COMMON OF A CONFESSOR BISHOP. If in Easter-tide, the rubric, p. 91, is to be observed. Inv. The LORD, the King of Con * fessors, O come let us worship. HYMN. Iste Confessor. triumph, Whom through the wide world celebrate the He on this festal merited to enter Pious and prudent, continent and humble, Oft-times, in answer to his supplication, tion Of pain and anguish. Wherefore our choir, with willing hymns and anthems, Here, on his feast day, doth him fitting That in his glory we may have our portion, Glory and virtue, honour and salvation, FIRST NOCTURN. Ant. 1. Blessed is the man * whose delight is in the law of the LORD: in His law will he exercise himself day and night, and whatsoever he doeth it shall prosper. Ps. i. Beatus vir. p. 78. Ant. 2. Blessed is this Saint * who trusted in the LORD: he preached the word of the LORD, and is set upon His holy hill. Ps. ii. Quare fremuerunt. p. 78. Ant. 3. Thou art my glory, * O LORD, and my defender, and the lifter up of my head: Thou heardest me out of Thy holy hill. Ps. iii. Domine, quid multiplicasti? p. 79. y. The LORD loved him and clothed him with comely ornaments. Ry. He put upon him that stole of glory. Abs. Hear, LORD. Y. Sir, pray. Ben. The FATHER.. Of the 1st Epistle of S. Paul to Lesson I. Chap. iii. desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then Imust be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (for if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of GOD?) not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Ry. Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: * enter thou into the joy of thy LoRD. Y. LORD, Thou deliveredst unto me five talents; behold, I have gained besides them five talents more. Enter. Ben. The Only-Begotten. FC Of the Epistle to Titus. Lesson II. Chap. i. OR a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of GOD; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. (D) Ry. This is the great priest, who in | world: for Thou hast crowned Thy his days pleased GOD.* Therefore holy one with glory and worship, and the LORD assured him by an oath made him to have dominion over the that He would multiply him in his works of Thy hands. Ps. viii. Domine, seed. y. The LORD gave him the Dominus noster. p. 81. blessing of all men, and established His covenant upon his head. Therefore. Ben. The grace. Lesson III. Chap. ii. BUT speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: that the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. * y. The LORD chose him as a Priest for Himself. Ry. To offer the sacrifice of praise. Our FATHER. Abs. His piety. Y. Sir, pray. Ben. GOD the FATHER. A Sermon of S. Maximus the Bishop. Lesson IV. Homily 59. BY endeavouring to add to, we take from the praises of our holy and most blessed Father N., whose feast we keep to-day; seeing that the beauty of his virtues is not to be explained by words, but to be approved by deeds. For when Scripture saith: A wise son is the glory of his father; how much greater is the glory of this Saint who rejoiceth in the wisdom and devotion of so many sons? For in CHRIST JESUS he begat us by the Gospel. Ry. I have found David My servant, with My holy oil have I anointed him. My hand shall hold him fast. y. The enemy shall not be able to do him violence: the son of wickedness shall not hurt him. My hand. CHRIST give us. Ry. The LORD sware, and will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever Ben. after the order of Melchisedech. V. The LORD said unto my LORD : Sit thou on My right hand. Thou. Glory. Thou. Lesson V. As for whatever virtue and grace there may be in this holy congregation, the purity of all the brooks flowed forth from him, as from a most clear well-spring. For verily, because he was eminent in the strength of his purity, gloried in the restraint of abstinence, was endowed with the winning ways of gentleness, he called forth the love of all his fellow citizens towards GoD: because he shone in the administration of his episcopate, he left many disciples as successors of his priesthood. Ry. I have laid help upon one that * to S. Matthew. is mighty, I have exalted one chosen | Lesson of the Holy Gospel according out of the people: My hand shall hold him fast. y. I have found David My servant, with My holy oil have I anointed him. My hand. Ben. GOD kindle. Lesson VI. WELL and fitly then upon this day, which the passage of our blessed Father N. to Paradise makes joyful for us, we have been singing this verse of the Psalm : The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance. Right worthily is he had in remembrance of men who hath passed into the joys of angels. The divine word saith: Praise no man during his life; as though it would say, Praise him after his life, magnify him after his consummation. Because for a twofold reason it is more profitable to confer praise upon the memory of men than on their life, that thou mayest most extol his good deeds at that time when neither flattery can prompt him that praiseth, nor vanity tempt him that is praised. Ry. This is he. p. 106. THIRD NOCTURN. Lesson VII. Chap. xxv. AT that time: JESUS spake unto His disciples this parable. For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And that which follows. Homily of S. Gregory the Pope. Homily 9. on the Gospels. This lesson of the Holy Gospel, dearly beloved brethren, warneth us to consider carefully whether we who may be seen to have received somewhat more than others in this world, may not for this cause, be more severely judged by the world's Creator. For when gifts are increased, the account which we must render thereof becomes greater. A man ought therefore to be more humble, and ready to serve God in consideration of any gift bestowed upon him, just in proportion as he realizes his obligation to give account for it. Behold the man who travelleth into a far country, calleth his servants, and distributeth to them talents, to trade therewith. After a Ant. LORD, this Saint * shall dwell in Thy tabernacle, he hath wrought | long time he returneth to reckon with righteousness, he shall rest upon Thy them. Those who have well done, he holy hill. Ps. XV. Domine, quis rewardeth, but the slothful servant habitabit. p. 83. who has not maintained good works he condemneth. Ant. He asked life * of Thee, LORD, and Thou gavest it him; glory and great honour hast Thou laid upon him: Thou hast set on his head a crown of pure gold. Ps. xxi. Domine, in virtute. p. 83. Ry. The LORD loved him, and beautified him with comely ornaments, and put upon him the stole of glory, and at the gates of Paradise He crowned him. y. The LORD put Ant. He shall receive the bless-upon him the armour of faith, and ing from the LORD, and from the clothed him with comely ornaments. GOD of his salvation: for this is And. Ben. He whose feast we cethe generation of them that seek lebrate. the LORD. Ps. xxiv. Domini est terra. p. 92. Y. Thou art a priest for ever. Ry. After the order of Melchisedech. Lesson VIII. WHO then is that man who travel leth into a far country but our Redeemer, who, in that flesh which He had assumed, departed into Heaven? For flesh dwelleth specially on the earth, and is as it were led into a far country when it is set by our Redeemer in Heaven. But that man travelling into a far country delivered unto his servants his goods, for He bestowed spiritual gifts on the faithful. And unto one He gave five talents, to another two, and to another one: now there are five bodily senses: viz., sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. By the five talents then, is signified the gift of the five senses, i.e., the knowledge of external things. By the two talents, understanding and action are set forth. By the mention of one talent, the understanding alone is signified. Ry. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord when he will return from the wedding. V. Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your LORD doth come. And. Glory. And. Ben. The King of Angels. to Lesson IX. BUT he who had received five talents gained other five. For there are some who know not how search into things deep and mystical, and yet with hearts intent on the heavenly country, teach rightly those whom they are able to teach, concerning those external things which they understand; they bear a double talent. They keep themselves from wantonness of the flesh, from unlawful longing after earthly things, from taking pleasure in that which is seen, and restrain others also from such things by their admonitions. there are some possessing intellectual and active powers, endowed as it were with two talents, who have a subtle understanding of inner truth, and shew a wonderful activity in external things. Since they preach to others by the exercise of their understanding and active powers, they obtain as it were a double gain by trading. Te Deum. p. 15. And 2.-OTHER LESSONS FOR BISHOPS If a Feast of many Bps. and Confs. be celebrated, the Office is to be as above: but in the 1st. Nocturn are read the following Scripture Lessons. Of the Book of Ecclesiasticus. Lesson I. Chap. xliv. F ET us now praise famous men, and our fathers that begat us. The LORD hath wrought great glory by them through his great power from the beginning. Such as did bear rule in their kingdoms, men renowned for their power, giving counsel by their understanding, and declaring prophecies. Leaders of the people by their counsels, and by their knowledge of learning meet for the people, wise and eloquent in their instructions: such as found out musical tunes, and recited verses in writing. Ry. Well done. p. 97. Lesson II. RICH men furnished with ability, living peaceably in their habitations: all these were honoured in their generations, and were the glory of their times. There be of them, that have left a name behind them, that their praises might be reported. And some there be, which have no memorial; who are perished, as though they had never been; and are become as though they had never been born; and their children after them. Ry. This is. p. 98. Lesson III. BUT these were merciful men, whose righteousness hath not been forgotten. With their seed shall continually remain a good inheritance, and their children are within the covenant. Their seed standeth fast, and their children for their sakes. Their seed shall remain for ever, and their glory shall not be blotted out. Their bodies are buried in peace; but their name liveth for evermore. The people will tell of their wisdom, and the congregation will shew forth their | dead, buried and sepulchred beneath praise. R. The LORD sware. p. 98. SECOND NOCTURN. a mound of iniquities, did he make alive again unto GoD, by calling them forth to amendment, as to the light; so, worthily following in the steps of A Sermon of S. Maximus the Bishop. his LORD, would he make those who Lesson IV. Homily 59. LET us with confidence magnify the good works of our blessed father N. already laid up in safety. Manfully were already dead to GOD, die again to sin by a living death, destroying the power of the first death. Ry. This is. p. 106. THIRD NOCTURN. grasping the helm of faith, already has Lesson of the Holy Gospel according he cast the anchor of hope in a calm harbour, and landed his ship full of heavenly riches and eternal rewards on the desired shore. Against all his adversaries, he grasped with unwearying hand the shield of the fear of GOD, until he attained unto victory. For what was the whole course of his life, save one conflict with a watchful foe? Ry. I have found David. p. 98. Lesson V. TO how many blind ones, erring from the way of truth, hovering on the verge of a precipice, and ready to fall into the abyss beneath, did he restore the sight they had lost? In how many did he quicken again that power of perception whereby CHRIST is beheld? Into how many deaf ears, doomed to be closed through unbelief, did he pour the precious gift of hearing, enabling them to understand the sound of the divine commands, so that when GOD called them to taste of His mercy they might respond by obedience? How many inwardly wounded did he cure of their infirmity by the power of his angelic discourse, and his prayers? Ry. have laid help. p. 98. Lesson VI. HOW many, enfeebled through long carelessness, with stain of sin, covered with a plague of leprosy, did he purify by chastisements and exhortations, and cleanse by the power of GOD working in him? How many souls, alive in the body, yet already to S. Matthew. Lesson VII. Chap. xxiv. AT that time: JESUS said unto His disciples: Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your LORD doth come. And that which follows. Homily of S. Hilary the Bp. Comment. S. Matt. c. xxvi. Not without reason are we ignorant of that day which is kept secret from all, seeing that silence is profitable for us. That we may know this, the LORD hath exhorted us to watch, because the thief cometh, to continue fervent in prayer, and to cleave to all the works of His commandments. For He shews us that the thief is the devil, who is ever watching to spoil our goods, and lying in wait around the houses of our bodies, that, when we are not watching, but given up to sleep, he may break in upon us by the weapons of evil counsels and enticing snares. Therefore it behoves us to be ready, because our ignorance of that day should stir up in us continual carefulness, as the fruit of our earnest expectation. Ry. The LORD loved him. p. 99. WHO then is that faithful and wise servant, whom his LORD hath made ruler over His Household? Although He exhorteth us in general to unwearied carefulness in watching, yet he commands the princes of the people, that is the Bishops, to be particularly anxious in waiting, and look |
