Ceremonies of the Monstrous Popish Mass, Part 2 · Chapter 31 – Chapter 32
Of the thinges that are to be conſidered of vponupon the aforeſaid matters. CHAPTER XXXI.
a HEre is now the ſecond, and ſolemneſt, hand waſhing in the Maſſe, but yet not the moſt delicate. And therefore Iohn ſweet lippes, licketh not his fingers. He is contented to waſh and make cleane his handes, as Pilate did, when he was willing to condemne Ieſus Chriſt. For, ſeeing he will needes ſacrifice it, and that there can be no ſacrifice without ſhedding of blood, and death, when any liue thing is ſacrificed, how farre is he behind Pilate (I pray you) who condemned Ieſus Chriſt to be hanged on the croſſe? He may then very well bragge, that he waſheth his polluted handes amongeſt innocentes, or in innocencie, as it is in the Pſalme, which this blaſphemour abuſeth here ſo villanouſly. But is there either rime or reaſon here in this? I will ſpeake no more of the blaſphemies which are in theſe prayers, either becauſe they are altogether contrary to the true calling on the name of God, and the merite of Ieſus Chriſt, or elſe becauſe they are ill fauouredly applied, and the holy word of God, by them, prophaned and diſhonored.
b Here are croſſes plentie. The prieſtes are very well contented to skirmiſh with them, and kiſſe them as long as you will: but to beare the croſſe of Ieſus Chriſt for his wordes ſake, backe with that legge. They cannot skill of it.
c Who is that inuiſible ſacrificer and keeper, that he calleth vponupon, for the ſanctifying of ſo execrable a ſacrifice? If it be he for whome it is prepared, and in whoſe name it is offred, ſurely it cannot be the holy Ghoſt,Epheſ. 2.6. nor yet Ieſus the holy of holy ones, but the vncleane ſpirite who guideth and ruleth the enemies of Ieſus.Berno of the office of the Maſſe Ca. 12. Berno teſtifieth that this prayer is ſaid after the vſe of the Gaules and French.
d EueryEvery man may here ſee the pitches and turnes, and legier de maines that are vſed and played, to all ententes & purpoſes. And amongeſt all the reſt it is ordeined that maiſter Iohn muſt turne him ſelfe to the people, and recommend him to their prayers, promiſing them alſo to lend them his. Howbeit the people vnderſtand not a word of that he ſayeth. Wherefore he loſeth this his recommendation without haply it ſerue him for the ſtopping of a gappe, for the better garniſhing and furniſhing of the play. Wherupon, we hauehave to note, that if he hauehave but one to make aunſwere, he ſhould ſay, brother, pray, and not brethren, pray ye.
e Here, he maketh all theſe his companions, that are at Maſſe with him, ſaying, that the ſacrifice which he offreth, is aſwell theirs, as his. And therefore if he renounce Ieſus Chriſt in offring it, they all likewiſe renounce him, which are at Maſſe with him. It ſhould ſeeme, that this was taken from the maner and vſe of the auncient Church, wherein the Miniſters of the word of God, deſiered the Church to pray for them, and wherein alſo, they which offred their goods, aſwell for the ſuſtentation of the poore, as for the maintenaunce of the diuine ſeruice, called vponupon God.
f He againe exhorteth to prayer, and after, prayeth him ſelfe in ſecret, when he hath a litle pitcht and turned. And therefore this prayer is called,Nico. de Plou. expo. 3. part. Miſſ. Secret. And becauſe he ſometimes ſayeth moe then one of them, as he doeth of the collectes, it is leaft to my young Maiſters choiſe that doth the office: who hath a rule, to ſay alwayes as many Secrettes, as he ſhall ſay other collectes. Now, I could neuer yet finde out the Authours, that put to all theſe fragmentes which were put in, ſithence the Offertorie, without, as I take it, they be the Authours of the Secrettes, to whom they attribute the Collectes, becauſe they are ſuch prayers as alter and chaunge, according to the diuerſitie of the Maſſes. I know not whether theſe Secrettes, were put into the Maſſe, in ſteed of prayers which are ſecretly made by eueryevery one in particular in the auncient Church, after the deliuerie of the worde of God, and the publicke prayers, which the Miniſter ſayeth in the name of the whole Church,Alama. de offic. Miſſ. Ca. 3. Cypria. de Dominica oratione. Serm. 6. Matth. 6. yea or no. Alamarius meaning to rēder a reaſon hereof, alleageth that, which S. Cyprian wrote, of the modeſty, countenances, and humilitie which are to be vſed & obſerued in prayer, finding fault with the diſorders that are committed therein. And amongeſt all other pointes he teacheth, that there is no need to vſe much babling: which thing our Sauiour Chriſt him ſelfe expreſlie hath touched. And beſides that it is not needefull forcibly to crie out therein, conſidering that we are to deale with God, who both ſeeth and knoweth our hartes. Howbeit Cyprian his meaninge is not, that the common prayers, which are ſaide in the Church in the name of the whole Congregation, ſhould ſo baſely be mumbled vp, as that no man might bee able to heare them. For he ſpeaketh not onelyonly of ſuch prayers, but generallie of all. For, it is one thing to praye particularly and a part, and another thing, to pray in common, as the miniſters of the Church doe, who are, as it were, the mouth of the whole Congregatiō. Again why apply they not likewiſe this vntounto their roaring and yelling, wherewith they make a farre greater noiſe in their Churches, then euer did the Prieſtes of Ball, as if their God were deafe, a ſleepe, or elſe dronke in ſome Tauerne? Wherfore ſay they not this in ſuch ſort, as they ſay the ſecretes and Canon?
g There are ſome of their ſecretes in the Maſſe which containe horible blaſphhemies. As for this that is here ſet downe is not amiſſe, nor yet contrarie to the true doctrine of the Supper. They make it not here ſtrange to vſe this worde, Signifieth, declaring that the Supper repreſenteth the peace and vnion which wee hauehave in Ieſus Chriſt: which cannot be vnderſtood of their Maſſe, whervnto they applye it. For, what ſignification can there be of peace and vnion in the Prieſts particular Supper, and in the breade and wine which he offereth? This may be ſaid of the Supper, hauing regard to the ſacrifice of thankeſgiuing, which is there offred, giuing thankes vntounto Ieſus Chriſt by the communicating thereof with a common accorde and conſent.
Of the Preface, and of the Sanctus. CHAPTER XXXII.
HEre a lifting vp his hands a ſonder he ſaith.
For euer and euer.
Aunſwer.
So be it.
The Prieſt,
The Lord be with you.
Anſwer.
And with thy Spirite.
The Prieſt.
d Lift vp your hartes.
Anſwer.
We lift them vp vntounto the Lord.
The Prieſt.
Let vsus geue thankes vntounto the Lord our God.
Anſwer.
It is meet and right ſo to do.
The Prieſt.
e Verely it is meete, right, equall,Gelaſ. Symb. Vrb. in Pelag. and healthfull, that wee ſhould giuegive thanks vntounto thee, holie Lorde, Father almightie, euerlaſtinge God, becauſe the newe light of thie brightneſſe, hath enlightened the vnderſtandinge of our eyes, through the ſecreat incarnation of the worde: that whiles we knowe God viſiblie, we might by it be rauiſhed with the louelove of inuiſible thinges. Wherefore, with Angelles and Archangelles, Thrones and dominions and with the whole companie of the heauenly armie, we ſing the Hymne of thy glorie.
Here he muſt ioyne his handes together
Saying inceſſantly.
And ſomewhat bowing him ſelfe ouer the Altar, ſay.
Holy, holy, holy, Lorde God of hoſtes, heauen and earth, are full of the Maieſtie of thie glorie, Oſanna in the higheſt.
Here, he ſigneth him ſelfe with the ſigne of the croſſe ſaying.
Bleſſed is he that commeth in the name of the Lorde, Oſanna in the higheſt.
HIc eleuatis & difiu… ctis manibus, dicit. Per omnia ſecula ſeculorū
Reſp.
Amen.
Sacerdos.
Dominus vobiſcum.
Reſp.
Et cum Spiritu tuo.
Sacerdos
Surſum corda.
Reſp.
Habemus ad Dominum.
Sacerdos.
Gratias agamus Domino Deo noſtro.
Reſp.
Dignum & iuſtum eſt.
Sacerd.
Verè dignum & iuſtum eſt, aequū & ſalutare, nos tibi ſemper & vbi que gratias agere, Domine ſancte, Pater omnipotens, aeterne Deus: quia per incarnati myſteriū noua mētis noſtrae oculis lux tuae claritatis infulſit: vt dum viſibiliter Deū cognoſcimus, per hūc inuiſibiliū amorem rapiamur. Et ideo cum Angelis et Archangelis, cū thronis & dominationibus, cum que omnibus militiae caeleſtis exercitijs, hymnum gloriae tuae cammus.
Hic debet manus cō iungere.
Sine fine dicentes.
Mediocriter inclinatus ſuper Altare, dicat. Sanctus, ſanctus, ſanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni ſunt caeli & terra gloriae tuae. Oſanna in excelſis.
Hic ſignat ſe ſigno crucis dicendo.
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini Oſanna in excelſis.