also St. Cyprian the Roman Councel under Sylvester and the Third Councel of Carthage held in the year 436. Was to light the Candles at Masse and to carry them in several times thereof as when the Gospel is read c. Q. What is the reason thereof A. In such things as are indifferent St. Augustin's Rule is the best we do not reprove but praising and inciting others thereto we follow and observe whatsoever is not contrary to Faith or contrary to good manners and has something of exhortation to a better life whensoever we see them to be instituted and know them so ordained For as the same Saint saith many things which are not found in the writings of the Apostles nor in later Councels nevertheless because they are observed by the whole Church are believed to have been delivered and commanded by the Apostles we find also mention of these Lamps or Candles in their Canons Now the Church uses them as a manifestation of the honour due to such a Sacrifice and an Embleme of our Faith to put us in mind that the light of our Faith should shine before Men that God may be glorified For in the Benediction of the Paschal-Candle in the honour of the Resurrection the Church sayes we pray that the Taper Consecrated in the honour of thy name and in the blessing of the Candles on Candle-masday prayes that we may bear them to the magnificence of his name and be enflamed by the light of the Divine Benediction and that as the Candles kindled by visible fire do expel darkness so our hearts may be illuminated by invisible fire that is by the splendour of the Holy Ghost Now that these Candles were also as a sign of honour is manifest by what we read in St. John Damascene in the life of Balaam and Josaphat innumerable multitudes from all the Cities and Regions did honourably flock to adore and see the bodies of those men with Hymns and Canticles and Lamps and Tapers burning And for the encrease of our Faith the Tapers or Candles represent unto us our Saviour who came to enlighten the World the Wax fitly represents Christ's humanity for as the wax is made by Virgin-Bees so the flesh of Christ was taken from the Virgin Mary and as the wax is consumed so Christ's flesh was consumed in the work of our Redemption the fire is a Symbole of the Diety for God is said to be a consuming fire the Week which joyns the wax to the fire represents the union of the Diety to his Humanity and the light proceeding from all three fitly signifies the Evangelical Doctrine which is the light of the World and which the Church represents by these burning Candles to put us in mind of the professing it before the whole World Again the white wick may signifie unto us the purity of Conscience requisite to the due performance or attendance to this dreadful Sacrifice the wax the Humility Obedience and Submission to the will of God that as the wax is moulded shaped figured and framed according to the will of the Artificer so with a willing and prompt mind we might submit our selves to the Divine operation in our Souls and Body and as the wax receives any impression so we might submit our selves to receive what ever God shall please to send us as Tribulations Afflictions and Persecutions yea Death it self When we shall do both if we burn with the love of God and as the flame ascends to its center so our minds enflamed with the love of God shall alwayes be elevated leaving the earthly dross tending to our center which is God Of other things which are on the Altar 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 least which are blessed by a Priest although in times of necessity we may take others not blessed ordinarily there are Three sometimes the undermost is of courser Linen all which seem convenient for the preventing of dangers which may happen by effusion out of the Chalice which the Church hath alwayes been careful to prevent and in case it should so happen the Towels being Linen might the better be washed whence the Church hath forbid Cloth or Silk for that end such was the Decree of Pope Eusebius who gives this reason because the Body of our Lord was buried in a Syndon or fine Linen Q. What is the little Cloth which is put above the others A. That is also of Linen and is more properly a representative of Christ's Syndon and is called the Corporal for that the Body of Christ is laid upon it and the Chalice by the Apostles in the 72 Canon it is called a Linen Vail Pope Soter calls them Sacred or Consecrated Palls St. Isidore saith that as the Corporal is of fine Linen purged from Earthly dross so the offerers intention ought to shine in simplicity and purity before God Now because this Corporal does immediatly touch the body of Christ under the species for that it is Consecrated by the Bishop or those who have Episcopal Authority to the end that it may be laid under the Sacred Host and Chalice therefore none but those who are in Holy Orders are to touch it as many Popes and Councels have ordained I cannot omit the Decree which was made in a Counsel held at Oxford which shews the care that our English had of this Corporal for Can 3. It commands the old corporals which are not fit to be used should be put in the place of or amongst the Reliques or be burnt in the presence of the Arch-Deacon who also is to take care that the Altar-Cloths and other Ornaments be Decent Q. What is the Chalice A. The Church uses the Chalice after the example of our Saviour who in the Institution of this Sacrifice did use it as necessary for the Consecration of the Wine as the Evangelists and St. Paul do testifie Now this Chalice both for that it contains the blood of our Lord under the species of Wine is Consecrated by the Bishop as the Corporal and therefore is no otherwise to be touched St. Hierome saith by this we may learn with what veneration we ought to receive these Holy things which serve to the Ministry of Christ's Altar the Holy Chalices and Holy Vails that is the Corporals and other things which belong to the Worship of Christ's Passion not as if these inanimate or senseless things had any Sanctity in them but from the conjunction 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 Josephus in his Observations of Antiquities describes the Jews Chalice in this manner saying It is a Golden Cup in form of a Globe cut in Two parts with a hollow space within by little and little decently dilating it self from the bottome as a Pomegranate cut in Two the Two halves put back to back
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
unto us that by the Oblation of his Body and effusion of his Blood alone we must come to receive the effects of celestial Benediction We may here contemplate our Saviour on the Cross or the Oblation which Christ made of himself in the Sacrifice of the Cross for as the Apostle saith the blood of Christ who by the Holy Ghost offered himself unspotted unto God cleanses our Consciences from dead works to serve the living God we are Sanctifyed by the Oblation of the body of Jesus once he offering one Host for our sins and by one Oblation he hath consummated for ever them that are Sanctified for on the Cross he gave a consummate Oblation an absolute and compleat price of our Redemption and Sanctification which Oblation is here represented unto us and therefore with a lively faith and confidence we unite our selves in heart and affection to this Oblation which the Priest here makes We may also call to mind what the Apostle propounds as a Law saying As often as you shall eat this Bread and drink this Chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord. The Priest represents unto us by the Crosses the manifold afflictions and torments of our Saviour and herein particular his dolours and pains in his five senses and five wounds which we ought to have always in our memory for as St. Bernard sayes The daily lecture of a Christian ought to be the remembrance of our Lord's passion Christ always retains in his body the scars and wounds of his passion whereof we shall have a perpetual joy in Heaven Christians then ought to keep them in their heart by a continual remembrance of them here on Earth Christ keeps his wounds in Heaven the Church represents them in the Masse let us keep them in our hearts 9. Of the second Memento Q. What means the Memento here A. This is called the second Memento wherein as in the first Memento we prayed for the living so here the Pirest prayes for the dead according to the ancient custome of the Church in all her Liturgies But we may add that the Church only prayes for such who in this life had the sign of Faith that is who were Baptized and have made profession thereof to their death or at least dyed in the true faith being truly repented for their sins and dying in the state of grace which St. Augustine thus expresses When Sacrifices either of the Altar or of whatsoever Alms are offered for the dead who have been Baptized for those who are very good they are but thanksgivings for those who are not very evil they are propitiations for those who are very evil they are no helps when they are dead whatsoever the living do for them but to whom they are profitable they profit to this that they may have full Remission or that their punishment may be made more tollerable Q. Does he pray for any in particular A. In the same manner as he prayed for the living in the other Memento for whom here he prayes for their eternal rest or the fruition of God in Heaven which with the wise man the Church calls the place of refreshment for delivery from a place of Torments to the place of peace from a place of darkness to a place of light in being perfectly reconciled to God Q. But why does the Church pray for the dead in this place A. It might suffice to say that such is the custome of the Church as appears in all her Liturgies and to question this according to St. Augustin's verdict is insolent madness but to satisfie your curiosity I will give a rational motive if first you call to mind the Article of our Faith concerning the Communion of Saints which extends it self not only to the faithful on Earth but also to the Angels and Saints in Heaven and in some manner to the Souls in purgatory who partake of this Communion by reason of their Faith Devotion and piety in this life for accordingly they are more or less capable to receive the Suffrages and prayers of the living and of this Oblation whence the Church having represented the Communion of them for men who in their several degrees concur to the Oblation of this Sacrifice makes remembrance of those who cannot actively concur thereto but by the mercy of God are capable to receive proportionably to their State the effects of this Sacrifice and therefore after that the Oblation is compleated she makes it for the Dead We may also give another reason for that the Masse is a representation of Christ's passion as in each part has been observed so in this the Church represents Christs descention he being now dead according to another Article of our Creed he descended into Hell that is into Limbo Patrum yea Purgatory it self as many Divines hold to deliver the Holy Fathers and others from the Prisons wherein they were detained For as St. Ireneus sayes Christ descended to them to draw them out and save them In memory whereof the Church prayes here for the delivery or releasement of the Souls in Purgatory by making application of this Sacrafice to them which is all one and to apply unto them the passion and death of Christ Although we may in charity or obligation offer up the whole Masse for the comfort of the dead or for some particular friends yet here is the proper place to do it in union with the prayer of the Church which is more profitable to the Souls in Purgatory and conformable to the Churches institution Here then we may pray for our dead Parents Relations Friends and Benefactors even as we did in the Memento for such living imagining with our selves that such do cry out with 〈◊〉 Have mercy on me have mercy on me at least ye my friends because the hand of our Lord hath touched me 10. Of Nobis quoque Peccatoribus Q. What follows after this praying for the Dead A. The Church having prayed for the living and dead now goes to pray for sinners wherefore the Priest now returns to pray for himself and for all who communicate with him in this Sacrifice under the notion of sinners who in some manner are less capable of the benefit of this Sacrifice for the dead for whom the Church prayes are in state of grace and consequently more apt to receive the effects thereof whereas sinners as such are in an opposite disposition However the Priest here prayes for himself and for all present or rather for all sinners whereof he esteems himself one It is indeed one of the most proper Titles we can give to our selâ—â—s If the Priest or any other present should esteem themselves other wise they should not be worthy of this Holy Sacrament for as St. John sayes If we shall say that we have no sin we seduce our selves and the truth is not in us The Priest then in his own person so acknowledges himself and presumes the same humility to be in all who are there present
and as such implores the mercy of God putting their whole hope and trust in the multitude of his mercies whence Alcuinus and others say Although we ought at all times to acknowledg before God by confession and contrition that we are sinners yet especially in the time of Masse by which Sacrifice and Oblation the grace of indulgence and remission of sins are mercifully granted imitating herein the holy Thief who being present at our Saviours passion cryed out We indeed are justly condemned for we receive things worthy of our doings O Lord remember me Q. Why does the Priest then raise his voice A. That all present may attend to that which so much concerns them for as Bishop Steven and others teach The raising of the voice is an oral confessing breaking his former silence as a Testimony of Repentance by the voice of the Priest from all those who are partakers of the Sacrifice of the Masse the Priest therefore interrupts his secret prayer expressing in words what is in his heart thereby also to move the hearers to consider that we are all sinners although we are here Gods servants that is doing now Gods service and that although we are sinners yet with a lively faith and firm hope in the merits of Christ's passion we presume to ask mercy and pardon and as in voice he expresses the interiour affection of his mind so by knocking his breast he declares it in action after the example of the Publican who knocked his breast saying Lord be merciful to me a sinner So the Priest here knocks his breast and vertually cryes out Lord be merciful and propitious to us sinners Q. What more doth the Priest pray for here A. In hope of Remission of our sins he here prayes for the greatest effect of this Sacrifice viz. the participation of and Society with the Apostles and Martyrs and all the Saints praying that God out of his infinite mercy would pardon our sins and admit us into their holy company And this in correspondence to the mystery here represented for Christ's death is our Redemption and the way to Heaven is laid open unto us whereof we have a Testimony of the good Thief who deserved to hear This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise which is the same in effect with that which the Church here desires for to be in consort and company of the Saints is all one as to be in Paradise or Heaven Here we may raise acts of Contrition and sorrow for our sins and after the example of the Priest knock our breasts saying in heart or word I have sinned Lord and I detest my sin as the unhappy cause of all thy dolours and most grievous sufferances but thou O Jesu the Son of David have mercy on me and out of charity we may pray for all sinners and after this we may adjoyn our selves to the Priest praying and begging that we may be associated to the holy court of Heaven Q. Why does the Priest make here so many Crosses A. None ought to wonder at what the Church in all ages has practised but piously consider the mysteries represented thereby for the Priest makes three Crosses on the Host and Chalice to represent unto us the three Hours wherein Christ hanged on the Cross we may also contemplate that Christ was contemned and reviled by three sorts of persons by the Priests Scribes and Elders who together with the people wagging their heads said Vah which is an interjection or voice of derision insultation reproach and detestation those who were crucified with him railed at him the Souldiers also mocked and derided him Now a little after this the Priest takes the holy Host and with it over the Chalice makes the sign of the Cross three times to signifie that the Sacrifice is available for three sorts of persons 1. For those in Heaven to the increase of their glory 2. For the Souls in Purgatory to the relief of their sufferances 3. For those on Earth to remission of their sins and increase of grace Durand contemplates in these three crosses the threefold sufferance of Christ on the Cross which he calls compassion propassion and Passion Compassion in heart taking pity of our miseries and thirsting after our Redemption with a most vehement and ardent desire which he expressed on the Cross when he said I Thirst to wit the Salvation of Souls devout St. Bernardine speaketh of this Thirst crys out O love overcoming all things how have you exceeded in good Jesus all Torment of mind and Body and having respect to the fruit of his passion it only grieved him that he could not be tormented perpetually which the Saint thus declares Christ offered himself for all Eternity whence by desire he would have dilated his life for a certain infinity fully offering it to sustain infinite deaths Propassion in excess of charity for as the Prophet Isay says He surely hath born all our infirmities and carryed all our sorrows he made all our sorrows troubles afflictions and pains as his own and in them suffered for us yea it more grieved him to see our ingratitude and neglect of his passion then all his torments with this Propassion he began his passion when he said My Soul is sorrowful even to death Christ as St. Thomas says did not so much grieve for the loss of his temporal life as for our sins and in this he continued even to his Corporal death we may well say that as death was the end of his life so his sorrow came to that excess that it could not be greater Lastly his Passion wherein we may consider his innumerable pains and torments the great Abiss of his Humility and the infinite utility thereof Cardinal Drogo contemplates Christ hanging on the Cross wounded in his whole Body from top to toe and bathed all in blood crying out O all ye that pass by the way attend and see if their sorrow be like to my sorrow if their labour be like to my labour and if their love be like to my love Now for the other two Crosses which Durand observes joyning these to the other three we may contemplate the true substance in Christ his Divinity Soul and Body and in the two last the Soul and Body separated in his death but more properly these two last Crosses which are made at the side of the Chalice signifie the two Sacraments which did slow from our Saviours side to wit the water of Regeneration the blood of our Redemption according to the testimony of St. John one of the Souldiers with a Spear opened his side incontinently there came forth blood and water Q. Why does the Priest lift up the Chalice and Host A. To represent the taking down of Christ from the Cross for to this end he elevates them together and then setting them down on the Corporal represents the deposition of his body in the Syndon to the Sepulcher for Joseph taking his body wrapped it in a clean Syndon