which are used to be performed by the faithfull for other faithfull according to the institute of the Church Art 4. And that the Souls of them who after Baptism received have contracted no blemish at all of any Sin as also those Souls which after they have contracted the blemish of sin are purged either in their Bodies or being UNCLOATHED OF THEIR BODIES as is above-said are PRESENTLY received into Heaven and clearly behold God himself in Trinity and Unity as he is yet according to the diversity of Merits one more perfect then another Art 5. But that the Souls of them who depart this life in actual deadly sin or onely in Original sin do PRESENTLY descend into Hell to be there punished though with unequal punishments We also define That the holy Apostolical Sea and the Roman Bishop holds the Primacy over the whole World and that he the Roman Bishop is the Successor of St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles and the true Vicar of Christ and the Head of the whole Church and the Father and Teacher of all Christians and that full power was delivered unto him by our Lord Jesus Christ in St. Peter to feed to rule and to govern the universal Church As it is also contained in the Acts of General Councils and in the sacred Canons Given at Florence in the publick Synodical Session In the year 1439. And subscribed by the Emperour of Constantinople and the Greek and Latin Fathers there and then present as it appears in the Books of the Councils B The Ten Heresies condemned by this Bull of Pope Benedict gathered by Eymericus in his Directory of the Inquisitors approved by Gregory xiii cited Pag. 29. IN the Extravagant of Pope Benedict xii says Eymericus which begins Blessed be God These following Heresies are condemned and their contraries are proved to be Catholick verities and to be held as matters of Faith The first Heresie is That according to the common ordination of God the Souls of Just men departed before the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ in which nothing was to be purged presently after the said Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ before the resumption of their Bodies and the general Iudgment did not see nor do see nor shall see cleerly and openly the Divine Essence nor do enjoy it No◠after the Ascension of our Lord Iesus Christ were are nor shall be in Heaven in the Heavenly Kingdome and celestial Paradise with Christ aggregated to the fellowship of the holy Angels The Second Heresie is That according to the common ordination of God the Souls of Just men departed before the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ in which something remained to be purged the purgation being totally compleated presently after the said Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ before the resumption of their bodies and the general Iudgment did not see nor do see nor shall see the Divine Essence clearly and openly not do enjoy it Nor after the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ were are nor shall be in Heaven c. The Third Heresie is That according to the common ordination of God the Souls of Just men departed after they had received the sacred Baptism in which nothing is to be purged when they depart before the resumption of their bodies and the general Iudgment do not see nor shall see the Divine Essence clearly and openly nor do enjoy it nor are nor shall be in Heaven in the Heavenly Kingdome c. The Fourth Heresie is That according to the common ordination of God the Souls of Just men departing after they have received the sacred Baptism in which there is somthing to be purged when they depart their purgation being also totally compleated before the resumption of their bodies and the general Iudgment do not see nor shall see clearly and openly the Divine Essence nor do nor shall enjoy it nor are nor shall be in Heaven c. The Fifth Heresie is That according to the common ordination of God the Souls of Infants regenerated by sacred Baptism departing before the use of their Free-will before the resumption of their bodies and the general Iudgment do neither see nor shall see clearly and openly the Divine Essence nor do enjoy it nor shall enjoy it nor are nor shall be in Heaven c. The Sixth Heresie is That according to the common ordination of God the Souls of all the aforesaid Just men departed before the resumption of their bodies and the general Iudgment shall not be blessed with the Divine Vision and Fruition nor shall have eternal life and rest The Seventh Heresie is That the Vision which the blessed Souls have of the Divine Essence is not an intuitive and facial Vision The Eighth Heresie is That according to the common ordination of God the intuitive and facial Vision and Fruition of the Divine Essence shall be evacuated in the Blessed nor shall be continued until the final Judgment nor from thence unto all Eternity The Ninth Heresie is That according to the common ordination of God the Souls departed in mortal Sin presently after death do not descend into Hell nor are tormented with infernal punishments The Tenth Heresie is That in the day of Judgmen◠all men shall not appear with their bodies before the Tribunal of Christ to render an account of their actions 2 Cor. 5. 10. that every one may receive the things done in his bodie according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad C. The Discourse of an Eminently Learned Divine of our Nation to prove the delivery of Souls before the Resurrection Cited pag. 42. The Condemnation of Blacklow or White by a Pope and General Council THe sense of the Florentin Council of the admission of some Souls even those that now are in Purgatory to Eternal Beatitude before the day of General judgment The Definition of the Council In the Name of the most holy Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost This Sacred and Vniversal Florentin Council approving we define That the Souls of those who after Baptism received have contracted no Blemish at all of sin as also the souls of those which after the blemish of sin contracted are now purged either in their bodies or uncloated of their said bodies as is above said presently are received into Heaven and do behold God himself in Trinity and Vnity as he is Thus the Council Though the very Text it self of the Florentin Council seemes abundantly sufficient to evince what we here aime at and intend yet that the Stubborness of some persons who are not the most knowing in the Ecclesiastical doctrin may more powerfully be repressed It is to be noted That when any doubt arises concerning the meaning of a Council we are diligently to seek out what occasioned such a Decree and find what was then chiefly agitated and debated The matter here in dispute between the Latins and the Greeks was this What Souls were admitted 〈…〉 to eternal Beatitude before the day of
himself when I find it so brought down to our capacities that it is pretended The examples of Logick and Natural Phylosophy equalize this Mystery when I am taught That the Father and Son in Divinis are Metaphors I have a great apprehension that this Doctrin and my hitherto received Faith agree but in words not in the things signified by them I do believe That God most freely and of his own goodness built this Vniverse I believe He is not necessarily tyed to the order or course of Nature And when I am now taught That God must contradict himself if he Act any thing against Nature That Out of the force and series of Nature nothing could happen better to Iudas then to be damned In fine God should cease to be God if this Flye should not now be in nature I fear though we agree in this word God our apprehensions jump not at all Christians apprehend and adore the liberal free hand of their Maker but a God tyed to any thing besides himself is not a Christian God but a Pagan Iupiter I do believe upon Christs words That if I keep the Commandments I shall enter into life and this is the foundation of my Doctrin of manners And when I am now taught That God neither commands nor forbids any thing However we agree in these words Thou shalt not Steal Thou shalt not commit Adultery my whole Doctrin of Morality is banished by this assertion It will hereafter appear your Master hath furnished us with a faâ— other Morality then ever Escobar thought of What do you think of this Position of your Master in his book of Government and Obedience ground 6. speaking of himself An other man says he is no otherwise to me then a peece of Cloath or Wood which I cut and shape after my own will fittingly for my use Even though I do him harme or seek his ruine It follows not I wrong him How well doth this agree with that Principle of Nature That we ought so to do to others as we would have them do to us In summ where I see a pretender to Demonstrate all the Mysteries of our holy Faith and that Faith shall cease and Evidence take place I justly fear though the words are still retained this is but to supplant Christ and his Doctrin our notions and significations of words must be changed or else these stupendious Mysteries can not be levelled to our weak capacities But though these be my apprehensions yet I wish I were mistaken I wish these new Doctrines may receive such Explications that they may appear no less Catholick then those I profess and shall be as happy to receive satisfaction as you to give it me but withal I must frankly promise you that I shall require your satisfaction both in these and many other Doctrines I do acknowledge with thankfulness that one may be instructed by Master White whose excellent Wit and Pen if duly applyed is admirable but if I mistake not he hath flown beyond the bounds fixed by an unerring hand and therefore desire you to accept of this serious Protestation That I have an intire respect for his Person and if any harsh word hath escaped my Pen it is the Doctrine not He that is concerned in the Epithete the same I speake and intend to your self Though if you consider the case aright where not only whatsoever is sacred to Catholicks but what the Heterodox-Party agree with them in is thus attaqued Where the foundations of Christianity and of all Religion the Liberty of God and Contingency of Creatures is thus attempted by a Lucretian Galamawfry Phylosophy to make way for a new Demonstrative Religion such an exotick design deserves not a more mild censure then what I have fixed upon it and yet I hope you will nor find your too too frequent Calumniating Adversaries or any thing like it in my whole booke If you think there is any animosity in my Discourse I heartily beg your pardon we daily say Sicut nos dimittimus where these heats are easily allayed and for our present Controversie of Purgatory let us patiently expect the determination of our undoubted Superior the Present soveraign Pastor who as the Florentin Council here tell us holds the Primacy over the whole World Who is the Successor of St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles and the true Vicar of Christ and the Head of the whole Church and the Father and Teacher of all Christians And who finally had full power delivered unto him by our Lord Iesus Christ in St. Peter to Feed to Rule and to Govern the Vniversal Church To whom we will Candidly Fairly and Religiously and not by any false suggestions or surprising friends as you most strangely suspect pag. 40. and thereby at once condemn both that Supream Court of Weakness if not of Corruption and your adversaries of Dishonesty remit the whole Controversie and humbly submit to his Judgment both in this Particular and in all other Disputable Points whatsoever FINIS THe Publisher desires my Adversary to take notice That if there be any thing in this Discourse which depends on matter of Fact in which he desires to be satisfied he is ready to give him intire satisfaction before any Person of Honour by undoubted Witnesses A THE BULL OF Pope BENEDICT the Eleventh Otherwise called the Twelfth Promulgated in the Year 1336. Concerning the State of Departed SOULS Faithfully Translated as it is in the Roman Bullary Printed at Rome Anno Dom. 1638. Benedict Bishop the Servant of Gods Servants To the perpetual memory of Posterity BLessed be God in his Gifts and Holy in all his works who through his mercy forsakes not the Sacred Roman Catholique and Apostolical Church which his right hand hath planted as his Vineyard and which he hath raised up as chief and Conqueress to be the head of all Churches our Lord saying to Peter Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church but by his blessed Apostles especially Peter and Paul the singular Defenders of the same Church keeps her through his compassionate Benignity and continual Piety that she being governed by these Rulers may remain stable in her self as founded upon the firm Rock and that all the believers of the Christian Faith may obey her may yield to her may intend to her may live under her authority may be under her discipline and correction That in her nothing may be taught rashly nothing brought in unwarily nothing in Faith unadvisedly introduced and that so men may decline from evil and do good that they may walk in the right paths and make progress to better things by their holy desires that they may hopefully expect the neer approaching rewards of the eternal life of just men and fearfully dread the not far off calamities of Hell appointed for the wicked For it is written Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to render unto every one according to his works But if it shall
be Inthroned Let Peter Paul and Iohn nay let our Master who came from heaven to teach us give way Let all other Doctors whatsoever attend upoâ— his Triumph Let the astonisht captivated world shutting henceforth their ears to all others hear him Alone Why should we trouble our heads any more with the Gospels with Paul We find no Satiety of our understanding in their bare naked Assertions In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God was the Word What if ten thousand miracles were wrought in confirmation of this Doctrine my Soul haâ—h not its full content I still thirst after light after evidence which here is not to be found Let us then shutting our ears to these drily proposed Doctrines hear great Trinobant and Satiate and glut our understandings with this his evident cleer Demonstration For thus what St. Iohn obscurely had told us he makes apparent That there is Vnity and Plurality in God without Repugnance Since that God knows himself and the thing defined being put the definition is also to be put in him but to know is to be another thing as another thing and to be known is to be an other thing as an other thing the business is plainly ended that God is in God as an other in an other and by consequence Aliety is truly and really and as a predicat of God found in God and not onely as a manner of predicating or as it is in our Vnderstanding Here is light here is evidence able to ravish a soul nay Satiate and Surfet her in the height of all her Thirst and longing after Truth Sect. 24. In truth Sir a sober Reader though he were in a melancholy mood would be tempted to smile at this Demonstration as you did pag. 11. at the word verbatim And yet that Passion would justly give way to his indignation against this Presumption No Christian but hath heard That the Faith our B. Saviour taught Mankind was to continue in his holy Spouse the Church on earth till the consummation of the world and his second coming to Judge And can we cease to wonder or indeed to conceive a just indignation now to find a Thomas the English-man who after Forty or Fifty years study should tell us That in truth we have all been mistaken there is no such matter But that in the Infancy and Child-hood of the Church She was to walk indeed by Faith but now in the third Age or Mans estate she is no more to be governed by Faith but by Science by Demonstration In this very Third Age or Mans estate of the Church in which now we live to begin undoubtedly from himself since he admits of no one Demonstration in any one former Schoolman and himself promises thousands And all this made out of the most prodigious explication of the Apocalypse that ever saw light as if it were a meer Poem and a Stage-play And peculiarly of that passage That there were two wings of a great Eagle given to the Woman that she might fly into the desart He understanding this Woman to be the Church these two Wings to be Faith and Science Faith which our B. Saviour gave her in his Oeconomy on Earth by which she was to steer her course in her Nonage But now She being come to Mans estate He himself gives her the other Wing of Knowledg for henceforth she is onely to be directed by his Demonstrations And with this new Wing he now gives her fairly she may walk if she please unless she be able to fly as she hath hitherto done for Sixteen hundred years with one Wing alone since this Wing quite destroys the other Evidence and Science being perfectly destructive of Obscurity and Faith But it is worth my Readers pains to see this admirable conception of his fancied demonstrative Third Age of the Church described at large in the same Book Sect. 9. and elsewhere In the tenth Chapter sayes he begins and is perfected the Enarration of the Third Age of the Church which because it is to be prosperous and blessed and subject to few evils therefore it is described onely in general c. The Reason of this is for since Grace prefects Nature and since in rational nature there are three degrees or species of knowledg by which successively the soul receives increase to wit Faith which governs Children Opinion which steers young men as yet unexperienced and unskilful And lastly Science which directs men now perfect It is necessary that in the Church Nature ascend by the self same degrees Till Constantins time the first Christian Emperour Faith alone took place From Constantin till our age Hereticks were combated by Rhetorical and Logical dissertations which because by little and little is fitted to conduct men to Evidence the immediat succeeding Age of the Church is to be expected in which Evidence succeeding there will be no place for Heresies but the Church shall flourish in most perfect Peace and Prosperity And having thus adorned the scene he brings himself down from Heaven with these happy demonstrations in this manner As in this Chapter sayes he S. John teaches describing unto us A strong Angel as fitting for mans estate Descending from Heaven from whence all good things are derived to us Cloathed with a Clowd That is with a celestial garment as who brings heavenly things to us not keeping himself aloof from us but even approaching and coming neer unto us â—nd the Rainbow which is the symbol of Divine Peace hung over his Head And his Face was like the Sun To wit as he who came to communicate perfect light to humane kind And his Leggs in strength and firmness as Pillars And in activity as Fire And he had in his Hand an open Book that is to be read and understood by All And in which there was no obscurity or involution And He put his right Foot on the sea that is he subjected turbulent spirits by force and Power And His left Foot on the Land that is confirming and strengthening the humble and meeek And he cried out with a lowd voice even like the roaring of a Lyon Which apertains to the latitude of the Church which is signified to be extended as farr as his voice might be heard c. And the effect of his voice was that the seven Thunders might speak their Uoices that is have their effects which the Apostle is forbidden to write for the reasons above delivered nevertheless he is commanded to seal them in his memory perhaps to be told to pious men in privat not publickly to be promulgated to the Church But least this could not be so happily adapted to himself and his long lasting third age of the Church steered by his Demonstrative Religion since presently the Text introduces this same Angel swearing That time should be no more and S. Iohn is presently described to have devoured this open Book which the Angel brought from heaven Which might seem to
be otherwise attempted by any one that she forthwith by her authority adding also punishments thereunto as she shall judge it expedient totally root it out For which Church to the end that she subsisting in her self might inform others our Saviour Christ Jesus prayed to his Father in the time of his Passion saying Simon behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may fift you as Wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith may not fail and when thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren 1. There arose indeed a matter of question not long since in the time of Iohn the 22 our Predecessor of happy memory between some Doctors of Divinity concerning the Vision of the Souls of just men after their death in which there was nothing to be purged when they departed out of this world or if there were it was now totally purged Whether they see the Divine Essence before the assumption of their Bodies and the generall Judgement and also concerning other matters some of them holding the negative some the affirmative others according to their own imaginations endeavouring to shew divers things and in divers manners concerning the Vision of the Divine Essence by the Souls aforesaid as it is known apparently by their words and writings and by their rejected Disputations which we here omit for brevities sake because they so differed amongst themselves from our determinations And whereas our aforesaid Predecessor to whom the determination of the above-mentioned Questions did belong had prepared himself in his publick Consistory as well before his Brethren the Cardinals of the holy Roman Church of whose members we our selves then were as before the Prelates and Doctors in Divinity many of them being present strictly charging and commanding them that each one should deliberately deliver his opinion concerning the matter of the aforesaid Vision when he should require it from them But being prevented by Death as it pleased God he could not effect it 2. We therefore after the death of our aforesaid Predecessor being assumed to sit in the Apostolical Seat more seriously considering how great dangers of Souls might be incurr'd and how many scandals might arise if the aforesaid contentions were left unresolved to the end that the diversity of opinions may perish and the solidity of truth may plainly appear having first made use of a careful examination of the matters aforesaid and having diligently deliberated with our Brethren the Cardinals of the said Roman Church Do with the advice of those our Brethren by the Apostolicall authoritie Define by this constitution to be valid for ever 3. That according to the common ordination of God The Souls of all the Saints which departed out of this world before the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ as also the Souls of the holy Apostles Martyrs Confessors Virgins and of the other faithfull departed after they had received Christs sacred Baptism in whom there was nothiâ—g to be purged when they departed nor also shxall be when heâ—eafter they shall depart this life or if there then be or shall be any thing to be purged in them when after Death they shall be purged And That the Souls of Infants regenerated with the said Christian Baptism and to be baptized when being baptized they shall depart this life before they have the use of their free will PRESENTLY after their departure and after the aforesaid Purgation in such as stood in need thereof EVEN BEFORE THE RESUMPTION OF THEIR BODIES AND BEFORE THE GENERAL JUDGEMENT since the Ascension of our Lord and Saviour Jesus into Heaven WERE ARE AND SHALL BE IN HEAVEN in the heavenly Kingdome in the celestial Paradise with Christ aggregated to the fellowship of the holy Angels and since the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ they have seen and do see the Divine Essence by an intuitive vision and even face to face without the mediation of any creature interposing it self by way of a visible object but the Divine Essence shewing it self immediately unto them nakedly clearly and openly And That they thus seeing the Divine Essence do enjoy the same Moreover That by such a vision and fruition the Souls of them who are already departed out of this life are truly blessed and have eternal life and rest and so shall their Souls be which shall hereafter depart this life when they shall see the same Divine Essence and enjoy it before the general Judgment And That this Vision and Fruition of the Divine Essence doth evacuate in them and cause to cease the Acts of Faith and Hope as Faith and Hope are properly Theological Vertues And That after such an intuitive and facial Vision and Fruition shall be begun in them the same Vision and Fruition without any interruption evacuation or cessation hath remained continued and shall be continued even to the final Judgment and afterwards even to all Eternity 4. Moreover We Define That according to Gods common ordination the souls of such as die in actual deadly sin descend PRESENTLY into Hell after their death where they are tormented with infernal punishments and That nevertheless in the Day of Judgment all men shall appear before the Tribunal of Christ with their bodies to render an account of their own actions that every one may bear the proper things of his body according to what he hath done whether good or evil 5. Decreeing That our Definitions or Determinations aforesaid and every of them be held by all faithfull people And that whosoever shall hereafter presume wittingly and pertinaciously to hold affirm preach teach and defend by Word or by Writing contrary to these our aforesaid Definitions or Determinations and every of them It be proceeded against him in due manner as AGAINST AN HERETICK 6. Let it not therefore be lawfull for any man to violate this Page of our Constitution or by a rash boldness to do against the same But if any one shall presume to attempt it let him know that he shall incur the wrath of the Almighty God and of the blessed Peter and Paul his Apopostles Given at Avinion on the Fourth of the Calends of February in the Second Year of Our Popedome In like manner it was decreed in the Eighth General Synod held at Florence under Eugenius the Fourth as appears in the Letters of the holy Union between the Latin and Greek Church In these terms Out of the Eighth Geneneral Synod held at Florence under Eugenius the Fourth In the Letters of the holy Union between the Latin and Greek Churches The Sacred Council aprooving We Define Artic. 3. IF truly penitent Souls shall depart this Life before they have satisfied for their Commissions and Omissions by the worthy Fruits of Penance That their Souls are purged by the punishment of Purgatory after their Bodies Death And that to relieve them from such their punishments the Suffrages of the faithfull yet living do profit them to wit Sacrifices of the Mass Prayers Alms-deeds and other offices of piety
our preaching is vain the cases being so far different for here St. Paul out of one absurdity which his adversary admitted deduces an other absurdity and presses it against him And I pray you when you write again tell us Whether the Councill and Pope Dispute here only and Define nothing or whether they argue only as St. Paul did If Souls be purged uncloathed of their Bodies they presently are received into Heaven before Iudgment both which according to you are impossible And yet Sir I applaud your conceit as pretty to possess your Reader that the Pope and Councill does not only not Define against you but indeed Define nothing at all and only dispute against your Adversary pressing out of one impossibility which he admits an other which follows it But you tell us p. 28. and that very truly that among the Divines in the Schools many times such impossible suppositions are staâ—ed to clear a point in question And yet you are somewhat unfortunate in your examples for in this example you bring If Iudas had repented heartily God had been merciful to him This is so far from being a Question that no Christian can hold the negative And for your other If there had been no Trinity there had been no Incarnation The supposition indeed is impossible but I would willingly know what Divine Disputes it Since it is impossible we can have any light that in case there should be but one Person in God he would not have taken Humane Nature upon him But though your questions be indisputable others upon impossible suppoâ—itions are where the question cleers a formality which depends not on the impossibility of the supposition foâ— so it would be nothing but might be proposed in possible terms though not so justly home to our understandings As for example the Divines dispute Whether if the holy Ghost did not proceed from the Son he would be distinguisht from the Son which question is no way impertinent it bearing this sense in other words Whether the procession of the holy Ghost from the Son be the precise reasen of the distinction between those two Persons And so for our better comprehension of this nicity is stated in that impossible supposition But though this and the like nice subtilities may beâ—it Metaphysicall Schoolmen yet with reasou you were shye and therefore tell us p. 28. However it may suit with the gravity of the Supreme Pastors Decrees to proceed on such Metaphysicall nicityes whilst in truth without these mealy mouth'd excuses you should have plainly told us That both the Pope and Councill proceeded on such quiddities however it beseemed or misbeseemed their Gravities or else you tell us nothing as to your purpose of building these Definitions upon impossible suppositions much less will it be to our purpose to tell us That perfect Charity brings an immediate Heaven which is not ours nor the Popes Question â—in which he was as you would perswade us to ennmerate all possible and imaginary Cases And yet you would possess your Reader as if those sacred Assemblies who are to deliver the World that Faith which is to regulate the practice of all and every Christian should proceed onely on these niceties and formalities of School-men For you insinuate p. 29. that the Pope spake onely to them as if we were bound to beleeve in our Metaphysical Disputes in the Schools whatsoever our practise be out of them And yet all our practise of Devotions for the Dead stands on the firmness of this Doctrine which if built on an impossible supposition these formalities can regulate just nothing So that the Objection you made to your self still remains in full force That this is but an evasion which gratis and without any ground you make use of to evade an otherwise unavoidable Authority I can not then but lament the misfortune of that Age that this School was not then opened or hearkened unto that you your self were not called to counsel in this business it would have saved both the Pope and Councils credit you had quickly taught them what Suppositions to make what decisions to build on them and much more effectually one Thomas the Englishman appearing from the East of the Trinobants had put a stop to this Torrent My Reader himself will easily observe what a wide gate is laid open by this Sphistry to evacuate the rest of that Bull nay the most of our holy Faith and Doctrine of manners Whaâ— if another Trinobant should rise and assert That it is not possible any souls of just men can pass out of this life without need to be purged in the next What could this Bull avail against him though he should accept it What can this definition That such souls passe immediately to Heaven be of force against him whom my Adversary hath furnisht with this ready Answer It depends on a false suppositionâ— the Opinion not the Faith of the Pope What if an other should sustain That it is not possible any soul should leave this life in mortal sin what could he be concerned in this Decree That such descend immediately to Hell whilest to him this Doctrine is built on a false supposition the Opinion not the Faith of the Pope And in our other Beleef what if a new Imp of Hell should arise and admit onely a metaphorical and not a real Son in divinis How could this Blasphemy be repressed by Consubstantialem Patri in the sacred Nicene Creed whilest he is ready furnisht with his Answer This depends on this false supposition That â—here is a real Son which I deny And in our Doctrine of Manners what if the same miscreant should say That a moderate affection to a Concubine is a less crime then â—n immoderate love to a Wife as less intangling our souls and hindring their pursuit of the Divine Love what could the contrary Faith of all the Christian world or the Doctrine of Christ saying If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments avail against him who hath his Answer ready That this Faith and Doctrine depends on this supposition That God hath forbidden the one and not the other whilst in truth God hath neither commanded nor forbidden any thing at all Sect. 22. And now having answered this I know not any thing else thar carries any appearance of strength in your Book So that I might fairly take leave of this Subject But I will not be a Niggard to my Reader I design to give him a cleerer view of your School this will serve as an Introduction to those further discoveries I design for the future And as to our present business of Purgatory My Reader may perhaps have met this new Model sustained in English he hath perhaps heard that the Faith we here fight for is but a late device brought into the Church by St. Gregory the Great the glorious Apostle of our now unhappy Nation pursued by Venerable Bede Odilo and a long Catalogue of eminent Saints and Doctors since that
time and so took its rise and continued support by piâ—us but sillily credulous Monks for all those Lights of the Church are most severely whipt for their foolish credulity of Dreams Fansies Melancholy apprehensions and nothings And besides because it is provoked after the mode of our late cast-aways in Faith to the primitive Ages immediate to Christ I will for my Readers just satisfaction give him two or three of the most eminently learned Fathers of those Ages to which they appeal and the rather because it will appear how far different their sentiments were both as to the Substance of those sufferings as well as to the Coâ—tinuation of them from those of this modern School Let Great St. Augustine stand in the Front We may not doubt says he but that the dead are helped by the Prayers of the holy Church and by the wholsome Sacrifice and by the Almes which are distributed for their souls c. For this is a Doctrine delivered by the Fathers and observed by the whole Church And afterwards Now when works of Mercy are performed for their assistance who doubts but that they help them for whom prayers are not in vain offered up to the Divine Majesty c. This place I choose to stand in the Front because it strongly asserts the Essence of Purgatory derived by Tradition from the Fore-fathers and observed by the whole Church and because it is so home to the relief those souls receive by our Prayers and Alms. And now this great Father having told us what he hath thus received as to the Substance let him also tell us what he hath received as to their Sufferings there and Continuation of them Let no man say I care not how long I must tarry in the way if at last I come to aeternal life let no one say so dear Brethren For surely that Purgatory fire will be more severe then any punishment which can be felt or imagined in this world And again According to the greatness of the sin shall be the length of the stay And again We must so long remain in that Purgatory fire until the aforesaid small sins as it were Chips Hay Straw are consumed Let us add to him Learned Origen more ancient then St. Augustine who though he afterwards erred yet in all points stood cleer when he writ those Learned Commentaries I here cite The nature of the sin says he is like the matter which is consumed by the fire which as the Apostle affirms is built by sinners who upon the Foundation of Christ build Wood Hay Stubble Whereby is plainly declared That some sins are so light as they may be compared to Stubble to which if fire be applied it can not stay long in it Other sins are like Hay which the fire also consumes without much difficulty though it stayes somewhat longer then in the Stubble And other sins are compared to Wood in which according to the quality of the crimes the fire finds a lasting and great substance to feed upon Thus therefore each sin according to its quality or quantity is punished but for how long time or how many Ages this purgation which is by the punishmâ—nt of fire shall endure he alone knows to whom the Father hath committed all Iudgment Let 's hear pious and learned S. Greg. Nyss. in that excellent disputation he had with hâ—s Sister Macrina As they who purge Gold saves he from its drossie mixture by the fire do not onely melt that which is adulterate but must of necessity melt that also which is pure together with the counterfeit bad and corrupted matter which corruption being consumed the Gold remains purified In like sort it is also necessary that whilst the naughtiness and corruption is consuming in the fire of Purgatory the soul which is united to this naughtiness and corruption must continue in the fire until that adulterate gross impure and corrupt matter be wholly abolisht and consumed c. Wherefore the torment and sorrow there suffered is measured by the quantity of the Vitiosity as he terms it and naughtiness which is found in each one of the sufferers For it is not meet that both of them to wit he who for a long time hath wallowed in forbidden evils and he who hath faln into certain mean offences should be equally tormented and afflicted by the purgation of his viâ—ious custome and habitude but proportionably to the measure and quantity of the matter shall that pain-bringing flame be inkindled to continue for a longer or shorter space of time according as it shall find fewel to nourish it The Soul therefore that is clogg'd with a great inherent burthen of matter must necessarily suffer a great and longer induring flame which may waste that matter But the soul to which that consuming fire is applied for a less space of time the pâ—nishment doth remit so much of its vehement and severe operation by how much the subject hath a less measure of corruption vitiosity and naughtiness to be consumed I hope Sir when you have perused and duely weighed the how long which rendred St. Augustine so sollicitous his length of the stay in propottion to the greatness of the sin the whose Analogy of Wood Hay Stubble in which St. Paul had before delivered this Doctrine of Purgatory exactly answered by the time of their sufferings in Origen his how long time how many Ages The whole design of St. Greg. Nyssen in his discourse his kindling the flame for a longer or shorter time his so many times repeated a great and longer induring flame his apply'd for a less space of time you will see those Ages to which you appeal had far other apprehensions of Purgatory then are consistent with your new Systeme and perhaps a modest Christian Divine would have blusht to pronounce That all these Apprehensions proceed but out of ignorance of the nature of separated Souls De Med. Stat. dimens 17. And if He had had the least respect for Christian Religion he would have sunk with shame to appeal from all the Light of Christianity to the ancient Fables and Fictions of Heathen Poets How could those shameless words pass from his Pen Much better then and more solidly then they did the Poet Philosophyse in the sixth the Aeneads where he fansied to have found his Purgatory never admitted or thought of in Christs School Pardon me Sir if a zeal hath transported me I can not endure the confidence of a Christian Writer who should prefer a Fable of Virgil before the consent of all Christianity and that now in point of Faith of Purgatory It is to give an approbation to an infamous slander I have read in a modern Enemy of the Catholick Church That she hath pickt her Tenets out of the Poets and now their Fables stand canonized in her Creed But to the consent of these great Lights of the Church let us add the publique Lyturgy the great conveyer of Tradition to us