Some Questions, with Answers Made to Them by the Bishops of Worcester’, Chichester: And
The Question
Wnuar or wherein John’s fasting, giving alms, being baptized, ment of thanks in. England, doth profit and avail Thomas dwelling Ape knowing what John in England doth? 210—212.
The Answer
The distance of place doth not let nor hinder the spiritual communion another; so that John and Thomas, wheresoever they be, far and sundry, ” lively members of Christ, receive either of other’s goodness some commodity; wherein, is unsearchable, and only pertaineth to the knowledge of God.
The Question
Whether the said acts i John do profit them that be in
The Answer
Gaudium est in celo super uno peccatore panitentiam agente, &c.
The Question
Whether it lieth in the said John to defraud any member… ᾿ς — the benefit of his fasting, alms-deeds, baptism, or receiving of apply the same benefit to one person more than to another?
The Answer
Charity defraudeth no man of any such benefit that might come to him; to apply the same, and not in any man, otherwise than by desire and prayer; is, the more available his prayer is to them for whom he especially prayeth.
The Question
What thing is the presentation of the body and blood of Christ you call the oblation and sacrifice of Christ? and wherein standeth or words? and in what act, gesture, or words?
The Answer
The presentation, &c. standeth in such words, prayers, supplications, and at the mass, having the body and blood of Christ there present in the sacrament.
The Question
Is there any rite or prayer not expressed in the scripture commanded at the first institution of the mass, which we be what the same be?
The Answer
That Christ used rites and prayers at the institution and distribution of declareth: but what rites and prayers they were, we know not; but I think rites and prayers as the catholie church hath, and doth uniformly observe.
[! Nicholas Heath. Vide p. 66, n. 1.]! whom these three bishops agreed.” Vid. Strype’s [? George Day.]! Corrections of Burnet’s Hist. of Reformat. Vol. III. [? John Skyp.]! Part 11. p. 521.] [^ «This paper is all in Bonner’s hand, with [5 Dr Jenkyns omits the word that.""]]
The Question
Whether in the primitive church there were any priests that lived by saying of mass, matins, and even-song, and praying for souls only? And whether any such state of priesthood be allowed in the scripture, or be meet to be allowed now?
The Answer
There were priests in the primitive church which preached not, but exercised themselves in prayer for the quick and the dead, and other spiritual ministrations in the church, and accustomably used common prayers both morning and evening; and such state of priesthood is not against the scripture.
The Question
For what cause it were not expedient nor convenient to have the whole mass in English 2
The Answer
This question is answered by Dionyse and Basil De Spiritu Sancto; and also an uniformity of all churches in that thing is to be kept.
Further Questions? in reply to the above Answers.]
If you cannot tell what or wherein the acts of John can profit Thomas, being so far distant from him, that he can never hear of him; why do you then affirm that to be true, which you cannot tell how, nor wherein it can be true? Whether our prayers for all the souls departed do profit the apostles, prophets, and martyrs? Whether they know all the acts of every man here in earth; and if not, how do they rejoice of those good acts which they know not? Whether our evil deeds do them hurt, as our good deeds profit them? Whether the presentation of the body and blood of Christ in the mass do stand in all the words and actions that the priest useth in the mass? [And if not, then in which of them it standeth? Whether we may change those rites and ceremonies of the mass,] which now we do use? Whereby is it known that in the primitive church were priests which preached not? Why may we not as well alter the mass into the English tongue, or alter the ceremonies of the same, as we alter the communion to be under both kinds, which in other churches is uniformly ministered to the people under one kind, seeing that the uniformity of all churches requireth not more the uniformity in one than in the other?
[5 Another copy of the above Questions, cor- ment first begin, and by whom?”]
[rected by Cranmer, is found in the Lambeth MSS., Question.]
[written by a clerk,” to which are added the two “What time began the use to hang up the same]
[following of the original questions, as well as an- in the Church, and by whom?”]
[other, to which no reply has yet been found extant. [7 Burnet has not given these queries, which are Question. printed from the Lambeth MSS., and are called by]
[What time did the honouring of the same first Strype a reply by Cranmer.” Burnet’s Hist. of]
[begin, and by whom, and what proofs there is Reformat. Vol. III. Part 11. p. 549.]]
[thereof?” Vid. p. 151, Quest. 10.] [8 Strype omits this passage, which is found Question. both in the Lambeth MSS. and in Burnet.]
[What time did the use of reserving the Sacra-]
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