prophecie of our Sauiour Christ shall for euer euer abide true Euery plaÌ„t that my heauenly father hath not plaÌ„ted shall be plucked vp by the rootes Of the Massing Priest FOrasmuche as no man hath authoritie and power to consecrat make and offer the body and bloud of Christ as the Papistes teach but he onely whiche is a priest lawfully made and appointed no neither Aungels nor Archaungels neyther blessed Mary nor any Sainct in Heauen Pope Gaius the firste of that name ordayned that he whiche shoulde be a Massemonger or Godmaker that is to saye a prieste shoulde as it were by degrees ascende and come vp vnto the order of priesthoode Therefore he appoynted that suche one as woulde be a priest and saye Masse shoulde fyrst of all be a doorekeper secondelye a Reader thyrdelye an Exorciste or Coniurare fourthlye an Acholute a lyghter and carier of Candles fyftlye a Subdeacon sixtly a Deacon and seueÌ„thly a priest Plat. Polid. c. Pope Calixte the fyrst appoynted y t y e aforesayd orders shuld be geueÌ„ foure times in the yeare y t is to say at y e Embring dayes whereas before they wer geuen only in y e moneth of December so y t whosoeuer wil be a Massing priest must diligently attend vpoÌ„ those times Plat. Valent. Vannius Pope Boniface the fyrst made a decree y t no man shoulde be made a Massyng Prieste before he were thirtye yeres of age Grat. Dist. 78. Cap. Si quis triginta Pope Zacharius the fyrst notwithstaÌ„ding fearyng that Ladye Masse would wante Chaplens and customers dispenseth wyth the former acte and graunted that a man might bee made a Massyng Prieste at the age of .xxv. yeares if necessitye so required Lib. Concâ—l Pope Anicetus ordayned y t the Massing priest should weare no long haire nor bearde but y t he should haue Aures patentes and y t he shuld haue his crown shauen as rounde as a bowle Gratian. Dist. 23. Cap. Prohibere fratres Plat. Pope Leo the fyrst made a decree y t no man that is bonde should be admitted to be a Massemonger Dist. 54. Cap. Episcoporum Nullus Pope Bonifacius the fyrst commaunded y t no banckeroute or endebted person shuld be admitted vnto y e Clergye Plat. Lib. Concil Pope Calixt y e first appointed y t whosoeuer wil take vpon hym the order of a Massing priest must forsweare mariage leade a single lyfe Grat. Dist. 27. Ca. Presbyteres Nauclerus Pope Gregorye the fyrst made a decree y t none y t had bene twice maryed shuld be admitted to be a priest Dist. 33. Cap. Maritum duarum Pope Gelasius the fyrst ordained y t no dismembred person shuld be admitted vnto y e order of priesthode Grat. Dist. 55 Cap. Si euangelica Pope Clement the fyrst appoynted y t the priest after he had sayde Masse should continue fastyng by the space of three houres before he eyther eate or drinke Dist. 2. de consec De tribus Gradibus And Gratianus witnesseth that a priest also ought to come to Masse fasting De cons. Dist. 2 Can. Liquido Item Cap. Sacramenta altaris Of the dignitie and power of the Massing Priest and of the honour that is due vnto hym be he good or bad PRiestes are worthye to be honoured of all men for the dignitie whiche they haue of GOD. For God hath geuen them power to bynde and to loose as it is written Whatsoeuer ye shall bynde vpon earth shall also be bounde in heauen And whatsoeuer ye shall losen vppon earth shal bee losoned also in heauen For a priest after a certaine manner is lyke Mary the Virgine And thys is declared by three thinges Fyrst as the blessed Virgine dyd conceaue Iesus Christ by fyue woordes as is it mentioned in the Gospell of Luke Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum So lykewyse the Prieste maketh the true bodye of Christ by these fyue woordes Hoc est enim corpus meum And as whole Christ immediatly after the consent of Mary was in her wombe so lykewyse immediatly after y e pronunciation of y e wordes of consecration the breade is transsubstaÌ„tiated turned into y e true body of Christ. Secondly as the blessed Virgine after shee had broughte forth Christ dyd beare hym in her handes layde hym in y e maunger so likewyse y e priest after the consecration immediatly lyfteth vp the body of Christ and laieth him down again beareth him handleth him in his hands Thirdly as y e blessed Virgine was saÌ„ctifyed in y e wombe before she conceaued Christ so likewise y e priest receaueth orders is annoynted before he consecrateth For without taking orders he could consecrate nothing and therfore a lay-man although he be neuer so holy can do nothing in this matter although he should pronounce the wordes of consecration In consideration whereof we must know y t the dignitie of priests after a certayne manner doth farre excel the dignitie of Angels For power to make y e body of Christ is geueÌ„ to none of the Angells so that the baseste and moste inferioure prieste in the worlde can doe that whiche the greatest and highest Aungell in heauen can not do Therefore Barnarde sayeth O the worshipfull dignitye of priestes in whose handes the Sonne of God as in the Virgines wombe is incarnate Wherefore Austen sayeth that in the consecration of the holy hoste all the heauenly courte serueth hym that is to say the priest and the Lorde of heauen commeth downe vnto hym Ambrose therefore also sayth writing vpon Luke Doubte thou not but y t the Angels are there present when Christ is present vpon the altare so y t priests are to be honoured aboue all Kinges Princes Knyghtes and men of Nobilitie For a prieste is higher than Kynges more blessed and happye than Aungells beyng the maker of hys maker and therefore he is worthye to bee honoured c. Yea let it be graunted that the priest bee euill yet is he to be honoured for y e dignitye of priesthoode as it is declared in the decrees Priestes although they bee euill yet ought we to honoure them for the sacramentes sake 1. Quaest. 1. Sacramenta c. Sermones Discipuli in Sermon 28. De honore As there are nine quiers or orders of Angells in heauen so like wise ar there nyne dignities of priestes Fyrst Priestes are aboue all Kynges and Princes of the earth as God sayeth by Ieremye I haue set thee thys daye ouer Nations and Kingdomes And this to bee true appeareth thus The dignitye of the prieste is such and so great y t it lyeth in his power to consecrate and make Kinges but all the Kynges of the worlde are not able to make one Priest And for a profe thereof that priestes be greater and of farre more excellencye than Kinges are it is to be noted y t there is no Prince so greate whiche doth not bowe
Christ. And as immediatlye after the consent of Marye whole Christe was in her wombe so likewise out of hande after the wordes of consecration be pronounced by the priest the bread is turned into the substance of the very body of Christ secoÌ„dly as the blessed virgine after she had brought forth Christe bare hym in her handes and layde him in the cribe and tooke hym vp agayne so likewyse the priest after the consecration lifteth vp Christ and layeth him downe agayne and beareth hym vnto the sicke and handleth him with his handes Thirdly as the blessed virgine was saÌ„ctified in her wombe before she conceaued Christ as it is written The most high hath saÌ„ctified his tabernacle so in like manner the priest receaueth holye orders before he coÌ„secrateth for he could not consecrate excepte he were ordered And therefore a Laye man be he neuer so holye can do nothyng in thys matter althoughe he pronounceth the wordes of consecration Ninthly God hath honored the priestes aboue Aungels yea and somwhat also aboue the dignitie of blessed Mary the virgine First in the dignitie of keping For a priest is bound to kepe many soules as the Byshop is bounde to looke vpon al the diocesse and the Pope the whole worlde and the Curate hys parishe as Bernarde saith O how worthy kepers are they which so carefully watche that they may kepe the soules that are committed vnto them from euerlastyng death But an Aungell hath but one soule committed vnto hym for to kepe as Bernarde testifieth Great is the dignitie of soules that euery one of them euen from the very tyme of their birth shoulde haue an aungel appointed for to kepe them Secondly in taking and touchyng the body of Christ. The angels doe but see God as it is written Their aungels see the face of my Father whiche is in heauen But in this is the priest greater than the AuÌ„gell for he doth but see God but the priest handleth hym yea and eateth him which was neuer giueÌ„ to any Aungell so to do but it sufficeth hym to beholde God Thirdly in consecratyng the bodye of Christe And in this point the priest doth not onely excell the Aungels but also after a certayne manner Marye the Mother of Christ so that the lessest priest on earth is able to do that whiche the greatest Aungell in Heauen can not doe Therfore saith Barnarde O the dignitie of priestes worthy to be had in great reuerence in whose handes as in the wombe of the Virgine the Sonne of God is incarnate Austen also saith In the consecration of the holye host the whole court of Heauen doth seruice to the priest yea and the Lorde of heauen commeth downe vnto him Likewyse saith Ambrose vpoÌ„ Luke Doubt thou not but that Aungels are there preseÌ„t when Christ is present on the altare wheÌ„ he is offered so y t Christ may well say to euery priest y t which is writteÌ„ in Esay What coulde I haue done more for thee haue not done it Furthermore we must know that euerye maÌ„ is bouÌ„d to honour priests seing y e god himself hath so many sundry waies garnished beautified theÌ„ with suche so great honour But contrary to this do all they that dishonour priestes and in this they greuouslye offende God as Henricus de vrimaria writing vpon the fourth commaundement saith Wo be vnto them and euerlasting damnation hangeth ouer their heades that do dishonour priestes speake euill of them diffame backbite them for they crucifie the Sonne of God againe For so often as thou backbitest or â—laundrest a religious person or priest so often dost thou put a crowne of thorne vpon Christes head For they are the head vpper parte of the Churche militante So often as thou doest any displeasure vnto them so often dost thou fasten Christ with nayles to the crosse So often as thou raylest vpon them so often dost thou spit Christ in the face And so often as thou dost euill entreat them and find faulte either in their speaking or doying so often dost y u thrust Christ vnto the hart with a speare God therfore willing to shewe howe greatly he detesteth that synne hath made it euident with that wonderful punishment and vnwonted paine whiche Dathan Abiron and Chore suffered whom the earth dyd swalowe vp quicke bycause they dyd mysuse the Priestes Of these thynges aforesayde it euidentlye appeareth y t priestes euen of dutye ought to bee honoured of all men In sermonibus discipuli Germ. iii. Dom. 14. Post. Festum Trinitatis O ye Priestes which are the buckelars and officers of y e true Salomon that is to saye of Iesus Christ and the chamberlaynes and dispensatoures or stewardes of the mysteryes of God Consider marke diligentlye in what degree and dignitye ye are set ouer all the goodes of the Lorde What could God doe more for the Priestes than to geue them power for to make hymselfe to handle hym to eate hym to geue him to other Therefore remeÌ„ber your selues and consider well y e noble priuilege of your dignitye Althoughe glasse bee made of vyle matter and stuffe yet is it reproued founde to be more clere than golde and siluer so likewise euery priest be he neuer so great and greuous a sinner yet doth he farre excell al other creatures both Kinges and Princes is of greater dignitie than al y e creatures y t are Ye are sayeth S. Peter speakyng to priestes a chosen generation a royall priesthoode an holy nation a wonne people not only of a temporal election but also of an eternall predestination O the worshipful dignitie of priests if ye liue worthily and priestlike within whose handes as in the Virgines wombe the sonne of God is incarnate and made man O heauenly mysterye which y e father and y e sonne and y e holy ghoste doth so maruelouslye worke by you y t in one and in the same moment the same God whiche sitteth ruleth in heauen is a sacrifice in your hands The heauen wondreth at so noble a priuilege the earth marueleth man is greatly astonied hell quaketh for feare the deuell trembleth and shaketh all y t is on hym the Aungelike highnesse is in great admiration What then shall I priest geue agayne vnto the Lorde for all thinges that he hath geuen me As for an example He that hath made me hath geuen me power to make hym yea he that made me without me is made by the meanes of me c. Consider therefore O ye Priestes the maruelous dignitie of your excellencye that God hath not onely ordained you before al other people but he hath also made you passing all other creatures which he hath created vnto the prayse and glorye of his name c. Sauyng y e Aungels reuerence whose number is infinite I say playnly that ye are greater than Aungells and doe farre excell their dignitye largo modo loquendo For to whiche
custome ought to geue place to the opeÌ„ truth Let no maÌ„ preferre custome before reason truth for reason and truth doth alwayes put custome to silence We must heare and do that saith Saint Cyprian that Christ hath done that he hath also coÌ„maunded to be done seing that he sayeth in his Gospell If ye do those thynges that I commaunde you I will call you no more seruauntes but frendes And that Christ alone ought to he heard the father euen from heauen testifieth saying This is my welbeloued son in whom I haue greate delight heare ye hym Wherefore if Christ alone is to be hearde we ought not to atteÌ„d marke and take hede what any maÌ„ that hath bene before vs thought good to be done but what he did which is before al that is to say Christ. Agayn he saith We may not follow the custome of man but the truth of God seyng that God speaketh by the Prophet Esay sayth They worship me in vaine teaching the commaundementes and doctrines of men Doth not God in his holy worde coÌ„mauÌ„d his people the Israelites that they should not follow the customes neither of the Egyptians nor of the Cananites but rather walke in his ordinaunces fulfill his lawes and statutes Is not this Gods precept Followe not the multitude to do euill Again do not ye those thynges whiche they haue done that were before you neither be ye defiled in them As the custome is not to be reiected but receaued that is agreable to the truth of Gods worde so lykewise is that custome not to be receaued but reiected y t dissenteth from the veretie of Gods pure religion Forasmuch therfore as the greatest parte of the old customes that be frequeÌ„ted vsed in the popes Church are wicked vngodly manifestly directly coÌ„trary to the worde of God the obiectioÌ„ that our Papistes make in this behalfe is nothing worth neitheer ought it to be vnto theÌ„ any let to hinder them froÌ„ commynge vnto the vndeceueable truth of Gods worde Some also to defeÌ„d their errours heresies maintaine their obstinate blindnesse and blind obstinacie allege for their defence the auncient writers and Doctors of Christes Churche affirming that their doctrine dissenteth greatlye from oures therfore worthy to be hyssed out hated abhorred detested of Gods Church I aunswere If they vnderstand by the auncient writers Doctors of Christs Church Duns Dorbel Thomas Tartaret Biel Brulefer Barnard Bonauenture Petrus de Palude Petrus de Luna Ioannes Capredli Ioannes Holkot Albert Magnus Augustinus de Ancona with Occam Gerson Durande Petrus de Alico Alaâ—us Herugus Auredlus Ataxanê° Pelbertus Carâ—esius Michael Lochmeir Iacobus de valentia to many such like then we geue theÌ„ ouer and conseÌ„t vnto theÌ„ seyng that these many hâ—â—dreds moe were the popes sworne chaplaynes making him with their fophistrie a God his couÌ„terfaite Religion true Godlynesse But if they meane those auÌ„cient writers Doctors of Christs Church which were before the days of Gregorius Magnus byshop of Rome theÌ„ we freely coÌ„fesse that whether they take the Doctors of the Greke or Latin Church they make very little or nothyng for theÌ„ for the maintenaunce of their poperie so altogether vnknoweÌ„ to theÌ„ was the supersticion Idolatry whiche is now commoÌ„ly vsed in the popish Churches although I muste nedes confesse that there is none among the auncieÌ„t writers that hath not his errours his ouersights his faultes that y â— may be found true which is writteÌ„ God alone is true but euerye man is a lyar But let it be graunted that there were found in the old writers as who sometime slydeth not Accordyng to the common prouerbe AliquaÌ„do bonus dormitat Homeruâ— That might seme at the firste blush to confirme stablish to proue approue any part of the popes religious religion is the matter therfore cocke sure But the olde writers Catholike Doctors require no such reuereÌ„ce to be shewed nor no such credit to be geuen to their writings as though they could not erre which coÌ„fesse theÌ„selues to erre as their auÌ„cestoures haue done before theÌ„ will that nothing should be credited as an vndoubted veritie but only the sacred scriptures whose authoritie to resiste of whose veritie to doubt they alwayes counted a great offence Are not these the wordes of Saint Ambrose We vtterly coÌ„deÌ„ne al new things that christ hath not taught for Christ is the way to the faithfull If Christ â—herefore haue not taught that whiche we do teache euen we our selues iudge it detestable and abhominable Are not these the words also of the auÌ„cieÌ„t Greke writer Origene We must nedes allege the holye Scriptures for a witnesse For our vnderstandinges and expositions without these witnesses are not to be credited nor beleued S. Hierome calleth it garrulitie or pratling whatsoeuer is taught without the authoritie of the holy Scriptures Theophilacte feared not to saye that they whiche bring in any thing into the Church of Christ besides the doctrine of the Apostles bring in slaunders and heresies dissensions Here se we in what estimation the auncient Doctors desyre theyr writtings to be had Uerely so farre to be credited and receaued as they agree with the word of God If they in any point dissent from that then not to be receaued but to be reiected not approued but reproued so farre is it of that they would haue their workes to be the patroÌ„s and defenders of wycked doctrine idolatry superstition c. Some againe pretende an excuse of theyr obstinacie the forefathers which liued before our daies They say they neuer receaued this doctrine neuer beleued as we are taught c. And yet we doubt not they are saued I aunswere If they speake of the forefathers whiche liued of late yeares in the tymes of ignoraÌ„cie blindnesse in the dayes of Papistrie and false Religion I graunt that they neuer receaued so purely the doctrine of Christes Gospell as we do at this present as people seduced from the way of truth thorow the suttle persuasions and craftye reasons of the fleshely hipocrites and filthy Papistes while they wrapped them in al kinde of blindnesse to the ende that they might see no truth in a manner but seke theyr saluation at theyr handes at theyr prayers fastes masses c. and by this meanes be made the very slaues and captiues of these spirituall Sorcerers although I must nedes coÌ„fesse that they agreed with vs and we with them in the principal articles of the Christen Religion albeit farre out of the way from the true vnderstanding of theÌ„ For they knew not the office of Christ nor vnto what ende God the father sent him into this worlde and therfore went they about on begging for their saluatioÌ„ to this creature and that creature to this Saint and that Saint to this blocke and that stocke to this pardon
and that pardō to this pilgrimage and that pilgrimage to this relique and that relique to this worke and that worke without any respecte had to Christe whiche is the alone Sauioure of the worlde But nowe will the aduersaries obiecte and say Why are those our forefathers dāned I aunswere I leaue them to the iudgement of God as the Apostle sayth What art thou that iudgest an other mans seruaunte Whether he stand or fall that pertaineth vnto his own master Notwithstanding I hope that forasmuch as they knewe no better neither was theyr blindnesse of obstinacie but of ignorancye God hath bene fauourable vnto them and receaued them vnto his mercy For as God condemneth obstinate contumacie so likewise pardoneth he many times simple ignorancie as we reade of Saint Paule whiche sayth I was somtime a blasphemer and a persecutor and a Tyraunte But yet I obtayned mercye bicause I did it ignorauntly thorowe vnbelief And our Sauiour Christ sayd to the obstinate Iewes stifnecked Pharesees If ye were blinde ye should haue no sinne But now ye say we see ▪ therfore your sinne remaineth Notwithstanding suche as are obstinatly blind and wilfully ignorant by no meanes wil come vnto the knowledge of the truth but of set purpose refuse and despise it shall neuer finde the like fauour at the hande of God so long as they remayne in that wicked and dānable purpose Are not these the wordes of him which is not only true but also the selfe truth This is the condemnation that light is come into the worlde and men loued darknesse more thā lyght bicause their dedes were euill For euery one that euill doth hateth the light neither commeth to the lyght least his deedes should be reproued But he that doth truth cōmeth to y e lyght that his dedes may be knowē howe that they are wrought in God But leauyng the late and yesterday fathers if they meane the Patriarches and Prophets the Apostles and the Fathers of the primatiue Churche ▪ and suche Godly persons as liued in the publique weale of Christianitie before that Antichrist the deuill and the Pope bare rule and before that enemye came and sowed tares amonge the wheate we playnly affirme that their doctrine and fayth is all one with oures and that we at thys present doe none otherwyse eyther teache and beleue than they in tymes paste haue taught and beleued These forefathers we embrace These forefathers we followe These forefathers we reuerence For both theyr fayth and our fayth both theyr doctrine and our doctrine is grounded on the sure rocke whiche is Christe Iesus the Sonne of the lyuing GOD agaynste the whiche doctrine and fayth the verye gates of hell shall not preuayle Rore deuyll rage worlde descende Rayne come Floudes blowe Wyne swell Sea c. Yet shall all these violente tempestes and tempestuous violences not so muche as once shake thys our fayth and doctrine muche lesse subdue and vanquishe it Whosoeuer falleth on thys stone sayeth Christ shall be broken in peces but on whome soeuer it falleth it shall grynde hym to pouder But wherefore doe they obiecte vnto vs Fathers We haue one Father whome we ought to heare before all Fathers whiche is oure Father in Heauen And he hath commaunded vs to heare hys Sonne Christe and not forefathers sayinge Thys is my welbeloued Sonne for whose sake I am well pleased wyth man Heare ye hym Thys Christe is oure Scholemaster and if we wyll be hys disciples we muste heare hym This Christe is also our Shepehearde If we wyll be hys Shepe we muste heare hys voyce as he hym selfe sayth My shepe heare my voyce Doth not our heauenly Father in many places of his blessed lawe call vs awaye from followynge our forefathers Are not these hys wordes by the Prophete Be not ye lyke your forefathers vnto whom the Prophetes cryed aforetime saying Thus sayth the Lord God of Holies Turne you from your euil wayes from your wicked imaginations But they woulde not heare nor regarde me saith the Lord. The same Prophet also sayth The Lord hath bene sore displeased at your forefathers Agayne he sayth Walke not in the statutes of your forefathers Kepe not their ordinaunces and defile not your selues with their idols For I am the Lord your god But walke in my statuts kepe my lawes and doe thē c. All forefathers walking in Gods ordinaunces are most studiously and diligētly to be heard and followed All other are to be reiected refused although outwardly glystering neuer so muche with the shyne of holynesse and vertue commended for streightnesse of lyfe and aboundaunce of good workes Christ is the scope wherunto we must directe all our doinges If any of our forefathers dissēt him they shote at a wrong marke and we must byd them farewell in the playne fieldes haue nothyng to do with them be they neuer so olde and auncient as Saint Cyprian sayth That Christ alone ought to be heard The father euen from heauen testifieth saying This is my wel beloued sonne in whom I haue great delight Heare ye hym Wherefore if Christ alone be to be heard we ought not to attend marke take hede what any man that hath bene before vs. thought good to be done but what he did which is before all that is to say Christ. Moreouer some flee vnto Councels persuading themselues those to be of such authoritie that whatsoeuer is decreed stablished in thē may by no meanes be resisted and against said but obediently receaued and faithfully obeyed yea and that so much the more bicause Christ sayd Whersoeuer two or three be gathered together in my name there am I in the middes of thē Again Behold I am with you for euer euē vnto the very end of the world I aūswere Christ in dede hath promised to be present with his holy spirit and grace in assemblies of his holy church which come together for to seke and set forth the glorye of God and to edifie Gods people But such as falsely vniustly take vpō them the name of the Church and in all theyr coūcels seke nothing but theyr own glory and to bryng the people of God into a most miserable slauery a thousand times worse thā the childrē of Israell suffered in Egipt vnder the most cruell Tyraunt king Pharao suche I say are not gathered together in the name of Christe but in the name of Antichrist neither is Christ in the middes of them but the deuill is among thē Such assemblies and conuenticles al faithfull Christians ought to flee ▪ abhorre deteste more than the plage and the pestilence yea as the deuill and hell fire according to this saying of the Psalmographe I hate the Church of the malignaunt and with the vngodly will I kepe no company Agaynst these vngodly councels moste wicked councellers God thundreth and crieth out by the Prophet on this
of the Aungels hath God geuen that whiche he hath geuen to the priest I meane Whatsoeuer ye bynde on earth shal be bounde also in heauen Note there are two keyes that is to say of knowledge and of power geuen of the Lord to blessed Peter and to other men not to al meÌ„ but to Priestes alone and to their successoures For althoughe God alone forgeue synne yet neuer or verye seldome dothe he forgeue synne withoute his ministers that is to say Priestes Whiche thyng may be proued by the Lepers to whome when the Lorde had healed them he sald Go shewe your selues to the priestes and humbly obey them And whyle they were goyng they were made cleane It maye also bee proued by Lazarus whom when the Lorde had raysed vp he sayd to hys Disciples Loose hym and let hym go But wherfore dyd not the Lorde hymselfe loosen hym from y t knots of the byndings which had losoned hym froÌ„ y e bondes of death And wherfore dyd he not commaunde Mary and Martha hys systers to loose him or hys kynnesfolke the Iewes whiche were nerer vnto hym by the course of nature than the Disciples of y e Lord Verelye to declare manifestlye and to proue playnly that the power to loose and to bynde is geuen of the Lorde to priestes alone Beholde how great the goodnesse of God and the worthinesse of priestes is For the Lorde himselfe worketh good somtime euen by them y e are euell and that to thys ende bycause the keyes of the Churche should not be despised or set at nought of the faythfull For although priestes sometime haue not thys power ex merito yet haue they it ex officio dignitatis And if any priest â—e vnworthye which god forbid y t hurteth hymselfe it hyndreth thee nothyng at all Beholde what greate power is geuen to you priestes For your tounges are made the keyes of heauen O how great dignitie saith Bernard hath god geuen to you How great and excellent is y e prerogatiue of y e priestes order He hath preferred you aboue the Kynges of y e earth He hath exalted thys order of priestes aboue all men Yea as I may speake more highly he hath preferred you before Aungells thrones and powers For as he toke not Aungels but Abrahams sede to bryng to passe redemption so lykewyse hath he committed y e consecration of his body and bloude not to Aungells but to men that is to saye to priestes only Seing then y t a priest is of so greate dignitie y t he is the maker of hys maker him to destroy or to condemne it is not conuenient c. This is a very heauenly priuilege this is an exceding great glory this is a grace excelling all grace a priest to holde God in hys hands We beleue are thorowly perswaded y t the celebration of so noble a mysterye is committed to none of the Aungels to none of the Archeaungels nor to any other heauenly spirites but to your order onely c. For on the altare thorowe the mouthe and the handes of y e priestes the bodye of Christ is made euen that very bodye whiche is on the right hand of God c. O ye priestes howe greate a thing is this that at the lifting vp of your handes Kynges bowe down their heades yea Kings and Queenes offer giftes to you All the Churche or congregation confesseth calleth you fathers and desireth you to praye for them c. O the worshipfull holynesse of priestes handes O blessed and happie exercise O the true ioye of the worlde where lowe things ar ioyned to y e most high thinges when Christ handleth Christ y e priest y e sonne of God Thou hast a delight to be with the sonnes of men Therefore sayth Peter speakyng of priests ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthoode an holy Nation a wonne people c. O ye priests consider the excellencye of your moste noble dignitye For the lord hath enriched beautified you before al other his creatures Verely priestes ar worthy to be honoured seing y e the Lord hath geueÌ„ vnto theÌ„ passing al other so greate grace and honoure in the worlde Ex lib cui titulus est Stella Clericorum Of the ceremonies of the popyshe Churche Of holy water POpe Alexander the fyrst as y e papistes fayne ordayned water mingled with salte to bee halowed afterward sprinckled vpon the people to put away their sinnes and to make theÌ„ holy and pure He also commaunded y t it shoulde bee kept both in churches and in houses to chase and dryue away deuills and wicked spirites not onely oute of houses wher meÌ„dwel but also out of y e hearts of the faythfull as though fayth and y e deuel could dwel together in one heart In the yere c. 110. Grat. Plat. Sabel Lib. Concil D. Barns Pâ—antal The wordes of pope Alexanders canon ar these We blesse y e water mingled with salte for thys purpose that all that bee sprinckled therewith may bee made holy and pure whiche thyng we commaunde all Priestes lykewyse to doe For sayeth he if the ashes of an heyfer sprinckled made holy and clensed the people from veniall synnes Muche more water sprynckled wyth salte and halowed with holye prayers doth sanctifye make holye and clense the people from veniall synnes And if the salte being sprynckled by Helizeus the barennesse of theâ— water was healed Howe muche more salte being halowed with Godlye prayers taketh awaye the barennesse of such thynges as appertayne to man and sanctifyeth and pourgeth them y t are defiled and multiplyeth suche goodes as we haue nede of and turneth away y e disceates of the deuill and defendeth men from al naughty and wicked fansies c. De conse Dist. 3. Cap. Aquam sale conspersam Lib. Concil Is not this good stuffe is not this worthy to be called gods seruice Oughte not y e people to ryse vp make curtesy to the Popyshe shauelynge when he sprinckleth theÌ„ with water of so great vertue Are not the scriptures here wel applied Doth not this ceremony make Christ Iacke out of office with all hys workes and merites God haue mercy on vs and shortly confouÌ„d Antichrist Guilihelmus DuraÌ„dus sayth y t the holy water hath deserued to haue of God so great vertue that as outwardly it washeâ—h the body from filthynesse so inwardly cleÌ„seth the soules from sinnes O blasphemye intollerable This is y e goodly Godlye Catholyke doctrine wherwith the vngoodly vngodly Papistes infecte the mindes of such Christians as are simple and light of belief yea wherwith they caste the soules of all suche as put their confidence and trust in these pylde begarly and lousy ceremonyes into euerlastyng damnation And yet must they be called laudable ceremonies well worthy and God will to be frequented and vsed in the Churche of Christ. And the teachers of thys doctrine the ministers of these
their liues according to the rule of Gods worde that the Elders of Christes Churche seyng their repentaunce and amendement of life might thereby be occasioned to restore vnto them the holy and blessed communion which is the partaking of the body and bloud of Christ. Thus were the ceremonies not altogether vnprofitable to the people of y t age But it is in these our dayes farre otherwise For the ceremonies in the Popish Churches are stil retained but who knoweth the signification and meanyng of theÌ„ The bread is euery Sonday distributed and the water sprinckled but howe ofte is the death of Christe preached But as touching y e ceremonye of holy bread wherof we now speake it is become a vayne tradition and vtterly vnprofytable yea wicked and abhominable as all other popyshe ceremonyes are lykewise For where as it was instituted to put the people in remembrauÌ„ce of Christes body breakyng the priestes deale it vnto thys ende y t the people eating thereof shuld beleue to receaue health and saluation both of body and soule For these are the wordes which they vse in halowing the bread as they terme it takyng vpon them by thys meanes to make the creatures of God more holy than euer God made them Benedic domine hanc creaturam panis qui benedixisti quinque panâ—s in deserto vt omnes gustantes ex his recipeant tam corporis quaÌ„ animae sanitatem That is to say Blesse O Lorde thys creature of bread which didst blesse fyue Loaues in the wildernesse that al that taste of them may receaue healthe both of body and soule What other thyng is thys than to attribute the vertue of oure saluation to a pylde beggarly ceremony which alone commeth of y e meere mercye and gracious goodnesse of God to al men that repent and beleue in Christ Iesu hys onely begotten Sonne and oure alone Sauioureâ— If we maye obtayne health both of bodye and soule by their be witched bread then was Christ promised geuen conceaued borne circumcised persecuted and put to death for oure synnes in vayne yea then was Christ without cause made of God the Father vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctifying and redemption y t as it is written He that reioyceth shoulde reioyce in the Lorde We knowe sayth the Apostle y t man is not iustifyed by the workes of the law but by the fayth of Iesu Christ and wee haue beleued in Christ Iesu that wee myght be iustifyed by y e faith of Christ and not by the workes of the lawe bicause no fleshe shall be iustifyed by the workes of the law If we be not iustifyed by the workes of that lawe which God hymselfe commaunded shall we hope to bee made ryghteous by the obseruaunces of mennes triflyng traditions croked constitutions idle inuentions drousye dreames fonde fantasyes antichristian actes deuilysh decrees 〈◊〉 O blasphemous Papistes Of Procession POpe Agapetus the fyrst commaunded the people to goe procession solemnely on sondayes other feastiual daies In the yeare c. 533. Platina Polyd. D. Barnes Guilielmus Durandus writeth that when the people goe a Procession the Belles are ronge to thys ende euen to make the deuills afrayde and to chase them awaye For sayeth he the deuills are wonderfully afrayde when they heare the trompettes of the church militaunt I meane the Belles euen as a Tyraunte is greatlye afrayde when he heareth in hys owne land the trompets of some myghtye Kyng that is his enemye And thys is also the cause why the church when there is any great tempest ringeth the Belles y t the deuills hearyng the trompets of y e euerlasting King shuld be afrayde and trudge away and cause no more tempestes to aryse c. Rat. di off Of Sensing POpe Leo the thyrde brought Sensing into the church In the yeare c. 796. Pol. D. Barns Pantal. Of Candles bearing on Candelmassedaye POpe Sergius otherwise called Pope Swinesnoute coÌ„maunded y t al the people shuld go on procession vpon Candelmasse day and cary candels about with them brenning in their handes In the yeare c. 684. Durand G. Achilles Howe thys candle bearyng on candlemasse day came first vp y t author of our english festiual declareth on thys maÌ„ner Somtyme sayeth he when the Romaines by greate myght and royall power conquered all the worlde for they had great dominion they were so proude y t they forgat God made them diuerse Gods after their own luste And so among al they had a God y t they called Mars that had beene to fore a notable Knight in battayle And so they prayed to hym for helpe and for that they woulde spede y t better of this Knyght the people prayed dyd great worship to his mother y t was called Februa after whiche woman muche people haue opinion that y e moneth February is called Wherfore y e second day of thys moneth is candlemasseday The Romaines thys nyghte went aboute the citie of Rome wyth Torches Candles brennyng in worship of thys woman Februa for hope to haue y e more helpe and succoure of her sonne Mars Then was there a Pope y t was called Sergius and wheÌ„ he sawe Christen people drawe to thys false Maumetrye and vntrue beliefe He thought to vndoe thys foule vse and custome and turne it into Gods worship and our Ladyes gaue coÌ„maundement y t all Christen people shoulde come to Churche and offer vp a candle brennyng in the worship y t they dyd to thys woman Februa doe worship to our lady to her sonne our Lord Iesu Christ. So y t now this feast is solemnely halowed thorowe al Christendome And euery Christen man and woman of couenable age is bounde to come to church and offer vp their candles as though they were bodily with our Ladye hopyng for this reuerence worship y t they do to our Ladye to haue a greate rewarde in heauen and of her sonne our lord Iesu Christ and so they may be syker and it be done in cleane lyfe and with good deuotion c. Of Ashes sprincklyng POpe Gregory the fyrst ordained y t the people on Ashe wednisday shuld be sprinckled with halowed Ashes to put theÌ„ in remembraunce y t they are but earth duste and Ashes In the yeare c. 590. Anselmus Ryd Of Palmes bearyng POpe Gregorye the fyrst also appoynted y t Palmes shoulde bee borne aboute in procession on Palme Sonday Ansel. Ryd Of halowing Palmes Ashes Candles c. POpe Gregorye the fyrste in lyke manner deuised the halowing of Palmes Ashes Candles c. Durand Antonin Of Crepyng to the Crosse. POpe Gregorye the fyrst likewyse broughte into the Churche the Crepyng vnto the Crosse. Sigesb Antoninus Of the halowing of the Paschal POpe Zozimus ordayned that the Paschall Taper shoulde be halowed on Easter euen and set vp in euery paryshe church In y e yere of oure Lorde 414.
by fayth in Christ God complayneth greuously on thys manner and sayeth Be astonyshed O ye heauens be afrayde and abashed at suche a thyng sayeth the Lorde For my people hath done two euills They haue forsaken me the well of y e water of lyfe and haue dygged them pyttes yea vile and broken pittes y e can holde no water Blessed is the man sayth the Psalmographe whose hope the name of the Lord is and hath not turned vnto vanities nor vnto suche as goe about with lyes Of Purgatorye Who was the fyrst inuentour deuiser and fynder out of the Popes false fained fyrie purgatorye I can not finde by any historyes or monumentes that I haue red vnto this daye But after it was found and deuised by some subtill heade thorowe the subtil suggestion of most subtill Sathan whiche seketh all meanes possible to obscure the price of Christes death and to sowe erroures and heresyes in the heartes of paynted Hipocrites yea of all people so muche as lyeth in his power vnto y e destruction and condemnation of their soules there wanted not specially of the companye of Sophisters and Monks espiing that there woulde ryse no small auauntage to their purses of this goodly newe and late inuention whiche set a good face on the matter countenauncing it out with the authorityes of the holy Scripture addyng therunto their false pestilent and lying gloses wherwith they bleared the eyes of the simple and caste suche mystes before theyr syghte that these certayne hundred yeares they coulde neuer see the true purgatorye of the soule whiche is the precious bloud of our Sauiour Christ but beleued verelye that there was a place of purgyng after thys lyfe as though the bloude of Christe were not a sufficient purgatory for their soules from the which they must be deliuered eyther by sufferyng intollerable paynes themselues in that firye fornace till they haue made sufficient satisfaction for their sinnes or els by the Suffrages and sacrifices of the Masse or by almosse dedes done for them of theyr executours and frendes c. Thys dreame of purgatorye and praying for the dead hath bene maintayned from tyme to tyme not onelye by the writinges of diuerse men but also by the decrees and Councelles of diuerse sundrye Popes and of theyr adherentes as a myghty and straunge defence of the Catholyke Churche and her deuoute Chaplens withoute the whiche a greate parte of the Popes Churches buildings is like out of hand to fall vnto miserable ruine and vtter decaye Where thys place of Purgatorye is none of oure purgatorye rakers or proctoures thereof is able to declare Diuerse of them haue diuerse opinions in thys behalfe as it is an harde thing for lyers and taleforgers to agree in all points among themselues so alone is the truthe perfecte and constant and without verities or discorde Some of them affyrme and saye that it is in a certayne place euen nexte vnto hell vnder y e earth Some holde y t it is not nie vnto hell for then myghte it seme y t suche as are in Purgatorye shoulde neuer ascende and come vnto heauen for asmuche as we rede in y e Gospel of Luke that there is so great a space betwene them that are aboue and them that are beneath y t they whiche are aboue can not come downe to them y e are beneath neither can they that are beneath come vp to them y t ar aboue But aboue in the ayre yea and that in torrida zona bycause that after they bee sufficiently purged they may be nighe and goe strayghtwayes vnto heauen Some other saye y t they be neither beneath neere vnto Hell nor yet aboue nighe vnto Heauen but accordyng to the dispensation and appoyntment of god diuerse soules are diuersly placed some here some there some in thys place some in that place some beneath some aboue some in the middest according to their desertes but all suffering paynes eyther more or lesse till sufficient satisfactiō be made for theyr sinnes either by themselues in paynes sufferyng or els by other in Massesingyng in almosse geuing in watching in praying in pilgrimage going in the popes pardons bying c. The tales and lies which the papistes haue inuented concerning the places of soules after their departure is to much wonderfull and maruelous In Longobardica historia in Legenda aurea in vitis patrum in the Festiual c. shalt thou finde examples plentifully whiche bookes in tymes paste were better knowen and more preached to the simple people than the true and pure worde of God And as they do not agree amonge themselues where pyckpursse Purgatory is so likewise doe they dissēt both in the tormentours in the tormentes of the soules Some teach y e the soules in purgatory are punished of the good aūgels at gods appointmēt some say that they be wicked Spirites of hell y t punishe them Some agayne hold that the soules in purgatory are tormented with fire onely accordyng to this sentence of Saint Paule Vniuscuiusque opus quale sit ignis probabit some contrariwise affirme y t they are punished both with fyre and water according to this saying of the Psalmographe Transiuimus per ignem aquam reduxisti nos in refrigerium But howsoeuer the sely simple soules be punished the Papists with one voyce affirme that they are most paynefully afflicted and tormented yea and that with such paynes and tormentes as be incomparable the paynes tormentes of hell only excepted Of those most intollerable paynes of purgatory thus rede we in the Popes decrees He must firste be purged with the fyre of purgatory that hath differred the frute of conuersion vnto an other world And this fyre althoughe it be not euerlastyng is notwithstanding a wonderfull greuous fyre For it excedeth and passeth all payne whiche any man at any tyme hath suffered in this life In the fleshe there was neuer so greate payne founde althoughe the Martyrs did suffer maruelous tormēts c. And in the booke entytled Sermones discipuli we rede on this manner The soules whiche are in purgatory are in moste greuous paynes For if all the burnyng coales in the worlde were gathered together and poured vppon an heape and a man shoulde stande in the myddes of them yet shoulde he not suffer so greate heate and burnyng as the soules doe in Purgatory No temporall payne maye be compared with the paynes of Purgatorye The paynes is so greate that a lyttle shorte tyme seemeth to be verye longe and greate tyme. Therefore we rede that a certayne Religious man burned in Purgatorye onelye while one Masse was a saying and he appeared to hys felowe and sayde that he had burned in Purgatorye a greate number of yeare And some soules are punished there a longe space some thyrtie yeares some an hundred some a thousand more or lesse some vnto the ende of the world
y e worship of y e Trinity Set also .iii. candles burning before y e sacrament al y e masse tyme. Fede also three poore men or geue three almesses to the nedye Secondly on y e monday cause a masse to be song or sayde in y e worship of all Aungels Light also .ix. candles in the honoure of the â–ª ix orders of Aungells Fede .ix. pore meÌ„ or geue .ix. almosses Thirdly on y â— twesday cause a masse to be song or sayde in the honoure of S. Spirite and lighten .vii. candles in the worship of the .vii. giftes which he geueth Fede also .vii. poore men or geue .vii. almosses Fourthly on the Wednisday cause a masse to be song or said in the worship of S. Ihon Baptiste and of all the patriarches Light foure candles feede foure poore meÌ„ or geue foure almosses Fiftlye on the Thursdaye cause a Masse to be song or sayde of S. Peter and of the .xii. Apostles Lighten .xii. candles fede .xii. poore men or geue xii almosses Sixtly on the Fryday cause a masse to be song or sayd in the worship of S. Crosse. Lighten .v. candles Feede .v. poore men or geue v. almosses Seuenthly and finally on the Saterday cause a masse to be song or sayde in the honour of our lady and al virgines Lighten v. candles Fede .v. poore meÌ„ or geue v. almosses He y t thus doth truste to it verelye for he shall deliuer shortlye any soule that he will oute of purgatorye Ita est Probatum est Amen Fiat Fiat Iesu mercy Lady helpe Of Trentales for soules departed and howe they firste began THere was somtime at Rome a certaine Pope called Gregory whiche had a mother whome he loued aboue all thinges and chiefly for her goodnesse and vertue It chauÌ„ced thorow misfortune that the aforesaid womaÌ„ was big with child which for feare of her sonne shame of the people wheÌ„ the time of her labour drew nye killed the childe So like did she at an other time also no man knowing of it After ward â—t so chaunced that the aforesayd woman fell sicke and died The Pope and al the people did greatly reioyse of her for they thought her to be a good woman to be saued But afterwarde when the aforesayde Pope song masse he saw iust by him a certain darknesse so that it semed rather night than day and in the same darknesse he behelde a certayne moste miserable creature to whom he said O thou creature I coniure thee in Gods behalfe that thou declare vnto me what thou art She auÌ„swered O most derely beloued sonne I am thy Mother The Pope maruellyng greatlye at the matter sayd vnto her We hoped that thou haddest bene a good woman and placed in the kingdome of Heauen Howe commeth it to passe that thou art now in such payne She opened vnto him all thinges that she had done in this worlde and tolde him y t therfore she suffred such paynes y t the very flames of fyre came oute of the mouth of her The Pope being moued with sorowe and payne of his mother said vnto her O mine owne mother caÌ„ any thing in the world deliuer thee out of this paine She said If any maÌ„ would sing a trentall of masses for me I should be deliuered out of all my paines be saued He said What masses shoulde they be She aunswered Thre masses of y e Natiuity of our lord Thre masses of y e Epiphanie of our lord Three of the Purification of our Lady Thre of the AnnuÌ„ciation of our Lady Thre of the Resurrection of our Lord. Thre of the ascensioÌ„ of our Lord. Thre of Penthecost Three of the Trinitie Thre of the AssuÌ„ption of our Lady and thre of her Natiuitie so y t these masses be celebrated within y e Octaues of y e said feasts as on the first day with the same Kirie eleyson Gloria in excelsis Credo also the same SequeÌ„ce Preface with Communicantes Hane igitur Sanctus and Agnus as it is contained in y e Canon of the Masse also with these prayers folowyng so that the prayers that folowe be sayde with the collecte of the Feast vnder one Oremus and vnder one Per dominum There must also be sayde euery daye thorowout the yeare Placebo and Dirige with ix Psalmes and ix lessons and ix Anthemes excepte it be at the tyme of Easter when it shal be said dayly with thre lessons only The commeÌ„dation also must be sayd as often so that both at Placebo and at Dirige the first collect or prayer shall be Deus summaspes c. also at the commeÌ„dacioÌ„ Againe at the masse of the day y e aforesayd prayer shall be sayde of him that celebrateth the masse thorowout the whole yeare The Collecte shall be alwayes Deus summaspes The secretes Omnipotens sempiterne Deus The post CoÌ„munion Deus cuius misericordia c. If any man wil doe thus much for me quod she I shall be deliuered from my paine And y e sonne said that he would gladly do that for his mother And he commaunded her that she should come againe vnto him at the very same time the yeare folowing All these thynges that she desired were done When the time drewe nighe that y e Pope appointed of her returne the Pope hymselfe song masse and sawe a great light and in it two Aungels commyng downe and a most goodly faire and beautifull Lady betwene them He beyng afraide thought her to be the Queene of Heauen and fell downe at the feete of her â–ª saying O Regina coeli miserere animae matris meae O Queene of Heauen haue mercye on my mothers soule But she aunswered O my most deare sonne I am thy mother Blessed be the houre y t I bare thee For of suche one as thou didst se me in tymes paste hath God made me as thou nowe seest thorowe thy masses and prayers And all they for whom the aforesayd Masses shalbe longe shalbe lykewise saued euen as I am Ex missali manuscripto Anno domini 1354. Of the vertues of the Masse THe masse hath xii vertues as it is specified in a certaine booke called The signification of the Masse imprinted in the Englishe tounge by Robert Wier Cum priuilegio regali ad imprimendum solum The first vertue or frute of the masse is as some doctours do write y t a man doth merite more whiles that he doth beare masse deuoutly than if he should geue for gods sake as muche grounde and lande as he coulde passe go ouer y e space of y e same masse O what may be then deserue which doth heare euery daye .iii. or .iiii. masses And what doth he lese and what compte shall he make afore God at the daye of iudgement whiche hath not so greate businesse but that he may heare one masse at the least euery daye O what shall it greue you that ye haue lost so muche This ye shal
neither of theÌ„ vnder the kinde of bread dronkeÌ„ or vnder y e kinde of wine eaten although it may seme a matter to be graunted y t the body in drinking and the bloude in eating is receaued Ibidem One the same both theÌ„ now both here there is sacrificed of all He is whole in heauen he is whole on y e altare also He both sitteth on the ryghts hand of the father remaineth vnder the kinde of the sacrament Ibidem These consecrations are made with the signe of the crosse For thorow the vertue of the crosse of the wordes transsubstantiation of the natures of bread and wine is made As water can not be consecrated without wine so likewise caÌ„ not wine with out water be transsubstantiated turned into y e substance of Christes bloud For oute of Christes side flowed both bloud and water Ibidem This is to be noted y e if the wine be frosen in the chalice the priest must so long breath vpon it til it be molten the Vse disolued If it can not be done so let him put fyre vnto it He y t hath communicated if he may conueniently and without hurting of nature he ought to abstayne froÌ„ spitting Notwithstanding after a coÌ„uenient time he may spit so y t he spit there where y e spittle may not be trodeÌ„ vpon For a spirituall maÌ„ iudgeth al things he is iudged of no maÌ„ And al things are cleane to them y t are cleane This is the difference betwene y e sacramentes of the law of the Gospell y t the sacraments of the lawe signified only but the sacraments of the Gospel do both signifye and iustifye Ibidem The sacrament may not be chawed as other meate is but it must be torne with the former teeth and made softe with y e tongue discretly moderatly and softlye y t no percell thereof cleane to y e teeth which paraduenture afterwarde it might chaunce to be cast out by spitting or hemmyng Ibidem It is to be noted y t whosoeuer will receaue the body of Christ he must bee â—asting from al corporall meates For seing y t the soules ar spirituall and immortall they ought fyrste of all to receaue the nourishments of euerlasting life Ibidem The oblations of the Masse bycause of y e excellency of so great a sacrament whiche is made in it is aboue all other prayses and it is a prayse by it self neither is it comprehended vnder the nuÌ„ber of other prayers Durand In. Rat. di off Lib. 5. That blessed Uirgine is the verye Lodestarre For if we which ar in this world wil prayse her worthely she wil lede vs vnto the heauen of saluation The blessed Uirgin also is to be praysed and prayed y t shee will make vs that are colde warme in charitie thorowe the Sonne Christ whome shee brought forth In the church nothyng is to be song or red but y t is canonised autorized approued and expressely set forth or at y e leaste suffered of the holye Churche of Rome So long as we lyue in thys worlde we are set in a slipperye place and are impugned of deuills Therefore haue we alwayes neede of the Suffrages helpes intercessions and meditations of Saintes To eate before the houre of eating before masse bee ended and done in appoynted and necessary fastes the holy Canons doe affyrme y t it is deadly sinne Rat. di off Lib. 6. The crosse whiche is made on oure forehead is our banner wherwith we ouercome the deuill For there is none other signe made but the crosse that in this signe alone y e deuil knowing y t he is ouercome may shake for feare flee Although a simple priest may minister vnctions or annoylinges yet thys annoynting of the children in the forehead wheÌ„ thei be bishopped none may geue but the hie priest y t is to saye the Byshop â–ª For it is redde of the Apostles alone whose vicares the byshops are y t they by the imposition of hands gaue the holy ghost In the confyrmation or bishopping of children the fulnesse of the mysterye of the whole Christen religion is made perfect In baptisme remissioÌ„ of sinnes is geuen by the holy ghost But here y e holy ghost is called vpon to come y t he may vouchesafe to come downe and inhabite y e house which he hath sanctified And the holy ghost is poured vpon y e childe at y e inuocation of y e bishop Therefore sayth Pope Vrban By the imposition or laying on of the byshops hande the holy ghost is geueÌ„ whereby a faythful heart is made wide opeÌ„ to receaue wisedome constancye y t a maÌ„ may be a full and a perfect Christian. The byshop in bishopping children doth two things Fyrst he annoynteth the yong childe in y e forehead Secondly he striketh him on the face The annoynting signifyeth the encrease of grace y t he shuld be bolde to take those things in hand whiche pertayne vnto the fayth He striketh him on the face to put him in remeÌ„braunce y â— he should not from henceforth bee ashamed or afrayde to confesse the name of Christ. As though the Byshop should say to y e person confyrmed Bee so strong valiaunt couragious stoute in the fayth of Christ in the confession of y e same y t whosoeuer shal thus strike thee or any otherwise seke to displease or hurte thee bicause thou confessest the faith of Christ thou notwithstanding be not abashed at all these thinges For they y â— are striken are wonte to be abashed Rat. di off Lib. 6. Among all the saintes the glorious Mother of God Mary y e perpetual Uirgin is the chiefe principal We ought at al times to haue her in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce which without ceasing maketh intercession for vs sinners vnto her Sonne Durand in Rat. di off Lib. 7. There be .iii. degrees of the soules departed some are Valde bonae maruelously good Some ar Valde malae maruelously euill Some are Mediocriter bonae meanely good Now note y t the suffrages which are made in the churches for the dead y t are maruelously good ar thankes geuings For those â—oules y t are perfectlye good when they departe froÌ„ their bodies flye streyghtwaies vnto heauen neither haue they any neede of our helpe For the soules y t are maruelouslye euill there are also done certayn consolations after a sort For our helpes do not profit them bicause their soules go streyghtwayes downe vnto hel For the soules y t ar meanely good which are in purgatory there are expiatorye sacrifices wherwith they maye be releued and holpen For the soules y t are meanely euil whiche are in hell there are also propitiations or mitigations of their paines For after the minde of Austen whom our prayers good dedes profyt either they profytte them y t they may haue full remissioÌ„ of their