ye that pass by the way as wayfarers all you that are present at this Sacrifice behold and see what I suffered for your Redemption Behold and consider the love that I bear to you and say Hail O true body born of the Virgin Mary truly suffered and really offered on the Cross for me and from whose side flowed Water and Blood vouchsafe to be received by me at the hour of my death O most merciful Jesu Son of the living God have mercy on me 7. Of the Consecration Adoration and Elevation of the Chalice Q. What mean you by the Chalice A. In as much as Christ took it in his hand it is taken for the Cup containing Wine which could not be otherwise taken but in the form of Consecration it is called the Chalice of Christ's blood this is the Chalice which St. Paul calls the Chalice of Benediction affirming it to be the Communication of the blood of Christ Theophilact with divers others sayes That which is in the Chalice is that which did flow from Christ's side and receiving it we communicate that is we are united to Christ Q. What say you of the Consecration of the Chalice A. The same that I said before of the Consecration of the Bread for the Priest in the Person of Christ imitating his actions and words does consecrate the Chalice calling it as Christ did the New Testament unto Remission of sins Q. What say you of its Adoration A. The same also that I said of the Adoration of the holy Host for it is done in the same manner and for the self-same reasons as being the self-same thing under the variety of species or material forms the like we may say of this Elevation and therefore not necessary to be rehearsed here again Q. Sith it is the same in both why is the Consecration and Elevation made apart A. Although the example of our Saviour with his command thereto and the Churches practise in all ages as it plainly appears in all Liturgies and by the Testimony of Councels and Fathers are sufficient to answer you yet to satisfie your curiosity I will endeavour to give you some reasons for it St. Paul having proved the Translation of the Law and Priesthood tells us that Christ has obtained a better Ministery and a better Testament or better promises and again affirms that the first Law was not dedicated without blood and that all things according to the Law were cleansed with blood and without shedding of blood there is no Remission of sins Christ then being to establish the New Law did Dedicate and Consecrate it with his blood and all things thereof as Sacraments and Sacrifices have their effects from Christ's blood wherefore he calls it the blood of the New Testament as Theophilact says in opposition to the Old Law for the Old Testament had blood wherewith both people and book of the Law were sprinkled and again as the Old Testament had immolation of blood so the New Testament Whereof St. Leo gives this reason That shadows might yeild to the body and figures should cease in the presence of verity the antient observance is taken away by the New Sacrament Host passes into Hosts and Blood excludes Blood Christ therefore to make his Law complete did institute this Sacrifice in both species It was not sufficient to his great love and infinite goodness to give his body but he would also give his blood as a more perfect accomplishment and confirmation of his Law and in a more perfect presentation of his Passion For in the Eucharistical action the body is Consecrated apart and the blood apart in memory of the passion wherein the blood was separated from the body St. Paul sayes as often as ye shall eat this Bread and drink the Chalice ye shall shew the death of our Lord this could not be so well represented in one species as in both so that they both together do more fully represent Christ's Death and Passion Whence St. Alexander Pope and Martyr in the year 106. says In the Oblation of the Sacraments which are offered to our Lord in the Solemn Masses the passion of our Lord is to be mixed that the passion of him whose body and blood is represented may be celebrated and this for a particular representation of the blood and water which flowed from our Saviour's side on the Cross Lastly both species are required to correspond with the nature of Christ's Priesthood which as the Psalmist and St. Paul say was according to the Order of Melchisedeck and St Augustine says that he instituted a Sacrifice of his body and blood according to the Order of Melchisedech And St. Cyprian who is more a Priest of the high God than our Lord Jesus Christ who offered Sacrifice to God the Father and offered the very same which Melchisedech had offered that is Bread and Wine to wit his body and blood With them agrees Eusebius saying As he that is Melchisedech who was a Priest of the Gentiles was never seen to have offered any thing but only Wine and Bread when he blessed Abraham so truly first our Lord and Saviour himself then those who came from him the Priests in all Nations fulfilling the spiritual Office of Priesthood according to Ecclesiastical Ordination in Bread and Wine do represent the Mysteries of his body and Salutary blood Epiphanius tells us that the Priesthood of Melchisedech which was before Levi and Aaron was reassumed and now is in the Church from Christ's time Q. As there are two species are there two Sacrifices A. These two species in regard of their signification or rather in their manner of their proper signification may be said to be two Sacraments but in regard of the thing signified or contained therein they make but one Sacrifice for as the Bread and Wine are different things so in a different manner they signifie Christ's body as our food and Christ's blood as our drink and so make the full reflection of our Souls both making but one perfect Sacrament in as much as they contain the same one Christ God and Man in flesh and blood which in substance are equally contained aswell under the species of Bread as under the species of Wine for the substance body and blood is equally in the one and in the other producing the same effect of Grace and Glory In like manner these two species with their double signification do make but one Sacrifice in as much as they signifie one bloody Sacrifice made by Christ on the Cross in the effusion of his blood and separation of his Soul from his Body which is not so expresly signified by one only species and the two Consecrations do not multiply the Sacrifice no more then the daily Oblations which Priests do make in all places of the World For as St. Ambrose says Do not we offer every day surely we do But this Sacrifice is an extract of that for we offer always the self-same and not now one Lamb and
amply declared this that it is needless here to treat of this Subject I will only take notice here that many Councels have determined this matter but especially the Councel of Nice held well nigh Nine hundred years ago where there were 330 Bishops assembled expresly on this Subject This Councel was held in Greece where the opposite Heresie did begin some years before with great contest in those parts whereas the Western Church did alwayes preserve the Worship and use of Images and in three several Councels condemned the Hereticks in the Eastern Church and this was done in Nice in the most solemn manner and with the greatest dispute that ever was seen in any Councel on the opposers side all the reasons imaginable from whence the Hereticks of our times have taken their Arguments on the Catholick defenders side Scriptures Tradition Custome Judgement of the Holy Fathers continual practise of God's Church were alleaged with clear and manifest answers to all contrary Objections whence the Councel unanimously determined the use and Worship 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 represented by them according to the old verse Christ's Picture Worship thou who by the same doest pass Yet Picture Worship not but Christ for whom it pictured was If the Picture be of God we give Divine Worship to him if of Saints we then give a Religious Worship which is due to them for our Worship doth not terminate in the Pictures but in the thing represented The Pictures or Images do serve only as representatives in some manner like the species which falls not under our senses or understanding but in as much as they represent the Objects we have no knowledge of God but by the species which serves only to supply the place of the Object and does not terminate or bound the understanding in its operation so that we know the Object by the species but yet take no notice of the species The object of the senses is the sensible quality which the sense does not perceive but the species in as much as they are representatives of such qualities So it is also in Pictures or Images which by their representative nature being beheld or seen do lead us to the knowledge of the thing represented we may experience this in the Picture of a Person we love when we see the Picture we are moved with a new affection not to the Picture but to the Person it represents Q. Wherefore are they put in Churches A. For many reasons first for Ornament of the Churches which is warranted by the Scriptures where God commanded the Images of Cherubines to be made in the Ark and Salomon put Cherubes in many places of the Temple why then may not Christians place Images in their Churches The Emperour Constantine in all the Churches he built did put Images Pictures and Statues of Christ and his Saints for their Ornament Isodore Pelusiat who lived about the year 440. is so far for it that he sayes the place cannot be said to be a Church which is not adorned with Images It is strange that Men adorn their Houses with prophane Pictures or Images and think that holy Pictures representing Sanctity Piety and Devotion to be Prophanation in the Church Secondly for the instruction and help of the ignorant who by those Images do learn the Mysteries of our Faith as the learned do by Books and Characters which are but as Images St. John Damascene sayes That our Holy Fathers did judge it convenient to set forth the Mysteries of the Passion in Pictures or Images that the unlearned or those who could not read might refresh their Memories thereby VVhence Tharasius Patriark of Constantinople sayes whatsoever the Gospel shews unto us by reading the same is seen by Images whatsoever also Books speak of Holy Martyrs sufferances the self same is signified by Images Letters are but Images of the things signified and Images but Letters for the Ignorant yea to the learned for a more speedy representation Thirdly they serve to move the beholders to Piety and Devotion for naturally we are moved by visible objects to good or evil whence the Church hath alwayes commended though not commanded good Images and strictly forbidden bad ones principally Prophane and Lascivious None who have any Civility will deny but that Lascivious Images Pictures or Statues are dangerous and sure it cannot be evil to have good Images which savour of Piety and if those cause ill dispositions in the mind these may cause good which St. Basile thus declares Historians and Painters do often describe the glorious conflicts and great Deeds of Warlick Men those set them forth by Orations these paint them in Tables both of them have provoked many to Vertue to wit as the one perswades by his moving words so the other draws by his lively representation of the things done by our Saviour and his holy Servants Lastly to omit other reasons these Pictures or Images are placed to put us in mind of the Sanctity of the place wherein none but Holy Pictures are to be permitted and thereby is declared the Reverence of the place and indeed when one comes to a Church adorned as it becomes the House of God especially with Pictures Images and Statues he cannot but adore God to whom all this preparation is made for it has some resemblance of Heaven where God is said to be with his Angels and Saints adoring him with fear and Reverence for here by Faith we believe Christ Jesus God and Man to be really present and we contemplate in Spirit the Angels and Saints accompanying him under the forms of Bread and Wine we see our God and in the Images we see his Angels and Saints 5. Of Tapers or Candles Q. Why does the Church use Candles at Masse A. All Nations Gentils Jews and Christians have alwayes used Lamps Candles or Tapers in the Service of God the custome of the Gentils is manifest in their Histories of the Jews in the first Book of Moses and of the Christians in all ages as the Ecclesiastical Histories do Record and the first who opposed it in the Church was Vigilantius above 1200 years past against whom even in this point the Holy Fathers St. Hierome St. Augustine and St. Paulin did write in defence of the Catholick custome St. Epiphanius and Evodius make mention of it and we may gather that such was the custome of the Church for that our Constantine the Great who built and erected many Churches amongst other his gifts to the Churches did add possessions and Lands for the maintenance of such Lights Lamps and Candles in the Churches I might here alleage Councels and Histories for the use thereof but these may suffice Only I will note that the Office of Acholithus which is one of the Seven Ecclesiastical Orders called also Ceroforarius acknowledged by the Popes Cayus Cornelius and Gelasius all in the primitive times as
by a knot in the middle the Chalice in this form was set in a Golden Crown which the High Priests did wear the Manna was reserved in such a Cup whence the Jews on their Money did imprint such a Chalice In this form it may be a Symbole of Heaven divided into Two parts and as Heaven includes all the Elementary VVorld so in the Chalice the Sacrifice of the Universal VVorld is offered by the Priest The Chalice in the High Priest's head represents the Chalice elevated above the Priest's head in Masse that of the Manna was a compleat figure of our Chalice which carries in it the true Manna Christ Jesus and that of the Jews Money represents that all our works are of no value not right coyn unless they be marked with the Chalice of the Passion of Christ Jesus which this Chalice represents Q. What is the matter of the Chalice A. For the most part is either of Gold or Silver and in times of necessity or persecution in Pewter yea in Lead Brass Glass and Wood especially in the primitive times But in process of time it was ordained by the Church that they should not be of Glass by reason of its bricleness with peril of effusion nor in Wood because it is spongy and porous whereby the blood of our Lord might fcak into the Wood and other indecencies nor of Copper or Brass by reason of their noysomness but of Gold or Silver and of Pewter by permission or through want St. Maximus sayes that Gold shews the pretious Redemption from our Captivity Silver the price wherewith we were bought and Pewter our misery and poverty Gold is a Symbole of charity Silver of Sanctity Pewter of humility and misery Q. What is the Patten A. The Patten Plate or little dish is as ancient in the Church as the Chalice and ordinarily is of the same Mettal with it and serves for the Oblation and Communion of Christ's Body as the Chalice for his blood and as Theophilact notes the open Patten fignifies the open heart of Christ in the Latitude of Charity and therefore is a Symbole of the unmeasurable extent of Christ's Charity in his Passion which we feel and remember in the Holy Masse and is in all respects to be Reverenced as the Chalice wherewith it is also Consecrated Q. What is the Linen Cloth which is put on the Chalice A. Of this in particular I find little mention unless we reckon it amongst the Corporals which did sometimes serve to put under the Chalice and folded did also cover it so that we may apply to it what is said of Corporals with very little difference only they are not Consecrated for it is white Linen and is called Purificatory as being a little Towel to purifie or cleanse the Chalice and Patten in the Masse especially to dry and wipe the Chalice after the Lotions and to that end is alwayes to be kept clean and neat and by reason it hath so near a connexion to the blood of our Saviour is not to be touched nor washed otherwise than the Corporals this represents the Napkin on our Saviours Head as St. John sayes wrapt up a part into one place whence we may note that St. Luke affirms that besides the Syndon there were other Linen Cloths for he and St. John specifie Cloths So that the Altar Towels may represent the Cloths the Corporal the Syndon and the Purificatory the Napkin on his Head Q. What means the Vail which covers the Chalice A. The Church uses the Vail for decency although we may say that the first use of it was to cover the Chalice from the sight of the Catechumens who were wont to be present at the Masse until the Offertory when they were dismissed the Vail was taken off Now with this for the better covering the Chalice there is a Pall which is used to cover the Chalice when this Vail is taken away for the avoiding of any dust or flyes that might fall into the Chalice SECT V. Of Priests and what belongs to them 1. Of their Vestments in General Q. WHy are the Priests Cloathed with so many Vestments A. If we reflect on what God ordained in the Law given to Moses we may not wonder at this for he commanded Moses to make a Holy Vesture to Aaron for glory and beauty wherein he being Sanctified might Minister to God and naming the Vestments Rational Ephod Tunick a streight Linen Garment a Mitre and a Girdle he sayes they shall make Holy Vestments that they may do the functions of Priesthood unto me by these Vestments sayes St. Bede the Priests were admonished of Justice and Sanctity as also of their Office and Function Now if it were so in the Old Law where all things were done in Figures and Types with how much more reason ought the Priests of the New Law to have Vestments befitting their Function and Ministery for the greater Glory and Ornament in the true and real Sacrifice ordained by Christ himself such has been the custome of God's Church as in the particulars shall be declared St. Hierome hath made a whole Treatise of them in general affirming That these Vestments do signifie that Bishops and Priests ought to have special Vertues to which end sayes he in another place Divine Religion hath Vestments for the Ministery different from the Common That sayes he the Clergy may perform our Lord's Sacraments with a clear Conscience and that they may be new Men in Christ as well in Vertues as in Vestments which Ivo seconds saying The Priestly Ornaments or Vestment are Marks or Badges of Vertues by which as by writings or books they are admonished to whom they are to direct their actions Natural reason and common civility teach us that as there is distinction of persons and quality so there is distinction of Garments and other Ornaments agreeable to their state and condition even according to their Offices and actions neither was their ever a Nation so barbarous but that it observed a distinction of exteriour Habits or Apparel between the Clergy and the Laity and likewise amongst the Laity in time of Judicature or such like and amongst the Clergy in their Sacrifice and Functions Can there be any thing more reasonable then that the Priests should have decency in Garments sutable to their Actions or Functions that all may know what they are a doing and they themselves be mindful alwayes of what they are doing So the Pope's Patriarks and Bishops have their several sorts of Garments and all of them as Priests have Vestments agreeable to the Holy Sacrifice which as hath been often said represents Christ's passion and therefore the Priest goes vested to the Altar as Christ went to the Cross So that when we see the Priest thus Vested we may piously contemplate our Saviour going to offer himself on the Cross for our sakes which will appear in the particulars Q. How many are the Vestments required at Masse A. Speaking of those which are common