The Waters of Shiloh to Quench the Fire of Purgatory, Chapter 6

The Waters of Shiloh to Quench the Fire of Purgatory · Chapter 6

p. 227CAP. 6. That all the paſſages of holy Scripture by our adverſaries quoted for prayer for the dead and for Purgatory are either falſe or vnprofitable.

IN all the Premiſes wee may ſee that our enimies fight but faintly & that they are armed but with ſtrawes againſt the force of the truth: how much leſſe ſhall they be able to do any thing when they ſhall be quite ſtripped, and that little armour that is left them, be cleane taken away? This is it which in this Chapter wee will with Gods helpe performe.

My adverſaries therfore whoſe deſire of gaine induceth them to practiſe Pyrotechny, doe heape together ſtubble good ſtore, that is to ſay, ſimple proofs to kindle this fire of Purgatory. Of theſe p. 228proofes, ſome concerne prayer for the dead, and ſome Purgatory, ſome taken out of the old, ſome out of the new Teſtament: we will then without diſſimulation propound them all, and for my part I will deale with thē with as much equitie and ſinceritie as they hauehave dealt with me with fraud & vniuſtice, which conſiſteth in ſuppreſſing my beſt obiections and corrupting the reſt.

Paſſages produced by theſe three Doctors to proue prayer for the dead.

All that my adverſaries doe alleage concerning prayer for the dead is groū ded vponupon a falſe principle, namely, that who ſo prayeth for a dead body, preſuppoſeth that there is a Purgatory: but in the laſt Chapter wee will ſhew that the prayers for the dead, which ſome of the ancients did vſe, were even againſt Purgatorie. Here might we diſpenſe for anſwering hereto, the rather for that albeit p. 229they ſhould obtaine their deſires, yet had they gained nothing toward the eſtabliſhment of their Purgatory. Howbeit we will doe them thus much more then right, that nowe receaving their principle we wil lay open the falſhood and impertinencie of their proofes therevpon. 1.Cayers paſſages p. 24. A falſhood Cayer ſhall hauehave the credit to march foremoſt, as the moſt skilfull. His words are theſe. It is ſaid Numbers 16. v. 47. &. 48. that Aaron reconciled the people both the quick and the dead. A paſſage falſe and by him invented: for as well in the Hebrew, as in the tranſlations, even in the Roman, it is thus, Aaron ſtanding vpright betweene the dead and the living, beſought God for the people: and the plague ceaſed. 2. In the third book of Kings. cap. 8. v. 38. There is a manner of prayer for the dead (ſaith Cayer) in theſe words. Every prayer and ſupplication made by any man for the wound of his heart in the Church, it ſhall be acceptable to God. Alſo in the 33. verſe it is ſaid. If the people fall before their enimies, in praying p. 230to God they ſhal be heard. Were not this paſſage falſified, yet ſhew me one word in it that importeth praying for the dead. 3. Againe he ſaith that in the 57. of Eſay the Prophet complaineth that they did not pray for the dead. This alſo is falſe, neither is there any ſuch ſpeech throughout all the Chapter. Looke alſo what wee hauehave already ſaid in the third Chapter and third Argument 4. He goeth on and ſaith that in the third Chapter of Baruch it is ſet downe in expreſſe words: Heare o Lord God the prayer of the dead Iſraelits, and of their children that hauehave ſinned before thee. And ſoone after, Remember not the iniquitie of our Fathers. Firſt, the booke is Apocriphall: ſecondly, In theſe wordes of [Iſraell] are compriſed all the people of Iſraell, who in thoſe daies through the extremitie of their captivitie & miſery, were as if they lived not, as it appeareth in the eleventh verſe, where it is ſaid, Iſraell is counted with them that go downe to the graue. Tearming thoſe p. 231dead, after the ordinary phraſe of the Scripture, that are oppreſſed with affliction, and as it were within two inches of death: As David in the 88. Pſalme, albeit aliue, counteth himſelfe among the dead and thoſe that goe downe to the pit: ſo alſo in the 18. Pſalme, v. 5. & 6. and in the 116. Pſalme, v. 3. hee ſaith that he is environed and ſurpriſed with the ſnares of death and with the bonds of the ſepulcher. Alſo in the 18. Pſalme v. 19. the faithfull doe deſire of God that he would reſtore them to life, as if they had beene dead, and already brought to the graue. Thirdly, to what purpoſe doth hee come in with a prayer of the dead, conſidering that our queſtion cō cerneth only the prayer of the living for the dead. Fourthly, as concerning theſe words Remember not the iniquitie of our fathers, hee prayeth that the threats of the lawe, which denounce that God will viſit the iniquitie of the Fathers vponupon the children be not executed vponupon them: hee therefore prayeth that p. 232the ſinnes of the fathers be no cauſe to prolong their captivitie, as plainely appeareth in the eight verſe. Cayer produceth yet another paſſage out of the ſecond of the Machabes, but that you ſhal find among the paſſages of the other two. 5. The Frier having diſcharged all his anger vponupon M. Calvin, and charged that good man with infinit ſlanders, wreſting the Interpretion of ſundry his paſſages, and falſifying others, even ſo far forth as to make him ſay that the ſoules departed out of the bodies, doe not enioy the beatitude before the reſurrection, albeit that Calvin hath beaten down this error in a treatiſe which he wrot expreſly vponupon that argument:Calvini Pſichopannichia he laſtly in his 17. page, beginneth his proofes by the holy Scripture. 6. His words are theſe. The holy Scripture which teacheth vsus all that is neceſſary to ſaluation doth withall forbid vsus any thing that may be contrary thereto now let any man ſhewe me ſo much as one place that forbiddeth to pray for the dead. The fire of Helie p. 233ſaith the ſame:Pag. 8. 62. only he denieth that the Scripture containeth all things neceſſary to ſalvation: and therefore giueth examples. The baptiſme of children: The conſubſtantialitie of the father with the ſonne: The Trinitie of perſons &c. To all the which wee hauehave already anſwered in the ſecond Chapter. It were good theſe doctors could agree among themſelues. In the meane time in anſwer to the Fryer Iſay. It is a miſhapen argument, and two of the propoſitions are falſe: The firſt Propoſitiō is this, The holy Scripture commanding that which is neceſſary to ſaluation, doth alſo forbid all that is cōtrary thereto. Which we deny, becauſe here the queſtion is of an expreſſe prohibition. For the Frier requireth that we ſhould ſhew him ſuch a one: but it is well knowe that God, when hee hath commanded any thing, doth not alwaies in expreſſe words adde the prohibition of the contrary: he wil be prayed vntounto: but where doth he forbid that we ſhould not pray p. 234to him? It ſuffiſeth that this prohibition follow the commandement, albeit it be not expreſſed. The ſecond prohibition is alſo falſe, That prayer for the dead is not forbidden. For any addition to the commandement of God is forbidden Deut. 4.2. prayer for the dead is an additiō to the commandement of God: it is therefore forbidden, becauſe it is not commanded. Againe, Prayer that is not of faith, cannot be acceptable to God, Iames, 1.6 Hebrewes, 11.6. Prayer for the dead is made without faith, for faith cōmeth of the word of God and is grounded therevpon, but throughout all the worde of God prayer for the dead is not ſpoken of: It cannot then bee acceptable vntounto God. Which is more, by the ſame argumēt we may proue al things: we may ſay that all that is in Amadis or in the chronicle of S. Frances is true, becauſe wee find not that it is there contradicted. And let this be ſpoken in anſwer to Doctor Du Val, who groundeth his Purgatory vponupon this, that Ieſus p. 235Chriſt did not condemne prayer for the dead? which [ſaith hee] was put in practiſe among the Iewes, & yet Ieſus Chriſt never reproued thē for it. True it is that the Iewes had their abuſes which are not condemned in the Goſpell.Ioſeph. in that place ſaith that the Eſſeans in the courſe of their life obſerved Pithagoras rule. As the ſect of the Eſſeans witneſſe Pliny, lib. 5. cap. 17. and Ioſephus Antiquitatum, lib 18. cap. 2. And their opinion was and yet is, That the Meſsias ſhould be a great Prince, that ſhould conquer the nations and ſubdue them to the Iewes. Ioſephus alſo in his 12. booke and 2. Chapter. of the warres of the Iewes ſaith that the Phariſes taught the paſſage of the ſoules out of one body into another: yet did not Ieſus Chriſt reproue them for the ſame. As concerning the opinion of praying for the dead, if any of the Iewes were tainted therewith, yet was it not vniverſall doctrine receaved among them:Eccl. 49.10Sir 49:10 beſides that it hath no affinity with Purgatory. For even to this day ſuch Iewes as pray for the dead knowe not what Purgatory p. 236is: and their ordinary prayer is that the memory of the dead may be bleſſed 7. Theſe Doctors hauing thus produced their reaſons without Sctipture, do now alleage Scripture without reaſon. Thus ſaith the Frier S. Iames in his fifth Chapter ſaith, Pray one for another that yee may be ſaued. Pag. 17.Here S. Iames tyeth not this to the liuing only. Hee alſo alleageth S. Auguſtine in his 20. book of the City of God, who ſaith, that the ſoules of the dead are not ſeperated from the Church. He farther demandeth whoe told vsus whether our Lord, teaching vsus to ſay, forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes &c. limited this prayer for the living or for the dead? This alſo is of the like nature and full of ſubteltie.Pag. 40. Ieſus Chriſt, ſaith hee, taught vsus to pray for the dead, when hee Inſtituted the Sacrament of the Euchariſt. Where he ſaid, Drinke yee all of this, for this is my bloode of the new Teſtament which ſhall be ſhed for MANY, & S. Luke ſaith, for YOV In ſaying for you & for many, he meaneth both preſent, abſent, and to p. 237come: therefore it is not for you to limit the will of Ieſus Chriſt only to the living. To anſwere all this requireth much patience, though ſmal dexterity: for we are driven to reduce theſe men, as litle children, to the ABC of reaſon. 1. Firſt this paſſage of S. Iames is falſified: for S. Iames ſpeaketh of the cure of the body, not of the ſalvation of the ſoule, as appeareth by the verſe next before. Prayer in faith ſhall ſaue the ſicke, and the Lorde ſhall raiſe him vp againe. And to the like end alſo was this vnctiō, namely to cure the diſeaſed. Thus the Apoſtle healed many diſeaſed by anointing them, Marke. 16. 13. Tertullian in his 2. booke Scepula c. 4. ſpeaketh of one Proculus, who cured the Emperour Severus by annointing him with oile. 2. I would aske the ſubtle doctors to whom S. Iames writ: whether to the living, or to the dead, or to both? Surely he writ to the living: for they vſe to carry no letters into Purgatory: then they whom he commanded to pray were living. 3. What kinde of p. 238proofe call you this? S. Iames excludeth not the dead, neither doth he forbid to pray for them: we muſt therefore pray for them. Surely if this reaſon were of force we muſt alſo pray for the Angels for the Saints, yea for the damned: for S. Iames doth not forbid to pray for anie of the …. 4. The ſame anſwere may ſerue for that which they ſay That the dead bee of the Church and one bodie with vsus: for who denyeth it? Muſt we alleadge S. Auguſtine for that which we may learne in the word of God?Apoc. 6 12 Heb 12.23. Epheſ. 3.17Rev 6:12Heb 12:23Eph 3:17 But doeth it follow that wee muſt pray to God for all that be of the Church? why thē doth not the Romiſh Church pray for the Saints and Martyrs. 5. The mē bers of one ſelfe body muſt helpe each other, when any one of them ſtandeth in need of help. But here we maintaine [& this is the ſomme of our difference] that the faithful deceaſed need not our ſuccours The Frier then preſuppoſeth as granted, that which is the main queſtion. The paſſage enſuing, beſides the p. 239aforeſaid abſurdities, hath yet this particular, that it preſuppoſeth that the Lords praier is ſaid for the dead alſo: If ſo, thē do we alſo pray that God would giuegive them their dayly bread: As for bread it is the leſſe ſtrange becauſe the fire of Purgatory is ſufficient to bake it: and ſith in the Maſſe it is ſaid that the ſoules do ſleepe in this fire, and reſt in a ſlumber of peace, it is like whē they awake they hauehave a good appetite. But I cannot comprehende howe this bread may be called, Dayly, ſith there they hauehave neither day nor ſun. Hereto let vsus adioine the ſame that our doctors hauehave confeſſed. That God hath already pardoned thoſe roaſted ſoules from all their offences, & that he only requireth of them the paines due to the ſins already pardoned: how can we thē deſire God to forgiue thē their ſins which are already forgiven them. A lyer muſt hauehave a good memory. The laſt paſſage for ſubtiety beareth away the bel. Ieſus Chriſt, [ſaith the Monk] ſhed his blood p. 240for many: therefore for the dead. What need he to ſeeke ſo farre ſet proofes to proue that which we confeſſe: who denieth but the blood of Ieſus Chriſt was ſhed for many: for al the faithful: for all the Saints and Martyrs? How impertinent alſo is this collection that the Frier here maketh out of the ancients to proue that the Lords Supper is a ſacrifice? What maketh it for Purgatory? Sith we grant that it is a ſacrifice: but as it is ſaid in the Maſſe: A ſacrifice of praiſe and thankſgiving: neither Propitiatory nor redemptory, but by repreſentation, becauſe the ſupper is a commemoratiō of the death of Ieſus Chriſt the only propitiatorie ſacrifice: And in regard hereof this ſacrifice was alwaies called Euchariſtia that is A thākſgiving. As for the cōmemoration of the dead, practiſed by ſome of the ancients in the ſupper, I wil in the next chapter following proue that it maketh againſt Purgatorie: for therein they alſo made a commemoration of the Apoſtles and p. 241Martyrs. And in this place doth the Frier proue himſelfe a moſt ridiculous flatterer, in ſpreading abroad ſuch Panegericks and praiſes of Monſieur Duranti [one that deſerveth commendations out of an honeſter mans mouth] as alſo of our king, who is too wiſe to thinke that ſuch commēdations are other then ſhameleſſe beginnings. But what is become of thoſe daies when men of his coat went in Proceſſion in armes, the pike in one hand & the portuiſe in the other, and were the firebrands of publike combuſtions, encouraging the people againſt their king, whilſt we as good ſubiects, even ſuch as we will be to the death, did ſhed our blood in his ſervice? Of like ſubſtance alſo is the fable that hee patcheth vp of a Maſſe ſong in England for the ſoule of the late Queene, and the offerings contributed in her funerall: wherevpon in full hope he exclaimeth: At length the truth ſhall riſe out of Democritus well: you deceaue your ſelfe, good man, ſhe roſe p. 242from thence even in the time of the Apoſtles, and primitiue Church: But the divel hath dealt with her as he did with Ioſeph when hee came out of the well: ſhe hath been ſold to ſtrange marchāts brought into bondage, and put in ſubiection, not as Ioſeph was to an Eunuch, but to the father of lies marveilous fruitfull. (8) This now decided let vsus into our way againe. In his 19. page hee bringeth in a prayer for the dead, taken out of Eſay, 57.1. & 2. Cayer alſo pag. 24 citeth the ſame place, but contrarieth the Frier, ſaying that it is not a prayer for the dead, but a lamentation that he maketh becauſe that in thoſe daies in Iſrael they prayed not for the dead. The fire of Helie is content to ſay only that this paſſage doth not condemne Purgatory.Pag. 66. Thus doe theſe our maſters agree among themſelus: but in the third Chapter we hauehave ſhewed that the Frier falſifieth this place and that the ſame quite quencheth Purgatory. (9) Nowe followeth the paſſage which all the 3 p. 243Doctors make vſe of, & whereof they forme a mightie Bulwarke. It is in the 2. of the Machabes the 12. where [ſay they] Iudas ſent 12 thouſand drachmes of ſilver to Hieruſalem to be offered in ſacrifice for the dead. Hereto we anſwer 1. They falſifie the place.The Frier pag. 10. 2. The book is not Canonicall. 3. Were it Canonical, yet maketh it nothing for Purgatory. 4. They ſinne againſt the naturall principles of the queſtion: For we never diſpute againſt any but by the principles and autorities that we receaue. Men diſpute not with Iewes by the autoritie of the new Teſtament: neither will the Gentils diſputing againſt the Chriſtians, produce the teſtimony of Heſiods Theogony. This S. Auguſtine knowing, in his queſtion againſt Maximine, ſaith in his third booke and 14. Chapter, that he will vſe the Scriptures, non quorumcun que prop…ijs, ſed vtrique communibus. Not proper to ſuch, or to ſuch, but cō mon to both Now let vsus returne over the three firſt points. Firſt the falſification p. 244is proued by reading over the place. This it is. Iudas ſent to Hieruſalem the ſumme of twelue thouſand drachmes of ſilver to offer ſacrifiſes for the ſinne, hee ſaith, for the ſinne not as the Frier ſaith for the dead. Now what theſe wordes for the ſinne doth ſignifie ſhall hereafter appeare. That the book is not Canonicall, we hauehave infinite proofes. 1. Firſt, theſe books are not in the Hebrewe, 2. Ieſus Chriſt and his Apoſtles, whoe vponupon every occaſion did alleage the paſſages of the old Teſtament, never named any of theſe bookes, neither out of them cited any paſſage. 3. The Autor himſelfe cap. 2. v. 19. ſaith that his purpoſe is to abridge the fiue bookes of Iaſon the Cirinean into one booke: Now if Iaſons bookes were not Canonicall, how can the abſtract of them be Canonicall? If Trogus or Dyon bee prophane bookes, how can Iuſtine or Xiphiline be ſacred. S. Paule, 2. Tim. 3.16. ſaith All Scripture is given by inſpiration of God: But what inſpiration is it to ſay the p. 245ſame that another in a prophane booke hath ſpoken, and only to abridge his words? What more? The Autor doubting whether he had ſaid well, toward the ende concludeth thus. If I hauehave ſaid well and as it appertaineth to the history, it is as much as I deſire. Are the motions of the ſpirit of God ſo inſenſible or doubtfull as to leaue the mind in ſuſpenſe and vncertaine, concerning the excellency of ſuch things as it hath ſuggeſted; a little after hee excuſeth the ſimplicitie of his ſtile. Will God who hath no intereſt to be beleeued, whoſe naked words doe farre exceed the moſt poliſhed words of man excuſe the poverty of his owne phraſe? Or ſhall not hee that made the tongue hauehave eloquence enough? yes, for hee inſpireth his ſervants with ſo much eloquence as he thinketh good: neither is it for vsus either to diſtaſt it or to bring excuſes. But in the reading of theſe books how many things doe weaken their autority? In the ſecond of the Machabes, 1.19. p. 246it is ſaid that the Iewes were led captiue into Perſia, where hee ſhould hauehave ſaid Babylon or Chaldea: for in the time of Nabuchadnezar, who tranſported thē, Perſia was not yet vnited into one kingdome with Chaldea: Cyrus ſome ſeventy yeares after, vponupon his taking of Babylon vnited theſe two kingdomes: an errour that made Chryſostome to ſtumble in his ſixt homely vponupon Matthew, where hee ſaith that the Iewes were delivered out of the Perſian captivity. 1. Maccab. 1.7. he ſaith that Alexander devided his kingdome among his friends before he dyed, which is contrary to the general cō ſent of all hiſtoriographers, who all do teſtifie that he dyed in Babilon without diſpoſing of any thing: which alſo the warres ſucceeding betweene his princes and domeſticall ſervants about the diviſion of his conqueſts do ſufficiently ſhew. Read Iuſtin, Curtius, Arrian, Plutarch in the beginning of the life of Eumenes, and toward the end of the life of Alexander. In the eighth chapter of the p. 247ſame booke he ſpeaketh like a Clarke at Armes, and ſaith that by great battailes the Romans had conquered the Galatians: yet in thoſe daies they had ſet no foot in Gaule to conquer it. Neither can he by the Galatians vnderſtand the Galatians or Gallo-greekes of Aſia, who were cōquered without reſiſtāce: beſides in that place he alſo ſpeaketh of the conqueſt of Spaine, as neere to the Gaules. In the ſaid place it is alſo ſaid that they had taken Antiochus the great on liue,Livy, lib. 3…. & 36. Eutrop. lib. 4 Florus, lib. 2 cap. 8. contrary to the teſtimonie of al hiſtoriographers. Read Livy, Florus, Eutropius, and others. Well doe they confeſſe that Antiochus loſt three notable battailes: one in Achaia againſt Accilius Glabrio: another vponupon the ſeaes vnderunder the conduct of Anniball: the third neere to Magneſia a town in Aſia againſt Cornelius Scipio, but was never priſoner or captiue to the Romans. In the ſame Chapter it is ſaid that the Romans gaue the Indies to Eumenes, to whome were giuen only certaine townes to Natolia, p. 248before wonne from Antiochus. For as for the Indies the Romans never ſawe them: and when their Empire was at the higheſt, they neverwent far beyond Euphrates. But the moſt notable of all is that in the 16. verſe, it is ſaid that the Romans yearely committed their eſtat to one man, conſidering it is manifeſt that yearely they created two Conſuls, whereof the proofe were ſuperfluous. In the 2. Chap. of the 2. of Machabes it is ſaid that Ieremy hid the Arke in a cheſt of the mountaine Nebo, that it might be found after the captivitie: and that this place ſhould be vnknowne vntill that God had gathered againe the congregation of the people, which is contrary to the 10. Chap. v. 22. of the 4 of Eſdras: by our adverſaries accounted Canonicall, which ſaith that the Arke was defaced by the enimie: alſo in the ſermon of Onction, attributed to S. Cyprian it is ſaid Arca ab Allophilis capta eſt: The Arke was taken by ſtrangers. Experience ſaith as much: for after the returne p. 249out of captivitie we find no mention of the Arke, neither was there any in the Temple, as all the Rabbins do teſtifie: who complained that in the ſecond houſe they wanted fiue things which the firſt houſe had. 1. Vrim and Thumim. 2. The holy fire. 3. The Arke. Rabbi Schelomo Iarchi. Initio Proph. Aggei, v. 8.4. The preſence of the divinitie. 5. The ſpirit or Inſpiration: which ſo tortureth Bellarmine, that he proceedeth ſo far as to ſay that this Arke is yet hidden and ſhall bee found the next day before the iudgement: hitting the counterfeiters and forgers of rellicks, a ſhreud knocke over the knuckles: for the booke of Roman Indulgences printed at Rome, ſaith that the Arke is reſerved at Rome among the rellicks of the Church of Lateran. In the 2. of Machabes, cap. 14. the act of Razias is commended, who ſlew himſelfe: neither can we ſay that his valeancy only is commended: for it is there expreſly delivered that hee died vertuouſly. And I ſee that this opinion beginneth to get ground among ſome p. 250of our adverſaries. For Carron the Divine at Burdeaux, otherwiſe a man of a good ſpirit, doth ſtiffe and ſtoutly maintaine this opinion in his ſecond booke of wiſdome, cap. 12. eſpecially in the 450 page of the impreſſion of Burdeaux, where he ſhutteth vp his diſcourſe with this reſolution: That we muſt try all meanes before we come to this extremitie: alſo that it is a point of wiſdome to knowe the time and take it. And withal he ſcorneth the cowardlineſſe of many that hauehave outlived their glory. He alſo ſaith page 405. that the world hath long lived vnderunder vniuſt, vngodly and extravagant lawes, which if any man ſhould endeavour to reforme, he ſhould ſhew himſelfe an enimie to the Commonwealth: withall that turbulent ſtirrers vnderunder pretence of reforming do marre all. What ſhall we ſay of the ſtrange cō tradictions in theſe bookes? Wee finde that Antiochus the noble died three times. In the firſt booke cap. 6. hee died at Babylon in his bed: In the ſecōd cap. 1 p. 251he dieth in the Temple of Nannea in Perſia, where hee and his being entrapped and encloſed in the Temple, he was ſlaine with ſtones. Afterward in the 9. Chapter following, falling from his chariot in his returne from Perſia, the wormes iſſued out of his body and hee died a ſtranger among the mountaines.See the 12. book of Ioſeph. Antiquities, where wee ſhall finde the trace of the ſāe contradiction. How a ſtranger, if hee died at Babylon the capitall citty of his dominions? How in the mountains, ſith Babylon ſtandeth in a plaine, and is ſcituated vponupon the river Euphrates? How with a fall from his chariot, if hee were ſtoned in the Temple? Neither cā it be ſaid that they were ſundry Antiochus: for all this is reported in the time of Iudas, in whoſe daies there was but one Antiochus. Yea & in the firſt booke cap. 1. and in the ſecond cap. 9. he is ſurnamed the Noble, or Epiphanes, in either place. What more? theſe bookes doe reckon the yeares frō the beginning of the raigne of the Grecians in Aſia. In the firſt of the Machabes the 9. it is ſaid that Iudas was ſlaine in p. 252the yeare 152. but in the 4. of the ſecōd booke Iudas writ letters bearing date 188. that is to ſay, ſix and thirtie yeares after his death.

Now let vsus ſee in what accoūt theſe bookes were holden in the primitiue Church. The Councell of Laodicea of like antiquitie as the Councell of Nice, placeth not theſe bookes in ranck with the Canonicall,That the primitiue Church never acknowledged the Machabes be Canonicall. The falſehood of the Frier. wherein I admire the little faith of our Frier minor, who in the 22. page of his booke, dare report that this Councell placeth the Machabes among the Canonicals: for they are not ſo much as there named. Afterward the ſixt vniverſall Councell approueth and confirmeth all the contents of the Councell of Laodicea. Hereto agreeth the Councell of Carthage, wherein S. Auguſtine was preſēt. True it is that the Latine copies miſerably falſified by our adverſaries, doe place theſe bookes among the Canonicall:At Paris by Conrad Neobarius 1540. but in the Greek copies printed by themſelues they are not once mentioned. As for the anciēt p. 253Doctors,Prologus Galeatus. when ſhall we hauehave produced their depoſitions herevpon. S. Hierome in his Prologue vponupon the Bible,Machab. lib. inter Scripturas Canonicas Eccleſia non recipit. hath expreſly handled this matter. There hee admitteth no other bookes of the olde Teſtament to be Canonicall but ſuch as be in the Hebrew Bible, in number two and twentie: himſelfe in the preface vponupon the bookes of Salomon, ſpeaking of Eccleſiaſticus, and the wiſdome of Salomon ſaith thus. As the Church indeed readeth the bookes of Iudith, of Toby, and of the Machabes, but not among the Canonicall Scriptures: even ſo alſo ſhee readeth theſe two volumes, for the edification of the people: but not to confirme the doctrine of the Church. S. Hillary vponupon the prologue to the Pſalmes, agreeth with S. Hierome, and ſaith that in the old Teſtament there bee as many bookes as there be letters in the Hebrew Alphabet, that is two and twentie. Athanaſius in his booke entituled Synopſis S. Scripturae, nameth all the bookes of the olde Teſtament vntounto two and twentie and p. 254ſaith, That the reſt of the bookes of the olde Teſtament are not Canonicall neither read to any but to the Catechumeni: Manethon …iſhop of Sardis giueth vsus a catologue of the bookes of the old Teſtament in the fourth booke of Euſebius, cap. 25. Where in the Macchabees are not named. Euſebius in his thirde booke and tenth Chapter ſpeaking of the bookes of the old Teſtament ſaith, We hauehave no infinite number of diſcordant bookes, but only two and twenty. And farther he ſaith that whatſoever is written ſince the time of Artaxerxes, is not worthy like credit as the former, and of this ſort are the Macchabees. Epiphanius in his booke of meaſures ſaith as much: & nameth all the bookes of the old Teſtament, but ſpeaketh not of the Macchabees. Among the works of S. Ciprian we finde a treatiſe of the expoſition of the Creed, which ſeemeth rather to bee of Ruffinus. Therein the autor nameth all the bookes both of the old and new teſtament & then ſaith, Theſe are the books p. 255which the fathers hauehave encloaſed in the Cā non and Rule from whence wee are to take the proofes of our faith: yet are wee to vnderſtand that there be other bookes not Canonicall, but Eccleſiaſticall, among which are the bookes of Tobie, Iudith & the Macchabees, &c. What woulde wee hauehave more? Among al the Biſhops of Rome even Gregory the great in his morals vp on Iob. lib. 19. cap. 29. purpoſing to alleadge the Macchabees concerning the act of Eleazar excuſeth himſelf in theſe words.Qua in re non inordinatè agimus ſi ex libris nō Canonicis, &c. Bell. lib. 1. de verbo Dei. cap. 10. Wherein we ſpeake not from the purpoſe albeit wee produce teſtimonies out of the bookes not Canonicall: but written for the edification of the Church: he wrot ſixe hundred yeares after Jeſus Chriſt. Even Bellarmine doth confeſſe that Origen, Athanaſius, Nazianzen, Epiphanius & Hierome received not the Macchabees among the Canonical. Our adverſaries make a buckler of S. Auguſtine & ſet him in counterpoize againſt all antiquity: in this point contemning all the auctority of the fathers and their own p. 256Popes. And yet herein they doe him wrong: for this good father never ſtraied from the vniverſall conſent of the Church in his time.Auguſt. ad Gaudent. li. 2. cap. 23. VntoUnto Gaudentium who vſed the auctority of the example of Razias that killed himſelfe, and is mē tioned in the ſecond of the Macchabees he anſwereth thus. The Iewes hold not this booke in like degree as the law, the Prophets and the Pſalmes: to whom Ieſus Chriſt yeeldeth teſtimony, as to thoſe that heare witneſse of him: but this booke is received by the Church not vnprofitably, if it be read diſcreetly, eſpecially in regarde of the ſufferings of certaine Martyrs. Read the whole page, and yee ſhal ſee that S. Auguſtines intent was to beate downe the obiection of Gaudentius, who armed himſelfe with the auctority of this booke alſo to proue that Ieſus Chriſt deferred no auctority to any other but to the law, to the Prophets and to the Pſalmes. Yet do our adverſaries produce ſome paſſages out of S. Auguſtin to the contrary, but manifeſtly falſified. p. 257In his eighteenth booke of the cittie of God, cap. 36. he ſaith thus.Quorū ſupputatio temporum non in Scrip ſanctu quae Canonica appellant ur ſed in aliis invenitur, in quibꝰ ſunt & Machab. libri quos non Iudaei, ſed Eccleſia pro Canonicis habet The ſupputation of this time, from the new building of the temple is not found in the holy ſcriptures which are called Canonicall: but in other bookes: which are the Macchabees: could hee more expreſly raze the Macchabees out of the Canonical ſcriptures but at the ende hereof let vsus ſee a taile moſt botcherly clapt on by ſome Mōk. Which booke not the Iewes, but the Church holdeth for Canonicall: O groſſe Impoſtor! After he hath ſaide that the Macchabees are not holy ſcripture, nor Canonicall, would he ſay that the Church receiveth them for Canonicall? The frier ſaith that ſundry fathers hauehave vſed theſe books and do cite paſſages out of them. To what purpoſe is this? Whoſoever alleadgeth a book, doth he therfore hold it to be Canonicall? But we ſtand now vpō much ſtronger tearms. For this paſſage well wayed, will bee found contrary to Purgatory. He ſaith that Iudas offering ſacrifice for ſinne p. 258thought vponupon the reſurrection: yea hee ſaith that otherwiſe it had beene a folly to pray for the dead: whereby it appeareth that the auctor never imagined that Iudas praied to bring theſe ſoules out of Purgatory: but that he praid that the ſinne by thē committed might not hinder them from riſing to glory and ſalvation: for any man that is demanded wherefore he prayeth for the dead, if he anſwer that it is for the reſurrection, he manifeſtly ſheweth that he beleeveth no Purgatory. Otherwiſe hee would not hauehave omitted that which is moſt vrgent, but would hauehave craved to be releaſed out of ſuch long and horrible torments. Aske all theſe our Maſters wherefore they pray for the dead. I am ſure none of them will ſay for the reſurrection.

Pag. 11.The Frier foreſeeing a ſtorme of paſſages of the fathers conſpiring to overthrow the auctority of this book, ſhrim king betimes, and as it were forſaking the place, ſaith, That at the leaſt it cannot p. 259not be denyed but that this is a hiſtorie which aſſureth vsus that Iudas made praiers and ſacrifices for his brethrē deceaſed: & there is no apparance to impute the inventiō of this act to him: & therefore it were Impudencie to condemne him. And this is the place where I meane to gratifie the frier. For albeit this booke may as well bee falſe in this point as it is in the others that I hauehave laid open, yet will I admit this hiſtory as a truth: Thus it is at large. After the battaile Iudas and his men came to gather vp the bodies of the ſlaine and to burie them, but they found vnderunder their apparel things cōſecrated to the Idols that were at Iannia: a matter forbiddē in the law: Then had they recourſe to praier, and intreated that the ſin committed might be forgiven and forgottē. Iudas therevpon having made a collection, ſent to Hieruſalem twelue thouſand drams of ſilver to offer in ſacrifice for the ſin: hitherto the hiſtory. That which enſueth is the auctours Iudgement, p. 260whom we receiue for an hiſtoriographer, but not for a iudge, or doctor in matters of faith. In this hiſtory then, which, I pray you, is the firſt word importing praier for the dead? Or that concerneth Purgatory? Had Iudas offered for the dead, he would hauehave praied for all their ſins, and not for that ſin only: and vponupon this reaſon did the Frier falſifie this paſſage and ſet in for the dead inſteed of for the ſinne. Iudas therefore prayed that the ſin of ſome might not pull downe the wrath of God vponupon all the people, as in the like caſe the ſin of Acham had procured the overthrow of all the people of Iſraell. Ioſua. 7.

10 The frier addeth yet one paſſage out of Toby, forgiving Almes for the dead: Theſe [ſaith he] are the wordes of Toby. Caſt thy bread and thy wine vponupon the graue of the righteous and beware thou eate not with ſinners. Toby, 4.17Whereto we ſaie: firſt the book is Apocriphal, & al the teſtimonies produced againſt the bookes of the Macchabees are in force againſt p. 261the booke of Toby: for it is in the ſame Rancke: yea this book hath this in particular, that it maketh the angel Raphael a lyer; who being demanded by Tobyas who he was, anſwered, I am Azarias of the kindred of great Ananias, and of thy brethren. Yet let vsus admit this booke were Canonicall, and conſider the paſſage Caſt thy bread & wine vpō the graues of the righteous: then [ſaith the Monke] It muſt needs be there were almes for the dead. 1. Firſt this hath no ſuch ſequence, neither can we hereof frame any good Argument. 2. Againe, no man denieth but it is good to giuegive almes for the dead: that is to ſay, not only inremē brance of the dead, but alſo for and inſteed of the dead: giving to the poore that which the deceaſed woulde hauehave given if he had lived: but not for fetching his ſoule out of Purgatory: for therof we find not one word in Toby. The heathen that prayed not to fetch their dead out of Purgatory yet ceaſed not from giving almes, and making funeral p. 262feaſts, ferales coenas ſilicernia. Yea even among the Iſraelites there was ſome ſuch matter, not for the redemption of the ſoule departed, but for the Conſolation of the ſurvivers: as we learne in Ieremy, Ierem. 167 Tertull. de Reſur. carnis c. 5. vnigus defunctos atrociſſimè exaurit, quos poſtmodum Guloſiſſimè nutriunt. Qui in memoriis Martyr ſe inebriant quemodo a nobis approbari poſſunt &c. Cyprianus de duplici Martyrio An non videmus ad Martyrum memorias Chriſtianum a Chriſtiano cogi ad ebrietatem.where hee placeth this among the afflictions prepared for the Iewes. They ſhall not ſtretch out the hands for thē in the mourning, to comfort them for the dead: neither ſhall they giuegive them the cup of Conſolation for to drink for their father or for their mother. Neither can this cuſtome be reproued in caſe there be neither exceſſe nor ſuperſtition. 3. The Chriſtians in the primitiue Church on the day of the remembrance of the Martyrs, tooke their repaſt neer to the graues; and as abuſe doth commonly intrude it ſelfe, they many times overdranke themſelues and buried their reaſons vponupon the ſepulchers. S. Auguſtin againſt Fauſtus the Manichean, lib. 20. cap. 21. ſaith. How can wee allow of thoſe that drinke themſelues drūken at the memories of the Martyres? conſidering if they p. 263ſhould do it in their houſes, al true doctrine would condemne them? Hereby it appeareth that the meats ſet vponupon the ſepulchers were not a price or offering to deliver the ſoules of the dead: for they were ſet vponupon the ſepulchers of thoſe Martyres for whome the Church of Rome holdes that wee muſt not pray. 4. Conſider alſo I pray you whether this Monke deſired to be beleeued: and mocketh not himſelfe, when hee ſaith that this bread and wine was for thoſe that were deſtined to weepe for the deceaſed, and to pray for them, that they might take ſome comfort? For what a ieſt is this, to buy teares with bread? to hauehave certaine perſons deſtined and affected to weeping? & thus to bring tears to be an occupation? and ſo of an affliction to erect a trade? A courſe indeed practiſed by the heathen, and by the Iewes imitated, yet by Chryſoſtome cō demned: which alſo the Prophet Ieremy mocketh, ſaying. Call for the mourning women and let them come. But what appearance p. 264is there that theſe teares premeditated and hired may bee accepted for a payment and ſatisfaction to the iuſtice of God, and ſo enable to redeem a ſoule out of Purgatory?

Fire of Helie pag. 12. & 13.11 The ſame Monke, as alſo the fire of Helie doe inculcate many examples of weeping and faſting for the dead as the teares & faſtings after the deaths of Saul, Ionathan, Abner, &c, Yet amōg all theſe lamentations we find no mention of prayer for the dead, or of Purgatory. Beſides wee hauehave ſhewed that Saul died in Gods diſpleaſure: that Iacob and Moſes were alſo bewailed, who nevertheleſſe never deſcended into Purgatory: and for ſuch the Church of Rome ſaith we muſt not pray.

Places out of the new Testament for prayers for the dead.

12 Now follow the Friers places gathered out of the new Teſtament to the ſame purpoſe. The firſt is page 39. p. 265and is taken out of the Goſpell of S. Iohn, where Martha ſaith to Ieſus Chriſt Lord if thou haddeſt beene here, my brother had not died. Yet doe I now know that what ſoever thou askeſt of the father he will giuegive it thee. It is very certaine [ſaith hee] that Martha prayed our Lord Ieſus Chriſt to make ſome prayer for her brother, for ſhee beleeued not that Ieſus Chriſt could of himſelfe raiſe him againe. All coniectures: All falſe propoſitions: and yet not without contradiction. For if Martha beleeued that God would grāt to Ieſus Chriſt whatſoever hee demanded, ſhee beleeued that Ieſus Chriſt could raiſe him againe: for he could demand it. In this place the Frier prates apace, and doth imitate Cayer, A ſlander.who in the beginning of his booke ſaith that wee beleeue neither heaven nor hell, The intent of the Miniſters [ſaith he] is to deny both Purgatory and Paradice: for wee know that at Geneva in the Italian Church after they had argued of the means to root out the beliefe of Purgatory, one of their p. 266Deacons riſing vp, ſaid: let vsus doe that which we had once determined: let vsus deny the Immortalitie of the ſoule: ſo ſhall wee ſoone ſee Purgatory laid along. The fire of Helie ſaith, it was not a Deacon but a Miniſter: yea & he ſaith moreover that one Perrat a Miniſter of Geneva, in his life cōplained that among vsus the beaſts are buried with greater honour then men: But he ſpeaketh as if a man already deceaſed: ſo truely hee is informed: but the man yet liveth, and if the accuſer or accuſation did deſerue it I could eaſily from himſelfe procure the confutation of ſo cold a ſlander. Herevpon were the Divell our principall enimie a man to be examined, I would demand of him whether our fathers that ſuffered martyrdome for the Goſpell, who were ſo laviſh of their blood, and ſo ſparing of the glory of God, did think that there was no heaven, or that the ſoules were mortall? But in as much as wee meddle not with coniurings or making the ſpirits to appeare, as our adverſaries p. 267doe, let the Frier take his place and be our Iudge therein. Dare hee ſay that theſe perſons did not aſpire to eternall life? The two Decij, Curtius, or Empedocles, who with their deathes did purchaſe fame & voluntary loſt their liues to purchaſe commendatiōs after death might hauehave done it without hope of immortalitie: But where the death is accompanied with infamy & the aſhes overlaid with reproach, what man will without hope of immortalitie ſeeke an inglorious death, and voluntarily loſe both his life and his honor? Moreover, who be our ſlanderers? Even the props and pillers of the Roman ſea: a ſea that hath beene blemiſhed with Popes that hauehave made profeſſion to teach that there is no Paradiſe, and that the ſoules of men doe die together with their bodies as doe the ſoules of beaſtes. Let theſe writers of fires, furnaces, & torrents acknowledge whether theſe bee not the very words of the Councell of Conſtance, Seſſ. 11. Iohn the 23. Often and p. 268very often in the preſence of ſundry prelats and other good and honeſt men hath ſaid, ſupported, taught, and obſtinately at the inſtigation of the divell, maintained that there is no eternall life, neither any other life after this: yea he hath ſaid and obſtinately beleeued that the ſoule of man dieth with his body and is extinct as thoſe of brute beaſts. He hath alſo ſaid that man once dead ſhall neuer riſe againe at the laſt day, &c. And afterward it is ſaid that all this is publikely and well knowne. O how the pulpets ſhould hauehave rung of it if any one of vsus had ſpoken but the hū dreth part hereof.

12 There reſteth yet one place taken out of S. Paule. 1. Cor. 15.29. What ſhal they doe that are baptiſed for dead? The Frier in liew of theſe wordes for dead hath ſet downe for the dead. The fire of Helie committeth a notable falſehood and diſguiſeth the paſſage thus.Pag. 46. Falſhoods. What ſhall they doe that baptiſe themſelues for the dead? And then expoundeth that which he hath corrupted in this maner; p. 269To baptiſe ones ſelfe ſignifieth to doe laborious and ſatisfactory workes for the dead: and withall wee muſt vnderſtand that it is to fetch them out of Purgatory. Good God what a troubleſome thing lying is? This interpretation is taken from Bellarmine, who according to his manner, hauing alleaged the explication of a number of the fathers as Tertullian, Ambroſe, Sedulius, Theodoret, Chryſoſtome, Oecumenius, Theophilact, &c waſheth al their heads, and for the eſtabliſhment of his owne expoſition confuteth all their explications. And this doth the Frier confirme with the autoritie of Turrian the Ieſuite, who maketh vſe of this paſſage. An excelent teſtimonie, and of great antiquity. But the ſenſe of theſe wordes muſt be taken of the Apoſtles intent:This is bee ſeene in Mat. 5.16… Marc. 1.10.Matt 5:16Mark 1:10 his intent was to proue the reſurrectiō: here to hee imployeth baptiſme, which in thoſe daies was celebrated by plonging the whole body in water, in token that we are in death: & the comming forth p. 270of the water repreſenteth the reſurrection: S. Paules meaning is that this ſigne were in vaine if there were no reſurrection: and that in vaine we are baptized for dead, or as dead, and to repreſent vntounto vsus that wee are in death, if there be no hope of Reſurrection. The explicatiō of Theodoret growe…h much herevpon, which alſo Caietan doth follow.

The places of ſcripture wherevpon theſe Doctors doe lay the foundations of their Purgatory. 1. Cayer pag. 5. proveth the multitude of habitations vnderunder the earth by the creed, where it is ſaide Deſcendit ad Inferos in the plurall number: but his grammar faileth him: for in the Greeke it is foreign in the ſingular, and Inferi in the plurall importeth no more diverſity of chambers, or habitations then Superi, which ſignifieth thoſe that liue vponupon the earth. Virgill. Aeneid. 6. Apud ſuperos furto laetatus inani.

2 Againe, vponupon the laſt of the Revelation p. 271where it is written,Pag. 9. Out of the throne proceeded a river of water cleare as chriſtall. He foundeth Purgatory in rivers, in bathes, in yce, vnderunder the leaues of trees, &c To the ſame end he alleageth the 92. Pſalme. The righteous ſhall flouriſh like a Palme tree. And this paſſage doeth hee make to ſerue for a defence of his flowred medow that lieth at the end of Purgatory. Let vsus yeeld:Peter Victor Palme Cayer this Doctor taketh vp the ſtraw, which is not like the palme, albeit he aſſumeth that name; but rather like the figge tree which Chriſt curſed & it bare no more fruit.

3 Himſelfe defendeth the altars wherevpon the ſaying of a ſtinted nū ber of Maſſes ſufficeth to fetch a ſoule out of Purgatory:Pag. 17. becauſe in the lawe there was an altar of propitiation.

4 In page 23. he heapeth vp a whole bedroule of paſſages for Purgatory, as if they were paternoſters. 1. Becauſe there was a flaming ſworde before the garden of Eden: and the ſame paſſage p. 272doth the fire of Helie make vſe of 2. By the fire of ſacrifices after the law of nature for he imagineth that the making of ſacrifices by fire is a law of nature, & thus doth he confeſſe that he hath loſt his humane nature, becauſe he doth not ſacrifice by fire. 3. Becauſe the law was given in fire. 4. By the perpetuall fire that was vponupon the altar. 5. By the iudgement of God that muſt be in fire. 2. Pet. 3. Out of al this he cōcludeth that there is a purgatory. How many pens & ſonnets ſhall wee pin vponupon this doctor in reward of his profound ſubtlety. Some few other paſſages there bee but they wil be found among thoſe of his companions.

The auctor of the fire of Helie affordeth vsus as devout ones. He in his 11. page endevouring to ſtall his proofes, which [ſaith he] are as cleere as the ſun, compareth me to Senecas maide, but I truſt to make him more like to Plutarches boy who plaid the Philoſopher whiles they be laboured him.

p. 2735 Hee cutteth vp his reaſons with this knife, flouriſhing at the gate of the earthly Paradice. This ſword is Purgatory and ſo did S. Ambroſe vnderſtand it: but hereafter wee ſhall proue it falſe.

6 Then commeth the ninth of Eſay, Impiety is kindled as fire, and ſhall destroy the bryers and thornes. This fire is Purgatory, and well it may bee becauſe it is compared to iniquity.

7 Then followeth the Prophet Micheas the 7. Reioice not againſt mee O mine enemie, though I fall I ſhall ariſe: whē I ſhall ſit in darkneſſe I will beare the wrath of God, vntill hee plead my cauſe, hee will bring me to light and I ſhall ſee his righteouſneſſe. This darkneſſe and this wrath are Purgatory, and theſe be the wordes of thoſe poore roaſted ſoules ſpeaking to their enimies that doe reioice to ſee them tormented. 1. But how do theſe enimies reioice if they be in hel? 2. how doe they ſpeake one with another? 3. If theſe enimies be living, who ever reioiced p. 274in his enimies death, becauſe he was in Purgatory? Or who told him that he was there? and why doth he not rather feare then perſiſt in his hatred? Why is he not rather ſory that he is not in hel? 4. How commeth it to paſſe that God hath not yet iudged the cauſe of theſe poore ſouls againſt their enimies? 5. but reade the whole chapter and you ſhall perceiue that they that there ſpeake be the living and not the dead.

8 After commeth the ninth of Zachary, In the blood of thy covenant thou haſte delivered thy priſoners out of the pit where is no water. Pag. 46. Pag. 68.This pit without water is Purgatory: why doth he feare to put water in Purgatory, ſith hee hath put ſnow in hell? Therefore alſo doth the frier contradict him and ſaith, that the moſt common expoſitiō ſpeaketh of delivering ſoules out of Limbo. They ſhall agree, if they liſt, S. Auguſtine in his citty of God, lib. 18. cap. 35. ſhall vnderſtande this of the deliverance from ſinne and from the miſeries of this life. p. 275S. Hierome in his cōmentary vponupon this place, vnderſtandeth it of hell: yet were it better that Gods word ſhould be the iudge. S. Matthew 21. v. 5. alleadging the former verſes ſheweth that this paſſage is meant of Ieſus Chriſt. Now what is the deliverāce of the Church through the bloode of Ieſus Chriſt but our redemption from the captivity of Satan and eternall death? Of this deliverance ſpeaketh Zacharie, albeit vnderunder the figure of the deliverance from the captivity of Babilon: as alſo it were ſtrange that Zachary ſpeaking of the deliverāce of the Church through the bloode of the covenant ſhoulde ſpeake only of Purgatory and Limbo, and make mention of the redemption from hell and eternall death.

9 That which followeth is verie pleaſant. Pſal. 66. We went through fire & water but thou broughteſt out into a refreſhing. In the former paſſage he woulde hauehave no water in Purgatory: now he will hauehave both fire and water there. Beſides, p. 276the place is falſified. For according to the Hebrew text it is, Thou haſte brought me out into a plentifull place. Other paſſages he hath which are to bee found among the friers paſſages.

The Frier pag. 30.10 The firſt paſſage that he alledgeth is out of Eſay, 30.33. Tophet is prepared of old, It is even prepared by the king he hath made it deepe & large: the burning thereof is fire and much wood: the breath of the Lorde kindling it like a river of brimſtone. This hee ſaith. p. 34. Pag. 60.16.Tophet ſaith the Frier is Purgatory: this king is God: and the breath of the Lord bringeth with it conſolation, the end and the beatitude, &c. But againſt this doth Cayer quarrell and ſaie that it concerneth the iudgement of God againſt the iniquity of Aſsur, and confeſſeth that this king is the king of Aſſur. Pag. 47.The fire of Helie returneth the ball to the Frier & holdeth this paſſage to be a Noli me tangere, but as I hauehave anſwered ſo I anſwer ſtil that we groūd no articles of faith vponupon Allegories. 2. Secondly, Tophet is a place neere to Hieruſalem p. 277in the valley of Hynnon, as witneſſeth Ioſua. 15. and 2. King. 23. where the Idolaters burned their children to Moloch or Baal. Wherevpon the Prophet here taketh Tophet for the tormēt prepared for the wicked. 3. That in the whole courſe of the text it appeareth that Eſay ſpeaketh of the wicked, not of the children of God. 4. That the frier falſifieth the paſſage in ſaying by the king where in the Hebrew it is for the king. 5.The frier taketh Aſſur to be a mās name not of a Country As if I had ſaid the king Aſſur, but I ſaid the king of Aſſur That this king is the king of Aſſur, or of Aſſiria, of whō we ſpake not many lines before. 6. That this king being an enimie to God and his people, the torment that is provided for him cannot be Purgatory.

The Frier in all this reproveth two things which make nothing to this queſtion. Firſt he will not hauehave Tophet in this place to bee the place where they made their children to paſſe through the fire:Gen. 31.27 Exod. 15 10 Ioſ. 18.34.Gen 31:27Exod 15:10Josh 18:34 but let him then learne what is written. 2. King. 23. Ioſias defiled Tophet which was in the valley of the children of p. 278Hynnon, that no man ſhould make his ſon or his daughter to paſſe through the fire to Moloch. This word Tophet commeth of Toph which in Hebrewe ſignifieth a drumme, becauſe the Prieſtes of the Idoll [ſo long as the burning of the children laſted] made a noiſe with drums and baſons after the manner of the Coribantes,Maldonat. & Lyra upon the 5. of Matth. leaſt the parents ſhould heare the crie of their children. Therevpon did Iob, complaining that hee was diſdained and ſhouted at, ſay that hee was made Tophet, a tympanization and a by-word or ſcorne, as alſo the Greek doth ſo tranſlate it. The Roman tranſlation turneth it and ſaith, He hath made me an example: The Fryer will hauehave this tympanization to be Purgatory: or had there beene here any ſpeech of a tub, or of a lanthorne, hee woulde alſo hauehave found ſome ſhift to proue that thoſe things ſignified Purgatory. Iob therefore by his account, albeit aliue, yet complaineth that hee was placed in Purgatory. Secondly he doth conteſt that the children p. 279were not burned or conſumed in Tophet, but only purged: this cannot proceed but either of groſſe ignorance, or of extreame malice: for the Scripture is full of proofes to the contrary. Ieremy, 7.31. ſaith, They hauehave built the high place of Tophet in the valley of the ſonnes of Hynnon, to burne their ſonnes and daughters. Againe, They hauehave built the high places of Baal to burne their ſons with fire, for burnt offerings vntounto Baal. It is in the Hebrew Baar, which ſignifieth to burne. And this word Holocauſt ſignifieth a ſacrifice which they burnt and wholy conſumed. But becauſe of late they begin to preferre the Roman tranſlation before the Hebrew text, that is to ſay, a corrupt tranſlation before the originall, a troubled ditch before the cleere ſpring: Let vsus produce the ſame text of the commō tranſlation: Aedificaverunt excelſa Baalim ad comburendos filios ſuos igni in Holocauſtum. Ierem. 19.5Jer 19:5Immolauerūt filios & filias ſuas daemonijs. Likewiſe in the ſecond of Kings, 3. Accipienſque p. 280Rex primogenitum ſuum, obtulit holocauſtum: It is therefore contrary both to the hiſtory and to the language to ſay that the ſelfe ſame tranſlation in ſundry places turneth luſtrare filios, for cremare, purge for burne.

Here the Frier hath bethought him of a notable fable, fetched out of the bottome of his budget. Hee ſaith that my ſelfe being reduced to a ſhamefull ſilence, An Engliſhman whome I had brought for my Goſſip, whiſpered me in the eare and told mee that luſtare ſignified to burne. This is a double vntruth: for on the one part he maketh as if all the aſſiſtants holp him, and that I was in a maner alone: on the other part there was never an Engliſhman in the company: indeed there was a young Flemming, whom I never ſaw before: when the Frier ſaid that Excogitatum commentum ſignified a Commentary, confirmed this explication by the autoritie of Rabelais, who ſaid, waight of larde with a Comment. As for this word luſtrare I p. 281maintained that it ought to hauehave beene Cremare, to burne: alſo that the tranſlation was falſe, and I ſuppoſe I needed not make many proteſtations vponupon a matter ſo vnworthy the meaneſt ſcholler. In vaine therefore did hee borrow out of Calepin and from the Ieſuits of Tournom thoſe paſſages where luſtrare ſignifieth to purge. Wherein nevertheleſſe he ſpitteth nothing but barbariſme and blockiſhneſſe.Demoſt. contra Ariſtocratem ait, cum qui aliquem accuſavit tactis ſacris ſuovetauriſibus iurare ſolitum. I will therefore read him a leſſon, therein doing him good for evill. Hee alleageth a paſſage out of the third of Livy. Ibi inſtructum exercitum ove ſiue tauris tribus luſtrauit, and then he doth expound it. He purified his army by the ſacrifice of one ſheep or three bulls. But had hee had but a caſt of antiquitie, he might hauehave heard of a kind of ſacrifice frequent among the heathen, named Suouetaurilia and he would not hauehave put Oue ſiue tauris inſteed of Oueſuet auris, but this paſſed the Monks learning and capacitie.

11 They alſo make vſe of the firſt p. 282of Samuell, cap. 2. in the ſong of Hannah in theſe words, The Lord killeth and maketh aliue, bringeth downe to the graue & raiſeth vp. Now in liew of graue they put hel, and this hell [if we beleeue the] ſignifieth Purgatory: In Hebrew it is Shelo which ſignifieth the ſtate and condition of the dead, the pit, the Sepulcher. The Roman tranſlation ſtill tranſlateth it hell. As in the 140. Pſalme, Our bones lie ſcattered along the hell: In the Hebrew it is the 141.7.alſo in the 30 Pſalme. Thou haſt brought my ſoule out of Hell: Iacob alſo in Geneſis ſaith, You ſhall bring my white haires into hell. Againe, Pſalme 49. They ſhall be laid in hell, or in the ſepulcher like ſheepe. In theſe & ſuch like places who ſeeth not that the word hell is evill put inſteed of death or the graue. As for the paſſage in the ſong of Hannah the Frier confeſſeth that the ſame is meant of tribulatitions, but he ſaith, If it be by compariſon, who euer heard of things don, that are not? He ſaith true: and therefore this compariſon muſt not bee taken of Purgatory p. 283which is not: as alſo the chiefe interpreters of the Romiſh Church Caietan, Lyra, and the ordinary Gloſſe, doe not by this paſſage mean Purgatory. S. Auguſtine in his 17. booke, and 17. Chapter of the Cittie of God expoundeth this Canticle at large, yet ſpeaketh not one word of Purgatory.The Frier ſpeaketh as if it had bin himſelfe that produced this Rabbin. Read Aug. de Civit. Dei, lib. 21 cap. 13. One of the Aſſiſtants vponupon this paſſage, meaning to helpe the Frier, produced a Rabbin Iſaac Alfeci the Arabian, who ſpeaketh of two hels: whervnto albeit I could hauehave anſwered and proved that that had no communitie with Purgatory: yet I thought it better to ſay That Gods enimies were not to bee iudges in the cauſe of God: That the truth borrowed no weapons of her adverſaries: that Virgil and Plato had alſo ſpoken of Purgatory.

12 The Frier ſaith he hath a whol ſea of witneſſes: hee might hauehave ſaid a forreſt: for that would hauehave ſerued to kindle Purgatory: he thus therefore entereth into this ſea, the ſixt Pſalme, O Lord rebuke me not in thy rage, neither p. 284chaſten me in thy wrath. This rage is hell, this wrath Purgatory: with a law [ſaith he] of ſatisfaction and chaſtiſement of the faithfull deceaſed, but moſt ſevere. S. Auguſtine vponupon the ſixt Pſalme and theſe words Rage and Wrath ſaith thus. Ego puto vnam rem duobus verbis ſignificatam: I think that one thing is ſignified by theſe two words. As for the purging pains whereof in ſome places he ſpeaketh, in my next Chapter I will ſhewe that my adverſaries do corrupt and wrong him. The like we ſay of S. Hierom.

13 Then followeth an other out of the fourth of Eſay. The Lord ſhall waſh the filthineſse of the daughters of Sion: and purge the blood of Hieruſalē out of the middeſt thereof by the ſpirit of iudgement, and in the ſpirit of heate. This purging and this ſpirit of iudgement and of heate is Purgatory. But note that this purging is made in the midſt of Hieruſalē. There then is Purgatory: not vnderunder the earth, not in the rivers, not in the yce: for it is too hot in Iudea.

p. 28514 Here cōmeth a braue one out of Malachie the 3. Who may abide the day of his comming, and who ſhall endure when he appeareth? For he is like a blowing fire and the fullers ſope. This blowing fire is Purgatory: for in his bible he hath Ignis conflans, that is, by the explicatiō of this poore doctor, a blowing fire. What Regent is there that would not whip his ſcholler for ſuch a groſſe fault. Learne doctor that Conflare ſignifieth to forge, or bake in the furnace. Et curuae rigidum falces conflantur in enſem. Surely it is a ſhame to overcome a man ſo impertinent.

15 In the 7. of Daniel. Pag. 37.A fiery ſtreame ran before him. This ſtreame is Purgatory: why did he forget Gedeons bottels, or Sampſons Iaw bone of an Aſſe: for in theſe things cold he by the ſubteltie of his brain hauehave foūd out Purgatory. But to let paſſe theſe toies, let vsus ſee whether in the newe Teſtament they can find any proofes more apparant.

16 The firſt paſſage in the new Teſtament p. 286is in Matthew the 5.22. Whoſoever is angry with his brother vnadviſedly ſhall be puniſhable by iudgement: and whoſoever ſaith to his brother Racha ſhall bee puniſhable by a Counſell, & who ſo ſhall ſay foole ſhall be puniſhable by hell fire. Here ſee I never a word of Purgatory. Likewiſe the principall Interpreters of the Romiſh Church as Lyra, Caietan, Maldonat and the ordinary Gloſſe hauehave otherwiſe expounded this paſſage, as alſo S. Hierome, S. Chryſoſtome, S. Hillary & Theophilact, who writ expreſſe Commentaries vponupon Matthew: but againſt all theſe doth the Frier oppoſe S. Auguſtine, and ſaith that in this place he hath found Purgatory, in the firſt booke of the words of our Lord vponupon the moū taine, and then he exclaimeth S. Auguſtine found it: FalſhoodDu Moulin denieth it: I had rather finde it with this holy doctour, then ſo much as heare the blaſphemy of the deniall, from this tiercelet of an hereticke. Herevpon I beſeech the reader to ſee the place of S. Auguſtin wherin in truth p. 287this good doctor expoundeth this paſſage, but he ſpeaketh not of Purgatory neither of the torment or purgation of ſoules ſeparate from the bodies.Falſhood. This Monke alleadgeth alſo his 31. ſermon vponupon the words of the Lord, wherein this paſſage is not ſo much as quoted, ſo farre is it frō being expounded. Nay more, all the fourth ſermon is vpō this paſſage, wherein nevertheleſſe there is not any ſpeech of Purgatory. O frocke! how many vntruthes doſt thou cover? how deerely wilt thou buy this licentious abuſing of the people, vnleſſe God be mercifull vntounto thee? But the weakeneſſe of this argument doth appeare in that our doctours do contradict them ſelues in the expounding thereof.Pag. 33. The Monke by hell vnderſtandeth Eternall paine: Cayer affirmeth that this Gehenna is Purgatory.Pag. 21. A cup of theologicall wine to reconcile our doctors. The autor of the fire of Helie ſaith that theſe three different puniſhmentes are after this life. If Iudgement ſignifie Purgatory p. 288and Gehenna hell, what ſhall become of the puniſhment by Counſell? Vndoubtedly that is our flowred medow: or ſome other part of Purgatory.

17 This that followeth is pleaſant and proceedeth from the ſame Evangeliſt and the ſame chapter. and from S. Luke cap. 12. v. 58. who ſaith, When thou goeſt with thy adverſary to the ruler, as thou art on the way labour to bee delivered from him, leaſt hee bring thee before the Iudge, and the Iudge deliver thee to the Iaylor, and the Iaylor caſt thee into priſon: I tell thee thou ſhalt not depart thence vntill thou haſt paid the laſt penny. S. Matthew ſaith, Agree quickly with thy adverſary. Inſteed of theſe words, labor to be ſoone delivered from him: The allegory pleaſeth them to ſay the adverſary is the divell: the way is the life: the Magiſtrate is God: the priſon is Purgatory. 1. would they hauehave vsus to agree with the Divell: or if the divell ſhall be the executioner, who ſhall be the adverſe party? Some weening to ſpeake skilfully, do ſay that p. 289the adverſe party is the lawe: but it is worſe. 2. For S. Luke ſaith that we muſt labour to be delivered from this adverſe party whiles wee bee on the way with him: Are we on the way with the law? Or do we go to the Magiſtrate with it? 3. Where ſhall wee labour to deliver our ſelues & to ſhake of this yoake? Rather ſhould ſhee alwaies rule and guide vsus in this pilgrimage. 4. But if the Divel be the Iaylor, would they hauehave the Divell to lead the ſoules into Purgatorie? 5. How dare they ſay that Purgatory is a priſon, from whence none ſhall depart before they hauehave paid the laſt penny, conſidering that the Pope fetcheth forth the ſoules before the tearme of the full ſatisfaction expired? The ſenſe of this paſſage is cleere. Ieſus Chriſt exhortet vsus to peace & atonement with our neighbors that trouble and moleſt vsus: ſo do all the ancients take it: S. Ambroſe vppon this place ſaith that Ieſus Chriſt ſpeaketh, De reconcilianda pace diſsidentium fratrum: of knitting againe p. 290of peace betweene diſagreeing brethren. Maldonat the Ieſuit the ſame. S. Hillarie in his comment vpō this place is more expreſſe.Tertul de Anima, c. 35 Tertullian in his booke of the ſoule, of the ſame. Theophilact reiecting the allegories expoundeth it thus. Etiamſi iniuria affectus fueris, ne abeas ad tribunal, ne ob potentiam adverſarij graviora patiaris. Albeit thou haſt wrong yet goe not to the Iudiciall ſeat leaſt it fal out worſe with thee through the power of thy adverſary. S. Hierome & S. Chryſoſtome ſay the ſame.Tertul. de Anima. c. vlt To all this our men be dumbe & champe on the bit. Only the Frier alleadgeth an hereſie of Tertulliā, wherin he ſaith that the laſt penny implieth the leaſt ſinnes, which are paid by the delaying of the reſurrection. And is it our Maſter friers will that this reſurrection be the iſſue of Purgatory? But he malitiouſly doeth diſſemble the wordes of Tertullian enſuing:Falſhood. Hoc etiam paracletus frequentiſſime commendavit. For he vpholdeth this doctrine vnderunder the auctority of Montanus an Arch-hereticke, p. 291who nameth himſelfe the paraclete & holy Ghoſt. The ſame Frier committeth a notable falſhoode in that to defend the explication of this paſſage he bringeth the auctority of S. Cypriā, who throughout all his workes hath not expounded this place: beſids thoſe words of S. Cyprian which hee hath alleadged, he hath wreſted and taken in a contrarie ſenſe to kindle Purgatory, as in our laſt Chapter we will proue.

After all this the frier, as writing the Cock to the Aſſe, in liew of anſwering accuſeth vsus that we do beleeue that the ſoules ſhall not enioy the glory vntill the day of iudgement:Falſhood. which is falſe & moſt ſclanderous: for we al do beleeue that the ſoules of the faithfull departed out of the bodies, do enter into the heavenly glory. It may be that in ſome places in the writings of our men ſome of them may ſay that they doubt whether the ſoules in the day of iudgement ſhal receiue any increaſe of glory: or drawe neerer to the contemplatiō of the face p. 292of God, not in place, but in degree of glory: but this is nothing to ſalvation, neither toucheth the purity of faith: & withall it was the opinion of many of the ancients, namely of S. Auguſtin who vponupon Geneſis in his twelfth booke, cap. 35. ſaith, They ſee not God as the Angels do ſee him, becauſe they hauehave ſtill a natural deſire to moue their bodies, which withhold them, &c. A reaſon whereto we wil not ſubſcribe: howbeit we ſee that hee did thinke that after the reſurrection, the Saints ſhall hauehave an encreaſe of glorie. Finally hee accuſeth vsus of ſclandering Pope Iohn the 22.Note the Monk ſaith Ioh. 22. for 23. ſo to omit Pope Iohan. Pag. 35. of being tainted with this hereſie: wherein he ſheweth himſelfe a ſclanderer in print: for how is it poſſible we ſhould holde that opinion, ſith we condemne it in others? As for Iohn the 22. alias 23. the caſe is to plaine to be diſſembled: William Ockam in his worke of 53. daies, and Adrian in the queſtion of confirmation, doe accuſe him to hauehave held that the ſouls ſhould not ſee God before the reſurrection: p. 293Gerſon in his ſermon of the paſſeover witneſſeth the ſame and ſaith that the Divines of Paris, with the aſſiſtance of Philip the long, king of France, forced him to vnſay it. Neither doth it any whit helpe the Monke to ſearch whether the time quoted by Calvin be free from error▪ for it importeth not whether Gerſon lived in the time of the ſaid Iohn or after, ſo long as the matter is true: as Bellarmine [from whom the Monke borrowed this Arithmeticall diſputation] doth confeſſe in his fourth booke De Pontifice Rom. in theſe words. In the behalfe of Adrian I anſwer that this Iohn did indeed beleeue that the ſoules ſhall not ſee God vntill after the reſurrection. Iohannem hunc revera ſenſiſſe animas non viſuras Deum niſi poſt reſurrectione.The autorities of the Fathers that he doth afterward alleage are falſe, and hereafter ſhall be ſpoken of.

18 They do yet adde one paſſage more out of the 12 of Matthew. v. 32. The fire of Helie.Whoſoeuer ſhall ſpeak againſt the holy Ghoſt it ſhall not be forgiuen him in this world nor in the world to come. This would not p. 294Ieſus Chriſt hauehave ſpoken [ſay our maſters] if there were not ſome ſinnes that ſhall not be forgiven in this world, but ſhall in the world to come: and this world to come is Purgatory: wherein their memory faileth them: for they ſay that Purgatory was already in the time of Ieſus Chriſt, then could not Ieſus Chriſt call it in the world to come. But if our mens reply be true, that Purgatory is the world to come, in regard of every particular living perſon to whome this puniſhment is yet to come, there ſhall be by that reaſon a thouſand millions of worlds to come, all differing in beginning and in continuance. This at the leaſt doth remaine, that with Ieſus Chriſt [who ſpake] Purgatory could not be the world to come. 2. Againe Ieſus Chriſt ſpeaketh of a world wherein ſinnes are forgiuen: but they ſay that in Purgatory ſinnes are puniſhed: and that the pardon for all manner of ſinnes is already granted in the life through Ieſus Chriſt only: In Purgatory they bear p. 295the puniſhment of the ſinnes alreadie pardoned, Thus doe they runne themſelues on the Pikes, as alſo they anſwer nothing to the matter. And as for the Frier his anſwers are ridiculous & hauehave no correſpondence with that which I hauehave ſaid. The autor of the fire of Helie doth ſhew by the example of David & Achab that the ſinner obtaineth mercy by the puniſhment: but hee deceaueth himſelfe: for it is true as concerning ſuch paines of this life as tend to the amendment of the ſinner: but not of Purgatory, where there is no amendment: neither could this hauehave bin better confuted then by cyting S. Auguſtine, who ſaith, Hie vre hic ſeca, vt in aeternū parcas. For he ſaith Hic, not in purgatorio. 3. Thirdly, what is this world to cōe then? Let vsus learne it, not of theſe people which transforme all things into matches to kindle their Purgatory, but of Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe and his word. Ieſus Chriſt Luke, 20.35. telleth vsus that this other world beginneth by the reſurrection. p. 296They [ſaith he] that ſhall bee coūted worthy to obtain that world and the reſurrection of the dead. Neither muſt we think it ſtrange that it is ſaid that in that day ſinnes ſhall be forgiuen.2. Tim. 1.182 Tim 1:18 1. Sith S. Paule deſireth that God would ſhewe mercy to the houſe of one Sephorus in that day: which is as much as to pardon the ſinnes. 2. S. Peter alſo Act. 3.19.20. ſaith that in that day our ſinnes ſhal be blotted out Amend your liues that your ſinnes may be blotted out when the time of refreſhing ſhall come from the preſence of the Lord, and that hee ſhall hauehave ſent Ieſus Chriſt who was before preached vntounto you. 3.Rom. 8.23. Luk. 21.28.Rom 8:23Luke 21:28 For as the holy Scripture calleth that day the day of our redemption and adoption, becauſe that then it ſhall bee fully revealed and conſummate, ſo the ſame day vponupon the ſame reaſons may be called the day of remiſſion of our ſinnes. And ſome ſinnes there be which albeit by the iudgement of the Church they may be pardoned in this life, yet they ſhall not bee pardoned in the laſt p. 297day: ſuch is the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt. To all this our adverſaries are as dumbe as a fiſh, and endeavor by a great heap of the Fathers to proue that ſinnes are alſo forgiuen in the world to come: but to what purpoſe, ſith we doe grant it? Shall this people be ſuffered to pervert our words & turne our ſpeech contrary to that which wee beleeue? They beat the aire and loſe their blows: and our Monke ſclandereth mee ſaying that I call the fathers our adverſaries:Sclander. but where did I ſo?

19 The paſſage wherevpon they doe moſt inſiſt is taken out of the firſt to the Corinth. cap. 3. where S. Paule ſaith Other foundation can no man laie thē that which is laid which is Ieſus Chriſt. If any man build vponupon this foundation, gold, ſiluer, precious ſtones, timber, hay, ſtubble, every mans worke ſhallbe made manifeſt: for the day ſhall declare it, becauſe it ſhall be revealed by fire: and the fire ſhall try every mans worke of what ſort it is: If the worke of any that hath built therevpō p. 298doe abide, he ſhall receaue waies. If any mās worke burne he ſhall loſe, but hee ſhall bee ſafe himſelfe, howbeit as by fire. For fire [ſay my men] is Purgatory, wherein the workes are tried by fire: for it is ſaid, If any mans worke burne, and againe, Hee ſhall be ſaued, but as it were by fire. Al this is full of impoſſibilities and abſurdities. 1. Firſt an article of faith muſt not bee grounded vponupon allegories ſaith S. Hierom on Mat. lib. 2. Nun que Parobolae & du bia aenigmatum intelligentia poteſt ad autoritatem dogmatum proficere. & ſo ſaith Tertullian alſo. But albeit S. Paul, who by revelation receaved the ſence of the Scriptures, did ſometime vſe the Allegorie as in the fourth to the Galathians, it followeth not that it is to be permitted to every newe commer: much leſſe to men that plead for their owne profit. Beſides, the ſelfe ſame thing that S. Paule teacheth by Allegories is elſewhere proued by evident demonſtrations.Ierem. 30. Heb. 12.9.Jer 30Heb 12:9 But theſe men produce no manifeſt paſſage where it is ſaid that after p. 299this life there is a place wherein the ſoules of ſuch as hauehave not ſatisfied to the full in this life muſt bee purged by fire. They reſemble foxes who being hunted doe ſaue themſelues in ſome thick buſh: for they ſeeke only thorny and darke places. 2. It is here ſpoken of a fire that trieth the worke, but tormē teth not the perſons. 3. Alſo even in Purgatory the ſoules are not tried but puniſhed: for God needeth not their triall to knowe them. 4. Againe here it is ſpoken of a fire wherein every mans worke ſhall be manifeſt. In Purgatorie nothing is manifeſt to vsus. 5. Againe, of a fire wherein every mans works are tried:Pag. 17.18 then alſo the worke of the Virgin Mary and of the Apoſtles, which moved the autor of the fire of Helie to make them alſo to paſſe through Purgatory: But, he ſaith, this fire ſhall bee to them as the fiery furnace was to the three children, which ſeemed a moiſt wind. Thus doth this doctor imagin or mock: but his companions ſay nothing. 6. It is p. 300here ſpoken of a fire that burneth the worke, but not the ſoules: and vpō this place it was that the Frier being demanded whether was whipped, the thiefe, or the theft, anſwered [with the mirth of all the aſſiſtants] that it was the theft that was whipped. 7. Hereto adioine that it is ſaid, if it burne the workeman ſhall hauehave loſſe: but in Purgatory nothing is loſt beſides, although the ſins were burned, yet in ſuch burning there ſhould be no loſſe. 8. This examen and triall by fire is called Day: but Purgatory [if we liſt to beleeue them] is vnderunder earth. The fire of Helie denieth that this fire is called Day: but note theſe words of the Apoſtle, Every mans worke ſhal be made manifeſt: for the day ſhall declare it, becauſe it ſhall be revealed by fire. For hee ſetteth this proofe in the day & in ſight and therefore the fire of Helie hath omitted theſe words, The day ſhall declare it. It is in Greeke. foreignAnd the Frier hath changed them & ſaith The day of the Lord ſhal declare them: This day of the Lord [ſay they] is the p. 301day of death: ſo large is their liberty to falſifie, and to wreſt. For whoe did ever heare death called the day of the Lord? Yea and admit this explication were receaueable: how is every mans worke then revealed and manifeſted? But the ſenſe of this word, day, muſt bee taken from the ſame Apoſtle in the 13. verſe of the next Chapter, where this worde foreign ſignifieth triall and iudgement. 9. Againe, S. Paul ſaith as by fire, it is not then by fire: and to no purpoſe do they bring vsus in the words of S. Iohn Vidimus gloriam quaſi vnigeniti: for the barbariſme and incongruities of the vulgar tranſlation muſt not be admitted for a rule. The autor of the fire of Helie produceth yet another paſſage out of the 125 Pſalme, where this word Quaſi importeth no ſimilitude: but the truth it ſelfe. When Syon returned out of captivity we were as comforted: but according to the Hebrew originall, Wee were as they that dreame, and ſo hath Pagnine and Arias, and all good tranſlations. p. 30210. Alſo throughout all this paſſage there is not one word whereby it may appeare that this tryall is made after this life: I confeſſe that the rewarde of the faithfull is after this life: and the fire of Helie neede not to admoniſh vsus with ſuch exclamations: for the queſtion concerneth not the time of the reward, but the time of the triall. 11. Neither is there any word that ſpeaketh of the torment of the ſoules: for the ſaide fire of Helie endevouring to proue that here it ſpeaketh of tormēts is deceived in his Logicke. For theſe be his words. Doth not S. Paule ſay,Pag. 16. If any mans works burne he ſhall incurre damages? Is not hee that is tormented, endamaged? An argument in the ſecond figure, compoſed all of affirmatiues.

He that is tormented endureth damage

He whoſe works burne endures damage

Thē he whoſe work burneth is tormēted

Beſides the firſt propoſition is manie times falſe and particularly in this matter, conſidering that the torment of the p. 303ſoules in Purgatory is [if wee beleeue theſe men] without loſſe & to the good of the ſoules. Now herein I muſt frākly confeſſe that the auctor of the fire of Helie hath yet ſome dexterity in ſophiſtry:Du Val. but the Frier ſpeaketh like an Ideot and a man of a craſed braine, for all his diſcourſe is ſpent in laying of maximes and principles, whereby hee will hauehave this caſe decided, as if it were in him to impoſe lawes and principles in this buſineſſe. And indeed if you looke narrowly into the matter, you ſhall finde theſe principles to bee the caſe it ſelfe: for they ſet downe as a plaine caſe and confeſſed, that in this fire the people are tormented, and do feele the trial of this fire. Now this is the point of the controverſie and that which wee doe ſtiffe and ſtedfaſtly deny: that S. Paule ſpeaketh no ſuch thing. Howbeit in the end he muſt hauehave the grace of it, & admireth my ſlackneſſe, as being incapable to comprehend his ſo childiſh principles. As for the explication of this p. 304paſſage, it muſt be gathered out of that that goeth before. S. Paule in the 5. verſe of this chapter ſpeaketh of doctors and paſtours, and of the preaching of the Goſpell. And particularly of Doctors, who holding a good foundatiō, which is Jeſus Chriſt, do nevertheleſſe adde of their inventions and ſlight doctrines, which he calleth wood, hay and ſtubble, in regard of the pure and ſolide doctrine, which he tearmeth Gold, ſilver and pretious ſtones. This wood therefore & this ſtubble being examined by the word of God, as mettals in fire, can not ſubſiſt, but muſt needs be conſumed. But as cō cerning the parſon of the paſtor he ſhal be ſaved in regard of the good foundation that he hath holden, yet after triall made as it were by fire. This explicatiō is naturall, and ſpringeth of it ſelfe: and every one that knoweth that S. Paule here ſpeaketh of ſhepheards whom he nameth Builders,Hieron. cō tra Iovinian lib. 2. will eaſily admit this explication. And hereto do agree Saint Ambroſe, S. Hierome, Sedulius, Tertullian, p. 305in his firſt book againſt Marcion, cap. 6. yea even the chiefe doctours of the Romiſh Church, Lyra, Thomas, Caietan, and Bellarmine in his firſt booke of Purgatory. cap. 4. They all hold, I ſay, that theſe builders are the paſtours and the preachers,§ Vtra que Hormildas Pope in the Tomes of the coū ſels ſaith that the builders are the doctors and the fire the Synode. Dial. 4. c. 39. and the building the preaching of the Goſpell: yet doth the Fryer make a ſcorne of all this and ſaith that they be meere fopperies. This alſo is the reaſon that in the front of his book hee armeth himſelfe with theſe titles, The reverent father Frier Iames an Obſervantin Portugall: Doctor of Divinity and preacher ordinary to the King, that ſo hee may with the greater auctority fight againſt his owne Doctours and all antiquity. As concerning this fire S. Auguſtine and Pope Gregorie the firſt doe ſay that they be the tribulations of this life: Chryſoſtome, Nazianzē, Theophilact & Oecumenius doe vnderſtand it of hell: & among them there is marvailous diſcordance: It is alſo a pleaſure to reade Bellarmine and to conſider how hee gathereth p. 306the opinions of the fathers and confuteth them all: for of fiue or ſixe ſeverall opinions ſometimes he alloweth never a one, but bringeth in a new: ſometime he retaineth that which hee beſt liketh, or that moſt favoureth Purgatory.

20 The Frier alſo citeth this paſſage out of the 21. of the Revelatiō. And there ſhall enter into the cittie of Hieruſalem no vncleane thing, how little ſoever, wherin we finde a double falſhood, for theſe words how little ſoever are his addition: afterward in this paſſage by the vncleane are meant the profane and reprobate, as appeareth by that which is added thereto. There ſhall not enter therin any thing that is vncleane or any that worketh abhomination or falſhood. This laſt word might hauehave terrified him and cauſed him to hauehave apprehended the puniſhment denounced againſt falſifiers. Moreover nothing that is vncleane ſhall enter into Paradiſe: for the wicked are excluded, and as for the good Jeſus p. 307Chriſt purgeth them from all ſin.

21 Cayer obſtinately armeth himſelfe to make vſe of the reſurrection of Lazarus in his proofe of Purgatory: and yet is this argument trivial among our adverſaries: The ſoule of Lazarus [ſaie they] where was it before it did riſe againe? It was not in hell: for frō thence none commeth againe: neither in Paradice: for then Ieſus Chriſt ſhoulde hauehave done him wrong to fetch him from thence: thē muſt there be a third place, and the taile that they here adde is notable: that is, that this third place is a place of torment,Luk. 16.25.Luke 16:25 and a fire called Purgatory. Hereto we ſay, That the ſoule of Lazarus whom Chriſt raiſed was in the ſame place with the ſoule of the other Lazarus mentioned in the 16. of Luke, that is in Abrahams boſome, which is no place of torment: for Abraham was there, & Ieſus Chriſt ſaith that Lazarus after the miſeries of this life was comforted. Neither ſhould our adverſaries thinke it ſtrange that p. 308God taketh a ſoule out of the place of reſt, to returne it for a ſhort time into a place of combat and affliction, ſith Ieſus Chriſt in Iohn 11.4. ſaith that it was done to the end the ſon of God might bee glorified: for the glorie of God ought alwaies to take place aboue all particular intereſt: beſides that God was able afterward to reward him with greater glory: The beſt is that our adverſaries at vnawares do argue againſt themſelues: for they beleeue that Henoch and Elyas men already bleſſed, ſhal returne downe to fight againſt Antichriſt, and ſhall ſuffer perſecution, yea and death it ſelfe. They alſo ſay that the Pythoneſſe fetched the ſoule of Samuel from his reſt. If they hold that God permitted this to a witch & ſorcereſſe for the contenting of the vngodly curioſitie of Saule, why wil they not permit as much to Ieſus Chriſt for the glorie of God and the advancement of the Goſpell? But if this Lazarus came forth of a burning fire, why brought he no news? p. 309Or could hee conceale a matter of ſuch importance? or had he ſo ſoone forgotten ſo ſenſible a torment? There are yet two paſſages that are common to all theſe doctors, S. Paule, Philip. 2.10. ſaith, Like as at the name of Ieſus everie knee ſhould bowe, both of things in heaven, of things in earth, and of things vnderunder the earth. Alſo in the fifth of the Revelation. And all the creatures which are in heaven and on the earth, or vnderunder the earth, and in the ſea, yea and all things comprehended in them heard I ſaying: to him that ſitteth on the throne, and to the lambe be praiſe, honor, &c. With theſe paſſages they blow their Imaginary fire, and ſay that they that are in heaven are the Saints: They that are vponupon the earth are the people living. That they are vnderunder the earth are the ſoules that are tormented in Purgatory. 1. But who ſhall bee the creatures that are in the ſea? The fire of Helie ſaith. They be the inhabitants of the Ilands: that is to ſay. The Engliſh, the Corſes: the Candiots, &c. He taketh p. 310theſe people to bee creatures that are not vponupon the earth. Let vsus not laugh but proceed and heare how he proveth it. He produceth the ſixt of Eſay in theſe words. Thy heart ſhall reioice when the whole multitude of the ſea ſhall come vntounto thee. A paſſage for the purpoſe. But read over all the whole Chapter and I will turne Munke if you find any ſuch word. 2. But why doe they rather ſay that they be the ſoules in Purgatory, then the ſoules of children that died without baptiſme, who they ſay are vnderunder the earth. 3. Withall note that they adde a prettie patch which S. Paule and S. Iohn had forgotten: namely that they that are vnderunder the earth are tormented in fire for a time: for in defence of new Divinitie wee muſt ſeeke new Logicke. 4. Neither are we to omit that this paſſage is become a paire of bellowes to Purgatory. Sith they hold that it is vnderunder ground: for according to Pope Gregory, Alcuyne, Peter Damyan, and others, that place Purgatory in bathes, p. 311in Rivers, in the Ice, in the winde, and vnderunder the leaues, this paſſage is to no vſe. And ſurely the fire of Helie who ſaith that the Church hath defined nothing concerning the place where Purgatory ſtandeth,Pag. 33. hath greatly overſhot himſelfe in vſing this paſſage and defining that Purgatory is vnderunder the ground.

Now to proue that thoſe that are vnderunder the earth are not the divels, they vrge theſe words of bowing the knee alſo theſe words of giuing praiſe and glory which the Frier falſely accuſeth me to hauehave omitted. They ſay then that the divels never bow their knees before God, neither praiſe him. For the bowing of the knee doth import a ſubmiſſiō and voluntary obedience. 5. In anſwere I ſay that S. Paule himſelfe in this ſelfe place ſhall decide this controverſie: For in ſaying that every knee ſhall bow, Sclanderof thoſe that are in earth, he evidently comprehendeth all men both good & bad: whereby it appeareth that bowing the knee doth not in this place ſignifie voluntarily p. 312and religiouſly to ſerue, but only to bee in ſubiection: or elſe they muſt ſay that the wicked doe voluntarily ſerue Ieſus Chriſt. 6. Alſo in this place S. Paule ſpeaketh of the ſoveraign Empire given to Ieſus Chriſt over all creatures, then withall over the wicked and divels which hauehave beene and ſhall be forced to giuegive glory to Ieſus Chriſt. 7. Wee hauehave another paſſage of the ſame Apoſtle taken out of the fiue and forty of Eſay where this word to bowe the knee is plainely expounded:Luk 8.27.28.Luke 8:27Luke 8:28 for in the 14. to the Romans he ſpeaketh thus of the laſt iudgement. We ſhall all appeare before the iudgement ſeat of Chriſt, for it is written I liue ſaith the Lord: let everie knee bow before me, and every tongue giuegive praiſe vntounto God. In this place S. Paule taketh to appeare before the iudgement ſeat of God, for bowing the knee before God. The wicked therefore & the divels ſhall bow the knee becauſe they ſhall appeare and be forced to acknowledge the iuſtice of God. In this regard p. 313doth Iuſtine the Martyr in his dialogue againſt Triphon ſay that the Infernall ſpirits are ſubiect to Ieſus Chriſt bowing their knees at the bare pronountiation of the Croſſe. 8. As for the praiſes ſpoken of in the fifth of the Revelation, they are the praiſes of all creaturs: of whom, even of the inanimate, as of the heauens, the earth, the ſonne, &c. The Scripture in aboue a hundred places ſaith that they praiſe the eternall:Pſal. 19. Pſal. 140. Pſal. 145.Ps 19Ps 140Ps 145 eſpecially in the Pſalme 148. where this is repeated ſome twentie times. Neither need we goe any further then this paſſage, namely of the Revelation to proue it. For he ſaith, I heard EVERT CREATVRE which is in heauen: thē the ſunne, the ſtarres, the Angels, &c. he alſo ſaith, All that is on the earth, vnderunder the earth, and in the ſea, yea even all things that are compriſed in them, &c. It appeareth then that he ſpeaketh of all creatures: and this is it that made our adverſaries to omit theſe words yea all things that are compriſed in them, with p. 314a notable falſehood according to their cuſtome, thereby to abate the edge of Gods word and to take from him that which pierceth the very vntruth. I ſhould wrong the autor of the fire of Helie if I ſhould ſuppreſſe one inventiō which he doth very gallantly produce to ſhewe that the divels doe not bowe to Ieſus Chriſt. If [ſaith he] Du Moulin himſelfe will not put of his hat when wee ſpeake of the name of Ieſus how can the divels be forced to doe it? The divels then by this Doctors ſaying, doe wear hats, but they will not put them of when we ſpeake of Ieſus. Is it becauſe they are ſomewhat ſurly and prowd, or for that they feare the aire? Note alſo that by this argument taken from the more to the leſſe, hee doeth vsus this honour that hee holdeth vsus leſſe wicked then the divels: and yet wee flee not for his holy water. But in the end I ſay this doctor is deceived in one point, and deceiveth in an other: hee is deceived in that he thinketh that by the p. 315name of Ieſus Saint Paule in this place meant the word IESVS cōſidering that the ſcripture by the name of God ordinarily vnderſtandeth his auctority, his glory, his ſtrength, his power, &c. and ſo ſay we, Our helpe be in the name of God alſo hallowed bee thy name and I come againſt thee in the name of the Eternall. 2. Sam. 17.45. In this ſenſe we honour the name of Ieſus: but our adverſaries honor the ſyllables: and thereof commeth the feaſt & Maſſe of the name of Ieſus: for as concerning his parſon there is a feaſt apart. But in this that he falſely accuſeth vsus, he deceiveth. For if a man hearing the name of Ieſus putteth of his hat, we like it well, ſo as it be done without ſuperſtition. But marke what it is. They vſe many ſalutations to the name of Ieſus, whiles in the mean time his parſon is wronged and his benefite abuſed: and they finde out other redeemers and an other purging for our ſins: he is entreated as he was by thoſe that buffeted him ſaying vntounto him, All haile: p. 316Thus is Religion corrupted, which at this day hold her handes in rule and giveth godlineſſe her paſport. Hereof it cōmeth that the ſervice of the Church of Rome, namely the Maſſe conſiſteth in geſtures, in a ſet number of bowings in frisking from one end of the alter to the other, in Allegoricall habites, hiſtoried at pleaſure, whiles the people looking on learneth nothing: and is entertained with geſtures, when they ſhould be inſtructed by the intelligible worde. Thence commeth alſo the gallāt Interpretations of Pope Innocent the 3. of Durands Rationals and others, which ſay that the Prieſt turneth his backe to the people becauſe God ſaid to Moſes, Thou ſhalt ſee my backe parts. That the miſſ all is laid vponupon a Quiſheon becauſe it is written, Mat. 11. My yoake is eaſie & my burdē light. That he that ſerveth the Prieſt at Maſſe moveth and ſteppeth vp and downe as the Prieſt doth becauſe Ieſus Chriſt ſaid, Where I am there ſhal my ſervant be alſo. That the Goſpel booke p. 317is laid vponupon a deske in forme of an Eagle becauſe it was written in the 18. Pſalme, Hee flyeth vponupon the wings of the winde. That the deakon goeth in at one ſide of the pulpet & commeth out at the other, becauſe it is written, Mat. 2. They were warned from heauē to returne an other way. And he that ſerveth a Biſhoppe at his Maſſe kiſſeth his ſhoulder looking a ſcance on his face becauſe it is written, 1. Cor. 13. Wee ſee now in part.

Thus is the whole battery of our adverſary diſmounted, which was not charged but with ſtubble and hay againſt the truth: and here would I ſhut vp this chapter, did not the falſhoods of the fire of Helie detaine mee yet a while, ſo extreamely licentious is he in falſifying. Many of his falſhoods hauehave we already produced, yet here followe ſome more.

In the pages 40 & 41. to proue the Limbo of the fathers he alleadgeth the Apoſtle in the 11. to the Hebrews, Having p. 318beene tryed by the teſtimony of faith, This word ſalaried is of his own invention.they received not the promiſes, that they without vsus ſhould not be made perfect and ſalaried. In the 43. page he ſaith that God by the leaues of the figge tree cloſed vp Ezechias ſore and for that citeth the 4. of Kings 26. and Eſay 38. In page 44. to defende Purgatory in bathes, in yee, in rivers, &c. hee alleadgeth Iob. 24. in theſe words. The wicked that are in hel from a heate of fire do paſse to a coldneſſe as ſnow. Al this is falſe, and by him deviſed. In the ſame place where S. Peter, Act. 2.24. ſaith that God raiſed vp Ieſus Chriſt hauing looſed the ſorrows of death, he ſaith the ſorrowes of Hell. In page 56. to proue that the Pope may graunt Indulgences for the dead, he maketh S. Paule, 1. Cor. 5. ſay The ſtewardſhip of Indulgences vvas by Ieſus Chriſt left to the Church, whereof there is not a word in the whole chapter. In page 66. be corrupteth this excellent paſſage of Eſay, 57. Whoſoever vvalketh before God goeth in peace, he maketh him ſay Whoſoever vvalketh before God p. 319vvalketh in peace.

In pages 69 & 70. he maketh S. Paule ſay to the Coloſsians, 1.24. I fulfill in my fleſh that which wanteth in the paſsion of the Lorde for his body, which is the Church. Whereas it is I fulfill the reſt of the afflictions of Ieſus Chriſt. Let the reader look vponupon the places and he ſhall finde that almoſt every where he corrupteth and changeth the wordes of the ſcripture: for of many, we deliver but few examples, that ſo we may be the more briefe cal…ing to minde the commaundement that is in the rule of S. Frances, Dominus fecit verbum abbreviatum ſuper terram, Rom. 9.28. And therefore we muſt ſtudy for brevity.