The Elf-Fire of Purgatory, Part 7
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.
Answere.This Text speakes onelyonly 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 onelyonly the last day, and his eternall estate: as Marke. 10▪30. is cleare;…o Luk. 10.35. Ephes. 1.21. 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 ▪
Marke 3.29. Luke 12.10.Next▪ the Euangelists Marke ▪ and Luke as posterio…, 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 …e… 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,Answer. 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 vsus, 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 to take it only Metaphorically there, when no note of similitude is perfixed thereto (as in the second place:) and to take it properly only there, where expreslie in the contrary, the spirit of God doth put vponupon it a speciall note of similitude (foreign) to preuent any such fallacie, (as he doth in the last place).
Neither is that instance of Bellarmines vntounto this valid to the contrary; where out of Iohn 1.14. he would proue that foreign, is not euer a note of militude, which wee grant: but that foreign, is not euer a note of similitude, hee shall neuer proue.
1 Cor. 15.29. What shall they doe then that are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not? Where, by baptizing is meant afflicting (saith Bellarmine) which none needed to doe for the dead,Bell. l. 1. de. purg. C. 6. by mourning and fasting &c. if they were not in Purgatorie.
Answer.1. This is a most difficile place (as Bellarmine grants) and variously expounded by the Auncients, (all whose expositions hee reiect:) and therefore no ground of Faith can bee proued thereby.
2. Admitting that to be baptized is to be afflicted, yet this is not actiuely to afflict themselues, but passiuely (as the word beares) to bee afflicted by others: and although it were actually to afflict themselues by mourning and fasting for the dead; yet this will not import that therefore they are in Purgatorie: for the faithfull mourned for Stephen, who being a Martyr, is not thought (by the Papists owne confession) that therefore he was in Purgatory.
To be baptized then for the dead (or rather for dead) is o to be afflicted for the beleife and profession of Christs resurrection, and the hope of the godlies resurrection through him (whereof the Apostle speakes); so as both in others account, and their owne resolution likewise, they were esteemed as dead men through the fiercenesse of persecution, then in ieopardie eueryevery houre, as the Apostle saith, and dying daily.
Or else the Apostles scope being to proue the resurrection, he imployeth baptisme to this his purpose, which then was by plunging the whole body in water, in token that the baptized were to die, and be buried to sin: and out of which, their comming vp againe did represent, both the dutie to rise to holinesse here, and the hope of a ioyfull resurrection hereafter. Which mortification of sinne, and being baptized for dead thereto, by denying carnall pleasures to liue in them, were needlesse for any man to practise, but to liue like an epicure, if there were not a resurrection to a better life hereafter.
So that, whether wee consider our promise at baptisme, to die to sinne, or the representation that is in it of dead men thereto, or the efficacie thereof flowing from Christs death to mortifie sin in vsus,Rom. 6.6. or the hazard of Christians then amongst their enemies, for the profession of Christian Baptisme, as the Apostle shewes, the sense is euer sound, vnrested, and orthodoxe.
Mat. 3.11. He shall baptize you with the Holy-Ghost (to wit, heere, saith Bellarmine) and with fire, that is in Purgatorie hereafter.
Answer. Bell. lib. 1. de purg. ca. 5. Bell. lib. 2. de Purg. c. 13.1. If by fire Purgatorie were meant, then it would follow that all whom Christ baptizeth with the Holy-Ghost here, should goe to Purgatorie hereafter: which Bellarmine himselfe denies.
Next, Christ is only said to be the baptizer with fire here; but by diuers reuelations (saith Bellarmine) it hath beene showne, that soules in Purgatorie are baptized or afflicted with Deuills. But what truly is meant by fire, Chrysostome on this place declares, saying, Comemoratione ignis adiuncta rursus ipsius vehemens gratia et incoprehensibile signauit donum.
Mat. 5.26. Verily thou shalt not come out thence, till thou paye the vttermost farthing. Bell. lib. 1 de purg. ca. 7.Purgatorie then is this prison, wherein men must satisfie for their veniall sinnes.
Answer.1. This place is only properly to be taken, as Theophylact, Chrysostome, Tolet vponupon Luke, and your owne Ferus on this place witnesse. Christ therein perswading vntounto brotherly reconciliation, if it were but for eschewing of temporall incommodities.
Bell. l. 1. de. Purg. ca. 7.2. Giuing that it were allegoricall; yet Augustine who expounds it so, makes the prison to be Hell (as Bellarmine grants) the payment eternall punishment: &, donec, to signifie no certaine time, but neuer; as Psal. 110.1. 1 Cor. 15.25. is euident.
Againe, vnreconciled persons with their aduersary, are cast into this prison; but the godly are reconciled with God before they depart hence (say the Papists themselues) therefore it cannot be they, that goe to this prison.
And last of all, by paying the vtmost farthing, is meant (as our vsuall phrase of speech witnesseth) the full summe without the least want: and so it is not to be vnderstood exclusiue of the greatest part, but inclusiue of the least portion, and whereby man so, should be made perfectly to be his owne Sauiour.
Matthew 5.21. Out of this place (saith Bellarmine) Augustine gathers,Bell. lib. 1. de purg. ca. 8. that there are three sortes of sinnes, and three sorts of punishments after this life: lighter sinnes hauing lighter punishment, which saith Bellarmine is the temporall, that soules sustaine in Purgatorie, compared here to the councell.
1. That there are diuers degrees of sinne,Answer. and diuers degrees of punishment after this life, wee willingly graunt with Augustine: but that the godly sustaine any such in Purgatorie, this place will neuer proue. Neither from alligories can be drawne any such enforcing arguments; or from words denotating only Courts of Iudiciall Decrees heere, to proue places of execution or punishment hereafter; euen as who would proue Golgotha, by Gabbatha.
Next, if it be rightly concluded by Bellarmine, that punishments after this life, are here spoken of decreted in foro poli, because Gehenna is mentioned: then by a like reason it will follow, that punishments inflicted only in this life are by the other (whereby he meanes Purgatory) spoken of decreed in foro soli, because such Iudicatories are only in this life▪ and so that Gehenna is the only punishment that is after the same.
And last, if Bellarmines exposition and argument out of this place were good, it would follow that wrath & euill speeches were but veniall sinnes, (for such are said only to deserue the counsell) which he expounded to be Purgatorie, and yet the Apostles Iames and Iohn, Iam. 3.6. 1 Ioh. 3.14.shewe that such deserue eternall death: and so both of them are belied by the Cardinall.
Luk▪ 16.9▪ Make you friends of the Mammon of of iniquitie▪ that when yee faile they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations, and this is by their prayers (saith Bellarmine) deliuering them out of Purgatory.
Answere.This place is most cleare against them, shewing that at the charitable Christians departure, their soules are straight way received into Heauen without going to any Purgatory: and therefore ther is one word of the deliuerance out of the but one only of the receiuing into the other.
So likewise, as little makes that prayer of the Thiefe for them, Luk. 23.24. disiring of Christ an entrie into his heauenly kingdome, but no egresse out of a hellish Purgatorie.
Act. 2.24. Whom God raised hauing loosed the dolours of Hell ▪ that is, deliuered soules out of Purgatory.
Answere.1. The words are the dolours of death, and not of Hell, by which, what is meant, is cleare out of Psalm. 18.4.5. calling the dolours of death, the snares of death: and by the dolours of the graue, meaning the same▪ and by both, vnderstanding so the captiuating of death, and the detayning power of the Graue; wherein our Sauiour by his buriall, as Deaths prisoner was inclosed; and both which powers by his resurrection hee overcame: as by his triumph Hose. 13. is euident: and as Bellarmine grants, Lib. 4. de Christo. cap. 8. and that with Chrysostome and Oecumenius is meant thereby, either that by Christ resurrection God loosed the dolours of death, that was pained in holding him so long in the graue; or else that by his resurrection he destroyed death and all the stinging dolours thereof which accompanied the same. And so he makes him do that by the raysing vp of his body there, which by the discense of his soule he would hauehave him to doe here.
Next, if by such words Purgatory were meant, then it would follow that Christ should hauehave suffered in Purgatory; seing (as is euident) Peter speakes of the dolours which his humane nature suffered, and his diuine loosed. And therefore it was himselfe that was loosed from them, (as Sampson from his cords at first) because it was impossible that he (saith the Apostle and not others in Purgatorie) should be holden by them.
And to vse retortion of this place against themselues, if they meane Purgatory by these dolours, as Bellarmine doth, the same is quite vndone; because Christ is said not to hauehave loosed any soules out of these dolours, but the dolours themselues: whereof it will follow, either that there is no Purgatorie left at all, or else such a one as is quite dolourlesse and without paine.
Philip 2.10. At the Name of Iesus, eueryevery knee shall bow, of things in Heauen, on earth, and vnderunder the earth: Which last sort, seeing it is not the deuils, nor the damned that giuegive voluntary obedience, it must be the soules in Purgatory.
Answer. Bell. l. 1. de. Sanct. c. 6. Isai. 45.23.1. Bellarmine himselfe answeres for vsus, and shewes that this speech borrowed from Isai. is expounded by the Apostle, Rom. 10.14. of Christ comming to iudge all men, before whom all the wicked, sore against their wils, shal compeare, and yeeld subiection, whereof the bowing of the knee among men is a signe.
Neither by bowing of the knee could be meant a voluntary subiection▪ for this reason, because then it would follow, that all the wicked, euen in this life, gaue voluntary subiection to Christ; because it is said, That eueryevery knee on earth shall bow.
As for 1 Pet. 3.20. Bellarmine prooues Limbus patrum thereby▪ Bell. l. 1. de Christ. c. 13. Reuel. 20.7. Iude 1.6.Therefore it cannot be adduced likewise to prooue Purgatory: neither doth the word Prison in Scripture signifie but only the hell of the damned, when it speaks of the imprisoning of Spirits. And therefore it is the wicked and disobedient that are said to bee there; (and so neither the Fathers not the godly whom Christ is not said to hauehave deliuered the …; but to whom he is said to hauehave preached by that Spirit, whereby hee was quickened, which was not therefore his Soule, but by his diuine Spirit in the dayes of Noah, while they had time then to repent by the meanes of preaching, and not after this life when there is no conuersion. And for which exposition we hauehave not onelyonly the clearnesse of the Text, but Augustine also plainly with vsus,Aug. Epist. 99. ad Euodium. and after him Beda, as … grants.
Iohn 11.43. and Luke 8.55. The soule of Lazarus▪ Maries brother returned; and so did the soules of Iairus daughter, and the widowes sonne, whom Christ raised. Now this was not from hell, they being godly; nor from heauen, for so iniurie should hauehave been done to them: Therefore saith Bellarmine, Bell. lib. 2. de Purg. c. ….Mortui quos exitarunt Christus, & Apostoli creduntur fuisse in Purgatorio.
Besides that,Answer. Deut. 29.29. the secret things belong onelyonly to God, and the things reuealed onelyonly to vsus, there could bee no iniury heere done to the creature, whose priuate good must euer giuegive place to the manifestation of Gods glorie, whereto it was created.
But more peremptorily let Bellarmine in that same Chapter answere this saying; Se igitur aliqui sancti redierunt ad corpus, non fuerunt beati, sed Deus praevidens eorum excitationem distulit eorum beatificationem, & interim detinuit eos in optimo aliquo loco; such as is no wayes a tormenting Purgatory.
Yea, to shew how desperate their cause is, and how impudent themselues are,Bell. lib. 2. de Purg. c. 14. in wresting most cleare parts of Scripture to prooue this fiery furnace of theirs: Let vsus see that place, Ex quo (saith Bellarmine) insigne habetur argumentum pro Pugatorio.
Hebr. 10.27. For whom remaines (saith the Apostle) a certaine fearefull looking for of Iudgement, and fiery indignation, which shall deuoure the aduersaries: speaking there no wayes of the godly that are friends, as Bellarmine would hauehave it, that for their sinnes after Baptisme, must bee temporally punished in a purging fire: but of the Lords aduersaries; as the cleare Text sheweth, which the fiery indignation of God shall vtterly deuoure; and of the fearefull iudgement, and finall damnation of those, who by wilfull apostasie from the knowne truth (as vers. 25▪ 26. is euident) doe tread the Sonne of God vnderunder foot, and count the blood of the Couenant an vnholy thing, and doth despise the Spirit of grace; which none of the godly euer either did, or doth.
Next to such places of Scripture, Bellarmine brings in examples of Scripture,Bell. lib. 1. de purg. ca. 11. whereby hee intends to prooue, that the guilt of sinne being remitted, the temporall punishment remaines to be satisfied for; and wherin because many are remisse in this life; therefore a Purgatorie is appoynted hereafter.
2 Sam. 12. Numb. 12.The first examples are of Dauid and Miriam, both pardoned, and yet temporally punished: but hee should prooue that these punishments were payments and satisfactions to Gods Iustice, and redemptions of themselues, (as Bellarmine calles them) where in the contrary, the Scripture clearely affirmes,Hebr. 12.7. that God by such corrections dealeth not as a Iudge with malefactors, to satisfie Iustice, but as a father with his sonnes, to manifest his mercy; doing it not for any payment to himselfe, but for profit to them, and not to free them from any Purgatory hereafter, but to make them pertakers of his holinesse here.
Neither auailes it Bellarmine, that the cause of Dauids correction is set downe to bee his sinne begun▪ for wee confesse, that the sinnes of the godly are the efficient causes of these corrections that God layes vponupon them. But all our Controuersie is of the finall cause, which wee say is for example to others his children, and their owne amendment that are chastised, and which they say is, for satisfaction to his Iustice, and redemption of the sufferer himselfe.
The next instance that hee brings,Gen. 2.17. Rom. 5.17. Rom. 6.23. is of death, which is the temporall punishment of sinne, and is inflicted vponupon the godly, not to preuent sinne, but for satisfaction to Gods Iustice. Whereto wee answere; That to no purpose doth hee instance the common calamities of all men, or death of all in generall, seeing our controuersie heere, is onelyonly of satisfactory punishment proper to the godly in particular: which Bellarmine himselfe confesseth the former not to be, and so most clearly answeres for vsus, saying, That Indulgences take not away Poenas naturales, Bell. lib. 2. de Indul. c. 1.& communes, sed illam quae infligitur in foro poenitentiario, haec enim est per quam Domino satisfacimus, & cui succedit nisi Domino satisfiat in praesenti purgatorii poena. So that these other naturall and common calamities are the fruites of sinne, but not satisfactions for sinne.
Againe, Bellarmine more plainely as yet answeres for vsus,Bell. lib. 2. de Indul. c. 4. saying, Mortis debitum non erat solum vt moreremur, sed vt in morte perpetuò maneremus. And this debt by his satisfaction, Christ hath so freed vsus thereof, that death altering its nature to the godly, is now but a safe passage to life; of a curse, made a full cure, and blessing, ending our fight, leading vsus to our crowne, bringing vsus to our countrey, to the sight of God, company of Angels, societie of Saints, and coniunction with Christ: and therefore so expected with ioy, and desired with longing, which no punishment could bee.
Bellar. lib. 4. de poenit. c. 2.Besides, that hereby he contradicts himselfe, saying, that in baptisme the whole guilt and the whole punishment of sinne is remitted: and yet sodainely after baptisme many Infants die. To say therefore that the death of these is a satisfactory punishment▪ when nothing is to bee satisfied for vnremitted fully, is an absurd contradiction.
His third instance, is of violent death inflicted on some as a satisfactorie and temporall punishment after the remission of the sinne; as Exod. 32. of those that were killed for worshiping the golden Calfe. Numb. 14. of those that murmured against the Lord. 1 King. 13. of the Prophet slaine by the Lyon: and 1 Cor. 11. the death of those that vnworthily communicate.
Answer.We answer, that these first that were slaine, were manifest Idolaters, of whose repentance or remission we reade not: but of the iust deserued temporall punishment here, and what such merite hereafter, 1 Cor. 6.9.
Heb. 3.4. 2 Thes. 2.12. 1 Tit. 1.15.Next, the others that murmured, are called by the Apostle hard-hearted, misbeleeuing, wicked, and disobedient: and who (as cleerely appeares Heb. 4.2.3.) were also excluded out of the heauenly rest; that which God remitted, being according to Moses desire only their full deletion, as God had threatned, and their posterities.
To the other two examples we answer, that all that they proue, we grant; to wit, that disobedience and sinne, is the efficient cause of temporall punishments: but such punishments of the godly, are not payments to God, and redemptions of themselues. So our difference is of the finall cause, which is either for example to others to be aware, or amendment of themselues: or as Augustine saith, cited by Bellarmine, vel ad demonstrationem debitae miseriae, vel emendationem labilis vitae, vel ad exercitationem necessariae patientiae.
Neither read we of the Prophets repentance, nor remission, nor of the reconcilement of these vnworthy receiuers, against whom that are such, the Apostle threatneth the receiuing of their damnation.
Last of all, when enforced by truth, Bellarmine is made to confesse,Bell. lib. 1. de purg. ca. 14. meritū Christi sufficere ad omnē culpam et poenam tollendam, he comes to this shift, that it must be applyed by Purgatory: and all be it that in baptisme it take away all; yet hee saith blasphemously, quod deus tantum semel utitur ea liberalitate, et postea contrahit nonnihil manum, and will hauehave vsus to satisfie for our selues: and that for the temporall punishment, quod vna tantum si actualis satisfactio, et ea sit nostra.
Whereunto wee answer, that wee grant, that Christs merit is not auailable to any without application; but the meanes are set downe expresly in the word:Ephes. 3.17. Rom. 10.17. Gal. 3.27. 1 Cor. 10.16. to wit, faith by the Word and Sacraments: and by which meanes, whensoeuer it is applyed, it looseth none of its full vertue: nor as they blasphemously affirme, doth the Lord but once only vse such liberalitie, to accept it for as much as it is worth towards the godly: (like the Pope, who neuer but once at his Coronation, scatters his copper money amongst the people) but Faith applies it euer, and he accepts it euer, according to the full vertue and value thereof: as being sufficient to free the godly as well from the temporall satisfactorie punishment, which is the lesse; as from the eternall, which is the more.
Besides, likewise that the meanes of applying a thing should be actiue, and not a passion or torment, so neither should these meanes be contrary to the benefit which we enioy by them; as who to see should cloose his eie lids, applying Gods merciemercy by the execution of his Iustice, pardon by punishment, discharge of debt by payment; and applying the grace of Christ, by a meanes derogating from his grace, which is altogether impious and absurd.
As for his testimonies of Councels and Fathers, that he brings in for prayer for the dead, out of which hee would inferre Purgatory, they neuer proue his point.
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. 11.1. Because this did proceede of an errour that sundry of the Fathers did hold, and the whole Greeke Church as yet, (whom Bellarmine refutes) that the soules of the Godly remained till the resurrection in certaine hid receptacles, without seeing God.
2. Their owne Canon of the Masse prayes for the soules of the faithfull which doe sleepe in the slumber of peace, for so are the words▪ Memento domin… animarum famulorum famularumque tuarum quae nos pracesserunt in signe fidei et dormiunt in somno pacis. And yet these soules so long since departed, cannot be said now to be in the fire of Purgatory; for none could sleepe peaceable or found in so easelesse a bed: except they make labouring and rest, sleepe and waking, peace and torment, to bee all one.
3. Cyprian testifies,Cyp. l. 3. epist. 6. et l. 5. epist. 4. Bell. lib. 2. de Purg. ca. 1. et ibid. ca. 18. that they offered for the Apostles and Martyrs, whom yet they thought not to be in Purgatorie: and in the ancient Missalls, Bellarmine grants, that on the day of Pope Leo the 8. canonized Saint, the Church said, Annuè quaesumus domine, vt animae B. Leonis haec prosit oblatio, and yet this prayer for his soule imported not (by their owne confession) that it was in Purgatory.
4. Likewise they prayed for the dead for declaration of their louelove to them,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 and not doubting that the soules notwithstanding were in blisse already, and in that ioy which they prayed for vntounto them: as Augustines words for his mother Monica, plainely manifests: et credo domine quod feceris, quod te rogo, sed voluntaria oris mei approba domine. And whereas the same Augustine would seem more plainely to make for Purgatorie: in other places againe, he either calles it in doubt if 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,Bell. l. 2 de purg. cap. 1. themselues say Masse for children dying soone after baptisme, who hauehave not committed any actuall sinne, and to whom the whole punishment of originall is remitted, and so consequently, can not be in Purgatory.