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council of Agde, A. D. 517, ordained that the people should be dismissed with a benediction in the evening, after the prayer had been collected; that is, after the collect had been said. The office of vespers, according to the eastern church in the third or fourth century, also terminated with a collect, and a benediction by the bishop, as we may perceive in the Apostolical Constitutions; and the same order is visible in the most ancient monuments of the office of vespers, according to the rites used in the patriarchate of Constantinoplet.

THE COLLECT FOR PEACE.

This collect is found in all the ancient monuments of the English church, where it has been used for above twelve hundred years. It is, without any reasonable doubt, as old as the fifth century, since it occurs in the sacramentary of Gelasius, A. D. 494.

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THE COLLECT for AID AGAINST PERILS.

This collect is also found in the most ancient monuments of the English church, and likewise occurs in the sacramentaries of Gregory the Great and Gelasius. In this last it is expressly appointed to be used at evening service; so that this collect has been appropriated to evening prayer for nearly fourteen hundred years.

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.

Illumina, quæsumus Domine Deus, tenebras nostras; et totius hujus noctis insidias tu à nobis repelle propitius. Per Dominum &c.v

CONCLUDING COLLECTS AND BENEDICTION.

With regard to the collects for the king, royal family, clergy and people, and the prayer of S. Chrysostom, I have nothing to say, which has not already been said at the end of the remarks on morning prayer. It may, however, be observed, that there is nothing whatsoever inconsistent with the ancient practice of the English churches in placing these collects in the place they occupy; since they are to be regarded in the light of memoria, or commemorations, which were very common after the collects of the canonical hours.

I have also spoken of the benediction at the close

Ebor. fol. 264. Miss. Sar. Commune, fol. 19. MS. Leofric. fol. 27. Gregorii Sacramentar. a Menard. p. 216. Gelasii Sacr. Muratori Lit. Rom. Vet. tom. i. p. 690.

v Breviar. Sarisb. fol. 57. Brev. Ebor. fol. 3. Gregorii Sacr. a Menard. p. 210. Gelasii Sacram. Muratori, tom. i. p. 745. MS. Leofric. fol. 329.

of morning prayer; and have now only to add, that the evening office terminated with a benediction in the eastern church, about the fourth contury; and also in the patriarchate of Constantinople, then, or not long after*. The council of Agde, Benedict, and Amalarius speak of the same in the west; and it appears in the offices of the church of England during the period antecedent to the Norman Conquest2.

w Apost. Const. lib. viii. c. 36.

x Goar, Rituale Græc. p. 46. y Concil. Agath. can. 30. ut supra. S. Benedict. Regula, c. 17. Amalarius de Eccl. Off.

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lib. iv. c. 45.
Oratio et be-
nedictio semper in fine fiunt."
z Officium Anglo-Sax. in
nocte, ad finem completorii ;
see Appendix to Hickes's Let-
ters, &c.

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a short lesson from scripture P. sixth century, and Amalarius, A. I of the lesson in this place. The offices enlarged this short lesson, ways to be taken from the New T ing to the ancient rule of the Egy the fifth century; for, according two lessons were read in their noct nal assembly, of which the second w from the New Testament".

SECTION XIII.

BENEDICTUS.

The lesson at lauds, in the ancient was followed by the canticle which of the present section, and which w called the "psalm Benedictus," and the Prophet Zachariass." It occupies same relative position as it has alwa English offices. Benedict speaks de Evangelio as occurring in this ther he refers especially to this Son or not, I cannot determinet; howev A. D. 820, speaks of this position of

p Breviar. Sarisb. fol. 5. et Psalt. fol. 8. 22. Brev. Ebor. fol. 5. Brev. Hereford.

q S. Benedict. Regula, c. 12, 13. Amalar. de Eccl. Off. lib. iv. c. 10. Dein sequitur lectio quæ pro admonitione fraterna recitatur in choro, quæ semper placita erit quamdiu in præ

senti sæculo

r Cassian lib. ii. c. 6.

s Brev. S
Ebor. fol. 6
Psalt. in Do

t S. Bene
u Amalar

iv. c. 12.

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This was read amongst the sof
the office of Salisbury, and other Farish com
and the only difference between gr
former position is, that it was
the lesson, and is now read after
A.D.820, speaks of tms pamasa
Benedictus and Jubilate Le

be used in this place, are to be
of responsories to the second

the ancient custom of the Coristas mercy
psalms and lessons were app
nately.

THE CREED OF ATHAM

The office of land was s prime, or the first hour, accorge English offices. In the office psalms, which have not been rela sian Creed, termed "Psammus sung on Sundays. According to at present, this psaim, or cre sung on certain feasts in the tively to the Benedictus, and as it has always occupied

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d had been introduced Thaumaturgus. The cessional supplications, into use after the seaby, and therefore not On the other hand, supplications in the ns were more ancient. asonable to interpret to mean processional shortly after litanies Constantinople. Soof John Chrysostom, being obliged to pere walls, were accuswithin the gates of hymns suited to the he night. And early ns of the same sort y, they went out of e places where they

Dr. Waterland says, that we caubst aga period than the year 880, for the marvidio of this creed into the office of price by the Engin

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Brev. Sar. fol. 5. et Psalt. ibid. fol. 7. Brev. Ebor. fol.5. ibid. Amalar. de Eccl. Off. lib. iv. c. 10. de Matutinali Officio.

people might be inese processions, esta1 more splendid scale liberality of the eme furnished with silwhich were carried

καὶ ᾠδὰς ἀντιφώνους πρὸς τὴν ανὴν δόξαν συντιθέντες ἤδον· ·οῦτο ἐποίουν κατὰ τὸ πλεῖστον ς τῆς νυκτός· ὑπὸ δὲ ὄρθρον, οιαῦτα ἀντίφωνα λέγοντες διὰ ς τῆς πόλεως, ἐξῄεσαν τῶν πυSocrat. Hist. Eccl. lib. vi. p. 312. ed. Valesii.

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