Finallie being wicked in cogitation wicked in conuersation and whose onlie glorie is in wickednes Et doloso erue me And deceitfull deliuer me Thirdlie from the deceitful man By the deceitful man may be vnderstood all false teachers and seducers of soules wolues in sheepes clothing who leade men from truth to falshood and from the Catholike veritie to error and heresie From al which euels we ought with the holie Prophet daylie to pray to be deliuered Quia tu es Deus Because thou art God And I will beleeue in thee thou art God and I will serue thee thou art God and I will feare thee thou arr God and I will flye vnto thee thou art God and I will worship thee thou onlie art God and there is none else but thee Fortitudo mea My fortitude Who helpest all those that put their trust in thee and of whom as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 3. is all our sufficiencie to wit to stay vs from falling to strenghten vs standing to rayse vs being fallen to restore vs being sick to heale vs beinge wounded and to reuiue vs being dead Quare me repulisti Why hast thou repelled me These wordes may be applyed to the longing desires of the holie fathers for the coming of Christ For as much as the prophet in this place speaketh in the person of the Fathers detayned in limbo making their piteous and mournfull complaint to almightie God why they are so long time repelled and the promise of their redemption so long delayed Et quare tristis incedo And why waâ—ke I heauilie In the prison of hell in the dungeon of darknes and in the shadowe of death As also in another psalme Tota die contristatus ingredicbar All the day I walked heauille to wit because of the long delay and absence of my Sauiour Dum affligit me inimicus Whilst the enemie doth afflict me To wit the sworne and mortall enimie of all mankinde with scornfull and opprobrious wordes vpbraiding me and saying Vbi est Deus tuus Where is thy God Emitte lucem tuam Send foorth thy light Lo here the cause of the former complaint the ground of the former griefe and the reason of all the former heauines and affliction Send foorth thy light to wit thy Sonne our Sauiour who is the light of the world Iohn 1. The light of those that sit in darknes and in the shadowe of death Luc. 1. The true light that lightneth euerie man who commeth into this world Iohn 1. The light of our countenance and our Christ Et veritatem tuam And thy truth Therfore with great reason doth the Prophet desire the sending foorth of this light and this veritie misticallie insinuating the originall cause of our damnation For the diuel who first seduced and deceaued man is in the holie Scripture called by two names to wit prince of darknes and father of lyinge Wherfore as the first author of our damnation was darknes and falsitie so was it expedient that the first author of our redemption should be light and veritie that so the later remedie might be answerable to the former ruine Ipsa me deduxerunt adduxerunt They to wit thy light and thy truth haueled me from and brought me to which wordes doe most clearlie insinuate the assured hope of those holie fathers for their deliuerie forth of limbo that by meanes of the light and the truth which they expected they should be led from hell and be brought to heauen For this Lord it is who diuersly leadeth and bringeth those that are his he leadeth them from trouble and bringeth them to tranquillitie he leadeth them from sorrowe and bringeth them to ioy he leadeth euen from hell and bringeth back to heauen 1. Reg. 2. Tob. 13. And therfore it presently followeth In montem sanctum tuum Into thy holie mount Morallie according to S. Aug. in psal 50. by this mount is vnderstood the Catholique Church into which we all ought to desire to be led and brought Now saieth he we are in this mountaine whosoeuer prayeth being out of this mountaine let him not hope to be heard to eternal life For manie are heard in manie thinges whereof they haue no cause to reioyce as the diuels who were heard that they might be admitted to enter into the hearde of swine thus he Signifing hereby that no prayers are gratefullie heard of almighty God which are made out of the mountaine of the Catholike Church Et in tabernacula tua And into thy tabernacles The same holie Father expounding this place saith When thou hearest mention of a Tabernacle vnderstand saith he a place of warre an habitation of pilgrimes and wayfaring men To wit such as are out of their natiue countrie and farre off from their desiered home From this Tabernacle did our Sauiour Iesus by his cominge leade those holie fathers into a more excellent Tabernacle of eternall rest Et Introibo And I will enter in This second repetition of the Introibo serueth to verie good purpose to giue to vnderstand that both the one and the other to wit the priest and the people haue put them selues in readines and disposition to enter in to the Altar of God For as it was expedient that the priest intending to offer sacrifice for the people should first premonish them of his entrance to the Altar so is it meete that the people likewise doe giue the priest to vnderstand that they are also readie to enter with him and deuoutlie to asist him with their prayers Ad Altare Dei To the Altar of God Where note that the Altar on earth wherinto we say we will enter hath his making and proportion in forme of a table And because that Christ our Lord who is the head of his church is now aboue in heauen and the bodie of the same head still here beloue in earth which can not liue vnles it be fed with proportionable foode therfore haue we daylie recourse to this Altar of God as to a most diuine and celestiall table for the daylie refection of our soules Ad Deum To God As there is a visible Altar be neathe in earth so there is another inuisible Altar aboue in heauen and because that none can be made partaker of the one who hath not first participated of the other therfore from the Altar of the Church of God in earth we ascend to the sublime Altar of God in heauen that is from the Altar of God to God him selfe Qui letificat iuuentutem meam Who maketh ioyful my youth For vpon this sublime Altar God will in such wise reioyce his elect with spiritual and ineffable delight that he will be a bright mirrour to their sight musique to their eares honie to their tast balme to their smelling and a flower to their touchinge froÌ„ whose aspect will issue foorth such vnspeakable cause of ioy that if it were permitted to behould the same but for the space of an houre it were alone sufficient to make innumerable dayes
as to the wine and to the consecration as wel of the one as of the other Next they may also be vnderstood two maner of wayes First thus So often as you shall eate this bread and drinke this Chalice doe it in the remembrance of my death and passion and this belongeth more generallie to all Secondlie as thus So often as you shall consecrate this bread and this wine according to this my institution doe it in the remembrance of me and this appertayneth particulatlie to priestes And wel is it said in the remembrance of me For this trulie was one cause of the institution of this most holie Sacrifice in the Church militant that it should be a signe representation and remembrance of that high and excellent Sacrifice which Christ offered vp vpon the Crosse Againe In remembrance of me For this last remembrance of him selfe our Lord left and recommended vnto vs. Euen as some one going into a far countrie should leaue some singuler pledge or token of his loue to him whom he loued that as often as he should see the same he should remember his frendship and kindnes because if he loued him perfectlie he can not behould it without verie great motion or affection of mind Vnde memores Domine MIndfull as if he said this we doe according to thy commandement After the example of Elias who praying that God would approue his sacrifice Heate me saith he o Lord because I haue done all these thinges according to thy commandement Mindfull because our Lord him selfe commanded that we should doe this in memorie of him therfore three thinges the Church proposeth in the wordes following to be remembred his blessed Passion his Resurrection and his Ascension Nos serui tui To wit we priestes who according to the degrees receaued of cleargie doe serue thee in the oblation of this sacrifice and doe celebrate the same after thy example and in the memorie of thee For the people performe that onlie in minde which the Priest both performeth in minde and an also inexternall and peculiar maner Sed plebs tua sancta The people also are said to be mindfull because Christ died not onlie for the Priestes but also for the people and ordayned this Sacrament for the comfort as well of the one as of the other and therfore as well the one ought to be mindfull of him as the other And this people is said to be holie because hauing receaued baptisme and Gods holie grace they are therby trulie sanctified how far soeuer they be dispersed being firmelie lincked together in the vnitie of the same Church Eiusdem Christi Filij tui Domeni nostri tam beatae passionis And very rightlie is the passion of our Lord and redeemer Iesus called blessed because by it we are deliuered from all curse and malediction and by it we receiue all blisse benediction Nec non ab inferis Resurectionem Iansonius in his exposition vpon this place hath very well noted that because in the wordes aforegoing mention is made of our Sauiours passion that saith Christ will not haue the later part of his mortall life to he seene but when he passeth that is he will not haue his death to be commemorated vnles we also beleeue in his resurrection Sed in caelos gloriosae Ascensionis The holie Doctors who haue expounded the Misteries of the Masse doe bring sundrie reasons why in making remembrance of our Lord we principallie doe mention his Passion his Resurrection and his Ascension And some say that this is done because by these three meanes principallie he hath wrought and accomplished our Redemption For he died say they to deliuer vs from death He rose again to raise vs to life And he ascended into heauen to glorifie vs euerlastinglie His passion exciteth our Charitie his Resurrection strenghtneth our Faith and his Ascension reioyceth our Hope By his Passion he hath blotted out our sinnes by his Resurrection he hath spoyled hell And by his Ascension he hath shewed vnto vs the way to heauen Offerimus praeclarae maiestati tuae That is to God the Father for often in the Scripture by the titles of omnipotencie glorie maiestie and the like the person of the Father is vnderstood as Heb. 1. and in sundrie other places De tuis donis ac datis The bodie and blood of Christ are offeringes prepared by God for vs yea true offeringes but placed in heauen Offeringes when they are made to God guiftes when they are giuen in earthe to men Yet both here and there trulie the same Hostiam First some explicating this word Host say that it is deriued ab Ostio in English a doore because in the ould law the Hostes were immolated in the porch or entrie of the temple The Christians doe giue it the same denomination because that Iesus Christ Sacramentallie immolated at the Aultar hath opened vnto them the gates of heauen shut thorough the preuarication of Adam Whence the Church at the Eleuation of the Host singeth this verse O salutaris Hostia qui caeli pandis ostium Bella premunt hostilia darobur fer auxilium The Paynims and Gentils haue deriued this terme ab Hoste in English an Enimie because being to make warre against their enimies they did first sacrifice to the end that they might ouer come And after happie successe they ordayned other sacrifices which they called victimes leading their enemies bound euen to the Aultar Wherupon Ouid composed the disticque following Hostia quae cecidit dextra victrice vocatur Hostibus a victis victima nomen habet And Christ Iesus being to fight against the enimie of mankind offered vp his body and blood in an Host wherby he hath deliuered vs out of the bondage and seruitude of the diuel ✠Puram Next this host is called Pure because it is the fountaine of all puritie cleansing vs from all pollution by the force of his vertu contrarie to those of the old Testament which did not cleanse but onlie bodilie foulenes Hostiam ✠sanctam It is also called Holie because it contayneth Iesus Christ the holie of holies and the onlie fountaine of all holynes from whom the graces of the holie Ghost poure downe vpon the faithfull in vnspeakable aboundance Hostiam ✠immaculatam Conceiued and borne without all sinne and liued in this world without all sinne and therfore immaculat Conceiued of a virgin with out the helpe of a man and therfore immaculate Onlie by power diuine and therfore immaculate Panem ✠sanctum Where this holie Host is named Bread not that the substance of bread now any more remayneth after Consecration but because it is instituted or ordayned vnder the same species Adde that in holie Scripture the creatures are called earth and ashes because they are formed of such matter Simon was surnamed leprouse of that which he had bin and was no more c. And this bread is rightlie called sanctum holie because it trulie sanctifieth the receauers Vitae aeternae
yea so high that a higher or greater cannot possiblie be inuented or imagined The chiefe and principall end is onlie one the other are diuers The first is the honour of God who being the last and finall end af all things of good right willeth and ordaineth that all things be done and referred to his honour 2. The beter to vnderstand this point it is to be noted that Sacrifice is an act of worship adoration or honour the which is due onlie to God with paine of death to all those who shall attribute the same to anie other Sacrificans Dijs eradicabitur nisi Domino soli Exod. 22. He that shall sacrifice to Gods but onlie to our Lord shal be rooted out The Masse therfore is and ought to be both said and heard chieflie to honour God by and with soe diuine a Sacrifice 3. The other ends are diuers for the which the same maie either be said or heard As for the preseruation of the vniuersall church the propagation of the Catholike Religion for the Popes holines for Bishops Pastors and religious Persons for peace and concord amongst Christian Princes for our parents friends and benefactors for thanksgiuing to God for all his benefits for the preseruation of the fruits of the earth for our tēporall substance and generally for all manner of necessities either of soule or body 4. In saying of Masse there is required of the Priests part a singuler attention and deuotion be it either in regard of the thinge that is offered or in regard of him to whom the same is offered which is almighty God himselfe who is Rex egum Do minus Do minantium Kinge of Kings and Lord of Lords Before whose presence euen the highest powers of Heauen do shake and tremble 5. This S. Chrisostom seriously pondering and wheighing with himself saith He who is a legat to treate for a whole Citty what speake I of a Citty yea for the whole world and is an intercessor to almightie God that he may become propitious vnto al men not only to the liuing but also to the dead what manner of man I pray you ought he to be Trulie I cannot thinke the confidence of Moyses or Elias to be sufficient to dispatch such an embassage or supplication li. ◠de Sacerdotio And againe in the same place he further saith what hāds ought they to be that do administer it what the tōgue that pronoūceth such deuine words How pure and cleane ought that soule to be that doth receiue so worthy a Lord Thus S. Chrisost 6. For further proofe and confirmation hereof the holy Scripture recounteth a fearefull example of the two children of Helie the Priest who were punished by death for that they did not performe the office of Priesthood duly as they ought what then may we thinke shall be the punishment of such Priests as should now approach vnworthely to the Altar of our Lord 7. It is written of S. Marke the Euangelist that he had so great a reuerence of this holy Sacrifice and so greatly feared his owne insufficiencie that he cut off his owne thōbe to the end he might be vncapable and vnfit to be made a Priest which yet was afterwards restored vnto him again by miracle as is to be read Canon si quis a med dist 55. 8. And it is testified of the glorious Father S. Francis that being only a deacon and purposing to be made Priest one appeared vnto him houlding in his hand a violl of water of most admirable clearnes and said vnto him Faancis seest thou this water And the blessed father hauing answeared that he did He further added He that will be a Priest must be like vnto this in purity which words strooke into the holy man such a deepe impression and such a feare and respect of that sacred function that he neuer afterwardes would permit himself to be made a Priest Of the attention and deuotion of the asisttants And how the same may be obteyned by hearing of Masse CHAP. 5. FOR as much as vpon all festiuall daies a man must either saie Masse or at the least heare Masse by the expresse comandement of the Church it is great reason that this worke should be well and orderlie performed according as is conuenient and as the weight and importance of the thing it selfe requireth First then we must procure to haue an ardent and inflamed desire to heare the same with fruit and with the greatest attention that possibly we may which desire ought to be accompanied with a liuely faith of the presence of Iesus Christ our Sauiour who with such exceeding loue vouchsafeth to come to visite vs. 2. Secondlie it will help verie much to thinke vpon the wonderfull greatnes and dignity of this most holy Sacrifice whereof I haue spoken a litle before 3. Thirdly to remember our owne vilenes abiectnes reputing our selues most vnworthy to be present at so excellent and deuine a mistery in the presence whereof the verie Angels do humble and bow downe themselues with most deuine reuerence wherfore with far greater reason ought a wretched sinner to do the same and after the example of the publicā holding doune his head for shame to knock his breast saying Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori God be mercifull to me a sinner 4. Fourthly it is also requisite that a man goe to Masse out of mortall sinne for as much as this greatly hindreth both deuotion and due attention as also the fruit which he might otherwise draw from the same Yet if a man be fallen into anie great sinne he ought not therfore to leaue to heare Masse for albeit it serue him not then to merit eternall life yet it serueth him neuertheles to satisfie the commandement of the Church which is to heare masse on the festiuall daies which if he perfome not he doeth ad another mortall sinne to his former 5. Fiftly that our end or intention be right which is that we purpose to do that which our holy mother the Church doth who in the Sacrifice of the Masse maketh an offring and present to the eternall Father of his only Sonne of his most holie Passion and of his merits in satisfaction of the sinnes of hi◠children Whereupon we ought to accōpany and ioine our desires with those of the Priest and to beseech the deuine Maiesty that it would please him to heare vs and that he would mercifully pardon both our owne offences and those of our neighbours and that he would gratiously assist vs in all our necessities and that in the vertue of this most holie Sacrifice 6. Sixtlie to endeauour to conceaue within our selues a holy feare and a wonderfull reuerence considering that we are present in a place that is holie and speciallie dedicated to the seruice of God remembring how God commaunded Moyses to put off his shooes for reuerence of the place wheron he stood Deut. 7. Seauenthlie besides the sanctity and holines of the place we ought to
countrie of Iewrie all the priueledges franchises and immunities that possiblie they could desire at witnesseth Iosephus lib. 11. cap. 8. Of carying the booke before the priest And how thereby is represented the Annunciation of the Angel before the Incarnation CHAP. 16. THe priest proceeding in reuerent wise towards the Altar hath one to goe before him to beare the booke which contayneth the glad tydinges of our saluation signifying by this ceremonie that Christ entring into this world sent first an Angel before him to announce the ioyful newes of his incarnation Let him therfore who supplyeth this place consider well whose person he representeth and let him see that his cariage be conforme to so high a calling How the same rep The dignitie and veritie of the gospel of Christ Also the booke of the gospel is therfore caryed before to signifie the dignitie and infallible veritie of the gospel of Christ which is such that if an Angell should come from heauen and teach vnto vs other thē this we ought in no wise to beleeue him How a life conforme to the gospel of Christ Againe the gospell carried before and the priest following after is to admonish that euerie Christian especiallie a priest ought to conforme his life and conuersation to the gospel of Christ How the Church built vpon a rock The booke brought layd vpon the Altar which is of stone signifieth that the foundation of the church of Christ is built vpon a rock against which the gates of hell shall neuer preuayle Luc. 16. How the faith first preached to the people of the Iewes And it is therfore first carried to the right end of the Altar to signifie that our Sauiour came first to the people of the Iewes according to that of the Apostle To you it behoued vs first to speake the word of God but because you repel it and iudge your selues vnworthie of eternallife behold we turne to the Gentils Actes 13.46 VVhy the booke is layd vpon the Altar shut 1. Reason And it is layed vpon the Altar shut vntill the priest come to open the same to signifie that all thinges were closed vnder shadowes and figures vntill the coming of Christ our Sauiour 2. Second reason Also to signifie that Christ was he who first reuealed the mysteries of holie scripture to his Apostles saying To you it is geuen to know the mysterie of the kingdome of God Mat. 8.9 And that after his resurrection he opened their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the scriptures Luc. 24.45 The reason why the priest hath one to help him at masse Lastly the priest hath euer one or more to asist him at Masse and this for two reasons The first is for that he may haue great neede of helpe and ayde He may fall into some inconuenience or sicknes or some heretique or enimie may take the host out of his hand as it hapned to S. Matthew who was killed at the Altar In which case all good Catholikes ought to succour and defend hym euen to the shedding of their blood which danger was ordinary in the primitiue church vnder the heathē persequtors and therfore the bishops saying masse were alwaies garded with deacons The 2. reason The second is in respect of the great maiestie and reuerence due to this holie sacrifice which is such that the greatest personage in the world can thinke it no disgrace to wayte and attend vpon a priest at masse and further to ad thereunto all the humble and respectiue seruice he is able An example to be noted by such as assist at Masse And to the end that eache one may assist with the greater reuerence I will briefly recite a historie recounted by S. Ambrose how a childe which attended vpon Alexander the great when he was about to sacrifice to his Idols houlding fire vnto him by chance let fall a coale vpon his owne arme which he suffered to pierce thorough his garments euen to his verie flesh rather then he would make anie noyse or giue occasion by his crye either to distract the Emperor in his sacrifice or disturb the people in their deuotions With what attenion and reuerence then ought a Christian to asist at this dreadfull most holy sacrifice and that offered to noe false idole but to the only true and euer-liuing God him selfe S. Ambros li. 3. de Virg. Of the priests descending from the Altar And how thereby is represented the expulsion of Adam out of Paradise CHAP. 17. THE priest hauing placed the chalice vpon the Altar presentlie descendeth standeth belowe at the foote of the same representing hereby the litle space of time wherin Adam remayned in the state of innocencie and originall iustice how for his transgression he was presentlie thrust and expelled out of Paradise How his wretched estate after his fall 2. Againe by his standing belowe at the foote of the Altar humbly bowing his bodie towards the earth or falling on his knee is signified the wretched estate of man after his fall and the heauie displeasure of God conceiued against him for his greueous sinne How the time before the Incarnation 3. Mysticallie also it signifieth the time before the Incarnation of the Sonne of God who for a longe season and for the selfe same occasion of sinne stoode a farre off as it were from all mankinde and would not for some thousands of yeares approach vnto him to take his nature and substance vpon him or to open the gates of heauen vnto him How a soule in mortall sinne 4. Also that God standeth a far off and is greatly alienated and estranged from euerie soule in mortall sinne How the deuout publican and S. Peter 5. It also representeth the deuout Publican who entring in to the temple to pray stoode a far off saying God be mercifull to me a sinner And that of S. Peter Goe from me o Lord for I am sinfull man Luc. 18.13 ib. 5.8 VVhy the asistants kneele belowe 6. Lastly the people likewise kneele belowe to declare the great honor and reuerence which they beare to this holie Sacrifice For God him selfe is present to heare the supplications of his church Christ is present who is the spouse of the church And also manie Angelicall spirits are present most earnestlie desyreing that our petitions may be heard and with all the full and entyre remission of our sinnes obtayned Of the signe of the holie Crosse made at In nomine Patris And of the most excellent vertues and most diuine mysteries contayned in the same AS the glorie of a faire and sumptuous building is viewed and perceiued by the fore front therof And as the honor of a well ordered armie is discouered in the comelie disposition of the foreward of the battayle euen so gentle reader mayst thou easilie coniecture the excellencie of this spiritual building by the onlie beautie which thou behouldest in the fore front of the same 2. And what else may be expected in this venerable representation of the death and
if he desire trulie to feele the effects therof to the health of his soule The 4. Reason In particular the priest washeth his handes at this present notwithstanding he had washed them before that if perhaps by humane frailtie he hath admitted into his minde any vaine phantasie or imagination he may now at the least cast it from him and take as it were vnto him another new cleannesse For he ought to procure so much the more puritie by how much he approacheth the nerer to the woorke of this most pure and most immaculat mysterie that so he may touch with the more cleannesse the most immaculat and pretious bodie of our Sauiour Iesus The 5. Reason And it is to be noted that he washeth not his whole handes but onlie the tippes or endes of his fingars to signifie that our greater faultes and grosser offences ought first to be cleansed else where to wit in Confession so that at the Aultar we should not neede to washe but the tippes of our fingars onlie that is to say some litle affections which may sometimes distract or disturbe our spirit And now to expound the wordes them selues Lauabo c. psl 25. Lauabo inter innocentes manus meas I will washe my handes amongst the innocents Where he prayeth that as he washeth them from exterior vncleanes which defileth the bodie so it may be the good pleasure of God to washe him from all inward vncleanes which defileth the soule Et circumdabo altare tuum Domine And I will compasse about thy Altaro Lord. When our hart is lifted vp to God then saith S. Aug it is to him an Altar li. 10. de Ciuit. cap. 4. which then is compassed about when with the dore of circumspection like an inclosed orchard it is on euery side inclosed that nether by irruption of enimies it be polluted nor by the cares of the world it be distracted Vt audiam vocem laudis tuae That I may heare the voice of thy praise And note that he saith that I may heare for true it is that it is the part of him that sacrificeth to offer praises vnto God but because God ought to be worshiped of his owne and ought to be presented with his owne giftes the priest ought vigilantlie to watch that in euerie moment of the sacrifice he first hearken to God inwardlie inspiring and cheiflie to present and offer vp those desires vnto him which he hath receaued of him Et enarrem vniuersa mirabilia tua And may declare all thy wonders VVhich may aptlie be vnderstood of this most holie sacrament which being but one surpasseth al other and therfore to declare it were to declare all other Domine dilexi decorem domus tuae O Lord I haue loued the beautie of thy house VVhich house we our selues are as the scripture saith Yee are the temples of the Holy Ghost And the beautie thereof is the beautie and puritie of our soules Et locum habitationis gloriae tuae And the place of the habitation of thy glorie To wit of the Church triumphant wherin thou art glorified of thy Saintes in heauen or of thy Church militant wherin thou art praised of thy seruants in earth Ne perdas cum impijs animam meam Destroy not my soule with the wicked By the wicked are vnderstood those which nether worship God nor feare God nor obey his Church all which are trulie tearmed wicked Et cum viris sanguinum vitam meam And with the men of blood my life They are men of blood which commit the manifest woorkes of the flesh of which the Apostle saith that none such shall enter into the kingdome of God In quorum manibus iniquitates In whose handes are iniquities Men of blood in whose handes are iniquities S. Aug. interpreteth of those that bate their neighbour for the house of God is adorned with two precepts the loue of God and of our neighbour Dextra eorum repleta est muneribus Their right hands are filled vvith giftes Because that which is giuen them to the obtayning of euerlasting life they conuert to obtaine the giftes of the world esteeming gayne to be godlines Ego autem in innocentia mea ingressus sum But I am entred in my innocencie Innocencie not of perfect consummation but of right intention that it may be called innocencie as iustice is so called to wit for the end of the true good where at it aymeth as S. Aug. teacheth cap. de ciuit Dei Redime me miserere mei Redeeme me and haue mercie on me For such is the innocencie of this life that euen the innocent may say redeeme me and haue mercie on me Pes meus stetit in directo My foote hath stood in the direct That is in the way of rectitude or in a right way it hath not bowed to wickednes nor preuaricated from the pathes of iustice In ecclesijs benedicam te Domine In the Churches wil I blesse thee o Lord. That is openlie and publiquelie will I celebrate thy praises in the congregation of the godly nether will I hide from them whom thou hast called thy benediction because to thy loue I referre the loue of my neighbour Gloria Patri Filio c. Glorie be to the Father and to the Sonne and to the Holie Ghost As it was in the begining and now and euer and world without end Amen Then enclining a title before the midest of the Altar his handes ioyned theron he sayeth the prayer following Suscipe sancta Trinitas hancoblationem quam tibi offerimus Receiue ô holie Trinitie this oblation which we offer vnto thee Hauing now placed the bread and wine in a readines to be consecrated he requireth the holie Trinitie to accept his oblation and that in the memorie of the most sublime and high mysteries of the Passion Resurrection and Ascension of our Sauiour Iesus which pointes are here proposed as the most principall articles of the beleefe and health of all the faithfull Ob memoriam For the memorie Wherin the Church of Christ hath right dutifullie obserued the precept of hir spouse which he gaue vnto hir at the institution of this holie sacrifice saying Doe this for a remembrance of me Luc. 22.19 Passionis Of the Passion The passion of our Lord is first mentioned by the which he conquered and subdued sinne death the world and our capitall enimie to wit the diuel Resurrectionis Resurrection Next mention is made of his resurrection for as he put to death sinne by the merit of his passion so rose he by his proper force for our iustification He was crucified in infirmitie but rose most victoriouslie Et Ascensionis Iesu Christi Domini nostri And Ascention of Iesus Christ our Lord. Next of his Ascention in which in great iubilation he mounted vp and sitteth on the right hand of his Father to raise vp our humaine nature baselie and wretchedlie fallen thorough consent to sinne Leading with him the holie Fathers which as a spoile he had victoriouslie
who then were present in body and now allso he giueth the same to all the faithfull to the end that to those for whom he was to giue him selfe in price of redempion he woulde likewise giue him selfe in foode and refectiō For Christ two manner of wayes gaue him selfe for vs once vpon the Crosse for the sinnes of all the world which needed not to be renued the other being miraculousie instituted diuinelie ordayned to preserue the daylie memorie of his death may wholsomelie be againe renewed the latter being a true commemoration and remembrance of the former Discipulis suis dicens Where it is said to his disciples to teache vs that none can worthelie receiue this Sacrament vnles he be his true Disciple that is to say doe faithfullie beleeue what is to beleeued of this most high and diuine Sacrament For this cause the Caphernaits were not his true disciples who hearing the doctrin of Christ touching this diuine mysterie went back saying How can this man giue vs his flesh to eate This is a hard speeche and the like Accipite By which word the administration of this B. Sacrament is expressed such being the office of the Priest in the Church that it is not lawfull for any other whosoeuer were he kinge or Emperor of all the world to dispence the holie Eucharist vnto the people Christ hauing resigned this charge onlie to Priestes and not to any other ether man or Angell Et munducate Here is expressed the principall cause of the institution of this most holie and blessed Sacrament which is not onlie to be consecrated and honorablie reserued but to the end that the faithfull Christians may receiue eate and employ the same to their necessities with firme faith ardent deuotion and exact proofe and examination of their conscience and by this meanes to be vnited dwell in Iesus Christ and he in them Ex hoc omnes First Florus Magister saith that these wordes commend vnitie and peace vnto vs that by this mysterie participating of Christ we may be all one in Christ Next these wordes eate you all of this are not so to be vnderstoode as that diuers might eate diuers partes of the same and not eache one Christ entirelie who although in respect of the diuers species he may seeme to receiue one particle and he another yet according to the veritie it is all one and the same the whole and entire substance of our Lordes body which all doe eate nether doe a thousand receiue more then one nor one lesse thē a thousand because all receiue the whole body of our Lord which now can no more be deuided into parts Hoc est enim corpus meum As these wordes of God Encrease multiplie and replenish the earth spoken once in the constitution of the world haue stil as yet their effect vnto this present so that nature obeing his Creator engendreth produceth and multiplieth in conuenient season all thinges according to their kinde species propertie and conditiō euen so euer since that Iesus Christ in his last supper pronounced these wordes saying This is my body he gaue them such benediction force and vertu that they are not only significatiue but furthermore effectiue and as instruments of his holie will to change that which was before comon bread into his true reall and blessed body Of the worship and adoration of the blessed Sacrament The wordes of the holy Sacrament being pronounced the Priest houlding in both his handes the blessed bodye of Iesus Christs in the forme of bread doth presently kneel him downe and adore the same shewing herein that by the vertu of the diuine word our Lord our God and our Redeemer is there reallie present And then rising vp he doth eleuate the same on high to the end that the asistants also behoulding the same may adore theire Lord and maker and craue of him that which may profit thē to their saluation By which eleuation we also are admonished to hasten vs and foorth with with trembling and feare to prostrate our selues vnto the ground and humblie to beseeche of him who somtimes being reallie lifted vp vpon the Crosse now trulie lifted vp vnder the forme of bread that he whose glorie and magnificence is lifted vp aboue the heauens would wouchsafe to drawe vs vp thither to him who sayd I when I shall be exalted will drawe all vnto me Simili modo WHere he saith in the like maner because the same ought to be vnderstood and done touching the blessed blood of our Sauiour Iesus which was done before concerning his blessed body seing they are both one and the same Christ not the one more the other lesse not his bodie in the Host without the blood nor his blood in the Chalice without the bodie but his whole body and blood in the one and his whole bodie blood in the other all in heauen and all vpon the Aultar sitting at the same time vpon the right hād of his Father remayning likewise present vnder the species of the Sacrament Accipiens hunc Where it is said that Christ tooke this Chalice if we should referre the word this to the vessel it is not the same as touching the matter and substance of the mettall but if we referre it to that which is contayned in the vessel then that and this is all one Againe it is called this because it is daylie blessed with the same intention that it may be made now that which it was made then Againe this because this faith is one thoroughout the whole Church and he also one to whom both then and now the same is offred Praeclarum The Chalice as yet but wine is called noble because presentlie it is made noble by being conuerted into blood As it is written My chalice inebriatinge how noble is it Or noble by comparison with that which Melchisedec in the law of nature and others of the ould Testament offered Or because of the great and noble maiestie of him to whom it is offered Wherupon in that which presentlie followeth he saith We offer to thy noble maiestie Calicem Chalice is taken in three sundrie senses 1. For sufferance or passion as Mat. 20. Can you drinke the Chalice which I am to drinke 2. For the drinke contayned in the Chalice 3. For the cup or vessel which contayneth the liquor and so Christ tooke the Chalice into his handes Which vessel according to Albertus is called Calix a calore that is to say of heate or calor because it enkindleth in vs the fire of Charitie In sanctas ac venerabiles manus suas Perfectlie holie because of the Holie-Ghost and the plenitude of graces infused into him Venerable because of the sundrie stupendious miracles which he wrought with them Perfectlie holie because neuer was there found in them any kinde of iniquitiie Venerable because they were of power to sanctifie Item tibi gratias agens To wit for the redemption of mankind Which was to be purchased and
thee c. For prayer is an act of subiection and submission as noteth Caietan vpon S. Thomas Lube haec preferri But what is al this which is desired with so great instance Verelie this that God by the ministerie of his Angels which attend both vpon vs and vpon these holie mysteries would command the bodie of his Sonne our Lord to be carried vp before him not according to changing of place or locall mutation of the sacrament but according to his gratious acceptation of our seruice Per manus sancti Angelitui This place Hugo de S. Victore expoundeth to be of the Angel keeper of the priest And Thomas Waldensis who wrote so learnedlie against Wicliffe calleth this Angell Angelum vernaculū sacerdotis The proper or peculiar Angell of the priest signifying hereby that euery priest as he is a priest hath an Angell deputed to him by almightie God to ayde asist him in the discharge of his function In sublime altare tuum As the Church hath a visible Aultar beloue in earth so hath she an inuisible Aultar aboue in heauen And because the Angells are said to be ministring spirites therfore we pray that by the handes of the holie Angells the Hostes which we haue here vpon the Aultar in earth may be presented aboue vpon the Aultar in heauen For as S. Chrisostom sayth at the time of Consecration there are present many thousands of Angells who enuiron the Aultar and do honor and homage vnto our Sauiour Iesus In conspectu diuinae maiestatis tuae To wit the same first entring and going before we also by meanes thereof may be admitted to follow after and to enter in before the fight of the same maiestie Vt quotquot ex hac Altaris participatione The Church as we said before hath a visible Aultar here in earth and an inuisible Aultar aboue in heauen And because we doe participate of Christes body and blood two maner of wayes Sacramentallie and reallie or by faith and spirituallie therfore all good Christians haue often recourse to these two Altars sometimes to the one and somtimes to the other and so we participate of the same bodie and blood both vpon the Aultar in earth and vpon the Aultar in heauen When we receiue our Lord from the one we goe vp by faith vnto him and when we receiue him from the other he descendeth and cometh downe vnto vs. Of the kisse of the Aultar The priest at the prolation of these wordes doth kisse the Aultar by which ceremonie is represented vnto vs our reconciliation with God made in the death of Iesus Christ by the commemoration of this sacrifice for a kisse as before we haue said is a true representation and signe of peace Sacrosanctum Filij tui cor ✠pus san ✠guinem sumpserimus To expresse the excellencie of the holie Communion the body and blood of Iesus Christ therein contayned is called sacrosanct or most holie Which prayer doth not only concerne the priest who doth celebrate but the people also who doe communicat by faith and deuout asistance at Masse with intention to communicat often and at the least on the times appointed by the Church ✠Omni benedictione caelesti gratia repleamur The end of this present petition tendeth to this that as well the priest communicating Sacramentallie as also the people spiritually by religious assistance at this holie sacrifice may be replenished with all celestiall benediction and grace to carrie from this holie Communion fruite profitable to their saluation Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum Amen Wherin we desire that God for the loue of his Sonne would both heare vs and haue mercie on vs as though God should seeme litle to regard his Sonne if he should not mercifullie heare vs for his sake And as if the Sonne ascend not to the Father if our deuotions ascend not vnto him and be accepted of him Of the three Crosses which are made at the three wordes aforesaid By the first which is made at corpus is commemorated the cold and stiffe extension of the body of Iesus Christ which according to the saying of the prophet was such that they might denumerat all his bones By the second which is made at sanguinem the aboundant effusion of his pretious blood whence it followed that all the humors being quite exhausted his bodie was wholy parched and withered By the third which is made at omni benedictione is designed the fruite of his holie passion from whence all benediction floweth foorth vpon vs for which cause the priest maketh this third benediction or Crosse vpon him selfe Memento etiam Domine AS before Consecration mention was made of the liuing for some in particular but for all in generall euen so after Consecration commemoration is made for the departed for some in particular but for all in generall saying Remember also o Lord to wit remember to comfort them remember to haue mercie vpon them remēber to deliuer them remember to take them out of their paines and to glorifie them Famulorum famularumque tuarum Where they are called his seruants that is to say of his familie because whilst they liued in their bodies they were true members of the Church which is the familie or house of God And also when they died they died in the same Church and therfore are rightlie called his seruants or familie N. et N. These leters put in this place of the Canon doe serue for a marke to reduce particularlie into memory the names of those for whom the Priest dooth specially pray or celebrate Masse as his parents benefactors friendes and others committed vnto his charge for whom he prayeth secretly Qui nos paecesserunt cum signo fidei Which signe of faith is to haue bene regenerate of water and the Holie Ghost and signed with the triumphant signe of the holy Crosse the peculiar marke or caractter of Christians whereby they are distinguished from all Infidells Signe of faith to witt for those who before they departed receaued the holie Sacraments and were not seperated frō the vnitie of the Catholique Church by any note or marke of Heresie Signe of faith in which wordes as well noteth Gabriell Biell is touched the deuotion and pietie of the departed to wit that when they were liuinge there appeared in them euident signes that they were both faithfull and true beleeuers Et dormiunt in somno pacis That is are departed in peace of conscience without mortall sinne and in the frindship and grace of almightie God Who therfore are said to sleepe in peace because as those that doe sleepe in peace awake againe so those that are departed out of this life in peace shall arise againe And as those which depart out of this life without the signe aforenamed are truly said to die so they that depart with the same signe are not said to die but rather to sheepe or to rest then to be dead for they are properlie said to be dead which neuer shall