mayest for the tyme to come liue to iustice The Angels Hymne Gloria in excelsis GLory in the highest to God in earth peace to men of good will we prayse thee we blesse thee we adore thee we glorify thee We giue thee thankes for thy great glory Lord God King of Heauen God the Father Almighty Lord the only begottē Sonne Iesus-Christ Lord God Lābe of God Sonne of the Father Who takest away the Sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs. Who takest away the sins of the world receiue our prayers Who sittest on the right hand of the Father haue mercy vpon vs. Because thou art alone holy thou alone our Lord thou alone most high O Iesus-Christ with the holy Ghost in the glory of God the Father Amen S. Augustines briefe Confession touching the holy Trinity WE do with our whole hart mouth cōfesse prayse blesse thee God the Father vnbegotten thee the only begottē Sonne thee the holy Ghost the Paraclete the holy vndeuided Trinity Glory be to the Father who hath created vs. Glory to the Sonne who hath redeemed vs. Glory to the holy Ghost who hath sanctified vs. Glory to the most soueraigne vndeuided Trinity one God world without end Amen After the Epistle is read which commonly cōprehēdeth the admonitiō of the Apostle whē the Priest cōmeth to read the Gospell stand vp and be attentiue vnto it in the beginning make the signe of the Crosse vpō thy forehead mouth breast and say from thy hart these wordes Glory be to thee O Lord. And when the Gospell is ended Prayse be to thee O Christ who by thy selfe by thy Apostles hast vouchsafed to preach the gospell to the world to giue the incredulous and vnbelieuing the true light of faith Say the Creed with the Priest I Belieue in God the Father Almighty c. When the Priest hath made the oblation say thus LEt vs giue thākes to our Lord God for that it is truely a worthy thing and iust meete and healthfull that we alwayes and euery where yield thee thanks holy Lord Father omnipotēt eternall God by Christ our Lord. By whom the Angels prayse thy Maiesty the Dominatiōs adore it the Powers trēble before it the heauens and the Vertues of the heauens the blessed Seraphims doe with ioynt exultation celebrate it With whom we also beseech thee to commaund that our voyces maybe admitted heard with humble confessiō saying Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabaoth The heauens and the earth be full of thy glory Osanna in the highest Blessed is he who cōmeth in the Name of our Lord. Osāna in the highest Heere in honour of the fiue Wounds of our Redeemer which cannot be honoured inough say Pater Noster fiue tymes that both liuing and dying thou mayest receiue the aboundant vertue of them and of all our Sauiours passion and therby obtayne the remission of sinnes and all manner of grace both for your selues and others A Prayer to Christ. BLessed be thou o Lord Iesu-Christ Sonne of the liuing God who hauing compassion vpon vs camest downe from heauen being a true Sacrifice for our sinnes liberally offredst vpō the altar of the Crosse thine innocent body and bloud which thou tookst of the B. Virgin Prayse and glory be to thee because of the same body and bloud of thyne thou hast instituted not only the bread of life which we are to receiue in the Sacrament but also a sacrifice to be offered vpon the altare by the Priests and hast left it to be celebrated till the worlds end that thy Church might haue a perpetuall and pure sacrifice to celebrate all the world ouer Iesu of Nazareth crucified for vs be mercifull to me and to all sinners and graunt that we may receiue the effectuall fruit and vertue of the Sacrament and of this Sacrifice to the profit of both body soule and to all prosperity and consolation of the faithfull At the Eleuation of the holy Host and Chalice WE adore thee o Lord Iesu-Christ our King high Priest and we blesse thee who by thy holy Crosse and bloudy oblation of this thy sacred body bloud hast redeemed vs and recōciled vs being lost creatures to God the Father By thine infinite goodnes I beseech thee make me and all thy Church participant of all thy redemption and to receyue in vs the fruit of thy death resurrection and ascension to life euerlasting Amen Hayle the worlds saluation the eternall word of the Father the true host liuing flesh perfect Deity life euerlasting Thou art my Lord and my God whome I humbly adore and faythfully inuocate being present vpon this Altare in body bloud that I may haue thee my Redeemer propitious and fauourable vnto me in prosperity and aduersity in life and in death and finally may behold thee face to face raygning in Heauen Who with the Father the holy Ghost liuest and raygnest world without end Amen The soule of Christ sanctify me the body of Christ saue me the bloud of Christ inebriate me the water of Christs side wash me the passion of Christ strengthē me O good Iesu vouchsafe to heare me and permit me not to be separated frō thee From the malignant Angell defend me In the houre of my death call me and will me to come vnto thee that together with thine Angels I may prayse thee for euer euer Amen For whome we ought most of all to pray in Masse-tyme MOst soueraygne Bishop and Redeemer of the world Iesu-Christ who discouerest thy self vnto vs not only on the Crosse but also in this venerable Sacrament togeather with thy body and bloud in so much as thou sufferest thy selfe to be touched offered eaten by sinners haue mercy vpō vs who without thy grace are not able to do anything giue thine assistāce to thy Catholike Church spread ouer the whole world that by thee the true Catholikes may haue peace and by thy conduct may be safe defended against their enemies whersoeuer Establish sufficiēt Pastours ouer thy flock and contayne all Magistrats in their office that they may rule and profit the Christiā Common-wealth conformably to thy will pleasure Conuert O Lord all miserable sinners who are strayed from their faith that by thine inspiratiō they may returne to the way of truth giue the light of fayth to Infidels comfort the afflicted restore the sicke to their health help the miserable succour the needy poore protect also our parēts kinsfolks benefactours friēds conserue thē that they may carefully imbrace and loue those things that appertayne to fayth and Catholicke obedience And through thy goodnes clemency take away from vs whatsoeuer is displeasing vnto thee and giue vs strength and vertue to auoyd all sinne and imbrace all good that we may fulfill thy will and our own vocation Admit this healthfull Sacrament offered by the Catholicke Priest in full satisfaction of our sinnes for an aboundant supply of
for this end is the Aultar built Aultar and Sacrifice being correlatiues Wherefore the errour of vnfortunate Heretickes is in this particular so strange and so contrary to the light of reason that it could haue entred but into minds afore through malice obstinate and through infidelity blinded who from errours run into errour still greater and more foule But heerin they are Ministers of the Diuell who by their mediation endeauoureth to doe the holy Church all the mischiefe he is able and the cursed Caytiffe knowes the greatest mischiefe he can doe is to driue away or hinder the most holy sacrifice of the Altar as de facto he hath driuen away and exiled the same out of townes and countries wherin preuayle these errours and pestilentiall doctrines Wherin also they declare themselues Percursors of the most wicked Antichrist cōcerning whome the Saints of God commonly affirme that the first and principall thing he shall attempt to the detrimēt of the Church is with most extreme rigour to inhibite the exercise of the most holy sacrifice of the Aultar Thus many Fathers and graue Authours vnderstand that which Daniel sayth in his prophecy That in the thousand two hundred and ninety dayes that is in the three yeares and halfe that Antichrists raigne shal continew the continuall sacrifice shall be taken away frō the Church he shall cause his image to be placed in the Temple that himself alone may be adored as God the text sayth He shall take away the continuall Sacrifice and destroy the place of sanctification strength against the cōtinuall sacrifice is giuen him in regard of sinnes This drift which the Diuel shall then prosecute by the meanes of Antichrist he now endeauours to settle by the help of these Hereticks who by procuring to take frō the Catholicke Church the most holy Sacrifice bringe therwith innumerable and inestimable mischiefes and would haue the Christian people which hath receaued more of God and greater benefits to be more vngratefull vnto their God then any other Nation in the world This the holy and venerable Abbot Petrus Cluniacensis liuing in the same age with S. Bernard well noted and signified in these wordes They that attempt to take from the Church of Christ the sacrifice by the Diuells suggestions doe their best that that nation which hath byn graced of God with more singular benefits and fauours should be lesse thankefull to him and yield him lesse worship and honour But I will leaue these Heretickes as men without discretion and common sense to thēselues my purpose not being to dispute this controuersie with them but only to giue a warning vnto the faythfull of their errours impertinēcies Al Catholike Christians are to belieue as a most sure and infallible principle that in the Catholicke Church there is a proper true and most excellent sacrifice which is offered vnto the eternall Father by the handes of Priests as being Minister of Christ Iesus the high Priest and soueraigne Bishop For this hath euer byn the beliefe of the holy Church since the tyme of the Apostles this the doctrine perpetually deliuered by the holy Fathers this the fayth determined established in the sacred Councels and last of all in the holy Councell of Trent in these words Whosoeuer shal say that in the masse is not offered a true and proper sacrifice vnto God or that the sacrifice is no other then the giuing of Christ to be eaten let him be accursed The holy Masse then is the only and most holy Sacrifice of the new Testamēt instituted by Christ our Lord not when he did offer himselfe on the crosse though then he offered a Sacrifice but that was a bloudy sacrifice consumed with payne and wounds the conuulsions of death in which manner only he would offer it that tyme but in his last supper when he consecrated his pretious body bloud vnder the formes and accidents of bread and wine For then he not only gaue it vnto his Disciples as a sacramentall food for the sustenance of their soules but also offered the same vnto his eternal Father as an vnbloudy sacrifice made them Priests with faculty to offer in the like manner granted vnto them vnto their successors vnto the worldes end saying Do this in remembrance of me that is the same thing that I doe you likewise doe in my name memory Wherfore two doctrines as most firme and Catholicke truth are settled by the premisses the one that in the Christiā Church there is a true and proper Sacrifice the other that this sacrifice is offered only in the Masse of the excellencies whereof we now are to treate That the Masse was giuen vnto this Sacrifice by the Apostles euer vsed in the Church And the signification thereof CHAP. II. HERETICKES not only deny and would take from the Church the most holy Sacrifice of the Masse but also cannot endure the very word name of Masse and soe they haue declared to affirme with sacrilegious mouth that the Masse is the inuention of the Pope and his followers The most impious Martin Luther Captayne of these wicked sectaries hath written a booke with this title De abroganda Missa The title is lyke the booke and the booke lyke the Authour and the whole lyke the matter hādled therin wherin he doth acknowledge that by conferēce had with the Diuell appearing to him he was perswaded to abrogate the best thing the most sacred and venerable that is in the Church And though neyther my drift nor the ayme of this Treatise be to dispute with Heretickes which thinge graue writers of this age haue fitly performed yet for the confirmation of Catholickes as also for confusion of Hereticks who sticke not to vtter whatsoeuer they can imagine to be disgracefull to the Church without care whether they speake true or false I thinke it reason briefly to set downe the truth of this matter It is therfore to be known that not only the Sacrifice of the Masse was instituted by our Sauiour in his last supper but also the name of Masse was giuen vnto it by the Apostles themselues frō that tyme hath euer been vsed by the holy Church The first that sayd Masse after our Sauiours Ascension is thought to haue byn S. Iames the yoūger termed Brother of our Lord. For though S. Peter were superiour and head of all as being the soueraigne Bishop yet he would yield that honour vnto this glorious S. Iames because he was Bishop of Hierusalem which was the first Church in the world it is thought this Church to haue byn the sacred Cenacle where Christ kept his last supper and where afterward the holy Ghost came downe vpon the Disciples In this Masse did the holy Apostles and Disciples communicate and the most sacred Virgin then first receaued in the most holy Sacrament her glorious and immortall Sonne whome before she had receaued and apparelled with flesh in her immaculate wombe This Blessed Apostle
of all which it is sufficiently proued that this one Sacrifice of the new Testament contaynes in it most excellētly with great excesse all the perfection sanctity and efficacy of all the Sacrifices of the old as the same afornamed Saint doth elegātly briefly set down in these words It is cleere that no Sacrifice can be offered more acceptable vnto God eyther to giue him honour or to render him thankes or to obtayne pardon or to deserue glory then the most holy Sacrifice of the Body and Bloud of Christ. The Masse is the thing most Venerable that is in the Church CHAP. XI OVT of that which hath byn sayd we may cōclude that the Masse is a thing of greater reuerence grauity and sanctity then any other in the Catholicke Church there being nothing eyther equall or comparable to it So that neyther the Benediction of the Agnus Dei which the Pope doth with so great solemnity nor the Consecration of a Bishop which with so many graue and solemne ceremonyes is performed all which of necessity three Bishops are to present besides him that is consecrated nor the Dedicatiō of a Church nor any other thing done with the greatest and solemnest Rites none of these thinges are comparable for Reuerence Grauity Sanctity with the Masse This is the reason that the Saints adorne this Sacrifice with so many choice exquisite Epiphets and tearmes calling it a Mystery Dreadfull Terrible Diuine Deificall Sacro-saynt full of Diuinity Honorable Supreme Singular and other such Names that euery where occurre in the writings of the Holy Fathers Out of whome omitting many very excellent thinges which they say of the dignity of the Masse I will only set down two or three short sentēces which to me seeme most notable S. Chrysostome writes that being present at Masse we must not imagine we are vpon earth but that we are carryed vp into Heauen that we are seated amongst the Quires of Angels and Seraphims His wordes are these When thou doest behold our Lord sacrificed the Priest performing his office therin and the people bedewed and as it were grained and purpled with his pretious Bloud do not thinke that thou art amongst men nor that thou dost abide vpon earth but rather that thou art transtated into Heauen and so casting away all carnall imaginations and earthly thoughts with a pure minde contemplate the things of that Celestiall Court Oh Miracle Oh Benignity of God! who sitting aloft with the Father at the same tyme is taken into the handes of men and giues himselfe vnto such as will receaue him To the same purpose S. Gregory wryteth in this sort What Christian can doubt but that in the tyme of Consecration the Heauens open at the voyce of the Priest and at this very Mysterie of Christ Iesus the Quires of Angels assist Earth is conioyned with Heauen this wale of teares with the pallace of Blisse and that visible and inuisible things meete togeather in one A wonderfull dreadfull venerable thing that at the voyce of a Priest the Heauens should open that the glorious Court should come down vnto earth that with the Faythfull of the Militant Church though poore and sinfull the Triumphant Church should ioyne the King of glory and his Courtiers descēding so that of Heauen and earth is made one Company and Church What thinge of greater veneration or more strange then that when the Priest is at the Aultar many millions of Angells kneele with greate reuerence about the same adoring the most holy Sacrifice the handes of the Priest that holds it acknowledging his dignity in this regard to be greater then theirs seeing to none of them such power and authority was euer giuē praysing our Lord giuing him the thankes which wee through our grosnes do not render vnto him and supplying other defects which we in this duty commit Oh holy Angels how often am I ashamed do I blush to consider that you are present seeing you shall be at the day of Iudgment witnesses of our vngratitude rudenes that God hauing placed vs in so high a state of honour we do neyther know it nor esteeme it nor exercise it with the decency and reuerence that is due In fine that quires of Angells assist at the time that Masse is sayd is a most setled and receaued doctrine of the Saynts namely of S. Ambrose in his Bookes written of the dignity of Priest-hood And S. Chrysost. deposeth to haue heard the same of venerable and holy men to whome God granted the fauour to see this euen with corporall eyes S. Cyrill in the life of S. Euthimius relates of him that at the tyme when he sayd Masse he saw Angels assisting about the Aultar some ministring vnto the Priest some prostrate adoring the Sacrament and all shewing great reuerēce And the Apostle S. Paul may seeme to insinuate this thing making a comparison and differēce betweene the Mysteries of the old Testament and these of the new and betweene the Maiesty wherwith God descended to giue the Law on the Mount Sina that Maiesty wherwith now he comes downe vpon the holy Aultar in an inuisible manner he sayth thus You are come not vnto a Mountayne that is felt with the handes nor vnto a fire which is seene with the eyes nor vnto stormes and mystes tempests the sound of trumpets but you are come to the Mount Sion and the Citty of the liuing God and the Heauenly Ierusalem and vnto the company of many thousand Angels and vnto the Mediatour of the new Testament Iesus and the sprinkling of his Bloud speaking in better manner then that of Abel And without doubt if God should opē our eyes as he did vnto the seruant of Elizeus we might there behold celestiall Armyes and we should learne the veneration and reuerence wherwith they assist vnto their King and Lord perceaue how much they are offēded at our irreuerence and rudenes And to conclude this point omitting many other sayings of the Saints concerning the veneration and reuerence due to the holy Sacrifice of the Masse I will only relate the words of the most deuout learned and elegant Father Saint Laurence Patriarch of Venice who wrytes in this manner There is not any oblation greater none more profitable none more amiable none more gracious in the sight of the Diuine Maiesty then the holy Sacrifice of the Masse which restores honour vnto God company vnto Angels Heauen vnto banished men which causeth the worship of Religion the right of Iustice the rule of Sanctity the obedience of the Law giues Fayth vnto Nations ioy vnto the World comfort vnto Belieuers peace vnto People light vnto the minde hope vnto them that trauayle the sight of God vnto them that runne out their race For by the celebration of these Diuine Mysteries is renewed the memory of the tormēts of our Sauiour the contumelies he endured the scourges he receaued the drafts of vinager and gall the woundes
fiant in vobis Let all things be don with order amongst you which shewes that it is requisite that the Church should ordayne appoynt order to be kept euen about the least thinges that concernes this most holy Sacrifice For if this were left to the choyce iudgment of euery one many indiscreet and vnseemly ceremonies would be vsed neyther ought any thinge that cōcernes so high a Mystery be thought little or of small esteeme as not to be done with grauity and decency the direction S. Cyprian giues being here of speciall vse we ought to endeauour the pleasing of the Diuine eyes euen in the outward gate and composition of our body And this vniformity in externall ceremonies serues more to set forth the Maiesty of the Ecclesiasticall office shewes the vnity and consent of the Church togeather with the care and sollicitude of her Pastours And if God in the old Testament did with such rigour and seuerity exact the perfect keeping of the ceremonies thereof as appeares by the words of Deuteronomy the 7. Chap. verse 11. Keepe my Precepts Statutes and Ceremonies which I this day commaund vnto thee And in the 8· Chapter the 11. Verse Take heed thou do not forget thy Lord God nor neglect his Commandments Ceremonies and Iudgmēts the same Precept is in other places repeated and inculcated If I say God did require so perfect and punctuall obseruance of those auncient Rites and Ceremonies that were but figures and shadowes of the mysteries of the new Testament how Sacred Venerable and worthy of obseruance are these ceremonies of the Church which wayte and attend immediatly vpō the most sacred Mysteries themselues now present effectuated These Ceremonies were vsed to the end that with due exteriour decency might be performed the sacrifice of a lambe or calfe or of some other bruite beast or were exercised about the handling and honoring of the Arke of Couenāt the bread-loues of Propositiō other such things but our ceremonies are vsed about the sacrifycing cōsecrating the most holy Body of Iesus Christ and his pretious Bloud and to handle and worship with due religious reuerēce the same true and liuing mysteries which by those dead figures shadowes were signified Wherfore looke what excellency truth challengeth aboue the figure the body aboue the shadow the prototype aboue the picture the new Testament aboue the old the same excellency haue the ceremonies now vsed aboue those that then were receaued And so we may ought to reason that that if of those ceremonyes the obseruation of them God made so great an account greater account without question he makes of these seing they are as hath byn sayd in many respects much more excellent then the other were We may also giue a ghesse at great and Diuine thinges by consideration of what passeth human thinges that in respect of them are vayne vile and childish It is a wonder to see Noblemen Knights that liue in the Court how perfect they are in the knowledge of Ceremonies how curious and punctuall to keepe them All is reduced vnto Rules and Principles euery one knowes who is to be couered in the presence of the King and who is to be bareheaded the termes of salutations and courtesies that are to be vsed and many other curiosityes then reason it is that in them and their exact obseruance we learne what is to be done and kept in a thing of truth and importance such as are the ceremonies of the holy Masse Whē the King drinks it is a sight to behold the respect the order the leasure the attention vsed one of the greatest Princes takes the goblet and with a certayn number of ceremonyes he makes his reuerence and kneeles whylest the Prince is drinking with such an humble kind of reuerence that it may seeme he would euen put himself vnder the ground And yet what is a King compared with God Surely but a corruptible worme that hath the name of King made fast vnto him as it were with pins which yet are not so stronge but a little blast of infectious ayre is able to take it from him On the other side cōsidering what we doe or rather what we omit to do through negligence rudenes want of carefull exactnes in the worship and seruice of the immortall King of all worldes ages who hath not imbrodered in his garments but also written in his flancke King of Kinges and Lord of Lordes serued by thousandes and thousandes before whome ten tymes an hundred thousandes of Angels and Seraphims and Princes of glory assist all with great reuerence and most profound humiliation as before their Creatour and the vniuersall and true Lord of all Let all these prayse him for euer seing notwithstanding this his so great Maiesty highnes he doth not disdaine to choose such poore creatures as are men for the exercise and celebration of mysteries so soueraigne and Diuine Of the Reuerence due vnto Churches and holy Places CHAP. XV. I will conclude this Treatise with this poynt of the respect and Reuerence that is due vnto Temples Churches and other holy places where the holy Sacrifice of the Masse is offered To stire vp in vs this Reuerend affection it may suffice that we open our eyes of fayth and consideration marke that Churches are truly properly the houses of God By this title they are honoured by our Lord himselfe in many places of holy Scripture and particularly in the second Chapter of S. Iohn where he saith Make not the house of my Father an house of negotiation And in the one twentith Chapter of S. Matthew our Sauiour alleadgeth in confirmation hereof the saying of the Prophet My house is the house of prayer The fact of our Sauiour related by both these Euangelists in those places is very notable and of great consideration for our purpose For the modesty and mildnes of Christ IESVS being exceeding great and wonderfull that in all the tyme of his lyfe we do not reade that he chastised any offence with his owne handes hauing seen and dayly seeing so many and so grieuous and hauing had so many occasions to doe it that once they would haue cast him downe headlong from a mountayne and an other tyme they tooke stones to stone him to death diuers tymes they vsed vnto him rude and blasphemous wordes In all these and many other like occasions our Sauiour behaued himselfe with very great modesty and mildnes towardes all sinners in generall he shewed this meekenes in great excesse scarse euer in any occasion shewing displeasure or indignation Yea he did sharply rebuke at a certayne tyme some of his Disciples because they asked him leaue that they might make fire come downe from Heauen vpō the Samaritās that had byn so discourteous towardes him as not to let him haue any lodging or entrance into their Citty All this being so yet the first tyme that he ascended vnto Hierusalem with
his Disciples finding some that had lost all respect and reuerence towardes the holynes of the Temple buying and selling and negotiating in the same though these negotiations were about thinges belonging vnto the Sacrifices that were therein dayly and howerly offered yet he tooke such indignation and displeasure against thē that he made a whippe of certayne cordes he there found and therewith set vpon them and droue them out of the Temple threw downe their tables cast their siluer and moneys on the ground rebuked them sharply with hard tearmes in a manner calling them theeues saying Make not of the house of my Father a denne of theeues This happened not only once in the beginning of his holy Predication but also the second tyme he did the very same towardes the end of his life the very last time or the last sauing one that euer he entred into the Temple By this fact giuing vs to vnderstād what great account he maketh that all decency religious respect should be vsed towardes his house and holy Temple because only against the breach hereof he shewed such extraordinary displeasure and with demonstratiō of anger against the prophaners of his house he would beginne and conclude the course of his preaching Wherupon the holy Euangelist noteth that his Disciples reflecting vpon this his fact called to mind and vnderstood that to him agreed that which is writtē in the Psalme sixty eight The zeale of the house of God eateth vp my very bowells and the disorders of them that beare not respect vnto it fall vpon me and are an heauy and burdensome load vnto me Now we are to note that our Churches are tearmed the house of God not only for the reason in regard of which the Temple of Ierusalē was so entitled which many times and absolutly is tearmed in holy Scripture the house of God because there lodged the Ark of Couenāt there God was worshipped and adored there Sacrifice offered vnto him there he gaue audience vnto men and heard the petitions they made vnto him Not only for these respects Christians Churches be tearmed the House of God but also vpon greater reasons in regard of which this honorable stile doth belonge vnto them much more properly then it did vnto the auncient Temple to wit because God himselfe dwelleth in them really personally in the most Blessed Sacramēt in which the person of the Worde and only begotten Sonne of God abides in more particular manner then in any other parte or creature in the world For not only there he is according to his Diuinity in regard of which he is euery where by Essence Presence Power but also the most sacred Humanity of our Lord Iesus Christ the which is seated in Heauen at the right hand of the eternall Father this selfe-some Humanity with the selfe same Glory Maiesty and Greatnes is really and personally in the most holy Sacrament though couered with the sacramentall formes of Bread so that his presence is inuisible but only vnto eyes enlightned with fayth who see his wordes verified This is my body and his promise accōplished Behold I am with you all dayes vnto the consummatiō of the world This is the glory and most singular priuiledge of the Christiā people to haue Iesus Christ the true GOD for their Neighbour a soiourner in all the Churches of Christianity in such sort that there is not any Catholike Towne or Villadge how small and contemptible soeuer wherein our Lord hath not his proper and peculiar house so that if in a Village there be but twelue Neighbours he maketh the thirteenth Thus God would honour and fauour the Christian people a thing most worthy to be esteemed and honoured in farre more excellent manmer then we doe honour and esteeme the same For this cause I sayd in the beginning of this Chapter that there is no need to say much of this poynt but only that we open the eyes of fayth and consider attentiuely that Temples be the house of God and that in euery one of them IESVS Christ our Lord is really and personally present with all his Glory and Maiesty a truth most sure certayne yea that also many thousāds of Angels accompany him making the Church his Court therein yielding him perpetuall prayses and continuall honour And so in the prayer of the holy Diuine Office wherewith the last Houre and Compline is concluded sayth in this manner Visit we beseech thee o Lord this habitation and let thyne Angels who dwell therin keepe vs. The glorious Apostle S. Paul in Epistle to the Hebrews seemes to affirm no lesse where he sayth You are not come to a materiall mountayne nor vnto a fire that may be seene but you are come to the mountayne of Syon the Citty of the liuing God the Heauenly Ierusalem the resort of many thousandes of Angels the Church of the Primitiues If this be so as without question it is to the end that we beare due respect reuerence and veneration vnto holy places no more is needfull but that we open our eyes and consider the great reuerence and veneration that is due vnto the Holy places which are the true houses of God where he is present hath his aboade togeather with his Celestiall Courtyers And if we looke into holy Scripture we shall find it a very auncient custome of holy Men to beare great respect vnto such places where God was present or did manifest himselfe in particular manner In Genesis is written of the Patriarch Iacob that flying from the house of his Father to auoyde the wrath of his Brother Esau the first dayes iourney he was benighted in a forlorne place There falling a sleep he saw a great Ladder which did reach from Heauen vnto earth vpon the which Angels went vp downe and God stood on the toppe thereof The holy Iacob awaking out of his sleepe conceaued so great reuerēce vnto that place because he had seene the former vision therein that full of feare and astonishment he sayd How dreadfull is this place verily here is nothing else but the court of God gate of Heauen In testimony wherof he cōsecrated the sayd place as far as he could raysing vp the stone that he had laid that night vnder his head anointing it with oyle which was still taken for the signe of consecration and leauing the same there as a tokē that the place was sacred and honour and veneration due vnto it because God had therin shewed himself and vnto the Citty that was neere vnto that place called Luza he gaue the name of Bethel which signifyes House of God In Exodus it is recorded that holy Moyses leading the flocke of his Father-in-law through the most solitary woodiest part of the Mount Horeb God appeared vnto him in a very strāg and meruaylous manner to wit in a Bush which did burn with a great fire but did not consume And when Moyses did approach to see the sayd Miracle more
distinctly nigh at hande the Angell that represented the person of God cryed vnto him Stand still approach no nearer for the place wher thou art is holy land Moyses hearing the voyce declaring God to be there present fell prostrate on his face not dearing to lift vp his eyes nor to cast them towardes the place where God did abide And from that tyme euer after the Mountayne was held in great veneratiō and called the holy Mountayne the Mountayne of God as appeares by the third Booke of Kinges the ninteenth Chapter In this respect the Apostle S. Peter calleth the Mount Thabor the holy Mountayne where our Sauiour was transfigured because there he once shewed his Maiesty and glory Now if these places because God once appeared in them became so specially venerable and reuerenced how much more ought our Temples to be honoured where our Lord himselfe makes his mansion and his aboade as in his ordinary residence and pallace where he worketh dayly so many wonders and bestoweth on men so many fauours If those holy Patriarchs worshipped with such humble respect the place where once or twice they saw God or an Angel that spake to thē in his name what honour would they beare what respect would they shew to our Churchs had they liued in so happy an age as we liue in but through rudenes and ingratitude doe not esteeme nor acknowledge our happines If the holy Patriarch Iacob conceaued such dread and reuerence to the place where in his sleep he saw a lader on which the Angels went vp and down what reuerence and dread would he conceyue should he see as we dayly see with the eyes of fayth the very Son of God to come down and place himselfe in the handes of Priests And this not seene in sleepe or in a dreame but by sight more certayne more infallible then any thing can be that we see with eyes and feele with handes with how far greater reason would he exclayme Verily dreadfull is this place verily God is in this place And with much more truth haue sayd verily this is the house of God and entrance of Heauen If holy Moyses cōceaued such feare and reuerence not daring to looke on the Bush out of which an Angell spake vnto him in the name person of God what reuerence would he conceaue what deuotion would he declare if he should enter into our Churches and see the most venerable Sacrament knowing as certaynly as we do that there God is in person being made Man for our sake and so sweet and courteous towardes men that he is receaued and eaten of them Oh holy Patriarches me thinkes that frō your seates of Heauenly glory you behold vs on earth and are ashamed to see our stupidity and rudenes who know not how to esteeme and honour such sacred and venerable places as are our Churches nor how to enter into them and stay in them with the dread and reuerence as reason requireth of vs. One day you shal be our Iudges and condemne vs as rude vnmannerly seing we do not imitate your example in worshipping holy places our Temples being with great excesse more venerable and glorious then those which you did so highly esteeme and honour Of being present and hearing the Holy Office of Masse which hath alwayes byn in most high esteeme publickly celebrated euery where both among the Syrians the Grecians and the Latines euer since the tyme of the Apostles CHAP. XVI A Prayer before Masse LORD Iesu-Christ the pure light of harts and the Eternall truth stay I beseech thee and collect mine euer-wandring distracted mind that I may be attentiue with reuerence present in the sight of thy infinite Maiesty whiles this holy office of Masse is celebrated and reape thence true fruit healthfull to my soule and others and especially that I may with thankes-giuing call to mind thine vnspeakeable charity wherwith thou offered'st thy self to a most cruell death for my Redemption To thee be al praise thans-giuing thou being the Priest the Host and our Bishop according to the Order of Melchisedech who hast taught Priests to offer a cleane oblation and euery where to sacrifice vnto the Eternall God vnder the likenes of bread and wine Then blessing thy selfe begin with the Priest thus IN the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen I will enter vnto the Altare of God to God who maketh my youth ioyfull The 42. Psalme IVdge me O God discerne my cause from the nation not holy from the wicked and deceitfull man deliuer me Because thou art God my strength why hast thou repelled me and why goe I sorrowfull whiles the ennemy afflicteth me Send forth thy light thy truth they haue conducted me and brought me into thy holy hill into thy tabernacles And I will enter vnto the Altar of God to God who maketh my youth ioyfull I will confesse to thee on the harpe O God my God why art thou sorrowfull O my soule And why doest thou trouble me Hope in God because yet will I confesse to him the saluation of my countenance and my God Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne c. Euen as it was in the beginning and now and euer and world without end Amen I will enter vnto the Altare of God to God who maketh my youth ioyfull Our help is in the name of our Lord who hath made Heauen and Earth· The Generall Confession I Confesse vnto Almighty God vnto the B. Virgin Mary to B. Michael the Archangell to B. Iohn Baptist to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul to all the Saintes and to you O Father because I haue grieuously sinned in thought word and deed through my fault my fault my most grieuous fault Therefore I beseech the B. Virgin Mary the B. Michael the Archangell the B. Iohn Baptist the holy Apostles Peter Paul all the Saints you O Father to pray to our Lord God for me Amē Almighty God haue mercy vpon vs forgiue vs all our sinnes and bring vs to life euerlasting Amen Thou O God conuerted wilt giue life vnto vs and thy people shall reioyce in thee Lord shew vnto vs thy mercy and giue vs thy saluation Lord heare my prayer and let my crye come vnto thee The Prayer TAke from vs O Lord we beseech thee all our iniquities that hauing hart and mind pure and vndefiled we may deserue to enter into the Holies of Holies Though Christ our Lord. Amen Lord haue mercy vpō vs. Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Christ haue mercy vpon vs. Christ haue mercy vpon vs. Christ haue mercy vpon vs. Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Adde heere three tymes Pater Noster c. for thy sinnes committed in thought word deed that the holy Trinity in whose Name thou art baptized may pardon thee thy offences that being dead to sinne thou