The Lords Supper or, A vindication of the sacrament of the blessed body and blood of Christ according to its primitive institution. In eight books; discovering the superstitious, sacrilegious, and idolatrous abomination of the Romish Master. Together with the consequent obstinacies, overtures of perjuries, and the heresies discernable in the defenders thereof. By Thomas Morton B.D. Bp. of Duresme.

That the Originall of the word, ••ASSE, nothing ad∣vantageth the Romish Masse. SECT. I.

DIvers of your Romisha 1.1 Doctors would have the word, MASSE, first to bee (in the first and primitive Imposition and [ 40] use thereof) Divine. Secondly, in Time, more ancient than Christ. Thirdly, in Signification, most Religious, derived (as They say) from the Hebrew word Missah, which signifieth Oblation and Sacrifice; even the highest Homage that can bee performed unto God.

And all this, to prove (if it may bee) that, which you call, THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASSE.

CHALLENGE.

SO have 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 native Coun∣trey, kinred, and age of the Word, MASSE, doe not only say, but also proove, first, that It is no Hebrew-borne. Secondly, that [ 10] it is not of Primitive Antiquitie, because not read of before the dayes of Saint Ambrose, who lived about three hundred se∣ventie three yeares after Christ. Thirdly, that it is a plaine Latine word, to wit, Masse, signifying the Dismission of the Con∣gregation. Which Confessions being testified (in ourb 1.2 Mar∣gin) by so large a Consent of your owne Doctors, prooved by so cleare Evidence, and delivered by Authors of so emi∣nent estimation in your owne Church; must not a little lessen the credit of your other Doctors (noted for Neotericks) who have vainely laboured, under the word MASSE, falsely [ 20] to impose upon their Readers an opinion of your Romish Sa∣crificing MASSE.

{fleur-de-lys}And left Any might object that the same Word, MASSE, (as signifying the Dismission of the People) had no good foun∣dation, because it was not at first prescribed by the Church, but taken up of the People; your Iesuite Gordon quitteth this, saying,1 1.3 The voice of the People is the voice of God: and that you are not to doubt but that it was infused into them by the instinct of the Spirit of God. [ 30] {fleur-de-lys}

Notes

• a 1.1

  Nomen an∣tiquissimum, Missa, (quod quidem fides Christiana profite∣tur) ex Hebraica vel Chaldaica nomen∣clatura acceptum esse videtur, Missah, i. e. spontanea oblatio, conveniens instituto Sacrificio. Baron. Cardin. Anno 34. num. 59. Est Hebra∣icum. Tolet. les. & Cardin. Instruct. Sacerd lib. 2. cap. 4. Quidam, ut Reulin, Alcian, Xaintes, Pintus, Pa∣melius existimant esse Hebraicum. As Azor. les. reporteth. Inst. Moral. par. 1. lib. 10. cap. 18. and Master Ma∣l••un Reply, Sect. 4. pag. 231.
• b 1.2

  Latinum, non Hebraicum est, ut Neoterici studiosè exquirunt. Binius Tom. 3. Conc. p. 110. Eodem modo inter∣pretantur complures. Durant. de Ritib l. 2. cap 2. pag. 190. 192. Magis spectat ad La∣tinam phrasin. Sal∣meron les. Epist. ad Canis. de nomine Missae. [So also A∣zor. the Iesuit in the place above-cited.] Multò probabilius, esse Latinam; nam si vox Hebraica in u∣su apud Apostolos fuisset, certè retinuis∣sent e••m Graeci, & Syri, aliae{que} Nationes, ut retinuerunt vocer•• 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 〉 munus, sive ministerium publicum. Bellarm lib. 1. de Missa. cap. 1. Melius qui Latinam—Sudrez. les. 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. lib. 2 de Episc. Rom. in Leon. 1. [And Ambrose is the ancientest that either Bellarmine or Binius, in the places before-quoted, could mention.] Missa à Missione dicta est. Salmeron les. 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 Ro∣manes.] See the Testimonie following at (c.)
• 1 1.3

  Iac. Gordonus Scotus lib. Controvers. Controv. 9. cap. 6. Quamvis appellatio Missae originem accepit à populo, tamen divinâ providentiâ factum est ut populus hanc ap∣pellationem huic mysterio tribueret: vulgo enim dici solet, quod vox populi sit vox Dei, nec dubitamus quin Spiritus instinctu hoc factum sit. Pag. 313.