triumph in the works of thy hands.' Let the psalm be followed by prayer, that our own souls and those of our household may be sanctified. Those who invite David with his harp, through him call Christ into their dwellings; and where Christ, is, there no evil spirit dareth to approach or even cast a look. Thence will flow, as from a never failing fountain, peace, and love, and fulness of blessings. Make thou thy house a church; for a company of souls who love God, joined together in holy song and prayer, may well be called a church."

Augustin gives the following account of the power of this music over him on the occasion of his baptism. "Oh, how freely was I made to weep by these hymns and spiritual songs; transported by the voices of the congregation sweetly singing. The melody of their voices filled my ear, and divine truth was poured into my. heart. Then burned the sacred flame of devotion in my soul, and gushing tears flowed from my eyes, as well they might.”

§ 5. OF ANCIENT HYMNS.

Two or three hymns appear to have come down to us from a remote antiquity. Basil, †A. D. 378, cites an evening hymn by some unknown author, which he describes as in his time very ancient, handed down from their fathers, and in use among the people. This, Dr. J. Pye Smith considers the oldest hymn extant. The following is his translation of the hymn:

"Jesus Christ, Joyful Light of the holy! Glory of the eternal, heavenly, holy, blessed Father! Having now come to the setting of the sun, beholding the evening light, we praise the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit of God. Thou art worthy to be praised of sacred voices at all seasons, O Son of God, who givest life. Wherefore the universe glorifieth thee."

Another is found in the works of Clemens Alexandrinus, who himself lived at the distance of only a century and a half from the age of the apostles. He gives it as the production of an age still higher. It is a hymn to Christ, and though exhibiting little poetical skill or taste, is worthy of particular notice, as perhaps the most ancient example extant of those sacred hymns which kindled the devotions of the primitive Christians. For this reason it is inserted in the note below.*

* Στόμιον πώλων ἀδαῶν,
Πτερὸν ὄρνιθων ἀπλανῶν,

Frænum pullorum indocilium,
Penna volucrum non errantium,

The Gloria in excelsis Deo, glory to God in the highest, the morning prayer of the Apostolical Constitutions, which, with some modifications, is still retained in the English and Roman Catholic liturgies, is generally assigned to the third century. By many it is regarded as the most ancient hymn that has descended to us from the Christian church. It is as follows:

"We praise thee, we sing hymns to thee, we bless thee, we glorify thee, we worship thee, by thy great High-Priest; thou who art the true God, who art the One unbegotten, the only inaccessible Being. For thy great glory, O Lord, and heavenly King, O God, the Father Almighty, O Lord God, the Father of Christ, the immaculate Lamb, who taketh away the sin of the world, receive our prayer, thou that sittest upon the cherubim; since thou only art holy. Thou only, O Jesus, art our Lord, the Christ of the God of all that have been brought forth, of the God our King. Through this our Lord, glory be to thee, and honour and worship."

A venerable antiquity, dating back even to the third century, is also assigned to the Evening Prayer and the Prayer at Dinner, from the same source.

Evening Prayer.—"We praise thee, we sing hymns to thee, we bless thee for thy great glory, O Lord, our King, the Father of Christ, the immaculate Lamb that taketh away the sin of the world. Praise becometh thee, hymns become thee, glory becometh thee, the God and Father, through the Son, in the most Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen."

Prayer at Dinner.-"Blessed art thou, O Lord, who dost nourish me from my youth; who givest food to all flesh. Fill our hearts with joy and gladness, that, having always what is sufficient for us, we may abound to every good work, in Christ Jesus, our Lord,

through whom glory, honour, and power be to thee for ever. Amen."

The most ancient hymns extant from the Latin church are those of Ambrose, of the fourth century. Thirty are ascribed to him, of which twelve are reputed to be genuine. The following is Bishop Mant's version of one of these hymns, of which the original is given in the note:

Lord, who didst bless thy chosen band,

And forth commission'd send,
To spread thy name from land to land,
To thee our hymns ascend.

The princes of thy church were they,
Chiefs unsubdued by fight,
Soldiers on earth of heaven's array,
The world's renewing light.

Theirs the firm faith of holy birth,
The hope that looks above,
And, trampling on the powers of earth,
Their Saviour's perfect love.

In them the heavens exulting own
The Father's might reveal'd,
Thy triumph gain'd, begotten Son,
Thy Spirit's influence seal'd.

Then to thy Father, and to Thee,
And to thy Spirit blest,

All praise for these thy servants be
By all thy church addrest.*

* Eterna Christi munera
Et martyrum victorias,
Laudes ferentes debitas,
Lætis canamus mentibus.

Ecclesiarum principes,
Belli triumphales duces,
Cælestis aulæ milites,
Et vera mundi lumina.

Terrore victo sæculi
Spretisque pœnis corporis,
Mortis sacræ compendio,
Vitam beatam possident.
Traduntur igni martyres,
Et bestiarum dentibus,
Armata sævit ungulis
Tortoris insani manus.

Nundata pendent viscera,
Sanguis sacratus funditur,
Sed permanent immobiles
Vitæ perennis gratia.

Devota sanctorum fides,
Invicta spes credentium;
Perfecta Christi caritas,
Mundi triumphat principem.

In his paterna gloria,
In his voluntas filii,
Exsultat in his Spiritus,
Cælum repletur gaudiis.

Te nunc, redemtor, quæsumus,
Ut ipsorum consortio

Jungas precantes servulos,
In sempiterna sæcula. Amen.

The following are also mentioned among the hymns of Ambrose:

Vini Redemptor gentium,

Ostende partum Virginis,
Miretur omne sæculum;

Talis decet partus Deum, &c.

O Lux beata Trinitas

Et principalis unitas,
Jam sol recedet igneus,

Infunde lumen cordibus, &c.

Illuminans altissimus
Micantium astrorum globos,
Pax, vita, lumen, veritas,
Jesu fave precantibus, &c.

It may interest some readers to know the date of some of the ancient Latin hymns which were most frequently rehearsed. Among these are the following: Of the fifth century-by Prudentius Clemens:

1. On the crowing of the cock-Ales diei nuntius, &c.

2. A morning hymn-Lux ecce surgit aurea, &c.

3. On the nativity-Corde natus ex parentis, &c.

4. On the Innocents-Salvete flores martyrum, &c.

Of the sixth century:

1. On the cross-Pange, lingua, gloriosi

Prælium certaminis, &c.

2. On the Passion-Vexilla regis prodeunt

Fulget crucis mysterium, &c.

3. On the Resurrection-Salve festa dies, toto venerabilis ævo, &c.

Gregory the Great, in the seventh century:

1. Lord's supper-Rex, Christe factor omnium, &c.

2. On the Lord's day-Primo dierum omnium, &c.

3. Morning hymn-Ecce jam noctis tenuatur umbra, &c.

In the age of Charlemagne-Veni Creator Spiritus, &c.

Robert, King of France, A. D. 1031.

Veni Sancte Spiritus,

Et emitte cœlitus

Lucis tuæ vadium, &c.

To the above should be added the Judgment hymn by the Franciscan, Thomas Von Celano, of the thirteenth century:

Dies ira, dies illa,

Solvet sæculum in favilla

Teste David cum Sibylla,

Tuba mirum spargens sonum,

Per sepulchra regionum,

Coget omnes dante thronum, &c.

And the Elegy of the Franciscan, Japonus, of the fourteenth century:

Stabat mater dolorosa,

Juxta crucem lachrymosa, &c.