The second part of the Protestants plea, and petition for preists and papists Being an historie of the holy preisthood, and sacrifice of the true Church of Christ. Inuincibly prouing them to be, the present sacrificing preisthood: prouing also the sacrifice of the Masse, vsed in the Catholike Roman church: and that these were promised, and foretold by the Prophets, instituted by Christ, and exercised by all his Apostles. Morouer that they haue euer from the first plantinge of Christianitie in this our Britanye, in the dayes of the Apostles, in euery age, and hundred of yeares, beene continued and preferued here. All for the most part, warranted by the writinges and testimonies of the best learned Protestant doctors, and antiquaries of England, and others.

THE XX. CHAPTER. Wherein is proued by protestants and others, that the church of Britanie and Rome, ac∣corded in this age in these misteries: and how all the Popes beeing massinge preists and Popes, yet no one of them made any ma∣teriall alteration in this sacrifice.

THus hauinge shewed both by Catho∣licke, and Protestant authorities, that the holy sacrifice of Masse, massing preists, and preisthood generally, and inuiolablie continued in Britanie all this age and hun∣dred of yeares, because it is confessed this nation was still hitherto directed in Reli∣gion, by the see Apostolicke of Rome, and there want not protestāt aduersaries, which say the Popes there in this time also added, and altered diuers things, to, and in the sa∣crifice of Masse, wee will now proue by

these protestants them selues, that not anie one Pope altered, or added any one mate∣riall, or leaste essentiall thinge therein in this age. The first Pope after S. Celestine which these men accuse for addinge, or al∣teringe in this matter, is that moste learned and renowned Pope, S. Leo, against whom a Protestant Bishop thus exclaimeth. (Bal. l. 2. de Act. Pontif. Rom. in Leone 1. Robert. Barns in vit. Pont. in cod.) Leo primus Thus∣cus, in canone Missae, hoc sanctum sacrificium, immaculatam hostiam, & hanc igitur oblatio∣nem, non sine magna Dei blasphemia addidit. Pope Leo the first, a Tuschan by birth, did add in the canon of the Masse, not without great blasphemie of God, this holy sacrifice immaculate offeringe, and therefore this ob∣lation. To this I answere, and first to the pretended addition of the prayer. Hanc igi∣tur oblationem: That as our renowned con∣tryman S. Albinus with others, proueth. (Albin. Alcuin. l. de diuin offic. cap. de cele∣brat. Missae.) this prayer, especially the first part which hee taxeth, is as auncient in the Masse, as the Apostles time, and was vsed both by S. Peter and others of that sacred order: Missam Petrus Antiochiae dicitur cele∣brasse,

in qua tres tantum orationes in initio fidei proferebantur, incipientes ab eo loco, vbi dicitur; Hanc igitur oblationem. Therefore S. Leo added nothinge in this prayer, beeing for the first part vsed by the Apostles, and others in their dayes, which is that, this Protestant Bishop excepteth against: and for the later end thereof, which hee taxeth not, was by this man himselfe, and others, both Catholicks, and Protestants, added longe time after, and then, first by S. Gre∣gorie the great and first Pope of that name. Baleas l. 2. de Act· Pontfic. Rom. in Gregorio 1. Rob. Barnes in vit. Pontif. Rom. in eodem. & alij communiter.

2. So that it is euident S. Leo neither did, nor could add any part of this prayer, to the sacrifice of Masse as his owne addi∣tion or inuention, all that hee did, or possi∣blie could doe therin, was to take order that the decree or custom of the Apostles should be obserued, which cannot be either great or little blasphemie of God, as this barba∣rous mouth affirmed, but honor vnto God in that behalfe. To make all sure, I will cite the whole praier then vsed thus in English: Therefore ô Lord wee beseech thee, that thou

wilt be pleased to accept this oblation of our ser∣uice, and all thy family through Christ our Lord. The rest being added by S. Gregory, is thus: and dispose our dayes in peace, and com∣maund wee may bee deliuered from euerlasting damnation, and numbred in the flocke of thy elected seruants. In which addition of S Gre∣gory there is not any one word, of matter now in controuersie, but al holy and allow∣able, by Protestant Religion. And in that part, which I say with S. Albin or Alcuine, was vsed by the Apostles, there is not one word, except, oblation, which is, or can by protestants bee called into controuersie, by them or any Christiā; Therfore to answere that & hoc sacrificium, immaculatam hostiam, together; If S. Leo added these wordes, to the canon of the Masse, then the canon of the Masse was before S. Leo his pretended additions: and in other places of this canon of which no protestant doth, or will pro∣duce any Author, beeing as is proued be∣fore apostolicall, this Liturgie of Masse is called. (in can. Missae antiq.) donum, munus, sanctum sacrificium illibatum, oblatio benedicta, adscripta, rata, rationabilis, sacrificium, hostia pura, hostia sancta, hostia immaculata. A pre∣sent,

a guift, holy sacrifice vnspotted, an oblation blessed, adscribed, ratified, reason∣able, a sacrifice, a pure hoste, an holy hoste, an immaculate hoste.

3. And this Protestant Bishop himselfe hath testified also, that the offertorie was vsed in S. Celestines time before: which is this in English: O holy Father omnipotent eternall God, receue this immaculate sacrifice, or oblation, which I thy vnworthie seruant doe offer vnto thee, my liuinge and true God, for my innumerable sinnes, and offences, and ne∣gligences, and for all here present, as also for all faithfull Christians both liuinge and deade, that it may bee to mee and them for saluation to eternal life. Suscipe sancte Pater omnipotens aeterne Deus, hāc immaculatam hostiam, quam ego indignus famulus tuus offero tibi Deo meo, viuo, & vero, pro innumerabilibus peccatis, & offensionibus, & negligentijs meis, & pro om∣nibus circumstantibus, sed & pro omnibus fide∣libus Christianis, viuis atque defunctis: vt mihi & illis proficiat ad salutem, in vitam ae∣ternam Amē. So likewise it was for the cha∣lice: offerimus tibi Domine calicem salutaris: ô Lord wee offer vnto thee the chalice of saluation: And I haue proued in all ages be∣fore,

from Christ, euen with the allowan∣ce of our protestants, that Masse was an ho∣lie sacrifice, and all truely consecrated prei∣stes, did euer in all times and places still of∣fer that moste holy sacrifice, both for the liuinge and faithfull departed, and that this was so an vndoubted and generally rece∣ued custome, & truth in the whole church, that by our protestants graunt, it was iustly condemned to bee heresie, to deny it, and this longe time before S. Leo was borne: Therefore none of those names could bee by any possibility his inuentiō in this kind. Which this protestant accusing Bishop him selfe to confound and contradict himselfe, teacheth in the same place, when hee saith of S. Leo, Missae sacrificium approbanit. Hee did approue the sacrifice of Masse: therfore Masse was termed and knowne to be so ac∣cepted a sacrifice, before his time, and ap∣probation. For a thinge approued, or to bee approued, vnseparably carrieth with it a precedency to the approbation, that which is, not cannot possibly bee approued, as a thinge past or present, and euery such al∣lowance or approbation necessarily suppo∣seth the thinge to bee so allowed or appro∣ued.

And this will suffice for S. Leo.

4. After whome in this age the onely Pope which is produced by these men to haue added, or altered in the Masse, is Ge∣lasius: of this Pope a protestant thus wri∣teth. (Robert. Barnes in vit. Pontif. in Gela∣sio.) praefationem Missae, verè dignū & iustum est, instituit. But this is euidentlie vntrue, as I haue proued before, for S. Ciprian, and before him Tertullian informe vs, it was in vse in the church before their times; and S. Ciprian alleadgeth it is an apostolicall, common, & known custome of the church. (Ciprian. l. de orat. Dominic.) and Foxe the protestant proueth. (Io. Foxe Tom. 2. in Q. Mary.) that this could not bee any inuen∣tion of Gelasius, for that both the auncient Greeke church before that time, and both S. Ciprian, and S. Augustine so agree it was in vse before. Ciprian. sup. Aug. de vera Re∣ligione cap. 3) therefore followeth therein the opinion of Thomas Waldensis, that it could not bee the inuention of Pope Gela∣sius. And Pope Vigilius which liued not longe after Gelasius, who writinge to the Bishops of Germany and Fraunce, desirous to know the order which the church of

Rome obserued in the prefaces of Masse, answereth in this maner. (Vigilius epistola ad Episcopos Germaniae & Galliae.) Inuenimus has nouem praefationes in sacro catalogo tan∣tumodo recipiendas, quas long a retro veritas in Romana Ecclesia hactenus seruauit. Wee finde that these 9. prefaces are to bee rece∣ued in the holy catalogue, which truth hath longe time from former ages hitherto ob∣serued in the Roman church. And thus hee recōpteth them: one of Easter, another of the Ascension of our Lord, the third of Pentecoste, the fourth of the natiuitie of our Lord, the fift of the apparition of our Lord, the sixt of the Apostles, the seuenth of the holy Trinitie, the eight of the Crosse, the ninth in Lent. And thus concludeth: has praefationes tenet & cus∣todit sancta Romana Ecclesia, has tenendas vo∣bis mandamus. These prefaces the holy Roman church obserueth, these wee commaund to bee kept by you. And Houeden as our protestants haue published him, reciteth all these, out of the same authoritie to haue bene receued in England in a councel of our Bishops ma∣nie hundred yeares since, setting downe the begininge of euery one of them, and addeth the tenth of the blessed Virgin, decimam de

beata Virgine. Roger. Houeden in annal. part. posterior. in Henr. 2.

5. And our English Protestants them∣selues by their highest parlamentary autho∣ritie in such things with them, vse the same prefaces, except that of the Apostles and blessed Virgine, in their publick church ser∣uice, their communion booke. (Protest. communion booke titul. communion.) and yet in that of the blessed Virgine which see∣meth to haue beene added after the dayes of Pope Vigilius, there is no inuocation of her, nor any matter now questioned by pro∣testants found in it. And concerninge that of the Apostles of matters questioned there is onely this clause, or petition vnto God, for preseruing his church: vt gregem tuum Pastor aeterne non deseras: sed per beatos Apo∣stolos tuos continua protectione custodias, vt ijsdem Rectortbus gubernetur, quos operis tui Vicarios eidem contulisti praesse Pastores. That God the eternall Pastor will not forsake his flocke, but keepe by his blessed Apostles, with continuall protection, that it may bee gouerned by the same Rulers, whome Vicars of his worke, hee hath appointed Pastors to rule it. Which is not a prayer immediatlie to the Apostles,

but to God for the protection of his Apo∣stles, and such as our protestants themsel∣ues in their publick seruice, on S. Michael his day, doe vse for the protection of An∣gels, as is manifest in their collect or prayer of that feast, being the old Catholick pray∣er word by word translated into English. And yet if there were any immediate pray∣er vnto the Apostles, or any other Saints or Angels, in any ōf these prefaces, I haue proued before, that it was the receaued do∣ctrine of Christs church, from the begin∣ninge.

6. And if wee should allow vnto pro∣testants, that Pope Gelasius did add in the prefaces, all that clause, verè dignum & ius∣tum est: vnto, per Christum Dominum no∣strum. What is there in it, but holy, and al∣lowable, and still practised by themselues in their church seruice. This it is: verè dig∣num & iustum est aequum & salutare nos tibi semper & vbique gratias agere Domine sancte Pater omnipotens aterne Deus, per Christum Dominum nostrum, ô Lord holy Father om∣nipotent eternall God, verely it is a thinge worthie and iust, right and belonginge to saluation, that wee alwayes and in all pla∣ces

giue thanks to thee by Christ our Lord. Are not all Christians in all iudgements bound to bee of this minde, and this being a dutie so bindinge and belonginge vnto al that beleeue in Christ, is it not the better, the oftner, and more publickly it be ack∣nowledged? o•…•… if it be good by protestants, and in their publick practise, how can it be ill in Catholicks, or could bee so in Pope Gelasius? And if hee had added, Te igitur clementissime Pater per Iesum Christū filium tuum Dominum nostrum supplices rogamus ac petimus: Therefore ô moste mercifull Fa∣ther, wee aske and beseeche thee, by Iesus Christ, thy sonne our Lord. It is the same reason, as before, this beinge a very Chri∣stian, and holy prayer, by Protestant Reli∣gion, to aske all things of God in the name of Christ as hee himselfe said: whatsoeuer you shall aske in my name, that will I doe. (Io. c. 14. v. 13.) and whatsoeuer yee shall aske of the Father in my name hee may giue it you. Io. c. 15. v. 26.

7. Whereby these men may see, that nei∣ther the primatiue church which vsed in∣uocation of Saints, nor the present church of Rome insistinge therein, did, or doe di∣minish

any honor, or dutie to Christ, by honoringe them, which honor him, and are honoured by him. Yet S. Remigius witnes∣seth, this prayer, Te igitur clementissime Pa∣ter, to haue beene vsed from the Apostles. (Remig. in epist. 1. ad Timoth. cap. 2.) Wher∣as some protestants write of Pope Gelasius. (Balaeus l. 2. de actis Pontif. Rom. in Gelasio.) Gelasius hymnos, prefationes, gradualia, collec∣tas & orationes praescripsit: Pope Gelasius did prescribe hymnes, prefaces, graduals, col∣lects, and prayers: I haue proued by these protestants, that all these were vsed in the church, and laudably longe before: and by the word praescripsit, hee did prescribe, what hymnes, prefaces, graduals, and collects, or prayers were to bee vsed, it is euident, these were before, and he being Pope, and cheife, prescribed the order how they should bee vsed: which proueth, he rather tooke some away, then added any, for amonge them were before, praescripsit, he prescribed, which, and no others should bee vsed. And wheras there is a controuersie, by some, whether this prescription and orderinge these things was by Pope Gelasius, or one called Scho∣lasticus; Master Foxe the Protestant histo∣rian

decideth this question. (Io. Foxe in Q. Mary pag. 1403.) teaching out of, vetusto quodam libro de officio Missa, an old booke of the office of Masse, that these were both one, and Gelasius, beinge Scholasticus be∣fore, was made Pope: Gelasius Papa ex Scho∣lastico effectus in ordine 48) And thus much of Gelasius.

8. After whome, for an intermedler in these affaires, our protestants propose Pope Symmachus. (Barnes in vit. Pontif. Rom. in Symmacho. Bal. l. 2. in eod.) who commaun∣ded, gloria in excelsis Deo, to bee sunge vp∣pon sondayes, and feasts of Saints. In Do∣minico die & Sanctorum natalitijs, gloria in excelsis canendum esse dixit; or by an other, praecepit. But if they meane the first part, of this holy hymne, it was the songe of the Angels, at the birthe of Christ, and recom∣mended vnto vs in scripture, and by one of these protestants, vsed at Masse by the com∣maundement of Saint, and Pope Telespho∣rus, who liued in the Apostles time: gloria in excelsis Deo &c. in Missa canendum praece∣pit. (Rob. Barnes in vit. Pontif. Rom. in Te∣lesphoro. & S. Petro) and if they meane the whole canticle, as it is now vsed, their bro∣ther

Iohn Foxe, with others, thus testifieth. (Iohn. Foxe supr. in Q. Mary.) The hymne, gloria in excelsis, which was sunge of the An∣gels at the birth of our Sauiour, was augmen∣ted by Hilarius Pictauiensis, with those words, that follow, singing it first in his owne church, which was an. 340. & afterward brought into other churches by Pope Symmachus. And our histories testifie it was vsed here in Britanie by S. German in his time. And our English Protestants vse it, in their publicke church seruice, at this day, by publicke authoritie. Engl. Protestant communion booke morninge prayer.

9. That which a Protestant Bishop wri∣teth of this Pope, that he reduced the Masse to forme, Missam in formam redegit. (Bal. l. 2. Act. Pontif. Rom. in Symmacho.) is his for∣mall forgery, or foolery, confounded by many vndeniable instances graunted by protestants before, as the forme of Masse of S. Peter, S Iames, S. Matthew, S Marke, S. Clement, S. Basile, S. Chrisostome, and Popes of Rome longe before this time, as amonge other witnesses this Protestant Bi∣shop himselfe testifieth of S. Innocentius, Syricius, S. Celestine, S. Leo and Gelasius.

(Bal. in Act. Pontif. Rom. in Innocent. Syric. Calestino Leon. Gelas.) therefore without e∣uident contradiction, and wilfull errour, he cannot intend, or affirme, that Pope Sym∣machus did first bringe the Masse into or∣der. Therefore of necessitie to keepe him∣selfe from these absurdities, he must vnder∣stand, that Pope Symmachus confirmed, or allowed of the forme of Masse, formerlie vsed in the church, which all Popes & good Christians euer did, and ought to doe.

10. And here endeth the fift hundred yeare, at which time, and longe after, as with others, our protestants assure vs, that S. Dubritius that great massinge Prelate, and Archbishop primate here, & the Popes Legate, and great Master of diuinitie, toge∣ther with S. Iltutus priuiledged in the same facultie by papall authoritie, and S. Gildas by whome all Britanie and other contries receaued instruction were liuinge, and con∣sequently agreeing in all thinges with the church of Rome. (Bal. cent. 1. in Dubritie Iltuto Gylda Albanio. Godwin. Catal. in S. Dauids. Capgrau. Catal. in Dubrit. Iltut. Gild.) About which time also amonge diuers o∣thers those three great lights of our Brittish

church knowne massinge preists, and Bi∣shops S. Dauid that succeeded S. Dubritius in his archiepiscopall dignitie, S. Thelians and S. Patern, began to florish, and went that great Pilgrimage to Hierusalem. (M. S. antiq. Capgrau. Catal. in S. Dauid. S. The∣lian. & S. Paterno & alij. M. S. S. Theliai apud Godwin. Catal. in Landaff. 2.) and both in going and returninge through Italy and those places, and ordinarily sayinge Masse, must needs vse that order and forme ther∣of, they found to bee vsed at Rome, and all places receauinge direction from thence in such affaires, and so here I end this age, and centenary of yeares.