with the bodyes of great Princes Wherein it appeareth wherevnto Sayncte Ambrose pretended For leste vs not thinke that he hath bene of an other mynde and opinion then the other Doctors which haue written both in his time before him And to this ende that you should the better knowe that I speake not so wythout reason gyue eare and marlie what other Doctors sayes which is contayned in the Decrées themselues and adioyned immediately after that which yon declared of Saynt Ambrose the which wyll serue vs for the declaration of the same and consormation of nsy worbes First you haue Saynt Gyprian who declareth vnto the Christians that they oughte not to bee sorrowfull and sadde neyther for their death nor yet for that of others saying Is it not a strainge and a peruerse thing to require that Gods wyll be done and that we doe not obey the same when he calleth vs out of this world but doe repugne and resist it and as peruerso and rebellyous seruaunts wée are brought before our Lorde with sorow and mourning and béeing colistrayned thorow the bonde of necessitie not willyngly and with a good hearte And we woulde bée honoured with heauenly rewardes by him vnto whome wée doe come maugre our selues And how many times is it reuealed vnto me and commaunded of GOD that I doe protest dayly and preath openly that we ought not to lament and mourne for our bretheren which are called and delyuered from this worlde by the Lorde sith that we know that they are not lost but are onely sent before going for to ouer goe vs euen as those doe who doe walke and swimme Vnto this also agreeth Saynt Iohn Chrisostome who in many places hath rebuked and coereted the immoderate mourninge of the Christians saying amonge other thinges I doe not forbid that we should not mourne for those which are departed out of this worlde Lette vs lament and bewayle them but not undecently and unhonestly not in tearing our haires uncouering of our armes cutting our eyes not in wearyng blacke gownes but onely in our hearte sheading foorth inwardely bytter teares Also lice doth cleerelye shewe that to lament and mourne for the deade proceeded but of wealtenesse and for wante of fayth saying In whatsoeuer place wée bee buryed in the earthe is the Lords and all things that therem is That that hée oughte to doe doth But to lament mourne and wéepe for those which are departed out of this lyfe commeth of weaknesse and for want of heart and courage And it must not be vnderstanded that it procéedeth from any other thing then of a despayre of the resurrection to come Therefore the Apostle spade not simply we would not haue you ignoraunt concerning them that are fallen a sléepe that ye sorrow not but he addeth moreouer as other doe which haue no hope It is not then forbidden vs to mourne and bewayle the deade through a compassion and affection of pietie and a regarde of humanitie as wée doe reade that some Saynts and holy men haue bewailed after Gods lawe the funeralls of others Therefore Anastacius in the same place hath sayd Those which know not nor looke for any other life haue no trust the from this world there is a place for to go vnto a better estate haue peraduenture iust excuse of their long griefe and sorrowe But we which doe beléeue and teach the same ought not to be sorry for those which dye to the ende that the same which towards other hath appearaunce of pietie and compassion be in the greater fault For that is a kinde of distrust agaynst that that euery one doth preach And immediately after is alleadged the example of Iesus Christ who bewailed not the death of Lazarus but bewailed him when he would rayse him agayne for to retourne vnto the miseryes of this world Hillarius Certeynly if we did well consider the euills which are in this miserable world and the fragilytic and misery of mans nature and if we had true sayth to the Gospell of Iesus Christ and true hope of our resurrection and of the eternall lyfe we shoulde haue more occasion to follow the custome of the Thracians then of other Danims and for a more iust occasion For if they which had not a certeyne hope nor assurance that there is an other lyfe then this héere dyd bury their friends that were dead with ioy gladnes saying that they wer bery glad that thei were deliuered from the euils and wickednesse of of this lyfe And on the contrary did wéepe and lament at the birth of their children lamenting them bicause of the euills to the which they did nâ—â— comminge into this worlde Haue not wée more 〈◊〉 cause to reioyce when that the Lord calleth us our friendes and draweth them from that darke prison for to lodge them in his celestiall Places And to desire with the holy Apostle to be dissouled so to be with Christ If we wil not followe the doctrine and examples of the holy Scriptures at the leastwise let vs not doe worse then the Panims And if we will follow them let vs follow the most reasonable and not the most maddest those of Mirsellea in the time that they were yet Panims we a great deale more modest and sober and lesse supersticious and Idolaters in their burialls and about their dead then those are now at this present time which doe follow the papisticall doctrine For the auncient massilians did bury their dead without great sorrow and lamentation The sorrow and mourning of their furenalls continued but one day without adding too any other ceremony but a domestical sacrifice and in making a banket not for the Priests but for their parents and friends But now I warrant you that the Priests will not acquite them for the price Beholde what they haue gained with the papistical doctrine which hath lesse reason then the costomes of their auncient predecessors although that they were Idolaters Wherefore it should séeme vnto them yet more honest a great deale more profitable to bring again in vse their auncient fashions maners then to follow the papistical maners But amongst others they can not finde better nor more necessary to all Christians then that which they had of late to shut the gates of their towne agaynst all Hipocrites Cagots Caphards Seducers who vnder the shadow tytle of holy Religion would lyue idelly and cate and deuoure other mens substaunce without doing any thing Their gate was not opened to such gluttons belly gods they would not admit any Religion new supersticion If the Christians had done so the world not haue ben so spoyled and deuoured by the Priestes Poonkes and caphards But for to returne vnto mourning In the manner also Seneca hath written that the auncient Romaynes haue not pressed nor determined any certeyne time vnto for to weepe and lament bicause it hath no honestie for as the himselfe witnesseth
the Iudge vnto whom they haue appealled and which in stéede to be iudged of him they would iudge him Theophilus Stay a while Eusebius Thou hast not yet gotten or obteyned thy sute Thinke not that wée are become Papistes sithens that we haue spoken vnto thée And that we woulde attribute vnto our selues authority power and iudgment aboue the spirite of God as he doth wée doe leaue that office vnto Antechrist to whom alone it apperteineth We haue not vsed to reproue one onelye stllable of the holy Scriptures But if we discerne put difference betwéene the bookes that are Canonical those that are Apocripha thou oughtest not to accuse vs therefore except thou doe by that same reason render culpable of the like crime the auncient Doctors of the Church chiefely Sainct Hierome and in like manner your decrées and Canons whiche doe seperate those that are Canonicall from those that bée Apocrapha amongst whiche they doe put the bookes of the Machabees Eusebius I confesse that amonge the Iewes it hathe not bene receiued for Canonicall in theyr Sinagogue but it hathe not bene therefore reiected of the Church Wherefore I conclude that those that beny that they are not canonicall are not the sonnes of the Church but bastardes of the Sinagogue Hillarius Thou hast at the leaste kepte that same of â—ccius Behold one shot of his Canons Theophilus If it be so Wherefore then did not S. Hierom enroul it among the Canonicals in that prolegne in whiche be hath recited them all in order doest thou thinke that he would haue rather omitted these here then the other And in the prologue that hee calleth Galeatus which he hath set before the bookes of the Kings both hee not make expresse mention of those bookes amenge the Apocriphas and principally of the second out of y which the place by thée alleged is taken For hee saith that hée hath founde the first written in Hebrew But not the seconde the which hath bene onely written in Greeke The whiche thing as he saith may proue it selfe by the pâ—rase and manner of the speaking the which hée vsed To the which agréeth well that which hee writing against the Pelagians nameth Ioseph for the author of the historye of the Machabees vnderstanding that by him it was written Then if by the testimonye and witnes of Sainct Hierome that history hath bene written by Ioseph bâ—ée ought not to estéeme it to be of more greater authority theÌ„ the other bookes of Ioseph the which we do reade â— no receiue as histories very profitable But a greate deale wantoth that we should attribute vnto them so much authoritie as vnto those the whiche we doe knowe without all doubt to be y body of y holy Scripture Therefore said S. Hierome in the Prologne that hee made before the booke of the Prouerâ—es of Salomon The Church doth read the bookes of the Machabees but shee receineth them net among the Canonical Eusebius Then wherfore hath Sainct Augustin written that the Church holdeth them as Canonicall Theophilus Consider well how he hath writen in that same place which thou alledgest speaking of the number of the times which haue bene sithence the returning from Babilon vntill the comming of Iesus Christe Did he not write that the account and number of them are not found in the holy Scriptures which are called Canonicall but in the other among which are the bookes of the Machabees Doest thou not sée and perceiue that he seperateth those bookes from the body of the holy Scriptures Eusebius Wherfore dost thou cut off fthe tayle why dost thou not adde that which followeth afterwardes The whiche sayth hée the Iewes hold not for Canonical but the Church doth Theophilus But doth he not adde by and by the reason wherefore the which serueth to my purpose Eusebius Hee sayth that it is bicause of the vehement and merueilous passions of some Martirs whiche haue fought euen vnto deathe for the lawe of GOD before that Iesus Christ came in the fleshe and suffred griefes and horrible torments Theophilus He vnderstandeth by those Martirs the seuen brothers of the Machabees with their mother who loued rather that Antiochus shoulde dismember and torment them cruelly then they would obely his commaundements for to violate the law of god It is easie to vnderstand by those words that the Church hath not receiued those bookes in suche authoritie as those which haue bene holden alwaie sin the Prophetical Apostolical church nor to be sufficient for to allow confirme or for to builde any doctrine which ought to be holeÌ„ for an article of faith for to vanquish the hereticks But only in such stéede as we haue at this day the ecclesiastical histories legends of martirs not a heape of foolish fabulous legends made by a heape of dreaming and deceiuing Caphards and Moonks as are the liues of the fathers the golden legend and other like more worthy to be numbred with the Roman of Fierobras Orson Valentine the erring kinghtes Mandeuill or the true narrations of Lutian and others like made for pleasure then among the Ecclesiasticall histories But they haue bene in suche reputacion among the wise men as the bookes of Iosephus Eusebius Sozomenus Theodoritus Socrates and such other whiche haue written the Ecclesiasticall histories and the liues of Martyrs for to keepe the remembraunce in the Churche as in a Chornicle for to edifie and comforte with good examples But not that they are of such authoritie that they are sufficient for to sette foorth anye newe doctrine of whiche wee haue no certeine witnes in the Apoostlicall doctrine And that it is euen so as I doe saye I will not proue it by anye other witnes then by the same whiche thou bringest foorth against mee That is to saye Sainct Augustin who hath written in an other place after this manner saying The Iewes haue not the scripture of the Machabees as the Law the Prophets and Psalmes to the which the Lord Iesus rendereth witnes as vnto this witnesses saying All must bee fulfilled whiche are written of mée in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets nad in the Psalmes But that Scripture is receiued of the Churche not without profit if one doe reade and marke it soberly Doth hée not euidentlye declare by those wordes howe muche the authoritie of the same is abased in comparison of the others the whiche Iesus Christe taketh for witnesses Asmuche maye one gather out of an olde booke whiche contayneth the exposition of the Créede and beareth the title of Sainct Cyprian Hée plainelye sheweth that that booke holdth no palce in the auncient Churche Wherefore it is almoste folly to striue and fight so long time if it were not but that our aduersaries doe make the poore ignoraunt people beléeue that it is of the holy Scripture and that we doe deny it After that sorte haue bene allowed some bookes called the Canons oâ—
the Apostles the whiche some among the auncients and among the Popes and counsels haue bene holden some for Canonical and others for Apocripha bicause that they doe serue in many thinges confirmable to the Apostolicall doctirne but they were not bound vnto them as vnto the holy Scriptures whiche they cannot reiect as they haue done often times when they haue found any Canon whiche séemeth much to differ from the Apostolicall doctirne Euen so maye we do of the bookes of the Machabees We may wel draw out of them examples for to exhorte the faithfull vnto paclence constancy and Martirdome propounding and declaring vnto them the vertue and the faith of that good mother with hir seuen sonnes who stoode so constantlye vnto death for to mainteine the Lawe of Gode who had not yet neuerthelesse such an occasion to doe that as we whiche haue more sure and certeine witnesses of the resurrection and of examples more euident aswell in Iesus Christ as in his Apostles dysciples then they had And so said S. Augstyne But it followeth not therfore that touching the doctrine which concerneth the faith and religion they should be with equall authority with the others And therefore the glose made vpon the decrée recysith them among the Apocripha Eusebius I woulde gladly that thou wouldest declare vnto mée a litle more plainely what thou vnderstandest by the Canonicals and Apocripha Theophilus I doe call canonicall all the bookes of the new testament the whiche wée haue and of the doe in like manner all those whiche are conteyned in the Hebrwe Bible the which we haue receiued of the holy Prophets and true seruaunts of God and whose authors are certeine and knowen And we doe cal them Canonicall which signifieth asmuch as rules bicause they are of an infallible veritie a certeine sure rule whiche is giuen vs of god for to ruel examine al other doctrine to proue the spirites whelter they are of God and for to liue according to the same Eusebius And what vnderstandest thou by Apocripha Theophilus Apocripha signifieth a thing hid secret or obscure which hath no sure or certein author or which is not alowed as are y bokes to y title is applies made at which are not sufferable but insomuch as their doctrin is confirmable vnto that of Canonicalls the which ought to be ruled by them And they haue no firme authoritie but that which those doe giue vnto it For in steede that we may take a sure foundation and buylding vppon any place taken out of the Canonicalls we cannot doe it in those heere if they haue not alreadye their foundation on the other They haue not bene called Apocrypha bicause that it was not lawfull to haue them in ones lybrary and to reade them with iudgement for ones profite For that was not forbidden But haue taken that name bicause that they were not of such authoritie the one should holde them for a sure and infallible doctrine of the church of God And they were not red and expounded openly in the same and with such authoritie as those which without doubt were holden for the certeyne worde of God to the which we are bounde to beléeue and to submit put our iudgement vnder them not to eleuate it aboue them or to iudge them by the other bookes which ought to bée subiect vnto them Eusebius And wherefore haue some of them more that authoritie then the others Theophilus Bicause that of the one we are cert eyne which are the pure wordes of God but not of the others but to the contrary Eusebius By what meanes Is it not bicause the Churche hath allowed them and not the other Now sith that their authority dependeth of the authority of the church if shee doe receine these here as the Canonicall maketh them of equall authoritie wherefore shall not they bée in the same degree Theophilus I doe beleeue that thou doest thinke that the church hath accustomed to legittimate the bookes as the Pope doth legittimate his bastardes The Popishe church may well take in hande that but that is not the propertie of the of Iesus Christ And although she woulde legittimate them yet they must be takē as bastards legitimated by the Pope which cannot be notwithstanding borne in lawfull maryage but do abide alwayes bastards and sonnes of fornication How can the daughter engender and beget hir Mother or hir Father Howe can the Church giue authoritie to the woorde of God who of the same receyueth hirs and of the same is begotten and borne Of whome receiueth the Sunne his brightnesse Doth hée receiue it of men whome hee illuminateth and lighteth Eusebius No. But on the contrary men of it Theophilus Is it cléere and shining bicause that men doe iudge and confesse it to bée such Eusebius No. But bicause that it is such the men that doe sée it and haue the experience are constrayned to acknowledge and confesse it to bée such Theophilus Thou meanest notwithstandinge that the Sunne should bee cleere and giue light bicause that men doe thincke it to bée so Eusebius Thou doest mée wrong to impute vnto mée that which I neuer spake but altogether contrarye Theophilus Thou hast sayd it by other wordes Whereby thou doest not perceiue thy selfe For when thou saydest that the holy Scripture taketh hys authoritie of the church thou sayest that men do giue lyght and cléerenesse vnto the Sun. For as Dauid doth wytnesse the word of the Lord is pure cléere that is the light which giueth light vnto the eyes giueth wisdome vnto babes It is then certeyne and true not bycause the Church iudgeth it such but it iudgeth it such bicause that it is so and cannot iudge of it otherwyse no more then he which hath cléere eyes can iudge of the lyght of the Sunne of whiche the blinde person is not capable Wherefore hée cannot iudge no more then the Infidells and reprohate can iudge of the woorde of God nor allowe it Then thou mayst by this vnderstand that the certeynetye veritie and firmenesse doth not depende vppon mans opinion and iudgement but vppon the holy Ghost and of the proper force vertue and effectes by which it doth verifie it selfe and compelleth the faythfull heartes to allow and receiue it as the lyght of the Sunne doth the eies For the sheepe doe heare and vnderstand the shepeartes voyce but not that of the straungers And all that that the Prophetes haue forshewed and taught the Apostles in lyke manner haue bene verified and authorysed by the vertue of him which hath spoken in them insomuch that all the worlde cannot resist it Nowe wée cannot saye she lyke of the bookes of the Machabees chiefely of the seconde First for that it is not founde in the Hebrewe and that the stile of the same witnesseth cléerely that it was first made in Greeke and was not translated frō the Hebrew tongue into the Greeke tongue
be deliuered finally all saued Thomas Now bare they say y sith y the holy scripture witnesseth so euidentlye that the paines of hel are eternall y our lord Iesus Christ called y hel fire eternall inextinguible Theophilus What other reasons haue y heriticks for to fight against y veritie thē their humain opiniōs or some place of y holy scripture depraued corrupted by their false vnderstanding They haue no building or foūdatiō but y it is easie to ouerthrow But we haue not now to dispute against those olde Origenistes which are raysed vp againe of y Catabaptistes y which are already vāquished ynough but we haue to work against the papistes whō by good right we may cōpare vnto those cal thē new Origenistes aswel as y Catabaptists There is no difference but that the Catabaptistes are not so much couered and disguised and that they do rayse vp againe too openly the olde errors and heresies the which are taken all readye for condempned But the Papistes haue found an other maske and an other manner to procéede by which Sathan in them hath founde the meanes to redresse and amende that bell of the Origenistes in dysguising onely a little the building after an other sort For when all shal be well considered I knowe not wherein those whom you lodge in the Limbe and Purgatory doe differ from those whom the Origenistes and Catabaptistes did hold and accompt for dampned except you will saye that the paine and hell of the one continueth more then of the other Eusebius There is a great deale more For notwithstanding that al were tormented yet neuertheles those which were in the Limbe were a great deale lesse then those which were deteyned in Purgatory For there is no fire in the Limbe and they haue none other paine sauing that they cannot yet sée the face of God and haue the full ioy fruition of Paradise the whiche they doe farye for much desiring it which was vnto them a great torment as vnto euery one which tarieth for the goodnesse that he desireth and cannot haue it so soone as he would In like manner those which were in Purgatorye and are yet at this present do not suffer so gréeuous torments without comparison as the dampned that are deteined in hell fire But they haue yet neuerthelesse more fire then those whiche were in the Limbe Theophilus Thou shalt be yet compelled to come vnto my sayings For what other thing may I conclude by thy wordes but that there is three helles betwéene whiche thrée is no difference but that the one os more cruel then the other as the torments prisons of the Tyrants are For Theologians do affirme that there is two sortes of paines in Purgatory to wit the paine of Dam and the paine of the sence By the payne of Dam they vnderstand the dammage and hurt that the soules doe receiue for the long tarying and let that they haue to sée the face of God and to bée in possession of the ioyes of Paradise By the paine of the sence they vnderstand the tormentes which the soules doe féele of the fire by the which they are punished Now iudge what difference can be First what more greater paine can the dampned haue then this héere Sith that your Doctors do affirme that the fire of hell and of Purgatory is all one as to his substaunce and that after the daye of the last iudgement Purgatorye shall bee mingled with Hell and they shal be but one selfe thing Thou canst not heere finde any other difference sauing that Purgatorye is not a perpetuall hell neyther an eternall hell fire but that it hath a certeine ende and that the Limbe is a halfe Hell. For there is but the paine of Dam sith that there is no fire The which yet neuerthelesse your Doctors ds affirme to be so great that it surmounteth all the paines of the world And for to proue it they alledge Sainct Augustine saying To be an estraunger from the kingdome of God depriued from the swéetnesse of God is a paine so great that ther are no torments that may be compared vnto them And Chrisostome saith Many are afrayde of the Bell fire but I estéeme a paine a great deale greater then the hell fire tha fall from that glorye Thou doest then see whether I doe wronge to call the Limbe Hell. But ther is yet a difference betwéene the paines of the auncient fathers which were deteyned and kept in the Limbe and the children that are borne dead For that halfe hell after your doctrine is vnto them eternall the which it was not vnto the auncient fathers But the better to declare and shewe foorth that matter I demaund of thée what thou thinckest the bosome of Abraham to be in which Lazarus rested I do not now dispute whether the example that our Lord propounded of the rich man of Lazarus is alledged as a true history or as a parable For whatsoeuer it bée Iesus Christ by the same declareth sheweth vnto vs the estate and condition of the elect reprobate after this mortal life declareth father vnto vs that which we ought to hold beléeue He maketh mention but of two places onely that is to say of hel fire in which the rich man was tormented of Abrahams bosome in which Lazarus was receiued He putteth not foorth a third place In like manner when he did send foorth his Apostles to preach he plainly declared the ther was but two wayes the broad way which leadeth to destruction and she narrow way which leadeth vnto life saying He that beléeueth and is baptised shall be saued But he that beléeueth not shal be dampned Wherefore I would gladly know of thée what thou vnderstandest by Abrahams bosome And whether thou doest take it for Purgatory or for the Limbe For thou canst not vnderstand it of hell nor of any place that is nigh vnto it sith that Abraham aunswered the rich man that there is a great space set betwéene those that are in Abrahams bosome and those which are in hell with the rich man that it is impossible the one can neither go nor come from the one of the places to the other Eusebius By Abrahams bosome I vnderstand the place in which were receiued the Patriarches Prophets other holy men which dyed in the faith of Abraham the father of the beléeuers in the hope of saluation benediction the they ought to receiue by Iesus Christ our Lord the true séede of the blessing promised vnto Abraham Theophilus Then thou doest then take it for the Limbe For Limbus in the Latin tongue signifieth the hem or gard of a gowne or of any other garment Hillarius Yea in déed whosoeuer wil beléeue the witnes of al good Latin authors as Virgile and other like which often times do vse it and not in any other signification But peraduenture the
diuers interpretacions the which I will recyâ—â— some to the ende that thou shouldest not thinke that I doe condempne all the others which haue expounded it Or that I am more arrogant then all men and that I doe attribute more to my sence and iudgdement then to any other If I define rashlye of a thinge the which all the Expositours haue founde it so obscure and harde that many among them haue bene constrayned to confesse that they cannot vnderstande it Then I will touch the diuers expositions which are more sufferable Afterwardes I will signifie vnto you that which I thinke to be most proper There are some which doe not vnderstand that Saint Peter speaketh héere but of the lyuing vnto whom Iesus Christ hath preached the gospell aswell in his owne proper person as by his Prophets and Apostles which haue all spoken by his spirite Wherefore one may well say that Iesus Christ hath preached vnto theÌ„ sith that it was not they that did speake but Iesus Christ who by his holy spirite did speake in them Those heere do take the words of Saint Peter by a Metaphore and by an Allegorie and doe vnderstande by the spirits which were in prison the dead vnto whom it is sayd in the chapter following that the Gospell was preached saying that saint Peter by that seconde place expoundeth the first Now by these dead vnto whom hath bene preached they vnderstand not the dead but doe take that word by a Metaphore vnderstanding by the dead the sinners which are dead thorâ—w sinne the which he hath called before the spirits which were in prison bicause that the soule which is dead thorow sinne is holden by the same as a prisoner which is in bondes and fetters in the stockes and in prison Those which doe expounde it after that manner notwithstanding that they doe accorde as touching the interpretation of the words yet neuerthelesse they doe a lytâ—le differ touching that spirite by the which Iesus Christ went and preached vnto the spirits which were in prison For some doe expound it for the manifestation of Iesus Christ which hath bene before his comming Others for that which hath followed his comming These heere doe vnderstand by the spirite the holy Ghost which Iesus Christ sent and gaue vnto his â—posâ—les by the which he hath preached the Gospel to the Iewes and â—entiles which before were rebellious and disobedient vnto the worde of God. Wherefore hee calleth them rebellyng and disobedient spirits deteined in the captiuitie of errour and of sinne For although that Iesus Christ ascended into heauen and hath taken his body from vs yet neuerthelesse he is alwaies among vs by the vertue of his spirite by the which he speaketh in his Apostles Ministers and Euangelycall Pastors and preacheth and admonisheth alwayes the sinners and toucheth their heart and conducteth and leadeth their spirits by his for to make them enter into his Church for to saue the elect in the same as those which were saued in the Arke of Noe. There is nothing in this exposition contrary to the Analogie of the faith and the sence of the Scriptures But yet neuerthelesse it séemeth to some to be a lyttle allegorised and vyolated and to stray a lyttle too far front the Apostolycal simplycitie Although that it be tollerable and Christian lyke Others doe vnderstande by the spirite of Christ his eternall vertue by the which he hath bene long time agone the Sauiour and Iudge of the worlde as he is at this present the Sauiour by the water as he doth now by the baptisme And therefore they doe vnderstand that he is gone by his spirit by his diuine vertue by his word thorow out the world as he passed thorow out Aegipt declaring his power among the Aegyptians sauing the Israelites Asmuch hath hée done in the time of the floude and doth yet at this day For he declareth his Iudgement vnto the wicked hath drowned them in the floude euen as now he declareth it vnto all to the ende that his seruaunts may be saued in the Arke of the Churche and the others drowned by the Iudgement of god Therefore is Noe called the herauld of righteousnesse for to declare that by the same the spirite of Iesus Christ declareth vnto men the righteousnes and Iudgement of God as a king declareth the warre by an herauld of armes vnto those which doe rebell agaynst him and refuse peace And the word which Saint Peter vsed when he sayd y Iesus Christ hath preached vnto the spirits doth not signifie onely to preach but also to publish a commaundement and an ordinaunce as an Herauld And that worde herauld the which Saint Peter vsed speaking of Noe is taken of the very same of which he vseth saying that Iesus Christ hath preached vnto the spirites And as to that that Saint Peter calleth them spirits they thinke that he did it hauing regarde to their thoughtes and affections beeing possessed with euill spirits And doe buylde their interpretation vppon that which is written God did sée y all the thoughts of mans heart was giuen vnto euill And vppon that which Saint Paul speaking of the power which is giuen vnto him by the ministring of the Gospell sayth that it is for to beat downe euery high thing which exalteth it selfe agaynst God and for to bring into captiuitie the thoughts and spirites of men to the obedtence of Christ delyuering them from the subiection of the wicked spirites which doe holde captiâ—e the spirites and vnderstanding of the reprobate They doe vnderstand then by the spirites which were in prison those which were in the spirituall prison or whose spirits were deteyned in captiuitie and prison by the wicked spirits They haue yet regard vnto that that the scripture calleth those which perished by the floude the sonnes of God which did see the daughters of men and to that which is there written that the Lord did strike and destroy euery soule and taketh from the middes of them euery spirite and that he hath sayd in threatning them that he will take from them his spirite For that cause they thinke that Saint Peter was induced to call such men spirits bicause that whilest that their spirits did sleepe and were detemed by the wicked spirits they were ouercome and drowned by the waters of the sloude and the spirit was taken from them as to him which was strangled and câ—oked in the water They also haue regarde to that that that worde which Saint Peter hath vsed which we doe interprete prison doth also signifie the watche and warde which is kept in the night Insomuch that they thinke that Saynt Peter had regard vnto the parable of Iesus Christ which admonisheth euery one to watch as the faithfull seruant looking for his master who knoweth not what houre hée will come whether it be in the seconde thirde or fourth watch of the night and for a
men after their death to make Drations in their prayse aswell for the consolation and comforte of their parents as for to incitate and moue others vnto vertue by theire examples For that cause they doe rehearse their prowesses their vertues and valyauntnesse And to make an honest mention at sometime for to encourage others to bée vertuous Thucidides witnesseth that the custome to praise the dead did begin among the Greekes by Pericles who was the first that openly made an oration in the prayse of those which were dead in the warre of Peloponense Also among the Romaines Valerius Publicola was the first which after that manner praysed his companion Brutus as witnesseth Titus Liuius Afterwards that custome hath continued among the Gentiles Idolaters If our Priests would serue vs in that stead the thing would be more tollerable although the we haue the word of God sufficient inough for to merte moue vs vnto vertue honestie But they serue vs to none other ende but to ease and the greatest thoeues and vsurers are those vnto whom they doe the greatest honours and giue the greatest prayses and doe bury them with greatest magnificence But if any poore man doe bye that hath not readye money scant and with muche a doe shall hee haue one Priest sor to beare him companye nor one scant to ringe the lyttle bell Theophilus There is no doubt but the the auncient Christians bicause the some were come of the Iewes some of y panims haue yet hept many of the manners and customes that they vsed in their countryes the which yet neuerthelesse they haue chaunged into a better vse For the Iewes and Panims had many things which of theÌ„selues might be tollerable and to serue to some kinde of honestie and cluilitie if the supersticion and the foolish opinions had bene taken away In the auncient Churche when that any faythfull man was dead béeing constant in the fayth of Iesus Christ and that he made a goodly confession in his death they vsed to make a commemoration to the congregation for to incite and stirre vp others to such faithe and constantnesse and chiefely when he hath bene killed by the Tyrants and that he hath bene the true martir of Iesus Christ in the mids of his torments hath constantlye confessed the truthe and hath witnessed it by his death and sealed it by his bloude For that cause the Notaryes and Protonotaryes were constituted and appoynted who were charged to write truely and after the truth the Ecclesiasticull historyes the lyues and dooings of the holy Martirs true seruaunts of God for the edification of the Church and congregation for at certein times they made commemoration vnto the Congregation of the fayth and constantnesse of the Martirs for to comforte and for tesie the poore faythfull in the middes of the persecutions that they suffered for Iesus Christ to the ende that after the example of the Martirs they shoulde prepare themselues rather to dye valyantly for the witnesse of the truth then to renounce and forsake it And the Dration and Sermon that Saint Ambrose made for the Emperour Theodosius after that he was dead tended to none other ende And when the good auncient byshops praysed after that sorte the good seruants of God that had faithfully trauailed in his worke vyneyard they did go about no other thing by that meanes but to edifie the congregation with good examples euen as the holy prophets and Apostles haue described vnto vs the holy scriptures the liues and actes of holy men which haue bene called of God for to instruct and teach vs by their example This manner of doing was not altogether to be despised and it might be practised to ediflcation if sathan the enemie vnto all goodnesse had not altogether conuerted and turned it into superstition Idolatry and blasphemie as wee see and proue it dayely For from those beginninges the Prothonotaries are descended whome wée haue yet at this present time who keepe onelye the name without exercising the office For to what ende doe they serue vs Hillatius To hunt after and so laye wayte for benefyces What woulde you they shoulde doe woulde you haue them to wrytte and register the lyues of our Popes Cardinals Byshoppes Priests and Moonkes They will leaue the charge of that vnto the Lutheriaus whiche are their protonotaries for to describe and paint out the legend of such saints and Martyrs of Venus rather then of Iesus Christe For theyr lyfe and conuersation is so holy that they had rather that men woulde neuer speake of it and that the remembraunce thereoff shoulde bée altogether defaced and forgotten Yet I thincke that they rendered no greate thanckes vnto Platine who hathe wrytten so muche althoughe that he tourned the sayest side outwardes as nigh as hée coulde Theophilus Thys is yet the leaste faulte of the Prothonotaries But from that same fountayne is risen and sprong vp the errour of inuocation of Saints of feasts wanderings blessings relycks pilgrimages and all other Idolatry and supersticions which men do commit dayly about the Saints For wheras in the auncient Church men did but onely make mention of the lyfe faith and constantnesse of the Martirs and Saynts when the people assembled themselues in the Ecclesiasticall assemblyes without inuocating or praying to the Saynts but onely vnto God Afterwards in processe of time the supersticious and Idolatrous Christians haue made of the Saynts Gods and haue dedicated to them Feasts Temples Aultars and Chappell 's And haue begonne to sing Himnes and supersticious songs in their honour prayse after the same manner as the Panims and Idolaters did to their Binges and Emperours when they Caâ—onized them And are not content to preach their lyues and Legende as the auncients did but haue added vnto it fables and lyes and haue made to them Masses in such sort that for one supper of Iesus Christ we haue more then thrée hundreth nullyons of Masses all contrary and differinge the one from the other By that meanes the Prophecie the preaching of the worde of God the Supper of Iesus Christ Prayers and Ecclesiasticall assemblyes and the true commemoration of the Saints are altogether abolyshed in such sorte that there is nothing but that it is altogether peruerted and tourned into more greater superstition and Idolatry then euer it was among the Panims As much happened about the other faythful that dye which are not counted for Canomsed Saynts For as on the one side they are giuen to inuocat pray to the Saynts whom they beléeue to bée in Heauen Euen so on the other side they giue themselues to praye for the deade whom they thinke to haue yet neede of their prayers and good deedes for to helpe them and to prepare the waye to Heauen â—â— steede of the simple commemoration y they did in y auncient Chruch without vsing praiers for the health of their soules but
youngmen were cleane and kept themselues from woemen And Dauid answered the Priest and saide vnto him of a trueth woemen hath bene locked vp from vs about a thrée dayes Furthermore when the Prophet Ioel exhorted the people vnto penaunce fastings and prayers wherfore saide hée amonge other thinges let the bridegroume goe foorth of his chamber and the bride out of hir closet Doth not the holy Scripture declare sufficiently vnto vs how we ought to dispose and giue our selues vnto penaunce fastings and prayers chiefely when the solemne feastes doe approche and that when wee must goe vnto the Lords table for to receiue his precious body and bloud is it not then requisite that we shoulde abstayne both from woemen and from all other carnall pleasures Theophilus I deny not but that God requireth of vs a great honesty movesty and helmes and that we sheult abstaine not only from things which of themselues are euill and wicked and by he◠forbidden at all times but it is also requisite some time to abstaine from things which are lawfull permitted when there is a question of some thing of great unportance if such things might anything at all be a let vnto vs And when the auncient Doctors haue spoken of such things they haue so vnderstanded it But although that God desireth that euery one shoulde know how to kéepe his vessell in holines and honour that none do defile his owne body nor his wiues nor of any other whosoeuer it bée thorow to great concupiscence of the flesh and that he also requireth in the holy mariage a Christian continency chastity and sobriety as from wine and other creatures Must he therefore forbid mariage vnto some for euer and vnto other some a great parte of the time without excepting any person whatsoeuer hée or shée bée of what estate condition or infirmity that may bee in them Hillarius You doe wronge Theophilus For they are not so rigorus as you make them to bée and haue not such strayte and rigorus lawes but that for money they will release and dispense with it But whiche is more I beléeue that who soeuer will bring money vnto that Pope and agrée with him that he will dispense with the childe to mary with his mether the father with his daughter the brother with his sister without hauing regarde vnto consanguinitie diuine lawes nor humaine Theophilus I doubt it not except the shame and feare of men do let and hinoer it sooner then the feare of God. Hillarius By what right shal he refuse vnto others that which sometime some amongst them are permitted For which I wil haue none other witnes at this time but the Cpitath of Lucretia that daughter of Pepe Alexander the whiche was made in Latine after this manner and to this effect Within this tōbe here now doth sleep who had to name Lucrece In all things shee cōpard was to I hass whore of Grece Whom Alexander Pope of Rome when she remaind in life Esteemed as his daughter in law and vsed as his wife Theophilus I demaunde of thée friende Eusebius if God hath forbiden mariage vnto euery person estates and conditions or in any times and seasons wherefore doth that Pope dispense for money For that which God hath forbidden and prohibited cannot be lawefull for any money that one can disburse If God hath not forbidden it wherfore doth he forbyd that which God hath permitted you cannot deny but that he is a Tyrant theese and a piller of the poore people Hillarius I will resolue thy doubte and will vanquish thée by a plaine and cléere induction wilt thou not graunt vnto mée that God is aboue the law and that he is subiect vnto none Theophilus I do not gaine say it Hillarius Afterwards do you not cōfesse that God which made that law can dispense with it at his pleasure and that where there is dispensation of God there is no more lawe Theophilus I also agrée vnto thée in that Hillarius For where there is no law as Sainct Paul witnesseth there is no transgression nor sinne Theophilus I do nowe perceiue where vnto thou wilt come I well perceiue that you minde to conclude that sith that the Pope is God in y earth he may wel dispense with those lawes that he giueth here in earth that after his dispensation there remaineth no more sinne vnto them which offēde against his lawes when those lawes are taken frō thē by him that gaue it thē But of this thy conclusion I wil bring foorth yet another consequence by the which I will proue that he which doth against the lawes of that Pope which haue no foundation by the worde of God doth not sinne but against y Pope not against God for there is no trāsgression against God but in that wheroff there is a law of god Now there is in none of all those things wheroff wee haue spoken any law giuen of God. Wherfore who so that maryeth in those times prohibited he sinneth not against God but against that Pope only not that I wil deme but that we must obey that higher powers rulers not only bicause of feare the we should haue of thē of the power that they haue ouer vs but also for cōscience sake as the holy Apostle teacheth vs giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that we ought to obey our Princes Lords with a good conscience although that we feare not they punishment and bengeaunce bicause we must serue them as those which serue God and not men whiche is but his instrument and seruaunt But the same ought to be vnder standed in that wherein the power is lawfull and that one may obey it without hurting the soule perill of conscience notwithstanding that one shoulde receiue damage either in bodie or goods For in another case condition the aunswer of the Apostle abydeth alwayes firme It is better to obey God then men Hillarius I well agrée vnto that thou sayest But thou hast not yet hit the white For I am a more subtill Logyeioner then thou thinkest that I am nor I stay not only vpon common arguments And therfore let vs retourne againe vnto nune induction the which I haue not yet ended I am very wel contented to confesse vnto thée that the Pope is a God in the earth but in that sence as the diuell is called in the holy Scripture the prince of this worlde the God of this worlde the ruler of darkenes or in that sence as wee do gods the Idols straunge Gods. But there is yet a greater God and more puissant then he vnto whom he and all other such Gods like vnto him are subiect and obedient Now I demaunde of thée where to ought we to referre the ende of mans life Theophilus Unto him from whom it tooke his béeginning Hillarias It is then of God who is the beginning and ende of all thinge who
god But bicause that that holy asshes was done in the daye of the feast of the Goddesse Pales and that I haue yet to speake of otter Goddesses here before mencioned let vs returne vnto the feast of Candlemas and afterwardes let vs fall againe to the asshes after that I shal haue a little followed certeine other conformities the whiche I haue alreadye some thinge beganne I haue alreadye touched howe you doe attrybute the same tytles vnto the Uirgyn Mary whiche the Idolaters haue giuen vnto Iuno Diana Ceres and Proserpina whom they haue called some of them Quéenes of Heauen the others Ladies without a tayle Shee called hir selfe the handemayde and seruaunt of the Lorde and you doe call hir our Lady as though there were in Heauen Lordes and Ladyes as there is in the Earth and a King and a Quéene as there is a Sunne and a Moone Theophilus The Scripture admitteth but one king of the worlde immortal and inuisible and onely wise vnto whome onelye belongeth all honour and glorye and in whose thigh is written King of Kings and Lorde of Lordes Uppon whiche also wée haue the witnesse of the Apostle saying Although that there bée many Gods manye Lordes in the worlde to witte after the reputation of the Idolaters yet neuertheles vnto vs there is but one God and one Lord. Hillarius Afterwards you doe make the same honour vnto the Uirgyn Mary which the Romaines dyd vnto the Harlot Flora whome they haue made a Goddesse and canonised hir bicause that shée made them heyres of hir goodes whiche shée hadde gayned by whoredome And afterwardes for to couer and hyde their honoure haue called hir Chloris and haue giuen vnto hir power to make the Earth to fructifie and increase Doe yée not greate honoure vnto that holye Uirgyn to giue vnto hir Flora that abhominable bawde and harlot for a compaignion or to put hir in hir place And the tyme agréeth well to the feaste For the Florales and the feaste of Candlemas of Flora were dedycated vnto all lycenciousenesse shamelesse playes vpllaynies and dissolutions the whiche the false Christians doe practise all that time whiche is betweene the Kinges and Shroftyde afterwardes they beginne agayne at Caster and doe contynue vntyll the moneth of Maye and almoste all the yeare But chiefely at the feasts of Caster in May after their lamentations of Lent. Furthermore the Panims do hold Proserpina Hecate for the Goddesse and Quéene of hell and do light vnto hir Torches and candels and doe beséech hir for the dead to the ende shée be fauourable as well for hir owne parte as towardes hir husband Pluto And you do ye muche lesse of the Uirgin Mary you doe call hir Quéene of heauen And you do make hir Quéene of hell and of the dead as the Poets doe of Hecate whom they do also take for Proserpina and Diana vnto whom they do attribute great power in heauen and in hell as it appeareth by that that Virgill saith To cast in sacred fire redemption chiefe of deedes amisse And on Diana cals in heauen and hell that mightie is Also in like manner you would make of Iesus Christ a Pluto or at the least the difference is not great And if you wil deny it I wil haue no more to proue it but your prose sequence of the dead which is in good tyme but yet neuerthelesse without reason beginning in Latin Lugentibus in Purgatorio The which for to make it the better to souÌ„d in thine eares friend Eusebius the better to follow the stile of the Fatists which haue made it I wil revearse it vnto thée in verse word for worde the best I can and if thou doe not finde the ryme so good as it is in Latine be assured that there is more ryme and better then there is of reason For I do not thinke that one can finde greater blasphemy against God and the Uirgyn Mary If I do not translate it word for worde I will yet at the least rehearse the sentence faithfully Giue eare then and I will poure it forth 1 To all them that doe dwel in Purgatory paine Where firy furies fel and sorrowes they sustaine And torments doe endure voide of solation Come shew them some â—ecure by thy compassion O Mary 2 Thou art the well alone which washest sinnes away Thou hydest euery one and none thou doest denay Extend thy hand toward these soules and succorr shew Which thus without regard lye languishing in woe O Mary 3 The dampned spirites to thee so pitious do asplie Desiring for to bee deliuered foom the fire That by thee they may bee erepted for their paine And may in ioyes with thee for euermore remaine O Mary 4 Of Dauid only kay which heauen openest wyde These wretches helpe streight way which dolors do abide Let them deliuered be from dongeon and durance Where they do linked lye in sorrow and greuance O Mary 5 A rule art thou full right to them that thee assye A liuely lampe of light to them that trust in thee Incontinent go pray for these soules in distresse Thy sonne that he streight way their dolour will relesse O Mary 6 O Virgin thus we do vpon thee cry and call These soules so tangled to deliuer out of thrall And pardoning their misdeed also wee thee request That thou wilt be their guyde to euerlasting rest O Mary Do ye not behold a goodly Letanie may not Iesus Christ now rest For the Scripture attributeth vnto him nothing which is not here altogether attributed vnto the creature Wherefore I will haue none other proposition for to proue that that profe contayneth the greatest blasphemye which may be vppon the earth but only that eyther the same that I do say is true or els that the holy Scripture is false and Iesus Christe is no more Iesus Christe the dore the key and he which holdeth it which openeth and sutteth the way the trueth and the life by whom onely wée haue accesse vnto the father or onely hope the resurrection and remission of sinnes or only aduocate patron and mediator the which titles and many other like the Scripture attributeth vnto him onelye and not vnto the creature whatsoeuer it bée eyther in heauen or in the earth Wilt thou now deny but you doe make of the Uirgin Mary a Proserping and of the other side a Ceres whom in like manner you doe honor by putting on of white apparel and with fastings superstitious abstinences euen as Ouid hath written of Ceres saying The Goddesse Ceres best doth like the garment made of white And for hir vse in garment blacke shee no thing doth delite Behold as touching the apparell Giue eare also to that which he speaketh of the superstitious fastings Their feasting lasted all the day till time of night drew neare And then they streight to supper went when starres in skye appeare
dyd in their assemblies was called Collectes that is a gathering for two causes The first bycause that the people was ther assembled and gathered into a Communion The other bicause that in those holy assembles they dyd make gatheringes for the poore after the example of the primitiue Church Behold the name of the Christian assemblies which hath longe contynued amonge the auncientes before that the name of Masse was borne As it appeareth by the ecclesiasticall hystories as well by that same of Eusebius as by that which is called Tripertite As for the name of the Masse it is nowe inough Although that some are yet of opinion that that name came of the same cause wherefore the diuine seruice hath also bene called Collectes gatheringes and that it hath bene called masse bicause that in the same the offerings were brought which were there sent for to giue them vnto the poore For Missa in Latine signifieth things sent And those that are of that opinion doe thinke that all that which they doe and bring into those assembles was called Missa in the plurall number of which they haue made Missa and Misse in the singuler number And by good right For then when the offeringes are distributed vnto the poore one maye well call them Missa in the plurall number that is to saye sent For they were sent and deuided vnto many But nowe the Priestes doe wronge to call it Missa in the singuler number that is to saye sent For the offeringe is not sent but vnto them Wherefore they should haue more reason to cal it kept then sent For they do kepe al for themselues They haue wel kept the name of Collect. But in stéede of Collect signifieth amonge the auncyents all the content of the diuine seruice they do call by that name the prayers and Oremus that they doe singe before the Epistle Wherein well appeareth what was the custome of the auncientes and that the Deacons did make the gathering for the poore The which those héere doe make for themselues and doe singe the Epistle vnto the Deacons But for to retourne vnto the prayers for the dead and for to vnderstande that that which I speake is true Marke what Saincte Cyprian wryteth of one called Celerin who hath had a familie the which almost all suffered martyrdome of whom he hath written after this manner It is longe a gone that Celerin was crowned for a Martyr Item his vnckle of the fathers side and Laurence his vndle on the mothers side and Ignacius which sometime haue fought and bene souldiers in the worldly warre but béeinge the true and spirituall souldiers of God hauing ouercome the diuell thorow the profession of Christ haue obtayned of the Lorde the rewardes and crownes thorowe his glorious passion We doe offer alwayes as you remember sacrifices for them as often as wée celebrate the passions of the martyres and that we make commemoration and remembraunce vniuersally of their dayes Sith that hée witnesseth that Laurence and Ignacius haue receyued as béeing victoryous the palmes and and crownes of martyrdome there is no doubte but that they are already holden for Saintes and blessed and doe not thinke that they were yet deteyned in the paines of Purgatorye and that wée must make prayers and sacrifices for them that they myght bée deliuered from their sinnes and paines The thinge is so plaine that none can denye it For this sentence is very common and allowed amonge you and by your Canons That hée that prayeth for a Martyr doth wrong and iniurye to the Martyre For I doubte not but that in successe of time all thinges will bée come worse And aboue all I wyll aduertise thée that thou hast not proued vnto me that that manner of dooing was ordained by the Apostles in the primitiue Church For sainct Augustine and others whome thou hast alledged doe make mencion that the auncient fathers haue bene the authours and inuentours of that custome and that the Church of longe time hath kept it But they declare not that Iesus Christ nor his Apostles haue commaunded and ordained it And although that that Denis which hath written the Hierarchies maketh onely in one word mencion of the prayer for the dead which are buryed yet he proueth not by the holy Scripture that wée ought to doe it and hée speaketh not one woorde of Purgatorye But yet that that hée toucheth of the prayer for him whiche one buryeth is written after a sorte that he doth sufficiently declare that if was a vowe and a desire that the faithfull had of his health and saluation and a witnesse that they doe giue not that the same came of an opinion that they had eyther of Purgatory nor of the paines which the soules of the faithfull shoulde suffer after their departinge from this life Wherefore their witnesse serueth mée for to proue at the leastwise that suche custome is not of the ordainaunce of the Apostles sith that they cannot bring foorth any other certeine wytnesse but that they report it vnto the auncient fathers For by that which hath bene already declared and expressed it is easely to know what the commemoration of Martyres haue bene and of the faithfull that bée dead sithence the tyme of Tertulian and Cyprian And doubt not but that that which the auncients haue done was partlye and principally for to abolish the Parentales and other superstitions which the Gentiles had about the dead as already hath bene amply declared For they did thinke that it would be very hard so pul them away if in stéed of their customes they had not put in some other for so content them for them to muse and studye oil As wée maye sée by that which Sainct Augustine hath written of gluttony and dronkennesse which was vsed in his time of the buryalls of the dead and in halowinge the Churchyardes He sayth that they cannot bée abolyshed if one dooe not forbid that villany by the Scriptures and that the oblations which they make for the soules of the deade vppon theire sepulchres bée not sumptuous nor of great cost and that one shoulde giue cheerefully and wythout pride vnto all those that demaunde it and that they sell them not But if there bée any that will offer anye money that it bée distrubuted presently vnto the poore Sainct Augustine gyueth sufficientlye to vnderstande that the auncientes haue bene constrayned to inuent and bring foorth many Ceremonyes in the Churche for to chase and driue awaye the Idolatry and superstition of the Panims The which also afterwardes were corrupted as wée may sée this day by experience insomuch that they are more daungerous then those of the Panims I thinke that that which hath bene alreadye entreated of the feast of Sainct Peters chaire the whiche they celebrate in February agréeth to that very purpose whereoff Sainct Augustine hath spoken Hillarius It is most true that those auncient fathers would haue driuen away the superstition by such inuentions
Purgatory that the thing was not incredible But yet neuerthelesse he â—urst not affirme it but spake of it as of a thing doubtsull and incertein notwithstanding that hee â—â—emeth to bee of an opinion that the prayers made for the dead did profit them But when all shal be well considered what witnes or what example doth hee alledge out of the holy Scripture either of the olde or new testament sufficient for to proue and confirme that doctrine Iâ— he shewe foorth vnto me y custome of the auÌ„cient Church the traditions of the Apostles I will demaunde vpon the same the witnes or example of the holy scripture or of the primitiue Church For I am certeine he shall not finde it It is then necessary that we do come to the next age as was the time of Tertulian Ireneus and other like and afterwards from thence vnto the same of Cyprian For I haue already proued by their writings that in those times they did not make such prayers for the dead as they were after the time of Sainct Augustin For they did them not to the intent to helpe succour the dead but they directed them vnto God only for to giue him prayse for to demaund his grace mercy towards the lyuing euen as then the Commemorations of the Martyrs wâ—ich were done about their Sepuleres to the glory of God consolation of the liuing haue bâ—ne conuerted chaunged to y inuocation of saincts they haue made Idols of theÌ„ so the coÌ„memoration which is done of other that be dead hath bene chaunged into meritorious prayers for to draw thé from paine successiuely sithency that one hath learned the custom to make a certein remeÌ„brance mention in y ecclesiastical assibles thei came afterward to y point to make y coÌ„memoration in y supper for to witnes y they held theÌ„ of whoÌ„ in y same they made remeÌ„brance for true faithful catholicke of y coÌ„munion of saints which in y supper is represâ—tâ—d 〈◊〉 y same manner ought we to vnderstád y which S. Augustin hath writté of y remeÌ„brance which they celebrated for y dead in the sacrifice of y aulter of a mediator by which we ought not to vnderstaÌ„d a sacrifice in which Iesus christ our only mediator is offred to god his â—ather for y rediption of our souls as he was offred vpoÌ„ y trâ—e of y crosse after y manner as y priests do glory boast theÌ„selues at this present time to offer in their Masse according to y witnes of their Canon For there is but one such Sacrifice the whiche Iesus hath once offered which of none other can be done but of him alone who is the Priesse and euerlasting bishop after the order of Melchizedec if we wil not be lye the holy Ghost who spake by the mouth of the holy Apostle Thomas Of what Sacrifice then doth Sainct Augustine speake off Theophilus Thou oughtest to vnderstand that there bee two sortes of Sacrifices whiche doe comprehend all y other The first is y sacrifice of reconciliation redemption for to deliuer the sinners from the yre and wrath of God But this apperteyneth but to Iesus Christ alone of whom y Leuiticall sacrifices wer but a shadow and figure The other is y sacrifice of praise thanks giuing by which we may comprehend al y workes of the faithfull by which they do prayse God and doe trauiale to be ioyned vnto him As Sainct Augustine doth expounde it Now forasmuche as the sacrament of the holye supper of our Lord is one of the principall things that the church hath for to glorifie God rightly it was called by the auncients sacrifice as not long agoe hath bene touched not by reason that Iesus Christe is offred vnto God by vs But bicause that he offreth himselfe vnto vs and that thorow faith we receiue it and render vnto him it ankes for the greate benefit that he hath done for vs giuing himselfe to the death for vs and we confesse and protest that wee doe not take nor holde anye other for a sauiour then hée onely nor we accept any mans sacrifice but his For that cause hath the supper in like manner bene called Eucharistia by the Greeks The which word signifieth giuing of thankes After the same manner haue Sainct Augustine and other anncient Doctors of the Churche vnderstanded it And they vnderstand not by the aulter any other thinge but the table vpon which y Church hath vsed to celebrate the supper making allusion vnto the aulters of the auncient law and haue regarde to that sacrifice of thankes gyung which in the supper is offred vnto god by his church Behold the estate which was in the Church touching that poynt in the tyme of Sainct Augustine which was about foure hundreth yeares after the death and passion of Iesus Christ in which the church dyd begin then very much to degenerate and to be corrupted For after that one once had begonne to myngle the commemoration of the dead with that of Iesus Christe for which onely the supper is celebrated not for sinfull men who haue not redemed vs by their death from one opinion and error it is fallen into another in suche sorte that men are fallen into such dreamingâ— that they haue thought that y supper to the which those that were a lyue dyd coÌ„municate dyd profyt the dead and that they might take it for them and to their health saluation after the same manner as they dyd the other suffrages in theyr name Hillarius If we will vnderstand that which saint Paul hath wrytten of the Corinthians which baptised themselues for the dead after the sence in which the auncients haue taken it we should haue no lesse reason to excuse them then those here For if I may take the supper for an other man wherefore may I not in lyke manner be baptised for him I thinke that they will not graunte we that that one may be baptised for an other and that that baptisme doth profite him and yet lesse to the dead then to the lyuing Theophilus It is well founde out who haue bene of that opinion that they may be baptised for the dead which without baptisme were departed out of this world that y baptisme profiteth them But the Doctors questionaries and namely Thomas of Aquin benyeth it and condempneth that opinion Hillarius If I may not then be baptised for the dead whereto serueth or profiteth the supper that I shall take for them For it hath not bene more ordayned for the dead then the baptisme but both of them were for the lyuing aswell the one as the other sith that both of them are Sacraments giuen vnto the militant Church and which is yet couered and wrapped in this flesh Theophilus There is nothing more certeyne And yet neuerthelesse behold how the one of the errors hath drawen the
the third whiche was made about a thousande two hundreth yeres after the natiuitie of Iesus Christ Although that Albert alledgeth other reasons but those haue bene the causes Behold how the Christians haue bene led and into what pit and depthe the Commemoration of the quicke and of the dead in the supper hath drawen them There remained none but the Greekes which haue kept it well and which haue kept néerest and moste constantly by y auncient custome of the Apostles For yet at this day they doe not allow the perticuler Masse and they take not y Euchariste but with company that the minister doth distribute it to the people And this is very cléere and plaine vnto the Churches which they haue agreat nomber of theÌ„ vnder the seigniory of the Venitians Also they coulde not suffer that one shoulde depriue them of the Cuppe or Chalice the whiche is one of the partes of the Sacrament but doe kéepe still that communion as it was vnder both kindes from the time of the Apostles themselues in the Latin Churches in Africa and Europa untill the time of Fredericke the first Euen so haue they done in the article of Purgatory the whiche they woulde neuer agrée vnto although that it was receiued and allowed by the church of Rome Eusebius But although they haue resisted it of long time were they not in the ende constrayned to allow and acknowledge it and to abâ—ure their error and heresie at the councell of Florence consenting with the Romish Churche Theophilus Thou hast sayd very well constrayned For that Romish tyraunt neuer ceaseth vntyll hee hath seduced and brought subiecte vnto him all other Churches either thorow crafte and subtiltye or els by force violence Yet neuerthelesse before that the Greekes consented vnto him how long time haue they resisted And afterwards what are those that haue consented and after what sort whether that the Purgatory such as they haue preached vnto us vntill this present time was founded and binlved vpon the holy scriptures and worthy to bee holden and taken for an article of the faith as they haue constrayned vs it followeth that all the Greekes and all their Churches should haue bene heretickes vntill the yeare of our Lorde a thousand foure hundreth thirty and nine that the Councel was holden But how and by whom was it celebrated were there not then Scisines Antipopes in the Church For some of them did draw gather themselues towards Almaigne and assembled themselues at Basle at the Councel begun by Pope Martin the predecessor to Eugenius at which was the Emperour Sigismond with the Princes of Spaine Almaigne Pannonia and Fraunce Others assembled and gathered themselues together and went to the Councell of Ferrara which afterwards was transported to Florence bicause of the plague which was so cruell and terrible at Ferrara that all were very much afrayd chiefely the Greekes which trembled with feare Wherfore Pope Engenius who ruled at that Councell was constrained to transport and remoue it to an other place and to ende it at Florence Yet neuertheles forasmuch as the Greekes were so long time holden and kept in the doctrine of the auncient Church they shoulde not haue lost much to haue perseuered and continued stil in it And if they had well marked their case God gaue them warning ynough and aduertisements that hee tooke no great pleasure in that that they did take in hand sith that hée assayled them with that great horrible plague On the otherside they might well iudge how well they coulde agree with the komish Churche the whiche was deuided within it selfe and at discorde in the house For Pope Eugenius held his Councel at Ferrara at Florence and would not be assistant to that at Basle in whiche the Emperour was present On the coÌ„trary those which were assembled at the Councel of Basle would not acknowledge Eugenius for to be Pope but did choose an other to witte Ayme Duke of Sauoy who as then led an Hermits life at Ripailles but after an other sorte then the auncient Hermits in times past For his Hermitage was a goodly and pleasaunt Castle in a moste pleasaunt place harde by Thonon as it appeareth yet at this day After his election be was called Felix were not all these things proper and fit for to giue a faire shew vnto those Councels And that same of Florence in which the conclusion and agreement of Purgatorye was made with the Greekes ought it not greatly to bee esteemed for to haue an Eugenius for their President which hath moued all Italy and al Christendome to war And how shall the Greekes that were sent be acquited and discharged of their office Hillarius They haue betrayed both their countreis their Churches as they haue well declared by the dignities and offices which they haue receiued of the Pope Theophilus Therefore hath hée so well recompensed them For he hath made Rutenus and Nicenus Cardmals which were the chiefe with Bessarion who was also a Cardinall and Patriarke of Constantinoble If they had faithfully defended the trueth the Pope woulde not haue chosen them vnto such honors Hillarius Hee might as wel make theÌ„ Cardinals in such sorte as Rossensis was in England or after the sort as the Tyrants haue giuen the red hatte vnto the Martirs Theophilus Although that he hath done that the better to keepe by that meanes the Greekes subiect and bounce vnto him and to his dectrine yet neuertheles he hath not yet so well practised it nor bounde them but that they were by and by reuolted and truned vnto their first manners and that they had abandoned forsaken the Popish faith the whiche before they were ignorant off Hillarius Yet they should not haue lost muche if they had neuer learned any thing at all But I am not muche abashed though Bessarion hath easelye consented vnto the papisticall Purgatory For hee was a great Platonist and I beeleeue that hee was more exercised in the Philosophy of Plato then in the true Theology of heaueÌ„ly letter Whereâ—ore it is no meruaile if hee haue easely allowed Purgatory the which he hath already learned of his master Plato Theophilus Thou mayst now vnderstand Eusebius how the Churche is fallen from degree to degree sithens the time of the Apostles vntil the same of lâ—ertulian afterwards of Cyprian afterwards of Augustin and from him vnto Gregory and consequently vnto our time and how the superstition is so increased and augmented that by the meanes of the Purgatory and of the Masse the merite of the death and passion of Iesus Christ was altogether abolished You must not then compare the time present the estate of your Churches vnto the same of S. Augustin For there is to much difference betweene them It is â—â— euill lykelyhood that the thing in those dayes was somuch aduaunced And doubt not that if y holy man had thought that it would
infamy the which yet neuertheles redoundeth more vnto their pareÌ„ts friends then vnto them But they forget themselues or rather they think that they do yet foele shal féele that dishonour infamye and publike shame which shall continue to their infants and lynage And although that they bée sufficiently tormented with their euill yet neuerthelesse they féele a great ease and refreshing if they vnderstande that their children haue none euill their torment is aggrauated and increased if they vnderstande the contrarie For that cause the Prophetes doe threaten not onely the wicked sort of their owne ruine and distruction but doe foreshewe vnto them that of their children and the euilles whiche shall happen vnto them as it appeareth in the prophecy of Esaie against Babylon and others like But for to stoppe all those euills and for to appaise the wrath of God kindled vpon vs as well for our sinnes as those of our fathers there is no better prayers nor offrings then to runne with true repentance amendemeÌ„t of life to implore his mercy Behold the good prayers for y deade to that ende that their sinnes be not counted wish ours Although that it be after whatsoeuer manner 〈◊〉 wilt take that place it sufficeth móe at this present to haue shewed vnto thée that thou canst not by the same proue thy purgatory although that the booke shoulde bée of the holy scripture And if thou wilt giue vnto it any credit it may better serue thée for to proue the Lymbe if there be one then the Purgatory But sith that Iesus Christ is come and that you confesse that he hath drawen the â—athers from the Lymbes the example of Iudas Machabeus can haue no more place among you sith that according to your doctrine the cause is ceased Eusebius Put case that there were no more neither Lymbe nor Purgatory can we not at the least pray for the resurrection of the deade And for the seconde comming of Iesus Christ the which we doe looke for as well as the auncyent fathers haue prayed for the first and haue desired and sighed after it Theophilus We may well pray as I haue alreadye saide and aske of God all that which apperteyneth to the perfection of his kingdome But to make prayers which are called prayers for the deade and to pray in perticuler that God woulde raise vp againe the bodyes of those which are deade and that Iesus Christ would soone come to iudgement I haue no commaundement of God nor example in all the holy scripture but rather to the contrary For when the Lorde aunswered vnto the soules of the saints which complayned of their persecutors that they shoulde â—arry vntill the number of their bretheren were fulfilled he doth sufficiently shewe by the same that he hath prefered the tyme the which cannot be plucked nor driuen backe And sith that the thing is altogether certeine and that we are alreadie all assured what néede is it then to make perticuler praiers Eusebius We are asmuch assured that all thinges which ought to come are passed by the counsell of God and that he will giue vs all that which shal be requisite to our helth and saluation that all the haires of our heade are numbred and none shall fall to the grounde without his wyll and his kingdome shall shall come and shall be exalted aboue all creatures but we may not leaue off therefore to pray continually â— to demaunde those thinges of God. Theophilus It is an other thing of vs which are yet in our voiage earthly peregrination â— of those which haue alreadie ended their course vnto whome we can no more add too nor dimynish For all the while that we are yet in the battaile we may empaire or amende and we haue alwayes néede to inuocate and call for the aide of God both for vs and for our bretheren which are yet in combate fight with vs And which is more God commaundeth vs so to do not that he knoweth not better then we what we do lacke before we do aske and that hee is not willing to giue it vs but hee doth it for to hold and kéepe vs in his feare to learne vs to sanctifie his name to exercise our faith towards him and our loue towardes our neighboure whilest that wée may serue him in this mortall peregrination But after that the voctorie is gotten or lost and that one is once come and arriued to the hauen and port to which he must go the cause and the occasion is no more such Eusebius Thou hast saide before that the soules of the blessed and the verye Angels were not yet in their full glorie Also wee cannot denye but that the bodies of the faithfull that are deade are yet kept in death sith that they are in corruption from the which they shal not be deliuered vntill their resurrection that death shal be altogether abolished What euill is it then to pray for the deade that their bodie may be deliuered from corruption and that they may haue their perfect consummation in bodie and soule Theophilus I haue alreadie satisfied thée in that if thou vnderstandest what difference there is betwéene the lyuing and the deade And although we had none other thing but that the scripture maketh no expresse commasidement that ought to suffice thée For if it were a question to worke subtilly and sophistically in the worde of god I shoulde well haue asmuch reason to put forth that wée must make prayers in perticuler for the virgin Marye for all the Prophets Apostles Saints and Saintes of Paradise Yea for the Angells and for Iesus Christ himselfe Hillaâ—ius It shoulde be requisite then by that accompt to make out of hand a newe Letany In stéede where the Prâ—estes do sing saint Michael pray for vs saint Mary mother of God pray for vs saint Peter pray for vs and so consequently of others we must say O Lorde we pray and beseech thée for saint Michael saint Gabriel saint Mary saint Peter saint Paul â—nd â—or all the saints and saintes of Paradise that thou do put them in full â—oye and perfect â—elicitie and that thâ—u â—aise vp their bodyes to eternall glorie Theophilus If our dâ—e examine well the greatest part of the prayers which the priestes make for the deade euen as they are written in their Messell and Breuiaries one shal be constrained â—o confesse that such prayers cannot be made in the name of others then of those whome they do inuocate and call vpon in their Letanyes and that they be of like condition Hillarius I haue heard the Cordeliers mocke at Frier Christofer which was one of their order and couent bâ—cause that he did sing the Masse of Requiem for the Saints and Saintes of Paradise But if he had knowen howe to defende his cause it had not béene without reasâ—n For he might haue verie wel alledged for his warrant the Memento of the
The which many Theologians doe expounde it of the fire of purgatory by the which the soules must first passe for to be purged before that they can enter into the celestiall rest To which agréeth very well that which saint Paul writeth to the Corinthians saying For other foundation can no man â—ay then that which is layde which is Iesus Christ And if any man bylde vpon this foundacion gold siluer precious stones tymber hay or stubble euery mans worke shall appeare For the day shall declare it and it shal be shewed in fire And the fire shall trie euery mans worke what it is If any mans worke that he hath buylt vpon byde he shall receiue a rewarde If any mannes worke burne be shall suffer losse but he shal be safe himselfe neuerthelesse yet as it were thorowe fire What fire can we here vnderstand then that of purgatory which purgeth wherefore one is sauid by the same The which we cannot vnderstand of y same of hel from which none can be deliuered nor consequently saued What aunswerest thou to that I do here breake a lyttle the order that I had thought to haue kept do leape from the Psalter vnto the Epistles of saint Paul But it is bâ—cause that the matters are like and that the one of the pointes may the better be discussed and opened with the other For we cannot vnderstand that fire thorowe which one goeth and passeth but of the same of which saint Paule speaketh by the which one is saued For none can passe from the same of hell but it kéepeth and holdeth fast all that that commeth to it Declare and expound vnto me these two places and afterwards I will go straite way to the newe Testament and will kéepe order as I haue saide Theophilus As touching the place of the Psalmes it is moste cleare that in that Psalme the Prophete speaketh of the tyrannye and oppression and of the greate afflictions and aduersities which the people of god haue suffered from which God hath deliuered them And the better to comprehend all in a summe the great euills and daungers in which that people hath beene drowned and plunged he speaketh it in the person of him wée are come vnto the fire and water and thou hast ledde vs by them He vseth commonly the comparison of the fire and water bicause that there is nothing which sooner will kill dispatch a man then the fire and water when they haue once power ouer him And therefore they are many times taken in the holy scriptures for the temptations persecutions passions daungers deathes and iudgement of God by the which all is examined proued and tryed as by the fire and water and there is none that can escape if the Lorde do not delyuer and drawe him from it as it is here spoken afterwardes As touching the place of Saint Paul he pretended an other thing then to the fire of Purgatory as it is easie to know by his owne wordes Wherefore I doe make thée thine owne iudge of the cause I demaunde of thee first whether thou art of an opinion that it behoueth that all the holy Prophets Apostles and Martyrs do passe by or thorowe that fire of Purgatory Eusebius Noe. Hillarius Those which alledge that place for to proue the Purgatorie dare not to confesse that For they magnifie and extoll so much the merittes of Saints that they haue made a treasure in their Church of those which they haue of superaboundance the which they do vaunt themselues to distribute vnto others Theophilus Neuertheles the Apostle speaketh in that place of the principallest members of the church to wit of the Prophets Apostles Euangelists Doctors Preachers and consequently of all those which do edifie by their doctrine whom he calleth masons and buylders He saith that euery ones worke shall passe by the fire and that the workeman also shal be examined by the same Wherfore either you shall be constrayned to confesse that that fire cannot be vnderstanded of the same of Purgatorye or that there is neither Saint nor Saintes but is compelled to passe by the same for to proue trye his worke sith that he excepteth none But saith plainly that euery mans shal be tryed by the fire The which thing saint Augustine was not ignorant off but vseth the same reason against those which would mainteine by those words of the Apostle that those which beléeue in Iesus Christ shal be all saued howe wicked a lyfe so euer they haue lyued and buylded vppon the foundation which is Iesus Christ prouided that they had not altogether abandoned and forsaken the foundation He taketh not that fire for that of Purgatory But for the tribulations aduersities and persecutions of this worlde Although that some wil say that the like is done yet in the other world he saith that he will not repunge their opinion the which as he saith may be true But yet neuerthelesse he dareth not to affirme it but expoundeth that fire of the tribulations of this worlde here Theophilacte who almost in all his commentaries hath followed Chrisostome notwithstanding that he is not of the most auncientes and that hée hath written sithence that the church hath beene verye much marred and spoyled and that already that fire of Purgatorye was veâ—ye muche kindeled yet neuerthelesse hée made here no mention at all not of one onely sillable But taketh that fire for the same of Hell saying that the sinner shal be saued that is to say that he shal be reserued whole and entire for to burne in the fire and to be punished perpetually But for to come to the true and more cleare vnderstanding of those wordes Saint Paul meaneth here briesely that all buylding all doctrine and workes buylded and inuented without the word of God shall turne into smoke and vanish away altogether without being able to abide and continue firme notwithstanding that all that shal be builded vppon the true foundation which is Christ who cannot beare vppe any buylding if it be not pure gold siluer pearles and precious stones taken from his worde which is more pure then the gold and siluer fined and tryed seuen times And therefore the Apostle vseth here a metaphore translation and comparison For euen as he compareth the pure doctrine of y gospel to the gold siluer precious stones which cannot be consumed by the fire but are by the same tryed and doe appeare more faire and cleane So he compareth the doctrines dreamed and inuenâ—ed by the braine of man vnto wood hay chaffe and stubble and by good right For euen as those thinges cannot abide the fire but are consumed and perished assone as they féele it so in lyke manner shall mens doctrines perish and cannot abyde and continewe firme when they shall come to the touchstone It happeneth vnto vs oftentimes that we delyte and please our selues in our owne workes and wée thinke that we haue made a
wel assured of it But if that which they do write of the buls and pardons be true it is great felly for the papistes to bestowe any more any pennye nor halfe pennye neither for the funerals nor for y masses vigils nor other suffrages for y dead that they should reiect aâ— other manner of doings for to hold themselues onely to y buls pardons and to buy them for to draw the sâ—ules from Purgatory For it should not cost them so much should haue sooner dispatched riâ— away the poore soules from Purgatory For if the Pope hath in his hands the treasure of the Church hath the power as Alexander de Ales witnesseth by the power of his keys by the meanes of his indulgences to distribute bestow them as wel to the liuing as to the dead the Papistes haue no more néede of any other thing For euen as they haue by their Masses and other inuâ—ntions abolished put out the vertue of the death and passion and of the sacrifice of Iesus Christ so the Popes which haue bene the authors of the buls and indulgences haue abolished masses suffrages al meritorious works for the quicke for the dead which their predecâ—ssors haue inuented without the word of god And so by that meanes one shal haue no more néede not onely of Iesus Christ but also of their masses nor of all that that they can do but it is sufficient for al to haue paper parchment written and buls signed sealed with waxe or with lead â—ut which is more I am very much abashed how they dare to attribute so much power ouer y dead to their buls keys absolutioÌ„s sith that the Pope Gelasius and their decreâ—als Canons doe witnesse and openly confesse that the church can bindâ— and vnbinde those y be liuing not the dead and that wâ—e doe not read that the same was euer coÌ„maunded or done not of Iesus Christ himselfe which alâ—ne hath the power to do that But hath said namely vnto S. Peter Al that that thou shalt binde or vnbinde vpon the earth shal be bound in heaueÌ„ He hath said namely vpon earth For he hath neuer sayd that he that shal be dead being bound shal be vnbâ—und Beholde the very wordes of the Canons which doe well way the wordes of Iesus Christ and doe confirme y that I haue said of the authoritie of the keyes at the least in this place in which is said very plainely that by those words of the gospell is declared that none can be excommunicated or absolued aâ—ter he is dead For he saith That which thou shalt binde or vnbinde vppon earth He sayth not vnder the earth declaring that we may binde and vn binde those that be alyue for y diuersitie of their merits but we cannot giue sentence of the dead Beholde the question that Gratian propounded the resolution in his owne words Thomas How can that agrée with that which hath bene alreadie alleadged of the very Canons which doe giue power to excommunicate the Hereticks after they be dead It must néeds be that the canons be contrary the one vnto the other Theophilus That is not newe nor rare with them But the glosers doe excuse that by their interpretacions and exceptions I doe not denye but that we may condempne dempne after that one is deade the false doctrine that a man and an Hereticke shall holde during his lyfe if then it be manifested euen as it might bée done by some of them of whom they doe alleadge the examples for to aduertise the Churches to the ende that the faythfull might the better kéepe themselues But to excommunicate and curse the persons I knowe or sée not how that can bée boâ—ne with all by the holy Scripture â—ith that they are before theyr Iudge vnto whome the Angells did sende the Diuell as is written of Michael the Archangell who disputing with the Diuell about the body of Moâ—es durst not vse rayling iudgement agaynst him but said vnto him The Lord rebuke thée Yet neuerthelesse those heere dare to enterprise more agaynst men both quick and dead then the Angells durst agaynst the Diuels although that they holde them already for most certeâ—â—e to be condempâ—â—ed of God. Hillarius I am yet abashed of one thing If the Pope haue such power to giue full remission from payne and fault by his bulles moulgences aswell for the quick as for the soules of the dead I meruayle that hée hath not already long sithence made emptiâ— and cleansed Purgatory and that he hath not fetched out all the soules sith that he giueth so many pardons dayly and hourely and not only he but al â—is Cardinals bishops priests monks Eusebius There is a goodly aunswere vnto that question The first is for that there goeth euery day new into Purgatory The other is euen as Saint Thomas saint Bonauenture doe aunswere vnto that obiection that it is very requisite and needefull before that the indulgence and pardon be auayleable that it haue reasonable cause and that the dispensation of the goods and treasure of the church in which are assembled and comprised al the merits of Iesus Christ all the merits of al the Saints and Saintes which euer were should be done with moderation and discression or otherwise god will not accept it And therefor the pardons indulgences are not giuen vnto any person eyther for him or for any other be he quicke or dead but by reason of some good worke that he hath done eyther for him selfe or in the name of those for whome the pardon is giuen And therefore is lymitted the power of all those which haue the charge to giue them al do know be they Cardinals Archbishops Bishops Abbots Moonks or Priests how many they may giue euery day except the Pope which hath not his power limitted except he vse theÌ„ vnreasonably the pardoÌ„s theÌ„ that he wil giue shal not be auaileable with god Hillarius I vnderstand what thou wouldest say The pope hath heaped vp together all the merits of Iesus Christ of the patriarchs prophets Apos tles Martirs confessors virgins saints saintes of paradise of al the Christian Church in a treasure and a garner of which he alone hath the keyes and can open or shut distribute little or much when he will and as it pleaseth him For he is the great lockesimth But al the others are but as his seruaunts of whom he lymitteth the power and the office of euery one in such sort that they cannot distribute but that that he hath delyuered vnto them and of whom they haue the keyes Wherefore if it behoueth that hée haue in the treasury garner a great many of seuerall chaÌ„bers and cabins of which many must haue the keyes euery one his owne for to depart and bestow that whereoff he hath the dispensation without daring to touche the
peace and at rest Wherefore let vs sing an other Oremus Let vs suffer them to sing that in stéede of Vigiles and of Libera me and of their Fidelium and I will make his Epitaph which shall serue him for his latter Oremus O gentle sir Iohn who of Purgatory Hast gotten so much of siluer and golde Make speedely to be known to all of the Popry To sing Requiem aeternam for his sweete soule By him an Epicures lyfe thou didst lead But now alas he is dead an hath no place And with him thy earthly kingdome is dead Sing for him then Requiescant in pace Thomas Amen Now sith that he is buryed let vs goe to Supper that he may haue also his funerall Supper and that wée may as well banket as the priests in those of the dead in the dayes of their Anniuersaries yeares minde Hillarius Let vs goe FINIS ¶ A Table of the principall matters of the thirde parte of the Christian disputacions A. ABsolution of the quick and the dead 275. Aduertisement 293. Against the Originists 272. Alexander 283. Amongst whom are reputed the soules of Purgatory 274. Anabaptists 238. Ansegisus 234 Angells dare not curse the diuells 285. Aunswere to the place of the Psalmes 263. Antechrist 276. Antiochus 215. Apocripha what it is 216. Apostles of the circumcision 257. Apothegma 211 Archesilaus 257. Argument a posteriori 279. Asshes of Pope Boniface 280. Augmentation of the felycitie to Angels 246. Authoritie of the booke of the Machabees 213. Authoritie of the Prophets Apostles 217. Authoritie of the Scripture 217. Authoritie of the church 217. B. Baptise with the holy Ghost and fire 235 Baptise two times in the yeare 239 Baptisme delayed 239. Baptisme onely of Iesus Christ 256 Baptisme of woemen 241 Baptisme of water whether it be necessary to saluation 232. Baptisme of deuotion 233. Baptisme of bloud 237. To be baptised for the dead 290 Beginning of the iudgement of God. 247. Beginning of Hell and Paradise 248. Bonauenture deified and made God. 283. Boniface the eight 280. Bookes Canonicall 216. Bookes of Thoby 262. Booke second of the Machabees 217 Bookes Canonical and Apocripha 214 Bookes of Ioseph 214 To be borne agayne of water how it is be vnderstanded 234. Bosome of Abraham 225 Boow the knee 291 Bulles doing all things 284 Bulles in Purgatory 277. Burying of Purgatory 299. Burying of the conscience 277. C. Candell before 268 Canons of the Apostles 215 Cathecismenes 237 Circumcision deferred 229 Christ the restorer of all things 247 Christ our pledge 215. Church of Lausanne 256. One onely and eternall Church 244. Charecter indebilis 276. Charles 256. Clement the sixt 283. Clockes of Purgatory 286. Comparison of the diuine and humaine doctrine 264. Comperison of the lyfe present and that to come 246. Condition of the childreÌ„ of the christioÌ„s 230. Conscience 247. Conscientia mille testes 247. Consolation in Abrams bosome 231. Contrarieties of Canons 285 Cornelius 298. Counsell of Africa 242. Creame Papisticall 276. Creators of the Creator 281. Custome of the true false doctors 266. D. Day of the Lord. 264. Dead doe bite 274. The dead how they are punished in their successours 253 Degrees of the Iudgement of god 249 Descending of Christ into hell 296. Difference betweene the Limbe Purgatory and Hell. 22â— Difference betweene the fire of Purgatory and Hell. 221. Difference betweene the olde and new Testament 244 Difference betweene the dead vnder the olde and new Testament 244 DispeÌ„sation of the tresure of the church 284 Disposition of this Dialogue 262 Diuersitie of pardons 271 Doctrine troublesome 259 Doctors scholasticall doubting of the bulls 284. Dreames of the Saints and of the rauing Theologasters 213 Dreamers or sleepers 249. E. Eccius 262. Encrease of glory in the other lyfe 245. Enâ—ant how it shall beare the iniquitie of his father 253. Error about the Sacraments 238. Error touching the Supper 234. Error of the Bohemians Morians 234. Estate of the soules after the seperation from the body 249 Eternitie temporall 272. Euangelists of the Pope 287. Example of the long dayes in Purgatory 286. Example of Iudas Machabeus 251. Example of the mercy of God. 220. Example 212. 286 Example of Fryer Roger. 277. Examples that the Saynts ought not to be all drawne into a generall consequence 243. Example of Ziphora 243. Exposition of the place of Saint Iohn ca. 3. 234. Exposition of the schoolemen vppon the plâ—ce of Saint Iohn ca. 3. 236 Exposition of the place of Thoby 262. Exposition of the place of the 1. Cor. ca. 3. 263. Exposition Allegoricall 268 Excommunicate the dead 282. Excommunicate the doctrine of the dead 285 Ex puris negatiuis nihill sequitur 271. F. Fable of Theseus and Pyrothus 221. Fable of the fayned mourning of a Laborer 300. Fable of Gregory 221. Faith of Symon 240. Fire 265. Foundation of the order of the Mendicants 287. Fryer Christopher 255. Friends of the kitchin 223. Furyed and she diuells 248. G. Gates of dreames 212 Gate of yâ—ory and of horne 213. Gentiles saued without Circumcision 229. Gerion 258. Gibellinus 280. God of Hipocrites 22â— God compared to tyrants 252. Good workes 223. Grace halfe 251. Great Lockyer 276. 2â—5 Greatnesse of the paines of Purgatory 221. Gregory the first made no mention of bulls for the dead 284. H. Halfe a sauiour 251 Hangmen of Infants 238. Harman condempned by the Pope 282 Saint Harman 282 Hell of the Origenists and Catabaptists 224. Helindius 270 Henticus 4. 282 Hercules 258. Herostratus 256. Herostratus burned the Temple of Diana 256. Herauld of righteousnesse 29â— Holy Ghost a fire 235. Holy Ghost water 235. Honour to the sacraments 2â—9 Hostensis contrary to the bulls 284. Hipocrits enuious of the grace of god 220 Hydra 258. I. Ignoraunce excuseth 〈◊〉 289. Image of death 250 Indians 235. Incredulitie of Thomas 212. Insufficiencie of the booke of the Machabees for to proue Purgatory 2â—1 〈◊〉 of saints for the dead 277. Ioseph authour of the booke of the Machabees 214. Isaac and Ismael Iubile of the Pope 283. Iubile of God. 283. Iudgement of the Scriptures to whom it apperteineth 216. Iudgement by the word 211. Iudgement of the Sodomites and Gomorrians 288. Iudgement of saint Hierome touching the bookes of the Machabees 214 Iustice and mercy of God. 222 K. Keyes of saint Peter of the Pope 276. Keyes of hell 279 Keye chaunged 276. Kindrâ—â—s of Loth. 288 L. Languages of the Prophets 217 Our Lady of Butter 241. Legends of Saints 215. Legittimation 216. Lembe 226. Lembus 226. Limbus 225. Saint Lewes canonized 282 Licence Theologicall 225 Limbe of the Infants destroyed 238. Limbe of the Infants 226. Limbe of the Fathers 244. Limbe 219. 297 Limbe what it signifieth 225. Liuing called dead 294 Ludâ— seculares 283. M. Madianiâ—s papisticall 287. Machabees 215. Man making Gods. 280. Manner to know God. 279. Marke of conscience 277 Marke of the great whore 277. Marâ—â—â—nists 242. Martirs before the comming of Iesus
the supper taken avvay from the people The Councel of Constance of Basile Transubstantiition The honourable recantation of Berengarius De con dist 2 Lgo Berengarius Mat 26. c. 27. Marc. 14. c. 22. Luc. 22. b. 19 The Conuent of Monkes Multitude of Masses for hidde De con dist 1. ca. sufficit What company ought to haue the Masse De con dist 1. ca. Hoc quoque Mat. 16. c. 27 Marc 14. c. â—2 Luc. 22. b. 19 The breaking of the hoast De con dist 2. ca. â—riform Sergius 2. Oâ— porci Plat. The names of the Popes changed Bonauent li. 4. dist 12. Hilbert in eleg de Euchaâ—istiu The memento of the quicke of the dead The sâ—pper a 〈◊〉 of reâ—â—â—tion The dispising contemning of the supper King Levves Statutes for the communion Ausegisus li. 2. Ca 38 Fabtan De con dist 2. hâ— Concilium Aga thâ—se â—libâ—â—t De cen dist 2. 〈…〉 Concil Latera The councell of Pope Innocent De pen. remiss omnis v◠〈◊〉 Albert. li. de missae myst The conslareie of the Greekes Purgatory retested of the Greekes The Counsell of Florence Scismes Antipopes Plat. in vita Eng. li. concil The Counsell of Busle Pope Martin Sigismond Emperour The Counsell of Ferrora Plague Pope Engenius A yme Duke of Sanoy Ripailles Pope Felix Purgotory receyned by the Greekes Rutenus Nicenus Beisation Rossensis The VVitnesse VVhich Saint Hâ—ereme ytueth cllus time 〈◊〉 lanua 1. 9. Aertus Hierom against Vigtlantius The opinion that Styne August in had of Pingarory Collo 2. 3. 3. Li. desâ—â—â— oper ca. 16. Addulâ—â— q. 1 in Enchir. ca 68. 69 De ciui deili 21. ca. 26. Tho. in 4. dist 21. Autho. 1. Par. 〈…〉 10. Cap 2. The doctrine of the Apostles perfect Raâ— diui off li. 7. 3. q. 7. in grauib 24. q. 1. odâ— 1. de ponderet extra de renun Nisi 5. 1. Monica Li. confess 9 câ— 11. The affection of the women that follovved Iesus Luc. 24. a. 5. Mat. 18. 2. 1. Marc. 16. b. 6. Iolus 10. â— 11. The vvitnes of Saint Augusture against purgatory of the Pope De ciui det li. 10 â— 1. 24. The true Pargatory De câ—â— Dei. li 10. ca. 22. 1. Timo. 2. â— 5. lieb 1. 2. 3. De eiui Dei. li. 13. ca. 9 De trinita li. 4 ca. 13. De ciuis Dei. li 21. ca. 13 Purgatory in this worlde Enchi â— 67. The fire dinturnall eternall Contra Pelag Hypogu li. 5 Two vvayes onely Other vvitnesses of the most auncion doctors agaynst Purgatory Ter aduer Marl. li. 4. The sieldes Ehâ—eus Abrahams bosome To affirme vncerteyne things Irene aduer ha res Valentma Recogn li. 1. The booke of Clement Purgatory is either far all or els ther is none Psa 32. The diuersltie of opinions touching the suffrages for the dead Theologia Ac. â— demâ—a 1. Timo. 1. b. 7. The certeyntie in the doctrine of the faith required The disputacioÌ„s of the babblers of diuinitie Temerine to affirme Tho. m. 4. dist 21. 〈…〉 Sinne 〈◊〉 holy Ghost Dist 19. ca. 51. Romanorum To sinne against the Pope The couâ—cell of Saint Augustin in Genes 11. 10 Mat. 24. b 24. The elect in daÅ„ger to b. seduced The reigne of 〈…〉 and he vvorking of 〈…〉 â—â—â— 59. a. 5. 2. thess. 2. b. 5 Rash determinations â—â—â—â—nations vvhat thing vve may safely he ignorant off and vvhat not Luc. â—3 s 43. Vnâ—o vvhom do â—â—perreyne the extreme appeâ—â—â—vions in causes of â—d ygloa Ordinary iudge Diuine humayne councells Mat. 18. Act. 15. b. 8. The power of the Pope Dist 34. c. ioctor Glos dist 82. ca. Hrestyter Glo. Apostolorum 17. q. 4. ca. 51. siquis dist 40. c St Papa Dist 96. c. Satis c. simplices inscriptis Dist 40. ca. Si Papa The â—oye out â—f th 〈◊〉 The vvitnesse of Antechrist agaynst his Purgatory De bapt ofsee cap. Maiores causat God pardoneth not the moyâ—ie Versus Magistrales ex glosa Larga Dâ—i pietas veniam non dimidial it Nam nil aut totum te lacrymante dabat Deut. 32. â— 4 Mar. 8. d. 29 Marc. â— c. 25 Pro. 17. d. 28 Iudgement by the vvorld Apothegma CoÌ„mon proâ—erb The incredulity of Thomas Iohn 20. â—â—â— S. Patricks wels The vvorde of God iudge and guide Aene. 6. Psa 119. c. 05. The gates of dreames The gate of Iuory horne The dreames of the Saints of the erring Theologisters The spirite of Bacchus 〈…〉 The vvorde of God iudge and guide Aene. 6. Psa 119. c. 105. The gates of dreames The gate of Iuory herne The dreames of the Saints of the eâ—ring Theologisters The spirite of Bacchus 2. Mach. 12. g. 43. The value of the thousand Dragmas The authoritie of the bookes of the Machabces Books canonical Apocripha The iudgement of saint Hierom touching the bookes of the Machabeeâ— Hiero. Pauli Ioseph y anthor of the bookes of the Machabees The bookes of Ioseph De ciui Dei. li 18. ca. 36 Martirs bescre the comming of Iesus Christ The Machabees 2. Mac. 7. a. 1 Antiochus The legends of Saints Dist 15. ca. sancta Luc. 24. g. 44. The Canons the Apostles Dsti 16. casex againta can canoner propter Dist 16. ca. â—none Glos atâ— The eâ—onicall bookes Apocrypha Vnto whom the iudgement of the scriptures do appertcine Legitimation The authoritie of the Church The authoritie of the scripture Psa 19 c 9 The seconde bookes of the Machabees The sangnage of the Prophets The last Prophets The authoritie of the Prophets and Apostles Gal. 1 b. 8 The vvstnesse of God. Ad Chroma dist 5. ca. saÌ„cta The place of the Machabees serueth nothing at all for Purgâ—â—ory Purgatory before the comming of Christ Luc. 16. c. 19. The Limbe The reason vppon which Purgatory is builded Hipocrites enuious of the grace of God Luc. 15. g. 28. Examples of the mercy of God. Luâ— 23. l. 4â— Priuiledge Saluation by priuiledge Rom. 3. 9. Payne for satisfaction The only death of Iesus Christ doth satisfie Cypr. lib. 4. de bapismo lâ— sent 4. dist 4. sunt The greatnes of the paynes of Purgatory Dist 25. ca. Apostolus Tho. 4. dist 21. aâ— 1. Ric. 4. dist 20. arg 2. Aâ—ber 7. li. com theo ca. 2. Bona. 4. dist 18 Plutar. lâ— de sera numi vind Fable of Gregory Bart. fer 4. heb 4. quadrag Ser de poen purg Fable of Theseus and Pyrothus Verg. Aene. 6. Difference bevveene the fire of purgatory of hell Ric. 4. dist 20. arg 2. Bonauâ—n 4. dist 18. Albet 7. li. com pe tha ca. 2. Thom. 4. dist 21. arg 1. 3 er q. 46. ar 6. Barl. serm de pâ—na Purg. example Anto. â— par suÌ„ Mans reason the foundacion of Purgatory The Iustice and mercy of God. Esa. 9. b. 6 Iohn 3. d. 34. Rom. 3. 24. Gala. 3. d. 2â— Punishment for sinnes Rom. 12. 1. Cor. 12 Iohn 15. Gala. 3. â—â— Iohn 3. d. 36 The revvard