Zpon the L ortles Prayer. &1 tofufpe& a Plea, before that is made againft the Truth. Many things might be heere touched, but who is wife will confider what is not openly touched,and be- ware. let one thing more I pray you anfwere mee in this mátter,andthat is concerning the death May they be prayed for of vs, after they are departed ? No indeed,vnleffe weewill prefume in zeale and affeelion above any warrant of the word of God,and fo pull vpon vs(as we haue heard before)both finne,and the reward thereof. For we haue no corn mandement anywhere to doe it, being yet expreffely commanded to pray for the Lining; and to doe Inch duties alto for the dead,as are fit & allowable,as to burle them,to mourne moderately for them, and fo as may become men and women that haue hope oftheyrrcfurrettion, and lire eteruall,to be faithfull performers of theirfas wills,acd Inch like. We haue no example of any in the Canonicall Scripture thateuer did it : we haue no pro- mile to be beard ifwe doe it : nopunifhmentthreatned ,ifwe doe itnot. And is not this a great nakednes of an a aion,to haue none ofall thefe ? yea,fuch a naked - nes,as (hall touch and preffe any man or woman lining, that drfire to pleafe God by true and right obedience ? 7 ruely it is.. And we are not able to name any one thing that God bath in good liking to haue his children doe,but it either hath all; or the moil of theft. It hath a commandement,it bath a promife,it bath example, it hath punifhment threatned,ifnot done,&c. Wherefore let vs confider it,and be not carried away with vaine fhiftes. Wee vfe to fay, we doe it for good will, and if it doe them no good, it doeth themno harm e. But is there any true good will which is not allowed by God ? Should not his liking and allowance. bee the rule and guideof vs and all our doings ? if then we can finde where hebiddeth fhcwe our good will in this fort,vfe it,and feare not : ifwe cannot,neytherthinke that is good will which wanteth the Lords fiampevpon it , vnles youwill affirme .that God condemncth good duties to our Brethren, which-God forbid.. Then confider againe,that albeit it neither butt nor profite them,yetin truth ithurteth vs that doe it, both becaufe it is an Action without warrant,and therefore not of Faith,and fo finde : and becaufe alto it confirmeth and propped) vp that leawd o- pinion of Purgatorie, fo derogatorie to the truth of God, and the comfort ofhis= children. Therefore if¡wee will ihewe good Will to our Friendes departed,let vs fpeake of them as men andwomen in the hand es ofGod, and in fuch comfort, as .that :they neede not any prayersbf vs;departed in a true Faith,and therefore now poffeffors bf the Promife; .euen of fuch ioyes, as no Eye bath feene, no Eare bath hcard;neitherany heart binable to conceiueof. For thus to hope of them,islike ,friends to hope of them, and,thus to fpeake hurteth not our felues. Our phrafes may be as eafie,God bath had mercie on him I truff;as God haue mercie on him : lice is with God I hope,hee is at refs from his labours,he hash finifhed his courfe; z Mac6,r a,44 or any fuch like. If we will a little at firs labour to forget a bad cusome,when it :feeketh to come vpon our tongues fo readily. Then for the place in the Macha bees, our anfwer firs toucheth the Bookes,andthen the matter. The bookes we except agaïsafi,a5 not Canonicall(that.ìs)ofsuthoitic to bujlde our faith and obe- dience vpon ; and the reafons of our fo doing,are fuch,as neuer haue,neither can bee truely anfwered by anyaduerfarie. I pray you let it not griene you, both to heare them, and very diligently to marke them. Firs, the,. holie Ghos neuer vfeth to Epitomife aid Contract, any prophane . bens worker and writings, but is able of himfelfe to write,and lay downe what- aMxb y29. foeuer maybe profitable for 'his Church,and fo hash euer done But the fecond booke ofc..í?lachab eel ,whence this place for Prayer for the dead is taken, is an a- bridgement wholly out of theflue books of lefon the(ìrenian;as the author him - ,feife confeseth : and therefore not a writing or booke of the holy Ghos. i,MacL,t8.3p S.ccotidly,the author of this booke craueth pardon for his wánts,and faith it is a well as he was able to doe : but thus neyçher the holy Ghoftat any mans,hand. For
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