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

It happened to him as it did to Vigilantius, Against whom Saint ¹Hierome hath written so outrageously, because that he allowed not, but rebuked the watchings which they made about the Sepulchres of the Martyrs, because that he knew already the superstition which would follow. S. Hierome was a great learned man, but yet nevertheless a child might judge that he did great wrong unto Vigilantius, and that he showed himself to be too much a man, and more superstitious then he ought to be For at this present, the time declared unto us, that the reason of Vigilantius was a great deal better then that of Hierome: & the abuses and Idolatries which have followed that custom that Hierome hath maintained, do manifestly declare, that then Antichrist advanced the secret of iniquity, to whom Hierome obeyed, without taking any heed. Now let us think, that sorasmuche as such a man as he was, did defend so sharply mans traditions and childish superstitious, what authority can the little ones have, which do put themselves against it or withstand ²it? and what shall the pore people do? Then when Saint Augustin did begin to write, he did then find owers opinions of the suff•nges and prayers for the dead, ⟨image 199⟩among those of the Church or the Doctors of the Church, and the question of Purgatory stirred up and moved, the which he also hath sifted and fanned. He then perceiving the opinions and reasons of others, which were not without appearance of wisdom and holiness (which are the titles which the Apostle attributeth unto mans traditions) ³was somewhat troubled and moved, and burst not altogether condemn them. That was the cause wherefore he spake of that matter after divers sorts & doubtfully, and that he seemeth some time to speak against himself. When he had no regard but to the pure word of God, he hath well spoken, as I will make it by and by appear. But when he had regard unto the opinions and reasons of others and grounded himself upon mans Philosophy, more then upon the certain word of God, he found himself sometime in great perplexity and doubt, and hath followed sometime more his human reason, then the verity of God revealed unto him. For when all shall be well considered, where in differeth that difference that he putteth between the estates of the dead from the