COLLECTION OF PURITAN AND ENGLISH THEOLOGICAL LITERATURE I LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 5oB (07S(o PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY h THE WtutQiM-Mkniitk O F The Holy Sacrifice \ of the MASSE,! BY j Omiflion of Controverflal Queftions -, Abridged and ao- ! commodated to the Pious afe ! of Devout Chriftiaos in [ heying MASSE, By A. F. the Authour of the fame, at the inftance of f om e Devout Friends. Shew to the People the Ceremonies and Rite of Worfhippinv, and the Way they ought towa\ y and the Workjhty are to do.Exod. 18. 20. Printed in the year, 1675. To the Moft HONOURABLE And the Moft Excellent LADY, The L A D Y ARVNDELL; BARONESS of WARDER , COUNTESS of the Sa- cred Empyre, &c. All Health and Profperity. ©aaam, Aving lately frefented un- to the viet* of the World, my lUtursfcai * Srtftottt- A 3 ft** ThcEpiftle COttVfrfll, in which I at large unfold the many glorious Myfleries of the Sacred Majfe, and of the only great Sacrifice of Christians, which is therem daily offered uf to God, through all Na- tions of our Catholic^ Communion ; under the , llluftriom Name of the Baron of Warder , Xonr Mojl Noble and Mofl Excellent Con- fort as under a fecwe J ' Shield Dedicatory. Shield to defend it a* gainfl the over fevere Tongues of this Cenfo- rious Age, and as a Charm ofmofi exemplar Piety, to all Zealous, to this the greateft AU of Religious W or fhip and Perfection; I now eHeem itmyfpecial Duty and Obligation , to Confe- cr ate this [mall abHraB of thofe larger Vo- lumns,to the Patronage and ProteUion, of your A 4 MoH ThcEpiftle Motf Honourable Per- fori, and Moji Heroic\ Christian Venues. For befides , that it were a high Crime, to feparate thefe fmaller Streams from the Foun- tain-head, whereto jour Honour already claims fo juH a Title ; Tour many Signal favours have been jo conffkuotts towards me, that I ought, at the leafl, thus, to let the World fynoTP the Dedicatory. the height of Tour Merits; though I may not preform to attempt the repaying the leaftof Tour Incomparable Ci- vilities, by the greateft of my Wijhes or Endea- vours. My ambition is, by thefe choice Ears, glean'd forth the Rich Fields of the htghefl and moH Sacred of all our ChriHian Myfle- rtes^tomahg a fmall Of- fering at the jhrine of Tour The Epiftle Tour Moft lllujlrious Vermes , and rvithall, ftill to frofefs my felf Tour Honours infoluble Debtor. Truly, the SubjeB of this Abridgment^ as it Merits tbehigheft val- ine and veneration from every true Profeffor of Chriflian PerfeUion ; (o it has ever been mofl fuitable to, and attra- Bive of Tour Religi- ous Piety. It is the Hu- Dedicatory. ftupendious abftraB of the Birth .Life and Pa) - fion of om moft glorious Redeemer. It is the great propitiatory Sacri- ficejnce offered in blood by the Son of God on the Altar of the Crofs, andftill MyUic ally jlain on our Sacred Altars, for the attornment of Heaven, and the recon- cilement and eternal V- nionof Men and An- gels, to their offended Creatour. The Epiftle Creaiour.Andas it is the moft Sober and Solemn Teti of our Catholic^ Vmty, Worfhif & Per- fection : So it if the moft efficacious encourager of Devotion , God could bequeath toman, where- by to affure him of bit frefent Mercies and fu- ture Happinefs. 40at>am, It it by the power of this Sublime ABof Christian Wor- fhi]) y that Tour Catho- lic\ Dcdicarory. lic\ Soul, amidji the worft of times, and not- mtbjtanding the horri- de ft Scandals andBlaf pbemies, carnal wifdom could vomit againft the mott Sacred of our Chri- flian Duties^ has been keptftedfaflin the Pro- feffion of Christianity, which even from the Laver of Tour Holy Baptifm has grown up Kith Ton, and has moft fruitfully Branched forth The Epiftle forth into many goodly Offerings , the living and choice Images of jour Noble and Christi- an Zeal ; and which will render your Memory Sacred and Immortal For if the malice of Sa- tan foall not be able to undermine or fhahg the Koch^ of our Christian DoBnne.nor the Blaf- phemiesofthe great eft Criminals , Cancel or Frustrate the Decrees of the Dedicatory. the eternal Providence oyer Believers^ Net- .tier {ball it ever maty void the Veneration and Piety of Chrifliam, to- wards the SacredMafJe, and the unbloody vi&im therein daily Sacrificed for their Reconcilement and Comfort , and for their encouragement, a- midftthe bitter eft Perfe- ctions, Senf utility , and Satan can raife up a- gainftthew. So that by thefe The Epiftle, &c. thefe my v>ea\ labours , in the difiovery of this ineffable Myfcry J may juftlyhofetbatlbavein fome meafure fitted an Offering, at leaH for the SubjeUs fa\e, worth your Acceptance ; and which mil, fir its own jatytmeritapofortiom- ble welcome, from the heart, andmott affectio- nate mjbes of Madam, Xom Devoted Servant A. ?• CM The firftPartof things neceflary to be known, for the better un- demanding of the Maffe, and the fatisfadtion of the Curious, SECT. I. of the word) fubjianct^ *nd bene- fisher fruits of the MafTe. i. Of the word Maffe. Hence comes this word MafTe ? A. Some will have it from the word Mtjfach in Hth; which fignifies * voluntary Oblation, under which name the Holy Fathers do call that which wc term Majfe , frequently B Ob-. (2) 'Oblation, Holy Oblation, Myfteri- •ous Oblation, and the Latin word, Mijfu may well be faid to come thence. Others do fay,that the word Mijfa y doth Ggnihe Afijfa or Trumfmiffaa MifTion or Tranfmiffion of thj Sacri- fice, or prayers of the People, in the Sacrifice fent up or offered to God, afid taking the word M* whence the Maffe and Liturgic arc Synoni- mies, fignifyingthe fame things So that which the Grcckj call Lttitrg:e y the Latins call Maffe > and for the fching inttsfelf , no Chriflian Nation Grcc Chrift , until thefc our latter times was without it. Q Have yon no other names of the Maflfe? A. Some (5) A. Sonic of the Fathers, call it the my fiery of the New Tefiament^ feme, the Sacrament of Sacraments* My fiery of Myficnes • Hofi cfHofis, Sacred Action ; others, the new Obla- tion (,f the New Te filament j the pure Oblation of the new Offering in the Law , the vital and impo/luted Hvfi, the honourable and dreadful Sacrifice^ the Sacrifice cf MelchifeJech; a Sa- crifice which fucceeds all the Sacrifices of the old Law, and comprehends all difference of Sacrifices. Others term it the Incrucntal and Life-gi- ving Sacrifice in the Church, to omit many other Fathers, for few of them have omitted to fpeak honourably of the Sacrifice of the Majfc : I will Conclude with St. Augufiine , who ftilesitthe//*/)' M.ijjc, the Sacrifice of the Altar , the Holy andmyfieriotu Sacrifice cf the New Ttfiamcnt, the Churches Sacrifice, the Sacrifice of our Mediatonr , the Sacrifice of our Re- demption. B 2 U What 2. What i»/4j[/ir is f -4. The Alujfc is a Sacrifice of the Evangelical Law, ioftitutid by Chrift in his laft Supper, confiding in an Ob- lation of Chrift's Body and blood, under the fpecies of Bread and Wine for a perpetual memory of Chrift's paflion ; in which Definition we may confiderthatit is a Sacrifice, for God never left his Church without Sacri- fices, as is to be fecn in the Law of nature, and the written Law ; nay, there was never Nation fo Barba- rous, but either by the light of na- ture, or by imitation of God's Church had their Sacrifices ; and accordingly the whole Chriftian Church believes, and ahvayes hath believed , that Chrift left unto us Chriftians a Sacri- fice ; and therefore Secondly , it is faid to be a Sacrifice of the Evange- lical Law, to di linguifh it from all precedent Sacrifices of the Old Law; for as the Law was changed, fo alfo the Sacrifice ; all former Sacrifices tea- (?) ceafing, it was neceflary there ffioufd be a new Sacrifice for the new Law. Whence it is Thirdly faid, Initia- ted by Chrift, for as he alone did or could inftitute the Sacraments ^ fohe alone did or could inftitute the Sacri- fice of the Majfc ; which by Traditi- on, the Church hath alwayes recei- ved, as the Holy Fathers and Coun- cels in all ages do te/tifie. Our Ad- verfarieshave mod: diligently labou- red to find out fome Additions, which have been made thereto, and in this they much glory, but indeed x their glory is in vain ; for Additions fup- pofe the thing in being, wherefore in that they allcage fuch Additions even very neer to the Apoftles , they con- fefs that the Majfc was then in being ; and cohfequenrly, that it was ever fince the ApoiU:s ; who received it from our Saviour. And therefore Fourthly^ it is faid inhislaft Supper, when he cxcrcifcd theFunAion of his Pfiefthbod-j ac- cording to the Order of Mclcbife- i •, following the prophefie of' Dmjid\ and therefore Fifthly it is B 3 faid, (*) faid^ confuting in an Oblation of Chrift's Body and blood, under the fpecies of Bread and Wine, as Chrift himfelf in his laft Supper did , bid- ding his Difciples do the fame. Laftly, it is faid for a perpetual memory of Chrift's paflion , which our Saviour then commanded, faying, do this in memory cf me ; that is as St. Paul faith, to fuw the death of oar Lord until he comes. All this is the continual belief of the Church, brought unto us by Uni- verfal Tradition, teftified by the Ho- ly Fathers and Councels. 3. Of thefruits and effects of t-he Ma(fe. Q^ What are the benefits vrhich ive receive by the Mafic ? A. We may well fay. in genr-rr.I, that by the Afajfe we receive the fruits of Chrift's pafli n on the Crofs; for the Maffc is an application of thatpafiion to our Souls go^d, and a continual renovation of the fame paffion j communicating unto u* the won* (7) wonderful effects thereof; the Court- felof 7ra?f,Sefs. 22. c. 2. faith, it is one and the fame Hoft, and the fame Offerer, now by the Miniftery of the Prices, who offered himfelf on the Grofs, different only in manner of Offering, the fruits of which incru- ental Oolation are by this moil plent- ifully received. Q^ Are there no particular or proper effects of this Sacrifice ? A. Yes, as we may gather from the denominations, which a learned Lay man has,/. 5. Tr^ 3. Chap. z.who- - calls it Latrentical, in as much as it is referred to the worfhip and honour of God, and profeflion of his Su- pream excellency and dominion over all Creatures : which a Lapide [neap. 26. Mat. explicates thus faying, One of the motives why Chrift int ftituted the fame Sacrifice of the Eh- charift, was, that the Church might have wherewith to worfhip God So- vereignly, and condignfy, andconti- nually honour and adore him with Latria ; that is , with worfhip di?e only to him, for this Victim which is B4 offe,- (8) offered to God in the Sacrifice of the Encharift^ is commenfurate and equal toGodhimfelf ; Chrift who is both God and Man being this Viftim : all our worfhip and honour being but little and vile in comparifon of God, Chrift hath made himfelf a Viftim in the Eucharift, that by it , as equal to God, we might equally worfhip God, and exhibite as much Latria, and honour as he himfelf is worthy of, and as much as he can of our du- ty ask of us. Secondly, he calls it Euchariftical, becaufeitismade in Commemorati- on and Thankfgiving for the Sove- raign benefit of our Lord's paflion, which is the Fountain and Spring of all God's, benefits to mankind ; we poor Creatures had nothing to grati- fie God for all his innumerable be- nefits, cfpecially for thefc great bene- i-'tsof our Redemption ; and there- fore Chrift arnongft other graces of his infinite Clemency, hath left us a Sacrifice of Praife and Thankfgiving exceeding all other Sacrifices, which alfo cannot but be acceptable to God the (?) the Father.whcnce this Sacrifice take by way of Excellency the name of Er.ckarift , that is Thankfgiving; whence St. Auguflwe faith, how can greater thanks be given then by Jefus : Chriil our Lord, whom the faithful do offer in the Church in this Sacrifice. Thirdly, he faith it is Impetratory ; ; that is a Sacrifice whereby we may obtain whatsoever we (hall ask or de- fire, if we make our Petitions as we ought. Our Saviour faid, As\ and it pall be given you> in this Sacrifice he hath not only taught us the true means to make our petitions, but alfo • an affurance of obtaining what we ask; for the Father cannot deny what we ask in his Sons name, much lefs it we ask by his Son,\vho is offered ! here unto him; for as with him he hath given all things, with him he will i rcfufe us nothing. Fourthly, he terms it Propitiatory, . for it makes God propitious and mer- ciful unto us, for by it Gods wrath «s appeafed, and our Sins remitted,. Whence a late Authour well faid, that it brings the firft Grace and Rcmiflicn (IQ) of mortal Sins, by way of impetra- tion, raifing in us good motions, by which we may find grace in time con- venient if we concur thereto. Se- condly? by the fame Way it gives en^ cteafcof grace, that is, thofe who are J$ Sin j may receive the grace of Repentance, and thofe who are in grace, may receive encreafe thereof. Thirdly, it remits venial Sins. Fourth- ly it-takes away, or remits pains duQ for our Sins. Fifthly, by way of Im- )p£ trafion, we may obtain not only Spiritual graces, but alfo Temporal benefits, as converfion of Infidels, or Herettcks, or Sinners encreafe of perfection.* victories over our Ene- mies.. St. Chryfoftome fayes, we Sa- crifice for the tick,' for the fruits of *he Earth, and of the Sea, and for the whole W odd ; in- fine, this Sacrifice is offend by the faithful in all necefll- ties, in fo much that in many places Christians will not begin any work* Suit of Law, journey, or fuch like, before they have offered the Holy Sacrifice of fotMajfe. SECT: (ir) SECL II. of the ufe, practice , and man- ner of hear in? MafTe. J fi*ns y although aged, do never fit in the Church, but out of Reverence al- wayes kneel, or (land leaning on their Staves. Merrorablc is the ex- ample of the Empcrcn Thcodofiii*, who would never enter into the Church to hear Maffc with his Arms or Crown, but left them at the door ; alleaging that fuch Reverence ought to be given to fuch places, wherein the divine Majefty ol Goi did more efpecially fhine. St. Mdrtin did be- have himfelf in the Church v. ith fo great Reverence and Devotion, that he was never feen to fit there, but al- wayes to kneel or ftand with trem- bling and pale fear, being demanded C the (2 but alfo encourage them*, let us attend in thofe places to the facred Solemnities with intent ajfctti- ons, and infifi in devout prayers } let all vain things ceafe, much more filthy and frophane ; away with all talk^and con- fabulations. Woe, woe to the impudence of men^for t\xy are confounded with £rea- (27) water fame before men y than before Godyfor we are bold to do many things in the fight of Cod, which we would be afliamed to do before men. This he learned of his and our Seraphicai Father St. Francis^ whofe words are, It is a great mi fry and mi fer able infir- mity j that we flwuld regard anything in this Worlds when we have Godfo prefent. The whole man may dread, the World tremble, and Heaven re Joyce > when Chrifi the Son of the living God is on the Altar in the hands of the Trie ft \ O admirable altitude'] O fin- pendious favour ! O humble fub Unity 9 t'.oe Lord our God y and the Son of God fo humbles himfelf, that for our Salva- tion^ he hides himfelf under the Uttle form of Bread : Behold Brethren God's Humility^ and four forth yonr hearts before him y and be ye humbled % that fo you ?nay be exalted by him. It is a Rule which amongfl others St. Augufiine gives, Nothing at alt cught to be done in the Oratory^ Chappel #r Church, be/ides the Worjlnp of pray- er orfingingj that our works and mind continually employed ?nay be agreeable td the nam of or place of \er. I will conclude v wordfof St. Aulas, who with St. James the Apoiile in his Liturgie, and St. Chry- foflome very frequently , St. Ambrofe and St. Cyril affirms that the Angels are there prcfent with fear and trembling; he concludes , / write thefc things that under fl aiding of what dread tht Divine Mayfly is : ye do not ixmifly negleil: the fear of our Lord^ 7ior permit any others to t alitor mutter , in the time of the Oblation, that is the Maffe , nor rajljly harden or be moved from becoming gravity, or to go up and down with idle and divided divagati- ons. Of Intention. Q^ Is it ncccjfary to have a'-i inten- tion to hear Maffc ? A. There are fome who go to hear .tffc following their fancies, with little or nothing of a rational acftion , for they little confider, why, where- fore, or for what end they come to ' AUjft : ( If ) Maffe: but do as they fee others do, orlikefheep one follows the other; or out of Cuftome, no way refle&ing on the fpiritual operation, neceflary to fuck fpiritual and fupernaturil myfteries. Whereas man who is ra- tional , ought to work rationally with reafon and prudence ; and firft propound the true end of what he is to do, directing his intentions thereto, and then to confider propor- tionate means to attain that end) and accordingly to frame his aftions. The firft thing therefore required is inten- tion, from whence all humane aftions have their value or worth, or the con- trary. The intention therefore leads and governs the mind and underftanding, whence St. Anthony of Padua faid well, The intention illuminates the knowledge of good rporkj , low and ?/;can )vorks done in [pint and right in* ion^ become valuable and mcritori- ; but the beft works lofe their value and cftcem, where juft and good intentions are wanting : would wc have God to receive that which C a we (30) wc do not offer : or can we expert to obtain what wc never intended to ask? fuch prayers arc rather babling, and at the beft are but abufivcly cal- led prayers : and therefore it is no wonder, if they be inefFccfiual ; for furely God is notvecisfed cordis au- ditor. It is the devotion and Inten- tion of Ihe Heart, which makes our prayer pleafing to God, and profita- ble to our Souls. Mellifluous St. Bernard will give us a notable pattern to this our pur- pofe, faying, Come Intentions, Cogita- tions, Wills and Affeflions, all ??iy in- tcrionr farts ; let us afcend to the Mountain , ( That is to the Aiajfe, or to the Church) where our Lord fees, and is feen: yce cares, Solici- tudes, Anxieties, Dolours, Services, expeEt me here ( that is at the door of the Church ) With the Afs my body, whilfl I with the Boy, that is,with rea- fon and understanding, ha/hing thi- ther , after we have Adored we ?nay re- turn unto yen, for we will return : and alas, how quickly fhall we return. When we go to Maffe, we ought to j lay) OO fay afide all other thoughts, and bend- all our intentions to what we are fl to do. Q^ How many wayes may one his Intentions ? A. The intention may have influ- ence upon our a&ions a&ually, vir- tually, or habitually. Then our in- tentions are adiual, when by an ap- plication of the mind, we actually intend fuch or fuch an end of our aftions. Then virtually, when having made firft an aftual intention, we do fuch or fik.h anions in conformity, or in vertue of fuch a precedent adual intention. Then habitually , when being accuftomed to fuch and fuch actions, which import fuch or fuch in- tentions, we do them without refle- xion on them. For example, when I actually intend to go or hear Majfc^ then my intention is aftuaF; as like- wife to hear it for fuch and fuch ends, or for remifllon of my Sins, for to obtain grace and fuch like. And when I do what becomes a Chriftkm by vertue of my precedent intention, there is a virtual influence on what I C 4 do it*) do, although I do not rcfieft upon any fuch intention. An example of the third, may be of him who is ac- cuftomed to give Alms, not confide- riDg actually what he doth at the pre- fent; who neverthclcfs would not give it but for God; fuch a one may be faid to have a habitual intention. The firft, to wit aftual intention, as it importcth a continual intention to the end, is proper only to the per- fect, and fuch who have obtained that fpecial grace of God , who by a per- fect abftradion from all earthly things, are abforpt in God: never- theless, by diligence, we may at lead frequently renew thofe aftual inten- tions, provided that it be not done with anxiety or trouble of mind, to the hindrance of the aftion we are to do. The fecond, that is, virtual inten- tion fuffices to make our anions plca- Sng and acceptable to God, merito- rious and profitable to our Souls, and in this none can pretend difficul- ty ; for what is more cafie then to make fome aftual intention, cither be* Ur) before they go from their Houfes, 6t when they are in the Church, or ar the beginning of the Majfe to hear it for fuch ends as they fhali pro- pound to themfelves, fo to prepare themfelves for fo Holy an a < look up and down and about them, to fee and behold what others do.gazlng on their aftions, behaviour and ge- sture, yea their Fafhions and Appa- rel ; if they chance to fee any de- vout, or attentive to the Majfe, in- flead of following their example , they cenfure them of Hypocrifiej if foine do behave themfelves unfeem- ly, they take occafion to deride them. Infinite are the wayes which the De- vil hath to impede and hinder us, from reaping the fruit and benefit of this Sacrifice j he chuckles to fee the wan- (39) wanton behaviour of fome,who im- ploy the moil part of the time in fond love- tricks, or foolifh comple- ments. 5. Why is the Maffein Latin i Q± If attention be fo reqpdfite^ why is the Mtttefaid in Latin i A. I fuppofe this matter not to concern any matter of Faith, but on- ly concerns the Government of the Church, which in the Council of Trent was determined, as foon as any queftion was made of it ; for in pre- cedent times, I mean before thefe lat- ter Hereticks, all antiquity did agree in this, that the Maffe in the Oriental parts was faid Greek^ox Hebrew, and in the Weftern parts was alwayes faid in Latin y and fo in England from the beginning of its converfion ; and no Liturgies oxMajfes was ever in the vulgar Language ; wherefore it re- mains only to ficw here the grounds thereof, Now as there is one Lord > one Faith, and one Baptifra ; fo there is one C4»1 one Church, and one Sacrifice : and thirone Church, in as much as may bc^fpeaks the fame Tongue ; that as our hearts are united in the fame Faith, fo our devotions to the fame Sacrifice ought to agree in thofe Tongues, which arc not fubjeft to al- terations and changcs,as vulgar Lan- guages are: wherefore the Church hath thought fit to have this dirine Sacrifice to be celebrated in Latin , which uncorruptedly , and without alteration pafles throughout the We- ftern parts, as common to all the Na- tions thereof ; So that in diverfity of Countreys, ftill there remains the fame form of Mafic equally intelli- gible to all, and thereby any Catho- lick in all Countreys finds the fame Sacrifice, and under/lands it as well in one Countrey as in another: and certainly there is no exteriour thing, that fo much agrees to the Unity of the Church, and Conformity to the divine Service, and the Prieftsin all Countreys wherefoever they go, may ferve God in this Sacrifice , agreeably, to thofc cf every place where he comes. More? C40 Moreover, we muft know that the Majfe is a Sacrifice, as hath been de- clared before, and none are to offer this Sacrifice but Priefts, it is their Office and Funftion only , to cele- brate Majfe for the faithful; the Church even from the ApofHes times has ordained Six other Orders for the PriefVs afliftance therein, and none by Office is to intervene therein; allSe- culars in the primitive times were excluded from the Quire^and have nothing to do therein, but filently to offer up their prayers, votes, affe&i- ons, and defires, with the Prieft in the fame manner as in the old Law. The High Prieft only did enter into the Santta Santterttm , and none but Priefts and Levites did enter into the places for Sacrifice ; which St. Lnk* Chap. i. tcftifies, faying, That when Zaeharias etitrcd the Temple of oht Lord, all the multitude of the People, was praying without at the hour of In- cenfe : loe here the People were pray- ing without, which is defcribed by the wife man, Eccl. 50. where having declared the Office of the Priefts and their <4») their Oblation, he fayes : Then all the People fgether made haft, and fel en their faces upon the Earth to ador* wr Lord their God, and to make pray- $rs to God omnipotent the Highcfi. It was then the Office of Priclts to offer Sacrifice, and the duty of the People, was to pray and adore their God ; it fufficed them to fee the fraoak of the Incenfe, whereby they knew that the Priefts was offering Sacrifice for them, and with probations and genuflefti- ong, they joyned their prayers with the Prieft, believing by a lively Faith, and firm Hope, that the Sacrifice was acceptable to God, and profitable to themfcltes. All which did prefigu- rate the holy Sacrifice of the Altar ; wherein Chriftians regard not fo much the words, as the acftion ; nor the voice, but the vow. Here all arc, or ought to be employed in fervent affeftions, and contemplation of the divine Myfteries, and by their vows of hem, or in their prayers, unite themfelves to the Prieft in his anions of the Sacrifice. In fine, the People come not for In- (43) Inftru&ioruhey come not to Sacrifice, which is not their Office ; they come not precifely to pray, for that they may do at home, or in the Church at all times ; bat they come here to be partakers of the Prieft's prayers, and oblation of the Sacrifice; it nothing imports them whether it be done in this or that Language, no more then it imports to a Countreyman to have his Petition offered to his Prince in this or that Language; the only thing he requires is the grant of his Petiti- on, and I believe he is as earneft for his Snit, as if it were done in his own Language. Itfuffices then for the People, that they believe the Prieft according to his Funtfion, and exteriour aftions, in offering the Sa- crifice for them, and endeavour to concur with him as I faid before ; be- fides theundcrftanding of the words avails little, unlefs the affedion of the mind fecond it ; the words ferre but to move the fenfes, and by them theunderftandieg: if then the under- ftanding be well informed and iii- ftrufted, as all good Chriflians are or ought (44) ought to be in the knowledge of the Myftcries, nothing more is required, but a correfpondency of the will to that Diftamen. Q^ Are there not certain means If * help the attention at Maffe ? A. Love or fear would eafily pro- duce motives of attention; a man that hath a Suit in any Court of Ju- ftice, is very attentive, although his caufe be pleaded in another Language; for during his Plea he is anxious of the fuccefs; fometimes fears his caufe may fall ; fometimes hopes he may obtain what he defires; now regards his Advocate,then beholds the Judges, if by any fign he may note their In- clinations, in fine, he thinks of no- thing elfe during the whole time. In like manner the devout Soul who hath made his Intentions to hear Majfe, for fomething which he defires, is at- tentive to what the Pried offers for him, and with correfpondent affecfH- ons, does follow him in the whole courfe of the Maffe. If any one will truft to experience, let him go to Ca- tholick Aflemblies, and he fhall plain- ly (45) Iy fee thit^Pater- Nofier did build Churches , and our Father putTd them down. So the Devotion of the Catholick People in ' their Latin Majfe, will mallrefpeds furpafs that of thofc who frequent the new in- vented vulgar Service, and that with a great deal of reafon, for that they ferve God in a more noble way, to wit, in a Sacrifice Inftituted by Chrift Jefus. Moreover the Church ordains ma- ny Ceremonies, in the whole courfe of the Majfe, to move and continue our Attention, as in the fecond part (hall be more particulaily declared in general 5 She invites us in the begin- ning with a mutual confeflion, and frequently with an Ore?ms , let us pray : in like manner with a Domwns vobifctim, our Lord be with you : it is convenient that you attend to him. Finally, all along the Afajft by the Ceremonies fhc puts us in mind of . Chrift in his Nativity, lafl: Supper, PafTion, Refurreftion and Afcenfion ; which if we obferve, it will be hard to End any other thoughts. SECT. <4«) SECT. III. of Ceremonies in General and F articular. \ I. Of Ceremonies in General. Qj. \Tt J Hat is that yon call Ceremo- V V nies t A. By Ceremonies,nothingelfe is underftood, but external Religious figns, or adions, teftifying or moving the internal Worfhip, Service or Du- ty which wc give, or ought to give to God ; and imports no more then the" manner of God's exteriour Worfhip, or what may conduce thereto, cither by external anions, figns, futable ob- je fom' way or other the operations of th< Soul united to the Body, depend 01 the Senfes, and the Senfes on fenfibl objefts ; hence the Holy Counfel o Trent gives the reafon, why, our Ho ly Mother the Church doth ufe thef Rites and Ceremonies, from the na ture of man ; which cannot be raifc to the meditation of Divine things Lux by exteriour fupports, and helps an (49) and declares the principal end of fuch Ceremonies, which are ufed in the Maffe, to wit, for the fetting forth the Majerty of fo great a Sacrifice; and that the minds of the faithful by tho.e vilible figns of Religion, and Piety, may be moved to the contemplation of thofe mod: high things, or Myfte- rieSj contained in this Sacrifice; for by things feen or received in the Sen- res we are moved, and handed to the comprehcnfion of the fpiritual things. 2. Of fome particular Cere* monies. Q^ Befcending into particulars , I W*y what is Adoration ? A. The Divines diftinguifh, be- tween internal and external Adorati- on of God } the internal confifts in :hc acknowledgement or mental con- feffion of his fupreme Dominion ; .vhich 3 rational Creature makes to 3od; out of a fubmiffive and revc- l ent affeftion : The external coiAls nthc exhibition of exteriour figns, D whereby (5-) Cfeby a national Creature profeflls the inward citeem of Gods Excel- lency with all fubmiflion. Of thefe fignsjfome are particular- I !y and folcly pertaining to the Wor- fhip of God , no way applyablc to others, as Sacrifices, Churches, Altars and fuch like, belonging to Sacrifice. There are others which have an in- differency in themfelvcs , either to God or to Creatures, without any diftinftion of the fign; but in as much, as they have reference to different Excellencies, of which St. Anguftint fayes, much is taken from the Divine Worfhip, and thru(t into humane Honours, either by exceffive Humili- ty , or peftilent Flattery; yet ftill with a referved notice, that they are Men held worthy indeed of Reve- rence and Honour , or at moft of Adoration ; for even Men in the Scri- ptures have a kind of Reverend Ado- ration allowed thorn. Now although this Excellency isj .rent, according to the feveral ccftions : yet we may reduce. \ Three heads. Increate or In- finite, (5i) finite, which is found only in Godj the other is Create, which is in Crea- tures, and is Twofold; the firfi:, is fuch :hat hath a refemblauce to God, in Pome perfection of Sancftity : the 'econd, is inrefpecfiof fome tempo- ral Dignity or Worth eftimable be- Fore Men. According to thefe Three Excellencies, we may diftinguifh a threefold Adoration , Worfhip or Honour ; which for want of proper lames, we fhall defcribe by thefe lotions ; Divine, Religious.and Civil. By Divine, I underftand, that which is proper only to God, called by St. Augiijime Latna, and this is properly Adoration; yet not as to be diftin- guifhed by the external Aftion, no more than love or fear, which in all external fhew, cannot Le ciiftinguifh- ?d, for the very fame may be done to Creatures, and many times Hypo- ritically and fcignedly. By Religious Worfhip or Adora- ion, I undcrfbnd that which is given o Creatures, by reafon of their San- ity, or fome fpiritual pcrfc&ion; 6 Abraham Adored to the ground D2 the fs*J the Angels, Balaam, and alfo Jofue did the like, which alfo the Angel al- lowed ; Tobias and his Son Adored on their knees, when they knew it was an Angel; in like manner Saul Ado- red Samuel, and Abdias before Elias. By Civil Worfhip, I mean that which is given to Earthly Men, by reafon of their Dignity , Office or Quality: So Abraham Adored the People of the Land ; and the People Adored the King; Jacob Adored his Brother Efau, and Jofcphs Brothers Adored him ; Ruth, Boos ; Abigail, David ; Judith , Holof ernes ; and Achior, Judith. It is not therefore oppofite to the < Commandment of Honouring and Adoring God; to give a civil Honour to Men of Authority; or Religious Honour to perfons or things which appertain to God: but to give Di- vine or Sovera/gn Honour, which is only due to God : to any thing that is not God, is a breach of the precept, and plain Idohtry : we arc com- manded othcrwife to Honour our I King and our Parents. Q^ May % (-53 J O May not the fimple People, who underfiand not this diftinftion, be de- ceived therein ? j4. Can any one think, that there is any Chriftian, who hath his Senfes about him, and believes there are no more Gods then one; as they are Taught as well by their Chriftian Pa- rents, as by the common Catechifms, whereby they know him to be Omni- potent, and Creator of all things, can give his Honour to any Creature whatfoever; therefore they give Ho- nour to our Blefled Lady, or the Saints, or Holy things; although they ufe the fame exteriour figns, yet they give not the fame Honour, which they know they are to give to God. Q^ What is Proflration, and when is it it fed ? A. This Proftration is a catting the whole Body on the ground, and is not now fo much ufed, as in former times; efpecially by Penitents in the time publickPennance ; but it is prafttfed even in thefe our times, by fomc Re- ligious, efpecially the Carthufiixj ; before they begin Majje, and it is ge D 3 ncrally (54) morally ufcd in the Church on Good Fry day, and on the Eves of Eafter and Whitfmtidiy and privately by ma- ny Devout perfons : for it fignifics a total Submiffion of the whole Man to God } and carries with it an humble acknowledgement of our own no- thing, or a total confidence in God's Goodncfs and Mercy. St. Auguftinc fayes, he that humbles him ft If as to hveel, hath yet a way how to humble him- f elf more : but he that humbles himfclf to caft his whole Body to the Earthy can hnmbte himfelf no more. We have examples of this in the Israelites ', who in the time of Suppli- cation and times of neceffity, did ufe it, as is to be feen in Judith, the M&- chabites and others ; fometimes by way of Humiliation, as Abraham, jMofcs and Aaron, as alfo Jofue ; Laft- ly by way of Adoration, as Salomon, the Priefts.and the whole multitude ; the like is to be feen in Efdreas and Tobias. So the Leper, St. Luke faith, did magnife God, and fell on his fact before Chrifi. St. Mary Magdalene: but above all examples, that of our Savif (50 Saviour proftrating himfcff in the Garden. Q^ What fay you of Gewtfietlion or kneeling ? # A. This much depends upon Cu- ftomc, however kneeling in time of Prayer is very ancient ; for we read of it in the Old Teftament, and it was pradifed by the Apoftles; yea by our Saviour himfelf, Baronws fayes, that praying on the knees was the ufual pofture of Chriftians , and fomctimes they did caft themfelves proftrate on the Earth. It is reported of the Apoftle St. James^ that by fre- quent and long Gemtfltttion his knees were as hard as a Camels skin. Now this Genufldlion carries with it a confeflion of our Infirmity, and tcftifies our fubmiffion to God, im- porting the intcriour humility of our Heart ; and although Proftration may fcem to be a greater fign of Hu- mility, yet for this action of hearing \Maffe, the kneeling is more proper, [becaufe we are to attend to the My fterics there reprefenred ; whence is the common Cuftome at M*j D 4 that (50 that all good Catholicks do kneel. Q^ What fay you of Station or ft and- tng } A. The Church ordains /landing to all at the Gofpel ancf Creed in the Maffe, and that with great reafon; for the pofture of ftanding is proper for Confideration, and Attention ; as he that ftands, fees further, fo the Soul in this pofture, confiders-more attentively, and is more prompt and elevated, by a more vehement appli- cation; the /landing alfo fhevvs Promptitude in the Hearing, and ex- ecution of what is declared, as is the proper Pofture of our Miniftersj whence the Prieft as being in continu- al Adion at his Miniftery, ftands for the moft part of the Maffc, for other- wife, he could not perform the Rites and Ceremonies ^ the nature of a Sa- crifice requires it. (^ What of Inclination or Bowing I ji. The wife Man gives this Coun- fel,T«p the ancient ^humble thy Soid\ and to a great Man, bow thy Head } as a Token of Reverence, and fign of Humility and Submiffion. But none more (5?) mare properly ufed this Ceremony, than Chrifi himfelf ; who bowing or inclining his Head,gave up the Ghoft: to fhew his Humility and Reverence to the Father. This the Church ufed many times in the Majfe, and with inclination we reverence the Altar,Bi- fliops, and Holy things, as a manife- ftation of the refpeft we bear to them. Q^ What means the Pofture of car Hands t A. In this we may confider, that fometimes the Priefi joyns his Hands, and fometimes opens them again. Now,n Prayer to joyn our Hands, is i fining Poiture, of one who makes Supplication, and Petition; for we in Prayer, make Supplication toGod for Mercy, and humble Petition for his Grace and benefits; and by dirccfting our Hands to Heaven, we manifeit that our hope is only in God; and in joyning our Hands alfo, we make pi o- fcfTion, that we are able to do nothing of onrfclvcs; and as St. Cyprian orA St. HuYomc fay, by this Pcjlurc we p fefstht, wtritsof Chrijfydi ; D5 §nr fclves altogether unable to do , and unworthy todcferve any good: and there- fore in this humble manner, we offer | up Chrift's merits to God the Father, as a mod efficacious means to obtain what we defire. Briefly, in this man* ner we prefent our felves as Captives, or as labouring with extreme want; and neceffity. Now the Hands ex- tended,do reprefent the extenfion of our Saviour's Hands on the Crofs, and is a fitting pofturc for the Prieft, who- in the Aiaffe reprefents Chrift's Paf- fion. Itmayalfofignifie the elevation of the mind to God, and (hews a defire to have the Heart go with the Hands, as laid open to dart Lances of love in- to the Court of Heaven, or to receive the influence of God'sGrace. We have a fitting Emblcme of this, in the example of one, who being like to be drowned, fti etched forth his Hands to catch hold of any thing for his Suc- cour : even fo do wc poor Sinners, be- ing in danger to be drowned in Sin andj iniquity, ftretch forth our Hands, and- with them the affeftion of our Hearts, and- and knowin: that there is no help in Earth,or Earthly things, we ftretch out our hands to Heaven , from whence we exped Relief; faying with the Prophet Jeremy >Let us lift up cur Hearts with our bands to Hcavi?i, I will conclude with the words of St. Cyprian, The pious Priefi, whom the Holy Ghofi fiirsup , moves and Sancti- fies, repre fen ting the Myfxery of the Crofs, by the Elevation of his bands, pr ayes for his own 412 d the Peoples Sins. Q^ What means the lifting up of the eyes to Heaven ? A. Whensoever the Prieft joyns his hands, or fhuts them, for the mod part he lifts up his eyes to Heaven, and this congruoufly ; for nature teaches us, that the eye followeth the Heart; and it is a common faying ; where love is, there the eye u; there is no fenfe more betrayes our interiour Affections, and PafTions. The lifting up then of the eyes, reprcfents the intention of the mind or undcr- fhnding, and the affection of the Heart or will ; of this we have m 1- ny examples in the Scripture, in £4 Sarah, Tobias his Wife, and King David, who often mentions it in the Pfalms, but principally in the aftions of our Saviour. 3. Of the Reverence we ought to have, to the Holy name of . ?'/". ' Q. May we ufc any Reverence, to the Holy name of Jefus ? A. If the Jews might lawfully honour the name Jehovah , it is lawful for Chriftians to honour the name of Jefus ; but the Jews did lawfully honour the name of Jeho- vah, ergo, the Minor is proved by God's command, and by praecies, or internal word ; fo the name, or external word caufes Reverence to what it fignifies, with- out any reflection on the word. When therefore we hear the name Jtfnsy we give the Honour , Praifc, Glory and Worfhip to Jcfos Chrift himfelf,as one may experience rand in this fenfe, none but Infidels can deny Honour to the Sacred Name oijefus. Q. What Rev£rence are vpjs to give to the name of [efus ? A. The Councel of Bafit y will have, thas*all ftiould bow their Heads at the name of Je fits. Pope Gregory the Tenth, commanded that at the Sacred name of Jcfus , every one fliouid make fomc Reverence, bend- ing C*5) : ing the knees of their Hearts , which , theyfliould teftifie, by bowing their Heads. And a Council at Lyons hath this Ordinance : That Name which is above every Name, in that there is no other Name under Heaven given to Men, wherein we mufi be faved ; to mt^ the Name of Jefus, who faves his [People from their Sins, let all magnife by exhibition of fome Reverence, and what is in general written ; let every kriee bow, each one fingularly perform- ing, efpt daily, whilfi the Sacred My- (leries of the MafTe are a doing, when- focver that glorious Name is rehear fed, let them bend the knees of the Heart, and teflifie it by bowing their Bodies ; and generally according to the Ri> bricks of theMiflalat this Name of Jefus, the Pried bows or inclines his Head, and all good Chriftians ought to do the fame : admirable is the De- votion of the Saints, Chryfoftome , Ambrofe, Augufiine, Bernard, Fran- cis, and other Fathers to this Holy Name of Jefnt. 4- Of Wotihip to the Saints. Q^ May we Adore , or Worjhip Samts? A. We (66) A. We may give Religious Wor- fhip or Adoration to Saints, but by no I means Divine Worfhip, which as I faid before is only proper to God;] although for the outward aftion, wC'j cannot diftinguifh between the one and the other, but only by the Inten-. tion. The Praife, Honour, or Wor- fhip of Saints terminate in God \ for whofe refped: alone, we give this Honour unto them ; for the grace of God in them is the motive and caufe thereof, othenvife they would not be refpeded or honoured more than other Men: befides,as the love of our Neighbour hinders not, or dimi- niflies not, but includes the love of God , for whofe fake we love our Neighbour; fo the honour which wc give to Saints hinders not, or dimi- niflies, but rather includes the honour of God ; fo we honour the King, and in reference to him, his Princes, Rulers and Officers, whom we ho- nour in him. Q^ May we pray to them ? A. What difficulty occurs in this, occurs alfo in the prayers which we make 1*7) make to Men on Earth j forfljrely^f kve may defire Earthly Men to pray for us, we may defire the fame of the Saints in Heaven j for in this manner, and no otherwise we pray to the Saints. The Holy Scriptures, the Univerfal practice of God's Church in all ages, as alfo the Coun- cels and Fathers^ even from the Apo- ftles time do warrant this, all the Li- turgies that ever were in God's Church admit prayers to the Saints. Q. Can they bear as f 1 A. It is great ignorance, to think that the Saints do hear with corporal Ears, which for the prefent they have not, for now they are pure Spirits, fo that their hearing is nothing elfe, but a pure vifion or knowledge of things prefented to their underftand- ing, which is not limited to place or fcnfible Objeds, but moved by Ob- jects in fpecics; as they have a being reprefented unto them ; whence as they fee God, and in him they fee all things. Moreover as St. Angnfiinc faith, Intelligible things are to befeen by the Afpcft of the nnderfianding , arid (6S) and corporal things way be feen by the Spirit, and Bodies are feen by the Spirit ^ for the Objctt of the wider I. adding is all things that have a being. So the Angels did hear ; or fee ( which with them is all one ) as the Prophet Za- charias testifies, did fee the Afflictions of the Cities of Jnda, and therefore prayed for them: fo our Saviour faith, that the Angels do re Joyce in the Convcrfwn of Sinners : Sure they did fee it ; the Angel in Daniel did know hisdefires; The Angel Raphael could tell Tobias what he did ; The Hiftory of Dives and Lazjtrus doth convince it. Iknowfome of our Adverfaries will turn this ofF, with an anfwer like themfelves , That it is but a Parable ; if it were fo, as it is not; according to the judgement of all the Fathers and Interpreters of that place • can we think that our Saviour would tell us Parables importing lies ; to con- clude, the Devils do hear any one who calls upon them, and fhall we think that the Saints cannot hear us ? the effefts of the daily experience manifefts the one j and (hail we doubt the the other ? hath God given more power to the one,than to the other?or hath God made the one lefs able to hear our prayers, and lefs powerful to relieve our Neceflities , than the other to do us mifchief ? Q^ May we fay MafTes/^ Saints? A. The Church honours God in his Saints, and makes memory of them in the Maffe, but never fayes them to the Saints, as tho Holy Councel of Trent declares ; and St. jtugufiine tettifie*, in many places, as alfo others of the Holy Fathers. The Majfe then is offered only to God, and not to the Saints; but well in memory of them ; as appears in all theLiturgics, where the prayers are only to God by their Merits and Prayers. 5. Of Holy Water. Q^ Why doth the Ch rch nfc Holy Water f ji. To put us in mind of the pre- paration we ought to make before Majfc , left that in not doing it, wc irrevc- (70) irreverently, or undevoutly fhould provoke the Wrath of God; and to this end flie exhorts and invites each one to make ufe of it, in going into the Church, in imitation of our Savi- our who wafhed his Difciples feet ; before the Inftituticn of this Holy Sacrifice. Q^ Hovp ancient is the ufe thereof ? A. Even from the Apoftles, for Pope Alexander the Sixth, from St. Peter^mdidc a general Command, for the ufe of it, as being then the cu- ftome of the Church. And St. Cle- ment tells us , that St. Mat hew did firft inftitute it, he alfo relates the ufe and manner of the bleffing thereof , by him prefcribed, and fuch hath been the Cullome and Tradition of the Church in all times fince. Q^ For what end was it ufed? A. The forefaid Saint, and Pope Alexander fay OS, we bit fs Water im led with Salt for the People, that all arefprn>l +i*b way be Santtifi- cd and Purified ^ for if the Ajhes of an Heifer, being fprwklcd^did fuacli 'fie and clean fe the People : and if the bitternefs of (7i ; f the Water, was made Holy by the Prophet Elizeus , vpith Salt fprinkjed herein^ by how much more things fan- 1 1 fed by Divine prayer j, may ta\e away he Barrenness or Corruption of humane kings, andjaxffifie, clean fe^ and purge he polluted^ and multiply other good htngs , and avert the deceits of the Devil , and defend Aden from extra- ant Phamafies. He adds another Argument, if we doubt not , but that be fickjwere healed by the touch of our ours Garment } how much ?norcby te of his words, may the Elements ::ed, bring health of Body v o the weah^efs (f humane Nature i Q^ Wbewe did the Church take this Cujiome ? A. The Church in the Benedi al- though it be not the fame with the li- teral fenfc of thofc words : and therefore as the Holy Water hath a Myftical fignification, principally in order to the Soul, fo fhc takes thefe words in a Myftical fenfc, importing the principal effeft of the Holy Wa- &4 ttr, (So) ter, which is to purge and clcanfcour Souls from fin and finful aflccftions. Now Hyfope both for its formal ufe, and Myftical fignification, may be I fitly applyed to this aft ion; for it was ufed, nay inlticutcd by God, for cleanfing from uncleanefs, to which end they were to dip Hyfopc in Wa- ter with Afhes, and to fprinkle all the Tent, and all implements, and the Men : snd fo be freed fiom pollution or contagion. And again this Hyfopc dipped in Sparrows blood, did ferve to cure the Lcprofic, by being fprink- led therewith. Now for its fignifica- tion it agrees with the effeds of Holy Water. For as the Phyfitians hold, Hyfope hath a certain vertue of purg- ing principally the Lights or Lungs ; and to mitigate the pains of the Sto- mach : which St. Hterome on the 50 Pfalm thus applyes : as the Earthly "Hyfope is apt to cure the Luv.gs, to binder infiam.it io?:s or [wettings of the . wind; fo ?naa;fprinklid with celefiial Hyfopc , th*t is , with humility cf Heart , is purged from all malignity of pride j and St. Angiiftine, Hyfopt faith (8r) faith he, is afimple or low Herb, purg- ing the Stomachy and fignifes Chrtjis humility, by which we are eleanfed. Chriftians then cntring into the Church, ought to be fprinkled with this Hyfope of Humility, that taking the Holy Water with Humility, De- votion, and compunction , they may be cleanfed and purged from all pride, and vanity ; that with purity of Heart, they may be prepared for the better participation of the Sacrifice and Sacraments. SECT. IV. Of the Churchy and Holy things therein. I. Of the Church. Q^ \\1 H** ts ^e Church ? ▼ > ji m We may fay with grief, Dcus venerunt Gentes\ God, the Cin- tiles are come into thine inherit dnctfot we have not the happinefs now to en- joy our Churches : and inftead of E 5 them, (82) t^em, wc arc forced to ufe ordinary Cjhambers, poor Rooms, or Corners t$ Celebrate the Divine Myfteries in. So that in writing for the pre- sent time , I fhall omit many things which might be faid of material Churches. I fhall only fay , that as we have the felf fame Sacrifice , fo we ought to have the fame Devotion to it, in whatfoever place it is Celebra- ted; we honour the Church principal- ly for the Sacrifice, and not the Sacri- fice for the Church. The very want of fuch Churches might move us to Repentance of our fins, which were the true caufe of our Defolation, and thereby ftir up our Hearts to make humble Supplication, and fervent Prayer, that God out of his infinite mercy would avert his juftly provoked wrath from us^ which can hardly be better done, then by devoutly faying the forcfaid Pfalm, which is in the Primer after the Leta- nics, with prayers proper for that end ; we may alfo on the other fide, exilt and raife up our Hearts in con- templating the primitive times, when the firft Chriftians by reafon of great perfecutions : were forced to feivz God in the fame manner ; that is,in the Sacrifice of the Majfe. O that we would imitate their fervour and Piety, their Zeal and Charity, their Devotion and Patience. When in- ftead of fumptuous material Edifices, they laboured to raife the fpiritual Temples of the Holy Ghoft; adorned with all manner of vertue, and en- flamed defires of fuffcring for the love of him who fuffered for us : : more greedy of the Crofs or fuffc- ranees, than we are of this drofs which we fo much efteem ; nay they did run after them, that thereby they might afcend to the Caeleftial Taber- nacle. We may alfo refleft upon the times of Antkkrifl, who fhall de- flroy and pull down all Chriftiat: Churches : at leaft fhall labour to - bring them all to ruine, as the enemies of Chrift have alwayes done; Wc have truly great reafon to fufpecfl, that his time is not far from us,fith the precurrent figns arc manifefted <*4> If any one would pcrufc St. ffipol*- tits his Difcourfe of thofc times, he might eafily fee how agreeable his fore-runners are to his Maxims > of abjuring the Crofs of Chrift, his Do- ftrineand Sacrifice , and particularly in the ruinc and deiiroying of Churches and Altars, at lcait defa- cing them. Q^ Is there no Reverence due to the f laces ^ where the Sacrifice is Ccla ted t A. Yes furely : for as I faid be- fore, the principallcil: motive of Re- verence to the Church, is becaufe this Sacrifice is offered in it : jince then by the mercy of God, and in- dulgence of the Church , we have the Sacrifice, wc ought to fhew all Re- verence in thofe Places where it is of- fered. It is thcfelf fame God that is in the Churches, which is in other Places, the fame Sacrifice ; and we ought as greedily to come to it, in the one as in the other; and we may obtain the fame Graces, Bencdi from burning, becaufe thq Vi- ftims were burnt thereon. Now this Altar was elevated above the reft of the Pavements, for the Commodity of him who Sacrifices,as alfo to fhew the Dignity of the place, where the Sacrifice was offered, and is no other, than a Table ordained for that end, and Confecrated and Dedicated to God ; and therefore is not unfrc- quently by the Holy Fathers called a Table ; St. Chryfojhmc without any difference calls it fo, faying : This Table is full of Spiritual prcs,for oh thti Altar is. Cod himfelf, who is a con* fuming faming fire. And in another place he fayes, Tin Altar is dreadful and Admirable for the Sacrifice which Js made on it ; and again. The Table fup- . plyes the place of the Manger^ whence - Optatus calls it the feat of our Lord. Q^ Of what matter were they made? 'i A. Ever fince Pope Siliefter'sl time,which is above 1 340 Years paft, : they were of Stone, and is proba- ble,-that it was fo alfo in the Apoftlc's: time; for Pope Higin, who was the. Tenth from St. Peter, ordained that'. Altars flienld be Confecrated, not only- by the unttion of Chrifme, but alfo with facer dotal Bencdtttion : but if the^ Altars be not of Stone, let them not be Confecrated; there were indeed at; that time Wooden Altars by permif- fion, or by reafon of the continual perfecutions , but now all of Stone. Q^ But why of Stone ? A. We may fay, that in a Moral fenfe, the Stone is more folid, not fo , porous as wood is^generally fpeaking;. but in a Myftical fenfe it is to repre- fenttheStone,whichwasput on our 5a.- Saviour's Se£u!cher ; and as that 5tohe was fealed, fo the Altar-Stone is fea- led, and figncd with Five Crofles, one in the middle, and one in each Cor- ner; to (hew that the Catholick Church extended to the Four quar- ters of the World, is united in the Crofs of Chrift Jefus. In contem- plation whereof, Catholicks are wont on Munday, Thurfday, Devoutly to kifs the Altar-Stone , which is then uncovered and laid bare. St. Gregory of Nice j who lived well nigh 1300 Years part, tells us, That the Stone by Natnre is common^ but being Confccra- ted to God's IVorfiip) receives Bcnedi- tlion, and is to be touched only by Priefts. And St. Angufiine^ who was not long aftcr,affirms, that the Church was wont to Celebrate the Solemnity, in which the Stone y whereon the Divine Sacrifxes are Consecrated fur us y was Slwhited. Q^ Have we any fitch Altars now ? A. What is faid above concerning Churches, maybe faid of Altars ; for our Enemies, or rather the Enemies of Gpd, have not only prophaned the (88) the Churches , but alfo utterly de- ftroyed the Altars, and endeavoured toextinguifhthc name of them; fo that now there is hardly an Altar, ac- cording to the former cuilomc of the Church extant in our poor Country ; but by pcrmiflion of the Church, we are forced to make ufc of lefler Stones ; which nevcrthelcfs arc Confccrated and Dedicated to God's Service, for the Holy Sacrifice of the Majfe : and is called Alt are port attic, an Altar that may be carried up and': down, ufed only in time of Perfccu- tion, and in places not Confecrated. Q^ What doth the Altar represent ? A. It may reprefent the little Manger, whereon our Saviour new- born was laid; but more properly the Table whereon our Saviour in the night before his Paffion, did Inftitute for our fpiritual Food, the moft ex- cellent Sacrament of his Body and Blood which was prefigured accord- ing to St. Cyril j St. Jerome, St. Dama- fits y Rupert and others by the Table < " proportion ; for in it the Bread Life is prefentcd unto us. It may alfo foh (*9) fitly teprefent the Mount Calvary* ■where the Crofs was placed ; whence fche Crucifix is alwayes fet thereon. [Not. unfitly it may alio reprefent the Monument, wherein our Saviours Bo- dy was laid ; for his Body and Blood is laid on the Altar; but if we will take it in a more Myftical manner, we may fay, that it reprefents unto us the Judgement of Chrift in the lad day} which representations will Mi- nifier us pious matter of Contem* plation. For fometimes we may Contemplate the little Child laid in the Cribbi and fo Adore our new- born Jcfus, who came then to work our Redemption, and here ccmes to give himfelf unto us as a certain pledge thereof : fometimes to Medi- tate, that the Altar, is as the Tabic whereon our Saviour did give himfelf unto us for our fpiritual Food, and ftrivc with all ardent Devotion, to accompany his Difciples there prc- fent at the Table. Sometimes ima- gine, that in coming to the Altar, wc are going to the Mown Calzary^thcrc to behold the whole Paflion of our Savi. (90) Saviour, after the Judgement which Pilate parted on him; and call to mind that Chrift did carry his Crofs thither for our fake, let us endeavour to fol- low him. Other times we may go in Spirit with the Maries to find him in I the Sepulcher, that is, to imitate their Devotions in feefcing their Mailer, and rejoyce that wc may find him on the Altar. Laftfy , we may call to mind the faying of St. Paul, He that eats and drin\s unworthily, eats and drinks judgement to himfclf. For Chri'l hts on the Altar as in a Judge- ment Seat ; for as the Pfalmift fayes, he loves Mtrcy and Judgement : they both ,go as Companions together. }fo where hath God (hewn greater Mercy than in this Sacrament, yet fo, that if we do abufe his Mercy, we can expeft no other thing but Judge- ment. Q^ May we adore the. Altar ? A. I hope none will be fo Imperti- nent, as to think that Chriftiar\s Adore JteittT the Altar, as having any Dttty in it; ~ — 7 we Adore and Reverence tfic Altar, as David did. Adore towards the Holy Tan- (91) Temple: and why ? not for its materi- al Subftance, nor for its Ornaments, but for that our Lord is pleafed there to make his abode; or zshc adored Cod's foot-Stool , by which the He- brews underftood the Ark; or as Daniel kneeled down Three times a day towards Jerufalem where the Temple flood. If this may be done to the Ark and Temple: with much more reafon may we do it before the Altar j which hath Reference to the Encha- rift, that is, the true Body and Blood of Chrift • fo that all the Reverence, Worfhip and Adoration which we make before the Altar, is referred to God, in whoft refpeft alone it is due. 3. Of the Crucifix. O. jyi.it do you mean by the Critti- ■ A. Nothing but the Figure or Image of Chrift Crucified, which the Church*has ufed to put on the Altar; to -put us in mind of Ghrift's Death and Paffion, whereof the Majfe is a Com- {91) Commemoration, for which Chrift hath left this Sacrifice as St. Paul tcftifics, amongit other means , that the Church hath to engraft this re- membrance of Chrift's PafTion in the hearts of the faithful: fhe maketh life of the Crucifix or figure of Chrift ontheCrofs; that our eyes receiving the fpecies, may carry it to the heart} our fenfe is fo powerful in that effeifh none will fay, but that it is good to Preach it often, that we may have it in our hearts ; but the fight of it etfen in figure makes a deeper imprcflion in the mind, and that it has been the cuftome of the Church to have Cru- cifixes on the Altar, is manifeft by continual Tradition. Q^ What rcafon have you for it ? A. Many,incorrefpondence to the Altar whereon it is placed, which as I fiiid before, may fitly reprcfent the Monnt Calvary, and the Crucifix, the Crofs of our Saviour. Secondly, al- fo in Conformity to the Altar, in as much as it hath aReprefentation of the Judgement Seat, we may confider the Crucifix as representing the Crofs, (93) Crofs, which will appear in that day of Judgement ; which Crofs, Chrift calls the Sign of the Son of Man. Thirdly, as the Banner among Soul- diers, is put in an eminent place, or at the head of the Army; So the Church puts the Crofs in the moft eminent place •, to wit, on the Altar, as the Banner and Trophy of Chri- ftian Religion, and of our King Chrift Jefus. St. Auguftine fayes, Wc do all n Joyce in the confcffion of Chrift, who glories m the Sign of the \ cannot bt efteemed to be of the Chriftian Militia, itnlefs with a ful hand y he eretl tht Standard of ht?n Crucified. Leontws above a Thoufand yearsago, fayes, TheCrofs is to be drawn m the t Holy place cf the moft Sacred Church towards the Eaft ( that is, the Altar, which is for the moft part towards the Eaft ) for by the SaUitifcrous Crofs, Alan~kj,nd is freed, and by this, hope is declared to theft who dcfpair. Q^ May the Crucifix be Adircd? A. Yes, as hereafter I fhallmore fully declare - 7 in the mean time, for this (5»4) this we have a known example of St. Andrew, who feeing the Crofs prepa- red for him, cryed oui>hail, Crofs, which art dedicated rn Cbrifi's Body, &C. O good Crof, which haft received honour and beauty from the members of Chrifi : long de fired, feduloufiy loved, A fought without intermijfion y and at laft - prepared to a deferens mind , take me from Meny and restore ?ne to my M*i- fler, who by thee redeemed me. Loe, how the bleffed Apoftlc adores the Crofs, which was a figure or Image of Chrift's Crofs. And Leon tins before cited, The Sons of Clmfiians adoring the Type of the Crofs, do not adore the nature of the Woody but beholding Chrifi him f elf for by this we falutc and adore him y who was crucified thereon. And St. John Damafcenc, truly the pre- tious and venerable Wood whereon Chrifi has once offered him f elf for hs 3 as Sanctified by the touch of his Body and Blood, is decently to be adored', the Nails ySphear and Cloth yalfo : we adore alfo the figure or Image of the prcticus and life-giving Crofs, although it be ixadccf another material', not Worfinp- tng cp5 ; ng the matter ( far be it from us ) hnf he figure *>* the fign of Chrift. From whence we may gather, that 10 Catholick adores the materia! fubftanccof CrofTes, or the painting 3f them: but as the -Holy Fathers iay,what is reprefentedbythem ; in which fenfe they have nothing but a representative being , and as it is faid before,terminates only on the proto- type. Yet I cannot fay, but that the true Crofs of Chrift' Dignified by Chrift's Body and Blood, may have a Religious refpeft and adoration, which is not found in others, but only in as much as they reprefent Chrift Crucified, and in him , and for him, as to him, to be adored. Q^ What ufe do Clrrijlians make hy r act fix on the Altar ? A. Firft, we have Copious matter of Devotion, the Type of our Re- demption. Secondly, We have mat- ter of companion on our Saviours fuffcring for our fake. Thirdly, Of :ompun as conforming their will to fuffer for Chrift Jefus, andtoarme themfelves from the Temptations of the Enemy. 4 . Of (97) 4. Of Images. Q^ Is it Unful t9 have hnAges in the C hitrch ? j4. Our Controvertifts have fa amply declared this, that it is need- lefs here to treat of this Subjecfhl will only take notice here, that many Councels have determined this mat- ter, but efpecially the Councel of Nice held well nigh Nine hundred years ago, where there were 330 Bifhops aflembled, exprefly on this Subjcft. This Cuuncel was held in .cf, where the oppofite Herefie did begin fome years before , with great contcft in thofe parts , whereas the Weftern Church did alwayes pre- serve the Worfhip and ufe of Images, and in three feveral Councels con- demned the Hereticksin the Eaftern Church ; and this was done in NUe in the moil folemn manner, and with the greateft difputc, that ever was feen in any Councel; on the oppo- fers fide all the reafons imaginable, from whence the Hereticks of our F times (*8) times have taken their Arguments; -on the Catholick defenders fide, Scriptures , Tradition , Cuftome , Judgement of the Holy Fathers, continual praftife of God's Church werealleaged, with clear and mani- feft anfwers to all contrary Objecti- ons ; whence the Councel unani- moully determined the ufe and Wor- (hip of them. Q^ May we adore them ? A. We may not adore them, but before them, or in beholding them, we may adore what is reprefented by them - 7 according to the old verfe. Chrift's TiBure War flip thou, who by the fame decft pafs, i ct Picture Worfinp not, bat t for whom it pittured was. If the Picture be of God, we give Divine Worfhip to him; if of Saints , we then give a Religious Worfhip, which is due to them ; for our Worfhip doth not terminate in the Pidures, but in the thing repre- fented. The Piftures or Images, do fcrvc (99) ferve only as reprefentatives, in fomc manner like the fpecies which falls not under our fenfes or underftand- ing, but in as much as they reprefent the Objects ; we have no knowledge of God, but by the fpecies, which ferves only to fupply the place of the Objeft; and does not terminate or bound the understanding in its ope- ration; fo that we know the Objedi by the fpecies ; but yet take no no- tice of the fpecies. The objeft of the fenfes is the fenfible quality, which the fenfe does not perceive, but the fpecies, in as much as they are reprefentatives of fuch qualities; So it is alfo in Pictures or Images, which by their reprefentarive nature, being beheld or feen, do lead us to the knowledge of the thing reprefen- ted : we may experience this in the Pifturc of a Perfon we love ; when we fee the Pifturc, we are moved with a new affeftion, not to the Pi- cture, but to the Perfon it repre- sents. Q^ Wherefore dre they put in churches f Yi A. For ( IC J4. For many rcafons ; firft , for Ornament of the Churches, which is warranted by the Scriptures, where God commanded the Images of Che* rubines to be made in the Ark, and Sa- lomon put Cherubcs in many places of (he Temple, why then may not Chri- ftians place Images in their Churches. The Empcrour Co-njlantinc in all the Churches he built, did put Ima- ges, Picfhircs, and Statues of Chrift, and his Saints ; for their Ornament. Jfcdore Pclufiat, who lived about the year 440. is fo far for it, that he fayes the place cannot be faid to be a Church which is not adorned with Images. It is ftrange that Men adorn their Houfes with prophane Pictures or Images ; and tkink that holy Pi- ctures reprefenting Sancftity, Piety, und Devotion, to be Prophanation in the Church. Secondly, for the in- ftfu and Images but Letters for the Ignorant ; yea to the learned for a more fpeedy reprefentation. Thirdly, they ferve to move the beholders to Piety and Devotion, for naturally we are moved by vifible objects to good or evil : whence the Church hath alwayes commended 3 though not commanded, good Ima- ges : and ftriftly forbidden bad ones, principally Prophane and Lafcivious. None who have any Civility will de- ny, but that Lafcivious Images, Pi- ctures, or Statues are dangerous, and fure it cannot be evil to have good Images, which favour of Piety } i F 3 if (102) if thoft: caufc ill difpofitions in the mind, thefc may caufe good, which St. Bafile thus declares , Hiftorians and Painters do often clcfribc the glo- rious ccnflifls^ and great Deeds of Warlick^Men^ thefe ftt them forth by Orations ', thefe faint them in T Abies : both cf them have provoked many to Vertne y to wit, as the one perfvades by his moving words j fo the other draws by his lizely reprefentation, of the things done by our Saviour and his holy Servants. Laftly, to omit other reafons, thefe Figures or Images are placed to put us in mind of the Sanftity of the place ; wherein none but Holy Pi- ctures are to be permitted, and there- by is declared the Reverence of the place, and indeed when one comes to a Church adorned, as it be- comes the Houfe of God, efpecially with Pictures, Images and Statues, he cannot but adore God to whom all this preparation is made, for it has fome refemblance of Heaven, where God is faid to be with his Angels and Saints adoring him , with fear and Rcve- (ro3) Reverence ; for here by Faith wc be- lieve ChriiT: Jcfus God and Man to be really prcfent; and we contemplate in Spirit the Angels and Saints, ac- companying him under the forms of Bread and Wine we fee our God; and in the Images we fee his Angels and Saints. 5T. Of Tapers or Candles. Q^ Why does the Church nfe Candles at Mafle ? j4. All Nations, Gentils, Jews, and Chriftians, have ahvayes ufed Lamps, Candles or Tapers in the Servi:e of God ; thecuftome of the Gentils is roaflifeft in their Hiftories: of the Jevps in the firfl Book of Mofes\ and of the Chriftians in all ages, as the Ecclefiaflical Hiftories do Record : and the firfl who oppofed it in the Church, was Vigilantius above izco years pad; againfl whom even in- this point, the Holy Fathers St. Hie- rome> St. jlHguftine and St. P**lm did write in defenee of the Catholick cuftomc, St. Epifhanitts and £tu F 4 make (io 4 ) make mention of it; and we may gather that fuch was the cuftome of the Church, far that our Conftantine I the Great, who built and creeled many Churches ; amongft other his gifts to the Churches, did add pof- feffions and Lands for the maintenance of fuch Lights, Lamps and Candles in the Churches. I might here alleage Councels and Hiilorics for the ufe thereof, but thefe may fuffice. Only I will note, that the Office of Acholitlws ( which is one of the Se- ven Ecclefiaftical Orders, called alfo Ccroforarins acknowledged by the Popes Cayus, Cornelius, and Gelafius all in the primitive times : as alfo St. Cyprian the Roman Councel under Sylvefier^ and the Third Councel of 40 art hage held in the year 436. ) Was to light the Candles at Majfc ; and to carry them in fcveral times there- of, as when the Gofpel is read, o c. Q^ What is the reafin thereof f A. In fuch things as are indiffe- rent j St. AngHJi'ms Rule is the beft, we do not reprove , but praifing and in- citing others thereto* we follow and ob- serve (to 5 ) fcrve wkatfoever is not contrary ttr Faith, or contrary to good manners, and has fomething of exhortation to & better life : whenfoeverwe fee them to- be mfiitHtedy and knew them fo ordain^ ed. For as the fame Saint faith, many things which are not found in the wr>* tings of the Apofilcs : nor in later Conncels ; mvmhelefs % becaufe they are obferved by the whole Church, are believed to have been delivered and commanded by the Apofiles , we find alfo mention of thefe Lamps cr Candles in their Canons. Now the Church ufes thena, as a manifestation of the honour due to fuch a Sacrifice, and an Emblcme of our Faith, to put us in mind that the light of our Faith fhould fhine be- fore Men, that God may be glorified; For in the Benediftion of the Pafc Candle, in the honour of the Return redion the Church fayes, we pray that the T^per Confecrated in the honour of thy name , and in the bkffing of the Candles on Candle-mafday , prayes that we may bear them to the magnify etnee of his name ^ and be tnftdmi tbo. ( ic*) the light of the Divine Benediction : and that as the Candles kindled by vifi~ blefire do expel dark?2cfs y fo our hearts may be illuminated by inviftble fire, that is, by the fplcndour of the Holy Ghofl. Now that thefe Candles were alfo as a fign of honour, is manifeft by what we read in St. John Damascene in the life of Balaam andjofaphat, innumerable multitudes from all the Ci- ties and Regions did honourably flockjo adore aud fee the bodies of thofe men y vptth Hymns, and Cant ides, and Lamps, and Tapers burning. And for the encreafc of our Faith, the Tapers or Candles reprefent unto us our Saviour, who came to en- lighten the World, the Wax fitly re- prefents ChriiVs humanity : for as the wax is made by Virgin-Bees, fo the flcfh of Chriffc was taken from the Virgin Mary : and as the wax is confumed, fo Chrifts flcfh was con- fumed in the work of our Redemp- tion, the fire is a Symbolc of the Dicty, for God is faid to be a coi> fuming fire; the Week which joyns IX to the fire, reprefents the union (107) union of theDiety,to his Humani- ty, and the light proceeding from all three, fitly fignifies the Evangelical Doftrine; which is the light of the World, and which the Church repre- fents by thefe burning Candles, tc put us in mind of the profeffing it be- fore the whole World. Again, the white wick may fignifie unto us the purity of Confcience , requifite to the due performance, or attendance to this dreadful Sacrifice $. the wax the Humility , Obedience^ , and Submiflion to the will of God ; , that as the wax is moulded, fhaped, figured, and framed, according to the * will of the Artificer-.fo with a willing and prompt mind, we might fubmic our felves to the Divine operation in our Souls, and Body : and as the wax receives any impreflion, fo we might' fubmit our felves to receive what ever God fhall pleafe to fend us, as - Tribulations, Afflictions, and Perfe- ctions ; yea Death it feif. When i we (hall do both, if we burn with the love of God, and as the flame to it: center, fo our minds en (io8) with the love of God, (hall alwayes be elevated, leaving the earthly drofs, tending to our center which is God. Of other things which are ontheAkar* , Q^ Why is. the Altar covered with Linnen ? A. The Church has ordained, that the Altar be covered with Two Altar Cloths, or Towels at leaft, which are blefled by a Prieft, although in times of neceflky, we may. take others not bleflcd, ordinarily there are Three; fometimes theundermofl: is of courfer Linen ; all which feem convenient , for the preventing of dangers : which may happen by tffufion out of the Chalice i which the Church hath al- wayes been careful to prevent, and in cafe it fhould fo happen, the Towels being Linen might the better be wafhed, whence the Church hath for- bid Cloth or Silk for that end i fuch l the Decree of Pope Er.fcl who gives this rcafon, bccanfc the Be- dy (iop; dy of our Lard was buried in a Syndon or fine Linen. Q^ What is the little Cloth which is put above the others ? A. That is alfo of Linen, and is more properly a reprefentative of Chrift's Syndon, and is called the Cor- poral, for that the Body of Chrift is laid upon it, and the Chalice by the Apoftles, in the 72 Canon it is called a Linen Vail . Pope Soter calls them Sacred, or Confecrated Palls. St. IJidore faith, that as the Corporal is of fine Linen purged from Earthly drofs, fo the offerers intention xtnght to (trine in fimplicity and purity before God. Now becaufe this Corporal does immediatly touch the body of Chrift under the fpecics, for that it is Confe- crated by the Bifhop, or thofe who have Epifcopal Authority ; to the end that it may be laid under the Sa- cred Hoft and Chalice , therefore none but thofe who are in Holy Or- ders, are to touch it, as many Popes and Councels have ordained. I can- not omit the Decree which was made in a Counfcl held at. Oxford, which (hews (no) (hews the care that our Engl i(h had of this Corporal, for Can : 3. It com- mands the old corporals which are not ft to be ufedfwuld be put in th: place of K or among ft the ReliqueSyOrbcburnt in the pre fence of the Arch- Deacon j who alfo is to take care that the Altar-Cloths and other Ornaments be Decent. Q^ What is the Chalice ? A. The Church ufes the Chalice, after the example of our Saviour: who in the Inftitution of this Sacri- fice, did ufe it as neceflary for the Confecration of the Wine, as the Evangelifts and St. Paul do teftifie. Now this Chalice both for that it con- tains the blood of our Lord, under thefpeciesof Wine; is Confecrated by the Bifhop, as the Corporal, and therefore is no otherwife to be touch- ed. St. Hierome faith, by this we may karn with what veneration we ought to receive thefe Holy things, which fervc to the Miniftry of Chrift's Al- tar, the Holy Chalices, and Holy Vails ( that is the Corporals ) and other things which belong to the Worfliip 0? Chrift's Paffion, not as if thefe. (rfi) rtiefe inanimate or fenfelefs things, had any Sanftity in them, but from the conjundion of our Lord's Body and blood. Q^ What is the form of the Chalice ? A. The form of the Chalice, was figured in the old Law; for Jofephus in his Obfervations of Antiquities, defcribes the Jem Chalice in this manner, faying, It is a Golden Cuf in form of a Globe cut in Two parts, with a hollow fpace within, by little and little decently dilating itfelf, from the bot- tome as a Pomegranate cut in Two : the Two halves ptt backjo bach^, by a knot in the middle : the Chalice in this form was fct in a Golden Crown, which the High Priefts did wear, the Manna was referved in fuch a Cup, whence the Jews on their Aioney did imprint fuch a Chalice. In this form it may be a Symbole of Heaven, divided into Two parts; and as Heaven includes all the Ele- mentary World; fo in the Chalice the Sacrifice of the Univcrfal World is offered by the Prieft. The Chalice in the High Prieft's head, reprefents the CH2) the Chalice elevated above the Frieft's head in Msjfc, that of the Manna, was a compleat figure of our Chalice, which carries in it the true, Manna Chrift Jefus : and that of the Jews Money, reprefents that all our works are of no value, not right coy n, unlefstheybe marked with the Cha- lice of the Pafiion of Chrift Jefus, which this Chalice reprefents. Q. What is the matter of the Cha- lice i A. Forthe moft part, is either of Gold or Silver, and in times of ne- ceflity , or perfection in Pewter, yea in Lead, Brafs, Glafs and Wood j es- pecially in the primitive times: But inprocefs of time, it was ordained by the Church, that they fliould not be of Glafs , by reafon of its briclenefs , with peril of effufion : nor in Wood, becatife it is fpongy, and porous, whereby the blood of our Lord might fcak into the Wood , and other inde- cencies : nor of Copper or Brafs, by reafon of their noyfomnefs; but of Gold or Silver, and of Pewter by fermiffion , or through want. St. Oi3) Maximus fayes, that Gold Jhews the retious Redemption from our Captivi- ty; Siher the price wherewith we were bought, and Pewter our mifery and poverty ; Gold is a Symbole of charity, Silver of Sanftity, Pewter of humility and mifery. Q^ What is the Patten ? A. The Patten, Plate, or little difh, is as ancient in the Church, as the Chalice, and ordinarily is of the fame Mcttal with it : and ferves for the Oblation and Communion of Chrift's Body, as the Chalice for his blood : and as Thcophilatt notes, the open Fat- ten fignifies the open heart of thrift in the Latitude of Charity ; and there- fore % a Symbole of the unmeafura- ble extent of Chrift's Charity, in his Paflion; which we feel and remem- ber in the Holy Maffe; and is in all refpefts to be Reverenced as the Cha- lice, wherewith it is alfo Confecra- ted. Q^ What is the Linen Cloth which ts put on the Chalice ? A. Of this in particular I find lit- tle mention, unlefs we reckon it amongft amongft the Corporals , which did fonictimcs fcrve to put under the 1 Chalice, and folded, did alfo cover it nl fo that we may apply to it, what is faid of Corporals with very little 1 difference, only they are not Confe- crated, for it is white Linen, and is i| called Purificatory, as being a little Towel to purihe or cleanfe the Cha- lice and Patten in the Majfe ; efpeci- ally to dry and wipe the Chalice after the Lotions ; and to that end is al- wayes to be kept clean and neat, and by reafon it hath fo near a connexion to the blood of our Saviour, is not to be touched nor wafhad , otherwife than the Corporals; this reprefents the Napkin on our SavioursfHead ; as St. John fayes, wrapt up apart into one place, whence we may note, that St. Luke affirms, thatbcfides the Syn- don, there were other Linen Cloths; for he and St. John fpecifie Cloths : So that the Altar Towels may repre- sent the Cloths : the Corporal, the Syndon: and the Purificatory the Napkin on his Head. Q^ What means the Vail which co- vin the Chalice. A. The A. The Church ufes the Vail for decency, although we may fay that thefirft ufe of it was to cover the Chalice, from the fight of the Cate- i thumens , who were wont to be pre- fent at the Majfe until the Offertory, when they were difmiffed the Vail I was taken off: Now with this for the ! better coveringthe Chalice, there is a Pall, which is ufed to cover the Cha- lice, when this Vail is taken away for the avoiding of any duft or flyes that might fall into the Chafice. SECT. V. Of Priefts, and what belongs to them. I. Of their Vejlments in General. Q^ TT7 Hy are the Friefis Chathed V V with fo many Veftmcnts t A. If we refleft on what God or- dained in the Law, given to Mofcs? we may not wonder at this, for he com. (II*) commanded Mofes to make a Holy ' Vefture to Aaron for glory and j beauty, wherein he being Sanftified,. might Minifter to God, and naming! the Veftments Rational^ Ephod, 77*4] nick,, a ftreight Linen Garment^ 4* Mitre And a Girdle^ he fayes f they jhall make Holy Vefiments , that thef may do the functions of Prieflhood un- to me : by thefe Veftments fayes St. £ede> the Priefts were admoniftied of Juftice, and Sanftity; as alfo of their Office and Function. Now if it were fo in the Old Law, where all things were done in Figures and Types, with how much more reafon ought the Pr/V/kbf the New Law to have Veftments befitting thlir Fun- dion, and Miniftery, for the greater Glory and Ornament in the true and real Sacrifice, ordained by Chrift him- felf ; fuch has been the cuftome of God's Church, as in the particulars fhall be declared. St. Hierome hath made a whole Treatife of them in general, affirming That thefe Vefiments do fignific that Bijhops ^nd Prtefis ought to havefpecial VcrtHes^ (H7) Perthes, to which end, fayes he, in another place, Divine Religion hath Peftments for the Mini fiery, different from the Common : That, fayes he, the Clergy may perform our Lord's Sacra- merits with a clear Conscience ,and that they maybe new Men in Cbrtft; as well in Perthes, as in Peftments, which Ivo fcconds, faying, The Prieftly Orna- ments or Peftmcnt, are Markj or Bad- ges \of Perthes j by which, as ^by wri- tings or book^ y they are admonijlied, te whom they arc to dtrett their allions. Natural reafori, and common civi- lity teach us, that as there is diftinfti- on of perfons and quality > fo there is diftinftion of Garments and other OrnaToents, agreeable to their ftate and condition j even according to their Offices and anions : neither was their ever a Nation fo barbarous, but that it obferved a diftin or Apparel be- tween the Clergy and the Laity ; and likewife amongft the Laity in time of Judicature, or fuch like ; and amongft the Clergy in their Sacrirce and Functions. Can (u8) Can there be any thing more reafo- nable, then that the Priefts fhould have decency in Garments, finable to their Aftions or Functions } that all may know what they are a doing, and they themfelves be mindful al- wayes of what they are doing. So thePope's Patriarks and Birtiops have their feveral forts of Garments, and all of them as Priefts have Veftmcnts agreeable to the Holy Sacrifice, which as hath been often faid represents Chrift's paflion , and therefore the Pried goes vefted to the Altar, as ChrHl.went to the Crofs; So that when we fee the Prieft thus Vefted, we may pioufly contemplate our Sa- viour going to offer himfelf on the Crofs for our fakes ; which will ap- pear in the particulars. Q^ How many are the Veftmcnts re- quired at Mafle ? A. Speaking of thofc which are common to all Priefts, who celebrate Maffe, there are only Six, to wit the JL>mce,Albe, Girdle, Mannple, Stole and Chafnle, which is commonly cal- led refitment, as being the chiefeft and Hi?) tnd principal, and is alfo faid to be the Priefts Veftment, becaufe only Priefrsdo ufeit. 2. Of the particular Veftments at Maffe. Q^ What is the Amice ? A. The Amice is made of fine Li- nen, in form fomewhat larger then long, with Two lhings, tyed at each end, which put crofs-wife over the brcart: are tyed about the middle : In the middle of it from the firings there is a crofs : and it is called Amice from Amittus as a Vail for that it covers, firft the Head, then the Shoul- ders; whence the Grecians, as alfo St. Bonaventure call it Humerale a co- vering of the Shoulders. In putting it on, the Prieft, firft kiflTcs the Crofs, in honour of Chrift's Crofs; and thereby calls to mind the paffionof our Saviour; which in the Jlfajfe he is to represent. Then he puts the Amice before his face, there- in rcprefcnting the Vail which was put on Chrift, therein preparing him- (120) himfelf, to imitate our Saviour. Thcnj he puts it on his Head, to reprefentl the Crown of Thorns ; or by both! fignifyingtheabftra/#j fayes, the Amice does fig- nific. Rupert advifes the Prieft to fold the Amice afterward on the mouth of the Chafule ; then he puts the ends of itontheBrcaft,and with the forcfaid firings tyes or fattens it on his Breaft, to fignifie his cordial love, and earned dcfiies to bear the forefaid yoke. Or as as Innocent the Third fayes, to ffietf the fortitude of his mind, the firings which fallen the Amice may fignifie Intention, and Attention : Intention to do it according to the Church : and Attention to continue the mind fixed to what he is to do \ they areputalfo crofs-wife one over the other, to fig- nifie that all this cannot be done, but byvertueof Chrift's Crofs and Paf- fion, Laftly,in as much as it is white, it reprcfents.as Rabanus fayes* the pu- rity and cleanefs of Heart, neceflary to the well performing of this Sacri- fice. <^ What means the Albc ? A. The Albc is made of Linen as the Amice, reaching to the ground, and covers the whole body, having fleeves fomewhat broad towards the (houlders, but narrower towards the hands, and is called Albe from the Latin word Alba, by reafon of its whitcnefs,or a white Tunick or Coat; by St. Gregory of NazSanz^eu, it is Poder^a Veftment to the heels. In the old Law mention is made very frequently of Linen Tunicks G amongft (122) amongft the Pricfts vcftments;whencc \vc may fuppofc the Church did take ' this Albe , appropriating it to the Sa- 1 crificc of the New Law. For St. Hit- ' rome affirms, tbat St. James in cele- brating Afajfe, did ufe Linen Cloaths; and writing of the Pricftly Veltmcnts of the Old Law , he teaches, that they were more perfectly accomplifh- ed in Chrift's Law. Baro?uus tells us that St. James did always go in Linen, and that in Majfehcufed particular Veftments , namely the Albe, Amice and Stole, which were long time kept in Hienifdem, where the Pmfts and . Eifliops did ufe fuch Veftments. If you will, take it to have been derived from our Saviour, on whom Herod and his Souldiers did put a white Garment in derifion, there is no incongruity in it, but rather a pro- per Similitude of our Saviour, then going to his Paffion;whence St.Chryfo- jtome calls it the immaculate Albe gi- ving figns of the Paffion. And as the Albe reprefents this part of the Paffion; So the Pried .3 cloathetj, as Su^erma?i fayes, ie- (123) reprefents Chrift's Divinity which appeared on the mount Tbabor, when his Garments became as white as Snow; (hewing thereby, that what he is to do, is not by humane power or Ordination ; but from God's power and Ordination. Honor'm fayes, therefore ChriftV Minifters do Minifter in white Veil- ments, becaufe the Angels, Minifters of the eternal King > did appear in white, and are thereby admonifhed to imitate thofe Angels, God's MinU fters, rn clcanefs of Chaftity in* Chrift's Service. St. Sttvsn Bifhop of Autunehycs, that thePriefts are Verted with Albcs^ to (hew excellent example to the People; and that the new Priefthood is to be adorned with candidVertues, and that Chrift's Priefts do put on the new Man, who according to God are created in Jufticc and Holinefsj whence according to Rabanus it figni- fies Continence and Chaftity in the Minifters of this Sacrifice; which Innocent the Third confirms what is now faid, and defcends into fome par- G 2 ticu- ticulars, faying, that the long or wide Abe alfo fignifies clcannefs of life, ordained for the liberty of the Sons of God ; Durand fayes, that the Li- nen Tunick which the Jews ufed, was ftraight and clofe, but this of Chrifti- ansis wide and large; the firfthadjt fo in regard of the Spirit of Servi- tude; but the other hath it large, by the Spirit of Adoption, in the liberty which Chrift hath purchafed for us ; Laflly^hey are long as Alcuinn* fayes to iignifie perfeverance in good 'works, or to hide and cover all pro- phane Garments; whence St. Ber- nard avers, That the A\be fignifies per- severance in ytfitce^ and cevers the whole man. Q^ Wherefore is the Girdle I A. The Girdle is ordinarily made of white Linen thread, and ferves to fatten the Albe about the Prieft's Bo- dy, and was ufed in all Sacrifices by God's command. In eating the Paf- ^hal Lamb, the Jfraelites were to gird their Loyns : andfo without queftion %vas ufed in the New Law, even for decency and commodity ; for other- wife wife the Albe being large , would hang inconveniently t about the Prieft's Body. As for the Myftical fignification, we may take it from the Prophet Ifay, Jnftice f jail be the Girdle of his Loyns, and Faith the Girdle of his Reins j for as St. Jerome fayes, whilft it girds the Loyns, it binds and mortifies the mind : whence Venerable Bede calls it the tnfiody of Chaftity, Rabamis fayes, The Priefis are girded with Belts , left Chaftity floould be remifs andcarelefs. It is alfo a Symboleof prompti- tude , in the fervice of God : for thofe who are girded , are more prompt, firm and conftant in what they do ; wherefore St. Hilary foid The girdle ts an effectual preparation to alt good^ that we way be girded with promptitude , or with a prompt will in all Chrijfs Mimftry. And St. Chryfc- ftomezddSy We gird the Loyns^ becaufe the Loyns are as chief flay and ytnciiir* of the Supcrionr and lnfencitr parts cf the Body. ThePrieft therefore girds his Loyns, to difpofe his Body in due Obedience to Chrift and his Church ; G 3 and (Ml) and his mind with fortitude and dili- gence, thereby preparing his Body and mind, to the more worthy per- formanceof the Sacred Aftion. To this end, the Prieft tycs the girdle firft before him with a knot, which may reprefent the fear of God;- which confcrves the forefaid vertuei in his heart and affeftion ; and to en- creafe his Devotion theret6, he may contemplate the Whips and Scourges which girded our Saviour's Body in the time of his Paflion; in confide- ration whereof, he defires with great Ardour, to be bound to the Crofs and Paflion. Q^ What is the Manuplc ? A. V. Bcde tells us, that word comes from Mappa, a Towel or Nap- kin, which wasufed to wipe hands; it feems the Priefts did take them to wipe off their Sweat; #r, asBifhop Steven fayes, to dry their eyes, or wipe mxay the tears of Devout Priefts ; who in confideration of their own, or their Neighbours fins, and of the Do- lours and Sufferance of our Saviour's Paflion, could not refrain from plcn- ti- (I2 7 ) tiful tears; which alfo did fometimes flow from their eyes with exceffive joy in contemplation of the Divine bounty, which is conformable to the PrieiVs prayer in putting on this According to all probability it was Linen, proper for the laid effeds; how it was after altered I find no cer- tainty ; I only find that in the time of Pope Silvefier more then 1300 years part, it was ufed in other ftuff, for he decreed that the Deacon fhould life Linfy-ttoolfey Palis on their left arm ; in procefs of time it was made of the fame fluff, with the Stole and Chafule; and ftill retains the fame Myftical fignification of tears and compunction neceflary for thofe, who approach to this dreadful Myftery. It is put on the left Arm as a Sym- bole of pennance , St. Bonaventure fayes, that the Manuple on the left hand of the Pried , rcprefents the Humility of Chrift jefus; others commonly fay, that it rcprefents the Cords which bound our Saviour's hands, when he was taken in the Gar- G4 den. den. The Pried before he ptits it on kifleth the Crofs, which is in the mid- dle of it, as offering himfelf to go along with our Saviour to his PafTion ; and putting it on his Arme hemani- fefts his defire to fuffer with him. Q^What is the Stole? A. The word Stole comes from the Latin word Stola, that is a Robe, and in the Sacred Text is taken for a mark of Dignity and Power : So when Pharaoh would honour Jofepb } he put on him a Stole, or Robe. So Mar- dgchdws was cloathed with a Stole for his greater honour ; fo Antiocbus fent to his Son, his Crown, Stole and Ping : and as Plutarch fayes , it was ufed by Magiftratcs and Priefts; but principally it was ufed as a badge of Ecclcfiaftical Dignity and power : yea of glory or honour, for it is faid, that Moifcs did pit on Aaron a Stole cf glory : and Simeon took the Robe of glory, and Jonathas as a fign of his Priefthood did put on a Holy* Stole. The Church w T ith fome alteration of the form, has alwayes ufed the Stole, Stole, as fuitablc to the Dignity, qua lity, and power of Priefts : in the new Law/ St. James as hath been faid already, did ufe it at Majfe. Origcn 3 St. Bafdy and others of the Fathers make mention of it; the ancient Councels did call it by the name of Orariiim&s V. Bedefayes fromOratio, becaufe it was frequently ufed in prayer, and Miniftry of the Sacra- ments; The Councel of Bracarx (hews the Prieftly ufe of it, faying, When the Prieft comes to celebrate Mdiffc he may not do it otherwife tljen Vefted with a Stole on both hisJJio'l- ders ;fo as with one and the fame Stole, frejfmghis neck^wd both Jhonlders, he makes the fig n of the Crofs on his breaft\ that is 7 having put it frft on his neck, he lets it fall on the Jhoulders, 4 taking the Two ends which hang d before, he crojfts them on his breaft, a>/d fo fafttns them With the ends of the- Girdle. Rabamts fayes, that the Priefi: be- ginning the publick Service of the Church , fitts on the Stole about h>r nec\ 3 ih toksn tf his power, and G 5 (X3°> Symbolcof bis Dignity in the Church : by which the People be folding the ftlu- tary power committed to him.are carried to the confideration of the Divmt Lsw. Wherefore in the Sacrifice of the Majfe, Adminiftration of the Sacraments, and in all facerdotal Funftions, or Offices, Priefts alwayes life the Stole } and in putting it on kifles it, as honouring his FunfHon ; and thereby profefling that he wil- lingly fubmits himfel? to the will of Gcd j in Obedience to the Church, in vertue of the Holy Crofs and Pafiion. For as Mcninus fayes, the Stole fignifies Chri/Vs yoke, on both the fhouldcrs ; and as Amalarius tells us, it defcends on both fides, that the Pricft may be armed with the armour of Juftice, on the right and left fide ; or fubmit himfclf to the Evangelical Obedience, to the Acftive life y as it is on the left fhoulder ; and to the Contemplative, as it is on the right ; and forming a Crofs on his brcaft, it fliews him crucified to the World, S:. VUmas, and othprsjwill have it to reprefiot tke Cords which bound our (131) Saviour to the Pillar. St. Eafd fayes, that Chrifl: had a Cord about his neck; and St. Hierome affirms, that it was a Chain ; the Prieft therefore as guilty, both in regard of himfelf, as in re- gard of thofe he prayes for, takes on him this Stole as a Chain or Cord about his neck, and appearing in this before the Tribunal of God the Fa- ther, he implores his Mercy by the merits of the Paffion of Chrift Jefus, whofe pcrfon hereprefents. Q^ What means the Chafule ? A The CkafaU by way of Excel- lency, is called the Prieft's Veftment : for that all other Veftments are ufed on other occafions ; and may be worn brothers, who are in Holy Orders; for the Sub- Deacon wears the Amice, Albe and Mangle \ the Deacon hath alfo the Syle^ at lead upon the left fhoulder to (hew that he is for the Miniftcry J but the Prieft only wears the Chafule , and that only at Al This Veftment in Latin is called / f from whence comes our Englifh word ) as it were a little Houfc or covering of the Body j the Cn \ \ US*) have it full and round, hanging on ail fides over the Prieft's fhoulders, be- fore and behind, but open on each fide j and accordingly it hath divers names, as Planeta, for that it hangs loofe before and behind j other names you may read in Gavantns. We may find a figure of this Exod. 28. in the Tunick of the Ephod aH of Hyacinth, in the midfl: whereof above was a hole for the Head, and a border lound about it woven, which agrees very fitly to the Chafetle, which hath been akvayes ufed in the Church ; St. Peter s Cha- ptle is yet to be feen in Paris, as Hugo of Cluni tcftifies. Our jikninm would have it to be a Symbale of Charity, for as Charity covers a mul- titude of fins, and contains all the Commundemcnts of &4 Law : So this Chaf.de covers all the other Veil- ments , and hanging in Two parts before and behind, may fitly repre- fent the Two Tables of the Law, or the lw-o Laws ; the part behind, the 1 1 1 Law; an. rt before, the new Law. ] open fignific Chrifti- 03$; Christian liberty, or the open execu- tion of the Law. St. Germany and others commonly do fay, that this Chafnle reprefents unto us, the Purple Garment which the Souldiers did put ofiChrift: the Prieft therefore in Imitation of Chrift, puts on this Garment, which for the mod part en the back hath a Crofs, and before,vv:form of a Pillar; as if the Prieft vcre between the Pillar and the Cro.sj for the PiUar before reprefents the Pillar whereto Chrift was bound,and Scourged; and the Crofs behind reprefents our Sa- viour carrying the Crofs , and that very properly, that the People be- holding it may have the Crofs and Paflion before their eyes , and con- tinue in the contemplation thereof. I will conclude with the Animad- vcrfion, which Bifhop/w gives, fay- ing, Theft Veflments are not vertHCs y but m rrkj or figns of vermes ; whereby the lifers or beholders are admonished as by written Bo l^^ what they ought r# deffre y and what to jhun^and to whom they ought to dirett their Atiions. Pope In- (134) Innocent will give another , Let the Triefl attend diligently ^that he bears not the fign without what isftgnified: and that he carry not the Veftmem with- out vertue ; left he be like to a Sepulcher outwardly whitened, and inwardly full of uncle anefs. 3. Of Prieft'sFun&ion. (^ What do you mean by Trie ft s ? A. I will not (land about the word pried, which comes from the word Presbyter: But his office according to thecuftomeof the Church, is prin- cipally to offer Sacrifice, as all Ages and Laws do declare ; for as in the Law of Nature, and in the written Law, their duty was to offer Sacrifice for themfelves and others : So in the new Law, Priefts had charge to offer the Sacrifice of the Majfe ; for as the Altar and Sacrifice are correlatives, fo Sacrifice and Prieft; who in his Ordination is Confccratcd by this form, Receive fower of off ,;cri- ficc in the Church for the Living and JOtead. Su Clement in his Conftitu- tion* (US) tions puis this form \ O Almighty God, give unto him^by Chrift^ the par- ticipation of the Holy Ghcft, that he may have power to remit fins, according to thy command r and bofe all bonds ^ ac- cording to the power which thou hajt given to the Apo files j and of pieafivg thee in meeknefs and purity of heart, by alwayes offering to thee without fpot or | flaw, the pure and unbloody Sacrifice 7 !. which by Chrifi thou haft eftablifhed y as the My fiery of the New Teftament. The Canons of the Apoftles, fuppofe it to be the office of Priefts, as alfo the Firft General Council of Nice. Can. 18. So moft of the Councels l and Fathers. Q^ Are Priefts to be Honoured ? ji. For many reafons, they are, but principally for Four, to wit, their Dignity, Utility^ Mediation And Pow- er. Firft, for their Dignity, for they are God's Vicars on Earth, to feed, cure, and keep his People ; whence St. Auguftint faith, There is no greater Under Heaven, than God % s Priefts, Con- fecrated to *'. evenly Sacra- nui be Zutrs.ncis telle US, us, that we ought to honour and reve- rence Cod's Priefts ; who are higher and worthyer than all Men ; and he would fooner give reverence to aPrieft, than to an Angel. St. Athanafius re- lates, TW the great Abbot Anthony, as often as he met withaPrieji, would fall on his knees, and would not rife from the ground^ until he had kiffed his handy and obtained his Bencdittion. Second- ly, For Utility, for by Priefts the faith- ful arc received into the Church, and by their Function , many fpiritual graces are communicated unto them ; befides, the benefits they receive by the Priefts Preaching, Inftrucfiion , and Miniftration of the Sacraments j the Holy Scripture bids us to honour . t h» Phyfitian for our nccejfity, for the Highe ft hath created him\ how much more ought we to honour Priefts , who are Spiritual Phyfitians of our Souls : for as they by their Office do make us Members of the Church, fo they cure us of all the Difeafcs of our Souls, and prefervc our fpiritual lives, and bring us to Eteraal Life. Thirdly, For their Mediation , for they (137) ithey arc Mediatours between us, and jGod : for it is his charge, to pray for Ithc People ; and he obtains bleflings t for them : Num. 6. Our Lord fpeak- I ing to Moifes and Aaron of Priefts, i faid, They f mil invocate my Name upon '. the Children of Ifrael : and It he Lord i will blefs them. The wife Man there- fore advifes us, faying, In all thy Sod fear om Lord^and SanElifie his Priefis ; with all thyfirength love him that made $hee y and for fake not his Afiniflcrs : honour GodxKith all thy SqhI^ and ho- nonr the Priefis y and purge thy felf with the arms of Grace ; to wit, the grace that God communicates unto us by the Miniftery of the Pried. Laftly, In confideration of the power which God hath given to them j especially in Remiflion of fins, and Confecrating of the Holy Eucharift, for brevity fake, I will cits One or Two of the Holy Fathers; and fo conclude, forthefirft. Let us hear the words of St. Chryfojlome, To thofe who Itve on Earth, and arc Converfant therein : it is committed to difpofe of thofe things, which are in Heaven tx?f) If e avert. To them it is given to have> L that power, which cur Lord would notA] give to Angels j nor Arch- Angels • for>\\ it was not [aid to them y whatfocver thorn \ jlialt bind upon Earth, it foall be boanM in Heaven. Indeed the Princes on Earthy have alfo power of binding but the bodies only 5 but the bonds which I fpeal^ of in Priefls concerns the Soul, and reaches even to the Heavens^ in fa much j that what the Priefi doth beneath^ the f elf -fame God ratifies^ and our Lord tonfrms the fentence of his Servants : what therefore other thing canyon fay, but that allpoyver of Celeftial things is granted to them by Cod; for, he fayes^ whofe fwsye retain, are retained : what power can be greater titan this ^ The Father gave all power to the Son y and 1 fee this power given to Priefls y by Cod the Son. For the other, let us hear what St. Augufline fayes , At this fo honourable apriviledge Heaven is amaued, the Earth admires, Man is terrified, Hell dreads, the Devils trem~ ble, and the Angels worfhip. St. Bernard admires it, faying \ O excel- lent and honourable power of Priefhj H OS*) h> which nothing in Heaven, nothing en Earth can be compared \ in fine , St. Francis gives us an Admonition, fay- ing, We Catkolicks ought to Worfnp and Reverence Priefts for their Office, and Administration of the mo ft Holy Body and Blood of Chrift , which they Confecrate, and receive, and Admmi- fter to others. The end of the Firft Part. The (I4D j i i ■ i ■ ., ^^#^^^*^#€^### f The Second Part , Containing a Brief Explication of the Maffc. SECT. I. Of the Fir ft Part of the Mafc from the beginning to the Of- fertory. i.io/ fame Ceremonies before Mafle. (T "T * J Hat are the Ceremoniesbe- * \ fore Maflfc. A. The Prieit now Veiled with the forcfaid Ornaments , his thoughts and intentions are wholly Celeftial ; and therefore we muft look upon him not as Man, but as our Angel fent by our our Holy Mother the Church : or as an Embatfadour in fitting Equipage, to mediate our caufe before God : his Commifllon and Authority are from Chrift Jcfus; his Patents are undeniably Sealed, with the Chara- cters of Chrift's words : his Creden- tial Letters are enrolled in the Gof- pel: and he is chofen by Chrift him- felf, before the Angels, that you may notftaggerin the belief thereof; in his exteriour Veftments, he carries the Marks, Signs, and Trophies of Chrift's Victorious Paflion ; whence we may pioufly contemplate on the Prieft going to the Altor, reprefent- ing our Saviour going to Mount- Calvary-, and there to offer up the fame Paflion , which was then offered for Man- kind. In this manner he goeth to the Altar ; there to offer his intentions of offering the Sacrifice for himfelf, and all there prefent : who may do well to offer with him their intentions of hearing Maffe , for fuch and fuch ends , imitating thofe who as the Evangeliitstcftifie,did abide before the theCrofs; feeing all thiogs, not lea- ving Chrift until all was done j the Prieft is now to prefent the fame Pafiion with application thereof to our Souls. Q^ Why does he after ret urn from the Altar? A. When he comes from theAl- tar, we may imagine that he retires from thence, in confideration of his own unworthinefs, fin., and iniquity, and withdraws to make firft his Con- feffion, whereto he requires the help of all prefent, or rather to joyn him- felf with them, that by mutual pray- ers, they may ask pardon of Almigh- ty God, and be united in their inten- tions, that with pure and joyned hearts they may offer this Sacrifice to God. Now the Prieft thus (landing in a competent diftance, from the Altar: where he is to make his Confeflion, imitates the Publican who ftanding a far off, as not daring to lift up his eyes towards Heaven; but knocked his bread, faying, Cod he merciful to mc a Sinner: and in effeft, fayes with EfdrtSy (144) Efdre*s y My Lord I am confounded andajhamed to lift tip my face to thee, becaufe cur iniquities are multiplyc* over our Head, and our Sins are grown even to Heaven ; whence he makes a profound inclination to the Crucifix, as begging Chrift's Grace for the bet- ter performance of this Holy Sacri- fice: Or as St. Ambrofe fa yes, He wbofeekj the refettion of his Soul y mufi box* down with Humility ', by which ht may the fooner ibtain mercy of our Lord. Each devout Catholick may pon- der and joyn with the Prieft, in this Aft of Humiliation , and Adoration by humbling their hearts, and bend- ing fheir heads to give all Reverence to the Altar or Crucifix* 2. Of the beginning of the Mafle. Q. How does the Priefi begin the Mafle ? A. Having made his inclination, with a clear voice the Prieft fayes, In the name of the Father, and of tiie Sop,- Son y and of the Holy Ghofl\ and id faying it, makes the fign of the Crofs, drawing his hand from his head be- low his breaft : and afterwards from the left fhoulder to the right: the Church makes ufe of thefe words and ceremonies in the beginning of all Divine Offices , and after this manner we are Baptized, and from thence all Chriftians in the beginning of their Prayers, Works, or Actions, do in this manner invocate God's Holy Name. Q^ What reafons have yon for it ? A. The Pricft not prefuming on his merit or worth, Invocates the Ho- ly Trinity according to the Councel of St. Paul. All what f Oder you do in word or xvork^, do all things in the nameef cur Lord Jefusi and therein makes a publick profeflion of his Faith, without which nothing is pfea- fing to God, for in thefc words the great and principal Myfteries of our Faith - 7 yea virtually all are contained • for in faying, In the Name, we profefs and acknowledge one God : and in expreffton of Three perfons, wc alio H dc* declare our belief of the Trinity, and by putting our hand to the head wc reprefent the Father, as the Fin pcr- fon, head and fountain of the Holy Trinity : drawing the hand from the head to the brcaft, reprcfents the Ge- neration of the Son from the Father; and bringing the hand from the left fhoulder to the right , between the head and bread, we reprefent the Proceflion of the Holy Ghott, from the Father and the Son. In like manner, by making the fign of the Grofe, with thefc words, the Myfteries of the Incarnation are re- prefenteduntous; for in putting the hand to the head,& faying / cf the F*thtr y wt proiefs thatGcd the Father for the love of us, and for cur Salvation, did give his only Son for our Redemption ; and drawing the hand from the head to the brc inr, and cf the Sin, we acknowledge that the Eternal word of the Father defcended unto us, to take humane flcfli; and by drawing the hand from fhoulder to fhoulder, faying, and cf ib: Holy Ghofi y wc tonfefs the com- ing (147) ogof the Holy Ghoft as the comple- er of Chrift's Incarnation; and aftly, by forming the fign of the Urofs, we profefs our Faith of the. Death and Paflion of our Saviour. Q^ What do the faithful do then ? A. They in the fame manner, and he fame intention, do the feme ; and n fign that they are of the fame in- rention, and faith with the Prieft, rhey devoutly fay Amen. We aH agree to it, and in the name of the Father, ,1 concur with the I in this his Sacrifice. Q^ Pray what follows ? si. There follows an Antr with a pious Pfalm : in the Antiphon, the Prieft declares his intention of entering, or going to the Altar of God; that is, to offer, Sacrifice, and to this end, he recites the Pfalm; . thereby defiringfinl proteftion from his Enemics,either fpiritual or corpo- ral, zn\ animates his Soul to go oft with confidence ; for God is our ftrength, our light, and truth; who did commend the execution of this Office. And I intend nothing more H z therein 048) therein, than his praife and glory, which makes him end with Gloria Patriy&tc. And all that can, may an- fwer to him in the, Antiphon, and Pfalm ; and tho r e who cannot, have leifure to think upon their Sins and Iniquity, their unworthinefs and con- tinual defcrts, that with Devotion they may imitate the Pricft in his ConfefTion : of which more in the next Paragraph. 3. Of ConfefTion. Q^ What Confcfficn is here wade ? A. Wemuftknow, that ConfefTi- on in general, is nothing but a mani- feftationof our afFecftior.s, in words or cxteriour a .table to- gether, there is ml tluit doth goody there is W5) ; is ?:ot cne. There is fo great a multi-. tudc of thofe who clo no good, that fcarce any one is to be found to do good, and too too many that do evil: for as St. J ames fayes, lie all offend in many things^ and St. Augufline avers, that even the juft do not live without fome fins ; whence the Prieft well fayes, and fo may every Man fay, I have fmned in thought^ \vord y and deed, Q^ Why does he fay Three times through ?ny fault f A. In this Repetition, he exprefifes the vehement forrow of his mind, and therefore to the laft, hs adds, through my mod grievous fault ? which is not unfrequent in the Scri- ptures. So King David faid, My Sou Abfolon, Abfolon my Son, who would grant that I might dye for thee > Abfolon my Sou, my Son Abfolon : and naturally we reiterate the caufe of any grief. We may alfo fay, that this Repetition is correfpondent to the Three kind of fins before expreflfed ; many do fay that this number of Three carries with it a certain kind of llniverfality ; So this Triple Repeti- tion (I5<0 tion imports aconfcfilon of a multi- tude of Sins : as if he fhould fay , I have finned innumerable wayes ; each time he knocks his bread, imitating therein the Publican, who as the Sa- cred Text fayes, flood afar off, and would tiot fo much as lift up his eyes to- wards Heaven, but knocked his brtafl j faying, Lord be mercifhl to me a firmer. All which is to be fcen in theprieft's aftion ; for as isfaid before, he (lands afar off from the Altar, and in faying his Confteor, he (lands bowing his head towards the Earth, as not daring to lift up his eyes to Heaven, and knocks his bread , eftecming.as Theo- dvret fayes of the Publican, himfelf altogether unworthy to behold the Heavens, who had placed his affefti- ons on ttv: Earth , and Earthly things : and fir holding his hands joyned be- fore his breaft, aixl faying, Men culpa, my fault^my fault, my mod grievous fault, he tacitly cryes out, our Lord be merciful to me a Sinner. Q. What meats the kicking of the *fi ? Itliatnlcc.i : n i is the cu (tome of all tXS7) all God's Servants ; nay it feems to be a natural propenGon, to exprefs the grief or forrow of the mind, by driving the breaft : which St. Ah- gufiine declares, what is it, fayes he, to knock or finks ^ e breaft ; but to de- clare what lyes hid in the breaft , and by an evident or manifefiftroke to chaftife the hidden Sin t Or, as he fayes in another place, to chaftife our flefh, be- caufe we have offended God • and again he fayes, The ftriking of the breaft^ is the contrition of the heart j that is, it is a fign or manifeftation of the hearts contrition. St. Cyprian fay es? Weftrike our breaft^ as declaring the fins enclofed inwardly in our hearts. St. Hierome, as if we would expel our evil thoughts from the heart. Pope Nicholas i. In $r iking the breaft, wefignifieuhat we fir ike our f elves before God ftrikes us, or that we confefs our felves to be worthy of flripes or punifiimcnt. St. Chryfoitome, we taks revenge of our felves to pacifie our Judge. In fine, we (hike or knock out brcali, as if we would do it to our heart or will \ which has been the Origin U58) Original caufc of our fins; or as if we would open our hearts to give vent to our forrow and grief , for that we have offended fo good a God: and we do it thrice> in correfpon- dence to the Triple kind of fin, wherein we have offended God, in thought,word and deed ^ or to exprefs the multitude of our fins. What is faid in Confeflion , may proportionately be applyed to the Hearers ; who I fuppofe have learnt the Confiteor, either in Latin, or in Englifh ; that befides the ufe of it in other occafions, they may joyn them- felves with the Prieft in this Con- feflion ; for he beggs it of them in acknowledging his fin before them, and defiring them to pray for him : fure it is as neccflary for them : they ftariH in as much need atleaftashe, and I know not how they can be bet- ter employed,in order to a preparati- on to the more beneficial hearing of Maffe. 5. Of 5. Of what follows in the Majje, until the Prieft goes to the Altar. Q^ What follows the Confiteor I A. The Clark, or he that ferves at Majfe prayes for the Prieft, that God would fhew his mercy to him,& pardon his fins, to the end that he may worthily celebrate the Holy Sa* crifice, and by it come to life ever- lafting : whofe prayers are ( as we may pioufly believe ) accompanied with the interceffion of the Angels - and Saints, whofe help he has alfo in- vocated : It is a pious aftion in the ftanders by > to add their Votes (•which the Prieft alfo requires ) to all which the Prieft fayes Amen. When all ( as the Prieft fuppofes) have faid the Confiteor^ the Prieft makes the fame prayer for them, who faying Amen ^ do attend for the ge- neral Absolution, which the Pried gives, faying, Indulgent lam Abfoltttio- mm , &c. in faying whereof, the Prieft makes the fign of the Crofs on him: Ci6o) himfclf, & thereby tacitly profeflcs, that he gives this Abfolution andRc- miflion by vertuc of Chrift's Crofs and Paflion, which Communicated by the Church j theAffiftants may alio with Devotion fign themfelves with the fame fign > and devoutly fay Amen. Q^ What Abfolution is this here gi- ven ? A. I faid before, that the Confefli- on here made, was not properly Sa- cramental, as in the Sacrament of Pennance^ in like manner this Abfo- lution is no other but Sacerdotal, and has its effecfts by way of deprecation or prayer, which is more available, becaufe it is done by a Prieft j of whom St. Chryfoftome fayes , His Throne is placed in Heaven ; and he has Authority to pronounce and declare Celcftial things : and whom as Sk Paul teaches, we are to efteem as the Jldinifiers of X^hriji^ and the difpenfers of the Myftcries of God-, and there- fore all prefent ought with Humility bow their heads to receive it, figning themfelves with the fign of the Crofs as.hefore i$ faid, C^ What (1*1) Q^ What follows the ^bfolntion ? A. The Prieft after this makes jfome Jaculatory prayers, reciting fome verfes of the Pfalms, exprefling his confidence in God's mercy and goodnefs; by which he prefumes to go to the Altar, and that his prayer will be heard, which he aflures us by Domims vebifcHm y o\JiX Lord is with you, and therefore let us proceed to ' the performance of this Sacrifice ; for having before declared, that God is turned unto us, he beggs his mercy in this his aftion, and makes his humble petition, that his prayer which he is to make therein may be heard. It* is very convenient, that thofe who underftand Latin, fhould anfwer to the Prieft with correspondent af- fe&ions : thofe who do not, may con- fider God's goodnefs in giving fuch power to Priefts, and with Devotion expecft the grace and benefit of the Abfolutionj and ferioufly attending to the Admonition that the Prieft gives them in faying, Dominat vobif- enm^ouv Lord is with you ; I am now going to the Altar, to offer Sacrifice for th.L for you; and our Lord will be with us, in corrcfpondcnce thereto, they! may devcjtly fay EtchmfpiritHtHod\ and with thy fpirit ; which becaufe it occurs frequently in the Maffe, every one ought to learn, that they may fhew their minds to be attentive to what the Pried does all along in this" Sacrifice* After that,the Pried fayes Cremns : let us pray : as if he fhould fay, fince our Lord is with us, and that he hath fhewen his mercy and goodnefs in pardoning our fins , let us now fettle our hearts to prayer, with confidence, believing that vvhatfoever we fhall ask,by vertue of this Sacrifice w<> fhall obtain; Now becaufe this Dowimtr vobijeum and Ore whs do frequently occur in the Afafe 7 I (hall fpeakof them in the next Paragraph. 6. Of the Dominus vobifctm and Or emus. Q^Why is Dominus vobifcum/" often ufed in the MafTe ? A % The Church ufes this Salutati- on (i<*3) on by the Priefts ; only in the Divine Offices, and Sacerdotal Functions. In the Majfe^ Seven or Eight times according to the feveral parts thereof} to wit, when the Prieft begins any thing which has a peculiar addrefs to God; and it fenres as a Watch-word or Alarum to move us to attention. This Salutation may be taken diverf- ly : In a demonstrative way it im- ports our Lord is with you. In an optative fenfe, it is as if he fhould fay, I wifh that our Lord may be with you. In a Monitive way, it fervesto admonifh us of our Duties in the prefenceof God. In the Fir/1 fenfe, our Lord is faid to be with us in the Majfc ' y for he is there in a more pe- culiar manner reaKy and truly here on the Altar. In the fecond fenfe, it imports the mutual wifhes of Prieft and People ; and in the Third, it is more particularly ufed in the Majfe, to raife our attention to the Myrte- ries thereof. Q. Whence baie we this Saint *thn ? A. Out of the Scripture, for the AngicI Gabriel Saluted .the Virgin Alary 0*4) Mary in the Firft fenfe, telling her that our Lord was with her. The Angel to Gedeon intends it in the Se- cond fenfe, when he faid,our Lord be with thee; and in the Third fenfe, Azarias faid to Afa, our Lord is with you, becaufe you have been with him: intimating, that if we will have our Lord to be with us by his grace, we mud be with him in co-operating to his grace : So if we will have God's grace Communicated unto us in the Maffe^ wemuft attend and co- operate with the Prieft, as he admo- nifhes us with his Domimts vobifcum j and in Teftimony that we do, we fay, and with thy Spirit \ that is, as the Emperour Ckarlemain (who wrote a Book of the Rites and Ceremonies of the ancient Church) fayes the People anfwer, And with thy Spirit : toexprefs the Unity of the People to the Prieft, in prayer and holy defires ; for the People thereby do defiretobe United to the Prieft, in his Miniftcry and publick Sacrifice, conceiving that he is then filled with the Spirit of God, (1*5) God, the Spirit of peace, which he prefents in this Dommus vobifenm. When therefore the Prieft turns about to fay Dominus vobifenm, we ought devoutly to refalute the Prieft; for as St. Chryfoflome fayes. Therefore we faint e one another in the Afyfteries ( that is in the Majfe ) that being ma- ny^ vpe may be m(ide as one. The Pried •then doth falute us, and incite us to go along with him, in fuch and fuch actions; fo we ought to joyn our in- tention and defires with him, and de- voutly aufwer Et cum Spirit** tuo. Q^ But why doth he turn to the People t ji. You mud know, that the Pried: turns Five times to the People in the Majfe : as hereafter (hall be declared, which may reprefent the Five actions of turning of our Saviour in his paf- fion, for being in his prayer in the Garden, and rcflcfting on the frailty of his Difciplcs, he came from thence to them, bidding them watch and pray i which as he reiterated his prayer, fo he came to the fame effecfk the Second and Third time: and be- ing ing aftuaHy in his paflion, even before the High Pricft,he turns to behold Peter; and going out of the City to the Mount Calvary^ turning himielf to the Women, he fayes, weep not upon mt> but weep on your felves. So the Pried notwithftanding the moft Sacred action , whereto he is intent, yet to raife us, jnd to awaken our dull Spirits , he turns about to us for the ends aforefaid , as in the particulars will be declared. (X Wherefore then does he fay Ore- mus? A. The Pried; ufes this Oremus^ as correfpondent to his Domimts vobif c/^ortolhew the end which moves him to falute them ; which is to pray either for him,or to pray with him; as in the particulars fhall be declared : In the mean time we may confider, that the Prieft in turning to the Peo- ple, opens his hands to aflure them of God's mercy, and confirm them in the hope of the effecfts of this Sacri- fice ; and that the hands equally di- vided, fignific the equality of God's Mercy and Juftice; for by Chrifts pafllon paflion, Mercy is laid open to all,who truly repent; and Juftice is fatisfied for all : and in doing this, he inti- mates alfo, that Chrift has alwayes lis .arms open, and ready to receive all thofe, who with ttue Repentance do come unto him; and therefore he invites them by this Orevms, Let us pray. 7. Of the Priefts going to the Altar,, and what he does there. Q^ re we to do when the Trie ft goes to the At . A. The Prieft having made his Confejfiori) and fought our prayers, goes up to the Altar, with intention to begin the Mtiffc : and Firft, with Humility making his prayer , that God vrbuld make him \\ or thy to en- ter into the Holy of Holies; for fo thcBifhopof Thtffalema calls \tthe dreadful Altar, the Holy Table, the Holy if Holies 5 Chair and place, and Reft of God/Profittatory, the Workc Hov.fc of the rn at Sacrifice , the Mo- nument of Chriji, and the Tabernacle of his glory, and when he comes to the Altar he kifles it. Q^ Wherefore doth he kjfs the Al- tar ? A, Becaufe this occurs frequently in the Maffe: Khali fake here the more notice of it. Dnrand. notes well, that the aft of killing has Four fignifications, to wit of Union, Cha- rity, Peace, and Reverence \ for the kifs of Union,he alleadges that of the Canticles, Ut him kjfs me with a kifs of his month ; for the kifs of Charity or love, that of Jacob, come near me and give me aVjfs ?ny Son^ for the kifs of Peace, that of the Apoftle, Salute one another in a Holy kjfs } and for that of Reverence, that of our Saviour to Simeon, Thou didjl not give me a kifs, hut S c hath not ecafed to kjfs my Feet. Some Interpreters of the Maffe , do fay, that this kifs of the Altar here fignifies the Reconciliation , which Cnrift offered to the Jews by his Pafllon : others , that it fignifies the Union of the Church to Chrift Jefus : others, in token of our Reconciliati- on (199) on to God, by the Incarnation of his only Son. From whence comes the kifs of Charity or love to God, and our Neighbour, and all the World; and from thence comes the kifs of peace, that is, as St. Ambrofe has it; Tranquility of ConJlience y which brings a confidence in God's mercy , and engen- ders peace with our Neighbours. Queen Eftber having put on her Royal Garments, entered into the prefence of King Affuerus : and go- ing near to himlhckifled the top of his Rod or Scepter : and fo made her Succefsful petition for the people. I (hall have occafion hereafter to fpeak of the Charity and peace: here only that the Prieit going to the Altar, kifleth it in token of our Re- conciliation to Cod : but the example of Ejlher is more proper to our pur- pofe, for as (lie went with fear and trembling, in her Royal Garment*. to enter unto the King ; So the Pride cloathed in Robes, and Garments purpled with the blood of Chrift Jefns , enters with fearof UB worth i- nefs, and fad memory of his Sins I an' ( i7°) and Iniquity : which have been the fubjcas Devotion will fuggeft. io. Of the Collets. Q. What doth the Priefi after Glo- ria in excelfis ? A. When (177) A. When he has done the Gloria, &c. he kites the Altar, in token of the Peace which is given to us, by Chrift's Nativity : and in Reverence to the Altar, whereon Chrift is to be Sacrificed , and being to make his prayer, he turns to the Peopfe, faiu- ting them with Dommns l r obifcn?n 3 in- viting us to joyn with him therein : we may fuppofe, that there is none who comes to Mtjfe , but that hedc- fires the Pricil: fhould pray for him, and the Prieil intends to pray for them i and therefore is willing to put us in mind, that he is now to doit; and for this end he turns to us, and bids us attend thereto : and left we fhould nriftake, he tells us what we are to do; with this Ore?ms Let us pray; come and joyn with me, that is, with the Church, in whofe name the prayers arc made : whence we may gather, how commendable it is that all there prefent, fhould in heart and affc&ion joyn their Votes, with thePrieftin fo powerful a Sacrifice: done by God's Minifters in the name of the Church j which certainly is I 5 more d7«) more Meritorious, and more pleating to God, than any private prayers. Q. What are thofe Pray. yi. We may confidcr their Matter, Form, and end : as for the matter St, Paul advifes us that/r/? of all things, Obfccrations^Praycrs , Poftulattons, and Thanksgiving be made for all 7n?n 9 which words the Holy Fathers do ap- ply particularly, to the Sacrifice of the Maffe. St. Anguftint applyes them to feveral parts of the Maffe j as is to be feen in the Rhcmifi Anno- tations on this place. Others attri- bute them to the diversity of Pray- ers, which are ufed in the Church, ac- cording to the Four forts of Prayer ; for the Church in thefc Prayers, fometimes makes Supplication to be delivered from Evils/ as in time of perfecution, or other affliAions or Temptations. Sometimes prayesfor Spiritual gifts and benefits, as of Pennance, Patience and fuch like; fometimes alfo makes Poftulations for fome particular favour, as for the Convcrfion of Sinners, or of thofe who go , aftray, and to give thanks for benefits received. As (■179') As for the form of them, who foe- ever confiders it,wiU admire thececo- nomyof God's Church, which has fo pithily and fubftantially, couched in few words all, whatfocver the faith- ful may ask of God , however the prayers are fhort, yet full in fubitance and Devotion : for the true practife of prayer, is to have a greater heart than mouth, greater Devotion than Tongue, and a full Intention, rather than multitude of words. This doth not derogate in any wife, to perfeverance in prayer ; for Chnft prayed whole nights, and in his Ago- ny as St. Lnlis fayes, be prayed longer, although we read but few words , where fervent Devotion gives Gale, and Grace is Pilot, the Soul may lanch forth, and fail fecurcly; yet fometimes for order and decency m the Church , and commodity oi others,they may, and ought toftnke fail; that is, abbreviate their vocW prayer, cfpccially, if by Office or Miniltcrial duty it is required : for therein they are not to follow their ■own proper Devotion: but exactly fol- (i8o) follow the Rules and Ordinances of their Superiours or Prelates. Moreover the principal thing here intended, is to offer Sacrifice to God ^ whence it fufficcs to the Church in thofe prayers to exprefs her intenti- ons, in few words, in order to the application of this or that Majfe , to fuch and fuch ends ; So that although the prayers be fhort in words, yet virtually they extend themfelvcs to the whole Sacrifice of the Atajfe^ ha- ving correfpondence with the Church- es intention.and confequently is more efficacious than any other private prayer The chief end of this prayer, is to obtain the defired effecfts, by vertue of this Sacrifice : which is for the general good of God's Church, and for what the Pried or People prefent, do intend by this Alaffc. Q^ Why is this called Collett t A. Thcfe prayers are fo called, for that the People are collected or gathered together; or rather for that they are (aid over them, or, for them fo collected or afTcmbled. Some will have haveitjbecaufe the Prieft doth cot. left or gather the prayers, vows or defiresof aH there prcfent; uniting them in one with his; including in his prayer the Petitions or defiresof all. St. Bonaventure will give another reafon, becaufc ail who are prefent, may or ought to recoiled themfelves, and unite their intentions with the Priefts in that prayer : It may alfo be faid, that they are called fo, for that fuch prayers are collcded and gathe- red by the Church to be faid in the Majfe\ and accommodated to the Times, Feafts or Subjed. Now thefe Prayers or Colle