solemnly carried about in procession: and have brought the Sacraments of
Christ to be used now as a stage play and a solemn sight: to the end,
that men's eyes should be fed with nothing else but with mad gazings and
foolish gauds, in the self-same matter, wherein the death of Christ ought
diligently to be beaten into our hearts, and wherein also the mysteries
of our redemption ought with all holiness and reverence to be executed.

Besides, where they say, and sometimes do persuade fools, that they are
able by their masses to distribute and apply unto men's commodity all the
merits of Christ's death, yea, although many times the parties think
nothing of the matter, and understand full little what is done, this is a
mockery, an heathenish fancy, and a very toy. For it is our faith that
applieth the death and cross of Christ to our benefit, and not the act of
the massing priest. "Faith had in the Sacraments," saith Augustine,
"doth justify, and not the Sacraments." And Origen saith, "Christ is the
Priest, the Propitiation, and Sacrifice: which Propitiation cometh to
every one by means of faith." So that by this reckoning, we say that the
Sacraments of Christ without faith do not once profit these that be
alive; a great deal less do they profit those that be dead.

And as for their brags they are wont to make of their purgatory, though
we know it is not a thing so very late risen amongst them, yet is it no
better than a blockish and an old wives' device. Augustine, indeed,
sometime saith, there is such a certain place: sometime he denieth not,
but there may be such a one; sometime he doubteth; sometime again he
utterly denieth it to be, and thinketh that men are therein deceived by a
certain natural good will they bear their friends departed. But yet of
this one error hath there grown up such a harvest of these mass-mongers,
the masses being sold abroad commonly in every corner, the temples of God
became shops to get money: and silly souls were persuaded that nothing