agaynst the Pelagians 5. booke There is but two wayes that is one to damnation and one to saluation Augustine in his Enchiridion 108. Chapter The time then which is betwene the death of man and the latter resurrection the soules are receyued into secrete receptacles euen as euery one is worthy eyther of rest or of miserie according to that that he hath deserued when it liued in the flesh Augustine of the Citie of God .10 boke 24. Chapter Speaking vnto Porphyrius a Platonist He hath not known Iesus Christ to be the beginning throughe whose incarnation we are purged In the same booke Chapter 22. We haue then victorie in his name who hath taken mans fleshe and hath liued without sinne to the ende that he being the Priest and the sacrifice was made the forgiuenesse of sinnes that is to saye by the mediator of God and men the man Iesus Christ through whom the purgation of our sinnes is made we are restored agayne with god For men are not seperated from God but through sinne of which the purgation is not done in our life through our vertue but through Gods diuine mercie through his clemencie not through our power for the same vertue which is called ours whatsoeuer it be is graunted vnto vs through his goodnesse Reade Lactantius Firmianus 6. booke 3. Chapter of the institutions agaynst the Gentiles and Idolaters There is but two wayes the one of vertue the other of sinne which leadeth vnto hell Augustine of the Trinitie .4 booke 13. Chapter By his death that is to saye throughe one onely and moste true sacrifice whiche hath bene offered for vs he hath purged and hath abolished and put out all the faultes for the whiche the principalities and powers doe detayne vs for to bee punished and hath called vs through his resurrection vnto a newe lyfe we which are predestinated he hath iustified those whom he called and hath glorified them whome he iustified Augustine in his Enchiridion vnto Laurence Chapter 66. Some men beleeue that those also whiche haue not abandoned the name of Christ and whiche haue bene baptised in his Churche and haue not bene cut of from the same through any schisme or heresies that in whatsoeuer sinnes they haue liued the which they haue not defaced and blotted out through penaunce nor redeemed through almes but shall perseuer and continue in them continually vntil the last day of this life shall be saued through the fire Although that according to the greatnesse of their sinnes and misdeedes that fire shall be diuturnall not eternall But me thinketh that those which beleeue that and notwithstanding are catholikes are deceyued through mans beneuolence For the holy Scripture if one doe loke in it answereth an other thing S. Ierome vpon the Prophet Esay 65. Chapter He which shall not obtayne pardon of his sinnes whilst that he liueth in this body and shall so depart out of this life hee perisheth to God and leaueth to bee although that he ryse vnto himselfe in paines Augustine writing vnto Macedonius 54. Epistle There is no other place for to correcte the manners then in this life for after this life euery one shall haue that he hath here gotten Againe in this world the mercye of God helpeth those which doe repent but in the world to come repentance profiteth not but we must render and giue account of our workes Libertie of repentance is only giuen vnto vs in this life after the death there is no licence of correction nowe is the time of mercye afterward shall be the time of iudgement Augustine vpon S. Iohn 12. treatise Expounding the wordes of Christ hee which beleeueth not is already iudged Also the iudgement is not yet appeared but the iudgement is already done And the Lorde knoweth those which are his and knoweth those which shall abyde looking for the crowne of glorye and those whiche abyde looking for the fire S. Chrysostome in the .2 sermon of Lazarus Make readye the woorkes for the ende and prepare thy selfe to the waye And if thou hast taken by violence anye thing from anye man restore it and make restitution and saye with Zachaeus if I haue taken any thing from any man by forged cauillation I restore it him foure double And if thou art angry with any man reconcile thy selfe before that thou cummest to iudgemente paye here all thinges to the ende that without trouble or molestation thou mayest see that iudgement All the while that we be here in this life we haue a most faire and shining hope but when we shall be departed and deade we shall no more repent nor doe penance nor washe and clense the sinnes that wee haue committed Afterwardes he saith truly he which shall not in this lyfe washe and clense his sinnes in the other lyfe he shall finde no consolation Saint Cyprian agaynst Demetrian 1. Treatise Beleeue and ye shall liue and ye which doe persecute vs for a certayne time bee ioyfull with vs for euer When one shall depart from hence he shall haue no more place of repentaunce nor no more effect of satisfâ—â—tion Here is the lyfe lost or wonne Here is conquered the eternall health through the veneration of God and through the fruite of faith and so long as one shall abyde in this lyfe no repentance is to late c. S. Ierome in his .7 Tome vpon Ecclesiastes 9. Chapter Bicause that before he hath sayde that the heartes of men are full of wickednesse and shame and after that all these things doe ende when they doe die nowe he maketh an ende of the same and repeateth that as long as men doe liue they may be made righteous but no occasion of good workes is giuen after death For the sinner that is alyue maye be better than the righteous whiche is deade If he will passe into the vertues of him or verily he maye be better than he which reioyceth in his wickednesse and in his strength and shame the which is deade and maye be better than he howe poore or base soeuer he be Wherefore Bicause that those that be liuing for feare of death may doe good workes But the deade can nothing adde to that that they haue once caried away with them from this life c. Chrysostome vnto the people homily .69 and .70 and vpon S. Iohn 11. Chap. and vpon the Hebrues 2. chapter 4. Homelye Let vs not bewayle without reason those that are deade but let vs bewayle those which are dead in sinne Those are worthy of sorowe and of teares For what hope hath he to be gone with his sinnes where it is not giuen him to put of the sinnes Ambrose in the first Tome of the goodnesse of the dead chap. 2. The holy man Dauid hasted him selfe to goe out of the place of his pilgrimage saying I am a stranger and a pilgrimme with thee as all my forefathers were and therefore as a pilgrimme he
that vvhich vve cannot doe Rom. 8. Rom. 8. 1. Iohn 4. The Pelagians say that they haue loue of them selues 1. Cor. 8. 1. Iohn 4. Galat. 3. Leuit. 18. Rom. 10. Ezec. 20. God knovveth verye vvell that vve cannot do that that he commandeth but to keepe vs in humilitie Titus 3. 2. Tim. 1. The lavve doth not giue righteousnesse Iohn 1. Iohn 7. The lavve giuen to the ende that sin abounde Rom. 5. 2. Cor. 3. The lavv by the vvhich vve cannot be iustified is the lavv of the tvvo tables and not the ceremoniall lavve Deut. 5. Rom. 4. Heb. 1. Ephe. 1. Col. 1. 1. Pet. 1. 1. Iohn 1. Apoc. 1. Heb. 9. Esay 43. Rom. 8. Titus 3. VVe are saued by gods mercie and not by the fire of purgatorie Esay 1. Act. 15. Rom. 8. VVe cannot go into purgatorie vncondemned Iohn 5. Mar. 16. Mat. 7. There is but tvvo vvayes Math. 5. Luc. 12. Mat. 1. Psal. 110. Act. 2. Heb. 1. Mat. 12. Mar. 3. Secret thinges not to be reuealed Luc. 16. Sapien. 4. Sapien. 3. Deut. 33. Luc. 8. Luc. 23. Eccles 12. Psal. 146. 1. Thes 4. S. Paul speaking of the dead maketh no mention of purgatorie The gloser Gratian vppon those vvords saith as much Iesus Christ is our purgatorie 1. Tim. 2. Men are not seperated from God but through sinne Rom. 8. Sinnes not purged in the fire of purgatorie Repentance hath no place but in this life 2. Tim. 2. Luk. 19. VVhile vve be here in this life vve haue good hope but after there is no place for to vvash purge sinnes Eccle. 9. As long man liuâ— he may profite but not after he is deade There is no hope to bee gone from this life vvhere it is not giuen to put of sinnes Psal. 39. Philip. 1. Iob. 10. The counsel of Toledo doth forbid prayer for the deade Canti 2. Nothing can profite after death Luke 16. Black vvedes not to bee vvorne in funerals Nothing common vvith the deade Luc. 16. No place for buriall ought to be sought 1. Thes 4. 2. Sam. 12. 1. Cor. 7. The diuell is ouercome through the confession of Christ To offer is here taken for giuing of thankes The Priests doe here agaynst their doctrine in praying for the virgin Marie and for all the Apostles Martyrs vvhich are departed vvith the signe of fayth 1. Cor. 6. Ephe. 5. Iohn 3. Marke vvell he sayth not of fire Math. 3. Iesus Christ purgeth his and not the fire Iohn 15. Iohn 13. Mich. 7. Heb. 12. Deut. 4. The Pope sayth that God doth not giue pardon to the moytie and so there is no purgatorie Deut. 32. Oseas 14. VVhere ther is mercie there is no more hell fire rigour nor payne The Priests vvoulde be saued thorovve grace according to their song Apoc. 14. Esay 53. Iesus Christ taketh avvay our infirmities he pardoneth then the fault the payne 1. Cor. 3. Hovve saint Augustine expoundeth this place the 1. of the Cor. 3. Gregorie sayth that the bookes of the Machabees are not canonicall That our religion be not after our fantasie Our religion is not the veneration of dead men The Aungelles the Saints vvold not that vve should honour them but God. Apoc. 19. Esther 13 Act. 10. Act. 14. VVe ought not to doe sacrifice vnto the saints nor to offer vnto them for they are but men The Saints giue no ayde vvhere God hateth The iudgement of god cannot be auoyded in building of Churches VVe cannot bee made blessed by Saints nor by Angels Psal. 87. Reade Lactantius Firmianus of his heauenly institutions 2. booke 7. chapter VVe ought not to vvorship the virgin Marie The saints vvhich are in heauen haue no knovvledge of our affaires Psal. 27. Esay 63. It is not possible that the dead can in any thing helpe the liuing 2. Reg. 22 The soules departed see not the things vvhiche are done in this life VVe ought to put our trust in no Saints but in God only Ierem. 17. Psal. 146. Genes 22. Galat. 3. Act. 4. Esay 55. Ioel. 2. Rom. 10. Rom. 10. In the olde time there vvere christians vvhich committed idolatrie to the deade bodies as also novve in our time Luc. 2. Iude. 1. Deut. 34. The sepulchre of Moses is vnknovvne Mat. 14. Iohn vvas not put in a reliquâ—rie bvt in a sepulchre Act. 8. Genes 3. The faithful cannot forsake Iesus Christ and adore saints Mat. 23. The Gospel profiteth no thing to be hanged aboute our necke nor vvritten in a booke but in the heart Act. 19. Hovve vve must vnderstande that Paule gaue his partlets for to heale the diseased Act. 3. Esay 42. God hath taken fleshe of the holye virgin not to the ende that the virgin shoulde be vvorshipped 1. Iohn 2. S. Iohn did put himselfe in the number of sinners that he maye haue Christ for an aduocate Prou. 17. Iam. 4. Collo 4. 2. Thes 3. Some men vvold shevv Iesus Christ by sight those doe deuide the Church Mat. 24. Iesus Chist is the true and onely mediator If Paule vvere a mediator the other Apostles shoulde be also and so there vvere many mediators 1. Tim. 2. Rom. 8. Our sinnes are not pardoned vs in the name of S. Paule nor of S. Peter 1. Cor. 1. Mat. 15. The Cananite prayed not the Apostles but only Christ Iesus Mat. 15. God vvill giue vnto vs rather or soner that vvhich vve desire vvhen vve pray thaÌ„ vvhen other praye for vs. It is not nedefull to haue patroÌ„s vvith God. Mat. 15. Luc. 7. Luc. 23. 1. Tim. 2. Rom. 8. Heb. 7 â–ª Iohn 14. Iohn 10. 3. Reg. 8. Psal. 44. Luk. 16. Mat. 11. Galat. 6. Men forsake God and do vvorship the seruants Deut. 4. We ought to make no Images Deut. 4. Those are greatly deceyued vvho vvoulde figure God being inuisible by visible things Esay 42. Exod. 34. Esay 40. Vnto vvhoÌ„ shall vve liken God he is a spirite incomprehensible Esay 46. Sapien. 15. Leuit. 26. Deut. 11. Deut. 27. The caruers of Images are accursed Psal. 115. Psal. 135. Deut. 7. Exod. 34. Iere. 10. 3. Reg. 12 Iosua 24. Sapien. 14 Act. 17. Rom. 1. The foolish men vvould resemble God to a man. 1. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 10. 1. Iohn 5. 1. Cor. 8. Those vvhich doe graue Images for to represent God doe vvicked things Religion is not vvhere there are Images Reade the 3.4 and 5. Chapters Men doe adore images in the honor of God vvhich is against God The honor of the image of god Mat. 25. It is great infidelitie to receyue the goodnesse of God and to render thaÌ„ks vnto the Images of vvood or stone Adoration apertaineth only vnto the true God. VVe ought not to seeke God by the Images Images doe dravve the senses of the vveake vnto vayn things Eutropius of the dedes of the Romanes Images forbidden in Temples Those are reiected froÌ„ the Church vvhich vvill not abstaine froÌ„ Images Apoc. 8. Psal. 141. A recital for to make suche Images vvhiche are pleasing vnto god Rom.
and remembrance of the fleshe of Christ which he offered for vs and of his bloude which he hath shed Augustine in his 10. booke of the Citie of god Chap. 5. The visible sacrament is the testament that is to saye the holy signe of the inuisible sacrifice Chrysostome in the 7. homilye vpon the Epistle to the Hebrues We doe offer in deede but that which we doe offer we doe it in remembraunce of his death for that which we doe is done in remembraunce of that which hath bene done For he sayth doe this in remembraunce of me we doe not make it any other sacrifice as the priest doth But wee doe alwayes the very same and for to tell you better we doe the remembraunce of the sacrifice which hath ben done The Apostle vnto the Hebrues we doe by him offer the sacrifice of laude alwayes vnto God that is to say the fruite of those lippes which confesse his name I beseche you therefore bretheren by the mercifulnesse of God that yee make your bodies a quick sacryfice holy and acceptable vnto God which is your resonable seruing of God. The prophet Oseas O forgiue vs all our sinnes receiue vs graciouslye and then wyll we offer thee bullockes of our lippes vnto thee S. Paule sayth I was filled after that I had receiued of Epaphroditus the which came from you an odour that smelleth sweete a sacrifice acceptable and pleasant to God. Lactantius Firmianus in his 6. booke the .24 .25 chapters Iesus Christ sa yt I haue pleasure in mercy and not in offring Math. 9. Mat. 12. Oseas .6 and the 1. of Samuel 15. Pope Gregory in his .16 decretall the .7 question Pope Gregory in his decretals adiudgeth him culpable of Idolatry which shall heare the masse of a priest that is a whore monger or which shall communicate at his Sacramentes and Sacrafices Francis Maro in his suffrages for the deade He which causeth a masse to be sayde by an vnchast or whore maister priest or which is in deadly sinne it profiteth nothing neyther to the liuing nor to the deade The Apostle to the Hebrues the lawe which hath but the shadowe of good things to come and not things in their owne fashion can neuer with the sacrifices which they offer yearely make the commers therevnto perfect Agayne it is impossible that the bloud of Oxen and of Goates should take away sinnes Also Lo I come to do thy will O God c. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the bodie of Iesus Christ once for all Moreouer This man after he had offred one sacrifice for sinnes sat him downe for euer on the right hand of God. Likewyse with one offring hath hee perfected for euer those that are sanctified Agayne theyr sinnes and iniquities wyll I remember no more And where remission of these thinges is there is no more offring for sinnes Also he sayth not that Iesus Christ doth offer him selfe often as the hie priest entred into the holy place euery yeere with strange bloud for then must he haue often suffred sence the world began c. That there is but two Sacramentes in the church of Iesus Christe Augustine in his .3 booke of the christian doctrine the .9 chapter But in this time hereafter that the manyfest iudgement of our liberty is reuealed by the resurrection of the Lorde wee are not ouermuch charged through heauy operacions and workinges of signes which we already doe vnderstand But the same Lord hath giuen by the doctrine of the Apostles a certayne little number in steede of many which are easye to doe and good to vnderstand and most chast to keepe As is the Sacrament of baptisme and the celebration of the body and bloud of the lord And when euery one doth vse them being instructed to what ende they serue he shall acknowledge them not with a carnall seruitude and bondage but to honor them in the liberty of the spirite And as it is a seruyle infirmytie to follow the letter and to take the signes for the thinges which are signified by them so is it an euill error to interprete vnprofitably the signes c. Augustine wryting to Ianuarius in the 118. Epistle I would that thou shouldest knowe that our Lorde Iesus as he him selfe saith in the Gospell hath submitted vs to an easie yoke and light burthen And therefore he hath ordayned in the christian church a fewe Sacramentes in number easie to be kept excellent in significacion as the Baptisme consecrated in the name of the Trinitie and the communication of the body and bloud of the lord And if there be any other thing commaunded in the Scripture c. Augustine vpon S. Iohn in the .80 homelye The word being adioyned to the Clement it shal be made a Sacrament How we ought to vnderstand this word Sacrament Sacrament Mystery Secrete is all one and is vnderstoode for an hidde and vnknowen thing the which notwithstanding is reuealed at a certayne time when it pleaseth the goodnesse of God. Reede Tob. 12. Daniell 2. Sapien. 2. 1. Cor. 4. Ephe. 5. Ephes 1. Ephes 3. Collos 1.1 Timoth. 3. Apocal. 7. Of confession to God and of auricular confession Dauid sayth in the .32 psalm I haue acknowledged my sinne vnto thee and mine vnrighteousnesse haue I not hydde I sayd I wyll confesse my sinnes vnto the Lord and so thou forgauest the wickednesse of my sinne Againe I acknowledge my faultes and my sinne is euer before me Agaynst thee only haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight If we acknowledge our sinnes he is faythfull and iuste to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnesse Acknowledge your faults one to an other and pray one for an other Eccles 28. Ephe. 4. Collos 3. If thy brother trespasse against thee c. Reade Luke 17. Deut. 17. 1. Cor. 5.2 Cor. 13. Augustine in his 10. booke of confessions the 2. chapter What haue I to doe then with men that they should heare my confessions As though they should heale my griefes That is a curyous kinde of people to know another mans life and slowe to correct and amend their owne wherefore doe they demaund of me to heare what I am where they wyll not heare of thee what they are And how doe they know when they doe heare me wheather I doe speake true when in deede no man knoweth that which is done in the man but the spirit of the man which is in him c. Chrysostome in the 12. chapter to the Hebrewes 3. homily and in the 4. tome 41. homily I doe not say vnto thee that thou accuse thy selfe openly nor before others But I would that thou shouldest obay the Prophet which saith reuele vnto the Lorde thy way acknowledg then thy sinnes before God pronounce thy vnrighteousnesse with prayer to the true Iudge not with the tongue but by the
Doest thou thinke that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are onely giuen vnto Peter and that none other of the blessed shall receyue them Augustine vpon the wordes of the Lord in S. Mathew in his 13. sermon Thou art then Peter and vppon this rocke which thou hast confessed vpon this rocke whiche thou hast knowne saying thou art Christe the sonne of the liuing God I will builde my church Vpon me I will buylde thee and not me vpon thee For those men which woulde be buylded vpon men doe saye I holde of Paule and I holde of Apollos and I holde of Cephas that is to saye rocke and the other which will not be builded vpon Peter but vppon the rocke doe saye I holde of Christ c. Iesus Christ is the heade of the church reade Ephes 4. Colos 1.2 Reg. 22. Augustine in his 3. booke of Baptisme the 3. Chap. And they are the wordes of S. Cyprian in the counsell of Carthage None of vs truly is establyshed Byshoppe of Byshoppes or none shall compell his companions by cruell tyranny through necessitie to come thereunto Gregory wryting to Eulogius Byshoppe of Alexandria in the 7. booke .3 Epistle Behold how you haue wrytten to me you haue put this worde of pryde in calling me vniuersall Pope but I pray your holinesse to call me no more so hereafter For all that which is giuen vnto an other aboue reason is taken from you Concerning my selfe I doe not repute that for honor wherein I doe see the honor of my bretheren weakened For my honor is that the estate of the vniuersall Church and of my bretheren be mainteyned in theyr strength If your holynesse doe call me vniuersall Pope you confesse that you are not in part of that which you attribute and giue vnto me for the whole Of free wyll of the merites of workes and of iustification by faith Iesus Christ sayth whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne Rom. 6. 2. Peter 2. All haue sinned and haue neede of Gods mercie Also Iesus Christ sayth without mee ye can doe nothing We are not apt to thinke any thing as it were of our selues but our abilitie commeth of God. The flesh ryseth agaynst the spirit and the spirite agaynst the flesh and these thinges are contrary one to an other so that ye cannot doe the same thinges that ye woulde Also he which beganne a good worke in you shall goe foorth with it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Agayne it is God which worketh in you both the will and also the deede according to his pleasure Likewyse I doe not that good thing which I would but that euill doe I which I would not Augustine in his Enchiridion to Laurence Chapter .29 This part of mankinde vnto whome God hath promised deliueraunce and the euerlasting kingdome can it be made better by his workes No no for what good can he doe which is lost but asmuch as he shall be deliuered from his perdition Can he doe by his free wyll the same the same also he cannot doe For man ill vsing his free wyll did lose him selfe and his free wyll and as he which killeth him selfe whiles he is liuing killeth him selfe but in putting him selfe to death he liueth no more and cannot rayse him selfe vp agayne when he is dead so when he hath sinned by his free wyll bicause that sinne hath bene victoryous hath free wyll ben loste For of whome soeuer a man is ouercom vnto the same he is in bondage This is truly the sentence of S. Peter And bicause that it is true I praye you what may be the liberty of a seruant that is in bondage but when he doth take pleasure to sinne For he serueth freely which doth willingly the wyll of the Lorde and therefore he is free to sinne which is the seruant of sinne and no man shall be free to doe iustly if first being deliuered from sinne he doe not begin to be the seruant of righteousnesse This is the true liberty for the bond of the worke that is wel done and also it is the faithfull bondage bicause of the obeying of the commaundement But from whence shall this libertie to doe well come vnto the man which is brought vnder and solde but by him who hath redeemed him of whom it is sayd if the son make you free then are ye free in deede Augustine vnto Paulinus in the .106 Epistle Let no man stumble agaynst the stumling stone as in defending subtelly free wyll and nature euen as the Philosophers of this world haue done with great force for to be esteemed or for to thinke to great the blessed life by vertue of theyr owne proper wyll Let such people then take heede to make through wysedome of wordes the crosse of Christe vayne and that the same be not vnto them to stumble against the stumbling stone For when humayne nature abydeth in that integryte in the which it hath bene made yet it cannot in any wise keepe it if his creator doe not ayde him Forasmuch then as it cannot keepe the health and saluation that it hath receiued without the grace of god How can it receiue that which it hath lost S. Augustine in the 107. Epistle vnto Vitalis If we will in deede defend free wyll let vs not fight against that whereof it is free for he which gaynsayeth the grace by the which our wyll is made free for to decline from euill and for to doe good he would that his free will be yet bond and captyue When man was in honor he did not vnderstand it he was compared vnto the beastes and was made like vnto them Augustine in his booke of corrections grace the 12. Chapter Now then forasmuch as that greate liberty is lost through the demeryte of sinne euen so doth remayne and abyde the infirmytie for to be ayded and holpen with greater giftes in truth It hath pleased God so to the ende cheifely to quenche the pryde of mans presumption that all flesh that is to say euery man should not glorie in himselfe before him c. The Counsell Mileuitan in two Canons Free will weakened to the first man can Canon 1 not be repayred and amended but thorow the grace of baptisme the which after that it is lost cannot be restored agayne but by him whiche hath power to giue it Wherefore the truth sayth if the sonne make you free then are you free in dede The seconde Canon sayeth God doth Canon 2 worke so in the heartes of men and to free will that if there be any godly cogitation any deliberation tending to the honor of God and any motion of good will all the same proceedeth from god For by him we may doe some good thing and without him we can doe nothing Augustine writing to Valentine of grace and free will. Chap. 18. To the end it should not seeme that men should doe any
for to make of twayne one new man in himselfe so making peace Christ hath put out the hande wryting of ceremonies that was agaynst vs which I say was contrarie vnto vs he tooke it out of the way and hath fastened it on his crosse For by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne Lawe entred in that offence shoulde increase I had not knowen what lust had ment except the lawe had sayde Thou shalte not lust We knowe that the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder sinne Augustine in his 9. booke of confessions Chapter 13. Woe be vnto mans life although it be praysed neuer somuch if the mercy of God drawen from it thou wilt examine or discusse it Augustine in his first booke of Retractions Chapter 19. All the commaundementes of God are reputed to be done when that whiche is not done is pardoned Augustine in his booke of the spirit and of the letter Chap. 36. This first commaundement of righteousnesse by the which it is commaunded vs to loue God with all our heart with all our soule and with all our thought the which is following the other which is to loue our neighboure in this life then wee shal fulfil them when we shall see thee face to face But therefore it is commanded vs in this world that we may be admonished and warned of that which we ought to aske through faith afterwardes and by that same as farre as I can perceiue hee profiteth much in this life in righteousnesse which ought to be ended who in profiting knoweth how much he is farre from the perfection of righteousnesse Ambrose vpon the .3 Chapter of the Romaynes He that beleeueth in Christ keepeth the lawe The similitude of the creditor the goodman of the house willing to take account of his seruants one was brought vnto him which ought him ten thousande talentes and had not wherewith to paye and yet notwithstanding woulde be payde c. We are debters not to the fleshe to liue after the fleshe but to the spirite Ye haue not receyued the spirite of bondage to feare anye more but ye haue receyued the spirite of adoption whereby we crye Abba that is to say father There is no feare in loue but perfecte loue casteth out feare for feare hath painfulnesse and hee that feareth is not perfect in loue We loue him bicause he loued vs first Augustine of free will and grace Chapter 19. Iohn sayth God is loue And the Pelagians also doe saye that they haue God not of God but of themselues And where they confesse that the lawe is giuen vs of God they will haue the loue of themselues and do giue no eare vnto the Apostle which sayth Knowledge maketh a man swell but loue edifieth Also the Scripture sayth that true fayth and holy doctrine are both of god For it is written From his face proceedeth wisedome and vnderstanding And it is written Loue commeth of God. Augustine vpon the exposition to the Galat. 3. Chap. The lawe is not of fayth but the man that shall fulfill those things shall liue in them He doth not say he which shall doe the lawe shall liue in it insomuche that thou doe vnderstande that the lawe in that place is put for the workes themselues But those who doe liue in their workes doe feare that if they had not done them they had bene stoned or crucified or suffred some other kinde of payne Wherefore he sayeth he whiche shall doe those things shall liue in them that is to saye he shall haue the rewarde to the ende not to be punished with such death Saint Barnarde vpon the Canticles Sermon 50. He which hath commanded the commaundementes was not ignorant that the burthen of the commandement exceedeth the strength of men but by that meanes hath iudged that it is profitable to admonishe them that they are not able and that they may plainely know to what ende of righteousnesse they must endeuor them selues with all their vertues then in commanding impossible thinges God hath not made men transgressors of the lawe but hath made them humble that euerye mouthe might be stopped and that all the world be made subiect to god For no flesh shall be iustified before him through the workes of the lawe Euen so when wee haue receiued the commandement and that we doe feele our default we crye vnto heauen and God hath mercye on vs and knowe in that time that he hath saued vs not of the deedes of righteousnesse whiche we wrought but of his mercy Augustine against the aduersary of the lawe and of the Prophetes 2. booke 7. Chapter It was very needefull that the lawe in the old Testament should be set forth vnto the proud and vnto those which did truste in the vertue of their owne will the which lawe doth not giue iustice but it doth command it and euen as those being wrapped in through the death of preuarication or transgressiō ought to haue their refuge to grace the which only doth not commande but also helpeth The blasphemers of the heauenly wordes doe thinke that the lawe whiche was giuen by Moyses was euill bicause that it was called the administration of death figured in letters of stone not regarding that it is sayde for those whiche doe thinke that the lawe was sufficient for their free will. c. The lawe was giuen by Moyses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ Did not Moyses giue you a lawe and yet none of you keepeth the lawe Augustine vpon Saint Iohn 3. Treatise 1. Chapter The lawe was giuen by Moyses which helde them guiltie For what sayeth the Apostle The lawe entred in that offence shoulde encrease This is heauye vnto the proude that is that he sayth to the ende that sinne may encrease For they doe attribute muche to themselues and doe assigne much to their strengths And cannot accomplish righteousnesse if he which hath commaunded it helpe them not God willing to tame their pride gaue the law As if he had sayde beholde accomplishe it to the end that you doe not thinke your selues to be without him which commandeth you are not without a commaunder but there is no fulfiller Augustine of the spirite and the letter Chapter 14. Doth not S. Paule call that lawe written in his two tables killing letters When he sayth the letter killeth speaketh he only of the lawe of Circumcision and of other olde Sacramentes alreadye abolished Howe shall we esteeme it so in as much as it is put in this lawe thou shalt not couet By the which commaundement although that it be holy iuste and good he saith that sinne hath deceiued it and thereby killed And what is that the letter killeth and the spirite quickeneth but that the law cannot iustifie c. Immediatly afterwarde he saith these my commaundementes if they are well kept as they are written we must thinke that it appertaineth not to
the lawe of workes by the whiche none is iustified but to the lawe of faith by which the righteous man liueth Who shall be of so wicked opinion to thinke that the administration of death figured in the tables of stone is not saide of all the tenne commaundementes but only of one which appertayneth to the saboth Where shall we put then this place the lawe ingendreth wrath For where no lawe is there is no transgression and sinne hath bene in the worlde euen vntill the lawe and sinne was not imputed when there was no lawe c. Read the chapter all at length Reade also the same booke the .31 chapter Of purgatory It is written in the Hebrewes the first chapter which sonne being the brightnes of the glorye and the ingraued forme of his person bearing vp all thinges with the worde of his power hath by him selfe purged our sinnes and sitteth at the right hand of that most highe maiestie Through Iesus Christ we haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes of his ritch grace In whom we haue redemption through his bloud that is to saye the forgiuenesse of sinnes to reconcile all thinges vnto him selfe and to set at peace through the bloud of his crosse both thinges in earth and thinges in heauen For asmuch as ye knowe how that ye were not redemed with corruptible things as siluer and golde from your vaine conuersation which ye receyued by the traditions of the fathers but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled and without spot And the bloud of Iesus Christ his son clenseth vs from all sinne Vnto him that loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud If the bloud of bulles and of goates and the ashes of an heyfar sprinkled sanctifieth them that are vncleane as touching the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the bloud of Christ which through the eternall spirite offered him selfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes for to serue the liuing God Esay speaking in the person of God saith it is I it is I only that for mine owne selfe sake doe away thine offences and forget thy sinnes For I confirme that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. After that the kindnesse and loue of our sauiour God to manward appeared not of the deedes of righteousnesse whiche we wrought but of his mercy he saued vs by the fountayne of the newe byrth and with the renuing of the holy Ghost Nowe goe to saith the Lorde we wil talke togither Is it not so Though your sinnes be as redde as scarlet shall they not be whyter then snowe And thoughe they were like purple shall they not by like white wooll And hee put no difference betweene them and vs seeing that with faith he purified their heartes There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus Iesus Christ saith verely verely I say vnto you he that heareth my wordes and beleeueth on him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into damnation but is escaped from death vnto life Againe he that shall beleeue and bee baptised shall be saued Also enter in at the straite gate for wyde is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which goe in there at Obiection Agree with thine aduersarie quicklye whiles thou art in the way with him least thine aduersarie deliuer thee to the iudge and the iudge deliuer thee to the sergeant and then thou be cast into prison Verily I saye vnto thee thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast payde the vtmost farthing Aunswere Saint Ambrose sayth vpon these words of Saint Mathewe When thou shalt go vnto the magistrate c. Chrysostome vppon S. Mathewe 5. Homelie 10. Doth expounde it of the reconciliation And Theophilact vpon the same place sayth as much Likewise S. Hilarie vnderstandeth it so in his Canons Obiection Verily I saye vnto thee thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast payde the vtmost farthing Answere In the first of S. Mathewe it is sayde that Ioseph knewe not his wife till shee had brought forth hir first borne sonne S. Augustine expoundeth that place by the Rauen that Noe did sende forth and sayth that the Rauen did neuer returne agayne euen so Ioseph neuer knewe the virgin Marie for she is a virgin Also Sit thou on my right hande vntill I make thine enimies thy footestoole Obiection Whosoeuer shall speake agaynst the sonne of man it shall be forgiuen him but whosoeuer shall speake agaynst the holye ghost it shall not be forgiuen him neyther in this worlde neyther in the worlde to come Aunswere Chrysostome in the 12. of S. Mathewe Homely 24. expoundeth it thus Forasmuche as this sinne is not veniall you shall be grieuously punished both in this lyfe and in the life to come Saint Augustine vpon Genesis 10. booke It is better to doubt of secrete things than to pleade of incertayne things I doe not doubt but that we must vnderstande that the riche man was in most cruell torments and that poore Lazarus in ioy c. Thoughe the righteous bee ouertaken with death yet shall he be in rest The soules of the righteous are in the hande of God and the payne of death shall not touch them In the sight of the vnwise they appeare to die and their ende is taken for very destruction The waye of the righteous is iudged to be vtter destruction but they are in rest Oure Lorde sayde vnto the woman Daughter be of good comforte thy fayth hath made thee whole go in peace Agayne vnto the theefe Verily I saye vnto thee to day shalt thou be with me in paradyse Man after his death goeth to his long home Also the bodie shall returne agayne vnto the earth from whence it came and the spirite shall returne vnto God whiche gaue it Put not your trust in Princes nor in any childe of man for there is no helpe in them For when the breath of man goeth forth he shall turne agayne to his earth and so all his thoughts perishe I woulde not brethren haue you ignorant concerning them which are fallen a sleepe that ye sorrowe not as other doe which haue no hope For if we beleue that Iesus died and rose agayne euen so they also which sleepe in Iesus God will bring with him Augustine of the Citie of God .13 boke 9. Chapter The soules of the good men being seperated from the bodie are at rest and we must nothing at all doubt of it But those of the wicked are punished vntil that the bodie of those shall ryse againe to eternall lyfe and of those here to eternal death which is called the seconde death Irenaeus sayth as much writing against the hereticke Valentine Augustine
hasteth him to goe to that countrey common to all the Saintes in asking bicause of the filthynesse of that tarying that his sinns should be pardoned him before that he did depart from this life for he that shall not receiue here forgiuenesse of his sinnes he shal not haue it in the other life And he shall not haue it for he cannot come to eternall life bicause that eternal life is the forgiuenesse of sinnes and therefore he saith pardon me that I may be comforted before that I goe and that I be no more wherefore then doe we desire so greatly this life In the which the longer that any one shall be in it so much the more is he charged with the more sinnes c. S. Ierome in the Epistle of the Galatians 6. Chapter This little sentence doth declare vnto vs although that it be somewhat obscure a newe doctrine and hidde that is when we be in this world we may helpe our selues togither aswell through prayers as through counsell when notwithstanding when we shall come before the consistorye and iudgement of God neyther Daniell no nor yet Iob can praye for any one for euery one shall beare his burthen The Canon of the .3 councell of Toledo Chapter 22. and .23.2 chap. which beginneth Qui diu We doe commaund that those whiche depart out of this life through Gods calling should be carryed to the earth with psalmes only and not the song of those which doe sing for we doe forbyd altogither that prayer of the funeralles which they haue accustomed to sing commonly for the dead That it suffiseth that they doe giue vnto the bodyes of the christians the seruice of the heauenly songes in hope of the resurrection Epiphanius in his .2 booke Tome .1 Heresy .59 Vpon that place of the songes O my Doue come out of the caues of the rockes which toucheth the wall out of the holes of the rocke in the loue of Christ and in the mercy of the Lord These are that caues of the rockes of faith of hope and veritie touching the wall That is to say before that the gate be shut before that the King being within the wall receiueth no person vnto him after the departing from hence and death when the gates are no more touching the wall but are shut and it is no more lawfull to correct And afterward he saith there is neither fasting nor almes nor penance nor righteousnesse neyther good nor euill which doth profite or hurte after that one is dead For Lazarus did not come vnto the ritch man nor the riche man vnto Lazarus And the rich did not receiue that that he demaunded although that he demaunded it through great prayer of the mercifull Abraham for the garners and cellers are shut vp and the time is accomplished and the combat ended and those whiche haue fought doe rest themselues c. S. Cyprian in his sermon of mortalitie We must not thinke that the deathe of the wicked is of such forme and condition as is of the good men The good men are called to rest and solace the wicked and vniust to paynes and torments safegarde and defence is sodainlye giuen vnto the faythfull and tormentes vnto the vnfaythfull We are verye much vnthankfull for the heauenly benefites not acknowledging that which is giuen vnto vs c. Afterward he sayth we ought not to mourne for our brethren deliuered frō this world through Gods vocation Forasmuche as I doe knowe very well that they are not vtterly lost but are onely sent before preceding those which depart and that wee ought to desire their companie and not to bewayle them euen as those do which go by lande or by sea and that we must not here take blacke robes in asmuch as they haue already taken vpon them whyte vestures c. Augustine of the Citie of God .1 booke 12. 13. Chapters and in the 4. of his sentences 45. Distinction It is also written in the Decretals and also by the Maister of the sentences The diligence and labor that some take about funerals the ornament and decking of burials the pompe of obsequies and burials are more for to comforte the liuing than for to ayde the deade If the costly burying doth profite any thing vnto the wicked the vyle and contemptible sepulture shall hurt the good or if they remayne vnburied c. Gregorie Neocaesarian vpon Eccles Chapter 9. Those whiche are departed out of this worlde haue no more any thing common with our affayres And it was so that the begger dyed and was caryed by the angels into Abrahams bosome The riche man also dyed and was buried c. Chrysostome vpon the Epistle vnto the Hebrues Chap. 13. In what place soeuer we be buried the earth is the Lordes and all that therein is that which a man ought to doe let him doe it But to bewayle weepe and lament for those whiche depart oute of this lyfe commeth of weakenesse and for lacke of courage and we cannot vnderstand it but that it cometh of none other thing but of a despayre of the resurrection to come c. Dauid prayed for his chylde that was sicke he fasted lying vpon the grounde But when they tolde him that he was deade he rose vp and ceased Nowe the chylde dyed without Circumcision the which Circumcision was vnto them as Baptisme is vnto vs yet Dauid did not despaire of the saluation of the chylde Obiection The Priestes say that we must offer for the deade S. Cyprian in the .4 booke of Epistles 5. Epistle Writing of Celerin which hath had almost all his houshoulde martyred and put to death for the name of Iesus Christ sayth thus It is alreadye a long time sithence that Celerin his grandmother hath bene crowned for a martyr his vncle by the father and Laurence his vncle by the mother Ignatius which once haue fought and haue bene men of armes in worldlye affayres but being true and tryed men of armes to fight in Gods quarrel hauing vanquished the diuell through the confession of Christ haue obteyned of the Lorde rewards and crownes through a glorious suffering We doe offer alwayes as you doe remember well inough sacrifice for them as often as we doe celebrate the passions of the martyrs and that we do make commemorations of their dayes yearely See diligently the commemoration that the priestes doe make for the dead which is the .10 part of the Canon Memento etiam domine famulorum famularumque tuarum N. qui nos praecesserūt cum signo fidei dormiunt in somno pacis ✚ ipsis domine omnibus in Christo quiescentibus locum refrigerij lucis pacis vt indulgeas deprecamur per eundem dominum nostrum Amen That is to say remember O Lorde thy menseruauntes and maydseruauntes N. which haue gone before vs with the signe of faith and do sleepe in peace ✚ vnto them O Lorde and vnto all
the faithfull and maketh not him selfe a mediator betwene God and man but requireth that all the members of the body doe praye also for him as he also prayeth for other according as all men ought to haue mutuall care and compassion In this manner the mutuall prayers of all the members which doe trauaile yet vpon the earthe ought to mount and ascend vnto the heade which is gone before to heauen in whome we haue remission and forgiuenesse of our sinnes for if Saint Paule were a mediator the other Apostles should be also and so there woulde be manye mediators the which will not agree with that which is sayde in an other place that there is one God and one mediator betweene God and man c. Ambrose in his boke of Isaac and of blessed lyfe Iesus Christ is our mouth by whome we doe speake vnto the father or eye by whome we doe see the father or right hand by whom we do offer vnto the father with out which mediator there is no nerenesse toward God neyther to vs nor to all the Saintes Augustine in his Quinquagesima vpon the .94 psalme If thou doe seeke thy mediator for to bring thee vnto God he is in heauen and prayeth there for thee as he dyed for thee in earth It is most true that we doe not imagine that he kneeling vpon his knees maketh humble supplication But we doe vnderstand it with the Apostle that he appeareth so before the face of God that the vertue of his death is auaylable to perpetuall intercession And he being entred into the sanctuary of heauen representeth only the prayers of the people who haue not neare accesse vnto God. Augustine vpon the Epistle of S. Iohn .2 Treatise But in whose name be our sinnes pardoned Is it by the name of Augustine Then it is not also through the name of Donatus Doest thou see that it is of Augustine or of Donatus neyther is it by the name of Paull nor of Peter In loue the mother bringing forth the little children openeth hir bowells in the Apostle vnto those which deuyded the church and which desired to make many partes of the vnity And by words doth somwhat breake his wordes and bewayleth those whom he seeth to de carryed out and calleth againe vnto one name those which woulde make them many names and repealeth them backe from his loue that Christ be onelye loued and saith was Paule crucified for you eyther were ye baptised in the name of Paule what saith he I wyll not that ye be to me but with me be with me wee are all to him which is deade for vs who is crucified for vs. Augustine in his Quinquagesima vpon the 108. Psalme The prayer which is not made through Iesus Christ not onely doth not put away sinnes but it is sinne it selfe Chrysostome in the .16 homilie of the profite of the Gospell Speaking of the woman that was a Cananite But tell me O thou woman howe hast thou bene so bolde to come vnto him in as muche as thou art a poore sinner I know very well sayde she what I doe Beholde the wisedome of the woman she neyther prayed to Iames nor Iohn she did not go vnto Peter and regarded not all the assembly of the Apostles shee sought not a mediator but in steade of all those she tooke repentaunce for hir companion who holdeth the place of an aduocate c. In the same Wilt thou knowe that when we do pray for our selues we doe more towards God than when other doe praye for vs This woman did crie out and the disciples approched vnto him and sayde sende hir awaye for she cryeth after vs And he sayd vnto them I am not sent but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Then shee came and worshipped him saying Lorde helpe me But he answered and sayde It is not good to take the childrens breade and to cast it to whelpes And she sayde truth Lorde for in deede the whelpes eate of the crummes which fall from their maisters table Then Iesus answered and said vnto hir O woman great is thy fayth be it vnto thee euen as thou desirest Doest thou see howe he refused when the other desired him But when she hirself cried in praying for the gift he accorded vnto hir For he sayde vnto them when they intreated him I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel But he sayde vnto that woman great is thy fayth be it vnto thee euen as thou desirest In the same It is not needefull to haue patrons with God nor to runne much here and there for to entreate others but althoughe that thou art alone and that thou art without a patron and that by thy selfe thou doest pray vnto God thou shalt haue altogither that thou desirest For God will not so easily giue it when other men doe praye for vs as when wee doe praye our selues yea although that we are full of many euils Chrysostome vpon Genesis 43. Chapter We are constrayned to set forth all this hystorie to the ende to learne that we doe not so muche by others as by our selues So that we doe approche or come with a pure and vigilant thought Also the same woman hauing the disciples praying for hir profited nothing at all vntill suche time as she presented hir selfe for to draw vnto hir the mercie of the Lorde Chrysostome in the first Tome 5. homilie of the first chapter of S. Mathewe We may a great deale sooner bee assured by our prayer and supplication than by the prayer of another For God will will not giue so soone our health vnto others which doe praye for vs as vnto our selues to the ende that by the same that we desire his ire and wrath maye be appeased in vs We may come to do better and that wee maye gather the trust of a good conscience Euen so truely had he pitie of that Cananite And in like manner he did giue saluation vnto the harlote Euen so did hee transporte and carye the theefe that did hang vpon the crosse into Paradise not entreated of any patrons neyther through the puritie of any There is one God and one mediator betweene God and man which is the man Christe Iesus Iesus Christ is rysen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs. He is able also perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them Iesus Christe saith I am the waye and the truth and the life no man commethe vnto the father but by me I am the dore he that entereth not in by the dore into the sheepefolde but clymeth vp some other way the same is a theefe and a robber Thou O Lorde onely doest knowe the heartes of all men God knoweth the very secretes of the hearte Iesus Christe saith God knoweth your heartes Also Come