Ceremonies of the Monstrous Popish Mass, Part 2 · Chapter 36
Of the ſecond part of the Canon, containing the commemoration for the quicke. CHAPTER XXXVI.
For the quicke.
a REmember, O Lord, thy men and women b ſeruauntes c N. and as manie as are here preſent, whoſe faith and deuotion thou right well knoweſt: d for whome we offer vntounto thee, or which they them ſelues offer vntounto thee, e this ſacrifice of thankſgiuing, for them ſelues, and for all theirs, for the redemption of their ſoules, the hope of their welfare and health, and who alſo yeld their vowes vntounto the, eternal, liuing & true God
Pro viuis.
MEmento Domine famulorū famularum que tuarū N. & omniū circū ſtantium quorum tibi fides cognita eſt, et nota deuotio pro quibus tibi offerimus, vel qui tibi offerūt, hoc ſacrificiū laudis, pro ſe ſuiſ que omnibus, pro redemptione animarū ſuarū pro ſpe ſalutis & incolumitatis ſuae, tibi que reddūt vota ſua, aeterno Deo viuo & vero.
a This commemoration is in ſtead of the recommendations that were wont to be vſed in the auncient Church, in that forme which hath elſewhere bin ſpokē of as touching the publike prayers therof: howbeit it is an horrible thing to ſe the blaſphemies that are herein. Our young Maiſters rendring a reaſon,Nicol. de Plo. de expoſ. Miſſ why there is a commemoratiō, made rather for the quicke, then for the dead, in this Canon ſay, That it is becauſe that the quicke are in farre greater daunger then the dead, for although the dead are greatly tormented in Purgatorie, yet that they are without the danger of condēnation, & ſo are not the liuing. Now, if it be ſo, I greatly wonder why they hauehave not put in the cō memoration of theſe miſerable deade ſoules, before the commemoration of the Sainctes, which commeth after it. For, the Sainctes which are alreadie in glorie, hauehave a more pleaſaunt wayting, then theſe poore ſoules that lye broiling in Purgatorie. Againe, if the Maſſe doe them no good for whom it is ſayed, vntill it be ended, or at the leaſt vntill the Sacrifice of it be offred: then,Nicol. de Plo. de expoſ. Miſſ theſe good ſoules loſe nothing by it, although they be made to waite ſomewhat the longer. Here is alſo to be noted, That theſe yong Maiſters commonly ſay their mementoes, as though they were a ſlepe and in a ſlomber, like vntounto dormiſe. For which cauſe our Maiſters finde great fault …th them, as well, for that it commeth oftentimes to paſſe, that they which are at the Maſſe go away thence, being greeued to ſee them ſleepe, and tary ſo long in their buſineſſe, becauſe it is much better for thē to diſpatch them ſelues of that which they cary in memorie, for the auoiding of the wandringe of their mindes this way and that, as oftentimes it falleth out.
b This naming of women ſeruantes doth manie times giuegive occaſion of offence to manie of my young Maiſters, becauſe it putteth them in minde of their women ſeruantes that are at home in their houſes. Which thing is ſufficient enough to trouble their mindes, both to make them forget their minding of conſecration and alſo make all thoſe become idolaters that are preſent with them at Maſſe.
e This N. doth againe admoyiſh them of their names, which they are eſpecially to recommend.
d This maner of ſpeeche declareth, that not onelyonly the Prieſt which ſayeth the Maſſe offereth the Sacrifice which there is made, but alſo as many as are there with him. Wherefore then attributeth he the workmāſhip to thē that are with him as well as to him ſelfe? And therefore ſeing it is ſo, they which are at maſſe with him do aſmuch blaſpheme the benefit of the death & paſſion, & of the Sacrificing of Ieſus cōmitted in the ſame, as they which ſay it. Nowe a man may eaſilie iudge, by that which followeth, whether there be any blaſphemie in it yea or no. For, it is namelye ſayed, that this Sacrifice is offered, for the ſaluation and redemption of the ſoules of all thoſe, which are preſent at it, and alſo of all theires: which can no wayes agree, but with the onelie Sacrifice which Ieſus made vponupon the croſſe. Wherefore I greatlie maruell that the earth openeth not, and ſwalloweth vp theſe blaſphemoures, ſo often as this horrible blaſphemie proceedeth out of their mouths. VVe hauehave ſhewed in what ſenſe this maner of ſpeaking was in vſe, to wit, For whome we offer thee, or, they which offer thee, when wee ſpake of the cuſtome that was ſometimes in the Church, in thoſe dayes when the Supper was cō municated, to all, and that they which there communicated, offred the bread that was there diſtributed, for the making of the Supper: but not to make ſuch a Sacrifice of it, as is here deſcribed.
e Wee hauehave alreadie handled and treated in what ſenſe the Supper might be called a Sacrifice of thankeſgiuing. Howbeit, they are not contented to make here of their Maſſe, ſuch a Sacrifice of thankeſgeuing as the Supper is, which alſo it can not be, ſeeing it is not in deede the Supper: But which is more, they make of it a propiciatory ſacrifice, that is to ſay for the remiſſion of ſinnes, in ſteed of geuing thankes with it, of that remiſſion and grace, obteined through the ſacrifice of the death of Ieſus, as is made in the true Supper of his, calling theſe iolly ſacrifices of theirs, their vowes, to wit, that which they hauehave promiſed and vowed to God: as if all what ſoeuer, both they them ſelues, and all Chriſtians beſides, are by their Baptiſme bound vntounto, were compriſed within this ſacrifice.
f This importeth, that this ſacrifice ſtretcheth it ſelfe no further for them that are liuing, but for ſpirituall benefites, and for their ſaluation. Wherfore then do they it for earthly benefites, and for brute beaſtes, and ſuch other like?