drinke is made fleshe and bloud by the meanes of nature It followeth therfore much more stronglye y t the self nature y t is to saye God is able immediatly to make y e bread should be tourned into hys bodye and y e wine into hys bloud The second miracle is y t the bread is daily transsubstantiated into the bodye of God yet there is no augmentation or increasing in God Reason proueth this thing to be true For al though I know any secret matter which I publish to many although al they thorowe my declaration know it yet in me alone or in my mynd there is neuer the more augmentation for al this The thyrde miracle is y t the body of God is dayly receaued and eaten yet is there made no dimunicion or lesing therof The reason If a thousand candles be lighted at my candle yet is there neuer the lesse light in my candle The widowe of Sarepta also did eate yet was there neuer the lesse meale in her pot nor oyle in her pytcher The fourth miracle is y t the thyng which is indiuisible and can not bee deuided is notwithstanding deuided remayneth whole perfect in euery part of y e sacrament This is proued by reasō In a glasse wherin any thing is represented shewed although it be deuided by parts yet in euery one of thē is y e same thing represented The fift miracle is y t the body of God taken receaued of the wicked is not defiled The reasō is this For neither is the sunne shining vpō fylthy places defiled or made anye thing y t worse The sixt miracle is y t the body of Christ which is the meate of life bringeth death to sinners Reasō proueth this to be true For those meats which ar good wholesome as capons good wine are hurtfull to thē y t are sicke feble in body The seuenth miracle is y t the bodye of Christ being receaued of the priest or of any other y ◠mouth of the receauer being shut is taken vp into heauē Reasō proueth this For Christ came out of the body of the virgine vncorrupt He rose also out of the graue being shut Agayn he came into the house where y e Disciples wer gathered the doores being shut The eyght miracle is y t although the body of Christ bee in comprehensible cannot be measured yet it is contayned in so little an hoste This maye be proued by this reasō Theapple of y e eye which is very little comprehendeth a great thing The ninthe miracle is y t one the self same whole bodye is in diuerse places and is receaued of diuerse at one time The reason For the word of mā also once vttered spokē according to the nature of the voyce is al whole together in y e eares of diuerse Moreouer he y t made the body the place maketh both to be in the one as he willeth Agayne the Moone the Sunne the light are in diuerse places are seene of diuerse The tenth miracle is y t the bread being transubstātiated turned into the substance of y e body of Christ y e accidentes of the bread do remayne y t is to say the weight y e coloure the sauor To shewe a reason in this behalfe by any similitude we can not The leuenth miracle is y t vnder the kinde of bread both is is receaued the body bloud of Christ yea whole Christ. Likewise vnder the kinde of wine is receaued both the body and bloud of Christ. The reason is thys Although at one dinner I eate both before I drinke after yet am I not coūted to dine twice Durand in Rat. If it be demaunded what it is y t the mouse eateth when shee knaweth and byteth the sacrament or what is consumed to ashes when the sacrament is burnt Pope Innocent the thyrd answereth and saith euen as the substance of bread is miraculously turned conuerted into the body of our Lord when it beginneth to be vnder y e sacrament so likewise after a certayn manner miraculously it retourneth and commeth agayne when the same body ceaseth to be there not y t that substance of breade cōmeth agayne which was turned into the fleshe of Christ but in the stead thereof an other thyng miraculouslye is made although suche accidentes might be without a subiecte and so eaten Guilielmus Durandus In. Rat. di offi Libro 4. Both the good and the euil eate the bodye of Christ but the good vnto saluation the euell vnto condemnation For excepte the euill also dyd eate the body of Christ the Apostle woulde not haue sayd He y t eateth vnworthely eateth hys owne damnation bicause he maketh no difference of the Lordes bodye Ibidem But what becommeth of the bodye of Christ when it is receaued and eaten It may be aunswered That if the corporall presence bee sought it muste bee sought in heauen where Christ is sitting on the ryght hand of God Notwithstanding for a tyme he dyd exhibite hys corporal presence y t he myght prouoke allure the Communicantes vnto the spirituall presence Therfore when y e sacrament is holdē tasted and eaten Christ is corporally present in sight in touching in sauour And so long as y e corporal sense is affected the corporal presence is not taken away But after y ◠the corporall sense in receauing fayleth the corporall presence is no more to be soughte but y e spirituall presence is to be retayned For whē y e dispensation is ended Christ goeth frō y e mouth to the heart For it is better that he goeth forth vnto the minde than that he shoulde goe downe vnto the bellye For he is not the meate of the fleshe but of the soule He cōmeth to be eaten not to be cōsumed to be tasted not to be incorporated He is eaten w t the mouth but he is not digested in the stomacke he refresheth the minde but he goeth not oute into the draught Ibidem The host is lifted vp of the priest at masse that the people not comming before the consecratiō but by this knowing that it is done may fal prostrate vpon the groūd worship Christ which is come doun vpō the altare according to this saying of y e Apostle In y e name of Iesus let euery knee bow c. Again that they should honour him with hart mouth as the apostle saith with the hart it is beleued vnto righteousnesse but with the mouth confessiō is made vnto saluation Ibidem Although vnder the kinde of bread y e bloude is receaued w t the body vnder the kinde of wine the body is taken w t the bloud yet after y e minde of pope Innocent the thirde neither the bloud vnder the kinde of bread nor the body vnder the kinde of wine is dronken or eaten For as neither the bloud is eaten nor the body dronken so is
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
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.
penauÌ„ce And Pope Innocent the fourth hath graunted to all the brethreÌ„ of the same Faternitie pardon of all sinnes forgotten of all vowes brokeÌ„ except the vowe vnto the holy land at their latter â—nd remission forgeuenesse of all their sinnes A paena culpa so that to euery brother sister of that Fraternitie being coÌ„fessed absolued their coÌ„fessour may well say on thys manner as it is specified in the printed pardon â–ª Iohn or Ioan â–ª as free I make thee As heart may thinke or eye may see Of this pardon it is also thus written Omnibus in annis qui turbaÌ„t iura Ioannis Ter execrantur damnati iure probantur THe pardoÌ„ grauÌ„ted to the Fraternity of s. Cornelis at Westminster for such as geue any thynge vnto it coÌ„meth in y e yere to MM vii C. ix dayes for euer to endure grauÌ„ted by the holy father in god Thomas of the title of S Cecily Cardinall priest of Rome and Legate Archebyshop of Yorke and Chauncelour of England c. and of diuerse other Cardinalles and Bishops Certayne Popes of Rome haue committed and geuen authoritie power to Priestes hauyng cure and charge of soules to absolue their ghostly childreÌ„ and parishioners the whiche be brethreÌ„ or sistern to y e holy Fraternitie of the sepulchre of our Lord Iesu Christ of all sinnes and crimes either confessed or forgotten of penance not well done Also of vsurye rapine pollynge and pyllyng extortion or other good euell gotten excepte they knowe to whom they ought to make restitution they are absolued And of all manner of offences done to father and mother if they were not done w e laying handes on theÌ„ with violence Also the sentence of cursyng done vnknowingly also of of vowes broken the vowe of Ierusalem signed with the crosse in the body and the vow of Religion with solemnitye professed onely excepted Also priestes and Clarkes that haue made any offence in saying their seruice Also the aforesayd holy Fathers haue graunted to the brethren and sistern of the sayd place the Stations of Rome and the indulgences of the pilgrimages of the holy lande whiche suÌ„me of indulgence is lxxx M. yeres of pardoÌ„ Also our holy father Vrban the fourth of that name hath giuen graunted to all brethern and sisterne of the sayd Fraternitie at the traÌ„slation of Saint Swithein and at the Octaues of the same and at the Natiuitye of our Lorde the Octaues of the same and vpon good Fryday vpon Easter day with the Octaues of the same to be released of the seuenth part of their penaunce foure yeares and foure Lentes of pardon Our sayd holy father willeth also that they that be brethern and sisterne of the said Fraternitie haue ecclesiasticall sepulture without deniall of whatsoeuer death they chauÌ„ce to die except they be opeÌ„ly and by name excommunicate To the Fraternitie or brothehoode of S. Erasmus beside y e deliueraunce of many soules out of y e bitter paynes of purgatorye with innumerable indulgences pardons for them y t be alyue are graunted fiue special gifts singulare benefites Fyrst he shal haue reasonable goodes to his liues ende Secondly his enemies shal haue no power on him Thirdly what lawfull peticion he asketh of God shal be graunted him Fourthly he shall be vnbounde of his tribulation and disease Fyftly at his laste end he shal receaue the blessed body of oure Sauioure Christ Iesu in fourme of bread to his saluation by the gracious prayer peticion of this blessed Martyr S. Erasmus Al these pardoÌ„s indulgences priuileges giftes benefites shal al they haue y t geue any part or porcion of their goodes to y e vpholding and maintaining of the holy place of S. Erasmus Many other raggemans roules could I here haue placed which contayne also innumerable pardons infinite indulgences great giftes singulare priuileges wonderfull liberties maruelous deliuerances spedy remedies of soules out of purgatorye c but these may seme to suffice at thys preseÌ„t For hereof mayest y u euidentlye perceaue what reliques we haue receaued from Rome what good stuffe the popyshe pardoners haue broughte vs in tymes paste froÌ„ y e moste holy father or rather froÌ„ y e romish Antichrist al for money Do what thou wilte liue as y u wilte if money come y u art out of hande made cleane and absolued froÌ„ all thy synnes A paena culpa toties quoties art made as pure faultlesse as y u were in time of thy baptisme so y t now by the vertue of these pardons thou mayest boldelye stand before y â— iudging place of Christ and be free from y e sentence of damnation and in fine be made fellow heyre with Christ of euerlasting saluation But if thou wilte haue the true pardon and remission of thy synnes and be deliuered A paena culpa toties quoties take thys order Fyrst repent thee of thy former lyfe Secondly flee vnto God the Father in the name of hys derely beloued Sonne Christ Iesu our alone Sauioure and Redemer crauyng at his handes with stronge faith mercy and forgeuenesse of thy synnes Thyrdelye take a newe life vnto thee euer desyring strengthe from aboue to walke dayly more and more in the holy wayes of Goddes moste holy lawe If thou do thys doubt thou not but y t thou shalt haue abundauntly vnto the great consolation and comforte of thy soule remission of all thy synnes quietnesse of conscience the gift of the holy Ghost Goddes fauoure grace and mercye and after thys transitorye life euerlastyng lyfe with al heauenly ioye and vnoutspeakeable felicitie yea and that without these Antichristians pardons whiche are nothyng ells than nets for mony deceauings of y e people defacyng of Christes death obscuryngs of Gods free grace very spurres vnto all leudnesse of lyfe and a ryght patheway vnto euerlasting daÌ„nation Heare what god sayth by y e prophet Come to the waters al ye y t be thirstye and ye y t haue no money Come bye y t ye maye haue to eate Come bye wine milke without any money or money worth Wherfore do you lay out your money for the thing y e fedeth you not spende your labour about the thyng y e satisfyeth you not But harken harkeÌ„ rather vnto me and ye shal eate of the beste your soule shall haue her pleasure in plenteousnesse Enclyne your eares come vnto me take hede I say your soules shal liue c. Are not these the wordes of our Sauiour Christ Come vnto me al ye that laboure and are laden and I shall ease you Agayne Let him that is a thyrst come And let who soeuer will take of the water of lyfe freely and without any money Of theÌ„ that wil seke remission of their synnes and pardon of their wicked life or any other spirituall and heauenly gift but only at hys hande
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
vnderstaÌ„d according to y e dignitie and excelleÌ„tnesse of the masse The second vertue is that the holy aungels be glad to be nighe vnto y e person in kepyng hym wheÌ„ he hath heard masse as Dauid sayth god dyd coÌ„mauÌ„d his Aungels to kepe and preserue you in all your wayes and busines The thirde vertue is y t the man beholding with deuotioÌ„ reuereÌ„ce y e holy Sacrament in the masse as S. Austen â—aith god doth geue him y e fame day al thynges necessary for hys body Item vaine wordes vnaduised othes be for geuen pardoned and he is preserued from sodayne death A man doth lese no tyme while that he doth heare masse All the steps in commyng and in goyng be compted of the holy Aungell And if the man dye the same daye that he hath herd masse without receyuyng the Sacrament God shall compt it as spiritually receaued The fourth vertue is that a person beyng in sinne oftetimes in the Masse tyme by the presence of the holye Sacrament doth receaue a good inspiration so that from thenceforth he doth conuert hym from hys sinnes as the good theef vpon the crosse Mary Magedalene afore the feete of our Lord. If they had not bene present with oure Lorde peraduenture they shoulde not haue had pardon of their sinnes The fifte vertue or fruite is that a man hearing masse deuoutly receaueth spiritually the SacrameÌ„t so that he desire it deuoutlye And so it maye chaunce that a man hearyng masse deuoutlye shall obtayne more grace â–ª than the priest whiche doth it For the priest is not alwayes equally well disposed And so may a man euery day receaue the holy Sacrament spiritually â–ª The sixte vertue is that the man hearyng Masse and beyng in the state of grace is partaker of all the masses done thorowout all the worlde And that is more or lesse after as the man is in the loue and fauour of God For it is one of the Articles of the holy Catholike faith as in the Communion of the holy Churche The seuenth vertue is that the prayer of them whiche do heare Massâ— is sooner hearde and accepted of God in the masse tyme than at any other tyme. For then the priest and the holye Aungels which beabout the altare do helpe you to pray The eight vertue is that the soules being in Purgatory whiles y â— the man doth heare Masse and doth pray for theÌ„ haue a singular absolution during the same Masse For there is nothing that doth bryng them so shortly out of the paines of purgatory as to cause to say or to heare deuoutly Masse for them The ninth vertue is that it is better to heare one masse in our life time thaÌ„ to cause an hundred to be sayd or heard for vs after our death And y e it is better that a man cause a masse to be sayd for him in his lyfe than an hundred after his death the reason is this For a maÌ„ may now deserue and merite much with a Masse but not after his death For then he doth only finde y e whiche he hath deserued in his life And hundred thousand masses now done caÌ„ not augment one moment of glory ioye after this time But by a masse whiche I doe heare I may obtayne that I shal not come in Purgatory But after our death the masse deliuereth onely from Purgatorye Is it not better then not to come in purgatory than when a maÌ„ is there to tary and looke for ayde and helpe to be deliuered The tenth vertue is y e a woman hearing masse deuoutly if it chaunce that shee do laboure of childe the same day she shall be deliuered without faulte y e more easely and with lesse payne For the holy Aungels be very busye and diligent about her Therfore al women being with childe if it be possible shall heare masse euery day For by the vertue of the masse y e frute or childe is preserued And they shall put their trust in the sacrament and in oure blessed Ladye the Mother of God and in none other thing The eleuenth vertue is y t al thyng that a maÌ„ doth enterprise after he hath heard masse shall prosper and come to good end agayne y e whiche the man doth eate drinke after he hath heard masse shal profyt more to the necessitye of nature The twelfth vertue is y t if the man die the same day y t he hath heard masse God shal geue hym a singulare grace which otherwyse he shoulde not haue had that is to say that God hymself or his Aungells at the laste houre of hys death shal helpe comfort hym as the man hath serued God at y e masse For it is written in the holy Gospel With what measure ye haue measured with the same also I wil measure you euerlastingly AMEN In the Festiuall also we reade thus concerning this matter S. Austen sayeth y t it profiteth greatlye all Christen people for to heare masse and specially for nyne causes and sayth in this manner of wise Quia illo die quo audierit missam necessaria cibaria conceduntur For that daye y e he heareth a masse he shall fayle no bodily foode or susâ—enaunce nor no necessary thing y t shal be belonging or appertayning vnto hym nor no let ne impediment shall he haue in hys iourney that he hath to goe or ryde whersoeuer he trauayleth The second cause is al venial sinnes be forgeuen hym by the vertue of the masse and idle wordes The thirde is y t if a man die it shall stand hym for hys housell The fourth he shal not y t day lâ—se his syght The fifte al idle othes that daye shal be forgeuen hym The sixt y t nay he shall die no sodain death The seuenth as long as he heareth masse he shall not waxe olde The eyght al hys steppes towarde froÌ„ward the holy church his good Aungel reckeneth to his saluation The nynth al the while y t he beholdeth the blessed sacrament all wicked spirites flee from hym and haue no power ouer him be he neuer so greate a synner In Stella Clericorum concernyng the vertue of y e Masse we finde these wordes Before al remedies wherwith the soules being in purgatory may be holpen the Masse farre excelleth Therefore sayeth Gregorye Oh howe great liuely gifte of God is thys For masse is neuer song or sayd but that two vertuous workes doe concurre and are brought to passe that is to say the coÌ„uersion of one sinner and the deliueraunce of one soule at the least oute of purgatorye Of Councells POpe Marcellus the fyrst made a decree y t no councel myght be lawfully assembled gathered together whether it be general or national without the bishop of Romes consent and assente In the yeare of our Lord. 304. Dift 17. ap Synodum Polydor. Bartholo Carrantza Libro Concil Pope Iulius Pope Damasus Pope Gregory ratifyed the same decree
any other thing Also al thoe that letters purchaseÌ„ in any lords courte that no processe of right may be determined ne iudged in holy churche courte Also al thoe y e bloud drawen of any man or woman in violence or in any other vilonye in churche or in the churchyarde where thorowe y e churche or churchyarde is interdited polluted or suspended And all robbers rouers by day or by night that any maÌ„s good stelen for the whiche goodes a maÌ„ or woman were worthye to heare iudgement And al those that out of houses of holy church graunges personages or vicaries or any maneries of mens of holy church agaynst her will or her kepers wil any maÌ„ner of goodes with violence beren out of holy place church or abbey or any house of religioÌ„ which weren lefte there for sikernesse or succour for to kepe all that therto assenten Also al thoe that withholdeÌ„ a wydow her right or her dowry after her husbandes death or taken her good wrongfully All that procuren or geueÌ„ leue or commaundement any other to flea or to maime or to beate or by any other waye a greue any Ordinarye or iudge of y e lawe in body or in goods Al these aforesayd bene accursed with the greater curse Et cetera Many other pointes also longen vnto this greate sentence but I trowe to God it be no neede to rehearse here no mo Et sic finitur BUt thorowe authoritie of oure Lord God almightye our Lady S. Marye and all Saintes of heauen of all Aungells or Archeaungells Patriarches and Prophetes Euangelists Apostles Martyrs Confessours and Virgines also by y e power of all holy church y t oure Lord Iesu Christ gaue to S. Peter We denounce all thoe accursed y t we haue thus reckned to you And all thoe y e mayntayne hem in her sinnes or geuen hem thereto eyther helpe or councell so that thei bee departed from God and all holye churche and that they haue no parte of the passion of our Lord Iesu Christ ne of no Sacramentes that beene in holye Church ne no parte of the prayers among Christen folke but y e they bee accursed of God and of holy church fro the sole of theyr foote vnto the crowne of her heade sleapyng and wakyng sitting and standing and in all her wordes and in all her workes and but if they haue grace of GOD for to amende hem here in this life for to dwel in the payne of hel for euer withouten ende Fiat Fiat Do to the boke Quenche the candle Ring the bell AMEN AMEN Here folowe certayne Fragmentes of papistrye WE haue tofore heard where we entreated of the Lordes supper howe y e Pope Innocent the thyrde ordayned that the mysterye of Christes bodye otherwise called the sacramental bread should be kepte in churches continuallye vnder locke and keye to the entent to bee in a redinesse at all tymes leaste sayeth he they that are sicke shoulde wante y e spirituall comforte in the troublesome tyme of death Some curious fellowe peraduenture will here demaund why the sacramental wine is not also reserued and hanged vp as well as y â— bread seing Christ gaue thys generall commaundemente and sayde Drinke ye all of thys To thys question aunswereth Guilielmus Durandus saying The bloud of Christ is not reserued and kept for diuerse causes The fyrst is bycause wine which is liquide may easely thorowe negligence be spilt The seconde is bycause y t by the chalice whiche is on Maundye thursdaye receaued the ende of the olde lawe is vnderstanded The third is bicause y e body y t is reserued is not without bloude The fourth is that in y e the bloud is not reserued it is declared y e the olde sacrifice ought to cease For the bread signifyeth the newe testament but the wine signifyeth y e old testament To make euident prâ—se of this matter the Lord when he haâ— dronke sayde Consumatum est It is finished Therfore the chalice is receaued and the bread is reserued bycause the lawe hath now his ende the Gospel hath his beginning The fift cause is bycause Christ at the Lordes supper sayd Uerely I say vnto you I wil not from henceforth drinke any more of this frute of the Uine til I drinke that newe in the kingdome of my father He spake not of the body or of eatyng Yea we fynde that afterwarde he dyd eate part of the broyled fyshe and also of the hony combe but we do not finde that he euer dronke after Durandus in Rat. di off Lib. 6. Cap. 79. No bodye or Corps ought to be buried in the Churche or nigh vnto the place where the body and bloud of the Lorde is made but the bodyes of holye fathers whiche are called Patroni that is to saye defenders whiche thorowe theyr worthye and noble actes defende all the countreye Agayne Byshops and Abbottes and worthye Priestes and laye men whiche be of most highe holynesse As for all other they oughte to be buryed aboute the churche as in the yarde or in the porch or in y e voltes and suche lyke places as are nigh vnto the Churche Durandus in Ratio di off Lib. 1. When any Churche is to be halowed thys order muste be obserued Fyrst all the people muste departe out of the Church and the Deacon must remaine there onely hauyng all the doores shut faste vnto hym The Byshop with the Clergye shall stande withoute before the Churche doore and make holy water mingled with salt In the meane season within the churche there muste be set vp .xii. candles brennyng before xii crosses that are appoynted vppon the churche walles Afterwarde the bishop accompanied with the Clergye people shall goe thrice aboute the church without and the bishop hauing in hys hande a staffe with a bunche of Ysope on the ende shall with the same cast holy water vpon y e church walles and at euery time the bishop shal come vnto y e church dore strike y e threshold therof with his Crossierstaffe and say Tollite portas Principes vestras et eleuamiâ—i portae aeternales et introibit Rex gloriae That is Lifte vp your gates O ye Princes and be ye lyfte vp O ye euerlasting gates the King of glorye shal enter in Then shal the Deacon or minister that is within saye Quis est iste Rex gloriae That is Who is thys king of glorye To whom the Byshop shall aunswere and saye Dominus fortis et potens Dominus potens in praelio That is It is the Lord strong and mightie eueÌ„ y e Lord mightye in battayle At y e third time the Deacon shall open the church doore and the Byshop shall enter into the churche accompanied with a fewe ministers the clergye and the people abiding still without Entring into the church the Byshop shall saye Pax huiâ— domui That is Peace be vnto thys house And afterward the Bishop with