gives God thanks for the benefits he has received by this Communion in this Antiphon which is called Communion The COMMUNION taken out of the 26th Chapter of St. Matthew Wherein the Church teaches us that Jesus Christ for the love of us would take upon himself our infirmities and frailties and fulfil all things requisite for our salvation according to the will of his Father with excellent order conduct and wisdom to teach us that we ought patiently to suffer for his sake renouncing our own wills and resigning our selves entirely unto God FAther if this Cup cannot pass but that I must drink it thy will be done The POST-COMMUNION The Faithful beseech God's grace that being healed of their sins and having our Lord Jesus Christ in their hearts by virtue of this Holy Sacrifice the representation of his Passion and Death they may have no other will but his that so doing all things agreeable they may thereby work their salvation GRant O Lord by the operation of this Mystery that we may be cleansed from our sins and obtain an accomplishment of our just desires Through our Lord c. Mass being ended the Priest turns towards the Faithful and exhorting them not to make themselves unworthy of God's assistance says Our Lord be with you They answer And with thy Spirit Mass being ended Ita missa est that is You may depart is not said but Benedicamus Domino that is Let us bless our Lord as in all Masses where Gloria in excelsis is not said whereby to admonish the Faithful that these are days of pennance on which 't was the custom formerly to continue in the Church at Prayers some time after Mass Let us bless our Lord. The Faithful answer Thanks be to God The Priest bowing in the midst of the Altar says ACcept O Holy Trinity this Oblation of my servitude and grant that though this Sacrifice be presented thy Divine Majesty by my unworthy hands yet that through thy mercy it may be acceptable to thee and propitiatory for me and all other for whom I have offered it Through Christ our Lord. Then kissing the Altar to receive God's blessing he gives it to the People saying Almighty God Father Son and Holy Ghost bless you Amen Mass being ended the Priest admonishes the Faithful to keep the Union they have with Jesus Christ Our Lord be with you And with thy Spirit Then the Priest reads Saint John's Gospel which relates of the Birth of the Word and the highest Mysteries of Divinity to teach us that the end of this Holy Mystery is to make us happy for all Eternity by a visible participation of the Divinity which Christ communicates under Vells unto us in this life having taken upon him our humanity in his Incarnation and covering himself under the Species of Bread and Wine in this adorable Sacrament to accommodate himself to the weakness of our Mortality The beginning of the Holy Gospel according to St. John The People answer Glory be to thee O Lord. IN the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God was the Word This was in the beginning with God All things were made by him and without him was made nothing which was made In him was life and the life was the light of men and the light shined in darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it There was a man sent from God whose name was John This man came for testimony to give testimony of the light It was the true light which lightneth every man that cometh into this world He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not He came into his own and his own received him not because as many as received him he gave them power to be made the sons of God to those that believe in his Name who not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God are born And the Word was made flesh and dwelt in us and we saw the glory as it were of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and verity The Faithful give God thanks beseeching him not to suffer them to be so unhappy as in their persons to prevent this end of this Divine Sacrifice R. Thanks be to God Saint John's Gospel is always said at the end of Mass unless a double Feast fall upon a Sunday or a Feria which hath a proper Gospel which then is read instead of St. John's Gospel except on the Fourth Sunday in Advent in case it fall on Christmass-Eve On the third Mass upon Christmass-day the Gospel for Twelfth-day is read At private Masses on Palm-Sunday the Gospel for the Blessing of Palms is read and all the Lent no Gospel proper of the Vigils are used THE MASS FOR MUNDAY IN Holy Week The Station to St. Praxede Church To teach us by the example of St. Praxede that those who employ themselves in burying of Christ's members and in other works of Piety shall partake of the Merits of Mary Magdalene commended in this day's Gospel for her provident burial of our Saviour in anointing him with precious Persumes The INTROIT taken out of the 34th Psalm Whereby the Church represents unto us the Prayer which Jesus Christ offered up to God the Father when he suffered death for the salvation of Mankind wherein he begs that his Persecutors should not triumph over his death but that when they should think themselves victorious in that they were able to put him to death he would discover their weakness unto them and manifest his power in restoring him to that life wherein we shall have a share JUdge O Lord them that hurt me overthrow them that impugn me take Armour and Shield and rise up to help me O Lord who art the strength of my salvation PSALM XXXIV BRing forth the sword and shut up against them that persecute me Say to my soul I am thy salvation Judge O Lord c. KYRIE ELEISON c. as before pag. 36. The Faithful considering that Jesus Christ by his sufferings hath passed to life beseech God by the Merits of his Son's Passion that they may participate in his life and salvation COLLECT ALmighty God who knowest us unable to subsist through our own infirmity among so many evils grant that we may respire by the Merits of thy Son's Passion Who liveth and reigneth one God in the unity of the Holy Ghost for ever and ever Amen Against the Persecutors of the Church WE beseech thee O Lord admit being appeased the Prayers of thy Church that all Adversities and Errors being destroyed it may serve thee in secure liberty Through our Lord c. For the Pope O God the Pastor and Governour of all Faithful thou being merciful favourably respect thy Servant N. whom thou hast raised to the dignity of Chief Pastor of thy Church Grant him we beseech thee in Word and Example to profit those whom he hath charge over to the
with thy spirit Let us Pray The Church begs of God the wholsom effect of the Passion and Resurrection of his Son Jesus Christ POur forth upon us O Lord the Spirit of thy Charity that those who are satiated with thy Paschal Sacraments through thy goodness may have but one heart and one will Through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen The Priest coming to the end of the Mass turns to the Faithful exhorting them not to render themselves unworthy of Gods Assistance saying Our Lord be with you The Faithful answer wishing him the like R. And with thy spirit Then the Priest tells the People that Mass being ended they may retire saying You may withdraw Mass is ended Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia The Faithful answer Thanks be to God Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia All the rest as before pag. 80 81 82. At EVEN-SONG Pater noster c. Ave Maria c. Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia The Antiphon as before pag. 304. out of the 28th Chapter of St. Matthew The Canticle of the blessed Virgin out of the 2d Chapter of St. Luke As also the Antiphon in the end of the Sabbath c. Our Lord be with you R. And with thy spirit Let us Pray Spiritum nobis Domine c. as before p. 305. Our Lord be with you R. And with thy spirit Let us bless our Lord. Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia Thanks be to God Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia Pray for the Writer UPON THE SUNDAY OF THE RESURRECTION OF OUR Lord Jesus Christ AT PRIME Pater noster c. Ave Maria Credo c. INcline unto my aid O God R. O Lord make hast to help me Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning be now and ever world without end Amen Alleluia Deus in Nomine tuo as before 132. Beati immaculi c. as before 133. Retribue te as before 135. Then the following Antiphon is said This is the day which our Lord hath made let us rejoyce and be glad in it Our Lord be with you R. And with thy spirit Let us Pray O Lord God Almighty who hath caused us to come to the beginning of this day save us this day by thy power to the end that this day we fall into no sin but that our words may ever proceed and our thoughts and works may be directed to execute thy justice Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost world without end Amen Our Lord be with you R. And with thy spirit R. Let us bless our Lord. R. Thanks be to God In the Cathedrals and Collegiate Churches the Martyrology is read and then the Priest says V. Precious in the sight of our Lord. R. Is the death of his Saints The blessed Virgin Mary and all Saints make intercssion for us to our Lord that we may obtain to be assisted and saved by him who liveth and reigneth for ever and ever Amen V. Incline unto my aid O God R. O Lord make hast to help me Which is repeated three times and then is said Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost c. V. Lord have mercy on us R. Christ have mercy on us Lord have mercy on us V. Pater noster c. In a low voice until V. And lead us not into tempation R. But deliver us from evil V. O Lord look upon thy servants and upon thy works and guide their children R. And let the splendour of the Lord our God shine upon us and direct the works of our hands upon us and direct the work of our hands Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost c. Let us Pray VOuchsafe O Lord God King of Heaven and Earth this day to direct and sanctifie rule and govern our hearts and bodies our senses speeches and deeds in thy Law and in the works of thy Commandments that here and ever we may deserve to be safe and free by thy assistance O Saviour of the world Who livest and reignest world without end Amen V. Vouchsafe Father to bless R. Almighty God dispose our days and actions in thy holy peace This short Lesson is taken out of the Third Chapter of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Colossians IF then ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sits on the right hand of God set your affections on things above not in things on earth But O Lord have mercy on us R. Thanks be to God V. Our help is in the Name of our Lord. R. Who made Heaven and Earth V. God bless us R. God bless us The BENEDICTION O Lord bless and defend us from all evil and bring us to Life Everlasting and make the Souls of the Faithful departed rest in peace At the Third Hour Pater noster c. Ave Maria c. Deus in adjutorium as before pag. 348. Alleluia Legem pone c. as before pag. 136. Memor esto c. as before p. 138. Bonitatem fecisti c. as before p. 140. Then this following Antiphon is said Ant. This day which our Lord hath made let us rejoyce and be glad in it V. Our Lord be with you R. And with thy spirit Let us Pray O God who this day opened unto us by thy only begotten Son the entrance to Eternity through his victory over death vouchsafe by thy mercy to grant those Petitions which thy prevenient grace inspires Through the same our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son who with thee livest and reignest in the unity of the Holy Ghost one God world without end Amen At sprinkling Holy Water As formerly the Church was accustomed to Baptize the Catechumens upon the Eves of Easter and Whit-Sunday The Priest being to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar on Easter-day and Whit-Sunday did consider them ready to approach the Altar pure and holy all their sins being effaced by the Sacrament of Baptism And therefore he besprinkleth them with Water out of the Font as hath been said to admonish them to be careful to preserve themselves in that Innocence which they received by Baptism and to teach them that they have been entirely purified from all their sins which is not to be doubted with failing in our Faith The Ant. Asperges me is not said nor the Psalm Miserere which signifie the sins wherewith we are defiled and from which we ought to be cleared But instead of Asperges me he says the following Ant. Vidi Aquam which represents the Excellency of the Waters of Baptism which Jesus Christ instituted to wash away the sins of Men by vertue of the Bloud which he shed and this was signified to us by the Water which issued with Bloud from his side which he called his Temple in the 2d Chapter of St. John and was figured in the 38th and 47th Chapters of the Prophet Ezechiel I Saw waters issuing forth of
sleep and rest Because thou Lord hast singularly setled me in hope Glory be to the Father c. PSALM 30. This Psalm represents unto us how we ought to put all our Trust and Confidence in God's Justice and not in our own and that we must acknowledge we can neither be just or merit any thing of our selves or have any hope but through Gods holy Grace who hath given it unto us through the Merits of our Redeemer which also he hath declared to us by his Example And in this Confidence we must commit our Soul into the hands of God IN thee O Lord have I hoped let me not be confounded for ever in thy justice deliver me Incline thine ear to me make haste to deliver me Be unto me for a God protector and for a house of refuge that thou mayst save me Because thou art my strength and my refuge and for thy name thou wilt conduct me and wilt nourish me Thou wilt bring me out of the snare which they have hid for me because thou art my protector Into thy hands I commend my spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Glory be to the Father c. PSALM 90. or 91. This Psalm represents unto us the Temptations Dangers and Evils whereto we are subject in this Life whereof the least are compared to the Fear that surprises in the Night and to the Arrows flying in the Day And the most outragious and hazardous resemble those Enterprises which are undertaken in Darkness and in open invasion and in the Mid-day Devil Or they are like the infectious Air which spreads it self in darkness and like the Plague which rages at Mid-day We are environed with wicked Spirits which the Scripture terms fierce and venemous Beasts to represent unto us the several Employments they maliciously exercise over Men. By the Aspick who with all his force presses one of his Ears against the Ground and stops his other with his Tail to hinder his hearing the Enchantments of the Hunters she signifies such as are obstinate persisting in Evil and in the Love of earthly things By the Basilisk who carries his Venom in his Eyes is signified Envy and Vain-glory. By the Lion whose Roaring terrifies the other Beasts is signified Menaces and Persecutions By the Dragon who kills whatever he toucheth with his burning Breath is signified Anger Then the Royal Prophet shews us in this Psalm that in the Perils and Dangers we find our selves we must ever stand upon our guard God being ever ready and his Angels to protect and conduct us But to be worthy his Protection 't is necessary we confide wholly in him and give unto his Name the whole Glory of our Salvation HE that dwelleth in the help of the Highest shall abide in the protection of the God of heaven He shall say to our Lord Thou art my Protector and my refuge my God I will hope in him Because he hath delivered me from the snare of the hunters and from the sharp word With his shoulders shall he overshadow thee and under his wings thou shalt hope With shield shall his truth compass thee thou shalt not be afraid of the fear in the night Of the Arrow flying in the day of business walking in darkness of invasion and the mid-day devil A thousand shall fall on thy side and ten thousand on thy right hand but to thee it shall not approach But thou shalt consider with thine eyes and shalt see the retribution of sinners Because thou O Lord art my hope thou hast made the Highest thy refuge There shall no evil come to thee and scourge shall not approach to thy tabernacle Because he hath given his Angels charge of thee that they keep thee in all thy ways In their hands they shall bear thee lest perhaps thou knock thy foot against a stone Upon the Asp and the Basilisk thou shalt walk and thou shalt tread upon the Lion and the Dragon Because he hath hoped in me I will deliver him I will protect him because he hath known my name He shall cry to me and I will hear him with him I am in tribulation I will deliver him and I will glorifie him With length of days I will replenish him and I will shew him my salvation Glory be to the Father c. PSALM 132. or 133. The Psalmist exhorts the Clergy to sing Praises to God whilst the People are asleep BEhold now bless our Lord all ye servants of our Lord. Which stand in the house of our Lord in the courts of the house of our God In the nights lift up your hands unto the holy places and bless ye our Lord. Our Lord out of Sion bless thee who made Heaven and earth Glory be to the Father c. Ant. Have mercy on me O Lord and hear my Prayer The HYMN for EVENING BEfore the closing of the Day Creator thee we humbly pray That for thy wonted Mercies sake Thou us into protection take May nothing in our Minds excite Vain Dreams and Fantomes of the Night Our Enemy repress that so Our Bodies no Uncleanness know To JESUS from a Virgin sprung Be Glory given and Praises sung The like to God the Father be And Holy Ghost eternally Amen CHAPTER taken out of the Fourteenth Chapter of the Prophet Jeremy BUt thou O Lord art in us and thy holy name is invocated upon us forsake us not O Lord our God R. Thanks be to God Pettit R. Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit Into thy hands O Lord I commend my Spirit V. Thou hast redeemed us O Lord God of truth R. Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit V. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost R. Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit V. Keep us O Lord as the apple of thy eye R. Protect us under the shadow of thy wings Ant. Save us THE SONG OF SIMEON Luke 1. NOw thou dost dismiss thy servant O Lord according to thy word in peace Because my eyes have seen thy Salvation Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people A light to the revelation of the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel Ant. Save us O Lord waking and keep us sleeping that we may watch in Christ and rest in peace THE PRAYERS LOrd have mercy on us Christ have mercy on us Lord have mercy on us Pater noster c. V. And lead us not into temptation R. But deliver us from evil I believe in God c. V. The Resurrection of the Flesh R. And Life everlasting Amen V. Thou art blessed Lord God of our Fathers R. And laudable and glorious for ever V. Let us bless the Father and the Son with the Holy Ghost R. Let us praise and super-exalt him for ever V. Blessed art thou Lord in the Firmament of Heaven R. And laudable and glorious and superexalted for ever V. The Almighty and Merciful Lord bless and keep us R. Amen V.
made use of the Element of Water in the greatest Mysteries hear favourably our humble Prayers and pour forth thy Blessings upon this Element prepared for several Purifications to the end that thy Creature made use of in thy Mysteries may receive the effect of thy Divine Grace to drive away Devils and cure Infirmities to the end all thy Faithful which shall be sprinkled within or without doors may be thereby preserved from all impurity and evil and that no pestilential spirit or corruption remain in them let all snares of our secret Enemy depart thence and whatever is obnoxious to the health and repose of any that inhabit there may be expelled by the sprinkling of this Water that the health implored by the invocation of thy holy Name may be preserved from all sorts of assaults Through our Lord c. Then the Priest saying these following words puts Salt three times into the Water making the sign of the Cross to signifie that to be purified from sin which is figured by the Water and to persevere in purity figured by the Salt we ought to implore the assistance of the Holy Trinity by the Merits of the Cross LEt this commixtion of Salt and Water be made in the Name of the Father ✚ and of the Son ✚ and of the Holy Ghost ✚ Amen V. Our Lord be with you R. And with thy Spirit Let us Pray O God the Author of invincible Power King of irresistable Empire and for ever magnificently triumphant who dissipatest the strength of the adverse party who suppressest the fury of the raging Enemy and powerfully vanquishest his Malice We O Lord trembling humbly beseech and pray thee to regard favourably this creature Salt and Water to enlighten it with thy Grace and to sanctifie it with the Dew of thy Bounty that wherever it shall be sprinkled through the invocation of thy Holy Name it may chase away all suggestions of the unclean Spirit that there be no fear of the venomous Serpent and that the presence of the Holy Spirit will vouchsafe every where to accompany us imploring thy Mercy Through our Lord Jesus Christ who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost one God World without end Amen The Benediction being ended the Priest who is to celebrate Mass putting on his Coap again kneeling at the foot of the Altar accompanied with his Ministers and sprinkling it thrice with Holy Water he sprinkles himself and arising besprinkles them intoning these first words of the Antiphon taken out of the 50 Psalm Thou shalt sprinkle me and then the Quire sings the rest O Lord with Hyssop and I shall be cleansed thou shalt wash me and I shall be made whiter than snow He sprinkles the Clergy and People saying with a low voice the 50 Psalm begging of the Holy Trinity by this penitential Psalm both that he may worthily celebrate this adorable Sacrifice and that others of the Faithful may participate thereof as they were purified first in Baptism by Water and the Holy Ghost and now that he will please to grant them a second time repentance in tears and acknowledgment of their sins that preserving them from all temptations of the Devil they may be acceptable to the Divine Majesty and freed from the corruption of sin as Water cleanseth the body and as Salt gives a savory tast to meat and preserves it from corruption HAve mercy on me O God according to thy great mercy And according to the multitude of thy commiserations blot out my iniquities Wash me more amply from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin Because I do know my iniquity and my sin is before me always To thee only have I sinned and have done evil before thee that thou mayest be justified in thy words and when thou art judged For behold I was conceived in iniquities and my mother conceived me in sins For behold thou hast loved truth the uncertain and hidden things of thy wisdom thou hast made manifest to me Thou shalt sprinkle me with Hysop and I shall be cleansed thou shalt wash me and I shall be made whiter than snow To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness and the bones humbled shall rejoyce Turn away thy face from my sins and wipe away all my iniquities Create a clean heart in me O God and renew a right spirit in my bowels Cast me not away from thy face and thy holy spirit take not from me Render unto me the joy of thy salvation and confirm me with thy principal spirit I will teach the unjust thy ways and the impious shall be converted unto thee Deliver me from Blood O God the God of my salvation and my tongue shall exalt thy justice Lord thou wilt open my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Because if thou wouldest have had sacrifice I had verily given it with holocausts thou wilt not be delighted A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit a contrite and humble heart O God thou wilt not despise Deal favourably O Lord in thy good will with Sion that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up Then shalt thou accept Sacrifice of Justice Oblations and Holocausts then shall they lay calves upon thine altar Gloria Patri Filio c. is not used because during these days the Church represents unto us the Indignities and Affronts offered by the Jews to our blessed Saviour After this Antiphon Thou shalt sprinkle me c. is repeated the Priest having sprinkled the Holy Water returns to the foot of the Altar where standing upright and there joyning his hands he beseeches God that the Angel of his Great Council our Saviour JESUS CHRIST who is ready to descend from Heaven by the consecration of these Divine Mysteries will assist with his saving Grace all those that are in the Church that they being purified may worthily present themselves before his Majesty Let us Pray V. Shew us O Lord Mercy R. And give us thy Salvation V. O Lord hear my Prayer R. And let my cry come unto thee V. Our Lord be with you R. And with thy Spirit Let us Pray O Holy Lord Omnipotent Father Eternal God graciously hear us and vouchsafe to send thy Holy Angel from Heaven to keep protect cherish visit and defend all that dwell in this habitation Through Christ our Lord c. Amen THE BENEDICTION OF THE PALMS After sprinkling Holy Water in the usual manner the Priest accompanied with his Ministers in their Ornaments goes to bless the Palms This Ceremony is very ancient for it is not only in the Roman Institute and in the Book of the Divine Offices which Alcuinus composed in the Ninth Age and in St. Adelmus his Treatise of Virginity in the Eighth Age but also St. Maximus Bishop of Turin in the Fifth Age preaching upon this Subject which you may read in St. Ambros tells us it was an ancient custom in the Church to teach us that it was in memory of Christ's
triumphant entry into Jerusalem which was a figure of his glorious Ascension to Heaven having vanquished the Devil and therefore the Church begins this Ceremony with the Canticle which the Hebrew Children sung on this day in honour of our Saviour where we are to observe that the Priest reads it with a low Voice without making the sign of the Cross to mind us that this Action preceded the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ HOsanna to the Son of David or save us we beseech thee O Son of David blessed is he who comes in the Name of our Lord O King of Israel Hosanna in the highest V. Our Lord be with you R. And with thy Spirit Let us Pray The Faithful considering how God had opened the mouths of the Hebrew Children to sing a Canticle of Praise to the Honour of his Son Saviour of the World and how he had inspired the People of Jerusalem to go before him with Olive and Palm branches as a sign of those Graces he intended us by his Victory and Triumph over the World and the Devil beseech his Majesty to render us worthy of those Graces and that Salvation which he hath purchased for us by his victorious Death to the end we may reap the accomplishment thereof in eternal bliss by the vertue of his Resurrection O God whom it is justice to love multiply in us the Gists of thy ineffable Grace and as through the Death of thy Son thou hast made us hope for what we believe grant that we may arrive to Eternal Glory according to our desires through the resurrection of thy only Son who liveth and reigneth one God with thee in unity of the Holy Ghost for ever and ever Amen The Lesson taken out of the 15th and 16th Chapter of Exodus The Church minds us that as the Israelites found refreshment in the desert under the shade of Palm-trees and in the Fountain of fresh Waters they murmured presently after against Moses their leader and notwithstanding God was pleased to surmount their ingratitude with his benefits by showring down Manna In like maner the Jews who would have found their salvation in the honour which they rendred this day to Jesus Christ if they had accompanied it with a lively faith did yet presently after conspire against him who nevertheless was pleased in his bounty to give them his own Body as Bread from Heaven for Food to their Souls which he soon after offered as a Sacrifice to God his Father to expiate the sins of men and heap upon them his Grace IN those days the Children of Israel came into Elim where there were twelve Fountains of Water and seventy Palm-trees and they camped beside the Waters And they set forward from Elim and all the multitude of the Children of Israel came into the desert Sin which is between Elim and Sinai the fifteenth day of the second Month after they came forth out of the land of Egypt And all the Assembly of the Children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the Wilderness and the Children of Israel said to them Would to God we had died by the hand of our Lord in the land of Egypt when we sate over the Flesh-pots and did eat Bread our fill Why have you brought us into this desert that you may kill all the multitude with famine And our Lord said to Moses Behold I will rain you Bread from Heaven let the People go forth and gather that sufficeth for every day that I may prove them whether they will walk in my Law or no. But the sixth day let them provide for to bring in and let it be double to that they were wont to gather every day And Moses and Aaron said to all the Children of Israel At Even you shall know that our Lord hath brought you forth out of the land of Egypt and in the Morning you shall see the glory of our Lord. The following Responsory is sung instead of the Gradual taken out of the Eleventh Chapter of St. John THe chief Priests therefore and Pharisees gathered a Council and said What do we for this Man doth many signs If we let him alone so all will believe in him and the Romans will come and take away our Place and Nation Vr. But one of them named Caiphas being the high Priest of that year said to them It is expedient for us that one man die for the people and the whole Nation perish not Therefore from that day they devised to kill him saying And the Romans c. Another Responsory taken out of the second Chaper of St. Matthew JEsus prayed unto his Father on Mount Olivet My Father if it be possible let this Chalice pass from me The spirit indeed is prompt but the flesh weak thy will be done Watch ye and pray that ye enter not tentation The spirit indeed is c. In the mean time the Deacon carries the Book of Gospels to the Altar to testifie that it contains the Word of God and presents Incense to the Priest to bless saying Reverend Father bless this Incense The Priest takes the Incense and putting into the Thurible blesseth it â—avowing by this Benediction that the Sacrifice of the Mass is offered to God alone humbly beseeching his Grace that his Prayers may ascend as this Incense towards him Be thou bless'd by him to whose honour thou shalt be burnt Then the Deacon upon his knees at the foot of the Altar prepares himself to receive commission from the Priest to publish the Gospel by this Prayer CLeanse O Almighty God my heart and lips who didst purifie with a fiery coal the lips of the Prophet Isaiah and vouchsafe so to purifie me for thy mercies sake that I may worthily declare thy holy Gospel Through our Lord Jesus Christ c. Amen Then taking the Book from the Altar he asks the Priest's Blessing Reverend Father bless me The Priest blesseth him OUr Lord be in thy heart and lips that thou mayest worthily publish his Gospel in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen The Deacon kisseth the Priest's hand to testifie that as in the Old Law a Seraphin did purifie the lips of the Prophet Isaiah with a coal of fire so in the New Law it is Jesus Christ represented by the Priest who purifies his mouth He goes to the place appointed for reading the Gospel with the Subdeacon Thurifer and two Acolyts who carry two Tapers lighted before him to signifie the Joy which the Faithful ought to have for this Great Blessing of the Light of Faith He turns towards the People that they may hear the Gospel the Subdeacon holding the Book before him to testifie that what he reads to the People is only what the Priest ordered him Before he reads the Gospel he beseeches God's blessing upon the Assembly to hear his Word worthily saying Our Lord be with you The Assembly reciprocally beseeching God to assist him with his Grace and that
the Deacon saying Sequentia sancti Evangelii c. The sequence of the Gospel c. makes the sign of the Cross upon his Forehead his Mouth and Breast to signifie he publishes the Word of God with a good heart and will not be ashamed to confess it before men and taking the Thurible he incenseth the Book thrice in honour of the Blessed Trinity in whom we are taught to believe by the Gospel Whilest the Deacon reads the Gospel with an audible Voice the Priest stands on the Epistle side which represents the Jewish People to tell us that Christ preached the Gospel amongst them and that from Judea it should be carried to other Nations He stands upright uncovered as do the rest of the People to teach us that the Word of God is to be feared with reverence and to testifie our Faith in the Resurrection The sequence of the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew Chap. 21. In this Gospel the Church minds us of Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem foretold by the Prophet Zacharias Chap. 9. where we are to observe that Eve and the Synagogue are figured by the She-Ass And by the Ass-Colt never yet used the Gentils are represented for before the coming of Christ none had ever called the Gentils to the true Faith The Village where these creatures were tied is a figure of the servitude of this World and the command which Christ gave to his Disciples to untye them is a presentation of that power which God hath given his Ministers to absolve men from their sins AT that time when Jesus drew nigh to Jerusalem and was come to Bethphage at the foot of Mount Olivet then he sent two of his Disciples saying to them Go ye into the Town that is against you and immediately you shall find an Ass tied and a Colt with her loose them and bring them to me and if any man shall say ought unto you say ye that our Lord hath need of them and forthwith he will let them go And this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet saying Say ye to the Daughter of Sion Behold thy King cometh to thee meek and sitting upon an Ass and a Colt the Foal of her that is used to the Yoke And the Disciples going did as Jesus commanded them And they brought the Ass and the Colt and laid their Garments upon them and made him to sit thereon and a very great multitude spread their Garments in the way and others did cut their Boughs from the Trees and strewed them in the way and the multitudes that went before and that followed cried saying Hosanna to the Son of David Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of our Lord. Hosanna in the highest After the Deacon hath read the Gospel he presents the Book to the Priest to kiss to signifie thereby the Union and Charity which the Faithful ought to have in the observance of God that so they may obtain pardon for their sins and thereupon he says May our Sins be forgiven by the vertue of the Holy Gospel The Deacon incenseth the Priest thrice thereby expressing our honour to Christ who hath freed us from our sins by our faith in the Gospel acknowledging him to be God and the Second Person of the Trinity Then the Palms are blest by which Ceremony the Church commemorating Christ's triumph applies her Prayers for us to obtain of God through the Merits of this Divine Saviour unless we render our selves uncapable the grace to reap the fruit of that Victory which he has obtained over the World and the Devil Our Lord be with you R. And with thy Spirit Let us Pray O God increase the Faith of those that hope in thee and clemently hear the Prayers of thy Supplicants Let thy manifold Mercies come upon us bless these Boughs of Palms or Olives and as in the figure of the Church thou didst multiply Noah going forth of the Ark and Moses going out of Egypt with the Children of Israel so grant that we carrying these Branches of Palm and Olive may with the Fruits of our Good Works appear before Jesus Christ and by his Merits enjoy the Delights of Eternal Happiness who one God liveth and reigneth with thee in the Unity of the Holy Ghost for ever and ever Amen The PREFACE The Priest prepares the Faithful minding them to lift up their hearts to God to disengage their affections from worldly creatures to acknowledge the excess of the divine benefits Our Lord be with you And with thy Spirit Lift up your hearts R. We raise them up to our Lord. Then the Priest admonisheth the Faithful to reflect that 't is God who puts their hearts into that state and therefore that they give him publick thanks Let us give thanks to our Lord God The Faithful answer that it is just and reasonable and according do concur in publick with the Priest giving thanks and so in particular each man by his particular private resentments accompanies the Priest saying It is Just and becoming our Duty The Church representing unto us the Obedience which all created nature oweth unto God the Zeal wherewith the Saints and particularly the Martyrs have offered themselves to his Majesty as a Holocaust for the faith of Jesus Christ his Son the Homage which the Angels render him in Heaven and the Canticle of Praise which the Children sung in honour of our Saviour when he made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem exhorts us in imitation of them to give God thanks for so many benefits received of his bounty through the Merits of his Son acknowledging that in duty we are bound to endeavour the Zeal of Martyrs the Purity of Angels and Innocence of Children IT is truly meet and just right and necessary that we always and in all places give thanks to thee Holy Lord Omnipotent Father and Eternal God who art glorified in the Council of thy Saints For thy Creatures serve thee acknowledging thee their sole Author and God and all thy handy-works joyntly praise and thy holy ones bless thee freely confessing the Sacred Name of thy Son before the Kings and Princes of this World The Angels Archangels Thrones and Dominations observe thee with a Profound Reverence and with the whole Celestial Host sing a Hymn of thy Glory for ever saying Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God of Hosts the Heavens and Earth are filled with thy Glory Hosanna in the Highest Blessed is he that comes in the Name of our Lord Hosanna in the Highest V. Our Lord be with you R. And with thy Spirit Let us Pray The Faithful giving God thanks that besides the interiour and exteriour Graces wherewith he prevents and assists us and besides what he confers by his Sacraments upon us he yet further fortifies us by the Vertue of Sacred Things they joyn in Prayers with the Church which are applied unto them by this Benediction to the end they may obtain particular Benefits from God for the good
into Jerusalem and the Priest says Let us go on in peace The Quire answers In the Name of Christ Amen The Antiphon taken out of the 21st Chapter of St. Matthew WHen Jesus drew nigh unto Jerusalem he sent two of his Disciples saying Go ye into the Town that is against you and immediately you shall find an Ass tied and a Colt with her loose them and bring them to me and if any man shall say ought unto you say ye that our Lord hath need of them And they brought the Ass and the Colt and laid their Garments upon them and made him to sit thereon Others spread their Garments in the way others cut Boughs from the Trees and strewed them in the way and those that followed cryed Hosanna blessed is he who cometh in the Name of our Lord and blessed be the Kingdom of David our Father Hosanna in the highest O Son of David have mercy on us Another ANTIPHON THE People hearing that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem they took Palm-branches and went forth to meet him the Children crying aloud This is he who comes to save his People This is our Salvation and Redemption of Israel How great is he whom the Thrones and Dominations meet Fear not Daughter of Sion behold thy King comes unto thee sitting upon an Ass-Colt as it is written Hail King Maker of the World who art come to redeem us ANOTHER SIX Days before the Solemn Pasch our Lord coming to Jerusalem the Children went forth to meet him carrying Boughs of Palms and crying with a loud voice Hosanna in the highest Blessed art thou that comest in the multitude of thy Mercies Hosanna in the highest ANOTHER THE Multitude went with Flowers and Palms to meet the Redeemer and render him triumphant and victorious due honour The Gentils publish the greatness of the Son of God their voices thundring through the clouds the praise of Christ Hosanna in the highest ANOTHER GRant that we may be found faithful with the Angels and Children singing to the triumpher over death Hosanna in the highest ANOTHER A Great Multitude assembled to the Festival cryed out to our Lord saying Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of our Lord. Hosanna in the highest The Procession being come to the Church-Porch the following Hymn is sung in memory of Jesus Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem GLory to thee Eternal King On this great triumphant day Lo we a loud Hosanna sing And with our Garments strew the way Thou art the King of Israel Sprung from the Royal David 's stem Thou cam'st from Heaven with us to dwell Thy captive Subjects to redeem Glory to thee c. The holy Quires of Angels bow And in their Hymns thy Praise proclaim While we and all our world below Kneel and adore the same blest Name Glory to thee c. Thy Sion once with holy Palms Thee their Messias went to meet Behold we now with Prayers and Psalms Prostrate our glad hearts at thy feet Glory to thee c. They by their Songs prepar'd the way Vp to thy humble Throne the Cross While we a happier Ditty pray And in thy Victory rejoyce Glory to thee c. Great King of sweetest clemency Whom all sincere endeavours please As they accepted were may we Thy Favour gain thy Wrath appease Glory to thee c. Then the Priest with the foot of the Cross knocks at the Church-door which is shut to signifie that Jesus Christ through the merit of his Passion hath opened Heaven for us which besore was shut upon the account of our first Parents transgression And to express the sentiments of Joy and Admiration which the Angels had at our Saviour's entry into Heaven represented in the 23d Psalm the Church uses the same words with the Royal Prophet LIft up your Gates ye Princes and be ye lifted up O Eternal Gates and the King of glory shall enter in Those who are within the Church representing the Angels answer Who is this King of glory To whom the Priest knocking again replies 'T is our strong and mighty Lord 't is our Lord mighty in Battel Lift up your Gates ye Princes and be you lifted up O Eternal Gates and the King of glory shall enter in Those within the Church replies again Who is this King of glory The Priest knocking again says The Lord of Powers he is the King of Glory lift up your Gates c. Whereupon those within the Church representing the Angel open the doors saying Who is this King of glory And the Procession goes into the Church singing the following Antiphon to signifie that Christ's solemn entry into Jerusalem was a figure of his triumphant entry into Heaven OUr Lord entering into the Holy City the Hebrew Children foretelling the Resurrection unto Life with Olive-boughs cryed out Hosanna in the highest When the People heard that Christ was coming into Jerusalem they went to meet him with Palms THE MASS FOR Palm-Sunday The Priest coming to the foot of the Altar kneels and bowing makes the sign of the Cross saying Introibo ad altare Dei c. Psal 42. he acknowledgeth with humble respect in the name of the Faithful the Grace received of God through the Merits of Christ's Passion whereof the Sacrifice of the Mass is a representation and by the assistance of the Holy Ghost spiritually to regenerate them and establish them in the Rights of their Heavenly Inheritance which they had forfeited by Sin He seems to be renewed in spirit and in that takes confidence to approach the Altar which in as much as it stands Eastward according to the ancient Order of the Church is a figure of Paradise where God had placed Adam in the state of his Innocency In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen I Will enter unto the Altar of God The Church using the Psalm Judica me Deus c. in their Names who have received Baptism and preserved themselves in the state of Grace thereby received in testimony of the joy they apprehend in that they are become Children of God forbears it now in the beginning of Mass till Holy Saturday this being a time of Sorrow representing the Sufferings of Christ her Spouse and Head Our help is in the Name of our Lord. R. Who made Heaven and Earth Then the Priest confesses himself unworthy of so great a Benefit as well through Original as his Actual Sin and therefore admonisheth the Faithful on whose behalf he prays to joyn with him in repentance and acknowledge their own unworthiness before God I Confess unto Almighty God to the blessed Virgin S. Mary to the blessed S. Michael the Arch-angel to the blessed S. John Baptist to the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul to all the Saints and you my Brethren that I have very much sinned in Thought Word and Deed through my Fault through my Fault through my most grievous Fault Therefore I beseech the blessed Virgin S. Mary the blessed S. Michael the
to his Church And that this Peace is a reflection of that which he possesses infinitely in the Glory and Bosom of the Holy Trinity and which is fully communicated to the blessed The Priest begs this Peace for the Faithful and prays God that they may never fail of it THe Peace of our Lord abide always with you The People crave the same for him And with thy Spirit Haec Commixtio c. Then the Priest puts this part of the Host into the Chalice to signifie the happy state of the Church in our Saviour's Resurrection and glory after the union of his Body with his Blood and beseeches God to make us partakers of that happiness by vertue of this Sacrament LEt this Commixtion and Consecration of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ be unto me and to all that receive effectual to life everlasting Amen Agnus Dei c. As Sin is the onely Obstacle of this Divine Peace and our Bliss the Priest confessing in the name of the Faithful that we never are without sins in this life and that it is onely Christ who blots them out having been pleased to be sacrificed as an innocent Lamb for our attonement with God his Father and to settle this Peace between Heaven and Earth which sin had divided he implores mercy by this act of Adoration taught us by Saint John the fore-runner of our Saviour Behold the Lamb of God taketh away the sins of the world LAmb of God who takest away the sins of the World have mercy on us Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the World have mercy on us Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the World grant us peace In Masses for the Dead instead of saying Have Mercy on us Or Grant us Peace We say Grant them Rest Grant them Eternal Rest Because the dead being no longer in this World amongst us we have no occasion to beg peace with them and they being in a state of Grace where they are in peace and assurance of their salvation it would be in vain to ask God's grace to free them from sin and give them peace assuring them of their salvation we beseech God to deliver them from the pains they endure at present and grant them eternal rest which they expect Domine Jesu Christe qui dixisti c. Peace being the chief disposition of this Sacrament it being the Sacrament of Union and Charity the Priest begs it for the Faithful who are to receive this Holy Communion and acknowledging that he being a sinner deserves not that his Prayers should be heard he humbly beseeches his Majesty to have regard unto his own goodness who has vouchsafed to offer this Peace and to the Faith of the Church which demands it of him O Lord Jesus Christ who didst say unto thy Apostles Peace I leave unto you regard not my Sins but look upon the Faith of thy Church and according to thy pleasure give us Peace and Union Who livest and reignest God for ever and ever Amen At Solemn Mass the Priest having kissed the Altar to signifie that he receives peace from Jesus Christ gives it to the Deacon by a kiss to transmit it to the Faithful Peace be with you The Deacon receiving this Peace testifies his concurrence by his words And with thy Spirit At Masses for the Dead the Pax is not given to the Faithful nor is the foregoing Prayer said because the Faithful do not receive the Communion at those Masses and for other reasons before mentioned The Priest after he has prayed for the Faithful he prays for himself to obtain all requisite dispositions to receive the Holy Eucharist worthily O Lord Jesus Christ Son of the living God who according to thy Father's will the Holy Ghost co-operating by thy death didst give life to the World deliver me by this thy most holy Body and Blood from all my sins and from all evil and making me always obedient to thy commands grant that I be never separated from thee Who with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest c. GRant O Lord Jesus Christ that this participation of thy Body which I now however unworthy presume to receive be not to my Judgment and Condemnation but through thy mercy may avail to the safeguard of my Soul and Body and likewise as a wholsome remedy Who livest and reignest with God the Father c. Then with bending knee having adored the blessed Sacrament taking the Host in his hands and considering that he is to receive his Creator he puts his trust in his mercy saying I Will take this Heavenly Bread and call upon the Name of our Lord. And representing how acceptable the Centurians humility was to the Son of God where he was pleased to honour his house in imitation of him he professeth himself unworthy of so great a favour and striking his breast he repeats the same words thrice LOrd I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter into my house say but the word and my soul shall be healed Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter into my house say but the word and my soul shall be healed Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter into my house say but the word and my soul shall be healed In receiving the Body of our Saviour he makes the sign of the Cross with the Host to mind us that 't is the Body of Jesus Christ which hath been exposed to death for our salvation THe Body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my soul to life everlasting Amen In taking the Chalice he gives God thanks for the Benefits he receives by the Communion of the Blood of Christ using these following words out of the 15th and 17th Psalm WHat shall I render to our Lord for all things that he hath given to me I will take the Chalice of Salvation and will Invocate the Name of our Lord. Praising I will Invocate our Lord and I shall be saved from my enemies In receiving the Blood of our Saviour he makes the sign of the Cross with the Chalice representing thereby that it is Christ's Blood which he shed to save us and says THe Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my soul to life everlasting Amen Then taking Wine into the Chalice to wash his mouth and fingers to the end that the least particle of the Sacrament may not remain thereon and to instruct us of the care we ought to have to preserve our selves in purity he says GRant O Lord what we have taken with our mouth we may receive with a pure mind and that of a temporal gift it may become to us an everlasting remedy In taking the second Lotion he says LEt thy Body which I have received O Lord and thy Blood which I have drank cleave unto my bowels and grant that no stain of sin may remain in me whom thy pure and holy Sacrament hath satiated Who livest and reignest for ever and ever Amen Then the Priest
of it to them GRant omnipotent God that being purified by the vertue of these Sacrifices we may arrive with the greater purity to their fountain Through our Lord c. The SECRET Against the Persecutors of the Church PRotect O Lord those that assist at these Mysteries that intending holy things they may serve thee both in soul and body Through our Lord. Or for the Pope REceive O Lord graciously these our offerings and guide by thy continual grace thy Servant N. whom thou hast advanced to be Chief Pastor of thy Church Through our The Preface and Canon of the Mass c. is until the Communion as before pag. 60. unto pag. 79. The COMMUNION taken out of the 34th Psalm The Church telling us the evil the Jews drew upon themselves in their crucifying Jesus Christ instructs them the punishment those deserve who receiving the Sacrament of the Altar unworthily make themselves guilty of prophaning the Body and Blood of Christ committing that frequently in their hearts which the Jews onely once perpetrated upon Mount Calvary LEt them blush and be ashamed together that rejoyce at my evils let them be clothed with confusion and shame that speak malicious things against me The POST-COMMUNION The Faithful beg of God grace to receive this Holy Sacrament worthily to the end they may reap the benefit of Christ's Passion GRant O Lord that thy holy Mysteries may inspire us with a divine fervour that in celebrating them we may also be delighted with the fruit of them Through our Lord c. POST-COMMUNION Against the Persecutors of the Church O Lord our God we beseech thee to preserve those from falling through humane frailties whom thou hast vouchsafed to a participation in this Holy Communion Through our Lord Jesus Christ c. Or for the Pope PRotect us O Lord we beseech thee by the participation of this Divine Sacrament and strengthen thy Servant N. whom thou hast advanced to be Chief Pastor of thy Church that he and the Flock committed to his charge may attain Eternal Life Through our Lord Jesus Christ c. As the Post-Communion is a Prayer which the Priest says for those who have communicated so the Church adds another for those that do not communicate lest they want the suffrages when they are most subject to the assaults of the Devil in exercises of penance as also to obtain grace for those that have received the blessed Sacrament A Prayer over the People Humble your selves and bow down your heads to God O God who art our salvation afford us thy succour and grant that we may solemnize the approaching Feasts in memory of those Benefits wherewith thou hast been pleased to refresh us Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son c. All the rest as before pag. 75. THE MASS FOR TUESDAY IN Holy Week The station at St. Priscas-Church That the Cross of Christ may triumph in that very place where lately the Heathens had built their Prime Temple and that where the Gentiles adoring Hercules his Idol and been seduced from the Worship of the True God by putting confidence in their own strength there the Christian Church should withdraw men from self-love to the love of their Redeemer who being God was pleased to take upon him our frail nature and partake of our infirmities to reconcile us by his humility to God the Father from whom through Pride we had so far seperated our selves Likewise the station is this day in Rome at St. Priscas-Church by whose example she being but a Virgin of the age of Thirteen underwent great Torments for the Faith of Christ we may be moved to suffer for his love The INTROIT taken out of the 6th Chapter of the Apostle St. Paul to the Galathians and out of the 66th Psalm The Church teaches us by the example and words of the Apostle St. Paul that we ought to look upon the Cross of Christ as our only glory for by it we were delivered from the Tyranny of the Devil and raised from the Death of Sin as we shall be raised from our corporal death By it Christ confers the Life of Grace upon us in this World as he will hereafter give us the Life of Glory in Eternal Bliss 'T is true that to glory in the Cross of Christ we must suffer many hardships but then how great is the glory prepared by God for the just who suffer with patience what will their felicity be but a Crown in Heaven in recompence for their Vertues in this Pilgrimage and immortal incomprehensible Rewards for short and temporal sufferings The compleat consummation of their happiness shall be at the Day of Judgment when Christ raising them from death to life will inanimate them all with his happy life and holy spirit as all the members of one body are inspirited and enlivened by one soul BUT it behoveth us to glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ in whom is our salvation life and resurrection by whom we are saved and delivered PSALM LXVI As the Sacrifice of the Cross is an effect of God's mercy so his grace whereby we come to the knowledge of this inestimable benefit and to make our selves worthy to reap the advantage of it is an effect of his goodness and mercy which we ought to pray for GOD have mercy on us and bless us illuminate his countenance upon us and have mercy on us Nos autem c. Kyrie eleison c. as before pag. 36. The COLLECT The Faithful beseech God that they may receive the fruit of the Passion of his Son our Lord Jesus Christ ALmighty and Everlasting God grant us thy grace so to celebrate the Mysteries of the Passion of our Saviour that through thy mercies we may reap the benefit Through our Lord Jesus Christ c. Against the Persecutors of the Church Ecclesiae tuae quaesumus c. as before pag. 84. Or for the Pope Deus omnium as before pag. 85. The Lesson out of the Prophet Jeremy Chap. 11. The Church in this Lession which describes the Jews conspiracy against the Prophet Jeremy by figure represents unto us the suffering of Jesus Christ under that nation and the evils they drew upon themselves by that excess of wickedness Let us observe how the Prophet threatens them with the punishments prepared for them not through hatred or malice but in zeal to God's service considering their reprobation as decreed by Divine Providence being so revealed unto him IN those days saith Jeremias O Lord thou hast shewed me and I have known thou hast shewed me their studies And I as a mild lamb that is carried to a victim And I knew not that they devised councels against me saying Let us cast wood on his bread and rase him out of the land of the living and let his name be mentioned no more But thou O Lord of Sabaoth which judgest justly and provest the reins and the hearts let me see thy revenge of them for to thee I have revealed
my cause O Lord my God The GRADUAL taken out of the 34th Psalm The Church teacheth us in affliction to have recourse to God by Fasting and Prayer and by Patience to overcome our Persecutors and by our Benefits their Ingratitude without seeking revenge but leave that to God whereby we heap coals of fire upon their heads that is we leave them to a more severe correction than we are able to give them though this ought not to be the motive of our patience But if we think to repay them for the ill they do us then their malice overcomes our goodness BUT I when they were troublesome unto me did put on haircloth and humbled my soul in fasting and my prayer shall be turned into my bosome V. Judge O Lord them that hurt me overthrow them that impugn me take arms and shield and rise up to help me The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Mark Chap. 14 15. AT that time the Pasche was and Azymes after two days and the Chief Priests and the Scribes sought how they might by some guile lay hands on Jesus and kill him But they said Not on the festival-day lest there might be a tumult of the people And when he was at Bethania in the house of Simon the leper and sate at meat there came a woman having an alabaster box of Oyntment of precious Spiknard and breaking the alabaster box she poured it upon his head But there were certain that had indignation within themselves and said Whereto is this waste of Oyntment made for this Oyntment might have been sold for more than three hundred pence and given to the poor And they murmured against her But Jesus said Let her alone why do you molest her she hath wrought a good work upon me for the poor you have always with you and when you will you may do them good but me you have not always That which she had she hath done she hath prevented to anoint my body to the burial Amen I say to you Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world that also which she hath done shall be told for the memory of her And Judas Iscariot one of the twelve went his way to the Chief Priests for to betray him to them Who hearing it were glad and they promised him that they would give him money And he sought how he might betray him conveniently And the first day of the Azymes when they sacrificed the Pasche the Disciples say to him Whither wilt thou that we go and prepare for thee to eat the Pasche And he sendeth two of his Disciples and saith to them Go ye into the City and there shall meet you a man carrying a pitcher of water follow him and whithersoever he entreth say to the master of the house the master saith Where is my Refectory where I may eat the Pasche with my Disciples And he will shew you a great chamber adorned and there prepare for us And his Disciples went their ways and came into the city and they found as he had told them and they prepared the Pasche And when evening was come he cometh with the twelve And when they were sitting at the table and eating Jesus said Amen I say to you that one of you shall betray me he that eateth with me But they began to be sad and to say to him severally Is it I Who said to them One of the twelve he dippeth with me his hand in the dish And the Son of man indeed goeth as it is written of him but wo to that man by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed it were good for him if that man had not been born And while they were eating Jesus took bread and blessing brake and gave to them and said Take this is my body And taking the chalice giving thanks he gave to them and they all drank of it And he said to them This is my blood of the New Testament that shall be shed for many Amen I say to you that now I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I shall drink it new in the kingdom of God And an hymn being said they went forth into Mount Olivet And Jesus said to them You shall all be scandalized in me this night for it is written I will strike the Pastor and the sheep shall be dispersed But after that I shall be risen again I will go before you into Galilee And Peter said to him Although all shall be scandalized yet not I. And Jesus said to him Amen I say to thee That thou this day in this night before the cock crow twice shalt thrice deny me But he spake more vehemently Although I should die together with thee I will not deny thee And in like manner also said they all And they came into a farm-place called Gethsemani And he said to his Disciples Sit you here until I pray And he taketh Peter and James and John with him and he began to fear and to be heavy And he said to them My soul is sorrowful even unto death stay here and watch And when he was gone forward a little he fell flat upon the ground and he prayed that if it might be the hour might pass from him And he said Abba Father all things are possible to thee transfer this Chalice from me but not that which I will but that which thou And he cometh and findeth them sleeping And he saith to Peter Simon sleepest thou Couldst thou not watch one hour Watch ye and pray that you enter not into tentation The spirit indeed is prompt but the flesh infirm And going away again he prayed saying the self-same word And returning again he found them asleep for their eyes were heavy and they wist not what they should answer him And he cometh the third time and saith to them Sleep ye now and take rest it sufficeth the hour is come behold the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners Arise let us go behold he that shall betray me is at hand And as he was yet speaking cometh Judas Iscariot one of the twelve and with him a great multitude with swords and clubs from the Chief Priests and the Scribes and the Ancients And the betrayer of him had given them a sign saying Whomsoever I shall kiss it is he lay hold on him and lead him warily And when he was come immediately going to him he saith Rabbi and he kissed him but they laid hands upon him and held him And one certain man of the standers about drawing out a sword smote the servant of the Chief Priests and cut off his ear And Jesus answering said to them As to a thief are you come out with swords and clubs to apprehend me I was daily with you in the Temple teaching and you did not lay hands on me But that the Scriptures may be fulfilled Then his Disciples leaving him all fled And a certain young man followed him
our Spirit we may truly understand his Law and observe his Instructions and Commands Secondly He bids us consider that God would not that his Holy Law should be written and delivered to us in vain but to be as a sure Guide to our Actions Therefore we beg that our Consciences reproach not our Deeds for being uncomfortable to our knowledge Thirdly He shews us how deplorable their condition is who follow other Rules and lead their Lives by other Maximes than what the Law of God prescribes Fourthly The Prophet tells us with what purity we ought to meditate upon the Holy Scriptures which contain the Law of God forbearing either in Thought or Word all sort of Error or Lying that so we may neither deceive nor be deceived Fifthly He minds us of our Frailty and Misery which yet must not discourage us since God Almighties Grace gives us strength and power to perform his Commandments THy testimonies are marvellous therefore hath my soul searched them The declaration of thy words doth illuminate and giveth understanding to little ones I opened my mouth and drew breath because I desired thy Commandments Look upon and have mercy on me according to the judgment of them that love thy Name Direct my steps according to thy Word and let not any injustice have domination over me Redeem me from the calumnies of men that I may keep thy Commandments Illuminate thy face upon thy servant and teach me thy justifications Mine eyes have gushed forth issues of waters because they have not kept thy law Thou art just O Lord and thy judgment is right Thou hast commanded justice thy testimonies and thy verity exceedingly My zeal hath made me to pine away because my enemies have forgotten thy words Thy word is fired exceedingly and thy servant hath loved it I am a young man and contemned I have not forgotten thy justifications Thy justice is justice for ever and thy law is verity Tribulation and distress have found me thy Commandments are my meditation The Royal Prophet in the Tenth Part of this Psalm adviseth us first continually to advance in fervour and piety and how by his example we must thirst after justice Secondly That we must overcome all obstacles that may impede our progress Thirdly That we must consider that as in the beginning of a spiritual course of life we are to enter upon it by the spirit of God so in the progress that we especially beware lest there slide into our hearts any secret motions that may hinder our advancement in piety And as we are to begin courageously so to go on with more vigour not regarding what the Flesh can but what the Spirit will do according to what the Word of God ordains putting all our confidence in his divine assistance Fourthly That the dislike which we ought to have of sinners with drawing themselves from God and consequently from their Salvation in not obeying his Commandments should move us to walk with more vigilance and fervour towards perfection Since not to go forward is to go backwardly Fifthly Since God's decrees are true from the Beginning to all Eternity so if we conform to his will and observe the order of his decrees we shall not fail to make daily advancement in present and for the time to come where the light of our knowledge shall find a new encrease I Have cried in my whole heart hear me O Lord I will seek after thy justifications I have cried to thee save me that I may keep thy Commandments I have prevented in maturity and have cried because I hoped much in thy words Mine eyes have prevented early unto thee that I might meditate thy words Hear my voice according to thy mercy O Lord and according to thy judgment quicken me They that persecute me have approached to iniquity but from thy law they are made far off Thou art nigh O Lord and all thy ways are truth From the beginning I knew of thy testimonies that thou hast founded them for ever See my humiliation and deliver me because I have not forgotten thy law Judge my judgment and redeem me for thy word quicken thou me Salvation is far from sinners because they have not sought after thy justifications Thy mercies are many O Lord according to thy judgment quicken me There are many that persecute me and afflict me I have not declined from thy testimonies I saw the prevaricators and pined away because they kept not thy words See that I have loved thy Commandments O Lord in thy mercy quicken me The beginning of thy words is truth all the judgments of thy justice are for ever In the last part of this Psalm the Royal Prophet tells us their Duties who endeavour to advance in piety First The spirit of the fear of our Lord ought so much to possess them that all other fear must find no place in their hearts Secondly God's holy words ought to be their chief delight as the hatred of sin must be their chief aversion Thirdly They must frequent Prayer with much solicitude especially at hours appointed by the Church Fourthly Their souls must be so tranquil as not to be discomposed with any traverses of this world Fifthly We ought to groan after their salvation Sixthly They must consider God is present in all their actions Seventhly They must have a hearty sorrow for their past sins and give God thanks that he hath freed them from them They ought likewise to consider that God sought them when as yet they sought not him and that he sought them to the end they might seek him in the way of his Commandments They must vigilantly regard all their faults and deeds considering that they are as sheep gone astray if God of his goodness had not sought them himself and relieved them from all the dangers they were in placing them in the security they desire They must place their hopes in him whatever hazards befal them reposing themselves in the faithfulness of his promises and the abundance of his mercy and that in this confidence they behold him as their Chief Director and Eternal Pastor PRinces have persecuted me without cause and my heart hath been afraid of thy words I will rejoyce at thy words as he that findeth many spoils I have hated iniquity and abhorred it but thy law I have loved Seven times in the day I have said praise to thee for the judgments of thy justice There is much peace to them that love thy law and there is no scandal to them I expected thy salvation O Lord and have loved thy Commandments My soul hath kept thy testimonies and hath loved them exceedingly I have kept thy Commandments and thy Testimonies because all thy ways are in thy sight Let my petition approach in thy sight O Lord according to thy word give me understanding Let my request enter in thy sight according to thy word deliver me My lips shall utter an hymn when thou shalt teach me thy justifications My tongue shall
pronounce thy word because all thy Commandments are equity Let thy hand be to save me because I have chosen thy Commandments I have coveted thy salvation O Lord and thy law is my meditation My soul shall live and shall praise thee and thy judgments shall help me I have strayed as a sheep that is lost seek thy servant because I have not forgotten thy Commandments The Church teacheth us that it is by Jesus Christ God sought us even then when as yet we sought him not in following Jesus Christ his Son whom he hath established a Mediatour between himself and us we must therefore run in such manner as that we may attain to him we must observe the end of our progress and course where he hath fixed his which is to be obedient even unto death V. Christ become obedient for us even unto death Pater noster c. Ave Maria c. Miserere mei Deus c. as before p. 6. THE PRAYER Respice quaesumus c. as before pag. 130. The General Absolution Upon Holy Thursday in the Morning according to the good and laudable custom of France the General Absolution is given in the great Hall at the King's Court where his most Christian Majesty with many Princes and his whole Court are present First begins a Sermon the Bishop in his Robes accompanied with his Clergy gives the Absolution and all upon their knees sing the Miserere mei Deus with the Verses and Prayers following This Ceremony is a sign of the Sacramental Absolution which heretofore was given to those sinners who had done Penance in the Lent And this day is also called Absolution Thursday because Penitents are then absolved and admitted to participate of the Eucharist it being that day on which Jesus Christ instituted it and thereby the Church shews us that at present she inflicts not so severe Penances now as formerly yet she teaches them to do fruits worthy of Penance that they may be admitted to participate of this Holy Sacrament on this day whereon Christ our Saviour began by his Passion the Work of our Redemption to God his Father LOrd have mercy on us Christ have mercy on us Lord have mercy on us Pater noster c. And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil Amen V. O Lord deal not with us according to our sins R. Nor yet reward us according to our iniquities V. O Lord remember not our past offences R. But let thy mercies soon prevent us V. Turn thy face towards us though a little R. And graciously hear thy servants V. O Lord save thy servants and thy handmaids R. Trusting in thee O my God V. Be unto them O Lord a Tower of strength R. Against the assaults of the enemy V. Send them O Lord thy help from thy holy place R. And out of Sion protect them V. O Lord hear my Prayer R. And let my cry come unto thee V. Our Lord be with you R. And with thy Spirit Let us Pray HEar O Lord our Supplications and graciously regard me who in the first place have need of thy mercy and as thou hast been pleased to chuse me by thy grace not for my merit to be thy Minister in this action Grant that I may faithfully acquit my self of the Charge comitted to me and co-operate by our ministring the effect of thy bounty Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son who liveth and reigneth with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost one God for ever Amen Let us Pray WE beseech thee O Lord grant thy servants grace to do fruits worthy of penance that having obtained pardon for their sins they may be resetled pure and clean in thy Church from the integrity of which they have gone astray Through our Lord Jesus Christ c. Amen Let us Pray O Lord I beseech thy Majesty that out of thy bounty thou wilt be pleased to give thy pardon to these thy servants confessing their sins and offences and to loosen the bonds of their past crimes who didst carry upon thy shoulders the strayed sheep back to thy fold and hast graciously heard the prayers of the publican look down also favourably upon these penitents and incline unto their petitions that by their perseverance in confessing and tears they may obtain what they desire and being readmitted to a participation of thy holy Altar they may have fresh hopes of Eternal Glory Who livest and reignest c. Let us Pray O God who of thy goodness hast created and of thy mercy repaired mankind and by the blood of thine onely Son hast redeemed man deprived of eternal life through the malice of the Devil Grant a new life to these penitents thy servants whose death thou desirest not And as thou forsakest not even those who go astray receive those who return to repentance O Lord mercifully regard the tears and sighs of thy servants heal their wounds stretch forth thy helping hand to them cast down before thee to the end thy Church may not lose any part of its body lest thy flock be lessened lest the enemy insult over the loss of thy family lest those who have been regenerated by the wholsome water of baptism fall into a second death We therefore O Lord offer up unto thee our most humble Prayers we shed the tears of our hearts before thee in testimony of our regret Pardon those that confess unto thee to the end that through thy mercy they may escape condemnation at the last judgment Let them be ignorant of that which terrifies in darkness of torments in flames and grant that returning from their errours to the path of justice they may not hereafter receive new wounds but that they may remain entire and perpetual in that which thy Grace has conferred and thy Mercy restored By the same our Lord Jesus Christ c. Amen The Bishop then takes the Crosier and stretching his right hand over the People says Let us Pray OUr Lord Jesus Christ who by giving up himself and shedding his immaculate blood did vouchsafe to take away the sins of the whole world and who said to his Disciples and in them to their successours among whom thou art pleased to make me one though unworthy Whatsoever you shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever you loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven may he vouchsafe through this my Ministry by the intercession of the blessed Virgin Mary his Mother of St. Michael the Archangel of the Apostle St. Peter to whom the power of binding and loosing was given and of all Saints by vertue of his sacred blood shed for the remission of sins to grant you absolution of all your offences negligently committed in thought word or deed and that after you are quit from the bonds of sin he will please to restore you to the Kingdom of Heaven Who with God the Father and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth for ever and ever Amen ALmighty God grant
and when thy years shall be accomplished thou wilt make thy self known when the time shall come thou wilt be manifested V. And when my soul shall be troubled thou wilt remember thy mercy even in thy wrath V. God will come from Libanus and the Holy One from the shady and dark mountain V. His glory overspread the heavens and the earth was filled with his praise Let us Pray Let us bow our knees R. Lift up your selves The PRAYER The people considering on the one side that Judas having received so many testimonies of favour from Jesus Christ after he had been admitted to his Table was yet so blinded with covetousness that he betrayed his Master and God into the hands of the Jews who put him to death upon the Cross and transported with despair fell headlong into Hell on the other side the good thief made sensible by his pains repented himself of his sins and acknowledged our dying Saviour's divinity and put his whole hopes and confidence in him deserved to receive the fruit of his Death and Resurrection they beseech God that they may not approach his Table as Judas did but may obtain the same grace with the penitent thief that so they may reap the advantage of the Death and Resurrection of our Saviour O God who hast punished the sin of Judas and rewarded the confession of the repenting thief grant unto us the effect of thy mercy to the end that as our Lord Jesus Christ hath dispensed to each of them at his Passion according to their merit so having destroyed the old man in us the grace to have part with him in his glorious resurrection Who liveth and reigneth one God world without end The LESSON taken out of the twelfth Chapter of Exodus The Church proposes to us in this Lesson the Ceremony of the Jewish Passover thereby teaching us that Jesus Christ having accomplisht the Solemnity of the ancient Pasche celebrated in memory of the deliverance of the people of Israel out of the Egyptian servitude passed to a new Passover which he is pleased the Church should solemnize in memory of the Redemption which he brought unto the world by giving his body and blood instead of the flesh and blood of the Paschal Lamb. The entire and unspotted Paschal Lamb signified that he who as a sacrifice was one day to be immolated for us should be pure and free from all spot or sin The blood of this Lamb wherewith the Gates of the Israelites were sprinkled to prevent the destroying Angel from involving them in the same slaughter with the first-born of Egypt was a sign that the blood of Christ should be shed for the remission of the sins of God's people The injunction of not breaking a bone of the Paschal Lamb signified that not a bone of Christ should be broken upon the Cross to shew the force and power of his divinity As God instituted the Pasche and commanded the Israelites to eat the Paschal Lamb in memory of the Miracles he had done for them in Egypt so his Son Jesus Christ instituted the Sacrament of his body and blood in memory of what he had done for us in his Passion The Jews in eating the Paschal Lamb were in a posture of travellers to mind them that they were upon the point of flying out of Egypt into the land of Palestine and therefore they were standing upright having their shooes on with a staff in their hands and to eat it hastily With how much more diligence and activity ought we to eat the Divine Lamb of the New Law since we are to make a longer Voyage viz. from Earth to Heaven The Jews were not to eat the Paschal Lamb but with unleavened bread to teach us that we cannot eat as we ought our Paschal Lamb whereof theirs was but onely a figure unless we purisie our hearts from all filth becoming as a new paste without leaven that is without sin The Jews did eat the Paschal Lamb with wild Lettice to signifie the grief we ought to have for our sins and the bitterness we must conceive to expiate them whereby to pass hence to heaven The number of persons which the Jews were to call together to eat the Paschal Lamb was a figure of that charity we ought to bear to each other to the end we may worthily partake in this Sacrament of the body and blood of Jesus Christ It was commanded not to eat any thing of this Lamb that was raw to teach us that we are not to eat the body of our Lord without the due preparation which God requires of us It was prohibited to be eaten boiled in water and onely to be eaten roasted to instruct us that our love of God ought to be pure in our hearts whereby to make us worthy to eat the flesh of this Divine Lamb without engaging our affections upon the transient pleasures of this life figured by water in the Holy Scripture The Jews did eat the head feet and entrails of the Paschal Lamb to tell us that we must sincerely and firmly believe not only the divinity of Christ figured by the head but his humanity figured by the feet and all the more hidden mysteries of our faith represented by the entrails The blood of this Paschal Lamb was sprinkled on the two side-posts and upon the upper door-post of the house in form of a cross to signifie that by the cross and blood of Christ we are delivered from the tyranny of the devil and servitude of sin And it was further to signifie that to receive worthily this Sacrament of the Passion of our Saviour we must not onely take it with our mouths but with our hearts designing to imitate him by the practice of good works In fine All that remained of this Paschal Lamb was cast into the fire and burnt to observe unto us that when we find our selves incapable of eating this Sacrifice entirely through weakness of spirit or doubting whether that which we see be the body of our Saviour which the Angels themselves are not able to behold we are not then to continue longer in that doubt but cast it into the fire of the holy spirit that it may be there consumed since our weakness is not able to overcome it If not then when we consider that the things that seem impossible unto us cease not to become possible by the vertue of the Holy Ghost IN those days our Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt This month shall be to you the beginning of months it shall be the first in the months of the year Speak ye to the whole assembly of the children of Israel and say to them The tenth day of this month let every man eat a lamb by their families and houses But if their number be less then may suffice to eat the lamb he shall take unto him his neighbour that joyneth to his house according to the number of souls which may suffice to the eating of
they pierced Before the reading of the rest of the Gospel the Deacon says the Prayer Munda cor meum as before but asks not the Priest's Blessing to note unto us that the Author of all Blessings is dead Nor are the Candles lighted whereby to signifie that as the Eclipse of the Sun and Moon so likewise in the heavens all light was extinguished at the death of our Lord. Nor is the Book incensed to tell us that the fervour of the Disciples Prayers was also cool'd ANd after these things Joseph of Arimathea because he was a disciple of Jesus but secret for fear of the the Jews desired Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus And Pilate permitted He came therefore and took away the body of Jesus Nicodemus also came he that at the first came to Jesus by night bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes about an hundred pounds They took therefore the body of Jesus and bound it in linnen clothes with spices as the manner is with the Jews to bury And there was in the place where he was crucified a garden and in the garden a new monument wherein no man yet had been laid There therefore because of the Parasceve of the Jews they laid Jesus because the monument was hard by The Passion being ended Publick and Solemn Prayers are said not onely for the whole Church and all its Members but also for Infidels and all sorts of people in imitation of our Saviour who upon the Cross prayed even for his enemies and executioners to shew that he shed his blood for the whole world You are to observe that before each Prayer the Church minds the people to joyn in prayer with her wishing them to bow their knees to represent the respect and the humility wherewith we are to address unto God For the whole Church LEt us pray my beloved Brethren for the whole Church of God that our Lord God will vouchsafe to give it Peace maintain it in Union and preserve it through the whole Earth subjecting the Princes and Powers of this World unto it and that granting us the grace to lead this life in peace and tranquillity we may glorisie God the Father Almighty Let us Pray Let us bow our knees R. Lift up your selves ALmighty and Everlasting God who hast revealed thy glory in Jesus Christ to all Nations preserve the works of thy mercy that thy Church spred through the whole world may firmly persevere in the confession of thy Name Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Or for the Pope LEt us pray also for our Holy Father the Pope that our Lord God who hath elected and seated him in the Order of Episcopacy will give him health for the good of his Church and the benefit of his People Let us Pray Let us bow our knees R. Lift up your selves ALmighty and Everlasting God upon whose judgment all things are founded hear graciously our Prayers and in thy goodness preserve our Bishop whom thou hast appointed to guide us that the Christian people be governed by thy Authority may more and more encrease in faith under so great a Prelate Through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen For the Orders of the Church LEt us pray also for Bishops Priests Deacons Subdeacons Acolyts Exorcists Readers Porters Confessors Virgins Widows and for all God's holy people Let us Pray Let us bow our knees R. Lift up your selves ALmighty and Everlasting God whose Spirit sanctifies and governs the whole Church hear the Prayers we address unto thee for all Orders that by the assistance of thy grace they may all serve thee faithfully Through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen For the King LEt us pray also for our King Defender of the Faith that God will please to reduce all barbarous Nations to his command and grant us perpetual peace Let us Pray Let us bend our knees R. Lift up your selves ALmighty and Everlasting God in whose hands all Powers and Rights of Kingdoms are graciously look upon this Kingdom that those Nations who put confidence in their brutish fierceness may be supprest by the power of thy right hand Through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen For the Catechumens LEt us pray also for the Catechumens that our Lord God will open the ears of their hearts and the gate of his mercy that having received remission of all their sins and being regenerated by Baptism they may be incorporated with us in our Lord Jesus Christ Let us Pray Let us bend our knees R. Lift up your selves ALmighty and Everlasting God who daily encreasest thy Church with new children encrease in our Catechumens faith and understanding that being regenerated in the waters of Baptism they may be entred into the society of thy adopted children Through c. Amen For all sorts of Necessities LEt us pray my beloved unto God the Father Almighty that he will please to cleanse the world from all sorts of Errors cure our Diseases divert Famine open Prisons dissolve the bonds of Captives grant a safe return to Pilgrims restore health to the sick and to sea-faring men a secure arrival to their haven Let us Pray Let us bend our knees R. Lift up your selves ALmighty and Everlasting God who art a comfort to the afflicted and a strength to those that labour grant that the Prayers of all those who shall call upon thee in affliction may be heard by thee that they may be sensible with gladness of the assistance of thy mercy in their necessities Through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen For Hereticks and Schismaticks LEt us pray also for Hereticks and Schismaticks that our Lord God will deliver them from all error and vouchsafe to recall them into the bosom of our Holy Mother the Catholick Apostolick Church Let us pray Let us bend our knees R. Lift up your selves ALmighty and Everlasting God who savest the whole world and desirest not the death of a sinner regard those souls in mercy seduced by the deceit of the devil that all Hereticks and others going astray quitting all malice may rectifie their hearts and return to the unity of the truth Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen For the Jews LEt us pray also for the perfidious Jews that our Lord God will withdraw the vail from their hearts that they also may acknowledge our Lord Jesus Christ We say not here Flectamus genua to signifie the horrour of the outrages committed upon our Saviour at his Passion kneeling unto him in derision but the following Prayer is said Let us Pray ALmighty and Everlasting God who refusest not thy mercy even to the perfidious Jews hear the Prayers we pour forth for the blindness of this people that they arriving to the light of thy truth which is Jesus Christ may be cleared from their darkness Through the same our Lord Jesus Christ Amen For the Pagans LEt us pray also for the Pagans that Almighty God will take away all wickedness from their hearts that quitting their Idolatry they may convert themselves
the new Life which the Israelites that is those who shall believe in the Messias are to receive by a Spiritual Regeneration expecting a glorious Resurrection of the Dead IN those days the hand of the Lord was made upon me and brought me forth in the spirit of our Lord and left me in the mids of a field that was full of bones And he led me about through them on every side and there were very many upon the face of the field and exceeding dry And he said to me Son of man thinkest thou these bones shall live And I said Lord God thou knowest And he said to me Prophesie of these bones and thou shalt say to them Dry bones hear ye the word of our Lord. Thus saith our Lord God to these bones Behold I will put spirit into you and you shall live And I will give sinews unto you and will make flesh to grow up over you and will stretch a skin on you And I will give you spirit and you shall live And you shall know that I am the Lord. And I prophesied as he had commanded me And there was made a sound when I prophesied and behold a commotion and bones came to bones every one to his juncture And I saw and behold upon them sinews and flesh was grown up and a skin was stretched out in them above and they had no spirit And he said to me Prophesie son of man and thou shalt say to the spirit Thus saith our Lord God Come spirit from the four winds and blow upon these slain and let them be revived And I prophesied as he had commanded me and the spirit entred into them and they lived and they stood upon their feet an army passing great And he said to me Son of man all these bones are the house of Israel They say our bones are withered our hope is perished and we are cut off Therefore prophesie and thou shalt say to them Thus saith our Lord God Behold I will open your graves and bring you out of your Sepulchers O my people and will bring you into the land of Israel And you shall know that I am the Lord when I shall have opened your Sepulchers and shall have brought you out of your graves O my people And shall have given my spirit in you and you shall live And I shall make you rest upon your ground saith our Lord God Let us pray The Church presenting unto us how Jesus Christ figured by the Paschal Lamb in the Old Testament hath taught us by his Life and Passion what we are to do during this present Life and by his Resurrection what Blessings we are to hope for in the next begs of God to make us worthy of the benefits he bestows upon us in this Life and of the Blessings we hope for in the next Let us bow our knees R. Lift up your selves O God who by Holy Scriptures Old and New instructest us to celebrate the Paschal Mysteries grant us to know the grandeur of thy mercy that receiving the gifts in this life we may be raised to a firm hope of thy future blessings Through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen The EIGHTH PROPHECY taken out of the 4th Chapter of Isay Which in one part foretells the Ruin of Jerusalem and the extream desolation which was to befal the Jews and in the other he describes the establishment of our Saviours Reign and the abundant graces he would pour forth on those who should believe in him AND seven women shall take hold of one man in that day saying we will eat our own bread and be covered with our garments onely let thy Name be called upon us take away our reproach In that day the bud of our Lord shall be in magnificence and glory and the fruit of the Earth high and exultation to them that shall be saved of Israel And it shall be every one that shall be left in Sion and shall remain in Jerusalem shall be called Holy every one that is written in life in Jerusalem If our Lord shall cleanse the filth of the Daughters of Sion and shall wash the bloud of Jerusalem out of the midst thereof in the spirit of judgment and the spirit of heat And our Lord shall create upon every place of mount Sion and where he is invocated a cloud by the day and smoak and the brightness of flaming fire by night for upon all glory protection And there shall be a Tabernacle for a place of shadow in the day from the heat and for security and covert from the whirlwind and from rain The TRACT out of the 5th Chapter of Isay The Prophet Isay shews us that the Son of God our Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of his Church which he compares to a Vine wherein God hath established the Jews to cultivate it who not discharging their Duty are driven thence and God put in their stead faithful Servants who make the true House of Israel The Fence wherewith the Prophet says God encompassed his Vineyard that is his Church signifies the grace wherewith he replenisheth protects and guards it The Tower is a sign that he fortifies and defends it from the force of the Devils and their Ministers who continually endeavour to overcome and destroy it The Press there prepared represents Christs Cross whence the Fruit of our Salvation flows as the most precious spiritual Must MY well-beloved hath a Vineyard in a very fruitful Hill V. And he fenced it and planted it with the choicest Vine and built a Tower in the midst of it V. And made a Wine-press in it for the Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel The Church beseeches God that the Catechumens withdrawing themselves from Sin and coming into his Fold as a Branch transplanted from Egypt cleared from Thorns and Thistles may produce by his grace the Fruits he requires of them Let us pray Let us bend our knees R. Lift up your selves O God who by the mouth of thy Holy Prophets hast declared that for the benefit of all the Children of thy Church thou sowest good Seed through the whole extent of thy Empire and improvest thy chosen Plants grant of thy bounty that having rooted up all the Briars and Thistles from among thy People whom thou art pleased shall be called Vines they may bring forth good Fruit in abundance through our Jesus Christ The NINTH PROPHECY taken out of the 12th Chapter of Exodus In this Lesson the Church proposes unto us the Ceremony of the Jewish Passover explicated before pag. 197. to instruct us that Jesus Christ having fulfilled the Solemnity of the old Pasch celebrated in memory of the delivery of the People of Israel from the Egyptian Bondage came to this new Pasch which he is pleased that his Church should solemnize in memory of the Redemption he brought to the World giving his Body and Bloud in lieu of the Flesh and Bloud of the Paschal Lamb. And for the better observance of
from the way which I have commanded you and evils shall come upon you in the latter times when you shall do evil in the sight of our Lord to provoke him by the works of your hands Moses therefore spake in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel the words of this song and finished even to the end The TRACT taken out of the 32th Chapter of Deuteronomy Wherein the Church represents the benefits which we reap from the terror of the Menaces of Gods Law not only to this end that audacity to sin may be prevented and Innocency assured even among the wicked but also that the wicked terriffed with the pains wherewith God in his justice corrects sin so that the aversion which they have from Chastisement preventing them from sinning may be a kind of inward motion incited to invoke Gods bounty who changes their spirit and by an admirable effect of his Grace heal the corruption and malice of their Will and induces them both to fear and love him HEar you heavens what things I speak the earth hear the words of my mouth V. My doctrine grow together as rain my speech flow as the dew V. As it were a shower upon the grass because I will invocate the Name of our Lord. V. Give magnificence to our God the works of God be perfect and all his ways judgments V. God is faithful and without iniquity just and right The Church begs of God that the terror of the menaces in the Law may prevent the People from sin and make them fear and love his Majesty whereby they may obtain Eternal Salvation Let us Pray Let us kneel R. Lift up your selves O God who raisest the humble and givest courage to the just who wouldest by thy servant Moses teach this people by singing thy holy Canticle that the repetition of thy Law might be our instruction make thy power appear to all nations justified by thee and allaying their terrour by an holy joy grant that all their sins being effaced through thy mercy the terrour of those pains menaced by thee may turn to their good and salvation Through our Lord Jesus Christ The TWELFTH PROPHECY taken out of the 3d Chapter of Daniel The Church represents to the Catechumens and to the Faithful that by the example of the three young Hebrews they ought to give proof of their Faith and courage in being ready to suffer Martyrdom for the Glory and Honour of God and incessantly praise him in the midst of most violent Persecutions IN those days Nabuchodonosor the king made a statue of gold in height of sixty cubits in breadth of six cubits and he set it in the field of Dura of the province of Babylon Therefore Nabuchodonosor the king sent to call together the nobles the magistrates and judges dukes and tyrants and rulers and all the princes of the countreys that they should come together to the dedication of the statue which Nabuchodonosor the king had erected Then were the nobles gathered together the magistrates and judges the dukes and tyrants and the great men that were placed in the regiments and all the princes of the countrey to come together to the dedication of the statue which Nabuchodonosor the king had set up And the crier cried mightily to you people and tribes and tongues it is said in the hour that you shall hear the sound of the trumpet and pipe and harp of the dulcimer psaltery and and symphony and all kind of musical instruments falling adore ye the golden statue which Nabuchodonosor the king hath set up But if any man shall not adore prostrate he shall the self-same hour be cast into a furnace of burning fire After this therefore forthwith as all the people heard the sound of the trumpet the pipe and harp of the dulcimer and psaltery of the symphony and of all kind of musical instruments all the people tribes and tongues falling adored the golden statue which Nabuchodonosor had set up And forthwith in the very same time men of Chaldee coming accused the Jews and said to Nabuchodonosor the king King live for ever Thou O king hast made a decree that every man which shall hear the sound of the trumpet pipe and harp of the dulcimer and psaltery of the symphony and of all kind of musical instruments prostrate himself and adore the golden statue And if any man do not prostrate on the ground and adore that he be cast into a furnace of burning fire There are therefore men of Jewry whom thou didst appoint over the works of the province of Babylon Sidrach Misach and Abdenago these men O King have condemned thy decree thy God 's they worship not and the golden statue which thou hast erected they adore not Then Nabuchodonosor in fury and in wrath commanded that Sidrach Misach and Abdenago should be brought who immediately were brought before the king And Nabuchodonosor the king pronouncing said unto them Indeed Sidrach Misach and Abdenago do not you worship my gods and the golden statue that I have set up do not you adore Now therefore if you be ready in what hour soever you shall hear the sound of the trumpet the pipe the harp of the dulcimer and psaltery and symphony and of all kind of musical instruments prostrate your selves and adore the statue which I have made But if you adore not the self-same hour ye shall be cast into the furnace of burning fire and what God is there that shall deliver you out of my hand Sidrach Misach and Abdenago answering said to king Nabuchodonosor We must not answer thee concerning this thing For behold our God whom we worship can save us from the furnace of burning fire and out of thy hands O King deliver us But if he will not be it known to thee O king that we worship not thy gods and the golden statue which thou hast erected we adore not Then was Nabuchodonosor replenished with fury and the look of his face was altered upon Sidrach Misach and Abdenago and he commanded that the furnace should be heated seven times more than it had been accustomed to be heated And commanded the strongest men of his hosts to bind the feet of Sidrach Misach and Abdenago and to cast them into the furnace of burning fire And forthwith those men being bound with their breeches and head-attire and shooes and garments were cast into the furnace of burning fire For the commandment of the king did urge and the furnace was heated exceedingly Moreover the flame of the fire slew those men that had cast in Sidrach Misach and Abdenago But these three men Sidrach Misach and Abdenago fell in the mids of the furnace of burning fire bound together And they walked in the mids of the flame praising God and blessing our Lord. Flectamus genua is not said here to mind us that these three young Hebrews would not kneel before the Statue of Nabuchodonosor as Christians ought not to adore the vanities of this World Let us Pray
The Faithful in the name of the rest beseech God to make them constant and stable in Faith as the three Hebrews in the midst of Persecutions and Traverses of this Life and that he will give them the grace to remain humble as not depending on their own Justice or Merits but hoping only in his Mercy ALmighty and Everlasting God the onely hope of the world who by the mouths of thy Prophets hast manifested the mysteries of these times increase through thy goodness the fervour of the Vows and Prayers of thy people that they may obtain that perfection in Faith and Piety which they beg since none can advance in vertue but by thy holy inspirations Through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Then the Priest goes to the Font and the following Tract is sung taken out of the one and fortieth Psalm to inform the Catechumens how fervently they ought to desire Baptism AS the heart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God V. My soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God V. My tears have been my meat day and night while continually they say unto me Where is thy God Before the blessing of the Font the Priest says this Prayer Our Lord be with you R. And with thy spirit Let us Pray The Priest prays for the Catechumens that God would please to give them the Faith necessary for their Sanctification in this Sacrament of Baptism ALmighty and Everlasting God look graciously upon the devotion of thy people now to be regenerate who as the Hart thirst after the waters of thy fountain and grant that the faith which they thirst may sanctifie their Soul and Body by the Sacrament of Baptism Through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen The Church blessing the Fonts upon Easter-Eve does instruct us that Baptism is a figure of the death of Jesus Christ and that he Spiritually does that in our souls which was truly done in his Body upon Mount Calvary For as Jesus Christ by dying hath destroyed the flesh which was in appearance sinful as he blotted out sin which was not in him but because he was pleas'd to charge himself with it to satisfie Divine Justice so Baptism destroys the Old Man who is truly the sinner to invest us with the New and to destroy sin which is truly ours to give us his Grace The Water wherein we are plunged represents our Saviours Burial advertising us that all our sins are there buried and when we come forth of it it is a figure of his Resurrection which was for the glory of his Father and signified that by his Example we ought to live a new Life full of Sanctity and that after this life of Grace we shall enjoy one of Glory if we are truly united to Jesus Christ It is to be observed that though these Ceremonies are not absolutely necessary yet they are not to be altered but upon extream necessity In that they are very ancient and comprehend great Mysteries the knowledge whereof brings us to see the admirable changes wrought in a Soul by Baptism The Priest implores Gods assistance to bless the Font. Our Lord be with you R. And with thy spirit Let us Pray ALmighty and Everlasting God bless these great Mysteries and Sacraments of thine infinite bounty and to regenerate this new people which this water of Baptism brings thee pour forth upon them the Spirit of Adoption so that what is to be done by the ministry of our weakness may be accomplished by the effect of thy power Through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen The Priest raising his voice to a higher Tone protests himself unworthy to administer so great a Sacrament and declares that all the efficacy of the Waters of Baptism come from the Holy Ghost who pours forth upon those that are Baptized the graces they are capable of through the Merits of Jesus Christ For ever and ever Amen Our Lord be with you R. And with thy spirit Raise up your hearts R. We have them to our Lord. Let us give thanks to our Lord God R. It is meet and just IT is truly meet and just right and wholsom that we always and in all places give thee thanks O Lord Holy Father Almighty and Everlasting God who by thy invisible power dost wonderfully bring to pass the effect of thy Sacraments and though we are unworthy to administer so great Mysteries yet thou not withdrawing the gifts of thy grace art graciously pleased to hear our Prayers God whose spirit in the world beginning was carried upon the waters that then its nature might conceive the vertue of sanctification God who by the waters washing away the sins of the guilty world didst note the figure of regeneration by the overflowing of the deluge to the end that the same element by a prodigious mystery should be both the destruction of vices and the source of vertues cast down thine eyes upon the face of thy Church and multiply in her thy regenerations Thou who satiatest thy holy city with joy by the abundant affluence of thy graces and openest the Fonts of Baptism to the whole world to renew the nations inhabiting it that under the Empire of thy Majesty she may receive the grace of thy only Son by the vertue of the Holy Ghost The Priest divides the Water in form of the Cross to teach us that Grace and Sanctification are given us through the Merits of Christs Cross and Passion and that by the same Merits the Waters created for the generation of the Body are Sanctified and joyned with the grace of the Holy Ghost to a Spiritual Regeneration of Men on whom our Lord bestows his gifts without respect either to Nation Sex or Quality making them his Members that so they may live the same life with him And as by Adam's sin the Devil usurpt a Dominion over the Creatures which he makes use of to prejudice Man so he is deprived of it by our Redeemer's Merits who Sanctifies them for our good WHom we beseech by a secret mixture of his Divine Grace to make this water fruitful designed for the regeneration of men to the end that those who are conceived and sanctified in the immaculate womb of this Font may become a heavenly progeny being regenerated to a new creature and that all who are distinguished either by sex in the body or age in time may be brought forth to the same in fancy by grace which is their spiritual mother Command therefore O Lord that all unclean spirits may withdraw hence that all malice and deceit of the devil be banished that no power of the enemy may lurk here to prepare his ambushes to surprise by secret artifices to corrupt with his infection The Priest touches the Water with his hand to beg of God by the following words that it be not profaned MAY this holy and innocent creature O Lord be free from enterprises of the devil and all malice being set apart may be
preserved in its purity May it be a fountain of life a regenerating water a purifying stream that all those who shall be washed in this wholsom bath may obtain the grace to be perfectly purified by operation and assistance of the Holy Ghost The Priest signs the Font thrice with the sign of the Cross to shew us that as the Holy Trinity was by visible Tokens present at Christs Baptism So these Three Persons by an invisible Presence are so assisting when the People are Baptized ANd therefore I bless thee O creature water by the living ✚ God by the true ✚ God by the holy ✚ God by that God who at the beginning of the world separated thee from the dry land by his word and whose spirit was carried upon thee The Priest divides the Water with his Hand and casts it towards the four parts of the World instructing us thereby that the grace of Baptism is poured forth through the whole Earth And the Church setting before our Eyes the Wonders wrought by God upon the Waters both in the Old and New Testament teacheth us that we are not to think it strange that this Element is made use of to make a Sacrament for our Regeneration and Sanctification GOD who made thee spring in Paradise and dividing thee into four rivers commanded thee to water the whole earth who changed thy bitterness in the desart and made the potable by an imprinted suavity and to issue out of a rock to quench his peoples thirst I bless thee also through our Lord Jesus Christ his only Son who in Cana Galilee changed thee into wine by a singular miracle of his omnipotency who walked dry-foot upon thee and was baptized in thee by St. John in Jordan who caused thee together with blood to issue out of his side and who commanded his disciples to baptize all those in thee who should believe in him saying Go ye and teach all nations and baptize them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost The Priest invocates Gods assistance with a profound respect OMnipotent God mercifully assist us observing thy commandments and of thy goodness infuse thy spirit into us Then the Priest breaths upon the Waters in form of a Cross to teach us that Jesus Christ by the Merits of his Cross and Passion communicates his Holy Spirit to those that are Baptized as he communicated it to his Disciples by the breath of his Mouth BLess these simple waters with thy mouth that besides their natural quality of cleansing the body they may receive yet further vertue to purifie our souls The Priest dippeth the hallowed Candle into the Water to shew us that the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ represented by this Virgin-wax sanctified the Waters when he was Baptized in Jordan and that he gave them the virtue to regenerate and that as the Holy Ghost descended then upon Jesus Christ he also descends upon those that are new Baptized MAy the vertue of the Holy Ghost descend upon this water The Priest breaths three times upon the Water to instruct us that not only the Holy Ghost but the Father and Son also descend upon the Baptized as these three Persons visibly appear'd at our Saviours Baptism we are also taught by it that in this Sacrament of Regeneration we receive Faith Hope and Charity ANd make the whole substance of this water fruitful and capable to regenerate The Priest takes the Taper out of the Water to instruct us that by Baptism we are dis-engaged from sin re-established in grace admitted into a new life which entitles us by our good works to Eternal Glory MAy here all the stains of sin be blotted out may here nature created unto thy image being restored to its original dignity to the honour of its Authour be purified from all filth of the old man that all who receive this Sacrament of Regeneration may be born in true innocency of a new birth Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son who shall come to judge the living and the dead and world by fire After this the Priest pours the Oyl for the Catechumens into the Water cross-wise to represent unto us the strength we receive by this Sacrament as Champions of Jesus Christ to persevere generously in the encounters of this World that so we may wear the Crown prepared for us in Everlasting Life And as the Oyl is drawn from Olives bruised in a Press this Liquor denotes unto us that grace and strength figured thereby is given us by the Passion of Jesus Christ MAy this Font be sanctified and made fruitful by this health-giving oyl for those who shall be regenerated therein unto life everlasting Amen Then the Priest pours into the Water Oyl of Chrism to teach us that Baptism is a Spiritual and Mystical Consecration by which being invisibly anointed with the grace of the Holy Ghost we partake of the Regality and Priesthood of Jesus Christ and thence we are called Christians that is anointed MAy this infusion of the Chrism of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Holy Ghost the comforter be done in the Name of the Holy Trinity Amen Lastly the Priest pours Oyl and Chrism together into the Water to put before us the advantages we reap by this Sacrament of Baptism and the Sollicitude we ought to use to conserve them The Water signifies that we are cleansed from all our sins The Oyl that we are anointed with the Holy Ghost as Champions of Christ to be guarded and fortified in all Encounters and Assaults that befal us in this Life as in all sorts of Temptations interior and exterior in Afflictions Persecutions and generally in all occasions which may hazard our loss of Faith and of the grace of God The Chrism represents unto us that we are consecrated unto God by the participation of the Regality and Priesthood of Jesus Christ MAy this commixture of the Chrism of Sanctification and the Oyl of Unction and of the Water of Baptism be made in the Name of the Father ✚ and of the Son ✚ and of the Holy Ghost ✚ Amen The blessing of the Font being ended the Priest accompanied with his Ministers goes before the Altar and upon his knees sings the Litanies to implore the Intercession of the Saints But in Churches where no Fonts are after the Sixth Prophecy is read and the Prayer following it Litanies are sung to implore the Intercession of the Saints LOrd have mercy on us Christ have mercy on us Lord have mercy on us Christ hear us Christ graciously hear us God the Father of heaven have mercy on us God the Son Redeemer of the world have mercy on us God the Holy Ghost have mercy on us Holy Trinity one God have mercy on us Holy Mary pray for us Holy Mother of God pray for us Holy Virgin of Virgins pray for us St. Michael pray St. Gabriel pray St. Raphael pray All ye Holy Angels and Archangels pray for us All ye Holy Orders
the Red Sea and beheld the Egyptians on all sides stretcht out upon the Sands and their Chariots drowned in the bottom of the Sea The PROSE BRing all ye dear-bought Nations bring Your richest Praises to your King That spotless Lamb who more than due Paid for his Sheep and those Sheep you That Innocent Son who wrought your peace And made his Father's anger cease Life and Death together fought Each to a strange extream were brought Life died but soon revived again And even by death's self has slain Say happy Magdalen O say What didst thou see these by the way I saw the Tomb of my dear Lord I saw himself and him ador'd I saw the Napkin and the Sheet That bound his Head and wrapt his Feet I heard the Angels witness bear Jesus is risen he 's not here Go tell his followers they shall see Thine and their hope in Galilee They Lord with faithful heart and chearful voice We on thy glorious rising day rejoyce O thou whose conquering pow'r o'recame the grave By thy victorious grace us sinners save Amen Alleluia Munda cor meum as before pag. 14. The Sequence of the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark Chap. 16. MUNDA COR MEUM c. as before pag. 14. Wherein the Church relating what happened at our Saviours Sepulcher at his Resurrection teacheth us what we ought to do to prepare our selves for the celebrating worthily this Solemnity and then proposes to us the advantages we reap 1. This Gospel teacheth us that the three Maries went early in the Morning with Perfumes to seck Jesus Christ in his Sepulcher The Example of these Holy Women tell us our obligation of going to seek for Christ in his Sepulcher as soon as we are enlightned with his grace That is in the Sacrament of Penance which is the figure of it there to bury our sins making a stock of Good Works signified by the Perfumes 2. These Holy Women had the happiness to see the Angels to teach us that the Souls which seek Christ with Holy desires and the Odour of Vertues have a particular assistance from the Blessed Spirits 3. The Angel appeared to these Holy Women in white as a token of Innocence and Joy to tell us with what purity and joy we are to solemnize the Resurrection of our Lord. This Joy is common to us with the Angels who rejoyce because the void places of their Hierarchies are replenished and we ought to rejoyce for that by its vertue we are raised in this World from the death of sin to a life of grace and we receive a pledge of happy Immortality whereunto we aspire 4. The Angel appeared sitting on the right hand which signifies that by Christs Resurrection we are called to possess Spiritual Blessings expressed in Holy Scripture by the right hand 5. These Holy Women were surprised with fear at their arrival but afterwards were emboldned by the Angel To teach us that Souls which seek God carefully and are toucht with a Holy fear which is the first gift of the Holy Ghost are confirmed with Celestial consolations 6. The Angel recommended to these Holy Women to publish our Saviours Resurrection namely to St. Peter to shew us the Providence which God hath for true Penitents and the hope he gives them to partake of the Glory of his Sons Resurrection AT that time Mary Magdalene and Mary of James and Salome brought spices that coming they might anoint Jesus And very early the first of the Sabboths they came to the monument the sun being now risen And they said one to another Who shall roul us back the stone from the door of the monument And looking they saw the stone rouled back for it was very great And entring into the monument they saw a young man sitting on the right hand covered with a white robe And they were astonished who said to them Be not dismayed You seek Jesus of Nazareth that was crucified he is risen he is not here behold the place where they laid him But go tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee there you shall see him as he told you CREDO as before pag. 54 55. The OFFERTORY taken out of the 75th Psalm The Church represents unto us that if the Earth trembled at Christs Resurrection and that all present were astonished at his going forth of his Tomb when he came in Mercy to men how much more cause have we to fear and tremble when we consider the severity of his Justice at his coming to examine us a Judge whose Judgments are so piercing that he sees into the most secret corner of our hearts yea what our selves cannot discover when at the general Resurrection he shall come to Judge the living and the dead in such Majesty and Power that the Heavens and all the Elements will be reduced to a condition of Horror and Terror This fear of Gods Judgment when it is joyned to the hope we have through his Mercy to reap the Fruit of our Saviours Resurrection makes our hopes the more beneficial THe earth trembled and was still when God arose in judgment Alleluia Suscipe Sancte Pater c. till the Secret as before pag. 56. The SECRET The Priest begs of God on the behalf of the Faithful to give them the grace to celebrate worthily the Mysteries of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ so that they may reap its wholsom effects ACcept O Lord we beseech thee the Prayers of thy People with the Oblation of these Hosts that these Paschal Mysteries which we celebrate may be wholesom and by thy assistance availing us to obtain Life Everlasting Through our Lord Jesus Christ c. The Preface till Vere dignum justum est c. as before pag. 60 c. The Priest in the name of the Faithful acknowledges the Obligation we have of giving continual thanks to God for Christs Resurrection whereby to raise us again to Life Everlasting and confessing that of himself he cannot worthily acquit this Duty he joyns with the Angels Thrones and Dominations and the rest of the Celestial Spirits who in Heaven sing incessantly Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus and the Canticle which the Children sung at Christ's Triumphant entry into Jerusalem Benedictus qui venit c. as a testimony of the Spiritual Union between Men and Angels in praising his Divine Majesty and to confess that the Purity of Angels and Innocence of Infants is required to praise God worthily IT is truly meet and just right and wholesom O Lord that at all times we set forth thy praises But more especially in this Night wherein Jesus Christ our Paschal Lamb was immolated who hath taken away the sins of the World who by dying hath destroyed our death and by rising again hath restored life And therefore with Angels and Archangels with the Thrones and Dominations together with the Celestial Host we sing this Hymn of thy Glory without end saying Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God of Sabbath The
your selves which also in CHRIST JESUS who when he was in the form of God thought it no robbery himself to be equal to God but he exinanited himself taking the form of a servant made into the similitude of men and in shape found as a man R. Thanks be to God HYMN In remembrance of the Victory Christ obtained by his Cross A Broad the Regal Banners fly Now shines the Crosses Mystery Upon it Life did Death endure And yet by Death did Life procure Who wounded with a direful Spear Did purposely to wash us clear From stain of Sin pour out a Flood Of precious Water mixt with Blood Fully accomplish'd are the things David in faithful Meeter sings Where he to Nations do's attest God on a Tree his Reign possest O lovely and refulgent Tree Adorn'd with purple Majesty Cull'd from a worthy Stock to bear Those Limbs which sanctified were Blest Tree whose happy Branches bore The Wealth that did the World restore The Beam that did that Body weigh Which rais'd up Hells expected Prey Hail Cross of Hopes the most sublime Now in this mournful Passion-time Improve Religious Souls in Grace The Sins of Criminals efface Blest Trinity Salvations Spring May ev'ry Soul thy Praises sing To those thou grantest Conquest by The Holy Cross Rewards apply Amen THE SONG OF THE HOLY VIRGIN MARY Luke 1. The Church briefly represents unto us in this Canticle the Promises and Mysteries of our Salvation and shews us that the Son of God became Man to repair by his Humility what Man had lost through his own Pride and that it was his will to chuse the Holy Virgin to be his Mother out of his great Humility to accomplish this grand Work MY Soul doth magnifie our Lord. And my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed Because he that is mighty hath done great things to me and holy is his Name And his mercy from generations unto generations to them that fear him He hath shewed might in his arm he hath dispersed the proud in the conceit of their heart He hath deposed the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble The hungry he hath filled with good things and the rich he hath sent away empty He hath received Israel his child being mindful of his mercy As he spake to our fathers to Abraham and his seed for ever Glory be to the Father c. Ant. For it is written I will strike the Pastor and the sheep of the flock shall be dispersed but after I shall be risen again I will go before you into Galilee and there ye shall see me saith our Lord. At Paris the following Anthymn is said ALl the people which descended rejoyced and began to praise God exceedingly for the wonders they had seen saying Blessed is the King that comes in the name of our Lord Peace in heaven and glory in the highest THE PRAYER To beg God's Grace to imitate the Humility and Patience of our Saviour O Almighty Eternal God who hast caused our Saviour to take Flesh and be crucified for Mankind as an Example of Humility to be imitated Grant propitiously that we may partake both of the Instructions of his Patience and the Fellowship of his Resurrection Thro' the same our Lord c. AT COMPLINE The Reader says Vers REverend Father bless me THE BLESSING GRant us Omnipotent Lord a quiet Night and a happy End Resp Amen THE LESSON taken out of the First Epistle of the Apostle St. Peter chap. 5. BRethren be sober and watch because your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion goeth about seeking whom he may devour Whom resist ye strong in faith But thou O Lord have mercy on us R. Thanks be to God V. Our help is in the name of our Lord. R. Who made Heaven and Earth OUr Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from all evil Amen HAil Mary full of Grace our Lord is with thee Blessed art thou amongst Women and blessed is the Fruit of thy Womb JESUS Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us Sinners now and in the hour of our death Amen I Confess unto Almighty God to Blessed Mary ever Virgin to Blessed Michael the Archangel to Blessed John Baptist to the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul to all Saints and to Thee Father That I have sinned exceedingly in Thought Word and Deed by my fault by my fault by my most grievous fault Therefore I beseech the Blessed Mary ever Virgin Blessed Michael the Archangel Blessed John Baptist the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul all Saints and Thee O Father to pray for me to our Lord God Almighty God have mercy on us and all our Sins being forgiven bring us unto everlasting Life R. Amen The Almighty and merciful Lord give unto us Pardon Absolution and Remission of all our Sins R. Amen Convert us O God our Saviour R. And avert thine Anger from us V. Incline unto my aid O God R. O Lord make haste to help me Glory be to the Father c. Ant. Have mercy on me PSALM 4. This Psalm shews us That 't is impossible to raise up our Thoughts to the Love of the true Goods whilst our Hearts are overcharged with the Cares of Worldly Affairs but that once being purified with the Grace of God we then in the secret of our Souls begin to contemn our selves and being touched with a true Compunction of Heart we offer to his Majesty a Sacrifice all our past Life with an intention by his assistance entirely to change it And from thence-forth our Lord begins to make us rellish his Sweets and Delights and to heap Joys upon us Then we find in that Sovereign Good another Grain another Wine and another Oyl than what here below so as we neither envy the Prosperity of the Wicked nor fear their Persecutions having placed all our Confidence in God WHen I invocated the God of my justice heard me in tribulation thou hast enlarged to me Have mercy on me and hear my prayer Ye sons of men how long are you of heavy heart why love you vanity and seek lying And know ye that our Lord hath made his Holy One marveilous our Lord will hear me when I shall cry to him Be ye angry and sin not the things that you say in your hearts in your chambers be ye sorry for Sacrifice ye the sacrifice of justice and hope in our Lord Many say Who sheweth us good things The light of thy countenance O Lord is signed upon us thou hast given gladness in my heart By the fruit of their corn and wine and oyl they are multiplied In peace in the self same I will
Vouchsafe O Lord to keep us R. This night without Sin V. Have mercy on us Lord. R. Have mercy on us V. Let thy mercy O Lord come on us R. Even as we have trusted in thee V. O Lord hear my Prayer R. And let my Cry come unto thee V. Our Lord be with you R. And with thy Spirit Let us Pray VIsit we beseech thee O Lord this Habitation and repel far from it all Snares of the Enemy Let thy holy Angels dwell therein to preserve us in peace and thy Blessing be upon us for ever through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son who with thee liveth and Reigneth in the Unity of the Holy Ghost One God for ever and ever Amen V. Our Lord be with you R. And with thy Spirit V. Let us bless our Lord. R. Thanks be to God THE BLESSING V. The Almighty and Merciful Lord the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost bless and keep us R. Amen THE ANTHYMN OF THE HOLY VIRGIN HAil Queen advanc'd to heavenly Reign Hail Lady of th' Angelick Train Hail Root hail Gate that did disclose The Light which to the World arose Virgin rejoyce whose Form divine All others Beauty do's out-shine Be ever bless'd thrice-beauteous Maid By thee let Christ be for us pray'd V. Vouchsafe that I praise thee O sacred Virgin R. Give me force against my Enemies Let us Pray GRant O merciful God defence unto our Frailty that we who make Commemoration of the Holy Mother of God may by the help of her Intercession arise from our Iniquities Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. R. Amen V. Let the Divine Help always remain with us R. Amen THE NIGHT-OFFICE ON WEDNESDAY IN Holy-Week FOR THVRSDAY at MATTINS ON this Day the Church represents unto us That Jesus Christ supped with his Apostles washed their Feet prayed in the Olive-Garden and that he was betrayed by Judas into the hands of the Jews These three following Days after having said Pater noster Ave Maria and Credo at Mattins and Prime without farther Ceremony they begin Mattins and Vespers with an Anthymn of the First Psalm and every Anthymn is repeated as on double Feasts Domine labia mea c. and Deus in Adjutorium are omitted to signifie that Jesus Christ was then abandoned by his Father to Torments and Death The Invitatory is likewise omitted Neither the Hymn nor Gloria Patri are said to shew us that the Honor due to the Blessed Trinity was violated by the excessive Wickedness and Infidelity of the Jews Fifteen Wax Tapers are lighted because there are recited two Canticles and thirteen Psalms in the Mattins and Laudes which are all sung under one and the same Anthymn Whereby are represented unto us the Light of the Faith which the Prophets in the Old Testament foretold unto the People And a Taper is extinguished at the end of each Psalm to declare that the Light of that Faith whereof the Prophets spoke unto the Jews was in them extinguished after they had crucified the Saviour of the World And at the end of the Canticle of Zachary the Father of St. John Baptist they put not out that Taper which represents Jesus Christ whom St. John Baptist declared to be the true Light of the World to shew that tho' Jesus Christ died according to his Humanity yet that he was always living according to his Divinity They also hide that Taper to signifie that the Divinity of Jesus Christ was hid under the Veil of his Humanity It likewise represents Jesus Christ in his Sepulcher Afterwards they shew the lighted Taper to represent his Resurrection AT THE FIRST NOCTVRN PSALM 68. That which the Royal Prophet foretold in this Psalm of the Mystery of the Passion of Jesus Christ the Church proposes unto us according to the Explication left us by the Apostles as well in the Book of their Acts and in their Epistles as in the Book of Gospels First She represents us with the Sufferings and Death of Jesus Christ which the Prophet compares to an overflowing of the Waters and to a Tempest and to a Wreck Secondly She presents us with the Prayer which our Saviour made to God his Father at the access of his Grief when in the condition of a Slave which our Infirmities occasion'd being in appearance forsaken of God his Father since in his Sufferings he denied him that which he desired through a propension of Humane Nature wherewith he was clothed drawing from the bottom of his Heart these Words full of Love and Piety My Father if it be possible let the Chalice of my Sufferances pass without my drinking it however thy will be done not mine That which he earnestly desired 't is that made his Innocency appear and that he voluntarily suffered those Pains for the Sins of Men and not for his own having never committed or been able to commit the least Sin And though his Passion seems ridiculous and is an Object of Scandal and Abomination in the judgment of the Jews and Gentiles yet the Faithful are not thereat troubled Thirdly The Church shews us that in this Psalm the Prophet foretells how our Saviour was to be betrayed by one of his Disciples and abandoned by his others and how many Outrages and Contempts the Jews would cast upon him Fourthly In this Psalm is declared the Zeal Jesus Christ had for the Honor of his Father his Resignation to his Father's Will his Submission to his Conduct and his Contempt of his own proper Interest For so the Apostle St. Paul in the fifteenth Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans explicates one part of this Psalm Fifthly According to St. Luke in the first Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles and of St. Paul in the second Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans in this Psalm is described the Punishment which was prepared for the Traytor Judas and the other Persecutors of Jesus Christ wherewith this adorable Saviour threatens them not through any Hate or Revenge but through the Zeal of God's Justice considering the Reprobation of those Wretches in the Decrees of his Providence Sixthly We are instructed in this Psalm That Jesus Christ having by his Death repaired the Honor of God his Father he was also to rise again and build his Church which through Sin was lost and establish his Faithful in the possession of the Heavenly Inheritance signified by Jerusalem and lost by Sin Establishing on Earth a more agreeable Sacrifice than that of Calves which was offer'd him in the Old Law to wit the Sacrifice of his own Body and Blood Ant. The zeal of thy house hath eaten me and the reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me SAve me O God because waters are entred into my Soul I stick fast in the mire of the depth and there is no sure standing I am come into the depth of the sea and a tempest hath overwhelmed me I have laboured crying my jaws are made hoarse my eyes have failed whilst I hope
c. AT LAUDS PSALM 50. Ant. Be justified O Lord in thy words and mayst overcome when thou art judged The Church represents unto us in the Person of David the Pattern of a true Penitent and also shews us First That Sinners must never despair of Gods Mercy but always acknowledge that though their Sins are never so great yet that his Mercy is far greater David received the Sacraments of the Law and Circumcision whereby the Sins wherein he was conceived were taken away he also received Holy Unction and God promised unto him that from his Loins the Messias should be born and that he and his Son should build his Temple And in the mean time David becomes an Adulterer and Murderer but being touched afterwards with a true Penitence and Compunction of Heart he cried for Mercy unto God and obtained it Secondly The Church shews us That all Sinners must follow the Example of David and put their whole confidence in the Mercy of God that they must always acknowledge their Sins and ever have them before their Eyes For will not God vouchsafe to forgive those Sins which Man will not acknowledge They must consider that God esteems those Injuries done to their Neighbors as if done to himself and therefore we ought to render an Account only to him They must look upon themselves as Lepers and People rejected and separated from other Men as impure Men as Strangers and Profane They ought to have a pure and sincere Heart They must shake off the Old Man to be renewed in God that is they must contemn all Pleasures of the Flesh all Voluptuousness and all Popular Praise and settle their whole Love on things invisible and entirely Divine And it is not sufficient only to correct their Lives and sin no more but they must also satisfie unto God for their past Sins and Offences by a true Compunction by humble Sighs by offering up a contrite Heart and by Alms which must accompany all the Exercises of Penance They must suffer all things with Patience and invincible Courage accepting and receiving their Punishments as just Pains for their Crimes And in demanding any Favours or Graces from God they ought not to think they merit them but only propose to themselves to honor his Magnisicence and Bounty that he may be acknowledged faithful to his Promises in hearing the truly Penitents and irreproachable in his Judgment by chastising Sinners Lastly They must edifie their Neighbor by the Example of their good Lives and endeavor the Conversion of the Wicked They must beg of God that their Sins may not be the Cause that others should be deprived of the Goods God would have granted unto them by their Intercession if they had not rendred themselves unworthy of that Ministry as we see that David ask'd of God that the Promises he had made to him to employ him in the building of his Temple should not be without effect although himself was unworthy that Grace yet that he would please to grant his Son the favour of finishing that great Work Deal favourably O Lord in thy good will with Sion and let the walls of Jerusalem be built up Then shalt thou accept sacrifice of justice oblations and holocausts then shall they lay calves upon thy altar HAve mercy on me O God according to thy great mercy And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out mine iniquity Wash me henceforth from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin Because I know my iniquity and my sin is always against me To thee only have I sinned and have done evil before thee that thou maist be justified in thy words and mayst overcome when thou art judged For behold I was conceived in iniquities and my mother conceived me in sins For behold thou hast loved truth the uncertain and hidden things of thy wisdom thou hast made manifest to me Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop and I shall be cleansed thou shalt wash me and I shall be made whiter than snow To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness and the bones humbled shall rejoyce Turn away thy face from my sins and blot out my iniquities Create a clean heart in me O God and renew a right spirit in my bowels Cast me not away from thy face and thy holy Spirit take not from me Render unto me the joy of thy salvation and confirm with a principal spirit I will teach the unjust thy ways and the impious shall be converted to thee Deliver me from blood O God the God of my salvation and my tongue shall exalt thy justice Lord thou wilt open my lips and my mouth shall declare thy praise Because if thou wouldst have had sacrifice I had verily given it with whole burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted A sacrifice to God is a troubled spirit a contrite and humble heart O God thou wilt not despise Deal favourably O Lord in thy good will with Sion and let the walls of Jerusalem be built up Then thou shalt accept sacrifice of justice oblations and holocausts then shall they lay calves upon thy altar Ant. Be justified O Lord in thy words and mayst overcome when thou art judged PSALM 89. The Church represents unto us First That God alone is only Eternal and that he is our sole and sovereign Good She likewise shews us Secondly The Inconstancy Frailty and Miseries of Mans Life whereinto they have put themselves through their â—â—ns Thirdly She offers unto us the Means which God preâ—â—nts us to be delivered and to get us Eternal Life which consist in patiently bearing the Punishments wherewith he inflicts â—s to make us return unto him Fourthly She prays unto God to have mercy on us and to conduct us by the continual assistance of his Grace ANTHYMN The Church shews us by the Example of our Saviour Jesus Christ with what Patience we must undergo the Evils of this life which we deserve for Sins Ant. Our Lord was led like an innocent lamb to the slaughter and he opened not his mouth LOrd thou art made a refuge for us from generation unto generation Before the mountains were made or the earth and the world formed from everlasting even unto everlasting thou art God Turn not away man into humiliation thou saidst Be converted ye children of men Because a thousand years before thy eyes are as yesterday that is past And as a watch in the night things that are counted nothing shall their years be In the morning as an herb he shall pass in the morning he shall flourish and pass in the evening he shall fall be hardned and withered Because we have fainted in thy wrath and in thy fury we are troubled Thou hast put our iniquities in thy sight our age in the light of thy countenance Because all our days have failed and in thy wrath we have failed Our years shall be considered as a spider the days of our years in them are seventy years And if in strong ones eighty
habitation which thou hast wrought O Lord. Thy sanctuary Lord which thy hands have confirmed our Lord shall reign for ever and ever more For Pharao on horseback entred in with his chariots and horsemen into the sea and our Lord brought back upon them the waters of the sea But the children of Israel walked on dry ground in the midst thereof Ant. Lord thou hast exhorted thy people to put their trust in thee and thou hast comforted them with thy holy grace ANTIPHON taken out of the Fifty third Chapter of the Prophet Isaie The Church having represented unto us under the Figure of the Delivery of the Israelites from the Captivity of Egypt God's Bounty in freeing us from the Tyranny of the Devil and Slavery of Sin by the Merits of his Son our Lord Jesus Christ She now shews in this Antiphon after what manner he bought us to wit by voluntarily sacrificing himself for us Ant. He was offered because himself would and he carried our sins PSALM 148. The Church in the following Psalms shews us the Obligation we have to praise God and to give him Thanks that he has created us and redeemed us from the Slavery of Sin by his only Son and for the Care he has to preserve us and deliver us from the Temptations Persecutions and other Miscries of this Lise and for the Promise he has made us of Life everlasting PRaise ye our Lord from the heavens praise ye him in the high places Praise ye him all his angels praise ye him all his hosts Praise ye him sun and moon praise him all ye stars and lights Praise him ye heavens of heavens and the waters that are above the heavens let them praise the name of our Lord. Because he said and they were made he commanded and they were created He established them for ever and for ever and ever he put a precept and it shall not pass Praise our Lord from the earth ye dragons and all the depths Fire hail snow ice spirit of storms which do his word Mountains and all little hills trees that bear fruit and all cedars Beasts and all cattel serpents and feathered fowls Kings of the earth and all peoples princes and all judges of the earth Young men and virgins old with young let them praise the name of our Lord because the name of him alone is exalted The confession of him above heaven and earth and he hath exalted the horn of his people An hymn to all his saints to the children of Israel a people approaching unto him PSALM 149. SIng ye to our Lord a new song let his praiâ—â— be in the church of saints Lord â—â—â—el be joyful in him that made him and let the children of Sion rejoyce in their king Let them praise his name in quire on timbrel and psalter let them sing to him Because our Lord is well pleased in his people and he will exalt the meek unto salvation The saints shall rejoyce in glory they shall be joyful in their beds The exaltations of God in their throat and two-edged swords in their hands To do revenge in the nations chastisements among their peoples To bind their kings in fetters and their nobles in iron manacles That they may do in them the judgment that is written This glory is to all his saints PSALM 150. PRaise ye our Lord in his holies praife him in the firmament of his strength Praise ye him in his powers praise ye him according to the multitude of his greatness Praise ye him in the sound of trumpet praise ye him on psalter and harp Praise ye him on timbrel and quire praise ye him on strings and organ Praise ye him on well-sounded cymbals praise ye him on cymbals of jubilation Let every spirit praise our Lord. Ant. He was offered because himself would and he carried our sins The Chapter and Hymn are here omitted The Chapter is not here said to shew us that the Jews profited themselves nothing from the Instructions of the Prophets The Hymn is also here omitted to shew that the Honor due to God was violated through the Wickedness of the Jews and Persidiousness of Judas which the Fortieth Psalm represents unto us by the Treason of Achitophel V. The man whom I loved and in whom I confided R. Who did eat my bread betrayed me through great perfidiousness ANTHYMN taken out of the Twenty sixth Chapter of St. Matthew Ant. But the Traytor gave them a sign saying Whomsoever I shall kiss that is he hold him Canticle of Zachary taken out of the First Chapter of St. Luke The Church proposes unto us this Canticle of Sr. John Baptist's Father to represent unto us the greatness of Gods Bounty and the excessive Baseness of the Jews because God sent them not only his Prophets to declare unto them the Coming of his Son the Redeemer of the World but likewise his Forerunner to advertise them he was now come and to shew them him Yet were they so unhappy as to blind themselves and in stead of owning and acknowledging him they by a most persidious Treachery put him to death BLessed be our Lord God of Israel because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people And he hath erected the horn of salvation to us in the house of David his servant As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that are from the beginning Salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us To work mercy with our fathers and to remember his holy testament The oath which he sware to Abraham our father that he would give to us That without fear being delivered from the hand of our enemies we may serve him In holiness and Justice before him all our days And thou child shalt be called the prophet of the Highest for thou shalt go before the face of our Lord to prepare his ways To give knowledge of salvation to his people unto remission of their sins Through the bowels of the mercy of our God in which the Orient from on high hath visited us To illuminate them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death to direct our feet in the way of peace All the Tapers being extinguished saving one shews us that the Light of Faith wherewith the Prophets enlightned the Jews was extinguished in them by putting to death the Saviour of the World The Church also represents unto us by that one Taper left lighted during the singing of the foregoing Canticle that JESUS CHRIST whom St. John declared to be the true Light though he died according to his Humanity yet always lived according to his Divinity Ant. And the Traytor gave them a sign saying Whomsoever I shall kiss that is he hold him Here the lighted Taper is hid to shew that the Divinity of CHRIST was concealed in his Humanity according to which he suffered himself to be delivered into the Hands of the Jews by a most profound and incomprehensible Obedience V. Christ was made for us
to the Precepts of his Gospel with the fidelity of a sincere Heart and consider that that Infinite Wisdom cannot be deceived which penetrates the most hidden Secrets of our Soul LEt us hasten therefore to enter into that rest that no man fall into the same example of incredulity For the word of God is lively and forcible and more piercing than any two-edged sword reaching unto the division of the soul and the spirit of the joynts also and the marrows and a discerner of the cogitations and intents of the heart And there is no creature invisible in his sight but all things are naked and open to his eyes To whom our speech is Having therefore a great high-priest that hath entred the heaven Jesus the Son of God let us hold the confession For we have not a high-priest that cannot have compassion on our infirmities but tempted in all things by similitude except sin RESP. The Church represents unto us That this Sovereign Priest felt the Temptations and Infirmities of Humane Nature by offering himself unto God for us as a Sacrifice and Victim R. They have delivered me into the hands of the wicked and have cast me among the impious and have not spared my soul The strong are gathered together against me and like giants have stood against me V. Strangers have rose up against me and the strong have sought my soul And like giants c. VIII LESSON The Church describes to us a holy Bishop in general and a Pattern of one very particularly in JESUS CHRIST LEt us go therefore with confidence to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace in seasonable aid For every high-priest taken from among men is appointed for men in those things that pertain to God that he may offer gifts and sacrifices for sins that can have compassion on them that be ignorant and do err because himself also is compassed with infirmity and therefore he ought as for the people so also for himself to offer for sins RESP. The Church in the precedent Lesson having proposed unto us the Description of a Holy Bishop in this she presents us in the Person of Caiphas with a Wicked one R. The wicked delivered Jesus to the chief princes of the priests and to the elders of the people But Peter followed him afar off that he might see the end V. But they led him to Caiphas the prince of the priests where the Scribes and Pharisees were met together But Peter followed c. IX LESSON The Apostle teacheth us That as in the Old Law none could intrude himself to exercise the Function of Priesthood without a successive Vocation so JESUS CHRIST intruded not himself into the Pontifical Dignity but received it from God his Father Then he treats of the Prayers accompanied with the Sighs and Tears JESUS CHRIST offered on the Cross and which God accepted in regard of his Dignity and the Love he bare towards him as his Son 2. The Apostle declares unto us the Excellency of CHRIST's Priesthood above that of Aaron's 1. Because being Immortal he was an Eternal Priest 2. Because he was the Son of God and one and the same God with his Father 3. In being the Beginning of our Salvation 4. In that he offered up himself 5. Because he needed not to have been offered up a Sacrifice for his own Sins he having none nor being able to commit any because he was the Source and Fountain of all Goodness NEither doth any man take the honor to himself but he that is called of God as Aaron So Christ also did not glorifie himself that he might be made a high priest But he that spake to him My Son art thou I this day have begotten thee As also in another place he saith Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedeck Who in the days of his flesh with a strong cry and tears offering prayers and supplications to him that could save him from death was heard for his reverence And truly whereas he was the Son he learned by those things which he suffered obedience And being consummate was made to all that obey him cause of eternal salvation called of God a high-priest according to the order of Melchisedeck RESP. The Church presents unto us the extremity of Christs sufferings and that by his Passion he has given us an example of perfect Patience and Obedience R. My eyes are darkned with my tears for he is far from me that did comfort me See all people if there be any sorrow like to my grief V. O all ye that pass by this way behold and see if there be any grief like to my grief My eyes are darkned with my tears because he is far from me who did comfort me See all ye people if there be any grief like mine AT LAUDS Ant. GOod spared not his own Son but delivered him for us Miserere mei Deus c. as before p. 65. PSALM 142. The Church shews us that in all our afflictions we must have recourse to Gods Mercy with an humble confidence and faithful submission to his Will and we must acknowledge that our Sins brought on us our Miseries and we must pray his Divine Majesty to conduct us with his Holy Spirit lest the extremity of our sufferings transport us to do unlawful Actions Ant. My spirit is in anguish upon me within me my heart is troubled LOrd hear my prayer with thine ears receive my petition in thy truth hear me in thy justice And enter not into judgment with thy servant because no man living shall be justified in thy sight Because the enemy hath persecuted my soul he hath humbled my life in the earth He hath set me in obscure places as the dead of the world and my spirit is in anguish upon me within me my heart is troubled I was mindful of old days I have meditated in all thy works in the facts of thy hands did I meditate I have stretched forth my hands to thee my soul is as earth without water unto thee Hear me quickly O Lord my spirit hath fainted Turn not away thy face from me and I shall be like to them that descend into the lake Make me hear thy mercy in the morning because I have hoped in thee Make the way known to me wherein I may walk because I have lifted up my soul to thee Deliver me from mine enemies O Lord to thee I have fled teach me to do thy will because thou art my God Thy good spirit will conduct me into the right way for thy name sake O Lord thou wilt quicken me in thine equity Thou wilt bring forth my soul out of tribulation and in thy mercy thou wilt destroy mine enemies And thou wilt destroy all that afflict my soul because I am thy servant Ant. My spirit is in anguish upon me within me my heart is troubled ANOTHER ANTHYMN The Church shews us the difference 'twixt Christ's and our Sufferings Ours
and asked of him setting soldiers who might keep him R. Our Lord being buried AT LAUDS The Church tells us That to receive benefit from CHRIST's Death we must have a hearty and true Repentance ANTHYMN taken out of the Thirteenth Chapter of the Prophet Osee Ant. I Will be thy death O death thy bit will I be O hell PSALM 50. Miserere mei Deus c. as before p. 65. ANTHYMN taken out of the Twelfth Chapter of the Prophet Zachary The Church having declared unto us That JESUS CHRIST suffered Death to fulfill the Commands of his Father and to accomplish the Predictions of the Prophets She now represents us the grief the Converted and Penitent Jews had for having been of the number of those who put him to Death She also minds us to acknowledge the obligation we have to mortifie our selves to sigh and weep for having by our Sins contributed to his Death They shall lament him with lamentation as it were upon an only begotten because our innocent Lord is slain PSALM 42. The Church offers us the Prayer JESUS CHRIST made unto God his Father which declares the difference 'twixt his Sufferings and Death and ' twâ—â— the Death and Sufferings of Men. Their Deaths and Sufferings are the Punishments due to their Sins But JESUS CHRIST who is Sanctity it self and the Fountain of all good he only suffered Death because himself would and charged himself with our Iniquities that he might deliver us and satisfie the rigorous Justice of God his Father Then the Church shews us That God made his Light and Truth shine in this Divine Saviour by making his Innocency appear by the Wonders and Miracles that happened at his Death and by his glorious Resurrection from his Tomb and afterwards by his destroying of Jerusalem and by casting the reprobate Jews in everlasting Perdition JUdge me O God and discern my cause from the nation not holy from the unjust and deceitful man deliver me Because thou art God my strength why hast thou repelled me and why go I sorrowful whilst the enemy afflicteth me Send forth thy light and thy truth they have conducted me and brought me into thy holy hill and into thy tabernacles And I will go into the altar of God to God which maketh my youth joyful I will confess to thee on the harp O God my God Why art thou sorrowful O my soul and dost thou trouble me Hope in God because yet I will confess to him the salvation of my countenance and my God Ant. They shall lament him with lamentation as it were upon an only begotten because our innocent Lord is slain Ant. Behold all ye people and see my grief The Psalm Deus Deâ—â—â—eus as before p. 69. Ant. From the gate of hell deliver my soul O Lord. The Canticle of Ezechias Isa 38. Under the Figure of Ezekias's Malady from which he was deliverd by God at the intercession of the Prophet Isay which signifies the health of God The Church represents unto us the deplorable condition whereinto Human Nature was reduced through Sin from which we are freed through the Grace of our Lord JESUS CHRIST She also admonisheth us to render our humble Thanks to the Divine Majesty I Have said In the midst of my days shall I go to the gates of hell I have sought the residue of my years I have said I shall not see our Lord God in the land of the living I shall behold man no more and the inhabiter of rest My generation is taken away and is wrapped together from me as the tent of shepherds My life is cut off as by a weaver whilst I yet began he cut me off from morning until night thou wilt make an end of me I hoped until morning as a lion so hath he broken all my bones From morning until evening thou wilt make an end of me As a young swallow so will I cry I will meditate as a dove Mine eyes are weakned looking on high Lord I suffer violence answer for me What shall I say or what shall he answer me whereas himself hath done it I will recount to thee all my years in the bitterness of my soul Lord if mans life be such and the life of my spirit in such things thou shalt chastise me and shalt quicken me Behold in peace is my bitterness most bitter But thou hast delivered my soul that it should not perish thou hast cast all my sins behind my back Because hell shall not confess to thee neither shall death praise thee they that go down into the lake shall not expect thy truth The living the living he shall confess to thee as I also this day the father shall make the truth known to the children O Lord save me and we shall sing our psalms all the days of our life in the house of our Lord. Ant. From the gate of hell deliver my soul O Lord. Ant. O all ye that pass by this way behold and see if there be any grief like unto mine Psalm Laudate Dominum de coelis c. as before p. 74. V. My flesh shall rest in hope R. And thou shalt not give thy holy One to see corruption AT BENEDICTUS ANTHYMN THe women sitting at the monument lamented weeping for our Lord. THE CANTICLE OF ZACHARY Benedictus c. as before p. 78. V. Christ was made obedient for us unto death even the death of the cross R. Wherefore God hath exalted him and given him a name above all names Pater noster c. Miserere mei Deus c. as before p. 13. 65. THE PRAYER Respice Quoesumus c. as before p. 80. FOR SATURDAY IN Holy-Week AT COMPLINE Jube Domine c. as before p. 12. to p. 19. The Chapter and Hymn are omitted The Chapter is not said to signifie That after the Resurrection the Blessed will need no farther Instructions in their Estate of eternal Blessedness which is represented by the Chapters of Divine Offices The Hymn is also omitted to shew That after the Resurrection they praise not God in Heaven with such Hymns as they sang unto him in this World but that they will praise him after another manner Ant. And in the evening of the Sabaoth THE CANTICLE OF SIMEON Luke 2. NOw thou dost dismiss thy servant O Lord according to thy word in peace Because mine eyes have seen thy salvation Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples A light to the revelation of the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost Even as it was in the beginning and now and ever and world without end Amen Ant. And in the evening of the Sabaoth which dawneth on the first of the Sabaoth came Mary Magdalen and the other Mary to see the Sepulcher Alleluiah V. Our Lord be with you R. And with thy spirit Let us pray VIsit we beseech thee O Lord this Habitation and repel far from it all Snares of the Enemy Let thy Holy Angel dwell therein to preserve us in Peace and thy Blessing be upon us for ever Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son who liveth and reigneth with thee in the Unity of the Holy Ghost one God world without end Amen V. Our Lord be with you R. And with thy spirit V. Let us bless our Lord. Alleluiah Alleluiah R. Thanks be to God Alleluiah Alleluiah THE BLESSING V. THe Almighty and Merciful Lord the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Bless and keep us Amen THE ANTHYMN OF THE HOLY VIRGIN O Queen of Heaven rejoyce Alleluiah For he whom thou deservest to bear Alleluiah hath risen as he said Alleluiah Pray unto God for us Alleluiah V. Rejoyce and be glad O Virgin Mary Alleluiah R. Because our Lord hath truly risen Alleluiah Let us pray O God who by the Resurrection of thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ hast vouchsafed to make glad the world Grant we beseech thee that by his Mother the Virgin Mary we may receive the Joys of Life eternal Through the same Christ our Lord. R. Amen V. The Divine Help always remain with us R. Amen Pater noster c. Ave Maria c. Credo in Deum c. FINIS
Psalm tells us how unalterable the just are in obeying the Law of God in the midst of persecutions considering the duty all creatures owe to God No brute beast will in the least resist his Creator's commands how much the more then are men obliged to obey him who are made after his own image and called to enjoy eternal bliss with him Secondly in considering how contemptible the goods of this life are and how inestimable those promised by Gods Law All perfections which these earthly goods have are finite and transitory and onely those which God promises his servants are infinite and eternal which alone can render us truly happy MY Soul hath fainted for thy salvation I have much hoped in thy Word My eyes have failed for thy word saying When wilt thou comfort me Because I am made as a bottle in the hoar frost I have not forgotten thy justifications How many are the days of thy servant when wilt thou do judgment on them that persecute me The unjust have told me fables but not as thy Law All thy Commandments are truth they have unjustly persecuted me help me They have well near made an end of me in the Earth but I have not forsaken thy Commandments According to thy mercy quicken me and I shall keep the testimonies of thy mouth For ever Lord thy Word is permanent in Heaven Thy truth in generation and generation thou hast founded the Earth and it is permanent By thy ordinance the day continueth because all things serve thee But that thy Law is my meditation I had then perhaps perished in my humiliation I will not forget thy justifications for ever because in them thou hast quickned me I am thine save me because I have sought out thy justifications Sinners have expected me to destroy me I understood thy testimonies Of all consummation I have seen the end thy Commandment is exceeding large In the seventh part of this 118 or 119 Psalm the Kingly Prophet instructs us that to obtain divine knowledge and wisdom we must earnestly demand it of God and we must restifie an ardent love to him and endeavour to keep his Commandments Secondly He teaches us that this divine wisdom renders us more knowing than our Masters when we love him more than they for our Masters are his Disciples as well as we It is a Master which not onely makes us know good but gives us also the will and power to do it Consequently the Prophet tells us the effect of this divine wisdom It makes us flie and hate sin and to delight in the Law of God By it we put on a firm resolution to keep the Commandments by it we order our lives well and all things relating to our soul and disposing our heart to be upright and sincere we do all things according to Justice and Equity It fortifies us against temptations and persecutions making us prefer the expected rewards for our good works before the vain pleasures and goods of this World HOw have I loved thy law O Lord all the day it is my meditation Above my enemies thou hast made me wise by thy Commandment because it is to me for ever Above all that taught me have I understood because thy testimonies are my meditation Above Ancients have I understood because I have sought thy Commandments I have stayed my feet from all evil way that I may keep thy words I have not declined from thy judgments because thou hast set me a law How sweet are thy words to my jaws more than honey to my mouth By thy Commandments I have understood therefore have I hated all the way of iniquitie Thy Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my paths I swear and I have determined to keep the judgments of thy justice I am humbled exceedingly O Lord quicken me according to thy Word The voluntaries of my mouth make acceptable O Lord and teach me thy judgements My soul is in my hands always and I have not forgotten thy law Sinners laid a snare for me and I have not erred from thy commandments For inheritance I have purchased thy testimonies for ever because they are the joy of my heart I have inclined my heart to do thy justifications for reward In the Eighth Part of this Psalm the kingly Prophet teaches us that to the end a faithful soul may be made capable of divine wisdom she must divest her self of the maxims of humane prudence and that to preserve it she must be solicitous to avoid sin not so much in detestation of sin as for the content and pleasure she ought to take in just actions She must always endeavour to have a holy fear of losing that grace which has given her sentiments of joy in avoiding sin and by which as yet she hath a fear to be forsaken of God though he inflict not punishments upon her In fine she ought to have a great zeal for the service and glory of God I Have hated the unjust and I have loved thy law Thou art my helper and protector and upon thy word I have much hoped Depart from me ye malignant and I will search the Commandments of my God Receive me according to thy word and I shall live and confound me not of my expectation Help me and I shall be saved and I will always meditate in thy justifications Thou hast despised all that revolt from thy judgments because their cogitation is unjust All the sinners of the earth I have reputed prevaricaterers therefore have I loved thy testimonies Pierce my flesh with thy fear for I am afraid of thy judgments I have done judgment and justice deliver me not to them that calumniate me Receive thy servant unto good let not the proud calumniate me Mine eyes have failed after salvation and for the word of thy justice Do with thy servant according to thy mercy and teach me thy justifications I am thy servant give me understanding that I may know thy testimonies It is time to do O Lord they have dissipated thy law Therefore have I loved thy Commandments above Gold and Topazius Therefore was I directed to all thy Commandments all wicked way have I hated The Church tells us that this Divine Wisdom whereof the Royal Prophet speaks is not given to men by the merits of Christs Passion as no man can be saved but by faith in Jesus Christ V. Christ was made obedient for us even unto death Pater noster c. Ave Maria c. Miserere mei Deus c. as before pag. 6. The PRAYER Respice quaesumus c. as before pag. 130. At the Ninth Hour Pater noster c. Ave Maria c. PSALM 118 or 119. In the Ninth Part of this 118th or 119th Psalm the Holy Prophet teaches us by his example to honour the Law of God with profound Humility telling us that if we love it 't is God's gift He exhorts us to beseech his Majesty not to leave his gifts imperfect but that illuminating
of blessed Spirits pray for us St. John Baptist pray for us All ye Holy Patriarchs pray for us St. Peter pray for us St. Paul pray for us St. Andrew pray for us St. John pray for us All ye Holy Apostles and Evangelists pray for us All ye Holy Disciples of our Lord pray for us St. Stephen pray for us St. Laurence pray for us St. Vincent pray for us All ye Holy Martyrs pray for us St. Sylvester pray for us St. Gregory pray for us St. Augustine pray for us All ye Holy Bishops and Confessours pray for us All ye Holy Doctors pray for us St. Anthony pray for us St. Bennet pray for us St. Dominick pray for us St. Francis pray for us All ye Holy Priests and Levites pray for us All ye Holy Monks and Hermits pray for us St. Mary Magdalene pray for us St. Agnes pray for us St. Cecily pray for us St. Catherine pray for us St. Agatha pray for us St. Anastasia pray for us All ye Holy Virgins and Widows pray for us All ye Men and Women Saints of God make intercession for us Be merciful unto us spare us O Lord. Be merciful unto us graciously hear us O Lord. From all evil O Lord deliver us From all sin O Lord deliver us From everlasting death O Lord deliver us Through the mystery of thy holy Incarnation O Lord deliver us Through thy coming O Lord deliver us Through thy Nativity O Lord deliver us Through thy Baptism and Holy Fasting O Lord deliver us Through thy Cross and Passion O Lord deliver us Through thy Death and Burial O Lord deliver us Through thy Holy Resurrection O Lord deliver us Through thy admirable Ascension O Lord deliver us Through the coming of the Holy Ghost the comforter O Lord deliver us In the Day of Judgment O Lord deliver us We sinners do beseech thee to hear us Here the Priest with his Ministers accompanying him go into the Sacristy to vest themselves for the celebrating of Mass the Litanies in the mean time being continued by the Quire That thou spare us we beseech thee hear us That thou vouchsafe to govern and preserve thy Holy Church we beseech thee to hear us That thou vouchsafe to preserve our Apostolick Prelate and all Ecclesiastical Orders in Holy Religion we beseech thee to hear us That thou vouchsafe to humble the enemies of thy Holy Church we beseech thee hear us That thou vouchsafe to give Peace and true Concord to Christian Kings and Princes we beseech thee hear us That thou vouchsafe to comfort and keep us in thy Holy Service we beseech thee hear us That thou render eternal good things to our benefactors we beseech thee hear us That thou vouchsafe to give and preserve the fruits of the earth we beseech thee hear us That thou vouchsafe to give eternal rest to all Faithful departed we beseech thee hear us That thou vouchsafe graciously to hear us we beseech thee hear us Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world spare us O Lord. Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world hear us O Lord. Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world have mercy on us O Lord. Christ hear us Christ graciously hear us The Litanies being ended the Priest with his Attendance come to the foot of the Altar where he makes his Confession then he ascends the Altar and kissing it incenseth it as usually In the mean time Kyrie-Eleison is sung as before pag. 36. And as the Glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ crowned the Mystery of his Incarnation the People testifie their joy and acknowledgments in singing the Canticle which the Angels used when this Divine word became Man Gloria in Excelsis c. as before pag. 167. You are to observe that this days Mass belongs to the following Night for it was the custom formerly to celebrate this Service at Night and the People were wont to watch till Midnight expecting the hour in which our Saviour rose again And likewise that there is no introit said to intimate unto us that as yet Christs Resurrection was not manifested unto Men. Gloria in Excelsis is said to observe unto us the Joy conceived by the Angels the first Witnesses of Christs Resurrection wherefore they begin to ring out the Bells The COLLECT The Priest beseeches God that having made the new Baptized partakers of the Merit of his Resurrection by raising them from the death of sin he will please to preserve them in the Life they have new received Our Lord be with you R. And with thy spirit Let us Pray O God who hast illustrated this Night by the glorious Resurrection of our Lord conserve the Spirit of Adoption given unto those new Children of thy Church that being renewed both in mind and body they may serve thee with a pure heart through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen The Lesson of the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Colossians Chap. 3. The Church instructs Christians to look upon themselves as Persons revived by Jesus Christ and in this quality they ought not to place their hopes and affections upon this World but that Heaven is their Country where they should converse and dwell in Spirit that they raise up themselves to the Right Hand of God where our Redeemer sits They must be as it were dead to the World and not live but to God alone The life of grace works in them what the Root does invisibly in Trees for as the Trees in Winter seem dead their life being only preserved in their Roots hid under ground but at Spring this hidden life makes them wax green again and resume all their beauties So during this life the Faithful are as in a state of death because they apply not themselves to the exterior attentions of this because they renounce the delights thereof the satisfactions of the flesh and all visible things their life is hid with Jesus Christ in God that is they live not but to God alone by the grace of Christ and what they must be appears not as yet till the Spring-time of Eternity shall succeed the Winter of this present Life that is when Jesus Christ shall come to judge all men Their life which was hidden in Jesus Christ as in their Root will make them flourish for all Eternity and all that was corruptible in them will become incorruptible and all that was mortal will put on immortality glory and splendor BRethren if you be risen with Christ seek the things that are above where Christ is sitting on the right hand of God Mind the things that are above not the things that are upon the Earth For you are dead and your life is with Christ in God when Christ shall appear your life then you also shall appear with him in Glory The Priest invites the People to praise the Blessed Trinity for the graces poured upon them by the vertue of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ by
it by the Faith of the Church which asks it O Lord Jesus Christ who didst say to thy Apostles Peace I leave unto you my Peace I give unto you regard not my sins but rather look upon the Faith of thy Church and grant it that Peace and Union which may be according to thy will who livest and reignest God for ever and ever Amen The Priest having prayed for the Faithful prays for himself to obtain a disposition requisite to receive the Eucharist worthily O Lord Jesus Christ Son of the living God who by thy Fathers Will and by the co-operation of the Holy Ghost by thy death hast given life to the whole World deliver me by this thy Holy Body and Bloud from all my sins and from all evil make me a true observer of thy Commandments and that I be never separated from thee who being God livest and reignest for ever Amen O Lord Jesus Christ let not this participation of thy Body which I though unworthy now presume to receive be to my Judgment and Damnation but through thy Mercy a wholesom Medicine to my Infirmities who being God livest and reignest with God the Father in the Unity of the Holy Ghost for ever and ever Amen After he hath kneeled to adore the Blessed Sacrament taking the Host into his hands and considering that he is to receive his God he puts all his confidence in his Mercy saying I Will take the Bread of Heaven and will call upon the name of our Lord. And representing to himself how acceptable the Centurion's Humility was to the Son of God when he would have honoured him with a Visit in imitation of him he protests himself unworthy of so great a favour and striking his breast repeats the same words thrice LOrd I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof only say the word and my Soul shall be healed Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof only say the word and my Soul shall be healed Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof only say the word and my Soul shall be healed In receiving the Body of our Lord he makes the sign of the Cross with the Hoast calling to his memory that it is the Body which Jesus Christ exposed to death to save us THE Body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my Soul to Life Everlasting Amen In taking the Chalice he gives God thanks for the advantages he receives by the Communion of the Bloud of Christ by those words of the 117 and 118 Psalm WHat shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits to me I will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of our Lord. In singing his praises I will call upon our Lord and I shall be safe from mine enemies When he receives the Bloud of our Lord making on himself the sign of the Cross with the Chalice and meditating that it is the Bloud which Jesus Christ would shed to save us he says THe Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my Soul to Life Everlasting Amen Whilst he takes Wine in the Chalice to wash his mouth and fingers that so the least particle of the Sacrament may not remain there and to shew the care he must take to preserve himself in Purity he says this Prayer GRant O Lord that we may receive that with a pure heart which we have taken by our mouths and that of a Temporal Gift it may become an Eternal Remedy unto us In taking the second Absolution he says LEt thy Body O Lord which I have received and thy Bloud which I have drunk cleave unto my bowels and grant that the least spot of sin may not remain in me who have been satiated with thy pure and holy Sacraments who livest and reignest world without end Amen Neither Communion nor Post-Communion is said because the Neophytes did not receive at this Mass But the Priest to give God Thanks for the Benefits we have received by the Incarnation Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ uses that Thanksgiving which the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of our Saviour did for the whole Body of the Church Secondly to testifie that we ought not to be less sensible of the Benefits received from God by the Merits of his Son than the Saints of the Old Testament to whom God had revealed them the Church says the 116 Psalm Thirdly the Church teaches us that in commemorating the Burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ we ought to present unto our Saviour the perfumes of our Prayers and Good works in imitation of the Charity and Zeal of those good Women who came to his Sepulcher at Day-break with their Persumes to pay him the Duty of their Piety And therefore the Antiphon is taken out of the 28th Chapter of St. Matthew Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia PSALM CXVI PRaise our Lord all ye Gentiles praise him all ye people Because his mercy is confirmed on us and his truth remains for ever Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning and now and ever and world without end Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia Another ANTIPHON out of the 28th Chapter of St. Matthew IN the end of the Sabbath as it began to dawn in the first day of the week came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to the Sepulcher Alleluia The Canticle of the Blessed Virgin Mary Luke 2. The Church in this Canticle represents us with an Abridgment of the Promises and Mysteries of the Salvation and teaches us that as the Son of God became Man to repair by his Humility what Adam had lost by his Pride he was pleased to chuse the Blessed Virgin to be his Mother for the accomplishing this great work in regard of her Humility MY soul doth magnifie our Lord. And my spirit hath rejoyced in God my saviour Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed Because he that is mighty hath done great things to me and holy is his Name And his mercy from generation unto generations to them that fear him He hath shewed might in his arm he hath dispersed the proud in the conceit of their heart He hath deposed the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble The hungry he hath filled with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away He hath received Israel his child being mindful of his mercy As he spake to our fathers to Abraham and his seed for ever Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning and now and ever world without end ANTIPHON In the end of the Sabbath as before pag. 304. The Incense puts us in mind of the Piety of these Holy Women who carried Perfumes to our Saviours Sepulcher And the Church beseeches God that our Prayers may ascend as this Incense unto him Our Lord be with you R. And