primitive church of the apostles, as God's word is from the superstition of man, and the doctrine and life of Saint Peter (that was but a record of Christ and his doctrine, Acts i.) from the life and doctrine of Boniface the Eighth, Acts i. which is written post Sextum Decretalium. Better therefore it is to believe with Saint John and the catholic church, that the dead be at rest, than with the school of the gentiles and multitude of men to judge them in pain. But let us hear what more the Holy Ghost saith unto Saint John.

Their works follow them.

By this text we learn two things: first, how these that die in the Lord be not nor cannot be hurt by the obloquy and slanderous report of ill speakers. Seeing the world for the most part accounted the very Christians of God to be heretics and seditious persons; therefore saith the Holy Ghost, "They depart hence with their own works:" which saying should cause us to bear strongly the perverse judgment of the world; for the judgment of God is just, and judgeth not after the face, but according to the truth. Let all us therefore lament and bewail our sins past, presently begin a better life, and hereafter beware in Christ of the like fall; then let the world say what it will.

The second doctrine here of Saint John repugneth and overthroweth the opinion of many ignorant and superstitious persons, that whiles they yet live here themselves passeth little what faith, religion, or works commanded by God they do; but in the time of death they think to redeem all their sins by other men's works after death, with mass, pilgrimage, pardons, and other. Foolish be they that sell this abomination; but more fools be the buyers, seeing Christ once cast such sellers out of the temple. But those hath the pope and his received in again with both hands. And as Christ beat them out with scourges, so the pope and his adherences with whip and fire beateth as many as call the people from this merchandise; and no marvel, for

[2 Platina gives a very dark picture of the character of Boniface the Eighth, in his Lives of the Popes. The book of Decretals called "Sextus" was collected under his pontificate. See Platinæ Vit. Pontif. and Corp. Juris Canon.]

2 Cor. v.

he is Christ's adversary. Because therefore this error hath so much availed in many men's consciences, that it is very difficult to remove it, (partly because they that sell wax rich by the means, partly because the merchandise seemeth good to the buyer, that trusteth to appease the ire of God with money,) I will rehearse testimonies of the scripture to prove that no man is the better for another man's Matt. xxv. works when he is dead. Christ, Matt. xxv., asketh, of the same he gave his talents unto, account of the same man again for the use of his talents, and thereunto constraineth each of his creditors. In the same chapter, sitting in the last judgment, as it were requireth account of such works as were done by them that shall be judged whiles they were yet alive : "I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; athirst, and ye gave me drink ;" and so forth read the place. In the Old Testament and in the New is written many times, that the just God will give unto every man after his own works: so saith Saint Paul, Gal. vi., and to the Corinthians, "As he soweth, so shall he reap;" and that saith he also, 2 Cor. v. "Every man shall receive as he hath done in his body, be it good or ill.” And be mindful of the five foolish virgins, that teach us how dangerous a thing it is to trust unto boughten merits. When they were waked out of the sleep to go meet the bridegroom, and had not oil sufficient in their lamps, they went unto their merchants to buy: but in the meantime, whiles they were agreeing upon the price, the gate was shut, and the miserable virgins excluded, and kept out from the eternal joys. After the same sort men, being ignorant of the truth of God's word, useth in the time of their sickness with the unlearned priests. Whiles the miserable and afflicted sick man is crucified and tormented with the fire of hell, in his agony and passion of death, asking counsel of his curate; when his curate should persuade the sick man to the restitution of his neighbour's goods and fame, if any such wrongs were committed, and then persuade him of Almighty God's mercy in Christ, in whose blood he forgiveth all offences, Gen. iii. Esa. liii. Ephes. ii. and maketh the sinner more whiter than the snow, Esa. i.; then the ungodly curate setteth forth his merchandise to sale; masses, ringing, lights, peregrinations, with other like. The wretched sick

Gen. iii.
Isai. liii.
Ephes. ii.
Isai. i.

man, though his conscience beareth him record these things satisfy not, nor removeth the greatness of his temptation; yet seeing he knoweth no better, and hath learned no farther than the opinion of man hath taught, he beginneth to entreat with the priest upon the price of his merchandise, and many times before they be fully at a point, the buyer and seller, the poor sick buyer dieth, and the gate of salvation is shut in: and thus for the lust of feigned purgatory, that the scripture of God feareth no man withal, he findeth unfeigned hell (eternal damnation), from whence neither the living, neither the dead, can release him. And thus I will yet add, in case there were any purgatory, yet could not the souls be delivered by these remedies that superstition hath prescribed, seeing their remedies for the most part be blasphemy against God: as the mass, a profanation of the Lord's supper, holy water, with other such like; and other of their remedies be foolish and to be mocked at, as the ringing of bells, to ease the pain of the dead, with other.

Live

I beseech you all, brethren, in the dear blood of Christ, to leave buying of God's grace, and the merits of men, that cannot merit enough for themselves: your own goods thus bestowed shall work your own damnation. Remember this saying of Saint John: "Their works follow them." hereafter virtuously, that ye may die godly. He fighteth not manfully, that is brought up always delicately. In the hour of death is like to be our hardest assault and greatest danger. The book of our conscience shall be opened. The devil will aggravate and give all the strength he can to our sin, and will (if God suffer him) either extenuate and diminish the mercy of God, or clean cause us to despair: hell then will gape and his mouth upon us. open Make ready, therefore, while ye have time, for yourselves in the blood of Christ, and study amendment of life. Besides the scripture, hear what Saint Augustine' saith, Tract. xlix. super Jo. Unusquisque cum causa sua dormit, et cum causa sua resurget: that is, "Every man sleepeth with his own cause, and shall

[Sed quomodo interest in ipsis qui quotidie dormiunt et exsurgunt, quid quisque videat in somnis; alii sentiunt læta somnia, alii torquentia, ita ut evigilans dormire timeat, ne ad ipsa iterum redeat: sic unusquisque hominum cum causa sua dormit, cum causa sua surgit. Aug. Op. Basiliæ 1542. Expos. in Joan. tr. 49. Tom. ix. col. 360.]

rise with his own cause." In our sickness let us therefore do these two things; reconcile ourselves to our neighbours: the second, let us cry unto the Lord in Christ, saying, "I believe remission of sin."

THE CONCLUSION.

If we will not lament the death of our friends, let us hear and read the scripture diligently, that saith, "They be blessed that die in the Lord." And we, if we purpose to die well, while we be in health, let us learn to know, to fear, and to put all our trust in the Lord, solely and only through Christ; and then in the trance and dangerous agony of death we shall overcome manfully, and say rather for our friends that die, "Blessed and thanked the Lord, who hath vouchsafed to take unto him his servant in the blood of Christ, from the miseries of this world, and the ills thereof;" rather than to say, (as the most part of men doth,) "God have mercy upon his soul!" which word includeth a very doubt of the state of the dead, and more spoken of custom than of knowledge. Let us therefore with the Holy Ghost say, "Blessed be the dead

that dieth in the

Lord." So

be it.

FINIS.

Imprinted at London by
Edwarde Whitechurch

at the signe of the
Sonne in flet

Strete.

1549.

Cum Privilegio ad Im

primendum solum.

INDEX.