Ν SARUM. BANGOR. EBOR. spiritu humilitatis et in animo contrito suscipiamur, Domine, a te et sic fiat sacrificium nostrum (in conspectu tuo: Sarum) ut a te suscipiatur hodie, et placeat tibi Domine Deus. (meus. Ebor.) Deinde vertat se sacerdos ad populum, Post versus ad popuet tacita voce dicat: lum dicat: 79 Micrologus says, which proves that in his time there was little authority for the use of this prayer: "Deinde inclinatus ante altare dicat hanc orationem, non ex aliquo ordine, sed ex ecclesiastica consuetudine." It does not occur in either of the English Uses: and there is no reason to regret that it never was introduced. Independently of objectionable matter, it savours of anything but antiquity, and contains a passage which the ROM. USCIPE,79 sancta Trinitas, hanc oblationem, quam tibi offerimus ob memoriam passionis, resurrectionis, et ascensionis Jesu Christi Domini nostri: et in honore beatæ Mariæ semper virginis, et beati Joannis Baptistæ, et sanctorum Apostolorum Petri et Pauli, et istorum et omnium Sanctorum : ut illis proficiat ad honorem, nobis autem ad salutem: et illi pro nobis intercedere dignenter in cœlis, quorum memoriam agimus in terris. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. Postea osculatur altare, et versus ad populum, extendens et jungens manus, voce paululum elevata, dicit: acutest writers of the Church of Rome feel to be a difficulty, and fail satisfactorily to explain: viz. "ut illis proficiat ad honorem." Like the famous prayer in the Offertory of the Missa defunctorum, "Libera animas omnium Fidelium defunctorum de pœnis Inferni-ne absorbeat eas Tartarus, ne cadant in obscurum," no one is allowed to be a Catholic who rejects it, or takes it in any other than an unnatural and twisted sense. so And thenk then for thi synn, Thou art noght worthe to praye for hym: If hit be gode forgetis thin ille." Museum MS. 81 (Fratres.) Cæcilius in the Dialogue of Minucius Felix complains that the Christians made use of this term, in addressing one another, taking it in the abominable sense in which the Pagans abused it: to which Octavius replies: "Sic nos quod invidetis Fratres vocamus, ut unius Dei parentis homines, ut consortes fidei, ut spei cohæredes." See this argument well treated in a tract by Kortholtus, "de Calumniis Paganorum in veteres Christianos sparsis." p. 168. 82 (Orate fratres et sorores. Sar.) "Se quidem Sacerdos comparat, ut in Sancta Sanctorum pedem inferat, et ut ita dicam, Fidelibus vale dicit, quos non ante visurus est, quam Sacrificium consummaverit." Le Brun. tom. i. p. 182. The custom of saying " et sorores," is to be found in some very ancient Missals: but does not seem to have been at any time adopted into the Roman Use. 83 (Ut meum pariterquæ vestrum.) The 5th Chapter of Part 2, Sect. 1. of Van Espen's Jus Ecclesiasticum Universum, concerns the "Honorarium:" a payment in money extra Missam which took the place of the old offerings, and these of course could only be made by those who were present, and communicants. After a disquisition upon the benefit (if any) which can be procured by purchasing of Masses, he concludes: "Et licet Sacerdos etiam pro absentibus orare et Sacrificium offerre queat: nihilominus indubitatum est; et constat ex precibus, quæ tempore Sacrificii dicuntur, Missam specialiter pro circumstantibus, sive præsentibus offerri: ipsosque fideles præsentes una cum Sacerdote offerre; adeo ut ipse Sacerdos conversus ad populum dicat: "Orate Fratres: ut meum &c." Hinc Ecclesia a suis primordiis rigide mandavit fidelibus, diebus Dominicis festisque Missarum solemniis devote assistere: at nullibi mandavit, ut quis missam pro se celebrari curet." 84" Then tho prest gos to his boke, His preuy prayers for to loke: It wil thi prayere mikel amende, If thou wil holde up bothe thi hende: To god with gode deuocion, When thou sayes this oreson." Museum MS. 85 These Secrets varied with the day, as did the Collects or Gradual, &c. : and were sometimes one only, sometimes more. In ancient MSS. we commonly find these prayers called " 'super oblata," and although Amalarius, lib. 3. cap. 20, with others of no less authority, decide that the name Secreta was given, because they were said secreto, yet it is not improbable that the name arose "a secretione donorum et oblationum." These prayers are entitled in the Sarum, York, and the other English Missals, sometimes 66 |