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A39076
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An exposition of the holy ornaments and ceremonies which the Church uses at Mass Collected from several authors. And now publish'd for the common good of all Catholicks, and others.
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1686
(1686)
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Wing E3888CA; Wing M1947C; ESTC R219775
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13,409
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54
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AN EXPOSITION OF THE Holy Ornaments AND Ceremonies WHICH THE CHURCH USES AT MASS Collected from several Authors And now publish'd for the common good of all Catholicks and others London Printed for N. T. 1686. HEre followeth a brief Signification of the Priestly Ornaments us'd at Mass as also a short Declaration of the Ceremonies and Holy Mysteries of that Divine Sacrifice for Comfort and Instruction of the Church thereby to renew in our minds a grateful memory of those several dolorous passages of the bitter Passion of our Divine Redeemer who did suffer so much in satisfaction of his Eternal Father's Justice for our Sins Of the Holy ORNAMENTS AND CEREMONIES Which the Church useth at MASS Of the Holy Altar and what it signifies TO begin with the holy Altar where the Victim for the Sacrifice of Redemption of all the World is offer'd It signifies Mount Calvary whereon Jesus Christ the only Son of God and second Person of the holy Trinity our only Saviour was Crucified upon a reproachful Cross Which very word of Altar we also find to have relation unto Sacrifice which must necessarily be offer'd to God in that Church where his true Faith is profess'd And therefore this name of Altar is mention'd by S. Paul Heb. 13.10 We have an Altar whereof they have not power to eat who serve the Tabernacle And 1 Cor. 9.13 and S. Mar. 5.24 All which is a warrant abundantly sufficient for us to use this Name of Altar Which also represents the Table whereon our Redeemer did Celebrate his Last Supper with his Disciples the night before his bitter Death and Passion Of the Altar-Cloaths THe Linnen for the Altar or the Altar-cloaths are to be very pure and white they representing the purity of our blessed Saviour's Humanity free from all stain of Sin or disorder'd Passion That Linnen is also to be bless'd to signifie the great Sanctity of the Life of Jesus Christ which we must endeavour the best we can to imitate Of the lighted Candles on the Altar THe lighted Candles upon he Altar admonish us according to S. Luke to be ready in imitation of the wise Virgins with the Oyl of Good works in our Lamps of True Faith and to expect at the pronouncing these sacred and operative words of Consecration the real and true substantial presence of that our Divine and Heavenly Spouse Mat. 5.16 who requires the light of our Good Works so to shine before Men as thereby they may be moved to glorifie the Father who is in Heaven The two Candles signifie the two Testaments of holy Scripture the Old and New They also signifie the light of Faith revealed to the Jew and Gentile And they advertise us of the great splendour both of Faith of Good Life and Works requir'd in the Celebrating of so high and dreadful a Mystery Of the Cross and Crucifix THe Cross or Crucifix is the principal Ornament upon the Altar which ought never to be wanting at the Celebration of the Mass It betokens our Blessed Redeemer's Victory over Death and is placed at the midst of the Altar most in view to represent to our mind the Death and Passion of Jesus Christ which is there chiefly to be confider'd and piously meditated in that holy Sacrifice Of the Chalice THe Chalice doth represent the Cup wherein our B. Saviour did Consecrate his most precious Blood Mat. 26. And it puts us in mind of his Sacred Passion our B. Saviour himself so calling it The Chalice of his Passion Of the Patten THe Patten serves for the use of the Consecrated Body of our Lord as the Chalice doth for his most precious Blood And as it covers the top of the Chalice it represents the stone which was roll'd against the door of the holy Sepulchre Mark 15. Of the Corporal THe white Linnen Corporal upon which is Consecrated the most precious Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ doth represent to us that white and pure Syndon wherein Joseph of Arimathea involved his most sacred Corps before it was bury'd The clean and bright purity whereof doth aptly admonish all such as by the holy Communion receive and harbour within their Breasts this sacred and most precious Body of Jesus Christ to be chaste and clean both of Body and Soul and endu'd with true purity of intention Of the Vail THe Vail doth cover both Patten and Chalice all round about and it represents to us the Handkerchief wherewith our Saviours most Divine Head was covered when he was laid in the Sepulchre whereof mention is made John 20. S. Peter having discover'd it in the Sepulchre And he there beheld the Linnen lying apart and the Handkerchief which had been wrapp'd about his head Of the several colours which the Church useth for Ornament and the meaning of them THe Prophet Ezekiel in his 6th chap. speaking of the splendour of the Church seems to place a great part of her glory in the various colours of her beautiful Robes Which variety of mystical colours simbolizing with the several virtues of the glorious Saints doth greatly adorn and beautify this holy Spouse and is to us a motive and great encouragement to imitate those holy virtues which by these various colours used in the Church are so fitly propos'd to our view Nor was it without great reason that God in the old Law appointed those four different colours for the Priests and Churches Ornaments which were the colour bissmus that is a yellow colour like to that of raw Silk The second was purpureus the Purple colour The third was byacinthinus that is a violet red blew or violet purple The fourth was coccineus that is a Scarlet or Crimson colour And as these different colours had their several mystical meaning for the Peoples instruction so I doubt not but the impartial Reader will confess no less to be contain'd in the meaning of these colours which the Church inspired by the Holy Ghost hath appointed to be us'd in the Law of Grace for the Ornament of Christ's Holy Church and for the Priests Vestments belonging to the same as by this brief Declaration it will appear What the White Colour used by the Church means THe white colour is used upon the Feasts of Angels Confessors and Virgins To represent to us the imitation of their holy Chastity and Saintly Purity As also upon the solemn Feasts of the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour upon the Resurrection Ascension Corpus Christi and other the chiefest Feasts of the greated Mysteries of our Faith which are to be celebrated in the white colour of symbolizing Joy as testifie our Saviours glorious spendor at his Transfiguration the two Angels in white who denounced his Resurrection and the joyful white of his Saints in Heaven Apoc. 3.4 and Apoc. cap. 4. vers 4. What is signified by the Red Colour REd is the scarlet dye of our Blessed Saviour's Passion and is the proper colour for the Churches Ornaments upon the Feasts of the holy Cross
of the Apostles and blessed Martyrs to shew that their glorious passage from this valley of misery to Eternal Joy was through the Red Sea of many Tribulations and that their Glory was purchas'd with the price of their own dear blood They dyed their Robes in the blood of the Lamb. Apoc. 7. What is signified by the Green Colour THe Green colour is used in the Church from the Octave of the Epiphanie till Septuagesima and from the Octave of Pentecost till Advent exclusively containing the greatest part of the whole year and is to be industriously imploy'd for our purchasing Heaven which is to be got by vigorous force well represented by this colour the Hieroglifick of Youth and consequently betokening this couragious and vigorous strength in virtuous Exercises whereby that Coelestial City is to be conquered What the Violet Colour means THe Violet colour is a kind of blew and resembles the colour of the Sky of Heaven which we must know to be fast shut against all sinners who by their true repentance shall not amend And therefore this colour is us'd in the Church all Lent and Advent the proper times allotted for the practise of the worthy fruits of holy Penance and satisfaction for our sins the only unhappy Bar of the Gate of Heaven against our Souls What the Black Colour means BLack is the Mourning Standard of the Church display'd upon her Altars and other Ornaments in the mournful times wherein we celebrate the Death and Passion of our Loving Lord and Divine Redeemer Jesus Christ It is used also at the Office of the Dead thereby to testify as well a civil respect from Nature for the present separation from our Friends as to stir also up and move in us thereby a true compassion of their Souls temporal great pain in Purgatory for whose speedy relief we ought most heartily to pray Having briefly here spoke of the quality and colours of the chief Ornaments belonging to the Altar I will with like brevity treat also about the Vestments and Attire belonging to the Priest for Celebration of the holy Sacrifice of the Mass that high Function and supremest Divine Homage which can be done to God by any Creature And therefore those Ornaments if not very rich at least ought to be comely and very deceat as well in regard of that great Reverence which is most due to those Sacred Mysteries as also that those Divine actions should be had in greater veneration and thereby more movingly represent to us Christs bitter Death and Passon as I shall hereby declare by the meaning of those several Ornaments observing first the great Antiquity and use of those Holy Ornaments which well appears in England by that of S. Gregory the Great who above a thousand years ago did send into our Countrey Vessels for the Altar Relicks Books and Ornaments for the Priests and Clerks as both S. Bede and most Hystorians do declare The meaning of the Sacred Ornaments which the Priest doth wear in Celebrating the Holy Mass What the Amice or first Ornament the Priest puts on when he goes to celebrate doth mean THe AMICE which the Priest puts over his head doth signifie the Humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ under which lay hid and cover'd his most Sacred Divinity 2. It signifies the Linnen Napkin wherewith this our merciful Redeemer was blind-folded and after struck upon the Face by those sacriligeous Jews then saying to him Prophesy to us Christ who is he that struck thee Mat. 26. By which outragious injury suffer'd for our sakes he purchas'd Grace enabling us to behold him face to face in Eternal Glory In putting it on he saith put on O Lord the Helmet of Salvation upon my head that I may overcome all diabolical temptations Amen Of the ALBE THe Albe or long white Garment doth signifie the Robe of Innocency given us in the Sacrament of Baptism It represents also the white Garment which Herod put upon our Saviour reputing him as an Ideot when Luke 22. with mockery and derision he sent him back to Pilate The Priest putting it on saith Make me white O Lord and cleanse my heart that being whit'ned in the Blood of the Lamb I may enjoy Eternal Gladness Amen Of the Girdle THe Girdle which the Priest puts about him doth signify the Cord wherewith our Saviour was bound to the Pillar when the cruel Souldiers scourch'd him The two ends of the Girdle turn'd up the one on the right side and the other on the left do signifie the two means to conserve our Chastity which are Fasting and Prayer whereby we subdue the Flesh and strengthen the Spirit The Priest when he putteth the Girdle about him saith Gird me O Lord with the Girdle of Puâ—iâ—y and quench in my Loyns the humour of Lust that there may remain in me the virtue of Continency and Chastity Amen Of the Maniple THe Maniple represents to us the Cords which bound our Saviour's hands and arms when he was dragg'd from place to place and from one Judge to on other It is put on the left Arm which is nearest to the heart to declare with what love and affection he endur'd all these outragious injuries to expiate our sins When the Priest putteth the Maniple upon his Arm he saith Vouchsafe me O Lord so to bear the Maniple of weeping and sorrow that I may receive the reward of my labour with Exultation Amen Which Prayer also alludes to the antient devouter times which us'd this Maniple as a Linnen cloath or Handkerchief to wipe their tears which their fervent Piety made often to run in abundance from their eyes Of the Stole THe Stole which the Priest putteth about his Neck doth signifie the Yoak of Obedience even unto death upon the Cross whereunto our Lord Jesus submitted himself for our Redemption The Priest kisseth the Cross which is upon the middle of it when he putteth it on to shew his chearful willingness to bear the sweet Yoak of Christ's Cross with all patience in tribulation He puts the two ends overthwart his Breast in form of a Cross representing saith S. Bonaventure the Passion of Jesus Christ which the Priest ought to have most seriously fixed in his heart The Stole also doth properly signifie that long Rope about our Saviours Neck whereby those Barbarous Executioners dragg'd him charg'd with the heavy Cross upon his Neck and Bloody Shoulders The two Crosses at the ends of the Stole hanging on either side of the Priest do signifie the Crosses whereon the Two Theeves were Crucified by him one on the right hand and the other on the left and the Cross in the middle represents that whereon himself was Crucified in the middle betwixt them both The Priest in putting on the Stole saith Render me O Lord the Stole of immortality which I have lost by the prevarication of my first Parents that though I approach unworthily to thy holy Mysteries yet may I desire joys everlasting Amen Of the