reciting a hymne or Canticle in the end of the Masse is come vnto vs from Christ him selfe and his Apostles for after our Lord had communicated his bodie and blood to his Apostles the Scripture presentlie addeth Et hymno dicto exierunt in montem Oliueti And an hymne being said they went foorth vnto mount Oliuet This is most euidentlie to be seene in the Liturgie of S. Iames wherin you shall finde these four psalmes following to haue bene songe in this part of the Masse Dominus regit me Benedicam Domino in omni tempore Exaltabo te Deus meus rex And Laudate Dominum omnes gentes The 2. Reason These Psalmes Canticles and Hymnes aforesaid were soÌ„ge in the primitiue Church during the time of the holie Communion in which time the Christians did communicate verie often yea euerie day as diuers histories doe testifie for which cause the number of Communicants being very great the Church retayned these longe Anthiemes very agreable to the seruent deuotion of that time But since the Christians ceasing to communicate euery day and the number of communicants much decreasing so longe Canticles were not thought expedient and therfore in place thereof are said these short Anthiemes after the Communion Which is the reason and cause that most now at this day doe call them by the name of the post-Communion The 3. Reason Misticallie according to Innocentius the Anthiem which is recited after the Communion doth signifie the ioy of the Apostles for Christes resurrection According as it is written saying The Disciples therfore were glad when they sawe our Lord. And therfore in high Masse the same is sounge reciprocallie to insinuate that the Disciples did mutuallie recite one to another the ioy of the Resurrection As S. Luc. testifieth that the two Disciples to whom our Lord appeared in the way to Emaus went back into Hierusalem and they found the eleuen gathered together and those that were with them saying That our Lord is risen indeed and hath appeared to Simon Luc. 24.34 Dominus vobiscum According to some these seuerall salutations of the priest to the people doe represent vnto vs the seuerall apparitions of our Sauiour to his Disciples Or the promise of our Lord made vnto them touching the sending of the holie Ghost Et cum spiritu tuo The propertie of Christian charitie is that euerie one should be carefull not onlie for him selfe but also for his neighbour For this cause the asistants answere the Priest in recognissance of that which he hath done for them by his prayers that God may be with his spirit to guide him by the inspiration of his diuine grace whersoeuer neede is for the execution of this his sacred function Of the last Collects The 1. Reason These prayers are made after Communion in the end of the Masse to giue vs to vnderstand that subsequent prayer is as necessarie for vs as precedent because we are admonished alwayes to pray without intermission Luc. 18. The 2. Reason Of these Collects or thanksgiuinges we are admonished in sundrie places of the holie scripture to doe the same as Colos 3. saying All what soeuer you doe in word or in worke all thinges in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ giuing thankes to God and the Father thorough him Besides it is most conforme to reason it selfe that receiuing so great a benefit from God we should render due and conuenient thankes vnto him for the same And what greater benefit could we possiblie receiue at his handes then the most pretious bodie and blood of our Sauiour Iesus for the health and nourishment of our soules and bodies The 3. Reason Mysticallie the Collects signifie how the Apostles and Disciples after the Ascension of our Lord perseuered in prayer As also the prayers of Iesus Christ our head who maketh daylie intercession vnto his Father for vs. Dominus vobiscum The Collects being ended the priest saluteth the people the second time saying Our Lord be with you As if he should say The time to let you depart is now at hand but albeit you depart from the temple of our Lord yet depart not away from our Lord but so leade your liues that his holie grace neuer depart away from your soules And the people make answere saying Et cum spiritu tuo And with thy spirit praying that in all wayes wherin the Priest wishest our Lord to be with them in the same sorte our Lord may also euer be and abide with him Of Ite Missa est This was ordayned to be said to let the people knowe that the Masse was ended and so to giue them leaue to goe away because they are not to depart till Masse be ended vntill they haue receaued the priestes benediction The word Missa is in this place diuerslie expounded by our learned Doctors Some consider it adiectiuelie and vnderstand for the Substantiue Hostia aut oblatio and so they interpret it thus Ite Missa est scilicet Hostia aut oblatio Goe or depart the Host or oblation is sent for you that is to say is presented or offered to God in your behalfes Others consider it substantiuelie somtimes referring it to the mysterie which hath bene celebrated and somtimes to the people who haue asisted at the same When it is referred to the mysterie the sense is Ite Missa est dicta aut peracta Depart yee Masse is said or ended which exposition in the opinion of many is the most proper and most familiar If one would referre it to the people Missa importeth as much as Missio and missio as much as dimissio that is to say to let depart to dismisse or send away the people and so the sense according to this interpretation is Goe your wayes licence or permission is giuen you depart For as by this word Missa Masse they vnderstand commonlie and properlie the great and diuine mysterie of all Christians so when it is said vnto them Ite Missa est they vnderstand presentlie that Masse is ended and that leaue is granted them to with draw them selues Innocentius the third saieth that this Sacrifice that is the holie Host is called Mâ—ssa quasi transmissa as sent betwixt First from the Father to vs that it may be with vs. And then to the Father from vs that it may intercede with the Father for vs. By the Father to vs by his Incarnation from vs to the Father by his passion In the Sacrament by the Father to vs by sanctification and by vs againe to the Father by oblation Of the last benediction This done the Priest kisseth the Aultar and then with his handes eleuated geueth the last benediction vnto the people signifying that last benediction which Christ Ascending gaue vnto his Disciples for as S. Luke sayeth He brought them foorth abroade into Bethanie and lifting vp his handes he blessed them And it came to passe whiles he blessed them he departed from them and was carried into heauen And for this cause
prayeth for thē in the same maner that they had before prayed for him and then he pronounceth the absolution following which being deuoutlie receiued of them is not a litle availeable vnto them Of the prayer following the Confiteor commonly called the Absolution THis absolution was instituted to shew that the priest is speciallie ordained of God to make intercession for the sinnes of the people And as the Confession going before was called generall so this absolution following is also general Which the priest giueth onlie by way of prayer and not as in a Sacrament as that of Ego te absoluo and extendeth it selfe no further but to the takinge away of veniall sinnes VVhy the signe of the Crosse is ioyned with the Absolution The signe of the Crosse is ioyned with this Absolution which being made from the head to the heart and from the left shoulder to the right may signifie the three wayes how we offend almightie God to wit by thoughte word and work but doth chiefly shew that all forgiuenesse of sinne proceedeth from the passion of our B. Sauiour Indulgentiam absolutionem remissionem Pardon absolution and remission Pardon of our euil thoughtes absolution of our euil wordes and remission of our euil deedes Pardon of our sinnes of frailtie absolution of our sinnes of malice and remission of our sinnes of ignorance Omnium peccatorum nostrorum Of all our sinnes Against God against our neighbour or against our selues Of all our sinnes against the diuine or eternall law against the law of nature or the law of spirituall and temporall superiors Finallie of all our sinnes whatsoeuer past present or to come Tribuat nobis omnipotens misericors Dominus Our omnipotent and merciful Lord giue vnto vs. To vs that humblie acknowledg our sinnes before him To vs that hartilie cal vpon him To vs that stedfastlie trust in him To vs present and to all his faithfull people where soeuer absent Deus tu conuersus O God thou being conuerted That is pacified or reconciled from anger to pittie from indignation to compassion from iustice to mercie from punishment to pardon Or conuerted to wit to man from whom thou hast being iustlie auerted Viuificabis nos Shalt quicken vs. That is shalt reuiue and giue life to that nature substance of ours which is dead by sinne which of it selfe cannot reuiue it selfe vnles he who did first giue it life when it had none doe now againe restore it being lost Et plebs tua laetabitur in te And thy people shal reioyce in thee This conuerting this viuifying ô what wonderfull ioy will it bring to all thy people What canticles and songes of prayses will it cause to all thy seruants Thy blessed mother will singe Magnificat Zacharias Benedictus the Angells Gloria in excelsis ould Simeon Nunc dimittis all thy people Laudate Dominum omnes gentes And therfore Ostende nobis Domine misericordiam tuam Shew ô Lord thy mercie vnto vs. As if he should say thou hast shewed vs thy almighty power in creating all thinges of nothing Thou hast shewed vs thy wisdome in maruelouslie gouerning the thinges created Thou hast shewed vs thy iustice in the punishment of sinne both of men and Angels Shew now therfore vnto vs thy mercie by the Incarnation of thy Sonne for our saluation Et salutare tuum da nobis And giue thy sauing health vnto vs. For bestowing this singular pledge of thy loue vpon vs what is it that thou mayest ether keepe from vs or canst denie vs Domine exaudi orationem meam O Lord heare my prayer To wit to shew this thy mercie and to giue this thy sauing health vnto vs which is thy Sonne our Sauiour this is the prayer which I make vnto thee this is the prayer which I desire thou wilt receiue of me Et clamor meus ad te veniat And let my crie come vnto thee To wit 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 prayer which I make vnto thee with acclamations clamors and cryes of my soule the feruour of my affection breaking forth into cries vnto thy maiestie Dominus vobiscum Our Lord be with you VVhere note that this salutation is seauen sundrie times rehearced in the holie Masse 1. Before the first Oremus which is this 2. Before the first Collects 3. Before the reading of the gospell 4. After the Creede or if the Creede be omitted before the offertorie 5. Before the Preface 6. Before the kissing of the Pax. 7. Before the last Collects to signifie as some of our deuout interpreters say the seauen-fould gifte of the holie Ghost VVhich verie wordes with those which followe S. Paul himselfe vsed to Timothie saying Dominus Iesus Christus sit cum spiritu tuo Our Lord Iesus-Christ be with thy spirit 2. Tim. vlt. How the wordes Dominus vobiscum are wordes of admonition And they may here be likewise vnderstood as woordes of admonition vsed by the Priest to the people As if he should say See that our Lorde be with you How they are wordes of consolation They may also be taken for wordes of consolation as if he should say vnto them Our Lord dwelleth in you giuing effect to your demandes that with the help of his grace and by perseuerance in the same you may attaine at the last to the happie reward of euerlasting life Et cum spiritu tuo And with thy spirit It standeth with great reason that the people should likewise pray for him and wish that our Lord be with his spirit who is their speaker and embassador in so important and weightie affaire which embassage they knowe he cannot rightlie perform if his minde be otherwise distracted and be not speciallie asisted by the grace of God And for this cause doe they often pray that our Lord may be and remayne with his spirit Oremus Let vs pray Not without great reason is it that before the priest ascend to the Altar he admonisheth the people to pray saying Oremus Let vs pray to signifie vnto vs that the prayers which he is to offer vnto God in our behalfes will be litle auaileable vnto vs vnlesse we conioyne both our hartes and our prayers together with his And that as he ascendeth in bodie to the Altar so we doe likewise ascend with him in minde to the same And therfore he sayeth it before he ascend to declare that before we pray we ought first to prepare dispose our mindes there vnto as the holie scripture admonisheth vs saying Coming to prayer prepare thy selfe and be not as one that tempteth God Of the priests ascending to the Altar AS before we sayed that by the descending of the priest from the Altar was vnderstood the fall of man and the losse of Gods fauour for his transgression euen so by his ascending at this present may be vnderstood the accomplishment of the promise of our Lord for his restoring saluation according to that of the Apostle saying When the fulnes of time came God sent his Sonne
of a Lamb to signifie that he which is sacrificed is the true Lamb of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Of the Paten wheron the Host is layed And 1. why the same is couered or hid vnder the Corporall The 1. Reason THe Paten is so called a Patendo that is of patencie or amplenes betokneth a hart large open and ample Vpon this Paten that is vpon this latitude of charitie the Sacrifice of iustice ought to be offered This latitude of hart the Apostles had when Peter said Though I should dye with thee I will not deny thee likewise also said all the Disciples Mat. 26. For which cause our Lord said vnto them The spirit indeed is prompt but the flesh is weake Mat 29.41 The 2. Reason And because this latitude of hart fled from them and lay hid when they all forsooke and abandoned their master therefore after the oblation is made the Priest hideth the paten vnder the Corporall or the Deacon remoued from the Altar houldeth it couered whereby the flight of the Disciples is signified who whilst the true Sacrifice was offered fled and forsooke Christ as he him selfe foretould them saying All you shall be scandalised in me in this night Mat. 26.31 Of the two Palles or Corporalls And here it is also further to be noted that there are two Palles called Corporalls the one layd vpon the Altar vnder the Host and Chalice extended the other layed vpon the Chalice foulded That extended signifieth Faith That foulded betokeneth vnderstanding for here the mysterie ought to be beleeued but can not be comprehended that faith may haue merit where humane reason can make no demonstrance Of the preparation of the bread and wine for the oblation and how therin is most liuely represented the action of our Sauiour in the institution of this Sacrament The 1. Ceremonie his signification FIrst by seeing the priest prepare the bread and wine for the oblation we may be put in minde how the disciples went before our Lord to prepare his passouer as the Euangelist witnesseth saying The first day of Azimes the disciples came to Iesus saying Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eate the pasche Mat. 26.17 The 2. Ceremonie and his signification His offerring vp the Host vpon the Paten before consecration signifieth the great affection where with our Lord and Sauiour offered vp him selfe to his heauenly Father to suffer his death and passion for vs. As also the great desire which he had to ordayne this holie Sacrament saying With a desire haue I desiered to eate this passouer with you before I suffer Luc. 22.15 The 3. Ceremonie and his signification The priest preparing himselfe to performe the Offertorie remoueth away the Chalice a litle from him and then houlding vp the Patē with the hoste in both his handes he sayeth this prayer following Suscipe sancte c. The remouing away the Chalice a litle from him doth signifie how our Sauiour in the garden went a litle a side from his Disciples as the scripture saith about a stones cast The laying of the Host downe vpō the Paten representeth the verie maner of his prayer to wit procidit in faciem suam orans as S Mat. sayeth cap. 26.36 He fel vpon his face praying The 4. Ceremonie and his signification The prayer also it selfe is imediatlie directed to God the Father as likewise that of our Sauiours was saying Suscipe sancte Pater For euen so our Sauiour immediatlie directed that of his saying Pater c. My Father if it be possible let this chalice passe from me ibid. And now to explicate the wordes them selues Suscipe Receiue Our Lord is then said to receiue our hostes and oblations when approuing our hartie prayers and deuotions he doth liberallie pour foorth his blessinges fauours and graces vpon vs. Sancte Pater O holy Father Where note that the name of Father doth insinuat vnto vs not a person by him selfe alone but such an one as hath also a sonne And further in this place may also signifie the fatherly pittie care and prouidence which he hath ouer all his deare and beloued children Which Father is therfore said to be Holy that we his children shoulde imitate him our heauenly Father in puritie sanctitie and holines of life Omnipotens Omnipotent This Father is here said not only to be holy but also to be omnipotent that by acknowledging his omnipotencie we may beleeue him to be such who can doe much more for vs then ether we are able to vnderstand or desire at his handes Aeterne Deus Eternall God Besides the two former attributes of sanctitie and omnipotencie there is added a third attribute to wit of Eternitie and this to the end that we may beleeue him to be such thoroughe whose euerlastinge goodnes these our bodies now fraile and mortall shall hereafter be raised to immortallitie and consequently vnto eternitie Hanc immaculatam hostiam This immaculat host Which wordes haue principally respect vnto that which the host is afterwardes to be made to wit the most pretious and immaculat body of our Sauiour Iesus Quam ego indignus famulus tuus Which I thy vnworthy seruant The Priest how holy soeuer otherwise he be willinglye acknowledgeth him selfe ether for a wicked or vnworthy seruant and this he doth without any detriment vnto the Sacrament For not in the merit of the Priest who is the cōsecrator but in the word of our B. Sauiour is this mysterie effected So that the euill life of the Priest dooth not hinder the effect of the sacrament as nether doth the infirmitie of the phisition corrupt the vertu of the medicine Offero tibi Deo meo viuo vero Doe offer vnto thee my liuing and true God Which wordes doe clearlie confound all maner of prophane and superstitious worships together with all those oblations which are made by Idolaters vnto their Idols For the Church maketh hir offering to the liuing and true God and contrariwise they both to dead and to false gods Pro innumerabilibus peccatis offensionibus negligentiis meis For my inumerable sinnes and offences and negligences Where by sinnes are vnderstoode the transgression of the diuine commandements By offences the scandall of our neighbours And by neglicences the omission of good and godlie workes Et pro omnibus circumstantibus And for all that are present Most peculiarly al those are named or commemorated who are present at Masse because of these the priest taketh a most peculiar care who are so peculiarlie ioyned vnto him by their personall presence at his Sacrifice Sed pro omnibus fidelibus Christianis viuis atque defúnctis As also for all faithfull Christians liuing and departed A particular care is so had of them that are present that a generall solicitude is also extended to those that are absent O how blessed a thing is it to be a member of such a Church wherin be we present or absent be we aliue