The Christian Disputations, Dialogue 3 · Body of dialogue (1 of 3)

The Christian Disputations · Dialogue 3 · Body of dialogue (1 of 3)

p. 115THE THIRD DIALOGVE which is called Anniuerſaries or yeares mindes.

THeophilus,

I am very glad bicauſe that you are all come in ſo good time, & chiefly of Euſebius. For I greatly feared that he was offended with our talke and dyſputations that we had yeſterday. But as farre as I can perceiue, not with ſtanding that he be very much rooted in his olde opinions & ſuperſtitions, yet neuer thelſſe I know that he differeth much from a heape of obſtinate and wilfull fooles, which hauehave no reaſon at all to defende their cauſe, nor know howe to take any other weapons then opinions and obſtinations, for to fight againſt the truth, neither know how to finde any other meane to vanquiſh it and to reuenge themſelues thereoff, then to hurt and wrong thoſe which do propound it vntounto them, when all other reaſon ſayleth, and to ſhutte their eares againſt the ſame, to the ende they vnderſtand it not.

Euſebius,

I came the more willingly, bicauſe I thought my ſelfe better armed then I was yeſterday, and that I can fight better to day, and to be reuenged & hauehave more aduauntage vponupon you. For I was yeſterdaye ſodeinely taken and aſſayled, béeing vnprouided, neyther did I thincke that wée ſhoulde deſcende into ſuch a fielde to fight: or otherwiſe I would hauehave come more armed, and better in order, for to defende my ſelfe and to fight againſt you.

Hillarius.

Wée dyd thincke no more of it then you, neyther were wée prepared nor armed for the ſame.

Euſebius.

I beléeue you well. Wherefore I doe knowe nowe by experience that the ſame whiche is ſayde of all you is true. For it ſéemeth that you hauehave all the holye Scripture vppon your fingers endes, and that you hauehave neuer ſtudyed in any other thing, of which I meruayled greatlye, in hearinge you ſpeake, chyeſlye Hillary, which is none of the greateſt ſtudyentes in the worlde, at the leaſtwiſe in the holy Scriptures. For hee hath alwayes loued better to carry a Virgile or an Ouid in his ſléeue, then a Bible. And yet neuertheleſſe hée is nowe a Doctour, as if he had paſſed Doctour in Sorbonne. As for Theophilus, I am not ſo much abaſhed: For all his lyfe time hée hath bene very deuoute, and hathe alwayes loued to reade in the Bible. I am ſorry for nothing, but for this: that hée is become a Lutherian, and that hée is nowe ſo contrary vntounto our Mother the holy Church: For I would neuer hauehave thought that he would hauehave ſo fought agaynſt the good fayth, and the auncient lawe: But I truſt, if God vouchſafe, that howſoeuer armed you bée, you ſhall not finde mée to daye ſo féeble as before, nor you ſhall not fight wyth mée ſo muche at your eaſe, although that you bée two againſt one, yea, almoſt all thrée. For Thomas is ſo variable, that I know not of which ſide hée will ſticke too.

Thomas.

Yet I am not neuertheleſſe a Lutherian, but thincke my ſelfe to bée as good a Chriſtian as thou arte. Defende thy ſelfe valiauntly, and thou ſhalt ſée if I bée contrary vntounto thée, ſo that thou doe ſpeake wyth reaſon. It is very true, that I cannot very much helpe and ſuccour thée. For thou doeſt well knowe that I am an ignoraunt man, and that I hauehave not much ſtudied neither in diuine nor yet humaine bookes, but I alwayes followed the good fayth as others dyd: ſauing that I had ſometime ſome doubt in my conſcience, and yet more now then euer I had, ſéeing the differences which are in the Chriſtianitie.

Hillarius.

But after that wée hauehave hearde Euſebius, wee will giuegive thée place to expounde it, as thou thy ſelfe haſt required. And therfore friende Euſebius enter now & begin to fight, for as far as I can perceiue, thou comeſt not wyth falſe enſeignes, nor without hauinge thy harneyes bright. But what booke is that thou holdeſt in thy hande?

Euſebius.

It is Eccius.

Hillarius.

Eccius.When theu diddeſt p. 116name vntounto mée that greate Captaine and maiſter Gunner of the papiſticall armye, thou wouldeſt make mee to tremble and quake, if that I were fearefull: But I comfort my ſelfe againe in one thinge, that althoughe that it bee prouided wyth great Canons and Artillarye, Artillery of y^e Papiſtsyet neuertheleſſe it is euill prouided and furniſhed with pouder and ſhot, and there bée no pellets for to make any great breach, but accompt it as the Harquebuts, which are onelyonly charged wyth paper, without hauinge either leade or ſtone wythin it, which giuegive greate ſtrokes for to make women and little children afrayde. But they hurt no man, neither doe they make the men of warre afraide, nor it cannot pearce thorow their harneis.

Euſebius.

I will compell thée by and by to ſpeake otherwyſe, and I wyll make thée to féele it better then thou winneſt.

Hillarius.

I ſtaye vppon nothing, but that thou dooe put to the fire, for to burne vppe and conſume that fire of Purgatorye, which wyll bée altogether put out and quenched, if thou doe not let it. In the meane time I wyll make my bulwarke and fortreſſe of Theophilus, for to receiue the firſt blowes, and I wyll not depart from the ſkirmiſh, but when I ſhall ſée myne aduauntage. Neuertheleſſe, I wyll yet ſerue thée in ſtéede of a Trumpet, for to make thoe to enter into battaile, and to gyue the Allarume vntounto thine aduerſary. Begin then to ſtrike.

Euſebius.

QueſtionBefore wée enter any further in the combat, I woulde gladly, ſith that you condenme the prayers and ſuffrages, whiche the Churche both make for thoſe that bée deade, that you tell vntounto mée, howe it is poſſible that the Church coulde hauehave erred ſo long time in that matter, and who hath bene the firſte authoure and muentour of that errour and herefie (ſyth that you ſo call it) and after wardes I hope for my parte, that I wyll proue you the contrarye, by ſuche reaſons and authorities, that you ſhall bée conſtrayned, to accuſe your ſelues of errour, and hereſie, and to retourne vntounto the fayth of the holy Churche, and to confeſſe, that ſhee hath not taken the cuſtome to praye for the deade of hir owne fantaſie, wythout beeinge well aſſured that God hath commaunded it by his woord, and that Purgatory was well allowed by the ſame.

Theophilus.

If you had well conſidered and kepte in minde, that whiche we hauehave already ſpoken off, that is, of the cuſtome whiche hath bene amongeſt the Panims in their funerall Drations and prayſinges, and howe the auncient Church hath chaunged that manner of dooinge into a better vſe. You ſhoulde eaſely knowe what hathe The beginning of prayers and ſuffrages for the dead.bene the beginninge of the commemoration of the prayers and ſuffrages for the dead, and that the cuſtome of the auncient Fathers hath differed very muche, yea, and altogether contrary vntounto that which is nowe in the Popiſh Church: But bycauſe that the ſame hath bene alreadye intreated off amongeſt vsus amply inoughe, I wyll not reintreate nor rehearſe it agayne. But for to ſatiſfie thy queſtion which thou haſt nowe propounded, I wyll onelyonly aduertiſe thée that thoſe errours & abuſes, and that ſuperſtitious remembraunce and full of blaſphemyes, ſuch which we do now ſée to be practiſed about y^e dead, did take great force and were greatly multiplyed by Pope Pelagius, Pope Pelagius.who made an ordinaunce, much dyffering and contrary vntounto the cuſtome of his predeceſſors, and of the auncient Church: After whom ſuccéeded Gregory the greate, Gregory 1.who hath not amended and corrected the abuſes & errours, but hath ſtyll nouriſhed, augmented and increaſed them, and hath bene the cauſe of many Idolatries and ſuperſtitions, which hauehave brought great hurt and domage vntounto Gods Church. And leaſt that you ſhoulde thincke that I ſpeak without reaſon & authoritie, iudge a little of that which Nauclerus witneſſeth, that Gregory the third hath written vntounto Boniface being Legate and Ambaſſadour into Nauclerus Gregory. 3 Boniface.Almayne, to wit whether that Chriſtians maye offer for theire deade, which were truely Chriſtians: And hath commaunded that the Prieſtes ought to make commemoration of them. Dne may very well preſume by that p. 117aduertiſement and commaundement that which Gregory made vntounto Boniface, touching this matter, that it is not Maſſe for the dead.long agoe that the Maſſe hath begonne to bee a ſacrifice for the dead, and that the inſtitution is not ſo auncient as ſome men do thinke it to bee: at the leaſt-wiſe that Ieſus Chriſt and his Apoſtles hauehave not bene the author thereoff. For Boniface would not hauehave kept it ſecret in that time. Wherefore I giuegive more credite, vntounto thoſe whiche hauehave written that Pope Pelagius hath bene the author, inuentor and promoter of thoſe ſuffrages and prayers, the which we ſée dayly yet in vſe amonge the Chriſtians, and we call them the good déedes for the dead, then to any of thoſe which hauehave followed the Apoſtles.

Euſebius.

If you had reade ouer and ruminated the auncient doctors of the Churche, you ſhall not finde that doctrine ſo newe, but you woulde ſpeake otherwiſe and ſhould know that the Churche hath followed it of long time before that Pelagius or Sainct Gregory were borne. Obiection.Amd, de obitu Theodoſ.Wherefore then did Sainct Ambroſe make mention, writing of the death of the Emperour Theodoſius, of the firſt, ſeuenth, thirty and fourty day that the Churche did celebrate, making remembraunce of the dead, and for what cauſe they did the ſame? of whome the wordes are written in the decrées after this manner. Bicauſe that Daies dedicated to the dead. 13. queſt. 2. cap Quta.ſome hauehave vſed to obſerue the thirde caye, other ſome the ſeuenth, and others the thirty in the office of the dead. Let vsus conſider what thing y^t leſſon in the ſcripture teacheth vsus. It ſaith: After that Iacob was dead, Ioſeph commaunded Geneſ. 58. a. 3his ſeruants that they ſhould bury him: And the The buriall & mourning for lacob.children of Iſrael buried him and the forty dayes beeing accompliſhed, for ſo were the daies of the burial compted & they lamented ſeuen dayes. We ought to follow that ſolemnitie, the wh…che the holy ſcripture deſcribeth vntounto vsus It is alſo written after this manner in Deuteronomium. Deut. 34. c. 8 Mourning for Moſes.Deut 34that the children of Iſrael lamented Moſes, and did wepe thirty dayes, and then the mourning was ended, heth thoſe two obſeruations hauehave then authoritie, by the which the neceſſary office of piety and humanity is accompliſhed. Doe you not ſée here plainely by the words of Sainct Ambroſe, that already in his time the Churche did the office and commemoration of the dead, and did celebrate in their memory certaine dayes, and yet the auncients hauehave not inſtituted them after the inutation and example of the Panyms and Idolaters, as you ſay and affirme, but after y^t imitation of the auncient Patriarkes and Prophets and of the people of God?

Theophilus.

I am abaſhed, I knowe not whether I A…ſvver to the obiection.ſhall ſpeake it of the ignorance & mallice of your doctors. For if they vnderſtande that Saincte Ambroſe hathe allowed that which they at this day do vphold and maintaine, they do greatly erre, and ſhewe themſelues to be verye ignoraunt. Alſo if they vnderſtand his intention and meaning they are very malicious and wicked, to peruerte and marre the ſence of the ſame, for to maintaine their abuſes, and alwayes the more to kéepe the poore people in errour. Firſte, they well perceiue and ſée that Sainct Ambroſe maketh no mention, neither of Purgatory, Lamenting and ſorrovving for, the dead.nor of Maſſe for the dead, and that that place cannot ſerue but for the ſorrow that men take for the dead. For yet in that time, the Churche approched néerer vntounto the puritie of the primatiue Churche, and was not ſo muche corrupted, as ſhe hath bene afterwards, ſithence the time of Pope Pelagius and of Gregory the greate. This then that he maketh mention of the firſt, ſeuenth, thirty, and forty daye, in his booke and ſermon that hée made of the death and buriall of Theodoſius, is not ſet forth by him, for to nouriſhe and holde the pepole in the ſuperſticions of the Panyms, as you doe, but rather to draw them backe from it, and for to induce and leave the Chriſtians vntounto more greater honeſty and modeſtye, to the ſorrowe that they ought to hauehave for the dead. For that cauſe did he propound and ſet foorth the example of the Iſraelites, not that he woulde thereby make a law p. 118vntounto the Chriſtian people, that they ſhoulde mourne, ſeuen, thyrty, nor forty dayes, bicauſe that the Iſraelites hauehave mourned ſo many dayes for lacob, Moſes, Aaron and Marie their ſiſter, & yet leſſe for to cauſe Maſſes to be ſaid, and to banket and make the prieſts broken, as they do Numeri. 10. a. 1.dayly, at the Portuaries and Anniuerſaries. For then he ſhould teache the Chriſtian people to playe the Iewes, The Chriſtian lybertie.and ſinne againſt the Chriſtian liberty, if hee woulde of all the examples of the Scripture, and of the thinges done by the Iſraelites, draw out & take lawes and ſtatutes, for to commaunde them vntounto the Chriſtian people as neceſſarie and ordeyned of God. For firſt of all God neuer hath defined, nor determined by his lawe, certaine dayes, nor yet to lament and mourne for the dead, nor for to make any commemoration of them, as it appeareth very well, by the examples aſore alledged. For the Iſraelites themſelues hauehave not kept a certaine number of dayes at the mourninge of Iacob, Moſes, Aaron and of Marie. For they did kéepe Iacob in Geneſ. 50. a. 3Gen 50Aegypt fortie dayes, after that hee was enbaumed: and the Aegyptians bewept him Ixx, dayes. He was carried into Hebron: afterwards his ſonnes bewept him ſeuen dayes in Atad. But Moſes, Aaron and Marie their Deut 34. c. … Numerl. 20. 2, 1.Deut 34ſiſter were beewept euerye one of them thirty dayes. Thou doeſt ſee alreadie here, that they are not very ſuperſtitious in the dayes, and that ſome time they hauehave vſed The ordinary time for y^• mourning of the Iſraelites. Eccle. 22. b. 13Sir 22eyther more or leſſe. It ſhould ſéeme that their ordiuary was but for ſeuen dayes. For it is written: Seuen dayes do men mourne for him that is dead, but the lamentation ouer the vnwiſe ſhoulde endure all the dayes of their life. But when it is for ſome noble perſonne, as for a Prince or a Prophet, or anye man of great eſtimation, and renome, they woulde of cuſtome prolonge theyr mournynges vntyll thyrtie dayes. But they woulde not wyliyngly paſſe béeyond it as wée ſée here in theſe three examples of Moſes. Aaron and Marie who were bewept and lamented of the The tranſlation of … in the … Canaā.people of Iſrael, aſmuche and more then anye other euer were. The mourning of Iacob was a little more lōger, bycauſe he was carried to be buryed a great way, and that they carried him from the land of Aegypt into the land The holyneſſe of the lande.of Canaan: not that they eſteemed the land of Canaan more holy then that of Aegypt, as touching his nature, or that The vvitneſſe of y^e faith of the Patriarchesit had any more vertue, for the health of the body or ſoule of him that was buryed there, as the ſuperſtitious Chriſtians and poore ignorant do iudge of the earth in y^e churchyarde, bicauſe that it was bleſſed and halowed by their Biſhops and Prieſts. But they did that, for to witnes in Act. …. 3 … Heb. 11. b. 8Heb 11the article of the dead, the hope that they had in the promiſe made vntounto Abraham of that lande, and for to confirme their ſucceſſors in the ſame, to the ende they ſhoulde The bying of the fielde of Ephron. Geneſ. 23. d. …S.Gen 23be certaine & aſſured that they ſhould poſſeſſe it, although that they neuer receauid one foote during their life, except that poſſeſſion which Abraham bought for to make a burial place for him, his wife and all his family. This he did, that it ſhould bee a witnes vntounto all his ſucceſſors, that they ſhould be heires of that lande of which he hath The tranſlation of the bones of Iacob. Geneſ. 50. d. 25Gen 50alreadye taken poſſeſſion. For that ſame cauſe alſo, Iacob commaunded and ordayned in his teſtament, that his body ſhould not be buried in Aegypt, but y^t it ſhoulde be carried into the land of Canaan, in the ſepulcher of hys fathers. And Ioſeph his ſonne following that example hath alſo commaunded the children of Iſraell, to heepe his bones, vntill they enter into that lande? not for to made reliches of them, and to encloſe them in golde or ſiluer for to worſhip them, al the while that they ſhalbe in Aegypt, The holyneſſe of the lande of Canaan.or in the lande of Canaan, after that they ſhalbée aryued in the ſame, but for to bury them there: not for the opinion that hee had of the worthyneſſe of his ſepulture, or of the holynes of the lande. For then it was inhabited of y^e Panyms & Inſidels, o… the Canaas, Amorrians, & others like whiche were ſo abbominable, bicauſe of theire erecrable crymes, that God could, not ſuffer them. but hath p. 119exterminated, dryuen away and deſtroyed them by his iuſt Denl. S. a …iudgement, for to giuegive that land as an heritage vntounto his people. But Ioſeph, although that hee dyed in Aegypt woulde firſt witnes, that he beléeued perfectly in the promiſe of God. And for more greater probation of his faith, hath left vntounto them that witnes of the ſame, for to aſſure them that they ſhoulde enter there once, ſith that hee woulde not bee buried, vntill ſuche time as they were come thyther, for to inherite the promiſed land. That was almoſt ſuch a witnes, as that of Ieremie, in bying the field Iere. 31. 8. 44 The bying of I cremyJer 31:8Jer 31:44of his couſin, which was in the lande of Iuda: willing thereby to declare and ſhewe foorthe, that the people then were in captiuitie, and almoſt all of them did diſpaire neuer to returne into their land (notwithſtanding that the Lord had promiſed vntounto them the contrary) which was vntounto him certaine & ſure of the promiſe of y^e Lorde. Wherefore he would giuegive vntounto them a good hope of their returning, promiſed chiefely by Eſay long time before the captiuitie, and by Ieremy and Ezechiell prophecying at the time that the captiuitie approched, and during the ſame: therefore did he buy that field and that poſſeſſion, for to teſtifie by that buying, that hee had a good hope of his returne, and that he was aſſured by the word of God, what ſoeuer infidelitie was in the people: or otherwiſe hee had bene a foole and not well aduiſed, to put his money in hazarde to be loſte, and himſelfe to be mocked, and accomted for a lyer & a falſe prophet. Paking then that buying to y^e intent, it was vntounto him as a ſacrament, euen as the buriall of Ioſeph deferred vntill the entring vntounto the lande of Canaan, the whiche he woulde not deferre for any thing what ſoeuer it be, for to be depriued from the buriall ſo long time, and from the honoure whiche is due vntounto the body, according to the ordinance of God, the whiche hée would by no meanes reſiſt.Geneſ. 33. d. 19Gen 33

Thomas.

You ſpeake of many things, but how doe I know whether the ſame ought to bee vnderſtanded after that ſort as you expound it.

Theophilus.

If thou doubt of my expoſition, reade the xi. Chapter of Sainct Pauls Cpiſtles vntounto y^e Hebrewes, Hebrt. 11. a 1.and thou ſhalt ſée whether the Apoſtle doth not ſet thée in y^e way for to come vntounto y^e intelligence and interpretation.

Euſebius.

But you ſhew not y^e cauſe, wherefore they obſerued certaine daies for to finiſh their funerals & mournings.

Theophilus.

I hauehave alreadie anſwered thée, that they The cauſe of y^e dayes appoynted for moarning.did not the ſame for any ſuperſtition that they had to the number as y^e Panyms. For the Patriarches & Prephets were not ſo much of the ſect of Pithagoras, nor ſuch great obſeruers of the numbers, as the Papiſticall doctors, and Durand. in ratio. diui. off. lib. 7. Rub. de off. mornamely Durand, who yelding the reaſon wherefore the Chriſtians keepe certaine daies dedicated to the commemoration of the dead, declareth the miſteries contayned in the number of them, and hath written after this manner. Note that ſome celebrate the memory of the dead Ternarij. Septena ly Numerl. 19b. 11.the thyrde day, for to repreſent the buriall and reſurrection of Ioſus Chriſte, or in the honoure of the Trinity. Others cauſe Maſſes to be ſonge the ſeuenth day, or ſeuen dayes continually. Afterwardes they proue that the ſame is taken of that place which is written in y^e booke of Nombers: that he whiche ſhall touche the body of a dead man, ſhalbe defiled and vncleane ſeuen dayes. Is not the The philoſophy of Pithagoras The cauſe of y^e moarning of the Iſraelises.ſame very fitte for to proue the ſeuen dayes feaſte of the Prieſtes? I do omitte a thouſande other dreames, which are more mad, that one cannot belééue them. Hée practiſeth a Philoſophy and a Theology likewiſe vppon the ninth, thirde and fourth and the day of the yeares minde, to which he maketh thoſe numbers better to agrée, then of ware, and better then euer Pithegoras did. For his Philoſophy had more reaſon and doctrine. But that which the Iſraelites did, I thinke that the ſame was none otherwiſe, but for an honeſty and cluditie whiche ought to be among the people of God. For they had no expreſſe law, nor commaundement proper for the ſame, & y^e ſhould make them to be ſubiect vntounto thē And although they had a commaundement, as they hauehave of their other ceremonialand p. 120ciuile laws, we ſhould not be yet neuertheleſſe therfore Liberty of the Goſpell.bounde, no more then we he to them, but ſhould abide in the libertie in the whiche Ieſus Chriſt hath called vsus. Now if we be deliuered from y^e ſubiection of ceremonies & lawes which God himſelf hath expeſſely cōmaunded, by a more ſtronger reaſon ought we to be exēpted, & to abide & continue in our liberty, in y^e that hath bene leſt in liberty vntounto y^e people, which was yet vnderunder y^e ſeruitude & bōdage of y^e law. Wherfore I thinke y^e the Iſraelites did kéepe y^t cuſtome among thē, for the ſelfe ſame cauſe y^t Ioſeph al, ledged ſpeaking of Moſes: De hath alſo prouided in the funeralles Ieſeph againſte Appion. li. 2 The lavv for the ludaieall funeralls.of the dead, to that ende that men do not celebrate ſumpteous obſequies & burtals, & that men do not beſtow greate & coſtly buildings of ſepuleres, but hath cō maunded, y^e the houſehold ſeruants of him which ſhould be dead, ſhould adminiſter y^e neceſſarie things, for to carry the dead to y^e graue. He hath alſo ordeined, as a lawful thing that all thoſe y^e be a liue ſhould aſſemble themſelues together, when y^e any perſon ſhould be dead, & ſhould mourne & lament ouer him. He hath alſo cōmaunded, y^e the domeſticall & thoſe of his houſe ſhould be purified after y^t burying. Although y^t we read not all theſe words of Ioſeph, ſo expreſſed & placed in y^e bookes of Moſes, yet neuertheleſſe Ioſeph, which was himſelf a Iew, & a man of great knowledge. & well ſéene in the cuſtomes & Iudaical things, was not ignorant of the manner of their burials & funerals, & the cauſes wherfore they did all thoſe things. He maketh The vvater of ſeparation conſecrated vvith the aſshes of a young Heifer, Numeri. 19. c. 11no mention, no more then Moſes, y^e one ſhould not make ſacrifice nor offring for the health and ſaluation of the dead, nor that one ſhoulde ſprinkle it with holy water, and with the conſecrated water that they dyd héepe mingled with the aſſhes of a younge Heyfer, for the purificatiō of y^t lyuing, not of y^e dead, but witneſſeth only, y^t the domeſtical or thoſe of y^t houſe which wer aſſiſting & helping at y^t funerals & burials, or touched y^e body ſh…ld be purified, by the ceremonyes ordeined of God, principally by y^t conſecrated water, with y^t aſſhes of an Heyfer the Purification af,+ter the funerals. Hebr 9. d. 13Heb 9which was a figure as witneſſeth the Apoſtle, of the bloud of Ieſus Chriſt, by which we are purified: who hath done that whiche the water and the aſſhes of the Heyfer, could not do. Wherefore we hauehave no more néede of ſuche ceremonyes, ſith that they are accompliſhed and fulfilled by Ieſus Chriſt: And yet much leſſe of other new, inuented by mans preſumption. That then which the Iſraelites uſed certaine ceremonies and mournings about the dead, had two reſpectes. The firſt was, to the ende that the people of God ſhould not bee like unto the barbarous and heathen people, as thoſe of whom we hauehave already ſpoken off, whiche did make leſſe account of the bodies of y^t dead men, yea of theire owne parents and friendes, then of the carcaſes of brute beaſts. Agame, euen as the Lord would that his people ſhould be farre from ſuch inhumanity and The means that vve muſt keepe in mourning & at the funeralls, and the v.ces of the Panims.barbarouſnes, ſo would hee prouide on the other ſide, for another greate vice, which raigned amongſt the Panims, who did to much excéede in ſorowing and mourning, in ceremonies, ſuperſtitions, Idolatries, and with to greate expenſes about their dead and funerals. Beſides all this Barue 6. c 30. Leult. 1. & 21. Heodo. in Enterpe. 3. Reg 18. e. 281 Kgs 18they did many things not ſeemely to men. For ſome of them did rounde and poll their heades, beards & heares, the mourning, as Herodotus witneſſeth of y^t Aegyptians. There were alſo which did hurte and pricke themſelues with lancets, and made the bloud to come forth of Theod. in Leui ticum, 19. Apul. aſinl. aur lt. 1 1. Cice Tuſc. q. 3. Leuit. 21. a. 3.Lev 21their bodies, in the honoure of the dead, & for to witneſſe their dolor, after the ſame ſort as the Pricſts of Baal did in praying to their God Baal. And the Prieſtes of Cyble in lyke manner, who in that pointe followed them. They did alſo make markes in theyr fleſhe, with greate ſuperſtition the whiche thinges the Lord did forbid his people, namely in Leuiticus. And therefore thoſe good patriarches and prophets, who were prudent and wiſe, and guyded thorowe the ſpirite of God, hauehave found a good meanes to let and ſtoppe thoſe vices and exceſſe which they did commit aſwell on the one ſide as on the other, amongſt the Panyms. p. 121For if the Panims themſelues hauehave regarded that, and hauehave néede lawes and ſtatutes, for to correct the vndecent things that was there commytted: And the pompe and foolyſti coſt, that men beſtowed about ſuch banities, we muſt not be abaſhed, if the people of God, who ought to be the rule and moderation of all others hauehave ſo well prouided for the ſame, for to kéep a meane in all things. For it is not poſſible that man, how ſpirituall ſoeuer he be, can rob or take from man, all humayne aflection, but that there abydeth alwayes a meruaylous deſire in his heart, of the perſon abſent whom he loued, eſpecially when thorowe death it is ſeperated from him. Sith then that one cannot The lymitte of humain affectiō.plucke away altogether that affection from mans heart, he muſt at the lcaſtwiſe ſet ſome lymitte; to the ende that he excede not meaſure, as the Panims did. For ſo long as the affection is too great, inſomuch that it draweth vsus from God, and maketh vsus to ſtaye more vntounto the creatures then is néedefull, it cannot pleaſe God. And therefore euen as the Lord leaueth vsus to be man, and ſuffereth our humayne affections, which hauehave ſome agreeing with his nature, and are the ſeede and prickes of vertues, ſo will he not ſuffer them to flowe ouer, or aryſe aboue the lymittes of reaſon and honeſtie, as we hauehave already touched in another place. The ſame then that the The time preſcribed for the mourningHeorewes and Iſraelites had ſome certayne number of dayes, for to mourne and lament their parents and friends that were dead, was not for to reſtrayne eueryevery one generally and perticularly to lament and mourne one ſo many dayes, without adding or dimimſhing any, as if the number of the dayes were neceſſary; or that it conteineth any relygion and holyneſſe in it: but to the ende that thoſe which ſhould mourne and lamont, if one coulde not kéepe them from it altogether, without doyng greate biolence to their affections, at the leaſtwiſe, they ſhould not paſſe that lymit and time, which was bſed and preſcribed, and which was long inough and ſufficient, for to ſatiſfie their heart and to mitigate their ſorrow and heauineſſe.

Wherefore I doubt not but that Saynt Ambroſe hadde The infention and meaning of S. Ambroſe.regard unto that honoſtie and modeſtie, not for to induce the chriſtian people unto Iewiſhnes, but to follow rather the erample of the holy Patriarches and Prophets, then of the Panims. As we may manifeſtly iudge by his own wordes, without ſeekinge the gloſe and interprctation any further. For firſt of al he erhorted not y^t people to play vntounto god for the ſoule of Theodoſius, but witneſſeth euidétly, y^e he accōpteth & holdeth him to be ſaued, & affirmeth many times y^e his ſoule is at reſt, in lyght & felicitie with Ieſus Chriſt his Lord. Alſo he teacheth not y^e people to in uocate & pray vntounto him, not withſtanding y^e he holdeth him as a ſaint in y^e kingdō of god: but admontſheth to pay vntounto the childre, y^e which they do owe vntounto y^e father, ſaying: they owe him more after he is dead, then when he was liuing, After wards declareth vntounto thē y^e meanes how thei ought to acquite & order themſelues towards their good Prince, after his death: that is, in commending his young children whom he hath lefte to be heires of the Cmpire, and that they declare towards them the fidelytie, faith, loyaltie, and louelove that they had towards their father. It is ſufficiently declared y^e ther is no meane more proper, nor any good déedes more agréeable nor more profitable for the dead, then to hauehave in commendacion and prayſe their ſucceſſours, children and friendes. On the other ſide, hée comforteth the children, and chiefely goeth aboute to niltigate the doloure and ſorrow of Honorius, bicauſe that it was not lawfull for him to accompanye the relyckes, that is to ſaye, the other parte of the body of his father, which was carryed to bée buryed vntounto Conſtantinople, as they accuſtomed to doe with the bodyes of great Princes. Wherein it appeareth wherevnto Sayncte Ambroſe pretended. For leſte vsus not thinke that he hath bene of an other mynde and opinion then the other Doctors, which hauehave written both in his time & before him. And to this ende that you ſhould the better knowe that I ſpeake not ſo wythout reaſon, gyue eare and marlie p. 122what other Doctors ſayes, which is contayned in the Decrées themſelues, and adioyned immediately after that which yon declared of Saynt Ambroſe, the which wyll ſerue vsus for the declaration of the ſame, and conſormation of nſy worbes. Firſt you hauehave Saynt Gyprian, who Cyprian. 13. …. 2. Quam prepoſte rum. Mourning vndecent for Chriſtians.declareth vntounto the Chriſtians that they oughte not to bee ſorrowfull and ſadde, neyther for their death nor yet for that of others, ſaying: Is it not a ſtrainge and a peruerſe thing, to require that Gods wyll be done, and that we doe not obey the ſame, when he calleth vsus out of this world, but doe repugne and reſiſt it, and as peruerſo and rebellyous ſeruaunts wée are brought before our Lorde with ſorow and mourning, and béeing coliſtrayned thorow the bonde of neceſſitie, not willyngly and with a good hearte. And we woulde bée honoured with heauenly rewardes by him, vntounto whome wée doe come maugre our ſelues. And how many times is it reuealed vntounto me, and commaunded of GOD, that I doe proteſt dayly and preath openly, that we ought not to lament and mourne for our bretheren which are called and delyuered from this worlde by the Lorde, ſith that we know that they are not loſt, but are onelyonly ſent before, going for to ouer goe vsus, euen as thoſe doe, who doe walke and swimme.

VntoUnto this alſo agreeth Saynt Iohn Chriſoſtome, who Chriſo ad pepu Hom. 69. & 70 Item in Iohn c. 11. ad Hebr ca. 2. Hom. 4John 11in many places hath rebuked and coereted the immoderate mourninge of the Chriſtians, ſaying amonge other thinges, I doe not forbid that we ſhould not mourne for thoſe which are departed out of this worlde, Lette vsus lament and bewayle them, but not undecently and unhoneſtly: not in tearing our haires, uncouering of our armes, cutting our eyes, not in wearyng blacke gownes, but onelyonly in our hearte, ſheading foorth inwardely bytter teares. Alſo lice doth cleerelye ſhewe, that to lament Chriſoſto. in Erſt. ad Hebr. 13 q. 2. vbichnq3 Pſa. 24. a. 1Heb 13Ps 24and mourne for the deade, proceeded but of wealteneſſe and for wante of fayth, ſaying: In whatſoeuer place wée bee buryed in, the earthe is the Lords and all things that therem is. That that hée oughte to doe doth: But to lament, mourne and wéepe for thoſe which are departed out of this lyfe, commeth of weakneſſe and for want of heart and courage. And it muſt not be vnderſtanded that it procéedeth from any other thing, then of a deſpayre of the reſurrection to come. Therefore the Apoſtle ſpade not ſimply, we would not 1. Theſſa. 4. c. 1….hauehave you ignoraunt, concerning them that are fallen a ſléepe that ye ſorrow not, but he addeth moreouer, as other doe which hauehave no hope. It is not then forbidden vsus to mourne and bewayle the deade, through a compaſſion and affection of pietie and a regarde of humanitie, as wée doe reade, that ſome Saynts and holy men, hauehave bewailed (after Gods lawe). the funeralls of others. Therefore Anaſtacius in the ſame place hath ſayd. Thoſe which know Anaſta. 13. …. 2 habent.not nor looke for any other life, & hauehave no truſt y^e from this world there is a place for to go vntounto a better eſtate, hauehave peraduenture iuſt excuſe of their long griefe and ſorrowe: But we which doe beléeue and teach the ſame, ought not to be ſorry for thoſe which dye, to the ende, that the ſame which towards other hath appearaunce of pietie and compaſſion be in the greater fault. For that is a kinde of diſtruſt, agaynſt that that eueryevery one doth preach. And immediately after is alleadged the example of Ieſus Chriſt, the example of Chriſt. Iohn. 11. c. 13.John 11who bewailed not the death of Lazarus, but bewailed him when he would rayſe him agayne, for to retourne vntounto the miſeryes of this world.

Hillarius,

Certeynly if we did well conſider the euills which are in this miſerable world, and the fragilytic and miſery of mans nature, and if we had true ſayth to the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt, and true hope of our reſurrection, and of the eternall lyfe, we ſhoulde hauehave more occaſion to follow the cuſtome of the Thracians, then of other Danims, and for a more iuſt occaſion, The cuſtome of the Thracias herodet in Paler. Max. li. 2. ca. 1For if they, which had not a certeyne hope, nor aſſurance that there is an other lyfe then this héere, dyd bury their friends y^t were dead with ioy & gladnes, ſaying that they wer bery glad y^t thei were deliuered from y^e euils and wickedneſſe of of this lyfe: And on the contrary, did p. 123wéepe and lament at the birth of their children, lamenting them bicauſe of y^e euills to the which they did: n… comminge into this worlde: HaueHave not wée more … cauſe to reioyce, when that the Lord calleth us our friendes, and draweth them from that darke priſon, for to lodge them in his celeſtiall Places? And to deſire with the holy philip. l. d. 25.Apoſtle to be diſſouled ſo? to be with Chriſt? If we wil not followe the doctrine and examples of the holy Scriptures, at the leaſtwiſe let vsus not doe worſe then the Panims. And if we will follow them, let vsus follow the moſt reaſonable, and not the moſt maddeſt. thoſe of Mirſellea, in the time that they were yet Panims, we a great deale more modeſt and ſober, and leſſe ſuperſticious and Idolaters in their burialls, and about their dead, then thoſe are now at this preſent time which doe follow the papiſticall doctrine. For the auncient maſsilians did bury their dead The auncient cuſtome of the Maſsilians. Val. Max. li. 2 cap. 1.without great ſorrow and lamentation. The ſorrow and mourning of their furenalls continued but one day, without adding too any other ceremony, but a domeſtical ſacrifice, and in making a banket, not for the Prieſts, but for their parents and friends. But now I warrant you that the Prieſts will not acquite them for the price. Beholde what they hauehave gained with the papiſtical doctrine: which hath leſſe reaſon, then the coſtomes of their auncient predeceſſors, although that they were Idolaters. Wherefore it ſhould ſéeme vntounto them yet more honeſt, & a great deale more profitable, to bring again in vſe their auncient faſhions & maners, then to follow the papiſtical maners. But amongſt others they can not finde better, nor more neceſſary to all Chriſtians, then that which they had of late, to ſhut the gates of their towne agaynſt all Hipocrites, Cagots Stongeth ful he lyes vnderunder co. 1 lour of religiōCaphards, & Seducers, who vnderunder the ſhadow & tytle of holy Religion would lyue idelly, and cate and deuoure other mens ſubſtaunce without doing any thing. Their gate was not opened to ſuch gluttons & belly gods, & they would not admit any Religion & new ſuperſticion. If the Chriſtians had done ſo, the world not hauehave ben ſo ſpoyled and deuoured by the Prieſtes, Poonkes and caphards. But for to returne vntounto mourning: In the manner alſo Seneca hath written, that the auncient Romaynes The cuſtome of the Romaines. Senec. epiſt. 75.hauehave not preſſed, nor determined any certeyne time vntounto for to weepe and lament, bicauſe it hath no honeſtie. for as the himſelfe witneſſeth, a wiſe man doth not afflict The office of a vviſe man.nor lament himſelfe too much, when he looſeth his children or his friends, but beareth their death with ſuch a ſtomack and heart, as he would doe his owne. For that cauſe amongſt others was Anaxagoras prayſed, who without any Cice. Tuſc. 9. li. 1.trouble to himſelfe, anſwered vntounto him which brought hun tidings of the deathe of his ſonnes: Thou telleſt me of no new thing, nor a thing but that I ahue longe looked for it: For I knew very well that he whom I engendred was mortall.

Thomas.

When I doe heare ſpoken of the conſtancie and modeſtie, that the Panims hauehave ſhewed in the death both of them and of their friendes, I am greately aſhamed of vsus chriſtians, who hauehave ſo great feare, and doe make ſuch noyſe, and torment our ſelues after the dead.

Hillairus.

Thereby we declare, that we are very The cuſtome of: the 1. yeians. Val. Max. li. 2. ca. 1.ignoraunt and effeminated. And therefore the Lycians did apparayle them with womwnes apparell, when they did mourne and lament, to the ende that they ſhould bée moued thorow that deformitie of apparell, and thereby conſtrayned to caſt downe all that fooliſh ſorrow. Declaring by the ſame, that they accompted it folly to lament Plut. in Lycur. The cuſtome of y^e Lacedemetis.and wéepe. For that cauſe Lycurgus did not permit to the Lacedemonians, but eleuen dayes to mourne and lament in: and after at the twelfe day, they muſt caſt it downe, after that they had made a ſacrifice vntounto Ceres. Uppon that matter ahth Plutarch written, that all things not accuſtomed nor vſed were applyed vntounto thoſe that dyd lament and mourne. And therefore the men went foorth openly, The manner & fashion …. 1. C …. 11 a 5.hauing their heads couered. the woemen vncouered and ſhorne, or altogether polde, agaynſt the order of nature, that being aſhamed of ſuch deſormitie, they ſhould be conſtrayned ſhe rather to moderate themſelues, and p. 124the better to banqutſh and ouercome their affections. And whereas the Romaines preſcribed a yeare full out The lavv of the Romaynes of y^e mourning of the vvidovveesvntounto the woemen for to mourne, was not for to compell them to lament and mourne ſo long time, but to moderate and correct them, to the ende they exceeded not meaſure. And therefore the widowes did cary the ſignes of ſorrowfulneſſe, being apparayled with blacke, and wearing white kerchiefes vppon their heades, as the Papiſts doe at this Pluta. in queſtday. The which thinges ouid hath compriſed in a fewe bearſes, ſpeaking of the yeare ordayned by Romulus, after this manner.

When funeralls were once fulfildeouid. Faſt. 1

the wiſe with ruthfull cheere,

His husbands death dyd wayle the want,

the ſpace of one whole yeere.

And the Poet Statius ſayth alſo.

The woemen weare in their attire,Statius.

the hauehave of blacke and white:

To repreſent the difference,

betwixt the day and night.

And it was not lawfull for them to marry, before that thoſe tenne moneths were expired, except the had a diſpenſation of the Senate and Counſell, as wée hauehave vſed to take of the people. For Numa Pompilius of the ſame made The lavvw of Numa for the mariage of VVidovves. plut. in Vita Numa Anto. Fan. in Faſt. 1a law, the which did condempne the widow, which maried before that the terme and lawfull tyme was accompliſhed, to ſacrifice a Cow with calfe. Not that he eſtéemed that it was a ſinne worthy of great puniſhment, in marrying hir before that terme, but had regarde to the honeſtye, for two cauſes. The firſt was, bicauſe that it was not honeſt for the woeman but very much contrarye vntounto the ſhamefaſtneſſe and naturall modeſtye, which oughte to be in hir, to marye agayne ſo ſoone, and before that the féete of hir firſt huſband, (as the common Prouerbe is) be throughly colde. The other cauſe is for to conſerue and kéepe the lynage and generations, without minglyng them and deſtroying the ſéedes. For it may ſo chaunce, that the woman ſhalbe with chilce by hir firſt huſbande and ſhe ſhall not know it ſo ſoone. Neuertheleſſe Diſponſation of mariage. Antbony Octauian.when there is any perſon of great callyng the Senate and Counſell would diſpenſe with him, as it appeareth at the maryages of Anthony and Octauia, who by the authoritie of the ſame were allowed, notwithſtanding that Octauia did mourne for C. Marcellus.

Theophilus.

It is moſt certeine, that it lyeth not in mans C. Marcelluspower to make a law which is repugnaunt and agaynſt that which the Lorde hath ſayde by his Apoſtle. Hée that vvhat y^• lavves ought to be of mariage. 1. Cor. 7. b. 91 Cor 7cannot abſtaine let him mary, to the ende that none do put any ſnare about the necke of any man, & put his ſoule in daunger. Therefore ſayth he, it is better to mary then to burne. For that cauſe let vsus not make a law, for to bynde any man, and to take from him his libertie in ſuch things, but let vsus leaue y^• vntounto eueryevery ones diſcreſſion, following y^e cuſtoms moſt allowable. Yet neuertheles it is requiſite, whatſoeuer infirmitie of the fleſh that one can alleadge, that one hauehave alwayes reaſon of honeſtie and Chriſtian modeſtie. For that cauſe friende Euſebius hauehave wée propounded vntounto thée ſo many examples and ſentences, both of the holy ſcriptures & of auncient Doctors, and alſo of the Panims, to that ende that thou maiſt the more cléerely know what hath bene the cuſtome of the auncient Iſraelites and of the Panims, and of the firſt Chriſtians alſo: what hath bene their mourning, what daies they hauehave dedicated for the ſame, & for the dead: and for what cauſe, and how the auncient Doctors hauehave written, and to what intent: and how much the Chriſtian religion hath degenerated frō his auncient puritie, inſomuch y^t it is not worthy to cōpare them in ſuch things, I ſay not vntounto y^e auncient Iewes, but vntounto y^e Panims themſelues which hauehave had ſome iudgement & honeſtie. And yet neuertheleſſe S. p. 125Hierome doth deſire y^t the chriſtiās ſhould be yet more ſober S. Hierome. Tomb. 6. The mourning of the auncient Iſr. Ielytes.in ſuch things then y^• auncient Iſraelites, whoſe maner of doing he prayſed not greatly, which they hauehave vſed towards the dead: But he excuſeth them bicauſe that they had not yet receyued ſo amply the lyght and knowledge, nor the accomplything of the promiſes of God ſo amply & ſo excellently as we. Wherefore he would that we ſhould be a great deale more moderate, and that we ſhould declare more lyuely the hope that we hauehave of the reſurrection.

But if we can doe no better nor be more perfect then they, let vsus not be at the leaſt more imperfect, and lette vsus not doe worſe, after the manner of the Papiſts who are mroe to be rebuked in thoſe things, then any people that euer was vppon the earth. Wherefore it were better (friende Euſebius,) that we ſhould reduce our ſelues to the imitacion of the Apoſtolicall Church, then to continue alwayes in our folly and madneſſe, vnderunder the colour of a word or two that we finde eyther in Ambroſe, or in ſome other auncient doctor for want of well vnderſtanding them.

And it ſhalbe a great deale more conuenient and meeter Example of Dauid. 2. Reg. 12. d. 15.2 Kgs 12for vsus to follow the example of Dauid, who mourned & lamented for his childe all the while that he was ſicke, and whileſt that he was yet alyue, & not after y^t hée was dead. For which all thoſe of his houſe were much abaſhed. For whileſt that the childe was yet ſicke, and that he had ſome hope of lyfe, he watched, faſted and prayed, making requeſt vntounto God for the childe, and dyd lye flat on the earth, and during the ſpace of ſeuen dayes all thoſe of his houſe, no not his auncients and counſellers could not make him to lye on a bed, nor to aryſe vp from the earth, nor to eate nor drinke with them, vntyll ſuch tyme he vnderſtoode that the childe was dead, the which thing none of his ſeruaunts durſt tell him off, thinking that he would hauehave bene mernaylouſly ſadde and penſiſe, after that hée ſhould bée aduertiſed of his deathe, ſith that all the time of his ſickeneſſe whileſt that there was yet ſome hope of lyfe, he alwayes wepte and lamented. But it happened cleane contrarye. For as ſoone as hée knewe for a certeynetie that the childe was dead, he aroſe from the earth, and waſhed and anoynted himſelfe, and chaunged his apparell, and went into the houſe of the Lord, and prayed, and after came to his own houſe, and bad that they ſhould ſet meate before him and he did eate: And made greater cheere then before, whereoff his ſeruaunts were much abaſhed, and aſked him what is this that thou haſt done? vntounto whom he aunſwered: while the childe was a lyue, I faſted and wepte. For I thus thought: who can tell whether God will hauehave mercy on me, that the childe may lyue? But now ſéeing it is dead, wherefore ſhould I faſt? Can I bring him agayne any more? I ſhall goe to him, but hée ſhall not come agayne to me. Dauid teacheth Mourning for the lyuing and ſicke.vsus a good leſſon, and learneth vsus to praye the one for the other, while wée bée in this lyfe, and to make prayers vntounto God, and to lament and mourne for our bretheren and neighbours, whileſt they are alyue, whether they be in health or ſicke, proſperitie or aduerſitie, and not after they be dead. For whilſt that they be ſicke, we ought to pray for them, that it would pleaſe God to pardon their ſinnes, and ours: to giuegive vntounto them health, and to ſuffer them a while to be with vsus, and comfort vsus, & to ſerue moreouer vntounto his church, if he know y^t the ſame is moſt expedient for the glory of his name, and our profite. For whileſt that man is ſicke, we know not certeynly, what God meaneth to boe with him. We know very well that his wil cannot be but good, & that he wil diſpoſe all things to the beſt: But we cannot know perticulerly, wythout a ſinguler reuelation, whether that it be better that y^e ſick perſon doe lyue or dye, both for him and for vsus. Wherefore we ought to pray and weepe for him whileſt that we can ayde and helpe him, and that he is yet alyue with vsus, in the which we hauehave place to repent. & to obteyn pardon for our ſinnes: and we ought chieſly to bewayle the poore …ſinners, whom we ſee to goe to perdition, as Samuel bewept Saul ſéeing him forſaken of God: And Sainct Paule p. 126the Corinthians, whom he law to be deteyned and kept in 1. Reg. 15. ſ. 26 2. Cor. 12. g. 21 Hie…in cōment in Mat. 5. c. 11.1 Kgs 152 Cor 12Matt 5ſinnes, if it would pleaſe God to hauehave mercy vponupon them. But ſith that God hath once declared vntounto vsus his will, we muſt holde our ſelues vntounto the ſame, and to take no more care for thoſe whome God hath called vntounto himſelfe from among vsus, but we ought onelyonly to aduiſe and ſludie how we ſhould diſpoſe and order our ſelues for to follow them, after the example of Dauid. Wherevnto agreeth very wel the doctrine of Daynct Iames, who admonuſheth the faithfull The viſitacion of the ſicke Iam. 5. c. 14.Jas 5if any of them bee diſeaſed to call vntounto them the true Prieſts of the Goſpell and Elders of the congregation, for to comfort them with the worde of God, and for to praye for them, that they may hauehave y^e forgiuenes of their ſinnes, and to comfort and procure all that they can for the health of their bodyes and ſoules, and for their health, and thorow prayers and oyntments and other lyke things, which God hath giuen vntounto the primitiue Church, the which hath receyued The gilte do miracles in the primitiue church. A noynting vvith oyle. Marc. 6. b. 13Mark 6the gyfte to doe miracles, and in the which the Apoſtles did miraculouſly heale the diſeaſed. Anoynting them with oyle, not after the manner as the Papiſticall Prieſtes doe, which doe anoynt the diſeaſed, not thorow the hope that they hauehave to heale them. For if they did thinke that they ſhould heale them, they would not anoynt them.

Hillarius.

They would not doe ſo. For they ſhould looſe much nor they ſhould hauehave ſo many fatte hydes.

Theophilus.

For that ſame cauſe they call that vnction extreme, and the laſt ſacrament: And they giuegive it not for Extreme vncſionthe health of the body nor for to heale the diſeaſed, as the Apoſtles did, nor to that intent as Saint Iames hath written, but did giuegive it for the health of the ſoule, as thoughe their holy oyle could penetrate in the ſame, and that the haly Ghoſt and forgiueneſſe of ſinnes wertied vntounto y^e oyle. I know not whereto y^e vnction can ſerue for y^e poore diſeaſed, ſuch as the do vſe, ſith y^t thei hauehave no promiſes of god. & that y^e gift of miracles is not giuen vntounto thē as vntounto y^e Apoſtles, & to y^t primitiue church: & they do none other thing but read y^e Pſalter & babble it in a ſtrange language vntounto y^e ſicke perſon, of which he receiueth no inſtruction, nor any The ſaying of the Pſalter. The vſe of extreme vnction. The Apes of y^e Apoſt… 3.conſolation at all.

Hillarius.

If thou know not wherto that vnction ſerueth, I will tell thée. Firſt, that is a witneſſe for to proue that in y^t ſame they are the Apes of the Apoſtles, for to counterfet their workes and myracles, as they counterfetted thoſe of Ieſus Chriſt in the Baptiſine of young children. Afterward it ſerueth vntounto the diſeaſed, for to make them hope to be healed, as the comming of the hangman vntounto the théeues, when they doe ſée him.

For they know right wel that he is the meſſenger of death So when the poore patients ſéeing the Prieſtes comming with their Creame bores, Dyle and Drogues, they may well thinke that men accompt them for deade, and their time is come. For ſuch Phiſitians hauehave not accuſtomed to come, nor to bring their Triacle, but at the very houre that the ſicke perſon is abandoned and forſaken of other Phiſitians. They may iudge that their hangman is come, who careth nor for the ſoule, but requireth onelyonly the body and the ſpoylyng thereoff.

Theophilus.

There is nothing truer. Wherefore they cannot alledge Saint Iames for their defence, nor alſo the auncient doctors whom they would take for bucklers for al their matters. They make a great accompt of Denis, who hath written the celeſtiall The authour of the celeſtial …. d eccleſiaſticall Hieratch12 Act. 17. eccle hiſt. li. …. ca. 4. li. 4. ca. 21. 22. 23 Eccle bier. … 7 Denis. Areopagite.Acts 17and eccleſiaſticall Hierarchies, ſaying that that is Saynct Denis of Athens, who was conuerted by the preaching of Saynt Paul, which is not lyke to be true. For the ſtile of thoſe bookes, ſinelleth not lyke vntounto that of the Apoſtles, nor of their tyme. Furthermore Euſebius in his eccleſiaſticall hiſtory maketh mention ſo dilygently of the bookes of Denis Biſhoppe of Corinth, and neuer maketh any mention of thoſe of Denis Areopagite. Wherefore it is moſt lykeſt to be true, that he hath written nothing: or els Euſebius would not hauehave helde his peace more then of the others. But although he ſhoulde hauehave written thoſe bookes, yet he dyd ſufficiently declare by them that at the tyme as thoſe were written, there was not ſuche extreme vnction as there is at this preſent. p. 127He maketh mention that the Chriſtians vſed of cuſtome to anoynte the faythfull in the baptiſme, in witneſſe that they did arme themſelues for to fight, and the dead in lyke manner, when one buryeth them, in ſigne and taken, that they hauehave valyauntly fought, and that they hauehave gotten and obtayned the victory, and are gone to reſt. But he ſpeaketh not a word of the anoynting of the ſicke and diſeaſed, the which with much adoe hée woulde hauehave omitted, without touching and expreſſing it, aſwell as he hath done the creame of the baptiſme. And although it ſhould be ſo, that that which the Prieſtes doe, ſhoulde hauehave ſome certeyne foundation in the doctrine of Saynt Iames, yet they cannot deny, but that that place bath great coulour, for to condempne that which they do about the dead. For they hauehave not much redde in all the holy Sacripture, which hath more appearaunce at the firſt ſight, for to colour their ceremonyes, & new ſacraments, which they hauehave inuented without the ordinaunce of Ieſus Chriſt, then that place bath, for to giuegive lyght vntounto theire extreme vnction, and thoſe muttering and mumblyng of the Pſalter which they doe make about the ſicke perſons, And yet neuertheleſſe there is not one onelyonly ſillable vppon which they can ſtay or take hold for to grounde and allow the leaſt of the ceremonyes and ſuperſticions which they commit about the dead.

Hillarius.

It is neuertheleſſe much to be meruayled at, that if there had bene in their caſe any imitacion of the traditions of the Apoſtles, and of the Primatiue Churche, but that Saint Iames would hauehave touched ſome worde, ſith that he hath already taken in hande the matter of the ſicke and diſeaſed, and that occaſion alſo did ſuffer to ſpeake of the dead, and to teach how the Chriſtians & the Miniſters of the Church ought to behaue themſolues, if ſuch things were neceſſarye, which ſithens the time of the Apoſtles hauehave bene brought into the Church of God.

Theophilus.

Thy reaſon is not euill. Wherefore me thinketh (friend Euſebius that thou maiſt now vnderſtand that that place of Saint Ambroſe, and the other reaſons which thou haſt put forth for to proue thy intentien, & to confirme thy matter, conſerue ſerue thée nothing at al, for to allowe that which nowe in ſuch a caſe is dene in your Churches: But rather to condempne and reproue them. For you your ſelfe followe not the example of the Iſraelites propou…ded by Saynt Ambroſe, and your Decrées and Canons, nor you are not co…tented with the dayed which are there ſpecified, nor with the manner deſcribed in them, for to celebrate the commemoration of the dead, but doe adde to it many other things of which you cannot alleadge any example to be on your ſide, neyther in the olde nor new Teſtament, nor of the auncient people of Iſrael, nor alſo of the firſt Chriſtians, but of the Panims and Idolaters, whom you doe follow, kéepinge almoſt the very ſame dayes that they for the ſame hauehave choſen, and with the lyke ſuperſticion as they. Wherefore I am abaſhed of Durand, who expounding the miſteryes and ſecrets contayned in the number of thoſe dayes, Rat. diui. off. l…. 7. Rub. de off. mort Nenſuain…hath written among other thinges that ſome Chriſtians hauehave alſo choſen the nynth day, for to make the Dbſequies and commemoratien of the deade: or hauehave vſed of cuſtome to offer nyne dayes together for them, that theire ſoules ſhould be delyuered from paynes, and ioyned and kiut together vntounto the nyne order of the Angells. But he addeth that the ſame was not allowed of ſome, fearing leaſt it ſhould ſéeme that the Chriſtians were unitators and followers of the Panims and Gentiles, who had y^t ſame day dedicated vntounto y^e obſequies & cōmemoratiō of their dead, as already hath ben touched.

Hillarius.

Duer and beſides the witneſſe of all the Poets and chiefely of Virg. Aene. 5. Hota. in Epod. …ice ad Quint Pra. li. 3. Liui …. ab. v…be Et. …. bel. …um.Virgile, who deſcribed y^t Anniuerſarie that Aeneas made for his father Anchiſes, & the ſacrifices & playes that they celebrated in the nynth daye of the ſame, we hauehave all the hiſtories which are o… credite, namely Titus Liuius, who in many places, maketh mention of thoſe Nenſnaines and nyne daies, which they do cal Nouendium & Nouendiale.

Theophilus.

But wherefore was the cuſtomes of y^t Chriſtians p. 128more to be rebuked, which do celebrate the nynth day & the Nenſuaines in y^e honour of y^t dead, then ether which do celebrate y^t ſeuenth day, thirty, forty, a hundreth, or other lyke dayes? For if the thing be good in one day, how can it be euill in the other? doth the number adde or giuegive any more greater holyneſſe to one of the dayes more then to an other. And if the thing be nothing worth to one of the dayes, what priuiledge hauehave the other for to make it better?

Euſebius.

Wherfore do you demaund the cauſe, ſith that it hath bene already alleadged by thine owne ſelf, reciting the wordes of Durand? Do you thinke that that cauſe ought to ſuffice, leaſt it ſhould not ſéeme y^t the Chriſtians do follow y^t Panims, & allow their manner or doings?

Hilla.

Truly you looke well to your buſines, & hauehave wel prouided for your affaires. Me thinketh y^t that diuel, who hath ben y^t authour of your ſuperſticiōs & idolatries, in very déede hath ben a great Louldaue, & of a ſlougthful ſpirit, if he had any iudgemēt in mē w^t whom he had to do, & if god by his iuſt iudgement had not taken frō thē their ſence & vnderſtanding. For what maſke hath he taken for to diſguyſe himſelfe withall to change one day into an other? what differēce is ther, if you do y^t ſame things. which were vſed amonge the Panims, ſauing that you doe chaunge the daye? Which is beſt, eyther to blaſpheme God the third, ſeuenth, thirtie and fortie day, or the fourth, nynth, tenth, or fiftle? Can one diſhonour and blaſpheme him more honeſtly in the one of thoſe dayes then in the other. What doe I care what day you take, if you commit the ſame faultes? As touching the dayes, you hauehave Imitation of y^e levves & panims.choſen thoſe ſame of the Iewes. As touching the ſuperſticion, you do follow the ſame of the Panims: & deſiring to ſhew y^t you are neyther Iew nor Panim, you declare, that you are leſſe chriſtians: but y^t you hauehave a ſect & a new law lyke vntounto that of Mahomet, who hauehave not followed altogether The Imitacion of Mahonus.neither that of the Iewes, & Panims, nor yet y^t of the Chriſtians: But made one, taking out of all thoſe together that it pleaſed him, and hath made a potage, mingled with all ſauces, and corrupted with all poyſons, which doe in ſuch ſorte waſte all that that maye be good, that there remayneth nothing, but the vyle venyme of all errours & hereſies. I know not vntounto what I may compare more preperly your traditions, then vntounto thoſe of that falſe prophet: nor I do not well know, what difference may be the greater between thoſe, except peraduēture I ſhould ſay that in yours there is more of the imitation of the Panims, and that your Rome and hir lawes, is alwayes the auncient Rome, and the lawes that ſhe had before the reuelation The olde and nevv Rome.of the Goſpell. The which thing I will ſhew vntounto thée at the firſt ſight, by a goodly diſcourſe, the better to vanquiſh and ouercome thée, ſith that thou wilt not be contented with that which already hath bene ſufficiently proued vntounto thee: not that I hauehave determined to rehearſe all your ceremonyes and traditions. For I had rather to number and tell all the ſande of the Sea and to drawe out all the water from the ſame: But I will content my ſelfe at this tune, with the conference of Mortuaryes, and with that which belongeth vntounto them, which hauehave bene among the panims, the which you hauehave kept, and the things which hauehave ſome affinitie with them.

Then I demaund of thée firſt of all, if Durand did finde anything to ſay vntounto the Chriſtians, which did celebrate the Nenſuaines, bicauſe of the affinitie that they ſéemed to hauehave with the Panims: Wherfore then doe you allow Anniuerſaries.thoſe which doe celebrate the Anniuerſaryes of the dead? For the ſame neuer had other for his firſt authours then the Panims, as I wil proue vntounto thée by and by, by their Theologians. Thou arte not contented with that which Theophilus hath aunſwered thee in, that ſithence the time of Pope Pelagius and Gregory, thoſe manner The beginning of the feaſts and Anniuerſaries for the dead. Pluto. Cal. lecsant. li. 17. ca. 2doings hauehave taken great force, and hauehave bene much augmented among the Chriſtians, and thou doeſt no wrong: For they are a greate deale more auneyent, yea, and inuented longe before the tyme of the Apoſtles, if wee wyll beléeue Diodorus, who affirmeth Pluto, p. 129to hauehave bene the authour & inuentour of them, and of the funerall ceremonies, as I hauehave already tolde thée before.

After whom came Aeneas, who in the honour of his Aeneas. Anchiſes.Father Anchiſes, ordained and made Anniuerſaries and yéerely feaſtes, and ſacrifices for the dead, as the auncient hiſtories doe witneſſe, whome the Poets hauehave followed, who doe deſcribe thoſe thinges verye amply, and chieſlye Virgile, who bringeth in Aeneas ſpeakinge vntounto his compaignions in this manner.

You mightie Troyans, from the bloud of great Gods that diſcend,Virg. Aene. 5

This time is come about, a perfect yeare is now at end,

Since when my father Anchiſos bleſſed bones were put in ground

And mourning alters for his holy relikes we did found.

And now the day (if I doe not miſtake) approcheth neere,

That vntounto me, ſhall euer dolefull be, and euer deere.

Since Gods hath pleaſed ſo: If I this day were caſt a land,

Among the ſauage Moores, or on the ſhotes of Syrtes ſand.

Or eaught on Greekiſh ſeas, or in Mycena towne a…ſlaue,

Yet pay my yeerely vovves I vvould, vvith pompe of dueties braue,

And gifts in feaſtfull guiſe, on alters large I vvould aduaunce,

Now here in hauen vve be, among our friends, not by no chaunce,

But by the Gods (I truſt) of purpoſe wrought, and for the nones,

To vvorſhip here my fathers bleſſed duſt, and precious bones.

Come on therefore, let eueryevery man ſet foorth theſe honors pure,

With myrth on eueryevery ſide, that of good vvindes we may be ſure,

And as I yearely now theſe offring dayes to him doe make,

So vvhen my Citie builded is, in Temples he ſhal take.

Now following the vow that Aeneas made héere, Ouid Ouid, Faſt. 2alſo witneſſeth how that manner of dooing, by hym was carryd into Italy, ſaying.

Aeneas, the firſt deuiſer was,

of all true godlineſſe,

Which order brought to Italian land

as ſtories doe expreſſe:

That yeerely giftes for fathers ſoules,

to Temple ſhould be brought.

From him the people learned had,

new cuſtomes neuer taught.

After Aeneas came Romulus, who did follow his example, Romul. Remus. Lemuria. Plut. in Rom. The feaſts of the dead in May.and hath alſo ordained a feaſt, called Lemuria, or Remuria, & an Anniuerſarie in the monethmonth of May, for his brother Remus and others that be dead, as many hiſtoriographers do witneſſe, & Ouid veſcribeth after in this ſort, ſaying:

The order was of ſacrifice,Ouid. Faſt. 5.

on dayes Remuria hight,

For ſilly ſoules that were in paine

to ſing a Ditge at night.

The yeare then was not full ſo long

for Februa feaſtes were none,

Nor Ianus guider of the monthes

With double ſhape was knowne:

Yet after by and by they brought

offrings for ſoules to hauehave,

And Nephewes ſacrifyces made

for graunſires laide in graue.

And by and by afterwardes ſayth:

Romulus that day Remuria hight

that ſacrifice for ſinne,

For graundſires ſoules from body paſt

was offred firſt by him.

Now Numa the ſucceſſor of Romulus, not béeing contented with that which hath bene already inſtituted by Numa.his predeceſſors, amongeſt other ceremonies that he gaue vntounto the …emiſhe people, bee hath yet added vntounto the Feaſts for y^e dead in February Lupercaies Plat. in Rom. Ouid. Faſt. 2 The ſignth…ati.firſt an other feaſt for the dead in the monethmonth of February whiche hée celebrated yearelye, and contynued eleune dayes, that whiche Romulus, in inſtitutinge the feaſte p. 130of Lupercales hath already ſomewhat begun. For that on of February Conſorius Plutarch Sex. Pomp.cauſe was that monethmonth called, February, the which Num… hath added with Ianuary, to the yeare of Romulus which was not but ten monethes, & kéepeth yet the name. For February ſigmfieth as much in Latin, as purgation or Purgatory. And therefore y^e name was giuen vntounto that ſeconde monethmonth, bicauſe of the feaſtes and ſacrifices which were celebrated, as well for the purgation of the ſoules, as for, the purification of the Citie & all the country: to the which thinge all that monethmonth was dedicated: the which Ouid hath all compriſed in theſe verſes, ſaying:

The Romaine fathers Februa hight, a ſacrifice for ſin,Faſt. 2.

And to the vvord doth crodue giuegive, as doth conſiſt therein:

And vvhatſoeuer is prepard, by any meanes they may,

Is for to purge our bodies ſo, that ſinne reſt not nor ſtay.February.

In time therefore of Fathers olde, vvhieh ſheared not their haire

That month then tooke his name thereoff, as it ſhall heare appeare.

At vvhat time that the Lupersales, vvith ſinne be rent and torne

Did purne the earth from filthy ſinne that then vvas al forlorne.

Or els bicauſe thoſe times be pure, that dead appeaſed bee

When offring daies be gone and paſt, as that time they did ſee.

Theophilus.

Friende Euſebius, if you are not contented with the authoritie of Ouid, yet I thincke at the leaſtwiſe you will not relect that ſame of Saincte Auguſtine, who in his bookes of the Citie of God, ſpeakinge Auguſt. de ciui Des. li. 7. c. 7of that ſame matter confirmeth that whiche Ouid hath written, alledginge his…owne verſes, and ſaith amonge other things. In that monethmonth was made the holy Purgatory, Sacrum Purgatorium quod vocant Februarywhich they cal Februm. He vnderſtandeth by the ſame that the Panims did make in that time, theire holye and ſacred ſacrifices of purgation, as wee woulde ſaye no we at this daye the Purgatory, or purgatine Maſſe.

Hillarius.

Beſides thoſe general feaſts and which were common to all the dead, according to the viuerſitie of the countries & nations, & as y^e caſe requireth & the perſon which dyed, they had other feaſts & Annirerſaries more perticular either for one, or for many, as the Greekes had a cuſtome The obſeqnies of the Greeks in September.to celebrate the xbj: day of the monethmonth of September, the Dbſequies & Anniuerſaries of thoſe which dyed in the war, fighting againſt the Perſinns, as witneſſeth Plutarch: Plat. in Ariſtide Anniuerſaries in Nonember. Plut. in Marce lo. forum boar… um. Cice. pro Flaccs & li. 2. de legs Liui 4. bel puns Caſa. li. 7. bel. gal.Alſo he witneſſeth y^e at Rome they did the like in the monethmonth of November, for the Gaulois, Frechmen & Greekes, which hauehave bene buried in the place which was called the Bullock market. And Gicero & Titus Liuius do offētimes make inention of ſuch feaſt dayes of the Panims and good déeds.

Theophilus.

He hath learned by thoſe things, euen as we do ſée dayly the lilte practiſe in our Popes & prelates of the Church, who hauehave alwayes added ceremonies vponupon ceremonies: ſuperſtition vponupon ſuperſtition, & Idolatry vponupon Idolatry, & hauehave dayly augmented them, ſith that they are once begun, inſomuch that it is not poſſible that they can procéede any further. For we do ſurmount & excéed already long ſince, all the auncient Idolaters in Idolatry. Wherfore we hauehave better occaſion to complaine, then S. Auguſtine had in his time, which differed much from ours: And The complaynt of S. Auguſtine Epiſt. ad lannu artus. 119yet neuertheleſſe he did greatly complaine of the multitude of ceremonies and ſuperſtitions with which alreadye the Church was then ouercharged & corrupted. Therefore ſaid he, our Lord Ieſus Chriſt willing to giuegive vntounto his church a great liberty: would not make it to be, ſubiect vntounto many ceremonies, but onelyonly vntounto a little certeine number of ſacraments: And yet neuertheleſſe it is nowe ſo much charged, The charge of ceremonyes.that the condition of the Iewes who were vnderunder the ſhadowes and figures, and the ſeruitude and bondage of y^e lawe, is more tollerable then ours, and chieſly in that that the ceremonies which they had, were giuen vntounto them of God, but thoſe which hauehave ben brought into the Cſtriſttan Church, are nothing els but mans preſumptions & inuentions of preſumptious and ouerbolde men.

Hillarius.

Truely he ſhould hauehave now other occaſion to write the ſame, if he did ſée the traine that the Papiſtes doe holde: as well towardes the quicke as towardes the dead: wee may aſſuredly affirme that Pluto was no leſſe the authour p. 131of the Dbſequies, Funerals, Dbites, Legates, Anniuerſaries The Pluto of the chriſtians.and other like things, which are at this daye vſed among the Chriſtians, as among the Panims. For Pluto is the God of riches. And what hath bene the firſt cauſe, and firſte foundation of all theſe thinges, and of Purgaforye, and of thoſe dependaunces, and the occaſion of ſo much augmenting & increaſing of them, but the inſatiable auarice & couetouſneſſe of the great Romiſh Pluto, & of his Mercuries, & other like Gods, which are ioyned with The office of Mercurie,him? For if we by iuſt occaſion, do cal him Pluto, we hauehave no leſſe occaſiō to compare both him & his vntounto Mercurie, Cal. Rho. lect. Ant. li. 18. …. 6whoſe office is among the Gods, to lead & bring the ſoules in thoſe Plutonical & infernal regions & kingdomes, after that they be ſeperated from the body, He hath to dooe now in heauen, now in the earth, and by & by in hell. The which thing was one of the cauſes, wherfore the Panims did paint his picture & Image, hauing thrée heads. In ſteed whereoff our Pluto, hath his thrée crownes, for to declare Mercurie hath three heads Tyrephalos. The three Popish crovvries Hecate triuia & trifortmis.that he hath power in heauen, earth & hel, and that he holdeth the place of Hecate, vntounto whom the Idolaters do attribute thrée formes, and ſuch a power: the which the Pope doth attribute vntounto himſelfe altogether. For he is mounted and aſcended into ſuch arrogancie and pride, that hée dare take vponupon him to commaunde the Angelles and the The Popes povver. Virg. Aene. 6. Orpheus & Euridice. Caſtor & Pollux. Theſeus & Pirothus Hercules. The harpe of Orpheus and that of & PopeDyuels, and to ſtretch foorth his hande euen to the hells, for to pull from thence the ſoules, and thoſe which are thether deſcended, but it is after that ſort as Orpheus went to ſeke his wife Eurydice, Pollux his brother Caſtor: The… ſeus and Pyrothus who rauiſhed Proſerpina: Dr as Hercules deſcended thether, for to bring away Cerberus. For I doubt not, but that theſe poeticall fables do containe as much truth, as y^t which y^t Pope would make vsus to beléeue. And I beléeue y^t his Muſitions & Singers hauehave no more tertue, then the Harpe of Orpheus for to drawe the ſoules from Purgatory: But he hath a Harpe vponupon which hée playeth better, then euer Orpheus did, For by y^e meanes of the ſame, he eateheth eueryevery thing, & nothing eſcapeth him, but y^• he bringeth al things vnderunder his wing, Wherfore we may rightly attribute vntounto him thrée heads, as vntounto Mercurie Geryo…& Cerberus, & thrée bodies, as vntounto Geryon, ſith that he hath ſuch credit with y^e celeſtial & infernal gods, that he cōmaundeth y^t. Angels of heauen, that they bring vntounto the ioyes of paradiſe, the ſoule of him who for his pardons goeth to Rome, & that he be deliuered from Purgatory. And he ſayth yet moreouer, we wil not, that the paine of hel be any thing at al inioyned vntounto ſuch a perſō. And it is not ſufficient for him to vſurps ſuch authoritie & ſeigniory vponupon hyn, but he doth alſo giuegive that power vntounto thoſe which do receiue his Cromade, …o deliuer from Purgatory thrée or foure ſoules, yea, ſuch as they will themſelues.The bull of Glement.

Thomas.

Is it poſſible y^t he is ſo ſhameleſſe & ouerbold?

Hillarius:

The Bull of Pope Clement may beare witnes of it, y^e which is kept yet at this day well ſealed w^t ſeales of lead at Vienna, Limoges, Poictiers, & in the coffers of y^t priuiledges. It is very true y^t the Sorbōniſts of Paris would not allow it, but condempned it. But yet neuertheleſſe it muſt néeds be that it muſt paſſe by their hands. He hath alſo a great many other proverties in him, for the which one may compare both him & his vntounto Mercurie, who was in Other offices of Mercury Rhod. lectant. li. 16. ca. 19 The Image of Mercurylike manner holden & accompted of the Panims, for the God of gaine, of merchants, deceiuers, hers & théeues. And therfore they painted him with a ſerip, did ſet his Image in the middle of the market, & before the gates of the houſes, for to kéepe them, & for to driue away y^e other théeues: bicauſe that he was the greateſt, & Prince of others. For did the earth bring foorth euer ſuch deceiuers, abuſers, and liers, ſuch merchaunts, and more couetous of filthy gaine? They may well cary the ſcri…. For that is the cabin from The ſcrippe of Mercurywhich do come foorth all theſe lawes, canons & decrees, for to yet the money both of the liuing and alſo of the dead. And hee caryeth not the key wythout a cauſe, for to open and ſhut the gates, and to empty the coffers and ſcrippes, and to take awaye the praye from other théeues, of whome hée is the Capitayne. At the leaſtwiſe, none can p. 132denfe, but that the doctrine of the Panims, as muche as concerneth the dead; is more reaſonable then that of the Papiſtes. For althoughe that the Theologians of the A lyttle coſt about the dead.Pamins, do allow the Ceremonies, Feaſts, and Anniuerſaries of the dead, yet neuertheleſſe they doe alſo teache, that it is not nowe néedefull to beſtowe any greate coſt about them, but that they content themſelues with a little thing, euen as Ouid the maiſter of ceremonies, witneſſeth Ouid. Faſt. 2,in his Calender, in theſe wordes.

It is an honor dew to ſoules

and bodies that be dead

To bring ſuch giftes to yerkſome graue,

as ſatiſfye their mead.

The ſoules doe much delite therein

and much the ſame doth craue,

By meanes whereoff themſelues they thinke,

from Plutos force: to ſaue.

With flowers greene and garlands gay,

their heads they doe adorne:

And wine and ſalt is put thereto

with other fruites and corne.

Nor things of more waight I reproue

For ſoules therein delight,

On graue ſay thou thy prayers then,

that ghoſtes may hauehave their right.

Wherevnto agréeth alſo the Dracle of Apollo, ſpeaking The Oracle of Apollo.of the ſacrifices of the infernall Gods, and of the ſoules, in theſe wordes.

The Gods vvich vvith their bodies black, about the vvorld do fly, Which alſo dayly ſacrifice, require inceſſauntly, Iucenſe of Meale and ſalted fruites, and alſo pleaſaunt Cakes, See that you make together mixt, as daintie delicates.

For that cauſe they vſed in, that time there, to ſette The banket and ſupper of the dead.ſuch meates vponupon a. ſtpue…to the cude that the good ſcules and ſhadowes ſhould come and banket there, & they called that banquet and ſupper, that they made for them Silicernium, Silyeernium.bicauſe that the ſhadowes and the ſoules behold it in ſtlence. They doe alſo call it Feralis Coena, as wee Feralis e…namay ſay the ſupper of the dead: of which ſpeaketh luuenal, confirminge the thinges aboue ſpoken, after thys manner.

In platters ſmall, the ſuppers they doe put. …. Saly. 5…o… bodies dead, in lothſome graue layd vp.

And in like manner Perſius, ſpeaking of him which conſumed Perſ. Saty. 6his goods fooliſhly:

The heire with wrathfull ire doth pine

to ſee thy goods ſo ſpent,

Nor funerall feaſtes eſteeme will he

not made to his intent.

I doe thincke that Baruch did vnderſtand by ſuch ſuppers, Baruch. 6. e. 30.Bar 6that which is written in hys booke, of the Prieſtes of the Babilonians and Idolaters, ſaying: The Prieſtes ſit in their temples, hauing open clothes, whoſe beades and beardes are ſhauen, and hauehave nothinge vponupon theire beades: roaring and crying vponupon their Gods, as men doo at the feaſte, when one is dead. Hee ſheweth in ſewe woordes, the manner that the Idolaters had, both in their diuine ſeruice for the Gods, and the office of the dead.

Hillarius.

And what had they that wée hauehave not? dooe not our Prieſtes roare and crye both after their Gods and after the dead? may we not rightlye call their Maſſes of Requiem, the ſupper of the dead? For they hauehave all that which Baruch hath comprehended, without faylinge one haire of ones head. It may hauehave peraduenture ſome differ…ce in that y^t the Maſſe is ſong in the morning. Wherfore it ſhould ſoeme more fitter, to call it, the draft of wine, or the breakfaſt or dinner of the dead?

Thomas.

That which thou haſt ſpoken to couer the able to the d…, is vſed yet at this day of ſome, who at the fenſe that is made when one p. 133is dead, do leaue all night the Table couered and ſet full The table couered for the ſoules.of meates, béeing of that opinion that the ſoules do come thither to banket.

Theophilus.

Maiſter Iohn Belet witneſſeth neuertheleſſe M. Iohn Belet. Rat. dius. off. 1…. 7. Rub. de cath. 5. Pet. The feaſt of S. Peters chaire.in his booke that he made of the Legend of Saincts, and feaſtes of all the yeare, that the auncients hauehave ordeyned the feaſt of Sainct Peters chaire in February, vppon ſuche a day as the Panyms accuſtomed to offer yearely, Wyne, and other meats vppon the Sepulchers of the dead, and to banket them, thinking that the ſoules and ſhadowes which paſſed by the Sepulchers, would come & eate. Wherefore to aboliſhe that ſuperſtitious & witked cuſtome, they hauehave conſtituted that that feaſt ſhould be celebrated, the which for that cauſe was called at the beginning, the feaſt of Sainct Peter of meates & bankets.

Hillarius.

And what hauehave they gayned by changing it? The poore Chriſtian people hauehave no profit by it, and there is no gaine but for the Prieſts, whiche in ſte ede therof, hauehave at this day their ſtones & aulters, vponupon which they do lay their table clothes, and afterwardes when the table is ſpread and couered, wee muſt take care for the meates, and pay the banket, and yet neuertheles we cate nothing at all, but are as the Panims, which bring the ſupper to the dead, afterwards they onelyonly looke on them, not daring to touch it, which was alſo the one of the cauſes, wherefore that banket was called Silicernium, as witneſſeth Donatus. For they did thinke, that whoſoeuer did taſte, eate or drinke of that which was offered vntounto the Donat in Adelph Terent.dead, was polluted and defyled. But our prieſtes feare not that For they themſelues doe eate with they? domeſtical he Nymphes A the Prieſts & of the panimsNimphes, which beuoure and conſume with them, the reliefe which remayned for y^t ſoules. For ſuch Nymphes, do take no leſſe pleaſure in ſweete & deheate meats, then thoſe of the Panims, who would that one ſhould offer vntounto them wyne and …ony, as witneſſoth the Oracle of Apollorſaying:

The Nymphes are glad and make good fare The Oracle of Apollo.with hony and wine, which pleaſant are.

In ſteede of them wée hauehave thoſe paliards & whorehunters vntounto whom we muſt offer vnderunder the title and name of the Soules, who endeuour themſelues ſo wel, that nothing of the offrings remaineth, although that y^t ſhadowes and ſoules diminiſh them nothing at al. For they baue not very great bellies: except peraduēture there be dronkerds, like vntounto thoſe of the bawde, vntounto when Propeiſe giueth the Requieſcant in pace, ſaying.Properſe. Requiſe … in pace of the havvde.

Thou ſlinking bavvde and filthy vvhore, & ſtrumpet al forlornt,

Thy lothſome Tombe is ouer grone vvith ſharpe & pricking thorne

Thy ghoſt' is dry, & fore a thirſt, & ſo vvill ſtill remaine

Againſt thy will it muſt be ſo, vvhy ſhould I to thee ſaine.

Thomas,

Yet neuertheles a man ſhall finde ſhadowes which do eate very well, and which hauehave good teeth & great bellies.

Hillarius.

If thou doe take the ſhadowes for thoſe Shalovves hauing teeth and bellyes.which come vntounto the bankets, not beeing byd with thoſe which are the geſtes, I graunt vntounto thée, that ſuch ſhadowes hauehave not the taſte in the teeth, nor liue not of the dewe, as the Graſhoppers: or of the winde as the Camelion. But the ſhadowes of which I ſpeake, are of another nature. The auncients called thoſe whom thou ſpeakeſt Cigales. Chameleon. … 1 cent. 1.off, ſhadowes, bicauſe that they follow and accompany thoſe that are bidden, as the ſhatowe ſolloweth and accompanieth the bodie, and vnderunder coloure of them, all though that they bee not called by him that maketh the banket, do keepe neuertheleſſe company with the geſtes, & ſit at the table with them. After that ſorte did Plutarch The shadovves of the dead. Ving. Aene. 6. Phn. li. 7 ca. 55expounde it, and Horace amonge the Latius hath often vſed it. For when ſuch ſhadowes are at the table, they do effectually ſhew y^t they are not vaine & emptie ſhadowes, but of bodies altogether fat & maſſy. But when the auncients doe ſpeake of the ſhadowes of thoſe that bee dead, they vnderſtand not properly their ſoules, but their viſiōs p. 134and fantafficall figures, which do watch about the Sepulchers, Trang. in talig Cice. Tuſe. …. li. …and do ſhew themſelues as ſhadowes, in the forme and likenes of bodies, which yet neuertheleſſe were not, & vaniſhed away when … did come nigh them, and when one did thinke to tonche them, as a ſhadow and ſmoke.

Thomas.

I doe verily beleeue that thoſe doe not much diminiſh the meates.

Euſebius.

Alſo one may well knowe, that there is now none ſo fooliſh that doth thinke that the ſoules do eate the offrings: But we doe cary them at their feaſt dayes, for to nouriſh the ſeruants of God, thorow whoſe prayers, & by reaſon of the Maſſes & good déedes that they do vponupon ſuch dayes for them, they hauehave deliuerance and reſt.

Hillarius,

That is the cauſe wherefore their Bing pluto, & Neoptolemus, Eacus, Minos & Radamantus, y^t criminall Iudges of the Infernall courte, and of thoſe Plutonicall Regions, do open vntounto them the charters & pryſons of Purgatory, & do giuegive vntounto them fielde playes and paſtimes and leaue to play a litle, as the Schoole maiſters The playes and paſtimes for the ſoules.do giuegive vntounto their ſcollers, for to take ſome recreation & paſtime, euen as Mantuan witneſſeth ſaying.