AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST PVRGATORY OR Discourse wherein is shewed that Good-Workes and Almes-deeds performed in the Name of Christ are a chiefe meanes for the preuenting or mitigating the Torments of Purgatory Written by that Vertuous and Right worthy Gentle-woman the Honour of her Sexe for Learning in England Ms. IANE OWEN late of God-stow in Oxfordshire deceased and now published after her death As VVater doth extinguish Fier so Almes-deeds do extinguish sinne Eccles 3. Printed M.DC.XXXIIII TO THE VVORTHY AND CONSTANT CATHOLICKES OF ENGLAND And more particularly to such who be of the best temporall Meanes WORTHY and Noble Catholiks My charity towards the aduancing of the spiritual good of your soules is the mayne Allectiue inuiting me to write this small Treatise pardon I pray the boldnes of my Sexe heerin The subiect therof is First to inculcate make deep impressiōs in your minds of the horrour and most dreadfull torments of Purgatory Secondarily to set before your eyes the best meanes to preuent at least to asswage and mitigate them gratū opus agricolis A labour I hope pleasing to such who are desirous to cultiuate their owne Soules for gayning their spirituall and expected haruest That you belieue there is a Purgatory your owne Catholike Faith teacheth you therefore presuming that you rest immoueable therein without the least fluctuation of iudgment I hould it were but lost labour to spend any tyme in prooffe thereof Only I heere couet that you would deeply consider and meditate thereof and thereupon that you would withall meditate and put in practise the meanes of auoiding the same Touching the terriblenes of the Torments of Purgatory I haue insisted in the Authority of the most Blessed Cardinall Bellarmine out of one of whose spirituall bookes I haue translated a whole passage concerning this subiect as hereafter I shall more fully shew Thus I make him the foundation or ground-worke of this my ensuing Discourse and the rest following I do build and erect vpon this foundation so as this Miscelene worke of myne may perhaps resemble the statua of Nabuchodonozor of which part was gould part siluer and part of baser mettall So I am sure that what is taken out of the learned Cardinalls writings in this my Treatise is perfect gould or siluer what is adioyned thereto by me must I willingly yield endure the touch of the learned to proue what mettall it is But now to proceede a little further I could wish you worthy Catholickes that you would haue a feeling apprehension of the paynes of Purgatory though yet to come True it is that the Time present and the Time future are in nature different yet if a man could in some case so liuely paint to himselfe the face of the Time future as that it might appeare to him to be the Time present it were felix Error a happy mistaking or confusion of tymes to vse the Catholike Churches like Dialect of the sinne of Adam calling it felix Culpa For then would men apprehende the Future paynes of Purgatory as present and certainely once they must be present and consequently would have a greater feare and dread of them then cōmonly they now haue It is not in mans power to depriue God of his incommumnicable Attribute of Iustice being euen of the Essence of God This then being so why will you not seeke to appease this his Iustice in this world when small satisfactions will serue rather then to performe those satisfactions incomparably far greater in a more horrible manner in the next world by enduring those Torments which are not to be endured And there to endure them donec reddas nouissimum Quadrantem Matth. 5. These are the words of holy Scripture and are vnderstood in the iudgment of the Ancient Fathers of a Soule lying in Purgatory and therefore must be performed which forcing words since they ought to be most dreadfull to ech Catholicke not performing his satisfaction in this life I haue therefore thought not amisse though I grant in a most vnusuall manner to set downe in the lower part of euery page that wheresoeuer the Reader shall open these few leaues his eye shall instantly meete with the said moouing words thereby to cause him to haue a more intense and serious meditation of them It is certaine that God is pittifully cruell as I may say since he is content to turne Eternity of punishments into temporall paines But withall it is no lesse certaine that a soule not performing its penance in this life before its dissolution from the body can no more immediatly ascend to Heauen then the Patriarchs which dyed in Egypt could be buryed in the land of Promise Well now the chiefest help for the preuenting of the paines of Purgatory is the practise of Workes of Almes-deeds and such other actions of Mercy as hereafter in this short Treatise wil more fully be proued Workes of this nature are the only Oyle which is to be powred into a Repenting soule whose full satisfaction for its former sinnes is not yet accomplished Gods sacred Word assureth you that you may buy Heauen with Good Workes Venite possidete paratum vobis regnum Esuriuienim dedistis māducare c Matth. 25. Much more then may you with Good Workes dyed in the bloud of our Sauiour and not otherwise buy out the paynes of Purgatory And though you do find a reluctation in your naturall dispositions to relinquish a part of your state to that end now in your lyfe time yet let that be made easy to you by Grace which is hard and difficult by Nature that so it may be said of you as was said of Cornelius the Centurion Act. 10. Eleemosinae vestrae commemoratae sunt in conspectu Dei For assure your selues that the Grace of God euer seeketh a charitable Hart. And by this meanes you may become more rich in your graues then you could haue beene in your life tyme Since to giue away riches in a mans lyfe for the good of the soule is to carry them away after his death And in this sense they hould most who haue the most open hand in dispensing of their riches So true is that sentence to wit It is no small riches for Gods sake to abandon riches But alas such are the pittifull tymes wherein we liue such is the scarsity of Vertue among vs as that insteed of practising Workes of Charity men are commended and praysed if only they forbeare to practise workes of Iniustice and Wrong And thus we are glad to accept of a meere Priuation of Vice in place of a Positiue and reall Vertue O the miserablenes of our dayes The very Beasts do not nor can sinne nor can they do any wrong are they therefore vertuous Well I humbly besecch you to haue a setled eye vpon your soules good for the preuenting of future punishments and remember that our Sauiour in the Ghospell Luc. 17. commended the vniust Steward for hoording vp for the tyme to come and shall then
touching care to be had concerning the death of the soule a certaine Man being for the tyme dead was after restored to lyfe of Body relating many things worthy of remembrance of some of which I haue thought good at this present to make particular mention It is this There was a certaine Househoulder or Father of a family in the Country-Norman belonging to the Humbri This man did lead with his whole house a very religious lyfe Who being taken with a sudden infirmity and sicknes in body and his payne more and more increasing he was brought to the howre of death and dyed in the beginning of the Night But at the appearance of the morning he returned to life againe and setting himselfe vp in bed all those who accompanicd that night the dead Body through feare and amazement presently fled away But his wife who loued him dearely though fearing remayned with him whom he did comfort in these wordes Feare not wife for I am truly risen from death with which this night I haue beene houlden and I am permitted to liue againe among men heere vpon earth but not after the same manner as I was accustomed heretofore to liue but after a far different sort Hereupon he presently did ryse out of his bed and went to the Oratory or Chappell belonging to that village spending the most part of the day in prayer He instantly deuided all his substance into three partes of the which one part he gaue to his wyfe another to his children and the third he distributed to the poore And he with great speed freeing himselfe from all care of the world came to the Monastery called Mailros and there taking the Tonsure the Abbot prouided for him a secret cell into which he entred and there continued till the day of his death in such great contrition of mind and body that his very lyfe though his tongue had beene silent did speake that he had seene during the short tyme he was afore dead many things both fearefull and to be desired For he deliuered the matter in this manner Lucidus erat aspectu clarus indumento qui me ducebat c. One of a lightsome countenance and bright in apparell did lead me We came vnto a certaine valley of a great largenes profundity but of an infinite length That part of the valley which was vpon our left hand was most terrible through scorching flames The other part thereof was no lesse terrible through extremity of hayle frost snow and wynds Both these wyde passages of this valley were full of soules of men and women which seemed to be tossed to and fro as it were through force and violence of boysterous stormes For when they could not any longer endure the violence of so great an heat the poore miserable soules did cast themselues into the middest of that insufferable cold aboue related and when as neither there they could fynd any rest or ease they then agayne leaped into those inextinguishable flames of fyer And whereas an infinite multitude of poore soules I saw thus to be tormented with this vnfortunate vicissitude of torments and without any intermission or ease I began to call to mynd that perhaps this place was Hell of the intollerable torments wherof I had before heard much spoken My Conductour who went before me answered to my present thought saying Do not so thinke for this place which thou seest is not that Hell which thou supposest Now the vision of Hell and after of Paradise being explayned which for breuity I omit the Conductour thus further said to the person raysed from death Scis omnia quae vidisti dost thou know all these things which thou hast seene The raised party said No. I do not know them To whom his Conductour thus replyed That great vale which thou hast seene most dreadfull for flames of heate and fyer as also for insufferable cold is that place in which the soules of all those are to be purged and chastized who in their lyfe tyme delayed from time to time to confesse their sinnes and to makc satisfaction for the wickednes by them perpetrated and yet in the very last houre of their lyfe obtayned true penitency and contrition for their sinnes and so departed out of their bodies which soules because they made confession of their sinnes and had penitency of them though at the last houre of their death do yet belong to the Kingdome of Heauen And many of these poore soules are much eased by the prayers of the liuing by Almes-deeds of their friends by their strict fastings and especially by the celebration of holy masses in their behalfe so as by these meanes diuers of them are freed from their torments before the day of Iudgment Venerable Bede thus further addeth hereto Cum ille incredibili austeritate Corpus suum vexaret c. When as this man raysed to life did afflict his body with incredible austerity praying and praysing God with hymns he then standing in water frozen through cold with yce his fellow Monkes would say to him It is wonderfull ô Brother Drithelmus that thou art able to endure such asperity of cold He then replyed Frigidiora vidi I haue seene much more cold places And when they in lyke sort said to him mirum quod tam austeram tenere continentiam velis c. It is wonderfull that thou wilt keep this austere cōtinency in meates c. He answered Austeriora vidi I haue seene greater austerity And in this sort through an indefatigable desire of the ioyes of Heauen he tamed and subdued his old feeble body vntill the day of his death he much profiting many by his perswasions and conuersation of lyfe Thus far S. Bede in his relation of this history Now that the contents hereof are most true I little doubt because it is agreable to the sacred Scripture in the booke of Iob cap. 24 Ad nimium calorem transeunt ab aquis niuium from waters of snow they passe to ouermuch heate Againe S. Bede a Venerable most godly man recordeth the same as happening out in his owne dayes and lifetime To conclude there did follow out of this vision great spirituall benefit the which God is accustomed to draw and extract out of such miraculous euents and not curiosity or vanity but the health of many soules by their conuersion to pennance vertue In this next place will I come to the testimony of a most admirable woman her name was Christina whose life is written by Thomas Cantipratensis of the order of S. Dominicke a man most worthy of credit and who liued in the dayes of the said Christina The same is in like sort witnessed by that Venerable man Iacobus de Vitriaco l. de vita rebus gestis B. Mariae de Oegnies a pious and learned Cardinall who in a booke of his maketh mention of diuers holy women and particularly of this Christina Mirabilis whose life he relateth most briefly in a short Compendium
Now this Virgin Christina doth thus speake of her selfe instantly after she did rise from death to lyfe in the sight of many then liuing Statim vt è corpore excessi c. Presently after I did leaue my body certaine Angels of God being ministers of the light receaued my soule and brought it to an obscure darke and horrid place being full and replenished with the soules of men and women The torments which I did behould in that place were so extreme violent and insufferable as that they cannot be deliuered in any words I did see there diuers with whom I was acquainted whiles they here liued vpon the earth I did much pitty those poore miserable soules I demaunded of my Conductours what place this was for I did imagine that it was Hell They answered that it was the place of Purgatory reserued for such sinners who had obtayned true penitency of their sinnes before their death but had not yet performed any actuall satisfaction for their Crimes in their lyfe tyme committed After this my Conductours brought me to behould the punishment of the damned in Hel where also I did find certaine persons knowne to me in their lyfe tyme. After this I was conducted vp to Paradise euen to the Throne of the diuine Maiesty where I did behould our Lord wellcomming me I reioyced excessiuely thereat as being then perswaded that I should there remayne with our Lord for all eternity But he presently answered me saying Most wellcome daughter thou shalt with out all doubt finally stay with me but here I put to thee an election of which of these two things thou hadst rather make choyce to wit whether thou haddest rather now stay with me for all eternity or els to returne vnto the world and earth againe and there resuming thy former body to suffer paynes though without any danger to thy body by which paynes thou mayest free set at liberty those soules which thou behoulding in Purgatory didst commiserate pitty that so by this means men and women yet liuing vpon the earth through the example of thy penitent lyfe abstayning from commiting more facinorous Crymes and performing in satisfaction of them what they ought to do may in the end being enriched with store of merits and good deeds be conuerted to me Now I without any pause or delay answered that I had rather returne to my body vnder the former condition proposed to me and thereupon our Lord taking it well that I shewed my selfe so ready in the choyce commandeth my soule to be restored to its body In the performance whereof it was wonderfull to behould the incredible swiftnes and celerity of the blessed spirits For euen in that very houre when it is sayd in the Sacrifice of the Masse which was then offered for me Agnus Dei O Lambe of God c. my soule was placed before the diuine Maiesty and at the third time of the saying of the foresaid words Agnus Dei the Angells restored me to my body And thus the matter standeth touching my departure out of this world and my after returne to lyfe since all this was done concerning my being restored to lyfe for the chastizing of men and their amendment in manners and conuersation Therefore I would intreate all persons that they would not be troubled or affrighted with such things as they shall see in me The things do exceed mans vnderstanding which God commanding shal be performed in me Neither haue such euents at any tyme hapned among mortall men Thus much did she speake And then the wryter of her lyfe adioyneth these words following concerning her Cap. 6. Tum vero caepit illa exercere c. Thtn she did begin to exercise and put in practise such seuerities for the performāce of which she was sent by our Lord She did voluntarily enter into burning Ouens was tormented in those fyers so as through the straytnes of the place and paynes she made a fearefull horrible noyse But after she came out of those places there was not to be seene in her body any print or marke of such her burnings And then the foresaid Authour thus further proceedeth in his discourse Cap. 7. Sub aquis Mosae fluminis hyberno tempore cum rigerent omnia gelu c. She very often long stood in the waters of the riuer Mosa in winter time when it was congealed with frost remayning there in such manner six dayes and more And then a little after the foresaid Authour thus further sayth cap. 9. Interdum in aquis orans c. She sometymes praying in the waters was caryed by them vpon the wheele of a water mill and so in most horrible manner was borne about with the wheele thereof being notwithstanding perfect vnhurt in all the parts of her body And the Authour thus more writeth ibid. Surgebat quandoque medijs noctibus totius Oppidi Trudonensis canes in se concitans c. She often tymes rysing about midnight would stir vp against her all the dogs of the towne of S. Truyen she rūning before them following her like a swyft Deare throgh certaine obscure places full of bryars and thornes in so much as she was pricked her skinne torne in diuers places as that no part of her body was free from wounds and yet after her sheeding of much bloud thereby no prints scarrs or marks of any woūds or pricks were to be seene in her body Thus far the forsaid Authour Now that this his Narration of all set downe was most true appeareth seuerall wayes First because as I said aboue he had Iacobus Bishop and Cardinall of Vitriacum a most graue man to beare witnesse thereof Secōdly in that the authour of this History did relate passages done in his owne life tyme and in the same Prouince wherein himselfe liued seeing he was Bishop and suffragan to the Archbishop of Cambray Thirdly in that the matter and History it selfe euen publikely as it were deposeth and auerreth the truth hereof to wit that her body was so after conformed and strengthned by diuine power as that it should suffer payne by fyer and yet should not be dissolued should receaue wounds and shee l much bloud and yet no prints of those woūds should appeare In this sort this most blessed woman liued not for the space of few dayes only but during all the time of fourty two yeares after her returne to lyfe And lastly because by this course of her life she conuerted many to true penance and compunction of their sinnes and after her death was glorious and eminent for miracles therefore God by such examples aboue insisted vpon would stop the mouths of such incredulous persons who are not afraid sometymes to demand Who hath returned from Hell who hath seene the torments either of Hell or Purgatory Behould heere we haue two faythfull Witnesses a man and a woman who haue seene the most bitter and insufferable torments of Hell and Purgatory and therefore such men do wholy rest
good part of his state in his life tyme to spirituall ends wholy to preuent or at least partly to diminish the paynes of Purgatory then to leaue his issue in greater affluency and abundance of worldly riches and himselfe to continue many yeares in that insufferable conflagration of fyer the grieuousnes whereof truly to conceaue passeth our conceite O Ante faciem frigoris eius quis sustinebit Psal 147. Thus far I haue thought good to draw out and enlarge this Section in stirring the mould about the roote of this ordinary pretence excuse of Parents prouiding for their Children by reason that most Parents to the great preiudice of their owne Soules do shaddowe their want of Christian Charity to others vnder this pretext and therby they make their owne Children to become Enemyes to themselues and so it falleth out to be most true as is aboue alledged by the foresaid illustrious Cardinall Inimici hominis Domestici eius Matth. 20. Yet before I conclude this Section I only say although according to the iudgment of the Philosophers No man knowes what kind of loue that is which Parents beare to their children but he that hath children notwithstāding before I would endure an infinity of torments for their greater and more full aduancement I would in part lessen my temporall State for the good of my owne Soule for though Children be most neere to their Parents yet that sentence is most true Tu tibi Primus Vltimus A Persuasory Discourse for the putting in practise the meanes which are good Workes for the auoyding of the paynes of Purgatory SECT III. IN the two former Passages are layed open First the Horrid atrocity of the paynes of Purgatory Secondly the meanes how to preuent at least to lessen mitigate them It now followeth that I spend some leaues in a Paraeneticall as I may terme it or Persuasory discourse therby to inuite Catholikes to put in practise the said meanes which are conducing for the preuenting of those temporary direfull flames And whereas these my speaches are directed chiefly to such of you Catholikes which are most slouthfull and sluggish in the prosecution of the same meanes I meane in the performance of Good Workes Therefore I must heere intreate you to pardon my rudenes of style since it best sorteth to point forth for words are the Images of things your most deplorable state herein Dangerous wounds you know must haue deepe incisions And matter of Tragedy for I account yours to be such is to be deliuered in mournefull Accents Neuer ought we in this case to forbeare the touching of the member affected with a hard hand O no. The Apostle indoctrinateth vs otherwise in those his feruorous and fiery words 2. Tim. 4. Praedica Insta oportunè importunè argue obsecra increpa c. To such Catholiks which are feruorous in the performance of good and pious Actions this my speach doth not extend But here now I hould it conuenient to marshall and range such men into seuerall kinds to which men this my Admonition belongeth The first kind of these are such as are yet Schismatikes in the present course of their lyfe and other Catholikes who hertofore perhaps haue liued for many yeares in a Schismaticall state Touching the first kind of actuall Schismatikes admitting that before their death they become truly penitent of their former continuance in Schisme for otherwise their soules are infallibly to descend to Hell not to Purgatory But admitting I say the best to wit that they do dye in true repentance of their former sinne which only must proceed from the boūd-les Ocean of Gods mercy Yet what ineuitable Torments and for how many yeares do expect thē in Purgatory if otherwise they seeke not to deliuer themselues thereof in their owne lyfe tyme by good workes This point will best appeare by discouering in part the atrocity of Schisme and a Schismaticall lyfe For the better explayning whereof I will insist in the Authorities of the Holy Scripture the most ancient Fathers And to begin with Gods word we thus read Galat. 5. The workes of the flesh are adultery fornication Sects meaning thereby Schismes They which shall do such things shall not inherit the kingdome of God And in respect of the state of Schisme the Church of God is styled in sacred Writ One sheepfould Ioan. 10. One body Rom. 12. One Spouse Cant. 6. and one Doue But now Schisme as comming of the Greeke verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scindo deuideth that which is one into parts Therefore as a member cut of from the whole body ceaseth to be a part of the said body so a Scismatike by open profession of an Erroneous Religion impugned by the Church of Christ ceaseth thereby to be a member of the Church of Christ To descend to the Fathers Marke how they pensill out a Schismatike or Schisme I will vrge but two or three for breuity S. Austin then thus writeth l. de fide Symb. c. 20. Schismatiks though they belieue the same points which we belieue yet through their dissention they do not keep fraternall charity therfore we conclude that a Schismatike belongeth not to the Catholike Church because he loueth not his neighbour Thus S. Austin Fulgentius thus teacheth l. de fide ad Petrum c. 38. 39. Firmissimè tene c. Belieue for certayne and doubt not that not only Pagans but also Iewes Heretikes Schismatikes who dye out of the Catholike Church are to goe to euerlasting fyer To conclude S. Cyprian thus auerreth l. 4 Epist. 9. ad Florent Qui cum Episcopo non sunt in Ecclesia non sunt who agree not with the Bishop meaning the supreme Bishop Pastour of the Church are not in Gods Church Thus we see what is the iudgment both of Holy Scripture and of the ancient Fathers passed vpon the most dangerous state of Schismatiks From whence we may infallibly conclude that supposing the best I meane that Schismatiks do finally repent dye in state of Grace which is most doubtfull considering their long inueterate Schismaticall liues yet what imminent temporall tormēts euen hanging ouer their heads are ready to rush vpon them instantly vpon the separation of the soule from the body and to seize vpon their soules for the satisfying of Gods Iustice But seeing the state of Schismatikes is so desperate dangerous I am to be pardoned if I sharpen my pen more peculiarly against the Schismatikes of our owne Countrey Heare then you Schismatikes of England who for sauing your temporall goods will endanger the losse of all eternall good How much do you dishonour yea vilify God by perseuering in your Schismaticall state Assure your selues You Schismatikes that it is not in your power to command at your pleasure ouer Tyme Repentance God calleth euery one but how often he will call no man knoweth and be you afrayd of that fearefull Sentence of his Diuine Maiesty My People would not heare my voyce
of Piety Lessen your temporall Pompe descend in outward comportment vnder your selues and let your sparing charges by this meanes saued serue to redeeme you from those horrid flames which are hereafter to inuade you To these and the like disconsolate and Tragicall lamentations in the inward reflexe of thy foule my deare Catholike shalt thou in thy last Sicknes be driuen if thou seeke not to preuēt the danger in tyme. Therefore Remember that he is truly Wise who laboreth to be such in his health as he wisheth to be found in Gods sight at the hower of his Death But now to come to you other Catholiks who thogh you euer liued within the bosome of the Catholike Church yet the state of many of you is otherwise most deplorable who though you dye in state of grace though many hundred Catholikes through their owne vicious liues and finall irrepentance do not yet your Case with reference to the torments of Purgatory is lamētable Most of you are wholy heedles negligent in seeking by your good Workes and Almes-deeds to auoyde Purgatory How many of you whose meanes are great might without any stay after your Death euen post to Heauen by your Religious dispensing of a good part thereof whereas others through want of temporall meanes so to be distributed must stay long in Purgatory O that Man should be so treacherous to his owne Soule It is daily obserued euen with griefe to all Zealous Catholikes that many of you are ready to lay out great summes of siluer for the increasing of your temporall states That others of you who are deuoted to the contentments and pleasures of this World to dissipate a great part of your liuing in fruitles charges Some in gallantry of apparell others at Dyce in Running-Horses in keeping wastfull Christmasses your selues your Cōpany feeding most lautiously vpon all variety of curious meates wynes whiles in the meane tyme your poore soules perhaps remayne euen hunger-starued as I may say for want of spirituall nourishment In all which courses it is be feared that many euen mortall sinnes are by you committed of the which though you after haue purged your selues by the holy Sacrament of Confession yet what reckonings are there remayning touching the temporall punishments attending such your sinnes which either in this world must be taken away by great satisfaction performed by you or els all such rust must be purged and burned away in the Horrible Flames of Purgatory Therefore it is not a simple Imprudency It is not a weakenes of the vnderstanding It is not a bare mistaking of the iudgment But it is meere Lunacy Madnes in you thus to aduance temporal respects either of gaine or pleasure before the preuenting of those insufferable torments And if any of you who are of great states do leaue a hundred pounds at your deaths to be prayed for O you thinke you haue made a large and ample satisfaction for all your sinnes and that after those Prayers are performed you are sure instantly to goe to Heauen A selfe flattering and credulous conceit Thinke of the custome of the Venerable Bishops of the anciēt Church who were vsed to tye a sinner to performe penance seauen yeares for the committing but of one mortal sinne How much different was their Iudgment from your Iudgment herein Againe what small a proportion hath this so niggard an Almes-deeds of yours with that of the man restored to lyfe and recorded by Venerable Bede who gaue the third part of his goods to the poore the rest to his wyfe and Children of whome Cardinall Bellarmyne did aboue speake in the first section of this booke Or how stands your Charity to good vses with reference to Zachaeus spoken of in the Gospell Luc. 19. who after he had seene Christ gaue instantly the halfe of his state to the poore Truly I speake in all sincerity I knew two Gentlemen in Englād who were but Esquyers though of good states and yet at the tyme of their deaths besides many other most good and holy workes done by them in their life tyme the one of thē did leaue to good vses fifteene hūdred pounds and the other a thousand Markes Therefore let such Catholiks who are carefull of their Soules-good be vertuously emulous of such mēs deuotion and charity and let them remember that saying of S. Chysostome serm 37. ad pop Antioch Non dare sed copiosè dare Eleemosyna est But to proceed If any of you vpon your iust Demerits were to be racked for diuers moneths togeather or if any of you were in the highest degree afflicted with some Corporall payne what would you not giue if it were in your power to redeeme your selues from these torments And yet the first of these paines might endure through the Clemency of the Prince but few moneths perhaps but few dayes the other could not endure many yeares through the extremity of the payne for nullum violentum est perpetuum And will you then be so leaden stupid and dull in iudgment as willingly and affectedly to vndergoe it being in your power by abandoning in your lyfe tyme a little Drosse to preuent them such paynes for many yeares perhaps for many hundred of yeares in reference and comparison of which all the greatest torments in this world in the iudgment of the ancient Fathers are to be reputed as shaddowes or tipes of paynes where is mās vnderstanding where is the light of his Reason But it seemes they are exiled and in their roome are imbraced a most sordid earthly respect of temporall fading vanities Therefore I may well here demand Are such persons Catholikes Are they Christiās yea are they men who thus be trample withall carelessnes and supine neglect the good of their owne soules and rauell out their tyme in idle toyes and pleasures Alas what are riches greatnes of state a needles fruition of temporall pleasures or that which you call your reputation honour which with-draw many from doing of good deeds able to performe Syr Iohn Oldcastle being exprobated of his Cowardlynes and thereby reputed inglorious replyed If through my persuyte of Honour I shall fortune to loose an Arme or a Leg in the wars can Honour restore to me my lost Arme or legge In like manner I heere say to you Catholikes Can your Riches your worldly pompe and pleasures or antiquity of your House and Family redeeme your Soules out of Purgatory Or can this poore weake blast of wind or ayre which you call your reputation consisting in other mens words passed vpon you coole the heate of those burning flames Nothing lesse since these toyes through your abuse of them shall serue as bellowes the more to blow the Flames of Purgatory I will vrge one reason which shall make you negligent Catholikes to blush and withall to grow pale for it shall force you to be ashamed of your incredible negligēce in this great busines heere treated of and it shall put you if so
haue thought it much more preuayling to deliuer the contents therof in the Cardinalls owne words which are without any affectation of Oratory or fyled Speach then by any other meanes or Method of my owne in altering the same Since I presume that the speaches of so worthy so learned so pious a man being an Ornament of this presentage will sway more with all good Catholiks by way of perswasion then any words of myne can effect And certaine it is that who speaketh perswadingly speaketh Eloquently And I hould it a greater Honour to become a poore Translator of any part of his learned writings doing therby the more good then to be accounted a skilfull Composer of Bookes doing therin the lesser good And with this I refer the Reader to the passage of Bellarmyne by me Translated wishing him not to be diffident of the truth of the Contents thereof seeing he may see that the Cardinall giueth full credit and assent thereto and also in that he is an ouer Materiall and Sensible Christian as I may tearme him who measures matters of Fayth and Religion by the false yard of naturall apprehension And great incredulity and dulnes it is to thinke of things touching the soule only as he seeth them abstracting them from the trutination of Gods Iustice heere-after to come themselues thus through supine heedlesnes falling vpon that dangerous sentence of the Wiseman Ita securi viuunt quasi Iustorum facta habeant Eccles 8. They liue as securely as if their workes were of the Iust But what doth there immediatly follow Hoc vanissimum This is most vayne The discourse of Cardinall Bellarmine touching the inexplicable paynes of Purgatory THose Soules who remayne in Purgatory do afford to vs yet liuing in the world a great occcasion matter of teares in so much that a due consideration meditation of Purgatory may iustly be termed a flowing well of teares Now touching the paynes of Purgatory foure principall heades or branches are to be considered from the which we may in part coniecture of the greatnes of those paines and in regard of such their greatnes all good men may be the more easily induced to powre out their teares in commiseration of their Christian Brethren who are in the meane tyme tormēted with those paines The first of these Heades is that the paynes of Purgatory are greater more intense then any paynes which men can suffer in this lyfe The second that the paynes of Purgatory to them that suffer them do for the most part endure longer then any paynes of this life can endure The third that the soules which lye in Purgatory cannot helpe or bring any ease to themselues The fourth and last Head is that the soules which are in Purgatory are of huge number and almost infinite in number Now from all these different passages it is cleare that the soules in Purgatory are in a pittifull state and therefore most worthy of all commiseration that those men who yet are liuing are no lesse then half mad and distracted in iudgment who during their life tyme are carelesse and negligent in satisfying for their sinnes and had rather descend vpon their death to those places of Torments then to be depryued of any pleasure while they liue in this world And now to begin with the first which is that the paynes of Purgatory are greater and more violent then all paynes ioyned together which in this lyfe we can vndergoe this verity is confirmed by the authority of S. Austin in Psal 37. who thus writeth hereof Domine ne in indignatione tua arguas me c. O Lord do not chastice me in thy wrath and indignation Let me not be in the number of those to whom thou shalt say Ite in ignem aeternum go into euerlasting fyer neither otherwise correct me in thy anger but that I may be made such as that my said correction shall not be needfull to be increased with that purging fyer in respect of such men qui salui erunt sic tamen quasi per ignem who shal be saued but as by fyer And then a litle after S. Austin thus further inlargeth himselfe Et quia dicitur saluus erit contemnitur ille ignis c. And because it is sayd in the place aboue they shal be saued therefore that fyer is neglected and litle feared True it is they shal be saued by fyer grauior tamen erit ille ignis saith he quà m quicquid potest homo pati in hac vita Notwithstanding that fyer shal be more heauy and intollerable then any paynes which a man can suffer in this lyfe And you well know what great torments diuers wicked men haue here suffered and are able to suffer yea good and vertuous men haue suffered as much as the former For what paynes or torments hath any malefactour theefe adulterer or any other wicked or sacrilegious person suffered which Martyrs haue not suffered for their confession of Christ Therefore these Torments which are in this world are of a far more lower degree And neuerthelesse you see how ready and prepared men stand to performe any thing commanded them to preuent the suffering of them with how much more reason then haue men to doe that which God cōmandeth them that so they may not vndergoe those by many degrees more horrible torments Thus far S. Austin whose iudgment herein many other Fathers follow Saint Gregory thus dilateth of the same point Domine ne in furore tuo arguas me c. Lord do not chastice me in thy fury nor rebuke me in thy anger I know well that after the end of this lyfc some mens sinnes shal be expiated purged by the flames of Purgatory others shall vndergoe the sentence of eternall damnation Neuerthelesse because I do firmly belieue that transitory fyer to be more insufferable then any tribulation in this world therefore I thirst not only not to be abandoned and remitted to eternall damnation but also I greatly feare to be chastized in this temporall punishment of Purgatory Thus much S. Gregory Of the same iudgment herein are Venerable Bede in 3. Psal Poenit. S. Anselme in cap. 3. Ep. 1 ad Cor. S. Bernard de obitu Humberti c. S. Thomas of Aquin l. 4. sent d. 30. q. 1. art 2. doth not only subscribe to the iudgment of the former Fathers in this point but he also further maintayneth that the least payne in Purgatory is greater more insupportable then the greatest torment in this world And yet notwithstanding all this we obserue daily that men are not afrayd to cōtemne those most insufferable torments in Purgatory who cannot endure far lesse paines in this world But this is the blindnes of mans corruption which is much to be deplored in this our vale of Teares To proceed further S. Thomas proueth this his former sentence and iudgment from this following reason It is sayth he an inexpugnable and vndeniable truth that poena damni the payne of
the losse incurred by sinne is far more grieuous then Poena sensus then any payne of sense or feeling And it is further most euident and confessed that all those who are in Purgatory during their stay these do suffer Poenam damni the paine of losse that is the losse of the vision of God But to auoyde the force of this Reason it may be perhaps replyed by some that the perpetuall punishment of losse to wit to lose for all eternity the sight of God as such suffer who are in Hell is truly indeed a punishment and the greatest of all punishments but during the tyme of a soules staying in Purgatory the want of the diuine vision and sight of God is not properly to be accounted a punishment or at least not a punishment or payne more fearefull then those punishments which Martyrs haue suffered in this life seeing that we whiles we liue here vpon earth do not see God and yet we are nor said truly to suffer poenam damni any payne of losse because we shall see God in due tyme if so we purge free our harts from sin as is our duty to doe Yea the ancient holy Fathers Patriarchs and Prophets who remayning in Limbo Patrum expecting the comming of the Sauiour of the world did not as then see God and yet they were not afflicted with any poena damni because they were to see God in a prefixed designed tyme. For thus Abrahā answeres to the Rich glutton Luc. 16. Remember sonne that thou in thy lyfe tyme receiuedst thy pleasures and Lazarus paynes now therefore he is comforted and thou tormented In which words we do not fynd that Abraham said Lazarus was tormēted with poena damni with the punishment of losse but that he was in solace comfort cōsequently not in torment And further where S Simeon Luc. 2. sayth Nunc dimittis seruum tuum in pace c. Now O Lord thou lettest thy seruant depart in peace was not of opinion that through death he should descend to any most insupportable paynes but to a most sweet repose and peace To conclude S. Gregory l. 3. moral c. 22. teacheth that the ancient Patriarches and Fathers during their being in the place called Limbus Patrum did not suffer there any torments but did find rest quietnes The force of this obiection or argument is easily dissolued The answere is this Whiles we are liuing here vpon earth we do not easily apprehend how heauy a matter it is to want the vision and sight of God both in regard that what things we apprehend by meanes of corporall phantasmes and the ministery of the senses we do but obscurely vnderstand as also in that we being softened and cherished in corporall delights and pleasures we solace and content our selues therewith and thereupon we are not much sollicitous and seeking after spirituall contentments The ancient Fathers and Prophets were not tormented with any poena damni payne of losse in that they saw not God because they well did know that this procrastination deferring of enioying the vision of God was not occasioned through any default in them but because the prefixed tyme of that most blessed sight was not yet come But heere in our case it falleth out otherwise since touching those soules who are condemned and relegated as it were to Purgatory after the cōming of Christ it is impossible but that they should be in the highest degree afflicted for seeing they in that state are depriued both of body and of all corporall senses they cannot take further delight in sensible obiects as in meate drinke riches honours in satisfying any carnall concupiscēce c. but they wholy breath and thirst after the contemplation of the first Truth and their enioying their Summum bonum or chiefe good for the obtayning whereof as for their last end they well know that they were created Heerunto may be adioyned this other reason to wit that the soules in Purgatory do wel know that the kingdome of Heauen is now made open to the faithfull Christians and that the only hindrance of not present enioying of it is only the guilt of payne contracted through their owne peculiar sinnes from whence it cannot but follow that these soules are euen offended angry with themselues in that they alone are the cause of their long dilation deferring of their enioying so great an happines These soules may well be resembled to a man in great extremity of hūgar thirst though hauing a table before him furnished with all variety of meats wynes choyce waters and yet the only reason and impediment of his not feeding of them proceedeth from some former miscariage of the said man which hath deseruedly caused this his delay in tasting of them We may add hereto that the most ancient Fathers Austin Gregory Beda Anselme and Bernard do not speake de poena damni of the payne of losse which payne all acknowledge to be most great but de poena ignis of the paine of fyer this payne they all with one consent affirme to be more horrid intollerable thē any tormēts in this life For althogh here vpon earth the torment by fyer is great yet that fyer which is not maintayned nourished with wood or oyle but is created as an instrument of Gods iustice to burne and torment soules must without all doubt be most violent and sharpe in the highest degree Now from the premisses it is euicted that though we would not acknowledge poena damni the temporary payne of losse which is in Purgatory to wit of the losse of the vision of God for a long tyme to be more insufferable then all the torments in this life yet that the punishment of the fyer in Purgatory is greater then any temporall afflictions in this lyfe is euidētly proued from the authorities of so many ancient Fathers aboue produced And because there are many men who can hardly be induced to belieue any thing which thēselues haue not seene God sometimes therefore hath vouchsafed to raise certaine persōs from death to lyfe commanding them to relate to others liuing what themselues touching this payne haue seene Amonge so many eye-witnesses as I may terme them who haue seene the torments of Purgatory I will alledge only two the one being a man the other a woman whose testimonies therein are to be accepted without any doubt or diffidency The one then is Drithclmus an English man the history of which man Venerable Bede writeth relateth this accident as a thing well knowne euident to himselfe it happening in Bedes owne life tyme with great amazement to all of those dayes Thus then Bede writeth hereof in his fifth booke of the History of the nation of England cap. 13. His temporibus miraculum memorabile antiquorum simile in Britannia factum est c. In these tymes a most memorable miracle and like to the ancient miracles did fall out in Britanny For to incite the liuing
which point I will first rest in the Authority of the Sacred Scriptures Secondly in the iudgment of the ancient Fathers And First touching the sacred Scriptures I will alledge diuers passages thereof which although they proue immediatly the great vertue of Good works and Almes-deeds for the gayning of the Kingdome of God and remitting of the punishment of eternall Damnation yet as the Logitians phrase is à fortiori they much more proue that the Temporary punishments of Purgatory may be taken away and as it were bought out by the pryce of them Now to begin with the testimonies of Gods Holy writ we first read thus therin Eleemosyna ab omni peccato à morte liberat non patitur animam ire in tenebras Tob. 4. Almes-deeds free a man from sinne and death and suffer not the soule to descend into darknes And in another place we read Sicut aqua extinguit ignem ita Eleemosyna extinguit peccatum Eccl. 3 As water doth extinguish the fyer so do Almes-deeds extinguish sinne Yea Almes deeds and Good workes are so powerfull as that our Sauiour after he had charged the Pharisyes with diuers great sinnes yet thus concludeth Luc. 11. Verumtamen date Eleemosynas ecce omnia munda sunt vobis but notwithstanding do you giue Almes and behould all things are cleane vnto you And which is more Gods holy word extēdeth the vertue of Almes-deeds euen to the Gentills and Heathens for thus we fynd it said to Nabuchodonosor who was a Pagan Heare my Counsell O King and redeeme thy sinnes with Almes and thy Iniquities with works of Mercy Dan 4. Now if Good works of Charity and Almes-deeds performed euen by Heathens and wicked liuers be so much respected by God much more then Good workes of Christians and good liuers are accepted of God not only for the preuenting the paynes of eternall damnation but also which is lesse of the temporall paynes of Purgatory To come to the ancient Fathers S. Cyprian calleth Eleemosyna Solatium grande credentium securitatis nostrae salutare praesidium Almes-deeds a great solace of the faithfull a healthfull safegard of our security Againe the said Father serm de Eleemos Sicut lauacro aquae salutaris Gehennae ignis extinguitur ita Eleemosynis precibus nostris delictorū flamma sopitur As the fyer of Hell is extinguished through our washing in that healthfull water meaning at the tyme of our Baptisme so the flame of our sinnes is abated by our good workes To whose iudgment S. Ambrose alludeth in these words serm 31. Eleemosyna quodammodo animarum aliud est lauacrum c. Lauacrum semel datur semel veniam pollicetur Eleemosynam autem quoties feceris toties veniam promereris Almes-deedes is a certayne kind of Baptisme c. But Baptisme meaning the Sacrament of Baptisme is but once administred and but once it promiseth forgiuenes of sinnes But as often as thou shalt do some act of Almes-deeds so often dost thou procure forgiuenes of sinnes S. Chrysostome thus auerreth Hom. 25. in act Apost Non est peccatum quod non possit purgare Eleemosyna There is no sinne so great which Almes-deed cannot purge and take away And more Omne peccatū infra illam stat All sinne is vnder Almes deeds meaning that Almes-deeds and Good Workes can extinguish the greatest sinne To conclude S. Leo thus writeth of this point serm 5. de Collectis Eleemosynae peccata delent mortem perimunt poenam perpetui ignis extingunt Almes-deeds do blot out sin destroy death and extinguish the payne of perpetuall fyer Thus we see what wonderfull efficacy and vertue both the Holy Scriptures and the Ancient Father ascribe attribute to workes of Charity and Almes-deeds from whence we may infallibly conclude that since such good-works are of force to extinguish the eternity of Hell fyer much more the temporary flames of Purgatory Heere now I hould it expedient to answere two Obiections which such men who are in slauery to their riches not hauing the magnanimity and resolution to part with their siluer to any good and charitable vses either for their owne soules good or for the benefit of others that are needfull are accustomed to insist vpon The first is say such men My goods are my owne therefore I am not obliged to giue any part of them but to what end my selfe best pleaseth Their second argument and more potent is I haue wyfe and children I am bound by the Law of God to prouide for them and after my prouision for them I shall haue nothing remayning to bestow vpon good and charitable vses To the first of these two Obiections I answere First if we should dreame for the tyme that a mans temporall goods were absolutely at his owne disposall that therfore it were in his power whether he would giue any part thereof to good vses or no to this I first say that admitting for the present that a man had sole dominion ouer his owne goods and might dispose of them as best pleaseth himselfe yet certaine it is from the former authorities both sacred and humane that that man who is so wholy drowned in his temporall state as that he cannot endure to part with some reasonable share of them to pious vses shall hardly enioy Heauen for without Charity a man cannot be saued much lesse shall he neuer escape the paines of Purgatory Secondly I affirme that it is a false ground to maintaine that a man is so sole a Proprietary of the goods he possesseth as that he may as his owne passion and appetite carryeth him dispose of them without giuing any part therof to needfull and charitable vses And that this is most true I produce in proofe thereof the Authorities and words of these Reuerend Fathers following To begin with S. Bernard who thus speaketh to rich Men in the person of the poore in Ep. ad Episc Senonensem Nostrum est pauperes clamant c. The poore crye out It is ours which you wastfully spend That is taken from vs most cruelly which you rich men wast vaynely S. Gregory writeth in this sort in 3. parte Pastor curae admonit 22. Admonendi sunt c. Men are to be admonished and instructed that the earth of which we all are is common to all men and that therefore it affoardeth nourishment to all men in regard wherof they but invayne and without cause repute themselues to be innocent herein who peculiarly challenge to themselues the common guift and liberality of God S. Austin Tract in Psal 147. Superflua diuiti necessaria sunt pauperi res alienae possidentur cùm superflua possidentur Those goods which are but superfluous to euery rich man necessarily belong to the poore Another mans substance is possessed when superfluous riches are possessed S. Chrysostome Hom. 34. ad populum Antioch Non ad hoc accepisti c. Thou hast not receaued thy riches to consume them in wastfull expences but that thou
and Israell would none of me So I gaue them vp to the hardnes of their hartes Psal 81. O most dreadfull Relegation But admit God will giue you tyme to repent yet the strength of your Armes is to weake to bend that Virgam ferream of Gods Iustice by the which he punisheth with eternall damnation finall Irrepentance and chastizeth sinne if so all such points be not with good workes cleared afore in this world with temporary but most insupportable paynes of Purgatory But yet to make you to cast a more feeling and intense Introuersion vpō your owne most deplorable states Suppose a Natiue Subiect should through some temporall respect and end beare himselfe most traitourously towards his King daily perpetrating some Act of disloyalty and euer banding himselfe openly with other his professed Enemies how could this Man in reason thinke that his submission could euer be sufficient for his after reconciling to his Soueraigne and obtayning Grace and fauour future aduancement to honour Dignity especially if the King were of that seuere disposition as that he was euer accustomed to punish though often in a lower degree then the offence deserued ech act of Disloyalty and Disobedience committed against him And is not the state of a Schismatike far more desperate and dangerous This man committeth spirituall Treason against the Diuine Maiesty by his daily communicating in Prayers and rytes with the Preaching Members of an erroneous Church Gods designed Aduersaries How then can he expect with his so much gauled Conscience to arriue to Heauen without extraordinary acts of Mercy to the poore and other workes of Piety in this world or of suffering most exquisite and invtterable torments in Purgatory Considering God is iust and seuerely chastizeth euery sinne committed against him Behould sayth he by his Prophet Isay I will be reuenged vpon my Enemyes will comfort my selfe in their destruction Isa 1. And againe God shall rayne snares of fyer vpon sinners Brimstone with tempestuous winds shal be the portion of their Cuppe Psal 11. Poore wretch I meane poore Schismatike how wilt thou be able to suffer these insufferable paynes and this for many yeares at the best that is if finally thou dye in true Repentance of thy former Schismaticall Course who with such anxiety toyle impatiēce art accustomed to endure the payne of the tooth-ach or other torment in this world And is the Schismatike so sensible of a litle payne in this life yet hopes he shall not be sensible of infinitly greater paynes in the life to come Therefore now in tyme rayse your selues out of this spirituall Lethargy awake since the longer you continue in this your desperate state you do but all that time admitting you finally dye repentantly euen heap fuell together for the nourishing of your flames in Purgatory Remember the Wisemans saying Eccles 10. Languor prolixior grauat Medicum You cannot but know that during your state in Schisme you are wholy depriued of Gods Grace by which we make clayme to Heauen Gratia Dei vita aeterna Rom. 6. since you wilfully depriue yours selues of the benefit of the Sacraments of Gods Church which Sacraments our Sauiour hath instituted in his Church as the ordinary meanes or Conduits for the deriuing of Gods grace into mans soule Well I will close this point of Schismatikes with this one asseueration To wit that a poore Motley foole be you not offended for I speake the truth to whome God hath afforded only the vse of his fiue Senses is in far more happy state then you Schismatikes are This mā though most despicable in the eye of the world as through want of the vse of Reason cannot merit so he cannot demerit You through your abuse of Reason do not only not merit but in lieu thereof you increase the heape of your sinnes through a daily coaceruation of your Schismaticall Transgressiōs This man is infallibly freed from the paines of Purgatory much more of Hell You are assured to suffer the paines of Purgatory at least God grant through your finall irrepentance not the paynes of Hell Briefly this man through the benefit of his Baptisme hath his Originall sinne cancelled as for Actuall sinne he standes not obnoxious thereto You are indeed freed by your ablution in that sacred Font from originall sinne but then you repeale the worth Dignity therof by your actuall perpetrating of mortall sinne I speake in the sight of God I had rather be one of these poore-rich fooles so to call them for he is rich who is assured of his inheritance of Heauen then to be the greatest and most welthy Schismatike in England being resolued to continue yeare after yeare in this his most wicked course of Schisme Quid proderit homini si vniuersum mundum lucretur anima vero suae detrimentum patiatur what shall it profit a man if he gayne the whole world and loose his owne Soule Matth. 16. Well in this next place to touch a litle vpon such who are at this present actually Catholiks yet haue perseuered many yeares in a Schismaticall state before they were incorporated into the Catholike Church what satisfaction and deeds of extraordinary Mercy to others are they bound to performe to peeuent the paynes of Purgatory or els to endure them for many yeares This partly appeareth from the vgly state so to call it of a Schismatike aboue in part described And if he will not performe such abstersiue Acts of penance in his owne lyfe tyme by contributing shewing pitty and relieuing of others let him take heed he fall not vpon that dreadfull sentence of the Apostle Iac. 2. Iudicium sine misericordia ei qui non fecerit misericordiam Iudgment without mercy is to fall to him who will not practise mercy Alas Are you not men Must you not once dye and how soone God knoweth And are you not then to render a most strict accoūt for your fore-passed lyfetime euen to him of whom it is said for his most exquisit and narrow search into our sinnes Scrutabor Ierusalem in lucernis Sophon 1. I will search the sinnes of Ierusalem with a Candle And will you then be so negligent and careles in preuenting that dreadfull time Since God is no accepter of Persons neither will Riches Worldly pompe nor any other such glorious miseries help a soule ready to depart out of its body for the deliuering it from Purgatory except great Almes-deeds besides other penitentiall works be performed in the life tyme. Well then my poore and deare Catholike who for many yeares through thy wicked dissimulation in matters of Religion hast most highly offended God Imagine thy selfe that at this very instāt thou wert lying vpon thy death bed that bed I say which the Prophet calleth Lectum doloris Psal 40 the bed of griefe worne away with payne and sicknes not expecting to escape but looking euery minute for thy last dissolution How would thy Iudgment be altered and wouldst thou not thus in