legendi evangelium...tam pro vivis, quam pro defunctis": "Receive thou power to read the gospel, as well for the quick as for the dead." Therefore M. Harding, so earnestly denying this, denieth the manifest and known truth, and defaceth the credit of his own doctors. To conclude, I may well say as before, that M. Harding, having nothing to allege touching the matter that lieth between us, and instead thereof filling up his papers with matters impertinent, of prayer and sacrifice, hath somewhat abused the patience of his reader, and shewed him one thing for another. [ Pontifical. Rom. Antv. 1627. De Ord. Diac. p. 39; where accipite.] 13 [JEWEL, II.] OF APPLICATION. THE NINETEENTH ARTICLE. THE BISHOP OF SARISBURY. OR that the priest had then authority to apply the virtue of Christ's death and passion to any man by mean1 of the mass. [OF THE APPLICATION OF THE BENEFITS OF CHRIST'S DEATH TO OTHERS BY MEAN OF PRAYER IN THE MASS.-ARTICLE XIX. H.A. 1564.] M. HARDING. The virtue of Christ's death and passion is grace and remission of sins, the appeasing of God's wrath, the reconciliation of us to God, deliverance from the devil, hell, and everlasting damnation. Our adversaries, imputing to us as though we said and taught that the priest applieth this virtue, effect, and merit of Christ's death to any man by the mean of the mass, either (232) belie us of ignorance, or slander us of hundred and malice. Verily we say not so. Neither doth the priest apply the virtue The two thirty-second priest pre- merits of Christ by mean of his appear. What applieth in the mass. of Christ's passion to any man by the mean of the mass. He doth but the priest unto us It is God, and none other, that applieth to us remission of sin: the priest doth mass, as shall but pray for it, and, by the commemoration of his Son's death, moveth him to apply: so as all that the priest doth is but by way of petition and prayer, leaving all power and authority of applying to God; which prayer is to be believed to be of most force and efficacy when it is worthily and devoutly made in the mass, in the which the priest beareth the person of the whole church, and offereth his prayer in the sacrifice, wherein the church offereth Christ, and itself through Christ to God. Which his The two hun- (233) prayer and devout service he beseecheth to be offered up by the hands of angels dred and unto the high altar of God, in the sight of the divine Majesty. Of what strength For the priest prayer made at the mass is, the holy bishop and martyr St Cyprian witnesseth (that prayeth that in all his books never once named the mass) where he saith: "In the sermon. De Christ may presence of this sacrament tears crave not in vain, and the sacrifice of a by the hands contrite heart is never denied his request2." untruth. the body of of angels. 1 Sam. vi. THE BISHOP OF SARISBURY. Cana Dom. Neither have we of ignorance belied M. Harding's doctrine, nor have we of malice slandered it, but plainly and truly have reported the same; even as both he and his late doctors have taught it, and as the people in the church of Rome hath every where received it at their hands. But like as in old times God commanded the Philistines to offer up golden mice and golden hæmoroids, to be kept for ever in record, and to witness against them in what sort they had been plagued for their wickedness, if at any time they should happen afterward to deny it; even so hath God specially provided that the monuments of our adversaries' old errors, whereof they seem now to be ashamed, should still remain in sure record, even in their own doctors' books, to [By the mean, H. A. 1564.] [2 In hujus præsentia non supervacua mendicant lacrymæ veniam, nec unquam patitur contriti cordis holocaustum repulsam.-Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682. De Con. Dom. (Arnold.) p. 43.] witness against them if they should happen, as now, upon mislike, utterly to disclaim and deny the same, and to force them to confess that they are the children of them that have deceived the people. Lect. For, whereas M. Harding, amongst many other words wherewith he laboureth to shadow and to darken the case, saith, "It is God only, and none other, that applieth unto us the death of Christ and the remission of our sins;" Johannes Scotus, one of his most famous and most catholic doctors, saith plainly the contrary: Non solus Deus distribuit virtutem sacrificii, sed sacerdos quoque3: "Not Quodlib. " Quæst. 20. only God distributeth or applieth the virtue of the sacrifice, but the priest also." And Gabriel Biel, another of M. Harding's doctors, in like sort saith: "The force Biel. Lect. 26. and effect of the sacrifice is distributed and applied, not only by God, but also by the priest." "Only" and "not only" imply a contradiction: if the one be true, the other of necessity must be false. Again Biel saith: Sacerdotis est deter- Biel. in ead. minare virtutem sacrificii, ut his vel illis indigentibus præmium reddendum per hujusmodi ecclesia sacrificia conferatur: "It is the priest's office to determine and limit the virtue of the sacrifice, that the meed that is given by such sacrifices of the church may be applied to these or them that stand in need." Which thing he proveth by sufficient example in this wise: "As the pope, by right of his supremacy, hath power to divide the treasure of the church (whereby he meaneth his pardons), giving unto some full remission of all their sins, and dispensing with some other for the third part of their pains, and granting unto some pardon for certain number of days or years, as he seeth it may be most expedient for the devotion of the people; even so," saith he, "may the priest dispense and divide ut illi vel the merits of the church, and apply the same to this man or that man, as he shall ill possit. applicare. think it may stand him in some stead?." in Miss. In Summa Angelica it is written thus: "The mass is available unto them unto Sum. Angel. whomsoever it pleaseth the priest to apply it by his intentions." And again: Missa respectu operis operati, &c.9: "The mass, in respect of the work that is wrought, is nothing else but the applying of the merits 10 of Christ's passion." Valent. in I Corp. Christ. 3. So Vincentius de Valentia, a notable catholic schoolman of M. Harding's side: Virgo Maria solum semel aperuit cœlum, &c.11: "The virgin Mary never but once Vinc. de opened heaven; but the priest openeth it every day and at every mass." Doctor Serm. de Holcot saith: Quid est celebrare missam principaliter pro aliquo? R. Est applicare Holcot, in iv. missam Johanni, quod sit quædam satisfactio apud Deum pro anima Johannis, si Sent. Quæst. indigeat 12: "What is it to say mass principally for any man?" He answereth: "It is the applying of the mass unto John, to be a certain satisfaction for him before God, if John stand in need of it." And withal he moveth a great doubt, In ead. whether the priest may apply one mass to two several men, and nevertheless Quæst. satisfy for them both 18. And Biel saith that certain, the better to help the priest's memory, taught him to apply his mass throughout all the cases of declension; as for example, nomi- Biel. Lect. 26. nativo, a mass for himself;" genitivo, "a mass for his father and mother;" dativo, [3... quod bonum ibi virtute sacrificii communicandum, non solum Deus distribuat, sed aliquis minister in ecclesia.-Joan. Duns Scot. Op. Lugd. 1639. Quodlib. Quæst. xx. Art. ii. Tom. XII. p. 524.] [...bonum in virtute sacrificii communicandum non solus Deus distribuat: sed aliquis minister in ecclesia. Gab. Biel. Can. Miss. Expos. Basil. 1515. Lect. xxvi. fol. 49.] [3...etiam ipsius est virtutem sacrificii et oblationis determinare: ut illis vel illis indigentibus præmium reddendum pro hujusmodi ecclesiæ sacrificio conferatur. Id. ibid.] [For a certain, 1565.] [ Unde sicut papa ratione supremitatis potestatem habet dispensandi thesaurum ecclesiæ, conferendo nunc plenissimam remissionem peccatorum, nunc partem tertiam pœnarum auferendo, nunc certi numeri dierum vel annorum indulgentiam conferendo secundum quod viderit ecclesiæ unitati et populorum devotioni expedire... ita et in proposito recipit quili bet sacerdos potestatem ex ritu et institutione eccle- [8 valet specialiter si sunt in statu gratiæ illis qui faciunt eam dicere pro se; vel quibus prædicti vel sacerdos per intentionem applicant. - Clavas. Summ. Angel. Argent. 1513. Missa 52. fol. 208. 2.] [... missa respectu operis operati nihil aliud est quam applicatio meriti passionis Christi. Id. ibid.] [10 Merit, 1565, 1609.] [ Vincent. Sermon. Estiv. Antv. 1572. In Fest. Corp. Christ. Serm. i. p. 322. This author proceeds: sed sacerdos quolibet die, et in qualibet missa.] [12...expono quid voco missam celebrare principaliter pro aliquo. et videtur mihi quod celebrare principaliter est applicare, &c.-R. Holkot sup. Quat. Libr. Sentent. Lugd. 1497. Lib. IV. Quæst. iii. fol. n.] [13 Id. ibid. foll. m. viii. n.] 1 John v. August. in Expos. Inch. ad Rom. a mass for his founders or benefactors;" accusativo, "a mass for his enemies or accusers;" vocativo, "a mass for sinners and infidels;" ablativo, "a mass for his backbiters and slanderers'." Of these things M. Harding seemeth now to be ashamed, notwithstanding it were of late the catholic and general doctrine of his church, universally taught by Holcot in England, by Vincentius in Spain, by Biel in France, by Angelus in Italy, or rather by all these and all others through the whole church of Rome. Hereof grew such merchandise and sale of masses, that the house of God was become a den of thieves. Therefore M. Harding, having no other defence for all these follies, but only to cast off all that can be said of our side as malicious and ignorant surmises, sheweth himself little to have considered the state of his own church, and in the impatience of his heats to speak against us what him liketh, and so to spice his error both with ignorance and with malice. But for resolution hereof, and some short satisfaction of the reader, it behoveth us to understand that it is not the priest, but God only it is, that applieth unto each man the remission of his sins in the blood of Christ; not by mean of the mass, but only by the mean of faith. St John saith: "He that believeth in the Son of God hath a witness in himself." St Augustine saith: Holocaustum dominicæ passionis... eo tempore offert [unus]quisque pro peccatis suis, quo ejusdem passionis fide dedicatur2: "Then doth every man offer the sacrifice of Christ's passion for himself, when he is dedicated in the faith of Christ's passion." So saith the old learned father Origen: Siclo sancto comparandus est nobis Christus, &c.3: “With the holy sicle we must buy Christ, that may put away our sins. The holy sicle beareth the form of our faith. For, if thou bring faith as the price, thou Orig. in Epist. shalt receive the remission of thy sins." Likewise again he saith: Christus factus est hostia et propitiatio pro peccatis. Quæ propitiatio ad unumquemque venit per viam fidei: "Christ is made the sacrifice and propitiation for sin. Which propitiation cometh (or is applied) to each man (not by the mass, but) by the way of faith." Orig. in Levit. Hom. 3. ad Rom Lib. iii. cap. iii. This is the most certain and undoubted application of the merits and death of Christ. St Paul saith: "God hath set Christ to be our reconciler through faith by the mediation of his blood." [Unde quidam ex ordine sex casuum grammaticalis declinationis nominum, quasi magis celebranti noto, ordinem memorandorum tradiderunt: ut a nominativo sive a recto qui primus est casuum. i. a seipso sacerdos a quo ordinata caritas incipit vivorum memoriam exordiatur. Secundo genitivi. i. pro genitorum parentum ac propinquorum carnalium et spiritualium subdat memoriam. Tertio dativi. i. fundatorum patronorum offerentium ac benefactorum a quibus temporalia receperunt. Quarto accusativi. i. inimicorum: nam accusativus ex vocabuli interpretatione casus est adversariorum ... Quinto vocativi. i. errantium infidelium et peccatorum... Sexto ablativi. i. eorum quibus bona animæ, corporis, aut famæ abstulimus, occasionem damni spiritualis aut temporalis dedimus.-Gab. Biel. Can. Miss. Expos. Basil. 1515. Lect. xxvi. fol. 51.] [2 August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. Epist. ad Rom. Expos. Inch. 19. Tom. III. Pars II. col. 937. See before, page 737, note 18.] [3 Siclo igitur sancto comparandus nobis est Christus, qui peccata nostra dissolvat. Siclus sanctus fidei nostræ formam tenet. Si enim fidem obtuleris tanquam pretium...remissionem accipies peccatorum. - Orig. Op. Par. 1733-59. In Levit. Hom. iii. 8. Tom. II. p. 198.] [* Secundum hoc ergo quod hostia est, profusione sanguinis sui propitiatio efficitur in eo quod dat remissionem præcedentium delictorum: quæ tamen propitiatio ad unumquemque credentium per viam fidei venit.-Id. Comm. in Epist. ad Rom. Lib. 111. cap. iii. 8. Tom. IV. p. 515.] OF OPUS OPERATUM. THE TWENTIETH ARTICLE. THE BISHOP OF SARISBURY. OR that it was then thought a sound doctrine to teach the people that the mass, ex opere operato, that is, even for that it is said and done, is able to remove any part of our sins3. [OF OPUS OPERATUM, WHAT IT IS, AND WHETHER IT REMOVE SIN.ARTICLE XX. H.A. 1564.] M. HARDING. THE FIRST DIVISION. dred and untruth. been so shall appear. dred and untruth. Indeed the doctrine uttered in this article is false, and derogatory to the glory of our Saviour Christ. For thereby the honour of Christ's sacrifice, whereby he hath once satisfied for the sins of all, should be transferred to the work of the priest, which were great wickedness and detestable blasphemy. And therefore we will not require M. Jewel to yield and subscribe unto this article. For we grant this was never thought a sound doctrine within six hundred years of Christ's ascension, nor shall be so thought within six thousand years after the same, of any man of sound belief. (234) Neither hath it been at any time taught in the catholic church, howsoever it The two hunliketh our adversaries to charge the scholastical doctors with the slanderous report thirty-fourth of the contrary. For it is Christ only, and none other thing, that is able to remove for it hath our sins; and that hath he done by the sacrifice of his body once done upon the cross. taught and Of which sacrifice, once performed upon the cross with shedding of his blood, this so used, as it unbloody sacrifice of the altar, which is the daily sacrifice of the church, commonly called the mass, is a sampler and a commemoration, (235) in the which we have the The two hunsame body that hanged on the cross. [Neither is it a sampler or commemoration thirty-fifth only, but the self-same sacrifice which was offered on the cross: a sampler or com- For Chrysomemoration in respect of the manner, for that it is done without blood-shedding; stomath the self-same, for that the thing which is offered is the same that was offered on the sacris]...non cross.] And whereas we have nothing of ourselves that we may offer up acceptable pus Christi, to God, we offer this his Son's body as a most acceptable sacrifice, beseeching him rium corpoPsal. Lizziv.7 to look not upon our worthiness, our act or work, but upon the face of Christ his dear Son, and for his sake to have mercy upon us. How the mass is And in this respect we doubt not this blessed sacrifice of the mass to vailable ex opere be vailable and effectual ex opere operato, that is, not as M. Jewel interpreteth, for that the mass is said and done, referring opus operatum to the act of the priest, not so; but for the work wrought itself, which God himself worketh by the ministry of the priest, without respect had to his merit or act, which is the body and blood of Christ, [whose breaking and shedding is in this mystical sacrifice, so far as the Holy Ghost hath thought expedient for man's behoof, represented, shewed, and recommended to memory.] Which [body and blood], when it is (236) according to The two hunhis commandment offered up to God, is, not in regard of our work, but of itself and thirty-sixth of the holy institution of his only-begotten Son, a most acceptable sacrifice unto 10 him, both for quick and dead, * where there is no stop nor let to the contrary on the behalf of the receiver. The dead, I mean such only as through faith have recom- mandmen operato. [3 Sin, H. A. 1564.] 6 [ The passages between brackets do not appear in H. A. 1564. They are in H. A. 1565.] [This reference first appears in H. A. 1565.] ...verum cor sed myste ris ejus con tinetur." In Op. Imperf. dred and untruth. For chri Christ never gave such com joined with [ Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718-38. Op. Imperf. in For the dead Matt. ex cap. v. Hom. xi. Tom. VI. p. lxiii.] [ His most dear, H. A. 1564.] [10 To, H. A. 1564.] can make no stop. |