canon which was made But yet at this day that errour continueth among the Bohemians and Morauians the which yet neuerthelesse the Papists themselues doe not allow no more then that which S. Cyprian Origene did which did distribute the supper vnto young children when their fathers and mothers brought them in their armes in comming to communicate the same And they gaue vnto them not onely the breade but also the cup. Now let vs thinke if already such errors were about the sacraments in that time there what may chaunce afterwards For Cyprian reigned about the yeare after the death and passion of Iesus Christ two hundreth and fiftie Those worthy men would not haue so much attributed vnto the Sacraments if they had not so much taken to the rigor and to the letter the words of Iesus Christ Of the like beginning came vp the error of those which estéemed thought the he which after that he was baptised hauing once receiued the supper could neuer be damned or at the least should be once delyuered from damnation bicause that Iesus Christ hath said I am that liuing bread that came downe from heauen if anyman eate of this bread hée shall liue for euer They vrge vpon the letter said that Iesus Christ could not lye which hath promised the same Yet neuertheles Sainct Augustine rebuketh confuteth their errour Beholde y absurdities into which men do fall for fault of wel examining the Scriptures when they doe take them according to the rigor of the letter For whosoeuer wil according to the opinion which the Papistes haue of the Sacrament of the alter take litterally y which Iesus Christ said of eating of his flesh drinking his bloud there is no doubt but that we shall be constrayned to confesse that all those which haue once taken the supper are all saued and y all those which shall not once receiue it are all damned And so it shal be no lesse requisite to giue y supper vnto the young childrē to giue power vnto womē to giue it them then y baptisme they y would take the words those matters by y rigor And therfore for to retourne to the place by thée alledged by the absurdities which should follow of thy expositiō the which do repugne against the grace of Iesus Christ as I haue declared vnto thee thou maist wel know that we must not vnderstand that place after that manner as thou doest expounde it For Iesus Christ speaketh not in that place there of visible baptisme nor of his institution But speaketh of the regeneration of man and sheweth what thing he must haue for to be a Christian to wit that it is necessary that he doe renounce forsake his first generation natiuitie which is altogether corrupted and cursed and that he be regenerated by the spirit of God and thorowe the incorruptible séede of his woorde insomuch that he is made a newe creature bearinge the Image of Iesus Christ the true celestiall Adam euen as hée hath borne that of the olde and terrestriall Adam And therefore hath hée sayd Except a man be borne from aboue or a new be cannot sée the kingdome of god And after he expoundeth it by the other proposition following which signifieth none other thing then that which hée hath already sayd before For to be borne from aboue or to bée borne againe and to be borne of water and the holy Ghost are equiualent manners of speakings And the two propositions of Iesus Christ are equipolent y one to the other ther is none other difference sauing that y last is more ample and expoundeth the first For sith that our first natiuitie is carnal it must be y the second be spirituall Sith that the first man is of the earth earthly it is requisite that the second which is from heauen be heauenly and spirituall Now that regeneration transformation cannot be made but by the spirite of god For as it is written in that same place That which is borne of the flesh is flesh That that is borne of the spirit is spirit And therefore Iesus Christ willing to expoūd vnto Nicodemus y which he had said before Except y a man be borne frō aboue or a new he cannot see the kingdome of God Afterwardes saith which shall not bée borne of water and the holy Ghost bicause that the holy Ghost author of that regeneration is giuen from aboue which worketh a secōd natiuitie in vs which is celestiall and spirituall Eusebius But what néeded it to adde the water was it not sufficient to name the holy Ghost Theophilus Wherefore hath Iohn Baptist sayd speaking of the ministry of Iesus Christ That he would baptise with the holye Ghoste and with fire what néeded it sith that he named the holy Ghost to adde vnto it the fire Shall it be therefore necessary to constitute a baptisme of the fire as some do say that some Christians which are amongst y Indians Aethiopians Persians do who for that cause did vse the fire for baptisme of the fire Eusebius One may well perceiue there that Sainct Iohn taketh the fire by a Metaphore and that he vnderstandeth no other thing by the fire then the holy Ghost of whom he hath already spokē the better to expound the nature of the same for as the fire is pure cleane and cannot suffer any spot or filth but purgeth maketh cleane illuminateth the consciences enflameth them to the loue of god For which cause he was sent vnto y Apostles in y liknes of tongues of fire the which S. Iohn did foresée forespeak off vsing such wordes Theophilus Thy exposition doth please me very much Wherefore if thou makest it no difficultie to take in that place the fire for the spirit of God for more ample expositiō of his nature properties wherfore oughtest thou to make a doubt to take y water in that place for that same signification séeing y agréeing y the water hath with the nature of y holy Ghost For there is no lesse reason but a great deale more appearance For Sainct Iohn putteth the holy Ghost first the fire afterwards Wherfore it séemeth either that he vnderstandeth two thinges seperated or that he expoundeth the thing more cléere by a more darker thing Although that thy aunswere doth sufficiently satisfye that obiection But in that place Iesus Christ putteth y water first afterwards as if hée would expound his Metaphore and comparison and giue vnto it more greater brightnesse he declareth what he would signifie by that water to wit the holy Ghost vnto whom he giueth that name for many causes First bicause that as the fire is an element meruailous pure and cleane and so necessary vnto mans life that it is impossible for men to lack it so is it of y water the which is also by nature cléere pure and
Antipapes of the churche of Iesus Christ true lawful Popes of y of Antichrist y which hath not onely of trepasse but also passed repassed trepassed which neuer shall finde rest For they must firste passe into Purgatory after repasse for to put them out againe to passe all ouer for to put them in the Popes paradise But as slowly as they can when they can gette no more money Wherefore it must needes be y there are lakes ryuers at the least insomuch as y Poets doe declare it sith that we must so much passe and repasse Thomas But how can y fire water agrée together if there are so many riuers deepe waters it seemeth to me y it is great folly to cast y holy water vpoÌ„ y graues vpoÌ„ y dead sith that they haue such slore below with them If I were below in Durgatory within that fire which is so hot burning I would finde the meanes if it were possible to get me neere vnto those riuers would plunge my selfe therein as a Ducke and a Coote Hillarius I would not that the Priests should sing pray for mee that I might be deliuered from y deepe lake for I had rather to be a fish and to dwell therein alwaies Thomas Thou cause be no better at thine ease For thou shalt be alwayes in the fresh water and maist drinck when thon wilt Hillarius That should be a goodly pastime for y drunckardes if those slouds were of wine for those that dwell vpon the mountaines if it were of milke as in the time of Saturne and in the time of the golden Age if the witnesse of the Poets be true But I rather feare that those are not alwaies that as the Poets haue sayd and that one cannot alwaies attribute vnto them their auncient names Although that the Pope raigneth there in stéede of Pluto For the one is called Lethe y is to say obliuion An other Acheron that is to say without Ioy An other Stix that is to say sadnesse An other Cocytus that is to say mourning and lamentation An other Phlegeton that is to saye heate Now what other thing can there be in the Popes Purgatory if it be such as they haue described vnto vs I finde it in nothing to differ from the Poeticall hels Wherfore they doe no great wrong if they do sing Deliuer them from the déepe lake and from the Lyons mouth Syth that that roaring Lyon is there it must of force bée that it is hell But they fayle in this that they haue not directed their prayer vnto the Pope and hys which haue caste the soules therein and holde them there and not vnto Iesus Christ who handeleth not so cruelly those of his faythfull seruauntes But truely those which wyll not drincke of the fountaine ef life of our Sauiour Iesâ—s and of hys goodlye swéete riuers which are more sweeter then either wine or milke are well worthy to drincke of those bile and stincking papisticall Cesterns and to be plunged and drowned in those pits and infernall lakes and to lyue in the yron Age. Eusebius Thou blamest the Sophisters but I neuer sawe a greater Sophister nor greater slaunderer When the Priests doe pray that Iesus Christe woulde delyuer the soules from the déepe lake is it not easie to be vnderstanded that they speake not of a lake full of water but that woorde is taken by translation and comparison for to declare and shew foorth y depth of y miseries in which sinne leadeth the poore sinners Theophilus But hath not Iesus Christ thorow y bloud of his testament deliuered all the true Christians from those broken pits that wyll holde no water euen as he hath brought the children of Israell from the bottome of their captiuitie and misery accordinge to the prophesie of Zachary dost thou thincke that Zachary hath lyed Hillarius Thou doest call me sophister and slaunderer but if thou finde that that I do say so straunge I would gladly knowe of thée out of what floud came the soule which the fishermen of the Byshop Tibaud dyd take in a net in steede of a fish Thomas Truely I now perceiue that thou doest mocke men too plainely Hillarius If I mocke thou must then impute the fault to that great Doctour Barleta of the order of the preaching Fryers who hath written that goodly example in his Sermon that he made of the paines of Purgatorye and sayde moreouer that the fisher men dyd bring that net vnto the Byshop vnto whom the soule cryed Praye for me in thy masses to whom the Byshop demaunded what art thou the soule aunswered I am a soule that haue accomplished héere my penaunce And as soone as he had caused a trentall of Masses to be song for it it was deliuered from hir paines Now what doest thou thincke how was that soule brought thether I can coniecture none otherwise but that it did swim bpon the top of the water as the Troutes Salmons and Eles many otheâ— fishes doo which go against the swéet water and do depart from the sea and lakes for to enter into the riuers For I doubt not but that there is stinckinge mudde myre and durte in those papisticall lakes and that the water is verye muche corrupted salt and bytter wherefore I am not much estonished if that the soules haue such great desire to depart out of those stincking Cesterns for to refresh themselues and to drawe of the water in the sountaines of our sauiour Iesus Christ and in those plesaunt riuers and flouds of that delicious and pleasaunt garden wherein the golden age continueth for euer and of that goodly Paradyse the whiche God hathe planted and in the myddest of which hée hath sette the trée of life for to make vs pertakers of his immortalitie And as for mée whatsoeuer Sophister thou call mée yet I coulde not gyue better solucion to my question nor I knowe not whether in Sorbonne one myght finde a more fitter But leaste thou shouldest not thincke that I doe speake wythout authoritie I wyll alledge vnto thée the wytnesse of the Poets and the same of Cicero who alledgeth that he fauoureth greatly the history of Barleta and the exposition that I haue made vppon the same Marke then the horrible and sharpe verses that those soules which departed from hell did speake as some man hath translated it into our tongue From the infernall lake I came and grisly goulfe of hell Where soules in fire brimstone plungd in endlesse tromeÌ„ts dwell Thus hauing passed Acheron that foule and stincking sloud And eke escaped Gerberus the dog that is so woode Vpon the sharpe rockes creepe I must and doe by penaunce so Till time I haue sulfilde the same in pangs of paine and vvo Thou doest heare the language that the same soule did speake although that Cicero did mocke of those fictions and of such a
heape of fooles who demaunded a forme shape of the soules and did thincke that they did retourne Upon which he saith From thence by his accompt the lake of Auernus is not farre off from whence some do saye that the soules doe come in a blacke shadow after that the gate of Acheron is opened and that from thence came foorth the Images and figures of the dead men with false bloude Notwythstandinge the same they woulde that those Images and visions shoulde speake the which they cannot doe without a tongue mouth and throate or wythout strength figure of lyuer ribs And although they sée nothing by apprehension of vnderstāding they would y those figures of the dead should be represented before their eies Although y Cicero rebuked y opiniō of those yet neuerthelesse they do not accord very euil with y theology of your Doctours Wherefore thou oughtest to coutent thy selfe with my solution or if thou wilt haue a better propound the question in Sorbonne and if the Doctors cannot absolue it let them condemne the bookes of Barleta and of other lyke dreamers forbid the Moonkes to reade their Sermons full of blasphemy rather then the holy Scriptures and the bookes that they iudge to be full of heresies onely bycause that they doo contayne truth and which condemne their abuse Theophilus They will not doe so For the other do cause the water to come better to their mil. Moses witnesseth that Pyson the one of the foure flouds of the terrestryall Paradise bringeth golde with his waues But those will haue nothing to doe with the flouds of Paradise nor of the golde that they bringe which is a great deale more precious then that which they drawe from their internal flouds the which they preferre before those bicause of the greate riches and treasures that they drawe there out Hillarius There is no Prince vpon the earth whiche getteth or draweth so much out of the flouds nor mines as they haue That is none of the golde which Tagus the floud of Portingale bringeth with his sandes Or Pactolus of Lydia Or Ganges of India Or Hebrus of Thracia Or Padus of Italy Or Orcus whiche is in the country of Taurine in Piedmont All the golde that those flouds haue is nothing in comparisō of that that they catch in their internall floudes which cause the whéeles of their Mill to turne about very well In very déede they haue an Orcus which is more fertile in golde then that of Piedmont And the name agréeth with it very well For Orcus signifieth hell from whence those flouds arise whiche cannot ioyne themselues with those flouds of the terrestryall Paradise no more then Eurotos with Peneus that goodly floude of Thessaly which cannot abide nor suffer that the execrable waters of that stincking floud engendred wyth paines and torments should be mingled wyth his siluer flouds But they must swimme aboue him as Oyle and after the he hath carryed him a little he driueth him farre from him Theophilus Those héere would as well mingle the waters of their stincking Cesterns with the water of life But it agréeth not together For Iesus Christe cannot abide nor suffer that but casteth it farre from him Wherfore I doubt verye much that as he hath already kindled his fire which hath burned Purgatory that he will also repulse those riuers and lakes and that he will cause them that they shall not swell ouer as a flud doth his waters for to quench and put out that little fire which shall be there left Hillarius they ought a great deale more to feare that flud then the drowning and ouerflowing of Tiber whiche was like to haue drowned Rome For when it runneth ouer it will carry away both the castle of Sainct Ange the Pope and his Popedome and all the Romish Babilon Wherefore it is no meruaile though they feare those euangelicall waters and endeuour themselues to keepe their filthy internall puddles and infectious and stincking welles For that is all the force and riches of their kingdome The flud Nilus which ouerfloweth the land of Aegypt which maketh their fields fruitful and fat and bringeth vnto them great aboundance and increase of wheate and other corne by the mudde filth fat ground dunge and fatnesse that it bringeth with it is not so fertile nor profitable vnto the Aegyptians which inhabit in the land of Aegypt as vnto vs new Aegyptians Wherefore if the Aegyptians take such paine about their flud Nilus and haue their Nilometres that is to say the mesurers of the flud Nilus which haue the charge to measure it for to know whether it encrease much or little we must not be estonished if those heere doe so trauayle after theirs Thomas Wherefore doe they that Hillarius Bicause that if that Nilus do not encrease but twelue cubytes then they haue the famine in Aegypt bycause that if all their groundes are not watred and moysted through the ouerflowinge of the same those whiche are not couered are as the sande and wyll brynge foorth no fruite For it rayneth not in Summer and all their felicitie and riches dependeth vpon Nilus As Moses declared vnto the Israelites comparinge Aegypt vnto the lande of Canaan If the floud Nilus arise vppe xiif cubites yet there shall be tamishment in Aegypt If it encrease xiiif cubites it bringeth ioye if xv it bringeth assurednesse if it encrease xvf. cubites it bringeth delightes and pleasures For they haue such store and aboundaunce of corue and other goodes that all is plentifull On the contrarye if it encrease aboue measure they cannot sowe bicause that the water tarryeth so longe that the earth wyll not bée drye to bée tylled But when it encreaseth by measure they make greate chéere takynge care for nothinge and therefore they haue those Nilometres whiche measure the hyght and depth of those waters and if they knowe that it aryseth not hygh ynoughe for to water all the earthe they make it to be knowen through out all the Townes and Cyties afterwardes euery one maketh dykes and trenches for to make it the easier to runne all abrode If they knowe to the contrary that it wyll swell and ryse vp to hye and that throughe hys greate aboundaunce of hys waters it wyll let and hynder to sowe and tyll the earth they make greate rampers and walles rounde aboute it for to kéepe it in and to cause it to runne more slowelye Nowe therefore doubte not but that our Aegyptians are as wyse in their generations and that they knowe as well that practise for to prouide and foresee to theire Niles and flouddes whiche cause the water to come to theire Milles from which all their fertilities and ryches do procéede and wyth which they fishe and catche the goulde of which yet neuerthelesse they can neuer be satisfied For they are as a goulfe of the sea in which these ryuers dooe emptie
sing the daye of the feaste of Candlemas as it is contayned in the Pissell not that I will recyte word for word all their blessing but onely the principall points for to proue our meaning by the which thou maist iudge of the rest They sing unto God we hubly besech thee that thorow the muecation of thy holy name and by the intercession of the holy uirgin Mary the mother of thy sonne whose feast this day we deuoutely celebrate by the prayers of al thy Saincts that it would please thee to blesse and sanctifie these candles for the use of man and the health of the soules and bodies bee it in the earth or in the waters Beholde their owne proper wordes rehearsed truely worde for worde Where haue they founde that the Candels do serue for the health of the soules and bodies and that they haue any other use theu for to giue light unto the corporall eyes but in the bookes of the Panims But by and afferwards they do say worse Parke then their wordes O Lord Iesus Christ we humbly beseche thee to blesse this creature of war and shead soorth in the same thy heauenly blessing by the vertue of the holy Crosse to the ende that as thou hast guien it unto makinde for to put driue away the darknes it may recelue such force and benediction by the signe of thy holy crosse in what place soeuer it shall be lighted or set that that wicked diuell may flee and tremble and auoyd altogether amased and made a fraide with all his ministers from those habitations and that hée presume no more to trouble those which do serue god And by and by after there is yet more Ido blesse thee thou creature of war in the name of our Lorde God and of the holy Trinitie to the ende thou mayst be the extermination and driuing away of the Diuell and all his complises What mockery is this must the name of GOD bee so abused in Charmes and Witchecraftes For wherein doe these benedictions and blessings dyffer from the charmes and coniuratyons of sorcerers and witches aswell as the Exorcisme and adiuration of their holy water and Salte whiche they put into it What doeth that Exorcisine and adiuration signiste I exercise and adiure thee thou Creature of Salte by the liuing GOD by the true GOD by the holy GOD by the GOD which comnaunded that thou shouldest bee put into the water by the Prophet Eliseus for to heale the sterilitie and barrennes of the waters to the ende thou be made an adiured Salt to the health of them that beleeue to the ende that thou mayst be unto all those which will take thée health of soule and bodye and that all fantasie malyce dsuhtyle crafte of the diuell maye auoyde and depart from the place where thou shalt bee sheade abrcade and all vncleane spirite adiured by him which shall iudge the quicke and the dead and the world with fire Hillarius Thou wilt make vs here by and by holye water Sith that thou hast made the Exorcisine sing nowe the Oremus Theophilus There are no lesse blasphemics in it But sith that thou wilt haue it thou shalt O eternall God altogether mightie we humbly innocate and call vpon thy infinite clemency that it would please thée to blesse †and sanctifie †this creature of Salt the which thou hast giuē for the vse of mankinde to the ende that it may bée vnto all those which will take it helth of soule and body and that all that which shalbée touched with the same or sprinkled should bee without any filth and all the assault and cembat of the spirituall enemie Hillarius I haue heard many Priesses who in stéed to say Careatomni immundicia doe say Careat omni mundicia But they do vse the figure whiche the Gramarians do call Apheresis or for to speake better the figure called the ignoraunce of the Gramer I doe verelye thincke that all that whiche they sprinckle abideth well according to the prayer that they make wythout cleanenesse Wherefore those whom they doe sprinckle when they make their great Asperges me maye very well saye as Valentinian sayde who was the chiefe Captayne in the Courte of Iuhan the Apostate but yet neuerthelesse a good Christian and afterwardes chosen Emperour Thomas What sayd he Hillarius At a certeyne time as lulian entered into the Temple of Fortune and that on both the sides of the doores the ministers and Priests of the Temple were who accordinge as they made men to vnderstand thorow that sprinckling of that water did purge those that did enter in after the same manner as cur priests doe yet at thys daye to those whiche doe enter or goe foorth of the church Valentinian who did goe before lulian the Prince espyed a droppe of that water which had bene shed vppon his cloake for which he was very angry insomuch that he gaue a Priest Minister of the temple a great stroke with his fist saying Thou hast defiled mée not purged mée Hée had as much good reason as Diogenes who at a certeine time béeing entered into a filthy stincking bath sayde Those which doe bathe and wash themselues héere wher doe they wash them Letting therby to vnderstand that those which bathe and wash them in those bathes come foorth more filthy then they were before they entered and that they haue more neede to bée washed then before for they haue gathered nothinge but filthynesse But this Apothegme and sentence neuer agréed better then with our Priestes whiche defile all those which goe vnto them howe cleane soeuer they be But thou halt yet adiured and coniured but the salt Yet remaineth the water Theophilus They do blaspheme yet moreouer For they pray that it may be adiured and coniured for to driue away all the power of the enemie and to teare and pluck vp the enemies themselues with all his apostate Angels and for to drwe away the Diuels and diseases and that all that which shall be sprickneled with it either in the houses or in the place of the faythfull shoulde bée wythout spot or hurt that the spirite of pestilence doe not remaine and rest there nor the infectious windes nor aire that al vncleane spirites and the terrour of the venomous Serpent and all the assaultes and ambusshes of the euemye and all euill bée altogether driuen away To conclude they require that it maye doe all thinges And so by that meanes wée shall haue no more néede of Iesus Christ The Candles the Ware the Salt and the Water wyll doe all Eusebius You speake very euyll For you maye well perceiue howe they yraye vnto God that hée woulde giue vnto them that vertue by his sonne Iesus Christ whō they acknowledge to be the authour of all good things Theophilus If they acknowledge him for such a one what néede haue they then of War Salt and Water for to obtaine of him the goods which are
or touching them as the son of y Centurion But euen as thereby hée woulde declare that al procéeded from his vertue and power not of the creatures Also sometime hée vsed them for to let vs to vnderstande that when hée woulde they shoulde serue hée gaue them such vertue and propertie as it pleaseth him for to learne vs that wée ought not to despise the meanes that hée hath gyuen vnto vs how vile soeuer our reason iudgeth them to bée For whatsoeuer they may bée so that hee hath ordeined them and that wée haue hys promise wée muste not doubt but by them hée doth that which hée hath promysed Therefore hée hath taken thinges which had not of their owne nature the vertue to bringe to passe those effectes to whiche they haue bene applyed that all men might knowe that from hym onely procéeded the vertue and not of any ordinary or naturall cause But these miraculous woorkes are nothinge at all lyke vnto those which our Priestes doe and theire ceremonies haue not such promises If by that they could remedy she corrupt waters as Eliseus did we will acknowledge the gyft to woorke myracles to bée in them which was in Eliseus But to what ende serueth the salt in the water Hillarius To what ende serueth it to bée put into the mouthes of the little children when they baptize them Theophilus As much as their spittle profited the infants béeing put into their mouthes vppon the tongue and vppon the eares Hillarius Mée thinckes that I doe see Apes which would counterfet al y woorkes of Iesus Christ At the least wise all their dooings are as those of the Apes which doth but little and yet euill If they could by their spittle make the little children and those that are dumme speake or make the blinde sée and the deafe heare I would counsaile them to vse it often But if I had a little childe I would not haue that such swinish pockie Merchaunts as are among them should breath ouer his face nor put their spittle in his mouth They doe call their salt y salt of wisdome And in stéed to season vs to make vs wise through the salt of the woord of God They salt vs in the throat at the baptisme I thincke that they feared y the wine would not abide drincking that we should not be good bibbers Wherefore they would season vs in good time I beléeue that they greatly feared least we should become Turkes and least we should cast vp the wine if they salted not wel the throate as men doe vnto their shéepe If they coulde with their salt make the fooles to become wise I woulde thinck it good to salt al the foolish people as men do salt the fat larde throughout all the body not onely in the throat Thomas I would not giue y counsaile For then the salt would ware very déere if Saloman hath said true wryting that the number of the fooles are infinit Hlilarius Thy reason is good For y inconuenience which thou speakest off would follow and an other more greater To wéet that S. Maturyn who healed the fooles should loose his occupation Besios that I beléeue that the salt although there be great quantitie store of it wil not much profit y soules when the Priestes doe mingle them with the Water For the disease is very incurable But for to retourne to our Priests I doo beléeue that of that salt Water they would make such potage for the soules as my Mother did once make for hir selfe for me my little brother which were not much aboue twelue or xiij yeares of age without putting into it eitheir Oile or Butter bicause that she would haue vs to fast with hir with bread water For if ther had bene any fatnesse in the broth or potage it had not bene a perfect fast If it bée so our Priests on this side the sea which dwell farre from it should haue better coulour cause to salt season the water then those y dwell hard by it For if they would make potage for the soules they shall finde inough of such sodden Water in the sea they shall not néede to seeke after the example of Eliseus for to make him their Authour For he was neuer such a Cooke But they must giue the honour of that inuētion vnto Pope Alexander the first of that name For if they will purge the dead through water I woulde gyue them counsaile rather to wash them altogether with hotte Water as the Panims dyd theirs and call that washing the last bath or washing euen as our Priests doo call their last an cling or vnction the latter Sacrament In which they doe héerein differ from the Panims that they anoynted men a lyttle before they dye the Panims anointed them afterwardes Wherefore their vnction was a little more latter But least you should thincke that I speake wythout authoritie as many Diuines and Preachers doe when they doo preache their owne fables and dreames I will bring out first for mine Authours that auncient Poet Ennius saying When death vvith dreadfull dart bereft king Tarquin of his life His body vvasht and nointed vvas by handes of his ovvne vvife And Virgile speakinge of the burninge of Misenus sayth Some brought the Water vvarme in Caudrōs hot they set in flowre The body colde they vvash a precious ointment on they powre If the water could any thing profite the deade it were better to make for them a great bath to plunge all their body in a great tub of Water and to wash them well for a good space then to sprinckle them so little For me séemeth that that manner of dooing is more proper for to kindle the fire of Purgatory if the Water doth descend thether then for to quench it And the same I wyll proue by authoritie and by examdle I wyll first proue it by the authoritie of many good Phisitions which say that when a man is very drie for want of drincke it is better for him to drincke a good draught at once then to sippe often For that same doth not quenche the heate that is in the body but kindleth it the more And to the ende that it doe not séeme that they speake that wythout reason they doe also alleadge the example of the Smythes the which I will bring foorth for my seconde argument which is infallible inasmuch as it is alwayes confirmed by experience For wée sée that when they woulde haue their coales burne well and to giue great heat they sprinckle thē with water which they haue alwayes ready wyth a little sprinckle or besome as the Priestes haue them in their holy water stocke There is yet an other reason for which I doe finde the manner of the Panims better and more lowable bicause that at the leastwise that shall serue for the dead for to proue whether
they bée dead or not For it chaunceth oftentimes through some disease that the spirite is so locked and enclosed in the body that man loseth altogether his breath in such sort that one can by no meanes perceiue it but iudgeth him to bée dead and so hée is deceiued By that meanes sometimes some haue bene buryed quicke The which thing ought very much to bée feared in all suffocations and chokings and chiefly of the matrice of women and also in the time of the pestilence or plague wherein many times it hath bene found that they haue brought to bée buryed those who were found aliue Wherefore it is not méete to bury any dead body to sodeine especially when hée dyeth sodeinly For y may very well sometime happen vnto man which we haue proued in some beastes namely in the Dormouse which haue bene found so fast of sléepe in the Winter that it is not possible to awake them As it hath ben many times proued in some of them who although they were cut a sunder in the middle did not wag nor stur vntill such time as they are put into hot sething water And to that ende and pourpose many Historiographers and namely Pliny maketh mention of one Attilius Auiola Lucius Lamia that after that their bodies were cast vpon the woode for to be burned after the custome of the auncient Romaines did stand right vp when they felt the heate of the fire and there taried stil For none could succour helpe them bicause y fire was kindled about them but were burned all aliue Thomas Those haue no néed to go into purgatory For they haue ben purged inough alredy Hillarius For y cause y panims dyd not burne the bodyes of those that dyed incontinently but kept them seauen dayes and washed them in hot water and bewayled and lamented them with a loude voyce many times as we doe vnto those that doe sounde or faynt when any fayntnesse of heart hath taken them And after when they haue bewayled them the last time they doe burne them the eight day and the nynthe day they bury their ashes For that cause doe they also celebrate the nyne dayes feaste for the soule of the dead Thomas If that which you speake off be true we do but a lyttle differ from them For our priests doe cry after them with so loud a voyce that if they be not deafe or altogether dead they would awake Hillarius There is no difference but that we are more foolish more mad then the Panims For the Panims do not crye after the dead but vntill they are burned and their ashes buryed But our Priestes doe crye after them ouer their Tombes and Sepulchers twentie thirtie fortie yea a hundreth yeares after their death and although they are altogether consumed to duste But I finde them a greate deale wiser and better aduised in that matter for that they doe sprinkle theire Sepulchers with water onely and not with wine as the Panims that did shed out great aboundaunce of wine and milke vppon the Sepulchers and more lyberally then those doe the holy water Thomas They were very fooles doe they thinke that that wine descendeth into Purgatory for to giue drincke to the soules of the dead or the bodyes that were in the Sepulchers HIllarius We are asmuch fooles if we do thinke that the holye water wherewith we sprinkle the Sepulchers and Churchyards doth descend into Purgatory for to quench and put out the fire For when the priest maketh his Asperges in the Masse and in casting the holy water vppon the people if he doe sée any that putteth not off his cappe or bonet for to receiue that holy coniured and charmed water he cryeth out vppon him and calleth him Lutherian and Hereticke Neuerthelesse if their holy water had such strength to penetrate and goe thorow into Purgatory it is meruayle if it cannot aswell pearce and goe thorow a cappe or bonet without putting it of the head Thomas From whence thinke you that that manner to sprinkle the Scpulchers with water did first come Hillarius Truly I know not excepte it be done in stéede that as the Panims after the burninge did sprinkle with water all those that were there present for to purifie them from the pollution and filth that they might receiue in approching nigh the dead with which they did thinke themselues defiled And in stéede that the Panims did purifie those that be alyue our Priestes will purifie those that bée dead and when they are vppon the earthe and vnder the earthe Or peraduenture that custome first came or tooke his beginninge for that the Panims did decke and beautifie their Sepulchers with goodly flowers Afterwards they sprinkeled them with water to make them continue the longer fresh and swéete The which is vsed at this day in the country of Bigore in the Citie of Bagnieres hard by the hills Pyrenes And amonge some other Christians aswel in Almaigne as in other countryes who doe put hats or garlands of flowers eyther of Baye or of Iuye within the béere vnder the body of the dead bicause they should kéepe a long time their verdure and swéetnesse But bicause peraduenture you may desire the witnesse of all these things which I haue now declared vnto you of the Panims I would y you should heare theÌ„ speake themselues as already before we haue done it translating word for woorde their Latine verse into Englishe rime to the end that they may kéepe the better their stile Marke well then the Prince and chiefe of the Poets touching the cryes and lamentations that they make after the dead speaking after this manner of the burying of Polidorus And holy bloud in basins brought we poure and last of all We shright and on his soule our last with great cryes out wee call And as touching the effusion of the wine the sprincklyng of the water and of flowers the which he hath comprised altogether marke what he sayth at the funeralls of Misenus â—Hen falne his sinders were and longer blase did not endure His reliques remaine of dust with wines they washed pure Then Choryney his bones in brasen coffin bright did close And sprinklyng vvater pure about his mates three times he goes And drops of sacred devv with Olyue palmes on them did shake And compasse blest them all and sentence last he sadly spake To fields of ioy thy soule and endelesse rest we doe betake And in an other place speaking of the Anniuersary that Aeneas did for his father Anchises sayth â—E from the counsel came with thousaÌ„ds thick in mightie throÌ„g Vnto his fathers tom be in mids of all his Princes strong Two bowles of blessed vvine in solemn guise he cast on grouÌ„d And milke in basins tvvayne about the tombe he poured round And tvvayne of sacred bloud then all the graue he spred layd With flovvres of purple hevves and thus at last
receiues And some dovvn thrusting throvves from the sande restraining Aeneas then for of this great tumult he meruaâ—lde sore vveiues O virgin tell 〈◊〉 he vvhat meanes this busie great vprore What seeke they thus vvhy to this vvater banke rome they so fast Wherefore be these reiect and yonder those their course hath past And some vvith ores I see are sâ—veeping yet this channeell blevve Than shortly thus to him dame Sibly spake that Prophet trevve O great Anchises sonne vndoubted childe of Gods in blisse Now Lymbo lake thou â—eest infernall poole this water is Cocitus cald it is and Stygies more the name doth beare By vvhich the Gods themselues so sore afraid bene for to svveare This prease that here thou seest ben people dead not layd in graue A piteous rable poore that no release nor comfort haue This boateman Charon is those vvhom novv this vvater beares Are bodyes put in ground vvith vvorship due of vveping teares Nor from these fearefull bankes nor â—â—ers hoaree they passage get Till vnder earth in graues their bodyes bones at rest are set A huÌ„dreth years they vvalke rouÌ„d about these shores they houe And then at last full glad to further pooles they do remoue There are yet at this day some who do not much differ from that opinion Thomas I knowe not what they doe in other places but in our citie when any is dead that they doe bring him to bée buried he must bring with him his trentall For assoone as the deade corpes is come into the Church they doe lay ten lyardes vppon his breast whiche is thirtie deneeres in valewe the which the Curate or vycar goeth incontinently to take vp Hillarius That is n y honour of the thirty pence as I thinke which Iudas sold Iesus Christ Thomas I knowe not whether they had a regard to that but you haue made me to thinke that the same was to pay the feriage Wherefore I would at the least wise that if the Priestes will not suffer vs to passe fréely that our custome might be as cheape as was that of the Panims Hillarius The Milanois haue yet at this day that custome that they doe put a péece of Siluer in the hand of him that is dead but he carrieth it with him and doeth not giue it vnto the Priestes Vppon which I haue heard recited an excellent historie which is written in the cronicles of Milanois verie proper for to shewe vnto our Priestes that they ought to suffer the dead to rest without demaunding any thing more of them For they are no more in their owne ground nor countrie wherefore they ought no more to be tributaries And may very well thinke that they ought not to haue any greate store of money with them in these base and lowe territories for as much as alreadie long time agone they haue taken all that that they could which is more they did well know that they haue taken away nothing with them For euen as they came all naked into the worlde so shall they returne againe all naked Except peraduenture our Priestes bee of the opinion of the auncient Galles and Frenchmen who do thinke that in the other worlde men doe handle money as they doe in this therefore they do lende the one to the other money vnto vsurie to pay it below after their death But I greatly feare that our Priestes do not so much beléeue of the unmortalitie of the soules as those there and that they had rather borrow vppon that compte then to lende But let vs come vnto our history In the time that the Barbarians and Gothes did inhabite Italy and Lumbardy and did vse great extorcions vnto the poore people as aduenturers and Souldiers haue accustomed to doe who after that they haue gotten all the spoyle yet they will pill the naked and spoyle the dead And when they haue taken all insomuch that there is nothing left yet they would that men should giue them more and doe torment the poore people for to compell them to tell wher they haue hid vp their money although they haue none Among the rest there was an honest widdowe and of a riche house who knewe not what to doe hir house and all hir goodes were already sacked and pilled that there was no more to take and yet neuerthelesse the Souldiers did gréeue and threaten hir that shée had more money Whilest that shée was in that perplexitie one of hir children came vnto hir and sayd You doe remember mother that when my father dyed one did put a ducat in his hande let vs go fetche it and giue it to the Souldiers to the ende that they would let vs haue a lyttle peace and rest The poore woman beléeued the counsaile of hir sonne and for to haue peace with those théeues was constrained to open the Tombe wherein hir husband was layde with other dead bodyes and tooke away that ducat from him for to giue it vnto them The same béeing come vnto the Captaynes eare for the Soldiers were present who saw euery thing and declared it vnto him And therefore incontinently as he vnderstoode theroff he sayd vnto his people Let vs depart hence and let vs not torment them any more For there is no more money sith that they haue bene constrayned to séeke it with y dead Thomas Truely that might bée very well called to take tribute of the deade Hillarius I would gladly that our priestes and Monkes had such a iudgement and that they had asmuch pittie on the poore people not to compel them any longer to pay trybute for the dead when they sée that they haue woorke vnough to fynde money to buye bread for to giue meate vnto those that be alyue Mée thinketh that they ought to content themselues for that they haue pilled the world so long time when they sée y it is eaten euen to the bones For how many poore people are there that shal be constrayned to go and dig the dead out of their graues if they did know any that had money for to delyuer themselues from the hands of such aduenturers But which is worse in stéede to content themselues in so pillyng the poore people vntill this present time if there bée any that speaketh one onely word againste their pillyngs and extorcions and which refuseth to pay tribute for the quicke and the deade they will condempne them immediately to the fire as Heritickes We doe call the Scythians barbarous people and estéeme them very cruell especially the Essedonians and Massagetes who doe eate theire fathers and mothers and their parents and friendes in stéede to burye them The Essedonians haue a custome as the Historiographers doe witnesse to singe after their parents and after that their kinsfolke and neighbours are assembled together they doe eate the flesh of the dead bodyes mingled with the fleshe of beastes The lyke haue they written of the Massagetes who were also Scythians I haue
to mingle it with a little wine then with salt as the Priests do in their holy water Eusebius They do it not for to drincke Hillarius I beléeue it well for they are not so deintie they loue the wine as well as I. But wherefore doe they it Thomas For to deface purge the sinnes by the sprinckling thereoff Hillarius I am ashamed of their folly One may very well say vnto them as Diogenes said vnto a certeyne Panim who sprinckled himselfe with water for to purge his sinnes after their auncient manner O miserable man saith he if thou hast sâ—â—led in thy Grammer and committed a fault and incongruite thou canst not be absolued w sprinckling of the water how dost thou then thinck with the sprinckling of the water to be absolued and washed from thy sinnes Thomas It séemeth vnto me that if you haue such great thirst as you say you wil not begin to enter into a new matter for to make vs fast any longer Theophilus Admit it were so that we had a day of fasting For it is now Lent although it were not yet I do beléeue that Eusebius would haue fasted peraduenture Thomas also And when we shal be all vnder the Popes religion we must theÌ„ fast the Lent al out or els at the leastwise a great part thereoff Hillarius It is true and it is better for vs to fast at libertie then through compulsion But sith that ye be all of that minde let vs goe then to dinner ¶ Finis primi Dialog THE SVMME OF THE seconde booke SIth that we haue already declared in the first Dialogue the agreeing of the Platonicall Poeticall and Papisticall Purgatory and the diuers manners of purgations that haue bene aswell among the Panims as the Christian Idolaters and howe all those things were inuented by the Priestes for to serue their auarice and rapacitie the which was more greater in them then it was euer in others Now we wil bring in declare and sette foorth perticulerly their other practises the office which thei do for the dead how at the funeralls burialls mortuaries they follow more the errours and abuses of the Panims then the examples of the true seruaunts of God aswell in their singings and lamentacions that they make for the deade as in torches lyghtes belles ryngings and sepultures Therefore I haue intituled this Dialogue The office of the deade In which also we will declare what is the honour that is due vnto the deade what ought to be the burialls funeralls and the sorrowing of the Christians what hath bene the beginning in making coÌ„memoration prayers for the dead Also we will declare the principall poynts of the Masse of Requiem that they doe sing for the dead and wee will proue by their owne words that they doe pray rather for the Saints and Saintes and for those that are in Paradise in ioye and celestiall rest then for those which are in paynes be it in Purgatorie or in any other place according to their owne doctrine and how by their owne praiers they sufficiently testifie and witnesse that in their doctrine there is nothing that is certeine and that they holde not those whome they doe iudge to be in Purgatory as assured of their saluation It shal be also declared what is the true Purgatory of Iesus Christ and the true satisfaction of the Christians towards God for their sinnes and how the Papisticall Purgatory and satisfactions doe disagree altogether from the promises of god the remission of sinnes by Iesus Christ It shal be declared in lyke maner for what cause God doth chastise and punish the faythfull in this world and not in the other what are the good workes and wherefore God will iudge men by them and how we must watch and do penaunce and trauayle whilst we are in this lyfe without trusting vppon the good deedes that other will doe for vs after our death Item what are the good deeds that we ought to doe for the dead and wherein we may succour helpe them and the great iniury wrong that the Popes and the Priestes doe vnto Iesus Christ and to all the Christian people holding them in the sincke and dungeon of their peruerse doctrine and traditions What fishermen they are and what their flouds and ryuers are wherein they fish and catch the golde and siluer and not the men what are their relicks and holy bodyes and how they do abuse the dead bodyes to the great dishonour of God and of his Saints as the Coniurers and Sorcerers doe And wherto serueth all that which is done at the burialls and chiefely to those which are buried in the habite or coole of Saint Fraunces And in the ende we declare how Iesus Christ contayneth in himselfe all that which is needefull for vs both in lyfe and death For to enter then into the matter Theophilus bringeth the other in order THE SECOND DIALOGVE which is called the office of the dead THeophilus You did erewhile complayne bicause that in speaking of Purgatory wée were so affectioned after it that it hav almost made vs to forgette our dinner But now I doe feare very much the contrary that the dinner doth make vs forget purgatory and the residue which yet remained to be thought on Hillarius You know very well that the Priestes haue accustomed to breake their fast and to eate the soppe in the wyne in the middest of their Masse Wherefore it were good reason that we did pause a lyttle in the middes of our Masse for to breathe our selues For we haue sayd and sunge inough for the dead for to drinke once And yet wée are more beneficiall vnto them then the Priestes For wée haue not dronken vppon their costes and expences Thomas Therefore you are so much the soberer For me thinkes that you haue not druncke very much according to that that you say you were a thirst Hillarius I toke that which sufficed me and no more and was content For it doth to me more good then all that which the Priestes and Moonkes haue eaten and dronken in the name of the dead doth profite the dead It is already longe since that I would haue brought in for you that but I doe alwayes wayte when that Eusebius would beginne But I know very well that the dinner hath a lyttle abated his choler and that the aduice and counsayle of Seneca is good who counsayleth those that are subiecte to ire choler not to fast nor to take in hande any wayghty matter if they do finde themselues by experience to be more enclyned to wrath before they haue eaten then after bicause that hunger increaseth it the more Eusebius Therefore doe you breake your fast so willyngly in the morning and are so much afraide to fast You must not impute my choller vnto fasting but to your importunate and wicked tongue For he must haue great patience which would not be moued to wrathe through your
themselues yet they can neuer fill the sea These are the dikes of their castles Lordships wherin doth consist all their fortresse of which none can approch nigh vnto theÌ„ wythout béeing fore afraide in great daunger of killing drowning For those the wyll approch as enemyes for to assalt them shal finde those flouds altogether â—ull of sulfure fire more whotter burning then the internal floud PhlegetoÌ„ Those which do passe ouer theÌ„ for to yeelde themselues vnto theÌ„ shal finde theÌ„selues more miserable vnhappy For first of al they must passe the floud Lethe which signifieth obliuion bicause that it is necessarye that those which giue themselues vnto them for to drinike of the stincking water of their doctrin traditions forget God his word serue him in vayn Wherfore froÌ„ thece they must come vnto Acheron which causeth all those that passe ouer it to lose all their ioye and myrth For sith that the kingdome of God is righteousnesse peace and ioye in the holy Ghost what peace ioye can those haue who haue forgotten and forsaken God the fountaine of the water of life the sea of all goodnesse for to come drincke of those muddye and stincking welles that wyll holde no water Sith that then in that Acheron one shal lose all ioy mirth they must of necessitie come vnto the other flouddes to wyt Stix which signifteth sorrowfulnesse to Cocytus which signifieth mourning and vnto Phlegeton which signifieth heate and burning For sith that the holy Ghost is called the comforter ioye nor consolation cannot bée but there where hée is and where he hath shed abroade the waters and droppes of his grace And therefore who can haue his conscience which is depriued froÌ„ that comforter but sorrowfull ful of perpetual mourning What greater heat burning can ther be in hel then is in the consciences of those which haue abaÌ„doned Christ for to serue Antechrist for to follow his doctrine traditions For that is a very hell vnto the conscyence and it is not possible that those which are addicted and giuen vnto his seruice can euer be refeshed filled For that Aegypt is not watred nor sprinkled with the dewes flouds of heauen no more then the other Aegypt w the water from heauen in sommer hath nothing in it but these filthinesse puddels the which it doth estéeme more then the goodly faire cleere water it preferreth it selfe vnto the lande of Canaan the whiche yet neuerthelesse Moses estéemed more then that of Aegypt sayinge vnto the Israelites The lande whether thou goest to possesse it is not as the lande of Aegypt whence thou camest out where thou sowedst thy seede And wateredst it with thy féete as a garden of hearbes But the lande whether ye goe ouer to possesse it is a lande of hyls and valleys and drincketh water of the raine of heauen They had rather wyth great trauaile torment themselues after and aboute those marysses and lowe groundes then to attend and receyue the blessing from heauen And therefore they can neuer finde rest nor consolation in their consciences but abide alwayes in doubt perpleritie trouble and anguish Theophilus That is the very same that they desire For Antechriste hath his fishers altogether differinge and contrary vnto those of Iesus Christ who desire not but troubled waters bicause that then their fishing is a great deale better Iesus Christ said vnto his Apostles and Disciples I will make you fishers of men Bicause that hée woulde sende them for to drawe men by the nets and cordes of the preaching of the Gospel out and from the sea of this world and from the goulfes of sinne death and hell for to leade them vnto the port of health safetie and vnto Iesus Christ their Sauiour The other fisher men take fishes for to kill and eat them But these are sent for to retire pluck back men from death vnto life and from the perils and dauÌ„gers of the sea and goulfes of hell for to lead present and bring them all aliue vnto Iesus Christ On the contrarye Antechrist hath his Apostles and fishers not of men but of golde and of siluer or if they do catch men that is after the manner and sorte as the fishers catch the fishes for to kill eate sell them Hillarius If they be not fishers of men they are fishers of soules Wherfore I would couÌ„saile them sith that they know to take them in their nets as fishes that in sléede of their masses vigilles and suffrages they woulde buy fishe lepes nettes and hookes for to catche and fish for soules Theophilus They haue no néede of thy counsaile For they haue bene prouided of such instrumentes longe agone that if it be possible there shal not one soule escape but that it shal be intrapped and caught in their nettes which they haue layd forth on euery side What other thing are all their prayers for the dead their Idoles and ceremonies but bytings Hookes Nettes and engyns for to catche and take men as the Fisshers take the Fisshes or the Spiders the little Flyes with their copwebbes Hillarius Therfore it is very necessarie for them to haue a great many of Nilomitres seruants for to take good héede to their riuers sith the there are so many Fishers whiche haue so many nets engyns For it is to be feared greatly the if their Nile and their bloudy waters of Aegypt should ouerflowe arise and swell to much that it woulde quenche and put out the fire that they kéepe yet in their Purgatory aswell as the ouer great fire that they made there hath burned the walles and chambers that were there and least the same should hinder and let their sowings and reapings in haruest On the contrary if those fluddes decrease and dry vp it is greatly to be feared but that they will bringe dearth and famine for many causes and reasons For merchants nor merchandise cannot come no more vnto them Afterwardes it is to be feared least the Israelites whome they hold in captiuitie in Aegypt shall escape them if God dryeth vp the red Sea for to giue issue and passage vnto his people or least their Babilon should be taken as Cirus and Darius tooke the of the Chaldeans after that they had founde the meanes to turne the riuer Euphrates which entred into the same for to giue free passage vnto their souldiers hoste of men the which they placed within Babilon there where the course of the water was and did take it in the night whilest that the king Balthazer with his Princes curtisans and concubines did banquet make good chere and celebrated the feast of his gods Theophilus They may well repayre theyr dykes and forteaÌ„e themselues asmuch as they can But yet neuerthelesse they shall take them neuer the sooner For it is necessary that
the prophecie which Esay prophecyed against the Aegyptians be accomplyshed vppon them and vppon all their Fishers and vppon those which lyue about their riuers and which make the instruments of Idolatry supersticion Hillarius What is that Prophecie Theophilus Giue eare and you shall see whether it agréeth not well to our matter The water of the Sea sayth hée shall bée drawne out Nilus shall sinke away and be dronken vp The riuers also shall be drawen out and the wells shal decreace and dry away Réede and Rush shall fayle the grasse by the waters side or vppon the riuers banke yea and whatsoeuer is sowen by the waters shall be wythered destroyed and brought to nought The fisshers shall mourne all such as cast angels in the water shall complayn and they that spred their nettes in the water shal be faynt hearted Such as labour vpon Flare and Silke shal come to pouertie and they also that weaue fine workes And all those which doe make pondes and stewes for the lyuing soules shall be sorrowfull for their nettes Hillarius It is not possible to finde out a prophecie which better agreeth with them For this heere maketh mention of waters of Fisshers of Flare workers of makers of nettes of makers of pondes and stewes in which they doe keepe and holde fast the lyuing soules as the fisshers doe keepe their fishes in their stewes and fish pents It maketh also mention of their instruments of the workemen that make them the they feare nothing lesse least that the preaching of the Gospell should drye vp those riuers as Demetrius those of his sect greatly feared the thorow the preaching of Paul the honour of Diana the great goddesse of the Ephesians should be diminished their gayne with hir Therefore they are not to be blamed although they loke to it so diligently It in more then time that the vertue of God doth shew foorth it self for to deliuer his poore people from the handes of so many fishers which plunge drown so many poore soules through their lakes puddles Those are terimen marrincrs which do drowne all those which enter into their boates ships For they haue not Iesus Christe with them which causeth the windes tempests to be calme to cease which causeth alwaies a safe landing and port Theophilus And therefore it shoulde be more reasonable that we should cry after him as the Apostles did saying Lord saue vs that we should make our prayer vnto God that he would deliuer vs from that déepe take al those that be aliue then to sing for the dead For if Dauid the other seruauntes of God did complaine themselues to haue bene drowned in the lakes of tribulation and mysery that the waters haue enuironed couered them ouer the head wée haue no lesse occasson to complayne Esay desiring to signifie the misery tribulation which should come vnto Hierusalem and to all the lande of Iuda by the army of Sennacherib sayth that she shall be enuironed wyth waters vp to the throate And vseth such comparison for to let them to vnderstand that the same army shal destroy and couer all the land euen as Euphrates did couer and destroy that lande of Assyria when it ouerflowed making comparison by the souldiers host vnto the riuer bicause that both the one and the other doe passe through one lande But Hierusalem was neuer so afflicted nor oppressed by the vyolent waues of the armye of the Assyrians as the poore Church is troden downe and oppressed by that great Romish Sennacherib and his army whiche is innumerable throughout all the whole worlde as the sande of the sea But we haue spoken inough of the Lake It resteth now to absolue the doubte which I haue alreadye begun Forasmuch friende Eusebius as you say that that hell and déepe lake of which mencion is made of it in the affertory for the dead is taken for purgatory what doth y signifie which is spoken off afterwards Deliuer thē from the lyons mouth least that hell do not deuour them I beleeue the they vnderstand by the Lyon none other but the Dyuel who as S. Peter witnesseth is our enemy walketh about séeking whom he may deuour But sith the the soule is separated from the body how can it be deliuered frō the mouth of y roring denouring lyon if the soule be of a reprobate which dieth out of y saith of Christ who shal deliuer it from his throte when God hath giuen it him And if it be of a faithfull man Iesus Christe who is the strong and inuincible Lion of the tribe of Iuda who hath had the victory ouer that Lion which is aduersary and enemy vnto God hath he not already deliuered it hath not he killed and prohibited the mouth of that hungry Lion as a true Sampson and Dauid in such sorte that he hath no more teeth nor fanges for to deuoure the childen of God whom the Lord Iesus holdeth as the Lyon his pray to whome none dareth to come nigh as Esay hath written that the Lord kéepeth Hierusalem and his elect people Also I thinke it not much vnméete if we make such prayer for those that be a liue the which Iesus Christ hath taught vs to pray and say And lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill And hee him selfe hath made the prayer vnto God his Father for his discyples as witnesseth Sainct Iohn He saith not I pray thee that thou wouldest deliuer them from euill after this life nor saith I pray not that thou wouldest take them out of the world but that thou wouldest kéepe them from all euill Also S. Peter doeth not exhort vs to abstaine from meates to bée sober watche and pray and to arme vs with faith againste that roaring Lion for those that be dead but for our selues whilest that we be a liue to the ende we may auoyd his mouth for to come vnto that holy light which he hath promised vnto Abraham and vnto his seede For according to your doctrine sith that the soule is seperated from the body if man hath not had here remission of his sinnes before his death he cannot haue it after And if he haue it in this life he goeth either into Paradise or into Purgatory If he be in Paradise it is no more to bee feared that hell can swallow him vp If he bée in Purgatory although that according to your opinion he be in paynes yet neuerthelesse you confesse that he is past the danger of damnation and that he is sure of his saluation Wherefore I vnderstand not howe that prayer can agrée with the worde of God and the doctrine of the auncient doctors your owne For you speake against your selfe If that prayer doth profit the soules of the dead in the other life it must then bée that ther is yet great
by those words that the body of man and all that which is in the fleshe and the vices therein is giuen for meate to the Serpent whom they do call Azazell lord of the fleshe and the bloud and Prince of that world saying that he is also called in Leuiticus the Prince of the deserts Sith then that our body is created and made of the slime and dust of the earth and that the earth is giuen for meat vnto the serpent they conclude thereby that our bodies are subiect vnto him and in his power vntill such time as they be sanctified and that the earthly fleshe bee transformed and changed into a spirituall nature And therfore say they that that body hath neede both in his buriall whilest that he is in this earth to be purified sanctified through prayers sacrifices encensements exorcismes coniurations and other ceremonies fit for the same Theophilus Durand in that booke wherein he yeldeth the reason of all the popish ceremonies speaking of the office and burying of the dead allegeth the same reasons and almost nothing differeth from the Iewes and Cabalistes Wherein we may well know that the supersticious christians followe more the Iewish and Cabalisticall doctrine then the Christian and Apostolicall doctrine For Durand himselfe is compelled to confesse that the bodies of the dead are encensed and sprinkled with holy water not to that end that they are purged and deliuered from their sinnes which could not then by such things be defaced put out But to the ende that the wicked spirites and theyr presence should be dryuen away And therefore saith hée that in some places they do put of the the holy water into the tombe or graue with the fire and encense and that the holy water is put there to the eâ—de that the diuell shoulde not come neere for he doth feare it very much Hillarius It hath bene well declared and proued by Fryer Gyles that holy Cordelier vnto whom the diuel appeared so terrible that he could not speake for feare And as the diuell came vppon him and greeued him muche Fryer Giles could not arise but did creepe as well as hee coulde vnto a vessell wherein was holy water wherewith hee sprinkled himselfe and was incontinently deliuered from that feare that the diuell did vnto him Theophilus Behold a good proofe the holy water hath then more vertue and power then Iesus Christe and the faith in him or els that Fryer Gyles had no faith which is the buckler and shield wherewith the Apostle teacheth vs to resist the diuell I do muche meruaile where God hathe commauÌ„ded to driue away the diuell by water and when the true seruants of God haue vsed such weapons aginste the diuell Hillarius At the leastwise they must prouide for him a boate if they would driue him awaye by water Theophilus When the witnes of the scripture faileth it must néedes be that those maisters of ceremonies haue then recourse vnto fables But for to returne againe vnto the reasons of Durand he addeth moreouer that in what soeuer place the christians shal be buried out of the churchyarde they ought to set alwayes a crosse at his head For the diuell doth feare very much that signe dareth not to come nigh the place where he seeth the crosse Hillarius That is bicause that the earth which is out of the church yard is not coniured Wherby it hath not so much vertue And therfore in recoÌ„pence they do ad y crosse for to driue away the diuell Theophilus For y same cause do they also coniure y earth of y churchyard For as they do witnes affirme the diuels haue vsed to get theÌ„ vnto the dead bodies and to exercise their cruelty and vengeaunce against them and inforce themselues to do vnto them at the least wise after that they are dead that whiche they could not do whilest they were aliue Furthermore they say that at the day of iudgement our Lorde Iesus Christe will say vnto them that present themselues vnto him that whiche be aunswered vnto the disciples of the Herodians and Pharises when they asked of him the question of the tribute and that they had shewed vnto him the money and Image of Cesar Euen so will he say vnto those whose is this Image what money is this Then those which shal be marked with the crosse shal be knowen to bee good christian money And Iesus Christ will say that whiche is Cesars that is to say vnto the diuell giue it him that which is vnto God giue it to God. Hillarius I am abashed if the diuell dares carrye away those which haue made vppon them the signe of the materiall crosse especially the priestes and moonks whiche are all hyd and couered with them Are not these goodly reasons and most worthy of such diuines Eusebius Yea those are Godly reasons what will you say to the contrary do ye thinke that soe manye wise men which haue bene in the churche haue not well considered the causes wherefore they ought to do that And that it hath not ben ordeyned without good iust reason Theophilus Thou hast heard them and thou hast also the Iewes Cabalists and Panyms for to be the firste authors of them But those dreames are yet more tollerable and worhty of pardon then those here bycause that hauing the braine full of false opinions and inchauntments they feare least the enchauntors Magitians and especially the coniurers and the diuell with them should abuse their bodies thorow their enchauÌ„tments necromances witchcraft But what excuse or coloure can the christians haue who ought to be assured of their saluation in Iesus Christ as wel for the body as for the soule vsing such ceremonies which I may truly call charmes inchauntements magicall supersticions and purifications and not euangelical For although that the earth hath bene giuen for meate to the serpent and that our bodies are taken of the earth how will God permit and suffer that that olde serpent shall defile those bodyes whiche haue bene the Temple habit ation of his holy ghost And whiche haue bene consecrated vnto him thorow the bloud of his sonne Iesus Christ and sanctified thorow his spirite haue the water and the earth which are bewitched and charmed after the manner as the enchaunters charmers do their exorcisms coniurations and a corruptible and a materiall crosse more vertue then the consecration of our bodies and soules whiche Iesus Christ the great and soueraigne Byshoppe and eternall Priest hath done by his bloud and the liuely water of his holy spirit and the baptisme that we haue receyued in his name And if we as good christians haue borne the crosse with him that is to say the troubles and aduersities of this world in all patience and haue put all our hope and trust in the merite of his death passion reioysing our selues only in his crosse as the holy apostle saith
confirme the Idolatrie euen so is it at this day amonge the Papists In steede that that Romaines ought to acknowledge confelse that God punished theÌ„ bicause of their abhominable Idolatrie msatlable auarice stelthes violences murthers sheading of mans bloud which was shed by them thorow out the universall worlde they haue rather presumed thought that those euils happened unto theÌ„e bicause that they had not wei done their duety towards that soules of that dead that is to save bicause that they had not wel serued honored that diuell as he woulde bee unto whoÌ„ they did make those sacrifices not unto God sith that of him they had not receiued coÌ„mauÌ„dement nor such lawes ordinaunces Hillarius At that least friende Eusebius you can not deny but that your religion hath greate confirnutie with that which you haue already heard But I wil yet declare shewe unto thee more without swaruing from the feast of that dead For there were other lawes statutes customes that you kéepe at this daye sauing that there is a little difference in that moneths dayes But els all is one They had certaine monethes in the yeare in which it was not lawefull to mary nor to celebrate mariage not that it was forbioden al that moneth thorow out but only certaine daies in euery one of theÌ„ of which february had elcuen which we dedicated unto that dead as Ouid withnesseth saying Now all that time of sacrifice no wedding might they see Nor bride to bridegroume might be knowne by vow to lynked bee Nor virgins fayre in Mothers sight that marygeable were By tricking might sett out and dresse their yellow bush of haire The mariage mocions now were gonne and loue was layd a side And dueties due to bodies dead in place gan creepe and glide This feast endured and abode so many dayes they say As is the month aboue eleuen this do they not denay That forbidding also tooke place in that moneth of Marche but it coÌ„tinued but three dayes during that which they made the feaste and procession of Mars the God of battell whom the Goddesse Minerua banquished in the combat and battail that they had together of mariage â—f whom Minerua obtayning hir Uirginitye was called Neruie in the honour of whom the maydens suoemen did abstaine from marriage these three dayes together There remaineth yet almost as many dayes for Vay bicause of the feast of the dead instituted in suche time by Romulus as already hath bene declared and Ouid also witnesseth it saying Nor were those dayes for mariage apt for wydow nor for mayd And they that maried in those tymes with losse of life were payd And for that cause as prouerbe olde doth both affirme and say That for to wed hath bene forbid euen in the monthe of May. I know not whether there be any other time in whiche mariage was prohtbited except one part of the first dayes of Iune vntill such time as the filthinesse which men tooke from the temple of Vesta after that it was purged and made cleane were cast into the kyuer as it appeareth by the verses of the poet before allcvged who bringeth in Sanctus Fidius speaking of his daughter in these wordes A time of marriage then I sought that so by law might beare That ioyne I might him whom I lyckt hyr whom I held full deare Then found I that the Ides of lune to my desire did gree That daughter to a sonne in law might mstly linked bee And that the first part of the month therto doth not agree As Sacrificers wise of late full ofte hath said to me But till that quiet Tiber doth the silth from Vesta reare By trickling flowing water moue and so to sea them beare I thinke it lawfull not for me my rugged haire to combe Nor yet for me to pare my nailes vntill dew time doth come Now I pray thée consider friend Eusebius whether in your religion that order be much chaunged whether you haue kept those ceremonies I could héere declare vnto thée the conformitie the which your feast of Saint George hath with that of Mars For you haue S. George for the God of battaile patron of the soldiers in stéede as the Panims had Mars As touching his feast there is difference of the time sauing that the one is kept in the moncth of April and that of Mars in the moneth of March in whose honour it kéepeth his name Although that Saint George shewed not himselfe to be any valiant knight when he suffered his Image to be cast into the ryuer of Seine of those of the new citie of S. George nigh vnto Paris bicause that the vines were frosen vpon his feast day I might also bring in the conformitie which you make betwéene the virgin Mary and Minerua For you haue consecrated for them feastes all in one moneth but I will not nowe so much dilate and enlarge the matter Yet neuerthelesse bycause of the affinitie and coniunction that the one of the superstitions hathe wyth the other in declaringe the feastes of the deade I wyll myngle in the deduction of the matter some other Ceremonyes bycause of the kyndred and neyghbourhoode I demaunde then of thée firste of all friende Eusebius whether there bée any great dyfference betwéene the feaste of the deade which is celebrated at Rome in the moneth of February and yours of Nouember the whiche you dooe celebrate the daye after all Saindes Eusebius As thou hast accustomed to dooe thou wylte finde alwayes by thy slaunders suche agréeinge as thou wilt Hillarius Héere néedeth no slaunder Wee muste followe but the simple veritie If thou dooe thincke that it agréeth not to thy fantasie bicause of the distaunce that it hathe from the moneth of Nouember vnto Februarye at the leastwise thou canst not denye but that it agréeth with the time betwéene yours and that whiche the Romaines celebrated for the Gaulois and Greekes that were buryed in the Bullocke market There is no difference as concerninge the time but onely in thys that yours is at the beginning of the moneth and theirs in the ende Furthermore thou canst not deny but that ther is conformitie betwéene the Pantheon of the Panims and your feast of all Saintes And euen as they had the feast of all the celestiall Gods and that of the infernall Gods and for the soules of the dead haue not you also the lyke celebrating after the feaste of all the Sainctes whiche are in heauen that of the dead which are yet detayned and kept in Purgatorye They doe call Pantheon an auncient Temple which was dedicated vnto Cyble the great Goddesse mother of the Gods and consequentlye vnto all the other Gods of whome hée beareth the name For Pantheon signifieth as muche as if wée shoulde saye all Gods euen as wée saye all Saintes For they had those Gods in such reputation as you haue the Sainctes in the
water or W any thing that one can do to it Therfore it was called inextinguible Hillarius It must be if that be true that it wae artyffcially made or else by magycall Arte. But I thinke that they woulde make as greate an accompt if they had such fire as that same which the Greeks kept in the Temple of Apollo in Arges the which they dyd saye sell from keauen I demaunde of thée friende Theophilus what thinckest thou hathe bene the first cause of that Idolatry Theophilus I cannot perceyue that they haue any other cause but the same whiche hath ingendered all the other Gods amonge the Panyms which haue delfied and called Gods all the creatures of whome men dooe féele ayde and helpe Seeinge then the great poritie whiche is in the fire and the greate vitlytie that men dyd receyue thereby and howe necessarye it was vnto mans lyfe and howe it represented the fires and celestiall lyghfes of the sunne and of other planets and starres whome mey haue also â—olden for Gods bycause of their greate beautie and vtilytie they dyd in lyke manner thincke that they had iust occasion to holde and take the fire for a God whiche they dyd sée to bée of one selfe nature wyth the celestiall fire whiche alwayes moueth and gyueth lyfe vnto all thinges as the soule of them They had yet certeine other occasions in that that the holye Scripture oftentimes compareth God to the fire and calleth hym a consuminge fire and that God appeareth sometime in the lykenesse of fire and that the fire came downe from heauen oftentymes for to consume the sacryfices of the holye Patriarches and Prophetes They had more iust occasion to confirme themselues in that opinion and more goodlyer appearaunce for to allow their religion then the Papistes haue for their Images and Idolls For wée cannot denye but that the fire is a lyuelye Image of God which sheweth foorth and reprosenteth vnto vs it selfe more lyuely then all the Idolls which euer were in the worlde And therefore God woulde appeare in the lykenesse of fire and represent hys gyftes and graces his vertue and power by the same the which he woulde neuer dooe by Idolls and Images and woulde neuer appeare in them nor speake nor doe any vertue or myracles by them but hath lefte the same for the Dyuell who is serued wyth such instrumentes the whiche God hath altogether reiected and cursed and hathe defamed them by defamed tytles calling them filthynesse vanytie lying nothing abhomination and other like names which oftentimes are rehearsed in the bookes of the Prophets Furthermore had not the Chaldeans and Persians good occasion to preferre it aboue all the other For sith that all the other were either of wood and of slone or of golde silver or other mettalles he did melte burne and consume all insomuch that there was not one whiche coulde resist him Hillarius Xerxes hing of Persia declared it very well vnto the Greekes when hée came into Greece wyth so great an army For hée burned all the Temples Idolles and Images of Asia except the same of Diana the Goddesse of the Ephesians bicause of the excellent beautie of the same and for the cunning buylding which was therein that it was compted among the seauen moste chiefest workes which was in the worlde which for their admirable and excessiue beautie building and cunning were called the seauen miracles of the worlde Thomas Wherefore did Xerxes the same Hillarius Bicause that the Persians had no Temples nor Images and dyd thincke that one dyd greate iniurye vnto the maiestie of God which is infinite to chutte and limite him by the worke made with mans hande In lyke manner Plutarch doth write that the Romaines haue bad their Temples wythout Images after that the citie was builded 170. yeares bicause that they were taught by the king Numa that God was an inuisible spirite which neuer was created And notwithstanding that they doe honour the fire vnder the name of the Goddesse Vesta yet neuerthelesse they neuer made Image for to represent the one nor the other but were content to kéepe that holy fire as hath bene sayde and as it appeareth by the witnesse of Ouid saying Within the Temple fire remaind and still vnquencht did lye The fire and Vesta wanted forme to shew their shapes thereby And a little afterwards he sayth By Arte of Syracusia framd there hangeth in the aire A little globe that represents the forme of heauens faire Thomas If the Persians did take the for God they did not altogether without reason if they would not haue locked shut him vp For he doth open the gates although that one would shut him vp knoweth to go out euery way Hillarius The experience hath bene well shewed in the Temple of Diana the Ephesian For notwythstandinge that Xerxes spared it yet neuerthelesse his GOD woulde not spare it thorowe whose ayde Herostratus dyd bringe it to passe who dyd set it on fire and bourned it altogether Thomas Wherefore dyd hée that Hillarius Hée hath confessed hymselfe that hée dyd it for couetousnesse of renowne to that ende that men should speake of hym For hée neuer dyd any vertuous acte whereby hée myght gette a name And therefore hée tooke vppon him to doe such an acte to the ende that the remembraunce of his name shoulde bée eternall amougest men Theophilus Herostratus dyd let the Ephesians well to vnderstande that the fire had more vertue then their Diana Hillarius Thou vnderstandest not the cause and howe the Panims dyd excuse the Goddesse Thou oughtest to vnderstande that the verye same night that Herostratus dyd sette the Temple of Diana on fire Olympias the mother of greate Alexander was in hauayle wyth child bicause that Diana was gone thether for to helpe hir trauaile to bringe foorth Alexander shée coulde not defende hir Temple For thou doest very well know that woemen dyd call vppon hir in their trauayle And therefore shée béeinge absent and busied aboute Olympias and hir sonne Alexander shée coulde not helpe hir Temple nor resist the God of the Persians no more then the Gods of our Priestes can at this daye resist it For that cause the Chaldeans dyd meruaylously beast themselues against all other Patyons sayinge that there were none that had suche a God as theirs which consumeth all other Yet neuerthelesss if the tale or historye bée true whiche Suidas dyd tell of a Prieste of Canopus hée played or shewed them a fine feate of whome hée hath written that the Priest of god Canopus which was adored and worshipped of some in Aegypt seeing the arrogancie and pride of the Chaldeans fearing also to loose his good théere and fare if the maiesty of his God were diminished deuised this crafte and discepte In Aegypt they vsed to make waterpottes of earth hauing many holes for to distill the water and to make it more pure bicause that
the waters of Aegypt are much troubled and full of mudde and slime that Priest did take one of those water pottes and stopped subtilly with ware all the holes thereof afterwardes painted it with diuerse coloures so that one could not perceiue it That béeing done filled it with water afterwards did cut of the head of an olde Image the which hée set vpō that great water pol so cunningly that it was like to his god Canopus After that the Chaldeans came who would proue the power of that fire of their God against the God Canopus The fire thē béeing kindled and Canopus béeing cast into it after that manner and sorte as he was trimmed and apparayled by his Priest Nowe whilest that on either sides men did behold which of those two Gods should haue the victory the wax with whiche the holes were stopped féeling the heat of the fire did beginne to melt the water to droppe out which quēched the fire And so by that meanes Canopus got the victory thorow the craft of the Priest and was iudged worthy of diuine honours Thomas Behold a mery Iest to laught at at Caster Hillarius You laughe at it but the holy fathers do say things which are not so good as that and your preists do make miracles which are not yet so subtile by the which yet neuertheles the poore people are abused But let vs consider a little wherein the Papists differ from the one and the other of whiche we haue spoken off if they haue not the fyre and the water for their gods For what doth signifie the benediction and consecration of the Are which they make vpon Caster euen with their magical ceremonies For at the beginning of diuine seruice all the sice which is in the Temple must be put out Afterwardes they must a newe by striking vppon a stone wyth a péece of stéele or with a Christall set against the sunne Afterwards they must kéepe it not with al kinds of wood but with the branches of the Vine There is here more to doe then in the charmes of the Enchaunters And to what ende do all those sorceries serue Eusebius Now darest thou so to blaspheme and call the diuine seruice Sorcery which was done to represent that the fire of the olde law is put out by the death and passion of Iesus Christe who hath accomplished and fulfilled all the ceremonies of the same and he is the slone the Christall whiche hath bene stroken vppon the side and hath kindled for vs a new fyre of the holy Ghost Hillarius Mée thinkes that the interpretation should be two true if you said that the same signifieth that the Priests go about all that they can to quench the fire of the worde of God which Iesus Christ the light of the world hath brought in the earth for to take in hand a newe and for to make vs in steede of the Purgatorie which is by that bloude of Iesus Christ a newe Iesus Christe and a newe Purgatory in fire to the ende that all at one moment or instant do declare themselues both Iewes and Panims Theophilus It is moste true that God commaunded the Priests of the olde law that the fire of the bournt offring or holocauste should be alwayes kept burning in the Temple But that was to signifie that the fire of Iesus Christ and his offring and sacrifice is eternall and sufficient for to purge all the sinnes of the world and that we ought all to bee pertakers of his crosse tribulations which are signified by the fire in the Scripture and wée ought all to trauaile as much as lieth in vs to kéepe and mainteine that fire of Iesus Christ the euangelicall mynistry and the faith in his death and passion in the Christian Church For asmuch then as Iesus Christ hath perfectly and wholy accomplshed and fulfilled that whiche by that fyre was signified the it must be accompilshed in vs spiritually not in outward appearance what néed haue wee to inuent new ceremonies and new Iewishnes were it not as good to kéepe them to the olde sith that they will play the Iewe with the Iewes Hillarius But which is worse so play the Panim with the Panims of whom their manner of doings approcheth neerer then of the auncient Iewish lawes For as Plutarke witnesseth in Athens Delphos where the Greekes in like manner do kéepe a perpetuall fyre if peraduenture it were put or went out they must kindle a new and very orange taken from the Sunne In like manner also hath Macrobius written that the first day of Marche the Romaines kindled a new fire vpon the aulter of the Goddesse Vesta the which fire muste bee kept by the Mestales the nunues of Vesta alwayes burning in hir Temple like vnto ours at this day Wherevnto agréeth in like manner the witnes of Ouid saying Men say that when the holy fire in temple ceast to burne It was the vse from time to time with new to serue the turne And if it happen that thorow their negligence it be put out they shal be greuosly punished Theophilus One may vanquysh them by their owne confession that they haue not receiued those traditiō of that Apostles For they thēselues confesse that the custome to blesse the Pascall taper and such manner of doings haue bene instituted by Pope Zozme and Theodorus the first Hillarius We must not be abashed though they make great prouision both of Oyle War for to kéepe alwayes that fire in their churches For they haue no greater nor puissanter God then he of whom onely they demaimd aide inuocate and call vpon for to mainteine their Religion all their other Gods. For what other refuge haue they for to fight against the truth and to desende lyings but the Fagots and Fyre Wherefore mee thinkes that they shoulde haue more reason if they followed the example of the Persians who notwithstanding that they condempned those which had temples and Idols yet neuerthelesse they had a custome that the kings sheulde cause the syre to bee caried before them uppon an Norse backe the whiche is called by the Nistoriographers OriMasda that is to saye the holy fire or the sacred syre They also caried it in procession all abouts in the same manner as the Papists did cary the holy hoasten Christs day and as the Pope causeth his God to be caried before him uppon a white ambling nagge to the ende hee maye gee the more at his ease altheugh that hée esticme him selfe more worthy sith that he causeth himselfe to bee carted of men and his God of beastes The pecple also bsed to adore and worshippe that holy fire as they doe at this day the holy hoast And whe they do cary it in procession 365. Priests did go before him to the ende there bee as many in number as there be dayes in the yeare doing the sauie in the honour of the sonne who by his fyre giueth
heare Theophilus I beléeue that that God of the Priestes defendeth hymselfe as well from the fire as hée defendeth himselfe from the myce wormes spiders when they doe eate him and that euen as they lyue of the accidents wythout the substaunce so hath the fyre burned the accidents wythout the substaunce And accordinge to the Philosophy of the scholasticall Diuines agaynst the senâ—ence of Aristotle and of all the olde Philosophers one may easely finde accidents qualities and quantities without substaunce wythout body and subiecte Yet neuerthelesse if they dyd well consider the vertue of the fyre they should be contrained to allowe mine opynion And I woulde to God that they woulde worshyppe the fire which hath the onely vertue to purge sinnes to wytte the same with which Iesus Christ baptised which is the holy Ghost Hillarius I doe also desire that they would worship that water of lyfe the which Iesus Christ hath promysed which is the same holy Ghost But they had rather make the materiall water a God of which wée may lawfully say as wée haue sayde of the fire For if they do make a God of the fire they muste in lyke manner make a Goddesse of the water to the ende they maye haue Gods and Goddesses a Vulcan a Vesta Thetis or Amphittite Leucothea or Naiades Nymphes goddesses of the waters as wel as the Panims had for many times they attribute vnto it as much vertue as to the fire sometimes more For if their water do quench put out y fire of purgatory it hath as much vertue more theÌ„ God Canopus furthermore what dyfference is there betwéene theire Aquaticall Theologye and the same of the Ibolatrous Greekes the which the Romaines haue learned of them euen as the Papistes of the auncient Romaines As wée maye iudge by that whiche Ouid hath wrytten saying Our olde men thought and did beleeue and in that hope did dwell That sinne by purging losed was and so let not to tell Greece was the first this order gaue and therewith did suppose Offenders to be rid from sinne and so let not to glose Theophilus That doctrine shoulde hée good if it referred it selfe to the purgation of our sinnes made or done by Iesus Christ and that it extended vnto his bloud But their thought is altogether otherwise Hillarius They vnderstande that of their purgations of whiche we haue spoken off and chiefly of the water Of which superstition the Panims themselues doe mocke and haue well had the iudgement to know that the same was but vanitie as wee haue already declared by the Apothegine of Diogenes And the verses of Persius a boue alledged pretend to the same as well as those héere of Ouid which I will now rehearse Ah too light credite doe they giue which doe suppose and thincke That that same fault of murther should by water be extinct Eusebius Wée are of an opinion altogether differinge from the same For wée dooe not beleeue that thorow the sprinckling of the holy water the mortall sinnes are put away but onely the veniall sinnes Theophilus They are not then defaced and taken away by the same For the sinnes are not mortall but vnto those whiche sinne vnto death and agaynste the holy Ghost and which perseuer in their sinnes withour dooing repentaunce and running vnto the mercye of god But vnto Gods elect all sinnes are veniall not by their nature but by the grace of Iesus Christ For there is no sinne be it neuer so little which of his nature is not mortall and worthy of eternall death if Iesus Christe make them not veniall and capable of pardon to those which beléeue in hym to whome there is no more condempnation Wherefore I am abaÌ„shed of your Doctors which take so much paines to purge the veniall sinnes And amongest others the sprincklyng of the holy water and that they doe allowe so muche the exorcismes and coniurations namely of Thomas of Aquin whiche yet neuerthelesse doe nothing dyffer from charmes and sorceryes But I am yet more abashed of that Canon so full of blasphemye which is taken of Pope Alexander the fift whome you accompte to bée the firste finder out and inuentour of holy water who sayth after thys manner Wée doe blesse the water sprinckled or myngled wyth salt amonge the people to this ende that all béeing sprinckled therewyth shoulde bée sanctified and puryfied the which thinge wée commaunde all Priestes to doe so For it the asshes of a younge Heyfer béeinge sprinckeled vppon the people doe sanctifie and make them cleane by a stronger reason the water béeinge mingled wyth salte and hallowed wyth diuine praiers doth sanctifie and make them cleane And if the salte béeinge cast in the water by the Prophet Eliseus hath healed and hoplen the barrennesse thereoff howe much more the water béeinge hallowed wyth diuine prayers doth take awaye the sterrilitie of hamayne thynges and sanctyfieth and purgeth the filthinesse and multiplyeth and encreaseth the other goodes and putteth awaye the assaultes of the Diuell and defendeth men from fantasies O Lorde God what greater blasphemye can one heare is not that to tourne all the worde of God vpsyde downe and to ouerthrowe all the vertue of the death and passion of Iesus Christ That which the holy Apostle attributeth vnto the death and bloud of Iesus Christe is it not héere altogether most euidentlye giuen vnto the salte and water For in stéede that the Apostle sayth If the bloude of Dren and of Goats and the asshes of an Heyfer when it was sprinckeled puryfied the vncleane as touching the purifying of the flesh Nowe much more shall the bloud of Christe whiche thorowe the eternall spyrite offered himselfe wythout spotte to GOD purge your consciences from dead woorks for to serue the liuing God In stéede that the Apostle sayth the bloud of Iesus Christ those héere doe put the salt the water But I wyll argue and reason after an other sorte agaynst Alexander If the asshes of an Heyfer and the holy water that they doe make by the ordinaunce and commaundement of God cannot purge the conscience and can scrue but for a certeyne carnall purification for to kéepe certeyne discipline in the Iewish Churche and to prefigurate the true purgation which by the bloud of Iesus Christe ought to be in the Christian Churche but it was necessary that the onely sonne of God shoulde shed out his owne bloud which onely hath that vertue how the salt the salted water coniured by the priests without hauing either law commaundement or promise of God do it better Hillarius I should haue ben greatly ashamed to haue stayed so long vpon those vaine chidish ceremonies but that I did sée that the most wisest and the most greatest Doctors haue bene abused and deceiued are fallen into so many execrable blasphemies Thomas How hath y ben possible If it be so as you say I am greatly abashed how y
could be done Theophilus It hath taken as good effect among the superstitious ChristiaÌ„s as among y panims For euen as the Panims hipocrites haue ben the Apes of the Patirarches Prophets and true seruants of God so haue those bene héere For all that which the Panims dyd dyd séeme to haue some coulour and imitation of the lawe whiche God gaue vnto hys people For that which they sacryficed in the mountaynes that they caused the chylbren to passe thorow the fire sacrificed them vnto Moloch and the wasshings that they had dyd seeme to be taken of the custome of the auncient Patriarches and of the people of Israell after that sorte as the Turkes doe followe them at this daye who doe spende and bestow a great parte of the time aboute such wasshinges and Ceremonies But there is greate difference For although they followe somewhat in outward appearaunce the woorkes of the auncient seruauntes of God yet neuerthelesse they fayle greatlye in that that they doe it wythout the commaundement of God followinge onely their foolishe santasie and opinion And they dooe it not in such fayth to such intent and wyth suche a spyrite as they dyd For they dyd them to render obedyence vnto the commaundement of GOD the whiche was vnto hym a sacrifice more agréeable then the Ceremony which for that ende was ordayned Nowe these héere cannot scriue God by such obedyence sith that they haue no commaundement But they doe offende thorow disobedience despysinge the meanes that he hath commaunded and choosinge others contrary vnto his wyll Furthermore the true Israelites dyd not thinke to bée purified by those outwarde thinges but had regarde onely vnto the bloud of Iesus Christe by them represented And they trusted but onelye in the mercye of god But those â—éere doe attribute the vertue vnto the outwarde woorke and to the creature sayinge that such Ceremonies and Sacraments haue efficacy by the vertue of the woorke done Or if thou louest rather in theire naturall language Ex virtute operis operati Nowe if the Prophetes haue rebuked and condempned the vipocrites who haue put the whole trust of their health and saluation vnto the ceremonies commaunded by the lawe of God and haue reiected and reproued their sacrifices and purifications how much more are our hipocrits to be condemned which do not only make a god of their works but which is worse doe make the same of the woorkes which are nothing at all commaunded of God but altogether condempned Hillarius Wée may rightly compare them vnto those good merchaunts of whom Ouid maketh mencion after this manner Hard by Capena gate there is of Mercury a well Wherein is vertue rare and straunge as cunning folkes doe tell For Merchaunts doe thether repaire with pitcher ready pight And therewithall doe water drawe by vertue of whose might The Laurell branch is dropping wet and all those things that shall By Masters right be set to sale are sprinckled therewithall And after that his head is wet by sprinckling of the bayes Vnto the Gods in wonted wise his prayer thus he sayes Wash off sayth he my periury of those times that are past Wash of my false and fained woords my falsehood now off cast Bycause that they holde and accompt Mercurius for the God of the théeues it semeth vnto them that the one of the théeues wyll easelye absolue the other and that the larcenies periuries and rapines shall be washed away as soone as they shal cast a little water vpon them Wherfore our Papistes knowing that they haue the like God in the earth do the like Theophilus Therefore it is more then néede to crye with Esay Be ye washed Be ye cleane But how Put away the euill from your thoughts before mine eyes saith the Lorde And with Ieremy O Hierusalem wash thine hearte from wickednes And with Iesus Christ Thou blind Pharisie clense first the inside of the Cup and Platter that the outside of them maye bée cleane also Giue almes of that you haue and béehold all thing is cleane vnto you And therefore must wee say with Dauid O purge mée with Isop and I shal be clean wash thou mée and I shal be whiter then Snowe For there is none which can make that holy water but he only who hath put the ministry of his Gospel in his Church which is the true sprinkeling of Isop which thorow the preaching of Iesus Christ crucified sprinkeleth and purgeth with his precious bloud our soules and consciences Hillarius There is nothing truer then that thou sayest as I will yet declare more perticulerly First as touching the purifications sprinklings of water that is already too muche proued of the same is taken that which Ouid writeth of Deucalion and Pirrha his wife willing to enter into the Temple of the Goddesse Themis of whom he speaketh after this manner after the translation of the English Poet. Whose sacred liquor straight they tooke and sprinkled with the same Their heads and clothes and afterward to Themis Chappell came In like manner Ouid rehersing the things which were called Februa bicause that the auncients vsed it in their purgations maketh mention of the woll salt meale and bowghes which they caused to be consecrated for diuers purifications of men beasts and houses the which things the Papists haue almost altogether the like For besides the water and the fire the war and the salt they haue as many holy wolles holy linnen clothes and sacred vestements They haue the holy bread and the bread of Sainct Agathe which hath also great power and the holy bowghs vpon the day of Palme Sunday and of Caster flowers But the Panims do approche neerer to the auncient lawe of Moses in their holy asshes then the Papistes For the Iewes dyd it with a red Cow young and which neuer carryed yoke The Panims dyd theirs with a young Calfe newely taken from his mothers belly the which the most auncientest of the virgins of the Goddesse Vesta as wee may say the mother of the Prioresse burned in that holy fire which was made vpon the aulter of the saide goddesse as it appeareth by these verses of Ouid saying The eldest virgin amoÌ„gst theÌ„ then those calues doth burn with fire To haue the asshes not to seeke when time shall then requite That when the feast of Pales doth approch at hand so fast The people may be pure and cleane when it is on them cast Theophilus I doubt not but that Panish superstition was some thing taken of the imitation of the people of God but that whiche was done by the people of God vnto his honoure and contayninge the misteryes of the redemption was done in Idolatrye and superstition without faith amonge the Panims as it is now amonge the Papistes Hillarius I am of thine opinion But yet neuerthelesse mee thinketh that the Panims haue more shewe and colour for to defend them by the word of
Aegyptians 184. Antiquitie of the Areadians 184. Antiquitie and instruction of mariage 185 Apes of the Apostles 126 Apparell white 167 Appearing of spirits to what end they pretende 135 Appellations extremes to whom they belong 198 Apophâ—hegme of Diogenes 153. Artillerie Papisticall 116 Aspersions and sprinklings at the entring in comming forth of the temple 153 Ashes holy 168 Ashes of an Heyfer 171 Ashes of the Auncients 169 Ashes of the vestales 171. Saint Augustine 175 Authoritie of S. Augustin for the suffrages for the deade 176 Authors of the Masse 183. Authours of the eclestiall and Ecclesiasticall Hierarchia 126 Ayme Duke of Sauoye 191 B. Bacchanales Bacchus 140 Banket and supper for the dead 132 Baptisme deferred 172 Baptisme for the dead 172. 183 Baptised to be for the dead 172 Beginning of prayers for the deade 116 Benifices and offices giuen by parentage 139 Bellyes giuen to slouth vnder coulour of religion 123 Bessation 191 Berengarus 139 Bying of the sielde of Ephron 118 Bloud of Iesus 163 Blessing of the brides bed 147 Blessing of Torches and Tapers 153 Blessing of the Pascell fire 157 〈…〉 171 〈…〉 â—â—6 138 〈…〉 195 〈…〉 of propositâ—â—â— 144 〈◊〉 and mourning for Iacob and Mosis 117 C. Candelles of a good saiut 181 Candelles blessed and prucessious 151 Candelles for the health of soule and bodie 152 Candelmes day 147 Caruâ— the goddesse the porter 167 Castor and Pollus 1â—1 The cause of the mourning of the Israelites 119 The cause of the institucioÌ„ of feasts 147 Celerin and his family 179 Cereales 151 Certitude in the doctrme of faith required 196 Ceremonies 170 Chameleon 1â—3 Charmes 152 Chastitie and secretly 145 Chase away the diuell by fasting prayers 171 Charge of ceremonies 130 Cloris 166 Christians sauage wilde 146 Combat of Mars and Mineâ—â—a 136 The true Commemoration of the death of Iesus Christ 151 Commemorantes 181 To Communicate sacramentally spiritually 186 Comparison of the Ashes of an Heiser holy water 163 Conformitie and deformitie of the Bacchanales and the Shroftide 146 Conformities betweene the religion of the Paâ—â—ms and the Popes 136 Conformitie betweene God mars and faint Geâ—rge 137 Conformitie of the feastes of the deade 137 Conformitie of Cyble to our Lady 138 Constancy of the Greekes 190 Complaint of Saint Augustine 130 Coâ—â—uring of the water 153 To put the Lorde about the necke 144 Coâ—empaing of the Gospel 14â— Counsell and moderation of Saint Paul 144 Councile of Constance and of Basle 187 Councile of Florence 190 Councile of Lateran 190 Councile of Basill 190 Councile of Ferrara 190 Councile of Innocent Pope and others 190 Conuent of Monkes 183 Couetous of renowne 156 Creatures of the Pope 143 Creators of the creatour 143 Craft and deceite of a Priest of Canopus 157 Custome of the Romaines 123 Custome of the Thracians 122 Custome of the Cathercumenes 172 Custome of the Lecedemonians 123 Custome of the Lycians 123 Custome auncient of the Massilians 123 Cyble 137 Cygales 133 Cypâ—â—an 177 D. Dayes appointed to mourne for what cause 119 Dayes Aristotolicalls 134 Dayes dedicated to the deed 117 Dauâ—d and Abimelech 141 Denis Areopagâ—te 126. 177 Diana Strongilios or Diana Rotunda 138 The disceite which Faunus did thinke to do vnto Hercules 147 Difference betweene â—hisike and Philosphiie a charmer and a Magicyan 154 Dishonour vnto the Urigin Mary 151 Little dispenses costes about the dead 132 Dispensation of mariage 124 Dispensations of the Pope 141 Disputations of the bablers of Diuinytie 196 Disputations of the Athess of the hoast 161 Diuersitie of opinions touching the suffrages for the dead 196 Doctrine of the Apostles perfect 193 Dionisiales 146 E. Easter 150 Eccâ—â— 115 Egges of Serpents 197 Elect in daunger to be seduced 197 Aeneas 129 Ende of mans life 142 Ende of the Popes Lawes 143 Eucratistes and Seuerians 141 Epitaphe of Lucresse 141 Errour of the Idolaters and hypocrits 164 Example of Dauid 125 Excommunication for communion 18â— Exhortacion to repentance 144 F. False following of the worke of Saints 164 Fastings condempned 170 Fastings of the auncients 169 Fastings and abstinence of the Panims 171 Fastings 167 Fasting the principall vse 170 Fannes and Satyres 147 Februa 131. 149 Feastes and Anniuersaries for the deade and their beginning 128 Feasted for the deade in Februarie 129 Feastes of Martyrs and confessors 13â— The feast of the dead 138 An other feast of the dead 139 Feasts of mad men 140 Feast of saint Peters chaire 133 Feasts of the dead in May. 129 Feasts cut in peeces 139 An other feast of the deade in Ianuarie 139 Feasts of fooles 140 Feast of Kings 14â— Feast of the Panims comprised in the feast of Candels 14â— Feralis Coena 132 Fire of Vesta 158 Fire Diuturnall and eternall 194 Fire kindeled in the Temple of Vesta 160 Fire and water the Gods of the Papists 157 Fire the God of the Persians 154 Fire made a God. 159 Fires of S. Brandon of Ihon. 168 The true fire what it is 162 Flora. 166 Florales 151. 166. Fluona 149 The force of gold and of Iron 159 Fraction or breaking of the hoast 188 G. Gerion 131 Gift of continency 144 Gifts to doe myracles in the primitiue Church 126 Goddesse Pecunia 143 Goddesse of Beasts 169 God Ris. 150 God compared to fire 155 God Canopus 156 Gods of fire and water 162 The great God of the Pope 14â— The most puissant God of the Priests 158 Good fryday 150 Gold why it is pale 159 Gregory the first 116 Gregory the third 116 Gregory the fourth 138 H. Handkerchefe of Chambery 160 Harpe of Orpheus and that of the pope 131 Hecate triua triformis 131 Hercules 131 Herostratus 156 Hillaria 150 Holy bread and the breade of saint Agathe 165 Holy hoast 158 Hoostes the subtillest in the world 186 Humilytie famed 170 Hypocrits 170 Hymenius the God of mariages 136 I. Ieto me contrarie vnto mariage 145 Saint Iessiye 140 Ieast of a holy father 134 Iewes among the Christians 160 Idolatrie of the fire and plamrets 155 Images Noses stopped and couered 172 Images instruments of the diuell 155 Image of saint George cast into Saine 137 Imitacion of the Iewes and Panyms and of Mahomet 128 Incredulytie 171 Induction 142 Institucion of the supper 185 Infirmitie of man. 148 Interpretation of the blessing of the new fire 157 Inuocation of Saints 181 Iulian the Apostat 132 Iuno Sospita 167 Iuno and Diana Queene of Heauen 138 Iupiter a sauiour 167 L Laughing of the Soules 134 Lawe of â—uma for the marriage of widowes 124 Lawes of marriage what they ought to be 124 Laws of the Romaines of the mourning of widowes 124 Lawe of the Iewish funeralles 120 Lawe of fastings 169 Lawes cimles and obedience to Maiestrates 142 Lewes King. 1â—9 Lent. 240 Libertie of the Gospell 120 Libertie Christian 11â— Lymit of mans affection 121 Lugentibus in Purgatory 166 Lupercales 129. 149 M. Manner by the which the soules are deâ—uered 176 Manner and
cleane and very proper for to represent the same of the holy Ghost For it washeth purifieth cleanseth and refresheth the hearts and consciences for to comfort them and to make them bring foorth fruite pleasing vnto God in such sort that the water causeth the earth to fructifie renoweth and maketh it fertile washeth away the filthinesse from the body It quencheth and putteth out in lyke manner the fire and heate of wicked carnall concupiscences as the water quencheth out the fire and queÌ„cheth the thirst and alteration of the poore féebled soules refresheth them for euer The seconde cause is that hée would haue opened vnto vs the intelligence and vnderstanding of ceremonies baptismes and purifycations conteyned in the law of Moses of y prophets in like manner by which the holy ghost was promised chiefly by Esay Ezechiel vnto whom he maketh allusion hath had the regard thervnto Therefore he would expound them vnto vs and giue vs to vnderstand that those waters promised of God did signifie none other thing theÌ„ the abouÌ„dance of the holy ghost which ought to be shed foorth vpon all flesh as a riuer and a floud of water whiche watereth and ouerfloweth all the earth The which Sainct Peter witnesseth to haue bene accomplished both in him and in the other Disciples of Iesus Christ the day of Pentecost according to y prophecie of Ioel. And therefore Iesus Christ would as well in that place as in speaking vnto the Samaritane and bidding those which were in the temple to come drinke of those liuing waters vse those manners of speakings And for to declare vnto vs in like manner to what ende he hath instituted the signe of the water in the baptisme And that it is true I doe take Sainct Iohn for a witnesse who expounding the words of his Master saith that he vnderstandeth by those waters y holy Ghost y which the beléeuers ought to receiue Thirdly by that forme of figured speaking be teacheth vs in like manner what the Christian man ought to bée that is regenerated by the holy Ghost setting foorth the water and the winde which are bodyes more subtill thinner cléerer purer then the earth which is an elemeÌ„t more weightier vnpurer thicker and materyall These wordes then doe signifie as much as if hée had sayde that in stéede of that weightie earthlye carnall and corruptible man wée must be regenerated into a newe man heauenlye spirituall and perfect as much differing from this héere whiche is earthly and fallinge as the water and the winde doe differ from the earth And it must be that the same is done by the holy Ghost which is the true water which maketh that purification in vs. Eusebius Thy exposition is not without a fayre shew But ought I therefore the sooner to receyue it then the same of the auncient Doctours who in that place by the water haue vnderstanded the baptisme whiche is giuen by the water and chiefely Saincte Iohn Chrisostome Theophilus I am well content to magnifie with the auncients the Sacraments as much as shall be possible So that thou wilt vnderstande them so as they themselues would they should be vnderstanded For although that I would receiue the exposition of Chrisostome it followeth not therefore that by the same one may conclude the element of the water to be so necessary vnto saluation that without the same man cannot obteine it For wée must consider that when the scripture the auncient Doctors do speake of the sacraments they haue not regarde onely to the outward signe but do staye themselues principally vpon the thing signified by them the which they doe vnderstand properly And therefore following their intellygence we may expounde those wordes after that sence as if Iesus Christ did say hée which shall not wash away his sinnes which shall not receiue truely the holy Ghost and which shall not be receiued into my Church and into my flocke after the manner as I haue ordeyned that hée shoulde doe by the baptisme shall not enter into the kingdome of god It followeth not therefore that he which shall haue héere all the thinges comprised and signified by the baptisme ought to bée reiected and forsaken of God if he lacke but the water But yet the better to content thée I will declare vnto thée euidently that not onely the auncient Doctors but also the scholasticalles and questionaries doe confirme my sentence For the master of the sentences hauing moued the same question which thou hast propouÌ„ded touching those words of Iesus christ aunswered that the same place ought to be vnderstanded of those which may be baptised and doe make none accompt of it or that one may thus expound it he which shall not be regenerate of the water the holy Ghost y is to say of that regeneration which is made by the water the holy Ghost shall not be saued Now y regeneration cannot be made onely by the baptisme but also thorow penance and by the bloud Behold the very wordes of the master of the sentences who vnderstandeth by the bloud the same of the Martyrs which is shed for the witnesse of the truth For your owne doctours perceiuing the absurdities inconueniences which would followe if one would vnderstand that place of Iesus Christ of the exterior baptisme and to take it rigâ—rously haue béene compelled to say that there shoulde be three sortes of baptisme that is to saye of the water of the holy Ghost and of bloud by the whiche diuision they doe confesse openly that there is an other kinde of baptisme then the same of the water by the which man may be saued There is the baptisme of the holy Ghost and of faith which may be without the same of the water Vpon which the maister of the sentences alledgeth Augustine saying Thou doest demaund which is greatest either faith or the water I doubt not but that thou wilt aunswere vnto mée that it is the faith If then that which is least can sanctifie shal not that which is greater do it better to wit the faith of which Iesus Christ hath said he that beléeueth on mée yea though he were dead yet shall he liue Eusebius S. Augustine neuerthelesse concludeth of the words of Iesus Christ that none can come vnto eternall life without the sacrament of baptisme but those which do shead their bloud for the trueth in the Church But which is more he sayth we do not beléeue that any Cathecumenian hath eternall life although that he shall dye in good workes if he be not baptised or martyred You do well knowe that in the auncient Church those which had receiued the Gospell and were not yet baptised were called Cathecumenes bicause that one had instructed them in the faith And following that same matter he saith more ouer We beléeue that there is no way of saluation but for those that are baptised Theophilus I
such as haue not knowen him in this world VVherevpon shal be entreated the place of Saint Peter touching the preaching of Iesus Christ vnto the deade to the spirits that were deteined in prison for the end conclusion of all those matters the funeralles of purgatory shall be celebrated and he shal be buried For that cause this dialogue is called the Requiescant in pace of purgatory For he is deade and buryed THE SIXT DIALOGVE WHICH is called the Requiescant in pace of Purgatorye THOMAS Although friend Eusebius thou hast resisted Theophilus and Hillarie as much as thou canst and that thou hast fought valyantlye yet neuerthelesse thou couldest not so vertuouslye defende thy selfe but that the forewarde the winges and the hornes of thy armye and almost all the whole hoast is discomfyted and ouercome there resteth no more nowe but the arrierewarde If it defende it selfe no valyentlyer and that it bée no better armed then the others thou shalt carry no good newes to the Pope of that combatte and thou shalt giue him no greate occasion to receiue thee among his Capitaines and to reward thée ritchly Eusebius I doe not fight for the Pope but for the trueth It is to me all one who d ee gaine or winne the battaile so that the victorie abideth with the trueth and that Iesus doe raigne in his Church Theophilus I am very glade for the good affection that GOD hath giuen vnto thée and that thou art not like vnto a heape and company of ambicious and glorious men who what so euer euill cause that they haue will neuer confesse them selues ouercome and vanquished but estéeme their glory more dearer then the same of Iesus Christ Eusebius It is verye true that at the beginning I was much offended with your wordes But when I considered that which I haue hearde of you I knewe not well to which side to turne You haue alreadye very much ouercome and fayled me neuerthelesse I haue yet many places of the holye Scriptures which holde me in suspens and leaue me in a greate scruple and doubt in my conscience vntill such time as thou hast shewed me by liuely euident reasons that I must vnderstande them otherwise then they haue béene expounded vnto me or else you shall be constrayned to chaunge your matter and to denye and vnsay all that you haue saide euen vntill this present time Hillarius Propounde them all by order and Theophilus wil addres guyde thée to the true vnderstanding Eusebius For to kéepe the better order I wyll beginne by the olde testament and afterwards will follow the newe after the order by which the bookes of the same are disposed and set alledging out of euery one of them the pointes which may serue to my matters I will put forth vnto thée that which Thoby commaunded his sonne saying Set thy breade and wine vppon the buriall of the righteous But thou wilt aunswere vnto me that that booke is Apocripha or onely Ecclesiasticall and not Canonicall as thou hast already done of the same of the Machabees Theophilus Truely I may aunswere thée so But although it were Canonicall where too would it serue for thy matter Eusebius Very well following the interpretacion of Eccius which expoundeth it of the Almoses for to refresh the poore that they should pray vnto God for the saluation of the deade Theophilus He that woulde followe the exposicions of Eccius there is not a place in the Bible which he hath not corrupted and marred for to make it serue to the popish tyranny In the booke of Thoby in that place there there is no mention made of praying for the dead And although those words preceded thervnto he ought rather to haue saide Set thy breade vppon the buriall of the sinner then vpon that of the righteous For the sinners shal haue more neede of such prayers then the righteous But he saith altogether contrarye For hée addeth eate and drinke not with the sinners and wicked The which is better expressed by the Greeke saying Set thy breade vpon the buriall of the righteous and giue it not vnto sinners Wherefore it is most likest to be true sith that before he hath spoken of Almoses that he recommendeth by those wordes chiefely the righteous and faithfull euen as saint Paul aboue all other recommendeth those of the houshold of faith Nowe there are many manners and wayes to bestowe ones breade and wyne vppon the burialles of the righteous The first is in burying them honestly as Thoby did without sparing that which was there vnto néedefull and requisite For the Hebrewes by the breade wyne and water doe vnderstande all the things necessarie vnto man and vnto mans life The other is when we doe helpe our bretheren succour so their necessities that they dye not for want of vittailes nor goe downe to the graue without being buried If we doe otherwise we kill them when we fâ—â—de them not and that they do dye through our default The thirde is when we comfort thorowe Almoses the children and friendes of the deade Then we shed foorth our breade and wine vpon their burialles behold the holy water that they desire And it is a great deale better to doe after that sort then to playe the glutton with the gluttons drunkerds and wicked But the manner of spech is somewhat obscure bicause that the booke notwithstanding that it was written in Greeke yet neuerthelesse it keepeth the phrases and manners of the Hebrew speach Hillarius He that will then followe the counsell of Thoby must no more banket and feast the Priestes sith that he forbiddeth to giue his breade and wine vnto sinners and the wicked For there is not a people vpon the earth of a more execrable life nor which do more abuse the goods which GOD hath giuen vnto man Amongst whom one may well accompt and number Eccius for one of the principallest Captaines of God Bacchus For he was very angry that day he was not dronken in Wherfore it is no meruaile if he woulde mainteine the spitt and the fryingpan But yet no ueil 〈◊〉 although he and all such as he is would presse and take the words of Thoby by the rigour without admitting any exposition confirmable and agreable to the worde of God it should haue had more colour for to allow the auncient custome which the Panyms had to cary breade vpon the burialls and to powre thereon wine euen as already hath béene spoken then for to proue the bankettes of the priestes and the prayers for the deade Neuerthelesse we are well assured that neither Thoby nor any other holy man but haue had regard not to allow such supersticious Eusebius Let vs leaue of Eccius and the pristes and answere me vnto that which is written in the booke of the Psalmes We haue passed thorowe the fire and water and thou hast drawen vs out and set vs in ioye and comforte Howe vnderstandest thou that place