Imatges de pàgina
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fhall fay Mafs, tho' under an Obligation to do it, without having first confessed themselves: But befides, that fuch when under any fcruple are obliged to confefs, for the greater purity of their Souls, tho' under no fcruple the Synod commands all Priests to confefs at least once a Week.

Decree IX.

THe Synod doth furthermore command all

Deacons and Sub-Deacons, that Minister folemnly in the folemn Maffes on Sundays and Saints-days, to receive the moft Holy Sacrament at those times, and on the Feftivity of our Lord Chrift, our Lady, and the Holy Apostles, all the Chamazes, or Clergy that are in the Church; of which the Vicars ought to take fpecial care, and the Prelate in his Vifitations is to make diligent Inquiry, how these things are observed.

The Doctrine of the Holy Sacrifice of the
Mafs.

The great Love of God to Mankind, does not only appear in the Inftitution of the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharift, and in the putting of his Divine Body and Blood under the Sacramental Species, to be the heavenly Food of our Souls, by which the Spiritual Life is maintained and preferved, but in his having likewife fo instituted it, that the Catholick Church Mili

tant

tant might have a perpetual and visible Sacrifice for the purging away of our fins, and for turning the Wrath of our Heavenly Father, who is many times offended with our wickedness into Mercy, and the rigour of his juft punishment into Clemency: So in the Mafs there is offered unto God a true and proper Sacrifice, for the pardon both of the Living and of the Dead, by the offering of the which Sacrifice the Lord is fo far appeased as to give Grace, and the Gift of Repentance to Sinners, and by means thereof does forgive Men their Sins and Offences, tho' never fo enormous; the Hoft that is offered by the Ministry of the Priest on the Altar of the Church, being one and the fame that was offered for us on the Crofs, with no other difference befides that of the reason of their being offered: And so it is not only offered for the Sins, Punishments, Satisfactions, and other Neceffities of the Faithful that are Living, but also for the Dead, departed in Chrift, and that are in the Torments of Purgatory, being not as yet fully purged by reafon of their not having made acompleat fatisfaction for the punishments due to their fins, it being but juft and reasonable,that all should be benefited by a Sacrifice, which was inftituted for the Remedy and Health of all Mankind; which Oblation is of that purity, that no indignity or wickedness in the Offerers is able to defile it: fo that as to the fubftance, value, and acceptation, it is the fame when offered by a wicked and unclean finner, as when by a pure and holy Priest, because it

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does

does not derive its Dignity from the Offerer, but from the Majesty and excellency of what is offered, neither does the Eternal Father accept thereof for the Merits and Vertue of the Priest that offers it, but for the value of the Sacrifice it self, and the infinite Merits of Chrift, who is offered therein; fo that our Saviour being about to offer himself to God the Father on the Altar of the Crofs, could not poffibly have given us a greater expreffion of his immenfe Love for us, than by leaving us this vifible Sacrifice in his Church, in which the Blood which was prefently to be once offered upon the Altar of the Cross, was to be renewed every day upon the Altar of the Church, and the Memory thereof to our great profit, was to be adored every where in the Church until the end of the World; which Divine Sacrifice is offered to God only, notwithstanding it is fometimes celebrated in Memory and Honour of the Martyrs, and other Saints in Blifs; it not being offered to them but to God only, who has been pleased to Crown them with Immortal Honour, rendring him thereby our bounden thanks for the notable Victory of the Martyrs, and the publick Mercies and Bleffings he has vouchfafed to other Saints, and for the Victories which by these means they obtained over the World, the Flesh, and the Devil; befeeching the faid Saints to be pleased to intercede for us in Heaven, whofe Memories we celebrate on Earth: and tho' the Divine Eucharift does ftill continue to be a Sacrament, yet it is never a Sacrifice, but as it is offered in the Mass.

Decree

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Decree I.

Orafmuch as it is of great moment, that all things belonging to the Sacrifice of the Mafs, Thould be preferv'd pure and undefiled,and whereas this Church has been for *1 200 years from under the Obedience of the Holy Roman Church, the Mistress of all the other Churches, and from whence all good Government and true Doctrines do come, all the Bishops that came hither from Babylon having been Schifmaticks and Neftorian Hereticks, who have added to, and taken from the Mass at their pleasure without any order; from whence it has come to pass, that feveral things are foifted into the Syrian Mafs which is faid in this Diocefs, without any confideration, and fuch things too as may give occafion to many Impious and Heretical Errors:. For which, if due Order were obferved, all the Miffals of this Bishoprick ought to be burned, as alfo for their having been of Neftorian ufe, and compiled by Neftorian Hereticks; but being there are no other at prefent, they are tolerated, until fuch time as our Lord the Pope shall take fome Order therein, and there

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does not derive its Dignity from the Offerer, but from the Majesty and excellency of what is offered, neither does the Eternal Father accept thereof for the Merits and Vertue of the Priest that offers it, but for the value of the Sacrifice it felf, and the infinite Merits of Chrift, who is offered therein; fo that our Saviour being about to offer himself to God the Father on the Altar of the Cross, could not poffibly have given us a greater expreffion of his immenfe Love for us, than by leaving us this vifible Sacrifice in his Church, in which the Blood which was prefently to be once offered upon the Altar of the Cross, was to be renewed every day upon the Altar of the Church, and the Memory thereof to our great profit, was to be adored every where in the Church until the end of the World; which Divine Sacrifice is offered to God only, notwithstanding it is fometimes celebrated in Memory and Honour of the Martyrs, and other Saints in Blifs; it not being offered to them but to God only, who has been pleased to Crown them with Immortal Honour, rendring him thereby our bounden thanks for the notable Victory of the Martyrs, and the publick Mercies and Bleffings he has vouchfafed to other Saints, and for the Victories which by these means they obtained over the World, the Flesh, and the Devil; befeeching the faid Saints to be pleased to intercede for us in Heaven, whofe Memories we celebrate on Earth: and tho' the Divine Eucharift does still continue to be a Sacrament, yet it is never a Sacrifice, but as it is offered in the Mass.

Decree

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