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

But yet that that he toucheth of the prayer for him which one burieth, is written after a sort, that he doth sufficiently declare that if was a vow and a desire that the faithful had of his health and salvation, and a witness that they do give, not that the same came of an opinion that they had either of Purgatory, nor of the pains which the souls of the faithful should suffer after their departing from this life. Wherefore their witness serveth me, for to prove, at the leastwise that such custom is not of the ordinance of the Apostles, sith that they cannot bring forth any other certain witness, but that they report it unto the ancient fathers For by that which hath been already declared and expressed, it is easily to know what the commemoration of Martyrs have been, and of the faithful that be dead sithence the time of Tertullian and Cyprian. And doubt not but that that which the ancients have done, was partly and principally for to abolish the Parentales and other superstitions which the Gentiles had about the dead, as already hath been amply declared. For they did think that it would be very hard so pull them away, if in steed of their customs, they had not put in some other, for so content them & for them to muse and study oil: As we may see by that ¹which Saint Augustine hath written, of gluttony and drunkenness which was used in his time of the burials ⟨p. 180⟩of the dead and in hallowing the Churchyards. He saith that they cannot be abolished, if one do not forbid that villainy by the Scriptures, and that the oblations which they make for the souls of the dead upon their sepulchres, be not sumptuous, nor of great cost, and that one should give cheerfully and without pride, unto all those that demand it, and that they sell them not. But if there be any that will offer any money, that it be distributed presently unto the poor. Saint Augustine giveth sufficiently to understand that the ancients have been constrained to invent and bring forth many Ceremonies in the Church, for to chase and drive away the Idolatry and superstition of the Paynims:

But yet that that hée toucheth of the prayer for him whiche one buryeth, is written after a sorte, that he doth sufficiently declare that if was a vowe and a desire that the faithfull had of his health and saluation, and a witnesse that they doe giue, not that the same came of an opinion that they had eyther of Purgatory, nor of the paines which the soules of the faithfull shoulde suffer after their departinge from this life. Wherefore their witnesse serueth mée, for to proue, at the leastwise that suche custome is not of the ordainaunce of the Apostles, sith that they cannot bring foorth any other certeine wytnesse, but that they report it vnto the auncient fathers For by that which hath bene already declared and expressed, it is easely to know what the commemoration of Martyres haue bene, and of the faithfull that bée dead sithence the tyme of Tertulian and Cyprian. And doubt not but that that which the auncients haue done, was partlye and principally for to abolish the Parentales and other superstitions which the Gentiles had about the dead, as already hath bene amply declared. For they did thinke that it would be very hard so pul them away, if in stéed of their customes, they had not put in some other, for so content them & for them to muse and studye oil: As wée maye sée by that