The suruey of popery vvherein the reader may cleerely behold, not onely the originall and daily incrementes of papistrie, with an euident confutation of the same; but also a succinct and profitable enarration of the state of Gods Church from Adam vntill Christs ascension, contained in the first and second part thereof: and throughout the third part poperie is turned vp-side downe.

The answere.

I say first, that sundry of the fathers praied for the dead, who [ 1] neuer once dreamed of popish purgatory Which thing is so ful¦ly proued in my Motiues, as may be sufficient for this obiection.

[ 2] I say secondly, that in the hote persecutions of the primitiue church, when martyrs were daily put to death for confessing Christ Iesus; then the church did offer the sacrifice of laud and thankesgiuing, & did celebrate anniuersaries or annuall memo∣ries of her faithful children;* 1.1 in which memories were publickly named al such persons, as died constantly for the christian faith. Not by that meanes to procure any merite, remission, or satis∣faction to those blessed martyrs, (for as y^e papists graunt, mar∣tyrs need no such thing,* 1.2) but so to excite the liuing after their godly example, boldly to confesse the name of Christ, and therin to be ready to yeeld vp their liues; when time and place should so require. I say thirdly, that they praied for y^e dead, to insinuate [ 3] their hope in the resurrection, to mitigate their own sorrow, and to declare their affection towards the dead.* 1.3 But neuer did anie of the approoued antiquitie, pray in such sort for the dead, as [ 4] the papists this day doe. I say fourthly, that the praiers which

the old fathers vsed, ministred great occasiō to that superstitiō, which is now an high point of Romish religion. For the igno∣rant posteritie, wrested euery thing to serue their turne.

I say fiftly, that as the fathers were excited to pray for the [ 5] dead, of a certaine natural affection towards them; so were they doubtful what effect their praiers shuld haue, and whether they did profite the dead or no. Yea, some of the fathers praied onely for the resurrection of the body, as I haue prooued in my Mo∣tiues. The vncertaintie & doubts which the other fathers had,* 1.4 shal appeare euidently by S. Austens testimony. First, therfore S. Austen praied for his mother, & that she might haue remissi∣on of her sins, (for I will conceale nothing y^t seemeth to make for the papists:) & yet did S. Austen thus pray, only to shew his louing & ardent affection towards his mother, & not to procure any remittall for her sins; as whose sins he constantly beleeued, were already pardoned. For these are his expresse wordes. Et credo iam feceris, quod te rogo, sed voluntaria oris mei approba Domine. And I verily beleue, y^t thou hast already done as I de∣sire; yet Lord accept my inward affection, vttered by my lippes. Out of which words I note, that Austen beleeued his mothers sins to be forgiuen, before he praied for her: and that the end and intent of his praier was only this; to shew that he was natural∣ly and dutifully affected to his mother. Vpon which kinde of vndiscreet zeale, great superstition and flat idolatry followed in his posteritie, as I said before. Secondly, S. Austen hauing distinguished three sortes of dead; to wit, very good, very euill,* 1.5 and neither very good nor very euill, affirmeth y^t praiers made for the very bad & damned soules, do make their dānation more tollerable. These are his expresse wordes; Pro valde malis etsi nulla sunt adiumenta mortuorū, qualescun{que} viuorū consolatio∣nes sunt. Quibus autem prosunt, aut ad hoc prosunt, vt sit plena remissio, aut certe vt tolerabilior fiat ipsa damnatio. For the very bad although they be no helpes to the dead, yet are they some solace to the liuing. And whom they profite, they profite for this, that either they may haue full remission, or that their dānation be more tolerable. Out of which words I note, that Saint Austen holdeth in this point of praying for the dead, that which neither is sound, neither yet allowed by the Pa∣pists

themselues; and consequently, that the papists ought not to make account of his iudgement herein. For, you doe see that he granteth the punishment of the damned,* 1.6 to be mitigated in hell for the prayers of the liuing; which thing no papist will or dare auouch. And the like is to be saide of other of the Fa∣thers, when they folow opinions not grounded vpon the word of God. Saint Austen therefore must be reiected by his owne rule (as I haue prooued in my Motiues) when he dissenteth from Gods word, the true touchstone and triall of all trueth. And saint Austens inconstancie is plainely vttered in an other place,* 1.7 where he hath these wordes: Quod quidem non ideo con∣firmo, quoniam non resis••o. Which verily I do not therefore ap∣proue, because I do not impugne it. Out of which wordes I note, that though saint Austen could not approoue the opinion of the vulgar sort (as which he knew to haue no ground, but a meere naturall affection) yet would hee not condemne it, but leaue it as in suspense.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cyprian. lib. 4. Epis 5. Ambros de obitu Valent. ••
• * 1.2

  August. in ser. 17. de verbis apos. c. 1
• * 1.3

  Ambros. de obitu Valent. & Theod.
• * 1.4

  Aug. lib. 9. conl. c. 13. tom. 1.
• * 1.5

  August. in e••chi••. c. 110.
• * 1.6

  Marke this point 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.7

  Aug. de ciuit. lib. 21. cap. 24.