Truth and Falsehood, Book · Chapter 31
Of Purgatorie. CHAP. 31
THE PROTESTANTS
AS for Purgatory wee know none, neither any purgation for our ſin, or anie remedie for the ſame,1. Iohn. 1.7. but only that bloude of Chriſt which clenſeth vsus from all ſinne. Iohn. 1.29.Only that Lambe of God that taketh away the ſinnes of the world, by vertue wherof becauſe wee knowe our ſinnes are ſatisfied for, and we reconciled vntounto God, as here we cānot, ſo els wher we need not make other attonmēt with god for them. For he that is ſo purged ſhall not periſh, Iohn. 3.16. Iohn. 5.24.he ſhall not come into condemnation, but hath paſſed from death to life, as he that cānot lie, hath told vsus.
THE PAPISTS
OƲR aduerſaries teach,Concil. Trid. Seſſ. 22. ca. 2. that becauſe there are ſinners which are not in Chriſt fully purged,Cenſ. Colon dialog. 10. and wee may perchance die before we hauehave done due penaunce, or fully ſatisfied for our ſinnes: therefore there is no remedy but to purgatory we muſt go. For although we be reconciled to God by Chriſt,Cenſ. Colon ibidem. and receiued to his fauour, yet is not that ſufficient to bring vsus to heauen, vntil we, or others for vsus, hauehave added ſomwhat to that ſatisfaction of Chriſt.Se. 6. Can. 30 And he that wil teach contrary to this, is accounted accurſed by the councell of Trent.
The abſurditie of this their doctrine, maketh me loath almoſt to meddle with it: for, what chriſtian eares can heare the blaſphemy of the councell of Trent in the place before alleadged,The blaſphemous ſaying of the … ouncel of Trēt, & the Ieſuites. that there are ſome (they meane of ſuch as ſhall dwell with God) that are not fully purged in Chriſt? And yet the ſcriptures do onelyonly and wholy aſcribe vntounto Chriſt, our perfect redemption, whereof his bloud is the price, his death is our ranſome. Or, who can but deteſt the folly of thoſe Ieſuites, who are not aſhamed to write, that God receiueth ſuch to fauour, as he wil not ſuffer to come where he is, vntill they hauehave ſatiffied for their puniſhment? No, they bluſh not to affirme, that God is like to a froward man, who although he can be content by intreaty to forgiue, yet will he not forget the offences that are committed againſt him, but will hauehave them puniſhed with temporall puniſhments, either here or elſe-where. Which not to be true, among other the thiefe vppon the croſſe may teach vsus. For what ſatiſfaction did hee make for his temporall puniſhment? None at all: for Chriſt ſaid to him,Luc. 23.43 This day ſhalt thou be with mee in Paradiſe. Yea this example prooueth, that it is not according vntounto Gods iuſtice ſo to deale. For if hee being a malefactor, had no puniſhment enioyned vntounto him, but were freelie pardoned, howe can wee imagine that God will deale more hardly with other? Againe, to ſay that wee muſt make any ſatiſfaction, is to ouerthrowe that free grace and mercy of God, and the only merit of Ieſus Chriſt, and ſo to diminiſh the benefite that wee hauehave of his gratious goodneſſe, or to charge him with weakeneſſe and impotencie, as though hee were not able without our ſatiſfaction for our ſinnes, to take away the ſame. And how doubtfully they ſet downe this their doctrine, their Writings doe teſtifie, to beare witneſſe of their owne vncertaintie of that which they doe teach. For, Allen that moſt vnnaturall countrey man of ours (but he that ſitteth in heauen, hath defeated his purpoſes, and laughed him to ſcorne) concerning this point hee thus ſetteth it downe, that Often there remaineth a due temporal puniſhment for ſatiſfaction. And maſter Bellarmine ſaith,Defence of purgatorie chap. 1. De purgat. li. 1. cap. 7. Cenſur. Colon. dial. 10. that al the temporall puniſhment is not alwayes pardoned with the ſinne. And the Ieſuites of Colen ſay, that this commeth often to paſſe. And ſo they all teach, that not alwayes, but often it is ſo. But this is a very doubtfull doctrine for the afflicted conſcience that would faine finde comfort and releaſe of ſinnes. But ſo muſt it alwayes be, nothing but doubting, nothing but wauering, ſo long as wee truſt to our owne ſatiſfactions. No quietneſſe and ſecuritie, but onelyonly in Chriſt. But becauſe I hauehave ſpoken elſe-where of our ſatiſfactions or workes, how little auaileable they are, I meane not to ſtay vponupon this point. But for the example of Dauid, which is alleadged both by Allen, 2. Sa. 12.14.maiſter Bellarmine, and the reſt, whereby they chiefly indeuour to prooue, that puniſhment may be inflicted, the ſinne being pardoned, it maketh little for them. For ſeeing there are in ſinne two things, as themſelues will confeſſe, the verie corruption it ſelfe, and the danger or condemnation that followe… h it: the condemnation being taken away by forgiueneſſe of ſinne, yet the corruption or infection of ſinne ſtill remaineth (as before hath beene taught in the three and twentieth chapter.The cauſe of chaſticements. Eſa. 48.10. God therefore ſometime chaſticeth his ſeruants to humble or reforme: So he chaſticed the Iewes. Sometime to trie and prooue them whether their hearts bee right or not: ſo did hee prooue the Iſraelites in the wilderneſſe fortie yeeres.Deut. 8.2. Sometime to glorifie his owne name, and for example to others: as in the ſtorie of Iob appeareth. Then they can not reaſon thus: Dauid was afflicted: therefore it was to ſatiſfie for his ſinne. For God wee ſee may ſend affliction for many other cauſes, and not that wee might ſatiſfie any thing by temporall puniſhment. But maſter Bellarmine replieth againſt this anſwere out of the very wordes. For there it is ſaide,2. Sam. 12.14 Becauſe thou haſt cauſed the ennemies of the Lorde by this thy deede to blaſpheme, the childe that is borne to thee ſhall ſurely die. Where he noteth the cauſe ſaieth maſter Bellarmine, why Dauid ſhould be puniſhed. True, but not thereby to ſatiſfie for that he had done: But that the enemies of God ſeeing the chaſticements that God laieth vponupon his children, and how that Gods iudgements begin euen at his owne houſe, and with his owne deare ſeruants,1. Pet. 4.17. they may the rather looke for his heauie wrath, if they turne not to him. And thus much for the right vnderſtanding of the place. But what is this to purgatorie, for Dauids ſinne was mortall, and therefore could not be helped by purgatorie, by their own doctrine?De purgat. li. 1. cap. 9. for M. Bellarmine ſaith, they al agree therin. To what end then doe they bring in Dauids puniſhment for a mortall ſinne, to ſhew howe God will take away veniall ſinnes? or howe doth it folow, Dauid was here puniſhed for his ſinne, therefore all men here or elſe where muſt be puniſhed. But to handle this queſtion as briefly as I can, maſter Bellarmine himſelfe, doth handle it doubtfully,Iren. lib. 5. and ſo vncertainly, yea, and as Irene ſpeaketh ſo vnconſequently, and ſo euil agreing with it ſelfe, that he giueth iuſt cauſe to ſuſpect the truth of it. Where the place of purgatorie is they hauehave not yet agreed,Bellar. de purg. li. 2. c. 6 Cap. 6. but are of eight ſundrie minds. And although in the firſt booke of purgatorie maſter Bellarmine hath alledged ſundrie fathers for proofe of it:Cap. 1. yet in the ſecond booke he telleth vsus that they are not agreed of it, who ſhall come thether. Some will hauehave all but Chriſt, neither will exempt from thence ſo much as the virgin Marie, others are of another minde. But who muſt ſatiſfie for them that are in purgatorie?De purg. li. 2. cap. 17. only he that is iuſt. Why then where ſhall they finde prieſts to ſerue the turne. For they are cōmonly as bad as who is worſt. And the time will ſcarcely ſerue them to recken vp their owne,Li. 2. cap. 10 de purgat. much leſſe ſhall they be able to ſatiſfie for others ſins. Other doubtes alſo there are which M. Bellarmine ſpeaketh of, but cannot certainly reſolue. Is this doctrine to be receiued as catholicke, of ſo manie points whereof euen the greateſt Doctours among them do diſagree. No certaine place, no certaine people, no certaine proofe of it. What ſhould we doe with ſuch an vncertaine religion, eſpecially where ſo little good commeth towardes vsus, and ſo much of our goodes goe from vsus? For onelyonly veniall ſinnes they tell vsus,Veniall ſinnes onelyonly taken away in purgatorie. can bee taken away by purgatorie. But for ſuch ſmall faults, becauſe they doe not (as the Papiſts would make vsus bebeleeue) turne vsus from God, they can tell vsus manie mo eaſie remedies, Holie bread, holy water, giuing a little almes, pardons, Pilgrimages, Pater noſters, and Auies. And to bee buried in a Monkes Cowle, and bootes, it is a ſoueraigne remedie for ſuch things, or elſe they lie. But one thing I cannot but muſe at, that in this life theſe veniall ſinnes maie ſo eaſilie bee ſatiſfied for, as they all agree: and yet after this life their torments ſhoulde bee ſo grieuous as they report them to bee. For maiſter Bellarmine beſtoweth a whole Chapter to proue the paines of Purgatorie to bee moſt bitter,De purgat. li. 2. cap. 1… . and that no torments that are in this life, may bee compared with them.
Can a little holy water waſh them awaie heere, and muſt the fire be ſo ſharpe that muſt burne them awaie elſe-where? But I thinke I knowe nowe the myſterie of it. The more that mens ſinnes are heere mittigated, or the leſſe grieuous that they appeare vntounto their iudgement, the leſſe carefull will they bee to ſatiſfie for the ſame heere, or rather to auoyd them, and will liue more ſecurely. But when vppon their death-bed, they ſhall finde anie conflict of conſcience, and can finde no reſt, then muſt they giuegive much for Maſſes and Trentals: then muſt the bellowes of the Prieſts falſe and lying tongues, blowe the fire of purgatorie, vntill they hauehave made it ſo hote, that a great peece of that which hee hath left behinde him, and ſhoulde ſerue for the maintenance of wife and children, muſt bee beſtowed in the ſlaking of that great heate, and the quenching of that tormenting, and vnſatiable fire.
De purgat. lib. … . cap. 3.Now for his proofs of purgatorie out of the ſcriptures, they hauehave either ſo little waight, or are ſo obſcure, and ſo wreſted from their natural ſenſe, that the ſimpleſt (if without partialitie they could weigh them) would find them too light, to ſatiſfie their conſciences to be perſwaded of the truth of that doctrine. The two firſt, the one of the Machabees,2. Mac. 12. Tob. 4. 1. Sam. 31.30 2. Sam. 1.12 the other of Tobie, are out of the bookes that are not Canonicall, and therfore can proue nothing. Thirdly, the inhabitants of Iabes Gilead faſted when Saul was dead ſeuen dayes, and Dauid mourned and faſted for Saul and Ionathan. It may bee thought (ſaieth maſter Bellarmine) although they ſeemed to doe it in token of heauineſſe, yet that they did it eſpecially to helpe the ſoules departed. So here wee muſt take maſter Bellarmines, it may be thought, 2. Sam. 12.17as a proofe for purgatorie. But howe he will prooue it, out of Dauids faſting and prayer for his child while it was aliue, I can not ſee, & he cannot well tell vsus. But whereas maiſter Bellarmine, moſt falſely, without all warrant affirmeth, that this was the cauſe why the Patriarches ſo carefully deſired buriall in the land of promiſe, as Iacob and Ioſeph did, that they might bee partakers of the prayers there made,Gene. 47.30 Gene. 50.25 In Gene. Hom. 65. and the ſacrifices there offered, Chryſoſtome telleth vsus it was for another cauſe, namely to aſſure their poſteritie, that the promiſed land at the length ſhould be theirs. And this hee confirmeth by Scripture,Gene. 50.25 euen by Ioſeph his wordes: Surely God will viſite you, and you ſhall carie my bones hence. Fourthly,Pſal. 38.1. O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chaſten me in thy wrath. Where is purgatory here? Chaſtice me not in thy wrath, that is, Let me not be in purgatorie. No authoritie of man, no credit of perſon can make this a good proofe. His fift place, Wee went through fire and water, Pſal. 66.12.& thou broughteſt vsus into this wealth, ſheweth how God had dealt with his people here, but what is this to purgatorie, which is elſe where? or what is this to proue our ſtate that muſt be hereafter? Sixtly,Eſa. 4.4. The Lord ſhal waſh the filthines of the daughters of Sion, &c. with the ſpirit of burning. Now this burning muſt needs be in purgatorie fire, maſter Bellarmine thinketh,Iero. in Eſa. 4. Math. 3. otherwiſe here is no proofe for purgatorie. But S. Hierom expoundeth it by that place of Matthew, Eſa. 9.18.He ſhall baptiſe with the holy Ghoſt, and with fire. The ſeuenth, Wickednes burneth as fire: it deuoureth the briers and thornes. What is there no torment of ſinne, or for ſinne here, none elſe where but that purgatorie muſt needes be proued out of this? Let the indifferent reader iudge of it. The eight place,Mich. 7.8.9. Reioyce not againſt me, O mine enemie, though I fall, I ſhal riſe, when I ſhal ſit in darkneſſe, the Lord ſhall be my light, I will bear the wrath of the Lord, becauſe I hauehave ſinned againſt him. Li. 2. in Mic. 7Saint Ierom expoundeth theſe wordes to be the wordes of Ieruſalem to Babilon, that the Babylonians ſhould not reioyce at their captiuitie. What proofe is this for purgatorie? Perchance they were in purgatorie in Babylon, that was not this popiſh purgatorie, which they would picke out of it. Ninthly, he will proue it by that lake that Zacharie ſpeaketh of, Wherein is no water. Zach. 9.11.Where the prophet ſpeaketh of their deliuerance out of Babylon. But if we will hauehave it expounded figuratiuely, S. Hierom vnderſtandeth of that lake wherein the rich man was, and that was a place out of which he could not come. Laſtly,Malac. 3.3. the place in Malachie, is to this effect, that he will ſanctifie the prieſts, that they may offer holy offerings. What? And ſhall they come out of purgatorie to offer ſacrifices? If not, he might hauehave ſpared this place, as alſo all the reſt. For there is not one that hath any ſhew of proofe of that, for which they are brought. Surely, fit for theſe proofes, were that concluſion which I remember a preacher in Queene Maries time made in a funerall ſermon. Nec eſt qui ſe abſcondat a calore eius, Neither can any man eſcape purgatorie. And was not this clearkely handled?Pſal. 19.6. The prophet ſpeaketh of the ſunn whoſe heat none can hide themſelues from, and he perchance in a dreame or ſome viſion, learned to expound it of purgatorie. But here I muſt admoniſh the reader, that in moſt of theſe places alledged. M. Bellarmine bringeth perchance ſome one in, or ſome mo of the fathers ſo expounding the ſame: but therin he playeth but the part of Cham, Gene. 9.22.who hid not, but proclamed the nakedneſſe of his father.De purg. li. 1. cap. 4. It had beene his part rather, to hauehave buried in ſilence, thoſe their ſenſeleſſe and ſingular interpretations. But now let vsus ſee what he bringeth out of the newe Teſtament? Whoſoeuer ſhall ſpeake againſt the holy Ghoſt, Mat. 12.32.it ſhall not bee forgiuen him, neither in this worlde, nor in the worlde to come: therefore, ſay they, ſome mens ſinnes bee remitted in the worlde to come.Mark. 3.29. But Saint Marke comming after ſaint Matthew expoundeth his wordes, Hee ſhall neuer hauehave forgiueneſſe, but is culpable of eternal damnation. A direct anſwere to their obiection. Secondarily, they obiect out of ſaint Paul, … . Cor. 3.15Himſelfe ſhalbe ſafe, yet as it were by the fire. Out of ſaint Auguſt. M. Bellar. confeſſeth this place to be hard, and in deed is diuerſly expounded, by reaſon of the hardneſſe of it: and therfore, out of an vncertaine place, he cannot gather a certaine argument. But of purgatorie it cannot be meant, becauſe he maketh this fire a triall of eueryevery mans worke,De ciuit. dei. li. 22. cap. 26. as ſaint Auguſtine wel noteth. And though themſelues ſhall bee ſaued, yet is it as it were by fire. But I truſt they will neuer thruſt ſaint Peter and the other apoſtles into purgatorie. Yea, they teach that ſome come not there. Therefore this fire whereby Euerie mans worke is tried, cannot bee purgatorie. Saint Auguſtine in the place named, thinketh it to bee tribulation. Saint Ambroſe ſeemeth to expound it of the confuſion of minde.Ambroſe vponupon this place. 1. Cor. 15.29 But of purgatorie, I hauehave ſhewed it cannot be meant. His third proofe is far fetched, euen beyond all compaſſe of reaſon, What ſhall they doe that are baptiſed for dead? that is, (ſaith maiſter Bellarmine) what ſhall they do that pray, faſt, mourne, and afflict themſelues for the dead. So that to pray, faſt, or lament, if wee will beleeue maſter Bellarmine, is to be baptiſed. Hath hee not wrung hard, thinke you, to wring ſuch a meaning out of theſe wordes? To poynt vntounto his folly, I truſt, is ſufficient confutation of it.Mat. 5.26. Fourthly, Thou ſhalt not come out thence, vntill thou hauehave paid the vttermoſt farthing, therefore it muſt bee payd, ſay they,. Firſt in the words, there is no ſuch neceſſitie. Ioſeph knew not Marie, Mat. 1.25.vntill ſhe had brought forth her firſt begotten ſonne, that is, as they will confeſſe, neuer. So we ſay, in that place, thou ſhalt neuer come out thence. Secondly, the place is wholy parabolical, & therfore out of ſuch ſpeaches, infallible arguments cannot be gathered, Thirdly ſaint Auguſtine by this priſon meaneth hell,De ſalut. docu. cap. 64 from whence the ſinner ſhall neuer come. Now what is this to purgatorie? The fift place alledged by maſter Bellarmine, is out of the ſame chapter,Mat. 5.22. Whoſoeuer is angrie with his brother, &c. Here maſter Bellarmine gathereth out of S. Auguſt. that all theſe puniſhments belong to the life to come. Then alſo that there are three ſorts of ſinnes.De ſer. dom. in mont. li. … He might alſo hauehave told vsus out of S. Augu. that in Gods iudgement, anger that is the leaſt of theſe ſinnes, deſerueth hell. But that maketh againſt purgatory, and therefore he would not ſee it. And it is moſt certaine, that our ſauiour Chriſt there teacheth vsus, that ye cōmandement, Thou ſhalt not kill, is ſundry waies broken: Neither can out of theſe words be gathered, that there muſt be ſatiſfaction after this life, which Bellar. would proue. Moreouer he reaſoneth out of S. Luke, Make you friends of riches of iniquitie, Luke 16.9.that when you ſhall want, they may receiue you into euerlaſting habitations. If by friends in this place we ſhould vnderſtand the ſaints, yet it maketh not for purgatory, as may appeare. For in this argumēt there can be no neceſſarie cō ſequence. The ſaints muſt receiue vsus into heauen: therfore we muſt go by purgatory: but the ſaints cānot neither muſt they hauehave that honor giuē to thē, that they ſhuld receiue vsus into the euerlaſting habitations:Mat. 25.34. it is Chriſt that muſt ſay Come ye bleſſed: He muſt giuegive that inheritance, that hath bought it with his pretious bloud: or elſe a man may giuegive it vntounto the wicked, that ſhall neuer come there, or to ſuch as out liue him, neither of which can bee there to receiue him. By al which reaſons it appeareth, that in thoſe words our ſauior Chriſt doth but allude vntounto ſuch as whileſt they hauehave ability, doe make others their friends. So would hee hauehave vsus whom God hath made his ſtewards, with well vſing of our riches to pleaſe God, that hee alſo of his gratious goodnes may ſhew mercy to vsus.Luk. 23.42. Seuēthly, Remember me when thou comeſt into thy kingdome, ſaide the thiefe that was put to death with Chriſt, therefore ſaieth maiſter Bellarmine, he thought that ſinnes might be after this life remitted. So that this is his meaning, as the papiſtes would perſwade vsus: remember me, that is, let me be praied for when I am dead.Verſ. 43. But they doe not remember how Chriſt promiſed he ſhould not come in purgatory, but be with him euen that day in Paradiſe. His eight place, He looſed the ſorrows of death (ſo it is in greeke,Act. 2.24. but M. Bellarmine that hee might get an argument out of that place, woulde hauehave vsus reade the ſorrowes of hell.) It is not worth anſwering, becauſe hee muſt alter the wordes, or els he muſt hauehave one argument fewer than hee looked for. His laſt place himſelfe miſliketh, and thinketh it not to proue any thing for them, and therefore I will not ſpeake of it. Now for their argumentes out of the fathers, hee that will but indifferentlie conſider of them ſhall finde the fathers to be in this point verie vncertaine. And the queſtion being amongſt vsus, whether purgatory bee a catholicke doctrine, wee hauehave not to regard what they in their priuate and doubtful opinions doe ſet downe, but what with one conſent and conſtantly they teach. Seeing therefore that neither the fathers with one conſent teach it, neither themſelues knowe well what to ſaie of it, as in many places of maiſter Bellarmine his two bookes of purgatory may appeare: I wil conclude with that golden ſaying taken out of Gelaſius a pope. We reade that Chriſt raiſed the dead, Cauſa. 24. Q. 2. ca. legitur.but that hee abſolued ſuch as died in error wee doe not reade. And afterwardes ſpeaking of the authority of binding and looſing, giuen in thoſe words,Math. 16.1… . Whatſoeuer thou ſhalt looſe vponupon earth, ſhall bee looſed in heauen, and whatſoeuer thou ſhalt binde vponupon earth, &c. Gelaſius thus inferreth, In earth ſaith he: for he that is dead being bound, he ſaid not that he ſhould be abſolued, or looſed.