fructifie shew in your actions what you have promised in your Orisons you have received the pledge of eternity so walk that you may come to it Some very impertinently would have the custome of saying Ite missa est to have been used in the dismission of the Catechumens for although that after the Gospel they were dismissed because they were not permitted to be present at the holy Mysteries as is to be seen in St. Denis and in the Laodicean Council yet in no place do we find this manner of salutation unto them Only in the Liturgie of St. Basil and St. Chrysostome there is a command given that they should withdraw or go forth Discedite Catechumeni But this Ite missa est was alwayes said in the end of the Masse only to the faithful Christians after they had been partakers of the Mysteries It is true that as St. Clement teaches sometimes the Priest said Ite in pace Go in peace which words Christ did frequently use after some of his miraculous Works and imports as much as the God of peace be with you all not much differing in sence from the Ite missa est for the peace which that presents is that which is to be obtained by the Masse So that in saying it the Priest assures us that peace is imparted unto us by the Sacrifice of the Masse We may piously meditate that at Christs Ascention the Disciples were Devoutly kneeling praying and adoring our Saviour until such time as the Angels did cry out unto them Ye men of Galilee why stand you looking up to Heaven this Jesus who is assumpted from you into Heaven shall so come as you have seen going into Heaven as if they should say go and so lead your lives that ye may come to that glory which is promised us in Christs Ascention and let us Devoutly answer the Priest by saying Deo gratias imitating the Apostles who as St. Luke sayes adoring went back into Hierusalem with great joy and they were alwayes in the Temple praising and blessing God which is conformable to this part of the Mass which as is said before ought to be of praise and thanksgiving whence in Easter-time the Church adds Alleluja as a Canticle of joy and praise joy in our Souls and peace to God Q. What is the second Conclusion A. Sometimes the Church concludes the Mass with Benedicamus Domino which she uses in all penitential times as in Advent Lent The Ember days and Vigils as also in the Ferial days out of Easter time in which times as she omits the Gloria in excelsis which is a Hymn of joy so she omits the Ite missa est and in its place says Benedicamus Domino Let us bless our Lord. Durand gives a plausible reason for it saying that in the primitive Church when there was any solemn Congregation the Priests were wont to conclude with Ite missa est but when there were but a few or none of the faithful people with Benedicamas Domino and consequently to this when he says Ite He remains turned to the people after Dominus vobiscum but when he says Benedicamus he turns to the Altar it is not incongruously said that Ite missa est is used in times of joy in which the people are dismissed but in those primitive times they are referred to prayer for remission of their sins Q. What is the third Conclusion A. That which is only used in Masses for the dead when instead of the other there is said Requiescant in peace Let them rest in peace which is suitable to the whole course of the Masse wherein is no special prayer for the living but what is then said to the living is only to incite them to pray for the dead as the Priest does all along and consequently standing near to the Altar in the end he salutes not the people but prays for the dead and so passes on without giving any Benediction as in all others he does because the Benediction is not given but to them that are present whose part is only to say Amen as devoutly joyning with the Priest 3. Of the Priest's Benediction Q. What Prayer is that which the Priest then makes A. He prays that his service or Sacrifice not done by presumption but in Obedience to Christ and his Church may be pleasing and acceptable to the Divine Majesty as well for himself as for all those for whom he has offered it whereof we have a resemblance in Moses saying to Aaron Approach to the Altar and immolate for thy sin offer the Holocaust and pray for thy self and for the People and when thou hast slain the Peoples Host pray for them as our Lord hath commanded This prayer being made the Priest kisseth the Altar as in confidence of his Sacrifice being accepted by God he turns to the people and saying The Omnipotent God Father and Son and holy Ghost bless you Amen Making the sign of the Cross on all who are present where we may note that as formerly has been declared the Church in all Sacraments and Benedictions invocates the blessed Trinity and that as the Mass begins with the invocation of the holy Trinity so it ends Q. Whence comes the use of this Benediction A. The Church has taken it from the Law of Nature Moses his Law and from the Law of grace In the Law of Nature Melchisedech after he had offered his Sacrifice of Bread and Wine a true figure of the Sacrifice of the Mass as is declared in the first part he blessed Abraham Jacob also blessed Joseph's Children and particularly at the time of his death and when God taught Moses the manner of Consecration and Oblation he determined a set form of blessing the people Our Lord bless thee and keep thee Our Lord shew his face to thee and have mercy on thee our Lord turn his countenance unto thee and give thee Peace Where we may note that the form of the Benediction is virtually the same for in that form there is thrice our Lord presenting the Father Son and holy Ghost and they are but a more ample Declaration of Gods blessings which is sufficiently expressed in what the Priest says Omnipotent God who can by his power give all good gifts bless you Rabanus makes this application of it Our Lord God the Father bless thee and keep thee by his Omnipotency Our Lord God the Son shew his face to thee by his incarnation and have mercy on thee by his passion Our Lord God the holy Ghost turn his countenance unto thee by his gracious inspirations and give thee peace by the infusion of his grace It has been also used in Christ's Church even from the beginning as is to be seen in all antient Liturgies The Grecians who use St. Basils and St. Chrysostomes Liturgies have it to this day for the Priest turning about to the people says Our Lord keep ye all in his grace and goodness perpetually now always and for ever Amen But the
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
Symbole of Charity for as Charity covers a multitude of sins and contains all the Commandements of the Law So this Chasule covers all the other Vestments and hanging in Two parts before and behind may fitly represent the Two Tables of the Law or the Two Laws the part behind the old Law and the part before the new Law The Two sides open signifie Christian liberty or the open execution of the Law St. German and others commonly do say that this Chasule represents unto us the Purple Garment which the Souldiers did put on Christ the Priest therefore in Imitation of Christ puts on this Garment which for the most part on the back hath a Cross and before the form of a Pillar as if the Priest were between the Pillar and the Cross for the Pillar before represents the Pillar whereto Christ was bound and Scourged and the Cross behind represents our Saviour carrying the Cross and that very properly that the People beholding it may have the Cross and Passion before their eyes and continue in the contemplation thereof I will conclude with the Animadversion which Bishop Ivo gives saying These Vestments are not vertues but marks or signs of vertues whereby the users or beholders are admonished as by written Books what they ought to desire and what to shun and to whom they ought to direct their Actions Pope Innocent will give another Let the Priest attend diligently that he bears not the sign without what is signified and that he carry not the Vestment without vertue lest he be like to a Sepulcher outwardly whitened and inwardly full of uncleaness 3. Of Priest's Function Q. What do you mean by Priests A. I will not stand about the word Priest which comes from the word Presbyter But his office according to the custome of the Church is principally to offer Sacrifice as all Ages and Laws do declare for as in the Law of Nature and in the written Law their duty was to offer Sacrifice for themselves and others So in the new Law Priests had charge to offer the Sacrifice of the Masse for as the Altar and Sacrifice are correlatives so Sacrifice and Priest who in his Ordination is Consecrated by this form Receive power of offering Sacrifice in the Church for the Living and Dead St. Clement in his Constitutions puts this form O Almighty God give unto him by Christ the participation of the Holy Ghost that he may have power to remit sins according to thy command and loose all bonds according to the power which thou hast given to the Apostles and of pleasing thee in meekness and purity of heart by alwayes offering to thee without spot or stain the pure and unbloody Sacrifice which by Christ thou hast established as the Mystery of the New Testament The Canons of the Apostles suppose it to be the office of Priests as also the First General Council of Nice Can. 18. So most of the Councels and Fathers Q. Are Priests to be Honoured A. For many reasons they are but principally for Four to wit their Dignity Vtility Mediation and Power First for their Dignity for they are God's Vicars on Earth to feed cure and keep his People whence St. Augustine saith There is no greater under Heaven than God's Priests Consecrated to deliver the Heavenly Sacraments and humble St. Francis tells us that we ought to honour and reverence God's Priests who are higher and worthyer than all Men and he would sooner give reverence to a Priest than to an Angel St. Athanasius relates That the great Abbot Anthony as often as he met with a Priest would fall on his knees and would not rise from the ground until he had kissed his hand and obtained his Benediction Secondly For Vtility for by Priests the faithful are received into the Church and by their Function many spiritual graces are communicated unto them besides the benefits they receive by the Priests Preaching Instruction and Ministration of the Sacraments the Holy Scripture bids us to honour the Physitian for our necessity for the Highest hath created him how much more ought we to honour Priests who are Spiritual Physitians of our Souls for as they by their Office do make us Members of the Church so they cure us of all the Diseases of our Souls and preserve our spiritual lives and bring us to Eternal Life Thirdly For their Mediation for they are Mediatours between us and God for it is his charge to pray for the People and he obtains blessings for them Num. 6. Our Lord speaking to Moises and Aaron of Priests said They shall invocate my Name upon the Children of Israel and I the Lord will bless them The wise Man therefore advises us saying In all thy Soul fear our Lord and Sanctifie his Priests with all thy strength love him that made thee and forsake not his Ministers honour God with all thy Soul and honour the Priests and purge thy self with the arms of Grace to wit the grace that God communicates unto us by the Ministery of the Priest Lastly In consideration of the power which God hath given to them especially in Remission of sins and Consecrating of the Holy Eucharist for brevity sake I will cite One or Two of the Holy Fathers and so conclude for the first Let us hear the words of St. Chrysostome To those who live on Earth and are Conversant therein it is committed to dispose of those things which are in Heaven To them it is given to have that power which our Lord would not give to Angels nor Arch-Angels for it was not said to them whatsoever thou shalt bind upon Earth it shall be bound in Heaven Indeed the Princes on Earth have also power of binding but the bodies only but the bonds which I speak of in Priests concerns the Soul and reaches even to the Heavens in so much that what the Priest doth beneath the self-same God ratifies and our Lord confirms the sentence of his Servants what therefore other thing can you say but that all power of Celestial things is granted to them by God for he sayes whose sins ye retain are retained what power can be greater than this The Father gave all power to the Son and I see this power given to Priests by God the Son For the other let us hear what St. Augustine sayes At this so honourable a priviledge Heaven is amazed the Earth admires Man is terrified Hell dreads the Devils tremble and the Angels worship St. Bernard admires it saying O excellent and honourable power of Priests to which nothing in Heaven nothing on Earth can be compared in fine St. Francis gives us an Admonition saying We Catholicks ought to Worship and Reverence Priests for their Office and Administration of the most Holy Body and Blood of Christ which they Consecrate and receive and Administer to others The end of the First Part. The Second Part Containing a Brief Explication of the Masse SECT I. Of the First Part of the Masse from the beginning to