the same reason to say it that old Simeon had and we should have the same spirit to say it with There can nothing be more fitting for us as we have said than having heard the Lessons and the goodness of God therein Preach't unto us to break out into a Song of Praise and Thanksgiving and the Church hath appointed two to be used either of them after each Lesson but not so indifferently but that the Former Practice of exemplary Churches and Reason may guide us in the choice For the Te Deum Benedictus Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis being the most expressive-Jubilations and rejoycings for the redemption of the world may be said more often than the rest especially on Sundayes and other Festivals of our Lord excepting in Lent and Advent which being times of Humiliation and Meditations on Christ as in expectation or his sufferings are not so fitly enlarged with these Songs of highest Festivity the custom being for the same reason in many Churches in Lent to hide and conceal all the glory of their Altars covering them with black to comply with the season and therefore in these times may be rather used the following Psalms than the foregoing Canticles as at other times also when the Contents of the Lesson shall give occasion as when it speaks of the enlargement of the Church by bringing in the Gentiles into the Fold of it for divers passages of those three Psalms import that sense And for the Canticle Benedicite O all ye works of the Lord it may be used not only in the aforesaid times of Humiliation but when either the Lessons are out of Daniel or set before us the wonderful handy-work of God in any of the Creatures or the use he makes of them either ordinary or miraculous for the good of the Church Then it will be very seasonable to return this Song O all ye works of the Lord bless ye the Lord praise him and magnifie him for ever that is ye are great occasion of blessing the Lord who therefore be blessed praised and magnified for ever The APOSTLES CREED The Creed follows At ordinary Morning and Evening prayer and most Sundaies and Holy-daies the Apostles Creed is appointed which Creed was made by the Apostles upon this occasion sayes Ruffinus in Symb. n. 2. The Apostles having received a Commandment from our Lord to Teach all Nations and withal being commanded to tarry at Hierusalem till they should be furnish'd with gifts and graces of the holy Spirit sufficient for such a charge tarried patiently as they were enjoyned expecting the fulfilling of that promise In the time of the stay at Hierusalem they agreed upon this Creed as a Rule of Faith according to the analogy of which they and all others should reach and as a word of distinction by which they should know friends from foes For as the Gileadites distinguished their own men from the Berjamites by the word Shibboleth Iudges 12. 6. And as Souldiers know their own side from the Enemy by their Word so the Apostles and the Church should know who were the Churches friends and who were enemies who were right believers who false by this word of Faith for all that walkt according to this Rule and profest this faith she acknowledged for hers and gave them her peace but all others that went contrary to this rule and word she accounted Enemies Tertul. de praescrip led by false spirits For he that hears not us is not of God hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error 1 Iohn 4. 6. This Creed is said daily twice Morning and Evening So it was of old Aug. l. 1. de Symb. ad Catech. cap. 1. Take the Rule of Faith which is call'd the Symbol or Creed say it daily in the Morning before you go forth at Night before you sleep And l. 50. Hom. 42. Say your Creed daily Morning and Evening Rehearse your Creed to God say not I said it yesterday I have said it to day already say it again say it every day guard your selves with your Faith And if the Adversary assault you let the redeemed know that he ought to meet him with the Banner of the Cross and the shield of Faith above all taking the shield of Faith Ephes. 6. Faith is rightly called a Shield S. Chrys. in loc For as a Shield is carried before the body as a wall to defend it so is faith to the soul for all things yield to that This is our victory whereby we overcome the world even our Faith Therefore we had need look well to our faith and be careful to keep that entire and for that purpose it is not amiss to rehearse it often and guard our soul with it Cum horrâ—mus aliquid recurrendum est ad Symbolum When we are affrighted run we to the Creed and say I believe in God the Father Almighty this will guard your soul from fear If you be tempted to despair guard your soul with the Creed say I believe in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord who was crucified c. for us men and our salvation that may secure your soul from despair If you be tempted to Pride run to the Creed and a sight of Christs hanging upon the Cross will humble you If to Lust or uncleanness to the Creed and see the wounds of Christ and the remembrance of them if any thing will quench that fiery dart If we be tempted to presume and grow careless take up again this shield of Faith see Christ in the Creed coming to judgment and this terrour of the Lords will perswade men In a word the Creed is a guard and defence against all temptations of the world all the fiery darts of the Devil all the filthy lusts of the flesh Therefore above all take the shield of Faith saith S. Paul and be sure to guard your soul Morning and Evening with the Creed thy symbol of the most holy Faith Besides This solemn rehearsing of our Creed is a plighting of our faith and fidelity to God before Devils Angels and Men an engaging and devoting of our souls in the principal faculties and powers of it our reason and understanding and will wholly to God the Father Son and holy Ghost to believe in the ever blessed Trinity whatsoever flesh and blood shall tempt to the contrary which is an high piece of loyalty to God and cannot be too often perform'd It is that kind of Confession that S. Paul says is necessary to salvation as well as believing Rom. 10. 10. For it is there said Verse 9. If we confess with our mouth as well as if we believe with the heart we shall be saved it is that kind of Confession that our Lord Christ speaks of S. Matt. 10. 32. Whosoever shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven And therefore since it is a service so acceptable it cannot be thought unreasonable for the Church to require it
fruition of the glorious Godhead Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity to be adored for ever God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost accept sanctifie and bless this place to the end whereunto according to his own Ordinance we have ordain'd it to be a Sanctuary to the most High and a Church for the living God The Lord with his favour ever mercifully behold it and so send upon it his spiritual Benediction and Grace that it may be the House of God to him and the Gate of Heaven to us Amen Haec precatus Episcopus Baptisterium adit atque impositâ manu ait REgard O Lord the Supplications of thy Servants and grant that those Children that shall be baptiz'd in this Laver of the New birth may be sanctified and washed with the Holy Ghost delivered from thy wrath received into the Ark of Christs Church receive herein the fulness of Grace and ever remain in the number of thy faithful and elect Children Suggestum dein GRant that thy Holy Word which from this place shall be preach'd may be the savour of life unto life and as good seed take root and fructifie in the hearts of all that shall hear it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoque GRant that by thy Holy Word which from this place shall be read the hearers may both perceive and know what things they ought to do and also may have Grace and Power to fulfil the same Sacram etiam Mensam GRant that all they that shall at any time partake at this Table the highest blessing of all thy Holy Communion may be fulfill'd with thy Grace and Heavenly Benediction and may to their great and endless Comfort obtain Remission of their sins and all other Benefits of thy Passion Locum Nuptiarum GRant that such persons as shall be here joyned together in the holy estate of Matrimony by the Covenant of God may live together in holy Love unto their lives end Vniversum denique Pavimentum GRant to such bodies as shall be here interr'd that they with us and we with them may have our perfect consummation and bliss both in body and soul in thine everlasting kingdom Tum flexis genibus ante sacram Mensam pergit porro GRant that this place which is here dedicated to thee by our Office and Ministry may also be hallowed by the sanctifying power of thy holy Spirit and so for ever continue through thy Mercy O blessed Lord God who dost live and govern all things world without end Grant as this Chappel is separated from all other common and profane uses and dedicated to those that be sacred only so may all those be that enter into it Grant that all wandring thoughts all carnal and worldly imaginations may be far from them and all godly and spiritual cogitations may come in their place and may be daily renew'd and grow in them Grant that those thy servants that shall come into this thy holy Temple may themselves be made the Temples of the Holy Ghost eschewing all things contrary to their profession and following all such things as are agreeable to the same When they pray that their prayers may ascend up into Heaven into thy presence as the Incense and the lifting up of their hands be as the morning sacrifice purifie their hearts and grant them their hearts desire sanctifie their spirits and fulfil all their minds that what they faithfully ask they may effectually obtain the same When they offer that their Oblation and Alms may come up as a Memorial before thee and they find and feel that with such Sacrifices thou art well-pleased When they sing that their souls may be satisfied as with marrow and fatness when their mouth praiseth thee with joyful lips When they hear that they hear not as the word of man but as indeed it is the Word of God and not be idle Hearers but Doers of the same Populus interea tacite ingressus in imis substitit dum haec in Cancellis agerentur quibus finitis sedes quisque suas jussi capessunt atque ad solennem Liturgiam Sacellani se parant Alter Sacellanorum coram sacra mensa venerans sic incipit IF we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth c. Confessionem Absolutionem Dominic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recitant c. Psalmos canunt pro tempore accommodos Ps. 84. 122 132. alternis respondente populo quibus facultas erat libri Lectio prima definitur ex 28. Gen. à ver primo ad finem Hymn Te Deum c. Lectio secunda ex secundo capite S. Joh. à vers◠13. ad finem Hymn Psal. 100. I Believe in God c. Et post usitatas Collectas hanc specialem addidit Episcopus O Lord God mighty and glorious and of incomprehensible Majesty thou fillest Heaven and earth with the Glory of thy presence and canst not be contain'd within any the largest compass much less within the narrow walls of this Room yet forasmuch as thou hast been pleased to command in thy holy Law that we should put the Remembrance of thy Name upon places and in every such place thou wilt come to us and bless us we are here now assembled to put thy name upon this place and the Memorial of it to make it thy house to devote and dedicate it for ever unto thee utterly separating it from all worldly uses and wholly and only consecrate it to the invocation of thy glorious Name wherein supplications and intercessions may be made for all men thy sacred Word may be read preached and heard the Holy Sacraments the Laver of Regeneration and the Commemoration of the precious death of thy dear Son may be administred thy Praise celebrated and sounded forth thy people blessed by putting thy Name upon them we poor and miserable creatures as we are be altogether unfit and utterly unworthy to appoint any earthly thing to so great a God And I the least of all thy servants no ways meet to appear before thee in so honourable a service yet being thou hast oft heretofore been pleased to accept such poor offerings from sinful men most humbly we beseech thee forgiving our manifold sins and making us worthy by counting us so to vouchsafe to be present here among us in this religious action and what we sincerely offer graciously to accept at our hands to receive the prayers of us and all others who either now or hereafter entring into this place by us hallowed shall call upon thee And give us all grace when we shall come into the house of God we may look to our feet knowing that the place we stand on is holy ground bringing hither clean thoughts and undefiled bodies that we may wash both our hearts and hands in innocency and so compass thine Altar I am alter Sacellanus denuo exiens venerans ante sacram Mensam incipit Litaniam in fine cujus recitavit hoc ipse Episcopus O Lord God who dwellest
effectual as if God did pronounce it from Heaven So sayes the Confession of Saxony and Bohemia and so sayes the Augustan Confession and which is more so says S. Chrys. in his fifth Hom. upon Esay Heaven waits and expects the Priests sentence here on Earth the Lord follows the servant and what the servant rightly binds or looses here on Earth that the Lord confirms in Heaven The same sayes S. Gregory Hom. 26. upon the Gospels The Apostles and in them all Priests were made Gods Viâ—egerents here on earth in his Name and stead to retain or remit sins S. Augustine and Cyprian and generally Antiquity sayes the same so does our Church in many places particularly in the form Absolution for the sick but above all holy Scripture is clear S. Iohn 20. 23. Whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them Which power of remitting sins was not to end with the Apostles but is a part of the Ministry of Reconciliation as necessary now as it was then and therefore to continue as long as the Ministery of Reconciliation that is to the end of the world Ep. 4. 12 13. When therefore the Priest absolves God absolves if we be truly penitent Now this remission of sins granted here to the Priest to which God hath promised a confirmation in heaven is not the act of Preaching or Baptizing or admitting men to the holy Communion For all these powers were given before this grant was made As you may see S. Mat. 10. 7. As ye go preach saying c. And S. Iohn 4. 2. Though Jesus baptized not but his disciples And 1 Cor. 11. In the same night that he was betrayed he instituted and delivered the Eucharist and gave his Apostles authority to do the like Do this that I have done bless the Elements and distribute them Which is plainly a power of admitting men to the holy Eucharist And all these powers were granted before our Saviours Resurrection But this power of remitting sins mentioned S. Iohnâ— 20. was not granted though promised S. Matt. 16. 19. till Now that is after the Resurrection As appears first by the ceremony of Breathing signifying that then it was given And secondly by the word Receive used in that place Verse 22. which he could not properly have used if they had been endued with this power before Therefore the power of Remitting which here God authorizes and promises certain assistance to is neither Preaching nor Baptizing but some other way of Remitting namely that which the Church calls Absolution And if it be so then to doubt of the effect of it supposing we be truly penitent and such as God will pardon is to question the truth of God and he that under pretence of reverence to God denies or despises this power does injury to God in slighting his Commission and is no better than a Novatian saies S. Ambrose l. 1. de Poenit. cap. 2. After the Priest hath pronounced the Absolution the Church seasonably prayes Wherefore we beseech him to grant us true repentance and his holy spirit c. For as repentance is a necessary disposition to pardon so as that neither God will nor man can absolve those that are impenitent So is it in some parts of it a necessary consequent of pardon and he that is pardoned ought still to repent as he that seeks a pardon Repentance say Divines out to be continual For whereas Repentance consists of three parts as the Church teaches us in the Commination 1. Contrition or lamenting of our sinful lives 2. Knowledging and confessing our sins 3. An endeavour to bring forth fruits worthy of penance which the Ancients call satisfaction Two of these Contrition and Satisfaction are requisite after pardon The remembrance of sin though pardoned must always be grievous to us For to be pleased with the remembrance of it would be sin to us and for Satisfaction or amendment of life and bringing forth fruits worthy of penance that is not only necessary after pardon but it is the more necessary because of pardon for divers reasons as first because immediately after pardon the Devil is most busie to tempt us to sin that we may thereby lose our pardon and he may so recover us again to his captivity from which by pardon we are freed And therefore in our Lords prayer assoon as we have begg'd pardon and prayed Forgive us our trespasses We are taught to pray And lead us not into temptation suffer us not to fall into sin again which very method holy Church here wisely intimates immediately after pardon pronounced directing us to pray for that part of repentance which consists in amendment of life and for the grace of Gods holy Spirit enabling us thereunto Again Repentance in this part of it viz. an endeavour of amendment of life is the more necessary upon pardon granted because the grace of pardon is a new obligation to live well and makes the sin of him that relapsed after pardon the greater and therefore the pardoned had need to pray for that part of repentance and the grace of Gods holy Spirit that both his present service and future life may please God that is that he may observe our Saviours rule given to him that was newly cured and pardoned by him that he may go away and sin no more lest a worse thing happen to â—im S. Iohn 5. 14. There be three several forms of Absolution in the Service The first is that which is used at Morning Prayer Almighty God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ c. And hath given power and commandment to his Ministers to declare and pronounce to his people being penitent the Absolution and Remission of their sins He pardoneth and Absolveth The second is used at the Visitation of the Sick Our Lord Iesus Christ who hath left power to his Church to absolve all sinners which truly repent of his great mercy forgive thée and by his Authority committed to me I absolve thée c. The Third is at the Communion Almighty God our heavenly Father who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them that with hearty repentance and true faith turn to him Have mercy upon you pardon and forgive you c. All these several Forms in sence and virtue are the same For as when a Prince hath granted a Commission to any servant of his to release out oâ— Prison all penitent offenders whatsoever it were all one in effect as to the Prisoners discharge whether this servant sayes by virtue of a Commission granted to me under the Princeâ— hand and seal which here I shew I release this prisoner Or thus The Prince who hath given me this Commission He pardons you Or lastly The Prince pardon and deliver you the Prince then standing by and confirming the word of his Servant So is it here all one as to the remission of sins in the penitent whether the Priest Absolves him after this form Almighty God who hath given me and all
gracious Lord hath so done his marvellous work of Christs Resurrection that it ought to be had in remembrance For which holy Church teaches us to sing as we are bound I will give thanks unto the Lord with my whole heart secretly amongst the faithful and in the Congregation Ver. 1. Evening Psalms are 113. 114. 118. The first is a Psalm of Thanksgiving especially for raising up Christ Ver. 6,7 Taking him out of the dust and lifting him out of the miâ—e to set him with and above the Princes when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all Principalities and powers and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come Ephes. 1. 21. The 118. Psal. is part of it at least of Christs Resurrection as it is expounded S. Matt. 21. and Acts 4. 11. The stone which the builders refused is become the the head of the corner this day And therefore This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it ver 27. The 114. Psal. may seem at first sight not so applyable to Christs Resurrection for it is a Thanksgiving for the Jews deliverance out of Egypt Yet notwithstanding if we look well into it we shall find it proper enough for the day For as the Apostle teaches us All things hapned to them in types and figures not only words but actions were typical Egypt was a type of Hell and their captivity there a type of our captivity under sin and the Devil Their deliverance from thence a type and figure of our deliverance from Hell and that which the Psalmist here gives thanks for as past in the History is understood to be meant as much or more in the prophesie of Christs Redemption of his Church the true Israelites that walk in the steps of the Faith of our Father Abraham from sin and Hell by the power of his glorious Resurrection this day The first Lesson Morn is Exod. 12. in which is mentioned the Institution of the Passeover proper for this day the feast of the Passeover For as S. Aug. observes Ep. 119. We do in this Feast not only call to mind the history of our Saviours Resurrection but also celebrate the mystery of ours That as Christ this day rose again from death to life so by Christ and the vertue of his Resurrection shall we be 〈◊〉 alive and rise from death to life eternal Christ is therefore our true Passeover where of the other was a type The Lesson then is proper for the day So is the first Lesson Even Exod. 14â— For it is concerning the Israelites deliverance out of Egypt a type of our deliverance from Hell this day by Christs gloririous resurrection As that day Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon Egypt Ver. 31. So this day we see the great conquest over Hell and Death finished by Christs triumphant Resurrection from the dead The Second Lessons are plain The Gospel gives us the full evidence of Christs Resurrection The Epistle tells what use we should make of it If Christ be risen seek those things that are above c. The Collect prayes for grace to make that use of it which the Epistle directs Thus holy Church is careful to teach and instruct all her children in the matter of the Feast preaching Christs Resurrection to us both in the type and Prophesie out of the Old Test. and in the History of it out of the New And she does not only teach us to know what God hath done for us this day but also she is careful that we may do our duty to God for this his marvellous goodness commanding and 〈◊〉 recting us to pray for grace to do our duty prescribing us excellent forms of adoring and blessing God for his mercy this day such methods as the Holy Ghost hath set down in which we may be sure to pray and praise God by the Spirit For the Antiquity of this Feast heaps of Testimonies might be brought but these two following may suffice 1. S. AVGVST Epist. 118. These things which are not written but we keep them by tradition if they be observed all the world over are to be understood to be commended to us and commanded either by General Councels whose authority in the Church is most safe or else by the Apostles as for example That the Passion of our Lord his Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven and the coming of the Holy Ghost should be observed by an Anniversary solemnity 2. CONSTANTINE The Great c. 17. The Feast of Easter we have kept from the first day of the Passion untill now Euseb. de vita Constant. l. 3. c. 17. And this was not in the practice of some few but of all Churches as he there testifies and is apparent from the great contention in the Church about the day Some following the Jewish accompt who kept this Feast the Fourteenth day of the first Month The first Month began with the new Moon whose fourteenth day or Moon as they call'd it was the day of the Vernal Equinox or if none such hapned then that whose fourteenth day came the soonest after the Equinox but the most Churches kept their Easter the first Sunday after the fourteenth day of the first Month which usage the Councel of Nice confirmed for these reasons First because it was the most general custome of the Churches Secendly because they would not in this particular comply with the Iews for though in some other cases they did it on purpose to sweeten them and make them plyable to Christianity as our Lord himself did and his Apostles Acts 21. 24. retaining many of their laâ—dable and useful Rites as of Exâ—ommunication Benediction Imposition of hands with many more which you may see in Grotius Annot. in S. Matth. 18. and Append. p. 54. for they loved not Innovation nor measured the goodness of their Religion by their distance from the Iews in things lawful and useful though I say the Primitive Christians did not like the Jewish Rites ever the worse because they were Theirs i.e. of Gods Institution but did use as many of them that were useful as they had occasion for yet in this of the time of keeping Easter they would not because it was of ill signification and scandalous for the Jews keep their Easter as typical and prefiguring Christ to come the Christians kept their Easter in thankful remembrance of Christ Come and Risen from the dead and therefore differing so much in the main of the Feast they would not comply with them no not so much as in the Time lest by that they might have been though to have complyed also in the very Feast and so have seemed to have denied their Lord as the Jews did Thirdly because after the Jews fashion of keeping of Easter they following at that time an Erroneous Account which had
erect a stone in Bethel to be an house to thee which act of his thou didst call for and highly allow of By express Commandmeâ—t from thine own mouth So did Moses make thee the Tabernacle of the Congregation in the Desert which thou didst honour by covering it with a Cloud and filling it with thy Glory And after when it came into the heart of thy servant David to think it was in no wise fitting that himself should dwell in an house of Cedar and the Ark of God remain but in a Tabernacle thou didst testifie with thine own mouth that in that David was so minded to build a House to thy Name it was well done of him to be so minded though he built it not The material Furniture for which house though his Father plentifully prepared yet Solomon his Son built it and brought it to perfection To which House thou went pleased visibly to send fire from Heaven to consume the Sacrifice and to fill it with the Glory of thy presence before all the people And after when for the sins of thy people that Temple was destroyed thou didst by thy Prophets Aggai and Zachary by shewing how inconvenient it was that they should dwell in cieled houses and let thy house lye waste stir up the spirit of Zorobabel to build thee the second Temple anew which second House likewise by the fulness of the Glory of thy presence thou didst shew thy self to like and allow of Neither only wert thou well pleased with such as did build thee these Temples but even with such of the people afterwards as being moved with zeal added unto their Temple their Mother Church lesser places of prayer by the names of Synagogues in every Town throughout the Land for the Tribes to ascend up to worship thee to learn thy holy will and to do it Which very Act of the Centurion to build thy people a Synagogue thou didst well approve and commend in the Gospel And by the bodily presence of thy Son our Saviour at the feast of the Dedication testified by S. Iohn didst really well allow of and do honour to such devout Religious services as we are now about to perform Which also by thy holy Word hast taught us that thine Apostles themselves and the Christians in their time as they had houses to eat and drink in so had they also where the whole Congregation of the Faithful came together in one place which they expressly called Gods Church and would not have it despised nor abused nor eaten nor drunken in but had in great Reverence being the very place of their holy Assemblies By whose godly examples the Christians in all Ages successively have erected and consecrated sundry godly houses for the Celebration of Divine Service and Worship Monuments of their Piety and Devotion as our eyes see this day We then as Fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God being built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the head corner-stone walking in the steps of their most holy Faith and ensuing the examples of these thy Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles have together with them done the same work I say in building and dedicating this house as an habitation for thee and a place for us to assemble and meet together for the observation of thy Divine Worship invocation of thy Name reading preaching hearing thy most holy Word administring thy most holy Sacraments above all in thy most holy place the very gate of Heaven upon earth as Iacob nam'd it to do the work of Heaven to set forth thy most worthy praise to laud and magnifie thy most glorious Majesty for all thy goodness to all men especially to us of the Houshold of Faith Accept therefore we beseech thee most gracious Father of this our bounden duty and service accept this for thine house and because thine Holiness becomes thine house for ever sanctifie this house with thy gracious presence which is erected to the honour of thy most glorious Name Now therefore arise O Lord and come into this place of thy rest thou and the ark of thy strength Let thine eye be open towards this House day and night Let thine ears be ready towards the Prayers of thy children which they shall make unto thee in this place and let thine heart delight to dwell here perpetually And whensoever thy servants shall make to thee their petitions in this House either to bestow thy good graces and blessings upon them or to remove thy punishments judgments from them hear them from Heaven thy dwelling place the Throne of the glory of thy Kingdom and when thou hearest have mercy and grant O Lord we beseech thee that here and elsewhere thy Priests may be cloathed with Righteousness and thy Saints rejoyce in thy Salvation And whereas both in the Old and New Testament thou hast consecrated the measuring out and building of a material Church to such an excellent Mystery that in it is signified and presented the fruition of the joy of thy Heavenly Kingdom we beseech thee that in this material Temple made with hands we may so serve and please thee in all holy Exercises of Godliness and Christian Religion that in the end we may come to that thy Temple on high even to the holy places made without hands whose Builder and Maker is God so as when we shall cease to pray to thee on Earth we may with all those that have in the like manner erected such places to thy Name and with all thy Saints eternally praise thee in the highest Heavens for all thy goodness vouchsafed us for a time here on earth and laid up for us there in thy Kingdom for ever and ever and that for thy dear Sons sake our Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ to whom c. BLessed Father who hast promised in thy holy Law that in every place where the remembrance of thy Name shall be put thou wilt come unto us and bless us according to that thy promise come unto us and bless us who put now upon this place the memorial of thy Name by dedicating it wholly and only to thy Service and Worship Blessed Saviour who in the Gospel with thy bodily presence didst honour and adorn the Feast of the dedication of the Temple at this dedication of this Temple unto thee be present also and accept Good Lord and prosper the work of our hands Blessed Spirit without whom nothing is holy no person or place is sanctified aright send down upon this place thy sanctifying power and grace hallow it and make it to thee an holy habitation for ever Blessed and glorious Trinity by whose Power Wisdom and Love all things are purged lightened and made perfect enable us with thy Power enlighten us with thy Truth perfect us with thy Grace that both here and elsewhere acknowledging the glory of thy eternal Trinity and in the Power of thy Divine Majesty worshipping the Unity we may obtain to the