sacramentally represented and exhibited But let all thy servants that come hither to receive these mysteries come with prepar'd hearts and with penitent souls and loving desires and indeed partake of the Lord Jesus and receive all the benefits of his passion Grant this for his sake who is the Priest and the Sacrifice the feeder and the food the Physician and the physick of our souls our most blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Amen ¶ Then the Bishop arising shall return to his Chair and sitting covered some persons by the Patrons appointment shall bring the Carpet the Communion cloth and napkins the Chalice Paten and the other Vessels Books and Vtensils for the Communion and humbly presenting them on their knees to God the Bishop shall receive them severally and deliver them to the Deacon to be laid orderly on the Communion Table excepting onely the Chalice and the Paten which two Priests shall when the Table is covered humbly on their knees lay upon it Then the Bishop returning to the Altar shall with reverence and solemnity his face being Eastward lay his hands upon the plate and say this prayer standing WHat are we O God and what is this people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this 1 Chron. 29. 14. sort For all things come of thee and of thine own we have given thee Accept the Oblation of thy servants who in the uprightness of their hearts have willingly offered these things and give unto them a perfect heart to keep thy Commandments thine Ordinances and thy Sacraments and be pleased to grant to them a greater ability an enlarged heart and an increasing love to serve thee with their souls and bodies with all their time and all their goods that thou maist
thee and what is the place of thy rest that we can furnish out for thee Surely every place is too little and too low for thee who dwellest on high and thy glory is above the Heavens And yet thou humblest thy self to behold the things that are in heaven and earth and thy delight is to be with the sons of men Thou speakest our words thou compliest with our weaknesses thou acceptest our services and wilt be worshipped and ador'd according to what thou hast put into our power Thou therefore hast been pleas'd in all ages to meet with thy servants in places separate for thy worship and for the invocation of thy holy Name In Paradise there was a proper place which thy servant Moses called The presence of the Lord and thy servant Abraham called on thy Name in the place of the Altar And thou didst meet the Patriarch Jacob Gen. 13. 4. at Bethel and he consecrated a stone for thy memorial and it became dreadful and venerable the House of God and the Gate of Heaven and Rebekah had a proper place Gen. 28. 17. whither she went to inquire of the Lord. Thou also didst fill the Tabernacle with thy presence and the Temple with thy glory and when the fulness of time was come thou by thy most holy Son didst declare that thou wilt be present in all places where two or three are gathered in thy Name and that amongst all Nations for ever Thy house shall be called the house of prayer and by thy Apostle hast signified to us that our dwelling houses are to eat and drink in but that we must not despise the Churches of God For thou art a jealous God and wilt not endure that thy Temples should be defiled Our God is a consuming fire and he that defiles a Temple him will God destroy Therefore in confidence of thy goodness in expectation of thy favours in full assurance of thy promises in obedience to the manifold declaration of thy pleasure and in imitation of the piety of thy servants who in all the generations of the world have separated places and houses for thy service and left great monuments of their piety for our comfort and example that we may come together into one place * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Ignat. Epist ad Magness and by a joyn'd prayer wrastle with thee for blessings and not depart thence till thou hast blessed us We thy servants walking in the steps of their most holy faith partakers of the same hope fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God are this day met together in thy fear and love to dedicate a house to thee and to the glories of thy Name that we may not neglect the assembling of our selves together but meet here to implore thy mercies to deplore our sins to deprecate thy anger to magnifie thy goodness to celebrate thy praises to receive thy Sacraments to bless thy people and to perform all ministeries of Salvation Be pleased therefore most gracious Lord and Father to accept the devotion and oblation of thy servants admit this place and house into a portion of thine own inheritance Let it be a resting place for thy feet and the seat of thy Graciousness Depute thy holy Angels to abide here to defend thy servants and to drive away all the power of the Enemy Place thy mercy-seat among us also Let thine eyes and thine ears be open towards this house night and day and hear the prayers of thy people which they shall make unto thee in this place granting to them all the graces which they shall need and ask And whensoever in humility and contrition they shall confess their sins unto thee be thou more ready to hear than they to pray forgive them all their sins encrease and perfect their repentances remove thy judgements far from them and let them feel and rejoyce in thy mercies and loving kindnesses for ever and ever Grant this for his sake who is the King of the Saints and the Head of the Church the great lover of souls and our High Priest who continually makes intercession for us our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Amen III. O Almighty God who art the Father of the faithful and a gracious God to all that call upon thee in truth and love thou hast taught us by thy holy Apostle that every thing is sanctified by the word of God and prayer Attend this day and ever to the prayers of thy servants be present with thy grace in all our ministeries of the Sacraments and Sacramentals and bless all the labours and accept all the religious duties and satisfie all the holy desires of them who in this thy house shall make their supplications before thee And let the dew of thy Divine blessing descend and abide for ever upon this house which by invocation of thy holy Name and to the honour of the Lord Jesus and the Ministeries of thy servants we though unworthy consecrate and dedicate unto thee Spare all the penitents relieve the distressed comfort the comfortless confirm the strong and strengthen the weak Ease the afflicted heal the wounded and the sick provide for the widows and be a Father to the fatherless and unto all them whose consciences being accus'd for sin come with confidence to the Throne of Grace Give help in all the times of their need that whensoever thy Name is called upon thy blessings may certainly descend Let thy Eternal peace be to this house and to them who in this house come to thee to be eased and refreshed Here let thy Priests be cloth'd with righteousness and let thy Saints sing with joyfulness Here let thy people make their prayers and perform their vows and offer thee freewill offerings with a holy worship Here let the weight of their sins that so easily besets them be laid aside here let the chains of their corruption and the chords of vanity be broken Let the lapsed be restored let the sick be cured let the blind eyes and hearts be inlightned with the lanthorn of thy Word and the light of thy Spirit Here let the power of Satan be lessened and destroyed and let thy servants find a cure for all their wounds a comfort for all their sorrows a remedy to all their inconveniences that all who shall enter this house now dedicated to thy service may obtain all their desires and triumph in the Name of the Lord our God who hath perform'd all their petitions Preserve their souls from sin their eyes from tears and their feet from falling for Jesus Christ his sake to whom with thee O Father and thy most Holy Spirit be all honour and glory praise and thanksgiving love and obedience for ever and ever Amen ¶ Then the Bishop and the Congregation arising from their knees the Bishop attended by his Clergy shall go in Procession round about the Church within and say this Hymn alternately HYMN I. 1. EXcept the Lord build the house they labour
our selves the houses of God in possession 6. O my God make them like unto a wheel as the stubble before the wind 7. As the fire burneth the wood and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire 8. So persecute them with thy tempest and make them afraid with thy storm 9. Fill their faces with shame that they may seek thy Name O Lord. 10. That men may know that thou whose Name is Jehovah art the most High over all the earth 11. For the Lord is righteous he will cut asunder the chords of the wicked 12. Let them all be asham'd that hate Sion 13. Let them be as the grass upon the house tops which withereth before it groweth up 14. Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom 15. Neither do they which go by say The blessing of the Lord be upon you we bless you in the name of the Lord. The Bishop Glory be to God on high Answer And on earth peace to men of good will Bishop Amen Answer Amen ¶ Then shall the Bishop conclude with this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Acclamation the Clergy answering alternately ¶ The Bishop first saying SEing now dearly beloved in the Lord that by the blessing of God and his gracious favour we have dedicated to God this House of Prayer and these gifts for the Ministeries of Religion let us give hearty thanks to Almighty God for these benefits and say 1. PRaise ye the Lord praise God in his sanctuary Ex Psalmis 150. 68. 87. 99. 100. praise him in the firmament of his power 2. Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits even the God of our salvation 3. He that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death 4. The chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels the Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy place 5. They have seen the goings of God even the goings of my God my King in the sanctuary 6. The singers went before the players on instruments followed after amongst them were the damsels playing with the timbrels 7. Bless ye God in the congregations even the Lord from the fountains of Israel 8. Thy God hath commanded thy strength strengthen O God that which thou hast wrought in us 9. O God thou art terrible out of thy Holy places the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people Blessed be God 10. His foundations is in the holy mountains The Lord loveth the gates of Sion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 11. Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou city of God and of Sion it shall be said This and that man was born in her and the highest himself shall establish her 12. Exalt ye the Lord our God and worship at his footstool for he is holy 13. Moses and Aaron among his Priests and Samuel among them that call upon his name they called upon his name and he answered them 14. Thou answeredst them O Lord our God thou wast a God that forgavest them though thou didst take vengeance of their inventions 15. Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy hill for the Lord our God is holy 16. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise be thankful unto him and bless his name ¶ Then shall all together say FOr the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth to all generations Bishop Worship Jesus Answer We worship and adore the great King of heaven and earth the blessed Saviour of the world Bishop Holy is our God Answer Holy is the Almighty Bishop Holy is the Immortal All together Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabbath blessed be thy Name in Heaven and Earth for ever and ever Amen Amen So ends the Office of Consecration ¶ Then the Bell tolling a little in the interval the Bishop shall appoint the Dean to read the Morning Prayer or first Service in the reading Desk ¶ The Psalms appointed for the day Psalm 122 125 132. ¶ The first Lesson is Gen. 28. verse 10. unto the end Or else 1 Kings 8. verse 10. unto verse 62. exclusively ¶ The second Lesson is S. Matthew 21. ver 1. unto v. 17. inclusively ¶ At the end of the Letany the Bishop shall confirm such persons as can be conveniently brought to him fitted to that purpose ¶ The Bishop shall read the second Service and administer the Communion ¶ The Epistle is taken out of the third of the Acts verss 1. unto vers 16. inclusively ¶ The Gospel is Luke 7. vers 1. to the 10. inclusively ¶ The Collect to be said at Morning prayer and the Communion together with the Collect of the day O Almighty God who dwellest amongst thy Saints and hast plac'd thy Tabernacle in the hearts of thy servants give thy heavenly blessings and encrease to the place where thine honour dwelleth that what is founded by thy Providence and built according to thy Commandment may be established for ever and blessed in all things by thy Eternal goodness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen AN OFFICE To be used in the Restauration OF A CHURCH ¶ When the Fabrick of a Church is ruined and a new Church built upon the same foundation the Bishop attended by his Clergy shall enter into the Church-yard and go in procession round about the Church new built and recite alternately Psalm 74. O God wherefore art thou absent from us so long why is thy wrath so hot against the sheep of thy pasture 2. O think upon thy congregation whom thou hast purchased and redeemed of old 3. Think upon the tribe of thine inheritance and mount Sion wherein thou hast dwelt 4. Lift up thy feet that thou mayest utterly destroy every enemy which hath done evil in thy sanctuary 5. Thine adversaries roar in the midst of thy congregations and set up their banners for tokens 6. He that hewed timber afore out of the thick trees was known to bring it to an excellent work 7. But now they break down all the carved work thereof with axes and hammers 8. They have set fire upon thy holy places and have defiled the dwelling-place of thy Name even unto the ground 9. Yea they said in their hearts Let us make havock of them altogether thus have they burnt up all the houses of God in the land 10. We see not our tokens there is not one prophet more no not one is there among us that understandeth any more 11. O God how long shall the adversary do this dishonour how long shall the enemy blaspheme thy Name for ever 12. Why withdrawest thou thy hand why pluckest thou not thy right hand out of thy bosom to consume the enemy 13. For God is my King of old the help that is done upon earth he doth it himself 14. Thou didst divide the sea through thy power thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the