The Buckler of the Faith, Part · Article 24 – Article 26

The Buckler of the Faith · Part · Article 24 – Article 26

p. 209In the same XXIIII. Article of the Confession of our faith.

We hold Purgatorie to be an illusion coming out of Sathans shop, from whence also proceedeth Monasticall vowes, pilgrimages, abstinence from meats, auricular confession, indulgences, &c.

Of Purgatorie.

ARNOVX.

Section. 84 Touching places of Scripture noted in the margent of the Confession, there are none at all but against abstinence from meates, and obseruation of holy dayes; vponupon which the Reader may see my reply to the Ministers.

They hauehave with one selfe same faithfulnesse cut off the Canonicall bookes, before in the third Article, and denyed all these things, whereof one part may be proued by the bookes which for that purpose they hauehave cut off. In such manner, that after they hauehave cut the throats of the witnesses that might accuse them, they hauehave boldly committed a kinde of parricide or vnnaturall murther.

MOVLIN.

It was not needfull to note places in the Margent against Purgatorie, nor against Monasticall vowes, pilgrimages, prohibition of marriage and of meates, auricular confession, and Indulgences or pardons, because the places noted in the margent of the fifth Article of our Confession, where humane traditions are condemned, and the perfection of the Scriptures proued, are sufficient to ouerthrow and confute these points, which are humane traditions inuented p. 210for gaine and for ambition. Besides, the margent had not bene great enough to confute so many points briefly touched in one Article. This Doctor being not able to disgrace the body of our Confession, seeketh to scratch at the margents thereof.

Touching the cutting off of the Canonicall books whereof we are accused, I hauehave heretofore sufficiently satisfied the Reader therein, and cleared our Churches of that slander. And I say, that if we should allow of Iudith, Wisedome, and the Machabees to be Canonicall bookes, our Aduersaries should not therein find their religion, no more then in the bookes of the Prophets and the Apostles. And M. Arnoux before in the 69. Section sought to serue his turne about merites, with a place out of an Apocryphall booke, but yet falsifying it most horribly.

Then although I might leaue those points as they are, against the which M. Arnoux produceth nothing but iniurious words; yet for the better satisfaction of the Reader, I will say something of eueryevery one of them.

Of the description of Purgatorie,

Section. 85 To confute Purgatorie, we neede but paint it out, and shew it in the true colours thereof.Lib. 4. cap. 1. Baille the Iesuite, in his Catechisme of Controuersies, and Cotton the Iesuite, in his Institutions, say, That Purgatorie is a prison or gaole, and a place vnderunder the ground, aboue hell where the damned are, where the soules that are laden and defiled with veniall sins, and which hauehave not here on earth satisfied the diuine Iustice, are purged by that temporall fire. Yet they make that fire to be as hote as that in hell, and very long; witnesse the pardons of diuers thousands of yeares.

This doctrine is cruell, and beareth her condemnation in her forehead. For our aduersaries will hauehave:

1. That God which hath giuen his Sonne to die for the p. 211redemption of his enemies, taketh pleasure to burne his children for their sinnes already pardoned, and for the which Iesus Christ hath made satisfaction.

2 That God tormenteth his elect in a fire, not for their amendment (for they are iustified already before they enter thereinto,) but to satisfie himselfe, and to content his iustice. No father euer punished his children in such manner.

3 That God, to satisfie his iustice, exerciseth iniustice, taking two payments for one selfesame debt, and two satisfactions for one sinne, that is, the passion of Iesus Christ, and the paines of Purgatory; although the first satisfaction, which is the passion of Iesus Christ, is most sufficient, as well for Purgatorie as for hell.

4 That the passion of Iesus Christ being sufficient to exempt vsus from Purgatorie as well as from hell, neuerthelesse God accepteth not the passion of his Sonne for as much as it is worth, but closeth his hand, and restraineth his liberalitie, and cutteth off some of the worth of Iesus Christs death, that his children may not be exempted from torment.

5 That the passion of Iesus Christ is applied vntounto vsus by burning and tormenting vsus for many yeares; which is to apply the merciemercy of God by the execution of his iustice, to apply pardon by punishment, to apply the remissiō of our debts, by making vsus pay them: and briefly, to apply the benefit and grace of Iesus Christ, by a means derogating from this grace, and contrary to that benefit.

6 That Iesus Christ making intercession in heauen for all the faithfull, their burning soules come not out of that fire by his intercession, but that they come forth by the Popes pardons.

7 That the Pope hauing power to draw more soules out of that fire then he doth, yet he that boasteth himselfe to be the common father of Christians, lets them burne therein many yeares.

8 That the soules entring into Purgatorie, are already pure and without sinne, and yet hauehave need of purgation: for the fault remaineth no more, and yet neuerthelesse they say p. 212it hath need to be purged. So purgatorie is made to purge soules that are pure without sinne, and to cleanse filthinesse of sin which is no more in them.

9 That sins pardoned are purged by torment, as if a man should call a whip, a wheele, or a gibet a purgation.

10 That sins fully pardoned, are punished in this fire, and that God hauing fully defaced and taken away the fault, makes them endure paine that hauehave no more fault, and were no more culpable. As if God said vntounto vsus I forgiue thee all thy sins, but thou shalt be punished in a fire. I forgiue thee all thy debt, but not the payment of the debt: for our sins are debts, whereof the punishment is the payment. Certainly pardon is no other thing, then not to punish. And a guiltie person would be very well content that the King should not forgiue him his fault, so he would remit the punishment. Iesus Christ tooke our sins vponupon him, to the end that we should be discharged of the punishment. It were in vaine for him to hauehave made full satisfaction for vsus, if he had not discharged vsus.

11 That God will hauehave vsus fully and freely to pardon our neighbours, and holdeth him for a wicked man, that hauing bene iniured by his neighbour would pardon his offence, but neuerthelesse would determine to make him endure punishment for it. Whereby it followeth, that God will hauehave vsus to be more mercifull then himselfe: seeing that our aduersaries say, that after God hath pardoned all our offences, he maketh vsus suffer and endure satisfactory punishments in a burnning fire many yeares.

12 All these abuses spring from a peruerse maxime which subuerteth all the Gospell, which is, that Iesus Christ by his death exempteth vsus from satisfactory punishments, due for sins committed before Baptisme, but not for satisfactory punishments due for sins after Baptisme. A maxime, whereof there is not one word found in the Scripture: which neuerthelesse ought to be more clearely set downe therein then any other doctrine, seeing that to know what Iesus Christ hath done for vsus, is that which makes vsus Christians. It is the p. 213soule and foundation of Christian religion.

All that which is said before, is an entrance and an introduction to that which followeth.

13 That the Pope, by vertue of that which Iesus Christ said to Peter, Whatsoeuer thou shalt loose or vnbinde vponupon earth, &c. looseth or vnbindeth also vnderunder the earth, and can deliuer soules out of Purgatorie. And by that power, he giueth fiue or sixe hundred thousand yeares of pardon, and erecteth priuiledged Altars, whereon whosoeuer saith a Masse vponupon a certaine day, at his choice or pleasure draweth a soule out of Purgatorie; and priuiledgeth certaine persons, to whom he granteth, either not to enter at all into Purgatory, or to come presently out againe. Those are the white Friers, who boast that they hauehave a priuiledge to be no longer in Purgatorie, then till Saterday next ensuing after their deaths: and the Franciscan or gray Friers, to whom Pope Sixtus the fifth granted a free pardon; and the deliuering of a soule out of Purgatorie, for saying of certaine Pater nosters mixed with Aue Maries on Satterday before Palme Sunday, and on the feast day of Saint Iohn Baptist, and of S. Iohn Port-latine. In the Treasure of Indulgences of the Franciscan or gray Friers, printed in Roan, these words are found; For eueryevery day,By Thomas Dare in the Iewes street neare the Pallace, 1614. pag. 119. vntill the natiuitie of our Lady, there are 862000 yeares and 100 dayes of pardon and remission of the third part of sinnes granted. The booke of Roman Indulgences speaketh of much more.

14 To that end there is a great trafficke made of pardons, and the Cleargie by that meanes sucke and draw vntounto themselues the substance and treasure of the Laitie, liuing vponupon the ignorant feare of poore people, who dying, thinke themselues to be easily quit of the punishment in hell, if they may onelyonly remaine in a burning fire for the space of some hundreds of yeares: and for that cause bereaue their children and their heires, of their goods, to giuegive it vntounto those that weepe not, but to such as laugh and sing; not to those that want and hauehave need thereof, but to rich and idle Monkes. For rich men they say diuers Masses and Trentals, for which p. 214they pay deare, thereby (as they say) to ease and comfort their soules in that torment; but for the poore, or those that giuegive them nothing, they neuer say any particular Masses. They die good cheape. They must content themselues with generall prayers, whereof neuerthelesse rich men also hauehave a part. Towards the poore they will hauehave God to vse the rule of the Gospell, which is, Verily I say vntounto thee, thou shalt not come out thence vntill thou hast payd the vttermost farthing, Matth. 5.26.

The opinion of the ancient Fathers, touching the state of the soules of the faithfull after they are dead.

Section. 86 The ancient Fathers were so farre off from beleeuing that the soules of the faithfull are tormented in a fire before the day of Iudgement,Neque pati quicquam potest anima sola fine stabili materia; id est, carne. Animam per se separatim ignis nunquā attigerit, nec tenebrae quidē ei molesta fuerint, vtpote quae oculis caret, &c. that many of them are of opinion, that the soule cannot suffer any torment, when it is once separated from the body. Tertullian in the fortie eight chapter of his Apologie saith, The soule alone cannot suffer any torment without solide matter or substance, that is, without the flesh. He saith the same in his book of the Testimony of the Soule, chapter 4. Gregorie de Nisse in the third oration of the Resurrection of Christ, saith, Fire can by no meanes touch the soule separated from the body, neither can darkenesse be troublesome vntounto it, because it hath no eyes. For these conuenient reasons, we are moued and perswaded to allow of the resurrection of the dead.

Chrysostome **foreign.in his thirtie nine Homilie vponupon the first of the Corinthians, saith, Although the soule remaineth, although it were ten thousand times immortall, as in truth it is it shall not, without the body, receiue those vnspeakable blessings, nor suffer any punishment. All the punishment which the soules suffer, being separated from their bodies (according to Saint Ambrose, in his 10. chapter of the booke p. 215of the Benefit of death) is, that they are in great feare and disquietnesse, attending the punishment which is prepared for them at the latter day.

Staying for the latter day, many of the Fathers place the soules both of the good and the wicked, in holes or dennes vnderunder the earth, or in certain secret places which they call receptacles:aaConstituimus omnem animam apud inferos sequestrari in diem Domini. Tertullian, in the 55. chapter of his booke of the Soule, saith, We hold for certaine, that all the soules are set apart in hell, vntill the day of the Lord. Irenaeus saith the like in his 5. booke,bbAnimae abierunt in inuisibilem locum definitum ipsis à Deo, & ibi vsque ad reformationem commorabuntur. grounding vponupon this, that Iesus Christ was in hell vntill his resurrection, whose example all the faithfull must follow; for (saith he) the disciple is not aboue his maister. Origen in his 2. booke of Principles ca. 12 saith,ccPuto quod sancti quiqu… discedentes de hac vita permaneāt in loc… aliquo in terra posito, quē Paradisum dicit Scriptura diuina, velut in quodam eruditionis loco, & vt …st dicam auditorio. I am of opinion, that all the Saints going out of this world, stay in a place of the earth, which the Scripture calleth Paradise, or in some place of instruction, and as it were in an Auditorie. And from thence he makes the souls to ascend vp by degrees higher and higher.

Lactantius in his seuenth booke chap. 21. saith,ddOmnes in vna communi{que} custodia detinentur donec tempus adueniat, quo maximus iudex meritorum …ciat examen. All mens soules are kept in a common prison, vntill such time that the great Iudge calleth them to account for all which they hauehave done.

Saint Hilarie vponupon the 38. Psalme saith,eeHumanae ista lex necessitas tis vt sepultis corporibus animae ad inferos descendant. Quamdescensionem Dominus ad consummationem veri homini non recusauit. It is a law of necessitie, whereunto all men are subiect, that their soules descend downe into hell, after their bodies are buried, which descending Iesus Christ himselfe refused not, to accomplish that which belonged vntounto his manhood.

Ʋictorinus Martyr, on the 6. of the Reuelation, saith, that S. Iohn saw the soules of those that were slaine and martyred vnderunder the Altar, and saith, Sub ara, id est, sub terra: esteeming that the soules of the Saints are vnderunder the earth.

Nouatianus in his 1. cha. of the booke of the Trinity, saith,ffQuae infra terram iacent neque ipsa sunt digestis & ordinatis potestatibus vacua. Locus enim est quò piorum animae & impiorum ducuntur. The things that are vnderunder the earth, are not without power p. 214duplicate page p. 215duplicate page p. 216disposed by order: for it is the place where the soules of the faithfull and of the wicked are carried, hauing already a presage of the future Iudgement.

Saint Augustine is very vncertaine in this matter, yet these are his words vponupon the 36. Psalme:ggPost vitam istam nondum eris vbi erunt sancti, quibus dicitur, Venite benedicti, &c. Nondum ibi eris, quis nescit? Nunc vel mortaliter peregrinantur in terris, vel in eis qui mortem obierunt secretis animarum receptaculis, sed illic vsque requiescent. After this short life, thou shalt not yet be in the place where the Saints shall be, to whom it shall be said, Come ye blessed of my Father, &c. Thou shalt not yet be there: who knowes not that? But thou maiest be there where the proud rich man being in torment, saw the miserable poore man in rest; in which rest thou shalt remaine quietly til the day of iudgement. And in his 12. second booke of the Citie of God, chapter 9. he saith, That part of the citie of God, that should be ioyned to the immortall Angels, being an assembly of mortall men, is, either a pilgrimage on earth in a mortall condition, or as touching those that are dead, consisteth in the hidden receptacles and seates of the soules. And in his Manuell to Laurentius, chapter one hundred and ninth he saith,hhTempus quod inter hominis mortem & vltimam resurrectionē interpositum est; animas abditis receptaculis continet, sicut vnaquaeque digna est vel requie vel aerumna. The time that is between death and the last resurrection, holdeth the soules in secret receptacles, according as eueryevery one is worthy of rest or torment.

Chrysostome, in his eight and twentieth Homilie, vponupon the Epistle to the Hebrews, saith,iiforeign; That Abel hath not yet receiued the crowne, nor Noah, and that they are set in a place staying for vsus; and that that place where the soules stay, by the Fathers is ordinarily called Abrahams Bosome. And yet neuerthelesse, as well in Chrysostome as in Augustine, there are places found, which say, That the soules of the faithfull leauing their bodies, go straight to Iesus Christ, and see God face to face. And Saint Augustine in his first booke and foureteenth chapter of Retractations, moueth this question, and leaueth it vndecided, without resolution. Whereupon also Sixtus Senensis keeper of the Popes Librarie, in his sixt booke three hundred fortie and fifth Annotation, saith, that the Church had not as yet resolued vponupon any certainty touching that Article.

p. 217Almost all the Greeke Fathers deferre the blessednesse of mens soules vntill the resurrection, as Theodoretus, Arethas, Oecumenius, Theophylactus, and Euthymius: with whom Pope Iohn the 22. ioyned, as Gerson in his Sermon of Easter witneseth, Villanus in the tenth booke of his Historie, and Erasmus in his Preface vponupon the fifth of Irenaeus. And Okam in his worke of 93 dayes: the rest of the soules in their receptacles by some ancient Fathers is called a sleeping. The Canon of the Masse prayeth for the dead in these termes: Remember ô Lord thy seruants which sleepe in the slumber of peace. For when that prayer was hatcht, they did not beleeue that the soules of the children of God were tormented in a fire.

Many did not beleeue that the soules should come out of those receptacles, all at one time, & that some should not rise so soone as others, that is, such as were heauier laden with sinnes, which should be punished by the delaying of their resurrection. Modicum quodque delictum mora resurrectionis luendo: as Tertullian in the last chapter of his book of the Soule saith. And following that error he will hauehave a woman to pray for her husbād that is dead, that**Refrigerium ei adpostulet & in prima resurrectione consortium. she shal aske some refreshing for him, & that she may beare him company in the first resurrection; in his booke of Monogamia, cap. 10. Which also is conformable to the prayer which**Orat. funebr. de obitu Valentiniani, Te quaeso summe Deus vt charissimos iuuenes matura resurrectione suscites & resuscites. Ambrose made for Gratian and Ʋalentinian that were dead, desiring God that it would please him, to releeue and raise them vp in the best time.

But I find the Fathers to agree in nothing more then in this opinion, that as soone as the dead shall be risen, they shall be singed and burnt by the fire of the day of iudgement, which they call a Baptisme of fire, & the flaming sword at the entrie of Paradise, from which fire they exempt no man, no not the Apostles, nor the virgine Marie.

Ambrose in his twentieth Sermon vponupon the 118. Psalme, saith,**Omnes oportet transire per flammas, siue ille Iohannes Euangelista, siue ille Petrus. EueryEvery man must passe through the flame, yea Saint Iohn the Euangelist whom God loued, and also Saint Peter. And in his third Sermon vponupon the 36. Psalme:**Igne purgabuntur filij Leui, igne Ezechiel, igne Daniel, &c. The sonnes of Leui shall be purged by fire. Ezechiel, Daniel, and they although they shall be examined by fire, shall neuerthelesse say, p. 218we hauehave past through fire and water.

Lactantius in his seuenth booke chap. 21. saith,aaIustos cum iudicauerit Deus, igni eos examinabit. Tum quorum peccata vel pondere vel numero praeualuerint perstringenturatque amburentur. When God shall hauehave iudged the iust, he will examine them by fire. Then those whose sinnes shall exceed either in weight or number, shall be seared by fire and lightly burnt.

Saint Hilarie vponupon the 119. PsalmebbGimel. in the third part, maketh the virgine Mary to passe through this fire of the last iudgement, saying, Shall we desire the day of iudgement, wherein we must passe through that continuall fire? wherein we must vndergo those grieuous punishments to purge and cleanse our soules of their sinnes? And a little after,ccSi in iudicij seueritatem capax illa Dei virgo ventura est, desiderare quis audebit à Deo iudicari? If the virgine which conceiued God, must vndergo the seuerity of that iudgement, what is he that dares desire to be iudged of God? And in the second Canon vponupon Saint Mathew. ddBaptizatis in spiritu S. reliquum sit consummari igne iudicij.Those that are baptized by the holy Ghost, must also passe through the fire of iudgement.

S. Augustine in the sixteenth booke, chap. 34. of the Citie of God: saith,eeSignificatur isto igne dies iudicij dirimens carnales per ignem saluandos, & igne damnandos. By that fire (which appeared vntounto Abraham) is signified the day of iudgement, which shall separate those that shall be saued by fire, and those that shall be damned to the fire. And in the twentieth booke, and 25. chapter:ffEx his quae dicta sunt videtur euidenter apparere in illo iudicio quasdam quorundam poenas purgatorias futuras. By the things aforesaid, it appeareth euidently, that in that iudgement there shall be some purging paines giuen to some men. The title of the Chapter sheweth that he expresly speaketh of the last iudgement.

Origen in his third Homilie vponupon the 36. Psalme, saith, I thinke we must all come to that fire: yea though it were a Saint Paul or a Saint Peter, yet he must come to that fire.

Gregorie Nazianzen in his foure and twentieth Sermon of Baptisme, calleth penance a second painefull purgation after baptisme.ggforeign. But (saith he) who will warrant me that this cure will come to any end, and that the iudgement will not ouertake vsus, as being yet indebted, and hauing need of burning in the fire which shall be there?

Basil in the fifteenth chapter of the booke of the holy Ghost (if that be his worke) saith:hhforeign. That by the Baptisme p. 219of fire whereof Iesus Christ speaketh, is vnderstood the triall that shall be made at the day of iudgement. Gregorie de Nisse speaketh of the same purging fire, in his Oration of those that sleepe. And Cyril of Ierusalem in the fifteenth Catechisme, saying,iiforeign That at the day of iudgement, the Lord will come in the clouds from heauen, drawing after him a floud of fire, to trie men.

Such is the Purgatory of the ancient Fathers, and not a fire vnderunder the ground, where the soules of the faithfull should be burnt before the day of iudgement for sinnes that are pardoned, nor a prison whereof the Pope is the Iaylour. And all the seruice and the prayers for the dead which are said in the Romish Church, do not in any sort speake of the fire of Purgatory, but of the sleeping of the soule, and that it is not cast into eternall fire. So the Greeke Churches pray for the dead, and deny Purgatory. Epiphanius in the heresie of Aerius, and Denis in the booke of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie speaketh of prayer for the dead, and neuerthelesse presupposeth that the dead for whom they pray are already in rest and blessednesse. Saint Augustine in his booke of the Care for the dead, approueth prayer for the dead, but in all that booke speaketh not one word of Purgatory. The second booke of Machabees, chapter 12. commendeth prayer for the dead, when in that prayer men hauehave a regard vntounto the resurrection: that is to say, when we pray for one that is dead, that he may rise to saluation, but not to draw him out of Purgatory. The Ancients prayed and gaue gifts, and made offerings for the dead to the end aforesaid, to wit, for the quiet resting of soules, for the resurrection, and that the dead may rise one of the first, and to the end that he may be friendly handled by the purging fire of the day of iudgement, but neuer to draw a soule out of Purgatory. And to conclude: in all antiquity there is no mention made of priuiledged altars, whereon he that causeth a Masse to be said, draweth a soule out of Purgatorie at his choise, nor of pardons giuen by the Pope to the dead.

In the time of Pope Gregorie the first, that wrote in anno p. 220595, Sathan hatched that which the ages ensuing hauehave disclosed. For by the fourth booke of Dialogues written by this Pope, you may see that then they placed Purgatory in the wind, in the smoke of bathes, and in riuers. At last Purgatory was put vnderunder the ground and placed neare to hell. Bellarmine in his second booke of Purgatogy and sixt chapter saith, That in a manner all the Doctors are of one accord, that the damned and the soules in Purgatory are in one selfe same place, and are tormented all alike. And yet when the soules come out of that fire, they will not hauehave them presently to enter into Paradise. For Beda, and after him Bellarmine in the seuenth chapter of his first booke of Purgatory, will hauehave the soules when they come out of that fire, to refresh themselues, for a while in a medow full of flowers which is neare to that place. Which is a subiect of profound speculation, as if there were greene medowes full of flowers in the concauities vnderunder ground, where there is no Sunne: and as if the soules could smell flowers, then who mowes those medowes? This fabulous doctrine, forged to enrich the Clergie, and to affright the consciences of the ignorant, let vsus further examine by the word of God.

Confutation of Purgatorie by the word of God.

Section. 87 1 This doctrine agreeth not with the holy Scripture, wherein there is no mention made of seruice nor sacrifice made to draw mens soules out of the fire after this life, nor of any power giuen to the Apostles to deliuer any soules out of Purgatory, nor of any priuiledged altars, nor of any pardons giuen to the dead. All this proceds from the vnwritten word.

2 The second booke of Machabees, which we hauehave proued not to be canonicall, in the 12. chapter speaketh of praying for the dead, and saith; that, that prayer is made hauing respect to the resurrection, that is, to the end, that the dead may rise to p. 221saluation, but not to draw them out of Purgatory. On the contrary, there it is said, that if Iuda had not hoped that the dead should rise againe, it had bene a superfluous thing, and full of follie, to pray for the dead. Then the prayer for the dead, which is made in the Romish church, by the iudgement of the Author of that booke, is foolish, because it is not made in hope, or with any regard of the resurrection, but to pull mens soules out of a burning fire.

3 The holy Scriptures giuegive vsus many examples of men, that when they died entred into blessednes, Luk. 2.29. Simeon made his account to enter into rest by his death saying, Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace, according to thy word. Luke 16.22. Lazarus soule is by Angels carried into Abrahams bosome, where it is comforted, while the wicked rich man was tormented. Iesus Christ said to the good theefe at his death, This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise.

4 They make answer, that these are exceptions which derogate nothing from the generall rule. But they that say so, ought to produce that generall rule, and find it in the Scriptures. These people will hauehave, that in the Scripture there should be nothing but exceptions without rules. At the least, if they want rules, let them find one onelyonly example of a soule that is sent to that fire: But they neither produce examples nor rules. But on the contrary we produce a whole age, wherein all those that shall liue, shall be exempted from Purgatory, that is, those that shall be aliue in the world, when the day of iudgement shall happen. Seeing then you see so many men that shall be saued without Purgatory, and that the Pope himselfe exempteth many from it, why cannot God exempt the rest, without doing wrong to his iustice?

5 The Prophet Esay 57.1. speaketh thus of the death of the faithfull: The righteous is taken away from the euill to come: he shal enter into peace, they shal rest in their beds, each one walking in his vprightnesse. The Spirit of God, Reuel. 2.10. saith, Be thou faithfull vntounto the death, and I will giuegive thee the crowne of life. Then the faithfull by death obtaine the crowne of life, and are not cast into a fire vnderunder the ground. And Saint Paul, 2. Cor. p. 2225.1. saith For we know, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed, we hauehave an etenall house in heauen. And Reuel. 14.13. The dead which die in the Lord, are fully blessed; euen so saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labors, and their workes follow them. Paul, Hebrewes 9.27. saith, It is appointed vntounto men that they shall die once, and after that cometh the iudgement. He should say as the Papists say, and after that Purgatory.

6 The wise man in Ecclesiastes 12.7. saith, Then shall the dust returne to the earth, as it was, but the spirit shall returne vntounto God who gaue it. And the Apostle, Rom. 8.1. saith, There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus. If no condemnation, then in no eternall fire, nor in a temporall fire. And Iesus Christ, Ioh. 5.24. saith, He that beareth my word, and beleeueth him that sent me, hath euerlasting life, and shall not come into iudgement, but hath passed from death vntounto life. Then he entreth not into a fire like to that wherein the damned are.

7 And seeing that our aduersaries hold the booke of Wisedome to be canonicall, why do they contradict the words thereof cap. 3.6. which are so euident and cleare, saying: The soules of the righteous are in the hands of God, there shall no torment touch them? For they hold that the soules in Purgatorie are righteous.

8 Adde to that the places alledged, and the reasons at large produced against Satisfactions in generall, wherein we hauehave shewed how castigatorie punishments are compatible with full pardon, and are benefites and spirituall cures, but not satisfactory punishments. Where also we hauehave shewed how S. Iohn in his first Epistle, 1.7, saith, That the bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vsus from all sinne. And Saint Paul Col. 2.13. saith, That God hath freely forgiuen vsus all our trespasses. He saith all and freely, to the end to exclude all satisfaction on our parts to the Iustice of God. For if we must satisfie the Iustice of God by our torments, we can neuer make satisfaction for the least part of our sinnes, for that God receiueth no satisfaction but that which is most exact and complete; for the Scripture telleth vsus, that he which shall call his brother foole shall be punished with hell fire, Matth. 5.22. And that no railers shall inherite p. 223the kingdome of God, 1. Cor. 6.10. faults wherewith euen the better sort of Christians are sometimes ouertaken.

9 The proofes drawne from the definition are demonstratiue. Then to know whether God pardoneth our offences without any satisfying punishments on our behalues, we must know what it is to pardon. I say, that to pardon, is to remit the penalty or punishment deserued and not to impose any satisfying punishments, nor to take any vengance or reuenge. Now God forgiueth vsus all our offences, and doth it freely; therefore he expecteth no punishment, nor satisactory paines from vsus.

10 God also is a most gracious Father. Now a father, (if he be not altogether vnnaturall) neuer correcteth his children to draw any satisfaction from them, but giueth correction to amend them. The afflictions of this present life serue to amend vsus, and not to appease his wrath. But the torments of Purgatory serue not to amend a sinner, seeing that there the soules sinne no more. They will hauehave them onelyonly to serue to satisfie the iustice of the Iudge. Then they are not corrections of a father, but punishments of an angrie Iudge.

11 All satisfactory punishment is a satisfaction for a fault. Now when the fault is wholly remitted, there is no more satisfactory punishment to be endured.

12 And all purgation is to cleanse some filthinesse or spot: but in the fire of Purgatory no spots or filthinesse are purged; for paine is not a spot nor a filthinesse, but the fault. Then the fault being abolished and pardoned, what is there to be purged?

13 To say that after the king hath pardoned a man he will hauehave him to make satisfaction to the partie offended, is nothing to the purpose. For the king and the partie are two. But here the king which is God, is also the partie, who being reconciled, and hauing remitted all his right, there resteth no more parties to be contented, nor satisfaction to be made vntounto iustice.

14 To say that the benefit of Iesus Christs passion is applied vntounto vsus by burning and tormenting vsus in a fire, it is not p. 224onelyonly to speake without authority of the Scripture, but also to contrary the Scripture, which saith, Heb. 1.3. That Iesus Christ hath himselfe purged our sinnes. Then not by a fire, not by the tormenting of soules, which he hath bought with so great a price.

15 Touching the ease and comfort which the soules in Purgatory receiue by the prayers of the liuing, Ecclesiastes 95.6, saith, That the dead hauehave not any more reward, neither hauehave they any more portion for euer in any thing that is done vnderunder the Sunne. Therefore God who in his Law ordained sacrifices and purifications for all sorts of sinnes and corporall filthinesse, euen for the Leaper, and for touching or handling of the dead, ordained not any sacrifice nor propitiation for the dead.

16 Neuerthelesse, to maintaine this fire, our aduersaries gather heapes of straw, that is, some small and light places out of the Scripture, whereat I wonder how they can be so ill aduised, seeing that the same places are of no value for their purpose. They alledge Luk. 12.58.59. which saith, While thou goest with thine aduersarie to the ruler, as thou art in the way, giuegive diligence in the way, that thou maist be deliuered from him, lest he draw thee to the Iudge, and the Iudge deliuer thee to the Iaylor, and the Iaylor cast thee into prison. I tell thee thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the vtmost mite. And Matth. 5.25, saith, Agree with thine aduersary quickly, in steed of these words, GiueGive diligence in the way that thou maist be deliuered from him. Our aduersaries will hauehave the way to signifie life, the Magistrate God, & the prison the fire of Purgatory, the aduersarie the diuell: and by consequence they would hauehave vsus to agree with the diuell. And if in this place it is meant that the diuell is the aduersarie, who shall be the executioner? And are we in the way with the diuell? for Saint Matthew saith, Agree with thine aduersary quickly whilest thou art in the way with him. For these causes some of them will hauehave the diuel to be the sergeant, & the Law the aduersarie; which is yet worse. For doth the diuell draw the faithfull into Purgatory? Are we in the way with the Law? Is the Law of God our enemy? Are p. 225we to seek meanes to deliuer our selues from it, and to shake off the yoake thereof? For Saint Luke saith, that we must giuegive diligence in the way, that we may be deliuered from our aduersarie. And what absurditie is it, to call a prison a burning fornace? And how is Purgatorie a prison, from whence the soules shall not come forth, till they hauehave paid the last farthing, seeing that the Pope, by pardons, taketh soules from thence before satisfaction is fully accomplished? And, albeit we should receiue and allow of their Allegories for demonstrations, and according to the sence which it pleaseth them to giuegive them, yet in the end they must proue that this Purgatorie is a fire, and not a water or a field couered ouer with snow, wherein the soules wash, or roll and turne themselues; for in this place there is no more spoken of fire then of water.

The sence of this place is cleare and manifest. Iesus Christ exhorteth vsus to peace and concord with our neighbours that trouble vsus, and counselleth vsus, not to wrangle and striue with them in law. That is the counsell which Saint Paul giueth, 1. Cor. 6.4. to end our controuersies, rather by the aduice and arbitration of brethren of the Church, then to go to law before Iudges that are infidels. So Saint Ambrose expoundeth the twelfth of Saint Luke, where he saith, that Iesus Christ speaketh,**De reconcilianda pace dissidentium fratrum. To make peace betweene brethren that are at variance. Hilarie of the same place, in his fourth Canon vponupon Saint Mathew. And**Manifestus est sēsus, quod nos Dominus & Seruator nosterdum in saeculi via currimus, ad pacem & concordiam hortetur. Hierome in his Annotations vponupon the fifth of Saint Mathew. Among the Greekes, Chrysostome, Euthymius, and Theophylactus vponupon the fift of Saint Mathew. Maldonat the Iesuite vponupon the same place, by the prison, vnderstandeth hell, by the Sergeant, the diuell. But Berradius the Iesuite, and Cardinall Tolet vponupon the twelfth of Saint Luke, expound this place as we do.

Some alledge these words of the Apostle, 1. Corin. 15.29. What shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? From whence they inferre, with incomparable subtiltie, that therefore there must needes be a Purgatorie. p. 226To proue Purgatorie in that sort, is silently to confesse, that there is none. By being baptized they vnderstand, to be afflicted: from whence they inferre, that to be afflicted, signifieth, to afflict our selues, to fast, to whip our selues, and to pay for Masses to be said for the dead. For, whosoeuer (say they) afflicteth himselfe, and doth penall workes for the dead, presupposeth that there is a fire of Purgatorie. I thinke, that saying so, they do not thinke that they shall be beleeued; and none of the ancient Fathers euer expounded this place in that manner. For although that sometimes afflictions are called a Baptisme, yet it shall neuer be found, that to be baptized signifieth that a man should afflict himselfe. As also, that whosoeuer afflicteth himselfe for a dead man, doth not necessarily suppose that he is in a fire. Can he not afflict himselfe, shead teares, and pray, to the end he may obtaine Gods fauour, that the dead shall rise againe to saluation? which is the end of the prayer for the dead, which is spoken of in the second booke of the Maccabees chapter 12. And why should he that afflicteth himselfe for a dead man, be more bound to beleeue that the dead man is rather in a fire then in water?

Touching the true sence of this place, I confesse that it is one of the obscure places in the Scripture, whereby God exerciseth our sobrietie. Yet I will speake that which I thinke to be most probable.foreign, &c. From Cerinthus came the heresie of the Cerinthians, which denied that Iesus Christ rose againe, and thereby weakened the beleefe of the resurrection of the dead. This Cerinthus liued in the Apostles time, if we beleeue Epiphanius, and vsed many meanes to oppose against them, and to hinder their preaching. Of these heretickes Epiphanius, in the heresie of the Cerinthians, which is the eight, saith, That when any of them dyed without Baptisme, they baptized some other man in the name of the dead person, fearing lest he should be punished at the day of the resurrection, because he died without baptisme. Against these heretickes, who denying the resurrection of p. 227Iesus Christ, silently made the generall resurrection doubtfull, Epiphanius esteemeth that Saint Paul in this place disputeth, and seeketh to confute them by themselues, saying, That if according to the doctrine of those false Doctors, the dead should not rise againe, how cometh it, that among them liuing men are baptized for the dead that were not baptized, to the end, that the baptisme of the liuing man receiued, for, and in the name of the dead man, might be profitable vntounto that dead man in the resurrection?Si autē et baptizantur quidam pro mortuis, videbimus an ratione; certè illa praesumptione hoc eos instituisse contendit, qua alij etiam vicarium baptismae profuturum existimarent ad spem resurrectionis. So the Apostle sheweth them that they contradict themselues. This exposition is confirmed by Tertullian, in the eight and fortieth chapter of his booke of the Resurrection of the flesh; How (saith he) are they baptized for the dead? Certainly he maintaineth that they ordained this custome, grounded vponupon this opinion, whereby they thought that baptisme receiued for another, should be profitable to an other body for the assurance of the Resurrection. From thence the Marcionites brought vp a custome, to put a liuing man vnderunder the bed wherein a dead man lay that died without Baptisme, and then asked the dead man, and said; Wilt thou be baptized? whereunto the liuing man hidden vnderunder the bed, made answer and said: I will; as Chrysostome in his fortieth Homilie vponupon the first Epistle to the Corinthians saith.

The place wherewith they make the greatest shew is the 12. chap. of S. Mathew 32. verse, where Iesus Christ speaking against the sin of the holy Ghost, saith, It shall not be forgiue… him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come. The world to come, (our Aduersaries say) is the fire of Purgatorie. But how is that possible? seeing that (if we may beleeue it) Purgatorie was before Christ was borne? And why should that world to come rather be a fire then water, or ice? for there is no mention made neither of the one nor of the other. Besides that, how will they hauehave that world to come wherein sinnes are pardoned, to be Purgatorie, seeing that Purgatorie is a torment and a punishment? and that (according to their doctrine) sinne is pardoned before the soules enter into Purgatorie?

p. 228The sence of this place is cleare, not to pardon sinne is to punish it. Then Iesus Christ declareth that God will punish the sin against the holy Ghost in this life, and at the day of Iudgement, which is called the other world Luke 20.35. Those that shall be counted worthy to enioy that world, and the resurrection from the dead.

They also alledge the first of the Corinthians, 3.11.12.13.14.15. where Saint Paul saith, For other foundation can no man lay then that which is layd, which is Iesus Christ. And if any man build on this foundation, gold, siluer, precious stones, timber, hay or stubble, eueryevery mans worke shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be reuealed by fire, and the fire shall trie eueryevery mans worke of what sort it is: If any mans worke abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receiue wages: If any mans worke burne; he shall lose, but he shall be saued himselfe, yet so as it were by fire. Our Aduersaries will hauehave this fire to be Purgatorie.

I answere, first, That we can ground no doctrine vponupon allegoricall places: Secondly, That seeing our Aduersaries vnderstand the words, wood hay, stubble, or siluer, allegorically, there is no reason to take the onelyonly word Fire properly; specially seeing that that is the onelyonly word whereupon the Apostle putteth the note of a similitude, saying, He shall be saued yet as it were by fire. Thirdly, adde hereunto, that here he speaketh of a fire which trieth the worke, and not of a fire which punisheth the person. Fourthly, of a fire whereby the worke shalbe made manifest: but what is done in Purgatorie is not manifest. Fiftly, Of eueryevery mans worke: then of the Apostles and the Martyrs workes, whom neuerthelesse the church of Rome exempts from purgatorie. Sixtly, also here it is spoken of a fire wherein the worke burneth, & not soules. Seuenthly, of a fire whereby the workeman loseth his worke, but in Purgatorie nothing is lost. And if men will say that sinnes therein are lost, there is a benefit in that losse.

The sence of the place is plaine. The Apostle speaketh of Pastors and Doctors, which teaching retaine the foundation which is Iesus Christ, whereupon some build holy and firme p. 229doctrines, which are called gold, siluer, and precious stones; other build vaine and light doctrines, which degenerate from the price and soliditie of the foundation; and are called wood, hay, and stubble. The Apostle saith, that those light doctrines, examined by the word of God as mettals by fire, shall not subsist; that the worke of such a Minister shall perish, and that proofe shall manifest and make knowne, that there is no firmenesse in it. But touching the person of the Pastor, although his worke perisheth, yet he may be saued, because of the foundation which he hath holden. But yet after a triall of his worke hath bene made, as mettals are tried by fire. Therefore here the Apostle speaketh of a triall that shall be made in this life, and not afterward; and of a triall of the doctrine of Pastors, and not of tormenting of soules in a fire.

Some make a shew of the place of Saint Paul, Philip. 2.10. That at the name of Iesus should eueryevery knee bow, both of things in heauen, and things in earth, and things vnderunder the earth. And of that which is said, Reuel. 5.13. And all the creatures which are in heauen, and on the earth, and vnderunder the earth, and in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Praise, and honour, and glory and power, be vntounto him that sitteth vponupon the throne, and vntounto the Lambe for euermore, &c. With these places our adue saries blow this imaginarie fire, saying, that those that are vnderunder the earth are the soules that are tormented in Purgatory. They ought also to tell vsus, what those creatures are which are in the sea: and also shew vsus a reason, why by those that are vnderunder the earth, they will sooner vnderstand soules in Purgatory, then the soules of little children that died before they were baptized; because they place thē also vnderunder the ground. But there is much more apparence and likelihood, that by those which are vnderunder the earth, is vnderstood those whose bodies are in the graues, or those that are in hell: for all men both good and bad shall bow their knees before Iesus Christ at the day of iudgement, and shall humble themselues in his presence. For Saint Paul in that place to the Philippians speaketh of the kingdome giuen to Iesus Christ ouer all creatures without exception. As also in Rom. 14.10.11, where p. 230God saith thus, For we shall all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ. For it is written, I liue (saith the Lord) and eueryevery knee shall bow to me, and all tongues shall confesse vntounto God. In this place it is plaine, that the Apostle taketh, Appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ, and to bow the knee before God; for one selfe same thing. To kindle this imaginary fire, they yet bring a match which will not take light, that is, the 21. chap. of the Reuelation, 27 ver. where the Spirit of God speaking of the celestiall Ierusalem, saith: And there shall enter into it no vncleane thing. From whence they infer, that the soules of the faithfull that are spotted with sinne, ought to be purged before they enter into Paradise. But the words following shew, that by the vncleane, is not vnderstood the faithfull spotted with sinne, but the wicked and the abhominable. This is the whole place: And there shall enter into it no vncleane thing, neither whatsoeuer worketh abhomination or lies, but they which are written in the Lambes booke of life. Then those vncleane are the abhominable and liers, and such as are not written in the booke of life. Not therefore the soules of the faithfull, which hauehave no need to be put in the crurible or into the fire to be purified. For the bloud of Iesus Christ purgeth them from all sinne. 1. Ioh. 1.7.

The rest of the places which they alledge, hauehave so little shew, that we thinke our aduersaries are beholding vntounto vsus for letting of them passe, without arguing thereon. If in the Scripture there be any speech of a boyling pot, of the filthinesse of the danghters of Sion, of a ditch wherein there is no water; or if it be said that God rebuketh in his wrath, they are (as they say) as many proofes of Purgatory. Coueteousnesse hath made these Doctors expert in fire-wor…es, and most industrious to kindle this fire. They want nothing but the word of God, and common sense.

Places out of the ancient Fathers against Purgatory.

Section. 88 We hauehave al…eady heard, how diuerse ancient Fathers are of p. 231opinion that the soule cannot be tormented without the body, an opinion directly against the torments of soules in Purgatory. We hauehave also seene how prayer for the dead practised in the ancient Church is contrary to Purgatory: and that the prayers for the dead which are at this day made in the Church of Rome, make no mention of the fire of Purgatory.

The booke of Questions and Answers to the Orthodoxe, which is at the end of Iustine Martyrs workes, saith thus in the 75. question:**foreign. After the soules are departed out of the bodie, presently a separation is made of the good from the bad, for they are carried by Angels to the places fit for them: the soules of the good into Paradise, where the Angels resort, and are conuersant; but the soules of the wicked into hell.

S. Cyprian in his booke against Demetrian: **Aeui temporalis fine completo ad aeterna vel mortis vel immortalitatis hospitiae diuidimur.This temporall life being ended, we are sequestred into the habitation either of eternall death or of eternall life.

And in the same Treatise towards the end:aaQuando istine excessū fuerit, nullus iam locus poenitentiae est, nullus satisfactionis effectus. Ad immortalitatem sub ipsa morte transitur. When we are gone from hence, there is no more place of repentance, nor no fruite or effect of Satisfaction. And then he addeth: If thou askest pardon of God for thy sinnes, although it be at the issuing of thy soule out of thy body, and at the end of this temporall life, pardon shall be granted vntounto thee vponupon repentance and confession of thy sinnes: and pardon of saluation is granted to the beleeuer by diuine grace and goodnesse, and from death we passe and go into life eternall.

Cyprian throughout his whole booke of Mortalitie expressely speaketh thereof, where among other things he saith,bbDeus tibi de hoc mundo recedenti aeternitatem pollicetur atque aeternitatem, & tu dubitas? hoc est Deum omnino non nosse. God, at thy going out of this world, promiseth thee immortalitie and eternall life, and dost thou doubt it? this is not to know God at all as thou shouldest.ccNon exitus sed transitus & temporali itinere decurso ad aeterna transgressus. There also he saith, that death is a passage or way to eternity; that our brethren which are dead, are not lost, but sent thither before vsus; and that we must not put on blacke gownes, sith our friends hauehave put on p. 232white robes. And there speaking of the day of death, he saith,ddAmplectamur diem qui singulos assignet domicilio suo, qui nos istinc ereptos, & laqueis secularibus exutos, Paradiso restituit & regno coelesti. Let vsus embrace that day which putteth eueryevery man in his house, which hauing drawne vsus from hence, and vnburthened vsus of the snares of this world putteth vsus into Paradise, and into the heauenly kingdome.

Saint Hierome vponupon the ninth of Amos saith,eeQuando anima vinculis laxata corporis, volandi quò velit siue quò ire compellitur propter tenuitatem substantiae habuerit libertatem, aut ad inferna ducetur, aut certè ad coelestia subleuabitur. When the soule loosed from the bandes of this body it shall be libertie, because of the thinnesse or lightnesse of her substance, to flie whither it will, or whither it is constrained to go, then it shall be carried to hell, of whom it is written, Sinners shall be carried or cast into hell; or else it shall be lifted vp into the heauenly habitation.

In the Romish Decree, 13ffCan. In praesenti. Cause, second question, this place of Saint Hierome is alledged: In this world we know that we can helpe one another by prayers or by counsell; but when we shall come before the iudgement seate of Iesus Christ, neither Iob, nor Daniel, nor Noe can pray for any man, but eueryevery man shall beare his owne burthen.

Gregorie Nazianzen in the Epitaph vponupon his brother Caesarius saith,ggforeign. I beleeue the words & sayings of the wise, that is, that eueryevery good soule fearing God, being deliuered from this body, (which here on earth it hath,) and separated from it, is presently admitted to the fruition and contemplation of the good which is reserued for it, and enioyeth admirable pleasure.

Saint Ambrose in the booke of the benefite of death, cap. 8. saith,hhInsipientes mortem quasi summum malum reformidant, sapientes quasi requiem post labores & finem malorum expetunt. Fooles feare death as the principall euill, but wise men desire it, as a rest after their trauels and end of their euils. And in the second chapter, speaking of the day of death, he saith,iiCùm dies aduenerit, intrepidè ad Abraham patrem nostrum proficiscamur, intrepide pergamus ad illum coetum iustorum{que} conuentum. Ibimus enim ad patres nostros, ibimus ad illos nostrae fidei praeceptores, vt etiamsi opera desint, fides opituletur, defendatur haereditas, When that day comes, we go assuredly to our father Abraham, to the assembly of the Saints, and to the congregation of the iust. For p. 233we shall go to our fathers, we shall go to the teachers of our faith, to the end, that although our workes faile vsus, our faith may secure vsus, and the inheritance be kept for vsus. Note these words, Although our workes faile vsus; that men should not thinke, but that he speaketh of the most holy, and the most perfect among men.

Epiphanius in his second booke of Heresies, in the 39. Heresie, which is the heresie of the Catharists or Nouatians, saith, In the world to come after man is dead, there is no more helpe by fasting, no more calling for penance, no more giuing of almes. And then he addeth,kkforeign. The barnes are shut vp, the time is accomplished, the combat is ended, the place of the lists is emptie, and the crownes are giuen. And saith, that all this is done when the soule leaueth the body; & a little before he said, there is no more place for almes, nor for penance.

Chrysostome in the second Homilie of Lazarus, saith,llforeign. While we are here on earth we hauehave faire hopes, but as soone as we hauehave left this world, it is no more in our power to do penance, nor to vndo or amend that which we hauehave committed and done vponupon earth. And in his 75. Homilie vponupon Saint Mathew he saith, That penance after death is vnprofitable.

And in his fourth Homilie vponupon the Epistle to the Hebrewes, speaking of Hymnes and Prayers which in his time were said at burials of the dead, he saith.mmforeign. What signifie these burning tapers, but that we bury the champions of Christ? and these Hymnes or songs, but that we glorifie God, and giuegive him thankes, because he hath crowned the dead, and deliuered him from all paine and griefe?

And in his 22. Homilie vponupon Saint Mathew, he chideth those which weepe for the dead,nnforeign. Because (saith he) death is an hauen of safetie. And in the same Homilie he saith, Why doest thou call the poore after the death of thy friend, why doest thou desire the Priests to pray for him? Whereunto he maketh answer himselfe, and saith, That it is to the end that the dead may obtaine rest, and find his yoke easie. Thinkest thou (saith he) that thou must weepe for these things? Dost p. 234thou not see, that therein thou doest him wrong, raisin stormes against him, when he is safely arriued at the hauen?

Gregory Nissen in his booke of those that Sleepe, saith,ooPer mortem soluto bello, quod in nobis est pacemmens agitat. Postea quam dolor mortis ad alteram vitam hominibus quasi obstetricata fuerit. The war that is in vsus being ended by death, our soules rest, hauing left the field wherein the battell was fought, that is, the body. And a little after: The paines of death are as it were a midwife vntounto man, to bring him into eternall life. The purging fire whereof he speaketh in the same booke, is the fire of the last iudgement, which (according to the opinion of the ancient Fathers) must purge all men, yea, and the virgin Marie, as we hauehave proued before. Sometimes also the Fathers callppAug lib. 21. de ciuitate Dei cap. 13. Nos in hac mortali vita esse quasdam purgatorias poenas confitemur. the afflictions of this life a purging fire: Saint Cyprian in the second Epistle of his fourth booke, calleth Ecclesiasticall penance imposed vponupon those which by feare were become idolaters, a purgation by fire.

Saint Augustine, or whosoeuer is the author of the booke of the Vanitie of this world, in the ninth tome, chap. 1. saith,qqScitote quod cum anima à corpore euellitur, aut in Paradiso pro meritis bonis collocatur, aut certè pro peccatis in inferni tartara praecipitatur. Know that when the soule departeth out of the body, it is presently placed in Paradise because of her good workes, or is cast downe into the pit of hell because of her sinnes. And in the margent these words are set, Vbi nunc purgatorium? And in the second Sermon of the Consolation of the dead, which is in the ninth tome of Saint Augustines works, cap. 1, he saith:rrRecedens anima ab Angelis suscipitur, & collocatur aut in sinu Abrahae si fidelis est, aut in carceris inferni custodia si peccatrix est. The soule going out of the body is receiued by the Angels, and placed in Abrahams bosome if it be faithfull, or in the infernall prison of hell if it be sinfull.

In the eighteenth Sermon of the words of the Apostle he saith,ssDuae sunt habitationes, vna in igne aeterno, altera in regno aeterno. There are two habitations, the one in the eternall kingdome of heauen, the other in the eternall fire of hell.

And in the 232 Sermon which is against drunkennsse, he saith,ttNemo se decipiat, fratres, duo enim loca sunt & tertius non est vllus. Qui cum Christo regnare non meruerit, cum diabolo absque dubitatione vlla perihit. Let no man deceiue himselfe my brethren, for there are two places, and no third place. He that shall not merite to reigne with Christ in heauen, without doubt shall perish with the diuell in hell.

p. 235In the booke of the Desert of sinnes, and of pardon thereof, cap. 28. He saith,uuNec est vllus vlli medius locus vt possit esse nisi cum diabolo qui non est cum Christo. There is no middle way, in such manner that he which dwelleth not with Iesus Christ, must dwel elsewhere with the diuell. And it is to be noted, that Saint Augustine in this place maintaineth, that little children which are not baptized, are in hell. Certainly he would not hauehave bene so hard and rigorous against those children, if he had knowne of any other place of punishment, which is not so rigorous, or shorter, as Limbus patrum, or Purgatorie.

These places in this Father ought to be taken for a resolation of a doubt which he sometimes had, whether after this life, there is any temporall torment and purging fire. And in his Manuell to Larentius, cap. 68. he saith, That that fire which proueth eueryevery mans worke, whereof Saint Paul 1. Cor 3.11, speaketh, is the triall of afflictions which is made in this life. And proceeding in that matter in the chapter following he saith,xxTale aliquid etiam post hanc vitam fieri incredibile non est, & vtrum ita sit quaeri potest, & aut inueniri aut latere non nullos fideles per ignem quendam purgatorium. Quanto magis minusue bona pereuntia dilexerunt, tanto tardius citiusque saluari. It is not a thing incredible, that such a thing may happen after this life, and we may doubt whether it be such as may be found or whether it be an hidden thing, that certaine faithfull persons shall be saued by purging fire, some sooner some later, as they loued and affected the things of this world. He doubteth whether he should beleeue this purgation by fire, which many ancient Fathers referred to the day of iudgement.

And in the booke of the eight questions propounded by Dulitius, in the first question, he saith, Whether men suffer afflictions onelyonly in this life, or whether after this life some such punishments ensue, it is not a thing (as I thinke) farre from the apparence of truth.

In the 26 chapter of the 21 booke of the Citie of God, he saith of transitory tribulation after this life, Non redarguo quia forsitan verum est, I denie it not, because it may be it is true. We hauehave also seene before, two formal places out of the book of the Citie of God, wherein he putteth this purgation to be at the day of iudgement: but in the 21 booke and 16 chapter he is of a contrary minde, and saith,yyPurgatorias autem poenas nullas futuras opinetur, nisi ante illud vltimū tremendumque iudicium. That we must beleeue that there are no purging paines, but those that are before the latter iudgement. Which makes me beleeue that p. 236this place hath bene corrupted or thrust into his booke by malice; and that it is not credible, that this Doctor who in so many other places affirmeth the contrary, should be so forgetfull, and that in one selfe same booke he should contradict himselfe; or that by purging paines he vnderstandeth the afflictions of this life.

We will end this question with an expresse sentence out of Pope Gregorie the first in his 13. booke vponupon Iob, cap. 20, where he saith,zzQuia authoris nostri gratia redempti sumus hoc iam coelestis muneris habemus, vt cùm de carnis nostrae habitatione subtrahimur, mox ad coelestia praemia ducamur. Because we are redeemed by the grace of our creator, we hauehave this heauenly gift, that when our soules depart out of this fleshly habitation, we are presently carried to the reward of eternall rest. I know not what may be spoken to this purpose more expresly.

Of Indulgences or Pardons.

Section. 89 The fire of Purgatory being in this manner quenched, Indulgences or pardons whereby the Pope draweth soules out of this fire, grow cold. In such manner, that the Pope hath no need to heape vp & gather the superabundant satisfactions of Saints into his treasurie to distribute them by his pardons, and to conuert them into payment or satisfaction for others, and thereby to draw soules out of Purgatorie. This businesse is altogether superfluous.

For he shall not need to trouble himselfe to take that out of prison which is not there. And though it were so, yet the afflictions and troubles of the Saints whom God hath sufficiently rewarded in their owne persons, would not be an acceptable satisfaction. For the Scripture saith, Gal. 6.5. That eueryevery man shall beare his owne burthen: and 1. Cor. 3.8. EueryEvery man shall receiue his wages according to his labour. And 2. Cor. 5.10. EueryEvery man shall receiue the things which are done in his body, whether it be good or euill. And Psal. 49.7. No man can by any meanes redeeme his brother, nor giuegive to God a ransome for him.

p. 237As also that the satisfaction of Iesus Christ is sufficient, without borrowing the afflictions of the Saints, or the fastings, pilgrimages, and whippings of Monkes, 1. Iohn 1.7. The bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ cleanseth vsus from all sinne: and Acts 4.12. There is no saluation in any other. He giueth no vertue to the Saints to pay a debt which is discharged, nor to make Satisfaction for that for the which he himselfe hath fully satisfied. It is a mocking of the Saints, to set them on worke to do a thing which is done before.

If the Pope were bound to yeeld an account of his actions, and to shew by what authority he doth that which he doth, could he shew in what place God hath giuen him that power to take soules out of Purgatory? Secondly, who hath commanded him to heape vp the superabundant satisfactions of Saints and Monkes in his treasurie? Thirdly, where and when did God first command him to distribute them to others? I beleeue he would be hardly bestead: for that the high Priests in the old Testament did not gather together the superabundant satisfactions of Noe nor of Abraham, nor made any distribution of them: nor neuer thought of taking any soules out of Purgatory, either by power of iurisdicton, or any manner of suffrages. Seeing also, that neither Iesus Christ, nor the Apostles, nor yet the ancient Church for many yeares neuer spake of this treasure, nor did not by Pardons distribute the ouerplus of humane satisfactions, nor established priuiledged altars, nor tooke any soules out of Purgatory. And Gabriel Biel in his 57. Lecture vponupon the Canon of the Masse, and Cardinall Caietan in the beginning of the booke of Indulgences, acknowledge, That in all antiquity there is nothing found touching Pardons.

The abuse thereof is most euident and cleare, in this, that the remission of sinnes is tyed to a certaine Church, in such manner that he which should elsewhere do three times as many deuotions should not hauehave the same pardon. And in this, that when the day of Iubilie is at Rome, those that are neare thereunto hauehave their remission at their ease; but those which are three hundred leagues from thence, and want money, p. 238or a good horse, or a good paire of legs, are depriued of that spirituall liberality. And herein, that the Pope giueth full pardon of all sinnes, and a third part of sinnes besides, that is to say, that he forgiues all their sinnes, and many others. As also herein, that the Pope and the Clergie draw great profits and vse a great trafficke thereby. The Iubilie is the great haruest of the Citie of Rome: then offerings and treasure come thither from all places. And in this, that the Pope giueth pardons without any exact calculation, (as hauing secretly reckoned with God) giuing eighteene thousand yeares of pardon, and as many times forty dayes, and some dayes more: there wanted nothing but houres and minutes. And in this, that he throwes pardons abroad like a handfull of crownes among the prease, as when he throwes a thousand yeares of pardon among the prease of the people vponupon the day of his Coronation.

But specially and aboue all, it is an admirable thing, that Iesus Christ mediateth and intreateth for the soules that are in Purgatory, and that they come not forth from thence by his intercession, but come out by the Popes pardons. Which can neither be blanched nor excused, by that which some say, that the intercession of Iesus Christ doth not exempt the faithfull from sicknesse and other afflictions in this present life. For the intercession of Iesus Christ serueth not to hurt vsus: but it should be hurtfull vntounto vsus, if it depriued vsus of the wholesome remedies which God vseth to amend vsus, which are sicknesse and afflictions. In which rancke Purgatory is not to be reckoned, which serueth not to amend and instruct sinners, and to keepe them in the feare of God. We cannot say, that it should be an hurtfull thing to those soules not to be burnt, and to be presently carried into Paradise. Christs satisfaction exempteth vsus from satisfying, but depriueth vsus not of corrections and wholesome trials. And the Pope doth not by his pardons exempt men from sicknesse, but will hauehave them to beleeue that he drawes soules out of Purgatory. Wherein he manifestly exalts himselfe aboue God: for if it be Gods will to punish his children in a fire, why will not the Popes p. 239suffer him to punish them as it pleaseth him? Aske him by what authoritie he doth that, and he will say, That God gaue Peter the power to vnbinde and loose vponupon earth. Put the case that this were likewise said of the Pope, yet that place speaketh not of loosing vnderunder the earth; the power of the Keyes extendeth not to the dead.

Of Single life, or perpetuall abstinence from marriage.

Section. 90 To beginne this question we declare and auouch, that we honour and much esteeme constant virginitie, and acknowledge, that it hath many aduantages aboue marriage. And that a man which is not married, if he be chast and continent, is the fitter to beare the crosse of Christ, and to resolue with himselfe to endure banishment for the word of God. For he is lesse tied and combred with humane cares, and hath more libertie. His minde is lesse distracted by the cares of this present life. And he hath more time to employ himselfe in the seruice of God.

But these praises and commendations belong onelyonly to continent and constant virginitie,Hieron. lib. 1. cont. Iouinian. Illa virginitas hostia est Christo, cuius nec mentem cogitatio, nec carnem libido maculauit. Ambr. li. 3. de virginib. Non sola carnis virginem facit, sed etiam mentis integritas. which is not onelyonly an integritie of the body, but also a puritie of spirit voyd of all concupiscence. Which is a gift that happeneth to a very few men, and may as well be giuen to a Lay man as to a Pastor of the Church.

This commendation of Virginitie ought not in any sort to preiudice Marriage, ordained by God in Paradise, and which Iesus Christ would honour with his presence: who also would be borne of a virgin, but yet contracted, and vnderunder shadow of marriage, to honour virginitie without dishonouring marriage, ordained by God to be a remedie against incontinencie, an ease of afflictions, a mutuall support, a meanes of the conseruation of humane kinde, and by consequence, of the Church.

Against this mariage the Popes hauehave banded themselues, p. 240and hauehave inuēted a thousand means to make it odious. PopeaaCan. Proposuisti. nec eos ad sacra officia fas sit admittere, qui exercent cum vxoribus carnale consortium quia scriptum est, Sancti estote quoniam ego sum sanctus. Innocent in Distinction 82. forbiddes those that dwell carnally with their wiues to be receiued into any sacred offices, because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy: as if holinesse were disagreeing with marriage; or as if the commandement to be holy, belonged onelyonly to Ecclesiasticall persons. There also he groundeth single life vponupon the place of Scripture, Titus 1.15. which saith, Ʋnto the pure all things are pure, but vntounto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing nothing is pure. And vponupon that which is said, Rom. 8.8.9. Those that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Pope Syricius in the same Distinction speaketh thus,bbCan. Plurimos. We vnderstand that diuers Priests and Deacons long time since their consecrations hauehave begotten children, not onelyonly in marriage, but in adulterie. And a little while after, he calleth both the one and the otherccQuisquis ille est sectaetor libidinum, praeceptor vitiorum. Epiphan. Anchorato. foreign. Sectaries of adulterie, and teachers of vices. Which the Apostle to the Hebrews did not beleeue, when in the 13. chapter, verse 4, he calleth marriage, The bed vndefiled. Nor Epiphanius when he said, that Enoch was not a virgin, and yet he was continent.

Bellarmne in 34 cha. of the book of Monks calles the marriage of Monks a Sacriledge, and saith, it is a greater sin then adultery for them to marry. And yet they are not abashed to see a Priest keepe a whore. In Rome the Priests and Prelates go publikely to the Stewes. But if any of them marrie, he is esteemed a monster, and I thinke that he should not scape the Inquisition. So the Popes forbid marriage, and permit adultery. The Iesuite Emmanuel Sà in his Aphorismes, at the wordddEpiscopus potest procedere contra quencun{que} ob peccatum mor cale, nisi esset iure permissum, vt meretricum. Bishop, maketh no difficulty to say, that whore-hunting is by right permitted vntounto them.

And although that in the church of Rome those that are Bigamies are irregular, that is, that those that hauehave bene twise married are not admitted to the Priesthood; yet he is not irregular that hath had diuers concubines,eeExtra. De Bigamis, cap. Quia circa. postulasti per sedem apostolicam edoceri, se presbyteri plures concubinas habentes bigami censeantur. Ad quod duximus respondendum, quod cum irregularitatem non incurrerint bigamiae, cum eis tanquam simplici fornicatione notatis, quod ad executionem sacerdotalis officij poteris dispensare. as Pope p. 241Innocent the third declareth. All that is done for feare lest married priests should eclipse the goods of the Church, to giuegive them to their children, as Pope**Can. de Syracusanae Superstes vxor aut filij per quos Ecclesiastica solet periclitari substantia. Gregorie the first saith in the 28. Distinction. By the like policie where any profit may be procured to the Popes and Prelates, they hauehave aduanced the dignitie of marriage, placing it among the number of the Sacraments of the Church, thereby to draw the knowledge of matrimoniall causes to themselues, vnderunder pretence that it belongs to the Church to take knowledge of the Sacraments. And yet forgetting themselues, they marrie some by deputies, which they would finde to be absurd in the other Sacraments, and would not suffer any one to be baptized for another. By the same policy they hauehave forbidden marriage in the third and fourth degree, and forged forbidden degrees of spirituall parentage; because, the more prohibitions that are made, men come the oftener vntounto them for Dispensations.

1 Touching this question, if we take the word of God for Iudge heerein, the difference will soone be ended. For the chiefe Doctors of the Church of Rome confesse, that we hauehave no commandement from God touching the same.Thomas 2. 2. Quaest. 88. Art. 11. Thomas, and after him Bellarmine, in the first booke of Clerkes, cha. 18. teach, that the prohibition made to spirituall persons not to marrie, is no diuine law, but a humane & positiue law; and neuerthelesse we hauehave heard before, and experience witnesseth the same, that this humane commandement is inuiolably obserued, but that adulterie is permitted, and the Stewes established in Rome, by the Popes permission, contrary to the commandement of God.

2 The Apostle, 1. Cor. 7.2. saith, To auoide fornication, let eueryevery man hauehave his wife, and eueryevery woman hauehave her owne huslband. Note, eueryevery one: to the end that spirituall persons should not be exempted. And to auoide fornication. Then this commandement is made to spirituall persons subiect to fornication.

3 In the same chapter verse ninth, it is said; But if they can not abstaine, let them marrie, for it is better to marie then to p. 242burne. Then an vnchast priest that hath not the gift of continencie is bound to marrie. It serues not his turne to say, that he hath made a vow not to marrie, and that he must obserue and keepe his vow. For the same priest hath also made a vow not to commit adultery: and although he had not made that vow, yet he is bound thereunto, seeing that God in his Law forbiddeth adulterie. Now which promise is most strictly to be obserued, either that which a man maketh to God, to obserue and obey his commandements, or that which he maketh to the Church, without the commandement of God? Which bond or obligation is the strongest, either that which a man oweth to God whether he will or not, or that wherein we willingly binde our selues, without any necessitie, and without the word of God? Then how comes it to passe, that the marriage of a priest, contrary to an vnnecessarie vow, is called sacriledge; but if he committeth adulterie against the commandement of God, the fault is esteemed a thousand times lesse? I say, that adultery committed by a priest, not onelyonly breaketh his vow made to God to obey his Law, but also infringeth the vow of chastitie that he made when he was made a priest, so that he breaketh two vowes. But if he marrie, he breakes but one, and that was made contrary to the word of God. So adultery committed by a priest is a double sacriledge, because therby two vowes are broken.

4 If all men be bound, and that without a vow, to obey God, then priests are bound to obey the commandement of God pronounced by the Apostle, If they cannot abstaine, let them marrie. Holy, iust, and necessarie obligations to saluation, cannot be broken by vnnecessarie subsequent vowes.

5 Hereunto I adde, that it is an abuse heere to alledge the vow not to marrie: for that vowes are good, first, if we vow good things: secondly, if we vow willingly and with knowledge what we do: thirdly, if we vow things which are in our power to do. Now in this vow, not to marry, there wanteth three things. First, for that a man that is not continent, voweth neuer to marrie: that is to say, that he will vow to disobey God, that will hauehave persons that hauehave not the gift of p. 243continencie, to marrie, feeling himselfe not able to containe, he will vow to abstaine from the remedie of incontinencie which God hath ordained. This vow being cōtrary to Gods will, is of no force, and yet he is constrained to keepe his vow, although he should commit adultery a thousand times.

6 Secondly, this vow also is ordinarily made vnwillingly, and without knowing what it is. Men make their daughters Nunnes at twelue yeares, and their sonnes Monkes at fourteene yeares of age: then when they do not know what concupiscence meaneth: which after beginning to kindle in them, worketh with double force, like cinders that are couered ouer with ashes, and at the last breake out violently into a flame. A father to discharge himselfe of his dutie towards his children, putteth the weakest and imperfectest of them into an house of religion, and offereth the maimed and lame vntounto God. And those poore children entring ioyfully into the Fishers weele, soone after, at their leisure, sigh and grone in their captiuitie.

7 Lastly, by this vow men promise things which are not in their power: for chastitie is a gift which God bestoweth not vponupon many men. The vnchaste life of the most part of those that make this vow, sufficiently sheweth it. To quench naturall affections, we must hauehave a supernaturall gift, which is not in our power. The Apostle 1. Cor. 7 7. feeling himselfe to be exempted from those desires, said, I would that all men were euen as I my selfe am: But to shew that few hauehave that gift, he addeth. But eueryevery man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, another after that.

8 Whereupon Bellarmine confesseth,Lib. 2 de Monac. cap. 31. that this gift is not in our power; yet, that eueryevery man may aske the same of God. But he considereth not that God will not heare our prayers, if they be not made in faith; as Saint Iames saith 1.6.7. and also that this faith is a gift of God. Ephesians 2. which gift God giueth not to all men, 2. Thes. 3.2. As also that he which asketh grace of God not to marrie, hath no promise that God will heare him. It is true that God promiseth to giuegive vsus all things that we shall aske in the name of Iesus Christ: but p. 244he speaketh of things necessarie to saluation, of which number, perpetuall virginitie is none. And God gaue not that gift to those men whom he loued most, as to Moses, to Samuel, to Dauid, and to Esay, &c. But, how should Priests and Clerks of the church of Rome be assured to obtaine the gift of chastitie, which is not necessarie to saluation, and which God hath not promised, seeing that they make profession, not to be assured by prayer to obtaine the saluation which God promiseth? Then vowing chastitie, they vow that which God hath not promised them, and which they are not assured to obtaine, and which is not in their power. Whence it followeth, that this vow is rashly made, and by consequence, is not to be obserued.

9 Also, we hauehave examples of the Prophets extraordinarily and miraculously inspired, and indued with the Spirit of God; as Moses, Samuel, Esay, &c. which were married and had children. The priests also in the old Law were married, and that in such a time, when as in externall things, and in cleanenesse and ceremoniall exactnesse, God required a greater puritie then he doth vnderunder the Gospell. And if marriage had bene vnfit for the priests in the old Law, God would hauehave ordained some other meanes to continue the order of priests, then by succession from the father to the sonne. To this they make no answer: for that which they say, is no answer: They say that the priests abstained from their wiues in the time of their seruice. A thing inuented by themselues, and which cannot be proued. But to the contrary it is found that Aaron and his sonnes were daily both morning and euening to attend vponupon the sacrifice, and to burne incense eueryevery morning, Exodus 30.7. as also, that the ordinarie food of the high Priest and of his familie, was that portion of the sacrifices which was allotted vntounto them.

10 Neuerthelesse, put case that it were so; can abstinence for a few dayes serue, or be sufficient to establish perpetuall virginitie? For such an abstinence did not depriue the priests of the end and intent of marriage, which is to beget children, and to preuent incontinencie: but perpetuall single life p. 245depriueth a man of those things, intangleth him in wicked desires, and resisteth nature. Which serueth for an answer to the like allegations. As the prohibition made to the Israelites, not to touch their wiues carnally for the space of three dayes before the publication of the Law. And that which the Apostle 1. Corint. 7.5. saith, Defraud not one another, except it be with consent fot a time, that you may giuegive your selues to fasting and prayer, and againe come together, that Sathan tempt you not for your incontinencie.

11 Many of the Apostles were married. In the first of Marke 30. mention is made of Peters wiues mother. Ignatius liuing neare vntounto the Apostles time, in his Epistle to the Philadelphians, saith,aaforeign. that Peter and Paul, and the rest of the A…stles were married. Saint Ambrose vponupon the 11 chapter of thebbOmnes Apostoli excepto Ioanne et Paulo vxores habuerunt. 2. Corinthians saith, All the Apostles, except Iohn and Paul, had wiues. Clemens Alexandrinus in his third of Strom. saith,ccforeign. &c. Do they reiect the Apostles? For Peter and Philip begat children. Philip gaue his daughters to husbands. And Paul made no difficultie in one of his Epistles, to speake to his companion, being a woman. Which I alleadge, not that I beleeue that Saint Paul was married, but to shew that Clement did not esteeme marriage to be incompatible with the Apostles office. In the 21. chapter of the Acts, verse 9. it is said that Philip rhe Euangelist had foure daughters. Platina in the life of Cletus the first saith, that Saint Luke was married, and that his wife was in Bithynia.

12 Our Aduersaries answer, and say, that it is true, that those holy seruants of God had wiues, but that they lay not with them, and had not the carnall vse of their bodies. These men diuine what they list, without producing any prohibition made to the Apostles touching the same. What would the Apostles hauehave thought, when Iesus Christ call…d them, if he had layd that necessitie vponupon them to abstaine from their wiues? Who doubts that the high Priests and the Pharisies that sifted him so narrowly, would not hauehave persecuted him therefore, as hauing imposed a yoke vponupon them which God had not set downe in his Law? Defraud not one another, saith p. 246the Apostle, but come together againe, 1. Cor. 7.5. If to defraud one another be a vice in other men, why had it bene a vertue in the Apostles?

13 It is true, that the Apostles said to Iesus Christ, Matth. 19.27. We hauehave forsaken all, and followed thee: To whom Iesus Christ made answer and said, verse 29. Whosoeuer shall forsake houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my names sake, he shall receiue an hundred fold more, and shall inherit eternall life. But it is a great abuse, to take that which he saith to all the faithfull, as if it were onelyonly said to the Apostles and Pastors of the Church. For he saith, Whosoeuer shall forsake, &c. All the faithfull ought to forsake houses, fields, wiues, children, fathers, mothers, yea and their owne liues, when they cannot keepe them but by …nying Iesus Christ, or forsaking that vocation whereunto God hath called them. In that case God will hauehave all humane bands broken, and that all naturall affections shall in a manner be choked by the zeale and the desire to saue our soules and to follow our vocations. Saint Augustine in his 89 Epistle expoundeth that place in this manner, saying: Sometime there happeneth such a necessitie, that we must either leaue our wiues, or Iesus Christ. The place is long, and very expresse to this purpose, and he speaketh of all the faithfull.

14 It is to be noted also, that Iesus Christ there speakes of forsaking wiues, children, houses, and goods generally, Then seeing the Church of Rome doth iudge, that by this place Priests & Bishops are not bound to forsake and leaue the vse of their goods, why should they by the same place be bound to leaue the vse of their wiues? If a father that is become a Priest, is not bound by this place to be no more a father, why should he by this place be bound to be no more an husband? If he may keepe his goods, why should he not also keepe his wife? for these two things are also ioyntly set downe in this place. And we see by the History of the Gospell, that after Iesus Christ had said that to his Apostles, they did not leaue the propriety and vse of their fisher boates, nor Saint Iohn of p. 247his house, whereinto he receiued the virgine Mary after the death of Christ our Lord.

15 To be short, touching this matter we hauehave the expresse prohibition of our Lord Iesus Christ saying to his Apostles, Matth. 19.9. No man shall put away his wife, except it be for whoredome &c: and verse 6. The man and his wife are no more twaine, but one flesh. Let no man therefore put asunder that which God hath coupled together. Seeing that the Lord spake to his disciples in that place, with what shew can they except them onelyonly from the obedience of that commandement? And if they must hauehave abstained from their wiues, would they hauehave kept them with them? this could not h…ue bene without offence. Whither would they hauehave driuen them away, and separated them from their children, but there would hauehave bene inhumanitie and a publicke scandall?

16 The Apostle Saint Paul in the first to Tim. 4.1.2.3. saith, In the latter times some shall depart from the faith, and shall giuegive heed vntounto spirits of error, and doctrine of diuels: which speake lies through hypocrisie, & hauehave their consciences burnt with an hot iron, forbidding to marrie, &c.

To shun this place, they say, that the Apostle speaketh against other heretickes, which condemned mariage as a wicked and filthy thing in it selfe.

Wherunto I answer, that there is no prohibition in the word of God which a man may not shift off by the same meanes. So theeues may dispense with the Law, which saith, Thou shalt not steale, by saying, that that is spoken against those that steale without necessitie, or that steale from their friends, but not to those that steale for need, or that rob a stranger. So adultery may be permitted, by saying that God forbiddeth women to hauehave to do with many men, but not to hauehave a friend in a corner. The Apostles words are generall; and without exception condemne those Doctors which forbid mariage. When the King by his proclamation maketh a generall prohibition, doth it belong to the subiect to make exceptions and restraints vponupon the same, which are not contained in the Proclamation? and without hauing any warrant or declaration p. 248of the Kings will touching the same? Whosoeuer brings any exceptions or restraints against a generall commandement of God, made vntounto vsus in his word, ought to draw and take his exceptions out of the word of God. If it be euill to condemne mariage as a filthy vncleane thing, it is not much lesse to condemne it by tyrannie and by superstition. We may run into one selfe same danger by diuerse meanes: one selfe same error may enter and be grounded in mens minds by diuerse and seuerall reasons. And I see not how those which condemne mariage as being a filthy vncleane thing, can speake of mariage in more odious termes, then the Popes Syricius and Innocent aforesaid do, which call it a vice, and an impurity and vncleannesse, and esteeme it to be contrary to holinesse.

17 The same Apostle in the 1. Tim. 3.2. saith, A Bishop must be vnreproueable, the husband of one wife, one that can rule his owne house honestly, hauing children vnderunder obedience with all honestie: for if any cannot rule his owne house, how shall he take care of the Church of God? And in the 12. verse, Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife: and verse 11. Likewise their wiues must be honest not euill speakers, &c.

To contend and striue about that, is not to dispute against vsus, but to giuegive the Apostle Saint Paul the lie, vnderunder a colour of interpreting his words. For you must note, that he saith not, that the Bishop hath bene, but that he must be the husband of one wife. For if the Apostle had vnderstood that a Bishop had bene the husband of one wife, we must by the same reason say, that Saint Paul will hauehave a Bishop to hauehave bene, but not that he should be, without reproofe. By this meanes the bishopricke shall be an entry into vice, and an exemption from doing good.

Againe the Apostle ordaineth, that their wiues shall be honest, sober, and faithfull: he speaketh then of Bishops and Deacons which hauehave wiues, and not of those that hauehave none as being dead. For the Apostle instructeth not dead women, but instructeth Bishops wiues, lest that by their vices they should dishonour their busbands vocation. Pope Leo the first, p. 249in his 85. Epistle vnderstood it so: saying. The Apostle saith,Dicente Apostolo vt Episcopus ordinetur quē vnius vxoris virum fuisse aut esse constiterit. that we must chuse a Bishop that hath bene, or that is, the husband of one wife.

Not that the Apostle esteemeth or placeth mariage to be one of the vertues in a Bishop, or that he forbiddeth a man vnlesse he be maried to be made a Bishop. The Apostle onelyonly forbiddeth a Bishop to hauehave two wiues, for that as then polygamie, or the hauing of many wiues together, was vsed among the Iewes, as Iosephus in the 17 booke of his Antiquities, cap. 1. witnesseth saying:foreign. It is the manner of our countrie to hauehave many wiues together; and then Herod had nine wiues. Saint Hierome to Oceanus saith the same. Theodoret vponupon this place saith the same both of the Greekes and the Iewes. Looke also in Chrysostome in his 10. Homilie vponupon the 1. to Timothie.

A man may hauehave two wiues two wayes, either by keeping two wiues in his house together, or else putting away his lawfull wife without any cause of adulterie, and marrying with another. For Iesus Christ in Mathew 19.9. declareth, that marriage cannot lawfully be dissolued, vnlesse it be for adultery. In this latter manner a woman may hauehave two husbands, if she hauehave left her first husband, or if she hath bene put away without committing adulterie, and is married to another husband. A thing which was common, as Saint Augustine in his 89 Epistle, Question 4 declareth. Saint Hierome in his Epistle to Oceanus saith, That Fabiola forsooke her husband. Of which women that loued to change, Seneca in the third booke of Benefits, cap. 16. saith,**Illustres quaedam ac nobiles foeminae non consulum numero sed maritorū annos suos computant & exeunt matrimonij causa, nubunt repudij. That they reckoned their yeares, not by the Consuls, but by the number of their husbands. Cicero ****Soror Triarij diuertium sine causa fecit, nuptura est Decio Bruto.in the eight booke of his familiar Epistles, Epistle 7, speaketh of Triarius sister, who without cause made a diuorce with her husband. As also the Proculeia of Martial:

—Veterem Proculeia maritum

Deseris atque iubes res sibi habere suas******Vide Sixtum Senensem lib. 6. in expositione 1. Capitis ad Titum Annot. 318 & 325.

Such were the women which the Apostle 1. Tim. 5.9. excludeth from hauing any charge of ministring in the Church, p. 250saying, Let not a widow be taken into the number vnderunder 60. yeares old, and that hath bene the wife of one husband. That is to say, that hath not had two husbands together, the one dwelling with her, the other separated by diuorce, whether she sought a diuorce with the first, or whether her husband put her away for adulterie. For you must not beleeue that the Apostle excludeth a widow from ministring in the Church, that hath maried againe to another husband after the death of her first husband, seeing that in the same Chapter he commandeth yong widowes to marrie againe. For else he should command them to do a thing which would make them vnworthy to minister in the Church. Whereupon I cannot but be much abashed at a Romish Decree, wherein they permit a Canon to be extant, which saith, that the Apostle spake both against reason and truth, and that by commanding to marrie againe, he permitteth fornication. It is the 31 Cause in the first Distinction, Hac ratione. The words are these:**Hac ratione Apostoli praeceperunt secundas adire nuptias, propter incontinentiam hominū. Nō secundam quidem accipere secundúm praeceptum Apostoli licitum est: secundùm autē veritatis rationem verè fornicatio est. Sed cum permittente Deo publicè & licenter committitur, fit honestè fornicatio. By this meanes also the Apostle commanded to marrie againe, because of the incontinency of men. For according to the Apostles commandement, it is permitted to take a second wife, but according to the reason of truth, it is meere adulterie. But seeing God permitting it, it is done puclickly and by licence, he committeth an honest adulterie. Some****The Iesuite Baile Quest. 23. of his Catechisme. being not able to auoyd the force of this so cleare and expresse a place of the Apostle, confesse that then Bishops were married: but that they were constrained to chuse such Bishops because as then they could not find a sufficient number of men that were not married to gouerne the Church.

To say so, is to weaken the power of Iesus Christ. For it is certaine, that it was not by constraint, nor for want of other meanes, that he chose his Apostles which were married men, namely Saint Peter, seeing he had the hearts of all men in his power, and could inuest the most incapable persons with sufficient graces to that end. And if at this day those onelyonly which are endued with the gift of continencie were admitted into the priesthood, would there thinke you, be a sufficient number found to fill the places that are voyd?

p. 25118 The Apostle Saint Paul, 1. Cor. 9.5. saith thus, HaueHave we not power to leade about a wife being a sister, as well as the rest of the Apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

Bellarmine after others saith, that Saint Paul by a wife that is a sister, vnderstandeth not a wife which is ioyned vntounto a man by marriage, but a wife to serue them necessarily in the way, and to supply their wants. Such as the women were that followed Iesus Christ, who hauing bene healed by him, did minister to him of their substance, Luke 8.2.3.

But Pope Leo 9 (who by the prerogatiue of his seate hath the gift not to erre) in the 31 Distinction of the Canon Omnino, Omnino confitemur non licere Episcopo vxorem abijcere à cura sua. Sed vt ei victum & vestitum largiatur, sed non vt cum ea carnaliter ex more iaceat. Sicut sanctos Apostolos legimus egisse, beato Apostolo dicente: Nunquid non habemus potestatem mulierem sororem circumducendi?declareth that by a wife that is a sister, is vnderstood a wise married to an Apostle, from whose carnall company neuerthelesse he abstained, although he tooke her with him. And the glosse of the Doctors thereupon saith, Ducebant vxores secum vt seruirent eis in cibis parandis: They tooke their wiues with them, to serue to dresse their meat. And Tertullian, although he were a Montanist, and an enemy to mariage, in his eight chapter of the booke of Chastitie, saith thus against himselfe: Licebat & Apostolis nubere, & vxores circumducere: licebat & de Euangelio viuere. It was permitted to the Apostles to marrie, and leade their wiues about with them, and to liue of the Gospell.

Reason it selfe without any other proofe ouerthroweth Bellarmines exposition. For such women could not hauehave followed the Apostles honestly and without suspition. Those women that followed Iesus Christ might do it without abandoning or leauing their families. For the way which they w… was short, and not aboue 30 leagues, which is the distan… from Galilie to Ierusalem, whereunto Iesus Christ went to the solemne feast. But to go out of their countrie, to passe ouer the seas, to go a thousand or twelue hundred leagues with the Apostles, was a thing which an honest woman neither could nor ought to do: and which naturall affection towards h r familie would not hauehave permitted. They would rather hauehave paid the charges of some seruants to hauehave followed the Apostles in their iournies.

p. 252The Apostles words take away all difficultie: for such women would hauehave followed the Apostles by charitie, and not by any power which the Apostles had ouer them: for the Apostle saith: HaueHave I not power to leade about a wife being a sister? He would rather hauehave said in the plurall number: HaueHave I not power to leade about women being sisters? For such duties of charitie and domesticall seruices, are more easily and honestly performed by diuers women.

19 Among many meane obiections of our aduersaries, I see but one that hath any shew or colour. The Apostle, 1. Tim. 5.11.12. saith, But refuse the yonger widowes, for when they hauehave begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marrie, hauing damnation, because they hauehave broken their first faith. In this place the Apostle speakes of certaine widowes which then tooke the charge vponupon them of ministration, or being seruants to the Church, to releeue the sicke, and to succour the poore, Those women entring into that charge voluntarily, promised to end their dayes in that holy seruice. But it fell out so, that some of them altered their purpose, either by becomming harlots, and wanton against Christ, (as the Apostle saith) or else by marrying againe. Whereby being vnderunder the power of an husband, they had no more libertie to continue in that charge which they had taken vponupon them in the Church. For which cause the Apostle saith, that they are to be condemned or reproued for hauing violated that faith and promise which they had made to the Church, to perseuer in the seruice of the poore and sicke persons. Which to preuent, the Apostle forbiddeth yong women to make such promises as might hinder them from marrying, and will hauehave …ng widowes to marrie and bring forth children. verse, 14. A… …orbiddeth to receiue or admit any widow into the administration of the Church, which is lesse then 60 yeares old, verse 9. at which time the vow of not marrying would be ridiculous. So that this place being well vnderstood, is contrary to the vow of not marrying, seeing that he forbiddeth yong widowes to do it, and will hauehave none but old women of 60 yeares of age, and not vnderunder, to be receiued into a p. 253charge which disagreeth with marriage. Which is farre from prohibiting notorious incontinent Clarkes from marrying, as at this day they do.

I need not aggrauate the filthinesse of their constrained single life, nor the vices as well naturall as contrary to nature, which thereby hauehave crept in among those that make profession thereof. The same Prelates which preach continencie, liue incontinently. As they liue, so they dispute against nature, and burning in wicked and euill desires make a promise to God not to vse those remedies against them, which he ordaineth in his word. The Pope which forbiddeth Priests to marrie, for a recompence hath opened the stewes for them, and by rules and publicke authoritie hath permitted fornication. Which drew this true confession from Pope Pius the second, that for great causes Priests wiues were taken from them, but that for greater causes they ought to be restored vntounto them againe, as Platina in the life of the said Pope sheweth.

Of the Difference of meates.

ARNOVX.

Section. 91 I thought not to hauehave proceeded any further, but that these Ministers producing no place of Scripture for their Article, I determined to set downe a number of places whereof their bookes are full, for a proofe of eueryevery one of these points. But for that the places noted in the margent of this Article are distinctly set downe against abstinence from meates, I am content onelyonly to produce this place, Act. 15.28. For it seemed good vntounto the Spirit, and to vsus that you should abstaine from bloud and from things strangled. Did this counsell proceed from Sathans forge? And may not the same Spirit by the Church prescribe fasting and abstinence from meates for some good end?

MOVLIN.

The holy Scripture commendeth fasting, and recommendeth it vntounto the faithfull, but yet ordaineth no certaine dayes to fast, as Saint**Quibus diebus non oporteat ieiunare, & quibus oporteat, praecepto Domini aut Apostolorum non inuenio definitum. Augustine in his 86 Epistle saith.

p. 2541 Touching the distinction of meates, and the forbidding to vse certaine kinds of meates, the Apostle Saint Paul expressely condemneth it, 1. Tim. 4.1. where he calleth forbidding of meates a doctrine of diuels.

They thinke to auoide this, by saying that the Apostle speaketh not of those who abstaine from certaine meates with humilitie and to tame their flesh: but of those that esteemed meats to be polluted & abominable. That was long ago the pretence of those to whom the Apostle spake, and which in his time erred in that point, saying, Eate not, touch not, taste not, as the Apostle, Coloss. 2.20. saith, Why, as though you liued in the world, are ye burthened with traditions? as, touch not, taste not, handle not. which all perish with the vsing, and are after the commandements and doctrines of men? Then he addeth that which made the prohibition of meates, to those that forbad it to seeme plausible, saying, Which things hauehave indeed a shew of wisedome in voluntarie religion and humblenesse of minde, and in not sparing the body, not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh. This is iustly the words and allegations of our Aduersaries, and the ends for the which they ordaine and establish the distinction of meates, which neuerthelesse the Apostle reiecteth, calling them Commandements and Doctrines of men. It makes no difference whether he speaketh to the Iewes or to the Gentiles, seeing that generally he condemneth those that abstaine from meates with humilitie and by exercise.

Such also was theaaAduersus Psychicos. excuse of Tertullian a Montanist, in his booke contra Psychicos: for so he calleth true and faithfull Christians, because they fasted not enough, and as often as he would hauehave them, and abstained not from flesh and liquid things, and would hauehave fastings to be free at mens choice; and against him obiected this place of the Apostle, which putteth the prohibition of meates among the doctrines of diuels. To whom this Montanist answereth thus, and saith in his 15. chap. The Apostle condemneth those which commanded to abstaine from meates.bbReprobat etiam illos qui iubebant cibis abstinere, sed de prouidentia Spiritus sanctus praedamnans iam haereticos perpetuam abstinentiā praecepturos ad destruenda & despicienda opera creatoris. But it is, because the holy Spirit, by his wisedome and fore-sight condemned those heretickes p. 255before they came, that would command a perpetuall abstinence, to destroy and despise the workes of the Creator. And againe: We abstaine from meates, which we reiect not, but surceasse from the vse of them for a time. And a little after he saith,ccIta scie bat quosdam castigatores & interdictores victus incusare qui ex fastidio, non qui ex officio abstinentur. The Apostle accused certaine correctors and forbidders of meates, which abstained from them with disdaine and not of duty

Such was the excuse of Eustachius Bishop of Sebastia in Armenia, as Sozomenus saith in the 13. chapter of his third booke in the Preface of the Councell of Gangres, which is found in the Greeke Canons published by Du Tillet. In which Councell this Eustachius being reproued, because he had introduced certaine distinctions of meates and apparrell, he excused himselfe, and said,**foreign. That he had not introduced those things vponupon a presumptuous opinion but as an holy discipline, according to godlinesse.

And if we would be ouer rigorous herein, we could not want proofes good store, to let you see how the Church of Rome hath trauelled and laboured, to make certaine meates abhominable among Christians. For Pope Gregorie the second, in an Epistle to Boniface Archbishop of Mentz,ddAgrestem Caballum aliquantos adiunxisti comedere, plerosque & domesticum. Hoc nequaquam fieri deinceps sanctissime frater sinas, sed quibus poteris modis per omnia compesce & dignam eis indicito poenitentiam, immundum enim est & execrabile. commandeth to suppresse those, and to force them to do penance, which had eaten wilde or domesticall horses, for that (saith he) is vncleane and execrable. And Zacharias his successour writing to the same Boniface, forbiddeth Christians to eate Iayes, Crowes, Storkes, Beauers, Hares, and wilde Horses. And I cannot imagine to what end that custome is vsed, to carry meate into the Church before Easter to coniure it, if it be not thereby to take away the pollution, or to driue away the diuell from it.

2 The said Apostle in the same chapter, 16. verse, saith, Let no man therefore condemne you in meate and drinke, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new Moone, or of the Sabbath dayes. Then why doth the Church of Rome condemne vsus for not obseruing their prohibitions of meates, and for not keeping those holy dayes which they ordaine?

3 The said Apostle in 1. Cor. 10.25. saith, Whatsoeuer is p. 256sold in the shambles, eate ye, and aske no question for conscience sake; for the earth is the Lords, and all that therein is. If any of them which beleeue not, call you to a feast, and if you will go, whatsoeuer is set before you, eate, asking no question for conscience sake. What can be more expressely said? The Church of Rome esteemeth vsus to be heretikes and placeth vsus among the ranke of infidels. Now if we should bid one of the Church of Rome to a dinner or supper, would he eate of all things that should be set before him vponupon a fish or fasting day? would he without scrupulositie eate of eueryevery thing there?

4 But is it credible that Iesus Christ hath by the Gospell abolished the distinctions of meates in the Law of Moses, to establish other distinctions, and to make prohibitions that are a thousand times more troublesome? and for one fasting day that was vnderunder the Law, to establish fiftie vnderunder the Gospell?

5 The Apostle Saint Paul 1. Cor. 8.8. saith, Meate maketh vsus not acceptable to God, for neither if we eate hauehave we the more, neither if we eate not, hauehave we the lesse. And Rom. 14.17. The kingdome of God is not meate nor drinke, but righteousnesse, and peace, and ioy in the holy Ghost.

And generally of all such obseruations, Saint Paul 1. Tim. 4.8. saith, For bodily exercise profiteth little, but godlinesse is profitable vntounto all things, which hath the promise of the life present, and of that that is to come.

All this which we said before, is not spoken to condemne fasting, nor the obseruation of Ecclesiasticall fasts, ordinarie or extraordinarie; onelyonly we seeke to take away and abolish the opinion of merites and satisfactions thereby. And make fasting to consist in abstinence and sobrietie, and not in distinction of meates, commanded by a man to whom God hath not giuen that power, and that vnderunder pretence of abstinence establisheth his Empire, and layeth a yoke vponupon mens consciences contrary to the word of God. We also condēne not that man, who to ease and tame the motions and prouocatiots of his desires or concupiscences, abstaineth from wine or from certaine meates; so his fasting be voluntarie, p. 257and not scrupulous, nor with opinion of merit or satisfaction, nor by command vsurped ouer him by any man. Such was Daniels fast, abstaining from wine, flesh, and pleasant bread, Daniel 10.3. for there was no law in Israel touching such abstinence.

Therefore it is in vaine here to make discourses in the praise of fasting and of sobrietie, which we know to be the nurses of vertues, guardians of chastitie, and prouocations to watchfulnesse. In the composing of mans bodie, God placed the braines farre from the belly, to the end that the kitchin of the bodie should be far from the Study, and that the sauor of meates should not interrupt meditation. For nothing more troubleth holy cogitations then the tumult of concupiscences, stirred vp and kindled by drunkennes or gluttonie. Nothing is harder to be brought to the feare of God, then a man who better relisheth sweete sauces then wholesome instructions, and hath a better palate then braine. Therefore the Scripture oftentimes ioyneth fasting with praier, that prayer might sanctifie fasting: and that fasting might kindle prayer. So Anna, Luke 2.37. and Cornelius Acts 10.4. serued God in fastings and prayers. And Iesus Christ telleth vsus of a certaine kinde of spirits, which are not driuen out but by fasting and prayer, Matt. 17.21.

The ancient Christians were much giuen to this exercise, abstaining from lawfull things, that they might the easier avoyd vnlawfull things. They sought to make diuers necessarie things to become superfluous vntounto them, whereas to those that are voluptuous, superfluous things become necessarie.

But the Church of Rome hath changed this exercise into a scrupulositie, and this abstinence into a distinction of meats, which are more carefully obserued then the Law of God. For adultery, fornication, murder, and periurie, ordinarie priests giuegive absolutions: but he that confesseth that he hath eaten flesh in an Ember weeke, is sent to a Penitentiarie, because the absolution of so great a sinne is not in the power of ordinarie priests.

p. 258He that hath neuer so little tasted of flesh in Lent, hath broken the fast, but not he that hath filled his gorge with fish and banquetting stuffe, &c. And the number of these obseruatiue fasts are so great, that they almost take vp sixe moneths in the yeare. Fasting that should be an exercise of humilitie, is become an occasion of pride, and an opinion of merit and of satisfaction: not onelyonly for him that fasteth, but also for others. Bellarmine in his second booke of Good workes, chap. 11. goeth about to proue that fasting is satisfaction for sinnes, and meritorious for life eternall. And Cardinall Tolet, in his sixt booke of the Instruction of Priests, saith, that fasting is satisfactio pro poenis peccatorum, that is, a satisfaction for paines due for sinnes: which satisfaction he saith to be meritorious for grace, and an augmentation of glory. Fasting should serue for a confession of sinnes, but at this day it serueth to establish merits, according to the example of the Pharisie, which boasted of his fasting before God, and therefore was reiected, Luke 18.12. How pleasing a prayer do you thinke it would be vntounto God, if a man should say, Lord I hauehave deserued life eternall, for I hauehave not dined? Or why shouldest thou punish me for my sinnes, seeing I hauehave satisfied for them, by abstaining from eating of egges and cheese? Yet this is but a small matter, for it is said that some fast oftener then they should do to satisfie for their sinnes, and so there is a superabundance in their satisfaction. Then God owes them something which he is to returne back againe, that that surplussage might serue for others. And eating nothing but fish, a man may satisfie for others. Thereupon Tolet saith,**De instructione sacerdotali, lib. 2. cap. 8. Si ieiuno pro quatuor, nō minus prodest ad satisfactionem singulis quàm vm prodesset si pro vno tantū ieiuuassem. If I fast for foure persons, I satisfie as much for eueryevery one of them, as if I fasted but for one. See the Canon Animae, in the 13. Cause, second Question. And to fill vp the measure of this abuse, fastings are redeemed by mony, as it is said in the Distinction 82. in the Canon Presbyteri. And in the Glosse vponupon the same Canon, he may giuegive a penny to redeeme or buy out the fast. For certainly he must of force be light of beleefe, that beleeueth that God deliuereth a man out of Purgatory, because his neighbour did not dine. If the fastings of liuing men refresh the dead, then feasts p. 259made by those that are aliue must also burne the dead.

I confesse that God oftentimes granteth his aide and deliuerance to those that fast: but it is a great abuse, to attribute that to the merit of fasting which is granted to faith and to prayer which sanctifieth the fast, without which fasting is either a diet for sicke persons, or a want to those that are hungry, or an hypocriticall abstinence. Fasting serueth to obtaine, and not to satisfie.

To couer this abuse M. Arnoux onelyonly addeth a place out of the 15. of the Acts, where the Apostles assembled together in Councell in Ierusalem, commanded the Gentiles that were conuerted to the faith, to abstaine from bloud and from things that are strangled. But the Apostle Saint Paul which was at that Councell, and knew the Apostles meaning, taketh away that defence, 1. Cor. 10.27. where he saith, If any of them which beleeue not, call you to a feast, and if you will go, whatsoeuer is set before you, eate, asking no question for conscience sake. Now it might be that in infidels houses they se…ued strangled fowles vponupon the table, or something wherein there was bloud. Shewing thereby that such prohibitions were made, to the end that the Gentiles should not giuegive offence to the Iewes then newly conuerted to the profession of Christ, and by little and little to bring them thereunto, and to burie the legall ceremonies with honour. Now the Apostle hauing planted the Gospell in Corinth, Acts 18. and after going to Philippi, from thence wrote to the Corinthians: whereby it appeareth, that Saint Paul wrote that Epistle long time after that Councell was holden in Ierusalem, spoken of in Acts 15.

Diuerse ancient Churches hauing not well considered thereon, most exactly obserued abstinence from bloud and things that were strangled, as**Ne animalium quidem sanguinem in epulus esculentis habemus. Tertullian in the ninth Chapter of his Apologie witnesseth. The Councel of Gangres in the second Canon speaketh of bloud, and things that are strangled, as of things esteemed to be vnlawfull. The same prohibition is found in the 67. Canon, of the sixteenth Councell assembled in the pallace of Constantinople. The like also p. 260is found in the Councels of Wormes and of Orleans But Saint Augustine, better instructed in the holy Scriptures, explaineth this point in the 32 booke against Faustus, cap. 13. saying: The**Flegisse mihi videntur Apostoli pro tempore rem facilem, in qua cum Israelitis gentes aliquid communiter obseruarent. Quis iam hoc Christianus obseruat vt turdos vel minutiores auiculas non attingat, nisi quarum sanguis effusus est? Et qui fortè pauci ista tangere formidant â caeteris irridentur. Apostles to accommodate themselues to the time, chose an easie thing, wherein the Gentiles should conioyntly obserue something with the Israelites. And after addeth, What Christian is there, who at this time will obserue the not touching of Thrushes, or other little birds, whose bloud hath not bene shed? and a few persons that make scruple of these things are mocked by others, The Church of Rome is of the same iudgement, knowing well that the Apostles established those prohibitions for a time, and not for a perpetuall rule. But she is much to be condemned herein, for hauing in stead of those two prohibitions, established many other more grieuous. Certainly, if the Christian Church had need of any obseruations touching the distinction of meates, it were much better to hauehave reuiued the abstinences obserued in the Apostles time, rather then to forge a multitude of others, a thousand times more painfull, and contrary to the practise of the Apostles and of Iesus Christ himselfe, who in the weeke before Easter vsually did eate the Paschall Lambe.

THE XXV. ARTICLE.

Because we do not enioy Iesus Christ but by the Gospell, we beleeue that the order of the Church which hath bene established by his authority, ought to be sacred and inuiolable, and that therefore the Church cannot consist, vnlesse there be Pastors which hauehave the charge to teach, who ought to be honoured and reuerenced when they are duly called thereunto, and faith fully execute their offices. Not that God is tied to such inferior aides or meanes, but because it pleaseth him to hold vsus vnderunder such a charge and bridle. p. 261Wherein we detest all fantasticall persons, who as much as in them lyeth, would annihilate the Ministery, and the preaching of the word of God and Sacraments.

THE XXVI. ARTICLE.

We beleeue, that no man ought to withdraw himselfe from it, nor to content himselfe with himselfe, but that all men together ought to keepe & entertaine the vnity of the Church, submitting themselues to the common instruction, and to the yoke of Iesus Christ; and that wheresoeuer God shall hauehave established a true order of the Church, although Magistrates and their ordinances be contrary thereunto, and that all those that ioyne not therewith, or separate themselues therefrom, do impugne the ordinance of God.

M. Arnoux finds nothing in these two Articles to carpe at.