A defense and declaration of the Catholike Churchies [sic] doctrine, touching purgatory, and prayers for the soules departed. by William Allen Master of Arte and student in diuinitye

That Purgatory paines doothe not onely serue Goddes iustice for the poonishment of sinne, but also cleanse and qualify the soule of man defiled, for the more seemely entra∣unce into the holy placies, vvith conference of certaine placies of scripture for that pur∣pose.

Cap. 6.

IF we well consider the wonderfull base condi∣tion and state of man∣nes nature corrupted by our first fathers disobe∣dience, and more and more abased by continuall misery that sin hath broght in to oure mortall liefe, we shall fiende the woorke of Goddes wisdom in the excellent repaire of this his creature, to be full of mercy, and full of maruell. But proceading sumwhat further, and weying not onely his restoring, but all∣so the passing greate auaunsment to the vnspeakable glory of the elect, there shall reason and all oure cogitations vt∣terly faint and faile vs.

The kingdom prepared is honou∣red with the maiesty of the Glorious Trinity, with the humanity of Christe oure Sauiour, with the blessed Mary the vessel of his Incarnation, with the bewtifull creatures and wholy vndefi∣led,

of al the ordres of Angelles. Ther can nothing doubtlesse present it selfe before the seate of Goddes glory, nor stand in his sight, that hath any blemi∣she of sinne, any spotte of corruption, any remnaunt of infirmity. There may no creature matche with those perfect pure natures of spirituall substance in the happy seruice of the holy Trinity, that is not holy as they be, pure as they be, and wholy sanctified as they be. No∣thing can ioyne with theyme in free∣dom of that heauenly city, in the ioy∣full estate of that triumphant cōmon∣wellthe, that is not purified to the po∣ynt, and by the woorke of Goddes own hande fully fined and perfieted. This is the newe City of Hierusalem, whi∣che the holy Apostle sawe by vision: Nec in eam intrabit aliquid coinquinatum. Nothing shall entre therin, that is defi∣led. It is the Churche with oute spotte and wrinkle, it is the temple of God, it is the seate of the lambe, and the land of the lyuing.

Nowe our kinde, notwithstanding oure pitifull faulle and singulare fray∣lety, with exceding corruption and vn∣aptenesse bothe of body and soule, ha∣the yet by Christe Iesus oure redemer, the assurance of this vnestimable bene∣fite, and the felowship of perpetuall fruition with the Angels. To whome as we must be made aequall in roume and glory, so we must in perfect clea∣nes be fully matched with theime. For it were not agreeable to Goddes ordi∣nary iustice, who in this earthly sanct∣uary expressely forbiddeth the oblati∣ons of the vncleane, that he shoulde in the coelestiall soueraigne holy ack∣nouledge any nature that wer not pure and vndefiled: or make mannes condi∣cion not abettered, aequall to the dig∣nity of Angelles that neuer were repro∣ued: wherby vniustice might appeare in God, or confusion in the heauens commonweleth, where onely all ordre is obserued.

And though mannes recouery after

his faule be wroght by Christ, and the perfect purgation off sinnes by the bloodde of him that onely was with owte sinne, yet it was nott conueni∣ent, that the might of that mercy should woorke in this freedom of oure willes, with owte all payne of the party, or trauell of thoffenders. Wheroff man streght vpon his miserable dounefall (as S. Ambrose excellentely well no∣teth) had warning by the fyery swhord houlden at the entraunce of paradise: therby putting him in remembraunce, that the returne to blesse so soone loste, shoulde be throghe fiere and swhorde hardely achieued ageyne. Therfore if any man thinke the onely forgiuenesse of oure sinnes paste, sufficient ether for the recouery of oure first degree, or the atteyning of forther dignity in the glory of the Sanctes, he seethe not at all what a deape stroke sinne hath sett in mannes soule, what filthe and fee∣blenesse it hathe wroght in the body, what ruele and dominion it beareth in

this our mortality, what care all per∣fect men haue hadde, not onely in the healing of the deape wounde, but allso in purging the reliques, and full abba∣ting the abundant matter therof. And yet when man hathe with all his might wrastled with the poure of sinne, being in this estate, he can not be able to re∣couer the worthinesse of his creation, muche lesse the passing honour and ende of his redemption. Let him washe and water his coutch with teares, let him weaken his body with fasting, and humble his hearte with sorow: Happe∣ly the fiery swhorde shall not hinder his passage after his departure, yet tyll the separation of the body and the soul, full freedom from sinne or perfect pur∣gation therof (excepting the priuilege of certayne) can not be fully obtey∣ned. Wherin yet mercy at thende hathe the chieff stroke, by whiche the soule that was the principall vessell of sinne, and no lesse abased then the body, shall oute of hand in the perfectest sort, ob∣teyne

the purity of Angelles and fe∣lowship with theime for euer.

I maruell not nowe to see the Pro∣phet seeke not onely for the remis∣sion of his greuous sinnes, but to be better cleansed, to haue theime wholy blotted owte, to be made as white as snowe: behoulding the purity that is requisite for a citizen of the coelestiall Hierusalem. And I note this the rather of the soule, bicause I see that the body allso, before it can shake of the stroke and plage of sinne, must be driuen (by the common course) to doust and ele∣mentes, that being at the ende raised vppe ageine in the same substance, may yet wholy in condicion and quality be so straungely altered, that in honoure and immortality it may euerlastingly ioyne with the soule ageyne. To the newnesse wherof, the very elements that before answered it in qualityes off corruption, shall be perfectly by fyre reformed, and serue in beauty and in∣corruption aeternall. Yff sinne then be

so reuenged and throughly tryed ou∣te of mannes body, and all corrupti∣on owte of these elements for the glo∣ry of that newe and aeternall kingdom, shall we doubte of Goddes iustice in the perfect reuenge of sinne in the soul, or purifying that nature, whiche as it was most corrupted and was the very seate of sinne, so namely apperteyneth to the company of Angelles and glory euerlasting? It were not otherwise a∣greeable to Goddes iustice suerely, nor conuenyent for the glorious estate to coom: it were nether right, nor reason.

He will then, where man neglecteth the day of mercy, sharply viset with torment, him sellfe: and bothe pourge and purifye the drosse of oure impure natures defiled and stayned by sinne, with iudgement and rightuousnesse. A bluet Dominus sordes filiarū Syō, & san∣guinem Hierusalem, lauabit de medio eius, in spiritu iudicij, & spiritu ardoris. Oure lord shall wasshe oute the filthe of the doghters of Syon: and will cleanse

blodde from the middest of Hierusa∣lem, in the spirite of iudgement, and the spirite of burnyng. But bicause we will not stand vpon coniectures in so ne∣cessary a poynt, yowe shall see by what scriptures the graue and learned fathers haue to my hand confirmed this bele∣ued trueth. And first I will recyte those placyes whiche doo set furthe bothe the quality and condicion of that poo∣nishment, whiche God taketh vpon man for sinne in the other worlde: and also did geue iust occasion to our fore∣fathers of the name of Purgatory.

There be two textes of scripture to this purpose so like, that many of the doctours, for better conference in so weghty a case, haue ioyned theime to∣gether to make their proufe full: and so will I doo by theire example. The first is in the thirde chapter of the Prophet Malachie in these wordes. Ecce venit di∣cit Dominus exercituum, & quis poterit co∣gitare diem aduentus eius? Et quis stabit ad videndum eum? Ipse enim quasi ignis

conflans, & quasi herba fullonum: & sedebit conflans & emundans argentum, & purga∣bit filios Leui, & colabit eos quasi aurum & argentum, & erunt Domino offerentes sa∣crificia in iustitia. Et placebit Domino sa∣crificium Iuda & Hierusalem, & caetera. Beholde he commeth (saith the Lorde of hostes.) And who maye abyde the daye of his comming? Who can stand and endure his sight, For he is like mel∣ting and casting fier, and as the wasshers herbe. And he shal sit casting and trying oute siluer, and shall pourge the chil∣dren of Leui and clense theime as goul∣de or siluer. And then shal they offer sa∣crifice in righteousnesse: and the offe∣ringes of Iuda and Hierusalem, shall be acceptable vnto our Lorde. And thus farre spake the prophet. The second is this, taken out of the first epistle to the Corinthians. Secundum gratiam Dei quae data est mihi, vt sapiens architectus funda∣mentum posui, alius autem superaedificat. Vnusquisque autem videat quomodo super∣adificet. Fundamentum enim aliud nemo po∣test

ponere, praeter id quod est positum: quod est Christus Iesus. Si quis autem superaedifi∣cat super fundamentum hoc, aurum, argen∣tum, lapides preciosos, ligna, foenum, sti∣pulam, vniuscuiusque opus manifestum erit. dies enim Domini declarabit, quia in igne reuelabitur: & vniuscuiusque opus quale sit ignis probabit. Si cuius opus manserit quod superaedificauit, mercedem accipiet: si cuius opus arserit, detrimentum patietur: ipse au∣tem saluus erit, sic tamen quasi per ignem. Thus in english: According to the grace of God geuen vnto me, as a discriete builder I haue laide the groundewark: but another buildeth theron. Let euery man be circumspect howe he buildeth on it. For no fundation can be laide, but Christe Iesus, which is allready laide. Yff any man builde vppon this groun∣dewark, gould, siluer, preciouse stones, wodde, hay, or stooble, euery mannes worke shall be laide open. For the daye of oure Lorde will declare it, bicause it shall appeare in fiere. And that fiere shal trye euery mannes woorke what it is: yf

anye mannes woorke erected vpon that foundation doo abide, he shall receiue rewarde, but if his worke burne, he shall susteine losse (or it shall susteine losse, meaning by the worke it self, as the text well serueth also) but him sellfe shall be saued notwithstandinge, and that yet as throughe fire. These be S. Pauls wordes.

Nowe as men studious of the truth, careful of oure faithe and saluation, and fully free from contention and parta∣king, let vs entre into the searche off the meaning of these two textes, withe suche plainesse and sinceritye that I dare saie the aduersaries theime selues shall not mislyke our dealing. We will folowe all lyklyhoodes by comparing the scriptures together, and admit with all, the counsell and iudgement of such our elders, as hy theire confession shall be taken for holy, learned, and wise. [ 1] First the Prophet and Apostle bothe, make mention of purging and of puri∣fying sinne, and corruption of mannes

impure or defiled workes: [ 2] they bothe agree this cleansing or trying oute off the filthy drosse gathered by corrup∣tion of sinne, to be doone by fier: [ 3] they bothe throughly folowe the similitude of the fornace and gouldsmith in fi∣nyng his metalles, and trying oute the drosse and base matter from the perfect finesse of more worthy substaunce: [ 4] they bothe plainely vtter theire mea∣ninges of suche as shall afterward be saued, though it be with losse: geuing vs to vnderstande, that the partyes so purged, shall be after theire triall wor∣thy to offer a pure sacrifice in holy∣nesse and righteousnes: [ 5] They bothe note this purgation to be wrought by the hande of God. All these must nea∣des be confessed, euen of the contrary teachers: whiche thinges together, con∣teine more probability for the proufe of oure purpose, then they can for any other sense finde. But nowe touchinge the texte nearer, and finding that this woorke of mannes amending shall be

wrought in the next liefe, then it must nedes so induce this sense, that no mea∣ning may well be admitted, whiche e∣uidently setteth not forth the truthe of Purgatory.

And that this worke is not properly taken for any suche trouble or vexa∣tion that may fall to man in this liefe, but for a very torment praepared for the next worlde, firste the quality of the [ 1] iudgement, and meanes in the execu∣tion of that sentence of God (whiche is named to be doone by fiere) seemeth rather to import that, then any other vexation, the poonishement of the [ 2] worlde folowing allwaies lightely so termed. Then man is in this purging only asufferer, which belongeth name∣ly to the nexte worlde. But especially [ 3] that this sentence shall be executed in the day of our Lorde, which properly signifieth ether the day of our death, or the sentence of God whiche streghte foloweth vpon death: or the laste and generall iudgement. All the tyme off

mans liefe wherein he foloweth his freedom, is called Dies Hominis: the daie of man, bicause as man in this liefe for the most parte serueth his owne will, so he often neglecteth Goddes: but at his deathe, there beginneth Dies Domi∣ni: Where God executeth his ordina∣unce and will vpon man. This triall then of mannes misdeedes and impu∣re workes, must ether be at his deathe, or after his departure by one of the two iudgementes. But if we note diligently the circumstances of the saide letter, it shall appeare vnto vs, that this purgatiō was not ment to be onely at mannes death: both bicause it shall be done by [ 1] fyre, whiche (as is saide) commonly no∣teth the torment of the next liefe: and then S. Paule expressely warneth vs to take hede what we builde, in respect of [ 2] the difference that may fall to suche as builde fine workes, and other that ere∣cte vppon the foundation, impure or mixte mater of corruption: but the pai∣nes of deathe being common to the

best, as well as to the worst or indiffe∣rent, and no lesse greuous in it sell∣fe to one then the other, can not be im∣ported by the fire whiche shall bring losse to thone sort, and not paine tho∣ther. [ 3] Besides all this, that day which the prophet speaketh of, shall be notori∣ous in the sight of the worlde and very terrible to many: And S. Paule plainely affirmeth, that in this iudgement there shall be made an open shewe of suche woorkes as were hidde before from man, and not discerned by the iudge∣ment of this world: whiche the priuate deathe of one manne can not doo. And lightely thapostle warning man of the sentence of God in the next lyefe, ad∣monisheth him that oure dedes must be laide open before the iudgemēt seate of God. so here. Dies domini declarabit, quia in igne reuelabitur: the day of oure lord will open the matter, bicause it shall be [ 4] shewde in fyre. Last of all, the Prophet nameth the tyme off this sharpe tryal, Diem aduentus domini: whiche is a pro∣per

calling of one of the iudgements: ether that whiche shall be generall at the last day, or elles that whiche euery manne must first abyde streghte after his departure, when he shall be called to the peculiare reckoning for his owne actes. In ether of whiche iudgements, this purging and amending fire shall be fownde. For as in that generall wast of the whole world by the fyre of con∣flagration, whiche is called ignis praece∣deus faciem iudicis because it awaiteth to fulfill Christes ordinance in the day of his second comming, as in that fier the whole man both body and soule may suffer losse and extreme payne for his poonishment or purgation, and yet by that same fyre be saued: euen so oute of doubt at this particulare iudgement streght vpon euery mannes death, the soule of the departed if it be not before free, must suffer paines and Purgation by the like vehement torment woor∣king onely vpon the soule, as the other shall doo on the whole man. And the

prophets wordes now alleaged, do me∣ane principally of the purgation that shall be made of the faithfuls corrupted woorkes, by the fiere of conflagration, in the seconde comming of Christe: thoughe his wordes well proue the o∣ther also, as S. Paule too, meaneth by theyme bothe.

Notes

• VVhat purity is required for then∣trance in to h••••uē.
• Apoc. 21.
• Leuit. 21.
• Rupert. de diui••i•• of. l. 6. ca. 36.
• In psa. 118 ser. 20.
• August. li. 20. de ci∣uit. ca. 16. 1. Cor. 15.
• Note.
• Isaie. 4.
• Malach. 3.
• Sope
• Cap. 3.
• Plaine de aling.
• 2. Cor. 5.
• Magis. l. 4 dist. 47.
• 2. Petri. Cap. 3.