Ceremonies of the Monstrous Popish Mass, Part 2 · Chapter 50
Of the pointes that are to be conſidered, vponupon the matters next going before. CHAPTER L.
a IF there is none other that can giuegive peace, nor fight for vsus, but God alone, which in deede, we muſt needes acknowledge and confeſſe: we are not then to deſire theſe thinges at the handes either of men or yet women Saintes: nor yet make S. George, S. Chriſtofer, or yet S. Barbara, and ſuch like, the patrones of warre, as the heathen made Perſeus, Minerua, and Bellona the Goddes and Goddeſſes of warre, in the ſtead of Mars.
b The Prieſt, as the popiſh maner is, kiſſeth the Aultar, & giuing the pax to the Clarke, ſaith, peace be with thee: and the Clarke aunſwereth, And with thy ſpirite.Miſſ. R. Berno de offic. Miſſ. Ca. 18. Berno ſayth, that the pax, according to the ordenance of Innocent, is giuen before the Communion: ſignifying thereby, that he eateth his owne iudgement, which preſumeth to communicate, before ſuch time as he be firſt reconciled to his brother, and hath agreed with him. Here againe we ſee, that he ioyneth the pax with the Communion: which no whit agreeth with that, that Durand and his companions hauehave els where brought in. But muſt he hauehave an Idol to put him in mind of that, whereof the Supper and Communion is a Sacrament? In ſteade of this Idol my young maiſter kiſſeth, as we hauehave before ſayd, either the Aultar, the image of the crucifyx, the reliques, or els the ſawcer, which they call the Patē. In other places, when any mariage is ſolemnized, both the Bridegroome and the Bride alſo, muſt open their purſes wide, if they meane to kiſſe this iolly Idoll the pax. In very deede, if it brought thē a good and longe laſting peace, they coulde not pay too much for it. Howbeit it behoueth them to hauehave another maner of peace then they ſhall get by it.
c Here is to be noted, that in this kind of dealing, my younge maiſter is called father: which thing in deede, oftentimes falleth out rightly, and eſpecially when the ſonne helpeth the father to ſay maſſe, as it many times commeth to paſſe in this great multitude of Prieſtes baſtards.
d Here, M. Gourdy beginneth his Benedicite, & is more eagre & earneſt vntounto his breakefaſt.
e Although this blaſphemer deſireth God here, to make him worthy of this Sacrament, yet would he hauehave forgiuenes of his ſinnes, and by his merites, be repleniſhed with the grace of the holy Ghoſt, and not by the death and paſſion of Ieſus Chriſt alone.
f He confeſſeth here, that there is none other ſaluation but in God alone, and yet for all this he ſeeketh for more, and addreſſeth him ſelfe more to other creatures then vntounto him, who is the alone Sauiour, and creator of all things.
g There were ſome reaſon in this prayer, if it were applied to the true ſupper of Ieſus Chriſt, which ſendeth vsus vntounto his death: by which we receiue his body and blood, which is the fruite, that is here by them required, & not by this moſt blaſphemous ſacrifice, whereof mētion is made in the Canon.Micro. de offic. Miſſ. Ca. 18. Berno ſayth that this prayer is not taken out of any certaine order or vſage, but onelyonly from the traditions and inuentions of deuout men. He ſayth the like of others alſo, which are ſayd in the deliuering and receiuing of the Communion.
h Here is a prayerful of great blaſphemy. For our Sauiour Chriſt ſayth,Iohn. 6. That whoſoeuer eateth me, liueth by the meanes of me. And yet this blaſphemer prayeth, that the receiuing of his bodye might not turne to his condemnation. Howbeit, this ſo groſſe an error & blaſphemy, proceedeth from that which we hauehave ſo often heard out of the proſe of Thomas of Aquine, which hath heretofore in part bene expoūded, for want of diſtinguiſhing the difference that is betwene the Communion of the faithful, & the faithles, & of the ſigne, without the thing ſigned, & with it. There might be here ſome likelyhood, if he meant, by the body of our Lord Ieſus, the bread which it preſenteth: howbeit he vnderſtandeth it after the popiſh maner. For ſo the faithles may receiue the ſigne: but none can receiue the body of our Lorde, ſignified thereby, but the faithfull onelyonly.