sacrify ces can do them no good before they be rysen agayne froÌ„ deeth for els were it not in vayne to praye for theÌ„ although they shuld never ryse agayne As by example if I saye to a maÌ„ that he shall neuer optaine his purposse excepte he shul de sue to y â— kinges grace it is even as moch to saye to a mâ—… y â— hath any witte as he shall neuer optayne hys purposse before he hath sued to y â— kinges highnes Master More goeth a boute to â—…est them out of contenaunce whych saye that the boke of Machabees ys not autentyke because yt ys not receaved in the Canon of the hebrues and sayeth that by thys reason we maye also denye y â— boke of sapience and proue oure selues insipâ—… entâ—…s but 〈◊〉 if he admitte the boke of sapâ—… ence to be true and autentike I feare me it will go nye to proue him an insipient for grauntynge y t there is a purgatorie Reade y â— 45. argument agâ—…st Rastell aÌ„d theÌ„ iudge whether I saie true or not Hetherto haue I let slippe oure shoteanker haue runne y â— sees with him grauÌ„tinge him for hâ—…s pleasure y t thys boke shulde be of as good auctorite as Esai Not that the church or holie doctours or ani wise maÌ„ supposeth it of so good auctorite but onelye to se whate coÌ„clusion myght be brought vppoÌ„ it y t once grauÌ„ted And if any maÌ„ wold require my iudgemeÌ„t as coÌ„cernin ge this boke I wolde shortlye answere that ey ther thys boke is false aÌ„d of no auctoryte or els that Christ and hys apostles all holye doctoures and scolemen therto are false and with out auctoryte For he that admitteth prayers and sacrifyce to be done for the deed yee and also af fermeth that they are holye and holesom forsuch sinnes as are damned by the lawe of god which are in dede verye mortall doth not he a genst the worde of god yee and also agenâ—…t the comen consent of all men But thys boke doth so whych admitteth prayer and sacryfice to be done for the deed that were slaine in the battay le for their offence yee aÌ„d also dampned by the law Deutero 7. Now conclude youre selves what ye thinke of this boke Thus moch hath Master More brought to proue hys purposse out of the old testameÌ„t and I thynke ye se yt suffycyentlye answered And now he entendeth to proue hys purga torye by good and substancy all auctory te in the new testament also FIrst let vs considre saieth Master More the wordes of y â— blessed apostle aÌ„d eâ—…ange gelist S. Ioan. where he sayeth Est peccatuÌ„ ad morteÌ„ noÌ„ dico vt pro eo roget qs There is saith he some synne y t is vnto the deeth I byd not y â— any man shulde praye for y t this synne as y â— in terpreters agre ys vnderstonden of desperacyon and impenitencie as though Sayint Ioan wolde saye that who departe out of thys worlde impenytent or in despayre any prayer after made can never stande hym in stede Then it appareth clerelye that S. Ioan. meaâ—… neth that there are other which dye not in such case for whom he wolde men shulde praye beca use that prayer to such soules maye be profitable But that profyte can no man take beinge in hea â—…en where et nedeth not nor beinge in hell where it boteth not wherefore it appeareth y â— such praier helpeth onlye for purgagorye which thou must therfore nedes graunte excepte thou denye S. Iohan. The texte is writen 1. Ioan. 5. which sayeth there is a sinne vnto the deeth I bid not that any man shal praye for that In this place doth Master More vnderstoÌ„de by this worde deeth temporall deeth and then he taketh his pleasure But we will desyre him to loke ij lynes abo ue and not to snatch one pece of the texte on this facion I wil reherse you the hole texte and then ye shall heare myne answere The texte is this if any man perceave that his brother doth 〈◊〉 a sinne not vnto the deeth let him aske he shall geue him liffe to theÌ„ that sinne not vnto â—…th For there is somme sinne that is vnto dee th I bid not that any man shulde praye for tha 〈◊〉 Now 〈◊〉 myne answere Deeth an liffe 〈◊〉 contrarye and both wordes are in this tex te t 〈◊〉 if you vnderstonde this worde deeth 〈◊〉 emporall deeth theÌ„ must you also vnderstoÌ„ de 〈◊〉 this worde liffe teÌ„porall liffe And so shulâ—… 〈◊〉 prayer restore men agayne vnto tempo rall 〈◊〉 But I ensure you Mastre More taket 〈◊〉 this worde deeth so confusedlye that no 〈◊〉 can tell what he meaneth For in one place he taketh it for temporall deeth sayenge who so 〈◊〉 out of this worlde impeniteÌ„t cÌ„ and 〈◊〉 a nother place he is compelled to take it for therlastinge deeth Therfore will I shewe you y â— very vnderstondinge of y â— texte And better in â—…erpreters desyre I none then Christ him sâ—…lfe which sayed vnto the pharisees everye blasphe mye shall be forgeuen but the blasphemye ageÌ„st the holye gost which S. Ihoan calleth a sinne vnto the deeth shall never be forgeven but is â—…iltye vnto everlastinge dampnacion Mar. iij. â—…hat sinne or blasphemye is this â—…erelye y â— declareth S. Marc. sayenge Thâ—…y sayed that he had an vnclene sprete that was the sinne vn to deeth everlastinge that was the sinne that shulde never be forgeven He proved so evident lye vnto them that his miracles were done with the sprete of god that they coulde not denye it â—…nd yet of an harde and obstinate harte even knowinge the contrarye they sayed that he had 〈◊〉 devell with in him These pharisees died not forth with but lâ—… ved paraduenture manye yesâ—…es after Notwithstondinge if all the apostles had prayed for these 〈◊〉 whyles they were yet ly vinge for all that their sinne shulde never haue bene forgeuen them And truth it is that after they died in impenitencye and dispetaâ—…on which was the frute of that sinne but not the sinne it silfe Now se ye the meaninge of this texte and what the sinne vnto deeth or agenst the holye â—…ost is If any man perceave his brother â—…o sinne a sinne not vnto deeth that is not agenâ—… y t holye gost let him aske and he shall geve him lif fe that is let him praye vnto god for his brother and his sinne shalbe forgeuen him But if hâ—… se his brother sinne a sinne vnto deeth y â— is ageÌ„st the holye gost let him never praye for him for it â—…oteth not And so is not the texte vnderstonde of prayer after this liffe as Master More imageneth but even of prayer for oure brother which is ly vinge with vs. Notwithstondinge this sinne is not lighlye knoune excepte y â— persone knowlege it him silfe or els the 〈◊〉 of god open it vnto vs. Ther
thys fayth resteth in peace and wayteth for the last daye when god shall geue vnto hys faythfull that is to hys electe for onlye are the electe fay thfull and the faythfull electe the croune of his glorye whych he hath prepared for them that lo ue hym Thys croune doth paule saye that he shall receaue yt in that daye 2. Timo. 4. that is in the daye of iudgement And in the meane cea son god hath so prouyded for vs that they shal wayte vntysl the numbre of theyr brothreÌ„ why ch daylie suffre and shall suffre for christ be hoe lye fulfilled and so shall they not be made perfeyte with out vs. Nebre xi If my lorde wyll vnderstonde by Abrahams bosome heauen I will not be contencyous let the chrysten iudge whych sentence semeth most true But thys is once a clere case that of thys he can proue no purgatorye For the vnfaythfull are all reâ—… dye dampned and the fayethfull rest in peace let him call that what he will whether to rest in heaven or to rest in theyr sayeth vntyll the last daye For I am sure there ys no man so mad as to saye that to rest in peace shulde sygnyfle to lye in the paynes of purgatorye â—…urthermore thys texte shall rather make sore agenst hym then any thynge with â—…ym For Lazarus whyles he was lyvinge was not wythout synne nor no man els 1. Ioh annes 1. so that no wan as longe as he hath breath in hys bodye can saye that he ys wyth out synne for then shulde he make Sa ynt Johan a lyar And yet was not Lazarus caryed in to purgatorye to be purged of hys synnes whych were remaynynge in his bodye the houre of his deeth wherfore I maye conclude that there is no such purgatorye For god is as iust vnto him as vnto vs and therfore wolde he purge him as well as vs and agayne he is as mercifull vnto vs as vnto him and will as well forgeus vs as him with out broylinge on the coles in purgatorye for his iustice and mercye are ever one and not alterable But oure perfeyte purgacion is the pure bloude of Christ which wassheth awaye the sinne of the worlde And albe it we ever haue the remnauntes and dregges of sinne and rebellion of oure membres as longe as we haue liffe yet are they hoellye finished in deeth for of such efficacâ—… te is christes deeth that it hath tourned y â— deeth of his faithfull which was layed vppon vs as the payne of sinne in to a medicyne agenst sinne whicâ—… fullye cureth it and maketh an ende of it as it was well figured in golâ—…s that was slayne with his awne swerde 〈◊〉 where as my lorde bringeth for hispur posse Mat. xii that men shall geue accouÌ„p tos of everye idle worde I haue soluted that be fore agenst master More that I thinke he shall saye him silfe that he is answered For if men shall geue a rekeninge for them on the daye of dome as the texte sayeth that shulde rather argue that there were no purgatorye wherin tho se sinnes shulde be purged for if they had bene purged before of them then shulde they not geue an accoumptes for theÌ„ And if it proved any thinge at all it shulde proue that there were a purgatorye after domesdaye which no maÌ„ waâ—… ever so folish as to graunte But the true vnderstondinge of this texte is this There are two kindes of men one fayth full the other vnfaithfull The faithfull thorow their faith in christes bloude are all readye fullye purged in their harte and their rebellious mâ—…res thorow deeth are hoellye subdued The se men shall geue no rekeninge neyther of idle worde nor evell dede For all their sinnes are co vered of Christ and his bloude shall geue the hoell accoumptes for them The vnfaithfull vnto their vtter confusion shall haue the boke of their conscience opened aÌ„d there shall be preseu ted before them al their evell dendes wordes aÌ„d thoughtes And these are they that christ speaketh off which shal geue this greate accoumptâ—… Note also that in the texte they are called men which worde in scripture is ever for the most parte takeÌ„ in y â— worst sense and signifyeth wyked men fleshlye men and men that folowe theyr awne lu stes aÌ„d appetites ☜ â—…hen confirmeth he purgatorye out of thâ—… 〈◊〉 Psalme which sayeth we haue gonâ—… thorow fire ad water and thou hast brought 〈◊〉 in to colenesse I am sure you haue not forgoteâ—… that Master More allegeth the prophete zachâ—… rye in the. ix and affirmeth that there is no waâ—… ter in purgatorye It were harde to make theâ—… two agre for when men grounde them on a lyâ—… then for the most parte theyr tales and probaâ—… ons are contrarye and will not well â—…onde 〈◊〉 gither Neverthelesse in one poynte they agâ—… full well that is both of them saye vntrulye 〈◊〉 neither nother texte serveth anie whitte for pâ—… â—…atorye And as concerninge the place of zacharye it is suffecieÌ„tlye declared whath it meaneth And now will I also declare you the vnderâ—… dinge of this texte and first that it can not serve for purgatorye I vesech you that haue the psalter once to reaâ—… the psalme and I thinke you shal wondre at their dotinge dreames and ignoraunce which allege this texte for purgatorye The textâ—… of the psalme is this thou hast brought vs in to a strayght and laded oure backes with trouble or 〈◊〉 Thou hast sette men vppon oure heedes we hauâ—… gone thorow fyre and water and thou hast ledde vs out agay ne in to a place of refreshinge The textes befo re and after in the same psalme will not suffâ—… that this place shulde be vnderstonde of purga torye For the texte immediatlye before sayeth thou hast sette men vppon oure heedes But y â— thefest defendars of purgatorye and even Ma stre More him silfe saye that they are not men but devels which torment the soules in purgatorye notwithstandinge my lorde of Rochestre good man affirmeth that they are aungels which tourment the soules there but never man dooted so farâ—…re as to saye that men tourment the soules in purgatorye wherfore I maye conclude that his texte is not ment of purgatorye but that the prophete ment that men ranne over the children off Israhell and subdued them and wrapped them in extreme troubles which in the scripture are signified by fire water Besydes y t y â— textes folowinge wil not admitte y t this shulde be vnderâ—…de of purgatorye for it foloweth immediatlye I wil eÌ„tre in to thy housse with burntofferinges I shal of fre uÌ„toy â— fatte sacrifices with y â— reke of wethers I shall burne to the oxen and gotes Now is there no man so madde as to thinke that y â— soules of purgatorye shulde offre vnto god any such sacrifices So that the texte is playnlye vn
beleue y t we be deceaved I thinke there is no man so fo lish as to graunte him this But if Master Mo re will haue his reason holde he must argue on this manâ—…r The 〈◊〉 and infidels before named beleue that there is a purgatorye their beleue is true therfore we must beleue y t there is a purgatorye Now soloweth this argu ment sum what more formallye Here might I put him to the profe of his minor which is that their belefe in beleuinge purgatorye is true which thinge he shall never be able to proue But I haue such confidence of the truth on my side 〈◊〉 I will take vppon me to proue the negatyue Even that their belefe is not true as 〈◊〉 purgatorye for these miscreauntes which 〈◊〉 purgatorye beleue not y t there is a purgatorye for vs that be Christen for they beleue that we are fallen from al truth â—…tterlye 〈◊〉 But they thinke that there is a purgatorye for theÌ„ selues wherin they shalbe purged aÌ„d punished vntill they haue made full satisfaccioÌ„ for their sinnes committed but that is false for neither Turkes Saracenes paynims nor Iew is which beleue not in Christ haue or euer shall entre in to anye purgatorye but they are all daÌ„p ned wretches because they belâ—…ue not in â—…esu Christ. Ioan. 3 Now sith they be deceaved for they haue no purgatorye but are al daÌ„pned as many as beleue not Alas what blindnes is that to argue that we must solowe them which are both blinde and out of the right waye After this disputeth he by naturall reason y â— there must be a purgatorye his disputacioÌ„ coÌ„tinueth a leffe aÌ„d an halfe out of the which Ra 〈◊〉 toke all his boke And so are all his appareÌ„t reasons disclosed before agenst Rastell TheÌ„ beginneth he with the scripture on this maner IT semeth verye probable likelye that y â— good kinge Ezechias for no nother cause wepte at the warninge of his deeth geven him by the prophete but onlye for the feare of purgatorye cÌ„ The storye is writen 4. Reg. 2. And. Esai 38 Ezechias was sike vnto y â— deeth And Esai the prophete sonne of Amos came vnto him sayeÌ„ge this sayeth y â— lord dispose thy house for thou shalt dye and not ly ve he tourned his face vnto the walle aÌ„d prayed the lorde sayenge I besech the lorde remembre I praye the how I haue walked before the in the truth and in a perfeyte harte and haue done that thinge which is pleasaunte and acceptable before the. Then Ezechias wepte with greate cryenge these are the wordes of the texte we can not peâ—… ceaue by the texte that he was a greate sinner but rather the contrarye for he sayeth that he hath walked before the lorde in truth and in a perfeyte harte and hath done y t thinge which is pleasaunte and acceptable before the lorde And therfore it is nothinge like that he shuld feare purgatorye neyther yet hell Thou wilt paradventure aske me if he wepte not for feare of purgatorye why did he then wepe I will also aske you a question and then will I shewe you my minde Christ did not onlye wepe but feared so sore y t he swette like droppes of bloude 〈◊〉 doune vppon the erth which was more then to wepe Now if I shuld aske you why Christ feared aud swette so sore what wol de you answere me that it was for feare of the paynes of purgatorye forsouth he that wolde so answere shulde be laughed to skorne of all y â— worlde as he were well worthye wherfore was it theÌ„ verelye even for feare of deeth as it play nlye appeareth after for he prayed vnto his father sayenge my father if it be possible let this deeth â—…asie fro me Mat. 26. so fearful a thinge is deeth even vnto the most purest flesh And even the same cause will I assigne in Ezechias that he wepte for feare of deeth and not for pur gatorye Now proceadeth he further and promiseth to proue it by playne evident textes as it is verye nedefull for the texte that he alleged before is sum what to farre wrested and yet wil it not serve him Haue ye not saieth he the wordes of scripture writen in the boke of the kinges dominus deducit ad inferos er reducit Oure lorde bringeth folke doune in toâ—…hell and bringeth them thence agayne But they that be in that where the daÌ„pned soules be they be neuer delyuered thence agayne wherfore yt apparesh well that they whom god deliuereth and bringeth thence agayne be in that parte of hell that ys called purgatorye â—…hys texte is writen in the first boke of y â— kynges and in the ii chaptre and they are the wordes of Anna which sayeth The lorde doth kylle and quicken agayne he ledeth doune in to hell and bringeth agayne Here he thinketh to haue good holde But surelye his holde will fay le him for in this one texte he sheweth him selfe twyse ignorauÌ„te First because he knoweth not that the hebrue worde sheol doth not signyfye hell but a graue or pitte that is digged As it is written geneses 42. Si quid aduersitatis acci derit ei in terra ad quaÌ„ pergitis deducetis canos meos cuÌ„ dolore ad iferos y t is If any evil chauÌ„ ce vnto my sonne beniamin in y â— londe whether you go you shall brynge doune min hoore heaâ—…es wyth sorow vnto my graue not vnto hell nor yet vnto purgatorie for he thought neither to go to hell nor purgatorye for hys sonne but thought y t he shuld dye for sorow yf hys sonne had any myschaunce Besides y t he is clene ignorauÌ„te of y â— comeÌ„ maner of all prophetes whych for y â— most parte in all psalmes himnes aÌ„d other songes of prayse as this is make y â— first ende of the verse to ex pouÌ„de y â— last aÌ„d the last to expouÌ„de the first He that obserueth this rule shall understonde verie moch in y â— scripture although he be ignorauÌ„te in the hebrue So doth this place full well expoun de it selfe with out any imaginacion of pugato 〈◊〉 Conferre the first parte of y â— verse vnto the last and you shall easelye perceaue it The first parte of the halfe verse is thys The lorde doth uylle and that expoundeth the tother halfe of this verse where she sayeth he leadeth doune to hell so that in thys place to kille and to leade doune to hell ys all one thinge And likewise in the seconde parte of the halfe verse to quycâ—…en agayne aÌ„d bringe agayneis all one thynge Now yt any man be so supersticious y t he dare not vnderstonde this thinge as fyguratelie spo 〈◊〉 then maye he verefye yt vppon them y t god raysed from naturall deeth as he dyd lazatum Ioan. xi And albe yt no man can denye but y t this sence
ys good aÌ„d y t the texte maye so be vn derstonde yet in my minde we shal go more nye vnto the verye and pure truth yf we expounde yt thus The lorde doth kyll and quycken agayne he leadeth doune to hell and bringeth agayne that ys he bringeth men in to extreme afflyccyon and miserye which is sygnyfyed by deeth and hell and after tourneth his face vnto them and maketh them to folowe hym And to this well agreeth the. 78. psame y t speaketh of y â— chyldren of Israell whych figure hys electe church and congregacion Theyr yeares passed ouer in perpetuall trouble when he distroyed 〈◊〉 killed theÌ„ then they sought hym they tourned aÌ„d besought hym beselye He meaneth not here that he had fâ—…rst killed them by temporall deeth and after theyr deeth made them to seke hym but that he had wropped them in extreme afflic cions and perpetuall troubles and that he sore scourged them when they brake his commaundemeÌ„tes aÌ„d yet after turned his mercifull face vnto them 〈◊〉 if you will haue y â— pure vnderstoâ—… â—…inge of this place note y â— wordes of y â— 3. childreÌ„ dani 3. which were cast in to the fornace of fyre aÌ„d yet preserued froÌ„ deeth thorow y â— mightie haÌ„ de of god their wordes aÌ„d songe was this Benedicite anania azaria misael domino laudate et superexaltate euÌ„ in secula quia eruit nos de inferno saluos fecit de manu mortis libera uit nos de medio ardeÌ„tis flaÌ„me et de medio ignis eruit nos That is blisse ye anania azaria and misael the lorde prayse aÌ„d avaunce him for euer For he hath plucked vs out of hell hath saued vs troÌ„ y â— power of deeth He hath deliue red vs froÌ„ the middes of the burninge flame aÌ„d hath plucked vs out from the middes of the fy re Here maie you se the same maner of speakin ge and how the last ende expoundeth the begin ninge These children saye that god hath plucked them out of hell and yet were they neyther dampned nor in purgatorye nor deed But the nexte parte of this verse expouÌ„deth theyr meaninge which sayeth he hath saved vs from the hand or power of deeth So maye ye know that to be plucked out of hel aÌ„d to be saved froÌ„ y â— power of deeth are al one thinge And againe whe re they saye that god hath delyvered theÌ„ froÌ„ y e burninge flame that he hath plucked theÌ„ froÌ„ y t middes of y â— fire is all one sense as euerye childe maye well perceyue aÌ„d therfore is M. More to blame to be so busie seinge he vnderstoÌ„deth not y â— phrase maner of speach of the scrypture THeÌ„ brigeth he in y â— prophete zacharie why ch sayeth Tu quoqz i sanguine testameÌ„ti tui eduxisti victos tuos de lacu i quo noÌ„ erat aqua Thou hast in y â— bloude of thy testameÌ„t bro ught out thy bouÌ„deÌ„ prisoners out of y â— pitte or lake i which there was no water Now in hel is there no redempcion and in limbo patrum the souleâ—… were in rest wherfore yt appereth clerelye that those prysoners which he brought out of theyr payne he brought onlye out of purgatorye Thys texte is spoke zacharie 9. for a full an swere of this texte I neded no more but to brin ge the auctorite of my lorde of Rochestre ageÌ„st him For he expoundeth the place of y â— spalme 66. for purgatorie whych sayeth 〈◊〉 per igneÌ„ et aquam et 〈◊〉 nos in refrigeriuÌ„ we haue gone thorow fyre and water and thou hast brought vs in to colonesse If thys texte of the 〈◊〉 serve for purgatorye whych sayeth that there ys both fyre and water as my lorde of Rochestre doth afferme and bryngeth also orygene to conferme yt then can not this place of zacharye serve whych sayeth that there ys no water And so must Master Mo re nedes be ouersene for Orygene and Rochestre be able to waye vpp hym Here myght I saye vnto them both that they shulde fyrst agre wyth in them selves and then wolde I shape them an answere How be yt I know my parte so sure that I wyll confu te them both and proue that neyther nother place speaketh any thynge of this painfull pur gatorye that they descrybe But My lorde of Rochesters auctoryte shalbe dyfferred vntill the thyrde parte whych shalbe a severall boke agenst hym â—…his place verelie approueth not purgatorye but sheweth y â— vertue of christes redeÌ„pcioÌ„ which thorow his bloude redemed his captiues 〈◊〉 prysoners y t is to saye theÌ„ whoÌ„ he founde bounde with y e stroÌ„ge bondes of sinne vnto euerlastige daÌ„pnacion which were subiectes vnto the 〈◊〉 aÌ„d y â— extreme enemies of god but whi calleth hâ—… theÌ„ his verelie because they were choseÌ„ in christ Iesu before the beginninge of the worlde that they with him and thorow him shuld enioye y â— everlastinge enheritaunce of heaven 〈◊〉 are they called bounde and prisoners Surelye because they were captyves bounde and empreso ned vnder the devill thorow the sinne that â—…daÌ„ committed Romano v. Why sayeth he that he delyvered them out of the pitte where in is no water Forsouth that is even as moch to saye as he delivered them out of hell from eternall dampnacion Thou wilt happlye saye he delive red them not out of hell and from eternall daÌ„pnacion for his presoners that is to saye they y t shalbe saved never came there I answere that they shulde with out doubte haue gone thyther and haue bene damned perpetuallye except y t christ by his deeth had delivered and loosed theÌ„ And therfore saieth the scripture that Christ dâ—… ly vereth vs out of hell because he saveth and delyvereth vs y t we come not there which els shulde surelye entre into it for ever It is also a comen maner of speach amoÌ„ge vs if a maÌ„ shuld go to prison for debte or any such matter and one of his frendes come in the meane ceason which pacefyeth the aduersaryes and payeth y t debte then maye we well saye that he hath de ly vered this man out of prison although he came not there but shulde haue gone thyther And 〈◊〉 wyse when we saye that such a man hath de lyâ—…ered his frende from the galowes we meane not that he was all readye hanged for then weâ—… re the deliveraunce to late but we meane that he delyvered him that he shulde not be hanged Furthermore if a man might be bolde to 〈◊〉 Master More whether Christ haue redemed loosed and delivered him in the bloude of his te stament I thinke he wold answere yâ—…ee Now if we shuld aske him further from whence he hath delivered him I am sure he is not so igno raunte as to saye that christ hath delivered him from purgatorye but even that he hath delyve red him from
fore maye we praye for all men excepte we haue evident knowlege that they haue so offended as is before rehersed And thus is his texte takeÌ„ from him wherwith he laboureth to prove purgatorye Uvhat saye they to the wordes of S. Ioan. Apoca. 5. I haue harde sayeth he everye creatu re that is in heaven and vppon the erth and vn der the erth and that be in the see and all thinges that be in them all these haue I harde saye benediction and honoure and glorye and power for ever be to him that is sittinge in the tro ne and vnto y o lambe By the creatures in heaven he meaneth angelles By the creatures vppon the erth he meaneth men By the creatures vnder the erth he meaneth the soules in purgatorye And by the creatures in y â— see he meaneth men that sayle on the see By this texte I vnderstonde not onlye angel les and men but also heaven and erth and all y â— is in them even all beestes fishes wormes and other creatures and thinke that all these creatures do prayse the lorde And where he taketh the creatures vnder the erth for y â— soules in pur gatorye I take it for all maner of creatures vnder the erth both wormes 〈◊〉 and all other And where he draweth the texte and maketh y â— creatures in the see to signifye meÌ„ that are saylinge on the see I saye that the creatures in the see do signifye fishes and such other thinges 〈◊〉 that S. Ioan by this texte ment even playnlye that all maner of thinges geue prayse vnto god and the lambe yee and I dare be bolde to adde that even the verye devels and damned soules are coÌ„yelled to praise him For their iust punishment commendeth his puysaunte power and rightwisenes Neyther neadest thou to wondrâ—… or thinke this any new thinge for Dauid in y â— 148 biddeth serpentes bestes aÌ„d birdes to prayse the lord as it is also writen 〈◊〉 iij. And Paule sayeth Roma 8. All maner of creatures longe for oure redempcyon and prayse god for it yee and mourne that the last daye is not yet come that the electe children of god might entre in to rest for then shall also those creatures be 〈◊〉 vered from their corrupcyon and bondage in to the libertye and glorye of the children of god Now iudge christen reader which sentence stondeth most with the scripture and glorye of god DOth not the blessed apostle S. Peter as it appeareth Actes ij saye of oure savioure Christ in this wyse Quem deus suscitauit solu tis doloribus inferni In these wordes he shewed that paynes of hell were loosed but those paynes were not the paynes of dampned soules And in limbo patrum there was no payne â—…rgo it was the paynes of purgatorye which he loosed Alas what shall I saye I am in a maner compelled to saye that this man wandereth in wilfull blindnesse For els were it not possible y t he shulde erre so farre as to bringe in this texte for his purposse The wordes of Peter are these ye meÌ„ of Israel heare these wordes Iesus of Nazareth a man sette forth of god for you with powers wondres and tokens which god hath done by him a monge you as you youre selues knowe after he was delyvered by the purposed councell and forâ—…knowlege of god and you receaved him of the handes of the wyked ye crucyfyed and killed him whom god hath raysed dissoluynge the paynes of deeth for it was impossible that he shulde be subdued of it Here in steade of these wordes the paynes of deeth he setteth the paynes of hell as it is most like even of a purposed deceyte For all be it the man wold not take the payne to read y â— greke yet if he had but once loâ—…ed vppon the translacion of his olde frinde aÌ„d companion Erasmus it wolde haue taught him to haue sayed solut is doloribus mortis that is dissolvinge the paynes of deeth aceordinge to y â— greke aÌ„d verye wordes of luke which wrote the se Actes in the greke tongue And albeit the olde translacion vseth this worde infernus which is diverslye taken in scri pture both for deeth for a graue aÌ„d for hell yet in this place is Master More with out excuse which calleth it hell in oure Englishe tongue For all be it the worde of it silfe were indiffereÌ„t in the latyne yet it is not indifferent in the English For there is none Englishe man that taketh this worde hell eyther for deeth or for a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no not Master More him silfe For first he translateth the texte falselye callinge it hell aÌ„d then he discanteth on a false grounde aÌ„d calleth hell not deeth but purgatory 〈◊〉 S. 〈◊〉 brought in these wordes for no nother purpossâ—… but to proue that Christ was rysen from deeth thorow the power of his father meaninge that god the father did rayse his sonne Christ notwithstondinge the sorowfull paynes and paâ—…ges which he suffered vnto the deeth for it was impossible that Christ shulde be vtterlye subdued of deeth So that this texte proveth no more purgatorye then it proveth that Masteâ—… More was hyred of the spiritualtye to defende purgatorye Besides that if it shulde serve for purgatorye which no wysemâ—…n will grauntâ—… when he seeth the processe of the texte it shoulde proue nothinge but that Christ shulde lye in thâ—… paynes of purgatorye vntill god his father had holpe him out for the paynes which he speaketh off were Christes paynes which no man can de nye if he reade the texte But whate a fonde oâ—… nion were that to fayne that Christ which was with out sinne shulde be tourmented in y â— paynes of purgatorye â—…he blessed apostle Paule in his first epistle to the Corinthians the thirde chaptre spea kinge of oure savioure Christ the verye and on lye fundacyon of all oure faith and saluacyon sayth If anye man bylde vppon this fundacyoÌ„ golde siluer preciousstones wod haye or strawe everye mans worke shalbe made open for the daye of the lorde shall declare it for in the fire it shalbe shewed and the 〈◊〉 shall prove what maner of thinge 〈◊〉 mannes worke is If anye maÌ„nes worke that he hath buylded the ten do abyde he shall haue a rewarde if anye mannes worke burne he shall suffre harme but he shalbe saffe but yet as by fire And finallye coÌ„ cludeth that this worde fire must signifye the fi 〈◊〉 of purgatorye â—…e that considereth the ordre and processe of the texte shall easelye perceyue that this man 〈◊〉 For the texte speaketh of the preachers and blameth the corinthians that they made soch sectes aÌ„d dissensions emonge them selves for one sayed that he was Paules man and heâ—… de on his syde A nother sayed that he was Peters man The thirde did sticke to Apollo and so forth even as oure fryres do now a dayes one secte holdeth on S. fraunces A nother of S