Of the institution of the sacrament of the blessed bodie and blood of Christ, (by some called) the masse of Christ eight bookes; discovering the superstitious, sacrilegious, and idolatrous abominations of the Romish masse. Together with the consequent obstinacies, overtures of perjuries, and the heresies discernable in the defenders thereof. By the R. Father in God Thomas L. Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield.

CHAP. I.

That the Originall of the word, MASSE, nothing ad∣vantageth the Romish Masse.

SECT. I.

DIvers of your Romish a Doctors would haue the word, MASSE, first to be (in the first and primi∣tiue Imposition and vse thereof) Diuine. Secondly, in time, more ancient than Christ. Thirdly, in signification, most Religious, deri∣ued (as They say) from the Hebrew word Missah, which signifieth Ob∣lation and Sacrifice; euen the high∣est homage that can be performed vnto God. And all this to proue (if it may be) that which you call THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASSE.

CHALLENGE.

SO haue these your Doctors taught, notwithstanding many o∣ther Romanists, as well Iesuites as others of principall Note in your Church, enquiring (as it were) after the natiue Countrie, kinred, and age of the Word, MASSE, doe not onely say, but also prooue, first, that It is no Hebrew-borne. Secondly, that it is not of Primitiue antiquitie, because not read of before the dayes of S. Ambrose, who liued about three hundred seuentie three yeeres after Christ. Thirdly, that it is a plaine Latine word, to wit Missa, signifying the Dismission of the Congregation. Which Confessi∣ons being testified (in our b Margin) by so large a consent of your owne Doctors, prooued by so cleare Euidence, and deliuered by Authors of so eminent estimation in your owne Church; must not a little lessen the credit of your other Doctors (noted for Neo∣tericks) who haue vainely laboured, vnder the word MASSE, falsely to impose vpon their Readers an opinion of your Romish Sacrificing Masse.

That the word, MASSE, in the Primitiue signification thereof, doth properly belong vnto the Protestants: and iustly condemneth the Romish manner of Masse.

SECT. II.

THe word, MASSE, (by the c Confession of Iesuites and o∣thers, and that from the authoritie of Councels, Fathers, Ca∣non-Law, Schoolemen, and all Latine Liturgies) is therefore so cal∣led from the Latine phrase [Missa est] especially, because the com∣panie of the Catechumenists, and those which were not prepared to communicate at the celebrating of this Sacrament, after the hearing of the Gospell, or Sermons, were Dismissed, and not suffe∣red to stay, but commanded To depart. Which furthermore your Ies. Maldonate, out of Isidore, the most ancient Authors, and all

the Liturgies, is compelled to confesse to be the d Most true mea∣ning of Antiquity.

Which Custome of exempting all such persons, being euery where religiously taught and obserued in all Protestant Churches; and contrarily the greatest devotion of your Worshippers, at this day, being exercised onely in looking and gazine vpon the Priests manner of celebrating your Romane Masse, without communi∣cating thereof, contrary to the Institution of Christ; contrary to the practice of Antiquity; and contrary to the proper vse of the Sacrament: (All which hereafter shall be plentifully shewed) it must therefore follow, as followeth.

CHALLENGE.

VVHereas there is nothing more rife and frequent in your speeches, more ordinary in your outhes, or more sacred in your common estimation, than the name of the Masse; yet are you, by the signification of that very word, convinced of a mani∣fest Transgression of the Institution of Christ: and therefore your great Boast of that name is to be iudged false, and absurd. But of this Transgression more hereafter.

The Name of CHRIST his MASSE how farre it is to be acknowledged by Protestants.

SECT. III.

THe Masters of your Romish Ceremonies, and others, naming the Institution of Christ, e call it his Masse. And how often doe wee heare your vulgar people talking of Christ his Masse? Which word MASSE (in the proper signification already spe∣cified) could not possibly haue beene so distastfull vnto us, if you had not abused it to your fained, and (as you now see) false sense of your kinde of Proper Oblation and Sacrifice. Therefore was it a superfluous labour of M^r. f Brereley, to spend so many lines in prouing the Antiquity of the word, MASSE.

CHALLENGE.

FOr otherwise Wee (according the aboue-confessed proper Sense thereof) shall, together with other Protestants in the Augustane Confession, approue and embrace it; and that to the iust Condemnation of your present Romane Church, which in her Masse doth flatly and peremptorily contradict the proper Signi∣fication thereof, according to the Testimonie of Micrologus, say∣ing;

g The Masse is therefore so called, because they that communicate not, are commanded to depart. By all which it is euident, that your Church hath forfeited the Title of Masse, which shee hath appropriated to her selfe as a flagge of ostentation (whereof more hereafter.) In the Interim, we shall desire each one of you to hearken to the Exhortation of your owne Waldensis, saying, h ATTEND, and obserue the Masse OF CHRIST.

Of the CANON OF CHRIST his MASSE, and at what wordes it beginneth.

SECT. IV.

CHrist his Masse, by your owne i confession, beginneth at these words of the Gospell, concerning Christ's Institution of the Eucharist, Math. 26. Luc. 22. [And Iesus tooke bread, &c.] which also we doe as absolutely professe.

What Circumstances, by ioynt consent on both sides, are to bee exempted out of this Canon of Christ his Masse; or the wordes of his Institution.

It is no lesse Christian wisedome and Charitie to cut off vnne∣cessary Controversies, than it is a serpentine malice to engender them; and therefore we exempt those points which are not in∣cluded within this Canon of Christ, beginning at these wordes; [And Iesus tooke bread, &c.] To know, that all other circum∣stances, which at the Institution of Christ his Supper fell out acci∣dentally, or but occasionally (because of the then Iewish Passe∣ouer, which Christ was at that time to finish; or else by reason of the custome of Iudaea) doe not come within this our dispute touching Christ his Masse; whether it be that they concerne Place, (for it was instituted in a priuate house:) or Time, (which was at night:) or Sexe, (which were onely men:) or Gesture, (which was a kind of lying downe:) or Vesture, (which was wee know not what:) no nor yet whether the Bread were vnleauened, or the Wine mixed with water, two poynts which (as you know) Prote∣stants and your selues k giant not to be of the essence of the Sacra∣ment,

but in their owne nature Indifferent; and onely so farre to bee observed, as the Church, wherein the Christian Communicants are, shall for Order and Decencie-sake prescribe the use thereof.

The Points contained within the Canon of Christ his Masse, and appertaining to our present Controuersie, are of two kindes, viz. 1. Practicall. 2. Doctrinall.

SECT. V.

PRacticall or Active is that part of the Canon, which concer∣neth Administration, Participation, and Receiuing of the holy Sacrament, according to this Tenor, Math. 26. 26. [And Iesus tooke Bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gaue it to his Disciples, and said, Take, eate, &c. And Luc. 22. 19, 20. Doe this in remembrance of mee. Likewise also after Supper be tooke the Cup, and gaue thankes, and gaue it to them, saying, Drinke yee all of this.] But the points, which are especially to bee called Doctrinall, are implied in these words of the Euangelists; [This is my Bodie: And, This is my Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you, and for many for remission of sinnes.] We begin with the Practicall.

Notes

• a

  Nomen antiquis∣simum, Missa, (quod quidem fides Chri∣stiana profitetur) ex Hebraica vel Chal∣daica nomenclatu∣ra acceptum esse videtur, Missah, i. e. spontanea obla∣tio, conueniens in∣stituto Sacrificio. Ba∣ron. Cardin. Anno 34. num. 59. Est Hebra∣icum. Tolet. Ies. & Cardin. Instruct. Sa∣cerd. li. 2. c. 4. Qui∣dam, vt Reulin, Al∣cian, Xaintes, Pin∣tus, Pamelius existimant esse Hebraicum. At Azor. Ies. reporteth, in Inst. Moral. par. 1. li. 10. ca. 18.
• b

  Latinum, non Hebraicum est, vt Neoterici studiosè exquitunt. Binius Tom. 3. Conc. p. 110. E∣odem modo inter∣pretantur cōplures. Durant. de Ritib. l. 2. c. 2. p. 190, 192. Magis spectat ad Latinam phrasin. Salmeron Ies. Epist. ad Canis. de no∣mine Missae. [So also Azor. the Ies. in the place aboue▪ cited.] Multò probabilius esse Latinam; nam si vox Hebraica in vsu a∣pud Apostolos fuis∣fet, certè retinuissent eam Graeci, & Syri, aliae{que} Nationes, vt retinuerunt vocem Hosanna, Allelujah, Pascha, Sabbatum, & similes voces.—Apud Graecos nulla est hujus vocis mentio; pro ea 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 dicunt: est autem 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 aeunus, siue ministerium publicum. Bellar. l. 1. de Missa. c. 1. Melius qui Latinam—Suarez Ies. in Thom. Tom. 3. disp. 74. §. 3. [where he alleageth Lindan. Thom. Hug. de Vict.] Leo primus quidem est author, apud quem legerim Missae verbum. Masson. l. 2. de Episc. Rom. in Leon. 1. [And Ambrose is the ancientest that either Bellar. or Binius, in the places before-quoted, could mention.] Missa à Missione dicta est. Salmeron Ies. Tom. 16. pag. 390, 391. [It is the same with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Greeke Church: and with Ilicet amongst the ancient Romanes.] See the Testimonie following.
• c

  Missa à Missio∣ne dicta est, quoniam Catechumeni ••â su∣sceptâ foras de Ec∣clesia emitterentur: vt in ritibus Pagano∣rum dici consueue∣rat, Ilicet, quod per Syncopen idem est ac, Ire licet. Sic no∣strum verbum, Missa, Ite, missa est. Salme∣ron. Ies. in the place a∣boue-cited, p. 390, 391. Sic accipitur in iure Canonico, & in Patribus etiam, at{que} Concilijs. Azor. Ies. Inst. par. 1 pag 850. Gemin•• Mis∣sio; prima Catechumenorum, alia peractis sacris, Missâ completâ. Binius in the place afore-cited. Esse à dimissi∣one, per ••te, missa est, tenet Alcuin. Amalar. Fortunat. Durant. quo suprà. [And the other fore-named Authors, who confesse the word to be Latine, doe hold that it commeth of Ite, Missa est; ••or] Iubebantur exire Catechumeni, & Poenitentes, vt qui nondum ad communicandum praeparauerant. Cassaud. Consult. Art. 24. As also in his Tract. de solit. Missa p. 217. with others. (See more hereafter, Chap. 2. §. 5. where this point is discussed.) [As for the dis∣missing of the whole Congregation after the receiuing of the Sacrament, by an Ite, missa est, it was vsed in the second place, after the other. See Binius aboue]
• d

  Alij, ut Isidorus de diuin. offic. dixe∣runt Missam appella∣tam esse quasi dimis∣sionem, à dimitten∣dis Catechumenis antequam Sacrifici∣um inchoaretur: quā sententiam colligo esse verissimam ex antiquiss. Authori∣bus.—Clama∣bat enim Diaconus post Cōcionem, Ca∣techumeni exeunto, et qui communicare non possunt: vt constat ex omnibus Liturgijs, vbi non potest nomen Missae accipi pro Sacrificio. Maldon. Ies. lib. dc 7 Sacram. Tract. de Euch. §. Primum. p. 335.
• See Chap. 2. Sect. 9.
• See below, Chap. 2. Sect. 5.
• e

  Durand. Ration. lib. 4. c. 1. & Durant: de Ritib. l. 2. c. 3. So Christoph. de Capit•• fontium Archiep. Cae∣sar. var. Tract. de Christi Missa, pag. 34. Liturgiae veteres partes Missae Christi exactè respondent:—Missa Christi Ecclesiae Missam de∣clarat.
• f

  Liturg. Trac. 1. §. 1.
• Confess. Aug. Cap. de Coena Domini.
• g

  Microl. de Eccl. obseruat. c. 1. Prop∣ter hoc certe dicitur Missa, quoniam mit∣tendi sunt foràs, qui non participant Sa∣crificio, vel commu∣nione Sancta. Teste Cassand. Liturg fol 59.
• See below. c. 2. sect. 9.
• h

  Attende Missam Christi, &c. Waldens. de Missa.
• i

  Hoc officium Christus instituit, u∣bi dicitur, [Acce∣pit Iesus panem] Du∣rand. Ration. l. 4. c. 1. p. 165. Christus in∣stituit, Lu. 22 Accep∣to pane, &c. Durant. de ••iti. l. 2. c. 3 p. 211.
• k

  Antiquissimus decumbēdi usus mo∣re accumbendi non∣dum inuento, ex Phi∣lone lib. de Ios pho.—Iudaeorum mos jacendi inter Epulas. Amos c. 2. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Foene∣ratores super Vesti∣menta in pignus ac∣cepta discumbunt iuxta quoduis altare: ubi vestimenta pro lectis. Casaub. Exerc. 16. in Baron. [And lest any might obiect a ne∣cessity of representa∣tion Aquae, quae fluxit è corpore Christi, Bonauent. q. 3. D. 11. cleares it thus] Dicen∣dum quòd per a∣quam illam non signatur aqua ista, nec è conuerso: sed aqua illa aquam Baptismatis signat. [Againe, con∣cerning the difference of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, it is plaine, that although Azymes were vsed by Christ, it being then the Paschal feast, yet was this occasionally by reason of the same feast, which was prescribed to the Iewes, as was also the eating of the Lambe.] Graeca Ecclesia peccaret consecrans in Azymo. Tolet Ies. instruct. lib. 2. cap. 25. Lutherani non disputant de necessitate fermenti, aut Azymi. Bellar. l. 4. de Euch. c. 7. Res videtur esse indifferens in se, sed ità vt peccatum sit homini Graeco contra morem & mandatum suae Ecclesiae in Azymo: & nos in Latina Ecclesia, nisi in Azymo, sine scelere non facimus. Alan Card. l. 1. de Euch cap. ••2. pag. 267. Error est dicere alterutrum panem, siue azymum siue fermentatum, esse simplici••er de necessitate Sacramenti in hac vel illa Ecclesia: tàm Graecis quam Latinis licet consuetudinem suae Ecclesiae sequi. Suarez Ies. Tom 3. disp. 44. §. 3. p. 523. In fermentato confici posse, Ecclesia Latina docet, nam Azymus panis fermentato non substantia, sed qualitate differt. Salmeron Ies. To. 9. Tra. 12. p. 75. Christus dicitur panem accepisse: ex quo intelligitur quemvis panem proprie dictum esse posse materiam Eucharistiae, siue azymum siue fermentatum. Iansen. Episc. Concord. c. 131. p. 899. Maior pars Theologorum docet, non esse aquam de necessitate Sacramenti—Opinio illa Cypriani, quod at∣••inet ad modum loquendi—quod ad rem attiner, non Catholicae Ecclesi••, fortasse etiam nec Cypriani. Bel. l. 4. de Euch. c. 11. §. Quinto. And of leauened Bread, Mr. Brerely Lit. Tract. 4. §. 6. p. 413. when the Ebionites taught ••nleavened Bread to be necessary, the Church commanded consecration to be made in leauened Bread.