they niede not such succors Whence it is concluded that it is the manner of life which one has exercised by his bodie which is the cause why theise matters profite or profite not him for whome they are performed after he has left his bodie For if no merit is acquired in this life by which these matters may profite one it is in vaine to procure it after this life Thus it is effected that nether the Church nor the care of ones owne frends exhibites in vaine what Religious acts they ar able to performe for the deceased yet is it true that euerie one shall receue according to that he performed by his bodie be it goud or be it euill our Lord rendring to euerie one according to his operations For it is acquired in this life which he led in his bodie that that which is exhibited may profite him after the deth of his bodie Now this my briefe responsion might sufficiently fatisfie your demand yet in regarde I haue other motiues which I iudge necessarie to ansere afforde me some longer attention We riede in the bouks of Machabies that sacrifice was offerd for the ded yet if in no place o' the ancient Scriptures it were red at all neuerthelesse the authoritie o' the vniuersal Church which clearely appieres in this Custome is not smale where in the Priests prayers which are vtterd to our Lord God at his Altar also the recomendation o' the ded has its place But we must further more laboriously inquire whether the place in which one is buried anie thing profites the soule o' the deceased And inprimis it is to be examined not according to a vulgarly knowne opinion but rather according to the sacred Scriptures of our Religion whether in anie respect it conduces ether to the inflicting or increasing the miserie of peoples soules after this life if their bodies be not buried Nether is it to be bilieued as it is red in Virgil that the vnburied ar debarred from passing the Infernal Riuer as if they were not permitted to be transported by those horrid coastes hoarce gulphes afore their bones were set at rest who can moue a Christian hart wi' these poetical fabulous figments since that our Lord Iesus to the intent that Christians might securely suffer deth by their handes who were to haue their bodies in their power assures vs that not euen anie one heire o' their hed shall perish exorting them not to feare those who when they shal haue killed the bodie haue no more to doe Whence it was that in my first bouke o' the Citie of God I spake that which as I suppose is sufficient to stop their mouthes who imputing to Christian times that barbarous ruine especially which Rome suffered obiecte that vnto thē that Christ did not thier succore his owne people who when it is anserd them that the soules of those his fidelious people were receued by him according to the merits o' their Faith then they insulte about their insepulcherd bodies For this cause I explicated this whole place of Scripture in such termes as thiese For nether indiede could they possible be buried in such a great ruine of Carcasses nether does a pious man imbracing the predicted sentence of our Sauiour much feare this nor that beastes deuouring them shall hurte those bodies which ar to be resuscitated an of which one heire o' theirs shal not perishe For veritie would in no sorte haue said feare not those who kille the bodie but cannot kille the soule if anie of that which an enemie would doe to the bodies of the Saints did anie way preiudice the future life Except peraduenture some one is so absurd as to contend that we must not feare afore our deth those who kille the bodie least they kille it yet that we must feare after deth least they should suffer it to be buried when it is a' redie killed Ergo that would be false which Christ sayes Who kille the bodie afterwards haue no more to doe if they haue so much to doe about bodies God defend that should be false which veritie pronounced It is said that they doe som ' at when they kille the bodie in regard there is sense in a bodie which is to be killed but that afterwards they haue no more to doe cause there is no sence in a bodie killed wherefore manie bodies of Christians haue not bin couerd with erth but none euer separated anie o' them from both Heuen and erth which he replenishes totally with his presence who knowes whence he is to resuscitate that he created It is indiede said in the 78. Psalme They exposed the bodies o' thy seruants for meite to the birds o' the ayre the flesh o' thy Saints to the beasts o' the erth they effused their blud like water round about Ierusalem there was none who would burie them Yet this was vtterd to amplifie the crueltie o'those who did thiese things not to declare anie infelicitie in those who sufferd them For althou ' thiese matters sieme cruel horrible in the viewe of men yet pretious is the deth of his Saints in the viewe of our Lord. For this cause all thiese particulars that is the prouision of a funeral the qualitie o' the sepulture the pompe of Exequies ar rather comforts for the liuing than helpes for the ded If a pretious sepulture profites the impious a poure one or none will preiudice the pious Agreat companie of seruants made a sumptuous funeral for the purpled rich one in the viewe of men but the Ministerie of Angels made the vlcerous poure one much more sumptuous exequies in the viewe of our Lord who did not exalte him to a marble tumbe but carried him into Abrahams bosome They against whome I interprised the defense o' the Citie of God laffe at these matters neuerthelesse euen their Philosophers contemned the care o'Sepulture often tymes in tyre armies when they died for their temporal Countries nether cared where afterwards their bodies were to lye or by what beasts they were deuoured the Poets had licence to say plausiblely touching this matter Heuen couers him who has no coffin How much lesse ought they to insulte ouer Christians touching their insepulchred bodies to whome the reformation o' their flesh all their members in respect o'th at which their decayed carcases had lost is promised to be restored redintegrated not only out o' the erth but also out o' the most secret bosome of other elements Neuerthelesse the bodies of the deceased ar not therefore to be abiected and contemned especially those of iust faithfull people which the Holie Gost has vsed as instrumēts vessels for all goud works For if the Fathers garment or ring or the like is so much the more deare to his posteritie by how much ones affectiō was greater towards his parents in no sorte ar the bodies themselues to be contemned which surely we
causes increases by cause they are effected Yet if anie one be in such sorte held or els â—yed that he canot dispose his corporal members the internal man ceases not therefore to praye nor to prostrate his minde afore the eyes of God in hiâ— most secret closet in which he is compuncted In sembleabel sorte since it much importes whiere he places the ded bodie of him for whose soule he 〈◊〉 God in regard that both the precedent affect did chuse a holie place hauing putte the bodie in it the remembrance o' the same renewes increases that affect which preceded yet althou ' he cannot effect this neuerthelesse when a religious frend has once determined to interre him whome he loues he must not in anie case cease from his necessarie prayers in recommendation of him for whiere euer the bodie o' the deceased lyes or lyes not the rest of his soule is to be proeured which when it departed thence carried its sence with it by which it may appiere in what case euerie one is whether in good or euill state Nether expects the Spirit its life should be succored by the flesh to which it afforded that life which departing it carried away and is to render as its returne cause the flesh acquires not the merit of resurrection to the Spirit but the Spirit to the flesh whether it reuyues to payne or to glorie We riede in the Ecclesiastical Historie which Eusebius writte in Greâ—ke Ruffinus turned into Latin Martyrs bodies to haue bin cast to the dogs that the bones o' the ded remaining were vtterly consumed with fyeâ— the ashes dispersed in the riuer Rhodan least aine parte of them should remayne for a memorie which is not to be imagined to haue bin for anie other cause permitted by diuine prouidence but for that Christians in confessing Christ might learne that while they contemne this life they much more contemne buriall For this which was perpetrated with great crueltie on Martirs bodies if it had anie thing hurte them whereby their most inulncible spirits should not rest in blessednesse surely it would not haue bin permitied It is thierefore really declared that out Lord said not feare not those who kille the bodie baue no more to doe for that he was not to suffer them to perpetrate anie thing on the bodies of his deâ—eased seruants but for that what oner they were permitted to effect yet nothing should be effected by which the felicitie of deceased Christians might be diminished nothing which might thence redounde to the sence o'those who liue after their deth or at the least that nothing should perteine to the detriment o' their bodies by reason of which they should rise lesse intire And yet if by reason o'th at affection of a humane minde according to which none euer hated his owne flesh people after their deth perceue anie thing to be wanting to their deceased bodies which the solemnitie of sepulture according to the custome of euerie ones seueral Countrie affordes they ar contristated like men feare that touching their bodies afore their deth which after their deth appertenes to them in so much that we finde in the Boukes of Kings that God by one certaine Prophet menaces an other who had transgressed his Commaunde that his Carcase should not be carried into the sepulcher of his Ancetours the renoâ—r of which Scripture is this Our Lord sayes thus in regarde thou hast bin disobedient to the Mouth of our Lord and hast not obserued the Commandement the Lord thy God gaue the for that thou hast rerurned and eren bred and drunke water in that place in which our Lord commaunded the not to eite bred nor drinke water thy carcasse shall not be put in the sepulcher of thy Ancetors If we recogitate how much this punishment is to be accounted according to the Euangell in which we haue lerned not to feare least our exanimated members should suffer after the bodie is killed it deserues not to be named a paine yet if we consider humane affection towardes its owne flesh one might be contristated aliue for that he was sorrie that this was to passe with his bodie althou it should not be sensible of it when it should be effected Hence it was that our Lord would chastice his seruant who had not contemned to accomplish his Precept but only being deceued by an others fallace imagined he had obeyed it when he did not Nether is it to be conceued he was so killed by the beast byting him that his soule was thence violently carried to the infernal paines since that the same Lyon which killed him garded his bodie the Asse on which he rid remayning vnhurte also the cruell beast assisting with an vndaumed presence at his Masters funerall By which admirable signe it appieres that the man of God was rather temporally corrected to deth than punished after deth Touching which matter the Apostle hauing for the offences of some commemorated the infirmities and defects of maine For quoth he if we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged by our Lord but when we are iudged we are reprehended by our Lord least we be condemned with this world Truly he who had deceued him buried him with sufficient honor in his owne proper monument procured himselfe to be buried at his Corps hoping that by this meanes his owne bones would be spared when the time should come in which according to the Prophecie of that man of God losias King of Iuda caused the bones of manie ded people to be disinterred contaminated the sacrilegious Altars whcih were erected to soulptils with the same bones For indeed he spared the monument in which the Prophet was buried who had predicted these matters aboue three centenaries of yeares a fore for his respect his Sepulcher who had seduced him was not violated For by reason o'th at affection according to which none euer hated his owne flesh he prouided for his owne carcasse whoe by a lye had slayne his owne Soule For this cause therefore for which euerie one naturally loues his owne flesh to him it was a punishment to knowe that he was not to be put in the Sepulcher of his Ancetors to this a care to vse such prouidence that his bones would be spared if he laâ—e â—â—re to him whose Sepulcher none would violate The Martyrs of Christ combating for the trueth vanquished this affection Nether is it anie merueile that those contemned that which tehy wiere not to fiele after their deth who could not he vanquished wi'those torments which they felt alyne For surely God who sufferd not the Lyon to touche the Prophetes bodie which he had slaine aâ—â—e more of a killer made him a kieper he could I say haue debarred the dogs to which the murdered bodies of his seruants wiere cast from them he could innumerable wayes haue terrified the crueltie of the people so that they should not haue dared ether to
SAINT AVSTINS CARE OR THE DEAD OR HIS BOVKE INTIT'LED De cura pro mortuis translated for the vse of those who ether haue not his volumes or haue not knowlige in the Latin tungue Printed published M.DC. XXXVI THE TRANSLATORS INTENT THe motiue of my translation is partly to delite the Rieder with the Curiositie o' the discourse partly to acquainte him wi' the notorius difference which in it appieres betwixt the doctrine spirit style o'those Primitiue ages in part of which Saint Austin flourished the doctrine spirit style o' the pretensiue Reformers of our present tymes concerning some points of Religion in controuersie betwixt them vs Roman Catholiques which the tenor o' the Tractate will particularly declare specifie especially touching Purgatorie prayer to Saints which place of Purgatorie Saint Austines doctrines professedly asserting in seueral parts o'th is his briefe elucubration prayer for Soules departed in state of saluation so necessarily supposes that I must occasionally exhorte the erroneous perusers for their own soules safetie touching this particular to adhere to antiquitie renounce noueltie seriously yet farther reflecting on that which the same S. Austin applying a certaine passage o' the Apostle to this same purpose in another place deliuers concerning the paines of Purgatorie sufficient to cause al its contemners to tremble Bicause quoth S. Austin it is said he shall be saued as it were by fyer that fyer is contemned ey plainely althou ' they be saued by fyer yet that fyer is more grieuous than al that one can suffer in this life For which cause the same renowned Father immediately afore in the same place occasion most ingeniously iudiciously termes the paines of Purgatorie an emendatorie fyer ernestly desiring God to purge him in this life render him such a one that now he stands not niede of it In so much that by thiese passages by this present Treatise it will finally appiere that they who refuse to pray for Soules in Purgatorie ar no such Christians as ancient S. Austin others o'former ages this Father being euen as Caluin himselfe confesses the best most fidelious witnesse of all the aneient writers But let this suffice briefely to infinuate both the scope o'th is matter the translators purpose in which if perchance the viewer findes not the claritie which he desires let him please not to attribute it to the Interpreters defect but to the difficultie o' the Authors style whoe supposing the translator in realitie has vsed no smale industrie in elucidating the sence partly by reason of his owne most in genious profunditie partly by the Printers neglect not only in this but in the rest of his wourkes has diuers verie obscure intricate passages Nether let anie one maruelle at anie noueltie appiering ether in the translators orthographie or phrase supposing he most commonly both writes his wourds according to their sounde in pronuntiation som'at latinyzes frenchifyes his style in this other his translations purposely to mitigate the asperitie or ruffnesse of our vulgar tungue the more to facilitate it for those strangers who defire to lerne it peruse our wrytings yet rather chuseing to streine the property of his owne natiue language than in anie sorte to diminishe the energie ether o' the Authors style or sence but let him totally applie his mynde to the scope matter of this most famous Father for in this doutlesse we wil haue bothe pleasure profit Finally the Translator in most humble manner presentes his labor as a perpetuated DEDICATORIE of his religious affection respect to the excellent Princesse gratious great Ladie the Ladie Duches of Richmond expecting no other reward for his seruice than that her excelleÌ„cie wil at her conuenient leisure retired tymes gratiously voutsafe to peruse this briefe treatise o' the antient renowned Father Saint Austin seriously reflecte how much she is traduced by her Preichers Directors concerning the doctrine of prayer for soules departed Masse merit Mediation of Saints for thence doutlesse her Grace by diuyne grace assistance will yet further conceue conclude that in sembleable sorte she is seduced from the true dictamen of Antiquitie in other points of her faith Religion vnder a false pretext of Scripture the written Wourd of God as by diuyne assistance I intend professedly to demonstrate in an other occasion AVRELIVS AVGVSTIN TO BISHOP PAVLIN TOVCHING CARE for the ded MY venerable fellow B. Paulin I haue bin long a detter to your letters since you writ vnto me by the seruants of our most religious sister Flora propunding me a question whether it profites any one after his decease to haue his bodie buried at the monument of a Saint for this the same mentioned widow had inquired of you concerning her Sonne in those parts departed to whome you had rescrybed comforting her by your letters also signifying that to be accomplished which with maternal pious affection she desyred viz. to haue the corps o' the faithfull youth Cynegius defunct put in the Church o' the most blessed Confessâ—r Felix by occasion of which it was effected that you writ to me euen by the same carriers of your letters propounding the same question both requesting me to deliuer my responsiue opinion yet not being silent your selfe in deliuering your owne dictamen for you say the motions of those religious faithfull minds which procure these matters sieme to you not to be vaine you adde that it canot be voide of cause that the vniuersal Church accustomes to praye for the deceased in so much that hence it may also be coniectured that it profites one after his deth if for the interment of his bodie such a place is prouided by the faith of his frends in which euen this manner of procured assistance of Saints may appiere But althou ' this be thus yet you signifie you know not sufficiently how that senteÌ„ce o' the Apostle is not contrarie to this opinion We shall all stand at Christs Tribunal that euerie one may receiue according to that which he performed in his bodie be it goud or euill For surely this Apostolical sentence admonishes vs that must be performed afore deth which may profit vs after our decease not theÌ„ wheÌ„ euerie one is to receue according to that which he did afore his deth But this question is thus resolued viz. that it is acquired by a certeine manner of life during the time we remaine in this bodie that theise things may som'at helpe the deceased and that by this meanes they ar succor'd according to those matters which they performed by their bodies by those things which are religiously performed for them after their bodies decease For this cause it is that these matters auaile not those who ether haue so ill merited that they deserue not to be succor'd by them or els who haue merited so well that
destroye thier bodies by fyer or disperse their ashes But nether was this triall to be awanting to the various multiplicite o' their temptations least their fortitude in Christs Confession whcih was not to yield to the barbarous rigor of the persecution for the safetie of their bodies should tremble for the honor of a sepulcher finally least faith o' the Resurrection should feare the destruction of humane bodies Thiese matters theirefore wiere also to be permitted to the intent that after thiese so great examples of honour feruent Martyrs in Christs Confession might also be witnesses of that veritie according to which they lerned that those who killed their bodies had afterwards no more to doe with them in regarde that what euer they should doe to their defunct bodies doubtlesse they should effect nothing since that in insensible flesh nether hie who thence departed could fiele nor hie who created it could loase anie thing But althou ' among thiese matters which passed touching the bodies o'those who wiere killed the Martyrs not fearing them sufferd with great fortitude neuerthelesse their Christian brothers wiere much grieued for that they had no meanes ether to performe their duties touching the funerall o' the Saints nor yet did the straite vigilancie of the cruell kiepers permitte them to subtracte anie part of them secretly as the same Historie testifies So that when no miserie did touche those who were killed ether in the tearing a pieces the members of their bodies in the combustion o' their bones or in the dispersion of their ashes yet thiese who could not burie anie part of them were miserably afflicted since that they in a certeine manner felt that of which the Martyrs wiere in noe sorte sensible whereas no suffering was in thiese yet in the other there was a most miserable compassion According to this which I called a miserable compassion they are commended praised by K. Dauid who exhibited the mercie of Sepulture to the drye bones of Saul Ionathas yet what mercie is afforded to those who ar not sensible Is this peraduenture to be reduced to that opinion that insepulcherd people cannot passe the infernal riuer Let this be farre from Christian faith otherwise such a great multitude of Martyrs whose bodies could not be buried were in a miserable case veritie fallaciously pronunced Feare not those who kille the bodie and haue no more to doe if they could so much preiudice them as to impedite their passage to their desired places But bicause this without all doubt is most false nether does sepulture denied to their bodies indomage faithfull people nor profitte Infidells if they haue it Why therefore are those who buried Saul and his Sonne commended for this by the pious King saue onely for that the hearts of the commiserators ar well affected when they grieue at that which happens to the ded bodies of others which according to that affect by which none euer hated his owne flesh they will not haue done after their deth to their owne bodies precure whyle they remaine sensible to haue that exhibited to others who be not sensible which they will haue exhibited to them selues when they ar not to be sensible Certaine visions ar recounted which sieme to cause no irregardeable questioÌ„ in this disputation For some ded people ar related to haue appiered to the liuing ether in their sliepe or in some other manner shewing the places in which their bodies laye vnburied to those whoe were ignorant of it to haue admonished them to exhibit the Sepulture to them which they wanted If we replye that these things ar false wee shall sieme impudently to contradicte both the writings of some Christians and also the dictamen of those who affirme they happened vnto them but it is to be responded or anserd that we must not imagine the ded ar sensible of these matters for that they sieme to themselues ether to signifye or demaunde them in their sliepe For euen the liuing appiere often tymes to the liuing being a sliepe when they knowe them selues that they appeare they heare them relate these particulers which they dreamed affirming that they had them in their sliepe doing or speaking som'at If therefore one can sie mee in his sliepe declaring som'at which is ether aredie effected or els prenuntiating some future matter whyle I am totally ignorant of it nor yet care not a iot not only what he dreames but nether whether he be awake whyle I sliepe or sliepe whyle I wake or whether we sliepe both or wake at one the same tyme in which he has a vision in which he sies mee What meruelle is it if ded people nether knowing nor fieling these things yet ar viewed by the liuing in their dreames vtter something which those who ar awake knowne to be true Wherefore I should thinke it to be effected by Angelical operations whether it be permitted or commaunded froÌ„ aboue that these should sieme to vtter som'at in their sliepe touching the buriall o' their bodies althou ' they ble quite ignorant whose bodies they be And this is sometymes profitably effected whether it be to giue some sort of comfort to the liuing to whome those ded people apperteyne whose representations appiere to the dreamers or to the intent that by these admonitions the humanitie of Sepulture may be recommended to humane generation which althou ' it helpes not the deceased yet is it culpable irreligiositâ—e to neglect it Yet sometimes people are carried to great errors by fallatious visions who iustly deferue to suffer such illusions as for example if one should viewe that which Aeneas by poeticall falsitie is related to haue siene in the infernal regions that the figure of some unsepulcherd person should appeare vnto him vtter such particulars as Palinurus is recounted to have vtterd to Aeneas that when he awakes he should finde his bodie in the same place in which he heard it to be whyle he dreamed was admonished requested to burie it when he had found it that in regard he perceiued it to be true he should for that cause bilieue that the ded are therefore buried that their soules may passe to those places Does not he who bilienes these matters very much exorbitate from the way o'trueth For such is humane infirmitie that when anie one sies one ded in his sliepe he imagins he sies his soule but when he Sembleably dreames of anie one aliue he doutes not but that nether his bodie nor his soule but the similitude of a man appiered to him as if not the soules but the similitudes o' people soules being in the same sort ignorant could not appiere to those who dreame When I was at Milan I heard for certeine that when a dette was demanded of one by producing the bond of his father deceased which det had bin paid vnknown to his sonne he began to be very much coÌ„tristated to admire
that his Father dying had not declared his dets vnto him supposing he made a will Then his Father appeared to him being very much perplexed in his sliepe signifyed where it was recorded that the bond was cancelled which being found and produced the young man not only repelled the calumniation o' the false dette but also receued the acquittance which his Father had not receued when he paied the money In this case therefore it is conceued that the soule o' the Father had care of his Sonne to haue come to him being a sliepe to the intent that teiching him that which he ignored he might deliuer him from a great molestation Yea amost at the verie same tyme at which we heard this that is I being at Milan Eulogius the Rhetoritian of Carthage who was my Scholler in the same Art as himselfe after my returne into Africa related to me when he expounded to his Schollers Cicero's books of Rhetorique perusing the lesson which he was to deliuer to them the day insuing he founde a certeyne obscure place which not vnderstanding he could scarce sliepe for care to whome being in a dreame that might I expounded that to him which he did not vnderstand yea not I but my figure I ignoring it ether imployed in farre different matters beyond the seas or not caring a iot for his cares Howe these things are effected I knowe not but in what euer manner they are effected why bilieue we not they are effected in the same manner that one viewes one in his sliepe ded in the same manner as it is effected that he viewes one aliue certeinly nether o' them ether knowing or caring where when or who dreames o' their figures or shapes Sembleable to dreames are also some visions of the liuing who haue their senses troubled as are those of frantique people or in anie sort furious for these also speike to them selues as if they spake to those who are really present as well with the absent as the present whose figures they viewe whether a liue or ded But euen as those who liue know not that they are viewed by them or that they speake wi'thē for that inrealitie they are nether present nor discourse wi'them but only being people troubled in their senses they suffer such imaginarie visions in the same fashion those who haue departed this life to people thus affected seeme to be present when they are absent not knowing at all whether anie bodie imaginarily viewes them Of this same nature is also that other matter vizt when people ar substracted from their corporal senses possessed with such visions more profundly than if they sliepe An to these also appiere the resemblances both o' the liuing the ded but when they returne to their senses who euer they affirme they haue siene ded they are truly credited to haue bin with them nether consider they who heare these matters that sembleably the resemblances also o'some liuing ar viewed they remayning absent ignorant o' the same A certeine ordinarie person Curina by name in the Incorporation of Tullie which is verie neare to the Cittie Hippon a poure officer scarce in the ranke of a Diumuir in that place an absolute rustique being sick depriued of his senses he laye some certeine daies amost ded yet a very smal breath remaining in his nose which by putting tou ones hand was scarce perceiued serued for a slender signe of his life which as one astonished sufferd him not to be buried He moued not one member hee recelued no sustenance he perceiued nothing with his eyes nor felt anie paine he was put tou in anie other of his corporal senses neuerthelesse he sae manie things in his sliepe which at length after manie daies awaking he related And in primis as soune as he open'd his eyes let some bodie goe quoth he to Curina the smith's house know what is done there when the messiuger came thither he was founde to haue died at the same moment in which this man was restor'd to his senses had reuiued a most from deth Then he signified to those who were present with attention that Curina the smith was commanded to appiere at the time of his owne dismission that he heard in the place whence he returned that not Curina the Curial but Curina the Smith was commaunded to be adduced to those places o' the ded Therefore in those visions as in his dreames it was aduertissed that among those deceased people which he sae some were treated according to the diuersitie o' their merits Also some he obserued whome he had knowne alyue But I perhaps should haue bilieued them to be ded if he in those his as it were dreames had not siene some who are yet alyue at this present vizt some preists of his countrie by whose preist ther he was instructed to that purpose that he might be me baptized at Hippon which he said was performed wherefore he sae in that vision a preist clerkes my selfe not yet ded in which same vision he also sae such as were ded Why should he not be supposed to haue siene them as well as vs both of vs being absent ignorant of this accordingly not to haue siene the persons themselues but their resemblances or figures as also the resemblances o' the places for he both sae the field in which that preist was with the clerkes the Citie Hippone where he was as it were baptized In which places certainely he was not when there he siemed to bee For he knew not what was done ther at that tyme which doutlesse he would haue knowne if verily he had bin there Therefore these matters were siene which ar not presented in the things as they ar in their nature but as they ar adumbrated or shadowed in certaine images of things Finally after manie things which he viewed he related that he was introduced in to Paradyse that it was said to him at the tyme of his dismission redie to returne to his frendes goe be baptized if thou wil be in that place o' the blessed Further more being admonished to be baptized he anserd it was a'redie done To whome he with whome he spake replyed goe quoth hee be truly baptized for thou saest that in a vision After this he recouer went to Hippon Easter now approached he deliuerd his name among other Competents with verie manie others in lyke manner vnknowne to vs. Nether had he care to notifye his vision to mie or to anie of myne He was baptized the holie dayes being past he returnd home After a yeare or two transacted or more I knewe all these particulars first by a frend of his myne at my table when we discoursed aboute some such matters Then I vrged caused him to relate these things in presense to me his honest citticens testifying both his strange infirmitie how he had layne almost ded for the space of manie dayes o'th
afore by prophetical spirit reueling it was afterwarde to come to passe that he should promisse it For if he was present to the dreamer certainely he had power to doe it by admirable grace not by nature by Gods donation not by his owne proper forces But if he ether being in other matters imployed or else in a dreame and busied with other visions the woman sae him in her sliepe verily some such matter was effected as that which we riede in the Acts of the Apostles where our Lord Iesus speikes to Ananias touching Sanl signifies to him that Saul sae Ananias coming to him when Ananias himselfe did not knowe it Whether euer o'theise that man of God should haue anserd me I would also prociede to inquyre of him touching the Martyrs whether they ar present in sliepe or to those who sie them in anie other facion in what forme they please chiefely when the Deuils confesse they ar tormented by them in peoples bodies praye them to spare them or whether theise matters are performed at Gods commande by Angelicall powers in honor and comendation o' the Saints for the profit of men they remaining in soueraine rest and attending to an other much better vision separated from vs and praying for vs. For at Milan at S. Geruasius Protasius Martyrs as they mentioned in the same sort other people deceased by expression o' their names the Deuils confessed S. Ambrose Bishop yet aliue obsecrated him that he would spare them whyle he was about other matters quite ignorant o'th is when it passed Now whether some tymes theise matters be performed by the presence o' the Martyrs some tyme by the presence of Angels whether by what signes they can be discerned none can be able to knowe determine this but hee onely who has that guifte by Gods Spirit diuiding to euerie one as he pleases I conceiue the prenominated Iohn would resolue me all these points according to my desyre to the end that ether I might lerne them by his instruction knowe theise things to be true which I should heare or else bilieue those things which I should not know he teiching me who knowes them And if perchance he should ansere me out of holie scripture should say inquire not hyer matters than thy selfe search not stronger matters than thy selfe but euer cogitate those matters which God has commanded thie I would also receiue it gratiously For it is no smale comoditie at the least to knowe for certaine cleare that such matters are not to be exquyred as are obscure incertaine which we are not able to comprehende that which anie one desyres to knowe imagining it is profitable for him to knowe it let him lerne it preiudices him not if he ignores it Now since these matters stande thus let vs not imagine that anie thing arriues to the ded of whom we haue care saue that we solemnily supplicate for them ether by sacrifices o' the Altar or prayers or of almeses how be it they profitte not all those for whome they ar performed but those only to whom during their life it is acquired that they should be profitable yet in regarde we know not in particular who they bee we must performe all these things for all the regenerated to the end that none o' them be pretermitted to whome thiese benefits may ought to acrue For it will be better they should superabound in respect o' them whome they nether profitte nor disprofitte than that they should be defectiue to those whome they profitte neuerthelesse euerie one performes thiese matters more diligently for his owne intrinsicall friendes in regarde the like is performed by them for him But what euer is expended in the inhumation o' the bodie it is no succor for saluation but an office of humanitie conformable to the affect according to which none euer hates his owne flesh Whence it is that as much as is in his Power one must haue all the care he can for the bodie of his neybor when he who ruled it shall thence departe An if they who bilieue not the Resurrection o' the flesh performe thiese things how much more ought those who bilieue it to performe them to the intent that an office thus performed may be to the bodie ded but yet to ryze againe to remaine in eternitie in some sort a testimonie o' the same faith But that some are buried niere the monuments of Martyrs this onely siemes to mie to profitte the deceased person that the affection of his prayer who commendes him to the patronage o' the Martyr may be increased You haue now such a responsiue resolution of myne to those points which you estiemed conuenient to inquyre of me as I coulde aford you Which if it is larger than may suffice perdone me for it was in regarde o' the desyre I had to discourse longer wi' you wherfore I praye let me knowe by your rescriptiue letters how your venerable Dilection accepted this bouke which doutelesse the Messinger will render more gracious vnto you vizt Our brother compresbyter Candidianus whom as knowne by your letters I receued most affectionately dismissed inuoluntarily For he comforted vs much with his prsence in Christs charitie I must confesse I obeyed vnto you at his sollicitation For my mynde is with so manie matters distracted that vnlesse he by his continual admonition had not sufferd me not to forget surely my responsal had bin wanting to your question FINIS Errates THe chiefe errors committed in the printe be these page 24. line 8. menlate for lamente page 30. line 17. to haue this prouidence for a care to this to haue this prouidence page 35. line 7. They knowe them selues for they knowe not them selues line 11. they had them for they sae them page 46. line 19. consulted wi'them for were prouided for page 48. line 3. vnburied abiected for buried or abiected Other lesser faltes I remitte to the perusers discretion for him to correct mentally in his owne discourse euer caring in his mynde that by reason we Catholiques be not permitted to print in our owne Countrie but are forced to vse strangers it is impossible to haue matters exactely performed THE SOVLES SVPPLICATION AT THE HOVRE OF DETH Applyed by the Church to Soules departed as represented in that most terrible trance or in relation to the generall Iudgment THat day that day of doume and yre This corporall sphere will by fyre Conuerte to ashes senze delay Witnesse Dauid with Sybilla What feare and terror will be thiere When the iuste Iudge shall once appiere Attended on 〈◊〉 Angels thus All with great strictnesse to discusse A trumpet cansting a strange sounde On the Graues in euerie grounde With lyke constreinte by one one Will summone all afore his Throne Both Deth nature in a maze Wil stande when in those horrid dayes Al humane creatures shall arize Their Iudge to anser in this guyze A written bouke shall be produc'd To which all matters ar reduc'd In order according to which All shall be iudg'd both poure rich Wherfore wheÌ„ the Iudge shal sit thiere All secret acts shall then appiere Not one offence shall wante its paine Nor irreuenged shall remaine What poure creature shall I then saye Or to what Patron shall I praye When in that most distressed case Euen scarce a iuste one will be safe O Prince o'formidable driede Of whose great Maiestie we riede Thou who saues the saued gratis Saue me founteine Pietatis Remember Iesu thie I praye That I am cause of this thy waye Thou haest rediem'd me from the praie Let me not perish in that daie Thou haest exquir'd me to thy losse Thou haest rediem'd me by thy Crosse Let this labor not be frustrate But wi' glorie me illustrate O thou great Iudge of iuste reuenge Since I 'm not able thy chalenge To indure grante me remission Afore I'm to render reason I sigh sob as one guiltie My face blushes at my filthie Faulte For thy pitie most intense Voutsafe to perdone my offense Thou whoe didest from sinne absolue That vitious Marie dissolue By thy perdon the thiefs offence Haest also gin me confidence My prayers I knowe ar not worthie For to obteine thy great mercie Yet pious Lord I thie desyre I be not burnte with endlesse fyere O diuyne sheperd thou me kiepe And place me once a mong thy shiepe Diuyde me from the goates stande Let me o Lord at thy right hande When thou shalt once confounded haue The male dicted from Graue Haest sent them to eternal flame Place me wi' those of blessed name To thie o Lord I supplicate With contryte mynde I now prostrate My selfe afore thy face bende To haue assistance at my ende O lamentable is the daye In which all people must obeye The Angels voyce ryze a gaine To iudged bee to Blisse or paine Spare vs therfore both great smale And free vs from eternall thral O pious Christ whose name be bless'd Giue vs them eternal rest Amen 1 Cor. 3. 15. in Psal 37. Iohn Calu. Instit lib. 4. cap. 14 â—iâ—e Marke merit ackowliged in this other places by Saint Austin yet reiected renounced by pretensiue reformers The Machabies ancient Scriptures Reflecte on the vniuersal Churches custome in S Austins time to praye for the ded in Masse AEnâ—d 6. Math. 10. Luc. 12. Psal 115. An argument founded in a contrarie absurditie Lacan Genes 23. Tob. 2. 12. Math. 26. Note praver to Saints for the soules of the deceased Obserue praver to Saints for the deceased Note the publique praier o' the Church for the ded befides the deuotions of particular persons Saints mediate for soules departed 3. Reg. 13. 1 Cor. 1â— 2. Reg. 22 Psal 26. Cap. 65. Prayet for the ded is to be vsed althou we knowe not distinctlye the actions which they exercise in the other life The Iewes reiect the Ecclesiastique but S. Austin places it in the Christian canon lib. 2. de doctrin Christ cap. 8. Marke It is expedient to the edification of Christian faith for God to vse the mediation of his Saints for the cure conforte of his people in their necessities Eccles 3. Prouerb 15. Both the oblation câ—the Masse other prayers almes diedes profitte soules departed Prayer to Saints in particular