Ceremonies of the Monstrous Popish Mass, Part 2 · Chapter 2
A declaration of the abuſe and blaſphemies contayned in this forme of Confeſſion and abſolution. CHAPTER II.
a BEcauſe the Prieſt prepareth him ſelfe to blaſpheme God, & renounce Ieſus Chriſt by the ſaying of his Maſſe: he, for the putting him ſelfe into a good eſtate, for the performing thereof, beginneth with the moſt manifeſt blaſphemies that may be againſt God and his Chriſt, to purge him of his ſinnes: as may appeare by the abſolution that is giuen him, wherein, the merite of Ieſus Chriſt is vtterly renounced: as oftentimes hath beene ſeene.
b In this confeſſion, there are two perſons to play this enterlude, the one is the Confeſſour, and the other he that is confeſſed.
c Who is able to fulfill this commandement, to number all his ſinnes?Pſalm. 19. For it is written, who knoweth all the ſinnes which he hath committed? And therefore Dauid, who ſpake theſe words, beſought the Lorde to purge him from his ſecrete ſinnes, becauſe he knew that it was impoſſible for him to vnderſtand and knowe them, ſo farre was it of from him as to be able to number them all.
d The merite of the paſſion of Ieſus Chriſt is ſufficient for vsus to obtaine pardon & forgiueneſſe of our ſinnes at the hands of God, or elſe it is not. Nowe if it be not, then without all doubt Ieſus Chriſt is not Ieſus Chriſt, to wit, the verie true Sauiour & Redeemer of the Soules of miſerable ſinners. And if he be ſufficient, whie then do theſe blaſphemers, adde in their fourme of abſolution, not only the ſuffrages of our mother holy Churh, but alſo the good deedes of him that maketh his confeſſion: attributing the remiſſion of his ſinnes as well vntounto thē, as vntounto the death of Ieſus Chriſt? What other meaning hauehave they then herein, but to make Ieſus Chriſt no alone Sauiour, but onelie an halfe Sauiour, or the thirde part of a Sauiour? And that we obtaine not remiſſion of our ſinnes, onelyonly by his death, but partly by it, and partly by the ſuffrages of our mother holy Church (which as they tearme them, are called workes of ſupererogation) and partly by the good workes which we our ſelues may do. So that by this meane a ſinner ſhall not be beholden to Ieſus Chriſt, but for the thirde part of his ſaluation, and for the other thirde part, to the Church: by which is chieflie meant, the Prieſts, Monkes, and Friers, and that annointed rabble of ſhauelinges: & by their ſuffrages and prayers, and for the laſt third part euerie man is to fetch it out of the ſhoppe of his owne workes. Thus here we ſee what honour theſe abhominable blaſphemers giuegive vntounto Ieſus Chriſt, and what meanes they vſe topurge them of their ſinnes, who confeſſe them ſelues vntounto their venerable holineſſe.
e In this place they take repentance for ſatisfaction, by which they enioyne ſuch as they hauehave abſolued, that, which they here call, this & this, to wit, whatſoeuer ſhall com in the Cōfeſſors braine: who therwith againe addeth blaſphemy vpō blaſphemie. For, for the firſt, that, which is enioyned him for penance, is taken to be a ſatisfaction for his ſinnes to God ward, which is againe ſet in the roome of the ſatisfaction of Ieſus Chriſt, or at the leaſt to ech it withall, to ſupply the wāt that might be in him, to the end that Ieſus Chriſt ſhould not hauehave all the honor of being our onelyonly Sauiour, but that one part therof might ſtil be atributed to our ſelues, & to our own merits & works. Which thing is expreſſed in that forme which is vſed at Geneua, in this manner. Pro poenitentia ſalutari, vos dicetis ter Pater noſter, vel facietis &c. Iſta poenitentia & meritum paſsionis Ieſu Chriſti, & omnia bona per te facta & facienda tibi valeant ad remiſsionem omnium peccatorum, &c. That is to ſay, You ſhall ſay for your penance three Pater noſters, or do &c. Let this penance, and the merite of the Paſſion of Ieſus Chriſt, and all the good deedes which thou haſt alreadie done & hereafter ſhalt do, be auailable to thee for the remiſſion of thy ſinnes, &c. And beſides, here is a worſe thing then all the reſt, That the works which they enioyne thē to do for ſuch their penance & ſatisfaction, are either full of ſuperſtition & idolatrie, or elſe manifeſt blaſphemies, as to babble and patter ouer certaine Pater noſters, & Aue Maries, before idols, or elſe to offer vp candels vntounto thē, to make thē ſing Maſſes both for the quicke and dead, to go on pilgrimage to make thē buy bulles, & other ſuch like traſh. Here we ſee after what ſort the popiſh Church vſeth to pay & content God, as if a man ſhould ſatisfie the law, for a fault that he had committed againſt the ſame, in paying the penaltie that was ſet vponupon his head by order of lawe, for his offence.
f Here good Maſt Confeſſor, is not contented to announce to the miſerable ſinner which hath confeſſed him ſelfe vntounto him, abſolution & remiſſion of his ſinnes, in the name of Ieſus Chriſt: But ſpeaketh like a Prince, as if Ieſus Chriſt could doe nothing without his Maſtſhip, ſaying, and I for my part, by mine abſolute authority do abſolue thee, &c. And thē forthwith concludeth moſt blaſphemouſly, In the name of the Father, of the Sonne, & of the holy Ghoſt, &c. And therein blaſphemeth the whole Trinitie.