of his might turne from theime but if they doo bicause there is suche affinity betwixt both theire teachings and this of theires may seeme allwaies to haue bene ioyned to that extreme faulshod of the others then shall Goddes Churche stille protest the faithe of her children by praiers and practise for the deade bothe by the example of the fathers in Christes Churche vnder the gospel and by the facte of worthy Iudas in the lawe before But nowe their answer must be here that this booke by which I haue vrged theime so farre shal be no scripture And this is the isshue of haeresye lo. These meÌ„ that lightely writhe and wreaste Goddes worde Heretikes deny scriptures from all true meaning to the maintenaunce of theire matter being forther charged by euidence of the wordes when other conuenient shifte can not be founde they are driuen to refuse vtterly the sacred canonicall scripture of God for notwithstanding theire perpetuall bragges of scripture yet there can no scripture houlde theime but they will ether find a fonde shifte to lowse it or elles a shamefull stoutnes vtterly to brast and breake it They first seeke by suttelty to vnfasten the bonde of Goddes trueth which is euery waie so enwrapped with the testimonies of holy scripture theÌ„ as they can not woorke by wiles they bouldely brast the bandes in sonder Thus when for misconstruing of this plane assertion of the booke of Machabeis they can conuey no fit meaninge they are driuen to harde shiftes and vnseemely to deny the whole booke to be scripture and therfore in matters of quaestion of no authoritye In which pointe the authoritye of the Iewes mouethe theime more in denying the bookes to be in the canoÌ„ of goddes scripture then the decree of the holy Church for the approuing of the same to be scripture But S. Hierom thoughe he confesse the Iewes not to allowe theime In prol mach Though against a Ievve or an heretike they coulde not proue any article of faithe nether then nor novve by them Ca. 48. yet is boulde to recken theyme emongest the bookes of the holy histories not measuring they re authority by the canon of the Haebrues but by the ruele of Christiane councells The Canons of the Apostles will chaleng theyme froÌ„ the Iewes and haeretikes to be scripture stille Innocentius the first in his rehersall of diuine bookes noombrethe these of the histories of the Machabees also the councell of Carthage the third authorisheth theime S. Augustine in his bookes Ca. 47. De doctrina Christiana Li. 2. Cap. numbring all canonicall scriptures with the reste reciteth these also Off which bookes in the xviij Cap. 36. of the Citie of God he thus forther testifiethe Ab hoc tempore apud Iudaeos restituto templo non reges sed principes fuerunt vsque ad Aristobulum quorum supputatio temporum non in scripturis sanctis quae Canonicae appellantur sed in alijs inuenitur in quibus sunt Machabaeorum libri quos non Iudaei sed Ecclesia pro Canonicis habet From this time he meanethe after the history of Esdras there was no kinges butt chiefe gouernours after the restitution and repaire of the temple till Aristoâ—ulus time of all which time there is no chronikle nor counte in the scriptures which be Canonicall but in other that be extant we finde that supplied as in the bookes of Machabeis which bookes allthoughe the Iewes doo not yet the Churche of God counteth for canonicall scripture But what shoulde we stande in this point the whole Churche of God and euery part or prouince therof euery lerned doctour and vertuouse Christen man hathe receiued and alowed theime for scripture â–ª the which constant and perpetuall iudgement of the Churche of Christe if any man refuse lett him be aestemed an Ethnike Or bicause he defendeth the Iewes authority ageinst the determination of Christes Churche lett him be at this time accompted for a Iewe. And yet I thinke he ouer shooteth theime herein for they confesse the historye to be trewe allthough not holy scripture nether haue they founde any suche erroure of doctrine therein conteined as he doth And as for the auncient Christian writers and famouse doctours they alleage euen that place to proue the lawfull praier for Christian soules departed whereby these felowes take occasion to saie it is no scripture at all As godly Damascenus in these woordes Scitis enim quid dicat scriptura quomodo Iudas ille Machabaeus in Syon Ciuitate regis magni vt cognouit populum sibi subiectum à Palestinis hostibus occisum scrutatione facta inuenta idola in sinibus eorum statim pro vnoquoque eorum ad dominum qui ad misericordiam facilis paratus est munera propitiatoria obtulit sane ob summam religionem fraternamque charitatem In lib. pro defunc in hoc facinore vt in omnibus alijs a diuinissima scriptura magnificus admirabilis habebatur Yowe knowe saithe he what the scripture reportethe how that worthy Iudas Machabaeus of Syon the City of the great kinge after he vnderstode certeine of his subiectes to haue bene slaine of the Palestines his enemies and searche being made had founde in thyire lappes idols streght waies offered to God who is muche inclined to mercy for euery of his souldiars so slaine propitiatory oblations â–ª who suerly for that acte as proceding off wonderfull religioÌ„ and brotherly loue and in all other affaires is of the holy writte aestemed mighty and meruelous Longe before this writer did sanct Augustine vse the same booke and text of Machabeis De eura pro mort agenda to proue the praiers and sacrifice for the departed in peace In the booke of Machabes saith he we reade that sacrifice was offered for the deade But yf it were in none of the oulde scriptures redde at all yet the authority of the vniuersall Churche which for this poynt is playne were af no smaule force whereby it is prouided that in the prayers which be made at the altare by the prest to our lord god the commemoration of the deade shall haue theire place Thus by these auncient authors bothe the bookes be approued the text it felfe for which oure aduersaries vnworthely denied the boke alleaged for the same purpose and the doctrine so sure that yf no scripture coulde be fowde it woulde beare out it self against all faulshod But this doctor handleth Pelagius the haeretique denyng the booke of wisdom to be scripture bicause there was a sentence oute of the fourthe chapter therof broght against his wicked doctrine euen as he shulde be and as these wranglers in the like case must be The place well marked shall serue our turne when so euer we heare theime so impudently reiecte scriptures bicause they impugne theire haeresies which elles shulde be as good scriptures as any booke of the Bible yf they ether would make with theime or by any crafty colouring not playnely make againste
tempests of traueling of sicknesse and in other necessities Well these be plaines practises no haeretike can denie but they haue bene so vsed of the whole Church of God with many suche other lyke in that holy action which can not in any case stand with bare breade or any other way of praesence but onely the proper true and bodily praesence of Christes owne person A doctors words may be miscoÌ„strued may be picked owte of place may be writhen and wastred by faulse teachers but a mannes example can not lightly be misconstrued And therfore haeretikes whose purpose is allwaies by sutteltie to deceiue the simple wil neuer make discourse by the practise of the churche or exercise and example of the auncient lerned men throughe oute the Churche of Christ hauing enough for theire meaning to racke a place or two oute of the fathers whole workes that may seeme to the ignoraunte to settforthe theire erroure So if thowe woulde knowe whether that place that our aduersaries impudently doo alleage oute of Gregory the greate ageinst the soueraignty of the see of Roome was in deede written for theire seditious purpose behoulde the practise of the same father and thowe shalte finde him selfe exercise iurisdiction at the very same time when he wrote it in all prouincies Christianed throughe owte the worlde both by excommunication of bisshoppes that gouerned not well by often citation of persons in extreme prouincies by many appeales made vnto him by continuall legacies to other nations sent ether to conuerte theime to the faithe or to gouerne in theire doubtfull affaires and by al other exercise of spirituall iurisdiction Is itt not nowe a very faulse suggestion to the poore people that this blessed man in so plaine vtterauÌ„ce of his meaning by workes and not by woordes should yet be brought as a witnesse to condemne him selfe thoughe the wordes being well vnderstand make for no such meaning in deede as by others it hath bene sufficientlye declared The like impudencie it is to alleage S. Bernarde against the Masse or the praesence of Christ in the blessed Sacrament Good man I dare say for him he sayde Masse euery daye if he were well at ease For other busines did not commonly let theyme in those daies froÌ„ that work of al other most necessarie So the reciting oute of S. Ambrose for the improuinge of inuocation of holy Sanctes is no more but an abuse of the simples ignorance knowing well that he and all other of that time did practise praiers both often to all holy martyrs and sumtimes peculiarly to such whom for patronage they did especially chuese of deuotion emongest the rest I speake not this that any might hereby iudge the doctors wordes to stande ageinst theire owne deedes but that euery man may perceiue that where the works and practise of al men he so plaine theire wordes in sum one place fownd darke can not by any meanes be praeiudicial to that trueth which in all other placies they planely set forthe by wordes and by the euident testimonie of theire owne practise to the worlde proteste the same Therefore I would exhorte all men in Christes name for their own saluatioÌ„s sake to take heede howe they giue credet to these libelles coÌ„teining certain wrasted places owte of the doctours workes ageinst any truth which by the further discourse of vsage and practise they are not hable before the learned to iustifye And therfore that al mistrust of vntrue dealing may be farre from vs I will as I saide let theÌ„ haue the feeling and handeling of oure cause throughlye They shall behould in examples of most noble personagies bothe for theire name vertue and lerninge the peculiare practises in praying and masse saing for the deade bothe in the auncient Greeke and Latine Churchies And where may we better begin then with this famouse Chrisostom he bare the last wittnesse with vs for the reliefe of the departed by the praiers and holy oblatioÌ„ therfore the practise of that excelleÌ„t benefite shall first be shewed vpon him sellfe This blessed man therfor being banished by the meanes of thempresse Eudoxia for the defense of the ecclesiastical discipline and there in exile departing out of this world was after her deathe by the happy and gracious childe Theodosius the yonger traÌ„slated from his obscure resting place to Constantinople which was is owne seate Lib. 10. Histo trip Cap 18. 26. there with meete honoure to be buried where with grace and woÌ„derful dignity he ruled the Churche before The History reportethe that the people of that citie as thick as men euer went on grownd passed the watters of Bosphorus and couered that coste wholye with light and lampe withe tapers and torcheis to bring that blessed bisshoppes body that was they re owne deare pastor home ageyne The which passing treasure being with all reuerence laide vppe in the sayde Citye then lothe gracious good Emperoure Theodosius Iun. ernestly behoulding the graue of S. Chrisostome made most humble praiers to allmighty god for his father and moothers soule the late Emperour and Empresse beseching him of pardon and forgyuenesse for banishing that good Catholike bishop bicause they did it of ignorance and so the wordes may well be taken that he askethe Chrisostom him sellfe mercy allso for his parents offense vniustly committed against him and withall full kindly prayethe for theire deceased soules And so being buried in his owne Church he was theÌ„ by Atticus a worthy maÌ„ his second successoure writteÌ„ in the roule of Catholike bisshoppes to be praide for at the altare euery day by name Cum Ioannitae saith Cassiodorus out of Socrates seorsim apud seipsos sacra solemnia celebrareÌ„t 12. Lib. tri partit Cap. 2. iussit vt in orationibus memoria Ioannis haberetur sicut aliorum dormientium episcoporum fieri consueuit When Chrisoâ—toms partakers saide masse by theyme selues aside Atticus gaue in commaundement that a memory should be had in the prayers of the Churche for him as the custom was that all bisshoppes after theire deathe shoulde haue Here is nowe open practise of that which by wordes we proued before here is an euident testimonie of the vsage of the greeke Churche for the buriall of bisshoppes and generall custom of kepinge theire memorial in the publike praiers and seruice of the churche It were not needefull to recite out of Eusebius the forme of Constantinus his funeralls Euseb in vita Constantini kept in the same Churche with solemnitye of sacrifice singinge lightes and prayers Nor the buriall of themperour ConstaÌ„tius 2. Orat in Iulian. who as Nazianzenus writeth was broght forthe with common prayses of al meÌ„ with singing lightes and lampes all the night longe very honorably with which thinges saith he we Christian men thinke it a blessed thinge to honoure the memories of oure frendes departed And if thaduersaries woulde here coÌ„tentiously reason that these solemne rites of Christiane burialls be nothing proffitable or if the
that haste before thyne eyes in these forsakers an image and a perfect platte of damnable desperation Mightily hathe God executed this sentēce of iudgemēt vpon al sortes of mē that hath withstand the trueth The Iewes feeling it till this day the folowers of Mahomet the Arians and all other haeretikes that haue forsaken the felowship of the faithfull The lamē table case of haeretikes and haue left the fowntaine of lyfe cowld neuer be reduced to the truethe coulde neuer see they re owne misery bicause God hath giuen theime ouer for their withstanding And let not the forsakers wōder that I shoulde compare theire case to the misery of the Iewes August in psal 30 seeing S. Augustine confesseth that all haeretikes be much more blinded then they bicause the Prophets speake more plainely of the Churche which properly all haeretikes doo impugne then they doo of Christe him self whome the prowde Iewes doo contemne And therefore let vs that be Catholikes blesse Goddes name for euer that he hath not taken his mercye from vs that he hathe not dealte with vs according to oure sinnes We haue offended surely and haue deserued this plage our Priestes haue offended our Princies haue offended and oure People haue offended yet for his own name sake he hath loked vpon vs and hathe kept vs withe in the howsehould of saluation Glory and honoure be to his holy name for euer more Amen FINIS Quoniam Liber iste Anglico Idiomate conscriptus est lectus ab Anglis Sacrae Theologiae peritis mihi optimè notis qui eum per omnia Catholicum nationi Anglicae perutilem attestantur iudico expedire vt admissus imprimatur Itae testor Cunnerus Petri de Browershauen Pastor Sancti Petri Louà niensis indignus 8. Martij an 1564. Stilo Brabantiae THE ARGVMENTES of euery Chapiter of bothe the Bookes Of the first Booke THe Praeface where in be noted two sortes of haeretikes th one pretending vertue thother openly professing vice And that oure time is more troubled by this second sort VVith a briefe note of the Authors principall intent in this Treatise praef argu fol. 9. Cap. 1 That often after oure sinnes be forgiuen by the sacrament of poenaunce there remaineth summe due of temporall pounishment for the satisfying of goddes iustice and som recompense of the offensies past fol. 12. Cap. 2 The double and doubtefull shiftes of our aduersaries pressed by this conclusion are remoued and it is proued agaynst one sort that these foresayde skourgies were in dede pounishments for sinnes remitted And against thother secte that this trāsitory paine hath often endured in the nexte liefe fo 29. Cap. 3 That the practise of Christes churche in the courte of binding and lousing mannes sinnes dothe lieuely sett fourthe the ordre of Goddes iustice in the nexte liefe and prooue Purgatory fol. 39. Cap. 4 That the manyfoulde workes and fructes of poenaunce whiche all godly men haue charged theime selues withe all for theire own sinnes remitted were in respect of Purgatory paines and forthe auoyding of goddes iudgement tēporall as well as aeternall in the nexte lyfe fol. 44. Cap. 5 A briefe ioyning in reason and argument vpon the proued groundes withe the aduersaries for the declaration and proufe of Purgatory fol. 53. Cap. 6 That Purgatory paines doothe not onely serue Goddes iustice for the poonishement of sinne but also cleanse and qualify the soule of man defiled for the more seemely entraunce into the holy placies with conference of certaine textes of scripture for that purpose fol. 56. Cap. 7 That there is a particulare iudgement and priuate accompte to be made at euery mannes departure of his seuerall actes and dedes with certaine of the fathers minds touching the textes of scripture alleaged before fol. 64. Cap. 8 Origen is alleaged for oure cause vpon whose errour in a matter sumwhat apperteyninge to oure pupose S. Augustines iudgement is more largely soght and there with it is declared by testimony of diuerse holy authors what sinnes be chefely purged in that temporall fyre fol. 73. Cap. 9 A forther declaration of this pointe for the better vnderstanding of the doctoures wordes Wherein it is opened howe Purgatory is ordeined for mortal sinnes and howe for smauler offenses who are like to feele that grefe and who not at all fol 82. Cap. 10 A place alleaged for Purgatory owte of S. Matthewe withe certeine of the Auncient fathers iudgements vpon the same fol. 88. Cap. 11 An answer to certaine obiections of the aduersaries moued vpon the diuersity of meanings which they see geuen in the fathers writinges of the scriptures before alleaged for Purgatory and that this doctrine of the Churche standethe not againste the sufficiency off Christes Passion fol. 98. Cap. 12 An euident and most certaine demonstration of the truethe of Purgatory and the greuousnesse thereof vttered by the praiers and wordes of the holy doctoures and by sum extraordinary workes of God beside fo 105. Cap. 13 Of the nature and condicion of Purgatory fire the difference of theire state that be in it from the damned in hell with the conclusion of this Booke folio 117. An end of the Argumentes of the first Booke ARGVMENTA CAPIT LIBRI II. TThe preface of this booke wherein the matter of the treatise and the ordre of the Authors poceeding be briefely opened fol. 23. Cap. 1 That there be certaine sinnes whiche may be forgeuen in the nexte lyfe and that the deserued poonishement for the same may be eased or vtterly released before the extreme sentence be to the vtmost executed fol. 127. Cap. That the faithful soules in Purgatory being novve past the state of deseruing and not in case to help theime selues may yet receiue benefite by the woorkes of the lyuing to whome they be perfectly knitte as felowe membres of one body folio 132. Cap. 3 What the Churche of God hathe euer principally practised for the soules departed by the warraunt of holy scripture with the defense of the Machabees holy history against the heretikes of oure time folio 137. Cap. 4 That the funeralles of the Patriarches bothe in the lawe of nature and Moyses and Christe had practise in theime for the reliefe of the soules departed folio 146. Cap. 5 Man may be relieued after his departure ether by the almose whiche he gaue in his lyfe time or by that which is prouided by his testament to be geuen after his death or elles by that almose whiche other men doo bestowe for his soules sake of theire own gooddes fol. 158. Cap. 6 Of certaine offeringes or publike almose presented to God for the deceased in the time of the holy sacrifice at mennes burialles and other customable daies of theire memories and of the sundry mindes kepte in the primitiue Churche for the departed fol. 169. Cap. 7 That the benefite of praier and allmose apperteineth not to suche as dye in mortall sinne though in the doubtefull case of mannes beeing the Church vseth to pray for all departed in Christes faithe fol. 177. Cap. 8 What that holy sacrifice is whiche was euer counted so beneficiall to the liue and deade The punishment of oure sinnes by the heuy losse thereof The greate hatered whiche the diuell and all his side hath euer borne towardes Christes aeternall priesthood and the sacrifice of the Churche And that by the saide sacrifice of the Masse the soules departed are especially relieued folio 187. Cap. 9 That the practise of any pointe in religion maketh the moste open shewe of the fathers faithe And that all holy men haue in plaine wordes and moste godly praiers vttered their beliefe in our matter fol. 195. Cap. 10 That we and all nations receiued this vsage of praing and sacrificing for the departed at our first conuersion to Christes faith And that this article was not onely confirmed by miracle amongest the rest but seuerally by signes and woonders approued by it selfe An that the Churche is growne to such beauty by the fructe of this faith fol. 210. Cap. 11 That in euery ordre or vsage of celebration of the blessed Sacrament and Sacrifice through owte the Christian worlde since Christes time there hath bene a solemne supplication for the soules departed fol. 220. Cap. 12 The haeretikes of oure time and contry be yet further vrged withe the practise of prayiers for the deceased theire conrary communion is compared with the owlde vsage of Celebration They are ashamed of the firste originall off theire Christian faithe they are weery of theire owne seruice they are kepte in ordre by the wisdome of the Ciuile magistrates and are forced to refuse all the Doctors fol. 230. Cap. 13 That the praying for the dead was appointed to be had in the holy sacrifice by the Apostles commaundement and praescription And that our doctors by the maiesty of their name beare downe oure light aduersaries fol. 242. Cap. 14 The first Author of that secte whiche denieth prayers for the departed is noted his good condicions and cause of his error be opened what kind of men haue bene most bent in all agies to that secte And that this haeresy is euer ioyned as a fit companion to other horrible sectes fol. 257. Cap. 15 Their falshood is condemned and the Catholike truethe approued by the authority of holy Councelles Their pride in cōtemning and the Catholikes humility in obediēt receiuing the same And a sleight wherby the heretikes deceiue the people is detected f. 267 Cap. 16 An answer to suche arguments as the haeretikes doo frame of the holy scriptures not well vnderstanded against the practise of Goddes Churche in praying for the deade or the doctrine of Purgatory fol. 274. Cap. 17 An answer to theire negatiue argument with the conclusion of the Booke fol. 281. FINIS
To suche as made no store of good woorkes they cast onely faithe vnder theire elbowe to leane vpon To suche as were bourdened withe promesse of chastitye they made mariage a Cuisshen for theire ease For suche as cast an eye vpon churche gooddes they borowed a pillowe of Iudas Quare non vaenijt trecentis denarijs datum est egenis Ioan. 12. Why is not this made mony of and giuen to the poore And so in all pointes they artificially folowe mannes phantasie nourishe the humour of the vngodly and preache peace withe pleasure Commit what yowe liste omit what yowe liste youre preachers shall prayse it in they re wordes and practise it in they re woorkes For looke howe they teache and so doo they lieue farre passing the Epicure 2. De sin who as Cicero saith in taulke praised pleasure but in all his life was full courtese and honest And muche exceding Iouinianus who as Augustine reporteth of him Vbi supra haere 28. being a Monke mainteyned the mariage of votaries but yet for diuerse inconueniencies him selfe for all that would not be maried But oures being once in bisshops roume or of that disordered newe ministerie eare they be well warmed in they re beneficyes as in all other licentious liefe they will leade the daunse so they must oute of hand for the most parte as thoughe it weare annexum ordini as schoole men terme it haue a wieffe withe necessary chirishing to that state belonginge And good reason it is that these delicate doctors hauing euer in redinesse pillowes for their frendes ease shoulde neuer want whole coutchies for theire owne But it were to longe a matter for me at this praesent purposing an other thing fully to declare howe sinne in all pointes hathe acheyued such liberty Hovv this svvhete haeresy first begane by the vnhappy ioking her selfe vnto haeresye Onely this may be noted brefely for that point that generally in the beginninge of theire endeuoures they remoued withe speede oute of theire waies as especiall impediments and stombling stockes all those meanes which Christe commaunded or the churche praescribed or our fathers folowed for thabbating of sinnes dominion that the worlde might well vnderstand they mente the extolling of all vice and to make the way for sinne and wickednesse First that soueraigne remedy of mannes misdeedes that graue iudgement lefte by Christe to his Churche for the weale of vs all that powre whiche the Sonne of man hathe in earthe to remitte sinnes the true courte of mannes conscience the very word of reconcilement and the borde of refuge after shipwrake whiche is the Sacrament of poenaunce they haue to the vnspeakeable gayne of sinne vnworthely remoued The subdueing of mannes pride by due obedience to his spirituall pastors and humble honouringe of the gyedes of goddes churche fitly for they re purpouse haue they lowsed Fasting whiche is the bryedell of carnall concupiscence and torment of all fleshly lustes for sinnes sake they haue sette at suche liberty that it is allmost lost And what hauocke in all other spirituall exercise is made for these mennes free passage to helle we see it all the posterity shall feele it and the very workers shall be weary of the way of wickednesse when they shall lacke grace and space to repēt theime But I can not nowe stande vppon these pointes Meaning at this tyme onely to ouerthrowe an other like groūde of this detestable schoole whiche hathe no lesse auaunced sinne then the other and dishonowred God muche more whiche hathe perniciously deceyued nott onely open haeretikes but allso muche weakened the deuotion of summe that otherwiese were Catholikes The harme wherof perteynethe not onely to most men that be a lyeue but allso to many that be deade That is the abolishing of paenaunce discredityng of purgatorye and abandoning of satisfaction for oure offenses committed All whiche being nothinge elles but a kynde of softe handeling and swheet cherishing of sinne hathe wroght suche vayne security in mennes myndes that fewe haue any feele or feare of goddes iudgementes fewe consyder the deape wounde that sinne makethe in mannes soule and most men abhorre the remedyes requisite for so greuous a sore When I looke backe at the floure and spring of Christes Churche and see sinne counted so bourdenous and goddes dreadfull poonishment for the same so earnestly feared of all men that no saulue could be so sore no paenaunce so paynefull but they woulde bothe haue suffered and desired it to haue bene fully free from the same and withe all consider the extreme doloure of hearte whiche al men then expressed by often teares by humble acknouledging of they re mislyuinge to goddes ministers in earthe and exceding paynefull paenaunce by longe fasting A proffitable comparing of the time past vvithe oure praesent dayes daungerous peregrinations contynuall prayers large almose so sharply enioyned so meekly receyued and so duely fullfilled and then returning agayne to oure tyme and state where I may and must neades behoulde the pityfull waste of Christiane woorkes the maruelous shake of all good maners and more then an image of meere paganisme as in whiche we fynde no face nor shadowe of Christianity no nor any steppe allmoste of oure faithfull fathers pathes then doo I well perceyue the isshue and end of the laste grownde of this wasting haeresy to be nothing elles but a canker of true deuotion an enimy to spirituall exercise a security and quiett rest in sinne and briefly a salfegarde and praesumptuous warraunt from the iudgement of goddes mighty arme whiche reacheth ouer thoffensies of the whole worlde Euill we were before by other poyntes of this deceitfull doctryne but by this laste parte we are vtterly loste For as truely S. Hierom writeth by theire praedecessors Hoc profecit doctrina istorum Vbi supra vt peccatum ne paenitentiam quidem habeat This hathe this doctryne of theyres wonne and wroght that of sinne there is no way of repentaunce euen so may we muche more complayne of this pernicious fallsehood that directely withe owte all colour hathe rased vppe bothe the remedyes of sinne and bouldely discharged vs of goddes iudgement and all penaulty for the same that as before by faulshood and flatterly we were ledde in to the swheete schoole of sinne so now by thabbandoning of paenaunce and purgatory in vaine hope and securitye we might needes for euer remaine therin Considering therfore the greate spreade of contagion that this vntrue doctryne hath wroght bothe to the euerlasting misery of heretikes theime selues and allso to the greuous punishment that allmighty God of iust iudgement may take vpon vs that by his greate mercy be yet Catholikes because we leeue in wantō welthe wythe oute iuste care or cogitation of oure lyefe paste Nether dooing any woorthy fructes of paenaunce nor yet endeuouring to make a mendes and recompense by satisfiyng for oure sinnes before of mercy so pardned that to oure damnation they can not nowe any more be imputed
turne home to vs ageine I my selfe seeke no further credit at thy hādes but as a reporter of the antiquity But the scripture requireth thy obedience the Churche whiche can not be deceyued clameth thy consent all the owlde fathers woulde haue the ioyne with theime in they re constāt belefe Yf thow did once feele what grace and giftes were In populo graui ecclesia magna in the graue people and greate Churche as the Prophett termeth Goddes howse or coulde conceiue the conforte that we poore wretchies receiue daily by discipline and perfect remission of oure sinnes which can no where but in this howse be profitably healed thowe wouldest forsake I am sure all wordely welthe and wantons abrode to ioyne with oure Churche ageine And that the name of the Church deceiue the not this is the true Churche saith Lactantius In qua est religio Lib. 4. Cap. 30. de sap confessio poenitentia quae peccata vulnera quibus est subiecta inbecillitas carnis salubriter curat In whiche deuotion confessiō and poenaūce wherby the woūdes of mānes frailty are profitably cured be founde FINIS PRIORIS LIBRI THE SECONDE BOOKE INTREATING OF THE PRAYERS AND OTHER ORDINARY reliefe that the Church of Christ procureth for the soules departed THE PREFACE OF THIS Booke vvherein the matter of the treatise and the ordre of the Authors proceading be briefely opened WE haue now taried very longe in the consideration of Goddes iustice and mighty scourge not only for the euerlasting outcastes but also for the exacte trial of the chosen childrens wayes The behoulding whereof must neades ingender som sorowe and sadnesse of minde and with all as it commonly happeth in oure frailety a certaine bitter taediousnesse bothe in the writer and the reader 2. Cor. 7. thoughe for my parte I will say with S. Paule that it greueth me neuer a whit that I haue in my tallke geuen yowe occasion of sadnesse being assured that this praesent grefe may woorke perfect poenaunce to vndoubted saluation But the wearinesse of that roughe part which might bothe by the weight of the matter and allso by my rude handeling quickely arise to the studious reader I shall in this booke wholy wype away not by arte or pleasaunt fall of wordes whiche in plaine dealing is not much requisite but by the singulare comforte of oure cause In the continuall course whereof we shall ioy more and more at the behoulding of Goddes passing mercy in remission of sinnes and mitigation of the paines whiche iustice enioyned For nowe we must talke howe the fyry sworde of Goddes ire may be turned from his people Whiche Ambros as one of the fathers truely saide beareth a great shewe of vengeaunce and iudgement bicause it is named a fyry sworde but yet knowē withall to be a tourning sword that is gladius versatilis Rupert in 3. c. Genes it shall geue greate cause of comforte againe O sapientes saith deuoute Damascene ad vos loquor scrutamini erudimini quia plurimus est timor Dei domini omnium sed multò amplior bonitas formidabiles quidem minae In orat pro defunctis incomparabilis autem clementia horrenda quidem supplicia ineffabile autem miserationum suarum pelagus Thus he speaketh of Purgatory and mercy O yowe of the wise sorte to yowe doo I speake searche and learne A comparison off the mercy and iudgement off God tovvardes the soules in Purgatory ▪ and that mercy is more that the feare of God the Lorde of all thinges is maruailous muche but his goodnesse farre ouerreacheth it His threatning exceding feareful but his clemency vncōparable the praepared poonishmēts doubtlesse horrible but the bottōlesse sea of his mercies is vnspeakable so saide he Therfore if our sinnes forgeuen were neuer so greuous or oure vicious lyfe so farre wasted in idle welth that space of fructefull poenaunce and opportunity of well woorking by the nightes approching and oure Lordes sodden calling be taken away in whiche longe differring of oure amendement heuy and sore execution must neades for iustice sake be done yet lett vs not mistrust but God measureth his iudgement with clemency and hath ordeined meanes to procure mercy and mitigate that sentēce euē in the middest of that fyry doongion that the vessels of grace and the redemed flocke may worthely sing bothe mercy and iudgement to oure gracious God who in his angre forgetteth not to haue compassion nether withdraweth his pity in the middest of his ire Psal 76. For this imprisonment endureth no longer then our debtes be paide this fyre wasteth no further then it findeth matter to consume this discriet and wise flame as som of the fathers before termed it chastiseth no lōger thē it hath cause to correcte Yea oftē before this fyre by course of iustice can cease God quencheth it with his sonnes bloude recompenseth the residew by oure maisters merittes The motions off Goddes mercy In releasing or mitigation of the payne of Purgatory and accepteth the carefull crie of oure moother the Churche for her children in paine The memorie off Christes death liuely and effectually settfourth in the soueraigne misteries vpon the Altare in earth entereth vpp to the praesence of his seate and procureth pardon in heauen aboue The merites of all sanctes the praier of the faithefull the woorkes of the charitable bothe earnestly aske and vndoubtedly finde mercye and grace at his hande For of suche the Prophet Dauid asketh Nunquid in aeternum proijciet Deus aut continebit in ira sua misericordias suas Psal 76. Will God caste theime awaye for euer or will he shutte vpp his mercy when he is angrie No he wil not Li. 1. de poenit Cap. 1. so saith S. Ambrose Deus quos proijcit non in aeternum proijcit God casteth of many whome he doothe not euerlastingly forsake Then let vs seeke the wayes of this so mercyfull a Lorde that we may take singulare comforte therin oure selues agaynst the day of oure accompte and indeuour mercyfully to helpe oure deare bretherne so afflicted lest if we vse not compassion towardes theime we iustly receyue at Goddes hande for the rewarde of oure vnmercyfulnesse iudgement and iustice with owte mercy The cruell aduersary of man kynde as before he wrought his woorste against Purgatory so here he busely pricketh forward the schoole of protestantes to improue to theire owne vtter damnation and the notable hinderaunce of oure louing bretherns saluation all suche meanes as God by scripture or other testimony of his worde hathe reueled to be proffitable for thabating of payne or the release of the apoynted poonishment in that place of temporal tormente to com Against whiche deceiuers I meane by Goddes helpe in this ordre to trauel First I will proue that sinnes may be pardoned or the debt and bond thereof released in the next worlde then I shal shewe what meanes the holy scripture approueth or thexample thereof a
I speake for pitye of the deceiued people for compassion of the soules that lacke the reliefe of so soueraigne a remedy for mine oune helpe and those that I so dearly loue against the day of oure accompt I speake it bicause I beleeue it and I beleue it O that vvas a happy time bicause I finde it practised of those men and in those daies when true christianitye was yet feruent in Christes bloud wheÌ„ the faith was vndefiled and wheÌ„ woorkes and faith raÌ„ne together in the rase of mannes lyfe ioyntely without coÌ„tentioÌ„ TheÌ„ floorished this doctrine and thowe shalte haue further taste of their vsage for mine own discharge we can not occupy oure peÌ„ne better S. ChrisostoÌ„ thus instructed his flocke in this case Citatur a Dam. Si adhuc in hac vita coÌ„stitutus omnia quibus animae tuae prodesse poteras bene dispeÌ„sare neglexisti vel ad cal ceÌ„ vitae tuae tuis maÌ„dasti vt tua tibi ipsi submitteÌ„do erogent bonisque operibus te adiuueÌ„t eleemosinis dico oblationibus etiaÌ„ hac ratione saluatoreÌ„ coÌ„ciliaueris scribein tabulis cuÌ„ filijs cognatisque tuis haeredeÌ„ nomina do minuÌ„ Nulli auteÌ„ viuentiuÌ„ propterea occasioneÌ„ damus ne faciat eleemosinas differendo vsque ad morteÌ„ Yf thowe in thyne owne time was ouer negligent in disposinge thy gooddes for the proffet of thy soule and yet at the very ende doost at the last charge thy freÌ„des or executors that they wil employ thy proper gooddes for the relife of they self and so helpe the with good workes that is to saie with allmose and oblation euen that way there is greate hope thowe maiste procure goddes fauour write in thy will that our Lorde may be named a felowe haeire with thy children and kinnesfolkes Neuerthelesse let no man take occasion herby to be slack in his life time or to differr his almose and charitye till deathes approching This was the preaching of that doctours daies this proceaded oute of his goulden mouthe and this sounded out of euery pulpit And surely if yowe knew his liefe and qualities yow would not take him to be the priestes proctor of whose dignity as he wrote muche so where he fownde any vicious he pounished sore But he was a true proctor of oure soules Chrisostom was no crauer perdye nor Christe nether thoughe they warne vs to make frends by mammon for our owne saluation They aske not muche Marci 12. Matt. 10. they thrust owt no inhaeretours it was but a myte that wanne the poore wydowe that prayse a cuppe of coulde water where more habilitye wanteth shall winne heauen at th ende This theÌ„ is the benefite of almose giueÌ„ in the time of mannes lyfe or otherwise by his appointmeÌ„t of his owne gooddes after his departure both which procure mercie as well by the deede it selfe as by the praiers of those to whome that charity apperteined Nowe there is an other way of reliefe by almose of other men which for â—oue and pitye they bestowe vpon the â—oore that the soule hense departed â—ay throughe they re charitye receyue â—omforte And this conteineth a double worke of mercie principally towardes the deceased for whome it was geâ—en and then towardes the needy that receiued praesent benefit thereby and it singularely redoundeth to the spirituall gaine both of the geuer and the person for whose sake it is geueÌ„ And this kind of almose is it which good Tobie did coÌ„meÌ„d vnto his sonne being so muche more meritorious to the person that procureth it theÌ„ the other which we spake of before The perfectest kind of almose bicause it is grouÌ„ded not only of loue towardes a maÌ„nes owne proper person but reacheth to the benefite of our neghboure by the singulare gift of coÌ„passioÌ„ and teÌ„der loue that we beare eueÌ„ towards theim which caÌ„ nether help vs nor theÌ„ selues It is nothing elles but a wing of praier and a tokeÌ„ of ernest sute for the party on whom it is practised whiche no man will vse for his neighbours good that list not doo it before in his owne behalfe This effectuall supplication by wordes and workes together is as straunge nowe a daies in oure country ether for the liuing or the departed ether in oure owne lackes or in other mennes necessities as it was common in oulde time Tob. 12. and commended in the scripture Bona est oratio cum ieiunio eleemosina Praier is soueraigne ioyned with almose and fastinge the which being doone ether for the liue or dead is with speede by angelles ministery caried into into heauen For I take it and so the texte excedingly beareth that the bitter praiers which thaungel so coÌ„mended in that good father and which had such good succcesse was made in the funerals of the faithefull departed QuaÌ„do orabas cuÌ„ lachrimis saith Raphael sepeliebas mortuos cae Ego obtuli orationeÌ„ tuaÌ„ Domino Toby wheÌ„ thowe with teares prayd and buried the deade I offered vpp thy praiers to our Lord God he seemeth to tearme that prayers with weeping which in other placies of scripture is called mourning ouer the dead And weying the wordes with owt affection it must needes be graunted that the iuste funeralls had and required prayers with weeping and that the angels of God doo speedely offer such effectuall requeste vppe to the presens of the Maiesty as wel to the reliefe of the deade as to the conforte of the procurer But I would be lothe to descant vpon goddes worde for the beating owt of any newe doctrine or deuised meaning or to auouch a sense not knoune to the time of persect spring in religioÌ„ Therfore to go surely to woorke I will loke about me for example of this good Tobies almose and praiers for the poore departed soules that we may learne withall not onely to be beneficiall to our selues but to our neghboures both a liue and deade All thantiquitye here offer to take my part in so good and so knowne a quarell I may haue as many as I wil and whome I wil. such therfore I doo searche for as be plainest for testimonie of open doles and reliefe off the poore in the burials of ChristiaÌ„ people That not only one mannes assertion but allso the plaine practise of the church of God may beare downe thaduersaries bouldnes and the more auncient the better Origen then shall helpe vs to the vsage of his tyme and church li. 3. in Iob He writeth thus Celebramus diem mortis quia non moriuntur hi qui mori videntur Celebramus nimirum religiosos cum sacerdotibus conuocantes fideles vná cum clero inuitantes adhuc egenos pauperes pupillos viduas saturantes vt fiat festiuitas nostrain memoriaÌ„ requiei defunctis animabus cae We solemnely kepe the day of our frendes departure bicause they be not deade which appeare vnto vs to dye And this is oure way of celebrating theire funerals We
occasion of idle rest or carelesse affection in his owne time and cause when he may be assured to lacke the reliefe of others to whome in his liefe by well woorkinge he woulde not ioyne before Enchir. Cap. 110. But I had rather ye hearde S. Augustine vttering expressely this meaning of mine in his owne wordes It can not be denied saith he but that the soules of the deceased be relieued when the sacrifice of oure redemer is offered for theime or almose bestowed in they re behaulfe in the Churche But in deede these are proffitable to none but to such as in theyr lyfe deserued that those things after theire departure might doo theim good For there is a state of life that is nether so perfect but it may well haue neede of these helpes after deathe nor yet so very euill but suche thinges may well succour theime after theire departure Mary there is a kind of conuersation so vertuous that it requirethe no suche ayed and an other kind so wicked that those which passed theire former lyfe therin can haue after theire passage no reliefe by suche meanes for by our merites in this lyfe we doo obteine that after oure deaths we may ether atteine to remedy or elles be voyde of al helpes For it is a very vayne hope that any man shoulde praesume to winne that at Goddes hāde after he be passed out of this world which when he was in the worlde he neuer sought nor deserued And a little after thus he makethe all playne VVhen the sacrifice of the altare or elles any kind of almose be offered for all men departed being baptised for the very good they are thankes geuinge for the indifferent that be not very euill they are a mercyfull deliueraunce For the wicked and very euill although they be no succoure for theim which be departed and deade yet they are cōfortable for those that be aliue And to suche as receiue benefite therbie ether cōmeth ful forgiunesse or elles theyr iudgemēt and damnation is made therby sumwhat more tolerable The which sentence allmost in lyke wordes for that it merueilously opened this matter this author repetethe in the fourth question ad Dulcitium and elles very often Wherby the faithfull man may learne bothe howe much and whom these remedies doo relieue And then that the Church in his daies offered sacrifice for all those that were baptised and in the faithe therof departed bothe for that it was vncertaine who had neede therof and allso because euen then when the parties were not nor could not be partakers therof that goddes glory notwithstanding was excedingly sett forth and man comforted therbye Therfore goddes Church in a true sense may be faide to offer sacrifice euen for the holy and blessed martyrs who no doubt by sheedinge of they re bloude for Christes name and defense of vnitie be fully purged in this they re deathe and so perfectly released of all sinne and paine that might otherwise haue deserued punishment and sum expectation of goddes mercy in the lyfe to com For so S. Cyprian and other of his Church offered sacrifice Li. 4. epi. 5. for Celerne Laurēce and Ignatius as he testifieth him self Sacrificia pro eis semper vt meministis offerimus quoties martyrū passiones dies anniuersaria cōmemoratione celebramus For them we offer sacrifice as oftē as we cerebrate the yerly memoryes of martyres For wich kind of perfect men sacrifice is thankes geuing vnto God for theire glory and giftes of grace Tractat. 84. in Ioannem and a kind of intercessiō to theim in our necessities For which cause S. Augustine affirmeth Quôd pro martyribus nō oramus sed ipsi orant pro nobis We pray not for martyrs but they pray for vs. Nowe the sacrifice often celebrated for the wicked also that be not knowē to the Churche so to be is not beneficiall to theyme nether bicause theire noghty lyfe and deathe makes theime vnapte to receiue cōforth therby yet these holy apointed remedies are bothe cōfortable and meritorious to the geuers and procures as blessinges which are not lost Hovv praier vvhich taketh no effect in the departed is profitable to the procurer but turne ageine to the bestowers For the profit of other or the only wil to relieue other is a singulare deserte and meanes of meritte to a mannes sellfe Full truely saide Damascene that this carefull helpe and seruing of other mennes lackes is much like to the paine which one takethe in anoynting with a precious baulme an other mannes body which as he temperethe in his hande to bestowe vpon an other it firste redoundethe in verdure and vertue to him sellfe and then passethe by him to the vse of his neghboure for whome principally it was praepared But notwithstanding this free procurement and liberall graunt of common helpes in the departeds case euen there where it is vncertayne whether they take effect or no the Church yet doth not onely absteine from sacrifice and request for suche as doo openly appeare to sin vnto deathe as thapostle saith but som times for poonishment of certeyne contemptes and disobedience in sum persons she forbeareth these meanes euen there wher she might proffet the departed and peraduēture cleane discharge him of sinne and paine with all Which she dothe by merueilouse graue authoritie to the greate terrour of offenders That by the greuous poonishmēt of certaine many might learne to be careful and wise Greate is the authority of goddes ministers suerly and heuy is theire hande often vpon sinners Actu 5. allwaies to edifie and neuer to destroie What a straunge force had Peters wordes that droue down to death for dissimulation man and wiefe allmost bothe at a clappe what a horrible and dreadfull iudgemēt practised Paule 1. ad Tim. 1 1. Cor. 5. in geuing vpp sum to satan him selfe for sinne howe sharplie did the primitiue churche execute iudgement vpon greuouse offenders whome sum times after many yeres separation from the coomfortable receiuing the sacramentes they woulde hardely admit at theire last ende to the fellowship therof But nowher coulde the maiesty of goddes church appeare with more terroure then in this case when she dischargeth certaine for their punishment of all common helpe by praiers oblation and sacrifice after their departure though they otherwise died in the fauoure of God as I take it and might be of the chosen company that shal be saued And that punishment was nothing elles but a keping of theim in longer correction and paine for theire sinnes vnder goddes scourge in the next worlde for the admonishmēt of others in that case to beware whiles she would not vse her ordinary meanes for theire release A notable example we haue thereof Concilium aphricanū oute of a councell houlden in affrick the decrie of which assemblie S. Ciprian him sellfe with a practise in the excution therof Epist 9. reportethe in the first booke of his epistles Where he willeth
the vnworthinesse of these our dooleful daies and bewailed his own misery as we shoulde doo oures Ita Policarp ex Iren. crying owt with an oulde blessed father O Deus bone in quae me seruasti tēpora vt ista blasphema sustineā O Lorde that I shoulde be reserued for these times to abide suche blasphemie victor de persecut vandal Victor reporteth in his history of the persecution of the vandalles that were Arians that the Gouernour of that cursed company of cruel haeretikes would not suffer the christian men whome he had slaine to be broght home withe seruice and sacrifice but then the good people woonderfully bewailed theire case seeing theim practise cruelty vpon theire soules allso in that they would not suffer theime to enioye at their departure and buriall the rites of goddes church Thus saithe that Author Quis vero sustineat atque possit sine lachrimis recordari dum praeciperet nostrorum corpora defunctorum sine solemnitatehimnorū cum silentio ad sepulchra perduci O Lord who coulde haue fownd in his heart to be houlde then or could yet once thinke of it withe owte teares how he gaue in charge that the bodies of our brethern departed should be broght to the graue and buried with owte all solemnity of himnes in silence and sorowe Ecclesi Cap. 7. It was euer giuen to wicked hard harted haeretiques to prohibere gratiam mortuis to be vnmercifull and to staie the fauoure of good men from the departed epist 8. li. 2. Nouatus as S. Cyprian chargeth him noluit patrem fame defunctū sepelire would not bury his owne father deade of honger bane But to let suche men passe withe the praesent bewayling of our vnhappy dayes let vs with more conforte behould the steppes of good men past how kindely and brotherlyke they haue principally procured the holy sacrifice for they re frendes and felowes gone before For seeing the onely prayers of good men haue bene proued so profitable and the repraesentation of som holy workes of almose hath often moued God to pity as we haue proued towards the release of the departed his payne what may we not hope to obteyne for oure britherne deceased when we shal ioyne in prayers withe the holy angelles with the blessed sanctes with Goddes holy ministers in the representation of Christes most blessed body and bloude before the face of his father when the whole churche of god in that honorable action prayethe and Christe him selfe is both the sacrifice and the priest both the asker and the geuer of pardon when the maiesty of God the blessed trinitye is passingly pleaced by the merites of Christes deathe so liuely set out in these honorable but vnspeakable mysteries what may we not here procure for the soule of the churchies childe what shal be denied to so humble askers in the praesence of goddes own son and begging mercy for his deathes sake And so doth S. Chrisostom assure the faithfull in these goulden wordes Non frustra ab apostolis sancitum est vt in celebratione vener andorū mysteriorum memoria fiat eorum qui hinc discesserunt Homil. 3. in epistolā ad philipp nouerunt quippe illis multum hinc emolumenti fieri multū vtilitatis stante siquidem vniuerso populo manus in coelos extendente coetu item sacerdotali verendoque proposito sacrificio quomodo deum non placaremus pro istis orantes Yt was not for noght that the apostles decried and ordeined that in the celebratiō of the honorable mysteries there should be an especiall memoriall of the departed for they right well knewe greate commodity and benefite to arise ther vpon For the whole multitude houlding vp theire handes towards heauen together with the company and quiere of priestes and the dreadfull sacrifice set furth before all men howe is it possible but we shoulde appeace goddes wrath praying for theim loke ye what this mannes iudgement was and see from whense he had it euē of the holy apostles I warraunt yowe and no worse nor latter fownders But of that pointe for the full deriuing of our christian vsage frō the first fathers of our faith more cōuenient place shal be geuen herafter Nowe I wil serue the cause and the readers desire first withe certaine peculiare examples of most learned and godly fathers worthy of all credet in the godly prouision for certeine of theire dearest frendes by sacrifice and praier both made by theim selues and procured by others That we may haue here not onely whom to beleeue teaching the truethe but whome to folowe practising the same with deuotion which they preached withe cōstancye before That the practise of any pointe in religion maketh the most open shevve of the fathers faith And that all holy men haue in plaine vvordes and most godly praiers vttered their beliefe in our matter Cap. 9. ANd I take the open practise of any point to be a more pithy protestation of a mānes faithe thē by words cā be made Therfore if a mā were doubtful ether of the trueth of any article or of the meaning of sum doctours wordes looke the same mannes practise and it shall put him owt of doubt thereof streght wayes as for an example seeme sum wordes of S. Augustin to make for the sacramentaries haeresie that Christe is in the honourable sacrament but by a figure or Theodoretus or any other auncient fathers declaratiō are their wordes doubtful to the reader leaue the wordes thē if thowe syncerely seeke for truethe with owte contention and seeke owte if thowe can sum practise of those same men and that Churche where they liued for the same point But what way of worke in this matter consisting in doctrine may assure vs of theire beliefe of whose wordes we doubted before Theodor. dial 2. August super psal 98. Dionis ecclesiast hierarch Cap. 3. Basil de spiritu sanct Cap. 27. Mary sir this looke howe they behaued theime selues in the receiuing of it in the ministering of it in the carefull keping of it whether they did adore it with godly honoure whether they solemnely shewed it to the people to be worshipped whether they praide by solemne and formall wordes vnto it whether they taughte theire children to caulle it God and Christe Lib. 3. de Trin. c.. 10 yea so farre that Augustine affirmeth that the children in his daies till they were after instructed thought that God appeared in the shappe of breade as all these yongers seeing the honour and reuerence of theire elders and theime selues nurtered to houlde vppe theire handes and knocke theire brestes must yet needes meruaile how these owtwarde formes came to so holy an vse further whether the Christiā people were not sclaundered for worshipping and doing sacrifice to Ceres and Bacchus Lib. 20. cōtra Faustū Cap. 13. when the wicked infidelles sawe theire behauiour towardes the holy Hoste whether it was not vsed in woorking of miracles in driuing away deuilles in daungerouse times of
simple aske why they be proffitable S. Chrisostō may enstruct such as list learne and correct the other that list reprehēde in these wordes In 2. Cap. ad Hebr. hom 4. Tel me saith he what al these festiuall lights in the buriall of the deceased meane what all this singing of himnes and psalmes signifiethe to what end be so many priestes and musicians called to gether to which in fine he thus answerethe doo we not all these thinges to geue thankes to God and euerlasting glorye that he hath deliuered the departed from the troubles of this mortall lyfe doo we not this to our cōforte and honoure of the departed And in the buriall of the Noble matrone Paula howe the priestes did sing howe the bisshoppes of Hierusalem and of all Palestine and Syria for the most part caried torches Hierom. Epitaph Paulae howe the religiouse bothe mē and weemē did the rites of the dirigies howe her allmose folkes shewed theire cotes to procure mercy euen as they did at dorcas departure in the actes of the apostles howe they continued theire singing and saing vij daies together at the Churche in Bethlem where she was buried S. Hierom him sellfe a true record therof bearethe witnesse in the lyke wordes as I haue recited and many moe which the feare of weereing the reader causethe me full sore against my wil to omitte They so settforth not onely the substāce of the thinge which standethe in prayer and sacrifice but allso doo proue ageinst thenimies of good ordre that the smaulest ceremonies that oure churchies of late haue vsed were not lately takē vp by our couetousnesse and superstition but with more abundance and numbre and continuance and solēnytie practised in the floure of Christes churche in diuerse principal partes of the world as at Hierusalem and Cōstantinople by the praising and approuing of the grauest fathers of our faith And now S. Augustin being of Aphrick so farre from the other in distance of place yet ronnethe ioyntly with theim in religion He purposely writing of the solemne rites of Christiane funerals in that goulden treatise De cura pro mortuis agenda De cura pro mortuis agenda thus after longe consideration of the whole cause determineth that the pompe of burial with al suche solemnyties as there vnto be in goddes churche ioyned is very seemely for that body which was the vessell of a Christian soule and an instrument or companion in well woorking whervnto it shall be also vnited in the resurrection for to receiue together the inhaeritance of the euerlasting kingdom But the lack of these where they be not arrogantly contemned or can not be had is nothing hurteful to the good nor the hauing any thinge proffitable to the wicked as the exāples of Lazarus and the riche man may well proue Therefore it is the sacrifice and prayers which properly doo helpe or relieue the departed De ciuit 1. Lib. ca. 12. .13 Curatio funeris saith he conditio sepulturae pompa exequiarum magis sunt viuorum solatia quà m subsidia mortuorum Non tamen ideo contemnenda abijcienda sunt corpora defunctorum maximeque iustorum fidelium quibus tanquā organis vasis ad omnia bona opera sanctus vsus est spiritus Curiouse prouision for the burial and the pompe of the solēne obites be rather doone for the solace of the lieue then for helpe of the deade neuerthelesse the bodies of the departed namely of faithfull folkes may not be contemned or cast furthe the which the holy Gost vsed as vessels and instruments of well working By al which thinges it may wel be noted that sum thinges haue ben vsually practised in funerals for thākes geuing to almighty God as hymnes and psalmes other sum for decent coomlynes and solace of the liuinge as the place of the buriall the lightes the ringing and such lyke althoughe euen these thinges proceding of loue and deuotion be after a sorte meritorious to the dooers and a helpe to theyme for whome they be procured and good motiōs and memories of mannes duetye For which causies those and the lyke haue bene vniformelie vsed throughe owte the whole Catholike churche from the beginnyng But the princypal thinges perteyning to the iustes of the departed be praiers and sacrifice and other such like wherby they are assuredly much proffited by release of theyr paines So saith S. Augustine in these wordes Cap. 18. de cura pro mort Non existimemus ad mortuos pro quibus curam gerimus peruenire nisi quod pro eis siue altaris siue eleemosinarum sacrificijs solemniter celebramus Let vs neuer thinke that any other thinge properly apperteineth to the reliefe of the departed sauing the solemne sacrifices of the altare almose and prayer And therfore as the said holy doctour confesseth the worthinesse of the place where man is buried of it selfe profiteth not at all The sanctes pray for the soules in purgatory and vve pray vnto sanctes for them but in respecte of the holy prayers whiche be there rather made then elles where and the patronage of holy martyrs and sanctes to whome he nothing doubteth but intercession may profitably be made for the deceased for whiche cause as it may appeare by Paulinus Cap. 4 de cura pro mort men were very desirous euer in the primitiue Church to be buried by som blessed martyrs body And so must we thinke allso of buriall by the reuerent holy sacrament that it wonderfully helpeth man not for the placeis sake allthough the deuotion of the desirer is therin commendable but bicause the lyuing may there effectually commende the departed to God in the time of the holy sacrifice and may be put in remembraunce to call vpon Christes blessed person there praesent for the soule of that man whiche with care and study laide his body ī the hope of resurrection by the soueraigne holy body that is alredy risen againe And this was the cause that oure forefathers from Christes tyme till our dayes haue had respecte and desire as occasion serued to be buried there where by ordre praiers and sacrifice were daily had and where the patronage of holy sanctes might best be procured It is a highe point of wisdom surely good reader onely to see what godly wisdom oure fathers vsed in shew of their zele faith and Christianity As it is an vntollerable arrogancy and a singulare signe of infidelity to laugh at and blaspheme those thinges wherof not the prowdest haeretike that liueth hathe any intelligēce at al Obcoecauit enim eos malitia eorum For theire owne malice hathe blinded theime But leauing the thinges not principally intended as sufficiently by vse of the Church approued let vs turne to the practise of the oblation and praiers in the dirigies of the auncient that seeinge theime bothe praie and say Masse for theire dearest frendes soules thowe may be bould to vse the same for thine That doo I
call Masse whiche they call sacrifice Bicause S. Hierō vseth it in the same sense in these wordes Super 11. cap prouer Sunt qui de leuioribus peccatis cum quibus obligati defuncti sunt post mortem possunt absolui vel poenis videlicet castigati vel suorum praecibus eleemosinis missarumque celebrationibus caet There be sum which after theire deathe may haue absolution of theire lighter offensies in the debt whereof they passed owte of this liefe ether after iust punishement for the same suffered or elles through the praiers and allmose of theire frendes with the celebration of Masses So saith S. Hierom or elles as sum thinke the reuerent Beda ether of theire graue iudgements weieth more with me then any one mans alyeue Well therfore Masse oblation or sacrifice Masse allvvaie said for the departed call it as you will all is one for oure purpose and lyke hated of heretikes howe so euer it be named it was practised with prayers for the rest of the departed throughe owte the Christian worlde S. Ambrose exhorteth other men to doo it for they re frendes he did it for his owne Writing therfor a lettre of cōforte to one Faustinus that ouer much bewailed the deathe of his sister thus with comforte he geueth counsel Ambros epist 8. l. 2 Non tam deplorandam quà m prosequendam orationibus reor nec maestificandam lachrimis tuis sed magis oblationibus animam eius Domino commendandam arbitror I suppose thy sisters case should not so much be lamented as she by thy praiers ought to be relieued Thowe must not sadden her soule by teares but by oblations commende her to oure Lorde Howe many bishoppes nowe in England of the new gise would folow this kinde of consolation by letters If the nevve bishoppes vvere like S. Ambro their teaching vvoulde not be cōtrary to his Howe many would exhorte theire frendes to gotte Masse saide or praiers for they re louers reste So many as be like good Ambrose surely woulde so doo that is neuer a one make theire accompte as neare as they can But will yow see howe he practised vpon his owne prince the Emperour Theodosius Super obit Theodosij Imperatoris Da requiem perfecto seruo tuo Theodosio requiem quam praeparasti sanctis tuis Illò conuertatur anima eius vnde descendit dilexi ideo prosequar eum vsque ad regionem viuorum nec deseram donec fletu praecibus inducam virum quô sua merita vocant in montem Domini sanctum Giue rest good Lord vnto thy good seruaunt Theodosius euen that reste whiche thow hast praepared for the holy Sanctes Let his soule ascende from whense it came I loued him and therfore I will prosecute him vnto the land of the liuing I will neuer leaue him till withe teares and praiers I bringe that man according to his deseruinge to the holy hille of Godde This man knewe his duety towardes his prince whome he loued a lieue and forsooke not being deade Super obitu Valentiniani So did he pray and offer for Gratianus and Valentinianus so did he vse the same for his owne deare brother the worthy Satyrus in these wordes muche to be noted Now Lord almightye to the doo I commende the good soule of my brother Satyrus now lately departed In oratione funebr super Satyr to the O Lord doo I make my oblation accepte I besiche the this due office of a broother and mercifully looke vpon the sacrifice of a prieste See lo this good father vsed of brotherhood praiers and bicause he was a prieste he did sacrifice in that respecte and sayde Masse for his brothers soules rest Whome in his funerall oration he setteth forthe with many singulare praises and commendations especially that he was bothe Christianed and buried in the vnity of the Romane Churche that is to saye as him selfe expoundethe it of the Catholike faithe Paulinus one off the same time and Bishop of Nola declareth him self to be of the same faith by the like practise He prayethe bitterly him selfe for a brother departed and besecheth Amandus a holy man of his acquaintaunce to ioyne withe him for the helpe of the departed soule By his wordes the paine of Purgatory is noted and the benefite of oure praiers is proued thus he saithe Epist 1. ad Amandū Imperse rogamus vt quaesi frater vnanimos fratres iuuans hanc meritis fidei tuae mercedē ac cumules vt pro eo infirmitati nostrae compatiaris orandi ab ore conspires vt misericors miserator Deus qui facit omnia in coelo in terra in mari abyssis refrigeret animam stillicidijs misericordiae suae per orationes vestras quia sicut ignis accensus ab eo ardebit vsque ad inferni nouissima ita proculdubiò etiā ros indulgentiae inferna penetrabit vt roscido pietatis eius lumine in tenebris ardentibus aestuantes refrigeremur I hartely beseke ye that as one brother helping an other you woulde increase the desertes of your holy faithe by taking compassion with me and ioyning prayers with me for the departed soule that the God of pity and compassion who woorkethe all thinges in heauen and earthe in the sea and the depthe would at the contemplation of your prayers refreshe and coole his soule with sum droppe of his mercy For as the fyre kyndled by him will burne to the bottom of hell benethe so doublesse the dewe of his grace and mercie shall passe downe to the nether partes that by the comfortable louely lighte of his piety the soules broyling in burnig darknes may be refreshed And writing allso to Delphinus Epist 3. he alludethe to the feruent heate that the riche man suffered in hell when he craued for Lazarus helpe And praiethe him to refresshe the mānes soule deceased with sum droppe of pyty and his holy prayers This man was very deare to Paulinus in his lyfe time for whome he was so carefull after his death he doubted not of his saluatiō thoughe as he saith he went owte of this worlde a debter and therfore feared him to be in great paine So certaine was the doctrine of purgatory in the primitiue churche and so profitable were the praiers counted for the deceased in Christe But if yowe will haue an examplare and a full waraūt of youre duety and deuotion with vnderstanding the vsage of the auncient Churche in suche abundance of many the like yowe shall I thinke be fully satisfied for this parte by S. Augustine Ex li. 9. Confess Ca. 11.13 vlt. in the goodly historye of his mothers deathe a blessed wooman and worthy of suche a sonne Her name was Monica wel knowne in goddes Churche and numbred emongest the sanctes This good matrone prouided especially by her testament that she might not be forgotten at the altare of God when the names of the faithfull departed were in the sacrifice remembred For
owte 〈◊〉 Sathans bondage and conuerted to thâ—â—elowship of Christes Church and let vs 〈◊〉 thing doubt but that which oure owne â—postles bothe by worde and worke by mâ—â—acle and by martyrdom first proued vnto â—s is the very true and vnfallible faithe oâ— oure Christianitie For if that were not â—ue which at oure first conueâ—sion was preached vnto vs then we â—eceiued nott the faithe but faulshoode aâ— theire handes theÌ„ the histories doo rake a lowdelye in testifiing we were tâ—â—ned to the Christiane faith bothe at that time and by such men then it wer no conuersion froÌ„ heatheÌ„ Idolatrie to the woorship of Christ but it were a chaunge from one superstition to an other and this latter so much worse then the other bicause vnder the name of Christe there were practise perpetual of execrable sacrilege in instituting of a sacrifice to the defasing of our redemption in adoring bare breade as the hoste of our saluation in offering it vppe to God for the sinnes bothe of the quick and dead in practise of vnproffitable praiers for the soules deceased with the like faulse worship of God in all pointes Then theire preaching was highly to Goddes dishonoure pernicious to the people and damnalbe to theime selues Then haue all that euer ranne the rase of that faithe and doctrine till this daie whiche they taught perished withe theime then are they fownd false witnesseis whom we haue accompted as oure vndoubted true and lawfull pastors then God hath purposely deceiued vs with fained miracles full many with numbers off vaine visions then al our labour is lost till this day The holynesse of so many good princies and priestes is praised in vaine the bloude of Martyres shed in vaine the exercise of al sacrameÌ„ts in vaine and bicause all deuotion consisted in our fathers dayes in the earnest zele of so faulse a religioÌ„ as they thinke this to be then the more deuotion the farther from Christ the lesse religion more nere to saluation then happy was he that was the worst and cursed was he that was counted the best then is oure case most carefull then are we worse theÌ„ all other natioÌ„s that neuer receiued the name of Christ then are we worse theÌ„ we were befor our conuersion then to be shorte thereis no religion no Christ no God no hope of saluation All which thinges if they repugne to common sense and reason and to the comfortable hope of oure saluation which we haue receiued from god by Christe Iesus and the assured testimony of the spirite of God that we be a parte of his chosen Churche and sanctified in his holy name by the worde of truethe and lyfe which we by the ordinary ministery of man haue receiued signes and woonders coÌ„firming theire calling and doctrine then this religion which they planted first in our contrie must needes be in al pointes bothe holy true and acceptable vnto God Then as by that religion our fathers were ingraffed first in to Christes body misticall which is the Churche in which till this day they haue kepte the highe way to saluation so who so euer forsaketh this or any principall article or braunche therof and so leauethe that Churche into which we first entered at oure conuersion Note and take heed betime he leaueth assuredly lyfe and saluation and withe out all doubt euerlastingly perisheth AmoÌ„gest which pointes of doctrine oure aduersaries can not denie but the saing masse and offering for the deade the allmose and praiers for the departed was taught withe the firste and proued by miracles withe the rest The which ether to denie were ouer muche discredit of the antiquitye and plaine impudencie or elles to attribute theyme to the diuells woorking were oppen vntollerable blasphemie Yea this doctrine hathe brought the Churche to this bewtifull ordre in all degries as we haue seene All the noble monuments not onely in oure commoÌ„welthe but through Christes churche do beare sufficient testimonie of oure first faithe herin This doctrine as the whole worlde knoweth fouÌ„ded all Bisshoprikes buylded al Churchies raysed al Oratories Yf praing for the deade vvere takeÌ„ avvay there shoulde no steppe of religigion remaine instituted al Collegies indued all Schooles maintened all hospitalles set forwarde al woorkes of charirye and religioÌ„ of what sorte so euer they bee Take a way the praiers and practise for the deade ether al these monumeÌ„ts must fall or elles they must staÌ„d agaynste the first founders will and meaninge Looke in the statutes of all noble foundacions and of all charitable woorkes euer sithe the first daie of oure happy calling to Christes faithe whether they doo not expressely testifie that theire worke of almose and deuotion was for this one especiall respect to be prayde and songe for as they call it after theire deathes Looke whether your Vniuersites protest not this faithe by many a solemne othe bothe priuatly and openlye Looke whether all preachers that euer tooke degrie in the Vniuersity before these yeres are not bounde by the holy euangelistes to pray for certaine noble princies and praelates of this realme All oure superintendents are deeply and daily periured in euery of their sermons at Paules or other placies of name And so often as these preachers doo omit it so often are they periured so often as they ether eate or drinke of theire benefactors cost so often beare they testimony of they re owne damnation Answer me but one question I aske yowe Whether the firste authors of suche benefites as yowe enioye in the Churche at this day A harde question proposed to the ProtestaÌ„t ether of bisshopricke or colledge or any other spirituall liuelyhoodde say yowre mindes vnfeinedly whether they euer meÌ„t that suche men of suche a religion of suche lyfe of suche doctrine should enioye that allmose which they especially ordeined for other men and for contrary purpose say truethe and shame the deuill thoughte they euer to make roume in Collegies for your wiues meÌ„t they euer to mainteine preachinge against the masse against praiers for theire owne soules when they purposely vpon that grounde began so godlye a woorke if they in deede neuer ment it as I knowe theye did not and as your oune consciencies beare witnesse with theim and against your selues that they did not howe caÌ„ yowe theÌ„ for feare of goddes highe displeasure against theire owne willes vsurpe those commodities whiche they neuer ment to suche as yow be A lasse good men thei thought to make frendes of wicked mammon and full dearly with bothe landes and gooddes haue they procured enimies to theire owne soules But if there be any sense in those good fathers and fouÌ„ders as there is and if they be in heauen as they re good deseruing I trust hathe broght theime then surely they accuse yow most iustly of wicked vniustice before the face of God for deluding the people for breaking theire willes for vsurping theire commodities against theire professed mindes and meaninges Or if they be
in hell which God forfende and yet yowe must needes so suppose for raysing the monuments of suche superstition then blotte oute theire memorie and names that haue not onely in theire lyfe mainteyned horrible abusies but allso after theire deathe haue lefte suche open steppes of superstition to all posteritye Suppose I pray yowe which yet I would be lothe shoulde coom to proufe or passe but suppose for all that that with the taking a way of this oulde faithe of praying and offering for the deade all the workes of the same faithe which isshued downe from that fountaine might shrinke with al or returne to the fownders againe bicause there is no rowme to fullfill they re willes howe many Churchies and chappelles what Collegies or hospitalles woulde oure newe no faithe bring forth Would not euery bisshoppes wyfe buylde a Churche thinke yowe or founde a College in such a necessitye lest theire husbandes should be driueÌ„ to serue in a reformed frensh barne Super Aggaeum One of these mock bishoppes complaines very soâ—e in a book of his that men be not now bent with suche zele and deuotion to praeferre goddes honour in maintenaunce of his Ministers as they were in owlde time and as CoÌ„stantinus with the like christiaÌ„ Princies in the primitiue churche were But the good man marked not wherupon this could deuotion arisethe he considerethe not that this is the fructlesse effecte of so idle a faulse faithe as his owne lordship preacheth he woulde not see that the maintenaunce of goddes honoure bothe by liefe landes and gooddes is the peculiare fructe of that charitable louing faith which the Catholikes doo professe he weyed not well that the greate grauntes of Constantinus were made to Syluester Bishop of Rome and not to the maried Bishope of Duresme He remembred not that the like holy workes of the noble kinges of oure owne coontrie were practised vpon suche as woulde professe the trueth and serue the altare and not vpon faulse pastors that were destroyers of all altars Such honorable portions were parted oute for goddes lote and not taken from the world to go to the worldely ageine Thinke you any man wer so minded to take froÌ„ his own wiefe and children ether landes or gooddes to bestow on priestes babbes or bedfellowes No no God knowethe it was separated from theim selues to the sacrifice to the priesthoodde to the honoure of goddes Church and ministerye The which thinges by your owne preaching my lordes decaide would you haue the Prince or peoples deuotion towardes yowe as is was and would be still if you wer like your praedecessors and serued the altare as they did I wisse if the owlde S. Cuthbert Wilfride and William whome they coÌ„pare in holinesse to horsies so good is their opinion of their holy auncieters had bene of the same religion that the occupiers of theire roumes nowe be all the praelates in EnglaÌ„d might haue put theire rentes in a halpeny purse Coom in ageyne coom in for Christes sake com in to the churche ageyne serue the altare and then yow be worthy to lyue of the altare folowe oure fathers and yow shall beloued as oure fathers wer confesse that religion which oure own Apostles first taught and we all haue beleued and all the workes of goddes Churche protest to be true and then yowe shall be blessed of God and honoured of men But let theime thinke on these matters theime selues I will turne ageine to my purpose allthoughe I can not go farre from my matter so longe as I am in the behouldinge of that faithe which oure first preachers broght vnto vs at our first coÌ„uersion or in any stepp of thantiquitye which we wel perceiue to be the fructe onely of that doctrine which we haue declared and an euideÌ„t testimony off so vndoubted a truethe I thinke there is no way so certaine for the contentation of a mannes selfe in this tyme of doubting and diuersitye in doctryne as in all maters to haue an eye towardes the faythe whiche we receiued when we were first conuerted And for that point I woulde wisshe that S. Bedes historye were familiare vnto all men that hathe vnderstanding of the Latine tonge and to all other if it wer possible for there shall they plainely see the first beginning the increase the continuance the practise the woorkes proceding owt of the catholike faithe feare not that is the truethe for that was the first and that was grownded by goddes worde and openly confirmed by miracule And that pointe must be considered not onely for oure owne contrye but for all others that be or hathe bene Christianed For in to the selfe same faithe were they first ingraffed allso â–ª as by the peculiare practising of euery good man towardes his frend and louer I haue alredye declared and nowe for the generall vsage of goddes Church the reader shall at large perceiue that nothing may wante to oure cause whereby any trueth or light may be had That in euery ordre or vsage of celebration of the blessed sacrament and Sacrifice through ovvte the Christian vvorlde since Christes time there hath bene a solemne supplication for the soules departed Cap. 11. THerfore let vs see howe the churche oure moother of her piety vsethe generall supplication in all seruice and solemne administration of the blessed sacrameÌ„t euen for those whole frendes haue forgotten theyme whose paines and trauell worldely meÌ„ remembre not whose obscure condicion of life or pouerty woulde not suffer theime to procure prayers by theire knowne deedes of charity or almose Those men I say that doo lacke singulare patronage of theire frendes those hathe she remembred in the rites of celebration vsed in all contries and in euery age sithens the apostles daies Which ordres of diuine seruice as they haue bene diuerse in forme of wordes so they perfectly and wholy agreed in the substance of the sacrifice in praying and offering for the deade and supplication to sanctes as thowe shalt streght waies by theire vsed ordre of wordes perceiue And as we go forward herein euer let vs beare this rule in minde Quòd legeÌ„ credendi lex statuit supplicandi in that sense speaketh S. Augustine So saith S. Augustin ofteÌ„ against the Pelagians often against haeretikes the ordre of the churches praier is euer a plaine praescription for all the faithefull what to belieue And the motherlye affection that the Churche bearethe towardes al her children departed the saide doctor thus expresseth De cura pro mort Non sunt praetermittendae supplicationes pro spiritibus mortuorum quas faciendas pro omnibus in Christiana Catholica societate defunctis etiam tacitis nominibus quorumcunque sub generali commemoratione suscepit ecclesia vt quibus ad ista desunt parentes aut filij aut quicunque cognati vel amici ab vna eis exhibeantur pia matre communi That is to say in oure tonge Prayer must not be omitted for the soules departed which the
churche hathe customablye taken in hand for al men passed in the Christian Catholike society by the way of a generall commemoration theire names not particularely expressed that suche thinges may be prouided by oure common kinde moother to all those which doo lacke parents children kinsfolke or frendes for the due prouision of suche necessary dueties By this holy mannes wordes we may see the difference betwixte oure owne tender natural moother and the cursed cruell steppe dame The one folowethe her children withe loue and affectiō in to the next world with ful sorowful sighes many deuout praiers and al holy workes whiche she vseth to theire needeful helpe the other being but an vnnaturall steppemoother and all the children of that adoulterouse seede hath theim no longer in mind thē they be in sight whether they sinke or swhim she maketh no accompte she hathe no blessinge of her owne she hinderethe the mercy of other But lette vs vewe all the orders that we finde extant or vsed throughe the Christian worlde for the celebration of the blessed Sacrament and sacrifice whiche nowe commonly in oure vulgare speache we caull the Masse and see whether as Augustin said there hathe not bene in all agies an especiall supplication of the prieste and people for the dead as wel as for the lieue First S. Clement Cōstitut l. 8. cap. 47. the Apostles owne scholare reportethe howe they prescribed this solemne praier in theire holy ministery for the departed Pro quiescentibus in Christo fratres nostri rogemus c. Let vs pray saith the deacon brethern for all those that rest in peace that oure mercifull Lorde that hath taken theire soules in to his hande would forgiue them al theire offensies whether they were willinglye or negligently committed and so hauing compassion vpon theim would bringe theime to the land off the holy ones and happy rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all other that pleaced him from the beginning ▪ where there is nether sighing sorowe nor sadnesse And a litle after in the same holy action the Bishop praieth him selfe in this forme O Lorde looke downe vpon this thy seruaunt whome thowe hast receiued in to another lyfe and pitefully pardon him yf ether willingly or vnweetingly he hathe offended Let him be guarded by peaceable Angells and broght to the Patriarches Prophettes and Apostles and the rest of all theime that haue pleaced the sith the worlde began Thus reporteth Clement being one of the apostles companie and continually praesent in the celebration of theire mysteries Againe Eccles hierarch Cap. 17. Dyonisius Ariopagita of whome mention is mayde in the actes so auncient be the recordes of our faith hathe not onely left in writinge what he thoughte in this matter whiche had ben enoughe but allso what the Church Apostolike in that spring of religion and pure deuotion taught and ordeyned to be vsed and that by the Apostles prescription whom he there termeth the heauēly gides and capitaines of trueth For in the laste chapter of his booke titled of the Ecclesiasticall soueraintye he telleth in ordre howe first the body is placed before the holy altare howe the solempne misteries withe heuenly psalmes and sonets be songe and saide ouer the corps howe the holy Bisshop geueth thankes to god makethe comfortable exhortation to the assembly to continue in assured hope off the resurrection howe he anoyntethe the bodye withe holy oyle and laste of all makethe praiyers for him and so committethe hym to God The whiche whole ordre off the sacrifice ceremonies and misticall praiers exercised as well in burialls as at other times in the reuerent misteries this author would not fully sett owte in writing for theire sakes that coulde not for the weaknesse of faith atteine to the worthy holynesse of so highe matters as he him sellfe professethe in these wordes Praecationes quae in misterijs adhibentur nephas est scripto interpretari misticam eorum intelligentiam aut vim quae in eis deo authore efficacitatatem habent ex adyto in publicum efferre sed quemadmodū a maioribus nostris traditum accepimus c The prayers which be vsed in the misteries may not in anywyes be sett out to the worlde in writinge nether may the singulare efficacie and grace of theime be made common to all men but euen as we haue receiued by thandes of oure eldres And as longe as this ordre was religiously kept in goddes Churche the solempne secretes of the blessed sacraments were not so contēptible as oure newe oppen communion hathe of late made theime where there is nothing so holy but it may abyde the sighte and handeling of whoso euer is the worst The holy and heuenly misteries of Christ his spouse were not thē prophaned by the praesumptiouse babling of euery idle heade Thē were not the soueraigne weghty matters handeled in alehowses but vsed at the holy altares Then the idle contentious vngodly and vnproffitable quirkes and quaestions had no other solution but sharpe discipline and worthy correctiō then were not the Gydes of goddes people countrowled by euery restlesse felowe In homil contra Sabellian Athan ad Epictetum that coulde cracke of goddes worde but it was enoghe for a faithfull mannes contentatiō to say with Basil the greate Dominus ita docuit apostoli predicauerūt patres obseruauerūt cōfirmauerūt martyres sufficiat dicere ita doctus sum Our Lord taught so the apostles so preched our fathers obserued the same the holy martyrs haue sealed it It is sufficient for me to say so was I taught O Lord that this simple sincere fidelitie might once take place againe in oure daies for the coomforte of the poore faithfull flocke that are nowe so burdened with questions of infidelitye that the sely simples soules cā not tell howe to turne theime selues nor finde meanes to kepe theire faithe inuiolated in such a multitude of misbeleuers Which I surely hope the earnest and pitiful praiers of so many good men that doo bewaile this miserie shall at lengthe after due poonishment of oure sinnes obteyne at goddes gratiouse handes But what shifte doo the aduersaries here make with this euidēt testimonie of this so auncient a writer mary sir they indeuoure with all theire mighte to robbe this excellent auncient and diuine writer of all his workes which haue borne the title of his name euer sithe theye were writē Ita Suidas testatur which chalēge theire own author by that graue stile that no other man as the skilfull in that languange doo testifie coulde euer lightly atteyne vnto which so sauore of the antiquity and the apostolike spirit that thowe woulde deeme theyme to be indited by sum of the cōtinuall hearers of Christe Iesus But it were vaine to stand in contention for this matter for we shoulde neuer haue ende if we should be put to proue that euery man made the bookes which be extant in his name it weere to muche miscredit of antiquitie and vncertainty of
whrereupon Goddes truethe standethe Handeling then oure good men as S. Augustine did the lyke say to theyme bouldely that the same Churche which exhortethe the people to pray sor the misbeleeuers doothe geue vs example to pray for the soules departed Vitalis and Pelagius were haeretikes for withstanding the one they must needes be as very haeretikes for refusing the other It was the greatest extremitie that Pelagius could be driuen to by force of Augustines argument to mocke at the priestes prayer made at goddes altare and that which then was so foule an absurditye for those faulse teachers can it-be borne out of oures withe honestie Vitalis the Pelagian had a foule foyle by S. Augustine when he charged him with the contēpt of S. Cyprians authoritye Bisshoppe of Carthage being him sellfe a chyeld of the same Church And shall they go away so smouthly nowe adaies not only with contempt of theire own Englishe patrons and Apostles but with impudent deniall of al the doctors at once that euer were gydes of goddes Churche sith Christes faithe was taught It was of Augustine coūted a singulare arrogācy not to praie in that forme as goddes church and ministers at the altare both praie theim selues and exhorte other to pray and shal it be such praise for our preachers to erecte a newe seruice to be checke mate with the oulde to cōtroele the rites and vsage of solempne supplication in all coontryes Christianed and withe the true woorship to banishe together our fathers faithe I would learne by what Churchies example they haue letfe oute of theire newe fangled phantasticall seruice the offering and praying for the departed One of theyme was so inpudent to say in an open booke that the lyturgies of the fathers made all against the Catholikes and for the proufe of theire faulse assertions Where in sir I pray yow tel-me I would call yowe by your name if I knewe who you were ▪ there you were ashamed of yowr own name I gesse it vvas M. Pilkington of Duresm therfor ye shal lacke the glory of your assertiō But who so euer yow be I pray yowe what affinitie betwixt their office of celebratiō and yours doo yow finde they offer the holy hoste they worship it they shewe it they pray vnto it which of all these doo yowe they blesse it withe the signe of the holy crosse they practise the action vpon an altare how wel folowe yowe these they pray for the deade they make inuocatiō solempnely to sanctes they ioyne with all catholike churcheis in the worlde where is your cause here amēded or oures not plainely proued If theire seruice like yowe so well or at least better then S. Gregories Masse yowe might withe more honestie haue cosed for any one of theim then haue forged a newe one of your owne which in deede is directly repugnaunt to all other rites in the Christian worlde Which yow may wel terme the seruice of contradiction and damnation as one that nether communicateth with the sanctes in heauen with the soules in purgatory nor with the faithfull a liue And being ashamed of the Latine Church yow chalenge an other origine of faith owt of the Easte parte as thoughe your matter wer wel amended if yowe might shake of that faithe and worship which oure contrie in her conuersion first receiued and in which till this day she hathe happely lyued and make the heade of oure holy tradition vncertaine by referring vs vnto an vnknowen origine Euery mā in the primitiue churche counted the spring of his faith more pure and agreate deal more cleare if he could ageinst an haeretike declare by good testimony that his beliefe did at lengthe by iust counte faule into the Romane church So dothe Irenaeus ageinst the Valentinians so doothe Cyprian ageinst the Nouatiās so doth Tertulian and Vincentius ageinst all haeretikes so doothe Augustin and Optatus ageinst the Donatistes so dothe Hierom and all the reste ageinst the Arians All these thought they had a greate vauntage if they cowld by plaine accompt proue ageinst an haeretike that theire doctrine isshued from the bishop of Rome Go whether thowe wilt saithe Tertulian and thow shalt finde sum apostolik seat to instruct thy conscience De prescri aduers haereti thowe hast harde by the Philippos or Ephesus or Rome and there lo fetche we the authority of oure faithe S. Augustine that knewe best howe to fetche an haeterike ouer the coles Epist 165 vrgethe him euer to reduce his doctrine to sum bishop of Rome whē he had him once at that strait then lo he goethe throughe the whole ranke of holy Bishoppes by name to the nōber of xlty wel neare Bring me once an euident declaration that your faithe isshued from any one bishoppe of that sea and then yowe may passe throwe the longe lyne of that succession with owte bracke or any rupture in the world I could make accompt saith Irenaeus of many successions of Apostolik churches but that were to longe onely Rome shal serue that is the greatest the auncientst and best knowne Lib. 3. ca. 3 and by the tradition of that churche confundimus omnes eos we vtterly confownde all haeretikes It is a straunge thing that the fathers hauing store of Apostolike successions did euer chuese owte for the warrant of theire faithe from emongest the rest the Roman seate And nowe when ther is no apostolike churche lefte in the whole world but it that they will seeke to churchies wherof there is nether certaynty Note nor succession when by plaine open dealing we may reduce and most needes referre our faithe to that which was euer of all other most farre from faulshood Bring my faithe once to S. Gregory and the very streame shall driue me to S. Peter and Paule maugre al theire beardes In which ordre of Bishops finde me one that setforthe by decrie any practise of contrary doctrine to that which is next praedecessor did before him mayteine and I will go seeke with the stray a new moother Churche to fownde my faith vpon Yf all be in this succession salfe and sownde what a folly wer it to forsake oure owne mother and springe of our beliefe to seeke other which haue often erred when they stoode and now be almost wholy decaide But yet it is wisdō for fallse teachers with all force to flie from so greate light as may arise to the trueth by the recognising of that sownd succession and going the iuste contrarye way from the oulde doctors faithe it is not to be thought straunge that they directly seeke to ouer throwe that bulwarck which they euer leaned vnto in the stormes of schisme and haeresie The shrewes doo knowe full wel the might of truethe in that seate and succession to haue beaten downe all theire forefathers the haeretikes of all agies They feare theire faule whose steppes they follow They vtter muche malice and tormēt theim selfe in euery sermō in vaine that Church feeleth no sore but in
the like is nowe before proued Call vpoÌ„ theim and aske theim in earnest because it lieth vpon thy saluation whether thowe muste geue any credet to the perpetuall agreement and consent of all auncient doctors If they saye yea desire theime to answer first to all these placies so euidently confirming oure purpose that they can not abyde any clowde or couer of mannes sutteltye for theire shifting to any forged sense If they can not yet let theime alleage sum place of any auncient writer theime selues whiche doo expressely denye purgatory or praiers for the deade as we for they confirming thereof haue doone in plaine termes with owte crafte or colour many If they be not able to doo so much yet go further withe theime aske theyme whether they haue any expresse wordes in scripture that denie praiers to be proffitable for the dead not by a fonde gesse of theire own heades corrupt coÌ„sciencies or praeiudicate mindes expouÌ„ded to that prupose but I say by expresse wordes or at least which is liberty enoughe expounded for that meaning by any one man of all the antiquitie If they can alleage thee but one worde of scripture construed of any one I say in all agies to confirme theire vnderstanding to be currant and not framed for theire phantasy to serue the necessity of theire cause be bould to folow theim I would not put theime to the paines to make discourse throughowte all agies churches tymes and doctors as we haue doone but onely let theime to kepe theire credet and scholars and to saue theire honesties bring but one or two of all that euer wrote in the compasse of Goddes Churche and thowe maiste with lesse daunger and better reason folowe theire doctrine But there is no one suche place I assure the good reader neither in scripture doctour nor councell nor contrye nor age sith the world begaÌ„ I wil go so farre in this point where ther was euer stepp of any true worship of God there was praier fownd for the dead also They can not shewe me any forme of ministration in the Christian worlde that was approued whiche hath it not expressely if it be knowne that it was in deede the seruice of any auncient Churche not corrupted by theime selues The same I dare be boulde to auouche for the lawe of nature and Moises bicause it is proued already All theire bragging of thexample of the primitiue Church the massies of other contryes of the doctors of the scriptures of the councelles is but an vntollerable delusioÌ„ and abuse of the simplicity of such as be not skilfull in the authors whome they name For when the matter comes to an isshue when they be harde houlden ether in this or in any other matter theÌ„ the doctors whome they chalenged before the simple for theire partakers were but men then they might erre then they haue learned onely to credit the holy scriptures then there is nothing but goddes worde and booke with theime which elles full faine would haue the doctors consent out of whome it were but a meane place which they would not alleage for theire purpose if it might be fownde Then if deniall of all the doctors iudgements serue not theire turne In accusationem ipsarum scripturaruÌ„ conuertuntur they will not stick bowldely to condeÌ„ne the holy scriptures with all Irenaeus Lib. 3. Ca. 2. But if yowe thinke that I feane of theyme yowe shall see what shameful shiftes the maisters and captaines of the contrary assertion haue deuised for the defense of theime selues I dare say if the studious be but any whit indiffereÌ„t he will leaue their schoole for euer The chiefe Capitane of all these contentious heades lyke an vnshamefast childe affirmethe that the doctors praised and folowed the common errours of the ignorant people in allmose and praiers for the departed Brentius answerethe that Tertulian making mentioÌ„ of yearly oblations for the deceased In confessione VVittenber tooke his error of the hethen vsage of the gentility And Augustin he saithe affirmed purgatory praiers and almose for theime for thaffiance that he had in mennes merites towardes the remission of sinnes In Apologia Melancthon as thoughe he were no man that might erre him selfe saithe the doctors were meÌ„ and discented emongest theime selues As for the vsage of any celebratioÌ„ in the world what roume caÌ„ it haue with these champians Instit de Coena when Caluin coÌ„fesseth in plaine termes that the celebration of the Sacrament hathe bene contaminated euen in a maner sithe the apostles tyme and first planting of our religion and to reduce it to the puritie againe the man frames a newe one of his owne so farre from superstitioÌ„ that it hath no steppe of religion or true woorship of God But well the worde of God it yet safe with theyme there a man may houlde theyme No surely they are as saulsy with the very scripture it selfe when so euer it makethe against theime Brentius before named is not ashamed to saye that he pardoneth the author of the Machabeis of his errour and ignoraÌ„ce And that thowe may see the perfect image of a prowde haeretike Caluine saithe thus as for the booke of the Machabeis I will not vouchsalfe to make answer to it Mercifull God what faithfull hearte or eare coulde abide these blasphemous tonges who of vntolerable arrogancy doo so deface the examples and doctrine not onely of the pillours of the whole Christian Churche whome they impudently for lacke of a more reasonable answere condemne not onely of simple ignoraunce and errour in this point with the residew of the whole faythfull people which surely is ouer muche to say of suche lerned and godly men as they were but allso of wilfull errour and superstition in bearing and maintenaunce of the common ignoration and ethnike persuation of the worlde in theire daies and following the heathen vsage of the gentilitie And yet not content therwith these lying maisters of theire meere mercy be coÌ„tent to offer a pardoÌ„ to the author of that booke for his error which booke the whole catholike Churche of God throughe oute Christiandom taketh for canonicall scriptuture Which arrogancy and passing bowldnesse allthough I persuade my sellfe no vertuous man will in theyme alowe sith they nowe being put to they re shiftes vtterly doo condemne those fathers whose names with great oftentation they often to the simple repeate to make theyme suppose they be not with oute scripture or doctors for the proufe of theire wilfull heresies yet eueÌ„ the very answer it sellfe which they imagine her in to disgrace the doctors and delude the ignoraunt is contrary to it sellfe in sundry points For they one while affirme that S. Augustine and others allowed that erroure which the people by their superstious deuotion hadde before they re tyme broght in to the prayers of the Churche and â—n other while that Iudas Machabaeus did institute it who was before these â—uthors diuers hundereths of yeares
â—nd sumwhile that they borowed it of â—he gentilitye all which pointes be reâ—ugnant eche to other For nether â—ould that begin in oure Christian doâ—tours dayes which was vsed before Christes birthe nether neede they to â—orowe it of the heathen which was in â—stimation and praysed emongest the â—ewes That the prayng for the dead vvas apoinâ—ed to be had in the holy sacrifice by the Apoâ—les coÌ„maundement and praescription And â—hat our doctors by the maiesty of theyr naâ—e beare dovvne oure light aduersaries Cap. 13. BVt that this falshood may better appeare in these men we will by good testimony trye owte when and by whome the oblation and sacrifice with other ordinarie reliefes of the departed were so vniformely vsed throughe the Christian world as like wise it shall be profitable to consider who were the first authors of the contrary opinions And that the holygost by the apostles owne preaching and praescription was the first author of this solempne supplication in massies of all vsagies for the departed I might first proue by this general rule of S. Augustine Epistol ad Ianuar. et de Baptis contra donatist Lib. 4. Cap. 24. Quod vniuersa tenet ecclesia nec concilijs institutuÌ„ sed semper retentum est noÌ„ nisi authoritate apostolica tradituÌ„ rectissime credimus â–ª that which the whole Church obserueth and hathe allwaies so bene kept being not instituted by any councell it can not otherwise be had but by thapostles authoritie and traditioÌ„ And so by the like saing of Leo the greate Dubitandum non est quicquid in ecclesia in consuetudinem est deuotionis retentum Sermone 2. de ieiunio de traditione apostolica de S. spiritus prodire doctrina It can not be doubted but that what so euer is in the Churche by generall custom of deuotion kept and mainteined it came out of the Apostles tradition and doctrine of the holygost But I will seeke with theim by certaine demonstration and plaine ordre of reason that it must needes so be Prayinge for the deade was inuented by no man sithe the apostles dayes A sure vvay to try the beginning of any doctrine there can no one be named by the aduersary before whome I can not name an other that praide for the deade Let him fay wher he list this man or that man was the first that euer praide for the deade in Christes churche if I can not shewe an other before him so named to haue praide allso we will take him for the first author and then he fully stoppeth oure course that we can not bring this obseruation so highe as the Apostles dayes But if the aduersary can apoint me owte no time nor person that began this vsage before which I am not hable to proue it was practised then they can not let vs but we must needes driue it vpward to the apostles and Christes owne institution Yf they answer me that this vsage is crept in to the church sith the Apostles time thoughe the firste author can not be knowne I wil also prouide that there no shift shall serue theim Therfore I aske theime whether that man which first preached it was resisted by the rest of Goddes churche which before his preaching belieued the contrarie or no That is it say this doctrine of prayng for the deade when it first came in to the churche did any of the true pastors free from the same error barke like a good sheperd against the beginner of that which they cownt so greate a corruption of trueth Or all the Church was corrupted with it on one daye say what yowe thinke likest in this case answer with any probability or reason if yow can say plainely was oure doctrine euer preached ageinste or neuer if it neuer wer preached againste then it neuer began as any noueltye or newe doctrine For it coulde not be that the Church being free from that doctrine shoulde streght withe owte contradiction alowe that whiche they lyked not before Howe can any man arise in the commonwelth and bring the vtter decay of all the oulde ordres whiche he findethe and erecte vppe a newe deuise of his owne and neuer man speake a worde against him but al in one moment allowe and lyke the same and that with owte all recorde by memory or monument of any chaung But this thinge is most farre from the Churchies and Goddes pastors diligence that neuer receiued faulse doctrine withoute oppen contradiction and plaine noting the party that first began it as we shall plucke our gentlemeÌ„ by the slieue a none All those that haue any skyl in the antiquitie wil beare me recorde that the pastors did neuer houlde theire peace when any wolfe did but once oppen his mouthe ageinste the sheepe They can tell that she did neuer beare the preaching or practise of any faulse and erronious doctrine for one day together â–ª then it must needes consequently folowe that the doctrine off purgatory and oblation for the departed with still consent of all nations receiued in the Catholyke Churche had no beginning after the firste institutition of our faith and woorship of god but hathe ioyned from the firste grownde of oure Christian institution in Christes faithe with that sacrifice and due honour off God which the apostles by the sugestion of the holy gost plaÌ„ted in al nations with the same faith Thus I make my argumeÌ„t Note euery faulse-hood was preached against and withstanded when it is firste entered but this doctrine of purgatory and praying for the deade being alwaies vsed was neuer controwled nor gainsaide in goddes churche therfore it is no faulshood nor euer hadd any later institution then the Apostles owne prescription But what needes all this a doo by their owne consent we shall drieue this doctrine thirtene c. yeres vpwarde For so neare was Tertulian the Apostles dayes whome they confesse to haue practised that pointe of oblations for the deade And aske him where he had it for surely he inuented it not him selfe and he appointeth vs to his forfathers De corona militis he namethe the Apostles for the authors and fownders therof as of many other thinges which he there reakenethe beside that were generally receiued and nowe be of haeretikes likewise contemned We might yet steppe ij c yeare forwarde and finde emongest the Apostles oun hearers the same doctrine bothe allowed and practised but that they will make exception of Dyonisius and Clements woorkes suche shiftes men must finde that will defend faulshood Other I wil name that be owte of theire exceptions Who I thinke as wel for theire time knouledge and credit as they re excellent vertue bothe can and wil better tel the origin of that thing the authors whereof were more nigh they re tyme then oures If they woulde beleue S. August as they often professe they will the matter might soone be ended but bicause I feare they stand so muche in the corrupt conceite of their owne
singularitie that they wil be bold to reiect him I shall both lay him to theire charges and diuerse other of greater antiquitye that shall in expresse words affirme this vsage to coom from the Apostles owne schoole That therby they may ether acknouledg their errours or elles by such graue and vncorrupt iudgies be condemned of willfull malitious blindnesse Ser. 32. de ver Apost Thus S. Augustin writeth By the praiers of the holy churche the profitable sacrifice and almose bestowen for the soules departed oute of all doubt the deceased be releued so that thereby allmighty God may deale more mercifully with theime then their sinnes required For this practise deliuered vnto vs by oure fathers is obserued vniuersally in Christes Churche that for suche as be departed in the communion of Christes body and bloude when at the sacrifice they be orderly named praiers shoulde be made and the same sacrifice mentyoned to be done for theime Here by his wordes thowe vnderstandes that the profit rising by the prayers or facrifice to the departed hath no doubte in it They wer throughe the worlde vsed not in the church which they say hathe bene for ix c yeres corrupted by supersticious ignorance but in that Churche which oure aduersaryes doo confesse maugre they re heades to haue bene holy Catholyke and Apostolike And it was not thē begon but receiued by the prouision of goddes holy spirite of thapostles whome he calleth the fathers of our faith Athanasius me thinke the aduersary part should quake when I name him who was in his daies terrible to the wicked odible to haeretikes and to all vertuous mē an especial stay in the troblesom times of the Church whose grace was so great that he abbrigeth our whole faith in to a briefe psalme called the Crede of Athanasius which is beleued of al christiā mē no lesse then the holy scriptures of the new testament Who as he right well knewe howe to defend him selfe against the wicked Arrians by the doctrine of the Catholike Churche so he hath left vs in writing howe to arme oure selues against the like aduersaries of truethe with his minde in suche other points of weighte as in his dayies were not doubted of whiche yet might faul in question by the contentious wittes of many that can not quiet theyme selues in the holsom doctryne of christes church Emongest other thinges what this holy mannes mynde was concerning the vtility and vsage of prayers and sacrifice for the dead and who were the institutors thereof thow shalt nowe heare I will recite but a parte of his heauenly taulke thoughe the whole make wholy for our purpose Allthoughe saith this holy doctour he that Christianly is hense in faithe departed be hanged in the ayer and his body vnburied yet after thy prayiers made to God sticke not to light lampe and taper at his sepulchre for these thinges be not only acceptable to God but are rewarded For the oyle and waxe be to him as an holocaust or a sacrifice to be consumed by fyere but that vnblouddy hoste is a propitiation and remission to the partye It may seeme by his wordes that whē by occasiō of punishmēt or othewise any person was vn buried yet there was made sim hearse or monument where is frendes lighted tapers as they doo at this daie and procured the holy Masse Hostia incruenia which Athanasius callethe the Vnbloudy host or sacrifice to be celebrated in his behallfe for so I take that when he saiethe that a man being hong in the ayer may haue tapers and Masse at his sepulchre though sum seeke another meaning wich may wel stand too and it skillethe not for our purpose for so much is plane that in Athanasius his daies the sacrifice was called and counted propitiatory euen for the deade But nowe a litle afterward in the same oration he instructeth vs for the first authors and institutours of this vsage in the vnbloddy sacrifice The Apostles be the orderers of oure sacrifice and in the burialles of Christian men All these holy thinges saith he thapostles of Christe those heuēly preachers and scholars of oure Lorde the firste orderers of oure sacrifice charged to be obserued in the memories and anniuersaries of the departed c. he callethe the Apostles Curatores Sacrificiorum as yowe woulde saye men apointed to take ordre for all thinges perteyning to the solempne ministerie of the greate and highe misterie Psal 49. As in the Psalme the spiritual gouernoures are named Ordinatores testamēti Dei super sacrificia The prouisours of goddes testament touching the sacrificies The residewe of his holy wordes thowe may finde in Damascens oration of the departed where he recyteth bothe the Gregories of the Greeke church S. Denise and S. Chrisostō too which writers doo rather serue my turne nowe then the Latines bicause they may put vs out of doubt for the vsage of the Greke and other Churchies whiche afterwarde by schisme fell together from the true woorship of God into diuerse errors The end of schisme That we may knowe those same contryes vnder the gouernement of these excellent blessed men to haue obserued the same thinges which to theire owne aeternall miserye and decaye of they re Churche and contries they afterwarde contemned For theire dissension and diuision bothe in this point and others of no lesse importaunce hath procured goddes vengeaunce so muche that nowe they haue allmost no churche at all as we may haue right good cause to feare what will becom of vs that folowe theire steppes in such pointes as in theime haue duely deserued goddes greuous plages Amongest other for that Chrisostoms authority is exceding graue I will lett yowe see his opinion for the institution of these beneficial relieuinges of the departeds payn These be his wordes Let vs sieke out al meanes whereby we may best helpe our brethern departed let vs for theire sakes bestowe the most present remedie that is to say almose and oblatiō for therby to theyme ensueth greate cōmodtie gaine and profett for it was not rashly nor withoute greate cause prouided and to goddes Churche by his disciples full of wisdom deliuered and decried that in the dreadfull misteries there should be especial prayers made by the priest for all those the slepe in faithe For it is a singulare benefite to theim These wer Chrisostōs wordes wherby not only the truth of the cause and first authors of the practise be oppened but that there is wonderfull benefite to the parties for whome praiers be so made in the holy sacrifice The which thing our forefathers well knewe when they were so ernest after they re departure to haue a memory at the holy altare Now adaies haeresy hathe cākered euē the very deuotiō of catholykes who allthoughe they thinke it to be true that goddes Church teacheth herin yet the zele of procuring these meanes is nothing so greate as thimportaunce of the cause requireth But if they note well those
carefull admonitions of all these blessed fathers they shall perceiue that euery time that Christes holy bloude is represented vnto God in the Masse for the departed they feele a present benefite and release of theire paines Quaest 34. ad Antioch they doo reioyse saithe holy Athanasius when the vnbloudy host is offered for theim The owlde fathers to put a difference betwixt the sacrificing of Christes own body vpon the crosse and the same vppon the altare in the Churche doo lightly terme this way of offering the vnbloudy sacrifice and the thinge offered which is Christes oune blessed body they call lykewise the host vnbloudie And Chrisostō neuer putting any doubt of the firste authors of offering for the deade prouethe that it is exceding beneficiall to the deceased bicause the apostles full of goddes spirite and wisdom woulde elles neuer withe suche care haue commaunded this holy action to be doone for theime Alasse a lasse for oure deare frendes departed that they must lacke this comforte But wo euerlasting to theyme that are the cause of so muche misery But heare I pray yowe what notable wordes S. Damascen hathe for the vtility and institution of these thinges Ibidem The holy Apostles and disciples saith he of oure sauiour Christe haue decried that in the dread soueraigne vndefiled and lyuely Sacraments so he cauleth the Masse there shoulde be kept a memoriall of those that haue taken theire slepe in faithe the which ordinaunce vntyll this day withowt gainsayng or controwlyng the Apostolike and Catholike Churche of God from one cost of the wyde worlde to another hathe obserued and shall religiously kepe til the worlde haue an end For doubtlesse these thinges that the Christiā religiō which is with owt error and free frō faulshod hath so many agies and worldes continued vnuiolably not with oute vrgent cause those thinges I say are not vaine but profitable to man acceptable to God and very necessarye for our saluation Thus farre spake the doctor settyng furthe not onely his owne mynd but the faithe of a numbre of the peeres of goddes Churche wherin to proue this doctrine to be catholike he fitly followeth the same way which Vincentius Lyrinensis gaue vs once for a ruele to trye truethe by The rule of trueth Prouing that it hathe antiquitie as a thing that came and hathe continued euen from the beginnyng of the Christian religion declaring that it hathe the consent of all natiōs bicause it is and hath bene practised throughe owt al the costes and corners of the wyde world and last that it hath the approbatiō of the wiseist and holiest mē that euer were in the Church of Christ And more thē all this that it shal so cōtinue till thend though it be for a time in sum peculiare natiōs omitted bicause it is receiued into a parte of that woorship of God which in the Church cā not perishe And this praescription of trueth our aduersaries can not auoyde but with suche vnseemely dealing as I trust they theim selues now be ashamed of as all other reasonable men are For now let theim coom with brasen facies and blasphemous tonges and say that praiers for the deade be vnprofitable that the rites of the burial be superstitious that to say the masse and sacrifice to be propitiatory for the soules departed is iniurious to Christes death that the doctors praised the errours of the ignorāt people of their daies that they all erred and were deceiued that the church of Christe hathe bene ledde in darke ignorance till these oure daies let theime bestowe these vayne presumptious wordes where they may take place for nowe all wise men doo perceiue that all these haue theire holy institution by Christe and his Apostles practised vniuersally in the primitiue Churche embrased of all godly people and approued to be wholy consonant to goddes worde by the pillors of Christes churche who so cōsonantly agree together in this point as well for the practise and proufe as for the beginning therof that to dissent from theime and trust in these reedes of oure daies were mere madnesse that are pufte to and fro with euery blast of doctrine that care not what they say so that they say not as other theire forefathers sayed that had rather then they woulde geue ouer a singulare opinion of theire owne imagination refuse and denie the authoritye of so many notable wise auncient godly and well learned fathers whome we haue named Although we haue left owt many of no woorse iudgement planely auouching these thinges to coom in to Christes Churche and woorship by the ordinaunce of his holy Apostles All which thinges if oure aduersaries haue redde then they are in a most miserable and heuy taking that doo withstand an open knowne truthe Heretikes doo agaynst theire ovvne cōsciences and as I feare against theire owne consciencies too Or if they haue not redde these plaine assertions of all lerned men sithe Christes tyme then they are most impudēt that so vainely bragge in a matter whereof they are not skilful But I trust God wil opē their eyes and breake theire prowde hartes to the obedience of his holy Churche Yf the authors be past hope yet their folowers shall take goodly occasion to forsake suche wicked maisters and be ashamed of all theire vndecent dealyng if they note and consider with me that the firste preachers of this peruerse opinion were suche that none of all theire scholares durst euer for shame for the profe of theire assertion name theire owne doctors Note And truely a man might well meruel why haeretikes hauing sum that did plainely professe theire opinions had yet rather picke owte sum darke sentence of any one of oure holy fathers whome they knowe to be directly against theime then oute of those same doctors of their own which in expresse wordes make for theime Yow shall not lightly heare an haeretike that deniethe prayng to sanctes or houldeth with open breache of holy vowes alleage Iouinianus or Vigilātius Nor a Sacramentarie seeke for the autoritye of Berengarius or Wicleffe thoughe they be of sum antiquitie and with out colour plainely doo mainteyne the doctrine that so well lyketh theime But they will trauell to writhe with plaine iniurie to the author Note the gile of an heretike sum sentence owt of Augustine or Ambrose or sum other that by theire whole lyfe and practise open theime selues to the worlde to beleue the cōtrary and al this by sum shewe of wordes for the bearing of their faulse assertions Marke it well I saye in heretikes that they can not for shame of theime selues Note euer name any of the plaine auouchers of theire owne opininions The cause is that the onely vpholding of their opinions made theime infamous to the whole posterity And if any honoure grewe vnto theime emongest the simple bicause they lacked not the waies to procure the peoples consent with admiration of theire eloquence or other plausible and populare
dare nether acknouledge nor name whome all good men with open mouthe bouldely doo reprehend and theire owne scholares dare not defende Such a glorious maiesty this doctrine of theires beareth that pricketh vppe with pryde those that be alyue and blottethe out of honest memorie her doctours that be deade The first Author of that secte vvhich denieth prayers for the departed is noted his good cōdicions and cause of his error be opened vvhat kind of men haue bene most bent in all agies to that secte And that this haeresy is euer ioyned as a fit companion to other horrible sectes Cap. 14. BVt yet bicause they haue diffamed oure practise in praing and offering for the deade by referring it to a latter origin then the apostolike authority and tradition seeing we haue fathered oure vsage vpon suche as the aduersaries dare not blame we will helpe theime to seeke owte the fathers of they re faithles persuasion lest by the feare and bashfullnesse of theire owne scholares they be vnkindly forgotten Mary to find owte these obscure loyterers it wil be sumwhat painefull bicause as theeues doo they kepe by wayes and lightly treade not in honest mennes pathes For the finding owte of recordes for the testimony of our truethe we kepte the day light the highe waye of Goddes Churche All the knowne notable personagies in the holy Citye of God offered theyme selues bothe to witnesse and proue with vs. We droue this truethe from oure daies throughe the middest of that holy communitie whiche S. Augustine callethe the Citye of God and oure aduersaries will not saye otherwise but they were the liuely mēbres of that happy and heauenly felowship The high vvay of trueth We brought the practise of it to the holy Apostles by plaine accompte we went with the truethe of our cause to the lawe of Moyses from thense by like light to the lawe of nature But now for the other sorte we must leaue the cyty of God and the feloweship of these noble personagies of doctors Apostles Prophets and Patriarches and seeke on the lyfte hand in the other citie whiche is of Augustine named the cyty or commonwelthe as a man migh call it of the deuil in whiche body all practise of mischiefe and origin of erroure isshuing from that vnhappy heade to the corrupt and deadly limmes therof is to be fownde We shall heare of the aduersary persuasion then The by vvay of haeresy in the company of Anabaptistes of Arrians of Saduceis of Epicures where so euer the weedes of the common enemies corrupte seede growethe there shal we finde amongest breares and brembles this choking weede with all For as the true preachers the Apostles of Christe Iesu did sowe in the beginninge of the Christian church which was the springe of the worde of lyfe and truethe amongest other heauenly seedes of true doctrine that profitable practise for the reliefe of suche as were hense departed in the slepe of peace with the decent ordre which euer sithens the Catholyck churche hathe obedyently folowed euen so Math. 13. Inimicus homo superseminauit zizania the common enemy came afterwarde and ouersewe darnell and cockle ether for the vtter choking or elles for the especiall lette of that good seede which the Maister of this field by his houshoulde seruauntes had plentifully sowen before This common aduersarye as our maister him sellfe expoundeth it is the Deuil who as he in all other thinges beneficiall to mankinde is a greate stay so Christian mennes commoditye in this point he notably hindereth by his wicked suggestions and deuilishe diuise wherby he prouokethe many vnder the shewe of Goddes worde or bare name thereof for that is the lābes cote which this wyely woolfe boroweth to maske in to be vnkīd vnnatural and with owt all godly affectiō towards their departed frēdes The whiche cōtrary corrupt sede of false doctrine we right wel know came of the sayd aduersary bicause it was lōge after ouersowen Tert. de prescrip lerning further of Tertulian Id verū esse quodcūque primū id adulterinū quod posterius That to be true that was first taught and that to be faulse and forged which came latter And yet besydes that generall and moste certeine instructiō lerned Damascen helpeth vs to the trial of this peculiare case Doubting not to affirme that al such cogitatiōs as do entre into mānes head against the praiers or charitable woorkes for the departed be the deuilles enuious and subtill suggestions for the hinderaunce off oure brethern departed from the heauenly ioyes For thus he writeth in a sermon for the same purpose That oulde serpent saith he whose endeuoure is to corrupt and deface the good and acceptable woorkes of God and to lay snares for the entrapping of mennes soules who is muche perced through brotherly loue and brasteth in sunder for the enuy that he beareth towardes our faithe and finially is madded by oure naturall compassion one towardes an other as one that is the vtter renouncer of all good lawes he enspireth to som a fayned and faulse imagination cleane contrary to the holy constitutions that is to say that al good and acceptable workes before God shoulde no whit proffet the departed soules Our protestantes be inspired by Damascens iudgement Yf this writers iudgement be good as it is sure most sounde then must al our vnnaturall and vnkynd preachers haue an especiall inspiration of the deuill him selfe so often as they hinder fauoure and grace from the deade For as he reduced oure origin to the Apostles so he doubteth not to auouche the contrary persuation to be euidently moued by the oulde serpent of especiall enuie towardes mannes saluation And nowe if thowe list knowe in whome this subtill suggestion tooke first place and roote Of the author of this nevv sect after the longe vsage of the other according to the Apostles planting we shall make the for thy especial comfort partaker therof also We will not vse the aduersaries as they doo vs charging vs with later preaching or doctrine then the Apostles plāted and yet can nether tell where nor by whome it began But we shall by open euidence call the wolfe by his name Let an heretike but set owte fout and once open mouthe thoughe he doo no harme at all yet the watcheman of Israell hath him by the backe streght The dogges were neuer so doom in goddes Churche but they woulde barke at the first apparance of any straunge cattell For that the notation of his arising and name was not onely a warning to the present time to take heede to theire faithe but an admonition to all the posteritye to beware of the lyke And it was euer counted a refutation of an haeresye to the full to reduce it to a latter infamous author by the certaine recorde of the churchies historie The which kind of reason bothe emongest the lerned hathe singulare strenghte and is sensible for the people and of the aduersarie vtterly
greate waste of religion hathe many faulse opinions knitte together emongest which one being as principall grounde shadoweth the other lesser branchyes as nowe the blasphemy of the holy Sacrificie and Sacrament being the fountayne of theire haeresies in a maner couerethe the meaner puddelles of theire stinking doctrine And emoÌ„gest other this vnnaturall affection of forbiddinge the relyfe of the parted seemethe euer to be ioyned as an appendix to other faulshooddes For in holy Damascenes daies this secte appeared againe with other faulse doctrine as a companion of all mischiefe And to proue it to be an haeresie he seeketh oute the first founder thereof Damascen in oratione pro defunctis de haeres and findeth eueÌ„ as before that vnder the deuill this Aerius was the father of that faythlesse assertion Whome he bayteth wellfauourdly in a whole oration and so driues the woolfe in to the wodde againe Then for many a day together this doctrine was dashte til the time of holy S. Bernard and Petrus the reuerent Abbate of Cluny by whiche two notable howsekeping dogges that were neuer doume in the Churchies neede this woolfe appearing once ageine was both noted and oppenly vanquished Note vvel hovv this faulshood euer ioyneth it selfe to other horrible sectes And in theire dayes this faulsehod that before was a companion of the Arrians marke well the course of thinges good reader was nowe matched with the Anabaptistes who in that time as the saide writers doo recorde did call theime selues Apostolici that is to say apostolike or folowers of the apostles so they would be termed to delude the ignorant by the bewty of that glorious name as nowe theire ofspring cal theime selues Euangelici that is to say gospellers and the pure preachers of the worde and ghospell S. Bernarde touched theim to the quick in a sermon by these wordes Lo saith he these miscreants lo these dogges Sermone 66 super â—antic they laughe vs to skorne that we baptise infaÌ„ts that we pray far the dead that we require the helpe of holy sanctes they exclude Christes grace in all sortes and euery kinde in oulde and yong in the liue and in the deade Looke yowe nowe with theire gospell lyke name they were counted no better then prophane dogges of this holy father that laught so skornefullye at Christes church for praying for the deade and inuocation of sanctes and shall we make suche Iuels of theire scholars nowe a dayes In all agyes since this wielde seede was first sowne the true preachers the woorkmen of goddes haruest haue euer plucked it vpp as it first appeared The which wede was better knowne from the corne bicause it euer grewe emongest the bundels of briers and brembles and was of that waisting nature that it could not be tolerated with owte the vtter choking of the wheate This doctrine I say being of it self very perniciouse yet it is euer in coÌ„pany of other mischiefe For the principall author of this secte was an Arian then the folowers as Bernard witnessith were Anabaptistes or worse To whome all men muche meruell that God shulde rather reueale suche misteryes of truethe then to other that were sownde in faithe And in dede I would gladly meete withe sum one good fellowe or other of that secte that weere lerned with al that he might resolue me in this doubt why this conclusion of not offering or praying for the deade of not keping thordinarie fastes of contemning the Sanctes helpe in heauen and the residewe of your newe Creede why God seeing al light of truethe coÌ„methe of his grace openethe these misteries alwaies and onely to suche as yowe your selues can not deny to be haeretikes I trovve no protestant can ansvver vvith reason to this point Why did he reueale in the primitiue Churche that doctrine to an Arian being an open enymie of his holy name and not to Athanasius or Epiphanius or som other blessed men of that time I stand the longer vpon this point that the worlde and who so euer is the simplest may behoulde your miserie and shame for I knowe yowe can say nothing in this case for your defense but euen beare with black blotted coÌ„sciencies the infamy of wilfull blyndnesse Howe say yow did not your doctrine afterwarde appeare againe emongest wicked Anabaptistes that deny emongest other thinges the baptisinge of infantes it was nether reueled to Bede nor Bernard I warrant yowe Here this secte ioyneth vvih the sacramentaries aâ—d the rest of miscreauntes But com lower yet to oure owne time yow knowe full well we haue store of Anabaptistes of Arians of Saduceys of Epicures and of al other sectes that the deuill euer deuised suche light of truethe hath our happy age by your praeaching tell me trueth nowe be not all these whome yowe cownte haeretikes as wel as we doo be they not all I say of your opinion in this matter and not one of theime of oures Nay I will pose yowe further is not your preachinge the very redy waye to all suche extreeme blasphemies as they bowldely mainteyne did euer man fawle from the Catholike Churche to those further haeresies then yowe yet openly professe but he tooke youres by the way as a plane passage to extreme infidelitye yea your opinions doo so well stande with the other that they neede not afterward to refuse any one pointe of al your doctrine to mainteyne theire owne There is no article of Catholike doctrine but it is as much hated of theim as of your selues Helpe your selues here my maisters Marke vvell or elles all the worlde will take yowe to be in your heartes of the same sectes wherevnto your faithe is allwaies so dearely ioyned Put your heades together and tell vs whie your doctrine is so deare to the Arians and all wicked men and so hated of the holy fathers of Christes Church Yf you frame not your answer wel yow liese your credites your scholares and your honesties Wel thus haue I pointed owt your author his name was Aërius yowe must be cauled Aërians yow may kepe the name of protestauntes or Euangelistes besyde For a holy newe calling is lightly ioyned to suche men Wherby though sum simple be deceyued yet wise men be warned Or if the owlde authors of this sect be not so glorious as these newe reuiuers if they list and like so they may cal theime selues Lutherans or Caluinistes or what they will but Catholikes Althoughe Martyn Luther graunted purgatorye and praiers whith this error that suche as were there might yet by theire diuers deseruings win or lose lyfe euerlastinge as men of doubtefull state as they were before in the worlde playne agaynst oure sauiours admonition Vide Hieronimum sup 3. ad galathas Ioan. 9. and carefull warninge veniet nox quando iam nullus operari potest Woorke whiele the day lasteth for the night shall coom when no man can labour But I neede not to stand vpon this point which of nether parte
waie suche stoombling stockes as perhappes might sumwhat trouble the vnlerned who for lacke of deepe iudgement be moste subiecte to the aduersaries deceites Hovve they practise vvith the simple And with suche thus they lightely practise first by lofty lookes and highe chaleÌ„gies they crake and boste with passing bowldnes that the learned meÌ„ of the world the sage fathers of the auncieÌ„t times al the graue couÌ„celles the whole vsage of the primitiue Church Great impudency in haeretikes with plaine scripture to be on theire parte And as for the contrary teaching that it came in of late with the decay of lerning and light of truethe in these barbarous tymes when superstition and darke ignorance had wasted the doctrine of the yeares past And in this bragge they stand till som Catholike man encounter with theime By whome wheÌ„ they see theim selues so driueÌ„ from the standinge which they kept with greate glory before that they must be wholy naked and destitute in the face of the worlde of al such helpes as they accompted to haue for the owtewarde shewe of theire deceitful doctrine then in plaine wordes they confesse theire teachig not to hange on the antiquitye not on councelles not on Doctors nor on any man but on Goddes holy spirite and worde which can not deceiue theime And so at th ende the owlde vse of the primitiue churche the fathers and the generall councelles arrogantly contemned or rather vnworthely condemned marke well theire prety conceites they make then a matche betwene theime selues with goddes worde on the one partye and the doctors and fathers withe owte Goddeâ— worde The sophistry of haeretikes on the other partye Affirming that they be not bound to beleue theime but where they agree with the scriptures of God And then turning theire taulke to the simple thus they preache vnto theime by a captious and foolishe demaunde whether they thinke it more reason or conuenient to beleeue the scriptures or doctors the determinatioÌ„ of the true and liuelye worde of God or elles the decrie of a generall councel which deceitfull wreasting of the state of our quaestion somwhat troobles the vnlearned which can not perceiue herby that they betray theime selues and deface theire own dooinges in so rude a defense For who seethe not nowe that they renouÌ„ce all that helpe of Councelles and Doctors which with vauÌ„tes they clamed before whiles they impudently make a diuision or contrarietie betwixte theime and the holy scripture And we take it at theire hand as an open acknouleging of theire lacke â—her wher they praeteÌ„did greatest store The whiche thinge if they likewise woulde confesse openly in pulpit and â—n plaine wordes as they meane nothing lesse wheÌ„ they shewe the people that they were but meÌ„ that they might â—rre that they folowed the custom of the common people in their time that they are not to be receiued but where they agree with scripture and that theÌ„i selues must trie whether they be coÌ„sonant to the worde of God or no if they woulde I say with owt suche cloked wordes bouldely pronounce as Luther theyr Master did that they cared not for a huÌ„dreth Augustines or Hieroms that they aestemed not the consent of all nations that they would be tried by the iudgement of no councel that they woulde purposely ronne Contrarye to the Councels decrye in al causies that they would take that for thonely trueth which is coÌ„teined in the holy scriptures and that for scripture which theime selues thought good and last of all that for the true meaninge which agreed best to the vphoulding of errour and haeresye then woulde the people leaue these lewde masters on the plaine field which now they kepe with them one while by the praysies of the doctors and antiquitye and sumwhiles by thabasing of theime ageine and deceyt full referring all to the onely scriptures to which they saye credet may salfely be gyuen where the docters with owt daunger can not be forther followed then as they benot fownde to disagree with goddes worde So that the cause seemethe nowe to be driuen to this isshue in the eyes of thignorant whether men shoulde rather beleue the scripture or the doctors the worde of God that can not be faulse or the fathers that weere but men and therfore might erre deceiue and be deceiued But this is not the state of oure controuersie nor of any question betwixte the Catholikes and theime And that they knowe full well thoughe they craftelie cloke it with chaunge of wordes â–ª for we acknowledge most gladly that if any Doctor Prophet Apostle or Angell if it were possible preache vnto vs any thing against the word and trueth of goddes scripture that he is accursed of God and to be reiected of men But here is the stand and the point of al oure doubtes in generall note it well master protestaunt whether the auncient fathers sum of theime being in Christes time diuers of theime scholars to his apostles here lieth the doubt and diuer siti betvvixte haeretikes and Catholikes many within one hundrethe or two of yeres afterward most of theime more then a thowsand yeres since I speake of suche as we haue named in oure cause and all wonderfully learned as well in the knouledge of the secrets of goddes mysteries as the tonges all mercifully indued withe greate giftes and gracyes all exceding studious in the scriptures all hauing the same testament and written worde of god that we nowe haue all vsing meruelous diligence in the coÌ„ference of diuers placies for the true meaning and vnderstanding of the same all hauing feruent zele in teaching the christian people al at times appoynted resortinge together froÌ„ diuers partes of the world to sum one generall search in wich by humble conferens together and praier thei doubted not to obteine the spirite of truth as it was by our maister promised the question is nowe then I saie whether those holy men thus holpen by nature diligens tyme and grace be not more lyke to vnderstand the scripture theÌ„ these men wich ether lacke all these helpes or moste of theyme Secondly it foloweth there vpon whether we shoulde rather geue credit to theim affirminge purgatory and praiers for the deade to be not onely consonaÌ„t but planely proued by the scriptures or elles to oure newe aduersaries auouching these thinges to be agaynst the scripture Wherbye yow see we must not nowe reason whether we ought to beleue the doctors or the seriptures better but whether for the true sense we must not beleue the owlde fathers better then these newe fooles An ansvver to suche arguments as the haeretikes doo frame of the holy scriptures not vvell vnderstanded against the practise of Goddes Churche in praying for the deade or the doctrine of Purgatory Cap. 16. THerfore to stoppe their waye at euery turne and bicause they taulke so fast of scripture full fayne woulde I heare what scriptures they haue that make ether expressely agaynst purgatory