Ceremonies of the Monstrous Popish Mass, Part 2 · Chapter 27
Of the third parte of the Maſſe, called Oblation. CHAPTER XXVII.
FRom the ſinging and rehearſing of the Creed, euē vntounto the Canon, there is almoſt no ſpeach had of the Oblation. This parte alſo of the Maſſe, is ſo named, which in old time was the beginning of the Maſſe of the Catechumeni. Now a man may in it, ſee, many goodly thinges, for the building vp of his faith, and beleuing of that which heretofore we hauehave treated of, touching the offringes of the faithfull in the auncient Church, & the preſentation of them vntounto the Lord, lifting vp on hie, and recommending vntounto him, the thinges, which they offred. All this geare, is now at this preſent referred to the bread and wine, which are prepared in the ſacrifice, with prayers, that the offring of them is for the ſaluation, of quicke and dead, of bodyes and ſoūles, and not by the merite of Ieſus Chriſt alone, but alſo through the merite of men and women Saintes. As concerning the principall part of this point of the enterlude, after that this ſcraping Squibbe, hath gotten the mony into his maungy fiſtes, he then maketh his Sermō. Howbeit we will here ceaſe to ſpeake any farther of this matter.Dict. 3. Ca. Omnis Chriſtianus. Nico. de Plou. expo. 3. part. Miſſ. For it ſhall ſuffice that we ſpeake onelyonly of the offringes, amongeſt which, there are ſome of them, which Chriſtians, in ſome feaſtes are bound, vntounto, according to the ordinarie cuſtome, as is conteined in the Decres: Becauſe forſooth it is writen, Thou ſhalt not come before me empty fiſted. And againe, there are other Canons amongeſt the auncient Councels, which are not at this day very well obſerued. For, firſt, it was decreed in the Elibertine Councell, celebrated in Spaine about the time of the Nicene Councell,Libr. Con. & of Sylueſter the firſt: that the Biſhop might not receiue either gifts, or offrings, of thoſe who communicated not at the Lordes Supper. But at this day it is cleane contrary. For eueryevery man bringeth giftes and offringes to the churches, and no man communicateth there, ſaue only the prieſt, which ſayeth the Maſſe, except it be ſome dayes in the yeare.Libr. Con. And in the Councell of Aquiſgraue (called Bawmorte) celebrated vnderunder king Pepin the ſon of Lewys: it was decreed, that no man ſhould offer any thing which he had not receiued from the hand of the Lord, & which he had not iuſtly got, and was acceptable in his ſight. For, it is writen, He that offreth to God of the ſpoile of the poore, is like vntounto him that offred a child in the preſence of his Father. Who ſoeuer he be then, that will offer any thing vntounto the Lord as be commeth him, let him firſt of all,Rom. 12. offer vp him ſelfe, as the Apoſtle teacheth, a liuely and holy hoſte or ſacrifice, which pleaſeth the Lord, and afterward, thoſe thinges which he hath iuſtly gotten: that is to ſay, which he hath receaued frō the hand of the Lord, and giuegive it bleſſedly to his benefit, vntounto the Lord for vſury. Thus we ſee what is ſaid in theſe Councels, of the offringes of the Church, which ſhould not be giuen to the profit of the prieſtes, if it were rightly obſerued. For, with what kindes of offringes are they moſt of all enriched, ſaue onelyonly with the riches of the great theeues and extortioners? And beſides, if they ſhould receaue no offringes, but of thoſe which communicated at the Supper, they ſhould receiue none but vponupon ſuch dayes as they communicated it to all the people. This ordinance, againe admoniſheth vsus, that there was a communiō for all the people at the Supper, at ſuch time as this was made: and that they, who did not cōmunicate without they had ſome lawfull let, were accompted is prophane and Heathen people.