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
joyn together that this may be done meetly and justly to receive the Eucharist And doest thou wonder that the people speak with the Priest when they sound out these Holy Hymns in common consent with the Cherubins and supernatural powers Finally St. Augustine thus explicates it This follows that for this so great a good of raised hearts we should not attribute the glory to our selves as of our own Forces but give thanks to our Lord for of this we are forthwith admonished because it is meet and just Which is the answer we are then to give to the Priest Dignum justum est It is meet and just meet because he is our Lord just because we are his people meet and just together that we his Servants together with the Priest give thanks to God from whom we have received all things Meet in respect of his manifold benefits Just in respect of our obliged gratitude for that we are partakers of the Treasures of his mercy in this holy Sacrifice I wish that each one for the comfort of their Souls would consider these words and learn them either in Latin or English that with heart and mouth they might answer to the Priest for if they did I am confident great Comfort and Devotion would arise thereby The words are short but full of Energie and Vertue 7. Of the Preface Q. What say you of the Preface A. Those who understand Latin may do well to attend to the Preface which savours of much Piety and yields abundant matter of Devotion for those who are ignorant thereof I will draw the most considerable motives for their Devotion and for this end I shall divide it into Five Considerations The First Consideration is that the Priest confirms the answer which we make concerning our giving thanks to God telling us verily it is Meet and Just Right and wholesome to do so Meet for the benefits here propounded and Just for God made Man by this Eucharist here communicates his goodness and mercy Right for its weight and merit wholesome as the cause of our Salvation or Meet because he is good Just because he is beneficient Right because he is merciful wholesome because he is our Souls Medicine Again Meet because out of his mercy and pleasure he has created us Just because out of pure goodness he has Redeemed us Right because he has freely and gratis justified us Wholesome because he has predestinated us to glory and he invites us alwayes to praise God by declaring that he is our Holy Lord Omnipotent Father and Eternal God for all Sanctity comes from him and by his power alone this Sacrifice was instituted whose fruit is Eternity and then tells the means to do it effectually by our Lord Jesus Christ The Second Consideration is that the Angels and all the whole Court of Heaven do adore and with mutual concord and consent by inflamed layes of Charity do celebrate God's praise and glory this the Church propounds unto us for imitation for if these Heavenly Spirits do continually praise God because they are alwayes in his presence The Church insinuates thereby the great Reverence Adoration and Honour we ought to give to our God in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist which if we do all these supernal Spirits will help us in this action that as they perpetually rejoyce in God by inflaming Love so we ought to rejoyce and exult with ardent love of him who has manifested his infinite love to us in this Holy Sacrament Thirdly We may consider that the Church Militant desires to joyn with the Church Triumphant to make one Quire and the faithful people present knowing their own frailty and indignity make humble supplication that God would give them Grace to make them worthy to make a part with the Heavenly Quire in this holy Sacrifice for as Florus sayes The Holy Church is to be associated to the Quires of Angels and with the Angels persist in the praises of God for ever and ever And now in this holy Sacrifice as St. Chrysostome teaches The Angels are ready to joyn with us at that time sayes he The Angels accompany the Priest and the whole Orders of Celestial powers cry out the whole place near the Altar in his honour who is there immolated is full of Angelical Quires Fourthly We may devoutly consider how the Church here specifies the Song or Canticle which the Angels continually sing in Heaven declared by the Prophet Isay and St. John Evangelist by the Greeks called Teisagion a thrice holy Canticle that is Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts all the Earth is full of thy glory St. Ambrose affirms that we cannot give to God a more precious Title or more sutable to his Glory than to call him Holy for it is to say in one word all the substantial and incomprehensible perfections of his Deity and by this term holy in this place we understand God to be the Abiss of Sanctity from whence Angels and Men participate all their Sanctity as the Sun beams receive light from the Sun As therefore the Seraphins and Angels do thrice repeat this Holy so ought we in this place for as St. Damascene sayes The Deity is thrice declared Holy and Glorified when Sanctus or Holy is said three times whence Procopius tells us that the Seraphins do not only once sing the praises of God but reiterate them often yea infinite times For by the number of three we may understand a multitude so that by saying that they sing holy three times we may take it all times for this is their continual song whereto we hope to add our parts with them in Heaven as they joyn with us in this holy Sacrifice wherefore it is added Lord God of Sabaoth which is one of the names the Israelites did give to God and is not Translated in the Latin Church for that the word Sabaoth is an exceeding expression in any other Language but by many it is interpreted Lord God of Hosts or Armies which is fitly said here for in these words both Angels and Men do make Homage to their God acknowledging him for their Lord with this Canticle wherein the Host or Army of the Celestial Spirits and the Host or Army of Christ's Church at this time made one makeing an Army of a Camp set in array do joyntly and in due order Praise Magnifie and adore God whence consequently it is said all the Earth is full of his Glory the Heavens are full of it already now it is fitting that the Earth also should be full of the same all Men on Earth ought to sing his Glory even as the Angels do in Heaven The Fifth consideration may be of the Hymn which St. Mathew relates when the multitude that went before and followed cryed saying Hosanna to the Son of David blessed is he that comes in the name of our Lord Hosanna in the Highest which are the same words the Priest sayes here now since Heaven and Earth are to be
Ceremonies therein that they may also have sufficient matter to meditate on most points of the passion Briefly I shall give them sufficient matter of prayer sutable to the Priest's action and set before their eyes the chiefest points of Christ's passion Q. Since this is the chiefest part of the Masse why is it said in secret A. After that the Priest by the Preface has endeavoured to raise our minds to the praise of God with the Angels he returns to his former intentions of offering the Sacrifice and now wholly applyes himself to the chiefest action of his function wherein he alone officiates and therefore as in the Law of Moises the High Priest alone did enter into the Sancta Sanctorum So in the New Law the Priest alone performs this action which concerns the Consecration and Oblation of the Holy of Holies substantial Sanctity the true Body and Blood of Christ Jesus God and man who makes this place far more holy than the Sancta Sanctorum In fine it was well said of old in the Canon there needs no ears but to God nor words for the Priest Sacrificing nor silence but to those who are present Q. Have you no reason for it A. The custome of the Church ever since the Apostles times might suffice any good Christian but as Gavant notes grave Authours give these reasons for it Hugo a Sancto Victore gives his for that it is a secret Mystery not to be divulged to the vulgar People which Alcuinus seconds lest the principal words in this Sacrifice should lose their esteem So that we may say that this manner of secrecy in saying these words of the Canon is rather out of Reverence and respect to the mysterial Action or words of Consecration and to avoid abuses which might happen by the vulgar who hearing those words so often repeated might turn them to some prophane use but the principal reason as I said before is because the Priest turns his mind wholly to God with whom alone he is now to treat imitating herein our Saviours silence in his passion for although he did then act the work of our Redemption yet he did it alone without any to accompany him and was silent for the most part of his passion We may therefore in spirit joyn to the holy Women mentioned by the Evangelists especially with our B. Lady and St. John who in silence and with hearts full of affection and loving compassion did attend to our Saviours passion for such ought to be the Devotion of Christians in this time when the Priest in Christ's person offers and represents the same 2. Of the beginning of the Canon Q. What sayes the Priest in the beginning of the Canon A. From what hath been said in the Preface he infers Therefore as assisted by the Angelical Spirits makes his humble supplication to God that he would accept of what he is now to do and give a blessing to his actions which in a manner is to renew his Oblation and then specifies those for whom he is to offer this Sacrifice which also may represent unto us that as our Saviour freely offered himself to the Jews in order to his passion so he also offered himself to his Heavenly Father secretly in his mind for the Redemption of man-kind for we may suppose that in all his Torments and Afflictions his Souls anguish was more for our Souls good and here with the Priest we may piously joyn our hearts and affections and make our prayer either mentally or vocally that God would be pleased to accept of this Sacrifice and hear the Priest pray for all hereafter mentioned Q. Why immediatly after the Preface doth the Priest open and joyn his hands A. Being to renew his Oblation he opens his hands after his wonted manner in such occasion he holds up his hands as now ready to the execution of his Function and then joyning them shews that he is bound to do God's will to whom he lifts up his eyes expecting power and grace from him to perform this Action in hope whereof he layes his hands on the Altar and with confidence and assurance kisses the Altar Q. Why does he make Three Crosses on the Host and Chalice A. The Priest knowing that what he is to do principally depends on the passion of our Saviour makes the sign of the Cross and that Three times in order to him who is Three in one by whose power only the following work of Consecration or Conversion of Bread and Wine is to be made Or as Bishop Steven sayes to declare that the whole mystery of this Sacrifice is to be wrought by the marvellous power of the most holy Trinity St. Chrysostome St. Basil and St. James have the same Ceremonies in their Liturgies But the principal thing we are to attend to is the mystical signification thereof The learned Bishop of Cambray Odon in his exposition of the Canon tells us that the Three Crosses do signifie the Threefold delivery of our Saviour God the Father delivered his only begotten Son to us by the Incarnation Judas delivered the same to the Jews and the Jews delivered him to Pilate to be Crucified Of the First we read Rom. 8. He spared not his only Son but delivered him for us all Of the Second Matt. 26. What will you give me and I will deliver him unto you Of the Third Matt. 27. They delivered him to Ponce Pilate The First was of Grace whence St. Paul sayes Who loved me and delivered himself for me The Second was of Avarice for Judas asketh What they would give him The Third was of Envy as Pilate judged For he knew that for Envy they had delivered him Others will have it to be in memory of the Threefold Crucifying of Christ First In the will of those who persecuted him of whom it is said the chief Priests and Pharisees gathered a Council to put him to death The Second In word and voice when they cryed Crucifie Crucifie him The Third When indeed they Crucified him So that they Crucified Christ in thought word and deed In beholding the Priest making these Crosses we may enter into contemplation of Christ's passion and humbly beg that we may be partakers of its merits to this end we may sign our selves thrice with the sign of the Cross in Testimony that we offer our Souls to God and present our Bodies before him in this action and Sacrifice the whole man to suffer with Christ according to Gods holy will and pleasure Q Is there any thing else in this Prayer A. Yes the Priest prayes that this Sacrifice may be acceptable to God and profitable to his holy Church in general And first for the Peace Union Protection and Direction of Christ's Church for its Peace that in peace we may serve our God for its Union that it may be free from all Schisms that it may be protected against all Heresies and directed by the Holy Ghost Secondly For the Pope whereof we have an example of
the Church praying for St. Peter and it has been the common custome of the Church even from the Apostles time Pope Pelagius 2. affirms it to be manifest that those are separated and divided from the whole World who through dissention do not remember the Apostolical Bishop in the Mystery that is in the Masse according to the received Custome Alcuinus gives this reason for it to wit that the Vnion of Charity and Faith of the members with the visible head of the visible Church may be presented to God Thirdly For the Bishop of the place if there be any for so St. Paul commands us to remember our Prelates Fourthly For all true believers in general and especially for those who labour for the advancement of the Catholick Faith for all Ecclesiastical Orders and Ministers and Preachers of God's Word For all who labour for the Conversion of Souls for all those who out of their liberality and charity do contribute to the maintenance of the Clergy and Mission and principally for the Conversion of our Countrey Q. Does he not pray for the King A. He may and ought to pray for the Emperours Kings Princes or States under whose Dominion he lives So St. Paul bids us to pray for all Men for Kings and all that are in preeminence yea although they be not true Members of the Church for there were no Christian Kings in St. Paul's time St. Chrysostome gives reasons in the First to follow Christ's command pray for them that persecute you Secondly That such Princes may become more favourable to Catholicks Thirdly That God would direct them in their Government that in Peace and Justice they may rule their Subjects Our Saviour commends this manner of praying by the prayer which a little before his passion he made Jesus lifting up his eyes to Heaven said Father glorifie thy Son that thy Son may glorifie thee that is that his passion might take effect for the Redemption of mankind and be made glorious before the whole World which would redound to the glory of God the Father Secondly He prayes for his Apostles and Disciples saying Holy Father keep them in my name that is conserve them in Faith Grace and Concord by thy omnipotent Power and Wisdome that they may be consenting in one Will and Spirit and Union of charity He prayes also that his Father would preserve them from all evil that is from Sin or what might draw to Sin from the Assaults and Temptations of the Devil and from all their Enemies both Spiritual and Temporal Then continuing his Prayer he said Holy Father Sanctifie them in truth that is Sanctifie and make them holy in their Dignity and calling to the Ministery of the Word according to truth and verity Thirdly He said and not only for them do I pray but also or those who by their word shall believe in me that they be all one in the Union of Faith and Charity agreeing in one Church and making one Flock or united as Members of the same Body in Christ Jesus Loe here Christ going to his passion prayes for the whole Church for the Prelates and Pastours thereof and generally for all Believers as here in imitation of Him the Priest does And it is our duty to pray for all here specified for we ought to pray for the Church which uncessantly prayes for us we ought also to pray for our Pastours who are vigilant over us duty requires it at all times and particularly in this palce our holy Mother the Church challenges it We are also to pray for our King according to that of Esdras let us offer Oblations to the God of Heaven and pray for the life of the King and of his Children or that of Baruch pray ye for the life of Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon and for the life of Balthasur his Son that their dayes may be as the dayes of Heaven upon the Earth and that the Lord give us strength and illuminate our eyes that we may live under the shadow of Nabuchadonozor the King of Babylon and under the shadow of Balthasar his Son and may serve them many dayes and may find grace in their sight If the Jews did so devoutly pray for the Kings under whose subjection they then lived by much more reason ought we Christians to pray for the lives of our natural King Queen and their Children or that they may have Children that their lives may be long on the Earth and that God would so inspire them that we may live securely under their shadow and protection serving them according to the duty of Loyal Subjects Thirdly We ought to pray for our Kingdom or Countrey for if the Prophet Jeremy advised the Israelites to seek the peace of the City to which God had transported them and to pray for it to our Lord giving a reason because in the peace thereof there shall be peace to you With more reason we Christians ought to pray for our native Countrey City or place of abode because the peace thereof is our peace their good is our good whence we pray for it in times of Necessity Wars Famine Sickness and such like Lastly We ought to pray for all as true Christians as they pray for us St. James advises us to pray one for another which is here to be done in a more particular manner according to the intention of the Church by vertue of the Communion of Saints St. Ambrose assures us that whilst each particular prayes for all all also pray for every one the benefit which arises thereby is that the prayer of each one acquires the suffrages of all and each one of the whole Catholick Church 3. Of the first Memento Q. What means this Memento A. The Priest having made mention of the general things or Persons and for whom he ought alwayes to pray descends now into particulars and First Prayes for those whose names he specifies Secondly For all who are present at his Masse Thirdly For those who do offer this Sacrifice with him Fourthly For their Friends Fifthly For their Intentions Q. Who be those he specifies A. Ordinarily he specifies by name or intention those for whom in particular he applyes his Masse or those to whom he has a particular Obligation as for his Parents Patrons or such like on whom he has some special dependence or from whom he receives some spiritual benefit or temporal sustenance maintenance or charity which is or ought to be observed by Missioners who for the most part live upon such Charity and Almes Q. Why does he pray for all present A The Church requires this of him as a part of his Function for it is his office to pray for the People for God ordained in the Law that the Priest at the Altar should pray for himself and for the People and therefore here the Priest prayes for all that are present at Masse It was the office of Aaron's Priests to pray for the multitude and by their prayers God was
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
Bread and will invocate the name of our Lord wherein we may note two things the first is of taking the celestial Bread the second of invocating the name of our Lord. Of the first St. Cyprian sayes we call it our Bread because Christ unto whose body we come is our Bread for Christ said I am the Bread of life which descended from Heaven It is true the Psalmist speaking of the Manna sayes Bread of Heaven he gave them Bread of Angels did man eat whence it may well be called celestial Bread because it came from Heaven yet being but a figure and shadow in comparison of this celestial Bread it comes short of such a real and true Denomination For this let us hear Christ's own Argument Our Fathers did eat Manna in the Desart as it is written Bread from Heaven he gave them to eat lo how gloriously they speak of this Manna and indeed standing in the Negative opinion of the reral presence they might glory even over that which is figured thereby taking it in all respects even in the nature of a sign But Christ says Amen Amen I say to you Moses gave you not the Bread from Heaven but my Father gives the true Bread from Heaven and again I am the living Bread that came down from Heaven Where we may note first That Moses who gave Manna was but a meer man and that to the Israelites only But Christ God and Man gives this celestial Bread to the whole World Secondly Manna is said to be from Heaven not properly but as Heaven is taken for the Air but this Bread is truly said to be celestial because it comes from the highest Heavens descending from the Bosome of the Father Thirdly Manna was framed by the Angel at the prayer of Moses But Christ himself did frame this Eucharistical Bread and gave it to us whence Christ sayes that it is true Bread from Heaven or truly celestial and that not only because it comes truly from Heaven but also because it is so by nature and substance Secondly Because it produces celestial or Heavenly effects as grace and life in Jesus Christ Thirdly It brings us to the celestial Kingdom by giving life Everlasting As for the second in saying celestial Bread he incites himself to Devotion reducing to his memory what he is to take and how he is to take it to wit by invocating the name of our Lord that so he may receive it with greater fear and reverence O Lord sayes St. Ambrose with how great contrition and fountain of Tears with how great reverence and fear with how great charity and purity of mind is this Divine and celestial Mystery to be celebrated where thy flesh is in verity received where thy blood is truly drunk and therefore in heart and voice he cryes out I will invocate the name of our Lord for it is he alone that can make me worthy to receive this celestial food Where we may note that to invocate the name of our Lord admits many interpretations for first it may signifie an act of Sacrifice as when Abraham had built an Altar to our Lord he called upon his name and in the Chapter following it is said there he called upon the name of our Lord that is Sacrificed to our Lord. Whence St. Ambrose sayes Where Bethel is that is the house of God there the Altars are where the Altars are there is the invocation of our God Secondly It is taken for Gods true Worship so Enoch began to invocate the name of our Lord that is in a publick manner to Worship God according to this St. Paul sayes whosoever shall invocate the name of our Lord shall be saved where under the title of invocation we may understand profession of the name of our Lord Jesus as also all Worship Thirdly David said We will confess to thee O God we will confess and will invocate thy name we will praise and bless thee O God we will confess to thee with heart mouth and work that so we may confidently invocate thy name which St. Bernardine thus explicates if we invocate with a perfect and devout heart and not with a polluted mouth for true invocation includes true contrition Fourthly This invocation of our Lords name or by our Lords name is the best manner of prayer which also our Saviour commended unto us saying Amen Amen I say to you if you shall ask the Father any thing in my name he will give it to you wherein as St. Chrysostome notes Christ did shew the vertue and power of his name for being only named invocated he doth wonderful things with the Father The name of Christ invocated is a great security or assurance of obtaining what we pray for Lastly This invocation of the name of our Lord proceeds from a firm hope and confidence in Gods mercy and goodness for as Solomon sayes The name of our Lord is a most strong Tower the just run into it and shall be exalted The name of our Lord is a refuge to all the only hope of sinners is to invocate his name whence the Prophet Esay cryes out Thy name O Lord and thy memorial are in the desires of the Soul I will alwayes invocate thy name and the whole desires of my Soul is that thy name may be invocated by all and that it may be a memorial of thy goodness to all that I with them may alwayes have in memory the glory of thy name Briefly in saying these words I will invocate the name of our Lord then consequently to the whole action of the Masse the Priest offers the celestial Bread to God the Father by invocating his name that this his Sacrifice which he is now to consummate may be acceptable to his Divine Majesty which in all sumbissive manner as he has exteriourly adored so interiourly in heart and affection he adores and worships what he is to receive and in a few words expresses the interiour Devotion of his Soul and the vehement desire which he hath that what he does therein may be to the glory of God which he principally intends in this Sacrifice and in spirit and desire his Soul lancheth forth to praise and glorifie the holy name of God who has vouchsafed to give him this celestial Bread this food of Angels the very Body and blood of Christ Jesus In the mean time whilst we seeing the Priest going to take the Holy Host we may make our prayers that God would accept of the Sacrifice which the Priest now is to conclude and if we are to communicate we may beg the same grace which the Priest now receives and here with the advice of the Prophet Esay Seek our Lord whilst he may be found and invocate him whilst he is near to us we need not go far to seek him for he is come to us and hath made himself susceptible by us in the most loving way imaginable For he is become our food our celestial Bread here on Earth we can never have