History of the First Ten Persecutions, History 3 · Chapter 3 · Treatise 1
CENT. 3.
A Treatise of Purgatorie and prayer for the dead.
IN this Centurie also the opinion of ORIGEN anent Purgatorie and worshipping of reliques, errors borrowed frō Pagans.purgatory paines before a man can enter into the kingdome of heauen giueth me manifest occasion to speak of Purgatorie. In the beginning of this treatise I protest, that I detest the worshipping of reliques, and the conceit of Purgatorie fire as two heades of doctrine borrowed from Ethnickes and Pagans. The bones of THESEVS (saith PLVTARCH) being transported & placed in the middle part of the towne of Athens, they honoured his ashes as if hee himselfe had beene returned to the towne, and gaue vntounto him all these diuine honours, calling him foreign, that is, he who diuerteth euill from them: also they called him foreign, that is, a patron & a helper: & foreign, that is, who receiueth the supplications of the humble. What was this else but to honour THESEVS with diuine honours? And the excessiue honours attributed to the reliques of saints in the Popish church, with confidence to be helped and better heard of God, because they were prostrate before the reliques of saints, what was it else but a counterfaiting of the superstition of the Pagans? In like maner the opinion of Purgatorie is but an Ethnicke inuention, & PLATO seemeth to be the first authour of it, (except any man of greater reading can reduce it to a more ancient beginning) for PLATO in his dialogue called Phedo, vel de anima hath three opinions concerning the soules of men. First, hee thinketh that the soules of men who hauehave liued a very honest and vnreproouable life, when they depart out of their bodies, they goe to a place of vnspeakable happinesse. Secondly he thinketh that the soules of men who hauehave continued into incorrigible wickednesse, they goe to a place called Tartarus there to be punished with endlesse paines. These two foresaide opinions PLATO by his trauelling to Egypt (where the people of the Iewes had remained a long time) might hauehave learned, to wit, that the soules of good men goe to heauen, and the soules of euill men goe to hell. But PLATO thought by Philosophie to mend the want that was in ancient Theologie, and he deuised a third place whereinto soules should be both tried and purged, and after suffering of paines should be set at libertie, namely the soules of men who had heauily grieued their parents & afterward repented, or had committed filthie murthers, and afterward repented, these mens soules (I say) according to the opinion of PLATO, behooued to goe through infernall floods, specially through Acheron, C…ytus, and Phlegeton to be tried & purged, & in end to be set at libertie, prouiding they had fully satisfied the persons whom they had offended. These beginnings of PLATOES conceites had neuer hurt Christian religion, if CLEMENS ALEXANDRINVS, and after him ORIGEN had not mingled prophane Philosophie with Theologie. But when the question is riped vp to the very ground, the defenders of Purgatorie fire & worshipping of reliques hauehave cause to be ashamed, as disciples of Pagans, and not of the holy Apostles, in these two points of doctrine.
The foolishnes of CLEMENS and ORIGEN hath beene Foolish borrowing.very pernicious to the Church of God, because they borrowed not from PLATO siluer and golde, as the Iowes borrowed from the Egyptians, by warrant of Gods commandement Exod. 11. but they borrowed chaffe and doung, lies and fables, which some time spreading, sometime growing, sometime altering the first similitude fashioned in the combes of PLATO, in end became an article of Popish faith, and was so straitly vrged, that they who would not beleeue the fained fire of Purgatorie were burned as Heretiques with true flammes of tormenting fire.
AMBROSE and HILARIVS as foolishly followed the opinion of ORIGEN without examining it in the balance of Foolish following.holy scripture. Ambros. in Psal. 118. saith that all men must goe through the fire at the latter day, euen IOHN himselfe the belooued disciple of Christ, of whose death also some doubted, yet no man can doubt of his passing through the fire. Thus AMBROSE suffered this opinion of ORIGEN to sincke into his heart, as though it had beene the vndoubted Oracle of God, which no man should call in question. HILARIVS maketh no exception of the blessed Virgine the mother of our Lord in Psa. 118, but she must also go through this fire at the latter day. And this is a foolish thing to followe any man further then he doth follow Christ, & the warrant of the written word of God, 1. Cor. 11. And therefore the first generall Councill Ann. 551. (as wise behind the hand) was compelled to examine the bookes of ORIGEN & to excōmunicat himself (albeit dead long afore) & to damne his books and vaine opinions specially anent his Purgatorie.
This Origenian errour before it was seriously impugned, it was changed to the worse, and grew neerer to the originall of PLATOES Phlegeton againe: for ORIGEN, AMBROSE and Error growing worse & worse.HILARIVS spake of a fire that should burne at the latter day which al men behooued to passe through before they could enter into the place of refreshment, but PLATO in his dialogue Phedo spake of a flood of fire whereinto men behoued to bee tried and purged immediatly after their soules were separated from their bodies, and what soules I pray you? Not the soules of the best men which went to heauen, nor the worst men, for they went to hell, but the soules of men that were not into a mid rancke, neither very good nor very euill. This opinion, I say, somewhat neerer to the opinion of PLATO then to the opinion of ORIGEN, beganne to take place about the foure hundreth yeere of our Lord, as the distinctions of AVGVSTINE clearely witnesse. Valde bom, The error of Purgatorie fire misliked by Augustine, but not fully impugned.valde mali, non valde mali. Augustin enchiridion ad Laurent. Idem de octo Dulcitii quaest. Thus wandering errours once taking place, became like vntounto a fretting canker eueryevery day worse & worse. If any man think strange that so vile an error neither agreable to scripture, neither yet to it self, but changing the similitude of it, as the Chameleon doth his collour, it preuailed wonderfully and was so fastened into the peoples hearrts, that scarcely can it be rooted out of their mindes in our dayes. To this I answere, that besides the authoritie of the fathers aboue specified, who were entangled with errour, euen they also who found out the opinion of Purgatorie fire to be erroneous and repugnant to scripture, yet did they not fully and in all points impugne this false and lying doctrine, but onelyonly in a parte. As namely AVGVSTINE refuteth that part of CLEMENS and ORIGENS opinion wherein they thought that the deuils and wicked men after suffering of long tormentes may possibly be forgiuen and finde mercy. By one place of scripture he vtterly vndoeth that opinion, Depart'vnto the cuerlasting fire prepared for Sathan and his angels, Mat. 25. ver 4 And in the booke of the Reuelation. And they shall bee tormented night and day for euer and euer, Apoc. 20, August. lib. 20. & 21. de civit. Dei. Yet the other parte of the errour, that tooke deepe root in his dayes, AVGVSTINE knewe it better then he impugned it, lest he should gain-say the receiued opinion among all the people, who thought that the soules of many men after their death were tormented with fire for a while, vntill a full satisfaction were made for the faultes that men committed in their life-time. Against this opinion AVGVTINE speaketh but softly. Non valde coarguo, for sitan verum est, that is, I doe not greatly reprooue it, possibly it is true, August. De civit. De…lib 21. cap. 26. This was also some strengthening of errour, that it was not fully in all points & clearely refuted by godly fathers, whose comporting with the weakenesse of the people in a parte CHEMNIICIVS himselfe calleth prudence and wisdome: but serious impugning of erroneous doctrine had beene more agreable to the will of God. Alwayes AVGVSTINE in his doubtsome speach giueth no ground to Papists to make vp a newe article of faith anent Purgatorie For like as Constantinople was a great citie, yet when it was shaken with an earthquake three dayes and three nights, no man taried in that great towne to builde a new house during that time: euen so AVGVSTINE is a great doctour, yet when hee taketh Simil.him to forsitan or per…aps, this is not a sure ground to leane vponupon.
This vnhappie conceit of Purgatorie fire had many handmaids Many handmaids of Purgatorie.waiting vponupon her, some going before, and others following after her. Before the conceit of Purgatorie goeth an opinion of our owne satisfactions. For the faultes committed by vsus after Baptisme, if we do not perfitly satisfie for them before our death, it resteth that in Purgatorie fire we should absolue the rest of our pennance that is vnfulsilled. How much this first handmaide derogateth from the glory of Christ, the Apostle witnesseth when he saith, The blood of Christ purgeth vsus from all sinne, I. Ioh. I. making no exception ofsinnes after Baptisme committed. The other handmaide preceeding the conceit of Purgatorie, is praier for the dead albeit in all the old and new Testament there be not one example of praying for the deade, or yet offering of sacrifice for the dead. Pardons followed (sometimes called indulgences in another sense then now they are) these pardons, I say, are the handmaids following Purgatorie, by which the B. of Rome (as absolut commander of Purgatorie) hath made vntounto himselfe infinite gaine.
Before I proceede any further, I exhort all true Christians, as they detest Paganisme, euen so to detest all Ethnick An exhortation to detest the originall of Purgatorie. Simil.errours, when they are creeping in into the sanctuarie of God, The golden Eagle of the Romanes was more abominable when it was set vp in the Temple of Ierusalem by HEROD, Ioseph. de bello Iudaico, lib. 1. cap. 21. then when it was set vp in the Capitoll of Rome. And the image of CAIVS CALIGVLA sent to PETRONIVS his Deputie to be set vp in the Temple of Ierusalem made all the Iewes agast, and they were more willing to die then to see their Temple so filthily abused with idolatrie, Ioseph. antiq. lib. 18, cap. 11. It is more seemely then that the golden Eagle and image of CAIVS remaine at Rome, where they were first fashioned, then to bee brought to the Temple of Ierusalem. And it is more seemly also that the opiniō of Purgatory remaine in the schoole of PLATO at Athens, or in the schoole of CLEMENS at Alex andria, rather then to send it abroade through all Christian Congregations to bee beleeued. For Christians ought to be like to the forlorne sonne after he returned home againe Simil.to his father., Luc. 15. Hee was so well fed and clothed in his fathers house, that he would not eat any longer of husks and the food of Swine: euen so our heauenly father hath fed vsus with that Manna that. came downe from heauen, and it is no time nowe to vsus to be fed with the huskes of PLATOES schoole any longer.
The cause wherefore foolish people are so addicted to Purgatorie, albeit it be but an Ethnicke inuention, is this, Preposterous feare & credulity of people …pholde people.a carnall affection that men carie toward their defunct, parents or friendes: to whome they are so affectionat, that if any action done by liuing men could helpe them that are deade, they would doe it with all their heart: and of olde time it was a custome that when men were recently departed this life, their friends would thrust the sacrament in the mouth of the dead body, meaning thereby to procure some reliefe to the soule, which custome was damned in the third Councill of Carthage, Canon. 6. In respect Christ biddeth giuegive the sacrament with this commandement, Take, eat, but dead bodies can neither take nor eate. Alwayes it was carnall affection not ordered with knowledge that mooued friends so to doe. And in our dayes men that are in heauinesse and full of affection toward their owne friendes are both timorous and credulous: so timorous, that they feare that their friendes after death should be pined in Purgatorie: so credulous that they beleeue that the prayers and almes deades of the liuing, their saying of Masses or buying of pardons can helpe the dead, either to mitigat their paine, or to procure vntounto them haistie reliefe out of paine. If these two grounds could be remoued, that simple people would not preposterously bee both timorous and credulous, the conceit of Purgatorie would cease.
Papists themselues that are corrigible I would exhort before I answere to their arguments, that they would doe this An exhortation to corrigible Papists.honour to Iesus Christ, not to make his majestie like vntounto ADONIIAH, 1. Reg. 1. This proud man called IOAB the Captaine of the hoste, and ABIATHAR the Priest, and the kings sonnes except SALOMON to banket, and by not inuiting to that banket SALOMON and BATHSHEBA his mother, and NATHAN the Prophet, and ZADOCK and BENAIAH, no doubt but hee was minded to bring innocent people vnderunder the guiltinesse of treason, as their speeches to DAVID clearely declare, that they forsawe this inconuenient, But Iesus Christ is not like vntounto ADONIIAH to seek e a quarrell against innocent people, whom he himselfe hath purged from all sinne in the precious fountaine of his blood, 1. Ioh. 1. Will the Lorde Iesus after hee hath purged vsus from all spot of sin in the fountaine of his owne blood, send vsus to Purgatorie when wee die, and not call vsus to that celestiall banket of endlesse pleasure in heauen: seeing the not calling of vsus to that banket importeth a disliking and casting off of vsus, as ADONIIAH disliked SALOMON and his mother, and NATHAN the Prophet, & the rest whom he inuited not to his banket? Surely whomsoeuer the Lord hath loued so dearely, that hee hath purged them from all spot of sinne by his blood, he will not be vncouth to them, by sending them to Purgatorie when they should be inuited to his banket.
Now in this disputation of Purgatory fire a solide ground The vse of temporall paines.is to be laide downe, that eueryevery man may know of what sort of paines after this life we dispute. All paines are either temporall or eternall. Of eternall paines there is no disputation in this treatise. Temporall paines (say we) are inflicted vponupon men onelyonly in this life for their amendement, if they bee of the number of Gods elect, or else are forerunning tokens of euerlasting wrath, if they be of the number of the reprobate. For this cause the Apostle saith, that there is no chastisement joyous for the present vntill it bring foorth the good fruite of righteousnesse, Heb. 12. ver 11. And heere hee declareth clearely that temporall chastisements are inflicted vponupon the godly for their amendement.
On the other part the prophecie that was in the mouth of ZARESH the wife of HAMAN (albeit grounded onelyonly vponupon experience) yet it declareth that the downe-casting of wicked men is a forerunning token of a greater downe cast to followe after, Ester chap. 6. ver. 13. And this is a shorte summe of our opinion anent temporall punishments. But Papistes defend that euen after this life there is temporall punishments in Purgatorie, the suffering where of satisfieth God for off…nces committed by men when they were aline, and purgeth them that their soules may be meet to goe to heauen.
This opinion of theirs is linked with another absurde opinion, that when out sinnes are freely forgiuen, wee are not Fault and punishment there of both abolished in Christ.absolued both from guiltinesse and paine, but from guiltinesse only, but it remaineth still, that we should suffer paines yea such paines, whereby we satisfie for our sinnes committed after Baptisme, what is this else but to make vsus our own sauiours in a part, and manifestly to contradict both scriptures and fathers? for the scripture plainly saith. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ, who walke not after the flesh, but after the spirit, Rom. 8. And AVGVSTINE saith, Culpa est quod injustus es, poena quod mortalis es, Christus suscipiendo panam & non culpam, & poenam debevit & culpam. August. de verbis domini, serm. 37. that is, thy fault is this, that thou art vnrighteous, thy punishment that thou art mortall, but Christ by taking vponupon himselfe our punishment and not our fault, hath abolished both our fault and our punishment.
Arguments brought in to prooue Popish Purgatorie are of three ranckes, First, some arguments taken out of the Plaeces of the old Testament abused for stablishing of Purgatoriewordes of Canonicke and Apocryph scripture. Secondly out of the writings of fathers. Thirdly out of visions, dreames and apparitions, where of some are put in write for a memorial to the posteritie. In the booke of the Psalms it is written. Wee passed through fire and water into thy rest, Psal. 65. ver. 12. alias Psal. 66. ver. 12. Here say they meńtion is made of Purgatorie fire. But AVGVSTINE writing vponupon this Psalme doth expone it otherwise. The fire, saith hee, burneth, the water rotteth, both are to be feared, the burning of trouble, and rotting of water. When there are disasters and vnhappie things in this world, they are like vntounto fire: when we are in prosperitie and al things plenteously abound, this is like water. This is the exposition of AVGVSTINE. In the prophecie of ZACHARIE it is written, Thou also shalt be saued through the blood of thy couenant, I hauehave loosed thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. Is this also spoken of Purgatorie? There is in that chapter a prophecie of Christ of his office, humilitie, power, louelove, and the operatiue vertue of his blood, by which blood beeing his own blood, & the blood of the euerlasting couenant of God, we who were sinners and bond-men of Satan are set at libertie, and wee who were heires of hell and condemnation, are fred from that terrible pit whereinto there is not one drop of consolation, & soChrist hath found out to vsus by his suffering foresaid foreign as the Apostle saith, Heb. 9. ver. 12, that is, euerlasting redemption. This is the true sense of that place, for scripture conferred with scripture will find out the right meaning of scripture: but the wresting of scripture to the conceits of our minde is a perpetuall deteining of vsus in blindnesse and ignorance. To this agreeth wel the exposition of August decivit. Dei, lib. 18. cap. 35. and Theodoret. in Zach. cap. 9. In like maner in the prophecie of Malach. Behold I will send my messinger, and he shall prepare the way before mee: and the Lord whome yee seeke, shall speedely come to his temple: euen the messinger of the couenant whome ye desire: behold he shall come, saith the Lord of hostes. But who may abide the day of his comming? and who shall endure when he appeareth? for he is like a purging fire, and like fullers sope. And hee shall sit downe to trie & fine the siluer: he shall euen fine the sonnes of Leui, and purifie them as golde and situer, that they may bring offerings vntounto the Lord in righteousnesse, Malac. 3. ver. 1. 2. 3. If we credite the holy Euangelists, this is spoken of Christs first comming, and of IOHN Baptist his forerunner, and of the effectuall ministrie of the Gospel in purging sinne, Mat 11. ver. 10. Marc. 1. ver. 2 Luc. 1. ver. 76. But Papistes not conferring scripture with scripture, whersoeuer they find fire or darknesse, or a deepe pit and dungeon, or a terrible tempest, there they thinke mention is made of Purgatorie, as I could easily prooue by many other places: but let these suffice for examples of the old Testament wrested and abused.
In the new Testament it is said, And whosoeuer shall speake a w…d against the Son of man, it shall be forgiuen him, but whosoeuer Places of the new Testament abused.shall speake against the holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiuen him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come, Mat. 12. ver. 32. Ofthese words it is inferred that some faults shal be forgiuen in the world to come, albeit the finne against the holy Ghost shall neuer be forgiuen. The true sense and meaning of these words is set down by the Euangelist MARKE in these words, But he that blasphemeth against the holy Ghost shall neuer hauehave forgiuenesse, but is culpable of eternall damnation, Marc. 3. ver. 29. What needeth further requisition when the spirit of God hath interpreted his owne meaning? Againe it is is said in the new Testament. For other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid, which is Icsus Christ: And if any man build on this foundation golde, siluer, pretious stones, timber hay or stubble, EueryEvery mans worke shall bee made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall bee reueiled by the fire: and the fire shall try eueryevery mans worke of what sort it is. If any mans worke that he hath built upon, abide, he shall receiue wages. If any mans wo…keburne, hee shall lose, but he shall be saued himselfe: neuerthelesse yet as it were by the fire, 1. Cor. 3. ver. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. The last of these verses is brought foorth as a testimonie of scripture proouing Purgatorie fire: & so much the rather because S. AMBROSE doeth so expone the foresaide verse. Let vsus therefore with AMBROSE agree vponupon all the rest, and contrauert onelyonly vponupon the last verse. The foundation of Christ, the golde, siluer and precious stones is true and solide doctrine, the timber, hay, and stubble is friuolous doctrine: the triall by day, and fire is a triall by the worde of God, full of light, as the day, and mightie in operation as the fire. In this triall hee whose doctrine is authorized and not ouerthrowne by the worde, hee hath double vantage: first his worke standeth, next himselfe shall be rewarded as a good builder. But if in the triall a mans doctrine be found friuolous, albeit not hereticall, hee shall sustaine double losse: First hee shall see his doctrine ouerthrowne by the light and fire, that is, by the worde of God, next, albeit himselfe shall be saued, because hee adhereth by faith to the foundation, yet because hee hath beene a slouthfull teacher in teaching friuolous things with a glorious shewe of eloquence of in steade of solide and necessarie things, hee shall bee saued by fire, that is, as wee say, hee shall be cast into the fornace of temporal troubles to learne repentance and amendement in this life, wherein onelyonly is time and place of repentance. But the Papistes thinke that men after their death shall bee cast into the fire of Purgatorie, there to satisfie for their fault, and after satisfaction to be purged and saued Here first note, that the Apostle vttering by a continuated allegorie the estate of those who build vponupon the right foundation any kinde of doctrine either solide or friuolous, in the end he perfiteth his allegorie, comparing the chastisements of God sent for our amendement vntounto a fire. This agreeth better then to interpret all the rest allegorically, and the last words into a simple meaning without any figure, & to father that opinion vponupon PAVL whereof neither hee nor any other Apostle maketh mention in their writings. Next consider that they would seeme to be followers of the interpretation of AMBROSE, when as their conscience (I meane of those that are learned amongst them) knoweth the contrarie, that AMBROSE meaneth of that fire at the latter day, whereof ORIGEN writeth, but not of that Purgatorie fire immediatly after the issue of this life, whereof the Papistes speake, Indeed if Purgatorie fire should be set forth as an article of Christian faith, it should bee grounded not vponupon allegories or obscure places of scripture, but vponupon cleare and plaine places, as all the ancient fathers in one voyce doe consent, but this place of scripture is an allegorie and an obscure place. ORIGEN and AMBROSE take it in one sense, the Papistes take it in another sense, we take it in the third sense, and some of their owne scholasticke doctors are so dashed with the varietie of diuerse interpretations, that they dare determine nothing certainely, but say that either with the fire of Purgatorie, or with the fire of tribulation, or with the fire that goeth before the face of the great Iudge men who hauehave committed veniall sinnes shall be purged and saued. THOMAS AQVINAS in 1. Cor. 3. When their owne scholasticke Doctours are in such doubts, there was no time to step A place out of the booke of the Maccabees for c…nsi mation of sacrifice for the dead, and consequently of Purgaterieforwarde, and to make it an article of their faith.
The chiefe place cited out of Apocrypha bookes is Macab. 2. cha 12. frō the 40 ver. to the end of the cha, in these words. Now vnderunder the coates of euerte one that was sl…ine, they found jewels that had bene consecrated to the idvles of the Famnites, which thing is forbidden the Jewes by the Law. Then euerie man saw that this was the cause wherefore they were slaine. And so eucrie man gaue thanks vntounto the Lord, the righteous Judge, which had opened the things that were hid, And they gaue themselues to prayer, and be sought him that they should not be destroyed for thefault committed. Besides that, noble Iudas exhorted the people to keepe themselues from sinne: for so much as they sawe before their eyes the things that came to passe by the sinne of those that were slaine. And hauing made a gathering through the companie sent to Ierusalem about two thousand drachmes of siluer to offer for a sinne offering. Hitherto doth the author of that booke write the history of that fact, which was done by IVDAS MACCABEVS and his souldiers. First they were about to burie the dead bodies of their brethren who were slaine in the battell fighting against GORGIAS. Secondly they found secretly couered vnderunder their garments jewels consecrated to idoles. Thirdly they acknowledged this to be a sinne, and to hauehave beene the cause of the destruction of their brethren. Fourthly they thanked God who discouered this secret: for the punishment of their slaine brethren was an admonition to them that were aliue to absteine frō the like fault. Fiftly they gaue themselues to praier, fearing lest the whole army should be plagued by God for the fault committed by a few number of the armie, as the fault of ACHAN troubled the whole hoste in the dayes of IOSHVA, Ios. 7. Sixtly to prayer is added an exhortation of IVDAS to abstaine from the like faults. Seuenthly a collection is gathered to be sent vp to Ierusal…m that a sin-offering might be offered, not for the deade, but for the liuing, who had not searched out the faultes of the host diligently as became them: And therfore there was some guiltinesse also in them. The rest that followeth is the opinion of the author of that second booke in these words, Doing very well and honestly that he thought of the resurrection: for if hee had not hoped that they which were slaine should rise againe, it had beene superfluous and vaine to pray for the dead. And therefore he perceiued that there was great fauour laid vp for those that died godly. (It was an holy and a good thought) So he made a reconciliation for the dead, that they might be deliuered from sinne. When I read this opinion of the author of the second booke of the Maccabees I am nothing moued with it: first because it seemeth to be a lie that IVDAS MACCABEVS sent to Ierusalem to offer sacrifice for the dead, Hee knewe the law of God, and fought fo the law of GOD wherein was no sacrifice for the deade, nor yet example in all the old Testament that any man did offer sacrifice for the dead: but this author bringeth in IVDAS fighting with his sworde for the lawe, and with his alledged sacrifice against the lawe. And it is lesse inconuenient to rub this foule spot vponupon the vnwise writer then vponupon that wise, valiant and godly man IVDAS MACCABEVS. And I am the bolder to rub this fault vponupon the writer, rather then vponupon the valiant Captaine of whome hee writeth, because in other places also he taketh boldnes to commend things forb…dden in the Lawe of God, as namely the fact of RHASIS in slaying of himselfe, 2. Macab. cap. 14. ver. 46. Likewise I am emboldened to do it, because I read this same historie in other authours more worthie then this man is, who impute no such fault to IVDAS MACCABEVS, as namely Ioseph. antiq. lib. 12. cap. 12. If any man shal think me presumptuous in charging the writer of the booke rather then the worthy gouernour with a fault, let him vnderstand that the veritie of God is in nothing empared albeit there had bene a fault in both, that is, in IVDAS doing a thing repugnant to the Law, and in the authour praysing a thing done contrarie to Simil.the law. For like as there was no grace in DAVID, that could grace his adulterie▪ euen so therewas no gift in IVDAS MACCABEVS that could excuse his offering of a sacrifice for the deade, which no man did before him in the old Testament, and no man is found to hauehave followed him in the new Testament, as saith CHEMNICIVS.
In the next place arguments are brought out of ancient fathers to proue Purgatorie by their prayers for the deade. By the praiers made for the dead of old Purgatorie cannot be sufficiently confirmed.For after this maner they reason. If soules of men departing from their bodies went straight wayes either to heauen or hell, what needed prayers for the deade? for they who are in heauen are in glorie and rest, and they who are in hell cannot be supported by prayers. But (say they) the ancient fathers praied for the dead, whereby it is cleare that they beleeued a third place, to wit, Purgatory, whereinto the soules of some men are tormented, and hauehave neede of the support of the liuing: but the consequence is very false: for they cannot be ignorant that in CYPRIANS daies the name… of holy martyres were mentioned in prayers atthe ministration of the holy sacrament, lib. 3. epist. 6: yet no man thought that the martyrs were pained in Purgatorie. In like maner AMBROSE affirmeth that hee will pray for the soule of VaLENTINIAN the second, of whome he said before, aternae vitae fruitur voluptate, that is, he enjoyeth the pleasure of eternal life, Ambros. de obitu Valentiniani. And NAZIANZEN prayeth for his brother CESARIVS, of whose rest with God hee had the like hope, Nazianz. …rat. 7. All these prayed for the dead without any opinion of Purgatorie. And therefore LINDANVS for all his confident assertion that Purgatorie is fully prooued by the testimonies of AVGVSTINE and CHRYSOSTOME, who make mentiō of the praiers for the dead, the one calling it a custome vsed by the whole Church. August. serm. 32. de verbis Apostolt. the other calling it a traditiō of the Apostles, Chrysost. homil. 3. ad Philippenses, yet I say, neither of these two beleeued Purgatorie. AVGVSTINE doubted of it as said is, and CHRYSOSTOME knew it not, as shall be declared Godwilling, Lindan. lib. 4. cap. 63.
But now let vsus examine these two places whereunto LINDANVS leaneth as infallible grounds, and surer then that any The place of Augustine serm. 32. de verbis Aposloli examined.exception can be taken against them, August. serm. 32. de verbis Apostolt. It is not to be doubted that the deade are helped by the prayers of the holyChurch & by the healthful sacrifice & almes deedes that are bestowed for their spirits, in such wayes, that God dealeth more gently with them then their sinnes hauehave d…serued First, I doubt if this be a sermon of AVGVSVINE. It seemeth rather to be a sermon of BEDA, who liued long after AVGVSTINE, because al this sermon is found in BEDA writing vpō 1 Thess Next, like as AVGVSTINE doubted of Purgatorie, so likewise he doubted if it was lawful to pray for the dead, as his own words testifie, August, Confess. lib, 9. cap. 12. after that he had prayed for the soule of his mother MONICA he subjoyneth this: If any thinke I hauehave done wrong in praying in few words for her who prayed so ofi for me, let him not mocke…mee, but if he hath great charitie, let him weepe for my sins to the common father of …l Christs brethren. If AVGVSTINE speake so doubtsomely of Purgatorie, de civit. dei. lib. 21. cap. 26. and of prayer for the deade, Confess. 9, cap. 12. LINDANVS had no great ground to proclaime the triumph of victorie for this alledged sermon of AVGVSTINE.
The place cited out of CHRYSOSTOME writing vponupon the first chapter of the Epistle of PAVL to the Philippians, homil 3, The place of Chrysostom homil 3 in epist. ad Phillip. examined.foreign, that is, It was not in vaine that the Apostles constituted this as a law, that in the reuerent mysteries a remembrance should be made of those that are departed. For answere. First, I demande of LINDANVS, if all these of his religion beleeue this that CHRYSOSTOME speaketh, that prayer for the deade in time of celebration of the holy communion is an Apostolick tradition? IS GREGORIVS 1. in that opinion, who affirmeth that the Apostles in ministring that holy sacramēt vsed no other prayer but only the Lords prayer? Gregor. in regist. lib. 7. epist. 63 IS PLTAINA in that opiniō, who writing the life of XISTVS 1. saith thus, Petrus enimubi consecr auerat oratione Pater noster usus est? This being the opiniō of the most part of the Romaine Church that the Apostles vsed no other prayer but only the Lords praier before the ministration of the holy cōmunion, howe can they adhere to this place of CHRYSOSTOME, who calleth it an Apostolicke institution to make mention of the dead in these prayers? Secondly I demande of LINDANVS (if the passages in that same homilie be not excused by the figure hyperbole) howe doth CHRYSOSTOME agree with himselfe when hee speaketh of them that are departed this life without Baptisme, hee saith that they are foreign, that is, They are without the palace with them who are appointed for paine, and with them who are condemned. Which opinion, or rather hard and mercilesse sentence he would confirme by testimonie of scripture, Except a man be borne of water and the holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen. Iohn 3. ver. 5. and yet a litle after, for such hee biddeth distribute almes to the poore, and this distribution of almes saith he foreign, that is it worketh some refreshment vntounto them. What is this that CHRYSOSTOM speaketh, persons whō he calleth condemned & perpetually excluded from the kingdome of heauen may hauehave some refreshment by the almes deedes done by their friends on earth? In this CHRYSOSTOME neither agreeth with scripture nor with him selfe: hee ag…eeth not with scripture, because it is plainely saide that not so much as a drop of colde water can be ministred to those that are condemned, Luc. 16. He agreeth not with himselfe, in one word counting them perpetually excluded from the kingdome of heauen, and soone after speaking of some refreshment, that they may get by actions done by the liuing. Are we more louing, kinde and mercifull then ABRAHAM, in whome louelove and all true vertues are perfited: yet he sawe no refreshment to a condemned man? Thirdly I demand of LINDANVS and those that bee of his opinion if CHRYSOSTOME was as deepe in the opinion of Purgatorie as in the opinion of prayer for the dead? CHRYSOSTOME neuer knew what Popish Purgatorie meaned, because in his time men who died in the faith, albeit not altogether faultlesse, yet they were conueyed to the burial places with torches and hymnes and spirituall songs. And wherefore were these funerall rites vsed, saith CHRYSOSTOME. Do we not conuey them (saith he) as victorious warriours? Do we not praise God, because hee hath crowned with glory him who is departed? Chrysost. in cap. 2 epist ad Heb. homil. 4 The funeral Psalme that was vsually sung was the 116. Psalme (the 7. verse whereof is this) Returne my soule vntounto thy rest: for the Lord hath bene beneficiall vntounto thee: This was not to Purgatorie, but to endlesse rest. But to speake freely what I thinke of that ancient father CHRYSOSTOME in calling prayer for the dead an Apostolicke tradition, I think he hath spoken hyperbolically calling all these opinions, Apostolick traditions, which were deliuered to him by good men, who kept the chiefe heads of Apostolicke faith, and this amongst the rest (albeit no article of faith) yet beeing deliuered to him by Christians more ancient then himselfe, he calleth it by a figure an Apostolicke tradition. But the conceite of Popish Purgatorie neuer entred into the heartes of NAZIANZENVS, BASILIVS, ATHANASIVS, (albeit DAMASCENE falsly alledgeth his testimonie) THEODORETVS, CHRYSOSTOMVS and the ancient learned fathers of the Greeke Church, as clearely appeareth by the first protestation giuen in at the Councill of Florence by the G…ecians there conueened Ann. 1439.. How socuer weake r…en for hope of helpe from the West were feeble defenders of the truth, yet they clearly knew that the opiniō of Popish Purgatorywas vnknown to their ancient orthodoxe fathers.
In end, Purgatorie finding no sure allowance in scripture, nor yet in the writings of ancient fathers began to creepe Fables of Damascene forstablishing of Purgatoryvnderunder the skirts of apparitions of dead men & by dreames, fables, apparitions and foolish inuentions it was so strengthened, that the verity of the Gospel was not so much regarded by a foolish bewitched people as the fables confirming Purgatorie. It were tedious to rehearse all the fables of DAMASCENE in his sermons de defunctis. Yet all are not to be past ouer with silence: He saith that THECLA one of the first feminine mattyrs prayed for FALCONILLA after her death, and obtained pardon to her, albeit shee was an Ethnicke idolattesse, and died without the knowledge of Christ. This woman behooued to be deliuered out of hell, and not out of Purgatorie. But who should lend his eares once to hearken to fables so repugnant to scripture, Luc. 16. In like maner he saith that holy MACARIVS prayed night and day for the dead, and in end he demanded at the dry pow or head of a deade man if hee felt any comfort by the prayers of the liuing, and the dry pow or braine pan answered that they found some litle refreshment. Likewise he bringeth in the fable of an ancient teacher (whose name he expresseth not, because fables delite to hauehave their head lapped vp in darknesse of shadowes and silence) who had a disciple that liued licentiously in excesse and …iot all his dayes, and so without repentance concluded his life: the teacher made prayers night and day for his disciple, and in end the Lord opened his eyes to see his disciple burning in flames of fire to the necke: after this hee increased the earnestnesse of his prayers, & afterward he saw his disciple burning in fire vntounto the middle part of his body. Finally by the feruencie of multiplied prayers he was fully deliuered. The fable of GREGORIVS 1. cited also by DAMASCENE goeth beyond all the rest in absurditie, that he prayed for the soule of TRAIAN the third persecuting Emperour, and obtained pardon to it as a voyce that came downe from heauen, witnessed, saying, I hauehave heard thy prayers and granted pardon to TRAIANVS, but in time to come make no prayers for wicked men. All these fables are like vntounto the gourd of IONAS, that had a worme within it, which smote it, so that it withered incontinent, Ion. 4. euen so in al these fables there are circumstances declaring that God would not heare the prayers made for impenitent sinners after they had died in sinne.
Heare I leaue Papists dreaming vponupon Purgatory and confirming it with dreames, & yet vncertaine where it is. As for vsus, we will leane alanerly vponupon the blood of Christ, which True Christians leane vponupon the purging blood of Christ.purgeth vsus from all sinnes, 1. Loh. 1. and we know certainely that our high Priest the Lorde Iesus with his owne finger sprinkleth his owne blood vponupon our soules, that we may be found a pure virgine to Christ, 2. Cor. 11. that being purged from all sinne, we may enter into that holy celestial Ierusalem whereinto no foule and vncleane thing getteth entresse, Apocal. 21. Now he who hath prepared this holy mansion for vsus, prepare vsus also for it, to whome be praise and glory for euer.
Amen.