CHAPTER XI. A COMMINATION, AND PRAYERS FOR THE FIRST DAY OF LENT. THIS office is one of the last memorials we retain of that solemn public penitence which, during the primitive ages, occupied so conspicuous a place in the discipline of the Christian church. In the earliest ages, those who were guilty of grievous sins were solemnly reduced to the order of penitents; they came fasting, and clad in sackcloth and ashes, on the occasion, and after the bishop had prayed over them, they were dismissed from the church. They then were admitted gradually to the classes of hearers, substrati, and consistentes; until at length, after long trial and exemplary conduct, they were again deemed worthy of full communion. This penitential discipline at length, from various causes, became extinct, both in the eastern and western churches; and, from the twelfth or thirteenth century, the solemn office for the first day of Lent was the only memorial of this ancient discipline in the west. It seems that at least from about the eighth century there was a solemn office for public penitents on the a See Bingham's Antiquities, book xviii. ch. 1. and 2. first day of Lent; but in after-ages this office was applied indiscriminately to all the people, who received ashes, and were prayed for by the bishop or presbyter. Thus the office lost its ancient character. The English churches have long used this office nearly as we do at present, as we find almost exactly the same appointed for the first day of Lent in the missals of Salisbury and York, and in the MS. sacramentary of Leofric, which was written for the English church about the ninth or tenth century. The peculiar office which the church of England has appointed for the first day of Lent, commences after the morning prayer and litany are concluded. In the ancient offices of Salisbury also we find that this office began after the prayers which were said at the sixth hour, or twelve o'clock in the day; and many of the western offices appointed the litany at the beginning of this serviced. The English office then proceeds with an address or sermon full of exhortations to penitence and conversion from sins, which is called a commination; and in the course of it the priest recites the curses of God against sin, to each of which the people, according to the custom of the old law, are invited to testify their assent. It has long been customary in the western churches for the bishop or presbyter to make a discourse or sermon on the subject of penitence at this part of the office, as we may see in the missals of Salisbury, b Martene de Antiq. Eccl. Rit. lib. i. c. 6. p. 3. See Bingham, book xviii. ch. 2. §. 2. < Fer iv in capite Jejunii post sextam imprimis fiat sermo ad VOL. II. populum si placuerit. R p. and in several western rituals mentioned by Martenee. After this sermon or commination, the fiftyfirst psalm, anciently noted in the church as one of the penitential psalms, and especially called the psalm of confession, is appointed to be sung by the priest and clergy. Then shall they all kneel upon their knees, and the priest and clerks kneeling (in the place where they are accustomed to say the litany) shall say this psalm. Miserere mei, Deus. Ps. li. Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness; according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences, &c. Deinde prosternant se clerici in choro: et dicant VII psalmos pænitentiales cum“Gloria Patri," et "sicut erat," et antiphona "Ne reminiscaris f.” Miserere mei, Deus: secundum magnam misericordiam tuam. Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum dele iniquitatem meam, &c. g The ancient sacramentary of the English church, written in the ninth or tenth century, alluded to above, directs the same psalm to be sung on the present occasion h. It also concurs with the missals of York and Salisbury, and other western formularies, in prescribing the following parts of the office. Answ. That put their trust in thee. Min. Send unto them help from above. Answ. And evermore mightily defend them. Min. Help us, O God our Saviour. Answ. And for the glory of thy name deliver us; be merciful to us sinners, for thy name's sake. Min. O Lord, hear our prayer. Answ. And let our cry come unto thee. Deus meus, sperantes in te. Mitte eis, Domine, auxilium de sancto. Et de Syon tuere eos. Adjuva nos Deus salutaris noster. Et propter gloriam nominis tui, Domine, libera nos et propitius esto peccatis nostris propter nomen tuum. Domine, exaudi orationem meam. Et clamor meus ad te veniat i. The following prayers are derived from formularies of great antiquity, being very like prayers not only used on this occasion in the missals of Salisbury and York, but found in the sacramentary above alluded to, and in the sacramentary of Gelasius, A. D. 494. passion upon all men, and hatest nothing that thou hast made; who wouldest not the death of a sinner, but that he should rather turn from his sin, and be saved; mercifully forgive us our trespasses; receive and comfort us, who are grieved and wearied with the burden of our sins. Thy property is always to have mercy; to thee only it appertaineth to forgive sins. Spare us therefore, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed; enter not into judgment with thy servants, who are vile earth, and miserable sinners; but so turn thine anger from us, who meekly acknowledge our vileness, and truly repent us of our faults, and so make haste to help us in this world, that we may ever live with thee in the world to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. odisti eorum quæ fecistik.... Domine Deus noster, qui offensione nostra non vinceris sed satisfactione placaris, respice quæsumus super famulos tuos: qui se tibi graviter peccasse confitentur: tuum est enim absolutionem criminum dare, et veniam præstare pœnitentibus, qui dixisti pœnitentiam te malle peccatorum quam mortem. Concede ergo, Domine, his famulis tuis ut tibi pœnitentiæ excubias celebrent, ut correctis actibus suis, conferri sibi a te sempiterna gaudia gratulentur. Per &c.1 These prayers are followed by a supplication, which is said by the clergy and people, and a benediction. The former of these was originally entitled an anthem, and was to be sung. It seems to have been in part derived from the anthems which formerly concluded the office in the Salisbury missal. It is now appointed to be said by all, in imitation of the direction given in the second chapter of the prophet Joel. k Miss. Sar. fol. 30. 1 Ibid. Miss. Ebor. Sacr. Gelasii Murat. tom. i. p. 504. |