A REMEMBRANCE FOR THE LIVING TO Pray for the Dead.

Made by a Father of the Soc. of Iesus.

By the Prayers of the Holy Cath. Church, & the wholesome Sa­crifice of the Altar, & by Almes giuen for their Soules, it is not to be doubted, but the DEAD are holpen, that they may be dealt withall more mercifully, by our Lord, then their Sinnes haue deserued. S. August. Serm. 32. de verb. Apost. tom. 10.
[symbol of Society of Jesus]

Permissu Superiorum. Anno 1641.

TO THE Deuout and Charitable READER.

LORD (sayth holy Da­uid, Psal. 8.) What is mā that thou art mind­full of him? The Hebrew word Enosch, which Da­uid in this place vseth to signify Man, doth most properly signify a most mise­rable forgetfull Creature: So that in the language of Scripture, a Man & a Crea­ture most miserable, and most forgetfull, is all one. This forgetfulnes is chiefly in things of the other life, which though they be neuer so important neuer so much inculcated; yet they find either no place at all, or the very least & last in our thoghts.

I did not therefore without particular reason entitle this briefe Treatise, A Re­membrance for the liuing to pray for the dead: for I thinke (deare Rea­der) that if thou hast the hart of a Man, and not a stone in place of a hart, that this [Page 4] Remembrance will stir thee vp, to af­foard farre more assistance to these di­stressed Soules in Purgatory, then thou didst vse to doe, meerly for want of due Remembrance, Reflection, and Consideration of this matter.

I haue in this Treatise made much vse of a litle Book lately set forth in Latin of the same subiect; for I found in it diuers points briefly touched which seemed to me most worthy of longer Consideration. I haue done my best to obserue that method, and vse that plainesse of style, which might most help my Reader to carry away my whole discourse. Sweet IESV, who didst loue all Soules so dearly, that thou didst powre out the last droppe of thy sacred bloud for them; graunt I beseech thee, euen by this excesse of thy Charity, that we may not be so vncharitable to those very Sou­les, whom thou didst loue so tenderly, as to neglect their complaints, to slight their suf­ferings, and to leaue them without due as­sistance in their miseries.

A Remembrance for the Liuing, to pray for the Dead.

The Preface.

BEsides many who er­roneously think there is no such matter is a Purgatory, and conse­quently that it is a vaine thing to pray for the dead; there be many who either for want of sufficient instruction in that which they be­lieue, or by inconsideratiō of what they belieue, do passe ouer this im­portant busines of praying for the dead so coldly, as that they think they do inough to help their owne ye a Christs owne, Brother, if they do but say, God rest his soule; which [Page 6] is a most vnmercifull manner of proceeding For if we saw our litle Brother falne into the fier, we should neuer be so hard-harted as to see him broile there, and per­swade our selues it were charity inough to throw a little drop of water into the fier, somewhat to asswage his torments. And so, I know not how it comes to passe, that many flatter themselues with the name of good-natur'd & kind-harted Creatures, who notwith­standing take so litle to hart this extreme necessity of their Brethrē, that their thoughts are busied a­bout nothing lesse, then relieuing them. The intention therefore of this presēt Treatise is first (though very briefly) to rectify the vnder­standing of those who thinke, and belieue amisse of Purgatory. Secō ­dly more at large to stirre vp in the will of all faithfull belieuers an ar­dent desire to redresse the vnspea­kable miseries of these distressed Soules.

CHAP. I. PVRGATORY proued by all kind of sacred Authority.

1. FIrst, I must put my Reader in mind, that it commeth all to one, to proue that Pray­ers do profit the Dead, & to proue a Purgatory; for prayers can ney­ther profit those dead who are in Heauen, nor those dead who are in Hell, and are past our help. Those dead then who can receaue pro­fit by our Prayers, must neyther be in Heauen, nor in Hell, but in a third place which we call Purgato­ry; where being detayned to suffer for their sinnes not fully satisfied for, do stand in need of the help of their liuing brethren. To pray for these soules we hould it Piety, Im­piety to deny them this reliefe.

2. This we prooue, first by the au­thority of the old Testament. In [Page 8] the second Booke of the Macha­bees Cap. 12. it is recorded, how the most pious and valiant Judas Machabaeus, hauing to this end made a gathering of twelue thou­sand drachmes of siluer, did send this mony to Jerusalem, That sacri­fice might be offered for the sins of the dead. And this Scripture addeth: A holy therfore, & wholsome thought it is to pray for the dead, that they may be freed from their sinnes. Hence it is cleare that the Iewes did hold prayer for the dead, & consequen­tly a Purgatory, seeing that they did all contribute for the making vp of this great summe of money to procure, that sacrifice might be offered for the sins of the dead. And this pi­ous custome of praying for the de­parted, is vntill this very day kept, and obserued by the Iewes. Lastly & chiefly, this custome is recom­mended by Scripture, as holy, & wholsome.

3. The Protestāt wil perhaps say [Page 9] that these two Books of the Ma­chabees be not Canonical Scripture. I answere, that a thousand and al­most three hundred yeares ago, these books were defined to be ca­nonicall, by the Councell of Car­thage: in which S. Austin himselfe being present, did subscribe to this definitiō of the Councell. The words of the Councel can 47. are: The Canonicall Scriptures be these: Genesis, Exodus &c. the 2. Books of the Machabees. And S. Austin saith l. 18. de Ciuit. c. 36. The Books of the Machabees not by the Iewes but by the Church are held for Canonicall. And S. Hierome in Prolog. Although the books of the Machabees be not in the Canon of the Iewes, yet by the Church they are reckoned among the historyes of diuine volumes. If therefore we wil receiue the Canon of Scripture from the Church, our question is at an end; if we will not, we may make questions without end. So we see Luther himselfe calleth into [Page 10] question the authority of the Apo­calyps, & saith in Praefat noui Testam. that he esteemeth this booke, ney­ther written with a Propheticall, nor Apostolicall spirit, & yet our Gos­pellers, who are so well skilled in the spirit, scarce esteeme more any one booke of scripture. But by the way, I would aske of them how (if the Apocalyps be true Scripture) Luther can be a true Saint? For in the end of the Apocalyps cap. 22. it is said: If any man shall diminish from the words of the booke of this Prophecy, God shall take away his part from the booke of life. But Luther tooke away all the words of this Prophecy, saying it was not written with a pro­pheticall spirit. Ergo, God shall take away his part from the booke of life. So dangerous a thing it is to dis­card Scripture.

4. Secondly I answer, that no Pro­testāt can deny these books of the Machabees to be at least of farre greater authority, thē be the wri­tings [Page 11] of any profane Author in the world, and that far more credit is to be giuen to the writer of them, then ought to be giuen to any man that euer did, or shal write history. For you your selues giue these Books a place in your Bibles: which honour you would deny to the faithfullest history-writers in the world: Neither can you deny, but that there may well be made a doubt whether these books be the word of God or no, seing we haue brought so great proofes, to proue that they are Gods Word. Well then say I, if credit be to be giuen to any history that euer was writ­ten, much more is it to be giuen to this. It is therfore true that Judas Machabaeus, who was then high Priest and the chiefe man amongst Gods onely people, did cause this great summe of money to be ga­thered and sent to Hierusalem that Sacrifice might be offered for the sins of the dead. It is true that the people, [Page 12] and the onely people of God did contribute money very liberally to this end. It is also questionles true, that the Priests of Hierusalem hauing receaued this money, did offer Sacrifice for the sins of the dead. And it is most true, that the ancient and most graue writer of this history doth commend it as a thing, Holy, and Wholsome to pray for the dead, that they may be freed frō their sins. And all this by the Coū ­cell of Carthage, by the whole Church of God in her purest age, as S. Austin and S. Hierome do wit­nes, was held so true, that they be­lieued it to be Scripture. Shall we thinke, that both the Church of the Iewes (which then was the only true Church in the world) and of the primitiue Christians (the purest Church that euer Christ had) did so generally maintaine an Errour fond, & superstitious, as Protestāts call Prayer for the dead?

5. As for the new Testament I shal [Page 13] haue a necessary occasion in the next Chapter to cite many places: therefore now I will content my selfe with this one. S. Paul writing to the Corinthians brings this argu­ment, to prooue the Resurrection: What will they do, who are baptized for the dead? if the dead do not rise at all, to what end are they baptized for thē? 1. Cor. 15. As if he would say, to what end do men do pennance for the dead? If there be no resurrecti­on, why do they do pennance for them? This and no other can be the sense of these words: For what other Baptisme, but the Baptisme of pennance (so S. Marke & S. Luke do call it) can with profit be taken for the dead? And heere S. Paul ta­keth his argument frō that which is profitably done for the dead; for els whē he presseth so hoatly those words, To what end are they baptized for them? one mighty easily answe­re, to no end. This much for Scrip­ture.

[Page 14]6. That the Apostles did ordaine Prayer to help the soules of the dead, is taught in playne words by S. Chrysostome: Jt was not rashly ordained by the Apostles, that in the dreadfull mysteryes, Commemoration should be made of the dead: for they knew that from thence, there commeth to the dead much gaine & profit. Hom. 69. ad pop.

7. But if we would wish an euidēt proofe, that the Apostles did or­daine Prayer for the dead, to the end they might be freed frō their sins; what proofe could we haue greater, then to haue this written by some Disciple of the Apostles themselues? This you shall see how abundantly it is performed. The Scripture telleth vs, that among the true Belieuers who did cleaue vnto S. Paul, Denis the Areopagite was one, Act. 17. The same S. Denis spendeth the whole seauēth Chap­ter of his booke de Ecclesiastica Hie­rarchia, in telling vs such things, [Page 15] Quae diuino instituto super sanctè qui­escentibus fiunt, as by diuine ordina­tion are done ouer those who haue reposed holily. And amōg others, this is one, that, Venerabilis Praesul precem super eo sacratissimam peragit: the venerable prelate doth say ouer the dead party, a most holy prayer. And afterwards he tels vs the contents of this most holy prayer. Precatur oratio illa diuinam Clementiam, vt cuncta dimittat per infirmitatem hu­manā admissa peccata defuncto. That prayer doth beseech the diuine Clemen­cy, that he would pardon vnto the dead man, his sins committed through hu­mane frailty. Thus writeth this great disciple of S. Paul. Is it pru­dence to belieue him, or no? Did the prime disciples of the Apostles vse superstition?

8. I come now to the authority of the whole Church in her purest a­ge. The Councell of Carthage, of which I spake before, not onely approueth the Books of the Ma­chabees [Page 16] for true Scripture, but by name imbraceth prayer for the dead. In the first councell of Nice. l. 3. c. 65. it was ordained, That when a Bishop died, notice should be giuen of his death to all Churches and Mona­steryes in the parish, that prayer might be made for him. But who can tell vs better the vniuersall custome of the Church, then the greatest do­ctour of the Church, who did see with his eyes that which he wrote with his pen; & therfore although he were a man and might erre in o­ther things, yet of this which he did see shine before his eyes, he could not be ignorant; and it cannot but be imprudence not to be­lieue him, for els whom may we prudently belieue? S. Austin then writeth thus, l. de cura pro mort. c. 1. We read in the books of Machabees sa­crifice offered for the dead, but although it were no where at all read in the old Testament, yet notwithstanding the authority of the vniuersall Church is [Page 17] not small, which shineth with this cu­stome, where the remembrance of the dead hath place in the prayers of the Priest, which are powred out to our Lord God at the Aultar.

Heere you see first the Machabees accoūted part of the old Testamēt. Secondly, that although sacrifice for the dead were not Scripture, yet being practised by the whole Church we haue sufficient warrant to thinke it well done. Thirdly that the vniuersall Church did shine with this custome of offering sacrifice for the dead. Let vs graūt that S. Austin as a man might erre in the two first points; yet in this third, that the Church did shine in his dayes with this custome of sa­crificing for the dead, he could not be ignorāt, no more then the grea­test Doctor of Oxford or Cambridge can be ignorant, that in England seruice is said in the English tōgue. Wherfore I say, it must needs be imprudence not to belieue him, [Page 18] who ought in prudence as much to be belieued, as any man ought to be in a thing which he cannot but know. Now, if I belieue that the vniuersall Church did shine with this custome of offering sacrifice for the dead (as in prudēce I must) how can I in prudence thinke that the vniuersall Church, euen in that her golden age, was stained with such a profane Errour, as Prote­stants hold this to be? It is (saith the same S. Austin Ep. 118. ad Janu­ar.) insolent madnes to dispute a­gainst that which is practised by the whole Church all the world o­uer. And why so? Because, he that will not heare the Church, let him be vnto thee, as a Heathen or Publican. Matth. 18. Because, the gates of hell cannot preuaile against her. Matth. 16. Because, the is the pillar & foun­dation of truth. 1. Tim. 3. The Church then being the foundation of truth, may we not well cry out with S. Paul; O mad-men who hath be witched [Page 19] you not to obey the truth? Gal. 3. For was not Iohn Caluin, thinke you, bewitched when he spake these words: Before a thousand, and three hundred yeares (saith Caluin aboue an hundred yeares ago) it was by cu­stome receiued, that prayers should be made for the dead: but they all, I con­fesse were ingulfed in an errour. lib. 3. Iustit. c. 5:

Thus Caluin, as boldly, as if it were cleere that for thirteene hun­dred yeares togeather none of thē all vnderstood the Scripture so well as he. But by his leaue, I think I may be of the contrary opinion, & I am very confident that S. Au­stin had as good a wit, studied as much, was assisted as much by the holy Ghost, and consequently vn­derstood the Scripture as rightly as M. John Caluin, & yet this pro­found Doctour, and great Saint writeth these very words which I do most faithfully trāslate out of him: By the prayers of the holy Church [Page 20] and the wholsome sacrifice, and by the almes which are giuen for their soules, it is not to be doubted, but the dead are holpen, that they may be dealt withall more mercyfully by our Lord, then their sins haue deserued; for this deli­uered from our Fathers, the vniuersall Church doth obserue, that for those who are dead in the Communion of the body & bloud of Christ, Prayer should be made, when in the Sacrifice it selfe they in their place are remembred; and that, that Sacrifice should be remem­bred to be offered vp for them. But when works of mercy are offered vp for their sakes, who can doubt but that they a­uaile them, for whom prayers are not in vaine offered vp to God? It is not to be doubted in any case, but that these things do profit the dead. Serm. 32. de verb. Apost. Thus writeth S. Au­stin, repeating ouer & ouer againe in so few lines; It is not to be doub­ted; who can doubt; It is not to be doubted in any case, that these things do profit the Dead. This being so [Page 21] cleare, all other authorityes may seeme superfluous. He who desi­reth more testimonyes may read in Bellarmine (de Purgatorio) the words of S. Athanasius, Basil, Na­zianzen, Cyril, Chrysostome, Tertulliā, Cyprian, Ambrose, Hierome & others: we also shall haue frequent occa­sions to cite many other places.

CHAP. II. Purgatory proued by Reason grounded in Scripture.

1. AS it is a great Argu­ment against Atheists who deny a God, re­warder of good & punisher of euil, that all the world but they ack­nowledge such a God: so it cānot but be a strong argument against Protestants, who deny Purgatory, that all Heathens, Iewes, Turkes, and all ciuill nations do vse Prayer for the dead. The reason why all [Page 22] agree so vniuersally in this point, must needs be groūded in the light of naturall Reason; which as it tea­cheth, that there be some men ve­ry good, who deserue nothing but reward, others very bad who de­serue nothing but punishment; so it teacheth, that there is a third kind of men, who with the good they do worthy of reward, do also some ill, worthy of some (though not eternall) punishment; & con­sequently it will belong to higher Powers to giue these men due cha­stisment: which as we see they es­cape often in this life, it must ther­fore be giuen them in the next. S. Austin thought this to be so ma­nifest, that he saith in Euchir. c. 109. Jt is not to be denyed, but that the soules of those who are departed, are much relieued by the pitty of their li­uing friends, when either the Sacrifice of our Mediator is offered for them, or Almes are giuen in the Church, in their behalf; because there is a certain [Page 23] state of life neither so good, but that they may haue need of these helps af­ter death, nor yet so euill, but that these offices may profit them. And on the con­trary, there is another state of men so good, that they need not this help, and of others so euill, that they cannot be helped by it when they are dead. Wher­fore heere in this life all merit is gottē, wherby after this life a man may be re­lieued, or not.

2. The answer which Protestants vse to make is very weake; for they say, that although some men liue so that they do not deserue Hell, and yet liue not so well but they deserue some punishment; yet these men, say they, shall not go to Pur­gatory, but by the onely vndergo­ing of the paines of death, they shall be sufficiently punished for their sinnes. This answere for two reasons is apparently false. First for that the vndergoing of death, is a punishment due vnto all men for originall sinne; For (saith S. Paul [Page 24] Rom. 5.) by one man sinne entred into the world, and by sinne death, and so vnto all men death did passe, euen vn­to sucking babes, who for no o­ther cause vndergoe this punish­ment. Secondly we see the paines of death equally shared among the good and bad: and in the floud of Noë all mē suffered the same death of being drowned, & yet the sinnes of many were most vnequall.

3. This proofe drawne from natu­rall Reason is exceedingly illustra­ted and confirmed by three prin­ciples certaine in holy Scripture. The first is, that there are some sins only veniall, and not lyable to eternall torments, and yet lyable to some torments. That seruant (saith S. Luke cap. 22.) who knoweth the will of his Lord, and doth not ac­cording to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes: but he that knoweth it not, and doth things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. Hence it is euident, that there be some [Page 25] men who do things worthy of stripes, which they shall not escape, but yet they shall be beaten with few stripes. But if these stripes be to be layd on for all Eternity (as all stri­pes be, which are payd in hell) they will not be few; because being e­uerlasting, the number of thē will be without number: will any one call these stripes few? Or can any man perswade himself, that a God, who is all mercy, will in this vn­mercifull manner punish the spea­king of one idle word? yet Christ himselfe saith, that we shall be ac­countable for euery idle word we speake. Matth. 12. Wherefore we must be lyable to some punishmēt for euery idle word; so that if a man of full age conuerted from i­dolatry be baptized, and by and by after killed, before he commit any other sinne then the speaking of one idle word onely; shall this man be tormented for euer and e­uer, so long as God shall be God? [Page 26] And shall the Father of mercyes giue this vnmercifull sentence? Doubtlesse if any man can do a thing worthy of stripes, & for do­ing it deserue only to be beaten with few stripes, this mā may hope for this mercy: but for greater thē this he cannot hope, seeing that Christ saith that some accoūt is to be giuen for that idle word. Some punishment therefore he must suf­fer, but not eternall, & consequen­tly not in hell, but in Purgatory for he must be beaten with few stripes, not with many, or euerlasting stri­pes.

4. The second Principle is taught vs in the Apocalips cap. 21. to wit, That nothing defyled shall enter into the kingdome of heauen: & consequently a man defiled with one onely idle word, and so dying shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen, vntill he be cleansed in Purgatory-fyre; For, he who buildeth [...]tuble vpon the foundation shall be sa­ued, [Page 27] yet so as by fyre, saith S. Paul 1. Cor. 3. But (saith S. Ambrose) wheras S. Paul saith, yet so as by fyre, he sheweth indeed, that he shall be sa­ued, but yet shall suffer the punishment of fyre; that being purged by fyre, he may be saued and not tormented for e­uer, as the Jnfidels are with euerla­sting fyre. Serm. 20. in Psal. 118. Most agreeable to this doctrine be the words of our Sauiour: Be at agree­mēt with thy Aduersary betyme whilst thou art in the way with him, least per­haps thou be cast into prison: Amen, I say vnto thee, thou shalt not go out from thence, till thou repayest the last farthing. Matth. 5. That is, vntill thou shalt haue made satisfaction for euery one of thy least sins, ac­cording to the expositiō of S. Hie­rome, who telleth vs: This is that which he sayth: Thou shalt not go out of prison, vntill thou shalt pay, euen to thy little sinnes. In c. 5. Matth.

5. The third Principle is, that al­though our sins both mortall and [Page 28] veniall be forgiuen vs, whensoeuer we are truly penitent for them; yet all the paine due to these our sins, is not always forgiuen, togeather with the sins. This may be demon­strated by many examples in the Scripture. For breuity sake I will specify only two. The first it this: Originall sinne is forgiuen vs by baptisme, & yet the paines which are inflicted for originall sinne, be not wholy taken away by bap­tisme, but euen those innocent in­fants, vnto whom by baptisme o­riginal sinne was forgiuen, do suf­fer the punishment of death due vnto them, for no other cause, but for that very originall sinne, which was forgiuen them by baptisme; for that, I say, they endure death: because, by one man sinne entred into the world, and by sinne death, and so vnto all men (euen vnto innocents) death did passe. Rom. 5. The second example is this: Dauid did so truly repent him of his sinne of adultery [Page 29] & murther, that God told him by the Prophet Nathan: Our Lord hath taken away thy sinne. 2. Reg. 12. Be­hold heere the sinnes of Dauid for­giuen, and yet presently God tels him: Neuerthelesse, because thou hast made the enemyes of the Lord to blas­pheme, for this thing the sonne which is borne vnto thee dying, shall dye. Be­hold heere a punishment inflicted vpon Dauid, euen for this thing, for which God had pardoned him.

6. Out of this Principle it clearly followeth that there is a Purgatory. For seing that (as we haue proued) there remaineth many tymes some punishment due to the sinne which is forgiuen; and seing that a man may dye before he hath suffered this punishment due by iustice vn­to him; it doth necessarily follow that this punishment must be gi­uen him in the world to come: not in hell, because the sinne is forgi­uen, but yet in the prison of Pur­gatory, out of which he shall not goe, [Page 30] vntill he hath payd the last farthing.

7. But heere it may be demanded, how this doctrine agrees with the saying of God: When the wicked mā shall be conuerted from his impiety, I will not remember his iniquities. Ezech. 18. I answere, that God is said not to remember them in his wrath & vengance, by remitting the eternal paine due vnto them. So he did not remember the sinne of Dauid, but did take it away from him: yet neuer­thelesse, for this thing, he took from him, by an vntimely death, his sonne, whose life he begged so ear­nestly. The matter may fitly be de­clared by this similitude. If a man should owe me a milliō of pounds, & should beg of me to forgiue the debt, I might be most truly said to grant his request, though I should forgiue the debt on this conditiō, that he should pay me only twenty shillings, as it were for a fine. Now we know our sinnes be our debts: for one mortall sinne only a man is [Page 31] lyable to euerlasting torments; but if this man being truly penitent, beggeth pardon of this his sinne, God is so mercifull that he will for­giue and forget it; yet withall he is so iust, that in place of it he will impose some small fine, as I may say, though this fine be far smaller then twenty shillings in compari­son of a million of pounds; for one pound a million of times doubled will come to be a million: but a Purgatory, euen of a million of yeares, though it should be neuer so often doubled or redoubled can neuer come to make a summe of yeares equall to the yeares contai­ned in the Eternity of paines, due to this sinne, before it was forgi­uen. This I haue set downe at large, that all may see how merci­fully God doth deale with vs, whē for one act of true pennance he ex­changeth an Eternity of paines, into the temporall punishment of some yeares in Purgatory: for this [Page 32] cānot be but a great mercy, thogh this Purgatory were to last neuer so many yeares in number, because the yeares of Eternity be without number.

CHAP. III. The first Motiue to pray for the Soules in Purgatory which is, The great­nes of the sensible Paines they suffer.

1. NAture doth teach vs, that the most forcible Eloquence to mooue compassion is that, which setteth forth the greatnes of our misery. The miseryes which these poore soules suffer are reduced to two. The one Paena sensus, which is the sensible paine they feele caused by the excessiue bitternes of their torments. The other is called Paena damni, which is that inexplicable anguish of mind and grief arising [Page 33] from the liuely apprehension of the losse of God, which for a tyme they are to sustaine. To which we may add the long continuance of their torments. From these three we will draw the motiues, which (if they be well pondered) may make the hardest Pharao-like hart in the world to take some compas­sion on these poore soules.

2. The first Motiue then, is the greatnes of that sensible paine, cau­sed by the excessiue sharpnes of these torments. How great & how bitter the torments be, speaking of that which hapneth for the most part, and not of that which some­times may happen to some few in­nocent Soules, (whose sins were small and whose pennance great) how great I say these torments be, speaking of them as they are for the most part, may be shewed.

3. First because the torments of Purgatory exceed all euen the very greatest tormēts of this life. S. Au­stin [Page 34] vpon thes words of S. Paul, but yet they shal be saued as by fyre, wri­teth thus in Psal. 37. Because S. Paul doth say that these men shall be saued by fyre, therfore this fyre is contemned: but surely although they shall be saued by it, yet this fyre is more grieuous then whatsoeuer a man can suffer in this life, albeit you know how great & how intolerable things men haue suffered or may suffer. And, l. de vera & falsa pae­nit. c. 18. the same S. Austin saith: This fyre, I tell you, though it be not euerlasting yet it is passing grieuous, for it doth far passe all paines that any man can suffer in this life; neuer was there yet found out so great a paine in flesh as that is, though Martyrs haue suffered strange torments, and many malefactors exceeding great punish­ments. Againe, the same holy Fa­ther maketh vs a very excellent & necessary exhortation out of this his so often deliuered doctrine. Some men (saith he) vse to say, J care not greatly how long I stay in this pas­sing [Page 35] fyre, seing that at last, I shall at­taine to life euerlasting: But (alas) deare Brother, let no man say thus, because this Purgatory fyre is more sharp, then any punishment which in this life can be seene, imagined, or felt. He that now will be loath to put one of his fingars into burning fyre, ought to feare the torment of that fyre.

4. Other holy Doctours haue had the like feeling of this matter. The great S. Gregory writeth thus, in 3. Psal. paenit. I know that after this life some must be cleansed by purging fire, and others must receaue sentence of e­ternall dānation; but because I esteeme that purging fire, though it be transi­tory, to be more intollerable then all the tribulation that in this life can be suf­fered, I greatly feare to be purged in the wrath of transitory vengeance. And Venerable Bede, in eund. Psal. affirmeth, That no torture either of martyrs, or malefactours can be com­pared with the paines of Purgatory.

5. Secondly, it is an opinion not [Page 36] improbable that the very least tor­ment in Purgatory doth surpasse the very greatest in this world. Of this opinion is our learned S. An­selme, who (in Elucidat.) speaking of these torments saith: De quibus, minimum maius est quàm maximum, quod in hac. vita excogitari potest: of the which the least is bigger then the biggest, which in this life can be deuised. Amongst the Epistles of S. Austin there is one, which some thinke S. Cyril to haue writ­ten, in which there be these most fearfull words: There is not a man liuing who had not rather be tormen­ted with all the paines and torments together, which all the mē in the world from Adam vntill this time haue suf­fered, then be for one day tormented with the least paine which is either in Hell or Purgatory. Epist. 206. Yea S. Thomas prince of the Deuines, doth proue this to be most true in 4. d. [...]. J. 1. a. 2. because there is not one in Purgatory, who during the time [Page 37] he is there, is not depriued of the sight of God, & that for his owne fault. Now the suffering of this banishment culpably, is a paine greater then all the paines of the world are, or can be. Out of which discourse it followes that there is not any one in Purgatory, who doth not euery instant that he is there suffer more then is or can be suffered in this world, though all myseries should meet in one. O­thers may be of a contrary opini­on, but their opinion may be per­haps more contrary to truth.

6. Thirdly it is an opinion most commonly receaued amongst the greatest Deuines, that the tormēts of Purgatory for the time they last be as grieuous as the torments of Hell. The paines of Hell and Purga­tory be of one greatnes, but those of Hell expect no end, those of Purgatory haue an end, sayth the author of the Epistle which now we cited out of S. Austin. And Denys the Cartha­sian [Page 38] is much of the same opiniō. l. de iud. anim. These opiniōs I thought good to set downe, not as if they were articles of faith (for thē they were not opinions) but to the end we may see, what feeling these great Saints & Doctours of Gods Church haue had of this point. And I adde,

7. Fourthly, that reason it selfe en­lightned by Faith doth conuince these torments to be exceeding great, because these Soules though they be saued, yet are they saued, so as by fire. 1. Cor. 3. Now, of all the tormēts which can be suffered none is more painfull then those of fire, and perhaps all the other tor­ments which our world hath, can scarce so bitterly torture a poore creature, as it would be tortured, if it were possibly for it to be kept without consuming in the midst of the mercilesse flames of a glasse-furnace, the fire of which would soone as it were penetrate it selfe [Page 39] with the very in most parts of that afflicted wretch; his bones would glow like red hoat bars of iron, his marrow would scorch him more fiercely then melted lead, his bloud would boyle more furiously then high-seething oyle, his nayles, his teeth, his grisses, his very skull would be like plates of bright fla­ming brasse all on burning fire. But alas! deare Brother, there be many differences betweene our hoatest fire & the scorching flames of Purgatory. Our fire was created by God meerly for our comfort and commodity: that fire is made for no other end, then to afflict, paine, and torment those guilty Soules. Our fire by being out of the proper sphere, by being min­gled with grosser and duller ele­ments, by cōtrary qualityes which be round about it, and the con­trariety which it findeth in the ve­ry matter it feedeth on, hath the natiue force, actiuity, & fiercenes [Page 40] much abated. That fire hath not one of these hinderances, but ex­erciseth continually in the highest degree all the force of natiue fury. In fine, our fire in comparison of that fire, by holy Doctors, & nam­ly by our worthy Countrey-man Syr Thomas More in the end of his rare worke called, The supplication of the Soule, is styled, & esteemed a kind of painted fire rather then true fire. These considerations made the deuout S. Bernard break into these patheticall words: O would to God some man would now before hand pro­uide for my head abundance of water, and to my eyes a fountaine of teares, for so perhaps the burning fire would take no hould, where running teares had clensed before. de 6. tribul. 16. & 55. in Cant

8. Two other cōsiderations may be added vnto these; the one is the cause why these torments are in­flicted, which is the making of due satisfaction for sinne, which thogh [Page 41] it be but veniall, yet being that it is an offence of God, is a thing so detestable, that it cānot be cōmit­ted either for the gayning of ten thousand worlds, or the auoyding of the greatest euill possible: be­cause the goodnes of God is not to be violated and displeased, his sacred maiesty is not the least to be dishonoured (being that it is so­ueraigne and infinit) for the good of any inferior creature, that is, or may be. Wherfore the so light cō ­mission of so many veniall sins as men daily & hourly commit, can­not be expiated but by punishmēt of a higher rank then we can ima­gin. And this is the reason why the learnedst Doctors & holiest Saints, who had most light of Gods great­nes, had also greatest feeling of the paines due to euery litle offence of so infinit a Nature: and this is the reason why they, whose vnderstad­dings are either clouded with na­turall ignorance, or obscured with [Page 42] sinfull affections, or wholy dark­ned with heresy, are as dul in ap­prehending these paines, as they are blockish in framing a worthy conceit of Gods infinit goodnes and supreme Soueraingty.

9. The other thing heere conside­rable is, that the day of mercy en­ding with the day of our life, we are after to expect nothing els but iustice, and therfore our Sauiour doth verily say vnto vs, that we shal not go out of this prison, vntill we haue payd the last farthing. Math. 5. Which is a terrible cōsideration if we haue a due feeling of our debts; whereunto what we are to say in the fifth Chapter, will exceedingly help. Neither can Protestants be scandalized at what hath heere bin said, if they remember, that ac­cording vnto their faith, all sins are mortall, and therefore deserue e­uerlasting paines.

10. Wel thē, these distressed soules suffering such things as none who [Page 43] hath the hart of a man, could en­dure to see a dog suffer if he could ease him; and these soules being the soules of our Bretheren, the soules of Christs Bretheren, the soules which he loued so dearely, that he most ioyfull spent the very last drop of bloud in his body for their sakes; how can we thus slight their complaints with a deafe eare. O if we were in this pittifull case, how hoatly should we cite those words of our Sauiour, that voice, that outery of nature her selfe: All that you would that men should do for you, do also for them. Matth. 7. Denis the Carthasian relateth the words of one, who by diuine re­uelation was admitted to see these torments, & indeed they be worth relating. God is my witnes (saith he) that if I did see any man, though this man had as cruelly, as man could, ei­ther misused, tortured, or killed my dearest friends, and had done me all the mischiefe, which one man could [Page 44] do to another; yet if J did se this man condemned to such paines as there (in Purgatory) I beheld, I would a thou­sand times, if it could be done, suffer death for his deliuery. l. de iudic. A­nim. art. 23. Such force hath this Consideration liuely apprehēded.

CHAP. IV: The second Motiue, drawne from the intolerable paines the soules suf­fer, by being banished from the sight of God.

1. TO vnderstand how great a paine it is to be banished, though but for a time, from the face of God, is a thing wholy impossible, vntill we come to know, what an infinit good it is to possesse God, but we may haue some little scantling of it by these considerations.

2. The first Consideration: All the ioy, pleasure, dainties, riches, and [Page 45] honours of this world, yea and of a million of worlds, though they were a million of times more ex­cellent then this world is, and all this ioy & happines were eternall; yet all this put togeather, and en­ioyed as perfectly as might be, is a thing no wayes cōparable to that happines which the possession of God for one onely moment doth bring with it; so that to be depri­ued of this possession, debarred of this happines, restrayned of this Blisse (when we are in an estate ca­pable of it, & requiring it) is a mi­sery without all comparison grea­ter then should be the losse of all the riches, honours, and pleasures which the eternall possession of a million of worlds, a million of ti­mes more pleasant then our world could affoard. What griefe then must the losse of this good, cause in a soule that knoweth her losse?

3. The second Consideration. All the torments of this world though [Page 46] they were a thousād times greater, ought according to right reason to be ioyfully suffered, if by the suffering of them altogether, we might be able to purchase the sight of God but for one moment: for to see God is such a good, that it would seeme cheape bought with all those euills, his sight being a good of a far higher order thē any euill can be an euill. Hence it fol­loweth, that the suffering (though but for a moment) the losse of this good, is a misery inconceptible. How cleare is this, and yet how litle vnderstood?

4. The third Consideration may be taken from the liuely & cleare manner with which these soules haue their whole mind and atten­tion fast bent both night and day vpon the greatnes of this their so infinit a losse. We know by expe­rience, that in matter of paine, an­guish, and misery, nothing tor­ments more thē wholy to giue our [Page 47] selues ouer, or rather to be carryed by the violence of them, to the cō ­tinuall consideration of the bit­ternes of our afflictions. All other comforts which may be thought on, for the ease of those desolate Soules, are no more then inough to keep their mindes in a perfect patience amidst a world of so great miseryes.

5. The fourth Consideratiō. The soules do most perfectly loue God, & they do penetrate, in a far per­fecter manner then they could do in this life, the reasons (which are all most forcible) mouing to loue that infinite Goodnes. Wherfore seing themselues on the one side in an estate capable of enioying God, and on the other debarred of en­ioying him (whome they loue so affectionatly, that it is a death to be separated frō him) their minds are as it were torne asunder on the rack of loue. Loue (saith the Scrip­ture Cant. 8.) is as stronge as death, [Page 48] and emulation as hard as hell, the torches of it be torches of fire & flames, many waters cannot quench it neyther can riuers ouerwhelme it &c. Euē in this world where we haue so little knowledge of God in our vnder­standing, & where we follow this knowledge so faintly with our wils; some choice seruants of God suffer strange things in this kind through the absence of their belo­ued, though as yet they are not in an estate fit to enioy him. Father Baptista Sanctius of the Society of Iesus, was one of these; For when he manifested his conscience vnto his Superiour, he professed he was really of opinion, that very griefe would kill him out of hand, if he should come to know for certayne that his life should be prolonged for the space but of one whol day: so truly strong as death was that loue which inflamed his heart to the enioying of his beloued. Lu­dou. de Ponte in vita P. Baltas. c. 17. [Page 49] Few can belieue, and fewer can vn­derstand this; but those who in­deed loue God, see it with their eyes. If the ruthefull moanes of such true louers deserue not com­passion, there is no such thing, as they call Mercy, in the world.

6. The fift Consideration. These soules know they are depriued of this infinit good (which they so ardently loue) for no other cause but their owne fault, their owne carelessy committed sinnes, sinnes which did offend and affront this infinit goodnes, which now they loue so tenderly. And this it is which cutteth, as deep as the shar­pest edge of grief can cut into the softest heart which weepeth with teares of blood as oftē as it thinks (and it can neuer cease from thin­king) that it was not only a trifle which separated it in this manner from God, but a wickednes abo­minable in his sight, an offence of such an Excellency, a contempt of [Page 50] such a Maiesty, a displeasure of such a Goodnes, an ingratitude a­gainst such a Benefactour. All this it is that goeth to their very heart, this all the powers of their Soules bewaile, and lament to the vtter­most of their power, with teares which neither can nor will admit of comfort, vntill due satisfaction be made euen to the least, and last farthing.

7. The sixt and last Consideration differeth in this from the former, that as those soules are tormented with such vnspeakable grief whilst they ponder the miseries of this banishmēt for their owne offences as they are displeasing to him whō they so purely loue; so they are al­so put on a new torture, when out of naturall loue vnto themselues (which now well-ordered charity doth much increase) they attenti­uely consider and deeply penetrate what it is to be depriued of such a good, such a ioy, such a blisse, for [Page 51] such a small, such a no good, such a mischieuous euill as they sinned for, a pleasure so vaine, so short, so vgly, so irrationall, and so per­nicious to their soules, and yet (to vse their language) such was my folly (ah wretch, not only misera­ble but mad) as to forgo euen such a good, for such a bare, such a sha­mefull, such a pestiferous trifle as that was: so many degrees of glory which would haue made me so happy for all eternity, are wholly and irrecouerably lost for a pure (ah most impure) nothing! How oftē was I inspired to do this thing and yet &c. These & far more mi­serable then these be the anguishes of those soules, far greater then eyther those of Esau selling his inheritance for a messe of potage, or those of Adam for making a­way Paradise for the taste of an apple, or any other this world euer had, or shall haue.

8. Summe vp now in thy mind all [Page 52] these considerations together, and thinke, in what a sea of sorrowes that heart must bee, into which day and night so great & so many flouds do vnlade their waues, and yet canst thou not find in thy hart to affoard them some small reliefe? He (saith S. John cap. 1.3.) who pos­sesseth the substance of this world, and shall see his brother to haue necessity, and shutteth his bowels from him, how doth the Charity of God remaine in this man? He saith not, how doth the charity towards his neighbour but how doth the Charity of God remaine in him? And if thou whosoeuer thou art, thus shuttest thy bowels in a necessity, as ex­treme almost as a necessity can be, of thy owne and Christs brother, I am sure that the charity of thy neighbour hath no place in thee: but as for charity towards God, it is not I, but S. Iohn, who doth as it were denying aske, how doth the charity of God remaine in thee?

CHAP. V. The third Motiue taken from the long time that these Paines do indure.

1. IF these paines were to be ended in a short space, our hard-hartednes might thē haue some excuse: but (speaking stil of what happeneth for the most part) it is a thing scarce to be dou­bted of, that they continue very long: for the holy Church is ac­customed to keepe the Anniuersa­ryes of those who dyed a hundred, or two hundred yeares ago. Whēce it appeareth, that there is reason to feare that many haue a long stay in Purgatory. The learned Bellar­mine l. 2. de gemit. columb. cap. 2. doth recount some histories very au­thenticall (as he excellently pro­ueth) out of which it appeareth that diuers soules are condemned [Page 54] to Purgatory euen till the day of Iudgement. And Tertullian, one of the ancientest fathers, speaking of these paines of Purgatory saith, Thou shalt not depart perhaps vntill the day of thy Resurrection. lib. de ani­ma c. 17.

2. Now, if we require why God doth hould this manner of procee­ding, in rather deteyning vs long time in our punishments, then in adding to the bitternes of our tor­ments that which is taken out in length of time; we can deuise no other reason, then that our sinnes haue deserued this misery also, and men would litle apprehend to suf­fer all that could be suffered in one moment, if the next moment they were to be eternally happy; and therefore God, who in his seuere iudgement had a mercifull regard to that which would worke most with our dull apprehensions, did ordaine that (as S. Augustin spe­aketh, hom. 15. ex. 50. hom.) Quanta [Page 55] fuerit peccati materia, tanta esset trā ­scunti mora; so great as the matter of our sinnes shall haue bin, so long should be the stay of our passage. The best way therfore to make vs haue some conceit of the long cō ­tinuance of these paines, is to see how great the matter vses to be on which they feed; that is, what a kind of quantity the sinnes of men vse most commonly to amount vnto.

3. A little Arithmaticke will giue vs a great insight in this matter. The iust man is said to sinne seuen ti­mes a day: wherfore we may easily allow thrice more a day to one of those whom we call good and ho­nest men, such as the world hath but few of: such a man therfore as this is, doth sinne (venially) ten times a day, taking one day with another. The dayes in a whole yeare are three hundred sixty fiue, wherefore he who euery day sin­neth ten times, must at the yeares [Page 56] end haue sinned ten times as often as there be dayes in a yeare; which summe is easily found out by only putting one cypher to the number of the dayes in the yeare, which are 365. add now one cypher & we shall haue 3650. So that the sinnes of this good man, euē in one yeare come to no lesse, then three thou­sand six hundred and fifty. But if this honest man should liue euen in this good manner ten yeares, he should at ten yeares end haue cō ­mitted the former summe ten ti­mes, because he doth double it e­uery yeare, which sūme also is ea­sily had by adding one cypher to the former summe of 3650. which if we doe, we do find 36500. What a thing is this? An innocent man, not a man but a youth doth com­mit thirty six thousand and fiue hundred sinnes all in ten yeares; wherfore if the youth should for ten yeares more continue this his vertuous course of life, he would [Page 57] double the sinnes of his former life, and make them amount to seuenty three thousand, before he came to be a middle aged man. O, saith S. Augustine, perhaps when thou dost consider a little sinne a part, & by it selfe, thou dost slight it; yet saith he, si comtemnis quando appendis, expauesce quando numeras: Jf thou contemnest thy little sinnes whē thou dost weigh them; yet tremble when thou dost number them. in epist. Joan. tract. 1.

4. Let vs reflect now a little, be­fore we go any further, what a kind of Purgatory this man, a mā not fully of midle age, a man very pious, a man who neuer commit­ted one mortall sinne, would be lyable vnto, if he should dy at this age: for perhaps of those seuenty three thousand sinnes, he hath not fully satisfyed for the odd three thousand; or if he hath, he hath done more then most men vse to doe: for of all miseryes one of the [Page 58] greatest is, that those who sinne most, haue least care to satisfy for their sinnes: now what a Purgato­ry thinke you, seuenty thousand sinnes will deserue? Thy iudgments (O God) are a deep bottomles pit! Psal. 35.

5. But why put we a case which so seldome happens? The ordinary course of men is to commit many and enormous mortall sinnes, and veniall without all scruple, & con­sequently without all number; yea many hould on this straine vntill they come to be very old, & vna­ble by reason of their yeares, & vnwilling by reason of their ill ha­bits to do any Pennance, and so they content thēselues with spen­ding some few houres to deplore and confesse those sinnes, which amount to far more thousands, thē there be minutes in the houres which they spend in lamēting thē. Consider now how vnsufficiently the grief of one minute is to cancel [Page 59] out all the paines due to a whole thousand of sinnes, and many of them very enormous.

6. There is also another thing in this reckoning to be much refle­cted on: that he, who should haue but one only mortall sinne, would be lyable after the forgiuenes of it, to a punishment far different (& God know's how far) from that which he is lyable vnto who hath only veniall sinnes to satisfy for, though their number be exceeding great; for if one mortall sinne be­fore it be forgiuen, be lyable vnto an eternity of punishment, & most bitter punishment, & consequent­ly to such a punishment, as all the veniall sinnes a man can commit, would neuer deserue the hundreth thousand part of it; I will leaue it to a right valuing iudgement to esteeme how much more paine God is like to impose vpon him who hath this one forgiuen mortall sinne to satisfy for, then [Page 60] on him, who hath onely veniall sinnes, and those also forgiuen, to satisfy for, though the number of them should be exceeding great. Well then, if one mortall sinne bringeth with it such a dreadfull Purgatory, how are they like to be dealt withall, who euery day run vpon the score, & thus conti­nue not for many dayes, but years together, during which time they being alwayes in sinne neuer make satisfaction for the least they com­mit. If holy Dauid said, Psal. 39. My iniquityes haue layd hold on me, J was not able to see them (they were so many,) for they were multiplyed a­boue the hayres of my head; what may these men (who drinke vp iniquity like water, Iob. 15.) think of the mul­titude of their sinnes, who perhaps haue a hundred for Dauids one? Such like considerations as these made the deuout S. Bouauēture cry out; I haue sinned aboue the number of the sands of the sea. How then shall [Page 61] J number that which is without num­ber? How shall I suffice when I shalbe inforced to pay my debt to the very last farthing? S. Bonau. in paruo bono.

7. But let vs marke a litle what sa­tisfaction is vsually made by those that stand in so great need of it. The ordinary wayes to satisfy be these, Fasting, Prayer, & Almes­deeds, and sometimes by Indul­gences; and all these things must be done in the state of Grace, in which these men are seldome long togeather, and therefore most of these workes (of which they doe so few) come wholy to be lost: but when they are not thus cast away, let vs see what they will come to. As for fasting, when it cannot be shifted of by any pretence, fast they do, but God, knowes how many times they loose, eyther the whole or the greater part of this good worke: for they haue so many in­uentions to sweetē their fasts with such variety of dainty dishes, that [Page 62] it is much to be feared, least in place of satisfying for their old sinnes, they commit new sinnes of gluttony, which require a new sa­tisfaction. Now for prayer it is cō ­monly performed by them with so many distractions, irreuerences, and other imperfections, that the world may seeme not to goe amisse if there be inough of their Pray­ers made so well that it may suffice to make due recompence for that which is made so ill. Almesdeeds the poore cannot giue, & the rich will not, for they do liue & meane euer to liue, say what you will, at so high a rate, that they thinke they do a great matter, if they can get inough honestly to maintaine their brauery, & to discharge their debts: For as for paying the debts they owe to God they are resolued that he shalbe payed last. Indul­gences indeed are one of the great mercys of God, which in how great need we stand of, any man of iud­gement [Page 63] will see clearly by this whole discours; but such is eyther the in­fidelity, or strange carelesnesse of most men (especially of such as haue most need) that perhaps the grosse neglect of them, may well be reckoned for one of the chief causes, why many broyle so long in the flames of Purgatory.

8. It is now high time to end this discourse, and I humbly & earne­stly beseech the reader to take sō ­times into his consideration the poynts mentioned, as well for his owne spirituall profit, as for relief of his poore brethrens soules bur­ning in Purgatory-flames, & sup­plicating to his Charity for suc­cour: which if he do, I doubt not but he wilbe moued to compas­sion, and to a speedy and liberall contribution of many satisfacto­ry good works.

CHAP. VI. That for the loue we beare to God, we ought to be much moued to help the Soulet in Purgatory.

1. HItherto we haue only treated of such Moti­ues as Charity towards our neighbour doth force vpō vs: Now we will passe to the motiues which pure Charity towards God doth present vnto vs; and after­wards we will come to those mo­tiues, which well-ordered Charity towards our selues doth offer vs. To our present purpose then: A Soule which is enamored on Per­fection, and desireth to please God in the highest manner, hath very many, and efficacious motiues to make her forward, to ayde the soules in Purgatory.

2. The first motiue: God is of an excellency, worth, and perfection [Page 65] so infinite, that he deserueth all possible loue, and honour. This consideratiō maketh vs cast about to see how we may procure, that this Excellency may be more per­fectly loued & glorified: wherfore cōsidering that on earth we know him so imperfectly, and loue him so couldly, and glorify him so meanly; we rest little satisfied with all which can be done by vs on earth; and so we seeke yet further, and consider how perfectly God is knowne by the blessed in heauen, how they loue that Goodnesse, how they glorify that Maiesty. Hence we burne with an ardent desire, that God may in this su­blime manner be more knowne, loued and honoured: & then mar­king that it is in our power to pro­cure this, by obtaining the deliue­ry of some soule, or soules out of Purgatory, which, being freed frō thence by our meanes, would for euer and euer loue & honour God [Page 66] in that most perfect manner; we bend our selues wholy to procure the deliuerance of these soules out of pure loue to Almighty God.

3. The second motiue. When we consider our infinite obligations to God for his manifold benefits showred down vpon vs, and being inflamed with a restlesse desire of shewing our selues truly gratefull, though wholy vnable, during the time of this mortall life, to thanke him as it is fitting; we vse the best meanes we can deuise, to procure worthy thankes to be giuen him by some Soule, or Soules freed by our meanes, which both day and night may praise, extoll, & thanke this diuine Goodnesse.

4. The third Motiue. When we consider how great a Maiesty, how infinite a Goodnesse, how great a benefactour we haue so often and so grieuously offended, we feele in our selues a strong & working de­sire of repayring this dishonour [Page 67] done to that Maiesty, and cancel­ling our owne ingratitude, by the greatest honour we can inuent to procure; and therfore we imploy cheerfully our best good deeds in working the releasmēt of as many soules as we can, that by their per­petuall glorifying God, a perfecter recompence may be made for the dishonour we haue done him.

5. The fourth Motiue is drawne out of the precedent put together, in this manner. God whose excel­lency is so great, whose goodnesse so infinite, whose benefits so ma­ny fold, whom I am obliged to sa­tisfy for so many and so great sin­nes: this God, I say, taketh all that is done vnto his brethren for his sake, as gratefully as if it were done vnto himselfe; as Christ hath taught vs in plaine words, As long as you haue done these thinges to any one of my Brethren, you haue done them vnto me. Matth. 25. How can I then hould my selfe from vsing [Page 68] any meanes, by which I may per­forme a thing as gratefull to my deare Lord, as if he had indured the excessiue torments of Purga­tory, and I had released him? My Hart is hard, but I must confesse that this consideration doth make it yield, and if there were no argu­ment but this, this alone might conuince all men.

CHAP. VII. That, by offering our actions for the Soules in Purgatory, we purchase many great Commodities for our selues, and sustaine no Jncommodity.

1. TO make this title good I will shew, that by this Deuotion we do not merit lesse but more. Secōdly, that thus our actions are not lesse but more impetratory. Thirdly, that thus we do not lesse, but more sa­tisfy for our sinnes. Fourthly, that [Page 69] thus we haue great hope to escape eyther all, or part of the paines of Purgatory. Fiftly, that thus we do nothing against Charity towards our selues; but that we should do against the perfection of this Cha­rity, if we should not thus offer our actions for the soules in Pur­gatory. All these fiue points we will (by Gods grace) indeauour to make cleare in the next ensuing chapters, treating a part of euery one of them in order in a peculiar chapter; and that all which hereaf­ter we are to say, may be better vnderstood, we will spend this pre­sent Chapter in declaring how the busines doth passe, when we offer any workes for the soules in Pur­gatory.

2. It is therfore most diligently to be noted, as the ground of all we are to say, that our vertuous acti­ons may haue these three seuerall proprietyes together. They may be meritorious, they may be im­petratory, [Page 70] they may be satisfacto­ry. They are meritorious when they are good workes performed in the grace of God, hauing an e­ternall reward promised vnto thē. They are impetratory, for they do obtaine (besides the crowne of iustice, which the iust iudge layeth vp for thē against the day of his coming. 2. Tim. 4) many other fauours bestowed vpō them by the bountifull hād of our mercifull father: As for example, the life of our friend; as Dauid ho­ped to obtaine, when he prayed and wept, and fasted a fast, & went in a­side, and lay vpon the ground. 2. Reg. 12. to beg the life of his sonne: Or the conuersion of others, as the prayer made by S. Stephen did ob­taine of God the conuersion of S. Paul. Act. 7. as S. Augustin teacheth; in fine, ask & you shall haue. Luc. 11. Our good workes also are satis­factory, eyther alwayes (as many excellent Deuines hold) or (as all hold) if they be workes of any [Page 71] labour, paine, or difficulty, as fa­sting, Prayer, and Almes-deeds; yea what good works are there, which our corrupted nature fee­leth not difficulty in? Let vs see what foundation this ground of our discourse hath in holy Scrip­ture.

3. That our good workes are me­ritorious, is expresly taught in the 6. of S. Matthew: and those good workes are put by name, which make more for our purpose, to wit fasting, prayer & Almesdeeds the reward of which works we are there said to loose, if we do thē pu­blikly out of vanity; but if thou doest them in humble secrecy, Thy Father, who seeth thee in secret, will repay thee. And least any man should thinke, that only great workes should be rewarded, our Sauiour in plaine tearmes doth tell vs, that he who giueth but a cup of cold water, shall not want his reward, if it be done for his sake: & we may [Page 72] see how mindful our Lord is of his promlse, for in the last iudgement day to those, who shall haue done such good workes as these are, he will say: Come you blessed of my Fa­ther possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the making of the world, for J was hungry, & you gaue me to eate, thirsty and you gaue me to drinke. Matth. 25. Marke how God doth giue them heauen for the doing of good workes. Possesse, saith he, the kingdome, for you gaue me to eate, to drinke &c. And somewhat be­fore in the same Chapter: Because thou wert faithfull ouer a few things J will place thee ouer many; enter into the ioy of thy Lord. Marke this cau­sall, because thou wert faithfull. This is the cause for which Christ saith, he giueth heauen. Let Luther, let Caluin, let those who care for no good workes, name what other cause they please.

4. That our good Workes are im­petratory, that is, haue vertue to [Page 73] mooue the liberality, goodnesse, & mercy of God, to bestow, in re­gard of them, the grant of many fauours, when by prayer they are offered vp for this end (for if they be not thus offered vp, as they are ioyned and applyed to this end by prayer, perhaps not any good workes at all are impetratory, ex­cepting only prayer it selfe; & not all prayer, but such as containeth some petition:) That, I say, good workes are impetratory, whē they are thus ioyned with prayer, is e­uidently prooued out of that fast of Dauid, who with the Prayer made for his sonnes life, ioyned al­so other workes of pennance, ly­ing on the ground, fasting &c. For the child, saith he, whilst he did yet liue, I did fast & weepe, but now see­ing he is dead, why should I fast? 2. Reg. 12.

5. That our good workes are sa­tisfactory, that is, that they (per­formed and dignified by Grace [Page 74] grāted through Christ his merits) haue vertue to cancell out sin, and the paines due to sin, is most cleare in Scripture; & Heretikes (if loath­nesse to make satisfaction for their sinnes did not blind them) cannot but see it. Almesdeeds free frō death: and Almes-deeds it is, which purgeth sinne, and maketh vs find mercy, and life euerlasting. Tob. 12. Almes-deeds free from sinne, and from death, and they do not suffer the soule to goe into darknesse. Tob. 4. Water quencheth the burning fier, and Almes-deeds re­sist sinne. Eccl. 3. In the eleauenth Chapter of S. Luke our Sauiour speaking to the Scribes and Phari­ses saith, that they shall be condemned in the day of iudgment; that the bloud of all the Prophets slaine from the be­ginning of the world, shall be required at their hands: and six times one af­ter another he pronounceth Woe against them; & to those vncleane men our Sauiour at the very same time said: Neuerthelesse, for that [Page 75] which remaineth giue Almes, and be­hold all things are made cleane vnto you, as sinfull people as you are. Wherfore let my counsell please thee (it is the most excellēt counsell of the Prophet Daniel) redeeme thy sinnes with Almes-deeds, and thy iniquityes with the workes of mercy. Dan. 4.

6. This being thus declared, it may easily be vnderstood, how things do passe whē we offer vp any work for the soules in Purgatory. For first, the good worke thus offered vp is meritorious, and therfore we alwaies merit by it: neither can we giue this merit away, because re­ward is only due, & Scripture pro­miseth it to those only, who shall haue done well; wherfore we loose not the least parcell of the merit of our good workes, if we do them for the soules in Purgatory, yea we much increase it, as shal be shewed. Secondly, the good worke thus offered is impetratory, that is, it is apt to mooue Gods mercy to [Page 76] graunt that fauour, for obtaining of which it is offered w [...] as a hap­py death, peace among Christians, the long and happy life of our no­ble King, or such like things. Now the obtaining of all these requests is not the least hindered, but very much (as we shall shew) furthered, though these workes, which we do, be giuen to the soules in Pur­gatory, and offered vp to God for the satisfaction of the paines due vnto their sinnes not fully satisfied for. Thirdly and lastly, this good worke, which we offer for the soules in Purgatory, is satisfacto­ry, and according to this satisfa­ctory vertue which it hath (& not as it is either meritorious or impe­tratory) we do commonly apply it to the soules in Purgatory, be­cause the thing which these poore soules stand most in need of, is ma­king satisfaction for their sins not fully satisfied for: which satisfa­ction we make in their behalfe, as [Page 77] holy Job did in behalfe of his son­nes, when he offered daily sacrifi­ces for their sinnes. How this is not against Charity towards our selues, shall be declared hereafter.

CHAP. VIII. That by offering our actions for the Soules in Purgatory, we do not merit lesse, but more.

1. THat we do not merit lesse, is euident out of the last Chapter: that we merit more then otherwise we should haue done, if we had not applied these our actions to the soules in Purgatory, is taught by the Prince of Deuines S. Thomas l. 3. cont. Gentes c. 158. in these words: The affection of Charity in him who suffereth for his friend doth make his satisfaction more pleasing to God, then if he had suffered for his owne selfe. And it is certaine out of holy [Page 78] Scripture, that Charity doth adde an exceeding worth and value to our least actions; for only Charity it is, which maketh a cup of cold water giuen for Christs sake, to be rewarded in the life to come. And only Charity it was, which made the poore widdows mite of greater price, then the richest guifts.

2. Now then all meriting hath for reward some higher degree of ce­lestiall glory; which degree should not haue bin purchased without that meritorious worke had bin done: so that if there be two men, who before were of equall merits, & the one of thē should but giue a cup of cold water more for Christs sake, then the other should giue, this man for this so small a good work, should haue a higher degree of glory then the other, and con­sequently he should see God for all eternity more perfectly, and be for euer more happy then the o­ther. So that if we did truly loue ei­ther [Page 79] God or our selues, we should thinke all sufferings whatsoeuer, euen those of Purgatory, to be a small price for the least degree of glory, for indeed the least is a good so great, that the suffering of ne­uer so long a Purgatory for pur­chasing it, would not be so much as suffering a flea-bite to purchase the Empire of the whole world. It would make a man blesse him­selfe to see, how starke mad men are in neglecting such a good.

3. To our purpose thē, I say, that by applying our actions to the soules in Purgatory we do merit more, then if we had not applyed them to this end; and not onely more, but very much more: and therefore though we did sustayne other many, and great inconueni­ences, yet they were all to be ac­counted as nothing in comparison of these inestimable treasures of merit, which by this deuotion we purchase. The causes which make [Page 80] this act of so high merit, may be many, for as we haue shewed in the sixt chapter, this deuotion may be a worke of most singular Charity, most admirable Gratitude, most rare Contrition, most tender loue towards our Lord & Sauiour. But that which in a particular manner doth rayse the worth of this actiō, is the most ardent charity, and pi­ous mercy towards our Neigh­bour, which here is so resplendāt, that it doth containe, and surpasse all and euery one of those works of mercy which our Sauiour esteems so dearly, that vnto them by name he shall giue the eternall possession of heauen, when he shall come to iudge. For he shall say vnto those who stand at the right and: Come yee blessed of my Father and possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the making of the world, for J was hungry and you gaue me to eate, I was thirsty and you gaue me to drinke, a pilgrime and you entertained me, naked & you [Page 81] cloathed me, sick and you did visit me, imprisoned and you came vnto me. Matth. 25. This act, I say, both conteyneth, & surpasseth all those works put togeather. For who re­lieueth a soule in Purgatory, though he giueth not a peece of bread to the hungry, yet he giueth the food of life & bread of Angels to one, who was tormented worse then death with the hunger of it. He giueth not a cup of cold water to the thirsty, but he giueth the fountaine of liuing water, which runneth into life euerlasting, vnto him, whose thirst of it was so in­tollerable, that no paine in the world can be compared to it. He doth not lodge a poore harbour­les pilgrime in a barne for a night, but for the whole long day of eter­nity, he lodgeth in the heauenly mansions, a poore soule, which wandred from this her home euer since her creation. He giueth not a few cast-of rags to cloath the na­ked, [Page 82] but he giueth the marriage garment vnto him, who for want of it was cast for a time into out­ward darknes. He doth not giue a comfortable visit vnto one who lyeth sicke of a burning feauer; but him, who burneth with Pur­gatory flames, he carrieth to visit for euer God, and his Angels. In fine, he doth not goe to the im­prisoned to afford them some smal assistance, but he bringeth one out of the fiery dungeon of Purgatory into the liberty of the children of God.

4. Another cause there is, which doth wonderfully exagerate the worth of all these things, which followeth in the aboue cited Scri­pture. For when the Blessed shall say: Lord when haue we seene thee hungry, & fed thee? our Lord shall answere them: Verily I say vnto you, as long as you haue done any of these things to one of these my least brethrē, you haue done them vnto me. O what [Page 83] reward shall be haue of so liberall a maiesty, who hath done so grate­full a seruice, as the very freeing of Christ himselfe from Purgatory (if so he could be liable vnto it) would be.

5. The cause which may make the merit of this act to amount to an inconceptible greatnes, is this, that those who are truly deuoted to as­sist these soules, receiue daily such copious showers of diuine graces, that, if they be not very backward in corresponding vnto them, they must needs go on daily increasing the treasures of their merits? For though many doubt, whether the soules whilst they remaine in Pur­gatory do pray for him by name who doth pray for them (because they not seeing God, cannot know who they are who pray for them) yet there seemes to be all reason that they should make in a generall māner incessant prayer to Almigh­ty God to blesse all those, who [Page 84] shall pray for them; for this opi­nion is both pious and probable, as Snares saith, lib. 1. de orat. c. 2. And Denis the Carthusian recounteth, how that in a diuine reuelation, these words by a seruant of God were heard to be vttered with the common voyce of the soules in Purgatory: O Lord God grant, out of thy incomprehensible power, a hundred fold reward to all those in the world who with their prayers do help vs, and lift vs vp towards the light of thy dei­ty. (de indic. anim. circa finem.) How­soeuer, no man can doubt, but whē they come to heauen, they will both day & night, as efficaciously as they can recommend vnto Al­mighty God the necessityes of all those, who were so charitable vn­to them, as to obtaine their deli­uery out of their horrible tormēts, and to purchase for them the light of God, whome to see one mo­ment sooner, they know now what a good it is.

[Page 85]6. What gratefull hart then, can euer forget such a benefactour, es­pecially when without any labour at all, yea with greatest pleasure & content, he can abūdantly requite his charity. Ingratitude is a vice, & hath no place in heauē. More grat­full therfore questionles will these soules be, most gratfull will be all their friends, acquaintance, & kin­dred, their Angel-guardians, and Patrons, yea all the whole Court of heauen; seeing that there is that perfect charity amongst the Bles­sed, that euery one of them is no lesse glad of his neighbours good, then he is of his owne: & this acti­on is incomparably more gratfull vnto them, in regard that the ho­nour of the diuine Maiesty is much increased, and our Blessed Sauiour so singularly pleased by it, that it is as acceptable vnto him, as if he himselfe in person had bin the par­ty deliuered from the paines of Purgatory, and brought to a more [Page 86] speedy fruition of eternall beati­tude. O my deare brother, depriue not these poore soules, of this re­liefe, thy selfe of these merits, the whole Court of heauē of this ioy, Christ of this comfort, God of this honour.

CHAP. IX. That our actions offered vp for the soules in Purgatory, are not lesse, but more impetratory of other fauours.

1. FIRST I must intreat my Reader to call to mind that, which in the last Chapter but one hath bin said cō ­cerning the impetratory vertue of our actions, which being applyed to the soules in Purgatory accor­ding to their satisfactory vertue only, reteyne notwithstanding the selfe same vertue to impetrate, which they should haue had, thogh [Page 87] they had not bin thus applyed for as I satisfy for my sins by that very Prayer, by which I beg my daily bread, and the obtaining of this petition, is nothing hindered by this satisfaction; so the worke which satisfieth for the sins of o­thers, doth not become lesse apt to mooue the Goodnes of God to the graunt of any fauour, for obteyning of which, this worke may also be offered. Wherefore they are in an errour, who thinke that they must cast all other deuo­tions aside, and neither pray for themselues, nor for their frends, nor for their owne priuat, or the publike necessityes, if they follow our aduice in praying, fasting, gi­uing almes, & offering vp all their other good works for the soules in Purgatory; whereas all these things may be performed without the least hinderance to the obtai­ning of any thing they cā request: for these works only, as they are [Page 88] satisfactory, may be applyed for the reliefe of these soules, and as they are impetratory, they may be offered vp for the obteyning of what we please.

2. True it is, that sometyms the very thing, which we do desire, & petition in our prayers, is the re­liefe of the soules in Purgatory, & we do actually craue, intreat, and beg for this; and vnto this our so earnest request we do ioyne other works of fasting, almesdeeds &c. to moue the mercy of God to heare graciously this our petitiō; & then we need not wonder if our prayers, as they are impetratory, do not impetrate for vs other fa­uours, for we neuer did demand them: so when I pray for the he­alth of my Father, this prayer of mine doth not impetrate the he­alth of my mother: and euen as, when I pray for both the health of my Father and of my Mother, this prayer of mine is not so efficaci­ous [Page 89] to obtaine the health of my Father, as it would haue bin, if it had bin made for that end onely and no other: so I pray for other things, and also for the soules in Purgatory, this prayer of mine is not perhaps so efficacious to ob­tain those other things, as it would haue bin, if it had bin made for those only, and for nothing els. I did say (perhaps) for there be many reasons (as we shall see presently) for which Prayer, thus made, be­commeth very efficacious for the obtaining those other requestes, which I desire to haue granted, & which perhaps may further the grant of them, far more then pray­ing for them alone would do.

3. But for the present, let vs sup­pose that such a prayer is lesse ef­fectuall for obtaining of other things; yet this ought not to make men more backward to pray for the soules in Purgatory; for shall I neuer pray for my Mother, because [Page 90] by the same prayer I obtaine some what lesse for my Father, then I should haue done, if I had prayed for him only? In the choice of thes intentions, for which we pray, we must regard many things, as the greater glory of God, the necessity of our Neighbour, our owne spi­rituall aduancement, the common good of the Church, and the like. Now perhaps all things well consi­dered, there will scarce be found a­ny one thinge, which ought so de­arly to be commended to our de­uotions as praying for the dead, in the which, among other thinges, there is also this to be noted, that as S. Thomas saith, in suppl. 3. p. q. 21. a. 5. God doth rather accept of prayers for the dead then for the liuing because they not being able, as the li­uing are, to help themselues, do more stand in need of the help of others. To the which we may ad a worthy cō ­sideration of S. Denis, that famous disciple of S. Paul (de Eccl. Hier. c. [Page 91] 7. p. 5.) to wit, that when we pray for the liuing, our prayer many ti­mes, as it is impetratory, obtaineth nothing at all, because the thing we pray for is not conuenient to be granted, or because (to vse his ex­ample) the sins of those we pray for, do hinder this effect: as the sins of Saul did hinder that the prayers of Samuel could not be he­ard in his behalf, 1. Reg. 15.16. This in praying for the dead doth neuer take place, for those who are de­parted in Gods grace, as S. Augu­stine, in Enchir. c. 100. teacheth, deserued whilst they liued, that these helps of prayers might profit them after their death.

4. Let vs come now to the reasōs for which (as I began to infinuate) our prayers are far more impetra­tory when we remember the dead in them, then when we omit this charitable remembrance. The first reason is, because this praying for the dead, is an act of mercy so ex­cellent, [Page 92] that it doth in a super-emi­nent manner containe and surpasse all the corporall deeds of mercy put together, as hath bin demon­strated. Now, there is no more ef­ficacious meanes to stir vp the mer­cy and liberality of God towards vs, then the exercise of works of mercy and liberality: For as our Sauiour saith Math. 6. Blessed be the mercifull, because they shall obtaine mercy. And againe, Marc. 4. In what measure you shall measure vnto others, it shall be measured back to goe againe, (& adijcietur vobis) and measured back with great increase. Will you know with how great? S. Luke tel­leth you: A good measure, a heaped measure, a measure pressed downe, & running ouer they shall giue into your bosome. Luc. 6. With what words could the largnesse of this measure haue bin more fully set forth? And indeed of so good a God we could expect no other: far be it from him that our liberality should rather [Page 93] shut, thē open his hands. His deeds will euer prooue his saying true: Giue, & it shall be giuen vnto you, in the measure declared vnto you, in this very place.

5. And we may be the more confi­dent of this particuler act, because our Sauiour taketh it as done vnto himselfe; and therefore doubtles as those soules, which we haue de­liuered, cannot but be most ready to further any iust petition, which we shall make so our deare Lord, who counteth himselfe to be the person released, will neuer be wā ­ting in the furtherance of whatso­euer we shall piously desire. Now, to haue his good word so sure on our side, must needs be of greater cōsequence for obtaining any rea­sonable fauour, then any thing we can deuise. And as far as my ca­pacity can reach, I cannot con­ceiue in what māner we may more efficaciously compasse the grant of al our most important requests, [Page 94] then by thus obliging (as I may say) Christ our Lord to speake in our behalfe with that earnestnes, which we may imagin those soules to vse whom we haue relieued.

6. The R. F. Alexis de Salo writeth thus of himselfe, Part. 1. §. 2. One of my particuler denotions is, when­soeuer I desire to obtaine any fauour for my selfe, or any other, to say some few prayers for the dead; and J assure you, J haue experienced in my selfe & others, strange effects. Many haue found and still do find wonderfull fauours in their iourneys by offe­ring the labour of that dayes tra­uell, or doing some other good work for the soules in Purgatory, so that in some places this is very commonly practised; and many such like deuotions are of more admirable effect then men will ea­sily belieue.

7. A further reason why our pray­ers, when we remember the soules of Purgatory in them, do become [Page 95] of far greater efficacy to obtaine our requests, is this: Because (as hath bin insinuated) this prayer, though of it selfe it hath not this greater efficacy, yet what it wan­teth of it selfe, it procureth to be far more effectually performed by the help of those voices, which it winneth, amonge which the first place is to be giuen to the Word in­carnate, whose words cannot but be heard: I did know, that thou dost alwayes heare me, saith this our Lord Joan. 9. The voices also of Heauens whole Court cannot but ioyne with the Word, both because their affections are vnited with an inse­parable true-louers-knot, & be­cause there is not one in heauen, who thinketh not himselfe to haue particuler interest in the furthe­rance of this cause; for all that Blessed mansion loue the soule re­leased, euē as they loue their owne soules, and therfore (as a graue Do­ctor saith) they all reioyce at the feli­city [Page 96] of euery one of their Bretheren, as much as at their owne. (Hugo l. 4. de anim. c. 15.) and consequently all and euery one of them will be in a manner as forward to assist vs, as those soules will be, who were re­leased by our prayers. And who cā expresse how ready these soules released, or releiued by vs, are to help vs in all occurences? Tell me now, what meanes can you inuent more efficacious to make, in a mā ­ner, sure whatsoeuer you request?

CHAP. X. That by offering our Actions for the Soules in Purgatory, we do not lesse, but more satisfy for our owne Sinnes.

1. NOw we come to that point, which onely hath difficulty in this matter; for it may seeme clear that when we giue away to others the [Page 97] fruits of our owne satisfaction, we cannot enioy these fruits our sel­ues, no more then we can pay our debts with the same mony which we pay for the debts of our frēds. This difficulty is very solidly an­swered by saying that, which is most true, to wit, that to pray for, and assist the soules in Purgatory is an act so highly meritorious of grace and glory, an act so impetra­tory of such things as may be eter­nally beneficial to our owne soules that the losse of the fruit of our sa­tisfactions is nothing to be valued in regard of the gaine, which we purchase, as may appeare by what hath bin said before Cap. 8. nu. 2. A second, and sufficient answere might be, that this losse may fully be repayred by the gayning of In­dulgēces for our selues. So though I cannot pay my owne debts with the same mony which I pay out for the debts of my friends, yet I may by fauour, procure a releasment of [Page 98] my owne debts, and so be as free from them, as if I had payd them with that mony, which I liberally layd out to discharge my frends debt. That such fauours or Indul­gences may be obtayned, we will proue at large Chap. 14.

2. But these two Answers being for the present let passe, I intend to make good the title of this Chap­ter, and to shew that this deuotion is a rare kind of satisfaction. For vnderstanding of which it is much to be noted, that when we do any good worke for the soules in Pur­gatory, for example when we fast or pray, or giue almes for them, we haue such a kind of act, as this is, J do offer this Fast, this Prayer, this Almes, for such a soule, or soules in Purgatory. The thing therefore which we giue away, is only such a fast, prayer, or almes, and of the fruit of this worke as it is satisfa­ctory, we wholy depriue our sel­ues, & consequently as it is satisfa­ctory, [Page 99] it maketh no satisfactiō for our sinnes, but only for their sins for whom we did offer it: yet that act, by which I, offering this Fast for another, depriue my selfe of the fruit therof, redoūdeth wholy to my profit: neyther doth any part of it benefit any one, but my selfe. Now I affirme that with this act, by which with so great charity to God & my neighbour, I giue a­way this fast, this almes, this pray­er, I do both satisfy for my sinnes, and satisfy in no meane manner, but in a manner far more excellent then is ordinarily conceaued.

3. For first this is an act most meri­torious, & consequētly most satis­factory. For as the learned Vasquez teacheth 2. p. q. 94. dub. 5. n. 3. Euery good worke for the self same cause for which it doth deserue to be re­warded in heauen, deserueth also freedom from such impediments as may hinder the enioying of this reward, such an impediment as the [Page 100] being in Purgatory would be. Mo­reouer, the more that we by our good deeds do endeare our selues to the diuine Maiesty, the more we do recompence any former dis­pleasure done vnto him. Gratefull seruices cannot but abolish old offences. Hence also Deuines of prime note do auerre, that all good acts are in the selfe same degree sa­tisfactory, in which they are meri­torious. So saith Victoria, Soto, Le­desma &c. Now, we haue demon­strated that this act is in a very high degree meritorious, & ther­fore by consequence it must be in a very high degree satisfactory.

4. But let vs consider a little more this act by it selfe: First it cannot but be hard and laborious to cor­rupted nature to be willing to fast for another, pray for another, giue almes for another: and if this be not very difficult, why do you hold back so much, seing it may be so beneficiall vnto you: If you [Page 101] find no difficulty, because your Charity towards your neighbour is such, that with ioy you can do all these things for his sake; this pi­ous disposition of yours, doth not lessen, but increase the satisfactory vertue of this act. For as excellen­tly S. Thomas, in suppl. q. 15. a. 1. The lessening of the payne which proceeds from the readines of the will caused by Charity, doth not diminish, but incre­ase the efficacy of our satisfaction.

5. Againe, this is an act of rare Charity towards God, whose glory we aduance by thus procuring the increase of his honour done to him in heauen by the soules we release, and towards our Neighbour, to whō we procure the greatest good that may be. Now (as Konincke saith, de Sacram. disp. 10. de satisf. dub. 4.) Not a few, but all Deuines do teach, that by an act of charity produ­ced with neuer so much ease and de­light, a man may satisfy for all the paines he hath deserued. The Scrip­ture [Page 102] telleth vs as much: Many sinnes are forgiuen her, because she hath lo­ued much. Luc. 7. Aboue all things hauing continuall mutuall charity a­mong your selues, because charity doth couer the multitude of sinnes. 1. Pet. 4. And if this be not inough, Charity doth couer all our sinnes. Prou. 10.

6. Lastly this act is one of the chiefest deeds of mercy, surpassing all the works of corporall mercy put togeather, and therefore que­stionlesse it is an act most highly satisfactory: for if of all corporall Almes it be written, that they free from sinne and death, and do not suffer the soule to go into darknes, Tob. 4. That they resist sin as water doth the burning fire. Eccl. 3. That if you giue almes all shalbe clean vnto you. Luc. 11. What shall we thinke of this spirituall almes, by which heauen is giuen, and purgatory paines for­giuen to a poore soule, made of a most pittifull prisoner, a most glo­rious Saint. What a worke of mer­cy [Page 103] is this? Of the works of mercy in generall S. Thomas sayth. 2.2. q. 3. a. 2. The works of spirituall mercy are so much more excellent then the works of corporall mercy, by how much the soule is more noble then the body. By this it appeareth that all those who exercise these works of charity & spirituall mercy frequently (as all do who do much for the soules in Purgatory) are so far from depri­uing themselues of all satisfaction, that as often as they giue their sa­tisfactory works away, they heap vp great treasures of satisfaction: so that heere that which the Scrip­ture sayth in the Prouerbs, is per­fectly verifyed: Some men diuide to others their owne riches, and become the richer therby. Prou. 24.

CHAP. XI. That by offering our Actions for the Soules in Purgatory, we haue great hope of escaping eyther all, or a good part of Purgatory.

1. THE proofe of this title may be in part drawne out of the precedent chapters, for this act being so emi­nent if we regard merit, and so ef­fectuall if we regard impetration, may with good groūd be thought partly to deserue as it is merito­rious, partly to obtaine by way of fauour as it is impetratory, that our mercifull Lord should deale more mildely, then the ordinary course of iustice exacts, with all those who haue both made a most noble kind of satisfaction for their owne sinnes, and haue with a most heroicall charity, done many wor­thy actiōs to satisfy for the sinnes [Page 105] of others: neyther be there wan­ting many conuenient reasons to perswade vs to haue this honora­ble conceit of the diuine goodnes.

2. The holy Scripture it selfe gi­ues vs good ground to build this opinion. Charity doth couer the mul­titude of sinnes. 1. Pet. 4. And yet more clearly: Charity doth couer all our sinnes. Prou. 10. And what Cha­rity more eminent then this: Almes free from sinne, and from death, and permit not the soule to go into darknes? Tob. 4. Giue almes, and all shall be clean vnto you. Luc. 11. Now if these prerogatiues be to be granted to almes deeds, when they are plen­tiful (which I add because S. Chry­sostome sayth, Non dare, sed copiosè dare, eleemosyna est: Not to giue, but to giue plentifully, is an almeesdeed) if I say almesdeeds be thus priui­ledged, being a meere worke of mercy corporall; what shall we thinke of this almes so incōpara­bly surpassing all corporall works [Page 106] of mercy, for it relieueth a grea­ter misery then any corporall ne­cessity can be, and it bestoweth a gift no lesse then the possession of God himselfe? Shall such an almes permit the giuer of it to go into darknes? Now this almes also will make all cleare: for, He who giueth to the poore shall not want. Prou. 27. He shall not sustaine this necessity the most grieuous a poore soule can be in, because as holy Dauid saith Psal. 40. Blessed is he who vn­derstandeth concerning the poore and needy, in the euill day our Lord will deliuer him. He shall be deliuered in that day which to others is so euill.

3. And indeed how can we thinke otherwise, for be not these our Sauiours words: As long as you haue done these things vnto any one of my Bretheren, you haue done them vnto me? Now if our Sauiour taketh the deliuery of the Soules of his bretheren as grate­fully [Page 107] as if his owne soule had bin freed from Purgatory; what sha­dow of likelyhood is there, that he will not procure the deliuery of him whom he acknowledgeth to haue bin his owne deliuerer? who of vs can haue the heart (and our harts are hard inough) yet who of vs can haue the hart, to let him lye rosting in Purgatory flames, who hath freed vs from this mise­ry, especially if we could effect his releasment as easily as our Sauiour can worke ours, euen without breach of the very rigor of iustice, to wit, by offering in our behalfe his superabundant satisfactions for the supply of such satisfaction as we stand in need of, that is, to be­stow for his own sake a Plenary In­dulgence vpon vs, which though it be a fauour extraordinary, yet the motiue to grant it beareth propor­tion with such a grant; and to him who hath shewed so extraordina­ry charity, liberality, and mercy, [Page 108] it ought not to seeme strange, if extraordinary charity, liberality, & mercy be shewed by him whose bowels are made all of Charity, bounty, and compassion: for if in punishing God obserueth this rule: By what things a man sinneth by the same also he is tormented. Sap. 11. As he hath done, so it shall be done vnto him. He shall restore soule for soule, eye for eye. Leuit. 29. May we not iu­stly thinke, that in matter of fa­uour he doth shew greatest mercy to him, who hath shewed greatest mercy to others? what other sense haue those words, Matth. 5. Blessed be the mercifull, for they shall obtaine mercy? Wherfore, As he hath done, it shall be done vnto him. As he hath offered his satisfactions for the re­leasment of the Soules of Christs bretheren, so Christ will offer vp his superabundant satisfaction for the releasment of his Soule, Soule for Soule shall be repayed to him, ran­som for ransom. As he hath freed [Page 109] others so he shal be freed himselfe.

4. We must not heere ouerslip in a cursory manner that euidēt text of Scripture, which doth almost demonstrate that which we haue said, Giue and it shalbe giuen vnto you: but marke well in what mea­sure. A good measure, a heaped mea­sure, a measure pressed downe, and running ouer, they shall giue into your bosome. Luc. 6. The thing which we did giue, was the fruits of our satisfactiōs for supply of our Bre­thrēs want, by which guift he was released. Wherfore that our Lord may returne vs equall measure, as great wants of ours must be sup­plyed by the fruits of his supera­bundāt satisfactions, but that this measure be a heaped vp, a pressed downe, and running ouer measure, we may expect to be in that ouer libe­rall manner, made partakers of Christs satisfactions, that by them our debts being to the last farthing wholy discharged, we may passe [Page 110] without impedimēt to the reward of our charity.

5. To all these so well grounded reasons we will add for a conclu­sion the certaine assistance which infallibly in this our necessity will be affoarded vs, by all those whom we haue either released or relieued, and not only all these happy sou­les, but also all, and euery one of their blessed kindred, Angel-guar­dians, Patrons &c. will fauour vs in our death, to requite the fauour by which we obliged them in our life: so that many of the Saints by their glorious intercessions, & some by offering vp for vs their superabun­dant satisfactions, will so preuayle with the mercy of God, that we need not much feare, all helps be­ing put togeather, to be long left forlorn in the flames of Purgatory.

6. And least perhaps this feare might haue some little place left in any mans hart, it hath pleased the diuine goodnes by word of mouth [Page 111] to confirme all we haue said. S. Gertrude was one of the most re­nowned Saints for vertue, and one of the most wonderfull Saints for the miraculous fauours which dai­ly were done vnto her, that the Church hath had. This blessed Saint (as Denis the Carthusian re­lateth) did with an admirable affe­ction, giue all, and euery of her actions wholy vnto the soules in Purgatory, not reseruing for her­selfe the least fruit of her satisfa­ctions. Cōming therfore to dy she began not a litle to be afflicted in mind for feare, least that hauing many sinnes to satisfy for, and ha­uing left herself destitute of all her satisfactory workes, she might be lyable to grieuous punishments. But Christ himselfe did vouchsafe to comfort her with these words: That thou mayst vnderstand how gra­tefull that charity of thine hath bin vnto me, which thou didst shew to­wards the soules, I do euen now forgiue [Page 112] thee all those paines which thou shoul­dest haue suffered. And J who for one haue promised a hundredfold, will now shew my liberality, and I will heap vp glory vpon thee.

7. This comfort may they expect who haue shewed the like mercy towards the soules of their bre­thren: but those who haue slighted this deuotiō as superstitious, or fit only for old wiues, may iustly feare to haue those dreadfull words spo­ken vnto them: Justice without mer­cy to him, who hath not done mercy. Iac. 2.

CHAP. XII. That it is not against charity to our selues to offer our Actions for the soules in Purgatory but it is rather against it, not to offer them.

1. THE common and the only obiectiō which any Catholike can [Page 113] make against this liberality to­wards the soules in Purgatory is this: That though our prayers, or other good works, offered vp to God for the soules in Purgatory, be equally, or rather more, both meritorious and impetratory then otherwise they wold haue bin; yet it cannot be denyed, but that they do not satisfy for our owne sinnes: which seing that they be many and great, the paines due vnto them wilbe excessiue; and therfore if our Charity were well ordered, we would not so forget our selues, as to leaue our selues in this manner depriued of those satisfactions, for want of which we shalbe lyable to these torments which be so very terrible. This obiection I haue dif­ferred to this place, because now the answers vnto it, out of that which hath bin sayd, will be most cleare.

2. I answer then first, that though we did become lyable to these & [Page 114] greater paines, yet they were not so much to be esteemed as a flea­byte for gaining of a kingdom, if by this our Charity towards the soules, we might increase (as we do most highly increase) the crowne of our eternall glory. See Chap. 8. I answere secondly, that by the gai­ning of Indulgences we may pre­uent this pretended incommodi­ty, as we shall proue at large in the 14. Chapter.

3. Thirdly, I giue this direct and cleare answer, that though by the works we do for the soules, we do satisfy only for their, and not at all for our owne sinnes; yet by that rare act of Charity, by which we giue these works away vnto them, we do satisfy in a most high de­gree, as hath bin proued in the 10. Chapter; yea in a degree so high, that by this satisfaction (& other helps, as we did demonstrate in the last Chapter) we haue great hope of escaping either all, or greatest [Page 115] part of Purgatory.

4. To conclude this Chapter, in a word it is nothing against well-or­dered Charity towards our selues, to help these soules as much as we can; but it needs must be against perfection of this Charity, not to assist them to our full power; for that we loose the merit of so rare a charity, and the losse of this merit is a losse of the perfecter sight of God for euer. If we loue either God or our selues, this will moue vs.

CHAP. XIII. By what meanes we may help the soules in Purgatory.

1. IF God hath done vs the fauor to soften our harts, we shall not now desire any new motiues, but rather seeke by what meanes we may chiefly relieue these poore soules. For those, who are thus disposed, we [Page 116] will declare what is to be done in this matter.

2. That which in the first place ought to be recommended is, that if they will indeed benefit either their owne soules, or satisfy for the souls of their neighbours, they must put themselues in the state of grace: for a dead member can nei­ther help the body, of which it is a member, nor any body els. And S. Paul sayth, 1. Cor. 13. Although I should distribute al my goods, although I should deliuer vp my body to burne, yet if I should not haue charity, it pro­fiteth nothing. This supposed.

3. The ordinary meanes of relie­uing the dead be these: Prayer, fa­sting, & almesdeeds. As for prayer for the dead, it is a thing instituted by the Apostles themselues, as we proued in the first Chapter; and so esteemed by the holy Church, that at the end of euery houre of di­uine office, she teacheth vs to pray, that the soules of the faythful may [Page 117] rest in peace; for she wold not haue vs pray at any houre, without re­membring these afflicted soules in our Prayers. It would make one wonder to see, with what affection S. Austin in the two last Chapters of his ninth booke of his Confes­sions, doth pray for the soule of his dead Mother: & not content with his owne prayers, he doth earnestly craue and beg the prayers of all, in these fiery wordes. Inspire, O Lord, inspire into thy seruants, that as many as shall read these things, may be mind­full at thy Altar, of Monica thy ser­uant, that that which she dïd last of all request of me, may be the more plenti­fully performed by the prayers of many.

4. But among all kind of prayers there is none comparable to the oblation of the dreadfull Sacrifice of the Masse, for in this Sacrifice the self-same Christ is offered in an vnbloudy manner vpon the altar, who was offered in a bloudy man­ner vpon the crosse. So sayth S. Am­brose, [Page 118] in Hebr. 10. We offer alwayes one and the same Sacrifice, and not one Lambe to morrow, and another to day, but alwayes the same, one Christ is eue­ry where, heere fully, and there fully. And againe, l. 1. in Luc. c. 1. When we sacrifice, Christ is present, Christ is sa­crificed. For as S. Austin sayth l. 4. de Trin. c. 14. The flesh of our Sacrifice is made the body of our Priest. Wherfore that most ancient, and glorious Martyr S. Hippolitus in his Oration de Consummatione mundi, bringeth in our Sauiour thus speaking vnto our Priests: Come you who dayly sa­crifice my body, and my bloud. And Christ sayth this to all Priests; for as excellently S. Chrysostome hom. 2. ïn 2. ad Tim. The sacred oblation what Priest soeuer offers it, is stil the same: for men do not sacrifice this victime but Christ himself. Wherfore the victime which in this Sacrifice is offered being true Christ, & the selfe same Christ being chief Priest, which by his ministers and substitutes doth [Page 119] sanctify and offer this victime, can any one wonder, if all we Catho­likes, together with S. Cyril of Hie­rusalem (Cath. mystag. 5.) Do belieue that the obsecration of that holy and dreadfull Sacrifice, which is placed on the altar, is the greatest help for the soules, for which it is offered. See this place at large, for nothing can be spoken more Catholikly.

5. The Sacrifices of the old Law were esteemed by the chiefe & on­ly true belieuers of those tymes to haue such vertue to relieue the dead, that when souldiers were slaine in battaile, they made a ga­thering of no lesse then twelue thou­sand drachmes of siluer, and sent this money to Hierusalem, that sacrifice might be offered for the sins of the dead. 2. Machab. 12. What esteeme then ought we to haue of our Sacrifice? S. Austin l. 9. Confess. c. 3. deseruedly praysed his dead Mother in these words; She did not thinke how to haue her body sumptuously buried, or embal­med, [Page 120] but she desired only that her me­mory might be made at Gods Altar, at which she neuer omitted any one day of her life to be present, knowing that from thence is dispensed the holy hoast or Sacrifice, wherby is blotted out the guilt of the world. And this which she requested was fulfilled, when the Sacrifice of our price was offered for her, as S. Austin cap. 12. of the same Booke, sayth it was.

6. This piety which so flourished in the primitiue Church, ceaseth not in the prime parts of the world to flourish in these our dayes. No lesse then one thousand & seauen hundred Masses, vpon one and the selfe same day, were in Madrid ce­lebrated at the funerals of Marga­ret, wife to Philip the third, King of Spaine: and besides a thousand Masses which this Queene by her will gaue order to haue said for her Soule, the King of his liberality caused twenty thousand more to be said for her. Gasman. in vita [Page 121] Margar. Austriac. p. 3. c. 3. It is not very many yeares since the death of the Archduke Albertus Prince of the Low-Countryes, whose most pious wife Isabell did procure for the reliefe of his soule forty thousand Masses, and for thirty dayes togeather she herselfe did heare 10. Masses daily for this her pious Lord and husband. P.F. Iac. Curuoisier in Mansolaeo.

7. As for fasting most remarkable is that which we read in the Scrip­ture: That after the death of Saul & his sonnes, the men of Iabes Ga­laad did take his dead body, and the dead bodyes of his sonnes, and buried them in the wood of Jabes, and fasted seauen dayes. 1. Reg. c. vlt. Vnder the name of fasts all other mortificati­ons, and austerityes are compre­hēded, as disciplines, hayre-cloath, lying on the ground &c. But be­cause some mens silken eares can­not endure so hard language, as the naming of these things; and o­thers [Page 120] [...] [Page 121] [...] [Page 122] vnder pretence of health will plead inhability to performe such works, I will adde some few acts of mortification, which no man, or woman can be too weake to exercise. For example, to debarre themselues of some lesse necessary recreations, to abstaine from some sweet morsels, for some smal space to keep silence, not to see, not to heare such, and such curiosities. But one act of Vertue there is, which the weakest creature in the world may practise, and it is an act of so high worth, that the strōgest man in the world can scarce pra­ctice a better. It is this: for Christs sake to forgiue all those, from your very hart, who haue done any iniury, or iniuries vnto you. This is not my doctrine, but the doctrine of S. Austin Serm. 41. de Sanctis, in these words: Those who desire to be deliuered from this tempo­rall purging fire, let them by continual prayers, and frequent fastings, & large [Page 123] almes, and especially by forgiuing them who haue offended against them, redeeme their ordinary dayly sins. This act which S. Austin doth so espe­cially, aboue all other, commend, hath a better recommendation in the word of God, which doth in plaine termes promise to this act a plenary Indulgence, a Iubily, a full Remission of all sins in this large forme of Grant: Forgiue, and it shall be forgiuen vnto you. Luc. 6. And a­gaine: For if you forgiue vnto men their offences, your heauenly Father also will forgiue your sins vnto you. Matth. 6. This pardon you may gaine for the soules in Purgatory. Heare then a memorable exāple to this purpose.

8 The only sonne of an honora­ble Widdow was murdered by a wicked fellow, who being for this his murder in danger of being ap­prehended by the Officers, had hid himselfe: but the officers, and the widdow had intelligēce where [Page 124] he lay. The Officers went to the place to take him, but the pious widdow did, for Gods sake, so tru­ly pardon this greatest mischiefe which could haue byn done her, that she did not onely certify the murderer of his danger, to the end he might fly away in tyme, but for this end did she furnish him also with money, and gaue him the horse of her dead sonne, that he might escape the better. After this she retired herselfe to pray for her Sonnes soule, when behold her sonne all in glory appeared vnto her, and told her that for so great Charity towards his murderer, God had already freed him from the fire of Purgatory, which for many yeares he should haue suffe­red. Orosius fer. 6. post Cineres. Thus much for this point. We may also much relieue the soules in Purga­tory by suffering for them such crosses as it shall please God to lay vpō vs: as sicknes, losse of goods, of [Page 125] friends, trouble of the mind, and all kind of afflictions, which are ex­ceeding satisfactory, if we accept them willingly, or beare them pa­tiently.

6. A third kind of satisfaction most auailable to the soules in Purgatory, is to exercise Almes­deeds, which be most effectual to abolish all paine due to sin, & ther­fore most profitable to those poore soules, both when they are giuen to any sort of poore men, & most of all when they are giuen vn­to those, who are voluntarily poore, as all religious both men & women are: for they will be sure to pray deuoutly for the dead. So that they receaue a double benefit, both by the guift of the almes it selfe, which is a worke highly sa­tisfactory, and also by the prayers of those to whom the almes are gi­uen, who often are very great ser­uants of almighty God, and their prayers most powerfull with him. [Page 126] Hence is that excellent aduice of S. Ambrose l. 1. de fide & resurrect. who exhorteth the Parents to bestow the portions which they intended to haue giuē their children which now are dead, in almesdeeds for the reliefe of their soules. Excellēt also is that Counsell which some giue to rich men: They aduise thē as often as they heare a poore man knocking at their doore, to ima­gine themselues to heare the voyce of a poore soule in Purgatory beg­ging for reliefe: and if they haue any mercy in them, this imagina­tion will stir them vp to bestow some smal almes both for the spi­rituall reliefe of the soule in Pur­gatory, and the corporal reliefe of their poore neighbour.

10. How grateful to God and be­neficiall to the giuer those almes are, which are bestowed vpon the soules in Purgatory, or vpō others for their reliefe, will appeare by a strange example, which I haue read [Page 127] in seueral Authors, of one Eusebius Duke of Sardinia. This good duke was so deuoted to the soules in Purgatory, that he bestowed all the tithes of his Dukedome in ma­sses, Almesdeeds, and other pious workes for their deliuery; and mo­reouer gaue one of his best Citties (which was therfore called the Citty of God) with all the reue­news therof, to be employed for the same end. It hapned that Ostor­gius Duke of Sicily, being at warres with this Eusebius, surprized this Citty. The newes wherof being brought to Eusebius he was so sen­sible of the losse, that he protested he had rather haue lost halfe his Dukedome, and so with all speed drawing his men togeather (which were but a handfull in regard of the enemy) marched boldly on to recouer the same. In the way his Scoutes discouered a great Army approaching with armour, horses, banners, all as white as snow; at [Page] which report the Duke was som­what stroken, yet reflecting better on the matter, conceyued hope of good from that ioyfull colour. Wherfore sēding out foure choice men to learne who they were, and what they intended; they were ans­wered by foure more of the white army coming to meet them, that they need not feare, for they were souldiers of the King of Heauen, friends to Eusebius, & Enemyes to his Enemy. The Duke was much comforted with this answere and [...] therupon riding in person towards the army was presently met, and kindly saluted by some of them, who confirmed what had bin said before, bidding him feare no­thing but march on with his army after theirs. So he did. Then the white army, which seemed to be 40. thousand strong, making a stand neere to the camp of Ostor­gius, came presently to a parley, & gaue him to vnderstand that they [Page 129] were the souldiers of the King of Heauen sent to reuenge the iniust surprisall of that Citty belonging to their Maister, and to put Eusebius againe in possession, adding with all such threats, that Ostorgius was extremely terrifyed, & humbly de­manded peace, promising all possi­ble satisfaction. By this tyme Eu­sebius was come vp, to whom Ostor­gius readily offered to restore the double of what he had taken, and to make himselfe, and his people tributary vnto him. These condi­tions being agreed vpon, Eusebius applyed himself to the white Ar­my with such signes of gratitude as were fitting in that occasion, and then beginning to inquire more particularly what they were, had for answere, that they were all soules deliuered by his pious libe­rality out of Purgatory: so that he had iust cause of much content in what he had done, and of encoura­gement to proceed in those chari­table [Page 130] workes, by which doubtles many more soules would be deli­uered out of that place of punish­ment: & then taking a kind leaue, they returned the same way they came. [Spec. Exempl. tit. Defuncti. exemplo 25. Pinellus de altera vita l. 1. c. 28. De Bonniers in Aduocat. Anima­rum. c. 2. Histor. Sardiniae, & alij.]

11. We need not doubt but Euse­bius was vnspeakably cōforted in this strange occurrence, and must needs increase in deuotion & libe­rality towards the soules, which he found by experience to be so mindfull of paying, and ouerpay­ing their debts. And I pray God others who haue bags of gold, and whole Lordships to cast away at Dice and Cards, and wast in braue­ry, and Epicurean feasting, may learne by this example, & by what hath bin said before, rather to spēd their riches hereafter with assurāce of getting a hundred for one, then with mighty probability of loo­sing [Page 131] thousands for nothing, and their owne soules into the bargay­ne. I wish also that wealthy Parēts would giue care and credit to the exhortation of S. Ambrose cited be­fore in this Chapter; which doing, they will certainly be ashamed to bestow more thousands vpon a Daughter wedding to the world, then hūdreds on another choosing Christ for her spouse. And if they had read, and pondered well the complaint made by S. Austin (l. 2. Confess. c. 13.) of his owne Father, I belieue they wold make a scruple to be so close-handed in breeding their sonnes to learning & vertue, and so very prodigall in contribu­ting to vayne, and sometimes vi­cious courses. If God, & his Saints be so liberall, and louing to men; how vngratefull, and ill-natured are those men, who deale so nig­gardly with God, and with the soules of Saints crying out for help in the fiery flames of Purgatory?

CHAP. XIIII. Of Indulgences.

1. AMongst the meanes of relieuing the soules in Purgatory, one of the chiefest is, to gaine such In­dulgences for them as are so gran­ted that they may be applyed vnto them. Now because eyther for wāt of instructiō in this poynt (which is not so easily vnderstood) or for dulnes of beliefe in it, (because we, who are so bad, are hard to belieue God should be so good) very many are lamentably negli­gent in the vse of so great a trea­sure; I haue thought conuenient to hādle briefly this poynt, which indeed is necessary to be declared, to solue the obiection made in the 12. Chapter.

2. For the perfect vnderstanding of this matter, we must call to [Page 133] mind that, which hath bin suffici­ently proued before in the 2. Chapter, how that after any sinne is for­giuen, there doth commonly re­mayne some guilt of paine due to so foule a crime. Well then, the grant of an indulgence is the grant of the remission of this paine re­mayning after the sinne is forgi­uen, which grant is communicated vnto vs to supply graciously our want of due satisfaction by apply­ing the superabundant satisfactiōs of Christ our Lord, which by his Vicar on earth are to this end ap­plyed vnto vs, by the performance commonly of some worke enioy­ned vs for gayning of this indul­gence.

3. So that you see here arise three things to be explicated. First that the satisfactions of Christ are so superabundant, that they are suf­ficient to supply any want of satis­faction, which any man, or men can haue. Secondly, that there is a Vi­car [Page 134] of Christ on earth, who hath lawfull power to apply these su­perabūdant satisfactions of Christ for the supply of any want of sa­tisfaction, which we may be in. Thirdly, somthing also must be declared of the things, which by Christs Vicar vse to be inioyned, that those satisfactions of Christ may be applyed in this manner vn­to vs.

4. First then, that the satisfactions of Christ are so superabūdant that they may be a cause sufficient to supply any, though neuer so great want of satisfactions, is easily grā ­ted by all, and cleare of it selfe, if we do but remēber that the bloud of Christ was the bloud of God, & consequently of so inestimable worth and value that the shedding of one only drop of it was an act abundantly satisfactory for the sins of a whole world. Now then, our Sauiour shedding this his di­uinely-pretious bloud, not by [Page 135] small drops, but powring it forth by plentifull showres, did heape vp an immense treasure of satisfa­ctions, superabundantly sufficient to satisfy for any paynes due to a­ny sinne, or sins whatsoeuer; for else our offences might haue bin greater then his satisfactions: there wanteth not therfore a cause euen superabundantly sufficient, to sup­ply any possible want of satisfacti­on which any man can be in, so infinite a treasure is this.

5. Secondly, there is in the Church lawfull power and authority to ap­ply to such as want satisfactions, these superabundant satisfactions of Christ: for otherwise this infi­nite treasure of the superabundant satisfactions of Christ our Lord, heaped vp for vs, and for vs only, would be wholy vnprofitable to vs & merely superfluous. It would be like the treasure which that mi­serable wretch in S. Luke did keep lapped vp in his handkercher; or [Page 136] the talent which that other in S. Matthew hid in the ground. Now as the holy Scripture saith; A hid­den wisdome, and an vnseene treasure what profit is there in eyther of them? Eccl. 41.

6. Wherefore, that this treasure may profit vs, as it is superabun­dant, there must be left on earth power to dispence forth out of this superabundancy, as much as our necessities may require. Which be­ing so, to whom should we thinke this power to haue byn giuen, ra­ther then to him, to whome it was said Joan. 20. Feed my sheepe: rather then to him to whom it was said Matth. 15. To thee I will giue the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen. For it is all one to haue the keyes of heauē, and to haue authority to remoue the barre of the locke, which shut­teth heauen doore; such a barre as sinne is, not fully satisfied for: I would know, I say, in whome we should put this power, if not in [Page 137] him? for to him the words follow­ing do clearly giue this commissi­on: Whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosened also in Heauen. Marke that word, Whatsoeuer, that is, what thing soeuer it be which can bind a Soule, whether it be guilt of sinne, or guilt of paine due to sinne, if thou dost loosen this band on earth, it shalbe loosened in heauen. This was a promise, which doubtles Christ, who alwayes made good his word, did perfectly keep.

7. Out of this which we haue said, [...] this conuincing argument may be taken. There is power left in the Church to forgiue sinne it selfe, which doth deserue the paines we speake of; therfore it is no wonder that there should be power to for­giue the suffering of these paines. That there is power left to forgiue sins the text of Scripture doth lite­rally affirme. The Protestant if he standeth to the words of the Scri­pture hath not a word to say: He [Page 138] must fly to his owne exposition of the Word; which exposition why should any man in prudence fol­low, rather then the exposition of the most learned, and most holy Fathers of the Primitiue Church, who studyed the Scriptures day & night, and may be farre more pru­dētly thought to haue vnderstood them aright, then those who liue in an age so farre from Christ, intan­gled with so many vncertaine opi­nions, or rather certaine errours?

8. If the Protestants tell vs, they were men, and might erre, we will defire them to remember that they are also men, and at least as likly to erre as they were. If the Protestant sayth he followeth Scripture; the playne words of Scripture are cleer against him in this point, which is a point fundamentall concerning the forgiuenes of sin, a thing who­ly necessary to saluation. That the Fathers teach, Priests to haue power of forgiuing sin, I will shew [Page 139] in a word. S. Chrysologus Serm. 84. writing vpon those wordes, Whose sins you forgiue shall be forgiuen them, sayth thus: Where be those men that affirme sins cannot be forgiuen by men vnto men? Peter doth forgiue sins, and with all ioy doth receiue the peni­tent; & he imbraceth this power gran­ted by God vnto all Priests. S. Leo the Great writeth thus Ep. 91. ad Theo. Christ Iesus gaue this power to the go­uernours of the Church, that by the doore of reconciliation they should ad­mit them to the communion of the Sa­craments being now purged. But what more cleare then that of S. Chry­sostome, l. 3. de sacerd. initio? Jt was only lawfull to the Priests of the Jewes to cleanse, or (to speake more truly) not to cleanse, but to approue as cleansed, the leprosy of the body: But to our Priests it was granted, not to cleanse the leprosy of the body, but it was gran­ted vnto them, I do not say to approue for cleansed, but throughly to cleanse the filth of the soule. Heere you see [Page 140] condemned, in as cleere words as can be spoken, the errour of the Protestāts, who say that the power of our Priests is to declare our sins forgiuē and not to forgiue them: but S. Chrysostome sayth, that he doth not say this: J do not say, to ap­proue for cleansed, but throughly to cleanse the filth of the soule. This be­ing proued, let vs proceed.

9. If Christs Vicar vpon earth hath power to forgiue the sins which did deserue eternall paine, & con­sequently to loosen the band of e­ternall paines, can it seeme much that he should haue power to loo­sen the bands of temporall paine with which the sinner is tyed after his sins are remitted? The contra­ry surely would seeme the greater wonder. Yet because (& so I come to declare the third point which I vndertook concerning the thing inioyned to be performed for the gaining of Indulgences) because, I say, all power giuen by Christ vn­to [Page 141] his Vicar, is well ordered, and granted for the edification, not for the destruction of the Church, this authority of dispensing the trea­sures of Christs superabundant sa­tisfactions was giuen so, that it might be dispensed forth, with prudēt liberality, not powred out with lauishing prodigality. Wher­fore all Protestants & Catholicks are to vnderstand, that our most esteemed Deuines in this age are of opinion, that it is not in the power of the Pope to grant an Indulgence for the performance of a good worke so litle, that it cannot be a proportionable cause to grant this fauour. As for example (& it is the example of S. Bonauenture, 4. dist. 20. q. 6.) to grant a great sinner a plenary Indulgence, for giuing an Almes of three halfe pence.

10. But it is exceedingly to be marked, that when the Pope gran­teth a great Indulgence, which may be obtayned by doing of [Page 142] something, perhaps as small as gi­uing an Almes of three halfe pence, the reason of the grant of this In­dulgence is not meerly that so lit­tle a good worke should be perfor­med: for then (as S. Bonauen­ture teacheth) it would be an im­prudent, and an impossible grant; but the reason of the grant of such an Indulgence is the obteyning of some very great good, and a good so great (for this Bellarmine see­meth to require,) that the obtey­ning of it maketh more to Gods glory, & is more gratefull to him, then it would be to haue our for­giuen sins punished in Purgatory with due rigour of iustice. For example such a good would be the conuersion of Infidels, Extirpation of Heresies, constant Peace in the Church of God, the notable ad­uancement of some great, or some necessary act of piety, fayth, Reli­gion, Charity &c. The obteyning of such goods as these, is the thing [Page 143] which moueth the Pope to grant these Indulgences, and to dispense forth the treasure committed vnto him by Christ, for the greater glo­ry of Christ, which is a very pru­dent, and well-ordered dispensa­tion; for so those who are put in charge with others goods do most faithfully exercise their charge, if they lay them out for the greater benefit of those who did put them in trust.

11. I see well, that it will be obie­cted, that though the Pope doth piously and prudently to imploy the treasure committed to his charge for obteyning of a greater good, yet it seeemeth that he doth imprudently to vse, for obteyning of it, such an vnproportionable, & vnfit meanes, as is to inioyne only the performance of a good worke so little, to be done for this end; as for exāple, to inioyne only the say­ing of 5. Pater Nosters for obteining so great a good as is the Conuer­sion [Page 144] of Infidels, extirpation of He­resies &c. And therfore though the cause of this Grant be reasonable, yet the meanes applyed seeme most vnreasonable. I answere, that the performance of so little a good worke, as is the saying of fiue Pa­ter Nosters, for obteyning the good for which the Indulgence is gran­ted, may be a very effectual meanes for obteyning of so great a good. Which that I may shew, let vs but consider what doth dayly happen, when the Pope granteth such an Indulgence as this is. The grant of this Indulgence is no sooner made knowne vnto the Church, but pre­sently you shall see all faythfull people, by thousands, with one heart, and one soule, doing that which is necessary for gaining of this Indulgences: that is, by a true, entire, and harty Confession and contrition putting themselues (if they feare they were not in it be­fore) in state of grace, and friend­ship [Page 145] with God, and then after this (for this must be done for gaining of Indulgences) deuoutly perfor­ming the good worke inioyned them to be performed and perfor­ming it to the end, for which it was inioyned. Now, though this good worke be but little, though it be but the saying of fiue Pater Nosters for the foresayd intention; yet when euen so few praiers are sayd with one heart, and one soule, by so many thousands of thousands, as vse (by the grant of so great an Indulgence exacting only the per­formance of so small a worke) to be stirred vp to the deuout recitall of these prayers, the quantity of all these prayers put together, amoū ­teth to an immense summe, a summe so great, and made vp by such an vniforme deuotion of so many faythfull people, that it may in prudence be thought to be a meanes sufficient to effect the good intended.

[Page 146]12. Hence it appeareth that the performance of a little thing may be an effectuall meanes to obtaine a great good, when by the exacting of a thing so small, euery body is inuited to do what is necessary to the perfect performāce of it; wher­as if they were inuited by a small Indulgence, or by a great one which could not be gained but by some great good worke, as fasting many dayes, saying many prayers &c. very few would be induced to gaine this Indulgence. And so it may well happen, that Christs Vi­car cā scarce vse any meanes more effectuall to obtaine a good which maketh so much to Gods glory & the benefit of his Church, then by granting some great Indulgēce which may be gained, by doing some small good worke for his in­tention. For it is very likely that a farre greater quantity of good works will be raysed, whilest eue­ry one contributeth a little, then [Page 147] when almost euery body layeth a­side all care of doing any thing, because without he doth a great deale, he is neuer the neerer, for as much as concerneth the gaining of the Indulgence. We vse to say, t'is well for poore men that brasse far­things goe currently, for now eue­ry body coms easily off with a far­thing, wheras their charity would hardly be great inough to part with a penny.

13. All which we haue said, hath farre lesse difficulty when an In­dulgence is granted, to bring in publicke practise some important act of piety, or to hinder decay of some great deuotion, especially of some vertue necessary to saluation, as Fayth, Charity, Contrition &c. Because in this case not only all these things do make more to Gods glory, then that ordinary seuerity of punishing by the paines of Purgatory; but it is easily vn­derstood how these so important [Page 148] things may effectually be procu­red by the performance of things but small in themselues, though great in their effects. For example, it is a thing most important, that all faythfull people should pro­fesse vnion with their supreme Pa­stor, and also the decay of this v­nion is much to be feared, by rea­son of the power of Heresy. A­gaine this vnion may be effectually brought into great request by ma­king sometimes in a yeare some publick and solemne profession of it, which may be done by cōming hūbly to receyue his benediction in some great festiuity: therfore the Pope both may, & doth most piously and prudently in granting a great Indulgence for performing an act in it selfe so easy and little, as is to aske his benediction.

14. In like māner true faith, with­out which it is impossible to please God, is lost by obstinately reiecting the authority of the Church, [Page 149] though in matters otherwise of no exceeding great consequence, ther­fore the maintayning of faith in all such matters, when there is danger of the losse of it, maketh very much to Gods glory, and the good of soules. Now, the pious beliefe of these points so important may ef­ficaciously be vpholden, & broght into publick practise and venera­tion, by the practice of some acts, which are most easily performed: for example sake, Prayer for the dead, veneration of Reliques, gai­ning of Indulgences, are points of faith, which Hereticks seeke by all meanes to ouerthrow. Againe, they may be efficaciously main­tayned in a continuall; and most deuout practice, if the Pope would grant some great Indulgence for making some frequent pious acts, which may reuiue these deuotiōs, and keep the practice of them in dayly vse.

15. Now, to stop in a word the [Page 150] mouths of Protestants, which are so wide open to cry downe these Indulgences, I will onely put them in mind of their owne Doctrine. They say, A man is iustified by faith onely; in so much that if a mā were as great a sinner as could be, yet this man if be would but make one act of true Faith, should be in a moment iustifyed, & not so much as lyable to the least punishment for all his innumerable and enor­mous sins. Is any pardon, Indul­gence, or Iubily so easely obtey­ned, or so incredible as this? Do but belieue (which will not paine your bones the least) & All, All, though it were a thousand times more, is wholy forgiuen you; And sinne as much to morrow, (if it be possible) as you haue sinned in all the dayes of your life, and you shall not cease for all this to be iu­stified, if you do not cease to be­lieue, which (as they say) you can­not cease to do. Was there euer the [Page 151] like deuise to make wide the strait gate of heauen? Wheras if you will obtaine a Catholick Indulgence, First you must belieue: but this is not all, as it is with Protestants: Se­condly you must haue true hope: Thirdly you must be in perfect Cha­rity, and in the state of grace, and consequently you must haue had true and hearty repentance of all your sins: you must haue a firme purpose to forsake them; you must haue made an entire and contrite confession of them; you must, if you haue wronged any man, haue made him due satisfaction; and after all this, you must do the thing which is required for obteyning of the In­dulgence; which (though in some occasions it be little) yet many times it is the fast of three dayes, the visiting of Churches, the de­uout praying in them, the giuing of Almes &c.

16. And all this being duely per­formed, that which is wanting to [Page 152] the full satisfaction of the paine due to your forgiuen sins, shalbe gratiously supplyed by the super­abundant satisfactions of Christ our Lord, applyed by his Vicar vn­to you to this end; So that, euen after all this, no one sin is by the Indulgence forgiuen you: for all Catholicks teach, that all the In­dulgences in the world cannot forgiue the least mortall sin, no nor veniall, as most affirme; but all that is forgiuen by way of Indulgence is the paine to which the sinner was lyable, euen after his sin was for­giuen him. And therfore if the sin remaine still vnforgiuen, the paine due vnto it cannot by any Indul­gence be forgiuen. And this is a great reason why so few do ob­taine a perfect plenary Indulgence of all that paine which they were liable vnto, because there be but few who vse due diligence to pro­cure all their sins euen veniall to be fully forgiuen them, and therfore [Page 153] they do not obteine the remission of the payne due to those sinnes which remaine vnforgiuē, though they obteyne the remission of the paine due to all which are forgiuē them. The importāce of this mat­ter hath made me more to enlarge my selfe then I intended.

CHAP. XV. Two other meanes of higher Perfecti­on, by which we may relieue the Soules in Purgatory.

1. THe first is, to offer vp all our good actions, thoughts, words, and sufferings, desiring God to accept of them for the reliefe of such a Soule or Soules in Purgatory; to offer them vp all, I say, as they are satisfactory, for so they do eyther onely or chiefly profit them; and so we remayne free to apply the same workes, as they are impetra­tory [Page 154] for obteyning any thing we desire to pray for: yet I would not haue this so vnderstood, as though we were not in the first place to sa­tisfy any obligation which perhaps we might haue of employing some part of our works for other inten­tions. Neither would I aduise any man to performe the pennances enioyned him in confession, for satisfaction of the sins of any other besides himselfe. But out of these or such like cases, I know not how we can better apply our acti­ons, as they are satisfactory: for thus all our actiōs are not lesse but more meritorious, not lesse but more impetratory, not lesse but more satisfactory: Thus we may hope to escape all, or the greatest part of Purgatory paynes. Wher­fore it is not against charity to­wards our selues to be thus libe­rall. All these things haue bin pro­ued in the former chapters.

2. A man would thinke it were [Page 155] not possible to proceed any fur­ther in this charitable deuotion. But Charity is so witty in her in­uentions, that she hath found out a way to giue more then she hath, or euer had in this life. You shall see this verified in a strange man­net, and an vnheard of example, which cannot be well vnderstood, without we first let all know that whensoeuer any one dyeth in the Society of Iesus, euen the meanest Brother in the house, it is ordey­ned by the Constitutions of the same Society, that all of that house, where the party deceaseth, who are Priests, are to say three Masses for his soule, & those who are not Priests three payre of bea­des, and throughout the whole Prouince (which many times con­sists of seauen, or eight hundred persons) euery Priest is to say two Masses, and each one of the rest two payre of beades for the same intention. And besides all these [Page 156] prayers euery Priest of our Socie­ty throughout the whole world is obliged euery weeke to say one Masse, and ech one of those who are not Priests, one paire of beades for those of their Order deceased out of their particular Prouinces; for if the deceased be of the same Prouince, then they are to say for them two a peece, as euē now hath bin said. Hence it appeareth, that there dyeth not any one in the So­ciety, for whom a very great mul­titude of Masses, and prayers are not said. Let vs put a probable sup­position: Suppose there be sixteene thousand persons in the So [...]ety, & that one halfe of this number be Priests, the rest either Students, Nouices, or lay-Brothers: Let vs also suppose, that taking one week with another, there dy out of this number foure a weeke. This sup­posed, it followeth that euery one of these foure shall haue for his part alone, neere two thousand [Page 157] Masses, and as many payre of bea­des said for his soule, out of the Prouince where he dyed, besides those which are said for him in the House, and Prouince in which he dyed. This being so, heare now a rare act of Charity.

3. Father Ferdinand Monroy of the Society of Iesus, a man of rare san­ctity, when he came to dye, know­ing, and in that houre liuely ap­prehending, what Comfort he might take in the multitude of Masses, & prayers which he knew should after his death be said for his soule, according to the rule of his Order, was notwithstanding so inflamed with ardent charity to­wards the soules of his, & Christs brethren suffering in Purgatory, that he bequeathed vnto them by Will & Testament all the Masses, and other prayers, which after his departure should be offered vp for his soule; and so departed this life eyther directly towards heauen (as [Page 158] is most probable) or a wellcome guest to the soules in Purgatory. (Euseb. Nierembergicus tract. de Pur­gatorio.) Can charity proceed any further? Let then the imitation of this example be a second meanes for them whose charity burnes so much hoater then Purgatory. If a third meanes of relieuing these soules, perfecter then this could be found, yet all that could be done, ought not to seeme too much, see­ing it is done for Christs sake, for his brethren, for soules so estee­med by him, that what is done for them, he taketh it as done vnto himselfe.

4. If any demand whether these two deuotions may be securely practised by all kind of men, what quality soeuer they be of? I answer that they may, with great profit of their owne, and their neighbours soules, and aduancement of Gods glory, if for more caution this condition be added: As far as it is [Page 159] sutable to Gods holy will, and maketh to the greatest increase of his glory, I offer vp, for the reliefe of the soules in Purgatory, the whole satisfactory ver­tue of whatsoeuer good I shall do, or euill J shall suffer, all the time of my whole life, and all the prayers & other good works whatsoeuer which shalbe performed for me after my death; so far I say, as this shalbe most pleasing to God. For what danger can there be in this Act? Can that be any way subiect to be done amisse, which is wholy subiected to the diuine wil? Two extreames might be dange­rous in that which concernes de­uotion for the soules in Purgato­ry: The first, by shewing them too little charity: the second, by for­getting wel-ordered Charity to­wards our selues, and our neigh­bours heere on earth. As for the first, this charity cannot be to lit­tle, because we do for the soules as great a part of our actions as God would haue vs, for we offer them [Page 160] all, so far as is most agreable to his holy will: & as for the second we forget not to reserue as great a part of our workes for our selues, and our neighbours on earth, as God would haue vs; for we giue away no more then best pleaseth him, and maketh most to his grea­test honour. So that I cannot dis­couer the least shadow of danger in practising these deuotions in the manner aboue said, for would any man do more for himselfe, or lesse for these poore soules, then God would haue him?

5. The Reuerend Father Eusebius Nierembergicus, in a Treatise be wrote of Purgatory, did handle this point so well, that two wor­thy Doctours and Professours of Diuinity at Lyons in France, dili­gently examining the force of his reasons, were so conuinced ther­by, that both of them, together with diuers of their schollers gaue all the satisfactions of their whole [Page 161] life to the soules in Purgatory. (Libell. de modo se citò ditandi.) This deuotion in fine hath bin practi­sed by many great seruāts of God, highly recommended for their pie­ty by most graue Authours; and God did reward S. Gertrude for it in that liberal manner before men­tioned: and if it be [...]sed with the caution now spoken of, no man can suspect it, neither can there be any want of deuotion in adding a condition so pious.

CHAP XVI. To what Soules in Purgatory we are chiefly to apply our satisfa­ctory works.

1. I know not how to begin this Chapter better, then by answering an obiectiō which some speculatiue witty may chance to stumble at. Alas, will some say, what good, will all my [Page 162] poore works do, when they come to be shared among so many thou­sand soules as be in Purgatory? They wilbe like a little loafe of bread amongst a great multitude of beggars, which if it be equally cut, euery one will scarce receyue a crumme. These men seeme to suppose themselues the onely men in the world who shew charity to the soules in Purgatory. For if there be others (and many others) who by Gods grace are no lesse charitable and liberall then they, it is not hard to vnderstand how by the helpe of many, many may be holpen. That which Thomas, or William doth contribute towards the maintenance of a whole army, will not affoard euery Souldier a farthing; and yet because others in great multitudes contribute as well as they, whole armyes are ea­sily maintayned in a flourishing estate. So whilest many deuout soules relieue these helplesse soules [Page 163] many helplesse soules are relieued.

2. And indeed we haue great reasō to shew charity to all: For first the law of Nature cryeth out vnto vs: All things that you would men should do to you, do you also to them. Matth. 7. Secondly, the written Law in playne termes saith: Loue thy neigh­bour as thy selfe. Thirdly, our Sa­uiour addeth a strange force also to this Precept: This is my precept, that you loue one an other as J haue lo­ued you. Ioan. 15. Now how he lo­ued vs, all his life, and most of all his blessed death doth testify. Fourthly, all soules are so esteemed by Christ, that he taketh that Cha­rity, which is shewed to the least of them as kindly as if it were done to himselfe in person. In fine the vertue of Mercy calles vpon vs to assist all who are in extreame ne­cessity, as these poore soules are. These be forcible reasons mouing vs to assist al that be in Purgatory.

3. Yet it is in no case to be misli­ked, [Page 164] but it is rather a most recom­mendable deuotion to pray for some soules in particular, and in the first place for those, to which, besides those generall reasons now alleaged for all, we may haue some peculiar obligation. For some we may be boūd to pray by our owne oath, promise, compact, rule &c. For others by the vertue of Piety, as our Parents, spirituall Fathers, kindred, frends, and acquaintance &c. For some againe out of grati­tude, as our benefactours spirituall & temporall &c. These reasons be more particular, and therfore they ought to preuayle more with vs, then those other generall reasons, for which we are to pray for all men, because the generall reasons make as much for these as for any others, and besides they haue also their particular reasons.

4. But when we know not such particular reasons as these are, yet it wilbe piously done, to pray for [Page 165] some soules in particular, though in a manner more generall: for ex­ample, for that soule whose deli­uery maketh most to Gods glory, whose reliefe, or releasement the glorious Virgin Mary most de­sires, for those who were most de­uoted to her, for those who be in greatest necessity, most of all for­lorne &c. For those who are so neere their deliuery, that by our small deuotions they may be per­fectly set free, and consequently immediately glorify God, pray for vs &c. In fine here euery man may do what is most sutable to his priuate deuotion, which notwith­standing is best, when it is ordered by the most perfect rule of Gods greater glory.

CHAP. XVII. The perfect practise of all contey­ned in this Booke.

1. VVHosoeuer to Gods glory, the good of his owne soule, and reliefe of those in Purgatory, desireth to put in practise all which hath bin treated of in this booke; must first aboue all things haue a care to put and keep himselfe in state of grace, for if he hath not the grace and chari­ty of God, though he should di­stribute all his substance to the poore, or all his works to the sou­les in Purgatory, it would profit him, and them nothing at all.

2. Secondly, he must not slubber ouer this deuotion in a careles mā ­ner, giuing his works away, and little marking why, or what he gi­ues: but he must take some short [Page 167] time to consider the Motiues set downe in this Treatise, and must ponder ech motiue by it selfe, vn­till his will be stirred vp effectually to affoard all reliefe he is able to the distressed soules. Neither is this any long busines, because euen the reading attentiuely these mo­tiues, is sufficient to moue any heart to helpe such help-les sou­les: and this is the thing we desire, for we little regard the being mo­ued to a soft and tender compas­sion, which God know's is often very fruitles, and soone vanisheth away.

3. Wherfore that all may performe this with little or no difficulty, we will set downe in playne and full words the manner of making per­fectly all those acts, which in any part of this Treatise haue bin re­cōmended. But let no man thinke vnles he would make a meditation of this matter (as he may do with great fruit in the space of halfe an [Page 168] houre) that we would haue him make all these acts at one time, but rather that he exercise now one, now another, more or fewer ac­cording to his leasure and deuo­tion: yet it wilbe best to exercise often the most perfect. Now, for the Readers commodity, we will cite the Chapters, where the mat­ters are treated at large, which here are only touched in a word.

4. The first Act answerable to the third, fourth, & fifth Chapter may be thus made: O how excessiue is the bitternesse of those paynes which these afflicted soules do suf­fer in Purgatory! What a misery is it to be banished (though for a time only) from the face of God! In what a sea of affliction must that poore soule be, which for a long space is condemned to re­maine in this pittifull state! Wher­fore, O my Soule, affoard these soules of thy Brethren all help thou canst: Pray for them, exercise acts of pennance for [Page 169] them; procure the holy Sacrifice of Masse may be offred for them; giue al­mes that they may be prayed for: re­lieue them by all Indulgences which may be gayned for them; let all thy sa­tisfactory actions and sufferings of thy whole life be offered vp for them, so far as it is sutable to Gods holy will; & so far as it maketh to his greater glory be­queath vnto thē all the good workes which after thy departure out of this life shalbe done for thee. O Lord accept of this my most harty oblation, made in behalfe of my distressed Brethren.

5. The secōd Act, answerable to the sixt Chapter n. 2. O my God how great is thy Excellency, Worth, and Perfection [...] All honour and glory is due vnto thee. I poore cre­ature know not how more perfectly to procure thy diuine Maiesty to be pray­sed, honoured, and glorifyed, then by doing al I am able, to deliuer some soule or soules, which being released by my meanes from Purgatory, may honour, prayse and glorify thy sacred Maiesty [Page 170] in the highest manner. Wherfore O my Soule, to this end affoard these soules of thy Brethren all the help thou canst: Pray for them &c. as it followeth in the former Act.

6. The third Act, answerable also to the sixt Chapter nu. 3. O most mercifull, liberall, & good God, how many, & how great benefits, hast thou with vnspeakable loue heaped vpō me! How shall I be able to requite this thy bounty, mercy and goodnes! I poore Creature know not how more perfectly to procure thy diuine Maiesty &c. all as followeth in the second Act.

7. The fourth Act, answerable to the sixt Chapter n. 4. How many & how enormous haue bin the sins, by which I haue dishonoured thee my good God! Thee, O infinite Excellēcy! Thee O immēse Good­nes! I poore Creature know not how more perfectly to procure thy diuine Maiesty &c. as before, in the secōd Act.

[Page 171]8. The fifth Act, answerable to the sixt Chapter also, nu. 5. O my deare Iesus, thou louest the soules of my Brethren so dearely, that whatsoeuer for thy sake is done vnto them, thou accountest done vnto thy selfe. Wherfore O my Soule to this end affoard the soules of thy Brethren &c. as before in the first Act.

9. It is very good to renew these Acts often, and to make euery morning, some one of these obla­tions: for this is a deuotion, by which we may purchase many great commodityes, and suffer no discōmodity; by which our works may become more meritorious, our prayers more impetratory, our actions more higly satisfacto­ry; and finally by which we may haue great hope, to escape eyther all, or at least a great part of Pur­gatory.

10. Neither is there any danger of violating Charity due to our sel­ues [Page 172] by the practice of this deuoti­on; but we may rather offend a­gainst charity by making slight of a deuotion, which might haue bin so beneficiall to vs. For it is cleare we cā loose nothing, & must needs gaine much: much for our selues, much for our neighbour, & much for the glory of Almighty God: to whom be all prayse & glory for euer and euer. Amen.

A TABLE Of the Chapters of this Booke.

  • Chap. I. PVrgatory proued by all kind of sacred Au­thority. pag. 7.
  • Chap. II. Purgatory proued by Rea­son, grounded in Scripture. pag. 21.
  • Chap. III. The first Motiue to pray for the Soules in Purgatory, which is, the greatnes of the sensible paines they suffer. pag. 32.
  • Chap. IV. The second Motiue, drawne from the intollerable paynes the soules suffer, by being banished from the fight of God. pag. 44.
  • Chap. V. The third Motiue taken from the long tyme that these paynes do endure. pag. 53.
  • [Page 174] Chap. VI. That for the loue we beare to God, we ought to be much moued to help the Soules in Purgatory. pag 64.
  • Chap. VII. That by offering our Actions for the Soules in Purgato­ry, we purchase many great Commo­dities for our selues, & sustaine no Incommodity. pag 68
  • Chap. VIII. That by offering our Actions for the soules in Purgatory, we do not merit lesse, but more. p 77.
  • Chap. IX. That our Actions offered vp for the soules in Purgatory, are not lesse, but more impetratory of other fauours. pag. 86.
  • Chap. X. That by offering our Actions for the Soules in Purgatory, we do not lesse, but more satisfy for our owne sinnes. pag. 96.
  • Chap. XI. That by offering our Ac­tions for the Soules in Purgatory we haue great hope of escaping ei­ther all, or a good part of Purga­tory. pag. 104.
  • Chap. XII. That it is not against [Page 175] Charity to our selues, to offer our Actions for the Soules in Purga­tory, but it is rather against it not to offer them. pag. 112.
  • Chap. XIII. By what meanes we may help the Soules in Purgatory. pag. 115.
  • Chap. XIV. Of Jndulgences. pa. 132.
  • Chap. XV. Two other meanes of higher Perfection, by which we may relieue the Soules in Purgatory. pag. 153.
  • Chap. XVI. To what Soules in Pur­gatory we are chiefly to apply our satisfactory workes. pag. 161.
  • Chap. XVII. The perfect practice of all conteynd in this Books. pag. 166.
FINIS.

THREE AND THIRTY most godly & deuout Prayers or Salutations, to be recited in honour of the Sacred Life & Passion of our Blessed Sa­uiour sweet Iesus, for faith­full Soules departed: After ech wherof, must be said the Psalme, Miserere.
The Preamble, or Introduction.

O Most sweet Lord Iesus most mercifull pardo­ner of our sinnes, and Sauiour of our soules, we hūbly beseech thee, by all the mercies [Page 2] that euer thou hast shewed to sinners from the first instant of thy birth vnto this presēt houre, that thou wilt not refuse the prayers of vs poore sinners for this Soule (or these Soules) but be pleased to deliuer them from all paine, & graunt thē eternall rest, through thy bottōles mer­cy, for that to saue vs thou didst assume our poore humanity.

THE I. PRAYER.

WE salute thee Eternall word and wisdome of the Father & beseech thee, by that infinite charity which drew thee from the bosome of thy eternall Fa­ther to chose the pure immacu­late Virgin to be thy mother, as also through that admirable worke thou wroughtest in her sacred wombe, when thou didst cloath thy Glorious Diuinity [Page 3] with our base flesh, and in that sort becamest our brother, and didest giue thy glorious mother vnto vs for an Aduocate and mother, for which cause we hū ­bly haue recourse vnto her, ho­ping what our owne merites cannot obtaine, to impetrate by her; confident wherof we con­uert our selues to thee, ô sweet Mother of mercy, and by that inestimable treasure which was inclosed in thy Virginal wombe which neither heauen nor earth could containe: O daughter of the eternall Father, mother of the sonne, and spouse of the ho­ly Ghost, we beseech thee that thou wilt vouchsafe by thy in­tercession to open vnto vs the same diuine treasure, and be­seech thy beloued sonne, that throgh the loue he bore thee, he will receiue our petitions for [Page 4] this Soule, (or these Soules) and forgiue thē in whatsoeuer they haue offended, and by his holy birth, by which he hath broken Adams chaines, wilbe pleased to vnloose these poore Soules from the chaines of their sinnes. Mi­serere mei Deus &c.

THE II. PRAYER.

WE salute thee O most sweet Lord Iesus, fountaine of mercy, and bright Mirrour of al vertue, & beseech thee throgh the extreme pouerty and other afflictions that thou didest en­dure in thy holy birth and ten­der infancy, as also by thy great humility, penance, fasting, wat­ching, praying, and other auste­rities, that thou didest liuing here vpon earth for the space of 33. yeares & by thy painful foot-steps going bare-foote and bare [Page 5] head, throgh the hunger & thirst cold and heate, labour & wea­rines, & the other miseries thou sufferedst euery hower and mo­ment during thy life for our saluation, & that immense cha­rity wherby thou didest offer all those thy suffrings to thy cele­stiall Father for the satisfaction of our sinnes, that thou wilt mercifully pardon these Soules all the offences they haue com­mited against thee in pride, vain-glory, couetousnes, sensuality vaine cares of temporall things & vanities, & impure thoughtes wordes and actions, throgh the merits of all thy sufferances & labours, and most holy life and conuersation. Miserere.

THE III. PRAYER.

WE salute thee, ô Eternall comfort & sweet solace of [Page 6] our soules, and beseech thee by that infinite loue & mercy thou hast awayes shewed to sinners, so immense that no vnderstanding is able to comprehend it; by that loue which made thee who art an incomprehensible treasure to permit thy selfe to be sold for thirty pence; & by that infinite charity wherewith thou didest giue thy selfe in the diuine Sa­crament to thy Apostles vnder the species of bread and wine, & to vs all as a pledge of our salua­tion; through this thy liberality we beseech thee ô bread of An­gels and Sauiour of soules, the giuer and the gift, that thou wilt mercifully pardon these Soules all the offences they haue com­mited against thee by vnworthy receauing of this holy Sacramēt without due contrition, right confession, and entire satisfa­ctiō, [Page 7] forgiue thē ô Lord throgh thy infinite mercy. Miserere.

THE IV. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô bread of An­gells and comforter of sor­rowfull hartes, & beseech thee by thy profound humility with which thou didst bow downe thy knees at thy disciples feet & washed them, as also through that holy Sermon thou didest make vnto them; and the sor­rowfull wordes thou spakest, saying, My soule is sorrowfull vnto death; vntil now you haue not prayed; pray, for whatsoeuer you shall aske the Father in my name, he will giue it you: O lo­uing Lord, through this thy promise we beseech thy blessed Father, through thee his only deere beloued sonne, that he wil remēber the great anxiety thy sacred [Page 8] humanity did indure when it beheld all those intollerable torments & death it was to vn­dergoe, & by the bitter anguish therof we beseech him and thy sacred selfe mercifully to par­don these Soules all they haue offended in vaine solace, and ad­mit them into thy eternall glo­ry. Miserere.

THE V. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most merci­full Lord Iesus, sweet shee­pheard of our Soules, who for our redemption hast drunke the chalice of thy bitter passiō, & be­sech thee by that painful agony which thou didst willingly en­dure when kneeling and pro­strate on the ground thou didst pray three seuerall times to thy celestiall Father saying, Father if it be possible let this Chalice [Page 9] passe from me, yet not my will but thyne be done; at which time thou didest sweat water & bloud, through the bitternesse of thy anguish, and an Angell came frō heauen to cōfort thee saying, Arise, go forward co­ragiously, you shal appease your Fathers wrath, you shall breake Adams bandes & redeeme man­kind; after which thou wentest to thy Disciples & finding them a sleep saidst, do you sleep now? Arise let vs go, for he that be­trayeth me is at hand: O deere Lord, through that thy willing resignation to suffer death, to fulfill the will of thy heauenly Father, and through thy do­lourous agonye and blouddy sweat we beseech thee mercifuly to pardon these poore soules all the offences they haue commit­ted against thy diuine pleasure [Page 10] or the Obedience of their Supe­riours, and through thy holy & feruēt prayer, receiue our hum­ble prayers, and petitions for them. Miserere.

THE VI. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus, & beseech thee by that inflamed charity wher­with thou didest go to meet the traitor Iudas, asking him & the rest whō they soght, & they ans­wering Iesus of Nazareth, thou answeredst I am he, through the power of which wordes they all fell two seuerall times downe to the ground; after which giuing them power to rise thou didest meekly receiue the kisse of the traytor Iudas, saying to him, Friend whereto art thou come, dost thou betray the sonne of man with a kisse? We thanke [Page 11] thee, O most sweet Sauiour for all these mercies, and beseech thee throgh the merits of them to forgiue these soules whatsoe­uer they haue offended in de­traction, murmuration, vnpro­fitable friendship, or any other offences, & beseech thee by that infinite loue and charity wher­with thou didest desire to haue pardoned Iudas, that thou wilt haue mercy vpon these poore Soules, and pardon them all the sinnes they haue committed a­gainst thee. Miserere.

THE VII. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus, and represent vnto thee that Patience, wher­with thou didest suffer thy selfe to be furiously apprehended by the wicked Iewes, who seized vpon thee as thou hadst beene [Page 12] some theefe, or wicked male­factour, and bound thy sacred handes so cruelly behind thee, that the bloud sprung forth of thy nayles; then wert thou for­saken of all thy friendes and lefte in the cruell handes of those impious and most inhu­maine slaues, who pulling & ha­ling thee gaue thee many cruell buffets, spurnes and blowes, and in that manner led thee vnto the house of Annas the high Priest, who imperiously examininge thee of thy Disciples and do­ctrine, thou answeredst, I haue taught openly in the tēple whi­ther all the people resorte, and in secret I haue said nothing, why askest thou me, aske those that heard me; for which one of the seruantes that stood by gaue thee so cruell a blow on the race that thy teeth loosened in thy [Page 13] head saying; answerest thou the high Priest so? Others spurned thee, strooke thee on the necke and spit vpon that diuine face which celestiall spirits are neuer satisfied to behold: O dearest Lord Iesus, we render infinite thankes to thy immense charity for all these thy sufferinges, and humbly beseech thee by them, & by those merciful eyes wher­with thou didest behold S. Pe­ter, that thou wilt with the same eye of pitty, looke vpon these soules, & loose them from all their chaines, and forgiue them all their sinnes, through the manifold tormentes thou didst endure that night. Mi­serere.

THE VIII. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most sweet Sauiour, sole comfort of [Page 14] sinners, and represent vnto thee how furiously those cruell Ty­gers led thee boūd to Cayphas, before whō thou stoodest like a meeke Lambe and heardest the false witnesse they brought a­gainst thee; How thou wentest about to seduce the people, and taughest them false doctrine; That thou saidst thou couldst destroy the temple, & in three dayes readify it: Then Cayphas adiured thee by the liuing God, to tell him if thou wert Christ the sonne of the liuing God, vn­to whom thou answeredst, thou saiest that I am; Whereupon he rent his cloathes, and said, He hath blasphemed, what need we any more witnesses; at which they all cryed out, he is worthy of death, and furiously running vpon thee vnmeasurably spit in thy face, buffeted and beat thee [Page 15] cruelly, striking thee on thy holy necke, and face, and head, blindfolding thee, and giuing thee cruell blowes, and saying in derision and scorne, Prophe­sy ô Christ who it is that stroke thee: for all which sufferances, paines & most in human iniuries we render thee infinite thankes, O most sweet Lord Iesus, and humbly beseech thee by the merits of thē, to forgiue these soules if at any time they haue detracted, and through all thy tormentes pardon them what­soeuer they haue committed against thee. Miserere.

THE IX. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô sweet Iesus almighty power & in com­prehensible wisdom of God, & represent vnto thee how these raging dogges led thee furious­ly [Page 16] vnto Pilate, demaunding the sentence of death against thee, he then sent thee to Herod who greatly reioyced at thy com­ming, hoping to haue seene some miracle wrought by thee, but thou didest not answere him one word, but stoodst like a milde lābe holding thy peace, which Herode seeing he cau­sed thee to be mocked, scor­ned, and cloathed in a white garment like a foole, setting in derision a crowne vpō thy head and spiting in thy face, striking thee and saying. All hayle king of Israel: After which he sent thee back to Pilate saying, he thought he had sent him a wise [...] saw he was a very foole O sweet Sauiour how ma­ny [...] did they to thee by the way casting stones and filth at thee! O eternall wisdome of [Page 17] the Father how art thou derided, how art thou defiled and iniu­red! O deerest Lord we render infinite thankes to thee for all these thy cōtumelies, scornes, & iniuries, and hūbly beseech thee by them to pardon these soules all their vnthankefulnese, for thy bitter passion, and all want of charity towards their neigh­bour. Miserere.

THE X. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus eternall God & true man, and represent vnto thee the great humility wher­with thou stoodest before Pi­late, meeke and silent, ready to suffer all shame and confusion, outrages & iniuries they could do against thee: Pilate said vnto thee what hast thou done that all the world is thus offended [Page 18] against thee; as also many other questions he asked thee, vnto which thou didest not answere any thing; then Pilate said, he found no cause of death in thee; but they all cryed and exclamed against thee, saying, Thou wert a breaker of the law, & calledst thy selfe the sonne of God; vnto whome thou answeredst, Thou hast said that I am, for this cause came I into the world, that I should giue testimony of the truth; after which Pilate said a­gaine to the Iewes, I find no cause of death in this man; but they with furious clamors said He is worthy of death; Pilate then answered, I wil correct him and dismisse him. O good Iesus, ô sonne of the liuing God, ô so­ueraigne king of glory we ren­der thee infinite thankes for all these thy sufferings, and humbly [Page 19] beseech thee by them to pardon these poore Soules all the offen­ces they haue committed against thee, through false, bitter, angry, or vaine wordes. Miserere.

THE XI. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus, and represent vnto thee thy shamfull vncloa­thing, when the cruell souldiers with furious hast pulled off thy garments, & thou meekly hel­pedst them, it being thy desire to suffer for vs; who hauing striped thee naked bound thee to a Pil­ler with such vnhumane cruelty that thy bloud gushed forth at thy nayles, and they scourged thee so barbarously with whips wherin were Iron hooks, laying stripe vpon stripe, and wound vpon wound, that they rente & tore thy sacred body all ouer, [Page 20] and lefte not so much as one whole peece of skin vpon thee; then they vnbound thee & tur­ning thy breast forward, bound thy handes ouer thy head, and scourged thee againe so cruelly on that side, that all thy sacred flesh being rent off, thy bones and bowells were discouered; then they vnloosed thee from the Pillar, and in that lamenta­ble manner all-ouer wounded and imbrewed with thy bloud they put an old purple robe in scorne vpō thee: O deerest Lord I render thee infinite thankes for all these thy sufferings and intollerable shame & torments, and humbly beseech thee by all the merits of them, and of thy sacred wounds, and all the dro­pps of thy most precious bloud that thou wilt haue mercy on these poore Soules, and pardon [Page 21] all their sinnes & offences which they haue committed against thee. Miserere.

THE XII. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most sweet Iesus souerain king of An­gels, and shining crowne of the Saintes, and represent vnto thee how those cruel miscreats after they had so inhumanly scour­ged thee, set vpon thy sacred head a Crowne of sharpe and pricking thornes, which they strooke with cruell blowes into thy head, and kneeling downe before thee in scorne, saluted thee saying, All haile king of the Iewes; after which they pulled of the Crowne of thornes and set it on againe with intollera­ble tormentes to thee, spitting on thy diuine face which was all ouer imbrued with bloud, [Page 22] swelled, disfigured, and defor­med, giuing thee cruell buffets, scorning and deriding thee; O deerest Lord Iesus, O most mer­cifull Father and Sauiour, we represente vnto thee, all these paines, and do giue thee infinite thankes for all these thy suffe­rings and those most cruell tor­ments thou enduredst in thy sacred head, most humbly be­seeching thee by thē mercifully to pardon these poore soules all they haue offēded by their head, either in hearing, seeing, spea­king, eating, drinking, or vaine attyring of their heads, or by euill vsing the three powers of their soule; forgiue it thē sweet Lord throgh thy infinit mercy. Miserere.

THE XIII. PRAYER

WE salute thee ô most sweet Iesus eternall king of glory [Page 23] and represent vnto thee the in­tollerable shame, and torment thou didest endure when Pilate led thee out to the people, wea­ring the crowne of thornes and purple garment, & said, Behold the man, and the cursed multi­tude seeing thee so miserably disfigured, wounded, rent, and torne, had no compassion on thee, but most vnhumanly cryed out, take him a way, take him a way, crucify him, crucify him: O deerest Lord we render infi­nite thankes to thee for these thy cruell torments, shame, and ignominies, and beseech thee to present now thy selfe with them and all thy other merites vnto thy heauenly Father for these soules, for their eternall recon­ciliation, and cloath them with thy merites, and so present them to him, as a fruite of thy [Page 24] better passion. Miserere.

THE XIV. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus, God of infinit Power and Maiesty, and repre­sent vnto thee how Pilate go­ing to his Iudgment seat, caused thee to be broght againe before him (where thou stoodst hūbly with declined head & eyes) & said to the Iewes, I haue cor­rected him, will you that I dis­misse him, but they al cryed out crucify him, crucify him: then Pilate said, Will you that I dis­misse Barabbas, and crucify Ie­sus? they all cryed out, yes, let him be crucified for he hath de­serued the shamfull death of the Crosse; then Pilate washed his hands and said, I am innocent of the bloud of this iust man; but they all cryed out, let his bloud [Page 25] be vpon vs and vpon our Chil­dren. O deerest Sauiour, O foū ­taine of all goodnesse, O Fa­ther of mercy and God of all consolation, we call vpon thee with all our hartes, and with our soule, powers, forces, and affe­ctions, most humbly beseeching thee, that thou wilt vouchsafe to let thy precious bloud, come as truly vpon these poore soules to the forgiuenes & remission of all their sinnes, as it hath done vpon the Iewes to their eternall cōdemnation. Then Pilate gaue the sentence of death against Ie­sus: O deerest Sauiour through this sentence of death, which thou receiuedst with so great humility, we humbly beseech thee mercifully to pardon these poore Soules, in whatsoeuer they haue offended by any euill or rash iudgmēt of their neigh­bour [Page 26] either in thought, word, or deed. Miserere.

THE XV. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most sweet Iesus, most meeke bearer of our infirmities, and offer vn­to thee that great charity wher­with thou didest imbrace the heauy Crosse that the cruell Iewes laid vpon thy wounded shoulders, the weight wherof caused thee to bow downe euen to the ground, being so faint that thou couldst scarce go or draw thy breath, in which pitti­full plight thou wert dragged forward by the Iewes, who of­ten strooke thee on thy sacred head, and cast stones & filth at thee: O deerest Lord through the heauy burthen of the Crosse which thou so willingly cariedst for our sins, we besech thee that [Page 27] thou wilt deliuer these Soules from all their paines, & through the great wound that the heauy Crosse made in thy wounded shoulder, we beseech thee to comfort them in the same holy wound; and by thy painfull footsteps, forgiue them their sinnefull footsteps, & lead them into thy eternall glory; and through the sorrow of thy bles­sed Mother & compassion thou haddest of her, pardon these poore Soules whatsoeuer they haue offended by omission of their duty toward their parents either corporall or spirituall. Miserere.

THE XVI. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus Christ who cloa­thest the lillyes & flowers with colours and beauty, and repre­sent [Page 28] vnto thee thy painfull vn­clothing, when before so many and so great a multitude of people they so furiously pulled of thy garments, which stuck so fast to thy woundes that with the force of pulling them off they tore off also thy skin and flesh, with most intollerable paine and torment to thee, who stoodest in that miserable plight all ouer wounded rent & torne naked & trembling with cold and shame in the view of all the world, powring from all partes of thy sacred body streames of most precions bloud. O most sweet Iesus, neuer did Bride­groome goe to the chamber of his spouse with so great a loue as thou wentest towardes the Crosse: O deerest Sauiour ne­uer did Prince go to receiue his Crowne more willingly then [Page 29] thou wētest to the crosse, wher­on those impious vile miscreāts most furiously cast thee, & thou most willing didst stretch forth thy holy body vpon it, suffe­ring them most inhumanly to stretch forth, and to nayle thy right Hand thereunto, with a rough and boystorous nayle. O soueraigne Lord and sweet Re­deemer we rēder infinite thākes to thy goodnesse, for all these thy cruell paines and torments, and beseech thee by them all to forgiue these poore Soules, all they haue offēded throgh pride of cloaths, or any other offence or sinne. Miserere.

THE XVII. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most sweet Iesus, deere Father of our soules, and present to thee that furious cruelty wherwith those [Page 30] barbarous wretches drew thy other Hand with a cord vnto the hole they had made in the Crosse, in such sort that thy bones were disioynted, thy woundes rent wider, and all thy veines and sinewes broken, and then they nayled that hand vn­to the Crosse as they had done the other. O deerest Lord we render thee infinite thankes for that intollerable torment thou didst endure in that cruell nay­ling of thy Handes vnto the crosse, and beseech thee by it & by the sacred woundes of them that thou wilt mercifully par­don these poore Soules all the sinnes and offences, which by their handes they haue commit­ted against thee. Miserere.

THE XVIII. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus, mercifull Me­diator [Page 31] betweene thy heauenly Father & vs sinners, and repre­sent to thee that cruelty wher­with the cursed Iewes stretched forth thy sacred leggs so vio­lently with a cord, that all thy veines & sinewes were broken, and nayled thy holy feet vnto the crosse with great and boy­strous nayles, throgh thy great patience suffering them to do to thee whatsoeuer they would, as if thou hadst said, I lye heere to the end I may accomplish my Fathers will, and redeeme man­kind. O what great and exces­siue paine caused euery stroke of the hammer vnto thy hart, and also to the tender hart of thy blessed Mother! O deerest Sauiour, we render thee infinite thankes for that most intolle­rable torment which thou didst endure in that dolourous nay­ling [Page 32] of thy sacred feet, and that immense loue & charity wher­with thou didest suffer it, most hūbly beseeching thee therby to pardon these soules all they haue committed against thee by sitting, or lying, sleeping, or waking, knowing or not know­ing, or in what sort soeuer, through thy painfull lying on the crosse and extreme torments shame and ignominy. Miserere.

THE XIX. PRAYER.

O Most sweet Lord Iesus we humbly salute thee, and re­present vnto thee that pittifull rearing vp of the crosse, wherby thy cruell enemies did misera­bly shake thy sacred body, vsing many clamours, opprobries and iniurious despites against thee, letting the crosse fall, after they had raysed it, violently downe [Page 33] into the hole they had made for it in the ground, through the force wherof all thy woundes were renewed and most cruelly rent and torne, out of which as from riuers, flowed forth thy precious bloud in great aboun­dance. O deerest Sauiour with what infinite Charity diddest thou hang there to make satis­faction for all sinnes past, pre­sent, and to come, for which we render thee immortall thankes and humbly beseech thee, to let one drop of that thy pre­cious bloud which thou didest then sheed, descend vpon these Soules for a full satisfaction of all the sinnes they haue com­mitted in the whole course of their life. Miserere.

THE XX. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus who knowest the [Page 32] [...] [Page 33] [...] [Page 34] desires of our harts before they be declared by wordes, and re­present to thee that great chari­ty wherewith hanging on the crosse thou didest pray for thy enemyes, saying, Father forgiue them, for they know not what they do, which mercifull prayer of thine was of such force that it conuerted many of them that were guilty of thy bloud: O true comforter of all sorrowfull hartes, we beseech thee throgh the merit of that thy Prayer, that thou wilt vouchsafe now to pray to thy heauenly Father, for these poore soules that they may be as fully pardoned of all their sinnes & offences, as those who were then receiued into grace through the merit of thy precious bloud. Miserere.

THE XXI. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô soueraigne Lord Iesus sweet Father of mercy, and represent to thee how hanginge betweene two thee us, the one wherof blasphe­med thee, the other besought thee to be myndefull of him when thou camest in thy king­dome, whom thou didest boun­tifully pardon and receiue into thy mercy, in such sort as he was the first vnto whom thou didest promise paradise, throgh which bottomlesse mercy we beseech thee, as also throgh the merits of thy precious bloud which thou impartedst to the Theefe, to let the same precious bloud descend now vpon these soules vnto a full forgiuenesse of their sinnes, and through thy infinite mercy bring them into [Page 36] thy euerlasting glory. Miserere.

THE XXII. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most Bles­sed Lord Iesus, sweet solace of the sorrowfull, and offer vnto thee all that internall suffering thou haddest, seeing thy deere Mother standing vnder the crosse ouerwhelmed in a sea of deadly anguishes through loue and compassion towardes thee, whom thou didest commend to thy beloued Disciple S. Iohn, which greately renewed her griefe and bitter sorrow for thy death; O deerest Lord through this loue and care thou haddst of thy sweet Mother in thy tor­ments, we humbly commend vnto thy mercifull goodnesse these soules, beseechinge thee to deliuer them for all paines and torments, through thy me­rites, [Page 37] and the merites of thy blessed Mother. Miserere.

THE XXIII. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus soueraign shep­heard of thy holy Church, and faithfull forgiuer of sinnes, and offer vnto thee that sorrowfull Prayer thou madest vnto thy heauenly Father when thou sai­dest, my God my God why hast thou forsaken me? he hauing left thy holy Humanity desti­tute of all help and comfort in those thy bitter angushes and tormēts, for all which we hum­bly thanke thee, & beseech thee by them, and the merits of thy sacred Prayer, that thou wilt mercifully heare our humble prayers which we now present to thee for these poore soules & deliuer them through thy infi­nite [Page 38] mercy and merits from all their paines & tormēts. Miserere.

THE XXIV. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô sweet Iesus fountaine of liuing waters, and represent vnto thee, how thou saidst, I thirst, which thirst must needs be excessiue great, for that there was not left one drop of bloud in all thy whole body, but chiefly didest thou thirst for our saluation, for which we humbly thanke thee, as also for the bitter gall & ey­sell thou didest take, and the se­cret sorrow thou hadst, remem­bring that thy bitter death shold be lost on so many soules, all which we humbly offer to thee ô most sweet Sauiour, and beseech thee that thou wilt let thy precious bloud descend on these poore Soules to refresh [Page 39] them, and to deliuer them from all their paines. Miserere.

THE XXV. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most sweet Iesus, inestimable treasure of the diuine riches, and repre­sent vnto thee, how in the end of thy life thou calledst to mind all the holy workes thou hadst done all thy life, and in one summe offeredst them all vp to thy celestiall Father, saying, It is consūmate; we most humbly beseech thee to offer that ine­stimable treasure of thy merits which neuer diminisheth, vnto thy heauenly Father for these Soules, and therewith pay all the debts of their sinnes, and all other they are charged with. Miserere.

THE XXVI. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most sweet Iesus, giuer of life to all [Page 40] creatures and soueraigne com­maunder of life and death, and represent vnto thee thy lamen­table hanging vpon the Crosse all deformed with bleedinge woundes, & a deadly palenesse at the time of thy death, when casting downe thy heauēly eyes which were dimmed with tears and began to breake with the anguishes of death, and decli­ning thy head which was com­passed about with thornes, to shew thy Obedience to thy hea­uenly Father and reconcile thy Church to him, thou rendredst thy sacred soule crying with a lowd voyce, Father into thy handes I commend my spirit. O crucifyed Lord as thou didst commend thy sweet spirit into thy Fathers handes, so we com­mend these poore Soules into thyne, beseching thee to recon­cile [Page 41] them vnto thy heauenly Father, and offer thy precious bloud and bitter death vnto him for a full pardon and remis­sion of all their sinnes. O Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world, we beseech thee throgh thy seauen words which are full of mercy and mystery, that thou wilt merci­fully pardon these poore soules whatsoeuer they haue offended in the seauen deadly sinnes, or any branch of them. Miserere.

THE XXVII. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus the vanquisher of death, descending with the banner of thy crosse into hell: O how were those Prisoners which so many yeares with lon­ging desires had expected thee comforted, when as they saw thee, and knew thee to be God [Page 42] and man, their Lord and redee­mer, and that Adam said, I see heere that hand that framed me: O deerest Sauiour, we beseech thee through the Ioy those ho­ly soules had when thou didest lead them out of that Infernall Prison, and by that vnspeakable gladnesse thou hadst when thou beheldest the first happy fruit of thy death and passion, through al thy merits, that thou wilt lead forth these poore soules out of all captiuity. Miserere.

THE XXVIII. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus foūtaine of loue and mercy, and represent to thee how Longinus furiously opened thy side with a speare, which transpeirced euen thy Sacred hart, of out which flowed both water and bloud: O deerest Lord, we humbly thanke thee [Page 43] for this most liberall effusion of thy precious bloud, and humbly beseech thee by it, to receiue these poore Soules into thy sa­cred woundes, and hart, and cleanse them with thy precious bloud; and by the fiue woundes of thy handes, feet, and hart, & all the other sacred woundes of thy most precious body mer­cifully to pardō all their sinnes. Miserere.

THE XXIX. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus the innocent sa­crificed Lambe, & represent vn­to thee how thy wounded body was takē downe frō the Crosse, & laid in the lap of thy sorrow­full Mother, from which crosse thou wouldst not descend vntill thou haddst accomplished the worlds redemption. O deerest Lord, through that thy infinite [Page 44] mercy, and all other merites of thy bitter passion, we humbly beseech thee to vnloose these poore soules frō all the chaines wherewith they haue bound themselues by their sinnes: & we humbly beseech thee also, O Sacred Mother of God, through the sorrow and tender compassion thou hadst to see the wounded body of thy dee­rest sonne lying dead in thy lap, that thou wilt offer his and thy merites for these poore Soules vnto the eternall Father to ob­taine a full pardō & remissiō of all their sinnes. Miserere.

THE XXX. PRAYER

WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus, and offer vnto thee thy holy buriall, how after all thy labours and miseries, thou didest rest in thy graue; We humbly beseech thee, to [Page 45] giue these soules rest in the holy City of heauen, & forgiue them who haue so often times with­drawne their soule from thee, by the distraction of temporall thinges, and not suffered thee, their peacefull king, to rest in their hartes. Miserere.

THE XXXI. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus, the ioy of An­gels and saluation of men, and represent to thee thy glorious resurrection and ioyfull appa­ritions to thy holy Mother, & deere friends, through which we humbly beseech thee, O con­querer of death, that thou wilt with thy diuine power shew thy selfe to these poore Soules, & fi­nish all their bitter paines. Mise.

THE XXXII. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô soueraigne King of glory, and re­present [Page 46] to thee thy Glorious Triumphant Ascension, and Assumption of those Soules which in Limbo so long time had expected their Redēption, most humbly beseeching thee sweet Sauiour, that thou wilt be pleased, through thy infinite goodnesse; to lead these Soules into thy eternall glory, where for euer they may behold thy diuine and heauenly face. O good Iesus and deere Sauiour we beseech thee by thy holy conuersation, and painfull pas­sion, to pardon them all their sinnes and bring them into thy eternall rest, and fruition of thy glory. Miserere.

THE XXXIII. PRAYER.

WE salute thee ô eternall in­created Sonne of God, full of grace and mercy, the reward of all those that hope in thee, [Page 47] most humbly beseeching thee, mercifully to forgiue vs all our omissions of intention in these prayers, & let thē not be, throgh our coldnes, lesse meritorious to these poore Soules, but re­ceiue them according to the worthinese of the sacred myste­ries mentioned therin, through that infinite loue wherewith they were accomplished, and the worthinesse of the person that wrought them, by all which we humbly beseech thee to deliuer these poore soules frō all paines and reioyce them with thy hea­uenly presence for all eternity. Miserere.

The Conclusion.

O Most sweet Lord Iesus, so­ueraigne Lord & life of our soules, we humbly beseech thee to encline thy eares to our prayers, & deliuer these Soules [Page 48] (or this Soule) from all paines and admit them into thy eternall glory; Let thy preciou [...] bloud, thy deep woundes, thy cruell torments, thy bitter passion, innocent death, thy Nobl [...] Soule, and the prayers and merits of thy sacred Mother, and all the holy Angels and Saintes▪ be vnto them a full satisfaction for all their sinnes, negligences, and omissions; and suffer no [...] their Soules, whom thou hast redeemed with thy preciou [...] bloud, any longer to be separa­ted from thee. O Redeemer o [...] the world we hūbly offer these prayers for them, to thy ttans­peirced Hart, beseeching thee to grant them the fruition of thy eternall Glory. Amen.

FINIS.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this EEBO-TCP Phase II text, in whole or in part.