Ceremonies of the Monstrous Popish Mass, Part 2 · Chapter 35
Of the firſt part of the Canō of the Maſſe, containing a generall Prayer for the whole Church, and in eſpeciall one for Prelates and Princes. CHAPTER XXXV.
The Canon.
VVE a beſeeche thee therefore moſt pitifull Father, for thie deare Sonnes ſake Chriſt Ieſus our Lorde, to accept and b bleſſe.
Here ſtanding vpright, hee kiſſeth the Aultar, and maketh three croſſes, as well ouer the hoſt as the Chalice.
c Theſe † giftes, theſe † preſentes, theſe † holy ſacrifices, with d out ſpot.
Soone after stretching foorth his armes, and lifting them ſomewhat vp he goeth on with the Canon.
Which wee offer vntounto thee, firſt, for thy holye Catholique Church, which vouchſafe peaceably to preſerue, keepe, vnite, & gouerne thoroughout the face of the whole earth, with thie ſeruant N. e our Pope, N f our Biſhop, N. g our King † and all thoſe thy true and faithfull ones, which honour and followe the Catholique and Apoſtolique faith.
Canon.
TE igitur clemētiſſi…e Pater, per Iesū Chriſtum, Filium tuum Dominum noſtrum, ſupplices rogamus & petimus, vt accepta habeas et benedicas
Hic crigēs ſe, oſculatur Altare & ter ſignar, tam ſuper hoſtiam, quā ſuper Calicem.
Haec † dona, haec † munera, haec † ſancta ſacrificia illibata.
Deinde extēſis manibꝰ, & mediocriter eleuatis, proſequitur Canonem.
Inprimis quae tibi offerimus, pro Eccleſia tua ſancta Catholica, quam pacificare, cuſtodire, adunare, & regere digneris toto orbe terrarum, vna cum famulo tuo, Papa noſtra N. & Antiſtite noſtro, N. & Rege noſtro N. † & omnibus orthodoxis, atque Catholicae & Apoſtolicoe fidei cultoribus.
a The prayer which is here ſet downe in this firſt part of the Canon, ſtandeth in ſteade of the prayers which were wonted to be ſaide in the ancient Church, eſpecially as S. Paule teacheth, for Princes & great men in authoritie,1. Tim. 2. Apoc. cap. 3 9. a form wherof we hauehave in Tertullian. But the beginning is taken out of the prayer which is ſaid ouer the offringes, which the faithful offer, but to what vſes, we hauehave therof elſ where ſpoken: which prayer theſe men improperly applie to their ſinging cake, and Chalice, thinking to make of them a Sacrifice.
b As oftē as theſe words, bleſſe, & bleſſing, are mētioned in the Maſſe, there muſt alwayes croſſes be made with the hand & fingers. For, they think, that to bleſſe, is to make ſignes of the croſſe. Now there are very ioly miſteries & magical Sacramēts amongſt theſe, howbeit we will paſſe them ouer.
c Our yong Maiſters, make manie ſtout & ſtrōg reaſons, about the expoſition of theſe 3. wordes, and all becauſe forſooth, mention is made in the plurall number, of gifts, preſents, and Sacrifices, as if there were moe of them then one. Which thing they will in no wiſe confeſſe. For, they ſay that Ieſus Chriſt is there offered, which is but one onelie gifte and Sacrifice. Howbeit this difficultie was not in the Church, in which ſuch & the like words were referred to the giftes and preſents which the faithfull offred in the Church, which were breade and wine, wherewith the Supper was celebrated. And all theſe gifts & preſents, were called Sacrifices: ſome, becauſe they were offred to God, for the releeuing of the poore mēbers of Ieſus Chriſt,Heb. 13. in that ſenſe which the Apoſtle calleth the almes and releefe of the poore, Sacrifices: ſaying, that with ſuch Sacrifices and offrings God is wel pleaſed: and ſome others againe, to wit, thoſe which wer takē to be vſed about the Supper, were called alſo by that name, becauſe that the Supper is cele brated with thankeſgiuing, which the ſame Apoſtle likewiſe calleth the ſacrifices of thākeſgiuing, as all other ſorts of prayers are.Heb. 13. And therefore it is called the Euchariſt, which importeth as much. But to what purpoſe is it, to offer bread and wine to God, for the whole Church? Surely this muſt needs be a very goodly Sacrifice, & wel worthy ſo high a Maieſtie: and a verie proper chaunge, to change Ieſus Chriſt into a ſinging cake and a litle wine, to make a Sacrifice of him. For, they are not here as yet tranſubſtantiated. Moreouer, they ſay that theſe croſſes and commemorations of giftes and preſents do ſignifie amongeſt the reſt,Nicol. de Plo. de expoſ. Miſſ. Iudas his treaſon.
d They expound this worde illibata for incorruptibile, although in verie deed, it ſignifieth properly, a thing which was neuer diſmēbred nor taſted of, but an whole & ſoūd thing. Now, they are againe verie much deceaued in the expoſition of this word, becauſe that oftentimes theſe iollie incorruptible giftes, preſentes, and Sacrifices, doe greatly corrupt and rot, as we hauehave vnderſtood by the Cautelles of the Maſſe, heretofore recited. Whereupon,Chap. 3. li. Con. an ordinance alſo was made in the third Councel of Arles (celebrated about the time of Pope Leo) againſt thoſe which looked not well vntounto them, but ſuffred them to be loſt, or be eaten with miſe, or ſome other vermine: And therefore ſurely theſe could not be called illibata, that is to ſay, whole and ſound.
e It was ordained in the 2. Vaſenſe Councel,De expo. Miſſ. that the name of the Pope of Rome ſhould be recited in the prayers of the Church. Nicholas de Ploue ſayeth, That Clement the firſt, made this ordinaunce, and was after confirmed by Pelagius which ſayeth, That he, without all doubt is ſeparated from the world, who, for anie diſſention, remembreth not the Pope in the Maſſe, according to the cuſtome in that behalfe receaued.
f This ſecond remembrance is for the Biſhop of the ſame Dioceſſe, where the Maſſe is ſaid.Nicol. de Plo. This is not to be ſaid, if the Biſhop him ſelfe ſayeth the Maſſe, neither yet at Rome, becauſe the Pope him ſelfe is there, who is more then a Biſhop. Theſe N. N. ſignifie, that they of whome they will ſpeake, muſt here bee named by theire owne names: For it behooueth that my yong Maiſter, which ſayeth the Maſſe, hauehave a ſpeciall minde vponupon them.
g It was ordained in the Councel of Rheims. celebrated about the time of Pope Leo the third, That prayers ſhould be made for the Emperour, and his children.Ex lib. Con. If the Prince of the Countrey be anie other then an Emperour or King, hee muſt name him by his name, whether he be Duke or Earle.