and tell him yow folow the scripture For he wil charge yow againe streghte that these men had scripture vnderstood scripture alleaged scripture both of the new testament and the oulde and referred theire vsage sum to Moyses and Aaron other sum to the fathers in the lawe of nature and all to the Apostles of Christ Where are yow then no more but this perdy we vnderstand scripture perchaunce better then they we haue the holy Gost perchaunce and so hadde not the fathers perchaunce that is no scripture perchaunce this and this is not that doctors worke bicause it makes ageinst vs. I thinke he that would beleue your chauncing that may haue such assuraunce of the trueth on the other side he is worthy to be deceiued Well I will close vppe this parte of our talke for Tobies allmose borde in the obittes of Christian men withe S. Augustines graue iudgement who as he is plaine for the benefite of oblations in the memorialles of mens departures in all placies so here in a maner he ordereth the action thereof for abusies that might theron arise in his epistle to Aurelius 64 The offeringes saith he obserued for the soules departed whereof there is no quaestion but profet arisethe to theime let theime not be ouer sumptuouse vpon the mindes of the deceased nor soulde away but geuē with owt grudge or disdaine to suche as be praesent and would be partaker thereof but if moony be offered it may be distributed out of hande to the poore ▪ and thē shall not those daies of theire frendes memorialles be to their greate griefe forsaken or destitute of companye And the ordre with honeste coomlynesse shall be kept continually in the church So S. Clement him selfe teacheth all theime that be called to such daies of praiers for the departed and to be partakers of those oblations or charitable relieues which were by sum honest sober refresshing euen in the Church in those daies obserued whether they be of the laity or of the priestes he geueth thē this lesson Qui ad memorias eorū vocamini cū modestia cum dei timore comedite veluti valentes legatione fungi pro mortuis cum sitis presbyteri diaconi Christi sobrij esse debetis priuatim cum alijs v◠possitis intemperantes coercere All yow that are called to the funeralles of the departed refressh your selues in measure and feare of god that yow may be worthy to be as it were in commission of intreatie for the dead and being priestes or deacons of Christ yow are bownd to be sobre euen at home but abrode for others example and discipline That the binefite of praier and allmose apperteineth not to suche as dye in mortall sinne thoughe in the doubtefull case of mannes beeing the Churche vseth to pray for all departed in Christes faith Cap. 7. THus farre we now are broght I trust withe proufe and euidence enoughe with reasonable cleare light for the good simple peoples instruction and withe full safety from all the force oure aduersaries can make against vs. The patriarches exāple the wordes of scripture the practise of the Churche the natural society betwixt the partes of Christes misticall body in this world and his membres in the next and all our fathers faithe haue woon so muche that allmose and offeringes in sundry memorialls and diuerse obseruations of mindes and obittes be singulare and soueraigne to procure goddes mercye for the pardon of the soules deceased And nowe lest any man take occasion of goddes mercie which he seethe to be so redy that it may be woon by other mennes workes to liue in contempt of vertuous exercise and to passe the time of his owne lyfe in carelesse negligēce praesuming to purchesse fauoure at goddes hande so mercyfull by other mennes merittes with oute his owne deede or deserte let that man be aduertised quòd non habet partem in sermone isto that he shall in that case haue no benefite by our tallke the mercy which we speake of perteineth not vnto him suche idle drone beyes can take no fructe of other mēnes laboures nether quicke nor deade For that membre which in this body was so vnprofitable to him sellfe it is no right nor reason he shuld haue any gaynes by other mens trauell Therfore all these liberall promissies of fauour and grace to be procured by the workes of the lyue towardes the departed reache nether to the vnfaithfull out of this howse nor to the impaenitēt who was but an vnprofitable bourden of the house These thinges saithe Clement we meane of the godlie Lib. 8. constit 49. for yf thowe gaue al the welthe of the worlde to the poore for the wickeds sake thowe couldest not proffitte theime a heare For he that dyed in goddes displeasure can not looke for more mercy then he deserued Therfore S. Iohn thapostle seemethe to abbridge oure prayers 1. Epist. Cap. 5. and the obteining of oure petitions by borderinge theime as withe in certaine bondes after this sort We knowe that God doothe here vs what so euer we require we be sure he will accōpleshe oure requestes which we make vnto him Therfore he that knoweth his brother to sinne being not a sinne to death let him pray and lyfe shal be geuē to him that sinneth not to death there is a sinne to deathe for suche I doo not wil any man to praie This place of thapostle seemethe to declare the wonderfull force that the praiers of the faithful haue in procuring grace and remission for others so that they be brethern and passe hense with out the bonde of mortall sinne And the letter well weied shall make exceding much to proue the praiers for departed in piety as it in a maner forbiddeth all intercession for suche as be knowen to passe in continuance of mortall sinne There is no crime so greuous that man may commit in the course of this lyfe but the churche vseth praiers customably therfore and for her reuerēce is oftē hearde Therfor it may wel be thought that the party must be deceased of whome such diuersity of desertes doothe arise for all that be a lyue with out exceptiō The churche may pray for any sinner in this lyfe vvith hope of mercy if they be bretherne of oure familie must be prayde for And so longe as they be in this worlde and may repent theire sin is not so vnto deathe but lyfe by praiers may be and is cōmenly at goddes hand obteined Then it may wel be deduced that thapostle meaneth to incourage the faithfull to pray for such theire bretherne departed as died withowte bonde of deadly sin to their sight in a maner warning theime that for such theire praiers shall be acceptably heard But for others cōtinuing in sin to death he willethe not theim to praye nor can assure theime they shal be hearde So doth Dionysius a man not very aunciēt Carth. but of a full spirite and good grace expound this
be once thus freely wyped awaye in oure first regeneration there is no charge of pounishement or paenaunce for farther release of the same But nowe a man that is so freely discharged of all euill liefe and sinne committed before he came in to the familye yff he faule in to relapse and defile the temple of god Note then as goddes mercy allwayes passethe mannes malice euen in this case also he hathe ordeyned meanes to repayre mannes faule ageyne That is by the Sacrament of paenaunce which therfore S. HieroÌ„ termethe the second table In cap. 3. Isai or refuge after ship wracke as a meanes that may bringe man to the porte of saluation though lightely not with oute present dammage and daungeour In which blessed sacrament though goddes grace haue mighty force for mannes recouery and workethe abundantly bothe remission of sinnes and the discharge of aeternall poonishement due by iuste iudgement to the offender yet Christe him selfe the author of this Sacrament as the rest ment not to communicate suche efficacye or force to this The force of Christes death is not so largely applyed vnto vs in the sacrament off pâ—â—â—unce as in Baptisme as to baptisme for the vtter acquieting of all payne by sinfull life deserued For as in Baptisme where maÌ„ is perfectly renued it was semely to set thoffender at his first entrauÌ„ce on cleare grounde and make him free for al thinges done a brode so it excedingly setteth forth goddes iustice and nothing imparethe his mercy to vse as in all common wellthes by nature and goddes prescription is practised withe grace discipline withe iustice clemencye withe fauoure correction and with loue due chastisement of suche sinnes as haue by the how should children bene committed Nowe therefore if after thy free admission to this family of Christ thou doo greuously offende remission maye then be had ageyne but not commonly with owte sharpe discipline seeing the father of this oure holy houshowld poonisheth where he louethe Ad Hab. 12. and chastisethe euery childe whome he receiueth Whose iustice in pounishement of sinne not onely the wicked but also the good must muche feare Whereof S. Augustine warneth vs thus Deus saithe he nec iusto parcit nec iniusto Lib tra FauscuÌ„ cap. 20. illum stagellando vt filium istum puniendo vt impium God sparethe nether the iuste nor vniust chastising th one as his childe pounishing the other as a wicked person A childe then of this houshowlde contynuing in fauoure though he can not euerlastingly perishe withe the impoenitent sinners yet he muste being not by som especiall praerogatiue pardoned beare the rodde of his fathers discipline And gladly say with the prophet In flagella paratus sum Psal 37. I am redy for the roddes And what so euer these wantons that are ronne owte of this howse for theire owne ease or other mennes flattery shall fourge let vs continue in perpetuall cogitation of oure sinnes forgeuen and by all meanes possible recompense oure negligencyes paste Let vs not thinke but God hathe sumwhat to say to vs euen for oure offensyes pardoned being thus warned by his owne mouthe Sed habeo aduersum te pauca Apo. â— 2 quòd charitatem tuam primam reliquisti Memor esto itaque vnde excideris age poenitentiam prima opera fac But somwhat I haue ageynst the bicause thowe arte faullen from thy first loue Remembre therfore from whense thowe felle doo paenaunce and beginne thy former woorkes agayne And the consideration of this diuersity betwixte remission had by baptisme and after relapse by the sacrament of paenaunce moued Damascen to call this second remedy Deorth fide lib. 4. cap. 9. Baptismum vere laboriosum quod per paenitentiam lachrimas perficitur A kynd of Baptisme full of trauell by paenaunce and teares to be wroght In whiche God so pardone-the sinnes that bothe the offense it self and the euerlasting payne due for the same being wholy by Christes deathe and merites wieped away there may yet remayne the debt of temporall poonishment on oure parte to be discharged as well for som satisfaction of goddes iustice ageynst the aeternall ordre wherof we vnworthely offended 〈…〉 Cap. 〈…〉 as for to answer the Churche of her right as S. Austine saithe in whiche onely all sinnes be forgeuen Mary when occasion of satisfiyng for oure offensyes in this lyefe is neglected or lacke of tyme by reason off longe continuance and laite repentaunce fuffereth not due recompense in oure lyefe whiche is the tyme of mercye then certes the hande of God shall be muche more heuy and the poonishment more greuous And this is withe oute doubte to be looked for that the debt due for sinne muste ether here by payne or pardon be discharged or elles to oure greater greife after oure departure required And this to be the graue doctryne and constant faithe of the fathers I must first declare bothe for that it shall firmely establishe oure whole mater and clearely open the case of controuersy betwixt vs and the forsaken company Who woulde so gladly lyeue at ease in they re onely faithe that they list nether satisfye for theire sinnes nor procure goddes mercy by wel workyng In this case then let vs seeke the ordre of goddes iustice by the diligent consideration of som notable personagies of whome we may haue by the plaine scripture euident testimony bothe of the remission of theire sinnes and they re paenaunce and pounishment after they were reconciled ageyne AdaÌ„ that first did faule and vvas first pardoned did yet abide the skourge for his sinnes Oure first father Adam in whome we may behoulde almost the whole course of goddes iudgemeÌ„t and throughe whome bothe sinne and all pounishment due for sinne entred in to the worlde I thinke he had the first benefite by Christes deathe for the remission of his disobedience or at the leaste bicause I woulde not auouche an vncerteyne thinge this I am shure that by Christe he was raysed vp to goddes fauoure ageyne Of whome we fynde it thus written in in the booke of wisdom Cap. 10. Haec illum qui primus formatus est pater orbis terrarum cum solus esset creatus custodiuit eduxit illum a delicto suo This saithe he meaning by Christ vnder the name of wisdom salfely praeserued him that was first formed off God the father of the worlde when he was created all a lone and raysed him oute of his sinne ageyne The whiche disobedience withe what other sinne so euer was therunto in him ioyned thoughe it was thus clearly pardoned yet the poonishment therof bothe he felte longe after in his owne person and it lyethe vpon his posterity till this day For whiche sinne he him selfe begane to doo paenaunce as Irenaeus saithe euen in paradise Li. 3. c. 33 and then God practised iudgement vpon him as Augustine noteth first by his disenhaeretaunce then by paynefull traâ—ell
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
pounishement to be suffered and som temporall payne remanent to be discharged in this world Melanch after remission of sinne but for the next after this liefe so ferde they be of purgatory they will haue none at all Thother secte maisters fearing what might folowe on that graunt in no case will confesse that there is any payne due for sinne in this worlde or the next after the fault be once remitted For Caluine capitayne of this later bande sawe well Caluinus that if any debt or recompense remayne to be discharged by the offender after his reconcilement it muste neades ryse by proportion weght continuance numbre and quaÌ„tity of the faultes committed before Whereby it must of necessity be induced that bicause euery man can not haue time ether for the hougenesse of his sinnes past or his late repentaunce or his carelesse nagligence to repay all in his liefe that there is all or som parte answherable in the nexte worlde to coom And therfore bouldely and impudently as in case of this necessity he aduentureth to deny withe shame that any of all these paynefull miseries be as pounishements for the sinnes of the sufferers but certeyne fatherly checkes exercises of patience and vertue rather then afflictions enioyned for sinnes Whiche vaine shifte hathe no bearing by reason or text of scripture but onely is vphoulden by the exercised audacity of the author S. Paul in plaine wordes writethe Corpus mortuum est propter peccatum Ad Ro. 6 Vide August super illud psal 50. in peccatis concepit me mater mea stipendium peccati mors est The body is deade because of sinne And deathe is the rewarde of sinne And so of Dauid bicause thowe haste slayne Vrias Non recedet gladius de domo tua saith the scripture the swhorde shall not depart thy howse And ageyne bicause thowe hast made the enemies blaspheme my name thy childe shall dye And of the people of Israell Visitabo hoc peccatum eorum I will viset this sinne of theyres also Yet in this lighte of scripture where as the pounishement is named so it is expressely mentioned that sinne is the proper cause thereof the aduersary seekethe a blinde mieste to dase the simplicyty of the reader and to mainteyne errour It helpethe oure cause exceding muche that the very shewe of an argument dryues theyme to suche vnseemely shiftes S. Augustines wordes shal for me sufficiently refute this errour Veritatem dilexisti impunita peccata eorum etiam quibus ignoscis non reliquisti In psa 50 He speakethe to god in the Prophets person Thowe loues righteousnes and hast not lafte vnpounished no not the sinnes of theyme whome thow louest Notwithstanding this is verye true that all these afflictions thoughe they come of sinne and for the rewarde of maÌ„nes offensies yet God of mercy turnethe theyme to the exercise of vertue August lib 2. de pecca to mer. cap 33. and benefit of suche as shall be sayued But it is one thing to dispute of what cause they come and an other to reason of the wisedom of God in the vse of the same Who as the sayde Augustine witnesseth is so mighty in his prouident gouernaunce that he is able to tourne euen the very sinnes theyme selues to the benefite of suche as by grace and mercy shall be raysed vppe to saluation And muche more is he ready to frame the pounishement whiche he him selfe of iustice workethe for correction of sinners to the saluation of the electe But nowe the other sorte which be more curteise The confutation of the second opinion and confesse that in this worlde the iust may suffer of reason for his sinnes already remitted but not in the nexte liefe as theire doctrine is very vntrue so it geueth greate license and liberty to euil lyuers and is the very moother of praesumption For if man weare sâ—ere to be discharged at his departure hense of all payne for his sinnes then certes weare it madnesse to trauell in this life forther for his offensyes then he must of necessitye Yea more it makethe the case of greuous sinners tyll the houre of they re deathe so that they then at last repent much better then of smaulle offenders conuerted longe before For these must be pounished in they re liefe thother can not be pounished as these suppose after they re deathe What a vayne absurdity is this that the prophet offending once or twise in all his tyme shoulde suffer so heuy iudgement and the party whiche abidethe in wickednesse tyll th ende of his liefe when sin rather leaueth him then he sinne must bicause of his late conuersion withe out payne be caried at ease to heauen This is not doubtlesse semely to Goddes iustice and ordinauÌ„ce whose waies be truethe and vprightnesse Homil. 11. in Leuit. Est apud iudicem iustum poenae moderatio non solum pro qualitate sed etiam pro quantitate To a iust iudge there must be consideratioÌ„ had of pounishement bothe for the quality and quantity so saith Origen And the holy scripture thus Quantum glorificauit se in delitijs fuit tantum date illi tormentum luctum Looke hou highe she exalted her sellfe and hou delicately she lieued and geue her so muche wo and torment ageyne Cap. 16. It is spoken as of Babylon in the reuelations of S. Iohn And bicause this toucheth our matter and the very point thereof I will stand withe the aduersary the longer Here then I aske him why God takethe pounishement in this worlde for sinne allready remitted His answher must nedes be for the reuenge and hatered of sinne and satisfiyng of iustice Now theÌ„ doth god practise iudgment and iustice no wher but in this world Or if it be not here answhered bicause of lacke of space or late recoÌ„ciliation of the offender shall oure lorde of necessity be forced to remitte the debt and release his sentence of iustice for lacke of meanes to pounishe in an other worlde No no Goddes haÌ„de is not abbridged by the terms of this liefe Late repentaunce can be a benefite to no man God forbed it shoulde Especially seing poonishement and iudgement for sin as many learned doo suppose and as reason withe scripture bearethe properly apperteineth not to this worlde but by a speciall grace and singulare benefite whiche God of peety graunteth to suche as he louethe that they may here praeuent his angre whiche elles in the nexte lyefe shoulde be found more greuous wher properly is the reward of sinne and iudgement kept ordinarily for the same As it is plaine mercy and grace when man may take pounishment of him selfe as S. Paule saithe and be his owne correctour 1. Cor. 11. to auoyde the iudgement of God And therof the nexte liefe is termed commonly dies domini where there is no place for oure woorking but sufferance alone where the accompt of mannes lyefe must be straitly required and the sinnes
and finally by comparing of the other meaning whiche to summe might haue bene reakoned apte and mete for that place In all whiche dooing he was as farre from rashe iudgement as our newe doctours be from good aduisement But bicause he referreth vs to the further discussing of the same matter afterward in the named woorke it shal be to oure purpose not a litle to haue this doctours full minde and constant iudgement therein In the xxj booke after muche matter vttered and very depe discussing of the cause he maketh this grounded Conclusion Cap. 13. Temporales paenas alij in hac vita tantum alij post mortem alij nunc et tunc veruntamen ante illud saeuerissimum nouissimūque iudiciū patiuntur Non autem omnes veniunt in sempiternas poenas quae post illud iudicium his sunt futurae qui post mortem sustinent temporales nam quibusdam quod in isto non remittitur remitti in futuro saeculo id est ne futuri saeculi aeterno supplicio puniantur iam supra diximus Temporall paines that is to say poonishement whiche shall haue an end some men suffer in this liefe some other after theire deathe and other som bothe nowe and then Temporall paines in the next liefe as vell as in this But al this before the daie of iudgement that is the greatest and last of all other iudgements not all that be temporally poonished after theire departure com in to paines perpetuall which shall be after the generall daie for we haue allready declared that there be certeine which haue remission in another worlde that is to saie a pardon that they be not poonished euerlastingly that had not forgeunesse in this By these wordes we may be assured that as in the next liefe there be paines endlesse and perpaetuall for the wicked so in the same worlde aftet oure end here there must nedes be som transitory poonishment and correction for suche of the meane sorte as shall afterward be saued And againe he speaketh as I take it of the fyer of Conflagration that shall in the latter day pourge some that be meane and waste other that be wicked and send theime from that praesent poonishment to further aeternall damnation I will recite his owne wordes that ye may perceiue the perpetuall constancy off this excellent mannes minde in this matter It shall also be a testimony sufficient for the vnderstanding of S. Pauls wordes nowe before alleaged Si aedificauerit super fundamētum ligna foenū stipulam Serm. 3. in Psal 103. id est mores saeculares fundamento fidei suae super aedificauerit tamen si in fundamento sit Christus primum locum ipse habeat in corde ei nihil omnino anteponatur portentur et tales Veniet caminus incendet ligna faenum stipulam ipse inquit saluus erit sic tamen quasi per ignem Hoc aget caminus alios in sinistram separabit alos in dexteram quodammodo eliquabit Yf any man erecte vppon the foundation woodde hay or strawe that is to saye worldly affections vpon the groundewark of his saith if yet Christ be in the foundation and beare the greatest stroke in his harte so that nothing be praeferred before him suche may well be borne withall ▪ for the fiery fornace shal come and burne the woodde hay and stoble and shall be saued as the Apostle saith thoughe it be for al that throughe the fyer that fornace then shall parte some to the lifte hande and try forth other if a mā man may so tearme it to the right hand And as S. Augustin taketh these base substances of wood hay or stoble to signify wordely affections and seculare desires so S. Ambrose noteth by the same vaine curious In com super hunc locum and vnprofitable doctrines the drosse of whiche friuoulous matter muche corrupting the sincerity of oure faithe must be separated from the foundation by the fyer of the saide fornace For this is a generall doctrine with owte exception that what so euer be vnderstanded by those light matters whether it be a difformity in liefe or in doctrine that onely defilethe and not vtterly destroyeth the faithe whiche is the foundation nor wasteth the loue due vnto oure Lord what so euer I saie that be it must be tryed oute by the spirite of iudgement and fier Briefly then thus S. Ambrose expoundinge the Apostles woordes He shall be saued by fier In commentarijs super 3. c. 1. ad Cor. wtiteth Ostendit illum saluum quidem futurum sed paenam ignis passurum vt per ignem purgatus fiat saluus non sicut perfidi aeterno igne in perpetuum torqueatur The apostle declareth that he shal be saued and yet suffer the paines of fyer that being pourged by that fyer he may so be saued and not as the vnfaithfull perpetually be tormented in euerlasting fire This temporall torment of the next liefe S. Hierom very fitly calleth A iudgmēt of god ioyned with mercy the continuance whereof or other circunstancies to serue mennes curiosity he dare not define being contented oute of doubt to beleue that certeyne sinners be in greuous torments and yet not with owte hope of mercy ▪ these be that holy mannes wordes in his commentaries vpon the Prophet Esai Cap. vlt et in primum Cap. Ezech in illud vi di quasi speciē electri taulking by occasion of the continuance of purgatory paines Quod nos solius Dei scientiae debemus relinquere cuius non solum misericordiae sed tormēta in pondere sunt nouit quem quomodo quamdiu debeat iudicare Solumque dicamus quod humanae conuenit fragilitati Domine ne in furore tuo arguas me neque in ira tua corripias me sicut diabili omni umque negatorum atque impiorum qui dixerunt in corde suo non est Deus credimus aeterna tormenta sic peccatorum atque impiorum tamen Christianorum quorum opera in igne purganda sunt atque probanda moderatam arbitramur mixtam clementiae sententiā iudicis In englishe We must cōmit this secrette to Goddes wisedom and knowledge whose not onely mercy but iudgemēt and iuste ponishment be paised For he right well knoweth whome how and what time he ought to poonish And let vs onely as it becommeth oure frailety crie owte Lorde in thy furious wrath argue me not nether correct me in thy angre for as we beleue the aeternall damnation and torment of the deuill with the forsaken sorte and wicked that saide in theire harte there is no God so we suppose that vpon sinners and euil men being yet christen men whose woorkes shall be bothe pourged and tryed by fyer shal be pronounced a moderate sentence mixed with mercy and clemency Loe here this worthy writer graunteth there be two sortes of pounishments by fyer one of the damned spirites and wicked men aeternall and an other off certeyne that in
turne home to vs ageine I my selfe seeke no further credit at thy hādes but as a reporter of the antiquity But the scripture requireth thy obedience the Churche whiche can not be deceyued clameth thy consent all the owlde fathers woulde haue the ioyne with theime in they re constāt belefe Yf thow did once feele what grace and giftes were In populo graui ecclesia magna in the graue people and greate Churche as the Prophett termeth Goddes howse or coulde conceiue the conforte that we poore wretchies receiue daily by discipline and perfect remission of oure sinnes which can no where but in this howse be profitably healed thowe wouldest forsake I am sure all wordely welthe and wantons abrode to ioyne with oure Churche ageine And that the name of the Church deceiue the not this is the true Churche saith Lactantius In qua est religio Lib. 4. Cap. 30. de sap confessio poenitentia quae peccata vulnera quibus est subiecta inbecillitas carnis salubriter curat In whiche deuotion confessiō and poenaūce wherby the woūdes of mānes frailty are profitably cured be founde FINIS PRIORIS LIBRI THE SECONDE BOOKE INTREATING OF THE PRAYERS AND OTHER ORDINARY reliefe that the Church of Christ procureth for the soules departed THE PREFACE OF THIS Booke vvherein the matter of the treatise and the ordre of the Authors proceading be briefely opened WE haue now taried very longe in the consideration of Goddes iustice and mighty scourge not only for the euerlasting outcastes but also for the exacte trial of the chosen childrens wayes The behoulding whereof must neades ingender som sorowe and sadnesse of minde and with all as it commonly happeth in oure frailety a certaine bitter taediousnesse bothe in the writer and the reader 2. Cor. 7. thoughe for my parte I will say with S. Paule that it greueth me neuer a whit that I haue in my tallke geuen yowe occasion of sadnesse being assured that this praesent grefe may woorke perfect poenaunce to vndoubted saluation But the wearinesse of that roughe part which might bothe by the weight of the matter and allso by my rude handeling quickely arise to the studious reader I shall in this booke wholy wype away not by arte or pleasaunt fall of wordes whiche in plaine dealing is not much requisite but by the singulare comforte of oure cause In the continuall course whereof we shall ioy more and more at the behoulding of Goddes passing mercy in remission of sinnes and mitigation of the paines whiche iustice enioyned For nowe we must talke howe the fyry sworde of Goddes ire may be turned from his people Whiche Ambros as one of the fathers truely saide beareth a great shewe of vengeaunce and iudgement bicause it is named a fyry sworde but yet knowē withall to be a tourning sword that is gladius versatilis Rupert in 3. c. Genes it shall geue greate cause of comforte againe O sapientes saith deuoute Damascene ad vos loquor scrutamini erudimini quia plurimus est timor Dei domini omnium sed multò amplior bonitas formidabiles quidem minae In orat pro defunctis incomparabilis autem clementia horrenda quidem supplicia ineffabile autem miserationum suarum pelagus Thus he speaketh of Purgatory and mercy O yowe of the wise sorte to yowe doo I speake searche and learne A comparison off the mercy and iudgement off God tovvardes the soules in Purgatory ▪ and that mercy is more that the feare of God the Lorde of all thinges is maruailous muche but his goodnesse farre ouerreacheth it His threatning exceding feareful but his clemency vncōparable the praepared poonishmēts doubtlesse horrible but the bottōlesse sea of his mercies is vnspeakable so saide he Therfore if our sinnes forgeuen were neuer so greuous or oure vicious lyfe so farre wasted in idle welth that space of fructefull poenaunce and opportunity of well woorking by the nightes approching and oure Lordes sodden calling be taken away in whiche longe differring of oure amendement heuy and sore execution must neades for iustice sake be done yet lett vs not mistrust but God measureth his iudgement with clemency and hath ordeined meanes to procure mercy and mitigate that sentēce euē in the middest of that fyry doongion that the vessels of grace and the redemed flocke may worthely sing bothe mercy and iudgement to oure gracious God who in his angre forgetteth not to haue compassion nether withdraweth his pity in the middest of his ire Psal 76. For this imprisonment endureth no longer then our debtes be paide this fyre wasteth no further then it findeth matter to consume this discriet and wise flame as som of the fathers before termed it chastiseth no lōger thē it hath cause to correcte Yea oftē before this fyre by course of iustice can cease God quencheth it with his sonnes bloude recompenseth the residew by oure maisters merittes The motions off Goddes mercy In releasing or mitigation of the payne of Purgatory and accepteth the carefull crie of oure moother the Churche for her children in paine The memorie off Christes death liuely and effectually settfourth in the soueraigne misteries vpon the Altare in earth entereth vpp to the praesence of his seate and procureth pardon in heauen aboue The merites of all sanctes the praier of the faithefull the woorkes of the charitable bothe earnestly aske and vndoubtedly finde mercye and grace at his hande For of suche the Prophet Dauid asketh Nunquid in aeternum proijciet Deus aut continebit in ira sua misericordias suas Psal 76. Will God caste theime awaye for euer or will he shutte vpp his mercy when he is angrie No he wil not Li. 1. de poenit Cap. 1. so saith S. Ambrose Deus quos proijcit non in aeternum proijcit God casteth of many whome he doothe not euerlastingly forsake Then let vs seeke the wayes of this so mercyfull a Lorde that we may take singulare comforte therin oure selues agaynst the day of oure accompte and indeuour mercyfully to helpe oure deare bretherne so afflicted lest if we vse not compassion towardes theime we iustly receyue at Goddes hande for the rewarde of oure vnmercyfulnesse iudgement and iustice with owte mercy The cruell aduersary of man kynde as before he wrought his woorste against Purgatory so here he busely pricketh forward the schoole of protestantes to improue to theire owne vtter damnation and the notable hinderaunce of oure louing bretherns saluation all suche meanes as God by scripture or other testimony of his worde hathe reueled to be proffitable for thabating of payne or the release of the apoynted poonishment in that place of temporal tormente to com Against whiche deceiuers I meane by Goddes helpe in this ordre to trauel First I will proue that sinnes may be pardoned or the debt and bond thereof released in the next worlde then I shal shewe what meanes the holy scripture approueth or thexample thereof a
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
gather the religiouse men and priestes the faithfull people withe the cleargye we inuite allso the poore the needy and the fatherlesse with the widowes and we fille theire bealies that the memoriall of their rest may be kept solemnely But Tobies scholare may lerne his duety yet better of the Apostles owne scholare S. Clement In compēd epistolae ad Iacob fratrem domini who once or twise hathe these wordes in effect To viset the sick to bury the dead to kepe they re obittes to pray and giue almose for theime is commendable vpon whose wordes I will not nowestande bicause by and by other occasion must driue me to repeate for the worthynes of the man and the weight of his testimonie more playne euidēce of his church and time Yf thow here yet doubt howe the prayer work or sacrifice of one man a lieue may helpe a nother departed remembre alwaies what I saide in the beginning for the knott of our brotherhood and society in one body and vnder one heade and thowe shalte not wōder howe one membre by compassion may helpe and relieue another Iob. 1. 2. And ther with for example consider howe the sacrifice of Iob and dayly almose were auayleable for the misdeedes of his children and appeaced goddes wrathe towardes his importunate frendes And thoughe his benefite wēt onely then emongest the liuing in this worlde nether his children nor frendes at that time departed yet the case of the liuinge emōgest theime selues differeth nothing herin from the cōmunion and felouship which the departed in Christ hathe withe the liuinge in earthe And therfor I bring thexample of Iob emōgest many like in scripture for that S. Chrisostom fitly inducethe the same to proue the partakyng of good workes to be common as well betwixte the liue and deade as of the liuinge emongest theime selues These be his wordes in englishe Lett vs helpe our bretherne departed keping a memory of theime In 15. cap. 1. cor Homil 14. For if the oblation of Iob pourged his children why doubtest thow of the solace that maye arise by oure offeringes vnto suche as be asleape in Christ seeing God is pleased withe som for other mennes sakes It was so knowne a truethe in that time that they neuer putt difference nor doubte any more of the mutuall helpe of the liue towardes the deade then they did for that benefite which in Christes Church one man may houlde of a nother But that I may serue not only the turne of trueth but with plainnes also enstruct the vnlerned and with store satisfie the godly greedinesse of summe that list see more for the conforte of theire conscience I will report one notable place for the declaration of charities force euen towardes the deceased Ex Damasceno pro defunctis out of Gregory Nissen of the greeke church and another oute of Athanasius the greate bothe directly touching the practise of good Tobie in cōpassion off the deade Thus saith Gregory Dicitur bene quòd si qui hinc non praemissis bonis migrauerint postea à familiaribus neglecta oblatis reliquijs sarciantur imputari opus perinde ac ab eis factum fuerit est enim haec voluntas benignissimi Domini vt cre aturae quae ad salutē petuntur sic petātur distribuantur et vt exoretur non solū quādo quis pro salute propria est anxius sed quando pro proximo aliquid operatur in english It is very well saide that if any depart this life his gooddes by almose being not send to god before him and yet afterward the matter by his frendes in the offering vpp the residewe be amended that his frendes facte shall stande and be reputed as his owne worke For so hathe God of his mercy ordeined that his creatures by vse wherof life and saluation may be obteined shoulde so be procured and in this ordre disposed that man shoulde not onely obteine his request in the carefull study of his oune saluation butt also when be well worketh for his frend or neighbour Here may we well perciue Psal 24. that al the waies of oure Lorde be mercy and trueth And that he in a maner releauethe of his owne accorde oure miseries bothe here and in the next lyfe that there may be no damnation to suche as be in Christ Iesus for whose sakes he turnethe these base creatures of mannes seruice in this lyfe to the vse of his pardon and saluation in the lyfe to coom he acceptethe the good will and trauel of other for the helpe of theyme which can not relieue theime selues And which is the property of a most mercifull father where he loueth he he wil raise the hearte of sum good intercessor that by patronage and praiers of sum Iust Iob his fury may cease by his owne procurement But howe this mutuall woorke of mercye is currant through the membres of our common body and howe being practised by one it seruethe before God for a nother ether in this lyefe or the next oure holy father Athanasius by his authority might well be a proufe sufficiēt but he is contēt to declare it vnto vs by an example and suche an exāple that beside the matter may further put vs in remēbraunce of the deuotiō of our elders in an other point which the studious reader may marke by the waie thus thē he saith Quod in pauperes collocatur beneficiū omnis bonae retributionis est augmentū Itaque pro defuncto oblaturus eundem serues scopū quē qui pro paruulo filio adhuc imbecillo infāte interim dū puer aegrotat affert cerā oleū thimiama in templum Domini magna fide accendit pueri nomine neque enim puer hoc faceret cū ignoret diuinae regenerationis cōstitutiones Sic cogitet etiā eū qui in dn̄o mortē obijt et posse et offerre cerā oleū caetera quae in redemptionem offerri solent The benefit bestowed vpō the poore is a soueraigne ground of Goddes rewarding And in thy oblatiōs for the departed haue alwaies the same intēt and scope that a father hathe practising for the recouery of his sick child being yonge and tender Who for his sick sonne bringeth in to the Churche of oure Lorde God waxe oyle incense and with deuotion and faith lighteth theime in the boyes behallfe for that the child hym selfe being wholy vnskillfull of the ordinauncies of oure Christianity would neuer go about any suche thinge euen so must a man thinke of the deceased persons case that he may and doothe offer as in an other mās person waxe oyle and suche like as commonly for redēption are offered Withe proufe of oure matter in hād here may be noted beside the vsual oblation of thinges apperteining to the mainteinaunce of Churche light and lampes In Athanasius his tyme candels vvere lighte in Churchies for theire sakes that vvere deade sick or absent setting
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
theire lyefe were sinners and sum wicked men too who yet being in Christes Churche and vsing the benefite of the blessed sacraments had they re sinnes so forgeuen that not purging theire wicked lyefe by sufficient poenaunce in theire dayes they must of necessety entre into the torment of transitory fyere there to be poonishid not in rage and rigoure with out pity but in anger of fatherly correction ioyned with clemency and much mercye Origen is alleaged for oure cause vpon vvhose erroure in a matter sumvvhat apperteyning to oure purpose S. Augustines iudgemeÌ„t is more largely soght and ther vvith it is declared by testimony of diuerse holy authors vvhat sinnes be chefely purged in that temporall fyre Cap. 8. THese three noble learned men might right wel satisfie oure search for the sense of the textes bothe off the Prophet and Apostle and persuade any reasonable man in the whole cause yet for that there be som that meane not to relent in their lewde opinions for light proffers I will store theime with testimonyes Origenes one of greate antiquity in many places of his woorkes vnderstandeth bothe the saide textes of Malachie and S. Paule in the like sorte by whome we may well take a greate taste of the tyme and churche where he liued what men of wisdom and vertue then iudged off thinges whiche nowe of fooles be contemned and of haeretikes condemned also But namely vpon the prophet Ieremy in these wordes Homil. 12. Si post fundamentum Iesu Christi non solum in tuo corde aurum argentum lapidem praeciosum superaedificaueris verum ligna foenum stipulam quid tibi vis fieri cum anima seiuncta fuerit a corpore vtrum ne ingredi vis in sancta cum lignis tuis foeno stipula vt polluas regnum dei an propter lignum foenum stipulam foris residere vis pro auro argento lapide precioso nil mercedis accipere sed neque hoe aequum est Quid ergo sequitur nisi vt primuÌ„ propter lignum ignistibi detur qui consumat foenum lignum stipulam c. Yf vpon the foundation which is Christe Iesus thou do not onely buylde goulde siluer and preciouse stone but allso woodde hay and strawe what doost thou looke for after thy death willt thow entre into the holy places with thy wodde hay and stoble and defile the kingdom off God or elles for thy woodde hay and straw thow wilte abyde furthe and so lyese the rewarde of thy goulde siluer and preciouse stone But that were no reason then there is no way but one first to receyue fier for to consume and burne owte thy wood hay and stooble and then afterward to receyue for thy better workes the rewarde of saluation â–ª so saith Origen Whose iudgement iff any man mistrust in this poynt bicause he erred in other let him learne to miscredet onely his or other mennes singulare opinions and priuate phantasyes wherin they disagreed from the residew of the common body of Christ his Churche and not contemne in any man the confirmation of the vniuersal sense Basil Cap. penult de spiritu sancto whiche he findeth in the vniforme doctrine of all other Christian Catholikes In deede it was so euident that this Purgatory fyre of whiche the Apostle speaketh shoulde be in the other lyefe that this learned man afterward leauing the meaning whiche the holy Church had opened for the prouf off certeyne transitory poonishment in the next worlde for meaner offenders woulde of his owne heade go forwarde whiche is the bane of many a goodly witt and mainteyne that all greuous crimes Vincent lyr and most wicked maners might be purged by this fyre after death and the partyes in tyme saued De fide operibus Cap. 16. so that they had faithe for theire foundation â–ª wherby as S. Augustine noteth of him he made onely faith to saue the wicked withowte repentaunce or good workes Ageinst whiche perniciouse errour the saide doctour often writeth and proueth that this place of S. Paule can not make for the delyuery of the wicked or greuous offenders in any case And being sumwhat vrged by the aduersaryes arguments or elles bicause he woulde take all howlde from theyme whiche they seemed to haue by that scripture he seeketh theime owte another meaning not contrary at all to the trueth of Purgatory but yet farther off theire purpose Declaring that this fyer might as he saith there signify summe grefe off this worlde for the abatyng of summe inordinate affections that be founde in many euen towardes thinges otherwise lawfull Thoughe he was very lothe to auouche this as the vndouted meaning of that scripture being pleaced with any other wherby they shoulde not be forced to deny the aeternall damnation of impaenitent sinners as in deede he neuer gaue this meaning but where the Origenistes did vrge him and in such places only where he answereth to Origens argumentes â–ª for in other places where he was free from contention with the saide sectes he euer in expresse termes grounded the doctrine of Purgatory vpon the Apostles wordes Yea euen in the same answere to the aduersary he was so mindful of Goddes iustice in the world to coom and ferd lest he might geue any occasion of the contrary errour to deny purgatory that in the same talke with the Origenistes he confesseth there might wel be summe greffe in the nexte lyefe allso which might likewise purge and delyuer a man from the loue of transitory thinges wherwithe the best sorte of men be in this our misery often very sore loden Allthoughe in dede he doubted whether any suche affection and loue of thinges deare vnto vs in this worlde as of wiefe kinred acquaintance Euch Câ—p. 67. 68. or suche lyke might remaine in man after his departure hense and so there in time to be lessened and in fine vtterly remoued or worne away by som greefe and sorow which in the nexte lyefe might by the lacke of the said things vexe and molest his minde As we see it commuÌ„ly faule in this present liefe where man by diuerse proffitable troobles of this worlde lerneth to set light by thinges which in ordre he might well loue being for all that more merite to forsake theyme Euch Cap. 69. And of this pointe S. Augustine hathe these wordes in one place Tale aliquid fieri etiam post banc vitam incredibile non est vtrum ita sit quaeri potest sum such thing may well be after this lyefe and therof quaestion may be made This clerkly argument our englishe apologie vrgeth By whiche wordes the haeretikes of oure tyme ether of ignorance or of malice whiche be euer yoked to gether in suche men haue borne the simple in hand that this holy doctour doubted of Purgatory A little houlde wil serue such wringers because he doubted of it they beleue as they thinke by good authority that