Popery Anatomized, Section 11
SECTION XI. Concerning the Degrees and Means whereby the Sacrifice of the Maſs crap in. Firſt, I will ſet down the eſtat of the publick worſhip of God in the primitive Church, the firſt three hundred or four hundred years after Chriſt, and then the means and degrees whereby this abominable Sacrifice crap in.
FIrſt, it is manifeſt that in the primitive Church, the Communion or Sacrament of the Lords Supper, was miniſtred ever week once, upon the Lords day: and in ſome place it was miniſtred every day, as appears by theſe Authors, Juſtin Martyr in Apolog. 2. & Tertull. apolog. Aug. de conſecrat. diſt. 2. cap. Quotidie. And therefore Ambroſe who lived in the three hundred age, exhorteth to a dayly receiving of it, Ambroſ. lib. 5 cap. 4. de ſacrament. Next, from the Communion was excluded… firſt theſe who were not ſufficiently inſtructed in the grounds of Chriſtianity, who were called Catechumeni; that is, catechiſed and inſtructed by queſtions and anſwers. Next, theſe who had not ended out their repentance… and ſatisfaction to the Church, who were called Poenitentes, that is, penitents. And thirdly, theſe who were poſſeſſed with an evil ſpirit, who were called, foreign. All theſe, after that the firſt prayer, the reading of the Scripture, the ſermon, and the rehearſing of the Creed (at the which they were preſent) were ended, they were commanded by the Deacon to retire themſelves, and to depart out of the Aſſembly or Congregation, that place might be given to the faithful who was to cōmunicat, in theſe words, Ite miſſa eſt: that is, Go your way, depart. And from this firſt came the word Maſs in the Church of God: and this Bellarmin confeſſes, lib. 1. de miſſa, cap. 1. that the word in Latin is called miſſio, or dimiſſio, or miſſa: and in the Greek, foreign: For the Pagans uſed that ſame word after their ſacrifice was ended, in Apule, l. 11. de metamorph. And the abuſe eaſily growing in the frequent uſing of this word, it came to paſs by time, that all the worſhip of God, as the firſt prayers, the ſinging of the Pſalmes, the reading of the Scripture, the preaching of the Word, the rehearſing of the Symbole, which was performed in the Aſſembly before the dimiſſion of theſe who were catechiſed, was called Miſſa Catechumenorum; As Bellarm. confeſſes, lib. 1. de miſſa, cap. 1. And the reſt of the worſhip of God which was done after their departure, to the demiſſion of the faithful, as the celebration of the Supper, &c. was called, Miſſa Fidelium, Conc. Valent. cap. 1. Bellarm. ibidem. Alcuinus de officijs Eccleſ. cap. de celebratione Miſſa. So then this word Maſs which the Church of Rome aſcribes now unto their pretended ſacrifice, came firſt from the demiſſion, or skailing of the people (as they call it) from the Lords ſervice, and was never heard of in the Church of Chriſt, nor read of in any Author Hebrew, Greek, or Latin, for the ſpace of 400. years almoſt after Chriſt. And Jerome who lived in the year 422. and was an Elder in Rome, who writ ſo many volumes, made no mention of this word Maſs at all. For that Commentary of the Proverbes which is aſcribed unto him, where mention is made of the Maſs, is not his. See Marianus Victorius Reat, in praefat. in 8 tom operum Hier. For beſide other things there, mention is made of Gregory, who lived almoſt 200. years after him. And Ambroſe makes mention of it only once, S. Auguſtin twiſe or thriſe, for all the volums which they writ, if theſe book be theirs. For Eraſmus in his cenſures upon the ſermons de Tempore, ſaith, that many of them are found under the names of others Authors, & ſavors little either of Auguſtines learning or phraſe. See James Gillotius in praefat. ad Ambroſ. And that neither of them in the exponing of the matter of the Sacrament, which they handled moſt largely, the one in ſix books, and the other moſt largely and frequently, and in the fore-ſaid places, they uſed it in a far other ſenſe, then it is taken now in the Church of Rome: for by this word they neither underſtood a Sacrament, nor a ſacrifice, as the Churh of Rome doth. Ambroſe takes it for the whole ſervice which was proper to the faithful, lib 5 epiſt. 33. And Auguſtin in one place, for the demiſſion of theſe who were catechiſed. In ſerm 237 de tempor. & in the other two places, for the whole ſervice, as well of the Catechumeni, in ſerm. de temp. 251. & 91 as of the faithful. So rarely was it uſed by the lights of that age, and in a far other ſenſe then the Church of Rome takes it now. But what a ſtrange change hath fallen in this word Maſs, the abuſe growing by time more & more? Firſt, from a cō mandment to the people to depart, Ite miſſa eſt, and that in evil Latin: For, Ite miſſio, or dimiſſio eſt, it paſſed to ſignify the ſervice of God, and from thence to ſignify a ſacrifice, and from thence to ſignify that opus operatum, that work wrought of that abominable ſacrifice of the Maſs for the quick and the dead: ſo that now in end, it holds that place in the Roman Church, that Minervas image, which (as was ſuppoſed fell out of heaven in a temple, in the city of Troy) did hold among them: ſo that, as they thought, it was their only protection and fortereſs; and as long as they kept it, they were in no danger to have been overcome by the Grecians their enemies. So doth the Papiſtical Church think of this their Maſs: and this for the ſecond point of the form of the publick worſhip of God in the primitive Church.
Thirdly, after the dimiſſion of the Catechumeni, the faithful who was commanded to remain and communicat, they did offer up of their goods, and firſt fruits unto God, before they did communicat: which (for the moſt part) was of bread and wine, or of their firſt fruits of corns and raiſins, whereof ſo much was taken, as did ſerve for bread and wine to the communicants. And the reſt that remained, was either eaten in common among the faithful, whereof alſo ſome was ſent unto them who were ſick, or abſent, in a teſtimony of their communion with them: (from whence ſprung that abuſe and idolatry in the Church of Rome, in carrying of the Sacrament, which they call, the Lord God, to the ſick) or elſe was diſtributed unto the poor. And when the Church waxed rich, as it did after the time of Conſtantin, the oblations abounded, and a part thereof was alſo imployed unto the maintenance of the Miniſtery, as Jerome witneſſes, ſaying, Clerici de altari vivunt: altari ſervientes, altaris oblatione ſuſtentantur. The Clergy lives of the Altar, and are ſuſtained by the oblations thereof. The which begat avarice in them: and their avarice brought in the ſacrifice of the Maſs, as we ſhal ſee afterward. Now theſe oblations which were given by the faithful, for the ſuſtentation of the Miniſtery, for the relief of the poor, and furniſhing materials to the Communion, was called after the cuſtome of the Old Law, ſacrifices, Phil. 4. Heb. 13. Iren. lib. 4. cap. 32. Cypr. de Eleemoſyna. So the Apoſtle Paul, Ireneus & Cyprian calls them. And Paulinus epiſt. de Gazophyla, pag. 349. calls the place where theſe offerings was preſented, a Table. And theſe was preſented unto the Miniſter, who by prayer did conſecrat them unto God, Juſtin Mart. apolog. 2. as is manifeſt by the prayers ſet down in the Liturgies: Tua ex tuis tibi offerimus: that is, Of thy own, we offer thy own things unto thee. And, Has oblationes famulorum, famularúmque tuarum benignus aſſume, quas ſinguli obtulerunt: that is, Mercifully receive theſe oblations of thy ſervants, which every one of them have offered up to thee. And ſundry other prayers of the Maſs, which can no ways be ſpoken of the ſacrifice of the Son of God, without blaſphemy, as ſhal be ſeen afterward.
And this was the eſtat of the Church three or four hundred years after Chriſt. But the love of God decaying, and the hearts of men and women waxing cold in the worſhip of God the people did not communicat ſo oft. And therefore we read of the complaints of the Fathers, of the rarity of the communicants, and of their vehement exhortations to the people to communicat every day; or at leaſt every Sabbath, Ambroſ. lib. 5. cap. 4. de ſacram. Chryſoſt. in Epiſt. ad Epheſ. Auguſt. Epiſt. 129. But theſe exhortations did not profit, and therefore there was Canons and Laws made, to bind the people to communicat, at the leaſt every Sabbath, otherwiſe to be thruſt out at the Church doors, de conſecratione, diſtinct. 1. cap. Epiſcopus, & diſt. 2. cap. Peracta, & cap. Hi qui intrant. And alſo Civil Laws for that ſame effect, Carol. Magnus lib. 1. cap. 138. 182. 167. But theſe Laws did gain but little: for whether it was the obſtinacy of the people, or that they were not preaſed unto it by their Paſtors, they did wax more and more negligent in communicating. And therefore Laws were made, that if not oftner, at the leaſt thriſe in the year the people ſhould communicat, to wit, at Paſch, at Chriſts-time, and at Pentecoſt, otherwiſe not to be reputed as Chriſtians, Diſtinct. 2. cap. Seculares, & cap. Si non, & cap. Scis homo, lib. 2. cap. 45. ad 3.38. But for all this the people did not communicat, for the moſt part: So that in end a Law was made, that at the leaſt once in the year they ſhould communicat; to wit, at Paſch, Extra de poenit. & remiſſ. cap. Omnis. The which cuſtome is yet kept in the Church of Rome. So by theſe degrees the Communion was loſt in the celebration of the Supper among the people. Firſt, from a dayly Communion in ſome places, to once in the week: and from thence, to thriſe in the year, and from thence to once in the year: ſo that ordinarily there did none communicat but the Miniſtery and Clergy. But in proceſs of time this corruption overtook them alſo: and therefore Laws, both Civil and Eccleſiaſtical, was made, to conſtrain them to communicat: and that at the leaſt two or three ſhould communicat with the Prieſt, De conſec. dist. 1. cap. Hoc quoque, & cap. Omnes fideles, the foot ſteps whereof yet remains in the Abbacy of Clugny, where the Deacon and the Sub-deacon communicats yet with the Prieſt And of this came the diſtribution of the bread of the Sacrament in three pieces, according to the number of the cōmunicants, which is yet uſed in the Church of Rome, ſuppoſe they have drawn it now to ſignify a myſtery: and theſe three at the laſt was brought to one, and this one to the Clark that rang the bell. And at the laſt, ſome of the Prieſts themſelves did abſtain from communicating: and therefore laws was made, as well Eccleſiaſtical, de conſec. diſt. 2. cap. Velatum est, as Civil, Carol. Magn. lib. 5. cap. 93. & lib. 6. cap. 118. & addi. 2. cap. 7. to conſtrain them to communicat at all times, after the conſecration. So that by theſe degrees the Cōmunion in the Sacrament, was loſt alſo among the Miniſtery: firſt, from an ordinary communion which they uſed, it paſſed to three or four, and from the three to one, and from this one to the Clark that rang the bell: and ofttimes to the Prieſt himſelf alone.
And this loſing of the Communion in the celebration of the Supper, firſt among the people, next among the Clergy, was the firſt ſtep to their pretended ſacrifice. Now when the people did communicat, there was ſo much bread and wine, in a great quantity brought to the Table, to be conſecrat by prayer, as might ſerve them; then as the number of the communicants decayed, ſo was the bread and wine proportionably diminiſhed.
And as it came to this at the laſt, that none did communicat but the Prieſt and his Clark, and oftentimes none but the Prieſt only: ſo no more bread and wine was brought to the Table, to be conſecrat, but that that ſerved him. And ſo from many breads it came to one: and from a great bread to ſo ſmal a bread, that it might be parted in three: and in end it is come to the quantity of a denier, as Durandus a Papiſt ſaith. And ſuch like of the wine, from many great veſſels, to ſmal pottels, from many cups, to one: and from a great cup to a ſmal. And this was the ſecond ſtep to their pretended ſacrifice. Thirdly, from the peoples negligence in communicating, proceeded their negligence in bringing their oblations: for theſe two were joyned together, their communicating and their offerings, a part whereof was taken for the maintenance of the Clergy. But the Prieſts they would not want their offerings, and therefore they procured civil laws to be made, to conſtrain the people to bring their offerings. Therefore Charles the Great made a law, Carolus Magnus lib. 7. cap. 94. & lib. 6. That the people might be admoniſhed to communicat, and to bring their offerings every Sabbath: for the one ceaſing, the other ceaſed alſo: and the Prieſt did demand the one, under the pretext of the other.
And here was the third ſtep, the avarice of the Prieſts. But while as neither Civil nor Eccleſiaſtical Laws could prevail with the people to make them to communicat, and to bring their offerings, they deviſed this damnable doctrine, and taught it to the people, That not only the Lords Supper was a Sacrament, and ſo was profitable only to them that did comunicat; but alſo it was a ſacrifice to God, and therefore was profitable for all them that were beholders of it, and by the merit thereof they might obtain mercy and grace: yea, that it was not only meritorious to the beholders, but alſo to all theſe for whom the Prieſt ſaid it, as well dead as living, abſent, as preſent, not only for the ſoul, but alſo for all other neceſſities, as well of beaſts, as of men, ſo being they brought their offerings alſo to the Priest the which they …aught be meritorious, both for them and theirs. For to keep the people therefore in ſome devotion; as we ſay, & for to move them to bring their offerings unto the Prieſts, this doctrine of Chriſts Sacrament, that it was a moſt meritorious ſacrifice: and of the peoples oblations, that they were profitable for them and theirs, was firſt invented by the avaricious Clergy, and taught to the people. And therefore Charles the Great in his Laws, injoyned to the Prieſts to make the people to underſtand diſtinctly the force of the Maſs, how far it was profitable both for them and theirs, both for the living and the dead. And to the people. That they ſhould bring their offerings continually unto the Priest, and that becauſe their offerings to the Prieſt was profitable, both to themſelves, and alſo to theſe that appertained to them. Now as for the Prieſts part, they needed not laws to urge them to teach this doctrine: For they were carried, as it were, with the chariots of their avarice to the performance of the ſame, for otherwiſe their Maſſes would have been left deſolat. And from thence came this their doctrine, that the Maſs ſerved to appeaſe Gods wrath, to obtain remiſſion of ſins, Gabriel Biel lect. 85 in expoſ. Canon. & in 4. ſent▪ diſt. 12. qu. 3. redemption of ſouls, and all ſpiritual grace and ſalvation. And that it ſerved for all other neceſſities, as well of man, as of beaſt, as well for the dead, as for the living, as well for the abſent, as for the preſent, Miſſal. c. in canone, & Pap. Innocent. 3. tract, de miſſa, & Thomas de Aquin. & Eckius de miſſa, lib. 1. cap. 10. Concil. Trident. ſeſſ. 6. Canon. 2. And from hence came this three-fold force which, they …ſcribe unto their Maſs: the one moſt general for all; another more ſpecial for him that ſaith it; and the third after a midway, which was in the hands of the Prieſt, to apply it to what perſon, or perſons, dead or living it pleaſeth him, equally or unequally: and that God the Father diſpenſeth the fruits thereof according to the determination of the Prieſt, Gabriel Biel lect. 26. And from this did ſpring their treaſures and riches, through the aboundance of the peoples oblations: and from this came alſo the rich Donations, Prebends, Colledges, and Lands, as may be ſeen by the common form of the if donations in their Charters: I offer to God all the things which are contained in this Charter, for the remiſſion of my own ſins, and of my parents, to maintain the ſervice of God in ſacrifices and Maſſes. As the Scribes and Phariſees therefore taught the people, Matth. 15.5.6. that by offering a gift, albeit they honored not their father and mother, yet they ſhould be free, and have profit, abrogating the Commandments of God through their traditions: ſo did the Prieſts teach the people, that ſuppoſe they neglected the commandment of God in communicating in the Sacrament; yet by their preſence at the ſacrifice, and by their gifts that they offered unto them, they ſhould be free from that ſin, and ſhould have profit, not only to themſelves, but alſo to all that appertained unto them. And to content the people that they ſhould not be offended that they were deprived of the Communion, and received nothing for their offerings, but a bare ſight, and hearing of the Prieſt, eating and drinking all himſelf alone, they invented their holy bread, which they diſtributed unto the people every Sabbath: and the kiſſing of the Pax, that is, the covering of the calice, to ſupply the want of the Communion, whereby they might think that they were not altogether fruſtrat of the ſame.
And as for the people, becauſe they received not the love of the truth (for no exhortation or admonition, no Laws Eccleſiaſtical nor Civil, could make them to reverence the Lords inſtitution, in receiving the ſweet pledges of their ſalvation, as the Lord had commanded) therefore the Lord gave them over, as it was fore-told, to ſtrong deluſions, that they might believe lies. And beſide this juſt judgement of God, as this doctrine was moſt profitable to the Prieſts, ſo was it moſt agreeable to their corruption, and therefore was eaſily embraced and believed. For what was more eaſie to practiſe, then to hear and ſee a Maſs, and to bring their offering unto the Prieſt? This required no examination of themſelves before: no mortification of their ſin: no ſad and heavy hearts, with fear and trembling to come to the ſame, as the Communion did; but only their eyes to ſee, and ears to hear, ſuppoſe they neither knew nor underſtood what was ſaid or done in the ſame. And yet what was ſo profitable as it was, which was able to obtain remiſſion of ſins, and redemption of ſouls, to appeaſe Gods wrath, and to obtain all grace, and to help for all neceſsities, both for the living and dead, preſent and abſent, man and beast, as they affirmed? So this was not the ſtrait way to ſalvation: for who was not able to practiſe this doctrine? that is, to ſee and hear a Maſs. And yet our Savior ſaith, The way is ſtrait that leads to eternal life, and many ſhal ſeek to enter in, and ſhal not be able, Matth. 7.13. From this ſprang the aboundance of their oblations, that they ſpared neither ſilver nor gold, houſes, lands, nor heritages: For what would not a man give to get ſalvation ſo eaſily both to himſelf and to others? So it was no wonder ſuppoſe the Prieſts were earneſt in beating in the ears of the people ſuch a profitable doctrine for themſelves: For it was a gold mine unto them. And ſuppoſe the people (having forſaken the love of the truth, and being given over of God to believe ſuch ſtrong deluſions, for the contempt of his ordinance) embraced ſuch a plauſible doctrine, which brought heaven to them and theirs; ſo eaſily as they ſupponed: and by theſe degrees the pretended ſacrifice of the Maſs was not a little promoved. And yet theſe abuſes crap not in while after Gregory the Great, who lived in the 600. year after Chriſt, ſuppoſe a great part of theſe abuſes is aſcribed to him.
Hitherto now hath this ſacrifice been confuſedly conceived, and all things almoſt prepared for her birth. From theſe now followeth other corruptions, which did ripen this monſtrous birth.
As firſt, where the Prieſt was wont to bleſs and conſ…crat by prayer, ſo much bread & wine as might ſerve the whole people who did communicat in the primitive Church: the communion of the people in this Sacrament being loſt, as we heard before, and the Prieſt himſelf alone, or at the leaſt, two or three with him only communicating: the oblations of the people which was not only of bread, and wine, and water, according to the expreſs Canons of the Church, de conſecrat. diſt 2 cap. Non oportet, & cap. In ſacramento. But (corruption growing with the riches of the Church) alſo of gold, ſilver, of ſheep and oxen, as we read in the time of Gregory, in Dialog. Theſe oblations, I ſay, was not brought unto the altar to be conſecrated by prayers to God, but only ſo much bread and wine as might ſerve the Prieſt only, and which at laſt (the abuſe growing) he began to make himſelf, and to bring unto the Sacrament.
Upon the which followed other two abuſes. The firſt, that the ſtile of (offering) and (ſacrifice) in the Sacrament was taken from the peoples action of offering & their oblations, for the which cauſe eſpecially the Sacrament was called a ſacrifice: & therefore the prayer in the Canon was not in Gregories time, pro quibus tibi offerimus: for the which we offer unto thee: but, qui tibi offerunt, who do offer to thee. And their oblation was called ſacrifices, as is manifeſt by the ordinance of Pope Gelaſius, where it is ordained that the ſacrifices which the people ſhould offer up in the Maſs, ſhould be diſtribut in four parts. This ſtile (I ſay) of offering and ſacrifice, was taken from them, and aſcribed only to the Prieſts action: and his action was called the ſacrifice. And this was no little ſtep to their pretended ſacrifice.
The next which did put even ſome life and breath in it, was the applying of all the prayers which was uſed to be ſaid and made in the ſanctification of the oblations of the people, to the ſanctification of that ſmal round bread, and portion of wine which was reſerved for the Sacrament, and appointed for the Prieſt, and the few that was to communicat with him. So that here was a manifeſt change, wherein they paſſed from the oblations of the gifts, which was preſented to God by the people, and offered to him in the Sacrament of the Supper, which were called ſacrifices, as we have proved it before; to a ſacrifice of a round bread, and a little cup of wine, which the Prieſt only, or at the leaſt with other two or three, eat and drink in the ſame; and conſequently from a ſacrifice of the fruits of the earth offered to God by the people, to a ſacrifice of the eternal Son of God, which the Prieſt ſupponed he offered up to God in the ſame. So by this means it received, as it were, ſome life and breath.
This alteration is ſo manifeſt, that the prayers in their own Canon of the Maſs and Liturgies, will prouve the ſame: Precamur te, ſaith the Canon, ut accepta habeas & benedicas haec dona, haec munera, haec ſancta ſacrificia illibata; that is, We pray thee, thou wouldeſt accept and bleſs theſe gifts, theſe preſents, theſe holy and unſpotted ſacrifices. And again, Remember of them, pro quibus tibi offerimus, vel qui tibi offerunt hoc ſacrificium laudis, pro ſe ſuiſque omnibus; that is, Theſe for whom we offer unto thee, or who doth offer unto thee, this ſacrifice of praiſe for themſelves, and all theirs. And again, Supra quae ſereno & propitio vultu reſpicere digneris, & accepta habere ſicut accepta habere dignatus es munera Abelis, Abrahae, Melchiſedech, &c. that is, That thou wouldeſt vouchſafe to look upon them with a favorable and merciful countenance, as thou hast vouchſafed to accept of the gifts of Abel, Abraham and Melchiſedeck, &c. And again, Jube haec perferri per manus angeli tui in ſublime altare tuum; that is, Command them to be carried by the hands of thy angel unto thine hie altar in the ſight of thy Majesty. And again, Tua de tuis; that is, We offer of thy own, thy own to thee. I would ask you, M. Gilbert, dare ye in your conſcience ſay, that theſe prayers were made of the eternal Son of God, whom ye pretend to offer up in your Maſſes? For can either the words themſelves be underſtood of him without great abſurdity? Or can they be applyed to him without horrible blaſphemy? And may not every one ſee, that they were conceived and made of the gifts and ſacrifices of praiſe, which the people did offer up to God in the Sacrament? And they ſpeak here in the plural number of many, and the ſacrifice of the Son of God is but one.
Next, they are called gifts preſents, thy own, gifts of thy own, & ſacrifices of praiſes, which cānot be ſpoken of the real ſacrifice of the Son of God, which is a propitiatory ſacrifice, & are not called gifts, preſents, and ſacrifices of praiſes of the people. Thirdly, they ſay, Remember them who offers unto thee their gifts, for themſelves and theirs, which cannot be underſtood of any, but of the people that offered their offerings of their fruits unto the Lord. For you will not ſay that the people offers up the Son of God, but only the Prieſt. And what Chriſtian heart can think that theſe prayers can be applyed to him without horrible blaſphemy: as to duſt and aſhes to interceed by prayer to God the Father for his beloved Son, to pray him to accept in his favor, to bleſs and ſanctify his own beloved Son, who is the fountain of all bleſſing and holineſs, and in whom the fulneſs of the Godhead dwels: and to look upon him with a merciful and favorable countenance, and to daign to vouchſafe to accept of him, in whom and with whom he is well pleaſed: who is his Fathers dayly delight and joy, and to accept of him, as he did of the ſacrifices of Abel, Abraham, and Melchiſedeck; comparing that bleſſed ſacrifice of himſelf, with the ſacrifices of the fruits of the earth, and beaſts of the field, as theirs was: without the which neither their ſacrifices nor perſons would ever have pleaſed God: and to pray to God the Father, to command the Angels (in whom, as Job ſaith, he found no purity) to carry his own eternal Son up to heaven in his preſence; as though he were not as able now to aſcend from thence to heaven, if he were there, being glorified, without the help of Angels, as he did after his reſurrection.
Now let any Chriſtian heart judge whither theſe prayers can be conceived without blaſphemy of the eternal Son of God, or not And after the conſecration they have this prayer in their Ganon, By whom thou creates, ſanctifies, quickens, bleſſes, and gives to us all theſe good things; which can no ways be applyed unto the ſacrifice of Chriſt, unleſs they will have him a creature dayly made, bleſſed and quickned in their Maſs: but unto the gifts and preſents of the people, which they offered up to God in the Sacrament. And in the Liturgy which they aſcribe to Clement, the prayer is, Pro dono oblato; that is, for the gift which is offered up, that it would pleaſe God to receive it in his altar, through the interceſſion of his Christ, in a ſweet ſmelling ſavor, Clemens lib. 3. cap. 17. which no ways can be applyed unto the ſacrifice of the Son of God. For here they are manifeſtly diſtinguiſhed, the gift offered, and the interceſſion of Chriſt, for the which they deſire God to accept of the gift offered. So here is a moſt notorious corruption, wherein they apply all the prayers, which were firſt conceived and made of the gifts and preſents of the people, which they offered up to God in the Sacrament, to the pretended ſacrifice of the Son of God. And from the offerings of the people which was many, they paſs to an oblation which was offered: For a Sacrament of praiſe, to a Sacrament which the Prieſt conſumeth all himſelf: from a Sacrament to confirm us of our ſalvation in Chriſt, to a propiciatory ſacrifice of the Son of God, for the redemption of ſouls: and from a commemoration of the death of Chriſt in the Sacrament, to a real immolation and offering of him up again, and that not for the living only, but for the dead alſo.
By theſe degrees then hath this monſtrous ſacrifice been conceived, formed, received life, and brought forth into the world. Now many other things did concurr to the ſtrengthening of her, and the rooting of her in the hearts and conſciences of men: as firſt, the word ſacrifice, which was frequently uſed by the Fathers of the p…imitiv… Church, taken from the Old Teſtament, and the typical ſacrifices there, which they aſcribed unto the Sacrament of the Supper, calling it a ſacrifice. And that firſt becauſe it was celebrated with thankſgiving, which is called the ſacrifice of praiſe. Next, becauſe they ſacrificed themſelves in a holy, lively, and acceptab…e ſacrifice to God in the ſame, Rom. 12.1.2 3. Heb. 13 15.16 Thirdly, becauſe of their offering and alms which they …ffered in the Sacrament, which are called ſacrifices wherewith God is pleaſed. And laſt of all, becauſe it was a commemoration of that once offered up ſacrifice of the Son of God, the vertue whereof is eternal and ſufficient.
The next, was the univerſal ignorance, both of Paſtors and people, through the barbarous Nations of the Goths, Huns, and Vandals, which ſpoiled and waſted the Empire of the Weſt, more then an hundred years full, whereby all learning (almoſt) was buried: and the lights and torches of the Church being extinguiſhed, their ſucceſſors being born and brought up under that barbarity, in that common and publick ignorance, they were ſo far from chaſing away that darkneſs, that they rather increaſed the ſame, being given altogether to ſeculare and worldly affairs, as the laws of Charles the Great do teſtifie: commanding them that they ſhould abſtain from ſeculare affairs, from the Court, from warrs, from ſalconry, from lechery from games.
Thirdly, the corruption of languages which entred in with theſe barbarous Nations at that ſame time, through the mixture of people of ſundry languages: Whereby firſt, the language became barbarous: next, not univerſally underſtood. And certainly were not this, Satan could not have prevailed ſo much, in cauſing this poyſon of this monſtrous ſacrifice to be ſo univerſally drunken out by the people. For if they had underſtood the language, theſe words which they dayly heard in their ſervice, Surſum corda, lift up your hearts: And ſhow forth the death of the Son of man, and confeſs his reſurrection till his coming. Theſe words might eaſily have kept them in this knowledge, that Chriſt was above, and they ſhould not ſeek him bodily in the Sacrament, becauſe he was not there really preſent, but was to come: and that the Sacrament was not a real offering of the Son of God again, but a ſhowing forth of his death, until his ſecond coming.
But two doctrines eſpecially, which by proceſs of time alſo entred in the Church of God, brought this pretended ſacrifice of their Maſs to her full perfection and ſtrength, the one was the doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation, that the bread and wine in the Sacrament, by the words ſpoken, or rather muttered by the Prieſt, was changed in the body and blood of Chriſt. From time this was taught the people, then what followed but all adoration and worſhip to be given to the Sacrament, where Chriſt is really preſent. Then how could it be but a propitiatory ſacrifice for the ſins of the living, ſeeing it was that ſelf-ſame body and blood, under the forms of bread and wine, which was offered up upon the croſs for the ſins of the world? The next was that of Purgatory; for ſeeing, ſay they, that there is a fire of Purgatory after this life, where through men muſt paſs to heaven: and ſeeing in theſe flames their ſins muſt be purged, therefore a remedy muſt be fore-ſeen: and where is there a remedy to be found, but in the ſacrifice of the Maſs, where the Son of God is offered up, that will relieve our ſouls after we are departed? Theſe will help the ſouls of our parents and friends that are there already. Upon the which was founded the Maſſes and ſacrifices for the dead: and from thence came the moſt part of the donation of lands to the Churches, to have Maſſes ſaid for their ſouls.
So then, to conclud, the loſs of the Communion in the Sacrament of the Supper: Next, the ſanctification of the oblations of the people, which at laſt was turned to that which the Prieſt conſumed himſelf alone: Thirdly, the avarice of the Prieſts which bred their damnable doctrine, that the Supper was not only a Sacrament, but a ſacrifice, &c. Fourthly, the applying of the prayers conceived of the gifts of the people, unto the round hoſt and calice, which the Prieſt conſumed: Fifthly, the abuſing of the word ſacrifice, which the Fathers and Church uſed: Sixthly, the publick and univerſal negligence and ignorance of Paſtor and people: Seventhly, the confuſion of languages: And laſt of all, their damnable doctrine of Tranſubſtātiation and Purgatory: Theſe were the degrees by the which their abominable ſacrifice hath been created, nowriſhed, entertained and perfected in that meaſure and ſtrength: that at the laſt it took ſuch deep root in the hearts of all men almoſt, that nothing could root it out, except only the power of the Lords Spirit by the voice of his Word. And yet this abuſe was perceived by ſundry, whom the Lord ſtirred up, as Arnold de Villanova, anno 1200. and Albigenſes and Waldenſes in France, who taught, That the ſacrifice of the Maſs was a manifeſt abuſe: and that the Maſſes both for the living and the dead, was directly contrary the inſtitution of our Lord. And ſome of their own Doctors in their writings doth contradict this propitiatory ſacrifice of the Maſs, as the Maiſter of Sentences, diſtinct. 12. lib. 4. de conſecrat. and Thomas of Aquin, in ſumma part. 3. quaeſt. 83. & 73. Lyranus in Epiſt. ad Heb. cap. 10. affirming, That Chriſt once died for our ſins, and that once oblation is ſufficient for all our ſins, and that it cannot be reiterat: and that the Sacrament is an ordinary memorial and repreſentation of that only one ſacrifice which was offered up upon the croſs: the which doctrine of theirs cannot ſtand with their dayly immolation, and real oblations of the Son of God in their Maſs.
And that nothing may be lacking to the manifeſting of it, we will ſhow alſo the Authors and times of the entring in of the ceremonies of the ſame. The mixing of water with the wine in the calice, is aſcribed to Pope Alexander the firſt, de conſecrat. diſt 2. Can. in Sacram. oblat. anno 111. he alſo put to this clauſe to the Maſs, Qui pridie quam pateretur. Secondly, Sanct. ſanct ſanct. Dom. Deus Sabaoth, is put to by Pope Syricius the firſt anno 121. Thirdly, Gloria in excelſis, is put to by Pope Teleſphore the firſt, anno 139 Fourthly, the ſinging of the Creed after the Goſpel, put to by Pope Mark the firſt (and according to ſome, by Pope Julius the firſt) anno 335. Fifthly, Pope Zepherin ordained that the wine ſhould be put in glaſſes: and Urban the firſt, ordained that the veſſels ſhould be of gold, or ſilver, or at the leaſt of tin, anno 213. Sixthly, Pope Felix the firſt, ordained to celebrat Maſſes in the names of the Martyrs, above their graves and relicks, anno 267. Seventhly, the offerture of the Maſs is aſcribed to Eutychian the firſt, anno 270. Eightly, the Kyrieeleiſon to Sylveſter the firſt, anno 314. Ninthly, the celebration of Maſſes in linnen clothes to Euſebius, and him alſo. Tenthly, the ſtanding up at the reading of the Goſpel, to Anaſtaſius the firſt, anno 401. Eleventhly, the bleſſing of the Pax. to Innocentius the firſt, anno 405 diſt. 2. cap. Pacem Twelfthly, the Antiphones. the Introits, and the Graduals▪ to Celeſtin the firſt, anno 427. Thirteenthly, Orate pro me fratres, & Deo gratias, & ſanctum ſacrificium, to Leo the firſt, anno 444. Fourteenthly, the nine-fold repetition of Kyrieeleyſon, and the ſinging of Hallelujah, to Gregory the firſt, anno 593. Fifteenthly, the ſinging of Agnus. Dei thriſe, to Sergius the firſt, anno 688. Sixteenthly, the incenſe and offerture reſtored by Leo the third, anno 800. Seventeenthly, their Tranſubſtantiation invented by Lanfrancus, an Italien, anno 1036. decreed in the Council of Lateran in ſubſtance, anno 1059. And made the 13. Article of Faith by Innocent the third, anno 1215. Decret. tit. 1. de ſumma Trinit. & fide, cap. Firmiter credimus. I omit the reſt, as their Canon compiled by one named Scholasticus, as Gregory witneſſes, lib. 2. & 7. & 9 and fundry other ceremonies. So that between the firſt and laſt inventers and authors of their Maſs, it is more then a thouſand years. And thus much touching that abominable ſacrifice of the Maſs, which is not the Lords ordinance, but the invention of the Popes, and Clergy of Rome.
Maſter Gilbert Brown.
I thought ſuch like to have proved the ceremonies of this bleſſed ſacrifice, by the ſame holy Word: but becauſe it were ſomething long ſome, I have continued the ſame till another place.