white as snowe beholding the purity that is requisite for a citizen of the celestiall Hierusalem And I note this the rather of the soule because I see that the body also before it can shake of the stroke and plague of sinne must be driuen by the common course to dust and elementes that being at the ende raised vp againe in the same substance may yet wholy in condicion and quality be so straungely altered that in honour and immortalitie it may euerlastingly ioyne with the soule againe To the newnesse whereof the very elements that before aunswered it in qualities of corruption shal be perfectly by fire reformed and serue in beauty and incorruption eternall If sinne then be so reuenged and throughly tryed out of mans body and all corruption out of these elements for the glory of that new and eternall kingdome shall we doubte of Gods iustice in the perfect reuenge of sinne in the soule or purifying that nature which as it was most corrupted was the very feate of sinne so namely apperteineth to the company of Angels and glory euerlasting It were not otherwise agreable to Gods iustice surely nor conuenient for the glorious estate to come it were neither right nor reason He will then where man neglecteth the day of mercy sharply viset with torment him selfe and both purge and purifie the drosse of our impure natures defiled and stained by sinne with iudgement and rightuousnesse Abluet Dominus sordes filiarum Syon sanguinem Hierusalem lauabit de medio eius in spiritu iudicij spiritu ardoris Our Lorde shall washe out the filthe of the daughters of Syon and will cleanse bloude from the middest of Hierusalem in the spirite of iudgement and the spirite of burning But because we will not stande vpon coniectures in so necessary a point you shall see by what Scriptures the graue and learned fathers haue to my hand confirmed this beleued trueth And first I will recite those places which do set forth both the quality and condition of that punishment which God taketh vpon man for sinne in the other worlde and also did giue iust occasion to our forefathers of the name of Purgatory 2 Consider what wholsome doctrine this student in Diuinitie gathereth out of the Scriptures of god Dauid not content with remission of his sinnes seeketh to be better clensed to haue them wholy blotted out and to be made as white as snowe â–ª but by what meanes M. Allen or at whose handes Dare you say that he prayeth God to clense him better by his owne suffering then he was by Gods mercifull pardon What was figured by the bunch of Isope dypped in the lambes bloud with which he desireth to be sprinckled assuring him selfe that therby he shall be washed whiter then snowe Was it purgatory or the aspertion of the bloud of Christ O horrible blasphemer wilt thou neuer acknowledge the omnisufficiency of the benefite of mans redemption by the sonne of God shal thy vayne gangling and iumbling of thy deuises with Gods decrees obscure the glory of our Lord and Sauiour Christ his passion who hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes by his bloud and made vs Kings and Priestes in the sight of God who hath geuen him selfe for his beloued Church that he might sanctifie it and clense it by the washing of water through the word that he might make it vnto him self a glorious church not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blame What similitude hath this with Allens pratling of purenesse and patching in of purgatory As for the place alleged out of Esay the 4. Because he dare not abide by it him selfe but confesse that it is but a coniecture of his own to draw it to purgatory which in deede is playnly spoken of the reformation of the Church in this life I neede spend no more tyme in aunswering it 3 There be two textes of Scriptures to this purpose so like that many of the doctors for better conference in so weighty a case haue ioyned them together to make their proofe full and so will I do by their example The first is in the thirde chapter of the prophet Malachie in these wordes Ecce venit dicit Dominus exercituum quis poterit cogitare diem aduentus eius Et quis stabit ad videnduÌ„ eum Ipse enim quasi ignis conâ—â—ans quasi herba fullonum sedebit conâ—tans emuÌ„dans argeÌ„tum purgabit filios Leui colabit eos quasi aurum argentum erunt Domino offerentes sacrificia in iustitia Et placebit Domino sacrificium Iuda Hierusalem c. Beholde he commeth sayth the Lorde of Hostes. And who may abide the day of his coÌ„ming VVho can stand endure his sight â–ª For he is like melting and casting fier and as the washers herbe And he shall sit casting and trying out siluer and shall purge the children of Leui clense them as golde or siluer And theÌ„ shal they offer sacrifice in righteousnesse the offerings of Iuda Hierusalem shall be acceptable vnto our Lorde And thus farre spake the prophet The second is this taken out of the first Epistle to the Corinthians Secundum gratiam Dei quae data est mihi vt sapiens architectus fundameÌ„tum posui alius auteÌ„ superaedificat Vnusquisque auteÌ„ videat quomodo superaedificet FundameÌ„tuÌ„ enim aliud nemo potest ponere praeter id quod est posituÌ„ quod est Christus Iesus Si quis auteÌ„ superaedificat super fundameÌ„tum hoc aurum argeÌ„tum lapides preciosos ligna foenuÌ„ stipulam vniuscuiusque opus manifestuÌ„ erit dies enim Domini declarabit quia in igne reuelabitur vniuscuiusque opus quale sit ignis probabit Si cuius opus maÌ„serit quod superaedificauit mercedeÌ„ accipiet si cuius opus arserit detrimentuÌ„ patietur ipse auteÌ„ saluus erit sic tameÌ„ quasi per igneÌ„ Thus in English According to the grace of God geuen vnto me as a discriete builder I haue laid the groundewarke but an other buildeth theron Let euery man be circumspect how he buildeth on it For no fundatión can be laide but Christ Iesus which is already laide If any man builde vpon this groundewarke golde siluer preciouse stones wodde hay or stooble euery mans worke shall be laide open For the day of our Lorde will declare it because it shall appeare in fire And that fire shall trie euery mans worke what it is if any mans worke erected vpon that foundation do abide he shall receiue rewarde but if his worke burne he shall susteine losse or it shall susteine â—osse meaning by the worke it selfe as the texte well serueth also but him selfe shall be saued notwithstanding and that yet as through fire These be S. Pauls wordes Now as men studious of the trueth carefull of our faith and saluation and fully free from contention and partaking let
at the last appearing Finally the exact triall and purging that he speaketh of is the discouering of hypocrites by his doctrine wherof also Iohn Baptist preacheth that his fan is in his hand and he shall purge his floore c. To conclude that this may not be thought to be mine owne collection it is the iudgement and interpretation of Ieronym vppon this very text Malachy the 3. in euery poynt who with all his learning coulde finde no purgatory fire spoken of in this cap. Now to the other place o◠Paule that it can by no equity be drawen to purgatory for all M. Allens likelihoode numbring in the margent it shall be manifest by as many euident arguments First S. Paule speaketh not generally of all men but of preachers onely that are buylders of Gods Church Secondly he speaketh not of all their workes but of their preaching or building onely Thirdly he speaketh neuer a word of purging or making cleane of mens works but of the triall of the worke of building which is doctrine But what doctrine is tryed to be true or false substantiall or superficiall by the fire of purgatory Fourthly the workes are sayd that shall be tryed by fire and not the persons Fiftly the gold and siluer abideth the strawe and stuble consumeth through the fire of this triall which is the iudgement of God and not the paynes of purgatory And this is the iudgement of Ieronym vpon the place of Malachy before rehearsed where also he applyeth the text of Esay 4. before cited by M. Allen. fol. 59. The Lord sayth he is a consuming fire to burne vp our wodde hay and strawe The other obseruations be also taken out of that auncient doctor whose commentary vppon the epistle to the Corinthians hath gone vnder the name of Ieronym and is annexed to his workes sauing that by gold siluer wodde straw c. he vnderstandeth the men them selues and not their workes But as for purgatory he findeth none by that text S. Augustine also although otherwise inclining to the errour of purgatory yet he is cleare that this text proueth it not neither ought to be expounded of it and that he sheweth by many reasons Enchirid. ad Laurentium cap. 68. where he affirmeth that by the fire is ment the triall of tribulation in this life Chrysostom vpon the same text vnderstandeth by the fire euerlasting punishment euen of him that shall be saued through fire without any mention of purgatory except it be in reprouing them that denied immortall punishmēt to be meant by this place in 1. Cor. 3. Hom. 9. But if the place were to be considered absolutely without regard of circumstances as the Papistes doe when they expound it for purgatory yet can not it aptly be framed thereto because he sayth that euery mans worke or the man him selfe if they will shall passe through that fire but they thē selues affirme that perfect good men shall not come there at all nor very wicked men but onely men of a midle sort but by tryall of this fire whereof S. Paule speaketh good men shall receiue reward when their worke endure therefore this is not the fire of purgatory That there is a particulare iudgement and priuate accompt to be made at euery mans departure of his seuerall actes and deedes vvith certaine of the fathers mindes touching the textes of Scripture alleged before CAP. VII 1 ANd though such as shall liue at the comming of the iudge in the later daye shall then be purged of their corruption and base workes of infirmity by the fire that shall a better and alter the impure nature of these corruptible elements or otherwise according to Gods ordinaunce yet the common sort of all men which in the meane time depart this worlde must not tary for their purgation till that generall amending of all natures no more then the very good in whome after their baptisme no filthe of sinne is founde or if any were was wiped away by penaunce must awayt for their saluation or the wicked tary for their iust iudgement to damnatiō But straight this sentēce either of iudgement or mercy must be pronounced and therefore is called the particulare iudgement by which the soule onely shall receiue welthe or woe as at the day of the great accompt both body and soule must do Of this seuerall triall the holy Apostle S. Paule sayth statutum est omnibus hominibus semel mori post hoc iudicium It is determined that euery man once must dye and after that commeth iudgement And an other Scripture more expressely thus Facile est coram domino reddere vnicuique in die obitus sui secundum vias suas It is an easy matter before our Lorde that euery man at the day of his death shoulde be rewarded according to his life wayes Againe in the same place Memor esto iudicij mei sic enim erit tuum mihi heri tibi hodie Haue in remembraunce my iudgement for such shal thine owne be yesterday was mine today may be thine And therfore S. Ambrose sayth that without delay the good poore man was caried to rest and the wicked riche out of hand suffered torments That euery man sayth he may feele before the day of iudgement what he must then looke for And in an other place the same holy man writeth that Iohn the beloued of Iesus is already gone to the paradise of euerlasting blesse passing as few shall do the firie sworde at the entraunce of ioy without all stoppe or tariaunce because the fire of loue in his life time had such force in him that the amēding fier after his chaunge should take no holde of him at all so sayth Ambrose But of this priuate iudgement the Reuerend Bede hath a goodly sentēce in the fift of his historie Meminerimus facta cogitationes nostras nō in ventū diffluere sed ad examē summi Iudicis cūcta seruari siue per amicos Angelos in fine nobis ostendēda siue per hostes Let vs remēbre saith he that all our dedes thoghtes shal abide not be caried away with the winde but be reserued to the examination of the high Iudge so shall be laide before our face at our ending either by our good or aduersary Angels By all which it is euident that the soules sleepe not of which errour Luther was also noted nor be reserued in doubt of their damnation either perpetuall or temporall till the latter day but streight waye receiue as they deserued before in their life either welth or wofull paines In this day of our Lorde then this Purgatory paines must beginne to all such as haue after their Baptisme where they laide the foundation of Christes faith builded the workes of lesser sinnes and imperfection and not washed them a waye by penaunce in their life nor obteyned mercy for the same The which trueth the places of the Prophet and Apostle before alleaged with out all
vnsemely wrething or wraesting do so plainely beare that if ours were a sense neuer hearde of before yet the onely comparing of the textes and necessary circumstancies of the letter might rather driue vs to that meaning then any other that they can euer alleage or proue But now as Catholikes euer do keping the olde meaning and forging no newe geuing no other sense then that which the persuasion of all Christian people both learned and simple hath driuen from the beginning of our faith downe to our dayes and framing no other vnderstanding then that which we finde expressely in the learning and faith of our fathers both set forth and proued who is so rude in iudgement or so entangled with any contrary opinion that will not acknowledge the trueth and doctrine euery waye so compassed with proofe and all likelihoods CAP. VII 1 THat the iudgement of God beginneth at the death of euery man and so continueth vntil the full manifestation therof in the last day is clearer by the Scripture of God then that it needeth the confirmatioÌ„ of mans authoritie But that Ambrose is alleged to proue that euery man immediatly after his death doth feele that he must looke for in the daye of iudgement I meruaile to what purpose it is brought in if it be not to ouerthrow purgatory For if it be true as it must needes be no man feeleth paine after this life but he that shall feele it eternally And surely to the same effect he speaketh in his booke de bono mortis where he commendeth the death of the faithfull quia deteriorem statum non efficit sed qualem in singulis inuenerit talem iudicio fururo reseruat quietè ipsis fouet praesentium inuidiae subducit futurorum expectatione componit Because death maketh not their state worse but such as it findeth in euery man such it reserueth into the iudgement to come and quietly chierisheth them and both taketh them away from the enuy of things present and setleth them in expectation of things to come Thus sayth Ambrose plainely in this place what soeuer he speaketh allegorically of the fiery sword in other places VVell it is euident you saie that the soules departed sleepe not of which error Luther also was noted I neuer harde any man of credit note him therof who is well knowne to haue bene of a cleane contrary iudgement but I reade in the actes of the Councel of Constance that Pope Iohn the 23 was condemned for denying the immortality of the soule the resurrection of the deade and the life euerlasting But if the soules sleepe not then they be awake in purgatory or if ye reason not so subtilly you meane that if they be at all in purgatory they be there immediatly after their departure out of their bodyes But how shall we proue that they come there at all Forsooth by the sayings of the Prophet and of the Apostle before alleged which are so plaine proofe and so euident to be vnderstoode of them selues that they nede none other interpretation But how plaine it is that they serue nothing to that purpose I haue sufficiently declared already yet must we further follow the same matter because here are brought in the authoritie of the doctors to agree with M. Allens glose 2 But as reason is and my promise was at the beginning I will let the good Christian see the wordes of most notable auncient writers that he may reioyse his faith to be so surely grounded First then you shall perceiue that S. Augustine expoundeth the texte of the prophet Malachie before recited for purgatory paines euen as I saide I am certaine he may much moue our aduersaries as one whome they chalenge to be patrone of some of their opinions but how vniustly in all pointes God knoweth and in this matter especially you shall now perceiue After the rehersall of the Prophets wordes and well weying of the matter he thus writeth Ex ijs quae dicta sunt videtur euidentius apparere in illo iudicio quasdam quorundam purgatorias poenas futuras Vbi enim dicitur Quis substinebit diem introitus eius aut quis ferre poterit vt aspiciat eum quia ipse ingreditur quasi ignis conflatorij quasi herba lauantium sedebit conflans emundans sicut argentum aurum emundabit filios Leui fundet eos sicut aurum sicut argentum quid aliud intelligendum est dicit tale aliquid Isaias Lauabit dominus sordes filiorum filiarum Syon sanguinem emundabit de medio eorum spiritu iudicij spiritu combustionis Nisi sortè sic eos dicendum est emundari à sordibus eliquari quodammodo cuÌ„ ab eis mali per poenale iudicium separantur vt illorum segregatio atque damnatio purgatio sit istorum quia sine talium de coetero commixtione victuri sunt sed cum dicit emundabit filios Leui fundet eos sicut aurum argentum erunt domino offerentes hostias in iusticia placebit domino sacrificium Iuda Hierusalem Vtique ostendit eos ipsos qui emundabuntur deinceps in sacrificijs iusticiae domino esse placituros ac per hoc ipsi a sua iniustitia emundabuntur in qua domino hostiae displicebant porrò in plena perfectaque iustitia ipsi erunt cum mundati fuerint quid enim acceptius deo tales offerunt quà m seipsos verum ista quaestio de Purgatorijs poenis vt diligentius pertractetur in tempus aliud differenda est thus in english By the foresaide wordes in semeth very euident that in the time of that iudgement there shall be certaine Purgatory paines for some sort of men For when it is saide Who can be able to susteine the day of his comming who can stand in his sight because he shall sit trying out and purifying as it were golde and siluer and entre in like the fier of the fornace and as washers sope he shall make cleane the sonnes of Leui shall trie them as golde and siluer VVhat other thing by all these wordes can be ment but purgatory paines Namely seeing the prophet Esaie hath the like in these wordes God shall washe a waye the filthe of the sonnes and daughters of Syon and purge bloude from the middest of them in the spirite of iudgement and fier Except a man might conueniently say that they shall be washed from filthe and as you would say newe fourged when the wicked by finall iudgement are seuered out of their company that so their departure and damnation may be the purgation of the rest because after that day they shall liue for euer without the company of the badde But when the Prophet sayth more that he will clense the children of Leuy and purify them as golde and siluer that they may offer their oblations in righteousnesse and the sacrifice of Iuda and Hierusalem shall please our Lorde He â—urely giueth vs
purged of the smaller spottes which sticke by him In the same sense doth Theodoretus both expounde the wordes of the Apostle and vtter his iudgement of Purgatory also and almost the rest of all the Latine or Greeke writers which my purposed breuitie with plentifull proofe otherwise forceth me to leaue to the studious reader 3 Next ensueth the authoritie of Ieronym or Bede or perhaps neither of them both but yet of some olde writer which holdeth that from light sinnes men may be absolued after their death by paynes prayers almes or masses This was a writer for M. Allens tooth but neither of antiquitie nor credit sufficient to cary away this cause The iudgement of Oecumenius and Theodoretus though they were writers about that time when corruption of doctrine had greatly preuailed yet are they not cleare for popish purgatory which the greeke Church although they pray for the dead yet would neuer agree to acknowledge 4 One place more I will onely adde out of Remigius because he learnedly may knit vp the place by ioyning both the Prophet and Apostles wordes together vpon which we haue stand so longe Thus that good author writeth Ipse enim quasi ignis conflans peccators exurens Ignis enim in conspectu eius ardebit in circuitu eius tempestas valida Hoc igne consumūtur lignum foenum stipula Nec solum erit quasi ignis sed etiam quasi herba fullonum qua vestes nimium sordibus infectae lauantur Porro his qui grauiter peccauerunt erit ignis conflans exurens illis vero qui leuia peccata commiserunt erit herba fullonum Hinc per Isaiam dicitur si abluerit dominus c. Qui enim habent sordes leuium peccatorum spiritu iudicij purgantur qui vero sanguinem habent hoc est grauioribus peccatis infecti sunt spiritu ardoris exurentur purgabuntur Et sedebit conflans emundans argentum colabit eos quasi aurum argentum hoc est intellectum colloquium vt quicquid mixtum est stanno vel plumbo camino domini exuratur quod purum aurum est argentum remaneat Et purgabit filios Leui In filijs Leui omnem sacerdotalem ordinē intelligimus a quibus iudicium incipiet quia scriptum est tempus est vt iudicium incipiat a domo dei alibi à sanctuario meo incipite Si autem sacerdos flammis purgandus est colandus quid de caeteris dicendum est quos nullum commendat priuilegium sanctitatis These golden wordes haue this sense He shall come as the goldesmithes fire burning sinners For in his sight a flame shall rise and a mighty tempest rounde about him by which fire our woodde hay and stooble shall be wasted and worne away VVith that he shall be like the clensers herbe whereby garments very much stained be purged To all those that haue greuously offended he wil be a burning and melting fire but to the light sinners he shall be as the washers herbe VVhich difference the prophet Esay noteth thus If our Lorde wipe away the filthe of the daughters of Syon and bloude from the middest of Israel in the spirite of iudgement and fire For such as haue onely the spottes of veniall sinnes they may be amended by the spirite of iudgement but men of bloude to witte the more greuous offenders must be tried by fire And he shall sit casting and purifying siluer and shall purge men as golde and siluer be purified that is to say our thoughtes understanding and wordes from impurity and vncleannesse as from pewter and leade by Gods fornace shall exactly be purged and nothing shall be left but as pure as golde and fine siluer And he shal purge the sonnes of Leui that is the ordre of priesthood where this heuy iudgement shall first begin For so it is writtē Time is now that iudgemēt begin at the house of God and againe Begin at my sanctuary If the priest must be purged and fined what shall we deme of other whome priuilege of holy ordre doth not commende or helpe thus farre goeth the author in conference of diuerse scriptures VVho with the rest of al the holy fathers that compassed their senses within the vnity of Christes Church hath founde by euident testimony of sundry scriptures the paines of purgatory which the busy heades of our time by vaine bragging of scriptures in singular arrogancy of their owne wittes can neuer finde 4 Last of all here is vaunt made of the testimony of Remigius as though he were a new author and perhaps M. Allen in his notes founde him so but it is nothing else but the saying of Ieronym almost word for word vppon 3. Malach 3. which before we haue shewed sufficiently to be mēt of the iudgement that Christ should exercise by his doctrine at his first comming and nothing at all pertayning to purgatory And therefore these golden words as you cal them M. Allen haue a leaden exposition when they be drawne from the preaching of the Gospell to the mayntenance of purgatory A further declaration of this pointe for the better vnderstanding of the doctours vvordes VVherein it is opened hovv purgatory is ordeined for mortal sinnes hovv for smaller offences vvho are like to feele that griefe vvho not at all CAP. IX 1 ANd I thinke they now haue small aduantage by the exception of Origens testimony by occasion whereof such light is founde for our cause that we now by goodly authority haue both founde the placies alleaged plainely to proue purgatory and also what sinnes it namely purgeth and what men after their death may be amended thereby That not onely the bare trueth but some necessary circumstances to the studious of the trueth haue bene here by iust occasion opened and all errour wholy remoued Except this point may somewhat stay the reader that heareth in some places the paines of Purgatory to be both a punishment for greuous sinnes and a purgation of lighter trespasses with all and yet that it now may appeare the contrary by the minde of some learned authors who expressely make that paine as a remedy onely for veniall sinnes and not to apperteine at all to the capitall and deadely crimes that man often times doth commit Therefore to be as plaine as may be necessary for the vnlearned or any other that is godly curious in things much tending to the quiet rest of mans conscience it is to be noted that this ordinary iustice of God in the life following for the purgation of the elect can not discharge any man of mortall sinne which was not pardoned before in the Church militant vppon earth And therefore what crime so euer deserueth damnation and was not in mans life remitted it can not by purgatory paines be released in the next because it deserueth death euerlasting and staieth the offender from the kingdome of heauen for euer no peine temporall in this
they chalenge this Priuilege can not feele any daunger their workes as S. Paule sayth abiding the brounte of the fire though they were in place of torment with the rest For if such do passe the firie sworde before they entre into the ioyes of heauen yet they shall euen there be so shadowed that to them it can neither be any whit molestious nor one moments staye from the reward of their pure golden workes which by fire can not perish For of such we muste beleue with Gods Church that they go straight to heauen vpon their departure with out stay or punishment in the next life Although Christ onely of his owne force being not subiecte to any spotte of sinne did passe this fire and entre into heauen the eternall gates opening them selues vnto him as to the king of glory VVho being before in the place of paines also yet coulde not possibly be touched thereby as the Apostle sayth And that is S. Ambrose his meaning as I suppose when he saide Vnus ille ignem hunc sentire non potuit Christ onely was he that coulde not feele this fire He speaketh of the fire through which euen the good must passe before they come to eternall ioy VVhere he doubteth not to auouche that many a man that thinkes him selfe golde and is taken so to be of others too shall yet there be proued full of drosse and impurity long to be cleansed before his finall freedome and deliuery and yet to be saued through fire But for those that be in deede perfect men as Iohn the beloued of Iesus and Peter with the rest this holy doctour was so sure of Purgatory that he thought these also to go through the same and yet the fiery flame to haue geuen place as it did to the three children and as S. Augustine supposeth it shall do in the generall conflagration to the bodies of vertuous men wheÌ„ at the very same time it shall bothe waste the wicked and purge the meane the workes of one sorte withstanding the flame the drosse of the other in a maner feeding the same S. Ambrose therfore thus writeth of the holy Apostle De morte Ioannis aliqui dubitaruÌ„t de transitu per ignem dubitare non possumus quia in paradiso est à Christo non separatur some doubt of Iohns death but of his passage by the fire because he is in ioy with Christ we can not doubt And of S. Peter he sayth siue ille sit Petrus qui claues accepit regni coelorum oportet dicat transiuimus per ignem aquam induxisti nos in refrigerium Yea if it be Peter him selfe to whome the keyes of heauen were committed he must say we passed by fire and water and thou hast brought vs into the place of refreshing But how so euer God worketh in this case with the perfite sort this the Church beleueth and so this doctour teacheth and therfore I dare be bolde to say it that such neither suffer any paine nor tariaunce by the waye Though by nature that fire or torment prepared for the amendment and punishing of sinne or the drosse thereof might of force and right take holde there where corruption of sinne by any meanes hath bene that is not wholy purified before Therefore the soule of our Sauiour being altogether vnspotted coulde not be subiect to any sufferance in the worlde to come by any ordinaunce prepared for the punishment of sinne that fire hauing no further graunt by creation and naturall property but to waste there where sinne is founde to haue bene Vpon other it woulde worke till all corruption were consumed if mercy did not preuent both in purifying those singular elect vessels and in repressing the nature of the flame prepared that it practise not iustice where God hath abundantly shewed grace and mercy before Albeit I do not say that the firie sworde is in the passage of euery soule towardes heauen for that is Gods secret and I will with S. Ambrose in the same place say Quod legi praesumo quod noÌ„ legi scientibus relinquo That which I haue reade in graue authority that will I boldely auouch that which I haue not reade with feare and reuerence I commit to men of more knowledge As with out exception I submit my selfe to the determination of Gods Church in all these pointes of misteries which in this deepe matter course of taulke may driue me vnto But now for the meaner sorte that with Christian faith and good workes haue yet some baser building of infirmity or lighter trespasses also those must needes be tried by the fire of iuste iudgement in the worlde to come And this is that which S. Augustine calleth so often the Amending fire S. Ambrose the firy sworde S Bernarde termeth it the place of expiatioÌ„ In quo pater benignus examinat filios rubiginosos sicut examinatur argentum In which our mercifull father trieth his rusty children as siluer is tried VVhiâ—h all these holy fathers with the rest oftentimes do name by the commoÌ„ calling of Purgatory Reade all these place is named if thou hast occasion thy selfe and there thou shalt finde to thy singular comforth sufficient proofe of thy faith great motion of godly life with necessary feare of Gods iudgements Thou shalt maruell at the ignorance of our time that could euer doubt of so plaine a matter thou shalt pity with all thy hearte the vnworthy deceiuing of the vnlearned and haue large matter to withstand the deceiuer and to helpe the simple home againe 2 The rest of this chapter is so vainly consumed in serching how the perfect men shall passe through purgatory and feele it not that it is not worth the aunswering but onely to see how he is combred to reconcile the doctrine of the Papistes concerning purgatory and the opinions of the olde writers touching them that passe through fire into paradise For their opinion as we haue seene before was that all men were they neuer so iust passed through that fire and were purified thereby The Papistes affirme that perfect iust men come not at all in their purgatory as the M of the sentence teacheth lib. â— dist 21. M. Allen to retayne the authority of the olde writers holdeth that perfect iust meÌ„ passe through this purgatory without sense of payne or making any stay there yea he doubteth not to affirme that Christ him selâ—e passed through the fire of purgatory though he could not feele the smart of it because he was pure from sinne Is not this holsome doctrine think you to be so carefull to racke the fiery sworde that Ambrose speaketh of vnto purgatory that he is not ashamed to inuent a new article of our faith that Christ descended into purgatory A place alleged for purgatory out of S. Matthevv vvith certayne of the auncient fathers iudgements vpon the same CAP. X. 1 ANd yet it shall be conuenieÌ„t that I helpe the studious reader with further
altogither to discent though he doe not plainly allow it And that he writeth vpon the first of Ezechiel to which place M. Allen sendeth vs he speaketh of the prouidence of God which so gouerneth the afflictions of his Sainctes that that which seemed to be a punishment is conuerted into a medicine As children imagine that spirites and goblines be in euery darke corner So M. Allen neuer readeth fire and torment but by and by he dreameth of purgatory Origen is alleged for our cause vpon vvhose errour in a matter somevvhat appertayning to our purpose S Augustins iudgement is more largely sought and therevvith it is declared by testimony of diuers holy authors vvhat sinnes be chiefly purged in that temporall fire CAP. VIII 1 THese three noble learned men might right well satisfie our search for the sense of the textes both of the Prophet and Apostle and perswade any reasonable man in the whole cause yet for that there be â—ome that meane not to relent in their lewde opinions for light proffers I will store them with testimonies Origenes one of great antiquity in many places of his works vnderstandeth both the sayd textes of Malachie and S. Paule in the like sorte by whom we may well take a great taste of the time and Church where he liued what men of wisedom vertue then iudged of thinges which now of fooles be contemned and of heretikes condemned also But namely vpon the Prophet Ieremy in these wordes Si post fundamentum Iesu Christi non solum in tuo corde aurum argentum lapidem preciosum superae dificaueris verum ligna foenum stipulam quid tibi vis fieri cum anima seiuncta fuerit a corpore vtrum ne ingredi vis in sancta cum lignis tuis foeno stipula vt polluas regnum Dei an propter lignum foenum stipulam foris residere vis pro auro argento lapide precioso nil mercedis accipere sed neque hoc aequum est Quid ergo sequitur nisi vt primum propter lignum ignis tibi detur qui consumat foenum lignum stipulam c. If vpon the foundation which is Christ Iesus thou do not onely builde golde siluer and preciouse stone but also woodde hay and strawe what doest thou looke for after thy death wilt thou entre into the holy places with thy woodde hay and stooble and defile the kingdome of God or els for thy wood hay and straw thou wilt abide forthe and so liese the rewarde of thy golde siluer and preciouse stone But that were no reason then there is no waye but one first to receiue fire for to consume and burne out thy woodde hay and stooble and then afterwarde to receiue for thy better workes the rewarde of saluation so sayth Origen VVhose iudgement if any man mistrust in this point because he erred in other let him learne to miscredit only his or other mens singular opinioÌ„s priuate phaÌ„tasies wherein they disagreed from the residue of the common body of Christ his Church not contemne in any man the confirmation of the vniuersall sense which he findeth in the vniforme doctrine of all other Christian Catholikes In deede it was so euident that this Purgatory fire of which the Apostle speaketh shoulde be in the other life that this learned man afterwarde leauing the meaning which the holy Church had opened for the proofe of certeine transitory punishment in the next worlde for meaner offenders would of his owne head go forwarde which is the bane of many a goodly wit and mainteine that all greuous crimes and most wicked maners might be purged by this fire after death and the parties in time saued so that they had faith for their foundation whereby as S. Augustine noteth of him he made onely faith to saue the wicked without repentaunce or good workes CAP. VIII 1 WHether M. Allen knew that his former witnesses did not agree or that he would geue a tast of his bountifull dealing in pressing vs with more testimonies then needed he will nowe produce Origen whom though he confesse to be infamouse for heresy yet eueÌ„ of his error he wil not doubt but to grounde his purgatory Origen will haue men passe through a fire but to make it plaine that he meaneth not the fier of Popish purgatory we shal perceiue by other places of his writings that he speaketh of such a fire as all men be they neuer so iust shall passe through affirming that all meÌ„ haue neede of purifications after his life ye Peter Paule and such like in Num. Hom. 25. in Psal. 36. Hom. 3. But all men passe not through the Popes purgatory I passe ouer here the grosse allegory that he maketh of the bloude of Deuils by which a man shal be washed and purified in the kingdome of God that being so purified and made cleane he may enter into the city of god Num. Hom. 25. But how soeuer he doteth about passage through fier and purifications after this life yet he affirmeth in an other place that the day of Christian mens death is the deposition of paine whereby it appereth that either he was not constant with him selfe or els that Origens purgatory was a painlesse purgatory His wordes are in Iob Lib. 3. Nam priores diem natiuitatis celebrabant vnam vitam diligentes aliam post hanc non sperantes Nunc vero nos non natiuitatis diem celebramus cum sit dolorum atque tentationum introitus sed mortis diem celebramus vtpote omnium dolorum depositionem atque omnium tentationum effugationem The former men did celebrate the daye of natiuity as they that loued but one life and hoped for none after this But now we doe not celebrate the daye of Natiuitie seeing it is the entrance of sorrowes and temptations but we celebrate the daye of death as that which is a deposition of all griefes and an auoyding of all temptations 2 Against which perniciouse error the said doctor often writeth and proueth that this place of S. Paule can not make for the deliuery of the wicked or greuous offenders in any case And being somewhat vrged by the aduersaries arguments or els because he woulde take all holde from them which they seemed to haue by that scripture he seeketh them out an other meaning not contrary at all to the trueth of Purgatory but yet farther of their purpose Declaring that this fire might as he saith there signify some griefe of this worlde for the abating of some inordinate affectioÌ„s that be found in many euen towards things otherwise lawfull Though he was very loth to auouch this as the vndouted meaning of that scripture being pleaced with any other whereby they shoulde not be forced to deny the eternall damnation of impenitent sinners as in deede he neuer gaue this meaning but where the Origenistes did vrge him and in such places onely where he aunswereth to Origens arguments for
he so litle doubteth that he calleth Purgatory damnatiō though not perpetuall as that which might be both eased and vtterly remoued by the sacrifice suffragies of the Church And thus did that graue author withstād Origen then whose followers were as it may be thought very busie and troublesome in those daies and long after But yet his sure staffe against that error was this and the most common defense of all Catholikes that the temporall paines in the next worlde coulde neuer deliuer the great greuous sinners that died with out repentaunce or remission of their sinnes from euerlasting death because that torment was prepared for the small offensies which we call veniall sinnes by which the holy Apostle ment vnder the names of the base substances of woodde hay and straw as these wordes of much importaunce may well declare There be diuerse sayth he that misconstruing these wordes of S. Paule before alleaged by ouer vaine security confidence deceiue them selues beleuing that if they do builde capitall and greuous crimes vpon the foundation which is Christ they shall be purged through fire and them selues afterwarde escape to euerlasting life but this vnderstanding good brethern must be corrected For those that so flatter them selues shamefully do beguile them selues For that fire which the Apostle speaketh of in these wordes He shall be saued through fier purgeth not mortall sinnes but smaller offensies onely 2 Now followeth a confuse and tedious discourse of Augustines iudgement touching Origens error but it may be reduced vnto these two pointes First why Augustine woulde not interprete that place of Paule 1. Cor. 3. of purgatory and secondly whether Augustine were in any doubt at all of purgatory betwene which two questions is begotten a thirde conclusion that purgatory serueth onely for veniall and light offences To the first he seemeth to say that Augustine refuseth to vnderstand that place of purgatory either because he colde not otherwise withstād the arguments of the Originests or els because he woulde take all holde away from them rather then that it was his constant iudgement because in other places where he was free from contētion he euer groūded purgatory vpō that place How honorable this aunswere is for Augustine or how beneficiall for Allen vsing Augustines authoritie I referre to be iudged of all them that be wise and learned To the second he sayth that Augustine neuer doubted whether there were any paines of purgatory after this life but whether men after their death reteined any carnall affections I will once againe reherse the wordes of Augustine that all indifferent men may iudge whether M. Allens aunswere may stande with his saying in a reasonable meaning Tale aliquid etiam post hanc vitam fieri incredibile non est vtrum ita sit quaeri potest It is not vncredible that some such thing is doen after this life and whether it be or no it may be enquired of that is sayth M. Allen whether men haue any carnall affection to their wiues children c. after this life it may be a question But Augustine goeth further in the same place and sayth Et aut inueniri aut latere nonnullos fideles per ignem quendam purgatorium quanto magis minúsue bona pereuntia dilexerunt tanto tardius citiusque saluari Non tamen tales de quibus dictum est quod regnum Dei non possidebunt nisi conuenientes poenitentibus eadem crimina remittantur And either it may be founde or still be hidde that some of the faithfull by a certaine purgatory fire by how much they haue more or lesse loued transitory Gods by so much later or soner are they saued but yet not such of whome it is saued that they shall not possesse the kingdome of God except the same crimes be forgeuen them being sufficiently repentaunt for them These wordes are so plaine against M. Allens new forged meaning that I suppose he neuer reade them in Augustines owne bookes but onely receiued his notes of some elder Papists that had spent more time in gathering them but had not such audacity to vtter them as M. Allen of which coniecture there is no small likelyhoode sone after I omitte his foolish supposition if S. Augustine had but saied belike there is no such meane place in the life following c. I haue already with out M. Allens suppositiō shewed that Augustine some where sayd he knew neither thirde place nor meane place nor none coulde finde in the holy Scriptures nor Gospell of god Neuerthelesse with much wrangling to defende the vncerteinety or vnconstancy of Augustines iudgement touching purgatory we haue wonne so much that purgatory serueth to purge none but very smal and light offences But how longe shall we holde this Scarse to the latter ende of this chapter For in the next capter he findeth out a shifte to wring in heynous and deadly sinnes also For els the release of small faultes woulde not be halfe so gainefull 3 To this purpose S. Hieroms wordes or the reuerēd Bedes whether you wil for either of their graue authorities shall serue my turne do wholy agree in the expositiō of this sentence Mortuo homine impio non erit vltra spes A wicked man being once departed is past recouery or hope VVhere the author writeth thus Heu misere hoc pertransit Origenes qui post vniuersale iudicium vitam credidit omnibus impijs dādam Notandum autem quod etsi impijs post mottem spes veniae non sit sunt tamen qui de leuioribus peccatis cum quibus obligati defuncti sunt post mortem possunt absolui Origen passed ouer this text pitifully that beleued all the wicked should haue at length life euerlasting after the day a◠generall iudgement Yet this is to be noted that although there be no hope of pardon for the wicked after their death yet there be certaine which may be released of lighter trespasses in the bonde of which they departed out of this worlde And so doth Oecumenius a Greeke author expounde S. Pauls wordes of veniall sinnes for the purgation of which he douteth not but that there is a fire of iudgement in the life to come Ipse autem saluabitur quis Qui aurum argentum lapides preciosos superae dificauerit cum enim dixisset de eo quod mercedem accipiet nūc qualem mercedem aperit salutem scilicet Saluabitur autem non sine dolore vt par est saluari per ignem transeuntem adhaerentes sibi leues maculas purgātem thus in english By whome is it spoken when he sayth he shall be saued By him it is spoken that buildeth on the foundatiō golde siluer and preciouse stones For when he had tolde vs that such shoulde haue a rewarde nowe he openeth what that rewarde shoulde be to wit saluatiō And yet he must not be saued without all paine as there is no cause why he should that must passe through fire and thereby be
worlde or the next but Christes passion alone the benefit whereof is not by the sufferers will extended to any that sinneth vnto death being able to satisfy for the same As often then as thou hearest any Catholike man affirme purgatory to punish or purge greuous and deadely offenses be assured his meaning of the temporall paine due vnto wicked men and their sinnes after their bonde and debt of euerlasting death with the very faulte it selfe be in Gods Church remitted For as S. Augustine sayth a mortall sinne forgeuen is becomne a veniall trespasse and so deserueth no more paine then a veniall sinne which by transitory punishment may be fully and perfitely released thus he sayth Quaedam enim sunt peccata quae mortalia sunt in poenitentia fiunt venialia non tamen statim sanata There be sinnes sayth he which being deadly of their owne nature be yet by poenaunce made venial though not alwayes straight healed Then by this rule what so euer is spoken of veniall sinnes or the purgation thereof it is ment both by the small offensies which of their owne nature are veniall and also of the greater so that they be forgeuen in Gods Church before whereby they are become veniall as the other and deserue proportionaly as the other and may be taken away as the same man affirmeth either in this worlde or the next by the same remedies as the other though not alwayes so speedely CAP. IX 1 NO maruell but you must crowe like a cocke of the game you haue obtayned such a noble victory out of Origens errour and specially you haue discouerâ—d such a solemne secrete to the yong petits of popery that onely veniall sinnes are clensed by purgatory that they are much beholding to you But lest your kitchen shoulde be colde if none but veniall sinnes should passe through the heate of purgatory you haue found out a sutle shifte howe to bring mortall sinnes also through the same pykes of purgatory for discharge of which you know men will bestow more cost then for release of those that with onely sprinckling of holy water as you wott well may be washed away Therefore mortall sinnes must be remitted in this life and then they may be purged in the fire of purgatory as being now become in the case of veniall sinnes O deepe mysteries reueiled out of the bottomlesse pitt which haue no grounde at all in the word of God but are manifestly ouerthrowne thereby euen from the foundations For the foundation of this doctrine is the distinction of veniall and mortall sinnes whereas the word of God plainly determineth that euery sinne is mortall and deserueth eternall death seeme it neuer so small Cursed is euery one that abideth not in all thinges that are written in the law to fulfill them Deu. 27. The soule that sinneth shall dye Eze. 18. The reward of sinne is death Rom. 6. And as for that distinction which S. Iohn maketh of a sinne to death a sinne not to death hath nothing common with that of the papistes for all sinne that by the mercy of God is pardonable he calleth a sinne not vnto death for which God is entreated that giueth life to them that haue so sinned And that sinne he counteth vnto death which is irremissible as obstinate wilful apostacy Heb. 6. blasphemy against the holy ghost Math. 12. c. for which it is not lawfull io pray Thus by iudgement of Gods word are all sinnes mortall which Papistes call veniall and all that they count mortall by Gods spirite are counted veniall For by the iustice of God all sinnes are mortall but by his mercy they are all pardonable except that sinne vnto death whereof S. Iohn speaketh 1. Ioan. 5. But to returne to M. Allens shift and to examine whether it will satisfie the iudgement of those olde writers which affirme that onely small and light offences are clensed by the fire of purgatory M. Allen sayth mortall sinnes become veniall by remission The Scripture teacheth that sinnes forgeuen are not imputed at all But M. Allens doctrine is that remission of sinnes doth not take sinnes away but onely chaungeth their nature from mortall to veniall yea he is not ashamed to vouch Augustine to warranty as though he should say that a mortall sinne forgiuen is become a veniall trespasse c. If all men were blinde this fellow would play trimly with their noses when he will be so bold with all men that can see Augustines wordes as he citeth them in Latine are these Quaedam enim sunt peccata quae mortalia sunt in poenitentia fiunt venialia that is there are some sinnes which are deadly of their owne nature but by repentaunce they are made veniall I haue translated them as he doth sauing that he calleth poenitentia penaunce which I to auoyd the ambiguitie of the english word as it is taken by the Papistes haue turned repentaunce Nowe is it all one to say that such sinnes as of their owne nature deserue death may yet be pardoned to him that repenteth which is the manifest meaning of Augustines wordes and that which M. Allen fathereth vpon him as though he said a mortall sinne forgeuen is become a veniall trespasse Againe this doctors wordes are playne of light and small offences and not of heynous and great offences that by pardon are made litle offences 2 VVell then to close vp briefely all this haue we founde by these scriptures alleaged that being diuerse degrees of men Purgatory apperteineth but to one sort First not to such as lacke the faith of Christ for they hauing no foundation are allready iudged neither to such as haue not builded vpon the foundatioÌ„ but rather defaced it with workes of death and deuilish doctrine For all these must like widdred branches be cast into the fire not to be purged but vtterly wasted There be yet other that kepe their foundation faste and worke there vpon both golde and siluer but yet abased and somewhat defiled by the mixture of other infirmities not sufficiently redressed in this life these must of necessity by Gods ordinaunce suffer the Purgation by fire that their workes purified and amended by the sentence of his iuste iudgement may at length by mercy and grace bring them to their desired ende Now the perfect estate which hauing this groundewarcke and building therevpon nothing for the most part but the tried fine workes of heauenly doctrine and perfect charity can not feare the fire as in whome it shall finde no matter of waste For if any drosse of seculare desires or worldly weakenesse was in their frailty contracted their fructefull penaunce in their life washed that away by the force of Christes bloude before the daye of our Lorde greate and fearefull came vpon them In which case God will not punish twise for one faulte nor entre into iudgement with such as haue iudged them selues to his hande These therefore thus guarded by Gods grace in whome onely
meis fontem lachrymarum fortè enim non reperiret ignis exureÌ„s quod interim flueÌ„s lachryma diluisset Oh woulde to God some man woulde nowe before hande prouid for my heade abundaunce of waters to mine eyes a fountaine of teares for so happely the burning fire shoulde take no hold where ronning teares had cleansed before And thus againe the same blessed man debateth the matter with his owne conscience I tremble and shake for feare of fawling into Gods handes I woulde present my selfe before his face already iudged and not then of him to be iudged Therefore I will make a reckening whiles I am here of my good deedes and of my badde my euill shall be corrected with better works shall be wattered with teares shall be punished by fasting and amended by sharp discipline Prouision must be made that I bring not thether cockel in steade of corne or chaffe together with Wheate I shall rippe vp to the very bottome all my wayes and my whole studie that he may finde nothing vntried or not fully discussed to his handes And then I hope in his mercy that he will not iudge for the same faultes the second time In the like godly sense spake another longe before his dayes Beatus qui hic mala sua deflere qui hic debita sua festinat exoluere innocentiam quam iam non potest per baptismum reparare recuperare studeat per summum poenitentiae fructum ad tales merito ipse Dominus loquitur non iudicabo bis in idipsum Happy is he that euer he was borne that with speede bewaileth his sinnes and in time dischargeth his debtes that he may so endeuour to recouer by the fructes of penaunce his innocency which by baptisme he can neuer repaire againe to such surely our Lorde sayth that he will not call twise to accompte for one faulte CAP. XII AFter the exhortation to your fellow Papistes to stande in awe of purgatory you bringe in the meditation of Bernard for feare of the fire thereof If you meane thereby to terrifie your fellow Papistes it is somewhat for you know he is a very late writer and therefore his authoritie with vs is of small accompt in such cases as he followeth the common errour of his time I would both you your fellowes not for feare of temporall paynes but either for loue of God or feare of eternall damnation would leaue your blasphemous heresies contrary to Godâ— word your sclaundering persecuting and murthering of Gods Sainctes and reforming your life after the rule of Gods Gospel would take hold of Christ by faith to your eternall health and so sorrow for your sinnes that you might reioyce alwayes as the children of God doe The saying of Emissenus proueth no feare of purgatory but of Gods iudgement vnto condemnation preuented by repentaunce 2 S. Ambrose sheweth his feare also of Purgatory by this prayer Quod si etiam in illo adhuc saeculo aliquid in me vindicandum reseruas peto ne me potâ—stati daemonum tradas dum scelus meum Purgatoria poena detergis O Lorde sayth he if thou reserue any whit in me to be reuenged in the next life yet I humbly aske of thee that thou geue me not vp to the power of wicked spirites whiles thou wipes away my sinnes by the paine of Purgatory Lo good reader the feare and fayth of our fathers lo how olde this doctrine is how auncient the worde is But in an other place the same author expresseth his care and continuall cogitation of this iudgement to be practised in Purgatory comparing thus S. Peter his state with his owne Ille sayth he of S. Peter examinabitur vt argentum ego examinabor vt plumbum donec plumbum tabescat ardâ—bo si nihil argenti in me inuentum fuerit heu me in vltima inferni detrudar aut vt stipula â—otus exurar si quid in me inuentum fuerit auti vel argenti non per meos actus sed per gratiam misericordiam Christi per ministerium sacerdotij dicam fortasse ego Etenim qui sperant in te non coÌ„fundentur In english He shall be tryed as siluer but I must be searched and examined as leade till the leade melt awaye must I continually burne And if then there be no siluer matter founde wo is me I shall be throust downe to the neither partes of the deepe hell or wholy waste away as strowe in fire But if any golde or siluer be founde in me not through my workes but by grace and Christes mercy and for my ministery and priesthood sake I shall also once say those that put their trust in thee shall neuer be confounded Alasse Ambrose was thou so carefull fâ—r wasting away in thy purgation what shall become of vs where all is drosse and no fine substance so continuall sinning and so litle sauluing where the dignity of priesthood whereby thou conceiued such comfort is almost worne away his feare was so harty and his meditation of purgatory paines was so earnest that he conceiueth a doubt in respect of his desertes of wasting away and further casting into damnation though he knew right well that man admitted to the temporall iudgement of the next world could not euerlastingly perish but because the paines of the one is so like the other the griefe of theÌ„ both lightly occupieth mans minde at once especially where mans case is doubtfull and often deserueth the worse of the twayne 2 That Ambrose that writ the preparatory to masse might be afferd of purgatory of tormeÌ„ting by deuils also as his words are But Ambrose of Millayne wrate no such booke It is sufficient for Papists that euery vnlearned asse may intitle his fantasies to some auncient writer and then they must be authenticall But draffe is good enough for swine As for that Ambrose that wrote vpon the 118. psalme sheweth a feare of hell if God should deale with him according to his iustice but by the grace and mercy of God which is dispensed by his ministers he recouereth him self being assured that all they that trust in him shal not be confounded M. Allen translateth per ministerium sacerdotij for my ministery and priesthood sake as though he ioyned his priesthood with the grace of christ I had rather referre it to the priesthood of Christ but that I haue geuen the true meaning of his wordes before 3 So S. Augustine likewise after that he had vttered his feare of hell in the Prophet Dauids person as I sayd once before streight he adioyneth his request vnto God to saue him from Purgatory paynes by the Prophets wordes also I will recite his minde in English O Lord amend me not in thy anger but pourge me in this life that I may escape the amending fire which is prepared for such as shall be saued through fire And why but because they build vppon the foundation woode hay and strawe men might build gold siluer and precious stones and so escape both the fires th
vs entre into the search of the meaning of these two textes with such plainnes sincerity that I dare say the aduersaries them selues shall not mislike our dealing VVe will follow all likelihoodes by comparing the scriptures together and admit with all the counsell and iudgement of such our elders as by their confession shall be taken for holy learned and wise First the prophet and Apostle both make mention of purging of purifying sinne corruption of mans impure or defiled workes they both agree this cleansing or trying out of the filthy drosse gathered by corruption of sinne to be done by fier they both throughly follow the similitude of the fornace and goldesmith in fining his metalles and trying out the drosse and base matter from the perfect finesse of more worthy substaunce they both plainely vtter their meaninges of such as shall afterwarde be saued though it be with losse geuing vs to vnderstande that the parties so purged shall be after their triall worthy to offer a pure sacrifice in holynesse righteousnes They both note this purgatiō to be wrought by the hand of God. All these must needes be confessed euen of the cōtrary teachers which things together cōteine more probability for the proofe of our purpose then they can for any other sense finde But now touching the text neerer and finding that this worke of mans amending shall be wrought in the next life then it must nedes so induce this sense that no meaning may well be admitted which euidently setteth not forth the trueth of Purgatory And that this worke is not properly taken for any such trouble or vexation that may fall to man in this life but for a very torment prepared for the next worlde first the quality of the iudgement meanes in the executiō of that sentence of God which is named to be done by fier seemeth rather to import that then any other vexation the punishment of the worlde following alwayes lightely so termed Then man is in this purging onely a sufferer which belongeth namely to the next worlde But especially that this sentence shal be executed in the day of our Lord which properly signifieth either the day of our death or the sentence of God which streight followeth vpon death or the last and generall iudgement All the time of mans life wherein he followeth his freedome is called Dies Hominis the day of man because as man in this life for the most parte serueth his owne will so he often neglecteth Gods but at his death there beginneth Dies Domini VVhere God executeth his ordinaunce and will vpon man This triall then of mans misdeedes impure workes must either be at his death or after his departure by one of the two iudgements But if we note diligently the circumstances of the saide letter it shall appeare vnto vs that this purgation was not ment to be onely at mans death both because it shall be done by fire which as is saide commonly noteth the torment of the next life and then S. Paule expressely warneth vs to take heede what we builde in respect of the difference that may fall to such as builde fine workes and other that erect vpon the foundation impure or mixte matter of corruption but the paines of death being common to the best as well as to the worst or indifferent and no lesse greuous in it selfe to one then the other can not be imported by the fire which shall bring losse to the one sort and not paine the other Besides all this that day which the Prophet speaketh of shall be notorious in the sight of the worlde and very terrible to many And Saint Paule plainely affirmeth that in this iudgement there shall be made an open shewe of such workes as were hidde before from man and not discerned by the iudgement of this worlde which the priuate death of one man can not do And lightely the Apostle warning man of the sentence of God in the next life admonisheth him that our deedes must be laide open before the iudgement seate of God so here Dies domini declarabit quia in igne reuelabitur the day of our Lord will open the matter because it shall be shewed in fire Last of all the Prophet nameth the time of this sharp triall Diē aduētus domini which is a proper calling of one of the iudgements either that which shall be generall at the last day or els that which euery man must first abide straight after his departure when he shall be called to the peculiar reckening for his owne actes In either of which iudgements this purging and amending fire shall be founde For as in that generall wast of the whole world by the fire of conflagration which is called ignis praecedens faciem iudicis because it awaiteth to fulfill Christes ordinance in the day of his second comming as in that fier the whole man both body and soule may suffer losse extreme paine for his punishment or purgation and yet by that same fire be saued euen so out of doubt at this particulare iudgement straight vpon euery mans death the soule of the departed if it be not before free must suffer paines and Purgation by the like vehement torment working onely vpon the soule as the other shall do on the whole man And the Prophets wordes now alleged do meane principally of the purgation that shall be made of the faithfuls corrupted workes by the fier of conflagration in the second comming of Christ though his wordes well proue the other also as S. Paule too meaneth by them both 3 Now I trow commeth the confirmation of purgatory out of the holy Scriptures or else it wyll neuer come when two textes are alleged at once But although M. Allen hath rather craftily confounded then faithfully compared these two textes together for all his protestation of plaine dealing yet will I seuerally consider them and shew both by the plaine circumstances of the places them selues and also by the iudgement of the auncient doctors that neither of them both appertaineth any whit to purgatory First Malachy prophecieth plainly of the first comming of Christ and of his fore runner Iohn Baptist as the wordes going before without all controuersy doe declare Behold I will send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom ye seeke shall spedely come to his temple euen the messenger of the couenaunt whom ye desire beholde he shall come sayth the Lord of hostes but who may abide the day of his comming c. witnesse of this is no lesse then euen our Sauiour Christ him selfe Luke the 7. alleging this saying of the Prophet for the comming of Iohn the Baptist. These wordes also where it is sayd that the Lord shall come into his temple doe sufficiently declare that he describeth the office of Christ in reforming the corrupt state of the Church at his first comming and not in iudging the quicke and the dead
to wit that euen the same selfe men which shall be purged must afterwarde offer to God the sacrifice of iustice that being once thus amended of their vnrighteousnesse in which their offeringes could not be acceptable vnto God may afterwarde in pure and perfect iustice offer them selues as a most pleasaunt hoste and oblation vnto our lord But this question of purgatory paines I will differ to a further treaty hereafter All this hath S. Augustine VVhereby we may both acknowledge his minde and the Prophets meaning which according to the grace geuen vnto him in the expounding of Scriptures he hath sought out by conference of that place with other the like out of Esay by weying discretly the whole circumstance of the letter finally by comparing of the other meaning which to some might haue bene reckened apte and mete for that place In all which doing he was as farre from rashe iudgement as our newe doctors be from good aduisement But because he referreth vs to the further discussing of the same matter afterward in the named worke it shal be to our purpose not a litle to haue this dictors full minde constant iudgement therein In the xxj booke after much matter vttered and very deepe discussing of the cause he maketh this grouÌ„ded Conclusion Temporales poenas alij in hac vita tantum alij post mortem alij nunc nuÌ„c veruntameÌ„ ante illud saeuerissimuÌ„ nouissimúmque iudiciuÌ„ patiuntur Non autem omnes veniuÌ„t in sempiternas poenas quae post illud iudiciuÌ„ his sunt futurae qui post mortem sustinent temporales nam quibusdam quod in isto noÌ„ remittitur remitti in futuro saeculo id est ne futuri saeculi aeterno supplicio puniaÌ„tur iam supra diximus Temporall paines that is to say punishment which shall haue an end some men suffer in this life some other after their death other some both now then But all this before the day of iudgement that is the greatest and last of all other iudgements not all that be teÌ„porally punished after their departure come into paines perpetuall which shall be after the generall daye for we haue already declared that there be certaine which haue remission in an other worlde that is to say a pardon that they be not punished euerlastingly that had not forgeuenesse in this By these wordes we may be assured that as in the next life there be paines endelesse and perpetuall for the wicked so in the same worlde after our ende here there must needes be some transitory punishment and correction for such of the meane sorte as shall afterwarde be saued And againe he speaketh as I take it of the fier of Conflagration that shall in the latter day purge some that be meane and wast other that be wicked and sende them from that present punishment to further eternall damnation I will recite his owne wordes that ye may perceiue the perpetuall constancy of this excellent mans minde in this matter It shall also be a testimonie sufficient for the vnderstanding of S. Pauls wordes nowe before alleaged Si aedificauerit super fundamentum ligna foenum stipulam id est mores saeculares fundamento fidei suae super aedificauerit tameÌ„ si in fundamento sit Christus primum locuÌ„ ipse habeat in corde ei nihil omnino anteponatur porteÌ„tur tales Veniet caminus inceÌ„det ligna foenuÌ„ stipulam ipse inquit saluus erit sic tamen quasi per ignem Hoc aget caminos alios in sinistram â—eparabit alios in dexteram quodammodo eliquabit If any man erect vpon the foundatioÌ„ woodde hay or straw that is to say worldely affections vpon the groundewarke of his sayth if yet Christ be in the foundation and beare the greatest stroke in his harte so that nothing be preferred before him such may well be borne withall for the fiery fornace shall come burne the wood hay and stooble shall be saued as the Apostle saith though it be for all that through the fier that fornace then shall parte some to the lift hande and try forth other if a man may so tearme it to the right hande 2 The first place is geuen vnto Augustine because he is in a maner confessed to be a patrone of some of our opinions though he be not of all This doctor in his 20 booke de ciuitate dei is saide to expound the texte of Melachy as M. Allen hath doen of the paines of purgatory But reade the place with indifferent iudgement who so can and will and he shall plainely perceiue that Augustine speaketh not of M. Allens purgatory which is said to be immediatly after mens death but of certaine purging paines which he supposeth some shall suffer at the last daye of Gods generall iudgement and yet he is so vncertaine of that exposition that he doubteth whether this purging whereof the Prophet speaketh may not be vnderstoode of that seperation which shal be of the godly from the wicked in that daye Howbeit 21. booke cap. 13. of the same worke he concludeth very cleerely that some suffer temporall paines after this life This maye not be denyed but how vnconstant Augustine was in his error appereth by this that sometime he doubteth whether there be any such matter other whiles he seemeth plainely to deny all other receptacles of the soules departed beside heauen and hell For both in his Enchiridion ad Laurentium cap. 69. de octo Dulcitij in quaestionibus quaest 1. he sayeth that as it is not incredible that such a matter may be after this life so it may be doubted whether it be so or no. Likewise in his booke de fide operibus cap. 16. he hath these wordes speaking of that texte to S. Paule 1. Corinthians 3. Siue ergo in hac vita tantum homines ista patiuntur siue etiam post hanc vitam talia iudicia subsequantur non abhoâ—ret quantum arbitror a ratione veritatis iste intellectus huius sententiae Whether men suffer these things in this life only or whether such iudgements follow after this life also the vnderstanding of this sentence abhorreth not as I thinke from the waye of trueth Againe in Hypognost contra Pelagianos lib. 5. he acknowledgeth the kingdom of heauen for to receiue the godly and hell fire for the punishment of the wicked but a third place sayth he we are altogither ignoraunt of neither doe we finde it in the holy Scriptures He writeth against the Pelagians that imagined a third place for the rest of infants that were not baptised but the same reason serueth as well against the popish purgatory because we finde it not in the holy Scriptures to the like effect he writeth de verbis Apostoli sermone 14. where he acknowledgeth the right hand and the left hand of God that is the kingdom of heauen and the paynes of hell the midle place he vtterly denyeth wherein infantes may
breaketh her faith of Baptisme shal be damned for mariage is not worth a rush For S. Paule sayth not she shal be damned for mariage but because she hath reiected the first faith that is such wanton young houswifes procede so farre that at length they forsake widowhood christianity and all But if M. Allen were posed where he findeth this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture vsed for a vowe or promise made to God perhaps he would aunswere he is no Graecian then let him pose D. Hardinge or some other with the same question and with all let them shew how the first faith can be expounded for the last vowe that a body hath made if he haue made more then one For the Papists holde that these women made one vowe in baptisme an other of there widowhood What so euer M. Iewell hath affirmed against the Papistes he hath so substantially and learnedly defended that he neede not to haue any other man to aunswere for him Therefore if it were not to choke M. Allen in his owne coller I woulde trauaile no farther in this question The Church you say can not erre and that company is the Church which hath the Pope for their head if therefore it can be proued that the Pope and all they that take his part haue erred it is sufficiently shewed that the Church may erre S. Augustine was in this error as you will not deny that the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ was to be ministred vnto infants but of the same opinion he affirmeth that Innocentius Bishop of Rome and all the Church in his tyme was therefore the Pope and all the Church did erre reade Augustine contra Iulianum lib. 1. cap. 2. where he sayth of Innocentius Qui denique paruulos definiuit nisi manducauerint carnem filij hominis vitam prorsus habere non posse which hath defined that infantes except they eate the flesh of the sonne of man can haue no life at all in them And by eating the flesh of the sonne of mā he meaneth eating the Sacramēt of his flesh and bloud as it is euident to them that wil bestow the reading of Augustines discourse in that place An aunsvvere to certayne obiections of the aduersaries moued vpon the diuersitie of meanings vvhich they see geuen in the fathers vvritings of the Scriptures before alleaged for purgatory and that this doctrine of the Church standeth not against the sufficiencie of Christes passion CAP. XI 1 BVt nowe the other side seeketh for some shiftes and draweth backe in this extremity thus That the places of the olde and new Testament now rather alleaged for my purpose and the proofe of purgatory though they be thus expounded of the doctours yet they may haue some other meaninge and sometimes be construed otherwise by the fathers them selues To which I aunswere and freely confesse that they so may haue in deede but the aduersary must take this with all that the pillars of Christes Church woulde neuer haue geuen this sense amongest other or rather before all other meaninges that probability or conferēce of scriptures did driue them vnto had it conteined a plaine faulsehood as the heretike supposeth it doth Yea had not the doctrine of Purgatory bene a knowne trueth in all ages it should neuer by the graue iudgemēt of so many wise men haue atteyned any colour of scripture For though many meaninges be founde of most harde places in all the Bible yet there is no sense geuen by any approued doctour that in it selfe is false And thinke you diuerse textes of the holy Scripture coulde haue caryed a false perswasion of Purgatory downe from the Apostles dayes to our time for true doctrine Marke well and you shall perceiue that the Church of Christ hath euer geuen roome to the diuersitie of mens wittes the diuision of graces and sondry giftes in exposition of most places of the whole testament with this prouiso alwayes that no man of singularity should father any falsehood or vntrueth vpon any texte but otherwise that euery man might abounde in his meaning Mary falsehood she neuer suffered one moment to take holde or bearing of any scripture vnreprehended Ecclesia multa tolerat sayth S. Augustine tamen quae sunt contra fidem vel bonam vitam non probat nectacet nec facit the Church beareth many thinges yet such thinges as be hourtfull to faith or good life she neuer approueth nor doth them her selfe nor holdeth her peace when she seeth them done by others Thereof we haue a goodly example in our owne matter So long as any conuenient meaning might be found out by the holy writers of that place alleaged out of S. Paule for such as shoulde be saued through fire she liked and allowed the same Some proued that the elect must be saued by long sufferance some said the tribulation of this life and world must trie mens faith workes some saide the greefe of minde in loosing that which they ouer much loued was the burning fire of mans affections some woulde haue the greuous vexation of departure out of this life to be a purgatory paines some construed the texte of the fire of conflagration that shall purge the workes of many in the latter day finally they all agreed that the temporall torment of the worlde to come is litterally noted and especially meant by the fire which the Apostle speaketh of All these so litle do disagree amongest them selues that not onely by diuerse men but of one man they might well all be geuen And being all in them selfe very true the holy Church so liketh and alloweth them eche one that yet by the common iudgement of all learned men that meaning for Purgatory paines she approueth as the most agreeable sense to the texte and whole circumstance of the letter But as soone as Origen went about to proue by the same scripture that all wicked men shoulde at length be saued after due purgation by fire then this pillar of trueth seeing an open falsehood gathered by the scripture of Gods worde coulde susteine no longer She set vp against this errour her pastors the graue fathers of our faith who ceased not as occasion serued to geue men warning of the deceite intended not onely still mainteining the doctrine of Purgatory but also expressely condemning all the reprehenders thereof as hereafter it shall be better declared and so misliking no sense that in it selfe was true the meaning of Purgatory yet hath bene of all the learned counted so certaine that in geuing any other likely exposition that was euer added with all as most consonant to the will and wordes of the writers So doth Theodoretus so doth S. Augustine and so in a maner did they all And as the saide holy doctour saith with whose wordes I am much delited by cause he of all other maketh trueth stand most plainely vpon it selfe One texte of scripture may well haue so many vnderstandings as may
so notorious false that it grew to no greate heade at that time or else it was not so much regarded because it was ioyned to that horrible falshood of Arius against the blessed Godhood of Christ Iesus our Sauiour Euery greate wast of religion hath many false opinions knit together amongest which one being as principall ground shadoweth the other lesser branchies as nowe the blasphemy of the holy Sacrificie and Sacrament being the fountaine of their heresies in a maner couereth the meaner puddells of their stinking doctrine And amoÌ„gest other this vnnaturall affection of forbidding the reliefe of the parted seemeth euer to be ioyned as an appendix to other falsehoods For in holy Damascens dayes this secte appeared againe with other false doctrine as a companion of all mischiefe And to proue it to be an heresie he seeketh out the first founder thereof and findeth euen as before that vnder the deuill this Aërius was the father of that faythlesse assertion VVhome he bayteth well fauourdly in a whole oration and so driues the woolfe in to the woodde againe 4 Now at the length commeth the author of this heresie by the testimony of Epiphanius and Augustine But neither of them confuteth it by the Scriptures but by the coÌ„mon error of their tyme I could proue out of Irenaeus and Epiphanius that the first that brought in estimation the figure of the crosse images were the Valentinians Carpocratianes But that is no aunswere to this matter I haue promised to proue that the opinion of purgatory had the same original that the most notable heresies had Tertullian though him selfe an heretike yet truely describeth the originall of heresies in his booke de praescriptionibus aduersus haereses That as true doctrine was receiued from Christ by the Apostles â—o heresie from the deuill by Philosophers and Gentyles Also in his booke de anima he sheweth that all Philosophers which graunted the immortality of the soule as Pythagoras Empedocles and Plato assigned 3. places for the soules departed heauen hell and a third place of purifying Carpocrates as Irenaeus doth testifie was a great admirer of Philosophie in so much that with the imagies which he made of Christ he ioyned the imagies of Pythagoras Plato and Aristotle This heretike learning out of Plato his philosophy that mens soules must be purified after their death inuented a kinde of purgatory out of the opinion of Pythagoras and proued it out of that place of S. Matthew Thou shalt not come forth vntill thou hast payed the vttermost farthing euen as the Papists do Iren. lib. 1. ca. 24. The Heracleonites as Augustine witnesseth came yet a step more towardes the Papistes for they would redeeme their deade after a new maner namely by oyle balme water and inuocation sayd ouer their heades in the Hebrew tongue But Montanus of whom Tertullian receiued his heresie had in all pointes the opinion of the Papistes First that the Patriarkes before Christes comming were in hell that Abrahams bosome was in hell or in the lower parts as M. Allen had rather speake that onely Martyrs and perfect men are priuiledged of God to goe into Paradise that all small offences must be punished after this life where the prison is the vttermost farthing to be payed witnes of this is Tertullian in his booke de anima ca. de inferis c. vlt. an aliquid patiaÌ„tur animae apud inferos c. His words are these after he hath proued that soules may suffer after their death In summa cum carcerem illuÌ„ quod EuangeliuÌ„ demoÌ„strat inferos intelligimus nouissimuÌ„ quadraÌ„tem modicum quodque delictum mora resurrectionis illic luenduÌ„ interpretamur nemo dubitabit animaÌ„ aliquid peÌ„sare penes inferos salua resurrectionis plenitudine per carneÌ„ quoque Hoc etiaÌ„ Paracletus frequeÌ„tissimè coÌ„meÌ„dauit si quis sermones eius ex agnitione promissoruÌ„ charismatuÌ„ admiserit To conclude when we do vnderstand that prison which thing the Gospell sheweth to be hell or the lower partes and do expound that the vttermost farthing which is euery small fault must there be punished with delay of resurrection no man shall doubt but that the soule in hell doth suffer somthing sauing the fulnes of the resurrection by the flesh also And this the comforter hath often times commended if any man will admitte his sayings by acknowledging of the promised gratious giftes By the comforter he meaneth the spirite of Montanus whose heresie he defended And therefore it is not otherwise to be thought but that the Montanistes vpon the ground of this opinion not content with the oblations for the deade which the Church then had by peruerse emulation of the Gentiles and yet were but oblations of thankes giuing as they could be no other for the birth dayes they added also prayers for the spirites of them that were deade whereof Tertullian maketh mention in his bookes de castitate de Monogamia which were both written to heretikes of his sect and by those prayers laboreth to proue that second mariages are not lawfull Also in his booke de anima before named though for an other purpose he rehearseth a miracle of a woman whom he knew of his sect for none other he couÌ„ted of the Church which after she was deade and prepared to buriall by prayer of the Priestes at the first beginning of his prayer she tooke vp her handes from her sides and held them vp as they that vse to pray and when the office of buriall was ended layd them downe agayne This miracle I take to haue bene an illusion of Sathan to confirme that new opinion that prayers profited the deade as that also which he reporteth of heare say of some of his sect that when two bodies should be buried in one graue the one lay further and made roome for the other which was no doubt a sleight of Satan to commend the vnitie of heretikes And that the practise of the Church for oblations for the deade at the yearly day of their birth were taken from the Gentiles it appeareth by this that Tertullian counteth them of all one origen with the oblations pro natalitijs that is for the birth dayes which Beatus Rhenanus a Papist and a great antiquary doth confesse affirming that by the canons of the Nicene councell and other councels which he hath seene in libraries those oblations pro natalitijs with other superstitions that Tertullian fathereth vpon tradition of the Apostles were abrogated And the oblations them selues which were at burialls mariages birth dayes he affirmeth were mony that was offered in almes to the reliefe of the poore Origen to much a Philosopher was not content with Plato his purification but he must bring in Platoes fire also and that he would build as the papistes doe and as he had better reason then the Papistes haue out of the 1. Cor. 3. but because the Apostle sayd that euery mans worke should be tryed by fire he