The Relics of Rome, Part 34
Of the dignitie and power of the Massing Priest, and of the honour that is due vntounto hym, be he good or bad.
PRiestes are worthye to be honoured of all men, for the dignitie,Math, xviii whiche they hauehave of GOD. For God hath geuen them power to bynde and to loose, as it is written: Whatsoeuer ye shall bynde vponupon earth, shall also be bounde in heauen. And whatsoeuer ye shall losen vppon earth,The massing prieste compared to Mary ye Virgine. Note wel this iuglīg 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. Luke i. Math. xxvi.And as whole Christ immediatly after the consent of Mary, was in her wombe: so lykewyse immediatly after ye pronunciation of ye wordes of consecration, the breade is transsubstātiated & turned into ye true body of Christ. Secondly as the blessed Virgine after shee had broughte forth Christ, dyd beare hym in her handes, & layde hym in ye maunger: so likewyse ye 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 ye blessed Virgine was sāctifyed in ye wombe, before she conceaued Christ: so likewise ye priest receaueth orders & is annoynted, before he consecrateth.
For without taking orders he could consecrate nothing: and therfore a layman 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,A massing priest is more excellent than an Aungel. Note. yt the dignitie of priests after a certayne manner doth farre excel the dignitie of Angels. For power to make ye body of Christ is geuē 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 vntounto hym. Ambrose therefore also sayth writing vponupon Luke:Priests ar to be honored aboue all Kyngs. Doubte thou not, but yt the Angels are there present, when Christ is present vponupon the altare: so yt 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 ye 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.Nine dignityes of priestes. The fyrst dignitye of priestes. Iere .i.
Fyrst, Priestes are aboue all Kynges and Princes of the earth, as God sayeth by Ieremye: I hauehave 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, yt 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, yt there is no Prince so greate, whiche doth not bowe downe hys necke in confession to the Prieste, and humble hymselfe before the priest as before God, being in dede Goddes vicare. Therefore God oute of hands exalted the Priestes aboue al men, and aboue all creatures, as a certaine Doctor sayth, speakyng of Priestes. Although by nature ye bee men: yet in dignitye ye excell all men. Agayne: A Prieste is hygher than Kynges, more blessed and happye than Aungells, and the maker of hys maker.
Secondly, The second dignitye of priestes.God hath honoured them in temporall thinges. For those thinges, which God reserued vntounto himself, that is to say, the tenthes, ye offerings, the fyrst frutes, and the other Patrimonyes of Christe crucifyed, he hath freely geuen to ye priests for the sustentation and mainteinaunce of their body, that they being free from laboure (when other mē must nedes worke for their liuing) may ye more quietly serue God in spirituall thinges.
Thyrdly, God hath honoured them in geuing them suche immunities,The thirde dignitye of priestes. priuileges, liberties, and fredomes, that no earthlye Prince hath iurisdiction ouer them, neither king, neither Prince, neither any other seculare mā: no neither dare any man lay violente hande vponupon them, no, not vppon the lessest of ye order. For whosoeuer doth the contrary, he is excommunicate with the greater excommunication eo facto, both in heauen and in earth. Uerely God doth so defend thē, yt none dare trouble thē eyther in worde or in deede, insomuche yt whatsoeuer displeasure is done vntounto any of them he thynketh it to be done to hymselfe, as the Lorde hymselfe sayeth by ye Prophete Zacharye:Zacha 2. He ye toucheth you, toucheth the apple of myne eye.Psal. 105. Agayne in the Psalme he sayeth: touch not myne annoynted: so yt priests are not to bee molested so muche as with a worde, but they ar to be honoured, as the Lorde sayde to Moses and Aaron: I wil blesse them ye blesse you, and curse them that curse you. In consideration wherof, the priestes and mē of the church are priuileged insomuche that whosoeuer doe make, or cause to bee made or to be kepte any statutes, that bee agaynste the libertyes of the priestes and men of the Clergye, they are strayght wayes excommunicate & accursed. Item, no worldely Prince dare make exactions vppon the Clergye: neyther dare any man aske any kynde of paymentes, or take any thing of the Clergye: For if he doe, he is out of hande excommunicate, neyther can he be absolued from the aforesayd excommunication, excepte he make restitution at the full.
Fourthly, The fourth dignitie of Priests.God hath honored the priestes in that he hath committed vntounto them the soules of the faythfull, that is to say, the holy Churche of the whiche Chrisostome saith: The church is more honourable than heauen, and the aungels, & all other creatures. Christ hath loued the Churche more than himselfe for whose sake he came downe from heauen into this world, and serued for it xxxiii. yeares, and at the laste suffred bitter death for it, and doth nowe geue vntounto it his body for meate, & his bloud for drinke, and after this life he geueth himselfe vntounto it for a rewarde. Moreouer he hath committed thys welbeloued Churche to priestes with all the giftes, that is to say the Sacramentes. For the order of priesthood onelyonly hath power to baptise, except it be in necessitie, at whiche tyme it is lawefull for eueryevery man and woman to baptise. Also he alone hath aucthoritie to minister the Sacrament of confirmation. Item, the priest alone hathe power to heare confession, to geue absolution, and to enioyne penaunce, accordynge to this saying of Christ: take the holy Ghost: whose sinnes ye forgeue they are forgeuen them:Iohn. 20. but whose synnes ye do retayne, they are retayned. Itē, he alone hath power to minister the Sacramēt of extreme vnction.Math. 5. &c. In this incomprehensible dignitye God hath singularely honoured them aboue all other men. Ye are that lyght of the worlde, sayth he. For as the worlde shoulde be nothynge without lyght euen so is the Churche nothyng without priestes.
Fiftly, God hath honored thē in this, that he hath streightly charged all men to be obedient vntounto them, as vntounto him selfe, of what condition or state so euer they be,Luke. 10. as he sayth: He that heareth you, heareth me: and he that despiseth you, despiseth me. Whatsoeuer is not lawefull (sayth Austen) it is the shepheardes office to forbyd, and the duty of the flock, to heare and to obey. Therfore all men muste obey the Priestes euen as Christ, when they commaunde them to faste, to kepe holy day. &c. Therfore the Lorde threatneth them that are disobedient and rebell agaynst the commaundement of Priestes, saying: he that is proude,Deut. 17. and will not obey the commaundement of the Priest, let hym dye the death. An example hereof hauehave we in Dathan, Nume. 16.Abiron, and Chore, whiche rebelled agaynste Moses and Aaron, and therefore the earth opened, and swalowed them vp quick.
Sixtly, God hath honored them by giuyng them power to bynde and to loosen,The sixte dignitie of priestes. Math. 18. as it is written: Whatsoeuer ye shall binde vponupon the earth. &c. This power of binding and losoning is vnderstande one waye of excommunication, whiche is the spirituall swearde: and it is greatly to be feared. An other way this power is to be vnderstand of the absolution of sinnes. Therfore the Bishop whē he maketh priestes, bloweth and breatheth vponupon them, saying: Take the holy Ghost. &c.
Seuenthly, Iohn. 20.God hath honored them in that they are called aungels in the scriptures.The seuenth dignitye of priestes. The office of Aungels▪ Therefore sayth Gregory: All that are termed by the name of a priest, are called Aungels. But wherefore are they called aungels. Verelye bicause they hauehave certayne properties with the angels. First, bicause it is the office of aungels to minister vntounto God and vntounto men, as the Apostle saith: All Aūgels are ministring spirits. So likewise is it the dutye of priestes to serue God day & night,Hebr. 1. and to minister vntounto men, with the Sacramentes. Secondly, bicause an aungell is pure in lyfe: so in lyke maner ought eueryevery priest to be chast and pure in his life and conuersation.To lyue chaste is an Aungelyke lyfe. For to liue chast, is an aungelike life, as Ambrose saith: they that are not maried, nor do mary, are as aungels in earth. Damascen sayth: Abstinence from mariage is the folowyng of aungels. Thyrdly, it is the office of Aungels to enforme and instructe men by good inspiration. So likewise is it the priestes duty to do by the word of god. Fourthly, it is ye duty of aungels to prayse god so likewise are the priestes bounde vnderunder payne of deadly synne to say eueryday, theyr mattens, prime, and houres, euen …ong. &c. vntounto the prayse of God.
The eyght dignitie of Priestes.Eyghtly, God hath honored ye priests in this, that they are in some poyntes like to the most blessed virgine Mary. First, as the most blessed virgin Mary did conceaue thorowe fyue wordes the true body of Christ, Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum, so likewise the priest thorow fiue words.Luke. 1. Math. 18. Hoc est enim corpus meū maketh the body of 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, secōdly, 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 vntounto the sicke, and handleth him with his handes. Thirdly, as the blessed virgine was sāctified in her wombe,Psal. 46. before she conceaued Christ, as it is written: The most high hath sāctified his tabernacle: so in like manner the priest receaueth holye orders, before he cōsecrateth: 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.
The ninth dignitie of priestes.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 vponupon 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 vntounto them from euerlastyng death. But an Aungell hath but one soule committed vntounto hym for to kepe, as Bernarde testifieth: Great is the dignitie of soules, that eueryevery one of them euen from the very tyme of their birth, shoulde hauehave an aungel appointed for to kepe them. Secondly, in taking and touchyng the body of Christ. The angels doe but see God,Math. 18. The priest maketh God, hādleth God, and cateth 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 Aūgell: for he doth but see God, but the priest handleth hym, yea and eateth him, which was neuer giuē 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 onelyonly 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 vntounto him. Likewyse saith Ambrose vpō Luke: Doubt thou not, but that Aungels are there presēt when Christ is present on the altare, & whē he is offered: so yt Christ may well say to eueryevery priest, yt which is writtē in Esay:Esay. 5. What coulde I hauehave done, more for thee, & hauehave not done it? Furthermore we must know, that euerye mā is boūd to honour priests, seing ye god himself hath so many & sundry waies garnished & beautified thē 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 vponupon the fourth commaundement saith: Wo be vntounto them and euerlasting damnation hangeth ouer their heades, that do dishonour priestes, speake euill of them, diffame & backbite them:Against the backbiters of Priests. for they crucifie the Sonne of God againe. For so often as thou backbitest or …laundrest a religious person or priest: so often dost thou put a crowne of thorne vponupon Christes head: For they are the head & vpper parte of the Churche militante. So often as thou doest any displeasure vntounto them: so often dost thou fasten Christ with nayles to the crosse. So often as thou raylest vponupon 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 yu thrust Christ vntounto 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,Num. xvi… suffered, whom the earth dyd swalowe vp quicke, bycause they dyd mysuse the Priestes. Of these thynges aforesayde it euidentlye appeareth, yt 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 ye 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 remēber your selues, and consider well ye noble priuilege of your dignitye.
Althoughe glasse bee made of vyle matter and stuffe,A similitude to set forth ye dignitie of priestes. yet is it reproued & founde to be more clere than golde and siluer, so likewise eueryevery 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 ye creatures yt are. Ye are (sayeth S. Peter speakyng to priestes) a chosen generation,i. Peter. ii 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 ye father and ye sonne, and ye holy ghoste doth so maruelouslye worke by you, yt 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 yt is on hym: the Aungelike highnesse is in great admiration. What then shall I priest geue agayne vntounto 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 onelyonly ordained you before al other people, but he hath also made you passing all other creatures which he hath created vntounto the prayse and glorye of his name, &c.
Sauyng ye 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 of the Aungels hath God geuen that, whiche he hath geuen to the priest?Math, xvi 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 mē, but to Priestes alone, and to their successoures.Of forgeuing sinnes 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:Luke. xvi. Iohn. xi. Loose hym and let hym go. But wherfore dyd not the Lorde hymselfe loosen hym from yt knots of the byndings, which had losoned hym frō ye 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 vntounto hym by the course of nature, than the Disciples of ye 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 ye 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 hauehave not thys power ex merito: yet hauehave they it ex officio dignitatis. And if any priest …e vnworthye (which god forbid) yt 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,Priestes i… … incōparable. saith Bernard, hath god geuen to you? How great and excellent is ye prerogatiue of ye priestes order? He hath preferred you aboue the Kynges of ye 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.Hebr. ii. For as he toke not Aungels but Abrahams sede to bryng to passe redemption: so lykewyse hath he committed ye consecration of his body and bloude, not to Aungells, but to men, that is to saye, to priestes only.
Seing then, yt a priest is of so greate dignitie, yt 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, yt 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 onelyonly, &c. For on the altare thorowe the mouthe and the handes of ye 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 ye most high thinges,The Massing priest is here called Christ. …, Pet. ii. when Christ handleth Christ, ye priest, ye 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 ye the Lord hath geuē vntounto thē passing al other, so greate grace and honoure in the worlde.
Ex lib cui titulus est. Stella Clericorum.