The Relics of Rome, Part 61
Of the vertues of the Masse.
THe masse hath xii. vertues,The .xii. vertues of the masse. 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, yt 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 ye space of ye same masse, O what may be then deserue, which doth heare eueryevery 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 eueryevery daye? O what shall it greue you, that ye hauehave lost so muche? This ye shal vnderstād according to ye dignitie and excellētnesse of the masse.
The second vertue is,Psal. 9… that the holy aungels be glad to be nighe vntounto ye person in kepyng hym, whē he hath heard masse as Dauid sayth, god dyd cōmaūd his Aungels to kepe and preserue you in all your wayes and busines.
The thirde vertue is, yt the man beholding with deuotiō & reuerēce ye holy Sacrament in the masse as S. Austen …aith, god doth geue him ye 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,Luke. xxiii Luke. vii. doth receaue a good inspiration, so that from thenceforth he doth conuert hym from hys sinnes: as the good theef vponupon the crosse, Mary Magedalene afore the feete of our Lord. If they had not bene present with oure Lorde peraduenture they shoulde not hauehave had pardon of their sinnes.
The fifte vertue or fruite is, that a man hearing masse deuoutly, receaueth spiritually the Sacramēt, so that he desire it deuoutlye. And so it maye chaunce, that a man hearyng masse deuoutlye, shall obtayne more grace▪ than the priest whiche doth it. For the priest is not alwayes equally well disposed. And so may a man eueryevery day receaue the holy Sacrament spiritually▪
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 louelove 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 Mass… 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• the man doth heare Masse, and doth pray for thē hauehave 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, thā to cause an hundred to be sayd or heard for vsus after our death. And ye 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 mā may now deserue and merite much with a Masse, but not after his death. For then he doth only finde ye, whiche he hath deserued in his life. And hundred thousand masses now done, cā 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 onelyonly from Purgatorye. Is it not better then, not to come in purgatory, than when a mā is there, to tary and looke for ayde and helpe to be deliuered.
The tenth vertue is, ye a woman hearing masse deuoutly, if it chaunce, that shee do laboure of childe the same day, she shall be deliuered without faulte ye 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 eueryevery day. For by the vertue of the masse, ye 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, yt al thyng that a mā doth enterprise after he hath heard masse, shall prosper and come to good end: agayne, ye whiche the man doth eate & drinke after he hath heard masse, shal profyt more to the necessitye of nature.
The twelfth vertue is, yt if the man die the same day yt he hath heard masse God shal geue hym a singulare grace, which otherwyse he shoulde not hauehave 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 ye masse. For it is written in the holy Gospel: With what measure ye hauehave measured:Math. vii. with the same also I wil measure you euerlastingly. AMEN.
The vertues of the masse out of y• Festiual.In the Festiuall also we reade thus concerning this matter. S. Austen sayeth, yt 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 ye he heareth a masse, he shall fayle no bodily foode or sus…enaunce, nor no necessary thing yt shal be belonging or appertayning vntounto hym, nor no let ne impediment shall he hauehave 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, yt if a man die: it shall stand hym for hys housell.
The fourth, he shal not yt day l…se his syght.
The fifte, al idle othes that daye shal be forgeuen hym.
The sixt, yt 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 & frōward the holy church, his good Aungel reckeneth to his saluation.
The nynth, al the while yt he beholdeth the blessed sacrament, all wicked spirites flee from hym, and hauehave no power ouer him, be he neuer so greate a synner.
In Stella Clericorum concernyng the vertue of ye Masse,The vertue of the masse out of Stella Clericorum, 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 cō uersion of one sinner, and the deliueraunce of one soule at the least oute of purgatorye.