The Liturgy and Ritual of the Ante-Nicene Church (Warren)
The Liturgy and Ritual of the Ante-Nicene Church (Warren)
continued
Chapter III: Ante-Nicene Liturgical Remains
1 IT is proposed in this chapter to collect together and lay before the reader such devotional formulæ, prayers, hymns, etc., as can with certainty be assigned to the ante-Nicene period of the Christian Church. Though not all strictly liturgical, they may be ranged under the head of liturgical remains, if we interpret the epithet 'liturgical' in the general sense which it has gradually acquired, and in which it is now frequently, though not with technical correctness, used. § 1. A PRAYER OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF THE FIRST CENTURY, taken from Chapters LIX., LX., LXI. of the [first] Epistle of St. Clement of Rome to the Corinthians.—The references in the notes seem to justify the conclusion that we have here preserved to us a piece of the Roman Liturgy of the first century. 2 59. 'Grant unto us, Lord, that we may set our hope on Thy Name, which is the primal source of all creation, and open the eyes of our hearts, that we may know Thee, who alone abidest Highest in the high, Holy in the holy; who layest low the insolence of the proud, who scatterest the imaginings of nations; who settest the lowly on high; who makest rich and makest poor; who killest and makest alive; who alone art the Benefactor of spirits and the God of all flesh; who lookest into the abysses, who scannest the works of man; the succour of them that are in peril, the Saviour of them that are in despair, the Creator and Overseer of every spirit; who multipliest the nations upon earth, and hast chosen out from all men those that love Thee, through Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son, through whom Thou didst instruct us, didst sanctify us, didst honour us. We beseech Thee, Lord and Master, to be our help and succour. Save those among us who are in tribulation; have mercy on the lowly; lift up the fallen; show Thyself unto the needy; heal the ungodly; convert the wanderers of Thy people; feed the hungry; release our prisoners; raise up the meek; comfort the faint-hearted. Let all the Gentiles know that Thou art God alone, and Jesus Christ is Thy Son, and we are Thy people and the sheep of Thy pasture.
3 60. Thou through Thine operations didst make manifest the everlasting fabric of the world. Thou, Lord, didst create the earth. Thou that art faithful throughout all generations, righteous in Thy judgments, marvellous in strength and excellence, Thou that art wise in creating and prudent in establishing that which Thou hast made, that art good in the things which are seen, and faithful with them that trust on Thee, pitiful and compassionate, forgive us our iniquities, and our unrighteousness, and our transgressions and shortcomings. Lay not to our account every sin of Thy servants and of Thine handmaids, but cleanse us with the cleansing of Thy truth, and guide our steps to walk in holiness, and righteousness, and singleness of heart, and to do such things as are good and well-pleasing in Thy sight, and in the sight of our rulers. Yea, Lord, make Thy face to shine upon us in peace for our good, that we may be sheltered by Thy right hand, and delivered from every sin by Thine uplifted arm. And deliver us from them that hate us wrongfully. Give
4 and in many of the ancient Liturgies; Liturgy of St. Mark (H., p. 181); Liturgy of St. James (H., p. 44). In the West we find similar allusions in some of the ancient Gallican Liturgies, which form a strong proof of their great antiquity, as in the Missale Gothicum: 'Domini misericordiam deprecemur pro fratribus et sororibus nostris captivitatibus elongatis, carceribus detentis, metallis deputatis,' a præfatio among the Orationes Paschales (No. xxxiii.). concord and peace to us and to all that dwell on the earth as Thou gavest to our fathers, when they called on Thee in faith and truth, with holiness, [that we may be saved] while we render obedience to Thine almighty and most excellent Name, and to our rulers and governors upon the earth. 61. Thou, Lord and Master, hast given them the power of sovereignty through Thine excellent and unspeakable might, that we, knowing the glory and honour which Thou hast given them, may submit ourselves unto them, in nothing resisting Thy will. Grant unto them therefore, O Lord, health, peace, concord, stability, that they may administer the government which Thou hast given them without failure. For Thou, O Heavenly Master, King of the ages, givest to the sons of men glory and power over all things that are upon the earth. Do Thou, Lord, direct their counsel, according to that which is good and well pleasing in Thy sight; that, administering in peace and gentleness with godliness, the power which Thou hast given them, they may obtain Thy favour. O Thou, who alone art able to do these things, and things far more exceeding good than these for us, we praise Thee through the High Priest and Guardian of our souls, Jesus Christ, through whom be the glory and the majesty unto Thee both now and for all generations, and for ever and ever. Amen.
§ 2. EXTRACT FROM THE EPISTLE OF ST. CLEMENT.—The following passage occurs in the
5 thirty-fourth chapter of St. Clement's [first] Epistle to the Corinthians :— 'Let us submit ourselves to His (God's) will; let us mark the whole host of His angels how they stand by and minister unto His will. For the Scripture saith, "Ten thousand times ten thousand stood by Him, and thousands of thousands ministered unto Him : and they cried aloud, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Sabaoth : all creation is full of His glory." Yea, and let us ourselves then, being gathered together into one place with intentness of heart, cry unto Him as from one mouth earnestly, that we may be made partakers of His great and glorious promises. For he saith, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, and it hath not entered into the heart of man what great things He hath prepared for them that patiently await Him." The liturgical cast of this passage has been frequently noticed. We infer from it that the Triumphal Hymn, commonly called the 'Tersanctus,' formed part of the Roman Liturgy at the close of the first century, and that the scriptural quotation, 'Eye hath not seen,' etc., was likewise embedded in it.
6 The Triumphal Hymn formed a part of every known ancient Liturgy, and in the following Liturgies there occurs the two-fold reference to Isa. vi. 3 as well as to Dan. vii. 10 :—The Clementine Liturgy, the Liturgy of St. Chrysostom, St. Mark, Coptic St. Cyril, Ethiopic, SS. Adæus and Maris, Greek St. James, Syriac St. James; but in the last two named Liturgies the reference to Dan. vii. 10 has got transplaced into the Preface to the Lord's Prayer. There does not appear to be any such quotation in Western Liturgies, Roman, Ambrosian, Mozarabic, or Gallican. The text from 1 Cor. ii. 9, 'Eye hath not seen,' etc., is found in various positions in Liturgies, both Eastern and Western, e.g. in the Great Oblation in the Liturgy of Greek St. James; in the Diptychs of the Dead in the Liturgy of St. Mark; in a Preface in the Gallican Liturgy; in a Capitulum in the Mozarabic Breviary, in Festo S. Torquati.
7 Chapters xl. and xli. of the same Epistle imply the existence of a settled Christian Liturgy, though they do not throw any further light upon its language or contents. § 3. PRAYERS FROM THE 'DIDACHÉ.'—The following forms of thanksgiving are found in the Didaché, or the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles:—
Chapter 9.
8 But as touching the eucharistic thanksgiving, give ye thanks thus. First, as regards the cup— We give Thee thanks, O our Father, for the holy vine of Thy son David, which Thou madest known unto us through Thy Son Jesus; Thine is the glory for ever and ever." Then as regards the broken bread— "We give Thee thanks, O our Father, for the life and knowledge which Thou didst make known unto us, through Thy Son Jesus; Thine is the glory for ever and ever. As this broken bread was scattered upon the mountains, and being gathered together became one, so may Thy Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into Thy kingdom; for Thine is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ, for ever and ever." But let no one eat or drink of this eucharistic thanksgiving, but they that have been baptized into the Name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord hath said, "Give not that which is holy to the dogs."
Chapter 10.
9 And after ye are satisfied, thus give ye thanks— "We give Thee thanks, Holy Father, for Thy holy Name which Thou hast made to tabernacle in our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality, which Thou hast made known unto us through Thy Son Jesus; Thine is the glory for ever and ever. Thou, Almighty Master, didst create all things for Thy Name's sake, and didst give food and drink unto men for enjoyment, that they might render thanks to Thee; but didst bestow upon us spiritual food and drink and eternal life through Thy Son. Before all things we give Thee thanks that Thou art powerful. Thine is the glory for ever and ever. Remember, Lord, Thy Church to deliver it from all evil, and to perfect it in Thy love, and gather it from the four winds, even the Church which has been sanctified, into Thy kingdom which Thou hast prepared for it; for Thine is the power and the glory for ever and ever. May grace come, and may this world pass away. Hosanna to the Son of David. If any man is holy let him come; if any man is not, let him repent. Maranatha. Amen."
10 But permit the prophets to offer thanksgiving as much as they desire. It has been debated whether the above thanks-givings are connected with the Sacrament of the Eucharist, or with the agapé, or love-feast. There are the following reasons for thinking that the former connection is impossible:— (a) The thanksgiving connected with the cup precedes the thanksgiving connected with the broken bread. (b) No traces of these thanksgivings have been found in any existing Liturgies, Eastern or Western. (c) The Eucharist is separately treated of later on in the Didaché (cap. 14). (d) Such an expression as , though it might be paralleled in rhetorical passages of such a writer as Bishop Jeremy Taylor, or in the enraptured devotions of mediæval or modern saints, could hardly be used in a direction resembling a rubric in such a formal document as the Didaché. § 4. PRAYER OF THE SCILLITAN MARTYRS.—A prayer which the earliest extant Greek Version (A.D. 890) puts into the mouths of the Scillitan martyrs, who suffered death by the sword for the faith in Africa, on July 17 (A.D. 180). Their names were Speratus, Nartzalus, Cittinus, Veturius, Felix, Aquilinus, Celestinus [in the Latin text, Lætantius], Januaria, Generosa, Vestia, Donata, Secunda.
11 'We give thanks to Thee, thrice-holy Lord, and we magnify Thee because Thou hast mercifully completed the conflict of our confession, and Thy kingdom endureth for ever and ever. Amen.' § 5. PRAYERS OF ORIGEN.—Origen quotes the following short prayer as in constant use in church in his time :— 'Grant us, O Almighty God, grant us a part with Thy prophets; grant us a part with the Apostles of Thy Christ; grant that we may be found at the feet of Thy only-begotten Son.' The following prayers also occur in his writings :— 'Almighty Lord God, may it never happen to us that Jesus Christ, after He is risen from the dead, should again die in us. For what doth it profit me if He liveth in others from their virtue, while He dieth in me from the infirmity of sin? What doth it profit me if He doth live in me and in my heart, and doth not work out in me the works of life? What doth it profit me if in another He is born and made again from good desires, good faith, and good works, while in me and in my heart He is, as it were, strangled and put to death by evil thoughts, unlawful desires, and most evil imaginations.'
12 'O Lord Jesu, Son of David, come, I pray Thee, lay aside from Thee the nature wherewith Thou hast clothed Thyself on my account, and gird Thyself for my sake, and pour water into a bason, and wash the feet of Thy servants, and cleanse away the filth of Thy sons and of Thy daughters. Wash Thou the feet of our mind, that we, imitating and following Thee, may put off from us our old garments, and may say, "By night I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? For as soon as Thou shalt have washed my feet, make me to recline with Thee, that I may hear Thy words, "Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. I too, therefore, am willing to wash the feet of my brethren, to wash the feet of my fellow disciples. And, therefore, I take water, and I draw from the fountains of Israel that which I wring out of the Israelitish fleece. For at one time I wring water out of the fleece of the Book of Judges, and at another time water from the fleece of kingdoms, and water from the fleece of Isaiah or Jeremiah; and I pour it into the bason of my mind, conceiving the sense in my heart;
13 and I take the feet of those who offer themselves, and prepare themselves for supper; and, in so far as the power lies in me, I desire to wash the feet of my brethren, and to fulfil the commandment of the Lord, that through the word of teaching the hearers may be purged from the contamination of their sins, and may cast away from themselves all the uncleanness of their vices, and may have clean feet wherewith they may rightly walk towards the preparation of the gospel of peace; so that all of us, purified together in Christ Jesus by the Word, may not be rejected from the Bridegroom's chamber, because of our unclean garments; but that with shining vesture, and washed feet, and clean heart, we may recline at the banquet of the Bridegroom, our Lord Himself, Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.'
14 'Haste Thee to help me, [O Lord God of my salvation], for the battle is great and the adversaries are powerful. The enemy is hostile, the invisible foe fighting through visible forms. Haste Thee, therefore, to help us, and assist us through Thy holy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom Thou hast redeemed us all, through whom be glory and power to Thee for ever and ever. Amen.' § 6. FORMS OF CREED.—The following creeds, or fragments of creeds, have been put together from writers of the pre-Nicene period:— (a) From the Apology of Aristides, written in the reign of Antoninus Pius, A.D. 138–161:— 'We believe in one God, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ His Son, Born of the Virgin Mary; He was pierced by the Jews; He died, and was buried; The third day He rose again; He ascended into heaven; He is about to come to judge.' (b) From the Apology of Athenagoras, presented to the emperors Aurelius and Commodus, c. A.D. 177—
15 'We acknowledge one uncreated, and eternal, and invisible, and impassible, and incomprehensible, and illimitable God. . . . By whom, through His word, the universe has been created and adorned, and is preserved. We acknowledge the Son of God. . . . The Son of God is the Word of the Father, in form and efficacy; for according to Him, and by Him, have all things been made, since the Father and the Son are one,' etc. (c) From the writings of St. Irenæus, A.D. 170-180— 'We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Who made heaven, and earth, and the seas, and all that in them is. And in one Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Who was made flesh for our salvation. And in the Holy Ghost, Who preached through the prophets. And the birth [of Jesus Christ] of a Virgin, And His passion, And His resurrection from the dead,
16 And the ascension into heaven in the flesh, of the beloved Christ Jesus our Lord, And His coming from heaven in the glory of the Father, to gather up again all things unto Himself, And to raise up all flesh of the human race.' (d) From the writings of Tertullian— '[I believe in] one God Almighty, the Creator of the world : And in His Son, Jesus Christ, Born of the Virgin Mary, Crucified under Pontius Pilate ; On the third day He rose from the dead, He was received into heaven, He is now seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come to judge the quick and the dead, Through the resurrection also of the flesh.' (e) From the writings of St. Cyprian— 'I believe in God the Father, In Christ the Son, In the Holy Spirit : I believe in the remission of sins, And life eternal, Through the Holy Church.'
17 (f) The Confessio fidei of Hippolytus, printed by Bunsen, is rather a treatise than a creed. (g) The Creed of Novatian, c. 260, the ringleader of a schism at Rome which hinged on a point not of doctrine but of discipline, was similar to the above, as may be gathered from St. Cyprian's allusions to Novatian and his teaching in his Epistle to Magnus. (h) Creed of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus, produced between A.D. 260–265. 'There is one God, Father of Him who is the Living Word, subsisting Wisdom, and Power, and eternal Impress, Perfect Begetter of the Perfect, Father of the Only-Begotten Son. There is one Lord, Alone of the Alone, God of God, Impress and Image of the Godhead, the operative Word; Wisdom comprehensive of the system of the universe, and Power productive of the whole creation; true Son of true Father, Invisible of Invisible, and Incorruptible of Incorruptible, and Immortal of Immortal, and Eternal of Eternal.
18 And there is one Holy Ghost, who hath His being of God, who hath appeared, that is to mankind, through the Son, Image of the Son, Perfect of the Perfect; Life, the cause of all them that live; Holy Fountain, Holiness, the Bestower of sanctification, in whom is manifested God the Father, who is over all and in all, and God the Son, who is through all. A perfect Trinity, not divided nor alien in glory and eternity and dominion.' (h) An early instance of the expansion of the Creed is found in the letter sent by Hymenæus, Bishop of Jerusalem, who died in A.D. 273, and his colleagues to Paul of Samosata. The faith which has been handed down from the beginning was— 'That God is unbegotten, One without beginning, unseen, unchangeable, whom no man hath seen or can see, whose glory and greatness it is impossible for human nature to conceive or to trace out adequately . . . but we must be content to have a moderate conception of Him. . . . His Son reveals Him. . . . as He Himself says, "No man knoweth the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son revealeth Him." We confess and proclaim His Begotten Son, the only-begotten, the Image of the invisible God, the Firstborn of every creature, the Wisdom and Word and Power of God, being before the worlds God, not by foreknowledge, but by essence and substance,' etc.
19 (i) The following interrogative form of creed is put to the candidate for baptism in the Canons of Hippolytus:— ' Dost thou believe in God the Father Almighty? IV. I do believe. Dost thou believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, whom the Virgin Mary begat of the Holy Ghost, who came to save the human race, who was crucified [for us] under Pontius Pilate, who died, and rose from the dead on the third day, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father, and shall come again to judge the quick and the dead? IV. I do believe. Dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost [the Paraclete, proceeding from the Father and the Son]? IV. I do believe.' After each response the candidate is directed to be immersed beneath the water, and the baptismal formula is repeated at each of the trine immersions.
20 A much fuller form of Baptismal Creed will be found in the Apostolic Constitutions. § 7. A HYMN TO CHRIST.—The following hymn to Christ was composed by St. Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 170–220). The original Greek is given in Daniel's Thesaurus Hymnologicus, tom. iii. p. 3. Further information about its authorship and character will be found in Julian's Dictionary of Hymnology, pp. 238, 456. The present translation is taken from A. C. L., iv. 345, where also a metrical, but necessarily less literal version is given. 'Bridle of untamed colts, Wing of unwandering birds, Sure helm of babes, Shepherd of royal lambs, assemble Thy simple children to praise holily, to hymn guilelessly, with innocent mouths, Christ, the Guide of children. O King of Saints, all-subduing Word of the most high Father, Ruler of wisdom, Support of sorrows, rejoicing in eternity, Jesus, Saviour of the human race, Shepherd, Husbandman, Helm, Bridle, Heavenly Wing of the all-holy flock, Fisher of men who are saved, catching the chaste fishes with sweet life from the hateful wave of a sea of vices ;—
21 Guide us, Shepherd of rational sheep; guide, O holy King, Thy children safely along the footsteps of Christ; O heavenly Way, perennial Word, immeasurable Age, eternal Light; Fount of mercy, Performer of virtue. Noble is the life of those who hymn God, O Christ Jesus, heavenly Milk of the sweet breasts of the graces of the Bride, pressed out of Thy Wisdom. Babes nourished with tender mouths, filled with the dewy spirit of the rational pap, let us sing together simple praises, true hymns to Christ our King, holy fee for the teaching of life, let us sing in simplicity the powerful Child. O choir of peace, ye Christ-begotten ones, O chaste people, let us sing together the God of peace.' § 8. THE VIRGINS' SONG (" ").— The following song was composed by Methodius, Bishop of Tyre (see List of Authorities, p. xv.). The original Greek is printed in P. G., tom. xviii. coll. 207-214. The spirited translation given here was composed by the Rev. A. W. Chatfield, and is quoted from his Songs and Hymns of the Earliest Greek Poets (London, 1876), p. 141. Further information will be found in Julian's Dictionary of Hymnology, p. 458; Greek Hymnody, § x. 2, as well as in Mr. Chatfield's introduction.
1.
22 The Bridegroom cometh! Overhead The shout descending wakes the dead! Go forth to meet the King, The gates just entering. Virgins, white-robed, with lamps haste eastward forth to meet Him; Haste ye, O haste ye to greet Him!
The Refrain.
23 With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning.
2.
24 Earth's mournful bliss I left, and toys Of wanton life, and foolish joys: To Thee alone I cling: Thou art my Life, my King; Grant that I may, O Blessed, ever close to Thee, Thy royal beauty see.
The Refrain.
25 With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning. Thou art my wealth : for Thee I fled All worldly lure, and upward sped ; And come in spotless dress Of Thine own righteousness, With Thee to enter in the bridal chamber gates, Where perfect bliss awaits.
The Refrain.
26 With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning.
4.
27 Saved from the dragon's myriad wiles, By which the simple he beguiles, I bore the dreadful fire, And wild beast's savage ire ; Waiting till Thou from heaven, O Hope of all creation, Shouldst come to my salvation !
The Refrain.
28 With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning.
5.
29 My home and country for Thy sake, And maiden dance, I did forsake, And mother's pride and race, And thoughts of rank and place ; For Thou, O Christ the Word, art all in all to me, I long for naught save Thee.
The Refrain.
30 With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning. Hail! Christ the Life, unchanging Day, Accept this humble virgin lay; To Thee our song of praise With heart and voice we raise! In Thee, O Thou perfection's flower, O Word Divine, Love, joy, mind, wisdom shine. The Refrain. With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning. 7. O Bride, triumphant now in light, And clad in robes of purest white, Sweet breathing, sinless, free, Ope wide the gates to me: Sit we in self-same company near Christ above, And sing Thy marriage, Love! The Refrain. With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning. 8. Ah me! some virgins vainly pour Their sobs and cries outside the door: Their lamps are quenched, and they No burning light display: Their error they would mend; but ah! they come too late,
31 And closed is the gate. The Refrain. With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning. For they a foolish part had played, And from the sacred pathway strayed; Oil, they had purchased none: Ah! wretched and undone! Forbidden with dead lamps the home of bliss to see, They wail their misery. The Refrain. With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning. 10. Lo! goblet filled with sweetest wine: Drink we, O virgins, 'tis Divine, And forth-set for our need: Lo! this is drink indeed; This for the guests, who to the marriage bidden are, The Bridegroom doth prepare. The Refrain. With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning. First type, O Blessed One, of Thee In Abel shining bright we see: To Heaven he lifts his eyes, Blood-dripping, and thus cries: 'Me, by my cruel brother slain, receive, O Lord,
32 O Thou the Eternal Word.' The Refrain. With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning. Joseph, another type of Thee, Won highest prize of purity: Whom Thou wouldst own Thy child, He scorned to be beguiled By shameless woman; stripped, he yet her wrath defied, And straight to Thee he cried. The Refrain. With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning. 13. A lamb for sacrifice is sought: A lamb-like victim Jephthah brought: For rash-made vow he cared, Nor virgin daughter spared: A type, O Blessed One, of Thy humanity, She poured her soul to Thee. The Refrain. With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning. 14. In valour Judith holds high post: The leader of the oppressing host, She smote by beauty's lure, Herself a type all pure: He headless lay; and unto Thee the conquering maid
33 Her love in song displayed. The Refrain. With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning. The judges twain, by passion's flame Enkindled, and all dead to shame, Would chaste Susannah bind To their unhallowed mind : To their proposals base, she gave a just reply, And raised her voice on high :
The Refrain.
34 With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning.
16.
35 'Twere better far that I should die, Than traitress be to marriage tie, And, yielding to your will, Both soul and body kill : Base men ! God's fire of wrath eternal would me seize. Save me, O Christ, from these.'
The Refrain.
36 With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning.
17.
37 And he who thousands washed from sin, Of Thy true light the bringer-in, For Virtue's cause alone Is into prison thrown By wicked king, and staining now the ground with gore, He cried to Thee the more.
The Refrain.
38 With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning. And Thy blest mother, spotless maid, Was thought her vows to have betrayed, When travailing with Thee, O Lord of purity : And found with child of transcendental heavenly birth, She raised her voice from earth. The Refrain. With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning. 19. Thy saints, all eager that they may Behold the glories of the day Of Thine espousals high, With holy gifts draw nigh : For Thou, O Word, hast called them, Thou the angel's King, White-robed to Thee they sing. The Refrain. With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning. 20. O holy Church, O heavenly Bride, With hymns, attending at Thy side, We yet on earth below Thine honour thus forth-show : All snow-white thou, all beauteous spouse of Christ above, All purity, all love.
39 The Refrain. With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning. Past are corruption, sickness, pain, Nor tears shall ever flow again; For troubles all have fled, And death itself is dead: And sin and folly with dark dismal train are gone, Since grace in glory shone.
The Refrain.
40 With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning.
22.
41 No longer Paradise of men Is void; for there God wills again That man should safely dwell; Yea, man the same who fell Beneath the serpent's wiles: now in the promised rest, Immortal, fearless, blest.
The Refrain.
42 With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning.
23.
43 Thou now to heavenly places raised, By all the virgin choir art praised, O Bride of heavenly King, And song all new we sing: With lighted torch in hand, with snow-white lilies crowned, Thy praise in Christ we sound.
The Refrain.
44 With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning. Father of Heaven, supreme in might, Dwelling in pure eternal light With Thine own Son most dear, Admit—for we are here— E'en us within the gates of life, to sing Thy love In Thy blest courts above. The Refrain. With holy feet, and lamps bright burning, I go to meet my Lord returning. § 9. AN EVENING HYMN.—The following evening hymn of the Greek Church may be referred to an earlier date than A.D. 300. St. Basil the Great, writing in the 4th century, alludes to it as an ancient composition of unknown authorship. It was sung in the ancient Church at the lighting of the lamps, and hence is known as 'The Lamp-light, or Candle-light Hymn'. The original Greek may be seen, with further authorities and details, in Julian's Dictionary of Hymnology, p. 894. 45 The translation here appended is taken from Rev. A. W. Chatfield's Songs and Hymns of the Greek Christian Poets (London, 1876), p. 176. A less literal but more familiar translation occurs in Hymns Ancient and Modern, No. 18. 'Propitious light of holy glory, Of the immortal heavenly Father, Holy, blessed, O Jesu Christ, Having come to the setting of the sun, Having seen the evening light, We hymn the Father, the Son, And the Holy Spirit, God. Thou art worthy at all times To be hymned with thankful voices, O Son of God, Who givest life, Wherefore the world glorifieth Thee.'
§ 10. Prayers and Thanksgivings from the Canons of Hippolytus.
46 (a) A Prayer to be said by the Bishop at the Imposition of Hands on the newly baptized, as prescribed in the Canons of Hippolytus. 'We bless Thee, O Lord God, who hast rendered these persons worthy of being born again, and over whom Thou pourest out Thy Holy Spirit, that those who have been united to the body of the Church may never be separated from it by wicked works. Grant rather to those, to whom Thou hast already given the remission of sins, the pledge also of Thy kingdom, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to Thee, with Himself and with the Holy Ghost, be glory for ever and ever. Amen.' (b) Form of 'Gloria Patri' to be said after the Benediction of each of the Offerings of Firstfruits by the Celebrant in the Holy Eucharist. 'Glory be to Thee, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.'
47 (c) Form of Prayer at the Reception and Blessing of the Firstfruits. 'We give thanks to Thee, Almighty Lord God, for that Thou hast made us worthy to see these fruits which the earth hath this year produced. Bless them, O Lord, as the crown of the year, according to Thy lovingkindness, and let them be for the satisfying of the poor among Thy people; and bless Thy servant N. who hath offered these [firstfruits] out of Thy gifts, because he feareth Thee. Bless him from Thy holy heaven, together with his household and his sons, and pour upon them Thy mercy and Thy holy grace, that he may know Thy will in all things, and cause him to inherit that which is in heaven, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son, and the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen.' (d) A Prayer to be used at the Consecration of a Bishop.
48 'O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of mercies and God of all consolation, who dwellest [habitat] in high places, and beholdest the lowly, and knowest all things before they happen. Thou, who hast fixed the bounds of Thy Church, by whose command it takes place, that the race of the just should continue from Adam by reason of this Bishop who is the great Abraham, who hast constituted prelacy and princedom, look upon Thy servant N, giving him Thy strength, and the spirit of power, which Thou gavest unto Thy holy Apostles, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thine only Son; to them who have founded the Church in every place to the honour and glory of Thy holy Name. Because Thou hast known the heart of each, grant unto him that he may behold Thy people without sin, that he may be worthy to feed Thy great and holy flock. Grant also that his manner of life [mores] may be superior to that of all the people, without any falling away. Grant also that on account of his excellence he may be envied by all; and accept his prayers and oblations, which he shall offer by day and night, and let them be unto Thee a sweet-smelling savour. Give unto him, O Lord, the office of bishop, and the spirit of clemency, and the power of remitting sins; and endue him with the power of breaking all the chains of wickedness of devils, and of healing all diseases; and tread down Satan under his feet swiftly, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to Thee be glory with Him and with the Holy Ghost for ever and ever. Amen.'
49 In Canon iv. § 31, this same prayer is directed to be used at the ordination of a presbyter, the word 'presbyter' being substituted for the word 'bishop.' (e) Prayer to be said at the Ordination of a Deacon, as the Bishop lays his hands upon him. 'O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we earnestly beseech Thee that Thou wouldest pour Thy Holy Spirit upon Thy servant N., and prepare him a place with those who serve Thee according to Thy good pleasure, as Stephen, and that Thou wouldest grant unto him the strength to conquer all the power of the crafty one by the sign of Thy Cross, wherewith he himself is signed; and that Thou wouldest grant unto him a manner of life without sin in the presence of all men, and teaching on behalf of many, whereby he may lead a numerous people into the holy Church, unto salvation, without scandal. Accept all his service through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to Thee with Himself, and with the Holy Ghost be glory for ever and ever. Amen.' § 11. ANTHEMS, ETC., OF UNCERTAIN DATE.—The foregoing, we believe, exhaust the list of formulæ of Christian devotion, to which an ante-Nicene date can be assigned with certainty.
50 There are other ancient devotional forms which may possibly or even probably be of ante-Nicene antiquity, but we have no certain evidence of the fact, and the documents in which they first reach us are not themselves of an ante-Nicene date. Such are the hymn 'Gloria in Excelsis,' of which the earliest known forms are found in chaps. 47–49 of Book iii. of the Apostolic Constitutions, and in the Codex Alexandrinus of the Bible, a fifth-century MS. now in the British Museum; the Triumphal Hymn, or Tersanctus, which is found in the Clementine Liturgy, in the eighth book of the Apostolic Constitutions; numerous prayers, thanksgivings, benedictions, etc., in the Apostolic Constitutions, and more especially in the seventh and eighth books thereof. § 12. ANCIENT LITURGIES.—We must, however, say a few words about ancient Liturgies. In the last volume of their Ante-Nicene Library, Messrs. Roberts and Donaldson somewhat arbitrarily select and translate in extenso the following Liturgies and no others:—
51 (1) The Liturgy of St. James; (2) The Liturgy of St. Mark; (3) The Liturgy of the Holy Apostles (Adæus and Maris). There are no very early MSS. of these Liturgies in existence. They are not ante-Nicene in their present form, though much of their substance, no doubt—probably the greater part of it—springs from a date anterior to A.D. 325. But the same remark is true of many other Liturgies both Eastern and Western. Bunsen, in the third volume of his Analecta Ante-Nicæna, prints the whole or part of many of them, including even the Roman Canon of the Mass (St. Gregory's) which is the one Liturgy of which it may be confidently asserted that it is not ante-Nicene. If any one Liturgy has a claim above others to be ranked as ante-Nicene, it is the so-called Clementine Liturgy preserved in Book viii. of the Apostolic Constitutions, and which is given in its entirety in the Appendix, p. 278. Bunsen has printed this in the second volume of his Analecta Ante-Nicæna. Its claim to antiquity rests not only on the place and mode of its preservation, but also on internal points of evidence in favour of a very early date, which, however, we must not attempt to produce and examine and discuss here.
52 It is not known in what Church it was in use, or whether it ever was actually in use in any Church. Internal evidence points to Antioch as the place of its composition; but it would hardly have been attributed to St. Clement unless it fairly represented the Liturgy of the Church of Rome during the first three centuries, while that Church was still a Greek-speaking community. It claims to be the composition of St. Clement, Bishop of Rome. But this claim cannot be substantiated. A great quantity of early Christian literature was labelled as Clementine. It is due to the highly inconvenient—we will not say dishonest, because it was not intended to be dishonest—but the highly inconvenient practice of attributing documents to some early Father, or to one of the Twelve Apostles themselves, in order to secure for them acceptance and respect. There is, however, external testimony for assigning to the Clementine Liturgy the earliest date among all Liturgies in a statement made under the name of Proclus, Patriarch of Constantinople (434–446), in a tract attributed to him, about the 'handing down of the Divine Liturgy.' This tract, even if not genuine, and in some respects not historical, is so important for other reasons besides its statement about the Clementine Liturgy, that it deserves to be translated and laid before our readers in full.
53 'Many other pastors and teachers of the Church who succeeded the Apostles have committed an edition of the mystic Liturgy to writing, and have handed it down to the Church; of whom these are the first and the most conspicuous, The blessed Clement: the disciple and successor of the chief of the Apostles, at the dictation of the holy Apostles themselves, and the divine James, whose lot lay in the Church of Jerusalem, of which he was appointed the first bishop by the first and greatest High Priest, Christ our God. Then Basil the Great noticed the slothfulness and degeneracy of men, and that they were wearied by the length of the liturgy—not that he himself considered that there was anything too long or superfluous in it—and cut away the idle objections of those who prayed and those who heard, which in the course of long time had grown up, by abbreviating it.
54 After the ascension of our Saviour into heaven, the Apostles, before they were scattered over the whole world, met together and spent whole days in prayer, and found such consolation in the mystic sacrifice of the Lord's body, that they chanted it at very great length, and they considered it their chiefest duty to teach others to do the same. They spent time over this Divine rite with happiness and with the greatest joy, remembering the word of the Lord when He said, "This is My body," and "Do this in remembrance of Me; he that eateth My flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in Me, and I in him." Therefore, with contrite hearts they chanted many prayers, imploring the Divine favour. They also accustomed the newly baptized converts both from the Jews and Gentiles to attend these mysteries of grace, piously teaching them and training them to desert the services which preceded the dispensation of grace; and which were a shadow of good things to come.
55 By such prayers, then, they besought and expected the descent of the Holy Ghost, in order that by His Divine Presence He might cause and make the bread and wine mingled with water, which were proposed for sacrifice, to become the very body and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ. This is still done among us at the present day, and will be done till the end of the world. But their successors, losing the firmness and fervour of the first faith, and entangled with the business and cares of the world, became wearied, as I said above, with the length of the Liturgy, and were got with difficulty to come and hear the Master's words. Wherefore the Divine Basil, by way of medicinal remedy, shortened the Liturgy. Again, not long afterwards, our Father, John Chrysostom, like a good shepherd caring for the safety of his flock, contemplating the slothfulness of human nature, determined to cut off, root and branch, all the excuses suggested by Satan. Accordingly he cut off many things, and still further shortened the celebration of the holy rite, lest by degrees men, who most dearly love freedom and leisure, should become deceived by the fallacious reasonings of the adversary, and should hold aloof from the service of apostolic and Divine appointment; a defection which we have seen taking place by many people at many times and in many places, and which may be seen till the present day.'
56 But in spite of the certainty that part, and the possibility that the whole, of the Clementine Liturgy belongs to a date prior to the Council of Nice, we do not feel justified in printing it here, because the earliest document in which it has come down to us, viz. Book viii. of the Apostolic Constitutions, is a compilation of the second half of the fourth century, and it is impossible for us to say with certainty what additions or touches it may have received at the hands of the compiler of those Constitutions.