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
who are present at Masse 3. According to some of our Doctors this psalme is sayed of all the quyre together that the spirits and mindes of all that are present may be awakened thereby and that hearing the noyse and sounde of the voices they may vnderstand when the Priest first entereth in to the Altar of God like as in the oulde testament the noyse and sound of the Belles made knowne the entrie of the highe Prieste into the sanctuarie of our Lord. And now to explicate the wordes them selues Introibo I will enter in Amongst the manifoulde secrets and mysteries of this one sacred word firste behould how aptlie it agreeth with the former ceremonie of the Priests descending the which was a litle before applied to the fall of man and to the expulsion both of him and of all his posteritie out of paradise To make the same more manifest vnto you take an example of some great and noble person who for some hainous fact hauing iustly incurred the displeasure of his Prince is depriued of his honors banished his court excluded from his presence and from the companie and societie of all his Nobles how would not such an one deplore his fall and labour to be restored into his princes fauour Now to applie the same to our present purpose This Prince is almighty God the Noble person who hath offended is man the offence was the breach and transgression of his creators commandement the honor he was depriued of was the state of innocencie the court he was banished frō was the kingdome of heauen and the companie of nobles was the societie of Angells Now then euen as the banished man desireth nothing more then to enter in to the gates and portes of his Prince from which he is exiled so likewise we lamenting nothing more thē the daylie memorie of this our exile often expresse our feruent desires in these wordes of the holie prophet saying Introibo I will enter in to wit in to the portes and court of my God from which I am exiled because of my sinne Ad Altare To the Altar After the time that man had transgressed the law of God the first meanes that was practised to appease his wrath was to errect Altars vnto him and to offer theron sacrifice for sinne And God him selfe did afterwardes ordaine that a man hauinge deserued to die for inuoluntarie murther fliyng to an altar and layinge houlde thereon his life shoulde be safe And sith we all daylie sinne and consequentlie deserue to die therfore doe we daylie flie to this altar to craue pardon of God and to recouer the life of grace which we haue lost by our sinne And it is caled Altare ab Alta ara that is to say height or Altitude signifing that a man comminge to present him selfe at the same ought wholy to fixe his minde vppon highe diuine and heauenlie thinges Dei Of God He saieth of God not of Gods to exclude all pluralitie of Gods And further to shewe that as God him selfe is onlie one so the religion and worship where with he is to be serued ought to be but one Secondlie it is called the altar of God because the Sonne of God euer since the begining of the world hath bin offered vp in sacrifice vnto his Father vpon the same In the olde law figuratiuelie vpon the crosse corporallie and in the new law incruentallie Ad Deum To God Trulie wonderfull is the mysterie which seemeth to me to lye hid in this word A litle before the holie prophet sayd that he would enter in to the Altar of God but here he sayth that he will enter in vnto God himselfe clearelie as it were foreshewing by the spirit of prophecie the assured and vndouted presence of Iesus-Christ vpon the Altar of Christians Which thing is trulie verified in the daylie sacrifice of euerie priest who first entring in to the Altar of God doth foorth with enter euen to God him selfe seeinge Christ by vertu of Consecration is trulie reallie present in this sacrifice Qui laetificat iuuentutem meam Who maketh ioyful my youth After the former consideration of sorrow for mans fall mētion is foorthwith made of mirthe and ioye By ioifulnes therfore in this place may be vnderstood the wonderful ioy of our distressed parēts in that merciful promise of almightie God promising euen then when with trembling feare they attended none other but the dreadful sentence of euerlasting damnation that the seede of the woman should bruse the head of the serpent then which neuer could anie woordes bringe greater ioy to the hart of man Iudica me Deus Iudge me o God This shoulde seeme at the fiirst to be a verie fearfull demand and full of danger to aske that God should iudge vs but S. Aug. cleareth the difficultie saying I feare not his iudgments because I knowe his mercie And this our present prophet beinge put to his choise whether for the punishment of his sinne he woulde fall into the handes of God or of men chose rather to fall into the handes of God knowinge that Gods iudgements are alwayes mingled with mercy wher◠as mans iudgments are often executed without any maner of pittie or mercie Et discerne And discerne That is put a difference betwixte him who beleeueth in thee and betwixt him who beleeueth not in thee as Saint Aug. expoundeth it Betwixt him who offereth no other sacrifice to honor thee but the verie same which was ordained by thee and him who offereth a straunge sacrifice both forbiden by thee and to others besides thee Causam meam My cause And rightly is this Sacrifice called our cause First because we onlie honor professe and defend it against all sortes of enimies that doe impugne it Secondlie because it contayneth him who hath vndertaken our cause As the same Prophet testifieth saying Dominus meus in causam meam Psal 34.26 Thirdlie because it contayneth him who is the chiefe and onlie cause of all our good of all our hope and of all our health as infinit places of holie Scripture doe clearlie testifie De gente non sancta From a people not holie Frō three sorts of people the prophet prayeth to be discerned deliuered First from all Infidels or vnbeleeuers because they are destitut of holy Faith of holy Sacrifice of holie Sacraments yea and of all holy thinges and holines and consequētlie both denye God and are denied of God which people the prophet describing saith The foole hath said in his hart there is no God Sed der debit eos Deus But God shall make fooles of them Ab homine iniquo From the wicked man Secondlie from the wicked man By the wicked man may be vnderstood the euil or wicked Christian who is not destitute of the light of faith as the Infidel is but of the lighte of good life and other vertues which ought to shine in a true beleeuer where as this sort of men confesse God in woordes but denie him in workes
prayeth for thē in the same maner that they had before prayed for him and then he pronounceth the absolution following which being deuoutlie receiued of them is not a litle availeable vnto them Of the prayer following the Confiteor commonly called the Absolution THis absolution was instituted to shew that the priest is speciallie ordained of God to make intercession for the sinnes of the people And as the Confession going before was called generall so this absolution following is also general Which the priest giueth onlie by way of prayer and not as in a Sacrament as that of Ego te absoluo and extendeth it selfe no further but to the takinge away of veniall sinnes VVhy the signe of the Crosse is ioyned with the Absolution The signe of the Crosse is ioyned with this Absolution which being made from the head to the heart and from the left shoulder to the right may signifie the three wayes how we offend almightie God to wit by thoughte word and work but doth chiefly shew that all forgiuenesse of sinne proceedeth from the passion of our B. Sauiour Indulgentiam absolutionem remissionem Pardon absolution and remission Pardon of our euil thoughtes absolution of our euil wordes and remission of our euil deedes Pardon of our sinnes of frailtie absolution of our sinnes of malice and remission of our sinnes of ignorance Omnium peccatorum nostrorum Of all our sinnes Against God against our neighbour or against our selues Of all our sinnes against the diuine or eternall law against the law of nature or the law of spirituall and temporall superiors Finallie of all our sinnes whatsoeuer past present or to come Tribuat nobis omnipotens misericors Dominus Our omnipotent and merciful Lord giue vnto vs. To vs that humblie acknowledg our sinnes before him To vs that hartilie cal vpon him To vs that stedfastlie trust in him To vs present and to all his faithfull people where soeuer absent Deus tu conuersus O God thou being conuerted That is pacified or reconciled from anger to pittie from indignation to compassion from iustice to mercie from punishment to pardon Or conuerted to wit to man from whom thou hast being iustlie auerted Viuificabis nos Shalt quicken vs. That is shalt reuiue and giue life to that nature substance of ours which is dead by sinne which of it selfe cannot reuiue it selfe vnles he who did first giue it life when it had none doe now againe restore it being lost Et plebs tua laetabitur in te And thy people shal reioyce in thee This conuerting this viuifying ô what wonderfull ioy will it bring to all thy people What canticles and songes of prayses will it cause to all thy seruants Thy blessed mother will singe Magnificat Zacharias Benedictus the Angells Gloria in excelsis ould Simeon Nunc dimittis all thy people Laudate Dominum omnes gentes And therfore Ostende nobis Domine misericordiam tuam Shew ô Lord thy mercie vnto vs. As if he should say thou hast shewed vs thy almighty power in creating all thinges of nothing Thou hast shewed vs thy wisdome in maruelouslie gouerning the thinges created Thou hast shewed vs thy iustice in the punishment of sinne both of men and Angels Shew now therfore vnto vs thy mercie by the Incarnation of thy Sonne for our saluation Et salutare tuum da nobis And giue thy sauing health vnto vs. For bestowing this singular pledge of thy loue vpon vs what is it that thou mayest ether keepe from vs or canst denie vs Domine exaudi orationem meam O Lord heare my prayer To wit to shew this thy mercie and to giue this thy sauing health vnto vs which is thy Sonne our Sauiour this is the prayer which I make vnto thee this is the prayer which I desire thou wilt receiue of me Et clamor meus ad te veniat And let my crie come vnto thee To wit 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 prayer which I make vnto thee with acclamations clamors and cryes of my soule the feruour of my affection breaking forth into cries vnto thy maiestie Dominus vobiscum Our Lord be with you VVhere note that this salutation is seauen sundrie times rehearced in the holie Masse 1. Before the first Oremus which is this 2. Before the first Collects 3. Before the reading of the gospell 4. After the Creede or if the Creede be omitted before the offertorie 5. Before the Preface 6. Before the kissing of the Pax. 7. Before the last Collects to signifie as some of our deuout interpreters say the seauen-fould gifte of the holie Ghost VVhich verie wordes with those which followe S. Paul himselfe vsed to Timothie saying Dominus Iesus Christus sit cum spiritu tuo Our Lord Iesus-Christ be with thy spirit 2. Tim. vlt. How the wordes Dominus vobiscum are wordes of admonition And they may here be likewise vnderstood as woordes of admonition vsed by the Priest to the people As if he should say See that our Lorde be with you How they are wordes of consolation They may also be taken for wordes of consolation as if he should say vnto them Our Lord dwelleth in you giuing effect to your demandes that with the help of his grace and by perseuerance in the same you may attaine at the last to the happie reward of euerlasting life Et cum spiritu tuo And with thy spirit It standeth with great reason that the people should likewise pray for him and wish that our Lord be with his spirit who is their speaker and embassador in so important and weightie affaire which embassage they knowe he cannot rightlie perform if his minde be otherwise distracted and be not speciallie asisted by the grace of God And for this cause doe they often pray that our Lord may be and remayne with his spirit Oremus Let vs pray Not without great reason is it that before the priest ascend to the Altar he admonisheth the people to pray saying Oremus Let vs pray to signifie vnto vs that the prayers which he is to offer vnto God in our behalfes will be litle auaileable vnto vs vnlesse we conioyne both our hartes and our prayers together with his And that as he ascendeth in bodie to the Altar so we doe likewise ascend with him in minde to the same And therfore he sayeth it before he ascend to declare that before we pray we ought first to prepare dispose our mindes there vnto as the holie scripture admonisheth vs saying Coming to prayer prepare thy selfe and be not as one that tempteth God Of the priests ascending to the Altar AS before we sayed that by the descending of the priest from the Altar was vnderstood the fall of man and the losse of Gods fauour for his transgression euen so by his ascending at this present may be vnderstood the accomplishment of the promise of our Lord for his restoring saluation according to that of the Apostle saying When the fulnes of time came God sent his Sonne
Qui tecum viuit regnat in vnitate Spiritus Sancte Deus c. Who liueth and raigneth with thee in the vnitie of the Holy Ghost God c. In which wordes the Priest admonisheth the people to beleue that the Sonne of God liueth and raigneth for euer without begining or ending and is of the same substance and equall power together with the Father and the Holye Ghost Of the word Amen and of sundrie thinges to be considered in the same THis word Amen is verie commonlie to be read and seene in sundry places of holie Scripture as Deut. 27. Cursed is he which abideth not in the wordes of this lawe nor dooth them in worke and all the people shall say Amen Also in Tobias when Gabelus had sayed the benediction all answered Amen How Amen sig truth or veritie Somtimes it signifieth the truth or veritie of a thinge so Christ answering in the gospel sayed Amen Amen that is veritatem dico vobis I say the truth vnto you Wherfore when the priest concludeth the Collects saying VVho liueth and raigneth with thee God world without end the people to declare that they doe trulie and firmlie beleeue the same answere Amen As if they should say we doe trulie stedfastlie and verilie beleeue euen as thou sayest of the Sonne of God VVhat is vsuallie sig by Amen But the most common and vsuall signification thereof in all the petitions of the Masse is that what the priest hath faithfullie demanded of almightie God we hope vndoutedly shall be giuen vnto vs and be truly accomplished in effect VVhy Amen is rehearced by the people And sith in those thinges which appertaine to God the people haue the Priest as theire ambassador or speaker therfore in the end of all his prayers they giue their consent to his demandes saying Amen And for this cause it is that all the prayers which are made by the Priest although somtimes some of them be recited in priuat and silence yet are they cōcluded openlye and in the hearing of all the assistants Amen one of the names of almighty God Finally for the greater honor of this most holye and sacred woorde S. Iohn affirmeth that it is one of the names of almightie God saying Thus saith Amen the faithfull and true witnesse Apoc 3. 14. And so highlye dooth S. Aug honor the same that he saith it is not lawfull to translate it into any other language Tract 41. in Ioan. Of the Epistle And first of the etymologie and signification of the word First the word Epistle is a woord borrowed of the Greeke woord Epistellin which signifieth to send betwixt as epistles or letters which are a speech of one present to one that is absent Such was the epistle of S. Paul 1. Thes 5 27. Wherin he saith I adiure you by our Lord that this Epistle be read to all the holy bretheren The reading of the Epistle representeth the reading of our Sauiour in the sinagogue He which readeth the Epistle standing vpright pronounceth the same the booke being open Because according to the Euangelist S. Luc. 4.16 Iesus came to Nazareth where he was brought vp and he entred according to his custome on the Saboth daye into the sinagogue and he rose vp to read and the booke of Esay the prophet was deliuered vnto him And as he vnfoulded the booke he found the place where it was written The spirit of our Lord vpon me for which he anoynted me to euangelise vnto the poore he sent me c. Esay 61. And when he had foulded the booke he rendred it to the minister VVhy the Epistle is read next after the Collect or prayer The Epistle is presently read after the Collect of prayer To giue vs to vnderstande that without humble prayer first made vnto almighty God neuer can we reade any thing to the profit or benifit of our soules VVhy only the Scripture is read in the time of Masse Neuer hath the Church permitted that the liues of any Saintes nor the tractes of anie Doctors how learned or holye soeuer they were be read in the office of the Masse but only the most holy Scriptures them selues ether of the Law of the Prophets of the Euangelsts or of the writinges or Epistles of the B. Apostles to signifie that this holy Sacrifice dooth represent vnto vs the life of the Saint of all Saintes our sole redeemer and Sauiour Iesus VVhy none of the ould Testament is read vpon Sundayes Neuer also vpon Sundayes is reade in the Masse any parte of the ould Testament but only of the new to signifie that we are now vnder the law of grace the which after the resurrection of our Lorde mysticallie represented by the Sunday was publiquelie preached thoroughout the world As also to condemne heereby the error of the Iewes who maintaine that the law of Moyses should remaine for euer VVhy the Epistle is alwayes read on the right hand of the Altar The Epistle is alwayes read on the righte side of the Altar to signifie as often hath already bin said that our Sauiour came first to the people of the Iewes who were said to be on the right hand According to that of the Apostle saying To you it behoued first to preach the gospel of the kingdom Actes 13.46 VVhy the Epistle is read before the Gospel And it is read before the Gospel to declare that all the predictions of the Prophets did only tend to this to guide and leade men to the true light and vnderstanding of the gospell of Christ As also to signifie the office of S. Iohn Baptist who went before the face of our Lord to prepare his wayes as himself testifieth saying I am the voice of a criar in the wildernes prepare the way of our Lord. Mat. 3. And the Apostles likewise were sent before our Sauiour into euery towne and cittie where him selfe was to goe VVhy the people sit at the reading of the Epistle All the people are permitted to sit at the reading of the Epistle to signifie the imperfection of the ould law and the greate difference betwixt it and the dignitie of the new And further to declare that we reserue our greatest and chiefest reuerence for the reading of the gospell The different voices vsed in pronouncing the ould new testament But this is much more liuely expressed in a high Masse by the difference of voices which is vsed in pronouncing the oulde and new Testament for the one is pronounced with a heauie and lowe voice but the other with a cheerefull and highe voice Which is done to signifie the different estate of the Church vnder the two Testaments For vnder the oulde she was in seruitude and bondage vnderstood by the low and heauie voice but vnder the new in freedome and libertie vnderstood by the cheerefull and high voice VVhy the Subdeacon kisseth the Priests hand After the Epistle is read if it be in a highe Masse the Subdeacon presenteth the book to the Priest closed who putteth
his hande thereon and then the Subdeacon kisseth the same to signify that only Christ according to S. Iohn was the Lambe who could open the seales of that booke wherin both Christ him selfe and his sacred mysteries were inclosed Deo gratias Lastlie the Epistle being read answere is made saing Deo gratias Thankes be to God By which few wordes are fullie signified the consent gratitude thanksgiuing of al the people The reading of the Epistle in the holy Masse hath no lesse antiquitie then from the Apostles them selues as appeareth out of Clemens Iustinus Tertullianus and Dionisius Areopagita all whom Durantus l. 2. de Rit ecles Cath. c. 18. and Ozorius Instit Moral l. 10. p. 1636. doe produce for proofe of this point Of the Graduall or Responce and of sundrie mysteries and reasons concerning the same The 1. Reason COncerning the Graduall it is first to be noted that the verie worde it selfe is not without some speciall mysterie signifying steppes or degrees to wit of perfection according to the doctrin of our Sauiour saying Be yee perfect as your Father which is in heauen is perfect As also to signifie that the end of the doctrin of the Apostles or prophets wherunto we haue hearkned a litle before is to leade vs by litle and litle to perfectiō that we ascending frō vertue to vertue as the kingly prophet saith psl 38. May see thee God of gods in Sion The 2. Reason This Graduall doth yet further signifie manie other notable mysteries As for example in a highe Masse it is alwayes songe with a graue and heauie voice to signifie the great paine and difficultie there is in ascending from vertu to vertu and in aduancing our selues in a spirituall life according to the saying of our B. Sauiour The spirit is willing but the flesh is weake Mat. 26 41. The 3. Reason Mysticallie also the Graduall may be referred to the vocation of the Apostles whom our Sauiour calling and saying Venite post me Come after me They forsaking all that they had did foorth with follow and walke after their Lord the disciples after their master the children after their most louing Father as saith Innoc. 3. This Graduall did S. Iohn Baptist first sing when standing with two of his disciples and seeing Iesus walking he sayed Ecce agnus Dei ecce qui tollit peccata mundi Iohn 1. This Graduall did S. Andrew sing when finding his brother Simon he sayed Inuenimus Messiam c. We haue found the Messias which is interpreted Christ and he brought him vnto Iesus Ioh. This Gradual did S. Phillip sing when he found Nathaniell and sayed vnto him Quem Moyses c. Whom Moises wrote of in the law and the prophets we haue found Iesus the Sonne of Ioseph of Nazareth come and see The 4. Reason This Gradual is also called by the name of a Responce because that it hath correspondence to the Epistle As for exāple if the Epistle contayne matter of ioy the Responce or Graduall doth likewise signify ioy If matter of sorrowe it also is conformable according to that of the Apostle Rom. 12. Gaudete cum gaudentibus flete cum flentibus Reioyce with them that be merrie and weepe with them that weepe Rom 12. The 5. Reason Innocentius 3. and some others doe call the Responce Lamentum penitentiae the song of penance or lamentation Adding further that it should be song with a dolefull and lamentable voice to signifie the effect of the preaching of S. Iohn For euen as by the Epistle is represented the preaching doctrin of S. Iohn Baptist euen so this song of lamentation signifieth that S. Iohn preached no other thinge then pennance saying Penitentiam agite c. Doe pennance for the kingdom of heauen is at hand Mat. 3. The 6. Reason To conclude this Graduall or Responce is nothing else but a briefe spirituall song composed of two or three verses at the most commonly taken out of the psalmes of Dauid As for example that of the 17. Sunday after Trinitie sunday is composed of two litle verses taken out of the 32 psalme Beata est gens cutus est dominus Deus eorum c. Blessed is the people who haue our Lord for their God blessed is the people whom our Lord hath chosen for his inheritance The heauens haue bene established by the word of our Lord and all the power of them by the breath of his mouth Psal 32. Of the Graduall Prose Tract c. Walfridus l. de reb eccl c. 22. Rupertus l. 1. de diuin offic c. 34. Radulphus de Can. obser prop. 12. Rabanus l. 2. de instit Cler. c. 15. Isid l 6. Ety c. 19. l. 1. de ecles offic c. 18. and others do make both ample and euident testimonie Of the Alleluia and of the sundrie mysteries and reasons concerning the same The 1. Reason THe Alleluia is imediately songe after the Gradual to wit the sounge of ioy and of mirthe after the songe of penaunce and mourning to expresse thereby the great cōsolation which is layd vp for those which lament and mourne in this life Accordinge to the saying of our Sauiour Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted Mat. 5. The 2. Reason This worde Alleluia hath a double signification the one litteral and common to all the other mysticall and proper to deuines First therfore to vnderstand what it signifieth literallie we must knowe that Alleluia is composed of two Hebrue wordes Allelu which signifieth in Latin Laudate in English praise yee and of Iah which is one of the ten Hebrue names belonging to God and signifieth in Latin Dominum Lord. So that the whole worde is as much to say as prayse yee our Lorde The 3. Reason The mysticall or spirituall sence therof is diuers According to some Alleluia soundeth as much as spirituall or endles ioy and so in this sence is as much as if the priest should crye vnto the people with these wordes spiritual ioy spiritual ioy Or if we apply it to the latter worde to wit Endles or perpetual then it signifieth as much as if he should encourage them with these wordes Endles ioy perpetual ioy The 4. Reason According to some others it may be referred to the ioy of those which reioyced in the glorious miracles of Christ our Lord for then did all the people in ioyfull wise singe foorth this Alleluya when seeing these miracles they all gaue glorie to almightie God and reioyced in those thinges which were most gloriouslie and most miraculouslie done by him saying Quia vidimus mirabilia hodie Luc. 5.26 For we haue seene maruelous thinges to day As also when the seauentie two retourned with ioy saying Lord the diuels also are subiect to vs in thy name Luc. 10.17 The 5. Reason That this Alleluia is sometimes twice repeated is to signifie a double ioy of the blessed Saintes one of their spirit another of their flesh one of their soules another of their bodies
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