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.

That the former Romish Prayer, as it was Antient, doth in the (then) true meaning thereof condemne the now Romish Church of the former Sacrilegious Innovation.

SECT. IV.

FOR to thinke that it should be prayed, that God would be propitious to Christ, were an Execrable opinion, even in the Iudgement of our Adversaries themselves; who for avoi∣dance thereof have obtruded an Exposition, as farre differing from the Text, as doth This from That, or Christ from the Priest, as you have heard. But whither will hee now? Your Cardinall telleth

you, that the words of your Romish Canon are antient, such as are found in the a Missalls of S. Iames, of Clement Pope of Rome, of Basil, of Chrysostome, and of Ambrose. You will hold it requi∣site that wee consult with these Liturgies, set out by your selves, for the better understanding of the Tenour of your Romish Masse. The Principall Quaere will be, whether Antiquity in her Liturgies, by praying to God for a propitious Acceptation, and admittance into his celestiall Altar, meant (as your Cardinall answered) Propitious∣nesse towards Priest, and People, in respect of their faith, and devo∣tion; and not towards the Things offered distinctly in themselves.

In the pretended Liturgie of S. b Iames (before Consecration) the prayer to God is, To accept the Gifts into his celestiall Altar; even the Gifts, which he called The fruits of the earth. And then after, for the Parties, as well Priest, as People, To sanctifie their soules.

In the Liturgie of c Basil (before Consecration) it is prayed to God, that the Receiving the Gifts into his celestiall Altar, would also (concerning the Parties) send his Gra••e, and Spirit upon them.

And no lesse plainly Pope d Clemens teaching (before Conse∣cration) to pray God, who received the Gifts of Abel gratiously, to behold these Gifts propounded to the honour of his Sonne Christ; ex∣pressely differenceth this Sacrifice done, in honour of Christ, from Christ himselfe, who is honoured thereby. And after Consecration to Beseech God through Christ to accept the Gift offered to him, and to take it into his Celestiall Altar; where the prayer to God is not to accept of Christ, but of the Gift for Christ's sake, and to the honour of Christ, in whom God is Propitious unto us: wee say againe, the Gift for Christ, and not Christ for the Gift, (what can be more plaine against all Corporall Presence of Christ in the Sacrament?) and to receive it into his Celestiall Altar, but how? by intercession of Angells? No, but expressely thus: By Christ the Mediatour.

In the Liturgie of e Chrysostome (before Consecration) God is prayed unto, and supplicated thus: We beseech thee to send thy Spirit upon us, and upon the Gifts set before us.

Even as f Ambrose explaineth his Supplication (after Conse∣cration)

for God, To accept this Oblation, namely that, which hee called Holy Bread, and Cup.

If therefore these former Formes may interpret your Romane Li∣turgie, as it was Antient, the prayer therein to God, desiring him to be Propitious, must have relation to the things above specified called Holy Bread of life, and Cup of Salvation, as distinguished from Priest, and People. Wherefore your Romane Missalls being so Antient in this one point, in praying God (after Consecration) to be Propitious to that, which is called the Bread of life eternall, and Cup of everlasting salvation; lest it might carry a Sacrilegious Sence, to wit, that the Body of Christ is here the proper Subject of the Eucharist, and consequently to need a Propitiation to God, by virtue of mens prayers (thereby greatly derogating from the meri∣torious Satisfaction of Christ:) you ought to reduce this your Ro∣mane Canon to the Orthodox meaning of Antient Liturgies above mentioned; and to understand it Sacramentally only, (namely) our Objective Representation, Commemoration, and Application thereof by us, which is our Act of Celebration.

To the former vast heape of Sacrilegious Positions, and Practi∣ces, wee may adde your other many vile, and impious g Indigni∣ties offered to the all-glorious Sonne of God, in making his sacred Body, in your owne opinions, obnoxious to the Imprisoning in Boxes, Tearing with mens Teeth, Devouring, Vomiting it by the Communicants, and the Transmittance into your guts, together with the Eating, and Feeding thereupon by Dogs, Mice, Wormes, and (which transcendeth, if it may be, all your other Absurdities) to be deprived of all naturall power of Motion, Sence, and Vnderstan∣ding. O Abominable! Abominable!

Notes

• a

  Bellarm. lib. 2. de Missa, cap. 24. Super quae propitio, &c. ha∣bentur apud Ambro∣sium post consecrati∣onem. Lib. 4. de Sa∣cram. cap. 6. R•…•…s••s Bellar. ibid. Haec ver∣ba posita sunt post consecrationem apud Ambrosium lib. 4. de Sacram. cap, 6. in Li∣turg•…•…s Jacobi, Cle∣mentis, Basilii, Chry∣sostomi.
• b

  Liturgia Iacobi an∣tè Consecratienem. Di∣aconus. Oremus pro sanctificatis tremen∣dis donis—ut Do∣minus acceptis ••is in super-coeles••e spiritu∣ale Altate suum in o∣dorem suavitatis mit∣tat nobis divinam gratiam. Tum Sacer∣dos. Deus, ac Pater Domini Dei, & Ser∣vatoris—qui tibi oblata munera fru∣gum oblationes acce∣pisti in odorem suavi∣tatis—sanctifica animas nostras. Post Sacerdos consecra••s ver∣ba Consecrationis adhi∣bet: Sancte qui in san∣ctis requi••scis—suscipe hymnum in∣corruptum in sanctis & incruentis Sacrifi∣ciis tuis.
• c

  Liturgia Basilii an∣tè Consecrationem. Pon∣tifex—Suscipe nos, ut simus digni offerre rationabile illud abs{que} sanguine Sacrificium—& vide super ser∣vitutem nostram•…•… ••t suscepisti munera Abel, sic ex manibus nostris suscipe ista ex benignitate tuâ. Et rursus Diac. Prooblatis, sancti∣ficatis, & honorificentissimis muneribus Deum postulemus, ut qui accepit ea in sancto & supercoelesti Altari suo in odorem suavitatis, emittat gratiam & spiritum nobis, &c. P••st, sequitur Cons•…•…ratis. Po••tifex: Respice Domine Iesu. Et post Consecrationem; Gratias agimus.
• d

  Clement. Constitut. lib. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. cap. 16. called, Constitutio Jacobi, a∣pud Binium. Tu, qui Abelis Sacrificium suscepisti—And after, Pro omnibus tibi gloria, &c. cap. 17. Benignè aspicere dig••eris super haec dona propo••ita in conspectu tuo—& complaceas tibi in eis, in honorem Christi, & mittas spiritum super hoc Sacrificium, testem passionum ejus—ut ostendas hun•• panem corpus ejus, &c. Po•…•… Consecrationem, cap. 19. Etiam rogemus Deum, per Christum suum, pro munere oblato Domino, ut Deus, qui bonus est, suscipiat illud pe•• Medistorem Christ•…•… in coele••••e Altare suum in odorem suavitatis pro hâc Ec∣clesiâ, &c.
• e

  Missa Chrysostomi antè Consecrationem. Adhuc o••ferimus tibi rationabile, & incruentum hoc obse∣quium, Deposcimus ut mittas Spiritum sanctum super nos, & super apposita muneta. Sequitur Consecratio. Fac Panem istum preciosum Corp••s, &c. Post Consecrationem. Adhuc offerimus tibi rationabile hoc obsequium pro fi∣deliter dormientibus, &c. Post. Dominum deprecemur, ut qui s••scepit ea in sancto & coelesti Altari suo, mittat nobis propterea gratiam, & donum Spiritus Sancti.
• f

  A•…•…s. de Sacram. lib. 4. cap. 6. post Consecrationem. Offe∣rimus tibi hunc Panem ••anctum, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Calicem, & petimus ut hanc Oblationem suscipias in sublimi Altari tuo per manus Angelorum, sicu•• ac••ipere dignatus es munera pucri tui Abel, &c.
• g

  Booke 5. thorow∣out.