Ceremonies of the Monstrous Popish Mass, Part 2 · Chapter 20 – Chapter 21
Of the thinges that are to be conſidered, vponupon theſe afore ſaid fragmentes and matters, but eſpecially vponupon the Proſe. CHAPTER XX.
a BEcauſe the Proſe & Sequence that is ſaid in this Maſſe, is very long, I hauehave only here ſet downe about the one halfe thereof, in ſuch forme and maner, as that a man may the eaſelier iudge of the reſt.
b That which we receaue ſo often heard out of Saint Paule, is comprehended within this complement, wherein is ſaid, that Ieſus Chriſt cōmanded to miniſter the Supper in ſuch forme and maner, and to ſuch an ende as he him ſelfe had leaft them an example. How then durſt theſe falſe prophetes be ſo bold as to alter and ouerthrow this holy ordinance, with this patched inuention of theirs in the Maſſe.
c Seeing then that Ieſus Chriſt hath taught vsus how to deale in the Supper, where will this ſlibber Gibber find in the inſtitutiō therof, that he ordeined the conſecration of the bread and wine, to be made an hoſte for ſaluation: that is to ſay, a ſacrifice to obtaine ſaluation therby? For, an hoſt, doth not fignify ſuch a round white cake as that which they call an hoſte in the Maſſe, and as the ſimple ſo thinke of it: But ſignifieth that which is ſacrificed, & the very ſacrifice it ſelfe. And for aſmuch as the prieſts, take the Maſſe to be ſuch a ſacrifice, as wherein they ſacrifice Ieſus Chriſt with their owne handes: they call this white round cake the hoſte, which they take to be Ieſus Chriſt, becauſe they meane to ſacrifice him, & offer him vp. Howbeit the ſupper was not ordeined for this purpoſe, but contrary wiſe to admoniſh vsus that there was none other ſacrifice, but that which Ieſus Chriſt made vponupon the croſſe, which could not be by any meanes againe ſacrificed: but, that that, was the remembrance of this ſacrifice. And taking this name of the hoſte in this ſence, the wine which they alſo offer for the blood of Ieſus Chriſt, ſhould be an hoſte likewiſe, aſwell as the bread, although it be not ſo called. Againe, neither ſhould the litle round Robins which are deliuered to the people in the adminiſtration of the Supper, nor yet the great ones that are kept in the pixe, or ſhrine (as the holy hoſte of Dijon, and ſuch like) be any hoſtes, becauſe that they are not offred vp, nor ſacrificed as that is, which is in the Maſſe. And therfore euen by their owne doctrine and practiſe, they do miſterme them.
d Where find they me againe this inſtruction, whereby Chriſtians are taught, that the bread is thē no more bread, when as the prieſt hath breathed ouer it, and hudled vp certaine wordes in ſo doing, but very fleſh: & the wine likewiſe no more wine, but euen very blood? For, that which is ſpoken in this complement, that the bread is turned into fleſh, and the wine into blood, ſignifieth the ſelfe ſame, which the author himſelfe ſayth in the hymne at euēſong in the ſaid feaſt, in theſe words,
Verbum caro, panem verum,
Verbo carnem efficit:
Fitque ſanguis Chriſtimerum.
Et ſi ſenſus deficit,
Ad firmandum cor ſyncerum,
Sola fides ſufficit.
That is to ſay,
The word fleſh, maketh the true bread fleſh by the word: & the wine, is made the blood of Chriſt, although the ſence cānot perceaue it. And for the ſtrengthning of a ſincere hart, faith only ſufficeth. This laſt ſentence is very true, if it be applied to a true faith, founded vponupon the pure & clere word of God as ſhall more at large hereafter be ſpoken. But the firſt is a ſentence altogether againſt the ſence which they here take it for, not onelyonly of the pure word of God, but alſo of the nature of all the ſacramēts (which cā be no ſacramēts, if they hauehave not the true ſignes in them, & the things alſo that are ſignified by thē) & likewiſe againſt the, iudgemēt of the aunciēt Church: as hath bene declared by the words of Ireneus: yea & alſo againſt the very doctrine of Popiſh tranſubſtantiatiō. For, they which are the vpholders therof, dare not thēſelues affirme, that the bread and wine are changed into the very ſubſtaunce of the body and blood of Ieſus Chriſt, by reaſon of the great abſurdities that would enſue vponupon this opiniō: as hath bene by vsus already ſomwhat largely handled, in the booke of the Miniſtery of the word of God, & of the Sacraments. And therefore they had rather ſay that the ſubſtāce of the bread & wine is nothing, & cleane vaniſhed away, & the body & blood of the Lord to become in place. It muſt not be ſaid then that the bread is become fleſh, that is to ſay, tranſlated into fleſh: or goeth for fleſh, & ſo giueth it place: But rather that fleſh becometh bread, & that the ſubſtance of bread giueth it place, & lodgeth vnderunder his accidentes. The like is alſo of the wine and blood. We ſee now the certainty that is in this doctrine, and what a notable foundation it hath.
e Although faith beholdeth thinges which can not be ſeene with the bodely eyes, nor yet perceiued by mans raiſon: yet is it neither bleareyed nor blind, to ſuffer it ſelfe to be lead as a young child that is without iudgemēt, who is eaſely made beleue that bladders are lanternes, and what ſoeuer elſe it ſeeth, or like vntounto old fooliſh doting womē who lightly beleue what ſoeuer fooliſh thing is tould them, or like brute beſtes who are eaſely led in a ſtring. For, faith, looketh into the word of God with her ſpiritually eyes: wherein ſhe beholdeth & vnderſtādeth as it were in a glaſſe, thoſe things which God ſheweth & manifeſteth vntounto her, which mans reaſon is neuer able to vnderſtād nor cōprehēd by the light of nature, without it be regenerated & renued by the ſpirit of God: & what ſoeuer faith ſeeth in this glaſſe, is a great deale more certaine thē that which the body ſeeth with his eyes or that mās reaſon is able to cōprehēd or perceiue with al her natural ſenſes. But, as it cānot be faith, without it be firſt groūded vpō the word of God: ſo likewiſe can it ſee no whit, but in this glaſſe, wherin God manifeſteth & repreſenteth himſelfe vntounto it. But the faith of the Romaniſts, which Thomas of Aquine maketh ſo cōſtant in this Proſe, is a bleareyed & blind faith, and altogether brutiſh, which ſuffreth it ſelfe to be lead by the blind, the leaders of the blind, as one that is blind her ſelf: & by beaſtes, as a miſerable brute beaſt, which followeth others. For, where is this glaſſe of Gods word, wherein it beholdeth that, which Thomas ſayth it beleueth, & ſo cōſtātly kepeth in hart, cō cerning this bewitched Popiſh trāſubſtātiatiō & cōſecratiō: for, it is not enough that the whole order of nature which God hath ordeined be ouerthrowen in it (as it is here ſaid) but that eftſoones the whole diſpēſatiō of the miſtery of Chriſtes incarnatiō muſt alſo be ouerthrowen, & Ieſus Chriſt robbed of his humaine nature, & the whole order which God hath placed in his church by his word, & the very true nature of the Sacramēts likewiſe. Wherefore it is greater reaſon to call their faith, which follow the Popiſh church, & go to worke thus aduenturouſly & blokiſhly, rather a raſh and arrogant faith, then a firme and conſtant faith.
f Let vsus ſee now what it is that they ſay is here done ouer & beyond all order of nature. It is forſooth, that accidents of bread & wine do here remaine, and yet without ſubſtance either of bread or wine: and contrarywiſe, that the body & blood of Ieſus Chriſt is here, without the accidentes and qualities of bread and wine. Wherefore, by theſe kindes & ſignes, they vnderſtād the accidēts and qualities of bread & wine: & by the thinges, vnderunder which theſe excellēt thinges are hidden, they vnderſtād, the ſubſtance of them: & by theſe hidden thinges, the body and blod of Ieſus Chriſt, which are in very ſubſtance, vnderunder the ſhew of bread & wine, and not vnderunder the bread & wine it ſelfe, but vnderunder a falſe ſhew of them: ſo that the bread and wine wich they ſee there, are not there: but the body and blood which is not ſeene there, and wherof is no ſhew in the whole world.
g Although the body, according to their doctrine is vnderunder the kindes of bread: and the blood vnderunder the kindes of wine: yet we muſt not beleue forſooth, that they are ſeparated one from the other: but that the body is aſwell vnderunder the kind of wine as the blood: and the blood vnderunder the kind of bread, as the body. Thus we ſee the body and blood ſeparated, and yet for all that they are not ſeparated. And no more is it in deede, if this preſence, be ſpiritually taken, as it is conuenient it ſhould be. But to take it corporally & naturally as they take it, it ſerueth to no purpoſe, except they deale with brute beaſtes, who are contented, that my maiſters the Sophiſters, ſorcerers, & coniurers hauehave ſaid that it is ſo, although they hauehave no naturall ground for it, nor yet any ground out of the word of God.
h Let them here conſider vponupon that which we hauehave already ſaid, when we ſpake of the breaking of the hoſte, and agree therunto, with Berengers honorable amendes and adiuration.
i Either the body of Ieſus Chriſt is not a true naturall body, or elſe this cannot be, which is here ſaid, taking it corporally and naturally, and not ſpiritually. For, as Saint Auguſtine ſayeth, we right well know that this grace is not conſumed by peece meale.
k This is falſe, if it be vnderſtood not onelyonly of the ſignes, but alſo of the thinges ſignified. For as it hath bene already ſhewed by the wordes of S. Auguſtine, that Ieſus Chriſt, his fleſh, & blood, cā neuer be receaued but vntounto ſaluatiō & not to dā natiō: and yet forſooth the ſignes may: But it is not becauſe Ieſus Chriſt is receaued with thē, but becauſe he is not receaued with them. For, if he, were receaued, then that would follow which he promiſed by the receauing of him, and which hath ſo often bene ſaid in the Alleluya, and which ſhalbe ſaid in the Goſpell following. The receauing then of the faithfull and vnfaithfull is not alike. For, the faithfull receaueth the ſigne and the thing ſignified, & the vnfaithfull receaueth nothing ſaue the ſigne onelyonly, although he be at the ſelfe ſame table, & receaueth the ſelfe ſame Sacrament of the ſelfe ſame Miniſter.
l They which beleeue this ſo monſtrous doctrine, ar not without cauſe admoniſhed that they ſtagger not. For to ſay truely, they muſt be verie dronke, & more ſenſleſſe then brute beaſts. Now, as they would make men beleeue, that the bread is chaunged into a bodie, & the wine into blood, and yet the one fully and wholly in the other, as well as if it were all one: Euen ſo likewiſe would they make men beleeue, that although they hauehave deuided their roūd cake into many peeces (which is the bodie of their Chriſt.) Yet that there is as much ſubſtance in one of the peeces as was in the whole cake. But I do beleeue, that if they ſhould come to the partition of an inheritaunce of lande, which wholy appertained vntounto them, it would be a very hard matter to make them receiue & allow this philoſophie: and make them agree, that there were as much in one peece of it, as in the totall. They would therein be as greatly troubled as the Curate was who expoūded this text, That to louelove God with all his hart, ſignified, with the greater part, when as his pariſhioners told him, that they would, according to that expoſition, demaunde their part of the Curate. For although he ſaid, that it was all his, yet notwithſtanding, that it ought to be vnderſtood onelyonly of the greater part, and not of all, as he had expounded it, of the louelove of the whole hart towards God: fearing that he ſhould hauehave excluded the Saincts, & ſo thereby hauehave loſt the offringes which he had vnderunder their names. But to returne to our new Mathematicians, & ſee how their newe & ſtrange Philoſophy is able to beare, that there are accidents without ſubſtance: theyr Mathematicall ſcience may alſo as well beare it, that one peece is as much as the whole in this matter. There were ſome reaſon in it, and if they ſaid, that he, receaueth as much of Ieſus Chriſt, ſpiritually, which receaueth but one peece of bread that is diſtributed, as he which receaueth & eateth the whole loafe: becauſe the bodie of Ieſus Chriſt is not deliuered & eatē by peece meale, as the bread which repreſenteth it. But this can in no wiſe agree, if this bread be taken for the naturall & materiall body of Ieſus Chriſt. For, he hath alwayes a true naturall mans bodie, although he be glorified & diſpoiled of his whole mortal ſtate and condition.
m If the Angels liue with pretie round cakes, they may call this breade their breade. But what blaſphemie is this, to call a round white cake the bread of Angels, and of the children of God, taking it for Ieſus Chriſt him ſelfe, the true bread of life, of the Angelles, and of all the elect of God, and not of ſuch dogges as theſe are, to change the true bread of life into round cakes which they thē ſelues hauehave charmed? And therefore there is more reaſon to call theſe rounde cakes, the breade of Aſſes, wolues, dogges and hogges, then the bread of the ſheepe of Ieſus Chriſt: who hearken after none other voice but the voice of their ſhepheard: and receaue none other foode, but that which he giueth them.
Of the Ceremonies that are to be obſerued before the leſſon, or reading of the Goſpell, and of the viſitatiō or looking to the matters which are prepared, for the conſecration, and for the Sacrament. CHAPTER XXI.
POſtea, deſerat Miſſale ad aliud latus, dicendo.
Domine, labia mea aperies, & os meum annūtiabit laudem tuam.
Deinde, viſitet hic Sacrificium, ſurgēdo patinam, ſupra quam deb…t eſſe hoſtia, inſpiciendo infra calicē, ſi ſit vinū & aqua. Et ſi nondum accepit, accipiat, benedicē do vinū & aquam, & ponendo in Calicē, dicat.
De latere Domini noſtri Ieſu Chriſti exiuit ſanguis, † & aqua pariter baptiſma …s in remiſſionē peccatorū † Commixtio vini & aquae pariter fiat: In nomine Pa…is, & Filij, & Spiritus …cti. †
Deinde, dicat.
Iube Domine benedicere, Dominus ſit in corde meo, & in labijs meis, ad digne pronunciandū ſanct…m Euangeliū pacis. In nomine Patris: & Filij, & Spiritus ſancti. Amen.
† Faciendo ſignum Crucis
Quādo Diaconus dicit Euangeliū, inclinet ſe coram Altare, & petat benedictionē à preſbytero, dicendo.
Iube Domine benedicere
Socerdos reſpondeat.
Dominus ſit in corde … & in labijs tuis, ad digne proferendum Euangelium ſuum. In nomine Pa…ket Filij, & Spiritus ſancti. † Amen.
aAlexan. 1.AFterward let him cary his Maſſe booke vntounto the other ſide, Alph. & Miſſ. g.and ſay.
O Lorde open thou my lippes, and then my mouth ſhall ſhewe foorth thy praiſe?
b VVhen he hath ſo done, let him looke to the Sacrifice, and lyfte vp the paten, vppon which the hoſt muſt lye, c looking into the Chalice, whether there be wine and water in it or no: and if there be none in it, then let him take ſome, bleſſing the wine and the water, and putting them out into the Chalice let him ſay.
d Out of the ſide of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt iſſued blood. † And likewiſe the water of Baptiſme for the remiſſion of ſinnes †. Let the wine and water be mingled together: In the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghoſt. †
After that let him ſay.
Lorde commaunde to bleſſe, The Lorde be in my hart, and in my lippes, that I may worthelye pronounce the holye Goſpell of peace. In the name of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the holye Ghoſt, Amen.
† And then let him make a ſigne of the Croſſe.
VVhen the Deacon readeth the Goſpell, let him kneele downe before the Altar, and deſire the Prieſt to bleſſe him ſaying.
Lord commaund to bleſſe.
Then let the Prieſt ſay,
The Lorde be in thie hart and in thy lippes that thou maiſt worthelie vtter his Goſpell, In the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghoſt, † Amen.