Two Treatises Against the Papists, Book 1 · Chapter 10
A place alleged for purgatory out of S. Matthevv, vvith certayne of the auncient fathers iudgements vponupon the same. CAP. X.
1 ANd yet it shall be conueniēt, that I helpe the studious reader with further proofe out of the holy Scripture, that he may be fully established in his faith, and the aduersary heretike wholy confounded in his misbelefe: If he list not rather (as I heartely pray to God that he may) geue ouer that vnnaturall plea, holden to long against the Catholike Church our mother. Geue eare then vntounto the wordes of our Sauiour written in the Gospell of S. Matthew: Cap. 5.Esto consentiens aduersario tuo cito dum es in via cum eo: ne forte tradat te aduersarius iudici, & iudex tradat te ministro & in carcerem mittaris. Amen dico tibi non exies inde donec reddas nouissimū quadrantem. Lucae. 12.Be at agreement with thine aduersary speedely, whiles thou arte with him in the waye. Lest that aduersary deliuer thee vp to the iudge, & the iudge commit thee to an officer, by whome thou may be cast into prison: surely I say vntounto thee, thou shalt not get out, till thou hauehave discharged the vttermost farthing.
Now being desirous of the trueth and true meaning of this letter, (for the vnderstanding maketh all) because there may arise by the darkenesse of that figuratiue speach some diuersity of sense, let vsus indifferently wey eueryevery worde, and with diligence examine the circumstances of the texte whereby any light may appeare. And first being admonished to agree with our aduersary, we may right well know that he meaneth not by the commō enemie of our kinde,1. Petri. 5. that rometh about seeking whome he may deuour: for his cruell assaultes must onelyonly by resistaunce be withstand. Neither the worde which the Euangelistes there vsed,foreign. Litigator. seu actor. can properly signifie any malicious enemy, that by hatered of our person is become our deadly foe, as those which be skillfull in the language is wherein they wrote, do confesse: But rather, as well the worde as the iust consideration of the place, driueth vsus to acknowledge that this our aduersary, here signifieth our brother, which hath iuste quarell against vsus in iudgement, for that we woulde not geue eare vntounto him sharply admonishing vsus of our faultes, being therefore an aduersary to our viceis and fleshly cō uersation. In which sort, to vsus that are flesh and bloude, and redy to euill from our youth, all be aduersaries that preach Christ, the amendement of licentious maners, repentaunce of our lothsome life past,Vide Bern. ser. 85. super Cantic. or els vse against vsus the rodde of correction and bodyly punishment, that our soules may be saued in the day of the appearing of our Lorde.
To this kinde of aduersary, Christ councelleth and commaundeth vsus, for our great good, to agree and consent whiles we be here in the way of this our pilgramage and transitory life: lest all these meanes which he wroght to reduce vsus to the perfection of a Christian godly life, be as it were a witnesse of our contempt, & him selfe our accuser before the iudge, that shall so iustely reward eueryevery man according to his deedes: that is Christ him selfe,Act. 10. to whome the father hath geuen all iudgement. VVhose ministers being Angels, either good or badde, for the execution of iustice vponupon sinners, shall at his appointment cast vsus into the prison and dongion, there to be holden from life and liberty, till we hauehave paide the last farthing: the toleration of which bondes shall recompense the debtes, which by wel doing and much mourning, in the way of this world, we refused to pay: as S. Augustine piththely speaketh in these wordes.De libero Arb trio. lib. 3. cap. 15 Si non reddit faciendo iustitiam, reddet patiendo miseriam: he that paieth not his debt by dooing that which is iust & right, he shall pay it by suffering misery. VVhichWhich we trust the pitifull paines of that prison, through the only desertes and merites of Christ our Lorde and God, shall so discharge, that after the payment either pardoned or fully made, we may hauehave ioyfull accesse to his blessed presence.
For the forme of speache vsed in like ordre of wordes by both the Euangelistes, doth vsus plainely to vnderstande, that we may through Christ make full payment thereof. Ells he woulde not by likelihood hauehave saide, that we shoulde not scape forth till we had discharged▪ the vtmost farthing, but rather that seuere iudge would hauehave geuē charge, that the offender should be boūde hand and foutte, and cast into the darke doungion of euerlasting da…nation prepared for the deuill, and his angels: which is the second and euerlasting death.Carcer. Namel… the worde of Imprisonment so well agreeing therevnto, that it may not well admit any other meaning, but a place of temporall torment. For a prison is a place of correction & chastisement of such as be on liue, in which as longe as life lasteth a man may be in hope of liberty, though his bondage for a time be neuer so vntollerable: but when sentence of death is once pronounced in this worlde, or damnation in the next, then we may right well knowe Gods mercy to be shutte vp, and the party desperate of all recouery. Neither the name of Imprisonment in Scripture, is lightly taken for the place of euerlasting punishment, nor can by conferēce of the sundry partes of this letter, hauehave here conueniently any such sense.
CAP. X.
1 HEre according to M. Allens orderly proceding, is alleged for purgatory a place out of S. Matthew, where Christ saith to him that neglecteth to reconcile him selfe to his aduersary, before he came to the iudge, that he shall be cast into prison from whence he shall not come, vntill he hauehave payed the vttermost farthing. The meaning of Christ is playne, that he shall neuer come out no more, then that wicked seruaunt, which was cast in pryson vntill he shoulde pay the whole debt which was ten thousand talents. Matth. 18. But before we goe any further, let vsus se how the doctrine of this chapter agreeth with that we had in the chapter next before. The…e we were told, that purgatory serueth but for veniall sinnes, or else for such mortall sinnes as by forgeuenes in this life obtayned, are made veniall trespasses. But here not onelyonly vices and fleshly conuersation, but also contempt of all that preach Christ and repentaunce of our lothsome life past, &c. are sayd to be the debt that must be discharged in purgatory to the vttermost farthing, then the which no vice is more mortall, nor farther from forgeuenes. For he that not only leadeth a lothsome life, but also contemneth all those meanes that Christ hath wrought to reduce him to the perfecton of a Christian godly life (I vse his owne wordes) how can he hauehave remission of his sinnes in this life, and yet M. Allen dare promise him, that the toleration of bandes in the prison of purgatory, shall recompence his debt, and bring him from thence into the blessed presence of Christ. M. Allen hath the most passing faculty of any that euer I heard, to build one thing in one leafe, and to ouerthrow it him selfe againe in the next. Neuerthelesse I can not abide that he should promise a pardon of that payment, which Christ sweareth shall be made vntounto the vttermost farthing. For he that refuseth reconciliation or repentance in this life, must not looke for a pardon after this life. Therefore if M. Allen will needes vnderstand this pryson for purgatory, I will be so bold vppon Christes oth and earnest asseueration to affirme, that he which is so imprisoned shall neither looke for mercy nor satisfaction by other mens payment, but by his owne suffering. But let vsus see how he proueth, that this place is to be vnderstood of purgatory? First by likelihood that he should not hauehave sayd: he shall not escape vntill he hath payd the vttermost farthing, but rather, cast him into the darke dungeon of euerlasting damnation. M. Allen either can not, or will not see, that Christ here continueth an allegory of a temporall iudgement, as Matt. 18. where he hath the same, Donec, as the same in like sense is often vsed else where. Secondly the name of imprisonment, will not well admitt (he sayth) any other meaning, but of a temporall torment, as though hell is not called a prison. 1. Peter. 3. And Apoc. 20. which is a place of euerlasting torments. Therefore here is no shew of matter but bigge wordes onelyonly
2 And these notes well and diligently considered, may geue greate light to the alleaged wordes otherwise somewhat obscure, and therewith proue our matter too. They be not of my scanning onelyonly, as for some parte thou shalt perceiue by these wordes of Rupert, Super. 5. ca. Matth.an excellent good author. Aduersarius eorum qui erant eiusmodi sermo fuit euangelij, & omnis praedicator euangelicae veritatis, potestatem habens non consentientem sibi tradere iudici: & non solum iudici, verum etiam malo ministro, quemadmodum vnus eorum tradid…t hominem satanae. The aduersary of such men was the worde of the Gospell, and ech preacher of the trueth, who had poure to deliuer him that would not agree vntounto him to the iudge: yea further then that, he had authority to commit him to an euill minister, as one of them gaue vp a man to Satan. Here we see what that aduersary is, to whome we must consent in this life: and withall, we hauehave an example in this iudgement of Gods ministers, how man may be committed in the next life to a tormenter, that may vexe him then at Gods prescription, as he doth now at the charge onelyonly of his minister: then in fauour and mercy of the iudge, as it is now in louelove and charity of the vicegerent, then for the atteining of heauens blesse, as it is nowe for the saluation of the person punished. Lib. 21. de ciuit. Dei. cap. 13.For the executiō of Gods sentence may be either by a good spirite, or our aduersary Angell, or by his will and worde onelyonly, to whome all creatures serue and obey.
In this sense Paulinus, who was S. Augustines peare, writeth that the holy Ghost and Gods worde, be mans aduersaries in earth: to whome if we applie our selues obediently in this world, our sorowe can not be long in the next life. But these be his owne wordes.Ad Amandum epist 1. Neque septem dies luctus noster excedat, si consentiamus in huius vitae via, aduersario nostro, id est, spiritui ac vei bo dei quod nobis peccātibus aduersatur, &c. Our griefe can not be much longer then seuen dayes (he meaneth it shall be a temporall paine, and not very long) if we consent in the way of this life to our aduersary that is to witte, the spirite and worde of God. For they be our aduersaries when we sinne: because the holy Ghost chargeth the world with sinne, and the worde of God, if we obey not, will be our accuser and promotour vp vntounto the Iudge: who will hauehave an accompt of his talent, to the vttermost farthinge. Thus farre spake this Author: and in like sense many moe whome I neede not nowe name. Because there is such store of testimonies, that not onelyonly in some part make for the opening of this scripture: but altogether for Purgatory. And one or two of them I will briefly recite: because I determined with my selfe, and bounde my selfe, for my discharge and the readers more safe warraunt, to bring no texte of scripture for the proofe of my purpose, except I might finde some holy writers of the antiquity that vsed the same directly in that sense: that if any mā would reprehēd my meaning, yet he should not be so bold with such as I cā name, & proue to be my authors therin.
2 In this part are two testimonies alleged, one of Rupertus, an other of Paulinus, of which Rupertus affirmeth his exposition of the aduersary, but touching purgatory he sayth nothing. Paulinus interpreteth the aduersary somewhat otherwise, but he speaketh of them that doe agree with him in the way of this life, whose sorrow he sayth shal not exceede seuen dayes, but what sorrow they shall abide that contemne this agrement, he sayth nothing, but generally of the accompt of the vttermost farthing. I maruell whether M. Allen was awake when he alleged these two testimonies for purgatory, or whether he thought that all men should be asleep that should reade them.
3 But whome may I more safely alleage for the contentatiō of sober wittes, and repressing the aduersaries boldenesse, then the blessed martyr S. Cyprian? VVho in the forth booke of his Epistles, for the declaration that eueryevery one which here is pardoned of his sinnes, shall not straight be exalted to the glory of sainctes and martyrs after their death, vseth very fitly (as he doth all other placies of scripture) the forsaide text, by these wordes.Epist. 2. Aliud est ad veniam stare, aliud ad gloriam peruenire: aliud, missum in carcerem non exire donec soluat nouissimum quadrantem, aliud statim fidei & virtutis accipere mercedem: aliud pro peccato longo dolore cruciari, & purgari diu igne, aliud peccata omnia passione purgari: aliud denique pendere in die iudicij ad sententiam domini, aliud statim a domino coronari: In English: it is an other thing to stande at a pardon, then out of hande to atteine to glory: it is an other maner of matter to be cōmitted to prison, thense not to depart till the last farthing be discharged,See hovv fully he expresseth both the vvorde and meaning of purgatory. He calleth the sentēce of God in the next life iudgement. & to receiue out of hand the rewarde of faith and vertue: It is one thing by greate sorow to be tormented for our sinnes, and by long fire amended & purged of the same, and an other to hauehave sufficiently purged them by martyrdom: in fine, it is not all one to hange on Gods sentence in the day of iudgement, and out of hande to be crowned of our Lorde. These wordes as you see, expressely proue our matter, open the meaning of the scripture whereon we nowe stoode, and do clearely set forth the ordre of Gods iustice in the next life. And they shall content the reader better, if he marke vponupon what occasion this blessed man spake these wordes. There were many in the persecutiō of that time, that for feare or worldly respectes, denied their faith, and offered to idols: who afterward, the storme of tyrannie somewhat being caulmed, confessed their faulte, and did penaunce for the same, by S. Cyprian & other good byshops prescriptiō, that then ruled the Church of those dayes. By whom, after due satisfaction made, they were admitted to the communion of the Christian company, & receite of the holy Sacraments againe. But all pastours not of like mercy of seuerity in the case, some were suspended from the vse of the Sacraments longer, and othersome by more clemency with speede pardoned againe. Now S. Cyprian, though he were very seuere in such a cause, (as in all his workes it doth well appeare) yet he was blamed by Antonianus & others, that he dealte ouer mekely with such as denied their faith, in so speedy admission of them to the peace of Gods church, as they then termed that reconciliation: alleaging, that if such wordely wind wauerers might be admitted so soone after, the open deniall of their faith, then there woulde none stedfastly stande to death, by confession of their belefe and their maisters name, any more: the refusers being in as good case as they, if pardon might so soone be procured. But S. Cyprians aunswere is this: that their admission can not withdrawe any mans zele from martyrdom, or confession of Christes name, seeing their reconciliation doth not set them on so cleare bord as martyrs be: VVho being tried by their bloud shal straight receiue the crowne of glory: VVhen the others standing but vponupon pardon of their sinnes, and not discharged of due paines for the same, must into prison notwithstanding, till they hauehave paide their vttermost duety: and by longe amending by fire, at the last come to that reward, which the martyrs atteined by sufferance at the first. And thus I thinke this holy Martyr meaneth.Markevvel. His wordes surely be singular and being well vnderstande, they conteine as much matter for our purpose, as can be possibly in so litle roume: besides the exposition of the texte wherein we yet do stande: But I will adde more, that all may be sa…fe on eueryevery side.
3 The place of Cyprian hath more couller, but yet not so cleere for purgatory as M. Allen would seem to make it. For first it is plaine by the wordes both going before and following after, that he speaketh of adulterers that are pardoned in the Church, of whome some bishoppes that were Cyprian his predecessours had so harde a iudgement, that they did vtterly seclude them from reconciliation, and allowed them no place of repentaunce, but Cyprian was not of that vnreasonable seueritie, for his Church did receiue them, although they compted them not equall with martyrs or continent persons. For it is one thing to be admitted by pardon, as adulterers are, but yet with some note of ignominie, an other to come to glory, as martyrs and continent persones doe. It is one thing by denying of reconciliation to adulterers in this life, to driue them to that prison, from whence they shall not come till they hauehave payed the vttermost farthing, an other thing to compt them vnreconciled, like them that immediatly receiue the reward of there faith and vertue. It is one thing for a man after he hath bene longe time vexed with sorowe for his sinnes, to be reformed as one that hath bene long purged in the fire, an other thing by suffering persecution to hauehave purged all his sinnes. Finally it is one thing to hange vponupon the sentence of God in the daye of iudgement, as they seeme to do which being penitent for their heynous sinnes, yet are not absolued from them by the Church: An other thing to be assured of their crowne, which hauehave striued lawfully. And this I take to be the simple meaning of Cyprians words, agreeing with the circumstaunce of the place. But if they were otherwise ment by him, surely they can not but with carte ropes be drawene to the Popes purgatory. For those that stande by pardon he excludeth from glory, and those that are reformed by sorrow and purged by fire, he suspendeth vntill the last daye, and then maketh them vncertaine of the sentence also: which can not stande with the Papistes opinion of purgatory: no more then that which he writeth in his treatise against Demetrianus towarde the ende. Quando isthinc excessum suerit, nullus iam locus poenitentiae est, nullus satisfactionis effectus. Hic vita aut amittitur aut tenetur &c. When men are gone hence, there is no place of repentaunce, no effect of satisfaction: while we are here life is either lost or helde. And exhorting Demetrianus him selfe to repentaunce which had bene a wicked man and a persecutor of the Christians, he sayth to him: Tu sub ipso licet exitu, & vitae temporalis occasu, pro dilictis roges Deum, qui vnus & verus est, confessionem & fidem agnitionis eius implores, venia confitenti datur, & credenti indulgentia salutaris de diuina pietate conceditur, & ad immortalitatem sub ipsa morte transitur. If thou although it but a litle before the ende and decay of this temporall life shall pray to God for thy sinnes, which is the onelyonly true God, If thou desire confession and faith of his knowledge, pardon is giuen to him that confesseth, and holsome forgeuenes of the goodnes of God is graunted to him that beleueth, and euen from the howre of death he passeth into immortalitie. By this appeareth what Cyprian his iudgement was of purgatory and the effect of satisfaction after this life.
4 Eusebius Emissenus, Homil. 3. de Epiphania.an author of great antiquity and much credit in the Church of God helpeth our cause by this notable discourse following. Hi vero qui temporalibus poenis digna gesserunt, ad quos sermo dei dirigitur, quod non exient inde donec reddant nouissimum quadrātem: per fluuium igneum de quo propheticus sermo commemorat, Dan. 7.& fluuius rapidus currebat ante cum, per vada feruentibus globis horrenda, transibunt. Quanta fuerit peccati materia, tanta erit pertranseundi mora, quantum accreuerit culpa, tantum sibi ex homine vindicabit flāmae rationabilis disciplina: & quā tum stulta iniquitas gessit, tantum sapiens poena deseuiet. Et quia sermo diuinus quodammodo aeneae ollae animam comparans: Ezech. 24.Pone ollam super prunas vacuam donec incalescat aes eius: illic periuria, irae malitiae, cupiditates, quae puritatem nobilis naturae infecerant, exudabunt: illic stannum vel plumbum diuersarum passionum, quae aurum diuinae imaginis adulterauerant, consumentur. Quae omnia hic ab anima separati per eleemosynas & lachrymas compendij transactione poterāt. Ecce sic exigere habet ab homine rationem qui seipsum pro homine dedit, & confixus clauis, legem mortis fixit. Thus it is in our tongue. As for all such, vntounto whome for their offenses our Lordes word is especially directed, that they shall not come out till they hauehave payed the vttermost farthing: Those must passe the fiery floode, by horrible fordes of skawlding waues: VVhereof the Prophet maketh mention thus. And a firy streame ranne before his face. The space of passage shall be measured by the matter of sinne: according to the encrease of our offensies, the discreite discipline of that flame shall reuenge againe: and looke how farre in wickednesse our foly did reach, so farre this punishment shall wisely waste. And like as Gods worde compareth mans soule to a brasen potte, saying: Set the potte empty ouer the coles till the brasse thereof of waxe hote. So there thou shalt see periury, angre, malice, vnfructefull desires sweate out, which did infect the purity of mans noble nature: there the pewter and leade of diverse passions, which did abase the pure golde of Gods image, shall be consumed away. All which thinges might in our life time hauehave easely bene wiped away by almes and teares. Such a strait accompt loe will he kepe with man,He alludeth to the place of the secōd chapter to the Colossians of the obligation of death vvhichwhich vvas against vsus. that for mans sake gaue him selfe to death, and being throust through with nailes, hath fastened the dominion of death also. So farre hath Emissenus spoken: and his wordes be so weighty, that they hauehave bene counted worthy rehersall in solemne Serm…ns and Homilies of the Antiquity, to stirre vp their hearers to the necessary awe of Gods iudgements, with much prouocation of vertuous life. S. Augustine hath the selfe same discourse, almost no word thereof chaunged: VVith this addition: Ideo (fratres charissimi) conuertamus nos ad meliora, Homil. 16. Tom. 10.dum in nostra potestate sunt remedia: Therfore deare brethern let vsus turne and amende by time, whilest the remedies be yet in our owne dealinge. And in an other place thus he toucheth the scripture alleaged: Apparebit Deus Deorum in Syon:In Psal. 103. sed quando? post peregrinationem finita via, si tamen post finitam viam, non iudici tradamur, vt iudex mittat in carcerem. The God of Gods in Syon shall appeare: but when? mary after our pilgramage be past, and the iourney ended. Excepte it s… fall out, that after our iourney here, we be deliuered vp to the iudge, & so the iudge send vsus to prison.
To this place also S. Bernarde doth s…eetely, but yet fearefully allude in this exhortation:In vita Hū berti. Volat (sayth he) irreuocabile verbum, & dum creditis vos cauere poenam istam minimam, incurritis multo ampliorem. Illud enim scitote quia post hanc vitam in locis purgabilibus, centupliciter quae fuerunt hic neglecta reddentur, vsque ad nouissimum quadrantem. Our worde, not possible to be called backe, flyeth farre: and whilest you seeke to auoyde a litle griefe here, you incurre much greater. For assure your selfe of this, that after this life, in places of purgation, all negligencies past must be repaide a hundreth foulde home againe, till the discharge of the last farthinge.
4 As for this authority of Eusebius which hath serued for a patch to peece vp so many homilies, of so many diuerse men as a Cuckowes song vttered in diuerse places, semeth neither to hauehave Eusebius nor Augustine, nor any other good author to be the father of it, but euen some cowled cuckowe, that hath left this egge in so many birdes nestes to be hatched vnderunder their winges, and to be counted for one of their chickens, but that your voyce doth soone bewray it. And here a man may note a great peece of cunning in them that had the writing out of bookes, about those times when errours began to take strength, that not onelyonly whole workes were falsly intitled to diuers good authours, but also patches inserted to their owne workes. And if any thing by them were once spoken, that sounded to the confirmation of those errors, that was thrust into diuers places of their writings, lest it should scarse be espied in one. And hereof it commeth, that such sayings in Augustine, Chrysostome and other, as seeme to allow prayer for the dead, be so often repeated in their writings, and especially in homilies that were taken of their mouthes, by Scribes and Notaries. But who so euer was the father of this sentence as he speaketh friendely for the paynes of purgatory, so he sheweth him self an vtter enemy to the release of the same. So doth that Augustine which addeth his exhortation to these wordes by him repeated. But the other Augustine, which writeth vponupon the 103. Psalme sayth, that God shall appeare to them onelyonly, which are not cast into prison when they be departed out of this life, therfore I muse wherefore those wordes are here brought in. For Augustine (as I will shew afterward) vnderstandeth that prison for hell and eternal tormēts. Bernard although he be too yong to depose in this cause, yet he speaketh not so much to auouch the paynes of purgatory as to deny the remedy or remission of them: wherefore his testimony helpeth not purgatory so much one way, as it hindreth the Papistes gayne an other way.
5 Here now let our aduersaries in this bright shining trueth, blinde them selues: let them boldely bost, of their accustomed impudency, that the Catholickes hauehave no scriptures, nor apparence of scriptures: or if they stande with vsus for the meaning, let them shape with all their conueyaunce, any one shifte to aunswere these doctors words: Or if the vniforme consent of so many of the best learning, and greatest wisedom in the whole Church, may hauehave no roome with them, let them shew whereupon their owne credits be growne so great, that without reason, likelihood, or authority, men must needes beleue them. It is a straunge case, that what soeuer they auouch, it must be Gods word: what meaning so euer they make for maintenance of their wicked foly, it must be termed the true sense of Scripture: And the truth it selfe shewing all force, in the conference of diuers places of holy writte, in weight of reason, in the workes and writings of all antiquitie, shall be so lightly regarded.
I would to God the people pitifully deceiued by such vayne flying talke, could beholde the vpright wayes of truth, or could learne by the playne dealing of our side, to require some grounded proofe of these newe doctors deuises.The difference betvvixt the Catholikes dealing, & the aduersaryes. They may well perceiue if they hauehave any necessary care of those weighty matters touching our saluation so neare, that the Catholike neuer aduentureth to bring any Scripture for his purpose, but he will be sure for his warrant, to hauehave the same so expounded by the auncient fathers of our faith: lest by his rashnesse he deceiue other, and father some falshood vponupon the holy writers of Gods will: which were horrible sacrilege. But on the other side if a man might pose M. Caluin, or Flaccius, or such other of that light family, what doctor or Scripture they followed in the exposition of S. Iames his place, for the anoynting with holy oyle, when they were not ashamed to giuegive this sense of that Scripture:Iacob. 5. that it were good to call the elders of the people, that had some salue or oyntment medicinable to ease the sicke mans sore: what woulde they say? I am sure such fellowes will not excuse them selues by ignorance, (for the arrogancy of that sort, had rather be counted either malicious or presumptuous, then vnskilfull) but of passing boldnes all such must needes be noted, that dare shape such an exposition of Gods blessed word, which they neuer heard surmised of any wise man before. VVhat doctor did they or Luther follow, when they expounded S. Paules words of widowes mariage after vowes made,1. ad Tim. 5. which the text calleth breaking their first faith, to be ment by the promise of the Christian faith made in Baptisme? VVas not this a galant glose in this sense? she that breakes her faith of baptisme, shall be damned for mariage. Aske them where these prety scholes were first picked. Pose maister Iewell where he had, that the Church of God might erre. You shall see them earnestly vrged in these matters, how litle they hauehave to say, and yet how fast they will tennesse one to an other in talke.
But I will not make a reckoning of their vnseemely gloses: I woulde their followers would onelyonly but aske them in all matters, from whēce they had such new meanings, which they falsly father on Gods word: that we might once hedge them within some compasse of reason, as we be contented with all our hearts, to charge our owne selues in eueryevery matter that we handle, as partely they may conceaue by our discourse, and shall more clearely anone.
5 Here M. Allen like Thraso vponupon the stage alone, must shew his veyne in foolish insultation, as though he had ouerthrowne a whole army of men, when he hath not killed a mouse: he lacketh but his Gnato to hold him vp with ait aio, negat nego. For we must be examined, and M. Caluine, & M. Iewell must be posed, as though men had nothing to say, but that which M. Allen will imagine they can say. For my part I will not refuse to satisfie his demaunde. He wil know and hauehave vsus aposed, from whence we hauehave that new meaning of our Sauiours wordes, that he which is cast into prison for neglecting of reconciliation while he is in the way, is cast into hell, from whence he shall neuer come. As it is most playne by the very wordes of the text that our Sauiour Christ speaketh of iudgement with all extremitie, & without all mercy, so this sense hath sufficient witnesse of antiquitie greater then that I thinke M. Allen dare except against them. First Chrysostome vppon this place of Matthew vnderstandeth the prison to be a temporall punishment of imprisonment in this life affirming that Christ doth not onelyonly threaten torments of hell fire after this life, but also citation, iudgement and imprisonment. But that auncient doctor whose commentary of 54. homilies hath long gone vnderunder Chrysostomes name being by Erasmus iudgemēt as aū cient and well learned as he, hath these wordes vponupon that place. Si autem quam diu in via huius vitae es, non feceris pacem cum aduersario quem laesisti, sed sic inimicantes per mortem ieritis ante iudicem Christum, tradet te Christo, conuincens te reum in iuditio eius, & iudex tradet ministro: id est Angelo poenarum crudeli, & ille mittet te in carcerem Gehennae. But if thou shal… not hauehave made peace with thine aduersary whom thou hast offended, while thou art in the way of this life, but that you goe on in your contention by death before Christ the iudge, he shall deliuer thee to Christ conuicting thee to be gilty in his iudgement, and the iudge shall deliuer thee to the minister, that is to the cruell angell of torments, and he shall cast thee into the prison of hell fire.
Augustine de sermone Domini in monte lib. 1. Non exeas inde donec soluas nouissimum quadrantem, semper non exiturum esse quia semper soluit nouissimum quadrantem, cum sempiternas poenas terrenorum peccatorum luit. Thou shalt not come out vntill thou hast payd the vttermost farthing, he meaneth that he shall neuer come out, because he is alwayes paying the last farthing, while he suffereth euerlasting paynes for his sinnes committed on the earth. S. Ieronym sayth the sense of that place is manifest by that which goeth before and followeth, that the Lord exhorteth vsus to peace and concord, while we are in this life, and reproueth them that seeke any other interpretations. Chromatius also an olde writer vponupon this place of S. Matthew sayth: Tradi ministro, &c. id est praeposito tormentorum, vt missus in carcerem Gehennae, debitas peccati poenas absoluat. To be deliuered to the minister that is to the chiefe tormentor, that being cast into the prison of hell fire, he may pay the punishment due for his sinne: againe in the same place, à quo tradetur ministro, id est angelo tormentorum, mittendus in carcerem Gehennae. Vnde non dimittetur, nisi etiam nouissimum quadrantem reddat, id est omnem poenam debiti etiam vsque ad nouissimum peccatum exsoluat. By the iudge he shal be d…liuered to the minister, that is to the angell of torments to be cast into the prison of hell fire. From whence he shall not be let goe, except he pay euen the last farthing, that is, he shall pay all the punishment that is due vntounto the last sinne. Nowe let M. Allen say, if he dare, that these witnesses lacke either age or credit, or else lette him say tongue thou diddest lye when he sayd our interpretation of the Scripture was without all reason, likelihood, or authoritie.
But now to the appositions a word or two, though out of the compasse of purgatory, but we must follow M. Allen whether so euer it pleaseth him to range. M. Allen what Flaccius or any such as he is hath sayd neither doe I know neither doe I regard, lette them aunswere for them selues: But whereas you charge M. Caluine to expounde the oyle whereof S Iames speaketh cap. 5. for a medicinable salue or oyntment, all rethoricke set aside, I say plainly you lye, for he vtterly reiecteth that exposition, Interpreting that place of the grace and gift of the healing, which then was vsed in the Church with the outward signe of oyle, as appeareth also Mark. 6. But as for them that interprete the first faith which those widdowes reiect, that after they waxe wanton against Christ, they will marry, &c. for the fayth of Baptisme and christianitye, they can not follow a better doctor, then S. Paule him selfe in the same chapter, where he sayth, that who so neglecteth to prouide for his owne familie, hath denyed the faith and is worse then an infidell? what faith is this? but the faith of Christianity, but yet he is more plaine in these wordes, where he calleth it the first faith, for what is the first faith, but the faith of Baptisme and Christianity, and as for M. Allens cauill, she that breaketh her faith of Baptisme, shalbe damned for mariage, is not worth a rush. For S. Paule sayth not, she shalbe damned for mariage, but because she hath reiected the first faith, that is such wanton young houswifes procede so farre, that at length they forsake widowhood, christianity and all. But if M. Allen were posed where he findeth this worde foreign in the Scripture, vsed for a vowe or promise made to God, perhaps he would aunswere he is no Graecian, then let him pose D. Hardinge, or some other with the same question, and with all let them shew how the first faith can be expounded for the last vowe, that a body hath made, if he hauehave made more then one. For the Papists holde that these women made one vowe in baptisme, an other of there widowhood. What so euer M. Iewell hath affirmed against the Papistes, he hath so substantially and learnedly defended, that he neede not to hauehave any other man to aunswere for him. Therefore if it were not to choke M. Allen in his owne coller, I woulde trauaile no farther in this question. The Church you say can not erre, and that company is the Church, which hath the Pope for their head, if therefore it can be proued, that the Pope and all they that take his part, hauehave erred, it is sufficiently shewed, that the Church may erre. S. Augustine was in this error (as you will not deny) that the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ was to be ministred vntounto infants, but of the same opinion he affirmeth, that Innocentius Bishop of Rome, and all the Church in his tyme was, therefore the Pope and all the Church did erre. reade Augustine contra Iulianum lib. 1. cap. 2. where he sayth of Innocentius: Qui denique paruulos definiuit, nisi manducauerint carnem filij hominis vitam prorsus habere non posse, which hath defined that infantes, except they eate the flesh of the sonne of man, can hauehave no life at all in them. And by eating the flesh of the sonne of mā, he meaneth eating the Sacramēt of his flesh and bloud, as it is euident to them that wil bestow the reading of Augustines discourse in that place.