Touchstone to Determine the True Catholic Faith, Part 21
Of praier for the dead.
PRayers for the dead, in the beginning were testimonies of louelove & thanksgiuing to God for their departures, of the faithfull, not doubting of their saluation, or that they were not in heauen with God, but in purgatory: as appeareth by Chrysostome and Ambrose, which for the saintes, who were with God, reporte such praiers to be made. Of Constantine Chrysostome writes thus.Hom. 20. ad populum Antioch. Blessed Constantine, his image being once violated, with stones throwne at it, when as many pricked him forward to go out, and take reuenge of those, who had so disgraced him, affirming that they had stricken all his face with stones; is reported smiling to hauehave answered: I see neuer a wound made in my face: but my head is all sounde and my face. And after: this man built many cities, ouercame many Barbarians: but we remember now none of all these. But this speech is in eueryevery mans mouth, euen to this day: and our childrens children shal heare of it. And there is none that heareth it, that can hold his peace, but he will brust out and praise him, and will pray infinit good thinges to him, euen now being deade. No man I am sure doubted, but that Constantine was in heauen: and yet we sée, how he affirmeth, that all the people praied for him. And for such they praied or wished well to in those daies. And of all the faithfull nowe departed,Hom. 70 ad. Pop Antioch. condemning the mourners, which then they vsed to hire, to mourne for them, thus he writes: Why callest thou the priestes and the singers? not for this cause, that they should comfort thee, and for the honour of him that is departed. Why doest thou then dishonour him? as though he were not with God, as though he were in a lamentable case. And in the same Homilie. Marke what thou s… gest, when thou commest to that place: Turne to thy rest, O my soule, for the Lord hath done well vntounto thee. And againe, I will feare no euill, because thou art with me. And againe, thou art my refuge, from the trouble that compassed mee about. Marke what these Psalmes meane. But thou markest not, and art euen as it were drunken with sorrowe. And after: Thou saiest; Turne vntounto thy rest, O my soule, for the Lord hath done good vntounto thee, and doest thou mourne? Is it not a plaine mockery? is it not a iest? For if thou beleeuest that to be true which thou speakest, thou lamentest in vaine. If thou dissemble and counterfeit, and count all this but fables, why doest thou sing these thinges thy selfe, and sufferest others to sing the same? Why doest thou not driue the singers away? I greatly feare least by this meanes, some great euill will chance to the church. Let vsus therefore hereafter amend this fault of mourning. And after he threatneth to excommunicate them, as Idolators, which shall hire any mourners. And speaking of the ceremonies they vsed then about the funeralles of the dead, thus hee writeth: What meane the torches? but that wee followe them as conquerers; what the hymnes? doe we not glorifie God, and doe giuegive him thankes? who now hath crowned him that is dead, and hath deliuered him from his labours, and being taken out of this vncertainty doeth keepe him with himselfe. They vsed torches, as should séeme, to declare they were now in the true light; as we vse ringing, at the funerals of our brethren, in token of our ioie of their faithfull departures, or to comfort the sorrowfull heartes of their friendes. For in bels is a kinde of musicke, and all musicke is comfortable. This no doubt was the first vse of ringing at funerals, to comfort the liuing, and not to profit the dead. But as this first ringing: so also our curfewe hath béene abused and turned to a wrong ende. Ringing of curfewe at the first was ordeined, by William Conqueror, that all men after the ringing of a bell (to auoide priuie conspiracies and assemblies against him, in the night) should couer the fire, and go to bed. And therefore the bell was called, the curfewe bell. But since, this curfewe ringing hath béene vsed, on saintes eeuens: as though it had beene ordained by the church, for the honor of them. It is wonderfull, howe sathan could turne this to a quite contrarie ende: and that men would not perceiue it.Ambros. oratione de obit… Theodos. And Ambrose praieth thus for Theodosius: GiueGive rest O Lord to Theodosius, the rest which thou hast prepared for thy saintes: and yet there also he saith; Theodosius abideth in light and triumpheth in the companies of the Saintes. Thus began praiers for the dead: but soone after, they are accounted as helpes out of purgatorie: they procéede of a doubting, whether the partie which is praied for, be saued or not.