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Of the Liturgies that are falsely attributed to the Apostles.

WE need only to reflect on what we find Recorded in the Epistle of St. Paul to the Corin∣thians, concerning the Administration of the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, and up∣on * 1.1 the Accounts of St. Justin, and other Primitive Fathers of the Church, to be per∣swaded that the Apostles and their Successors celebrated the Eucharist with great Sim∣plicity. This hath been observed by all those that have written concerning Liturgies a 1.2, who have unanimously agreed, that the Celebration of the Mass was performed in those Primitive Ages with∣out much Ceremony, and that they used but few Prayers; but by little and little others were added, and several visible Ceremonies were annexed, to render the Service more venerable to the People. In fine, the Churches afterwards regulated, and committed to Writing, the manner of Celebrating it, and this is what they called Liturgies, which being compiled conformably to the various Customs of divers Places, are likewise found to be different. And forasmuch as Men are naturally inclined to make some Alterations in their Exterior Habit, many things from time to time have been successively added to them.

This single Remark is sufficient to shew, that the Liturgies, that bear the Name of the Apostles and Evangelists, were not actually composed by them: But to prove this clearly, and beyond con∣tradiction, we shall only examine them one after another.

The Liturgy, or Greek and Latin Mass, attributed to St. Peter, and published by Lindanus in the year 1589. from a Manuscript of Cardinal Sirlet's, that was not very ancient, and which was afterwards Printed at Paris by Morellus, Anno 1595. cannot be St. Peter's for the following Reasons, since men∣tion is made therein of St. Sixtus, Cornelius, and St. Cyprian: The Virgin Mary is called the Mother of God, a Term that was not generally in use, until after the Condemnation of the Nestorian Heresie; The Canon of the Latin Mass, which is reputed by St. Gregory, to have been composed by a Scho∣lastick, that is to say, a Learned Man of the Fifth Century, is entirely inserted therein: Moreover it contains divers Litanies taken from the Sacramentarium of St. Gregory, and the Liturgies of St. Basil and St. Chrysostom: There are also Prayers for the Patriach, a term altogether unknown before the end of the Fourth Age of the Church, and for the most religious Emperors. In short, if St. Peter had been the Author of this Liturgy, it would have been used by the Church of Rome, neither would it have lain hid during so many Ages. These Reasons made the Learned Cardinal Bona say, that this Liturgy was forged, and that it was in all probability compiled by a Grecian Priest Latinized, because it is collected partly from the Greek Liturgy, and partly from the Latin, and the name of St. Peter was prefixed to it, either that it might obtain more Authority, or because a great part of the Liturgy of the Church of Rome was comprehended therein.

The Mass of the Ethiopians that bears the name of St. Matthew, appears more evidently to be forged. There are Collects for Popes, Kings, Patriarchs, and Arch-Bishops: The Twelve Apostles are there∣in invocated: The Four Evangelists are cited, as also the Synods of Nice, Constantinople, and Ephe∣sus: The Nicene Creed is inserted with the Particle Filioque: Moreover mention is likewise made of St. Athanasius, St. Gregory, and St. Basil, together with the Epact, the Golden Number, and the Tri∣sagion; which plainly shews, that this Liturgy is of a very late date.

One ought to give the same Judgment of the Liturgy of St. Mark, published by Cardinal Sirlet, and Printed at Paris by Morellus; for we find therein the word Consubstantial, and the Trisagion: There are also several Prayers for the King, and even for St. Mark himself, and mention is made of Chalices, Deacons, Subdeacons, Chanters, Monks, Religious Persons, &c. which Circumstances are ap∣parent Demonstrations of its novelty.

There remains only the Liturgy attributed to St. James, which divers Learned Men have taken much pains to vindicate, but to no purpose; for although it is more ancient than those that we have already examined, since it is cited in the Synod that was holden in the Emperor's Palace in Trullo,

after the Fifth General Council, yet we ought not to say, that St. James was the Author thereof, or that it was composed in his time. For, 1. The Virgin Mary is call'd in this Liturgy the Mother of God; and the Son and the Holy Ghost are said to be Consubstantial with the Father, terms that were altogether unknown in St. James's time: But supposing that they were not, is it credible, that this Authority should not be alledged in the Councils of Nice, Ephesus, and Constantinople? 2. We find therein the Trisagion and the Doxology, that is to say, the Sanctus and the Gloria Patri, which were not generally recited in the Church until the Fifth Century; for though it might be proved that they were in use before, yet it must be confessed, that it was not the general custom of the Church. 3. There are Collects for those that were shut up in Monasteries: Can any man say, that there were Monasteries in the time of St. James? 4. There is mention made of Confessors, a term that was not inserted in the Divine Offices, till a long time after St. James, even according to the Confession of Bellarmin. 5. In this Liturgy there is mention made of Churches, Incense, Altars, &c. can it be imagined that these things were used in St. James's time? 6. We find therein very many Citations of the Epistles of St. Paul, the greatest part whereof were written after St. James's death; neither ought we to ob∣ject with the Cardinals Bona and Bellarmin, that these things were afterwards inserted, because it is not probable, that they should be added in so many places; besides, the Connexion and the Ceremo∣nies of this whole Liturgy do not argee with the time of the Apostles.

I shall not here speak of other Liturgies cited by some Authors, such are those of the Twelve Apostles mentioned by Abraham Ecchellensis, and that of St. Barnabas quoted by a certain Monk, because they are unknown to me; neither shall I examine that which is comprised in the Constitu∣tions of St. Clement, nor that which is extant in the Writings that are attributed to St. Dionysius the Areopagite, in regard that these Books being forged, as I shall hereafter shew in another place, it is not to be doubted but that the Liturgies which they contain, are in like manner fictitious.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Litur∣gies of the Apostles.
• a 1.2

  BY all those that have written concerning Litur∣gies.] Gregorius Papa. Lib. 7. Ep. 63. ad Joan. Syracus. Mos Apostolorum fuit, ut ad ipsam solummodo Orationem Dominicam, oblationis Hostiam consecrarent. Walafridus Strabo de Reb. Eccles. Cap. 21. Quod nunc agimus multiplici orationum, cantilenarum, & conse∣crationum officio, totum hoc Apostoli, & post ipsos, ut cre∣ditur, proximi orationibus, commemoratione Passionis Do∣minica, ficut ipse praecepit, agebant, simpliciter profici∣ente de hinc Religione amplius acta sunt à Christi culto∣ribus Officia Missarum. Remigius Altissiodorensis de Celeb. Miss. Lib. 1. Nam Missam B. Petrus Apostolus primus omnium Antiochiae dicitur celebrâsse, in quâ tres tantummodò orationes in initio fidei proferebantur, inci∣pientes ab eo loco ubi dicitur; Hanc igitur oblationem: See Stephan. Augustodun. de Sacramento Altaris, cap. 20. Benno. Aug. de Offi. Miss. c. 1. Rupert. Tuit. Lib. 2. de divi. Off. c. 1. Hug. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 de S. Victor. de Divi. Lib. 2. Cap. 11. Honorat. Augustod. in Gemm. An. Lib. 1. Durand. de Mende Rat. Off. Lib. 4. Cap. 1. Radul∣phus Tongrens. de Canon. Observat. S. Antonin. in Summ. Maj. Tit. 13. Cap. 5. Cassand. de Liturg. c. 18. Polydore Virgil, and others that have treated of Rituals, and of the Ceremonies of the Mass.