is the estate of the godly soule departing without acknowledging any mid place or condition that when it is absent from the body by corporall death it is straightway present with the Lord in life euerlasting Bellarmine likewise in his first Booke of the Beatitude of the Saints to shew the conformitie that is betweene Christ and his members in their estate immediately after death brings in That as he was not after death immediately blessed in his bodie which rested three dayes in the graue till his resurrection but that in his soule notwithstanding he was immediately blessed and in Paradise according to his owne speech to the Thiefe on the crosse This day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise Therefore likewise the Saints to be conformed with Christ saith he while they rest in their graues according to their bodies yet according to their soules they are happy and blessed in Paradise Which conformitie then wee see will clearely euince that there is no going to Purgatorie but that as Christs soule immediately after death went vnto Paradise and was blessed there so doth the soules of the godly that are Christs members goe thither immediately after death and are blessed likewise else if immediatly they went any where else in place of a conformitie there should bee a disconformitie and as his bodie abode in the graue till his resurrection notwithstanding of the present beatification of his soule after death So that their bodies shall in like manner abide in the graue till their resurrection notwithstanding of the present beatification of their soules likewise after death 3. Fathers adduced by Bellarmine himselfe to proue that the Saints presently inioye the vision of God and making expressely for vs against the dotage of Purgatorie And first Dyonisius Areopagita Dyonisius Areopagita saith thus the Saints in their death knowe surely that that wholly they shall attaine rest and a full conformitie with Christ when they come to the end of this present life in cleerely beholding the way to immortalitie hard at hand they praise the Lords bountie and with a heauenly mirth reioyce speaking so of all the Godly in common Whereupon Belarmine doth will vs to remarke this Nota saith he dicere Dyonisium animas Sanctorum statim a morte hominis consequi immortalitatem which they could not doe nor so exceedingly reioyce in death if â— vicino or hard at hand they saw the tormenting fire of Purgatorie rather then a glorious rest to abide them Iustin Martyr saith thus But after the departure of the soule from the body statim or instantly there is made a distinction betweene the good and the euill for they are carried to the places that they are worthy of the soules of the godly by the Angels being carried to Paradise where the company and sight of the Angels and Archangels is as also the sight of Christ our Sauiour according to these words while we are absent from the body we are present with the Lord but the soules of the wicked are carried into Hell Cyprian saith excluding no godly soule O what dignity and security is it in a moment to close thy eies whereby men in the world are seene and to open them instantly that God and Christ may be seene Oh what great happinesse is it to bee suddenly pulled from the earth that thou mayest presently be placed in heauen Augustine saith thus speaking of all the godly O happy soule who how soone it is loosed from the body being set at liberty presently goeth to heauen and is secure and at rest And againe he saith surely the good that are faithfull since that time that they are redeemed by that price which Christ by his blood-shedde powred forth doe no wise know any infernall place after death Prosper saith thus because according to the speech of Scripture the whole life of man is a temptation vpon earth then is the temptation ended when the fight is ended and then is the fight ended when to the same secure victory succeeds at the very end of this life that so all the Souldiers of Christ who euen to the end of this their present life by diuine aide haue valiantly resisted their enemies hauing ended their painefull pilgrimage may presently thenceforth raigne happy in their natiue Countrey Anselmus thus speaketh the Preachers of the Church after that they haue departed out of the body they are no wise delayed of the present possession of their Heauenly Countrey but instantly as they depart from the flesh whereunto the soule was formerly tyed so soone are they made to rest in the heauenly seate 4. Reasons adduced by Bellarmine to proue the Saints present fruition of ioy and making directly for vs against Purgatorie God saith he is no readier or more inclinde to punish then he is to reward wherefore it followes that if the wicked be presently cast in torment as we see the example of the rich Glutton teaches vs that by a like equitie that the godly instantly after death likewise receiue their owne reward As Basilius notes saith he before Christs comming the death of the Godly was lamented but since that time the same is celebrated with mirth and why so but because to die then it was a misery but now death is the beginning of happinesse which surely it could not be say we if the soule went to a tormenting fire in Purgatorie but a greater miserie then when the soule went before as they say to a painelesse Limbo Leuit. 19.13 Thou shalt not retaine the wages of the hireling beside thee all night till the morning therefore lest God should seeme lesse iust or pitifull at the very end of the day of his life much more wil he giue glory to the godly according to that Parable Mat. 20. and consequently say we he will not delay them of that reward not only one night but many hundreds of yeares as the Papists hold tormenting their soules in Purgatorie Bellarmines Arguments for Purgatory answered 1. Out of the Old Testament 2 Maccab. 12.45 It was a holy and good thought saith the Authour to pray for the dead that they might bee absolued from their sinnes Whence it followeth saith Bellarmine that the dead after this life may be absolued and may haue sinnes to satisfie for whereof before their death they were not absolued And this is done in Purgatorie 1. Our generall reply to all such Arguments brought out of Apocripha is that no disputation can bee but out of principles mutually by both parties receiued such as these Bookes are not by vs as Canonicall And therefore it is that wee argue not with a Iew out of the New Testament 2. Our reason of reiecting them as not Canonicall is beside the consent of the Primitiue Church with vs confessed by Bellarmine and testified by Ierome the proofe which wee haue out of Canonicall Scripture and out of themselues For all Scripture saith Paul is by immediate and by diuine
mention of Mortall sins any iudicious Reader will finde that thereby they vnderstand Peccata vastantia conscientiam or such great and grossâ— sinnes as vsually exclude penitentiall grace from the presumptuous Actour by which onely our sinnes become veniall Likewise seeing euery sinne name it as yee will if yee graunt it once to bee sinne is mediately at least committed against an infinite obiect who consequently requireth iustly an infinite punishment It followeth necessarily that the same is mortall although it were but as idle word which Bellarmine saith were a foolish thing in man to breake friendship for such light offences and can not bee vnderstood in God how it can deserue eternall punishment although in the contrary Christ hath said that euen of such account shall bee giuen at the day of Iudgement at which time onely eternall punishment shall bee inflicted and not a temporall such as they allot to veniall sinnes Wherefore it was requisite that as our Sauiour should haue our nature that in it sinne might hee punished iustly so this nature was to subsist in an infinite person that by it sinne might bee conquered fully But when 〈…〉 himselfe is to bee punished by God according to the merit of his vnpardoned offence the Lord not hauing meanes to satisfie his Iustice on an infinite person to make proportion betweene his Iustice and mans sinne some way hee chuseth an infinite time because the person punished is no wayes match with the partie offended therefore this punishment is truly called Passion but not Satisfaction whereas the infinitenesse of Christs Nature in person made his Passion to bee a sufficient Satisfaction From whence it followes that nothing can bee done by man either actiuely or passiuely in this life nor after the same that can be reputed a condigne satisfaction to God for any one sinne whatsoeuer committed by vs the guilt and whole punishment whereof is perfectly abrogated by Christ the first being imputed to him and the second inflicted vpon him that so all who are engraft in him may be freed from both the merit of his blood and fire of his spirit and not any other Purgatorie effectuating that to vs. Not that by this ouerthrow of that distinction of sinne into mortall and veniall which at last among the Papists becomes also venall that we denie an inequalitie to be in sinnes and so consequently in their due punishments For first wee hold sinnes to bee vnequall in respect of the obiect against which we sinne and so a sin against God is a greater sin then a sin against man and a sinne against the first Table is greater then a sinne against the second Table being compared in equall and paralell acts Otherwise if we compare a sinne in the least part of a Commandement in the first Table with a sinne in the greatest part of a Commandement in the Second Table the latter is more hainous then the first Likewise as a sinne against God is greater then a sinne against man for the essentiall diuersitie of the obiect so the sinne against one man may bee greater then a sinne against another for the accidentall diuersitie of the obiect as in eminencie of place against a King or propinquitie of blood bond of nature against a Parent for although all men naturally considered are alike and the same yet ciuilly and politickly they are not Secondly in respect of the matter wherein wee sinne there is an inequalitie so Murder is a greater sinne then Theft because life is more precious then goods Likewise if we compare sins in the same matter one may be greater then another according to the extent or quantitatiue measure as to kill three is a greater offence then to kill one and to steale 100. pounds is a greater theft then 10. Thirdly in respect of the manner how we offend there is an inequalitie of sinning and so a sinne of malice is greater then a sinne of infirmitie so is that of knowledge greater then that of ignorance As likewise sinnes that consist only in immanent action or thought of the minde are lesse then these that come to transient action being accomplished by the body euery further addition making the sinne more intense in degree And as sins are vnequall so are their punishments God in his distributiue iustice allotting seuerall portions of paine to the seuerall proportions of sinne The priuatiue punishment or poena damni in time degree is alike to all Depart from me c. The posiâ—iue or poeâ—a sensus is partly from an inward cause which is the gnawing worme of conscience whose life is perpetuated in death or from an outward cause which is such exquisite meanes whereby at last the whole man is afflicted decreed by God in his wisedome executed by his power to demonstrate his iustice and is ordinarily called the fire of Hell And as the outward paine of fire primarily inflicted on the body doth worke effectually to afflict the soule so doth the inward paine of the worme which is in the soule worke effectually to afflict the body that as they were brethren in euill and participated in sinne so they may bee coupled likewise and pertake in torment And as the soule hath one estate in her selfe at death independant vpon the body by her seperation from it and another in the body vpon her revniting with it at the resurrection so in the first she suffereth outward paine immediately and in the second by the body mediately In all which the punishment of all is equall in time because in respect of duration there is neither more nor lesse in that which is eternall but the punishment is vnequall in degree Gods iustice hauing a relatiue respect to mans sinne And so although we denie that any sinnes are veniall by nature yet we affirme some to be lesse then others and in a lesse measure punished and so the vniust slander of our Aduersaries affirming that we make all sinnes and consequently all punishments equall may easily hence appeare FINIS Reuel 18.13 Mant. de colam temp Aeneas Syluius ad 1. pereg Ep. 66. 2 Cor. 3. Bell. l. 1. de Purg. c. 15. Aug. li. de trin c. 3. cont Mend. c. 6. * Math. 4.9 Ephes. 6. Bell. l. 1. de Purg. c. 14. Bell. lib. 1. de Purg. c. 1. Et lib 2. c. 6.9 10. Bell. lib. 1. de Indul. c. 9. Ibidem Bell. lib. 1. de Purg. c. 12. Bell. lib 4. de Pan. c. 13. Bell. lib. 2. de Purg. c. 13. Lomb. l. 4. Sent. dist 18. Chrys. in 4. ad Rom. Hom. 8. Aug. Ser. 27. de verbis Domini Col. 1.19 Bell. lib. 1. de Indul. c. 4. 1 Tim. 2.6 Col. 1.19 Iohn 1.16 Acts 4.12 Bell lib. 4. de Poenit. c. 13. Ephes. 2.8 Bell. l. 1. de Purg. c. 12. Bell. lib. 1. de Sanct. c. 3. Philip. 1.23 2 Tim. 4.7 Bell. lib. 3. de Eccles. c. 9. Iob 7.2 Exod. 20.6 Psal. 110.4 Bell. lib. 1. de Sanct. c. 6. Bell. l. 1. de Purg. c. 5. Bell. lib. 1. de Purg. c. 14. Ibidem Bell. lib. 2. de indul cap. 7. Ibidem cap. 5. Bell. lib. 1. de Indul. c. 2. Bell. lib. 1. de Indul. c. 4. Ibidem Bell. lib. 1. de Sanct. c. 3. Ibidem Ibidem Ibidem Bellar. lib. 1. de Sanct. c. 4. Bell. ibidem Iustin. quosi 75 Bell. l 1. de Sanct. c. 5. Cyprian de exhor Mart. cap. vlt. Aug. med c. 22. et l. 20. de ciuit dei c. 15. Prosp. l. 1. de vita contemp c. 1. Ansel. in 2. ad Cor. Bell. l. 1. de Sanct. c. 6. Bell. Ibidem Bell ibidem Bell. l. 1. de Purg. c. 3. Answere 2 Tim. 3.16 c. 2.23.26.28 Iosh. 7. Bell. lib. 1. de Purg. c. 12. Bell. l. 1. de Purg. c. 3. Aug. Confess lib. 6. c. 2. contra Faust. l. 2. c. 21. 1 Sam. last 31. 2 Sam. 1.12 Bell. lib. 2. de indul cap. 13. 1 Pet. 1.7 4.12 Aug. l. 20. de Ciuit. Dei c. 25 Aug. de Ciuit. Dei l. 18. â— 35. Answere â—o Luk. 10.35 Ephes. 1.21 Marke 3.29 Luke 12.10 Answer Bell. l. 1. de purg C. 6. Answer Rom. 6.6 Answer Bell. lib. 1. de purg ca. 5. Bell. lib. 2. de Purg. c. 13. Bell. lib. 1 de purg ca. 7. Answer Bell. l. 1. de Purg. ca. 7. Bell. lib. 1. de purg ca. 8. Answer Iam. 3.6 1 Ioh. 3.14 Answere Answere Answer Bell. l. 1. de Sanct. c. 6. Isai. 45.23 Bell. l. 1. de Christ. c. 13. Reuel 20.7 Iude 1.6 Aug. Epist. 99. ad Euodium Bell. lib. 2. de Purg. c. â— Answer Deut. 29.29 Bell. lib. 2. de Purg. c. 14. Bell. lib. 1. de purg ca. 11. 2 Sam. 12. Numb 12. Hebr. 12.7 Gen. 2.17 Rom. 5.17 Rom. 6.23 Bell. lib. 2. de Indul. c. 1. Bell. lib. 2. de Indul. c. 4. Bellar. lib. 4. de poenit c. 2. Answer Heb. 3.4 2 Thes. 2.12 1 Tit. 1.15 Bell. lib. 1. de purg ca. 14. Ephes. 3.17 Rom. 10.17 Gal. 3.27 1 Cor. 10.16 Bell. l. 1. de purg c. 9. Aug. l. 21. de ciuit dei c. 27. Bell. lib. 1. de Sanct. c. 2. Lactan. l. 7. cap. 11. Cyp. l. 3. epist. 6. et l. 5. epist. 4. Bell. lib. 2. de Purg. ca. 1. et ibid. ca. 18. Aug. confess l. 9. ca. 13. Aug. l. de ciui dei cap. 16. Bell. l. 1. de purg cap. 10. Aug. lib. 21. de ciuit dei cap. 26.27 Enchirid. c. 69. Aug. c. 1. secundi Serm. de consol super mortuos et l. 5. hypognost Bell. l. 2 de purg cap. 1. 1 Iohn 3.4 Rom. 6.23 Galat. 3.10 Hebr. 9.22 1 Iohn 1.7 Galat. 3.10 Rom. 6.23 Actes 28. Hebr. 6.4 1 Iohn 5.16 Bell. lib. 1. de purg ca. 11. Math. 5. Bell. lib. 4. de Poenit. c. 13. Bell. l. 1. de purg c. 5. Bell. lib. 1. de Purg. c. 11. The inequality of sinne or degrees thereof The inequalitie of punishment or degrees thereof
and impiously matched that matchlesse free full and perfect satisfaction of Christs with humane satisfactions in an imaginary fire which Auarice hath hatched Ignorance fosters and Crueltie with fire and faggot maintaines Loe here Courteous and charitable Reader presented to thy view As Dauid then came against Goliath armed with the Name of the Lord when that Gyant stood betweene the two Hostes and was a terrour to the Army of Israel So for consternation likewise of this Monster which they situate likewise betweene the place of the damned and glorified to the terrour of simple soules armed with that Armour which experimentally hath euer giuen victorie both in the head and members and wherewith therefore we are bidden be girt continually euen with that Sling and Sword of the Spirit doe we chiefly meane to come against this grand Errour of Poperie the very Diana of Rome that by the very presence of the Arke of God set vp that Idoll Dagon may fall to the ground Next that Goliahs head after his ouerthrow may bee cut off with his owne Sword Arguments God willing of their owne great Warriour Bellarmines though adduced by him for another purpose whether taken from Fathers or Reason shall bee clearely drawne foorth as Sauls Sword or Hamans Halter to kill and strangle themselues And last their proofes for Purgatorie especially such as they vpbraid vs with out of wrested and wronged Scripture wee shall faithfully God willing relate as they are set downe in their foresaid Champion whom cheefely I oppugne and punctually shall answere so that they shall bee seene to bee like short stubble that was gathered vpon necessitie by those vnder Pharaohs bondage who otherwise could not get long straw to themselues And to instance the same here in one particular what will they not bring to proone Purgatorie when Bellarmine brings for it Hebr. 10.27 and sayes that that place is a notable proofe of Purgatory which speakes of a fearefull looking for of iudgement and fiery indignation which shall deuoure the aduersaries and wherein the cleare words and consent of all antiquitie doth shew that Gods aduersaries are spoken of and not his friends who shall bee deuoured and not purged and whom fearefull damnation and consuming wrath abides which is not the lot nor expectation of the godly neither heere nor hence but theirs of whom the Apostle speakes clearly of to wit who treads the Sonne of God vnder foot and hath counted the blood of the Couenant an vnholy thing and done despite to the Spirit of Grace So that such cleare places speaking of the wicked and of hell he will impudently bring to speake of the godly and of Purgatory Accept then courteous Reader with a charitable hand what with a humble one I present and proue not a censorious Waspe but a hony-gathering Bee and that God and common Sauiour of ours who gaue approbation to the widowes mite and will not suffer vnrequited a cup of cold water giuen in his Name giue thee a like minde and blesse the perusall of this and of all other helps to thy edification Thine in the Lord W. GVILD OF PVRGATORY The Romish Assertion THe Papistes describe their Purgatorie to bee a prison next to hell where the soules of the faithfull that are defiled with veniall sinnes and haue not satisfied heere the diuine Iustice fully for mortall sinnes are purged by a temporarie fire as hote as that in hell and very long witnesse Bellarmines expresse words saying Constat plurimas annas in Purgatorio 〈…〉 Iudicij id est per multas annorum centiuias esse cruciandas Yea Non videtur negandum saith hee posse aliquos nos fidei penitentiae agendae per spatium aliquot millium annorum Our Assertion WEe denie any such Purgatorie affirming that Christ is our onely and perfect purger by his Blood And that the word Purging is metaphorically taken from the washing of corporall vncleannesse to signifie the cleansing of the Soule from sinne which is called the vncleannesse thereof Zech. 13.1 So that as an vncleane spot is said to bee purged when it is taken away euen so are sinnes when they are remitted Iohn 1.29 1 Iohn 1.7.9 Also because Christ calleth our sinnes Metaphorically Debts therefore such also is the word Satisfaction God the Father being the Creditor wee the Debtors and Christ the Cautioner who hauing fully satisfied our debt for vs hath thereby freely freed vs at his Fathers hands from it and therefore is called our payment and ransome 1 Tim. 2.6 Math. 20.28 In these foure poynts then consisteth all our difference 1. Wee say that Christ by himselfe hath fully satisfied for vs. Heb. 1.3 They ioyne mans owne satisfaction for himselfe in Purgatorie also 2. Wee say that it is Christ onely that purgeth vs by his blood 1 Ioh. 1.9 They ioyne a fire that doth so also 3. Wee say that his blood purgeth vs from all our sinnes 1 Ioh. 1.7 They say from mortall onely 4. Wee say that hee perfectly purgeth vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7.25 They say That hee purgeth the guilt only and taketh away the eternall punishment but as for the temporall we must satisfie for it our selues Arguments against Purgatorie and to prooue our Assertion 1. Out of the Old Testament Ezek. 18.22 If the wicked returne I will not remember all his iniquities that is I shall forget them all as not to hold guiltlesse is to hold guiltie Hence we argue That which God forgets as if it had neuer been for that hee punisheth no wayes by any satisfactory punishment which is cleare 1 King 17.18 where punishment is made onely the sequell of remembrance But hee forgets all the sinnes of the conuerted sinner Ezek 18.22 Ergo for them he punisheth him no wise by any satisfactory punishment And whereas Bellarmine by not to remember would meane not to punish eternally onely wee answere him with his owne rule non nostrum est restringere quod Deus amplum esse voluit It is not lawfull to man to make a restriction of that by a circumstance of time which is so comfortably promised and freely by God Isai. 57.1 The righteous is taken away from the euill to come hee shall enter into peace Whence wee reason If the righteous be taken away from a lesse euill on earth in mercie that they may neither see nor feele the common calamitie then they are not particularly themselues put to suffer a greater in Purgatory and there to enter not into peace but torment to satisfie Iustice. But they are taken away from a lesse euill that they see it not in mercy Ergo much more from the feeling of a greater themselues in Iustice. Ecclesiastes 12.7 Then shall dust returne to the earth but the Spirit to God that gaue it Hence wee argue The soule that returnes or ascends to God that gaue it after bodily departure descends not to the fire of Purgatorie except they would make to goe to and goe from
Goâ— and Satan whom they say torments the Soule in Purgatorie heauen and hell to be all one But the soules of the godly returne to God that gaue them and are receiued by him as Act. 7.59 Ergo they goe not to the fire of Purgatory Psal. 32.1 2. Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiuen whose sinne is couered and to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie Hence we reason He whose sinne is forgiuen the same is couered saith Dauid and what is couered is not seene and what is not seene is not imputed and what is not imputed cannot by any satisfactory punishment bee punished Therefore saith Lombard as Bellarmine grants Deum tunc tegere peccata quando ad poenam non reseruat And to take away the evasion of meaning onely the eternall punishment Therefore saith Chrysostome where there is grace there is forgiuenes and where there is forgiuenes there is no punishment at all And Augustine on this Psalme saith Si texit peccata noluit aduertere si noluit aduertere noluit punire noluit ne vel agnoscere maluit ignoscere Now to subsume But so it is that the sinnes of the godly are forgiuen couered vnseene and not imputed as saith the Psalmist Ergo they are not by any satisfactorie worke or suffering punished Punishment being euer the worke of Iustice and making the partie punished wretched and pardon being euer the worke of mercy and making the partie pardoned blessed and so being incompatible Psal. 51.7 Purge mee and I shall be whiter then snow Whence we argue If to purge away sinne and to remit be all one as is euident 1 Iohn 1.19 and that none can remit sinne but God onely Mark 2.7 therefore it followeth that God onely purgeth sinne and consequently no other thing can doe so And againe If where God purgeth there remaine not the least spot but the party purged is perfectly made cleane yea whiter then the snow then veniall sinnes and temporall punishments remaine not to be purged by any other Purgatory But where God purgeth there abides not the least spot but the party purged is perfectly made cleane as saith the Psalmist as likewise Isa. 1.18 Ergo veniall sinnes and temporall punishments remaine not to be purged by any other Purgatory And for this cause saith Tertullian Exempto reatu remittitur poena Isa. 53.4 5. He hath borne our griefes the chastisment of our peace was vpon him and by his stripes we are healed Hence we reason If Christ bare our sinnes no otherwise then by bearing the punishment due for them and bare the punishment to discharge vs of the same nam si tulit abstulit then the same nor no part thereof as satisfactory to Gods iustice remaines to be borne by vs for our sinnes But Christ bare our sins but by bearing the punishment due for them and that to discharge vs of the same and therefore saith Augustine Suscipiendo poenam non culpam culpam deleuit poenam Ergo the same nor no part thereof remaines to be borne by vs as a satisfactory punishment Leuit. 1.3.4.5.6 Chap. Expiations sacrifices were ordained for all sorts of sinnes trespasses and vncleannes euen to the touching of the dead But neither was there any sacrifices or seruice appointed for any that were vncleane in Purgatory and such sacrifices also that were for sin were for the guilt thereof Neither amongst all the points and priuiledges of the high Priests office find we that hee had power by indulgence to deliuer any soule from Purgatory Ergo it followes that no such place nor punishment after this life was Ecclesiasticus 3.6 Which our aduersaries hold as Canonicall and which we only vrge to shew notwithstanding how clearely their Purgatory contradicts the same The words are The soules of the righteous are in the hands of God there shall no torment touch them and if no torment therefore not that of Purgatorie Arguments against Purgatorie and to prooue our Assertion out of the New Testament 1 Iohn 1.7 The blood of Christ purges vs from all our sinnes Whence we argue If Christs blood purgeth vs from all our sinnes and that these only are the spots which make our Soules vncleane as the Scripture shewes vs. It followes then that if Christs blood purges vs from them all that therefore no veniall sinnes nor vncleannesse whatsoeuer remaine to bee purged so that there is no other Purgatory at all Nam Purgatorium est semper alicuius rei purgandae Purgatorium To this same sense agreeth that of the Apostle Heb. 9 14. That if the blood of beasts sanctified to the purifying of the flesh much more shall the blood of Christ purge the conscience from dead workes Hebr. 1.3 When hee had by himselfe purged our sinnes hee sate downe Whence we argue If this belongs to Christs office to purge our sinnes by himselfe and that this Priestly office of Christs is incommunicable as Heb. 7.24 is euident seeing as the Apostle saith elsewhere in himselfe all fulnesse dwels and he hath trod the winepresse alone Then it followes That none other can by themselues expiate any sort of sinnes nor as Bellarmine blasphemously avowes that any can be their own redeemer in part But the first is true as is prov'd by the Apostle Therefore the second is likewise infallible To the same purpose is that notâ—ble speech of the Apostle saying He hath giuen himselfe to bee a ransome for vs and therefore not that we should bee a ransome for our selues in any degree Heb. 10.14 By one offering he hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified that is as Heb. 7.25 he hath perfectly saued them Whence we reason If Christ hath perfectly saued his Elect then he hath saued them as well from the guilt of veniall as mortall sinnes and as well from the temporall as the eternall punishment and so left no supplement to be made to his satisfaction by their suffering in Purgatory But he hath perfectly saued them as the Apostle prooues Ergo he hath left no sinne nor no punishment vntaken away and so no supplement to be made to his satisfaction by their owne sufferings in Purgatory To this same purpose is it that the Apostle saith That it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell for reconciling all thing in heauen and earth vnto himselfe And of his fulnesse doe we all receiue saith Iohn And by him and not by our selues euen by the blood of his Crosse and not by our sufferings are all things reconciled saith the Apostle Wherefore there is no other name whereby we may be saued saith S Peter but by the Name of Iesus whether in part or whole from veniall or mortall sinnes temporall or eternall punishment For according to Bellarmines preceding rule Non nostrum est restringere quod Deus amplum esse voluit Rom. 6.23 Saluation is a free gift therefore we pay not for it neither by our selues nor
if his departure had been to enter him in so fierce a fire nor the other if his dissolution had not been straightway to ioyne him to Christ. Neither doth hee say that at the finishing of his course or ending of his fight a crowne onely is laid vp for him which should bee giuen him in that day to wit of his departure as verse 6. but likewise that in the very like manner it abode all them that loue the Lord Iesus Now to close vp our Arguments out of their owne distinction of Culpa Poena thus wee reason If Purgatory purge away ought either it purgeth the fault or the punishment But it purges not away the fault or guilt of mortall sinnes by the Papists owne confession nor the eternall punishment of them both being before remitted Neither purgeth it away the temporall punishment because out of the definition of purging which is taking away as Iohn 1.29 is euident the same is not taken away but on the contrary is inflicted non aufertur enim sed infertur Therefore of mortall sinnes it purgeth nothing and so in that respect it cannot bee called Purgatorie And as for veniall sinnes which Bellarmine saith Quoad culpam poenam intrant Purgatorium we prooue thus that it purges them not away No transient actions can enter into Purgatorie to bee burnt vp or purged away which are Bellarmines owne words saying Ignis Purgatory que verus realis est non potest opera combur â—râ— quae sunt actiones transeuntes iam transierunt But to subsume Veniall sinnes are transient actions which none can deny Therefore they enter no wise into Purgatorie to bee burnt vp or purged away and consequently seeing neither mortall nor veniall sinnes guilt nor punishment is purged away from the Soule in Purgatory there is no such thing at all Nam Purgatorium as is said est semper alicuius rei purganda Purgatorium As also that is not remitted which wholly is punished saith Bellarmine Remissio enim sonat condonationem But the Scripture and Fathers expressely teach saith hee that light or veniall sinnes are remitted after this life Therefore say wee they are not totally punished nor enter into Purgatorie quoad culpam poenam as hee said before nor are they punished at all seeing their temporall punishment is their totall punishment Arguments against Purgatory and for our Assertion out of Bellarmin and our Aduersaries themselues 1. Their Confession and arguments of their owne Doctors for vs. Bellarmine saith Fatemur Christum pro nobis pro toto mundo integre imo plenissime deo patri satisfecisse And againe Christ passions saith he omnem culpam originalem actualem lethalem venialem omnem poenam tam sempiternam quam temporariam expiare valent idque totum per se etiam si nullae admiscerentur passiones sanctorum Whence it followes 1 That the satisfaction of men for them selues are superfluous at least and that he who relyes only on Christs satisfaction relyes on that which for saluation is alwayes al-sufficient 2 That to exact that punishment of man which Christ hath already satisfied to his Fathers iustice is to make God vniust by taking two payments for one debt as also in not accepting Christ satisfaction for as much as it is worth to the Godly being of value to free them as well from Purgatory which is the lesse as from Hell which is the greater 3 To say that Christs satisfaction serues to make our satisfaction acceptable is against common sense as who would say that a cautioner had payed the debt thereby to inable the principall debtor being vnresponsall to pay it ouer againe to the Creditor and much more absurd is it to say that this second payment is a grace as after a free and full pardon of all punishment whatsoeuer it should bee a fauour done to a malefactor to bee cast so long in prison and cruelly whipped Dignitas satisfactionis saith Bellarmine mensuram accipit a dignitate persona satisfacientis quemadmodum grauitas offensionis a dignitate personae laesae Now betweene finite man who is the offendor and the infinite God who is offended there is no equalitie of comparison or correspondence therefore neither of the finite satisfaction of the one to the infinite Iustice of the other for which cause it behooued him to bee of an infinite nature who was our Redeemer Againe Christs satisfaction is infinite saith Durand and Mairâ—â—es therefore it is altogether needlesse to ioyne to Christs satisfaction say they any satisfaction of the sufferings of men which without being so ioyned to Christs wants not their owne fruits nor are in vaine being indured heere both in respect of the sufferers their owne reformation and conformitie with Christ wrought and the confirmation of the godly and good example to others that redounds thereby If by the sufferings of the godly sinnes may be expiate saye the same men cited by Bellarmine then it would not be absurd for them to bee called Redeemers of themselues in a part But it is absurd for them to bee called redeemers of themselues because Christ is the sole and onely Redeemer of mankind of whom saith the Apostle Who is made vnto vs righteousnesse and redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 Therefore by the sufferings of the godly sinnes cannot bee expiate neither veniall nor other in regard of punishment or otherwise To this argument of their owne Doctors Bellarmine no wise answeres but blasphemously affirming That it is no absurditie to say that wee are our owne redeemers in a part seeing the Councell of Trent hath decreed no lesse Sess. 14. Cap. 8. Can. 13. 2. Scriptures adduced by Bellarmine to proue that the Saints presently inioy the vision of God making directly for vs against Purgatory Ecclus. 11.26 It is an easie thing to the Lord in the very day of death without longer delay to reward a man according to his wayes and consequently to giue glory to the godly Et illud facile est Domino non significat saith Bellarmine posset si vellet sed reddit Deus facile reddit vnicuique secundum opera sua in die obitus aloquisi posset non redderet frustra nos hoc argumento hortaretur sapiens Also he brings that saying of Paul 2 Cor. 5.1 where the Apostle saith in the very instant and present time after the laying downe of our earthly bodies in death wee haue an eternall habitation in the heauens and so the soule remaines no time without a house but as soone as it goes out of the earthly it presently enters into the heauenly and therefore Bellarmine sayes Apostoli argumentatio optima est nimirum ista Si vita haec mortalis perit habemus statim aliam longe meliorem in coelo speaking so of all the godly indifferently To the same purpose is that which he adduceth out of the 8. verse where the Apostle setteth downe that this
to take it only Metaphorically there when no note of similitude is perfixed thereto as in the second place and to take it properly only there where expreslie in the contrary the spirit of God doth put vpon it a speciall note of similitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to preuent any such fallacie as he doth in the last place Neither is that instance of Bellarmines vnto this valid to the contrary where out of Iohn 1.14 he would proue that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not euer a note of militude which wee grant but that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not euer a note of similitude hee shall neuer proue 1 Cor. 15.29 What shall they doe then that are baptized for the dead if the dead rise not Where by baptizing is meant afflicting saith Bellarmine which none needed to doe for the dead by mourning and fasting c. if they were not in Purgatorie 1. This is a most difficile place as Bellarmine grants and variously expounded by the Auncients all whose expositions hee reiect and therefore no ground of Faith can bee proued thereby 2. Admitting that to be baptized is to be afflicted yet this is not actiuely to afflict themselues but passiuely as the word beares to bee afflicted by others and although it were actually to afflict themselues by mourning and fasting for the dead yet this will not import that therefore they are in Purgatorie for the faithfull mourned for Stephen who being a Martyr is not thought by the Papists owne confession that therefore he was in Purgatory To be baptized then for the dead or rather for dead is o to be afflicted for the beleife and profession of Christs resurrection and the hope of the godlies resurrection through him whereof the Apostle speakes so as both in others account and their owne resolution likewise they were esteemed as dead men through the fiercenesse of persecution then in ieopardie euery houre as the Apostle saith and dying daily Or else the Apostles scope being to proue the resurrection he imployeth baptisme to this his purpose which then was by plunging the whole body in water in token that the baptized were to die and be buried to sin and out of which their comming vp againe did represent both the dutie to rise to holinesse here and the hope of a ioyfull resurrection hereafter Which mortification of sinne and being baptized for dead thereto by denying carnall pleasures to liue in them were needlesse for any man to practise but to liue like an epicure if there were not a resurrection to a better life hereafter So that whether wee consider our promise at baptisme to die to sinne or the representation that is in it of dead men thereto or the efficacie thereof flowing from Christs death to mortifie sin in vs or the hazard of Christians then amongst their enemies for the profession of Christian Baptisme as the Apostle shewes the sense is euer sound vnrested and orthodoxe Mat. 3.11 He shall baptize you with the Holy-Ghost to wit heere saith Bellarmine and with fire that is in Purgatorie hereafter 1. If by fire Purgatorie were meant then it would follow that all whom Christ baptizeth with the Holy-Ghost here should goe to Purgatorie hereafter which Bellarmine himselfe denies Next Christ is only said to be the baptizer with fire here but by diuers reuelations saith Bellarmine it hath beene showne that soules in Purgatorie are baptized or afflicted with Deuills But what truly is meant by fire Chrysostome on this place declares saying Comemoratione ignis adiuncta rursus ipsius vehemens gratia et incoprehensibile signauit donum Mat. 5.26 Verily thou shalt not come out thence till thou paye the vttermost farthing Purgatorie then is this prison wherein men must satisfie for their veniall sinnes 1. This place is only properly to be taken as Theophylact Chrysostome Tolet vpon Luke and your owne Ferus on this place witnesse Christ therein perswading vnto brotherly reconciliation if it were but for eschewing of temporall incommodities 2. Giuing that it were allegoricall yet Augustine who expounds it so makes the prison to be Hell as Bellarmine grants the payment eternall punishment donec to signifie no certaine time but neuer as Psal. 110.1 1 Cor. 15.25 is euident Againe vnreconciled persons with their aduersary are cast into this prison but the godly are reconciled with God before they depart hence say the Papists themselues therefore it cannot be they that goe to this prison And last of all by paying the vtmost farthing is meant as our vsuall phrase of speech witnesseth the full summe without the least want and so it is not to be vnderstood exclusiue of the greatest part but inclusiue of the least portion and whereby man so should be made perfectly to be his owne Sauiour Matthew 5.21 Out of this place saith Bellarmine Augustine gathers that there are three sortes of sinnes and three sorts of punishments after this life lighter sinnes hauing lighter punishment which saith Bellarmine is the temporall that soules sustaine in Purgatorie compared here to the councell 1. That there are diuers degrees of sinne and diuers degrees of punishment after this life wee willingly graunt with Augustine but that the godly sustaine any such in Purgatorie this place will neuer proue Neither from alligories can be drawne any such enforcing arguments or from words denotating only Courts of Iudiciall Decrees heere to proue places of execution or punishment hereafter euen as who would proue Golgotha by Gabbatha Next if it be rightly concluded by Bellarmine that punishments after this life are here spoken of decreted in foro poli because Gehenna is mentioned then by a like reason it will follow that punishments inflicted only in this life are by the other whereby he meanes Purgatory spoken of decreed in foro soli because such Iudicatories are only in this life and so that Gehenna is the only punishment that is after the same And last if Bellarmines exposition and argument out of this place were good it would follow that wrath euill speeches were but veniall sinnes for such are said only to deserue the counsell which he expounded to be Purgatorie and yet the Apostles Iames and Iohn shewe that such deserue eternall death and so both of them are belied by the Cardinall Luk 16.9 Make you friends of the Mammon of of iniquitie that when yee faile they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations and this is by their prayers saith Bellarmine deliuering them out of Purgatory This place is most cleare against them shewing that at the charitable Christians departure their soules are straight way received into Heauen without going to any Purgatory and therefore ther is one word of the deliuerance out of the but one only of the receiuing into the other So likewise as little makes that prayer of the Thiefe for them Luk. 23.24 disiring of Christ an entrie into his heauenly kingdome but no egresse out of a hellish
Purgatorie Act. 2.24 Whom God raised hauing loosed the dolours of Hell that is deliuered soules out of Purgatory 1. The words are the dolours of death and not of Hell by which what is meant is cleare out of Psalm 18.4.5 calling the dolours of death the snares of death and by the dolours of the graue meaning the same and by both vnderstanding so the captiuating of death and the detayning power of the Graue wherein our Sauiour by his buriall as Deaths prisoner was inclosed and both which powers by his resurrection hee overcame as by his triumph Hose 13. is euident and as Bellarmine grants Lib. 4. de Christo. cap. 8. and that with Chrysostome and Oecumenius is meant thereby either that by Christ resurrection God loosed the dolours of death that was pained in holding him so long in the graue or else that by his resurrection he destroyed death and all the stinging dolours thereof which accompanied the same And so he makes him do that by the raysing vp of his body there which by the discense of his soule he would haue him to doe here Next if by such words Purgatory were meant then it would follow that Christ should haue suffered in Purgatory seing as is euident Peter speakes of the dolours which his humane nature suffered and his diuine loosed And therefore it was himselfe that was loosed from them as Sampson from his cords at first because it was impossible that he saith the Apostle and not others in Purgatorie should be holden by them And to vse retortion of this place against themselues if they meane Purgatory by these dolours as Bellarmine doth the same is quite vndone because Christ is said not to haue loosed any soules out of these dolours but the dolours themselues whereof it will follow either that there is no Purgatorie left at all or else such a one as is quite dolourlesse and without paine Philip 2.10 At the Name of Iesus euery knee shall bow of things in Heauen on earth and vnder the earth Which last sort seeing it is not the deuils nor the damned that giue voluntary obedience it must be the soules in Purgatory 1. Bellarmine himselfe answeres for vs and shewes that this speech borrowed from Isai. is expounded by the Apostle Rom. 10.14 of Christ comming to iudge all men before whom all the wicked sore against their wils shal compeare and yeeld subiection whereof the bowing of the knee among men is a signe Neither by bowing of the knee could be meant a voluntary subiection for this reason because then it would follow that all the wicked euen in this life gaue voluntary subiection to Christ because it is said That euery knee on earth shall bow As for 1 Pet. 3.20 Bellarmine prooues Limbus patrum thereby Therefore it cannot be adduced likewise to prooue Purgatory neither doth the word Prison in Scripture signifie but only the hell of the damned when it speaks of the imprisoning of Spirits And therefore it is the wicked and disobedient that are said to bee there and so neither the Fathers not the godly whom Christ is not said to haue deliuered the 〈◊〉 but to whom he is said to haue preached by that Spirit whereby hee was quickened which was not therefore his Soule but by his diuine Spirit in the dayes of Noah while they had time then to repent by the meanes of preaching and not after this life when there is no conuersion And for which exposition we haue not onely the clearnesse of the Text but Augustine also plainly with vs and after him Beda as 〈◊〉 grants Iohn 11.43 and Luke 8.55 The soule of Lazarus Maries brother returned and so did the soules of Iairus daughter and the widowes sonne whom Christ raised Now this was not from hell they being godly nor from heauen for so iniurie should haue been done to them Therefore saith Bellarmine Mortui quos exitarunt Christus Apostoli creduntur fuisse in Purgatorio Besides that the secret things belong onely to God and the things reuealed onely to vs there could bee no iniury heere done to the creature whose priuate good must euer giue place to the manifestation of Gods glorie whereto it was created But more peremptorily let Bellarmine in that same Chapter answere this saying Se igitur aliqui sancti redierunt ad corpus non fuerunt beati sed Deus praevidens eorum excitationem distulit eorum beatificationem interim detinuit eos in optimo aliquo loco such as is no wayes a tormenting Purgatory Yea to shew how desperate their cause is and how impudent themselues are in wresting most cleare parts of Scripture to prooue this fiery furnace of theirs Let vs see that place Ex quo saith Bellarmine insigne habetur argumentum pro Pugatorio Hebr. 10.27 For whom remaines saith the Apostle a certaine fearefull looking for of Iudgement and fiery indignation which shall deuoure the aduersaries speaking there no wayes of the godly that are friends as Bellarmine would haue it that for their sinnes after Baptisme must bee temporally punished in a purging fire but of the Lords aduersaries as the cleare Text sheweth which the fiery indignation of God shall vtterly deuoure and of the fearefull iudgement and finall damnation of those who by wilfull apostasie from the knowne truth as vers 25 26. is euident doe tread the Sonne of God vnder foot and count the blood of the Couenant an vnholy thing and doth despise the Spirit of grace which none of the godly euer either did or doth Next to such places of Scripture Bellarmine brings in examples of Scripture whereby hee intends to prooue that the guilt of sinne being remitted the temporall punishment remaines to be satisfied for and wherin because many are remisse in this life therefore a Purgatorie is appoynted hereafter The first examples are of Dauid and Miriam both pardoned and yet temporally punished but hee should prooue that these punishments were payments and satisfactions to Gods Iustice and redemptions of themselues as Bellarmine calles them where in the contrary the Scripture clearely affirmes that God by such corrections dealeth not as a Iudge with malefactors to satisfie Iustice but as a father with his sonnes to manifest his mercy doing it not for any payment to himselfe but for profit to them and not to free them from any Purgatory hereafter but to make them pertakers of his holinesse here Neither auailes it Bellarmine that the cause of Dauids correction is set downe to bee his sinne begun for wee confesse that the sinnes of the godly are the efficient causes of these corrections that God layes vpon them But all our Controuersie is of the finall cause which wee say is for example to others his children and their owne amendment that are chastised and which they say is for satisfaction to his Iustice and redemption of the sufferer himselfe The next instance that hee brings is of death which is the temporall