conceiue their sense Dost sanctifie to wit according to their sacramentall causes Viuificate by conuerting them into thy flesh and blood Blesse by pouring downe multiplying thy graces vpon them If you refer them to Christ then are they thus to be vnderstood to wit those creatures which before were but earthlie voide of life and of all benediction are by the blessing of Christ made heauenlie liuelie and euerie way most blessed If we applie them vnto ourselues then may they thus be taken to wit that this sacred Host is sanctified in respect of vs that it may be our sanctification from all sinnes viuificated that it may be the life of our soules to quicken vs in spirit to newnes of life Blessed that we may by the same attaine the aboundaÌ„ce of all spiritual grace perfection Of the three Crosses which are made at the three wordes aforsaid As touching the three Crosses which are made in this place vpon the Host and the Chalice together they are made to signifie vnto vs that our redemption wrought by Christ by the vertu of his Crosse was with the consent of all the blessed Trinitie Or according to Albertus Magnus three Crosses are made in this place to signifie that al thinges are saÌ„ctified viuificated blessed by the vertu of the Crosse and passion of our â—…emer Et praestas nobis The thing which in these wordes we desire of God may be giuen vnto vs is the pretious bodie and blood of Christ his Sonne for our refection who lying hid vnder these species giueth him selfe to vs to eate that so he may be in vs and we in him And Titlemanus saith that this holie Host is giuen vs to our vtility and health it is giuen vs in meate it is giuen vs in drinke it is giuen vs in life it is giuen vs in norishment it is giuen vs in preseruation it is giuen vs in defence it is giuen vs in remission of our sinnes it is giuen vs for the obtayning of good thinges it is giuen vs against the assaultes of our enimies it is giuen vs for the subduing of our flesh it is giueÌ„ vs in commemoration of the death of Christ and of all his benifits Per ip ✠sum et cum ip ✠so et in ip ✠so Then vncouering the Chalice bowing his knee and houlding the Host in his right hand and the Chalice in his left he maketh three Crosses from side to side of the Chalice saying Peripsum as by the Mediator betwixte God and man Et cum ipso as euerie way equal with the Father Et in ipso as consubstantiall and coeternal both with him and the holie Ghost Againe per ipsum by whom thou hast created â—hinges Et cum ipso by whom thou gouernest all thinges created Et in ipso in whom thou consummatest all thinges Est tibi Deo patri ✠omnipotenti Not called Father onlie by name honor and veneration as we call our elders and betters fathers but by nature and origin so that trulie and properlie the diuine generation appertayneth vnto him In vnitate spiritus ✠sancti That is to say in the communion of the Holie Ghost who is the knot and loue of the Father and the Sonne in whom they communicate as in one common gift proceeding from both Omnis honor gloria Be all honor as to our Lord and al glorie as to our God Where â—n the same order that God the Father doth send his graces and blessinges vnto vs which is by the meanes of Christ his Sonne euen so in the same order all honor and glorie returneth againe by the meanes of Christ vnto the Father and that euermore in the vnitie of the holie Ghost Of the fiue Crosses which are made at the fiue wordes aforesaid The 1. Reason As touching those three which are made with the Host ouer the Chalice at these wordes Peripsum c. diuers thinges may be signified by the same First they may signifie the three howres wherein our Lord and Sauiour hung vpon the Crosse in most vnspeakable paine aliue The 2. Reason According to S. Thomas these three Crosses are made to signifie the triple prayer of Christ vpon the Crosse First Father forgiue them Secondly My God why hast thou forsaken me Thirdly Into thy handes I commend my spirit The 3. Reason The other two Crosses which he maketh betwixt the Chalice and his breaste at these wordes Est tibi Deo Patri omnipotenti c. doe signifie the misterie of the blood and water which issued out of the side of our B. Sauiour hanging dead vpon the Crosse and the two Sacraments which were instituted in vertue of the same to wit Baptisme and this B. Sacrament of the Altar According to the testimonie of S. Iohn One of the soldiears with a speare opened his side and incontinent there came foorth blood and water Iohn 19.34 The 4. Reason At the wordes Omnis honor gloria the Host is held aboue and the Chalice beneath and both a litle eleuated Which Ceremonie doth verie aptlie signifie the death of our Sauiour to wit how in his passion his blood was truly seperated from his body and consequently also his blessed soule Of other Ceremonies performed after the short eleuation The Priest hauing performed this short elenation layeth the Host downe vppon the Corporal couereth againe the Chalice and then adoreth The 1. Ceremonie and his signification First the Host is laid vpon the Corporall because Ioseph and Nichodemus beging of Pilat the body of Iesus tooke it downe from the Crosse wrapped it in a fine sindon and after buried it The 2. Ceremonie and his signification And because they rouled a great stone before the doore of the sepulcher therfore the Priest with the Palle couereth the Chalice And because those holie men worshiped the bodye of Christ in the sepulchre at their departure therfore the Priest adoreth our Lord in this holy Sacrament The 3. Ceremonie and his signification This done the priest lifteth vp his voice pronouÌ„ceth on highe these wordes saying Per omnia saecula saeculorum And the people answere Amen Our Doctors here doe say that this lifting vp of the voice of the priest representeth the stronge crie of our Lord and Sauiour when he yealded vp his spirit into the handes of the Father And that the answere of the people signifieth the lamentation and pittie of his deuout women which were present at this spectacle In this maner Inno centius tertius interpreteth the same Because Iesus saith he crying with a high voice rendered vp his spirit therfore the priest lifteth vp his voice saying Per omnia saecula saeculorum And because the women lamenting bewayled their Lord all the quyre as lamenting doe answer Amen Per omnia saecula saeculorum By the wordes them selues are commonlie vnderstood one of these two thinges Ether that all honor and glory appertaineth to God world without end Or that the Sonne doth liue with the Father and the holy
passion of our Sauiour Iesus but that our holie mother the Catholique church should first plant in the fore-front of this excellent Sacrifice the triumphant banner and most victorious standard of the Crosse the badge liuerie of hir celestiall spouse the ensigne of heauen the consolation of earth the confusion of hell and the royall armes and cognizance of our redemption 3. For this holie signe is the tree of life planted in the midest of paradise It is the wood of the Arke which saued Noe and his family frō drowning It is the bāner which Abraham bore when he went to deliuer his brother Loth from the captiuitie of his enimies It is the woode which Isaac his sonne carried vpon his shoulders to the place of sacrifice It is the ladder wheron Iacob saw the Angels descend and ascend vp to heauen It is the key of paradise which openeth and no man shuteth and shuteth and no man openeth It is the brasen serpent which healethe those that are strooken with the venemous sting of the diuel It is the rodde of Moyses wher with he caused the stonie rock to yelde foorth streames of refreshing waters It is the woode which being cast by our true Elizeus into the waters that were bitter made them most sweete and pleasaunt of tast It is the stone where with Dauid strooke Golias on the forehead and presently slew him And it is the letter Thau marked on the foreheades of all the faithfull which keepeth and preserueth them from all kind of danger 4. In a word no mortall tongue is able sufficientlie to expresse the wonderful vertues of this signe For it is the staffe of the lame the guide of the blind the way of them that erre the philosophie of the vnlearned the phisitian of the sicke and the resurrection of the dead It is the cōfort of the poore the hope in despaire the harbour in danger the blessinge of families the father of orphanes the defence of widdowes the iudge of innocents the keeper of litle ones the gard of virginity the cuncellor of the iust the libertie of seruantes the bread of the hungrie and the drink of the thirstie It is the songe of the Prophetes the preaching of the Apostles the glorie of Martyres the consolation of Confessors the ioy of Priestes and the sheilde of Princes It is the foundation of the Church the benediction of Sacraments the subuersion of Idolatrie the death of heresie the distruction of the proud the bridle of the rich the punishment of the wicked the torment of the damned and the glorie of the saued No maruel then that the Catholique churche hath so highlie honoured this heauenlie signe as to plant it and seate it in the forefront and first place of this holie sacrifice to adorne and beautifie there with this heauēlie building vsing as I may call it no other key but that which once opened vnto vs so high a mysterie to open vnto vs now againe the highest misterie both of heauen and earth Of In nomine Patris c. How In nomine Patris is a briefe Theological protestation against Idolatrie FIrst it is to be noted that the highest and most supereminent honour which anie man can possiblie yeald vnto almightie God in this life is principallie included in this holie sacrifice And as in the commandementes which were giuen by God him selfe he firste before all thinges put a difference and exception betwixt his owne honor and the honor of Idols and of all other false gods whatsoeuer euen so the Church in this place be giuing in the name of hir sole and only God doth euidentlie giue to vnderstand that shee vtterlie renounceth all Idolatrie and that nether Idol nor anie false god whatsoeuer nether man nor Angel nor anie other creature ether in heauen or earth ought to be serued with this honour of sacrifice saue onlie God him selfe In nomine In the name In pronouncing these wordes we say In the name not in the names to signifie and to giue to vnderstand thereby that we beleeeue one to be the name and nature one to be the vertue and power one to be the diuinitie maiestie of all the three persons of the blessed Trinitie Patris Of the Father For euen as litle children in the time ether of neede or danger doe presentlie break foorth into no other crye but to call for the helpe of father or mother which crye of theirs is no sooner heard but it foorth with bringeth them succour and assistance euen so is it to be vnderstood of this voice and inuocation which is so wel knowen and so willinglie heard of our heauenlie Father that no sooner is it vttered by vs his children but he doth presently acknowledg it and speedelie hastneth to our helpe and succour Et Filij And of the Sonne After the name of the Father we say and of the Sonne First because he as willinglie both heareth vs and helpeth vs as doth the Father Secondlie to declare that albeit this be properlie the sacrifice of the Sonne yet that he is equall in glorie coeternall in maiestie and consubstantiall in essence both to the Father and the holie Ghost Et spiritus Sancti And of the holie Ghost Heere likewise doe we inuoke and cal for the helpe ayde and asistance of the Holie Ghost to signifie that he also prooceedinge from them both and being equall to them both in power essence and glorie doth concurr with them to the effectinge of this heauenlie and diuine sacrifice Amen And this Amen is as it were a confident and firme assent of our soule by which we acknowledge the persons named to be our one and onelie God and that in trust of his ayde we meane to proceed in offering vp this sacrifice to his eternall glorie Where you see that this petition being taken according to his most common and vsual sence doth signifie the inuocation of the ayde grace and sanctification of God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holie Ghost to be infused from heauen into the hartes and mindes of all the asistants Of the psalme Introibo And how by the same is signified the desires of the Fathers for the coming of Christ 1. IN the wordes and mysteries of the holie Masse two manner of senses are vsuallie vnderstood the one litterall the other mysticall According here vnto the priest alwayes beginneth with certaine verses taken out of the Prophets to signifie vnto vs mystically the vnspeakeable sighes and feruent desires of the holie Fathers for the coming of Christ longe time promised vnto them and longe time expected of them How the desires of all the world 2. These verses are not rehearced of one alone but of all the quyre together to signifie the desire of the Church vniuersall and that not onlie the holie Fathers then detained in Limbo but that all the world was exiled for sinne and stoode in neede of the grace and mercie of our Sauiour Iesus How the excitation of their mindes
feast of Innocents to represent the sorrowfull mourning for the murther and barbarous crueltie of king Herod thinking in killing the infants to haue destroied and slaughtered our Lord and Sauiour VVhy in Septuagesima and Lent In Septuagesima likewise and vntill Easter this canticle is omitted because then is represented in the church the time of penance to wit this life wherein we can not participat of the ioyes of Angels but are to lament and deplore the miserable estare of our ruine and fall VVhy in the Masses for the dead Likewise it is ommitted in all Masses for the dead because as Almaricus fortunatus verie well noteth all canticles of ioy ought to cease in this office which is an office of teares and lamentations li. 3. de eccles offic cap. 44. VVhy this canticle was first composed and placed in the Masse This ioyfull Canticle wherein is set foorth the ample prayses of Iesus Christ the holie Fathers of the church first placed in the Masse to the end to refute and confound the wicked Arrians who had composed sundrie ballets and songes to diminishe the glorie of our blessed Sauiour For which cause the aforesaid Fathers by a holie zeale were incited to compose a contrarie canticle wherin should euidentlie be set foorth the honorable titles and excellencies of the same Sauiour by the which publiquelie in the Masse those Arrian heretiques might be confounded VVhy the Prieste standeth before the midst of the Altar in rehearcing this hymne THE priest in rehearcing this hymne standeth before the midst of the Altar to signifie thereby that Christ is the mediator betwixt God and man As also to declare that it was first pronounced in the honor of him who is as it were in the midst of the Trinitie Of the lifting vp of the handes of the priest to heauen Standing in the midst of the Altar together with the pronounciation of the wordes of this canticle he deuoutlie lifteth vp both his handes to heauen and then drawing them reuerentlie downe with cheerfull voice pursueth on the rest of this Angelicall hymne signifying hereby the ineffable ioy which came from aboue vnto men by the birth and natiuitie of our blessed Sauiour Thus much in generall And now to explicate the wordes them selues Gloria in excelsis Deo Glorie in the highest to God Beginning he sayeth Glorie to God Which first maketh against those Arriās who sought by all meanes to impaire and diminish the glorie of our Lord. And next he addeth in the highest that is to say in heauen because albeit the glorie of God doth clearlie shine in all places yet most especiallie in heauen where the dwelling of his Saints and Angels is Et in terra pax And in earth peace Before the birth of our Sauiour Christ there were three enmities The first was betweene God and man The second betwene Angels and man And the third betwene man and man But our peace being come who tooke away our sinne he reconciled man to God Angels to men and men among themselues And this caused the Angels ioyfullie to sing foorth promulgate this peace to all the world This peace the prophet likewise foretold saying that at this time mē should turne their swordes into plough-shares and their lances into sithes Esay 2. Because at this time all oppressions warres and inhuman cruelties should generallie cease thoroughout the world Hominibus bonae voluntatis To mē of good will Peace is proclaimed to mē yet not to all whosoeuer but onlie to those who be of good will that is to say to those who with good will receiue Christ but not to those who persecute Christ Whose superaboundant mercie neuertheles is such that he suffereth his sunne to shine and his rayne to fall both vpon the iust and iniust therby to prouoke them to repentance and amendment of life Mat. 5. Laudamus te VVe prayse thee Greatlie trulie ought we here to multiplie the praises of almightie God for that he hath done such maruelous thinges in the incarnation and natiuitie of his Sonne Iesus Christ who being by his diuinitie before the begining of the world was in the fulnes of time made man and was borne of a virgin aboue the order of nature to raise vs vp from the fall of Adam Gal. 4. Benedicimus te VVe blesse thee Albeit that God be the fountaine of all benediction yet we pray that his holie name may be blessed by vs and in vs singing melodiously his praises without forgetfulnes of his retributions Psal 102. And thus he that blesseth all his creatures is blessed of his creatures Adoramus te We adore thee In vtter detestation of all idolatrie we here adore our Lord Iesus Christ rendring vnto him all soueraigne honor seruice and homage and to declare hereby that vnto Idols we must not giue any honor or homage nor attribute vnto them anie title or proprietie belonging to God VVhy the Priest boweth at the word Adoramus And hence it is that in pronouncing these words he boweth him selfe with a certaine veneration towards the Altar for what else is the Altar but the admirable and dreadfull seate of the presence and maiestie of almightie God Glorificamus te We glorifie thee to wit for the greatnes of thy bountie of thy goodnes of thy benignitie of thy mercie of thy beautie of thy sweetnes of thy meeknes of thy liberallitie of thy noblenes and for all the other vnspeakable perfections which are inherent in thee Gratias agimus tibi We thank thee For it is not enough to praise and magnifie his goodnes but we must giue him thankes also for his benefits and in particular for this singular benifit of our Sauiours Natiuitie announced vnto vs by this euangelicall hymne Propter magnam gloriam tuam For thy great glorie First for the glorie that is in him whereof the creature ought as greatlie to reioyce as if the same were in him selfe Secondlie for the glorie which he hath reuealed vnto vs in his church militant And thirdlie for the glorie which he will reueale vnto vs in his church triumphanr Domine Deus Lord God First God the Father is here called vpon in tearmes common to all the blessed Trinitie and this to confirme vs in the beliefe of the vnitie of the diuine essence for the Father is Lord God the Sonne is Lord God and the holy Ghost is Lord God and yet nor three Lords nor three Gods but one onelie Lorde and one onlie God Rex celestis Heauenlie king He is called heauenlie king because at his simple and only word he created of nothing the highest heauen and doth gouerne it at his pleasure by his incomparable power and consequentlie all other thinges here in earth of what sort or condicion soeuer they be Deus Pater God the Father In this vnitie of essence and Trinitie of persons the Father is the first and is so called for that he who is the begining without begining hath ineffablie begotten the same his dearly beloued Sonne
before all worldes of his owne true and naturall substance Omnipotens Omnipotent This Father is said to be omnipotent to the end that with all reuerence we may honor his maiestie whereof his omnipotencie is the chiefe and soueraigne attribute wherby he doth and worketh whatsoeuer he will and is meete and decent for him to doe Gen. 17. Psl 113. Domine Fili. Lord the Sonne Vpon the confession of this article is laide the foundation of our Christian fayth and saluation for as S. Iohn saith Whosoeuer shall confesse that Iesus is the Sonne of God God abideth in him and he in God 1. Iohn 4.15 And S. Peter for this confession that Christ was the Sonne of God was by our Sauiours owne mouth pronounced blessed Mat. 16. Vnigenite Onlie begotten He is sayd to be the onlie begotten of God the Father for that he onlie is engendred eternallie of the Father and of the selfe same nature substance wisdome and almightie power that the Father is Iesu Christe Iesu Christ These two names were impoed vpon our blessed Sauiour not by chance but by diuine ordinance to expresse the two natures contayned in him to wit diuine and human For the name Iesus signifying a Sauiour hath relation to his diuinitie and the name Christ signifying anointed is to be referred to his humanitie Marc. 2. Psl 44. Domine Deus Lord God As before the Father was called Lord God so now the Sonne is likewise called Lord God and this iustlie First as well by right of creation as of redemption Secondlie because all lordship and power was absolutlie giuen him by his Father in particular at the day of his resurrection Since which time he hath alwayes had vs vnder his dominion as his peculiar inheritance bought and purchased with his pretious blood Agnus Dei. Lambe of God This Lord and almightie God is here called by the name of a Lambe to expresse more plainlie vnto vs his humanitie in the which he was led to the slaughter as an innocent Lambe and in the same was sacrificed for the sinnes of all the world Esay 53. Filius Patris Sonne of the Father And here againe we attribut vnto him a new this title of Sonne of the Father to expresse his diuinitie which allway remayned vnited to his humanity euen in his passion and death it self Qui tollis peccata mundi VVho takest away the sinnes of the world For the more manifest explication of his diuine nature as wel as of his human it is here sayed who takest away the sinnes of the world for this power being onlie proper to God him selfe is neuertheles attributed to our Sauiour Christ to declare his diuinitie and godhead therby Marc. 2. Miserere nobis Haue mercie on vs. Because he is God and hath the selfe same power with his heauenlie Father we humblie beseech him to haue mercie on vs he being he who is called the God of mercie and who houldeth his louing armes alwayes open to receue all such as flye vnto him Qui tollis peccata mundi suscipe deprecationem nostram VVho takest away the sinnes of the world receiue our prayer These wordes are twice repeated by the priest vpon the vndouted hope of his goodnes and mercie aforesaid And in particular he humblie beseecheth him to receiue his prayers with those of the asistants that he may the better consecrate and offer this dreadfull sacrifice Qui sedes ad dextram patris VVho sittest at the right hand of the Father By which wordes is euidentlie expressed both his power and his maiestie which is far exalted aboue all Highnes Vertues Throanes Dominations Powers Principallities Cherubins Seraphins and in which he shall iudge both men and Angels Colos 1. Heb. 1. Miserere nobis Haue mercie on vs. Here anew we beseech him of mercie and pardon for our offences to the end that we may be comforted of him at our deathes and withall auoide the rigour of his dreadfull iudgments after the time of our departure Quoniam tu solus sanctus Because thou onlie art holie He is called onlie holie for that this holines wherof we speake is from all eternitie absolute proper and essentiall in him which holines nether Angells nor men can haue of them selues but onlie by grace like as the ayre and the water doe borrowe their brightnes and clearnes from the sunne which onlie of it selfe is cleare and bright Tu solus Dominus Thou onlie art Lord. And iustlie doe we affirme him to be onlie Lord because he onlie created vs he onlie redeemed vs he onlie sanctifieth vs and he onlie will glorifie vs. Againe he onlie is Lorde because he onlie was mediator in that noble work of our saluation For albeit there be more mediators of intercession yet as sayeth S. Aug. there is but one of redemption Tu solus altissimus Thou onlie art highest And he is not onlie called Lord but also highest yea euen in his humanitie because he hath lifted vp mans nature to the highest degree of honor that can be desired And this we ought firmlie to beleeue and in beleeuing to honor Iesu Christe Iesu Christ And here note that albeit this name of Iesus was first manifested to vs by an Angel yet it was long before imposed by God him selfe from all eternitie and therfore is called Nomen super omne nomen Act. 4. A name aboue all names because of the giuer and imposer of the same And therfore sayeth Origen it was brought from heauen and named by an Angel because it was not decent that it should first be named by men nor by them be first brought into the world but of some more excellent and noble nature Cum sancto Spiritu With the holie Spirit This holie Spirit is the third parson equall in all perfections with the Father and the Sonne This holie Spirit is he of whom the prophet Dauid spake when he prayed saying Take not thy holie Spirit from me Psl 50. This holie Spirit is he by whose operation was wrought the wonderfull mysterie of the Incarnation in the sacred wombe of the virgin Marie Luc. 1. Finallie this holie Spirit is he without whose diuine inspiration we can doe nothing worthie of eternall life In gloria Dei Patris In the glorie of God the Father These wordes the church hath prudentlie adioyned to the two last clauses and sentences of this sacred hymne to take away a dout which otherwise might be moued vpon the wordes aforegoing in which our Sauiour is sayed to be onlie Lord onlie holie and onlie highest and therfore to shew that the Father and the holie Ghost are not excluded there is added with the holie Ghost in the glorie of God the Father Amen 1. This word Amen is an Hebrew word wherewith the people make answer at euerie prayer and benediction of the priest and is as much to say as verelie faithfullie or so be it See Rabanus de institutione cler l. 1. c. 33. 2. Nether is it the custome of the Greekes or Latins to
if he desire trulie to feele the effects therof to the health of his soule The 4. Reason In particular the priest washeth his handes at this present notwithstanding he had washed them before that if perhaps by humane frailtie he hath admitted into his minde any vaine phantasie or imagination he may now at the least cast it from him and take as it were vnto him another new cleannesse For he ought to procure so much the more puritie by how much he approacheth the nerer to the woorke of this most pure and most immaculat mysterie that so he may touch with the more cleannesse the most immaculat and pretious bodie of our Sauiour Iesus The 5. Reason And it is to be noted that he washeth not his whole handes but onlie the tippes or endes of his fingars to signifie that our greater faultes and grosser offences ought first to be cleansed else where to wit in Confession so that at the Aultar we should not neede to washe but the tippes of our fingars onlie that is to say some litle affections which may sometimes distract or disturbe our spirit And now to expound the wordes them selues Lauabo c. psl 25. Lauabo inter innocentes manus meas I will washe my handes amongst the innocents Where he prayeth that as he washeth them from exterior vncleanes which defileth the bodie so it may be the good pleasure of God to washe him from all inward vncleanes which defileth the soule Et circumdabo altare tuum Domine And I will compasse about thy Altaro Lord. When our hart is lifted vp to God then saith S. Aug it is to him an Altar li. 10. de Ciuit. cap. 4. which then is compassed about when with the dore of circumspection like an inclosed orchard it is on euery side inclosed that nether by irruption of enimies it be polluted nor by the cares of the world it be distracted Vt audiam vocem laudis tuae That I may heare the voice of thy praise And note that he saith that I may heare for true it is that it is the part of him that sacrificeth to offer praises vnto God but because God ought to be worshiped of his owne and ought to be presented with his owne giftes the priest ought vigilantlie to watch that in euerie moment of the sacrifice he first hearken to God inwardlie inspiring and cheiflie to present and offer vp those desires vnto him which he hath receaued of him Et enarrem vniuersa mirabilia tua And may declare all thy wonders VVhich may aptlie be vnderstood of this most holie sacrament which being but one surpasseth al other and therfore to declare it were to declare all other Domine dilexi decorem domus tuae O Lord I haue loued the beautie of thy house VVhich house we our selues are as the scripture saith Yee are the temples of the Holy Ghost And the beautie thereof is the beautie and puritie of our soules Et locum habitationis gloriae tuae And the place of the habitation of thy glorie To wit of the Church triumphant wherin thou art glorified of thy Saintes in heauen or of thy Church militant wherin thou art praised of thy seruants in earth Ne perdas cum impijs animam meam Destroy not my soule with the wicked By the wicked are vnderstood those which nether worship God nor feare God nor obey his Church all which are trulie tearmed wicked Et cum viris sanguinum vitam meam And with the men of blood my life They are men of blood which commit the manifest woorkes of the flesh of which the Apostle saith that none such shall enter into the kingdome of God In quorum manibus iniquitates In whose handes are iniquities Men of blood in whose handes are iniquities S. Aug. interpreteth of those that bate their neighbour for the house of God is adorned with two precepts the loue of God and of our neighbour Dextra eorum repleta est muneribus Their right hands are filled vvith giftes Because that which is giuen them to the obtayning of euerlasting life they conuert to obtaine the giftes of the world esteeming gayne to be godlines Ego autem in innocentia mea ingressus sum But I am entred in my innocencie Innocencie not of perfect consummation but of right intention that it may be called innocencie as iustice is so called to wit for the end of the true good where at it aymeth as S. Aug. teacheth cap. de ciuit Dei Redime me miserere mei Redeeme me and haue mercie on me For such is the innocencie of this life that euen the innocent may say redeeme me and haue mercie on me Pes meus stetit in directo My foote hath stood in the direct That is in the way of rectitude or in a right way it hath not bowed to wickednes nor preuaricated from the pathes of iustice In ecclesijs benedicam te Domine In the Churches wil I blesse thee o Lord. That is openlie and publiquelie will I celebrate thy praises in the congregation of the godly nether will I hide from them whom thou hast called thy benediction because to thy loue I referre the loue of my neighbour Gloria Patri Filio c. Glorie be to the Father and to the Sonne and to the Holie Ghost As it was in the begining and now and euer and world without end Amen Then enclining a title before the midest of the Altar his handes ioyned theron he sayeth the prayer following Suscipe sancta Trinitas hancoblationem quam tibi offerimus Receiue ô holie Trinitie this oblation which we offer vnto thee Hauing now placed the bread and wine in a readines to be consecrated he requireth the holie Trinitie to accept his oblation and that in the memorie of the most sublime and high mysteries of the Passion Resurrection and Ascension of our Sauiour Iesus which pointes are here proposed as the most principall articles of the beleefe and health of all the faithfull Ob memoriam For the memorie Wherin the Church of Christ hath right dutifullie obserued the precept of hir spouse which he gaue vnto hir at the institution of this holie sacrifice saying Doe this for a remembrance of me Luc. 22.19 Passionis Of the Passion The passion of our Lord is first mentioned by the which he conquered and subdued sinne death the world and our capitall enimie to wit the diuel Resurrectionis Resurrection Next mention is made of his resurrection for as he put to death sinne by the merit of his passion so rose he by his proper force for our iustification He was crucified in infirmitie but rose most victoriouslie Et Ascensionis Iesu Christi Domini nostri And Ascention of Iesus Christ our Lord. Next of his Ascention in which in great iubilation he mounted vp and sitteth on the right hand of his Father to raise vp our humaine nature baselie and wretchedlie fallen thorough consent to sinne Leading with him the holie Fathers which as a spoile he had victoriouslie
their tormēts wherein they surpassed al others Cum Ioanne Amongst the Saintes that are specified in this part of the Masse S. Iohn is first named Some there be that suppose it to be meant of S. Iohn Baptist who although he could not be named before amongst the Apostles yet may be mentioned amongst the Martyrs Others thinke it more probably to be vnderstood of S. Iohn the Euangelist amongst whom is Innocentius terrius saying that although S. Iohn was mentioned in the first commemoration yet that he is here againe rehearced in this because Christ vppon the Crosse cōmended his Mother to his Disciple the Mother a virgin to the Disciple a virgin Stephano Next after S. Iohn is named S. Steuen The one excellent for the perogaiue of Apostleshipp and virginitie the other excellent for Martyrdome and virginitie He was the very first that suffered for Iesus Christ In imitation of Christ he prayed for his enimies at the time of his passion To him was especiallie deputed by the Apostles the charge of the deuout widdowes In him shined the singular praise of sanctitie of whom it is said Steuen full of grace and fortitude did great wonders and signes amongst the people Of whom it is further said that all that sate in the councell behouldinge him saw his face as it were the face of an Angel At the time of his disputation with the Iewes being full of the holie Ghost looking stedfastlie vp to heauen he saw the glorie of God and Iesus standing on the right hand of God Matthia S. Matthias was diuinelie elected by lot into the Apostleship to supplie the sacred number of twelue diminished by the disloyal preuarication of Iudas Hauing commission to announce the gospell in Aethiopia he accomplished the same with exceeding labour His enimies attēpted to stone him to death which not being able to take effect he was in the end martyred with a chopping knife Barnaba S. Barnabas was natiue of Cypres and one of the seauentie two disciples of Iesus Christ He was also by the ordonance of the Holie Ghost seperated with S. Paul for the execution of the ministrie wherunto he was called He was put to death in the seauenth yeare of the Emperor Nero. His bones were found in Cypres vnder a tree hauing vpon his brest the gospell of S. Mathew written with his hand as is before noted To him and to S. Paul is attrbuted to haue bin the first Apostles of the Gentils Ignatio S. Ignatius was companion of the Apostles disciple of S. Iohn the Euangelist and second successor of S. Peter in the Bishoprick of Antioch The footeman or page of the glorius mother of God the Virgin Marie and hir Chaplin Who as Dionisius writeth of him had nothing else in his mouth but Amor meus crucifixus est My loue is crucified He was condemned vnder Traian the Emperour of Rome to be deuoured with wild beastes He affirmed that if they refused to hurt him as they had done other martyrs he him selfe would prouoke them saying that he was Christes corne and must be ground betwixt the teeth of the Lyons When he was dead the name of Iesus was found written in his hart in letters of gould Alexandro S. Alexander was pastor of the vniuersal Church the sixt pope from S. Peeter in the seate of Rome He gaue him selfe wholie to aduance the worship and seruice of almightie God as his laudable institutions doe verie well witnes He added to the Canon these wordes Qui pridie c. Hauing vertuouslie ruled the space of ten yeares in Rome and conuerted Hernetus and Quitimus he was there martyred together with Euentius and Theodulus his Deacons vnder Adrian the Emperor Whose blessed bodie lyeth in S. Sabins vnder the high Aultar Marcellino S. Marcellinus was a Priest of the Church of Rome in the time of the Emperor Dioclesian He baptised Paulina the daughter of Artemiras keeper of the prison of the citie whom S. Peeter the Exorcist deliuered of a malignant spirit that posessed hir together with father and mother familie and neighbours who ran to see the miracle For which he was most strangelie tormented and in the end beheaded by the ordre of the iudge Serenus who could nether bend nor moue him from the holie inuincible resolution of the obseruation of the Christian faith religion Petro. This S. Peter was ordained an Exorcist in the church of Rome to impose according to the forme there obserued his handes vppon those which were vexed with vncleane spirits ether to cast them out to represse them or to appease them Who for hauing dispossessed the keepers daughter and asisted at the Baptisme aforesaid performed by S. Marcellinus suffered like martyrdome with him and vpon the same day Their holie soules Doretheus who beheaded them saw clothed in most bright and shininge garments sett with most rich iewells and carried vp into heauen by the handes of Angells wherupon he also became a Christian Felicitate S. Felicitas was a noble woman of Rome who not onlie obscured the lustre of all the Ladies of hir time but also far surpassed them in all vertu She was mother of seauen sonnes who endured sundrie kindes of torments in hir sight for the faith of Iesus Christ al which she beheld with wonderfull constancie and more then manlie courage and gaue vnto them many holsome admonitions exhortations And a litle after after shee hir selfe followed them with the same courage and constancie For which S. Gregorie saith that she suffered eight times 7. times in hir children and once in hir self She made such proose of hit immoueable inflexible resolutiō that al were filled with astonishmēt and admiration By the commandement of Publius ruler vnder Antonius Augustus she was commanded to be beheaded Perpetua Amongst the perfections where with S. Perpetua was adorned she is highlie praised for that she alwayes stronglie resisted against the passions and prouocations of the flesh hauing vowed to God hir chast virginitie She suffered martyrdom in Mauritanie vnder the Emperor Seuerus wherby she happilie arriued to heauen where she gloriouslie shineth with a double diademe Tertullian and S. Augustin make honorable mention of hir in their writinges Agatha S. Agatha was amongst the noble virgins of hir time verie famous both for hir vertu beautie and for this cause was extreamlie loued of Quintianus gouernour of Scicilie euen to the attempting of hir virginall chastitie But shee not induring anie breach nor blot in hir honor stronglie withstoode him Wherupon he was so discontented that his disordered affection was chāged into a maruelous hatred and extreme desire to reueng him selfe by all the meanes he might possible deuise After many insupportable torments shee was martyred hauing first both hir breastes cut of by the commandement of the said Quintianus ruler vnder the Emperor Decius In the time of hir imprisonment she was visited by S. Peter the Apostle and healed of hir woundes Finallie this holy Virgin receaued in hir sepulcher a