Three Pillars and Arch-patriarchs of the Popish Synagogues, Treatise 4 · Section 36 – Section 37
SECTIO. 36. From the second face of the 118. leafe to the 127. leafe, in which he treateth of the priuate Masse.Rastel
Whereas the Bishop proueth the priuate Masse to be contrarie to the institution of Christe,Fulk which ordeined a communion. First M. Rastell will not vnderstand what is meant by this word, priuate Masse, for al Masses (he saith) are common, which if it be true, to vse his own examples of an open houshold and a common of pasture, they be fooles that will pay any money for them. Afterward vnderstanding a priuate Masse to be when no man receiueth with the Priest, he asketh whether the Masse saide on Easter day be good, bicause there be a number of communicants, or whether any other Masse be good, at which be many yt receiue with ye Priest? I answer him, those Masses in yt point are lesse euil then the priuate Masses, in which there is no communion, bicause they erre not in that one point, although they are abhominable in many other. But now let vsus heare how M. Rast. looketh the Doctours in the faces, which were cited by the Bishop against priuate Masse, as he promiseth to doe. First to Clemens and Dionysius he aunswereth nothing, but cauilleth at the Bishops manner of citing them, not for writings of such antiquitie as they are said to be, but yet sufficient to choake the Papistes which boast of their authoritie. And trifleth of the oyle, salt, singing, and in Dionysius which ceremonies as we hauehave not in our Church, no more hauehave the Papistes in such order as he rehearseth thē. To Iustine likewise he aunswereth nothing, but cauilleth of the water vsed to be mixed with the wine in his time, which was no ceremonie, but a custome of sobrietie: and of sending the communion to them that were absent, which we vsed not, neither is he able to proue that they vsed to send it, as the communion, but as almes rather, of the great plentie of breade and wine that was accustomed to be offred. And if it were proued to bee the communion, it maketh more strongly against the priuate Masse, that they would suffer none that were absent not to communicate, much lesse would they suffer them which were present, not to receiue with the minister. The sayings of Ambrose, Hierome, Augustine, Leo, he passeth ouer with confession, that the people in their dayes vsed to receiue with the Priest commonly, but hee denyeth they did so alway. Which hee weeneth to proue, by that Chrysostome saith, they did offer daily, and Ambrose saith, that in Greece they were accustomed to receiue but once a yeare. And he thinketh it were absurde, that there should be but one Communion in a yeare in Greece. But hee is much deceiued, for Saint Chrysostome as he confesseth, speaketh of often receiuing, ad Ephe. Hom. 3. and would hauehave all that receiued not to depart, euen as the Canons of the Apostles, and Gregorie in his Dialogues doe shewe. And although many of the people were negligent in comming to the Lordes table, yet was there no priuate Masse, bicause yt in those great Churches, there were always a great number of the Clergie, which receiued with the Bishop, vponupon paine of excommunication.
To the prayers of the Masse, which being in the plurall number suppose a number present▪ and a number of communicants, hee saith, they argue the antiquitie of the Masse to bee aboue sixe hundreth yeares after Christe: which is not so: in deede they argue the forme of those prayers to be ancienter then the priuate Masse, and more they argue not. But they may be vsed (saith Maister Raster) bicause at eueryevery Masse be more present, then any bodily eye can see. O absurde Asse, that so arrogantly braggeth of learning, and so proudly despiseth so learned a Fathers arguments. Admit, that in steede of legions of diuels that be present at eueryevery Masse, whose seruice it is, there were so many legions of Angels present as he fantasieth: doeth the Priest saying Oremus, Let vsus pray, speake to the Angels that are present to pray with him yea, why not? will some froward Papist say. But to whome speaketh he when he turneth about and sayth, Orate pro me fratres & sorores, pray for me brethren and sisters. Be there hee Angels and she Angels also? And when he prayeth that the oblation which they hauehave offered be saluation to all that hauehave receiued it, doeth he meane that the Angels hauehave taken their rytes of the Priest, though none of the people be present, but perhaps one sorie boy that helpeth him to say Masse? But the Prieste (he saith) is no priuate person, but a common officer, euen as when hee baptizeth. But is hee such a Magistrate to altar and chaunge the institution and ordinaunce of GOD? Baptisme may bee ministred to one alone according to the institution thereof, but the Communion which is a feast of the Church, ought not to bee kept without a number of guestes. To all the rest of the authorities cited by the Bishop out of the Canons of the Apostles, the decree of Calixtus, the Dialogues of Gregorie, hee saith they proue nothing, but that the people vsed to communicate, and there be diuers thinges in those writings, which wee doe not obserue, as though wee hauehave bound our selues to the obseruing of mens decrees as the Papistes hauehave. But what so euer they hauehave agreeable to the worde of GOD wee obserue and willingly, although hee slaunder our Church to suffer them to be present at the Communion, which doe not communicate, which is a most impudent and shamelesse lye: and yet easily to bee borne in comparison of their blasphemies, which he barketh out against the Priesthoode of our Sauiour Christe, saying, the order of Melchisedech should hauehave an end, if their stinking Masse were omitted, and that their Priestes must daily enter into Sancta sanctorum. O Antichristian Helhoundes, that challenge vntounto your selues the peculiar Priesthoode of Christe, who onelyonly is a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech, and hath no successours in his Priesthoode. Heb. 7.
O blasphemous dogges, that will hauehave your hedge Priests to enter into Sancta sanctorum the most holy places eueryevery day, whither Christ hath once for all entered, and found eternall redemption. Heb. 6.
And these blasphemies he had rather defend, then giuegive ouer the blasphemie of the priuate Masse, which with neither learning, modestie, nor conscience, he or any of al the rout of them is able to defend, either as lawfull or as auncient.
Rastel.SECTIO. 37. in the 127. leafe.
Fulk.To the challenge which the Bishop made against the priuate Masse, he aunswereth nothing, but that they hauehave no priuate Masse, for all Masses are one common masse, trifling vponupon the terme, when he can not say one word to the matter.