The Institutes, Book II

Book II

• The Institutes II.1 — Of the Canonical System of the Nocturnal Prayers and Psalms. Girt, therefore, with this twofold girdle of which we have spoken, the soldier of Christ should next learn the system of the canonical prayers and Psalms…vatican.va
• The Institutes II.2 — Of the difference of the number of Psalms appointed to be sung in all the provinces. For we have found that many in different countries, according to the fancy of their mind (having, indeed, as the Apostle says, “a…vatican.va
• The Institutes II.3 — Of the observance of one uniform rule throughout the whole of Egypt, and of the election of those who are set over the brethren. Of the observance of one uniform rule throughout the whole of Egypt, and of the…vatican.va
• The Institutes II.4 — How throughout the whole of Egypt and the Thebaid the number of Psalms is fixed at twelve. So, as we said, throughout the whole of Egypt and the Thebaid the number of Psalms is fixed at twelve both at Vespers and in…vatican.va
• The Institutes II.5 — How the fact that the number of the Psalms was to be twelve was received from the teaching of an angel. How the fact that the number of the Psalms was to be twelve was received from the teaching of an angel. For in…vatican.va
• The Institutes II.6 — Of the Custom of having Twelve Prayers. Whereupon the venerable assembly of the Fathers understood that by Divine Providence a general rule had been fixed for the congregations of the brethren through the angel’s…vatican.va
• The Institutes II.7 — Of their Method of Praying. These aforesaid prayers, then, they begin and finish in such a way that when the Psalm is ended they do not hurry at once to kneel down, as some of us do in this country, who, before the…vatican.va
• The Institutes II.8 — Of the Prayer which follows the Psalm. That practice too which we have observed in this country—viz., that while one sings to the end of the Psalm, all standing up sing together with a loud voice, “Glory be to the…vatican.va
• The Institutes II.9 — Of the characteristics of the prayer, the fuller treatment of which is reserved for the Conferences of the Elders. Of the characteristics of the prayer, the fuller treatment of which is reserved for the Conferences…vatican.va
• The Institutes II.10 — Of the silence and conciseness with which the Collects are offered up by the Egyptians. When, then, they meet together to celebrate the aforementioned rites, which they term synaxes, they are all so perfectly silent…vatican.va
• The Institutes II.11 — Of the system according to which the Psalms are said among the Egyptians. And, therefore, they do not even attempt to finish the Psalms, which they sing in the service, by an unbroken and continuous recitation. But…vatican.va
• The Institutes II.12 — Of the reason why while one sings the Psalms the rest sit down during the service; and of the zeal with which they afterwards prolong their vigils in their cells till daybreak. This canonical system of twelve Psalms,…vatican.va
• The Institutes II.13 — The reason why they are not allowed to go to sleep after the night service. And these labours they keep up for two reasons, besides this consideration,—that they believe that when they are diligently exerting…vatican.va
• The Institutes II.14 — Of the way in which they devote themselves in their cells equally to manual labour and to prayer. Of the way in which they devote themselves in their cells equally to manual labour and to prayer. And therefore they…vatican.va
• The Institutes II.15 — Of the discreet rule by which every one must retire to his cell after the close of the prayers; and of the rebuke to which any one who does otherwise is subject. And so, when the Psalms are finished, and the daily…vatican.va
• The Institutes II.16 — How no one is allowed to pray with one who has been suspended from prayer. Further, if one of them has been suspended from prayer for some fault which he has committed, no one has any liberty of praying with him…vatican.va
• The Institutes II.17 — How he who rouses them for prayer ought to call them at the usual time. But he who has been entrusted with the office of summoning the religious assembly and with the care of the service should not presume to rouse…vatican.va
• The Institutes II.18 — How they do not kneel from the evening of Saturday till the evening of Sunday. This, too, we ought to know,—that from the evening of Saturday which precedes the Sunday, up to the following evening, among the…vatican.va