thowe so careful for wasting away in thy purgation what shal become of vs where all is drosse and no fine substance so continual sinning and so little sauluyng where the dignity of priesthood wherby thowe conceiued suche comforth is almost worn away his feare was so harty and his meditation of purgatory paines was so ernest that he conceyuith a doubt in respecte of his desertes of wasting away and further castinge in to damnation though he knewe right wel that man admitted to the temporall iudgement of the next worlde coulde not euerlastingly perishe but bicause the paines of the one is so lyke the other the greefe of theime bothe lightly occupieth mannes mynde at once especially where mannes case is doubtefull and often deserueth the worse of the twayne So S. Augustine lykewise after that he had vttered his feare of helle in the prophet Dauids person as I sayde once before streght he adioynethe his request vnto God to saue him from Purgatory paines by the Prophets wordes allso I will recyte his mynd in English In psal 37. O Lorde amend me not in thy anger but pourge me in this lyfe that I may escape the Amending fire whiche is praepared for suche as shall be saued throughe fire And why but bicause they buylde vpon the foundation woodde hay and strawe ▪ men might builde goulde siluer and praeciouse stones and so escape bothe the fyres th one off aeternall poonishment for the wicked and the other whiche shall correct theyme that must be saued through fyre But nowe bicause we reade that he surely shal be saued Note here Christian reader vvhether S. Augustin doubted of purgatory as the lying and vnlerned aduersaryes vvoulde make the simple people belieue therfore that fier is not much regarded And yet let theime be boulde of this that though they be saued by fier it shall yet be more fearse and greuous then any thing that man may susteine in this liefe thoughe bothe Martirs and malefactours haue suffered straunge tormentes Againe in an other place the same holy doctoure vttereth the like saing Whiche I will repeate also that the worlde may behowld the vniust dealing of the contrary part De vera falsae poeniten Cap. 18. that in the booke of theire excuse why they departed owte of the Churche they call it theire Apologie be not ashamed to auouche that S. Augustine sometimes denyed and sometimes doubted of Purgatory Thus he writeth then ageinst suche deceiuers and for the defense of him selfe and the Churches faithe Sed si etiam sic conuersus euadat vitam viuat non moriatur non tamen promittimus quod euadet omnem poenam Nam prius purgandus est igne purgationis qui in aliud saeculum distulit fructum conuersionis Hic autem ignis etsi aeternus non sit miro tamen modo est grauis excellit enim omnem poenam quam vnquam passus est aliquis in hac vita Nunquam enim in carne inuenta est tanta poena licet mirabilia passi sunt martyres multi nequiter iniqui tanta sustinueruut supplicia Studeat ergo quilibet sic delicta corrigere vt post moreem non oporteat talem poenam tolerare Yff a sinner saith he by his conuersion escape death and obteine liefe yet for all that I can not promesse him that he shal escape all paine or poonishmēt For he that differred the fructes of repentaunce till the next liefe must be perfyted in Purgatory fier And this fire I tell yowe thoughe it be not euerlasting yet it is passing greuous for it dooth farre excede all paine that man may suffer in this lyefe Neuer grefe in this flesh coulde be so greate as it thoughe Martirs haue abiden straunge tormentes and the worst sort of wicked men exceding greate poonishments Therfore let euery man so correcte his owne faultes that after his deathe he may escape that pityfull payne So farre S. Augustine By whom we see not only the trueth of our our Catholike doctrine lyuely and vehemently set forth butt to the greate feare of vs all the weght of Goddes sentence and the paine of that vntolerable poonishment as the Churche of his time taught and beleued to passe all mortall and transitory wo in the worlde Wherof The paines of purgatory hath bene reueled to many holy persons it hathe pleaced allmighty God sometimes to geue man a taste by calling summe one or other aboue the common rase of nature oute of this mortall liefe and speedy restoring him from the state of the departed to the company of the lyuing againe Whiche worke thoughe it be straunge in nature thought vnlykely to misbeleuers and contemned of such as woulde extinguishe the spirite of God 1. Tessal 5. yet it hath ben the vsuall practise sence the beginning of oure faithe and religion off the holy Gost so to trade mannes fraylty in faithe and feare of Goddes Iudgements Somtimes the liuing is in traunce or sodden chaunge by Goddes omnipotency taken vppe to the vewe as it weare of the vnspeakeable treasures of the praepared ioyes or extreme calamities of the world to coom So was the Apostle S. Paule he could not tell how him self 2. Cor. 12. called to the behoulding of Goddes maiesty and mysteries vnspeakeable Apocal. 20 So was S. Iohn in spirit caused oftē to behould and praesently in a maner to see not only the affayires of goddes Church til the worldes end but also the happy Seate of the lābe the aeternal ioy of thelect and the euerlasting lake of the damned with the infinite sorowe of all the forsaken sorte And so haue many one sith that time in the same spirite had a praesent taste of all those iudgements whiche by any meanes through the vnsercheable ordinaunce of God be praepared for sinners Ecclesi 46 1. Reg. 28. Sometimes also by the same force of the Spirite the departed haue appeared emongest the lieue as Samuel the prophet to king Saul vttering thinges to coom Or if that were not Samuel him self bicause that practise of vnlawfull artes may be thought not conuenient for the procuring of the Prophettes owne persons appirition Matth. 17. yet Moyses was in dede personally praesent with Christ in the Mounte at his trāsfiguration And as he at Christes cal came frō the dead owte of the bousom of Abrahā so did Elias at the same time coom frō Paradise as S. Augustin affirmeth and wer both conuersant and in talk with Christ and in the sight of the Apostles at once frō whense they departed att Christes appointement Intercourse betvvixt the liue and dead though it be not ordinary yet it is not impossible to theire seuerall abode and rest againe Whereuppon the same holy doctoure confesseth that these rare and meruelous workes of god though they folow not the common order of nature yet they be nether impossible nor vnpractised in Christes Churche Alij sunt saith he limites humanarum rerum alia diuinarū signa
I make theime faire play the grounde is open the reasons laide naked before theire face remoue theime as they can Lett theime deale simply if they meane truely and not flourishe as they vse vppon a faulse grounde that in flowe of worddes they may couer errour or in rase of theire smoothe talk ouerron trueth And that euery man may perceiue that wee haue not raysed this doctrine vpoÌ„ reason onely or curiosity althoughe the graue authoritye of Goddes Churche might herein satisfye sober wittes we will now by Goddes helpe go nearer the matter and directly make proufe of Purgatory by holy scriptures reciting such placeis of the oulde and newe testament as shall prooue oure cause euen in that sense whiche the lernedst and godlyest fathers of all agies by conference of placies or other lyklyhood shall fiende and determine to be most true Alleaging none els but such as they haue in the floure of Christian faith noted and peculiarely construed for that purpose whiche now is in quaestion That the aduersaries off that doctrine may rather striue withe the saide sanctes and doctours then withe me that will as they shall well perceiue doo nothing but truely reporte theire wordes or meaninge Or rather that such as haue erred in that case by giuing ouer light credit to the troblesom teachers of these vnhappy daies maye when they shall vnderstande the true meaning of the scrptures the constant doctrine of the Catholike Church the wordes of all auncient writers the determination of so many holy councells and the oulde vsage of all nations by humble praiers obteyne of God the light of vnderstanding the truethe and the gifte of obedience to his will and worde Or if there be any so sattled in this vnlickly secte that he purposeth not to beleue the graue writers of ould times nor receiue theire expositions vpon suche placeis as we shall reciete for that praeiudice whiche he hathe of his owne witte and vnderstanding yet let him not maruell at my simplicity that had rather geue credet to others then my selfe Or that in this hote time of contention and partaking in religion I doo repose my sellfe vnder the shadowe of so many worthy writers as anone shall giue euidence in my cause That Purgatory paines doothe not onely serue Goddes iustice for the poonishment of sinne but also cleanse and qualify the soule of man defiled for the more seemely entraunce into the holy placies vvith conference of certaine placies of scripture for that purpose Cap. 6. IF we well consider the wonderfull base condition and state of mannes nature corrupted by our first fathers disobedience and more and more abased by continuall misery that sin hath broght in to oure mortall liefe we shall fiende the woorke of Goddes wisdom in the excellent repaire of this his creature to be full of mercy and full of maruell But proceading sumwhat further and weying not onely his restoring but allso the passing greate auaunsment to the vnspeakable glory of the elect there shall reason and all oure cogitations vtterly faint and faile vs. The kingdom prepared is honoured with the maiesty of the Glorious Trinity with the humanity of Christe oure Sauiour with the blessed Mary the vessel of his Incarnation with the bewtifull creatures and wholy vndefiled of al the ordres of Angelles Ther can nothing doubtlesse present it selfe before the seate of Goddes glory nor stand in his sight that hath any blemishe of sinne any spotte of corruption any remnaunt of infirmity There may no creature matche with those perfect pure natures of spirituall substance in the happy seruice of the holy Trinity VVhat purity is required for thentrance in to hâ—â—ueÌ„ that is not holy as they be pure as they be and wholy sanctified as they be Nothing can ioyne with theyme in freedom of that heauenly city in the ioyfull estate of that triumphant coÌ„monwellthe that is not purified to the poynt and by the woorke of Goddes own hande fully fined and perfieted This is the newe City of Hierusalem whiche the holy Apostle sawe by vision Nec in eam intrabit aliquid coinquinatum Apoc. 21. Nothing shall entre therin that is defiled It is the Churche with oute spotte and wrinkle it is the temple of God it is the seate of the lambe and the land of the lyuing Nowe our kinde notwithstanding oure pitifull faulle and singulare fraylety with exceding corruption and vnaptenesse bothe of body and soule hathe yet by Christe Iesus oure redemer the assurance of this vnestimable benefite and the felowship of perpetuall fruition with the Angels To whome as we must be made aequall in roume and glory so we must in perfect cleanes be fully matched with theime For it were not agreeable to Goddes ordinary iustice Leuit. 21. who in this earthly sanctuary expressely forbiddeth the oblations of the vncleane Rupert de diuiâ—iâ— of l. 6. ca. 36. that he shoulde in the coelestiall soueraigne holy acknouledge any nature that wer not pure and vndefiled or make mannes condicion not abettered aequall to the dignity of Angelles that neuer were reproued wherby vniustice might appeare in God or confusion in the heauens commonweleth where onely all ordre is obserued And though mannes recouery after his faule be wroght by Christ and the perfect purgation off sinnes by the bloodde of him that onely was with owte sinne yet it was nott conuenient that the might of that mercy should woorke in this freedom of oure willes with owte all payne of the party or trauell of th offenders Wheroff man streght vpon his miserable dounefall as S. Ambrose excellentely well noteth had warning by the fyery swhord houlden at the entraunce of paradise In psa 118 ser 20. therby putting him in remembraunce that the returne to blesse so soone loste shoulde be throghe fiere and swhorde hardely achieued ageyne Therfore if any man thinke the onely forgiuenesse of oure sinnes paste sufficient ether for the recouery of oure first degree or the atteyning of forther dignity in the glory of the Sanctes he seethe not at all what a deape stroke sinne hath sett in mannes soule what filthe and feeblenesse it hathe wroght in the body what ruele and dominion it beareth in this our mortality what care all perfect men haue hadde not onely in the healing of the deape wounde but allso in purging the reliques and full abbating the abundant matter therof And yet when man hathe with all his might wrastled with the poure of sinne being in this estate he can not be able to recouer the worthinesse of his creation muche lesse the passing honour and ende of his redemption Let him washe and water his coutch with teares let him weaken his body with fasting and humble his hearte with sorow Happely the fiery swhorde shall not hinder his passage after his departure yet tyll the separation of the body and the soul full freedom from sinne or perfect purgation therof excepting the priuilege of certayne can not be fully
let theime shewe wherupon theire own credets be growne so greate that withe owt reason liklyhod or authority men must neades beleue theime It is a straunge case that what so euer they auouche it must be Goddes worde what meaning so euer they make for mainteinaunce of their wicked foly it must be termed the true sense of scripture And the trueth it selfe shewing al force in the conference off diuers places off holy writte in weght of reason in the workes and wrytyngs of al antiquitye shall be so lightly regarded I woulde to God the people pitifully deceiued by suche vaine flying taulke coulde behoulde the vpright wayes of trueth The difference betvvixte the Catholikes dealing and the aduersaryes or coulde learne by the plaine dealing of oure side to require som grownded proufe of these new doctoures deuiseis They may well perceyue if they haue any necessary care of those weghty matters touching our saluation so nere that the Catholike neuer aduētureth to bring any scripture for his purpose but he wil be suer for his warraunt to haue the same so expownded by the auncient fathers of oure faithe lest by his rashnesse he deceyue other and father som faulshod vpon the holy writers of Goddes will whiche were horrible sacrilege But on the other side if a man might pose maister Caluin or Flaccius or suche other of that light family what doctour or scripture they folowed in the exposition of S. Iames his place Iacob 5. for the anointing with holy oyle when they were not ashamed to geue this sense of that scripture that it weare good to call the elders off the people that had som salue or ointement medicinable to ease the sike mannes sore what woulde they say I am sure suche felowes will not excuse theimeselues by ignorance for the arrogācy of that sort had rather be counted ether malicious or praesumptuous then vnskillfull but of passing bowldenesse all suche must neades be noted that dare shape suche an exposition off Goddes blessed worde whiche they neuer hearde surmised of any wyse man before 1. ad Tim. 5. What doctour did they or Luther folowe when they expounded S. Paules wordes of widowes mariage after vowes made whiche the texte calleth breaking theire first faithe to be meant by the promesse of the Christian faithe made in Baptisme Was not this a galant glose in this sense she that breakes her faith of baptisme shall be damned for mariage Aske theime wher these prety scholes were first picked Pose master Iuell where he had that the churche of God might erre Yowe shall see theime ernestly vrged in these matters howe little they haue to say and yet how fast they will tennesse one to another in taulke But I will not make a reckoning of theire vnseemly glosies I woulde their folowers would onely but aske theime in all matters from whense they had suche newe meaninges whiche they falsely father on Goddes word that we might once hedge theime with in som compasse of reason as we be contented with al oure heartes to charge our own selues in euery matter that we handle as partely they may conceiue by oure discourse and shall more clearely anone An ansvver to certeyne obiections of the aduersaryes moued vpon the diuersity off meanings vvhich they see geuē in the fathers vvritynges of the scriptures before alleaged for Purgatory and that this doctrine of the churche standeth not ageinst the sufficiency of Christes Passion Cap. 11. Obiect BVt nowe the other side seeketh for som shiftes and drawethe backe in thys extremyty thus That the places of the owlde and newe testament nowe rather alleaged for my purpose and the proufe of purgatory thoughe they be thus expounded of the doctoures yet they may haue some other meaninge and sumtymes be construed otherwise by the fathers theime selues Ansvver To whiche I answer and freely confesse that they so may haue in deede but the aduersary must take this with all that the pillars of Christes Churche woulde neuer haue geuen this sense emongest other or rather before all other meaninges that probabelyty or cōference of scriptures did driue theime vnto hadde it conteyned a plaine faulshood as the haeretike supposeth it doothe Yea had not the doctrine of Purgatory bene a knowne trueth in all ageis it should neuer by the graue iudgement of so many wyse men haue atteyned any coloure of scripture For thoughe many meaninges be fownde of moste harde places in all the bible yet there is no sense geuen by any approued doctoure that in it sellfe is faulse And thinke yowe diuerse textes of the holy scripture coulde haue caryed a faulse persuation of Purgatory downe from the apostles dayes to oure tyme for true doctryne Marke well and yowe shal perceyue that the Church of Christe hathe euer geuen roome to the diuersitye of mennes wittes the diuision of graces and sondry geftes in expositiō of most places of the whole testament Diuersity of sensies be allovved so that none of theime conteine any fallshood in it selfe with this prouiso alwayes that no man of singularity should father any faulshodde or vntrueth vpon any texte but otherwise that euery man might abund in his meaning Mary faulshood she neuer suffered one momēt to take hould or bearing of any scripture vnrepraehended The diligent vvatche that the churche kepeth ouer the truth Ecclesia multa tolerat saith S. Augustine tamen quae sunt contra fidem vel bonam vitam non probat nec tacet nec facit the Churche beareth many thinges yet suche thinges as be hourtfull to faithe or good lyefe she neuer approuethe Epi. 110. nor dothe theime her selfe nor howldethe her peace when she seeth theime doone by others Therof we haue a goodly example in oure owne matter So longe as any conuenient meaning might be fownde owte by the holy writers of that place alleaged owte of S. Paule for suche as should be saued through fier she liked and alowed the same Som proued that the elect must be saued by lōg sufferāce som sayd the tribulatiō of this lyfe and world must trie mennes faith and workes som said the grefe of mind in losing that whiche they ouer muche loued was the burning fire of mannes affections som woulde haue the greuous vexation of departure owte of this lyefe to be a purgatory paines som construed the texte of the fyre of conflagration that shall pourge the workes of many in the latter day finially they all agreede that the temporall torment of the worlde to coom is litterally noted and especyally meant by the fire which the Apostle speaketh of All these so little doo disagree emongest theime selues that not onely by diuerse men but off one man they might well all be geuen And being al in theime selfe very true the holy Churche so likethe and alloweth theime eche one that yet by tho common iudgement of al learned men that meaning for Purgatory paines she approueth as the most agreeable
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
â—nd sumwhile that they borowed it of â—he gentilitye all which pointes be reâ—ugnant eche to other For nether â—ould that begin in oure Christian doâ—tours dayes which was vsed before Christes birthe nether neede they to â—orowe it of the heathen which was in â—stimation and praysed emongest the â—ewes That the prayng for the dead vvas apoinâ—ed to be had in the holy sacrifice by the Apoâ—les coÌ„maundement and praescription And â—hat our doctors by the maiesty of theyr naâ—e beare dovvne oure light aduersaries Cap. 13. BVt that this falshood may better appeare in these men we will by good testimony trye owte when and by whome the oblation and sacrifice with other ordinarie reliefes of the departed were so vniformely vsed throughe the Christian world as like wise it shall be profitable to consider who were the first authors of the contrary opinions And that the holygost by the apostles owne preaching and praescription was the first author of this solempne supplication in massies of all vsagies for the departed I might first proue by this general rule of S. Augustine Epistol ad Ianuar. et de Baptis contra donatist Lib. 4. Cap. 24. Quod vniuersa tenet ecclesia nec concilijs institutuÌ„ sed semper retentum est noÌ„ nisi authoritate apostolica tradituÌ„ rectissime credimus â–ª that which the whole Church obserueth and hathe allwaies so bene kept being not instituted by any councell it can not otherwise be had but by thapostles authoritie and traditioÌ„ And so by the like saing of Leo the greate Dubitandum non est quicquid in ecclesia in consuetudinem est deuotionis retentum Sermone 2. de ieiunio de traditione apostolica de S. spiritus prodire doctrina It can not be doubted but that what so euer is in the Churche by generall custom of deuotion kept and mainteined it came out of the Apostles tradition and doctrine of the holygost But I will seeke with theim by certaine demonstration and plaine ordre of reason that it must needes so be Prayinge for the deade was inuented by no man sithe the apostles dayes A sure vvay to try the beginning of any doctrine there can no one be named by the aduersary before whome I can not name an other that praide for the deade Let him fay wher he list this man or that man was the first that euer praide for the deade in Christes churche if I can not shewe an other before him so named to haue praide allso we will take him for the first author and then he fully stoppeth oure course that we can not bring this obseruation so highe as the Apostles dayes But if the aduersary can apoint me owte no time nor person that began this vsage before which I am not hable to proue it was practised then they can not let vs but we must needes driue it vpward to the apostles and Christes owne institution Yf they answer me that this vsage is crept in to the church sith the Apostles time thoughe the firste author can not be knowne I wil also prouide that there no shift shall serue theim Therfore I aske theime whether that man which first preached it was resisted by the rest of Goddes churche which before his preaching belieued the contrarie or no That is it say this doctrine of prayng for the deade when it first came in to the churche did any of the true pastors free from the same error barke like a good sheperd against the beginner of that which they cownt so greate a corruption of trueth Or all the Church was corrupted with it on one daye say what yowe thinke likest in this case answer with any probability or reason if yow can say plainely was oure doctrine euer preached ageinste or neuer if it neuer wer preached againste then it neuer began as any noueltye or newe doctrine For it coulde not be that the Church being free from that doctrine shoulde streght withe owte contradiction alowe that whiche they lyked not before Howe can any man arise in the commonwelth and bring the vtter decay of all the oulde ordres whiche he findethe and erecte vppe a newe deuise of his owne and neuer man speake a worde against him but al in one moment allowe and lyke the same and that with owte all recorde by memory or monument of any chaung But this thinge is most farre from the Churchies and Goddes pastors diligence that neuer receiued faulse doctrine withoute oppen contradiction and plaine noting the party that first began it as we shall plucke our gentlemeÌ„ by the slieue a none All those that haue any skyl in the antiquitie wil beare me recorde that the pastors did neuer houlde theire peace when any wolfe did but once oppen his mouthe ageinste the sheepe They can tell that she did neuer beare the preaching or practise of any faulse and erronious doctrine for one day together â–ª then it must needes consequently folowe that the doctrine off purgatory and oblation for the departed with still consent of all nations receiued in the Catholyke Churche had no beginning after the firste institutition of our faith and woorship of god but hathe ioyned from the firste grownde of oure Christian institution in Christes faithe with that sacrifice and due honour off God which the apostles by the sugestion of the holy gost plaÌ„ted in al nations with the same faith Thus I make my argumeÌ„t Note euery faulse-hood was preached against and withstanded when it is firste entered but this doctrine of purgatory and praying for the deade being alwaies vsed was neuer controwled nor gainsaide in goddes churche therfore it is no faulshood nor euer hadd any later institution then the Apostles owne prescription But what needes all this a doo by their owne consent we shall drieue this doctrine thirtene c. yeres vpwarde For so neare was Tertulian the Apostles dayes whome they confesse to haue practised that pointe of oblations for the deade And aske him where he had it for surely he inuented it not him selfe and he appointeth vs to his forfathers De corona militis he namethe the Apostles for the authors and fownders therof as of many other thinges which he there reakenethe beside that were generally receiued and nowe be of haeretikes likewise contemned We might yet steppe ij c yeare forwarde and finde emongest the Apostles oun hearers the same doctrine bothe allowed and practised but that they will make exception of Dyonisius and Clements woorkes suche shiftes men must finde that will defend faulshood Other I wil name that be owte of theire exceptions Who I thinke as wel for theire time knouledge and credit as they re excellent vertue bothe can and wil better tel the origin of that thing the authors whereof were more nigh they re tyme then oures If they woulde beleue S. August as they often professe they will the matter might soone be ended but bicause I feare they stand so muche in the corrupt conceite of their owne
singularitie that they wil be bold to reiect him I shall both lay him to theire charges and diuerse other of greater antiquitye that shall in expresse words affirme this vsage to coom from the Apostles owne schoole That therby they may ether acknouledg their errours or elles by such graue and vncorrupt iudgies be condemned of willfull malitious blindnesse Ser. 32. de ver Apost Thus S. Augustin writeth By the praiers of the holy churche the profitable sacrifice and almose bestowen for the soules departed oute of all doubt the deceased be releued so that thereby allmighty God may deale more mercifully with theime then their sinnes required For this practise deliuered vnto vs by oure fathers is obserued vniuersally in Christes Churche that for suche as be departed in the communion of Christes body and bloude when at the sacrifice they be orderly named praiers shoulde be made and the same sacrifice mentyoned to be done for theime Here by his wordes thowe vnderstandes that the profit rising by the prayers or facrifice to the departed hath no doubte in it They wer throughe the worlde vsed not in the church which they say hathe bene for ix c yeres corrupted by supersticious ignorance but in that Churche which oure aduersaryes doo confesse maugre they re heades to haue bene holy Catholyke and Apostolike And it was not thē begon but receiued by the prouision of goddes holy spirite of thapostles whome he calleth the fathers of our faith Athanasius me thinke the aduersary part should quake when I name him who was in his daies terrible to the wicked odible to haeretikes and to all vertuous mē an especial stay in the troblesom times of the Church whose grace was so great that he abbrigeth our whole faith in to a briefe psalme called the Crede of Athanasius which is beleued of al christiā mē no lesse then the holy scriptures of the new testament Who as he right well knewe howe to defend him selfe against the wicked Arrians by the doctrine of the Catholike Churche so he hath left vs in writing howe to arme oure selues against the like aduersaries of truethe with his minde in suche other points of weighte as in his dayies were not doubted of whiche yet might faul in question by the contentious wittes of many that can not quiet theyme selues in the holsom doctryne of christes church Emongest other thinges what this holy mannes mynde was concerning the vtility and vsage of prayers and sacrifice for the dead and who were the institutors thereof thow shalt nowe heare I will recite but a parte of his heauenly taulke thoughe the whole make wholy for our purpose Allthoughe saith this holy doctour he that Christianly is hense in faithe departed be hanged in the ayer and his body vnburied yet after thy prayiers made to God sticke not to light lampe and taper at his sepulchre for these thinges be not only acceptable to God but are rewarded For the oyle and waxe be to him as an holocaust or a sacrifice to be consumed by fyere but that vnblouddy hoste is a propitiation and remission to the partye It may seeme by his wordes that whē by occasiō of punishmēt or othewise any person was vn buried yet there was made sim hearse or monument where is frendes lighted tapers as they doo at this daie and procured the holy Masse Hostia incruenia which Athanasius callethe the Vnbloudy host or sacrifice to be celebrated in his behallfe for so I take that when he saiethe that a man being hong in the ayer may haue tapers and Masse at his sepulchre though sum seeke another meaning wich may wel stand too and it skillethe not for our purpose for so much is plane that in Athanasius his daies the sacrifice was called and counted propitiatory euen for the deade But nowe a litle afterward in the same oration he instructeth vs for the first authors and institutours of this vsage in the vnbloddy sacrifice The Apostles be the orderers of oure sacrifice and in the burialles of Christian men All these holy thinges saith he thapostles of Christe those heuēly preachers and scholars of oure Lorde the firste orderers of oure sacrifice charged to be obserued in the memories and anniuersaries of the departed c. he callethe the Apostles Curatores Sacrificiorum as yowe woulde saye men apointed to take ordre for all thinges perteyning to the solempne ministerie of the greate and highe misterie Psal 49. As in the Psalme the spiritual gouernoures are named Ordinatores testamēti Dei super sacrificia The prouisours of goddes testament touching the sacrificies The residewe of his holy wordes thowe may finde in Damascens oration of the departed where he recyteth bothe the Gregories of the Greeke church S. Denise and S. Chrisostō too which writers doo rather serue my turne nowe then the Latines bicause they may put vs out of doubt for the vsage of the Greke and other Churchies whiche afterwarde by schisme fell together from the true woorship of God into diuerse errors The end of schisme That we may knowe those same contryes vnder the gouernement of these excellent blessed men to haue obserued the same thinges which to theire owne aeternall miserye and decaye of they re Churche and contries they afterwarde contemned For theire dissension and diuision bothe in this point and others of no lesse importaunce hath procured goddes vengeaunce so muche that nowe they haue allmost no churche at all as we may haue right good cause to feare what will becom of vs that folowe theire steppes in such pointes as in theime haue duely deserued goddes greuous plages Amongest other for that Chrisostoms authority is exceding graue I will lett yowe see his opinion for the institution of these beneficial relieuinges of the departeds payn These be his wordes Let vs sieke out al meanes whereby we may best helpe our brethern departed let vs for theire sakes bestowe the most present remedie that is to say almose and oblatiō for therby to theyme ensueth greate cōmodtie gaine and profett for it was not rashly nor withoute greate cause prouided and to goddes Churche by his disciples full of wisdom deliuered and decried that in the dreadfull misteries there should be especial prayers made by the priest for all those the slepe in faithe For it is a singulare benefite to theim These wer Chrisostōs wordes wherby not only the truth of the cause and first authors of the practise be oppened but that there is wonderfull benefite to the parties for whome praiers be so made in the holy sacrifice The which thing our forefathers well knewe when they were so ernest after they re departure to haue a memory at the holy altare Now adaies haeresy hathe cākered euē the very deuotiō of catholykes who allthoughe they thinke it to be true that goddes Church teacheth herin yet the zele of procuring these meanes is nothing so greate as thimportaunce of the cause requireth But if they note well those
carefull admonitions of all these blessed fathers they shall perceiue that euery time that Christes holy bloude is represented vnto God in the Masse for the departed they feele a present benefite and release of theire paines Quaest 34. ad Antioch they doo reioyse saithe holy Athanasius when the vnbloudy host is offered for theim The owlde fathers to put a difference betwixt the sacrificing of Christes own body vpon the crosse and the same vppon the altare in the Churche doo lightly terme this way of offering the vnbloudy sacrifice and the thinge offered which is Christes oune blessed body they call lykewise the host vnbloudie And Chrisostō neuer putting any doubt of the firste authors of offering for the deade prouethe that it is exceding beneficiall to the deceased bicause the apostles full of goddes spirite and wisdom woulde elles neuer withe suche care haue commaunded this holy action to be doone for theime Alasse a lasse for oure deare frendes departed that they must lacke this comforte But wo euerlasting to theyme that are the cause of so muche misery But heare I pray yowe what notable wordes S. Damascen hathe for the vtility and institution of these thinges Ibidem The holy Apostles and disciples saith he of oure sauiour Christe haue decried that in the dread soueraigne vndefiled and lyuely Sacraments so he cauleth the Masse there shoulde be kept a memoriall of those that haue taken theire slepe in faithe the which ordinaunce vntyll this day withowt gainsayng or controwlyng the Apostolike and Catholike Churche of God from one cost of the wyde worlde to another hathe obserued and shall religiously kepe til the worlde haue an end For doubtlesse these thinges that the Christiā religiō which is with owt error and free frō faulshod hath so many agies and worldes continued vnuiolably not with oute vrgent cause those thinges I say are not vaine but profitable to man acceptable to God and very necessarye for our saluation Thus farre spake the doctor settyng furthe not onely his owne mynd but the faithe of a numbre of the peeres of goddes Churche wherin to proue this doctrine to be catholike he fitly followeth the same way which Vincentius Lyrinensis gaue vs once for a ruele to trye truethe by The rule of trueth Prouing that it hathe antiquitie as a thing that came and hathe continued euen from the beginnyng of the Christian religion declaring that it hathe the consent of all natiōs bicause it is and hath bene practised throughe owt al the costes and corners of the wyde world and last that it hath the approbatiō of the wiseist and holiest mē that euer were in the Church of Christ And more thē all this that it shal so cōtinue till thend though it be for a time in sum peculiare natiōs omitted bicause it is receiued into a parte of that woorship of God which in the Church cā not perishe And this praescription of trueth our aduersaries can not auoyde but with suche vnseemely dealing as I trust they theim selues now be ashamed of as all other reasonable men are For now let theim coom with brasen facies and blasphemous tonges and say that praiers for the deade be vnprofitable that the rites of the burial be superstitious that to say the masse and sacrifice to be propitiatory for the soules departed is iniurious to Christes death that the doctors praised the errours of the ignorāt people of their daies that they all erred and were deceiued that the church of Christe hathe bene ledde in darke ignorance till these oure daies let theime bestowe these vayne presumptious wordes where they may take place for nowe all wise men doo perceiue that all these haue theire holy institution by Christe and his Apostles practised vniuersally in the primitiue Churche embrased of all godly people and approued to be wholy consonant to goddes worde by the pillors of Christes churche who so cōsonantly agree together in this point as well for the practise and proufe as for the beginning therof that to dissent from theime and trust in these reedes of oure daies were mere madnesse that are pufte to and fro with euery blast of doctrine that care not what they say so that they say not as other theire forefathers sayed that had rather then they woulde geue ouer a singulare opinion of theire owne imagination refuse and denie the authoritye of so many notable wise auncient godly and well learned fathers whome we haue named Although we haue left owt many of no woorse iudgement planely auouching these thinges to coom in to Christes Churche and woorship by the ordinaunce of his holy Apostles All which thinges if oure aduersaries haue redde then they are in a most miserable and heuy taking that doo withstand an open knowne truthe Heretikes doo agaynst theire ovvne cōsciences and as I feare against theire owne consciencies too Or if they haue not redde these plaine assertions of all lerned men sithe Christes tyme then they are most impudēt that so vainely bragge in a matter whereof they are not skilful But I trust God wil opē their eyes and breake theire prowde hartes to the obedience of his holy Churche Yf the authors be past hope yet their folowers shall take goodly occasion to forsake suche wicked maisters and be ashamed of all theire vndecent dealyng if they note and consider with me that the firste preachers of this peruerse opinion were suche that none of all theire scholares durst euer for shame for the profe of theire assertion name theire owne doctors Note And truely a man might well meruel why haeretikes hauing sum that did plainely professe theire opinions had yet rather picke owte sum darke sentence of any one of oure holy fathers whome they knowe to be directly against theime then oute of those same doctors of their own which in expresse wordes make for theime Yow shall not lightly heare an haeretike that deniethe prayng to sanctes or houldeth with open breache of holy vowes alleage Iouinianus or Vigilātius Nor a Sacramentarie seeke for the autoritye of Berengarius or Wicleffe thoughe they be of sum antiquitie and with out colour plainely doo mainteyne the doctrine that so well lyketh theime But they will trauell to writhe with plaine iniurie to the author Note the gile of an heretike sum sentence owt of Augustine or Ambrose or sum other that by theire whole lyfe and practise open theime selues to the worlde to beleue the cōtrary and al this by sum shewe of wordes for the bearing of their faulse assertions Marke it well I saye in heretikes that they can not for shame of theime selues Note euer name any of the plaine auouchers of theire owne opininions The cause is that the onely vpholding of their opinions made theime infamous to the whole posterity And if any honoure grewe vnto theime emongest the simple bicause they lacked not the waies to procure the peoples consent with admiration of theire eloquence or other plausible and populare
qualities in theire daies yet truethe folowing tyme theire fame raised vpon so light causies easely decayd and the grownde of perpetuall infamie sattled in wise mens heartes by the wickednesse of theire attemptes remained for a testimony to all posteritye of theire shame and ignominye And this I speake not onely of the authors of oure common sectes for they neuer atteined to any shade of famous report in theire daies bicause they coulde deceiue none but simple weemen but I meane by Arius him selfe and Pelagius with the lyke who in theire owne time being of greate aesteme emōgest many whom they deceiued yet after their death more and more they grew to shame and infamie so farre that who so euer were of theire opiniōs afterward durste not yet for shame vse their name or authority for proufe of their own doctrine See yow not in our daies how freshe the name of Luther Caluin Buser with that rable was emongest the rude people whome they had woonne ether with speache or pleasure of licentious doctrine and lo nowe it decayeth in a maner or their bones be coulde The peoples sensies raueshed with the praesent pleasure of suche as they heard last lyke theyme so longe as they heare theime afterwarde theire memory remaineth onely to malediction Vidi im pium superexaltatum eleuatum sicut Cedros Libani Psal 36. transiui ecce non est quaesiui non est inuentus locus eius I haue seene the wicked exalted and set vppe as the cedre treese of libanus I passed by and loe owt of hand he is no body I sought him and his abyding can not be fownde Who so euer shall seeke for our glorious preachers with in this C. yeare he shall find theime in suche estimation then as theire forefathers be nowe that is to say to be vnworthy the naming of theire owne adherents if any of that secte liue and last so longe For let theime neuer look to com to the infamous fame of Arrius the best of all these secte maisters not worthy to be scholare to a hundreth of his folowers Thus loe is the case of haeretikes liked of fooles when they be alieue contemned of all men whē they are deade Now in the doctors of Goddes Churche it is cleane contrarie and no lesse worthy to be noted for oure purpose for theire honoure and estimation rising vpon the sure vnfallible grownde of Goddes truethe by yeares and time gathereth suche force that not onely theire memorie is in perpetuall benediction before God but theire woorkes folowe theyme in the mindes of theire posterity to theire owne aeternall praise and benefite of all theire folowers And which is muche more to be wondered at they haue so passed enuy and malice of man that euen those whiche deadly hate theyme dare not but praise theyme And suche as mislike theire doctrine and knowe of theire owne conscience that they be directly ageinste theim yet dare not openly charge theime withe faulshoode as they doo vs theire scholars but rather as I sayde seeke sum sentence owte of theime to helpe theire owne cause then with theire plaine condemnation of faulshode to refuse their authoritie S. Augustine busyed much with the Pelagians and charged by theime in disputation that he defended the Manicheis doctrine concerning originall sin for his defense and warraunt proueth vnto theime that Sancte Ambrose taught the same doctrine that he did and yet they durste not be so bowlde to call him a Manichie Dic huic Ambrosio si audes quae mihi tam petulanter obiectas Thow haeretike saith he say the same by S. Ambrose if thow dare for shame whiche thowe so saulsely and wantonly obiectes to me Lib. 2. cōtra Iulian. Looke I pray yowe Ambrose was but newe deade when his onely name did feare the heretike when other alyue of as good lerning was contemned of him and by wordes of reproche charged with the Manichaeis sect who was a wyked man of horrible sectes not long before those dayes Pelagius owte of doubt thought no better of Ambrose and Cyprian deade thē he did of Augustine and Innocentius a liue bicause they re doctrine was all one but yet the men departed wer of more authority in goddes churche then the liuing of whose continuance to the ende men were vncertayne before the proufe thereof and they re wordes being deade might easely be wrasted to sum shew of they re purpose when the authority off the lyuing coulde not admitte any suche faulse dealinge theime selues bearing witnesse of the meaning of theire owne wordes Well then oure doctoures of goddes Churche being all of holy aestimation and blessed memory doo so dase the eyes euen of theire owne aduersaries that being of the very same doctrine that we who by Goddes grace be membres of the Catholike Church be of yet they are past the malice of those which like not theire dooing and doctrine For the heretikes well knowing theim to be the authors or at the least especiall mainteiners of this oure assertion of the valewe of praiers and the holy sacrifice for the departed yet they dare not but clokedly reprehende theyme when they flowe ageinst the poore Catholikes nowe alyue withe wordes off infinite blasphemye and sclaunderous reproche Therfore I now will call vpon theime with S. Augustines wordes Coom on all the packe of yow who so euer is the prowdest protestant vpō the earth call if he dare S. Denise Sanct Clement Athanas Chrisostom Ambrose Gregory Bede we are not ashamed of theire names as yowe be of your Maisters Call these papistes for praying for theire frendes call theime Idolaters call theime superstitious call theime enimies of Christes passion say they be iniurious to his death by prouiding a newe sacrifice for sin tell theime they inuented Anniuersaries monthes mindes and yearly offeringes for theire own gayne call theime masse mungers call theime blynde gydes No yowe dare not for your eares yowe dare not disprayse oure heuenly gydes yowe dare not once name your owne Suche force hath the truethe and such feare there is in faulshood and yet these doctors must needes be in a thousande times worse case then wee be if the doctrine of purgatory and prayers be not true We may be saued or at least reasonably excused by folowing they in leading vs in faulshod cā haue no excuse of theire impietye But howe gladde may all we Catholikes be in oure heartes that haue the full consent of all theime in the proufe of oure belyfe oute of whose workes the aduersaries woulde be gladde of one lyklye sentence And whose lyfe and doctrine are so glorious in goddes Churche that theire oune aduersaries raling at vs alyue yet dare not but with greate feare once blemish theire names departed Thoughe sumtimes it brastithe oute in sum one of theime to their owne miscredit So beutifull is the light of trueth And on the other side howe miserable is theire carefull case that folowe and defend that doctrine the authors wherof they
that haste before thyne eyes in these forsakers an image and a perfect platte of damnable desperation Mightily hathe God executed this sentēce of iudgemēt vpon al sortes of mē that hath withstand the trueth The Iewes feeling it till this day the folowers of Mahomet the Arians and all other haeretikes that haue forsaken the felowship of the faithfull The lamē table case of haeretikes and haue left the fowntaine of lyfe cowld neuer be reduced to the truethe coulde neuer see they re owne misery bicause God hath giuen theime ouer for their withstanding And let not the forsakers wōder that I shoulde compare theire case to the misery of the Iewes August in psal 30 seeing S. Augustine confesseth that all haeretikes be much more blinded then they bicause the Prophets speake more plainely of the Churche which properly all haeretikes doo impugne then they doo of Christe him self whome the prowde Iewes doo contemne And therefore let vs that be Catholikes blesse Goddes name for euer that he hath not taken his mercye from vs that he hathe not dealte with vs according to oure sinnes We haue offended surely and haue deserued this plage our Priestes haue offended our Princies haue offended and oure People haue offended yet for his own name sake he hath loked vpon vs and hathe kept vs withe in the howsehould of saluation Glory and honoure be to his holy name for euer more Amen FINIS Quoniam Liber iste Anglico Idiomate conscriptus est lectus ab Anglis Sacrae Theologiae peritis mihi optimè notis qui eum per omnia Catholicum nationi Anglicae perutilem attestantur iudico expedire vt admissus imprimatur Itae testor Cunnerus Petri de Browershauen Pastor Sancti Petri Louà niensis indignus 8. Martij an 1564. Stilo Brabantiae THE ARGVMENTES of euery Chapiter of bothe the Bookes Of the first Booke THe Praeface where in be noted two sortes of haeretikes th one pretending vertue thother openly professing vice And that oure time is more troubled by this second sort VVith a briefe note of the Authors principall intent in this Treatise praef argu fol. 9. Cap. 1 That often after oure sinnes be forgiuen by the sacrament of poenaunce there remaineth summe due of temporall pounishment for the satisfying of goddes iustice and som recompense of the offensies past fol. 12. Cap. 2 The double and doubtefull shiftes of our aduersaries pressed by this conclusion are remoued and it is proued agaynst one sort that these foresayde skourgies were in dede pounishments for sinnes remitted And against thother secte that this trāsitory paine hath often endured in the nexte liefe fo 29. Cap. 3 That the practise of Christes churche in the courte of binding and lousing mannes sinnes dothe lieuely sett fourthe the ordre of Goddes iustice in the nexte liefe and prooue Purgatory fol. 39. Cap. 4 That the manyfoulde workes and fructes of poenaunce whiche all godly men haue charged theime selues withe all for theire own sinnes remitted were in respect of Purgatory paines and forthe auoyding of goddes iudgement tēporall as well as aeternall in the nexte lyfe fol. 44. Cap. 5 A briefe ioyning in reason and argument vpon the proued groundes withe the aduersaries for the declaration and proufe of Purgatory fol. 53. Cap. 6 That Purgatory paines doothe not onely serue Goddes iustice for the poonishement of sinne but also cleanse and qualify the soule of man defiled for the more seemely entraunce into the holy placies with conference of certaine textes of scripture for that purpose fol. 56. Cap. 7 That there is a particulare iudgement and priuate accompte to be made at euery mannes departure of his seuerall actes and dedes with certaine of the fathers minds touching the textes of scripture alleaged before fol. 64. Cap. 8 Origen is alleaged for oure cause vpon whose errour in a matter sumwhat apperteyninge to oure pupose S. Augustines iudgement is more largely soght and there with it is declared by testimony of diuerse holy authors what sinnes be chefely purged in that temporall fyre fol. 73. Cap. 9 A forther declaration of this pointe for the better vnderstanding of the doctoures wordes Wherein it is opened howe Purgatory is ordeined for mortal sinnes and howe for smauler offenses who are like to feele that grefe and who not at all fol 82. Cap. 10 A place alleaged for Purgatory owte of S. Matthewe withe certeine of the Auncient fathers iudgements vpon the same fol. 88. Cap. 11 An answer to certaine obiections of the aduersaries moued vpon the diuersity of meanings which they see geuen in the fathers writinges of the scriptures before alleaged for Purgatory and that this doctrine of the Churche standethe not againste the sufficiency off Christes Passion fol. 98. Cap. 12 An euident and most certaine demonstration of the truethe of Purgatory and the greuousnesse thereof vttered by the praiers and wordes of the holy doctoures and by sum extraordinary workes of God beside fo 105. Cap. 13 Of the nature and condicion of Purgatory fire the difference of theire state that be in it from the damned in hell with the conclusion of this Booke folio 117. An end of the Argumentes of the first Booke ARGVMENTA CAPIT LIBRI II. TThe preface of this booke wherein the matter of the treatise and the ordre of the Authors poceeding be briefely opened fol. 23. Cap. 1 That there be certaine sinnes whiche may be forgeuen in the nexte lyfe and that the deserued poonishement for the same may be eased or vtterly released before the extreme sentence be to the vtmost executed fol. 127. Cap. That the faithful soules in Purgatory being novve past the state of deseruing and not in case to help theime selues may yet receiue benefite by the woorkes of the lyuing to whome they be perfectly knitte as felowe membres of one body folio 132. Cap. 3 What the Churche of God hathe euer principally practised for the soules departed by the warraunt of holy scripture with the defense of the Machabees holy history against the heretikes of oure time folio 137. Cap. 4 That the funeralles of the Patriarches bothe in the lawe of nature and Moyses and Christe had practise in theime for the reliefe of the soules departed folio 146. Cap. 5 Man may be relieued after his departure ether by the almose whiche he gaue in his lyfe time or by that which is prouided by his testament to be geuen after his death or elles by that almose whiche other men doo bestowe for his soules sake of theire own gooddes fol. 158. Cap. 6 Of certaine offeringes or publike almose presented to God for the deceased in the time of the holy sacrifice at mennes burialles and other customable daies of theire memories and of the sundry mindes kepte in the primitiue Churche for the departed fol. 169. Cap. 7 That the benefite of praier and allmose apperteineth not to suche as dye in mortall sinne though in the doubtefull case of mannes beeing the Church vseth to pray for all departed in Christes faithe fol. 177. Cap. 8 What that holy sacrifice is whiche was euer counted so beneficiall to the liue and deade The punishment of oure sinnes by the heuy losse thereof The greate hatered whiche the diuell and all his side hath euer borne towardes Christes aeternall priesthood and the sacrifice of the Churche And that by the saide sacrifice of the Masse the soules departed are especially relieued folio 187. Cap. 9 That the practise of any pointe in religion maketh the moste open shewe of the fathers faithe And that all holy men haue in plaine wordes and moste godly praiers vttered their beliefe in our matter fol. 195. Cap. 10 That we and all nations receiued this vsage of praing and sacrificing for the departed at our first conuersion to Christes faith And that this article was not onely confirmed by miracle amongest the rest but seuerally by signes and woonders approued by it selfe An that the Churche is growne to such beauty by the fructe of this faith fol. 210. Cap. 11 That in euery ordre or vsage of celebration of the blessed Sacrament and Sacrifice through owte the Christian worlde since Christes time there hath bene a solemne supplication for the soules departed fol. 220. Cap. 12 The haeretikes of oure time and contry be yet further vrged withe the practise of prayiers for the deceased theire conrary communion is compared with the owlde vsage of Celebration They are ashamed of the firste originall off theire Christian faithe they are weery of theire owne seruice they are kepte in ordre by the wisdome of the Ciuile magistrates and are forced to refuse all the Doctors fol. 230. Cap. 13 That the praying for the dead was appointed to be had in the holy sacrifice by the Apostles commaundement and praescription And that our doctors by the maiesty of their name beare downe oure light aduersaries fol. 242. Cap. 14 The first Author of that secte whiche denieth prayers for the departed is noted his good condicions and cause of his error be opened what kind of men haue bene most bent in all agies to that secte And that this haeresy is euer ioyned as a fit companion to other horrible sectes fol. 257. Cap. 15 Their falshood is condemned and the Catholike truethe approued by the authority of holy Councelles Their pride in cōtemning and the Catholikes humility in obediēt receiuing the same And a sleight wherby the heretikes deceiue the people is detected f. 267 Cap. 16 An answer to suche arguments as the haeretikes doo frame of the holy scriptures not well vnderstanded against the practise of Goddes Churche in praying for the deade or the doctrine of Purgatory fol. 274. Cap. 17 An answer to theire negatiue argument with the conclusion of the Booke fol. 281. FINIS
33. and in the .xij. booke of the literall exposition on the Genesis where he hathe the same wordes with more large proufe of the conclusion whiche nether agreeth with the state of Abrahams rest nor yet with the forsaken soules And the name of helle is nowe commonly taken for any one of the inferiour partes where God practiseth iudgement for sinne euerlastingly or temporally thoughe as Augustine saithe it can not be founde in plane scripture that Abrahams happy resting place shoulde be termed Hell or Infernum But I nede not seeke forther in the deape mistery of Christes affaires in the inferioure partes For as I am not ashamed to be ignoraunt vpon whom he bestowed the grace of deliuery so with Augustine or rather with Goddes Church I dare belieue that he loused sum vppon whome he exercised iudgement before And forther maye bouldely auouche that as ther were certaine at his coomming doune not vnworthy after longe paines tolerated to be released in his praesens so there be yet some which by mercy and meanes of goddes Churche be released dayly Not of that sorte whiche died oute of Goddes fauour Bernard ser de s Nicolao Quibus clausa est ianua misericordiae omnis spes interclusa salutis Vppon whome the doore of mercy and the hope of helthe be closed and shutt vp for euer but of the iust departed in faith and piety and yet not fully pourged of all corruption of iniquity Let thenimyes of Goddes truethe comme now and deny if they can for shame that Goddes iustice for sinnes remitted reacheth not sometimes to the placies of poonishement in the nexte liefe let theime withe purgatory rase vp the fathers resting place so plainely set fourthe by scripture beleued of the whole Church and alwaies tought by the holy fathers Yea let theime that will hauno pleace for sinners fiende with blasphemy hell like torments for Goddes oune Sonne with the damned spirites My hearte surely will scarse serue me to report it and yet cursed Caluine was not a fearde to write it and with arrogant vauntes ageynste the blessed fathers to auouche the same That miserable forsaken man sawe that the onely graunt of the oulde fathers poonishmēt by the lacke of euerlasting ioy might of force drieue him to acknowledge that God sometimes exerciseth his iustice vppon those whiche he loueth in the next liefe and so consequently that Purgatory paines might be inferred therevppon therefore he fel hedlong to this horrible blasphemy Caluins blasphemy vpon the article of Christes descention that Christe went not to lowse any from the paines of the next liefe but to be pounished in hell with the deadly damned him selfe for to amend the lacke of his passion vppon the Crosse O oure cursed time O corrupte conditions this beaste writeth thus ageinst oure blessed sauiours death and ageinst the sufficiency of the abundant price of our redemption and yet he lieueth in mannes memory yea his bookes be greedely redde redde Nay by suche as woulde be counted the chiefe of the cleargie and beare bishops names they are commaunded to be redde and the very booke wherein this and all other detestable doctrine is vttered The haeretikes priuely sett forth by bookes that vvhiche they dare not openly preach especially by theire authoritie commendid to the simple curates study that they might there lerne closely in deuilishe bookes suche wicked haeresies as the preachers theime selues dare not yet in the light of the worlde vtter nor maintaine But other be not so farre faullen therefore they must of reason confesse that God by iust correction hathe before Christes coomming visited in the next worlde many hundred yeares to gether the sinnes of those whome he dearly loued Althoghe not onely in all that time the soules of the holy Patriarches felt the lacke of the abundant fruition of the Maiesty but also for sin they bothe then in rest Excepting som that by peculiure praerogatiue haue alredy receyued theire bodyes and nowe in vnspeakable foelicity want till this day the increase of ioy and blesse that by the receiuing of there bodies yet liyng in doust they are vndoubtedly suer of Therfore it is ouer much praesumption to limit the maiesty of God in the gouernement of his owne creatures to the borders of our shorte liefe and allmost it toucheth his very prouidence withe iniury to say that he letteth him skape withoute poonishement for his sinnes that repented not till the houre of deathe as for whome he hath no skourge in the next liefe as he had here if deathe had not preuented his purporse These childishe cogitations can not stand with the righteousnesse of his will that for the first sinne committed doothe not onely pounishe many euerlastingly of the forsaken sorte but also for the same poonisheth bothe his best beloued in earthe and for a time abbatithe the foelicitye of the blessed Sanctes in heauen But I will not stray after these men My matter is so fructfull that I may not roue And thoughe the sectes of these dayes haue so infected euery branche of oure Christian faithe that a man can not well ouerpasse theyme what so euer he taketh in hande yet I will not medle withe theime no forther then shall concerne the quicke of oure cause and the necessary light of our matter That the practise of Christes Churche in the courte of binding and lousing mannes sinnes dothe lieuely set fourthe the ordre of Goddes iustice in the next liefe and prooue Purgatory Cap. 3. THis being then prooued that God him selfe hathe often visited the sinnes of suche as were very deare vnto him let vs nowe diligently behoulde the graue authority of lousing and binding sinnes and the courte of mannes conscience whiche Christe woulde haue kepte in earthe by the Apostles and Pastours of our soules where we neade not doubt but to finde the very resemblaunce of Goddes disposition and ordinaunce in poonishing or pardoning offensies For the honoure and poure of this ecclesiasticall gouernement is by especiall commission so ample Note that it conteineth not onely the preaching of the ghospell and ministery of the Sacraments but that whiche is more neare to the mighte and maiesty of God and onely aperteynethe to him by propriety of nature the very exacte iudgement of all our secret sinnes with lousing and binding of the same Ioan. 5. For as God the father gaue al iudgement to his onely Sonne so he at his departure hense to the honour of his spouse and necessary giding of his people did communicate the same in most ample maner as S. Chrisostom saithe to the Apostles and priestes for euer that they practising in earthe terrible iudgement vpō mānes misdedes might fully repraesent vnto vs the very sentence of God in poonishement of wickednesse in the worlde to coome Lib. de sacer 3. The princes of the earthe haue poure to binde too but no further then the body but this other saith he reachethe to the soule it selfe and practised
virtutū alia sunt quae naturaliter alia quae mirabiliter fiunt De cura pro mor Cap. 16. The cōmon course and limites of mānes matters be of one sorte and the woonderous signes of goddes powre and vertue of an other the woorkes that naturally be wrought are nothing like suche thinges as meruailously and miraculously be done And as Christ in his owne person made many extraordinary workes to beare testimony of his diuinitye so he woulde that the glory of god and faithe in him shoulde take deape roote and large encrease through owte al nations not onely by preaching and worde but by woorkes also whiche the same holy goste for the saluation of the beloued flocke disposeth by the aeternal wisedom where when with whome and as he listeth Mary as these be the most secret waies and vnknowē steppes of goddes spirite and therefor most humbly to be reuerēced of the faithfull so bicause they are so farre from the rase of naturall affaires and muche ouerreache flesshe and bloodde they are often of fooles contemned and of the vnwise wisdom off worldlinges as extreme madnesse improued The expresse signes of Goddes spirite Mat. 12. wrought by the Sauioure of the worlde in his owne person were with singulare blasphemy of the prowde Iewes referred to Beelzebub The tokens and wonders wrought by his Apostles VVicked men haue euer resisted the holy Gost were attributed to vnlaufull artes and misconstrued of most miscreants to false intentes It was euer a speciall note of incredulity to blaspheme these peculiare steppes of the spirite S. Cyprian complainethe of suche misbeleuers in his time that woulde not agree to the trueth after especiall reuelations had of the same Lib. 4. epist 9. Whiche kinde of men he noteth in the latter ende of an epistle by these wordes Quanquam sciam omnia ridicula visiones ineptas quibusdam videri sed vtique illis qui malunt contra sacerdotes credere quam sacerdoti Sed nihil mirum quando de Ioseph fratres sui dixerunt ecce somniator ille venit Allthoughe saith he I knowe right well howe litle accompte they make of visions whiche they aesteme as mere triefles But yet it is suche onely that had rather beleue ageinst then with Goddes priestes And no meruaile that is seeing good Iosephs owne brethern saide by him in mockage Genes 37. Lo yender cooms the dreamer So did they scoffe at him bicause he had more familiarity with the spirite of God then the other had Nowe as the ioyes of heauen and Paradise with the torment of sinners and other secrettes of the next liefe haue bene straungely represented to som one or other in all agies by sundry meanes most expedient to oure saluation and most seemely to the wisdom and will of the woorker so certainly no article was euer with more force of spirite or more graue authority set fourth sence the beginning of Christian religion then this one of Purgatory Neuer nation was conuerted to the faithe but it hadd this trueth not onely taught by worde but by miracle allso confirmed And namely in that abundant floodde of faithe when it pleaced God allmost at once to spreade his name emongest all these contryes it was thought most necessary to his diuine wisdom together with the true worship off his name to plante in all faithfull mennes heartes the awe and necessary feare of that greuous torment for the reuenge and iust iudgement of wicked lyefe This greuous payne was vttered by the very sufferers theime selues as we may see in the notable historyes off Paschasius and Iustus Cap. 24. l. 4. dialogorum reported by S. Gregoryes owne mouth This greuous poonishment was ageyne declared by Furseus who as the reuerent Bede reporteth Cap. 13. li. 3. had the behoulding of the aeternall blesse the euerlasting misery and the temporall payne of the nexte lyfe Drichelmus allso Li. 5. c. 13 by the ordinaunce of God taken from emongest mortall men into the state of the nexte worlde after he had seene lyke wise the terrible iudgement of God practised euen vpon the electe was restored to lyfe againe in oure owne nation and was a witnesse worthy of all credet of this same trueth not onely by his word wherof he was so sparing all his lyefe tyme after that he woulde not vtter this same mistery but withe singulare care and respect of the persons intent that asked him therof but namely by passinge greate poenaunce and incredible chastising of his body whiche proceaded of the sensible knowledge that he had of the paynes praepared And being asked sometime as holy Bede saithe why he so tormented him selfe in the willing toleration of extreme heate or contrary coulde bothe of froste and snowe he made answer simply and shortely Frigidiora ego vidi austeriora ego vidi Ah masters I haue seene cowlder I haue seene sharper Meaning by the vnspeakable paines of Purgatory The whole history of his visions with many the like R. Beda may be redde in the Ecclesiastical history of oure owne natiō writen by as faithfull a witnesse as euer was borne in oure lande of suche vertue that he woulde begile no man willingly of so greate wisdō that he woulde report no tale nor triefle rashly off suche grace and learning that he was well able to discerne a false fable and superstitious illusion from a true and diuine reuelation For as it were foly and mere vanity to geue credet to euery spirite so to condemne a spirite or reuelation or any woorke of Goddes finger approued by the Churche of God in which there hathe euer bene the gifte of discerning spirites 1. Cor. 12. it is properly a sinne against the holy Gost And bicause euery man hath not that gifte as I woulde not counsell any man ouer lightely to geue credet to euery priuat spirite and peculiar vision bicause they may coom of wicked intentes and sinister motiōs so I think it were good in feare reuerēce and humility to committ the discerninge of suche thinges to the spirit and iudgement of Goddes Churche With the belefe of euery peculiar mannes phantasy we are not charged with hūble submission of oure wholeliefe and beliefe to the Churche of Christe ther are we especially charged And bicause there is nothing reported ether in the woorkes of S. Gregory or in Bede or in Damascen or in any other the like concerning the paynes ether of the electe or the damned in the nexte life but as muche hath ben vttered before by all the holy and lerned fathers in greate agony of mind and feare of the saide iudgement we may be the more boulde to thinke the best or rather we are bownd to thinke the best of that spirite whiche so conformably agreeth with the doctrine of the Churche and faithe of all the fathers There can no man say more of Purgatory nor more plainely then S. Ambrose Damascenus vocat purgatoriū baptisma ignis being in
theime Thus he saieth Augustines ansvver to Pelagius denying scripture for that it made against his haeresy Nec ideo liber sapientiae qui tanta numerositate annorum legi meruit in ecclesia Christi pati debet iniuriam quoniam resistit eis qui pro meritis hominum falluntur rursus omnibus hic liber tractatoribus anteponendus quoniam sibi eum anteposuerunt etiaÌ„ teÌ„poribus apostoloruÌ„ proximi egregij tractatores qui euÌ„ testeÌ„ adhibeÌ„tes nihil se adhibere nisi diuinum testimonium crediderunt in englishe thus It is no reason that the boke of wisdom which so many worlde 's together hathe bene worthy the reading in the Church of Christe shoulde nowe receiue suche wronge at oure handes bicause it plainely resisteth these felowes that exalt mannes merites aboue goddes grace And agayne this booke is of more authoritye then all thexpositours in the worlde for the noble writers hard by the apostles time did muche preferre this booke before theyme selues who alleaging the testimony of that scripture doubted not but they vsed thereby the witnesse of goddes holy worde Euen so must we tel oure masters that it were plaine wrong to discredet the history of the Machabies which hathe bene in our Bible euer sithe Christes time for holy scripture bicause it hathe an euident testimonie against their faulse beleefe concerning the state of the soules departed which booke is not onely better to be beleued then all Caluins faulse gloses but of more authoritye then all holy expositors Owte of whiche booke bothe S. Augustine and others many haue vsed proofe of their matters as of the testimonie of sacred and holy scripture But oure aduersarye learned not this practise of Pelagius onely for it is an oulder sore and a common sicknes to al deuisers of deulishe doctrine as the skyllfull in the Churchies affaires maye acknouledge For sum there were that other wise could not vphoulde haeresy but by the vtter denial of all the oulde Testament as Carpocrates Ceuerus Manicheus Augusti de haeresib 24. haeres Tertul. de praescrip Iren. cap. 26. libr. 1. Euseb eccles histor libr. 4. De haeresi ad quod vult deum 30. heresi But Marcion and Cerdon reiect al together sauing Lukes gospel Nowe Cerinthus and Ebion make counte of none of all the euangelicall histories but the gospell of Matthewe Cerinthus againe and Seuerus woulde haue robbed the churche of the actes of thapostles A secte called Alogiani do refuse the gospell of S. Iohn with thapocalipse Martine Illiricus Caluine and theire companions that no man being but an haeretique shoulde euer oute pricke theime will shoulder with the proudest and lifte out of our bibles the bookes of Machabies with S. Iames Epistle and more when more nede requirethe The wich epistle as allso the epistles of Iohn and Iudas were once doubted of not as conteining any matter wherof the truethe was vncerteyne but as bookes not knowen to be of lyke force as canonicall scripture in the impugning of haeresies or confirming articles of belefe as al workes be til goddes Church haue published they re authoritye The Churches vse in confiâ—matioÌ„ or publishing off the canonical scripture and declared all thinges in theime conteined to be of the same credet that the spirite of god is and of gospel like truethe And by that authority of the churche what booke so euer be allowed thoughe it was not so taken before yet nowe we muste needes accept it sicut vere est verbum dei as the very worde of God And so be these canonicall epistles and bookes of machabaeis as before is declared Here nowe euery man may learne that it is a very daungerous matter to geue lesse creditt to any of these bookes or wauer in any point of faithe writen in theime for suche felowes iudgements that nowe emongest theime haue lefte vs nether oulde nor newe Testament Suche stubborne bowldenesse hadd these willfull men in manteynaunce of mischeuouse doctrine Whose open impudencie was counted handsom conueyaunce of they re scholers and adherents which were very many notwithstanding the catholike Christian men in all agies bothe meruailed and lamented thiere blyndnes And yet doubtlesse it is not much to be woondered at to see that man flatly forsake the scripture of God who is not abasshed to refuse and condemne that sense and vnderstanding of the scripture whiche the whole churche with all her lerned meÌ„ haue euer alowed and counted most holye Well by the strengthe of this pillare we haue chalenged and saued hetherto for all the barking of bandogges the scripture of God with the knoune meaning thereof And so I trust we shall doo stille from the newe aduersaries by the assured promesse of thassistance of Goddes holy spirite which shall leade vs not onely to the true canonicall scriptures with the sense of the same but allso gyde vs in all trueth necessary for oure saluation Let euery man therefore here take hede how he doubtethe of the knoweÌ„ and certayne sense that the Church of Christe by decree of councell or consent of doctors applieth to any scripture least by mistrusting the sayde sense he go forward vnaduisedly from open deniall of the commoÌ„ A necessary vvarning to fownde a priuat meaning of his owne in the stubborn defense wherof when he shall agaynst the truethe malipertly stande he goeth vnloockely forwarde and at th eÌ„d blasphemously reiectethe the blessed worde and sacred scripture of God as we haue proued the auncyent enimies of truethe to haue doon and as in these newe sect maisters we may to our great dolor see Yet lo eueÌ„ these are they that in all agyes as Vincentius saith flye in they re taulke and teachinge ouer the lawe the prophets the psalmes the gospell That crye oute of pottes and pulpittes nothing but goddes worde the booke of the lorde the testament of Iesus Christ Paule scripture as it may be supposed and as in th ende it is proued to dryue owte of doores Paule scripture Testament and Christ too and not to bring in to the peoples heades or hearts the feare and loue of God the holsom preceptes of Paules heauenly preachinge nor the true meaning of any scripture Who being vrged will rather credet a minstrelles ballat then the Machabeis or best booke in the bible But nowe yowe may see that whiles these meÌ„ thought to saue theyr credets by miscredetting the scripture thy haue wroght so wiesely that they haue lost theyr owne credets bothe in this poynt and in all other for euer And as they hoped by deniall of scripture too cloke theyr erroure they haue woon to theime selues the property of an haeretike by open shewe of they re owne folye That the funeralles of the Patriarches bothe in the lavve of nature and Moyses and Christe had practise in theime for the reliefe of the soules departed Cap. 4. NOwe therfore I haue greate hope to trust so muche of all studiouse readers for that loue whiche they
gather the religiouse men and priestes the faithfull people withe the cleargye we inuite allso the poore the needy and the fatherlesse with the widowes and we fille theire bealies that the memoriall of their rest may be kept solemnely But Tobies scholare may lerne his duety yet better of the Apostles owne scholare S. Clement In compēd epistolae ad Iacob fratrem domini who once or twise hathe these wordes in effect To viset the sick to bury the dead to kepe they re obittes to pray and giue almose for theime is commendable vpon whose wordes I will not nowestande bicause by and by other occasion must driue me to repeate for the worthynes of the man and the weight of his testimonie more playne euidēce of his church and time Yf thow here yet doubt howe the prayer work or sacrifice of one man a lieue may helpe a nother departed remembre alwaies what I saide in the beginning for the knott of our brotherhood and society in one body and vnder one heade and thowe shalte not wōder howe one membre by compassion may helpe and relieue another Iob. 1. 2. And ther with for example consider howe the sacrifice of Iob and dayly almose were auayleable for the misdeedes of his children and appeaced goddes wrathe towardes his importunate frendes And thoughe his benefite wēt onely then emongest the liuing in this worlde nether his children nor frendes at that time departed yet the case of the liuinge emōgest theime selues differeth nothing herin from the cōmunion and felouship which the departed in Christ hathe withe the liuinge in earthe And therfor I bring thexample of Iob emōgest many like in scripture for that S. Chrisostom fitly inducethe the same to proue the partakyng of good workes to be common as well betwixte the liue and deade as of the liuinge emongest theime selues These be his wordes in englishe Lett vs helpe our bretherne departed keping a memory of theime In 15. cap. 1. cor Homil 14. For if the oblation of Iob pourged his children why doubtest thow of the solace that maye arise by oure offeringes vnto suche as be asleape in Christ seeing God is pleased withe som for other mennes sakes It was so knowne a truethe in that time that they neuer putt difference nor doubte any more of the mutuall helpe of the liue towardes the deade then they did for that benefite which in Christes Church one man may houlde of a nother But that I may serue not only the turne of trueth but with plainnes also enstruct the vnlerned and with store satisfie the godly greedinesse of summe that list see more for the conforte of theire conscience I will report one notable place for the declaration of charities force euen towardes the deceased Ex Damasceno pro defunctis out of Gregory Nissen of the greeke church and another oute of Athanasius the greate bothe directly touching the practise of good Tobie in cōpassion off the deade Thus saith Gregory Dicitur bene quòd si qui hinc non praemissis bonis migrauerint postea à familiaribus neglecta oblatis reliquijs sarciantur imputari opus perinde ac ab eis factum fuerit est enim haec voluntas benignissimi Domini vt cre aturae quae ad salutē petuntur sic petātur distribuantur et vt exoretur non solū quādo quis pro salute propria est anxius sed quando pro proximo aliquid operatur in english It is very well saide that if any depart this life his gooddes by almose being not send to god before him and yet afterward the matter by his frendes in the offering vpp the residewe be amended that his frendes facte shall stande and be reputed as his owne worke For so hathe God of his mercy ordeined that his creatures by vse wherof life and saluation may be obteined shoulde so be procured and in this ordre disposed that man shoulde not onely obteine his request in the carefull study of his oune saluation butt also when be well worketh for his frend or neighbour Here may we well perciue Psal 24. that al the waies of oure Lorde be mercy and trueth And that he in a maner releauethe of his owne accorde oure miseries bothe here and in the next lyfe that there may be no damnation to suche as be in Christ Iesus for whose sakes he turnethe these base creatures of mannes seruice in this lyfe to the vse of his pardon and saluation in the lyfe to coom he acceptethe the good will and trauel of other for the helpe of theyme which can not relieue theime selues And which is the property of a most mercifull father where he loueth he he wil raise the hearte of sum good intercessor that by patronage and praiers of sum Iust Iob his fury may cease by his owne procurement But howe this mutuall woorke of mercye is currant through the membres of our common body and howe being practised by one it seruethe before God for a nother ether in this lyefe or the next oure holy father Athanasius by his authority might well be a proufe sufficiēt but he is contēt to declare it vnto vs by an example and suche an exāple that beside the matter may further put vs in remēbraunce of the deuotiō of our elders in an other point which the studious reader may marke by the waie thus thē he saith Quod in pauperes collocatur beneficiū omnis bonae retributionis est augmentū Itaque pro defuncto oblaturus eundem serues scopū quē qui pro paruulo filio adhuc imbecillo infāte interim dū puer aegrotat affert cerā oleū thimiama in templum Domini magna fide accendit pueri nomine neque enim puer hoc faceret cū ignoret diuinae regenerationis cōstitutiones Sic cogitet etiā eū qui in dn̄o mortē obijt et posse et offerre cerā oleū caetera quae in redemptionem offerri solent The benefit bestowed vpō the poore is a soueraigne ground of Goddes rewarding And in thy oblatiōs for the departed haue alwaies the same intēt and scope that a father hathe practising for the recouery of his sick child being yonge and tender Who for his sick sonne bringeth in to the Churche of oure Lorde God waxe oyle incense and with deuotion and faith lighteth theime in the boyes behallfe for that the child hym selfe being wholy vnskillfull of the ordinauncies of oure Christianity would neuer go about any suche thinge euen so must a man thinke of the deceased persons case that he may and doothe offer as in an other mās person waxe oyle and suche like as commonly for redēption are offered Withe proufe of oure matter in hād here may be noted beside the vsual oblation of thinges apperteining to the mainteinaunce of Churche light and lampes In Athanasius his tyme candels vvere lighte in Churchies for theire sakes that vvere deade sick or absent setting
principall pastors of goddes Churche withe greate spreade of religion which sithe that time hathe bewtified our coÌ„try in al goddes giftes with the best And emongest many euident testimonies of this truethe with the practise therof both to be fownd in Gildas and in holy Beda there is a straunge and a very rare example not only for the plaine declaration of the vsage of oure Church in the first fowndation of oure faithe but for an open shewe by miracle in this liefe how God releaseth of his mercye by the holy oblation at the altare the paines of the departed in the worlde to coom It shall be comfortable to the Catholikes to consider this parte of oure beliefe to be confirmed by the miraculouse working of God as all other lightely be in placies where the faithe is first taught And that oure whole faithe which oure natioÌ„ receiued of S. Augustin the monke was so coÌ„firmed by the powre of God not onely oure owne histories doo declare but S. Gregory him sellfe affirmeth it writyng his letters to Augustin in this sense that he shoulde not arrogate any suche woonderous workes to his owne powre or vertue Beda li. 1. cap. 31. which then God wroght by him not for his owne holinesse but for the planting of Christes faithe in the nation where those signes were shewde Li. 4. hist Cap. 21. Beda therfore writeth this notable history of a miracle doone not many yeares after oure people was conuerted in the beginning of his owne daies that in a foghten field betwixte Egfride and Edeldred two princies of our land it fortuned that aâ— yonge gentleman off Egfrides armie shoulde be so greuouslye wounded that fauling downe both him selfe with owte sense and in al meÌ„nes sightes starke deade he was letten lye of the enemies and his body soghte with care to be buried of his frendes A brother of his a good priest and Abbate with diligens making searche for his body emongest many happed on one that was excedinge like him as a man may easely be deceiued in the alteration that streght falleth vpon the soules departure to the whole forme and fashion of the bodye and bestowed of his loue the duety of obsequies with soleÌ„ne memorials for the rest of him whome he tooke to be his brother deceased buriyng him in his owne monasterie and causing Masse to be done dayly for his pardoÌ„ and soules release But so it fortuned that his brother Huma for so was he caulled being not all owt dead with in foure and tweÌ„ty houres came reasonably to hiÌ„ self againe and gathering with all sum streÌ„ght rose vp washte him self and made meanes to com to sum frend or acquaintauÌ„ce where he might sallue his sores and close his wouÌ„des againe But by lacke of streÌ„gthe to make shifte and by misfortune he fel into his enemies handes and ther by the Capitaine examined of his estate he denied him self to be of name or degrie in his coontry Yet by the lykelyhoods that they gathered of his coomly demeanure and gentleman lyke taulke which he could hardly dissemble they mistruste as it was in deede that he was a man of armes and more then a commoÌ„ souldiar Therfore in hope of good gaine by his raunson they thought good after he was ful recouered for feare of his escape to lay yrons vpon him and so to make sure worke But so God wrought that no fetters coulde howld him for euery day once at a certaine houre the bandes bracke lowse with owte force and the man made free The gentlemaÌ„ maruailed at the case him selfe but his kepers and the capitaine were much more astoyned thereat and straitely examined him by what cooning or crafte he could with suche ease set him selfe at libertie and bare him in hand that he vsed characters or letters of sum sorcery and which crafte with the practise of vnlawfull artes But he answered in sadnesse that he was alltogether vnskilfull in suche thinges Mary quod he I haue a brother in my coontry that is a priest and I knowe certainely that he saithe often Masse for my soule supposing me to be departed and slaine in batayle And if I were in an other lyfe I perceiue my soule by his intercession shoulde be so lowsed owt of paines as my body is now from bondes The capitaine perceiuing so much and belyke in sum awe of religion seeinge the worke of God to be so straunge sould him to a Londoner with whome the same thinges happened in his bondes lowsing euery daie By which occasion he was licensed to go home to his frends and procure his ranson for chargeing him with diuers sortes of surest bandes none coulde sallfely howlde him And so vpon promesse of his returne or payment of his appointed price he went his wayes and afterwarde truely discharged his credet Which doone by frendship that he fownd in the same coontry afterward returned to his owne parties and to his brothers howse to whome when he hadde vttered all the history of his straunge fortune bothe of his misery and miraculous relieuing he enquired diligentlye the whole circumstance with the howre and time of his daily lowsinge and by conferring together they fownde that his bondes brake lowse especially at the very iuste time of his celebration for his soule At which times he confessed that he was otherwise in his great aduersities often released also Thus hath that holy writer allmost word for word and at th ende he addeth this Multi haec a praefato viro audientes accensi sunt in fide ac deuotione pietatis ad orandum vel eleemosinas faciendas vel ad offerendas Domino victimas sacrae oblationis pro ereptione suorum qui de saeculo migrauerant Intellexerunt enim quod Sacrificium salutare ad redemptionem valâ— ret animae corporis sempiternam Hâ—nc mihi historiam etiam hi qui ab ipsâ—â—iro in quo facta est audiere narrarunt â—nde eam qui aliquando comperi indâ—tanter historiae nostrae Ecclesiasticae iâ—rendam credidi Many hearing thus suche of the party him selfe were â—onderfully inflamed with faith aâ— zele to pray to geue almose an â—o offer sacrifice of the holy oblatioâ— for the deliuery of theire welbeloued frendes departed owte of this lâ—â—e For they â—nderstoode that the healthfull sacrâ—fice was auaileable for the redemptâ—on of both body and soule euerlastingâ—â— And this storie did they that heard of the parties owne mouthe reported vnto me Where vpon hauing so good proufe I dare be bowlde to write it in my ecclesiasticall history And thus muche saithe Beda abowte eghte hundred yeares ago when oure nation being but yonge in Christianity was fedde in the true beliefe by sundry wonderous workes of god That faith is the true faith into vvhiche oure natioÌ„ vvas first conuerted froÌ„ infidelity We must here stay alitle and ponder in oâ—â— mindes how our forefathers and people â—f our owne lande were taught in this artâ—â—â— when they were first deliuered
owte 〈◊〉 Sathans bondage and conuerted to thâ—â—elowship of Christes Church and let vs 〈◊〉 thing doubt but that which oure owne â—postles bothe by worde and worke by mâ—â—acle and by martyrdom first proued vnto â—s is the very true and vnfallible faithe oâ— oure Christianitie For if that were not â—ue which at oure first conueâ—sion was preached vnto vs then we â—eceiued nott the faithe but faulshoode aâ— theire handes theÌ„ the histories doo rake a lowdelye in testifiing we were tâ—â—ned to the Christiane faith bothe at that time and by such men then it wer no conuersion froÌ„ heatheÌ„ Idolatrie to the woorship of Christ but it were a chaunge from one superstition to an other and this latter so much worse then the other bicause vnder the name of Christe there were practise perpetual of execrable sacrilege in instituting of a sacrifice to the defasing of our redemption in adoring bare breade as the hoste of our saluation in offering it vppe to God for the sinnes bothe of the quick and dead in practise of vnproffitable praiers for the soules deceased with the like faulse worship of God in all pointes Then theire preaching was highly to Goddes dishonoure pernicious to the people and damnalbe to theime selues Then haue all that euer ranne the rase of that faithe and doctrine till this daie whiche they taught perished withe theime then are they fownd false witnesseis whom we haue accompted as oure vndoubted true and lawfull pastors then God hath purposely deceiued vs with fained miracles full many with numbers off vaine visions then al our labour is lost till this day The holynesse of so many good princies and priestes is praised in vaine the bloude of Martyres shed in vaine the exercise of al sacrameÌ„ts in vaine and bicause all deuotion consisted in our fathers dayes in the earnest zele of so faulse a religioÌ„ as they thinke this to be then the more deuotion the farther from Christ the lesse religion more nere to saluation then happy was he that was the worst and cursed was he that was counted the best then is oure case most carefull then are we worse theÌ„ all other natioÌ„s that neuer receiued the name of Christ then are we worse theÌ„ we were befor our conuersion then to be shorte thereis no religion no Christ no God no hope of saluation All which thinges if they repugne to common sense and reason and to the comfortable hope of oure saluation which we haue receiued from god by Christe Iesus and the assured testimony of the spirite of God that we be a parte of his chosen Churche and sanctified in his holy name by the worde of truethe and lyfe which we by the ordinary ministery of man haue receiued signes and woonders coÌ„firming theire calling and doctrine then this religion which they planted first in our contrie must needes be in al pointes bothe holy true and acceptable vnto God Then as by that religion our fathers were ingraffed first in to Christes body misticall which is the Churche in which till this day they haue kepte the highe way to saluation so who so euer forsaketh this or any principall article or braunche therof and so leauethe that Churche into which we first entered at oure conuersion Note and take heed betime he leaueth assuredly lyfe and saluation and withe out all doubt euerlastingly perisheth AmoÌ„gest which pointes of doctrine oure aduersaries can not denie but the saing masse and offering for the deade the allmose and praiers for the departed was taught withe the firste and proued by miracles withe the rest The which ether to denie were ouer muche discredit of the antiquitye and plaine impudencie or elles to attribute theyme to the diuells woorking were oppen vntollerable blasphemie Yea this doctrine hathe brought the Churche to this bewtifull ordre in all degries as we haue seene All the noble monuments not onely in oure commoÌ„welthe but through Christes churche do beare sufficient testimonie of oure first faithe herin This doctrine as the whole worlde knoweth fouÌ„ded all Bisshoprikes buylded al Churchies raysed al Oratories Yf praing for the deade vvere takeÌ„ avvay there shoulde no steppe of religigion remaine instituted al Collegies indued all Schooles maintened all hospitalles set forwarde al woorkes of charirye and religioÌ„ of what sorte so euer they bee Take a way the praiers and practise for the deade ether al these monumeÌ„ts must fall or elles they must staÌ„d agaynste the first founders will and meaninge Looke in the statutes of all noble foundacions and of all charitable woorkes euer sithe the first daie of oure happy calling to Christes faithe whether they doo not expressely testifie that theire worke of almose and deuotion was for this one especiall respect to be prayde and songe for as they call it after theire deathes Looke whether your Vniuersites protest not this faithe by many a solemne othe bothe priuatly and openlye Looke whether all preachers that euer tooke degrie in the Vniuersity before these yeres are not bounde by the holy euangelistes to pray for certaine noble princies and praelates of this realme All oure superintendents are deeply and daily periured in euery of their sermons at Paules or other placies of name And so often as these preachers doo omit it so often are they periured so often as they ether eate or drinke of theire benefactors cost so often beare they testimony of they re owne damnation Answer me but one question I aske yowe Whether the firste authors of suche benefites as yowe enioye in the Churche at this day A harde question proposed to the ProtestaÌ„t ether of bisshopricke or colledge or any other spirituall liuelyhoodde say yowre mindes vnfeinedly whether they euer meÌ„t that suche men of suche a religion of suche lyfe of suche doctrine should enioye that allmose which they especially ordeined for other men and for contrary purpose say truethe and shame the deuill thoughte they euer to make roume in Collegies for your wiues meÌ„t they euer to mainteine preachinge against the masse against praiers for theire owne soules when they purposely vpon that grounde began so godlye a woorke if they in deede neuer ment it as I knowe theye did not and as your oune consciencies beare witnesse with theim and against your selues that they did not howe caÌ„ yowe theÌ„ for feare of goddes highe displeasure against theire owne willes vsurpe those commodities whiche they neuer ment to suche as yow be A lasse good men thei thought to make frendes of wicked mammon and full dearly with bothe landes and gooddes haue they procured enimies to theire owne soules But if there be any sense in those good fathers and fouÌ„ders as there is and if they be in heauen as they re good deseruing I trust hathe broght theime then surely they accuse yow most iustly of wicked vniustice before the face of God for deluding the people for breaking theire willes for vsurping theire commodities against theire professed mindes and meaninges Or if they be
in hell which God forfende and yet yowe must needes so suppose for raysing the monuments of suche superstition then blotte oute theire memorie and names that haue not onely in theire lyfe mainteyned horrible abusies but allso after theire deathe haue lefte suche open steppes of superstition to all posteritye Suppose I pray yowe which yet I would be lothe shoulde coom to proufe or passe but suppose for all that that with the taking a way of this oulde faithe of praying and offering for the deade all the workes of the same faithe which isshued downe from that fountaine might shrinke with al or returne to the fownders againe bicause there is no rowme to fullfill they re willes howe many Churchies and chappelles what Collegies or hospitalles woulde oure newe no faithe bring forth Would not euery bisshoppes wyfe buylde a Churche thinke yowe or founde a College in such a necessitye lest theire husbandes should be driueÌ„ to serue in a reformed frensh barne Super Aggaeum One of these mock bishoppes complaines very soâ—e in a book of his that men be not now bent with suche zele and deuotion to praeferre goddes honour in maintenaunce of his Ministers as they were in owlde time and as CoÌ„stantinus with the like christiaÌ„ Princies in the primitiue churche were But the good man marked not wherupon this could deuotion arisethe he considerethe not that this is the fructlesse effecte of so idle a faulse faithe as his owne lordship preacheth he woulde not see that the maintenaunce of goddes honoure bothe by liefe landes and gooddes is the peculiare fructe of that charitable louing faith which the Catholikes doo professe he weyed not well that the greate grauntes of Constantinus were made to Syluester Bishop of Rome and not to the maried Bishope of Duresme He remembred not that the like holy workes of the noble kinges of oure owne coontrie were practised vpon suche as woulde professe the trueth and serue the altare and not vpon faulse pastors that were destroyers of all altars Such honorable portions were parted oute for goddes lote and not taken from the world to go to the worldely ageine Thinke you any man wer so minded to take froÌ„ his own wiefe and children ether landes or gooddes to bestow on priestes babbes or bedfellowes No no God knowethe it was separated from theim selues to the sacrifice to the priesthoodde to the honoure of goddes Church and ministerye The which thinges by your owne preaching my lordes decaide would you haue the Prince or peoples deuotion towardes yowe as is was and would be still if you wer like your praedecessors and serued the altare as they did I wisse if the owlde S. Cuthbert Wilfride and William whome they coÌ„pare in holinesse to horsies so good is their opinion of their holy auncieters had bene of the same religion that the occupiers of theire roumes nowe be all the praelates in EnglaÌ„d might haue put theire rentes in a halpeny purse Coom in ageyne coom in for Christes sake com in to the churche ageyne serue the altare and then yow be worthy to lyue of the altare folowe oure fathers and yow shall beloued as oure fathers wer confesse that religion which oure own Apostles first taught and we all haue beleued and all the workes of goddes Churche protest to be true and then yowe shall be blessed of God and honoured of men But let theime thinke on these matters theime selues I will turne ageine to my purpose allthoughe I can not go farre from my matter so longe as I am in the behouldinge of that faithe which oure first preachers broght vnto vs at our first coÌ„uersion or in any stepp of thantiquitye which we wel perceiue to be the fructe onely of that doctrine which we haue declared and an euideÌ„t testimony off so vndoubted a truethe I thinke there is no way so certaine for the contentation of a mannes selfe in this tyme of doubting and diuersitye in doctryne as in all maters to haue an eye towardes the faythe whiche we receiued when we were first conuerted And for that point I woulde wisshe that S. Bedes historye were familiare vnto all men that hathe vnderstanding of the Latine tonge and to all other if it wer possible for there shall they plainely see the first beginning the increase the continuance the practise the woorkes proceding owt of the catholike faithe feare not that is the truethe for that was the first and that was grownded by goddes worde and openly confirmed by miracule And that pointe must be considered not onely for oure owne contrye but for all others that be or hathe bene Christianed For in to the selfe same faithe were they first ingraffed allso â–ª as by the peculiare practising of euery good man towardes his frend and louer I haue alredye declared and nowe for the generall vsage of goddes Church the reader shall at large perceiue that nothing may wante to oure cause whereby any trueth or light may be had That in euery ordre or vsage of celebration of the blessed sacrament and Sacrifice through ovvte the Christian vvorlde since Christes time there hath bene a solemne supplication for the soules departed Cap. 11. THerfore let vs see howe the churche oure moother of her piety vsethe generall supplication in all seruice and solemne administration of the blessed sacrameÌ„t euen for those whole frendes haue forgotten theyme whose paines and trauell worldely meÌ„ remembre not whose obscure condicion of life or pouerty woulde not suffer theime to procure prayers by theire knowne deedes of charity or almose Those men I say that doo lacke singulare patronage of theire frendes those hathe she remembred in the rites of celebration vsed in all contries and in euery age sithens the apostles daies Which ordres of diuine seruice as they haue bene diuerse in forme of wordes so they perfectly and wholy agreed in the substance of the sacrifice in praying and offering for the deade and supplication to sanctes as thowe shalt streght waies by theire vsed ordre of wordes perceiue And as we go forward herein euer let vs beare this rule in minde Quòd legeÌ„ credendi lex statuit supplicandi in that sense speaketh S. Augustine So saith S. Augustin ofteÌ„ against the Pelagians often against haeretikes the ordre of the churches praier is euer a plaine praescription for all the faithefull what to belieue And the motherlye affection that the Churche bearethe towardes al her children departed the saide doctor thus expresseth De cura pro mort Non sunt praetermittendae supplicationes pro spiritibus mortuorum quas faciendas pro omnibus in Christiana Catholica societate defunctis etiam tacitis nominibus quorumcunque sub generali commemoratione suscepit ecclesia vt quibus ad ista desunt parentes aut filij aut quicunque cognati vel amici ab vna eis exhibeantur pia matre communi That is to say in oure tonge Prayer must not be omitted for the soules departed which the
churche hathe customablye taken in hand for al men passed in the Christian Catholike society by the way of a generall commemoration theire names not particularely expressed that suche thinges may be prouided by oure common kinde moother to all those which doo lacke parents children kinsfolke or frendes for the due prouision of suche necessary dueties By this holy mannes wordes we may see the difference betwixte oure owne tender natural moother and the cursed cruell steppe dame The one folowethe her children withe loue and affectiō in to the next world with ful sorowful sighes many deuout praiers and al holy workes whiche she vseth to theire needeful helpe the other being but an vnnaturall steppemoother and all the children of that adoulterouse seede hath theim no longer in mind thē they be in sight whether they sinke or swhim she maketh no accompte she hathe no blessinge of her owne she hinderethe the mercy of other But lette vs vewe all the orders that we finde extant or vsed throughe the Christian worlde for the celebration of the blessed Sacrament and sacrifice whiche nowe commonly in oure vulgare speache we caull the Masse and see whether as Augustin said there hathe not bene in all agies an especiall supplication of the prieste and people for the dead as wel as for the lieue First S. Clement Cōstitut l. 8. cap. 47. the Apostles owne scholare reportethe howe they prescribed this solemne praier in theire holy ministery for the departed Pro quiescentibus in Christo fratres nostri rogemus c. Let vs pray saith the deacon brethern for all those that rest in peace that oure mercifull Lorde that hath taken theire soules in to his hande would forgiue them al theire offensies whether they were willinglye or negligently committed and so hauing compassion vpon theim would bringe theime to the land off the holy ones and happy rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all other that pleaced him from the beginning ▪ where there is nether sighing sorowe nor sadnesse And a litle after in the same holy action the Bishop praieth him selfe in this forme O Lorde looke downe vpon this thy seruaunt whome thowe hast receiued in to another lyfe and pitefully pardon him yf ether willingly or vnweetingly he hathe offended Let him be guarded by peaceable Angells and broght to the Patriarches Prophettes and Apostles and the rest of all theime that haue pleaced the sith the worlde began Thus reporteth Clement being one of the apostles companie and continually praesent in the celebration of theire mysteries Againe Eccles hierarch Cap. 17. Dyonisius Ariopagita of whome mention is mayde in the actes so auncient be the recordes of our faith hathe not onely left in writinge what he thoughte in this matter whiche had ben enoughe but allso what the Church Apostolike in that spring of religion and pure deuotion taught and ordeyned to be vsed and that by the Apostles prescription whom he there termeth the heauēly gides and capitaines of trueth For in the laste chapter of his booke titled of the Ecclesiasticall soueraintye he telleth in ordre howe first the body is placed before the holy altare howe the solempne misteries withe heuenly psalmes and sonets be songe and saide ouer the corps howe the holy Bisshop geueth thankes to god makethe comfortable exhortation to the assembly to continue in assured hope off the resurrection howe he anoyntethe the bodye withe holy oyle and laste of all makethe praiyers for him and so committethe hym to God The whiche whole ordre off the sacrifice ceremonies and misticall praiers exercised as well in burialls as at other times in the reuerent misteries this author would not fully sett owte in writing for theire sakes that coulde not for the weaknesse of faith atteine to the worthy holynesse of so highe matters as he him sellfe professethe in these wordes Praecationes quae in misterijs adhibentur nephas est scripto interpretari misticam eorum intelligentiam aut vim quae in eis deo authore efficacitatatem habent ex adyto in publicum efferre sed quemadmodū a maioribus nostris traditum accepimus c The prayers which be vsed in the misteries may not in anywyes be sett out to the worlde in writinge nether may the singulare efficacie and grace of theime be made common to all men but euen as we haue receiued by thandes of oure eldres And as longe as this ordre was religiously kept in goddes Churche the solempne secretes of the blessed sacraments were not so contēptible as oure newe oppen communion hathe of late made theime where there is nothing so holy but it may abyde the sighte and handeling of whoso euer is the worst The holy and heuenly misteries of Christ his spouse were not thē prophaned by the praesumptiouse babling of euery idle heade Thē were not the soueraigne weghty matters handeled in alehowses but vsed at the holy altares Then the idle contentious vngodly and vnproffitable quirkes and quaestions had no other solution but sharpe discipline and worthy correctiō then were not the Gydes of goddes people countrowled by euery restlesse felowe In homil contra Sabellian Athan ad Epictetum that coulde cracke of goddes worde but it was enoghe for a faithfull mannes contentatiō to say with Basil the greate Dominus ita docuit apostoli predicauerūt patres obseruauerūt cōfirmauerūt martyres sufficiat dicere ita doctus sum Our Lord taught so the apostles so preched our fathers obserued the same the holy martyrs haue sealed it It is sufficient for me to say so was I taught O Lord that this simple sincere fidelitie might once take place againe in oure daies for the coomforte of the poore faithfull flocke that are nowe so burdened with questions of infidelitye that the sely simples soules cā not tell howe to turne theime selues nor finde meanes to kepe theire faithe inuiolated in such a multitude of misbeleuers Which I surely hope the earnest and pitiful praiers of so many good men that doo bewaile this miserie shall at lengthe after due poonishment of oure sinnes obteyne at goddes gratiouse handes But what shifte doo the aduersaries here make with this euidēt testimonie of this so auncient a writer mary sir they indeuoure with all theire mighte to robbe this excellent auncient and diuine writer of all his workes which haue borne the title of his name euer sithe theye were writē Ita Suidas testatur which chalēge theire own author by that graue stile that no other man as the skilfull in that languange doo testifie coulde euer lightly atteyne vnto which so sauore of the antiquity and the apostolike spirit that thowe woulde deeme theyme to be indited by sum of the cōtinuall hearers of Christe Iesus But it were vaine to stand in contention for this matter for we shoulde neuer haue ende if we should be put to proue that euery man made the bookes which be extant in his name it weere to muche miscredit of antiquitie and vncertainty of
dare nether acknouledge nor name whome all good men with open mouthe bouldely doo reprehend and theire owne scholares dare not defende Such a glorious maiesty this doctrine of theires beareth that pricketh vppe with pryde those that be alyue and blottethe out of honest memorie her doctours that be deade The first Author of that secte vvhich denieth prayers for the departed is noted his good cōdicions and cause of his error be opened vvhat kind of men haue bene most bent in all agies to that secte And that this haeresy is euer ioyned as a fit companion to other horrible sectes Cap. 14. BVt yet bicause they haue diffamed oure practise in praing and offering for the deade by referring it to a latter origin then the apostolike authority and tradition seeing we haue fathered oure vsage vpon suche as the aduersaries dare not blame we will helpe theime to seeke owte the fathers of they re faithles persuasion lest by the feare and bashfullnesse of theire owne scholares they be vnkindly forgotten Mary to find owte these obscure loyterers it wil be sumwhat painefull bicause as theeues doo they kepe by wayes and lightly treade not in honest mennes pathes For the finding owte of recordes for the testimony of our truethe we kepte the day light the highe waye of Goddes Churche All the knowne notable personagies in the holy Citye of God offered theyme selues bothe to witnesse and proue with vs. We droue this truethe from oure daies throughe the middest of that holy communitie whiche S. Augustine callethe the Citye of God and oure aduersaries will not saye otherwise but they were the liuely mēbres of that happy and heauenly felowship The high vvay of trueth We brought the practise of it to the holy Apostles by plaine accompte we went with the truethe of our cause to the lawe of Moyses from thense by like light to the lawe of nature But now for the other sorte we must leaue the cyty of God and the feloweship of these noble personagies of doctors Apostles Prophets and Patriarches and seeke on the lyfte hand in the other citie whiche is of Augustine named the cyty or commonwelthe as a man migh call it of the deuil in whiche body all practise of mischiefe and origin of erroure isshuing from that vnhappy heade to the corrupt and deadly limmes therof is to be fownde We shall heare of the aduersary persuasion then The by vvay of haeresy in the company of Anabaptistes of Arrians of Saduceis of Epicures where so euer the weedes of the common enemies corrupte seede growethe there shal we finde amongest breares and brembles this choking weede with all For as the true preachers the Apostles of Christe Iesu did sowe in the beginninge of the Christian church which was the springe of the worde of lyfe and truethe amongest other heauenly seedes of true doctrine that profitable practise for the reliefe of suche as were hense departed in the slepe of peace with the decent ordre which euer sithens the Catholyck churche hathe obedyently folowed euen so Math. 13. Inimicus homo superseminauit zizania the common enemy came afterwarde and ouersewe darnell and cockle ether for the vtter choking or elles for the especiall lette of that good seede which the Maister of this field by his houshoulde seruauntes had plentifully sowen before This common aduersarye as our maister him sellfe expoundeth it is the Deuil who as he in all other thinges beneficiall to mankinde is a greate stay so Christian mennes commoditye in this point he notably hindereth by his wicked suggestions and deuilishe diuise wherby he prouokethe many vnder the shewe of Goddes worde or bare name thereof for that is the lābes cote which this wyely woolfe boroweth to maske in to be vnkīd vnnatural and with owt all godly affectiō towards their departed frēdes The whiche cōtrary corrupt sede of false doctrine we right wel know came of the sayd aduersary bicause it was lōge after ouersowen Tert. de prescrip lerning further of Tertulian Id verū esse quodcūque primū id adulterinū quod posterius That to be true that was first taught and that to be faulse and forged which came latter And yet besydes that generall and moste certeine instructiō lerned Damascen helpeth vs to the trial of this peculiare case Doubting not to affirme that al such cogitatiōs as do entre into mānes head against the praiers or charitable woorkes for the departed be the deuilles enuious and subtill suggestions for the hinderaunce off oure brethern departed from the heauenly ioyes For thus he writeth in a sermon for the same purpose That oulde serpent saith he whose endeuoure is to corrupt and deface the good and acceptable woorkes of God and to lay snares for the entrapping of mennes soules who is muche perced through brotherly loue and brasteth in sunder for the enuy that he beareth towardes our faithe and finially is madded by oure naturall compassion one towardes an other as one that is the vtter renouncer of all good lawes he enspireth to som a fayned and faulse imagination cleane contrary to the holy constitutions that is to say that al good and acceptable workes before God shoulde no whit proffet the departed soules Our protestantes be inspired by Damascens iudgement Yf this writers iudgement be good as it is sure most sounde then must al our vnnaturall and vnkynd preachers haue an especiall inspiration of the deuill him selfe so often as they hinder fauoure and grace from the deade For as he reduced oure origin to the Apostles so he doubteth not to auouche the contrary persuation to be euidently moued by the oulde serpent of especiall enuie towardes mannes saluation And nowe if thowe list knowe in whome this subtill suggestion tooke first place and roote Of the author of this nevv sect after the longe vsage of the other according to the Apostles planting we shall make the for thy especial comfort partaker therof also We will not vse the aduersaries as they doo vs charging vs with later preaching or doctrine then the Apostles plāted and yet can nether tell where nor by whome it began But we shall by open euidence call the wolfe by his name Let an heretike but set owte fout and once open mouthe thoughe he doo no harme at all yet the watcheman of Israell hath him by the backe streght The dogges were neuer so doom in goddes Churche but they woulde barke at the first apparance of any straunge cattell For that the notation of his arising and name was not onely a warning to the present time to take heede to theire faithe but an admonition to all the posteritye to beware of the lyke And it was euer counted a refutation of an haeresye to the full to reduce it to a latter infamous author by the certaine recorde of the churchies historie The which kind of reason bothe emongest the lerned hathe singulare strenghte and is sensible for the people and of the aduersarie vtterly
inuincible Irenaeus vseth it against the haeresyes of his tyme as a demonstration of muche force What saith he before Valentinus there was none of that his faulse secte Li. 3. Ca. 4 and he came in with his seede after the first preaching of oure faithe a good while I can tell when he began howe he increased howe long he continued Both he and that other Cerdon entered first vnder the gouernement of Hyginius The trial of false preachers grewe vpwarde vnder Pius and continued tyll Anicetus tyme and so making the lyke accompte of other archeheretikes at lenght thus he concludeth all these rose vppe in theire apostacie longe after that the Church was ordered in faith and doctrine In this sense spake Irenaeus But the ruele is common and certaine as any can be in the worlde and I woulde stand vpon the grounde therof against all faulse doctrine in the worlde A general rule to knovve haeresi by and thus it is Any opinion that may be truely fathered vpon any priuate man that was longe after the trueth was first preached by the apostles if it be vpon a point of our faithe and contentiously mainteyned it is an haeresye And thus againe who so euer was withstand in his first arising and preaching by suche as were in the vnitye of the Churche he was a faulse teacher and his abettours be heretikes And the force of this conclusion is so greate that the heretikes theime selues if they can get any likly shew of raysing of any doctrine or practise of goddes Churche in these latter daies they thinke they haue a good argument against the Catholikes Therefore they would father transubstantiation vpō this Councel the adoratiō of the Sacrament vpon that Pope indulgencies vpon that bisshop c. For they be as saulcie with goddes Church Councells and chefe gouernors as we be with the Iacke strawes of Geneua And yet when they haue traueled to theire heartes ake they can find no one thing first inuented by any of theim whome they faulsely name to be the authors therof But well seeing it is so stronge an argument of haeresye to haue the ofspring of a later author with plane prouisò of goddes Churche for his markinge let vs adde so muche strēgthe to oure cause to haue the father of the cōtrary faulshodde knowen and noted of thantiquity by his name Cap. 75. Lib. 3. In Anacephal Epiphanius that notable man in his book that he wrote for the confutatiō of all the haeresies that were before his time and in other of his woorkes too nameth an obscure felowe one Aërius to be the first author of this haeresie that prayers and sacrifice profitethe not the departed in Christe But what maner a felowe he was and howe lickly to be the foūder of such a schoole thow shalte perceiue best by the writers wordes VVhen Aërius coulde not obteyne the bisshoprick of Eustathius deposed after that he was once perfectly well skilled in Arius doctrine he inuented newe sectes of his owne affirming that there shoulde be no offering for the departed and of him lo the scholares were called Aërians Lett not the simple whome I woulde helpe in this cause be deceiued by the lyknes of these two names Arius and Aërius Arius Aërius for this later was the author of their secte and was a folower of the first called Arius in his doctrine beside And of the same sect and sectmaster S. Augustine thus saithe folowinge Epiphanius The Aérians were so named by one Aérius In li. de haeres ad Quod vult who taking snoffe that he could not get a bisshoprike fell in to the haeresy of Arius first and then added therevnto other haeresies of his owne makinge saing that we should not offer sacrifice for the dead nor obserue the solempne apointed fastes of the Church but that euery mā should absteane when he liste And there bothe he and Epiphanius do recken moe of his holy opinions which I omitte For it is enoughe for oure purpose and to confownde all the haeretikes of oure dayes that this opinion was noted as it spronge vp in the primitiue Church for heresie One that hathe for saken the Churche is indifferent to vvhat haeresy yovv vvill and the authors not onely condemned as heretikes in that point but in many other thinges beside For I neuer readde of nor yet knew any heretike but if he once mistrusted the catholike Church the Deuil was hable to perswade withe him as well in a numbre of matters as in one And that is the cause that any man seduced And therfore they call theire doinges Proceding falleth from one faulshood to an other till he wholy be drowned in the waues of tēpesteous doctrine And when he commeth once at the bottom then God knoweth he settith light by the matter contemneth it and is often past recouery Prouer. 18. as it is sayde Peccator cum in profundum venerit contemnit Euen so did this Aërius first throughe ambitious pride faule to the Arians secte but bicause he counted it nothing glorious to be a scholare he would be a master and that of a misheuous matter and a matter repugnant to the sense of all Christes churche which before his preaching generally as after receiued and faithfully vsed prayers and oblation for the dead Of which consent of the vniuersall worlde and the heretikes folye in withstanding the same the sayde Epiphanius saith thus Vbi sup 13 I will report his wordes in latine bicause they sownde very well thoughe him selfe wrote not in that language Assumpsit ecclesia in toto mundo assensus est factus antequà m esset Aerius qui ab ipso appellantur Aeriani quis autem magis de his nouit hic neseductus homo qui etiam superest nunc an qui ante nos testes fuerunt cae Thus in English The Churche hath receiued this trueth through the wide worlde it was sattled in all mens mindes before Aërius was borne or any of his sect that be nowe called Aërians And who I pray yowe is most like to knowe the truethe of these thinges this faulse wretche yet liuing at this daye or elles the faithfull witnessies that were before oure time Behoulde here your woorshipfull master yowe may suerly take greate cause of conforte in his lyuely worde mary sir he might haue bene an Archebisshop in our daies for he loued nether fasting nor praying He was fayne to be an haeretike for anger bicause he coulde not be made a bisshoppe then who now if he were in this happy age when the light is more plentifully powred vpon the people mighte haue bene promoted at Caluins decease to the ouerlooking of Geneua But his opinion was so notorious fallse that it grewe to no greate heade at that time or elles it was not so much regarded bicause it was ioyned to that horrible faulshod of Arrius against the blessed Godhood of Christe Iesus oure sauioure Note vvel Euery
is muche regarded Nether will I spend any more time in gettinge theyme an author of theire secte seeing they haue choise of diuers Let theime go owt of the Citye of God froÌ„ emongest the holy coÌ„pany and turne on the lifte hand and look emongest the owtcastes of al agies and they shal haue freÌ„des and fellowes enowe That theire falsehood is condemned and the Catholike trueth approued by the authority of holy Councelles Theire pride in contemning and the Catholikes humility in obedient receyuing the same And a sleight vvherby the haeretikes deceyue the people is detected Cap. 15. ANd for oure parte it is sufficient good reader that we knowe the first founder thereof and that we be now right well assured that he in his time and his scholares in theres haue ben noted called and condemned for haeretikes in this as in other fonde peruerse opinions beside not onely by the singulare iudgements of diuers lerned meÌ„ but by the commoÌ„ sense and consent of the worlde and by auncient councells bothe general and particulare as we may reade in the CouÌ„cels of Carthage the iiij of Bracharense and Vase Cap. 79. Cap. 34. Cap. 2. the decrees of which by occasion we rehersed once before They are bothe auncient and of greate authoritye and honoured with the presence of many notable fathers as Augustine and other But especially for the approuing of our faith and condemnation of the aduersaries part the whole processe of the greate councell of Florence must be noted for there the question of purgatory and praiers for the deade was fullye handeled by the most learned of both the Latine and Greke church the Patriarche of Constantinople him self with the legates of Armenia and other nations of that parte being present and fully condescending with the Romane church vpoÌ„ the truth of purgatory and other graue mysteries in to the doubt of which that part of the churche by schisme and miscredet of theire forefathers had faullen into not long before and so made perfect protestation of they re faithe Note with thabiuring of the contrary as haeresie But omittting that longe processe and large treatie of the matter for the establishing of euery mannes conscience I will conclude vp all the matter with the councell and the holy gostes determination of all the whole cause in these words Si verè poenitentes in Dei charitate decesserint antequam dignis poenitentiae fructibus de commissis satisfecerint et omissis eorum animas poenis purgatorijs purgari vt à poenis huiusmodi releuentur pâ—odesse eis viuorum fidelium suffragia missarum scilicet sacrificia orationes eleemosynas alia pietatis officia quae a fidelibus pro alijs fidelibus fieri consueuerunt In initio Concilij Florentini secundum ecclesiae instituta We define and determine The holy Councell of Trent hath allso determined the same againste the haeretikes of oure tymes that true poenitents departing in the fauoure of God before they satisfied for theire negligencies or faultes committed by worthy fructes of poenaunce shal be clensed by purgatory paines and lykewise for the release thereof the praiers of the faithfull the sacrifice of the blessed masse and allmose withe other thinges customably practised by the faithful for theire frendes decessed according to the ordinaunce of Goddes churche to be profitable The which graue determination if any man be so willfull to contemne Let him knowe that he dispicethe being but a mortall fraile man the grauest iudgement that God hath left in earthe for the determination of any matter Let him be ashamed that he being but one man taketh vpon him to controule diuers hundrethes of the most chosen for vertue for lerning for experience in the whole Churche of God yea let him if he haue any affection of grace tremble and feare to deface the dealing of that honourable and vniuersall parlament that repraesentith vnto vs Goddes holy whole churche hauing the assured promise of the holy gostes assistance for theire giding in all truethe Yet I see before haÌ„d the aduersaries wil not admitte the iudgement of these or any other Councelles nether in suche men doo I much meruell to finde so litle humility and so muche impudencie For all haeretikes condemned by councelles did euer condemne as they coulde the same councelles againe So were the first iiij councelles whiche all Christian men with S. Gregory accepte as the holy gospelles of God All haeretikes doo condemne councels vtterly refused by the parties in theim condeÌ„ned The Arians by greate force of worldely princies and many assemblies deuilishly withstood the Councell of Nice the Macedonians reiected the councell of Constantinople the first the Nestorians nothing aestemed the councell of Ephese Eutiches and Dioscorus litle regarded the councell of Chalcedon in which they and theire folowers were condemned of haeresy for sondry pointes which nowe were ouerlonge and not for oure purpouse to reherse Then by refusing the heauenly sentence of the churches iudgement they win nothing elles but the assured marke of an haeretike They declare theime selues that as they be in haeresy as deepe as the beste so they in pride and bouldenesse The humble obedience of Catholikes to the gouernoures of Goddes Churche be not behinde the worste But all Catholikes and faithfull beleeuers as soone as they knowe the determination of suche a numbre of so well learned fathers gathered in the vnitye of goddes Churche and spirite streght way they receiue it and submit theime selues as to the iudgement and reuelation of the holy gost For so the Christian bretherne that were molested by the contentious clamors of certeine troublesome heades at Antioche being onâ—e certified by the letters of that first Christian councell what was decried â—nd enacted concerning the matters â—â—lled in quaestion they then regarded â—o more what the aduersaries thought â—herin but owt of hand Ganisi sunt suâ—r Consolatione they reioysed in that â—omforte of theire agrement And â—uffinus writeth that wheÌ„ Constanâ—â—nus the greate vnderstoode the determination of the doubtes proposed in â—he greate councell of Nire he receiued it as the oracle of God Ruffâ—n Defertur ad Constantinum sacerdotalis concilij sententia ille â—aquam a Deo prolatam veneratur the decree saith he of the priestes was shewed to Constantine and he streght withe al reuerence accepted it as goddes owne sentence And if oure aduersaâ—ies coulde learne a little humilitye they might quickly be dispatched of â— greate deale of haeresie The which as â—t first began with the conceite of singularitie and contempt of other so it procedith with maliperte bouldnesse and endeth in plaine disobedience of of the Churche of the councelles of the scriptures and goddes own spirite Whom with owt moe wordes I would nowe geue ouer vnto God hauing as I trust alredy geuen theime sufficient occasion by the euident proufe of my matter to remembre theire misery and heuy condition but that I must remoue oute of the simples
waie suche stoombling stockes as perhappes might sumwhat trouble the vnlerned who for lacke of deepe iudgement be moste subiecte to the aduersaries deceites Hovve they practise vvith the simple And with suche thus they lightely practise first by lofty lookes and highe chaleÌ„gies they crake and boste with passing bowldnes that the learned meÌ„ of the world the sage fathers of the auncieÌ„t times al the graue couÌ„celles the whole vsage of the primitiue Church Great impudency in haeretikes with plaine scripture to be on theire parte And as for the contrary teaching that it came in of late with the decay of lerning and light of truethe in these barbarous tymes when superstition and darke ignorance had wasted the doctrine of the yeares past And in this bragge they stand till som Catholike man encounter with theime By whome wheÌ„ they see theim selues so driueÌ„ from the standinge which they kept with greate glory before that they must be wholy naked and destitute in the face of the worlde of al such helpes as they accompted to haue for the owtewarde shewe of theire deceitful doctrine then in plaine wordes they confesse theire teachig not to hange on the antiquitye not on councelles not on Doctors nor on any man but on Goddes holy spirite and worde which can not deceiue theime And so at th ende the owlde vse of the primitiue churche the fathers and the generall councelles arrogantly contemned or rather vnworthely condemned marke well theire prety conceites they make then a matche betwene theime selues with goddes worde on the one partye and the doctors and fathers withe owte Goddeâ— worde The sophistry of haeretikes on the other partye Affirming that they be not bound to beleue theime but where they agree with the scriptures of God And then turning theire taulke to the simple thus they preache vnto theime by a captious and foolishe demaunde whether they thinke it more reason or conuenient to beleeue the scriptures or doctors the determinatioÌ„ of the true and liuelye worde of God or elles the decrie of a generall councel which deceitfull wreasting of the state of our quaestion somwhat troobles the vnlearned which can not perceiue herby that they betray theime selues and deface theire own dooinges in so rude a defense For who seethe not nowe that they renouÌ„ce all that helpe of Councelles and Doctors which with vauÌ„tes they clamed before whiles they impudently make a diuision or contrarietie betwixte theime and the holy scripture And we take it at theire hand as an open acknouleging of theire lacke â—her wher they praeteÌ„did greatest store The whiche thinge if they likewise woulde confesse openly in pulpit and â—n plaine wordes as they meane nothing lesse wheÌ„ they shewe the people that they were but meÌ„ that they might â—rre that they folowed the custom of the common people in their time that they are not to be receiued but where they agree with scripture and that theÌ„i selues must trie whether they be coÌ„sonant to the worde of God or no if they woulde I say with owt suche cloked wordes bouldely pronounce as Luther theyr Master did that they cared not for a huÌ„dreth Augustines or Hieroms that they aestemed not the consent of all nations that they would be tried by the iudgement of no councel that they woulde purposely ronne Contrarye to the Councels decrye in al causies that they would take that for thonely trueth which is coÌ„teined in the holy scriptures and that for scripture which theime selues thought good and last of all that for the true meaninge which agreed best to the vphoulding of errour and haeresye then woulde the people leaue these lewde masters on the plaine field which now they kepe with them one while by the praysies of the doctors and antiquitye and sumwhiles by thabasing of theime ageine and deceyt full referring all to the onely scriptures to which they saye credet may salfely be gyuen where the docters with owt daunger can not be forther followed then as they benot fownde to disagree with goddes worde So that the cause seemethe nowe to be driuen to this isshue in the eyes of thignorant whether men shoulde rather beleue the scripture or the doctors the worde of God that can not be faulse or the fathers that weere but men and therfore might erre deceiue and be deceiued But this is not the state of oure controuersie nor of any question betwixte the Catholikes and theime And that they knowe full well thoughe they craftelie cloke it with chaunge of wordes â–ª for we acknowledge most gladly that if any Doctor Prophet Apostle or Angell if it were possible preache vnto vs any thing against the word and trueth of goddes scripture that he is accursed of God and to be reiected of men But here is the stand and the point of al oure doubtes in generall note it well master protestaunt whether the auncient fathers sum of theime being in Christes time diuers of theime scholars to his apostles here lieth the doubt and diuer siti betvvixte haeretikes and Catholikes many within one hundrethe or two of yeres afterward most of theime more then a thowsand yeres since I speake of suche as we haue named in oure cause and all wonderfully learned as well in the knouledge of the secrets of goddes mysteries as the tonges all mercifully indued withe greate giftes and gracyes all exceding studious in the scriptures all hauing the same testament and written worde of god that we nowe haue all vsing meruelous diligence in the coÌ„ference of diuers placies for the true meaning and vnderstanding of the same all hauing feruent zele in teaching the christian people al at times appoynted resortinge together froÌ„ diuers partes of the world to sum one generall search in wich by humble conferens together and praier thei doubted not to obteine the spirite of truth as it was by our maister promised the question is nowe then I saie whether those holy men thus holpen by nature diligens tyme and grace be not more lyke to vnderstand the scripture theÌ„ these men wich ether lacke all these helpes or moste of theyme Secondly it foloweth there vpon whether we shoulde rather geue credit to theim affirminge purgatory and praiers for the deade to be not onely consonaÌ„t but planely proued by the scriptures or elles to oure newe aduersaries auouching these thinges to be agaynst the scripture Wherbye yow see we must not nowe reason whether we ought to beleue the doctors or the seriptures better but whether for the true sense we must not beleue the owlde fathers better then these newe fooles An ansvver to suche arguments as the haeretikes doo frame of the holy scriptures not vvell vnderstanded against the practise of Goddes Churche in praying for the deade or the doctrine of Purgatory Cap. 16. THerfore to stoppe their waye at euery turne and bicause they taulke so fast of scripture full fayne woulde I heare what scriptures they haue that make ether expressely agaynst purgatory
shal be well vnderstande to be with owte difference practised for the liue and deade together That therby we may by good reason conclude seeing sacrifice was then offered for purgation of euery light offense that it was doone for all states of persons that were ether in this lyfe or after theire death to be perfectelie clensed from the same Although the facte of Iudas Machabeus be a playne proufe that there was a common knowne ordre of sacrifice for elles howe coulde he haue conceyued any such sacrifice neuer hearde of before howe could he lymite the valewe of procurement thereof by a certaine summe for euery soule deceased howe coulde he gather in pretence of a thinge neuer vsed before the peoples almose withe owte theire murmoure or motion therein Why would he haue sent mony to Hierusalem to procure that whiche had no example in the lawe or vse in the church was he so ignoraÌ„t that he knewe not theire ordre herein or so vnwise to haue sent his monie for nothing S. Augustine Answering an haeretike Lib. 2. de Orig. Animae Cap. 11. that by thauthoritye of the facte of Iudas woulde haue prooued that by sacrifice men might be saued thoughe they died vnbaptized or in deadly sinne saithe vnto him that he is not hable to prooue that Iudas or any other in the lawe offered for his frend or any man elles being vncircuncised no more then the Church nowe practisethe for any man not baptised Wherby he plainely confessethe that the lawe had a sacrifice for the deade which beyng vrged by that heretike he might haue denied withe good helpe of his cause and answer to the aduersary but that the contrary case was so cleare not onely by that booke which he tooke for Canonicall scripture as before is proued but also by the fulle consent of all the Churche of God which bothe by plaine practise and most graue ordinaunce had from Christes time set forthe and approued the vndoubted truethe therof The conclusion of the vnhole booke vvith an admonition to the reader But here will I nowe make an ende desiring thee gentle reader with suche indifferency to weighe the dooing and dealing of bothe parties as the importaunce of the cause the loue of trueth the necessary care of thyn oweÌ„ saluation and thy duety towardes God and his Churche requireth There is none of al those pointes which the vnfaithful coÌ„tention of our miserable age hath made doubtefull in which thow maiste better beholde howe vprighte the waies of truethe and vertue be and howe pernicious double and deceitfull the dealing of haeresy is The one is vpholden by the euideÌ„t testimony of holy scripture the other mainteyneth her trayne by bowlde deniall of scriptures the one seketh with humility the mening at their mouthes whom God hathe vndoubtedly blessed with the gifte of vnderstanding and interpretatioÌ„ the other by singulare pride fowndethe her vnfaithfulnesse vpon the phantasies of lighte and lewde persons that are pufte too and fro with euery blaste of doctrine The one resteth vpon the practise of al nations the vsage of all agies and the holy woorkes both of God and maÌ„ thother holdethe wholy by contempte of oure elders flatery of the present daies and vphappy waaste of all woorkes of vertue religion and deuotion th one foloweth the gouernours and appointed pastours of oure soules whose names be blessed in heauen and earthe thother ioyneth to suche as for other horrible haeresies and wicked lyfe are condemned bothe a lyue and deade of the vertuous and can not for shame be named of theire owne scholars The one hath the warraunt of Goddes who le Church the other standeth on curse and excommunication by the grauest authority that euer was vnder God in earthe To be shorte trueth is the Churchis dearlinge haeresy must haue her mainteinauÌ„ce abrode This one holy Catholike and Apostolike Churche is it wherunto we owe all duety and obedience both by Goddes commaundement and by the bonde of oure first faith and profession There is no force of argument no probability of reason no subtelty of wit no depe compase of worldely wisdom no eloquence of man nor Angell nor any other motion that can be wrought in the world that shoulde make a man doubte of any article approued by her authority And if thow yet feare to geue ouer thy whole sense and thyne owne sellfe to so carefull a moother in whom thow wast begotten in thy better birthe compare oure Churche with theires compare her authority and theres her maiesty and theires Oures is that Church that hath borne downe hethen Princies that hathe destroyed Idolatrie that hath coÌ„uerted all nations to Christes faith that hath waded in bloude that hath liued in welth that hath bene assalted by hel by euil lyfe by haeresy and yet she staÌ„deth Take a way all this compare her constancy in doctrine with theire inconstant mutability compare the noble army of Martyrs the holy company of CoÌ„fessours the glorious trayne of so many blessed wise and learned Doctoures of many thowsand saintes that euer accompany her maiesty compare I say all these with the raskall soul diars of the contrary campe Vbicunquâ— fuerit corpus Mat. 24. illic coÌ„gregabuntur aquila I warraunt the gentle reader feare nothing for wher so euer so honorable a personage is there is the kingly company of egles Beholde her grace of miracles her workes and her wonders her authority in discipline her wisdom in gouerment her acquability in al estates and I am sure thow shallt confesse Quod dominus est in loco isto Gene. 28. ego nesciebaÌ„ Our Lord suerly is in this place and I was not aware therof For Christes loue if thowe hast folowed or yet haue any phantasy to the seuered company grope with owte flatery of thy sellfe the depthe of thyne owne conscience feele whether God hath not suffered the to faule for som sin Coom into this Church and at the same time thowe shalt be healed to thy aeternal reioysing Touche once the hemme of Christes garment adore his foutstoole cleaue vnto the alltare and if thowe â—nde not comfort of conscience ease â—f harte and light of trueth neuer creâ—et me more Proue once what is In â—orto concluso fonte signato in the garâ—en enclosed and the wellspring so suâ—ely sealed vp Cantic 4. Ioyne withe the sanctes â—n heaueÌ„ with the soules in Purgatory with the fathers of thy faithe in earthe with al holy meÌ„ both alyue and deade And thow shalt thinke thy self all ready in heauen to match with that happy and blessed felowship owte of whiche there is nether light lyfe nor any hope of saluation Merueile not that the maisters of dissension will not returne whome throughe pride of harte disobedience to Goddes Church and willfull withstanding the knowne trueth by the heuy hande of Goddes vnsercheable iudgement we see to be stricken withe blindnesse of minde and exceding darkenesse of vnderstandinge Learne to feare God betyme
that was coÌ„mon in all Churchies as partly is and yet shall be better declared anone The which her worthy wll her sonne Augustine so allowethe that he setteth it forthe in the ninth of his confessioÌ„s to her aeternal memorie in these wordes My mother saieth he when the day of her passing hense was nowe at hande much regarded not howe her body might curiously be couered or with costly spiceis powdered nether did she counte vpoÌ„ any gorgious tumbe or sepulchre Note the vvhole History and feare not to folovv it these thinges she charged vs not will all But her whole and onely desire was that a memory might be kept for her at thy holy altare good Lorde at which she missed no day to serue the where she knewe the holy hoste was bestowed by which the bonde obligatory that was ageinst vs was cancelled Marke good reader as we go by the waie what that is which in the blessed sacrifice of thaultare is offered howe cleare a confession this man and his moother doo make of theire faithe and the Churchies belife concerning the blessed host of our daily oblation behoulde that weemen in those daies knewe by the grounde of theire constante faith that which our superintendents in theire incredulity nowe a daies can not confesse CoÌ„sider howe carefull all vertuous people were in the primityue Church bothe lerned and simple as to be present at the altare in they re lyfe time so after theire death to be remembred at the same Whose woorthy indeuours as often as I consider and often truely I doo consider theyme I can not but lament our contrary affection which can nether abyde the sacrifice the hoste nor the altare in oure daies and therfore can looke for no benefite therby after the day of oure deathe once coom vpon vs as oure fore fathers bothe looked for and oute of doubt had But leauing the peculiare consideration of suche thinges to the good and well disposed let vs go forwarde in the fathers pathes and see whether this so well lerned a clerk counted this zele of his oulde moother blinde deuotion as we brutes thinke of oure fathers holynesse now a daies For which matter we shall find The cursed ChaÌ„ hathe many children in oure daies that first eueÌ„ as she desired the sacrifice of the masse was offered for her not onely for thaccomplishent of her godly request but bicause the Church of god did that office for al that was departed in Christe as we reade in sundry placies of this maÌ„nes workes and as in the same booke of confessions he thus declareth and testifieth I leaue the Latine because the treatise growes to greater lengthe then I was aware of at the beginning yf I corrupte the meaning or intent of the writer let my aduersaries take it for an aduauntage thus he saith therfore Nether did I weepe in the tyme of the praiers wheÌ„ the sacrifice of our price was offered for her nor yet afterwarde when we weere at oure praiers lykewise the corps standing at the graue side c. Cap. 13. Lib. 9. vltimo Wherby euery reasonable man must needes acknouledge that bothe praiers and sacrifice was made for her as her meanig and godly request was before her passage she being thus therfore broght home with supplication and sacrifice solemnely Maister Grindall looke in youre grammer vvhat figure S. Augustine vsed here was not yet forgotten of her happy childe But afterwarde he thus very deuoutly maketh intercession for her quiett reste Nowe I call vpon the gratious Lorde for my deare moothers offensies geue eare vnto me for his sake that was the sallue for oure sinnes and was hanged vpon the crosse who sittethe on the right haÌ„d of God and makethe intercession for vs. I knowe she wroght mercyfully and forgaue those that did offend her and nowe good God pardoÌ„ her of her offensies which she by any meanes after her baptisme committed forgeue her mercifull god forgeue her I humbly for Christes sake pray the and entre not into iudgemeÌ„t with her but let thy mercy passe thy iustice bicause thy wordes are true and hast promised mercy to the mercifull And in the same chapter a little afterwarde he thus bothe praieth him selfe for her and ernestly inuitethe other men to do the same in these wordes Inspire my lord God inspire thy seruantes my bretherne thy children and my masters whome withe will worde and penne I serue that as many as shall reade these may remembre at thyne altare thy hand mayden Monica And her laite husband Patricius throughe whose bodies thowe broght me into this liefe and worlde Thus was that holy matrone by her good childe made partaker after her deathe of the thing which she most desired in her liefe And him selfe afterwarde in his owne see of Hippo in Aphrick had sacrifice saide for him at his departure though the day of his deathe fell at the pityfull hauocke which the Vandalles kâ—pt being Arians in those parties coÌ„maunding the christian Catholikes to be buried with owt seruice as I saide before This blessed Bishop departing owt of this liefe in the besiege of his owne Citye had notwithstanding oblation for his rest as Possidonius writing his life Possidonius in vita August and praesent at his passage dooth testifie Augustinus meÌ„bris omnibus sui corporis incolumis integro aspectu atque auditu nobis astantibus videntibus ac cum eo pariter orantibus obdormiuit in pace cuÌ„ patribus suis enutritus in bona senectute nobis corà m positis pro eius commendanda corporis depositione sacrificium deo oblatum est sepultus est Augustine saith he being sownde in his limmes nether his sight nor hearing failing him I being then praesent and in his sight and praying together with him departed this worlde in peaâ—e vnto his elders being continued till a fare age And so we being praesent the sacrifice for the commendacion of his rest was offered vnto God first and streght vpon that was he buried Thus lo all these fathers taughte thus they practised thus they liued and thus they died none was saued then but in this faithe lett no man looke to be saued in any other nowe That vve and all nations receyued this vsage of praing and sacrificing for the departed at our first conuersion to Christes faithe And that this article vvas not onely confirmed by miracle amongest the rest but seuerally by signes and vvoonders approued by it sellfe An that the Church is grovvne to suche beauty by the fructes of this faithe Cap. 10. MAny moe examples of these matters might be broght oute of S. Gregorye diuerse owte of Damascene enowe out of what writer so euer yowe lyke best such choise we haue in so good a cause wherof euery mannes workes are full But I wil passe ouer the rest that I may onely reporte one history owte of our own Church in the pure spring wherof the apostolick faith abundantly isshued downe from the