The Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Deuided into three partes, dialogue wise: set out with such grace, that it cannot be, but that a man shall take greate pleasure in the reading thereoff. Translated out of French into English, by Iohn Brooke of Ashe.

THE SVMME OF THE seconde booke.

SIth that we haue already declared in the first Dialogue the agreeing of the Plato∣nicall, Poeticall, and Papisticall Purgato∣ry, and the diuers manners of purgations, that haue bene, aswell among the Panims as the Christian Idolaters, and howe all those things were inuented by the Priestes for to serue their auarice, and rapacitie, the which was more greater in them, then it was euer in others: Now we wil bring in, declare and sette foorth perticulerly their other practises, & the office which thei do for the dead, & how at the fune∣ralls, burialls & mortuaries they follow more the errours and abuses of the Panims, then the examples of the true seruaunts of God aswell in their singings and lamentaci∣ons that they make for the deade, as in torches, lyghtes, belles, ryngings, and sepultures. Therefore I haue inti∣tuled this Dialogue: The office of the deade: In which also we will declare, what is the honour that is due vnto the deade: what ought to be the burialls, funeralls, and the sorrowing of the Christians: what hath bene the be∣ginning, in making, cōmemoration & prayers for the dead. Also we will declare the principall poynts of the Masse of Requiem, that they doe sing for the dead, and wee will proue by their owne words, that they doe pray rather for the Saints and Saintes, and for those that are in Paradise in ioye and celestiall rest, then for those which are in paynes, be it in Purgatorie, or in any other place, accor∣ding to their owne doctrine: and how by their owne prai∣ers they sufficiently testifie and witnesse that in their doc∣trine there is nothing that is certeine, and that they holde not those whome they doe iudge to be in Purgatory, as assured of their saluation.

It shalbe also declared what is the true Purgatory of Iesus Christ, and the true satisfaction of the Christians to∣wards

God, for their sinnes: and how the Papisticall Pur∣gatory and satisfactions doe disagree altogether from the promises of god, & the remission of sinnes by Iesus Christ, It shalbe declared in lyke maner for what cause God doth chastise and punish the faythfull in this world, and not in the other: what are the good workes, and wherefore God will iudge men by them: and how we must watch and do penaunce, and trauayle whilst we are in this lyfe, without trusting vppon the good deedes that other will doe for vs after our death. Item, what are the good deeds that we ought to doe for the dead, and wherein we may succour & helpe them, and the great iniury & wrong that the Popes and the Priestes doe vnto Iesus Christ, and to all the Chri∣stian people, holding them in the sincke and dungeon of their peruerse doctrine and traditions: What fishermen they are, and what their flouds and ryuers are wherein they fish and catch the golde and siluer and not the men: what are their relicks and holy bodyes: and how they do abuse the dead bodyes to the great dishonour of God and of his Saints as the Coniurers and Sorcerers doe. And wherto ser∣ueth all that which is done at the burialls, and chiefely to those which are buried in the habite or coole of Saint Fraunces. And in the ende we declare how Iesus Christ contayneth in himselfe all that which is needefull for vs, both in lyfe and death.

For to enter then into the matter, Theophilus bring∣eth the other in order.