must neades be confessed euen of the contrary teachers whiche thinges together conteine more probability for the proufe of oure purpose then they can for any other sense finde But nowe touchinge the texte nearer and finding that this woorke of mannes amending shall be wrought in the next liefe then it must nedes so induce this sense that no meaning may well be admitted whiche euidently setteth not forth the truthe of Purgatory And that this worke is not properly taken for any suche trouble or vexation that may fall to man in this liefe but for a very torment praepared for the next worlde firste the quality of the iudgement and meanes in the execution of that sentence of God whiche is named to be doone by fiere seemeth rather to import that then any other vexation the poonishement of the worlde folowing allwaies lightely so termed Then man is in this purging only asufferer which belongeth namely to the nexte worlde But especially that this sentence shall be executed in the day of our Lorde which properly signifieth ether the day of our death or the sentence of God whiche streghte foloweth vpon death or the laste and generall iudgement All the tyme off mans liefe wherein he foloweth his freedom is called Dies Hominis the daie of man bicause as man in this liefe for the most parte serueth his owne will so he often neglecteth Goddes but at his deathe there beginneth Dies Domini Where God executeth his ordinaunce and will vpon man This triall then of mannes misdeedes and impure workes must ether be at his deathe or after his departure by one of the two iudgementes But if we note diligently the circumstances of the saide letter it shall appeare vnto vs that this purgatiō was not ment to be onely at mannes death both bicause it shall be done by fyre whiche as is saide commonly noteth the torment of the next liefe and then S. Paule expressely warneth vs to take hede what we builde in respect of the difference that may fall to suche as builde fine workes and other that erecte vppon the foundation impure or mixte mater of corruption but the paines of deathe being common to the best as well as to the worst or indifferent and no lesse greuous in it sellfe to one then the other can not be imported by the fire whiche shall bring losse to th one sort and not paine thother Besides all this that day which the prophet speaketh of shall be notorious in the sight of the worlde and very terrible to many And S. Paule plainely affirmeth that in this iudgement there shall be made an open shewe of suche woorkes as were hidde before from man and not discerned by the iudgement of this world whiche the priuate deathe of one manne can not doo And lightely thapostle warning man of the sentence of God in the next lyefe 2. Cor. 5. admonisheth him that oure dedes must be laide open before the iudgemēt seate of God so here Dies domini declarabit quia in igne reuelabitur the day of oure lord will open the matter bicause it shall be shewde in fyre Last of all the Prophet nameth the tyme off this sharpe tryal Diem aduentus domini whiche is a proper calling of one of the iudgements ether that whiche shall be generall at the last day or elles that whiche euery manne must first abyde streghte after his departure when he shall be called to the peculiare reckoning for his owne actes In ether of whiche iudgements Magis l. 4 dist 47. this purging and amending fire shall be fownde For as in that generall wast of the whole world by the fyre of conflagration 2. Petri. Cap. 3. whiche is called ignis praecedeus faciem iudicis because it awaiteth to fulfill Christes ordinance in the day of his second comming as in that fier the whole man both body and soule may suffer losse and extreme payne for his poonishment or purgation and yet by that same fyre be saued euen so oute of doubt at this particulare iudgement streght vpon euery mannes death the soule of the departed if it be not before free must suffer paines and Purgation by the like vehement torment woorking onely vpon the soule as the other shall doo on the whole man And the prophets wordes now alleaged do meane principally of the purgation that shall be made of the faithfuls corrupted woorkes by the fiere of conflagration in the seconde comming of Christe thoughe his wordes well proue the other also as S. Paule too meaneth by theyme bothe That there is a particulare iudgement and priuate accompte to be made at euery mannes departure off his seuerall actes and dedes vvith certaine of the fathers mindes touching the textes of scripture alleaged before Cap. 7. ANd though such as shal liue at the comming of the iudge in the later daye shall then be purged of they re corruption and base workes of infirmity by the fyre that shall abetter and alter the impure nature of these corruptible elements or otherwise according to goddes ordinaunce yet the common sort of all men whiche in the meane tyme depart this worlde must not tary for theire purgation till that general amending of all natures no more then the very good in whome after theire baptisme no filthe of sinne is fownde or if any were was wiped a way by poenaunce muste awayte for they re saluation or the wicked tary for they re iuste iudgement to damnation The particulare iudgemēt But streght this sentence ether off iudgement or mercy must be pronounced and therfore it is called the particulare iudgement by whiche the soule onely shall receyue well the or woe as at the day of the greate accompt bothe body and soule must doo Of this seuerall triall the holy Apostle S. Paule saith Ad haebr 9 statutum est omnibus hominibus semel mori post hoc iudicium It is determined that euery man once must dye and after that commeth iudgement And a nother scripture more expressely thus Eccles 11. Facile est coram domino reddere vnicuique in die obitus sui secundum vias suas It is an easy matter before oure lorde that euery man at the day of his death shulde be rewarded according to his lyefe and ways Agayne in the same place Memor isto iudicij mei sic enim erit tuum mihi heri tibi hodie Haue in remembraunce my iudgement for such shal thy nowne be yester day was myne to day may be thyne And therfore S. Ambrose saith that with oute delay the good poore man was caryed to rest and the wicked riche owte of hand suffered torments That euery man saith he may feele before the day of iudgement Super 5. ad Roman what he muste then looke for And in another place the same holy man writeth that Iohn the beloued of Iesus is allredy gone to the paradise of euerlasting blesse In psa 118 ser 20. passing as fewe shall doo the fiery
that one Victor who had made Geminus Faustinus being a priest ageynst the ordre taken in the councell of Aphrik thexecutor of his testament shoulde therfore haue no prayers of the clergye nor facrifice after his departure sayde or doone for him For in that tyme of greate persecution suche instant prayers so often sacrifice the scarsity of ministers the peoples necessity required that the priestes shoulde perpetually with oute all exception of worldly affayers serue the altare But you shall heare this blessed Martyrs or rather his wordes together with the councelles ordinaunce Victor cum contra formam nuper in consilio a sacerdotibus dataÌ„ Geminum Faustinum presbyterum ausus sit actorem constituere non est quò pro dormitione eius apud vos fiat oblatio aut depraecatio nomine eius in ecclesia frequentetur vt sacerdotuÌ„ decretuÌ„ religiose necessariò factuÌ„ seruetur a nobis simul caeteris fratribus detur exemplum ne quis sacerdotes ministros dei altari eius ecclesiae vacantes ad seculares molestias deuocet In englishe thus Seeing victor ageinst the ordre taken of late in a holy synod of priestes hathe made Geminus Faustinus the chefe dooer in th execution of his will and testament lett it be prouided that there be no oblation ther wyth yowe for his rest nor yet any prayers in his behaulfe in the churche that the decrye of the priestes before sayde may be religiously obserued and executed by vs. That therby all other oure bretherne may beware by his example how they wythdrawe suche as should serue the author to entangle theim selues with worldely affayres And here nowe oure aduersaryes must be called vpon and asked howe they can a way with this geare The haeretikes called vpon to ansvver whether this light of truethe be not ouer vehement for they re bleared eyes owle light or mooneshyne I trowe or mirke midnight were more fit for they re darke workes and doctryne oure way is ouer muche trodden for theues All this course of oure cause The vvhole matter ordered to oure hands so agreethe with it selfe so standethe wythe reason so vphoulden by scripture so ordered in all poyntes that Momus him selfe coulde practise no arte nor picke no quarelles here For such we must pray for those we must not praye in this case the sacrifice of goddes churche relieueth the departed in that case it is comfortable onely to the liuynge sum men neede helpe aster their death others helpe we neede and not they oures for open infidelles and haeretikes praiers are not vsed for all secrette offendres bicause their case is not knowne to the church of charity towardes her childreÌ„ she opeÌ„ly prayethe sum she poonishethe sum she pardonethe for al she merueilous teÌ„derly carethe This doctrine of truethe is purposely ordered by our elders euery point is touched and tried to our handes What time of the day was it in goddes church say trueth and shame the deuill when holy Cyprian wrote these thinges when the councell of aphrick decried these thinges when victor was punished by lack of sacrifice and prayers at his departure doeth your time of ignorance which yowe haue lymited for your waulke reache vp so highe in goddes howse but I will spare yow to anone your answer is not redie VVhat that holy sacrifice is vvhiche vvas euer counted so beneficiall to the liue and deade The punishement of oure sinnes by the heuy losse thereof The greate hatered vvhich the diuell and all his side hath euer borne tovvardes Christes aeternall priesthood and the sacrifice of the Churche And that by the saide sacrifice of the Masse the soules departed are especially relieued Cap. 8. ANd now we must faule in hand with the good ChristiaÌ„ Catholike for the searche of this so ofteÌ„ named sacrifice so coÌ„fortable to the liue so profitable to the dead and what that oblatioÌ„ is which the holy catholike and apostolike Church hath euer vsed through oute the world for the sinnes of the departed in place of the offeringes of the lawe and that sacrifice which Iudas Machabaeus made and procured at Hierusalem for the offensies of his people that perished in battle Surely it is no other but the sacrifice of our mediatour as S. Augustine termeth it and the offering vppon the altare It is no other then that obltation which so fully and liuely expressethe the death and passion of Christ Iesus Who being once offered by the sheeding of his blessed bloude for the redemption of man kind hath wrought such a vertuous effect not onely in the holy sacraments for the giuing of grace and remission of sinnes but allso hath lefte in a merueilous mistery his owne holy and blessed body and bloode as wel to feede vpoÌ„ for the especial streÌ„ght and comforth of our soules as to offer vppe the same for the remembrance of his death and cleaÌ„sing of our sinnes Not in that wise as it was doone vpon the crosse by the painefull sheeding of his bloude but as it was instituted first in the last supper Where Christ oure God and redemer according to the order of Melchisedech gaue to his apostles and offered to God the father that body which afterwarde was betraide and the same bloudde which was shed after also for the remission of sin beinge with all tearmed by him the bloude of the newe and aeternall testament as that which in the newe lawe shoulde succeade the bloddy offeringes of the owlde testament Whereof God allmighty being as a man woulld say lothesom or full hathe instituted this by his onely sonne as a most pure and praecious oblation and sacrifice to be continued in the Church through out the costes and corners of the rounde worlde Whiche being celebrated in the blessed memory of his sonnes passion and hauing no other hoste nor oblation then that whiche then was offered can be no other sacrifice then that whiche there was made for the forgiuenesse of sinne and redemption of the worlde The which woorthy action of Christes Churche so fructefully applieth vnto vs the benefite of oure maisters death that thereby we may haue comfortable hope of remission of all such misdeedes as most iustly deserued Goddes wrathe and terrible indignation ageinst vs. Now this is that blessed sacrifice which S. Augustin with feare and reuerence termeth in a thousand places of his works the sacrifice of the Altare the sacrifice of our Mediatour the sacrifice of oure price the sacrifice of the body and bloude of Christ the holsom and proffitable sacrifice the sacrifice of Melchisedech The common names of honoure geuen to the holy masse in olde time the new sacrifice S. Chrisostom the Reuerent sacrifice the honoâ—able Mysteries the Fearefull sacrifice Athanasius the propitiatory sacrifice the vnbloudy Hoste S. Cyprian the sacrifice of the Churche the perpetuall sacrifice the meate offering the medicine for our infirmities Iraeneus the pure sacrifice the new sacrifice of the new testament Clement ageine the vnbloudy sacrifice the rationable
that haste before thyne eyes in these forsakers an image and a perfect platte of damnable desperation Mightily hathe God executed this sentēce of iudgemēt vpon al sortes of mē that hath withstand the trueth The Iewes feeling it till this day the folowers of Mahomet the Arians and all other haeretikes that haue forsaken the felowship of the faithfull The lamē table case of haeretikes and haue left the fowntaine of lyfe cowld neuer be reduced to the truethe coulde neuer see they re owne misery bicause God hath giuen theime ouer for their withstanding And let not the forsakers wōder that I shoulde compare theire case to the misery of the Iewes August in psal 30 seeing S. Augustine confesseth that all haeretikes be much more blinded then they bicause the Prophets speake more plainely of the Churche which properly all haeretikes doo impugne then they doo of Christe him self whome the prowde Iewes doo contemne And therefore let vs that be Catholikes blesse Goddes name for euer that he hath not taken his mercye from vs that he hathe not dealte with vs according to oure sinnes We haue offended surely and haue deserued this plage our Priestes haue offended our Princies haue offended and oure People haue offended yet for his own name sake he hath loked vpon vs and hathe kept vs withe in the howsehould of saluation Glory and honoure be to his holy name for euer more Amen FINIS Quoniam Liber iste Anglico Idiomate conscriptus est lectus ab Anglis Sacrae Theologiae peritis mihi optimè notis qui eum per omnia Catholicum nationi Anglicae perutilem attestantur iudico expedire vt admissus imprimatur Itae testor Cunnerus Petri de Browershauen Pastor Sancti Petri Louà niensis indignus 8. Martij an 1564. Stilo Brabantiae THE ARGVMENTES of euery Chapiter of bothe the Bookes Of the first Booke THe Praeface where in be noted two sortes of haeretikes th one pretending vertue thother openly professing vice And that oure time is more troubled by this second sort VVith a briefe note of the Authors principall intent in this Treatise praef argu fol. 9. Cap. 1 That often after oure sinnes be forgiuen by the sacrament of poenaunce there remaineth summe due of temporall pounishment for the satisfying of goddes iustice and som recompense of the offensies past fol. 12. Cap. 2 The double and doubtefull shiftes of our aduersaries pressed by this conclusion are remoued and it is proued agaynst one sort that these foresayde skourgies were in dede pounishments for sinnes remitted And against thother secte that this trāsitory paine hath often endured in the nexte liefe fo 29. Cap. 3 That the practise of Christes churche in the courte of binding and lousing mannes sinnes dothe lieuely sett fourthe the ordre of Goddes iustice in the nexte liefe and prooue Purgatory fol. 39. Cap. 4 That the manyfoulde workes and fructes of poenaunce whiche all godly men haue charged theime selues withe all for theire own sinnes remitted were in respect of Purgatory paines and forthe auoyding of goddes iudgement tēporall as well as aeternall in the nexte lyfe fol. 44. Cap. 5 A briefe ioyning in reason and argument vpon the proued groundes withe the aduersaries for the declaration and proufe of Purgatory fol. 53. Cap. 6 That Purgatory paines doothe not onely serue Goddes iustice for the poonishement of sinne but also cleanse and qualify the soule of man defiled for the more seemely entraunce into the holy placies with conference of certaine textes of scripture for that purpose fol. 56. Cap. 7 That there is a particulare iudgement and priuate accompte to be made at euery mannes departure of his seuerall actes and dedes with certaine of the fathers minds touching the textes of scripture alleaged before fol. 64. Cap. 8 Origen is alleaged for oure cause vpon whose errour in a matter sumwhat apperteyninge to oure pupose S. Augustines iudgement is more largely soght and there with it is declared by testimony of diuerse holy authors what sinnes be chefely purged in that temporall fyre fol. 73. Cap. 9 A forther declaration of this pointe for the better vnderstanding of the doctoures wordes Wherein it is opened howe Purgatory is ordeined for mortal sinnes and howe for smauler offenses who are like to feele that grefe and who not at all fol 82. Cap. 10 A place alleaged for Purgatory owte of S. Matthewe withe certeine of the Auncient fathers iudgements vpon the same fol. 88. Cap. 11 An answer to certaine obiections of the aduersaries moued vpon the diuersity of meanings which they see geuen in the fathers writinges of the scriptures before alleaged for Purgatory and that this doctrine of the Churche standethe not againste the sufficiency off Christes Passion fol. 98. Cap. 12 An euident and most certaine demonstration of the truethe of Purgatory and the greuousnesse thereof vttered by the praiers and wordes of the holy doctoures and by sum extraordinary workes of God beside fo 105. Cap. 13 Of the nature and condicion of Purgatory fire the difference of theire state that be in it from the damned in hell with the conclusion of this Booke folio 117. An end of the Argumentes of the first Booke ARGVMENTA CAPIT LIBRI II. TThe preface of this booke wherein the matter of the treatise and the ordre of the Authors poceeding be briefely opened fol. 23. Cap. 1 That there be certaine sinnes whiche may be forgeuen in the nexte lyfe and that the deserued poonishement for the same may be eased or vtterly released before the extreme sentence be to the vtmost executed fol. 127. Cap. That the faithful soules in Purgatory being novve past the state of deseruing and not in case to help theime selues may yet receiue benefite by the woorkes of the lyuing to whome they be perfectly knitte as felowe membres of one body folio 132. Cap. 3 What the Churche of God hathe euer principally practised for the soules departed by the warraunt of holy scripture with the defense of the Machabees holy history against the heretikes of oure time folio 137. Cap. 4 That the funeralles of the Patriarches bothe in the lawe of nature and Moyses and Christe had practise in theime for the reliefe of the soules departed folio 146. Cap. 5 Man may be relieued after his departure ether by the almose whiche he gaue in his lyfe time or by that which is prouided by his testament to be geuen after his death or elles by that almose whiche other men doo bestowe for his soules sake of theire own gooddes fol. 158. Cap. 6 Of certaine offeringes or publike almose presented to God for the deceased in the time of the holy sacrifice at mennes burialles and other customable daies of theire memories and of the sundry mindes kepte in the primitiue Churche for the departed fol. 169. Cap. 7 That the benefite of praier and allmose apperteineth not to suche as dye in mortall sinne though in the doubtefull case of mannes beeing the Church vseth to pray for all departed in Christes faithe fol. 177. Cap. 8 What that holy sacrifice is whiche was euer counted so beneficiall to the liue and deade The punishment of oure sinnes by the heuy losse thereof The greate hatered whiche the diuell and all his side hath euer borne towardes Christes aeternall priesthood and the sacrifice of the Churche And that by the saide sacrifice of the Masse the soules departed are especially relieued folio 187. Cap. 9 That the practise of any pointe in religion maketh the moste open shewe of the fathers faithe And that all holy men haue in plaine wordes and moste godly praiers vttered their beliefe in our matter fol. 195. Cap. 10 That we and all nations receiued this vsage of praing and sacrificing for the departed at our first conuersion to Christes faith And that this article was not onely confirmed by miracle amongest the rest but seuerally by signes and woonders approued by it selfe An that the Churche is growne to such beauty by the fructe of this faith fol. 210. Cap. 11 That in euery ordre or vsage of celebration of the blessed Sacrament and Sacrifice through owte the Christian worlde since Christes time there hath bene a solemne supplication for the soules departed fol. 220. Cap. 12 The haeretikes of oure time and contry be yet further vrged withe the practise of prayiers for the deceased theire conrary communion is compared with the owlde vsage of Celebration They are ashamed of the firste originall off theire Christian faithe they are weery of theire owne seruice they are kepte in ordre by the wisdome of the Ciuile magistrates and are forced to refuse all the Doctors fol. 230. Cap. 13 That the praying for the dead was appointed to be had in the holy sacrifice by the Apostles commaundement and praescription And that our doctors by the maiesty of their name beare downe oure light aduersaries fol. 242. Cap. 14 The first Author of that secte whiche denieth prayers for the departed is noted his good condicions and cause of his error be opened what kind of men haue bene most bent in all agies to that secte And that this haeresy is euer ioyned as a fit companion to other horrible sectes fol. 257. Cap. 15 Their falshood is condemned and the Catholike truethe approued by the authority of holy Councelles Their pride in cōtemning and the Catholikes humility in obediēt receiuing the same And a sleight wherby the heretikes deceiue the people is detected f. 267 Cap. 16 An answer to suche arguments as the haeretikes doo frame of the holy scriptures not well vnderstanded against the practise of Goddes Churche in praying for the deade or the doctrine of Purgatory fol. 274. Cap. 17 An answer to theire negatiue argument with the conclusion of the Booke fol. 281. FINIS
33. and in the .xij. booke of the literall exposition on the Genesis where he hathe the same wordes with more large proufe of the conclusion whiche nether agreeth with the state of Abrahams rest nor yet with the forsaken soules And the name of helle is nowe commonly taken for any one of the inferiour partes where God practiseth iudgement for sinne euerlastingly or temporally thoughe as Augustine saithe it can not be founde in plane scripture that Abrahams happy resting place shoulde be termed Hell or Infernum But I nede not seeke forther in the deape mistery of Christes affaires in the inferioure partes For as I am not ashamed to be ignoraunt vpon whom he bestowed the grace of deliuery so with Augustine or rather with Goddes Church I dare belieue that he loused sum vppon whome he exercised iudgement before And forther maye bouldely auouche that as ther were certaine at his coomming doune not vnworthy after longe paines tolerated to be released in his praesens so there be yet some which by mercy and meanes of goddes Churche be released dayly Not of that sorte whiche died oute of Goddes fauour Bernard ser de s Nicolao Quibus clausa est ianua misericordiae omnis spes interclusa salutis Vppon whome the doore of mercy and the hope of helthe be closed and shutt vp for euer but of the iust departed in faith and piety and yet not fully pourged of all corruption of iniquity Let thenimyes of Goddes truethe comme now and deny if they can for shame that Goddes iustice for sinnes remitted reacheth not sometimes to the placies of poonishement in the nexte liefe let theime withe purgatory rase vp the fathers resting place so plainely set fourthe by scripture beleued of the whole Church and alwaies tought by the holy fathers Yea let theime that will hauno pleace for sinners fiende with blasphemy hell like torments for Goddes oune Sonne with the damned spirites My hearte surely will scarse serue me to report it and yet cursed Caluine was not a fearde to write it and with arrogant vauntes ageynste the blessed fathers to auouche the same That miserable forsaken man sawe that the onely graunt of the oulde fathers poonishmēt by the lacke of euerlasting ioy might of force drieue him to acknowledge that God sometimes exerciseth his iustice vppon those whiche he loueth in the next liefe and so consequently that Purgatory paines might be inferred therevppon therefore he fel hedlong to this horrible blasphemy Caluins blasphemy vpon the article of Christes descention that Christe went not to lowse any from the paines of the next liefe but to be pounished in hell with the deadly damned him selfe for to amend the lacke of his passion vppon the Crosse O oure cursed time O corrupte conditions this beaste writeth thus ageinst oure blessed sauiours death and ageinst the sufficiency of the abundant price of our redemption and yet he lieueth in mannes memory yea his bookes be greedely redde redde Nay by suche as woulde be counted the chiefe of the cleargie and beare bishops names they are commaunded to be redde and the very booke wherein this and all other detestable doctrine is vttered The haeretikes priuely sett forth by bookes that vvhiche they dare not openly preach especially by theire authoritie commendid to the simple curates study that they might there lerne closely in deuilishe bookes suche wicked haeresies as the preachers theime selues dare not yet in the light of the worlde vtter nor maintaine But other be not so farre faullen therefore they must of reason confesse that God by iust correction hathe before Christes coomming visited in the next worlde many hundred yeares to gether the sinnes of those whome he dearly loued Althoghe not onely in all that time the soules of the holy Patriarches felt the lacke of the abundant fruition of the Maiesty but also for sin they bothe then in rest Excepting som that by peculiure praerogatiue haue alredy receyued theire bodyes and nowe in vnspeakable foelicity want till this day the increase of ioy and blesse that by the receiuing of there bodies yet liyng in doust they are vndoubtedly suer of Therfore it is ouer much praesumption to limit the maiesty of God in the gouernement of his owne creatures to the borders of our shorte liefe and allmost it toucheth his very prouidence withe iniury to say that he letteth him skape withoute poonishement for his sinnes that repented not till the houre of deathe as for whome he hath no skourge in the next liefe as he had here if deathe had not preuented his purporse These childishe cogitations can not stand with the righteousnesse of his will that for the first sinne committed doothe not onely pounishe many euerlastingly of the forsaken sorte but also for the same poonisheth bothe his best beloued in earthe and for a time abbatithe the foelicitye of the blessed Sanctes in heauen But I will not stray after these men My matter is so fructfull that I may not roue And thoughe the sectes of these dayes haue so infected euery branche of oure Christian faithe that a man can not well ouerpasse theyme what so euer he taketh in hande yet I will not medle withe theime no forther then shall concerne the quicke of oure cause and the necessary light of our matter That the practise of Christes Churche in the courte of binding and lousing mannes sinnes dothe lieuely set fourthe the ordre of Goddes iustice in the next liefe and prooue Purgatory Cap. 3. THis being then prooued that God him selfe hathe often visited the sinnes of suche as were very deare vnto him let vs nowe diligently behoulde the graue authority of lousing and binding sinnes and the courte of mannes conscience whiche Christe woulde haue kepte in earthe by the Apostles and Pastours of our soules where we neade not doubt but to finde the very resemblaunce of Goddes disposition and ordinaunce in poonishing or pardoning offensies For the honoure and poure of this ecclesiasticall gouernement is by especiall commission so ample Note that it conteineth not onely the preaching of the ghospell and ministery of the Sacraments but that whiche is more neare to the mighte and maiesty of God and onely aperteynethe to him by propriety of nature the very exacte iudgement of all our secret sinnes with lousing and binding of the same Ioan. 5. For as God the father gaue al iudgement to his onely Sonne so he at his departure hense to the honour of his spouse and necessary giding of his people did communicate the same in most ample maner as S. Chrisostom saithe to the Apostles and priestes for euer that they practising in earthe terrible iudgement vpō mānes misdedes might fully repraesent vnto vs the very sentence of God in poonishement of wickednesse in the worlde to coome Lib. de sacer 3. The princes of the earthe haue poure to binde too but no further then the body but this other saith he reachethe to the soule it selfe and practised
here in the worlde benethe which is a straunge case hath force and effect in heaueÌ„ aboue The poure of all potentates vnder the maiesty of the blessed Trinity in heauen and earthe is extreme basenesse compared to this By this graue authority therfore the pastors and priestes imitating goddes iustice haue exercised continually poonishement froÌ„ the springe of Christian religion downe till these daies vppon al sinners perpetually enioyning for satisfiyng of goddes wrathe poenaunce and woorkes of correction ether before they would absolue theime as the oulde vsage was or elles after the release of theire offensies wiche now of late for graue causes hath bene more vfed In whiche sentence of theire iudgment we plainely see that as there was euer accompt made emongest all the faithfull of paine due vnto sinne thoughe the very offense it selfe and the giltinesse as yow woulde saye thereof were forgiuen before so we maye gather that it was euer enioyned by the priestes holy ministery after the quality and quantity of the faulte committed Whereupon they charged som meaner offenders with certaine praiers onely other with large allmose diuerse with longe fasting many withe perilous peregrinations sum with suspending froÌ„ the sacramentes and very greuous offenders with curse and excommunication Wherby thou maiste not onely proue that there is paine to be suffred for thy sinnes Excommunication hath the image of goddes iustice in the vvorld to coom but allso haue a very image of that misery whiche in the next lyefe may faule not only to the damned for euer but allso to all other whiche neglected in this tyme of grace the fructes of poenaunce and woorkes of satisfaction for thanswer of they re lieues past This greate correction of excommunication and separation from the sacramentes Virgam S. Paule termeth the rodde wherwith he often threatened offenders 1. ad Timo. yea and somtymes thoughe it was with greate sorowe the pounishment was so extreame he mightely in Goddes steade occupied the same Cap. 2. 1. Cor. 5. As once ageinst Himemeus and Alexander and another tyme towardes a Corinthian vpon whome being absent he gaue sentence of theire delyuery vppe to Satan not to be vexed off him as Iob was for thencrease of merite In 1. ad Cor. ca. 5. saithe Chrisostom but in theire flesshe meruelously to be tormented for paiment for theire greuous offensyes and as the Apostle writeth of the Corinthian that his soule might be false in the day of oure lorde This poonishment was euer by cutting of from the Christiane society and often ioyned with torment of body or sicknesse And sumtymes withe deathe Act. 5. Note As in thexcommunication off Ananias and Zaphiras Whiche Christes vicar S. Petre to the greate terrour euen of the faithfull grauely pronounced on theyme for retayning backe certayne Churche gooddes whiche by promesse they had before dedicated vnto god and thapastles distribution August de Carrep gra ca. 5. This kinde of poonishment of sinners was euer counted so terrible that we fiend it caulled of the oulde fathers damnation Ita Gregâ— Nis orat de Castigatione as one that most resembles the paynes of the worlde to coom off all other And iff man coulde see withe corporall eyes the misery of the party so condemned in Goddes church his hearte would brast and it would moue terroure of forther damnation euen to the stubborne contemners off the Churches authoritye The which censure of goddes priestes thoughe it was sumtymes to the euerlasting woe off suche offenders as neglected the benefite of that present payne yet commonly it was but chastisement and louing correction of oure deare moother for theire deliuery from greater greefe in the lyefe to coom And for this cause as thexample off all agies past may sufficiently proue Aug. Euch cap. 65. were certeyne tymes and ordinary termes of poenaunce apoynted for iuste satisfaction for euery offense and by the holy Canons so limited that no sinne weetingly might be reserued to Goddes â—euy reuenge in the end of oure short dayes It were to longe to reporte the rueles and prescription of poenaunce out of Nice Councell or Ancyre â—icen c â–ª 12. Ancyre 5 or out of S. Cyprian for theire pounishment that fell to Idolatry in the tyme of Decius and Diocletianus or out of Ambrose the notable excommunication of Theodosius themperour By al whiche and the lyke in the historys of the ecclesiasticall affaires he that can not see what payne is due vnto sinne euen after the remission therof I houlde him bothe ignorant and malitious blinde And if any man yet doubt why or to what ende the Church of Christ thus greuously tormenteth her oune children by so many meanes of heuy correction whome she might by good authoritye freely release of theire sinnes let him assuredly know that she coulde not so satisfye goddes iustice alwayes by whome she houldeth hâ— authoritye to edifye and not to destroie to byind as well as to lowse Althoughe suche dolour for offensyes committed and so ernest zele may she sum tymes finde in thoffender that her chiefe and principall pastors may by theire soueraigne authoritye wholy discharge him of all paines to coom But elles in the common case of Christian men this poenaunce is for no other cause enioyned Ibidem but to saue theime from the more greuous torment in the worlde folowing In the whiche sense S. Augustine bothe speake the him self and proueth his meaning by thapostles wordes as foloweth Propterea de quibusdam temporalibus poenis 1. Cor. 11. quae in hac vita peccantibus irrogantur eis quorum peccata delentur ne reseruentur in finem ait Apostolus si enim nosmetipsos iudicaremus a domino non iudicaremur Cum iudicamur autem a domino corripimur ne cuÌ„ hoc mundo damnemur Therfore saithe he it is of certaine temporall afflictions whiche be laide vpon theire neckes that being sinners haue theire trespasses pardoned lest they be called to an accompt for theime at the latter ende that the Apostle meaneth by when he saith Iff we would iudge oure selues we shulde not then be iudged of oure lorde And when we be iudged of oure lorde then are we chastened that we be not damned with the worlde This onely carefull kyndnesse of oure moother therfore that neuer remitted sinne that was notorious in any age but after sharpe poonishment or ernest charge withe sum proportionall poenaunce for the same doothe not onely geue vs a louing warning to be ware and preuent that heuy correction of the world to coom whiche S. Paule callethe the iudgement of God because it is a sentence of iustice but allso in her owne practise here in earth of mercy in pardoning of iustice in poonishement she geueth vs a very cleare example off bothe the same to be vndoubtedly loked for at thandes of God him selfe by whome in the kingdom of the church these bothe in his behallfe be proffitably practised â–ª for iff there
roue but that the very course of oure taulke well noted shall be the necessary inducing of that truth whiche we nowe defende concerning purgatory Especially if it be considered that in all praescription of poenaunce by the antiquitye the paine of satisfiyng was euer limited by the variety of the offense And then that the very cause of all payne enioyned was for the auoyding of Goddes iudgement in the liefe to coom First auncient Origen writeth thus Homil. 3. in lib. Iud. Behoulde our mercifull Lorde ioyning allwaies clemency with seueritye and weying tbe iust meane of our poonishement in mercifull and rightuous balanse He geueth not the offenders ouer for euer therefore comsider how longe thowe haste straied and coÌ„tynued in sinne so longe abase and humble thy selfe before God and so satisfie him in Confession of poenaunce For if thowe amend the matter and take poonishement of thy selfe then God is pitifull and will remoue his reuengement from him that by poenaunce praeuentented his iudgement Thus we see this father so to measure the paine and poonishement of sinners that he maketh his principall respect the auoyding off the sharpe senrence to coom S. Cyprian the blessed martyr noteth certeyne conuersies in his dayes who thought they had much wroÌ„ge to be further burdened with poenauÌ„ce for theire faule more then the returne to God ageyne he toucheth the maners of oure time very nere his wordes sounding thus Sermon de Lapsis Before they re sinnes fully purged before the confession of theire faulte made before theire consciencies by the prieste and sacrifice be cleansed before the ire and indignation of God be pacified and past they thinke al is wel and make boste therof But he enstructeth theime in the same place better as folowethe Confesse your selues brethern whilest ye are in this lyefe and whilest the remission and satisfaction by the preestes apoyntement is acceptable Let vs turne vnto God with all our heartes expressing the poenaunce for oure sinnes by singulare greefe and sorowe let vs cal for mercy let vs prostrate our selues before God let oure heuinesse of hart satisfie him let vs with fasting weeping and houlyng appeace his wrath whom for that he is our louing father we acknowledge to be merciful and yet bicause he beareth the maiesty of a iudge he is for iustice muche to be feared To a deape and a greuous wounde a longe and sharpe sauluing must be accepted Exceding ernestly thou must pray thow muste passe ouer the remnaunt of thy tyme with lamentable complaintes thow must for thy softe bedde take harde earthe and asshies and tomble thy self in sackcloth for the losse of Christes vesture refuse all apparell after the receite of the deuilles foode chuese earnest fasting and by diligent applijng thy sellfe to good woorkes and almose deedes purge thy sinne and delyuer thy soule from deathe So dooth S. Augustine correct the errour of suche Cap. 3. 4. de poenitantiae medicina as thinke the chaunge of lyfe withe oute al cogitation or care off theire offenses past to be sufficient for mannes perfect repaire and reconcileation to oure lord ageyne It is not sufficient saith he to amende oure maners and turne back from our misdedes vnlesse we satisfie before God for theyme whiche we haue allredy committed by dolour of paenaunce by humble sighes and grones and by the sacrifice of a contrite harte woorking with allmose dedes And in this sense ageyne he vttereth this comfortable ruele Sed neque de ipsis criminibus quamlibet magnis remittendis in ecclesia Euch. 65. dei desperanda est misericordia agentibus poenitentiaÌ„ secunduÌ„ moduÌ„ sui cuiusque peccati But we may not despaire off Goddes mercy for the remission of sinnes in the Churche be they neuer so greuous I meane to all suche as will doo poenaunce according to the quantity of theire faulte So S. Ambrose writing to a religious womaÌ„ that had broken her vowe of chastity whiche in those dayes was reckoned one of the most deadly and greuous crimes that coulde be warnethe her thus Grandi plagae alta prolixa opus est medicina grande scelus grandem necessariam habet satisfactionem A greuous hourt must haue a deape and long sauluing a henous offense requireth maruelous muche satisfaction Yea and as I take his wordes This sinne is better boulstred novv a daies he planely admonisheth her that she shall haue muche a dooe to satisfy fullie for her sinne duering her liefe and therfore he semeth to will her not to looke for full remedy and release before she feele Goddes iudgement Whiche he meaneth not by the generall day but the particulare accompt whiche foloweth streght vpon mannes death But that I deceyue no man wiettingly I wil report his owne wordes Cap. 8. ad virg laps Inhere poenitentiae vsque ad extremum vitae nec tibi praesumas ab humano die posse veniaÌ„ dari quia decipit te qui hoc tibi polliceri voluerit quae â—nim proprie in dominum peccasti ob illo solo â—n die iudicij conuenit expectare remedium Continue in poenaunce to the last day thow hast to lieue and praesume not ouer bouldely of pardon to be obteyned in mannes day for who so euer promiseth the so he deceyueth the for thou that hast offended directly ageinst God him sellfe must at Goddes hande onely in the day of iudgemeÌ„t trust of mercy Yf he meane by the last Iudgement then thauthor supposethe that suche horrible incest shall be poonished tyll the day of the generall resurrection in purgatory De ciuitate dei cap. 1â— lib. 21. for after that day as Augustine affirmethe there shall be no more any of the elect in payne He meaneth then surely nothing elles but that ther can be no poenaunce answerable fully in this lyefe to so greuous a cryme and that the Churche ordinarely pardoneth not the sinnes whiche be not by sum proportion of payne and poonishmen recompensed And this is ordinary thoughe by the supreame powr giuen to Goddes ministers for the gouernement of the church the offender may in this case or the lyke iff his competent dolour of hearte and zele so require wholy be acquieted through the merits of Christes death and the happy felouship of fanctes in the communion of the common body where the lacke of one membre is abundantly supplyed by the residewe Mary it is a hard matter to be so qualifyed that a man may not be vnworthy of so singular a grace and vnaestimable benefit Therfore this praerogatiue perteining not to very many excepted for the residue that by the ordinary Sacrament be raised vp from theire fawle euery one must endeuoure to doo poenaunce more or lesse according to the quantity and circumstancyes of the crime committed so S. Augustine saide before so doothe S. Ambrose meane nowe geuing this woman warning that her fault was so horrible that the paenaunce doone in this lyefe coulde not properly and exactly make
I make theime faire play the grounde is open the reasons laide naked before theire face remoue theime as they can Lett theime deale simply if they meane truely and not flourishe as they vse vppon a faulse grounde that in flowe of worddes they may couer errour or in rase of theire smoothe talk ouerron trueth And that euery man may perceiue that wee haue not raysed this doctrine vpoÌ„ reason onely or curiosity althoughe the graue authoritye of Goddes Churche might herein satisfye sober wittes we will now by Goddes helpe go nearer the matter and directly make proufe of Purgatory by holy scriptures reciting such placeis of the oulde and newe testament as shall prooue oure cause euen in that sense whiche the lernedst and godlyest fathers of all agies by conference of placies or other lyklyhood shall fiende and determine to be most true Alleaging none els but such as they haue in the floure of Christian faith noted and peculiarely construed for that purpose whiche now is in quaestion That the aduersaries off that doctrine may rather striue withe the saide sanctes and doctours then withe me that will as they shall well perceiue doo nothing but truely reporte theire wordes or meaninge Or rather that such as haue erred in that case by giuing ouer light credit to the troblesom teachers of these vnhappy daies maye when they shall vnderstande the true meaning of the scrptures the constant doctrine of the Catholike Church the wordes of all auncient writers the determination of so many holy councells and the oulde vsage of all nations by humble praiers obteyne of God the light of vnderstanding the truethe and the gifte of obedience to his will and worde Or if there be any so sattled in this vnlickly secte that he purposeth not to beleue the graue writers of ould times nor receiue theire expositions vpon suche placeis as we shall reciete for that praeiudice whiche he hathe of his owne witte and vnderstanding yet let him not maruell at my simplicity that had rather geue credet to others then my selfe Or that in this hote time of contention and partaking in religion I doo repose my sellfe vnder the shadowe of so many worthy writers as anone shall giue euidence in my cause That Purgatory paines doothe not onely serue Goddes iustice for the poonishment of sinne but also cleanse and qualify the soule of man defiled for the more seemely entraunce into the holy placies vvith conference of certaine placies of scripture for that purpose Cap. 6. IF we well consider the wonderfull base condition and state of mannes nature corrupted by our first fathers disobedience and more and more abased by continuall misery that sin hath broght in to oure mortall liefe we shall fiende the woorke of Goddes wisdom in the excellent repaire of this his creature to be full of mercy and full of maruell But proceading sumwhat further and weying not onely his restoring but allso the passing greate auaunsment to the vnspeakable glory of the elect there shall reason and all oure cogitations vtterly faint and faile vs. The kingdom prepared is honoured with the maiesty of the Glorious Trinity with the humanity of Christe oure Sauiour with the blessed Mary the vessel of his Incarnation with the bewtifull creatures and wholy vndefiled of al the ordres of Angelles Ther can nothing doubtlesse present it selfe before the seate of Goddes glory nor stand in his sight that hath any blemishe of sinne any spotte of corruption any remnaunt of infirmity There may no creature matche with those perfect pure natures of spirituall substance in the happy seruice of the holy Trinity VVhat purity is required for thentrance in to hâ—â—ueÌ„ that is not holy as they be pure as they be and wholy sanctified as they be Nothing can ioyne with theyme in freedom of that heauenly city in the ioyfull estate of that triumphant coÌ„monwellthe that is not purified to the poynt and by the woorke of Goddes own hande fully fined and perfieted This is the newe City of Hierusalem whiche the holy Apostle sawe by vision Nec in eam intrabit aliquid coinquinatum Apoc. 21. Nothing shall entre therin that is defiled It is the Churche with oute spotte and wrinkle it is the temple of God it is the seate of the lambe and the land of the lyuing Nowe our kinde notwithstanding oure pitifull faulle and singulare fraylety with exceding corruption and vnaptenesse bothe of body and soule hathe yet by Christe Iesus oure redemer the assurance of this vnestimable benefite and the felowship of perpetuall fruition with the Angels To whome as we must be made aequall in roume and glory so we must in perfect cleanes be fully matched with theime For it were not agreeable to Goddes ordinary iustice Leuit. 21. who in this earthly sanctuary expressely forbiddeth the oblations of the vncleane Rupert de diuiâ—iâ— of l. 6. ca. 36. that he shoulde in the coelestiall soueraigne holy acknouledge any nature that wer not pure and vndefiled or make mannes condicion not abettered aequall to the dignity of Angelles that neuer were reproued wherby vniustice might appeare in God or confusion in the heauens commonweleth where onely all ordre is obserued And though mannes recouery after his faule be wroght by Christ and the perfect purgation off sinnes by the bloodde of him that onely was with owte sinne yet it was nott conuenient that the might of that mercy should woorke in this freedom of oure willes with owte all payne of the party or trauell of th offenders Wheroff man streght vpon his miserable dounefall as S. Ambrose excellentely well noteth had warning by the fyery swhord houlden at the entraunce of paradise In psa 118 ser 20. therby putting him in remembraunce that the returne to blesse so soone loste shoulde be throghe fiere and swhorde hardely achieued ageyne Therfore if any man thinke the onely forgiuenesse of oure sinnes paste sufficient ether for the recouery of oure first degree or the atteyning of forther dignity in the glory of the Sanctes he seethe not at all what a deape stroke sinne hath sett in mannes soule what filthe and feeblenesse it hathe wroght in the body what ruele and dominion it beareth in this our mortality what care all perfect men haue hadde not onely in the healing of the deape wounde but allso in purging the reliques and full abbating the abundant matter therof And yet when man hathe with all his might wrastled with the poure of sinne being in this estate he can not be able to recouer the worthinesse of his creation muche lesse the passing honour and ende of his redemption Let him washe and water his coutch with teares let him weaken his body with fasting and humble his hearte with sorow Happely the fiery swhorde shall not hinder his passage after his departure yet tyll the separation of the body and the soul full freedom from sinne or perfect purgation therof excepting the priuilege of certayne can not be fully
obteyned Wherin yet mercy at th ende hathe the chieff stroke by whiche the soule that was the principall vessell of sinne and no lesse abased then the body shall oute of hand in the perfectest sort obteyne the purity of Angelles and felowship with theime for euer I maruell not nowe to see the Prophet seeke not onely for the remission of his greuous sinnes but to be better cleansed to haue theime wholy blotted owte to be made as white as snowe behoulding the purity that is requisite for a citizen of the coelestiall Hierusalem And I note this the rather of the soule bicause I see that the body allso before it can shake of the stroke and plage of sinne must be driuen by the common course to doust and elementes that being at the ende raised vppe ageine in the same substance may yet wholy in condicion and quality be so straungely altered that in honoure and immortality it may euerlastingly ioyne with the soule ageyne To the newnesse wherof August li. 20. de ciuit ca. 16. 1. Cor. 15. the very elements that before answered it in qualityes off corruption shall be perfectly by fyre reformed and serue in beauty and incorruption aeternall Yff sinne then be so reuenged and throughly tryed oute of mannes body and all corruption owte of these elements for the glory of that newe and aeternall kingdom shall we doubte of Goddes iustice in the perfect reuenge of sinne in the soul or purifying that nature whiche as it was most corrupted and was the very seate of sinne Note so namely apperteyneth to the company of Angelles and glory euerlasting It were not otherwise agreeable to Goddes iustice suerely nor conuenyent for the glorious estate to coom it were nether right nor reason He will then where man neglecteth the day of mercy sharply viset with torment him sellfe and bothe pourge and purifye the drosse of oure impure natures defiled and stayned by sinne with iudgement and rightuousnesse Isaie 4. A bluet Dominus sordes filiarū Syō sanguinem Hierusalem lauabit de medio eius in spiritu iudicij spiritu ardoris Oure lord shall wasshe oute the filthe of the doghters of Syon and will cleanse blodde from the middest of Hierusalem in the spirite of iudgement and the spirite of burnyng But bicause we will not stand vpon coniectures in so necessary a poynt yowe shall see by what scriptures the graue and learned fathers haue to my hand confirmed this beleued trueth And first I will recyte those placyes whiche doo set furthe bothe the quality and condicion of that poonishment whiche God taketh vpon man for sinne in the other worlde and also did geue iust occasion to our forefathers of the name of Purgatory There be two textes of scripture to this purpose so like that many of the doctours for better conference in so weghty a case haue ioyned theime together to make their proufe full and so will I doo by theire example The first is in the thirde chapter of the Prophet Malachie in these wordes Malach. 3. Ecce venit dicit Dominus exercituum quis poterit cogitare diem aduentus eius Et quis stabit ad videndum eum Ipse enim quasi ignis conflans quasi herba fullonum sedebit conflans emundans argentum purgabit filios Leui colabit eos quasi aurum argentum erunt Domino offerentes sacrificia in iustitia Et placebit Domino sacrificium Iuda Hierusalem caetera Beholde he commeth saith the Lorde of hostes And who maye abyde the daye of his comming Who can stand and endure his sight For he is like melting and casting fier and as the wasshers herbe Sope And he shal sit casting and trying oute siluer and shall pourge the children of Leui and clense theime as goulde or siluer And then shal they offer sacrifice in righteousnesse and the offeringes of Iuda and Hierusalem shall be acceptable vnto our Lorde And thus farre spake the prophet The second is this Cap. 3. taken out of the first epistle to the Corinthians Secundum gratiam Dei quae data est mihi vt sapiens architectus fundamentum posui alius autem superaedificat Vnusquisque autem videat quomodo superadificet Fundamentum enim aliud nemo potest ponere praeter id quod est positum quod est Christus Iesus Si quis autem superaedificat super fundamentum hoc aurum argentum lapides preciosos ligna foenum stipulam vniuscuiusque opus manifestum erit dies enim Domini declarabit quia in igne reuelabitur vniuscuiusque opus quale sit ignis probabit Si cuius opus manserit quod superaedificauit mercedem accipiet si cuius opus arserit detrimentum patietur ipse autem saluus erit sic tamen quasi per ignem Thus in english According to the grace of God geuen vnto me as a discriete builder I haue laide the groundewark but another buildeth theron Let euery man be circumspect howe he buildeth on it For no fundation can be laide but Christe Iesus which is allready laide Yff any man builde vppon this groundewark gould siluer preciouse stones wodde hay or stooble euery mannes worke shall be laide open For the daye of oure Lorde will declare it bicause it shall appeare in fiere And that fiere shal trye euery mannes woorke what it is yf anye mannes woorke erected vpon that foundation doo abide he shall receiue rewarde but if his worke burne he shall susteine losse or it shall susteine losse meaning by the worke it self as the text well serueth also but him sellfe shall be saued notwithstandinge and that yet as throughe fire These be S. Pauls wordes Nowe as men studious of the truth careful of oure faithe and saluation and fully free from contention and partaking let vs entre into the searche off the meaning of these two textes withe suche plainesse and sinceritye that I dare saie the aduersaries theime selues shall not mislyke our dealing Plaine de aling We will folowe all lyklyhoodes by comparing the scriptures together and admit with all the counsell and iudgement of such our elders as hy theire confession shall be taken for holy learned and wise First the Prophet and Apostle bothe make mention of purging and of purifying sinne and corruption of mannes impure or defiled workes they bothe agree this cleansing or trying oute off the filthy drosse gathered by corruption of sinne to be doone by fier they bothe throughly folowe the similitude of the fornace and gouldsmith in finyng his metalles and trying oute the drosse and base matter from the perfect finesse of more worthy substaunce they bothe plainely vtter theire meaninges of suche as shall afterward be saued though it be with losse geuing vs to vnderstande that the partyes so purged shall be after theire triall worthy to offer a pure sacrifice in holynesse and righteousnes They bothe note this purgation to be wrought by the hande of God All these
with owt doubte ther is none at al. Yff S. Augustine had but saide belike there is no suche meane place in the lyefe folowing mary sir then they might haue picked more matter of their infidelity and yet of that speach determining no certeinty there had bene no greate cause why they shulde haue forsaken the iudgement of Goddes Churche But nowe he so doubteth that he fyndeth more cause to thinke there should be one then that any man might gether vpō his wordes that ther should be none at all No nor he neuer went so farre good reader as to make any doubte of Purgatory paynes for poonishment of sinnes committed in the worlde For in all the same bokes where he hathe the lyke saing and allmost in the very same places he houldeth as a matter of faithe and to be beleued of all Christen men that the prayers of the lieuing doo release som of theire paines in the next liefe And he constantly as all other Catholikes euer did confesseth that the sinnes or vncleane workes of the liuing not duely by paenaūce wyped away in this worlde must be mended after oure deathe all thoughe it be very doubtefull in dede whether there be any worldly affections lefte in mannes mynde vntaken vppe by death and resolution of the body and the soule the care and remembrance wherof might be afterward by sorowe bothe purged and poonished And this to be his meaning and that he termeth here purgatory the griefe whiche a man hathe in losing that whiche he loued in this mortall liefe his owne wordes testifye in euery off those workes in whiche he kepeth this combate with Origenistes Lib. 21. de Ciuit. 26. In one place thus Quod sine illicienti amore non habuit sine dolore vrente non perdet ex earum rerum amissione tantum necesse est vt vrat dolor quantum haeserat amor That which by tiklinge loue was kepte can not be loste with oute burning grefe And looke howe fast the loue of suche thinges did cleaue to mannes mind so farre must sorow burne Ca◠So in the like talke with the saide Origenistes in his booke de fide operibus he foloweth the same signification of Purgatory Haec igitur saith he qnoniam affectu dilecta carnali non sine dolore amittuntur qui sic ea habent in eorum amissione passi detrimentum per ignem quendam doloris perueniunt ad salutem these thinges being by carnall affection loued be not lightly lost with oute grefe and therfore those that thus be affectionate fele losse in parting from theime and so coom to saluation throughe the fyer of sorowe ▪ suche a sadnesse the yonge man that demaunded of our maister the waie to heauen conceiued streght Matth. 19. when motion was onely made of distributiō of his gooddes Who being otherwise in the state of saluation and to be borne with all bicause he was a iuste man and lacked not the foundation of his faith yet the very losse or leauing of his gooddes was vnto him if he cōtinued in that affection a wonderful greate torment and as S. Augustin here calleth it a kind of purgatory the which perfect mē that aesteme al the trasshe of this worlde as durte and donge to winne Christe feele not at all whome the doctoure supposethe therfore to take no damage in the losse of thinges whiche they so litle loued Nowe in euery place where this exposition is founde as I think it is neuer in al his workes lightly but in conferēce with the Origenistes he alwaies addeth that the like fire of sorow may also correct the affectiōs euē of the departed but yet whether it be so or no he coūteth it a quaestiō of probable disputation rather thē any matter of faith ▪ as it is in dede very doubtful whether any such vnordinate affectiō may remaine vntakē vppe after mannes departure which by grefe and sorowe in the other worlde may be in time wholy consumed And further he neuer doubted For in that famous worke of the City of God withe in two chapters of that doubte made of this kind of purgation whiche we now haue declared Cap. 24. li. 21. he vttereth his faithe withe Goddes Churche off that greate torment and iust poonishement of sinfull liefe not sufficiently purged by poenaunce in oure time whiche he calleth the Amending fire and thus he saithe there Tales etiam constat ante iudicij diem per paenas temporales quas eorum spiritus patiuntur purgatos receptis corporibus aeterni ignis supplicijs non tradendos cae It is certeine saithe he Constat whiche is no worde of doubtefullnesse that suche men being purged by the temporall paines whiche theire soules do suffer before the day of iudgement shall not after they haue receiued theire bodies ageine be committed to the torment of the euerlasting fire This he vttereth in the same place where he doubteth of the other kinde of purgation Vide quaest 8. ad Dulcitium as he cōfessethe him selfe to be vncertein of the whole exposition refusing none at all that were agreable to faithe and woulde not helpe the falshood whiche he then refuted In his Enchir where he disputeth ageinste the same erroure Cap. 110. he so little doubteth that he calleth Purgatory damnation thoughe not perpetuall as that whiche might be bothe eased and vtterly remoued by the sacrifice and suffragies of the Churche And thus did that graue author withstand Origen then whose folowers wer as it may be thought very busy and trooblesom in those daies and long after But yet his sure staffe ageinst that erroure was this and the most common defense of all Catholikes that the temporall paines in the next world coulde neuer deliuer the great and greuous sinners that died with oute repentaunce or remission of theire sinnes from euerlasting death bicause that torment was praepared for the smaule offenseis whiche we call venial sinnes by whiche the holy Apostle ment vnder the names of the base substances off woodde hay and straw Ser. 4. de sanctis as these wordes of muche importaunce may wel declare There be diuerse saithe he that misconstruing these wordes of S. Paule before aleaged by ouer vaine security and confidence deceiue theime selues beleuing that if they do build capitall and greuous crimes vppon the fundation whiche is Christ they shall be pourged throughe fire and theyme selues afterward escape to euerlasting liefe but this vnderstanding good brethern must be corrected For those that so flatter theime selues shamefully do begile theime selues For that fiere whiche the Apostle speaketh of in these wordes He shall be saued through fier pougeth not mortal sinnes but smauler offensies onely To this purpose S. Hieroms wordes or the reuerēt Bedes whether you will for ether of theire graue authorities shall serue my turne doo wholy agree in the exposition of this sentence Mortuo homine impio non erit vltra spes In Cap. 11.
answereth Lo oure vnkindnesse saithe this doctor and lo oure lacke of compassion But bicause all this forgetfullnesse coommethe by the wicked suggestiō of these late deuelishe opinions which maynteyne that the prayers of the lyuing or theire workes doo not extende to the deade in Christe therefore for the destruction of this vnkind haeresy and planting in oure heartes with the truethe the feeling of our howsholde felowes sores I shall proue that in all times as well of nature as the lawe and gospell the faithful men haue euer ioyned in all they re praiers and acceptable workes the soules departed as vnto whome by right of theire communion and felowship in faithe the reliefe of goddes grace and Christes merites doo apperteine Therefore this once declared let vs except theime from no painefull worke of the liuing nor charitable deede nor good praier nor sacrifice nor teares no nor from the inward doloure nor loue of mannes hearte Lerne to know what it is to be in a common body and thowe shallte streght perciue that the least motion of thy mind sturred by goddes grace shall be caryed to the releefe of that part which thow pitied and most intended VVhat the Churche of God hathe euer principally practised for the soules departed by the vvarraunt of holy scripture vvith the defense of the Machabees holy history against the heretikes of oure tyme. Cap. 3. BVt emongest so many meanes of helpe Gregori in epist. ad Bonifa these haue bene euer counted most soueraigne Sacrifice praiers almose and by example of scripture most commended Thoughe fasting added vnto any of theime hathe singulare strengthe in this case and euer was ioyned in all ernest sute made to god for our selues or other We can nott better begin to shewe the practise herof then at that scripture which sufficiently commendeth at once al three writen in the second booke of Machabies in these wordes Cap. 12. Iudas hortabatur populum conseruare se sine peccato sub oculis videntes quae facta sunt pro peccatis eorum qui postrati sunt Et facta collatione duodecim millia drachmas argenti misit Ierosolimam offerri pro peccatis mortuorum sacrificium bene religiose de resurrectione cogitans nisi enim eos qui ceciderant resurecturos speraret superfluum videretur vanum orare pro mortuis quia considerabat quod hi qui cum pietate dormitionem acceperant optimam haberent repositam gratiam Sancta ergo salubris est cogitatio pro defunctis exorare vt a peccatis soluantur The valiaunt man Iudas exhorted the people to kepe theime selues from sinne hauing before they re eyes what was faulen for the offensies of theime that were slayne And a common gathering being made he sent xij thousand pieces of siluer to Ierusalem to offer for the sinnes of those that were departed a Sacrifice being well and religiously mynded concerning the resurrection for except he had suerly trusted that suche as were slayne should arise agayne it might haue bene counted vaine and superfluouse to praye for the deade But bicause he did well consider that such as in piety receiued theire sleape hadde grace and fauoure layde vpp for theim therfore it is a holy and proffitable meaning to praye for the deade that they may be assoyled of theire sinnes So farre the Author of the historie speaketh setting fourthe most euidently the notable piety of Iudas in exhorting theime to releue the departed the lyke liberall allmose of the people the prayers there in the campe and the sacrifice at Ierusalem celebrated for the same purpose In all wich dooing the scripture much praysethe that worthy zele of Iudas as a thing bothe proffitable to the departed towardes the remission of theire offensies and no lesse agreeing to that his especyall hope off the resurrection to coom counting it a folye to pray for theyme of whose resurrection we are not assured Wherby I can not tell whether a man may well gether that such as deny the felowship of the lyue with the deade or condēne prayers made for theyme stedfastly beleue not the resurrection And in deede if we note well Take heede we shal fynde that the prayers for the deade haue ben euer taken both as an argument to proue and as a protestatiō of the faithful to shewe theire mynd and faith concerning the resurrectiō So did Epiphanius that holy father make confession of the churches faith for the resurrection and immortality of the soule by the praying for the departed and ioyning theime to the partaking of the workes of the liue Hi qui decesserunt viuunt saith he nō sunt nulli In heresi Aërij sed sunt viuunt apud Deum spes est orantibus pro fratribus velut qui in peregrinatione sint those wich be deceased doo yet lyue and are not by their departure hense faullen to be nothing but they haue theire being and yet doo lyue before God and ther is great hope to theire orators or beadsmen praying for theyme as for such that be in theire pilgramage So saithe Damasce In oratione pro defunct that by supplication for the soules resurrectionis spes solidatur the hope of resurrection is established And therfor Dionisius the auncyent in his misticall prayer and sacrifice for the departed Ecclesiast Hierrarch Cap. 7. declarethe that there was a minister that did solemnely recyte certeine placyes owte of scripture for to confirme the hope of resurrection So that this practise of the faith full hathe not onely bene euer accōpted a playne truethe but it hathe bene a grownd and a princyple to confirme the article of resurrection and immortalitye of the soule And therfor the facte of Iudas is with suche commendacion mētioned in the scripture For in those dayes the haeresie of the Saduces deniing the refurrection and the lyefe to coom as Iosephus writeth began to take greate houlde emongest the Iews Antiq. l. 13 Cap. 8. about bishop Ionathas his time in wich tyme of diuersity that true beleuer thoght to make plaine protestation of his fayth by his notable facte And nowe I must needes be boulde to tell these enemies of oure communion that in acknouledging theime selues to haue nothing to doo with the soules departed they are att the nexte doore by to denie the immortalitie and to terme theyme deade soules as Vigilantius did Hieron con vig. Whome Goddes Churche very conformably to Christes calling and fittly for the protesting the common faith nameth Dormientes in signo pacis Prayers for the departed agreeith to oure faithe of the resurrection and immortality Those that sleape in the signe of peace and the named scripture for the same cause callethe theime men a sleape in piety Well iff theire deniall of praiers for the deceased grow so farre as the vtter impugning of Christiā hope for the life euerlasting and so with purgatory take away helle and heauen together as the Sadduces did which God
benefite for he louethe oure nation and hathe him selfe fownded a Sinagoge And S. Cypriā saith notably that good workes make a more effectuall intercession then good wordes he speaketh of the same Tabitha as folowethe Ser. de Eleemos Circumsteterunt Petrum viduae flentes rogantes pallia tunicas omnia illa quae prius sumpserant indumenta monstrantes nec pro defuncta suis vocibus sed ipsius operibus deprecantes the wydowes compassed Petre rownd abowte weeping and crauing howlding forthe the clokes and cotes and al they re wiedes which they hadde gyuen theime before not requesting for the good wooman deceased so muche by theire wordes as by her owne good workes I pray god we be not ouer carelesse in offering to allmighty god in these our doolefull dayes the vnestimable benefites whiche we haue receiued of our forefathers by the buylding of all oure collegies oure oratoryes churcheis and chappelles They were fownded first to procure goddes mercy they were many yeres together in the mindes and memoryes of theire beadsmen represented before the face of God at his holy altare they are nowe forgotten withe most men and offered to God with teares almost off none We should be much more diligēt for our frendes offensies doubtelesse then the poore weemen were onely for restore of ther benefactors liefe ageine And the force of prayers and allmose workethe rather mercy in remission of sin then fauoure for calling to the life of this world any more Therfor seeing we reade expressely that prayers and almose haue bene proffitable to many owt of the state of our present liefe we can not deny but the woorkes of the vertuous passe by goddes prouidence to the soules separated from theire bodyes and worke grace and fauoure as the case and condicion of the party requireth The soule of Lazarus whome oure sauioure reuiued was foure dayes in the place and state of the next worlde when Martha and Mary his sisters prayers procured his restore to the lande of the liuing againe Whiche weemen I am sure were as ernest suters for the rest of his sowle Ioan. 11. as for recouery of his personage they wisshed Christ had ben present in his sicknes they were assured of his resurrection at the latter day but being stinking ripe they thought oure master woulde not presently call him vp at that turne yet for his rest we neede not to doubte but they made sute withe sighes and soroufull teares euery daye Who by custō of their contrye as I take it kept solemne prayers for diuerse dayes together in certayne seasons at the sepulcher as the coniecture of Maries frēdes which came to comfort her in heuines may well declare vnto vs. For as she soudenly at her sisters cal brake from theime they knowing the vsage of that solemne weeping at the sepulchre of the departed sayde one to another quia vadit ad monumentum vt ploret ibi she is surely gone to his graue there to weepe In which weeping kept as it wer by course ordre and tyme yf our aduersaryes yet denie-to haue bene vsed any prayers or wordes of requeste then lett theime make proufe by goddes worde that they vsed nothing but vnproffitable lamentatiō which if it be immoderate 1. Tessal Cap. 4. hath especial mistrust of the resurrection as S. Paule declarethe but ioyned with prayers or almose as before is proued it hath the liuely hope of the lyfe of those that sleape in peace And that to be the true mourning for the dead S. Chrisostom witnesseth with me both often elles and namely vpon the epistle to the Philippiās thus Defleamus istos Homil. 3. iuuemus eos pro viribus procuremus illis aliquid auxilij modici quidem attamen iuuemus eos quomodo quaue ratione praecantes pro illis adhortemur alios vt orent pro eis pauperibusque indesinenter pro illis eleemosinas demus 4. Re. 19. habet res ista non nihil consolationis Audi quippe quid Deus dicat protegam ciuitatem istam propter me propter Dauid seruum meum si memoriae duntaxat iusti tantum valuit quando opera pro tali fiunt quid nō poterunt Let vs mourne and weepe saithe he ouer the deade and helpe theime according to oure habilytie sumwhat let vs succoure theime thoughe it be neuer so smaule yett let vs put to our helping handes But how and by what meanes mary both our selues praying for theim and mouing others to doo the like yea and with owt ceasing let vs bestowe almose for theime this is sumwhat confortable For see I pray yow what God saithe I will defend this city for mine owne sake and for my seruaunt Dauids sake Truely if the onely remembraunce of a iust mā might make so much withe God what may not charitable workes doone for the same intent obteyne at his hand This was the mourning meete for the Christiā burialles as this noble father teacheth vs and this and no other was practised in the fathers funeralles in Christes tyme and before As in another place this same doctor ernestly correcteth the vse off vaine mourning or outragious costely and curiouse couering of the body buried Homil. 84. in Ca. 20. Ian. Cessemus quaeso ab hac insana diligentia sed eam morientiū curā habeamus quae nobis illis conferat ad gloriā dei Largas pro his elemosinas faciamus mittamus eis pulcherrima viatica Elemosina mortuos suscitauit quando circumsteterunt viduae ostendentes quae fecerat ipsis Dorcas Cum ergo moriendū sit quisque funus sibi paret persua deatque vt indigentibus aliquid relinquat Nā si reges haeredes scribentes familiaribus partem relinquunt in puerorū cautionem cū Christū cohaeredē filijs tuis dimittis intellige quantam tibi illis concilias beneuolentiam Haec sunt funera pulcherrima remanentibus abeuntibus proficiunt caetera For goddes loue saith he let vs leaue this vndiscrite and madde curiositie and let vs so prouide for the departed that we may bothe helpe theyme and our selues to the glory of God Large almose must we geue for theime in so dooing we shall send vnto theime as yowe woulde say a kinde of necessary foode and sustenaunce for theire soules This hathe raysed vpp the deade when the widowes stoode rownd aboute making shewe of the garmentes that Dorcas made for theime Therfore seeing dye we must it were not amisse that euery man procured his owne funerall before hand that is so say by determination to leaue sumwhat to the poore and needy For if mighty kinges making theire he ires doo bequeathe sumwhat to theire familiars for the salfe prouiso of theire successoures As praiers doo protest the resurrectiō so vnordinate mourning shevveth the lacke of beliefe therin thowe may well vnderstande when thowe makest Christ the copartener with thy children thow procurest therby his mercy bothe to theime and thy sellfe And
these be the right obittes these shall be commodious to the lyuing and proffitable to the deceased Againe in another place he arguethe that this vnordinate mourning can not stand with the stedfast beleefe of resurrection of the departed which the praiers of Goddes Churche and the rites of Christian dirigies doo plainely protest Homil. 32 in Cap. 9. Math. and proue these be his wordes Cur post mortē tuorū pauperes cōuocas cur presbyteros vt pro eis velint orare obsecras non ignoro te responsurum vt defunctus requiem adipiscatur vt propitium iudicem inueniat his ergo de rebus flendum atque vlulandum arbitraris Non vides quam maximè ipsi repugnas In his tyme the priestes vvere desired to pray for mennes soules Why doost thowe gather the poore people to coom to thy frendes buriall Why desirest thow the priestes to pray for theire soules Thy answher I am shure will be that thowe doost these thinges to prouide for his rest and to obteyne mercy and fauour at his iudgies handes Wel then go too what cause hast thowe to mourne or be waile his case doost thow not perceiue that thowe arte contrary to thy selfe in thy owne facte nowe all studiouse men may see what force the charity and allmose of faithfull people euer had especially towardes the dead howe litle weeping auaylethe howe vnlikly it is that the prescribed daies of the oulde funeralles in the lawe of nature or afterward were spent in mourning with owte woordes or workes for the departed but namely howe this holy fathers sentēce and minde fully setteth fourth the meaning of Tobies praecept for setting his breade and drinke vpon the sepulchres to be nothinge elles but a calling together of the poore people and feeding theime for the benefite of the person departed that not onely they by earnest praier but he by charitable workes might together obteine reste and mercy for his soule And here the simple sorte and suche as be ignoraunt off the force of almose or oure fathers practise for theire yeares being brought vppe in this sinful age whē vertue is defaced A greate decay of vertue in oure tyme and the workes of Christianitye scarse to be seene in a whole country and where they be muche merueled at as thinges rare or contemned as vnproffitable or of the wicked condēned vtterly as superstitious and vngodly suche good younge mē must looke backe a greate waye with me to lerne theire dueties of the blessed times paste that were wholy free from the contagion off this pestilent waste in religion euen to those daies that our aduersaries confesse to haue bene holy and vndefiled Man may be relieued after his departure ether by the almose vvhiche he gaue in his lyfe time or by that vvhich is prouided by his testament to be geuen after his deathe or elles by that almose vvhiche other men doo bestovve for his soules sake of theire ovvne gooddes Cap. 5. ANd we fiend the workes of mercy and charitie to helpe the soule of man in this life towardes remissiō of his sinnes or elles in the next worlde for release of paine due vnto the same sinnes Al which may be doone two waies firste by thyne owne handes or appointment liuing in this worlde Lucae 11. 16. Dan. 4. Ec. 3. Iob. 12. which is the best perfecteste and surest meanes that may be for that pourgeth sinnes procurethe mercy maketh frendes in the day of dreade cleansethe beforehand staithe the soule from deathe and lifteth it vppe allso to liefe euer lasting Regarde not here the ianglers that wil crie oute on the that mannes workes must not praesume so farre as to winne heauen or to pourge sinnes lest they intermeddle with Christes work of redemption and the office of onely faithe make no accompt of such corrupters of Christian conditions liue wel and carefully folowe these workes off mercy so expressely commaunded and commended in the scriptures kepe the within the householde of the faithfull and thy very good conuersation in operibus bonis shall refute they re vaine blastes and improue theire idle faithe Iacob 2. Say but then vnto theime by the wordes of S. Iames. Maister Protestaunt let me haue a sighte of your only faithe with out good workes and here lo behoulde mine and spare not by my good workes What religiō so euer you be of I know not but I would be off that religiō which the apostle calleth religionem mundam immaculatam Iacob 1. The pure and vnspotted religion and that is as he affirmeth to viset the fatherlesse and succoure widowes in theire neede And then tell theyme bouldely that the Churche of God hathe instructed the that all woorkes whereby mā may procure helpe to him selfe or other be the workes of the faithfull which haue receiued that force by the grace and fauoure of God and be throughe Christes bloode so wattered tempered and qualyfied that they may deserue heauen and remission of sinne Doubt not to tel them that they haue no sight in this darknes of haeresy in the waies of Goddes wisdō they haue no feele nor tast of the force of his death they see not howe grace prepareth mannes workes they can not reache in theire in fidelitie how wonderfully his death worketh in the sacraments they cā not atteine by any gesse how the dedes of a poore wrech may be so framed in the childrē of God that whereas of theire owne nature they are not hable to procure any mercy yet they nowe shall be counted of Christ him self sitting in iudgemēt worthy of blesse and lyfe euerlasting Bid theime coom in coom in and they shall feele with the in simplicity and obediēce that which thei could not owte of this society in the pride of contention euer perceiue And if they will not so doo let theim perish alone Turning then from theim thether where we were let vs practise mercy as I saide in our owne time in our helthe when it shal be much meritorious as proceding not of necessity but of freedom and good will And thē after oure departure the repraesentation of our charitable deedes by such as receiued benefite thereby shall excedingly moue God to mercy as we see it did sturre vpp the compassion of his apostle in the fullfilling of so straūge a request Wheruppon S. Cyprian saithe that almose deliuereth often from both the seconde deathe whiche is damnation Serm. de Eleemos and the firste whiche is of the body Yf thow yet chaunce to be negligent in the working of thine owne saluation whē thou arte in strenght and helthe when ouer muche carefulnesse of worldly welthe hindereth the remembraunce of thy duety towardes God for al that helpe they selfe at the least in thy latter ende for thoughe it had bene muche better before yet it is not euill nowe I speake not for priestes aduauntage God is my iudge I am not of that rowme my self and wil not condemne my soule for other But
were customably kept tricesimales quadragesimales anniuersariae memoriae the thirtithe the .xl. the yeres mindes and portions apointed owt as he saith in testamets for the mainteinaunce therof And all this commonly besides the peculiare deuotion of som towardes theyr singularely beloued If thow list go yet vppeward thow shalt find no lesse care for the helpe of the soules deceased for S. Ambrose reporteth of his time Super obit Theodos that otherwhiles the third and the thirtith otherwhiles the vij and the fourtith minde daies were religiously obserued yea and that as he saith by good authoritye and auncient vsage of the patriarches both in the law of nature and Moyses Cum frequentibus oblationibus omnibus with often and sundry oblatioÌ„s for the rest of the departed This xxx daies memoriall Iulio interpr ould holy Ephreem in his testament and last will prouideth for him selfe after his departure The seuenth day was also euer in the primitiue Churche with greate religioÌ„ obserued bicause as Beda saith that hath the representation of the lyfe to coom And S. Ambrose practised it for his brother for the like protestation and signe of the resurrection and rest perpetuall De fide resur Die septimo saith he ad sepulchrum redimus qui dies symbolum est futurae quietis the seuenth day we coom together againe to my brothers sepulchre bicause that day is a pledge of the rest to coom Hould on vpward stilli and Tertulian will witnesse with the that in that floure of Christes Church with in lesse then CC. yeres of our masters death Oblationes fiebant annua die pro defunctis That oblations and sacrifice were yerly made at the xij monthes mindes of moste men De Cor. milit he meanethe bothe by the sacrifice of the Churche and offeringes of the frendes of the departed â–ª as there also In exhort Castitat Repete apud DeuÌ„ pro cuius spiritu postules pro qua oblationes annuas reddas Cal to thy remembraunce for whose soule thowe prayes and in whose behallfe thowe makes yerly offeringes He speaketh of a frend of his that practised thus for his wiues departure And in another place he wel declareth the duety of maried â—d persons one towards another De monogamia if God by death separate them in sonder Pro anima eius orat et refrigeriuÌ„ interim postulat offert annuis diebus dormitionis eius She praieth for her husbandes soule and obteineth in the meane space ease and offereth euery yere at the mind day of his passing hense And he letteth not to affirme that the maried coople that practise not thus doo not beleue the resurâ—ection Therfore he concludeth thus Nunquid nihil erimus post mortem secundum aliquem Epicurum non secundum Christum quòd si credimus mortuorum resurrectionem vtique tenebimur cum quibus resurrecturi sumus rationem de alter utro reddituri What say yowe shall we faule to nothing after oure death as the Epicure thinkethe and not rise ageine as Christe teacheth And if we beleue the resurrection of the deade then doubtlesse we shall be bounde to make accompte one of an other This haeresy muche ioyneth vvith the Saduces as we shall together rise againe Beware here my masters once ageine I must tel you yowe are goinge towardes the deniall of the resurrection so many as condeÌ„ne the vsage of the Church in praying or offeringe for the deade Tertuliane saith yow be Epicures in this poynt and so yowe be in all others I say yowe are past priuy muttering in your heartes that there is no God Psal 13. for yowe are coÌ„me to plaine Cor. 1. Cap. 15. Manducemus bibamus cras enim moriemur Let vs eate and be mery we can not not tell howe longe we lieue I say yow must answer for parting the affection of man and wiefe and th one must be countable at the day of iudgement to an other that they procured not the dueties of the deade by right of Goddes holy Church for theire soules departed Take heede therefore yowe are warned But as neere as we be Christes time by Tertulians helpe we wil approch yet nyerer to the very Apostles age and looke out sum recorde of that time for oblations and distributions with memorialles for the departed And the further from yowe of the newe secte we go the more plaine destruction of your doctrine and more manifest proufe of our ould deuotion shall we fiend to your open shame and the conforte of Catholikes S. Clement therfore the Romane one coÌ„uersaunt with the apostles and instruâ—ted by theime in his faithe a familiare of S. Paule and promoted by S. Peter a â—â—ue pastor and a holy martyr thus reâ—orteth of the apostles ordinauÌ„ce in our â—atter Li. 8. CoÌ„st Cop. 48. Peragatur dies mortuorum in psaltis in lectionibus atque orationibus proâ—ter eum qui tertia die resurrexit Item â—onus in commemorationem superstitum atâ—ue defunctoruÌ„ EtiaÌ„ quadragesimus secundum veterem formam Moysen enim hoc modo luxit populus nec non anniuersarium pro memoria ipsius deturque de illius facultatibus pauperibus in commemorationem ipsius Thus in english We will that the third day be obserued for the departed in psalmes lessons and praiers for his sake that rose the third day And so the ix day for the vniting together in one memorie the departed with the liuing In lyke maner the fourtithe day must be kept according to the ordre vsed of ould for so did the people obserue the bewayling of Moyses And with al these the xij monthes mind beside Where for the memory of his departure lett sumwhat be distributed amongest the poore people How say yow now my masters is this popish or apostolike doctrine was it inuented for priestes couetousnes or obserued as Christes ordinaunce made we much of late of the litle we fownd before or of late lost for lacke of deuotion that which we had so long before Mercifull God who would thinke this geare were so auncient and so little set by Who woulde thinke the aduersaries were so impudeÌ„t and yet so much regarded What heart think yow they reade the auncient writers with all Or with what conscience can they passe by so plaine practise of all the Chistian world Or with what face can they name ether scripture or doctor How dare they looke backe att ony one steppe of antiquitie all which be nothing elles but a testimony off their wickednes and as yow would say a pointing with finger at their horrible spoile of ould doctrine and deuotioÌ„ What if one of their own scholares seeing this light in our matter shoulde aske of his maister a lasse sir what if this be true that is proued so ould The maistèr Protestant is posed and you chauÌ„ce to lie that are so late where are we your scholares then It is not answered if yow conforte him with faire wordes
and tell him yow folow the scripture For he wil charge yow againe streghte that these men had scripture vnderstood scripture alleaged scripture both of the new testament and the oulde and referred theire vsage sum to Moyses and Aaron other sum to the fathers in the lawe of nature and all to the Apostles of Christ Where are yow then no more but this perdy we vnderstand scripture perchaunce better then they we haue the holy Gost perchaunce and so hadde not the fathers perchaunce that is no scripture perchaunce this and this is not that doctors worke bicause it makes ageinst vs. I thinke he that would beleue your chauncing that may haue such assuraunce of the trueth on the other side he is worthy to be deceiued Well I will close vppe this parte of our talke for Tobies allmose borde in the obittes of Christian men withe S. Augustines graue iudgement who as he is plaine for the benefite of oblations in the memorialles of mens departures in all placies so here in a maner he ordereth the action thereof for abusies that might theron arise in his epistle to Aurelius 64 The offeringes saith he obserued for the soules departed whereof there is no quaestion but profet arisethe to theime let theime not be ouer sumptuouse vpon the mindes of the deceased nor soulde away but geuē with owt grudge or disdaine to suche as be praesent and would be partaker thereof but if moony be offered it may be distributed out of hande to the poore ▪ and thē shall not those daies of theire frendes memorialles be to their greate griefe forsaken or destitute of companye And the ordre with honeste coomlynesse shall be kept continually in the church So S. Clement him selfe teacheth all theime that be called to such daies of praiers for the departed and to be partakers of those oblations or charitable relieues which were by sum honest sober refresshing euen in the Church in those daies obserued whether they be of the laity or of the priestes he geueth thē this lesson Qui ad memorias eorū vocamini cū modestia cum dei timore comedite veluti valentes legatione fungi pro mortuis cum sitis presbyteri diaconi Christi sobrij esse debetis priuatim cum alijs v◠possitis intemperantes coercere All yow that are called to the funeralles of the departed refressh your selues in measure and feare of god that yow may be worthy to be as it were in commission of intreatie for the dead and being priestes or deacons of Christ yow are bownd to be sobre euen at home but abrode for others example and discipline That the binefite of praier and allmose apperteineth not to suche as dye in mortall sinne thoughe in the doubtefull case of mannes beeing the Churche vseth to pray for all departed in Christes faith Cap. 7. THus farre we now are broght I trust withe proufe and euidence enoughe with reasonable cleare light for the good simple peoples instruction and withe full safety from all the force oure aduersaries can make against vs. The patriarches exāple the wordes of scripture the practise of the Churche the natural society betwixt the partes of Christes misticall body in this world and his membres in the next and all our fathers faithe haue woon so muche that allmose and offeringes in sundry memorialls and diuerse obseruations of mindes and obittes be singulare and soueraigne to procure goddes mercye for the pardon of the soules deceased And nowe lest any man take occasion of goddes mercie which he seethe to be so redy that it may be woon by other mennes workes to liue in contempt of vertuous exercise and to passe the time of his owne lyfe in carelesse negligēce praesuming to purchesse fauoure at goddes hande so mercyfull by other mennes merittes with oute his owne deede or deserte let that man be aduertised quòd non habet partem in sermone isto that he shall in that case haue no benefite by our tallke the mercy which we speake of perteineth not vnto him suche idle drone beyes can take no fructe of other mēnes laboures nether quicke nor deade For that membre which in this body was so vnprofitable to him sellfe it is no right nor reason he shuld haue any gaynes by other mens trauell Therfore all these liberall promissies of fauour and grace to be procured by the workes of the lyue towardes the departed reache nether to the vnfaithfull out of this howse nor to the impaenitēt who was but an vnprofitable bourden of the house These thinges saithe Clement we meane of the godlie Lib. 8. constit 49. for yf thowe gaue al the welthe of the worlde to the poore for the wickeds sake thowe couldest not proffitte theime a heare For he that dyed in goddes displeasure can not looke for more mercy then he deserued Therfore S. Iohn thapostle seemethe to abbridge oure prayers 1. Epist. Cap. 5. and the obteining of oure petitions by borderinge theime as withe in certaine bondes after this sort We knowe that God doothe here vs what so euer we require we be sure he will accōpleshe oure requestes which we make vnto him Therfore he that knoweth his brother to sinne being not a sinne to death let him pray and lyfe shal be geuē to him that sinneth not to death there is a sinne to deathe for suche I doo not wil any man to praie This place of thapostle seemethe to declare the wonderfull force that the praiers of the faithful haue in procuring grace and remission for others so that they be brethern and passe hense with out the bonde of mortall sinne And the letter well weied shall make exceding much to proue the praiers for departed in piety as it in a maner forbiddeth all intercession for suche as be knowen to passe in continuance of mortall sinne There is no crime so greuous that man may commit in the course of this lyfe but the churche vseth praiers customably therfore and for her reuerēce is oftē hearde Therfor it may wel be thought that the party must be deceased of whome such diuersity of desertes doothe arise for all that be a lyue with out exceptiō The churche may pray for any sinner in this lyfe vvith hope of mercy if they be bretherne of oure familie must be prayde for And so longe as they be in this worlde and may repent theire sin is not so vnto deathe but lyfe by praiers may be and is cōmenly at goddes hand obteined Then it may wel be deduced that thapostle meaneth to incourage the faithfull to pray for such theire bretherne departed as died withowte bonde of deadly sin to their sight in a maner warning theime that for such theire praiers shall be acceptably heard But for others cōtinuing in sin to death he willethe not theim to praye nor can assure theime they shal be hearde So doth Dionysius a man not very aunciēt Carth. but of a full spirite and good grace expound this
sacrifice and so doothe the holy councel of Ephesus caull it Dionisius the sacrifice most excellent of all sacrificies and the hoste of hostes The latines altogether afterward named it the holy Masse so did S. Augustine call it S. li epist 33. epist et praecat prima praeparante ad missam b super vndec prouer Ambrose c Histor tripaâ—tit 24. cap. li. 10. Hierom d  Epiph scholastic with al the posteritie both in Latin and other barbarous languagies Besides many other excellent high and peculiare caullinges whiche can agree to no other common worship of God internall nor externall but only to this most worthy and honorable sacrifice which by the vertue that it hathe receiued by the first examplare thereof and by the might and mercy of the lambe of God which vnder the couer of breade and wine is there the appointed hoste and oblation is proffitable bothe to the quicke and the deade And therfore is and hathe bene vsed euer sithe the apostles age and by Christes owne praescriptioÌ„ and theirs coÌ„mauÌ„ded to be religiously obserued and of all faithfull people honoured as the principal protestatioÌ„ of our religioÌ„ as the grownde of al true worship as the badge of ChristiaÌ„ peace as the boÌ„de of holy society betwixt the heade and the membres as the loue knot betwixt Christ and his spouse The force and institution of the holy Masse as the vniting of the liue with the deade the holy sanctes with vs poore sinners angelles withe men heuenly thinges with earthely and the creatour of all with his owne creatures beneth as the plentifull condethe to deriue the grace of Christes death and merites off his passion to the continuall conforthe of our soules as the onely practise of his aeternall priesthod according to the ordre of Melchisedech and as the only effectuall memoriall and comfortable memory of the sheeding of his blessed bloude and sufferance of so deare and â—ainefull deathe for our redemption What altare so euer be erected against this altare it is nothing elles but a waste of goddes woorship a canker of religioÌ„ a token of dissension a separation of the holy society of the Christiane coÌ„munion The nevve communion is here described a larom towardes schisme a departure froÌ„ Christe an open badge of heresy a saulsy shoulderinge with Christes Church and ordinaunce an open robbry of his honour and priesthodde a plaine stoppe of the passage of his giftes and grace in his louing howse thonly way to paganisme and aeternall obliuion of his deathe and passion The deuil which is the oulde serpeÌ„t knowing by long experience and often proufe that the holy masse is the chiefe bane of sinne and his wicked kingdom hather euer from the begymyng shot at this marke by all the cursed indeuoures of wicked haeretiques to roote owte that stronge garde of vertue and pilloure of deuotion and religion Howe so euer they dissemble at they re firste enteraunce the diuill hathe that fetche in his faulse heade in all tymes of such toyle and perturbation of religion To which horrible indeuour thoughe he hathe for our sinnes and deseruing put greater force and wroght with more aduantage then euer before yet tyll the latter day and son of perditions appearing which is vnknowe to him he shal not bring it to passe The lawe the sacrifice the priesthod the altare of the newe and aeternal testameÌ„t praefigured by Melchisadech and perfited by Christe shall stand with and in the holy Churche tyl the worldes end Haeresy vvith her disordered ministers shall not out face Goddes Churche and Christes aeternall pristhod It is not your bare breade and borde not your Ministers nor your Seniours nor Elders nor your Nuper intendeÌ„ts nor what so euer yowe list be caulled that shall owt face goddes Churche she hathe by the spirite of God beaten downe your proudders the Arrians the Macedonians the Anabaptistes and all your predecessoures And nowe I tell yowe and be bowlde of it as owld oure moother waxethe as contemptible as yowe make her so little as yowe regarde her she will once yet in hir owlde daies gyue the ZwingliaÌ„s the Lutherans or of what other straunge souldier so euer your campe standethe an open ouertrowe Psa 100. Mat. 61. For yff hell were broken louse and the gates open it cowlde not preuaile We haue oure Presthod confirmed by a faire othe we haue our mothers right by an oppen promesse established And yet neuer the lesse good Catholike Christian lett vs thus persuade oure selues The holy masse takeÌ„ a vvay for oure sinnes that we haue so longe lost the vnestimable treasure of this holy sacrifice for oure greuous sinnes it is oure sinnes I say woo is vs therfore which haue deserued this plage which haue sett vs at variaunce with God and our mercifull redemer which haue taken from vs as vnworthy of so greate a treasure the dayly sacrifice the helpe of those which are a lyue the coÌ„forte of those which are departed the only grounde of al religioÌ„ and acceptable woorship of god And our misery is the greater because fewe feele the sore The lacke of this sacrifice for the departed only with the godly praiers therin Men tha vvere greuous offenders in oulde time punished by lacke of the sacrifice was counted when goddes truethe and Church floorished the greatest and extremest punishmeÌ„t that could be deuised and euer enioyned for sum notable crime to the terroure of other as for horrible desparation for willful heresye for contempte of the decries of of goddes holy ministers as by the late alleaged place out of S. Cyprian may be very profitably noted A lasse we haue nowe in amaner lost that wholy which then was denied only to such for theire greuouse poonishemnts as were heynous offenders Otherwise in earnest consideratioÌ„ of our case can not I thinke but that this blessed iuel is nowe denied vs of allmighty god generally for our greuous offensies which then was denied by his ministers to som one offender for the due poonishment of sin and wickednes O good reader what woulde that holy martyr haue saide if he had liued in our daies when to haue that oblation ether for the quicke or deade which once was estemed so necessary that no Christian man nether could in his lyfe nor after his death lacke it is nowe of it sellfe odious to most men and which abhorrethe me to speake poonishable by the lawes of the spiritualty and condemned well nere of all men what weene yowe this blessed bisshop woulde haue sayde if he had seene the holy hoste and offeringe to haue bene taken awaie De CoenaÌ„ domini which he once affirmed to be so necessary that if it were takeÌ„ awaie or wasted there were no religion nor worship of god at all would not he thinke yow with ferueÌ„t zele of goddes house haue cried out vpoÌ„ the sinnes of the people the blindnesse of the preachers and pastours
the vnworthinesse of these our dooleful daies and bewailed his own misery as we shoulde doo oures Ita Policarp ex Iren. crying owt with an oulde blessed father O Deus bone in quae me seruasti tēpora vt ista blasphema sustineā O Lorde that I shoulde be reserued for these times to abide suche blasphemie victor de persecut vandal Victor reporteth in his history of the persecution of the vandalles that were Arians that the Gouernour of that cursed company of cruel haeretikes would not suffer the christian men whome he had slaine to be broght home withe seruice and sacrifice but then the good people woonderfully bewailed theire case seeing theim practise cruelty vpon theire soules allso in that they would not suffer theime to enioye at their departure and buriall the rites of goddes church Thus saithe that Author Quis vero sustineat atque possit sine lachrimis recordari dum praeciperet nostrorum corpora defunctorum sine solemnitatehimnorū cum silentio ad sepulchra perduci O Lord who coulde haue fownd in his heart to be houlde then or could yet once thinke of it withe owte teares how he gaue in charge that the bodies of our brethern departed should be broght to the graue and buried with owte all solemnity of himnes in silence and sorowe Ecclesi Cap. 7. It was euer giuen to wicked hard harted haeretiques to prohibere gratiam mortuis to be vnmercifull and to staie the fauoure of good men from the departed epist 8. li. 2. Nouatus as S. Cyprian chargeth him noluit patrem fame defunctū sepelire would not bury his owne father deade of honger bane But to let suche men passe withe the praesent bewayling of our vnhappy dayes let vs with more conforte behould the steppes of good men past how kindely and brotherlyke they haue principally procured the holy sacrifice for they re frendes and felowes gone before For seeing the onely prayers of good men haue bene proued so profitable and the repraesentation of som holy workes of almose hath often moued God to pity as we haue proued towards the release of the departed his payne what may we not hope to obteyne for oure britherne deceased when we shal ioyne in prayers withe the holy angelles with the blessed sanctes with Goddes holy ministers in the representation of Christes most blessed body and bloude before the face of his father when the whole churche of god in that honorable action prayethe and Christe him selfe is both the sacrifice and the priest both the asker and the geuer of pardon when the maiesty of God the blessed trinitye is passingly pleaced by the merites of Christes deathe so liuely set out in these honorable but vnspeakable mysteries what may we not here procure for the soule of the churchies childe what shal be denied to so humble askers in the praesence of goddes own son and begging mercy for his deathes sake And so doth S. Chrisostom assure the faithfull in these goulden wordes Non frustra ab apostolis sancitum est vt in celebratione vener andorū mysteriorum memoria fiat eorum qui hinc discesserunt Homil. 3. in epistolā ad philipp nouerunt quippe illis multum hinc emolumenti fieri multū vtilitatis stante siquidem vniuerso populo manus in coelos extendente coetu item sacerdotali verendoque proposito sacrificio quomodo deum non placaremus pro istis orantes Yt was not for noght that the apostles decried and ordeined that in the celebratiō of the honorable mysteries there should be an especiall memoriall of the departed for they right well knewe greate commodity and benefite to arise ther vpon For the whole multitude houlding vp theire handes towards heauen together with the company and quiere of priestes and the dreadfull sacrifice set furth before all men howe is it possible but we shoulde appeace goddes wrath praying for theim loke ye what this mannes iudgement was and see from whense he had it euē of the holy apostles I warraunt yowe and no worse nor latter fownders But of that pointe for the full deriuing of our christian vsage frō the first fathers of our faith more cōuenient place shal be geuen herafter Nowe I wil serue the cause and the readers desire first withe certaine peculiare examples of most learned and godly fathers worthy of all credet in the godly prouision for certeine of theire dearest frendes by sacrifice and praier both made by theim selues and procured by others That we may haue here not onely whom to beleeue teaching the truethe but whome to folowe practising the same with deuotion which they preached withe cōstancye before That the practise of any pointe in religion maketh the most open shevve of the fathers faith And that all holy men haue in plaine vvordes and most godly praiers vttered their beliefe in our matter Cap. 9. ANd I take the open practise of any point to be a more pithy protestation of a mānes faithe thē by words cā be made Therfore if a mā were doubtful ether of the trueth of any article or of the meaning of sum doctours wordes looke the same mannes practise and it shall put him owt of doubt thereof streght wayes as for an example seeme sum wordes of S. Augustin to make for the sacramentaries haeresie that Christe is in the honourable sacrament but by a figure or Theodoretus or any other auncient fathers declaratiō are their wordes doubtful to the reader leaue the wordes thē if thowe syncerely seeke for truethe with owte contention and seeke owte if thowe can sum practise of those same men and that Churche where they liued for the same point But what way of worke in this matter consisting in doctrine may assure vs of theire beliefe of whose wordes we doubted before Theodor. dial 2. August super psal 98. Dionis ecclesiast hierarch Cap. 3. Basil de spiritu sanct Cap. 27. Mary sir this looke howe they behaued theime selues in the receiuing of it in the ministering of it in the carefull keping of it whether they did adore it with godly honoure whether they solemnely shewed it to the people to be worshipped whether they praide by solemne and formall wordes vnto it whether they taughte theire children to caulle it God and Christe Lib. 3. de Trin. c.. 10 yea so farre that Augustine affirmeth that the children in his daies till they were after instructed thought that God appeared in the shappe of breade as all these yongers seeing the honour and reuerence of theire elders and theime selues nurtered to houlde vppe theire handes and knocke theire brestes must yet needes meruaile how these owtwarde formes came to so holy an vse further whether the Christiā people were not sclaundered for worshipping and doing sacrifice to Ceres and Bacchus Lib. 20. cōtra Faustū Cap. 13. when the wicked infidelles sawe theire behauiour towardes the holy Hoste whether it was not vsed in woorking of miracles in driuing away deuilles in daungerouse times of
simple aske why they be proffitable S. Chrisostō may enstruct such as list learne and correct the other that list reprehēde in these wordes In 2. Cap. ad Hebr. hom 4. Tel me saith he what al these festiuall lights in the buriall of the deceased meane what all this singing of himnes and psalmes signifiethe to what end be so many priestes and musicians called to gether to which in fine he thus answerethe doo we not all these thinges to geue thankes to God and euerlasting glorye that he hath deliuered the departed from the troubles of this mortall lyfe doo we not this to our cōforte and honoure of the departed And in the buriall of the Noble matrone Paula howe the priestes did sing howe the bisshoppes of Hierusalem and of all Palestine and Syria for the most part caried torches Hierom. Epitaph Paulae howe the religiouse bothe mē and weemē did the rites of the dirigies howe her allmose folkes shewed theire cotes to procure mercy euen as they did at dorcas departure in the actes of the apostles howe they continued theire singing and saing vij daies together at the Churche in Bethlem where she was buried S. Hierom him sellfe a true record therof bearethe witnesse in the lyke wordes as I haue recited and many moe which the feare of weereing the reader causethe me full sore against my wil to omitte They so settforth not onely the substāce of the thinge which standethe in prayer and sacrifice but allso doo proue ageinst thenimies of good ordre that the smaulest ceremonies that oure churchies of late haue vsed were not lately takē vp by our couetousnesse and superstition but with more abundance and numbre and continuance and solēnytie practised in the floure of Christes churche in diuerse principal partes of the world as at Hierusalem and Cōstantinople by the praising and approuing of the grauest fathers of our faith And now S. Augustin being of Aphrick so farre from the other in distance of place yet ronnethe ioyntly with theim in religion He purposely writing of the solemne rites of Christiane funerals in that goulden treatise De cura pro mortuis agenda De cura pro mortuis agenda thus after longe consideration of the whole cause determineth that the pompe of burial with al suche solemnyties as there vnto be in goddes churche ioyned is very seemely for that body which was the vessell of a Christian soule and an instrument or companion in well woorking whervnto it shall be also vnited in the resurrection for to receiue together the inhaeritance of the euerlasting kingdom But the lack of these where they be not arrogantly contemned or can not be had is nothing hurteful to the good nor the hauing any thinge proffitable to the wicked as the exāples of Lazarus and the riche man may well proue Therefore it is the sacrifice and prayers which properly doo helpe or relieue the departed De ciuit 1. Lib. ca. 12. .13 Curatio funeris saith he conditio sepulturae pompa exequiarum magis sunt viuorum solatia quà m subsidia mortuorum Non tamen ideo contemnenda abijcienda sunt corpora defunctorum maximeque iustorum fidelium quibus tanquā organis vasis ad omnia bona opera sanctus vsus est spiritus Curiouse prouision for the burial and the pompe of the solēne obites be rather doone for the solace of the lieue then for helpe of the deade neuerthelesse the bodies of the departed namely of faithfull folkes may not be contemned or cast furthe the which the holy Gost vsed as vessels and instruments of well working By al which thinges it may wel be noted that sum thinges haue ben vsually practised in funerals for thākes geuing to almighty God as hymnes and psalmes other sum for decent coomlynes and solace of the liuinge as the place of the buriall the lightes the ringing and such lyke althoughe euen these thinges proceding of loue and deuotion be after a sorte meritorious to the dooers and a helpe to theyme for whome they be procured and good motiōs and memories of mannes duetye For which causies those and the lyke haue bene vniformelie vsed throughe owte the whole Catholike churche from the beginnyng But the princypal thinges perteyning to the iustes of the departed be praiers and sacrifice and other such like wherby they are assuredly much proffited by release of theyr paines So saith S. Augustine in these wordes Cap. 18. de cura pro mort Non existimemus ad mortuos pro quibus curam gerimus peruenire nisi quod pro eis siue altaris siue eleemosinarum sacrificijs solemniter celebramus Let vs neuer thinke that any other thinge properly apperteineth to the reliefe of the departed sauing the solemne sacrifices of the altare almose and prayer And therfore as the said holy doctour confesseth the worthinesse of the place where man is buried of it selfe profiteth not at all The sanctes pray for the soules in purgatory and vve pray vnto sanctes for them but in respecte of the holy prayers whiche be there rather made then elles where and the patronage of holy martyrs and sanctes to whome he nothing doubteth but intercession may profitably be made for the deceased for whiche cause as it may appeare by Paulinus Cap. 4 de cura pro mort men were very desirous euer in the primitiue Church to be buried by som blessed martyrs body And so must we thinke allso of buriall by the reuerent holy sacrament that it wonderfully helpeth man not for the placeis sake allthough the deuotion of the desirer is therin commendable but bicause the lyuing may there effectually commende the departed to God in the time of the holy sacrifice and may be put in remembraunce to call vpon Christes blessed person there praesent for the soule of that man whiche with care and study laide his body ī the hope of resurrection by the soueraigne holy body that is alredy risen againe And this was the cause that oure forefathers from Christes tyme till our dayes haue had respecte and desire as occasion serued to be buried there where by ordre praiers and sacrifice were daily had and where the patronage of holy sanctes might best be procured It is a highe point of wisdom surely good reader onely to see what godly wisdom oure fathers vsed in shew of their zele faith and Christianity As it is an vntollerable arrogancy and a singulare signe of infidelity to laugh at and blaspheme those thinges wherof not the prowdest haeretike that liueth hathe any intelligēce at al Obcoecauit enim eos malitia eorum For theire owne malice hathe blinded theime But leauing the thinges not principally intended as sufficiently by vse of the Church approued let vs turne to the practise of the oblation and praiers in the dirigies of the auncient that seeinge theime bothe praie and say Masse for theire dearest frendes soules thowe may be bould to vse the same for thine That doo I
call Masse whiche they call sacrifice Bicause S. Hierō vseth it in the same sense in these wordes Super 11. cap prouer Sunt qui de leuioribus peccatis cum quibus obligati defuncti sunt post mortem possunt absolui vel poenis videlicet castigati vel suorum praecibus eleemosinis missarumque celebrationibus caet There be sum which after theire deathe may haue absolution of theire lighter offensies in the debt whereof they passed owte of this liefe ether after iust punishement for the same suffered or elles through the praiers and allmose of theire frendes with the celebration of Masses So saith S. Hierom or elles as sum thinke the reuerent Beda ether of theire graue iudgements weieth more with me then any one mans alyeue Well therfore Masse oblation or sacrifice Masse allvvaie said for the departed call it as you will all is one for oure purpose and lyke hated of heretikes howe so euer it be named it was practised with prayers for the rest of the departed throughe owte the Christian worlde S. Ambrose exhorteth other men to doo it for they re frendes he did it for his owne Writing therfor a lettre of cōforte to one Faustinus that ouer much bewailed the deathe of his sister thus with comforte he geueth counsel Ambros epist 8. l. 2 Non tam deplorandam quà m prosequendam orationibus reor nec maestificandam lachrimis tuis sed magis oblationibus animam eius Domino commendandam arbitror I suppose thy sisters case should not so much be lamented as she by thy praiers ought to be relieued Thowe must not sadden her soule by teares but by oblations commende her to oure Lorde Howe many bishoppes nowe in England of the new gise would folow this kinde of consolation by letters If the nevve bishoppes vvere like S. Ambro their teaching vvoulde not be cōtrary to his Howe many would exhorte theire frendes to gotte Masse saide or praiers for they re louers reste So many as be like good Ambrose surely woulde so doo that is neuer a one make theire accompte as neare as they can But will yow see howe he practised vpon his owne prince the Emperour Theodosius Super obit Theodosij Imperatoris Da requiem perfecto seruo tuo Theodosio requiem quam praeparasti sanctis tuis Illò conuertatur anima eius vnde descendit dilexi ideo prosequar eum vsque ad regionem viuorum nec deseram donec fletu praecibus inducam virum quô sua merita vocant in montem Domini sanctum Giue rest good Lord vnto thy good seruaunt Theodosius euen that reste whiche thow hast praepared for the holy Sanctes Let his soule ascende from whense it came I loued him and therfore I will prosecute him vnto the land of the liuing I will neuer leaue him till withe teares and praiers I bringe that man according to his deseruinge to the holy hille of Godde This man knewe his duety towardes his prince whome he loued a lieue and forsooke not being deade Super obitu Valentiniani So did he pray and offer for Gratianus and Valentinianus so did he vse the same for his owne deare brother the worthy Satyrus in these wordes muche to be noted Now Lord almightye to the doo I commende the good soule of my brother Satyrus now lately departed In oratione funebr super Satyr to the O Lord doo I make my oblation accepte I besiche the this due office of a broother and mercifully looke vpon the sacrifice of a prieste See lo this good father vsed of brotherhood praiers and bicause he was a prieste he did sacrifice in that respecte and sayde Masse for his brothers soules rest Whome in his funerall oration he setteth forthe with many singulare praises and commendations especially that he was bothe Christianed and buried in the vnity of the Romane Churche that is to saye as him selfe expoundethe it of the Catholike faithe Paulinus one off the same time and Bishop of Nola declareth him self to be of the same faith by the like practise He prayethe bitterly him selfe for a brother departed and besecheth Amandus a holy man of his acquaintaunce to ioyne withe him for the helpe of the departed soule By his wordes the paine of Purgatory is noted and the benefite of oure praiers is proued thus he saithe Epist 1. ad Amandū Imperse rogamus vt quaesi frater vnanimos fratres iuuans hanc meritis fidei tuae mercedē ac cumules vt pro eo infirmitati nostrae compatiaris orandi ab ore conspires vt misericors miserator Deus qui facit omnia in coelo in terra in mari abyssis refrigeret animam stillicidijs misericordiae suae per orationes vestras quia sicut ignis accensus ab eo ardebit vsque ad inferni nouissima ita proculdubiò etiā ros indulgentiae inferna penetrabit vt roscido pietatis eius lumine in tenebris ardentibus aestuantes refrigeremur I hartely beseke ye that as one brother helping an other you woulde increase the desertes of your holy faithe by taking compassion with me and ioyning prayers with me for the departed soule that the God of pity and compassion who woorkethe all thinges in heauen and earthe in the sea and the depthe would at the contemplation of your prayers refreshe and coole his soule with sum droppe of his mercy For as the fyre kyndled by him will burne to the bottom of hell benethe so doublesse the dewe of his grace and mercie shall passe downe to the nether partes that by the comfortable louely lighte of his piety the soules broyling in burnig darknes may be refreshed And writing allso to Delphinus Epist 3. he alludethe to the feruent heate that the riche man suffered in hell when he craued for Lazarus helpe And praiethe him to refresshe the mānes soule deceased with sum droppe of pyty and his holy prayers This man was very deare to Paulinus in his lyfe time for whome he was so carefull after his death he doubted not of his saluatiō thoughe as he saith he went owte of this worlde a debter and therfore feared him to be in great paine So certaine was the doctrine of purgatory in the primitiue churche and so profitable were the praiers counted for the deceased in Christe But if yowe will haue an examplare and a full waraūt of youre duety and deuotion with vnderstanding the vsage of the auncient Churche in suche abundance of many the like yowe shall I thinke be fully satisfied for this parte by S. Augustine Ex li. 9. Confess Ca. 11.13 vlt. in the goodly historye of his mothers deathe a blessed wooman and worthy of suche a sonne Her name was Monica wel knowne in goddes Churche and numbred emongest the sanctes This good matrone prouided especially by her testament that she might not be forgotten at the altare of God when the names of the faithfull departed were in the sacrifice remembred For
principall pastors of goddes Churche withe greate spreade of religion which sithe that time hathe bewtified our coÌ„try in al goddes giftes with the best And emongest many euident testimonies of this truethe with the practise therof both to be fownd in Gildas and in holy Beda there is a straunge and a very rare example not only for the plaine declaration of the vsage of oure Church in the first fowndation of oure faithe but for an open shewe by miracle in this liefe how God releaseth of his mercye by the holy oblation at the altare the paines of the departed in the worlde to coom It shall be comfortable to the Catholikes to consider this parte of oure beliefe to be confirmed by the miraculouse working of God as all other lightely be in placies where the faithe is first taught And that oure whole faithe which oure natioÌ„ receiued of S. Augustin the monke was so coÌ„firmed by the powre of God not onely oure owne histories doo declare but S. Gregory him sellfe affirmeth it writyng his letters to Augustin in this sense that he shoulde not arrogate any suche woonderous workes to his owne powre or vertue Beda li. 1. cap. 31. which then God wroght by him not for his owne holinesse but for the planting of Christes faithe in the nation where those signes were shewde Li. 4. hist Cap. 21. Beda therfore writeth this notable history of a miracle doone not many yeares after oure people was conuerted in the beginning of his owne daies that in a foghten field betwixte Egfride and Edeldred two princies of our land it fortuned that aâ— yonge gentleman off Egfrides armie shoulde be so greuouslye wounded that fauling downe both him selfe with owte sense and in al meÌ„nes sightes starke deade he was letten lye of the enemies and his body soghte with care to be buried of his frendes A brother of his a good priest and Abbate with diligens making searche for his body emongest many happed on one that was excedinge like him as a man may easely be deceiued in the alteration that streght falleth vpon the soules departure to the whole forme and fashion of the bodye and bestowed of his loue the duety of obsequies with soleÌ„ne memorials for the rest of him whome he tooke to be his brother deceased buriyng him in his owne monasterie and causing Masse to be done dayly for his pardoÌ„ and soules release But so it fortuned that his brother Huma for so was he caulled being not all owt dead with in foure and tweÌ„ty houres came reasonably to hiÌ„ self againe and gathering with all sum streÌ„ght rose vp washte him self and made meanes to com to sum frend or acquaintauÌ„ce where he might sallue his sores and close his wouÌ„des againe But by lacke of streÌ„gthe to make shifte and by misfortune he fel into his enemies handes and ther by the Capitaine examined of his estate he denied him self to be of name or degrie in his coontry Yet by the lykelyhoods that they gathered of his coomly demeanure and gentleman lyke taulke which he could hardly dissemble they mistruste as it was in deede that he was a man of armes and more then a commoÌ„ souldiar Therfore in hope of good gaine by his raunson they thought good after he was ful recouered for feare of his escape to lay yrons vpon him and so to make sure worke But so God wrought that no fetters coulde howld him for euery day once at a certaine houre the bandes bracke lowse with owte force and the man made free The gentlemaÌ„ maruailed at the case him selfe but his kepers and the capitaine were much more astoyned thereat and straitely examined him by what cooning or crafte he could with suche ease set him selfe at libertie and bare him in hand that he vsed characters or letters of sum sorcery and which crafte with the practise of vnlawfull artes But he answered in sadnesse that he was alltogether vnskilfull in suche thinges Mary quod he I haue a brother in my coontry that is a priest and I knowe certainely that he saithe often Masse for my soule supposing me to be departed and slaine in batayle And if I were in an other lyfe I perceiue my soule by his intercession shoulde be so lowsed owt of paines as my body is now from bondes The capitaine perceiuing so much and belyke in sum awe of religion seeinge the worke of God to be so straunge sould him to a Londoner with whome the same thinges happened in his bondes lowsing euery daie By which occasion he was licensed to go home to his frends and procure his ranson for chargeing him with diuers sortes of surest bandes none coulde sallfely howlde him And so vpon promesse of his returne or payment of his appointed price he went his wayes and afterwarde truely discharged his credet Which doone by frendship that he fownd in the same coontry afterward returned to his owne parties and to his brothers howse to whome when he hadde vttered all the history of his straunge fortune bothe of his misery and miraculous relieuing he enquired diligentlye the whole circumstance with the howre and time of his daily lowsinge and by conferring together they fownde that his bondes brake lowse especially at the very iuste time of his celebration for his soule At which times he confessed that he was otherwise in his great aduersities often released also Thus hath that holy writer allmost word for word and at th ende he addeth this Multi haec a praefato viro audientes accensi sunt in fide ac deuotione pietatis ad orandum vel eleemosinas faciendas vel ad offerendas Domino victimas sacrae oblationis pro ereptione suorum qui de saeculo migrauerant Intellexerunt enim quod Sacrificium salutare ad redemptionem valâ— ret animae corporis sempiternam Hâ—nc mihi historiam etiam hi qui ab ipsâ—â—iro in quo facta est audiere narrarunt â—nde eam qui aliquando comperi indâ—tanter historiae nostrae Ecclesiasticae iâ—rendam credidi Many hearing thus suche of the party him selfe were â—onderfully inflamed with faith aâ— zele to pray to geue almose an â—o offer sacrifice of the holy oblatioâ— for the deliuery of theire welbeloued frendes departed owte of this lâ—â—e For they â—nderstoode that the healthfull sacrâ—fice was auaileable for the redemptâ—on of both body and soule euerlastingâ—â— And this storie did they that heard of the parties owne mouthe reported vnto me Where vpon hauing so good proufe I dare be bowlde to write it in my ecclesiasticall history And thus muche saithe Beda abowte eghte hundred yeares ago when oure nation being but yonge in Christianity was fedde in the true beliefe by sundry wonderous workes of god That faith is the true faith into vvhiche oure natioÌ„ vvas first conuerted froÌ„ infidelity We must here stay alitle and ponder in oâ—â— mindes how our forefathers and people â—f our owne lande were taught in this artâ—â—â— when they were first deliuered
carefull admonitions of all these blessed fathers they shall perceiue that euery time that Christes holy bloude is represented vnto God in the Masse for the departed they feele a present benefite and release of theire paines Quaest 34. ad Antioch they doo reioyse saithe holy Athanasius when the vnbloudy host is offered for theim The owlde fathers to put a difference betwixt the sacrificing of Christes own body vpon the crosse and the same vppon the altare in the Churche doo lightly terme this way of offering the vnbloudy sacrifice and the thinge offered which is Christes oune blessed body they call lykewise the host vnbloudie And Chrisostō neuer putting any doubt of the firste authors of offering for the deade prouethe that it is exceding beneficiall to the deceased bicause the apostles full of goddes spirite and wisdom woulde elles neuer withe suche care haue commaunded this holy action to be doone for theime Alasse a lasse for oure deare frendes departed that they must lacke this comforte But wo euerlasting to theyme that are the cause of so muche misery But heare I pray yowe what notable wordes S. Damascen hathe for the vtility and institution of these thinges Ibidem The holy Apostles and disciples saith he of oure sauiour Christe haue decried that in the dread soueraigne vndefiled and lyuely Sacraments so he cauleth the Masse there shoulde be kept a memoriall of those that haue taken theire slepe in faithe the which ordinaunce vntyll this day withowt gainsayng or controwlyng the Apostolike and Catholike Churche of God from one cost of the wyde worlde to another hathe obserued and shall religiously kepe til the worlde haue an end For doubtlesse these thinges that the Christiā religiō which is with owt error and free frō faulshod hath so many agies and worldes continued vnuiolably not with oute vrgent cause those thinges I say are not vaine but profitable to man acceptable to God and very necessarye for our saluation Thus farre spake the doctor settyng furthe not onely his owne mynd but the faithe of a numbre of the peeres of goddes Churche wherin to proue this doctrine to be catholike he fitly followeth the same way which Vincentius Lyrinensis gaue vs once for a ruele to trye truethe by The rule of trueth Prouing that it hathe antiquitie as a thing that came and hathe continued euen from the beginnyng of the Christian religion declaring that it hathe the consent of all natiōs bicause it is and hath bene practised throughe owt al the costes and corners of the wyde world and last that it hath the approbatiō of the wiseist and holiest mē that euer were in the Church of Christ And more thē all this that it shal so cōtinue till thend though it be for a time in sum peculiare natiōs omitted bicause it is receiued into a parte of that woorship of God which in the Church cā not perishe And this praescription of trueth our aduersaries can not auoyde but with suche vnseemely dealing as I trust they theim selues now be ashamed of as all other reasonable men are For now let theim coom with brasen facies and blasphemous tonges and say that praiers for the deade be vnprofitable that the rites of the burial be superstitious that to say the masse and sacrifice to be propitiatory for the soules departed is iniurious to Christes death that the doctors praised the errours of the ignorāt people of their daies that they all erred and were deceiued that the church of Christe hathe bene ledde in darke ignorance till these oure daies let theime bestowe these vayne presumptious wordes where they may take place for nowe all wise men doo perceiue that all these haue theire holy institution by Christe and his Apostles practised vniuersally in the primitiue Churche embrased of all godly people and approued to be wholy consonant to goddes worde by the pillors of Christes churche who so cōsonantly agree together in this point as well for the practise and proufe as for the beginning therof that to dissent from theime and trust in these reedes of oure daies were mere madnesse that are pufte to and fro with euery blast of doctrine that care not what they say so that they say not as other theire forefathers sayed that had rather then they woulde geue ouer a singulare opinion of theire owne imagination refuse and denie the authoritye of so many notable wise auncient godly and well learned fathers whome we haue named Although we haue left owt many of no woorse iudgement planely auouching these thinges to coom in to Christes Churche and woorship by the ordinaunce of his holy Apostles All which thinges if oure aduersaries haue redde then they are in a most miserable and heuy taking that doo withstand an open knowne truthe Heretikes doo agaynst theire ovvne cōsciences and as I feare against theire owne consciencies too Or if they haue not redde these plaine assertions of all lerned men sithe Christes tyme then they are most impudēt that so vainely bragge in a matter whereof they are not skilful But I trust God wil opē their eyes and breake theire prowde hartes to the obedience of his holy Churche Yf the authors be past hope yet their folowers shall take goodly occasion to forsake suche wicked maisters and be ashamed of all theire vndecent dealyng if they note and consider with me that the firste preachers of this peruerse opinion were suche that none of all theire scholares durst euer for shame for the profe of theire assertion name theire owne doctors Note And truely a man might well meruel why haeretikes hauing sum that did plainely professe theire opinions had yet rather picke owte sum darke sentence of any one of oure holy fathers whome they knowe to be directly against theime then oute of those same doctors of their own which in expresse wordes make for theime Yow shall not lightly heare an haeretike that deniethe prayng to sanctes or houldeth with open breache of holy vowes alleage Iouinianus or Vigilātius Nor a Sacramentarie seeke for the autoritye of Berengarius or Wicleffe thoughe they be of sum antiquitie and with out colour plainely doo mainteyne the doctrine that so well lyketh theime But they will trauell to writhe with plaine iniurie to the author Note the gile of an heretike sum sentence owt of Augustine or Ambrose or sum other that by theire whole lyfe and practise open theime selues to the worlde to beleue the cōtrary and al this by sum shewe of wordes for the bearing of their faulse assertions Marke it well I saye in heretikes that they can not for shame of theime selues Note euer name any of the plaine auouchers of theire owne opininions The cause is that the onely vpholding of their opinions made theime infamous to the whole posterity And if any honoure grewe vnto theime emongest the simple bicause they lacked not the waies to procure the peoples consent with admiration of theire eloquence or other plausible and populare
and praiers for the deade or elles by any one lerned maÌ„ in all the world was euer expounded for any such sense And lo now good reader what scriptures they alleage that can abide nothinge but scripture Firste owte of Ecclesiastes Cap. 11. The tree whether it faule to the southe or the north it lyeth ever wher it lighteth Then they alleage owt of S. Matthews ghospell Cap. 7. that there be two waies one to bring to heauen and thother leading streght to helle And then owte of the seconde to the Corinthians they bring in Cap. 5. howe we must all stande before the iudgement seat of Christe there to receiue eche of vs according to our workes and life and that by other mennes labour oure state can not be amended Again they alleage this sentence of the Apocalipse Cap. 14. Beati mortui c. blessed be the deade that dye in our Lorde for after that the spirite saithe that they shall rest from trauelles All which textes and the lyke of that sorte make no more ageinst purgatory then they doo ageinst hell or heauen excepte that aâ— Anaxagoras the philosopher saide Phisic 1. l. all thinges were in euery thinge so these diuines can finde euery texte of scripture to make for what purpose they liste and yet if the Catholikes alleage a number of scriptures and theime with the mind and iudgement of the whole worlde that doubteth not but they proue that for whiche they be recited yet they set light by theime and impudently with clamors beare men in hand that they haue no scriptures at all Which thinges as they smelle of muche arrogancie in al men so in these foulke that so malepertly controwle others where theyme selues haue no scripture at all it is vntolerable And for these which they here or elleswhere alleage I aske theyme sincerely and desire theime to tell me faithefully what doctour or wise learned man of the whole antiquity euer expounded these textes recited or any one of theyme or any other whiche yowe bring in elles when ageinst Purgatory or practise for the deade Yff they did not howe can yowe for sinne and shame dissent from the whole Churche off Christe vpon so light grounds Or howe dare yowe be so boulde that seeke in euery controuersy expresse scripture to alleage these placies whiche wyse meÌ„ nor I think your selues take for any suche purpose Or howe may yow for shame reiecte the euident word of God by vs truely reported for the triall of oure matter your selues hauing almost nothing that can be wraasted to youre sense An ansvver to the first place If yow stande to the triall of youre alleaged testimonies yowe will be muche abasshed I knowe For howe can yowe imagine that the place recited out of Ecclesiastes should further youre intent any thing at all Seeing that euen then when the wyseman spake those wordes the soule of man streght after her departure and the faule of the bodye continued not where it first fell for the iuste had a place of abidinge and rest in the inferiour partes whiche was called of Ezechias the gate of helle Isai 38. In the ghospel Sinus Abrahae the bosom of Abraham and nowe Lymbus Patrum in whiche they all abode till they were deliuered by the bloude and trauell of oure sauioure Iesus Bern. ser 4 de fest omnium sanct Amb. super 5. ad Romanos Withe whome they after were translated to the aeternal ioyes of heauen Whiche thinge if it be true as it can not but be true and certaine whiche the whole course of scripture the article of oure faithe in Christes descension in to hel and al the auncient fathers doo constantly setforth what blindnes be they in then that bring this place againste Purgatorie which as it is a stay of certaine for a time from heauen so the other before Christe was the staye off all And therefore it is plaine that this faulynge of the tree meanithe nothinge lesse then that euery man shoulde streght vpon his departure be conueyde ether to hell or heauen Or if any wedded to Caluines blasphemous and vnfaithefull paradoxies doo with Purgatory deny the fathers place of abode before the cooming of Christe and impugne the beleefe of Goddes churche so muche that he withstand the article of oure Crede for Christes descendinge in to hell or turne the cause of his going into hel to sum other purpose then the lowsing of theire captiuity that there were in expectation of his ioyfull apparance Caluins absurde doctrin is refuted yet I woulde demaunde so much of Caluins successor or scholare seeing he wil of this figuratiue speach of the trees fauliÌ„g gether so grounded and generall a rule that with owt delay euery man must to heaueÌ„ or hel streght after his death there to remaine in perpetuall state of his faule in the nexte life ether good or badde I woulde aske of him I saye what he thinketh by all those that were by the Prophets Apostles or Christe him selfe raysed vppe againe from deathe to lyfe Who receiuing by death that faule by theire accompt must needes abide where they first fell and so not in case to be reuoked by this theire faulse conclusion they diminishe the powre of the spirite in woorking their raisinge againe Or elles they must impute deceite to the holy men and oure master Christe whiche abhorreth me â—o speake for that they raysed theyme not beinge perfectely deade but in sum deadlye traunce or apparance of deathe But bicause the soule of Lazarus was nowe iiij daies owte of his bodye before Christe wroght vpon him The state of such in the next vvorlde as by goddes omnipotency vvere raised to lyfe againe it is sure and most certaine that it had sum place of abyding after the separation from the fleshe I can not thinke that his soule was in heauen nor it is not like that oure sauioure woulde so muche abase the happy condicion of him whome he loued so well as to reduce him to the vncertaine state of this lyfe I will define in this my ignorance nothing touching the secrettes of goddes wisdom herin But very like it is that the parties raysed from theire faule and deathe were not in the ioyes of heauen As before Christes death I am sure they were not but I speake of Tabitha also or other reuoked by thapostles handes that then after Christes passion might full well diyng in perfect state of lyfe go streght to heauen of suche I say it is very reasonable that they were not in the ioyes of thelect For elles Tabitha shoulde not haue had suche a benefite by her almose as the fathers doo witnesse she hadde And they vse her for an exaÌ„ple of the benefite which may rise to one after departure by charitable woorkes doone in this lyfe It had bene a smaule pleasure to haue plucked her from hauen to this mortalitye againe and misery of oure common lyfe and I trowe no