high Priests to offer vp sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for the peoples But those Iewish ceremonies haue ceased looke aboue in the chapter of sacrifice where you shall see that our Lord Iesus Christ is the only sacrifice and eternall sacrificer vnder the Gospell Exod. 12.15 Lev. 3.6 In the third place they reassume the shadowes and figures of the law by presenting of immaculate hosts where as Iesus Christ being prefigured by them vnder the law as saith S. Peter 1. Pet. 1.19 and hauing consummated all that kinde of sacrifice it were an impietie to revoke it againe into practise Lastly it is an execrable abomination to offer bread vnto God for the remission of sinnes considering that even vnder the law it selfe Heb. 9.22 without shedding of bloud there was no remission Yet the Priest offereth one oblation to that end concerning which I demand of him if it hath taken flesh for our sakes If it be the sonne of God If it hath suffered If wee be baptised in its name If that bread bee yet consecrated If the Priest hath yet pronounced these words hoc est corpus meum Wherefore by thyne owne doctrine thou offerest that which the Iew would be ashamed to present for his sin and which never any vsed saue onely the Magician Numa who did immolate that is to say offer Molam Cypr. de sacr calicis Epist 63. 68. a little round loafe to his Gods You that are deafe heare you that are blind see and deceaue not your selues any more For if wee ought to doe that onely in the supper which God hath commanded vs to doe and that which he commanded vs is that which he did with his Apostles the day before hee suffered as saith the Canon of the Masse pridie quam pateretur wee ought not to offer vp bread vnto God for the remission of sinnes For Iesus did it not neither commanded it neither purchased our salvation by the oblation of a cake not blessed but with his owne body and that not at the table but on the crosse not by elevation of bread but by the effusion of his bloud and separation of his soule Es 53. For he poured out his soule vnto death and made his soule an offering for sinne saith Esay this oblation therefore is vnsufficient in it selfe without commandment and without example Neither doe the two obiections availe which commonly are here produc't The first whereof is taken out of Gen. 14. Gen. 14 where it is said that Abraham returning from the defeating of his enimies the king of Sodome went out to meet him as also did Melchisedeck the king of Salem who brought forth bread and wine and blessed him For the bread and the wine were brought forth to refresh him and his men which returned from the warre and not to bee sacrificed vnto God much lesse vnto Abraham For although it be there added that Melchisedecke was the Priest of the most high God yet that was only to shew the reason why hee receaued tythes of him and why he blessed him and not to cause vs to imagine a sacrifice First because there was none such vnder the law and therefore Melchisedecke in so doing had enterprised to forge a new one secondly the words will not beare it for the translation of the Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he set before him bread and wine and it is not said for he was a Priest but now or and he was a Priest which was the cause wherefore he blessed Abraham and not wherefore he presented him with bread and wine also the whole text runneth that Melchisedecke brought forth bread to whom to Abraham and blessed whom Abraham and that comparison which S. Paul makes betweene our high Priest Heb. 7. Christ Iesus and Melchisedecke consists not in the offering of bread and wine but in that he is eternal without father in regard of his humanitie and without mother in respect of his divinitie Neither is the other obiection of any force which is taken out of Malachy that amongst the Gētiles shall be offered Malac. 1. Muctar and Mincha that is incense a pure offering For this Mincha kneaded with flowre and oyle is ceremoniall and abolished neither is the bread which the Roman Priests doe offer vp at this day tempred in that sort But that same prophecy is allegoricall as is that of Micah Micah 4.1 who prophecied that men should ascend to Ierusalem to the mountaine of the Lord seeing the Church is catholike and not inclosed within Iury. So likewise that incense which ascends in the presence of God signifieth the prayers of the faithfull as wee may obserue in the Revelation where it is said that another Angell to wit our Saviour stood at the altar hauing a golden censer Apoc. 8.3 the smoke whereof which was the prayers of the Saints ascended vp before God out of the Angells hand Finally if our Sauiour had offered bread and wine for the remission of sinnes it would follow that our Lord Iesus had offered twice by a consequence had twice satisfied God his father and paid twice the same debt contrary to that which saith S. Paul By one oblation he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 9.12 10. v. 14. Otherwise the offring on the crosse had serued to small purpose for it is certaine that God had heard his wel beloued the first time with out exposing him to the crosse if the offring of bread had beene sufficient as it would haue beene if he had offered it And from hence wee may conclude that the Priests make two oblations the first of bread and wine not blessed not broken not taken not distributed and the second they pretend to make of the very body of our Sauiour which errour proceeded from hence that in the Primatiue Church they vsed the word Oblation giuing the bread not immediatly to God but to the Priest who did take thereof for the cōmunion and distributed the rest to the members of our Sauiour which are the poore Thus the equiuocall acceptions of the word caused this horrible sacriledge See what more appertaines to this point in the Chapters of oblation and of sacrifice Besides to offer was taken for as much as to giue to the people which communicated and in that sense some of the ancients tooke it as amongst the rest Saint Cyprian who writing against the minglers of water with wine in the cup which they offred vnto the people contrary to the practice of the Primatiue Church saith Cypr. contra Aquarios epist 68. ad Cecilium seeing that neither Angell nor Apostle can preach otherwise then that which Iesus Christ hath once taught c One may heere demaund of them whom they follow for if in the sacrifice which Christ hath offered we are to follow none but Christ certainely we are then to obey and to doe that which Christ hath done and commanded
is double the one visible and corruptible which is receiued with the hand and entreth into the body by the mouth of the faithfull to wit the Bread and Wine The other inuisible and incorruptible to wit the body broken and the Bloud of Iesus shed vpon the Crosse which is applyed to the soule of the faithfull for their sanctification and redemption As for the forme it is prescribed in the Gospel on the pastors part to take the bread into his handes to blesse it breake it distribute it to the people likewise to take the Wine to blesse it and giue it to all the Church to drinke thereof which are capable of it and to signifie vnto them the benefite of that Sacrament On the part of the faithfull Math. 26. Mar. 14. Luke 22.1 Cor. 11. hauing examined themselues they ought to present themselues to that holy communion take it eate and drinke that visible element with the mourh of their body and by faith to participate of the body blood of our Saviour apprehend the merit of his death the effect of his resurrection and the efficacy of his ascension As for the End it is to magnifie the bountie of God to render him thanks to accept his accordment made in the new Testament to receaue there the pledge and assurance of a better life to protest our fidelitie to his service from the vnion which we haue with him then with his mysticall body the Church receauing from him our spirituall nourishment so participating of that quickning bread to wit all his benefits his wisdome his iustice his sanctification redemption So then the vnion which we haue with our Saviour is reall but that is as much to say as reipsa for in regard of the veritie of it we are vnited vnto him and it is likewise spirituall in respect of the meanes whereby it is wrought which is the spirit and faith With this truth and this simplicity the faithfull of the first ages contented themselues and if they vsed the termes of sacrifice and oblation it was not either to play the Pagans or Iewes much lesse to crucify againe our Saviour as it hath beene proued before But as falshood is an ape of the truth the spirit of error hath falsified this testament strucke of her seales turned the things bequeathed to other vses depriued the legataries of their legacies inserted divers clauses to their owne profit and to be briefe hath so disguised and adulterated the coppies that from thence one can no more expect ayd for his salvation Wherefore the truely faithfull doe charge that instrument with falsehood haue recourse to the first draught of it in the Gospel and take no lesse care of the salvation of their soules then of the keeping of an heritage fearing as much false doctrine as to receaue false coyne righting themselues from the confessions of the forgers themselues doe finde great light for the discovery of these falshoods To this purpose confessed an ancient Abbot Rupert Tuit l. 2. cap. 21. that the Masse was not celebrated in times past with such apparell as it is now adaies and that it was not polisht by one alone in such sort as it is now c. and that it is not a whit the holyer for that considering that heretofore it was consecrated only with the words of our Lord and ioyning of the Lords prayer And a Bishop of Rome saith Greg. epist ex reg lib. 7. c. 63. Platin. in Xisto the Lords prayer is said incontinently after the other prayers because the Apostles were accustomed to consecrate the oblation of the host in saying only the Lords prayer Whence it appeares that the body of the Masse which is the Canon is not at all essentiall vnto it and that the soule of it which is transubstantiation was not infused into that body vntill by the Councell of Lateran in the yeare 1205. We must therefore here resume the first paths we must take away the hay durt and strawe from this building and ioine our selues to the foundation of the Apostles doing like those which goe astray return by their owne steps to finde the true way Wee shall finde Iustin Martyr writing about an hundred and sixtie yeares after the birth of Christ and wee shall note in reading him that water was mingled with the wine about 40 yeares before Iustin Apolog. 2. by Pope Xistus or Alexander See how he describes the celebration of divine service in his time The day saith he which is called Sunday an assembly is made of all those which abide in the fields or cities into one place and there are read the Commentaries of the Apostles and the writings of the Prophets so long as the time will permit Afterwards the reader hauing left off to read hee which is president in the assembly makes an exhortation to the people in a Sermon admonishing them to imitate those good things after that is finished all doe rise vp together and make our prayers vnto God hee saith not to any Saint and as we said before that prayer being done the bread the wine and the water are brought forth and hee that performeth that action pronounceth with all his might prayers and thanksgiuings the people there ioyne their voices their affections and their blessing saying Amen Then a distribution is made to every one and a communication of those things which were blessed with thanksgiuing The people were not then excommunicated I aske let any man speake in cōscience if that forme be not practised in the reformed Churches and why will not they follow it is it not the ambition of Prelats which hindreth them from acknowledging their fault and avarice which retaines them in a commodious errour whilst in the meane time the simple drinke the folly of their conductors great ones contributing their authority the people their violence the ignorāt their fury O Lord order proceeds from thee thou hast the hearts of kings in thine owne hands deliuer vs from popular seditions Let vs thinke that not the sacrament alone hath beene liable to abuse for even the tree of life the sacrifices of Moses the brasen Serpent which was a firgure of our Lord and many other divine institutions haue beene subiect to reformation after 900 yea after 1000 yeares of abuse and idolatry And as for the supper wee see how that that hath beene casheerd by the Masse the tables of wood by the tables of stone the Churches simplicitie by Iewish and heathenish superstition although some of these things might at the first haue beene introduced with a good intention Harken therefore to the advice of a good Cordelier named Ferus speaking of the idolatry which befel in Israel There was saith he a double sinne in Gedeon Ioh. Ferus in annot in lib. Iud. c. 8. both in that hee made an Ephod contrary to the word of God and in that he seeing the abuse of it tooke it not away Now
of the Bread and Wine the adoration of men of nayles of wood of Christs garment at Argenteuil the adoration of reliques making of images their consecrations dedications which are Idolatryes according to the saying of Tertullian and some Popes Their vowes pilgrimages Agnus Dei blessed graynes shirts of Chartres kissings of the alters breviaries confessions to the dead bruit beasts and a thousand other superstitions which the poore people commit going barefoot or creeping on their knees and bearing candles and presents before the alter CHAP. X. The beginning of the Masse THe Priest being attired according to the vsuall manner approacheth to the alter and bowing his head signeth himselfe with the signe of the Crosse saying In the name of the Father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen In nomine Patris Flij Spiritus Sanctus Amen Afterwards he vnfolds the corporall which is of fine linnen or tafaty wherein the Sacrament is put vncouers the Chalice and at the right side of the alter poures the wine into the Chalice saying From the side of our Lord Iesus Christ issued our bloud at the time of his most blesblessed passion De latere Domini nostri Iesu Christi exiuit sanguis tempore sacratissimae passionis suae then hee puts vpon the alter both the Plate and the Host which he covers with a little corporall folded and mingles not the water with the wine vntill after the oblation of the Host The first sinne which is here committed against the lawe of God is that the name of God is taken in vaine V. Officium proprium sanct shamefully prophaned for the most part of the Masse after is said in the name and commemoration of Saints and reliques to wit of the Nayles the Lance the Robe without seame and Iosephs breeches Is not this a taking of Gods name in vaine and an interesting of him in such idolatries The second error is generall diffuseth it selfe through the whole action which is the celebrating of the Masse in an vnknowne tongue contrary to the practise of the ancient Church Oâ—ig lib. 8. cont Celsum For Origen saith The Greekes call vpon God in Greek the Romans in Latine and every one in his owne tongue prayeth vnto God and prayseth him And to this end the Apostles had the guift of tongues that men might vnderstand them what they said whereas the greater part of Priests now adaies doe chiefly labour that they may not be vnderstood which is a token of reprobation to a Church where such service is celebrated For it is written I will speake vnto this people by men of other tongues and other lippes Esa 28.11 that they may not vnderstand me 1. Cor. 14.21 and S. Paul saith tongues are a signe not vnto those that beleeue but vnto those that beleeue not Ir followeth in the Missall the Priest joyning his handes before his brest and I will enter vnto thy alter Answ Vnto God which reioyceth my youth introibo ad altare tuum R. Ad Deum quilaetificat iuventutem meam The ancient Christians had no alters in their Churches of any fashion soever but called it their table dressed for the Communion Arn. lib. 6. as for the name of alter an hundred yeares after the nativitie of our Saviour Arnobius witnesseth saying Orig cont Celsiâ— lib. 8. p 934. Minutius felix in Octavio p. 20 Wee make neither alters of wood nor alters of stone And Origen I would haue you conceaue that we conceale that which wee serue vnder a shadowe and that wee haue neither Temples nor Alters but that wee shunne their dedications Yet neuerthelesse the Roman Church suffering her selfe to slide into Iewish and Paganish superstitions hath erected not one altar onely Hos 8.11 but many according to that which is written because Ephraim hath made many altars to sinne altars shall be vnto him to sinne and hath ordained that they should be of stone Secondly a Can. altaria de consecr dist 1. it hath decreed that the altar should be consecrated with chrisme that men should be prohibited to communicate any-where els b Can. novalij then it ordained that there should remaine vnderneath it a piece of a dead body c Can. placuit câ—n sunt novâ—lij de conscer dâ—st 1. Orat. ad sec caetum c 12. v. 4. fast an heathnish custome Ouid. 4. Fast and besides to haue burning tapers and lampes there and to turne towards the East Most of which are contrary to the ancient custome of Christians as witnesseth Constantine in Eusebius No incense no burning taper but a pure light to cleare the spirits of those which pray and Tertullian Tertul. vigil c. 3. We light not tapers in the open day as thou calumniatest vs but we imploy the light to dispell the darkenes that so wee may watch vntill breake of day The first Christians assembling themselues in the night had need of lights which ought not to be any pretence for the superstition which is at this day vsed yet neuerthelesse Durand with other aduocats of these inuentions Dur l 4. rubr de muta doe feine mysteries to be in them for they prefigure in them both the light of faith and our Lord which consumes our rustinesse There was then one Table onely and that of wood in the middle of the Temple which serued for the communion Concerning which saith Albert Krantzius Albert. Krant in metrop lib. 1. c. 9. But after that thou hast beene at the Table which is in the middle of the Temple I haue perceiued a visage so ioyfull c. Furthermore the Pastors which serued at the Supper turned not their backs to the people as now-a-dayes they doe all which euidently argues this conclusion to be true that the Christians for more then the space of 300 yeares had neither altars nor burning tapers much lesse esteemed them to be of the essence of the Sacrament And if any of the Fathers mentioned at any time the altars of Christians they explained themselues as did Saint Paul Wee haue saith he an altar whereof they haue no right which serue the Tabernacle Heb. 13. v. 10. meaning by the altar the Crosse vpon which our Sauiour was stretched forth And Thomas vpon that passage saith Our altar is Iesus Christ in whom and by whom we offer vp our prayers and hee is that altar of gold of which is spoken in the Apocalyp ca. 8. and Clement Alexandrinus saith Strom. lib. 7. that we haue no other altar then one holy soule and Saint Austin saith the altar of the faithfull is their owne heart After followeth a Psalm which is recited by Antiphones for the Priest saith one verse and the Clerke another it is the 42. or 43. Iudge me O Lord and plead my cause Iudica me Deus Psal 43. discerne causam c. This is farre from the nature of this action for whereas the Supper tendeth to craue
with a low voyce and in a strange tongue hardly will the absent vnderstand it For the Pope teacheth in his Canons Can. satend caus 13. q. 2. that the dead know not that which is done here below by the Priest but only by the dead which goe to Paradise Now if those dead in their way towards Heauen chance to passe through purgatory or to soiourne there the Saints aboue wil be something of the latest aduertised of their necessities It is true that since this canon was made the Iesuites haue deuised a mirrour in Paradise in the which are represented all the actions of this world as it were in one of our perspectiue glasses but there remaines an Echo yet to bee found out to conuey the sound of mens words vnto them and a Momus to be raised vp who should open the stomacke and sound the thoughts of men whilest their schoolemen prepare answers to that which God saide to good King Iosias being to take him out of this world 2. Kings 22. 2. Chron. 6.30 Es 63.16 Eccles 9.6 Auricular confession Decret titul 38. Can. omni◠vtriusque Iuvenal thou shalt not see these things and to that of Iob who speaking of the dead saith his sonnes come to honour and he knoweth it not and they are brought low but he perceiueth it not of them Chap. 14. As for auricular confession brought into the Church by Innocent the third about the yeare 1200 it is vs'd now according to the saying of the Poet Scire volunt domini secreta atque inde timeri to make men stand in aw of them hauing diued into their secrets And indeed here is committed first a sacriledge against our Lord from whom they take away the office of interceding for vs and giue it to any other for he is no wayes imployed here Heb. 9.15 12.24 1. Tim. 2.5 1. Ioh. 2.1 although he be the Mediator of the New testament and as there is but one God so there is but one Mediatour betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus August in Psal 108. to which purpose Saint Austin saith that the prayer which is not made through Iesus Christ doth not onely not blot out our sinnes but that it is a sinne it selfe The second impiety Rom. 10. v. 14. is the inuocation of Saints for first wee ought not to call on him in whom we beleeue not now we are not to beleeue in any man be he neuer so holy saue onely in Iesus who is man and God Ier. 17. for it is written Cursed be the man that trusteth in man Secondly it is proper to Iesus Christ the Angell the great Counseller Apoc. 8.4 to present vp vnto God the invocations of the faithful and to make ascend vp before him the odour of such incense as God reserues vnto himselfe which ought not to be presented vnto creatures according to that which is figured in the Law Ezech. 30. Whosoeuer shall make such a perfume to receiue the odour thereof shall perish from among the people Whence it followeth Es 42.8 Ps 50.15 Ier. 17.5 Tert. Apol. 2. c. 30. Mart. quipingit sacros auro vel marmore vultus Non facit ille deos qui rogat ille facit 1. Ioh. 2. v. 1. Rom. 8. v. 25. Heb. 7. v. 25. that inuocatiō as well as beleefe is due to God onely for seeing that our prayers are sacrifices as saith Tertullian in his apology it followeth that as we ought not to sacrifise but to God alone we ought likewise to invocate none but him onely For well said an Heathen Poet The Painter or Caruer makes not a god but he which prayes vnto him It is an infidelity to call vpon other intercessours then our Sauiour whether they be the Virgin Mary or the Saints for of Christ it is said If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous Againe He maketh intercession for the Saints vnto God wherefore he is able also to saue them to the vttermost that come vnto God by by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them Where he saith by him to exclude the Saints which haue need of him themselues And although we be taught that our Sauiour maketh requests for vs yet in the Church of Rome they neuer say Christ pray for vs that so they may take from him his office of being intercessour and attribute it vnto creatures Biel lect 80. Bernard in Mariali Nay they doe farre worse for they not onely make the Virgin Mary to intercede for vs but also make her part stakes with God say that we are to appeale from the Court of Gods iustice Prosa Mariae praeconio vnto the Court of Maries mercy and from thence comes that Hymne Rogapatrem iube natum iure matris impera Redemptori that is command thy Sonne by the right of a mother This is farre differing from that which we finde written Ioh. 2.4 Woman what haue I to doe with thee when Iesus spake vnto his mother in a point concerning the execution of his charge Besides to these intercessions of Saints they adde the aid of the signe of the crosse and that to such a purpose as the Primatiue Church neuer applyed it which acknowledged in it an vse of signification Bell lib. 2. de sacr c. 29. but not of adoration much lesse of producing supernaturall effects as casting out of diuels curing diseases c. Now we finde in the Masse of the commemoration of the Crosse Per signum crucis de inimicis nostris libera nos Deus noster As if the merit of our Sauiour were not sufficient without the aid of that signe in which as in many other gestures respirations intentions and words consisteth most part of that action according to the cautels magna latent in signis c so that there is nothing so perfect in our Sauiours institution which is not heere prun'd amplified corrected and turn'd from its true vse The Priest bowing himselfe goes on God thou being converted wilt quicken vs. R. And thy people shall reioyce in thee P. Shew vs thy mercy O Lord. R. And giue vs thy health P. Lord heare my prayer R. And let my cry come vnto thee P. The Lord be with you R. And with thy spirit Deus tu conversus vivificabis nos R. Et plebs tua laetabitur in te P. Ostende nobis domine misericordiam tuam R. Et salutare tuum da nobis P. Domine exaudi orationem meam R. Et clamor meus ad te veniat P. Dominus vobiscum R. Et cum spiritu tuo It is not onely requisite that a thing bee good in it selfe but it ought also to be to the purpose See heere foure diuers passages which are not one whit agreeable to the present subiect neither can one tell wherefore they are extracted out of seuerall Psalmes neither to what end it is that they say no more of any piece
then a fragment Mounting to the Altar he saith Take from vs O Lord we beseech thee all our iniquities to the end that wee may merit to enter vnto the Holy of Holiest with pure mindes through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Aufer à nobis quae sumus domine cunctas iniquitates nostras vt ad Sancta Sanctorum puris mereamur mentibus introire per Christum dominum nostrum Amen In this place the Priest playes the Iew speaking of the Holy of Holiest which was onely in the Temple of the Iewes and into which entred the High-Priest After he hath bowed himselfe very low and joyned his hands he saith this prayer Wee beseech thee Lord by the merites of thy Saints Heere hee kisseth the Altar whose Reliques are here of all the Saints that thou wouldest vouchsafe to forgiue me all my sinnes Oramus te domine per merita omnium sanctorum tuorum quorum reliquiae hic sunt omnium sanctorum vt indulgere digneris omnia peccata mea Amen There is good cause wherefore to pronounce that prayer with so low a voyce for he speakes not there of the intercession of our Sauiour neither comes he in his name therfore by a consequence is a thiefe Ioh. 10. for S. Iohn saith No man commeth vnto the Father but by me I am the dore he that entreth not by the doore into the sheepfold but climeth vp some other way the same is a thiefe a robber Now imagine a man be reconciled vnto God only by one that is a sinner it is not doubtfull whether such a one shal be saued or no and yet the Priest is capable to be a Mediatour and Sacrificer for vs towards God though hee employ no other meanes of purgation then a dead mans arme or a Spider bathed in the Sacrament and laide vp to bee a Relique as the cautells import Psal 2. This being done the Priest kisseth the Altar which is a kinde of adoration for it is written in the second Psalme Kisse the sonne that is adore him Also Biel and Titleman interprete this kissing to be a figure of the nuptials between Christ and his Church Now if it were so it would suffise to kisse it once but the good Sr Iohn returnes often to it and makes men beleeue that there is in it a kinde of spirituall strumpery for he counts nine kisses as well of the altar as of the breviary as if there were certaine quarters prescribed him whereon to bestow his kisses For before the placing after the receauing of his services they are applyed to the middle of the altar after the placing and before the receaving they are acted on the left hand of the Chalice neare the host and as for the book that must wait for his kisse vntill the Gospell be read Wee may not omit in this place that if it bee a solemne Masse and a double feast that then the Priest blesseth the incense saying Be thou blessed by him in whose honour thou shalt be burnt Ab illo benedicaris in cuius honore cremaberis Amen Then taking the censer at the hands of the Deacon This prayer is repeated afterwards hee censeth the altar saying Dirigatur Domine oratio mea sicut incensum c. which being ended the Deacon receaueth again the censer of the Priest censeth him only Afterwards the Priest signing himself with the signe of the crosse begins the entrance that is to say some passages wickedly profaned in the Masses of Saints of the Nayles of the iron Head of the Lance of the Robe without seame c. As for example sake The entrāce to Christmas is To vs a child is borne and to vs a child is giuen the governement shall be vpon his shoulder and his name shall be called wonderfull counseller c. Let vs sing vnto God a new song for he hath done marveilous things Glory be to the father to the sonne c. Puer nobis natus est c. The entrance for the dedication of a Church Terribilis est locus iste Hic domus est Dei porta coeli The entrance for the beginning of a Masse for a Martyre Gloria honore coronasti eum constituisti eum super opera manuum tuarum c. After that entrance the Priest ioyning his hands comes to the middle of the altar and beyond all reason repeateth interchangeably with the Quire or his Cleark this following Lord haue mercy vpon vs. L. L. Christ haue mercy vpon vs. Ch. Ch. Lord haue mercy vpon vs. L. L. Kyrie eleyson K. K. Christe eleyson Ch. Ch. Kyrie eleyson K. K. That numerous repetition of the words not vnderstood by the people Capit. li. 6. c. 170 is attended by Gloria in excelsis which was brought in by Pope Steven the successour of Gregory inserted before the canon by the ordinance of Charlemaine But before the Priest beginnes it he first extends his hands then ioynes them and bowes his head a little saying Glory bee to God in the highest and in earth peace and towards men good will we blesse thee wee worship thee wee giue thanks vnto thee Lord God heauenly King father Almighty Lord the only begotten sonne Iesus Christ Lord God Lamb of God sonne of the Father thou which takest away the sinnes of the world receaue our prayers thou which sittest at the right hand of God haue mercy on vs for thou only art holy thou onely art Lord thou onely art most high Iesus Christ with thy holy spirit here hee crosseth himselfe in the glory of God the father Amen Gloria in excelsis Deo in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis Laudamus te benedicimus te adoramus te glorificamus te gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam Domine Deus rex coelestis Deus pater omnipotens Domine fili vnigenite Iesu Christe Domine Deus agnus Dei Filius Patris qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis qui tollis peccata mundi suscipe deprecationem nostram qui sedes ad dextram patris miserere nobis quoniam tu solus sanctus tu solus Dominus tu solus altissimus Iesu Christe cum sancto spiritu in gloria Dei Patris Amen Afterwards he kisses the alter and casting downe his eies he turnes towards the people and saith The Lord be with you A. and with thy spirit Dominus vobiscum R. Et cum spiritu tuo That being done the Priest saith Oremus let vs pray and then saith one or more prayers which being ended there is read according to the circumstance of the time or the Saint in whose honour the Masse is celebrated an Epistle a graduell or alleluia tract or sequency which done the Deacon sets downe the Gospell vpon the altar and hauing blessed the incense as before he bowes before the altar and ioining his hands saith Clense my heart and my lips Almightie God thou which purifiedst the lips of
lastly the councell of Constance passeth for a law and declares those heretickes which would communicate vnder both kindes Pope Galixtus and before him Pope Anacletus say the consecration being ended all ought to communicat if they would not be excommunicated for the Apostles haue so ordained and the holy Romā Church maintains it Also Alexander he which taketh the bread blesseth it breaketh it and distribute that not to the assistants he doth not that which Iesus Christ did neither celebrateth he the memory of his death Whereby we may see that these two kinds although they were in the Primatiue Church for so saith the Article yet were they wittingly reversed by the councell and poore Iohn Husse in the yeare 1400 amongst other things obiected vnto him by the councell was burned for maintaining them contrary to the publike faith and troth giuen vnto him By which action the world may knowe that those which demand reformation are no more to trust to the publike troth of the Romane Church then to the faith and honesty of a common strumpet Neverthelesse one thing wee may not omit that as the Pope hath provided a Vicar for the true body which ascended vp into heaven Durand rat divin oss l. 4. c. 53. Titleman cap. 56 57. Ale l. 2. sacr cerem eccl Rom. sect 2. c. 1. so he hath in liew of the transubstantiated body substituted hollowed bread which Durand calleth the Vicar of the holy communion and saith that the very kissing of the plate is equipollent to the communion There is likewise a Vicar ordained for the sacramentall wine which is the wine held by the Deacon or Clearke and taken by the communicants vpon Easter day but that is onely saith the text to cleanse the mouth as if they had eaten a peece of horse-dunge before they came thither It followeth Lord that which we haue taken with the mouth let vs receaue with a pure mind of a temporall gift let it bee vnto vs an everlasting remedy Quod ore sumpsimus Domine pura mente capiamus de munere temporali fiat nobis remedium sempiternum The errour of this verse consists in that the Priest would take the temporall gift which is the bread with a pure spirit For the bread is not taken with the spirit but with the mouth and we ought not to confound the signe with the thing signified but ought to say as the mouth taketh this bread so grant that the spirit may partake of thy body The second point is decisiue against the pretended transubstantiation for although this prayer be made after the consecration and after the reception yet the Priest confesseth that that which before he adored was but a temporall gift and craueth that it may be vnto him an everlasting remedy for if it were the body of Christ what needs hee demand that it might become a remedy and if the consecration did make it to be such in substance should it not be a spirituall remedy This alone sufficeth to reverse the whole Masse God no doubt hath permitted it here to abide to convince idolatry by it selfe Now that which is aboue is said taking the first ablution and washing the chalice which he presenteth againe to the Deacon who poureth a little wine to wash it and to drink againe And then he saith Thy body O Lord which I haue taken and thy blood which I haue drunke let it cleaue vnto my entralls and grant that there abide in me no spot of wickednes whom thy pure and holy Sacrament haue refreshed who liuest and raignest with God the Father in the vnity of the Holy-Ghost world without end Amen Corpus tuum domine quod sumpsi sanguis quem potaui adhaereat visceribus meis praesta vt in me non remaneat scelerum macula quem pura sancta refecerunt sacramenta qui viuis regnac cum Deo patre in vnitate spiritus sancti Deus per omnia secula seculorum Amen There is one peece which I haue taken out of Iaques d'Hilaire in his French Masse which is inserted in this place it qualifieth the communion and is conceiued in these words All the endes of the earth haue seene the saluation of our God Viderunt omnes fines terrae salutare dei nostri He takes in this place to see for to communicate being agreeable to most Masses which consist onely in seeing and not in eating for none but the Priest alone doe eate and drinke This being done hee washeth with wine and water his fingers and drinketh vp the washe then turning the chalice vpside downe vpon the plate he wipes it and hauing folded the corporall he takes the chalice againe to see if any thing remaine in it then he kisseth the middle of the Altar turning towards the people saith The Lord bee with you Ans And with thy spirit Dominus vobiscum R. Et cum spiritu tuo In the meane time ioyning his hands and turning himselfe towards his breuiary he saith Let vs pray Oremus Here he interlaceth certaine prayers as before the Epistle which being said hee turneth himselfe to the people about the midst of the Altar and saith The Lord bee with you Answ And with thy spirit Dominus vobiscum R. Et cum spiritu tuo Then he saith Goe the separation is Ite missa est And the people thanke God for that dismission saying Thankes be to God Deo gratias Then followeth a prayer differing according to the season or the Saints nayles or other reliques for whom the Masse is celebrated whereof see one example Let the obedience of my seruice please thee holy Trinity and grant that the sacrifice which I vnworthy haue offered to the eyes of thy Maiestie may be acceptable vnto thee and through thy mercy propitiatory for me for all those for whom I haue offered it through Christ our Lord. Amen Placeat tibi sancta Trinitas obsequium seruitutis meae praesta vt sacrificium quod oculis tuae Maiestatis in dignus obtuli sit tibi acceptabile mihique omnibus pro quibus illud obtuli fit te miserante propitiabile per Christum dominum nostrum Amen Note that in the Masses for the dead insteed of ite missa est is said requiescant in pace and in priuate Masses without turning himselfe he blesseth the people And if moreouer the Priest and the Deacon doe say Ite they ought to turne towards the people and saying benedicamus turne towards the Altar The Almighty and mercifull God the Father †Son and †Holy-Ghost †blesse you Amen Benedicat vos omnipotens misericors Deus Pater Filius Spiritus sanctus Amen CHAP. XI An extract of peeces of Masses to Creatures HE which would insert in this place all sorts of Masses together with their tunes and songs belonging thervnto had neede to prescribe a breuiary litle lesse then the Bible wherein he may see as many seuerall Masses as Saints canonized by the
Pope besides those of the nailes the head of the Launce the Robe without seame and a thousand other inuentions which the poore ignorant people obserue not for thinking to serue God they serue a peece of wood a nayle a thing which neuer was concerning which Saint Paul admonisheth vs Col. 2.18 Let no man at his pleasure beare rule ouer you by the humblenes of minde and worshipping of Angels Now not some of those Masses onely are for Angels and Archangels but there is an expresse booke which prescribeth the forme of such idolatries intituled Officium proprium sanctorum I finde in the Missall out of which I drew that which I put into French printed at Paris by Didier Maheu in the streete of Saint Iaques at the signe of Saint Nicholas in the yeare 1546. fol. 7. and of the said office concerning the benediction of tapers that the song of Simeon which speaketh of our Sauiour and calleth him the light of the Gentiles and glory of Israel is applyed to the candles as if that Paganisme had beene approued of by Simeon Fol. 3. in sacris stigmat Francisci I finde a prayer in the Masse of Saint Francis in these words Deus qui mira crucis mysteria c. God which hast shewed diuers wayes the marueilous mysteries of the crosse in Saint Francis thy Confessor grant that we may alwayes follow the examples of his deuotion and may be fortified with the assiduous meditation of his crosse c and in a secret and a post communion is said in whose flesh through an admirable prerogatiue thou hast renewed the wounds of thine holy passion What blasphemy is this as if the passion of Iesus stood in neede to be renewed and that such an idoll had beene capable of such a suffering And in the Masse of Catherin Fol. 43. Catharinae virginis vers Membris virgineis olei fluit vndae salubris that is from the members of the virgin flowes a wholesome water of oyle And in the Alleluja Catherine is called the floure of roses and comforter of soules and in the secret Munera domine c. Sumptis domine salutis Fol. 36. vers in exaltatione sanctae crucis Dulce lignum dulces clauos tit orationes communes fol. 22. pronauigantibus he offereth vp the hoste in her honour saying The gifts O Lord of this present sacrifice which we offer vp vnto thee in honour of Saint Catherine c and in the post communion Hauing taken O Lord the mysteries of eternall saluation wee humbly beseech thee that as the liquor which floweth continually from the members of Saint Catherin virgin and martyr doth heale the maladies of the body euen so her prayers may chase from vs all iniquities In the Masse of the exaltation in incongruities both Latin and Theologicall is said an Allelu-ja two woods two nailes bearing a sweete burden who onely were worthy to sustaine the King and Lord of heauen I could not finde any Masse for the Asse which carried our Sauiour into Ierusalem although there bee as much or more reason for that then for the other fol. 22. is found a post-communion where are these words by the wood of the holy crosse draw vs out of our sinnes and through pitty draw vs out of danger Would they not heere haue a Mediatour of wood The last Masse of this title serues for one which is damned Missa pro cuius anima dubitatur in which there is this prayer Omnipotens c because we doubt of the maner of his life wee are comforted through abundance of pitty and if his soule cannot obtaine an absolute pardon yet at the least amongst the torments which perhaps he endures let him feele a refreshing through the abundance of thy mercies How can one aske with faith that which is forbidden What strange people are these who deale as at a smyths forge sprinkling the blood of Christ vpon a firebrand of hell Moreouer not onely the wood of the crosse In Missis votiâ—â— fol. 28. but according to their account euen the signe of it doth deliuer and preserue those which make it In the commemoration of the crosse there are these words Fol. 37. v. by the signe of the crosse deliuer vs from our enemies O Lord God what is this but Idolatry for of a creature to make a God and to attribute power vnto it is it any thing else besides idolatry and in a prose to the Virgin Vntye our bonds Fol. 71. de natiuit beatae prosa Alle coeleste nec non et perenni prosa Aue Virgo for thou canst doe all as Queene of the world and with thy Sonne ordainest all Lawes and in another giue succour to vs miserable thou which art the onely hope of mortals and by thee is made veniall in whatsoeuer we sinne and in that which followeth thou art the hope of offenders Mary the end of death the way of life the triple hierarchie and the holy Empire doe giue vnto thee worthy praise Ib. in exaltatione Sanctae crucis prosa Laudes crucis Fol. 75. v. prosa concinat ecclesia Fol 79. Aue mundi gloria and afterwards saue those which trust in thee c sighing to thee we weepe and inuocate thee that thou wouldest gouerne our spirits c saluation of the world and matron and to the wood O crosse triumphant wood true saluation of the world farewell c In the Masse of Elizabeth Blot out our sinnes and direct our feete on high vnto heauen and in a prose for the Virgin The Lord preserue thee thou saluation of men c Empresse of the world our mediatour the easing of the world our glory Fol. 81 prosa Aue summo Fol. 80. prosa Mariae praeconiâ— now and forevermore c. I salute thee thou which sittest aboue the pole Mary whom it behoueth to worship as being the hope of beleevers c O happy woman brought abed which expiatest our misdeeds command by right of a mother the redeemer That is farre from saying as shee did I am the servant of the Lord or as Iesus woman what haue I to doe with thee And as for the robe without seame Missa de de tunica inconsutili Christi Alleluiae which they adore at Argentueil neere Paris see one peece of that service Let vs sound harmoniously the prayses of iubilations to thy only divinitie In the day of the translation of the robe without seame wee read It is condimentum the sauce of salvation and way of health it giveth augmentation of brightnesse and was companion of the crosse And in its prose O marveilous vestment Prosa plebi pistica to whom age gaue increase of his infancie c. this vayle giues voluntary aide c. none are to doubt that it is a friend vnto our prayers Which adoring c. S. Paul forbad the serving of Angells which are about vs and whom God imployes for our safety and here they serue
Angells dead men wood nayles iron apparell and substitute them in the place of God and of the merits of Christ O God how long shall the adversary doe thee this dishonour Psal 74. how long shall the enimie blaspheme thy name for ever CHAP. XII Of the name of the supper of the Masse IT is time to come to the matter whereof wee treate in which we will consider divers things which are there distinguished as 1. The differing names and divers tearmes 2. The place where this mystery is celebrated 3. Things belonging to the garnishing of the place 4. The person of the Priest his habits actions c all which pertaine to the Masse as accidents inseperable Wee need not repeat that which hath beene said before concerning the originall of either word for this action is called Coena a supper because it was instituted as a common repast by our Saviour at supper it is called likewise Sacrament by reason of the vow which is made by the Communicants and named the Eucharist for the thanksgiuing which is rendred there vnto God This hath beene amply treated of before where wee spake likewise somewhat of the word Masse in generall but we shall never be able to giue sufficient reasons for the speciall appellations of each part thereof as Entrance Post-communion Lessons Verse Responsories Gospell offring consecration Antheam Litany Liturgie Corpus Corporall Plate Kyrie eleyson Allelu-ia Albe Cope Girdle Maniple Stole Miter Incense Absolution Canticle Complyne Matins Nons Vespers Infraction Graduels Offertories Oblation Sacrament Sacrifice Altar Image Taper Relique Bell Font Holy water Pixe Sprinkling Chrisme Collect Pax Office Secret Prayer Epistle Tract Sequence Prose Note that by the word prose they vnderstand not a loose manner of speech but Latine rithmes Votiue Masses Masses of grace of requiem dry great short particular of the nayles of the Robe without seame high lowe of the holy Ghost of Iob of St Anthony c. CHAP. XIII Of the place where the Masse is celebrated Hier. in Psal 33. THe Church consisteth not in walls but in the truenes of doctrine saith Hierome and where true doctrine is there is the true Church For the Apostles assembled themselues but in a chamber Act. 1. whence it appeareth that building is rather belonging to the well being then to the being of the service of God so farre is it from being necessary to haue the place consecrated or adorned with reliques Conc. Nic. 2. 7 as the second Nicene Councell did ordaine in the yeare 790 or thereabouts Secondly when the ancient Christians builded Churches they dedicated them to none saue to God onely So saith the Emperour Constantine Whence it is that the Temples which were dedicated vnto him Euseb de laudibus Constant were called by the name of the Lord and on them was imposed the name not of men but of God which is the cause that they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The reason is because that Temples Altars and Sacrifices cannot be erected saue to the great and true God alone S. Augustine saith Wee institute no altars temples Priests or sacrifices to Martyres Aug. Psal 44. Jd. de civit Dei l. 22. c. 10. to 5. Inn. 3. de myst missae lib. 3. because they are not Gods but haue the same God that wee haue The Pope himselfe saith that Temples and Alters pertaine to Latria or divine worship and if one erect them to Saints it is idolatry Neverthelesse see here the practise of such consecration brought in in the yeare 800 it being made a Sacrament like baptisme to which they compare it and afterwards in the yeare 1000 hauing the whole forme of it made compleat Epist Zach. ad Bonif. 2. concil tom 2. p. 451. The Bishop being assured of the revenue of a new built Church makes a short prayer besprinkles the walls without with holy water with a nosegay of hysope prophaning the words of the 51 Psalme Purge mee with hysopp and I shall be cleane and applying to a stone the washing of the bloud of Christ which is proper to the faithfull In the dedicating of a temple a Masse likewise is to be said whose entrance is Terribilis est locus iste Then he beats the dore with his staffe saying at tollite portas thrice and being entred in he painteth the Greeke and Latine Alphabet vpon the wals exerciseth the salt wine water ashes makes thereof a mixture into which he dippeth his thumbe and after certaine ends of prayers pronounced by him hee saith these words This Temple be sanctified in the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost in the honour of God and of the glorious Virgin Mary and of all the Saints and in memory of such a Saint See how of an indifferent place to pray in they make thereof a place essentiall of a place dedicated to God alone a place dedicated to a creature of a simple destination a sacramentall consecration CHAP. XIIII Of the garnishing of their Churches IN these Temples appeare first the lighted tapers which are not necessary in the day time Wherefore Constantine in Eusebius saith Euseb ad sanct coetum Hieron contra Vigil c. 5. that the Christians haue neither incense nor burning And Hierome We light no taper in the open day as thou calumniatest vs but wee imploy the light to temper the darknesse that we may watch vntill breake of day Alas what would this good pastour haue said if he had seene the benedictions of the tapers in the day of the purification where they sing the song of Simeon and prophane that which is said of our Lord Iesus That he is the light of the Gentiles applying it to a corruptible and a needlesse taper See the prayers which they said in the Masse of the purification and benedictione cereorum Of Altars we spake before as for Images they are expresly forbidden to bee made which is the cause that the Church of Rome hath razed out the second commandment which condemneth them which was done by the Councell of Auspurg in the yeare 1548. And Damascene though otherwise a favorer of Images saith That it is a great folly and impiety to paint the divinitie Orthod fid l. 4. c. 17. Tertul. l. de idol And Tertullian The consecration of images is idolatry Now what may wee gesse he would haue said if he had seene their consecration cloathing adoration presenting of Candles also of armes and legges of wax vnto them But see the doctrine of the Church of Rome Thom. 3. part q. 83. art 3. The things without life which are consecrated doe get a certaine spirituall vertue by which they are made proper to the service of God to the end that from them men may receaue some devotion Bel. de imag c. 21 And Bellarmine would haue that the Images of Christ and of the Saints should be worshipped not only by accident or improperly but also of themselues and properly c. So likewise the