the streght lyne of the Churchies truethe vvhiche in the exceding rashnesse of these darke daies a man may quickly lose And therefore to make sure I humbly submit my selfe to the iudgement of suche oure masters in faithe and religion as by Goddes callinge are made the lavvful pastors of our soules Of vvhome I had rather learne my self theÌ„ teach other if ether they had occasion and opportunity to speake or I might of reason and duety in these miserable times hould my peace Fare vvell geÌ„tle Reader and if I pleasure thee by my paynes lett me for Christes sake be partaker of thy prayers At Antvverp the Second of May. 1565. GOOD READER BEARE with these small faultes or other which in this difficulty of printing there where oure tonge is not vnderstaÌ„ded must needes be committed Fo. 12. Pag. 2. Li. 14. Reade for sacraledge sacriledge Fo. 16. Pag. 1. Li. 7. Reade for iokyng yokyng Fo. 29. Pag. 2. Li. 17. Reade for mamed named Fo. 37. Pag. 2. Li. 11. Reade for hauno haue no. Fo. 45. Pag. 2. Li. 21. Reade for non sum non sim Fo. 110. Pag. 2. Li. 13. Reade for appirition apparition Fo. 120. Pag. 2. Li. 13 Reade for vnfayded vnfayned Fo. 152. Pag. 1. Li. 6. Reade for maked naked Fo. 152. Pag. 2. Li. 1. Reade for so set to set Fo. 157. Pag. 1. Li. 10. Reade for so say to say Fo. 186. Pag. 2. Li. 17. Reade for author altare Fo. 196. Pag. 1. Li. 12. Reade for playnes plaine Fo. 224. Pag. 1. Li. 19. Reade for langnange language Fo. 231. Pag. 1. Li. 3. Reade for CarthagieÌ„si cruditius Carthaginensi eruditus Fo. 234. Pag. 2. Li. 8. Reade for ys his Fo. 241. Pag. 1. Li. 2. Reade for it is Fo. 243. Pag. 1. Li. 6. Reade for is it say is to say Fo. 270. Pag. 1. Li. 1. Reade for Nire Nice THE PRAEFACE VVher in be noted tvvo sortes of Haeretikes th one pretending vertue thother openly professing vice And that our tyme is more troubled by this second sâ—â—â— VVith a briefe note of the Authors principall intent in this Treatise ALl thoughe haeresie and all willfull blyndnesse of mannes mind be vndoutedly a iuste plage of God for sinne and therfore is commonly ioyned with euil lyefe both in the people and preachers therof as the historye of all agies and sondry examples of the scriptures may plâ—â—â—ely proue yet by the gyle and crafty conueiaunce of oure common enimy the deuil The deuil les â—raâ—te in â—â—â—motyng errour faulshod is often so cloked in shadowe and shape of truethe and the maisters therof make suche showe of vertue and godly liefe that vowe woulde thinke it had no affinity withe vice nor origine of mannes misbehauiour at all So did he couer the wicked haeresies of Manicheus Hieron in 7. cap. Osee Marcion Tatianus and the like with a fained flourishe of continency and chastitye so did he ouercast thenimy of goddes grace Pelagius Augustin pist 120. withe thapparance of all grauity constancy and humilitye and so hathe he allwaies where crafte was requisite to his intent made shewe of a simple sheepe in the cruell carkase of a wyly woulfe This good condition S. Paule noted in him in these wordes 2. Cor. 11. Ipse enim Satanas transfigurat se in Angelum lucis For Satanas his owne person shapeth him sellfe into an Angel of lighte And that his scholars play the like parte oure master Christe of singulare loue gaue his 〈◊〉 this wache worde for a speciall prâ— iso Matth. 7. Attendite a falsis prophaetis qui veniunt ad vos in vestimentis ouium intrinsecus autem sunt lupi rapaces Take heede of faâ—â—e prophets that coom in shepes vesture but withe in be rauening woulues He sawe that seeth all thinges that the outeward face of feyned holinesse might easely cary a way the simple he detected the serpents suttelty that none might iustly pleade ignorance in a case so common and vvithall for thenstruction of the faithfull he gaue falshood and her fortherers this marke for euer that conuey they neuer so cleane or close yet they re vnseemely workes shulde euer detect they re fayned faithe But all this notwithstandinge if we deaply wey the whole course of thinges we shall fyende that this counterfaityng of vertue and showe of pietye is not the perpetuall intent of the deuils deuise but rather a needefull shift in forthering his practise there onely where faith and vertue be not vtterly extinguished then the full ende of any one of all his endeuoures The deuils marke and thexteame and of haeresy For this may we assuredly fynd to be the scope and pricke of all his cursed trauel to set sinne and her folowers in suche freedom that they neade not as often elles for they re protection the cloke of vertue nor habite of honesty but that they may bouldly encounter wyth the good and godly and in open ostentation of they re mischiefe ouer ron all trueth and religion Wherfore as he often cloketh suttell haeresies in honest lyefe and vertues weede so when he by liklihoods conceyueth hope of better successe and forther aduentures he then openethe a common schole of sinne and wickednesse where mischife may with out colour or crafte be bowldely maynteyned This open schole of iniquitye Hieron sup 13. Ezech. and doctryne of sinne he once busely erected in the gentilitye by the infamous philosopher Epicurus and his adherentes teaching to the singulare offense of honestye pleasure and voluptuousnes to be thonly end of all owre lyefe and endeuours The whiche pleasaunt secte though it euer sence hath had som promotours yet the very shade of fayned vertue and worldely wisdom of those dayes withe ease bare downe that enterprice This brode practise was yet forther attempted euen in Christes Church first by Eunomius Eunomius who doubted not in the face of the worlde to auouche that none coulde perishe weere his woorkes neuer so wicked that woulde be of his faithe And then by Iouinianus Iouinianus who taughte the contempt of Christian fastes matched mariage wythe holy maidenhood and afterward to the greate woonder of all the churche perswaded certeyne religious weemeÌ„ in Rome to forsake they re first faithe and marye to they re damnation For whiche plaine supporting of vndoubted wickednesse S. Hierom callethe theime often Christian Epicures Contr. Iou. lib. 2 boulsterers of sinne and doctours of luste and lecherye Neuer the lesse the force of goddes grace whiche was greate in the springe of oure religion the sinne of the worlde not yet riepe for suche open showe of licentious lyefe speedely repressed that wicked attempt â–ª Ad quod vult de haeresi 82. for as S. Augustine declarethe it was so cleare a falshood that it neuer grewe to deceyue any one of all the cleargy But not longe after with muche more aduantage the like practise was assaied by Mahomet the deuilles only dearling by whome numbers of wyeues
carefull admonitions of all these blessed fathers they shall perceiue that euery time that Christes holy bloude is represented vnto God in the Masse for the departed they feele a present benefite and release of theire paines Quaest 34. ad Antioch they doo reioyse saithe holy Athanasius when the vnbloudy host is offered for theim The owlde fathers to put a difference betwixt the sacrificing of Christes own body vpon the crosse and the same vppon the altare in the Churche doo lightly terme this way of offering the vnbloudy sacrifice and the thinge offered which is Christes oune blessed body they call lykewise the host vnbloudie And Chrisostō neuer putting any doubt of the firste authors of offering for the deade prouethe that it is exceding beneficiall to the deceased bicause the apostles full of goddes spirite and wisdom woulde elles neuer withe suche care haue commaunded this holy action to be doone for theime Alasse a lasse for oure deare frendes departed that they must lacke this comforte But wo euerlasting to theyme that are the cause of so muche misery But heare I pray yowe what notable wordes S. Damascen hathe for the vtility and institution of these thinges Ibidem The holy Apostles and disciples saith he of oure sauiour Christe haue decried that in the dread soueraigne vndefiled and lyuely Sacraments so he cauleth the Masse there shoulde be kept a memoriall of those that haue taken theire slepe in faithe the which ordinaunce vntyll this day withowt gainsayng or controwlyng the Apostolike and Catholike Churche of God from one cost of the wyde worlde to another hathe obserued and shall religiously kepe til the worlde haue an end For doubtlesse these thinges that the Christiā religiō which is with owt error and free frō faulshod hath so many agies and worldes continued vnuiolably not with oute vrgent cause those thinges I say are not vaine but profitable to man acceptable to God and very necessarye for our saluation Thus farre spake the doctor settyng furthe not onely his owne mynd but the faithe of a numbre of the peeres of goddes Churche wherin to proue this doctrine to be catholike he fitly followeth the same way which Vincentius Lyrinensis gaue vs once for a ruele to trye truethe by The rule of trueth Prouing that it hathe antiquitie as a thing that came and hathe continued euen from the beginnyng of the Christian religion declaring that it hathe the consent of all natiōs bicause it is and hath bene practised throughe owt al the costes and corners of the wyde world and last that it hath the approbatiō of the wiseist and holiest mē that euer were in the Church of Christ And more thē all this that it shal so cōtinue till thend though it be for a time in sum peculiare natiōs omitted bicause it is receiued into a parte of that woorship of God which in the Church cā not perishe And this praescription of trueth our aduersaries can not auoyde but with suche vnseemely dealing as I trust they theim selues now be ashamed of as all other reasonable men are For now let theim coom with brasen facies and blasphemous tonges and say that praiers for the deade be vnprofitable that the rites of the burial be superstitious that to say the masse and sacrifice to be propitiatory for the soules departed is iniurious to Christes death that the doctors praised the errours of the ignorāt people of their daies that they all erred and were deceiued that the church of Christe hathe bene ledde in darke ignorance till these oure daies let theime bestowe these vayne presumptious wordes where they may take place for nowe all wise men doo perceiue that all these haue theire holy institution by Christe and his Apostles practised vniuersally in the primitiue Churche embrased of all godly people and approued to be wholy consonant to goddes worde by the pillors of Christes churche who so cōsonantly agree together in this point as well for the practise and proufe as for the beginning therof that to dissent from theime and trust in these reedes of oure daies were mere madnesse that are pufte to and fro with euery blast of doctrine that care not what they say so that they say not as other theire forefathers sayed that had rather then they woulde geue ouer a singulare opinion of theire owne imagination refuse and denie the authoritye of so many notable wise auncient godly and well learned fathers whome we haue named Although we haue left owt many of no woorse iudgement planely auouching these thinges to coom in to Christes Churche and woorship by the ordinaunce of his holy Apostles All which thinges if oure aduersaries haue redde then they are in a most miserable and heuy taking that doo withstand an open knowne truthe Heretikes doo agaynst theire ovvne cōsciences and as I feare against theire owne consciencies too Or if they haue not redde these plaine assertions of all lerned men sithe Christes tyme then they are most impudēt that so vainely bragge in a matter whereof they are not skilful But I trust God wil opē their eyes and breake theire prowde hartes to the obedience of his holy Churche Yf the authors be past hope yet their folowers shall take goodly occasion to forsake suche wicked maisters and be ashamed of all theire vndecent dealyng if they note and consider with me that the firste preachers of this peruerse opinion were suche that none of all theire scholares durst euer for shame for the profe of theire assertion name theire owne doctors Note And truely a man might well meruel why haeretikes hauing sum that did plainely professe theire opinions had yet rather picke owte sum darke sentence of any one of oure holy fathers whome they knowe to be directly against theime then oute of those same doctors of their own which in expresse wordes make for theime Yow shall not lightly heare an haeretike that deniethe prayng to sanctes or houldeth with open breache of holy vowes alleage Iouinianus or Vigilātius Nor a Sacramentarie seeke for the autoritye of Berengarius or Wicleffe thoughe they be of sum antiquitie and with out colour plainely doo mainteyne the doctrine that so well lyketh theime But they will trauell to writhe with plaine iniurie to the author Note the gile of an heretike sum sentence owt of Augustine or Ambrose or sum other that by theire whole lyfe and practise open theime selues to the worlde to beleue the cōtrary and al this by sum shewe of wordes for the bearing of their faulse assertions Marke it well I saye in heretikes that they can not for shame of theime selues Note euer name any of the plaine auouchers of theire owne opininions The cause is that the onely vpholding of their opinions made theime infamous to the whole posterity And if any honoure grewe vnto theime emongest the simple bicause they lacked not the waies to procure the peoples consent with admiration of theire eloquence or other plausible and populare
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
to gether often diuorcyes and perpetuall chaunge for noueltye was permitted By whiche doctrine of lust and liberty the floure of Christiandom a lasse for pitye was caried a way At whiche tyme thonghe oure faithe and Christes Churche were broght to a smaule roume and very greate straites yet by goddes grace good ordre and necessary discipline this schoole of luste hathe bene reasonably tyll oure dayes kepte vnder and the grauity of Christiane maners as the tyme serued orderly vphoulden But nowe once agayne in oure cursed dayes the great flowe of sinne tourning goddes mercy from vs withe exceding prouocation of his heuy indignatiō towardes the wicked hathe made oure aduersarye muche more bowlde and longe practise of mischeffe Genes 3. a greate deale more skilfull The serpent passed all other creatures in suttelty at the beginninge but nowe in cruelty he farre passeth him selfe The deuil taketh better houlde in ovvre tyme then he did before The downefall that he hathe in a fewe yeares rage dryuen man vnto by thopen supporting of sinfull liuing it is sure very wofull to remembre and an excedinge heartes greife to consider Looke backe at the Christian Epicures whome I nowe named and vewe the men of like indeuoure in all agies cōpare they re attempts to oures they re doctrine to oures the whole raise of theire proceadinges to oures And if we matche theyme not in all pointes and passe theyme in moste I except the wicked Mahomet and God graunte I may so doo longe thoughe they had oute of his holy schoole they re oftē diuorcyes and newe mariagies in they re wieues lyefe excepting him therefore if oures passe not in open practise of mischiefe and supportation of sinne all the residue miscredit me for euer This is euident to all men that thinges once counted detestable before god abhorred of the priestes straung to the Christian people poonishable by the lawes of all princyes be nowe in case to mainteyne theyme selues to geue vertue a checke mate and withe oute all coloure to beare downe bothe right and religion Thus dothe sacraledge bouldely beare owte it sellfe Behoulde the liberty of sinne and ouerreacheth the promoters of goddes honoure so dothe incest encounter with lawfull mariage the vnordered Apostates shoulder the ordinarye successours of the Apostles Feasting hathe wonne the field of fasting and chambering allmost banished chastitye It was surely a wonderfull fetche of oure busy aduersary when he so ioyned haeresy and euill liefe together that ether might be a singulare guarde to thother and bothe together easely be the plage of all good order And nowe the matter broghte to suche tearmes and so euident an isshue for the cleare gayne of sinne here neadeth no Caueat for the fructes of the doctryne as in other cloked haeresies before and continually in case of deceyte is requisite for no man can be deceiued here but he that willingly and weitingly liste perishe Hauing no excuse reasonable why he should folow or credet the publike professoures of plane impietie vnlest this may be accompted cause sufficient of his light creditt that they tearme the forsaide offensies and others the lyke not by they re accustomed callinges Note but by some honester name of vertue Whiche thing rather shewethe theire foly then excusethe they re malice For they must here be asked by what righte they chaunge the names of thinges that can not allter they re natures Who authorished theyme to call that extirpation of superstition whiche oure fathers cauled sacraledge Or that blinde deuotion whiche oure holy elders named true religion Howe can they for sinne and shame honoure that with the name of holy mariage that S. Ambrose termeth aduoultry Amb. ad Virg. lapsā Cap. 5. S. Augustin worse thē aduoultery and they withe all the residewe of the doctors August de bono vid. Cap. 8. horrible incest But bicause they can shewe no warraunt I must charge theyme for they re laboure withe goddes curse pronounced vpon all suche by the prophets wordes thus as foloueth Vae qui dicitis malum bonum Isai 5. bonum malum ponentes tenebras lucem lucem tenebras Wo to you that call euil good and good euill making darknes light and the light darknesse But as I saide in suche open showe of wickednesse and all vnliklyhood of they re assertions there can none doubtles ioyne withe theime except they be allured by present pleasure Sinne driueth men to the doctrine of this tyme. or drieuen hedlonge by the heuy lode of sinne For as I thinke they doo not folowe these secte masters as scholares moued by any probability of theire teachers persuation but rather ioyne vnto theyme as fitte felowes of theire lustes and good companions for they re owne condicions Ostendisti tales discipulos saithe S. Hierom to Iouinian non fecisti Li. 2. Thou hast but opened to the worlde who be thy folowers and not procured theyme thy selfe to be thy scholars 2. ad Tim. Cap. 4. Yea S. Paul affirmeth by such louers of lustes whom he calleth Voluptatum amatores that they shoulde geue ouer the true teachers and prouide or make masters for they re owne touthe Ad sua desideria coaceruabunt sibi magistros Sinne therefore as it semethe hathe ingendred and framed her sellfe this newe faithe for the guarde and salfty of her person And the vngodlye procured for theire owne diete masters of perdition redy bothe by life and doctrine to forther the lustes of licentious persons to serue the itchinge eares of newe fangled folkes and so to sett theyme in all security wythe wordes of peace and pleasure Call to your memories the first entraunce of this misery Iudas in epist Can. and yowe shall finde howe they had certeyne persons in admiration as the Apostle saithe for they re owne aduantage Sence whiche tyme these preachers haue by obseruation raysed vppe a perfecte schoole off flatterie and broght the detestable excusing of most horrible sinnes vnto a formall arte In Eunuch It is longe sithe the Poete feaned that Gnato would haue bene thauthor of a secte and haue had som scholares to beare his name Here he might haue had for his tourne but that the Epicure hathe praeuented him The Prophet Ezechiel termethe this pernicious flattery in maters of suche importaunce the boulstering of wickednes And geueth a heuy blessinge from allmighty God to all boulsterers in these wordes Cap. 13. Vae his qui consuunt puluillos sub omni cubito manus faciunt ceruicalia sub capite vniuersae aetatis ad capiendas animas Wo be to all theyme that sawe cuisshens vnder the elbowe of euery arme and bowlster vp the heades of al ageis meaning to Catche they re soules And surely if this curse tooke euer hould of any as it coulde not proceade from goddes mouthe in vayne it must nedes faule streght downe vpon these men that wholy bend theime selues thus to vphoulde iniquitye and to sett sinne softe
here in the worlde benethe which is a straunge case hath force and effect in heaueÌ„ aboue The poure of all potentates vnder the maiesty of the blessed Trinity in heauen and earthe is extreme basenesse compared to this By this graue authority therfore the pastors and priestes imitating goddes iustice haue exercised continually poonishement froÌ„ the springe of Christian religion downe till these daies vppon al sinners perpetually enioyning for satisfiyng of goddes wrathe poenaunce and woorkes of correction ether before they would absolue theime as the oulde vsage was or elles after the release of theire offensies wiche now of late for graue causes hath bene more vfed In whiche sentence of theire iudgment we plainely see that as there was euer accompt made emongest all the faithfull of paine due vnto sinne thoughe the very offense it selfe and the giltinesse as yow woulde saye thereof were forgiuen before so we maye gather that it was euer enioyned by the priestes holy ministery after the quality and quantity of the faulte committed Whereupon they charged som meaner offenders with certaine praiers onely other with large allmose diuerse with longe fasting many withe perilous peregrinations sum with suspending froÌ„ the sacramentes and very greuous offenders with curse and excommunication Wherby thou maiste not onely proue that there is paine to be suffred for thy sinnes Excommunication hath the image of goddes iustice in the vvorld to coom but allso haue a very image of that misery whiche in the next lyefe may faule not only to the damned for euer but allso to all other whiche neglected in this tyme of grace the fructes of poenaunce and woorkes of satisfaction for thanswer of they re lieues past This greate correction of excommunication and separation from the sacramentes Virgam S. Paule termeth the rodde wherwith he often threatened offenders 1. ad Timo. yea and somtymes thoughe it was with greate sorowe the pounishment was so extreame he mightely in Goddes steade occupied the same Cap. 2. 1. Cor. 5. As once ageinst Himemeus and Alexander and another tyme towardes a Corinthian vpon whome being absent he gaue sentence of theire delyuery vppe to Satan not to be vexed off him as Iob was for thencrease of merite In 1. ad Cor. ca. 5. saithe Chrisostom but in theire flesshe meruelously to be tormented for paiment for theire greuous offensyes and as the Apostle writeth of the Corinthian that his soule might be false in the day of oure lorde This poonishment was euer by cutting of from the Christiane society and often ioyned with torment of body or sicknesse And sumtymes withe deathe Act. 5. Note As in thexcommunication off Ananias and Zaphiras Whiche Christes vicar S. Petre to the greate terrour euen of the faithfull grauely pronounced on theyme for retayning backe certayne Churche gooddes whiche by promesse they had before dedicated vnto god and thapastles distribution August de Carrep gra ca. 5. This kinde of poonishment of sinners was euer counted so terrible that we fiend it caulled of the oulde fathers damnation Ita Gregâ— Nis orat de Castigatione as one that most resembles the paynes of the worlde to coom off all other And iff man coulde see withe corporall eyes the misery of the party so condemned in Goddes church his hearte would brast and it would moue terroure of forther damnation euen to the stubborne contemners off the Churches authoritye The which censure of goddes priestes thoughe it was sumtymes to the euerlasting woe off suche offenders as neglected the benefite of that present payne yet commonly it was but chastisement and louing correction of oure deare moother for theire deliuery from greater greefe in the lyefe to coom And for this cause as thexample off all agies past may sufficiently proue Aug. Euch cap. 65. were certeyne tymes and ordinary termes of poenaunce apoynted for iuste satisfaction for euery offense and by the holy Canons so limited that no sinne weetingly might be reserued to Goddes â—euy reuenge in the end of oure short dayes It were to longe to reporte the rueles and prescription of poenaunce out of Nice Councell or Ancyre â—icen c â–ª 12. Ancyre 5 or out of S. Cyprian for theire pounishment that fell to Idolatry in the tyme of Decius and Diocletianus or out of Ambrose the notable excommunication of Theodosius themperour By al whiche and the lyke in the historys of the ecclesiasticall affaires he that can not see what payne is due vnto sinne euen after the remission therof I houlde him bothe ignorant and malitious blinde And if any man yet doubt why or to what ende the Church of Christ thus greuously tormenteth her oune children by so many meanes of heuy correction whome she might by good authoritye freely release of theire sinnes let him assuredly know that she coulde not so satisfye goddes iustice alwayes by whome she houldeth hâ— authoritye to edifye and not to destroie to byind as well as to lowse Althoughe suche dolour for offensyes committed and so ernest zele may she sum tymes finde in thoffender that her chiefe and principall pastors may by theire soueraigne authoritye wholy discharge him of all paines to coom But elles in the common case of Christian men this poenaunce is for no other cause enioyned Ibidem but to saue theime from the more greuous torment in the worlde folowing In the whiche sense S. Augustine bothe speake the him self and proueth his meaning by thapostles wordes as foloweth Propterea de quibusdam temporalibus poenis 1. Cor. 11. quae in hac vita peccantibus irrogantur eis quorum peccata delentur ne reseruentur in finem ait Apostolus si enim nosmetipsos iudicaremus a domino non iudicaremur Cum iudicamur autem a domino corripimur ne cuÌ„ hoc mundo damnemur Therfore saithe he it is of certaine temporall afflictions whiche be laide vpon theire neckes that being sinners haue theire trespasses pardoned lest they be called to an accompt for theime at the latter ende that the Apostle meaneth by when he saith Iff we would iudge oure selues we shulde not then be iudged of oure lorde And when we be iudged of oure lorde then are we chastened that we be not damned with the worlde This onely carefull kyndnesse of oure moother therfore that neuer remitted sinne that was notorious in any age but after sharpe poonishment or ernest charge withe sum proportionall poenaunce for the same doothe not onely geue vs a louing warning to be ware and preuent that heuy correction of the world to coom whiche S. Paule callethe the iudgement of God because it is a sentence of iustice but allso in her owne practise here in earth of mercy in pardoning of iustice in poonishement she geueth vs a very cleare example off bothe the same to be vndoubtedly loked for at thandes of God him selfe by whome in the kingdom of the church these bothe in his behallfe be proffitably practised â–ª for iff there
thowe so careful for wasting away in thy purgation what shal become of vs where all is drosse and no fine substance so continual sinning and so little sauluyng where the dignity of priesthood wherby thowe conceiued suche comforth is almost worn away his feare was so harty and his meditation of purgatory paines was so ernest that he conceyuith a doubt in respecte of his desertes of wasting away and further castinge in to damnation though he knewe right wel that man admitted to the temporall iudgement of the next worlde coulde not euerlastingly perishe but bicause the paines of the one is so lyke the other the greefe of theime bothe lightly occupieth mannes mynde at once especially where mannes case is doubtefull and often deserueth the worse of the twayne So S. Augustine lykewise after that he had vttered his feare of helle in the prophet Dauids person as I sayde once before streght he adioynethe his request vnto God to saue him from Purgatory paines by the Prophets wordes allso I will recyte his mynd in English In psal 37. O Lorde amend me not in thy anger but pourge me in this lyfe that I may escape the Amending fire whiche is praepared for suche as shall be saued throughe fire And why but bicause they buylde vpon the foundation woodde hay and strawe ▪ men might builde goulde siluer and praeciouse stones and so escape bothe the fyres th one off aeternall poonishment for the wicked and the other whiche shall correct theyme that must be saued through fyre But nowe bicause we reade that he surely shal be saued Note here Christian reader vvhether S. Augustin doubted of purgatory as the lying and vnlerned aduersaryes vvoulde make the simple people belieue therfore that fier is not much regarded And yet let theime be boulde of this that though they be saued by fier it shall yet be more fearse and greuous then any thing that man may susteine in this liefe thoughe bothe Martirs and malefactours haue suffered straunge tormentes Againe in an other place the same holy doctoure vttereth the like saing Whiche I will repeate also that the worlde may behowld the vniust dealing of the contrary part De vera falsae poeniten Cap. 18. that in the booke of theire excuse why they departed owte of the Churche they call it theire Apologie be not ashamed to auouche that S. Augustine sometimes denyed and sometimes doubted of Purgatory Thus he writeth then ageinst suche deceiuers and for the defense of him selfe and the Churches faithe Sed si etiam sic conuersus euadat vitam viuat non moriatur non tamen promittimus quod euadet omnem poenam Nam prius purgandus est igne purgationis qui in aliud saeculum distulit fructum conuersionis Hic autem ignis etsi aeternus non sit miro tamen modo est grauis excellit enim omnem poenam quam vnquam passus est aliquis in hac vita Nunquam enim in carne inuenta est tanta poena licet mirabilia passi sunt martyres multi nequiter iniqui tanta sustinueruut supplicia Studeat ergo quilibet sic delicta corrigere vt post moreem non oporteat talem poenam tolerare Yff a sinner saith he by his conuersion escape death and obteine liefe yet for all that I can not promesse him that he shal escape all paine or poonishmēt For he that differred the fructes of repentaunce till the next liefe must be perfyted in Purgatory fier And this fire I tell yowe thoughe it be not euerlasting yet it is passing greuous for it dooth farre excede all paine that man may suffer in this lyefe Neuer grefe in this flesh coulde be so greate as it thoughe Martirs haue abiden straunge tormentes and the worst sort of wicked men exceding greate poonishments Therfore let euery man so correcte his owne faultes that after his deathe he may escape that pityfull payne So farre S. Augustine By whom we see not only the trueth of our our Catholike doctrine lyuely and vehemently set forth butt to the greate feare of vs all the weght of Goddes sentence and the paine of that vntolerable poonishment as the Churche of his time taught and beleued to passe all mortall and transitory wo in the worlde Wherof The paines of purgatory hath bene reueled to many holy persons it hathe pleaced allmighty God sometimes to geue man a taste by calling summe one or other aboue the common rase of nature oute of this mortall liefe and speedy restoring him from the state of the departed to the company of the lyuing againe Whiche worke thoughe it be straunge in nature thought vnlykely to misbeleuers and contemned of such as woulde extinguishe the spirite of God 1. Tessal 5. yet it hath ben the vsuall practise sence the beginning of oure faithe and religion off the holy Gost so to trade mannes fraylty in faithe and feare of Goddes Iudgements Somtimes the liuing is in traunce or sodden chaunge by Goddes omnipotency taken vppe to the vewe as it weare of the vnspeakeable treasures of the praepared ioyes or extreme calamities of the world to coom So was the Apostle S. Paule he could not tell how him self 2. Cor. 12. called to the behoulding of Goddes maiesty and mysteries vnspeakeable Apocal. 20 So was S. Iohn in spirit caused oftē to behould and praesently in a maner to see not only the affayires of goddes Church til the worldes end but also the happy Seate of the lābe the aeternal ioy of thelect and the euerlasting lake of the damned with the infinite sorowe of all the forsaken sorte And so haue many one sith that time in the same spirite had a praesent taste of all those iudgements whiche by any meanes through the vnsercheable ordinaunce of God be praepared for sinners Ecclesi 46 1. Reg. 28. Sometimes also by the same force of the Spirite the departed haue appeared emongest the lieue as Samuel the prophet to king Saul vttering thinges to coom Or if that were not Samuel him self bicause that practise of vnlawfull artes may be thought not conuenient for the procuring of the Prophettes owne persons appirition Matth. 17. yet Moyses was in dede personally praesent with Christ in the Mounte at his trāsfiguration And as he at Christes cal came frō the dead owte of the bousom of Abrahā so did Elias at the same time coom frō Paradise as S. Augustin affirmeth and wer both conuersant and in talk with Christ and in the sight of the Apostles at once frō whense they departed att Christes appointement Intercourse betvvixt the liue and dead though it be not ordinary yet it is not impossible to theire seuerall abode and rest againe Whereuppon the same holy doctoure confesseth that these rare and meruelous workes of god though they folow not the common order of nature yet they be nether impossible nor vnpractised in Christes Churche Alij sunt saith he limites humanarum rerum alia diuinarū signa
virtutū alia sunt quae naturaliter alia quae mirabiliter fiunt De cura pro mor Cap. 16. The cōmon course and limites of mānes matters be of one sorte and the woonderous signes of goddes powre and vertue of an other the woorkes that naturally be wrought are nothing like suche thinges as meruailously and miraculously be done And as Christ in his owne person made many extraordinary workes to beare testimony of his diuinitye so he woulde that the glory of god and faithe in him shoulde take deape roote and large encrease through owte al nations not onely by preaching and worde but by woorkes also whiche the same holy goste for the saluation of the beloued flocke disposeth by the aeternal wisedom where when with whome and as he listeth Mary as these be the most secret waies and vnknowē steppes of goddes spirite and therefor most humbly to be reuerēced of the faithfull so bicause they are so farre from the rase of naturall affaires and muche ouerreache flesshe and bloodde they are often of fooles contemned and of the vnwise wisdom off worldlinges as extreme madnesse improued The expresse signes of Goddes spirite Mat. 12. wrought by the Sauioure of the worlde in his owne person were with singulare blasphemy of the prowde Iewes referred to Beelzebub The tokens and wonders wrought by his Apostles VVicked men haue euer resisted the holy Gost were attributed to vnlaufull artes and misconstrued of most miscreants to false intentes It was euer a speciall note of incredulity to blaspheme these peculiare steppes of the spirite S. Cyprian complainethe of suche misbeleuers in his time that woulde not agree to the trueth after especiall reuelations had of the same Lib. 4. epist 9. Whiche kinde of men he noteth in the latter ende of an epistle by these wordes Quanquam sciam omnia ridicula visiones ineptas quibusdam videri sed vtique illis qui malunt contra sacerdotes credere quam sacerdoti Sed nihil mirum quando de Ioseph fratres sui dixerunt ecce somniator ille venit Allthoughe saith he I knowe right well howe litle accompte they make of visions whiche they aesteme as mere triefles But yet it is suche onely that had rather beleue ageinst then with Goddes priestes And no meruaile that is seeing good Iosephs owne brethern saide by him in mockage Genes 37. Lo yender cooms the dreamer So did they scoffe at him bicause he had more familiarity with the spirite of God then the other had Nowe as the ioyes of heauen and Paradise with the torment of sinners and other secrettes of the next liefe haue bene straungely represented to som one or other in all agies by sundry meanes most expedient to oure saluation and most seemely to the wisdom and will of the woorker so certainly no article was euer with more force of spirite or more graue authority set fourth sence the beginning of Christian religion then this one of Purgatory Neuer nation was conuerted to the faithe but it hadd this trueth not onely taught by worde but by miracle allso confirmed And namely in that abundant floodde of faithe when it pleaced God allmost at once to spreade his name emongest all these contryes it was thought most necessary to his diuine wisdom together with the true worship off his name to plante in all faithfull mennes heartes the awe and necessary feare of that greuous torment for the reuenge and iust iudgement of wicked lyefe This greuous payne was vttered by the very sufferers theime selues as we may see in the notable historyes off Paschasius and Iustus Cap. 24. l. 4. dialogorum reported by S. Gregoryes owne mouth This greuous poonishment was ageyne declared by Furseus who as the reuerent Bede reporteth Cap. 13. li. 3. had the behoulding of the aeternall blesse the euerlasting misery and the temporall payne of the nexte lyfe Drichelmus allso Li. 5. c. 13 by the ordinaunce of God taken from emongest mortall men into the state of the nexte worlde after he had seene lyke wise the terrible iudgement of God practised euen vpon the electe was restored to lyfe againe in oure owne nation and was a witnesse worthy of all credet of this same trueth not onely by his word wherof he was so sparing all his lyefe tyme after that he woulde not vtter this same mistery but withe singulare care and respect of the persons intent that asked him therof but namely by passinge greate poenaunce and incredible chastising of his body whiche proceaded of the sensible knowledge that he had of the paynes praepared And being asked sometime as holy Bede saithe why he so tormented him selfe in the willing toleration of extreme heate or contrary coulde bothe of froste and snowe he made answer simply and shortely Frigidiora ego vidi austeriora ego vidi Ah masters I haue seene cowlder I haue seene sharper Meaning by the vnspeakable paines of Purgatory The whole history of his visions with many the like R. Beda may be redde in the Ecclesiastical history of oure owne natiō writen by as faithfull a witnesse as euer was borne in oure lande of suche vertue that he woulde begile no man willingly of so greate wisdō that he woulde report no tale nor triefle rashly off suche grace and learning that he was well able to discerne a false fable and superstitious illusion from a true and diuine reuelation For as it were foly and mere vanity to geue credet to euery spirite so to condemne a spirite or reuelation or any woorke of Goddes finger approued by the Churche of God in which there hathe euer bene the gifte of discerning spirites 1. Cor. 12. it is properly a sinne against the holy Gost And bicause euery man hath not that gifte as I woulde not counsell any man ouer lightely to geue credet to euery priuat spirite and peculiar vision bicause they may coom of wicked intentes and sinister motiōs so I think it were good in feare reuerēce and humility to committ the discerninge of suche thinges to the spirit and iudgement of Goddes Churche With the belefe of euery peculiar mannes phantasy we are not charged with hūble submission of oure wholeliefe and beliefe to the Churche of Christe ther are we especially charged And bicause there is nothing reported ether in the woorkes of S. Gregory or in Bede or in Damascen or in any other the like concerning the paynes ether of the electe or the damned in the nexte life but as muche hath ben vttered before by all the holy and lerned fathers in greate agony of mind and feare of the saide iudgement we may be the more boulde to thinke the best or rather we are bownd to thinke the best of that spirite whiche so conformably agreeth with the doctrine of the Churche and faithe of all the fathers There can no man say more of Purgatory nor more plainely then S. Ambrose Damascenus vocat purgatoriū baptisma ignis being in
all thinges Allthoughe this mannes workes haue bene bothe named Origen Athan. Damascen Nicenum 2 and certeyne sentēcies alleaged oute of theyme by most auncient doctors and councelles With whome the aduersaries yf they list be busie shall wrestle for I will seeke oute as my purpose was whether in other times and vsageis of celebration this kind memoriall of the deade hathe not bene kept S. Cipriane shal not be called to recorde for the Church of Aphrike or Carthage bicause we hearde his iudgement before who plainely cōmaunding the priestes vnder his iurisdiction not to celebrate for certeyne notoriouse offenders Epi. 9. li. 1 geueth vs to witte that of right and custom it belonged in his prouince to others that passed hense in obedience and pietye The which was continued in that parte of the worlde till Augustines time De cura pro mortuis et alibi saepè being about .cc. yeares after him Thus breffely he telleth yow the practise of his Church In praecibus sacerdotis quae domino deo ad eius altare funduntur locum suum habet etiam cōmendatio animarum In the prayers of the priest which are made to oure Lorde God at his altare the commendation of the departed hathe a place Nowe for the greeke Churchies and the easte S. Chrisostom and Basill in theire Massies for so nowe the worde lyturgia is vsed of all the diuine writers and so Erasmus translateth it and so it muste needes be taken beare sufficiēt witnesse of the Apostolike traditiō in this point For in S. Chrisostoms seruice thus the prayer is made for the deade Lyturgia Chrisosto Remēbre good Lorde oure spirituall father and all the brotherhoodde in Christe and all those that are departed hense in faithe oure fathers and oure bretherne cae And agayne in the same Masse after warde thus he praythe Remembre all those good Lorde which haue taken theire slepe in the hope of resurrection and liefe euerlastinge Cause theim to take rest wher the lighte of thy cowntenaunce is shewed Lyturgia Basilia In S. Basilles Masse which the Syrians vse ther is also prayers for the departed in which the minister desirethe God to remembre all theime which be passed oute of this worlde and that he woulde refresshe theim in his holy tabernacle saffely leade theime through the horrible and fearefull dwellinges and place theime in quiet and ioyfull abydinge that he would deliuer theim from the lande of darkenesse troble and sorowe that he entre not in to iudgement with theime finallye that he woulde mercifully remitte and pardon what so euer they committed throughe the vesture of the flesshe that was woorthye punishment This prayer was pithie and toucheth the placies of poonishment and purgation in the next liefe So there is extant an other ordre of diuine seruice and Celebration of the communion called the general Canon vniuersalis Canon vsed in Aethiopia which lately with the rest was set forthe in latine in that so generall an vsage there is supplication made to God for the soules also Remembre Lord saith the minister all those which are a slepe and rest in the faithe of Christe place theire soules we besiche the in the bosom of oure fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob So likewise in the seruice of the Armenians Lyturgia Amentorū consonant for the most parte to the greeke vsage after supplication in the time of the holy oblation for the lyuinge streght way praiers be deuoutly made for the deade First the deacon saithe Rogate dominum pro animabus quae requiescunt in pace inprimis episcoporum hic quiescentium That is to say pray vnto oure Lorde for the soules which rest in peace namely and before al other for the Bishoppes resting in this place And thē he prayeth thus Remembre Lord and haue mercy and shewe thy fauourable grace to all the soules deceased pacifie and illuminate theime adioyne theime to the company of holy sanctes in heauē and make theime woorthy of thy loue But S. Ambrose in his praeparatory prayer towardes the holy oblation In prima prece praeparatoria ad missam geuethe vs an excellent token of his churchies faith and a singulare exāple to folowe in the time of the dreadfull misteries when we remembre oure frindes departed thus he saithe Rogamus te sancte pater pro spiritibus fideliū defunctorū vt sit illis salus aeterna ac perpetua sanitas gaudium refrigerium sempiternum hoc magnum pietatis sacramentum domine Deus meus sit illis hodie magnum plenum gaudium de te pane viuo vero qui de coelo descendisti das vitam mundo A notable solemne prayer of S. Ambrose for the soules departed de carne sancta benedicta agni videlicet immaculati qui tollis peccatū mundi potare de fonte pietatis tuae qui per lanceam militis de latere emanauit crucifixi Christi domini nostri vt consolati exultent in laude gloria tua sancta This in englishe we beseche the most holy father for the soules of al faithefull departed that this highe and greate sacrament of piety may be vnto theime helthe and salfty for euer ioye release and perpetuall refresshinge O my Lorde God geue theime this daye greate and perfect comforte of thee which arte the bread that came downe from heauen and geuest liefe to the worlde Let theim take ioye of thy holy and blessed flessh that is to say of the lambe that takethe a waie the sinnes of the world Geue theim to drinke of the springe of thy piety which by the prick of the souldiers speare did abundantly isshue out of the side of oure sauiour Christe and lorde crucified that they being so comforted may reioyse in thy lande and glory euerlastinglie To be briefe al the Christian world agreeing as Isiodorus saithe vpon one waie for the celebratiō of diuine mysteries makethe intercessiō for the faithfull departed De ecclesi officijs li. 1 Cap. 15. that by the blessed sacrifice they may obteine pardon and remission of theire sinnes For I assure the good reader that all realmes which nowe by Goddes grace are in true faithe and theire Christianity continuing or elles before haue bene and nowe by schisme do forsake the same that all those nations as they receiued one faithe so in substance they haue euer agreede vniformely in ordre of seruice which they receiued at theire first conuersion from the waie of gentilitie by the good prouision of suche as wrought vnder God in theire happy turne to the Christian faithe and religion The same men that brought in the faith of Iesus with all brought in this way of worshipping Christe in the same faithe take away then this ordre of worship and solempne supplication which they planted thowe must needes ouerthrowe the faithe whiche they taught also This I say was euer fownd in the celebration of the fearefull mysterie of Christes body an bloode besides