inuincible Irenaeus vseth it against the haeresyes of his tyme as a demonstration of muche force What saith he before Valentinus there was none of that his faulse secte Li. 3. Ca. 4 and he came in with his seede after the first preaching of oure faithe a good while I can tell when he began howe he increased howe long he continued Both he and that other Cerdon entered first vnder the gouernement of Hyginius The trial of false preachers grewe vpwarde vnder Pius and continued tyll Anicetus tyme and so making the lyke accompte of other archeheretikes at lenght thus he concludeth all these rose vppe in theire apostacie longe after that the Church was ordered in faith and doctrine In this sense spake Irenaeus But the ruele is common and certaine as any can be in the worlde and I woulde stand vpon the grounde therof against all faulse doctrine in the worlde A general rule to knovve haeresi by and thus it is Any opinion that may be truely fathered vpon any priuate man that was longe after the trueth was first preached by the apostles if it be vpon a point of our faithe and contentiously mainteyned it is an haeresye And thus againe who so euer was withstand in his first arising and preaching by suche as were in the vnitye of the Churche he was a faulse teacher and his abettours be heretikes And the force of this conclusion is so greate that the heretikes theime selues if they can get any likly shew of raysing of any doctrine or practise of goddes Churche in these latter daies they thinke they haue a good argument against the Catholikes Therefore they would father transubstantiation vpō this Councel the adoratiō of the Sacrament vpon that Pope indulgencies vpon that bisshop c. For they be as saulcie with goddes Church Councells and chefe gouernors as we be with the Iacke strawes of Geneua And yet when they haue traueled to theire heartes ake they can find no one thing first inuented by any of theim whome they faulsely name to be the authors therof But well seeing it is so stronge an argument of haeresye to haue the ofspring of a later author with plane prouisò of goddes Churche for his markinge let vs adde so muche strēgthe to oure cause to haue the father of the cōtrary faulshodde knowen and noted of thantiquity by his name Cap. 75. Lib. 3. In Anacephal Epiphanius that notable man in his book that he wrote for the confutatiō of all the haeresies that were before his time and in other of his woorkes too nameth an obscure felowe one Aërius to be the first author of this haeresie that prayers and sacrifice profitethe not the departed in Christe But what maner a felowe he was and howe lickly to be the foūder of such a schoole thow shalte perceiue best by the writers wordes VVhen Aërius coulde not obteyne the bisshoprick of Eustathius deposed after that he was once perfectly well skilled in Arius doctrine he inuented newe sectes of his owne affirming that there shoulde be no offering for the departed and of him lo the scholares were called Aërians Lett not the simple whome I woulde helpe in this cause be deceiued by the lyknes of these two names Arius and Aërius Arius Aërius for this later was the author of their secte and was a folower of the first called Arius in his doctrine beside And of the same sect and sectmaster S. Augustine thus saithe folowinge Epiphanius The Aérians were so named by one Aérius In li. de haeres ad Quod vult who taking snoffe that he could not get a bisshoprike fell in to the haeresy of Arius first and then added therevnto other haeresies of his owne makinge saing that we should not offer sacrifice for the dead nor obserue the solempne apointed fastes of the Church but that euery mā should absteane when he liste And there bothe he and Epiphanius do recken moe of his holy opinions which I omitte For it is enoughe for oure purpose and to confownde all the haeretikes of oure dayes that this opinion was noted as it spronge vp in the primitiue Church for heresie One that hathe for saken the Churche is indifferent to vvhat haeresy yovv vvill and the authors not onely condemned as heretikes in that point but in many other thinges beside For I neuer readde of nor yet knew any heretike but if he once mistrusted the catholike Church the Deuil was hable to perswade withe him as well in a numbre of matters as in one And that is the cause that any man seduced And therfore they call theire doinges Proceding falleth from one faulshood to an other till he wholy be drowned in the waues of tēpesteous doctrine And when he commeth once at the bottom then God knoweth he settith light by the matter contemneth it and is often past recouery Prouer. 18. as it is sayde Peccator cum in profundum venerit contemnit Euen so did this Aërius first throughe ambitious pride faule to the Arians secte but bicause he counted it nothing glorious to be a scholare he would be a master and that of a misheuous matter and a matter repugnant to the sense of all Christes churche which before his preaching generally as after receiued and faithfully vsed prayers and oblation for the dead Of which consent of the vniuersall worlde and the heretikes folye in withstanding the same the sayde Epiphanius saith thus Vbi sup 13 I will report his wordes in latine bicause they sownde very well thoughe him selfe wrote not in that language Assumpsit ecclesia in toto mundo assensus est factus antequà m esset Aerius qui ab ipso appellantur Aeriani quis autem magis de his nouit hic neseductus homo qui etiam superest nunc an qui ante nos testes fuerunt cae Thus in English The Churche hath receiued this trueth through the wide worlde it was sattled in all mens mindes before Aërius was borne or any of his sect that be nowe called Aërians And who I pray yowe is most like to knowe the truethe of these thinges this faulse wretche yet liuing at this daye or elles the faithfull witnessies that were before oure time Behoulde here your woorshipfull master yowe may suerly take greate cause of conforte in his lyuely worde mary sir he might haue bene an Archebisshop in our daies for he loued nether fasting nor praying He was fayne to be an haeretike for anger bicause he coulde not be made a bisshoppe then who now if he were in this happy age when the light is more plentifully powred vpon the people mighte haue bene promoted at Caluins decease to the ouerlooking of Geneua But his opinion was so notorious fallse that it grewe to no greate heade at that time or elles it was not so much regarded bicause it was ioyned to that horrible faulshod of Arrius against the blessed Godhood of Christe Iesus oure sauioure Note vvel Euery
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
but yet for answhering in summe parte of goddes iustice and perfecte purging of the same sinfull lyefe past oute of all doubte sharply pounishable for these thinges I say and for the stirring vppe of the feare of God in my selfe VVhy this treatise vvas taken in hande the helpe of the simple the defense of the truethe and thabbatyng of this greate rage of sinne and haeresy I thought good to geue warninge moued theruÌ„to by my freÌ„d also to all suche as be not theyme selues hable to searche owte the trueth of these matters of that temporall or transitory poonishment whiche god of iustice hathe ordeyned in the other worlde for suche as woulde not iudge theime selues and praeuent his heuy hand whieles they here lyeued oure forefathers more then a thousand yere sence cauled it Purgatory The truethe and certeyne doctrine wherof I truste throughe goddes gooddnesse so clearely to proue The mattâ—â—â—he first booke that the aduersary be he neuer so greate wythe the deuil shall neuer be able to make any likly excuse of his infidelitye The argument oâ— the secoÌ„d booke And that so doone I shall bothe open and prooue the meanes whiche the Churche of God hathe euer proffitably vsed for the release of her children from the same punishment to be soueraing good and comfortable for the faithfull soules departed And here I heartely pray the gentle reader who so euer thou be that shall fynd iust occasion vndoubtedly to belieue this article of necessary doctryne euer constantly set forthe by the grauest authority that may be in earthe that as thowe faithfully belieues it so thowe perpetually in respecte of the day of that dreadfull visitation studye withe feare and tremblyng to woorke thy saluation Lett that be for euer the difference betwixte the vnfructefull faithe of an heretique and the proffitable belyefe of the true Catholike Christiane that this may woorke assured paenaunce to perpetuall saluation and his vayne praesumption to euerlasting damnation And thoughe the matter whiche I haue taken in hande be nothing fitte for the diet of suche delicate men as haue bene broght vppe vnder the pleasaunt preaching of oure dayes yet perchaunce chaunge of diett withe the sharpenesse of this eagre sawse were iff they coulde beare it muche more agreehable to theire weake stoomaches Truethe was euer bitter Cyp. epist. 3. li. 5. and faulshood flattering For th one by praesent payne procurethe perpetuall welthe thother throughe deceytefull swhetnes woorkethe euerlasting woe But as for these pleasure preachers theyme selues bicause I feare me they haue indented with deathe and shaked handes withe helle what so euer may be saide in this case they wil yet spourne withe the wordes of the wicked Isai 28. Flagellum inundans cum transierit non veniet super nos quia posuimus mendacium spem nostram mendacio protecti sumus Toushe the common scourge when it passethe ouer shall not tutche vs for we haue made lying oure suckoure and by lying are we guarded Yet when the light of the Apostolike traditioÌ„ shal dase theire eyes and the force of goddes truethe beare doune theire bouldnes theire oune blacke afflicted conscience by inwarde acknowledginge that truethe whiche they openly withstande shall so horribly torment theire mindes that denieng purgatory they shal thinke theym selues a lieue in hell But gentle readers pray for theyme with teares Prayer is thonely remedy ageinst vvil full blindnes that god of his mighty grace woulde stricke they re fleshe with his feare And if my poore payne withe the prayers of vs al coulde tourne any one of theime all from the way of wickednesse it woulde recompense doubtlesse summe of our sinnes and couer a nuÌ„bre of my misdeedes And euer whilest we leyue let vs praise God that in this tyme of temptation he hathe not suffered vs to faule as oure sinnes haue deserued in to the misery of these forsakers To whome if I speake sometymes in this treatise more sharplye then my costume or nature requirethe the zele of truethe and iust indignation towardes haeresie with the exaÌ„ple of oure forefathers must be my excuse and warraunt I will be as plaine for the vnlearneds sakes as I may and the matter suffer And therefore nowe at the first I will open the very grounde as neare as I can of so necessary an article that the ignoraÌ„ce of any one piece may not darken the whole cause Desiring the studious to reade the whole discourse bicause euery peculiare pointe so ioyntly dependethe of the residewe that the knouledge of one ordrely giueth light to al the other And so the whole together I trust shal reasonably satisfye his desire THAT OFTEN AFTER oure sinnes be forgiuen by the sacrament of poenaunce there remainethe summe due of temporall pounishement for the satisfying of goddes iustice and som recompense of the offensies past Cap. 1. AS it is most true and the very grounde of al Christian comforte Ephes 1. Haeb. 9. that Christes deathe hathe payed duely and sufficyently for the sinnes of all the worlde August Euch. cap. 65. by that abundant price of redemption paied vpon the Crosse So it is of lyke crediet to all faithful that no man was euer partaker of this singulare benefite but in the knotte and vnity off his body misticall whiche is the churche To the membres wherof the streames of his holy blodde and beames off his grace for the remission of sinne and sanctification be ordrely throughe the blessed Sacraments as condethes of goddes mercy conueyde All whiche Sacraments though they be instituted and vsed as meanes to deriue Christes benefites Marke the grounde of the cause and bestowe his grace of redemption vppon the worthy receiuers yett lyke effecte or force is not by the meaning of they re first author and institutour employed vppon all receiuers nor gieuen to all the Sacraments That may welâ— appeare iff we marke the exceding abundant mercy that is powred vppon all men at theire first incorporation and entraunce into the housholde of the faithfull by Baptisme In whiche sacrament the merites of oure masters deathe be so fully and largely caried downe for the remission of sinne that were the liefe before neuer so loden withe most horrible offensyes that in this misery man may commit yet the offender is not onely pardoned of the same but also perfectly acquieted for euer of all payne or pounishement other then the common miseries of mankind whiche his propper offenlyes before committed by any meanes might deserue And no lesse free nowe then the childe after baptisme which onely originall sinne brought thether So saithe S. Ambrose by these wordes Gratia Dei in Baptismate noÌ„ quaerit gemituÌ„ Super vndec cap. ad Rom. aut planctum aut opus aliquod nisi soluÌ„ ex corde professioneÌ„ The grace of God in Baptisme requirethe nether sorowe nor mourning â–ª nor any other woorke but onely an hearty profession of thy faith Whereby he meaneth that after oure sinnes
oute the whole worke oure matter Yf oure aduersaries would with desire to lerne as thei commonly do to reprehend reade but his discourse onely they might quickly see theire owne foly and amend theire misbeliefe They call him the last good pope as he was in dede a blessed man and by his authority the perfect conuersion of oure nation to Christes faithe was wrought I woulde his holy woorks deserued but as muche credet nowe with certaine forsakers as his legates then did wyth all the vnfaithfull people of our coontrye But to go forwarde in our matter we shall finde in S. Bernarde the same wordes of our sauiour alleaged for oure purpose thus Ser. 66. in canti Non credunt ignem Purgatorium restare post mortem sed statim animam solutam a corpore vel ad requiem transire vel ad damnationem quaerāt ergo ab eo qui dixit quoddam peccatum esse quod neque in hoc saeculo neque in futuro remittetur cur hoc dixerit si nulla manet in futuro remissio purgatioue peccati They beleue not saithe he by sum haeretiques of his owne time that there is any purgatory paines remaining after deathe but they suppose that the soule streght vpon departure hense goeth ether to rest or damnation let suche felowes aske therfore of him that saide a certain greuous crime coulde nether be forgeuen in this worlde nor in the worlde to coom why he so saide iff there wer no remission nor purgation of sinnes in the liefe following thus said Bernard opening his graue iudgement both vppon the text and our matter whose authority if any aesteme lesse bicause off his late writing let him know that the aduersaries haue none for theire side so auncient by CCC yeare except they name the heretike Aerius or suche like whose antiquity maketh not so muche for them as his auncient cōdemnation for haeresy in this pointe maketh ageinste theime But that in the mouth of two or thre witnesses all truethe may appeare and contrary faulshood vanishe away S. Augustine him selfe gathered by this place nowe alleaged euen then when he had no occasion geuen him by the wranglyng of any misbeleuer to wreast any scripture other wise thē the very wordes imported the trueth of remission of certaine faultes in the nexte lyfe in these wordes Ca. 24. li. 21. de ciuit Facta resurrectione mortuorum non deerunt quibus post paenas quas patiuntur spiritus mortuorum impertiatur misericordia vt in ignem non mittantur aeternum neque enim de quibusdam veraciter diceretur quod nō eis remittetur neque in hoc saeculo neque in futuro nisi essent quibus etsi non in isto tamen remittetur in futuro There shall be certaine at the time off resurrection allso who shall obteine mercy after they haue suffered suche paynes as deade mennes gostes doo abyde that they be not caste in to the euerlasting fyer for elles it coulde not in any true sense be spoken that certaine shoulde nether haue pardon in this worlde nor in the worlde to com except ther were summe that speeding not of pardon in this lyfe might yett haue remission in the next so saith he Being I warraunt yowe so sadde witted and so farre from phantasies that he woulde not grounde any assured doctrine vpon euery light occasion offered or motion made had not the very wordes and forme of phrase approued it and Goddes Churche liked it Hauing then these graue fathers with others Beda in 3. Cap. Marci for oure warraunt in the exposition of this place we doo take it for a sure grownde that the payine off purgatiō in the next worlde may be remitted that is to saie ether made lesse or elles wholy released before the due execution of Goddes sentence be extreamly doone Som tymes Goddes iustice is an svvered fully by the paine of the party For it is not ment that the freedom which man may haue after ful answer and payment of his sinnes in that place of poonishement temporal shoulde be properly termed a remission or pardon For that is aunswerable to Goddes iustice and althoughe there were no praiers or other waies of helpe yet the patient by toleration in time might vnder the protection off Christes merites make ful satisfaction and so be discharged who being a vessel of mercy can not be damned But when we say that sinnes may be forgeuen in the next world Goddes Church whiche is the moother of all beleuers teacheth vs that sum parte as well off the rigour end extremity of the paine as of the time and continuance therof thoughe God him selfe hath appointed that poonishment may yet be mercyfull released That the faithfull soules in Purgatory being novve past the state of deseruing and not in case to help theime selues may yet receiue benefite by the vvoorkes of the lyuing to vvhome they be perfectly knitte as felovve membres of one body Cap. 2. BVt nowe what meanes may be fownde to ease oure brethern departed of theire paine or what wayes can be acceptable in the sight of God to procure mercy and grace where the sufferers theyme selues being owt of the state of deseruing and place of welworkyng can not helpe theyme selues nor by any motion of mynde atteyne more mercy then they re liefe past did deserue Where shal we then finde ease for theyme suerly no where elles but in the vnity and knotte of that holy felowship in wich the benefite of the heade perteynethe to all the membres and euery good woorke of any one mēbre wonderfully redoundeth to all the rest This socyety is called in oure crede communio sanctorum the communion of Sanctes that is to say a blessed brotherhood vnder Christe the heade by loue and religion so wroght and wrapped to gether that what any one membre off this fast body hath the other lacketh it not what one wanteth the other suppliethe when one smartethe all feeleth in a maner the lyke sorowe 1. Cor. 12. when one ioyethe thother reioysethe wythall This happy socyety August ep 23. is not inpared by any distance of place by diuersity off goddes giftes by inequalyty off estates nor by chaunge of liefe so farre as the vnity of goddes spirit reacheth so farr this fellowship extendethe this city is as large as the benefite of Christes deathe takethe place Yea withein all the compasse of his kingdom this felloweship is fownde The soules and sanctes in heauen Idem tract 32. in Ioan. the faithful people in earth the chosen childrē that suffer chastisement in Purgatorye are by the perfect bond of this vnity as one abundeth redy to serue the other as one lacketh to craue of the other The christian communion and felouship is expressed The soules happely promoted to the ioye of Christes blessed kyngdom in this vnitye and knotte of loue perpetually praye for the doubtfull state of they re owne fellowes benethe the carefull condition of the membres belowe
people that there were slaine Now what other thing did Dauid here and his people but that whiche Iudas Machabeus did afterwarde for the lyke deathe of his souldiars I trowe there was no fasting to be found ouer any maner a person lieue or dead for thy selue or other in the whole course of scripture but it was to obteine mercy at Goddes hande towardes the partie for whom thowe didest it 2. Reg. 12. So did this same holy prophet weepe fast lye on the grounde and change apparel for his childe which he begat of vrias wife wheÌ„ he lay at the point of deathe stricken by Goddes hand for the poonishemeÌ„t of his fathers faulte The which he did as he protesteth him selfe to turne the angry senteÌ„ce of god if it might be and recouer the childe againe But as soone as the childe was gone he brake of his longe faste geuing his frendes to weete that he tormented not him selfe so of only naturall compassion towardes the childe or inordinate loue as they thought but to obteine his purpose by suche bitter teares and fastinge at Goddes handes for the childes recouery Fasting then ouer any man and such solemne mourning is nothing elles but an effectual asking of mercy for whome so euer it be doone As more playnely it is yet declared in the buriall off Saul and Ionathas before saide celebrated by the Galadites and Saules souldiars Where as the scripture saithe Primâ— Reg. 31. after they had buried theire bodyes and bones they fasted vij daies Et ieiunauerunt septem diebus For no other cause but thereby effectually to aske pardon of their offensies There can I am sure be no reasonable occasion of theire fasting alleaged of no man but that Whiche the honorable Bede testifieth for vs in these wordes Recte et ad literam pro mortuis vt ad requiem peruenire valeant septem diebus ieiunatur quia post sex huius mundi aetates in quibus in carne laboramus septima est in illo saeculo aetas requietionis animarum carne exutarum in qua beatae tempus illud glorificum quando resurgere mereantur expectant Duely and according to the letter they fasted saithe he for the departed seuen daies together to obteinne rest for theim bicause after the sixe agies of the worlde in whiche we trauell in fleshe the seuenth age is looked for in that worlde when the soules be loosed from theire bodies when the blessed and happy sort shall continually be in expectation of the gloriouse time by receiuing theire bodies in the resurrection againe And that charitable relife of the poor by opeÌ„ almose and doles was also practised for the welthe of the departed in the obittes of oulde tyme the scripture it sellfe in the .iiij. chapter of Tobie Tobiae 4. maketh mention by report of that godly commandement that the good ould father gaue is sonne herin Panem tuum cum esurientibus comede de vestimentis tuis nudos tege Panem tuum vinum tuuÌ„ super sepulturam iusti constitue noli ex eo manducare bibere cum peccatoribus Eate thy breade with the hongry and needy and couer withe thy clothes the naked Sett thy breade and wine vpon the sepulture of the vertuous and make not the sinfull partaker thereof which wordes off exhortation can haue no other sense but that as before in the same place he gaue his son in charge to bestow vpon al meÌ„ according to his hability for that ther was hope to all charitable almose gyuers of goddes mercy so now he warneth him to feede the poore and breake his breade to suche especially as shuld coom to the iustes and funeralls of the departed He woulde neuer haue put him in mind to haue releaued the poore at burialles but for som commodity that might arise to the party deceased for otherwise his charity might haue proffeted the needy at other times as wel as vpon mennes departure Som tooke foolishe occasion by this place so sett store of meate vpon the graue it selfe where theire father or frend was buried Ser de cath sancti Pet. Lir. super hunc locum as thoughe the deade had bene desirous of corporall foode The which superstitious error S. Augustine ernestly improueth Other som made great feastes at the day of theire frendes deathe But the texte is playne it was the needy and good people that were at those soleÌ„ne exequies or other wise by theire praiers might be profitably present in the daies of memories houldeÌ„ for theime â–ª which practise was not prescribed as a newe thing to the yong Tobie but it was moued and praised vnto him Tob. 12. as a holy vsage of other burialles in those daies and alwaies before Bona est oratio cuÌ„ ieiunio eleemosina Prayer is profytable saithe the holy Raphel when it is ioyned with fastinge and almose and therfore as the fathers in theire prayers for the deade fasted as we haue proued so nowe I doubt not but almose shal crie for mercy at goddes hand for the soule departed vpoÌ„ whose sepulture these thinges be charitably wroght We haue a notable example in the actes of the apostles of the force of almose with praiers which wroght lyfe and procured mercye euen in the next world For the benefit of faithfull workes and holy praiers wil not be limited by the termes of this worlde it wil haue course doune so farre as the felowship of this Christen societie reacheth the deuell and all his abettours can not stoppe the rase thereof The onely shewe off certeine cotes with the requeste of the poore wydowes that wore theime made to Peter thapostle Acto 9. turned Tabitha to life agayne after her departure those garments geuen by her when she was a lieâ—e by the carefull trauell of her allmose folkes procured reliefe in the worlde to coom They warmed the backes of wydowes in earthe saithe Emissenus and the geuer hadd comforthe of theyme being gone from the earthe Sermon de initio quadrage It is good we shulde all learne here that haue receiued benefite of any man in this liefe withe loue and carefullnes not onely in this present worlde but most of all when our frend is departed to represent vnto god before his altare and holy ministers with sorowful weeping and hearty prayer the memory of such thinges as we haue receiued by waye of allmose or loue at his hande It shall be a soueraigne remedy for his infirmities and thapprouedest way to procure goddes mercy that can be Thelders of the Iewes making ernest supplication to oure sauioure for the Centurions seruaunt lying in extremitie vsed the memory of that gentilmans charitable actes in theire churche as the rediest waie to obteine grace and fauoure at his handes They cried owte together Lucae 7. dignus est vt hoc illi praestes diligit enim gentem nostram synagogam ipse aedificauit nobis Lorde be gratious vnto him he is worthy that
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
sorow of cōpassion towards her forsakers she hath bidden greater stormes thē this first by tyrauntes then by haeretikes last and most by the euill liefe of her own Bishoppes In al which she yet standethe and euer riseth to honour as she is most impugned Their own preaching hath singularely opened the might of god in the defense of that seate of vnity When they first began to touche and taunte the Pope in euery sermon in euery playe in booke and balate men that before liuing in faithefull simplicitie much medled not withe his matters nor often hearde of his name began streghte vppon they re busy ralinge to conceiue by reasonable discretion that there lay sum greate grownde of matter and weght of trueth vpon that point which they cowld not digest in so many yeres bawling and barking at his name thei saw the Pope euer in their way neuer owt of their mouth and they doubted not but that singular hatred grew vpō sum greate importāce and so admoneshed luckely by the aduersaries they sought the bottō of that perfecte and deepe hatered and fownde that it was the owld sore of the Arians and disease of the Donatistes and common to all haeretikes they perceiued by S. Cyprian that the first attempte of suche men De simplicit praelatorum was to driue away the pastore that they might with owte resistance deuoure and destroie the flock And which was the pricke of all theire endeuoures to take frō vs the acknowleging of the greate and singulare benefite of oure conuersion to the faithe that in stopping the heade of that condethe and plentifull well of our faithe they might in heate of contention and haeresi By haeretikes preaching many are become catholikes easely drie vpp the whole isshue therof And this earnest cōsideratiō causeth many at this daie to forsake theire haeresies and to be agreate deale moe at this time which know the trueth of this matter then when they began first to preache therof But I wil not presse thē ouer sore suppose I graunte theim that which they woulde so gladly winne that we hadde not oure faithe first frō Rome thoughe it be as false as God is true But suppose it were not so and I geue yowe leaue to father your faithe where yow will Yf it be not vpon Latimer whome a foulishe felowe in the booke of conference betwixte Latymer and Ridley termeth thenglishe Apostle as one more worthye of that name as he saith then Augustine but elles where yowe wil and when yowe haue doone proue me that your moother Churche prayeth not for the departed in her masse and solempne seruice and yowe shall be exalted vpp foreuer And at your next chaunge frame your newe communion after that ould vsage on goddes blessinge If yow can find any forme of celebration farre enoughe from oures followe it and spare not But I am sure yowe shall neuer be hable to fynde any oulde seruice in the worlde fit for your newe diet They be all to muche lyke oure Masse for your purpose Oure Masse is al one vvith the Masses of all other coontries and times as in deede alone in euery pointe of importaunce with oures As the Churchies to whome they belonged perfectly before theire decay in faithe and vnity agreed with oures I am sure whē yow can not like your own communion ye would not be pleaced with one of an others making But another yowe muste needes haue and further yowe must go from vs walke forward yow will to the extreme ende off haeresie and vtter denyinge of Christianitye All the worlde can not stoppe yowe faulling from the hill of Goddes Churche tyll yowe coome in the bottomlesse pit of hell I would be lothe to sclaunder theime withe the brute of the worlde whiche thoughe it be in euery mās mouth that they like not this communion yet vpon that rumour I would not haue sayd so farre but that they haue vttered their owne meaning in a treatise of theire owne making in these wordes Ageynste the Chester man In mariage as in all oher thinges beside we are but to muche like vnto theim that is our fault generally that we differ not more from theime in all oure ministerie These wordes vtter they re greefe that they can got no forther from vs in they re seruice and that yowe be not deceiued the author of this booke where this complainte is made knowethe well the meaning of his felowes herin and howe gladde they woulde be shiftinge forwarde They sit on thornes til they be dooing wythe a newe gise It is no worse man then the B. of Duresme that taketh coulde in so longe a stand of theire communion My simple head could not deuise how they might possibly go forward and kepe theime with in any bond of Cbristianity What they caste in theire braine for theire forther proceding I can not tell the serpent is suttel and oure sinnes be greate I muche maruaill not nowe to see the temporall Magistrates of their wisedoms to hedge these mens wantonnesse in all theire ordre of lyfe for they are so dronken and drowned in haeresie that they haue no sense of common reason What a doo had the magistrates to make these wylde men go in priestelyke apparell to kepe theire Rotchettes to obserue sum steppe of antiquitye in theire maners Howe they were driuen to tempre theire lustes in prouision for sum ordrely choise of theire wyeues that seeing theyme haue no respecte on what woomen they light Looke the Iniunctiō for the mariage of priestes and other thinges that by Iusticies of peace yet they might be bestowed iff not well yet with theire lesse dishonestie vpon persons not openly infamous Suche felowes are more fit to be gouerned then to beare rule ouer other in whome withe owte constraint youe shall nether finde coomlynesse in maners ordre in liefe nor cōstancy in religion God of his mercye geue theime sum light to see their own misery and the spirite of humilitie to subiect theime selues in time to goddes Church that is so careful ouer theym thoughe to theire owne great harme they so deadly hate her They cā showe no cause in the worlde why they nede in any one pointe of al those whiche at this day be in cōtrouersie betwixt theyme and theire owne moother rather to credet theire owne phantasies then her graue authoritye which onely with out farther quaestioning with obediēt children makethe more then all argument or eloquence of man in the earthe And for suche as may for theire simplicite be sone deceiued by folowinge other mens errours The yongers ▪ must thus pose theire maisters with whom the names of doctors or the onely bare bragge of scrptures are as good as the allegation of placies Let theim aske of theire teachers howe they can shifte theime selfe when they see the practise of goddes churche generally so plaine for all Catholike assertions as for the article of praying for the dead emongst many other
qualities in theire daies yet truethe folowing tyme theire fame raised vpon so light causies easely decayd and the grownde of perpetuall infamie sattled in wise mens heartes by the wickednesse of theire attemptes remained for a testimony to all posteritye of theire shame and ignominye And this I speake not onely of the authors of oure common sectes for they neuer atteined to any shade of famous report in theire daies bicause they coulde deceiue none but simple weemen but I meane by Arius him selfe and Pelagius with the lyke who in theire owne time being of greate aesteme emōgest many whom they deceiued yet after their death more and more they grew to shame and infamie so farre that who so euer were of theire opiniōs afterward durste not yet for shame vse their name or authority for proufe of their own doctrine See yow not in our daies how freshe the name of Luther Caluin Buser with that rable was emongest the rude people whome they had woonne ether with speache or pleasure of licentious doctrine and lo nowe it decayeth in a maner or their bones be coulde The peoples sensies raueshed with the praesent pleasure of suche as they heard last lyke theyme so longe as they heare theime afterwarde theire memory remaineth onely to malediction Vidi im pium superexaltatum eleuatum sicut Cedros Libani Psal 36. transiui ecce non est quaesiui non est inuentus locus eius I haue seene the wicked exalted and set vppe as the cedre treese of libanus I passed by and loe owt of hand he is no body I sought him and his abyding can not be fownde Who so euer shall seeke for our glorious preachers with in this C. yeare he shall find theime in suche estimation then as theire forefathers be nowe that is to say to be vnworthy the naming of theire owne adherents if any of that secte liue and last so longe For let theime neuer look to com to the infamous fame of Arrius the best of all these secte maisters not worthy to be scholare to a hundreth of his folowers Thus loe is the case of haeretikes liked of fooles when they be alieue contemned of all men whē they are deade Now in the doctors of Goddes Churche it is cleane contrarie and no lesse worthy to be noted for oure purpose for theire honoure and estimation rising vpon the sure vnfallible grownde of Goddes truethe by yeares and time gathereth suche force that not onely theire memorie is in perpetuall benediction before God but theire woorkes folowe theyme in the mindes of theire posterity to theire owne aeternall praise and benefite of all theire folowers And which is muche more to be wondered at they haue so passed enuy and malice of man that euen those whiche deadly hate theyme dare not but praise theyme And suche as mislike theire doctrine and knowe of theire owne conscience that they be directly ageinste theim yet dare not openly charge theime withe faulshoode as they doo vs theire scholars but rather as I sayde seeke sum sentence owte of theime to helpe theire owne cause then with theire plaine condemnation of faulshode to refuse their authoritie S. Augustine busyed much with the Pelagians and charged by theime in disputation that he defended the Manicheis doctrine concerning originall sin for his defense and warraunt proueth vnto theime that Sancte Ambrose taught the same doctrine that he did and yet they durste not be so bowlde to call him a Manichie Dic huic Ambrosio si audes quae mihi tam petulanter obiectas Thow haeretike saith he say the same by S. Ambrose if thow dare for shame whiche thowe so saulsely and wantonly obiectes to me Lib. 2. cōtra Iulian. Looke I pray yowe Ambrose was but newe deade when his onely name did feare the heretike when other alyue of as good lerning was contemned of him and by wordes of reproche charged with the Manichaeis sect who was a wyked man of horrible sectes not long before those dayes Pelagius owte of doubt thought no better of Ambrose and Cyprian deade thē he did of Augustine and Innocentius a liue bicause they re doctrine was all one but yet the men departed wer of more authority in goddes churche then the liuing of whose continuance to the ende men were vncertayne before the proufe thereof and they re wordes being deade might easely be wrasted to sum shew of they re purpose when the authority off the lyuing coulde not admitte any suche faulse dealinge theime selues bearing witnesse of the meaning of theire owne wordes Well then oure doctoures of goddes Churche being all of holy aestimation and blessed memory doo so dase the eyes euen of theire owne aduersaries that being of the very same doctrine that we who by Goddes grace be membres of the Catholike Church be of yet they are past the malice of those which like not theire dooing and doctrine For the heretikes well knowing theim to be the authors or at the least especiall mainteiners of this oure assertion of the valewe of praiers and the holy sacrifice for the departed yet they dare not but clokedly reprehende theyme when they flowe ageinst the poore Catholikes nowe alyue withe wordes off infinite blasphemye and sclaunderous reproche Therfore I now will call vpon theime with S. Augustines wordes Coom on all the packe of yow who so euer is the prowdest protestant vpō the earth call if he dare S. Denise Sanct Clement Athanas Chrisostom Ambrose Gregory Bede we are not ashamed of theire names as yowe be of your Maisters Call these papistes for praying for theire frendes call theime Idolaters call theime superstitious call theime enimies of Christes passion say they be iniurious to his death by prouiding a newe sacrifice for sin tell theime they inuented Anniuersaries monthes mindes and yearly offeringes for theire own gayne call theime masse mungers call theime blynde gydes No yowe dare not for your eares yowe dare not disprayse oure heuenly gydes yowe dare not once name your owne Suche force hath the truethe and such feare there is in faulshood and yet these doctors must needes be in a thousande times worse case then wee be if the doctrine of purgatory and prayers be not true We may be saued or at least reasonably excused by folowing they in leading vs in faulshod cā haue no excuse of theire impietye But howe gladde may all we Catholikes be in oure heartes that haue the full consent of all theime in the proufe of oure belyfe oute of whose workes the aduersaries woulde be gladde of one lyklye sentence And whose lyfe and doctrine are so glorious in goddes Churche that theire oune aduersaries raling at vs alyue yet dare not but with greate feare once blemish theire names departed Thoughe sumtimes it brastithe oute in sum one of theime to their owne miscredit So beutifull is the light of trueth And on the other side howe miserable is theire carefull case that folowe and defend that doctrine the authors wherof they
and praiers for the deade or elles by any one lerned maÌ„ in all the world was euer expounded for any such sense And lo now good reader what scriptures they alleage that can abide nothinge but scripture Firste owte of Ecclesiastes Cap. 11. The tree whether it faule to the southe or the north it lyeth ever wher it lighteth Then they alleage owt of S. Matthews ghospell Cap. 7. that there be two waies one to bring to heauen and thother leading streght to helle And then owte of the seconde to the Corinthians they bring in Cap. 5. howe we must all stande before the iudgement seat of Christe there to receiue eche of vs according to our workes and life and that by other mennes labour oure state can not be amended Again they alleage this sentence of the Apocalipse Cap. 14. Beati mortui c. blessed be the deade that dye in our Lorde for after that the spirite saithe that they shall rest from trauelles All which textes and the lyke of that sorte make no more ageinst purgatory then they doo ageinst hell or heauen excepte that aâ— Anaxagoras the philosopher saide Phisic 1. l. all thinges were in euery thinge so these diuines can finde euery texte of scripture to make for what purpose they liste and yet if the Catholikes alleage a number of scriptures and theime with the mind and iudgement of the whole worlde that doubteth not but they proue that for whiche they be recited yet they set light by theime and impudently with clamors beare men in hand that they haue no scriptures at all Which thinges as they smelle of muche arrogancie in al men so in these foulke that so malepertly controwle others where theyme selues haue no scripture at all it is vntolerable And for these which they here or elleswhere alleage I aske theyme sincerely and desire theime to tell me faithefully what doctour or wise learned man of the whole antiquity euer expounded these textes recited or any one of theyme or any other whiche yowe bring in elles when ageinst Purgatory or practise for the deade Yff they did not howe can yowe for sinne and shame dissent from the whole Churche off Christe vpon so light grounds Or howe dare yowe be so boulde that seeke in euery controuersy expresse scripture to alleage these placies whiche wyse meÌ„ nor I think your selues take for any suche purpose Or howe may yow for shame reiecte the euident word of God by vs truely reported for the triall of oure matter your selues hauing almost nothing that can be wraasted to youre sense An ansvver to the first place If yow stande to the triall of youre alleaged testimonies yowe will be muche abasshed I knowe For howe can yowe imagine that the place recited out of Ecclesiastes should further youre intent any thing at all Seeing that euen then when the wyseman spake those wordes the soule of man streght after her departure and the faule of the bodye continued not where it first fell for the iuste had a place of abidinge and rest in the inferiour partes whiche was called of Ezechias the gate of helle Isai 38. In the ghospel Sinus Abrahae the bosom of Abraham and nowe Lymbus Patrum in whiche they all abode till they were deliuered by the bloude and trauell of oure sauioure Iesus Bern. ser 4 de fest omnium sanct Amb. super 5. ad Romanos Withe whome they after were translated to the aeternal ioyes of heauen Whiche thinge if it be true as it can not but be true and certaine whiche the whole course of scripture the article of oure faithe in Christes descension in to hel and al the auncient fathers doo constantly setforth what blindnes be they in then that bring this place againste Purgatorie which as it is a stay of certaine for a time from heauen so the other before Christe was the staye off all And therefore it is plaine that this faulynge of the tree meanithe nothinge lesse then that euery man shoulde streght vpon his departure be conueyde ether to hell or heauen Or if any wedded to Caluines blasphemous and vnfaithefull paradoxies doo with Purgatory deny the fathers place of abode before the cooming of Christe and impugne the beleefe of Goddes churche so muche that he withstand the article of oure Crede for Christes descendinge in to hell or turne the cause of his going into hel to sum other purpose then the lowsing of theire captiuity that there were in expectation of his ioyfull apparance Caluins absurde doctrin is refuted yet I woulde demaunde so much of Caluins successor or scholare seeing he wil of this figuratiue speach of the trees fauliÌ„g gether so grounded and generall a rule that with owt delay euery man must to heaueÌ„ or hel streght after his death there to remaine in perpetuall state of his faule in the nexte life ether good or badde I woulde aske of him I saye what he thinketh by all those that were by the Prophets Apostles or Christe him selfe raysed vppe againe from deathe to lyfe Who receiuing by death that faule by theire accompt must needes abide where they first fell and so not in case to be reuoked by this theire faulse conclusion they diminishe the powre of the spirite in woorking their raisinge againe Or elles they must impute deceite to the holy men and oure master Christe whiche abhorreth me â—o speake for that they raysed theyme not beinge perfectely deade but in sum deadlye traunce or apparance of deathe But bicause the soule of Lazarus was nowe iiij daies owte of his bodye before Christe wroght vpon him The state of such in the next vvorlde as by goddes omnipotency vvere raised to lyfe againe it is sure and most certaine that it had sum place of abyding after the separation from the fleshe I can not thinke that his soule was in heauen nor it is not like that oure sauioure woulde so muche abase the happy condicion of him whome he loued so well as to reduce him to the vncertaine state of this lyfe I will define in this my ignorance nothing touching the secrettes of goddes wisdom herin But very like it is that the parties raysed from theire faule and deathe were not in the ioyes of heauen As before Christes death I am sure they were not but I speake of Tabitha also or other reuoked by thapostles handes that then after Christes passion might full well diyng in perfect state of lyfe go streght to heauen of suche I say it is very reasonable that they were not in the ioyes of thelect For elles Tabitha shoulde not haue had suche a benefite by her almose as the fathers doo witnesse she hadde And they vse her for an exaÌ„ple of the benefite which may rise to one after departure by charitable woorkes doone in this lyfe It had bene a smaule pleasure to haue plucked her from hauen to this mortalitye againe and misery of oure common lyfe and I trowe no
recompense therefore and yet after poonishment tolerated at Goddes apoyntement in the next lyefe he doubteth not to assure her of pardon at the lengthe and release of all paine Thus was sinne handeled in those dayes And why it was so painefully riped vp to the very battom yowe see Compare oure days and dealing to theires and thow shalt wonder to see the diuersitye betwixt theire maners and oures and to see the phisicions woorke so diuersely where the diseases be all one I might here well to my purpose repeate the singulare praises that S. Hierom gaue vnto noble Paula In epitaph Paulae who as he writeth of her withe fountaynes of teares exceding lauishe almose and pitifull fasting wasshed away such veniall and smaule offensies as other men wovlde scarsely doo muche more greuous crimes And to seeke for what ende this holy matrone vexed her sellfe and tormented her body it were in a maner needelesse for being not gilty of any greuous sinnes she coulde haue no greate feare of hell paynes then it must neades be that she tooke poonishment of her sellfe to praeuent Goddes temporall skourge in the lyefe to coom She well considered for it was the doctrine of that holy tyme that euery sinne be it neuer so small or common Note doth indebt the offender vnto God and therfore the iustest person that liueth excepting Christe and for his honour his moother as S. Augustine saith must confesse debte and crye for pardon by oure maisters praier Dimitte nobis debita nostra forgiue vs oure debts the whiche because they be debt must ether be pardoned by praier or paide by paine And therfore being not here remitted or not satisfied by worthy poonishment in this liefe they must of iustice be purged after oure departure according to the numbre of theime and the negligence of the offender And this faithe of Purgatory and respecte of Goddes iudgements to come feared the holyest persons that euer were in goddes Churche This droue many a blessed man to perpetuall paenaunce this broght Hierom him sellfe in to the wildernesse of Syria there to lament the lapse of his fraile youthe euer in expectation of this call Exi foras Hieronime Coom out Hierom this filled the desertes with many a noble heremite this raysed vppe the cloisters and all the holy houses of mowrning and praiers in the whole worlde and hathe in all agyes appeared bothe in the wordes and woorkes of all Christen people as we shal better a none declare But list yow see how this doctrine of paenaunce liked Caluine The shrew sawe that by graunting of this satisfaction for sinne and the profitable vsage thereof in this liefe that it might argue of necessity the residue of some paines in the nexte if it were here omitted or not ended And therefore I pray you see how substantially he aunswereth and how like him selfe Parum me mouent saithe he quae in veterum scriptis de satisfactione passim occurrunt In institut video enim eorum nonnullos dicam simpliciter omnes fere quorum libri extant aut in hac parte lapsos esse aut nimis aspere dure loquutos I make small accompt of that whiche I often finde concerning Satisfaction in the auncient writers for I perceiue diuers of theime shall I be plaine withe yow in a maner euery one that euer wrote till this daye in this pointe to haue bene foule deceiued or spoken more roughly then they shoulde haue doone Is not this a felowe a lone whether thinke yowe nowe oure englishe bragger craking all the doctors to be on his parte or this man confessing plainely that they be all ageinst him and yet setting not a butten by theyme all whether think you is more arrogant I am sure Caluine dealeth here more sincerely and thother more deceitfully Iff crakyng had bene a maistery in summer games as lying is our man mighte haue wonne of all the worlde two games at a clappe But there is no remedy he must yelde to the lerned that haue opened his impudency Therefore I leaue him and take the benefit of this his maisters confession for forther confirmation of my cause doubting nothing but that most wiese men seeing by the aduersaries graunte all learned fathers to be on oure side will accept it ether as a fulle proofe or no smaule praesumption of that truethe whiche we defend A briefe ioyning in reason and argument vpon the proued groundes vvithe the aduersaries for the declaration of Purgatory Cap. 5. HAuinge vndoubtedly wōne thus much both by euidēt testimony off holy writte by the warraunt of all the learned fathers by good reason and by the aduersaries owne confession I will be boulde to bare the very ioyntes of the argument that bothe the simple maye acknowledge my plaine dealing and the Protestant haue his vauntage if the reason stand not vpright With out colour or glose then thus I make my proufe After the sinnes of man be pardoded God oftentimes poonisheth the offender the Churche poonisheth him and man ponisheth him selfe ergo there is summe payne due after sinne be remitted Secondely this paine can not allwaies be discharged in this world ether for lacke of space after the remission as it happeth in repentaunce at the houre of deathe or elles when the party liueth in perpetuall welth with oute care or cogitation of any satisfaction therefore it must be answered in another place Thirdly the common infirmities and the daily trespasses which abase and defily the woorkes euen of the vertuous of theire proper condicion doo deserue paine for a tyme as the mortall offense deserueth perpetuall Therefore as the mortall sinne being not here pardoned must of iustice haue the reward of euerlasting pounishement so it must nedes folow that the veniall fault not here forgeuen shoulde haue the reward whiche of nature it requireth that is to saie temporall paine And therefor not only the wicked but the very iust also must trauell to haue theire daily infirmities and frailetie of theire corrupte natures forgiuen crying withe oute ceassing forgeue vs oure debtes Quia non iustificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis viuens August Euch ca. 71 For no man a lieue shall be able to stande before the face of God in his owne iustice or righteousnesse and if thes lighte sinnes shoulde neuer be imputed then it were needlesse to crie for mercy or confesse debt as euery man dooth be he neuer so passing holy To be briefe this debt of paine for sinne by any way remaining at the departure hense must off iustice be answered Whiche can not be with oute poonishement in the nexte liefe then there must be a place of iudgement for temporall and transitory paines in the other worlde The whole discourse made before hath geuen force enoghe to euery parte of the argument the scriptures doo proue it the practise of the Churche confirmeth it all the doctors by oure aduersaries graunte agree vpon it Yf they haue any thinge to say here
I make theime faire play the grounde is open the reasons laide naked before theire face remoue theime as they can Lett theime deale simply if they meane truely and not flourishe as they vse vppon a faulse grounde that in flowe of worddes they may couer errour or in rase of theire smoothe talk ouerron trueth And that euery man may perceiue that wee haue not raysed this doctrine vpoÌ„ reason onely or curiosity althoughe the graue authoritye of Goddes Churche might herein satisfye sober wittes we will now by Goddes helpe go nearer the matter and directly make proufe of Purgatory by holy scriptures reciting such placeis of the oulde and newe testament as shall prooue oure cause euen in that sense whiche the lernedst and godlyest fathers of all agies by conference of placies or other lyklyhood shall fiende and determine to be most true Alleaging none els but such as they haue in the floure of Christian faith noted and peculiarely construed for that purpose whiche now is in quaestion That the aduersaries off that doctrine may rather striue withe the saide sanctes and doctours then withe me that will as they shall well perceiue doo nothing but truely reporte theire wordes or meaninge Or rather that such as haue erred in that case by giuing ouer light credit to the troblesom teachers of these vnhappy daies maye when they shall vnderstande the true meaning of the scrptures the constant doctrine of the Catholike Church the wordes of all auncient writers the determination of so many holy councells and the oulde vsage of all nations by humble praiers obteyne of God the light of vnderstanding the truethe and the gifte of obedience to his will and worde Or if there be any so sattled in this vnlickly secte that he purposeth not to beleue the graue writers of ould times nor receiue theire expositions vpon suche placeis as we shall reciete for that praeiudice whiche he hathe of his owne witte and vnderstanding yet let him not maruell at my simplicity that had rather geue credet to others then my selfe Or that in this hote time of contention and partaking in religion I doo repose my sellfe vnder the shadowe of so many worthy writers as anone shall giue euidence in my cause That Purgatory paines doothe not onely serue Goddes iustice for the poonishment of sinne but also cleanse and qualify the soule of man defiled for the more seemely entraunce into the holy placies vvith conference of certaine placies of scripture for that purpose Cap. 6. IF we well consider the wonderfull base condition and state of mannes nature corrupted by our first fathers disobedience and more and more abased by continuall misery that sin hath broght in to oure mortall liefe we shall fiende the woorke of Goddes wisdom in the excellent repaire of this his creature to be full of mercy and full of maruell But proceading sumwhat further and weying not onely his restoring but allso the passing greate auaunsment to the vnspeakable glory of the elect there shall reason and all oure cogitations vtterly faint and faile vs. The kingdom prepared is honoured with the maiesty of the Glorious Trinity with the humanity of Christe oure Sauiour with the blessed Mary the vessel of his Incarnation with the bewtifull creatures and wholy vndefiled of al the ordres of Angelles Ther can nothing doubtlesse present it selfe before the seate of Goddes glory nor stand in his sight that hath any blemishe of sinne any spotte of corruption any remnaunt of infirmity There may no creature matche with those perfect pure natures of spirituall substance in the happy seruice of the holy Trinity VVhat purity is required for thentrance in to hâ—â—ueÌ„ that is not holy as they be pure as they be and wholy sanctified as they be Nothing can ioyne with theyme in freedom of that heauenly city in the ioyfull estate of that triumphant coÌ„monwellthe that is not purified to the poynt and by the woorke of Goddes own hande fully fined and perfieted This is the newe City of Hierusalem whiche the holy Apostle sawe by vision Nec in eam intrabit aliquid coinquinatum Apoc. 21. Nothing shall entre therin that is defiled It is the Churche with oute spotte and wrinkle it is the temple of God it is the seate of the lambe and the land of the lyuing Nowe our kinde notwithstanding oure pitifull faulle and singulare fraylety with exceding corruption and vnaptenesse bothe of body and soule hathe yet by Christe Iesus oure redemer the assurance of this vnestimable benefite and the felowship of perpetuall fruition with the Angels To whome as we must be made aequall in roume and glory so we must in perfect cleanes be fully matched with theime For it were not agreeable to Goddes ordinary iustice Leuit. 21. who in this earthly sanctuary expressely forbiddeth the oblations of the vncleane Rupert de diuiâ—iâ— of l. 6. ca. 36. that he shoulde in the coelestiall soueraigne holy acknouledge any nature that wer not pure and vndefiled or make mannes condicion not abettered aequall to the dignity of Angelles that neuer were reproued wherby vniustice might appeare in God or confusion in the heauens commonweleth where onely all ordre is obserued And though mannes recouery after his faule be wroght by Christ and the perfect purgation off sinnes by the bloodde of him that onely was with owte sinne yet it was nott conuenient that the might of that mercy should woorke in this freedom of oure willes with owte all payne of the party or trauell of th offenders Wheroff man streght vpon his miserable dounefall as S. Ambrose excellentely well noteth had warning by the fyery swhord houlden at the entraunce of paradise In psa 118 ser 20. therby putting him in remembraunce that the returne to blesse so soone loste shoulde be throghe fiere and swhorde hardely achieued ageyne Therfore if any man thinke the onely forgiuenesse of oure sinnes paste sufficient ether for the recouery of oure first degree or the atteyning of forther dignity in the glory of the Sanctes he seethe not at all what a deape stroke sinne hath sett in mannes soule what filthe and feeblenesse it hathe wroght in the body what ruele and dominion it beareth in this our mortality what care all perfect men haue hadde not onely in the healing of the deape wounde but allso in purging the reliques and full abbating the abundant matter therof And yet when man hathe with all his might wrastled with the poure of sinne being in this estate he can not be able to recouer the worthinesse of his creation muche lesse the passing honour and ende of his redemption Let him washe and water his coutch with teares let him weaken his body with fasting and humble his hearte with sorow Happely the fiery swhorde shall not hinder his passage after his departure yet tyll the separation of the body and the soul full freedom from sinne or perfect purgation therof excepting the priuilege of certayne can not be fully