to what purpose is this here put in Brethrē For That which I receaued of the Lord. c. Whervnto is this For referred wherfore rēdreth he a reason considering that there is nothing going before that cā be referred to any thing which may any way serue the turne for the matter that S. Paule here treateth of This peece therfore must otherwise be deuided and sclantled to make it serue for this purpose Thus we see how they are wonted ordinarely to deale with the Scriptures b S. Paul by these words declareth that he was nothing so rash as these men who haue added so many thinges to the Supper as that they haue turned it into a pestilēt Idolatrous Masse haue by those additions so blemished it as that there remaineth not any face or forme of the true Supper of the Lord wherby he also sheweth that he was neuer any of their company For he saieth plainly that he deliuered vnto the Corinthiās such a pure sound institutiō of the same as he receaued frō the Lord Iesus without adding therto or diminishing therfrō wherin he eftsoones giueth to vnderstād that it is not lawfull for any mā to do it of what authority so euer he be 1. Cor. 11.12 If S. Paul then durst take no further authority vpō him being the man that was rapt vp into the third heauen and saw thinges not lawfull for any man to speake what shal we think of the forgers of the Masse of whom we haue heretofore spoken who thereby haue so blemished the supper of the Lord as that they haue vtterly ouerthrowen abolished it whom then should we not assueredly follow 1. Cor. 11. either S. Paule who sayeth follow me as I follow Christ or these Apostates and Antechristes who do cleane contrary to him and besides would burne all those that had rather follow Iesus and the holy Apostles then them selues c S. Mark in his 14. Ch. sayth that he blessed declaring therby that to blesse giue thākes is here taken to be alone as hath ben say in other places d This breaking declareth that this bread ought to be distributed as it is here e He eateth it not alone as the priest doth neither doth he worship it or yet putteth it into a pixe to cary about on procession to carry here there to be worshipped or to cōiure tempestes but cōmandeth it to be taken eftsoones eaten f We haue heretofore sufficiētly hādled this matter to teach vs in what sence these words are to be takē how those words also are to be takē which follow the cup dish ouer and besides that which we at larg haue writē disputed vpō in the booke of the Ministery of the word of God of the Sacraments And therfore we will here only say and not deny but that the very body and blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ is truly deliuered vnto all the faithful in the supper by an inuisible power of the holy Ghost spiritually to the spirituall regenerate man which receaueth it by faith is therwith spiritually fed in a spirituall life as the body receaueth the material bread is therwith fed in a corporal life but that there is no alteratiō of the substance in either of both neither yet any naturall and material coniunction betwene the bread and wine and the body and blood of Iesus Christ g There is in S. Paules wordes according to the Greeke which is broken for you h He sayeth not Do ye this as a sacrifice for the redemption of the soules both of the quicke and dead but that we should do that which he did caused to be done in the Supper not that which he did on the crosse wheron he offred a sacrifice for the redemption of our soules which is sufficiēt for vs can be done by none other nor in any other place neither yet by any other meane wherof the Supper is a remēbrance no sacrifice but much lesse a Masse for it is neither the one nor yet the other because they would make it that which it cannot be For it cannot be this sacrifice if it be not Iesus Christ him selfe who offred him selfe in that sorte that he was offred And if that be it thē without doubt Iesus the son of God ceaseth to be i If the Romanistes would strictly according to the letter presse the words of our Sauiour Iesus Christ which he spake concerning the body and blood of the Supper we may also cōclude by the same reasons that the cup is likewise the new Testament confirmed by the blood of Iesus Christ and not the blood it selfe according to the testimonies of Saint Paule and Saint Luke 1. Cor. 11. Luke 12. who both vse the very selfe same wordes therein k This is to declare that which he said Do ye this that is to say eate this bread and drinke this wine in remembrance of me as I haue appointed you which thing the Apostle manifestly explaneth immediatly after both of the one the other without any deuiding of thē as they of the romish church deuide thē in the cōmuniō of the people l This expoundeth what it is to celebrate this remembrance of Iesus Christ for the which the Supper was instituted He sayeth not As aften as ye shall offer this bread this cup you shal make a sacrifice of the body and blood of the Lord. m This accordeth with the testimony which the Angels gaue vnto the Apostles that day that Iesus Christ ascēded Act. 1. touching his returne from heauē By which words S. Paul giueth vs very plainly to vnderstād that he ment not that Iesus Christ descēded frō heauē corporally in flesh blood bones came into the priests handes in that behalfe to be made a sacrifice afterward to be really in deede eaten by him as they of the popish church vnderstand it But declareth that he is in heauē in his natural body from whence we must looke for him to come to iudge the quicke the dead according to the wordes of the articles of our Faith And that in the meane while we should here celebrate the remembrance of him thereby to giue him thankes that we might alwayes more and more assure our selues of his promises that we are in him and he in vs through the power of the faith which we haue in him of the holy Ghost by whose power he dwelleth in vs. n Here S. Paule after the pronouncing of the Sacramētall wordes calleth the bread wine the signes of the Supper not the body and blood 1. Cor. 6. Ephes 1. Which thing was not done without the assuered councell of the spirite of God For although they of the Romish church excuse this maner of speaking in their expositions to the end it should not encounter with their trāsubstantiatiō yet should they haue had a farre greater aduauntage if Saint Paule had rather vsed the
respōsum fuerit ab alijs Clerici respondent Amē Misereatur c. Of the thinges that are to be considered vpon this entree and publike confession of the priest CHAPTER VIII BEcause others haue more at large and more particularly and plainly handled those places of the holy Scriptures which are here alleaged shewing how ill they are applied and how they mocke and blaspheme God I will the lightlier passe them ouer and stay the longer vpon the rest of the pointes which may be ouerslipt a Seeing the priest is thus in his owne person prepared to go to the Aultar I will first of all demaund of him whether he vsed this Aultar which is here spoken of Hebr. 13. after the maner of the Ieweish or Heathnish aultars For Christians haue no materiall aultars but onely this spirituall Aultar wheron it is not lawfull for thē that serue in the Tabernacle or that be still Ieweish to eate and therfore much lesse for thē that follow the heathen as they herein do which are of the Romish church declaring them selues thereby to be either very Iewes or very Heathen or else both onelesse happely they meane not to take the name of Aultar for such an Aultar as they sacrifice vpon for the redemption of soules as they say they do whē they are at Masse but for the Table wheron the supper is celebrated and whereon they giue thankes to God which are the very true sacrifices of prayse in that sence which the aunciēt Fathers tooke the name of Aultar when as they speake of the Sacrament of the Supper which vpon that occasiō was called the Sacrament of the Aultar b If that which hath bene now said of the Aultar Psalme 43. be well vnderstood it is an easie matter to iudge for what purpose this Psalme is here set downe and the reason thereof c It was ordeined in the 2. Councell of Laodicea La. Concil that many of the Psalmes and their versicles should not be confounded one with an other but be rehearsed in the selfe same forme and maner as the seruantes of God made them Which ordenance they of the popish church do worse obserue in the Masse then in any other place For either they confound pele mele for euery purpose many of the versicles which are taken out of the Psalmes as if they would make neither rime nor reason of them or else they deuide a Psalme and take out of it certen versicles which they mingle and remingle so rehearse them to no purpose and without all reason as easely may be iudged by the sight of this maner which is here vsed in their Masse d I my selfe knew once a parish priest who neuer vnderstood either yet was able to pronounce this Introibo but alwayes said Et introibo adtartara Dei that is to say I will go into the hell of God In which saying he deceaued not him selfe much For to take the Aultar in that sence which they of the popish church here take it and to do that which they do in it is in very deede the hie way to hell for asmuch they forsake Iesus Christ vpon it by whome onely we are to be deliuered thence And therefore there is good cause why the priest looketh downeward bowing him selfe to the ground as a man that had quite and cleane forgotten heauen yea and his owne nature also wherein God created him and as if he were become a very beast touching his smeller downeward according to the maner which the Poete here writeth of Ouid. Meta. lib. 1. and in the same sence as it is here set downe in English And though that euery liuing thing His eyes to ground is made to caste Yet God mans face hath set shining A lofte to looke on heauen to taste That he might well perceaue and see His dwelling place on hie to bee But this our maister Asse driuer leaueth looking vp into heauen and stoupeth to the ground whereof he is more carefull then of heauen But if he did this in humblenesse of minde and contritenesse of heart for his sinnes as the miserable Publicane did there were great reason in it But I thinke him farre enough of from that e This versicle is taken out of another Psalme and not out of the former which manifestly conteruaileth the confession that the priest anonafter maketh Psal 136. For where the Prophete exhorteth the people of God to praise the Lord and giue him such thankes as belōg vnto him which the word Confesse signifieth in the holy Scriptures he addresseth him selfe vnto another them vnto God f Dauid sayeth Against thee alone haue I sinned I haue said Psal 31. I wil confesse my vnrighteousnes vnto the Lord against my selfe thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne But here the priest confesseth him selfe to all the men woman saintes For he thinketh it not enough to confesse him selfe to God alone with whom al the Patriarches Prophetes Apostles were very well contented g But the worst of all the rest is this that when he craueth pardon in his confession for his sinnes he neuer once maketh mention of Iesus Christ to beseech him to be his Aduocate vnto his Father to helpe him But onely of the virgine Marie and of the men and women Saintes Which is too grosse a blasphemy against the office and benefite of Iesus Christ 1. Tim. 2. 1. Iohn 2. Rom. 8. vnto whom the onely office of Mediatour and Aduocate apparteineth h This lowe stowping maketh a iolly shew of a penitent person i The clarke which helpeth the priest to Masse absolueth the priest aswell as the priest absolueth him anon after And therefore it is that they confesse them selues one to an other But here is all the difference that is betwene them that the Misereatur which the clarke and the rest that helpe him at Masse do pronounce to the priest is said in the singular nomber because it is spoken particularly to the priest Of the confession and absolution aswell of the clarkes which helpe him at Masse as of those which are also at the hearing of it and of the absolution which the priest giueth them and of the prayers which he sayeth before he commeth to the Aultar and of the iestures gapinges and gaspinges of his mouth and wreathinges which he must there make CHAPTER IX ET post confiteor assistentium dicat Sacerdos Amē fratres sorores per misericordiam Domini nostri Iesu Christi per auxilium signū sanctae crucis †per intercessionē beatae gloriosae semperque virginis Mariae per merita beatorū Apostolorū Petri Pauli beati Michaëlis archāgeli beatiss Iuliani omniis sanct sanctarū misereatur vestri omnipotēs Deus dimittat vobis omnia peccata vestra perducat vos Iesus Christus filius Dei ad vitā aeternam Amen Indulgentiam absolutionem remissionē omnium peccatorum vestrorum tribuat vobis pius Pater misericors
Dominus Amen Et gratia S. Spiritus paracleti illuminet sensus corda corpora nostra emundet nos à vitijs delictis omnibus Amen Adiutorium nostruÌ„ in nomine Domini Qui fecit caeluÌ„ terram Sit nomen Domini benedictum Ex hoc nunc vsque in seculuÌ„ Ora pro nobis sanctissima Dei genitrix Vt digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi Domine exaudi orationem meam Et clamor meus ad te veniat Dominus vobiscum Et cum spiritu tuo Oremus Inclinando se ante altare dicat submissa voce Sacerdos Auser à nobis Domine cuÌ„ctas iniquitates nostras vt ad sancta sanctoruÌ„ puris mereamur mentibus introire Per Christum Dominum nostrum Posteà dicat secretò adhuc inclinatus Oramus te Domine per merita sanctoruÌ„ quoruÌ„ reliquiae hic sunt omniuÌ„ sanctoruÌ„ vt indulgere digneris omnia peccata mea Amen Quae completa erigit se manus super altare deponens osculatur altare accipiensque thuribulum si sit Missa solennis festi duplicis à Diacono a incensat altare reddito thuribulo diacono osculando patenam dicat 6 Adoramus te Christe benedicimus tibi Quia per sanctam crucemâ—uam redemisti mundum Qui passus es pro nobis Domine miserere nobis Oratio Respice quae sumus Domine super hanc familiam tuam pro qua Dominus nâ—ster Iesus Christus non dubitauit manibus tradi nocentium crucis subire tormentum Qui tecum viuit reg ANd a after that the assistantes haue said their Confiteor let the priest say Amen Brethren sisters that by the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ Miss G. by the aide and signe of the holy crosse †through the intercession of the alwaies blessed and glorious virgine Mary and by the merites of the holy Apostles Peter and Paule and of Saint Michael the archaÌ„gell of the most holy Saint Iulian and of all the holy men women the God almighty haue mercy vpoÌ„ you and forgiue you all your sinnes and I do further beseech the Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God to bring you to euerlasting life AmeÌ„ I do also moreouer beseech our good Father Mercyful Lord to pardoÌ„ forgiue you al your sinnes AmeÌ„ And the grace of the holy Ghost the comforter enlighten our mindes heartes bodyes and cleanse vs of all our sinnes and iniquities Amen Our aide is in the name of the Lord who hath made both heauen earth Blessed be the name of the Lord our God froÌ„ henceforth for euermore Most holy mother of God pray for vs That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ Lord heare my prayer let my crye come vnto thee The Lord be with you And with thy spirite Let vs pray c Let the priest in bowing him selfe before the Aultar say whisperingly Lord take from vs all our iniquities that our spirites being purified we may deserue to enter into the holy of holy ones through Christ Iesus our Lord. Then stowping let him secretly say We beseech thee ô Lorde through the merites of the Saintes whose reliques we here haue through the merites of the rest of the Saintes to forgiue me all my sinnes Amen And when he hath done all these thinges let him lift vp him selfe laying his handes vpoÌ„ the Aultar kisse it and if it be a solemne masse by reason of the double feast let him take the censour out of the deacons hand a Leo 3. cense the aultar therwith giuing the deacon the ceÌ„sor againe kisse the paten say We f worship and blesse thee ô Christ because that through thy holy crosse thou hast redemed the world Thou ô Lord which hast suffred for vs haue mercy vpon vs. The prayer We besech thee ô Lord to looke vpoÌ„ this thy familie for the which our Lord Iesus Christ refused not to be betrayed into that hands of the wicked abide the torment of the crosse Who liueth and reigneth with thee c. Of the blasphemies that are both in this Absolution as also in all these prayers and of the Sepulchers and reliques which are buried in the Aultars CHAPTER X. a HEre is to be vnderstood that after the priest is confessed as we haue heard and absolued aswell as the clarke is able to absolue him his clarke and they which helpe him at Masse make likewise their confession theÌ„ he also absolueth theÌ„ in such maner and order as here is set downe although therein be some diuersitie according to the seuerall vsages Now there is almost neuer a worde wherein are not as many blasphemies as there are sundry vsages especially for so much as the honour which apperteineth to Iesus Christ alone is not onely giuen to men women Saintes but also vnto the signe of the crosse And so much as concerneth the men and women Saintes who chiefly are named aswell in the confessioÌ„ as in the absolution we are to note that therein is neither certaine nomber nor yet order For euery of them putteth in whom soeuer pleaseth them but especially their Patrons and such as they haue a most singular deuotion vnto It is easely also by this forme and maner to be iudged that this enterlude is not fit to be playd without there be moe then one person with the priest at Masse because it is an enterlude that requiteth many b After that this blasphemour hath disgorged a cart loode full of blasphemies against God he then calleth vpon him for helpe and forthwith he againe returneth to blaspheme both him and the virgine Mary also calling vpon her in stead of Iesus Christ Hereby we may vnderstand that a man may iudge of what soeuer is in the Masse that is taken out of the holy Scriptures seeing it is entermedled with as infinite a nomber of blasphemies as good holsome meate is entermedled with poison Wherefore it is so farre of that that which seemeth to be good is not there made any whit the better but rather become a great deale more detestable for so much as the word name of God of the men women Saintes are therin more profaned blasphemed And againe we se moreouer what a mixture of sondry peeces is here heaped vp together to fro without any iudgement in the world and without following any one certaine text of any certaine matter c Why hath the priest here a coÌ„mandement to buzze the two prayers ensuing softly secretly For this is manifestly against the Statutes and decrees of the councell of Basile by which is ordeined that the priests are to be reproued and corrected which say Masse with secret prayers so low vowed as that they which are present and about them cannot heare what they say By which also all they are condemned who either mumble vp or curtall their wordes either in their Masse or canonicall Howres and do not so distinctly
For we haue here the maner testimonie of all these thinges For this oblation which is here spoken of according as they in the olde time vsed it in that sense that it hath already bene interpreted was taken from the giftes and presents which we haue so often made mention of And therfore the Church made this prayer vnto God not meaning that the substance of the bread and wine were changed into the substance of the body and blood of Iesus Christ according to the doctrine of Popish transubstantiation but that they were dedicated and consecrated vnto this holy Sacrament truely to represent this body and blood and the right communicating of them in such sense as we haue already handled them when as we spake of the nature of the consecration in what signification the same ought to be taken For if these wordes be otherwise vnderstood they are taken contrary to the meaning of the holy Scriptures and the auncient Church as hath very largely and manifestly bene shewed by the testimony of the auncient Church doctors alleaged for that purpose by occasioÌ„ of the office of the Feast of Corpus Christi day who haue vsed the like wordes in the very selfe same sense that we expound these Howbeit these our Romanistes haue playd their partes herein as they haue done in all other such like thinges applying this to their transubstantiation as they haue applied the testimonies of the auncient doctours cleane contrary to the meaning both of the doctours also of the auncient Church And therefore this prayer may very well be thus taken as a request which the Church requireth that the bread and wine might be so dedicated and consecrated to this holy Sacrament as that in communicating thereof it might also be a true partaking of the body and blood of Iesus Christ and of their sacrifice as in very deed they are figured by the bread and wine and as the bread and wine by a sacramentall and spirituall presence and vnion do lay them open before vs. And surely there is no reason why we should take it in the same sense that the Romanistes take it for in it is conteined a most intollerable blasphemy For what a kind of speach is this to craue at the handes of God to haue the substaunce of bread and wine chaunged into the substaunce of the body and blood of Iesus Christ For if that should be so it would thereupon follow that that which before was bread is now become the body of Christ which in very deed it was not And so the body of Christ shal be a new body and not that body which is in heaueÌ„ For if it be the same body which is in heauen theÌ„ can not the bread be turned into it and be made that body that before it was For what should become of the substance of bread seeing it hath no more the substance of bread And therfore it must either vtterly become nothing or else become such a thing as it neuer was before For this bread must either be conuerted into the body of Iesus Christ or else this body must needes be a new boby of Iesus Christ or if it be the same that is in heauen it must needes be that the bread must be onely ioined vnto it or else this body must needes grow into the same substaunce that the bread is of which is ioined vnto it The Questionarie and Sophisticall doctors seeing that these absurdities and an infinite number of other such like woulde follow vpon this doctrine haue through diuerse gloses expositions wonderfully tormented theÌ„ selues to make an open waye to escape withall which we haue sufficiently spokeÌ„ of in our booke of the ministery Sacraments And therefore we wil here speake no more of them c Our Romish doctors make sundry and diuerse expositions of the signes of the crosses that are here made But chiefly they diligently admonish and namely Berno to haue great regard that the numbers be not odde Ber Micro de offic Miss Ca. 14. Alama de offic Miss Ca. 14. according to the reasons by him alleaged And contrariwise Alamarius sayeth that it shall not now be needefull to be very inquisitiue why they make moe in one place then in another and more or lesse For sayeth he they that were with Iesus Christ when he made his supper can right wel tel whether he made any crosses or not especially seeing the crosse whereon he was crucified was not yet set vp Wherin he giueth vs sufficiently to vnderstand that it is more likely that Iesus Christ made none at that time theÌ„ otherwise But seeing they haue bene not onely added to the Sacraments as he sayeth but are also so requisite to be had in them as that wiâ—hout theÌ„ there is nothing well done as we haue alreadye treated in another place Nowe because it is not truly knowne who ordeined these crosses Micro Ber. de ossic Miss Ca. 14. Berno referreth them all to the Romish office to Gregory who ordeined it saying that all this came from the Apostolique sea as all the rest of the ceremonies of the Church did And because Berno setteth not downe what Gregorye it was it is noted in the margine amoÌ„gst the exemplares which Cochleus imprinted Cochle in Specu anti deuo im that it was Gregory the seauenth Which ordinaunces doe right well agree with his condition like a coniurer as he was if the testimonies which we haue heard of him be true For it is the property of all coniurers to vse diuerse caracters signes and sigures Of the sixt part of the Canon conteining the consecration of the Bread CHAPTER XL. CVm autem perueÌ„tum fuerit ad Qui pridie ductis planè digitis super pallam accipit hostiam in manibus dicendo b Qui pridie quà m patereuâ—r accepit panem in sanctas ac venerabiles manus suas eleuaâ—is oculis in caelum ad te Deum patrem suum omnipoteÌ„ tem tibi gratias agens bene †dixit fregit deditque discipulis suis dicens Accipite manducate ex hoc omnes Hoc est enim corpus meum Et adorato corpore domini cum mediocri inclinatione eleuatillud reuerenter posteà illud in loco suo deponit a NOwe when he is come to Who the day before He then with his fingers smoothly stretched out ouer the vaale or couer of the chalice taketh the hoste in his handes saying b Who the day before he suffred his passion tooke the bread into his holy and reuerent handes and hauing lifted vp his eyes vnto heauen vnto thee God his father almighty giuing thankes vnto thee blessed †brake and gaue vnto his Disciples saying Take and eate ye all of this For this is my body d And after he hath worshipped the body of the Lord in bowing him selfe a litle he reuerently lifteth it vp and afâ—â—â—ward layeth it downe agaâ—â—e in his place a Here is shewed what ceremonies are requisite for
b Nycholas de Ploue manifestly sayeth Gorrain Mat. Ca. 26. Nico. de Ploue de Expo Miss 2. par CaÌ„ That Iesus Christ made no crosse whenas he blessed consecrated aswell the bread as the wine in the supper because there was no vertue in the crosse before such time as he had suffred his passioÌ„ theron And therefore he expoundeth it thus He blessed it sayth he that is to say he gaue the power of blessing vnto his wordes to the ende the bread wine might be transubstantiated into the body blood Here we see an exposition greatly agreing with the wordes of our Sauiour Iesus Christ if we wil giue credite to this dreaming foolish doctor And againe the power which these MagiciaÌ„s attribute vnto the crosse after the passion greatly sauoureth of their Magicall arte For is not this power in Christ Iesus crucified in whome consisteth all power vertue not in the crosse nor yet in the signes thereof which they make with their hands as if a man should beate flyes away or els play the fencer c The Counsel of Constance opposeth it self vnto these wordes of our Sauiour Iesus Christ d Although these our venerable maisters doe both strongly and coÌ„stantly vphold mainteine that the Sacramental words must be taken according to the letter without anie figuratiue kind of exposition yet are they enforced to expound this place figuratiuely saying This cup that is to say that which is contained in this Cup. For they dare not at any hand say that the Cup is changed into blood as the wordes according to the letter doe signifie and according to their doctrine of transubstantiation the exposition which they make vpon the wordes appertaining to the consecratioÌ„ of the bread And besides this I do verily beleeue that they would be perillouslie angry to see their golden and siluer Chalices turned into blood For I tell you that that were much against their profit And therfore it is no maruell that they receaue allow this glose here in this place Nicol. de Plo. de expos Miss 2. part Can. Nicholas de Ploue mightelie findeth fault with all those Priestes which gaspe breath so much ouer the bread and ouer the Chalice and accompteth theÌ„ to be monstrous offensiue puppies e This many other wordes moe haue bin put into the consecration both of the breade and wine which are not to be found in such forme maner as they are here set down either in S. Paul or yet in anie of the Euangelists f The Chalice is to be worshipped of it selfe De celeb Miss Ca. Sane Nicolas de Plo. de expos Miss as well as his round cake And therefore it is ordained that the people at the time of the eleuatioÌ„ aswel of the singing cake as of the chalice shal deuoutly kneele on their knees worship theÌ„ both Of the eight part of the Canon containing the Sacrifice which is made in the Masse CHAPTER XLII AFter a that lifting vp his armes a little he saith Wherevpon hauing minde And maketh his first three crosses commonly ouer the host and Chalice and the fourth crosse he maketh ouer the host onelie and the fifte ouer the Chalice b And here is to bee noted that from this place euen vnto the last washing of his handes he must ioyne his forefinger and thombe together sauing when he crosseth toucheth the Lordes bodie c Whereupon O Lorde wee thy seruauntes as also thy holie people being mindefull not onely of that thy so blessed passion resurrection from the dead but also of the glorious ascension of thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde into heauen offer vp vnto thie most excellent Maiestie of thie gratious giftes the pure †Host the holie †Host the immaculate †Host the holie †Bread of euerlasting life and the Cup †of euerlasting Saluation After this let him go on with his fingers seuered d Vpon which thinges wee besech thee vouchsafe to looke with a merciful and glad countenance and accept of them as it pleased thee to accept of the giftes of Abâ—ll thy childe of righteousnesse and of the Sacrifice of our holie Patriarke Abraham a a Leo. of the holie Sacrifice and Host without spot which thie high Priest Melchisedech offred vnto thee DEinde extensis aliquantuluÌ„ brachijs dicit Vnde memores Et tres primas cruces deducit super hostiam Calicem communiter quartam crucem super hostiam tantuÌ„ quintum super calicem Et nota quod ab hoc loco vsque ad vltimaÌ„ ablutionem iungeÌ„dus est Index cum pollice praeterquam insignationibus cuÌ„ tangitur corpus Domini Vnde memores Domine nos serui tui sed plebs sancta tua eiusdem Christi filij tui Domini nostri tùm beate passionis nec non ab inferis resurrectionis sed in caelos gloriosae ascenfionis offerimus praeclarae Maiestati tuae de tuis donis datis hostiam †puram hostiam †sanctam hostiam †immaculatam panem †sanctum vitae aeternae calicem †salutis perpeiuae Deinde continuet manibus disiunctis Supra quae propitio ac sereno vultu respicere digneris accepta habere sâ—ut accepta habere dignatus es munera pueri tui iusti Abel Sacrificium Patriarchae nostri Abrahae quod tibi obtulit summus Sacerdos tuus Melchisedech a sanctum Sacrificium immaculataÌ„ hostiam a He is here commaunded to spreade abrode his arms representing therby Iesus Christ haÌ„ging vpon the crosse And therefore forsooth my good Pontificial M. Ienkin vnderwood must here couÌ„terfait the Crucifix Now in verie deede both the place the text fitteth his purpose iump For this is the place where this my M. the Sacrificer maketh his Sacrifice wherein he himselfe saith he sacrificeth offreth Iesus Christ to God And because that Iesus Christ was Sacrificed vppon the crosse therfore this our venerable Sir counterfaiteth the crosse with spreading out of his armes whereon he is with great ease crucified Now because the case so standeth I maruell much how it falleth out that he is not rather commaunded to spreade them out at the vttermost length Nicholas de Ploue who taketh vpon him to make an exposition of these iollie mysticall meaninges Nicol. de Plo. de expos Miss 2. part Con. is verie angrie with a thraue of glorious young Maisters who shame to spreade out here their hands armes for the representing of the maner form wherin they were redémed by Iesus Christ vpoÌ„ the crosse yet are not ashamed to retch out not onely their hands armes at vnlawfull dances and manie other their horrible and abhominable pastimes and perhaps saith he to the embracing of their women and strumpets with them but also the whole bodie likewise representinge thereby the verie image and right figure of their father the Deuill b When our young Maister speaketh of the passion he
must hold his hands armes a crosse and when he speaketh of the resurrection he must withdraw them But when he speaketh of the ascension then his worshipfulnesse must lifte them vp aboue his shoulders Is not this here I beseech you a iollie merie Redeemer and pleasant Iesus Christ Who is it that will not be afeard to heare these scoffes and blasphemies Wherefore I will surceasse to speake any more of these their misticall expositions c Here are notable iollie seruants of God a wonderfull holy people who vtterly deny their Sauiour that redeemed them For what meaneth this offring of a round peece of past vnto the most excellent Maiestie of God which they here call a pure holie and immaculate host and the bread of life c Is not here I pray you a goodly exchaÌ„ge to haue Iesus Christ the verie true bread of life to be turned into a round cake corruptible peece of bread d They which deuided this Canon into fiue partes onely make the thirde part there of in this place which is a prayer that containeth another most horrible blasphemie For here this cursed blasphemer praieth for the Sonne of God to haue the Father accept of him that is to say his Sonne Iesus whome he according to his minde offreth vnto him euen as the auncient Patriarches that are here named did their corruptible thinges which they offred vnto the Lorde For although he offreth in verie deede nothing else but bread and wine yet forsooth his intent is to offer the verie bodie and blood of Iesus Christ the verie true Sonne of God Now if the Sacrifice which he offred had not bene more acceptable vnto the Father then those Sacrifices which the auncient Fathers offered it had not bene needefull for him to haue come to perfourme that which they by no meanes were able to perfourme by these Sacrifices And therefore seing he is come and hath performed it what meaneth here this blasphemour For if he offer vp that sacrifice which Iesus Christ offred what needeth he pray for the same become an aduocate vnto God the Father for him that he might be acceptable vnto his maiesty And besides whie maketh he him a companion with the materiall Sacrifices of the ancient Patriarkes of whom he here speaketh Moreouer if there be nothing else but bread wine which he offreth what neede wee anie such Sacrifice to be ioyned with the sound and perfect Sacrifice of Iesus Christ Of the ninth part of the Canon which also appertaineth vnto the Sacrifice of the Masse CHAPTER XLIII Let him here bowe him seâ—fe downe verie lowe and say O Almightie God wee most humblie beseech thee commaunde these thinges to be borne vp by the handes of thine holie Angell vnto thine high Altar before thy diuine Maiestie b Here let him rise vp and kisse the Altar when he saith To the ende that as manie of vs as haue bene partakets at this Altar of the holy and sacred bodie and blood of thy Sonne may be filled with all heauenly blessing grace through the same Christ Iesus our Lord So be it Here is to be noted that the first of the former crosses is made onely ouer the host the seconde onely ouer the Chalice and with the thirde the Priest must crosse him seâ—fe Hic inclinet se profundè dicat SVpplices to rogamus omnipotens Deus iube haec perferri per manus sancti Angeli tui in subline Altare tuuÌ„ in conspectu diuinae Maiestatis tuae Hic clâ—uet se osculetur altare quaÌ„do dicit Vt quotquot ex hac Altaris participatione sacrosanctum fiâ—ij tui †corpus et sanguinem sumpscrimus omni †gratia repleamur Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum Amen Nota quod praecedétiuÌ„ prima crux fit tantuÌ„ super hostiaÌ„ secunda tantum super CaliceÌ„ tertia seipsum Sacerdos signet a What is the meaning here of our yoÌ„g Maister by these things which he would haue the Angels by the commaundement of God cary vp into heauen Surely we can vnderstand it to be none other thing but onely this bodie blood which he saith he offreth and the same which he calleth the bread of euerlasting life and the Cup of euerlasting saluatioÌ„ Howbeit Thomas of Aquin perceauing that this carieth no reason with it interpreteth these wordes Lib. 4. Sen. dâ—st 13 Niâ—â—â—l de Plo. De expo Mâ—ss 3. part Can. to be the vowes prayers as well of the Priest which sayeth the Masse as of the people who are present at it saying that it is not in the power of the Angelles to consecrate the bodie and blood of Iesus Christ Whereupon he would conclude as I take it that it appertaineth not vnto them neither to carie them vp into heauen Some there are also who make other kindes of gloses hereon whereon are grounded far weaker reasons Now if it be meete that we thus vnderstand the matter of the bodie and blood of Iesus Christ as in verie deede we ought according as they teach if we will not wreast the wordes of the Text then must wee of necessitie make an other consecration to bring them againe out of heauen if we will so often eate and drinke them as here it is sayed immediatlie after Nichol. de Plo. de expos Miss 3. part Can. Marc. 16. Luke 24 Act. 13. Hebr. 9.10 Our Lorde Iesus Christ is ascended vp into heauen alone without the helpe of the Angelles where he now is in the high Sanctuarie of God makinge intercession for vs But here in this place the Angelles must carie him vp thether for they would deale with him in heauen euen as they deale with him here vpon earth For as they must nedes carie their God because he is of him self neither able to foot it or yet ride without they cary him hold him they wold haue the Angels cary him vp into heauen bicause they theÌ„selues ar not able to do it b Here gentle Sir Iohn playeth the partes both of Iesus Christ of Iudas also if we wil beleue our venerable Maisters For they say that here he riseth vp representing thereby Iesus Christ when he rose vp after he had prayed in the Garden and then playeth Iudas parte kissing the Aultare as Iudas at that time kissed Christ Wherein they re Maystershippes VVorshipfulnesse obserue no great good order For first of all they crucifie him in their Sacrifice and afterward put him into the Garden to betray him and then play Iudas his part thrusting him into the hands of the Iewes c These wordes manifestly declare that they were not appointed for such Masses as are celebrated at this day but for a generall Supper and Communion which was made vnto all the people For to what purpose should such a prayer serue if there should be none to communicate but the Priest him selfe that sayeth the Masse For according to the meaning of this prayer it exteÌ„deth it selfe no further but to as
Rat. lib. 4. Ru. de resupar Nicol. de Plo. 5. part Miss by the Romish order in all solemne Masses great misteries in the manner of the handling holding couering vncouering the Paten and about the Deacons Subdeacons and Acolites who according to our yōg maisters expositions do here represent the women which came to the Sepulcher of Iesus Christ Howbeit we wil not busy our heades any farther about this geare It shall suffice vs to vnderstand that our young maisters expound the paten to signifie the largenes of charitie And surely they haue great reason in it For there is no doubt but that these our young maisters haue very large platters and saucers at their table Moreouer after that Syr Gurdegobreas hath played the passion and death of Iesus Christ he passeth from that and thrusteth him selfe in to playe the buriall resurrection and ascension euen to the verye ende of the Masse And because when he hath made his white God lustily daunce and skippe he nowe layeth him downe to rest a while howbeit he resteth not there long And after he hath lifted him vp he layeth him downe againe and when he hath crucified him he putteth him into the graue And because he keepeth here againe silence as he doth in the recitall of the Canon Therefore this place of the Masse is properly called the Silence and the Priest softly and secretly sayeth this prayer after he hath sayd the Lordes prayer because he hath put his Iesus into the Sepulchre And in this sort expound they these ceremonies and all the rest of the ceremonies that follow Howbeit this shoulde neuer haue needed if a man would but touch the tenth parte of the dotages which these dottrels set forth to make them agree with their foolish dreames c It hath heretofore bene sayd That the Apostles appointed the Lordes prayer which they cal Dominicall to be recited in the supper And we againe reade that this was ordeined by Gregorye the first and that he added this litle preface which the Priest reciteth before it Wherevpon there were some that noted him of folly Berno Microlog de offic Miss Ca. 12. Dur. Rat. lib. 4 Rub. de patr no. Nico. de Plou 5. part Expo Miss Li. Concil reprehended him for it And therfore he was enforced to purge defend him selfe of it as in his registre we read where he amongest other his reasons alleageth That it was not likely that the prayers which the schoolemen collected and put into the Canon were to be recited and therefore much lesse the Lordes prayer And because there were certaine Priestes in Spayne which sayd it not It was ordeyned in the fourth Councell of Tolete celebrated about the time of Honourius the first that what soeuer Priest or Clarke that sayd it not aswell in the publicque office as in the perticular should be deposed from his dignitie and office It is wonder to see how shamefast our young maisters are here For they speake as if they durst not say this prayer except they were commaunded taught to do it out of the doctrine of Iesus Christ without which in truth they ought not do For they ought not take in hande any diuine seruice without his ordenance But why were they not so ashamed in all the rest of their dealings And wherfore were they so bold rashe arrogant to thrust in such a number of their doting inuentions dreames and blasphemies into the pure holy ordenaunce of Iesus the sonne of god Moreouer we might shew how well this praier agreeth with their owne doctrine if we had not set the same forth at large in those our dialogues wherin we haue made an exposition of the same howbeit we wil here touch only one point that greatliest appertaineth to this matter and that is this that when our Lord Iesus Christ teacheth vs to seeke after god our father in heauen he admonisheth vs that he wil be serued with a spirituall seruice which alone he accepteth of as our Lord Iesus Christ him selfe teacheth vs in the talke which he had with the womā of Samary Iohn 4. about this matter Nowe we must not worship honor the sonne otherwise thē we would honor the father because there is alwaies but one the self same essential substantiall God And therfore if we will worship him as he is to be worshipped we must lift our hartes vp vnto heauen where Iesus Christ as S. Paule telleth vs Coloss 3. sitteth at the right hande of God his father not seeke to worshippe him here below on earth in a peece of bread a round cake a goblet in the handes of my yong M. in a pyxe amongst vermine myse who are alwaies at warre with this poore white God Wherefore we are throughly to consider of those words which the Priest speaketh whē he nameth heauē in the beginning of his praier Where he admoniseth vs to lift vp our hartes after when he cōmeth to say Panē nostrū c. our daily bread he in many places lifteth vp his round cake aboue his shoulders as if he would say let him alone in heauen worship him here in this round cake Or it may be he doth it for this purpose to declare that this round cake is the daily bread of these young masters For they may boldly vaūt that he feedeth them and that he hath many of these praesta quaesumus young masters who would haue very hungry bellies and leane chappes if this iolly litle round shorne God like a Priestes round shorne crowne gotte them not two or three two pences a daye through out the yeare d After that my young maister hath made great sporte with his round cake and his goblet then must his saucer also haue his turne e In other places the Clarkes or els the Angels say Amen But here our maister Martin him selfe sayeth it wherein I tel you are no smal mysteries Howbeit we will not tell what they are because they are aboue our reache And besides After he hath alowd roared out the Pater noster he againe returneth to the mumbling vp of other blasphemous prayers calling vpon others then Iesus Christ Now our young maisters yeeld a very strong and notable reason for the roaring out of the Lordes prayer seeing that all the whole canon is sayd in secrete and besides all the rest of the prayers which followe immediatly after It is say they because this prayer is taken out of the Gospell and because that Iesus Christ commaunded that that which he sayd in secrete and in the eare should be preached aboue in the house tops in the open places and streetes Wherein I can not but take it in good part and greatly thanke them for their so free confessing of the truth Wherevpō we may cōtrarywise conclude that it is no maruell though they mumble vp and buzze all the rest and especially their whole Canon secretly softly as all Coniurers doe which is cleane contrary
pronounce theÌ„ as that euery one may well vnderstaÌ„d what they say For if these prayers whereof we now speake be such as in deede they ought to be why theÌ„ pronounce they them not rather a lowd that euery maÌ„ may heare them theÌ„ mumble them vp in their teeth as they do Especially seeing they pronounce theÌ„ not particularly to theÌ„ selues but generally to all those which are at Masse to the end that all they might be also coÌ„prehended and wrapped within the horrible blasphemies in theÌ„ conteined Wherefore it is no maruell though he mumble theÌ„ vp secretly as if it were a charme and stowp downe with his head backe still looking to the ground for he is not worthy to lift vp his head to heauen stained it with such blasphemies For as for the first point that which is called SaÌ„cta SaÌ„ctoruÌ„ that is to say the holy of holy ones wherof he speaketh to go into is not the same which God ordeined by Moses Exod. 30. amongest the Israelites for that is cleerly abolished â—y the coÌ„ming of Iesus Christ who hath perfited that Heb. 8.9.10 wherof it was a figure Neither is it that whereinto Christ Iesus weÌ„t which is heauen And God ordeined none other but these two WhervpoÌ„ must needes follow that that place wherof the priest here maketh meÌ„tioÌ„ is inueÌ„ted deuised by meÌ„ the deuill together an hellish SaÌ„cta SaÌ„ctoruÌ„ And therfore looketh he downe to the grouÌ„d wherby he declareth that he seeketh not after Iesus Christ Coloss 2. who sitteth in the heaueÌ„s at the right hand of God his father requireth likewise that he may go into it with his merittes with all those that are at Masse with him For there is neuer a man that hath deserued more to go into hell into the infernal sanctuary of Satan theÌ„ he And there is none other meane to go into the saÌ„ctuary of Iesus Christ which is heauen saue onely by his merites wherof there is no more mention here made then in the prayer following wherin he craueth not onely pardon for his sinnes of all the Saintes in generall but especially of those whose reliques are in the place where he him selfe is as if in them were more vertue then in any of the rest d And as for the reliques which are here spoken of we are to remember what was said heretofore of the churches which were built in such places as the sepulchres reliques and commemorations of the Martyres were And because that many Aultars and chapelles were here and there built set vp a broad in the countrey there to celebrate the remembraunce of the Martyres soone after that this custome was receaued it was ordeined by the first Councell of Carthage Ex Libr. Con. solemnized about the dayes of Pope Anastase that the Bishops might pull downe all the Aultars and chappelles that should be set vp in any places where before time had not bene some sepulchers reliques houses places of resorte or some memoriall of the Martyrs or if they could not do it without mouing of some commotion yet that they might at the least forbid all ChristiaÌ„s to haunt any such places And for this cause was it afterward ordeined by the Councell of Epanuense which was solemnised in the time of Gelasius the first Ex Lib. Con. that no Aultar except it were of stone had also some reliques of the Saintes should be anointed and consecrated with Cresme And because they could not find places ynow wherein to set vp so many churches and aultars as they would they were faine to borrow them in other places or else make and counterfet them as they lusted Wherefore it is enough for them at this present to put into the bowels of the Aultar when it is consecrated dedicated in at an hole which is made in the middest thereof called by them a Sepulcher the smallest peeces of reliques that may be locked vp in some prety coffer with three graynes of frankinsence And it is out of all doubt that they may call this hole a Sepulcher bycause forsoothe it is made to represent the Sepulchers of the Martyres for they are not there in deede but by imagination as those which the Heathen made called Cenotaphion because they were empty and had no bodyes buried in them And to the ende that these sepulchers should not seeme to be altogether in vaine they make men beleue that they haue put certein peeces of reliques into them But the Lord knoweth and seeth what great deceit is in them and what reliques they thrust into them We that haue seene these abhominable Aultars puld downe can testifie what great villaines haue bene found within these sepulchers of the Aultars and what notable knaueries haue bene discouered in these iolly workes But our aduersaries will not beleue vs herein because they thinke vs to be parciall howbeit we haue no such meaning for they them selues maye see it by experience aswell as we and may also testifie and vnderstand whether we lye or saye true But admit that these were the verie true reliques of the Martyres yet shall they be neuer able to excuse them selues of the Idolatrie blasphemies which they commit in these thinges e It is no maruell although this Shaueling kisse the talbe wheron he meaneth to breake his fast and his paten and sawcer also and that he likewise maketh strong parfumes for these thinges I tell you make him both faire and fat f And therefore this is the Christ which he worshippeth that is to say the table and the sawcer And in some places he kisseth also the feet of the image of the ctucyfix which is in his Masse booke wherof we intend to say somewhat when as we come to the Canon Of the Introite Kyrie eleyson and Gloria in excelsis Deo CHAPTER XI IN the entree into the Masse Miss G. let the priest say Our helpe is in the name of the Lord who hath made both heauen earth Blessed be the name of the Lord from henceforth for euermore In the name of the Father †of the Sonne †of the holy Ghost †So be it Afterward Miss R. Celestine 1. let him read the a a Greg. 1. Pontien 1. Damasc Introite of the Masse his hands being a sunder and lifted vp a litle Here followeth the Masse of Corpus Christi Feaste The Introite b b Thom. Aqui. Vrban 4. HE fed theÌ„ with the finest of the wheat praised be God and filled them with the hony of the rocke praise God praise God praise God The Psalme Reioyce you in God our aide bee gladde in the God of Iacob Con. Vas The Versicle d d Greg. 1. Con. Vas Glory be to the father c Then let him beginne and say againe He fedde them c. Then must he say Lord haue mercy iij. Christ haue mercy iij. Lord haue mercy iij. f Then let him goe to the middest of
not what they them selues say and yet beleeue confesse these holy words Of the Nycene and Constantinople Creede containing the sound faith of the true and auncient Church CHAPTER XXV ANd whē he hath made the signe of the crosse he kisseth the booke a And afterward let him say if it be to be said I beleeue in one God Then let him beginne in the middest of the Altar with his handes a sunder and after he hath begunne let him ioyne his handes a while together and make an ende after this sort The Father Almightie e maker of heauen and earth and of all thinges visible and inuisible d in Iesus Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God And borne of the Father before all worlds God of God light of light verie God of verie God begotten and not made Consubstantiall with the Father by whome all thinges are made Who for vs menne for our saluation came downe from heauen and was incarnate by the holy Ghost of the virgine Marie Here he boweth his knee And was made man And was also crucified for vs vnder Pontius Pilate suffered and was buried And the thirde day arose againe accordinge to the Scriptures e Hee ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of the Father f And shall come againe in glory to iudge the quick the dead Whose Kingdom shall haue no ende And in the holie Ghost the Lorde and giuer of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne Who with the Father and the Sonne together is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets And one holy vniuersall and Apostolike Church I confesse also one Baptisme for the Remission of sinnes and do looke for the Resurrection of the deade and the life of the worlde to come Amen ET facto signo crucis osculatur librum Deinde a dicat si sit dicendum Credo in vnum Deum Disiūctis manibus in medio Altaris incipiat postquam inceperit paulatim iungat manus sic finiat Patrem Omnipotentem factorem Caeli terrae visibilium omnium inuisibilium in vnum Dominum Iesum Christum filium Dei vnigenitum ex Patre natum ante omnia secula Deum de Deo lumen de lumine Deum verum de Deo vero Genitum non factum consubstantialem patri per quem om nia facta sunt Qui propter nos homines propter salutem nostram descendit de caelis Et incarnatus est de Spiritu sancto ex Moria Virgine Hic genu flectitur Et homo factus est crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato passus sepultus est Et resurrexit tertiae die secundum Scripturas Et ascendit in caelum sedit ad dextrā Patris iterum venturus est cum gloria iudicare viuos mortuos cutus regni non erit finis Et in Spiritum sanctum Dominum viuificantem qui ex Patre filioque procedit Qui cum Patre filio simul adoratur glorificatur qui locutus est per Prophetas Et vnū sanctam Catholicam Apostolicam Ecclesiam Confiteor vnum Baptismum in remissionem peccatorū Et expecto resurrectionē mor tuorum Et vitam venturi saeculi Amen Of the thinges that are to be considered in this Crede concerning those matters which we are presently in hand withall CHAPTER XXVI a WE haue already spokē somwhat largelie of the singing silēce of the crede in the Masse In the Masse booke it is commaunded to be said on this festiuall day and on the octaues thereof There is concerning the recitall of the Creede a Decree in the third Councel of Tolede solemnized in the dayes of pope Pelagius the second which expreslie commaundeth That it should be recited and deliuered verie loudly before the Lordes prayer throughout all the Churches of Gallice and Spaine after the maner of the East Churches and Councell of Constantinople to the end that the faith might be manifested and haue testimonie so that the hartes of the people which were purified by faith might go receaue the bodie and blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Which Decree manifestly confirmeth that which we haue alreadie spokē hereof elsewhere There is also a Decree in the Councel of Basil against such as should say it by halfes as I haue oftentimes sene them do Ex lib. Con when I went to Masse being then very yōg Our Priests song the creede after the Almain maner which they called the Almaine crede it went no further then to homo factus est there they ended it They vsed it when they had hast to their dinner and were wearied to say the Creede out at length and no doubt of it they deale so with it euen at this day for all the decreé of the Counsell of Basill b This aduertissement concerneth the iollie shew of the countenance sleight of the handes which Sir Gurdegobresse must hold maintaine c A Creatour is more proper and vsuall then a maker and the Greeke word is so set downe for that purpose And therefore seeing it is so that God is the creatour of all thinges and consequētly the Gouernour and Guider of them and vpholdeth and mainteineth them why runne the priests to creatures and other what soeuer they are whether it be to men or women Saintes but to him alone if they take him for the creatour father and all the rest for creatures For to pray to any other then vnto God is against this Article For prayer without faith cannot be right Now none of vs all confesse in this Creede which conteineth the very whole some and effect of Faith and Christian religion that we beliue in any other then in God the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost No we do not say that we beleue in the Church her selfe But only that we do beleue the Church For there is a difference betwene that that we beleue of the Church and that which we beleue of God the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost in them in whom we say we beleue that is to say that we put our whole trust and confidence in them but not in the Church For it is composed of men and as the Prophete sayeth cursed is that man which putteth his trust in man Wherefore we onely say that as we put our trust in the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost we beleue also that ther is a Church that is to say an holy assemblee by reason of this affiaunce that it hath in the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost by whom it is sanctified and stayeth it selfe vpon one God who is father vnto it by the loue of his sonne Iesus Christ through the sanctification of the holy Ghost Then is it not God neither the Father nor the Sonne nor yet the holy Ghost nor any parte or member of the Deitie no not the Angels them selues but are all creatures And therefore if it be
not lawfull to beleue in them neither is it lawfull to call vpon them in steed of God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ our Lord and giue them the honour which apperteineth to God alone if we will not gaine say the whole volume of the word of God the Church it selfe and the faith thereof I meane not the Popish church which is not pleased with such a faith but the true auncient Christian Church d Againe this onely Article by which the true Church confesseth Iesus to be the onely Lord true Christ the onely true and naturall Sonne of God is of it selfe sufficient enough to ouerthrow not onely the Masse but also all the rest of the Popish doctrine and religion For if he be Christ he is the very anointed of the Lord our very King high and euerlasting Bishop and Priest and true Prophet who freed vs from the power and tyrannie of Satan from sinne death and hell as our very true King and reconciled vnto his Father by the sacrifice of his death which is spoken of in the Articles following as our true sacrificer who onely hath power to do it our alone Mediatour and Aduocate and plainely reuealed and manifested to vs the whole will of God not onely as a Prophet but as the very true sonne of God comming from the bosome of his Father Iohn 1.14 And therefore we neede none other doctrine and reuelatiō nor yet mens traditions for our saluation neither yet any other Sacrifice Sauiour Redeemour Mediatour Aduocate and patron to God for vs. For as there is none other that is very God and very mā but he alone Euen so likewise can none other performe this office And this is the cause of that incarnation which was spoken of a litle before by which the sonne of God being one and the selfe same God and of the selfe same substance with the Father tooke vpon him mans nature was made man Iohn 1. 1. Tim. 2 3. to the ende that both God and man might in him be conioined and reconciled e If the doctrine of transubstantiation be true and such as doth admit and allow the carnall presence of Iesus Christ in the Masse this Article of Iesus Christ his Ascension into heauen is false or else the body of Iesus Christ is no true body For it is not said that he hid him selfe and became inuisible continuing here below vpon earth but that he is Ascended into heauen f There is none other comming of Iesus Christ in the flesh and in proper person spoken of throughout the whole Creede saue onely these two which haue hetherto bene here spoken of There is here no mention made of this inuisible comming of the hoste of the priestes nor yet of this carnall presence deuised by them of the Popish church Seeing then it is so why are they iudged for heretiques which beleue all that is conteined in that Creede neither yet deny any thing that is thereof conteined throughout the whole volume of the holy Scriptures wheron it is groūded Contrarywise why are they taken for Catholikes and faithfull Christians which beleue it not but beleue mainteine teach all to the contrary denying both by their doctrine and workes that which they here confesse with their mouths as we might presently shew from point to point if we had not already very largely and plainely handled the same in our Dialogues vpō the common Creede called the Apostles Creede Of the third parte of the Masse called Oblation CHAPTER XXVII FRom the singing and rehearsing of the Creed euē vnto the Canon there is almost no speach had of the Oblation This parte also of the Masse is so named which in old time was the beginning of the Masse of the Catechumeni Now a man may in it see many goodly thinges for the building vp of his faith and beleuing of that which heretofore we haue treated of touching the offringes of the faithfull in the auncient Church the presentation of them vnto the Lord lifting vp on hie and recommending vnto him the thinges which they offred All this geare is now at this present referred to the bread and wine which are prepared in the sacrifice with prayers that the offring of them is for the saluation of quicke and dead of bodyes and soūles and not by the merite of Iesus Christ alone but also through the merite of men and women Saintes As concerning the principall part of this point of the enterlude after that this scraping Squibbe hath gotten the mony into his maungy fistes he then maketh his Sermō Howbeit we will here cease to speake any farther of this matter Dict. 3. Ca. Omnis Christianus Nico. de Plou expo 3. part Miss For it shall suffice that we speake onely of the offringes amongest which there are some of them which Christians in some feastes are bound vnto according to the ordinarie custome as is conteined in the Decres Because forsooth it is writen Thou shalt not come before me empty fisted And againe there are other Canons amongest the auncient Councels which are not at this day very well obserued For first it was decreed in the Elibertine Councell celebrated in Spaine about the time of the Nicene Councell Libr. Con. of Syluester the first that the Bishop might not receiue either gifts or offrings of those who communicated not at the Lordes Supper But at this day it is cleane contrary For euery man bringeth giftes and offringes to the churches and no man communicateth there saue only the priest which sayeth the Masse except it be some dayes in the yeare Libr. Con. And in the Councell of Aquisgraue called Bawmorte celebrated vnder king Pepin the son of Lewys it was decreed that no man should offer any thing which he had not receiued from the hand of the Lord which he had not iustly got and was acceptable in his sight For it is writen He that offreth to God of the spoile of the poore is like vnto him that offred a child in the presence of his Father Who soeuer he be then that will offer any thing vnto the Lord as be commeth him let him first of all Rom. 12. offer vp him selfe as the Apostle teacheth a liuely and holy hoste or sacrifice which pleaseth the Lord and afterward those thinges which he hath iustly gotten that is to say which he hath receaued frō the hand of the Lord and giue it blessedly to his benefit vnto the Lord for vsury Thus we see what is said in these Councels of the offringes of the Church which should not be giuen to the profit of the priestes if it were rightly obserued For with what kindes of offringes are they most of all enriched saue onely with the riches of the great theeues and extortioners And besides if they should receaue no offringes but of those which communicated at the Supper they should receiue none but vpon such dayes as they communicated it to all the people This
ordinance againe admonisheth vs that there was a communioÌ„ for all the people at the Supper at such time as this was made and that they who did not coÌ„municate without they had some lawfull let were accompted is prophane and Heathen people Of the Offring and of the presentation of the chalice or cuppe and bread CHAPTER XXVIII a AFter that let him turne towardes the people Alph. G. and with his hand ioyned together say The Lord be with you Aunswere And with thy Spirite Towardes the the Aultar say Miss R. Leuit. 21. Celestin b Let vs pray Offertorie The priests of the Lord offer vnto God incense loaues of bread therfore they shal be holy vnto their God and not polute his name Praise him that is eternal After the Offertorie let him ioine his hands together before the Aultar and say c What shall I giue vnto the Lord for all his benefites bestowed vpon me Psal 116. I will take the cup of Saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. theÌ„ let him raise the chalice say We offer vp vnto thee ô Lord the cup of Saluation beseech thee that I may ascend with an acceptable sweet smelling sauour before thy diuine maiesty Let this sacrifice be signed ordeined blessed sanctified in the name of our Lord Iesu Christ be acceptable vnto God the Father almighty for my self for those that are here and for all ChristiaÌ„ people that they may in this present world receaue remission of all their sinnes in the world to come obtaine life euerlasting And for the soule of thy seruant and for the soules of thy men and women seruauntes to the ende thou maiest graunt them euerlasting life make them partakers of the felicitie of all the Saintes In the name of the Father c. e Holy Trinitie receaue this oblation which we offer vnto thee in remembraÌ„ce of the incarnatioÌ„ natioitie circoncision passion refurrection and ascension of our Lord Iesus Christ and in the honour of the blessed alwayes virgine Mary and of all the Saintes whach haue pleased thee sitheÌ„ce the beginning of the world to the ende it may be auarlable for their honour and our soluation both of body and soule In the name of the Father †c. f Then let him make a crosse vpon the vaale that couereth the chalice setting the chalice iuste in the midest Then let him take the patine and hoste and say In the name of the holy inseparable Trinity let this bread descend here and the blessing of God the father Almightie the Sonne and the holy Ghost desceÌ„d vpon vs remaine with vs euermore So be it In the name of the Father of the Sonne c. g Let him here couer the Chalice with the vaale and make a crosse ouer the chalice and hoste saying In the name of the Father c. POsteà vertat se erga populum dicat manibus iunctis Dominus vobiscum Resp Et cum spiritu tuo Versus altare dicat Oremus a a Gelas Greg. Thomas Vrbain Offerrorium Sacerdotes Domini inceÌ„sam panes offerunt Deo ideo sancti eruÌ„t Deo suo non polluent nomen eius Alleluya Post offertorium iungat manus ante altare dicendo Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quae retribuit nihi Calicem salutaris accipiam nomen Domini â—â—â—ocabo Surgat calicem dicendo Offerimus tibi Domine calicem salutaris deprecamor clementiam tuam vt in conspectu diuinae maiestatis tuae cum odore suauitatis ascendat In nomine Domini nostri Iesu Christi signatum ordinatum benedictum sanctificatum istud sacrificium acceptabile si Deo Patri omnipotenti pro meipso pro istis omni populo Christiano vt in prâ—senti seculo remissionem cunctorum peccatorum recipiant in futuro vitam coÌ„sequantur aeternam Et pro anima famuli â—ui pro animabus famulorum famulâ—rumque tuarum eis vitam aternam tribuas omnium sanctoruÌ„ iubeas esse consorâ—es In nomine Patris c. Suscipe sancta Trinitâ—s hanâ— oblationem quam ubi offâ—râ—mus ob memoriam incarnationis natiuitatis â—â—câ—ncasionis passionis resurrectionis ascensionis Domini nostri Iesu Christi in honore beatae Mariae senâ— per virginis omnium sanctorum qui tibi placâ—erâ—â— ab origine mundi vt illis proficiat ad honorem nobis autem ad salutem animae corporis In nomine †Patris c Faciat crucem cum calice super corporalia ponendo calicem in medio postea capiat patenaÌ„ cum hostia dicendo In nomine sanctae indiuiduae Trinitatis desceÌ„â—â— hîc panis iste benedictio Dei Patris omnipotentis Filij spiritus Sancti descendat super nos manâ—â—â— semper Amen In nomâ—â—â— Patris Filij c. Hic cooperiat caliceÌ„ cuÌ„ corporalibus facieÌ„do crucem super calicem hostiam dicendo In nomine Patris c. Of the pointes that are to be considered of vpon the matters aforesaid CHAPTER XXIX a HEre is another salutation wherin Sir Rowley drudg of the pudding house fetcheth another prety turne shewing his foule paunch vnto the people b This fragment which is taken for the Offertory is taken out of Leuiticus Leui. 21. but not in such sorte as it is there set downe Now here in this is a wonderfull skorning of God For first of all the priest which sayeth Masse exhorteth the people to pray saying let vs pray and after he himselfe prayeth neuer a whit For there is no mention of prayer in these wordes but onely an aduertisement which the Lord gaue to the Leuitical priests onely how they should vnderstand to gouerne and behaue them selues in their office not vnto the Popish priestes For there is no mention made here of the sacrifices of the Masse neither of the bread nor yet of the incense which therein are offred But of the Leuiticall sacrifices of burnt offringes and loaues of bread that were offred in them not in the figure of the Popish priestes and of their round wafer cakes and sacrifices but in the figure of Iesus Christ the hie Priest who is the true bread that came downe from heauen and of his sacrifice Heb. 7.9 Ioh. 6. by which he offred and gaue him selfe for the life of the world And therefore this sacrifice caÌ„ in no wise iumpe with the priests of the Romish church without they will say that they are the Leuiticall succession and Iewes still looking for the comming of the hie priest Iesus Christ For if they should so do they should be no saints but through such blasphemy villanously trample vnder foote the name of the Lord. c These verses of the Psalmes Psal 116. are here meruelous properly applied For where Dauid promiseth to giue thankes to God for the sauing health and deliuerance which he had bestowed vpon him and that through a banket of praise
manie as are partakers of the bodie and blood of Iesus Christ who communicate in the Sacrament of the Supper in such sort as we haue often heretofore said Wherupon it followeth that the Masse also serueth for none but for such as there communicate and receaue at the Supper as the Priest doth I speake thus much because hee him selfe beleeueth that the Masse should be receaued for the Supper of Iesus Christ For he there commaundeth all those to take and eate the bread and also drinke the wine which there ar offred who according to the Lords ordinance meane to be partakers of the things by theÌ„ signified after such manner as he had appointed d Here Mast Personne crosseth him selfe for feare he should lose him self if he were not crossed and marked Of the commemoration for the dead which is the tenth part of the Canon CHAPTER XLIIII Commemoratio pro defunctis MEmento etiam Domine famulorum famularumque tuarum N. qui nos praecesserunt cum signo fidei dormiunt in somno pacis †ipsis Domine omnibus in Christo quiesâ—entibus locum refrigerij lucis pacis vt in dulgeas deprecamur per cundem Christum DominuÌ„ nostrum Amen a The commemoration for the dead Pelagius b REmember also O Lord those thy holy men and women seruauntes N. which are gone before vs with the signe of faith and do sleepe in the sleepe of peaâ—e †to them O Lord and to as manie as rest in Christ Iesus wee beseech thee graunt place of refreshing of light and peace through the same Christ Iesus our Lorde So bee it a It was forbidden by the first Bracarien CouÌ„cell celebrated about the dayes of Pope Honorius that there should be no coÌ„memoration made in the oblation that is to say in the Supper by the auncient Fathers so named and now amongst the Papistes called the Masse for those that violently killed themselues either by the sword poisoning hanging or breaking of their neckes or by anie other meane whatsoeuer and that their bodies should not be buried with singing of Psalmes as they do in some places The like also was established for all such as were punished for their offences and for the Catechumeni who died vnbaptized VVhich ordinaunce confirmeth that which we haue alreadie spoken of elsewhere of those causes for which the commemoration of the dead was in olde time brought in amongest the Ecclesiasticall assemblies and especiallie about the administration of the Supper making thereby a difference betwixt those that died in the vnion doctrine of the Church and others that were separated from the same or that had giuen occasion of offence thereunto b This Memento and the Prayer therein contained for the deade greatlie serueth their turnes who giue money for the saying of Masses for the deliuering of poore soules out of Purgatorie For he speaketh but of those which are alreadie in heauen for whome Maister Nicholas prayeth that they might enioy that which they alreadie enioye For what is it to sleepe and rest in the sleepe of peace and in Christ but to rest with Iesus Christ in his Kingedome And what other refreshing of light and peace can they haue seeing they haue the same alreadie And therfore doe we not here manifestly see howe these scoffers mocke and iest at poore abused and blinde Christians and vnder what colour they spoyle and robbe them For they thinke it not enough that they haue falslie counterfaited their Purgatorie to rost and frie poore soules But also if all that they say were true they more and more deceaue the miserable people making them beleue that they pray in theire Memento for the soules that are detained in the paines of Purgatorie and yet do nothing lesse as their owne Canon wel testifieth if they will not expound the words contained in this commemoration in a cleane contrarie sense and otherwise then the meaning of those wordes import Of the eleuenth part of the Canon containing the last commemoration of the Sainctes CHAPTER XLV Hic percutit pectus suum aliquantulum altius dicens NO bis quoque peccat oribus famulis tuis de multitudine miserationum tuarum sperantibus parteÌ„ aliquaÌ„ et societateÌ„ donare digneris cum tuis Sanctis Apostolis martyribus cuÌ„ IohaÌ„ne Stephano Mathia Barnaba Ignatio AlexaÌ„dro Marcellino Petro Fe ilcitate Perpetua Agatha Lucia Agnete Cecilia Anastesia omnibus Sanctis tuis Intra quorum nos consortium non aestimator meriti sed veniae quaesumus largitor admitie per Christum Dominum nostrum Hic non dicitur Amen c Per quem haec omnia Domine semper bona creas †sanctificas †viuificas †benedicis praestas nobis per †ipsum cum †apso in †ipso tibi Deo Patriomnipotenti †in vnitate spiritus †sancti omnis honor gloria Nota tres primas cruces fieri super hostiam calicem communiter Dicto Et praesta nobis Discooperit CaliceÌ„ accipiens corpus Domini signat ter cuÌ„ ipso super Calicem à labio in labium dicens Per ipsum c. Eleuatis auteÌ„ digitis cuÌ„ corpore Domini signat bis inter se caliceÌ„ à labio calicis incipieÌ„do dicens Est tibi Deo Patri c. Quo finito tenet corpus Domini super Calicem parum leuato Calice cum ambabus manibus dicit Per omnia saecula saeculorum Amen a Here he striketh him selfe on the breast saying somwhat lowder b VOuchsafe to graunt vnto vs also miserable sinners thy seruauntes which trust in the multitude of thy mercies some part companie with thy holy Apostles and Martyrs as with Iohn Steuen Matthew Barnabas Ignatius Alexander Marcelline Peter Felicite Perpetua Agatha Luce Agnes Cicely Anastase and all the rest of thy Saincts into whose companies wee beseeche that it would please thee to admit vs not making accompt of anie our merites but to pardon vs through thy deare Sonne Christ Iesus our Lorde c To this is made no aunswere of Amen d For whose sake O Lord thou alwayes createst †sanctifiest †quickenest blessest and bestowest vpon vs these benefits by †whom with †whome and in †whome to thee God the Father almighty in the vnite of the holy †Spirite e be honour and glorie f Here is to be noted that the three first crosses are commonly to be made ouer the host and Chalice ouer the one and other After he hath said And giue vs. He vncouereth the Chalice and taketh the Lordes bodie and with it thrise crosseth the Chalice from one side to another saying Through the same c. And lifting vp his fingers with the bodie of the Lorde maketh the signe of the crosse twise betwene him the Chalice beginning at the side of the Chalice saying To thee it is God the Father c. VVhen he hath so done he houldeth the bodie of the Lorde ouer the Chalice and after he hath a litle lifted vp the
cleaue to my bowels and graunt that there remaine in me no spot of sinne which haue bene refreshed with this pure and holy Sacraments who liuest and raignest c. p Lord now lettest thou thy seruaunt depart in peace according to thy word c. Vnto the ende of the songe with Glory be to the Father c. as it was c. Lorde haue mercie vppon vs. Christ haue mercy vpon vs. Lorde haue mercie vppon vs. Our Father c. Of the matters that are to be considered of vpon the Priest his breakefast and Communion CHAPTER LII a THe bodie of Christ is not a round cake deuided into foure quarters as is the rounde cake of this our Sir Gurdegobreasse b He must receaue another kinde of breade then this round cake if he will haue the heauenly bread c Here is a verie pitifull Sir Gurdey d Here is a pleasant Centuriō who speaketh vnto his round cake euen as the Centurion in the Gospell spake vnto Iesus the very Sonne of God e The house rouffe of this scuruie shaueling is his belly wherinto he meaneth like a rauening wolfe to swallowe vp this sillie lambe which he now calleth Lorde vpon whome before he hath called for mercie that afterward he might deuour him f The bodie that is to say the round cake is verie easilie to be handled and very light to crosse him selfe and serue him to play withall like a flie flap because the flies should not trouble and vex him when he is at breakefast and drinking of his wine g Such a prayer no whit appertaineth vnto this round cake nor yet vnto this banquet wherat Iesus Christ is not present h Here he more honoureth his Goblet then he doth the bodie of his God Howbeit I doe not greatly maruell at that Because his Goblet is made either of goulde siluer or at least of verie fine tinne and his God is made of no better stuffe then of a peece of paast And besides the Goblet is a pleasaunt thing to such sipping mates i These verses of Dauid are here againe as properly applied as they were in that place wherin they were heretofore propounded k Here hee must make the Goblet also to friske a little about for the crossing of him selfe as well as hee made the rounde cake friske about to crosse his reuerende worshipfulnesse l This wine and this water are no blood as that was which he euen nowe swallowed downe but are onely giuen him to make cleane and rinse his Goblet and wide weasant least there should remaine any blood in them m But in this prayer which he here maketh at his last washing which they call purifying is great reason For they haue reason to purifie and cleanse them selues after they haue polluted their handes and mouthes with such horrible sacrileadges and blasphemies committed as well against the death and passion as also against the bodie and blood of our Sauiour and Redeemer Iesus Christ Howbeit let vs consider of that which they speake Howe shall we receaue the selfe same thing with our soules which we receiue with our mouthes For the soule hath no such mouthas the body hath neither doth it eate or yet drink so neither is it in such sort fed either with such meates such drinkes For bread wine do serue to feede the bodie and not the soule saue that the soule is taught by them by reason of the bodelie senses of spirituall and inuisible thinges which are signified by these visible and materiall signes But the right meate and drinke of the soule are the bodie and blood of Iesus Christ not corporallie taken by the mouth of the bodie as the Popish Church teacheth But spirituallie by the mouth of faith which is the mouth of the soule and spirite by meane whereof the bodie is also afterwarde spirituallie fedde and it can not otherwise bee For admit that a man should eate the verie bodie and drinke the verie blood of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ yet should neither soule nor bodie Communicate thereof nor yet be fedde therewith vnto euerlastinge life For the heauenlie and deuine meate and drinke is spirituall and receaued by fayth And where that is we shall neede none other And therefore the signes of breade and wine that are distributed to vs in the Supper are not giuen vs that with them and by them wee shoulde receaue the bodie and blood of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ as if a peece of flesh should be giuen vs to eate without bread or in paast and wine in a cup to drinke as the Romish rabble and certaine others vnderstande and take it who corporallie conioyne the signes with the thinges signed and signified But are giuē to vs liuely to represent vnto our bodily senses that which our Lorde representeth to our inward senses or rather to stirre vp and dispose the whole man to receaue the heauenly and diuine giftes through faith and in spirite Againe if this bread and wine which the Priest receaueth in the Supper vnto him self alone are the bodie and blood of Iesus Christ as he taketh it and woulde haue men beleeue it so that there remaineth no more substance of the breade and wine then surely this gift and present is not corporall but euerlasting euen as Iesus Christ him selfe is And therefore he doeth him great wrong so to name it If this thē be not the bodie bloud of Iesus Christ but onely breade and wine as in verie deed it is which way can he make it becom a remedie for eternall life which remedie is in none but in Iesus Christ alone And besides we ar here further to note that which the Priest sayeth as if there were manie which banquetted with him at the verie same table as if they had communicated of the selfe same Sacrament Is not this a maruelous kinde of mockerie He verily thinketh that this prayer was not made to be sayed in particular Masses but when the people communicated together n He forgetteth not here to sucke his fingers o Our yong Maisters say that after this Supper is done the bodie of Iesus Christ returneth to heauen Howbeit this our scabd scald shorne Squier who gobleth him vp meaneth to haue him remaine in his entrailes and bowelles It is also written in that small pamphlet called Stella Clericorum that the Priest is Iesus Christ his Sepulcher because he swalloweth downe his bodie and blood into his bellie Morouer he hath great reason to haue his sinnes cleansed by the meanes of these notable and pure Sacramentes which he hath receaued by which he hath so horriblie renounced and blasphemed euen Iesus Christ him selfe p We here see a verie pleasant Simeon singing that song which that good Simeon soong when he held the yong child Iesus Christ in his armes Howbeit this our newe Simeon hath done much more if we would beleeue him For he hath holden him handled and tossed him both aliue dead euen as bigge and great as he
for anie temporal life but that they should remaine alwayes in vs and we by them be fed and refreshed And therefore this ought to be said of the outward signes administration of the Supper which prefigureth that perfect fruition of the Lords Table which is prepared for vs in heauen where we shall eate of the desired bread in the kingdome of God which banquet we begin alreadie here by a spiritual coÌ„municating which we haue with Iesus Christ as is figured to vs in his Supper Of the leaue that is giuen to the people in the ende of the Masse and of the prayer which the Priest saith immediatly after and of the matters that are to be considered therevpon CHAPTER LIIII HEre let him kisse the image of the Crucifixe which is in the Masse booke and then say For euer and euer Answer So be it In the midst of th' Altar towards the people let him say The Lorde be with you Answer And with thy Spirit Priest a Go your wayes the Masse is Answer Thankes be to God b Note that when it is not said Glorie be to God on high Then for Go your wayes the Masse is They say Let vs blesse the Lord. c And for the dead Let them rest in peace Answer So be it d After that he hath bowed him selfe very low in the midst of the Altar he saith O holy Trinity let th' office of this my seruice be acceptable vnto thee grant that the Sacrifice which I vnworthely haue offred in the sight of thy Maiestie may please thee and by thy mercifulnes be propitiatory as wel to myself as also to as many as I haue offred the same for through Christ our Lord. AmeÌ„ HIc osculet imaginem Crucifixi qui est in Missali deinde dicat Per omnia saecula saeculorum Resp Amen In medio Altaris versus populum dicat Dominus vobiscum Resp Et cum spiritu tuâ— Sacer. Ite Missa est Resp Deo gratias Nota quod quando noÌ„ dicitur Gloria in excelsis Deo tunc pro Ite Missa est dicitur Benedicamus Domino Et pro defunctis Requiestant in pace Resp Amen Deinde profundè inclinatus ante medium altaris dicit Placeat tibi sancta Trinitas obsequiuÌ„ seruitutis meâ—e praesia vt hoc sacrificium quod oculis tuae maiestatis indignus obtuli tibi sit accepta bile mihique omnibus pro quibus illudobinâ— siâ— te mise rante propitiabiâ—e per ChristuÌ„ Dominum nostrum Amen a We will not here speake any more of the kissing of the image in the Masse booke neither yet of his last salutation of the Priest vnto the people Neither shall it be needfull againe to rehearse that which hath alreadie bin said of this leaue Ite Missa est But only set down the exposition which Barnard de Paratine Iohn Beleth Nicholas de Ploue make thereof saying that this is as much Nicol. de Plo. in expo 6. par Miss Berno de offic Mess Ca. 20. Alam de offic Miss Ca. 36. Nicol. de Plo. expo 6. part as if the Priest should haue said Get you hence about your businesse For the Masse is or the host and oblation is made an ende of And therefore go after it Whie then must they go into out yoÌ„g Maisters bellie that hath eaten it Now here is to be noted that the Priest playeth both Iesus Christ his part in his ascension vnto heauen and also the part of the Angelles who spake vnto the Apostles after his ascension and the people play the part of the retourning of the Apostles vnto Ierusalem after the ascension or according to the expositioÌ„ of Iohn Baleth of the returning of the people of Israell from Babilon I beseech you are not here great reasons in euerie of these gentle expositioÌ„s b Moreouer this leaue is not alwayes giuen after one maner of fashion according to the rule which is here set down For if it be not giueÌ„ with Ite missa est the Priest turneth not himself vnto the people And here Durand rendreth a reason of this diuersitie Rat. li 4. par Rub. de ora no. saying that Ite missa est was in the old time sayed when as the people met together in great numbers at Masse by reason of the Communion that then was made to giue them leaue after this maner that at other times when the people did not assemble after that sort they vsed another kinde of fashion c If the faithfull that are dead rest alreadie in peace as before hath bene said then is this a vaine prayer for that purpose that they make it Moreouer they say that there is no peace graunted for the dead in the Masse that there is no mention at all made of them in the same because they haue no neede thereof And therefore it should seeme by this that they are quite clane forgotten in it d Euen as all the rest of the Romish Masse as at this day it is is nothing else but a continuall blaspheming of the name of God and of the merit passion of the death of Iesus Christ it can not be chosen but that it must also conclude with a most horrible and cursed blasphemie For after that the Priest hath forsaken Iesus Christ the Sonne of God and withall both the Father and the holie Ghost also in him he prayeth that the holie Trinitie would accept of this so insupportable blasphemie manifestly confessing that he taketh his Masse to be not onelie a Sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing but also a propitiatorie Sacrifice for the obtaining by meane thereof remission of sinnes which we no wayes can obtaine but by the onelie Sacrifice which Iesus Christ made as hath alreadie bene often said And seeing it is so it was impossible to make a better conclusion of the exposition of the Masse theÌ„ Nicholas de Ploue hath there made greatly commending not onely this prayer which wee here presently speake of Tract fac de expos Miss 6. part but also the curtesies bowings that are to be made in the saying thereof mightelie reprouing al such as say it not as it is here ordained Wherevpon he bringeth foorth for his authoritie A very pleasaunt tale a maruelouse pleasant tale as followeth There was quoth he a man possest with a deuill who was brought before a certaine Priest whome this Priest asked what he thought of two other Priestes which hee named vnto him Then this deuill that tormented this poore wretched man said vnto him The first Priest quoth he which thou namedst vnto me was sometime ours but he is now the Lords And as for the other quoth this gentle maister deuill would be a verie honest man if it were not for stealing This Priest who had demaunded of this M. the deuil his prophet this questioÌ„ greatly maruelled to heare this answer because he tooke this priest of whom the deuill made him this auswer to be a verie holie man Whervpon he
onely buzzed vp in the teeth without the hearing and vnderstanding of any Neither is it sayde for a prayer because there is no such matter conteyned within it but onely a doctrine to instruct vs in the fayth of the diuinite and humanite of Iesus Christ Howbeit it should seme that the priest which recyteth it and they that heare it do greatly meryte onely for hearing of it recyted or for that it is there recyted and that there is great vertue in the wordes thereof though no body vnderstand them by reason of the iolly wordes and notable matters that ar in it Wherin they are much like the Iewes who attribute as great vertue to the wordes and sillable of the names of God which they haue in their languag in the holy scriptures as if the power of God were tyed to them d This prayer is very necessary for all theise Gentlemen sacryficers Moonckes Fryers Prophetes and Ministers of Antechrist For the feare which they haue of loosing their temporall benefites maketh them altogether forget heauen and all heauenly and eternall benefites For why do they all so stoutly oppose them selues vnto the Gospell of Iesus Christ and reformation of the Christian Church for the mayntenaunce of their sacrilegous Masse the very syncke of all blasphemyes mens tradytions full of all superstitions and Idolatryes and the popish sea also the very sea of Antichrist and of all abhomynation saue onely for the temporall benefites which they receaue thereby and fearing to lose them For take away from them theyr lusty prebendes and fatt benefices which they haue for the mayntenaunce of theise filthy and stynkyng abhomynations of theyrs and they will soone after care but a litle for them e We haue els where spoken of the ordenaunce which biddeth the people to beware how they presume to go from Masse before such tyme as they haue the priestes blessing and that the solemnite of the Masse be finished This ordenaunce is conteyned within the Canons of the Agathensan councell Lib. Con. where it is ordeyned that the Bishopp should bring all those to open shame and to do open penaunce which did the contrary And in the first Councell of Orleaunce likewise Ber. de offic Miss Ca. 20. Alam de offic Miss C. 36.37 Dur. Rat. lib. 4 De ben nom celebrated about the tyme of Pope Hormisde wherein it is ordeyned that the people should receiue the priest his blessing if the Bishoppe were not there This is to be vnderstoode of the laste blessing which is a double blessing For they sende one of them immediatly after the Ite Missa est or Benedicamus Domino And besides there is yet another which they call the very last by comparing it with the foremost which they saye representeth the comming of the holye Ghost that was sent vnto the Apostles Vppon Whitesondaye as the other representeth the ascension because Iesus Christe blessed his Apostles and Disciples Luke 24. Nichol. de Plo de expos Miss 6. par Alam de offic Miss Ca. 36. when he ascended into heauen Nowe because there are two blessings it is to be doubted of which of these two these foresayd Canons meane Howebeit Alamarius setteth downe a ful and resolute determination hereof satisfying all suche as are desirous to vnderstande in what place the Masse properly beginneth and endeth to the ende that if they can not be present at the whole diuine office yet that they might be at the least at the principall parte thereof and which is properly of the Masse and of the very substaunce of it Whereupon he sayth That the Masse beginneth properly VVhen the Masse beginneth and endeth euen there where the Priest beginneth the sacrifice that is in that place wherein we haue begoone the third parte thereof according to the diuision which we haue followed and which some at this present vse and sayth that it endeth with that blessing which is with the Ite Missa est And for confirmation of his iudgement he alleageth Isidore who sayeth that the Masse beginneth at that same very place Isidore li. Ety where the Catechumeni are put forth when as the Deacon cryeth out and sayeth if there be any one of the Catechumeni let him goe out And all that which he there sayeth confirmeth asmuch as we haue already heretofore spoken of the Masse of the Catechumeni and of the faithfull And besides all this the sayde Alamarius rendreth a reason why there is no mention made in the Memento but for the faithfull that are liuing and namely for those which are there present Because sayth he that in the action of the sacrament there is no prayer made but for the faithfull and the sacrament is administred to none but to them And therefore they cause all the rest to goe out Ber. Micr de offic Miss Ca. 21. Con. Tol. Ca. 18. Con. Aga. Ca. 44. Moreouer Berno moueth a question to knowe what kinde of men they are that ought to giue this blessing because that Pope Damasus the first gaue this power and authoritie onely to Bishops where Leo and Gelasius neuer forbad the Priests except the Bishop him selfe were present Hieroni Rustic Narbo He alleageth also the testimony of S. Ierome by whome he againe sheweth that if the Priestes haue right power and authoritie to consecrate administer the Sacrament of the supper that they ought also aswell giue the blessing to the people Berno for the resoluing of this doubt sayeth that there is either a fault in the booke of the matter which is written of Damasus or els that this ordenaunce must be taken according to Leo and Gelasius their meanings either els that the custome of the Church did afterward cary it away that it was of greater force and authoritie then the ordenaunce of Damassus And in the ende he concludeth that this authoritie was in the olde time only giuen to the Bishops because as he thought it was not greatly necessary for to haue the priests giue the blessing seeing that there were none of the faithfull that continued at the Masse but such as did communicate vnto whome the prayer that is called the postcommunion which was appoynted for none but for the Communicants serued in steede of the blessing But whenas in processe of time the people were withoulden froÌ„ the Communion and yet could not be suffred to be at the diuiue seruice there was a tolleration graunted that the Priest might giue the people the blessing to the ende it should not seeme that they should goe away bereaued both of the blessing and also of the Communion To be short how euer it was were it by reason of this occasion or otherwise he concludeth that the custome of the Church grewe to be such as that this blessing of the Priest could not be omitted without great offence Câ—n. Aga. Ca. 44. whatsoeuer either Damasus or yet the Agathensian Councell had herein ordained which thought it to be so meant as