III. CHAP. gives us assurance of the contrary, viz. his homilies upon Pentecost, the Philippians, Colossians, and others. This form of salutation Epiphanius saith was derived from our Saviour's first greeting the Apostles after His resurrection, with His eipývny vuiv, "peace be to you." Unobserved let it not pass, that this salutation did anciently denote, as it is here applied, a transition from one service to another, and so St. Chrysostom upon the Colossians, Hom. iii.', seems to render the mode of his time. Let us pray.] The intention of the mind is never so dis- Y posed to relax as in sacred exercises, either seized upon with drowsiness or withdrawn by straying thoughts. e πроσίοντες χασμώμεθα, ὀκνώμεθα, περιστρεφόμεθα, ῥαθμοῦμεν, τῶν γονάτων χαμαὶ κειμένων ἐπὶ τῆς ἀγορᾶς πλανώμεθας, i. e. "when we come into God's dreadful presence, we yawn and stretch ourselves, we scratch and scrub, we gape about us, or grow drowsy; while our knees are upon the ground, our minds are on wool-gathering, or about our law-suits;" yea, as Cyprian saith well", "while we supplicate God to hear our prayers, we do not hear them ourselves." To summon and rouse us therefore to a fixed intention towards the ensuing duty, the Church hath accustomed to call upon us often with an oremus, "let us pray," an office anciently peculiar to the deacon, as is evident out of St. Chrysostom, Augustine, and others. And agreeable to this was the practice of those who followed only nature's dictates. "Οταν οἱ ἱερεῖς πράττωσι τὶ τῶν θείων, ὁ κήρυξ πρόεισι μεγάλῃ φωνῇ βοῶν, Οκ ἀγε “ when the priest is officiating in sacred things, the crier proclaims 83 with a loud voice, Attend or mind what you are about." Lord have mercy upon us.] These three versicles antiquity Z called the lesser litany, and of early admission they were into the service of the Church, being mentioned in the Constitutions ascribed to Clemens*, ἐφ ̓ ἑκάστῳ τούτων ὧν ὁ διάκονος προσφωνεί, ὡς λεγέτω ὁ λαὸς, Κύριε ἐλέησον, i. e. “at every of these allocutions of the deacon, let the people say, Lord have ! [Οταν εἰσέλθῃ ὁ τῆς ἐκκλησίας προεστώς, εὐθέως λέγει εἰρήνη πᾶσιν ὅταν ὁμιλῇ, εἰρήνη πᾶσιν· ὅταν εὐλογῇ, εἰρήνη πᾶσιν· ὅταν ἀσπάζεσθαι κελεύῃ, εἰρήνη πᾶσιν· ὅταν ἡ θυσία τελεσθῇ, εἰρήνη πᾶσι. καὶ μεταξὺ πάλιν, χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη.] Chrysost. in Psalm iv. AA BB III. mercy upon us." Fitly are they placed before the Lord's CHAP. Prayer, because expedient it is we implore God's mercy, before we resort to Him in prayer. The address in it is to the three Persons of the blessed Trinity, and for that cause repeated thrice by the Greeks; but the Western Church put Xploтè éénσov, "Christ have mercy upon us," in the second place. O Lord shew Thy mercy upon us.] These versicles, with their answers, are of divine derivation. "Shew us Thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us Thy salvation," Psalm lxxxv. 7. "God save the king," 1 Sam. x. 24. "Hear me, O Lord, when I call," Psalm iv. 1. "Let Thy priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Thy saints sing with joyfulness," Psalm cxxxii. 9. "O Lord, save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance," Psalm xxviii. 9. "Shall it not be good if peace be in my days," 2 Kings xx. 19. "There is no strength in us, but our eyes are towards Thee," 2 Chron. xx. 12. "Create in me a clean heart, and take not Thy holy Spirit from me," Psalm li. 10, 11. And in regard they are for the major part taken out of the Psalms of David, the priest is ordered to stand up. Collects.] Collects are so called, either because many petitions are contracted and collected into one body, or because they are gathered from several portions of Scripture, especially from those appointed for the epistles and gospels of the days. As well those here next following, as others appropriated to days of solemn celebration, or dispersed abroad in the several offices of our Church, are for the greater part borrowed from the Sacramentary of Gregory the Great; and where others are omitted, it is upon this account, because they contained something edifying towards the invocation of saints. 1 Durand. Rational., lib. iv. c. 12. CHAPTER IV. 85 AN ORDER FOR EVENING PRAYER THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. A IV. CHAP. [Scotch Liturgy, "After the sentences, exhortation, confession, and absolution, as is appointed at morning prayer, the presbyter shall say or sing."] The priest shall say, Our Father which 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 them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [Scotch Liturgy, "For Thine is the kingdom, the power and B the glory, for ever and ever."] Amen. Then psalms in order as they be appointed in the table for psalms, except there be proper psalms appointed for that day. Then a lesson of the Old Testament, as is appointed likewise in the calendar, except there be proper lessons appointed for that day. After that Magnificat in English, as followeth. 86 My soul doth magnify the Lord, &c. Luke i. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, &c. Or else this Psalm. [1 B. of Edw. VI. omitted.] Then a lesson of the New Testament. And after that Nunc CHAP. Magnificat, Cantate Domino, Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace: ac- Luke 2. cording to Thy word, &c. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, &c. As it was in the beginning, is now, &c. Or else this Psalm. [1 B. of Edw. VI. omitted.] God be merciful unto us, &c. Psalm xlvii. 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. The Common Prayer. Then shall follow the Creed, with other prayers as is before appointed at morning prayer after Benedictus. And with three collects. First of the day. The second of peace. Third for aid against all perils, as hereafter followeth. Which two last collects shall be daily said at evening prayer without alteration. 1 B. of Edw. VI. The second Collect at evening prayer. O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed, give unto Thy servants that peace which the world cannot give, that both our hearts may be set Deus mise reatur, Ps. 47. IV. CHAP. to obey Thy commandments, and also that by Thee, we being defended from the fear of our enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness, through the merits of Jesus Christ our Sabiour. Amen. The third Collect, for aid against all perils. Lighten our darkness we beseech Thee, O Lord, and by Thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night, for the love of Thy only Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. [Scotch Liturgy, "Then shall follow the prayer for the king's C majesty, with the rest of the prayers at the end of the Litany, to the Benediction."] Common Prayer. In the feasts of Christmas, the Epiphany, St. Matthias, Easter, the Ascension, Pentecost, St. John Baptist, St. James, St. Bartholomew, St. Matthew, St. Simon and Jude, St. Andrew, and Trinity Sunday, shall be sung or said immediately after Benedictus this confession of our Christian faith. [Scotch Liturgy, "The presbyter and all the people standing."] 1 B. of Edw. VI. In the feasts of Christmas, the Epiphany, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, and upon Trinity Sunday, shall be sung or said immediately after Benedictus this confession of our Christian faith. Quicunque vult. Whosoever will be saved: before all things, it is necessary D that he hold the Catholic faith. Which faith, except every one do keep whole and undefiled: And the Catholic faith is this: that we worship one God in 87 |