The Waters of Shiloh to Quench the Fire of Purgatory, Chapter 5
CAP. 5. Againſt Indulgences and the fetching of ſoules out of Purgatory.
THE Pope at the petitiō of the kindred and friends of the deceaſed [if they be of ability and calling] doth many times grant Indulgences wherewith to fetch the ſoule of the deceaſed out of Purgatory: yea which is more, he cōferreth ſuch grace to certaine aulters that whoſoever ſhall procure a ſtinted number of Maſſes to bee ſaid thereon, he ſhall fetch one ſoul out of Purgatory: himſelfe hath alſo ſome times granted to ſuch as beene croſſed to the holy lād, priviledge to fetch one or more ſoules out of Purgatory at their choice. A grace and favor which is alſo conferred to the fraternity of the Corde.
Cardinall Caietan in the beginning of the booke of Indulgences acknowledgeth that in all antiquity there was nothing to be found concerning Indulgē ces. Durand, Antoninus and Roffenſis do ſay that Indulgences were not knowne in the daies of S. Ierome, and S. Auguſtin, or during the firſt fiue hundred years:Bell. de Indul. l. 2. c. 17 Biel. in. Can. Miſſae lect. 57. tit. 1.7. as Bellarmine alſo confeſſeth. Gabriell Byel vponupon the Canon of the Maſſe ſaith as much: & making a queſtion wherefore now a daies they ſhould be ſo frequent; he anſwereth himſelfe with the words of Ieſus Chriſt: It is not for you to knowe the times and ſeaſons which the Lorde hath put in his owne power. With this bridle he reſtraineth our curioſity. Beſides my adverſaries who will vſe the fathers in deſpight of their hearts, hauehave not yet produced the example of any one fetched out of Purgatory vnderunder the primitiue Church: As for that which the fire of Helie telleth of Silveſter and Gregory is falſe, and hath not the teſtimony of any ancient autor.
Now to furniſh ſo notable a liberality, the Pope hath laide a bottomeleſſe foundation, which he nameth The treaſury of the Church: and it is compoſed of the ſuperabundance of the merits & ſuffrings both of Ieſus Chriſt and of his Saints. This he diſtributeth among the ſouls of the dead, to helpe them out of Purgatory, & it is manifeſtly laid down in the Extravagants of Clement the ſixt which beginneth Vnigenitus. Ad cuius the ſauri cumulīe Beatae Dei Genetricis & omnia electorum merita adminiculū preſtare noſcuntur.Wherein it is ſaid that the merits of the mother of God and of all the elect do helpe the merit of Ieſus Chriſt: and ſerue to make vp the heape of this treaſure.
To enter therefore into the examination of this new Goſpell. 1. We aske who gaue the Pope power to fetch ſoules out of Purgatory? 2. Let them produce either commandement or example of any Indulgences given to the deade by the Apoſtles or by their firſt ſucceſſours. 3. If it bee a new benevolence, how commeth it that God is now become more liberall then heretofore? 4. If al the power that the Pope aſſumeth to himſelfe were firſt promiſed in theſe words, I will giuegive thee the kayes, &c. when was it actually conferred? It was [ſay they] when Ieſus Chriſt ſaid to Peter, Feed my Lambs. Admit it was ſpoken to the Pope, and that S. Peter only had the charge of feeding our Lords Lambs: muſt wee therefore reckon the dead among theſe Lambes? Yea, will ſome ſay, becauſe the Pope therevpon ſheareth them: be it ſo: but is the pulling of thē out of the fire, feeding? 5. Moreover in that the Pope armeth his power with the words of Ieſus Chriſt, Whatſoever yee ſhall looſe on earth ſhall be looſed in heaven? Doth he not condemne him ſelfe, in that he goeth beyond his commiſſion? for Chriſt ſaith All that thou ſhalt looſe on earth: hee ſaith not, All that thou ſhalt looſe vnderunder earth. It muſt be ſaide that for the avoiding of this obiection, Pope Gregorie, & after him our doctors hauehave placed Purgatory in bathes, in ice, & in the winde. 6. Out of this groweth an other abſurdity and this it is, The Pope looſeth & delivereth the ſouls out of priſō, which nevertheleſſe he could not binde: how commeth it that the Popes power is is halfe decayed toward theſe ſouls, and that he reſerved himſelfe no more power but to looſen? The anſwer is evident: for by binding of ſoules and impoſing puniſhment vponupon them hee could get nothing: for no man will giuegive mony to be tormented, but to be releaſed from torment: he therefore reſerved to himſelfe ſo much as is profitable. 7. Againe if he be able to draw out any ſoules out of this fire, howe chaunceth it that hee drawes out no more? What humanity is this in him that is tearmed The holy father, and is the head of the Church, to let his children lie frying in the horrors of a flaming fire, and yet is able to help them out? And he who ſaith that if by his bad courſes hee ſhoulde carry innumerable troopes of ſouls into hell with him,Can. ſi Papa Diſt. 40. yet let no mā preſume to reproue duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page him: for he that is iudge of all is not to be iudged of any. Why doth hee not fetch thē out of Purgatory by troops? 8. Neither are we here to alleadge that the Popes giuegive their pardons to the dead in forme of ſuffrages & interceſſiō but not of Iuriſdictiō & abſolute power for in this queſtiō that is of no import, becauſe it is holden that in whatſoever forme the Pope giveth theſe pardons, they be alwaies of force, and the ſoules be releaſed by thē out of this fire: there fore our continual demand is this, why he offereth not his Indulgences or ſuffrages for more folkes and for longer time then he doth? 9. At the leaſt this remaineth: ſith the Pope pretendeth Iuridical power over the living, and giveth them pardons with Iuriſdiction and power to abſolue from all temporall paine, why doth he not take order that every mā may before his death receiue ful Indulgence? And that everie the ſoules of the faithfull may carry along with it three or foure hundred thouſand yeares of pardon for her better indemnitie? why ſhould the French or Spaniſh be in leſſe favour with God then the enhabitants of Rome? of whō none goe to Purgatory vnleſſe he be a very dolt, conſidering that even at his dore he hath ſo many Churches where in in one day he may purchaſe two or three hundred thouſand yeares of pardon? 10. Again, how is it that the Pope delivereth the ſoules that are not of his charge from ſo long and grievous a torment, and yet cannot deliver the living that are (as he ſaith) of his charge from the ſmalleſt paines, diſeaſes and afflictions? Hereto the Frier in liew of anſwer ſaith J am a foole, and ſo overſlippeth them with many frivolous demands to no purpoſe. 11. Whereof alſo cōmeth it that our Doctors memories are ſo ſhort as to forget that before, hauing ſaid that of neceſſitie the ſoules that hauehave not ſufficiently ſatisfied in this life muſt be purged in Purgatory ſo to ſatiſfie the Iuſtice of God, they can now be content to permit the Pope by his pardons to fetch the ſoules out of this fire, and thereby hinder both the purging of the ſoules and the ſatisfaction of Gods iuſtice? But if they reply that Gods iuſtice is ſatisfied becauſe the Pope preſenteth for them the overplus of the merits of Ieſus Chriſt and his Saints, they runne themſelues on the pikes: for why did he not preſēt to God the ſame merits before the ſoules departed out of their bodies, ſo to exempt thē wholy out of Purgatory? Or rather why ſhould wee goe into Purgatory at all, ſith Ieſus Chriſt ſitting at the right hād of God, and offering to his father his benefit for our redemptiō, performeth all that the Pope pretendeth to doe?
Againſt ſo many ſuch pregnant obiections our Doctors do ſhroud themſelues vnderunder a miſerable diſtinction, as vnderunder a wet net againſt the raine. They ſay that the Pope delivereth no ſoules out of Purgatory by any Iuridicall authoritie, but by ſuffrages: And the Doctor Du Val expoundeth this dictinction by a ſimilitude: he ſaith, If the french King were deſirous to redeeme out of Spaine a priſoner there detained for debts, he would not offer to fetch him thence by authoritie or iuriſdiction, but by ſuffrage and entreatie, offering his debt to the king of Spaine. Here he compareth our King to the Pope, the king of Spaine to God, and Spaine it ſelfe to Purgatory: but that wee muſt ſay is in regard of the Inquiſition. Now albeit this diſtinction hath no more force againſt ſuch maine obiections then their holy water againſt the divels yet muſt I open the falſehood and abſurditie thereof.Pag. 41. 48. 75. For firſt herevpō theſe Doctors do contradict themſelues for Cayer fighteth againſt his companions and maintaineth that the Pope giueth his Indulgences to the dead by power of abſolution: and that hee pardoneth their ſinnes as a king: and indeed in the taxe of the Popes Chancery wee finde theſe words. For an excommunicate perſon for whom his parents doe entreat the letters of abſolution, Pro mortuo excommunicato pro quo ſupplicāt cō ſanguinei litera abſolut. vaenit Duc. 1 Caro. 9. diſp 7. c 34. & diſp. 6. c. 41. Bielin Can. Miſſae, lec. 57the charge is one duckat and nine Carolus. Alſo Michael Medina a Doctor of note among our adverſaries, doth hold that the ſoules in Purgatory are vnderunder the Popes iuriſdictiō. See alſo the wordes of Bonaventure alleaged by Gabriel Biel. If any man maintaineth that the Vicar of Ieſus Chriſt hath power of Iuriſdiction over the dead, wee muſt not greatly contradict him. Thus our people are of contrary minds: but reaſon and practiſe are on Cayers ſide. Reaſon, becauſe theſe words, to pardon informe of ſuffrage or interceſsion, beare no ſenſe, beſides that there is contradiction in them: for how is it poſſible to pardon a man by entreating for him? to pardon by forme of petition or interceſſion? hee that hath interceded to the king for a criminall perſon, will never ſay that he pardoned him: The ſame doth common practiſe convince: for what meaneth a pardon given to the ſoule by buls & patents ſealed in forme of a decree? Doe wee not alſo reade in Maior and Weſſelus, Maior in 4. Diſt. 20. quaeſt. 2. Clemens, 6. In Bulla ſuper Iubileo quod revocavit ad Annos, 50.that Clement the ſixt commanded the Angels to tranſport into Paradice the ſoules of thoſe that died in the voiage to the holy land? Nay more. Toward the end of the Councel of Lateran holden vnderunder Innocent the 3 yee ſhall find a Bull wherein he promiſeth to all choſe that ſhall goe in the expedition to the holy land, not only plenary remiſſion of all their ſinnes, but alſo an augmentation and higher degree of glory in the kingdome of heaven: but to ſuch as would not goe themſelues, but ſend others at their charges, he granteth only remiſſion of ſinnes: yea he proceedeth ſo farre, as againſt the gaineſayers of the iourney hee denounceth that they ſhall anſwer him in the day of iudgement: as if the Pope ſhould then be iudge. In all this it appeareth that the Pope pretendeth to hauehave power over the dead. But what ſhould we ſeeke for more proofe, whē Pope Sixtus the fourth, in a Bull ſet downe in the firſt booke of ſacred ceremonies, in the chapter of the benediction of the ſword, vanteth that hee hath all power in heaven and in earth? The ſame degree is alſo attributed to Pope Leo the tenth in the laſt councell of Lateran. Seſſ. 9. & …0. Now if he aſſumeth to himſelfe all power in heaven, where they hauehave nothing to do with him: how much rather over the ſoules in Purgatory, which ſtand in neede of his Indulgences? Finally, if the Pope giveth his pardon by ſuffrage, and in forme of petition or interceſſion, how can wee bee aſſured that God doth heare him? wheris the promiſe that in this caſe God wil heare him? or how in granting pardons to the dead [as when he granted to the ſoules of the Carmelites this privilege, that they ſhould not ſtay in Purgatory any longer then vntil the next Saturday after their deceaſe] is hee aſſured that God will like of this liberalitie? Thus much for this wofull diſtinction. Now let vsus continue the courſe of our obiections. 12 Sith the Pope affirmeth that he hath in the treaſurie of the Church the workes and ſuperabundant ſatisfactions of the Saints and Monkiſh Friers that hauehave done and ſuffered more then they ſhould: who was his Collector to gather vp theſe workes and ſufferings? Or whoe delivered them into the Popes cuſtody? Either when? Alſo who gaue him the charge to diſtribute thē? Who taught him to bee a better huſband then the high Prieſt in the old Teſtament, who [if we beleeue theſe men] ſuffered the ſuperaboundant ſatisfactions of Noah, Abraham, Iſaac, Iacob, Hilarius in Mat. 27. Alienis operibꝰ & meritis.Ioſeph, &c. to be loſt? And ſith the ſatisfaction of Ieſus Chriſt was more then ſufficient to redeeme vsus, what neede we adde the ſatisfactions of Friers, Monks and Martyrs? Conſidering that if theſe Friers, Monks and Martyrs be in Paradice, they hauehave already received infinitly more glory then ever they could deſerue or merit: and ſo they are ſuperaboundantly ſatisfied, and therefore can hauehave nothing left for the redemption of others.
Hereto the Frier maketh no anſwer, only he ſaith, I raue and am at the laſt caſt: let vsus therfore hauehave ſome hallowed graines, or one of the partes of S. Frances breeches, that thereby we may die in the ſtate of grace. He alſo ſaith that the blood of Ieſus Chriſt is ſufficient to redeeme a thouſand worlds: the the ſurpluſſage therefore of our Saviours merits, is not to be loſt, but rather to bee laide vp in the treaſury of the church.Pag. 108. Whereof it followeth that the blood of Ieſus Chriſt and his merites, ſhared out into a thouſand parts, the Pope hath remaining in his treaſurie nine hundred, ninety and nine, beſides the merits of Saints & Martyrs which he alſo ſaith are our redeemers: but hee tooke his marke amiſſe and deceiveth himſelfe in thinking that part of the merites of Ieſus Chriſt may ſerue for one ſoule and part for an other, & that ſo we may find a remainder of the merits of Ieſus Chriſt: for as the light of the ſunne ſhineth wholly here & wholly in an other place, and that there is light enough thereof for ten times ſo many as be there where it ſhineth: alſo that the voice of a man that ſpeaketh, doth ſound wholly in the eares of every one that heareth him: even ſo everie faithfull man is partaker in the whole merits of Ieſus Chriſt: And were there foure faithful, yet ſhould every of the faithfull ſtande in neede of the whole death of Ieſus Chriſt, and of every part that he ſuffered: as alſo if there were ten times as many faithfull, yet ſhould every of them finde in the death of Ieſus Chriſt enough for his redemption. Alſo in as much as we hauehave merited an infinite and eternal paine, it was requiſite we ſhould hauehave a redemption of an infinite price. In the ſuffrings of Ieſus Chriſt there was neither want nor ſuperfluity: and therfore herein the Pope doth as much as if he ſhould husbande and lay vp the overplus of the ſun ſhine or of the voice. All the reſt of my obiections the Frier ſlippeth behind the hā gings.
But then commeth the Doctor Du Val to the reſcue & laieth open his ſubtleties: yet doth he not tell vsus who raked vp theſe ſuperaboundant ſufferings of the Saints and Monkes: who committed them into the Popes cuſtodie: who autoriſed them to diſtribute thē for the redemption of paines due to others: when he received this autority: or when he began this diſtribution. All this he paſſeth over quietly, as indeed it were over much to enquire of. Marke therefore what he ſaith.Pag. 80. The Saints are rewarded in Paradice for their workes, ſo farre forth as they were meritory: but ſo farre forth as they were ſatisfactorie, if any Saint hath ſinned leſſe and ſatisfied more, this ſurpluſsage of ſatisfaction is not to be left: for the divine mercy and equity layeth it vp in the treaſury of Indulgences. Therefore it ſerveth for others merits. He ſpeaketh as if he ſhould ſaie vntounto me: See here is a houſe that coſt two thouſand crownes: alſo a priſoner that lieth in the Iayle for two thouſand crownes: herevpon commeth a man with two thouſand crownes, which he will make ſerue both to buy the houſe, and to redeeme the priſoner: but you will ſay: that cannot be: but the fire of Helie ſaith yes: and he findeth this expedient for it: The croſſe ſide of the mony ſhall buy the houſe, and the pyle ſide ſhall redeeme the priſoner: ſo ſhall it be acquiſitory on the one ſide, and ſatisfactory on the other. Even ſo [ſaith the Doctor] the merits of Saints doe purchaſe heaven, [and that is to buy it at an eaſie rate] and yet the ſame merits do ſtand for the payment and redemption of others. Thus doth he dally with God and man, yet bringeth no proofe out of the word of God.
The ſame Doctor produceth a paſſage out of the ſixt of Iob, to proue that Saintes hauehave ſuffered more then they needed to ſatisfie to God for their ſins. Oh that my ſinnes and my miſeries were laid togither in one ballance, Falſe,my miſeries would exceede my ſinnes. By his favour this paſſage is falſe and in the Hebrew Originals it is not ſo, no neither in the Roman tranſlation. In the Hebrew thus it is. Oh that that which provoketh me were well wayed, and that my breaking were laide togither in the ballance, for it woulde bee more heavy then the ſand of the ſea. The ſame doctor defendeth this treaſure compoſed of the ſatisfactions both of Ieſus Chriſt and of the Saints.Pag. 55. The Church [ſaith he] is a kingdome, then hath it a treaſure. Ieſus Chriſt in the 12 of Luke ſhall anſwere for me lay vp your treaſure in heaven: thē not in the Popes coffers: neither is there in that place, neither in any other, any ſpeech of Indulgences. Againe if this Imaginarie treaſure belongeth to the Church, why doe they ſell to her that which is her owne? Why do they exhort the people to purchaſe the Indulgences, if they belong to them? for no mā buyeth that that is his owne. This doctor addeth. The Church is a ſpouſe, why then doe they take from her that right that beſeemeth her, which is this treaſure compoſed of the merits & ſatisfactions of her maſter, with the ſatisfactions of the Saints? We anſwer that the church is indeed a ſpouſe: but the ſpouſe of Ieſus Chriſt, not of Saints: for they alſo are the ſpouſe: It belongeth to God the father of this ſpouſe & to Ieſus Chriſt her ſpouſe to endow her, and he hath endowed her with celeſtiall and eternall goods: but admit the Saints were bound to endowe the Church: muſt the Pope nevertheleſſe be treaſurer of this endowment? it would be dangerous: for in his Cannons hee tearmeth himſelfe The ſpouſe of the Church. And Bellarmin, Bell. l. 1. de Pontif. Rom. cap. 9.who writ at Rome with the Popes approbation, ſaith that The Pope is the ſpouſe of the Church: etiam Chriſto ſecluſo: even Ieſus Chriſt beeing excluded and ſet aſide.
The ſame fire of Helie ſaith that in the old law they had a treaſury in the Temple, where vponupon he inferreth that the Church of Rome muſt alſo hauehave her treaſury compoſed of the ſatisfactions of Ieſus Chriſt and his Saints. A gallant ſhift. But the Pope who hath ſixe and twenty thouſande crownes a day to ſpend; hath hee not a treaſury of like ſubſtance as the temple of Salomon? Howbeit vponupon Apoſtolicall ſimplicity on the day of his coronation he ſcattereth among the people batocchi & bagatini halfe pence and farthings:Lib. Cerem. ſacrarum c. Of the Popes Coronation. ſaying with S. Peter Act. 3.6 Silver & gold I hauehave none, but ſuch as I hauehave I giuegive thee. Let vsus conſider likewiſe what entereth into this ſpirituall treaſury. Stripes, pilgrimages, wallets, labours and travailes, with faſts ſuperaboundant. What dreames? What huſbandry? And al this to bee mixed with the merits of Ieſus Chriſt: ſo well muſt they be accompanied. What ſhall we ſay of the prodigious tearmes of their pardons, amounting even to millions of yeares? Yea ſomtimes with manifeſt ſcorne, adding to the yeares ſo many monthes and ſo many daies, as if this people did very exactly calculat with God? And that this ſcorn may the better appeare, they grant pardons that giuegive plenary remiſſion and ſix thouſand yeares to boot. See the very words of the book of Roman Indulgences printed at Rome by Iulius Accoltus, anno, 1570. In the monethmonth of February vponupon Quinquageſima Sunday yee ſhall hauehave the ſtations at S. Peters, with plenary Indulgence and 28 thouſand years of Indulgence, and as many Quarentines. Leo Biſhop of Rome,Leo Papa ep. 89. who lived foure hundred yeares after Chriſt, had never learned this Arithmeticke: for he ſaith,Pag. 52. 53. let no man preſcribe any meaſure, or define any time to the mercy of God. To this queſtion the Frier is ſtil, for (ſaith he) hee muſt preach vponupon it this next lent. The fire of Helie having acknowledged ſome abuſe in the exceſſiue length of theſe Indulgences (as indeed it is but a newe invention, and a teſtimony howe farre mans ſpirit will proceed, when God hath given it over) yet ſoone after hee vndertaketh their defence: and to that ende hee alleageth the ſinne of Adam, the puniſhment whereof hath continued aboue fiue thouſand yeares. This he ſaith to confound himſelf. For if the Pope neither could, neither yet can remit to any this puniſhmēt, which hath continued aboue fiue thouſand yeares, no nor exempt him any one day therefro, how dare he preſume without any autority of the Scriptures to exempt ſoules for ſome thouſands of yeares from a tormēt infinitly more grievous? Beſides wee hauehave already ſhewed that the calamitie and miſeries of the world are not puniſhments for Adams ſinne, but puniſhments for that the world enſueth the ſinnes of Adam. The ſame doe we ſay of the Amalekites deſtroyed foure hundred yeares after their ſinnes committed in the wilderneſſe: for albeit God did againe call to mind the offence before committed, yet was there no man rooted out that had not well deſerued it. But to what purpoſe is all this? What reſemblance betweene the delaying of a puniſhment foure hundred yeares, and pardons for ſixe hundred thouſand yeares?
That which he addeth paſſeth all abſurditie. Hee ſaith that the daughter of the Canaanite was afflicted with a divel in her infancie for the ſin of Cham who died three thouſand yeares before. He ought to hauehave produced his autor for this ſo lame a fable. By the way let him learne that if Cham died about the time of his brother Sem it was but eighteene hundred yeares or a little more, betweene his death and the birth of this daughter of Canaan, and thus was hee wide twelue hundred yeares in his calculation. Hee farther proceedeth and ſaith, That I miſtake if I thinke that this great number of yeares ſhould bee for Purgatory, for (ſaith he) they are for the pennances enioined by the Confeſſors or that ſhould hauehave beene enioined, had they obſerved the ſeveritie of the ancient Cannons, &c. Wherein he counterfeiteth the ignorant: for hee knoweth well enough that in the Church of Rome they doe hold that if any man in his life time hath not ſatisfied the pennance enioined, hee muſt afterward finiſh this ſatisfaction in Purgatory: whereof it enſueth that the Pope releaſing thoſe pennances, doth alſo exempt from Purgatory him who being by death preverted, had no time to accompliſh them. Moreover if a man ſhould gather togither all the longeſt penances impoſed by the ancient Canons, yet doe I think it vnpoſſible to draw them to amount to the ſumme of ſix hundred thouſand yeares, which is the pardon purchaſed at Rome in the Church of S. Bibian vponupon Alhallon day. Surely this ſo long a tearme doth ſhew that this pardon is not a releaſe for paines enioined only in this life, but alſo for the paines after this life. This doth Bellarmine teach in his firſt booke of Indulgences, Cap. 9. parag. Exiſtit.
Finally hee alleageth Scripture to proue theſe Indulgences grāted to the dead. In the 20. of S. Iohn, Pag. 54.Ieſus Chriſt ſaith to all his Diſciples Whatſoever you ſhall loſe vponupon earth ſhall be loſed in heauē. And then hee leaveth vsus to conclude that the Pope may loſe vnderunder the earth and fetch the ſoules out of Purgatory. And other as welfavored. In the firſt to the Corinthians the third Chapter, Let a man ſo thinke of vsus as of the miniſters of Chriſt, and diſpoſers of the ſecrets of God. Then may the Pope giuegive Indulgences to the dead, as who ſhould ſay, Maſſes for horſes are wholſome: then is the Pope God vponupon earth. Yee ſubtle Doctors that hauehave paſſed by the examen of Logick tell me in kindneſſe, in what figure are theſe ſyllogiſmes? but they knowe well enough that theſe myſteries whereof S. Paul ſpeaketh are the doctrine of the Goſpell. He addeth that S. Paul 2. Cor. 2. Releaſed that which hee had enioyned to the Inceſtuous of Corinth. To what purpoſe is al this for papal Indulgences & fetching of ſouls out of Purgatory? 1. The inceſtuous lived, theſe in Purgatory are dead. 2. S. Paule releaſed that which himſelfe had enioined [ſaith the doctor] but the Pope fetching the ſoules out of Purgatory, releaſed that which he had not enioyned. 3. S. Paule remitted a ſin to one whoſe repentāce he knew well. The Pope giveth Indulgences to ſuch as he knoweth not: as when vponupon his coronation day hee diſtributeth pardons for ſome thouſand yeares to the preſſe of people that is in S. Peters ſtreet.Cerem. Sacr. lib. 1. Sect. 2. cap. 3. 4. S. Paule never preſcribed any tearme of ten or twenty thouſand yeares: only after Excommunication he received the penitent ſinner into the Church againe. 5. S. Paule gaue no Indulgences by buls ſealed in Autenticke māner: but to the penitent ſinner he preached remiſſion of his ſinnes through Ieſus Chriſt. 6. S Paule never added the clauſes and cautions that the Pope doth: namely that ſuch a pardon is given Manus porrigentibus adiutrices. To thoſe that ſhal giuegive and contribute. …. S. Paule never tyed remiſſion of ſinnes …o any certain day, to any certain place, or to any certaine yeare, as the Pope doeth to the fiue and twentieth yeare, which he calleth Iubile. As if God were more mercifull in the yeare 1600 then he was in the yeare 1509 8. S. Paule diſtributed no hallowed graines, no hal…owed croſſes or medalles, with a thouſand ſuch bables, as the Pope doth at this day, which woſoever weareth or kiſſeth, hee ſhal obtaine certaine hundred yeares of pardon. 9. S. Paule never cōſecrated any Agnus Dei that had vertue to purge ſinne, as the Pope doth from ſeaven yeares to ſeaven yeares. 10. S. Paule never priviledged any parſons that they ſhould not go into Purgatory: or that they ſhould come forth incontinently, as the Pope doth to the Carmelites and the fraternity of the Cord. 11. S. Paule receiving againe the inceſtuous that was cut of from the Church, never impoſed any paines after his reconciliation, but contented himſelfe with that puniſhment that he had vndergone before his abſolution. The Pope cōtrarywiſe pardoning ſins, impoſeth paines and in one ſelfe action firſt looſeth and then bindeth againe. 12. S. Paule never reſerved to himſelfe only the autority to giuegive Indulgences and pardons, as knowing that Ieſus Chriſt ſpake to al the Apoſtles and paſtors, when he ſaid Whatſoever yee ſhall binde on earth, ſhall bee bound in heaven. Mat. 18.18. Alſo whoſe ſinnes you ſhall forgiue they ſhall be forgiven. Ioh. 20.23. Therefore alſo when he forgaue he craved no leaue nor autority of Peter or of any other who had the only managing of the treaſure of the Church. 13. Laſtly, S. Paul diſtributed not to the ſinner any of the ſuperaboundant merits or ſufferings of the Saintes for the redemption of his ſin: for all his skil, and all his hope is in Ieſus Chriſt crucified: neither doth hee tell vsus of any other redeemers. With what conſcience then can they bring in the example of S. Paul to eſtabliſh their Indulgences and the fetching of ſouls out of Purgatorie? As for mee who by theſe our Maſters am provoked and challenged in ſo manie places: may not I now challenge them to ſhew me in al theſe oppoſitions that I hauehave exhibited, any correſpondence betweene S Paule and the Pope? But they will not deale: this they will gently paſſe over, and in liew of reaſons lay vp on me Invectiues and ſlāders enough. Cayer only hath bethought himſelfe of a proofe for the fetching of ſoules out of Purgatory: that is, that vnderunder the law there was an altar of propitiation: as indeede the others are but dunces to him.
Here wee are to note wherein the principall abuſe and heape of Impietie doth reſt. That is that the Popes Indulgences hauehave no community with the remiſſion of ſinnes propounded in the Goſpell. For the faithfull paſtours doe preach to the ſinner, vponupon his repentance, remiſſion of ſinnes, and in vertue of their miniſtery doe pronounce forgiueneſſe of the ſame, inviting the ſinner to participate in this grace, as herehaughts of the pardon purchaſed by Ieſus Chriſt. But the Pope giveth his pardons kinglike, in letters patents ſealed with lead in forme of decrees, & thoſe letters diſpatched in chancery. And the office of this chamber is farmed out at a very high rate:Poterit pontifex Indulgentias concedere etiāſi nondum ſit ſacris ordinibus inſignitꝰ Seſſ. 10. Imperium ſanctitatis veſtrae, &c. Seſſ 9. R…gale Rom pont. genus Seſſ. 3. Papa Sacerdos & Rex. Seſſ. 1. Princeps totius Orbis. neither doth the Pope giuegive forth theſe pardōs as he is Biſhop, or a preacher of the Goſpell: for he not only preacheth not nor inſtructeth: but if a meere lay man that never receaued holy orders bee choſen Pope, he may confer Indulgences, as we may ſee in the firſt booke of ſacred ceremonies, and in Bellarmine, in his firſt book of Indulgences, cap. 11. Therfore likewiſe doth he weare three Crownes which he nameth his Tyare. Il regno: as alſo in the laſt Councell of Lateran he is named the king, Emperor and Prince of all the world.
Doctor Du Val goeth farther then al this, and ſaith that theſe be only fleabitings, and that I trouble my ſelfe without any ground in medling againſt the Pope. Thus in liew of vnknitting the knot, he cutteth it aſunder: and holdeth the encroaching vponupon the Maieſtie of God; the eſtabliſhing of a tyranny in the Church: and the ſetting to ſale the remiſſion of ſinnes as it were marchandize, to be but ſmall abuſes and fleabitings. The Frier might hauehave done more wiſely if hee had imitated his companion: Indeed in his running away he hath followed him and anſwered nothing to the premiſes: yet hee addeth a childiſh ſlaunder, ſaying: Du Moulin findeth abuſes in Indulgences becauſe they are given forth in writing, for he will hauehave them promulgated verbally. Who did ever heare ſuch a folly? Or where ſpake I ſuch a word? Lift vp your cowl goodman and learne to read, but not to ſlā der: his iniuries bring mee in minde of Hecuba, who was ſaid togither with her eſtate, to hauehave loſt her humane ſhape: and changed her ſpeeches into howlings and barkings: for this Obſervantine finding the overthrow of his cauſe cannot ceaſe to barke.
Let vsus now come out of this matter, as out of a ſhop (for indeed it is all but traſh and trafficke) and let vsus requite theſe our maſters and Doctors in queſtions, ſuch as being handled in ſchools in Quodlibetary manner, may ſtand thē inſteed of Purgations. 1. I will aske firſt where and when the Pope firſt gathered togither the merits and ſuperabundant ſatisfactions of Saints, & Martyrs, and who gaue him commiſſion to gather together this treaſure, or commanded them to gather vp theſe ſupererogatory ſatisfactions for the redemptiō of the puniſhments due to other mens ſinnes? 2. Secondly, who told him that God would accept of the ierkes and laſhes that a penitent giueth himſelfe, or of the labours of S. Frances, or S. Dominicke, in payment or ſatisfaction for others? Will a Iudge ſet a priſoner at libertie becauſe ſome friend of his hath ſcourged himſelfe or faſted for him? 3. Whether the pardons that the Pope giueth, without enioining any penance be of any force? as alſo thoſe which he giueth with conditiō to work ſome wickedneſſe as in the yeares 1587 and 1588. when hee gaue ſeven yeares of pardon to every one that would ioine with the holy Vnion: that is to ſay, that would rebell againſt their king, yet he a Roman Catholike? 4. Againe, In as much as theſe ſuperabundant ſatisfactions of Saints are gathered together into the Popes treaſurie (becauſe God will hauehave nothing loſt) how hauehave the ſuperabundant ſatisfactions of ſuch holy men as died vnderunder the old Teſtamēt, as Moſes, Abraham, &c. beene husbanded? be thoſe alſo in the Popes treaſury? But where were they laid vp before the Pope had them? Did they lie lurking in ſome corner two or three thouſand yeares, vntill the Pope gathered them together and found meanes to employ thē? It were not amiſſe alſo to enquire the reaſon why the world in the yeare of Iubile maketh ſuch haſt to Rome, cō ſidering that at Rome they may at all times obtaine millions of yeares of Indulgences, and full remiſſion of ſinnes and ſome ſix hundred thouſand yeares of plenary pardon. Aboue all we would gladly know when a man that needeth ten thouſand yeares of pardon doth purchaſe enough for fiftie thouſand yeares, what becommeth of the fortie thouſand yeares that remaineth: Cayer ſaith that they returne into the treaſurie for the good of others: but becauſe his companions doe deſpiſe & diſgrace him, wee would willingly bee taught by ſome ſubſtantiall Doctor, the rather for that at Rome and in one ſelfe place a man may obtaine, beſides the plenary pardon, certaine thouſands of yeares of ſurpluſſage: To what end may that ſurpluſſage ſerue? wil the Pope therewith pardon ſins, & giuegive Indulgences by proviſion?