Whether soules do returne againe out of Purgatorie, and
the place which they call Limbus puerorum.

THat soules, which are gone either to heauen or to hell, returne not thence, nor appeare againe before the latter day, perchaunce some men would easily graunt: but they imagine there is a third place, (which is Purgatorie) out of the which soules do returne vpon earth. For as yet the last sentence hath not passed on them, and therfore as yet they may be helped, and therfore also they do craue help, and shewe themselues vnto men. But we haue proued before at large, both out of the scriptures, and also out y? writings of the auncient Fathers, that the soules of the faithfull are saued, and that the soules of the vnbelÉeuers are damned immediatly without delay, and therefore there is no Purgatorie. Against this, they alledge sundrie arguments, amongst the which this, albeit it be very common, yet is it the chÉefest, when they say, that no man is saued except he bee purged from all his sinnes, and that sinne cleaueth vnto vs euen vnto the graue. If we say that puritie and cleannesse consisteth not in our workes, or in the paines which wee endure, but that God through faith in his sonne Iesus Christ (who is our onely redemption, iustification, satisfaction, and raunsome for our sinnes) dooth iustifie vs: they straight aunswere, that our faith is vnperfect, and that the moste godly men complaine when they depart hence, of the weakenesse of their faith. And therefore that God dooth not take vp suche kinde of men straightwayes into heauen, nor yet because they are not vtterly voyde of faith, thrust them presently downe into hell. And therefore, that there is a middle place betwÉene both, which is called Purgatorie, in which the soules are purified from the imperfection whiche remained in them at the time of their death, and out of the which they are deliuered by the merits of the liuing, and by large pardons. Is not this as much as to attribute that vnto our owne paines and to externall fire, which ought only to be ascribed vnto the death of Christ? Dooth not Christ teache vs, that if at any time we fÉele any weaknesse of faith, we shuld crie out with the Apostles, Lord increase our faith? Dooth God disdaine to heare the prayers of his faithfull people in the extremitie of death? Christ saith, he that is washed hath no nÉede saue to washe his fÉete, but he is cleane euery whitte: HÉe will saue vs, not for the woorthinesse of our faith, but by his mÉere grace onely. He dooth bestow these things amongst vs, as if some riche man did frÉely giue meate and drinke vnto others, whereof some of them receiueth it in woodden, some in earthen, and some in siluer or golden vessels: or as if a Prince did distribute vnto euery one a piece of golde, and some receiue it with a fÉeble hand, and some with a strong and lustie hand. He that hath the [weake] hand, receiueth money as well as he that hath the strong hande. Saint Paule exhorteth the Thessalonians in his first Epistle and fourth Chapter, 1. Thess. 4. that they mourne not for the dead as the Gentiles doo. If there had bene a fire of Purgatorie, as they haue falsely imagined, he could not haue bene angry with them, although they had taken their friendes departure somewhat impatiently, &c. Other arguments which are brought for the confirmation of purgatorie, are of late so confuted by many godly and learned men, that it is maruaile our aduersaries will so often repeate them.

But before I leaue this matter, I will here insert this historie following. A certaine Germain being accused by the Inquisitours of heresie (as they terme it) that amongest his companions he denied Purgatorie, contrarie to the common consent of the Catholike Churche, made his answeare thus: If our parish Priest (quoth he) whome I credite very much, preach vnto vs true doctrine in the Pulpet, either there is no Purgatorie at all, or else it is cleane emptie. For hÉe oftentimes saieth, that Turkes, Iewes, heretikes, and wicked men, goe not into Purgatorie, but straight into Hell fire, from whence they shall neuer bee deliuered: Then that by Pardons whiche are euery where solde for money, many soules are restored to their first perfection. And moreouer, that the Masse is of such force, that there is not one sung in all the world, by whiche one soule at the least is not deliuered out of the flames of Purgatorie. If these things (quoth he) be true, (for I will not go about to refell that which maister Parson hath saide) I will stande in this my opinion. For you doo all complaine, that the nomber of the Catholikes is verie small, the greater part of men being diuided into sundry sectes, and the multitude of Epicures daily increasing. Then are all mens pursses many times drawne drie by pardoners, which for mony sell their indulgences, that by them the soules of men may bee deliuered out of the torments of Purgatorie. Furthermore, there is no village but there are a great many Masses sung in it, before any one husbandman dieth. What followeth then, but that there is either no Purgatorie, or one vtterly voyde and emptie? When the Inquisitors (who knew very well that their men commonly taught such doctrine) heard these things, they were amazed, and taking aduise togither, they all berated him for occupying his head about questions nothing appertaining vnto him, which they commaunded him to leaue vnto Diuines, and to follow his owne businesse.

There was in our Countrey an honest and sober man, who before the light of the Gospell began to appeare, vsed Dilemma, is a kind of argument or reasoning, which euery way couinceth him vnto whome it is spoken. this Dilemma: The Bishop of Rome either hath authoritie to bring soules out of the paines of Purgatorie, or else he hath no authoritie: If he haue that power, and will not vse it, except he receiue money, he cannot escape the fault of crueltie and couetousnesse: But if hÉe haue no such authoritie, surely it is great villainie to robbe so many widowes and fatherlesse children, and so arrogantly to boast himselfe of authoritie whiche hÉe hath not. And if there bee no Purgatorie (as by the holy Scriptures it plainly gathered there is not) surely then mennes soules can neyther returne from thence, nor offer themselues to be sÉene of men.

Nowe as touching the fourth place, namely Limbus puerorum, (in the which innocent children, as they call them, are saide to be) Papistes themselues scant dare affirme, that they returne againe and appeare vnto men, and craue their helpe: for they teache, that if they depart without baptisme, they shall neuer enioy the sight of God, and for that cause they may not be buried in the same Churchyard with other Christians. Merciful God! how many godly matrones hath this false deuise miserably vexed? I call it a false deuise, for that they bring nothing out of the holie scriptures whereby to proue this poynt of doctrine. The scriptures do not attribute so much vnto external baptisme, which is by water. Was the condition of infants better in the olde Testament than in the new? You do not reade that the olde Fathers, supposed that infants which died before the eight day, and therfore were not circumcised, should be separated from the sight of God for euer. Dauid the king and prophet, said he should follow his sonne, whom God had called out of this life before he was circumcised. But it was not Dauids meaning that hee should goe into a place where he should bee depriued of the sight of God for euer. But it appertaineth not much vnto our purpose to dispute any further hereof. Thus haue I now answered the cheefest arguments of our aduersaries, whereby they would proue the soules of good and euil men, to offer themselues to be sÉene sometimes of them that liue, after their departure by death from their bodies.

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