The Reverend and very worthy Dr. Lancelot Addifon, Dean of Litchfield, and Father to the Honourable Jofeph Addifon, Efq; particularly ordered to be buried in the Church-yard. A late very worthy Bishop of London did the fame. And formerly, Swithin, Bishop of Winchester, would not be buried within the Church, as the Bishops then generally were, but in the Church-yard. But now Families get every Day, more and more, into the Church, paying the Minifter, for breaking up his Free-hold, and the Parish for repairing the Pavement. But the Money for that being received immediately, and the Ground not finking in fome Time, this is frequently neglected; fo that it seems to be the most effectual Way, to prevent the Unevenness of the Church, to oblige them to arch all the Graves that are made there. The Thanksgiving of Women after Child-birth, commonly called, the Churching of Women. The Woman, at the ufual Time after her Delivery, fhall come into the Church, decently apparelled, and there fhall kneel down in fome convenient Place, as has been accustomed, or as the Ordinary fhall direct; and then the Priest fhall fay unto her Here could be no Limitation of the Time; fome are able to come fooner than a Month, others for Want of Health, are forced to stay longer; but no Matter how long, rather than this Office should ever be performed in their Houses. Neither is there any Time mentioned when this Office shall be performed. Bishop Sparrow, published by Downes, fays, Page 232, That it was to be used or done, betwixt the first and fecond Service, as he had learnt by fome Bishops Enquiries at their Vifitations. The Reason, fays he, perhaps is, because by this Means, it is no Interruption of either of thofe Offices. The Church has made this a diftinct Office, and, as fuch, it may be, intended by it, that it should be performed before the Service begins; as it has added here the Doxology to the Lord's Prayer; that the Perfon may have given Thanks, before the partakes of any Part of the publick Prayers. By these Words, --- You shall therefore give hearty Thanks unto God and say, the Woman 111 is to repeat the Pfalm after the Minister, as it is properly applicable to her alone. A Commination, or Denouncing of God's Anger and Judgments against Sinners, &c. After After Morning Prayer, the Litany ended, according to the accustomed Manner, the Prieft fhall in the Reading-Pew, or Pulpit, fay- The Gratia Domini is ufed, before the Commination begins. When the Minister comes to, Curfed is the Man that maketh, &c. the Congregation do no more than affirm, that the Wrath of God will fall upon fuch, as are guilty of the Crimes there mentioned. For he that fays, Amen, does not fignify his Defire, that the Thing may be fo, as he does, when he fays Amen to a Prayer; but only fignifies his Affent to what is affirmed, as in the Creeds; as has been obferved before. Then fhall they all kneel upon their Knees, and the Priest and Clerks kneeling (in the Place where they are accustomed to fay the Litany) shall fay this Pfalm. This Pfalm is not read alternately, but the People join the Minifter and fay it with him; as just after, they are ordered to say this that followeth, after the Minifter, and not to say it with him. There had nothing been faid upon the Government Forms of Prayer, had not the following Direction caused a certain Wiltshire Friend to think, that if the Thirtieth of Janu ary should happen to fall upon a Sunday, the Form Form was to be used upon the Sunday, and the Faft kept the next Day following: If this Day Shall happen to be Sunday, this Form of Prayer fall be used, and the Faft kept the next Day following. That the Words, Form and used, Faft. and kept, relate to the fame Day, may be easily feen by the Act of Parliament, which eftablifes the Obfervation of this Day, and upon. which this Order is grounded. "And for the better Vindication of our felves to Pofterity, and as a lasting Mo"nument of our otherwife inexpreffible De"teftation and Abhorrence of this villainous " and abominable Fact, we do further befeech your Moft Excellent Majefty, that it may "be enacted by the King's Most. Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Con"fent of the Lords and Commons, in this prefent Parliament affembled, That every "Thirtieth of January, unless it falls out to be upon the Lord's Day, and then the next Day following, fhall be ever hereafter fet apart to be kept and obferved in all the Churches and Chapels of thefe your Majesty's Kingdoms of England and Ireland, as an "Anniversary of Fafting and Humiliation, to implore the Mercy of God, that neither the I " Guilt |