"The Lord be with you!" the people answering, " And with thy spirit!" or of some short prayer of the preacher; or of the private prayers of people, intermingled with the psalmody; and not of the common prayers of the Church. For many orders of men might be present at the sermon, and to hear the Scriptures read, who might not join in prayers with the faithful; and for that reason the sermon and reading of the Scriptures went before, that such persons might have the benefit of them, who were to be dismissed when the prayers begun, because they had as yet no title to communicate in them.

SECT. 2.-Who might, or might not be present at these Prayers. Infidels and mere Hearers obliged to withdraw.

These prayers were of two sorts: prayers peculiar to the faithful or communicants only at which neither catechumens, nor penitents, nor energumens, nor any persons yet unbaptised might be present: and prayers made particularly for these several orders, at which therefore they were allowed to be present, and both hear the prayers, and pray for themselves. But even from these prayers some were obliged to withdraw, who were allowed to be present at sermons for their instruction. Such were all Jews and infidels and such of the catechumens and penitents as were known by the distinct name of 'Aкpowμevol among the Greeks and Audientes among the Latins, that is, hearers only. Therefore as soon as sermon was ended, before any of these prayers began in the service of the catechumens, a deacon was used to make proclamation from some eminency in the Church, "Ne quis audientium, Ne quis infidelium, Let none of the hearers, let none of the unbelievers be present," as it is worded in the Constitutions.

SECT. 3. Of the Prayers for the Catechumens. The genuine Forms of them out of St. Chrysostom and the Constitutions.

This said, and silence being made, the deacon cried again, Pray ye, catechumens ;" and, "Let all the faithful

1 Constit. Apost. lib. viii. c. 5.

with attention pray for them, saying, Lord have mercy upon them!" Then the deacon began a prayer for them, which in the Constitutions is called “ Προσφώνησις ὑπὲρ τῶν κατηχε μEvov, a bidding prayer for the catechumens," because it was both an exhortation and direction, how they were to pray for them. We have two ancient forms of this prayer still remaining, one in St. Chrysostom, and another in the Constitutions. That in the Constitutions is in these words: "Let us all beseech God for the catechumens; that He who is gracious, and a lover of mankind, would mercifully hearken to their supplications and prayers, and accepting their petitions would help them, and grant them the requests of their souls according to what is expedient for them; that He would reveal the Gospel of Christ to them: that He would enlighten and instruct them, and teach them the knowledge of God and divine things; that He would instruct them in his precepts and judgments; that He would open the ears of their hearts to be occupied in his law, day and night; that He would confirm them in religion, that He would unite them to, and number them with his holy flock, vouchsafing them the laver of regeneration, with the garment of incorruption, and true life; that He would deliver them from all impiety, and give no place to the adversary to get advantage against them; but that He would cleanse them from all pollution of flesh and spirit, and dwell in them, and walk in them by his Christ; that He would bless their going out and their coming in, and direct all their designs and purposes to their advantage. Further yet, let us earnestly pray for them, that they may have remission of sins by the initiation of baptism, and be thought worthy of the holy mysteries, and remain among his saints."

Then the deacon addressing himself to the catechumens themselves, said, "Catechumens arise. Pray for the peace of God, that this day, and all the time of your life may pass in quietness and without sin; that you may make a Christian end, and find God propitious and merciful, and obtain remission of your sins. Commend yourselves to the only unbegotten God by his Christ."

1 Constit. lib. viii. c. 6.

To every petition of this bidding prayer, the people, and especially children, are appointed to subjoin," Kúpte dinσov, Lord have mercy upon them!"

After this the deacon bids them bow down, and receive the bishop's benediction; which is in the following form of direct invocation.

"O Almighty God, who art without original and inaccessible, the only true God, Thou God and Father of Christ, thy only-begotten Son, God of the Comforter,' and Lord of all things; who by Christ did make learners become teachers for the propagation of Christian knowledge; look down now upon these thy servants, who are learning the instructions of the Gospel of thy Christ: and give them a new heart, and renew a right spirit within them, that they may know and do thy will with a perfect heart and a willing mind. Vouchsafe them thy holy baptism, and unite them to thy

This phrase, ¿ Ðɛòç rẽ Пapakλýτ8, and a like phrase, which occurs in the prayer of this author in the daily evening service, lib. viii. cap. 37. where the Father is styled, ὁ τὸ Πνεύματος Κύριος, the Lord of the spirit, are harsh expressions, and not very usual in Catholic writers; which makes some suspect this author, as if he were tainted with the Macedonian Heresy, which denies the divinity of the Holy Ghost, and makes him a mere creature. But this seems not to have been the intent of our author, who no where denies the true divinity of the Son or Holy Ghost, but only gives such titles of preeminence to the Father, as Justin Martyr did before him, in regard to the Father's being the fountain of the deity, and the origin of existence in the Son and Holy Spirit not as creatures but as his Eternal Son and Eternal Holy Spirit, equal to him in all essential perfections, but only deriving those divine perfections from him, as the author and fountain of their being, as God of God, and light of light, by eternal generation and procession. In this sense, Bishop Bull has observed, that Justin Martyr in his Dialogue with Tryphon, p. 358. uses the very same expression, in speaking of the Son, as our author does of the spirit: for he Says, “ The Father is Κυρία Κυρίος, ὡς Πατέρ και θεὸς, ἀιτιός τε αὐτῷ τῶ εἶναι ἢ Δυνατῷ, καὶ Κυρίω, &, Θεῷ, The Lord of the Lord as Father and God, and cause of his being, of and from whom he has even this, that he is omnipotent and Lord and God." Where Bishop Bull rightly observes, that God the Father is said to be God and Lord of his, not as he is Lord of the creatures, but "quatenus est fons divinitatis et causa filio, ul sit, as he is the fountain of the deity and cause of his Son's existence." Which does not make the son a creature, but the true, consubstantial and eternal son of God, or as our author expresses himself accurately elsewhere, he is hereby Osos povoyevns, God the only-begotten; that is, the true Son of the Father, who is styled Lord of the Son, not as a creator, but as a Father.

Holy Church, and make them partakers of thy holy mysteries, through Christ our hope, who died for them, by whom be glory and worship unto Thee, world without end. Amen!" After this, let the deacon say, Catechumens, depart in peace."

St. Chrysostom in one of his Homilies gives us a like form of the deacons' bidding prayer for the catechumens. "The law of the Church," says he1 " moves the faithful to pray for those, who are yet unbaptised. For when the deacon says, "Let us pray fervently for the catechumens,' he does nothing else but excite the whole multitude of the faithful to pray for them. For the catechumens are as yet aliens: they are not yet engrafted into the body of Christ, nor made partakers of the holy mysteries, but remain divided from the spiritual flock, and for that reason he says,' Let us pray fervently; that you may not reject them as aliens, that you may not disown them as strangers. For they are not yet allowed to use the prayer that was introduced and established by the law of Christ. He means the Lord's prayer. They have not yet liberty or confidence enough to pray for themselves, but need the help of those, that are already initiated, for they stand without the royal gates, and at a distance from the holy rails. And for that reason are sent away when the tremendous prayers are offered at the altar. Upon this account the deacon exhorts you to pray for them, that they may be made members, and be no longer foreigners and aliens. For that word, Let us pray!' is not spoken to the priests only, but also to the people. For when he says, « Στῶμεν καλῶς, δεηθώμεν, Let us stand decently, let us pray," he exhorts all to pray. And then he begins the prayer in these words:"

"That the merciful and gracious God would vouchsafe to hear their prayers; that He would open the ears of their hearts; that they may hear what eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man; that He would instil into them the word of his truth; that He would sow the word of his truth in their hearts; and confirm his

1 Chrys. Hom. ii. in 2 Cor. p. 740.

faith in their minds, that He would reveal unto them the gospel of righteousness; that He would give them a divine and heavenly mind, pure and holy thoughts, and a virtuous conversation; always to mind, always to regard, and meditate upon the things that belong to Him, and to be occupied, in his law day and night. Let us pray yet more ardently for them, that He would deliver them from all evil and absurd employments, from all diabolical sin, and all the circumventions of the adversary: that He would vouchsafe to bring them in due time to the laver of regeneration, and grant them remission of sins, and the clothing of incorruption; that He would, during their whole lives, bless their going out and their coming in, their houses and families; that He would increase and bless their children, and bring them to the measure of perfect age with the instruction of wisdom; and that He would direct all their purposes to their advantage."

"After this, the deacon bids them rise up and pray for themselves, dictating what they were to pray for :- Pray, ye catechumens, for the angel of peace; that all your purposes may be peaceably directed: pray, that this present day and all the days of your lives may be spent in peace, and that you may make a Christian end. Commend yourselves to the living God and to his Christ."

"This being done," says Chrysostom, "we bid them bow their heads, and receive the benediction of God, as a sign that their prayers are heard. For it is not man that blesses them; but by his hands and tongue we present their heads, as they stand there, to the Heavenly King; and then all the congregation with a loud voice cry out; Amen!"

Here is a plain account of the second prayer, that was made for the catechumens by the bishop, which is styled here, as it is also in the Constitutions, the bishop's commendation or benediction.

Learned men think this Homily was preached by Chrysostom, when he was bishop of Constantinople. And, if so, we must conclude that these prayers were the forms that were used then in the Liturgy of Constantinople.

VOL. V.

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