The Christian Disputations, Dialogue 1 · Argument
¶ THE ARGVMENT AND SVMME of the firſt Dialogue.
IN this firſt part and firſt Dialogue I doe amply entreat of the matters which concerne thoſe that be deceaſed, declaring the errours, abuſes, & ſuperſtitions, which are committed about them, and the falſe and diuerſe opinions which hauehave bene and yet are among men, aſwel touching the eſtate of the bodies as of the ſoules. And of hell, Limbus patrum and of Purgatorie. And how that which the ſuperſticious Chriſtians do about the dead, is nothing at all lyke vntounto the woord of God, but is altogether taken of the Infidells & Panims. And for to enter into the matter, I bring in the perſons who take their theame and matter vponupon a fermon which they heard of an holy father, entreating of ſuch matters. And although the matter might ſeeme wholy to be fayned, yet it hath the foundacion vppon a true hiſtory. For mine intent is partly in this firſt diſputacion, to rebuke the ſottiſh and vayne curioſitie of fooliſh Preachers and Doctors, who hauehave forſaken the principal points of the holy Scripture to occupy thēſelues vpō vnprofitable queſtions & vayne contemplations, & to enquire, of things that they cannot know and which wee hauehave not to doe withall. And which ſerue to none other ende but to hinder and let the poore Chriſtian people to ſeeke out the will of God, to induce and lead them to falſe religion, ſuperſticion, Idolatay and all Paganiſme. Alſo I declare the Arguments of the Popes Purgatorie with the Purgatorie of the Panims, and the ceremonies and ſuperſticions which they vſe about the dead, & out of what ſpring they iſſued, and what hauehave bene the purgations of the Panims which the Idolatrous Chriſtians do yet keepe: and how the Papiſticall Purgatory hath ſerued the inſatiable auarice of thoſe which doe lyue to deſtroy and deuoure all the poore world. Alſo how the prieſts Purgatorie is burned, how fire hath taken the ſame and what puniſhment is prepared for thoſe which go vntounto ſtrange fire to be purged from their ſinnes any other then the fire of leſus Chriſt: and how the prieſts do diſagree both from the word of God, and from their owne doctrine, decrees and cannōs. After thoſe things we ſhal enter into the ſecōd part which ſhall entreat of the appearing of the ſpirites of thoſe that be dead. All theſe things ſhalbe yet more playnly vnderſtoode and better confirmed by the Dialogues following, of the which the laſt ſhalbe of the immortalitie of the ſoules and the reſurrection of the fleſh. Afterwardes we will come vntounto the lyuing, and in the other parts wee ſhall enter into matters yet more graue, more neceſſary and of greater importance, for the preſent time, to ſhew what is the eſtate of the world & of relygion, and by what meanes that man which feareth God, and the poore troubled and doubtfull conſciences, may be aſſured and know what is the true Church & the truth, and wherevnto they may ſurely ſtay themſelues, and how they may be certeine what doctrine is of God. I hauehave intituled this firſt Dialogue the Alchymee of Purgatory, chiefely for two cauſes. The firſt bicauſe I declare how the auncient Panims and our prieſts after their example doe trauayle to extract the fifte eſſence of the ſoules which they melt in their furnaces of Purgatory. The other is, bicauſe from thoſe furnaces our prieſts do drawe out the Philoſophicall ſtone.
¶ For to enter then into the matter, Hillary beginneth, aſking his companions of the Sermon which they heard.