Two Treatises Against the Papists, Book 2 · Chapter 2
That the faithfull soules in Purgatory being novv past the state of d…seruing, and not in case to helpe them selues, may yet receiue benefit by the vvorkes of the lyuing, to vvhome they be perfectly knitte as fellovv membres of one body. CAP. II.
1 BVt now what meanes may be founde, to ease our brethern departed, of their paine? or what wayes can be acceptable in the sight of God to procure mercy and grace, where the sufferers them selues, being out of the state of deseruing and place of well working, can not helpe them selues: nor by any motion of minde, atteine more mercy▪ then their life past did deserue? VVhere shall we then finde ease for them? surely no where els, but in the vnity and knotte of that holy fellowship, in which, the benefite of the heade perteyneth to all the membres: & eueryevery good worke of any one membre, wōderfully redoūdeth to all the rest. This society is called in our Crede, communio Sanctorum, the communion of Sainctes, that is to say a blessed brotherhood vnderunder Christ the heade, by louelove and religion so wroght and wrapped together, that what any one membre of this fast body hath, the other lacketh it not: what one wanteth, the other supplieth: when one smarteth,1. Cor. 12. all feeleth in a maner the like sorow: when one ioyeth, the other reioyseth withall. This happy society, is not impared by any distance of place,August. epi. 23. by diuersity of Gods giftes, by inequality of estates, nor by chaunge of life: so farre as the vnity of Gods spirit reacheth, so farre this fellowship extēdeth, this city is as large, as the benefit of Christes death taketh place. Yea within all the compasse of his kingdome, this fellowship is founde. The soules and sainctes in heauen,Idem tract. 32. in Ioan. the faithfull people in earth, the chosen children that suffer chastisement in purgatory, are, by the perfect bonde of this vnity, as one abundeth, ready to serue the other, as one lacketh, to craue of the other. The soules happely promoted to the ioye of Christes blessed kingdome,The christiā communiō and fellovvship is expressed. in this vnitie and knotte of louelove, perpetually praye for the doubtfull state, of their owne fellowes beneth: the carefull condition of the membres belowe, continually crieth for helpe at their handes in heauen aboue. Nowe the membres of Christes Church here yet trauelling in earth, they pray together, they faste together, they desire together, they deserue together. Christ our heade, in whose bloude this city and society stand…th, will hauehave no worke nor way of saluation, that is n…t common to the whole body in generall, and peculierly proffitable, to supply the neede of eueryevery parte thereof. He which instituted the blessed sacraments, will hauehave them in this vnity to worke in common, (as farre as the ende of eche of their institutions requireth) and out of it, to hauehave no force at all: he that maketh all our workes acceptable, though they be done of one, will hauehave them perteine to all: the holy sacrifice of the Church, by the will of the author, and the likenesse of the exemplar (as in deede being in an other maner, the very selfe same) is made so common, that it ioyneth the Sainctes and Angels in heauen, to the chosen and elect people, either in earth,The soules depa…ted in p…ety are of our church & fellovvship. or vnderunder the earth beneth. And that this holy consent of good workes, and mutuall agreement of prayer, to the continuall supplying of eche others lackes, doth also apperteine to the soules departed, no man that hath any sense of this happy community, can denie: for being membres of our common body, they must needes be partakers of the common vtilitie.
CAP. II.
1 IF you aske me by what meanes they may be releued, whome the bloude of Christ hath not purged, from all their sinnes, suerly I must aunswere you plainely as I hauehave learned in the scripture, that there is no name geuen vnderunder heauen, by which they maye be helped, which are not helped by Christes death Act. 4. But you hauehave merites of men, to helpe the merites of Christ. O blasphemy! they that can not be iustified by their owne merites, by the vertue of them, shall healpe to iustifie other. But this is worthy to be noted, that they which are in purgatory, can not by any motion of minde, atteine more mercy, then their life past deserued. Therefore faith either is not in them, or else p…ofitteth them nothing, for that is a notable motion of the minde. Then the merites of other men must profite with out faith or els they profitte them not all. But with out fayth it is not possible that they shoulde profit them, for as much as with out fayth it is not possible to please God, Heb. 13. therefore it is not possible that other mens workes aliue shoulde profit them that are d…ad. But we hauehave an other shift sought out to serue them, that is the communion of Saintes. What manner of communion is that which is with out fayth? But because M. Allen bringeth in the communion of saintes. I must shew where in the same consisteth. The communion of saintes is considered either of the whole body of the church, or else of the Church militant here on earth. The communion of the whole body, is the participation of life and all other offices of life, that eueryevery member and the whole body hath of the heade, as S. Paule teacheth plainely Ephes. 4. The communion of saintes here on earth, as it is a pa…te of the whole communion, so the whole Vertue commeth also from the heade, and the members hauehave but the administration thereof, according to the measure and office of eueryevery one. So that when we speake of the vniuersall Church, we beleue that all the elect of God are one mysticall body, that so liueth by Christ, that it is not possible for any one member thereof to perish: when we speake of the communication of the faythfull heare on earth, we meane the dispēsation of the grace and gifts of God, which as eueryevery one hath receiued of God, so of charity he is boūd to imploye the same, to the profit of his fellowe members here on earth: what place is here to merit for them that are deade, when one can not merit for an other that is aliue, no not for him selfe, but eueryevery man hath his worthynesse of Christ: this is the doctrine of the scripture: the other participation of merittes is a mere deuise of men, hauing no foundation in the worde of God, so that M. Allen him selfe can not vouch so much as one text of scripture to warranty, where in he can hauehave any coullor for such communion of merites. For that which S. Paule writeth 1. Cor. 12. is manifestly vnderstood of the mutuall offices of louelove, whereby one member hath compassion with an other, & by no meanes teacheth either the estate of the deade, or the merittes of the liuing. Of like credit it is, that he so constantly affirmeth that the Saintes in heauen pray for their fellowes beneth, and that they belowe pray for the helpe of the Saintes aboue: moreouer that Christ our heade by whose bloude the society standeth, will hauehave no worke nor waye of saluation that is not common to the whole body in generall, and particularly profitable to supply the neede of any parte thereof. Here you see by a plaine distribution that M. Allen will hauehave other workes and wayes of saluation, beside the bloude of Christ. These things being onelyonly affirmed and not proued by the authority of Scriptures, although I might confute at large by the same, yet it shall suffice to aunswere with that auncient father: That which hath no authority in the Scriptures, is as easily denied as it is affirmed. But it is a worlde to see what a compasse you fetch, to bringe in the Masse, for one of the speciall meanes. It was wont to be a sacrifice propitiatory both for the quicke and the deade, nowe you hauehave nicer termes for it. Now: it is the sacrifice of the Church. By whome instituted I pray you? which by the will of the author: if you make God the author, where hauehave you one sillable in the Scripture to declare his will? but that which followeth passeth: By the likenesse of the exemplar (as in deede being in an other manner the very selfe same.) What is this that I heare? doth the Masse aueyle because it is like the exemplar? if you meane the sacrifice of Christ his passion to be the examplar, the masse is as like it as an apple is like an oyster, for all the apish pageantes that be played in it. We read in the Scriptures, that all the sacrifices of the olde lawe, with the tabernacle, were made conformable to the exemplar and paterne that was shewed vntounto Moses which was Christ Exod. 25. Heb. 8. Act. 7. But that there shoulde be any more shadowes, or resemblaunces, when the bodye and substance it selfe is come, it is contrary to the whole scope of the Epistle to the Hebrues. M. Allen hath a shift for that, saying it is the very selfe same in an other maner. But he is so deepe in diuinity, that he forgetteth his first principles of logike. For eueryevery boye in Oxford can tell him, that those things which be like, can not be the same. If therefore the Masse be like the sacrifice of Christ, then is it not the sacrifice of Christ it selfe. Againe the exemplar and the example be proper relatiues, therfore if the sacrifice of Christ be the exemplar whereof the Masse is the example, the Masse can not be the sacrifice of Christ. Neither will it helpe, that he sayth, It is the selfe same in an other maner, so long as the same respect remaineth. But let him make of his Masse what he can, the Church of God instructed by Gods worde receiueth no more sacrifices propitiatory, but onelyonly the sacrifice of Christ his death, which was offered by no other, but by him selfe, and that once for all. Seeing that by one oblation he hath made perfect for euer, those that are sanctified: Hebr. 10.
2 And so sayth S. Augustine in these words. Neque enim piorum animae mortuorum separantur ab ecclesia, Lib. 20. de ciuit. Cap. 9quae & nunc est regnum Christi: alioquin nec ad altare dei fieret eorum memoria, in communione corporis Christi: for the soules of the faithfull deceased, be not seuered from the Church, which is already the kingdome of Christ, els there shoulde be no memory kepte for them at the altare, in the communion of the body of Christ.
By the force of this vnity, what so euer is profitably practised in this worlde one for a nother, as prayer, almes, fasting, Sacrifice, the same thinkes may and ought, by the example of the Church, to be carefully and with out ceasing procured for the helpe of our frends, and Christian brethern departed. And Athanasius that great pillar, he by a meruelous fit example setteth forth, how the soules in an other worlde, may hauehave the benefites of the Church or Christian people, deriued downe vntounto them, and what sensible feele of release they hauehave,Quaest. ad Ant. 34. when we desire God for them. Quemadmodum cum in campo vinea virescit, & vinum in vase occlusum rebullit, ac propemodum feruet: ita etiam …entimus, quod peccatorum animae diuinis beneficijs incruentae Hostiae, & gratiarum actionis pro ipsis habitae, gaudeant: vt idem solus nouit & ordinat deus noster, qui in viuos & mortuos dominium exercet. As when the vine abrode in the fielde doth spring and waxe greene,The communion expressed betvvixt the liue and the dead, by the naturall agreement betvvixt the vine in the fielde & the vvine in the vessel. the wine salfely kept in barells at home, doth also worke in it selfe, and in a maner buyle: euen so, as we iudge, the soules of sinners, through the benefit of the vnbloudy host, and sacrifice of thankes gyuing done for them, may waxe ioyfull and gladde: as the same Lord and God onelyonly knoweth how, and hath ordeyned: who exercyseth his might, vponupon the liue and the deade. See I pray you how he by the action of Gods Church in the holy Masse, in which the vnbloudy hoste and oblation is bestowed, hath founde some way, of carying downe the benefite of Christes passion, vponupon the membres of his body beneth. And though some hauehave wickedly sought, vtterly to breake the band of peace betwixt them and vsus, as they hauehave cursedly shaken thunity of the liuing amongest them selues, yet their mother Christs sp…use, acknowledgeth her owne children still: she seeth by the spirit of God (whereby she seeth all trueth) the sorow of her dearest, so farre out of sight, but neuer out of minde, she in a maner feeleth a parte of her owne body in paine. And can not otherwise do, but by all possible meanes and approued wayes, assay Gods mercy for their deliuery. And this naturall compassion of the Church, passeth through eueryevery membre thereof, and ought to moue eueryevery man, by the lawe of nature, to procure as much helpe as he may.
And so much the more, do we owe this naturall duety vntounto them, because they now can not helpe them selues, being out of the state of deseruing, and place of well working, onelyonly abiding Gods mercy, in the sore sufferance of paines vntollerable. They them selues, as yet your brethern, and a portion of your body, require to be partakers of your benefites. They feele ease of eueryevery prayer: your almes quensheth their heate, your fasting releaseth their paine: your sacrifice wipeth their sinnes and sores: so strong is the communion of sainctes, that, what so euer you do that is acceptable, it ishueth aboundantly downe to them.
2 When all authoritie out of Gods word fayleth you, wherby you should proue that the soules departed receiue benefite by the merits of the liuing, you flie to the authoritie of men. And fi…st Augustine must proue that the godly departed are not separated from the Church, because memory of them is made at the aultare. We nothing doubt, but that the soules of the godly departed, remaine still in the body of Christ which is his church, but we ground vponupon better authoritie then the authoritie of Augustine, and vponupon better proofe then the reason which he allegeth, or else we might not be so certayne of it as we are.
And to the similitude of Athanasius which you note to be Quaest. ad Ant. 34. I aunswere that in the place by you noted there is no such word nor any of his questions ad Antiochum that I can find, where so euer you had it. Although that booke of questions is easily to be seene of all men and confessed of Nannus one of your owne side to be none of Athanasius doing: we say that first it must be proued that the soules departed receiue benefite by masses, and then we shall not striue for the maner how: but mans authoritie is to weake to carry away so weighty a matter. And therefore I will be as bold with you as Augustine was with the Donatistes de pastoribus cap. 8. Auferantur chartae humanae sonent voces diuinae. Ede mihi vnam Scripturam pro parte Donati. Let mens papers be remoued & let the voices of God sound, shew me one Scripture for Donatus side, euen so M. Allen I will not sticke to vrge you when you leane wholy to the authoritie of men. Away with mens writings, let Gods word be heard from you, shew me but one Scripture, to proue all that you hauehave sayd in this chapter of the merites of the liuing to profite the deade,
3 OnelyOnly he that is cutte of from this happy society, hath no compassion of them, nor feeleth not how they are knitt vntounto vsus, by louelove and vnity of one heade, and one body. You shall heare his vnnaturall, and worse then heathen wordes: Dum mortuos a nostro contubernio subduxit dominus, Cal. Instit.nullum nobis cum illis reliquit commercium, ac ne illis quidem nobiscum. VVhen the Lorde hath taken the deade out of our company, he hath dispatched vsus of all intermedlyng with them, or they with vsus. This man was borne to breake the bande of vnity, which he hated both in the liue and dead. By whose meanes it is now come to passe, that those which of reason might clame our aide, are vnnaturally disapointed of all such remedies, whereby any comforte might to them arise. Such lacke of compassion is driuen into our heades, that we feele not the woe of our owne fellowes, our kinne, our brethern, and our owne membres. It is a thousand yeare and more, sith a holy father, not hauing halfe the cause that we nowe hauehave,Ad frat. in herem. 44. yet noted the peoples lacke of compassion towardes the departed, in these wordes. They that lie in torment vntollerable, crie out for succour, and few there be, that make aunswere: they woefully call, but there is none to comfort them. O Brethern what a kinde of cruellty is this? O how much inhumanity is this? those that in their life time suffered much sorow for our sakes, now crie againe for our ayde, and we regarde them not. Lo how the sicke calles, and the phisitions are at hande: the hogge groneth, and the whole hearde groutleth with all: the poore asse falleth, and eueryevery man helpes him vp in hast: but the faithfull alone calleth, in his greuous torments, and there is none that aunswereth. Lo our vnkindnesse (saith this doctor) and lo our lacke of compassion.
But because all this forgetfullnesse, commeth by the wicked suggestion of these late deuilish opinions, which mainteine that the prayers of the liuing, or their workes, do not extende to the deade in Christ: therefore, for the destruction of this vnkind heresie, and planting in our heartes with the trueth, the feeling of our housholde fellowes sores, I shall proue that in all times, as well of nature, as the lawe and Gospell, the faithfull men hauehave euer ioyned in all their prayers and acceptable workes, the soules departed: as vntounto whome, by right of their communion and fellowship in faith, the reliefe of Gods grace and Christes merits do appertayne. Therefore, this once declared, let vsus except them from no painefull worke of the liuing, nor charitable deede, nor good prayer, nor sacrifice, nor teares, no nor from the inward dolour nor louelove of mans heart. Learne to know what it is to be in a common body, and thou shalt streight perceiue, that the least motion of thy mind, stirred by Gods grace, shall be caried to the reliefe of that part which thou pitied, and most intended.
3 Here but that you hauehave a pleasure to spue out your pestilent poyson against that noble light of Gods Church M. Caluine, is nothing that neede any such exclamation which you make with open mouth, as though Caluine denyed the communion of Saincts, which he doth most constantly affirme euen in the same place out of which you hauehave rent those words that you so bite and teare with your venimous teeth. lib. 3. cap. 20. sect. 24. where he speaketh against inuocation of Sainctes, who being in rest with God (he sayth) are not to be drawne by the prayers, vntounto earthly cares of our necessities, which eyther they know not, or they can not helpe. For that office of charitie which the godly doe exercise in this life by praying one for an other, is grounded vponupon the commaundement of God and vponupon his promise, which two thinges are the chiefe to be considered in prayer. But all these reasons concerne not the dead, whom whē the Lord hath remoued from our company, he hath left vsus no intermedling with them, nor them with vsus, so farre as we can conceiue by any coniectures. These be Caluins wordes by which he meaneth, that although the affection of charitie remaine in the deade, yet it is not shewed by looking to our earthly necessities, which they know are subiect to the prouidence of God. Moreouer they hauehave not (that we know by the Scripture) any commaundement or promise to cause them to pray for vsus, neither hauehave we any to pray to them. And this is that intermedling which Caluine denyeth to be betwene the deade & the liuing, namely such as is betwene them that are liuing among them selues. As for the exhortation of him that wrote to his brother in the desert, what so euer he was or how long so euer it be since he wrote, because it hath not authoritie in the word of God, I weigh it as the words of a man, whose credite in diuine matters, is nothing without the word of God.