and the written Law nay there was never Nation so Barbarous but either by the light of nature or by imitation of God's Church had their Sacrifices and accordingly the whole Christian Church believes and alwayes hath believed that Christ left unto us Christians a Sacrifice and therefore Secondly it is said to be a Sacrifice of the Evangelical Law to distinguish it from all precedent Sacrifices of the Old Law for as the Law was changed so also the Sacrifice all former Sacrifices ceasing it was necessary there should be a new Sacrifice for the new Law Whence it is Thirdly said Instituted by Christ for as he alone did or could institute the Sacraments so he alone did or could institute the Sacrifice of the Masse which by Tradition the Church hath alwayes received as the Holy Fathers and Councels in all ages do testifie Our Adversaries have most diligently laboured to find out some Additions which have been made thereto and in this they much glory but indeed their glory is in vain for Additions suppose the thing in being wherefore in that they alleage such Additions even very neer to the Apostles they confess that the Masse was then in being and consequently that it was ever since the Apostles who received it from our Saviour And therefore Fourthly it is said in his last Supper when he exercised the Function of his Priesthood according to the Order of Melchisedech following the prophesie of David and therefore Fifthly it is said consisting in an Oblation of Christ's Body and blood under the species of Bread and Wine as Christ himself in his last Supper did bidding his Disciples do the same Lastly it is said for a perpetual memory of Christ's passion which our Saviour then commanded saying do this in memory of me that is as St. Paul saith to shew the death of our Lord until he comes All this is the continual belief of the Church brought unto us by Universal Tradition testified by the Holy Fathers and Councels 3. Of the fruits and effects of the Masse Q. What are the benefits which we receive by the Masse A. We may well say in general that by the Masse we receive the fruits of Christ's passion on the Cross for the Masse is an application of that passion to our Souls good and a continual renovation of the same passion communicating unto us the wonderful effects thereof the Counsel of Trent Sess 22. c. 2. saith it is one and the same Host and the same Offerer now by the Ministery of the Priests who offered himself on the Cross different only in manner of Offering the fruits of which incruental Oblation are by this most plentifully 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 l. 5. Tract 3. Chap. 2. who calls it Latrentical in as much as it is referred to the worship and honour of God and profession of his Supream excellency and dominion over all Creatures which a Lapide in cap. 26. Mat. explicates thus saying One of the motives why Christ instituted the same Sacrifice of the Eucharist was that the Church might have wherewith to worship God Soveraignly and condignly and continually honour and adore him with Latria that is with worship due only to him for this Victim which is offered to God in the Sacrifice of the Eucharist is commensurate and equal to God himself Christ who is both God and Man being this Victim all our worship and honour being but little and vile in comparison of God Christ hath made himself a Victim in the Eucharist that by it as equal to God we might equally worship God and exhibite as much Latria and honour as he himself is worthy of and as much as he can of our duty ask of us Secondly he calls it Eucharistical because it is made in Commemoration and Thanksgiving for the Soveraign benefit of our Lord's passion which is the Fountain and Spring of all God's benefits to mankind we poor Creatures had nothing to gratifie God for all his innumerable benefits especially for these great benefits of our Redemption and therefore Christ amongst other graces of his infinite Clemency hath left us a Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving exceeding all other Sacrifices which also cannot but be acceptable to God the Father whence this Sacrifice take by way of Excellency the name of Eucharist that is Thanksgiving whence St. Augustine saith how can greater thanks be given then by Jesus Christ our Lord whom the faithful do offer in the Church in this Sacrifice Thirdly he saith it is Impetratory that is a Sacrifice whereby we may obtain whatsoever we shall ask or desire if we make our Petitions as we ought Our Saviour said Ask and it shall be given you in this Sacrifice he hath not only taught us the true means to make our petitions but also an assurance of obtaining what we ask for the Father cannot deny what we ask in his Sons name much less what we ask by his Son who is offered here unto him for as with him he hath given all things with him he will refuse us nothing Fourthly he terms it Propitiatory for it makes God propitious and merciful unto us for by it Gods wrath is appeased and our Sins remitted Whence a late Authour well said that it brings the first Grace and Remission of mortal Sins by way of impetration raising in us good motions by which we may find grace in time convenient if we concur thereto Secondly by the same way it gives encrease of grace that is those who are in Sin may receive the grace of Repentance and those who are in grace may receive encrease thereof Thirdly it remits venial Sins Fourthly it takes away or remits pains due for our Sins Fifthly by way of Impetration we may obtain not only Spiritual graces but also Temporal benefits as conversion of Infidels or Hereticks or Sinners encrease of perfection victories over our Enemies St. Chrysostome sayes we Sacrifice for the sick for the fruits of the Earth and of the Sea and for the whole World in fine this Sacrifice is offered by the faithful in all necessities in so much that in many places Christians will not begin any work Suit of Law journey or such like before they have offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Masse SECT II. Of the use practice and manner of hearing Masse 1. Of the use of hearing Masse Q. WHen ought we to hear Masse A. On all Sundays and Holy days by precept of the Church for as our St. Bernardine sayes we ought on such days to persist in prayer either mental or vocal and we cannot do it better than in the Masse which he proves by the precept of Sanctifying the Sabbath and by the precept of worshipping and honouring God for no Christians ought to content themselves in only abstaining from servile works which is the Negative part of the precept but the Affirmative part carries with
and when the High Priest did pronounce it they all Adored and bowed down and out of respect and Reverence thereto the High Priest did bear the Holy name engraven on his Mitre and these were then God's chosen People wherefore none did reprove them or condemn them The sequel of the Major is clear for we Christians have as much if not more reason to honour the name of Jesus For as Abulensis justly infers the name of Jesus is more Holy and more Excellent And as St. Paul saith a Name above all Names and therefore more Venerable than Jehovah for it is the most proper Name as St. Augustine avouches of the word Incarnate and eminently contains all the names of Christ and comprehends the whole work of the Incarnation wherein are manifested all the divine Attributes and all the good that can come to us either in Soul or Body as well for this life as for the future Shall then we Christians be defective in the honour of this Sacred Name of Jesus can any one deem it Superstition or Idolatry when we do no more no nor so much as the Jews did do to their Jehovah especially when the Apostle warrants it saying that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow Q. Have you some satisfactory reason to give me for this A. We may consider the Name as a word framed with Letters or materially as it is presented unto our sight or hearing in which respect there is no motive of Reverence no more than in other words But if we consider it formally as representative or significative we may find many motives of Reverence in regard of what is represented or signified which manner of Reverence or Adoration may be called Relative that is by respect or reverence to the person signified In this manner the Jews did Worship and Adore the Book of the Law for at the sight thereof they did Adore because it was given by God and had a Reference to him upon which motive they did and do at this day shew all exteriour Devotion imaginable as prostrating kneeling bowing kissing putting it on their Heads and applying it to their Breasts and Hearts what wonder then if Christians do the like to the Sacred name of Jesus which is an Abridgment of the Law Principally when taking it terminatively in as much as the final end of such Adoration or Worship terminates in the person named as to what is signified by the name then properly and primarily Christ is Honoured and Worshiped And there is no difference in Adoring Christ represented by the internal word or species which we have in our mind and the external word or Name for as the one causes Reverence to what is represented without any reflection upon the species or internal word so the name or external word causes Reverence to what it signifies without any reflection on the word When therefore we hear the name Jesus we give the Honour Praise Glory and Worship to Jesus Christ himself as one may experience and in this sense none but Infidels can deny Honour to the Sacred Name of Jesus Q. What Reverence are we to give to the name of Jesus A. The Councel of Basil will have that all should bow their Heads at the name of Jesus Pope Gregory the Tenth commanded that at the Sacred name of Jesus every one should make some Reverence bending the knees of their Hearts which they should testifie 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 must be saved to wit the Name of Jesus who saves his People from their Sins let all magnifie by exhibition of some Reverence and what is in general written let every knee bow each one singularly performing especially whilst the Sacred Mysteries of the Masse are a doing whensoever that glorious Name is rehearsed let them bend the knees of the Heart and testifie it by bowing their Bodies and generally according to the Rubricks of the Missal at this Name of Jesus the Priest bows or inclines his Head and all good Christians ought to do the same admirable is the Devotion of the Saints Chrysostome Ambrose Augustine Bernard Francis and other Fathers to this Holy Name of Jesus 4. Of Worship to the Saints Q. May we Adore or Worship Saints A. We may give Religious Worship or Adoration to Saints but by no means Divine Worship which as I said before is only proper to God although for the outward action we cannot distinguish between the one and the other but only by the Intention The Praise Honour or Worship of Saints terminate in God for whose respect alone we give this Honour unto them for the grace of God in them is the motive and cause thereof otherwise they would not be respected or honoured more than other Men besides as the love of our Neighbour hinders not or diminishes not but includes the love of God for whose sake we love our Neighbour so the honour which we give to Saints hinders not or diminishes but rather includes the honour of God so we honour the King and in reference to him his Princes Rulers and Officers whom we honour in him Q. May we pray to them A. What difficulty occurs in this occurs also in the prayers which we make to Men on Earth for surely if we may desire Earthly Men to pray for us we may desire the same of the Saints in Heaven for in this manner and no otherwise we pray to the Saints The Holy Scriptures the Universal practice of God's Church in all ages as also the Councels and Fathers even from the Apostles time do warrant this all the Liturgies that ever were in God's Church admit prayers to the Saints Q. Can they hear us A. It is great ignorance to think that the Saints do hear with corporal Ears which for the present they have not for now they are pure Spirits so that their hearing is nothing else but a pure vision or knowledge of things presented to their understanding which is not limited to place or sensible Objects but moved by Objects in species as they have a being represented unto them whence as they see God and in him they see all things Moreover as St. Augustine saith Intelligible things are to be seen by the Aspect of the understanding and corporal things may be seen by the Spirit and Bodies are seen by the Spirit for the Object of the understanding is all things that have a being So the Angels did hear or see which with them is all one as the Prophet Zacharias testifies did see the Afflictions of the Cities of Juda and therefore prayed for them so our Saviour saith that the Angels do rejoyce in the Conversion of Sinners Sure they did see it the Angel in Daniel did know his desires The Angel Raphael could tell Tobias what he did The History of Dives and Lazarus doth convince it I know
Other times we may go in Spirit with the Maries to find him in the Sepulcher that is to imitate their Devotions in seeking their Master and rejoyce that we may find him on the Altar Lastly we may call to mind the saying of St. Paul He that eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks judgement to himself For Christ sits on the Altar as in a Judgement Seat for as the Psalmist sayes he loves Mercy and Judgement they both go as Companions together No where hath God shewn greater Mercy than in this Sacrament yet so that if we do abuse his Mercy we can expect no other thing but Judgement Q May we adore the Altar A. I hope none will be so Impertinent as to think that Christians Adore the Altar as having any Diety in it we Adore and Reverence the Altar as David did Adore towards the Holy Temple and why not for its material Substance nor for its Ornaments but for that our Lord is pleased there to make his abode or as he adored God's foot-Stool by which the Hebrews understood the Ark or as Daniel kneeled down Three times a day towards Jerusalem where the Temple stood If this may be done to the Ark and Temple with much more reason may we do it before the Altar which hath Reference to the Eucharist that is the true Body and Blood of Christ so that all the Reverence Worship and Adoration which we make before the Altar is referred to God in whose respect alone it is due 3. Of the Crucifix Q. What do you mean by the Crucifix A. Nothing but the Figure or Image of Christ Crucified which the Church has used to put on the Altar to put us in mind of Christ's Death and Passion whereof the Masse is a Commemoration for which Christ hath left this Sacrifice as St. Paul testifies amongst other means that the Church hath to engraft this remembrance of Christ's Passion in the hearts of the faithful she maketh use of the Crucifix or figure of Christ on the Cross that our eyes receiving the species may carry it to the heart our sense is so powerful in that effect none will say but that it is good to Preach it often that we may have it in our hearts but the sight of it even in figure makes a deeper impression in the mind and that it has been the custome of the Church to have Crucifixes on the Altar is manifest by continual Tradition Q. What reason have you for it A. Many in correspondence to the Altar whereon it is placed which as I said before may fitly represent the Mount Calvary and the Crucifix the Cross of our Saviour Secondly also in Conformity to the Altar in as much as it hath a Representation of the Judgement Seat we may consider the Crucifix as representing the Cross which will appear in that day of Judgement which Cross Christ calls the Sign of the Son of Man Thirdly as the Banner among Souldiers is put in an eminent place or at the head of the Army So the Church puts the Cross in the most eminent place to wit on the Altar as the Banner and Trophy of Christian Religion and of our King Christ Jesus St. Augustine sayes we do all rejoyce in the confession of Christ who glories in the Sign of the Cross for he cannot be esteemed to be of the Christian Militia unless with a faithful hand he erect the Standard of him Crucified Leontius above a Thousand years ago sayes The Cross is to be drawn in the Holy place of the most Sacred Church towards the East that is the Altar which is for the most part towards the East for by the Salutiferous Cross Man-kind is freed and by this hope is declared to those who despair Q. May the Crucifix be Adored A. Yes as hereafter I shall more fully declare in the mean time for this we have a known example of St. Andrew who seeing the Cross prepared for him cryed out Hail O Cross which art dedicated in Christ's Body c. O good Cross which hast received honour and beauty from the members of Christ long desired sedulously loved sought without intermission and at last prepared to a desirous mind take me from Men and restore me to my Master who by thee redeemed me Loe how the blessed Apostle adores the Cross which was a figure or Image of Christ's Cross And Leontius before cited The Sons of Christians adoring the Type of the Cross do not adore the nature of the Wood but beholding Christ himself for by this we salute and adore him who was crucified thereon And St. John Damascene truly the pretious and venerable Wood whereon Christ has once offered himself for us as Sanctified by the touch of his Body and Blood is decently to be adored the Nails Sphear and Cloth also we adore also the figure or Image of the pretious and life giving Cross although it be made of another material not Worshiping the matter far be it from us but the figure as the sign of Christ From whence we may gather that no Catholick adores the material substance of Crosses or the painting of them but as the Holy Fathers say what is represented by them in which sense they have nothing but a representative being and as it is said before terminates only on the prototype Yet I cannot say but that the true Cross of Christ Dignified by Christ's Body and Blood may have a Religious respect and adoration which is not found in others but only in as much as they represent Christ Crucified and in him and for him as to him to be adored Q. What use do Christians make by the Crucifix on the Altar A. First we have Copious matter of Devotion the Type of our Redemption Secondly We have matter of compassion on our Saviour's suffering for our sake Thirdly Of compunction in considering knowing that our sins have been the occasion thereof Fourthly Of Thanksgiving for so inestimable a benefit of our Redemption on the Cross Fifthly Of Imitation by having a willing mind to suffer for him who hath suffered so much for us Sixthly Of Hope which nothing confirms so much as that Christ dyed for us on the Cross Seventhly Of Admiration for there never was a greater nor yet so great a subject of Admiration as that God should dye an ignominious Death on the Cross for our Sins Eighthly Of Love and Charity for God could not shew greater love to us than to debase himself for our sakes Lastly To omit what each ones Devotion may suggest we are thereby excited to the exercise of Patience in all our Afflictions Tribulations and Persecutions with these and such like Considerations all Catholicks entering into the Church and beholding the Crucifix do sign themselves with the sign of the Cross as conforming their will to suffer for Christ Jesus and to arme themselves from the Temptations of the Enemy 4. Of Images Q. Is it lawful to have Images in the Church A. Our Controvertists have so
the Church praying for St. Peter and it has been the common custome of the Church even from the Apostles time Pope Pelagius 2. affirms it to be manifest that those are separated and divided from the whole World who through dissention do not remember the Apostolical Bishop in the Mystery that is in the Masse according to the received Custome Alcuinus gives this reason for it to wit that the Vnion of Charity and Faith of the members with the visible head of the visible Church may be presented to God Thirdly For the Bishop of the place if there be any for so St. Paul commands us to remember our Prelates Fourthly For all true believers in general and especially for those who labour for the advancement of the Catholick Faith for all Ecclesiastical Orders and Ministers and Preachers of God's Word For all who labour for the Conversion of Souls for all those who out of their liberality and charity do contribute to the maintenance of the Clergy and Mission and principally for the Conversion of our Countrey Q. Does he not pray for the King A. He may and ought to pray for the Emperours Kings Princes or States under whose Dominion he lives So St. Paul bids us to pray for all Men for Kings and all that are in preeminence yea although they be not true Members of the Church for there were no Christian Kings in St. Paul's time St. Chrysostome gives reasons in the First to follow Christ's command pray for them that persecute you Secondly That such Princes may become more favourable to Catholicks Thirdly That God would direct them in their Government that in Peace and Justice they may rule their Subjects Our Saviour commends this manner of praying by the prayer which a little before his passion he made Jesus lifting up his eyes to Heaven said Father glorifie thy Son that thy Son may glorifie thee that is that his passion might take effect for the Redemption of mankind and be made glorious before the whole World which would redound to the glory of God the Father Secondly He prayes for his Apostles and Disciples saying Holy Father keep them in my name that is conserve them in Faith Grace and Concord by thy omnipotent Power and Wisdome that they may be consenting in one Will and Spirit and Union of charity He prayes also that his Father would preserve them from all evil that is from Sin or what might draw to Sin from the Assaults and Temptations of the Devil and from all their Enemies both Spiritual and Temporal Then continuing his Prayer he said Holy Father Sanctifie them in truth that is Sanctifie and make them holy in their Dignity and calling to the Ministery of the Word according to truth and verity Thirdly He said and not only for them do I pray but also or those who by their word shall believe in me that they be all one in the Union of Faith and Charity agreeing in one Church and making one Flock or united as Members of the same Body in Christ Jesus Loe here Christ going to his passion prayes for the whole Church for the Prelates and Pastours thereof and generally for all Believers as here in imitation of Him the Priest does And it is our duty to pray for all here specified for we ought to pray for the Church which uncessantly prayes for us we ought also to pray for our Pastours who are vigilant over us duty requires it at all times and particularly in this palce our holy Mother the Church challenges it We are also to pray for our King according to that of Esdras let us offer Oblations to the God of Heaven and pray for the life of the King and of his Children or that of Baruch pray ye for the life of Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon and for the life of Balthasur his Son that their dayes may be as the dayes of Heaven upon the Earth and that the Lord give us strength and illuminate our eyes that we may live under the shadow of Nabuchadonozor the King of Babylon and under the shadow of Balthasar his Son and may serve them many dayes and may find grace in their sight If the Jews did so devoutly pray for the Kings under whose subjection they then lived by much more reason ought we Christians to pray for the lives of our natural King Queen and their Children or that they may have Children that their lives may be long on the Earth and that God would so inspire them that we may live securely under their shadow and protection serving them according to the duty of Loyal Subjects Thirdly We ought to pray for our Kingdom or Countrey for if the Prophet Jeremy advised the Israelites to seek the peace of the City to which God had transported them and to pray for it to our Lord giving a reason because in the peace thereof there shall be peace to you With more reason we Christians ought to pray for our native Countrey City or place of abode because the peace thereof is our peace their good is our good whence we pray for it in times of Necessity Wars Famine Sickness and such like Lastly We ought to pray for all as true Christians as they pray for us St. James advises us to pray one for another which is here to be done in a more particular manner according to the intention of the Church by vertue of the Communion of Saints St. Ambrose assures us that whilst each particular prayes for all all also pray for every one the benefit which arises thereby is that the prayer of each one acquires the suffrages of all and each one of the whole Catholick Church 3. Of the first Memento Q. What means this Memento A. The Priest having made mention of the general things or Persons and for whom he ought alwayes to pray descends now into particulars and First Prayes for those whose names he specifies Secondly For all who are present at his Masse Thirdly For those who do offer this Sacrifice with him Fourthly For their Friends Fifthly For their Intentions Q. Who be those he specifies A. Ordinarily he specifies by name or intention those for whom in particular he applyes his Masse or those to whom he has a particular Obligation as for his Parents Patrons or such like on whom he has some special dependence or from whom he receives some spiritual benefit or temporal sustenance maintenance or charity which is or ought to be observed by Missioners who for the most part live upon such Charity and Almes Q. Why does he pray for all present A The Church requires this of him as a part of his Function for it is his office to pray for the People for God ordained in the Law that the Priest at the Altar should pray for himself and for the People and therefore here the Priest prayes for all that are present at Masse It was the office of Aaron's Priests to pray for the multitude and by their prayers God was
principal motive of the Benediction in this place is to represent more compleatly the Ascention of our Saviour of whom it is said as St. Luke relates Christ brought them forth abroad into Bethania and lifting his hands he blessed them and it came to pass that whilst he blessed them he departed from them and was carried into Heaven from whence as Amalarius and others note comes the Tradition of the Catholick Church that the Priest in the person of Christ having accomplished and distributed the B. Sacrifice blesles the people Durand agrees in this and adds also that this Benediction may well represent the coming of the holy Ghost which Christ had promised this signification is not unproper for what is Benediction but a communion of the holy Ghost in the effects of grace which Innocent 3d. confirms saying that this Benediction signifies the descent of the holy Ghost and is no other than a sealing and confirming of the effects of this Sacrifice by which the holy Ghost comes to our Souls according to Christ's promise Q. But why does the Priest lift up his hand over the People and sign them with the Cross A. This rite may be said to be taken from the custom of the Priests in the old Law for Aaron stretching forth his hand to the people and blessed them Jacob blessed Josephs Children and did the same nay he laid his hands cross-wise on them Our Saviour in his Ascension did the same as is even now said Dionysius the Carthusian with Lucas and Suares do conceive that our Saviour did then make the sign of the Cross which St. Hierome confirms out of the Prophet Esay I will put a sign in them thus says he Christ ascending to his Father left us and placed it on our foreheads that we might freely say the light of thy countenance O Lord is signed upon us Q. Is this Benediction the greater by being given by a holy person A. I cannot say but that accidentally the sanctity of the blesser may add something to the encrease of the effects following such Benedictions especially if they be private independently of any order or function for if they be publick or done according to the rites and forms of the Church by Ecclesiastical and publick persons as principally here in the Mass little regard is to be had either of their Sanctity or otherwise for such blessing comes not from him as a private person but a publick in the name of the Church or rather from God himself who has made that hand so powerful as to Consecrate handle and take the body and blood of Christ Jesus and who has promised to second the Priest's Benediction according to that They that is the Priest shall invocate my name upon the Children of Israel that is bless them according to the form which God had given them and I will bless them where God promises to bloss them whom they shall bless Whence St. Augustine advises us not to regard if perhaps he that gives it be negligent or cares not what he does but behold our Lord who sends it We ought therefore to recive the Priest's Benediction with all Humility and Devotion In St. Chrysostomes Liturgie it is said that all the people bowing down their heads were wont to say Our Lord conserve for many years him who blesses and sanctifies us in which words they express the great esteem they had of this blessing and their gratitude to the Priest who blesses them St. Augustine declares the same saying ye ought to humble your selves at the Benediction and faithfully incline your hearts and bodies for this Benediction although it be given by man yet not from man the blessings we expect is from God and therefore we ought to expect it with all Devotion and Humility Q. Ought we to make the sign of the Cross upon our selves A. I see it done very frequently Now although the signing of our selves with the Cross at all times is good yet at this time as also when the Benediction of the holy Sacrament is given it seems not so convenient for in these we ought rather to attend to the Priests Benediction and signing as an Act of Authority and power in the person of God which is far more to be esteemed then our own private Action our best disposition therefore to receive it is passively with Humility of mind and prostration or bowing of the body and joyned hands To conclude we may consider that the Priest here in the Masse represents the person of Christ in his Ascension and blessing his Disciples in whose name and power he Communicates unto us the self-same blessing let us therefore as in Spirit and Devotion we have accompanyed in this holy Sacrifice our sweet Saviour in his Nativity Life Passion and Resurrection So let us follow him in his Ascention there humbly to receive his Benediction and with the Disciples adore him praising and blessing God for ever 4. Of St. John's Gospel Q. Does this Gospel belong to the Masse A. No for it is no part thereof neither is there any mention of it in primitive times so that it is rather from the custome of the Church in later times Durand supposes in use in some places as also Buchardus our Sarum custome was to say it at the Priests coming from the Altar Q. Wherefore then is it said here A. Gavant tells us that after the Liturgie of St. Peter something was read out of the Law and Prophets probably some instruction to the people before they departed in place thereof the reading St. Johns Gospel was introduced that as Suares notes even as the Masse was begun by the Memory of Christs Nativity or Incarnation so it might end with a circular mark of Christs Divinity and Humanity joyned in one to the end that we might alwayes retain in our hearts the memory thereof with a verbum caro factum est and the word was made flesh St. 〈◊〉 affirms that amongst all the Divine Authorities which are contained in the Sacred Text The Gospel is worthily esteemed the most excellent and among the Gospel that of St. John has the preeminence and of all the parts of St. John's Gosel the beginning is most sublime for in it are contained the highest Mysteries of our faith id est The Trinity Eternal generation of the Divine word the Creation of all things The Incarnation and the wonderfull effects thereof as Life Light and Grace which Christ brought unto us wherby also we are made the Sons of God Simplicius Bishop of Milan as St. Augustine testified did aver that he heard a Platonist affirm that the beginning of St. John's Gospel was fit to be written in Letters of Gold and set up in the higest places of all Churches whence we may conjecture that whereas by reason of concurrence of Feasts or Sundays or in time of Lent Vigils and Ember days wherein there fall out two Gospels on one day one of the Feast another of the time the Church is wont to use a Commemoration of the one in the Masse which is then said and at the end thereof reads its Gospel as being the principal part of the Office belonging to the Masse Now for Conformity sake or rather Uniformity in times when such double Gospels do not occur the Church has made choice of this Gospel which is the Gospel of the Third Masse on christmas-Christmas-day as the fountain of all other Evangelical verities ordaining it to be said after such Masse We may add another reason from the frequent and devout custome of Christians who get priests to say this Gospel over them in occasions of infirmity head-ach c. To prevent or take away Witchcraft and to defend them from the Devil we find also such reading of the Gospel over the sick and over possessed persons even in the Church-Rituals in the old Sarum Manual on Children after Baptism and in making holy water all which use the Church approves or at least tollerates from whence it may well come that the Priests to satisfie their Devotion did read this Gospel over the people before they went from the Church Harpsfield in his History Sect. 13. Chap. 25. brings a wonderful History to this purpose Q. What Ceremonies are used in saying this Gospel A. The same which are used in saying the Gospel in private Masses both for the sign of the Cross and standing for the people ought to stand and sign themselves on the fore-head mouth and breast at the reading of this for the reasons there set down and all ought to kneel down Devoutly with the Priest at the words Et verbum caro factum est And the word was made flesh on the same motives which are given at these words of the Creed Et homo factus est And he was made man only in the end we say instead of Laus tibi Christe Deo Gratias Thanks be to God as concluding the whole office with Thanksgiving We ought then to meditate on the Mysteries contained in this Sacred Gospel principally the Incarnation which is declared in those sweet words The word was made flesh and when we hear it Solmnly pronounced we ought to adore our Lord in heart mind and love and exteriourly express it by bowed knees and bended heart saying Deo Gratias FINIS