any such thing be as Bellarmine grants and saith posse dubitari et periculosissimum esse definire or else expresly he sayes that except Hell and Heauen he knoweth no third place 5. Last of all themselues say Masse for children dying soone after baptisme who haue not committed any actuall sinne and to whom the whole punishment of originall is remitted and so consequently can not be in Purgatory AN ANNEXE TO this Treatise of Purgatorie concerning the Distinction of Sinne into Mortall and Veniall which is the maine Pillar of this Pyrotechnie and being pulled downe makes the whole Fabricke to fall IF we consider aright what Sinne is of its own nature as Saint Iohn describes it to wit that all sinne whatsoeuer is a transgression of the Law or if we consider what is the proper wages of sinne of whatsoeuer sort it bee as Saint Paul cleares it to wit death or if we consider what is onely able to expiate and doth purge vs from all sinne name it as they will to wit Christs blood and death onely Then surely any such distinction of sinne into Mortall and Veniall by nature will quite evanish and sinne of it owne nature will bee acknowledged to bee mortall solely and to say Peccatum and yet Veniale simply and not Mortale properly will be 〈◊〉 to bee vertuall contradiction and we know that there is no composition of meerely opposites nor construction of mutuall destructiues Yea out of their owne mouth to condemne them how is sinne vniuerâ—ally distinguished by themselues into Veniall and Mortall if the Veniall bee not sinne and that properly and if it bee sinne or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then of necessitie it must bee as is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as saith Saint Iohn and the wages thereof as the Lawe threatneth is Gods curse or as Saint Paul pronounceth doome is death So that euery sinne is as a Viper and there is no Viper if wee respect the meere nature of the best of them but shee killeth whom shee biteth yet if one shall light on the hand of Paul shee is shaken off into the fire without any harming but not the lesse is shee to bee feared and accounted deadly of her owne nature although the Apostle be safe Wherefore the distinction of sinne into â—ortall and Veniall ariseth 〈…〉 sed personis From whence it followes That all sinnes are damnable in all men but not to all men all deserving but not all receiuing damnation for to the reprobate no sinne is finally veniall and to the elect no sinne is finally mortall Notwithstanding that there is one sinne which is simply and vniuersally mortall because it is not only punishable but euer punished with eternall death and is that sinne against the Holy Ghost but is no wayes incident to the elect Therefore I call sinne mortall two wayes First by explication and generally and to say a mortall sinne is to shew the nature of all sinne Secondly by way of distinction and specially and so to say a mortall sinne is to designe that sinne against the Holy Ghost in particular and which sinne Impenitencie doth follow necessitate ineuitabili as an inseparable consequent where in all other sinnes it is rather contingent for as no sinne can bee forgiuen without repentance so this sinne excludes possibilitie of repentance and therefore is irremissible and is called Mortall in an eminent degree and neuer becomes veniall not because God in his absolute power cannot forgiue it but because in his iust will hee hath decreed neuer to forgiue it the partie so sinning being euer obdured by his owne vniust action and Gods iust desertion And this is that which is spoken Mathew 12.31 and which Christs beloued Disciple vnderstands saying There is a sinne to death and a sinne not vnto death distinguishing so not betweene some sinnes mortall in nature and some sinnes veniall by nature But betweene one sinne simply mortall in nature and in necessary effect vnto all and all other sinnes simply mortall in nature also but not in necessary effect vnto all and therefore possibly and by repentance veniall through grace vnto the elect Whereas the same sinnes are iustly through want of repentance retained and be comes finally mortall to the obdured reprobate Neither is it to any purpose which Bellarmine alledgeth out of Iames 1.15 that because concupiscence brings foorth sinne and sinne consummate brings foorth death therefore that concupiscence it selfe should not bring foorth death or be a mortall sinne but veniall Where in the contrary it is rather to bee reasoned that Concupiscence being the euill Tree budding or poysoned Spring flowing it is the cause of all that which proceeds therefrom to wit both sinne consummate and death inflicted as from the seed both stalke and each eare comes And in the very regenerate where no consent is thereto as it is called sinne properly and a rebellion against the Law of God Rom. 7.20 23. so the fruit and merit thereof is affirmed to be death vers 24 and Rom. 8.2 and consequently it is of nature mortall Neither is it forbidden in the Law with that restriction of giuing consent thereto but simply it is said Thou shalt not couet and therefore to lust or couet although it proceed no further as Christ himselfe expounds that Precept is a breach of the Lawe and consequently merits death and the curse Neither may we according to Bellarmines owne rule restraine that which God hath set downe more amply And as for that out of a 1 Corinth â— where veniall sinne is desweined saith Bellarmine Ex leuitate materiae wee may iustly say it is leuis probatio and whereas through wanting more solid stuffe for proouing their distinction they haue their recourse then to stubble they may fitly bee compared to that thralled people in the Egyptian bondage who wanting long straw were forced to gather short stubble to themselues to make vp their â—aske which they could not accomplish and for building such stuffe not vpon the foundation but rather thereby euerting the foundation they may feare a fearefull and consuming fire at last But heereunto wee will onely giue them but their owne answeres and fully pay them with their owne coyne Bellarmine then testifies that because by the Builders in that place is vnderstood Doctors therefore by the worke must bee vnderstood doctrine and consequently by Hay and Stubble saith hee is vnderstood curious and vnprofitable doctrine Next he saith That by the fire that burneth this combustible and light stuffe Purgatory wherein Veniall sinnes enter cannot bee meant because it purgeth not the worke but altogether consumes the worke This likewise is but Metaphorically then so called fire but that of Purgatory is reall Et ignis Purgatoriae qui verâ—â— realis est saith Bellarmine non potest opera comburero quae sunt actiones transeuntes jam transierunt And whereas the Ancients seeme to poynt at this Distinction making
mention of Mortall sins any iudicious Reader will finde that thereby they vnderstand Peccata vastantia conscientiam or such great and grossâ— sinnes as vsually exclude penitentiall grace from the presumptuous Actour by which onely our sinnes become veniall Likewise seeing euery sinne name it as yee will if yee graunt it once to bee sinne is mediately at least committed against an infinite obiect who consequently requireth iustly an infinite punishment It followeth necessarily that the same is mortall although it were but as idle word which Bellarmine saith were a foolish thing in man to breake friendship for such light offences and can not bee vnderstood in God how it can deserue eternall punishment although in the contrary Christ hath said that euen of such account shall bee giuen at the day of Iudgement at which time onely eternall punishment shall bee inflicted and not a temporall such as they allot to veniall sinnes Wherefore it was requisite that as our Sauiour should haue our nature that in it sinne might hee punished iustly so this nature was to subsist in an infinite person that by it sinne might bee conquered fully But when 〈…〉 himselfe is to bee punished by God according to the merit of his vnpardoned offence the Lord not hauing meanes to satisfie his Iustice on an infinite person to make proportion betweene his Iustice and mans sinne some way hee chuseth an infinite time because the person punished is no wayes match with the partie offended therefore this punishment is truly called Passion but not Satisfaction whereas the infinitenesse of Christs Nature in person made his Passion to bee a sufficient Satisfaction From whence it followes that nothing can bee done by man either actiuely or passiuely in this life nor after the same that can be reputed a condigne satisfaction to God for any one sinne whatsoeuer committed by vs the guilt and whole punishment whereof is perfectly abrogated by Christ the first being imputed to him and the second inflicted vpon him that so all who are engraft in him may be freed from both the merit of his blood and fire of his spirit and not any other Purgatorie effectuating that to vs. Not that by this ouerthrow of that distinction of sinne into mortall and veniall which at last among the Papists becomes also venall that we denie an inequalitie to be in sinnes and so consequently in their due punishments For first wee hold sinnes to bee vnequall in respect of the obiect against which we sinne and so a sin against God is a greater sin then a sin against man and a sinne against the first Table is greater then a sinne against the second Table being compared in equall and paralell acts Otherwise if we compare a sinne in the least part of a Commandement in the first Table with a sinne in the greatest part of a Commandement in the Second Table the latter is more hainous then the first Likewise as a sinne against God is greater then a sinne against man for the essentiall diuersitie of the obiect so the sinne against one man may bee greater then a sinne against another for the accidentall diuersitie of the obiect as in eminencie of place against a King or propinquitie of blood bond of nature against a Parent for although all men naturally considered are alike and the same yet ciuilly and politickly they are not Secondly in respect of the matter wherein wee sinne there is an inequalitie so Murder is a greater sinne then Theft because life is more precious then goods Likewise if we compare sins in the same matter one may be greater then another according to the extent or quantitatiue measure as to kill three is a greater offence then to kill one and to steale 100. pounds is a greater theft then 10. Thirdly in respect of the manner how we offend there is an inequalitie of sinning and so a sinne of malice is greater then a sinne of infirmitie so is that of knowledge greater then that of ignorance As likewise sinnes that consist only in immanent action or thought of the minde are lesse then these that come to transient action being accomplished by the body euery further addition making the sinne more intense in degree And as sins are vnequall so are their punishments God in his distributiue iustice allotting seuerall portions of paine to the seuerall proportions of sinne The priuatiue punishment or poena damni in time degree is alike to all Depart from me c. The posiâ—iue or poeâ—a sensus is partly from an inward cause which is the gnawing worme of conscience whose life is perpetuated in death or from an outward cause which is such exquisite meanes whereby at last the whole man is afflicted decreed by God in his wisedome executed by his power to demonstrate his iustice and is ordinarily called the fire of Hell And as the outward paine of fire primarily inflicted on the body doth worke effectually to afflict the soule so doth the inward paine of the worme which is in the soule worke effectually to afflict the body that as they were brethren in euill and participated in sinne so they may bee coupled likewise and pertake in torment And as the soule hath one estate in her selfe at death independant vpon the body by her seperation from it and another in the body vpon her revniting with it at the resurrection so in the first she suffereth outward paine immediately and in the second by the body mediately In all which the punishment of all is equall in time because in respect of duration there is neither more nor lesse in that which is eternall but the punishment is vnequall in degree Gods iustice hauing a relatiue respect to mans sinne And so although we denie that any sinnes are veniall by nature yet we affirme some to be lesse then others and in a lesse measure punished and so the vniust slander of our Aduersaries affirming that we make all sinnes and consequently all punishments equall may easily hence appeare FINIS Reuel 18.13 Mant. de colam temp Aeneas Syluius ad 1. pereg Ep. 66. 2 Cor. 3. Bell. l. 1. de Purg. c. 15. Aug. li. de trin c. 3. cont Mend. c. 6. * Math. 4.9 Ephes. 6. Bell. l. 1. de Purg. c. 14. Bell. lib. 1. de Purg. c. 1. Et lib 2. c. 6.9 10. Bell. lib. 1. de Indul. c. 9. Ibidem Bell. lib. 1. de Purg. c. 12. Bell. lib 4. de Pan. c. 13. Bell. lib. 2. de Purg. c. 13. Lomb. l. 4. Sent. dist 18. Chrys. in 4. ad Rom. Hom. 8. Aug. Ser. 27. de verbis Domini Col. 1.19 Bell. lib. 1. de Indul. c. 4. 1 Tim. 2.6 Col. 1.19 Iohn 1.16 Acts 4.12 Bell lib. 4. de Poenit. c. 13. Ephes. 2.8 Bell. l. 1. de Purg. c. 12. Bell. lib. 1. de Sanct. c. 3. Philip. 1.23 2 Tim. 4.7 Bell. lib. 3. de Eccles. c. 9. Iob 7.2 Exod. 20.6 Psal. 110.4 Bell. lib. 1. de Sanct. c. 6. Bell. l. 1. de Purg. c. 5. Bell. lib. 1. de Purg. c. 14. Ibidem Bell. lib. 2. de indul cap. 7. Ibidem cap. 5. Bell. lib. 1. de Indul. c. 2. Bell. lib. 1. de Indul. c. 4. Ibidem Bell. lib. 1. de Sanct. c. 3. Ibidem Ibidem Ibidem Bellar. lib. 1. de Sanct. c. 4. Bell. ibidem Iustin. quosi 75 Bell. l 1. de Sanct. c. 5. Cyprian de exhor Mart. cap. vlt. Aug. med c. 22. et l. 20. de ciuit dei c. 15. Prosp. l. 1. de vita contemp c. 1. Ansel. in 2. ad Cor. Bell. l. 1. de Sanct. c. 6. Bell. Ibidem Bell ibidem Bell. l. 1. de Purg. c. 3. Answere 2 Tim. 3.16 c. 2.23.26.28 Iosh. 7. Bell. lib. 1. de Purg. c. 12. Bell. l. 1. de Purg. c. 3. Aug. Confess lib. 6. c. 2. contra Faust. l. 2. c. 21. 1 Sam. last 31. 2 Sam. 1.12 Bell. lib. 2. de indul cap. 13. 1 Pet. 1.7 4.12 Aug. l. 20. de Ciuit. Dei c. 25 Aug. de Ciuit. Dei l. 18. â— 35. Answere â—o Luk. 10.35 Ephes. 1.21 Marke 3.29 Luke 12.10 Answer Bell. l. 1. de purg C. 6. Answer Rom. 6.6 Answer Bell. lib. 1. de purg ca. 5. Bell. lib. 2. de Purg. c. 13. Bell. lib. 1 de purg ca. 7. Answer Bell. l. 1. de Purg. ca. 7. Bell. lib. 1. de purg ca. 8. Answer Iam. 3.6 1 Ioh. 3.14 Answere Answere Answer Bell. l. 1. de Sanct. c. 6. Isai. 45.23 Bell. l. 1. de Christ. c. 13. Reuel 20.7 Iude 1.6 Aug. Epist. 99. ad Euodium Bell. lib. 2. de Purg. c. â— Answer Deut. 29.29 Bell. lib. 2. de Purg. c. 14. Bell. lib. 1. de purg ca. 11. 2 Sam. 12. Numb 12. Hebr. 12.7 Gen. 2.17 Rom. 5.17 Rom. 6.23 Bell. lib. 2. de Indul. c. 1. Bell. lib. 2. de Indul. c. 4. Bellar. lib. 4. de poenit c. 2. Answer Heb. 3.4 2 Thes. 2.12 1 Tit. 1.15 Bell. lib. 1. de purg ca. 14. Ephes. 3.17 Rom. 10.17 Gal. 3.27 1 Cor. 10.16 Bell. l. 1. de purg c. 9. Aug. l. 21. de ciuit dei c. 27. Bell. lib. 1. de Sanct. c. 2. Lactan. l. 7. cap. 11. Cyp. l. 3. epist. 6. et l. 5. epist. 4. Bell. lib. 2. de Purg. ca. 1. et ibid. ca. 18. Aug. confess l. 9. ca. 13. Aug. l. de ciui dei cap. 16. Bell. l. 1. de purg cap. 10. Aug. lib. 21. de ciuit dei cap. 26.27 Enchirid. c. 69. Aug. c. 1. secundi Serm. de consol super mortuos et l. 5. hypognost Bell. l. 2 de purg cap. 1. 1 Iohn 3.4 Rom. 6.23 Galat. 3.10 Hebr. 9.22 1 Iohn 1.7 Galat. 3.10 Rom. 6.23 Actes 28. Hebr. 6.4 1 Iohn 5.16 Bell. lib. 1. de purg ca. 11. Math. 5. Bell. lib. 4. de Poenit. c. 13. Bell. l. 1. de purg c. 5. Bell. lib. 1. de Purg. c. 11. The inequality of sinne or degrees thereof The inequalitie of punishment or degrees thereof
Goâ— and Satan whom they say torments the Soule in Purgatorie heauen and hell to be all one But the soules of the godly returne to God that gaue them and are receiued by him as Act. 7.59 Ergo they goe not to the fire of Purgatory Psal. 32.1 2. Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiuen whose sinne is couered and to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie Hence we reason He whose sinne is forgiuen the same is couered saith Dauid and what is couered is not seene and what is not seene is not imputed and what is not imputed cannot by any satisfactory punishment bee punished Therefore saith Lombard as Bellarmine grants Deum tunc tegere peccata quando ad poenam non reseruat And to take away the evasion of meaning onely the eternall punishment Therefore saith Chrysostome where there is grace there is forgiuenes and where there is forgiuenes there is no punishment at all And Augustine on this Psalme saith Si texit peccata noluit aduertere si noluit aduertere noluit punire noluit ne vel agnoscere maluit ignoscere Now to subsume But so it is that the sinnes of the godly are forgiuen couered vnseene and not imputed as saith the Psalmist Ergo they are not by any satisfactorie worke or suffering punished Punishment being euer the worke of Iustice and making the partie punished wretched and pardon being euer the worke of mercy and making the partie pardoned blessed and so being incompatible Psal. 51.7 Purge mee and I shall be whiter then snow Whence we argue If to purge away sinne and to remit be all one as is euident 1 Iohn 1.19 and that none can remit sinne but God onely Mark 2.7 therefore it followeth that God onely purgeth sinne and consequently no other thing can doe so And againe If where God purgeth there remaine not the least spot but the party purged is perfectly made cleane yea whiter then the snow then veniall sinnes and temporall punishments remaine not to be purged by any other Purgatory But where God purgeth there abides not the least spot but the party purged is perfectly made cleane as saith the Psalmist as likewise Isa. 1.18 Ergo veniall sinnes and temporall punishments remaine not to be purged by any other Purgatory And for this cause saith Tertullian Exempto reatu remittitur poena Isa. 53.4 5. He hath borne our griefes the chastisment of our peace was vpon him and by his stripes we are healed Hence we reason If Christ bare our sinnes no otherwise then by bearing the punishment due for them and bare the punishment to discharge vs of the same nam si tulit abstulit then the same nor no part thereof as satisfactory to Gods iustice remaines to be borne by vs for our sinnes But Christ bare our sins but by bearing the punishment due for them and that to discharge vs of the same and therefore saith Augustine Suscipiendo poenam non culpam culpam deleuit poenam Ergo the same nor no part thereof remaines to be borne by vs as a satisfactory punishment Leuit. 1.3.4.5.6 Chap. Expiations sacrifices were ordained for all sorts of sinnes trespasses and vncleannes euen to the touching of the dead But neither was there any sacrifices or seruice appointed for any that were vncleane in Purgatory and such sacrifices also that were for sin were for the guilt thereof Neither amongst all the points and priuiledges of the high Priests office find we that hee had power by indulgence to deliuer any soule from Purgatory Ergo it followes that no such place nor punishment after this life was Ecclesiasticus 3.6 Which our aduersaries hold as Canonicall and which we only vrge to shew notwithstanding how clearely their Purgatory contradicts the same The words are The soules of the righteous are in the hands of God there shall no torment touch them and if no torment therefore not that of Purgatorie Arguments against Purgatorie and to prooue our Assertion out of the New Testament 1 Iohn 1.7 The blood of Christ purges vs from all our sinnes Whence we argue If Christs blood purgeth vs from all our sinnes and that these only are the spots which make our Soules vncleane as the Scripture shewes vs. It followes then that if Christs blood purges vs from them all that therefore no veniall sinnes nor vncleannesse whatsoeuer remaine to bee purged so that there is no other Purgatory at all Nam Purgatorium est semper alicuius rei purgandae Purgatorium To this same sense agreeth that of the Apostle Heb. 9 14. That if the blood of beasts sanctified to the purifying of the flesh much more shall the blood of Christ purge the conscience from dead workes Hebr. 1.3 When hee had by himselfe purged our sinnes hee sate downe Whence we argue If this belongs to Christs office to purge our sinnes by himselfe and that this Priestly office of Christs is incommunicable as Heb. 7.24 is euident seeing as the Apostle saith elsewhere in himselfe all fulnesse dwels and he hath trod the winepresse alone Then it followes That none other can by themselues expiate any sort of sinnes nor as Bellarmine blasphemously avowes that any can be their own redeemer in part But the first is true as is prov'd by the Apostle Therefore the second is likewise infallible To the same purpose is that notâ—ble speech of the Apostle saying He hath giuen himselfe to bee a ransome for vs and therefore not that we should bee a ransome for our selues in any degree Heb. 10.14 By one offering he hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified that is as Heb. 7.25 he hath perfectly saued them Whence we reason If Christ hath perfectly saued his Elect then he hath saued them as well from the guilt of veniall as mortall sinnes and as well from the temporall as the eternall punishment and so left no supplement to be made to his satisfaction by their suffering in Purgatory But he hath perfectly saued them as the Apostle prooues Ergo he hath left no sinne nor no punishment vntaken away and so no supplement to be made to his satisfaction by their owne sufferings in Purgatory To this same purpose is it that the Apostle saith That it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell for reconciling all thing in heauen and earth vnto himselfe And of his fulnesse doe we all receiue saith Iohn And by him and not by our selues euen by the blood of his Crosse and not by our sufferings are all things reconciled saith the Apostle Wherefore there is no other name whereby we may be saued saith S Peter but by the Name of Iesus whether in part or whole from veniall or mortall sinnes temporall or eternall punishment For according to Bellarmines preceding rule Non nostrum est restringere quod Deus amplum esse voluit Rom. 6.23 Saluation is a free gift therefore we pay not for it neither by our selues nor
if his departure had been to enter him in so fierce a fire nor the other if his dissolution had not been straightway to ioyne him to Christ. Neither doth hee say that at the finishing of his course or ending of his fight a crowne onely is laid vp for him which should bee giuen him in that day to wit of his departure as verse 6. but likewise that in the very like manner it abode all them that loue the Lord Iesus Now to close vp our Arguments out of their owne distinction of Culpa Poena thus wee reason If Purgatory purge away ought either it purgeth the fault or the punishment But it purges not away the fault or guilt of mortall sinnes by the Papists owne confession nor the eternall punishment of them both being before remitted Neither purgeth it away the temporall punishment because out of the definition of purging which is taking away as Iohn 1.29 is euident the same is not taken away but on the contrary is inflicted non aufertur enim sed infertur Therefore of mortall sinnes it purgeth nothing and so in that respect it cannot bee called Purgatorie And as for veniall sinnes which Bellarmine saith Quoad culpam poenam intrant Purgatorium we prooue thus that it purges them not away No transient actions can enter into Purgatorie to bee burnt vp or purged away which are Bellarmines owne words saying Ignis Purgatory que verus realis est non potest opera combur â—râ— quae sunt actiones transeuntes iam transierunt But to subsume Veniall sinnes are transient actions which none can deny Therefore they enter no wise into Purgatorie to bee burnt vp or purged away and consequently seeing neither mortall nor veniall sinnes guilt nor punishment is purged away from the Soule in Purgatory there is no such thing at all Nam Purgatorium as is said est semper alicuius rei purganda Purgatorium As also that is not remitted which wholly is punished saith Bellarmine Remissio enim sonat condonationem But the Scripture and Fathers expressely teach saith hee that light or veniall sinnes are remitted after this life Therefore say wee they are not totally punished nor enter into Purgatorie quoad culpam poenam as hee said before nor are they punished at all seeing their temporall punishment is their totall punishment Arguments against Purgatory and for our Assertion out of Bellarmin and our Aduersaries themselues 1. Their Confession and arguments of their owne Doctors for vs. Bellarmine saith Fatemur Christum pro nobis pro toto mundo integre imo plenissime deo patri satisfecisse And againe Christ passions saith he omnem culpam originalem actualem lethalem venialem omnem poenam tam sempiternam quam temporariam expiare valent idque totum per se etiam si nullae admiscerentur passiones sanctorum Whence it followes 1 That the satisfaction of men for them selues are superfluous at least and that he who relyes only on Christs satisfaction relyes on that which for saluation is alwayes al-sufficient 2 That to exact that punishment of man which Christ hath already satisfied to his Fathers iustice is to make God vniust by taking two payments for one debt as also in not accepting Christ satisfaction for as much as it is worth to the Godly being of value to free them as well from Purgatory which is the lesse as from Hell which is the greater 3 To say that Christs satisfaction serues to make our satisfaction acceptable is against common sense as who would say that a cautioner had payed the debt thereby to inable the principall debtor being vnresponsall to pay it ouer againe to the Creditor and much more absurd is it to say that this second payment is a grace as after a free and full pardon of all punishment whatsoeuer it should bee a fauour done to a malefactor to bee cast so long in prison and cruelly whipped Dignitas satisfactionis saith Bellarmine mensuram accipit a dignitate persona satisfacientis quemadmodum grauitas offensionis a dignitate personae laesae Now betweene finite man who is the offendor and the infinite God who is offended there is no equalitie of comparison or correspondence therefore neither of the finite satisfaction of the one to the infinite Iustice of the other for which cause it behooued him to bee of an infinite nature who was our Redeemer Againe Christs satisfaction is infinite saith Durand and Mairâ—â—es therefore it is altogether needlesse to ioyne to Christs satisfaction say they any satisfaction of the sufferings of men which without being so ioyned to Christs wants not their owne fruits nor are in vaine being indured heere both in respect of the sufferers their owne reformation and conformitie with Christ wrought and the confirmation of the godly and good example to others that redounds thereby If by the sufferings of the godly sinnes may be expiate saye the same men cited by Bellarmine then it would not be absurd for them to bee called Redeemers of themselues in a part But it is absurd for them to bee called redeemers of themselues because Christ is the sole and onely Redeemer of mankind of whom saith the Apostle Who is made vnto vs righteousnesse and redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 Therefore by the sufferings of the godly sinnes cannot bee expiate neither veniall nor other in regard of punishment or otherwise To this argument of their owne Doctors Bellarmine no wise answeres but blasphemously affirming That it is no absurditie to say that wee are our owne redeemers in a part seeing the Councell of Trent hath decreed no lesse Sess. 14. Cap. 8. Can. 13. 2. Scriptures adduced by Bellarmine to proue that the Saints presently inioy the vision of God making directly for vs against Purgatory Ecclus. 11.26 It is an easie thing to the Lord in the very day of death without longer delay to reward a man according to his wayes and consequently to giue glory to the godly Et illud facile est Domino non significat saith Bellarmine posset si vellet sed reddit Deus facile reddit vnicuique secundum opera sua in die obitus aloquisi posset non redderet frustra nos hoc argumento hortaretur sapiens Also he brings that saying of Paul 2 Cor. 5.1 where the Apostle saith in the very instant and present time after the laying downe of our earthly bodies in death wee haue an eternall habitation in the heauens and so the soule remaines no time without a house but as soone as it goes out of the earthly it presently enters into the heauenly and therefore Bellarmine sayes Apostoli argumentatio optima est nimirum ista Si vita haec mortalis perit habemus statim aliam longe meliorem in coelo speaking so of all the godly indifferently To the same purpose is that which he adduceth out of the 8. verse where the Apostle setteth downe that this
IGNIS FATVVS OR THE ELF-FIRE OF PVRGATORIE Wherein Bellarmine is confuted by Arguments both out of the Old and New Testament and by his owne Proofes out of Scriptures and Fathers Also an Annexe to this Treatise of Purgatorie concerning the distinction of Sinne in Mortall and Veniall By M. WILLIAM GVILD Minister at KING-EDVVARD LONDON Printed by AVGVSTINE MATHEVVES and are to bee sold at Britaines Burse 1625. TO THE TRVELY Noble Right Honourable and Religious IOHN Earle of Laderdail Lord Thirlestane c. one of his Maiesties most Honorable Priuie Counsell c. and to his most Religious Countesse and Ladie RIGHT HONOVRABLE THat inueterate-enâ—mie of Gods glory mans good hath neuer ceased from the beginning to intermiâ—e in the Lords field his pesâ—â—ent popple amongst the good seed setting a worke the Mysterie of iniquitie euen then when the Mysterie of mans redemption was begun to be published and by force or fraud either as a redde Dragon or as a counterfeite of the Lambe with implacable malice but limitâ—ed power hee hath euer assaulted the Church both in head and members Sometimes prouoking to sinne as Balak 〈…〉 did the people in Ahabs time as in sinnes oâ— opinion contra verum This later is of two sorts either hereticall against the 〈…〉 against the Body 〈…〉 The two preceding were old heresies who long ago hath receiued their iust condemnation the later carry the 〈…〉 of their grosse guiltinesse and clear conuiction specially such as are against the Priesthood of Christ consisting in full satisfaction until sole inter 〈…〉 sufferings with Christs all-sufficient oblation making that glorious worke to be as a Linsey-wolsey garment and man to share in the glory of that in the grace whereof he hath onely 〈◊〉 By which impious assertion and illicit coniunction Christ is degraded his blood vilified his merit maimed his crosse curtailed his death debased and his sufferings stained by those who of godlinesse haue made gaine but not made their gaine to bee godlinesse turning Gods Temple againe into a denne of theeues and therein making Merchandise not of Doues but of Soules as is fore-prophesied of them and haue raised againe the tables of Money-changers which Christ once ouerthrew As no more plainely their owne Mantuan affirmes saying Omnia venalia Romae then their owne Pope Pius confirmes saying Nil absque argentâ— Romana curia donat Nam peccatorum venia Spiritus dona venduntur And indeed though these Subterranean Vulcans and fire-worke men build vpon straw stubble and hay their light assertion without any more solid foundation then the groundlesse conceit of a brainesicke head and couetous heart can afford yet they draw in from the seduced simple most solid substance of gold siluer and large revenewes by a strange sort of Alchymie Manus porrigentes indultrices solùm manus porrigentibus adiutrices but No pennie no Pater noster being better seene as is truely said in the Golden number of actuall reset nor in the Dominicall letter of sacred and holy Writ Neither without cause does these Locusts that came from the bottomlesse pit smell of fire or is it a wonder that these that came out of the smoke of a great furnace doe yet speak to poore soules of a fiery furnace neither can any iustly admire that they torment the conscience whose power giuen them is as the power of Scorpions not to kill outright by simply damning soules for so they should get no profit nor prey but to torment them with the sure expecting of a Purgatory fire out of which there is no release but by the Suffrages and Soule masses and so like Beniamin they rauen as a Wolfe and as the name of the Prophets sonne was they become speedie robbers and swift to the prey neuer resting cruelly to sting and like Iobs miserable comforters to propine to the dying soule in the greatest agony and thirst for cooling comfort such a bitter potion as Christ got on the Crosse while the Lions teeth by some bootie be baited The zeale then which we all owe to Gods glorie and loue which we owe to our fellow members as yet perhaps vncome out of Babell hath moued me at this time to take some paines in this argument to partie the seducers and pitie the seduced and by the sword of the Spirit and Lampe of the Word to conuince the one and conduct the other into the path of truth if they may be cured Which paines â—ight Honourable with no lesse affectionate heart then an officious hand I offer to your view and dedicate to your Name beseeching God that in all honour it may flourish your soule by grace and your estate with prosperitie and that those singular gifts wherewith your God hath indued you may still receiue a happy growth for your better acquitall in that eminent station wherein his wise dispensation hath set you that his Name may bee glorified his Church comforted your Countrey benefited your posteritie blessed and your owne selfe eternally may bee saued in that great day Your Honours in all humble and heartie duetie W. GVILD To the READER COVRTEOVS READER COnsidering the grossenesse of this vnwarrantable cruell and couetous conceit of Purgatorie so that many who in other poynts rests yet in Babell yet in this confesses the vanitie of this prop of Bethauen And perceiuing notwithstanding how peremptorie the Aduersary is not onely against all opposers to this their fatning Kitchin by their thundring Sentence but also against all those who giues not full assent vnto it by their condemnatory Decree adiudging all such to Hells fire for euer So that Bellarmine spares not as vsurping Gods chaire determinatly to afflirme that it is such an article of faith adeo vt qui non credit Purgatorium esse ad illud nunquam sit peruenturus sed in Gehenna sempiterno incendio sit cruciandus I thought my paines should not bee bestowed nor my Penne imployed amisse if according to my penury I should contribute somewhat heerein to the Lords Treasurie that they who stand in the olde way of trueth may bee strengthened and these who are any one footstep come out of Babell may be helped forward and if it were no more but as Augustine sayes that heretikes may vnderstand that there are not onely one or two but many in the campes of orthodox Catholikes who dare with open face meet them As they then who coupled an Oxe and an Asse together against that command of God to the Iewes and sowe their field with diuers seeds or as the children of those of the Captiuitie spake partly in the Iewish Language and partly in the Language of Ammon and Ashdoa Euen so how that false Prophet who hath borrowed likewise the semblance of the Lambs hornes calling him his Vicar that vnder that he might the more craftily vent the speech of the Dragons tongue whose mouth hee is and whose priuiledge he claimes How he I say hath vnequally yoked monstrously mixed vniustly coupled
and impiously matched that matchlesse free full and perfect satisfaction of Christs with humane satisfactions in an imaginary fire which Auarice hath hatched Ignorance fosters and Crueltie with fire and faggot maintaines Loe here Courteous and charitable Reader presented to thy view As Dauid then came against Goliath armed with the Name of the Lord when that Gyant stood betweene the two Hostes and was a terrour to the Army of Israel So for consternation likewise of this Monster which they situate likewise betweene the place of the damned and glorified to the terrour of simple soules armed with that Armour which experimentally hath euer giuen victorie both in the head and members and wherewith therefore we are bidden be girt continually euen with that Sling and Sword of the Spirit doe we chiefly meane to come against this grand Errour of Poperie the very Diana of Rome that by the very presence of the Arke of God set vp that Idoll Dagon may fall to the ground Next that Goliahs head after his ouerthrow may bee cut off with his owne Sword Arguments God willing of their owne great Warriour Bellarmines though adduced by him for another purpose whether taken from Fathers or Reason shall bee clearely drawne foorth as Sauls Sword or Hamans Halter to kill and strangle themselues And last their proofes for Purgatorie especially such as they vpbraid vs with out of wrested and wronged Scripture wee shall faithfully God willing relate as they are set downe in their foresaid Champion whom cheefely I oppugne and punctually shall answere so that they shall bee seene to bee like short stubble that was gathered vpon necessitie by those vnder Pharaohs bondage who otherwise could not get long straw to themselues And to instance the same here in one particular what will they not bring to proone Purgatorie when Bellarmine brings for it Hebr. 10.27 and sayes that that place is a notable proofe of Purgatory which speakes of a fearefull looking for of iudgement and fiery indignation which shall deuoure the aduersaries and wherein the cleare words and consent of all antiquitie doth shew that Gods aduersaries are spoken of and not his friends who shall bee deuoured and not purged and whom fearefull damnation and consuming wrath abides which is not the lot nor expectation of the godly neither heere nor hence but theirs of whom the Apostle speakes clearly of to wit who treads the Sonne of God vnder foot and hath counted the blood of the Couenant an vnholy thing and done despite to the Spirit of Grace So that such cleare places speaking of the wicked and of hell he will impudently bring to speake of the godly and of Purgatory Accept then courteous Reader with a charitable hand what with a humble one I present and proue not a censorious Waspe but a hony-gathering Bee and that God and common Sauiour of ours who gaue approbation to the widowes mite and will not suffer vnrequited a cup of cold water giuen in his Name giue thee a like minde and blesse the perusall of this and of all other helps to thy edification Thine in the Lord W. GVILD OF PVRGATORY The Romish Assertion THe Papistes describe their Purgatorie to bee a prison next to hell where the soules of the faithfull that are defiled with veniall sinnes and haue not satisfied heere the diuine Iustice fully for mortall sinnes are purged by a temporarie fire as hote as that in hell and very long witnesse Bellarmines expresse words saying Constat plurimas annas in Purgatorio 〈…〉 Iudicij id est per multas annorum centiuias esse cruciandas Yea Non videtur negandum saith hee posse aliquos nos fidei penitentiae agendae per spatium aliquot millium annorum Our Assertion WEe denie any such Purgatorie affirming that Christ is our onely and perfect purger by his Blood And that the word Purging is metaphorically taken from the washing of corporall vncleannesse to signifie the cleansing of the Soule from sinne which is called the vncleannesse thereof Zech. 13.1 So that as an vncleane spot is said to bee purged when it is taken away euen so are sinnes when they are remitted Iohn 1.29 1 Iohn 1.7.9 Also because Christ calleth our sinnes Metaphorically Debts therefore such also is the word Satisfaction God the Father being the Creditor wee the Debtors and Christ the Cautioner who hauing fully satisfied our debt for vs hath thereby freely freed vs at his Fathers hands from it and therefore is called our payment and ransome 1 Tim. 2.6 Math. 20.28 In these foure poynts then consisteth all our difference 1. Wee say that Christ by himselfe hath fully satisfied for vs. Heb. 1.3 They ioyne mans owne satisfaction for himselfe in Purgatorie also 2. Wee say that it is Christ onely that purgeth vs by his blood 1 Ioh. 1.9 They ioyne a fire that doth so also 3. Wee say that his blood purgeth vs from all our sinnes 1 Ioh. 1.7 They say from mortall onely 4. Wee say that hee perfectly purgeth vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7.25 They say That hee purgeth the guilt only and taketh away the eternall punishment but as for the temporall we must satisfie for it our selues Arguments against Purgatorie and to prooue our Assertion 1. Out of the Old Testament Ezek. 18.22 If the wicked returne I will not remember all his iniquities that is I shall forget them all as not to hold guiltlesse is to hold guiltie Hence we argue That which God forgets as if it had neuer been for that hee punisheth no wayes by any satisfactory punishment which is cleare 1 King 17.18 where punishment is made onely the sequell of remembrance But hee forgets all the sinnes of the conuerted sinner Ezek 18.22 Ergo for them he punisheth him no wise by any satisfactory punishment And whereas Bellarmine by not to remember would meane not to punish eternally onely wee answere him with his owne rule non nostrum est restringere quod Deus amplum esse voluit It is not lawfull to man to make a restriction of that by a circumstance of time which is so comfortably promised and freely by God Isai. 57.1 The righteous is taken away from the euill to come hee shall enter into peace Whence wee reason If the righteous be taken away from a lesse euill on earth in mercie that they may neither see nor feele the common calamitie then they are not particularly themselues put to suffer a greater in Purgatory and there to enter not into peace but torment to satisfie Iustice. But they are taken away from a lesse euill that they see it not in mercy Ergo much more from the feeling of a greater themselues in Iustice. Ecclesiastes 12.7 Then shall dust returne to the earth but the Spirit to God that gaue it Hence wee argue The soule that returnes or ascends to God that gaue it after bodily departure descends not to the fire of Purgatorie except they would make to goe to and goe from
can bee no part of the labour for that is in the Vineyard nor no part of the day for in the last houre thereof some are called and hyred such as none are in Purgatory nor no part of the hyre which is desired in the amplest measure and giuen of bountie for well doing and so Purgatory is not of all Also Iohn 9.4 The night comes saith Christ when no man can worke Whence we argue If none can worke or doe that after this life which is required of them in it for attaining to their saluation then none can satisfie for their sins in Purgatory But the supposition is true Therefore the sequell 2 Corinth 4.17 18. For our light affliction for a moment worketh for vs a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory while wee looke not at things seene but vnseene for the things seene are temporall but the things that are not seene are eternall Hence we reason If temporall sufferings go not beyond the limits of this life to the godly and that these things that are temporall and seene are included within the bounds thereof that which is thereafter and vnseene being euer called eternall whether the same be ioy or paine then surely it will follow that the godly after this life indure no temporall paines in Purgatory the same being vnseene and going beyond the limits of this life But the Hypothesis is true and therefore the Sequell Now because on the distinction of Poena culpa as the maine pillar whereon Dagons house stood Purgatory relies let vs pull this down that all this fiery fabricke may fall into ashes Marke 11.25 As wee are commanded to forgiue others so will God himselfe forgiue vs in like manner But we are commanded to forgiue others from our heart fully without retaining the least grudge or meanest purpose of the smallest reuenge as Math. 18.35 is euident Ergo according to Christs promise so will God himselfe forgiue vs in like manner else it should follow which is blasphemously absurd that God would haue man more good and mercifull then himselfe and by his example should teach men that are too prone to vice of themselues hollow-hearted and fraudulent reconciliations Col. 2.13 God hath freely forgiuen all our trespasses Whence we reason That which God hath freely pardoned for that which he can no wise punish seeing to pardon and to punish one and the same thing are alwaies incoÌ„patible neither is any man iustly punished but for his fault which by free pardon being taken away as the cause any satisfactory punishment must cease as the effect except they would make God double vniust both in punishing wher no fault is as also by taking twise paiment for one debt from Christ and from vs. But so it is that God hath freely pardoned all our trespasses whatsoeuer whether they call them veniall or mortall and as he is soueraignly mercifull so is he likewise iust Ergo for these hee can no wise satisfactorily punish Math. 6.12 Our sinnes there are called Debts which we desire to be remitted Whence out of this and the former place we argue If our sinnes be our debts and that all our sinns are freely remitted therfore all our debts are freely discharged consequently all their paiment or satisfaction of them it were altogether against very sense to affirme the contrary that the whole debt should be discharged but not the whole payment and contrary to Math. 18.27 where debt payment and punishment are all quit together But our sinnes are our debts and they are all freely remitted Ergo all the payment of them or satisfaction whatsoeuer As this errour fights with that Petition of the Lords prayer Math. 6. as also with that Article of our faith Col. 2.13 whereby we beleeue not our owne satisfaction for our sinnes but Gods free remission of our sinnes so is it against that part of the Decalogue where God shewes that he will shew mercy vpon the thousand generation of them that loue him and therefore much more will he not scantle his mercy to themselues in remitting the guilt of their sinnes but retaining their temporall punishment Iohn 10.18 All satisfaction for sinne to the iustice of God must be voluntary if it be acceptable to him as all other things whatsoeuer we doe to 〈◊〉 in his seruice which if it be otherwise he acâ—â—pts it not But the satisfaction that is in Purgatory to the Iustice of God is not voluntary for none but would chuse rather to go straightway to heauen as also ineuitably they going there God satisfies rather himselfe by punishing them then they satisfie God by suffering Therefore the paines of Purgatory are either no satisfaction at all to God of ours or else no wayes acceptable to him Besides that all satisfaction is meritorious else the creditor were not bound to giue a discharge vpon satisfaction to the debtor But the Soules merits not in Purgatory as Bellarmine proues Lib 2. de Purg. c. 2. Ergo they satisfie not there Galat. 5.22 and Psal. 23.4 The fruites of the Spirit are ioy and peacâ— which specially kiths in the godlies death and their courage there in is that although they walke thorow the valley of death they feare no ill That doctrine then that takes away these happy fruits and that comfortable courage and on the contrary fills the soule with such panicke terrours and torments the conscience with the apprehension of so long lying euen hundreds of yeares in so fell a fire where to auoyd a farre gentler fire here but one houres burning a man would giue all that hee had That doctrine I say is to bee abhorred and damnable and not without cause these Locusts that are the broachers thereof are said to haue stings to torment and lyons teeth to deuoure their prey But so it is that the doctrine of Purgatory doth all the former Ergo the same is to be abhorred and damnable In Scripture wee haue sundry Examples of soules after receiued into heauen but neuer one sent vnto Purgatory as Lazarus carried straightwayes by Angels into Abrahams bosome where he was comforted and consequently Abraham also himselfe before Christs death behooued to be in the same place of comfort And this Example Bellarmine himselfe against the Greeke Church affirmes peremptorily to be 〈◊〉 Parable but a true Storie So to the conuerted Thiefe that same night Paradise is promised which before Bellarmine proue as hee alledgeth to haue been extraordinary he must prooue the going of soules to Purgatory first to bee ordinary As also vpon one extraordinary Example no common Article of Faith could bee grounded as Bellarmine doth on this saying De fide est mox a morte impios descendere ad aeterna supplicia vt patet Luc. 16. de diuite iustos ad aeterna gaudia vt patet Lucae 23. de Latrone Hodie eris mecum in Paradiso So Simeon desired to depart in peace and Paul to bee dissolued which neither the one had desired
inspiration But these Books as the Authour confesseth are not so but a mediate abridgement of another mans Bookes done with great paines which the Papists themselues hold not as Canonicall and therefore so neither can their compend be 3. The sinne of these men was mortall as is euident Deut. 13.7 the eternall punishment and guilt whereof comes not to bee satisfied for in Purgatorie as the Papists affirme and as for the temporall they had suffered for that already as v. 40. is cleare being slaine for their sinne euen as Bellarmine saith That the thiefes violent death on the Crosse was iustly his full temporall satisfaction and so these men had nothing to suffer or satisfie in Purgatory Neither saith the Text that it was to deliuer them from any temporall punishment that then they were in but hauing a regard to the resurrection to absolue them from the sinne it selfe which they had committed that as Bellarmine himselfe saith it might not bee imputed vnto them in that day of the resurrection of all flesh To all the subsequent places adduced out of the old Testament Bellarmines owne confession sufficeth as an answere Quod solum probabiliter suadeâ—â— but doe no wise necessarily inforce as by a short touch of them we shall here shew As for that of Tobit 4.17 Powre out thy bread vpon the buriall of the iust beside that the Booke is not Canonicall it imports no wayes Purgatory seeing the Primitiue Christians as witnesseth Augustine on the dayes of the remembrance of the Martyrs had their Loue-feasts and Distributions vpon the buriall places of the Martyrs and yet this they did not to deliuer them out of Purgatory seeing they grant that the Martyrs goe not thither As for Dauids mourning and the men of Iabesh Gilead for Saul and Ionathan c. it was not to deliuer Saul out of Purgatory who dyed desperately but as the Text shewes that Israel for their sinnes was fallen before their enemies as Ioshua for the like cause mourned Iosh. 7.7 As for Psal. 38.1 by correction in Gods wrath Purgatory cannot bee meant because the Papists grant that the partie is reconciled before hee goe thither as also In ira corripi saith Bellarmine secundum Augustinum est 〈◊〉 punâ—râ— post hanc vitam ad correctionem tamen emendationem which cannot beâ—-in-Purgatory neither For the same Bellarmine confesseth saying Nemo negare potest poenam Purgatorij non spectare ad fructum noua vitae As for Psalm 66.12 The two preceding verses shewe that by fire is meant the triall of the godly and by water is meant affliction when the Psalmist saith Wee went thorow fire and water And fire here is before water but so is not Purgatory which they meane by fire before Baptisme which they meane by water As for Isai. 44. which place saith Bellarmine Augustine expounds of Purgatory Augustine in the place cited by him saith that the meaning of Isai. is that same with that of Malac. 3.3 which Bellarmine lib. 1. de Purg. c. 1. expresly expounds to be Tribulationes hujus vitae Besides that the purging spoken of by the Prophet is said to bee by washing as well as burning and in the middest of Ierusalem but not vnder the earth As for Isai. 9.18 The Text speakes of deuouring but not of purging and that wickednesse burnes as fire but not that fire burneth wickednesse Nor is it vnremarkeable that this fire of theirs is by themselues called heere iniquitie for so it is in deed a maine poynt of the mysterie thereof As for Micha 7.9 Gods indignation cannot be said to bee borne in Purgatory because as is confessed by the Papists themselues the party being reconciled before he goe there is freed therefrom As for Zechar. 9.11 Math. 21.5 sheweth that by that pit is meant our spirituall captiuitie and as Augustine expounds it Humanae miseria sicca est profunditas Neither is our deliuery therefrom by our owne suffering but it is said to bee by the blood of the Couenant Nor yet followâ—s from the priuation of water the position of fire Bellarmines Arguments for Purgatory answered Out of the New Testament Math. 12.32 There is a sinne which shall not bee forgiuen neither in this world nor in that to come Ergo this implies that some sinnes are forgiuen in the world to come which is in Purgatory This Text speakes onely of remission of sinnes which cannot be meant of Purgatory where there is no remission of sinnes but punition for sinnes Neither doth the world to come signifie in Scripture Purgatory or any temporall estate of man but onely the last day and his eternall estate as Marke 10 30. is cleare where it is said that hee that forsakes ought heere for Christs sake he shall receiue an hundred fold in this time and life eternall in the world to come Next the Euangelists Marke and Luke as posterioâ— in one cleare word she 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 that disjunctiue speed of 〈…〉 no forgiuenesse at all is meant or that that sinne shall neuer be forgiuen Besides that it is against the rules of right â—eâ—soning as Bellarmine is forced to grant that of a negatiue an affirmation should follow chiefly the one being particular and the other generall 1 Cor. 3.15 If any mans worke burne he shall suffer losse but himselfe shall be saued yet so as by fire 1. Bellarmine grants this place to be allegoricall difficill and variously expounded both by Popes and Fathers from whom notwithstanding he professes himselfe to dissent and consequently the same is not argumentatiue 2. In the exposition of all the proceeding parts of the Text Bellarmine consents with vs till he come to the last words but himselfe shall bee saued yet as by fire yeelding that the fire which proueth the worke is not meant of Purgatory but Metaphorically to be taken but the fire whereby the person of the worker shall be saued is properly to be taken saith he and is that of Purgatorie But first Bellarmines owne explication of the similitude in the beginning of the fift Chapter testifies that in all the tenure of that whole metaphoricall speach it is but one fire that is meant no more sortes And this is so vsuall in Scripture that except in Sacramentall formes of speech one and the same word in one currant of a Metaphoricall speech is neuer diuersly taken and therefore that instance of Bellarmines 2 Cor. 5.21 is impertinent both the whole tenure of speech as is said not being metaphoricall and it being knowne euidently that according to the Hebrew phrase how oft Christ is called sinne as he is there is vnderstood that he was a sacrifice for sinne besides that the direct opposition cleareth that the word sinne in both places of that speech cannot be of one signification Next it is absurd the whole discourse being Metaphoricall as Bellarmine grants to take the word fire to be only proper But it is most absurd