Grecians seeing how apt such disputes were to conciliate secret approbation in a Councell about the yeare 550. by publick authority exploded it so that never after did the Eastern Churches receive it untill about the yeare 1430. Greece being infested by the attempts of the Turkes in hopes to procure assistance Paleologus Emperour of Constantinople endeavoured to make up the breach between them and the Latines To which purpose at Ferrara and Florens Agents met on both sides to compose the difference where the great Controversie betwixt the Eastern and Westerne Churches concerning The Procession of the Holy Ghost was fully discussed and desided but their concurrence in this was not satisfactory to the full the Bishop of Rome presseth strongly that amongst the rest of the Articles of Faith there should be a subscription likewise to Puratory to the Supremacy of the Roman See and to Transubstantiation in the Eucharist The Grecians reply their Commission extended no further than to treat with them concerning the Procession of the holy Ghost as for any other Questions newly stated they could come to no positive determination without license from the Easterne Churches If Greece will withdraw her hand from subscribing Rome is resolved to hold her hand in furnishing them with Auxiliary supplyes At last necessity tyrannizing upon Paleologus they are forced to joyne with Rome which accordingly was done in the yeare 1439. but scarce were 14. years expired viz. in the yeare 1453. when behold Mahumet Emperour of the Turks surprizeth Constantinople and with a puissant Army invading the Grecian Territories subdues all the Eastern Empire to his Dominions which sad and Tragicall passage the Grecians interpreted as the effects of a just judgement from Heaven upon them persecuting them for their base dissembled compliance with the Latins and therefore broke off all league and familiarity with them and as formerly so to this day constantly and stoutly renounce and disclaim Purgatory resolving rather to suffer slavery under the Turks where they enjoy their Religion than submit themselves to the unbounded unlimited usurped jurisdiction of the Roman Patriarch In sum therefore for I take no delight in Polemical Discourses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Old womens Fables Apparitions Spectrums of the dead consultation with and answers from Devilish and Heathenish Oracles these at first created Purgatory for Orthedox Divinity which Rome must now stickle to uphold especially since the revenues coming in thereby warms her Bishops Kitchin if fame belies him not provides him his second Course I am now sensible that by reason of the straitnesse of the time I must necessarily retract my first resolutions when I propounded to my self the method in handling this branch of holy Writ which was then to have alleadged the Latine Fathers where I finde some affirming Purgatory others remaining Scepticks in their judgements suspending their Verdicts either Pro or Con others againe down-right denying it As for citations of Councels themselves have given me occasion enough to spare that labour not denying but that the four first Generall ones were ignorant of Purgatory neither was its doctrine ratified by any other antient one till that of Florence celebrated in the yeare 1439. where the Gracians reduced to Exigencies were compelled to assent though afterwards they did Palinodiam canere repenting themselves of their cowardly Pacification as hath already been spoken If the Councell of Trent be further alledged against us the whole world hath had sufficient notice of those juglings impostures and bribings of suffrages used in their proceedings we can therefore without much astonishment heare their Anathema's thundring against us whilest we heare God himselfe pronouncing That if we or an Angell from Heaven preach any other Gospell let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 But to what purpose should I fight a duell with a Cloud when by our learned Adversaries acknowledging the difficulty of the Text and the rehearsall of the variety of sences whereof it is capable thus much is obtained that the words have not in them such an undeniable unquestionable meaning as to promote Purgatory but that other expositions may reasonably be inferred from them The second interpretation I meet with be pleased to take with this short Paraphrase that Christ from the beginning being Head and Governor of the Church came in the dayes of Noah not in Body which then he had not but in Spirit and preached by the mouth of Noah for the space of 120. yeares to the disobedient which would not repent and therefore are now in Prison reserved to the last judgment Thus Beza Now I am the more willingly inclinable to embrace this exposition because besides the agreeablenesse it hath with the precedent and consequent verses S. Austin in his forementioned Epistle to Evodius renders it if not in the same words yet in effect to the same sense By the spirits in Prison he conceived to be meant men that lived in the dayes of Noah whose soules were in their mortall bodies as in prisons to which men Christ in his Spirit by Noah preached though neverthelesse they would not believe Bellarmine and Estius acknowledge this to have been the opinion of Saint Aug. concerning these words of Saint Peter and that it concurreth very nigh with Beza's exposition This interpretation is embraced not only by Bede whom Bellarmine mentions here in following Saint Aug but also by Aquinas and others as Estius observeth who also addeth that Hesselius a Romish Authour doth understand the place much after the same manner And as Lorinus relateth Diegus Paiva one who wrote in defence of the Councell of Trent doth directly expouned the words as Beza doth though he would not have it thought that Paiva received it from Beza But against this interpretation it may perhaps be objected that the Spirit by which Christ went and preached to the Spirits in Prison is opposed to the Flesh and must therefore signifie Christs Soule not his Divine Nature I answer that Christs Divine Nature is most fitly understood by the word Spirit even as by the word Flesh is to be understood not onely his Body but his whole Humane Nature in respect of which Nature Christ was put to death and was quickned by his Divine Nature Thus Oecumenius expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put to death in the Nature of the Flesh that is Humane Nature and raised againe by the power of the Divine Nature by which he went and preached c. And why should this Exposition seem strange when as Flesh is put for Christs Humane Nature and therefore on the other side the word Spirit may denote his Divine Nature But againe it may be objected that Saint Peter saith Christ went and preached c. Therefore it is meant of the Soule not of his Divine Nature in which respect it cannot be said but improperly Christ went and preached I answer there is no necessity to take it properly in the words of Saint Peter more than in the
words of Saint Paul Ephes 2.17 When he saith Christ came and preached peace unto the Ephesians which must be meant of Christ coming and preaching by the Apostle for otherwise he in his owne person did not preach unto them And thus Estius notes it to be expounded by S. Ambrose the interlineary glosse Aquinas Lyra and Cajetan it is objected again that by Spirits in Prison cannot be understood Living Men except Saint Peter should on purpose speak improperly and obscurely I answer not Living Men but the Soules of Men separated from their Bodies are termed Spirits in prison as being in the Prison of Hell when Peter wrote of them though they were not so but were joyned to their Bodies and so both Soules and Bodies joyned together were living men when Christ preached unto them by the mouth of Noah For the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirits in Prison or Custody 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying any kind of receptacle Rev. 18.2 are those Soules of Men that lay so sheathed so uselesse and unprofitable in their Bodies immersed so deep in carnality as not to performe any service to God who inspired and placed them there and 't is elsewhere a figurative speech to expresse wicked men who are called Prisoners and in Prison that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa 42.7 and Isa 49.9 and bound in Prison Isa 61.1 to these Christ that is God eternall who was yesterday and to day and forever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 went and preached in or by that Spirit not personally but by Noah the Preacher of Righteousnesse to the old world by whom he gave those treatable warnings to them who made no use of the light of Nature premonishing them of that Deluge of wrath which God was preparing against impenitent and obdurate sinners Taking this to be the true and genuine meaning of the words for you will much assist my modesty if you please to call it satisfaction there naturally arifeth this ensuing Corollary That God before he proceedeth in judgement against a People giveth some signall premonitions to forewarne them of their intended ruine Christ here by his Spirit went and preached to the Old world before he brought upon them the Deluge and inundation of waters God is not in this case like the Cannon which first Executes and then Reports but he first makes the Report that afterwards there may be no need of the Execution God needed not to have given these men any warning of his judgment they gave him no warning of their sinne no respit Yet that he might approve his mercies to the very wicked he gives them one hundred and twenty yeares respite of repenting How loath is he to strike who threats and treats so fruitlesly so ineffectually Had he delighted in revenge how easily how justly might he have surprized them unawares whereas giving them warning it was a sign he desired to be prevented The same Method doth he observe towards Sodom displaying his white flag of Mercy before he hung forth his black flagge of Defiance just Lot warneth them like a Prophet adviseth them as a Father Nineveh had Jonah dispatched to her to stand Sentinell yet within forty dayes and Nineveh shall be destroyed Nor was Israel exempted from being partaker of this royall favour God sent his Prophets to warn her to repentance Judges 6.1 And he sent them Prophets to bring them back again to the Lord 2 Chron. 24.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Chrysostome He foretelleth what he will bring upon us for this end that he may not bring it upon us and warneth before he striketh to make us carefull to avoid the stroke Peruse all the Prophets of God in former dayes employed for Israel's reducement and we shall finde Promises mixt with threats and still Thus saith the Lord or The word of the Lord came unto me is prefixed in the Frontespiece of all their Embassies She had her sedulous watchment standing upon the top of her Towers striking up Alarums at the approach of dangers Nor doth he onely premonish by the voice of his word but his workes likewise have oftentimes a language in them calling upon men to provide for their safety and security Jerusalem may bear me witnesse in this particular The prodigious Earthquakes the portentous Eclipse of the Sun the Comet like a flaming Sword hanging over the City and continuing a yeare the great Light shining about the Altar and the Temple about nine a clock of the night upon the Feast of unleavened bread the Meteors seen through all her Regions the apparation in the clouds of Chariots and troops of armed men encompassing her walls and many such things of the like nature Eusebius calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prodigies and Sermons of God himselfe manifestly fore-signifying the approaching desolation Thus God dischargeth these warning-pieces over our heads before he gives fire to the Murdering-pieces at our Hearts and in briefe these three ensuing Reasons may be given 1. Ad benevolentiam indicandam 2. Ad apologiam tollendam 3. Ad vindictam acuendam 1. Ad benevolentiam indicandam to declare his loving kindnesse to the Sons of Men God who is rich in Mercy Eph. 2.4 and delighteth to be stiled the God of Mercies Nehem. 9.31 and the Father of Merciet 2 Cor. 1.3 abundantly manifesteth his mercy in dealing thus graciously in giving such timely notice of his approaching judgement and therefore is it he that doth arripere ansam take all advantages as it were and lay hold on all occasions to doe good but to punish and take vengeance is opus alienum as some expound that in Isa 28. His strange worke his strange act an employment wherein he taketh no delight As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked Hence proceed those debatements those rowlings and soundings of bowells those yearnings within him to shew compassion as if it were possible he could he would reconcile his Justice and Mercy to be Just to the Sinne and yet be Mercifull to the Sinner O Ephraim what shall I doe unto thee O Judah how shall I entreat thee and why will yo dye O house of Israel These are the Expostulations God useth with men whereby they may discerne how they have provoked an unwilling inflicter Vengeance cometh on heavily and drawes a sigh from God when he is necessitated to prepare his Rodde to unsheath his Sword to bend his Bow and make ready his Quiver Heu consolabor Ah I must I see there is no remedy ease me of mine Adversaries and avenge me of mine Enemies Slow to anger and loath to strike Quique dolet quoties cogitur esse ferox But gracious and mercifull and of great kindnesse abundant in Truth Joel 2.13 which is the first reason assigned for our Doctrine 2. Ad Apologiam tollendam to cut off all manner of excuse to elide all their Apologies to evacuate all the evasions which the wits of men
are apt to frame and contrive in their owne behalfe If I had not come and spoke unto them saith our Saviour they had not had sinne but now they have no cloak for their sinne John 15.22 Here is that which shall stop the mouthes of all prophane men that neither would Judgements drive them nor Mercies draw them to repentance Whosoever heareth the sound of the Trumpet and taketh no warning his blood shall be upon him Ezek. 33.4 God demands What could have been done more Isa 5. as if he would have been better to us had we been better to our own selves Sed nos per nostrum non patimur scelus Iracundo Deum ponere fulmina Sinners standing out against all admonitions weave the web of their owne ruine and are the unhappy Artificers of their own destruction Julian gave for his Armes in his Escutcheon an Eagle struck through the heart with a flight Shaft feathered out of her own wings with this Motto Propriis configimur alis A perfect Embleme of depraved man Our Death flyes to us with our owne wings and our owne Feathers pierce us to the heart Perditio tua ex te O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe O Israel we must say with Jerusaleus The Lord is righteous but we have rebelled against him which may serve as the second Reason for confirmation of the Doctrine 3. Ad vindictam acuendam when these distributions of favours prevaile nothing but to encourage and harden men in their sinnes it exasperates judgement and sharpens revenge against them Laesa patientia fit furor Love neglected turnes into the most desperate Hatred as the sweetest Wines make the tartest Vinegar The more bonds of Duty the more Plagues for neglect This was it which aggravated Israels sinne that God had known her of all the Families of the Earth therefore he would surely punish her for all her iniquities Amos 3.2 When wisdome had made her unsuccessefull addresses to the world in the first Chapter of the Proverbs when her warnings were all slighted her invitations neglected as if her eyes had flashed like Lightning her voice ecchoes and resounds like Thunder Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out mine hand and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my Counsell and would have none of my reproofe I will laugh at your calamity and mock when your feare cometh and to the end of the Chapter she goes on enraged with an holy fury which things being premised I shall give you one or two inferences with which I shall put a period to my present employment First Gratitudinem suadet It strongly obligeth us to gratefull returnes of Prayers and Praises God though he hath put a cup of affliction into our hands yet is it sweetned with some ingredients of Mercy though he hath fed us with bread of Adversity and waters of Affliction yet are not our teachers removed into Corners Isa 30.20 we need not with Elie's Daughter name England Ichabod the Arke and glory of the Lord is not as yet God be thanked taken away from us Even amidst the neighing of Horses and ratling of Armour amidst the sound of the Drums and Trumpets still have we those who blow the Trumpet in Sion and sound an alarum upon Gods holy Mountaine Speak O Son whether in all thy travels from East to West from one quarter of the Heaven even to the other did thine eyes behold such an illightned Goshen blessed with the number of Gods Embassadors faithfully discharging their Ministeriall duties let us therefore labour to live answerably and proportionably to this Mercy let us walk as becometh the Gospell It is storied of Marcus Manlius having deserved well of the Roman state for defending the Capitoll afterwards upon occasion fell into disfavour with the people was adjudged to death however their gratitude prompted them so farre as that they would not execute him in any place from whence they might discover any part of the Capitoll at last in the Peteline Grove from whence no Pinacle of that Edifice could be discerned he was put to death It is a wonder men can finde any corner to sinne in any place to let loose the reines to a licentious exorbitancy especially since which way soever men turne their eyes they meet with some signall objects of Divine favour and should be engagements to stop and check us in our full carriere of sinning nay yet more to take up the Prophets Hallelujah O enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his Courts with praise be thankefull unto him and speak good of his name For the Lord is gracious c. Lastly though many more might have been added excitet industriam let these premonitions have what they chiefly call for and that is our amendment and reformation Discite justitiam moniti non temnere divos Sure I am every one of us have had our hands in pulling down judgments we are therefore deeply concerned to prevent them for the future From the highest to the lowest we have contributed our Talent and cast in our Oyle to encrease the flames Let us at last after so many warnings shot off from Heaven bring our buckets to extinguish them To what purpose thinke you is it that God all this while hath not stopt the mouths of his Harbingers nor yet cancelled their Commission These Olive-branches in their Mouths are reall invitations to reconciliation We wooe and we wooe we entreat and we threat and all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and will neither move or conquer us I believe there is none such a stranger in our Israel but knowes how it fareth with us and that the time is come that God arise and have Mercy upon us yea the time is come For why her Servants thinke upon her stones and it pittieth them to see her lying in the Dust. That which remaineth for us to performe is that we entreat Almighty God that being taught by his Word and admonished by his Rod and humbled under his correcting hand we should flye to his Mercy acknowledge his Justice implore his Favour for the pardon of our Sinnes for the amendment of our Lives and for the Salvation of our Souls and all for the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ the Righteous To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory Praise Power Might Majesty Dignity and Dominion ascribed Amen Amen FINIS