vivificated be seen to be in the Chalice when wine is wanting to the Chalice wherby Christs bloud is declared which is openly published by the sacrament and testimony of all the scriptures which the Saint proves there at large Again in the same place he says If Jesus Christ our lord and God he the high priest of God the Father first offered Sacrifice to God the Father and commanded this to be done in his commemoration verily the priest executes in the stead of Christ who imitates that which Christ did do and offers a true and full sacrifice in the Church to God the Father if he goes about to offer according to that which he has seen Christ himself to have offered Lastly in Ser. de coena Domini which is commonly attributed to him sith our lord has said Do ye this in my commemoration this is my flesh and this is my bloud as often as it is done with these words and this faith that substantiall bread and chalice consecrated by solemn benediction is profitable to the life and Salvation of the whole man being also a medicine and holocaust to heal our infirmities and purge our iniquities 203. Tertullian l. 5. advers Marcionem after having declared what Christ did in his last supper he concludes fieri semper quod postea Jussit he commanded the same to be done always afterward 180. S. Irenaeus lib. 4. cap. 32. He took bread and gave thinks saying this is my body and in like manner the chalice which he declares to be his bloud and taught the new oblation of the New testament Which the Church receiving from the Apostles Offers to God in the whole world and cap. 34. The oblation of the Church which our Lord has taught to be offered in the world is reputed before God a pure sacrifice and a little after The kind of Oblation is not reproved for Oblations were there and Oblations here Sacrifices in the people sacrifices also in the Church and beneath he makes an argument against the Hereticks of his time How is it manifest to them that bread in which thanks are given to be the body of our Lord and the Chalice his bloud if they say not him to be the Son of the maker of the world that is his World 130. S. Justin Martyr Apol. 2. ad Antonium The Apostles in their Commentaries which are called Gospells have so declared that Christ commanded them taking bread and giving thanks he said do this in memory of me This is my Body and also taking the Cup and giving thanks he said this is my Bloud and gave to them only S. Martial Epist ad Burdigal He that is Christ having a body both immaculate and without sin for he was conceived by the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary permitted himself to be immolated on the Altar of the Cross but what the Jews through envy did immolate hoping to abolish his name from the Earth we for our Salvations sake do set upon the sanctified Altar knowing that by this only remedy life is to be given us and death avoided for he our Lord commanded us to do this in his commemoration 100. S. Dionise Eccless Hist cap. 3. wherfore the venerable Bishop reverently and according to his pontifical office by holy praises of the divine works excuses himself that he sacrifices the salutarie host which is above him first in a decent manner exclaming to him Thou hast said do this in my commemoration next he asks that he may be made worthy of so great a Ministery ordained in the imitation of God and to become according to his forces like to Christ and that he may devoutly consecrate the Sacraments and purely distribute them 99. S. Clement l. 5. Apostol constit cap. 18. Our Lord being risen from death make ye your sacrifice which by us he has Constituted saying do this in my commemoration and l. 6. cap. 23. for one sacerdotal tribe he hath commanded to choose some of the best of every Nation to the Priesthood not regarding the defects of body but their religion and life for cruental sacrifice a rational and incruental and that mystical sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord which is celebrated in symbole of his death for worship determined by circumscription of place he hath commanded to celebrate the same with praises from the East to the West in every place of his Dominion These might suffice to shew the Authority of the Catholick Church in celebrating the holy sacrifice of the Mass and therfore I omit several other places of the holy Scripture and I will therfore make it more clear by the continual Tradition of the Church in those first 500. years CHAP. II. The sacrifice of the Mass proved by Tradition and practise of the Church within the five hundred years after Christ SAint Augustine Epist 118. ad Januarium cap. 5. affirms that whatsoever the Church in all the world uses carries with it full authority insomuch that to dispute whether it might be done is most insolent madness and lib. 1. contra Cresconium c. 33. to do that which the whole Church approves cannot be questioned for as the holy Scripture cannot deceive us so he who fears to be deceived by the obscurity of any question let him consult of it the Church which without any ambiguity the Scripture demonstrates or makes manifest Let us therfore now see what hath been the Doctrine of the Church within these 500. years after Christ wherto as I said before the Doctour appeals This cannot be made more manifest then by the Tradition and practise of the Church in her Liturgies or Masses for what the Grecians call liturgies that the Latin calls Missa and we in English Mass Now these Liturgies do come from S. Peter S. James S. Basil S. Chrysostome S. Ambrose and others of those times and within the times from five hundred years we hardly find any forms of Masses but what are deduced from them I will not say but that there have been some difference in their rites or ceremonies some diminutions and some additions yet none of them differ in the substance or nature of a sacrifice all agree in their forms in as much as concerns the due celebration of the Mass Now because the Doctour alledges the Liturgies of S. James S. Basil and S. Chrysostome I shall take a brief view of these in particular §. 1. of S. James Liturgie SAint Proclus Bishop of Constantinople l. de Traditione divina Liturgiae about the year 430. assures us that amongst the Apostles S. James did set forth a form of liturgie or Mass which Baronius ad an 63. confirms out of S. Cyril Bishop of Hierusalem Catechist 6. an 365. who Catch 5. explicates the most part of S. James Liturgie as of the pax or kisse of peace the sursum corda and Preface the cherubical hymn sanctus sanctus sanctus prayers before the consecration In which says he we pray our most benign God that he would send
cannot be imagined unless we will lay a great blemish upon the whole Church especially the supreme Governours thereof with all the Bishops and Pastors Councels and Doctours and holy Fathers of gross Ignorance in using such forms as should contradict the substance of what they unanimously commended to the faithful 4ly It is no less strange that the Doctour should pretend the holy Fathers and Doctours of the Church when not only for almost twelve hundred yeares even by his town confession they all approved the Mass but also defended it against all Contradictors and hereticks and therefore he rejecte their authorities and pretends to stand to the judgment only of the primitive times to wit within five hundred years after Christ In this Treatise I have gone with him to those times and have produced their testimonies from Age to Age and dare say that in those times he can produce no one holy Father or Doctour that hath taught any Doctrine in any opposition or contradiction to any thing of the Roman Mased where as I have produced most of them in opposition to whatsoever the Doctour has pretended against it whereunto I have added the Councils both general and Provincial the practise of the whole Church in those times with the consent of all Christian Nations 5ly Whereas the Doctour pretends some Texts of the holy Scriptures for his cause we may consider that he follows therein his own fancy or private spirit without any Expositour or Interpreter of those times imitating the Hereticks of all Ages who grounded all their errours on the Scriptures misconstrued and by a counterfeit sense of them did delude the Ignorant Christians Of this we have manifest experience in these our times for the innumerable Sectaries now extant do ground themselves on the Texts of Scripture which they pretend for their multiplyed sects Each one affirming their sence and meaning of the holy Text with condemnation of other judgments and so wrest the Scriptures to their several senses making their fancies the Rule of the sacred Text whereas Catholicks take the Scripture for the Rule of their Faith follow the judgment and sence of the one holy Catholick Church as on this present subject I have followed the common Doctrine of the holy Church even in those five hundred years after Christ which the Doctour allows Finally the Doctours mainest argument is from humane Reason or sense which I have proved no way capable to comprehend the mysteries of our Faith which transcends above all Reason or sense otherwise there would be no necessity of such a supernatural gift without which there is no salvation It is true that reason is necessary for the reception of Faith for if we were not reasonable or rational creatures we should not be capable to receive Faith but that reason should guide us in supernatural things is preposterous we know nothing but by our senses which can have no sensation or act of senses in spiritual or supernatural objects such as all Faiths objects are for the receiving thereof only the sense of hearing may concurr from whence the understanding frames intellectual species representing the things which are revealed and declared unto us by the holy Church which teaches in all times according to the holy word of God In confirmation of this S. Paul Hebr. 11. defines Faith The substance of things to be hoped the argument of things not appearing to our senses or humane reason but of it self is an Blench Demonstration or convincing Reason for by Faith alone we are convinced to believe those things which are revealed for faith only shews and demonstrates them as clearly as if we did see them in mid-day faith so works in us that we as more doubt of future or most obscure mysteries revealed then if they were comprehended by the sight of our eyes and are more certain in them then by any sense reason or Demonstration which may deceive or be deceived but in matters known by faith we cannot be deceived for God cannot deceive us It behoves as therefore as S. Paul 2. Cor. 10. says to bring into captivity all understanding much more senses unto the Obedience of Christ If we be true Christians by faith we must captivate and humbly submit our will understanding all our reason and all our senses to the word of God revealed S. Basil in psal 113. said All the Articles of our faith are principles grounded only on God revealing and therefore we need no Inquisition or disputation by any weak reason but firmly believe them as principles of our Faith without any examination or Question it suffices to all true believers that Dominus ipse dixit The Objects of our faith are supernatural and the subject which we treat of is of the Reall and substantiall Body and Bloud of Christ Jesus being in the Eucharist which only the understanding by Faith comprehends I will therefore submit all I have said to the judgment of all understanding persons and earnestly desire them to ponder what has been pleaded fouthe equitie of my cause which is grounded on the positive Texts of holy Scripture attested and expounded by the holy Fathers and Doctours of those primitive times and seconded by the General Practise of Gods Church aswell in those times as in all succeeding Ages without any notable question untill our later times God out of his infinite mercy open the Eies of those who go astray and grant them the Light of Faith such is the continuall prayers of him who earnestly wisheth them all health and salvation in Christ Jesus FINIS
MISSALE ROMANVM VINDICATVM OR The MASS Vindicated from D. Daniel Brevents calumnious and Scandalous Tract S. Augustine lib. 2. contra Julianum Pelagium cap. 10. The Catholick Fathers and Doctors have held what they found in the Church have taught what they learned and delivered to their Sons what they received from their Fathers as yet we did not deal with you before these Judges and our cause is judged by them neither we nor you were known to them yet we recite their sentences or Judgments made against you Printed in the Year 1674 TO THE Right Worshipful Grave and Reverend Doctours of the Famous University of OXFORD Health and Salvation THe whole Vniverse worthily admires the Oxonian Academie for its Antiquity and Learning for the great multitude of famous Doctors which have flourished in its bosome Structures in its Colledges rare Library compleatly stored with books of all sorts but principally Manuscripts which if not diminished by the destiny of Funus Scoti et Scotistarum would have far exceeded most of Christendome and now may contend for equality except only the Vatican It s present glory is in no mean way augmented by that magnificent Theater which the late Archbishop of Canterbury to his eternal Glory has erected wherein all may depredicate his Munificence and other Universities envy Oxfords Glory This indeed is Sheldons Trophy and Triumph Vpon reflection of this unparaleld Theater I cannot but deplore that such an excellent and so magnificent a structure should be abused and defiled by such an unseemly Imp as the late Doctour Daniel Brevent has hatched under its roof I mean his Missale Romanum Printed in that Theatre without any license or approbation wherein there is very little appears which may beseem a Doctour of Oxford He begins indeed very briskly acknowledging the Roman Church to have been a true Church in the first five hundred years after Christ but afterwards to have decayed principally for that from that time the Church allowed and approved the holy sacrifice of the Masse which he chiefly labours to reject by Railleries scoffs and jeerings amongst others he grounds himself on two manifestly false impositions the first is that Roman Priests do sacrifice their God imitating the primitive Infidels who imputed it to the Christians that they did eat their God whereas our faith teaches us that Christs body and bloud is sacrificed to God The second is that the Priests at the Altar do work all the Miracles which are wrought in the Eucharist which Miracles by Catholicks are attributed to Christ himself who instituted the holy Sacrament To make his raillery more compleat he spares not to call all Roman Catholicks Adulterers Adorers of vile creatures Idol-worshipers invaders of sacred offices sacrilegiously reproaching them of untruths impieties fearfull and barbarous cruelty Priesthood a most sacrilegious function which in plain terms he admits for almost twelve hundred years the whole Christian world were no better then Idolaters nay as he says worse then all Pagans and Infidels So that the whole Church all Christian Emperours Kings and Princes all Christian Empires Kingdoms Nations and Provinces were enslaved to Idolatry all Popes Primats Archbishops Bishops and Clergy-men were liable to his censures No Church either universal or particular truly Christian no Conversion of any Nation in particular England to the true faith of Christ for those who were converted in those times were most unhappy for they were alwayes taught believed and exercised the sacrifice of the Masse All the Modern Churches as besides the Latin the Grecian Oriental Affrican and Indians in all places of the world except only some of our pretended Reformers in a little Corner thereof have the same and the schoolmen whom he so frequently cites were all Idolaters for they all held maintained and defended the sacrifice of the Masse against all Infidels and hereticks and for the most part were sacrificing Priests Moreover the Glory of your famous Vniversitie is much impeached by this his Calumnie for your Doctors and Professors your Churches Chappels and Schools your Colledges and Chairs were all infected with this pretended Idolatry for within their walls no other doctrine was taught heard or used until these last times the several Comments made on the Master of the sentences on S. Thomas Scotus and other Schoolmen testifies the same nothing can excuse them but grosse ignorance but what shall we say of those famous Doctours who have so learnedly written against Wickliff even on the same score and what of those Reverend and learned Bishops who in Oxford condemned him as an heretick and who were so careful as is manifest in Provinciali veteri reprinted at Oxford in the year 1669. of the Celebration of Mass The Doctor bespatters them all with Idolatry sacriledge and blindness ignorance and blasphemy But he might have considered if malice or Ignorance had not blinded him that under the name of the Roman Church for so many hundred of years he impugns Christs Church within the five hundred years after Christ even as it was established by Christ and his Apostels for the Catholick Church was never without Mass in that time and what Masses or Liturgies were used in succeeding times were delivered from those times as the Roman or Latin Church challenges that of S. Peter as it was declared by S. Clement those of Hierusalem and some other parts that of S. James those of Affirica that of S. Mark or S. Philip The Grecians that of S. Basil who as S. Proclus testifies did not add to any other precedent but contract and abreviate what was formerly used S. Chrysostome did the same to that of S. Basil yet both these liturgies or Masses are in use to this day in all the Grecian Churches if then the Mass be Idolatry and so fond a thing as this Doctor pretends Christ never had a true Church upon earth far as I shall shew in this short Tract the Catholick Church was never without the sacrifice of the Mass if we may believe Tradition practise and custome of all Christian Churches Ecclesiastical or civil histories Councils both General and of several Provinces in the whole world and the unanimous consent of all the holy Fathers and Doctors I dare challenge Doctour Brevent or any of his associates to produce any one Nation that ever roceived the Christian Faith without this sacrifice or publick Divine Service but that which we call Mass or liturgy under the notion of a sacrifice The Grecians as I said before and all those who belong to that Church as Iberians Sclavonians Russians Muscovits and in many parts of Asia and Affrick agree in the sacrifice of the Mass with some difference of Ceremonies The Meridional parts which contain the Nubians the Abissins and greatest parts in Aegypt Arabia and Chaldea under the Patriarkate of Alexandria The Nestorians dispersed in Tartary Persia and the Oriental parts and kingdoms of India the Armenians and Scithians I do not say that all these agree with the Latins
his spirit on what is set before us that he indeed would make this bread Christ's body and the wine Christ's bloud for what the holy Ghost teaches is altogether sanctified and transmuted but then when that spiritual sacrifice is made we pray for the living and dead c. all which is found in S. James liturgie S. Dionise and S. Clement have made the description of S. Peters Mass where are many things also like to those of S. James and what now are in use in the Latine Church S. Epiphanius an 370. Haeres 79. calls S. James the Principal leader of the Mysteries and sacrifice For the satifaction of the Reader I shall make a brief observation of what I find in his liturgie as I find it in Claudius de sanctis printed 111. years past The glorious Apostle S. James composed for his people of Hierusalem his liturgie or Mass wherin he frequently calls it a divine and supercelestial mysterie a sacred and dreadful Mysterie made at the holy Altar a dreadful and incruental or unbloudy sacrifice In which commemoration is made of the most holy Immaculate our most glorious lady Mother of God and alwaies Virgin Mary with all the saints and Just in another place he has the same concluding that by their prayers and intercession we may obtaine Mercy In another place the Priest prayes that he would grant that this our Oblation may be grateful acceptable sanctified by the holy Ghost for the propitiation of our sins and for the Rest of our friends who have slept before us Before we ask of our Lord the Angel of peace our faithful guide keeper of our souls and bodies the Catechumens and others are dismissed then the priest uses Incense saying Receive O Lord from our hands who are sinners this Incense as thou didst receive those things which Abel Noe Aaron and Samuel and all thy saints have offered Let all humane and mortal flesh be silent and stand with fear and trembling and contemplate with it self no terrene thing for the King of kings and Lord of lords Christ our God comes forth to be Immolated and given for food to the faithful The consecration is the same with some little difference with that of the Roman Mass and in the prayer following We offer to thee O Lord this venerable and incruental sacrifice and a little after let his descending holy and good and glorious presence sanctifie and make this bread the holy body of thy Christ and this Chalice the precious bloud of thy Christ and when he breaks the bread he puts part into the Chalice saying The union of the most holy body precious bloud of our Lord and God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Before Communion he has this prayer O Lord our God celestial bread life of the Vniverse I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am not worthy to be made partaker of thy immaculate mysteries but thou as a merciful God make me worthy by thy grace that without damnation I may be partaker of thy holy body and precious bloud unto remission of sins and life everlasting and after We give thee thanks O Christ our God for that thou hast vouchsafed us to be made partakers of thy body and blond in remission of sins and to eternal life Moreover he that peruses this Mass of S. James may find most things which are in use in the Roman Church as Incensing the Altar Salutation of the people with Pax vobis or peace be with you at least 7. times the oracles of the Old Testament and doctrine of the new for which now is Epistle and Gospel Domine miserere or kirye eleison at least 15. times the Gloria in excelsis Creed and our Lords prayer Inelination at the prayers often signing the gifts with the sign of the Cross and dismission of the people with benediction I cannot omit that in the Consecration of the Chalice the Apostle particularly declares that the wine should be mingled with water from these we may fee what the Mass was in those Apostolical times § 2. Of the Liturgy of S. Basil SAint Proclus aforesaid says that many more divine Pastors who succeeded the Apostles and Doctours of the Church explicating the reason of the holy Mysteries of that divine Liturgie or Mass have delivered and committed it in writing and then naming S. Clement and S. James but Great S. Basil seeing the slouth and negligence of men and that they thought of nothing but terrene and abject things and that therefore they were weary of long Mass not that he thought it to contain any superfluous thing or over-long but to prescind the dulness and slackness of the Prayers and hearers for that they spent much time therein he gave a shorter to be recited for after that our Saviour was assumpted into heaven the Apostles before they were dispersed through the whole earth assembling with conspiring minds were converted to prayer the whole day and when they found much conso lation to be placed in the Mysticall sacrifice of our Lords body they did sing the liturgie or Mass abundantly and long prayer Since they esteemed these divine sacred things joined together was to be preferred before all other things and they were inflamed with a greater study and desire of divine things and the holy sacrifice and earnestly embraced it which they alwaies had in memory the word of our Lord saying This is my body and do ye this in my commemoration and he who eats my flesh and drinks my bloud abides in me and I in him wherefore also with a contrite heart they did sing many prayers vehemently imploring the divine Majesty c. by these prayers they expected the comming of the holy Ghost that by his divine presence he would make the bread and wine mixt with water ordained for the sacrifice the very body and bloud of our Saviour Jesus Christ which religious rite verily is observed to this very time and shall flourish even to the end of the world I have the more willingly rehersed the words of this holy Bishop highly commended by St. Cyril a Grecian and teaching purposely of the divine liturgie or Mass and explicating it in each particular according to the two liturgies or Mass of S. Basil and S. Chrysostome not much more then 30. years after S. Chrysostome had composed his form of Mass In this Mass of S. Basil we find most of those things mentioned before in that of S. James and frequent memory of our blessed Lady of the most holy our undesiled Lady Mother of God and alwaies Virgin Mary with all the saints And in a prayer before the hymn Sanctify our souls and bodies and give us grace to serve thee in sanctity all our dayes by the intercession of the holy Mother of God and all saints who have glorifyed thee from the beginning of the world The Bishop in secret prays Reeceive us approching to thy holy Altar according to the multitude of thy mercyes that we may be worthy
sacrifice is to deprive Christs Church of the most noble act of Religion and so make it more imperfect then the law of Nature or Written law I know some will object that of S. John Chap. 4. God is a spirit and they that adore him must adore in spirit and verity whereto I answer that this place manifests that our sacrifices are spiritual and true in which they differ from all precedent sacrifices which were carnal and rather in figure or shadow of the sacrifice of the new law It is certain therefore that Christ did not reject all external worship of God but would have them done in spirit and truth otherwise take away all sacrifices Sacraments prayers Churches and society of men in his service The sacrifice of the new law requires to be done in spirit that is in saith hope charitie and interiour devotion and in veritie according to the institution of Christ The Apostle S. Paul Ephes. 6. invites us to pray at all times in spirit that is in mind affection and desire or as Vatablus terms it In spirit that is with servour of spirit that is with an Intimate and fervent spirit otherwise it works no true act of Religion whose external act requires also the internal as has been said already Our Advarsaries have sought all means possible to take away the belief of the sacrifice of the Mass notwithstanding that Christs Church as I have formerly manifested has alwaies taught and believed it as proper to the Evangelical law This Doctour Brevenâ— has two or three Inventions to this purpose which I shall endeavour to refute in the next Chapter CHAP. VI. Of the Doctours Invention to exclude the Sacrifice of the Mass SOme of our advarsaries have said That the Sacrifice of Christ upon the Cross is the peculiar and perpetual host in which our Priesthood law and Religion is constituted and so in the new law there is no other sacrifice remaining the Doctour in proof of this lays hold on the Apostles words Heb. 7. Christ did once offer himself cap. 9. once in the consummation of the world and again Christ was offered once It is needlesse then to frame another sacrifice I answer by granting the Antecedent and denying the consequence for the sacrifice of the Cross was both full and sufficient nothing was wanting to the value and sufficiency of the price for Christ by his passion has purchased the sufficient price for to redeem the whole world yea for all the sins ever committed either before or after for it was an expiatorie Redeeming and satisfactorie Sacrifice for the whole world by which the Sacrifice of the Mass is not excluded for the Mass is only applicatorie of the Redemption and satisfaction which Christ did work on the Cross so that in the Mass we do not offer a new price for our sinns but we apply the former price of the Cross to our selves even as we apply the same to us by baptism and other Sacraments Moreover the sacrifice of the Mass may be said to be the same with that of the Cross in as much as it is a continual representation of the passion whence S. Cyprian Epist 63. sayes Our sacrifice is correspondent to the passion of Christ and S. Augustin de fid ad Pet. Cap. 19. Those carnal sacrifices did prefigurate the flesh of Christ which he was to offer for sinns and the bloud which he was to shed But this sacrifice is the commemoration of the flesh of Christ which he has now given and of the bloud which he has shedd In them he was shewed as to be killed in this he is shewed as killed Again S. Cyprian in the place before cited sayes we make mention of the Passion in all our sacrifices for the passion of our Lord is the sacrifice which we offer we ought to do no other thing but what he did for the Scripture says as often as you shall eat this bread and drink this Chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord untill he comes as often therefore as we offer the Chalice in remembrance of our Lord and of his passion we doe that which manifestly our Lord did In fine the sacrifice of the Masse is the same with the sacrifice of the Cross for that in the Mass as well as on the Cross the same principal priest and the same offerer to wit Christ is both the same victime and host different only in the manner Incruentall in the Mass Cruentall on the Cross but the Incruentall in the Mass signifies and represents in a mysteriall manner the cruental on the Cross Christ therefore once dyed for all with all sufficiency imaginable but all do not receive the benefit thereof only those who by grace of God are made partakers thereof receive the fruit of Christs passion and we are made participant of this all-sufficient sacrifice by such means as Christ has lest in his Church amongst which the chiefest are the Sacraments sacrifice of the Eucharist as the principal means to apply the merit of Christs passion unto us which Christ instituted in his last supper according to the faith belief and doctrine of Christs Church even within these five hundred years after Christ as is formerly declared Others will admit of some sacrifices but they must be purely spirituall such as are the sacrifices of praise of contrition humilitie and such like as if they were all spirituall and celestiall but our omnipotent God condescending to our humane nature and for the general conservation of his worship in the hearts of men has alwaies ordained certain visible signes sacraments and rites for to move our interiour minde to such pious duties as is manifest in all states of Gods Church Moreover this is besides our question for we require a sacrifice which is proper and peculiar to the new testament or Law which was ordained by Christ such as are mentioned are common to all laws if you take them purely spiritual to no law for such belong only to celestiall spirits but if we take them as united to visible signs then such sacrifices were found in the law of nature as in the written laws nay there were several sacrifices in all The primary Intention was to exhibite due worship to God and in particular some were for expiation of sin some with thanksgiving other in praise of God in like manner in the law of Grace there are such sacrifices but the only true and proper sacrifice of the Evangelical law is the sacrifice of the Eucharist which as it succeeded all the sacrifices of the old law so it hath in a more excellent manner their effect Contrary to this Doctour Brevent cites S. Augustine lib. 10. de civit Dei cap. 6. Every work tending to effect our beatitude by a sincere inherence with God is a true sacrifice To which I say that in a general sense it is true especially if it be taken in metaphoricall sense as 8. Augustine plainly here takes it as it appears in the
Memento of the Mass in which the Priest prays for all who are present saying for whom we offer to thee or who do offer to thee this sacrifice CHAP. VII Of the Doctours deceitful proceeding in his citations THe Doctour to shew his great Reading in every page almost cites schoolmen Fathers Liturgies and Councils not remembring that all those schoolmen were members and professours of the Roman Church all of them taught the Roman Mass I cannot concieve any reason why he should alledge Bellarmine and other Schoolmen for his foolish conceits unless he had dreamt that no man would take the pains to read their works for if they did they should easily see his legerdemain nay I can scarcely believe that the Doctor himself ever read them in the Authours themselves but perhaps trusted to some others notes verily a man need not go any further to answer all his impertinencies then to read the places he cites for either they were of his opinion or no if they were not as it is certain they were not who can excuse his most perverse malice who with neglect of their grounds for the sacrifice of the Mass and answers to all his objections If they were not strange madness possessed them that they all of them should so amply and so copiously write preach and teach this catholick Doctrine Alcuinus Ordo Romanus Durandus Walfridus Honorius Gabriel Ceremonialt and Pontificale Romanum Vega c. whom the Doctour cites have written whole books believing and proving not only the substance of the Roman Mass but also every particular circumstance manner and rite and ceremony thereof all these Schoolmen were Priests or Bishops ordained in the Roman Church yea many were Cardinals But it is strange that the Doctour should quote such men when he confesses that the Roman Church had almost twelve hundred years been possessed of the Mass and professed as she now doth the most that we may expect from his innumerable citations is that he has scraped and culled some half sentences some slips of words wherein I will not excuse all neither are we bound to defend or believe all they say we much honour them as true Children of the Church and as faithful Expositours of the Mysteries of our faith with submission to their lawful Prelates But I freely accuse the fraudulent dealing of taking words and sentences contrary to their own judgment and minde yea their own words and absolutely contrary to their manifest and known doctrine meerly to deceive the Christian Readers I dare say that if the Doctour himself or any other would stand to their judgments the Doctor would loose his cause for they were constant Champions and defenders of the Roman faith even in this sacrifice of the Mass Now because it is not my task here to defend or reprove what has been said or taught in the Church from the first five hundred years I will let the Doctor alone in his career and enquire what others will say of his great impertinencies But because he has the boldness to quote the Liturgies or Masses of S. James S. Basil and S. Chrysostome which were within those five hundred years I must say that it is an unwonted way to take testimony of Masses against the Mass especially when all he has said in every respect is as much against the Mass of S. James of S. Basil and S. Chrysostome as against the Roman Mass for in substance of a sacrifice of the new law they are all one as I have formerly declared Yet I cannot but note that the Doctor pag 20. produces a prayer used in the Liturgies That according to our Saviours merciful institution God would be pleased to send down on these Sacraments the Holy Ghost and so sanctify them that they may be the pretious body and the pretious bloud of his Son to them who should receive worthily c. In the Liturgy of S. Chrysostome I find these words in Latin Adone offerrimus tibi rationabile ac incruentum hoc obsequium precamur supplicamus deposcimus ut mittas spiritum sanctum tuum super nos super hoc apposita munera the rubrick is Et origeâ—s se torrio consignans sancta munera dicit Et fac panem istum quidem pretiosum Corpus Christi tui quod est in calice isto pretiosum sanguinem Christi tui permutans sancto spiritu tuo These words I have put in English before cap. 2. § 3. of S. Chrysostomes liturgy and here in latin that all may see how little conscience this Doctor shews in citing those Liturgies which are so contrary to his drift in this his book and how little care he has of his words for if we should stand to the words as he sets them down we may gather that the bread and wine are sanctifyed by the Holy Ghost and made the body and bloud of Christ his addition which none of the Liturgies have To them who should receive worthily is only a necessary condition required on our paâ—â—â— but makes nothing to the being of our Saviours body and bloud in the Sacrament and are not found there As for the holy Fathers he frequently quotes them but seldom their words at least any way contradicting the Catholick doctrine of the Mass how much they are for it is manifest from what has been said before the greatest advantage that I conceive he makes of them is that they somtimes call the Eucharist even after the consecration Bread which cannot be denyed for the Roman Church in the Mass does the same imitating our Saviour who affirmed that he was the bread of life the bread which I will give is my flesh and things are named according to the outward form and lest any one should be mistaken the holy Fathers must commonly and an explication thereto so S. Cyprian l. 2. Epist 3. sayes Christ offered the 〈◊〉 which Melchisedech offered to wit bread and wine that is his body and bloud S. Hierome in cap. 1. Malac. We pollute the bread that is Christs body when we come unworthily to the Altar and in cap. 5. ad Hebreos Our mystery is signified in offering bread and wine that is the body and bloud of our Lord Jesus Christ is offered so in the Roman Mass it is bread of life everlasting CHAP. VIII Of two gross Mistakes committed by the Doctor THe Doctor either out of Ignorance or perverse malice in his third chap. as also so in other places attributes to the Roman Church the sacrificing of their God which if he believes he shews his ignorance in a high degree if not what may excuse him for he cannot but know that the sacrifice of the Mass is no other than that of the body bloud of Christ Jesus and that it is offered as well to God the Son as to God the Father and to God the Holy Ghost and by his raillery all alone he seems to understand it but in this he imitated the ancient heathens who upbraided
the words This is my Body by the word Body which they believe in another sense do not consecrate Matrimony with the same words and matter If by the word Wife they both or either of them understand Concubine is no Matrimony When then the Bishop intends not to ordain as a sacrificing priest but intends the the contrary his act is ineffectual for according to the Doctrine of Christs Church the power of consecrating and offering the true Body and Bloud of Christ and the remitting and retaining of sins is so annexed to the order of Priesthood that Priesthood cannot be without it and therefore he that intends to give Priesthood without gives nothing at all To conclude the Church of England has excluded Ordination out of the number of Sacraments and withall rejected the Papall power one may question then what power or authority they have to give Orders but principally from whence they have any authority or power to give them power to execute any offices belonging to Priesthood It cannot be said to be from the words which are not Sacramental and consequently being no Sacrament have no Institution from Christ for that end Moreover it cannot be said to be from the Church for the Church can give no such authority but by the Sacraments and the Reformed Ministers have no authority from the visible Catholick Church or Pope or Metropolitan which they professedly reject and disclaim for Ordination is a spiritual power which tends to spiritual effects Doctor Heylin Eccles Restit in his Preface Queen Elizabeth looked upon her self as the sole sountain of both Jurisdictions and the Act. 1. Eliz. 1. declares the Kings supremacy to use and exercise all such Jurisdictions spiritual and ecclesinstical as by any spiritual and ecclesiastical power or authority hath heretofore been or may lawfully be used over the Ecclesiastical state of this Realm yet as Doctor Bramhall well says pag. 63. The power of the Keys was evidently given by Christ in Scripture to his Apostles and their Successors not to Soveraign Princes Many of our Protestant Divines and learned Doctours did well consider this Difficulty and therefore most of them do admit that Ordination is a Sacrament and consequently they ground their Ordination on the authority of the former Catholick Bishops who in a Sacramental power did ordain them who according to Dr Brevent were all Idolaters and unlawful Ministers of the Sacraments except only Baptism in extreme necessity so that they have no right to any Ordination but by vertue of the Sacrament which cannot take effect unless it be dnely administred by lawful power and in due form From which I inferr that our Reformers in taking away and rejecting the sacrifice of the Mass have also rejected the Priesthood whose principal office is to offer sacrifice and consequently they have no true Ordination In fine no Sacrifice no Priest no Priest no Sacrifice wherefore call the Ministers Priests or what you will if they have not the office and power to consecrate and offer sacrifice they are no Priests properly taking the word priest or according to the common sense and use of the Catholick Church in all ages and times yea among Heathens and Infidels whence it follows that as our Reformers have framed a new Religion so they have invented a new priesthood never heard of before giving no other power then to preach and dispense the Sacraments which may be committed or done by Deacons or Lay-men as all Ecclesiasticall histories do testifie on this ground and other defects in their Ordination the present Catholick Church makes no scriple notwithstanding their pretanded Ordination to ordain or give Orders to those who being converted and reconciled to the said Catholick Church shall humbly defire it I know some will say that this cannot be done without Sacriledge for even in the Doctrine of the Universal Church Re-ordinations as also Re-baptizations are esteemed sacrilegious whence frequently those who were baptized or ordained by heretical priests or Bishops were not rebaptized nor re-ordained In consideration hereof the now Church of England does not re-baptize nor re-ordain priests coming to their communion but permits them to remain in the Order received and approves of them in all their function and power as if they had been ordained by Protestant Bishops This Subject would require a longer Discourse then my brevity will permit I will therefore briefly conclude this Chapter The Catholick Church hath always detested both Rebaptization and Reordination but never made difficulty to Baptize or Ordain some who falsly pretended to have been Baptized or Ordained when really they were not We have a plain Declaration of this in the Councel of Nice Can. 19. where those who were baptized by the Paulianists were absolutely to be Baptized because they were not Baptized in the right Form of Baptism to wit by the Invocation of the holy Trinity The Decree of the Apostles Can. 68. declares that baptized or ordained by Hereticks were neither Baptized nor ordained which as Caranzen notes is to be understood of such Hereticks who did not observe the right Form in ministring the Sacraments The Church whensoever it was manifest that the Ordainers had not lawful power or did corrupt or alter the form of Ordination judged that what they had done was Null and of no force and did simply and plainly ordain them But if upon due examination it were found that the heretical Bishops were formerly ordained by Catholick Bishops who observed the true form of the sacrament those who received orders from them and were otherwise fitting for it were received without any new Ordination only new power was given unto them for the execution of such and such Orers for as the learned Doctour Morinus de sacris Ordinat par 3. Eccercit 5. 6. well notes It may be admitted that such do receive a Character even those who are ordained against the Canons but so that the vertue of the Character is dulled or blunted not capable or not fit for action the Ancients did esteem Ordination Canonically given could never be blotted out but that its force or vertue by deposition might be repressed or dulled that it could not produce any other Ordination which may be confirmed by the common Doctrine of the Church which teaches that a Priest notwithstanding his Character received in some causes cannot give either lawfully or validly absolution As for that which is added concerning the use of the now English Church whch re-ordains not priests coming to it all men know that according to their Opinion it would be very Sacrilegious for no true Protestant will deny but that Catholick Ordination is valid and of Real force giving all power and vertue belonging to a Priest which to deny would be destructive to their pretended Hierarchy which has no other Foundation for its succession then that their Priests and Biships were so ordained The true state of the Case is the Catholick Church in such case Ordains those who were never truly
circumstance or apparitions of Majesty and glory which were but external signs of some peculiar presence of God in the temple but him who was thereby presented and this without any shew of Idolatry and in like manner if we adore Christ as present in the Sacramental signs presented unto us we cannot be said to be Idolaters when the object of our Adoration is not the sign or any created thing but only Christ Jesus God and man whence learned Erasmus lib. 9. Epist ad Pelicanum well said Hitherto with all Christians I have adored Christ in the Eucharist neither do I yet see any cause why I ought to depart from that opinion I can by no humane reason be withdrawn from the agreeable judgement of the whole world which is also in the Liturgical discourse par 2. Sect. 3. cap. 12. and cap. 13. in the general consent of the primitive times as is manifest in all the holy Liturgies of Gods Church in those times and proved out of S. Augustine there also cited concludes That not only we do not sin in adoring but we should sin in not adoring S. Ambrose will have us to adore Christ on the Altar in the Mysteries that is in the Mass S. Prosper lib. sent We do truly honour in the forms of Bread and wine which we see things invisible that is to say Flesh and bloud S. Augustine Epist 120. ad Honoratum c. 27. says The Rich come to our Lords table and receive of his Body and Bloud but they adore only and are not filled as the poor are yet notwithstanding they have adored Theodoret Dial. 2. The Mystical Symbols are adored as being the same things which they are believed to be S. Cyril Catech. 2. shewing the manner how we ought to communicate concludes that bowing down in manner of Adoration and Veneration saying Amen Admirable was the devotion and reverence of S. Gregory Nazianzen his Sister to the Blessed Sacrament as that great Saint and Doctor relates orat 1. and how miraculously she was cured thereby from a disease humanely incurable The Jews and Infidels give sufficient testimony of the Christian practise of adoring Christ Jesus in the Eucharist as is to be seen in all Ecclesiasticall Histories Averroes acknowledges it in his time when he said I have traveled over the world and have found divers Sects but none so foolish as the sects of Christians for they devour with their teeth their God whom they adore S. Augustine lib. 22. contr Faust c. 13. says that the Heathens did esteem Christians to worship Ceres and Liber for the Bread and Chalice and answering says we are far different from Ceres and Bacchus the Pagan Gods although in our Rite we honour the Sacrament of the Bread and Chalice Maximus manducensis a heathen writer in his Epistle to S. Augustine which is extant in 43. Epist of S. Augustine demands of him who is that God which Christians do challenge as proper to them and fain to see him in secret places In the Liturgical Discourse in the place above-cited this is more fully declared It might suffice that such has been the continual practise of Gods Church as is manifest in all the Liturgies or Masses which have been since Christs time so that I may infer that of all the calumnies that our Adversaries have imposed on Catholicks none more impertinent and more vain then this of Idolatry in regard of the Adoration to the Body and Bloud of Christ Jesus in the Eucharist unless they could prove Christ Jesus to be an Idol or not to be adored for as is fully declared we in the Eucharist adore nothing but Christ Jesus Conclusion IN suits of Law when men come to a finall tryall before the Kings Judges the lawyers or Barresters on both sides plead their Causes with long and learned speeches delectable to their hearers and principally to move the Judges to be favourable on their sides The Judge having with attentive ear listened to their long harangues rises up and declares his mind that the whole difficultie depends on the lawful wittnesses on either side which being heard he would according to law give his sentence Innumerable Authors on both sides have written on this subject concerning the Masse but as yet little an agreement is made wherefore omitting long discourses in this short Treatise I seek to come to the Test and stand to the testimony of authenticall and approved witnesses according to which I am content to have my cause stand or fall Doctour Brevent has produced his witnesses against the Masse 2.1 many of the learned Schoolmen 2. many Expositers of the Masse 3. the Liturgies or Masses themselves 4. the Holy Fathers of the primitive times that is within five hundred years after Christ 5. the mainest point wherein he chiefly grounds himself is reason and Sense 6ly he pretends some Text of Scripture I have no exception against any of these witnesses alledged only I must say that it savours of great Ignorance or no less Impudence to take any of them as witnesses against the Masse For first there never was schoolman yet that wrote against it or ever contradicted it but such as have fallen from the Church There books even from the Master of the sentences are extant in every Library and are all expressly and positively against this Doctour as every School boy knows It is strange that he should make any use of them for his purpose when he knows that all of them were members of the Roman Church were taught educated and did teach write and expound the Masse according to the Doctrine of the same Church most of them were Priests or Bishops or Cardinalls in the same and dayly celebrated the sacrifice of the Masse in the same belief and Faith with the Roman Church which by the Confession of this Doctour was in full possession of the Masse for almost twelve hundred years 2. No man of Judgment would alledge Expositors of the Masse against the whole scope and intent of those who have written whole Volumes thereon for to declare the true sense and meaning of every point Article and cirenmstance of the Masse as it is practised in the Roman Church knowing well that if they had taught any other Doctrine contrary to the said Church they should be liable to the censures thereof and be noted by all the faithful Christians besides their works were approved and licensed by their lawfull Superiours and embraced and sollowed by all Roman Catholicks and followed by all schollars in the same Church 3. There cannot be greater insolency then to produce Liturgies against Liturgies or Masses against Masses for the controversy is wholly concerning Liturgie or Masse as they are and have been practised by the Christian Church in all times of Christianity without any variation in Substance in such manner as the Roman Church how at this present uses If then in any of those Liturgies there may be found any thing contrary to the Mass it will condemn themselves which