The Waters of Shiloh to Quench the Fire of Purgatory, To the reader
THE PREFACE TO THE READER.
SOONE after the meeting betwixt the Franciſcan frier and my ſelfe, I ſent him in writing a diſcourſe cō taining an examination of Purgatorie requeſting him likewiſe in writing to ſet downe his ſoundeſt reaſons and ſtrongeſt proofs. But either of my writing or requeſt this good Doctor made no accompt, yet in my abſence after my departure from Paris he ſent to challenge me againe to a verball conference: & before he particularized his departure, he repaired to the kings Maieſtie and required reward for his publicke duplicate page duplicate page teaching,Contrary to the rule of S. Francis, cap. 4. nullo modo denarios vel pecuniam …e cipiant, per ſe vel per perſonam interpoſitam. as alſo for his particular conference with the Miniſter Du Moulin. Which nevertheles could not reſtraine me from publiſhing my diſcourſe intituled The waters of Siloe to quēch the fire of Purgatory. This writing wrought a greater effect then I could hauehave imagined: for attending the Franciſcans anſwer, behold two Doctors of Sorbone Cayer and Du Val, tryed no doubt vponupon the vollee among ſuch a multitude as doe aſſault this treatiſe, as a forlorne hope are the firſt that enter the skirmiſh. Afterward ſtirred vp by their example, commeth this Portugal Monke into the field, as making vp the arrier guard of this Roman army: to whoſe worke the Ieſuits of Tournon hauehave contributed, to the end that after the knocking together of ſo many exquiſite pates, they may need no more to begin. In me it might be holdē great preſumption to wraſtle with ſo many men, and ſo loaden with titles, if the word of God ſtood in awe of multitude. For hee might bee holden for a mad man, who in a matter of importance, in liew of waighing the reaſons ſhould fal to numbring of the perſons. Truth is of more force in the mouth of one man onelyonly, then vntruth in the mouthes of many, whoſe conſpiracies againſt the truth of the Goſpell reſembleth the humming of a neaſt of waſps that in ſtinging doe loſe their ſtinges. how ever it is, it ſeemeth that this treatiſe hath ſtung ſome of them to the quicke: with ſo great ſtrife doe they aſſault it. And indeed the gaule and iniuties that herein they doe ſpue forth doth ſhew them to be vehemently moved. They tearme me a beaſt, a foole, a ſot, a deceaver, an hereticke, an impious parſon, a dolt, execrable, impudent, &c. They ſend me quick into hell, yea they rather want words then ſtomack. They are ſorrie that our language is no better ſtored with iniurious phraſes: and God hee knoweth what people they are! But God grant that this their vomit may be to them a purgation, that God may not iudge them with ſo great rigour, as they doe vsus with raſhneſſe. This is all the revenge that I do deſire: for what other intereſt hauehave we in this action then the glory of God and the ſalvation of ſuch as hate vsus? Whoſe ſtripes and blowes when they cannot penetrate into the truth doe reflect vponupon my perſon. But herein doe I boaſt that they be honorable bruiſes. Theſe barkings I beare as of men ſtarved, and as ſome portion of the reproches of my ſaviour Chriſt, who was in like manner outraged, and for our ſalvation bare more ſorrows thē we cā ſuffer wrongs for his glory. Now albeit an impudent boldneſſe be the only way to atchieue reputation of skill, yet am not I determined to practiſe, that courſe: neither to requite theſe Doctors with ſuch quoine. This attempt I deſpiſe & laugh at ſuch impetuoſitie: yea I even take cō paſſion of it, as of a diſeaſe of the minde and a convulſion. Neither is it indeed my cauſe, it is the cauſe of Ieſus Chriſt, whom we are not to defend but by imitating of him; for how can we plead the cauſe of the Lambe of God with wolviſh hearts and poiſoned ſtomackes? Yet is their wrath in ſome ſort excuſeable: for in quenching their Purgatory, what do you but put theſe our Maſters to an hungry diſpute, by ſtopping the currant of their trafficke, cutting their ſinews, & breaking the wheeles of this great frame of the Roman hierarchie? For as a beaſt deadly wounded, ſpringeth forth with an extraordinarie force, even ſo theſe Doctors doe exceſſiuely ſtorme, when you touch them in their beſt feeling: that is in the belly, in Avarice and in Idleneſſe. Of all the reſt this Portugal Monk is the moſt ridiculouſly violent: hee ſpeaketh with a barbarous impetuoſitie: with ſuch a pride as hardly agreeth with his habit: yet did I forbeare his honour and abſtaine from all iniuries and bravadoes, albeit I had a large field open before me, and many proofes of his ignorance. But I ſeeke not to dishonor any man, only the glory of God do I aime at. To theſe books thus ſtuffed with civilitie hauehave theſe reverend Doctors impoſed Capriccious titles after the manner of thoſe that hang out ſcurrilous tables over the forefronts of the houſes where they act their enterludes: or as ſuch as carue Cyclops and Satyres vponupon the frontiſpice of their buildings.CAYER. Marke then the title of Cayers booke. The burning fornace, or oven of reverberate &c. And in his booke his ſpeech runneth all vponupon Limbecks firing, evaporating, recalcining, &c. All words of his art, and of all this he maketh an Amalgame cōtaining more moon then ſunne. The other treadeth the ſame path and entituleth his booke The fire of Helie to drie vp the waters of Siloe. VAL. Luke. 9.You wot not by what ſpirit you be led.The FRIER The Frier was loath to bee behind his fellowes, or to vſe a leſſe ridiculous title then his writing is, ſo to procure an vniformity wherein he proceeded with great diſcreation and this is his title. The Torrent of fire proceeding from the face of God to drie vp the waters of Mara encloſed in the cauſey of the Mill of Ablon: O frock garniſhed with elegā cie! Who was able on this ſide the Pirinean mountaines to attaine to ſuch gallant conceptions; and ſo well poliſhed? This Frier minor entendeth to hauehave all his pollutions and vncleannes that he ſpueth out throughout his whole booke to come forth from the face of God, that is to ſay, to bee expelled out of Gods preſence. Which nevertheleſſe hee armeth with autoritie, entituling himſelfe The Reverend Father Iames, Obſervantin, Doctor, Preacher &c. And in his preface braggeth that he writeth ſuccinctly and ſtrongly: yet had it beene good hee had expected other mens commendations: but he had more deſire to eaſe them of that labour.
At the firſt bluſh therefore ſeeing ſo fierie bookes, ſuch hot furnaces & Torrents of fire I feared to come neere thē: but plucking vp my ſpirits and being a little way entred into the reading of the ſame, I grew into farre greater admiration, conſidering that theſe three friers were as farre diſcordant among themſelues as fire and water: and that theſe Doctors did moſt fiercely bang each other, and yet were all ſigned and approved by the Doctors of Sorbone. Yea ſo hot was this contention among them, that one of them, namely Cayer, after hee had beene well diſplaid, and hardly entreated, was finally diſclaimed in all their Pulpits, & blaſted with perpetuall infamie. All which they could never hauehave compaſſed, but they muſt likewiſe taxe thoſe Doctors that ſubſcribed and allowed his booke.
Well did I knowe that the opinions of the Romiſh doctors doe agree but badly.Herein is the Councel of Baſil contrary to the Coū cel of Florence. One ſaith that the pope cannot teach falſe doctrine, another that hee can. One that the Pope is aboue the Councell, another that the Councell is aboue the Pope.Miſteria Miſlae. lib. 3. cap 9. Cauſa 15. Cā. Alius & Can. Nos ſanctorū quaeſt. 7 Extravag. vnā ſanctam de Maiorib. & Oleo. One that Invocation of Saints is neceſſarie, as Pope Innocent the 3. and Cayer in his conference advowed & ſubſcribed by the Doctors of Sorbone. The others, as the Lord of Eureux, that it may wel enough be forborne; and it is no matter of neceſſitie. The Ieſuits and ſuch as in their hearts are more ſoundly nailed to the Papall ſea doe advow that the Pope may giuegive and take away kingdomes: & that hee can abſolue ſubiects from their oaths and fidelitie & allegance to their Princes, and this power hauehave the Popes of late aſſumed to themſelues, & doe now put in practiſe. Others that hold their iudgements ſomewhat more at liberty doe affirme all this to be meere vſurpation. The moſt ſtricteſt orders of Friers and ſuch ſoules as they hauehave brought into captivitie doe beleeue that the Church of Rome cannot erre in any point of doctrine and doe defend even the moſt groſſe abſurdities: other more ſmooth tongued, but withall more duplicate page duplicate page white livered doe ſay that there bee indeed groſſe abſurdities: That they beleeue not any Purgatorie. That the Iubile is but a kind of Marchandize: That the fraternitie of the Corde is but ſuperſtition: That the hallowed graines are but prophane trumperies: That we might very well forbeare the portraying of God: the taking of the cup in the Supper from the lay people: the baptizing of bells: the ſinging of Maſſes for horſes, corne, hogges, &c. Yet for all this that wee muſt not ſeparate our ſelues: and the reaſon that vnderunder hand they giuegive out is this: It is good for vsus. All this paſſeth ſmoothly away ſo long as we ſpeake not hardly of his holineſſe and that the Church Profits be not deminiſhed. To be briefe, theſe people are like twinnes whoſe heads being devided the bellies are nevertheleſſe knit together. Surely this is the courſe whereby the vnitie of the Romiſh Church is vpholden. Nether were wee vtterly ignorant of this diſcord, yet ſhould I never hauehave imagined that they would hauehave publiſhed their contradictions, or produced theſe Doctors to the ſtage, there to hauehave given them ſo rude a baſtinado. But drinke yee together Doctors & agree among your ſelues: for ſurely the ſame God that confounded the languages of the builders of Babylon doth ſtill ſuffer diviſiō to moleſt thoſe that build it againe. Now that which we ſpeak of, concerneth not Cayer alone: for the Frier likewiſe gaineſayeth his two cō panions, albeit he hath both ſeene their bookes & out of them borrowed ſome part of his writings. So as that which in the ſixteenth of Geneſis was ſpoken of Iſmael, His hand ſhall be againſt every mā, and every mans hand againſt him; doth very well agree with every of them: whereof in this Treatiſe I will ſhewe you ſundry examples.
Theſe contradictions are ſomwhat hard of diſgeſtiō, but much more their ſlanders wherein they impoſe vponupon vsus moſt horrible and wicked opiniōs, infinitely eſtranged from our beliefe. As thus: that we beleeue fiue manſions for the ſoules: that our drift is to deny the Immortalitie of the ſoule: that wee make al ſinnes alike equal: that we hold that the ſoules doe ſleep from the day of their deceaſe to the day of iudgmēt: that wee would hauehave I wot not what Synode [that never was] to paſſe for an article of faith: that baptiſme was not neceſſarie for any but the children of vnbeleevers: that out of our Kalenders we hauehave raiſed the Virgin Mary & the Apoſtles, and in their places hauehave inſerted Luther and Calvin: that our Miniſters doe preach liberty of conſcience without any apprehenſion of divine iudgemēt: that we hold that it ſufficeth vsus that Ieſus Chriſt ſuffered for vsus, and therefore that wee neede not doe any more: that at the Funerals of the late Queene of England they ſung Maſſe, had their offertory and prayed for her ſoule: that Luther and Calvin in liew of raiſing the dead to life did put the living to death, and that they are our Maſters, Patriarkes and Apoſtles &c. To bee briefe, they ſet downe even all the ſlanders that hatred can deviſe, or malice can ſuggeſt, wherewith they ſeduce the people and abuſe their ſimplicitie.
What ſhall I ſpeak of their vprightneſſe in alleaging the Scriptures? All the paſſages that they produce are for the moſt part either falſified, or wreſted to a contrary ſenſe, or to no purpoſe. With a Magiſteriall licenſe they force a number of paſſages quoined vponupon the anvill of Avarice, that are not to be found in the originals, either Greeke, or Hebrew: yea and ſometimes contrary to the Roman tranſlations. Of ſo much negligence or dulneſſe of their reader do they preſume, aſſuring themſelues that the people ſhall never perceaue any thing, or can ſo much as cōſult with the Scriptures, which vntounto them are as ſealed letters and ſuſpected bookes: albeit, in the meane time they are permitted to read the monſtrous Legends: the Pſalters of the Virgin Mary ful fraught with blaſphemy: and the frivolous and and fabulous bookes of the life of Ieſus Chriſt. O yee ſoules that long for your ſalvation, will you ſtill liue in ſuch grievous bondage? What? ſhall we yet be ſo vaine as to paſſe the ſeas to looke vponupon the relickes of ſome Saints, and will we not heare Ieſus Chriſt when he offereth himſelfe vntounto vsus in the holy Scriptures? Shall we ſtoop more to curioſitie thē to neceſſitie? To the cōtent of our eies then to the ſalvation of our ſoules? Shall we ſtill be ſo raſhly negligent, as in a matter of ſuch importance to credit the firſt commer? Contenting our ſelues with following in liew of knowing? Placing pietie in the knoweledge of nothing; thruſting our ſelues into the preſſe and ſhrowding vsus amōg the multitude? Againe, when any man ſhall ſay vntounto vsus that Ieſus Chriſt or any of his Apoſtles do in ſuch a place, or in ſuch a place teach vsus Purgatory, or the Invocation of ſaints, &c. Shall wee be ſo cruelly cowards to our ſelues, or ſo vnthankfull to God, as not to take ſo much paines as to look whether the ſame be truely alleaged? And indeed wherefore ſhould theſe Doctors cite the places but that we might ſee them? For what an abſurditie is this, to quote the places to the people and then to debarre them from ſeeing of them: To referre them to the places and then to command them not to looke in the booke? The people of Beroe practiſed this examination of the things that S. Paul taught:Acts. 17.10 for albeit he preached with farre more auctoritie and certitude thē any man in our age; yet did they examine his preaching by the reading of the Prophets, farre more obſcure then the new Teſtament. Enter therefore in to this examination I ſay, and yet I ſay vntounto you [eſpecially if you hauehave recourſe to the originals] that you ſhall enter as it were into a ſhop where they ſell vizards: yea where they doe not only ſell them, but where they make thē, ſo exceſſiue is their licentious liberty▪ Of all this will wee in this Treatiſe produce ſundry proofes, according as occaſion ſhall ſerue. A Treatiſe whoſe principall drift is a defence of the only purging of our ſinnes, which is the bloud of our Saviour Ieſus Chriſt againſt the fire of Purgatorie. An argument that carrieth with it the confutation of the doctrine of the Limboes, of Traditions, of Prayer for the dead, of mans ſatisfactions and of Popiſh Indulgences. I plead the cauſe of Ieſus Chriſt: I confute the reaſons and paſſages of theſe Doctors and their burning writings: yet touch not their perſons, neither their furnitures full of Invectiues that concerne not the argument.
Two things there are nevertheleſſe which I cannot overpaſſe: their folly in vanting, and their falſe dealing in anſwering me.
Fire of Helic, p. 4.Firſt they paint forth many triumphs great conqueſts, and an extreame ſhaking of our Church: ſo many goodly ſoules, ſuch a multitude of notable perſonages: namely forty at Diepe revolted to the Romiſh Church, which now is in travel of them: If they come to life they ſhal come forth. Theſe men doe packe them very groſly: for enquiring of any ſuch breach in the Church of Diepe, I cannot learne of more long time revolted then two, the one a maiden who allured by a carnall marriage hath violated her ſpirituall marriage with Chriſt: the other an Engliſh Ieſuit,2. Pet. 5.22. who vponupon a fained converſion intruded himſelfe into our company and is now returned to his vomit. Howbeit let vsus put the caſe that the reporte of theſe converſions were as true, as they be forged at pleaſure: Is it any mervaile that ſome louelove the world & turn wing to that part that yeeldeth moſt quietneſſe and worldly promotion? Were it not rather a wonder if there were none ſuch?Ioh. 6.66. Ieſus Chriſt was forſaken of his diſciples: how much more wee, who hauehave nothing but by his bounty? Men in theſe daies in matter of Religion do follow the courſe of the affaires, and do fit their beliefe to their worldly commodities. The belly hath no eares: And as vſually ſuch are deafe as dwell neere the downefall of great waters, even ſo the word of God pierceth not into the eares that are deafned with the bruit of the world and ſtopped with the currāt of Covetize, of voluptuouſneſſe and of ambition: eſpecially at Paris where mē are bought and ſold, & where rewardes are propounded. And God graunt that Idolatry poſſeſſe none but thoſe whō ſhe hath deerely paid for▪ herein are we to acknowledge the work of God: that notwithſtanding ſo many allurements and diſcommodities, yet do the flocke of Ieſus Chriſt grow and encreaſe, yea even ſince theſe men made their vaunts that our Church was ſo ſore ſhakē. But we boaſt not ſo much, neither indeede are theſe victories ours but our Lorde Ieſus Chriſts.
In their triumphs they paint mee forth & make me a party in the proofs of their ſufficiencie. The auctor of Helies fire ſaith that in the diſputation againſt the frier I was twiſe or thrice at a non plus and ſo made ſome of them merry: but hee ſheweth neither when nor whervpon. It might peradventure be when the frier refuſed to enter into any orderly diſputation, or to propoūd his reaſons in forme, ſaying that he was not permitted ſo to do: either when he ſaid that the theft was ſcourged,Suetonius. Iulius in ſegmento. 73. Plautus in Aphitruone: aut ſatisfaciat mihi aut adiuret in ſuper nolle eſſe dicta quae in me in ſontem protulit. but not the thiefe: That excogitatum Commentum ſignified a Commentary: That the pardons of foure and fifty thouſand yeares are good and receaueable: That ſatisfacere ſignifieth not to acknowledg his fault to the partie offended, or to teſtifie that he was ſorry for it or when he ſaying vntounto me that God ſhould be vniuſt if there were no purgatorie, I anſwered that then God ſhould be vniuſt to ſuch as ſhould liue in the day of iudgmēt: alſo to the Carmelites that dy vpō the friday, who [as themſelues report] hauehave a priviledge that they ſhal remain in purgatory no longer but vntill the next ſaterday. But who would thinke that vntruth could ſo farre exceed? Verily I am one of the leaſt amonge the ſervants of God: yet would I be ſorrie that my yeares or want of capacitie ſhould any way preiudice the equity of my cauſe: but the word of God is mighty even in the mouthes of babes. Beſides ſhould I trouble my ſelfe with anſwering an vnlearned man vnſeene in the Greeke and Hebrew, as appeared when we were to hauehave recourſe to the Originals in both thoſe lāguages, wher vponupon the Ieſuits of Turnon tooke vpō them to ſtuffe his booke with paſſages collected out of prophane auctors and the Rabbins, into whō hee never thruſt his ſnowt: which Ieſuits nevertheleſſe were many times miſtaken in diverſe things,The manner of theſe Doctors in anſwering. as in place convenient ſhall appeare. But how ſhould they make faithful report of things ſpoken, who make no cōſcience to falſifie my writing? See therefore how they entreat me. They produce not my wordes: they reverſe the order of my ſpeeches:The frier beginneth with the laſt page of my booke. here & there they mangle & ſnatch at my diſcourſe; one beginneth at one end, an other in the middeſt: If I ſpeak any thing that biteth, they can quietly paſſe it over with ſilence: They obiect the matter that I anſwer, but my anſwers they ſuppreſſe, He that ſeeketh the truth ought to produce the very wordes of his adverſary: he ſhould trace him ſtep by ſtep without counterfeiting, curtalling, or diſſē bling: but theſe men by a certaine doctoral diſpoſition do skippe, as at their maſſe, over whole leaues: they conceale the moſt forcible: and the ſooner to lead the reader that followeth vsus out of our tracke, they ſhuffle the courſe of my reaſons, and bring the head forth laſt. Then having thus ſented my diſcourſe, they proclaime before the pallace their fiery, burning, magnificall, & and ridiculous titles.
Some coulor they might hauehave had for their flight, had my firſt booke been either tedious or ful of wordes: The chardges of the Impreſſion with the readers impatiencie might hauehave ſerued them in ſteede of figge leaues to cover their ſhame: but my writing contained few pages & the Arguments lay cloſe: for I ſtudied to lay the bones bare that the ſinewes might bee the better ſeene. Their vnfaithfull dealing doth proceed yet farther: for they forge other obiections then mine: and of mine do they take away the edge by propounding them in other manner then I did: Thus do they skirmiſh and ſport them in anſwering of themſelues: much like vntounto the Bulles in the amphitheater to whō they caſt men made of ſtraw, vpō whō, being provoked, they diſchardged their rage. As if they ſhould ſay vntounto me: you are too rough: The Church of Rome muſt be more gently entreated: Take away your forcible argumēts for theſe reaſons lie to hard vponupon vsus, ſo wil we commune with you. Thus and thus muſt you obiect that ſo wee may anſwere with ſome coulor: but they forgat to giuegive this warning before.
I doe therefore proteſt that theſe writings of theſe Doctors doe not cō cerne me, for that I never ſpake manie things that they impute to me: & they hauehave either fearefully diſſembled, or malitiouſly corrupted my beſt obiections. Neither can I thinke my ſelfe ſufficiently ſatisfied vntill I ſee my own writing perfect in the writings of my adverſaries, and their anſwer ſet down article to article: reaſon to reaſon, without cutting of or altering my wordes, or diſordering the order of my diſcourſe.
Reverend Doctors, I beſeech you in curteſie,None of theſe Doctors hauehave yet anſwered, & therfore the victory yet reſteth with the A…uctor. yea I adiure you by the relicks of your cōſciences to entreat me with more equirie: take this booke which againe I offer vntounto you encreaſed, amplified and corroborated with reaſons and ſome paſſages of Scriptures: and anſwer it in ſuch wiſe as that my reaſons may not be mangled, nor thruſt out of order: but that all men may ſee your anſwers at the foot of my obiections. If your deſire to bring the truth to light faileth you not, no more then your leaſures, meanes, books, and ſupport [albeit all theſe faile vsus] wee ſhall ſoone perceaue which of vsus hath the word of God to warrant: and from the encounter of our reaſons truly and vprightly reported wil proceed the ſparks of the truth. The Lord God vouchſafe to direct our pennes, and diſpoſe our hearts to propound ſuch matters as may bee profitable to the ſalvation of his people, proper to the glory of God and comfortable to the truth of his word.