Ruffinus who as before was a patron and practiser of Masse and so teacheth it to haue beene the vniuersall doctrine and practise of the church of God witnesseth that whatsoeuer was corrupted in S. Clements works hee himselfe beeing Apostolicus vir immo pene Apostolus an Apostolick man and almost an Apostle Were such things as the ecclesiasticall rule doth not receaue quae ecclesiastica regula omnino non recipit Ruffin Apolog. supr therefore the holy sacrifice of Masse and massinge preisthood beeing so authentically allowed by the ecclesiastical rule both then before and after could be none of those things which were corrupted or inserted into S. Clements works 9. And to make this matter more sure wee haue many and renowned Authors of that and following times saying clearely that S. Clement did compose and publish to the world a forme of Masse which continued in succeedinge ages and such without any materiall chaunge or difference as the whole church of Christ now vseth Amonge these is S. Proclus Patriarch of Constantinople successor to S. Chrisostom that great massing prelate who in his book of the sacred Masse de traditione diuinae Liturgiae writeth in this maner Proclus Patriarch Constantinopol tract de traditione diuinae Liturgiae multi diuini Pastores qui Apostolis successerunt ac Ecclesiae Doctores sacrorum diuinae Liturgiae mysteriorum rationem explicantes scriptis mandatam Ecclesiae tradiderunt in quibus primi clarissimi sunt S. Clemens summi illius Apostolorum discipulus successor qui sacrosancta illa mysteria à Sanctis Apostolis sibi reuelata in lucem edidit Many diuine Pastors which succeeded the Apostles and Doctors of the church expoundinge the order of the holy misteries of the diuine Liturgie Masse committed it to writing and deliuered it to the church among whome the principall and most renowned were S. Clement the disciple and successor of that cheifest of the Apostles which did publish to light those holy misteries reuealed vnto him by the Apostles Where wee see that S. Clement did not onely write the order of Masse but is recompted in the first place as one of the cheifest that performed this holie worke 10. The others which he there nameth ar S. Iames the Apostle first Bishop of Hierusalem S. Basile the great and S. Iohn Chrisostome this mans spirituall Father Pater noster Ioannes cui aure a lingua cognomen dedit Who as hee saith did shorten the Apostles Masse takinge some things from it because for the length it did not so well please some men declined from that great zeale of the Apostles and their time for as he writeth in the same place the holy Apostles were exceedingly deuoted to this most holy sacrifice as a thinge most necessary and principall in their function postquam Seruator noster in caelum assumptus est Apostoli priusquam per omnem terram dispergerentur conspirantibus animis cum multam consolationem in mystico illo Dominici corporis sacrificio positam inuenissent fusissmè longa oratione Liturgiam decantabant Haec enim diuina sacra vna cum dicendi ratione coniuncta caeteris rebus anteponenda censebant atque maiori alacriori rerum diuinarum sacrificij sacrosancti studio desiderio flagrabant illud obnixe amplectebantur After our Sauiour was assumpted vnto heauen the Apostles before they were dispersed through all the earth assemblinge together with agreeinge mindes applied themselues to pray all the day and when they had found much consolation placed in that mysticall sacrifice of our Lords body they did singe Liturgie Masse most largely with longe prayer For they did thinke these diuine sacrifices ioyned with preachinge to bee preferred before all other thinges and were incensed with a greater and more chearfull affection and desire of diuine things and the holy sacrifice and did embrace it with all their power Hitherto this auncient Saint and Patriarch 11. Of Ruffinus I haue spoken before onely I add here that he beeing commonlie takē to be the interpreter of many these works of S. Clement where the holy sacrifice of Masse and massinge preisthood ar so euidently approued and acknowledging S. Clements works had bene in some things corrupted euer taketh these for the true writings and doctrine of S. Clement and far from being corruptions or insertions by others The holy learned and auncient Bishop Nicholaus Methonensis Episc l. de vero Christi corpore in Eucharistia hauinge shewed how S. Iames said Masse at Hierusalem S. Peter and S. Paule at Antioch S. Marke at Alexandria S. Iohn and S Andrew in Asia and Europe concludeth with an eminency for S. Clements Masse Omnesque vniuersae Ecclesiae vbicumque sint per eam quam Sanctus Clemens conscripsit Liturgiā tradiderunt And all the Bishops haue deliuered to the whole church whersoeuer dispersed the Liturgie or Masse accordinge to that order which S. Clement wrote And to put vs out of al doubt hee meaneth this of the holy sacrifice of Christs body and blood in the Masse that that his booke is instituted de vero Christi corpore in Eucharistia of the true body of Christ in the Eucharist Marcus Ephesius and Bessarion write the very same of S. Clements Masse citinge diuers testimonies from thence for the reall presence of Christ in that most holy sacrifice and diuers others deliuer the like Marcus Ephes l. de corpore sanguine Christi Bessarion l. de Sacramento Eucharist M. S. Gallic antiq pr. or que nous sommes an Dom. 81. in S. Clement 12. Whereby is euidently proued that S. Clement did not only write a forme of the Masse practise as a sacrificing preist that holy sacrifice but this was so renowned that it was published by the Bishops receaued in all churches And amonge these in this our Britanie except the Brittish ātiquities themselues written before the vnion of the Christian Britans with the disciples of S. Gregory and the conuerted Saxons in this contrie do deceaue vs which our English Protestāts generally extolling the credit of those monuments and the Christian Britans Religion may not affirme This antiquitie so auncient as I haue related and purposely entreatinge of the first order of saying Masse especially in Fraunce and this kingdome of Britanie comprehending England and Scotland is in that respect though with a later hand writinge thus intituled prima institutio varietas ecclesiastici seruity praecipue in Britannia Gallia The first institution and varietie of the ecclesiasticall seruice especially in Britanie Fraunce And it termeth it cursum the course or order of the publick Liturgie or Masse thereby expressed Bed in Martyrolog 4. cal Ianuar. Beatus Trophinus Episcopus Arelatensis Sanctus Phetinus Martyr Episcopus Lugdunensis discipulus Sancti Petri Apostoli cursum Romanum in Gallijs tradiderunt Inde postea relatione beati Photini Martyris cum quadraginta octo Martyribus retrusi in ergastalum ad beatum Clementem quartum loci successorem beati Petri
known world by the holy Fathers before and appeareth in the most auncient Masse of S. Marke the Euangelist vsed among the first Christians of this nation as I shall shew hereafter in which thus wee finde Per quem Christum offerimns rationabilem incruentam oblationem hanc quam offerunt tibi Domine omnes gentes ab ortu solis vsque ad occasum à Septentrione ad meridiem Quia magnum nomen tuum in omnibus gentibus in omni loco incēsum offertur nomini tuo Sancto sacrificium oblatio By whome Christ wee offer this reasonable and vnbloody oblation which ô Lord all nations doe offer vnto thee from the rising of the sunne to the setting therof from North to South because thy name is great in all nations and in euery place incense and sacrifice oblation is offered to thy holy name Liturgia eccl Alexandr S. Marci Euang. M. S. per antiq tempore Britan. AN HISTORIE OF THE HOLY PREISTHOOD AND sacrifice of the true church The first age THE VIII CHAPTER Wherin is proued by all kinds of testimonies Catholicks Protestants and whatsoeuer that Christ the true Messias as his calling and dignitie required in abrogatinge the preisthood and sacrifices of Moses lawe instituted an other more perfect sacrificinge preisthood and sacrifice of his sacred body and blood in Masse HAuing declared and proued at large out of the holy Prophets and lawe of Moses by all learned languages and translations Hebrue Greeke and Latine by all learned interpreters of scriptures aswell before as after Christ the auncient Rabbines and primatiue Fathers of the church of Christ as they are allowed and receiued both by Catholicke and Protestant writers and their consent herein That our blessed Sauiour Christ our Redeemer and high preist after a more excellent manner accordinge to the order of Melchisedech was to euacuate the legall preisthood and sacrifices of the lawe of Moses as in themselues figuratiue and vmbraticall beeing to cease determine at the coming of the Messias to found and institute a preisthood and sacrifice more perfect effectuall as S. Paul stileth it Hebr. cap. 7. v. 24. and our protestants translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an vnchaungeable preisthood and consequently a sacrifice and law vnchaungeable for so these men translate the same holy Apostle euery high preist is ordeyned to offer guifts and sacrifices for sinnes and for the preisthood beeing chaunged there is made of necessitie a chaunge also of the lawe protest transl Hebr. cap. 5. v. 1. Hebr. cap. 7. v. 12. 2. Therefore the time of this most happie chaunge and alteration beeinge now come at his laste passouer or eating of the Paschall lambe a figure as I haue by greatest allowance and warrant formerly declared of this most holy christian sacrifice although our Sauiour had often celebrated that legall feast before or none or smal memory thereof left in scripture yet when in this laste hee was to end the olde and ordeine the new hee sent his two great Apostles and most beloued S Peter and Saint Iohn to prouide the first Christian church as some not vnworthly call it Proclus apud Flor. Rem l. 8 Luc. cap. 22. v. 12. to institute this most sacred preisthood sacrifice in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a large vpper Roome furnished as our English protestāts translate but as the Greeke word is and frēch Hugonots also do read a great Roome strewed with carpets Hugon gallic apud Florim Raemund supr de origin haeres l. 8. cap. 12 into which our high preist and Sauiour did enter vt Rabbinorum nonnulli affirmant veste sacra quam ipsi appellant Taleth indutus as some of the Rabbines affirme hauinge on a sacred or sacrificinge vestement which they call Taleth And there after hee had ended the ceremony of the lawe about the Paschall Lambe he instituted this new sacrifice of Christians and gaue power and commaundement to his Apostles present to doe the same Hoc facite doe this which I haue done in this mistery 3. Wee haue heard already and it is infidelitie to deny it that he was a preist according to the order of Melchisedech that hee must needes by that title offer a sacrifice with some resemblance to that of Melchisedech in bread and wine that he was to chaunge the lawe preisthood and sacrifice hee had not done any of these offices of the Messias and high preist before onely hee had in the sixt chapter of S. Iohn giuen his faithfull promise which he could not violate that he would performe it this was the laste day time and oportunitie wherein he could possiblie effect it with his holy Apostles to whom this charge before al others was first and chiefly to be recommended hee being that very night to be betrayed violently taken and seperated from them and neuer to communicate with them againe in the short time of his life Therefore now or neuer he was of necessitie to make performance of this most holy dutie and if not now the lawe preisthood and sacrifices of the lawe had not beene abrogated and chaunged but Iudaisme had beene still in force and Christ could not truely and lawfully haue enioyed the title of the true Messias if so excellent and euident signe and propertie of the holy Redeemer had beene wantinge and defectiue in him 4. Therefore all kinde of witnesses that be or then were in the world frends or enemies whether Iewes Gentiles or Mahumetans whether Christians Catholicks either the auncient Fathers or later writers and the best learned protestants themselues giue euidence that Christ at that time instituted a new sacrifice and sacrificinge preisthood The auncient Rabbines before Christ so expounded the scriptures of the old testament as I haue shewed before and both Catholicks and protestants so assure vs. Francisc Stancar Petr. Gallat l. 10. cap. 4.5.6.7 The Iewes that liued in the time of Christ soone after and at this day acknowledge it hauinge proued by their lamentable experience that after the institution of the new sacrifice and preisthood by Christ as hee forewarned them of the ceasing of their sacrifices and desolation of the Temple of Ierusalem where onely by their lawe they might bee offered they lie in that forsakē state which al the world obserueth and the Prophet thus by protestants translation foretold of them Osee c. 3. v. 4. The children of Israel shall abide manie yeares without a Kinge and without a Prince and without a sacrifice and without an Image and without an Ephod and without Seraphim preistly and sacrificing vestures Iudic. cap. 17. v. 5. 5. And al that write against the Iewes as the holy Archbishop S. Gregentius Iulianus Pomerius Archbishop of Toletum Rabbi Samuel Hieronymus a S. fide Paulus Burgensis Petrus Gallatinus Franciscus Stancarus a protestant and others and their owne Thalmud is witnes that the hate of the Iewes against Christ and Christians is not so great for any thing as that Christ at that
satisfactory for sinnes as S. Alexander by these protestants teacheth they haue often told vs before that it was soe esteemed from the first institution thereof by Christ That which hee saith how it ought to bee solemnized with vnleuened breade was also as the protestants besides the generall practise of the Latine church assure vs the ordinance of Christ himselfe and the lawe it selfe as a Protestant Archbishop with others thus expoūdeth this confirmatory decree of this holy Pope Ioh. Whitguife answ to the admonit sect 1.2 pag. 98. and def of the answ pag 594. Alexander was a good and godly Bishop it is reported in some writers that hee appointed vnleuened breade to bee vsed in the Eucharist because that Christ himselfe vsed the same accordinge to the lawe written Exod. 12. Deuteron 16. The wordes pridie quà m pateretur the day before Christ suffered vnto the words hoc est corpus meum this is my body were not newly added by Pope Alexander but declared by him to bee the institution of Christ himselfe and so of necessitie to bee vsed For these hee testifieth thereof Alexand. 1. epist. 1. ad omnes Orthodox Tom. 2. concil de conse dist 2. nihil in Sac. Ipsa veritas nos instruxit c. Christ Iesus truth it selfe hath instructed vs to offer the chalice and breade in the Sacrament when hee saith Iesus tooke breade and blessed it and gaue to his disciples sayinge Take and eate for this is my body which shall bee giuen for you likewise after hee had supped hee tooke the chalice and gaue to his disciples sayinge Take and drinke you all of it for this is the chalice of my blood which shall bee shed for you for remission of sinnes For offences and sinnes are blotted out with these sacrifices offered vnto our Lord. And therfore his passion is to bee remembred in these by the which wee are redeemed and often to bee recited and these to bee offered vnto our Lord. With such sacrifices our Lord will bee delighted and pacified and forgiue great sinnes For in sacrifices nothinge can bee greater then the body and blood of Christ. Nor any oblation better then this but this excelleth all Which is to be offered to our Lord with a pure conscience and to bee receaued with a pure minde and to bee reuerenced of all men And as it is better then all others so it ought more to bee worshipped and reuerenced Quae pura conscientia Domino offerenda est Pura mente sumenda atque ab omnibus veneranda Et sicut potior est cateris ita potius excoli venerari debet 8. This was the opinion of this holy Pope and all good Christians vnder his charge in that prime age of Christianitie and hereby wee perfectly knowe that S. Alexander did not add any new thinge to the holy sacrifice of Masse but only proposed the ordinance and institution of Christ himselfe to bee followed and obserued as is euident in that I haue cited from him wherby it appeareth that what he wrote in that matter ipsa veritas nos instruxit that Christ the infallible truth did teache and so instruct and institute as euidently is proued by comparinge those wordes which these protestants say S. Alexander added in the Masse to the institution of Christ as it is deliuered in holy scriptures by the Euangelists and S. Paule The words supposed to bee added bee these Qui pridie quà m pateretur who Christ the day before his passion tooke breade into his holy and venerable hands and lifting vp his eyes towards heauen to thee God his Father omnipotent giuinge thanks vnto thee blessed it brake and gaue to his disciples saying take and eate you all of this For this is my body All vnto the last wordes for this is my body They say were S. Alexanders addition But S. Paul as hee is translated by our protestants hath the same from Christs institution in this maner 1. Corinth cap. 11. vers 23.24.25.26 I haue receaued of the Lord that which also I deliuered vnto you that the Lord Iesus the same night in which he was betraied tooke bread and when hee had giuen thankes hee brake it and saide take eate this is my body which is broken for you doe this in remembrance of mee After the same maner also hee tooke the cup when hee had supped sayinge this cup is the new testament in my blood this doe yee as oft as yee drinke it in remembrance of mee For as often as yee eate this bread and drinke this cup yee doe shew the Lords death till hee come Wherfore vvhosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke this cup of the Lord vnvvorthily shall be guilty of the bodie and blood of the Lord. The like haue the Euangelists S. Matthew Marke and Luke from the wordes and institution of Christ himselfe Matth. cap. 26. Marc. cap. 14. Luc. cap. 22. 9. And it plainely appeareth by that is said that without these wordes or their equiualent it is vnpossible to obserue the institution and commaundement of Christ in this behalfe And therfore our most learned holy and auncient contriman S. Albinus or Alcuinus Remigius Antisiodorensis and others after them confidently and truely say Albin Flac. Alcuin l. de diuin officijs cap. de celebratione Missa Remigius Antissiodor in exposit Missae Hoc quod sequitur qui pridie quam pateretur vsque in memoriam facietis Apostoli c. This which followeth who the day before hee suffered vnto those wordes you shall doe it in my commemoration the Apostles had in vse after the ascension of our Lord. Therefore that the church might celebrate a continuall memory of her redeemer our Lord deliuered it to his Apostles and the Apostles generally to the whole church in these words without which no tonge no Region no citie that is no part of the church can consecrate this Sacrament Which the Apostle doth make manifest sayinge for I haue receaued of our Lord which I haue also deliuered vnto you that our Lord Iesus the night when he was betrayed tooke breade and the rest Therfore by the power and wordes of Christ this breade and this chalice was consecrated from the beginninge is euer consecrated and shall be consecrated For he speakinge his words by his preists doth by his heauenly blessing make his holy body and blood 10. S. Ambrose relateth this in the same maner in these wordes Ambros l. 4. de Sacramentis cap. 5. vis scire quia verbis caelestibus consecratur c. Wilt thou knowe that consecration is done by heauenly wordes receaue what the wordes bee The preist doth say make vnto vs saith he this oblation ratified reasonable acceptable which is the figure of the body and blood of our Lord Iesus Christ Who the day before hee suffered did take breade in his holy hands and looked to heauen to thee ô holy Father omnipotent euerlastinge God giuing thanks blessed it brake it and beeinge broken gaue to his disciples sayinge take and
this bread did signifie the sacrifice of the Messias and that in his time in this sacrifice bread should be miraculously chaunged into his body Stancarus the great Sacramentary linguist citeth and approueth Rabbi Iudas liuing as hee saith many yeares before Christ to write in these wordes Erit hic panis duaerum facierum de quo scriptum est Exodi 25. capite Lehem Phanim Aephanai tamid panis facierum coram me semper Quare autem dicatur panis facierum ratio est quia ait R. Iudas transmutabitur ex substantia panis cum sacrificabitur in substantiam corporis Messiae qui descendet de caelis Et ipse idem erit sacrificium Eritque inuisibilis atque impalpabilis cuius rei fidem facit sedes Eliae Et Magistri aiunt eam ob rem dictum esse panem facierum quia in ipso sacrificio erunt duae substantiae diuinitas humanitas This bread shall bee of two faces of which it is written in the 25. chapter of Exodus Bread of faces before mee continually And why it is called bread of faces the reason is as Rabbi Iudas saith because it shall bee chaunged when it is sacrificed out of the substance of bread into the substance of the body of the Messias which shal come from heauen and hee himselfe shall bee the sacrifice and shal bee inuisibly and vnpalpable To which the state of Elias giueth credit and the Masters say that for that cause it is called bread of faces because in that sacrifice there shal bee two substances diuinitie and humanitie 3. Neither doe the auncient Fathers of the Law of Christ expound it otherwise but not finding how the things there spoken can bee rightly applied to the figuratiue sacrifices of the Lawe of Moises doe glosse it as the old Rabbins did expounding it of the holy sacrifice of Masse in the Law of Christ among whome Theodoret that auncient learned greeke Father Quaest in Exod. quaest 60. expoundinge that scipture and not finding how it could bee ment or intended for the things of that Law of Moses saith in respect of that perspicuum est ista fuisse super â—…ua Deoque minime grata Nos autem sacrificium interiora penetrans celebramus offerentes Deo incensum cum lumine lucernarum mystica sacrae mensae consecratione It is euideÌ„t that these thinges were superfluous and not acceptable to God But wee Christians doe celebrate the sacrifice that penetrateth the internall thinges offering vnto God incense with light of candels and the mysticall consecration of the holy table Which in other places In Philotheo c. 20. Dialog 2. ad cap. 6. epistol ad Hebr. Hee calleth mysticum diuinum salutare sacrificium corpus sanguinem Christi The mysticall diuine and sauing sacrifice the body and blood of Christ Which he commannded the preists of the new lawe to offer when hee said to his Apostles doe this in my commemoration 4. Neither can this place of scripture if wee will bee directed by protestants carry any other so proper interpretation for first by their rule of the originall Hebrue tongue in this place to bee followed it is as I haue shewed before Lehem Phanim bread of faces Aquila readeth as the Hebrue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The common Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bread before God as Sebastian Castalio panis appositiuus bread set before God and our protestants seeme to meane no other when they translate it shew bread for by their owne translation God thus commaundeth Thou shalt set vppon the table shew bread before mec alway Exod. 25. v. 30. The table on which this bread was thus to bee placed was of Shittim incorruptible wood the table to bee couered with pure gold with a crowne of gold rounde about it And foure rings of gold and staues of Shittim incorruptible wood couered with gold to beare it by All the vessels belonginge to this holy table were of pure gold and seuen golden lamps of gold besides caÌ„dlesticks of gold to burne before this holy sacrifice and a table continually and all this in the most holy place the propitiatory where God spake vnto that people which beeing so strictly commaunded by God of this and noe other sacrifice argueth that which was figured herin should bee the most honorable and continuinge sacrifice not to end with the propitiatory and Gods appearing there but to continue in the holy Religion of the Messias therin prefigured Which must needes bee of that excellency there described with so great glory to bee euer in the sight of God 5. What superstition and idolatrie by Protestant ReligioÌ„ allowing no such Reuerence but to Christ himselfe was this except some great supernatural mistery and worthie that reuerence had beene figured therin and nothing there is by their Religion that can haue so much but the blessed body of Christ Therefore they must needes graunt this moste holy continuall and most pleasing sacrifice to God to bee there prefigured And if wee follow their rule of concordance of places they paralell with this the 24. chapter of Leuiticus where this sacrifice is made of pure flower baked into cakes set vppon the pure table before the Lord it is a memoriall an offeringe made to the Lord an euerlasting couenant to be eaten in the holy place most holy of all offerings by a perpetuall statute Thus our protestants Which as it cannot bee verified of any sacrifice of Moises Lawe vnperfect figuratiue and ended by Christ so longe since neuer to bee reuiued againe neuer holy in themselues and protestants pretend no such sacrifice for them beeing in all thinges most euidently consonant and agreeinge with that which Catholickes maintaine and proue of the most blessed sacrifice of Christs most sacred body and blood offered vpon an euer duringe altar and most acceptable in the sight of God it must needes be vnderstood of this and nothing els 6. Also in the same Booke of Exodus written by Moses the sacrifice of the Paschall Lambe a figure of this most holy sacrifice was instituted for although this may be said to forshew the death of Christ yet it cannot bee denied denied but it also properly represented this our holy commemoratiue sacrifice and that this Paschal lambe was also a sacrifice for so the scriptures witnesse Exod. c. 12. v. 6. Ve shahatu otho and they shal sacrifice him Thus the Hebrue so the Greeke so the Latine immolabitque eum and our protestants translatinge shall kill it make it a new text the scripture beeing otherwise and so they themselues translate in the same chapter Exod. c. 12. v. 27. It is the sacrifice of the Lords passouer as the Hebrue Sebac Greek Cobia Latine victima is And in the booke of members c. 9. v. 13. Our protestants translate it offerringe equiualent with sacrifice so it is in the new testament in diuers places Marc. cap. 14. Luc. c. 22. v 7. And that it more properly signifieth Christes holy oblation in
heauen is my Throne and the earth my footestoole thus speaketh Fluctuans conuerte me ad Christum quia ipsum quaro hic inuenio quomodo sine impietate adoretur terra Sine impietate adoretur scabellum pedum eius Suscepit enim de terra terram quia caro de terra est de carne Mariae carnem accepit quia in ipsa carne hic ambulauit ipsam carnem nobis manducandam ad salutem dedit nemo autem illam carnem manducat nisi prius adorauerit Inuentum est quemadmodum adoretur tale scabellum pedum Domini non solum non peccemus adorando sed peccemus non adorando Doubtfull I conuert mee to Christ because I seeke him here and I finde how without impiety earth may be adored For from earth hee receaued earth because flesh is from the earth and from the flesh of Mary he receaued flesh and because he walked here in the same flesh and gaue the same flesh to bee eaten of vs to saluation and no man eateth that flesh but first he adoreth it we haue found how such a footestoole of the feete of our Lord may bee adored and wee doe not onely not sinne in adoringe it but wee should sinne if wee did not adore it Thus this holy and learned Doctor 3. And of all men our English Protestants which vtterly deny all worship or adoration to relicks and holy material thinges and singularly at their communion differently from all other protestantes by strict and very penall commaundement vse the ordinary act and gesture of adoration kneeling to their communion must needes bee of this opinion for in their Religion there is nothinge vnder God but the blessed body blood humanitie of Christ which may haue that externall religious and adoring gesture vsed vnto it The wordes of their article Religion to which they are all bound Articul 22. are these worshipping and adoration aswell of Images as of relicks and also inuocation of Saints is a fond thinge vainely inuented and grounded vppon no warrant of scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God Where wee see all other thinges prohibited to haue any worship or adoration or acts thereof done vnto them And the Prophet here is plaine euen in the originall tongue Hebrue which these men apprise so much that it is Gods commaundement that wee should worship this body of Christ Gods footestoole incuruate vos scabello Laharum pedum eius sanctum ipsum Chadosh hu It is holy And our protestants professinge to allowe and follow the Hebrue do falsely translate worship at his footestoole for hee is holy For the Hebrue is plaine worship or adore his footestoole And so the protestant Sebastian Castalio translateth eius pedum subsellium veneramini worship the footeestoole of his feete So the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adore his footestoole And our protestants cannot excuse themselues because it is in the Hebrue La harom to the footestoole and the particle la is an adiect to Harom but by this more condemneth them for the word Hastitachu incuruate vos bowe downe your selues in worship to the footestoole or his footestoole doth demonstrate the worship was done to the footestoole And these men condemne themselues in this matter for in the 20. chapter of Exodus v. 5. Where they would haue adoration to creatures forbidden they translate the very same worde Thou shalt not bowe downe thy selfe to them La hem and yet here the expresse commaundement is bowe downe yourselues to his footestoole 4. Againe where the Prophet Dauid speaketh as our protestants translate him psal 39 alias 40. ver 7. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire c. speaking of the old sacrifices to cease and the lawe of Christ to bee receaued S. Paul Hebr. 10.5.6.7 thus expoundeth it of Christ when hee cometh into the world hee saith sacrifice and offeringe thou wouldest not but a body thou hast prepared mee in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sinne thou hast had no pleasure then said I â—…oe I come to do thy wil o God c. And in that place of the psalme the Greeke reading is as S. Paule readeth a body thou hast prepared mee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So readeth S. Augustine S. Basile and others And S. Augustine thus concludeth from that place Augustin in psal 39. l. 17. ciuitat cap. 20. Basil in psal 72. vocem illam in psal 39. Mediatoris per prophetiam loquentis agnoscimus sacrificium oblationem noluisti corpus autem perfecisti mihi Wee acknowledge that voice of the Mediator speaking by prophesy in the 39. psalme Thou wouldest not haue sacrifice and oblation but thou hast perfected a body for mee And then thus hee declareth how this the body of Christ our Mediator was made our sacrifice in place of those that were abrogated Augustin l. 17. ciuitat cap. 20. Quia pro illis omnibus sacrificijs oblationibus corpus eius offertur participantibus ministratur Because for all those sacrifices and oblations his body is offered and ministred to the participants 5. And vppon those words of that psalme thus hee writeth Augustin in psal 39. v. 7. Sacrificia ergo illa tanquam verba promissiua oblata sunt Quid est quod datum est completiuum corpus quod nostis Videte quando dictum est Christus enim ille est Dominus noster modo loquens ex persona sua sacrificium inquit oblationem noluisti Quid ergo Nos iam hoc tempore sine sacrificio dimissi sumus absit corpus autem perfecisti mihi Ideo illa noluisti vt hoc perficeres illa voluisti antequam hoc perficeres perfectio abstulit verba promittentia Nam si adhuc sunt promittentia nondum impletum est quod promissum est Hoc promittebatur quibusdam signis ablata sunt promittentia quia exhibita est veritas promissa Therefore those sacrifices beeing as promising wordes are taken away what is that which is giuen fulfilling them The bodie which you know consider when it was spoken for that Christ is our Lord now speaking in his owne parson sacrifice saith hee and oblation thou wouldest not haue What therfore are we in this time left without a sacrifice God forbid But thou hast perfected a body to mee Therefore thou wouldest not haue those sacrifices that thou mightest perfect this Thou wouldst haue them before thou diddest perfect this Perfection tooke away the promising wordes for if still they are promisinge that is not yet fulfilled which was promised This was promised by certaine signes the promising signes are taken away because the truth which was promised is giuen 6. Neither may this place bee otherwise expounded of any seing S. Paul himselfe Hebr. 10. v. 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10 doth so expound it being best acquainted with the meaning of the holy Ghost and therfore at large proueth from hence the ceasing of the sacrifices of the Lawe of Moises for their vnperfectnes and a new and
Euangelist S. Iohn bringeth Christ speakinge in these wordes as our protestants translate them Ioh. cap. 6 v. 51. I am the liuinge breade which came downe from heauen If any man eate of this breade hee shall liue for euer and the breade that I will giue is my flesh vvhich I vvill giue for the life of the vvorlde The Ievves therefore stroue amonge themselues saying hovv can this man giue vs his flesh to eate Then Iesus said vnto them verelye I say vnto you except yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood yee haue no life in you Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I vvill raise him vp at the last day For my flesh is meate in deede and my blood is drinke in deede Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dvvelleth in mee and I in him As the liuinge Father hath sent mee and I liue by the Father so hee that eateth me euen hee shall liue by mee This is the bread vvhich came dovvne from heauen not as your Fathers did eate Manna and are deade hee that eateth of this breade shall liue for euer 25. These words bee so euident for the reall presence of Christ in the sacrifice of Masse by all testimonies of antiquitie that as I haue shewed before none but incredulous people and like Kinge Achis will denie it And for Britanie the lately cited antiquitie that was publickly reade in our churches here so longe before S. Augustines cominge hither doth with the whole cōsent of our church in or before the yeare of Christ 366. so approue it citing all these words of S. Iohn which I haue related to that purpose the old Britt serm supr apud Foxe pag· 1142. alios and no man can better expound S. Iohn then S. Iohn himselfe who as wee are assured both by Catholicke and Protestant antiquaries and authorities did both say Masse and consecrated sacrificinge and massinge preists to doe the same So wee are taught by Eusebius Emissenus or Faustus Reginensis S. Bede Haymo the author of the scholasticall history Smaragdus Durantes Honorius Vincentius Nicolaus Methonensis and others Euseb Emis seu Faust Regin hom in fest S. Ioan. Bed homil in id dixit Iesus Petro sequere me Haymo Homil. 2. in festo S. Ioan Homil 1. histor scholastic cap. 106. Smarag Abb. in collect in Euangel in fest S. Ioan. Duran l. 7. c. 42. de diu offic Honor. serm in fest S. Ioan. Vincent l. 11. c. 44. Nichol. Methon l. de corp Christi And we haue both Catholick Protestant testimony for this of our own nation a preist of Eaton in his holy trauailes aboue 200. yeares since and a protestant minister thus approuinge and relatinge from them Ad occidentalem partem Ecclesiae quae est in monte Sion est lapis rubens prae altari qui quidem lapis portatus erat de monte Sinay per manus Angelorum ad preces S. Thomae reuertentis ab India super quem celebrabat sanctus Ioannes Euangelista coram beatissima virgine Maria Missam per multos annos post Ascensionem Domini At the West ende of the church which is in mount Sion there is a redd stone standing in steade of an altare the which stone was transported thither from the mount Sinay by the hands of Angels at the prayers of S. Thomas when he returned from India vpon this stone S. Iohn the Euangelist did celebrate and say Masse before the blessed virgin Mary many yeares after the Ascension of our Lord. Gulielm Way Etonensis presbyter l. Itinerar· cap. loca sancta montis Sinay an D. 1420. Hackluyts booke of trauailes in Gul. Way cap. mount Sinay And he was so daily deuoted to this holy sacrifice that as the auncient Anonymus writer of his and the other Apostles liues doth witnes hee celebrated it the very day he died and was buried by the altare Anonimus antiq in vit miracula pass Apostolorum in Ioanne cap. 10. 26. S. Paule the laste of our holy writers of these mysteries saith plainely by our protestants translation 1. Corinth cap. 11.23.24.25 I haue receaued of the Lord that which also I deliuered vnto you that the Lord Iesus the same night in which he was betraied tooke bread and when hee had giuen thankes hee brake it and said Take eate this is my body which is broken for you This doe in remembrance of mee and after the same maner also hee take the cup when he had supped sayinge This cup is the new testament in my blood this doe yee as often as yee drinke it in remembrance of mee Where wee see a double power commaundement also of Christ vnto his Apostles both to consecrate and cōmunicate both his body and blood And yet there is no commaundement in any Religion Catholick or Protestant for any but preists to doe all these thinges and to them onely when they offer the holy sacrifice of Christs body and blood in Masse for if at any other time in sicknes or otherwise they communicate they doe it only as other Catholick lay parsons doe And many cases there bee in the Religion of Protestants in which communicants are not bounde to receaue in both kinds and it is approued and enacted by the publicke statute of all our Protestant Princes that euer were in England Kinge Edward the sixt Queene Elisabeth and our present soueraigne King Iames that euen in the first primatiue and vnspotted times of Christianitie the Christians did very often communicate in one onely kinde Statut. parlament 1. an 1. Eduard 6.1 Elisabeth an 1. Iacob· which could not bee tolerable if the commaundement of Christ had beene generall vnto all to communicate in both as it was to his Apostles and all massinge or sacrificinge preists in them 27. And to make it most euident in all proceedings that the powers commaundements were communicated and giuen to preists onely no parsons whatsoeuer Kinge or Caesar but preists onely and with protestants their ministers which in their Religion cypher the places of preists doe or may intermeddle with any of those powers or commaunds of Christ doe this either in respect of his blessed body or blood or howsoeuer wee will terme those mysteries and yet to them to whome they were committed they are plaine commaundements imparatiue in all lāguages Greeke Latine English 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 facite doe this in the imparatiue and commaundinge moode and maner of speach and so all men of whatsoeuer Religion doe vnderstand them and cannot possibly truely vse them in any other meaninge And after prouinge how the misteries there deliuered are the very body and blood of Christ 1. Corinth cap. 11. ver 27.28.29.30.31 although he had said before that hee had deliuered vnto them that which hee receaued of Christ and entreateth of the same diuers verses before and in 11. or 12. after euen to the end of that chapter yet not hauinge therein set downe the forme
it would be more then impietie to thinke hee either neglected the power or brake the commaundement of his Master whome he so much loued and loued him againe for so he should not haue beene so principall a frend and louer of Christ but his professed enemy in continually violatinge his lawe and commaundement And being both brother to S. Iohn and consecrated and ordeyned preist at the same time in the same maner and order as hee was how could S. Iohn be a massinge and sacrificinge preist so vndeniably as is proued of him except S. Iames were also in the same degree 4. Further it is proued that S. Iames liued sometime before his death was martired in Hierusalem where the publick sacrifice of the Christian church at that time was the holy Masse for as Hieremias Patriarke of Constantinople proueth against the Protestants in his censure and others The holy Masse is a sacrifice instituted of Christ. Hierem. in censura Concil 6. Constantinop in memory and commendation of all his mercy and humilitie sustained for our soules Saint Iames the Apostle called our Lords brother first reduced into order that liturgie and sacrifice beeinge so instructed of Christ to doe it in all parts of that holy sacrifice nothing els is handled but an vniuersall order of thinges which our Sauiour vndertooke for our redemption Then this S. Iames also a cheife Apostle of the same Christ consecrated with the same solemnitie the other was and liuinge and dyinge in the same place a great Saint and Martyr as the oother was could not possibly differ from him in this point nor from the rest of the Apostles all of them by all consent before agreeinge in these misteries And it is an historicall approued veritie by all antiquities that these few disciples which this S. Iames conuerted in Spaine and brought with him to Hierusalem were directed and sent thither againe by S. Peter the Apostle that great massinge preist as hereafter and they were such as he that sent them in that respect 5. S. Thomas followeth next in Apostolick order how hee was a sacrificinge and massinge preist I haue shewed before in S. Iohn And this holy Apostle preachinge in India altares and diuers other pregnant arguments of his saying Masse in those parts are found amonge them there Christiani qui Indias frequentarunt quas olim diui Thomae praedicatio peragrauit altaria Christiana cum reliquijs quibusdam Imaginis Virginis in speluncis inuenerunt Florimund Raem de origine Haer. l. 8. cap. 12. And Franciscus Aluares de reb Ind. that liued longe in those parts writeth that their Annals testifie they had a church built in their contry within ten yeares of Christs Ascension which church there still remayneth and beareth the name as euer it did the church of our Lady of Mount Sion and the reason why it is so called is because the stone where of the altar was builded was brought thither from Mount Sion The same is proued by others and protestants themselues further declaringe the maner of their saying Masse still continued with great reuerence and deuotion teachinge how they neuer say Masse without incense and three cleargie men a preist deacon and subdeacon and they deriue their Religion from S. Thomas the Apostle An other an English Protestant minister from experienced trauailers and antiquitie writeth est Capella Indorum there is a Chappell of these Indians conuerted by S. Thomas in Mount Caluary at Hierusalem where onely the pilgrims of India by theire preists singe Masse after their order consecrating and makinge conficientes the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ of bread and wine They behaue themselues with greatest attention reuerence humilitie and deuotion Therfore wee cannot doubt but S. Thomas taught and practised these misteries both there and wheresoeuer hee liued and preached Edw. Grim. booke of estates pag. 1088.1089.201.203 Sebast. Munster l. 6. cap. 57. vide multos apud Gul. Eisengr centen 1. fol. 168. Rich. Hackluits booke of trauailes in mount Sinay Sir Iohn Mandeuil pag. 36. cap. 14. 6. Concerning S. Iames commonly called S. Iames the lesse and brother of our Lord whose place is ordinarily numbred next I haue spoken before how and by Christs appointment as the greeke writers say hee composed a forme of Masse and deliuered it to the churches where hee liued and so must needs bee a professor and practiser of that which he taught to others and consequently consecrated massing and sacrificinge preists to performe the same His Masse approued of in the sixt generall councell held at Constantinople as our protestants allow is stil extant and known to all learned men in all things of substance agreeing with the vsuall present missale of the Roman churche Censura Oriental Hieremias Patriarch Constantinapol ib. cap. 10. Proclus S. Nichol. Methon Bessarion apud Gul. Eisengr cent 1. fol. 186. Concil general 6. can 52. can Apost 3. Missa 5. Iacobi in Biblioth Patr. al. Morton apol part 2. pag. 8. 7. Now followeth S. Philip which followed the same opinion and practise of the holy sacrifice of Masse for wee doe not onlie often reade in generall that hee founded churches and consecrated Bishops preists deacons and other inferior cleargie men which none but they which hold a sacrificinge preisthood and sacrifice of Christs body and blood in holy Masse allowe But S. Simeon Metaphrastes liuinge where S. Philip preached with others testifieth in particular Sacerdotes altaria vbique in illis locis statuit construxit pro sacrificijs illis quae fiebant in daemonum altaribus sacrosancti fecit in eis peragi sacram misterij celebrationem Hee appointed preistes and builded altars euery where in those places and for those sacrifices which were vsed to bee offered vppon the altars of deuils hee caused the holy celebration of the sacred mistery to bee perfected Anonimus supr l. in Pass Apostol in S. Philippo Gul. Eisengr centur 1. fol. 157.158 alibi Simeon Metaph. in S. Philippo Apostolo Sur. die 1. Maij. And the protestant Sebastian Munster with others teacheth how the Abissines testifie from their Apostolick antiquities and constitutions of the Apostles themselues preserued by continuall tradition with them that amonge other misteries of Christian Religion deliuered by them this of the holy sacrifice of Masse and Christs sacred body and blood offered therin was one and that S. Philip the Apostle was principally theire Apostle and preached these things to them Asserunt imprimis Philippum Apostolum apud eos praedicasse Euangelium Sebastian Munst. Cosmograph l. 6. cap. 56. 8. Touchinge S. Bartholomew we read that hee preached in India where that knowne massinge Apostle taught and left that holy sacrifice so that two Apostles if they had not beene confirmed in grace free from error as all agree they were no Christian will thinke they could preache and practise contrary doctrines in so great misteries to and in one people place and time and wee further reade that S. Bartholomew
natal l. 5. Antonin part 1. Volater l. 7. Guliel Eisengr cent 1. fol. 148. pag. 2. This for Aqueus where he was Bishop For S. Lazarus his beeing a massinge preist and his saying of Masse at Marssiles in Fraunce where hee was Bishop the holie vestiments in which hee said Masse beeing to this day preserued and to be seene in the cathedrall church there ar sufficient witnes In Cathedrali Ecclesia vestes in quibus Missam celebrabat adhuc hodie conscruantur monstrantur Demochar l. 2. contr Caluin c. 32. Petr. de natal l. 1. c. 72. Antonin part 1. tit 6. cap. 19. Guliel Eiseng centen 1. fol. 149. 16. How famous S. Martial disciple of S. Peter and sent into Fraunce by him was in many parts of that nation so wel known to our British Druides in those dayes it is not vnknowne to any antiquarie of these contries And as little ignorance can any man pretend that hee was a massinge sacrificinge preist for so renowned hee was for this that the infidels themselues then knew it amonge whome the cheife idolatrous preist or Druid of Limogen as the french Annales tel vs forsooke the towne by reason of an Hebrue called Martiall who being come into Gaule vseth not wine nor flesh but when he offereth sacrifice to God si non que au sacrifice de Dieu Who buildinge a chappel there celebrated Masse in it Celebré le Sainct sacrifice de la Messe S. Aurelian in vet S. Martialis Doctor Puel D. Tigeon Cl. March Ro. Seigneur de Faux Augenin histor Gallic in S. Martial Vincent in specul hist cap. 41. Io. Gualt Chronolog ecclesiasticopol an Do. 56. And in that citie still remayneth the holy altar on which hee vsed to say Masse whereof hee himselfe maketh mention in his epistle ad Burde galenses for that cause so honored that it is by publick edict of parlament examining and approuing the truth of that history from auncient time decreed that seuen candels should continually bee kept burninge before it the body of that their Apostle beeing buried neare vnto it Florimund Remund de Origen haeres l. 8. cap. 12. edict inter log parlam Galliae de hac re Annon videtis S. Martialem ad Burdegalenses nostros scripsisse se aram Deo Israelis martyri ipsius Stephano dedicasse ea ara in ciuitate Lemogicum vbi Apostolus ipse Aquitaniae quiescit conspicitur aedificata à Principe Stephano quem ad Christianismum ipse conuerteret ante eam noctes diesque ardent septem candelae iuxta antiquam istam fundationem in parlamento nostro disceptatam confirmatam 17. And this holy Saint and Apostle of Aquitaine himselfe teacheth what great honor and reuerence is due to Christian sacrificing preists and what an excellent sacrifice they offer of Christs sacred body blood in holy Masse thus he writeth to his late conuerted Christians S. Martial Episc ad Burdegales cap. 3. honorabatis Sacerdotes qui decipiebant vos sacrificijs suis qui mutis surdis statuis offerebant qui nec se nec vos iuuare poterant nunc autem multò magis Sacerdotes Die omnipotentis qui vitam vobis tribuunt in calice pane vino honorare debetis Before you were conuerted to Christ you did honour your preists which deceaued you with their sacrifices which did sacrifice to dumbe and deafe statues who could neither helpe themselues nor you But now much more you ought to honour the preists of God almighty which giue vnto you life in the chalice and liuelie breade And a little after speaking more plainely of this holy sacrifice offered vnto God vppon the altar hee saith Sacrificium Deo Creatori offertur in ara Christi corpus singuinem in vitam aeternam offerrimus Quod Iudaei per inuidiam immolauerunt putantes so nomen cius à terra abolere nos causa salutis nostrae in ara sanctificata proponimus scientes hoc solo remedio nobis vitam praestandam mortem effugandam hoc enim Dominus noster misit nos agere in sui commemorationem Sacrifice is offered to God our Creator vppon the altar We offer the body and blood of Christ for euerlasting life That which the Iewes did offer through enuy thinking to abolish his name from the earth wee offer this vppon an hallowed altare knowinge that by this onely remedy life is to be giuen vnto vs and death to bee auoided For this our Lord Iesus commaunded vs to doe in his commemoration 18. Thus this holy Saint that stilleth himselfe The Apostle of Iesus Christ who as hee saith was present with Christ in his life when hee was buried and see him after his resurrection Martial epist. ad Burdegal epestol ad Tholosanos was one of his 72. disciples was by speciall commaund of Christ vnto S. Peter whose disciple hee after was sent by him to bee the happy Apostle of that contrie And I haue rather amonge many others in the like condition cited this history of S. Martial because morally to speake the best learned Druids others of this our Britanie where the cheifest and commaunders in that sect remayned could not bee ignorant of these thinges for both S. Aurelianus successor immediate to S. Martial at Limogen and S. Martial also himselfe are most worthy witnesses that Sigebertus the summus Sacerdos high preist Arch-flamen and cheifest of the Druids sect in those partes was by S. Martial conuerted to this his holy sacrificinge and massing Christian Religion S. Aurelian in vit S. Martial Martial epistol ad Burdegal cap 3. And S. Aurelianus doth make this his holy conuersion so famous that it could not be concealed from the rulers of the Druids Religion in Britanie whom it so much concerned Aurelian supr annotat in S. Martial for presently after Benedicta wife of the Prince of that Prouince was conuerted by S. Martial this high preiste of the Druids Sigebert being also conuerted did breake in peeces all their Idols destroyed their Temples except the Temple dedicated to the vnknowne God and shiuered the altars of the diuils into dust Ipsemet Sigebertus Pontifex Idola omnia confregit minutim Templa euertit excepto Templo ignoti Dei altaria daemonum in puluerem Which S. Martial himselfe doth sufficiently insinuate when hee saith dum altaria daemonum in puluerem redigerentur aram ignoti Dei ad consecrationem reseruari iussimus Quia dedicata in nomine Dei Israel testis ipsius Stephani qui pro eo à Iudaeis passus est S. Martial sup cap. 3 when the altars of the deuils were beaten into dust wee commaunded the altare of the vnknowne God to bee reserued for consecration Which was dedicated in the name of the God of Israel and Martir Stephen who suffered for him by the Iewes 19. And if wee come to the nearer parts of Fraunce Paris Rouen Britany Normandy Picardy and all the sea coaste we shall euidently see that no other doctrine or
Dei genitricis auxilio in necessitatibus suis refocillobantur The twelue holy men spoken of before S. Ioseph and his companions yeeldinge deuout seruices to God and the blessed Virgin attendinge to watchings fastings and prayers were in their necessities releiued by the helpe of the same Virgin Mother of God Antiquitat Glast apud Capgrau in Catalog in S. Ioseph ab Aramath S. Patricio antiq M. S. tabulis affixae in ead Eccles Glaston and others So that whomsoeuer S. Peter S. Paul S. Ioseph or any other man will truly and seriouslie allowe or in his owne singular conceipt or phantasie imagin to haue beene the first preacher teacher of the Christian faith and Religion in Britanie or what or whose order and forme of Masse and Liturgie they will say was then here vsed and practised they must needs by all authorities warranted iudgements acknowledge that the holy preists here in that time were sacrificinge massinge preists their externall Liturgie and sacrifice the sacrifice of Masse wherein Christs holy body and blood were consecrated and offered both for the liuinge and faithfull departed the Saints were remembred and prayed vnto and no materiall difference betweene that and the present Masse of either the Greeke or Latine church And so I end this first age and hundred yeares of Christ THE SECOND AGE OR HVNDRED YEARES OF CHRIST THE XV. CHAPTER Wherein demonstration is made both by protestants and other antiquaries that sacrificinge massinge preists and Bishops and sacrifice of Masse continued and were honored in this kingdome of Britanie from the beginninge of this hundred yeares vntill Kinge Lucius time when it was wholly conuerted to that faith WE are now come to the beginninge of the second age or century of yeares of Christ when by all accompts in historie Kinge Coillus that was bred vp at Rome was Kinge in Britanie and S. Anacletus Pope of Rome When many of our before remembred massinge and sacrificinge Brittish preists as namely S. Mansuetus S. Beatus his holy companion before by some named Achates and S. Timotheus were liuinge And though I doe not find any particularly named whome S. Anacletus sent hither of the holy preistly massinge order yet to followe euen the opinion and direction of English Protestant antiquaries in this busines wee must needs graunt that hee had a care of this contry as wel as others in this kind for they testifie of this Pope Ab â—…pso Domino primatum Romanae Ecclesiae super omnes Ecclesias vniuersumque Christiani nomine populum concessum esse asseruit Robert Barns l. de vit Pontific Roman in Anaclet Ormerod pict Pap. pag. 78. Pope Anacletus affirmed that supremacy was graunted from our Lord himselfe to the church of Rome ouer all churches and all Christian people Because saith hee Christ said to S. Peter who liued and died at Rome thou art Peter or a rocke and vppon this rocke I will builde my church Quia inquit Petro agenti morienti Romae dixit tu es Petrus super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam By which reason amonge others diuers other learned English Protestant writers with publicke priuilege and allowance doe proue vnto vs first confessinge with this holy Pope that Christ made S. Peter the supreame and cheife gouernour of his church secondly that this supreamacy was necessary and to continue foreuer in his church and thirdly because S. Peter dyinge Bishop of Rome and at Rome and there onely possibly to haue his laste and immediate successor and so constituted by himselfe as is euident in S. Clement before it euidently followeth by the reason of this holy Pope and protestants that euen by Christ himselfe this supreamacy ouer all churches and Christians was graunted to the church of Rome Whereuppon these protestants testifie in his life that hee ordeyned diuers lawes bindinge the whole church and still obserued Rob. Barnes in Anacleto 2. And if we may beleeue the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury and in the whole world also Matthew Parker hee telleth vs how in particular his iurisdiction extended into this kingdome of Britanie and that the diuision and constitution of Archbishops sees with vs was by Pope Anacletus his ordination Ex Anacle to huius insulae diuisionem Matth. Parker antiquitat Brit. pag 24. And that he was a sacrificinge massinge preist it must needs be graunted both by his owne and our protestant testimonies also of him for hee himselfe is witnesse that hee was made preist by the great sacrificinge and massinge Apostle S. Peter à Sancto Petro Apostolorum Principe presbyter ordinatus Anacletus epist 3. To. 1. concil and our protestants do plainely confesse of this holie Pope Sacerdotem sacrificaturum ministros vestibus sacris indutos seu testes custodes sibi adhibere ordinauit Episcopos vero plures ministros sibi in sacris faciendis adiungat quod Sacerdote maior ac dignior sit Robert Barnes l. de vit Pontif Roman in Anacleto Pope Anacletus ordeined that when a preist was to offer sacrifice hee should take vnto him as witnesses and keepers ministers in holy vestiments And that a Bishop should ioyne vnto him more ministers when he said Masse And that hee is greater and more worthie then a preist The authoritie from whence they cite this is much more plaine where the very order wee still vse in solemne Masses is expressed But the protestant words manifestly proue that the sacrifice of Masse and sacrificinge vestures were vsed froÌ„ the daies of the Apostles Therfore this holy Pope exercising supreamacy and enactinge lawes for the whole church in Britanie or wheresoeuer as these protestaÌ„ts there doe testifie it must needs bee confessed that the preists which in his time either for Britanie or any other nation were consecrated immediatlie by himselfe or mediatly by his authority were as himselfe was sacrificinge massinge preistes and the deacons also for which hee made decrees by the testimony of these men Robert Barnes Sup. in Anaclet Matth. Parker antiquitat Britan. pag. 24. were also as they teach such as serued at the altare and sacrifice of Masse as Master Foxe speakinge of the very deacons ordeined by Pope Anacletus proueth in these termes therefore serued the office of the deacons as wee reade to lay the offerings of the people vppon the altare to bee hallowed and when the misteries be consecrated to distribute the cupp of the sacred blood of the Lord to the faithfull people Foxe Tom. 2. in Q. Mary Ambros l. de omnib diuin offic 3. And much part of the aboade and residency of this holy Pope as also of his predecessors and successors as appeareth before and will bee more manifest hereafter was in that knowne massinge and sacrificinge house of our noble contriwoman S. Claudia or her children And the order of Masse which hee vsed was the same which was practised by S. Peter the Apostle and by him deliuered to the church as these protestants haue before
longe and tedious trauailes hee founde in those parts diuers massinge preistes that did vsually say Masse and had most sumptuous Altars of Christal who affirmed they were disciples to S. Patricke and by him directed thither And were most holie and miraculous men and amonge other things then prophesied to S. Brendan how that contrie should bee descryed and visited againe by Christians to their great good comforte after many ages as happily wee finde it was Post multa annorum curricula declarabitur ista terra vestris Successoribus quando Christianorum superuenerit persecutio Written in many Manuscripts manie hundreds of yeares before the late discouerie of America and by Capgraue others published longe before that time THE XX. CHAPTER Wherein is proued by protestants and others that the church of Britanie and Rome accorded in this age in these misteries and how all the Popes beeing massinge preists and Popes yet no one of them made any materiall alteration in this sacrifice THus hauinge shewed both by Catholicke and Protestant authorities that the holy sacrifice of Masse massing preists and preisthood generally and inuiolablie continued in Britanie all this age and hundred of yeares because it is confessed this nation was still hitherto directed in Religion by the see Apostolicke of Rome and there want not protestāt aduersaries which say the Popes there in this time also added and altered diuers things to and in the sacrifice of Masse wee will now proue by these protestants them selues that not anie one Pope altered or added any one materiall or leaste essentiall thinge therein in this age The first Pope after S. Celestine which these men accuse for addinge or alteringe in this matter is that moste learned and renowned Pope S. Leo against whom a Protestant Bishop thus exclaimeth Bal. l. 2. de Act. Pontif. Rom. in Leone 1. Robert Barns in vit Pont. in cod Leo primus Thuscus in canone Missae hoc sanctum sacrificium immaculatam hostiam hanc igitur oblationem non sine magna Dei blasphemia addidit Pope Leo the first a Tuschan by birth did add in the canon of the Masse not without great blasphemie of God this holy sacrifice immaculate offeringe and therefore this oblation To this I answere and first to the pretended addition of the prayer Hanc igitur oblationem That as our renowned contryman S. Albinus with others proueth Albin Alcuin l. de diuin offic cap. de celebrat Missae this prayer especially the first part which hee taxeth is as auncient in the Masse as the Apostles time and was vsed both by S. Peter and others of that sacred order Missam Petrus Antiochiae dicitur celebrasse in qua tres tantum orationes in initio fidei proferebantur incipientes ab eo loco vbi dicitur Hanc igitur oblationem Therefore S. Leo added nothinge in this prayer beeing for the first part vsed by the Apostles and others in their dayes which is that this Protestant Bishop excepteth against and for the later end thereof which hee taxeth not was by this man himselfe and others both Catholicks and Protestants added longe time after and then first by S. Gregorie the great and first Pope of that name Baleas l. 2. de Act· Pontfic Rom. in Gregorio 1. Rob. Barnes in vit Pontif. Rom. in eodem alij communiter 2. So that it is euident S. Leo neither did nor could add any part of this prayer to the sacrifice of Masse as his owne addition or inuention all that hee did or possiblie could doe therin was to take order that the decree or custom of the Apostles should be obserued which cannot be either great or little blasphemie of God as this barbarous mouth affirmed but honor vnto God in that behalfe To make all sure I will cite the whole praier then vsed thus in English Therefore ô Lord wee beseech thee that thou wilt be pleased to accept this oblation of our seruice and all thy family through Christ our Lord. The rest being added by S. Gregory is thus and dispose our dayes in peace and commaund wee may bee deliuered from euerlasting damnation and numbred in the flocke of thy elected seruants In which addition of S Gregory there is not any one word of matter now in controuersie but al holy and allowable by Protestant Religion And in that part which I say with S. Albin or Alcuine was vsed by the Apostles there is not one word except oblation which is or can by protestants bee called into controuersie by them or any Christiā Therfore to answere that hoc sacrificium immaculatam hostiam together If S. Leo added these wordes to the canon of the Masse then the canon of the Masse was before S. Leo his pretended additions and in other places of this canon of which no protestant doth or will produce any Author beeing as is proued before apostolicall this Liturgie of Masse is called in can Missae antiq donum munus sanctum sacrificium illibatum oblatio benedicta adscripta rata rationabilis sacrificium hostia pura hostia sancta hostia immaculata A present a guift holy sacrifice vnspotted an oblation blessed adscribed ratified reasonable a sacrifice a pure hoste an holy hoste an immaculate hoste 3. And this Protestant Bishop himselfe hath testified also that the offertorie was vsed in S. Celestines time before which is this in English O holy Father omnipotent eternall God receue this immaculate sacrifice or oblation which I thy vnworthie seruant doe offer vnto thee my liuinge and true God for my innumerable sinnes and offences and negligences and for all here present as also for all faithfull Christians both liuinge and deade that it may bee to mee and them for saluation to eternal life Suscipe sancte Pater omnipotens aeterne Deus hāc immaculatam hostiam quam ego indignus famulus tuus offero tibi Deo meo viuo vero pro innumerabilibus peccatis offensionibus negligentijs meis pro omnibus circumstantibus sed pro omnibus fidelibus Christianis viuis atque defunctis vt mihi illis proficiat ad salutem in vitam aeternam Amē So likewise it was for the chalice offerimus tibi Domine calicem salutaris ô Lord wee offer vnto thee the chalice of saluation And I haue proued in all ages before from Christ euen with the allowance of our protestants that Masse was an holie sacrifice and all truely consecrated preistes did euer in all times and places still offer that moste holy sacrifice both for the liuinge and faithfull departed and that this was so an vndoubted and generally receued custome truth in the whole church that by our protestants graunt it was iustly condemned to bee heresie to deny it and this longe time before S. Leo was borne Therefore none of those names could bee by any possibility his inuentiō in this kind Which this protestant accusing Bishop him selfe to confound and contradict himselfe teacheth in the same place when hee saith of
S. Leo Missae sacrificium approbanit Hee did approue the sacrifice of Masse therfore Masse was termed and knowne to be so accepted a sacrifice before his time and approbation For a thinge approued or to bee approued vnseparably carrieth with it a precedency to the approbation that which is not cannot possibly bee approued as a thinge past or present and euery such allowance or approbation necessarily supposeth the thinge to bee so allowed or approued And this will suffice for S. Leo. 4. After whome in this age the onely Pope which is produced by these men to haue added or altered in the Masse is Gelasius of this Pope a protestant thus writeth Robert Barnes in vit Pontif. in Gelasio praefationem Missae verè dignuÌ„ iustum est instituit But this is euidentlie vntrue as I haue proued before for S. Ciprian and before him Tertullian informe vs it was in vse in the church before their times and S. Ciprian alleadgeth it is an apostolicall common known custome of the church Ciprian l. de orat Dominic and Foxe the protestant proueth Io. Foxe Tom. 2. in Q. Mary that this could not bee any inuention of Gelasius for that both the auncient Greeke church before that time and both S. Ciprian and S. Augustine so agree it was in vse before Ciprian sup Aug. de vera Religione cap. 3 therefore followeth therein the opinion of Thomas Waldensis that it could not bee the inuention of Pope Gelasius And Pope Vigilius which liued not longe after Gelasius who writinge to the Bishops of Germany and Fraunce desirous to know the order which the church of Rome obserued in the prefaces of Masse answereth in this maner Vigilius epistola ad Episcopos Germaniae Galliae Inuenimus has nouem praefationes in sacro catalogo tantumodo recipiendas quas long a retro veritas in Romana Ecclesia hactenus seruauit Wee finde that these 9. prefaces are to bee receued in the holy catalogue which truth hath longe time from former ages hitherto obserued in the Roman church And thus hee recoÌ„pteth them one of Easter another of the Ascension of our Lord the third of Pentecoste the fourth of the natiuitie of our Lord the fift of the apparition of our Lord the sixt of the Apostles the seuenth of the holy Trinitie the eight of the Crosse the ninth in Lent And thus concludeth has praefationes tenet custodit sancta Romana Ecclesia has tenendas vobis mandamus These prefaces the holy Roman church obserueth these wee commaund to bee kept by you And Houeden as our protestants haue published him reciteth all these out of the same authoritie to haue bene receued in England in a councel of our Bishops manie hundred yeares since setting downe the begininge of euery one of them and addeth the tenth of the blessed Virgin decimam de beata Virgine Roger. Houeden in annal part posterior in Henr. 2. 5. And our English Protestants themselues by their highest parlamentary authoritie in such things with them vse the same prefaces except that of the Apostles and blessed Virgine in their publick church seruice their communion booke Protest communion booke titul communion and yet in that of the blessed Virgine which seemeth to haue beene added after the dayes of Pope Vigilius there is no inuocation of her nor any matter now questioned by protestants found in it And concerninge that of the Apostles of matters questioned there is onely this clause or petition vnto God for preseruing his church vt gregem tuum Pastor aeterne non deseras sed per beatos Apostolos tuos continua protectione custodias vt ijsdem Rectortbus gubernetur quos operis tui Vicarios eidem contulisti praesse Pastores That God the eternall Pastor will not forsake his flocke but keepe by his blessed Apostles with continuall protection that it may bee gouerned by the same Rulers whome Vicars of his worke hee hath appointed Pastors to rule it Which is not a prayer immediatlie to the Apostles but to God for the protection of his Apostles and such as our protestants themselues in their publick seruice on S. Michael his day doe vse for the protection of Angels as is manifest in their collect or prayer of that feast being the old Catholick prayer word by word translated into English And yet if there were any immediate prayer vnto the Apostles or any other Saints or Angels in any oÌ„f these prefaces I haue proued before that it was the receaued doctrine of Christs church from the beginninge 6. And if wee should allow vnto protestants that Pope Gelasius did add in the prefaces all that clause verè dignum iustum est vnto per Christum Dominum nostrum What is there in it but holy and allowable and still practised by themselues in their church seruice This it is verè dignum iustum est aequum salutare nos tibi semper vbique gratias agere Domine sancte Pater omnipotens aterne Deus per Christum Dominum nostrum ô Lord holy Father omnipotent eternall God verely it is a thinge worthie and iust right and belonginge to saluation that wee alwayes and in all places giue thanks to thee by Christ our Lord. Are not all Christians in all iudgements bound to bee of this minde and this being a dutie so bindinge and belonginge vnto al that beleeue in Christ is it not the better the oftner and more publickly it be acknowledged oâ—… if it be good by protestants and in their publick practise how can it be ill in Catholicks or could bee so in Pope Gelasius And if hee had added Te igitur clementissime Pater per Iesum ChristuÌ„ filium tuum Dominum nostrum supplices rogamus ac petimus Therefore ô moste mercifull Father wee aske and beseeche thee by Iesus Christ thy sonne our Lord. It is the same reason as before this beinge a very Christian and holy prayer by Protestant Religion to aske all things of God in the name of Christ as hee himselfe said whatsoeuer you shall aske in my name that will I doe Io. c. 14. v. 13. and whatsoeuer yee shall aske of the Father in my name hee may giue it you Io. c. 15. v. 26. 7. Whereby these men may see that neither the primatiue church which vsed inuocation of Saints nor the present church of Rome insistinge therein did or doe diminish any honor or dutie to Christ by honoringe them which honor him and are honoured by him Yet S. Remigius witnesseth this prayer Te igitur clementissime Pater to haue beene vsed from the Apostles Remig. in epist. 1. ad Timoth. cap. 2. Wheras some protestants write of Pope Gelasius Balaeus l. 2. de actis Pontif. Rom. in Gelasio Gelasius hymnos prefationes gradualia collectas orationes praescripsit Pope Gelasius did prescribe hymnes prefaces graduals collects and prayers I haue proued by these protestants that all these were vsed in the church and laudably longe before and by the word praescripsit hee did