Theophilus. I am abashed, I know not whether I 1shall speak it of the ignorance & malice of your doctors. For if they understand that Saint Ambrose hath allowed that which they at this day do uphold and maintain, they do greatly err, and show themselves to be very ignorant. Also if they understand his intention and meaning they are very malicious and wicked, to pervert and mar the sense of the same, for to maintain their abuses, and always the more to keep the poor people in error. First, they well perceive and see that Saint Ambrose maketh no mention, neither of Purgatory, 2nor of Mass for the dead, and that that place cannot serve but for the sorrow that men take for the dead. For yet in that time, the Church approached nearer unto the purity of the primitive Church, and was not so much corrupted, as she hath been afterwards, sithence the time of Pope Pelagius and of Gregory the great. This then that he maketh mention of the first, seventh, thirty, and forty day, in his book and sermon that he made of the death and burial of Theodosius, is not set forth by him, for to nourish and hold the people in the superstitions of the Paynims, as you do, but rather to draw them back from it, and for to induce and leave the Christians unto more greater honesty and modesty, to the sorrow that they ought to have for the dead. For that cause did he propound and set forth the example of the Israelites, not that he would thereby make a law ⟨p. 118⟩unto the Christian people, that they should mourn, seven, thirty, nor forty days, because that the Israelites have mourned so many days for lacob, Moses, Aaron and Mary their sister, & yet less for to cause Masses to be said, and to banquet and make the priests broken, as they do 3daily, at the Portuaries and Anniversaries. For then he should teach the Christian people to play the Jews, 4and sin against the Christian liberty, if he would of all the examples of the Scripture, and of the things done by the Israelites, draw out & take laws and statutes, for to command them unto the Christian people as necessary and ordained of God. For first of all God never hath defined, nor determined by his law, certain days, nor yet to lament and mourn for the dead, nor for to make any commemoration of them, as it appeareth very well, by the examples afore alleged.
Theophilus. I am abashed, I knowe not whether I 1shall speake it of the ignorance & mallice of your doctors. For if they vnderstande that Saincte Ambrose hathe allowed that which they at this day do vphold and maintaine, they do greatly erre, and shewe themselues to be verye ignoraunt. Also if they vnderstand his intention and meaning they are very malicious and wicked, to peruerte and marre the sence of the same, for to maintaine their abuses, and alwayes the more to kéepe the poore people in errour. Firste, they well perceiue and sée that Sainct Ambrose maketh no mention, neither of Purgatory, 2nor of Masse for the dead, and that that place cannot serue but for the sorrow that men take for the dead. For yet in that time, the Churche approched néerer vnto the puritie of the primatiue Churche, and was not so muche corrupted, as she hath bene afterwards, sithence the time of Pope Pelagius and of Gregory the greate. This then that he maketh mention of the first, seuenth, thirty, and forty daye, in his booke and sermon that hée made of the death and buriall of Theodosius, is not set forth by him, for to nourishe and holde the pepole in the supersticions of the Panyms, as you doe, but rather to draw them backe from it, and for to induce and leave the Christians vnto more greater honesty and modestye, to the sorrowe that they ought to haue for the dead. For that cause did he propound and set foorth the example of the Israelites, not that he woulde thereby make a law ⟨p. 118⟩vnto the Christian people, that they shoulde mourne, seuen, thyrty, nor forty dayes, bicause that the Israelites haue mourned so many dayes for lacob, Moses, Aaron and Marie their sister, & yet lesse for to cause Masses to be said, and to banket and make the priests broken, as they do 3dayly, at the Portuaries and Anniuersaries. For then he should teache the Christian people to playe the Iewes, 4and sinne against the Christian liberty, if hee woulde of all the examples of the Scripture, and of the thinges done by the Israelites, draw out & take lawes and statutes, for to commaunde them vnto the Christian people as necessarie and ordeyned of God. For first of all God neuer hath defined, nor determined by his lawe, certaine dayes, nor yet to lament and mourne for the dead, nor for to make any commemoration of them, as it appeareth very well, by the examples asore alledged.
- 1Answer to the objection.A•svver to the obiection.
- 2Lamenting and sorrowing for, the dead.Lamenting and sorrovving for, the dead.
- 3Numeri. 10. a. 1.
- 4The Christian liberty.The Christian lybertie.
