Ceremonies of the Monstrous Popish Mass, Part 2 · Chapter 16
Of the order which the anciēt church held in the reading of the Epiſtle and Goſpell, and of the ordinances which the ancient Councelles made thereon. CHAPTER XVI.
THere was mention made in the Councell of Rheimes which wee earſt alleadged,Ex lib. Con. of the charge that was giuen to the Subdeacons for the reading of the Epiſtle before all men, and to the Deacon, for the reading of the Goſpell, for the inſtruction of the faithfull. And in the Councell of Valēce, holden in Spaine, about the dayes of Symmach or Hormiſd,Ex lib. Con. it was decreed that the Goſpell ſhould be read after the Epiſtle: that is to ſay, after Paules Epiſtles: Becauſe there was a time, when as the Maſſe began with the Epiſtle, as elſewhere hath bin ſaid, and that they read nothing elſe in it, but the Epiſtles of the Apoſtles, and after thē, the Goſpelles. And therefore it was ordained in the ſame Councell, that according to the ancient Canons, & cuſtome of the auncient Church, the Goſpell ſhould be read after the reſt of the leſſons, taken out of th'Epiſtles of the Apoſtles, in the Maſſe of the Catechumeni, before the offertorie of the faithfull: to th'end that the faithful who taried lōg at the diuine ſeruice, might be inſtructed as wel by reading of the ſaid leſſons, as by the ſermōs which the Biſhops & prieſts made on them, but alſo the catechumeni, penitētiaries, & all the reſt likewiſe, which as yet were enemies vntounto the religion, or not well inſtructed, or excōmunicated, who were put out, whē they went to the Sermon, & nothing left vndone but the cōmunion, & offertory of the faithful, for the releuing of the pore. And the cauſe of this ordinance is there rendred. It is, ſaid they, becauſe that we hauehave found by experiēce, that many by this meane hauehave bin conuerted to the faith, after they had once hard the doctrine. Wherin we hauehave againe a very euidēt teſtimony of that which hath bene ſaid, as well of the preaching, as alſo of the diuine ſeruice, which in the auncient time of the Church was ſaid in a lāguage that all men vnderſtood. For, if it had bene deliuered in an vnknowen tong, they which ar here ſpoken of, had not bin conuerted, neither had it ſo fallē out with thē, as the holy Apoſtle him ſelf ſaith it falleth out with the verie infidelles,1, Cor. 14. when they come into the Church, & heare & vnderſtand the doctrine that is there handled. Their hart, ſaith he, is touched therwith, & they right well know that God is in them whome they heare ſo ſpeake, but contrariwiſe, it had fallen out otherwiſe with them, then as the ſame Apoſtle ſaith it fell out, if they which ſpake, had ſpoken in an vnknowen toung. They would hauehave thought, ſaith he, that you had byn fooles & mad men. Moreouer, becauſe there were ſome, then in thoſe dayes which entermedled ſongs, & Pſalmes, betweene the reading of the Epiſtle and Goſpell,Ex lib. Con. it is ſaid in the decrees of the 4. Councell of Tolede, celebrated about the time of Honorius the firſt, that it is contrarie to the auncient Cannons, and auncient cuſtome of the Church. Wherefore it is forbidden vponupon paine of excommunication that it be no more ſo done, but that thoſe prayers, ſongs, & Pſalmes ſhall be reſerued to be ſaid or ſong after the reading of the Goſpel, to the end the order be not marred, but that the doctrine ſhall be preferred in his place, without confuſion. Wherein appeareth, that whatſoeuer is nowe in the Maſſe, betweene the Epiſtle & the Goſpell, to wit, the Reſponſe and Graduell, the Tracts, Alleluya, and proſe, hauehave bene added to the Maſſe, as well againſt the ordinaunce of this Councell, as alſo of the reſt of the ancient Canōs, by it alleadged. But it is no maruell although that this ordinance hath not taken any great effect, cō ſidering that the cuſtome of reading and declaring of the Epiſtle and Goſpell in a tong which all men vnderſtand, hath bene vtterly aboliſhed in the Maſſe, wherefore there is no daunger in confounding both of order and doctrine, whereas is neither order nor doctrine, but altogether ſhame and confuſion. I hauehave of ſet purpoſe handled theſe matters in this place ſomewhat with the largeſt, (albeit I hauehave alreadie ſpoken ſome thing of them hertofore) to the end that eueryevery man may the better vnderſtād, what inſtruction there is in this part of the Maſſe, called ſo by that name. Let vsus then firſt of all heare the Epiſtle which the Subdeacon is about to ſing vsus, ſpreading abroade his fayre white hands, according to that inſtruction which is giuen him thereof.