Touchstone to Determine the True Catholic Faith, Part 16
Of Purgatorie.
AS concerning Purgatorie. First the doctrine thereof (that they which beléeue in Christ shall after this life, go into a place of fire and torments, and there for a time be purge…) ouerthroweth the faith of the gospell. It is heauy newes, not glad tydings: that they which beléeue in Iesus Christ, shall besides their manifolde crosses and punishmentes in this life, goe afterward into a place of farre greater griefe and sorrowe. The glad tydings of our sauiour, to all that beléeue in him is quite contrarie. For thus he saith: Neither the father iudgeth any man; Io. 5. v. 22.but hath committed all iudgement to the sonne, that all men may honor the sonne as they honour the father. He that honoureth not the son, honoureth not the father that sent him. Verely, verely, I saie vntounto you, he that heareth my wordes, and beleeueth in him that sent me, hath euerlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation: but hath passed from death to life. This is the faith of the gospell, this is glad tydings to all true Christians, and catholiques, and beléeuers in Iesus Christ, confirmed by a double oath: that they which heare his worde, and beléeue in God his father, hauehave euerlasting life: that is, are euen now so sure of it, as if they had it: and shall not come into condemnation; either of temporall punishment after this life, or of eternall, but hauehave passed from death to life, that is, to ioie and felicitie. This is that which the psalmist affirmeth: If thou Lord, wilt be extreame to marke what is done amisse, Psal. 130. v. 3.who is able to abide it? God will not call his to a strict account. This is that which the gospell teacheth: Christ, though they be sinfull, will not be ashamed of his, before God and his angels: Luke 9.26.but they hauehave already passed from death to life: not to purgatorie, as the papistes imagine. These signes of time past, argueth a certaintie of that shall be. So that then if our sauiour saie, and that with a double oth, that all which beleeue in him hauehave passed already from death to life; we maie surelie beleeue, and that boldly confesse, they shall passe from death to life. Heb. 4. v. 1.This is that which S. Paul writeth at large in the fourth to the Hebrewes, Let vsus feare therefore, least at any time, forsaking the promise of entering into his rest, any of you should seeme to be depriued. For vntounto vsus was the gospell preached, as also vntounto them; but the word that they heard profited not them, because it was not mixed with faith, in those that heard it. For wee which hauehave beleeued, doe enter into rest, as he said to the other. As I hauehave sworne in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although ye works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certaine place of the seauenth day on this wise. And God did rest the seauenth daie from all his workes. And in this place againe, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therfore, it remaineth that some enter thereinto, and they to whom it was first preached, entered not therin to for vnbeliefe sake: Againe he appointed in Dauid a certaine daie, by to daie, after so long a time, saying as it is said: This daie, if you heare my voice, harden not your hearts. For if Iesus had giuen them rest, then would hee not after this hauehave spoken of another daie. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God: for hee that is entred into his rest, hath also ceased from his owne workes, as God did from his. Here is the summe of the gospell, that whosoeuer beléeueth the promise of God made nowe in the gospell, shall most assuredlie enter into an immortall rest, as did they which beléeued his promise in the lawe, into a temporall rest: as did Iosuah and Caleb. And as then they which beléeued not the promise, neuer entred into that rest, because they mingled not the worde with faith; but respecting their owne frailties and the might of their enemies, died in the wildernesse: euen so nowe amongst vsus, they which beléeue not the power of God, but looke on their owne infirmities, they which respect not his promise, but their owne power, they which consider the power of their aduersaries, and not what God can performe; shall neuer enter into heauen. For all Gods seruants, must hauehave strong holdes to conquer,Num. 13.29. Psal. 18.29. Gal. 1.15. with the Israelites; must hauehave walles to leape ouer, with Dauid; must hauehave flesh and bloud to giuegive a farewell vntounto, with S. Paul; must hauehave their owne frailenesse, and weakenesse, and barrennesse of all goodnesse, to wrastle withall,Rom. 4.19. with Abraham and Sarah, that shall be saued. And they must beléeue and hope assuredlie in God, against all hope in themselues. And they, whosoeuer they are, that thus mingle the worde with faith, with our father Abraham, with Iosuah and Caleb, and the true Israelites: though they be weake and fraile, yet shall no doubt enter into …st, yea and that into a perfect rest, into a heauenlie rest: euen as God rested from his labours the seauenth daie; so shall they rest, they shall not néede to feare anie purgatorie. This is the faith and glad tydings of the gospell. And of this rest S. Iohn writes thus also: Blessed are they that die in the Lord. Reuel. 14. v. 13.For they shall rest from their labours: and their workes follow them. Nowe to die in the Lord, what is it else, but to die in the profession of the faith of Iesus Christ? Faith is the bonde that knits vsus to him.Rom. 11.20. As by incredulity, the Iewes were quite broken off from him: so by faith we are engrafted. Those that die in the faith of Iesus Christ, rest from their labours. This faith bringes them this rest: according to that saying of our Sauiour, let not your heart be troubled, Io. 14.1.beleeue in God, and beleeue in me. This faith takes awaie all trouble, and bringeth peace and rest: and this goeth before; and their workes followe them. Here is also a manifest distinction put downe, betwixt faith and good workes, faith goeth before, and bringes rest, and iustifieth before God: and workes followe after, and shall be crowned of the merciemercy of God, through the vertue of faith: which otherwise of themselues, were nothing. And the same doctrine of workes and faith, S. Paul often teacheth,Phil. 1.11. calling them the fruites of righteousnesse, they are not our righteousnesse, but the fruites of righteousnesse: For a1. Cor. i. v. 28.29.30.31.Christ is our righteousnesse, and sanctification, and redemption (as the same Paul witnesseth) which must stand vsus in steede, in Gods iudgement. And that is euerie Christians true ioie (as out of Ieremie S. Paul proueth:) And vile things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, and thinges which are not, to bring to nought things that are; that no flesh should reioice in his presence: but ye are of him in Christ Iesus, who of God is made vntounto vsus wisedome, and righteousnesse, and sanctification and redemption; that according as it is written, He that reioiceth let him reioice in the Lord.
And this is the rest, our sauiour speakes of, when as seeing the Centurions faith, he maruailed and saide to them that followed him:Mat. 8. v. 10.11.12. Verely, I saie vntounto you, I hauehave not found so great faith, euen in Israell. But I saie vntounto you, that many shall come from the East and West, and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob, in the kingdome of heauen: and the children of the kingdome shalbe cast out into vtter darkenesse, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And this rest commeth of faith in Iesus Christ: To beleeue that all thinges are in his power, euen death and life, health and sickenesse, yea deuilles and what thinges soeuer are in the worlde.This was the Centurions faith our sauiour so highly commended. Through this faith no doubt Lazarus, being poore in euerie respect, not able to giuegive a mite, but rich in faith, was carried into Abrahams bosome, that is, into a place of most pleasant rest.
Rom. 8.31.This is that S. Paul saith, What shall we saie then to these things? If God be on our side, who can be against vsus? which spared not his owne s…nne, but gaue him for vsus all to death: How shall he not with him, giuegive vsus all things? Here is the riches of all Christians: God so loued them, that he gaue them his sonne: howe then will he not giuegive them all thinges else? But they are sinners, they are vnprofitable servants, they are prodigall children, this will turne awai… Gods fauour from them: But against this heavie newes, here is a comfort: Who will laie any thing, to the charge of Gods chosen? It is God that iustifieth, who shall condemne? It is Christ which is dead, yea or rather which is risen againe, who is also at the right hand of God, and maketh request also for vsus. Though we often displease God, euen dailie: yet we knowe hee is the beloued sonne, in whome the father is well pleased, and for whose sake, … are accepted. And those whome he accountes his, sathan dare not rowte against, and they appeare before God, clad with his righteousnesse. This is the gospell, this is glad tydinges, this is most certaine, this is confirmed with a double oathe: This is generall of all Christians, that heare the worde of Iesus Christ, and beléeue in his father. Let Papists, and counterfeit catholiques take héed, which will not heare his word, nor thinke they are bound to know and vnderstand it; least by this their obstinacie and stopping their eares, they go not into purgatorie, but into hell. For no doubt this was not added in vaine; it shall hauehave his force in some, let them marke it well:2. Thes. 1.8. For S. Paul saith, The Lord Iesus shall come himselfe from heauen, with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire, rendring vengeance vntounto them, that doe not knowe God, and doe not obey the gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ. And howe can they obey the gospell, that knowe it not, and refuse to heare it? Neither shall their ignorance, the blinde mother of their deuotion, excuse them. For Christ shall render vengeance, to those that know not God.
Secondlie, the doctrine of purgatorie is against the authoritie of Christ: for he saith, Father I will, that they which thou hast giuen me, be with me euen where I am, Io. 17.24.that they may beholde my glorie which thou hast giuen me. For thou louedst me before the foundations of the world. This is Christes will: and what Pope, what deuill, can withstand it? And he excepts none. All his shall be with him, all Christians, as well great as small, all his members, as well weake as strong. He will not suffer the feast of them, to endure a moment, the fire of purgatorie. And when this shall be, that they shall be with him, S. Paul plainlie expoundeth, at the houre of their deathes. And therfore no doubt vponupon the gospell grounding his faith, he saith, I desire to be loosed, and to be with Christ. This was the cause, he desired to be loosed out of the bonds of this sinfull flesh, that he might be with Christ: as our sauiour here hath promised, and not to him onelie; but to all that his father hath giuen him, to all his. And in another place, S. Paul speaking of all Christians saith,2. Cor. 5.1. We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolued, we hauehave a building of God, a house made without hands, euerlasting in heauen. So that then, christians hauehave but two houses or homes: This earthlie tabernacle of the fleshe, and when that is dissolued, an house of God, an house in heauen. There is no third house for them in purgatorie. And after in the same place: God hath giuen vsus the earnest of his spirit, and therfore we are of good courage alwaies: being assured of this heauenly inheritance, whereof we hauehave alreadie receiued the earnest from God, which euen amongst men confirmeth anie bargaine. Knowing this, that being at home in the body, we are strangers, we are absent from the Lord. For we walke by faith, not by sight (nowe in this life) yet wee are of good courage, (though we hauehave not séene the Lord with Thomas) and wee desire rather, it likes or pleaseth vsus better, to go out of the body and to be at home with the Lord. Here is but two estates of the faithfull, of those that are Iesus Christes, that hauehave receiued the earnest of his spirit: Either to bee at home here in the body, and to be strangers with the lord, to walke by faith, and not by sight; or else to go out of the body and to see his glorious maiestie, as S. Steuen dying for this faith saw him miraculously; and as it is likely, neuer after lost his sight: so shall all Christians dying in his faith bee with him for euer euen at their deathes. There shall be no middle place to staie them, in the waie. And here this their assurance, this their good courage, and foreign, is twise repeated.V. 6. &. 8. They feare not the performance of his promise, they feare no purgatorie, no torment in the waie: let their enemie the deuill, doe what he can against them in this life, hereafter they are sure he can doe them no harme.
Neither that place 1. Cor. 3. which for their purgatorie the papistes so often alledge, maketh any thing to ye purpose, to pro…e it. According to the grace of God giuen to me (saieth S. Paul) as a skilfull master builder, I hauehave laide the foundation, and another buildeth thereupon: but let euerie man take heede how he buildeth vponupon it. For other foundation can no man lay, then that which is layde, which is Iesus Christ. And if anie man builde vponupon this foundation, golde, siluer, or precious stones; timber, haye, or stubble: Euerie mans worke shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, beecause it shall be 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 vponupon, abide, he shall receiue wages. If any mans worke shall burne, hee shall loose: but he shall bee safe himselfe, neuerthelesse as it were by the fire. It is manifest in this place, that the Apostle speaketh not of anie fire, after this life: but of the fire of affliction in this life. And hee speaketh of all mens workes, not of the workes of anie middle sorte of men, as the papists do imagine, but of the ministers workes especiallie, who build vponupon Christ by their preaching and doctrine, either the gold of faith, or siluer of louelove, or … precious stones of good workes, that is rare and excellente vertues: or else wood, that is couetous doctrine, and wood for their owne fires; or gréene grasse or haie, that is pleasant and pla… ble doctrine to their hearers; or else stubble, that is barren and fruitlesse doctrine. And of this golde in the church of Christ, an… of these precious stones, the prophet Esay prophesieth in his 60. Chap. vers. 17. And of such wood S. Iude here speaketh in the person of Balaam: and of such haie the prophet Micah prophes…eth, Chap. 3 vers. 5. and such stubble our sauiour condemneth in the superstitious Pharisies, who taught not the fruitfull seede of Gods worde, but the barren traditions of men, Mat. 15.9. And here marke I beseech thee (gentle reader) howe wood, which is in the first place, maie resemble couetousnesse: For euen as a trée is rooted in the earth,Mat. 6.21. so the couetous man hath his heart fixed in this worlde; where his treasure is, there his hearte is also. And as a tree hath manie branches: so hath couetousnes, Simony, vsury, extortion, pryde: and therefore it is called the roote of all euill.Deut. 16.21. God for this cause (as it should seeme) commaunded that no groues or trees should be planted nigh vntounto his Altars:1. Tim. 6.10. banishing from his church mysticallie the root of all euill, couetousnes. This wood the Apostle speaketh of, which also hee calleth Idolatrie, because the couetous man maketh his monie, his God. The preachers of the gospell must not build vponupon Iesus Christ, this wood; must not plant neare his Altar, this roote of all euill, and huge greate tree with her manie branches, couetousnes: neither by their wordes, nor by their examples. For if they do, their works shall burne, and they themselues shall be hardlie saued, euen as it were thorowe the fire. Greene grasse also maie resemble the ease and pleasures of this lyfe. In May the fieldes are gréene, pleasant and full of fragrant flowers, and men then do delight, to take their ease in them. They therefore builde gréene grasse vppon Iesus Christ, which doe giuegive themselues to pleasures and ease, which preach not, which labour not in the Lordes vineyearde, and so by their euill example, are offence to others: or else which preach lybertie to their hearers, plausible and pleasant doctrine; which preach the promises, and not the precepts of the gospell. Stubble also may resemble barren, and fruitlesse doctrine: For stubble is a barren thing, all the fruite thereof is gone, and therefore it may signifie all the deuises, traditions, wisdome of mans braine,1 Cor. 2. which profiteth nothing to the kingdome of God: as S. Paul teacheth at large. And S. Augustine writeth thus of the liberall sciences:Epist. 121. If the sonne shall make you free, then are you free indeede: for hee maketh that those which are called liberall artes of those, which are not called into liberty, may be known, what libertie and freedome they hauehave in them. For they hauehave not anie thing in them agreeing with libertie, that agreeth not with truth. And in his Retractat,Lib. 1. cap. 1. he wryteth thus: The praise wherewith I hauehave extolled Plato so greatlie, and the Academikes, as becommed not wicked men; not without cause displeaseth me, especiallie seeing Christian religion is to bee defended against their great errours. So that all mans doctrine is stubble in comparison of the word of God. The liberall artes without Christ, by Augustines iudgement, are bondage it selfe. Christ commandes to preach those thinges he commaunded, his worde. The Friers,Theodoret expounds this place of the daie of iudgment. that hauehave preached legends or fables; hauehave preached stubble: and therfore this place toucheth them, they are not able to auoide this fire.
The doctrines and buildings and workes of these teachers principallie the daie, that is time, shall make manifest. Their hearers are not sounde in the faith, they doe not teach them to beare the crosse after Christ: that, that faith which must saue them, must worke through louelove. EueryEvery mans worke that day, that is time, shal make manifest, for through fire it is reuealed. Thus much the Gréeke word imports, that is no doubt through afflictions, in time it is tried whether Christians be réedes or rockes: whether they be pretious stones, or pibbles: whether they be wood or stubble.
And here as in the wordes golde, siluer, pretious stones, … néedes be confessed an allegorie or figuratiue speech, why not also in the word fire? Againe, if they would hauehave this word fire, to signifie the fire of purgatorie, then as well golde as wood, as well good workes as euill, must be proued in the fire. The which thing S. Augustine noteth. Lastly, the daie signifieth not the daie of iudgment;1. Thes. 5.2. 2. Thes. 2.2. 2 Pet. 3.10. Psal. 19. 2. Cor. 6.2. 2. Pet. 3.18. because Saint Paul commonlie calleth that, the daie of the Lorde: but rather here, because he speaketh the more simplie by it selfe without anie such addition, it signifieth course of time: as it is taken in manie other places of the scripture. As one day certifieth another: And behold now the day of saluation: And to whom be glorie, both now and to the day of eternitie, saith Peter. Here the word daie as in manie other places,Gen. 5.1. is taken for time. To this purging also by the fire of afflictions the Apostle S. Peter plainlie agreeth:1. Pet. 1.5.6. We are kept (saith he) through faith, to that great saluation, ready and prepared to be reuealed in the last time, against which time, either of our deathes, or of the great iudgement, we reioice: yet a little while (if need be) 1.Our afflictions are louing, 1. corrections and purgings, 2. trials, 3. crownes. sorrowing, in many temptations, that the 2. triall of our faith, much more pretious then gold, which perisheth, and yet is tried by the fire, may be found to our 3. praise, and glorie and renowne, in the reuelation of our Lord Iesus Christ. So that, if néede be, if our sinnes deserue it, we are here in this life, by the fire of afflictions, as the Lords golde, purified and tried: and not in anie fire of purgatorie hereafter. And of the same triall he speaketh in another place:1. Pet. 4.12. My beloued (saith he) account not your fiery trial, as though some strange thing chanced vntounto you: But as you are partakers of Christs sufferings reioice, that in the reuelation of his glorie, you may triumphing, bee glad. As Christ suffered nothing after his death, but all in this life: so all his members in some measure, shall suffer, to be made like vntounto him. And herein (saith Peter) let them reioice. Nowe to saie that his members shoulde suffer after death, were to make them vnlike vntounto their head. So that, it is ye fierie triall, which S. Peter appoints to all christians, if néed be; which no doubt the Apostle Paul speaketh of in this place. And this is that, which he himselfe teacheth vsus also plainlie, to the Corinthians: If we would iudge our selues, 1. Cor. 11.31.we should not be iudged of the Lord; but now we are corrected of him, least we should bee damned with the world. So that then, those Christians which doe not iudge themselues, which doe not repent sufficientlie of their sinnes, by S. Paules iudgment, and plaine testimonie, are here in this life iudged of God, and scourged with manie afflictions, least they should be condemned with the world. And therefore for such, no fire of purgatorie then remaineth, after this life: as the papists imagine. S. Peter also teacheth vsus the same: That God beginneth first to punish, to purge and sweepe (as it were) his owne house, in this life: and afterward, the wicked in hell for euer. 1. Pet. 4. v. 17.Now is the time (saith he) that the iudgment should beginne with the house of God, and if first with vsus, what shall bee the ende of them, which beleeue not the gospell of Iesus Christ? So that then, God iudgeth and punisheth the faultes and falles, both of his shéepe, and of the wicked goats: but of his, in this life; of the wicked in hell. Of this sauing also,Psal. 66. v. 11. as it were through the fire, Dauid speaketh: We went through fire and water, & thou broughtest vsus into a wealthy place: that is through the affliction and troubles of this life; whereof some were as hoat as fire, and some as huge as water. And of this triall by fire in the hearers of his word, our Sauiour speaketh: Some seedes (saith he) fell among stones where they had not much earth, and they sprung vp quickly because they had not depth of earth: but when the sunne arose, they were scorched with heat, and because they had not depth of earth they withered away. And what this heate meaneth he afterwardes expoundes: That which fell among stones is hee, which heareth the word, and receiueth it gladly: Mat. 13. v. 2….but hee hath no roote in himselfe, but is a time seruer, and when afflictions or persecutions arise for the word, he is offended, he shrinketh from it. So that then, persecution is the fire that trieth whether we be gold or lead, whether Gods word hauehave taken roote in the hearts of the hearers or not.2 Ti. 3.12. And of this fire the Apostle speaketh, saying: Euerie one that will liue godly in Iesus Christ shall suffer persecution, his faith shall be tried in the fire: God will trie by some meanes or other, whether his word hauehave taken déepe roote in him or no. And this triall the daie, that is time, will make manifest. In the course of a mans life, God will once thus trie him; all must suffer persec… tion, all must be tried. Of this purging the Prophet Malachie speaketh:Mal. 3.1. Behold I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the waie before me, and the Lord whom ye seeke shall speedely come to his temple, euen the messenger of the couenant, whom yee desire. Behold he shall come (saith the Lord) of hoasts: but who may abide the daie of his comming? and who shall endure when he appeareth? For he is like a purging fire, and like fullers soape, and hee shall sit downe to trie and fine the siluer, he shall euen fine the sonnes of Levie, and purifie them as gold and siluer, that they may bring offerings vntounto the Lord in righteousnesse. Who is this Angell of the couenant? who is this Lord so longed after? but Iesus Christ. …hat is this fire, by which he should purge his gold? but afflictions and persecutions, which are the perpetuall companions of his gospell. And when is this purging? but in this life, that the children of Iudah maie offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse vntounto the Lord. To this agreeth that which our sauiour saith in the gospell,Io. 15. v. 1. I am the vine, and my father is a husbandman: Euerie branch in me not bearing fruit, he wil take it quite away: and euerie one that beareth fruit, hee will purge it, that it may beare more fruit. Here are but two sortes of Christians, either wicked, which bring foorth no fruit; and they are quite taken awaie, and cast into the fire of hell: or else good Christians, which bring foorth some fruite, and they are purged, that they maie bring foorth more fruit. And here this purging, argueth an imperfection: for all Christians euen the best, are vnperfect, as S. Iames saieth: In many thinges wee offend all. So here is the purgation of all christians, not after this life, but in this life, that they maie bring foorth more fruit: As Dauid saith, It is good for me, Psal. 119. v. 71.that I hauehave beene in trouble, that I may learne thy statutes. And it is to be noted that he saith, euerie branch that abideth in him, is so purged, and therefore none after. This is the purging that Iesus Christ speakes of concerning all those that abide in him. If thou abide in Christ, God will purge thee (if thou lacke purging) presentlie, that thou maiest beare him more fruit. He is a most carefull husbandman ouer his: he will not suffer his tries growe out of order, he will hauehave them fruitfull: This is that which S. Ioh. Bapt. saith, His fan is in his hand, Mat. 3.12.and he shal purge his floore, and he shall gather his wheate into his barne, but the chaffe he shall burne with vnquenchable fire. His fanne, that is his word, his gospell, is in his hand: and by it he trieth and purgeth his, he knoweth whether they be wheate or chaffe: The winde of afflictions maketh the separation; both good and euill bee receiued into the fanne; both heareth the word preached. But the wicked endure not the winde, when afflictions come they are chaffe, they flie awaie: the godlie are wheate, they abide in the floore.Luke 22.31. Of this triall our sauiour telleth Peter. Symon, Symon (saith he) sathan desireth to sifte thee, by temptations and afflictions and persecutions; but I hauehave praied, that thy faith should not faile. Of this triall S. Paul writeth to the Thessalonians, he sent Timothie to know of their faith, 1. Thes. 3.2.least the tempter had tempted them in any sort, and that his labour had beene in vaine. And for this cause no doubt Paul saide to Barnabas, Let vsus returne and visit our brethren in eueryevery cittie, Act. 15.36.where we hauehave preached the word of the Lorde, and see how they doe: not in the body, but in faith, whether they continue stedfast or not.
And of this purging the Prophet Esay speaketh: Yea thou hast not heard, thou hast not known, yea since that time, Esay 48. v. 8.thou hast not opened thine eare. For I know, that in trespassing, thou wilt trespasse against me, & yt thou art rightly called a sinner, euen from thy youth. For my name, I will withdraw my furie, and for my praise, I will put a bridle vpō thee, that I might not vtterly destroy thee. Behold I hauehave purged thee, & not in siluer: I hauehave chosen thee, in ye furnace of affliction: for mine own sake, I wil do it. For how should it be prophaned or polluted? And my glorie I will giuegive to no other. Here is plainly described the sinfull and miserable estate of all mankinde, and the infinite merciemercy of God towardes man: Howe he withdrawes his furie, in our dailie sinnes: howe he bridles vsus: howe he purgeth our sinnes, not with siluer but with the bloud of Iesus Christ (as Peter supplies that part of the sentence?) howe hee chuseth vsus to himselfe, as cleansed and nowe quite purified from all these our …es, in the furnace of affliction. Here is the onelie purgation of all the sinnes (be they neuer so manie) of Gods people, not with siluer; but with ye bloud of Iesus Christ, as Peter telleth vsus, & in the furnace of aduersitie: and all this doth God for his owne sake. It is twise repeated, as a most worthie lesson. How should it be polluted or be a prophane thing, saith he? And what thing meaneth he here? but Gods inheritance, he will not suffer it to be polluted, he will purge and cleanse his owne house first, as Peter telleth vsus. And here is that obiection taken awaie, that no prophane thing, shall enter into heauen. God hath purged all his, he hath sanctified them, and chosen them in the furnace of afflictions: and he will not giuegive his glorie of redéeming, of preseruing, of purging them to anie other.
And Philippus de Dies writes thus: This is the cause, why the holie ghost this daie appeared, and gaue it selfe in the forme of fire, to the faithfull; Feria 3. in Pent. Conc. 2.That it should teach vsus, that it did the same in soules, that fire doth in thinges that maie be burned: as those thinges which are wont to be tried in the fire, as mettals can be cleansed by no other thinge from their drosse, then by fire: so the soules cannot bee purified from the drosse of their imperfections, but by the vertue of this forcible and diuine fire (meaning the holie Ghost) whereof the Lord speakes by the Prophet Esay: I will take thee in my handes, and I will take thy drosse quite awaie. And I will take all thy time from thee. And after this thou shalt be called the cittie of the iust, the faithfull cittie. Here we maie plainlie sée, what fire purgeth soules, euen the fire of Gods spirit: and not anie of pugatorie, by his iudgement. And here, this purging requires no long continuance of time (as the papistes imagine) but euen in a moment, if the soule repent and beléeue rightlie in Iesus Christ, it is straight purged from all sinnes whatsoeuer. This doeth the gospell teach vsus: The thiefe on the crosse no doubt a grieuous sinner, & whose sinnes had beene inueterated and growen to perfection:Luke 23.43. heare what comfortable wordes our sauiour spake to him: This day shalt thou bee with me in paradise. And Zacheus the chiefe publican, when as he had made his confession and restitution,Luke 19. v. 9. heard of our sauiour, This daie is saluation comen to this house. And Mathewe sitting at the receipt of custome,Mat. 9.10. our sauiour immediatlie after his forsaking his former wicked trade, by and by entred his house and dined with him.Luke 15. v. 17. But to expresse this merciemercy of God … liuelie, the prodigall sonne is a notable example, who wallowing now in all manner of sinnes, after his returne, is immediatlie receiued, embraced, clothed a newe, feasted. Surelie all these, are but types and shadowes of sinners: Euerie true penitent and beléeuing sinner, no doubt, following their steppes, shall immediatlie be partaker of their grace. There néedes no continuance of purging awaie their sinnes, be they neuer so manie, grieuous, or inueterate. Bodilie diseases are not so soone recouered: but herein appeareth the great merciemercy of God towardes soules: he is a louer of soules. This is glad tydings, this is the gospell. This is truth: that spirit that teacheth contrarie doctrine to this, is the spirit of error. This triall also in our memories, hath God made of the works of his builders and of his seruants, in Quéene Maries daies: where one might sée some of all sortes: some chaffe blowen awaie with the winde, forsaking the gospell, some good wheate remaining in the Lordes floore still, and enduring all sathans siftings and vexations; euen the fierie trial of death it selfe. So that the scripture it selfe in manie places, the examples of antiquitie, as in other histories, so in them also which hauehave been fresh in our memories, doe declare plainlie, what this fire and this purging meaneth.
And that this purgatorie the papistes speake of, was not the first faith, but after crept into the church, the fathers plainly proue:Apol. 2. Iustin the Martyr defineth hell thus: Hell is a place where they shal be punished that hauehave liued vniustly, and hauehave not beleeued that those thinges should be done which God taught by Christ. And againe, we knowe them onelie to bee immortall, which liue holilie through vertue, after the imitation of God; and we beleeue that they shall be tormented in euerlasting fire, which leade their life vniustly, without repentance, and changing of their manners. Here are but two sortes of men by Iustines opinion: either they which repent in …his life (for after this life there is no repentance as the papistes confesse) and they shall be saued; or they which die not repenting, and they shall be damned. And in another place he writes thus:Lib. Quest. & Resp. Quest. 71. The soules keepe not that state after they hauehave departed the bodie, which being ioined with the bodie they had. For in this life what things happen to the soule, vnited to the bodie, are all common, as well to the iust as the vniust. And as concerning this matter, there is no difference betweene them, as to be borne, and to die, to be hole, and to be sicke, to be rich and to be poore, and other such like: But after the departure of the soules out of the bodie, by and by the iust are separated from the vniust. For they are led awaie by Angels to places fit for them. And the iust mens soules are carried into paradise, where they enioy the familiarity and sight of Angels, and archangels, aforeign.after the fight of our sauiour Iesus Christ himselfe, according as it is said, When as we are strangers from the body, we are present with the Lord. But the soules of the vniust are carried to the places of hell, as it is said of Nabuchadnezar king of Babylon: Hell vnderneath is mooued for the meeting of thy comming, &c. And they are reserued in places fit for them, till the day of the resurrection and of reward. Here is likewise but two sortes of men, and two places appointed for them, and that the iust are with Iesus Christ, and that paradise is a part of heauen.
In psal. 38.And also Arnobius writes thus: Forgiue mee here before I goe hence: for if thou shalt forgiue me here, I doe finde refreshing there, and I shal be no more a stranger. For I shal be made a citizen wi… the Saintes, and a houshold seruant of God by Iesus Christ. Here Arnobius teacheth two thinges, forgiuenesse in this life, and thou comfort in the life to come, then the enfranchising of the eternall kingdome: but if no forgiuenesse here bee obtained, then we not vtterlie vndone, then no hope of refreshing there. And in another place he writes thus:In psal. 48. The heele signifieth the ende of ou… life: the serpent markes that, there he lieth in waite. This onelyonly is to bee feared of all men, least in their ende, they be taken in their iniquity: For in what worke any one shall be found in his ende; in that he shal be for euer. You which trust in your owne power, and glory in the multitude of your riches: know ye this, that no man may redeeme you from destruction, no not your father not your mother, but that man Iesus Christ, which gaue himselfe a redemption for all. Here we maie sée that those which in their ende shal be found in doing god, in faith and repentance, shall be saued no doubt: and that no man through his owne power, maie redeeme his soule: no, nor no friend, purchase a pardon for him after his death. And againe, Then they finde their enemies in the gate, In psal. 126.when they passe out of the body, Athenag. de resurt.in which they hauehave ouercome the deuill. All the faithfull ouercome their enemie in the gate. Athenagoras also writes thus: It is an hainous offence to suspect, of God or from God, that anie iudgment should be done without iustice: But there is no iustice, when he shall not remaine whole and sound and capable of iudgement, who hath done either iust thinges, or vniust thinges. For hee which hath done euerie thing in his lyfe, for which he is to bee iudged, was man himselfe, not the soule. And after: On the contrarie, if the sinnes shall be condemned afore the resurrection, God shall not deale iustly with the soule: for she alone shall suffer the punishmente of those thinges, which she offended in the lyfe, at the perturbations of the body, drawing her to his appetites and motions. Athenagoras affirmeth, that it is vniustice to punish the soule alone by it selfe for anie sinne before the resurrection, which the bodie hath béene partaker of with her, hee will hauehave the bodie and soule, as they hauehave sinned both together, to be punished both together. And yet this vniustice, the papists séeme to lay vponupon God, by their doctrine of purgatorie: whereas they teach, that the soule is punished alone, in those sinnes which it committed in the bodie.
And S. Augustine of purgatorie writes thus also.Euchir. ad. Laur. cap. 69. Such a thing maybe: but whether it be or no, it may be doubted. If it had béene a point of faith, it ought not to hauehave béen doubted of, and he taketh awaie the chiefe foundation of purgatorie, that place of S. Paul 1. Cor. Chap. 4. which out of the scriptures the chiefe patrones thereof, do alledge for it. If any man build vponupon this foundation, &c. expounding the fire there, which S. Paul speaketh of, to bee afflictions in this life, and griefe for the losse of these earthlie thinges: as I hauehave expounded it before. So that then by his iudgement, purgatorie is an vncertaine thing, not grounded vponupon the scripture. And in his Epistle to Macedonius he writes thus,Epist. 54. Of correcting our manners, there is no place, but in this lyfe. For after this life, eueryevery one shall hauehave that which he hath purchased to himselfe in this life. Therefore wee are compelled, through the louelove of man kind, to praye for the offenders, least they end this life so, through punishment, that when it is ended, they cannot end their punishment. What can be more plainer then this?
And in his Epistle to Hesichius, hee sheweth his iudgemente plainelie, that there is no such thing.Epist. 80. But he which saieth thus (saith Augustine) my Lord will not come yet, that he may strike his fellow seruauntes, and that hee may feast with the drunken, is not of light; but of darkenesse: And therefore as a thiefe, that day shall take him. The which thing also, eueryevery man ought to feare, of the last day of this lyfe. For in what state his last day shall find eueryevery man, in the same, shall the last daie of the worlde comprehend and take him: because what kind a one he dyeth in this daie, such a one shall hee be iudged in that daie. And a little after. That which I say to you, I saie to all: Watch. To which all doth he say this? but to his elect and beloued; and that doe belong to his bodie, that is, to his church. Hee did not therefore speake to them, which then presently hearde him: but also to them, which were after them, before vsus, and to vsus also, and to those that shall be after vsus, euen to his last comming. Shall that day finde all men liuing? or shall any man say, that it belonges to the dead, that which he saieth watch, least when he commeth sodainly, he shal find you sleeping? why therefore doth he saie to all, which did belong to them which were then? but because it belongeth to all, after that manner as I hauehave said. For then to eueryevery one that day commeth, when the daie shall come, that he may depart such a one from hence, what kind a one he is to be iudged at that daie. And therefore euerie Christian ought to watch, least the Lord comming, find him vnprepared. But that day shall find him vnprepared, whom the last day of this life shall find vnprepared. Here is S. Augustines plaine resolution, yt such a one as euerie Christian dyeth, such a one shall the last …ie of iudgement find him: therefore there is no preparation or helpe after to be had. And he repeates this twise. And comforting a noble Lady, touching the death of her husband, he writes thus, …f the generall and common receiued opinion of all Christians,Epist. 6. of the death of all the faithfull, to comforte her withall. Neither ought you so to be sad, as ye heathen which hauehave no hope, when as according to a most true promise, we hope, that from this lyfe, from which wee must depart, we hauehave not lost some of our friendes departing hence; but hauehave sent them before vsus: and that they shall come to that lyfe, where they shall bee, as better knowne to vsus; so much more deare to vsus, beloued without any feare of falling out. Hee comfortes hee, that according to the true promise of Iesus Christ in the gospel, her husband was gone to lyfe euerlasting, whither wee all must followe. And that although he was as it should séeme a rich man, (who are by occasion of their wealth drawne into manie noysou… lustes, as S. Paul teacheth) yet, he doth not sende him to purgatorie.Epist. 28. And writing of the soule, he saieth thus; that there is no soule in all man kinde, which hath not need, for her deliuerance, of the mediator betweene God and man, Iesus Christ. Therefore the blessed Virgins soule also, as she herselfe affirmeth. Then what soule soeuer, without the grace of our mediator, and his sacrament, in any age of the bodie, shall departe out of the bodie: shall be tormented, and at the last iudgement shall receiue the bodie to be punished with it. But if after the carnall generation, which is made of Adam, if it bee regenerated in Christ, and belonging to his societie: both it shall hauehave rest after the death of the body, and it shall receiue the body to glory. These thinges (saieth he) are they, which concerning the soule I houlde most assuredly. Then by his most assured sentence, all soules that bee regenerate and belong to Christ, after the departure out of the bodie, shall hauehave rest: and therefore shall not go to anie purgatorie, & shall at the day of iudgement receiue againe also their bodies to be glorified.
And in an other place hee confesseth the same doctrine more plainelie: Take heede (saith he) least of your departure hence, Lib. de. rect. cath. con.yee make the Angels sad, and your enemies glad: knowe this therefore, that the soule when it is pulled from the body, is straight waie, either cast headlong, for our good workes into paradise; or truly for our euill workes into hell. Wherefore chuse you nowe, and nowe in your lyfe dispose this matter, either to reioyce for euer, with the saintes, or without ende to bee tormented, with the wicked. What can bee more plaine then this?
Neither also, doth he ioyne handes with the papists in their opinion of Limbus, wherein, they say, the fathers were before Christs comming, in the vppermost parte of hell,Epist. 99. & from whence Christ fetched them: Augustines opinion is, that they were in the bosome of Abraham, and not in hell. And that he findes not, what good our sauiour did to them, when he descended into hell: therefore he fetched them not out thence, as they nowe teach. Neither was that the faith, once giuen to the saintes, or beléeued in the Church which Augustine knewe not, as appeareth by his wordes: I can neuer finde (saieth he) the name of hell taken in good parte, in the scriptures: and if it be neuer read in the diuine authorities; then surely, the bosome of Abraham, which is a dwelling of a secret rest, is not to be beleeued any parte of hell. Although also in these wordes of our great master, where he saieth, that Abraham saieth, a great distance is fixed betweene you and vsus, it appeareth, as I thinke, sufficientlie, The bosome of such a great felicitie, not to be any parte, or as it were member of hell. For this great Chaos, what is it? but a greate gulfe, separating them farre a sunder, betweene which it is not onelie: but it is established or fixed. And after: wherefore to those iust men, which were in Abrahams bosome, when as he wente downe to hell, I hauehave not as yet founde what he profited: from whence I see he neuer departed according to the blessed presence of his diuinitie. And in another place he writes thus:Epist. 49. Whosoeuer from the beginning of mankind, beleeued in Iesus Christ, and in any small measure vnderstoode him, and according to his precepts liued godlie and iustlie, whensoeuer and wheresoeuer they were, they were saued by him without all doubt. For euen as we beleeue in him, both abyding in the father, and nowe, who is come in the flesh: so the olde fathers beleeued in him, abyding with the father, and who should come in the flesh. Neither because of the varietie of the times, nowe that is preached to be done, which then was foretolde that it should bee done; therefore the faith is varied, or the saluation is diuers. Neither because one and the same thing is prophesied and preached with diuers holy thinges and sacraments; therefore must we vnderstand diuers things, or diuers saluations. But when that thing, which belongeth to the saluation and deliuerance of the godly and faithfull shall be done, let vsus commit the secret to God, let vsus keepe obedience to our sel…es. By this place it plainelie appeareth, that the fathers beleeuing in Christ to come, by this their faith, were saued as well as we. And therefore at their deathes, went to heauen, as we beleeue by our faith nowe, we shall doe. And Primatius, S. Augustines scholer, writes thus.In. 2. Cor. cap. 5. God is present in eueryevery place, but then wee are as it were more present with him, when as wee shall bee separated from the frailenes of the flesh. And vponupon that place of S. Paul to the Phillippians, I desire to bee loosed and to bee with Christ: Hee teacheth them (saieth he) not to feare death, by his example (meaning that they shall be with Christ at their deathes, Contra. Demet.as well as hee.) Cyprian also writes thus to the Infidels persecuting the Christians. Wee enuye not your profits, neither do wee conceale the Lordes benefits. Oh, we require curtesie to your Gods, and for the torments and punishments which are done to vsus, we shew the waie of saluation. Beleeue and liue: and you which persecute vsus for a time, reioyce with vsus for euer: when we shall depart hence, there is no place of repentance, no force of satisfaction. Here lyfe is either lost or obtained: here we obtaine euerlasting lyfe, by the seruing of God, and the fruite of faith. Neither is any man hindred either by sinnes or yeares, that he may not come to obtaine saluation: As long as we remaine in this worlde, there is no repentance too late. The entrance to pardon is easie. To them which know and seeke the truth, the accesse is not hard. If thou, although in the verie ende and sunne setting (as it were) of thy life, shalt beseech God, which is one and true, for thy sins; and shalt desire the confession and faith of his knowledge, pardon is giuen thee, so confessing him: and to thee beleeuing, healthfull remission is granted of the mercy of God: And thou shalt go to immortalitie, euen at thy very death. This grace Christ bestoweth, this gift of his merciemercy he giueth, who hath conquered death with the ensigne of his crosse. Thus farre Cyprian. Let vsus beware then, howe we impaire this benefite of Christ. Here is that short word of saluation vponupon earth, that S. Paul speaketh of: beleeue and liue. This no doubt was the faith in Cyprians daies: that whosoeuer at ye houre of their deathes, beleeued in Iesus Christ, they went from death to life. This faith he taught the Infidels:Ad Popul. Ant. hom. 66. If there had beene anie other faith of purgatorie, he had not dealt faithfullie with them, to hauehave concealed it. Chrysostome he maketh the afflictions of this life, our purgatorie. For then truely (saith he) the minde is purged, when for Gods cause it is afflicted. In Ioh. cap. 18.Ferus also writeth of tribulations in this life. Tribulation (saith he) bringeth forth in vsus most excellent fruites. To conclude, it burneth and consumeth whatsoeuer vice is in vsus, euen as the furnace purgeth and cleanseth golde. Thus much F…rus. Therefore where these afflictions are, as they are common to all Gods children, (as manie places of scripture doe proue) there néedeth no other fire of purgatorie to purge them, and cleanse them by his iudgment. S. Paul saith,Heb. 12.6. that God in this life scourgeth and whippeth euerie sonne whom he receiueth. And therefore saith he knowing this, Let vsus lift vp our hands which hang downe, and our weake knees, and make streight steps to our feete: As though he should saie, let vsus be of good courage, and though we be afflicted, yet walke lustelie in the waie of the Lorde, and doe his workes couragiously. And here first this lifting vp of handes, and this making streight steps to our féete, prooueth plainlie, that this scourging the Apostle speaketh of, is in this life. And then secondlie, if euerie one be here scourged, that God receiueth: then none hereafter. And Dauid also of the wicked whom God reiects writeth thus: They are not partakers of the calamities of mortall men, and they shall not bee scourged with man. Here they escape vnpunished, but hereafter their torments begin.
But they will obiect, God will leaue no sin vnpunished: therfore there must néedes be a purgatorie. But I answere out of S. Augustine, Aug. in psal. 44.who saith thus: That God hath two roddes: one of direction or correction: another of yron, inflexible, and of destruction: & with either of these he wil leaue no sins vnpunished: and that (there) that is, in hell, is a rodde of yron: but (here) in this life, is a rodde of merciemercy. So that God hath but two roddes, either that yron rodde of iustice, or this gentle rodde of merciemercy. And therefore S. Iames comforteth the saintes enduring affliction, and saith thus: Be ye patient, strengthening your hearts: For by this transitory patience, the eternall paine is escaped. And therefore the Prophet Na… saith, (when as before, Gods mightie power and great wrath against sinners is described) affliction shall not rise vppe the second time. God will not punish twise. Secondlie it maie be obiected, manie soules of men departed hauehave appeared againe, and hauehave tolde their friendes howe they hauehave béene relieued out of purgatorie by masses sung for them. To this I answere: that the soules of men departed cannot returne hither againe: as the… saying of Abraham to Diues plainlie proueth, and that the liuing are not to receiue anie instruction from the dead. They hauehave Moses and the prophets (saith he) let them heare them. And to this saying of Abraham agreeth that which S. Bernard writes vponupon the second of the Canticles: Let him kisse me (saith he) with the kisse of his mouth, whose liuely and forcible worde is a kisse vntounto me; I will hauehave nowe no more figures or darke speeches: I loath the shapes of Angels. For my Christ excelleth them far, with his shape and beautie. Therfore I desire no other either man or angell, but I desire him to kisse me with the kisse of his mouth. So that now the reuelation of dead men or of angels, is not requisite, but the worde of Iesus Christ is sufficient.
The fathers also of the Church hauehave béene of the same iudgement.Hom 19. in 8. cap. mat. & ser. 2 de Laza. Chrysostome of all the rest, most manifestlie affirmeth, That the soules which are once departed hence, do not come againe, but if any such like appeare they are diuels. If such a voice be heard (saith he) I am the soule of such a one: this speech commeth of the deuill, and that is not the soule of the dead; but the deuill, who that he maie deceiue the hearers, counterfaiteth such things. And by and by after, These are olde wiues tales and childish toies. For the soule separated from the body cannot walke in these parts. Tertullian also an ancient writer, in the end of his booke of the soule, saieth: That the soules separated from their bodies, doe not remaine vponupon earth; and after they hauehave descended into hell, that they cannot wander vp and downe, neither at their owne pleasure, neither at anie others commandement. And that hell is open to no soule, that they may come out of it, the Lord hath plainlie enough confirmed, by that argument of the poore man, being in rest; and the rich man groning, and the person of Abraham: and that a messenger of the state of hell, cannot be sent backe againe.
Athanasius also in his booke of questions,Quest. 13. answering why God … not suffer the soules of anie of them which hauehave departed h…e, to returne to vsus againe, & to shewe vsus in what state things are in hell, Many errors (saith he) would hauehave sprung thereof. For many deuils might hauehave taken vntounto them the shapes of men, & might hauehave beene transformed into the likenesse of dead men, and might hauehave said that they rose from the dead. And thereof might spreade abroad manie forged matters, and false opinions of things which are done there: and that to deceiue vsus and to destroie vsus. Yea, the verie Glosse of the canon lawe, saith, that Manie beleeue, that some from the dead come to the liuing: as contrariwise, the scripture witnesseth, that Paul was taken from the liuing into paradise. VponUpon this the glose faith. They beleeue amisse, Grat. 2. parte Caus. 13. quest. 2. fatendum.because they are but imaginations or illusions. And surelie here the Glose erreth not: for all those angelicall visions, which to confirme their superstitions withall, their golden legendes, and manie popish historiographers are full of, are nothing else but diabolicall illusions. S. Paul (who saith, that he was not ignorant of sathans sleightes) telleth vsus, that he will transforme himselfe into an angell of light to deceiue vsus. Athanasius also resolueth these three doubtes. First he asketh this question, what meaneth that, that he saith, Agree with thine aduersarie, Quest. 62.whilst thou art in the way with him? His answere is, that the aduersary of the soul, is the body; for these are aduersaries th'one to th'other; as S. Paul saith, we doe chasten it, and doe bring the body into subiection, by fastings, watchings, and by other afflictions: and we doe that willingly and freely, that it rise vp no more against the soule, through concupiscencie. He cals the waie, this vaine and deceiueable life. For after the soule is separated from the body, and gone out of this life and waie, it can doe no more good. That is also called a farthing, which is behinde, and as it were omitted in the considerations of the minde. Our conscience also, is saide to be our aduersarie: for it doth secretly reproue vsus in our heart; it doth bridle vsus from euill, although we bee disobedient; at the length it makes vsus appeare before the tribunal seat of god, where we shall suffer punishment, both of our grieuous sinne, and also of our light offences. So that by his iudgment, to agrée with our aduersarie, is to punish our bodie. To paie the vttermost farthing, is to repent vsus of our least sinnes. And the pri… we are to go out of, is this present life; not purgatorie. He … no such prison as it should séeme. Secondlie, what meaneth the Prophet when he saith:Quest. 121. In the ende destroie not Dauid? The Prophet meaneth the ende of his life, and he praieth that the ende of his life come not, nor fall not into any dammage. For if the whole life of man be euill spent, yet if his ende be good, it is a blessing and grace: but if the ende be euill, that is a miserable thing. Therfore the Prophet praieth, that the ende of his life may be good: for therefore hee writ this Psalme. He therefore that makes a good ende, need feare no purgatory. Thirdly, What is that, (saith he) If anie man worke… burnt, he shall suffer losse: but he himselfe shall be safe; but yet so, … through fire? Quest. 131.His answere is: If any mans worke shall be burneth shall suffer the losse of the kingdome of heauen: but he shall be saued as it were by the fire. But how shall he be saued? that is, he shall sa…e and whole remaine in fire: neither shall he see death. But his worke only shall be burne and confounded: but he shall remaine for euer suffering punishment; neither shall he vtterly die. He also expounds this place of the Apostle of hell, not of purgatorie.