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by, the Collect shall be pronounced. And so sitting down they shall judge the matters brought in question. But let no disturbance be allowed, either among those who sit in the Council, or the by-standers.

Further, they are to enter into the Council each day in the same manner and order as is herein-before appointed. For the rest, whether they be either Presbyters or Deacons, Clerks or Laymen, not themselves members of the Council, who think themselves bound to appeal to it in any matter, let them give notice of their cause to the Archdeacon of the metropolitan church, and let him mention it to the Council; then let them severally be permitted to come in and state their case. But let none of the Bishops retire from the general assembly until the hour come for all to retire. Again, let no one presume to break up the Council, unless all things shall have been so determined, as that every point which has been settled by common consultation, be subscribed by the hand of every Bishop severally. Provided always, that two or three days before the Council be dissolved, they revise with diligent considerations all the Canons they have drawn up, lest haply they may have stumbled in something. Also, that on the day appointed for the breaking up of the Council, the Canons which have been decreed in the holy Synod be read publicly before the Church. And when they are ended, there shall be a choral response of Amen.'

Then returning to the place where they sat in Council, let them subscribe the same Canons. The Metropolitan also must give them notice concerning the next following Easter, on what day it comes on; also of the time in the next year when they shall come to hold Council. Certain of the Bishops, too, must be selected, to assist the Metropolitan in the celebration of the feasts of the Nativity and of Easter. After these things, the Archdeacon saying, Pray ye,' let all together cast themselves down on the ground; and when they have there prayed for a considerable time, let one of the seniors recite this prayer:

"There is not, O Lord, in any conscience of man such virtue as may be able, without offence, to declare the judgments of Thy will. Therefore, seeing that Thine eyes have beheld our frailty, account it for perfection, we beseech Thee, that it is our chief wish to decide by the perfect rule of justice. Thee in our beginnings we did ask to meet us [with Thine aid]; Thee again in this termination of our decisions we beseech to be present, making allowance for our deviations. For why? to spare our ignorance; to allow for our wandering; to crown the full service of our prayers with full practical efficacy. And because, through the galling of our conscience, we pine away, fearing lest either ignorance

should have drawn us into some error, or haply too eager will should have urged us to swerve aside from justice: for this we supplicate and beseech Thee, that if we have contracted any offence during the solemnization of this Council, by Thy pardon we may find it venial; and that whereas we are about to give release from attendance on this assembled Council, we ourselves may first be released from all the bands of our own sins so that as transgressors Thy pardon may attend us, and as confessing our faults to Thee, Thy eternal recompense."

To this prayer the prayer called Pater Noster shall be subjoined; and over them still prostrate the following Blessing shall be pronounced:

"Christ, the Son of God, Who is the Beginning and the End, vouchsafe unto you the fulness of charity. And may He Who hath brought you safely to the completion of this Synod, cause you to be absolved from all infection of sin. Amen. So that, freed more entirely from all guilt, absolved also by the gift of the Holy Ghost, you may return happily, and seek again unharmed the resting places of your own habitations. Amen. Which may He vouchsafe to grant, Whose kingdom and dominion abideth for ever and ever. Amen."

These directions having been observed, and the Archdeacon having said, In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us go in peace;' presently all shall arise together, and the Metropolitan still keeping his seat, all alike, beginning from him first, shall mutually bestow on each other the kiss [of peace]. And thus, with the mutual giving and receiving of peace, the meeting of the Council shall be dissolved.

The above document most probably belongs to the good days of the Spanish Church, when it first recovered from Arianism. It must have been drawn up after the 11th Council of Toledo, A.D. 675, and apparently before 714, at which time the Saracens began to overrun Spain. This would settle its probable date within about 40 years.

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