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

Eusebius. You shall not yet pluck it out of my hands for all that. For Saint John speaketh there properly, of the faithful, which have suffered, and which have been killed for the witness of the truth. For those have suffered sufficiently in this world, and have had their Purgatory. and accomplished their penance. He speaketh not generally of all the Christians, but only of the Martyrs, whom the great beast hath persecuted.

Eusebius. You shall not yet plucke it out of my handes for all that. For Sainct Iohn speaketh there properly, of the faithfull, which haue suffred, and which haue bene killed for the witnes of the truth. For those haue suffred sufficiently in this world, and haue had their Purgatorie. and accomplisned their penaunce. He speaketh not generally of all the Christians, but only of the Martirs, whom the greate beast hath persecuted.

Theophilus. I agree unto thee that the holy spirit speaketh that, chiefly for the consolation of the poor that be afflicted, which suffer persecution for the name of Jesus, ⟨p. 80⟩promising unto them rest, after the travails and wickedness of this mortal life, for to fortify and strengthen them in the cross, to that end they may be more patient in tribulation, and that they should persevere and continue boldly and steadfastly unto the end. But you can not deny, but y• the sentence is general, and that it comprehendeth all the faithful. For they cannot be faithful without bearing rightly the cross of Jesus Christ, and without having great pain and travail, after which they look for rest. And least thou shouldest think that I have alleged that place evil to the purpose, I will tell thee yet farther, that it maketh not only Purgatory to fall down, but also the invocation of Saints. For sith that roast from ¹their labours is promised unto the Saints, and that the prayers which the holy men make for their neighbours, whilst they are in this life, are comprised and contained amongst the labours of the saints, we may conclude, that fter that they have ended the course of this mortal life, and finished their combat, that they rest them that labour as well as the other. For they have no more need but to praise God, and to give him thanks, and ought no more to be occupied for to serve men, sith that they are out of all necessity, and that they have ended the ministry that they had among men. At the leastwise, although that it be, we have not in all the holy scripture. example nor yet authority, for to endure and lead us to invocate them: But we have not now to debate upon that point, I have only desired to touch the same by the way. As to the other matter, touch […] Purgatory, for to take front thee that fantasy which thou have against my interpretation. I will confirm it unto thee by the very interpretation of the Priests, taken from the chiefest of the Canon of their Mass. Mark well the Memento that they say when they sing Mass for the dead.