The encounter against M. Parsons, by a revievv of his last sober reckoning, and his exceptions vrged in the treatise of his mitigation. Wherein moreouer is inserted: 1. A confession of some Romanists, both concerning the particular falsifications of principall Romanists, as namely, Bellarmine, Suarez, and others: as also concerning the generall fraude of that curch, in corrupting of authors. 2. A confutation of slaunders, which Bellarmine vrged against Protestants. 3. A performance of the challenge, which Mr. Parsons made, for the examining of sixtie Fathers, cited by Coccius for proofe of Purgatorie ... 4. A censure of a late pamphlet, intituled, The patterne of a Protestant, by one once termed the moderate answerer. 5. An handling of his question of mentall equiuocation (after his boldnesse with the L. Cooke) vpon occasion of the most memorable, and feyned Yorkeshire case of equiuocating; and of his raging against D. Kings sermon. Published by authoritie

The fourth Obseruation, in remoouing our Aduersaries Obie∣ction, taken from Prayers, Sacrifice, and Oblations for the dead.

7. The generall and most popular Argument, wherwith

our Aduersaries vse to vnderproppe the ruinous structure of their Purgatory, is this, that k 1.1 The Fathers (saith Bellarmine) prayed for the dead, Ergo, they beleeued Purgatory: and from this he saith, that Purgatory is euidently collected; wherein M. Parsons is peremptory, saying, that l 1.2 To pray for the soules departed doth necessarily suppose Purgatorie: and this seemeth to be the scope of Occius in most of his allegations, wherein * 1.3 nothing will be found more frequent for the proofe of their Purgatory, then onely the offering prayers, Oblations, and Sa∣crifice for the dead.

8. For consutation of our Aduersaries Consequence, it wil be sufficient to appeale vnto our Aduersaries confessions, who doe readily graunt that Prayers, Sacrifices, Commemo∣rations and Oblations haue beene vsed for the dead, without all respect of their Purgatory torment: as first in regard of the soules of the Damned, whom m 1.4 Bellarmine denieth to be in Purgatory, and there is good reason thereof, because the fire of the hell of the damned is a fire of Satispassion onely, and not of Expiation. And yet not withstanding we read that some Ancients prayed for the damned ones (especially such as died in the profession of Christian faith) whether it were for their absolute deliuerance out of hell, which was the errour of n 1.5 O∣rigen, or else, as some * 1.6 others o 1.7 haue done for the mitigation of their torment, which, euen in the opinion of our * 1.8 Aduersa∣ries, is reiected as erroneous: so that from prayers made for the damned, to conclude that there is a Purgatory fire of them who are to be saued, is, by M. Parsons leaue, but a wide and wilde consequence, and an abuse of such testimonies, because in case of bearing witnesse, both a condemned opinion and a condemned person are equally incompetent.

9. The second state of soules departed is of the Saints in Blessednesse, who are not in Purgatory, and yet haue some Fa∣thers offered both Sacrifice and Prayers for them: for of Sa∣crifice Bellarmine confesse th: p 1.9 Sacrifice (saith he) was offered for Saints: but how? Not (saith he) that we may aske any thing for them, but that we may giue thanks to God for the glorie, which he confirred vpon them. And this prayer was found in their

Romish Missall, to wit, Grant O Lord, we beseech thee, that this Prayer may profit the Soule of blessed Leo. Bellarmine will haue vs to vnderstand that these kind of requests were q 1.10 Possibly for the glorifying of the bodies of the Saints (albeit the Prayer is said to be for his soule) in the day of Resurrection.

10. This confession likewise strangleth Bellarmines eui∣dence, and M. Parsons his Consequence, except they will iudge it no impietie to thinke, and that necessarily, that Pope Leo and other glorious Saints, are tormented in Purgatorie. Fur∣thermore, t 1.11 It was an vsuall custome (as saith Cassander) that oblations were made for Martyrs, when as thankesgiuing was vsed for them, and when the mysticall action, wherein Christ his body is presented, there was mention made of them, as it appea∣reth out of Cyprian and Augustine, and as it is expressed in the Greeke Liturgie, saying that the vnbloody * 1.12 worship is offered for the Virgine Mary, and for the Apostles, and Martyrs. And all the good, which their Suarez will acknowledge to accrew vnto the blessed Saints by our s 1.13 Oblations and Sacrifices (which are, saith he, our giuing of thankes for them) is not any degree of essentiall glory, but onely an extrinsecall, such as they knowing our Prayers doe retoyce thereat. By this also Master Parsons his necessarie consequence (concluding from offering of Prayers and Sacrifice for the dead, a Purgatorie torment of them) is found to bee a notable falshood, and delusion, by confounding Prayers of thankesgiuing, with Prayers of suppli∣cation; and the state of the Blessed with the condition of men tormented, and in effect heauen with hell.

11. The third respect of soules, mentioned by the Fa∣thers, is when the Soule entreth either into the Examination of Gods seuere iudgement, or else thorough the flame of the con∣flagration of fier in the last day, through which all Soules must passe with their bodies: In both which respects, wee heare some Fathers praying for the dead depàrted, albeit neither of these conditions doe imply the Romish Purgatorie, as Bellar∣mine t 1.14 hath confessed.

12. If therefore Coccius shall bee found to cite, for de∣fence of their imagined Purgatorie, Prayers made for the dam∣ned,

in stead of Prayers for the Godly; or made for the Blessed, to prooue that men are Tormented; or Sacrifices and Prayers of Commemoration and Thankesgiuing, in steade of Prayers of Deprecation; or Supplications for the perfect consummation of happinesse, in the eternall rest of both body and soule, in stead of Prayers for redemption out of an hellish Prison, and other such like incongruities and abuses; Then must M. Par∣sons wish that he had made some other challenge. And now I betake my selfe vnto the particular Examination of his. Al∣legations: First of Liturgies, and then of Fathers.

Notes

• k 1.1

  Bellar. L. 1. de Purg. c. 11. § De quarto.
• l 1.2

  Reckon. 218.
• * 1.3

  Sacrifice, Pray∣er & Oblation
• m 1.4

  Bellar. l. 2. de Purg. c. 6
• n 1.5

  See hereafter Sixtus Senens. bibl. l. 6 Annot. 47. § In his
• * 1.6

  Ibidem, citeth some Doctors who thus thought.
• o 1.7

  Suarez. Jes. Tom. 4 in Them. disp. 47. §. 1.
• * 1.8

  Senensis quo suprà.
• p 1.9

  Bellar. 12. de Purg. c 18. §. Ad primum.
• q 1.10

  Jbidem, §. PraetereaSccun∣do & deinceps, § Adde tertio.
• t 1.11

  Cassander con. sull. Art. 24. See more fully confessed hereafter. n. 55.
• * 1.12

  Cultus incru∣entus.
• s 1.13

  Suarez Tom. 4. in Thom. disp 48 § 4 nu. 10.
• t 1.14

  See aboue num. 5.