The Bee Hive of the Romish Church, Part 2 · Preface · Chapter 2
The ii. Chapter. Declaring, that the sonne offring of the Masse, and the order and office of Priestes, and Masse Priestes, is gathered out of the Scripture, if it be rightlie vnderstoode, according to the interpretation of the Church of Rome.
THen, to begin withall,Offering vp the Sonne in the masse. we will digge the holie sonne offering of the Masse, out of the holie Scripture, and proue, that shee hath thereon a deepe and sure foundation. Consider nowe, it is plainly written, That when Christ had broken the bread, & giuen it to his disciples, he spake thus, and saide: Take, Eate, This is my bodie, Math. 26.26. 1. Cor. 11.2. This woorde is set fourth by all catholike writers to this purpose, as you may see in the councell of Sen. holden against Luther in the .xi. decree in the Int…im of the Emperour Charles, in titulo, De sac…i. Missae. and generally by all the Doctours of …uen, of Colen, and of Paris, as E…kius, Pig…us, Bunder. Ru…rdus, with other mo.which shall be broken for you: Do this in remembrance of me. Do you wel perceiue nowe (yee poore Heretikes) that Christ doeth here commande to singe Masse? for that same worde, Doe this, is iust as much as if he had saide, Offer my bodie in the Masse to God my Father, for the liuing and for the dead. And that is first stronglie set forth by the Poet Virgil, who saieth thus: Cum faciam vitula, that is to say, When I shall doe it with a calfe. Looke nowe by this worde Doe, he vnderstandeth nothing else, but onelie To do or offer a sacrifice and sonneoffring: Ergo, it must needes folowe, That Christ did vnderstand it no otherwise, than the worshipful Catholike Doctours of Louen & Paris hauehave very well declared, and irreuocablie concluded. For our deare mother the holy church hath receiued, approued, & strongly established their doctrine, institution, and prescript for an article of our faith.
So that it appeares, that the Masse is verie ancient, seeing it was vsed in Virgils time:Masse vsed in Virgils time. sauing onelyonly that they did offer either Calues fleshe, or Oxe flesh: whereas nowe our Priestes doe celebrate their Masse with mans fleshe and bloud. And herevpon you may note further, that these short and sweete wordes, (Doe this is remembrance of me) hath a wonderful emphasis or force: For out of the grounde of the same hath the holie Catholike Church of Rome fished, That the Apostles were Priests or Prelates with shorne crownes, and did sing Masse: and thereof it is, that all our Priestes are created. For, Doe this, is as much to say in their language, as, Become Priestes: and see that your fingers bee annoynted, with holie oyle, that you may deuoutly say Masse.
And for this hath the holie Church of Rome commaunded, That none of the La…e people shall receiue the Chalice, because our Lorde did not here speake to anie of the Laie or common people, as the Apostle Saint Paule did in his time, when hee willed the whole Congregation and Church of the Corinthians, to doe as Christ Iesus had done. But the Apostle Paule did meane simplie, and onelie those, which were able to sing the holie Masse, as our Priestes and Prelates are, who onelie ought and may drinke out of the Chalice: as you may more perfectly and plainlie perceiue, by the writers vponupon the booke of Sentences, and by all the before named Doctours of Louen, of Paris, and of Colen.
Moreouer and besides this, wee can stronglie confirme the Masse offering, out of the Prophete Malachie, who (in the 1. Chapter, and 11. verse) saith thus: From the rising of the Sunne, Mala. 1.11. Looke prouinciale Conc…l. Senonens. in the 11. decree, where this scripture is alledged vpō that purpose. Looke likewise vponupon Ecki. Bunder. Pigium, Latomum, R…ardum and such other like. 1. Pet. 2.5.19.vntounto the setting of the same, is my name honoured amongest the Heathen, and in all places is my name sacrificed, & a pleasant offering offered vp: that is to say, The offering and sacrifice of the holy Masse. For that can not faile, so long as it pleaseth our mother the holy Church to hauehave (and will hauehave it) thus vnderstoode. And although it be so, that Peter hath otherwise interpreted it, saying, That all faithfull are that holy Priesthood, to offer vp spiritual offrings, wherwith God is pleased, through Iesus Christ: yea, they are the chosen generation, the kingly Priesthoode, & the holie and elect people, to set foorth the worthines of him, Apoca. 1.6. Apoca. 8.4.which hath called thē out of darkenesse vntounto his wonderfull light: Wherewith Iohn the Apostle doeth also accorde, saying, That Iesus Christ hath made all faithfull Christians, kings and Priestes to God his father: and applies this sacrifice to their prayers, and Psalmes: And although it be so, tha… the Apostle had so saide to the Iewes,Heb. 13.15. That we should offer vp vntounto God the offring of thankesgiuing, which is the fruites of our lippes and tongues: yet notwithstanding, the holie Church is not therewith satisfied, because greate disorder might followe: for that then there shoulde be no mo priests which could serue in the Masse: & therfore she hath strongly concluded, that this place of the prophesie of Malachie, may not any otherwise be vnderstood, than by the second councell of Nice, the councell of Constance, the councell of Trent: & further, as by al Catholike men, as Thomas de Aquino, Scotus, Durandus, and by all the Doctours of Louen, it hath bene vnderstoode, & interpreted. Iudging without doubt, that all these profounde learned Doctours, together on a cluster, as hauing greater measure of wisedome and learning than the rest, did vnderstande Malachie farre better than Peter and Iohn, who were but simple fishers,In the .4. booke of Sentences in the .24. dist. cap. 1. and had neuer bene Studentes in the famous and renowmed Vniuersitie of Louen. And yet, if it were so, that Peter were not content, yet hath the holie Church giuen him to vnderstand, that his foresaide reason must bee vnderstoode & meant of the Priests only: and not of the generall congregation of Christ.
Moreouer, and beside all this, these wordes of Paule, where he saith,Roma. 10.12. That we should deliuer or offer vp our bodies, a liuing, holie, and an acceptable sacrifice vntounto God, which is our dutiefull seruing of God, &c. hath she violently & forceably wresled to the Masse, and the offering of the Priestes: cōmanding, that those words should do dailie read in the Canon of the Masse▪ & that at euerie word, a crosse should be made, to the ende that they, by the power and vertue of the crosse, might altogether transforme and change their naturall vsages, and so serue the turne of the holie Masse. For, if men will vnderstande them, according to their nature, after the letter: to wit, That all perfite Christians must offer vp to God, their bodies, in all holinesse, by that it should seeme, that Paul hath otherwise vnderstoode Malachie, than the holie Church doth vnderstande him. And then should S. Peter hauehave done euill, when he soung his first Masse at Rome, vponupon the altar, which is yet there to bee seene in the holie place at Saint Iohns de Laterane. And nowe our Lord hath saide, Oraui pro te Petre, ne deficeret sides tua▪ O Peter, I hauehave prayed for thee, that thy faith shuld not faile: So that Peter then can not hauehave done amisse, when he did sing Masse. And herevpon is to be concluded, that the Masse is founded & grounded vponupon the scripture.
And yet we see further, That in the scripture there are two sortes of Priesthoodes spoken of:In the foresaid Councell of Senon, decree II and in the Emperours Interim and in summa fidei Ch…st…anae, set forth by the cōmandement of king Philip, an… further by all Catholike Doctours, who do all generally addict the two authorities & off…ces of priesthoode to our Priestes. The one is the order of Melchisedech, and the other is, The order of Aaron, who came of the tribe of Leui. Nowe, both these two orders seeme to hauehave bene a figure of our Priestes. Which doth appeare by this: That our Priestes hauehave in their Masse (by vertue of the fiue wordes) changed the bread into the bodie of Iesus Christ: then they go and offer him vp to God the Father: praying and beseeching him, that he (with a mercifull and pleasant countenance) will beholde the offring vp of his onelyonly begotten and liuing Sonne Christ Iesus: and that he will accept the same, euen as hee accepted Abels offring, These are in a maner the proper wordes vsus…d in the masse after the consecration.and the sacrifice of Abraham, & of the hie Priest Melchisedech. Who will nowe cast in any more doubts, whether they be the right Priests, placed in the roomes & seates of Melchisedech & Aaron? Nay, they do far passe both Melchisedech & Aaron: seeing that they do pray for the Sonne of God him selfe, & are a meane, not only betweene God and man: but also betweene God the Father, and Christ Iesus his Sonne, which in an Euangelical degree, they do resemble to the sheepe and the lambes. So that by this it is apparant, that the meaning of our mother the holie church, is, That Christ is to be accounted for nothing els, but the sheepe which Melchisedech did offer vp: Contrariwise, the Priestes are the true Melchisedechs, which do offer vp Christ, & pray for him. For when all is said, what other thing did Melchisedech (I pray you) foreshewe, but onelie the figure of the holie Pope of Rome? who is the chiefe Priest, the Summus Pontifex, Ca. cleros pontifex. dist. 21. and in the .4. booke of Sentences. dist. 24. De vsu pallii ad honorem.The high Bishop, which doeth create all Priestes and Deacons, & set vp all spirituall orders, giuing and appointing to eueryevery one of them their charge what they shall doe. Then must he needes be the right Melchisedech, whose Priesthoode is not to bee resembled to other priestes. For this is set forth in the Decretalles, euen thus in plaine wordes: & Durandus hath set out the same at large, in his booke called Rationale diuinorū officiorū. Therefore, that which the Apostle would say to the Hebrewes,Rub…ic. de ministerio & ordine Ecclesiae. Heb. 7.14.17. That as Melchisedech was a figure of Christ: And accordingly,Hebr. 8.4. and 9.25.26.27. & 10.1.2.12.13.14.15.16.17. as Melchisedech hath neither had anie successour nor lieftenant, that euen so Christ had neither successour nor lieftenant, but should him selfe in his owne person exercise his euerlasting Priesthood, being once entred into that heauenlie holinesse, through the power of that one offering, to witte, his owne bodie and bloud: which offering being once fully accomplished for the remission of our sinnes, can neuer be renewed nor done againe. But all this doeth not serue the purpose, touching out matter: for if that were true, then the Masse would be nothing worth, and our Priestes might go with emptie stomachs, and in the end be glad to get them into some hospitall for a refuge, or at least to gette their liuing with painfull labour: which would be a pitifull case, considering that they hauehave neuer bene vsed to anie labour, but simplie to say Masse, sing Euensong, and to mumble ouer their Mattens, and therewith to deserue first a liuing here on earth, and afterwardes heauen for themselues, their pretie wenches, and their yong bastardes. Therefore doeth our mother the holie Church conclude, that the Apostle, in his Epistle to the Hebrewes, did not well consider the pith and ground of the matter: for otherwise, if he had well knowen, howe that Melchisedech had offered vp bread and wine, he would then without doubt therevpon hauehave concluded with the Church of Rome, That there must bee Priests to sing Masse, and to offer vp Iesus Christ in fourme of bread and wine, vntounto God the Father. For if this were not (as the Doctours of Louen doe teache) then could not the offering of Christ Iesus endure and last for euer,Looke on the foresaid Councell Sinonense, in the 11. decree, in the Emperours In…erim. In the councell of Trent, and in all Catholike bookes. All which do defende, that the order or office of Priesthoode could not endure eternallie, if it were not that the priests follow… in the sam… office▪ and do daily off…r vp his bodie to the Father in the Masse. after the order of Melchisedech: as our Maister Gentianus hath verie wittilie here noted. Consider (I pray you) if Christ had no Vicar nor Liefetenant, as the saide Apostle pretendes, how could he be an euerlasting Priest, and continue his Priesthoode euermore, in the person of the most holy Pope of Rome? Howe could he offer vp his bodie a newe dailie in the Masse? Therefore, hee may thanke the Priestes greatly, that they, after his departure hence, hauehave taken vppon them his place. And for so much as his offering could not of it selfe sufficiently serue the turne: therefore hauehave they founde out another sonne offering of the Masse, whereby they applie or ioyne his offering to men as with a plaister: notwithstanding, they doe not name it onelie Sacrificium propitiatorium, that is, A sacrifice of merciemercy: but also, Sacrificium applicatorium, Heb. 7 8.9.10. Chapters.that is, An offring plaistered, or put to. Was not that a great ouersight of our Lorde, that he had suffered such paines, and yet al his suffering could not hauehave helped vsus, if the Priestes would not hauehave giuen vsus that same addition by their Masse offering?Peruse thoroughly the chap. 7.24. and 27. cap. 8.4. & cap. 9 25.26.27.28. and ca. 10.1.2.12.13 14.15.16. &c. Therefore must the Apostle needes hauehave bene much ouerseene in his Epistle to the Hebrewes, when hee tooke vppon him so earnestly to prooue, that Christ had no neede of anie Deputie, and that his sacrifice or oblation could not bee renewed nor offered againe: but that it is giuen to vsus, & made ours through faith: or perhaps hee was so busily occupied with the Hebrewes & Iewes, that he did not once thinke vponupon our holie Masse, no nor had not the leasure to reade ouer the bookes of the Catholike Doctours of Louen, nor the ordinances of the holie fathers of Rome. For if hee had read those, he should hauehave lerned something else: as speciallie, that the principal point of the priesthoode of Melchisedech, did rest in the bread and wine which hee set before Abraham and his Souldiers, to stake their hunger and thirst. For of this bread, and of this wine, hath our deare mother the holie Church of Rome made a sacrifice: and out of that concluded, that the Priestes must likewise hauehave bread and wine to chaunge the same into fleshe and bloud, and so to offer it vp. But the Apostle had neuer heard anie such newes: and therfore he is to be borne withall: but these Heretikes, who hauehave read ouer all these things, with our Doctours: yea, they hauehave it at their fingers ends: and yet they make but a mocke at it: those felowes truelie, are worthie to be looked at vnderunder the browes, and to hauehave their heades set betwixt two eares.
Proceeding now, as touching the order of Aaron,Aarons Priesthoode, dist. 21. cap. 1. in lib. 7. dist. 14 cap. 8. In the 2. chap. of Councell. he (without doubte) was a figure likewise, not of Christ, but of our Priestes. For there is written in the Decrees, and in the booke of Sentences, That as well the hie Priestes, as the Pater noster priestes, were all ordeined by Moses, when as he, by the commaundement of God, did institute Aaron an high Priest, and did annoint his sonnes vnderunder priests. The councel of Aken, or Aquisgrain, hath also plainlie concluded out of Isidore: That the order of Priestes hauehave their beginning of Aarons children: Councell of Aquisgraine ▪and that those which in the old Testament were called offring Priestes, are the verie same which nowe are called Masse priests. And those which at that time were called Hie priestes, are nowe our Bishops. So that it is easie to be noted, The Priestes of Caiphas race.that they are all of Caiphas his progenie.
For as touching that, which the Apostle doeth say to the Hebrewes:Hebr 7.11. and 8.7. That by the comming of Christ, the order of Leuie was cleane taken awaye: that can not be true: considering that yet at this day, the holie Church hath her Leuites: as out of the 7. Chapter of the said Councell,This appeares also in the boke of Sentences, dist. 24. cap. 1. and out of the 2. Chapter of the 21. Distinction doeth plainlie appeare: where it is saide, That the Leuites are in Greeke called Diaconi, and in Latin Ministri. And now these must needes bee our Deacons. And therefore in the third Councell of Bracaren, it was concluded in the 5. Chapter of the saide Councell: That onelie the Leuites, Leuites are Deacons and pardoners.and not the Priestes, might be pardoners, and carrie about with them on their shoulders, the reliques of Saint Anthonies swine, and such other like, hauing on their Albe, which is to witte, a long shirt aboue vponupon their coates, as was permitted to the Leuites only, in the olde testament, to carie or driue the Ark of the promise.
Is not this a sufficient proofe? you are welcome home.Dist. 21. ca. 1. And likewise, that the other Priestes are also come out of the order of Leui, doth sufficiently appeare out of that which is before rehearsed.
Therefore is the Apostle much ouerseene in his Epistle to the Hebrewes, where hee will take vponupon him, to mainteine, that the order and succession of the Leuites should be wholy taken away and adnihilated, or at least, he must be thus vnderstoode, as that the order of Leui is not taken away, anie otherwise, but that in place of the Iewish Leuites are entred in the Priestes & Pardoners: & in place of their sacrifices, is the Masse crept in. For consider, that which he doth write in his 5. and 8. Chapter,Heb. 5.1.8. concerning the Leuite priestes, saying, That euerie hie Priest is ordeined to offer gifts & sacrifices: pretending thereby to proue, that then Christ must also hauehave something to offer: that the holie Church of Rome vnderstandeth to be her Priests,Looke in the foresaid Councell Sinonen. de. 11. and the Emperours Interim, and likewise vponupon Eck. …at…m. and other Catholike writers. as though the Apostle would hauehave saide flatlie, That the Romish Priestes are ordeined to offer giftes and sacrifices. And for that cause the catholike Doctours hauehave that text continually in their mouth, for the verifying of their Priesthoode. So that it is euident, that the Leuitical Priestes are risen vp againe in our Priestes. And although the Heretikes do mocke at al such allegations, saying, that that text is directly against vsus, because the Apostle wil thereby proue,Heb. 8.4. that by the offering and Priesthoode of Christ Iesus, all other offerings and Priesthoods are taken away and adnihilated, considering that Christ could not be a Priest, so farre as there were anie other Priest that did represent & patronize him: yea, and although he were now here on earth, we passe not for that. For we will by and by bring out against them the plaine texte of the decrees, out of the Councell called, Sexta Synodus, where it is said, That Iames, the brother of Christ, after the flesh: In Canon. Iaco… frater dom. de consecra. dist. 1.& Basilius the Bishop of Caesarea, did ioyntly bring in the Masse, and ioyned it to the scripture. Surely, if Iames the lords brother did establish the masse, thē it appereth, that it is come from the Apostles: & therefore neede we not anie more testimonies of scripture or other authorities. For whereas the Heretikes wi…l seeme to ouerthrowe this, saying: That it is an euident and detestable lie: considering that Basilius was Bishop of Caesarea, Iames & Basilius knew not of the Masse.wel nigh three hundred yeares, or there about, after the death of S. Iames: so that by reason thereof, he cannot hauehave established the Masse with S. Iames: VntoUnto that we answere, That they are too much nosewise for vsus: our deare mother the holy church goeth not so preciselie to work. An inch breakes no square: It skilles not for three or foure hundred yeeres, more or lesse, when otherwise it serueth her turne. Notwithstanding that, she hath two diuers wayes to answere their demaund. For shee may …ay, that there fortuned a great miracle, to wit, that S. Iames the Lords brother, did rise againe frō death, about 300. yeres after he was buried, to come & helpe Basilius to sing Masse: or she may likewise say, That Iames did in his time establishe the Masse: but because there were no altars to be found, by reson there was not yet as then any reliques of Saints, which had wroght miracles: and that men might not without being furnished with certein reliques,Placuit vt altaria de consecra. dist. … erect anie altars to serue Masse vponupon: it may be, that the Masse knitt… vp in an Atturnies bagge hanged vp vponupon a pinne in some corner, till the cōming of Basilius, which was about 300. yeres after: like as otherwhiles they hang vp some processes at Machelin vponupon a naile a hundred yeares or two. In summe, let it be as it wil, it is all one. Once we cōclude hereby, that the Masse was ordeined by Iames the apostle. And it is to be thought, that Iames had learned it of Clement pope of Rome,These letters are written word for worde in the beginning of the first booke of councels. who had written two pleasant letters vntounto him, wherein he doth specially treat of the seat of the B. of Rome: and that Peter through his desertes or merites, was become the foundation of the Church: and so forth declares at large, how the Masse shall be deuoutly done, what apparell, what hallowing, and what other necessaries shall be vsed in the doing of it, in what clothes the Sacrament shall be laid, that it may bee kept cleane from Mouse dongue, and that no wormes nor mothes come at it: as in the first part of the councels, in the second letter of Clement, is by expresse wordes specified. Whereby may be noted, what great and heauie troubles this good Clement had, and what maner of Prophet he was, considering that hee set out in writing, all the ceremonies of the holie Church, which were not founde yet in 700. or 800. yeares after Clements time. And therefore it is, that our deare mother the holy Church doth make so high an holiday of these decretall letters of Clement, and of other his companions, that she h…th out of the same established a great manie of her ordinances and holy ceremonies. In summe, it is plaine and euident, that the holie Masse hath her ground and foundation without the Scripture.