A Compend of the Controversies of Religion, Chapter 14
CHAP. XIIII. OF PVRGATORIE.
§. 1. That the godlie are purged from all ſinnes what-ſo-ever heere, and that by Christ's blood allanerlie; ſo that there remaineth no ſort of ſinnes to bee purged after this lyfe, in anie fyerie Purgatorie.
1. Authoritie of Scripture.
EZek. 18.22. If a ſinner turne, I will forget all his iniquities.
Note then, At the verie inſtāt of our converſion, that wee are purged from all our ſinnes what-ſo-ever: and ſo, no veniall ſinnes are left to bee purged elſe-where.
Iſai. 38.17. Thou bast in lou… delivered my ſoule from the pit o… corruption; for thou hast cast a… my ſinnes behinde thy backe.
Note then, That none are reſerved to bee ſatisfied for by man him-ſelfe, in anie imagined Purgatorie; but all are caſten behind the Lord's backe.
Pſal. 51.7.9. Waſh mee, and I ſhall bee vvhiter than the Snow: hide thy face from my ſinnes, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Remarke therefore, That where God purgeth, the partie purged is made ſo cleane, that there remaineth not the leaſt ſpot behinde, to bee taken away by anie after Purgatorie; and it is not ſome of our greater ſinnes onelie, but hee blotteth out all our iniquities what-ſo-ever, where hee ſhoweth merciemercy: ſo that the partie is made whyter than the Snow.
Col. 2.13. And yee being dead in your ſinnes, and in the vncircumciſion of your fleſh, he hath quickened together vvith him, having forgiven all your treſpaſſes.
Note then, That none are excepted.
Heb. 10.14. By one offering hath hee perfected for ever, them that are ſanctified: That is, (as Heb. 7.25. is ſayde,) Hee hath perfectlie ſaved them. And if this bee, it followeth, that hee hath left no ſinne, nor no puniſhment heere-after for ſinne, vntaken away: and ſo no ſupplement to bee made to his ſatisfaction, by any ſufferinges of ours, in an imagined Purgatorie.
1. Iohn 1.7. And the Blood of Ieſus Christ his Sonne, purgeth vsus from all ſinne.
Note then, How clearlie this errour of Poperie is heere-by convinced, that ſayeth, that his blood purgeth vsus onlie from mortall ſinne, and that there is a fire after this life, that purgeth vsus from veniall ſinnes, and temporall puniſhments: where-as the Spirit of God ſayeth, that Chriſt's blood purgeth vsus from all ſinne: and ſo giveth flatlie this ſpirit of errour the lie.
Rom. 8.33. Who ſhall lay anie thing to the charge of God's Elect? It is God that justifieth, Or who ſhall condemne? ſeeing Christ hath died.
Note, If Chriſt's death then, and the merite there-of, hath abrogated all, then there remaineth not the guilt of anie ſinne, nor the condemning to anie ſatisfactorie puniſhment, to bee ſuſtained by anie of God's Elect heere-after, in anie fyerie Purgatorie.
2. Witneſsing of Antiquitie.
CHRIST by his death (ſaith August.) and by that onelie one & true Sacrifice offered for vsus, hath purged away, aboliſhed, and put out, what-ſo-ever ſort of faults; where-by wee were detained juſtlie by principalities and powers, as guiltle to vnderunder-lye puniſhment. Aug. lib. 4. de trinitat. cap. 13. As alſo the ſame ſayth Pope Leo. Epist. 81. ad Monachos Palestinos.
3. Confeſsion of Partie.
CHRIST hy his death, (ſayth Lombard) and by that one true ſacrifice of his, hath aboliſhed what-ſo-ever faults wee had, where-by wee were holden by Satan, to vnderunder-goe puniſhment. Lomb. lib. 3. ſent. dist. 19. Lyke-wyſe, wee confeſſe, (ſayeth Bellarmine) that Chriſt hath ſatisfyed to his Father for vsus, and for the whole world perfectlie; yea, most fullie, as manie Scriptures teach vsus. Bell. lib. 2. de indulg. c. 7. §. quod enim.
§. 2. That Christ freeth the Godlie from all puniſhment heere-after, as well as from all guilt heere.
1. Authoritie of Scripture.
ISai. 53.4. Surelie, hee hath borne our griefes, and carried our ſorrowes.
Note then, That if Chriſt hath borne our ſinnes, no other-wiſe than by ſuſtaining the whole puniſhment due for them, & for that ende, to diſcharge vsus of the ſame, (nam ſi tulit abſtulit,) it followeth then, that no part there-of heereafter abydeth to bee ſuſtained by vsus.
Verſe 5. And by his ſtripes wee are healed.
Note then, That as bodilie healing ſtandeth in this, that the paine is whollie taken away; ſo our healing by Chriſt's ſtripes, importeth this, that the whole puniſhment of ſinne is taken away.
Rom. 8.1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ.
If then, there bee no condemnation, therefore there is not (as the Papiſts ſay,) ſome condemnation, to wit, to the ſuffering of a temporall puniſhment hereafter, in the fyre of Purgatorie.
Col. 1.19. In him all fulneſſe dwelleth.
Note then, That ſeeing all fulneſſe of Salvation is in Chriſt, and of his fulneſſe wee all receiue, (as ſayeth Sainct Iohn, 1.16.) Therefore wee receiue full deliverie from all puniſhment of ſinne, as well as from all guilt there-of.
Heb. 10.14. By one offering, hee hath perfected for ever, them that are ſanctified.
Note therefore, That hee hath perfectlie delivered them from all ſort of ſinne, and from all ſort of puniſhment: other-wiſe hee could not bee ſaide to perfect, or perfectlie ſaue.
Coloſſ. 2.13. Having freelie forgiven, all your trespaſſes.
Matth. 6.12. And forgiue vsus our debts, as vvee forgiue our debtors.
Out of both which places then remarke, if our ſinnes be our debt, as Matthew calleth them, and that they are all freelie forgiven, as Paul witneſſeth; then all payment of them, or puniſhment for them, is lyke-wyſe freelie diſcharged, and wee there-of fred. It beeing againſt ſenſe to affirme other-wiſe, to wit, that the whole debt ſhould be diſcharged, but not the whole payment.
Note lyke-wyſe, That wee craue forgiueneſſe, as wee forgiue others: and God promiſeth ſuch forgiueneſſe to vsus, as wee giuegive to others. But hee willeth vsus to forgiue others fullie, and freelie, (as Matth. 18.35. is evident,) without keeping the leaſt purpoſe of the meaneſt revenge in heart vntounto them. Therefore ſuch is his owne forgiueneſſe to vsus, without keeping the leaſt purpoſe of tormenting vsus, in a fyre as hote as Hell, after death, and there-after, that hee hath forgiven vsus freelie.
2. Witneſsing of Antiquitie.
WHere there is grace, (ſayeth Chryſostome) there is pardon; and where there is pardon, there is no puniſhment at all. Chryſoſt. hom. 8. in Epist. ad Rom. Therefore (ſayth Augustine,) Chriſt by vnderunder-going the puniſhment, and not the guilt, hath abrogated both the puniſhment, and the guilt. Serm. 37. de verbis Domini.
3. Confeſsion of Partie.
THe ſufferings of Chriſt (ſayth Bellarmine) are able to expiate all ſinne, originall, and actuall; mortall, and veniall: and all puniſhment, eternall, and temporall; and all this by it ſelfe alone. Bell. lib. 2. de indulg. c. 5. §. at non.
§. 3. That no man can ſatisfie for his ſinnes, in anie meaſure, neither here, nor in Purgatorie.
1. Authoritie of Scripture.
ISai. 63.3. I hauehave troden the Wine-preſſe alone, and of all the people, there vvas none vvith mee.
Marke then, If Chriſt was onlie able to treade the Wine-preſſe of God's wrath, then hee alone is able to ſatisfye for ſinne, (for both theſe are one) and all man is excluded.
1. Tim. 2.6. Who gaue Himſelfe a Ranſome for all.
Note then, That a Ranſome, or ſatisfaction for ſinne, muſt bee of an infinite value, ſuch as no ſuffering of man can bee; and therefore the Sonne of God behoved to giuegive Him-ſelfe, who was of infinite power and majeſtie, to bee this Ranſome for ſinne.
Heb. 1.3. When Hee had by him ſelfe purged our ſinnes, hee ſate downe on the right hand of the Majeſtie, on high.
Remarke then, That to purge ſinne, is the priviledge of Chriſt, which hee reſerveth onlie to him-ſelfe, by him-ſelfe, and his owne ſufferings allanerlie doing that, and not by others, or anie of their ſufferings heere, or hence, permitting that to bee done.
Heb. 7.25. Wherefore, hee is able to ſaue them to the vtter-moſt, that come vntounto God by him.
Note then, If Chriſt ſaveth vsus to the vtter-moſt, there remaineth no place for humane ſatisfaction.
Acts 4.12. Neither is there ſalvation in anie other, &c.
Note then, That if all our ſalvation be in Chriſt, and flow from him onlie, then it is not in anie meaſure in our ſelues, and from our ſelues: ſo that wee our ſelues, in reſpect of our owne ſatisfactions, may not bee called our owne redeemers, as the Papiſtes blaſphemouſlie teach, and the Councell of Trent hath in effect decreed. Bell. l. 1. de indulg. c. 4. §. ſexta.
Col. 1.19. In him all fulneſſe dwelleth, and by him, even by the blood of his croſſe, are all things reconciled.
Advert then, That our reconciliation to God, is onelie attributed to the ſatiſfaction of Chriſt's blood-ſhed on the Croſſe; and therefore no humane ſatiſfaction hath place in this worke, ſeeing reconciliation is the worke of a Mediator, and our Mediator behoved to participate of both natures, that in himſelfe, and by him-ſelfe, hee might reconcile both.
Revel. 7.14. And hee ſaide to mee, Theſe are they vvhichwhich came out of great tribulation, and hauehave vvaſhed their Robes, and made them vvhite in the blood of the Lambe.
Note therefore, That the verie Martyres that ſuffer for Chriſt, acknowledge onlie the blood of Chriſt, to bee the perfect ſatisfaction, and expiation of their ſinnes; and therefore are ſaide to make their Robes whyte, by dipping them no-wiſe in their owne blood of Martyrdome, as anie way purging, or ſatisfactorie, but onelie in the blood of the Lambe of God, that taketh away the ſinnes of the World.
2. Witneſsing of Antiquitie.
BY what paines, and what faſtings, can wee waſh away our ſinnes? ſaith Ambroſe, in Pſal. 118. Serm. 20. For the onlie painfull ſuffering of the ſecond Adam (ſayth Bernard) purgeth them whom the only ſinne of the firſt defyled, and not that anie man's owne ſatisfactions can availe for him-ſelfe; for what is our pennance? but that if wee ſuffer not together, wee can-not reigne together. Bern. de verbis lib. Iob. in ſex.
3. Confeſsion of Partie.
THe ſufferings of Chriſt is of an infinite value, and therefore to joyne the ſatisfactions of the ſufferings of the godlie there-vntounto, is al-together ſuperfluous, ſayth Durandus & Mairones, cited by Bellarmine, l. 1. de indulg. c. 4. §. tertia. As al-ſo the verie gloſſe of the canon Law, Diſt. 1. de penitentia verbis, Dic quod, &c. ſayeth, that it is neither by contrition of heart, nor confeſſion of mouth, that ſinnes are for-given; but onelie by the free grace of God: but the contrition of the heart, is a ſigne in-deed, that our ſinnes are for-given, as externall pennance is a ſigne of the contrition of the heart, (ſay they:) which contrition, even free grace preceedeth.
§. 4. That the Soules of the Godlie, after Death, goe immediatelie to Glorie, and to no mid place of torment.
1. Authoritie of Scripture.
ISai. 57.1. The Righteous is taken away from the evill to come: hee ſhall enter into peace.
Note then, That there is no middle eſtate, nor place ſpoken of, but that immediatelie is ſubjoyned vntounto the righteous man's departure out of this life, his preſent entrie in-to peace; and therefore in-to no torment.
Luke 16.25. And Abraham ſayde to him, Sonne, remember that thou didst receiue good things in thy lyfe-tyme, and Lazarus lyke-wyſe evill; but now hee is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Remarke therefore, That wee hauehave onlie two places mentionate in Scripture, whither ſoules goe immediatelie after death, to wit, a place of Comfort, which is Heaven, to the godlie; and a place of Torment, which is Hell, to the Wicked.
Luke 23.43. And Ieſus ſaide vntounto him, Verelie, I ſay vntounto thee, this day thou ſhalt bee vvith mee, in Paradiſe.
Loe then, immediatlie after death the Heavenlie Paradiſe is promiſed to the penitent thiefe: and ſo is it al-ſo given to all other penitent ſinners.
2. Cor. 5.1. For vve know that if our earthlie houſe of this tabernacle vvere diſſolved, vvee hauehave a building of God, an houſe not made vvith hands, eternall in the Heavens.
Note then, That the Apoſtle ſhoweth, that after this mortall lyfe endeth, wee get inſtantlie a better in the Heavens: and this Bellarmine him-ſelfe in thoſe ſame words, collecteth out of this foreſaide place, Bell. l. 1. de ſanct. c. 3. §. deni que : and therefore, thus concludeth: Wherefore (ſayeth hee) it is good for vsus to die ſoone in this World, that wee may quicklie begin to liue in Heaven.
Verſe 8. Wee are confident, I ſay, and vvilling, rather to bee abſent from the bodie, and to be preſent vvith the Lord.
Note then, That there is no mid eſtate of the godlie ſoule departing; but as ſoone as it departeth out of the bodie, and is abſent there-fra, inſtantlie it entereth in Heaven, and is preſent with the Lord.
Phil. 1.23. Having a deſire to bee diſſolved, and to bee with Chriſt, vvhichwhich is farre better.
VVee ſee then, VponUpon the diſſolution of the ſoule from the bodie, followeth inſtantlie the conjunction there-of with Chriſt.
Revel. 14.13. Bleſſed are the dead vvhichwhich die in the Lord, from hence-foorth, now, ſayeth the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their vvorkes follow them.
Remarke then, That the godlie inſtantlie after death, become bleſſed; and immediatelie reſt, and are rewarded in glorie.
2. Witneſsing of Antiquitie.
AFter the departure of the ſoule from the bodie, inſtantlie (ſayth Iustinus) the ſoules of the godlie are carried to Paradiſe, and the wicked to Hell. Heerevnto agreeth alſo Augustine, medit. 22. ſhowing, that the ſoule being looſed from the bodie, inſtantlie goeth to Heaven. And againe hee ſayeth, For the ſoules of the godlie after their ſeparation from the bodie, are in reſt: but the ſoules of the wicked (ſayeth hee) ſuffer puniſhment, vntill the bodies of the one ryſe to eternall lyfe, and of the other vntounto eternall death, which is called the ſecond. And that hee knew no third place, hee teſtifyeth in his fyft Booke of the Hypognostickes, about the midſt: See Augustine, l. 13. de civit. Dei. c. 8.
3. Confeſsion of Partie.
THe Apoſtle's reaſon, (ſayth Bellarmine) 2. Cor. 5.1. is excellent, to wit, this, If this mortall lyfe periſh, wee hauehave inſtantlie an-other, farre better, in the Heavens, Bell. lib. 1. de ſanctis, c. 3. §. deni que .