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النشر الإلكتروني

Lucis Creator optime, Lucem dierum proferens: Primordiis lucis novæ, Mundi parans originem.

Qui mane junctum vesperi Diem vocari præcipis: Illabitur tetrum chaos, Audi preces cum fletibus.

Ne mens gravata crimine, Vitæ sit exsul munere: Dum nil perenne cogitat, Seseque culpis illigat.

HYMN.*

Coeleste pulset intimum, Vitale tollat præmium : Vitemus omne noxium, Purgemus omne pessimum.

Præsta Pater piissime, Patrique compar Unice, Cum Spiritu Paraclito Regnans per omne sæculum. Amen.

* According to the Monastic B. breve. Quam magnificata sunt, * Opera tua Domine. Quam.

V. Omnia in Sapientia fecisti Opera. Gloria Patri, etc. Quam.

Lucis Creator optime,
Lucem dierum proferens;
Primordiis lucis novæ,
Mundi parans originem.

Qui mane junctum vesperi
Diem vocari præcipis,
Tetrum chaos illabitur,
Audi preces cum fletibus.

O infinitely good Creator of the Light! by thee was produced the Light of day, providing thus the world's beginning with the beginning of the new-made Light.

Thou biddest us call the time from morn till eve, Day; this Day is over; dark Night comes on,-oh! hear our tearful prayers.

Let not our soul, weighed down by crime, mis-spend thy gift of life and, forgetting what is eternal, be earth-tied by her sins.

Oh! may we strive to enter our heavenly home, and bear away the prize of life: may we shun what would injure us, and cleanse our soul from her defilements.

Most merciful Father! and thou, his Only Begotten Son, co-equal with him, reigning for ever, with the Holy Paraclete! grant this our prayer. Amen.

Rite, it is as follows.—

Ne mens gravata crimine, Vitæ sit exsul munere, Dum nil perenne cogitat, Seseque culpis illigat.

Coelorum pulsat intimum, Vitale tollat præmium: Vitemus omne noxium, Purgemus omne pessimum.

Præsta, Pater piissime, Patrique compar Unice Cum Spiritu Paraclito Regnans per omne sæculum.

Amen.

The Versicle which follows the Hymn, and which we here give, is that of the Sunday: those for the Feasts are given in their proper places.

V. May my prayer, O Lord, ascend

B. Like incense in thy sight.

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Dirigatur, Domine,

oratio mea.

B. Sicut incensum in conspectu tuo.

Then is said the Magnificat Antiphon, which is to be found in the Proper. After this, the Church sings the Canticle of Mary, the Magnificat, in which are celebrated the Divine Maternity, and all its consequent blessings. This exquisitely sweet Canticle is an essential part of the Office of Vespers. It is the evening incense, just as the Canticle Benedictus, at Lauds, is that of the morning.

OUR LADY'S CANTICLE.
(St. Luke, i.)

My soul doth magnify the
Lord;

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid: for, behold, from henceforth, all generations shall call me Blessed.

Because he that is mighty hath done great things to me: and holy is his name.

And his mercy is from generation unto generation, to them that fear him.

He hath showed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.

He hath put down the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble.

Magnificat:
Dominum;

* anima mea

Et exsultavit spiritus meus : in Deo Salutari meo.

Quia respexit humilitatem ancillæ suæ: * ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes.

Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est : * et sanctum Nomen ejus.

Et misericordia ejus a progenie in progenies : * timentibus eum.

Fecit potentiam in brachio suo : * dispersit superbos mente cordis sui.

Deposuit potentes de sede: et exaltavit humiles.

VOL. X.

H

Esurientes implevit bonis: et divites dimisit inanes.

Suscepit Israël puerum suum: recordatus misericordiæ suæ,

Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros: * Abraham et semini ejus in sæcula.

He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away.

He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy,

As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

The Magnificat Antiphon is then repeated. The Prayer, or Collect, is given in the Proper of each Feast and Sunday.

V. Benedicamus Domino.
B. Deo gratias.

V. Fidelium animæ per
misericordiam Dei requies-
cant in pace.
B. Amen.

V. Let us bless the Lord.
B. Thanks be to God.
V. May the souls of the
Faithful departed, through the
mercy of God, rest in peace.
B. Amen.

CHAPTER THE NINTH.

ON THE OFFICE OF COMPLINE, DURING THE TIME AFTER PENTECOST.

THIS Office, which concludes the day, commences by a warning of the dangers of the night: then, immediately follows the public Confession of our sins, as a powerful means of propitiating the divine justice, and obtaining God's help, now that we are going to spend so many hours in the unconscious, and, therefore, dangerous state of sleep, which is, also, such an image of death.

The Lector, addressing the Priest, says to him:

Pray, Father, give thy blessing.

V. Jube, Domine benedi

cere.

The Priest answers:

May the Almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.

B. Amen.

Noctem quietam, et finem perfectum concedat nobis Dominus omnipotens. B. Amen.

The Lector then reads these words, from the first Epistle of St. Peter :

Brethren, be sober and watch for your adversary the devil goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may deyour resist him, being strong in faith. But thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.

Fratres: sobrii estote et vigilate quia adversarius vester diabolus, tamquam leo rugiens circuit quærens quem devoret: cui resistite fortes in fide. Tu autem, Domine, miserere nobis.

The Choir answers:

B. Thanks be to God.

B. Deo gratias.

Then, the Priest:

V. Adjutorium nostrum in V. Our help is in the nomine Domini.

Name of the Lord.

The Choir:

B. Qui fecit cœlum et ter

ram.

B. Who hath made heaven and earth.

Then the Lord's Prayer is recited in secret; after which, the Priest says the Confiteor, and when he has finished, the Choir repeats it.

The Priest, having pronounced the general form of absolution, says:

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The first Psalm expresses the confidence with which the just man sleeps in peace; but the wicked know not what calm rest is.

*

PSALM 4.

Cum invocarem exaudivit me Deus justitiæ meæ: in tribulatione dilatasti mihi.

Miserere mei : * et exaudi orationem meam.

Filii hominum, usquequo gravi corde? * ut quid diligitis vanitatem, et quæritis mendacium ?

When I called upon him, the God of my justice heard me: when I was in distress, thou hast enlarged me.

Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

O ye sons of men, how long will ye be dull of heart? why do ye love vanity, and seek after lying?

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