That this collection was not un- But we have many proofs which evince how venerable and how desirable for a sepulchre and as a place where under the protection of Mary the mother of God, the day of the resurrection might best be encountered, was the burying-place at Glastonbury. That spot was reverenced with such devotion, that kings, queens, archbishops, bishops, dukes, and nobles of both sexes and every order, dignity, and eminence, thought themselves happy in enriching it with their lands or riches, that it might be a dwellingplace to them whilst they lived, or that departing from the flesh they might deserve a place there rest, or to be buried elsewhere with some portion of this holy earth. Quantum autem fuerit Glastoniense cænobium primatibus patriævenerabile et ad sepulturam desiderabile, et ubi potissimum, sub protectione Dei genetricis Mariæ, diem operirentur resurrectionis,multa sunt indicia. Tantâ utique locus ille colebatur devotione, ut reges, reginæ, archiepiscopi, episcopi, duces, et utriusque sexus nobiles cujuscumque ordinis, cujuscumque essent dignitatis et celsitudinis, se beatos fore arbitrabantur, qui locum illum suis possessionibus auxissent, vel divitiis suis locupletassent; quibus esset locus iste habitationis dum viverent, seu qui carnis educti ergastulo locum ibidem quietis, vel alibi cum aliqua portione hujus sanctæ terræ sepelire possent, promeruissent. THE CROSS. It would be unjust to accuse English Roman Catholics of adoring the wood of the cross. In the English translation of the Missal, the following note is appended to the words "Come let us adore," in the service of Good Friday. "Whenever we kneel or prostrate ourselves before a crucifix, it is Jesus Christ only whom we adore." Upon this I shall only make two observations,-1st. That this is not a note to which the church of Rome has affixed her sanction, and that consequently it carries no weight with it; and, secondly, that it is undeniable that the wood of the cross was adored by the church of Rome in former ages, even if it could be proved that this idolatrous practice is now repudiated by her. November 30th, on the Feast of Festa Novembris die 30 NovemSt. Andrew the Apostle. O good cross, who hast obtained comeliness and beauty from the Lord's limbs, receive me from men, and restore me to my master. bris, in Festo S. Andrea Apostoli. O bona crux, quæ decorem et pulchritudinem de membris Domini suscepisti, accipe me ab hominibus, et redde me magistro meo. ΩΡ The Roman Missal for the use of the Laity. Published by Keating and Brown, 38, Duke St.Grosvenor Square, 1815. Good Friday. Mass of the presanctified, p. 297. Hail, O cross, our only hope, At this season of the passion, Obtain an increase of grace to the pious, And blot out the crimes of the guilty. September Festivals. 14th of September. O crux, ave spes unica, Hoc passionis tempore, Piis adauge gratiam Reisque dele crimina.* Festa Septembris. Die 14. Septembris. On the Feast of the Exaltation of In festo Exaltationis Sanctæ the Holy Cross. Antiphone to the "magnificat.” O cross, more splendid than all the stars, illustrious to the world, much beloved by men, more holy than all things: who alone wast worthy to bear the treasure of the world, sweet wood, sweet nails, bearing a sweet burden, save this present multitude assembled to day in thy praise. The Roman Breviary, printed at Antwerp, 1823. Crucis. Ad magnificat, Antiphona. O crux, splendidior cunctis astris, mundo celebris, hominibus multum amabilis, sanctior universis: quæ sola fuisti digna portare talentum mundi: dulce lignum, dulces clavos, dulcia ferens pondera, salva præsentem catervam in tuis hodiè laudibus congregatam.-Breviarium Romanum. Antverpia, 1823. The Saturday in Passion Week. Missale Romanum. Dublinii, The priest approaches the epistle side, and there in the lower part of the corner of the altar receives from the deacon a cross prepared on the altar, 1795. Feria 6, in Parascere. Completis orationibus, sacerdos deposita casula accedit ad cornu epistolæ, et ibi in posteriori parte anguli altaris accipit a diacono crucem jam in altari Not translated into English in the Missal. which, turning his face to the people, he gradually uncovers from the top, beginning alone the Antiphone, "Behold the wood of the cross," and then in the remainder he is assisted in singing by the ministers until the "Venite adoremus." But when the chorus sings "Come let us adore," all prostrate themselves except the person who performs the service. Then the priest proceeds to the front of the corner of the same epistle side, and uncovering the right arm of the cross, and raising it a little higher than before, he begins "Behold the wood of the cross," the others singing and adoring as above. Then he proceeds to the middle of the altar, and totally uncovering the cross and elevating it, he begins a third time more loudly, "Behold the wood of the cross upon which the salvation of the world hangs. Come let us adore." Then the priest alone bears the cross to a place prepared for it before the altar, and kneeling places it there; presently put ting off his shoes he approaches to adore the cross, thrice kneeling before he kisses it. When he has done this, he returns and receives his shoes, and afterwards the ministers of the altar, and then the other clergy and laity, two by two, *thrice kneeling as is aforesaid, adore the cross. præparatum: quam, versa facie Deinde sacerdos procedit ad Chorus. "Venite adoremus." Postea sacerdos solus portat crucem ad locum ante altare præparatum, et genuflexus ibidem eam locat : mox depositis calceamentis, accedit ad adorandam crucem, ter genua flectens antequam eam deosculetur. Hoc facto, revertitur et accipit calceamenta et casulam. Post modum ministri altaris, deinde alii clerici et laici, bini et bini, ter genibus flexis, ut dictum est, crucem adorant.-Roman Missal, printed at Dublin, 1795. * All this is omitted in the Roman Missal for the use of the laity. For it The Romanists in support of the Invocation of Angels and Saints, adduce several passages from the Scriptures, of which the following are the most worthy of comment. (Gen. xlviii. 16.) But the angel alluded to in that text is "God, in whose sight my father Abraham and Isaac walked." It was the angel Jehovah, the angel of the covenant as he is described in Malachi. (Douay version.) Exodus xxiii. 20-22. But this angel again is evidently Christ. it said that he shall forgive their sins, which is Christ's prerogative. And it is also said "My name is in him." And this belongeth only to Him who is declared by Jeremiah to be "Jehovah our righteousness," and by Isaiah to be "The mighty God." Also of the Jews it is said that they tempted Christ in the wilderness, and that the rock that followed them was Christ. Another text to which they refer is Josh. v. 14, 15. But this also must have been Christ, for he uttered the very same words which had before been spoken by God. The prayer, or intercession of the angel in Zechariah ii. 12, is generally alluded to. But this is not a case in point, for the question is not whether angels may or do pray for men, but whether men may pray to angels. The angel in Tobit is disposed of by denying the canonicity of the book. Apocalypse i. 4, is usually brought forward. But whether the seven spirits signify the several ministrations of the Holy Ghost to the seven churches, or seven angels, the words only convey a salutation, and do not bear upon the present subject. (ii. 26.) "He that overcometh," &c.; this promise is merely declarative that the saints shall reign with Christ and participate in his triumph. For the same words are prophetical of Christ's victory in Psalm ii. (Apoc. v. 8.) This passage presents us with a figure and cannot be taken literally. The beasts are a figurative symbol, and the vials and odours are symbols also, and the key to the figure is contained in verse 9, where it is said they are redeemed out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation. The figure, therefore, represents the universal church or all the saints, and the odours represent their own prayers. (Apoc. viii. S.) This angel is evidently Christ, for who but the angel Jehovah could discharge an office which requires omniscience and omnipresence. That the high-priest of our calling is here represented is also shown by the golden censer, which St. Paul tells us was in the holiest, and therefore used only by the Jewish high-priest. Contra. We have the prohibition contained in the precept "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (Luke iv. 8.) Peter's rebuke of the centurion, who could not have thought of offering latria to him, whom he knew to be a man. Acts x. 25; Coloss. ii. 17; and Apoc. xxii. 8,9. Also, "There is one God and one Mediator," &c. 1 Tim. ii. 5. |