A reply to Fulke, In defense of M. D. Allens scroll of articles, and booke of purgatorie. By Richard Bristo Doctor of Diuinitie ... perused and allowed by me Th. Stapleton.

Of certayne particuler textes.

* 1.1S. Augustine, although otherwise inclining to the error of Pur∣gatory, yet he is cleare, that this texte (1. Cor. 3. of him that shall be saued through fire) proueth it not, neither ought to be ex∣pounded of it, and that he sheweth by many reasons, Enchirid, ad Laur. ca 68. where he affirmeth, that by the fire is ment the triall of tribulation in this life. You say that he affirmeth it: but he saith, that it is an harde place, and with doubtfulnesse speaketh accordingly, Non absurdè accipi possunt, So may this and this be interpreted not absurdly. And where you say, he is cleare that this texte proueth not Purgatorie: and agayne, that it ought not to be expounded of it: and agayne, that he sheweth the same by many reasons. All is false: No such matter. Onely he sheweth, that it ought not to be expounded after the Heresie of the Orige∣nistes, of hell fyre, as though they that be in it may at the length

be saued, and that it may be expounded of the fyre of tribulation in this life. Yea moreouer he sayth expresly, that it may be ex∣pounded also of some other like fire after this life: cleane con∣trarie to that whiche you here reporte of him: though in other places you also your selfe contrarie to your selfe do reporte the same. Whereof I shall anone haue occasion to say more in the third diuision of this chapter.

This is the onely place, of all that D. Allen doth alleage for Purgatorie and prayer for the dead, which Fulke pretendeth any Doctor to say that it ought not to be expounded thereof.

But where he sayth thus, speaking of D. Allen:* 1.2 For my part I will not refuse to satisfie his demaunde. He will knowe and haue vs aposed, from whence wee haue that newe meaning of our Sauiours wordes, that he whiche is caste into prison for neglecting of reconciliation while he is in the way,* 1.3 is caste into hell, from whence he shall neuer come: and then allea∣geth for that sense Chrysostome, Augustine, Hierome, and Chromatius. This (I saye) is passing childishe, (althoughe it were true, as it is not, that all those Doctours haue that sense,) for D. Allen demaundeth no suche thing, reade his wordes whosoeuer will. Yea straight after reciting the Protestantes obiection, [That the places of the Olde and Newe Testament,* 1.4 alleaged for Purgatorie, though they be thus expounded of the Doctors for Purgatorie, yet sometimes they be construed other∣wise by the Fathers them selues.] I answere to this (he sayth) [and freely confesse it.] For that is not the question betwéene vs, whether the Fathers haue expounded those textes of other poyntes of our Catholike faith (for if they haue, what maketh that agaynst vs?) but this, whether they haue expounded those textes for Purgatorie (which if they haue, that maketh with vs) and whether they haue expounded them or anye other agaynst Purgatorie (which if they haue, that maketh with you.) As for the diuersitie of true senses, the Churche hath euer gi∣uen roome (saith D. Allen) to the Expositors, according to eue∣ry ones gifte, onely prouided that no man of singularitie fa∣ther any falsehood vpon any text: Howbeit also euery ones true sense is not alwayes the very right and proper sense of that same text. Whereof I spoke more playnely in the sixt Chapter.

But Fulke replieth, to this and saith: Wheras M. Allen alloweth all the interpretations that the Fathers haue made of the text (1. Cor. 3.) by him alleaged, as true, so long as they affirmed no error: he may by the same reason affirme, that Contradictories are true. As in that saying (Mat. 5.) of him that shall not come out vntill he haue payd the vttermost farthing: some haue expounded that he shal be alwaies punished, some that he shall not be alwaies pu∣nished. How is it possible, that both these interpretations can be true? Mary, thus it is true: those He & He are not one He: but He that shalbe alwaies punished, is he that to the end of the way, that is, of this life, agréeth not with his aduersarie whom he had dead∣ly iniuried, as saying vnto him, Fatue, and thereby incurring the gilt of Gehenna ignis, which is the prison of the damned. He that shall not be alwaies punished, is he whose iniurie was but veni∣all,* 1.5 as Racha. And so both interpretations agrée wel not onely to∣gether, but also with the text it selfe: as likewise in the last chap∣ter I declared.

And so much of the Doctors interpretations. Now to the other kind of their Testimonies, which he alleageth against vs about any of our Controuersies.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pu. 103.
• * 1.2

  Pur. 145.
• * 1.3

  Mat. 5.
• * 1.4

  Pur. 148.151.
• * 1.5

  Cap. 8. par. 3. diui. 2.