of his might turne from theime but if they doo bicause there is suche affinity betwixt both theire teachings and this of theires may seeme allwaies to haue bene ioyned to that extreme faulshod of the others then shall Goddes Churche stille protest the faithe of her children by praiers and practise for the deade bothe by the example of the fathers in Christes Churche vnder the gospel and by the facte of worthy Iudas in the lawe before But nowe their answer must be here that this booke by which I haue vrged theime so farre shal be no scripture And this is the isshue of haeresye lo. These meÌ„ that lightely writhe and wreaste Goddes worde Heretikes deny scriptures from all true meaning to the maintenaunce of theire matter being forther charged by euidence of the wordes when other conuenient shifte can not be founde they are driuen to refuse vtterly the sacred canonicall scripture of God for notwithstanding theire perpetuall bragges of scripture yet there can no scripture houlde theime but they will ether find a fonde shifte to lowse it or elles a shamefull stoutnes vtterly to brast and breake it They first seeke by suttelty to vnfasten the bonde of Goddes trueth which is euery waie so enwrapped with the testimonies of holy scripture theÌ„ as they can not woorke by wiles they bouldely brast the bandes in sonder Thus when for misconstruing of this plane assertion of the booke of Machabeis they can conuey no fit meaninge they are driuen to harde shiftes and vnseemely to deny the whole booke to be scripture and therfore in matters of quaestion of no authoritye In which pointe the authoritye of the Iewes mouethe theime more in denying the bookes to be in the canoÌ„ of goddes scripture then the decree of the holy Church for the approuing of the same to be scripture But S. Hierom thoughe he confesse the Iewes not to allowe theime In prol mach Though against a Ievve or an heretike they coulde not proue any article of faithe nether then nor novve by them Ca. 48. yet is boulde to recken theyme emongest the bookes of the holy histories not measuring they re authority by the canon of the Haebrues but by the ruele of Christiane councells The Canons of the Apostles will chaleng theyme froÌ„ the Iewes and haeretikes to be scripture stille Innocentius the first in his rehersall of diuine bookes noombrethe these of the histories of the Machabees also the councell of Carthage the third authorisheth theime S. Augustine in his bookes Ca. 47. De doctrina Christiana Li. 2. Cap. numbring all canonicall scriptures with the reste reciteth these also Off which bookes in the xviij Cap. 36. of the Citie of God he thus forther testifiethe Ab hoc tempore apud Iudaeos restituto templo non reges sed principes fuerunt vsque ad Aristobulum quorum supputatio temporum non in scripturis sanctis quae Canonicae appellantur sed in alijs inuenitur in quibus sunt Machabaeorum libri quos non Iudaei sed Ecclesia pro Canonicis habet From this time he meanethe after the history of Esdras there was no kinges butt chiefe gouernours after the restitution and repaire of the temple till Aristoâ—ulus time of all which time there is no chronikle nor counte in the scriptures which be Canonicall but in other that be extant we finde that supplied as in the bookes of Machabeis which bookes allthoughe the Iewes doo not yet the Churche of God counteth for canonicall scripture But what shoulde we stande in this point the whole Churche of God and euery part or prouince therof euery lerned doctour and vertuouse Christen man hathe receiued and alowed theime for scripture â–ª the which constant and perpetuall iudgement of the Churche of Christe if any man refuse lett him be aestemed an Ethnike Or bicause he defendeth the Iewes authority ageinst the determination of Christes Churche lett him be at this time accompted for a Iewe. And yet I thinke he ouer shooteth theime herein for they confesse the historye to be trewe allthough not holy scripture nether haue they founde any suche erroure of doctrine therein conteined as he doth And as for the auncient Christian writers and famouse doctours they alleage euen that place to proue the lawfull praier for Christian soules departed whereby these felowes take occasion to saie it is no scripture at all As godly Damascenus in these woordes Scitis enim quid dicat scriptura quomodo Iudas ille Machabaeus in Syon Ciuitate regis magni vt cognouit populum sibi subiectum à Palestinis hostibus occisum scrutatione facta inuenta idola in sinibus eorum statim pro vnoquoque eorum ad dominum qui ad misericordiam facilis paratus est munera propitiatoria obtulit sane ob summam religionem fraternamque charitatem In lib. pro defunc in hoc facinore vt in omnibus alijs a diuinissima scriptura magnificus admirabilis habebatur Yowe knowe saithe he what the scripture reportethe how that worthy Iudas Machabaeus of Syon the City of the great kinge after he vnderstode certeine of his subiectes to haue bene slaine of the Palestines his enemies and searche being made had founde in thyire lappes idols streght waies offered to God who is muche inclined to mercy for euery of his souldiars so slaine propitiatory oblations â–ª who suerly for that acte as proceding off wonderfull religioÌ„ and brotherly loue and in all other affaires is of the holy writte aestemed mighty and meruelous Longe before this writer did sanct Augustine vse the same booke and text of Machabeis De eura pro mort agenda to proue the praiers and sacrifice for the departed in peace In the booke of Machabes saith he we reade that sacrifice was offered for the deade But yf it were in none of the oulde scriptures redde at all yet the authority of the vniuersall Churche which for this poynt is playne were af no smaule force whereby it is prouided that in the prayers which be made at the altare by the prest to our lord god the commemoration of the deade shall haue theire place Thus by these auncient authors bothe the bookes be approued the text it felfe for which oure aduersaries vnworthely denied the boke alleaged for the same purpose and the doctrine so sure that yf no scripture coulde be fowde it woulde beare out it self against all faulshod But this doctor handleth Pelagius the haeretique denyng the booke of wisdom to be scripture bicause there was a sentence oute of the fourthe chapter therof broght against his wicked doctrine euen as he shulde be and as these wranglers in the like case must be The place well marked shall serue our turne when so euer we heare theime so impudently reiecte scriptures bicause they impugne theire haeresies which elles shulde be as good scriptures as any booke of the Bible yf they ether would make with theime or by any crafty colouring not playnely make againste
theime Thus he saieth Augustines ansvver to Pelagius denying scripture for that it made against his haeresy Nec ideo liber sapientiae qui tanta numerositate annorum legi meruit in ecclesia Christi pati debet iniuriam quoniam resistit eis qui pro meritis hominum falluntur rursus omnibus hic liber tractatoribus anteponendus quoniam sibi eum anteposuerunt etiaÌ„ teÌ„poribus apostoloruÌ„ proximi egregij tractatores qui euÌ„ testeÌ„ adhibeÌ„tes nihil se adhibere nisi diuinum testimonium crediderunt in englishe thus It is no reason that the boke of wisdom which so many worlde 's together hathe bene worthy the reading in the Church of Christe shoulde nowe receiue suche wronge at oure handes bicause it plainely resisteth these felowes that exalt mannes merites aboue goddes grace And agayne this booke is of more authoritye then all thexpositours in the worlde for the noble writers hard by the apostles time did muche preferre this booke before theyme selues who alleaging the testimony of that scripture doubted not but they vsed thereby the witnesse of goddes holy worde Euen so must we tel oure masters that it were plaine wrong to discredet the history of the Machabies which hathe bene in our Bible euer sithe Christes time for holy scripture bicause it hathe an euident testimonie against their faulse beleefe concerning the state of the soules departed which booke is not onely better to be beleued then all Caluins faulse gloses but of more authoritye then all holy expositors Owte of whiche booke bothe S. Augustine and others many haue vsed proofe of their matters as of the testimonie of sacred and holy scripture But oure aduersarye learned not this practise of Pelagius onely for it is an oulder sore and a common sicknes to al deuisers of deulishe doctrine as the skyllfull in the Churchies affaires maye acknouledge For sum there were that other wise could not vphoulde haeresy but by the vtter denial of all the oulde Testament as Carpocrates Ceuerus Manicheus Augusti de haeresib 24. haeres Tertul. de praescrip Iren. cap. 26. libr. 1. Euseb eccles histor libr. 4. De haeresi ad quod vult deum 30. heresi But Marcion and Cerdon reiect al together sauing Lukes gospel Nowe Cerinthus and Ebion make counte of none of all the euangelicall histories but the gospell of Matthewe Cerinthus againe and Seuerus woulde haue robbed the churche of the actes of thapostles A secte called Alogiani do refuse the gospell of S. Iohn with thapocalipse Martine Illiricus Caluine and theire companions that no man being but an haeretique shoulde euer oute pricke theime will shoulder with the proudest and lifte out of our bibles the bookes of Machabies with S. Iames Epistle and more when more nede requirethe The wich epistle as allso the epistles of Iohn and Iudas were once doubted of not as conteining any matter wherof the truethe was vncerteyne but as bookes not knowen to be of lyke force as canonicall scripture in the impugning of haeresies or confirming articles of belefe as al workes be til goddes Church haue published they re authoritye The Churches vse in confiâ—matioÌ„ or publishing off the canonical scripture and declared all thinges in theime conteined to be of the same credet that the spirite of god is and of gospel like truethe And by that authority of the churche what booke so euer be allowed thoughe it was not so taken before yet nowe we muste needes accept it sicut vere est verbum dei as the very worde of God And so be these canonicall epistles and bookes of machabaeis as before is declared Here nowe euery man may learne that it is a very daungerous matter to geue lesse creditt to any of these bookes or wauer in any point of faithe writen in theime for suche felowes iudgements that nowe emongest theime haue lefte vs nether oulde nor newe Testament Suche stubborne bowldenesse hadd these willfull men in manteynaunce of mischeuouse doctrine Whose open impudencie was counted handsom conueyaunce of they re scholers and adherents which were very many notwithstanding the catholike Christian men in all agies bothe meruailed and lamented thiere blyndnes And yet doubtlesse it is not much to be woondered at to see that man flatly forsake the scripture of God who is not abasshed to refuse and condemne that sense and vnderstanding of the scripture whiche the whole churche with all her lerned meÌ„ haue euer alowed and counted most holye Well by the strengthe of this pillare we haue chalenged and saued hetherto for all the barking of bandogges the scripture of God with the knoune meaning thereof And so I trust we shall doo stille from the newe aduersaries by the assured promesse of thassistance of Goddes holy spirite which shall leade vs not onely to the true canonicall scriptures with the sense of the same but allso gyde vs in all trueth necessary for oure saluation Let euery man therefore here take hede how he doubtethe of the knoweÌ„ and certayne sense that the Church of Christe by decree of councell or consent of doctors applieth to any scripture least by mistrusting the sayde sense he go forward vnaduisedly from open deniall of the commoÌ„ A necessary vvarning to fownde a priuat meaning of his owne in the stubborn defense wherof when he shall agaynst the truethe malipertly stande he goeth vnloockely forwarde and at th eÌ„d blasphemously reiectethe the blessed worde and sacred scripture of God as we haue proued the auncyent enimies of truethe to haue doon and as in these newe sect maisters we may to our great dolor see Yet lo eueÌ„ these are they that in all agyes as Vincentius saith flye in they re taulke and teachinge ouer the lawe the prophets the psalmes the gospell That crye oute of pottes and pulpittes nothing but goddes worde the booke of the lorde the testament of Iesus Christ Paule scripture as it may be supposed and as in th ende it is proued to dryue owte of doores Paule scripture Testament and Christ too and not to bring in to the peoples heades or hearts the feare and loue of God the holsom preceptes of Paules heauenly preachinge nor the true meaning of any scripture Who being vrged will rather credet a minstrelles ballat then the Machabeis or best booke in the bible But nowe yowe may see that whiles these meÌ„ thought to saue theyr credets by miscredetting the scripture thy haue wroght so wiesely that they haue lost theyr owne credets bothe in this poynt and in all other for euer And as they hoped by deniall of scripture too cloke theyr erroure they haue woon to theime selues the property of an haeretike by open shewe of they re owne folye That the funeralles of the Patriarches bothe in the lavve of nature and Moyses and Christe had practise in theime for the reliefe of the soules departed Cap. 4. NOwe therfore I haue greate hope to trust so muche of all studiouse readers for that loue whiche they
but yet for answhering in summe parte of goddes iustice and perfecte purging of the same sinfull lyefe past oute of all doubte sharply pounishable for these thinges I say and for the stirring vppe of the feare of God in my selfe VVhy this treatise vvas taken in hande the helpe of the simple the defense of the truethe and thabbatyng of this greate rage of sinne and haeresy I thought good to geue warninge moued theruÌ„to by my freÌ„d also to all suche as be not theyme selues hable to searche owte the trueth of these matters of that temporall or transitory poonishment whiche god of iustice hathe ordeyned in the other worlde for suche as woulde not iudge theime selues and praeuent his heuy hand whieles they here lyeued oure forefathers more then a thousand yere sence cauled it Purgatory The truethe and certeyne doctrine wherof I truste throughe goddes gooddnesse so clearely to proue The mattâ—â—â—he first booke that the aduersary be he neuer so greate wythe the deuil shall neuer be able to make any likly excuse of his infidelitye The argument oâ— the secoÌ„d booke And that so doone I shall bothe open and prooue the meanes whiche the Churche of God hathe euer proffitably vsed for the release of her children from the same punishment to be soueraing good and comfortable for the faithfull soules departed And here I heartely pray the gentle reader who so euer thou be that shall fynd iust occasion vndoubtedly to belieue this article of necessary doctryne euer constantly set forthe by the grauest authority that may be in earthe that as thowe faithfully belieues it so thowe perpetually in respecte of the day of that dreadfull visitation studye withe feare and tremblyng to woorke thy saluation Lett that be for euer the difference betwixte the vnfructefull faithe of an heretique and the proffitable belyefe of the true Catholike Christiane that this may woorke assured paenaunce to perpetuall saluation and his vayne praesumption to euerlasting damnation And thoughe the matter whiche I haue taken in hande be nothing fitte for the diet of suche delicate men as haue bene broght vppe vnder the pleasaunt preaching of oure dayes yet perchaunce chaunge of diett withe the sharpenesse of this eagre sawse were iff they coulde beare it muche more agreehable to theire weake stoomaches Truethe was euer bitter Cyp. epist. 3. li. 5. and faulshood flattering For th one by praesent payne procurethe perpetuall welthe thother throughe deceytefull swhetnes woorkethe euerlasting woe But as for these pleasure preachers theyme selues bicause I feare me they haue indented with deathe and shaked handes withe helle what so euer may be saide in this case they wil yet spourne withe the wordes of the wicked Isai 28. Flagellum inundans cum transierit non veniet super nos quia posuimus mendacium spem nostram mendacio protecti sumus Toushe the common scourge when it passethe ouer shall not tutche vs for we haue made lying oure suckoure and by lying are we guarded Yet when the light of the Apostolike traditioÌ„ shal dase theire eyes and the force of goddes truethe beare doune theire bouldnes theire oune blacke afflicted conscience by inwarde acknowledginge that truethe whiche they openly withstande shall so horribly torment theire mindes that denieng purgatory they shal thinke theym selues a lieue in hell But gentle readers pray for theyme with teares Prayer is thonely remedy ageinst vvil full blindnes that god of his mighty grace woulde stricke they re fleshe with his feare And if my poore payne withe the prayers of vs al coulde tourne any one of theime all from the way of wickednesse it woulde recompense doubtlesse summe of our sinnes and couer a nuÌ„bre of my misdeedes And euer whilest we leyue let vs praise God that in this tyme of temptation he hathe not suffered vs to faule as oure sinnes haue deserued in to the misery of these forsakers To whome if I speake sometymes in this treatise more sharplye then my costume or nature requirethe the zele of truethe and iust indignation towardes haeresie with the exaÌ„ple of oure forefathers must be my excuse and warraunt I will be as plaine for the vnlearneds sakes as I may and the matter suffer And therefore nowe at the first I will open the very grounde as neare as I can of so necessary an article that the ignoraÌ„ce of any one piece may not darken the whole cause Desiring the studious to reade the whole discourse bicause euery peculiare pointe so ioyntly dependethe of the residewe that the knouledge of one ordrely giueth light to al the other And so the whole together I trust shal reasonably satisfye his desire THAT OFTEN AFTER oure sinnes be forgiuen by the sacrament of poenaunce there remainethe summe due of temporall pounishement for the satisfying of goddes iustice and som recompense of the offensies past Cap. 1. AS it is most true and the very grounde of al Christian comforte Ephes 1. Haeb. 9. that Christes deathe hathe payed duely and sufficyently for the sinnes of all the worlde August Euch. cap. 65. by that abundant price of redemption paied vpon the Crosse So it is of lyke crediet to all faithful that no man was euer partaker of this singulare benefite but in the knotte and vnity off his body misticall whiche is the churche To the membres wherof the streames of his holy blodde and beames off his grace for the remission of sinne and sanctification be ordrely throughe the blessed Sacraments as condethes of goddes mercy conueyde All whiche Sacraments though they be instituted and vsed as meanes to deriue Christes benefites Marke the grounde of the cause and bestowe his grace of redemption vppon the worthy receiuers yett lyke effecte or force is not by the meaning of they re first author and institutour employed vppon all receiuers nor gieuen to all the Sacraments That may welâ— appeare iff we marke the exceding abundant mercy that is powred vppon all men at theire first incorporation and entraunce into the housholde of the faithfull by Baptisme In whiche sacrament the merites of oure masters deathe be so fully and largely caried downe for the remission of sinne that were the liefe before neuer so loden withe most horrible offensyes that in this misery man may commit yet the offender is not onely pardoned of the same but also perfectly acquieted for euer of all payne or pounishement other then the common miseries of mankind whiche his propper offenlyes before committed by any meanes might deserue And no lesse free nowe then the childe after baptisme which onely originall sinne brought thether So saithe S. Ambrose by these wordes Gratia Dei in Baptismate noÌ„ quaerit gemituÌ„ Super vndec cap. ad Rom. aut planctum aut opus aliquod nisi soluÌ„ ex corde professioneÌ„ The grace of God in Baptisme requirethe nether sorowe nor mourning â–ª nor any other woorke but onely an hearty profession of thy faith Whereby he meaneth that after oure sinnes
thowe so careful for wasting away in thy purgation what shal become of vs where all is drosse and no fine substance so continual sinning and so little sauluyng where the dignity of priesthood wherby thowe conceiued suche comforth is almost worn away his feare was so harty and his meditation of purgatory paines was so ernest that he conceyuith a doubt in respecte of his desertes of wasting away and further castinge in to damnation though he knewe right wel that man admitted to the temporall iudgement of the next worlde coulde not euerlastingly perishe but bicause the paines of the one is so lyke the other the greefe of theime bothe lightly occupieth mannes mynde at once especially where mannes case is doubtefull and often deserueth the worse of the twayne So S. Augustine lykewise after that he had vttered his feare of helle in the prophet Dauids person as I sayde once before streght he adioynethe his request vnto God to saue him from Purgatory paines by the Prophets wordes allso I will recyte his mynd in English In psal 37. O Lorde amend me not in thy anger but pourge me in this lyfe that I may escape the Amending fire whiche is praepared for suche as shall be saued throughe fire And why but bicause they buylde vpon the foundation woodde hay and strawe ▪ men might builde goulde siluer and praeciouse stones and so escape bothe the fyres th one off aeternall poonishment for the wicked and the other whiche shall correct theyme that must be saued through fyre But nowe bicause we reade that he surely shal be saued Note here Christian reader vvhether S. Augustin doubted of purgatory as the lying and vnlerned aduersaryes vvoulde make the simple people belieue therfore that fier is not much regarded And yet let theime be boulde of this that though they be saued by fier it shall yet be more fearse and greuous then any thing that man may susteine in this liefe thoughe bothe Martirs and malefactours haue suffered straunge tormentes Againe in an other place the same holy doctoure vttereth the like saing Whiche I will repeate also that the worlde may behowld the vniust dealing of the contrary part De vera falsae poeniten Cap. 18. that in the booke of theire excuse why they departed owte of the Churche they call it theire Apologie be not ashamed to auouche that S. Augustine sometimes denyed and sometimes doubted of Purgatory Thus he writeth then ageinst suche deceiuers and for the defense of him selfe and the Churches faithe Sed si etiam sic conuersus euadat vitam viuat non moriatur non tamen promittimus quod euadet omnem poenam Nam prius purgandus est igne purgationis qui in aliud saeculum distulit fructum conuersionis Hic autem ignis etsi aeternus non sit miro tamen modo est grauis excellit enim omnem poenam quam vnquam passus est aliquis in hac vita Nunquam enim in carne inuenta est tanta poena licet mirabilia passi sunt martyres multi nequiter iniqui tanta sustinueruut supplicia Studeat ergo quilibet sic delicta corrigere vt post moreem non oporteat talem poenam tolerare Yff a sinner saith he by his conuersion escape death and obteine liefe yet for all that I can not promesse him that he shal escape all paine or poonishmēt For he that differred the fructes of repentaunce till the next liefe must be perfyted in Purgatory fier And this fire I tell yowe thoughe it be not euerlasting yet it is passing greuous for it dooth farre excede all paine that man may suffer in this lyefe Neuer grefe in this flesh coulde be so greate as it thoughe Martirs haue abiden straunge tormentes and the worst sort of wicked men exceding greate poonishments Therfore let euery man so correcte his owne faultes that after his deathe he may escape that pityfull payne So farre S. Augustine By whom we see not only the trueth of our our Catholike doctrine lyuely and vehemently set forth butt to the greate feare of vs all the weght of Goddes sentence and the paine of that vntolerable poonishment as the Churche of his time taught and beleued to passe all mortall and transitory wo in the worlde Wherof The paines of purgatory hath bene reueled to many holy persons it hathe pleaced allmighty God sometimes to geue man a taste by calling summe one or other aboue the common rase of nature oute of this mortall liefe and speedy restoring him from the state of the departed to the company of the lyuing againe Whiche worke thoughe it be straunge in nature thought vnlykely to misbeleuers and contemned of such as woulde extinguishe the spirite of God 1. Tessal 5. yet it hath ben the vsuall practise sence the beginning of oure faithe and religion off the holy Gost so to trade mannes fraylty in faithe and feare of Goddes Iudgements Somtimes the liuing is in traunce or sodden chaunge by Goddes omnipotency taken vppe to the vewe as it weare of the vnspeakeable treasures of the praepared ioyes or extreme calamities of the world to coom So was the Apostle S. Paule he could not tell how him self 2. Cor. 12. called to the behoulding of Goddes maiesty and mysteries vnspeakeable Apocal. 20 So was S. Iohn in spirit caused oftē to behould and praesently in a maner to see not only the affayires of goddes Church til the worldes end but also the happy Seate of the lābe the aeternal ioy of thelect and the euerlasting lake of the damned with the infinite sorowe of all the forsaken sorte And so haue many one sith that time in the same spirite had a praesent taste of all those iudgements whiche by any meanes through the vnsercheable ordinaunce of God be praepared for sinners Ecclesi 46 1. Reg. 28. Sometimes also by the same force of the Spirite the departed haue appeared emongest the lieue as Samuel the prophet to king Saul vttering thinges to coom Or if that were not Samuel him self bicause that practise of vnlawfull artes may be thought not conuenient for the procuring of the Prophettes owne persons appirition Matth. 17. yet Moyses was in dede personally praesent with Christ in the Mounte at his trāsfiguration And as he at Christes cal came frō the dead owte of the bousom of Abrahā so did Elias at the same time coom frō Paradise as S. Augustin affirmeth and wer both conuersant and in talk with Christ and in the sight of the Apostles at once frō whense they departed att Christes appointement Intercourse betvvixt the liue and dead though it be not ordinary yet it is not impossible to theire seuerall abode and rest againe Whereuppon the same holy doctoure confesseth that these rare and meruelous workes of god though they folow not the common order of nature yet they be nether impossible nor vnpractised in Christes Churche Alij sunt saith he limites humanarum rerum alia diuinarū signa
turne home to vs ageine I my selfe seeke no further credit at thy hādes but as a reporter of the antiquity But the scripture requireth thy obedience the Churche whiche can not be deceyued clameth thy consent all the owlde fathers woulde haue the ioyne with theime in they re constāt belefe Yf thow did once feele what grace and giftes were In populo graui ecclesia magna in the graue people and greate Churche as the Prophett termeth Goddes howse or coulde conceiue the conforte that we poore wretchies receiue daily by discipline and perfect remission of oure sinnes which can no where but in this howse be profitably healed thowe wouldest forsake I am sure all wordely welthe and wantons abrode to ioyne with oure Churche ageine And that the name of the Church deceiue the not this is the true Churche saith Lactantius In qua est religio Lib. 4. Cap. 30. de sap confessio poenitentia quae peccata vulnera quibus est subiecta inbecillitas carnis salubriter curat In whiche deuotion confessiō and poenaūce wherby the woūdes of mānes frailty are profitably cured be founde FINIS PRIORIS LIBRI THE SECONDE BOOKE INTREATING OF THE PRAYERS AND OTHER ORDINARY reliefe that the Church of Christ procureth for the soules departed THE PREFACE OF THIS Booke vvherein the matter of the treatise and the ordre of the Authors proceading be briefely opened WE haue now taried very longe in the consideration of Goddes iustice and mighty scourge not only for the euerlasting outcastes but also for the exacte trial of the chosen childrens wayes The behoulding whereof must neades ingender som sorowe and sadnesse of minde and with all as it commonly happeth in oure frailety a certaine bitter taediousnesse bothe in the writer and the reader 2. Cor. 7. thoughe for my parte I will say with S. Paule that it greueth me neuer a whit that I haue in my tallke geuen yowe occasion of sadnesse being assured that this praesent grefe may woorke perfect poenaunce to vndoubted saluation But the wearinesse of that roughe part which might bothe by the weight of the matter and allso by my rude handeling quickely arise to the studious reader I shall in this booke wholy wype away not by arte or pleasaunt fall of wordes whiche in plaine dealing is not much requisite but by the singulare comforte of oure cause In the continuall course whereof we shall ioy more and more at the behoulding of Goddes passing mercy in remission of sinnes and mitigation of the paines whiche iustice enioyned For nowe we must talke howe the fyry sworde of Goddes ire may be turned from his people Whiche Ambros as one of the fathers truely saide beareth a great shewe of vengeaunce and iudgement bicause it is named a fyry sworde but yet knowē withall to be a tourning sword that is gladius versatilis Rupert in 3. c. Genes it shall geue greate cause of comforte againe O sapientes saith deuoute Damascene ad vos loquor scrutamini erudimini quia plurimus est timor Dei domini omnium sed multò amplior bonitas formidabiles quidem minae In orat pro defunctis incomparabilis autem clementia horrenda quidem supplicia ineffabile autem miserationum suarum pelagus Thus he speaketh of Purgatory and mercy O yowe of the wise sorte to yowe doo I speake searche and learne A comparison off the mercy and iudgement off God tovvardes the soules in Purgatory ▪ and that mercy is more that the feare of God the Lorde of all thinges is maruailous muche but his goodnesse farre ouerreacheth it His threatning exceding feareful but his clemency vncōparable the praepared poonishmēts doubtlesse horrible but the bottōlesse sea of his mercies is vnspeakable so saide he Therfore if our sinnes forgeuen were neuer so greuous or oure vicious lyfe so farre wasted in idle welth that space of fructefull poenaunce and opportunity of well woorking by the nightes approching and oure Lordes sodden calling be taken away in whiche longe differring of oure amendement heuy and sore execution must neades for iustice sake be done yet lett vs not mistrust but God measureth his iudgement with clemency and hath ordeined meanes to procure mercy and mitigate that sentēce euē in the middest of that fyry doongion that the vessels of grace and the redemed flocke may worthely sing bothe mercy and iudgement to oure gracious God who in his angre forgetteth not to haue compassion nether withdraweth his pity in the middest of his ire Psal 76. For this imprisonment endureth no longer then our debtes be paide this fyre wasteth no further then it findeth matter to consume this discriet and wise flame as som of the fathers before termed it chastiseth no lōger thē it hath cause to correcte Yea oftē before this fyre by course of iustice can cease God quencheth it with his sonnes bloude recompenseth the residew by oure maisters merittes The motions off Goddes mercy In releasing or mitigation of the payne of Purgatory and accepteth the carefull crie of oure moother the Churche for her children in paine The memorie off Christes death liuely and effectually settfourth in the soueraigne misteries vpon the Altare in earth entereth vpp to the praesence of his seate and procureth pardon in heauen aboue The merites of all sanctes the praier of the faithefull the woorkes of the charitable bothe earnestly aske and vndoubtedly finde mercye and grace at his hande For of suche the Prophet Dauid asketh Nunquid in aeternum proijciet Deus aut continebit in ira sua misericordias suas Psal 76. Will God caste theime awaye for euer or will he shutte vpp his mercy when he is angrie No he wil not Li. 1. de poenit Cap. 1. so saith S. Ambrose Deus quos proijcit non in aeternum proijcit God casteth of many whome he doothe not euerlastingly forsake Then let vs seeke the wayes of this so mercyfull a Lorde that we may take singulare comforte therin oure selues agaynst the day of oure accompte and indeuour mercyfully to helpe oure deare bretherne so afflicted lest if we vse not compassion towardes theime we iustly receyue at Goddes hande for the rewarde of oure vnmercyfulnesse iudgement and iustice with owte mercy The cruell aduersary of man kynde as before he wrought his woorste against Purgatory so here he busely pricketh forward the schoole of protestantes to improue to theire owne vtter damnation and the notable hinderaunce of oure louing bretherns saluation all suche meanes as God by scripture or other testimony of his worde hathe reueled to be proffitable for thabating of payne or the release of the apoynted poonishment in that place of temporal tormente to com Against whiche deceiuers I meane by Goddes helpe in this ordre to trauel First I will proue that sinnes may be pardoned or the debt and bond thereof released in the next worlde then I shal shewe what meanes the holy scripture approueth or thexample thereof a
beare vnto truethe that they wyll geue credet to the manifest wordes off scriptur which so plainely do set forthe not onely the benefite that arisethe to the departed by prayers but allso witnesse that there was practise at Hierusalem by oblation and sacrifice for the same purpose by ordre of their lawe Iudas folovved the ordre of the Churche and not praescribed to the Churche any nevv sacrifice or caeremony For otherwise would that good knight so higly commended neuer haue praesumed to bring in any superstiouse new vsage contrary to the rule of that churche nether woulde the priestes at Hierusalem haue offered for the deade with owt contradiction vnder the gouernemēt of so good a bisshop nether would the Author of the booke vpon so light a beginning haue praysed the facte or otherwise made mention of it then as of a newe diuise of the same mā Whom I doubt not therfor rather to haue folowed the continuall coostom of the Churche then to haue inuented any newe vnknowne ordre of his owne Wich may wel appeare at this day by the ceremonyes and sacrificies of the owlde lawe De vniuersa indeorū fide recitatura Grappero in lib. de Eucharist yet superstiously obserued emongest the dispersed Iewes where emōgest other rites of their lawe they offer and make solemne supplication for the soules departed as Antonius Margarita a Iew that forsooke his profession and became Christian witnesseth in a booke that he made of the faithe of the Iewes Where he reportethe owte of they re sacrifice this prayer Deus Animarum fidelium recordetur in paradisum cum Abraham Isaac Iacob alijsque integerrimis sanctis collocet that is Lord remembre the faythfull soules and place theyme in paradise wyth Abraham Isaac and Iacob and other thy perfecte sanctes and holy men And for that purpose they haue a memoriall booke as he saith owte of which the names of the departed are yerely recyted But we muche neede not his report herin for that may well appeare to haue bene vsed long before Iudas Machabeus his dayes For what other thinge dothe that long mourning fasting charitable releuing of the poore and other commō afflictions whiche men tooke vpon theime at the obites of theire frendes and fathers as well in the lawe of nature as afterwarde continually in Moyses time what elles can they meane but perpetuall practise for the rest of theire soules Genes 23. Looke howe religiously Abraham celebrated the rites of his wiues funerall whiche the scripture calleth Officium funeris the office of the Burial which he fullfilled by weeping and lamentation made ouer the corps Nether can I thinke that the office and iuste funeralls stoude in mourning or sorowing with oute praying or other remedies of reliefe towardes the departed seeing especially that office off mourning by solemne dirigies as we nowe tearme theim had place time and ordre by rule appointed to be executed yea and were not ended by many daies together nor at one time nother As it appeareth that Ioseph and his brethern Gene. 50. executed theire fathers funeralls first fourty daies in Aegipte and then in theire owne coontry celebrabant exequias saithe the text seuen daies together So the children of Israell celebrated Moyses obsequies Deut. 34. withe thirty daies solēne mourning in the downes of Moab Not by that weeping which procedeth of priuate affection towardes a mannes frende for that can not be limited nor yet prescribed by rule as all these solemne dirigies wer But questionlesse this office conteined for the relieffe of the deceased almose prayer fastes and teares al which may wel be termed mourning songes or weeping ouer the dead Ecclesi 22. for that time most cōuenient Of which the wise mā geueth this precept Super mortuū plora Weepe ouer the departed And that thowe maist wel perceiue these publike rites of solemne dirigies to perteine properly to the due helpe of those for whome they be exercised Super obit Theod. S. Ambrose doubteth not to affirme that of those burialls in the lawe of nature the necessary obseruation of our Christian daies monthes and yeares mindes kepte for the deade hadde theire beginning saying thus in his funerall sermone made the fourtith daye solemnely kept for the memory of the noble Emperoure Theodosius Eius Principis proxime conclamauimus obitum nunc quadragesimum celebramus assistente sacris altaribus Honorio principe quia sicut sanctus Ioseph patri suo Iacob quadraginta diebus humationis officia detulit ita hic Theodosio patri iusta persoluit quia alij tertiū trigesimū alij septimum quadragesimum obseruare consueuerunt quid doceat lectio consideremus defuncto inquit Iacob praecepit Ioseph pueris sepultoribus vt sepelirent eum repleti sunt ei quadraginta dies Haec ergo sequenda solemnitas quam praescribit lectio Bonus itaque Ioseph qui formam pio muneri dedit cae We kept of late the day of this noble kinges buriall And nowe againe we celebrate his fourtithe daies minde the prince Honorius his sonne assisting vs before the holy altares for as holy Ioseph bestowed vpon his fathers funerall fourty daies duetie euen so doth this prince procure his fathers obsequies And because sum obserue the thirde day and the thirtithe other kepe customably the vij and the fourtith let vs looke vpon the text which readeth thus Iacob being departed Ioseph commaundeth the prouisours of the sepulture to bury him and so they did and made vp full fourty daies in that obite this solemnely then must we folowe praescribed by the scripture Good was this Ioseph that first gaue vs the forme and fashiō of so holy a function By these wordes we see the antiquity of our Christiā dirigies and diuersitie of daies as yet it is vsed in mounthes or twelue-mounthes mindes to haue isshued downe from S. Ambrose time to oures from the lawe of nature by the patriarches praescription to his daies not by mourning and mumchaunse as the buriall of Geneuas booke appointeth Geneua booke appointeth a still buriall but at the holy altares these obites were kepte as with deuoute praiers and sacrifice Whereof in better place I shall speake more anone He alludeth there also to oure dilexi and other psalmes which we yett singe in Goddes Churche ouer the departed But in the second booke of the kinges the example of the holy king Dauid is a plaine proufe that they fasted also for the deceased Cap. 1. Apprehendens Dauid vestimenta sua scidit omnesque viri qui cum eo erant planxerunt Fasting for the departed ieiunauerunt vsque ad vesperam super Saul Ionathan filium eius super populum super domum Israel eo quod corruissent gladio And Dauid taking hould of his garments tore theime and so did the men withe him and they houled wepte and fasted vpon Saul and Ionathas his sonne with the residew of Goddes
in hell which God forfende and yet yowe must needes so suppose for raysing the monuments of suche superstition then blotte oute theire memorie and names that haue not onely in theire lyfe mainteyned horrible abusies but allso after theire deathe haue lefte suche open steppes of superstition to all posteritye Suppose I pray yowe which yet I would be lothe shoulde coom to proufe or passe but suppose for all that that with the taking a way of this oulde faithe of praying and offering for the deade all the workes of the same faithe which isshued downe from that fountaine might shrinke with al or returne to the fownders againe bicause there is no rowme to fullfill they re willes howe many Churchies and chappelles what Collegies or hospitalles woulde oure newe no faithe bring forth Would not euery bisshoppes wyfe buylde a Churche thinke yowe or founde a College in such a necessitye lest theire husbandes should be driueÌ„ to serue in a reformed frensh barne Super Aggaeum One of these mock bishoppes complaines very soâ—e in a book of his that men be not now bent with suche zele and deuotion to praeferre goddes honour in maintenaunce of his Ministers as they were in owlde time and as CoÌ„stantinus with the like christiaÌ„ Princies in the primitiue churche were But the good man marked not wherupon this could deuotion arisethe he considerethe not that this is the fructlesse effecte of so idle a faulse faithe as his owne lordship preacheth he woulde not see that the maintenaunce of goddes honoure bothe by liefe landes and gooddes is the peculiare fructe of that charitable louing faith which the Catholikes doo professe he weyed not well that the greate grauntes of Constantinus were made to Syluester Bishop of Rome and not to the maried Bishope of Duresme He remembred not that the like holy workes of the noble kinges of oure owne coontrie were practised vpon suche as woulde professe the trueth and serue the altare and not vpon faulse pastors that were destroyers of all altars Such honorable portions were parted oute for goddes lote and not taken from the world to go to the worldely ageine Thinke you any man wer so minded to take froÌ„ his own wiefe and children ether landes or gooddes to bestow on priestes babbes or bedfellowes No no God knowethe it was separated from theim selues to the sacrifice to the priesthoodde to the honoure of goddes Church and ministerye The which thinges by your owne preaching my lordes decaide would you haue the Prince or peoples deuotion towardes yowe as is was and would be still if you wer like your praedecessors and serued the altare as they did I wisse if the owlde S. Cuthbert Wilfride and William whome they coÌ„pare in holinesse to horsies so good is their opinion of their holy auncieters had bene of the same religion that the occupiers of theire roumes nowe be all the praelates in EnglaÌ„d might haue put theire rentes in a halpeny purse Coom in ageyne coom in for Christes sake com in to the churche ageyne serue the altare and then yow be worthy to lyue of the altare folowe oure fathers and yow shall beloued as oure fathers wer confesse that religion which oure own Apostles first taught and we all haue beleued and all the workes of goddes Churche protest to be true and then yowe shall be blessed of God and honoured of men But let theime thinke on these matters theime selues I will turne ageine to my purpose allthoughe I can not go farre from my matter so longe as I am in the behouldinge of that faithe which oure first preachers broght vnto vs at our first coÌ„uersion or in any stepp of thantiquitye which we wel perceiue to be the fructe onely of that doctrine which we haue declared and an euideÌ„t testimony off so vndoubted a truethe I thinke there is no way so certaine for the contentation of a mannes selfe in this tyme of doubting and diuersitye in doctryne as in all maters to haue an eye towardes the faythe whiche we receiued when we were first conuerted And for that point I woulde wisshe that S. Bedes historye were familiare vnto all men that hathe vnderstanding of the Latine tonge and to all other if it wer possible for there shall they plainely see the first beginning the increase the continuance the practise the woorkes proceding owt of the catholike faithe feare not that is the truethe for that was the first and that was grownded by goddes worde and openly confirmed by miracule And that pointe must be considered not onely for oure owne contrye but for all others that be or hathe bene Christianed For in to the selfe same faithe were they first ingraffed allso â–ª as by the peculiare practising of euery good man towardes his frend and louer I haue alredye declared and nowe for the generall vsage of goddes Church the reader shall at large perceiue that nothing may wante to oure cause whereby any trueth or light may be had That in euery ordre or vsage of celebration of the blessed sacrament and Sacrifice through ovvte the Christian vvorlde since Christes time there hath bene a solemne supplication for the soules departed Cap. 11. THerfore let vs see howe the churche oure moother of her piety vsethe generall supplication in all seruice and solemne administration of the blessed sacrameÌ„t euen for those whole frendes haue forgotten theyme whose paines and trauell worldely meÌ„ remembre not whose obscure condicion of life or pouerty woulde not suffer theime to procure prayers by theire knowne deedes of charity or almose Those men I say that doo lacke singulare patronage of theire frendes those hathe she remembred in the rites of celebration vsed in all contries and in euery age sithens the apostles daies Which ordres of diuine seruice as they haue bene diuerse in forme of wordes so they perfectly and wholy agreed in the substance of the sacrifice in praying and offering for the deade and supplication to sanctes as thowe shalt streght waies by theire vsed ordre of wordes perceiue And as we go forward herein euer let vs beare this rule in minde Quòd legeÌ„ credendi lex statuit supplicandi in that sense speaketh S. Augustine So saith S. Augustin ofteÌ„ against the Pelagians often against haeretikes the ordre of the churches praier is euer a plaine praescription for all the faithefull what to belieue And the motherlye affection that the Churche bearethe towardes al her children departed the saide doctor thus expresseth De cura pro mort Non sunt praetermittendae supplicationes pro spiritibus mortuorum quas faciendas pro omnibus in Christiana Catholica societate defunctis etiam tacitis nominibus quorumcunque sub generali commemoratione suscepit ecclesia vt quibus ad ista desunt parentes aut filij aut quicunque cognati vel amici ab vna eis exhibeantur pia matre communi That is to say in oure tonge Prayer must not be omitted for the soules departed which the
churche hathe customablye taken in hand for al men passed in the Christian Catholike society by the way of a generall commemoration theire names not particularely expressed that suche thinges may be prouided by oure common kinde moother to all those which doo lacke parents children kinsfolke or frendes for the due prouision of suche necessary dueties By this holy mannes wordes we may see the difference betwixte oure owne tender natural moother and the cursed cruell steppe dame The one folowethe her children withe loue and affectiō in to the next world with ful sorowful sighes many deuout praiers and al holy workes whiche she vseth to theire needeful helpe the other being but an vnnaturall steppemoother and all the children of that adoulterouse seede hath theim no longer in mind thē they be in sight whether they sinke or swhim she maketh no accompte she hathe no blessinge of her owne she hinderethe the mercy of other But lette vs vewe all the orders that we finde extant or vsed throughe the Christian worlde for the celebration of the blessed Sacrament and sacrifice whiche nowe commonly in oure vulgare speache we caull the Masse and see whether as Augustin said there hathe not bene in all agies an especiall supplication of the prieste and people for the dead as wel as for the lieue First S. Clement Cōstitut l. 8. cap. 47. the Apostles owne scholare reportethe howe they prescribed this solemne praier in theire holy ministery for the departed Pro quiescentibus in Christo fratres nostri rogemus c. Let vs pray saith the deacon brethern for all those that rest in peace that oure mercifull Lorde that hath taken theire soules in to his hande would forgiue them al theire offensies whether they were willinglye or negligently committed and so hauing compassion vpon theim would bringe theime to the land off the holy ones and happy rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all other that pleaced him from the beginning ▪ where there is nether sighing sorowe nor sadnesse And a litle after in the same holy action the Bishop praieth him selfe in this forme O Lorde looke downe vpon this thy seruaunt whome thowe hast receiued in to another lyfe and pitefully pardon him yf ether willingly or vnweetingly he hathe offended Let him be guarded by peaceable Angells and broght to the Patriarches Prophettes and Apostles and the rest of all theime that haue pleaced the sith the worlde began Thus reporteth Clement being one of the apostles companie and continually praesent in the celebration of theire mysteries Againe Eccles hierarch Cap. 17. Dyonisius Ariopagita of whome mention is mayde in the actes so auncient be the recordes of our faith hathe not onely left in writinge what he thoughte in this matter whiche had ben enoughe but allso what the Church Apostolike in that spring of religion and pure deuotion taught and ordeyned to be vsed and that by the Apostles prescription whom he there termeth the heauēly gides and capitaines of trueth For in the laste chapter of his booke titled of the Ecclesiasticall soueraintye he telleth in ordre howe first the body is placed before the holy altare howe the solempne misteries withe heuenly psalmes and sonets be songe and saide ouer the corps howe the holy Bisshop geueth thankes to god makethe comfortable exhortation to the assembly to continue in assured hope off the resurrection howe he anoyntethe the bodye withe holy oyle and laste of all makethe praiyers for him and so committethe hym to God The whiche whole ordre off the sacrifice ceremonies and misticall praiers exercised as well in burialls as at other times in the reuerent misteries this author would not fully sett owte in writing for theire sakes that coulde not for the weaknesse of faith atteine to the worthy holynesse of so highe matters as he him sellfe professethe in these wordes Praecationes quae in misterijs adhibentur nephas est scripto interpretari misticam eorum intelligentiam aut vim quae in eis deo authore efficacitatatem habent ex adyto in publicum efferre sed quemadmodū a maioribus nostris traditum accepimus c The prayers which be vsed in the misteries may not in anywyes be sett out to the worlde in writinge nether may the singulare efficacie and grace of theime be made common to all men but euen as we haue receiued by thandes of oure eldres And as longe as this ordre was religiously kept in goddes Churche the solempne secretes of the blessed sacraments were not so contēptible as oure newe oppen communion hathe of late made theime where there is nothing so holy but it may abyde the sighte and handeling of whoso euer is the worst The holy and heuenly misteries of Christ his spouse were not thē prophaned by the praesumptiouse babling of euery idle heade Thē were not the soueraigne weghty matters handeled in alehowses but vsed at the holy altares Then the idle contentious vngodly and vnproffitable quirkes and quaestions had no other solution but sharpe discipline and worthy correctiō then were not the Gydes of goddes people countrowled by euery restlesse felowe In homil contra Sabellian Athan ad Epictetum that coulde cracke of goddes worde but it was enoghe for a faithfull mannes contentatiō to say with Basil the greate Dominus ita docuit apostoli predicauerūt patres obseruauerūt cōfirmauerūt martyres sufficiat dicere ita doctus sum Our Lord taught so the apostles so preched our fathers obserued the same the holy martyrs haue sealed it It is sufficient for me to say so was I taught O Lord that this simple sincere fidelitie might once take place againe in oure daies for the coomforte of the poore faithfull flocke that are nowe so burdened with questions of infidelitye that the sely simples soules cā not tell howe to turne theime selues nor finde meanes to kepe theire faithe inuiolated in such a multitude of misbeleuers Which I surely hope the earnest and pitiful praiers of so many good men that doo bewaile this miserie shall at lengthe after due poonishment of oure sinnes obteyne at goddes gratiouse handes But what shifte doo the aduersaries here make with this euidēt testimonie of this so auncient a writer mary sir they indeuoure with all theire mighte to robbe this excellent auncient and diuine writer of all his workes which haue borne the title of his name euer sithe theye were writē Ita Suidas testatur which chalēge theire own author by that graue stile that no other man as the skilfull in that languange doo testifie coulde euer lightly atteyne vnto which so sauore of the antiquity and the apostolike spirit that thowe woulde deeme theyme to be indited by sum of the cōtinuall hearers of Christe Iesus But it were vaine to stand in contention for this matter for we shoulde neuer haue ende if we should be put to proue that euery man made the bookes which be extant in his name it weere to muche miscredit of antiquitie and vncertainty of
sorow of cōpassion towards her forsakers she hath bidden greater stormes thē this first by tyrauntes then by haeretikes last and most by the euill liefe of her own Bishoppes In al which she yet standethe and euer riseth to honour as she is most impugned Their own preaching hath singularely opened the might of god in the defense of that seate of vnity When they first began to touche and taunte the Pope in euery sermon in euery playe in booke and balate men that before liuing in faithefull simplicitie much medled not withe his matters nor often hearde of his name began streghte vppon they re busy ralinge to conceiue by reasonable discretion that there lay sum greate grownde of matter and weght of trueth vpon that point which they cowld not digest in so many yeres bawling and barking at his name thei saw the Pope euer in their way neuer owt of their mouth and they doubted not but that singular hatred grew vpō sum greate importāce and so admoneshed luckely by the aduersaries they sought the bottō of that perfecte and deepe hatered and fownde that it was the owld sore of the Arians and disease of the Donatistes and common to all haeretikes they perceiued by S. Cyprian that the first attempte of suche men De simplicit praelatorum was to driue away the pastore that they might with owte resistance deuoure and destroie the flock And which was the pricke of all theire endeuoures to take frō vs the acknowleging of the greate and singulare benefite of oure conuersion to the faithe that in stopping the heade of that condethe and plentifull well of our faithe they might in heate of contention and haeresi By haeretikes preaching many are become catholikes easely drie vpp the whole isshue therof And this earnest cōsideratiō causeth many at this daie to forsake theire haeresies and to be agreate deale moe at this time which know the trueth of this matter then when they began first to preache therof But I wil not presse thē ouer sore suppose I graunte theim that which they woulde so gladly winne that we hadde not oure faithe first frō Rome thoughe it be as false as God is true But suppose it were not so and I geue yowe leaue to father your faithe where yow will Yf it be not vpon Latimer whome a foulishe felowe in the booke of conference betwixte Latymer and Ridley termeth thenglishe Apostle as one more worthye of that name as he saith then Augustine but elles where yowe wil and when yowe haue doone proue me that your moother Churche prayeth not for the departed in her masse and solempne seruice and yowe shall be exalted vpp foreuer And at your next chaunge frame your newe communion after that ould vsage on goddes blessinge If yow can find any forme of celebration farre enoughe from oures followe it and spare not But I am sure yowe shall neuer be hable to fynde any oulde seruice in the worlde fit for your newe diet They be all to muche lyke oure Masse for your purpose Oure Masse is al one vvith the Masses of all other coontries and times as in deede alone in euery pointe of importaunce with oures As the Churchies to whome they belonged perfectly before theire decay in faithe and vnity agreed with oures I am sure whē yow can not like your own communion ye would not be pleaced with one of an others making But another yowe muste needes haue and further yowe must go from vs walke forward yow will to the extreme ende off haeresie and vtter denyinge of Christianitye All the worlde can not stoppe yowe faulling from the hill of Goddes Churche tyll yowe coome in the bottomlesse pit of hell I would be lothe to sclaunder theime withe the brute of the worlde whiche thoughe it be in euery mās mouth that they like not this communion yet vpon that rumour I would not haue sayd so farre but that they haue vttered their owne meaning in a treatise of theire owne making in these wordes Ageynste the Chester man In mariage as in all oher thinges beside we are but to muche like vnto theim that is our fault generally that we differ not more from theime in all oure ministerie These wordes vtter they re greefe that they can got no forther from vs in they re seruice and that yowe be not deceiued the author of this booke where this complainte is made knowethe well the meaning of his felowes herin and howe gladde they woulde be shiftinge forwarde They sit on thornes til they be dooing wythe a newe gise It is no worse man then the B. of Duresme that taketh coulde in so longe a stand of theire communion My simple head could not deuise how they might possibly go forward and kepe theime with in any bond of Cbristianity What they caste in theire braine for theire forther proceding I can not tell the serpent is suttel and oure sinnes be greate I muche maruaill not nowe to see the temporall Magistrates of their wisedoms to hedge these mens wantonnesse in all theire ordre of lyfe for they are so dronken and drowned in haeresie that they haue no sense of common reason What a doo had the magistrates to make these wylde men go in priestelyke apparell to kepe theire Rotchettes to obserue sum steppe of antiquitye in theire maners Howe they were driuen to tempre theire lustes in prouision for sum ordrely choise of theire wyeues that seeing theyme haue no respecte on what woomen they light Looke the Iniunctiō for the mariage of priestes and other thinges that by Iusticies of peace yet they might be bestowed iff not well yet with theire lesse dishonestie vpon persons not openly infamous Suche felowes are more fit to be gouerned then to beare rule ouer other in whome withe owte constraint youe shall nether finde coomlynesse in maners ordre in liefe nor cōstancy in religion God of his mercye geue theime sum light to see their own misery and the spirite of humilitie to subiect theime selues in time to goddes Church that is so careful ouer theym thoughe to theire owne great harme they so deadly hate her They cā showe no cause in the worlde why they nede in any one pointe of al those whiche at this day be in cōtrouersie betwixt theyme and theire owne moother rather to credet theire owne phantasies then her graue authoritye which onely with out farther quaestioning with obediēt children makethe more then all argument or eloquence of man in the earthe And for suche as may for theire simplicite be sone deceiued by folowinge other mens errours The yongers ▪ must thus pose theire maisters with whom the names of doctors or the onely bare bragge of scrptures are as good as the allegation of placies Let theim aske of theire teachers howe they can shifte theime selfe when they see the practise of goddes churche generally so plaine for all Catholike assertions as for the article of praying for the dead emongst many other
the like is nowe before proued Call vpoÌ„ theim and aske theim in earnest because it lieth vpon thy saluation whether thowe muste geue any credet to the perpetuall agreement and consent of all auncient doctors If they saye yea desire theime to answer first to all these placies so euidently confirming oure purpose that they can not abyde any clowde or couer of mannes sutteltye for theire shifting to any forged sense If they can not yet let theime alleage sum place of any auncient writer theime selues whiche doo expressely denye purgatory or praiers for the deade as we for they confirming thereof haue doone in plaine termes with owte crafte or colour many If they be not able to doo so much yet go further withe theime aske theyme whether they haue any expresse wordes in scripture that denie praiers to be proffitable for the dead not by a fonde gesse of theire own heades corrupt coÌ„sciencies or praeiudicate mindes expouÌ„ded to that prupose but I say by expresse wordes or at least which is liberty enoughe expounded for that meaning by any one man of all the antiquitie If they can alleage thee but one worde of scripture construed of any one I say in all agies to confirme theire vnderstanding to be currant and not framed for theire phantasy to serue the necessity of theire cause be bould to folow theim I would not put theime to the paines to make discourse throughowte all agies churches tymes and doctors as we haue doone but onely let theime to kepe theire credet and scholars and to saue theire honesties bring but one or two of all that euer wrote in the compasse of Goddes Churche and thowe maiste with lesse daunger and better reason folowe theire doctrine But there is no one suche place I assure the good reader neither in scripture doctour nor councell nor contrye nor age sith the world begaÌ„ I wil go so farre in this point where ther was euer stepp of any true worship of God there was praier fownd for the dead also They can not shewe me any forme of ministration in the Christian worlde that was approued whiche hath it not expressely if it be knowne that it was in deede the seruice of any auncient Churche not corrupted by theime selues The same I dare be boulde to auouche for the lawe of nature and Moises bicause it is proued already All theire bragging of thexample of the primitiue Church the massies of other contryes of the doctors of the scriptures of the councelles is but an vntollerable delusioÌ„ and abuse of the simplicity of such as be not skilfull in the authors whome they name For when the matter comes to an isshue when they be harde houlden ether in this or in any other matter theÌ„ the doctors whome they chalenged before the simple for theire partakers were but men then they might erre then they haue learned onely to credit the holy scriptures then there is nothing but goddes worde and booke with theime which elles full faine would haue the doctors consent out of whome it were but a meane place which they would not alleage for theire purpose if it might be fownde Then if deniall of all the doctors iudgements serue not theire turne In accusationem ipsarum scripturaruÌ„ conuertuntur they will not stick bowldely to condeÌ„ne the holy scriptures with all Irenaeus Lib. 3. Ca. 2. But if yowe thinke that I feane of theyme yowe shall see what shameful shiftes the maisters and captaines of the contrary assertion haue deuised for the defense of theime selues I dare say if the studious be but any whit indiffereÌ„t he will leaue their schoole for euer The chiefe Capitane of all these contentious heades lyke an vnshamefast childe affirmethe that the doctors praised and folowed the common errours of the ignorant people in allmose and praiers for the departed Brentius answerethe that Tertulian making mentioÌ„ of yearly oblations for the deceased In confessione VVittenber tooke his error of the hethen vsage of the gentility And Augustin he saithe affirmed purgatory praiers and almose for theime for thaffiance that he had in mennes merites towardes the remission of sinnes In Apologia Melancthon as thoughe he were no man that might erre him selfe saithe the doctors were meÌ„ and discented emongest theime selues As for the vsage of any celebratioÌ„ in the world what roume caÌ„ it haue with these champians Instit de Coena when Caluin coÌ„fesseth in plaine termes that the celebration of the Sacrament hathe bene contaminated euen in a maner sithe the apostles tyme and first planting of our religion and to reduce it to the puritie againe the man frames a newe one of his owne so farre from superstitioÌ„ that it hath no steppe of religion or true woorship of God But well the worde of God it yet safe with theyme there a man may houlde theyme No surely they are as saulsy with the very scripture it selfe when so euer it makethe against theime Brentius before named is not ashamed to saye that he pardoneth the author of the Machabeis of his errour and ignoraÌ„ce And that thowe may see the perfect image of a prowde haeretike Caluine saithe thus as for the booke of the Machabeis I will not vouchsalfe to make answer to it Mercifull God what faithfull hearte or eare coulde abide these blasphemous tonges who of vntolerable arrogancy doo so deface the examples and doctrine not onely of the pillours of the whole Christian Churche whome they impudently for lacke of a more reasonable answere condemne not onely of simple ignoraunce and errour in this point with the residew of the whole faythfull people which surely is ouer muche to say of suche lerned and godly men as they were but allso of wilfull errour and superstition in bearing and maintenaunce of the common ignoration and ethnike persuation of the worlde in theire daies and following the heathen vsage of the gentilitie And yet not content therwith these lying maisters of theire meere mercy be coÌ„tent to offer a pardoÌ„ to the author of that booke for his error which booke the whole catholike Churche of God throughe oute Christiandom taketh for canonicall scriptuture Which arrogancy and passing bowldnesse allthough I persuade my sellfe no vertuous man will in theyme alowe sith they nowe being put to they re shiftes vtterly doo condemne those fathers whose names with great oftentation they often to the simple repeate to make theyme suppose they be not with oute scripture or doctors for the proufe of theire wilfull heresies yet eueÌ„ the very answer it sellfe which they imagine her in to disgrace the doctors and delude the ignoraunt is contrary to it sellfe in sundry points For they one while affirme that S. Augustine and others allowed that erroure which the people by their superstious deuotion hadde before they re tyme broght in to the prayers of the Churche and â—n other while that Iudas Machabaeus did institute it who was before these â—uthors diuers hundereths of yeares
shal be well vnderstande to be with owte difference practised for the liue and deade together That therby we may by good reason conclude seeing sacrifice was then offered for purgation of euery light offense that it was doone for all states of persons that were ether in this lyfe or after theire death to be perfectelie clensed from the same Although the facte of Iudas Machabeus be a playne proufe that there was a common knowne ordre of sacrifice for elles howe coulde he haue conceyued any such sacrifice neuer hearde of before howe could he lymite the valewe of procurement thereof by a certaine summe for euery soule deceased howe coulde he gather in pretence of a thinge neuer vsed before the peoples almose withe owte theire murmoure or motion therein Why would he haue sent mony to Hierusalem to procure that whiche had no example in the lawe or vse in the church was he so ignoraÌ„t that he knewe not theire ordre herein or so vnwise to haue sent his monie for nothing S. Augustine Answering an haeretike Lib. 2. de Orig. Animae Cap. 11. that by thauthoritye of the facte of Iudas woulde haue prooued that by sacrifice men might be saued thoughe they died vnbaptized or in deadly sinne saithe vnto him that he is not hable to prooue that Iudas or any other in the lawe offered for his frend or any man elles being vncircuncised no more then the Church nowe practisethe for any man not baptised Wherby he plainely confessethe that the lawe had a sacrifice for the deade which beyng vrged by that heretike he might haue denied withe good helpe of his cause and answer to the aduersary but that the contrary case was so cleare not onely by that booke which he tooke for Canonicall scripture as before is proued but also by the fulle consent of all the Churche of God which bothe by plaine practise and most graue ordinaunce had from Christes time set forthe and approued the vndoubted truethe therof The conclusion of the vnhole booke vvith an admonition to the reader But here will I nowe make an ende desiring thee gentle reader with suche indifferency to weighe the dooing and dealing of bothe parties as the importaunce of the cause the loue of trueth the necessary care of thyn oweÌ„ saluation and thy duety towardes God and his Churche requireth There is none of al those pointes which the vnfaithful coÌ„tention of our miserable age hath made doubtefull in which thow maiste better beholde howe vprighte the waies of truethe and vertue be and howe pernicious double and deceitfull the dealing of haeresy is The one is vpholden by the euideÌ„t testimony of holy scripture the other mainteyneth her trayne by bowlde deniall of scriptures the one seketh with humility the mening at their mouthes whom God hathe vndoubtedly blessed with the gifte of vnderstanding and interpretatioÌ„ the other by singulare pride fowndethe her vnfaithfulnesse vpon the phantasies of lighte and lewde persons that are pufte too and fro with euery blaste of doctrine The one resteth vpon the practise of al nations the vsage of all agies and the holy woorkes both of God and maÌ„ thother holdethe wholy by contempte of oure elders flatery of the present daies and vphappy waaste of all woorkes of vertue religion and deuotion th one foloweth the gouernours and appointed pastours of oure soules whose names be blessed in heauen and earthe thother ioyneth to suche as for other horrible haeresies and wicked lyfe are condemned bothe a lyue and deade of the vertuous and can not for shame be named of theire owne scholars The one hath the warraunt of Goddes who le Church the other standeth on curse and excommunication by the grauest authority that euer was vnder God in earthe To be shorte trueth is the Churchis dearlinge haeresy must haue her mainteinauÌ„ce abrode This one holy Catholike and Apostolike Churche is it wherunto we owe all duety and obedience both by Goddes commaundement and by the bonde of oure first faith and profession There is no force of argument no probability of reason no subtelty of wit no depe compase of worldely wisdom no eloquence of man nor Angell nor any other motion that can be wrought in the world that shoulde make a man doubte of any article approued by her authority And if thow yet feare to geue ouer thy whole sense and thyne owne sellfe to so carefull a moother in whom thow wast begotten in thy better birthe compare oure Churche with theires compare her authority and theres her maiesty and theires Oures is that Church that hath borne downe hethen Princies that hathe destroyed Idolatrie that hath coÌ„uerted all nations to Christes faith that hath waded in bloude that hath liued in welth that hath bene assalted by hel by euil lyfe by haeresy and yet she staÌ„deth Take a way all this compare her constancy in doctrine with theire inconstant mutability compare the noble army of Martyrs the holy company of CoÌ„fessours the glorious trayne of so many blessed wise and learned Doctoures of many thowsand saintes that euer accompany her maiesty compare I say all these with the raskall soul diars of the contrary campe Vbicunquâ— fuerit corpus Mat. 24. illic coÌ„gregabuntur aquila I warraunt the gentle reader feare nothing for wher so euer so honorable a personage is there is the kingly company of egles Beholde her grace of miracles her workes and her wonders her authority in discipline her wisdom in gouerment her acquability in al estates and I am sure thow shallt confesse Quod dominus est in loco isto Gene. 28. ego nesciebaÌ„ Our Lord suerly is in this place and I was not aware therof For Christes loue if thowe hast folowed or yet haue any phantasy to the seuered company grope with owte flatery of thy sellfe the depthe of thyne owne conscience feele whether God hath not suffered the to faule for som sin Coom into this Church and at the same time thowe shalt be healed to thy aeternal reioysing Touche once the hemme of Christes garment adore his foutstoole cleaue vnto the alltare and if thowe â—nde not comfort of conscience ease â—f harte and light of trueth neuer creâ—et me more Proue once what is In â—orto concluso fonte signato in the garâ—en enclosed and the wellspring so suâ—ely sealed vp Cantic 4. Ioyne withe the sanctes â—n heaueÌ„ with the soules in Purgatory with the fathers of thy faithe in earthe with al holy meÌ„ both alyue and deade And thow shalt thinke thy self all ready in heauen to match with that happy and blessed felowship owte of whiche there is nether light lyfe nor any hope of saluation Merueile not that the maisters of dissension will not returne whome throughe pride of harte disobedience to Goddes Church and willfull withstanding the knowne trueth by the heuy hande of Goddes vnsercheable iudgement we see to be stricken withe blindnesse of minde and exceding darkenesse of vnderstandinge Learne to feare God betyme