the words of the Bul do run Manus porrigentibus adiutrices for such as shall put to their helping hands In the Church of S. Mary deliver vs from the paines of hell for that is the Churches name there are dailie granted eleven thousand yeares of IndulgeÌ„ce to such as shal bring an honest offering that is to say that shal giue not to the poore indeed but to the rich Moncks not to those that weep but to those that sing for now almes with the true vse thereof hath also altred the signification of the word In the church of S. Praxede you haue dailie twelue thousand yeares of verie pardon and as manie Quarentines of daies with the remission of the third part of your sins in such maÌ„ner that visiting this church three daies on a row you shal purchase plenarie pardon of all your sins and six and thirtie thousand years by provision besides the Quarentines which the Popes haue since encreased to sixscore thousand years for everie daie witnes the book of Indulgences printed at Rome in the house of Iulius Accolto an 1570. see also the book of Romaine Indulgences sundrie times printed at Rome namely in the yeare 1519 the second of Februarie by Marcell Franck. Yet are all these pardons but few in regard of those that belong to the Church of S. Iohn of Lateran Gab. Biel in his 17. lesson vpoÌ„ the CannoÌ„ of the Masse the somme whereof yee shal find either hanging vpon tables or graven in the wals of divers churches of Rome All this do we set downe to shew that as the plaister ought to be fitted to the largenes of the wound so the Popes haue thought it meet to perswade men to beleeue that the paines of Purgatorie are of long continuance sith they require so long a time to purchase release from the paines thereof withal presupposing that in that so fiery and scortching a countrey where the sun hath no being they reckon all by daies and by yeares This long continuance is also to bee gathered out of the Revelation of Venerable Bede in the fifth booke of his historie cap. 13. That is to say about some nine hundred years since where he saith that the souls which in his time were in Purgatorie should be delivered in the daie of Iudgement except some few that shoulde bee redeemed from thence by the praiers of the living Moreover besides all this the selfe doctors of the Romish Church doe agree that even during these so violent torments the soules neverthelesse are assured of their salvation out of the danger of hell neither do I know since when this opinioÌ„ crept into the church of Rome for in the Masse for the dead we finde a clause after the Gospell that contrarywise doth testifie that still they are in danger These be the words Libera Domine animas omniuÌ„ fidelium defunctorum de poenis Infernis de profundo lacu libera eos de ore Leonis ne absorbeat eos Tartarus O Lord deliver the soules of all the faithfull departed from the infernall paines from the deepe lake deliver them from the throat of the lyoÌ„ least the gulph of hell should swallow theÌ„ vp so they fall into vtter darknes Tearms over bitter to signifie Purgatory and such as may in no case stand with people assured of their salvation We haue also the ordinary prayers said â—t burials yea and vsed at the funerall of 〈◊〉 Pope wherein we find no mention of Purgatory Indeed this soule is brought â—n as praying to be delivered from hel and from eternall iudgement in these words Saue me o Lord from eternall death â—n the terrible day when the heauens and â—he earth shall bee moved Sacrar Cerem lib. 1. Sect 15. and when thou halt come to iudge the world by fire I treÌ„ble and quake and doe feare when the examination shall come and the day of wrath of calamitie and of misery that great and woÌ„derfull better day Speeches which caÌ„not proceed from a soul assured of her salvatioÌ„ Surely wheÌ„ these praiers were first penned these matters were not yet well considered of and this may we easily gather from Pope Gregory the first who in his dialogues placeth the Purgatory of some souls in bathes of some vnder the leaues and of some vnder the Ice and this do these three champions that haue assaulted my treatise both say and defend for nothing to them is to hard or to hot Damian speaketh of a soule that had her Purgatory in a river but whither she swam with the stream or against it he saith not The Rosarie of Bernardine hath of this nature many revelations and the Legend of S. Patricke telleth vs that in Ireland there is a caue that openneth into Purgatory to be briefe albeit many soules are returned from those partes which haue brought news yet did the matter still rest full of doubt vntil the Councell of Florence which among other occasions was assembled to perswade Purgatory to the Greeke Churches who both before and yet do deny it albeit their deputies in the Councell did agree vnto it in hope of succours against the Turk True it is that we find some more ancient Councels which made mention of prayer for the dead but hereafter we shall most evideÌ„tly proue that these prayers make nothing for Purgatory also that such prayers as we find among the ancients doe plainely shewe that they beleeved no Purgatory Even to this day doe the Greek Churches pray for the dead yet doe they deny Purgatorie In the last session therefore of this Councell holden in the yeare 1539. was it defined that wee should beleeue Purgatory In which Counsell as in all others holden within these fiue hundred yeares the Pope sat president and that with such auctority that hee grew to bee adored and intituled The Divine Maiestie the spouse of the Church the Saviour and Lion of Iuda the king Prince of all the world having all power both in heaven and in earth All which titles were attributed to Pope Leo the 10. in the Councell of Lateran Thus in all these Councels nothing passed but by his will Sess 1. 3. 9. 10. in such wise that if any did contradict him hee was soone burned as was Iohn Husse in the Councell of Constance notwithstanding the safe coÌ„duct and faith given by the Emperour and al the Councell But to returne to our Matter The soules thus purged in this fire are brought into Paradice Howbeit because this purgation will growe somewhat long the Popes mercy doth sometimes abridge this punishment For besides that the paines that the living haue vndergon for theÌ„ as fastes almes whippings pilgrimages liberalities to the Church c. also that the Masses fouÌ„ded for the deceased which leaue any rents or annuities to a convent or abbey or other religious house if we may beleeue those that sing theÌ„ are of great vse to mitigate and allay the heat of Purgatory and to
doubt of the Lords sentence in the day of iudgement The Friers falshood But our adversaries say that the soules in Purgatory are assured of their salvation and therefore the Frier pag. 56. omitteth these last words of S. Cyprian 3. Finally sith hee speaketh of such as doe pennance after their revolt it is not possible hee should speake of soules separated from their bodies either of Purgatory Wrongfully therfore doe my adversaries make so many brags of this passage for it is most vniustly and fraudulently alleaged As also the Frier pag. 63. citeth S. Hierom vpon the fourth of Ieremy and in his second booke against Iovinian also Nazianzē in his 39. oration and Basil in his oratiō vpon the 9. of Esay where hee speaketh of purging torments and afflictions of a fire that trieth the faithfull but in this life or at the day of iudgement And here doe our adversaries shew the third degree of their bad consciences in their allegations of the Doctors Of Commemoration and prayer for the dead practised by divers of the ancients and that it maketh nothing for their Purgatory Throughout the bookes of my adversaries there is nothing more grosse thē their false presuppositiōs that they make aboue an hundred times wherby so soone as they haue alleadged any father that speaketh of Commemoratiō Almes Oblations or Sacrifice for the dead they strait conclude Then is there a Purgatory A matter false and that for sundry reasons 1. Wherefore did Saint Augustine in writing a whole tract of the care for the dead set downe never a word therin of Purgatory 2. Why did they offer for the Apostles Prophets Martyrs and made sacrifices for them As witnesseth Cyprian in his third book Epist 6. and in his fifth booke Epist 4. dare my adversaries therevpon inferre that the primitiue Church beleeved that the Apostles were in Purgatory 3. Epiphanius accuseth Arrius of heresie because hee reiected praier for the deade and bringeth many reasons to proue that this prayer made for the Patriarches Prophets Apostles and al the faithful is profitable to bee received yet speaketh hee not one word of Purgatory albeit that was the place where to speak of it or not at all 4. Denis falsly tearmed Areopagite disputing of the cōmodity of prayer for the dead still presupposeth that those for whom wee pray are blessed propounded for examples to the living and for matter of thanksgiving but of Purgatory or of any fire that purgeth soules he hath not a word 5. We haue heard in the second of the Macchabees that to pray for the dead is but meere madnesse vnlesse we haue regard to the Resurrection so not to the torment of Purgatory 6. The Greeke churches do pray for the dead yet do they denie Purgatory 7. Wee heard before by Chrysostome in his 32. homily vpō Matthew that such as procured praiers for their dead parents did beleeue that they were in flowred meddowes in that homily in aboue twēty places he saith that Death is the entrie to rest and an end of sorrow S. Augustin in the ninth book of his Cōfessions praieth for his mother Monica and S. Ambrose for the Emperour Valētinian yet do they protest that they beleeue that these parsons deceased are with God do enioy the pleasures of Eternall life But the matter of greatest consideratiō is that S. Ambrose saith that Valentinian dyed without Baptisme Oratione de obitu Valentiniani Valentinian I say who was a great Emperour and a Christian even from his birth having so many cleargy men at his command at whose hands to haue received Baptisme who then did better deserue to bee confined into Limbo or Purgatorie then he yet saith Ambrose He is in coelestiall felicity 9. Wee haue heard that most of the ancients shut vp the soules of all men in certaine hidden receptacles where they desired refreshing thervpon had they some groūd to pray for the dead albeit they did not beleeue Purgatorie wherin appeareth the corrupt faith of the Frier for he sets a brag vpon the words of S. Augustine in the 110. chapter of his Manual Wee must not deny but that the soules of the dead are relieued by the piety of the liuing but hee was wiser then to alleadge the wordes going before namely The soules are in hidden receptacles euen from their decease vntill the resurrection For so it woulde haue appeared that the opinion of S. Augustin touching praier for the dead was grounded vpon an error which the Church of Rome reiecteth also that frō an error will soone spring an abuse 10. We haue alreadie heard the opiniō of Origen and his followers touching the fire of the daie of Iudgement that should scortch and burne the soules evē of the most holy and perfect Also wee haue shewed howe fearefull S. Hillary was of this fire All this therfore might haue ministred vnto thē argument sufficient to haue praied for the deade as trembling at the punishment to come 11. What more can we desire Let vs make our adversaries our iudges in this case Do not the Priests many times receiue money for saying Masses for the young children that dyed soone after Baptisme who neverthelesse as they beleeved were neither in Limbo nor in Purgatory Let them now choose whether they will confesse their error or acknowledge their Avarice their want of knowledge or their bad consciences 12. Do they not in their dailie Masse pray for the soules that sleepe in a slumber of peace and therfore are not in the horror of flames 13. Let vs therfore heare the forme of the ordinarie praiers of the Church of Rome for the dead This book of sacred cerem sect 5. c. 1. libera domine à morte aeterna in die illo tremendo Saue them O Lorde from Eternall death in that terrible day when the heavēs and the earth shall bee moved when thou shalt come to iudge the world by fire I trēble and feare when the triall shall come and the wrath to come that day of wrath of calamity of misery that great and mervailous bitter day They pray that the souls of the dead may be saved from eternall death and the last iudgement which is more Throughout all the publicke praiers of the Church of Rome for the dead we finde not one word of Purgatory which proveth that it was not yet established in the Church at that time when they praied onlie for the refreshing of souls in their hidden receptacles or for the last iudgement or to eschew Eternall death 14. Finally is it not a matter mervailous notable that among such a multitude of the passages of the fathers by our adversaries quoted for praier for the dead there is not one that saith that these praiers were made to redeeme soules out of Purgatory This thē is the fourth degree of the deceipts and fraudulent allegations that our adversaries do make whē at every speech they still inculcate praier for the dead for proofe of
of this fire howe chaunceth it that hee drawes out no more What humanity is this in him that is tearmed The holy father and is the head of the Church to let his children lie frying in the horrors of a flaming fire and yet is able to help them out And he who saith that if by his bad courses hee shoulde carry innumerable troopes of souls into hell with him Can. si Papa Dist 40. yet let no mā presume to reproue him for he that is iudge of all is not to be iudged of any Why doth hee not fetch thē out of Purgatory by troops 8. Neither are we here to alleadge that the Popes giue their pardons to the dead in forme of suffrages intercessiō but not of Iurisdictiō absolute power for in this questiō that is of no import because it is holden that in whatsoever forme the Pope giveth these pardons they be alwaies of force and the soules be released by thē out of this fire there fore our continual demand is this why he offereth not his Indulgences or suffrages for more folkes and for longer time then he doth 9. At the least this remaineth sith the Pope pretendeth Iuridical power over the living and giveth them pardons with Iurisdiction and power to absolue from all temporall paine why doth he not take order that every mā may before his death receiue ful Indulgence And that everie the soules of the faithfull may carry along with it three or foure hundred thousand yeares of pardon for her better indemnitie why should the French or Spanish be in lesse favour with God then the enhabitants of Rome of whō none goe to Purgatory vnlesse he be a very dolt considering that even at his dore he hath so many Churches where in in one day he may purchase two or three hundred thousand yeares of pardon 10. Again how is it that the Pope delivereth the soules that are not of his charge from so long and grievous a torment and yet cannot deliver the living that are as he saith of his charge from the smallest paines diseases and afflictions Hereto the Frier in liew of answer saith J am a foole and so overslippeth them with many frivolous demands to no purpose 11. Whereof also cōmeth it that our Doctors memories are so short as to forget that before hauing said that of necessitie the soules that haue not sufficiently satisfied in this life must be purged in Purgatory so to satisfie the Iustice of God they can now be content to permit the Pope by his pardons to fetch the soules out of this fire and thereby hinder both the purging of the soules and the satisfaction of Gods iustice But if they reply that Gods iustice is satisfied because the Pope presenteth for them the overplus of the merits of Iesus Christ and his Saints they runne themselues on the pikes for why did he not presēt to God the same merits before the soules departed out of their bodies so to exempt thē wholy out of Purgatory Or rather why should wee goe into Purgatory at all sith Iesus Christ sitting at the right hād of God and offering to his father his benefit for our redemptiō performeth all that the Pope pretendeth to doe Against so many such pregnant obiections our Doctors do shroud themselues vnder a miserable distinction as vnder a wet net against the raine They say that the Pope delivereth no soules out of Purgatory by any Iuridicall authoritie but by suffrages And the Doctor Du Val expoundeth this dictinction by a similitude he saith If the french King were desirous to redeeme out of Spaine a prisoner there detained for debts he would not offer to fetch him thence by authoritie or iurisdiction but by suffrage and entreatie offering his debt to the king of Spaine Here he compareth our King to the Pope the king of Spaine to God and Spaine it selfe to Purgatory but that wee must say is in regard of the Inquisition Now albeit this distinction hath no more force against such maine obiections then their holy water against the divels yet must I open the falsehood and absurditie thereof Pag. 41. 48. 75. For first herevpō these Doctors do contradict themselues for Cayer fighteth against his companions and maintaineth that the Pope giueth his Indulgences to the dead by power of absolution and that hee pardoneth their sinnes as a king and indeed in the taxe of the Popes Chancery wee finde these words For an excommunicate person for whom his parents doe entreat the letters of absolution Pro mortuo excommunicato pro quo supplicāt cōsanguinei litera absolut vaenit Duc. 1 Caro. 9. disp 7. c 34. disp 6. c. 41. Bielin Can. Missae lec 57 the charge is one duckat and nine Carolus Also Michael Medina a Doctor of note among our adversaries doth hold that the soules in Purgatory are vnder the Popes iurisdictiō See also the wordes of Bonaventure alleaged by Gabriel Biel. If any man maintaineth that the Vicar of Iesus Christ hath power of Iurisdiction over the dead wee must not greatly contradict him Thus our people are of contrary minds but reason and practise are on Cayers side Reason because these words to pardon informe of suffrage or intercession beare no sense besides that there is contradiction in them for how is it possible to pardon a man by entreating for him to pardon by forme of petition or intercession hee that hath interceded to the king for a criminall person will never say that he pardoned him The same doth common practise convince for what meaneth a pardon given to the soule by buls patents sealed in forme of a decree Doe wee not also reade in Maior and Wesselus Maior in 4. Dist 20. quaest 2. Clemens 6. In Bulla super Iubileo quod revocavit ad Annos 50. that Clement the sixt commanded the Angels to transport into Paradice the soules of those that died in the voiage to the holy land Nay more Toward the end of the Councel of Lateran holden vnder Innocent the 3 yee shall find a Bull wherein he promiseth to all chose that shall goe in the expedition to the holy land not only plenary remission of all their sinnes but also an augmentation and higher degree of glory in the kingdome of heaven but to such as would not goe themselues but send others at their charges he granteth only remission of sinnes yea he proceedeth so farre as against the gainesayers of the iourney hee denounceth that they shall answer him in the day of iudgement as if the Pope should then be iudge In all this it appeareth that the Pope pretendeth to haue power over the dead But what should we seeke for more proofe whē Pope Sixtus the fourth in a Bull set downe in the first booke of sacred ceremonies in the chapter of the benediction of the sword vanteth that hee hath all power in heaven and in earth The same degree is also attributed to Pope Leo the tenth in the last
haue given power to bind and lose vpon earth and in heaven and on my behalfe demand of him this Indulgence Herevpon this good Saint repaired to Pope Honorat at his hands craved this large Indulgence without offerings But the Pope answered him that it might not bee Note this principle for it was meete that whosoever would purchase pardons must also merit them Ponendo manus adiutrices by putting to his helping hand id est by coÌ„tributing Being asked for howe many yeares he demanded this pardon hee answered that he craved no yeares but soules and therevpon would none of his buls but said that the Virgin should be his paper Iesus Christ his Notary and the Angels his witnesses But now is this Indulgence restrained to one day of the yeare only and that is the first of August It is called Portiuncula or S. Mary of the Angels vpon which day whosoever visiteth the said Church obtaineth remission of all his sinnes coÌ„mitted since his baptisme as well for the sinne as for the punishment wherof it ensueth that whosoever dieth comming from theÌ„ce shall never come in Purgatory This Indulgence is yet in great esteeme in Italy and is set downe in Bernardines Rosary and Bellarmine defendeth it in his second booke of Indulgences Thus doe we with griefe behold the accomplishment of the prophecie of S. Paule 2. Thes â— 11 God shall send them strong delusions that they shall beleeue lies and that for a punishment because they haue accompted Godlinesse to be a gain religion a marchandize for the time and Gods word a dangerous booke such a one as the common people may not looke into so long as such vngodly and impious â—nventions are published as most convenient for the instruction of the vnâ—earned This is the history of Purgatory â—hese are her tenents and butteresses and herein were matter sufficient to make men merry had they not a greaâ—er ground of sorrow in seeing religioÌ„â—urned into fables and the only cleanâ—ng of our sinnes which is the bloud of â—esus Christ be as it were degraded and â—based to the ende to make a gaine to â—hose who in the Temple haue againe â—aised vp the tables of the mony chanâ—ers which Iesus Christ did once overâ—hrowe and cast downe Of the Limbo of Children The third stage or chamber is the Limbo of children deceased without â—aptisme The third place who are there without torment as also without pleasure Pag 9. or hope ever to come forth and there doe remaine saith our frier in griefe for that they cannot attaine to beatitude and this is it that they call poena damni but if this grief be also felt it is poena sensus and surely it were a goodly matter to knowe what they doe in this place where they haue no communication either with God or with the Divels besides that they are without remembrance of any thing that they haue seen or done having no body to instruct them sith also that they must rise again and what sentence the Iudge shal in the day of iudgement passe vpon them For our Lord Iesus Christ in the 25. of Matthew speaketh of no more but sentence against the damned and for the elect But these questions are to bee resolved by Doctors for the word of God penetrateth not so farre The auctor of The fire of Helie doth resolue vs Pag. 38. saying These children shall not bee iudged in the last day For it is written in the 3. 〈◊〉 S. Iohn Whosoever beleeveth not is already â—udged But they never had faith then be they already fully iudged By this his Maiesteriall conclusion he also maketh the children that die soone after Baptisme to be already iudged and banished into Limbo for they likewise had no more faith then the former that died a â—ittle before Then maketh he one step of a Clarke farther because hee seeth not that Not to beleeue in this place is spoken of the rebellious and incredulous for of those that haue not beleeved Iohn speaketh in the next verse following Vers 19. They loved darknesse more then light that is to say errour more then â—ruth which cannot bee imputed to children newe borne Thus the Church of Rome by excluding childreÌ„ that dy without Baptisme from salvation committeth sundry oversights 1. First in so doing shee tyeth the Grace of God to the water 2. Here â—y also shee referreth the salvation of â—he child to the power of man or of a midwife for if they list to baptize the childe while it is dying it shall go into Paradise if they list not to baptize it it shall not come there 3. Herein also they accuse God that he provided but badly for the salvatioÌ„ of children born vnder the old Testament in that hee would not haue them to bee circumcised before the eighth day 4. Neither was it a small point of rashnesse mixed with barbarisme to bring in the custom practised at Paris where they cast their children headlong into a gulph that is in our Ladies hospitall or Gods house 5. Againe these our Masters doe place this Limbo vnder the earth and so what shall become of it when the earth shal haue no more being but be vtterly consumed with fire as saith S. Peter in hiâ— second Epistle Apoc. 21.1 chap 3. and David Psal 102. ver 26 27. At the least they should in time haue chalked out some other lodging for those childreÌ„ in some other place This so presumptuous and cruel doctrine against children is grouâ—ded vpon the words of Jesus Christ in the third of S. Iohn Except a man be born of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Wherin the church of Rome is contrarie to her selfe for shee holdeth that many are saved that were never baptized in water as many Martyrs that were never baptised in water neither will it serue their turne to say that those Martyrs were baptized in their blood for this place of S. Iohn importeth That of necessity they must be borne againe of water besides that this baptisme in blood is contrary to the caÌ„nons of the Church of Rome which saith that the Sacrament is no Sacrament if hee that conferreth it hath not â—n intent to baptize But the heathen executioners had never any intent to baptize Againe sith Baptisme is vnreâ—iterable what reasoÌ„ is it that the martyrdome of a man not baptized should be Baptisme Yet will wee not deny but â—hat the Martyrs are baptized in their â—lood alwaies provided that this word to baptize be taken simply to wash aâ— that is the significatioÌ„ of the word but if we speake of Baptisme as it is a Sacrament of the Church a scale of the covenant exhibitiue of the grace of God in Jesus Christ the blood of a sinnefull man cannot bee this washing for the blood of the sonne of God is the onlie washing of our sins In answere to this place of the third of S. Iohn I
in any other place shall wee find any word thereof Thus is this place now emptie if we cannot find any to lodge in it And because it is likely that the Franciscans according to their rule doe not goe into Purgatory single but by two and by two This Limbo lying in the way to Purgatory seemeth a very convenient place to lodge him who being departed hence alone must attend his companion Besides these foure places Bellarmine who lately writ at Rome The flowred meddow and as it were in the Popes bosome with the approbation and commendation of all the Church of Rome but particularly of al our Doctors in the 7. Chap. of his second booke of Purgatory hath found out a fifth place that is to say a bright and cleere meddow all diapred with sweet smelling flowers which hee maketh to be a dependance of Purgatory and as it were a withdrawing chamber wherein those doe take their rest who are most kindly entreated most gently dealt withall and groundeth himself vpon the auctoritie of venerable Beda and Dionise a Charterhouse Monk an auctor of great credit whoe is full fraught with fantasticall revelations he should haue added how these flowers doe spring without sun or raine frō whence that goodly brightnesse could pierce into those deepe partes of the earth Out of this meddow do the souls immediately passe into Paradice but before the comming of Iesus Christ they went thence into Limbo a matter of great compassion that passing out of a bright meddow full of recreation they should come to bee shut vp in a darke prison Such therfore is the building which our Masters haue erected vnder groūd making by an order contrary to nature the lowest chambers to be the hottest digging without any autoritie of the Gospell sundry compartiments vnder the earth like to mouldwarpes blinded with the sunshine of Gods word In this place I would entreat the reader throughout all this mysterie to take note of a certaine kinde of soules which should haue more agilitie experience then their fellowes so many walkes and turnings are they put vnto These are those soules who departing from their bodies vnder the old Testament were first presented before the Iudge and thence sent into Purgatory but escaping thence after a scalding fire entered into a bright meddow ful of recreation Afterwards from this medow they passed into Limbo thence came forth with Iesus Christ then did they follow him 40 daies vpon the earth finally entered into Paradice Let vs therefore finde no farther fault with Plato or his Metempsychosis for his revolutions and passages of soules are nothing so prodigious indeed our Masters doe carry away the bell for invention from all Poets These matters thus dispatched and set out as it were in a table it resteth that wee now examine this Purgatory and the abuses therevpon depending and proue that the word of God is a spring more then sufficient to quench this the Popes so profitable a fire Here may our Reader if it please him note that Purgatory is by our adversaries placed among the Articles of our beleefe so as vnlesse wee beleeue therein Bellarm. de Purgat lib. 2 cap. 12. Haec sunt we cannot bee saved that the importance of the matter may tie him to attention So shall we breake one of the legges of this Colossus one of the principall pillers of Babylon CAP. 2. That the holy scripture is a sufficient iudge for this question as also for all other cōtroversies concerning faith and that therein is no mention of Purgatory or of any Indulgence whereby to release soules out of the torment thereof to a iudge that beareth them so smal favour they many times giue it some gird Thus saith the Auctor of the fire of Helie Pag. 61. Albeit there bee no mention of Purgatory in the Scripture yet cannot Du Moulins conclusion bee but bad in saying there is no Purgatory And here he raketh togither a number of things which saith he are not in the holy Scripture Yea so presumptuous is our Franciscans ignorance as to say that throughout the old Testament there is not one expresse word of the immortalitie of the soule Pag. 16. In this regard it is requisite that before we proceed any farther we trie these Doctors in this case to the quicke and defend the perfection of the holy Scripture Amid the corruptions of the world wee haue yet this honor that we be the advocates of Gods cause and of the worthinesse of his word Which as S. Paul 2. Tim. 3. saith is able to instruct vs and to make vs wise to salvatiō Initio lib. 2. adversus Gentes which also saith Athanasius abundantly suffiseth to instruct vs in all truth Wherein as saith Chrysostome vpon the second Chapter of the 2. to the Thessalonians is cleerly cōtained al that is necessary For was it possible that aforetime the fiue books of Moses were sufficient to instruct the Church to salvation that now the same fiue bookes together with the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles cannot suffice hath God forbiddē to adde or diminish to the bookes of Moses Deut. 4.1 and nowe that both in the old and new Testament we haue much larger instruction shal it be tollerable to adde an vnwritten word Other Canonicall bookes Other articles of faith Jf the Gospell be sufficient to saue vs who shal be so bold as to say that the new Testament doth containe but part of the Gospel To alleadge either the tiranny of custome or the antiquity of a traditiō without the word of God what is it but to alleadge the antiquitie of Error and to arme both Iewes Gentils with the like reasons cōsidering that vntruth is very ancient yea it hath beene even from the beginning also that against the truth no prescription of time may take place To ioine therfore to the holy scriptures an vnwritten word and to make the traditions of the Romish Church equal with the bookes of the olde and new Testamēt is a great disparagemēt to the Maiestie of the holy Scripture It is as much as to do that which expresly is forbiddē in the law of Moses that is to plow with an oxe and an asse to yoake togither things very vnequall to make man equall with God and the lead of the Popes Buls with the pure steele of the spiritual sword of the Gospel True it is that they tearme these Traditions the word of God and traditions of the Apostles but they shewe not when or to whom God did first inspire them They deliver vnto vs the Canon of the Masse for an Apostolical tradition wherein neverthelesse they name some persons that lived three hūdred yeares after the Apostles time Thus the Indulgences the forgiunesse of all sins at the end of every 25. yeares The communion vnder one kinde The fetching of souls out of Purgatory by Popish Indulgences The prohibiting of the lay people from reading of the holy
hee should rather come with lamentation and sorrow yea even with execration What shall God entreat the wicked with more gentlenes And shall my horse or my mony exēpt me out of a burning fire of many hundred yeares continuance Shall God shew favour to a soule not after the stedfast faith or burning charitie thereof but according to the time when it shall depart whether in the yeare 1599 or in the yeare 1601 And yet we must with silēce adore that which crieth for vengeance before God and which testifieth how farre covetise hath enchroched vpon religion Shall Romish pollutions be given vs for rellickes blasphemies for oracles and the same compared with the misteries of God election and healthsome vocation Indeed if of two wicked ones God will pardon the worst no man can accuse him yet surely he will not pardon any such before he giue him repentance and grace to become an honest man But to say that of two elect and children of God he will in a tedious and hot horrible fire roast him that hath beene the most vertuous and bring the worst strait into Paradice because hee had money or a horse to carry him to the Iubile or for that he died soone after the Iubile it is as much as to spit God in the face to paint out prophane toies in his temple for God will iudge every man according to his workes not according to his wealth his horse or his aboade Now as one absurditie once set downe a thousand will ensue so the whole discourse of the doctor vpō this place is even a web of blasphemies For soone after he saith The mercy of God is in al places to be found Pag. 76. but not alike for in the Temple God giueth better eare to our prayers then elsewhere Is it for that God is neerer to the Temple or because in those places God hath his hearing better Mat. 6.6 How then doth Iesus Christ counsell vs to enter into our closets to pray if God doth better heare our prayers in a Temple then in a closet Yet put the case it were so still the inconvenience that we haue propoūded doth remain For why should God pardon sinnes in one Temple rather then in another When throughout the world there was but one Temple where the true God was served it was no marvail that the faithfull were bound to goe to it but in the Gospell where doe wee finde that ever God subiected vs to goe to seeke remission of sinnes in a Temple farre of and to leaue those Churches that bee at hand Who seeth not that this is done for gaine because the sum dispearsed in many places and passing through many hands would insensibly vanish and weare away and so could not serue those purposes which the Pope and his Prelats had before set downe In all the premises it appeareth that the Doctor doth but mocke and beleeueth nothing of all that hee hath said neither is this the first tract wherin he discovereth himselfe Pag. 60. for whereas Beda Dionise the Charterhouse Monk Bellarmine and with them Cayer the fire of Helie do place a floured sweet field at the end of Purgatory I asked him how these flowers grewe vnder earth without sun or raine this venerable Doctor answered that in me it was meere doltishnesse to aske such a question for saith he these flowers are not really vnder the earth but the Lord by an Analogie instructeth vs of things in the other world Let vs beare with his rusticall Philosophy this licence to call Purgatory the other world which neverthelesse hee placeth vnder earth sometime in Bathes sometime in Rivers sometime in Ice sometime vnder the leaues of trees But who can endure that the dreames of a few Monks should bee tearmed the word of God Either that when they tell vs these fables it is God that instructeth vs All this the frier passeth over without any answer but meerely excuseth himselfe saying that he will speak more thereof the next Lent in his lenten sermons The like answere hee might haue made to the whole booke never troubled the Iesuits of Tournon for their helpe 23 Finally admit Purgatory should breed none of these mischiefes yet surely it cannot bring any good for what benefit can grow of being tormented in the fire To say it purgeth our sinnes that matter is already answered convicted not only of impietie but of contradiction and impossibilitie for themselues doe also say that the sinnes bee not purged but the paines And S. Iohn telleth vs that the blood of Iesus Christ doth purge vs from all sinne And the punishment or torment for a sinne is no purgation from that sinne nether were the whip or gibbet ever tearmed a purgation 24 To the same purpose It seemeth that all punishment is either for satisfaction and his revenge that punisheth or causeth to bee punished Aul. Gel. lib. 6. cap. 14. Clem. Alexand lib. 4. stromatum versus finem or else for the correction and punishment of him that is punished either else for an example to others But the fire of Purgatory yeldeth no satisfaction or revenge to God considering that hee hath already taken satisfaction and revenge for our sinnes in the death of his sonne Iesus Christ neither for the amendment or correction of the soules that are in this fire for they are already iust and without sinne neither for any example to the living for no man seeth any thing neither to make vs the more honest by holding vs in feare for God desireth not to be served for feare of punishment but in loue and voluntary obedience besides if it were a matter that stood vpō feare hell were sufficient to terrifie vs. Pag 80. Pag. 109. The fire of Helie the frier impute to mee that I should say that I beleeue not Purgatory because I see nothing but where said I so but I say I beleeue none because I so find it in the word of God and therefore the Monkes amplifications to this purpose are cold and grounded vpon a slander Bellarmine with him my adversaries doe imagine that they haue found a commoditie in Purgatory for say they It is profitable to the glory of God that the secundary causes should worke that is to say that our soules should contribute sōewhat towards the purchasing of salvation God then belike honoureth his creatures in making them to be tormēted sith that to bee tormented is the way to contribute towardes the purchase of salvation They then that doe longest abide in torments do cōtribute most and God sheweth more favor to them then to those whom hee tormenteth lesse or whom by the Popes Indulgences hee fetcheth soonest out of the fire As for this principle it is a point in natural Philosophy but not alwaies true in Divinity wherein it were better to receiue supernaturall graces from God then to put forth our forces and so to worke naturally Howbeit let vs accept of this
in this life must bee purged by fire They resemble foxes who being hunted doe saue themselues in some thick bush for they seeke only thorny and darke places 2. It is here spoken of a fire that trieth the worke but tormēteth not the persons 3. Also even in Purgatory the soules are not tried but punished for God needeth not their triall to knowe them 4. Againe here it is spoken of a fire wherein every mans worke shall be manifest In Purgatorie nothing is manifest to vs. 5. Againe of a fire wherein every mans works are tried Pag. 17.18 then also the worke of the Virgin Mary and of the Apostles which moved the autor of the fire of Helie to make them also to passe through Purgatory But he saith this fire shall bee to them as the fiery furnace was to the three children which seemed a moist wind Thus doth this doctor imagin or mock but his companions say nothing 6. It is here spoken of a fire that burneth the worke but not the soules and vpō this place it was that the Frier being demanded whether was whipped the thiefe or the theft answered with the mirth of all the assistants that it was the theft that was whipped 7. Hereto adioine that it is said if it burne the workeman shall haue losse but in Purgatory nothing is lost besides although the sins were burned yet in such burning there should be no losse 8. This examen and triall by fire is called Day but Purgatory if we list to beleeue them is vnder earth The fire of Helie denieth that this fire is called Day but note these words of the Apostle Every mans worke shal be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire For hee setteth this proofe in the day in sight and therefore the fire of Helie hath omitted these words The day shall declare it It is in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Frier hath changed them saith The day of the Lord shal declare them This day of the Lord say they is the day of death so large is their liberty to falsifie and to wrest For whoe did ever heare death called the day of the Lord Yea and admit this explication were receaueable how is every mans worke then revealed and manifested But the sense of this word day must bee taken from the same Apostle in the 13. verse of the next Chapter where this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth triall and iudgement 9. Againe S. Paul saith as by fire it is not then by fire and to no purpose do they bring vs in the words of S. Iohn Vidimus gloriam quasi vnigeniti for the barbarisme and incongruities of the vulgar translation must not be admitted for a rule The autor of the fire of Helie produceth yet another passage out of the 125 Psalme where this word Quasi importeth no similitude but the truth it selfe When Syon returned out of captivity we were as comforted but according to the Hebrew originall Wee were as they that dreame and so hath Pagnine and Arias and all good translations 10. Also throughout all this passage there is not one word whereby it may appeare that this tryall is made after this life I confesse that the rewarde of the faithfull is after this life and the fire of Helie neede not to admonish vs with such exclamations for the question concerneth not the time of the reward but the time of the triall 11. Neither is there any word that speaketh of the torment of the soules for the saide fire of Helie endevouring to proue that here it speaketh of tormēts is deceived in his Logicke For these be his words Doth not S. Paule say Pag. 16. If any mans works burne he shall incurre damages Is not hee that is tormented endamaged An argument in the second figure composed all of affirmatiues He that is tormented endureth damage He whose works burne endures damage Thē he whose work burneth is tormēted Besides the first proposition is manie times false and particularly in this matter considering that the torment of the soules in Purgatory is if wee beleeue these men without losse to the good of the soules Now herein I must frākly confesse that the auctor of the fire of Helie hath yet some dexterity in sophistry Du Val. but the Frier speaketh like an Ideot and a man of a crased braine for all his discourse is spent in laying of maximes and principles whereby hee will haue this case decided as if it were in him to impose lawes and principles in this businesse And indeed if you looke narrowly into the matter you shall finde these principles to bee the case it selfe for they set downe as a plaine case and confessed that in this fire the people are tormented and do feele the trial of this fire Now this is the point of the controversie and that which wee doe stiffe and stedfastly deny that S. Paule speaketh no such thing Howbeit in the end he must haue the grace of it admireth my slacknesse as being incapable to comprehend his so childish principles As for the explication of this passage it must be gathered out of that that goeth before S. Paule in the 5. verse of this chapter speaketh of doctors and pastours and of the preaching of the Gospell And particularly of Doctors who holding a good foundatiō which is Jesus Christ do neverthelesse adde of their inventions and slight doctrines which he calleth wood hay and stubble in regard of the pure and solide doctrine which he tearmeth Gold silver and pretious stones This wood therefore this stubble being examined by the word of God as mettals in fire can not subsist but must needs be consumed But as cōcerning the parson of the pastor he shal be saved in regard of the good foundation that he hath holden yet after triall made as it were by fire This explicatiō is naturall and springeth of it selfe and every one that knoweth that S. Paule here speaketh of shepheards whom he nameth Builders Hieron cōtra Iovinian lib. 2. will easily admit this explication And hereto do agree Saint Ambrose S. Hierome Sedulius Tertullian in his first book against Marcion cap. 6. yea even the chiefe doctours of the Romish Church Lyra Thomas Caietan and Bellarmine in his first booke of Purgatory cap. 4. They all hold I say that these builders are the pastours and the preachers § Vtraque Hormildas Pope in the Tomes of the coūsels saith that the builders are the doctors and the fire the Synode Dial. 4. c. 39. and the building the preaching of the Gospell yet doth the Fryer make a scorne of all this and saith that they be meere fopperies This also is the reason that in the front of his book hee armeth himselfe with these titles The reverent father Frier Iames an Observantin Portugall Doctor of Divinity and preacher ordinary to the King that so hee may with the greater auctority fight
These be his words in the 48. chapt of his Apologeticall The soule alone can suffer no thing without some solide matter that is without flesh Hilary vpon the seconde Psalme toward the end saith Hell receaveth vs at the very instant and if we haue lived so wheÌ„ we depart out of this body we perish from the right way Hereof haue wee for witnesse the rich man and the poore in the Gospell of whom the one was by the Angels placed in the seat of the blessed and in Abrahams bosome the other was received into the Region of torments Theodoret in the fifth booke of his history cap. 9. Dominus nostâ—â— humano generi absolutissimam contulit salutem vt hominem totumà toto peccato occupatum à toto peccato liberaret citeth an Epistle of Damasus which saith Christ the son of God our Lord hath by his passion conferred to mankinde a most accomplished salvation to the end to deliver from all sinne man whollie possessed with all sinne But this must bee false if the faithfull shal yet endure torments to satisfie to God for their sins We haue also S. Cyprian a mighty enemie to Purgatory In his works he hath an excellent tract of mortality wherein we are to note that he therewith coÌ„forteth his auditory in a time of Contagion speaketh of the death not of the Martyrs but of such as dyed by sicknesse Lord novv leauest thou thy seruant in peace protesting and prouing that the seruants of God do theÌ„ enter into peace Expuncta hac morte ad immortalitatem venimus yea into a free and quiet rest vvhen being takeÌ„ out of the troubles of this vvorld they arriue in the hauen of Eternal rest and vvheÌ„ from this mortality they enter into immortality And againe God doth promise thee immortality at thy departure out of this vvorld and dost thou doubt of it TheÌ„ dost thou not knovv God Againe wishing the living not to weepe over their dead brethren he saith accersione dominica de saeculo liberatos Non exitus sed transitus temporali itinere de cursu ad aeterna transgressus That God having called them to him they are deliuered from this vvorld Non amitti sed praemitti That they be not lost but sent before That vve should not put on blacke garments vvhen our friends put on vvhite that death is the passage to eternity How cold woulde these comfortes bee to such as shoulde thinke their deceased friends to be tormented in a fire Surely such haue great cause to lament as thinke that their friends are in such horrible flames and of so long continuance Eius est mortem timere qui ad Christum nolitire Eius est ad Christum nolle ire quise non credit cum Christo incipere regnare who caÌ„not be said to put on white but red robes wheÌ„ they shall bee throwne into such scortching flames and scalding heates In the same sermon Hee may feare death that vvill not goe to Christ Iesus It is not for him to be vvilling to go to Iesus Christ who beleeueth not that he doth begin to raigne with Iesus Christ Aevi temporalis fine coÌ„pleto ad aeternae vel mortis vel immortalitatis hospitia dividimur Amplectamur dieÌ„ qui assignat singulos domicilio suo qui nos laqueis secularibus exutos paradiso restituit regno celesti Quando istinc excelsuÌ„ fuerit nullus iam locus poenitentiae est nullus satisfactionis effectus Tusub ipso licet exitu vitae temporalis occasu pro delicto roges Deum venia confitenti dabitur credenti Indulgentia salutaris de divina pietate conceditur ad immortalitatem sub ipsa morte transitur In the same place speaking of death Ad refrigerium iusti vocantur ad supplicium rapiuntur iniusti Datur velocius tutela fidelibus perfidis poena That is the righteous are called to a refreshing the wicked are haled to torments Safety is soone granted to the faithfull and to the transgressors punishmeÌ„t The same in his tract against Demetria This temporall life ended we are seuered into the habitations either of death or of Eternall life hee also speaking of the day of death saith Let vs embrace the day that bringeth every man into his house which hauing dravvne vs out of the snares of this world returneth vs into Paradice and into the kingdome of heauen Also toward the end of the same treatise Being departed hence there is no farther place for penance neither any fruit and effect of satisfactioÌ„ Then he addeth If at Gods hand thou cravest pardon for thy sin were it euen at thy end and departure out of this temporal life yet vpon thy confession it should be graunted thee and through the Divine goodnes salutary forgiuenes is giueÌ„ to all beleeuers and in death it selfe we passe to immortality What could hee haue spoken more expresly against Purgatory Againe in his aforesaid sermon of mortality Qualem te inuenerit Deus cum vocat talem iudicabet such as God shall find then when he calleth such will he iudge thee He there speaketh of the day of iudgement One place of Cyprian doe our adversaries alleadge but they corrupt it as wee will hereafter shew Cyrill of Alexandria in his 12. booke vpon Iohn cap. 36. saith The souls of the Saints departed from their bodies remaine not vpon earth then not in a fire vnder the earth Firmitur credentes in manibus Dei nos post mortem futuros vitamque multo meliorem ac perpetuo cum Christo victuros not in bathes not in rivers crept but are in the handes of God the father And then he addeth For Iesus Christ hath returned his soule in to the hands of his father to the end that the beginning being made by her we may haue a stedfast hope hereof stedfastly beleeving that after death we shall be in the hands of God and shall for ever liue with Christ in a far better life S. Hierome in his Epistle to Marcella concerning the death of Lea Scimus Nepotianum esse cuÌ„ Christo also in his Epitaph of Nepotian and Basill saith that their souls do already enioy the eternall beatitude that they are already entred into the light that they were receiued by a quier of Angels Himselfe vpon the 9. of Amos. When the soule freed from the bonds of this body hath her liberty Quando anima vinculis relaxata corporis volandi quo velit seu quo ire compellitur propter tenuitatem substantiae habis erit libertateÌ„ aut ad inferna ducetur aut certe ad sublimia sublevabitur in regard of the thinnesse or lightnes of her substance to fly where shee list or at the least where she is enforced to go then shall she be led into the hell whereof it is written sinners shall be reduced or cast into hell or els she shall be exalted into the Coelestiall heavens Bellarmin in his first
in the shadow of death herevpon also doth Erasmus in his preface to the fifth booke of Irineus note that Irineus did suppose that the soules dismissed from the bodies did not immediatly enioy the sight of God but are reserued in some secret place vntil the resurrection The same father in the same booke not farr from the beginning saith that God hath placed man in Paradice Quapropter dicunt presbyteri quisuÌ„t Apostolorum discipuli eos qui sunt traÌ„stati illuc translatos esse which is the gardeÌ„ of Eden froÌ„ whence for his disobedience he was driven into the world and theÌ„ he addeth Therefore the ancient fathers that were the Apostles disciples do say that such as are translated from hence are translated into that place Hee therefore did thinke that the garden of Eden from whence Adam was expelled was the secret corner where the soules are hidden vntil the resurrection A frivolous doctrine yet such as testifieth that in his time there was yet no speech of purgatory which Erasmus also hath noted in the same preface Origen in his seventh homily vpon Leuiticus saith thus Nondum saÌ„cti receperuÌ„t laetitiam suaÌ„ c. The Saints no not the Apostles themselues haue not yet receaued their ioy but they expect vntil I bee made participant thereof with them And in his second book of his principles toward the end he saith with Irineus That the saints after their decease are transported into the earthly Paradice Eam Regionem sinuÌ„ dico Abrahae et si non coelâ—stem sublimiocem tamen inferis interim refrigerium praebituram animabus iustorum donec comsummatio rerum resurrectionem omnium plenitudine mercedis expungat Quae infra terram iaceÌ„t neque ipsa sunt digestis ordinatis potestatibus vacua Locus enim est quo piorum animae impiorum ducuÌ„tur c. Tertullian in his fourth book against Marcion cap. 34. I call Abrahams bosome that region albeit not celestiall yet higher then the hels which nevertheles must giue rest to the soules of the righteous vntil the consummation of things accomplish the resurrection through the fulnes of reward The same he repeateth in his fourth poeticall booke against Marcion cap. 6. in his booke of the soule cap. 55. Constituimus omnem animam apud inferos sequestrari in Diem Domini Wee hold assured that every soule is sequestred into the lower partes vnto the day of the Lord. The same hee also saith cap. 56.57.58 Nouatian in his booke of the Trinity and is to bee found among the bookes of Tertullian cap. 1. saith The things that are vnder the earth are not void of powers digested and ordered For it is the place whether the soules both of the faithfull and of the wicked are brought feeling already the foreiudgement of the iudgement to come Now were it to no purpose to say that Novatian was an hereticke for it is well knowne hee was never holden to be an hereticke for this opinion but because hee refused reconciliation to the Church to those that were once fallen Chrysostome on the first to the Corinthians hom 39. If the body riseth not againe the soule shall not be crowned but be kept out of the celestiall beatitude The same he saith hom 28. vpon the Epistle to the Hebrewes In the same father we finde some sentences to the contrarie as indeed it was his fault to be of smale constancy and yet all that he saith doth yet make more against Purgatory And in his homily vpon the Epistle to the Philippians The righteous whether it bee here or whether it be there are ever with the king but there much more yea more neer not as it were by the way not in faith but face to face And wee consequently doe say not in a fire not in a prison vnder earth Theophilâ—ot a follower of Chrysostom vpon the 11. to the Hebrews The saints haue not yet obtained the celestiall promises Omnes in vna communi que custodia detinentur donec temp adveniat quo maximus iudex meritorum faciat examen Lactantius lib. 7. cap. 11. Let no man thinke that the soules be iudged immediatly after death for they are all detained in a common prison vntil the time come that the great iudge taketh the examination of what they haue deserved Victor in Martyr vpon the sixt of the Revelation saith that Saint Iohn saw vnder the alter the soules of the Martyrs and those that were slaine and these words sub ara hee doth expound sub terra Thus then hee placeth the soules of the Martyrs and Saints vnder earth S. Hillary vpon the 38. Haec humanae lex necessitatis est vt sepultis corporib animae ad inferos descendant c Psalme It is the law of necessity where to man is subiect that the soules should descend into the lower parts after the dead be buried Which law Iesus Christ for the accomplishment of a very perfect man did not refuse Neither may we say that hee speaketh of the fathers of the old Testament for in all that place hee hath not a word of them besides he would haue said This was the law but he saith This is the law Finally saying it is a humane necessitie which Iesus Christ vnderwent to become very man hee sheweth that it is a condition imposed vpon all man kind which if Iesus Christ had not vndergon hee had not participated in all that was proper to mankind Hee also vpon the second Psalme saith The daiâ— of iudgement is the eternall retribution of beatitude or of punishment but the houre of death in the meane time holdeth every one vnder her lawes whiles the bosome of Abraham or the paine reserveth every one to iudgement Euthimius vpon Luke 16. saith that the history of Lazarus is a parable wherein is described vnto vs what shall bee done in the day of iudgement And vpon the 23. Psalme he saith None of the righteous haue receaued the promises and the kingdome shal be giuen in the day of the vniversall retribution Wherevpon also Io. Hentenius a Monke of the order of S. Hierom hath noted in the margent that Euthimius as a Greek followeth the errors of the Greekes S. Bernard in his 3. sermon of all Saints maketh three habitations for soules Primum in Tabernaculis secundum in Atrijs tertium in Câ—â—lis The first in Tabernacles that in this body the second in Porches the third in heaven these receptacles hee tearmeth hals As for S. Ambrose and S. Augustine we finde them wavering and vnlike to themselues sometimes speaking according to the truth sometime carried away with the common error Ambrose indeed hath before told vs that the habitation of the souls separated is aboue and in the 11 Chapter he saith Incerâ—â— supremi Iudicij non verentur eventum But in his second booke of Abell and Cain cap. 2. he saith thus The Pilot arrived at the shore thinketh not himselfe at the ende of his travaile for
immediatly hee seeketh a beginning of another iourney The soule is losed from the body Solvitur corpere anima ad huc tamē futuri iudidii ambiguo suspenditur but yet abideth in suspense vpon the doubt and vncertainty of the future iudgement If this be so then doth she not inioy felicitie before the day of iudgement S. Augustine is of the same mind for in him we finde sundry places wherein speaking of the soules of some persons deceased he thinketh them to bee translated into heaven and to bee with God but wee find more places where he holdeth the contrary and followeth the common error vpon the 36. Psalme he saith that the soule departed from the body shal not be in the kingdome of heauen well it may be in Abrahams bosome with Lazarus for so doth he cal this receptacle and to shew that this was the common opinion he saith that no man was ignorant thereof These be his words Post vitam islam parvam nondum eris vbi erunt sancti quibus dicetur venite Benedicti c. Non dum ibi eris Quis nescit So in the ninth booke of his Confessions cap. 3. he thus speaketh to God Thou hast losed Nebridius out of this flesh Nebridiu◠carne solvisti nunc ille vivit in sinu Abrahae quicquid illud est quod ille significatur Tempusquod inter hominis mortem vltimam resurrectionem interpositum est animas abditis receptaculis continet Socratis animarum receptaculis sedibusque requiescit Secundum apertissimam Domini sententiam etiā ipse sentit tūc visuros faciē Dei cum in Angelos profecerimus 1. aequales Angelis facti fuerimus quod erit vtique in resurrectione mortuorū and now he liveth in Abrahams bosome whatsoever it is that is signified by this bosome Here he speaketh as doubting In his manuell to Laurentius cap. 108. The time that is betweene death and the last resurrection containeth the soules in secret receptacles according as every one is worthy of rest or of affliction And in his 17. booke of the Citty of God cap. 9. This part of the citty of God which is gathered together from among mortall men must bee conioined with immortall Angels is now a traveller vpon earth being subiect to death whereas for those that are dead they rest in the hidden receptacles or seats of souls In his Epistle to Fortunatianus According to the most evidēt sētēce of our Lord and S. Paule holdeth that wee shall see the face of the Lord when we shal be advanced even to the Angels that is to say that we be made equal to the Angels which shall be in the resurrection of the dead I will therefore make any man of vnderstanding iudge whether the wordes wherewith at this day they pray in the masse for the soules in Purgatory doe not testifie that when this praier was penned the beliefe of the latin Church was not concordant with it Qui nos praecesserunt in signo fidei dormiunt in somno pacis These bee the words Remember O Lord thy servāts that are gone before vs in the sign of faith and do sleepe in the slumber of peace To thē O LORD and to all that rest in Christ vvee beseech thee to graunt place of refreshing of light and of peace Could this bee spoken of soules so long tormented in a fire like to hell fire What rest what quiet sleepe in fire seavē times more hot then our ordinary fire A fire that cōtinueth hundreds and thousands of yeares Vndoubtedly this praier was made for the soules that they thought to be in the hiddē receptacles where they rested in expectation of the resurrection and felt some refreshing by the praiers of the living Indeed wee haue heard that such was the opinion of Tertullian who also vseth the like tearmes in his booke of Monogamy and willeth the wise to pray for her husbād In refrigerium adpostulet vt in prima resurrectione consortium entreating some refreshing for him and that he may accompany her in the first resurrection For this doctour beleeved that all the faithfull shoulde not rise togither as in the last chapter of his booke of the soule hee doth expresly say yea evē all the Greek Church is yet of that opinion who denying Purgatory do neverthelesse pray for the dead Vide Concil Ferrariense seu Florentinum Nilū de Purgatorio as not yet enioying coelestiall felicity And Guido in his summe of heresies attributeth the same errour to the Churches of Armenia This was it that induced Pope Iohn the 23. to maintaine this opinion to prohibit the divines of Paris from teaching otherwise as witnesseth Gerson in his pascal sermon Iohn Villanus in the tenth booke of his history This is one of the heroical actions of the Colledge of Sorbon and one of her last gaspes of her dying liberty for saith Erasmus in his preface to the fifth book of Ireneus Iohannes coactus opere Theologorum Parisiorum ad palinodiam coram Galliarū Rege Philippo non sinc buccina By al the premisses it appeareth how irresolute the ancients are in this question how vnfit they are to decide it into what Laberinthes they that sende vs to the fathers to be directed by them do endevour to entangle the consciences It also appeareth that the prayers for the dead that are to be foūd in these doctors doe make nothing for Purgatory but were made for their refreshings in those receptacles and for their salvation in the day of Iudgement also for other intents whereof we wil speak hereafter This is one degree of the bad dealing of my adversaries in their citing of the fathers That divers of the fathers beleeved that the fire in the last iudgment should purge the soules of all men even of the Apostles and Saints Clement of Alexandria was the first that declined frō the purity simplicity of the doctrine of the Gospell intermingling Platonicall Philosophy there with also his wheeling and capricious stile did blast and corrupt all that was naturall or forcible in the simplicity of Gods word yea he proceeded so far as to say in the sixt booke of his Tapisseryes that the Greekes were iust by Philosophy also that Philosophy was givē vnto them in liew of the Testamentes By the same vanity was hee likewise induced in the same booke to say that Christ and his Apostles descended into hell and there preached the Gospell to the soules of the Gentils and Infidels who saith he were by that preaching converted hee also holdeth that the souls of Infidels that are in hell may yet be converted and come to salvation Orig hom 3. in Psal 36. Omnes nos necesse est venire ad illū ignem etiam si vel Paulus sit vel Petrus Origen his disciple succeeded him in time but outstript him in heresies and to this Platonicall humour hath added thus much more The wresting of al the scriptures into allegories
councell of Lateran Sess 9. â—0 Now if he assumeth to himselfe all power in heaven where they haue nothing to do with him how much rather over the soules in Purgatory which stand in neede of his Indulgences Finally if the Pope giveth his pardon by suffrage and in forme of petition or intercession how can wee bee assured that God doth heare him wheris the promise that in this case God wil heare him or how in granting pardons to the dead as when he granted to the soules of the Carmelites this privilege that they should not stay in Purgatory any longer then vntil the next Saturday after their decease is hee assured that God will like of this liberalitie Thus much for this wofull distinction Now let vs continue the course of our obiections 12 Sith the Pope affirmeth that he hath in the treasurie of the Church the workes and superabundant satisfactions of the Saints and Monkish Friers that haue done and suffered more then they should who was his Collector to gather vp these workes and sufferings Or whoe delivered them into the Popes custody Either when Also who gaue him the charge to distribute theÌ„ Who taught him to bee a better husband then the high Priest in the old Testament who if we beleeue these men suffered the superaboundant satisfactions of Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob Hilarius in Mat. 27. Alienis operibê° meritis Ioseph c. to be lost And sith the satisfaction of Iesus Christ was more then sufficient to redeeme vs what neede we adde the satisfactions of Friers Monks and Martyrs Considering that if these Friers Monks and Martyrs be in Paradice they haue already received infinitly more glory then ever they could deserue or merit and so they are superaboundantly satisfied and therefore can haue nothing left for the redemption of others Hereto the Frier maketh no answer only he saith I raue and am at the last cast let vs therfore haue some hallowed graines or one of the partes of S. Frances breeches that thereby we may die in the state of grace He also saith that the blood of Iesus Christ is sufficient to redeeme a thousand worlds the the surplussage therefore of our Saviours merits is not to be lost but rather to bee laide vp in the treasury of the church Pag. 108. Whereof it followeth that the blood of Iesus Christ and his merites shared out into a thousand parts the Pope hath remaining in his treasurie nine hundred ninety and nine besides the merits of Saints Martyrs which he also saith are our redeemers but hee tooke his marke amisse and deceiveth himselfe in thinking that part of the merites of Iesus Christ may serue for one soule and part for an other that so we may find a remainder of the merits of Iesus Christ for as the light of the sunne shineth wholly here wholly in an other place and that there is light enough thereof for ten times so many as be there where it shineth also that the voice of a man that speaketh doth sound wholly in the eares of every one that heareth him even so everie faithfull man is partaker in the whole merits of Iesus Christ And were there foure faithful yet should every of the faithfull stande in neede of the whole death of Iesus Christ and of every part that he suffered as also if there were ten times as many faithfull yet should every of them finde in the death of Iesus Christ enough for his redemption Also in as much as we haue merited an infinite and eternal paine it was requisite we should haue a redemption of an infinite price In the suffrings of Iesus Christ there was neither want nor superfluity and therfore herein the Pope doth as much as if he should husbande and lay vp the overplus of the sun shine or of the voice All the rest of my obiections the Frier slippeth behind the haÌ„gings But then commeth the Doctor Du Val to the rescue laieth open his subtleties yet doth he not tell vs who raked vp these superaboundant sufferings of the Saints and Monkes who committed them into the Popes custodie who autorised them to distribute theÌ„ for the redemption of paines due to others when he received this autority or when he began this distribution All this he passeth over quietly as indeed it were over much to enquire of Marke therefore what he saith Pag. 80. The Saints are rewarded in Paradice for their workes so farre forth as they were meritory but so farre forth as they were satisfactorie if any Saint hath sinned lesse and satisfied more this surplussage of satisfaction is not to be left for the divine mercy and equity layeth it vp in the treasury of Indulgences Therefore it serveth for others merits He speaketh as if he should saie vnto me See here is a house that cost two thousand crownes also a prisoner that lieth in the Iayle for two thousand crownes herevpon commeth a man with two thousand crownes which he will make serue both to buy the house and to redeeme the prisoner but you will say that cannot be but the fire of Helie saith yes and he findeth this expedient for it The crosse side of the mony shall buy the house and the pyle side shall redeeme the prisoner so shall it be acquisitory on the one side and satisfactory on the other Even so saith the Doctor the merits of Saints doe purchase heaven and that is to buy it at an easie rate and yet the same merits do stand for the payment and redemption of others Thus doth he dally with God and man yet bringeth no proofe out of the word of God The same Doctor produceth a passage out of the sixt of Iob to proue that Saintes haue suffered more then they needed to satisfie to God for their sins Oh that my sinnes and my miseries were laid togither in one ballance False my miseries would exceede my sinnes By his favour this passage is false and in the Hebrew Originals it is not so no neither in the Roman translation In the Hebrew thus it is Oh that that which provoketh me were well wayed and that my breaking were laide togither in the ballance for it woulde bee more heavy then the sand of the sea The same doctor defendeth this treasure composed of the satisfactions both of Iesus Christ and of the Saints Pag. 55. The Church saith he is a kingdome then hath it a treasure Iesus Christ in the 12 of Luke shall answere for me lay vp your treasure in heaven theÌ„ not in the Popes coffers neither is there in that place neither in any other any speech of Indulgences Againe if this Imaginarie treasure belongeth to the Church why doe they sell to her that which is her owne Why do they exhort the people to purchase the Indulgences if they belong to them for no maÌ„ buyeth that that is his owne This doctor addeth The Church is a spouse why then doe they take from her that