The Christian and Catholike veritie; or, The reasons and manner of the conversion of Francis de Neville;: formerly a Capuchin, preacher, the Popes missionary, and superiour in sundry covents of the same order. A treatise very usefull for all Christians, and especially for such as are popishly affected, or not fully setled in their beliefe; and for the further confirmation of the faithfull. Wherein many secrets of the Romish clergy, heretofore unrevealed, are discovered. Dedicated by the author to the high court of Parliament now assembled, 1642. See the contents at the next page.

CHAP. XXI.

Of the Masse, and of Prayers in a strange Tongue.

ONe of the things of greatest importance at this day in the Romish Church, is the Masse which the people be com∣manded to hear wholly, on the Sundayes and holidayes, under the pain of eternall damnation, and are exhorted to hear it every day, for which so many rich Altars are erected; for which so great diversity of ornaments of silke and embroiderie loaded with gold and pearl, and for which they have such a huge number of uten∣sils, of incense dishes, of candlesticks, lamps, and moveables of gold and silver, that to speak the truth, it is a thing very pleasant to the eye, and very capable to draw approbation and applause from those who have no other reason but sence; but in matter of Sacraments and divine mysteries, men ought not to stay upon hu∣mane inventions proper for recreation and delight, as may be done in Tragedies and Comedies, and in worldly magnificences and pomps of this world; but they ought onely to look to the divine intention and institution, and seek more after the happi∣nesse and salvation of the soul, than the contentment and pleasure of the sence.

And howsoever the Popish Doctors preach to the simpler, that Christ and his Apostles did say Masse, and write in the Indexes of their Bibles, and contents of Chapters, the Masse proved in these places where Christ instituted the Sacrament of his Supper; if they mean that, to communicate in both kinds is to say and sing the Masse; I confesse truly that Christ and his Apostles did sing Masse, and that the faithfull communicating and perticipating of the Sacrament after this manner, say Masse.

But if by the Masse they meane to make a sacrifice upon an Al∣tar

covered with three Table-clothes with so many prayers be∣fore and after in a strange tongue, and unknown to the people, with so many Ceremonies and lifting up of their hands and eyes, with stretching abroad and folding of their armes, fingers, hands, and body, with so many crossings upward and downward, on the right hand and on the left; on the bread, the wine, the corporall, the Altar, the forehead, breast, and mouth of the Priest, and where the Priest communicateth ordinarily alone and almost everie day, and the people (for a long time) onely once a yeer; for my part after I had read again and again the holy Scriptures, I could ne∣ver find any such thing, or any thing like to it; and so, it must of necessitie be confessed to be a humane invention for the end which I shall quickly shew you, and no Divine institution nor Inven∣tion.

Neither can they in reason alledge here the Apostolicall Tra∣dition, and derived from Jesus Christ and his Apostles, although there is nothing expressed in the holy Scripture, nor any written word; for if that mystery were of such importance (as the Papists would have it at this day) it would have been so also in the time of the Apostles who should have had a perfect knowledge there∣of, it being a doctrine they should have much preached to the people as a thing of exceeding great importance; and they being men of excellent devotion, and incomparable zeal for the myste∣ries of faith, they should every day, or at least often, have said Masse, and exhorted the people earnestly to be present, and hear the same as they do in the Church of Rome: now there appeareth nothing at all of this in the holy Scripture.

S^t. Paul indeed speaketh to us (especially once) of the Sacra∣ment, of the Supper, and of the preparations wherewith we ought to come to it. Furthermore we see that the Apostles and primi∣tive Christians did conveene sometimes about Easter to break bread, and participate of that divine mystery together, but in no other place is there any mention made of the masse in the Romish fashion, nor of any sacrifice without blood (as they tearme it) which I exhort all the Romanists diligently to consider as I have done; and I perswade my self they will no more find it there, than I; Neither will they find any where, that the bread of the Supper was an hoast, or a round cake, or that they kept it in the Temples with so great ceremony and care in Tabernacles, and rich cabins, as they now do in the Romish Church; and I beleeve no other

thing can be concluded, but that the Romish Church thinketh her self wiser than Christ and his Apostles, in obtruding for an Article of faith a doctrine which was never left by Christ, and which was neither preached, written, nor practised by the Apostles; for al∣though they had spoken nothing in their Epistles, yet Luke who did write all that he could see and learn of their actions, would not have omitted this which is esteemed of so great importance in the Church of Rome.

So it is clearly to be seen in the Histories, that it is an invention of the Popes, who have from time to time added to it, every one of them according to his fancy, to day one ceremony and prayer, to morrow another; now one ornament and vesture, and then an∣other; sometimes making it of one fashion, sometimes of ano∣ther, till at last it was come to that height, wherein it is at this day in the Church of Rome; & it is now a snare to precipitate ma∣ny Priests into the bottome of hell, for not using that disposition which they know to be required therein; and which is the cause of the perdition of an infinite multitude of Christians for not hearing it with that respect the Romish Church requireth, which they of that beliefe are obliged to obey, and in doing against their con∣science (although erroneous) they are judged culpable of sin: and all that according to the doctrine and maximes of that Church.

Now to define properly, or describe the Masse as it is at this present, I suppose I may say justly that it is a good trade institu∣ted and invented by the Church of Rome, to nourish and entertain an infinite number of Priests, who become Priests principally to gain their living thereby; fit to inrich the Monasteries and Churches, and make all the Monks live finely, and whereby the peoples purses are emptied, and finally a Trade that serveth to condemne many as well as those who say it, as of those who are obliged to hear it.

This definition seemeth a little too rude, and at the first sight ridiculous; but it is true, and the Romanists themselves may con∣fesse it; (if they will) for the taxes and prises of Masses now adaies are for the most part as of bread in the Market, and he that giveth not so much, getteth none; and because silver was scarcer in former times than now, so the Masses were not worth so much; and a Masse that will not be said now for eight or ten pence, was not worth two or three pence in former times; and in many places men had more then they desired at that rate, and because all things

are dearer now than they were, so the masses are also.

And because the religious orders who are insatiable in wealth, and who never refuse any wealth whensoever it cometh, were loaded with so many masses that they could not say the half of them: the Pope who saith he hath power in heaven and earth, hath (as they say) of many smals, made one great; and of an infi∣nite number of masses which were founded by particulars, he hath made but one, wherein all the benefactors are comprehended in grosse and in generall termes; and so by an handsome Bull hath discharged them of all scruples, which if their founders had mistrusted, they would have been wary to have left so great wealth and rents as they have done to that effect; so they who live at this present amongst the Papists, are become wise at the coast of their Ancestors, and are loath to commit any such follies, and rob, and beggar their children to inrich and fatten the Monks.

But howsoever, commonly he that wants money can have no masses; and because the Church of Rome holdeth masses to be the principall meanes to deliver a soul out of Purgatory, so there are none but poore people who are to stay a long time in that fire for want of money to buy masses as the richer sort; and so to be rich is a great help in the Church of Rome to go speedily to Paradise, contrary to that which Christ said in S. Matth. 10.25. that it was very hard for rich men to enter into heaven;* 1.1 but it is a Church and Sect wherein the whole doctrine of Christ is over-turned.

And as it is a very profitable profession to say masse, so there is abundance that embrace it as a good Trade, and sufficient to gain their living well; and they say no masse but when they find Mer∣chants; and if they can have every day, they account it great pro∣fit: and he who giveth most shall first have the Masse, for such is the course of the market: I will not speak of them who being but able to say one masse a day, do neverthelesse promise the same to ma∣ny, and take money for many; because imagining it to be of infi∣nite merit (according to the doctrine of the Romish Church) they beleeve that one is capable, to satisfie for all, and is beyond compa∣rison of greater worth than that which is given by thē altogether; but this is a mysterie which must not be revealed to the people; for that is against their intent, and if they should beleeve it, they will be loath to be so forward to cause say so many masses (either for themselves or for their friends deceased, or who are in travelling, or in necessitie:) notwithstanding this is but too much practised in

deceiving the simpler to the undoubted condemnation of many Priests, who so deceive the Merchants, who mind to deal honestly; though I will not say that is the practise of all.

But that hindreth not this to be true, that the Masse is a Trade which condemneth many Priests as well in that respect, as because they beleeve they receive a Sacrament and make a sacrifice, where∣in the purity of the conscience is declared to be altogether neces∣sarie according to the Romish doctrine, and to which they see themselves ingaged every day to gain their living, or for other ends, it is altogether to be feared, that for the most part they go not about it with due puritie of conscience; and daily experience sheweth us sufficiently that there are too many vices and defects in the Romish Clergie, not to have this distrust.

And it is in this manner I say, that the Masse is a trade that damneth many who say it, yea and many also who hear it; for all Christians in the Romish Church being obliged, under the pain of mortall sin, to hear the whole Masse, the Sabbaths and holy-dayes, and not onely to hear it, but to hear it with attention and devotion, without willing distractions, at least which last any considerable time (as the third part of the masse, according to rules of their Casuists and Doctors) this condition maketh me say, that of an hundred there are not ten (it may be) that fulfill this precept, and are not condemned in hearing the Masse, they committing mortall sin for want of due attention; but let every one judge himself: it sufficeth that I know but too well the pra∣ctises of the Romish Church not to be beleeved in this point.

And to speak truly, it is a lamentable thing to see the Romish Church condemne and judge with damnation they who hear not those mysteries with due attention and devotion, and in the mean time that the people should carry so little respect to it; that I per∣swade my self all those who have not seen would hardly beleeve it; for ye shall not enter into any parish Church, nor in a great number of others, where there are any considerable number of people, at a great Masse or often other wayes, but ye shall see some of them laugh, others prattle & play the fool, some of them stand∣ing, others kneeling on one knee, others sitting after an uncivill manner, and some seeking occasions, if not with words, at least with amorous looks; in one part the dogs play, in another chil∣dren crying and weeping. In a word, often so great noise and in∣solence, that it seemeth rather to be a market-place than a Church;

and except a few who are therefore esteemed zealots, and scrupu∣lous,* 1.2 and of shallow brains, and who are mocked of others, God may well say that which is in Isaiah and S^t. Marke, This people honoureth me with their lips: for except (it may be) some Pater no∣ster or Ave Maria which they will say negligently, and in haste, or a little of their beads which they will turn over for ceremony, and some adoration they give at the elevation of the hoast, all the rest is spent in discourses or idle thoughts; and this is the ordinary fashion in most places both in the countrey and in the towns, as well of the meaner people, as of the Nobles, to be present at Di∣vine Service in the Romish Church.

Now I having often times considered with my self the cause of so great prophanenesse amongst the people, and of the little at∣tention and respect they carry to Divine Service in that Church; I beleeved that it did proceed especially from the continuall pray∣ing in publique, in a strange and unknown language to the people, and which very few understand; for howsoever I must confesse, that many of the prayers of the Romish Church are good, and all that they say is not evill and erroneous; Notwithstanding they being said in Latine, the people is not edified thereby, and not knowing that which is said they can have no devotion, nor be stir∣red up towards God, the Priests also singing often with their Gre∣gorian notes (as they tearme them) and even ordinarily sing with such haste and anticipation one upon another, that even they who know the Latine, can understand nothing: and thence it is that not knowing what is said and sung by them, they can have no good motions thereby, and the people also for the most part read∣ing onely prayers and psalms in Latine, it is not to be marvelled if they have not due attention, and if their minds which are not stayed by any sensible object of devotion, suffer themselves to be carried away with a thousand extravagant thoughts, and even often with actions.

Which questionlesse would neither come to passe in that man∣ner, nor so easily, if their private and publique prayers were said in a known language, as it was certainly practised by Jesus Christ and his Apostles, and even by the first Christians; but the Church of Rome which esteemeth more of his own proper inventions, than of the Word of God, and divine institution, hath brought in an humane and new doctrine unto the people for the doctrine of Christ.

I know they alledge reason for it, and that they say (among others) that the mysteries ought not to be divulged to the simpler; and so the people in the Romish Church is nourished in an ex∣ceeding great ignorance; and glory therein, the Doctors main∣taining them in it. But the Apostles and Christ did not so; and no man can be too much instructed or learned in the mysteries of sal∣vation: and many moe mischiefs follow on ignorance than on knowledge; and it is certain that Christ did pray, preach, and ce∣lebrate all mysteries in the vulgar tongue which was understood of all, and no man can doubt but the Apostles did the same: what then? Will we be wiser than Jesus Christ and his Apostles? the people in those dayes was more rude, and lesse capable of myste∣ries than now adayes, for they were but newly come out of Pa∣ganisme or Judaisme.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Matth. 10.25.
• * 1.2

  Isa. 29.19. Mark 7.6.