A manuduction, or introduction vnto diuinitie containing a confutation of papists by papists, throughout the important articles of our religion; their testimonies taken either out of the Indices expurgatorii, or out of the Fathers, and ancient records; but especially the parchments. By Tho. Iames, Doctor of Diuinitie, late fellow of New-Colledge in Oxford, and Sub-Deane of the cathedrall church of Welles. This marke noteth the places that are taken out of the Indices expurgatorij: and this [pointing hand], a note of the places in the manuscripts.

Largely thus.

PVrgatorie is an excellent inuention of fiction of some Cacologus, Schoolemen, or Legendaries, founded vpon dreames and reuelations, to certaine politick ends: partly vn∣knowne, partly knowne to picke mens purses, and fill the Popes cofers, to defeate men of their lands, and rob their soules of true comfort, leauing nothing in mens consciences but scruples and terrors, to thinke when it began, what it is, how long it shall continue, for yeares, dayes, moneths, or till the day of iudgement. This awing the people by it, more then by any thing, and causing them to reuerence their persons more then any men; that can by their Pray∣ers, mages, Inuocations, and Reliques of Saints, Indul∣gences, Funerals and Diriges (being well hired vnto the same,) quench this fire, deliuer these soules out of Purga∣tori, and free them a poena, and send them straight into Pa∣radise to their endlesse ioy and comfort (as they thinke, and are perswaded by their ignorant guides). To course ouer the parts of this description. It is a meere fiction, not of their Theologus but of their a 1.1 Cacologus, founded vpon dreames and b 1.2 reuelations of men, that c 1.3 appeared to them from the dead. Habent Moysen & Prophetas, could not content them, pickes mens purses, and robs men of their lands to inrich the Pop••s d 1.4 cofers. What scruples it leaueth in the conscience, I leaue to your considerations, when you shall perfectly vnderstand, that either there was no men∣tion of it e 1.5 in the primitiue times, or very little; that the Graecians beleeue it not, neither are the learnedst of the Papists able to define the place, qualitie, duration, and extention of it vnto this present day. The Papists haue been euer Scepticks in defining and defending it; take them of what time and age you will, first, middle, or latter. For the

first age, you haue heard there was little or no mention of it; and for the middle age, f 1.6 one that wrote about some foure of fiue hundred yeares agoe (as may be coniectured by the hand) makes it a very disputable question what it is, where it is, who shall passe thorow it, and how long it shall continue.

The first point hee resolues, but with a quidam dicunt, some say, that it is a materiall fire, beyond the Element of fire; no such fire as is to be maintained with wood, or nourished with any materials.

g 1.7 Alii dicunt, others say, that it is nothing but a kind of pu∣nishment, likened to, or called fire, because fire is the greatest of punishments, and this burnes like fire: and to distinguish it from Hell fire, that is lasting; because this fire doth not so much punish, as purge men by temporall paines, it is called a Purgatorie fire, or Purgatorie.

Who shall goe thorow it? Whatsoeuer the fire is, (here is no certaine resolution of the question,) beleeued it must bee, that although all the faithfull children of God passe not thorow it, but these onely which perfected their penance in this life; yet with this distinction, that some soules shall be punish∣ed more, some lesse. Some soules shall bee deliuered from thence quickly in an instant. Some soules shall bee kept there prisoners till the last day of Iudgement, according as they doe penance, or sinne; more or lesse, and according to the manner of contrition. If this be their doctrine (as then it was in those darker Ages of the World) what comfort out of all these doubtings? May not a man say vnto their Schoole men, as * 1.8 Iob said vnto his friends, Miserable com∣forters are yee? But to come neerer our owne times: How is this point tossed and tumbled, and yet the Doue-like soule cannot find any place to rest herselfe on? to * 1.9 name any set places or receptacles of the soules after this life, is impossible. No mortall man can riddle me this riddle, and tell me what this fire is. Some vnderstand by this fire, thes fire of con∣science,

or of i 1.10 charitie. Some make it an k 1.11 insensible fire; other∣some doubt of it, as l 1.12 Erasmus, and other learned men; and in speciall, Iames Faber, intreating of the rich Glutton in the Gospell; and if there be any such place as Purgatory, it is as it n 1.13 pleaseth God. Saint Augustine sometimes doubteth of it; sometimes it is past doubt, saith the same Saint o 1.14 Augustine, (if the booke be his) that there are p 1.15 but two places, Heauen and Hell: he is altogether ignorant of a third place. Vbinunc est Purgatorium? What then will become of Purgatory? And (to my seeming) this was the ancient tenet of the Church: For although q 1.16 there bee little or nothing knowne, what will become of our soules before Christ; yet since the time of Christs birth and Passion, I am r 1.17 taught by the Primitiue Fa∣thers, that the soules of the godly goe immediatly to Heauen; that they are s 1.18 absouled from all blots and spots of sinne; that t 1.19 it is impossible that the punishment of fire should come neere them; that it is a u 1.20 meera sophisme in Diuinitie, to thinke that part, that is the fault, is pardoned; and part, that is the punish∣ment, remaineth behind to be satisfied; there is no such mat∣ter. * 1.21 he that remitteth the fault, will neuer exact the punish∣ment: or rather let vs say (as an ancient x 1.22 Writer doth) It were vnfitting, or vnlawfull, nay, a sinne that hath a mixture of some cruelty and incredulitie, to hope for halfe pardons at his hands, that is so good and mercifull; the fountaine of all goodnesse and mercy; either he remitteth all, or none. And therefore laying all that hathbeen formerly spoken, and a great deale more that may bee alleaged to this purpose, before our eyes, let vs safely conclude, that it is an vnsafe way to make Purgatory (as it were) an Article of our Creed, as our y 1.23 Trent Masters doe: at the least, let vs take heed of z 1.24 prying into those hidden mysteries, which God would haue hidden, and dare rather to inuent, or hammer out somewhat out of our owne braines, then to be ignorant of any thing: let

vs not be too a 1.25 confident in describing the place and qualitie of its punishment. A modest ignorance of these things will best become vs, till wee haue better warrant for the same out of Gods reuealed Word.

Notes

• a 1.1

  A Cacologis non Theologis excogi∣tatum Ant de Dom. l. 5 c 8 •••• 39. Luke 16 29
• b 1.2

  The sto•••• e•• Odilo.
• c 1.3

  ☞ See Higden ad 〈…〉〈…〉 67•• especial∣ly about the story of the fellow at Long∣compton, that was tormented in his graue, till he had pay∣ed his ••i••hes; and his senne by paying for ••••••••, quieted his fa∣thers soule, and •••••• prof••••••d his owne
• d 1.4

  Ditauit & indies magis ditat Ecclesi••m. ••••t. ••e Dem. •• 5 c. 8 ss 75
• e 1.5

  † De Purgatorio nulla mentio Inda•• •• renaum. † Apud priscos nulla vel quam ••arissima fiebat mentio, sed & Graecis ad hunc vs••ue diem non est creditum esse. Episcopus Roffensis apud Polydenum Virgil. l. 8. c. 1 pag. 484.
• f 1.6

  ☞ Quaeritur quid tit ignis Pur∣gator••us & qui tr••nsi••uri sunt per ilium. & qualiter. Quidam dicut, quòd est ignis materialis vltra ignis elemen∣tum non ignis cui sunt ligna materia & nutrimentii: sed ignis qui ••am exi∣stens sub luna. M S O p 403.
• g 1.7

  ☞ A•••• dicunt, quò▪ ignis ille nilul aliud est. quàm poe∣na, quae ideo dicitur ignis quia grauis est, & vrens ad mo∣dum ignis; & quia quaedam poena pu∣m••••ns est & aeter∣na he de illa intel∣ligeretur, dictus est ignis purgatorius, id est non puniens, sed purgans per poenam temporali∣ter quis aeternali∣ter ne puniatur. Quicquid autem sit ignis ille▪ cre∣dendum est, quòd fideles etsi non om∣nes per eū transeum illi scilicet qui per∣fectam poenitenti∣am in hac vita non egerunt Sed alii plus sentiat, alii mi∣nus & ali•• cituis liberantur ab eo, alii tardius Nam quidam vsque in diem iudicii in eo puniuntur quidā ci∣tò liberantur & hoc secundum quantita∣tem peccati & poe∣nitentiae, & secun∣num modum confi∣tend••, vt praedictum est. Nu•• O p 403.
• * 1.8

  Iob ••6 2 h Animarum loca certa assignare impossibile Ant. de Dominis, l ••. c. 8 ss 122.
• * 1.9

  † Ignis remorsus conscientiae. Er. to. 9 p 685.
• i 1.10

  † Purgantur ani∣mae post mortem ign•• charitatis. E••as•••• 9.
• k 1.11

  † Torquentur igni qui suh sensum non cadit. Victor Antiochenus, cap. 5. Eb Pp. col. 1004.
• l 1.12

  † De Purgatorio dubitant viri docti & pii. Er. to. 9. p. 685
• n 1.13

  † Vt Deo placi∣tum est & cogni∣tum. Iac. Faber ibi. c 16 aln.
• o 1.14

  † Dubitat de eo Aug. Er. in indice Aug.
• p 1.15

  † Tertius locus penitus Ignoratus. Aug. in lib. Hypog∣nost. p. 597.
• q 1.16

  † De statu post mortem, aut exig∣ua, aut prorsus nulla mentio ante Cbri∣stum. Cyprianus Men. Cisterciensis in c. 7. Iob, p. 147.
• r 1.17

  † Animae be ato∣rum statim in coe∣lum vad••t. Iul. Tole∣••anus. l. 2. c. 8. col. 939. to. 9 Bb. Tp.
• s 1.18

  † Anima soluta à corpore absoluitur ab omni macula peccati Ger. Ven. Probl. ••57. to. 2. sect. 4.
• t 1.19

  † Puniti pios post moretm impossibi∣le. In Ind. Chrys.
• u 1.20

  † Mirabile so∣phisma ex theolo∣giae myster iis quod condonata culpa manet obli∣gatio poenarum & infirmitatis. Er. ••••. 9. p 6. 15.
• * 1.21

  † Deus simpliciter ipsam & culpam, & poenam condonauit Iac. Faber •••• Luc. c. 16.
• x 1.22

  ☞ Sum∣mae crudelitatis & incredulitatis est, ab eo qui summe bonus est, dimidiā sperare veniam. MS. * p. 24. Non fas est dimidiam de eo soerare veniam, qui caput est & sons veniae, qui cum vnum mortale re∣mittit omnia remittit MS p. 71.
• y 1.23

  Vide formulam iuramenti.
• z 1.24

  Temerarium de rebus abdi∣tissimit quae in alia vita fiunt ex se proprioque cerebro quidquam promere.
• a 1.25

  Temperent sibi Theologi ab im∣modica asseueratio∣ne & qualitatum descriptione. Geo. Wicel. Met. Con. c. 18.