The suruey of popery vvherein the reader may cleerely behold, not onely the originall and daily incrementes of papistrie, with an euident confutation of the same; but also a succinct and profitable enarration of the state of Gods Church from Adam vntill Christs ascension, contained in the first and second part thereof: and throughout the third part poperie is turned vp-side downe.

The answere

I say first, that if their Latin text were sound, this obiection would solue it selfe: for the originall and Greeke text is this;

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, hauing loosed the sorrowes of death. Out of which words, nothing can be gathered, that fauoreth purga∣tory [ 2] any thing at al. I say secondly, that if it were as y^e papists do reade, (the sorrowes of hel being loosed) their soules should alwayes feele paine, but neuer haue an end. Which cannot be truely verified, of their purgatorie fire.

I say thirdly, that the fathers whō the papists hold to haue [ 3] bin in Limbo at that time, did according to their owne doctrine suffer poenam damni,* 1.1 because they were not as yet partakers of the cleare vision beatificall: which Bellarmine granteth in another place, and so is repugnant to himselfe. But let that be deemed a small fault in a Iesuite, which is thought a great crime in another man. Adde hereunto, that poena damni is a greater pain then poena sensus, by their best popish diuinitie. I [ 4] say fourthly, that by the sorrows of death is meant nothing els but the bitter paines which Christ suffered vpon the crosse, to accomplish mans redemption. For then did he properly & per∣fectly triumph ouer death, when he rose againe from death, who was deliuered to death for our sins, (saith Saint Paul) and is risen againe for our iustification: And the verie words of the text next following in the Actes,* 1.2 doe confirme this exposition: for there it is thus written; whome God raised vp and loosed the sorrowes of death, because it was vnpossible that he should be holden of it: as if S. Peter had said; although the passion of Christ was so bitter & exceeding great, as implying the curse and malediction due for our sinnes (insomuch that the remem∣brance therof caused him to sweate out drops of blood) yet could not death possiblie preuaile against him, but that he should rise againe, and conquer both hel and it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Bellarminus, de ••entit. sanct. lib. 1 cap. 20.
• * 1.2

  Rom. 4.25. Act. 2.24.