apperteyne at all to the capitall and deadely crimes that man often tymes doothe comitte Therfore to be as plaine as may be necessary for the vnlerned or any other that is godly curious in thinges muche tending to the quiet rest off mannes conscience it is to be noted that this ordinary iustice of God in the lyefe folowing for the purgation of the electe can not discharge any man of mortall sinne A mortal sin not remitted in this lief is not discharged by purgatory whiche was not pardoned before in the Churche militant vpon earthe And therfore what crime so euer deserueth damnation and was not in mannes lyefe remitted it can not by purgatory paynes be released in the next bicause it deserueth death euerlasting and staith the offender from the kingdom of heauen for euer no paine temporall in this worlde or the next but Christes passion alone the benefite wherof is not by the sufferers will extended to any that sinneth vnto death being able to satisfy for the same As often then as thou hearest any Catholike man affirme Purgatory to poonishe or pourge greuous and deadly offenses be assured his meaning is off the temporall paine due vnto wicked men and theire sinnes after their bonde and debt of euerlasting death with the very faulte it selfe be in Goddes Churche remitted A deadly sinne remitted is in case of a veniall sinne For as S. Augustine saith a mortall sinne forgiuen is becomne a veniall trespasse and so deserueth no more paine then a veniall sinne which by transitory poonishment may be fully and perfitely released ▪ thus he saithe Quaedam enim sunt peccata quae mortalia sunt De vera et falsa poenitent c. 18. in poenitentia fiunt venialia non tamen statim sanata There be sinnes saith he which being deadly off theire owne nature be yet by poenaunce made veniall thoughe not allwayes streght healed Then by this ruele what so euer is spoken of veniall sinnes or the purgation therof it is ment bothe by the smaule offenseis whiche of theire owne nature are veniall and allso of the greater so that they be forgeuen in Goddes church before wherby they are becomne veniall as the other and deserue propertionally as the other and may be taken a way as the same man affirmeth ether in this worlde or the next Euch. c. 71 by the same remedyes as the othere thoughe not alwayes so speedely Well then to close vp brefely all this haue we fownde by these scriptures alleaged that being diuerse degrees off men Purgatory apperteineth but to one sort Firste not to suche as lacke the faithe of Christe for they hauing no foundation are allredy iudged nether to suche as haue not builded vpon the foundation but rather defaced it withe woorkes of deathe and deuelishe doctrine For all these must lyke widdred branches be cast in to the fiere not to be purged but vtterly wasted There be yet other that kepe theire foundation faste and woorke there vpon bothe goulde and siluer but yet abased and sumwhat defiled by the mixture of other infirmityes not sufficiently redressed in this lyefe these must of necessity by Goddes ordinaunce suffer the Purgation by fire that theire woorkes purifyed and amended by the sentence of his iuste iudgement may at lengthe by mercy and grace bringe theyme to their desired end Nowe the perfect estate whiche hauing this groundewarcke and building thereuppon nothing for the most part but the tried fyne workes of heauenly doctrine and perfect charity can not feare the fyre as in whome it shall finde no matter of waste For if any drosse of seculare desires or worldly weakenesse was in theire frailty contracted they re fructefull poenaunce in theire liefe washed that away by the force of Christes bloude before the daie of oure Lorde greate and fearefull came vpon theime In whiche case God will not poonishe twise for one faulte Naum. 1. nor entre into iudgement with suche 1. Cor. 11. as haue iudged theime selues to his hand These therefore thus guarded by goddes grace in whom onely they chalenge this Priuilege can not feele anye daunger theire woorkes as S. Paul saithe abiding the brounte of the fiere thoughe they were in place of torment with the reste For if suche doo passe the fyrie sworde before they entre into the ioyes of heauen yet they shall euen there be so shadowed that to theim it can nether be any whit molestious nor one moments staye from the rewarde of theire pure gouldē woorkes whiche by fire can not perishe For off suche we muste beleue withe Goddes Churche that they go streght to heauen vpon theire departure with owte stay or poonishement in the next liefe Althoughe Christe onely of his owne force being not subiecte to any spotte of sinne did passe this fyre and entre in to heauen the aeternall gates opening theime selues vnto him as to the king of glory Who being before in the places of paine also Act. 2. yet coulde not possibly be touched thereby as the Apostle saith And that is S. Ambrose his meaning as I suppose whē he saide Vnus ille ignē hūc sentire nō potuit Christ only was he that could not fiele this fire He speakethe of the fire through whiche euen the good must passe before they coom to aeternall ioy Where he doubteth not to auouche that many a man that thinkes him selfe gould and is taken so to be of others too shall yet there be proued full of drosse and impurity long to be cleansed before his finall freedom and deliuery and yet to be saued throughe fyre But for those that be in dede perfect menne as Iohn the beloued of Iesus and Petre with the rest this holy doctoure was so sure of Purgatory that he thought these also to go throughe the same and yet the fiery flamme to haue geuē place as it did to the three childrē and as S. Augustin supposeth it shall do in the generall conflagration to the bodies of vertuous men Dan. 4. when at the very same time it shall bothe waste the wicked and purge the meane the workes of one sorte withstanding the flamme the drosse of the other in a maner feeding the same S. Ambrose therefore thus writeth of the holy Apostle De morte Ioannis aliqui dubitarunt Ser. 20. in psa 118. de transitu per ignem dubitare non possumus quia in paradiso est à Christo non separatur som doubt of Iohns death but of his passage by the fire bicause he is in ioy with Christ we can not doubt And of S. Peter he saith ▪ siue ille sit Petrus qui claues accepit regni coelorum Psal 65. oportet dicat transiuimus per ignem aquam induxisti nos in refrigerium Yea iff it be Peter him selfe to whome the keyes of heauen were commited he must say we passed by fyre and water and thowe haste brought vs into the place of
and tell him yow folow the scripture For he wil charge yow againe streghte that these men had scripture vnderstood scripture alleaged scripture both of the new testament and the oulde and referred theire vsage sum to Moyses and Aaron other sum to the fathers in the lawe of nature and all to the Apostles of Christ Where are yow then no more but this perdy we vnderstand scripture perchaunce better then they we haue the holy Gost perchaunce and so hadde not the fathers perchaunce that is no scripture perchaunce this and this is not that doctors worke bicause it makes ageinst vs. I thinke he that would beleue your chauncing that may haue such assuraunce of the trueth on the other side he is worthy to be deceiued Well I will close vppe this parte of our talke for Tobies allmose borde in the obittes of Christian men withe S. Augustines graue iudgement who as he is plaine for the benefite of oblations in the memorialles of mens departures in all placies so here in a maner he ordereth the action thereof for abusies that might theron arise in his epistle to Aurelius 64 The offeringes saith he obserued for the soules departed whereof there is no quaestion but profet arisethe to theime let theime not be ouer sumptuouse vpon the mindes of the deceased nor soulde away but geuē with owt grudge or disdaine to suche as be praesent and would be partaker thereof but if moony be offered it may be distributed out of hande to the poore ▪ and thē shall not those daies of theire frendes memorialles be to their greate griefe forsaken or destitute of companye And the ordre with honeste coomlynesse shall be kept continually in the church So S. Clement him selfe teacheth all theime that be called to such daies of praiers for the departed and to be partakers of those oblations or charitable relieues which were by sum honest sober refresshing euen in the Church in those daies obserued whether they be of the laity or of the priestes he geueth thē this lesson Qui ad memorias eorū vocamini cū modestia cum dei timore comedite veluti valentes legatione fungi pro mortuis cum sitis presbyteri diaconi Christi sobrij esse debetis priuatim cum alijs v◠possitis intemperantes coercere All yow that are called to the funeralles of the departed refressh your selues in measure and feare of god that yow may be worthy to be as it were in commission of intreatie for the dead and being priestes or deacons of Christ yow are bownd to be sobre euen at home but abrode for others example and discipline That the binefite of praier and allmose apperteineth not to suche as dye in mortall sinne thoughe in the doubtefull case of mannes beeing the Churche vseth to pray for all departed in Christes faith Cap. 7. THus farre we now are broght I trust withe proufe and euidence enoughe with reasonable cleare light for the good simple peoples instruction and withe full safety from all the force oure aduersaries can make against vs. The patriarches exāple the wordes of scripture the practise of the Churche the natural society betwixt the partes of Christes misticall body in this world and his membres in the next and all our fathers faithe haue woon so muche that allmose and offeringes in sundry memorialls and diuerse obseruations of mindes and obittes be singulare and soueraigne to procure goddes mercye for the pardon of the soules deceased And nowe lest any man take occasion of goddes mercie which he seethe to be so redy that it may be woon by other mennes workes to liue in contempt of vertuous exercise and to passe the time of his owne lyfe in carelesse negligēce praesuming to purchesse fauoure at goddes hande so mercyfull by other mennes merittes with oute his owne deede or deserte let that man be aduertised quòd non habet partem in sermone isto that he shall in that case haue no benefite by our tallke the mercy which we speake of perteineth not vnto him suche idle drone beyes can take no fructe of other mēnes laboures nether quicke nor deade For that membre which in this body was so vnprofitable to him sellfe it is no right nor reason he shuld haue any gaynes by other mens trauell Therfore all these liberall promissies of fauour and grace to be procured by the workes of the lyue towardes the departed reache nether to the vnfaithfull out of this howse nor to the impaenitēt who was but an vnprofitable bourden of the house These thinges saithe Clement we meane of the godlie Lib. 8. constit 49. for yf thowe gaue al the welthe of the worlde to the poore for the wickeds sake thowe couldest not proffitte theime a heare For he that dyed in goddes displeasure can not looke for more mercy then he deserued Therfore S. Iohn thapostle seemethe to abbridge oure prayers 1. Epist. Cap. 5. and the obteining of oure petitions by borderinge theime as withe in certaine bondes after this sort We knowe that God doothe here vs what so euer we require we be sure he will accōpleshe oure requestes which we make vnto him Therfore he that knoweth his brother to sinne being not a sinne to death let him pray and lyfe shal be geuē to him that sinneth not to death there is a sinne to deathe for suche I doo not wil any man to praie This place of thapostle seemethe to declare the wonderfull force that the praiers of the faithful haue in procuring grace and remission for others so that they be brethern and passe hense with out the bonde of mortall sinne And the letter well weied shall make exceding much to proue the praiers for departed in piety as it in a maner forbiddeth all intercession for suche as be knowen to passe in continuance of mortall sinne There is no crime so greuous that man may commit in the course of this lyfe but the churche vseth praiers customably therfore and for her reuerēce is oftē hearde Therfor it may wel be thought that the party must be deceased of whome such diuersity of desertes doothe arise for all that be a lyue with out exceptiō The churche may pray for any sinner in this lyfe vvith hope of mercy if they be bretherne of oure familie must be prayde for And so longe as they be in this worlde and may repent theire sin is not so vnto deathe but lyfe by praiers may be and is cōmenly at goddes hand obteined Then it may wel be deduced that thapostle meaneth to incourage the faithfull to pray for such theire bretherne departed as died withowte bonde of deadly sin to their sight in a maner warning theime that for such theire praiers shall be acceptably heard But for others cōtinuing in sin to death he willethe not theim to praye nor can assure theime they shal be hearde So doth Dionysius a man not very aunciēt Carth. but of a full spirite and good grace expound this
the streght lyne of the Churchies truethe vvhiche in the exceding rashnesse of these darke daies a man may quickly lose And therefore to make sure I humbly submit my selfe to the iudgement of suche oure masters in faithe and religion as by Goddes callinge are made the lavvful pastors of our soules Of vvhome I had rather learne my self theÌ„ teach other if ether they had occasion and opportunity to speake or I might of reason and duety in these miserable times hould my peace Fare vvell geÌ„tle Reader and if I pleasure thee by my paynes lett me for Christes sake be partaker of thy prayers At Antvverp the Second of May. 1565. GOOD READER BEARE with these small faultes or other which in this difficulty of printing there where oure tonge is not vnderstaÌ„ded must needes be committed Fo. 12. Pag. 2. Li. 14. Reade for sacraledge sacriledge Fo. 16. Pag. 1. Li. 7. Reade for iokyng yokyng Fo. 29. Pag. 2. Li. 17. Reade for mamed named Fo. 37. Pag. 2. Li. 11. Reade for hauno haue no. Fo. 45. Pag. 2. Li. 21. Reade for non sum non sim Fo. 110. Pag. 2. Li. 13. Reade for appirition apparition Fo. 120. Pag. 2. Li. 13 Reade for vnfayded vnfayned Fo. 152. Pag. 1. Li. 6. Reade for maked naked Fo. 152. Pag. 2. Li. 1. Reade for so set to set Fo. 157. Pag. 1. Li. 10. Reade for so say to say Fo. 186. Pag. 2. Li. 17. Reade for author altare Fo. 196. Pag. 1. Li. 12. Reade for playnes plaine Fo. 224. Pag. 1. Li. 19. Reade for langnange language Fo. 231. Pag. 1. Li. 3. Reade for CarthagieÌ„si cruditius Carthaginensi eruditus Fo. 234. Pag. 2. Li. 8. Reade for ys his Fo. 241. Pag. 1. Li. 2. Reade for it is Fo. 243. Pag. 1. Li. 6. Reade for is it say is to say Fo. 270. Pag. 1. Li. 1. Reade for Nire Nice THE PRAEFACE VVher in be noted tvvo sortes of Haeretikes th one pretending vertue thother openly professing vice And that our tyme is more troubled by this second sâ—â—â— VVith a briefe note of the Authors principall intent in this Treatise ALl thoughe haeresie and all willfull blyndnesse of mannes mind be vndoutedly a iuste plage of God for sinne and therfore is commonly ioyned with euil lyefe both in the people and preachers therof as the historye of all agies and sondry examples of the scriptures may plâ—â—â—ely proue yet by the gyle and crafty conueiaunce of oure common enimy the deuil The deuil les â—raâ—te in â—â—â—motyng errour faulshod is often so cloked in shadowe and shape of truethe and the maisters therof make suche showe of vertue and godly liefe that vowe woulde thinke it had no affinity withe vice nor origine of mannes misbehauiour at all So did he couer the wicked haeresies of Manicheus Hieron in 7. cap. Osee Marcion Tatianus and the like with a fained flourishe of continency and chastitye so did he ouercast thenimy of goddes grace Pelagius Augustin pist 120. withe thapparance of all grauity constancy and humilitye and so hathe he allwaies where crafte was requisite to his intent made shewe of a simple sheepe in the cruell carkase of a wyly woulfe This good condition S. Paule noted in him in these wordes 2. Cor. 11. Ipse enim Satanas transfigurat se in Angelum lucis For Satanas his owne person shapeth him sellfe into an Angel of lighte And that his scholars play the like parte oure master Christe of singulare loue gaue his 〈◊〉 this wache worde for a speciall prâ— iso Matth. 7. Attendite a falsis prophaetis qui veniunt ad vos in vestimentis ouium intrinsecus autem sunt lupi rapaces Take heede of faâ—â—e prophets that coom in shepes vesture but withe in be rauening woulues He sawe that seeth all thinges that the outeward face of feyned holinesse might easely cary a way the simple he detected the serpents suttelty that none might iustly pleade ignorance in a case so common and vvithall for thenstruction of the faithfull he gaue falshood and her fortherers this marke for euer that conuey they neuer so cleane or close yet they re vnseemely workes shulde euer detect they re fayned faithe But all this notwithstandinge if we deaply wey the whole course of thinges we shall fyende that this counterfaityng of vertue and showe of pietye is not the perpetuall intent of the deuils deuise but rather a needefull shift in forthering his practise there onely where faith and vertue be not vtterly extinguished then the full ende of any one of all his endeuoures The deuils marke and thexteame and of haeresy For this may we assuredly fynd to be the scope and pricke of all his cursed trauel to set sinne and her folowers in suche freedom that they neade not as often elles for they re protection the cloke of vertue nor habite of honesty but that they may bouldly encounter wyth the good and godly and in open ostentation of they re mischiefe ouer ron all trueth and religion Wherfore as he often cloketh suttell haeresies in honest lyefe and vertues weede so when he by liklihoods conceyueth hope of better successe and forther aduentures he then openethe a common schole of sinne and wickednesse where mischife may with out colour or crafte be bowldely maynteyned This open schole of iniquitye Hieron sup 13. Ezech. and doctryne of sinne he once busely erected in the gentilitye by the infamous philosopher Epicurus and his adherentes teaching to the singulare offense of honestye pleasure and voluptuousnes to be thonly end of all owre lyefe and endeuours The whiche pleasaunt secte though it euer sence hath had som promotours yet the very shade of fayned vertue and worldely wisdom of those dayes withe ease bare downe that enterprice This brode practise was yet forther attempted euen in Christes Church first by Eunomius Eunomius who doubted not in the face of the worlde to auouche that none coulde perishe weere his woorkes neuer so wicked that woulde be of his faithe And then by Iouinianus Iouinianus who taughte the contempt of Christian fastes matched mariage wythe holy maidenhood and afterward to the greate woonder of all the churche perswaded certeyne religious weemeÌ„ in Rome to forsake they re first faithe and marye to they re damnation For whiche plaine supporting of vndoubted wickednesse S. Hierom callethe theime often Christian Epicures Contr. Iou. lib. 2 boulsterers of sinne and doctours of luste and lecherye Neuer the lesse the force of goddes grace whiche was greate in the springe of oure religion the sinne of the worlde not yet riepe for suche open showe of licentious lyefe speedely repressed that wicked attempt â–ª Ad quod vult de haeresi 82. for as S. Augustine declarethe it was so cleare a falshood that it neuer grewe to deceyue any one of all the cleargy But not longe after with muche more aduantage the like practise was assaied by Mahomet the deuilles only dearling by whome numbers of wyeues
to gether often diuorcyes and perpetuall chaunge for noueltye was permitted By whiche doctrine of lust and liberty the floure of Christiandom a lasse for pitye was caried a way At whiche tyme thonghe oure faithe and Christes Churche were broght to a smaule roume and very greate straites yet by goddes grace good ordre and necessary discipline this schoole of luste hathe bene reasonably tyll oure dayes kepte vnder and the grauity of Christiane maners as the tyme serued orderly vphoulden But nowe once agayne in oure cursed dayes the great flowe of sinne tourning goddes mercy from vs withe exceding prouocation of his heuy indignatiō towardes the wicked hathe made oure aduersarye muche more bowlde and longe practise of mischeffe Genes 3. a greate deale more skilfull The serpent passed all other creatures in suttelty at the beginninge but nowe in cruelty he farre passeth him selfe The deuil taketh better houlde in ovvre tyme then he did before The downefall that he hathe in a fewe yeares rage dryuen man vnto by thopen supporting of sinfull liuing it is sure very wofull to remembre and an excedinge heartes greife to consider Looke backe at the Christian Epicures whome I nowe named and vewe the men of like indeuoure in all agies cōpare they re attempts to oures they re doctrine to oures the whole raise of theire proceadinges to oures And if we matche theyme not in all pointes and passe theyme in moste I except the wicked Mahomet and God graunte I may so doo longe thoughe they had oute of his holy schoole they re oftē diuorcyes and newe mariagies in they re wieues lyefe excepting him therefore if oures passe not in open practise of mischiefe and supportation of sinne all the residue miscredit me for euer This is euident to all men that thinges once counted detestable before god abhorred of the priestes straung to the Christian people poonishable by the lawes of all princyes be nowe in case to mainteyne theyme selues to geue vertue a checke mate and withe oute all coloure to beare downe bothe right and religion Thus dothe sacraledge bouldely beare owte it sellfe Behoulde the liberty of sinne and ouerreacheth the promoters of goddes honoure so dothe incest encounter with lawfull mariage the vnordered Apostates shoulder the ordinarye successours of the Apostles Feasting hathe wonne the field of fasting and chambering allmost banished chastitye It was surely a wonderfull fetche of oure busy aduersary when he so ioyned haeresy and euill liefe together that ether might be a singulare guarde to thother and bothe together easely be the plage of all good order And nowe the matter broghte to suche tearmes and so euident an isshue for the cleare gayne of sinne here neadeth no Caueat for the fructes of the doctryne as in other cloked haeresies before and continually in case of deceyte is requisite for no man can be deceiued here but he that willingly and weitingly liste perishe Hauing no excuse reasonable why he should folow or credet the publike professoures of plane impietie vnlest this may be accompted cause sufficient of his light creditt that they tearme the forsaide offensies and others the lyke not by they re accustomed callinges Note but by some honester name of vertue Whiche thing rather shewethe theire foly then excusethe they re malice For they must here be asked by what righte they chaunge the names of thinges that can not allter they re natures Who authorished theyme to call that extirpation of superstition whiche oure fathers cauled sacraledge Or that blinde deuotion whiche oure holy elders named true religion Howe can they for sinne and shame honoure that with the name of holy mariage that S. Ambrose termeth aduoultry Amb. ad Virg. lapsā Cap. 5. S. Augustin worse thē aduoultery and they withe all the residewe of the doctors August de bono vid. Cap. 8. horrible incest But bicause they can shewe no warraunt I must charge theyme for they re laboure withe goddes curse pronounced vpon all suche by the prophets wordes thus as foloueth Vae qui dicitis malum bonum Isai 5. bonum malum ponentes tenebras lucem lucem tenebras Wo to you that call euil good and good euill making darknes light and the light darknesse But as I saide in suche open showe of wickednesse and all vnliklyhood of they re assertions there can none doubtles ioyne withe theime except they be allured by present pleasure Sinne driueth men to the doctrine of this tyme. or drieuen hedlonge by the heuy lode of sinne For as I thinke they doo not folowe these secte masters as scholares moued by any probability of theire teachers persuation but rather ioyne vnto theyme as fitte felowes of theire lustes and good companions for they re owne condicions Ostendisti tales discipulos saithe S. Hierom to Iouinian non fecisti Li. 2. Thou hast but opened to the worlde who be thy folowers and not procured theyme thy selfe to be thy scholars 2. ad Tim. Cap. 4. Yea S. Paul affirmeth by such louers of lustes whom he calleth Voluptatum amatores that they shoulde geue ouer the true teachers and prouide or make masters for they re owne touthe Ad sua desideria coaceruabunt sibi magistros Sinne therefore as it semethe hathe ingendred and framed her sellfe this newe faithe for the guarde and salfty of her person And the vngodlye procured for theire owne diete masters of perdition redy bothe by life and doctrine to forther the lustes of licentious persons to serue the itchinge eares of newe fangled folkes and so to sett theyme in all security wythe wordes of peace and pleasure Call to your memories the first entraunce of this misery Iudas in epist Can. and yowe shall finde howe they had certeyne persons in admiration as the Apostle saithe for they re owne aduantage Sence whiche tyme these preachers haue by obseruation raysed vppe a perfecte schoole off flatterie and broght the detestable excusing of most horrible sinnes vnto a formall arte In Eunuch It is longe sithe the Poete feaned that Gnato would haue bene thauthor of a secte and haue had som scholares to beare his name Here he might haue had for his tourne but that the Epicure hathe praeuented him The Prophet Ezechiel termethe this pernicious flattery in maters of suche importaunce the boulstering of wickednes And geueth a heuy blessinge from allmighty God to all boulsterers in these wordes Cap. 13. Vae his qui consuunt puluillos sub omni cubito manus faciunt ceruicalia sub capite vniuersae aetatis ad capiendas animas Wo be to all theyme that sawe cuisshens vnder the elbowe of euery arme and bowlster vp the heades of al ageis meaning to Catche they re soules And surely if this curse tooke euer hould of any as it coulde not proceade from goddes mouthe in vayne it must nedes faule streght downe vpon these men that wholy bend theime selues thus to vphoulde iniquitye and to sett sinne softe
To suche as made no store of good woorkes they cast onely faithe vnder theire elbowe to leane vpon To suche as were bourdened withe promesse of chastitye they made mariage a Cuisshen for theire ease For suche as cast an eye vpon churche gooddes they borowed a pillowe of Iudas Quare non vaenijt trecentis denarijs datum est egenis Ioan. 12. Why is not this made mony of and giuen to the poore And so in all pointes they artificially folowe mannes phantasie nourishe the humour of the vngodly and preache peace withe pleasure Commit what yowe liste omit what yowe liste youre preachers shall prayse it in they re wordes and practise it in they re woorkes For looke howe they teache and so doo they lieue farre passing the Epicure 2. De sin who as Cicero saith in taulke praised pleasure but in all his life was full courtese and honest And muche exceding Iouinianus who as Augustine reporteth of him Vbi supra haere 28. being a Monke mainteyned the mariage of votaries but yet for diuerse inconueniencies him selfe for all that would not be maried But oures being once in bisshops roume or of that disordered newe ministerie eare they be well warmed in they re beneficyes as in all other licentious liefe they will leade the daunse so they must oute of hand for the most parte as thoughe it weare annexum ordini as schoole men terme it haue a wieffe withe necessary chirishing to that state belonginge And good reason it is that these delicate doctors hauing euer in redinesse pillowes for their frendes ease shoulde neuer want whole coutchies for theire owne But it were to longe a matter for me at this praesent purposing an other thing fully to declare howe sinne in all pointes hathe acheyued such liberty Hovv this svvhete haeresy first begane by the vnhappy ioking her selfe vnto haeresye Onely this may be noted brefely for that point that generally in the beginninge of theire endeuoures they remoued withe speede oute of theire waies as especiall impediments and stombling stockes all those meanes which Christe commaunded or the churche praescribed or our fathers folowed for thabbating of sinnes dominion that the worlde might well vnderstand they mente the extolling of all vice and to make the way for sinne and wickednesse First that soueraigne remedy of mannes misdeedes that graue iudgement lefte by Christe to his Churche for the weale of vs all that powre whiche the Sonne of man hathe in earthe to remitte sinnes the true courte of mannes conscience the very word of reconcilement and the borde of refuge after shipwrake whiche is the Sacrament of poenaunce they haue to the vnspeakeable gayne of sinne vnworthely remoued The subdueing of mannes pride by due obedience to his spirituall pastors and humble honouringe of the gyedes of goddes churche fitly for they re purpouse haue they lowsed Fasting whiche is the bryedell of carnall concupiscence and torment of all fleshly lustes for sinnes sake they haue sette at suche liberty that it is allmost lost And what hauocke in all other spirituall exercise is made for these mennes free passage to helle we see it all the posterity shall feele it and the very workers shall be weary of the way of wickednesse when they shall lacke grace and space to repēt theime But I can not nowe stande vppon these pointes Meaning at this tyme onely to ouerthrowe an other like groūde of this detestable schoole whiche hathe no lesse auaunced sinne then the other and dishonowred God muche more whiche hathe perniciously deceyued nott onely open haeretikes but allso muche weakened the deuotion of summe that otherwiese were Catholikes The harme wherof perteynethe not onely to most men that be a lyeue but allso to many that be deade That is the abolishing of paenaunce discredityng of purgatorye and abandoning of satisfaction for oure offenses committed All whiche being nothinge elles but a kynde of softe handeling and swheet cherishing of sinne hathe wroght suche vayne security in mennes myndes that fewe haue any feele or feare of goddes iudgementes fewe consyder the deape wounde that sinne makethe in mannes soule and most men abhorre the remedyes requisite for so greuous a sore When I looke backe at the floure and spring of Christes Churche and see sinne counted so bourdenous and goddes dreadfull poonishment for the same so earnestly feared of all men that no saulue could be so sore no paenaunce so paynefull but they woulde bothe haue suffered and desired it to haue bene fully free from the same and withe all consider the extreme doloure of hearte whiche al men then expressed by often teares by humble acknouledging of they re mislyuinge to goddes ministers in earthe and exceding paynefull paenaunce by longe fasting A proffitable comparing of the time past vvithe oure praesent dayes daungerous peregrinations contynuall prayers large almose so sharply enioyned so meekly receyued and so duely fullfilled and then returning agayne to oure tyme and state where I may and must neades behoulde the pityfull waste of Christiane woorkes the maruelous shake of all good maners and more then an image of meere paganisme as in whiche we fynde no face nor shadowe of Christianity no nor any steppe allmoste of oure faithfull fathers pathes then doo I well perceyue the isshue and end of the laste grownde of this wasting haeresy to be nothing elles but a canker of true deuotion an enimy to spirituall exercise a security and quiett rest in sinne and briefly a salfegarde and praesumptuous warraunt from the iudgement of goddes mighty arme whiche reacheth ouer thoffensies of the whole worlde Euill we were before by other poyntes of this deceitfull doctryne but by this laste parte we are vtterly loste For as truely S. Hierom writeth by theire praedecessors Hoc profecit doctrina istorum Vbi supra vt peccatum ne paenitentiam quidem habeat This hathe this doctryne of theyres wonne and wroght that of sinne there is no way of repentaunce euen so may we muche more complayne of this pernicious fallsehood that directely withe owte all colour hathe rased vppe bothe the remedyes of sinne and bouldely discharged vs of goddes iudgement and all penaulty for the same that as before by faulshood and flatterly we were ledde in to the swheete schoole of sinne so now by thabbandoning of paenaunce and purgatory in vaine hope and securitye we might needes for euer remaine therin Considering therfore the greate spreade of contagion that this vntrue doctryne hath wroght bothe to the euerlasting misery of heretikes theime selues and allso to the greuous punishment that allmighty God of iust iudgement may take vpon vs that by his greate mercy be yet Catholikes because we leeue in wantō welthe wythe oute iuste care or cogitation of oure lyefe paste Nether dooing any woorthy fructes of paenaunce nor yet endeuouring to make a mendes and recompense by satisfiyng for oure sinnes before of mercy so pardned that to oure damnation they can not nowe any more be imputed
but yet for answhering in summe parte of goddes iustice and perfecte purging of the same sinfull lyefe past oute of all doubte sharply pounishable for these thinges I say and for the stirring vppe of the feare of God in my selfe VVhy this treatise vvas taken in hande the helpe of the simple the defense of the truethe and thabbatyng of this greate rage of sinne and haeresy I thought good to geue warninge moued theruÌ„to by my freÌ„d also to all suche as be not theyme selues hable to searche owte the trueth of these matters of that temporall or transitory poonishment whiche god of iustice hathe ordeyned in the other worlde for suche as woulde not iudge theime selues and praeuent his heuy hand whieles they here lyeued oure forefathers more then a thousand yere sence cauled it Purgatory The truethe and certeyne doctrine wherof I truste throughe goddes gooddnesse so clearely to proue The mattâ—â—â—he first booke that the aduersary be he neuer so greate wythe the deuil shall neuer be able to make any likly excuse of his infidelitye The argument oâ— the secoÌ„d booke And that so doone I shall bothe open and prooue the meanes whiche the Churche of God hathe euer proffitably vsed for the release of her children from the same punishment to be soueraing good and comfortable for the faithfull soules departed And here I heartely pray the gentle reader who so euer thou be that shall fynd iust occasion vndoubtedly to belieue this article of necessary doctryne euer constantly set forthe by the grauest authority that may be in earthe that as thowe faithfully belieues it so thowe perpetually in respecte of the day of that dreadfull visitation studye withe feare and tremblyng to woorke thy saluation Lett that be for euer the difference betwixte the vnfructefull faithe of an heretique and the proffitable belyefe of the true Catholike Christiane that this may woorke assured paenaunce to perpetuall saluation and his vayne praesumption to euerlasting damnation And thoughe the matter whiche I haue taken in hande be nothing fitte for the diet of suche delicate men as haue bene broght vppe vnder the pleasaunt preaching of oure dayes yet perchaunce chaunge of diett withe the sharpenesse of this eagre sawse were iff they coulde beare it muche more agreehable to theire weake stoomaches Truethe was euer bitter Cyp. epist. 3. li. 5. and faulshood flattering For th one by praesent payne procurethe perpetuall welthe thother throughe deceytefull swhetnes woorkethe euerlasting woe But as for these pleasure preachers theyme selues bicause I feare me they haue indented with deathe and shaked handes withe helle what so euer may be saide in this case they wil yet spourne withe the wordes of the wicked Isai 28. Flagellum inundans cum transierit non veniet super nos quia posuimus mendacium spem nostram mendacio protecti sumus Toushe the common scourge when it passethe ouer shall not tutche vs for we haue made lying oure suckoure and by lying are we guarded Yet when the light of the Apostolike traditioÌ„ shal dase theire eyes and the force of goddes truethe beare doune theire bouldnes theire oune blacke afflicted conscience by inwarde acknowledginge that truethe whiche they openly withstande shall so horribly torment theire mindes that denieng purgatory they shal thinke theym selues a lieue in hell But gentle readers pray for theyme with teares Prayer is thonely remedy ageinst vvil full blindnes that god of his mighty grace woulde stricke they re fleshe with his feare And if my poore payne withe the prayers of vs al coulde tourne any one of theime all from the way of wickednesse it woulde recompense doubtlesse summe of our sinnes and couer a nuÌ„bre of my misdeedes And euer whilest we leyue let vs praise God that in this tyme of temptation he hathe not suffered vs to faule as oure sinnes haue deserued in to the misery of these forsakers To whome if I speake sometymes in this treatise more sharplye then my costume or nature requirethe the zele of truethe and iust indignation towardes haeresie with the exaÌ„ple of oure forefathers must be my excuse and warraunt I will be as plaine for the vnlearneds sakes as I may and the matter suffer And therefore nowe at the first I will open the very grounde as neare as I can of so necessary an article that the ignoraÌ„ce of any one piece may not darken the whole cause Desiring the studious to reade the whole discourse bicause euery peculiare pointe so ioyntly dependethe of the residewe that the knouledge of one ordrely giueth light to al the other And so the whole together I trust shal reasonably satisfye his desire THAT OFTEN AFTER oure sinnes be forgiuen by the sacrament of poenaunce there remainethe summe due of temporall pounishement for the satisfying of goddes iustice and som recompense of the offensies past Cap. 1. AS it is most true and the very grounde of al Christian comforte Ephes 1. Haeb. 9. that Christes deathe hathe payed duely and sufficyently for the sinnes of all the worlde August Euch. cap. 65. by that abundant price of redemption paied vpon the Crosse So it is of lyke crediet to all faithful that no man was euer partaker of this singulare benefite but in the knotte and vnity off his body misticall whiche is the churche To the membres wherof the streames of his holy blodde and beames off his grace for the remission of sinne and sanctification be ordrely throughe the blessed Sacraments as condethes of goddes mercy conueyde All whiche Sacraments though they be instituted and vsed as meanes to deriue Christes benefites Marke the grounde of the cause and bestowe his grace of redemption vppon the worthy receiuers yett lyke effecte or force is not by the meaning of they re first author and institutour employed vppon all receiuers nor gieuen to all the Sacraments That may welâ— appeare iff we marke the exceding abundant mercy that is powred vppon all men at theire first incorporation and entraunce into the housholde of the faithfull by Baptisme In whiche sacrament the merites of oure masters deathe be so fully and largely caried downe for the remission of sinne that were the liefe before neuer so loden withe most horrible offensyes that in this misery man may commit yet the offender is not onely pardoned of the same but also perfectly acquieted for euer of all payne or pounishement other then the common miseries of mankind whiche his propper offenlyes before committed by any meanes might deserue And no lesse free nowe then the childe after baptisme which onely originall sinne brought thether So saithe S. Ambrose by these wordes Gratia Dei in Baptismate noÌ„ quaerit gemituÌ„ Super vndec cap. ad Rom. aut planctum aut opus aliquod nisi soluÌ„ ex corde professioneÌ„ The grace of God in Baptisme requirethe nether sorowe nor mourning â–ª nor any other woorke but onely an hearty profession of thy faith Whereby he meaneth that after oure sinnes
be once thus freely wyped awaye in oure first regeneration there is no charge of pounishement or paenaunce for farther release of the same But nowe a man that is so freely discharged of all euill liefe and sinne committed before he came in to the familye yff he faule in to relapse and defile the temple of god Note then as goddes mercy allwayes passethe mannes malice euen in this case also he hathe ordeyned meanes to repayre mannes faule ageyne That is by the Sacrament of paenaunce which therfore S. HieroÌ„ termethe the second table In cap. 3. Isai or refuge after ship wracke as a meanes that may bringe man to the porte of saluation though lightely not with oute present dammage and daungeour In which blessed sacrament though goddes grace haue mighty force for mannes recouery and workethe abundantly bothe remission of sinnes and the discharge of aeternall poonishement due by iuste iudgement to the offender yet Christe him selfe the author of this Sacrament as the rest ment not to communicate suche efficacye or force to this The force of Christes death is not so largely applyed vnto vs in the sacrament off pâ—â—â—unce as in Baptisme as to baptisme for the vtter acquieting of all payne by sinfull life deserued For as in Baptisme where maÌ„ is perfectly renued it was semely to set thoffender at his first entrauÌ„ce on cleare grounde and make him free for al thinges done a brode so it excedingly setteth forth goddes iustice and nothing imparethe his mercy to vse as in all common wellthes by nature and goddes prescription is practised withe grace discipline withe iustice clemencye withe fauoure correction and with loue due chastisement of suche sinnes as haue by the how should children bene committed Nowe therefore if after thy free admission to this family of Christ thou doo greuously offende remission maye then be had ageyne but not commonly with owte sharpe discipline seeing the father of this oure holy houshowld poonisheth where he louethe Ad Hab. 12. and chastisethe euery childe whome he receiueth Whose iustice in pounishement of sinne not onely the wicked but also the good must muche feare Whereof S. Augustine warneth vs thus Deus saithe he nec iusto parcit nec iniusto Lib tra FauscuÌ„ cap. 20. illum stagellando vt filium istum puniendo vt impium God sparethe nether the iuste nor vniust chastising th one as his childe pounishing the other as a wicked person A childe then of this houshowlde contynuing in fauoure though he can not euerlastingly perishe withe the impoenitent sinners yet he muste being not by som especiall praerogatiue pardoned beare the rodde of his fathers discipline And gladly say with the prophet In flagella paratus sum Psal 37. I am redy for the roddes And what so euer these wantons that are ronne owte of this howse for theire owne ease or other mennes flattery shall fourge let vs continue in perpetuall cogitation of oure sinnes forgeuen and by all meanes possible recompense oure negligencyes paste Let vs not thinke but God hathe sumwhat to say to vs euen for oure offensyes pardoned being thus warned by his owne mouthe Sed habeo aduersum te pauca Apo. â— 2 quòd charitatem tuam primam reliquisti Memor esto itaque vnde excideris age poenitentiam prima opera fac But somwhat I haue ageynst the bicause thowe arte faullen from thy first loue Remembre therfore from whense thowe felle doo paenaunce and beginne thy former woorkes agayne And the consideration of this diuersity betwixte remission had by baptisme and after relapse by the sacrament of paenaunce moued Damascen to call this second remedy Deorth fide lib. 4. cap. 9. Baptismum vere laboriosum quod per paenitentiam lachrimas perficitur A kynd of Baptisme full of trauell by paenaunce and teares to be wroght In whiche God so pardone-the sinnes that bothe the offense it self and the euerlasting payne due for the same being wholy by Christes deathe and merites wieped away there may yet remayne the debt of temporall poonishment on oure parte to be discharged as well for som satisfaction of goddes iustice ageynst the aeternall ordre wherof we vnworthely offended 〈…〉 Cap. 〈…〉 as for to answer the Churche of her right as S. Austine saithe in whiche onely all sinnes be forgeuen Mary when occasion of satisfiyng for oure offensyes in this lyefe is neglected or lacke of tyme by reason off longe continuance and laite repentaunce fuffereth not due recompense in oure lyefe whiche is the tyme of mercye then certes the hande of God shall be muche more heuy and the poonishment more greuous And this is withe oute doubte to be looked for that the debt due for sinne muste ether here by payne or pardon be discharged or elles to oure greater greife after oure departure required And this to be the graue doctryne and constant faithe of the fathers I must first declare bothe for that it shall firmely establishe oure whole mater and clearely open the case of controuersy betwixt vs and the forsaken company Who woulde so gladly lyeue at ease in they re onely faithe that they list nether satisfye for theire sinnes nor procure goddes mercy by wel workyng In this case then let vs seeke the ordre of goddes iustice by the diligent consideration of som notable personagies of whome we may haue by the plaine scripture euident testimony bothe of the remission of theire sinnes and they re paenaunce and pounishment after they were reconciled ageyne AdaÌ„ that first did faule and vvas first pardoned did yet abide the skourge for his sinnes Oure first father Adam in whome we may behoulde almost the whole course of goddes iudgemeÌ„t and throughe whome bothe sinne and all pounishment due for sinne entred in to the worlde I thinke he had the first benefite by Christes deathe for the remission of his disobedience or at the leaste bicause I woulde not auouche an vncerteyne thinge this I am shure that by Christe he was raysed vp to goddes fauoure ageyne Of whome we fynde it thus written in in the booke of wisdom Cap. 10. Haec illum qui primus formatus est pater orbis terrarum cum solus esset creatus custodiuit eduxit illum a delicto suo This saithe he meaning by Christ vnder the name of wisdom salfely praeserued him that was first formed off God the father of the worlde when he was created all a lone and raysed him oute of his sinne ageyne The whiche disobedience withe what other sinne so euer was therunto in him ioyned thoughe it was thus clearly pardoned yet the poonishment therof bothe he felte longe after in his owne person and it lyethe vpon his posterity till this day For whiche sinne he him selfe begane to doo paenaunce as Irenaeus saithe euen in paradise Li. 3. c. 33 and then God practised iudgement vpon him as Augustine noteth first by his disenhaeretaunce then by paynefull traâ—ell
pounishement to be suffered and som temporall payne remanent to be discharged in this world Melanch after remission of sinne but for the next after this liefe so ferde they be of purgatory they will haue none at all Thother secte maisters fearing what might folowe on that graunt in no case will confesse that there is any payne due for sinne in this worlde or the next after the fault be once remitted For Caluine capitayne of this later bande sawe well Caluinus that if any debt or recompense remayne to be discharged by the offender after his reconcilement it muste neades ryse by proportion weght continuance numbre and quaÌ„tity of the faultes committed before Whereby it must of necessity be induced that bicause euery man can not haue time ether for the hougenesse of his sinnes past or his late repentaunce or his carelesse nagligence to repay all in his liefe that there is all or som parte answherable in the nexte worlde to coom And therfore bouldely and impudently as in case of this necessity he aduentureth to deny withe shame that any of all these paynefull miseries be as pounishements for the sinnes of the sufferers but certeyne fatherly checkes exercises of patience and vertue rather then afflictions enioyned for sinnes Whiche vaine shifte hathe no bearing by reason or text of scripture but onely is vphoulden by the exercised audacity of the author S. Paul in plaine wordes writethe Corpus mortuum est propter peccatum Ad Ro. 6 Vide August super illud psal 50. in peccatis concepit me mater mea stipendium peccati mors est The body is deade because of sinne And deathe is the rewarde of sinne And so of Dauid bicause thowe haste slayne Vrias Non recedet gladius de domo tua saith the scripture the swhorde shall not depart thy howse And ageyne bicause thowe hast made the enemies blaspheme my name thy childe shall dye And of the people of Israell Visitabo hoc peccatum eorum I will viset this sinne of theyres also Yet in this lighte of scripture where as the pounishement is named so it is expressely mentioned that sinne is the proper cause thereof the aduersary seekethe a blinde mieste to dase the simplicyty of the reader and to mainteyne errour It helpethe oure cause exceding muche that the very shewe of an argument dryues theyme to suche vnseemely shiftes S. Augustines wordes shal for me sufficiently refute this errour Veritatem dilexisti impunita peccata eorum etiam quibus ignoscis non reliquisti In psa 50 He speakethe to god in the Prophets person Thowe loues righteousnes and hast not lafte vnpounished no not the sinnes of theyme whome thow louest Notwithstanding this is verye true that all these afflictions thoughe they come of sinne and for the rewarde of maÌ„nes offensies yet God of mercy turnethe theyme to the exercise of vertue August lib 2. de pecca to mer. cap 33. and benefit of suche as shall be sayued But it is one thing to dispute of what cause they come and an other to reason of the wisedom of God in the vse of the same Who as the sayde Augustine witnesseth is so mighty in his prouident gouernaunce that he is able to tourne euen the very sinnes theyme selues to the benefite of suche as by grace and mercy shall be raysed vppe to saluation And muche more is he ready to frame the pounishement whiche he him selfe of iustice workethe for correction of sinners to the saluation of the electe But nowe the other sorte which be more curteise The confutation of the second opinion and confesse that in this worlde the iust may suffer of reason for his sinnes already remitted but not in the nexte liefe as theire doctrine is very vntrue so it geueth greate license and liberty to euil lyuers and is the very moother of praesumption For if man weare sâ—ere to be discharged at his departure hense of all payne for his sinnes then certes weare it madnesse to trauell in this life forther for his offensyes then he must of necessitye Yea more it makethe the case of greuous sinners tyll the houre of they re deathe so that they then at last repent much better then of smaulle offenders conuerted longe before For these must be pounished in they re liefe thother can not be pounished as these suppose after they re deathe What a vayne absurdity is this that the prophet offending once or twise in all his tyme shoulde suffer so heuy iudgement and the party whiche abidethe in wickednesse tyll th ende of his liefe when sin rather leaueth him then he sinne must bicause of his late conuersion withe out payne be caried at ease to heauen This is not doubtlesse semely to Goddes iustice and ordinauÌ„ce whose waies be truethe and vprightnesse Homil. 11. in Leuit. Est apud iudicem iustum poenae moderatio non solum pro qualitate sed etiam pro quantitate To a iust iudge there must be consideratioÌ„ had of pounishement bothe for the quality and quantity so saith Origen And the holy scripture thus Quantum glorificauit se in delitijs fuit tantum date illi tormentum luctum Looke hou highe she exalted her sellfe and hou delicately she lieued and geue her so muche wo and torment ageyne Cap. 16. It is spoken as of Babylon in the reuelations of S. Iohn And bicause this toucheth our matter and the very point thereof I will stand withe the aduersary the longer Here then I aske him why God takethe pounishement in this worlde for sinne allready remitted His answher must nedes be for the reuenge and hatered of sinne and satisfiyng of iustice Now theÌ„ doth god practise iudgment and iustice no wher but in this world Or if it be not here answhered bicause of lacke of space or late recoÌ„ciliation of the offender shall oure lorde of necessity be forced to remitte the debt and release his sentence of iustice for lacke of meanes to pounishe in an other worlde No no Goddes haÌ„de is not abbridged by the terms of this liefe Late repentaunce can be a benefite to no man God forbed it shoulde Especially seing poonishement and iudgement for sin as many learned doo suppose and as reason withe scripture bearethe properly apperteineth not to this worlde but by a speciall grace and singulare benefite whiche God of peety graunteth to suche as he louethe that they may here praeuent his angre whiche elles in the nexte lyefe shoulde be found more greuous wher properly is the reward of sinne and iudgement kept ordinarily for the same As it is plaine mercy and grace when man may take pounishment of him selfe as S. Paule saithe and be his owne correctour 1. Cor. 11. to auoyde the iudgement of God And therof the nexte liefe is termed commonly dies domini where there is no place for oure woorking but sufferance alone where the accompt of mannes lyefe must be straitly required and the sinnes
recompense therefore and yet after poonishment tolerated at Goddes apoyntement in the next lyefe he doubteth not to assure her of pardon at the lengthe and release of all paine Thus was sinne handeled in those dayes And why it was so painefully riped vp to the very battom yowe see Compare oure days and dealing to theires and thow shalt wonder to see the diuersitye betwixt theire maners and oures and to see the phisicions woorke so diuersely where the diseases be all one I might here well to my purpose repeate the singulare praises that S. Hierom gaue vnto noble Paula In epitaph Paulae who as he writeth of her withe fountaynes of teares exceding lauishe almose and pitifull fasting wasshed away such veniall and smaule offensies as other men wovlde scarsely doo muche more greuous crimes And to seeke for what ende this holy matrone vexed her sellfe and tormented her body it were in a maner needelesse for being not gilty of any greuous sinnes she coulde haue no greate feare of hell paynes then it must neades be that she tooke poonishment of her sellfe to praeuent Goddes temporall skourge in the lyefe to coom She well considered for it was the doctrine of that holy tyme that euery sinne be it neuer so small or common Note doth indebt the offender vnto God and therfore the iustest person that liueth excepting Christe and for his honour his moother as S. Augustine saith must confesse debte and crye for pardon by oure maisters praier Dimitte nobis debita nostra forgiue vs oure debts the whiche because they be debt must ether be pardoned by praier or paide by paine And therfore being not here remitted or not satisfied by worthy poonishment in this liefe they must of iustice be purged after oure departure according to the numbre of theime and the negligence of the offender And this faithe of Purgatory and respecte of Goddes iudgements to come feared the holyest persons that euer were in goddes Churche This droue many a blessed man to perpetuall paenaunce this broght Hierom him sellfe in to the wildernesse of Syria there to lament the lapse of his fraile youthe euer in expectation of this call Exi foras Hieronime Coom out Hierom this filled the desertes with many a noble heremite this raysed vppe the cloisters and all the holy houses of mowrning and praiers in the whole worlde and hathe in all agyes appeared bothe in the wordes and woorkes of all Christen people as we shal better a none declare But list yow see how this doctrine of paenaunce liked Caluine The shrew sawe that by graunting of this satisfaction for sinne and the profitable vsage thereof in this liefe that it might argue of necessity the residue of some paines in the nexte if it were here omitted or not ended And therefore I pray you see how substantially he aunswereth and how like him selfe Parum me mouent saithe he quae in veterum scriptis de satisfactione passim occurrunt In institut video enim eorum nonnullos dicam simpliciter omnes fere quorum libri extant aut in hac parte lapsos esse aut nimis aspere dure loquutos I make small accompt of that whiche I often finde concerning Satisfaction in the auncient writers for I perceiue diuers of theime shall I be plaine withe yow in a maner euery one that euer wrote till this daye in this pointe to haue bene foule deceiued or spoken more roughly then they shoulde haue doone Is not this a felowe a lone whether thinke yowe nowe oure englishe bragger craking all the doctors to be on his parte or this man confessing plainely that they be all ageinst him and yet setting not a butten by theyme all whether think you is more arrogant I am sure Caluine dealeth here more sincerely and thother more deceitfully Iff crakyng had bene a maistery in summer games as lying is our man mighte haue wonne of all the worlde two games at a clappe But there is no remedy he must yelde to the lerned that haue opened his impudency Therefore I leaue him and take the benefit of this his maisters confession for forther confirmation of my cause doubting nothing but that most wiese men seeing by the aduersaries graunte all learned fathers to be on oure side will accept it ether as a fulle proofe or no smaule praesumption of that truethe whiche we defend A briefe ioyning in reason and argument vpon the proued groundes vvithe the aduersaries for the declaration of Purgatory Cap. 5. HAuinge vndoubtedly wōne thus much both by euidēt testimony off holy writte by the warraunt of all the learned fathers by good reason and by the aduersaries owne confession I will be boulde to bare the very ioyntes of the argument that bothe the simple maye acknowledge my plaine dealing and the Protestant haue his vauntage if the reason stand not vpright With out colour or glose then thus I make my proufe After the sinnes of man be pardoded God oftentimes poonisheth the offender the Churche poonisheth him and man ponisheth him selfe ergo there is summe payne due after sinne be remitted Secondely this paine can not allwaies be discharged in this world ether for lacke of space after the remission as it happeth in repentaunce at the houre of deathe or elles when the party liueth in perpetuall welth with oute care or cogitation of any satisfaction therefore it must be answered in another place Thirdly the common infirmities and the daily trespasses which abase and defily the woorkes euen of the vertuous of theire proper condicion doo deserue paine for a tyme as the mortall offense deserueth perpetuall Therefore as the mortall sinne being not here pardoned must of iustice haue the reward of euerlasting pounishement so it must nedes folow that the veniall fault not here forgeuen shoulde haue the reward whiche of nature it requireth that is to saie temporall paine And therefor not only the wicked but the very iust also must trauell to haue theire daily infirmities and frailetie of theire corrupte natures forgiuen crying withe oute ceassing forgeue vs oure debtes Quia non iustificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis viuens August Euch ca. 71 For no man a lieue shall be able to stande before the face of God in his owne iustice or righteousnesse and if thes lighte sinnes shoulde neuer be imputed then it were needlesse to crie for mercy or confesse debt as euery man dooth be he neuer so passing holy To be briefe this debt of paine for sinne by any way remaining at the departure hense must off iustice be answered Whiche can not be with oute poonishement in the nexte liefe then there must be a place of iudgement for temporall and transitory paines in the other worlde The whole discourse made before hath geuen force enoghe to euery parte of the argument the scriptures doo proue it the practise of the Churche confirmeth it all the doctors by oure aduersaries graunte agree vpon it Yf they haue any thinge to say here
with owt doubte ther is none at al. Yff S. Augustine had but saide belike there is no suche meane place in the lyefe folowing mary sir then they might haue picked more matter of their infidelity and yet of that speach determining no certeinty there had bene no greate cause why they shulde haue forsaken the iudgement of Goddes Churche But nowe he so doubteth that he fyndeth more cause to thinke there should be one then that any man might gether vpō his wordes that ther should be none at all No nor he neuer went so farre good reader as to make any doubte of Purgatory paynes for poonishment of sinnes committed in the worlde For in all the same bokes where he hathe the lyke saing and allmost in the very same places he houldeth as a matter of faithe and to be beleued of all Christen men that the prayers of the lieuing doo release som of theire paines in the next liefe And he constantly as all other Catholikes euer did confesseth that the sinnes or vncleane workes of the liuing not duely by paenaūce wyped away in this worlde must be mended after oure deathe all thoughe it be very doubtefull in dede whether there be any worldly affections lefte in mannes mynde vntaken vppe by death and resolution of the body and the soule the care and remembrance wherof might be afterward by sorowe bothe purged and poonished And this to be his meaning and that he termeth here purgatory the griefe whiche a man hathe in losing that whiche he loued in this mortall liefe his owne wordes testifye in euery off those workes in whiche he kepeth this combate with Origenistes Lib. 21. de Ciuit. 26. In one place thus Quod sine illicienti amore non habuit sine dolore vrente non perdet ex earum rerum amissione tantum necesse est vt vrat dolor quantum haeserat amor That which by tiklinge loue was kepte can not be loste with oute burning grefe And looke howe fast the loue of suche thinges did cleaue to mannes mind so farre must sorow burne Ca◠So in the like talke with the saide Origenistes in his booke de fide operibus he foloweth the same signification of Purgatory Haec igitur saith he qnoniam affectu dilecta carnali non sine dolore amittuntur qui sic ea habent in eorum amissione passi detrimentum per ignem quendam doloris perueniunt ad salutem these thinges being by carnall affection loued be not lightly lost with oute grefe and therfore those that thus be affectionate fele losse in parting from theime and so coom to saluation throughe the fyer of sorowe ▪ suche a sadnesse the yonge man that demaunded of our maister the waie to heauen conceiued streght Matth. 19. when motion was onely made of distributiō of his gooddes Who being otherwise in the state of saluation and to be borne with all bicause he was a iuste man and lacked not the foundation of his faith yet the very losse or leauing of his gooddes was vnto him if he cōtinued in that affection a wonderful greate torment and as S. Augustin here calleth it a kind of purgatory the which perfect mē that aesteme al the trasshe of this worlde as durte and donge to winne Christe feele not at all whome the doctoure supposethe therfore to take no damage in the losse of thinges whiche they so litle loued Nowe in euery place where this exposition is founde as I think it is neuer in al his workes lightly but in conferēce with the Origenistes he alwaies addeth that the like fire of sorow may also correct the affectiōs euē of the departed but yet whether it be so or no he coūteth it a quaestiō of probable disputation rather thē any matter of faith ▪ as it is in dede very doubtful whether any such vnordinate affectiō may remaine vntakē vppe after mannes departure which by grefe and sorowe in the other worlde may be in time wholy consumed And further he neuer doubted For in that famous worke of the City of God withe in two chapters of that doubte made of this kind of purgation whiche we now haue declared Cap. 24. li. 21. he vttereth his faithe withe Goddes Churche off that greate torment and iust poonishement of sinfull liefe not sufficiently purged by poenaunce in oure time whiche he calleth the Amending fire and thus he saithe there Tales etiam constat ante iudicij diem per paenas temporales quas eorum spiritus patiuntur purgatos receptis corporibus aeterni ignis supplicijs non tradendos cae It is certeine saithe he Constat whiche is no worde of doubtefullnesse that suche men being purged by the temporall paines whiche theire soules do suffer before the day of iudgement shall not after they haue receiued theire bodies ageine be committed to the torment of the euerlasting fire This he vttereth in the same place where he doubteth of the other kinde of purgation Vide quaest 8. ad Dulcitium as he cōfessethe him selfe to be vncertein of the whole exposition refusing none at all that were agreable to faithe and woulde not helpe the falshood whiche he then refuted In his Enchir where he disputeth ageinste the same erroure Cap. 110. he so little doubteth that he calleth Purgatory damnation thoughe not perpetuall as that whiche might be bothe eased and vtterly remoued by the sacrifice and suffragies of the Churche And thus did that graue author withstand Origen then whose folowers wer as it may be thought very busy and trooblesom in those daies and long after But yet his sure staffe ageinst that erroure was this and the most common defense of all Catholikes that the temporall paines in the next world coulde neuer deliuer the great and greuous sinners that died with oute repentaunce or remission of theire sinnes from euerlasting death bicause that torment was praepared for the smaule offenseis whiche we call venial sinnes by whiche the holy Apostle ment vnder the names of the base substances off woodde hay and straw Ser. 4. de sanctis as these wordes of muche importaunce may wel declare There be diuerse saithe he that misconstruing these wordes of S. Paule before aleaged by ouer vaine security and confidence deceiue theime selues beleuing that if they do build capitall and greuous crimes vppon the fundation whiche is Christ they shall be pourged throughe fire and theyme selues afterward escape to euerlasting liefe but this vnderstanding good brethern must be corrected For those that so flatter theime selues shamefully do begile theime selues For that fiere whiche the Apostle speaketh of in these wordes He shall be saued through fier pougeth not mortal sinnes but smauler offensies onely To this purpose S. Hieroms wordes or the reuerēt Bedes whether you will for ether of theire graue authorities shall serue my turne doo wholy agree in the exposition of this sentence Mortuo homine impio non erit vltra spes In Cap. 11.
Prouerb A wicked man being once departed is past recouery or hope Where the author writeth thus Heu misere hoc pertransit Origenes qui post vniuersale iudicium vitam credidit omnibus impijs dandam Notandum autem quod etsi impijs post mortem spes veniae non sit sunt tamen qui de leuioribus peccatis cum quibus obligati defuncti sunt â–ª post mortem possunt absolui Origen passed ouer this texte pitifully that beleued all the wicked should haue at lenght liefe euerlasting after the day of generall iudgement Yet this is to be noted that allthough there be no hope of pardon for the wicked after theire death yet there be certeine whiche may be released of lighter trespasses in the bond of which they departed out of this world And so dooth Oecumenius a greeke author expounde S. Paules wordes off veniall sinnes for the purgation of whiche he dobuteth not but that there is a fire of iudgement in the liefe to come Ipse autem saluabitur quis Super. 3. Cap. 1. ad Cor. Qui aurum argentum lapides preciosos superaedificauerit cum enim dixisset de eo quod mercedem accipiet nunc qualem mercedem aperit salutem scilicet Saluabitur autem non sine dolore vt par est saluari per ignem transeuntem adhaerentes sibi leues maculas purgantem â–ª thus in Englishe By whome is it spoken when he saith he shall be saued By him it is spoken that buildeth on the foundatioÌ„ goulde filuer and preciouse stones For when he had towlde vs that suche shoulde haue a rewarde nowe he openeth what that rewarde shoulde be to wiett saluation And yet he must not be saued witheoute all paine as there is no cause why he should that must passe through fier and therby be pourged of the smauler spottes whiche sticke by him In the same sense dothe Theodoretus bothe expounde the wordes of the Apostle and vtter his iudgement of Purgatory also Super. 3. c. Malach. and allmost the rest of all the latine or Greke writers whiche my purposed breuitye with plentifull proufe otherwise forcethe me to leaue to the studious reader One place more I will onely adde oute of Remigius bicause he learnedly may knitte vp the place by ioyning bothe the prophet and Apostles wordes together In. 3. cap. Malach. vpon whiche we haue stand so longe Thus that good author writeth Ipse enim quasi ignis conflans peccatores exurens Ignis enim in conspectu eius ardebit in circuitu eius tempestas valida Hoc igne consumuntur lignuÌ„ foenum stipula Nec solum erit quasi ignis sed etiam quasi herba fullonum qua vestes nimiuÌ„ sordibus infectae lauantur Porro his qui grauiter peccauerunt erit ignis conflans exurens illis vero qui leuia peccata commiseruÌ„t erit herba fullonum Hinc per Isaiam dicitur si abluerit dominus c. Qui enim haheÌ„t sordes leuium peccatorum spiritu iudicij purgantur qui vero sanguinem habent hoc est grauioribus peccatis infecti sunt spiritu ardoris exurentur purgabuntur Et sedebit conflans emundans argentum colabit eos quasi auruÌ„ argentuÌ„ hoc est intellectum colloquium vt quicquid mixtum est stanno vel plumbo camino domini exuratur quod purum aurum est argentum remaneat Et purgabit filios Leui In filiis Leui omnem sacerdotalem ordinem intelligimus a quibus iudiciuÌ„ incipiet quia scriptum est tempus est vt iudicium incipiat a domo dei 1. Petri. 4. alibi a sanctuario meo incipite Si autem sacerdos flammis purgandus est colandus quid de caeteris dicendum est quos nullum coÌ„mendat priuilegium sanctitatis These goulden wordes haue this sense He shall coom as the gouldesmithes fyre â—â—â—â—ing sinners For in his sight a flame â—â—l ryse and a mighty tempest rownd â—boute him by whiche fyre our wodde hay and stooble shall be wasted and worne away With that he shall be lyke the cleÌ„sers herbe wherby garmeÌ„ts very much stayned be purged To all those that haue greuously offended he will be a burning and melltyng fyre but to the light sinners he shall be as the wasshers herbe Whiche difference the Prophet Esai noteth thus Cap. 4. Yff oure lorde wipe a way the filthe of the doghters of Syon and blodd from the middest of Israel in the spirite of iudgement and fyre For such as haue onely the spottes of veniall sinnes they may be amended by the spirite of iudgement but men of bloodde to witte the more greuous offenders must be tried by fire And he shall sitte casting and purifying siluer and shall purge menne as goulde and siluer be purified that is to say our thoghtes vnderstanding and wordes I call stannum peuter moued by the circumstaÌ„ce of the letter from impurity and vncleanesse as from pewter and leade by Goddes fornace shall exactly be pourged and nothing shall be lefte but pure as goulde and fine siluer And he shall pourge the sonnes of Leui that is the ordre of priesthood where this heuy iudgement shall first begin For so it is writen 1. Pet. 4. Tyme is nowe that iudgement begin at the howse of God and ageine Begin at my sanctuary Yff the priest muste be purged and fined what shal we deme of other whome priuilege of holy ordre dooth not commende or helpe thus farre goeth the author in conference of diuerse scriptures Who with the rest of all the holy fathers that compased their senses with in the vnity of Christes Churche hathe fownd by euident testimonye of sundry scriptures the paines of purgatory whiche the busy heades of oure tyme by vayne bragging off scriptures in singulare arrogancy off they re owne wittes can neuer finde A forther declaration of this poynte for the better vnderstanding of the doctoures vvordes VVherin it is opened hovve purgatory is ordeined for mortall sinnes and hovv for smauler offenses vvho are like to fele that grefe and vvho not at all Cap. 9. ANd I thinke they nowe haue smaule aduantage by thexception of Origens testimony by occasion wheroff suche light is fownde for oure cause that we nowe by goodly authority haue bothe fownde the placies alleaged plainely to proue purgatory and allso what sinnes it namely pourgeth and what men after theire death may be ameÌ„ded therby â–ª that not onely the bare trueth but sum necessary circumstances to the studious of the truethe haue bene here by iust occasion opened and all errour wholy remoued Except this point may somwhat stay the reader that heareth in som places the paines of Purgatory to be bothe a poonishment for greuous sinnes and a purgation of lighter trespasses with all and yet that it now may appeare the contrary by the mynde off som learned authors who expressely make that payne as a remedy onely for veniall sinnes and not to
Hieronimi dothe declare The diuersity of the damneds case and of suche as be temporally poonished in purgatory But this is the greate misery and the difference that suche as be in the iudgement of Hel paines haue no hope of mercy no passage from theire infinite woe no ende of torment no release off payne no expectation of saluation no comforte by Christe but endlesse desperation hatered of vertue wearinesse of their creation sorowe of theire own beeing and persons and whiche is most vntollerable perpetuall blasphemy and grisely cursing of Goddes holy name The other being vnder theire mercifull fathers chastisemeÌ„t in purgatory suffer greate payne but in quiet peace of conscience in assured expectation and warraunt of theire saluation in loue of Goddes iustice and iudgement euen towardes theime selues in the vnity of the spirite of God bearing testimony of theime that they be the children of the howshoulde in perpetuall experience of mercy and grace in dayly hope of â—elease in perfect loue withe owte all sinne or daunger of sinning in gladde coÌ„ceiuing the benefite of their redeÌ„ption for the remission of theire offenses paste and in worship and confession of Goddes holy name then and after for euer more And this is the company of the inferiour partes whiche boweth theire knee Philip. 2. and reuerenceth the name of Iesus as the Apostle saith when the other which bein the deape hel the prophet bearing witnesse can not prayse nor confesse his blessed name whiche they bothe detest and blaspheme to theire vnspeakeable paine There hathe euer beÌ„ sence the death of the first vertuous man till this houre and so shall be till the day of later iudgment a company of electe and chosen people that doo honoure God in the loughers partes as till Christes descending to hell the fathers resting place in generall and some that suffered for sinne further paine beside And after coÌ„tinally as befor the place of Purgatory to endure for the ponishment of certaine til the latter day when all the elect shall reigne without greefe or paine with Christ for euer more Vide Greg. 4. dial 20 Isiodor de ordine creatur And althoughe the place of this torment and the nature thereof be nott certainly determined nor knoweÌ„ to any but such as God of his wisdom liste reuele it vnto yet it is with great probability and likelyhood thought of suche lerned men as deserue singulare credit that it is in the lower rowmes as sinus Abrahae may appear by scripture to haue ben and separated froÌ„ hell as it was bicause al places of ponishemeÌ„t after this liefe be cauled of holy writers conformably to scripture Inferna But with curious searche of these thinges as we be not charged so to beleue that iustice is there doone vpon sinners by muche sorowe and torment of theire soules by the authority of Goddes worde and church we are of necessity induced The care an coÌ„syderation whereof if it take deape impression in oure myndes I am sure it shall woorke exceding greate chaunge in oure whole liefe and maners Therefore I shall desire all Catholike readers as they beleue this graue sentence of God to coom and feare the rodde of our fathers correctioÌ„ that they praeuent the same by lowly submitting theime selues vnto the chastisement of our kinde moother the Churche Who with teares in this her contempt yet besecheth the children of hir owne howshoulde that they woulde rather willingly submitt theime selues to her meeke wande in this liefe then ageinst theire willes to the heuy skourge of theire angry and iustly moued father in the worlde to coom The paenaunce whiche her ministers doo charge vs with all is of it selfe not greate yet accepted with humility and coÌ„petent dolour of harte in this time of grace it maye for the most parte yf it any thing be answerable to the faultes or holpen by oure owne zele ether wholy discharge vs or muche ease and abbridge the paine to coom Let vs not sticke to adde vnto the praescribed paine by the priest oure pastour som such fructes of repeÌ„taunce as may more and more washe vs from our sinnes let vs make freÌ„des of wicked MammoÌ„ Luc. 11. Dan. 4. Let vs redeme oure sinnes by almoose and mercy towardes the poore Lett vs iudge oure selues with earnest fasting abuÌ„daunce of vnfaided teares often watching and continual prayinge and then doubtles we shall not be iudged of oure Lorde Let vs detest this abominable flattering security whiche this sinfull schole so earnestly exhorteth vs vnto It is the deuill no doubte that woulde haue maÌ„ passe his time in pleasure that he maye be reserued to his euerlasting paine A small remedy by mannes freedom in Goddes grace here willingly accepted may cleare acquitte vs of greate greefe to coom Loue alone and ernest zele of Goddes house in this multitude of forsakers I dare say shal couer a numbre of sinnes and that whiche by nature is but duety in this time of temptation I take it to be greate merit Let vs be circumspect therefore and woorke whiles the day is here for in the night off the next worlde sinners can not helpe theime selues nor woorke one moment towardes theire owne deliuery or release And for the other sorte which haue ben deceiued by the Mearemaides songe I shall humbly in our sauiours blessed bloude beseeke theyme to consider with zele and indifferency what hath bene saide and whereon it standeth And if God him selfe hath in all ages chastised his best beloued people and dearest children bothe here and in the next lyefe yf the Churche hathe practised discipline by his authority vpon all obedient persons if all vertuous haue charged theime selues with paine if al lerned fathers haue both preached an done poenaunce for the auoiding of paines hereafter praepared yf the worde of God expressely make for this yf all lerned men with oute exception beleued it and feared it yf it agree with good reason if it settfourth Goddes iustice if it duely answer to the hatered of sinne yf it rayse the feare of God in mannes harte yf it be the bane of prowde praesumption yf it be the moother of mekenesse of obedience of deuotion and of all good Christian condicions lett it for Goddes loue I pray the once againe take place in thy harte and driue oute that rest and quiettnesse of sinne whiche these delycate doctours for thy praesent pleasure vnder the coloure off some honeste name haue deceitfully induced thee vnto Aske once of thyne owne maisters and if they be able to answer to any parte of this whiche I haue proued but by vnseemely wrasting of the the scripture shamefull denial of the doctours or deceitefull colouring of nothing in vaine wordes with owte grownd matter or meaning thowe maist better beleue theime and miscredet me But yff thowe finde they shall neuer be able to satisfy a reasonable man in this case then cast not thy sellfe away willingly with thime but betime
turne home to vs ageine I my selfe seeke no further credit at thy hādes but as a reporter of the antiquity But the scripture requireth thy obedience the Churche whiche can not be deceyued clameth thy consent all the owlde fathers woulde haue the ioyne with theime in they re constāt belefe Yf thow did once feele what grace and giftes were In populo graui ecclesia magna in the graue people and greate Churche as the Prophett termeth Goddes howse or coulde conceiue the conforte that we poore wretchies receiue daily by discipline and perfect remission of oure sinnes which can no where but in this howse be profitably healed thowe wouldest forsake I am sure all wordely welthe and wantons abrode to ioyne with oure Churche ageine And that the name of the Church deceiue the not this is the true Churche saith Lactantius In qua est religio Lib. 4. Cap. 30. de sap confessio poenitentia quae peccata vulnera quibus est subiecta inbecillitas carnis salubriter curat In whiche deuotion confessiō and poenaūce wherby the woūdes of mānes frailty are profitably cured be founde FINIS PRIORIS LIBRI THE SECONDE BOOKE INTREATING OF THE PRAYERS AND OTHER ORDINARY reliefe that the Church of Christ procureth for the soules departed THE PREFACE OF THIS Booke vvherein the matter of the treatise and the ordre of the Authors proceading be briefely opened WE haue now taried very longe in the consideration of Goddes iustice and mighty scourge not only for the euerlasting outcastes but also for the exacte trial of the chosen childrens wayes The behoulding whereof must neades ingender som sorowe and sadnesse of minde and with all as it commonly happeth in oure frailety a certaine bitter taediousnesse bothe in the writer and the reader 2. Cor. 7. thoughe for my parte I will say with S. Paule that it greueth me neuer a whit that I haue in my tallke geuen yowe occasion of sadnesse being assured that this praesent grefe may woorke perfect poenaunce to vndoubted saluation But the wearinesse of that roughe part which might bothe by the weight of the matter and allso by my rude handeling quickely arise to the studious reader I shall in this booke wholy wype away not by arte or pleasaunt fall of wordes whiche in plaine dealing is not much requisite but by the singulare comforte of oure cause In the continuall course whereof we shall ioy more and more at the behoulding of Goddes passing mercy in remission of sinnes and mitigation of the paines whiche iustice enioyned For nowe we must talke howe the fyry sworde of Goddes ire may be turned from his people Whiche Ambros as one of the fathers truely saide beareth a great shewe of vengeaunce and iudgement bicause it is named a fyry sworde but yet knowē withall to be a tourning sword that is gladius versatilis Rupert in 3. c. Genes it shall geue greate cause of comforte againe O sapientes saith deuoute Damascene ad vos loquor scrutamini erudimini quia plurimus est timor Dei domini omnium sed multò amplior bonitas formidabiles quidem minae In orat pro defunctis incomparabilis autem clementia horrenda quidem supplicia ineffabile autem miserationum suarum pelagus Thus he speaketh of Purgatory and mercy O yowe of the wise sorte to yowe doo I speake searche and learne A comparison off the mercy and iudgement off God tovvardes the soules in Purgatory ▪ and that mercy is more that the feare of God the Lorde of all thinges is maruailous muche but his goodnesse farre ouerreacheth it His threatning exceding feareful but his clemency vncōparable the praepared poonishmēts doubtlesse horrible but the bottōlesse sea of his mercies is vnspeakable so saide he Therfore if our sinnes forgeuen were neuer so greuous or oure vicious lyfe so farre wasted in idle welth that space of fructefull poenaunce and opportunity of well woorking by the nightes approching and oure Lordes sodden calling be taken away in whiche longe differring of oure amendement heuy and sore execution must neades for iustice sake be done yet lett vs not mistrust but God measureth his iudgement with clemency and hath ordeined meanes to procure mercy and mitigate that sentēce euē in the middest of that fyry doongion that the vessels of grace and the redemed flocke may worthely sing bothe mercy and iudgement to oure gracious God who in his angre forgetteth not to haue compassion nether withdraweth his pity in the middest of his ire Psal 76. For this imprisonment endureth no longer then our debtes be paide this fyre wasteth no further then it findeth matter to consume this discriet and wise flame as som of the fathers before termed it chastiseth no lōger thē it hath cause to correcte Yea oftē before this fyre by course of iustice can cease God quencheth it with his sonnes bloude recompenseth the residew by oure maisters merittes The motions off Goddes mercy In releasing or mitigation of the payne of Purgatory and accepteth the carefull crie of oure moother the Churche for her children in paine The memorie off Christes death liuely and effectually settfourth in the soueraigne misteries vpon the Altare in earth entereth vpp to the praesence of his seate and procureth pardon in heauen aboue The merites of all sanctes the praier of the faithefull the woorkes of the charitable bothe earnestly aske and vndoubtedly finde mercye and grace at his hande For of suche the Prophet Dauid asketh Nunquid in aeternum proijciet Deus aut continebit in ira sua misericordias suas Psal 76. Will God caste theime awaye for euer or will he shutte vpp his mercy when he is angrie No he wil not Li. 1. de poenit Cap. 1. so saith S. Ambrose Deus quos proijcit non in aeternum proijcit God casteth of many whome he doothe not euerlastingly forsake Then let vs seeke the wayes of this so mercyfull a Lorde that we may take singulare comforte therin oure selues agaynst the day of oure accompte and indeuour mercyfully to helpe oure deare bretherne so afflicted lest if we vse not compassion towardes theime we iustly receyue at Goddes hande for the rewarde of oure vnmercyfulnesse iudgement and iustice with owte mercy The cruell aduersary of man kynde as before he wrought his woorste against Purgatory so here he busely pricketh forward the schoole of protestantes to improue to theire owne vtter damnation and the notable hinderaunce of oure louing bretherns saluation all suche meanes as God by scripture or other testimony of his worde hathe reueled to be proffitable for thabating of payne or the release of the apoynted poonishment in that place of temporal tormente to com Against whiche deceiuers I meane by Goddes helpe in this ordre to trauel First I will proue that sinnes may be pardoned or the debt and bond thereof released in the next worlde then I shal shewe what meanes the holy scripture approueth or thexample thereof a
answereth Lo oure vnkindnesse saithe this doctor and lo oure lacke of compassion But bicause all this forgetfullnesse coommethe by the wicked suggestiō of these late deuelishe opinions which maynteyne that the prayers of the lyuing or theire workes doo not extende to the deade in Christe therefore for the destruction of this vnkind haeresy and planting in oure heartes with the truethe the feeling of our howsholde felowes sores I shall proue that in all times as well of nature as the lawe and gospell the faithful men haue euer ioyned in all they re praiers and acceptable workes the soules departed as vnto whome by right of theire communion and felowship in faithe the reliefe of goddes grace and Christes merites doo apperteine Therefore this once declared let vs except theime from no painefull worke of the liuing nor charitable deede nor good praier nor sacrifice nor teares no nor from the inward doloure nor loue of mannes hearte Lerne to know what it is to be in a common body and thowe shallte streght perciue that the least motion of thy mind sturred by goddes grace shall be caryed to the releefe of that part which thow pitied and most intended VVhat the Churche of God hathe euer principally practised for the soules departed by the vvarraunt of holy scripture vvith the defense of the Machabees holy history against the heretikes of oure tyme. Cap. 3. BVt emongest so many meanes of helpe Gregori in epist. ad Bonifa these haue bene euer counted most soueraigne Sacrifice praiers almose and by example of scripture most commended Thoughe fasting added vnto any of theime hathe singulare strengthe in this case and euer was ioyned in all ernest sute made to god for our selues or other We can nott better begin to shewe the practise herof then at that scripture which sufficiently commendeth at once al three writen in the second booke of Machabies in these wordes Cap. 12. Iudas hortabatur populum conseruare se sine peccato sub oculis videntes quae facta sunt pro peccatis eorum qui postrati sunt Et facta collatione duodecim millia drachmas argenti misit Ierosolimam offerri pro peccatis mortuorum sacrificium bene religiose de resurrectione cogitans nisi enim eos qui ceciderant resurecturos speraret superfluum videretur vanum orare pro mortuis quia considerabat quod hi qui cum pietate dormitionem acceperant optimam haberent repositam gratiam Sancta ergo salubris est cogitatio pro defunctis exorare vt a peccatis soluantur The valiaunt man Iudas exhorted the people to kepe theime selues from sinne hauing before they re eyes what was faulen for the offensies of theime that were slayne And a common gathering being made he sent xij thousand pieces of siluer to Ierusalem to offer for the sinnes of those that were departed a Sacrifice being well and religiously mynded concerning the resurrection for except he had suerly trusted that suche as were slayne should arise agayne it might haue bene counted vaine and superfluouse to praye for the deade But bicause he did well consider that such as in piety receiued theire sleape hadde grace and fauoure layde vpp for theim therfore it is a holy and proffitable meaning to praye for the deade that they may be assoyled of theire sinnes So farre the Author of the historie speaketh setting fourthe most euidently the notable piety of Iudas in exhorting theime to releue the departed the lyke liberall allmose of the people the prayers there in the campe and the sacrifice at Ierusalem celebrated for the same purpose In all wich dooing the scripture much praysethe that worthy zele of Iudas as a thing bothe proffitable to the departed towardes the remission of theire offensies and no lesse agreeing to that his especyall hope off the resurrection to coom counting it a folye to pray for theyme of whose resurrection we are not assured Wherby I can not tell whether a man may well gether that such as deny the felowship of the lyue with the deade or condēne prayers made for theyme stedfastly beleue not the resurrection And in deede if we note well Take heede we shal fynde that the prayers for the deade haue ben euer taken both as an argument to proue and as a protestatiō of the faithful to shewe theire mynd and faith concerning the resurrectiō So did Epiphanius that holy father make confession of the churches faith for the resurrection and immortality of the soule by the praying for the departed and ioyning theime to the partaking of the workes of the liue Hi qui decesserunt viuunt saith he nō sunt nulli In heresi Aërij sed sunt viuunt apud Deum spes est orantibus pro fratribus velut qui in peregrinatione sint those wich be deceased doo yet lyue and are not by their departure hense faullen to be nothing but they haue theire being and yet doo lyue before God and ther is great hope to theire orators or beadsmen praying for theyme as for such that be in theire pilgramage So saithe Damasce In oratione pro defunct that by supplication for the soules resurrectionis spes solidatur the hope of resurrection is established And therfor Dionisius the auncyent in his misticall prayer and sacrifice for the departed Ecclesiast Hierrarch Cap. 7. declarethe that there was a minister that did solemnely recyte certeine placyes owte of scripture for to confirme the hope of resurrection So that this practise of the faith full hathe not onely bene euer accōpted a playne truethe but it hathe bene a grownd and a princyple to confirme the article of resurrection and immortalitye of the soule And therfor the facte of Iudas is with suche commendacion mētioned in the scripture For in those dayes the haeresie of the Saduces deniing the refurrection and the lyefe to coom as Iosephus writeth began to take greate houlde emongest the Iews Antiq. l. 13 Cap. 8. about bishop Ionathas his time in wich tyme of diuersity that true beleuer thoght to make plaine protestation of his fayth by his notable facte And nowe I must needes be boulde to tell these enemies of oure communion that in acknouledging theime selues to haue nothing to doo with the soules departed they are att the nexte doore by to denie the immortalitie and to terme theyme deade soules as Vigilantius did Hieron con vig. Whome Goddes Churche very conformably to Christes calling and fittly for the protesting the common faith nameth Dormientes in signo pacis Prayers for the departed agreeith to oure faithe of the resurrection and immortality Those that sleape in the signe of peace and the named scripture for the same cause callethe theime men a sleape in piety Well iff theire deniall of praiers for the deceased grow so farre as the vtter impugning of Christiā hope for the life euerlasting and so with purgatory take away helle and heauen together as the Sadduces did which God
these be the right obittes these shall be commodious to the lyuing and proffitable to the deceased Againe in another place he arguethe that this vnordinate mourning can not stand with the stedfast beleefe of resurrection of the departed which the praiers of Goddes Churche and the rites of Christian dirigies doo plainely protest Homil. 32 in Cap. 9. Math. and proue these be his wordes Cur post mortē tuorū pauperes cōuocas cur presbyteros vt pro eis velint orare obsecras non ignoro te responsurum vt defunctus requiem adipiscatur vt propitium iudicem inueniat his ergo de rebus flendum atque vlulandum arbitraris Non vides quam maximè ipsi repugnas In his tyme the priestes vvere desired to pray for mennes soules Why doost thowe gather the poore people to coom to thy frendes buriall Why desirest thow the priestes to pray for theire soules Thy answher I am shure will be that thowe doost these thinges to prouide for his rest and to obteyne mercy and fauour at his iudgies handes Wel then go too what cause hast thowe to mourne or be waile his case doost thow not perceiue that thowe arte contrary to thy selfe in thy owne facte nowe all studiouse men may see what force the charity and allmose of faithfull people euer had especially towardes the dead howe litle weeping auaylethe howe vnlikly it is that the prescribed daies of the oulde funeralles in the lawe of nature or afterward were spent in mourning with owte woordes or workes for the departed but namely howe this holy fathers sentēce and minde fully setteth fourth the meaning of Tobies praecept for setting his breade and drinke vpon the sepulchres to be nothinge elles but a calling together of the poore people and feeding theime for the benefite of the person departed that not onely they by earnest praier but he by charitable workes might together obteine reste and mercy for his soule And here the simple sorte and suche as be ignoraunt off the force of almose or oure fathers practise for theire yeares being brought vppe in this sinful age whē vertue is defaced A greate decay of vertue in oure tyme and the workes of Christianitye scarse to be seene in a whole country and where they be muche merueled at as thinges rare or contemned as vnproffitable or of the wicked condēned vtterly as superstitious and vngodly suche good younge mē must looke backe a greate waye with me to lerne theire dueties of the blessed times paste that were wholy free from the contagion off this pestilent waste in religion euen to those daies that our aduersaries confesse to haue bene holy and vndefiled Man may be relieued after his departure ether by the almose vvhiche he gaue in his lyfe time or by that vvhich is prouided by his testament to be geuen after his deathe or elles by that almose vvhiche other men doo bestovve for his soules sake of theire ovvne gooddes Cap. 5. ANd we fiend the workes of mercy and charitie to helpe the soule of man in this life towardes remissiō of his sinnes or elles in the next worlde for release of paine due vnto the same sinnes Al which may be doone two waies firste by thyne owne handes or appointment liuing in this worlde Lucae 11. 16. Dan. 4. Ec. 3. Iob. 12. which is the best perfecteste and surest meanes that may be for that pourgeth sinnes procurethe mercy maketh frendes in the day of dreade cleansethe beforehand staithe the soule from deathe and lifteth it vppe allso to liefe euer lasting Regarde not here the ianglers that wil crie oute on the that mannes workes must not praesume so farre as to winne heauen or to pourge sinnes lest they intermeddle with Christes work of redemption and the office of onely faithe make no accompt of such corrupters of Christian conditions liue wel and carefully folowe these workes off mercy so expressely commaunded and commended in the scriptures kepe the within the householde of the faithfull and thy very good conuersation in operibus bonis shall refute they re vaine blastes and improue theire idle faithe Iacob 2. Say but then vnto theime by the wordes of S. Iames. Maister Protestaunt let me haue a sighte of your only faithe with out good workes and here lo behoulde mine and spare not by my good workes What religiō so euer you be of I know not but I would be off that religiō which the apostle calleth religionem mundam immaculatam Iacob 1. The pure and vnspotted religion and that is as he affirmeth to viset the fatherlesse and succoure widowes in theire neede And then tell theyme bouldely that the Churche of God hathe instructed the that all woorkes whereby mā may procure helpe to him selfe or other be the workes of the faithfull which haue receiued that force by the grace and fauoure of God and be throughe Christes bloode so wattered tempered and qualyfied that they may deserue heauen and remission of sinne Doubt not to tel them that they haue no sight in this darknes of haeresy in the waies of Goddes wisdō they haue no feele nor tast of the force of his death they see not howe grace prepareth mannes workes they can not reache in theire in fidelitie how wonderfully his death worketh in the sacraments they cā not atteine by any gesse how the dedes of a poore wrech may be so framed in the childrē of God that whereas of theire owne nature they are not hable to procure any mercy yet they nowe shall be counted of Christ him self sitting in iudgemēt worthy of blesse and lyfe euerlasting Bid theime coom in coom in and they shall feele with the in simplicity and obediēce that which thei could not owte of this society in the pride of contention euer perceiue And if they will not so doo let theim perish alone Turning then from theim thether where we were let vs practise mercy as I saide in our owne time in our helthe when it shal be much meritorious as proceding not of necessity but of freedom and good will And thē after oure departure the repraesentation of our charitable deedes by such as receiued benefite thereby shall excedingly moue God to mercy as we see it did sturre vpp the compassion of his apostle in the fullfilling of so straūge a request Wheruppon S. Cyprian saithe that almose deliuereth often from both the seconde deathe whiche is damnation Serm. de Eleemos and the firste whiche is of the body Yf thow yet chaunce to be negligent in the working of thine owne saluation whē thou arte in strenght and helthe when ouer muche carefulnesse of worldly welthe hindereth the remembraunce of thy duety towardes God for al that helpe they selfe at the least in thy latter ende for thoughe it had bene muche better before yet it is not euill nowe I speake not for priestes aduauntage God is my iudge I am not of that rowme my self and wil not condemne my soule for other But
text Whether he meaneth saith this father by finall impaenitence or by any mortall sinne coÌ„tynued vnto deathe it is sure and plaine a man must not pray for him that diethe in it Then yf we be admonished not to pray for one sorte of departed the case is cleare that we may and are bownd and shall be hearde for the other sorte that sinneth not vnto death To this place also S. Augustine disputing in his booke de ciuitate dei that praiers proffiteth not all meÌ„ departed alludeth Lib. 21. Cap. 24. or rather leanethe vnto â—t as a sure grounde against the Orginistes that would haue goddes mercy by mannes praiers obteined for the wicked soules deceased after this sort Si â—ui autem vsque ad mortem habebunt cor imâ—anitens nec ex inimicis conuertuntur in filios numquid iam pro eis id est pro talium lefunctoruÌ„ spiritibus orat ecclesia cur ita niâ—i quia iam in parte diaboli computantur qui lum essent in corpore non sunt translati in Christum Yf there be any that till death conntinue in stubburne impaenitency of hearte and of enimies to goddes Churche will not be made children doethe the Churche make intercession for suche that is to say for the soules of theime being departed in that state and why praieth she not for theyme but bicause they be nowe reckoned for the deuilles lote being deade that would not moue to Christes part when they were in theire bodies And this is the cause that for suche as in desperation destroy theyme selues by any kind of wilful or violent death or in the stubborne mayntenance of haeresye offer theime selues to be extirpate as well owte of the society of mannes lyfe as oute of the communion of the Christiane company our holy moother the Church who by her practise is the best construer off goddes worde neuer vseth any meanes for theire quiet rest Bracarens Cap. 34. Wheron there is a holy decrie of councell in this sense â–ª qui sibi ipsis quolihet modo culpabili inferuâ— mortem nulla pro illis fiat commemoratio neque cum psalmis sepeliantur All those that by any vnlawful way procure their own deathe Vide Timoth Alexand. respons 14 let no commemoration be had of theime nor be broght home with psalmes The which hath bene both diligently obserued euer emongest ChristiaÌ„s and for terrour of the wicked often by holy canons renewed Wherof there is no other cause but this that such persons being at th end cutt of the common bodie can receyue no vtility of that where vnto they are not nor now can not be ioyned And as in that case where goddes church hathe plaine presumption of any persons euerlasting perishing ether by coÌ„tinuance in infidelytie owte of her happy family or by haeresie and separation of him selfe till the last ende leaping owte of her holy lappe where he once was before or being and continuing with sum open euidence therof an vnprofitable membre and a deade branche as I saye in any plaine proufe of these thinges the Churche neuer practiseth for his rest bicause she nether hathe hope of getting any grace nor meanes to conuey any benefite vnto suche as be not in the lymmes of lyefe so if our sayde careful moother doo bestow of her customable kyndnesse al her godly meanes vpon those whome she knowethe not otherwise but in finall piety and paenitence to haue passed this lyefe and yett in deede before god to whome onely all secrets of mannes hearte be perfectly open dyed as abiectes and owtecastes in sinne and impaenitencye she can not for all that any whit helpe they re aestate so miserable nor appeace Goddes wrathe towardes theyme being nowe owte of the tyme of deseruing oute of the churchies lappe effectually and finally separated from the chosen people and oute of the coÌ„pase of grace and mercye Muche lesse any priuate maÌ„nes prayer caÌ„ be any thing at al beneficial to his frend or other that dyed not in Goddes fauoure whose payne can nether be finished nor by any of these ordynary meanes one moment released or lessened Yet euery good faythfull person must imitate the diligence of Goddes churche herein that ceaseth not bothe to offer and pray for all sortes wythe in her lymittes that be heÌ„se in any likelyhood of repeÌ„tance departed who hadde rather they shulde abuÌ„de to the needelesse theÌ„ at any tyme lacke for the reliefe of suche that might wante theyme Therfore let no man withdrawe his almose charity or praiers from any of the houshoulde of faithe vpon any light praesumption yea or strong coniecture of any mannes finall continuance in sin or wickednes vpon whom in the laste spirite of breathe as God may haue mercy so mannes praiers then shall be bothe needefull and exceding beneficiall vnto him Only with conscience thow may and must cease with Goddes Churche to practise the waies of mercy vpon such as be not baptised or otherwise after theire baptisme haue by leauing this holy communion of the faithefull iudged theim selues vnworthy and made they re case vnapte by continuaunce therin to receiue any benefite ether of the Churche which of theire owne accorde they haue forsaken or of any membre thereof whervnto by faithe and loue they are not ioyned And so al haeretikes shal be voyde of this mercy and grace after theire death which did in their lyfe so ernestly abhorre the same Vpon all other where any hope may be hadd if thowe pray or procure the meanes of mercy it shal at least be to thy selfe a singulare helpe and gayne thoughe the partye for whome thowe doost it ether neede it not being allready receiued into blesse Homil. 21. in Cap. 9. Actuum or elles in perpetuall damnation of helle be helples for euer Si praeces pro mortuis facimus saith S. Chrisostom si eleemosinas damus et si ille indignus sit nobis Deus placatior erit If we pray for the deade and bestowe allmose for their sakes if he be fownd vnworthy yet God wil the rather be mercyfull to our selues And sure it is that who so euer be fownde so gracious as with much compassioÌ„ of the deceaseds misery to procure with study and care Goddes merciful pardon towardes theyme that such a one especially shall find grace and fauour at the time of neede and be meruailous apte to receaiue bene fite by others procurement ageine VVho be most apte to receiue benefite by the praiers of the lyuing For as it is certaine that no man can receiue benefite after his departure by any worke or will of the liuing sauing suche as in theire lyfe deserued the same so must it needes be that where these remedyes be needefull and profitable that yet more or lesse they shal worke vpon the party for his relyefe according to the more or lesse deuotion and deseruing in this lyfe Therfore this truth of mutuall participation of the deade withe the lyue geueth no man
that one Victor who had made Geminus Faustinus being a priest ageynst the ordre taken in the councell of Aphrik thexecutor of his testament shoulde therfore haue no prayers of the clergye nor facrifice after his departure sayde or doone for him For in that tyme of greate persecution suche instant prayers so often sacrifice the scarsity of ministers the peoples necessity required that the priestes shoulde perpetually with oute all exception of worldly affayers serue the altare But you shall heare this blessed Martyrs or rather his wordes together with the councelles ordinaunce Victor cum contra formam nuper in consilio a sacerdotibus dataÌ„ Geminum Faustinum presbyterum ausus sit actorem constituere non est quò pro dormitione eius apud vos fiat oblatio aut depraecatio nomine eius in ecclesia frequentetur vt sacerdotuÌ„ decretuÌ„ religiose necessariò factuÌ„ seruetur a nobis simul caeteris fratribus detur exemplum ne quis sacerdotes ministros dei altari eius ecclesiae vacantes ad seculares molestias deuocet In englishe thus Seeing victor ageinst the ordre taken of late in a holy synod of priestes hathe made Geminus Faustinus the chefe dooer in th execution of his will and testament lett it be prouided that there be no oblation ther wyth yowe for his rest nor yet any prayers in his behaulfe in the churche that the decrye of the priestes before sayde may be religiously obserued and executed by vs. That therby all other oure bretherne may beware by his example how they wythdrawe suche as should serue the author to entangle theim selues with worldely affayres And here nowe oure aduersaryes must be called vpon and asked howe they can a way with this geare The haeretikes called vpon to ansvver whether this light of truethe be not ouer vehement for they re bleared eyes owle light or mooneshyne I trowe or mirke midnight were more fit for they re darke workes and doctryne oure way is ouer muche trodden for theues All this course of oure cause The vvhole matter ordered to oure hands so agreethe with it selfe so standethe wythe reason so vphoulden by scripture so ordered in all poyntes that Momus him selfe coulde practise no arte nor picke no quarelles here For such we must pray for those we must not praye in this case the sacrifice of goddes churche relieueth the departed in that case it is comfortable onely to the liuynge sum men neede helpe aster their death others helpe we neede and not they oures for open infidelles and haeretikes praiers are not vsed for all secrette offendres bicause their case is not knowne to the church of charity towardes her childreÌ„ she opeÌ„ly prayethe sum she poonishethe sum she pardonethe for al she merueilous teÌ„derly carethe This doctrine of truethe is purposely ordered by our elders euery point is touched and tried to our handes What time of the day was it in goddes church say trueth and shame the deuill when holy Cyprian wrote these thinges when the councell of aphrick decried these thinges when victor was punished by lack of sacrifice and prayers at his departure doeth your time of ignorance which yowe haue lymited for your waulke reache vp so highe in goddes howse but I will spare yow to anone your answer is not redie VVhat that holy sacrifice is vvhiche vvas euer counted so beneficiall to the liue and deade The punishement of oure sinnes by the heuy losse thereof The greate hatered vvhich the diuell and all his side hath euer borne tovvardes Christes aeternall priesthood and the sacrifice of the Churche And that by the saide sacrifice of the Masse the soules departed are especially relieued Cap. 8. ANd now we must faule in hand with the good ChristiaÌ„ Catholike for the searche of this so ofteÌ„ named sacrifice so coÌ„fortable to the liue so profitable to the dead and what that oblatioÌ„ is which the holy catholike and apostolike Church hath euer vsed through oute the world for the sinnes of the departed in place of the offeringes of the lawe and that sacrifice which Iudas Machabaeus made and procured at Hierusalem for the offensies of his people that perished in battle Surely it is no other but the sacrifice of our mediatour as S. Augustine termeth it and the offering vppon the altare It is no other then that obltation which so fully and liuely expressethe the death and passion of Christ Iesus Who being once offered by the sheeding of his blessed bloude for the redemption of man kind hath wrought such a vertuous effect not onely in the holy sacraments for the giuing of grace and remission of sinnes but allso hath lefte in a merueilous mistery his owne holy and blessed body and bloode as wel to feede vpoÌ„ for the especial streÌ„ght and comforth of our soules as to offer vppe the same for the remembrance of his death and cleaÌ„sing of our sinnes Not in that wise as it was doone vpon the crosse by the painefull sheeding of his bloude but as it was instituted first in the last supper Where Christ oure God and redemer according to the order of Melchisedech gaue to his apostles and offered to God the father that body which afterwarde was betraide and the same bloudde which was shed after also for the remission of sin beinge with all tearmed by him the bloude of the newe and aeternall testament as that which in the newe lawe shoulde succeade the bloddy offeringes of the owlde testament Whereof God allmighty being as a man woulld say lothesom or full hathe instituted this by his onely sonne as a most pure and praecious oblation and sacrifice to be continued in the Church through out the costes and corners of the rounde worlde Whiche being celebrated in the blessed memory of his sonnes passion and hauing no other hoste nor oblation then that whiche then was offered can be no other sacrifice then that whiche there was made for the forgiuenesse of sinne and redemption of the worlde The which woorthy action of Christes Churche so fructefully applieth vnto vs the benefite of oure maisters death that thereby we may haue comfortable hope of remission of all such misdeedes as most iustly deserued Goddes wrathe and terrible indignation ageinst vs. Now this is that blessed sacrifice which S. Augustin with feare and reuerence termeth in a thousand places of his works the sacrifice of the Altare the sacrifice of our Mediatour the sacrifice of oure price the sacrifice of the body and bloude of Christ the holsom and proffitable sacrifice the sacrifice of Melchisedech The common names of honoure geuen to the holy masse in olde time the new sacrifice S. Chrisostom the Reuerent sacrifice the honoâ—able Mysteries the Fearefull sacrifice Athanasius the propitiatory sacrifice the vnbloudy Hoste S. Cyprian the sacrifice of the Churche the perpetuall sacrifice the meate offering the medicine for our infirmities Iraeneus the pure sacrifice the new sacrifice of the new testament Clement ageine the vnbloudy sacrifice the rationable
sacrifice and so doothe the holy councel of Ephesus caull it Dionisius the sacrifice most excellent of all sacrificies and the hoste of hostes The latines altogether afterward named it the holy Masse so did S. Augustine call it S. li epist 33. epist et praecat prima praeparante ad missam b super vndec prouer Ambrose c Histor tripaâ—tit 24. cap. li. 10. Hierom d  Epiph scholastic with al the posteritie both in Latin and other barbarous languagies Besides many other excellent high and peculiare caullinges whiche can agree to no other common worship of God internall nor externall but only to this most worthy and honorable sacrifice which by the vertue that it hathe receiued by the first examplare thereof and by the might and mercy of the lambe of God which vnder the couer of breade and wine is there the appointed hoste and oblation is proffitable bothe to the quicke and the deade And therfore is and hathe bene vsed euer sithe the apostles age and by Christes owne praescriptioÌ„ and theirs coÌ„mauÌ„ded to be religiously obserued and of all faithfull people honoured as the principal protestatioÌ„ of our religioÌ„ as the grownde of al true worship as the badge of ChristiaÌ„ peace as the boÌ„de of holy society betwixt the heade and the membres as the loue knot betwixt Christ and his spouse The force and institution of the holy Masse as the vniting of the liue with the deade the holy sanctes with vs poore sinners angelles withe men heuenly thinges with earthely and the creatour of all with his owne creatures beneth as the plentifull condethe to deriue the grace of Christes death and merites off his passion to the continuall conforthe of our soules as the onely practise of his aeternall priesthod according to the ordre of Melchisedech and as the only effectuall memoriall and comfortable memory of the sheeding of his blessed bloude and sufferance of so deare and â—ainefull deathe for our redemption What altare so euer be erected against this altare it is nothing elles but a waste of goddes woorship a canker of religioÌ„ a token of dissension a separation of the holy society of the Christiane coÌ„munion The nevve communion is here described a larom towardes schisme a departure froÌ„ Christe an open badge of heresy a saulsy shoulderinge with Christes Church and ordinaunce an open robbry of his honour and priesthodde a plaine stoppe of the passage of his giftes and grace in his louing howse thonly way to paganisme and aeternall obliuion of his deathe and passion The deuil which is the oulde serpeÌ„t knowing by long experience and often proufe that the holy masse is the chiefe bane of sinne and his wicked kingdom hather euer from the begymyng shot at this marke by all the cursed indeuoures of wicked haeretiques to roote owte that stronge garde of vertue and pilloure of deuotion and religion Howe so euer they dissemble at they re firste enteraunce the diuill hathe that fetche in his faulse heade in all tymes of such toyle and perturbation of religion To which horrible indeuour thoughe he hathe for our sinnes and deseruing put greater force and wroght with more aduantage then euer before yet tyll the latter day and son of perditions appearing which is vnknowe to him he shal not bring it to passe The lawe the sacrifice the priesthod the altare of the newe and aeternal testameÌ„t praefigured by Melchisadech and perfited by Christe shall stand with and in the holy Churche tyl the worldes end Haeresy vvith her disordered ministers shall not out face Goddes Churche and Christes aeternall pristhod It is not your bare breade and borde not your Ministers nor your Seniours nor Elders nor your Nuper intendeÌ„ts nor what so euer yowe list be caulled that shall owt face goddes Churche she hathe by the spirite of God beaten downe your proudders the Arrians the Macedonians the Anabaptistes and all your predecessoures And nowe I tell yowe and be bowlde of it as owld oure moother waxethe as contemptible as yowe make her so little as yowe regarde her she will once yet in hir owlde daies gyue the ZwingliaÌ„s the Lutherans or of what other straunge souldier so euer your campe standethe an open ouertrowe Psa 100. Mat. 61. For yff hell were broken louse and the gates open it cowlde not preuaile We haue oure Presthod confirmed by a faire othe we haue our mothers right by an oppen promesse established And yet neuer the lesse good Catholike Christian lett vs thus persuade oure selues The holy masse takeÌ„ a vvay for oure sinnes that we haue so longe lost the vnestimable treasure of this holy sacrifice for oure greuous sinnes it is oure sinnes I say woo is vs therfore which haue deserued this plage which haue sett vs at variaunce with God and our mercifull redemer which haue taken from vs as vnworthy of so greate a treasure the dayly sacrifice the helpe of those which are a lyue the coÌ„forte of those which are departed the only grounde of al religioÌ„ and acceptable woorship of god And our misery is the greater because fewe feele the sore The lacke of this sacrifice for the departed only with the godly praiers therin Men tha vvere greuous offenders in oulde time punished by lacke of the sacrifice was counted when goddes truethe and Church floorished the greatest and extremest punishmeÌ„t that could be deuised and euer enioyned for sum notable crime to the terroure of other as for horrible desparation for willful heresye for contempte of the decries of of goddes holy ministers as by the late alleaged place out of S. Cyprian may be very profitably noted A lasse we haue nowe in amaner lost that wholy which then was denied only to such for theire greuouse poonishemnts as were heynous offenders Otherwise in earnest consideratioÌ„ of our case can not I thinke but that this blessed iuel is nowe denied vs of allmighty god generally for our greuous offensies which then was denied by his ministers to som one offender for the due poonishment of sin and wickednes O good reader what woulde that holy martyr haue saide if he had liued in our daies when to haue that oblation ether for the quicke or deade which once was estemed so necessary that no Christian man nether could in his lyfe nor after his death lacke it is nowe of it sellfe odious to most men and which abhorrethe me to speake poonishable by the lawes of the spiritualty and condemned well nere of all men what weene yowe this blessed bisshop woulde haue sayde if he had seene the holy hoste and offeringe to haue bene taken awaie De CoenaÌ„ domini which he once affirmed to be so necessary that if it were takeÌ„ awaie or wasted there were no religion nor worship of god at all would not he thinke yow with ferueÌ„t zele of goddes house haue cried out vpoÌ„ the sinnes of the people the blindnesse of the preachers and pastours
man may auouche withe salfety of his belefe that she or any other raysed againe miraculously was reuoked from the desperate estate of the damned soules then she muste necessarily be called from some meane condicion of her present abode and perhappes from paine too to this former state of lyfe againe But as in this secrett of god no man with owte iust reprehension may deeply wade so it may reasonably be gathered â—hat the faule of the tree before mentiâ—ned can not induce withe any probaâ—ilitie the necessity of the soules abiâ—ing in all respectes where it first lighâ—e Marye we freely graunt with diuers of the auncient fathers that the faule of the tree into the southe parte may â—ignifie vnto vs the departure of maÌ„ in the happy state of grace and the norâ—he side lykewise the cursed and damnable state of the wicked and that he which passethe hense in ether of these estates and condicions as euery lyuing man doothe can not procure by other nether deserue by him sellfe the chaunge of his happy lote or his vnlucky happe otherwise then in his lyfe time he deserued That is to say if he passe this worlde an electe person in the loue and grace of God he is oute of doubt of all damnation or rather oute of possibilitye to be reiected and so the case of the forsakeÌ„ is vtterly remedilesse And further by that figuratiue speache yowe had not best on your owne heade be ouer boulde least som Saduceie of your secte gather the perpetuall reste of the body with owte all hope of resurrection I can not tell howe it faulethe but yet so it doothe that your doctrine and arguments minister ouer muche occasion of erroure and that to the deceiued in the depest matters of our faithe But I will rubbe yow no more on thatsore I warned yowe before to take heede to the resurrection An Ansvver to the secoÌ„d text Nowe for the other text recited oute of S. Matthewes gospell of the double waie th one to perdicion an the other to saluation there is allmost none so simple but he seeth that it maketh no more for your purpose then the other For there as oure aduersary can not but knowe though to deceiue he liste dissemble mentioÌ„ is made and the meaning is onelye of these ij waies in this worlde and lyfe in one of which being full of ease and libertye the wicked waulkethe towardes hell or damnation In the which way the riche maÌ„ and vnmercifull tooke his tyme of whome Abraham saide that he had receiued good in his dayes In the other being bothe straite and harde the smal numbre of the chosen take their iourney towardes heauen And yet if yowe thinke good yowe may ioyne the place of temporall punishment for sinne in the worlde to coom to the straite and painefull passage of the electe though perhappes all they entre not therby And so shall yowe find this place not onely nothing to forther theire cause but sumwhat to helpe oures And so for the other taken oute of the fyft to the Corinth S. Augustine shal answer yowe and beare me witnesse An Ansvver to the thirdâ— argumeÌ„t it makethe nothing for yowe his wordes be these in his Encheridion This practise that Goddes Churche vseth in the commendations of the deade Cn. is nothing repugnaÌ„t to the sentence of the Apostle where he saithe that we all shall stand before the iudgement seate of Christe that euery one may receiue according to his desertes in the bodye ether good or euill for this in his lyfe and before deathe he deserued that these woorkes after his death might be profitable vnto him for in deede they be not profitable for allmen and why so but bicause of the difference and diuersitye of mens liues whilest they were in this flesh c. And this same sentence the Doctor often repeteth allmost in the same forme of wordes in diuers placies bothe to correcte theire ignorance that might take a way praiers for the dead bicause they finde the sentence of goddes iudgement to be executed on man according to the deseruing of this lyefe and no lesse to geue monition to the carelesse that they omitte not to doo well in this lyfe vppoÌ„ hope or presumtioÌ„ of other mennes works after their decease which as they be exceding beneficial to many so they helpe none suche as in their owne lyfe woulde not helpe theime selues The lyke declaration of this pointe hathe S. Denyse in the 7. chapter of his Ecclesiastical soueraignty whiche I omitte lest in this point by S. Augustine sufficiently auouched I weerye the reader without cause The last obiection An ansvver to the last scripture of the angelles words in the Apocalipse affirming the state of all those that dye in our Lorde to be happy to be past trauel and in rest and peace they be properly spoken there of holy men that sheede theire bloude in the times of persecution for Christes sake to geue theime assured comforte after a litle toleration and patience in the rage of Antichrist of blessed and aeternal rest and so the circumstance of the letter plainely geueth and so dooth S. Augustin expounde it Cap. 9. lib. 20. de ciui And for suche holy martyrs it is needlesse to pray as to pray vnto theime is most profitable Albeit the wordes are true and may be wel verified of all that passe hense in the happy state of grace being past the cares of this troblesom world and which is the greatest trauell of all other vtterly dispatched of the toile that sinners take in theire waies of wickednesse with freedoÌ„ froÌ„ sin and al feare of sinne and damnation for euermore So that this rest froÌ„ laboure is no more but a happy ioy of conscience with securitye of saluatioÌ„ and peace in Christe Iesu For which cause in the holy Canon of the Masse it is saide Christianos dormire in somno pacis in Christo quiescere That Christian folkes doo sleepe in the sleape of peace and rest in Christ thoughe for all that in the same place we aske Requiem refrigerium rest and refreshing for theyme And this holy peace from all toyle of the worlde and woorme of tormented conscience the electe children of God in theire fathers correction being assured of his aeternall loue do blessedly enioye But the wicked be in contrary case of whome it is saide non est pax impijs there is no rest or quietnesse to the wicked no not in theire daies of ioye much lesse in their infinite miserie of their euerlasting torments in the world to coom Of whose vnhappy state Isai 57. the prophet warneth vs thus againe Impij quasi mare feruens quod quiescere non potest The wicked be right like vnto the toomblinge and tossinge sea that neuer restethe The place of S. Iohn then being namely spoken of holy martyrs that streght with owte all paine after this lyfe passe to heauen may yet very fitly stand with