The Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Divided into three parts, dialogue wiseThe Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Deuided into three partes, dialogue wise

THE SUM OF THE second book.

THE SVMME OF THE seconde booke.

Sith that we have already declared in the first Dialogue the agreeing of the Platonical, Poetical, and Papistical Purgatory, and the divers manners of purgations, that have been, aswell among the Paynims as the Christian Idolaters, and how all those things were invented by the Priests for to serve their avarice, and rapacity, the which was more greater in them, then it was ever in others: Now we will bring in, declare and set forth particularly their other practises, & the office which they do for the dead, & how at the funerals, burials & mortuaries they follow more the errors and abuses of the Paynims, then the examples of the true servants of God aswell in their singings and lamentations that they make for the dead, as in torches, lights, belles, ringings, and sepultures. Therefore I have entitled this Dialogue: The office of the dead: In which also we will declare, what is the honour that is due unto the dead: what ought to be the burials, funerals, and the sorrowing of the Christians: what hath been the beginning, in making, commemoration & prayers for the dead. Also we will declare the principal points of the Mass of Requiem, that they do sing for the dead, and we will prove by their own words, that they do pray rather for the Saints and Saints, and for those that are in Paradise in joy and celestial rest, then for those which are in pains, be it in Purgatory, or in any other place, according to their own doctrine: and how by their own prayers they sufficiently testify and witness that in their doctrine there is nothing that is certain, and that they hold not those whom they do judge to be in Purgatory, as assured of their salvation.

SIth that we haue already declared in the first Dialogue the agreeing of the Platonicall, Poeticall, and Papisticall Purgatory, 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 funeralls, 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 lamentacions that they make for the deade, as in torches, lyghtes, belles, ryngings, and sepultures. Therefore I haue intituled 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 beginning, 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, according to their owne doctrine: and how by their owne praiers they sufficiently testifie and witnesse that in their doctrine 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.