these and that as I did take it for good reason The effect of my speech concerning him was digested into these two branches His facultie and his Religion For the first I did onely touch it in a few words shewing that hee did practise the Art of Physicke with good and commendable acceptance till such time as through weakenesse his memorie began to faile that he was very courteous and ready to affoord his best helpe specially to Schollers as I could testifie of mine owne certaine knowledge and not wanting therein to poore neighbours as I had partly seene with mine owne eyes and neere dwellers to him could testifie Touching his Religion I did indeuour to expresse my charitie with our Christian reformed Church that all men might see the difference between Christian and Antichristian Religion They cast downe headlong into hell all that consort not with them in dependance vpon one Head The Romane Bishop we charitably and hopefully conceiue that in the middest of them notwithstanding their errour of that dependance yet many haue beene are and shall bee saued the Lord hauing his thousands among them that neuer bowed their knee to Baal My reasons why I did so charitably iudge of his estate before God were briefly these 1. First I shewed that he was not infected with the whole Mysterie of Iniquity nor did appeare to be obdurate and obstinate that way because in our Christian families where he came he was knowne to ioyne with them in Prayer 2. In conference and dispute about Religion euery man that did conuerse with him can testifie his vnskilfulnesse and weakenesse that way wherein his disabilitie of answere was supplied vsually with these or such like euading speeches God send vs all to heauen The Sonne of God bee good to vs c. 3. Hee protested to me that he was neuer at the most solemne part of their Romish Religion that is The Masse nor did euer know what it meant This confession was not long before his death 4. His skill in the Vtensils and Vessels of their Religious seruice was so little that he did not know a Chalice but would pleasantly tell of his mistake taxed by a Gentlewoman better skilled in the trade then himselfe 5. My selfe reading to him a Sermon of S. Bernard wherein the Father vehemently inueighed against the Court and Prelacie of Rome and demanding of him Whether Luther or Caluine or any of our men could more plainely and more powerfully speake against such impietie he did as a man conuicted admire it as strange to him for hee â—aw there was no deceit inasmuch as it was read to him in his owne Booke 6. He ordinarily though not so often as was fiâ— resorted to Church and communicated annually excepting the last yeere or little more before his death and that was vpon occasion of the Princes going into Spaine which made many befoole themselues 7. Last of all in the shutting vp of his life neere his end my selfe praying with him he did shew his consent by erecting both his hands vp to heauen and after the Prayer ended by giuing mee his hand cheerefully and willingly of his owne accord If these bee not sufficient arguments to induce my charitie towards him iudge you And tell mee I pray you whether such a speech so charitably vttered need to flee the light and be glad of the couert of darkenesse or not rather with boldnesse come into the light as now it doth that it may bee approoued of God and discreet good men That I may not with too much prolixitie offend your patience I will now draw to an end intreating your courteous acceptance of this token of my sincere loue vnto you It is indeed many wayes due vnto you of right but especially in regard of your loue and kinde respect shewed to mee of late that whereas for the space of aboue ten yeeres I constantly continued the weekely lecture vpon the Market day hauing no recompence for that paines but onely Master William Sakers Legacie of fiue pounds per annum it hath pleased you vpon due consideration to augment it to a conuenient stipend which good Worke was first well begun by Master Reginold Edwards and that not onely motioned by word but seconded by his liberall act in contributing most largely to so good a purpose And whereas voluntary contributions depending onely vpon the Donors free disposition are in like manner as Charitie it selfe subiect to waxe cold it was not onely very kindly towards me but exceeding prouidently for the better continuance of so religious a worke propounded by Master William Thurston to the whole Corporation and by their generall consents condescended vnto that the stipend should euer heereafter be paid out of the Chamber Of which pious Worke I commend to the world this Monument in the iust praise both of those Prime Motors as also of you all who were the Concomitants and Adinuant causes of that so good and needfull a furtherance of Gods Religious seruice desiring the Almightie to blesse you all and to giue you the comfort that religious Nehemiah had in the like case that with him euery one of you may bee able to say vnto God with ioy and confidence Remember mee O my God concerning this and wipe not out my good deedes that I haue done for the House of my God and for the offices thereof Yours in the Lord Iesus IOHN PHILLIPS THE WAY TO HEAVEN ACTS 2.47 And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saued THere is nothing more fit not better beseeming a Christian minde at such times and vpon such occasions as this when our mortality is set before our eyes then to consider seriously with our selues what shall become of vs after this life that seeing our passage out of this world by death is ineuitable we may before our departure learne here vpon earth how to liue for euer in Heauen This heauenly lesson is here taught vs in this short and sweet text which that I may open vnto you and in opening it may set open Heauen gate to euery faithfull soule you shall vnderstand that these words are The conclusion of a memorable History concerning the prime and first gathering together of the Christian Church by the Apostles after the glorious Ascension of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Know therefore that to the end that so great a worke as the conuerting of the whole world consisting of many Nations and different languages might the better be effected our blessed Lord did according to his promise send the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles enabling them to speake to euery Nation and people in their owne tongues that all countries might be taught to know and worship God in their owne language And for the greater incouragement of the Apostles it pleased God to giue such a blessing to these beginnings that about Three Thousand soules were conuerted at the first Sermon of Peter Now to shew that this blessing ceased not
God euer had hath at this time and shall haue to the end many in the very middest of the Papacie that doe not know the whole Mysterie of Romish iniquity but in simplicitie of heart lay hold vpon Iesus Christ and him alone for their saluation They see according to that light they haue many corruptions and enormities bewayle them and shun them as farre as their strength and measure of knowledge and grace will permit These wee say holding the foundation though they may build vpon it the hay or stubble of some errours and superstitions not destroying the foundation may bee saued through the mercie of God in Christ pardoning their sinnes of ignorance and errour vpon their generall repentance We may see the like in the Church of Thyatira there were many that had not that learning as the false teachers in their vaine-glorious bragging termed it nor did know the deepenesse of Satan but did hold fast the maine truth though in much weakenesse and all that God requireth of them is that they be constant in that In the same manner the Lord speaketh to the Church of Philadelphia Thou hast a little strength and hast kept my Word and hast not denied my Name For God doth not so much looke to the measure and quantitie of grace as to the sincerity and soundnesse of it Many godly and learned among them did not by and by vpon the sight of some corruptions leaue and forsake the societie of the Church of Rome Oecolompadius Capito Melancthon and Luther himselfe nay some of them continued in the outward communion of the Romish Church till their dying day as Erasmus and others who thought well of the cause or matter of Reformation but did not approoue Separation being carried away with the mayne streame of the name of Church and Mother Church No maruell therefore if among vs we haue of meaner learning or of the simpler sort that so harpe vpon that string that they haue no eare to hearken to Christs Pipe It is no new thing to see a child mistake and cry out after a stranger in stead of the owne Mother so why may it not be that some in their simplicitie may fall into such a misprizion as to take the Romish Synagogue to be their Mother Church being indeed not so much as a sound member of it but as a disease a Pest or Gangrene in the body It is apparant then that in a corrupt Church some may be sound and so be saued and this we hold of the Church of Rome as corrupt as it is for our Lord would neuer haue said of Spirituall Babylon Come out of her my people if he had none there And let not our Romanists brag of this our ingenuous confession and play vpon it the better to seduce the simple for in truth in standeth them in no more stead to patronize their impieties then the Fathers approouing of the Baptisme of the Donatists and other Heretickes did countenance their Heresies For what is the chaffe the better because it is acknowledged that there is some wheate hid amongst it We doe not say absolutely there is saluation to be found in the Romish Babylon but in the middest of so great confusion there may be saluation for some There is great difference betweene possibility of saluation which may be in a corrupt Church and infallibility which is euer without doubt in the true and Orthodoxe Church Is any so simple as to commit his whole estate into a Ship full of leakes whereof there is iust cause of doubt whether euer it shall safely arriue at the desired Port when he may transport it in a sound and safe vessell Noah and all his if they will not perish in the Deluge must get into the Arke Lot must not tarry in Sodom if he will be safe and free from the common iudgement The people of God must for this very cause come out of Spirituall Babylon both for the danger of infection by sinne and destruction by meanes of her plagues Where therefore the doctrine is Orthodoxe and sound the religious worship seruice and Sacraments for the truth and substance of them the very same with the prime Churches and best antiquity as it is this day blessed be God in our Church of England and the rest of the reformed Churches there is the surest and safest repose for the Christian soule in this society there is infallible certaintie of saluation but in an Apostaticall and corrupt Church as the Romane Church now is it is not so though yet God may reserue a remnant pulling them as it were out of the fire And that with this Caueat That they tarry not in Babylon Thus we haue seene that saluation is onely to bee found in the Church and what that Church is where saluation may be had Now let vs come to the third branch that is by what meanes and how men are to be added to the Church that they may be saued The meanes are expressed in this context and are these three The Word preached Faith to apprehend it And the Sacrament of Baptisme to seale and confirme it This is all required for the admission of any into the Church to heare beleeue and be baptized The Ministery of the Word is the mayne Ordinance of God for the gathering together of the Saints appointed of God to that end and to continue in the Church to the end of the world Therefore it is called The incorruptible or immortall seed whereby wee are regenerated and borne againe and The Word of Truth wherewith we are begotten of God to become his deare children and The first fruits of his creatures yea it is as S. Paul calleth it The power of God vnto saluation Therefore when God would haue any conuerted to the faith hee sends them this meanes Philip is commanded to ioyne himselfe neere to the Chariot of the Eunuch that by his preaching the Eunuch might be ioyned to Christ and his Church S. Peter is sent for to Cornelius to teach him and his the way to heauen by Christ. S. Paul must tarry at Corinth to teach Word of God among them For saith the Lord I haue much people in this Citie And indeed the conuerting of soules is a great worke and great workes had need of potent and mighty meanes therefore it pleaseth God to vse his powerfull Word which as the Apostle faith is mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds and casting downe of imaginations and euery high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ. This calleth the Teacher to a serious consideration of the waight of his Calling and a conscionable regard to discharge it hee is put in trust with the precious soules of men for whom hee must giue account vnto God Hee is made Gods Steward and therefore must bee faithfull
THE WAY TO HEAVEN SHEVVING 1. That Saluation is onely in the Church 2. What that Church is 3. By what meanes men are added to the Church 4. The Author or Efficient of this addition 5. The time continuance of that worke 6. The happinesse of those that are added to the Church By Iohn Phillips Bachelor of Diuinity and Pastor of Feuersham in Kent Isa. 30.21 This is the way walke in it LONDON Printed by FELIX KINGSTON 1625. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL THE MAIOR and the IVRATS his BRETHREN AND TO THE COMMVNALTIE of the Towne and PORT-LIMME of FEVERSHAM in KENT I. P. wisheth happy societie with the heauenly Ierusalem heere and in heauen Right Worshipfull and Beloued HAppinesse is the common obiect of euery mans desire so that as Seneca saith Viuere omnes beatè volunt There is not a man that would not be happy But there are two obstacles that hinder the attainement of this desired Happinesse One is as hee saith well Sed ad peruidendum quid sit quòd beatam vitam efficiat caligant Their sight is so dimme that they cannot perceiue what that thing is that makes a man happy The other is Si viâ lapsus est If a man misse of the right way In which case Ipsa velocitas maioris interualli causa fit The faster he runnes the farther hee is out of the way Therefore this wise Heathen man doth giue good counsell Decernatur it a que quò tendamus qua We must looke both to the end whereunto wee ayme as also to the way whereby wee may attaine vnto it For the course of the world is vtterly against reason Pecorum ritu se qui antecedentium gregem pergentes non qua eundum est sed qua itur That men indued with reason should imitate the brute and vnreasonable creatures which follow one another though it bee out of the way as if men should goe on not considering what way they ought to goe but what way is usually gone of others But this is non ad rationem sed ad similitudinem viuere not to liue according to reason but according to example not like men but like Apes Now our good Guide who is the Way the Truth and the Life and therefore a better Instructer then the wisest heathen hath directed vs Christians both to the end and to the way leading vnto that end which is true Happinesse in deed and consisteth in the fruition of God by the meanes of sauing knowledge and grace in this life with the rest of the Church Militant heere in earth as also by inioyning his glorious presence with the Church Tâ—iumphant in heauen So that if we follow his direction wee shall know quò qua both whither and by what way we must goe to attaine true felicity here below as S. Augustine saith by faith and heereafter aboue by sight And this is the scope which I haue propounded to my selfe in this Treatise that I might not onely by liuely voyce say This is the way walke in it but as it were by the hand leade you in the way for I am obliged by the bond of dutie as being your Pastour and you my flocke both to pray for you and to direct you the best I can in this heauenly course Which as I haue carefully indeuoured to doe amongst you by the space of almost twenty yeeres so I wish I may with good successe happily continue to our mutuall ioyes through Gods blessing For I can truly say with the Apostle My hearts desire and prayer to God for you is that ye might be saued and with the Prophet Samuel God forbid that I should sinne against the Lord and cease praying for you but I will shew you the good and right way Giue me leaue then I beseech you to stiree vp your Christian mindes to an vnfained desire and indeuour to enter into this way tending to life and happinesse In worldly benefits wee would not haue others to goe before vs why should wee not haue as great nay greater care of heauenly things Our Sauiour vpbraided the chiefe of the Iewes for that Publicans and Harlots went into the Kingdome of God before them And what a shame is it as S. Augustine saith Vâ— simplices Idiotae rapiant nobis Coelum nos cum nostra scientia mergamur in infernum That simple Idiotes should snatch heauen from vs and we with all our knowledge and learning should be plunged into hell Oh let vs not doe our selues so great aniniurie It is the propertie of worldlings who liue not according to faith as S. Augustine speaketh to angle for all their peace and prosperitie in the sea of temporall profits whereas the righteous liue in full expectation of the glory to come Which that you may also doe take for your furtherance this weake helpe in good worth vse it and peruse it I hope you shall finde your labour well bestowed The occasion of this Worke was the interring of our neighbour Master Edward Lapworth Doctor of Physicke It is for the method and matter the very same that was then publikely deliuered by liuely voyce but is now not onely amplified by accesse of those things that the strictnesse of time would not then permit but is also further inlarged into a conuenient Treatise the waight of the matter and fitnesse of these times so requiring If any desire to know the reason of the publishing of it I must ingenuously confesse it was neuer liberally intended on my part but rather extorted and wrung from mee for had it not beene for a furious and ouer-hasty Midwife that drew it out of the wombe by violence this Embryon had neuer seene the light Yet when I did call to minde That Samsons Lyon had honie in it so that out of the eater came foorth meate and out of the strong came foorth sweetnesse I did willingly set vpon this Worke hoping that by the blessing of God some wholesome food and sweet repast might issue out of these bitter beginnings to the refreshing of the hungry soule But to leaue Parables and to speake plainely This Gentleman deceased was noted of all that knew him to bee inclined to the Romish Religion At the Funerall I tooke occasion to speake something of the deceased which either of simple misprision or sinister acception was misconstrued and by some officious hearers carried as newes to such whose eares are patent and gates wide open to receiue the tale-bearer Heereupon the poore Predicant was rated as if it had beene a Schoole-boy by some austere Pedantee and yet the Censor had nothing to obiect praeter auditum but onely by bare heare-say not one auditor obiecting any thing against the Teacher but some godly and well-minded shewing their acceptance did giue him thanks for his labours Now forsooth the criminations or faults obiected were these 1. That the deceased partie was commended being accounted a Papist yea and a seducer The
of Saints for as the Doue found no rest for the sole of her foote but was faine to returne into the Arke againe so let a man compasse the whole world yet shall he neuer bee able to finde rest to his soule till by entering into the Church he take Christs yoke vpon him Let him with Salomon try all things vnder the Sunne pleasures riches honours and what the world can afford he shall at the last be driuen to cry out Vanitie of vanities and conclude when all is done He are the end of all Feare God and keepe his commandements for this is all of man all his duty and all his dignity and without this all that a man is or hath is but meere vanity So much for the first branch The next point to be considered is What that Church is where saluation is to be had A very necessary question for these times wherein we liue in regard there is not a sect or faction in all the Christian world that doth not challenge the name of the Church to it selfe But wee must know that there is nothing more childish then to boast of the name of a thing when the thing it self is wanting We haue a maxime in Logick A nomine ad rem non valet consequentia To argue from the name to prooue that the thing is so because it is so named is an argument inconsequent Our Sauiour â—eâ—s the Church of Smyrna that there are that say they are Iewes and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan And to the Church of Sardi he saith I know thy workes for thou hast a name that thou art aliue but thou art dead The Church of the Laodiceans was of al the rest of the Seuen Churches in the worst condition being neither cold nor hot as we may see in that our Sauiour giueth them not any one commendation at al as he doth to the rest of the Churches giuing them their due praise notwithstanding he doeth withall taxe them for their errours no doubt to this end both to shew his detestation of luke-warmenesse and that where luke-warmenesse in Religion is there is no goodnesse to be expected Yet these Laodiceans as fâ—rre as they were from the true zeale of Religion did notwithstanding boast themselues to bee rich and lacke nothing whereas indeed they were wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked It is therefore a very silly and simple part to take men at their bare word as our seduced Romanists doe in so waightie a matter as Religion is The men of Berea are commended for that they searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so or no euen which Paul himselfe taught And it is recorded to the praise of the Church of Ephesus that they had tried them which said they were Apostles and were not and had found them lyers And indeed it is veritie that we ought to looke for and not suffer our selues to be carried away with words and shewes For whosoeuer is a good and true Christian saith S. Augustine must know that wheresoeuer hee shall finde truth it belongs to his Lord. Let vs therefore search into this truth that so wee may finde out the true Church where saluation is to be had The Greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it doth signifie a company an assembly or congregation of people called together and is sometime taken for ciuill meetings in Townes and Cities or humane societies sometimes for Ecclesiasticall assemblies and meetings of the Church and people of God as in our Text and euery where is Scripture and Ecclesiasticall writers It is also vulgarly vsed for the place where the congregation doth meet to performe Religious seruice but improperly and abusiuely and is therefore reprehended by Laurentius Valla Many saith hee call sacred Temples by the name of the Church but I know not by what right for indeed the word doth signifie a congregation of men not places Which I would intreate you the rather to note because our Aduersaries in their Rhemes Testament doe with such spightfull words traduce vs for translating Congregation rather then Church They would make the world beleeue with their Bragadochio Campian that the very name of the Church is a Scar-crow to Protestants They might haue moderated their sharpe censure considering that the Translation was answerable to the propriety of the Greeke word or they might haue opened their eyes and looked into our Booke of Articles published twenty yeeres before their Rhemes Notes did see the light or they might haue seene if they had not beene wilfully blinde that in our Booke of Common Prayer the word Church is ordinarily vsed in euery passage in our Prayers and Collects in the administration of our Sacraments in the celebration of Matrimonie in the confession of our Faith at euery meeting of the Church By all which euidences it may appeare how farre the Church of England is from any distaste of the name of the Church But indeed they had their answere long agoe that their Note is false and foolish and that the Translator rather vsed the word Congregation then Church to auoide ambiguitie but after the people were taught to distinguish of the word Church and to vnderstand it for the mysticall Body of Christ the later Translators vsed that terme not that the other was any corruption or the later any correction but to declare that both is one Leaue we the word and come to the thing and matter it selfe The Church out of which there is no saluation is set foorth vnto vs in a diuerse Notion not that there is any more then one true Church but because that one Church is considered in a diuerse respect and is in the parts of it of a different condition The name of the Church comprehendeth sometimes the whole company and congregation of the faithfull that euer were are or shall be to the end of the world within this Notion are included not onely that part which is Militant in earth but that also which is Triumphant in heauen yea the very Angels themselues Therefore it is said that by Christ God hath reconciled all things vnto himselfe and set at peace through the Blood of his Crosse both the things in earth and the things in heauen These are the elect inuisible knowne onely to God in the iudgement of veritie and certaintie The Lord saith the Apostle knoweth who are his and knowne to men onely in the iudgement of Charitie as we may see by the same Apostle to the Thessalonians distinguishing the sound members of the Church from the counterfeit But wee ought to giue thankes alway to God for you brethren beloued of the Lord because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation In a second Notion by the Church is vnderstood the society of those which make externall profession of the truth
an infinite Maiesty at one instant to heare the manifold variety of petitions of all men vpon the face of the earth yea and to know the very thoughts and desires of euery heart praier being principally the act of the heart Vpon this very ground wise Salomon takes for granted that all praier ought to bee made to God onely Heare thou in heauen saith he to God thy dwelling place and forgiue and doe and giue to euery man according to his wayes whose heart thou knowest for thou euen thou only knowest the hearts of all the Children of men Againe prayer to Saints wanteth that threefold prop that must support euery true and acceptable seruice to God that is to say Precept Promise and Paterne For Inuocation of Gods name we haue expresse commandement Call vpon me And our Sauiour commandeth that when we pray we should direct our prayers to Our Father in heauen We haue also a sure word of promise Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he wil giue it you And Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued We haue no such precept no such promise to warrant and incourage vs to inuocate the Blessed Virgin S. Peter S. Paul or any or all of the Saints Againe for praier to God only we haue expresse paterne both perâ—onall in all the Fathers from the first Adam in the Patriarkes Prophets Apostles and prime Orthodox Fathers of the Church who did suffer Martyrdome for this very point That God onely in Christ is to be adored and called vpon We haue also a reall paterne in that Heauenly Manuall of praier and praise the Sacred Psalter or Psalmes of Dauid together with the set formes of the faithfuls praiers recorded euery where in Scripture and all directed to God only not on paterne of prayer to Saints This is ingenuously confessed by their own Eccius and other Pontificians that inuocation of Saints hath no warrant in sacred Scripture not in the Old Testament because the Fathers were then in Limbo nor in the new Testament lest the Gentiles should returne againe to their old Idoll-worship and leâ—t the Apostles should bee charged with arrogancy as be speaking beforehand their owne glory and worship to bee done to themselues after their death Nay more they confesse that it is the safer and better way to call vpon God onely in the name of Iesus Christ. And one of them out of a work ascribed to Saint Augustine concludes the question thus More safely and more sweetly do I speake in prayer to my Iesus then to any of the Saints The storie of George Duke of Saxony is herein memorable Lying vpon his death-bed the Monkes like Locusts swarming about him and beholding his agony exhorted him one to inuocate the Virgin Mary another to call vpon the Angels another to pray to these and these Saints for helpe in that extremity but a Noble man one of his familiars standing by directed his speech to the Duke in this manner Your Highnesse saith he was wont in your politicke affaires to take vp this prouerbe To goe the direct way without ambages or circumstances is the most compendious course Why then should your Highnesse in this most dangerous passage goe about the furthest way and not rather goe the direct way vnto God himselfe by Christ who both will and can certainely helpe Erasmus among other his pleasant conceits doth merrily glance at this error reporting a story of one at Sea where as their manner is euery man in a wracke flyeth to his Saint as it were his Tutelar God There was one saith he among the rest when he saw the present and imminent danger and that there was no delaying in the midst of his distraction thoght with himself If I should pray to S. Nicholas it is vncertaine whether he heare me and it may be he is busy in hearing dispatching other petitioners or if not so yet it may be that he cannot haue so speedy accesse to God to mediate for me as my present necessitie requires I will therefore saith he take the safest and surest course and goe the direct way to God himselfe by Christ because it is written in the Psalme Call vpon me in the day of trouble I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And in the Hebrewes Let vs therefore come boldly vnto the Throne of grace that we may obtaine mercy and find grace to helpe in time of neede If any stumble at this that some Fathers are alledged to countenance this error let him remember that of S. August We must not hearken to This say I This say you but This saith the Lord. And distinctly first of himselfe he saith I would not haue you follow my authority that you should therfore thinke any thing necessary to be beleeued because I say it And of other Fathers what he held may appeare by that which he writeth of S. Cyprians Epistle viz. That it hath no authority to bind him For saith he I do not hold Saint Cyprians Letters to be Canonicall Scripture but I examine them by the Canonicall and what I finde thereunto agreeable I imbrace with his praise what is not consonant by his leaue I will leaue This is the true profession of a Doctor concerning the Scriptures at his inauguration Quod tenet teneo quod respuit respuo What the Scripture doth hold I hold what it doth reiect I reiect If any harp vpon the long custom of this error in the ChristiaÌ„ world let him consider as one saith wel that Christ said not I am custom but I am truth And that custome without truth is but an old error or the antiquity of error Which like an old sore is so much the worse and more incurable the older it is 11. Their prayer for the dead to deliuer them out of that fearefull and hell-like torment in Purgatory wherein they are made to beleeue they lye boyling as in a fierie fornace What an antithesis and plaine opposition is there betweene the Word of truth and this grosse error We know and are assured by the Word of God that the blood of Iesus Christ clenseth and purgeth vs from all sinne So that there is no neede of humane purgatiues either for veniall sinnes or for temporall punishment of sinnes mortall For our Lord Iesus assureth the faithfull departing this life that he that heareth his Word and beleeueth is passed from death vnto life and that they that die in the Lord are in a blessed estate rest from their labours Yea the poorest Lazarus that dieth in the faith of Abraham is immediately in his precious soule conuaied by the Angels into Abrahams bosome there possessed of heauenly ioy not afflicted with hellish torment This may be a sufficient conuiction of this error that there is not one sentence not one word not one syllable no not one letter in