comprehend yea afford all those goods which Secular men do so much desire though not in such manner as they commonly affect and hunt after them but in a better that is in a due and congruous subordination of them unto superiour goods For the Christian life being as it is a life of wisdome a life of most perfect prudence and discretion when we see that the things which the world so much admireth riches honours pleasures c. are by them viz. good Christians in a manner neglected we cannot but conclude that they find themselves satisfied otherwise that is possessed of riches honours pleasures c. of a more noble and more excellent nature then those be which they seem to despise For having the grace of God and our Saviour Christ himself dwelling in them by Faith they conceive themselves thereby in possession of so great a good that in comparison thereof there is little else worthy of their desires They have also hereby an assured hope to recover in the Resurrection whatsoever Beauty or other ornaments of the body here they might seem to want yea in that degree of excellency and glory which the heart of man cannot now conceive and to injoy with Christ for ever that life and endlesse felicity of which the Apostle speaketh Eye hath not seen nor the ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what Things God hath prepared for them that love him And hence we observe that good Christians be generally of a chearfull and pleasing Conversation not seeming either to desire or to fear any thing overmuch in this world and to be as it were out of the Gun-shot of inordinate sorrow according as it is written Nothing shall grieve the Just man of whatsoever happeneth unto him and as it was said of the Apostles of our Saviour They went from the Councell rejoycing that they were held worthy to suffer reproch for the name of Christ The XIX Conclusion THat it is no hard matter to attain Christian life and therein by Gods holp to persevere unto the end The principall thing required thereto is the grace of God that grace I mean which is not onely a meer gift of God or freely given but that which maketh a man formally gracious with God or just This indeed is onely to be had from God but he through his Infinite and Immense Goodnesse being so ready and inclined to give it unto them that ask in that respect there is no difficulty to attain Christian life For if he spared not his own sonne as the Apostle argueth but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him give us and that easily all Things There is also required some disposition on our part to receive the grace of God which yet renders not the attaining of Christian life nor perseverance therein through Grace difficult or hard For can it be hard for a man to do that which is in his own power Can it be hard for a man to do that which naturall reason tells him is best is for his own good and in his own election Let a man therefore but obserue three precepts and he shall find the attaining and perseverance in Christian life by Gods grace easie The first is That he have continuall Thoughts and reflexions upon the misertes of Humane life and especially upon the hour and issues of his death For seeing that man dyeth as all other creatures do he ought often thus to think and reason with himself To what purpose do I thus labour What good do all these Riches and Honours do me I am sure to dye and leave them all I am sure to dye yet the hour and time of my death is most uncertain What if I dye to day as 't is possible enough what good would it then do me to have had the whole world at command Or thus If the condition of man and beast be alike as in death we seem truly we men are a great deal more unhappy then they for unto bruit beasts Nature it self provideth a convenient food convenient cloathing houses and other necessaries for their life which we men have not but with a great deal of labour and pains Beasts are satisfied with that onely which is present never taking care for the future as man doth who is never contented with what he hath but still desiring insatiably more and vexed with a Million of cares for that which is to come Beasts are not subject to half those in firmities of body which man is sicknesse weaknesse wearinesse c. and for those of the mind tribulations anxieties distresses which we suffer in infinite variety every day they know them not Beasts are content with a little their desire is presently fatisfied with but a small provision but the desires of man are without end his heart is restlesse inscrutably perverse and miserable with all Lastly beasts have no Thoughts of any future life nor of the Immortality of Soul about which men are extreamly perplexed almost in continuall dread and apprehensions of going after all the troubles and toylings of this life unto pains eternall If therefore our soul be not indeed Immortall there is no creature so miserable as man But if it be Immortall then certainly our finall rest is not here but must be sought in some other life And seeing that it were an absurd thing to imaegine that man whom both God and nature have made the most noble and most excellent of all other Creatures should yet be found to be of them all the most miserable we must confesse some other happiness reserved for him or else deny the providence of God over his works For seeing that in the world many Things daily appear new which were not before and that nothing can possibly make it self or give Being to it self it cannot be doubted but that every Thing in the world is made to be by something else which was before it unlesse we will be such fools as to say All things come to passe by chance that is by nothing for chance is nothing but our ignorance or non-praeâ—â—sion of the true cause a paradox sufficiently cenfuted by the very order of the universe and that wonderfull regularity which is observed yea sensible in all the proceedings of nature And seeing again that in causes subordinate we may not run from one to an other in infinitum we must pitch at last upon some one which shall be the first and generall cause of all and This is confessed to be God whence also we see that without any discourse of Argument but by meer instinct or nature men generally acknowledge God and also worship him in some way or other nor was there ever man found that could settle in the opinion that There was no God And that God hath providence over the world the course of nature as we said even now sufficiently sheweth and the Philosophers themselves confesse saying that the work of nature is the
and in her prayers more and more instantly recommends her Sonne it is not the place of the dead body but the Mothers lively affection perhaps excited and quickened by the memory of the place which succours the soul of the deceased For doubtless it doth not unprofitably concern the religious mind of one that prayeth to consider at once both who is recommended and to whom he is recommended Even as we see men that pray do commonly so dispose the members of their body as usually is most proper and effectuall for suppliants to do as when they bend their knees when they spread their hands when they prostrate their bodies on the ground or do any other visible action of that nature although I say their invisible will and hearts intention be known well enough unto God who needs none of these signs to make him see what is in the heart of man yet certainly the man who prayeth doth move himself to pray to lament to grieve by such motions and postures as those much more humbly much more fervently and devoutly then otherwise he would Yea and how it comes to pass I know not seeing these motions of the body are not made but by some precedent motion of the mind yet certain it is that by these externall actions visibly done that other invisible motion which caused them is reciprocally increased and by this means that affection of mind which preceded those Actions as the cause of them is it self also increased because they are done and yet notwithstanding when it happens that a man is held in such sort or perhaps tyed by constraint that he cannot so dispose his corporall members as willingly he would his interiour man ceaseth not therefore to pray nor yet to prostrate himself before Almighty God in the more secret Cabinet of a contrite heart In like manner truly it much imports where a man can place the dead body of him for whose soul he intends to supplicate almighty God Observe this that it much imports even wherthe body is interred because both his precedent affection did chuse an holy place and also having put the body there the remembrance of the same place revives and increases that affection which preceded it But neverthelesse a religious friend being determined to give buriall to him whom he loveth although he cannot perhaps obtain to bury him where he would yet let him not by any means forbear necessary prayers in his recommendation for whatsoever becometh of the dead body Rest of the souls to bee procured even after death the Rest of his soul must be procured which soul of his when it left the body carried its sense along with it by which is distinguished in what condition every one is after death whither good or euil Nor doth the spirit of man after departure expect that its life should be any way relieved now by that flesh to which it self when time was afforded life which life at the hour of death it carried away with it self and shall restore again when it returnes For this is certain the flesh procures not the merit of Resurrection to the spirit but the spirit to the flesh whither it revives unto pain or glory CHAP. VI. VVE read in the Chronicles of the Church which Eusebius wrote in Greek and after him Ruffinus translated into Latine that the bodies of some Martyrs in France were thrown unto dogs and that what the dogs left of them together with their very bones was afterwards consumed with fire and the ashes cast into the river Rhosne so that not the least part of them could remain for memory Which we cannot imagine was permitted by the Divine Providence for any other reason then to teach Christians that by them who for the honour and Confession of Christ do despise their own lives the want of buriall after death is least of all to be regarded For out of all doubt this thing which was executed with so great cruelty upon the Martyrs bodies would never have been suffered by God if the victorious Souls themselves could thereby have been hindered of their Crowns and rest Hence therefore it is clearly manifest that our Lord saying Fear not those who kill the body and have no more to do meant not that men should act nothing upon the bodies of his servants deceased as well as living but that whatsoever they should be suffered to do nothing should be done that might disturb their happinesse nothing that should affect them with any sense of grief nothing that should hinder the perfect resurrection and restauration of their bodies in due time CHAP. VII ALL which notwithstanding by reason of that naturall and inbred affection which is in men in respect whereof it is said that no man ever hated his own flesh if they perceive that any thing be likely after their death to be wanting unto their bodies which the solemnity of funerall would require at least according to the custome of the countrey and place where they live we see they cannot forbear to be sad like men and sollicitous for that provision touching their bodies before death of which when they are once dead they shall not be sensible at all Yea so far doth this extend that in the book of Kings we read how God Almighty himself by one Prophet threatneth another who had transgressed his command that his body should not be buried in the Sepulchre of his Fathers The words of Scripture are these Thus saith our Lord 3 Reg. 13.21 Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of our Lord and hast not kept the Commandment which our Lord thy God commanded thee but camest back and hast eaten bread and drank water in the place in which our Lord commanded thee not to eat bread nor drink water thy carcase shall not be brought into the sepulchre of thy Fathers Which punishment if we consider it according to the Gospel where as hath been often said we are taught not to fear after our departure any thing that may be done to our dead members it will scarce seem to be any punishment at all but if we reflect upon that humane affection which all men naturally bear to their own flesh a man can hardly choose but be contristated even while he liveth for that which when he is dead he shall not feel In this respect therefore it was a punishment unto the Prophet that he could not forbear to grieve at present for that which should afterward befall his body though when it should indeed befall he were sure enough to have no sense of it For the will of our Lord doubtlesse was to chastise his servant thus far onely who had transgressed his command not so much by any particular pravity of his own will as through the fallacy of another who deceived him and made him think he had obeyed the command of God when he did not And it were very hard to think otherwise as that his body being killed by the tearings of
happy But yet because this knowledge or contemplation of the Divine Majesty is inseparably accompanied with a certain infinite and ineffable joy or pleasure conceived upon that sight and by which the sight or contemplation it self seems to be perfected therfore we say that in regard of operation or the exercise of Beatitude that it is compleated in the will which with an infinite delight doth embrace that good sight and consent to be absorpt and drowned in the glorious Abyss thereof to all Eternity As in like manner we say of man that he consists essentially in the union of a rationall Soul with the body but yet that he is perfected in regard of operations by such accidents as do either necessarily or contingently follow that union to which sense the Philosopher also saith Delight hath the same relation to Felicity which Beauty hath to youth The XI Conclusion That perfect Blessednesse cannot be attained in this life First because in this life we have no immediate knowledge of God we see him not but by and through the creatures and as it were in such a glasse as the Phantasie or some inferiour faculty of our soul is able to present unto us which manner of knowledge being so imperfect the soul of man finds no satisfaction therein that is to say no Beatitude no full content Secondly because as Boetius saith Blessednesse is a state consummate or perfected with a concurrence of all good but in this mortall life there never was seen nor ever shall be such a generall confluence of All Good Things upon any one man as that nothing should be wanting either to his body or to his soul especially seing that Immortality the Crown of the Bodies perfections cannot possibly be attained here no more then the certain hour of a mans death can be foreseen and that knowledge which is the prerogative royall of the soul is found but by very few and that never absolutely clear in this life never but darkened and eclipsed with a multitude of errours Not to speak of those inferiour and lesse valuable goods of fortune and the body health wealth c. the least of which yet being wanting doth infinitely disturb our union with God and dayly yea hourly deject us from that state wherein True Felicity consists The XII Conclusion Yet notwithstanding a certain Inchoate Felicity or as 't were the First Fruits of happinesse may be had in this life In the heart of man we may conceive a double rest viz. either of the appetite it self or of the motions and stirrings of the appetite The former which is indeed a beginning of happinesse a man may perhaps perfectly obtain in this life for it is nothing else but the determining or settling of our desire upon that object which is in Truth our last end 'T is true in a generall notion all men do naturally desire to be happy because 't is naturall for every thing to desire at least that perfection which is proper to his kind yet in particular or in regard to their indeavours or motions to attain happinesse they do as generally mistake few of them knowing where to find it or in what Thing it consists and therefore we see their desires thereof are commonly unequall irregular and restlesse But when once a man hath found that his happinesse consisteth in the Contemplation or knowledge of God and is resolved to make it his chief business study and care to advance himself therein his appetite becomes in that respect satisfied and quiet But yet again because this knowledge of God is not perfect in this life but rather in continuall advancement towards perfection therefore we say in that second sense that the appetite is not satisfied that is to say not the motions and stirrings thereof which indeed never cease but are continually labouring and endeavouring after greater perfection in that Contemplation and this so much the more incessantly and strongly by how much a man comes nearer to perfect Beatitude and receives as it were beforehand some glimpses and Irradiations thereof And this is that we call Felicity Inchoate or in its First-fruits The XIII Conclusion That Christians have this Felicity Inchoate in a greater measure then the best of Philosophers The reason is because the Contemplation and Fruition of God which good Christians have are in themselves greater and more perfect then those which the most excellent Philosophers could ever arrive unto By what I have elsewhere said it is manifest that a Christians life is not founded upon any naturall principle either within or without man but in something supernaturall that is to say in the Grace of God by which also he is elevated unto a participation of the Divine nature Seeing therefore that the operation of every thing followeth its Essence for every thing worketh so far as it can agreeably to its own nature by how much the nature or essence of any thing is more perfect by so much perfecter also is it in its operation or working But Grace is a thing of a much nobler and more perfect essence then nature and therefore the operations or effects which proceed from thence must needs excell those of nature And seeing again that by how much the operation or Action of any Thing is more perfect by so much a greater and more perfect delight is conceived thereupon it must needs follow that those spirituall Contentments and Gusts which good Christians have with God and in God do infinitely excel those of philosophers which at best are but naturall and such as the principle is from whence they proceed Besides seeing that happinesse consisterh in the Contemplation of God the greater knowledge a man hath of God the greater that is the more perfect is his Contemplation and Fruition of him But this is certain that Christians have greater knowledge of God then philosophers as well in regard of the light of Grace which perfects that of nature and reveals unto Christians many excellent mysteries altogether unknown to philosophers as also in regard of that Purity of heart which as we have shewed elswhere true Christians do injoy in a more excellent measure then others The delights therefore which Christians injoy in their Contemplation of God are much greater in themselves and more perfect then those which the best of philosophers could have And seeing that this happinesse Inchoate which we speak of doth consist in that Contemplation and Fruition of God which is attainable in this life it follows that it is more perfectly attained by Christians then philosophers Lastly this happinesse Inchoate is so much greater and more perfect by how much it cometh nearer to Felicity consummate or that of the next life But the Felicity of Christians which is here begun cometh much nearer to Felicity Consummate then that of philosophers for as much as no man shall ever actually attain heaven but by Grace which the philosophers neither had nor knew it is manifest therefore that true Christians are more
frequently to see them those things are therefore most fitly done that a multitude of beleevers being gathered together and propagated by them profitable authority might be converted into customes themselves An observation S. Augustine in his first book of his Retractations and 14. Chapter alledgeth these words why sayst thou are not these things done now because they would not move unlesse they were wonderfull and if they were common and usuall they were not wonderfull and expounds them thus This I said because not so great nor all miracles are done now but not that none are also now done CHAP. XVII The Cousent of Nations beleeving in Christ ALl customes have such vertue power to winn the love and affection of men that we sooner can condemne and detest even the things that are naught and wicked in them then forsake or change them and this for the most part comes to passe when as our unlawfull appetites and deseres have gotten a dominion and predominancy over us doest not thou think that great care hath been taken about the affaires of mankinde and that they are put into a good state and condition that not only divers most learned men doe argue and contend that nothing that is earthly nothing that is fierie finally nothing that is perceptible by the corporall senses ought to be worshipped and adored for God but that he is to be prayed unto entreated and supplicated only by the understanding or intellectuall power but also that the unskilfull multitude of both sexes doth in so many and so divers nations both beleeve it and publish it that there is continency and forbearance of meates even to the most slender diet of bread and water and fastings not for one day only but also continued for divers dayes together that there is chastity even to the contempt of marriage and issue that there is patience even to the contemning of crosses and flames that there is liberality even to the distribution of patrimonies to the poore and finally so great a disesteeme and contempt of all things that are in this world that even death it self is wished and desired Few there are that do these things fewer that doe them well and prudently yet the people doe approve them hearken unto them and like them yea they love and affect them and not without some progresse of their mindes towards God and certain sparks of piety and vertue they blame and reprehend their owne weakenesse and imbecillity that they cannot doe these things This the divine Providence hath brought to passe by the predictions of the Prophets by the humanity and doctrin of Christ by the voyages of the Apostles by the contumelies crosses bloud and death of Martyrs by the laudable and excellent lives of Saints and by miracles done at convenient times in all these things worthy of so great matters and vertues When as therefore we see so great help and affistance from God and so great fruit and entrease thereby shall we make any doubt or question at all of retyring into the besome of that Church which even to the confession and acknowledgement of mankinde from the Sea Apostolike by succession of Bishops hath obtained the sovereignty and principall authority heretiks in vain barking round about it and being condemned partly by the judgement of the people themselves partly by the gravity of Councels partly also by the majesty and splendour of miracles Unto which not to graunt the chiefe place and preheminence is either indeede an extreme impiety or a very rash and a dangerous arrogancy for if there be no certain way for the minds of men to wisdome and salvation but when faith prepareth and disposeth them to reason what is it else to be ungraetfull unto the divine Majesty for his aide and assistance but to have a will to resist an authority which was gained and purchased with such labour and paines And if every art and trade though but base and easy requires a teacher or master that it may be learned and understood what greater expression can there be of rash arrogancy and pride then both to have no minde to learne the books of the divine mysteries from their interpreters and yet to have a minde to condemne the unknown CHAP. XVIII The Conclusion by way of exhortation VVHerefore if either reason or our discourse hath any wayes moved thee and if thou hast a true care of thy self as I beleeve thou hast I would have thee to hearken and give eare unto me and with a pious faith a cheerefull hope and sincere charity to addresse thy self to good Masters of Catholick Christianity and to pray unto God without ceasing and intermission by whose only goodnesse we were made and created by whose justice we are punished and chastized and by whose clemency we are freed and redeemd by which means thou shalt neither want the instructions and disputations of most learned men and those that are truly Christian nor books nor cleare and quiet thoughts whereby thou mayst easily find that which thou seekest And as for those verball and wretched men for how can I speake more mildly of them forsake them altogether who found out nothing but mischiefe and evill whilst they seek to much for the ground thereof In which question they stirre up oftentimes their hearers to enquire and search but they teach them those things when they are stirred up that it were better for them alwayes to sleep then to watch and take great pains after that manner for they drive them out of a lethargy or drowsy evill and make them frantike between which discases whereas both are most commonly mortall yet neverthelesse there is this difference that those that are sicke of a lethargy doe die without troubling or molesting others but the frautike man is dreadfull and terrible unto many and unto those especially that seek to assist him For neither is God the author of evill nor hath it ever repented him to have made any thing nor is he troubled with a storme of any commotion or stirring of the minde nor is a particle or piece of earth his kingdome he neither approves nor commands any heinous crimes or offences he never lies For these and such like things did move and trouble us when they did strongly oppose them and inveigh against them and fained this to be the doctrine of the old Testament which is a most absolute falshood and untruth Wherefore I graunt that they doe rightly blame and reprehend those things What then have I learned what thinkest thou but that when they reprove those things the Catholike doctrine is not reprehended so that the truth which I learned amongst them I hold and reteyne and that which I conceived to be false and untrue I refuse and reject but the Catholick Church hath also taught me many other things whereunto those men being pale and without bloud in their bodies both grosse and heavy in their understandings cannot aspire namely that God hath no body that no part of him
can be perceived by corporall eyes that nothing of his substance and his nature is any wayes vioable or changeable or compounded or framed which things if thou grauntest me to be true as wee ought not to frame any other conceit of the divine Majesty all their subtle devises and shifts are subverted and overthrnown But how it can be that God hath neither caused nor done any evill and that there neither is nor ever hath been any nature and substance which he hath not either produced or made and yet that he frees and delivers us from evill is a thing approved upon so necessarie reasons and grounds that no doubt at all can be made thereof especially by thee and such as thou art if so be that to their good wits they joyne piety and a certaine peace and tranquillity of a minde without which nothing at all of so great matters can be conceived and understood and here is no report of great and large promises made to no purpose and of I know not what Persian fable a tale more fit to be told to Children then to ingenious and witty men and as for truth it is a farre other thing then the Manichees do foolishly imagine and conceive but because I have made a farre longer discourse then I thought to have done let me here end this booke wherein I would have thee to remember that I have not yet begun to refute the Manichees and impugne those toyes nor to have expounded any great matter of the Catholick doctrine but that my only intent was to have rooted out of thee if I could the false opinion of true Christians which hath been malitiously or unskilfully insinuated unto us and to stirre thee up to the learning of certaine great and divine things Wherefore I will put a period to this worke and if it makes thy mind more quiet and contented I shall peradventure be more ready to serve thee in other things FINIS Saint Austins Care for the Dead OR HIS BOOK De Curâ pro Mortuis Translated into English The second Edition Revised and Corrected PRINTED Anno Dom. MDCLI Aurelius Augustin TO Paulin Bishop Concerning Care for the Dead CHAP. I. I Have been a long time your debtour venerable Brother fellow Bishop Paulinus The memory of the saints is the place where their body or relicks are kept for the Letters you sent me by the servants of our most religious sister Flora wherein you propounded a question viz. Whither it profits any one after his decease to have his body buried at the memory of some Saint For this it seems the above mentioned widow had enquired of you concerning her sonne deceased in those parts to whom you had returned answer to her comfort signifying withall that the thing was accomplished which with such maternall and pious affection she desired namely to have the corps of the faithfull youth Cynegius departed put in the Church of the most blessed Confessour Faelix by occasion whereof it came to passe that you writ also at the same time to me by the same messengers intimating the question abovesaid and demanding my opinion therein yet in such manner as you do not altogether conceal your own For you say the desire of those faithfull religious minds which procure such things to be done for them seem not to you to be altogether vain and that the custome of the Catholick Church Note this The custome of the Church to pray for the dead which is to pray for the dead cannot be to no purpose so as that even thence we ought to conjecture that it is of some avail for a man after his death if by his faithfull friends living such a place be provided for the interment of his body as may procure him the assistance or patronage of some Saint But you say withall Patronage of Saints usefull for the dead that although this be so yet you see not sufficiently how the opinion can be reconciled to that of the Apostle who saith We shall all stand at Christs Tribunall that every one may receive according to what he hath done in his body whither it be good or evil For say you without all doubt this sentence of the Apostle doth tell us that That which shall profit us after death must be done before viz. in our life therefore not then to be done when every one is to receive for what he hath done already But the difficulty is resolved thus namely that it is procured by the manner of life which we lead here in the body that such Things as these should do us good after we are departed and so it holds true still that according to things done in the body men receive Saint August in his Enchiridion ad Laurentium chap. 110. asserts these threefold sorts of Christians whereof the middle sort is onely capable of help after this life which clearly concludes Purgatory yea when they receive benefit by what is done for them religiously after their decease For it must be confest there are some sorts of men to whom the doing of such Things as these would be of no advantage at all to wit either those who have lived so ill that they deserve not to be holpen by them or those who have lived so well they need not It is therefore by the manner of life which every one leadeth in this body that the things religiously done for them after the body do either profit or not profit at all For certainly if no merit be acquired in this life by which such Things may be rendred profitable to a man after his death Note The Church used then an office of the dead it were then that is to say after he is dead in vain to seek it So we see neither the office of the Church nor our own care of our deceased friends is idle or vain and yet that it is true that every one receiveth according to those Things which he hath done in the body whither it be good or evil our Lord himself rendring unto every one according to his works For as we say it is procured by the life a man leadeth in the body that what is thus done for him should profit him after his body is dead And to have said onely thus much might I conceive be a sufficient answer to your demand but by reason of some other Things which seem to me not unworthy our consideration I shall crave your attention yet a little further We reade in the Book of Macchabees Macchabees alledged for Scripture That sacrifice was offered for the dead And though it were not found at all in any place of the antient Scripture yet the Authority of the universall Church which is clear for this custome is not lightly to be regarded Universall custome of praying for the dead Masse for the dead where in the prayers which the Priest maketh unto our Lord God standing at his Altar recommendation of the dead hath its due
given by the spirit the word of wisdome and to another the word of knowledge according to the same spirit To an other faith in the same spirit to another the grace of doing cures in one spirit to an other working of miracles to an other kinds of tongues to an other prophesie to an other discerning of spirits to an other interpretation of tongues And all these worketh one and the same spirit dividing to every one according as he will Of all which spirituall Gifts reconed up by the Apostle he that hath the discerning of spirits he onely is the man who knoweth the things we speak of as they ought to be known CHAP. XVII ANd such most probably was that Holy Person John the Monk whom the good Emperour Theodosius the Elder was pleased to consult concerning the event of the civill war for this man had also the gift of Prophesie as I doubt not concerning those gifts but as every one might have any one in particular and alone so How S. Aug. reverenced monks as it pleased God some one had many as this John for example of whom it is recounted that a certain woman very devout and religious being as it were passionately desirous to see him and labouring by her husband to procure it some way or other with the Holy man it not being his manner to admit the conversation of women upon any terms he refused but yet Go saith he tell your wife she shall see me at night but it shall be in her sleep and so she did The good man appeared to her and instructed her in all the duties of a faithfull wife as she her self as soon as she did awake told her husband describing the man of God to him in such form and shape as he knew him to have This truly I have heard reported by one who had it from the parties themselves The manner how apparitions are made a grave and honourable personage and worthy I think of all credit But as to the matter if I my self had ever seen that Saintly Monk as report of him that he was a man of most sweet conversation and wont most patiently to hear what men propounded to him and most wisely to give answer I would have enquired of him something pertaining to this question that is Whither himself or which is all one his spirit in the figure of his body did indeed come unto that woman in her sleep in such manner as we men dream of our selves in the shape of our bodies or else that himself being otherwise busied or sleeping yea perhaps dreaming too this vision happened to the woman by an Angel or by some other means and that he by the spirit of prophecy knowing before-hand when such a vision should be vouchsafed unto her was pleased by a kind of promise thereof to gratifie the desires of that good woman For if himself in person were present at the time of that vision certainly it was by speciall nay by wonderfull grace and priviledge that he so was not by nature or any proper faculty of his own And whither the woman saw him personally and really present or no yet surely something of like nature it was to that we reade of in the Acts of the Apostles concerning Saul Act. 9.11 of whom our Lord Jesus speaking to Ananias tells him that Saul had seen Ananias coming to him c. when as Ananias himself as yet knew not Saul nor any thing of the businesse Yea and which way soever of these that man of God should have answered me I would yet have proceeded further with him concerning the Martyrs and asked him in what manner it is that they are present either in mens sleep or otherwise to such persons as have the favour to see them sometimes viz. when and how they please and chiefly how they are present when devils in mens bodies do cry out confessing that they are tormented by them and do beseech the Martyrs to spare them Why God Almighty dispenseth his favours at the memory and intercession of Martyrs or whether such things be done indeed and immediately by Angelicall powers onely yet in the honour and commendation of Martyrs as God is pleased to command for the good of us men the Martyrs themselves in the mean time remaining in perfect rest attending wholly unto an other and much better vision wherein though separated from us yet their charities cease not to pray for us For of a truth at the Martyrs S Devils tormented by the relicks of Martyrs Gervasius and Protasius in Millain the devils did expresly and by name confesse besides sundry persons that were deceased Saint Ambrose Bishop of the place who was then alive Saints living absent torment devils in possessed bodies and entreated that he would spare them yet was he at that time busied elsewhere about other matters and knew nothing of that which passed Now supposing these things to be done sometimes as I have said by the Martyrs themselves present and sometimes by the presence of Angels by what signs they may be discerned or distinguished the one from the other none I suppose can certainly know or determine but he onely who hath the proper gift thereof which gift is distributed unto every one who hath it by the Spirit of God according as himself pleaseth That holy man John A wonderfull humility in S. Aug. mixed with great Christian piety 't is very like would have satisfied me in all these points at least thus far that either by his teaching me I should have learnt and perceived the things I heard to be true or else not being able to perceive them my self I should yet believe them upon his credit who did both know them and affirm them to be so Nay if perchance he should answer me out of holy Scripture and say Enquire not of things too high for thee Ecclus. 3 search not after things that be too hard but what our Lord hath commanded thee think on that alwayes yet even this also I should take in good part For surely there being many things so obscure and intricate that we can hardly expect to attain them perfectly in this life it should be no small advantage but to know clearly and certainly that they are not to be enquired further after as when a man studies hard to learn a thing which he supposeth perhaps will be much for his profit yet I think it doth him no harm when an other man rightly informs him how to do as well without it CHAP. XVIII TO conclude therefore things standing thus as hath been said we are not to imagine that any thing we do for the dead doth profit them save that onely which we beg for them of Almighty God by the sacrifices which we make to him on their behalf Masse Almes and Prayer profitable for the dead accord to S. Austin that is to say by the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar by Almes or by our own prayers yea even these advantage not all for whom they are made but such onely Prayers and Masses for the dead profit onely such who died in Gods Grace whose former life hath deserved that such good offices should profit them after death But because we our selves discern not certainly among the dead who are such and who are not such it is thought more expedient to do these things in generall for all the faithfull departed A pious and prudent discourse to the intent that none be omitted to whom such favours may of right belong For it is much better if it so fall out that some thing superfluous be done in regard of those who receive neither good nor harm by them then that any thing necessary should be wanting to those who have need Howbeit every man performeth these things with more diligence and devotion for his particular friends then otherwise as expecting the same measure of Charity afterwards from his own But as to this matter of Funerall and all that solemnity which we use about interring the body whatsoever is spent or done that way it is no succour or salvation to the soul but an office of pure humanity agreeable unto and issuing from that affection whereby all men naturally love their own flesh The final resolution of the question that it is good carefully to bury the dead and also to bury them in places consecrate to Martyrs and when their reliques are the reason of it yea and think it reasonable that in some cases a man should have care of his neighbours body as well as of his own and in this case especially when the spirit is gone to whom it did belong when time was to uphold and govern it And truely if they who believe not the resurrection of the flesh do yet perform such things to their dead how much more ought we to do so who believe not onely that the dead body shall rise again and live for ever but that the performance of such good offices towards them is it self in some sort a testimony of that Faith But that we bury them at the Memories of the Martyrs as I have said before in this respect onely it seems to me to advantage the dead namely that thereby the affection of his friends praying for him and commending him to the Patronage of these martyrs may be increased Thus have you my answer framed as well as I could unto such points as you thought expedient to enquire of me if it seems overlong I desire you would pardon me and impute it to the delight and affection I have to hold discourse with you As for the book it self I intreat your venerable Charity would let me know by your letters ere long what you think of it I believe it will be much more welcome for the bearer's sake viz. our Brother and fellow-Priest Candidianus whom for the report your letters gave of him I received with all affection and dismissed again as much against my will For verily he much comforted us with his presence in Christs Charity and to speak but the truth I complied with your desires much upon his instance For indeed your letters found me so distracted with other cares that you may attribute not a little to his daily solliciting and minding me thereof if you receive any competent answer to your question Deo Gratias
had not the prophane licentiousnesse of hereticall curiositie by inventing I know not what new opinion spotted and discredited all his former labours whereby his doctrine was accounted not so much an edification as an ecclesiasticall tentation CHAP. VII HEre some man perhaps requireth to know what heresies these men above named taught that is Nestorius Appollinaris Photinus This pertaineth not to the matter whereof we now intreat for it is not our purpose to dispute against each mans particuler error but only by a few examples plainly and clearly to prove that to be most true which Moyses saith that if at any time any ecclesiasticall doctour yea and a Prophet for interpreting the misteries of the prophetical visions goeth about to bring in any new opinion into the Church that the providence of God doth permit it for our proofe and triall But because it will be profitable I will by a little digression briefely set down what the forenamed hereticks Photinus Apollinaris and Nestorius taught This then is the heresie of Photinus he affirmeth that God is as the Jewes beleeve singular and solitary denying the fulnesse of the Trinitie not beleving that there is any person of the word of God or of the holy ghost he affirmeth also that Christ was only man who had his begining of the virgin MARY teaching verie earnestly that we ought to worship only the person of God the father and to honour Christ only for man This then was Photinus opinion now Apollinaris vaunteth much as though he beleved the unitie of Trinitie with full sound faith but yet blasphemeth he manifestly against our Lords incarnation For he saith that our Saviour either had not mans soul at all or at least such a one as was neither indued with mind or reason furthermore he affirmeth that Christs body was not taken of the flesh of the holy virgin MARY but descended from heaven into the wombe of the Virgin holding yet doubtfully inconstantly some time that it was coeternall to the word of God some time that it was made of the divinitie of the word for he would not admit two maner of substances in Christ the one divine the other humane the one of his Father the other of his Mother but did think that the verie nature of the word was divided into two parts as though the one remained in God and the other was turned into flesh that wheras the truth saith that Christ is one consisting of two substances he contrary to the truth affirmeth of the one divinitie of Christ to be two substances and these be the assertions of Apollinaris But Nestorius sicke of a contrarie disease whilest he faineth a distinction of two substances in Christ suddenly bringeth in two persons and with monstrous wickednes will needs have two sonnes of God two Christs one that was God and another that was man one begotten of the Father another begotten of his Mother And therefore he saieth that the holy Virgin MARY is not to be called the mother of God but the mother of Christ because that Christ which was borne of her was not God but man And if any man think that in his books he saith there was one Christ and that he preached one person of Christ I must needs confesse that he lacketh not ground to say so for that he did either of craftie pollicie the rather to deceave that by some good things he might the more easely perswade that which is evill as the Apostle saith By the good thing he hath wrought me death R. 7. Wherfore either craftely as I said in certaine places of his writings he vaunteth to beleeve one person in Christ or else surely he did hold that after our Ladies deliverie two persons became in such sort one Christ that yet in the time of our Ladies conception or deliverie and for some time after there were two Christs and that Christ was born first like unto another man and only was man and not yet joyned in unitie with the person of God the word and that afterward the person of the word descended down assuming and joyning him self to that man in unitie of person and although he now remaine in glorie assumpted for some time yet there seemeth to have been no difference betwixt him and other men Thus then Nestorius Apollinaris Phatinus like mad doggs barked against the Catholick Church Photinus not confessing the Trinity Apollinaris maintaining the nature of the Word convertible and not confessing two substances in Christ denying also either the whol soul of Christ or at least that it was indued with mind and reason beleeving for his pleasure what he liked of the second person in Trinitie Nestorius by defending either alwayes or for some time two Christs But the Catholick Church beleeving aright both of God and of our Saviour neither blasphemeth against the misterie of the Trinitie nor against the incarnation of Christ for it worshipeth one Divinitie in Trinitie reverenceth the equalitie of the Trinitie in one and the same majestie confessing one Christ not two and the self same both God and man beleeving in him one person yet acknowledging two substances but yet beleeving one person two substances because the word of God is not mutable that it can be turned into flesh one person least professing two sonnes it may seeme to worship a quaternitie and not to adore the Trinitie CHAP. VIII BUt it is worth the labour to declare this matter more plainly more substantially more distinctly In God is one substance and three persons in Christ be two substances but one person In the Trinitie there is another and another but not another and another thing In our Saviour is not another and another but another another thing How is there in the Trinitie another and another but not another and another thing Marry because there is another person of the father another of the sonne and another of the holy ghost But yet not another another nature but one the self same How is there in our Saviour another and another thing not another and another because there is another substance of the divinitie and another substance of the humanitie but yet the deitie and the humanitie is not another and another but one and the selfe same Christ one and the same sonne of God and one and the selfe same person of the selfe same Christ and sonne of God As in a man the body is one thing and the soule is another thing but yet the body and the soule are but one and the selfe same man In Peter Paul the soule is one thing the body is another thing and yet the body and the soule are not two Peters nor the soule is not one Paul and the body another Paul but one and the selfe same Peter one and the selfe same Paul subsisting of a double divers nature of the body and the soule So therefore in one and the selfe same Christ there are two substances but one a divine
good conjectures he find that he may have obtained the Grace of God Now the best of that sort especially for beginners seem to be these viz. if he find in himself a great and earnest dislike of his sins past and of himself for them a serious intention never to return to them again a firm purpose to live hereafter according to the law of God and the duties of that state wherein he is a delight and taking pleasure in divine matters and in doing of good works a contempt of the world and of all worldly things lastly a longing desire of the life to come with a wearinesse of this present He that by such signs as these shall perceive that by Gods grace he is become a Christian must also know that in the way of God not to go forward is to go backward and that he onely goeth forward who findeth himself to grow daily stronger and more fervent in the grace of God and in all virtue Now this is chiefly procured by continuall Prayers as we have said elsewhere which no man can make rightly but he that studyeth Simplicity that is to say Sincerity or purity of heart integrity of conversation together with neglect or renouncing of whatsoever is superfluous He therefore that desires to live Christianly according to the duty of that State wherein he intendeth to fix and settle himself must be carefull as we say to live Simply that is Innocently Purely and undissemblingly and in a word answerably in all things to what his profession requireth so as he may be alwayes as much as possible intent upon Divine and Good Things I mean upon the Service of God by Prayer Meditation and other Duties of Religion or upon the Service of his Neighbour by works of mercy spirituall corporall at home and abroad But because it is difficult yea almost impossible to give instructions here proper for all persons by reason of the different estates and conditions of men I shall advise every one who hath desire to live indeed this life of a Christian to addresse himself to some good Ghostly-Father who by his learning and experience may be able to direct him and according to his counsell to govern himself in his spirituall affairs But let him take heed that he fall not into the hands of those luke-warm and indifferent Confessours who have indeed some form or shew of piety but renounce the power thereof It may be thought perhaps very hard to escape such persons who have outwardly pretenses of sanctity and God onely is the discerner of hearts Nay whereas it is said by their fruits ye shall know them though they bee indeed but a kind of hypocrites and dissemblers yet have they some apparence of good works How then shall we know them I say still it shall not be difficult to know them for any man that desires to walk uprightly seeing it is written Light is sprung up even in darknesse to the upright in heart And in another place Your anointing shall teach you all things And even in naturall things we see those which have different forms can never absolutely agree especially if those forms be contrary now the form that is to say the spirit and disposition of a true Christian and of a formalist are as contrary as can be the one that is to say the true Christian looking onely at the service of God the other ever to his own interest therefore 't is impossible they should resemble in all things and consequently impossible that the true Christian who is himself zealous for God and of a right intention should not discern him who is but luke-warm and an hypocrite especially after some conversation and that the Anointing of the Holy Ghost as was said Illuminates him As soon therefore as it appears that the Father whom he hath chosen is one of those who are not as they should be let him fly from him as he would fly from a Serpent for as Solomon saith He that walketh with the wise shall be wise but the friend of fools shall become like unto them But having found a good man indeed let him open the very secrets of his heart to him let him often and plainly confesse his sinnes and according to his advise let him frequent the holy Communion for as we have shewen elsewhere amongst all the Ceremonies of Religion the Sacraments of Pennance of the Eucharist are most efficacious both to cause to augment and to preserve Grace And therefore 't is the duty of every good Christian to keep himself diligently in estate to frequent those Sacraments with devotion After that a man is thus become a Christian and labours to live Christianly the Third precept I am to give him is This That he consider well that by many Tribulations we must enter into the king dome of God For we say in Christian Religion that to live well we must do good and suffer evill and so persevere unto death He therefore that desires to live like a Christian must prepare and fit himself for tribulation according to that of the wise man My sonne when thou comest to serve God saith he stand in fear and prepare thine heart for Temptation because adversity foreseen doth lesse trouble us And that he may more easily endure that which comes let him often remember the labours and passions of our Blessed Saviour and of his Saints as well of the New as the Old Testament let him read frequently the histories and lives of the Saints because as the Apostle saith Whatsoever things are written for our learning they are written that we by Patience and Consolation of the Scriptures might have Hope let him often yea continually if it were possible haue before his eyes the shortnesse of this life and the eternity of that which is to come that is to say the eternity of our glory or pains For seeing nothing can hinder but that this short life of ours must quickly passe away that at the end of this we must of necessity arrive at the other which never shall have end whosoever shall seriously and duely think of this will surely lesse regard the troubles of the world nay he will think himself happy if by them he can escape those eternall pains of hell and gain heaven though at last He must also remember that God Almighty hath prepared most excellent rewards for all those who for his Sake suffer temptations and persecutions here as it is written Eye hath not seen nor the ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man what things God hath prepared for them that love him He that thinks of this will not certainly much shrink at any temporary tribulations but rather be ready to cry out confessing with the Apostle that the passions of this present life are not equall to the Glory which is to come which shall be revealed in us by the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be ascribed
reason to believe and embrace unheard of millions of fables and tales CHAP. VII That we ought not to judge rashly of the holy Scriptures and how and with what care and diligence the true Religion is to be sought for BUt now if I can I will accomplish that which I have begun and I will treat with thee after such a sort that in the mean time I will not expound the Catholick Faith but I will shew unto them that have a care of their souls some hope of divine fruit and of finding out the Truth to the end they may search out the great mysteries and secrets of Faith He that seeks after the true Religion doth without doubt either believe already that the Soul is immortall unto whom that Religion may be commodious and profitable or he desires to find her to be so in the same Religion and therefore all Religion is for the souls sake for the nature of the body howsoever it doth put him to no care and solicitude especially after death whose soul hath taken a course by which it may become blessed Wherefore true Religion if there be any was either onely one chiefly instituted for the souls sake and this soul erres and is foolish as we see untill she gets and possesses wisdome and that perhaps is the true Religion if I seek out and enquire the cause of her erring I find it to be a thing which is extremely hidden and obscure But do I send thee to fables or do I enforce thee to believe any thing rashly I say our soul being entangled and drowned in errour and folly seeks after the way of venty and truth if there be any such to be found if thou findest not thy self thus inclined and disposed pardon me and make me I pray thee partaker of thy wisdome but if thou doest let us I beseech thee both together seek out the truth Imagine with thy self that no not ce had as yet been given unto us nor no insinuation made unto us of any Religion what soever Behold we undertake a new work and a new businesse Professours of Religion are I believe to be sought for if there be no such thing Suppose then that we have found men of divers opinions and in that diversity seeking to draw every one unto them but that in the mean time some amongst these do surpasse the rest in renown of fame and in the possession of almost all people Whether they embrace the truth or no it is a great question but are they not first to be examined and tried that so long as we erre for as men we are subject to errour we may seem to erre with mankind it self but thou wilt say Truth is to be found but amongst a few certain men if thou knowest amongst whom it is why then thou knowest already what it is Did not I say a little before that we would seek after the truth as though we were yet ignorant thereof but if by the force of truth thou doest conjecture that there be but few that embrace it and yet thou knowest not who they be what if those few do lead and rule the multitude by their authority and can dive into the secrets and mysteries of faith and can make them in a manner plain and manifest do we not see how few attain to the height of eloquence and yet the schools of Rhetoricians do make a great noise throughout the whole world with companies of young men Do all those that desire to become good oratours being terrified with the multitude of unskilfull men think that they ought to addict themselves rather to the studie of the orations of Coccilius and Erucius then to those of Tullius Cicero all men affect the things that are strengthened and confirmed by the authority of their ancestours The simple sort of people endeavours to learn those things which a few learned men have delivered unto them to be learned but very few there be that attain unto great eloquence fewer there be that practise it but fewest of all that grow eminent and are famous What if true Religion be some such thing what if a multitude of ignorant people frequents the Churches it is no proof nor argument that therefore none are made perfect by those mysteries and yet if so few should studie eloquence as there are few that become eloquent our parents would never think it fit to have us recommended unto such masters When as therefore the multitude which abounds with a number of unskilfull people invites us to these studies and makes us earnestly to affect that which few do obtain why will we not admit that we have the like cause in Religion the which peradventure we contemne and despise to the great perill and hazard of our souls for if the most true and most sincere worship of God though it be but amongst a few yet it is amongst those with whom the multitude though wholly addicted to their appetites and desires and farre from the purity of knowledge and understanding doth consent and agree which without all doubt may come to passe I ask what answer are we able to give if any one should reprove our rashnes folly for that having a great care to find out the true Religion we do not diligently search it out amongst the masters and teachers thereof if I should say the multitude hath discouraged me Why then hath it not disheartened men from the study of the liberall sciences which hardly yields any profit to this present life why not from seeking after money and getting wealth why not from obtaining dignities and honours moreover why not from recovering and preserving health finally why not from the desire of a blessed an happy life in all which affairs though many men be imployed yet few there be that are eminent and excell You will say that the books of the Old Testament seemed to contain absurd things Who are they that affirm it namely enemies for what cause or reason they did it is not now the question but yet they were enemies you will say when you read them you understood so much by your own reading Is it so indeed if thou hadst no skill in Poetrie at all thou durst not take in hand Terentianus Maurus without a master Asper Cornutus Donatus and a multitude of other Authours are thought requisite for the understanding of any Poet whose verses deserve no greater esteem then the approbation and applause of a stage and thou without a guide doest undertake to reade those books and without a master darest passe thy judgement upon them which howsoever they be are notwithstanding by the confession of almost all mankind published to be holy and replenished with divine matters nor if thou findest some things therein which seem unto thee absurd dost thou rather accuse the dulnesse of thy wit and thy mind corrupted with the infection of this world as the minds of all fools are then those books which peradventure by such kind of men cannot
care their Exequies solemnly celebrated and the places of their buriall with much diligence provided yea themselves in their life time Gen. 23.47.49.50 would frequently give command concerning the burying and removing of their bodies after their death as there was cause Tob. 2.12 And Tobias is commended by no lesse Testimony then of an Angel to have merited with God for that he was diligent to bury the dead Yea our Lord himself although he were to rise again within three dayes after his Passion yet coÌ„mended the care the good woman had of his buriall and commanded that the good work she had done in providing such precious ointments to imbalm his body should be preached to her praise all the world over there is honourable mention made in the Gospel of those who took down the body of our Lord from the Crosse and gave it Buriall All which Authorities yet are not to teach us that there is any sense in dead bodies but onely seeing that such offices of piety are pleasing to God they signifie unto us that even the dead bodies do pertain unto the divine Providence and this the rather to confirm our Faith in the Resurrection And hence also we may learn not unprofitably how great reward there may be for such Alms as we give unto living people when even that which is bestowed upon the dead and livelesse members is not lost with God There are indeed some other particulars which the Holy Patriarchs who speak them would have to be understood concerning the buriall and translating of their bodies after death as spoken by a propheticall spirit but this is no place to treat of them seeing that which we have deliver'd already may suffice For if those things which are necessary to the sustenance of the living and cannot be wanted but with great difficulty as victualls apparell c. yet do never when they are wanted violate or overthrow the virtue of patience in good people nor extirpate piety quite out of the mind but rather exercise and revive it much lesse doubtless can those things which are usually expended in Funeralls Exequies upon deceased persons when they happen to be wanting make those persons miserable who are already setled and at rest in those secret Tabernacles of the just And therefore when it so fell out in the devastation of that great City and of the adjacent Towns that the bodies of good christians had not Buriall we may not presently charge either the living with any crime thereabout who could not help it nor yet the dead with any great misfortune who were as little sensible of it This is my opinion concerning the matter of Sepulture in generall which I have therefore translated into this book out of that other of the City of God in regard it was something more easie for me to repeat it in this then to deliver it in a new manner CHAP. IIII. NOw if this be so surely also the provision of place for the burial of bodies at the monuments of Saints must have something in it it must be at least an argument of some good humane affection toward our friends whose funeralls we celebrate and if it be some kind of Religion to bury them at all certainly to have care in what place we bury them cannot but be of like merit But yet when such comforts as these are procured by the living by which indeed their pious affection toward their deceased friend is sufficiently declared to survive yet I say I perceive not for my part any advantage coming thereby unto the dead unlesse it be in this onely respect namely that when men remember where the bodies of their deceased friends are placed they may in their prayers recommend them unto God more effectually by the intercession of those Saints unto whose patronage they may seem by the place of their Buriall Patronage of Saints profitable when desired to be received which yet also they might if they pleased very wel do supposing they were not interred in such places Neither are those more eminent Sepulchres of the dead called Memories or Monuments for any other reason then because they do as it were renew or preserve the remembrance of such persons as are by death withdrawn from the common conversation of men and so hinder that they perish not altogether as much in the minds of their friends as they seem lost to their eye For the very name of memory imports this clearly and a Monument is so called because it admonisheth or as it were prompteth the mind to something which is fit to be thought on For which reason also the same thing which we call a Memory or Monument the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in their language is as much as remembrance with us Whensoever therefore the mind of a man remembers where the body of some dear friend is buryed if the place which comes to mind be also venerable and renown'd for the name of some Martyr instantly without more adoe the good affection of him that remembers this Souls recommeÌ„ed unto the Mar. tyrs in his prayers recommendeth the soul it loved unto the same Martyr which affection yet when it is exhibited by faithfull and dear friends unto people departed they themselves before their departure merited that it should be availeable to them And therefore where necessity suffers not either that bodyes be buryed at all or not in such places as these Prayer for the souls departed yet prayer for the souls departed is never pretermitted which the Church of God as it were ingageth her self to performe at least under a generall Commemoration without particular mention of names in behalf of all those who are departed in the Christian Catholick Communion to the intent that by the care of one pious Common Mother unto all supply may bee made of such good offices wherein possibly our friends kindred Children or parents may be defective towards us So that indeed in case these supplications wee speak of which are usually done in right faith and piety for the dead should bee wanting or not made at all I for my part suppose it would not much profit a mans soul to have his body buryed in a holy place CHAP. V. VVHerefore to return to our purpose when as this faithfull Mother desired to have the body of her faithfull Child put in the Church of a Martyr this desire of hers was a kind of prayer for as much as shee beleeved his soul might receive help by the merits of the Martyr Souls receiving help by the merits of the Martyrs S. Aug. assures us that prayer for the dead is very profitable though he was not certain whither the buriall in any particular place be so available yet he much enclineâ—h to that also and proveth it very strongly And this was that which profited if any thing did profit at all So when the Mother afterwards remembers the same sepulchre
that beast his soul should also be plucked away at the same time to the torments of hell No we see the Lyon which killed him became instantly his Guardian and defended his body from the ravening of other beasts yea the very Asse on which he rode remained untouched seeming to assist as it were with an undaunted presence at the Funeralls of his Master which certainly was not without miracle and an evident sign that the man of God in that case was corrected onely unto a temporall death and not at all punished afterward not much unlike to that passage of the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.31 where having commemorated the infirmities yea deaths of many of the people for some particular offenses among them he concludes at last thus If we would judge our selves we should not be judged by our Lord but when we are judged we are chastized by our Lord lest we should be condemned with the world And truly he who had deceived this Prophet buryed him afterward in his own monument with sufficient honour yea and took order beside that himself might be afterwards buryed as near as might be unto his corps hoping as we may probably suppose that by this means his own bones might be spared when the time should come according to the prophesie of this very man of God that the good King Josias should cause the bones of many dead people to be dis-interred and those idolatrous altars which had been built unto strange Gods in and about Hierusalem to be defiled therewith For so indeed it came to passe The Monument wherein this Prophet was buryed who foretold those things three hundred years before and the Sepulchre of him who deceived him were spared And so we see out of that naturall affection by which every man loves his own flesh 4 Reg. 23.12 this Prophet was carefull to provide for the temporall security of his body even after death who yet by a lye so much as in him lay cared not to hazzard his soul for ever In this respect therefore that every one naturally loveth his own flesh it was some kind of punishment for the one to know that he should not come to be buried in the Sepulchre of his fathers and in the other if that had been all a providence not unworthy of commendation viz. to lay his bones in a Sepulchre which he was sure none would violate CHAP. VIII THe Martyrs indeed while they fought for the truth vanquished this affection and it was no marvell they should for they who could not be overcome with any torments they suffered alive it had been very strange should they have shrunk at any thing which was to follow after death whereof they should have no sense Doubtlesse God Almighty who suffered not the Lyon so much as to touch the Prophet after he was dead but as it were commanded him to gard that body which he had slain could as easily if he had so pleased have kept off those doggs from the bodies of his servants he could have terrified by a hundred wayes the cruell minds of those people that they should not have dared either to burn their bodies or to throw about their ashes But this was a tryall of those Saints not fit to be wanting to the rest of their sufferings that the fortitude of their Confession which was already well seen in not yielding to any tortures to save their life might yet be consummated as it were and perfected in this that for Christs sake they regarded as little the honour of Sepulture remaining through their Faith in the Resurrection as secure of their bodies as they were of their souls And for this reason also it was fit that such things should be permitted to be done that the Martyrs themselves by such glorious combats should become fervent witnesses of that Truth which from our Saviour they had learned namely That they which thus cruelly tyrannized over their bodies after death had no more to do seeing that whatsoever they should attempt upon the bodies once dead would be nothing nothing I say either in respect of the soul which onely hath sense and was already departed or in respect of God the Creatour whose providence is such as nothing can be lost which he hath made And yet notwithstanding while these Martyrs themselves with infinite courage suffered such things not caring for the love of Christ what became of their bodies dead or alive their fellow-brethren the rest of the Christians had great sorrow at the same time were much afflicted that by reason hereof and of the extream vigilance of their persecutours they could not perform the honours of their funeralls no not so much as to procure privately the least Relick of them Christians in old times used diligence to get any small relicks of Saints as the same history sheweth So as when no evil at all touched them who were killed either that their bodies were torn in pieces or their bones burnt or their ashes cast abroad yet in the living we see there was much sorrow and affliction because they were not able to do that for their friends which this naturall affection seemed to require that is there was in them a great deal of fense for that of which the dead had no sense and much compassion as I may so say where indeed was no Passion at all CHAP. IX According unto which kind of miserable compassion as it may be called we reade those men were highly commended by King David who had buried that is 2 Reg 2.5 shewed such pity unto the dry bones of Saul and Jonathan But can any pity be shewen to them who have no sense of misery Or shall we say that this agreeth with the opinion of Virgil that deceased people cannot passe that river of Hell cannot come at the Elysian fields nor be at rest till their bodies be buried God forbid that Christianity should admit such a Paradox If that were true millions of Martyrs were in a miserable case whose bodies were never buried yea and the Truth it self had much deceived them saying Fear not them who kill the body and afterward have no more to do if they could do them so great mischief yet after death as to hinder their passe unto their desired rest But seeing this is so undoubtedly false and that for certain the want of buryall hurteth faithfull souls no more then it doth advantage an infidell to be buried sumptuously what may the reason then be that the good and religious King David should so highly commend them who buried Saul and his son Certainly it was nothing but this viz. the good affection with which their hearts were touched who buried them and that it seemed to be affliction to them that such calamity should befall the bodies of others as out of that naturall love which all men bear to themselves they would never wish to their own and that they were content yea studious while they lived and knew what they did to
the living who is pleased to use both the good and bad yet both well according to the unsearchable depth of his Judgments whither mens minds be thereby instructed or deceived whither they be comforted or troubled according as every one is capable of punishment or favour from him whose Mercy and Judgement both his Church worthily celebrateth But let every man judge of this as he thinks best Certainly if the souls of the dead could be so present in the affaires of the living and converse with us as they seem to do sometimes in our sleep not to speak of others my own deare Mother would not forbear me one night who while she lived followed me both by Sea and Land to enjoy my company for God forbid that by being Blessed her self she should be now less tender-hearted towards me that she should not when any thing afflicts my heart comfort her son as she used to do whom when time was she loved with most singular affection and could never endure to see him grieved But surely that is most true which the Psalmist saith Psal 26.10 namely That my Father and Mother have forsaken me yet our Lord hath taken me up If then as the Scripture saith our Fathers have forsaken us how are they present with our affayres how know they our cares And if our Fathers themselves are not present do not know our affairs what are those other dead which should know them Isaias the Prophet saith Isa 63.16 Thou art our Father because Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel knows us not If such great Patriarch's were ignorant of what was done touching the people of their own posterity yea to whom for their faith in God that people and posterity were especially promised who can think that the dead generally do mixe themselves or meddle one way or other in the affaires of the living in what sense can we say it was happy for them who dyed before such or such evils happened if even after death they were to be sensible of the calamityes of the times or shall we peradventure say that the errour is on our part who will needs suppose them to be at rest whom yet the restless or calamitous lifes of others here do indeed continually disquiet But if so what then would be the meaning what speciall favour in that promise which God Almighty made unto the good King Josias namely that hee should dy before that he should not live to see the evills which were threatned unto that place and people The words of God are these Thus saith our Lord the God of Israel my words which thou hast heard and didst tremble before my face when thou heardest what I speak against this place and against the Inhabitants thereof that it should be forsaken and become a Curse and hast rent thy cloaths and wept before me I also have heard saith our Lord it shall not be Behold I will gather thee unto thy Fathers and thou shalt be placed in peace and thine eyes shall not see all the evils which I will bring upon this place and the Inhabitants thereof This good King was terrifyed with the threatnings of God Allmighty had wept and tore his garments and is therefore as to his own person secured against all those calamityes which were to come by the promise of a timely death before they came and that he should so rest in peace that none of all those evills should touch him Therefore certain it is that the Spirits of men departed are there where they neither know nor feel the accidents of this life How then do they visit their own sepulchres how can they know whither their bodyes be buryed or unburyed how can we make them partake of the miseryes of the living Seeing if they be bad they have enough to suffer of their own if otherwise they rest in peace as the good King Josias was to doe having no sense of evill at all either in the way of passion or compassion but as absolutely free and discharged of whatsoever concernes this world CHAP. XIV BUt perhaps some will say if the dead have no care for the living why did that rich Glutton in the Gospell Luc. 16. being himself in hell pray Father Abraham to send Lazarus unto his five Brethren yet living in the world and to deale with them so as they might not come to that place of torment But must we needs think that because Dives sayd thus that therefore he did know at that time what his Brethren did or how their state was no verily but we may think his care of the living though he knew not particularly what they did was such as our care for the dead is who know not certainly eyther what they do or where they are and yet we have some kinde of care of them for if we had not certainly we should never pray for them Neyther did Abraham send Lazarus unto them but replyed they have Moyses and the Prophets whom they ought to follow to the end they came not into those places of torment And if you object how could Abraham himself know that they had Moyses the Prophets if the dead know nothing of the affayres of the world after death for Moyses and the Prophets were all after Abraham how could he know that by observing the precepts of Moyses and the Prophets men might escape hell yea how could he know that this Dives had lived all his life long in ryot and pleasures and poore Lazarus in paynes for so he tells him plainly Son remember that thou didst receive good things in thy life and Lazarus likewise evill if I say you conclude that therefore Abraham though dead must needs know many things done among the living I shall answere he did certainly know them yet not then when they were a doing or perhaps but newly done in the world but afterwards as he might by sundry wayes and particularly the state of Dives and Lazarus he knew not when Dives and Lazarus lived in the world but afterwards when they were both dead hee might learn it of Lazarus least otherwise that which the Prophet saith might seem not to hold true viz. that Abraham knoweth us not CHAP. XV. THerefore indeed it must be confessed that the dead know not what is done here He declares how many wayes the dead may come to know what is done in this world what things they know but this to be understood only while it is as it were a doing here or but newly done for afterwards as I sayd they may understand it namely by those who dying depart from hence unto them but yet not all things whatsoever but those only which they are permitted to disclose yea which they are permitted to remember and may be necessary for others to know The dead also may understand some thing from those Angels whose office is to attend the affaires of this world according as he sees good and expedient for them to know to