the words of the Bul do run Manus porrigentibus adiutrices for such as shall put to their helping hands In the Church of S. Mary deliver vs from the paines of hell for that is the Churches name there are dailie granted eleven thousand yeares of IndulgeÌ„ce to such as shal bring an honest offering that is to say that shal giue not to the poore indeed but to the rich Moncks not to those that weep but to those that sing for now almes with the true vse thereof hath also altred the signification of the word In the church of S. Praxede you haue dailie twelue thousand yeares of verie pardon and as manie Quarentines of daies with the remission of the third part of your sins in such maÌ„ner that visiting this church three daies on a row you shal purchase plenarie pardon of all your sins and six and thirtie thousand years by provision besides the Quarentines which the Popes haue since encreased to sixscore thousand years for everie daie witnes the book of Indulgences printed at Rome in the house of Iulius Accolto an 1570. see also the book of Romaine Indulgences sundrie times printed at Rome namely in the yeare 1519 the second of Februarie by Marcell Franck. Yet are all these pardons but few in regard of those that belong to the Church of S. Iohn of Lateran Gab. Biel in his 17. lesson vpoÌ„ the CannoÌ„ of the Masse the somme whereof yee shal find either hanging vpon tables or graven in the wals of divers churches of Rome All this do we set downe to shew that as the plaister ought to be fitted to the largenes of the wound so the Popes haue thought it meet to perswade men to beleeue that the paines of Purgatorie are of long continuance sith they require so long a time to purchase release from the paines thereof withal presupposing that in that so fiery and scortching a countrey where the sun hath no being they reckon all by daies and by yeares This long continuance is also to bee gathered out of the Revelation of Venerable Bede in the fifth booke of his historie cap. 13. That is to say about some nine hundred years since where he saith that the souls which in his time were in Purgatorie should be delivered in the daie of Iudgement except some few that shoulde bee redeemed from thence by the praiers of the living Moreover besides all this the selfe doctors of the Romish Church doe agree that even during these so violent torments the soules neverthelesse are assured of their salvation out of the danger of hell neither do I know since when this opinioÌ„ crept into the church of Rome for in the Masse for the dead we finde a clause after the Gospell that contrarywise doth testifie that still they are in danger These be the words Libera Domine animas omniuÌ„ fidelium defunctorum de poenis Infernis de profundo lacu libera eos de ore Leonis ne absorbeat eos Tartarus O Lord deliver the soules of all the faithfull departed from the infernall paines from the deepe lake deliver them from the throat of the lyoÌ„ least the gulph of hell should swallow theÌ„ vp so they fall into vtter darknes Tearms over bitter to signifie Purgatory and such as may in no case stand with people assured of their salvation We haue also the ordinary prayers said â—t burials yea and vsed at the funerall of 〈◊〉 Pope wherein we find no mention of Purgatory Indeed this soule is brought â—n as praying to be delivered from hel and from eternall iudgement in these words Saue me o Lord from eternall death â—n the terrible day when the heauens and â—he earth shall bee moved Sacrar Cerem lib. 1. Sect 15. and when thou halt come to iudge the world by fire I treÌ„ble and quake and doe feare when the examination shall come and the day of wrath of calamitie and of misery that great and woÌ„derfull better day Speeches which caÌ„not proceed from a soul assured of her salvatioÌ„ Surely wheÌ„ these praiers were first penned these matters were not yet well considered of and this may we easily gather from Pope Gregory the first who in his dialogues placeth the Purgatory of some souls in bathes of some vnder the leaues and of some vnder the Ice and this do these three champions that haue assaulted my treatise both say and defend for nothing to them is to hard or to hot Damian speaketh of a soule that had her Purgatory in a river but whither she swam with the stream or against it he saith not The Rosarie of Bernardine hath of this nature many revelations and the Legend of S. Patricke telleth vs that in Ireland there is a caue that openneth into Purgatory to be briefe albeit many soules are returned from those partes which haue brought news yet did the matter still rest full of doubt vntil the Councell of Florence which among other occasions was assembled to perswade Purgatory to the Greeke Churches who both before and yet do deny it albeit their deputies in the Councell did agree vnto it in hope of succours against the Turk True it is that we find some more ancient Councels which made mention of prayer for the dead but hereafter we shall most evideÌ„tly proue that these prayers make nothing for Purgatory also that such prayers as we find among the ancients doe plainely shewe that they beleeved no Purgatory Even to this day doe the Greek Churches pray for the dead yet doe they deny Purgatorie In the last session therefore of this Councell holden in the yeare 1539. was it defined that wee should beleeue Purgatory In which Counsell as in all others holden within these fiue hundred yeares the Pope sat president and that with such auctority that hee grew to bee adored and intituled The Divine Maiestie the spouse of the Church the Saviour and Lion of Iuda the king Prince of all the world having all power both in heaven and in earth All which titles were attributed to Pope Leo the 10. in the Councell of Lateran Thus in all these Councels nothing passed but by his will Sess 1. 3. 9. 10. in such wise that if any did contradict him hee was soone burned as was Iohn Husse in the Councell of Constance notwithstanding the safe coÌ„duct and faith given by the Emperour and al the Councell But to returne to our Matter The soules thus purged in this fire are brought into Paradice Howbeit because this purgation will growe somewhat long the Popes mercy doth sometimes abridge this punishment For besides that the paines that the living haue vndergon for theÌ„ as fastes almes whippings pilgrimages liberalities to the Church c. also that the Masses fouÌ„ded for the deceased which leaue any rents or annuities to a convent or abbey or other religious house if we may beleeue those that sing theÌ„ are of great vse to mitigate and allay the heat of Purgatory and to
doubt of the Lords sentence in the day of iudgement The Friers falshood But our adversaries say that the soules in Purgatory are assured of their salvation and therefore the Frier pag. 56. omitteth these last words of S. Cyprian 3. Finally sith hee speaketh of such as doe pennance after their revolt it is not possible hee should speake of soules separated from their bodies either of Purgatory Wrongfully therfore doe my adversaries make so many brags of this passage for it is most vniustly and fraudulently alleaged As also the Frier pag. 63. citeth S. Hierom vpon the fourth of Ieremy and in his second booke against Iovinian also Nazianzē in his 39. oration and Basil in his oratiō vpon the 9. of Esay where hee speaketh of purging torments and afflictions of a fire that trieth the faithfull but in this life or at the day of iudgement And here doe our adversaries shew the third degree of their bad consciences in their allegations of the Doctors Of Commemoration and prayer for the dead practised by divers of the ancients and that it maketh nothing for their Purgatory Throughout the bookes of my adversaries there is nothing more grosse thē their false presuppositiōs that they make aboue an hundred times wherby so soone as they haue alleadged any father that speaketh of Commemoratiō Almes Oblations or Sacrifice for the dead they strait conclude Then is there a Purgatory A matter false and that for sundry reasons 1. Wherefore did Saint Augustine in writing a whole tract of the care for the dead set downe never a word therin of Purgatory 2. Why did they offer for the Apostles Prophets Martyrs and made sacrifices for them As witnesseth Cyprian in his third book Epist 6. and in his fifth booke Epist 4. dare my adversaries therevpon inferre that the primitiue Church beleeved that the Apostles were in Purgatory 3. Epiphanius accuseth Arrius of heresie because hee reiected praier for the deade and bringeth many reasons to proue that this prayer made for the Patriarches Prophets Apostles and al the faithful is profitable to bee received yet speaketh hee not one word of Purgatory albeit that was the place where to speak of it or not at all 4. Denis falsly tearmed Areopagite disputing of the cōmodity of prayer for the dead still presupposeth that those for whom wee pray are blessed propounded for examples to the living and for matter of thanksgiving but of Purgatory or of any fire that purgeth soules he hath not a word 5. We haue heard in the second of the Macchabees that to pray for the dead is but meere madnesse vnlesse we haue regard to the Resurrection so not to the torment of Purgatory 6. The Greeke churches do pray for the dead yet do they denie Purgatory 7. Wee heard before by Chrysostome in his 32. homily vpō Matthew that such as procured praiers for their dead parents did beleeue that they were in flowred meddowes in that homily in aboue twēty places he saith that Death is the entrie to rest and an end of sorrow S. Augustin in the ninth book of his Cōfessions praieth for his mother Monica and S. Ambrose for the Emperour Valētinian yet do they protest that they beleeue that these parsons deceased are with God do enioy the pleasures of Eternall life But the matter of greatest consideratiō is that S. Ambrose saith that Valentinian dyed without Baptisme Oratione de obitu Valentiniani Valentinian I say who was a great Emperour and a Christian even from his birth having so many cleargy men at his command at whose hands to haue received Baptisme who then did better deserue to bee confined into Limbo or Purgatorie then he yet saith Ambrose He is in coelestiall felicity 9. Wee haue heard that most of the ancients shut vp the soules of all men in certaine hidden receptacles where they desired refreshing thervpon had they some groūd to pray for the dead albeit they did not beleeue Purgatorie wherin appeareth the corrupt faith of the Frier for he sets a brag vpon the words of S. Augustine in the 110. chapter of his Manual Wee must not deny but that the soules of the dead are relieued by the piety of the liuing but hee was wiser then to alleadge the wordes going before namely The soules are in hidden receptacles euen from their decease vntill the resurrection For so it woulde haue appeared that the opinion of S. Augustin touching praier for the dead was grounded vpon an error which the Church of Rome reiecteth also that frō an error will soone spring an abuse 10. We haue alreadie heard the opiniō of Origen and his followers touching the fire of the daie of Iudgement that should scortch and burne the soules evē of the most holy and perfect Also wee haue shewed howe fearefull S. Hillary was of this fire All this therfore might haue ministred vnto thē argument sufficient to haue praied for the deade as trembling at the punishment to come 11. What more can we desire Let vs make our adversaries our iudges in this case Do not the Priests many times receiue money for saying Masses for the young children that dyed soone after Baptisme who neverthelesse as they beleeved were neither in Limbo nor in Purgatory Let them now choose whether they will confesse their error or acknowledge their Avarice their want of knowledge or their bad consciences 12. Do they not in their dailie Masse pray for the soules that sleepe in a slumber of peace and therfore are not in the horror of flames 13. Let vs therfore heare the forme of the ordinarie praiers of the Church of Rome for the dead This book of sacred cerem sect 5. c. 1. libera domine à morte aeterna in die illo tremendo Saue them O Lorde from Eternall death in that terrible day when the heavēs and the earth shall bee moved when thou shalt come to iudge the world by fire I trēble and feare when the triall shall come and the wrath to come that day of wrath of calamity of misery that great and mervailous bitter day They pray that the souls of the dead may be saved from eternall death and the last iudgement which is more Throughout all the publicke praiers of the Church of Rome for the dead we finde not one word of Purgatory which proveth that it was not yet established in the Church at that time when they praied onlie for the refreshing of souls in their hidden receptacles or for the last iudgement or to eschew Eternall death 14. Finally is it not a matter mervailous notable that among such a multitude of the passages of the fathers by our adversaries quoted for praier for the dead there is not one that saith that these praiers were made to redeeme soules out of Purgatory This thē is the fourth degree of the deceipts and fraudulent allegations that our adversaries do make whē at every speech they still inculcate praier for the dead for proofe of
the fire of Helie p. 44. The lowest place is hell the habitation of the damned and the same is divided if wee beleeue our adversaries into two parts The one where the soules are tormented in fire the other where they are tormented in snowe Throughout alâ— the word of God can we not find that that ever any came out of this place Yet Pope Gregory the first in the first Booke of his Dialogues cap. 12. reporteth that S. Severus raised a dead bodie whome the Divels had carried away Also Damascen In 4 Dist 45 quest 2. and after him Thomas Durand and Richard doe tell vs that by the prayers of S. Gregory Traian an heathen Emperour was fetched out of hell Gabriel Biel in his 56. Lesson vpon the Cannon of the Masse holdeth the same opinion And Ciacconus hath written an Apologie expresly for this history Cayer and the Doctors that subscribed to his book do approue this historie The secoÌ„d place but his coÌ„panions do reiect it The second place is the Purgatory that serveth for such as are indeed righteous and do not sinne but in their life time haue committed some trespasses for which they haue not satisfied The same â—ope Gregory teacheth that so soone as â— man is deceased his soule is presented before the Iudge Lib. 4. c. 36. also that soÌ„time there happeneth abuse they bring before God one that was not called As saith he it chanced to one named Stephen who being deceased and his soule presented before God immediatly as God saw him hee said that was not the man that hee had called for but that it was â—n other Stephen a beater of Iron who therevpon died incontinentlie and the former Stephen revived againe and was sent backe because hee dyed before he was called These soules thus presented before the Iudge if they need any purging are instantly sent to this second place which they tearme Purgatory And this doctrine is grounded vpon this principle which is a third article of their faith and taken out of the vnwritten word Read the catechisme of the couÌ„cel of Trens in the châ—â— of pennaÌ„ce namely that Jesus Christ by his death and passion hath indeede dischardged vs from the fault and from the paines due to sinnes committed before baptisme but from the paine duâ—â— to sinnes committed after baptisme he hath not discharged vs. Therefore that such as haue not made full satisfaction in this life by fastings scourgings gifts to the Church c shal be sent to Purgatory there to finish their satisfaction and to pay as they say even to the last penny Herehence grewe that pennance which the Priest imposeth vpon the sinner which do farre differ from the pennance vsed in the primitiue Church which was publicke of long continuance and rigorous thereby to humble the sinner and to repaire the scandall to the Congregation but at this day in the Church of Rome they impose for the most part privat pennances and the same either very easie or ridiculous these doe they make vse of to prevent Purgatory and yet to pay and satisfy Gods iustice The formes of these pennances are to say a set number of Anees intermixed with Paters vpon a paire of beads to scourge their bodies or vpon tâ—e bare flesh to gird themselues with aâ—cord or to goe in pilgrimage to Saint â—â—mes in Galicia N. Giles an 768. c. Our Annals do informe vs of a pennance imposed by a â—ope vpon one Robert the Norman surnamed the Divell vpon sundry his â—ots committed that is that for the space of seven yeares hee should not â—â—eake and that he should all that time 〈◊〉 at a staier foote and take no other food but the relicks of such bones as a Grayhound should haue gnawn Was iâ— meet to abridge the benefit of Iesus Christ and to supply the places with such frivolous devises and in such couÌ„terfeit quoine to satisfie the iustice of God which Iesus Christ had before satisfied to the full The Frier pag 75. As concerning the torments that the soules doe there endure these our masters doe tell vs that all the fires and torments in this life are â—ut easie in regard of the heate of the â—te of Purgatorie and that the tormeÌ„t â—hereof equalleth that of the damned This doctrine was not yet receaued in the Church of Rome when to the CaÌ„noÌ„ of the Masse they added these words ensuing which the Priest must daily say for the soules in Purgatory Memento Domine Remember Lord thy servants whose soules doe rest in the sleepe of peace Hereby it appeareth that they then beleeved that the paine was easie or rather none at all and that the soules for whom they prayed did rest in peace as in a sleepe Hereto accordeth the saying of the aforenamed Gregory who advoweth that the soules of S. Severus S. Pascasius wrought miracles in the Bathes where they lay in Purgatory Lib. 7. Epist 61. For it is hard to worke any great miracles in such cruell torments This is the same Pope Gregory who doth in earnest confesse that the Apostles celebrating the Lords supper added vnto the consecration nothing but the Lords prayer and so consequently prayed not for any soules in Purgatory Againe the Church of Rome holdeth this torment to be of long continuance for every sinne they must abide there seaven years besides also that we pray for some that died many hundred yeares since And in this regard doth the Pope grant pardons some for fifty some for an hundred thousand yeares and the Frier may verie well remember that when I shewed him in the Masse booke a praier that contained foure fiftie thousand yeares of pardon thereto adioined he did not onlie advow it but tooke vpon him to defend these so â—iberal indulgences In the Church of S. Bibian at Rome vpon the day of all Saintes they haue sixe hundred thousand yeares of verie pardon for the space of one whole day In the booke of Romane Indulgences these sixe hundred thousand years are writteÌ„ at large The Pope that granted that pardon preâ—upposing that a soule may haue committed so many sinnes besids those for which the paines of Jesus Christ haue â—atisfied that hee must haue so manie â—eares of torment to purge all his sins â—nlesse the Masses and suffrages of the â—ving togither with the Popes indulgences doe procure him ease and abbreviation of his paines At Paris in the entering into a chappel of the friers Fevillans in the suburbs of S. Honorat hangeth to be seene a long bedrole of pardons wherein among other is contained that vpon everie daie of lent there are to bee purchased three thousande eight hundred sixtie seaven yeares and two hundred and seaven Quarentines of daies of verie pardon In the church of S. Eusebius at Rome they haue seaven thousand foure hundred fifty and foure Quarenteins of daies of verie pardon for such as shall bring thither any honest offering and as
plain and open tearmes Wee therefore demand what commandement of God he can find throughout the old Testamēt wherein it is commanded to pray for the dead or to offer any sacrifice for them either among them to distribute the superabundant merits and satisfactions of holy men deceased as Abraham or Moses to helpe them out of Purgatory Here our adversaries are at a stand and bite the bit for were there any cōmandement that might bear wreasting to that sence they that can so cunningly rack the Scriptures to their purposes would no doubt haue produced it Here doth our Frier frie in his greace would faine shift it of with blasphemies as they that are beset with fires would gladly leap out at the windows He doth no longer accuse the olde Testament of obscuritie but of omission and impection How many things saith he hath God left vnmentioned in the olde Testament Pag. 16. to the end to take from the people all occasion of Idolatry and yet are necessarie to saluation As invocation of the Trinitie Pag. 18. the immortalitie of the soule c Againe he saith vnder the law prayers for the dead were not so frequēt publike least they should giue the Iewes occasiō with the Gentils to thinke that they ought to sacrifice to the infernall powers Secondly that in regard that before the redemption of man kind the estate of the deceased was not so well knowne as after that our Saviour Iesus Christ descended into hell And thirdly because they had not so good means to relieue the dead as they had after that the merits of the death and passion of our Lord were committed into the hands of the Church to apply them So many wordes so many monsters and blasphemies First in that hee denieth that in the old Testament there is any mention of the Immortality of the soule wee haue before heard the depositions of Daniell Salomon and the Prophet Balaam prophecying Let vs hereto adioine the taking vp of Enoch and Elias into heaven proofes of their immortality The wordes of Iacob on his death bed Lord I haue waited for thy salvation Gen. 49.18 Iob. 18.26 The hope of Iob who assured himselfe that after his skinne should be consumed he should yet see God in his flesh The words of God himselfe who saith I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac Mat. 22.32 and the God of Iacob God is not God of the dead saith Jesus Christ but of the liuing The only name of Religion importeth the Immortality of the soule which being taken away what is Religion but an intollerable yoake a scrupelous feare a superfluous labour If in this life only saith S. Paul we haue hope in Christ wee are of all men the most miserable 1. Cor. 17.19 what was the old Testament but the Religiō of Gods people It doth therefore presuppose and as it were in the forehead beare written this title The Immortality of the soule As for Invocation of the Trinity it is commanded in the old Testament for there we are commaunded to call vpon God and he that calleth vpon God calleth vpon the Trinitie But what shall we say to the discretion of our Moncke who maketh God marveilous provident in that he would not speake of the Immortalitie of the soule so to take from the Jewes all occasion of Idolatry alas poore man God cureth not one evill by an other much lesse a smaller evill by a greater Idolatry by Atheisme or superstition by Irreligion the mother of all excesse As if it should be forbidden to speak of God either good or evill for feare of blaspheming him or as if a man should cut of his head for saving the wearing of a cap. What discretion to loose the principall for saving of the dependant To sell the horse for saving of the hay God provideth not against evils in such manner as the Popes who will saie they prevent heresies by prohibiting the vse of Gods word the diminishing of Ecclesiasticall profits by prohibiting marriage of the Cleargie Dist 18 Can Sirac vxor filii per quos Ecclesiast solet periclitari substantia contrarie to the doctrine of S. Paul 1. Tim. 3.2 howbeit if God followed this precept of discretion in the old Testament why did he alter his mind in the new where with too much simplicity if we beleue this Moncke he doth in every place inculcate Eternall life Are men since the daies of Jesus Christ lesse bent to Idolatry Nay which is more The opinion of the death of the soule Idolatry do for the most part follow each other between them there is a fraternity The heathen that had little or no hope of eternal life were Idolaters did not Pope Iohn 24. celebrating his Masse kneele to the bread yet did he beleeue that the souls of men died as the souls of beasts for which small sin togither with 54. others Consil Const Sess 11. the Councell of Constance in their eleventh session condemned him That which ensueth is ferial smelleth of the friery He yeeldeth an other reason why in the old Testament prayers and sacrifices for the deade were so vnfrequented It was saith he because before the redemption of mankinde ehe estate of the dead was not so well knowne as after that Christ descended into Hell He doth therefore presuppose that Jesus Christ when he came from hell brought assured news as if that Jesus Christ before his death knew not the state of the dead as well as after his resurrection or els that either he would not or could not instruct his disciples of the estate of the dead as wel before his death as after But now I pray you what be the news that Jesus Christ brought vndoubtedly even the same that the golden legend and the booke of the life and death of Jesus Christ do report how he came to hel gates and the good thiefe Dinas carying a Crosse before him how hee made the gates to be opened how hee beat and hampered the Divels how he entertained the fathers whom he foūd in this Limbo with goodly discourses a thousande such Iolly gallant histories after the imitation of the Romanes all which the Evangelists had forgotten for either of these or of any other news that ever Jesus Christ brought out of Limbo out of Purgatory or out of Hell we finde not one sillable in all the newe Testament The souldier raised again of whom S. Gregory Dialogue 4. cap. 36. doth make mention and one Nicholas mentioned in the legend of S. Patricke who by a Caue that he found in Ireland entred into Purgatory at their returne related his things as they had seen below more exactly As that they had seen mē fryed in frying pans others fluttering about the chimnies like small flames a bridge of yce of two fingers broad vnder the which ran a torrent of fire and over this bridge must they passe that were to enter into Paradice Thus grew
vides quotidie Meretricius nitor c intestina insanab est plaga Ecclesiae Hereof read the complaints of Petrarch in his Epistles and sonnets The Epigrams of Zanazarus the complaints of St. Bernard who tearmeth the traine of the Court of Rome the traine of the whore of Babylon and of Antichrist And after all this must these people with a Romish Catholike zeale come and preach to vs the necessitie of good workes and complaine that wee open â—he gate to all vice Faelicia saecula quaevos â—oribus opponunt habeas iam Roma puâ—orem But what if we shall proue that the â—octrine of the Church of Rome is a â—octrine of Licentiousnesse and openâ—th vnto men a large gate to escape at â—ow much people feeling the approch â—f the Iubile do emboldeÌ„ theÌ„selues vnâ—er the assurance of plenary pardon â—hat a gate of liceÌ„tiousnes do they opeÌ„â—o the rich who assure theÌ„selus that by â—iving to the Church after their deaths â—hey may haue masses enough song for â—hem and so abridge the paines of Purâ—atory And doth not the custome of â—uying other mens praiers make a man â—egligent in praying for himselfe Yea â—nd which is more by enioining the sin â—er for his penance to fast and pray do â—hey not make that a punishmeÌ„t which â—ught to be a consolation Also when â—hey make but seaven mortal sinnes calâ—ing the rest venial and easie sins such as may be blotted out with an Aue oâ— a little holy water do they not entertaine the sinner in wickednes and sow cushions vnder his elbowes to lul him the faster a sleepe in his vice Or terrifying the consciences with the feare oâ— Purgatory do they not therby corrupt piety vnder the colour of establishing it Making it not a filiall and voluntary obedience but a servile feare Led oâ— not for the loue of God but for fear oâ— punishment not for hate to the sin buâ— for terror of the torment Rom. 12. The Apostlâ— exhorteth vs by the mercies of God to consecrate and offer our selues to God yet not for fear of his iustice PropouÌ„â— to the sinner the loue and excellenciâ— of the son of God shewing him that iâ— was our sin that crucified him that oâ—â— offences are the very nailes that pieâ—ced him what is there of greater forâ—â— to plant in his hart both a loue of Iesuâ— Christ and a hatred of sin which waâ— the cause of the torments of the son oâ— God Especially when he shal consideâ— that by this death himselfe shal obtaine â—ife that from a bondman of Satan he is bought to bee the sonne of God also that in beleeving in him he shal not perish but haue life everlasting Shal hee not feele himselfe moved to loue God and in acknowledgement of so great a grace to consecrate himselfe to God and after the rule of his worde to â—spire to the reward that God hath pitched him at the end of his course these men therefore by their traficke doe but subvert religion and in the fire of Purgatory in liew of true piety forge an â—dea and fantastical forme of the feare of God 15 The same fire blasteth and abaâ—eth the mercy of God as not pardoâ—ing vs at the full sith our selues must â—n a fire beare part of the punishment Wherefore shall we limit the mercies of God in matters wherein hee will bee pleased and glorified by doing vs good 16 The iustice of God is likewise â—iolated therein in that they make it to exact two payments for one debt The first which it receaved of Iesus Christ and was sufficient for all the punishments due to our sinnes what interest therefore haue these people that they are so willing to enter into this fire aâ—â— the charge of the glory of God whoâ— could be content freely to pardon thâ—â— through Iesus Christ 17 Againe every payment and satisfaction that is acceptable to Goâ— must be voluntary and not forced otherwise he accepteth it not But thâ— paine of Purgatory say our people 〈◊〉 vnto those that haue not sufficientâ— satisfied in this life inevitable and whether they will or no they must of necâ—â—sitie passe that way Then is it not a paâ—ment acceptable with God And albeâ—â— these men say that the poore soules dâ— patiently beare those paines yet câ—â— we hardly beleeue but that they had other presently be in Paradice then to â—bide a thousand or two thousand yeaâ—â— broiling in a fire 18 Hereof ariseth another reason namely that those soules do not satisfie God but that God rather satisfieth him selfe in punishing them against their wills 19 By the same doctrine also the consciences are in perpetuall torment through the apprehension of this fire for what would not we giue to avoid a fire of an houre long how much more if it should last a moneth Yet what were this in regard of many hundreds and thousands of yeares and that in a fire as hot as the fire of of hell saith our frier Ioh. 14.27 where is that peace promised by Iesus Christ or how in our death shall we haue these effects of the spirit of God dwelling in the hearts of the faithfull namely ioy and peace as saith Saint Paul Galat. 5.22 My adversaries doe contradict theÌ„selues in their answers which indeed are no answers but recriminations Pag. 106. A slaunder The frier saith that we doe preach liberty of conscience without apprehension of the iudgements of God which is false and slanderous Wee preach neither libertie nor licentiousnesse but peace of conscience to such as repent beleeue in Iesus Christ but to the impenitent we denounce the iudgements of God Thus this frier accuseth vs of flattering and lulling mens consciences asleepe But the fire of Helie contrariwise accuseth vs of holding them in torment because we account all sinnes both mortall and veniall equall Whereto I answer that albeit wee should hold those which they tearme veniall equall with the mortall yet in as much as we teach that both mortall and veniall are forgiven by Iesus Christ A slaunder wee doe no whit astonish the consciences But in truth it is a slander of our adversaries Wee acknowledge the inequalitie of sinnes In some God is more offended grieved then in other some yea even amoÌ„g the sinnes that they call mortall some are more hainous then other some To overskip a leafe or two at mattins or vnder color of shrift to talke of loue are smaller sins theÌ„ to slay his own king Sacrilege is more hainous then simple theft Incest then whoredome only we smile at their folly in distinguishing sins into veniall and mortall because this word veniall signifieth pardonable And we knowe that the sinnes which they cal mortall as murder and whoredome doe growe pardonable in such as doe convert and truly repent as in David who was defiled in both these sinnes But in the impenitent these sinnes are indeed mortall and punished with eternall death And so through ImpeniteÌ„cy that sinne which is
from eternall life To the ende also that our adversaries should not make cursing a mortall sinne by their glosses and consequences their owne decree distinct 25. maketh a long list of veniall sinnes among which cursing hath his place saying Si cum omni facilitate vel temeritate maledicimus quoniam scriptū est nec Maledici possidebunt regnum Dei By the iudgement therefore of their own Canōs cursing is of two natures The one that it is veniall the other that it is excluded out of the kingdome of heauen and consequently deserveth eternall death Whereas our frier doth coniecture granteth that the calling of a mans brother foole draweth with it the sinne of wrath consummate hee shall hold vs excused although we admit not his coniectures for rules besids I will returne him to Cayer Caier p. 20 who will haue Gehenna here to signifie Purgatory not hel as the Frier would haue it Ioh. 8.11 6 Our Saviour Christ said to the woman taken in adultery Goe and sinne no more Dismissing her hee did not impose vpon her any satisfactory paines no more then S. Paul when hee pardoned the incestuous man That which particularly maketh against Purgatory is this That if neither Iesus Christ not S. Paul imposed any satisfactory paines vpon the sinners even when in apparance they might haue beene profitable for amendment howe much lesse will God impose satisfactory paines vp on his children in a burning fire when there is no farther place for amēdmēt Here doth our Monk come forth with such an answer as hitteth himselfe and his fellowes on the knuckles saying The griefe may ly so heauie on the sinner that it may satisfie for the whole obligation of the paine For besides that hee doth thus coniecture of the womās cogitation he also evidētly accuseth the Popes and Priests of manifest iniustice rashnesse in that they impose satisfactory paines vpon the sinner that protesteth sorrow and repentance For what know they whether the sinner bee so oppressed with sorrow as that heauinesse may serue for satisfaction Or what knowe they whether she hath sufficiently satisfied sith they wot not how grievous her sorrow was 7 Againe who hath givē the Pope or his Priests auctority to impose corporal or pecuniary punishments vpon sinners Let them shew vs any cōmandemēt from God or his Apostles The Primitiue Church indeed reproved sin by excluding men for a time from the communion of the faithful and that after the example of S. Paule who for a time cut of the incestuous person from the Church of Corinth but after absolution to impose Corporal or pecuniary punishment or to enioine men to pilgrimages or scourgings we find no example The old Testament doth indeed furnish vs of some examples of such as haue fasted and wept for their sins because weeping proceedeth from sorrow and fasting is a helpe to devotion and freedome of minde but as I said after forgiuenes to impose punishments vpon the sinner whereby to redeeme the paines of Purgatory and so to satisfie the Iustice of God I finde no example 8 And it seemeth that these our masters haue compounded with God that they are assured that God wil be content with any summe of mony or any pilgrimage and so wil bee appeased toward the sinner But if this seem hard to be beleeved how can mens consciences be at quiet How shal they be assured that God wil be cōtent with such satisfactions imposed by the Priest Whosoever vndertaketh to pay his debts must first inquire what he oweth as also consider of the valew of coines that he giveth to his creditor but the sinner knoweth not howe much temporal paine he oweth to God neither the value of every of his satisfactions How shal he then know when he hath sufficiently satisfied What knoweth he how neere every fast bringeth him to Paradice every pilgrimage every scourging and indeed we see how these consciences whom they haue captivated are in perpetual disquiet and so haue recourse to the satisfactions of others to buy Masses for after their decease to depart hence in marveilous feare anguish A iust punishment for choosing for the foundation of their hope other props and stayes then the only satisfaction of Iesus Christ 9 Againe in as much as some condemned to corporal pennances can exchange them into pecuniary how shall we be assured that God in liew of corporal punishments will be cōtent with money Penitent Ro. Tit. 9. c. 29. The Romane penitentiall telleth vs that A rich man may redeeme one fasting day for two shillings but an extreame poore mā must giue at the lest foure pence Thus may the poore man when he hath paid his money fast for more 10 If in absolution they pretende to loosen the sinner how doe they in loosing his bonds entangle him farther and by pardoning him condemne him to greater paines 11 I would farther demand whether the satisfactions that they impose be good works or no. If they bee not good why do they enioine thē If they bee good why doeth the Pope release them and by his Indulgences dispense with them Can we without horrour read that which Bellarmine hath writtē in his booke De poenitentia Bellar. de Penit l. 4. c. 13. Indulg faciunt vt pro iis poenis quae nobis per Indul condonantur non teneamur praecepto illo de faci endis dignis paenitentiae fructibus Bellar. de paenit l. 1. c. 4. That Indulgences do dispense with obedience to this cōmandement in the third of Matthew Bring forth fruits worthy repentāce for sith they will needes haue it so that this saying Bring forth fruits worthy repentance to signifie to chastise a mans owne selfe and the Pope doth dispense with this chastisement it plainly appeareth that the Pope dispenseth with Gods Commandements 12 And here I beseech you consideratly to way howe farre superstition hath encroached vpon the auctority of the Gospel Our enemies do make a ceremony and a sacrament of Penance which indeed is of it selfe a vertue Being demaunded whether Penance were a sacrament before the comming of Christ they say no Cons Trid. Sess 4. c. 1. Even the prelates assembled in the Councell of Trent doe acknowledge that the pennāce which Iesus Christ before his passion and resurrection and Iohn the Baptist preached was no sacramēt for they wil haue it to be made a sacramēt since the resolution of Jesus Christ and that without any other proofe then their owne authority for they wil be beleeved vpon their owne words But wee haue one passage in the Revelation written since the ascention of Jesus Christ that expoūdeth vnto vs the signification of Agere poenitentiam to doe penance or to repent In the second of the Revelation God complaining of the Ephesians who were fallen from their first loue commandeth them to Repent and to do their first works therby shewing that Repentance consisteth in amendment of life At the least thus much we
his companions The auctor of the fire of Helie affordeth vs as devout ones He in his 11. page endevouring to stall his proofes which saith he are as cleere as the sun compareth me to Senecas maide but I trust to make him more like to Plutarches boy who plaid the Philosopher whiles they be laboured him 5 Hee cutteth vp his reasons with this knife flourishing at the gate of the earthly Paradice This sword is Purgatory and so did S. Ambrose vnderstand it but hereafter wee shall proue it false 6 Then commeth the ninth of Esay Impiety is kindled as fire and shall destroy the bryers and thornes This fire is Purgatory and well it may bee because it is compared to iniquity 7 Then followeth the Prophet Micheas the 7. Reioice not against mee O mine enemie though I fall I shall arise whē I shall sit in darknesse I will beare the wrath of God vntill hee plead my cause hee will bring me to light and I shall see his righteousnesse This darknesse and this wrath are Purgatory and these be the wordes of those poore roasted soules speaking to their enimies that doe reioice to see them tormented 1. But how do these enimies reioice if they be in hel 2. how doe they speake one with another 3. If these enimies be living who ever reioiced in his enimies death because he was in Purgatory Or who told him that he was there and why doth he not rather feare then persist in his hatred Why is he not rather sory that he is not in hel 4. How commeth it to passe that God hath not yet iudged the cause of these poore souls against their enimies 5. but reade the whole chapter and you shall perceiue that they that there speake be the living and not the dead 8 After commeth the ninth of Zachary In the blood of thy covenant thou haste delivered thy prisoners out of the pit where is no water Pag. 46. Pag. 68. This pit without water is Purgatory why doth he feare to put water in Purgatory sith hee hath put snow in hell Therefore also doth the frier contradict him and saith that the most common expositiō speaketh of delivering soules out of Limbo They shall agree if they list S. Augustine in his citty of God lib. 18. cap. 35. shall vnderstande this of the deliverance from sinne and from the miseries of this life S. Hierome in his cōmentary vpon this place vnderstandeth it of hell yet were it better that Gods word should be the iudge S. Matthew 21. v. 5. alleadging the former verses sheweth that this passage is meant of Iesus Christ Now what is the deliverāce of the Church through the bloode of Iesus Christ but our redemption from the captivity of Satan and eternall death Of this deliverance speaketh Zacharie albeit vnder the figure of the deliverance from the captivity of Babilon as also it were strange that Zachary speaking of the deliverāce of the Church through the bloode of the covenant shoulde speake only of Purgatory and Limbo and make mention of the redemption from hell and eternall death 9 That which followeth is verie pleasant Psal 66. We went through fire water but thou broughtest out into a refreshing In the former passage he woulde haue no water in Purgatory now he will haue both fire and water there Besides the place is falsified For according to the Hebrew text it is Thou haste brought me out into a plentifull place Other passages he hath which are to bee found among the friers passages The Frier pag. 30. 10 The first passage that he alledgeth is out of Esay 30.33 Tophet is prepared of old It is even prepared by the king he hath made it deepe large the burning thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lorde kindling it like a river of brimstone This hee saith p. 34. Pag. 60.16 Tophet saith the Frier is Purgatory this king is God and the breath of the Lord bringeth with it consolation the end and the beatitude c. But against this doth Cayer quarrell and saie that it concerneth the iudgement of God against the iniquity of Assur and confesseth that this king is the king of Assur Pag. 47. The fire of Helie returneth the ball to the Frier holdeth this passage to be a Noli me tangere but as I haue answered so I answer stil that we groūd no articles of faith vpon Allegories 2. Secondly Tophet is a place neere to Hierusalem in the valley of Hynnon as witnesseth Iosua 15. and 2. King 23. where the Idolaters burned their children to Moloch or Baal Wherevpon the Prophet here taketh Tophet for the tormēt prepared for the wicked 3. That in the whole course of the text it appeareth that Esay speaketh of the wicked not of the children of God 4. That the frier falsifieth the passage in saying by the king where in the Hebrew it is for the king 5. The frier taketh Assur to be a mās name not of a Country As if I had said the king Assur but I said the king of Assur That this king is the king of Assur or of Assiria of whō we spake not many lines before 6. That this king being an enimie to God and his people the torment that is provided for him cannot be Purgatory The Frier in all this reproveth two things which make nothing to this question First he will not haue Tophet in this place to bee the place where they made their children to passe through the fire Gen. 31.27 Exod. 15 10 Ios 18.34 but let him then learne what is written 2. King 23. Iosias defiled Tophet which was in the valley of the children of Hynnon that no man should make his son or his daughter to passe through the fire to Moloch This word Tophet commeth of Toph which in Hebrewe signifieth a drumme because the Priestes of the Idoll so long as the burning of the children lasted made a noise with drums and basons after the manner of the Coribantes Maldonat Lyra upon the 5. of Matth. least the parents should heare the crie of their children Therevpon did Iob complaining that hee was disdained and shouted at say that hee was made Tophet a tympanization and a by-word or scorne as also the Greek doth so translate it The Roman translation turneth it and saith He hath made me an example The Fryer will haue this tympanization to be Purgatory or had there beene here any speech of a tub or of a lanthorne hee woulde also haue found some shift to proue that those things signified Purgatory Iob therefore by his account albeit aliue yet complaineth that hee was placed in Purgatory Secondly he doth contest that the children were not burned or consumed in Tophet but only purged this cannot proceed but either of grosse ignorance or of extreame malice for the Scripture is full of proofes to the contrary Ieremy 7.31 saith They haue built the high place of Tophet in the valley of the
sonnes of Hynnon to burne their sonnes and daughters Againe They haue built the high places of Baal to burne their sons with fire for burnt offerings vnto Baal It is in the Hebrew Baar which signifieth to burne And this word Holocaust signifieth a sacrifice which they burnt and wholy consumed But because of late they begin to preferre the Roman translation before the Hebrew text that is to say a corrupt translation before the originall a troubled ditch before the cleere spring Let vs produce the same text of the commō translation Aedificaverunt excelsa Baalim ad comburendos filios suos igni in Holocaustum Ierem. 19.5 Immolauerūt filios filias suas daemonijs Likewise in the second of Kings 3. Accipiensque Rex primogenitum suum obtulit holocaustum It is therefore contrary both to the history and to the language to say that the selfe same translation in sundry places turneth lustrare filios for cremare purge for burne Here the Frier hath bethought him of a notable fable fetched out of the bottome of his budget Hee saith that my selfe being reduced to a shamefull silence An Englishman whome I had brought for my Gossip whispered me in the eare and told mee that lustare signified to burne This is a double vntruth for on the one part he maketh as if all the assistants holp him and that I was in a maner alone on the other part there was never an Englishman in the company indeed there was a young Flemming whom I never saw before when the Frier said that Excogitatum commentum signified a Commentary confirmed this explication by the autoritie of Rabelais who said waight of larde with a Comment As for this word lustrare I maintained that it ought to haue beene Cremare to burne also that the translation was false and I suppose I needed not make many protestations vpon a matter so vnworthy the meanest scholler In vaine therefore did hee borrow out of Calepin and from the Iesuits of Tournom those passages where lustrare signifieth to purge Wherein neverthelesse he spitteth nothing but barbarisme and blockishnesse Demost contra Aristocratem ait cum qui aliquem accusavit tactis sacris suovetaurisibus iurare solitum I will therefore read him a lesson therein doing him good for evill Hee alleageth a passage out of the third of Livy Ibi instructum exercitum ove siue tauris tribus lustrauit and then he doth expound it He purified his army by the sacrifice of one sheep or three bulls But had hee had but a cast of antiquitie he might haue heard of a kind of sacrifice frequent among the heathen named Suouetaurilia and he would not haue put Oue siue tauris insteed of Ouesuet auris but this passed the Monks learning and capacitie 11 They also make vse of the first of Samuell cap. 2. in the song of Hannah in these words The Lord killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the graue raiseth vp Now in liew of graue they put hel and this hell if we beleeue the signifieth Purgatory In Hebrew it is Shelo which signifieth the state and condition of the dead the pit the Sepulcher The Roman translation still translateth it hell As in the 140. Psalme Our bones lie scattered along the hell In the Hebrew it is the 141.7 also in the 30 Psalme Thou hast brought my soule out of Hell Iacob also in Genesis saith You shall bring my white haires into hell Againe Psalme 49. They shall be laid in hell or in the sepulcher like sheepe In these such like places who seeth not that the word hell is evill put insteed of death or the graue As for the passage in the song of Hannah the Frier confesseth that the same is meant of tribulatitions but he saith If it be by comparison who euer heard of things don that are not He saith true and therefore this comparison must not bee taken of Purgatory which is not as also the chiefe interpreters of the Romish Church Caietan Lyra and the ordinary Glosse doe not by this passage mean Purgatory S. Augustine in his 17. booke and 17. Chapter of the Cittie of God expoundeth this Canticle at large yet speaketh not one word of Purgatory The Frier speaketh as if it had bin himselfe that produced this Rabbin Read Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 21 cap. 13. One of the Assistants vpon this passage meaning to helpe the Frier produced a Rabbin Isaac Alfeci the Arabian who speaketh of two hels whervnto albeit I could haue answered and proved that that had no communitie with Purgatory yet I thought it better to say That Gods enimies were not to bee iudges in the cause of God That the truth borrowed no weapons of her adversaries that Virgil and Plato had also spoken of Purgatory 12 The Frier saith he hath a whol sea of witnesses hee might haue said a forrest for that would haue serued to kindle Purgatory he thus therefore entereth into this sea the sixt Psalme O Lord rebuke me not in thy rage neither chasten me in thy wrath This rage is hell this wrath Purgatory with a law saith he of satisfaction and chastisement of the faithfull deceased but most severe S. Augustine vpon the sixt Psalme and these words Rage and Wrath saith thus Ego puto vnam rem duobus verbis significatam I think that one thing is signified by these two words As for the purging pains whereof in some places he speaketh in my next Chapter I will shewe that my adversaries do corrupt and wrong him The like we say of S. Hierom. 13 Then followeth an other out of the fourth of Esay The Lord shall wash the filthinesse of the daughters of Sion and purge the blood of Hierusalē out of the middest thereof by the spirit of iudgement and in the spirit of heate This purging and this spirit of iudgement and of heate is Purgatory But note that this purging is made in the midst of Hierusalē There then is Purgatory not vnder the earth not in the rivers not in the yce for it is too hot in Iudea 14 Here cōmeth a braue one out of Malachie the 3. Who may abide the day of his comming and who shall endure when he appeareth For he is like a blowing fire and the fullers sope This blowing fire is Purgatory for in his bible he hath Ignis conflans that is by the explicatiō of this poore doctor a blowing fire What Regent is there that would not whip his scholler for such a grosse fault Learne doctor that Conflare signifieth to forge or bake in the furnace Et curuae rigidum falces conflantur in ensem Surely it is a shame to overcome a man so impertinent 15 In the 7. of Daniel Pag. 37. A fiery streame ran before him This streame is Purgatory why did he forget Gedeons bottels or Sampsons Iaw bone of an Asse for in these things cold he by the subteltie of his brain haue foūd out Purgatory But to let
in this life must bee purged by fire They resemble foxes who being hunted doe saue themselues in some thick bush for they seeke only thorny and darke places 2. It is here spoken of a fire that trieth the worke but tormēteth not the persons 3. Also even in Purgatory the soules are not tried but punished for God needeth not their triall to knowe them 4. Againe here it is spoken of a fire wherein every mans worke shall be manifest In Purgatorie nothing is manifest to vs. 5. Againe of a fire wherein every mans works are tried Pag. 17.18 then also the worke of the Virgin Mary and of the Apostles which moved the autor of the fire of Helie to make them also to passe through Purgatory But he saith this fire shall bee to them as the fiery furnace was to the three children which seemed a moist wind Thus doth this doctor imagin or mock but his companions say nothing 6. It is here spoken of a fire that burneth the worke but not the soules and vpō this place it was that the Frier being demanded whether was whipped the thiefe or the theft answered with the mirth of all the assistants that it was the theft that was whipped 7. Hereto adioine that it is said if it burne the workeman shall haue losse but in Purgatory nothing is lost besides although the sins were burned yet in such burning there should be no losse 8. This examen and triall by fire is called Day but Purgatory if we list to beleeue them is vnder earth The fire of Helie denieth that this fire is called Day but note these words of the Apostle Every mans worke shal be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire For hee setteth this proofe in the day in sight and therefore the fire of Helie hath omitted these words The day shall declare it It is in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Frier hath changed them saith The day of the Lord shal declare them This day of the Lord say they is the day of death so large is their liberty to falsifie and to wrest For whoe did ever heare death called the day of the Lord Yea and admit this explication were receaueable how is every mans worke then revealed and manifested But the sense of this word day must bee taken from the same Apostle in the 13. verse of the next Chapter where this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth triall and iudgement 9. Againe S. Paul saith as by fire it is not then by fire and to no purpose do they bring vs in the words of S. Iohn Vidimus gloriam quasi vnigeniti for the barbarisme and incongruities of the vulgar translation must not be admitted for a rule The autor of the fire of Helie produceth yet another passage out of the 125 Psalme where this word Quasi importeth no similitude but the truth it selfe When Syon returned out of captivity we were as comforted but according to the Hebrew originall Wee were as they that dreame and so hath Pagnine and Arias and all good translations 10. Also throughout all this passage there is not one word whereby it may appeare that this tryall is made after this life I confesse that the rewarde of the faithfull is after this life and the fire of Helie neede not to admonish vs with such exclamations for the question concerneth not the time of the reward but the time of the triall 11. Neither is there any word that speaketh of the torment of the soules for the saide fire of Helie endevouring to proue that here it speaketh of tormēts is deceived in his Logicke For these be his words Doth not S. Paule say Pag. 16. If any mans works burne he shall incurre damages Is not hee that is tormented endamaged An argument in the second figure composed all of affirmatiues He that is tormented endureth damage He whose works burne endures damage Thē he whose work burneth is tormēted Besides the first proposition is manie times false and particularly in this matter considering that the torment of the soules in Purgatory is if wee beleeue these men without losse to the good of the soules Now herein I must frākly confesse that the auctor of the fire of Helie hath yet some dexterity in sophistry Du Val. but the Frier speaketh like an Ideot and a man of a crased braine for all his discourse is spent in laying of maximes and principles whereby hee will haue this case decided as if it were in him to impose lawes and principles in this businesse And indeed if you looke narrowly into the matter you shall finde these principles to bee the case it selfe for they set downe as a plaine case and confessed that in this fire the people are tormented and do feele the trial of this fire Now this is the point of the controversie and that which wee doe stiffe and stedfastly deny that S. Paule speaketh no such thing Howbeit in the end he must haue the grace of it admireth my slacknesse as being incapable to comprehend his so childish principles As for the explication of this passage it must be gathered out of that that goeth before S. Paule in the 5. verse of this chapter speaketh of doctors and pastours and of the preaching of the Gospell And particularly of Doctors who holding a good foundatiō which is Jesus Christ do neverthelesse adde of their inventions and slight doctrines which he calleth wood hay and stubble in regard of the pure and solide doctrine which he tearmeth Gold silver and pretious stones This wood therefore this stubble being examined by the word of God as mettals in fire can not subsist but must needs be consumed But as cōcerning the parson of the pastor he shal be saved in regard of the good foundation that he hath holden yet after triall made as it were by fire This explicatiō is naturall and springeth of it selfe and every one that knoweth that S. Paule here speaketh of shepheards whom he nameth Builders Hieron cōtra Iovinian lib. 2. will easily admit this explication And hereto do agree Saint Ambrose S. Hierome Sedulius Tertullian in his first book against Marcion cap. 6. yea even the chiefe doctours of the Romish Church Lyra Thomas Caietan and Bellarmine in his first booke of Purgatory cap. 4. They all hold I say that these builders are the pastours and the preachers § Vtraque Hormildas Pope in the Tomes of the coūsels saith that the builders are the doctors and the fire the Synode Dial. 4. c. 39. and the building the preaching of the Gospell yet doth the Fryer make a scorne of all this and saith that they be meere fopperies This also is the reason that in the front of his book hee armeth himselfe with these titles The reverent father Frier Iames an Observantin Portugall Doctor of Divinity and preacher ordinary to the King that so hee may with the greater auctority fight
Romans he speaketh thus of the last iudgement We shall all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ for it is written I liue saith the Lord let everie knee bow before me and every tongue giue praise vnto God In this place S. Paule taketh to appeare before the iudgement seat of God for bowing the knee before God The wicked therefore the divels shall bow the knee because they shall appeare and be forced to acknowledge the iustice of God In this regard doth Iustine the Martyr in his dialogue against Triphon say that the Infernall spirits are subiect to Iesus Christ bowing their knees at the bare pronountiation of the Crosse 8. As for the praises spoken of in the fifth of the Revelation they are the praises of all creaturs of whom even of the inanimate as of the heauens the earth the sonne c. The Scripture in aboue a hundred places saith that they praise the eternall Psal 19. Psal 140. Psal 145. especially in the Psalme 148. where this is repeated some twentie times Neither need we goe any further then this passage namely of the Revelation to proue it For he saith I heard EVERT CREATVRE which is in heauen thē the sunne the starres the Angels c. he also saith All that is on the earth vnder the earth and in the sea yea even all things that are comprised in them c. It appeareth then that he speaketh of all creatures and this is it that made our adversaries to omit these words yea all things that are comprised in them with a notable falsehood according to their custome thereby to abate the edge of Gods word and to take from him that which pierceth the very vntruth I should wrong the autor of the fire of Helie if I should suppresse one inventiō which he doth very gallantly produce to shewe that the divels doe not bowe to Iesus Christ If saith he Du Moulin himselfe will not put of his hat when wee speake of the name of Iesus how can the divels be forced to doe it The divels then by this Doctors saying doe wear hats but they will not put them of when we speake of Iesus Is it because they are somewhat surly and prowd or for that they feare the aire Note also that by this argument taken from the more to the lesse hee doeth vs this honour that hee holdeth vs lesse wicked then the divels and yet wee flee not for his holy water But in the end I say this doctor is deceived in one point and deceiveth in an other hee is deceived in that he thinketh that by the name of Iesus Saint Paule in this place meant the word IESVS cōsidering that the scripture by the name of God ordinarily vnderstandeth his auctority his glory his strength his power c. and so say we Our helpe be in the name of God also hallowed bee thy name and I come against thee in the name of the Eternall 2. Sam. 17.45 In this sense we honour the name of Iesus but our adversaries honor the syllables and thereof commeth the feast Masse of the name of Iesus for as concerning his parson there is a feast apart But in this that he falsely accuseth vs he deceiveth For if a man hearing the name of Iesus putteth of his hat we like it well so as it be done without superstition But marke what it is They vse many salutations to the name of Iesus whiles in the mean time his parson is wronged and his benefite abused and they finde out other redeemers and an other purging for our sins he is entreated as he was by those that buffeted him saying vnto him All haile Thus is Religion corrupted which at this day hold her handes in rule and giveth godlinesse her pasport Hereof it cōmeth that the service of the Church of Rome namely the Masse consisteth in gestures in a set number of bowings in frisking from one end of the alter to the other in Allegoricall habites historied at pleasure whiles the people looking on learneth nothing and is entertained with gestures when they should be instructed by the intelligible worde Thence commeth also the gallāt Interpretations of Pope Innocent the 3. of Durands Rationals and others which say that the Priest turneth his backe to the people because God said to Moses Thou shalt see my backe parts That the miss all is laid vpon a Quisheon because it is written Mat. 11. My yoake is easie my burdē light That he that serveth the Priest at Masse moveth and steppeth vp and downe as the Priest doth because Iesus Christ said Where I am there shal my servant be also That the Gospel booke is laid vpon a deske in forme of an Eagle because it was written in the 18. Psalme Hee flyeth vpon the wings of the winde That the deakon goeth in at one side of the pulpet commeth out at the other because it is written Mat. 2. They were warned from heauē to returne an other way And he that serveth a Bishoppe at his Masse kisseth his shoulder looking a scance on his face because it is written 1. Cor. 13. Wee see now in part Thus is the whole battery of our adversary dismounted which was not charged but with stubble and hay against the truth and here would I shut vp this chapter did not the falshoods of the fire of Helie detaine mee yet a while so extreamely licentious is he in falsifying Many of his falshoods haue we already produced yet here followe some more In the pages 40 41. to proue the Limbo of the fathers he alleadgeth the Apostle in the 11. to the Hebrews Having beene tryed by the testimony of faith This word salaried is of his own invention they received not the promises that they without vs should not be made perfect and salaried In the 43. page he saith that God by the leaues of the figge tree closed vp Ezechias sore and for that citeth the 4. of Kings 26. and Esay 38. In page 44. to defende Purgatory in bathes in yee in rivers c. hee alleadgeth Iob. 24. in these words The wicked that are in hel from a heate of fire do passe to a coldnesse as snow Al this is false and by him devised In the same place where S. Peter Act. 2.24 saith that God raised vp Iesus Christ hauing loosed the sorrows of death he saith the sorrowes of Hell In page 56. to proue that the Pope may graunt Indulgences for the dead he maketh S. Paule 1. Cor. 5. say The stewardship of Indulgences vvas by Iesus Christ left to the Church whereof there is not a word in the whole chapter In page 66. be corrupteth this excellent passage of Esay 57. Whosoever vvalketh before God goeth in peace he maketh him say Whosoever vvalketh before God vvalketh in peace In pages 69 70. he maketh S. Paule say to the Colossians 1.24 I fulfill in my flesh that which wanteth in the passion of the Lorde for his body which is the