Page 491
M. Hardinge. The .8. Diuision.
Nowe, if M. Iuel be not so precise in his iudgement of allowinge the firste sixe hundred yeeres after Christ, as to condemne the Church that folowed in the next generation: then we may allege vnto him the twelfthe Councel of Toledo in Spaine, holden in the yeere of our Lorde 680. for proufe that many Masses were celebrated in one Churche in one day. For the same appeareth plainely by this De∣cree of the Fathers there. Relatū nobis est, quosdā de Sacerdotibus non tot vicibus Cōmunio∣nis Sanctae gratiā sumere, quot Sacrificia in vna die videntur offerre:* 1.1 sed in vno die, si plu∣rima per se Deo offerant Sacrificia, in omnibus se Oblationibus à Communione suspen∣dunt, & in sola tantùm extrema Sacrificij Oblatione Communionis Sanctae gratiam su∣munt. Quasi non sit ••o••ies illis ve••o & singulari Sacrificio participandum, quoties Corpo∣ris & Sanguinis Domini nostri Iesu Christi in molatio facta constiterit.* 1.2 Nam ecce Apo∣stolus dicit: Nonne qui edunt Hostias, participes sunt Altaris? Certum est, quòd hi qui Sacrificantes non edunt, 〈◊〉〈◊〉sunt Dominici Sacramenti. Quicun{que} ergo Sacerdotum dem∣ceps Diuino Alta••io Sacrificium Oblaturus accesserit, & se à Communione suspenderit, ab ipsa, qua se indecenter priuauit, gra••••a Con munionis anno 〈◊〉〈◊〉repu••••um ••e nouerit. Nam quale erit illud Sacrificium, cui nec ipse Sacrificans particeps esse cognoscitur? Er∣go modis omnibus ••st t••nendum, vt quo••••escun{que} Sacrificans Corpus & Sanguinem Do∣mini nostri Iesu Christi in Altario i••molat, to••••s perceptionis Corporis & Sanguinis Christi se participem praebeat. It is shewed vnto vs, that there be certaine Priestes, who doo not receiue the grace of the Holy Communion so many times, howe many Sacrifices they seeme to offer in one daye. But if they offer vp to God many Sacrifices by them selues in one daye, in al those Obla∣tions they suspende them selues from the Co••••••nion, and receiue the grace of the Holy Communion onely at the last Oblation of the Sacrifice, as though they ought not so oftentimes to be partakers of that true and singular Sacrifice, as the Sacrifice of the Bodie and Bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christ hath beene doone. For beholde the Apostle saithe, Be not they, whiche eate Sacrifices,* 1.3 partakers of the Aultar? It is certaine, that they who dooinge Sacrifice doo not eate, be giltie of our Lordes Sa∣crament. VVherefore what Priest so ••uer hereafter shal come vnto the Holy Aultar to offer Sacri∣fice, and suspende him selfe from the Communion, be it knowen vnto him, that he is repelled and thrust awaye from the grace of the Communion, wherof he hath vnseemely bereued him selfe, (wherby is mean••e, that he standeth excommunicate) for the space of one yeere. For what a Sacrifice shal that be, whereof neither he him selfe, that Sacrificeth, is knowen to be partaker? wherefore by al meanes this is to be kepte, that howe oftentimes so euer the Priest dooth Sacrifice the Bodie and Bloude of Ie∣sus Christe our Lorde on the Aultar, so oftentimes he receiue, and make him selfe partaker of the Body and Bloude of Christe.
Here by the woorde, Sacrifice, and offeringe of the Sacrifice, the Fathers vnderstande the daiely Sacrifice of the Churche,* 1.4 〈…〉〈…〉. For though the woorde Missa, be of great anti∣quitie, and many times founde in the ••athers, yet they vse more commonly the woorde Sacrifice. Nei∣ther can the enemies of this Sacrifice, expou••de this Canon of the inwarde Sacrifices of a mannes harte, but of that Sacrifice whiche the Priest co••meth to the Holye Aultar to offer, of the Sacrifice of the Bodie and Bloude of Christe our Lorde offered on the Aultar, (for so be their woordes) where he receiueth the Grace of the Holy Communion, whiche is the participation of the Bodie and Bloude of our Lorde. Thus muche graunted, as by any reasonable vnderstandinge it cannot be drawen, nor by racking can be stretched to any other sense: wee haue here good auctoritie for the hauing of many Masses in one Churche in one daye. And, where as the Fathers of that Councel allowed many Masses in one daye saide by one Prieste, there is no reason, why they shoulde not allowe the same saide by sundry priestes in one daye. If our aduersaries saye, this ••ig•••• haue bene done in sundry places, wher∣by they may seeme to frustrate our purpose touchinge this Article: we answeare, that beside thappro∣uinge of the Masse by them so confessed, it were vaine and friuolouse to imagine suche gaddinge of the Priestes from Churche to Churche for sai••inge many Masses in one daye. Doubtlesse the Fathers of that Toletane Councel meante of many Masses saide in one place in a daye, as ••eo did, for seruinge the faithful peoples deuotion that resorted to Churche at sundry houres, as we see the people do now, that so al might be satisfied▪ whiche shoulde not haue bene, if one Masse onely had bene saide.