Chapter XVIII. Of his public profession of faith, and of his delivering… them; (l) lest through ignorance of the law thou pervert piety into disobedience. (2) That thou mayest see the material fruit of the Primitive Church. (3) That thou mayest know from what thou thyself shouldest refrain, and from what thou shouldest admonish others to refrain.
(13) Thou oughtest to hear Mass to the end, every day that thou canst, for thus it is ordained even for lay folk on Sundays in the directions for the Mass (de consec, I. C.) and for 64
Clerks that they hear It daily, as is said in the note in the same place. Also remain in the Church on feast days until the solemnization of the Mass is completed. Singing 1 is a help to devotion for the natural body as thou knowest by experience. One should always rise for the reading of the Gospel, and stand up, wherefore it is said in the directions (de consec. I.
C.): "By our Apostolic authority we command that men sit not, but stand, reverently bending at the reading of the Gospel." In the word reverently is implied the honour due to the Gospel, as also in the place wherein it is said: "Let them hear the words thereof with attention and adore with faith," that is, "Let them show reverence by the posture of the body"; this doth consist—first in the bending, secondly in the lowering of the hood as is customary, thirdly in bowing at the Names of Jesus and Mary; for those devoted to God have this custom.
Likewise, when the Gospel is read, the mind should not occupy itself with any other devotion, or reading which doth demand attention; for the senses, when occupied upon several matters, are less intent upon any single one. The words of the Gospel and of the Apostolic writings are ordained to be heard at the Celebrations, as is said in the directions
(de consec. I. D.): "It is vain to hear if we attend not."
Moreover, one should read nothing nor meditate upon aught else, for the duty of the moment is to attend duly to the Gospel, and we do take away therefrom any attention which we may expend upon other prayers and meditations. Our bowing ourselves at these words and the bodily posture of reverence are symbols of the reverence of our minds, and these be false symbols if so be that the things signified answer not thereto. Moreover, the outward observance is a means to induce inward reverence, but it is vain if the one answer not to the 65 other.
(14) Furthermore, to be reverent with the lips and the understanding also is a greater thing than to show reverence with the lips only, or by the lowering of the hood; wherefore
I will lower my hood to hear, I will hear with the ear, and I will hear with the understanding also. Otherwise the words are as a tinkling cymbal or as sounding brass. No words or sayings are mine own if the meaning thereof doth not reach my mind—also thou shalt stand with bended knee, with head uncovered and with bowed back after the Consecration of the Sacred
Host, if thou art able to see It, or the Chalice. This humble adoration and abasement of body is seemly before God, and doth in every way betoken an attitude of mind which is fitting as a help to devotion; yea, and most fitting is the bending of the head over the arm as thou dost know: for the servant is by all means bound to show reverence in the presence of his Lord.
A bended posture doth admirably befit devotion of mind, for the motions of the spirit do