A14461:877
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 Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Divided into three parts, dialogue wise: set out with such grace, that it cannot be, but that a man shall take great pleasure in the reading thereof. Translated out of French into English, by John Brooke of AsheThe 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
London: printed by Thomas East, 1579
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Theophilus. I think that thou hast very strongly displayed and set forth the principal weapons that thou canst find for to defend thy quarrel, and that if I have once satisfied those objections, I believe that the matter shall be ended as soon as he toucheth the witness and authority of the ancient fathers. As touching Saint Denis and the author of that book of the celestial and ecclesiastical Hierarchies, I have already 1ready told thee what it was. For who knoweth not, that that book of the celestial Hierarchia, is more worthy to be some dreamer, then of Saint Denis the Disciple 2of Saint Paul? For it he had written either of the Angels or of the order of the Church, he had would rather have followed Saint Paul his Master, then the dreams of his own head: and he would not have spoken of such matters, otherwise then he in his Epistles. If thou do diligently read that book of Denis, whatsoever it be, thou shalt there find, that the prayers which are made at the burials are made for those that be alive, and not for the dead: And doth confirm that which we have already spoken off, of the manner which the ancients had to praise the dead. Wherefore it should not be needful to reiterate that which already hath been opened before, if thou wouldest understand that which one telleth thee: But we are always to begin with thee. I have already sufficiently declared unto thee, from what original and beginning the commemoration which is done for the dead in the Church came first, and what hath been the custom of the ancient fathers, the which was altogether contrary from that which is now in the Popish Church. Wherefore that which thou hast alleged of Denis and Tertullian doth confirm my matter, as I will prove unto thee by Cyprian, that holy Martyr, who hath read and well underderstanded 3Tertullian, if ever man did understand him. For he had him in such reputation that he did call him 4no otherwise but the Master through his great excellentnesse: ⟨p. 178⟩Insomuch that when he would read in his books, he said always, bring me the master.