A reply to Fulke, In defense of M. D. Allens scroll of articles, and booke of purgatorie. By Richard Bristo Doctor of Diuinitie ... perused and allowed by me Th. Stapleton.

iij. To what origin he confesseth the Doctors to referre it, to wit, vnto Scripture, and Traditi∣on of the Apostles.

And here first, for perspicuitie, I remember to the Reader, what S. Augustine saith of fasting:* 1.1 [In the Scriptures of the new Testament, Video praeceptum esse Ieiunium, I see that fasting is commaunded: But what dayes we must keepe fast, Non inuenio in illis literis euidenter praeceptum, I finde not in those scriptures euidently commaunded.] And yet the fast of fortie dayes before Easter, and some others, both he & many moe of the Fathers doe say to be * 1.2 commended vnto vs in the Scripture of the new Te∣stament: but specially that it cōmeth expresly vnto vs of the * 1.3 A∣postles tradition without Scripture. The like they say of prayer for the dead, that it is expresly found in the holy Scripture: But the certaine times that it is solemnely practised as vpon the bu∣rial day, the third, seuenth, thirteth, fourteth, yeares day, and also in a certaine speciall prayer of the holy Masse: are (they say) ey∣ther all or some of them, of the Apostles plaine Traditiō, though also commaunded to vs out of Scripture. So say the Fathers: and for their so saying, let vs now sée what this mā saith of them. And to omit, (because it requireth a longer treatie) that he ma∣keth in effect no lesse then heretiks, of S. Augustine with others,* 1.4 for auouching sacrifice for the dead, out of the booke of Maccabées as out of Canonical scripture: Gregorie, Bernard, & Bede, (whō D. Allen alleageth vpon the place of Mathew. 12) are of opinion,* 1.5 saith Fulke, that sinnes not remitted in this world, may be remit∣ted in the world to come. But howe happeneth it, that Chryso∣stome and Ieronym, which both interpreted that place, coulde gather no such matter, although they otherwise allowed Pray∣er for the deade? the reason must needes be, because the error

of Purgatorie growing so much the stronger, as it were nearer to the full reuelation of Antichrist, Gregorie and Bede sought not the true meaning of Christ in this Scripture, but the confirmati∣on of their plausible error. Then S. Chrysostome bylike will please him:* 1.6 but heare I pray you, out of an other place: I denie not but that Chrysostome doth alleage this example (of Iob sa∣crificing for his children. Cap. 1.) for prayers to profite the dead. What shall we say? Those good men in that declining state of the Church to superstition, being destitute of the cleare testimo∣nies of Scripture, to maintaine those plausible errors, are driuen to such simple shiftes to vphold them, as it is great pittie to see. Againe, But where learned Chrysostome, that prayers and al∣mes had any comfort in them for the dead? surely he alleageth Scripture, but he applieth it madly, and yet he often applieth it to the same purpose.* 1.7 Alas good man. Likewise, Ambrose com∣mendeth Honorius (the young Emperour) for solemnising the funerals of Theodosius (his father) by the space of .40. dayes af∣ter the example of Ioseph. Genesis .50. such superstition crept in∣to the Churche first by emulation of the Paganes, and after see∣king for colourable confirmation in the examples of the Patri∣arkes.* 1.8 Againe, Those Doctors that would seeke confirmation of prayer and oblation for the dead in the Scriptures, as Chryso∣stome and such like, doe manifestly wrest them to their purpose. I doe here no more but note that he chargeth them whom he con∣fesseth to haue bene of the true Churche, euen so as he chargeth vs: But what Scriptures, and how substantially they alleaged, I must reserue to * 1.9 an other place: As that also which * 1.10 he gra∣teth vpon so often out of Tertullian, as if he should confesse, that prayer and oblation for the deade is not taken at all out of the Scriptures: Whereas in déede he doth not so say, but onely of the solemne times of such oblation, in such manner as I alleaged a litle before out of S. Augustine concerning fasting and fasting dayes. The offring anima die, vpon the yeares myndday for the dead, and the solemne memorie of them in the Canon of y^e Masse, these thinges Tertullian and others ascribe to the Apostles tra∣ditions, and not to precept of the Scripture.

And now for making it such a tradition, what saith Fulke a∣gaine of them?* 1.11 Thinke you, that prayers for the dead came from

the Apostles because Tertullian saith so? And a litle after: If Tertullian had no ground of his saying when he affirmed that oblations for the dead came from the Apostles, what ground can Augustine haue which was 200. yeres further from the Apostles time then he? And againe: Where Chrysostome saith,* 1.12 It was a∣greed by the Apostles, that in the celebration of the holy myste∣ries, a remembrance should be made of them that be departed, for they right well knew great profite to arise thervpon vnto them: he must pardon vs of crediting him. It is no maruell now after this to sée him fayne to denie the * 1.13 most certaine works of the A∣postles Scholars, Clemens Romanus, & Dionysius Areopagita, witnessing the same tradition, and to say, that we haue them but of some counterfayting knaue that could not otherwise main∣teine his heresie to be olde,* 1.14 but by falsifying and counterfayting anew, that which neuer was in the olde writers heades. Finally vnlesse he make the like counterfaiting knaue of S. Chrysostome also, he may sée by this testimonie of his, that he had no cause for this poynt to charge him or any other after him with suche a chaunge of the olde Liturgies, as he doth in many places, saying: But be it that Chrysostome & Basil did write these Liturgies,* 1.15 the oldest Fathers that can be giuen them: I would know what Li∣turgies they had in those Churches, before Chrysostome and Basil deuised those formes that are said to be theirs. If you would in déede know it, and namely for this poynt about the dead, Chryso∣stome him selfe, as also Augustine, Epiphanius, Tertullian, and others alleaged by D. Allen, hath tolde you, that it was all one and the same, afore and after. It followeth in him: And whye Chrysostome, Basill, Gregorie, or any other that prescribed newe formes of seruice, were not content with the old formes that were vsed in their Churches before their dayes: * 1.16vndoubtedly because they were too simple for their curiositie, too sincere for their su∣perstition, sauouring of the auncient truth, not fauouring their lately receiued errors. And a litle after: The authors of these Liturgies thought to confirme it by publike authoritie, whiche was before but a blinde error without a head. I shall answere this why of yours in the sixt Chapter, where I must answere for these Fathers.

Notes

• * 1.1

  August ••pist. 86. Casul.
• * 1.2

  Au. in p•• 110. & e•• 119. cap Hie•• ep•• Marcel. Monta••
• * 1.3

  Au. in p•• 110. & e•• 119. cap Hie•• ep•• Marcel. Monta••
• * 1.4

  Infr ca. •• Pur. 214
• * 1.5

  Pur. 19.•• Gre. 4.19. Ber. Ser. in Cant Bed. in Mar. 3.
• * 1.6

  Pur. 251.247. Chris. ho. ••4. in. 1. cor. 15. Such pitie may bring you into the pit of hell. Pur. 237.
• * 1.7

  Pur. 226. Amb. de. obit. Theod.
• * 1.8

  Pur. 363.
• * 1.9

  See ca. 13.
• * 1.10

  See cap. 9. pag.
• * 1.11

  Pur. 39••.
• * 1.12

  Pur. 303.
• * 1.13

  See cap. 13.
• * 1.14

  Pur. 268. The modestie of the man to∣vvardes the old vvriters.
• * 1.15

  Pur. 356. I∣tē. 360.371.
• * 1.16

  See his boldnes.