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
requisite that the Sacrifice for the Redēption of sinne should be of infinit worth and value which was not to be found in the whole vniuerse of creatures much lesse within the boundes of only mankind who were all by sinne enemyes of God To ouercome these many difficulties and impossibilities Gods infinite wisedome and goodnes inclining him from the beginning to loue men loue being the master of strange deuises soūd out a wonderfull way and stratageme so strange that the like was neuer seene in the world euen the very Seraphims were put into admiratiō therof For in the supreme Court of the most Blessed Trinity it is resolued that the Word of God and his only begotten Sonne should become Man that being made partaker of the nature of men their losses their restitution might concerne him as their kinsman and brother of them all Hence flowed an obligation in him to be the Priest Sollicitour generall of all humā kind their surety taking vpō him their debts their discharge by offering a propitiatory sacrifice vnto God This sacrifice being offered by a man of the same nature as are the rest was a true and proper sacrifice might be of merit and satisfaction specially being offered by the party indebted engaged or by his agēt surety And on the otherside the person offering the sacrifice being the true God for this neuer ceased nor could cease to be the sacrifice came to be of infinite value and merit to reconcile men vnto God and to satisfy for their sinnes and to obtayne whatsoeuer their manifold necessityes might require And as the Priest was of so supreme dignity the true and naturall Sonne of God the cause of offering sacrifice so mayne and of such high importance it was reason also that the Victime to be sacrificed should also corresponde and haue proportion heereunto This proportion was not found in any creature existing nor in any that could be made creatures being inferiour without any comparison or proportiō vnto the dignity of Christ the Priest And so it was conuenient that this Priest should offer no other Oblation or victime besides his owne human flesh taken of man which as being vnited personally vnto the Eternall Word without any cōparison exceedes all creatures being true nature of man mortall passible as others are was very fit to be offered in sacrifice as S. Augustine obserueth in these wordes What Priest more iust and holy then the Sonne of God What could be more conueniently offered for men by men thē flesh what thing more fit and apt to be sacrificed or immolated then mortall flesh What thing more cleane could be giuen for the cleansing of sinne then the Flesh of God borne of the Virginall wombe And what gift could be more gratefully eyther offered or receaued then the flesh of our sacrifice made the body of our Priest This was the counsell designe of the Diuine Wisedome so much lōging and so entirely wishing the deliuery of mankind And the Son of God straight accepted of this office and Priesthood tooke to his charge the Redemption of men and to offer himself in sacrifice for them And from that instant he offered vnto his eternall Father all that which in due subsequent tyme he was to performe or suffer for men which oblation was so pleasing in the sight of the eternall Father that euē thē straight he pardoned the sinnes of men and receaued them into his friendshipp bestowing on them great benefits and fauours all in trust and in the vertue of that sacrifice which was to be offered for them a sacrifice already offered and accepted in the aforeseing knowledge and goodnes of God And though it be a most certayne truth that all the fauours God shewed vnto men were shewed thē in trust and confidence of that sacrifice that was in the end to be offered for them yet his Diuine Maiesty was pleased to require of men for the receauing of these graces that thēselues should still be offering pledges and pawnes that at the time appointed the full and sufficient price of their ramsome should be payed This was the cause of the sacrificing of bruite beasts and other thinges vnto God which were figures and representations of this most Diuine sacrifice and a kind of protestatiō that all these fauours they receaued vpon trust confidence thereof Hence came it to passe that iust holy men by the instinct of God euen frō the beginning of the world still offered him sacrifices as did the Innocēt Abel of the best fattest of his flocke whose sacrifice God approued shewing his approbation thereof by a visible signe sēding frō heauen fire that consumed the same as S. Hierome writeth Afterward the iust Noe the great continuing storme of the vniuersall floud being blowne ouer built an Aultar offered thereon a sacrifice of the cleane beasts that had been preserued in the Arke The sacred Text sayth that God was pleased with the sweet odour of the sacrifice that thereupon he promised by oath neuer more to destroy the world by water and that in testimony therof he would place his raynebow vpon the Cloudes for the comfort of men and their assurance that God was still mindfull of his promise After this agayne Noe his Sonne the Great Priest Melchisedech offered the mysterious sacrifice of bread and wine as also the great Patriarch Abraham Noe his Nephew in the eight degree of descent from him is read to haue made Aultars offered sacrifices in diuers places So likewise did Isaac Iacob the iust patient Iob other Saynts In the law of Moyses giuen him imediatly of God the greatest part thereof contaynes the ceremonies and manners of offering sacrifices which without question were acceptable vnto God not in respect of what they were in themselues but as they were figures and representations of that true and most excellent Sacrifice that was to be offered by his only begotten Sonne For this reason the Law so often repeates that her Sacrifices were a most sweet odour vnto God certainly not for their owne naturall odour which rather was stronge noysome as proceeding frō the bloud and entralls of brute beasts but because they figured and represēted the sacrifice of his only begottē Son of whome S. Paul sayth That he loued vs and gaue himselfe for vs an oblation vnto God and a sacrifice of sweet odour Whē the time of grace was come which S. Paul fitly tearmes the perfection of the Law and Christ now had offered that most Diuine Sacrifice of the Crosse and thereon built and established his Church it was not decēt that this most perfect Religious Common-wealth should want proper sacrifices to giue honour and worship vnto God Nor was it cōuenient or sutable with the dignity of the new Testament to offer the aunciēt Sacrifices seing these were but figures of what now was put in execution and truth being come
this strange thing he found by conferring togeather the dayes and houres that it was the very time that Masse was sayd for him Hence the holy Doctour inferres what greate force and efficacy is in this most Diuine Sacrifice to release men from the spirituall fetters of sin wherin was so great strength to vndoe and breake the chaynes of the body The auncient formes of Masse deliuer the same truth that of S. Iames speaking with GOD thus prayeth that the sinnes we haue committed may be abolished that thou o Lord be propitious and mercifull vnto thy people that by the Oblation of this gratious Diuine Sacrifice we may be held worthy of eternall life The Masse of S. Basil sayth Let this Sacrifice be acceptable for our sinnes for the ignorances of the people S. Chrysostomes Make vs worthy to offer the gifts and this speciall Sacrifice for our sinnes grant that we may find fauour in thy sight And now in the Canon of the Masse we say that we offer this Sacrifice for the Redemption of our Soules That the Masse is a most efficacious Sacrifice to obtayne whatsoeuer we demand CHAP. X. AS cōcerning the fourth title and reason of offering Sacrifices to the end to obtayne of God that which we demaund it is cleere that our Sacrifice doth farre excell all other For if the offering vnto God of a lambe or kidd or some other bruite creature was so efficacious a meanes to obtayne the thing desired and therefore such kind of Sacrifices were ordinarily offered how much greater efficacy is there in the offering vnto him his very Son with the whole treasure of his merits Without doubt this is greater beyond cōparisō If God made such promises vnto Abrahā cōfirmed by Oath to do fauours vnto him and to all his posterity only in regard of the will he had to sacrifice his Sonne what benefits and graces will he bestow on thē that offer and sacrifice vnto him really truly his only begottē Sonne what fauours will he not grant what can one aske with such a present that he will not giue with reason we may heere vse the wordes of the Apostle Saint Paul He that spared not his only Sonne but gaue him for vs all how can it be that he hath not giuen vs all togeather with him Or how can he deny vs any thing that we can aske If the Lawes both human and Diuine so strictly prohibite vnto Iudges and Princes whose office is to gouerne the affayres of the Commō-wealth to pronounce sentence in cases of difference to receaue gifts or presents because receauing them they remaine euen in nature obliged to requite them and to gratify such as gaue them so that it seemes impossible that they should not fauour them why may we not presume that God is in a certaine māner bound to do vs fauours hauing receaued of vs a gift so great and precious as we offer him in the Masse And if the Prouerbe that Gifts breake rocks be true as experiēce shewes it is there being no hart so hard which presents do not make relent yield vnto the giuer how can we thinke that God hauing an hart not of stone nor hard but most sweet louing mercifull inclined to do vs fauours will forbeare to do vs any thing we shall request hauing taken of vs such a rich gift as we present him in our sacrifice Certayne it is that the holy Sacrifice of the Masse is a most efficacious meanes to obtayne of God all that we desire so that the Church did euer vse to say Masses to aske of God Health Peace prosperity other benefits generall and particular as well corporall as spirituall neither need I stay lōger in prouing so cleere and receaued a truth Wherefore I will only here set downe a most prudent and pious consideratiō of a graue and learned Diuine of our age most true conformable both vnto Theology holy scripture This is that Christ our Lord now in Heauen though he be not in the state to merit or satisfy for vs a new yet he is in a state where he may pray and make intercession for mē as in verity he doth according as the Apostle doth witnesse that he doth pleade for vs and at the iudgment seate of God is our sollicitour and as S. Iohn sayth We haue an Aduocate vnto God the Father Christ Iesus the Iust. Hereupon this learned Authour sayth that it is a thing very credible likely that Christ our Lord as often as the Sacrifice of the Masse is offered doth intercede and pray for them that offer it and also for thē for whome it is offered A consideration most true For seing it is most certayne that Christ our Lord doth actually and in truth exercise the office of our Priest and Aduocate seing also that the proper office of Priest is to pray intercede for the people we may rest in this persuasion without any doubt that our Lord being in all his actiōs most perfect will completly performe this office not only by offering the Sacrifice particularly for them for whome it is offered whereof there is no questiō but also by praying interceding actually for thē that they may obtaine what they request and desire if the same agree with their Saluation and Gods glory And it may seeme that the Apostle S. Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews doth signify or insinuate this truth where treating of the Eternall Priest-hood of Christ he sayth That he can saue for euer them that by him haue accesse vnto God who liues euer to intercede and pleade for vs and thereupon he straight addeth It was conuenient that we should haue such an High-Priest Where he seemes to conioyne praying and interceding for vs with the office of Priesthood signifying that to discharge that duty perfectly it is necessary that he pray and intercede for them that are vnder his charge and more particularly for them for whome he offers his Sacrifice which thing is no wayes inconuenient in Christ but very agreeing with reason as the Venerable Father Dionysius Carthusianus notes in his declaration of this speech of the Apostle Qui etiam interpellat pro nobis Which also is the Doctrine of that great Saint Laurēce Patriarch who wrytes thus in a certayne Sermon When Christ is sacrificed vpon the Aultar our sayd Redeemer cryeth for vs vnto his Father shewing the sacred marks of his Woundes to saue men from eternall punishments by his intercession This being so as I do firmely belieue it is what a soueraigne and excellent thing and full of reuerence and veneration is the holy Sacrifice of the Masse If we do highly esteeme that some Saints in Heauen pray particularly actually for vs or some person liuing vpon earth whome we know to be vertuous in singular fauour with God how much more ought we to prize the only Son of God his praying and intercession for vs vnto his eternall Father Out
A TREATISE OF THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASSE And Excellencies therof Written in Spanish by the R. F. Ant. de Molina a Carthusian Monke translated into English by I. R. of the Society of IESVS VVith Order hovv to be present at the said Holy Mystery vvith Deuotion Profit IHS Permissu Superiorum M.DC.XXIII TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND MOST VERTVOVS Gentlewoman Mrs MARY PETRE c. THE CONstant report of your Deuotion to the most holy Mystery of the Masse hath emboldened me to present vnto your Seruice this Infant of a Spanish Descent clad in English Attyre to attend vpō you in your Chappell at such publicke or priuate Solemnities Not doubting but that he shall receaue such Entertainment at your deuout Hands as his Educatiō deserueth especially at this Tyme when so happy a Vnion firme Friendship is novv most happily concluded between two so mighty Kingdomes by so Fortunate and Hopefull a Mariage Wherto if I should adde my commendacions of his worth I might therby rather do him Wronge then Honour knowing his Tallents and other good parts to be such as may beseeme his Seruice though perhaps not so familiarly acquainted with the fashions of your English Court as is required yet because I know your Disposition to be Noble and your Minde greatly addicted to Piety Deuotion and also that the Present cannot be but acceptable I do in the best manner I can commend him to your Honourable Custody Protection my selfe to your vertuous Prayers resting Your assured Seruāt in Christ Iesus I. VV. THE TABLE Of the Contents of the Ensuing Booke CHAP. I. THat in the Catholike Church there is a true and proper Sacrifice which is that of the Holy Masse pag. 1. CHAP. II. That the name of Masse was giuē vnto this sacrifice by the Apostles euer vsed in the Church And the signification therof pag. 18 CHAP. III. That the Masse is an Embassage vnto the most holy Trinity in the behalfe of humane kind about the most important affaires in the World pag. 32 CHAP. IIII. That the Masse is a liuely representation of the Mysteries of our Sauiour which are renewed and mystically performed againe therin pag. 49 CHAP. V. That the Masse is a true and proper Sacrifice the same and of the same value as that which Christ offered on the Crosse. p. 76 CHAP. VI. That the Sacrifice of the Masse hath all the titles and reasons for which sacrifices are offered vnto God pag. 100 CHAP. VII That the Masse is a most perfect Holocauste pag. 113 CHAP. VIII That the Masse is a most perfect Sacrifice of Thanks-giuing pag. 123 CHAP. IX That the Masse is a most perfect Sacrifice of Propitiation for sinnes pag. 129 CHAP. X. That the Masse is a most efficacious Sacrifice to obtayne whatsoeuer we demand pag. 139 CHAP. XI That the Masse is the thing most Venerable which is in the Church pag. 152 CHAP. XII That the Masse is a thing of greatest honour vnto God p. 167 CHAP. XIII That the Masse is a Present most gratefull vnto our Sauiours Humanity vnto the most Blessed Virgin pag. 187 CHAP. XIIII The externall Reuerence and Worship to be vsed in the holy Masse pag. 206 CHAP. XV. Of the Reuerence due vnto Churches holy Places p. 233 CHAP. XVI Of being present and hearing the Holy Office of Masse which hath alwayes byn in most high esteeme publickely celebrated euery where both among the Syrians the Grecians and the Latines euer since the tyme of the Apostles pag. 259 Approbatio HVNC pium Tractatum in Anglicanum Sermonem ex Hispanico versum magnam legentibus Consolationē afferre posse iudico Io. Floydus Soc. Iesu Theol. A TREATISE OF THE Holy Sacrifice of the Masse and the excellencyes thereof That in the Catholicke Church where is a true proper Sacrifice which is that of the Holy Masse CHAP. I. IN the first place we must lay for foundation That in the Christian Church there is some speciall and proper Sacrifice to be offered vnto God which is a truth so certayne and so cleere that no doubt can be made therof but by men impertinent and without iudgment wherof the Heretickes of our tyme may seeme destitute For amōgst diuers absurdities vnto which through rashnes and pertinacity they are fallen this is one That there is no true and proper Sacrifice in the Christian Church Wherin they stand not only against the venerable antiquity of the Fathers and Doctours of the Church against the definitions of the sacred Coūcels against the manifest testimonies of the Scriptures which can be vnderstood in no other sense but also against the very light of reason For it is a thing necessary and essentiall to euery well ordered Common-wealth to be furnished with Sacrifices wherby to honour God as euen heathē Philosophers acknowledge Plato Aristotle Xenophon others Neyther was there euer in the world any Cōmon-wealth howsoeuer rude and barbarous that had not some kind of Sacrifice for the worship of God or of that thinge which they were perswaded to bee God How then can any man with reason imagine that Christ our Lord hath left his Church which is the most perfect of all Cōmō-wealths imperfect defectuous in a matter so much importing and essentiall Specially the Doctrine of S. Thomas receaued by the consent of Deuines being most true that men are bound to offer sacrifice vnto God euē by the law of Nature why shoud our Sauiour leaue no meanes to his faithfull how to comply with this Law Seing also according to true Theology Grace destroyes not nature but addes perfection thereunto And seeing these three thinges Law Priest-hood Sacrifice are so ioyned and combined togeather that change or innouatiō being made in ony one of them the same must needs redoūd to both the other as the Apostle proueth effectually writing vnto the Hebrews That the Priest-hood being translated the translatiō of the Law must also needes be consequent therevpon It is cleare that Christ our Sauiour as he changed the old Law into another new and better the auncient Priest-hood into another new and more perfect so likewyse in the same measure and proportion he ordayned another Sacrifice to succeed the elder by so much more excellent then those were by how much the new Law surpasseth the old It being also a thing so certayne that in the Law of the Ghospell there be Priests that euen Heretikes cannot deny it though they vnderstand the same amisse peruert the meaning therof certayne also it is there must be a Sacrifice which these Priests are to offer otherwise what neede or vse should there be of Priests The lyke argumēt is drawn from the Aultar which to be found in the Christian Church is a thing most certaine being affirmed by S. Paul by the third Canon of the Apostles and vniformely by all the Saints it is most vndoubted that there is a sacrifice to be offered on this Aultar because
the figure was to cease Therefore Christ Iesus our Lord the day before he offered this bloudy Sacrifice vpon the Aultar of the Crosse in his last supper with his Disciples doing the office of the true Priest according to the order of Melchisedech as the Councell of Trent noteth ordained that perpetually in his Church should be offered the same sacrifice he was to offer on the Crosse notwithstanding he would not haue this perpetuall sacrifice bloudy nor with those fits and accidents of death but vnbloudy vnder the formes and accidents of bread and wine yet in such māner that in substance and in essence it should be the very same And to the end that the defects and vnworthynes of Priests might not preiudice in any kind or diminish the value and dignity of a sacrifice so high and Diuine he would himselfs still remayne with the office and stile of eternall Priest really and in truth sacrificing by himselfe as principal Priest other Priests being but his instruments performing the exteriour ministery and this is that we do in the Masse offer vnto the eternall Father as Ministers of Christ the same sacrifice his sonne offered on the Crosse. And in saying We offer the same sacrifices we say a world of magnificēces dignities excellēcies For being the same it must needs haue the same vertue the same value the same sufficiency the same merit as it then had other innumerable honours worthy of much consideration Now that the Masse is the same sacrifice really essentially is a truth most certaine seing the same victime is offered the same Priest is the principall offerent the same God vnto whome it is offered and the same reason of offering as the Councell of Trent defineth only the manner of offering being different that of the Crosse being bloudy and with the extremities of death this vnbloudy couered with the externalls of bread wine without woundes or sores or accidents of mortality To this purpose pertaine the wordes of S. Ambrose saying One and the same is our sacrifice with that Christ offered For he is our High-Priest who offered the cleansing victime for vs the same we offer now that was offered then Do this sayth he in remēbrance not another sacrifice as did the Priests in the old Law but the same we still offer And S Chrysostome The sacred Oblation what Priest soeuer offers it is still the same with that Christ gaue his Disciples neyther hath this any thing lesse then that had For men do not sanctify this Victime but Christ himself who consecrated that doth in lyke manner sanctify this which are wordes of great comfort and worthy of the noting And for this reason S. Paul affirmes so many tymes in his Epistle to the Hebrews that we haue not in the Church and that we haue no other sacrifice besides that which Christ offered on the Crosse. And it is the truth that that sacrifice was most sufficient and that we neyther need nor haue any other but the same sacrifice we daily repeate and renew on the sacred Aultar for a continuall memoriall and thankesgiuing as our Lord himself ordayned to the end that the vertue of that most sufficient sacrifice may be in particular with efficacity applyed to euery one as the Councell of Trēt faith That the holesome vertue thereof be imployed applyed for the remission of such sinnes as we dayly commit That the sacrifice of the Masse hath all the titles and reasons for which sacrifices are offered vnto God CHAP. VI. THAT we may better vnderstand the dignity and excellency of the Masse we must note that besides the reason alleadged why men did aunciently offer sacrifices vnto God to wit to figure and represent the true most perfect sacrifice that was to be offered for the redemption of mankind in which reasō the Masse without comparison surpasseth them all as being not a meere representation but to the very workes of our redemption mystically performed as hath been sayd Besides this reason I say there were many other binding men euen by the law of Nature to offer sacrifices vnto God as they were taught by the very instinct of the light of naturall reasō as also by the speciall inspiratiō releuation made to some iust and holy men Which reasons gathered out of S. Thomas and other graue Authours though in themselues they be many yet they may be reduced vnto fower The first to acknowledge and professe the Maiesty soueraignty and Excellency of God and the supreme absolute Dominion he hath ouer all as being the Creatour and vniuersall Lord of all and to pay him the tribute of honour and veneration due vnto him for these respects This is the highest and most perfect reason of offering sacrifices vnto God which only regardes him according to that he is in himself and for this respect is due to him all honour and veneration that creatures can possibly yield And for the satisfying of this reason was instituted peculiarly that kind of sacrifice tearmed Holocauste in which some brute beast was offered burnt consumed with fyre wholly entirely nothing remayning therof to signify that whatsoeuer a creature is all is due vnto God and all to be offered for his honour and glory And if God would vse his vttermost rigour not regard men with a louing and gratious eye he might most iustly chalēg that they should offer him in sacrifice their very liues or the liues of their deerest children or other things if they haue any more deare and pretious vnto thē For this cause he commanded in his law that to him should be offered all the first begotten of man or beast in acknowledgment that he is Lord of all and the best and most beloued thing is due vnto him often repeating this reason thereof Mea enim sunt omnia For all is mine Thus he charged his friend Abraham to offer in holocaust his only Sonne whome he loued as his owne soule yet being satisfied with the promptitude of his obedience and readines to offer euen his owne life if had God made request thereof he procured him a Ramme to be offered in liew of his Sonne And with his people he was contented with that complement and ceremony of offering their first begotten Sonnes with protestation that they were Gods and due vnto him and his Maiesty tooke possession of them and receaued them as his owne but straight restored them backe againe to their parents neuer permitting that in effect any humā person should be sacrificed vnto him Only God gaue his consent that in his only begotten Sonne this rigour should be vsed of being offered in sacrifice because he alone did suffice for all as being the first begotten of all creatures On the other side the Diuell as being proud and ambitious of Diuine worshipp and a cruel enemy of mankind required of people deceaued and brought vnder his tyranny that they should adore him by sacrificing
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