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But this too we ought to know, viz., that no change was made in the
ancient arrangement of Psalms by our Elders who decided that this Mattin
service should be added; but that office was always celebrated in
their nocturnal assemblies according to the same order as it had been
before. For the hymns which in this country they used at the Mattin service
at the close of the nocturnal vigils, which they are accustomed to finish
after the cock-crowing and before dawn, these they still sing in like
manner; viz., Ps. 148, beginning "0 praise the Lord from heaven," and the
rest which follow; but the 50th Psalm and the 62nd, and the 89th have, we
know, been assigned to this new service. Lastly, throughout Italy at this
day, when the Mattin hymns are ended, the 50th Psalm is sung in all the
churches, which I have no doubt can only have been derived from this
source.
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