Ceremonies of the Monstrous Popish Mass, Part 2 · Chapter 56
Of the pointes that are to be conſidered of, vponupon the text next going before. CHAPTER LVI.
a BEcauſe this our Iuggler would bid his table farewell, that he might go to another, where he ſhould hauehave better cheere, he croſſeth and kiſſeth it for his laſt farewell.
b Soone after, becauſe he hath playd in this enterlude, with his Chaſuble, all that is needefull, he pulleth of that peece firſt, which he laſt put on. Then pawſeth he a while, ſtill ſtanding in his white ſmocke with the reſt of his masking robes, for the ending of ſome parte of the playe that yet remaineth behind vnplayed.
c There is a Canon in the Salegunſtadien Councell,Lib. Con. celebrated in the dayes of Pope Benedict the eight, and of the Emperour Henry the ſecond: wherein, mention is made of the ſuperſtition of certaine men and women, which cuſtomably alwayes had the beginning of the Goſpell after S. Iohn, and of the eſpeciall Maſſes of the Trinitie, and of S. Michael, &c. which thing is there forbidden. Nowe, the maner of the reciting of this peece of the Goſpell, after S. Iohn, which the Prieſt here reciteth in the ende of his Maſſe, is nothing els but ſuch a meere ſuperſtition and witchery as was forbidden in this Councell. For it is not ſayd, to inſtruct the people withall, becauſe it is onelyonly buzzed vp in the teeth without the hearing and vnderſtanding of any. Neither is it ſayde for a prayer, becauſe there is no ſuch matter conteyned within it, but onelyonly a doctrine to inſtruct vsus in the fayth of the diuinite and humanite of Ieſus Chriſt. Howbeit, it ſhould ſeme, that the prieſt which recyteth it, and they that heare it do greatly meryte, onelyonly for hearing of it recyted, or for that it is there, recyted: and that there is great vertue in the wordes thereof, though no body vnderſtand them, by reaſon of the iolly wordes and notable matters that ar in it. Wherin they are much like the Iewes, who attribute as great vertue to the wordes and ſillable of the names of God, which they hauehave in their languag in the holy ſcriptures, as if the power of God were tyed to them.
d This prayer is very neceſſary for all theiſe Gentlemen ſacryficers, Moonckes, Fryers, Prophetes, and Miniſters of Antechriſt. For, the feare which they hauehave of looſing their temporall benefites, maketh them altogether forget heauen, and all heauenly and eternall benefites. For why do they all, ſo ſtoutly oppoſe them ſelues vntounto the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt, and reformation of the Chriſtian Church, for the mayntenaunce of their ſacrilegous Maſſe, the very ſyncke of all blaſphemyes: mens tradytions, full of all ſuperſtitions and Idolatryes: and the popiſh ſea alſo, the very ſea of Antichriſt, and of all abhomynation, ſaue onelyonly for the temporall benefites which they receaue thereby, and fearing to loſe them? For take away from them theyr luſty prebendes and fatt benefices, which they hauehave for the mayntenaunce of theiſe filthy and ſtynkyng abhomynations of theyrs, and they will ſoone after, care but a litle for them.
e We hauehave els where ſpoken of the ordenaunce, which biddeth the people to beware, how they preſume to go from Maſſe, before ſuch tyme as they hauehave the prieſtes bleſſing, and that the ſolemnite of the Maſſe be finiſhed. This ordenaunce is conteyned within the Canons of the Agathenſan councell,Lib. Con. where it is ordeyned that the Biſhopp ſhould bring all thoſe to open ſhame and to do open penaunce which did the contrary. And in the firſt Councell of Orleaunce likewiſe,Ber. de offic. Miſſ. Ca. 20. Alam. de offic. Miſſ. C. 36.37 Dur. Rat. lib. 4 De ben nom. celebrated about the tyme of Pope Hormiſde, wherein it is ordeyned, that the people ſhould receiue the prieſt his bleſſing, if the Biſhoppe were not there. This is to be vnderſtoode of the laſte bleſſing, which is a double bleſſing: For they ſende one of them immediatly after the Ite Miſſa eſt, or, Benedicamus Domino. And beſides, there is yet another, which they call, the very laſt, by comparing it with the foremoſt: which, they ſaye, repreſenteth the comming of the holye Ghoſt, that was ſent vntounto the Apoſtles. Vppon Whiteſondaye, as the other, repreſenteth the aſcenſion, becauſe Ieſus Chriſte bleſſed his Apoſtles and Diſciples,Luke. 24. Nichol. de. Plo de expoſ. Miſſ. 6. par. Alam de offic. Miſſ. Ca. 36. when he aſcended into heauen. Nowe, becauſe there are two bleſſings, it is to be doubted, of which of theſe two theſe foreſayd Canons, meane. Howebeit, Alamarius ſetteth downe a ful and reſolute determination hereof, ſatisfying all ſuche as are deſirous to vnderſtande, in what place the Maſſe properly beginneth and endeth, to the ende that if they can not be preſent at the whole diuine office, yet that they might be at the leaſt, at the principall parte thereof, and which is properly of the Maſſe and of the very ſubſtaunce of it. Whereupon he ſayth, That the Maſſe beginneth properly,VVhen the Maſſe beginneth and endeth. euen there, where the Prieſt beginneth the ſacrifice: that is, in that place wherein we hauehave begoone the third parte thereof, according to the diuiſion which we hauehave followed, and which ſome at this preſent vſe: and ſayth, that it endeth with that bleſſing, which is with the Ite, Miſſa est. And for confirmation of his iudgement, he alleageth Iſidore, who ſayeth that the Maſſe beginneth at that ſame very place,Iſidore. li. Ety. where the Catechumeni are put forth, when as the Deacon cryeth out, and ſayeth, if there be any one of the Catechumeni, let him goe out. And all that which he there ſayeth, confirmeth aſmuch as we hauehave already heretofore ſpoken, of the Maſſe of the Catechumeni, and of the faithfull. And beſides all this, the ſayde Alamarius rendreth a reaſon, why there is no mention made in the Memento, but for the faithfull that are liuing, and namely for thoſe which are there preſent. Becauſe ſayth he, that in the action of the ſacrament there is no prayer made, but for the faithfull, and the ſacrament is adminiſtred to none but to them. And therefore they cauſe all the reſt to goe out.Ber. Micr. de offic. Miſſ. Ca. 21. Con. Tol. Ca. 18. Con. Aga. Ca. 44. Moreouer, Berno moueth a queſtion, to knowe what kinde of men they are that ought to giuegive this bleſſing, becauſe that Pope Damaſus the firſt, gaue this power and authoritie onelyonly to Biſhops where Leo and Gelaſius neuer forbad the Prieſts, except the Biſhop him ſelfe were preſent.Hieroni Rustic. Narbo. He alleageth alſo the teſtimony of S. Ierome, by whome, he againe ſheweth, that if the Prieſtes hauehave right power and authoritie to conſecrate & adminiſter the Sacrament of the ſupper, that they ought alſo aſwell giuegive the bleſſing to the people. Berno, for the reſoluing of this doubt, ſayeth, that there is either a fault in the booke, of the matter which is written of Damaſus, or els that this ordenaunce muſt be taken, according to Leo and Gelaſius their meanings, either els that the cuſtome of the Church did afterward cary it away, & that it was of greater force and authoritie, then the ordenaunce of Damaſſus. And in the ende he concludeth, that this authoritie was in the olde time, only giuen to the Biſhops, becauſe as he thought it was not greatly neceſſary for to hauehave the prieſts giuegive the bleſſing, ſeeing that there were none of the faithfull that continued at the Maſſe, but ſuch as did communicate: vntounto whome, the prayer that is called the poſtcommunion (which was appoynted for none but for the Communicants) ſerued in ſteede of the bleſſing. But whenas in proceſſe of time, the people were withoulden frō the Communion, and yet could not be ſuffred to be at the diuiue ſeruice, there was a tolleration graunted, that the Prieſt might giuegive the people the bleſſing, to the ende it ſhould not ſeeme that they ſhould goe away bereaued both of the bleſſing, and alſo of the Communion. To be ſhort, how euer it was, were it by reaſon of this occaſion, or otherwiſe, he concludeth, that the cuſtome of the Church grewe to be ſuch, as that this bleſſing of the Prieſt could not be omitted, without great offence,C…n. Aga. Ca. 44. whatſoeuer either Damaſus, or yet the Agathenſian Councell, had herein ordained, which thought it to be ſo meant, as Damaſus had alleaged. I hauehave here of purpoſe, againe ſet downe theſe things, that eueryevery man might the better vnderſtand, what great difference there is betwene the Maſſe, as it is at this day in the popiſh church, and the maner that was vſed therein, in the auncient Church, to the end it might not be thought, that this Maſſe of the Popiſh church, is vſed in the diuine ſeruice, after that maner that it was in the auncient church we: alſo ſee the ſuperſtitious difference that was betwene the office of the Biſhop and the Prieſt, being thus diuided in two, in ſuche maner and forme, and for the reaſons which we hauehave heretofore, els where rendred. For ſeing that the miniſtery both of Biſhops and Prieſtes, hath bene alwaies one & the ſelfe ſame miniſtery, ſo farre forth as it toucheth, & extendeth it ſelfe vntounto preaching, & adminiſtration of the ſacraments: why ſhoulde not the bleſſing of the one, be of as great effect & power, as the bleſſing of the other, conſidering that Bleſſing, is prayer, and that that prayer which the miniſters of the Church make, is made as it were in the perſon of the Lord God, and in the name and behalfe of the whole church, whereof the miniſter is as it were the mouth, by which God him ſelfe ſpeaketh, and offreth and giueth his bleſſing and power to this holy miniſtery, which he him ſelfe hath ordeyned? My meaning is, by this my ſpeach, of the miniſterye of the Goſpell, and of the true miniſters thereof.
f After that the Prieſt hath pronounced his laſt bleſſing, he putteth of all his masking robes, which he before had put on, to play this parte, and againe mumbleth vp his prayers, as he did when he made him ſelf ready: but the Lord God knoweth to what great purpoſe they are ſayd, and ſo buzzed vp.
g We are to ſeeke for other maner of Prieſts, and Gods ſeruauntes, then theſe are, for the executing of that, that is there ſpoken of in this pſalme.
h Here againe we ſee, how this iolly Simeon playeth his part.
i Here is hudled vp pele mele, both canticles, pſalmes and prayers, in Greeke and eke in Latine, one in anothers necke, from a poſt to a pudding pricke. As touching this Canticle, which the Grecians made in the behalfe of the Hebrewes, Daniels companions, who were put into Nebuchadnezer his hoate burning furnace, they hauehave great reaſon both to alleage & ſinge it, to make an ende of ſuch a blaſphemy as the maſſe is, & that by ſuch infamous, and deteſtable people, as theſe are, who execute the office, not of theſe faithfull ſeruaunts of God, which were put into the furnace, becauſe they had rather be burnt quicke, then they would worſhip any idolls, againſt the expreſſe commaū dement and lawe of God: but of Nebuchadnezer cauſing ſuch to be burnt to death, who as theſe holy people were, wil not worſhip their idols, but choſe rather to be burnt, thē ſo villanouſlie deny Ieſus Chriſt, as he is daylie denied in the Maſſe, & by mens traditions, which are obſerued vnderunder the raigne of Antichriſt, in ſtead of the commaundements and ordinances of God. And here we will make an end of the Maſſe, which we hauehave a great long time ſong, hauing touched no matters therin, but onelie the moſt groſſe and doltiſh. Which thing we hauehave done, to the end that all men might the better vnderſtand, how farre it differeth from the holy Supper of Ieſus Chriſt, & what a maſſe & huge heape, of all abhominable idolatrie it is, and the verie raigne and gouernement of Antichriſt, and his whole prop and foundation, whom I beſeech the Lord eftſoones ouerthrow and deſtroy with the breath of his mouth. So be it.
FINIS.
End of the text · Pierre Viret, Ceremonies of the Monstrous Popish Mass (1584)