Volume 1

A dictionary of Christian antiquities : being a continuation of the 'Dictionary of the Bible' / edited by William Smith and Samuel Cheetham ; illustrated by engravings on wood.

Date:: [between 1890 and 1899?]

Credit: A dictionary of Christian antiquities : being a continuation of the 'Dictionary of the Bible' / edited by William Smith and Samuel Cheetham ; illustrated by engravings on wood. Source: Wellcome Collection.

1047/1096 (page 1027)

$have been repeate ] here; the words Surswn SHopicientes {Apvlo/ip x.\.\ ) probably refer to the Sur.-u u corda, which we know was used at Carthaoe in the time of Cyprian. The Lord’s Prayer formed part of the prayers; after it the faithful drew near and gave to each other the kiss of charity {dc Orati ne, xiv.). The com- munion followed. This part of the service was undoubtedly kept as a mystery from unbelievers. At some time during the service apparently, special mention was made of individuals by whom or on whose behalf the oblations were offered. With reference to the living, this seems to have been done on the day, monthly or otherwise, when they made their gifts; on behalf of the dead, on the anniversary of their removal. (39.) Cyprian, who died in 258, gives us infor- mation which indicates the progress of ritual even in the few years which had elapsed since the writing of these works' of Tertullian’s, The offerer is the bishop (sacerdos) or the pre.sbyter, “they offer the sacrifices to God” (Epistles iv. and Ixviii.). The sacrifice was celebrated daily (Ep. liv.). The lessons were read from a pulpilum. The Sursum corda and Habemus ad Dominum are spoken of explicitly in the treatise on the Lord’s Prayer. The mixed cup was used, signifying, as Cyprian stated, “ the union of Christ with His people.” The sacrament was given into the hands of the people; and frequently, if not generally, they took a portion of it home, reserving it in a small box, and partaking of it from day to day. The bread and wine used for the saci’ament were taken out of that which had been offered, and Cyprian com])lains of the rich as at times con- suming a part of the sacrifice which the poor had offered. — Towards the end of the 4th century (a.d. 398) the w'ell-known laws were enacted, forming part of the canons of the African church, by which the offerings at the sacra- ment were restricted to bread and wine mixed with water, and the sacrament was always to be received fasting, except on Maundy Thurs- day, and at the altar prayer was always to be addressed to the Father. These are fre- quently spoken of as if they were canons of the universal church. As a body they seem, how- ever, in the first instance, to ha ve been observed only in the country where they were enacted, and we have had numerous instances already which shew that the last canon was never accepted in the churches of the East. (40.) We come now to St. Augustine, from whose voluminous writings we may learn much on the subject before us. Mone (L.deinische und Griechische Messen) has collected from Augus- tine’s sermons the chief passages there found bearing upon the liturgy, and to him I am indebted for much contained in this and the preceding paragraphs. The exclusion of all save the initiated and those in full communion with the church from being present at the Eucharist, was still most rigidly maintained in the province of Carthage. The three lessons from the Pro- phet, Epistle and Gospel were now taken appa- rently according to a fixed rule; between the Epistle and the Gospel a psalm was sung (Sermon clXV. 1): and this was the daily use of the church. The second part of the service (Ser- mon 311) commenced with the Sursum corda, in which the answer of the people was Habemus ad Dominum; the priest responded, “ Let us give tlianlis to our Lord God'' (b8, 5). The people attested, “ It is meet and right so to do (227). In the canon the martyrs were men- tioned, but prayer no longer was made on their behalf. The prayer of consecration is called the Sanctificatio, and Augustine reserves to the priests, as distinct from the laity, the function of offering the sacrifice. After the consecration followed the Lord’s Prayer, apparently said by the clergy alone. The Pax vobiscum followed, and the kiss of peace (Sermon 227). Then the communion, then the dismissal. Apparently there was at some period a confession of sins, beginning with the word conjdeor (Sermon 67), at which, as well as at the petition Forgive us our debts, the people smote their breasts. Augustine’s sermons give us of course ample illustrations of the addresses which were made to the people on these occasions, no doubt at the early pai't of the service, as in the time of Tertullian; and the great bishop tells us (Sermon 49), that post sermonem fit missa cate- chumenis: manebunt fideles. It will be noticed that we have had no inti- mation here of the apostolic benediction, with which the Greek liturgies generally commence, nor a word informing us of the character of the prayer of consecration. There is no intimation of any epiclesis or invocation ; no hint given as to the sanctus. Of course we must remem- ber that the Communion office proper was essentially a mystery, and we have no right to expect a priori that the sermons would give us as much information regarding it as in fact they do. We might surmise that Augustine’s private letters would prove a more fertile field of information than his sermons.** To these, therefore, let us now turn. (41.) I would mention, therefore, first, that we read in Letter cxxxiv., addressed to Apringius, the pro-consul, that Augustine “invoked Ci.rist on his behalf in the holy mysteries.” Thus we have an instance here of a prayer addiessed to Christ. A refei-ence to the Lasts held in the churches, and deemed by the ignorant pe pie to be “solatia mortnorum,” will be found in No. xxii. Infants communicated, indeed their com- munion was deemed to be necessary for their salvation (Epist. clxxxii. § 5, and clxx xvi. § 29). The offering was considered to be of the Body and Blood of the Lord ; and Augustine mentions that, on one certain day of the year (of course Maundy Thursday), it was received in the evening. His sermons hav'e not spoken of any benediction, but Letter clxxix. (§ 4) shews that there was one, and tells us what the form of the benediction was. The bread used at the Com- munion appears to have been brought to the church in the form of one loaf. At all events, Augustine says (Epist. clxxxv. § 50, p. 994 of Gaume) that the one bread is the sacrament of unity. Letter ccxvii. (Gaume, p. 1212) speaks of the priest at the altar exhorting the people to pray for unbelievers, that God wouM con- vert them to the faith; for the catechumens, that He would inspire in them a desire fo- regeneration ; and for the faithfuR that b •» The sermons ad infantes de Sacramento (227 2Y2) contain, however, much information to our pur pose. 66$