by it not only the administring of the Sacraments but also the preaching of the word in which two things consist the office and charge of the Pastor In the like manner doth Iustinian the Emperour interpret it and Cuias also Novel 7. Iustin Nov. 7. c. 11. de Ecclesiasticis bonis ibi Cuiac tom 3. p. 549. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. signifying that besides the reading of the holy Scriptures the litourgy was performed tradita populo sancta communione by administring to the people the holy coÌ„munion Whence we ought to conclude that in the time of Iustinian being 530 years after Christ the people stood not by only as meer spectators in a theater but to taste as at a feast Act. 13. and so must we vnderstand that passage in the Acts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is preaching the Gospell and administring to the people the Holy Communion From which two passages one may cleerely collect that the Church in those daies vsed not the tearme of the Masse and that Iustinian retained this word as being vsed in his time CHAP. IIII. Of the Sacrament AFter the three Greeke words wee will explaine three Latin and begin backwadrs to the end that one may deriue the one froÌ„ the other The first therefore shal be the Sacrament marueilous agreable to this actioÌ„ For Festus witnesseth that the ancients vsurped it in actions which they performed with an oath For when they entred Soldiers into their Rowle they exacted an oath either of euery one in particular or of the whole band in grosse this they stiled a conjuration because they sware altogether or particularly and these oathes they termed military Sacraments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serui. 8. Aeneid L. 8. c. de leg 2. § miles de his qui notantur l. v. de re militari inde sacramento liberati From hence it commeth that Christian Souldiers which are the truly faithfull presenting themselues in Baptisme to bee enrowled and at the Supper to muster and receiue presse-money in the militant Church haue termed these actions Sacraments and because it is sufficient to be once enrowled Baptisme is not to be reiterated but in as much as Soldiers are often to muster to make open profession to beare the colours and to take the bread of munition during this spirituall warfare thereupon it is that this Sacrament of the Supper is often to be reiterated in which on Gods behalfe wee are assured by the truth of his Word by the exhibiting of his pledge by the character of his Seale by the efficacy of his Spirit that he loues vs in his Sonne will be fauourable vnto vs through his obedience will exalt vs in his fauour through the humility of his Lambe sacrificed vpon the Crosse And againe on our parts we accept that grace we protest that we will abide constant we sweare that wee will serue so good an Head that we will loue and honour such a Father and that we will renounce sathan and his promises the world and its delights Now if you consider it in its matter it wil be double to wit in signes and in that which they signifie which is called the matter of the Sacrament The signe in Baptisme is the water the thing which is signified is Blood the signe in the Supper is Bread and Wine the thing signified is the Body and Blood neuerthelesse in regard of the Sacramentall vnion which the signe and the thing signified have one with another they borrow one anothers name in this action sometimes the Body is called the Bread somtimes the Bread the Body For Saint Augustin saith Aug. ep 166. Idem cont advers leg prophet lib. 2. c. 9. Id. de civ dei l. 10. c. 5. Idem in Ioh. tract 26. idem n Leuit. l. 3. q. 57. Amb. de iis qui mysterii init tit 4 c. 9. Theod. dial con quosdam haeret the thing which signifieth is vsed to be honoured with the name of that thing which it signifieth and Saint Ambrose before the benediction of those heauenly words one kinde is named to wit the Bread and Wine after the consecration the Body is signified And Theodoret Our Sauiour hath honoured the signes Symboles which we see with the name of his Body and Bloud not in changing their nature but in adioyning his grace add that is the reason why euery part of the Sacrament is opposed the one vnto the other the one corruptible the other incorruptible the one the figure the other the thing the one earth the other Heauen the one visible the other invisible the one taken by the body the other taken by the soule the one presented by the Pastour the other by the Spirit of God Maxim schol Dionysii So Maximine opposeth the signes or symboles to the verity of the thing σÏμβολα τᾶυτα καί οá½Îº ἀλήθεια Following this truth there is no Sacrament to be found in the Masse for before the consecration there is no more but simple Bread and Wine and after the consecration according to their saying there is no more Bread yet notwithstanding Cyril l. 4. in Ioh. c. 19. August tract in Ioh. 59. Innocent de sacrament altar c. 4. 13. 14. the Sacraments ought to haue two parts to wit the signe and the thing signified of the Bread of our Lord and the Bread which is the Lord. CHAP. V. Of Sacrifice SAcrifice is a Latin terme and signifieth in generall Plaut Poen si hercle istud vnquam factum est tum me Iupiter faciat semper sacrificem neque vnquaÌ„ liteÌ„ to performe any holy thing and particularly to make prayers and oblations to God although one obtaine not that which he requires in which sense it is opposed to the Verbe Lito to appease More specially this word hath beene in vse amongst the Iewes and Pagans signifying to offer to God fruites beasts incense bread or wine and molam a round loafe from whence comes the Verbe Immolo As for the sacrifices of the Heathens the Church both ancient and moderne hath alwayes condemned them as being abominable before God The Iewish consisting in materiall things in types and figures of that onely and eternall sacrifice of our Sauiour were accomplisht in that sacrifice vpon the Crosse and now there remaine none but sacrifices of thanksgiuings and praises of the which Dauid in the Psalmes often speaketh For as concerning our Lord Iesus he can not be offered vp againe after his passion for then saith Saint Paul must hee often haue suffered Heb. 9. v. 26. Whence it followeth that as he can suffer no more so can he no more be offered vp Besides to reiterate his sacrifice is to argue it of vnsufficiency and to match it with the Iewish sacrifices of which it is written He. 10. v. 11. c Euery high Priest standeth dayly ministring and offering diuers times the same sacrifices which can neuer take away sinnes but this man after hee had offered
hast eaten and the Liturgie of the Armenians Lord Iesus I eat by faith thine holy quickning sauing body The eighth is August ed Dardan item traâ—â— 30. in Joh. Vâ—gil l. 4 con â—â—â—â— qui vbiâ— hâ—â—â—rat nusquam habitat that such transubstantiation destroyes the nature of the body of our Lord making it to be no body Take from bodies their space and they are no more bodies The body of Christ is raysed from the dead and it must needs be in one certaine place for as Vigilius an ancient Bishop of Trent saith how comes it about that the word being every where the flesh is not every where For when it was on earth it was not in heaven and now it is in heaven it is not vpon earth In the Canons themselues this carnall eating is called by S. Augustine the first heresie where it is said Can. prima quidem haeresis de consec d st 2. That vntill the end of the world the Lord will be on high but the truth of the Lord is here with vs for the body wherewith hee was raised vp must needs be in one certaine place but his truth is diffused throughout And in the Acts of the Apostles it is written whom the heauen must receaue vntill the times of restitution of all things Act. 3.21 The ninth is Vide gl can Quia corpus v. convertuntur de consec dist 2. where the glosser is much troubled Ioh. 2.9 Exod. 7.10 that this doctrine of transubstantiation is contrary to it selfe because the corruption of the first matter ought to be the generation of the second as when the substance of the water was altered and turned into the substance of wine in the marriage of Cana or when the rod of Aaron was turned into a serpent Now in this sacrament the substance of bread is not altered and the substance of the body of Christ was before there is therefore onely a change of place and not of substance and the body which is in heauen comes but either to mingle it selfe or to take the roome of the bread contrary to that which hath been proued here before The tenth reason is that the body which Christ presents vnto vs is a crucified body the memory wherof he inioyned vs to celebrate wherefore it is said This is my body which is broken Mat. 26 26. 1. Cor. 1. and my bloud which is shed forth and not that which shall be or which hath beene for this lambe slaine before the creation of the world was present to Abraham vpoÌ„ the crosse through faith which is the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 and whose effect was present before and since the passion in regard of the faithfull which are called not to the participation of a glorious body but of a body crucified not a body which cannot suffer but of him which makes his soule an oblation for sinne Esay 53.11 as Esay saith Durand de remed penit can vt quid de consecr dist 2. c. non iste Amb. lib. 6. de sacramento Idem lib. 2. c. 5. de Isaac anima Aug. in Joh. tract 5. The eleuenth reason is that the body of our Lord being spirituall food ought to be receaued spiritually and to that purpose S. Augustine saith To what end preparest thou thy teeth and thy belly beleeue and thou hast eaten And S. Ambrose As the bread is the proper food of our body and is eaten corporally so the body of Christ is the food of the spirit and is eaten spiritually And the same bringeth in our Saviour speaking Those are present with me whose faith is with mee and whose portion I am and S. Augustine Some will question how I shall enioy it being absent how I shall stretch forth my hand thither where he sits and hold him there send thither thy faith and thou takest hold of him thy forefathers enioyed him in the flesh enioy thou him by faith Our Saviour himselfe interpreteth to drinke and eat by the same tearmes to come and beleeue The twelfth reason is taken from the nature of the bodie and from the manner of the phrase to be in a place For if the naturall body borne of the Virgin be in the Sacrament it is then either definitiuely as the Angels be in a place and so it will haue no true body which ought to fill a place or else it will be there repletiuely and so in as much as it is a naturall body it should be there visibly and palpably For by being raysed againe and glorified it looseth not the nature of a true body for Christ said himselfe Touch and see Luk. 24.29 for a spirit hath not flesh nor bones as I haue It remaineth therefore that Christ is there by the virtue of his divinity which is every where as saith S. Augustine although his flesh bee in heauen and no otherwise then as we say the sunne to bee present with vs when the light thereof commeth through the windowes although the body thereof be fixed in the heauens The thirteenth reason is that if the eating of the body of Christ be carnall all the faithfull which liued before the comming of our Saviour be damned because they bee dead before they eat the body of Christ For it is written If you eat not the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke not his bloud there is no life in you But we are assured that they were saued by the words of our Saviour concerning the bosome of Abraham and by other testimonies and examples of Moses Enoch Elias Elizeus c from whence wee must conclude that they eat Iesus Christ it being written in expresse terms that all our Fathers did eat the same spirituall meat 1. Cor. 10.4 and did all drinke of the same spirituall drinke and that the rocke whereof they dranke was Christ Now before his nativitie they drank him not carnally and therefore it followeth that they did eat it by faith and that such a kind of eating is sufficient vnto salvation considering that by it alone they were saued being bound notwithstanding to eat it The fourteenth is taken from the effect of transubstantion for if the bread be made flesh by virtue of those wordes which are pronounced by the Priest it continues to be flesh vnlesse either by contrary words one dissubstantiats it whereof we haue no example or the incredulitie of the wicked receauer doth disanull that which the consecration had created For otherwise the wicked which receaue the sacrament should be infallibly saved and none of them receiue condemnation in regard that the promise is generall whosouer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud Ioh. 6.56 Aug. de verbo dom tract in Iohan. 26. Cyrill lib. 4. in Ioh. c. 19. the same hath life everlasting and that of S. Augustine when Christ is eaten life is eaten Againe The sacrament is life vnto every man is death vnto none whosoever he be which receaueth it
the Prophet Esay with a burning stone so vouchsafe to clense me with thy gracious mercy that I may worthily preach thy Gospell through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Munda cormeum ac labia mea omnipotens Deus qui labia Isaiae Prophetae calculo mundasti ignito ita me tua grata miseratione dignare mundare vt sanctum Evangelium tuum dignè valeam nunciare per Christum Dominum nostrum Amen TheÌ„ the Deacon takes the booke and bowes himselfe before the Priest and saith vnto him Lord commaund thou to blesse Iube Domine benedicere And the Priest saith The Lord be in thine hart and in thy lippes that thou maist worthily and fitly preach the Gospell in the name of the father Sonne holy Ghost And makes a signe of the crosse Dominus sit in corde tuo in labiis tuis vt dignè competenter annuncies EvaÌ„gelium suum in nomine patris filij c. Note that if the Priest haue no Clearke as commonly he hath not when he saith particular Masses yet hee omits not to say the same things as to commande himselfe to blesse himselfe and to speake to himselfe with as much reason as he doth in that which followeth afterwards the Deacon kisseth the Priests hand and if it be a solemne Masse then with the rest which doe there minister coÌ„ming to the place where the Gospell lies with lights and incense he stands at the left side of the altar turnes himselfe towards the people and then ioyning both his hands saith The Lord bee with you A. and with thy spirit Dominus vobiscum R. cum spiritu tuo Men say nec Deus intersit nisi dignus vindice nodus This prayer made by the Deacon is most agreeable to him which would expound the Gospell and apply the doctrine but here where there is but the bare reading of one verse to what end is all this quoile vnlesse it bee done because the Priest dares not read the Scriptures without the permission of the Bishop Leauing therefore the other it were more to the purpose if he prayed for some more skill in reading for such creatures as these are oftentimes very defectiue in that behalfe After this the Deacon with his right thumbe makes the signe of the crosse vpon his forehead his mouth his breast and his booke and whilst the rest of the Quire answer Gloria tibi Domine hee thrice censeth the booke then ioyning his hands reads a peece of the Gospell that being done the Clearke or subdeacon if there be one saith By the words of the Gospell let our sinnes be wiped away Per evangelica dicta deleantur nostra delicta That being done the subdeacon carrieth the booke to the Priest who kisseth it which is flat idolatry in them as before we shewed As for the words if they bee referred to the merits of our Saviour mentioned in the Gospell I can finde no abuse in them but forsomuch as the Priest intendeth to ioyne this reading with the ayde of the signe of the crosse and that there is not a turne signe word or intentioÌ„ which yeelds not some profit to their title of good workes I doubt much to allow of this action Afterwards followeth the Nicen creed and confession of faith which notwithstaÌ„ding is not throughout repeated I beleeue in one God the father Almightie c. Credo in vnum Deum patrem omnipotentem c. In the midst of this confession speaking of our Saviour who for our sakes and for our salvation came downe from heauen the Priest falls vpon his knees as if he had not beene sent when he said I beleeue in God nor wheÌ„ he said I beleeue in Iesus Christ which makes one conceaue that the Priests intention is to make the people beleeue that he euokes the humanitie of our Saviour and makes it descend every day although it be in heauen Act. 3. and there remaines vntill the comming to iudge the world This being done he kisseth the altar and turnes himselfe vnto the people saying The Lord be with you A. and with thy spirit Dominus vobiscum R. Et cum spiritu tuo Afterwards turning himselfe to the right side of the altar saith Oremus and reads a peece which is called an offertory which differs according to the divers Masses which are celebrated See here an example The heauens the earth are thine thou hast founded the earth the fulnes thereof iustice and iudgement are the preparation of thy seat Tui sunt coeli tua est terra orbem terrarum plenitudinem eius tu fundasti Iustitia iudicium praeparatio sedis tuae I leaue it to men to consider whether the action following bee any thing to the purpose of this offertory for although he saith that the heavens are the Lords notwithstanding he offereth a crumme of bread for the redemption of the liuing and of the dead the which bread is not yet coÌ„secrated And to obserue this forme of Oblation the Priest takes from the hands of the Deacon if the Masse be solemne the Plate and the Oblation and lifts them vp with both his hands which makes me to remember the homage which some tenants in France performe vnto their Landlords who are bound to bring vnto them a Wrenne carried in a waine drawne with Oxen. In the meane time hee leaues the little corporall vpon the chalice and saith Holy father omnipotent eternall God receaue this immaculate hoast which I thy vnworthy servant doe offer vnto thee my liuing true God for mine innumerable sinnes and offences negligences and for all the standers by and likewise for all faithfull Christians whether aliue or dead to the end that it may profit mee theÌ„ vnto salvation into life ever lasting Amen Suscipe sancte pater omnipotens aeterne Deus hanc immaculatam hostiam quam ego indignus famulus tuus offero tibi Deo meo viuo vero pro innumerabilibus peccatis offensionibus negligentijs meis pro omnibus circumstantibus sed pro omnibus fidelibus Christianis vivis ac defunctis vt mihi illis proficiat ad salutem in vitam aeternam Amen This offertory was brought in by Leo the 13 as well as the incense about the yeare 800. For wee read in an Epistle of Gregory to Boniface a Bishop of Germany Greg. 2. epist ad Bonis tom 2. consil p. 434. a great observer of the Roman ceremonies that he demanded of Gregory if it were lawfull to offer for the dead Whence it followeth that this suscipe was not as yet inserted For this questioÌ„ never would haue beene moued if the case had been before resolued Secondly the Priest acknowledging himselfe to be a sinner confesseth by a coÌ„sequence that he is vncapable to be a sacrificer vnder the new Testament For it is written Such an high Priest became vs who is holy harmlesse vndefiled c. Heb. 7. â—6 Who needeth not dayly as those
to be done Now these words of sacrifice ought to be vnderstood of those of thankesgiuing Can. Memento for the Masse it selfe termes it hoc sacrificium laudis and the word to offer according to that which we haue said signifies to offer and to present by the Pastour vnto the people The Priest puts his hoaste vpon the corporal where if it be a solemne Masse the Deacon powres in the wine and the Subdeacon the water into the chalice but if it be onely a priuat Masse the Priest powres in both and blesseth the water to be mingled with the wine saying O God which hast wonderfully created the dignity of humane substance and more admirably hast reformed it grant vs by the mistery of this wine and water to be partakers of his diuinity who vouchsafed to partake of our humanity Iesus Christ thy Sonne our Lord who liueth raigneth with thee in the vnity of the holy Ghost God for euer and euer Amen Deus qui humanae substantiae dignitatem mirabiliter condidisti mirabilius reformasti da nobis per huius aquae vini mysterium eius diuinitatis esse consortes qui humanitatis nostrae dignatus est fieri particeps Iesus Christus Filius tuus Dominus noster qui tecum viuit regnat in vnitate Spiritus sancti Deus per omnia secula seculorum Amen This mingling of wine with water was one of the first errours that was brought into the Supper about the yeare of our Lord 120 against which one might apply the wordes of Cyprian aboue mentioned who would haue vs to keepe our selues in that which our Sauiour instituted See Iustin in his 2. Apol. who recites how the idolaters cōsecrated bread wine and water to their gods And now the Greek Church resisted that mixture In. lib. 4 c. 5. de off missa as witnesseth Innocent Scotus misliketh it giuing this reason for that it will not being so tēpered transubstantiate Moreouer if the Priest be partaker of the diuinity of Christ as Christ himselfe of the humanity it would follow that he should be true God seeing that Iesus is truely man Thirdly with what assurance can he demand to be heard by the vertue of that mystery and that mixture of wine and water considering that it is a thing which God hath not onely not commanded but also hath beene condemned by many Councels 4 Councell of Ort. in the time of Pelagius in these wordes That no man presume to offer any thing for the oblation of the blessed Cuppe but that onely which he beleeueth to be of the fruit of the Vine and that without being mingled with water For it is iudged sacriledge to offer any other thing Plat. habe l. can in sacramento dist 2. de consecrat in the catechisme of the Councell of France then that which our Sauiour hath commanded in his most holy Commandements Is it not then a mocking of God to demand of him to bee made partaker of his diuinitie by vertue of this commixture of wine and water as if by a sinne and a transgression we were ambitious to be made gods Of this Xistus or Alexander in the yeare 120 was the Authour and since it is passed for a Law for the Pope commands vnder paine of a mortall sinne that no man faile to performe it Now if for omitting of this humane inuention men doe sinne mortally what condemnation ought to attend these which doe wholly take away the cup from the Laitie We may not heere omit the perplexities which the Doctours of transubstantiation through the mingling of this water doe fall into Can. in sanctis eccles v. calix de consec dist 2. can cum Matho §. quaesisti de celebr Missarum For some say that this water is turned into wine others say into blood and the last tell vs that it is not conuerted at all See the canons and the glosses From that aboue ariseth an other blasphemy to cal that wine and that water being not yet consecrated the cup of saluation which the Priest would haue to mount vp to Heauen in eleuating it for the saluation of all the world yet presently he makes it to descend much lower when hee saith adhaereat visceribus meis praying that it may bee fixed vnto his entralles Note that in Masses for the dead this prayer is said but the water is not then consecrated at all afterwards the Priest offereth the chalice holding it reasonable high with both his hands saying Lord wee offer vnto thee the cup of saluation crauing thy clemencie that it may ascend with the odour of sweetnesse in the presence of thy diuine Maiesty for the saluation of vs the whole world Amen Offerimus tibi domine calicem salutaris tuam deprecantes clementiam vt in conspectu diuinae maiestatis tuae pro nostra pro totius mundi salute cum odore suauitatis ascendat Amen Afterwards he places the cup vpon the corporall and hauing couered it joines his hands and then bowing himselfe a little saith that which followeth In the spirit of humilitie and in a contrite heart let vs be receiued by thee O Lord that our sacrifice may bee done in thy presence to day in such sort as it may please thee O Lord God In spiritu humilitatis in animo contrito suscipiamur à te Domine sic fiat sacrificium nostrum in conspectu tuo hodie vt placeat tibi domine Deus Of what sacrifice intendeth the Priest to speake would he make two for once before did hee eleuate and offer vp the bread and the wine it must needs be therefore that the prayer was an introduction to the second offertory whereby the bread shall be no more bread but body if one would beleeue it nor shall neede to mount into Heauen for to saue its journey Iesus Christ will descend from thence to bee fastened to the entralls of the Priest for he requires it so Now if he would learne the meanes by which that sacrifice shal be performed in such sort as it shal please God he must obserue that which Christ hath commanded saying Doe this which is thus interpreted by Alexander a martyr and the fift Bishop of Rome after the Apostles As often as yee shall do this that is to say that ye shall blesse breake distribute you shall do it in remembrance of me Cardinall Humbert who wrote against the Monke Nicholas learned it of this Pope and so wrote where it euidently doth appeare that in those times by this word doe the least part of their thought was to sacrifice Iesus Christ Then standing vpright he spreades abroad his hands and so lifting them vp on high joyneth them againe and casting his eyes vpwards towards Heauen and by and by downwards saith Come thou Almighty sanctifier eternal God blesse this sacrifice prepared for thy holy Name Veni sanctificator omnipotens aeterne Deus benedic hoc sacrificium tuo Sancto nomine
as their prisons and punishments to produce their transubstantiation which notwithstanding was more then 400 yeares debated as witnesseth the consultation of Bertran a Priest to Charles the bald who writing to the Cleargy of Ravenna Car. Calvus ep ad Clerum Raven in Tillu Chron. an 756. saith these words Vntill the time of our great grandfather Pepin the Churches of France celebrated their divine service otherwise then the Church of Rome Neither did those of England order themselues according to that of the Roman For the Pope himselfe praysed a Bishop for hauing chosen that which was the best were it in Gaule or at Rome for the place saith he maketh not a thing the more holy Honorius in gēma animae lib. 1. c. 103. Wherefore at the end of Te igitur it is simply said Catholike obseruers of the Apostolike faith without adding Romane for that difference being specificall was not knowne at that time to be a marke of orthodoxe beleevers whose faith is personall and not locall or tied to a corner of Italy Let vs set fire to the powder The Priest bowes himselfe lowe and ioyning his hands before the altar saith Wee pray thee therefore most mercifull father and hūbly request thee through Iesus Christ thy sonne and our Lord that thou wouldst accept and blesse these gifts †these presents †these holy sacrifices †without spots which we offer vnto thee for thy holy catholicke Church the which vouchsafe to keep revnite governe through out the whole earth together with thy servant Pope N. our Bishop and our king and all the orthodoxall obseruers of the Catholicke Apostolicall faith Te igitur clementissime pater per Iesum Christum filium tuum Dominum nostrum supplices rogamus ac petimus vti accepta habeas benedicas haec dona munera haec sancta sacrificia illibata imprimis quae tibi offerimus pro Ecclesia tua sancta Catholica quam pacificatione custodire adunare regere digneris toto orbe terrarum vna cum famulo tuo Papa nostro N. antistite nostro M. rege nostro omnibus orthodoxis atque Catholicae Apostolicae fidei cultoribus He speakes not a word of the Roman faith although the Canon be of Gelasius making who ordained that the Priest should beginne vpon his knees hauing his hands ioyned then before these words haec dona he should lift vp himselfe kisse the altar make three signes of the crosse vpon the host and the chalice afterwards open wide his hands and lift thē vp a little in saying tibi offerimus in the plurall number and therefore he is not the sole sacrificer but the people also as indeed he said before my sacrifice and yours Likewise from these words these gifts these presents may be gathered that in the time which this Canon was made what corruption soever raigned they intended not to offer vp Iesus vnto God his Father For then they would not haue spoken in the plurall number hauing but one Iesus Thirdly wherefore doth he tearme it a spotlesse sacrifice or incorruptible whereas both experience and the cautells of the Masse before mentioned haue taught vs Cant. item si corpus that the consecrated host doth putrifie that it is eaten sometimes of rats sometimes breedeth wormes which cannot proceed from an accident without a substance neither from a glorified body Another impietie is committed there in that it is said that this oblation of bread is made for the pacification of the church as if it were as yet divorced from God contrary to that which the Apostle saith By one sole oblation he hath consecrated for ever those which are sanctified Heb. 10.11 Whence it followeth that there remaines nothing but onely the applying vnto our selues of that sacrifice by faith and not to reiterate it as if it were vnsufficient Fiftly with what boldnesse dares the Priest make the Pope Gods companion in the goverment of the Church which hath no head but Iesus Christ her Spowse nor other conductor but the holy Ghost For seeing that the Church is a body Catholike and vniversall being in heaven and in earth and composed both of dead and liuing what other head then Christ is capable to sway such an Empire and to inspire every member of the visible and invisible Church The last abuse is politike in that the Priest places the Pope and his Bishop before Kings it being the doctrine of these kinde of men that principalities lye vnder his pantable and that scepters are held by way of homage from the perforated chaire which notwithstanding is not practised throughout As for the reformed Churches although they haue kings now and then which governe not so well yet their practise is alwaies to make prayers first for kings and superiour powers afterwards for the Church and every member thereof that it may bee deliuered from this papall tyranny Then followeth the Memento where wee must obserue that ordinarily the first and second are said with the hands ioyned vntill the Priest saith omnium circumstantium The first memento Remember O Lord thy seruants N. N. and all those which bee heere present whose faith and deuotion is knowne vnto thee or who offer vnto thee this sacrifice of praise for themselues and all theirs for the redemption of their soules for the hope of their health and safety doe render their vowes vnto thee the eternall liuing and true God Memento domine famulorum famularumque tuarum N. N. omnium circumstantium quorum tibi fides cognita nota deuotio pro quibus tibi offerimus vel qui tibi offerunt hoc sacrificium laudis pro se suisque omnibus pro redemptione animarum suarum pro spe salutis incolumitatis suae sibique reddunt vota sua aeterno Deo viuo vero Plat. in Xislo Martin in Chr. In the yeare 580 as Platina and Martin affirme Pelagus invented this commemoration of those dead which had liued well which though it be very ancient yet is it contrary to that which is practised at this day For the dead were not then invocated by the Church Dionys Hier. c. 3. neither were they pray'd for but were named in the Church partly to incite the people to imitate them and partly to shew that they were not dead but liuing a more excellent life Secondly these words pro quibus tibi offerimus Capitu. l. 6. c. 173 for whom we offer were added since Charlemaines time so by litle and litle abuses crept into the Church these words quorum tibi fides cognita whose faith is knowne vnto thee doe argue of falshood that which is preached at this day to wit that the knowledge of the Curat is sufficient and that there needeth no other beleefe in a Christian then an infolded or implicite faith For if it were so they would haue said the faith of the Parson or Curate is knowne vnto thee Who if he were a
Magician or Sorcerer as he was which not long since was burned in the Greue at Paris the Parishioners would bee full ill assured of their saluation Fourthly hoc sacrificium laudis this sacrifice of praise witnesseth that it was not made to purchase remission of sinnes but to render thankes vnto God for that purchase which Iesus Christ his Sonne hath made for vs. Moreouer it is not possible to reiterate such a sacrifice and if it were yet this heere cannot be sufficient Heb. 9.22 25. for without shedding of blood euen vnto death there was neuer made any sinne-offering But there are diuers fractions interlarded vsually in this prayer Afterwards followeth the canon We communicating and honouring the memory first of the euer-glorious Virgin Mary mother of God of our Lord Iesus Christ and of the blessed Apostles Martyrs Peter Paul Andrew Iames Iohn Thomas Philip Bartholomew Mathew Simon Thaddeus Linus Cletus Clement Sixtus Cornelius Cyprian Laurentius Chrysogonus Iohn and Paul Cosma and Damian and all thy Saints for whose merits and prayers grant that in all things wee may be fortified by the aide of thy protection through the same Christ our Lord Amen Communicantes memomoriam venerantes imprimis gloriosae semper Virginis Mariae genitricis Dei Domini nostri Iesu Christi sed beatorum Apostolorum ac Martyrum Petri Pauli Andreae Iacobi Iohannis Thomae Philippi Bartholomaei Matheęi Simonis Thaddei Lini Cleti Clementis Sixti Cornelii Cypriani Laurentii Chrysogoni Iohannis Pauli Cosmae Damiani omnium sanctorum tuorū quorum meritis precihusque concedas vt in omnibus protectionis tuae muniamur auxilio per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum Amen Durand in rational l. 4. ad 3. part c. 38. Durand attributes this peece to Pope Syricius In the Primatiue Church mention was made of Saints simply for the reasons before mentioned but they were not therefore invocated saith Saint Augustine but were named to teach vs Aug. de ciu dei lib. 22 c. 10. Dionys hierarch c. 3. that they were not dead but translated vnto life For Dionysius saith in the place aboue quoted that they are not dead at all Now heere they goe much beyond the ancient limits for the Communion which ought to be celebrated in remembrance of Christ is now performed in remembrance of men such as it hath pleased the Pope to register as Cosma Damian Chrysogonus c. Secondly the Canon is false in all particular Masses for there the people communicate not at all and therefore they are excommunicated as often as they assist at such Masses following the doctrine of the Pope in the Canons Can. peracta de consecrat dist 2. Thirdly through whose vertue is it that the Priest implores the aide of God Is it not through the vertue of Cletus and Chrysogonus c. And how well agrees this with a canon following which beginneth Nobis quoque where he beseecheth God not to poyse at all their merites but to grant them his pardon where we may obserue that after they haue once stood vpon their merits in this canon they renounce them in a canon following see what strange contradictions be heere throughout Holding his hands extended ouer the oblations he saith We pray thee therefore thou being pacified that thou wouldest receiue this our oblation of seruitude of all thy family and that thou wouldest dispose our dayes in thy peace and deliuer vs from eternall damnation enrole vs amongst the flock of thine elect Heere hee ioynes his hands through Christ our Lord Amen Which oblation wee beseech thee O God in all things to make †blessed †ascribed †ratified †reasonable †and acceptable to the end that it may be made vnto vs the body and blood of thy most beloued Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Hanc igitur oblationem seruitutis nostrae sed cunctae familiae tuae quaesumus domine vt placatus accipias diesque nostros in tua pace disponas atque ab aeterna damnatione nos eripias in electorum tuorum iubeas grege numerari per Christum Dominum nostrum Amen Quam oblationem tu Deus in omnibus quasumus †benedictam †ascriptam †ratam †rationabilem †acceptabilemque facere digneris vt corpus sanguis fiat dilectissimi Filii tui Domini nostri Iesu Christi Heere the Priest playes the fencer and redoubles the battery for he makes fiue crosses the three first vpon the hoaste and the chalice the fourth vpon the hoaste alone and the fift vpon the chalice onely saying sanguis fiat if it bee not made before But heere you may note a notable forgery for the Priest pruneth Saint Ambrose words Ambr. lib. 4. de sacr c. 5. and insteed of saying after acceptable which oblation is the figure of the body and blood of our Lord he changeth and substituteth in their roome these words that it may be made vnto vs the body and blood of our Lord and from thence they take the foundation of transubstantiation to forge an idoll insteed of the Sacrament It followeth afterwards Who the day before hee suffered tooke bread into his holy venerable hands and lifting vp his eyes vnto Heauen to thee God his Almighty Father giuing thankes vnto thee he blessed it brake it and gaue it to his Disciples saying Take and eate you all of this for this is my body Qui pridie quam pateretur accepit panem in sanctas ac venerabiles manus suas eleuatis oculis in coelum ad te Deum patrem suum omnipotentem tibi gratias agens benedixit fregit deditque discipulis suis dicens accipite manducate ex hoc omnes hoc enim est corpus meum Note that in saying he tooke bread he takes the hoaste with his fore finger and his thumbe and saying eleuatis he liftes vp his eyes and saying he blessed it he makes a signe of the crosse as if that had beene the forme of the benediction which our Sauiour vsed before his crosse was made Then saying hoc he holdes the hoaste with his two fore-fingers and his two thumbes and with one breath pronounceth these words distinctly attentiuely and with a low voyce Iustin Nou. 123. This is my body contrary to the vse of the Primatiue Church which raised her voyce in pronouncing these words Tertia cautela and that in the vulgar tongue And if the Priest stayes or makes a comma at any word the cautell saith that the consecration is to no purpose So that all lyes at the mercy of the Priest who speakes low and whom it much concernes according to that cautell that hee bee not pursye or short-winded That word being spoken the Priest falles vpon his knees adores the hoaste then lifts himselfe vp and holding the hoaste on high makes the people adore it then layes it vpon the corporall and adores againe and you are to remember that from this vntill he wash the foure
was the covenant for it is added Gen. 17.10 and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt mee and you So then the signe taketh the name of the thing signified as when it is said Exod. 11.12 1. Cor. 10 4. Tit. 3.5 Ioh. 3.6 Numb 10. 1. Cor. 5. that the lambe was the Passover that the rocke was Christ that baptisme is the washing of regeneration and Moses when the Arke set forwards said Rise vp Lord and when it rested Returne O Lord and the Arke is called the king of glory Ps 24.7 8. All which manner of speeches although they be in sacramentall matters yet are they not litterally to be vnderstood but doe receaue a sacramentall interpretation Which is the cause why the Doctors Pastours of the Church haue called the sacraments types antitypes figures similitudes significations images representations You shall see hereafter more varietie of the Doctors testimonies At this time note only this that according to the sacramentall phrase and according to the names giuen to the sacraments it may be verified that this is my body imports no changing of the substance for they should be neither types nor figures if they were of the same nature that the things themselues are which they represent figurae non sunt rerum homogencarum Another Classis of arguments against this pretended change is taken from divers concluding reasons The first is this This manner of speech this is my body soundeth not let this be or this shall be my body for these are not imperatiue or operatiue tearmes of a new creature no more then when it was said this is my welbeloued sonne Mat. 3.17 which was but a simple notification of that which he was before the pronouncing of them It is another matter when it is said Gen. 1. Let there be light increase and multiplie for these are not meere enuntiations of things which are but powerfull tearmes to create that which was not The second reason is drawne from the order which our Saviour vsed in taking blessing and breaking before he declared in words that which he presented for to what ende tooke he it but to blesse it and to what end blessed he it but to sanctifie it Now if that blessing had his force it is false to say that by the pronouncing of the last word Meum the consecration is made for if it were so hee should not haue said this is but this shall be my body For when hee would doe a miracle he said Lazarus come forth Ioh. 11.44 and not Lazarus is come forth For that was a tearme to doe and not to declare what was done The third reason is taken from the tearmes themselues for this is my body is not as much as this is my body and bloud which necessarily they must acknowledge if the bread bee transubstantiated into Iesus and so they shall haue good store of rhetoricall figures which notwithstanding the Priests reiect in these words In the same manner one might say as much of this cup is the new Testament for in it there be many degrees of figuratiue interpretations first a metonymie for by the Cup they vnderstand the wine which is within it and by the wine the bloud then a Synecdoche for by the bloud they vnderstand all Christ both his body and soule notwithstanding it is contrary to that which our Saviour would present and represent for by the bread is represented only the communion of the body and by the cup the communion of the bloud of our Lord this is that which we learne of S. Paul â— Cor. 10.16 who saith the bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body not of the bloud of Christ and the cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ Wherevpon one of the first Schoolemen saith â—â—trus de paluâ—e 4. sent d. 11. q. 3. 〈◊〉 44. That the Sacraments doe effect that which they prefigure and that the effect of this Sacrament is the perfect refection of the soule which is nothing else but to eate it drinke it and therefore concludes that it ought to haue a double matter in it to wit matter to eate and matter to drinke Now this Doctor wrot about the yeare 1300 and yet speakes not one word of transubstantiation but only of the figure The fourth reason is that if this transubstantiation of bread and wine had place there would bee three bodies of Iesus Christ at the same time differing in matter and forme that which is visible at the right hand of God in heaven coÌ„sisting of flesh and bone and other two the one made of the substance of bread and the other of water and wine both of them in forme of bread and wine so that they worshippe not Iesus which was borne of the virgin but Iesus which is made of wheat and wine Vâ—de gl verb. conâ—erturtur can quia corpies dist 2. de consec which denieth true substantiation The fift reason is that the perfect body of Christ should receaue every day as many additions as there bee consecrated hoastes or else the substance of this hoaste doth vanish away and giues place to her first body which if it were so there would be no changing but onely a displacing of the substance and changing of the place Neuerthelesse it will be hard to beleeue that of the substance of a glorified body wormes may be engendred or that it is at the mercy of a flye and it is blasphemous and contrary to naturall knowledge to beleeue that accidents may subsist without a subiect or can corrupt without a substance The sixt is that the bones of our Sauiour bee broken which were not euen in his type Exod. 12.46 Ioh. 19.36 you shall not breake the bones and therefore they were preserued vpon the crosse although it were the custome to breake their bones which died in that manner vpon the crosse Now if his bones were not broken in his humilitie wherefore doe they teach that they can breake them in his glory Psal 16. The seauenth is taken from that it is said that his body shall not take corruption Now if he be chewed by the teeth of the Priest Can 7. caueat execrationes goes down into his stomack passeth into his guts for to that purpose they abstaine to eat for some time if he doth that which the cautells specifie it is certaine that he corrupteth which being impossible it followeth that this eating of Christ is not carnall but to beleeue is to drinke Ioh 6.35 Ier. 15.16 and to come to Christ is to eate as saith S. Iohn So in Ieremy I haue eaten the word is to say I haue beleeued it and in the revelation to eat the booke Apoc. 10.9 Can. â—t quid putas de consec dist 2 Cass in liturg whereof he spake is to beleeue it as saith S. Augustine in the Canon beleeue and thou
For if it might be saith Origen vpon the 15 chap of Mat. that the wicked should eat the word which is made flesh it had never beene written whosoever shall eat this bread shall liue eternally The reason hereof is evident for seeing that the flesh and bloud are eaten only by the faithful and are receaued only by faith this body cannot bee eaten vnworthily For as S. Augustine saith Lib. 5. cont Donatistas tract in Iohan. 26. We are not to conceaue that the wicked doe eat the body of Christ although hee carnally and visibly doe breake with his teeth the signes of the body and bloud Note that he saith signes for S. Paul saith not whosoeuer eateth this body vnworthyly but whosoeuer eateth of this bread drinketh of this cup. Which eating of the meere signe is sufficient to make any man culpable which approacheth vnworthily and reiecteth the grace which his prince offereth him trampling vnder foot his armes and iniuring his ambassadour Heb. 10.26.28 which are no lesse then crymes of high nature offered to his sacred maiestie So the contempt of circumcision was a cause of Gods forsaking his people see more in the punishment of the Bethsamites for prying within the Arke of the covenant Gen. 17. 1. Sam. 7 36. 6.19 and of the Philistians who placed it in the temple of their Idoll Inn. de sacram altaris c. 4 13. 14. pâ—nem domini non panem dominum The fifteenth reason is taken from the wordes which S. Paul vseth that hee is culpable and receiueth his owne damnaon eating vnworthily the bread of the Lord. So Iudas eate the bread of the Lord but not the bread which is the Lord saith Innocent Whence it followeth that there is no transubstantiation considering that after the consecration he speaketh of two breades the one Panis domini the bread of the Lord which is the wheaten loafe the other Panis Dominus the bread which is the Lord to wit the true body of Iesus Christ the one in Heauen the other on earth the one receiued with the hand and the mouth of the body the other with faith which is the hand and mouth of the soule the one offered by the minister of the Church the other by Iesus Christ himselfe Wherefore S Paul saith that he which eateth and drinketh vnworthily discerneth not the Lords body Where to discerne διακÏίνειν is as much as to separate the one from the other and to haue a diuers respect of either for if there be but one there can be neither discerning nor distinguishing The sixteenth reason is taken from hence that the pretended change made by the pronouncing of words will accuse them in that they haue not the power to change as wel the accidents as the substance nor to conuert the forme as well as the matter And they must needes interprete these words this is my body in this manner this substance with his accidents is changed into an other substance without accidents The seuenteenth is taken from that which the Apostle saith You shall declare the Lords death vntill his comming 1. Cor. 11.26 For if we are not to celebrate this action but vntill his comming by a consequent there ought not to bee any more Masses said for according to the Priests doctrine Christ hath often descended already vnto vs. The eightenth is that we are not to celebrat the memory of things present but of those which are absent and therefore seeing that this is a commemoration of Iesus Christ it followeth that he is not there carnally present The nineteenth is taken from the letter to which the Priests so much sticke for this is my body makes not whole Christ and consequently the Priest in pronouncing those words vnderstands him not wholly and therefore ought not to adore him as is before said Numb 23. The twentieth reason is taken from the testimony of Cyrill before cited that the Sacrament is life vnto euery man Cyrill lib. 4. in Ioh. c. 19. is death vnto none whosoeuer he be that receiueth it So that if there were a true transubstantiation of the breade Pope Victor the 3. and the Emperour Henry the 7. would not haue beene poysoned with the bread and wine transubstantiated for neither the body nor bloud glorified is capable of poyson Exod. 16.15 78.25 Joseph Angles in storibus 4. quaest de susc diffic 2. Alexand Hales part 4. q. 45. m. 1. c. The one and twentieth reason for it is behoofull to haue iust furniture is taken from Manna a figure of this Sacrament which though it were not transubstantiated yet was it stiled the bread of Angels and Heau'nly bread and that which was reserued thereof in the Arke putrified not wherfore the bread which is in the Masse is not the naturall and carnall body of our Lord For if it were it would haue no lesse vertue in it to guard it then its legall figure had to preserue it selfe from wormes mice and other creatures with which the Priests stand at mortall enmity this day The last reason is taken from hence that our Sauiour ought to be adored with one onely kinde of adoration before and after his incarnation for the incarnation cannot be a cause of a new worship such as is in the Masse which endures no longer then the species doe subsist without putrifying whereas the onely and true adoration due to our Lord is due onely to the Person of Christ wherein two natures are inseparably vnited Wherefore the Ephesian Creed made against Paulus Damasetanus and translated out of Greeke into Latin by Peltanus the Iesuite saith We confesse that Iesus Christ our Lord ought to be entirely adored with his body but not according to his body For this reason the Arrians haue beene called idolaters by Athanasius Cyrill and Theodoret because they adored a god which they said was created §. Nobis quoque vers per quem The same say the Priestes in the Masse in these words by whom thou createst vnto vs these dayly goods And these goods after the words of pretended consecration are called pure Sacraments in temporall gifts and therefore they cannot be inseparably and hypostatically vnited to the person of our Sauiour § Corpus tuum Inspec sacer versican tangendo Corpus Christi propter continentiam tuam excellentissimae diuinitatis Christi who is neither a Sacrament nor in their sense a temporall gift Likewise Nestorius beleeuing our Sauiour to be man sustaining the God-head hath been condemned as an Heretique much more reason is there to brand with such a title those which beleeue the simple accidents doe sustaine a body and a soule euen the whole entire diuinity and who ordaine an adoration of Sacraments and things visible and temporall which are not God inuisible eternall infinite neither our Sauiour in his naturall existence who is at the right hand of God farre differing from a sacramentall existence which the Councell of Trent confesseth
will can not be hindred by the will and effect of any other creature And Tertullian Tert. ad vers praxeam He could haue giuen feathers to men as well as to birds but though he could yet it followeth not that he would c for the power of God is his will According to this Orthodoxe doctrine we say that there bee some things impossible to God as first those things which are repugnant to his nature as when it is said that he cannot lye for hee is truth Heb. 6 1â— Iam. 1.13 2. Tim. 2.13 Aug. 5. de â—iv c. 10. idem de symb l. 1. Hier. ad Eustac Lâ—mb lib. 1. d. 40. c. he cannot be tempted with evill he cannot deny himselfe And to this purpose saith S Augustine That God cannot doe some things although he be omnipotent Secondly wee say that God cannot doe those things which are contradictory to the order which he hath established as to make darknes to giue light or a triangle not to containe in it three angles Wherefore we say that in regard that our Lord hath a true and naturall body hee hath alwaies the essentiall qualities belonging therevnto so that hauing said that it was expedient for him to goe to heauen that he might send vs the comforter which is the holy Ghost Ioh. 16. Act. 3. Can. prim quideÌ„ that wee shall not alwaies haue him with vs and that he will not come againe vntill the day of iudgement it followeth that it is false that the Priests doe make him descend at every Masse which they say considering that we neither see him nor touch him 1. Pet. 2. whereas he is like vnto vs in all things sinne only excepted The third obiection is that this transubstantiatioÌ„ is made by a miracle which S. Augustine denieth who saith Aug. de trinit lib. 3. c. 10. Exod. 7.10 Ioh. 2.9 These things may he honoured as being religious but they cannot chalenge admiration or astonishment as if they were miraculous The reason is because that which is miraculous may bee seene and bee apprehended by the senses as when Aarons rod or the water of Cana were changed but men admire not that which they perceaue not and therefore if one would speake properly it cannot be tearmed a miracle The fourth obiection is that the body of Christ is glorified and therefore is spirituall and like vnto Angels This makes not that it hath not flesh and bones for after that he was raysed vp from the dead he said himselfe Luk. 24.9 Damas de fide orthodoxa lib. â— c. 3. a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me haue And Damascen Neither of Christs natures is capable to receaue contrary differences Now if it were invisible in the sacrament and visible in heauen his humanity would receaue contrary differences which it cannot doe And S. Augustine if this bee my body Aug ad Dardâ—num saith he it is then in a certaine place c. As for that which some obiect that the body of our Saviour is spiritual S. Augustine interpreteth it Aug. ad Conscent as the sensitiue body is not soule but body so the spirituall body is not a spirit but a body For saith Theodoret Theod. dialog confusus the nature of a true body continued with our Lord after his resurrection and was not changed at all onely that which was corruptible and mortall in him was changed into immortalitie and incorruption And as for that which is said that we shall be like vnto Angells the word like sheweth that we shall not be altogether the same Tertull. de resur Hier. cant Ioh. hyerosol ad Eust So saith Tertullian Iesus Christ said not that they shall be Angels to deny they shall be men but that they shall be like Angels to shew that they shall be men And in another place he saith by these words they shall be like vnto Angells nature is not taken from vs but the likenesse of Angels is promised vnto vs. Aug. retract l. 1 c. 13. 26. S. Augustine teacheth vs the same And seeing that this resembling is not onely in the humanitie of Iesus but also in all the faithfull we ought for the same reason to nullify the humanitie of al the Saints The resemblance therefore consists in incorruption in obedience to God and in the holynesse of life and not in the privatioÌ„ of a true humane body For though the humane body should be throughout Angelicall yet could it not be any whit the more visible in one place and invisible in another or in two places at the same time to this purpose saith Didimus Didimus tractatu de spir c. Basil tract de spirit c c. 22. The spirit is every where and therefore is God which cannot be said of Angels And Basil the great All other powers are circumscribed for the Angell which visited Cornelius was not in the same place where it accompanied Philip. As for his transfiguration his walking vpon the waters his entring in the doores being shut these were effects of his divinitie and not abrogatings of his humanitie not changings of his body but making of the creature to giue place to his creator and consolidating the waters for euen in the like manner the Apostles haue come out of prison the doore being shut and their chaines haue fallen off and S. Peter if hee had faith enough might walke vpon the water yet was there no necessitie to change his humane nature by that meanes to make him the more capable of that action It followeth afterwards that the Priest stretching forth his hand saith Vpon which things let it please thee to looke with a propitious and a fauourable countenance and to accept them as thou didst vouchsafe to accept the gifts of thy iust sonne Abel and the sacrifice of our Patriarch Abraham and as the holy sacrifice and immaculat hoast which thy high Priest Melchisedeckâ— offered vnto thee Supra quae propitio ac sereno vultu respicere dignoris accepta habere sicuti accepta habere dignatus es munera pueri tui iusti Abel sacrificium Patriarcha nostri Abrahae quod tibi obtulit summus sacerdos tuus Melchisedech sanctum sacrificium immaculatam hostiam Of what oblation speakes he If it bee of the oblation of bread that subsists no more for hee hath said already hoc est corpus meum it is therefore of Iesus Christ and doth hee doubte that it will not bee acceptable to God as the flocke of Abel o impietie the Priest did before offer vp bread not consecrated for the remission of sinnes and here offering vp Iesus whom he hath adored and made the people to adore doth abate his price pray God that it may be in the same ranke that was the bread of Melchisedecke Eph. 2.18 Ioh. 14.6 Heb. 14.15 Where is the knowledge the conscience the zeale of the house of God Come Lord Iesus we beleeue
and knowe that wee are acceptable to God through Iesus Christ by his merits and through the fauour of his intercession The Priest quite contrary doth here intercede for him that he may be acceptable vnto God Secondly him which is the holy one of God and on whom all sanctification doth depend the Priest would make as holy as the goats of Abel whereas contrariwise it is written The bloud of Iesus speaketh better things then that of Abel Heb. 12.24 And what a presumption is it to enterprise the sacrificing of Iesus by that meanes making ones selfe more worthy then him for the sacrifice is not acceptable in it selfe Heb. 11.4 leen l. 4. cōntra haeres valent c. 34. but in consideration of him which offereth it and that is the reason which S. Paul alleageth why God regarded the sacrifice of Abel and not of Cain because his person pleased him not And S. Ireneus giues the same reason Afterwards the Priest falls vpon his knees saith We humbly beseech thee Almightie God that thou wilt command these things to bee carried by the hands of thine holy Angell vnto thine holy altar in the sight of thy divine maiestie Supplices te rogamus omnipotēs Deus iube haec perferri per manus sancti angeli tui in sublime altare tuum in cōspectu divinae Maiestatis tuae It it be Iesus Christ he needs not the ministery of Angels to ascend into heauen he ascended thither once by his own vertue and if he be once ascended by virtue of what words may men make him redescend and when for if the Priest be to devoure him and make him passe into his entralles as is before said he had need to pray that he might descend not ascend And if it be only to present himselfe vnto God he needs not ascend for God is every where but how will this ascension agree with his descent into the stomacke how the one and the other with that which the glosse saith That this one thing is certaine Gl. V. miscere can quibus gradibus 2. dist de consecrat per aqualicales digestus in secessunt diffunditur that assoone as the species of bread and wine are broken with the teeth straight waies the body of Christ is wrapt vp into heauen whereas the text forbids the Priest to eat six houres after for feare least hee should mingle a part of that body with the meat which passeth through What impietie what blasphemie is this The Priest raiseth himselfe vp and saying participatione kisseth the altar To the ende that all wee which shall take by participating of this altar the body crossing the hoast and the bloud crossing the chalice of thy sonne may be filled with all benediction and crossing himselfe celestiall grace through the same Christ our Lord Amen Vt quot quot ex hac altaris participatione sacrosanctum filij tus corpus sanguinem sumpserimus omni benedictictione coelesti gratia repleamur per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum Amen The Priest shewes what participation he intends to speak of by kissing the aultar and saying this prayer which is an idolatry reiterated as aboue is shewed for if he intended to speake by a rhetoricall figure and to take the altar for that which is vpon the altar to wit the Sacrament hee ought to shew the Sacrament and not the altar So that this participation is but the kisse which he bestowes at this time Secondly is not this to mocke the people to say We shall take For if the people participate not at all this prayer cannot be made for them Wee may not forget the three signes of the crosse which are made vpon the hoast the Chalice and the Priest himselfe to every one one by which hee exalts himselfe aboue that which he blesseth as is said before The second memento Remember also O Lord thy servants N. who went before vs with the signe of faith and sleepe in the sleepe of peace Memento etiam Domine famulorum famularumque tuarum N. qui nos praecesserunt cum signo fidei dormiunt in somne pacis This second memento is said ordinarily with the hands ioyned and comming to these words who sleepe in the sleepe of peace the Priest seemeth to sleepe but in the meane time he must forsooth insert those which are recommended vnto him and which haue furnished him with matter of remembrance Afterwards he rouseth himselfe and cryeth ipsis domine c. I demand therefore what that prayer is profitable for after he hath once prayed for those which sleepe in the sleepe of peace are there two peaces in the other world But hence ariseth the profit of the Priest who perswadeth the ignorant people that hee is the clearke of the signet for their deceased friends Now if they sleepe in peace tell mee why takest thou my mony why preachest thou not vnto me that which is written Ioh. 3.36 5.24 Luk. 23.43 Hee which beleeueth on the sonne hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death vnto life Why proposest thou not the example of the theefe who the same day of his death went with our Saviour into Paradise Wherefore takest thou not away the terrours of Purgatories fire which proceeded frō Tophet and were too soone kindled for the peoples profit Lastly Ioh. 1.1.7 why tellest thou not that The bloud of Iesus clenseth vs from all our sinnes Alas we being washed therewith need not feare to be reputed any more polluted seeing that Iesus Christ hath by himselfe purged our sinnes where note that he saith by himselfe and not by imaginary fire And teaching this for the consolation of the faithfull turne but the leafe for the wicked and you shall read in capitall letters Hee which beleeueth not is already condemned Ioh. 3.36 hee that beleeueth not the sonne shall not see life Can. maiores extat de baptismo but the wrath of God abideth on him Wherefore then doe they invent halfe pardons penall graces pardons without mercy when as even the decretall glosses doe teach vs the contrary ◠1. § fi C. de sententiam passis Larga dei pietas c The great bounty of God will not pardon thee by halfes but if thou weepest it will giue thee all or none And the Lawyers hold that all restitution doth remit that which the sentence of condemnation had taken away Neither doth the distinction of veniall and mortall sinnes any whit serue their turnes for where the law distinguisheth not all distinctions are but extinctions of the law Now it is written the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6.13 Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 That is eternall Also the soule which sinneth shall die and cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the law to doe them Wherefore let vs thus conclude all sinnes merit death but veniall sinnes are sinnes and therefore veniall
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