Sect. 1. I Gratefully Acknowledge my Obligations, for the good will, you shew to In­struct me. The perusal of this Bull and Council had long since set­led a full belief in my soul: That the Pur­gation of separated Souls might be Compleated before Re-union with their Bodies and the General day of Iudgment. So that, in truth, I was not a little surprised by your book. It was my misfortune it fell into my hands, just [Page 2] then, when our expectations were at the height of those troubles, which afterwards succeed­ed in our Nation, and which have ever since much diverted me from things of this nature, whilst in such nicities, as you now have brought the question too, our understandings ought to be perfectly calm. And this I hope will plead for the delay that I have not pre­sented you sooner with these Reflections on your book (which I designed long agoe) if my other occasions had not interposed them­selves. I found not that satisfaction I ear­nestly wished for in your Letter; your Objecti­ons seemed not manly, your Answers not home; you will pardon me then if I mind you of my Exceptions against both: which I shall endeavour to do with that just mode­ration that befits Brethren. I cannot altoge­ther approove of harshness in writing, even against the professed adversaries of our holy Faith. It was not unhappily said by one of them, as I remember, That writing of Con­troversies ought to carry as much sweetness as Love-Letters, and that the other rudeness served but to chase away the game. And since you have administred to me a just occasion to reprehend this in your Letter, I shall be wary not to be justly taxable my self, both to yours and your Masters person, [Page 3] Master White (whom you have now intro­duced into the scene) I bear as much re­spect, as any one whosoever, upon so sleight an acquaintance: It is not the Doctor, but the Doctrine, combat. I cannot digest their bold­ness, who usurp the Authority of the su­pream tribunal, to brand any opinion with the title of Heresie, whilst the Church hath not done it to their hands: much less can I endure, that the Author himself should be stigmatized with the infamous character of an Heretick. And though in this present con­troversie, I am fully convinced, that this mo­dern systeme of Purgatory stands condemned, both by this Bull of Benedict the 12 [...]. and the Florentin Council, and that of Trent, and by consequence is Heretical: yet I am very willing to believe, those who sustain it, do not see its condemnation. And yet I think it will appear that the Author of it, and those Schol­lars who are now able pro [...]icients in his school are armed, even against the Authority it self. This misfortune I regret, that I know not how to address my self to you, but in print: and since things which pass the press, are not confined to one or few mens view, but ex­posed to many eyes and censures, I am ne­cessitated to satisfie even vulgar readers; who certainly, though perhaps now acquainted with [Page 4] the controversie it self, never yet d [...]scover­ed the source and fountain of this new molded Purgatory. And to the end I may do so, I shall in the very introduction to my dis­course lay open to my readers eye, the first grounds and rise, and the afterwards conti­nued progress, of this your new doctrin: Nor could I otherwise acquit my self of it, with just satisfaction to other readers, whilst if I had spoken only in manuscript to you, (who are now raised (as you say) above your pitch and inabled to give any one satisfaction that is not before hand resolved to receive none, by confer­ring with those solid men, who are acquainted with every resort of Master Whites doctrine) my business had received a much quicker dis­patch.

For my Method, I hope, you will pardon me, if leaving whatsoever you have urged either against the Publishers (whom you are pleased to style Dispensers) of this Bull and Council, or any thing else, not directly per­tinent to our question, to the latter end of my Discourse. After your Doctrine laid open, and its grounds, and the Question stated between us, I betake my self at first to our business in hand about the Bull and Council. And for my Style, since we are now in a Controversie much more proper [Page 5] for a Divinity Lecture then a Rhetorical De­clamation, the strength of the Sense, rather then the quaintness of the Expression, will best befit the subject. This Preface will claim your pardon, if you consider it gives some light to what I hereafter say. But I will neither detain you, nor my Reader any longer, but fall to our work in hand.

Sect. 2. I have [...] from a very Learned and Worthy Friend of mine,Introdu­ction. that he himself being present at a Conference between Master White and ano­ther eminent Scholar of our Nation, divers years before Master White appeared in Print: among other things then discoursed of, Ma­ster White advanced a Phylosophical Position which the other denied, as inconsistent with our holy faith of the Blessed Sacrament: to which Master White replied, Let us find out the Truths in Phylosophy, and the Myste­ries of our Faith will square well enough with them: to which the other, Nay, Sir, by your favour, let us in the first place presuppose the establisht verities of faith, and then square our Phylosophy to them.

I have many times reflected, often con­ferred with others, of the different consequen­ces, of those different methods, which these two great persons held in leading our un­derstandings [Page 6] to truth. I have often enter­tained my self with these thoughts, what a dangerous method Master White prescribed, and as now appears followed? what a natural and new divinity it would prove, which should be squared to those Phlyosophical truths, which our weak understandings should be able to establish, independent of divine revelation? And at last Master White hath brought forth this his issue, and made it publick to the world.

Sect. 3. It is not my design, in this our pre­sent discourse, to run through those many little books, which this Author hath given us on several occasions: And the rather be­cause the authority of our supream Pastor, hath already taken notice of, and interposed his sharp, but justly deserved censures, against divers of them; and doubtless will pro­ceed against the rest, according to their de­merits I shall then as to the present, concern my self only with this one controversie, of the state of those souls which leave this life in the state of Grace; but so that they are not as yet fully purged: and with those positions and grounds, on which this new molded Fabrick of Purgatory stands, unless some one Doctrine or other, of the Author of it, having a neer alliance with the business in [Page 7] hand, so offer it self, that our discourse, and the Subject would be illustrated by it.

Sect. 4. And first as to the opinion it self, he thus delivers it of the middle State, (acc. 1.) I acknowledg (sayes he) in humane failings, a difference betwixt mortal, and venial; nor do I deny an imperfect remission of mortal im­purities, but I place not this imperfection, in that the sin is totally cancelled, the pain only remaining; but in the change of an absolute, into a conditional affection, as it were instead of, I will, substituting, I will not; but Oh, that I lawfully might, &c. the affection or inclination he had to temporal good, is re­strained, not extinguished, of mortal become venial, changed, not destroyed. Being there­fore by the operation of death (as it were) new molded, and minted into a purely spiritual substance; he carries inseparably with him the matter of his torment; in like manner as he also doth, who takes leave of his body, with his affections only venially disordered;This is not well [...] by T. W. we do not then any where imagine a place filled with hellish dishes, by which the soul, as from an external tormentor, suffers a butchery; but we are in horrour of the strife and fury of innate affections, which is therefore proportioned to the s [...]ns, because springing [Page 8] from them, nor ever otherwise possible to be defaced, unless the soul by a new conjunction to the body, become passive or susceptible of contrary affections, &c.

These are his new apprehensions of the State of Souls in their separation, perfectly squared to those Phylosophical grounds, he had long before layed, in his Peripatetick Institutions.

Sect. 5. Now as to the order in which this new fabrick of Purgatory, and indeed a whole new system of Philosophy and Divini­ty was made publick; it was (as I take it) this; after the Book of the immortality of of the soul, fathered on Sir Kenelm Digby: Master White appeared himself on the Stage, under the name of Thomas the Englishman of the Albi [...] of the East Saxons, where, in a mo­derate volume intituled Peripatetick Institu­tions; to the mind of that most eminent man, and most excellent Philosopher, Sir Kenelm Digby, &c. He discovers the great mine of this Phylosophy; here the suttleties of Logick, the secrets of nature, the hidden properties of bodies, both heaven and earth, are layed open; and not only that,See Consilium Authoris. but we are further led on by an undisolvable chain of unavoidable consequences (as is pretended) to the abstract no­tions [Page 9] of metaphysicks, to the clear under­standing of separated souls, intelligences, even the existence and attributes of God himself. And All this (if the Reader hath faith enough to believe, for otherwise, I am confident, he will find but slender satisfacti­on,) by most clear and evident demonstra­tions, by a long chain of consequences, or a series of Patets, Fits, sequiturs, clarum ests, consequens ests, confectum ests, and the like.

The Foundations thus laid, conformable to this incomparable (and I think incompre­hensible) Peece, for never Daughter was liker her Mother, issued out some time af­ter his Divinity, under this Title, Institu­tiones Sacrae, built (as he professes) in, or on (Inaedificatae) his former Peripatetick In­stitutions. This now containing a perfect Sum or Model of his Divinity, as that had formerly done of his Phylosophy. And cer­tainly, happy it was, the Author divi­ded them to our hands, and gave us them in several Volumes, and under several titles; for else it hd been impossible to know, where the first ended, or the second began: this being so perfectly squared to that, that in the very entry to his Divinity, he banisheth [Page 10] theSee ratio operis. Scito D [...]um naturae esse autho­r [...]m. &c. Know God is the Author of Nature, and that he perfects and el [...]vates it by supernatural things; not that he showrs into our souls a series of things of a different or unlike order or nature: Reason is Nature to us, and the perf [...]ction of Reason is demonstration. Do not then despair of demonstration from God. Notion of Supernaturality (though not the word) out of his School; the whole design of his new Theology being (now in the third age of the Church) to evacuate Christian Faith, and out of his Phylosophical grounds, to mould us up a new demonstra­tive Religion, for nothing is upon any other grounds admitted into this new Theological School, of which I give my Reader a full Account, Sect. 23, 24. &c.

Sect. 6. In his Peripatetick Institutions then or Philosophy, 5 book, lesson 1. he lays the foundations of his future Purgatory, or the state of Souls in separation, and having in the first place laboured to evince, That Rational Souls, such as those of men are, may exist or be without their Bodies. He delivers that notion (which he desires to im­print in us) of a separated Soul, in these words, nu. 9, 10, 11. Now he who desires to frame to himself, in some sort, a notion of a separated Soul, let him ponder with himself [Page 11] that Object which corresponds to the word, Man or Animal, as such: which when he shall see Abstracts from Place and Time, and is a substance by the only necessity of the terms: let him conceive the like of a se­parated soul. Then let him attentively con­sider some self evident and most Natural Proposition, in which, when he shall have Con­templated, That the Object is in the Soul, with its proper existence, and, as it were, by it: let him think a separated Soul is a Sub­stance, that is, all other things by the very Connexion of Existencies. Lastly, When in bodies he shall observe, that motion proceeds from the quality of the mover, and a certain impulse, and that this impulse is derived again from another impulse, and so even up to that which is first moved and be­yond. Let him imagine the soul is a kind of Principle, of such impulse, whatsoever thing that must be. And so he holds on, nu. 12. What is said of the substance of the soul, undoubtedly must be understood too, of its proper accidents: for since they depend onely on the soul, (being something of it, nay even the very soul it self,) and it would be more imperfect without them; they must run the same fortune with it, unless some special reason interpose. Out of which he deduces immediately num. 13. Whatso­ever [Page 12] things then were in the man according to his soul, at the instant of his death, remain inseparably in the state of separation. Where­fore all his resolutions or judgments, whether speculative or practical, shall remain in it. Out of which he deduces in the same Book, less. 4. num. 1. And because the affections in the soul, are nothing else but judgements, upon which operation does, or is apt to follow, &c. it comes to pass, that our affections to acquain­tance and friends, and the rest we cultivated in this life, shall remain in the future. And more fully in the same place, num. 2. The affections shall remain, and that in the same proportion they were during life. Out of which he concludes there, num. 3. Those who have given themselves up wholly to corporal plea­sures, will be affected with a vast grief, through the impossibility of those pleasures there; that is, because corporal pleasures cannot now be injoyed by the soul, in her state of separation. This is the essence, the substance of his Pur­gatory; this is his whole chain, or deduction of it, this is the grief he admits in separated souls, for accusing them of ignorance, who conceive fire, or any other material or external agent hath power to afflict them in that state; he conceives them sufferers from these re­maining affections to corporal pleasures, [Page 13] which therefore torment the souls, because they now are in a state, where these pleasures are impossible to be injoyed.

Sect. 7. Now as to the measure or dura­ration of separated souls, and the continuation of that state, till the day of judgment; the foundations are laid in the same Book: less. 3. num. 5. Again (sayes he) it is plain, that a separated soul in an other manner ex­cels place and time, then in the body; since in that it only abstracts from them, but out of that, it comprehends them. For this univer­sal and actual knowledg, places all place, and all time within the soul, so that it can act in eve­ry place at once, and together (as far as con­cerns this respect,) and provide for all time, wherefore it is in a manner a maker and go­vernour of time and place; out of which he deduces fully of the middle state, acc. 12. in spiritual acts whether they bring happiness or misery; there is no proportion to time, so as to make pain, which lasts longer, to be greater; or that which ends sooner, to be less: for those are the properties of corporal things, &c. Eve­ry act of a pure spirit reflected on it self, being of its own nature, out of the reach of time, is not subject thereto, but greater then the whole extension of time, &c. And in the next Sect. more fully. If to a thing (that is a sepa­rated [Page 14] soul) which coexists to a longer part of time, nothing be thereby added; or to a thing which coexists to a shorter part of time, nothing be thereby diminished, there can be no reason why duration should represent, either more or less grievous in these respective cases, &c. So that whatsoever grief of a separated soul is by the quality and force of its essence grea­ter, the same, let its Co-existence to time, be what it will, must be more vehement, and that which is less, less intense, nothing being gained o [...] lost by the perpetuating, or shortning of the motions of the Sun, or other caelestial bodies, &c. And from this ground in the same book, account. 22. he concludes, Whatsoe­ver time intervenes betwixt it (that is the prayer now powred out for a departed soul, or death) and the restauration of the world, (that is the day of general judgment) is to departed souls, but as one moment.

Sect. 8. And further, as to the Immutabi­lity of that state of separation, and the un­changeableness of the acts of Souls now se­vered from their Bodies, his grounds are laid down in the afore-cited Perepatetick Insti­tutions, book 5. less. 4. num. 6, 7, 8. Moreo­ver (says he) out of what hath been said 'tis deduced, That in the state of separati­on, no variety can happen to Souls from any [Page 15] body, or the change of Bodies: for since [...] change passes not from any body into the soul, but through the Identification of the soul with its own body; and this Identification ceaseth by the state of separation: it follows, that no action nor mutation can be derived from any Body to the Soul. Nor has the Soul, of it self, a principle of change in it self: not from hence only, because an indivisible cannot act on it self, but also, because since a muta­tion of the Soul cannot be any other, then either according to the Vnderstanding, or according to the Will. But the Vnderstanding is suppos­ed to know all things together and for ever; whence by the course of Nature, there is no room left either for Ignorance, or new Science: And the Will is either not distinct from the Vnderstanding, or at least is adequately go­verned in the state of separation; it fol­lows, that naturally no mutation can happen to a separated soul from within, or caused by it self. Nor yet from any other Spirit without the Interposition of the Body: for since all Spirits are indivisible, their opera­tions too will be such; but an indivisible effect, supposing all the causes of necessity exists in the same instant: wherefore if any thing be to be done between Spirits; tis all in one in­stant so done and perfected, that afterwards [Page 16] an other action cannot be begun: for if it be­gin, either the causes were before adequately, put; or not; if they were, the effect was put, if they were not, some of the causes is changed, that it may now begin to act, and not this, b [...] the former is the first mutation; whereof it is to be urged, Whether the causes were put before?

These are the eternal truths (as they would perswade us) the unshakable foundations of Phylosophy, on which this whole new Fa­brick of Purgatory stands: and I have been the more careful to deliver them fully to my reader, (even in this beginning of my discourse) that he may with one cast of his eye see, on what firm foundations, this new school hath abandoned the hitherto re­ceived faith of our holy mother the Church; and now dares pronounce, That what she hath hitherto taught us, proceeded but out of ig­norance of the nature of separated sub­stances. Of the Mid. State. (Acc. 17.)

Sect. 9. But because Master White, the Author of this new Purgatory and our faithless de­monstrative Religion, was sufficiently con­scious to himself, that these novelties would call upon the vigilancy and care of the Shep­heards of Christs flock, he stood ready prepared to receive their incounter: And no sooner had the late Bishop of Calcedon, his [Page 17] then superior, admonished him of this, and other his new Doctrines, in this new preten­ded Demonstrative Theology; but in defence of his new molded Purgatory, issued out his premeditated (as it seems) book, Of the Middle State of Souls, directed to the same Bishop; which book, if it had remained in the Authors obscure and mysterious Dialect (which he, above all modern Writers, seems to affect; and reason enough he hath to come Mascaradoed into the world, and to involve himself) had layed deservedly neglected: But it having been, by the indiscreet care of some one of his Proselytes, put into an Eng­lish dress, and exposed to the weak capacities even of Vulgar Readers, lest this new erro­neous Doctrine contained in it, might spread among those, whose infirmity betrayed them to be the easiliest misled; for them was pub­ [...]ished this our Bull of Pope Benedict the xii. and as much of the Florentin Council as seemed necessary and sufficient, to arm their souls against the attempts of this novelty; by some Pious and Vigilant Shep­heards, to whom the care of their souls was committed. Which Bull and part of the Council, because it may not have fallen into my Readers hands, I give it him again at the [...]atter end of my Discourse, [Letter A.] [Page 18] This, Sir, was the true ground of putting forth that little Volume, nor had the Publi­shers any regard a [...] all (as you tell us pag. 7. and 8.) to The Letter of Vindication; or as you now style it, Challenge, of which certain­ly not Master White himself, but some Scho­lar of his (and he but a slender Proficient in his Masters Doctrine) was Author. And truly the likeness of its style, with that of this your Letter, and the Authors still fancy­ing himself inspired with the genius of Mon­talt, the fained Writer of the late Provinci­al Letters (as children by reading Romances, fancy themselves to be Knight Errants, Don Hercioes) would perswade me they both came out of the same Shop. And besides that, the Protestation contained in the beginning of that Challenge (as I heard well observed) would be subscribed by all the Protestant Di­vines of the Church of England: It is not consequent (if Master White remaine still himself) that now he should proclaim, That if any thing expresly repugnant to any Do­ctrine of his, be found in any Decree of Coun­cils or Popes, he is contented to be esteemed to have lost the Cause: who had so lowdly, before the publication of this book, in his other writings, disclaimed and disowned the au­thority of both Popes and Councils, as we shall presently see, Sect. 17.

[Page 19] The Publishers supposed, the sole eviden­cing, that this new minted Purgatory stood condemned by that authority, to which he who resists, cannot remain a Catholick, would proove a sufficient defence to well meaning souls, against the assaults of this new Do­ctrine; nor had they any design to enter the lists of Disputation, against any persons whomsoever, as appears evidently in this, that they make no application of the Do­ctrine, of this Bull or Council to any particu­lar Doctrine, of any particular Writer; but fairly and candioly deliver the words of both the Pope and sacred Council, in their Original, and our vulgar Language. And this indeed was abundantly sufficient for their design: There needed no Application of the Churches affirmative, to their negative, now sustained both in private discourses, and in Print; they needed not tell the Reader, that where one part of the contradiction stands defined, the other undoubtedly stands condemned by the same sentence; Children know that already.

Sect. 10. Who could justly suspect, that this innocent, this piously zealous proceed­ing, should beget an adversary in print? who could imagine that the care of the flock of Christ should now be accused of unreasona­bleness, [Page 20] of injustice, the Publishers accused of weakness, of ignorance, even of School­boyes Latine, of animosity, of an empty va­nity to appear in print, in a little volume without any name, without any designed ad­versary, where there was nothing their own, but the pains to translate, and the charges to print? But so it was, those, whose con­sciences were their self-accusers, who saw with what satisfaction, that little Volume was received by pious persons, and how their new Doctrine of Purgatory stood pointed out to every mans eye, as condemned by that sacred authority, took fire, An O or an A shall be a sufficient subject to him, who watches an occasion to write. A Puny Scholar then of that School (for such an one he was, as will be rendered evident hereafter, and none of the ablest proficients) appears in the Field, armed with a strong zeal to his Ma­sters Doctrine, and with contempt enough against the innocent Publishers; whom in the entry to his discourse, he proceeds to vilifie and undervalue; Persons surely who never wronged him, probably never saw him, till now never heard of him, and at this howr do not know him. But it is not to vindicate their persons, however injured and underva­lued, or to make use of that right which [Page 21] nature furnishes all men with, to repell an offered violence, by an equally violent resi­stance. For we have learnt a far other lesson in the School of Grace, then my Adversary hath in his new Masters, Master Whites: To render good for evil, to pardon and pray for those that injure us. But in the defence of our holy and deer Mother, the Catholick Church, and her never erring Faith, in the defence of these decrees of the Pope, and sacred Council, that I undertake this quarrel; and I desire my Reader but to be unbyassed in this our present dispute, whether this Po­sition, That no Souls are delivered out of Pur­gatory, before the re-assumption of their bodies, and the general day of judgment, stands not condemned by this present Bull of Pope Bene­dict 12. and the Florentine Council?

Sect. 11, And first, that the contradictory of this Position is the universally received Doctrine of the Catholick Church, appears most evidently in this, That all Orthodox Writers who have treated this subject, of the state of separated souls, since the Promulga­tion of the Bull aforesaid and Council, sup­pose it as a certain truth; and therefore no one of them any where sustain the con­trary: Nor can the force of this evidence be weakned, by saying, That it is indeed the [Page 22] universally received opinion of Divines only; but not their Faith; for besides what I shall hereafter say, in refutation of this answer; those who are acquainted with the prying cu­riosity of the Schools, and with the strange variety of their apprehensions, know very well, that where any thing may lawfully be denyed, their restless curiosity ceases not to call it to the Test, nor is it universally im­braced as Truth; and therefore it is authority only, and that irrefragable, which puts limits and bounds to their curious scrutiny, and the variety of their opinions.

But because my Adversary, having now (as he tells us) conferred with those solid Persons, Page 3. acquainted with eve­ry Ressort of Master Whites Do­ctrine; and as cleer sighted in those ages which afford us these Authorities, as in that they live in: With a strong youthful Confidence pro­claims: That it is incomparably false, Page 11 That the Question of Purga­tory was in the dayes of Benedict, agitated and settled by this Bull of his. Or that the Council of Florence, ever intended or defined any such mat­ter.Page 31. And with a clutter of four or five pages settles us a quite:Page 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. other Question and Controversie, as [Page 23] then disputed and determined, to wit: Whether perfect Charity be a sufficient disposi­tion to beatifie a soul? And appeals to Che­rubinus his Compendium of this Bull; and tells us, That all Learned Writers agree. It will justly fall under our consideration: First, Whether this our present Question of Purga­tory were not then intended and defined? And secondly, Whether this his new Questi­on of Charity, was there disputed and setled by this our Bull and Council?

Sect. 12. And as to the first, If such an o­versight could have hapned to a Person whose business it was to answer this very Bull, and of all those solid and cleer-sighted Persons, by con­ferring with whom he was now raised above his own pitch: I should justly suspect, that neither he nor any one of them, had ever read this very Bull, about which we now dispute. For was it possible that a few great Letters, should so possess their eyes, and their great good af­fection to their new Masters Doctrine, so fill their hearts, that there was no room for any thing else of the whole Context? For the Pope himself in this Bull having in most plain and express words stated our very Question to their hands: how was it possible they should All over-look it? There arose (saith he) a matter of question, not long since, in the [Page 24] time of John the xxii. our Predecessor of happy memory, between some Doctors of Divinity, concerning the vision of the souls of Iust men after their death, in which nothing was to be purged, when they departed out of this world; or if there were, it was now totally purged: whe­ther they see the Divine Essence, before the re-as­sumption of their bodies, and the general Iudg­ment? and also concerning other matters, &c. And yet in truth. to do him right, he did see this, and cites it, page 24. and yet hath the confidence to impose his quite different Que­stion upon us. Now, Sir, if it were possible this should escape your consideration, yet since you appeal to Cherubinus his Compendium of this Bull, you ought at least to have read and considered him: and yet in truth I cannot believe it. For was it possible, that after Che­rubinus too, agreeing perfectly with the Pope had stated our Question, you should have the boldness to deny it, and obtrude your new fancied controversie of Charity upon us, and appeal to this very Author, whose words do most clearly and evidently condemn you? But having heard▪ the Pope, I will satisfie my Reader, and let him hear Flavius Cherubinus in his own words.

Because (sayes he) there arose a question among the Divines and others, Whether the souls [Page 25] of Iust men departed, in which there was no­thing to be purged, or if there were, it was now purged, did see the Divine Essence before the re­sumption of their bodies, and the general Iudg­ment. §. 1. For the deciding of which que­stion, John xxii. enjoyned the Cardinals, Pr [...] ­lates and Divines, in a Publick Consistorie, That they should deliberately speak what they thought of it, when he should demand it; but being prevented by death could not perfect it: Now Benedict the xii. after a diligent exami­nation and deliberation with the Cardinals of the Sacred Roman Church, and by their coun­sel cleerly defines this question. §. 2. & seq. And another, concerning souls deparned in mor­tal sin. §. 4. And commands, that it be pro­ceeded against such as pertinaciously hold, or assert the contrary, as against Here­ticks. §. 5. And hereunto he adds a penal Sanction.

This is the whole Compendium of Cherubi­nus, who directly with the Pope states our present Question, and delivers us, that it stands defined. And yet against this evidence to which you your self appeal, you have the confidence to tell us, The sole and only Question was: Whether perfect Charity brings an immediate heaven?

[Page 26] Sect. 13. Now, Sir, it is not possible for you to perswade an intelligen Reader, as you endeavor page 24) that there was one onely Question disputed and defined in that time. The Pope himself, and Cherubinus to whom you appeal, have in terms made two. First, Concerning the souls of Iust men, in which nothing remains to be purged, when they pass out of this life? And secondly, Of those souls in which something is to be purged. And that there were more Questions then one deter­mined by this self-same Bull, that very Title which you say, page 10. belongs to it, and stands printed at Rome, 1617. A definition of certain Articles concerning the blessed vision of God, and the Beatitude and damnation of souls; will clearly evince. Let my Reader consi­der the word Articles, the several states of souls, of which our holy Faith is here deli­vered; and I think he will rest satisfied, it was not one only question, much less your only question of Charity, which stands here defi­ned to us. Nor will that Criticism, that the Pope styles it Quaestio, a Question, and after him Cherubinus, at all avail you; for every one knows that where a question is stated of any Subject, which suffers divisions, and subdivisions, it comprehends in it all those several questions, which of every one of [Page 27] those divisions, and subdivisions may justly be made; and so it is in our very business, where the present question concerning the state of departed souls, extends to all the several conditions of souls, which departed this life. And that it was the Popes design, and full purpose, to deliver us what of all these we stand bound to believe, will appear evidently by his exact division and enumeration of the several conditions, in which souls depart from this their earthly habitation: Both of In­fants, who after Baptism received, dye be­fore the use of freewill: Of those who coming to the use of Reason, after Baptism incur no blemish of sin: Of those who in the same supposition, have incurred the ble­mish of sin, and yet depart this life, hav­ing fully satisfied, by worthy fruits of pe­nance: Of those who in the same supposi­tion have incurred the blemish of sin, and have not made full satisfaction, but pass out of this life with a guilt of temporal punish­ment due in the next: And lastly, of those who depart this life in mortal sin, and enmity to God, of all which he here delivers our ho­ly Faith; so unquestionable a truth it is, it was not one only, or your only single question of Charity, which stands here defined: And truly Sir, if your patience had held out, to [Page 28] read but to the end of the second▪ Scholion of this said Cherubinus, to whom you appeal, you would have found not only this one que­stion of the souls of just men, who depart this life without any need of being purged in the next, or this other, of those souls which so leave their bodies with a guilt of punishment in the next life; but eight more questions an­swered and decided, even according to this Cherubinus his judgment, by this self same Bull of Pope Benedict the xii. For thus he concludes. I give you to understand. that by this determination of Benedict the xii. t [...]n Heresies are condemned, which Eymericus in his Directory examines and relates. In which Cherubinus was not at all mistaken; for so in­deed it is: and since this Eymericus is an Au­thor of that high esteem and deservedly, and his Book hath received so signal an approba­tion by Gregory the xiii. and is in deed, as well as in title, the Directory of the Inquisitors; let us hear what Pegna writes of him.

Eymericus (sayes he) [A famous learn­ed and holy man, who was appointed the gene­ral Inquisitor of the King­dome of Aragon,Peg. com. 21. in the year 1358. (which is only 22. years after the Promulgation of this Bull) from whence he was called to Avignon by Pope Gre­gory [Page 29] 11. and there being his Chaplain com­posed his excellent Directory] gathers ten Heresies condemned by this Extravagant; and most truly admonishes, that so many Catholick verities, contrary to those Heresies, are thereby prooved and established: The place at length, out of this so Authentick a Writer; I give my Reader at the end of my discourse. [Letter B.] not to interrupt the continued threed of it; for by it my Reader will easily observe, with what strong confidence the youthful Scholars of this modern School ap­pear in print.

And if you had been pleased to peruse the continuation of Baronius his Ecclesiastical Annals by Spondanus, you would have rested satisfied in this our point; for at the year 1333. he thus delivers the opinion of Pope Iohn the 22. then disputed, which occasioned this Bull of Benedict his successour: For (sayes he) in that year 1333. (as Villanius, Reb­dorfius, the continuator of Nangius, and others witness;) Iohn the 22. then Pope, be­gan publickly to treat of what before he had conceived, concerning the beatifical vision of Souls: what not a few of the ancient, both Greek and Latine Fathers, Iustinus, Irene­us, &c. did seem to hold; That souls now severed from their bodies, and duely purged [Page 30] from all stain of sin, either in this present mortal life, or in the next (in Purgatory) do not enjoy perfectly the beatifical vision of the divine essence, before the last day of Iudg­ment: but do expect the Resurrection of their bodies, that together with them they may at­tain perfect beatitude: and to this opinion not as yet altogether reproved (or condemned) by th [...] holy Church, this Pope John himself seemed to incline, &c. For which reason he gained him­self very many Adversaries, both among the Cardinals, and Prelates, and also of other Do­ctors of Divinity every where, and Religious men of all orders. And at the year 1334 the same Sp [...]ndanus delivers, that this Pope John the day before he died published a consti­tution, in which he condemned that opinion of which he stood suspected.

Now Sir, when you have perused and weigh­ed these things, which I am confident you never dreamt of before, for in truth you re­sted satisfied, with what your Solid and cleer­sighted friends had told you, of their new devised question of Charity as then disputed▪ you will perhaps observe your error, you will see it is not a little heat of youth which pres­ses men of your years to appear in print, or a little tickling vein which eggs young men forward to catch their Adversary with an O or [Page 31] an A, and pass a witty jest upon him, till age and experience hath ripened their discre­tion, which can warrant a Book in the pub­lick view of discreet persons. You will be convinced that you were mistaken by your great good affection and esteem of your solid cleer-sighted friends, and that in truth you have ingaged your credit a little too farr upon their authority.

Sect. 14. But this is not all I have to say to you: The first fault of negligence and boldness, even in this kind, is perhaps pardo­nable in young men. But I beseech you Sir, how could those solid, cleer-sighted persons, give you the confidence to impose so grosly upon us? to state us here a question, of which the Bull delivers not one word: of which Cherubinus, to whom you appeal, makes not the least mention, and yet you confidently add, All Learned Writers agree. pag. 14. Where if you had not named Writers, I should have judged, you appeal'd to your solid clear-sighted Friends: for in truth I cannot find any one Learned Writer who states, this your new question as then disputed or defined. And I cannot pardon this your so confident impo­sing on your Reader; You tell us, our present controversie, concerning the delivery of souls out of Purgatory, stands not here defined, [Page 32] because the Word Purgatory, is not in the Bull, (however, it is sufficiently in the Council,) and the Pope decrees of soul [...] now purged: And you require, pag. 26. the Popes or Councils positive is, or, is not: and unless I can shew this Position in terms▪ Souls are purged before the day of judgment: I run a hazard to contradict both the Pope and Council. Which how to excuse from nonsence, if compared with what you are pleased ou [...] of your kindness to allow, p. 27. that the Pope was of the opinion that Purgatory might be finished before the last day (which could not be contradictory to his faith) is past my skill. You know what it is to bring rods to whip himself. And can you have the confi­dence Sir, to tell us, pag. 29. and elsewhere: the onely and sole controversie was: Whe­ther perfect Charity brings an immediate hea­ven, and all that the Pope intended to secure [...] by this present Bull. Whilst the Word Cha­rity is not in the Bull, whilst there is not the least mention of it, in the question even now related in Spondanus, which occasioned this definition: whilst neither in the Preface to the Decree, nor in the Decree it self, nor any thing that follows it, the Pope pronounces of Charity I, or no; much less doth he declare either the affirmative or negative of this your [Page 33] new Question, to secure it; nor is there the least hint in Cherurbinus of it, I gave my Reader his whole Compendium, that he might see, how far you were transported with the high esteem of your solid clear-sighted Friends, when you appeal to him, who thus agreeing with the Pope pronounces against you All.

Nor do your Arguments drawn from holy desires, pag. 15. 16. or the future rewards and punishments which the Pope so earnestly incul­cates in his Preface to this definition at all a­vail you. Alas Sir, the whole systeme of Chri­stian Religion, every part and parcell of it, is directed, to plant, to kindle holy desires in our Souls; and yet I think you will not easily avow, there is nothing else defined, or re­commended to us, in this whole fabrick, but purely and precisely, that perfect Charity brings an immediate heaven; nor will it be any plea for you, that this was then the questi­on, because the Pope ushers his Definition with this Exhortation to holy desires, (which might very well and properly introduce any Position of Christian Religion whatsoever, and peculiarly this, because by progress in vertue and holy desires, our endeavours are rendred more effectual for souls in that distressed con­dition) as very neer allyed to his Decrees, [Page 34] concerning the state of departed souls: For how neer a tye soever, the one hath to the other, though it were by an immediate, neces­sary, evident consequence, yet it is highly unlawful to change the state of the present question, and impose upon us, that not it, but some other, thus allyed to it, stands de­fined by the Decree. When the Church combated the Eutychian Heresie, which de­nyed two natures in Christ, no Christian dare affirm, it onely then defined the plurality of Wills against the Monothelites: because these two questions, have so necessary and imme­diate a connexion. And can you hope to per­swade an ignorant Reader, that when the Pope defines: That after purgation, even before the re-assumption of their bodies, departed souls are received into heaven: he defines nothing at all about Purgatory, but onely this, that perfect Charity brings an immediate hea­ven; though he hath not any thing like this Position in his Bull: and that this should be fixed on the Pope, and Cherubinus, and all Learned Authors to boote. I hope then Sir, you will pardon my boldness, if I challenge you fairly with this: If you do not make it appear, by those unknown Learned Authors in terms, that yours was the question, and not that of Purgatory, we shall judg you have [Page 35] wrong'd them as much, as now to our eyes, you have imposed on the Pope, and Cherubinus: And I justly challenge it of you, that you bring us it, in terms, and not by a consequence of a second or third remove, or else your sinceri­ty in citing Authors, will be highly questionable by your Reader, or indeed now past Question.

And truly I wondred at the first perusal of this part of your Book, why you should use this sleight to prepossess the unwary Reader; but afterwards by the rest of your discourse, I easily observed it was but made use of, to render, by this art of changing the question, a plawsible answer to this Bull and Council, otherwise unavoidable: and yet I discover­ed at last a further design, which no man but a Prophet could have foreseen, to wit; that you might fix upon your Adversary, that he, not you, stands guilty of disowning these sacred authorities, and that forsooth, because he opposes the efficacy of holy charity, the Queen of vertues, which you, and your Master indeavour to sustain, of which your slye accu­sation I shall have occasion to speak hereafter, but I hope to render this your craft wholly unsuccessful.

[Page 36] Sect. 15. But how unfortunate a Writer you are, will be rendred evident, and how un­fit you are to catechise and instruct others, this Grave and Learned Eymericus shall tell you, because you do not explicitely believe this Doctrine of Purgatory now in question. For having distinguished all the Credibilia, or matters of faith, into three Classes (accord­ing to St. Thomas) and shewed what the vulgar and simple sort of Christians, as also what Superiours, Prelates and Doctours, are bound to believe both explicitely and impli­cit [...]ly he there concludes, concerning the middle sort of Christians, under which name he comprehends, Priests, Cūrates, and all Religious Persons, who have undertaken to instruct the ignorant in faith, and good man­ners. The middle sorts (sayes he) who are to teach the simple people, are obliged to believe some of these points (that is such as are determined, by the holy Church in her Councils and Consistories) Explicitely: though not all these Points singly, nor all these Persons equally, but according to their several state and learning, whereby they are to instruct the ignorant: As for example, they are all bound to believe explicitely that the souls of just men departed without sin, as of little In­fants; or if they have sinned, have here or in [Page 37] Purgatory fully satisfied, are pass'd into Hea­ven before the day of Iudgment: according to the Church's determination, making it a matter of faith, in the extravagant of Pope Benedict xii. beginning. Blessed be God.

Sect. 16. And having said this as to the in­tention of the Pope in our present Bull, be­fore I proceed further in your Answer, let us take a short survey of the Florentin Council, of which I can not but blame you of neg­lect, in that you give your Reader so slender an account: And if I must not flatter your sloth, I know not how otherwise to excuse it, then that you were not conversant at all in it; and so you rested satisfied, with what your cleer-sighted friends told you, or Cheru­binus his, Vbi hoc idem firmatum fuit: since (if it were possible) the Council seems more full and home to our Question.

And first, In the Third Article which the Publishers gave you it defines; If truely pe­nitent Souls shall depart this life, before they have satisfied for their Commissions and Omis­sions, by worthy fruits of Penance: that their Souls are purged by the punishments of Purgatory after their bodies death, &c. Which Doctrine can finde no admittance in your new modell; for all the sufferings of souls, which you fancy by their irregu­lar, [Page 38] and now unchangeable affections, avail nothing as to the Purging or cleansing of Souls in their state of Separation: since that is wholly reserved, by you, to the change of those affections at the re-union. And se­condly, when Art. 4. upon this Doctrine of the Council so said down, it pursues to de­clare unto us: That Souls which are purged either in their bodies, ar being uncloathed of their bodies (as is above said) are presently received into heaven. I would have you to observe, how this further Doctrine of the delivery of them, and the compleating of this purging being uncloathed of their bodies, is by this Parenthesis, as is above said, wholly built on the former Doctrine, of the purging itself: And it will be unavoidable, since there is a Purgation of souls by the punish­ments of Purgatory against you; that there also is as effectually concluded, a compleat Purgation of them whilst uncloathed of their bodies, and an immediate delivery, perfectly condemning, and destructive of your Doctrine in the very point in Question.

But that my Reader may have a cleerer view of this unavoidable Truth, let us set to­gether, and compare this Doctrine of the Council with yours. The Council defines, That truly penitent souls which depart this life [Page 39] before they have satisfied for their sins, are purged by the punishments of Purgatory after death; and being thus purged uncloathed of their bodies, are presently received into Hea­ven. Or as the Pope more expresly pronoun­ces: before the reassumption of their bodies, and the general Iudgment. Now how happily do you, and your new Master agree with this Do­ctrine, when you tell us, Souls which depart this life with affections to corporal pleasures, suffer a vast grief, by reason those pleasures are now impossible to be enjoyed, but they are now in an unchangeable condition both as to the affections their torment, and the state it self. So that there is no hope they should ever be re­leased before reunion with their bodies; for though they suffer by their inordinate unchange­able affections, yet not possibly as to any pur­ging or change of their state or sufferings, whilest uncloathed of their bodies; and therefore can not Presently, be received into Heaven, or before the Re-assumption of their said bodies, and the general Day of Iudgment. And I would have you further to observe and weigh the words; Sunt purgatae, are now purged, in the preterper­sect Tense, either in their bodies, (which you do not deny compleatly perfected in some souls, in this life,) or uncloathed of their bodies, which still irrationally, gratis, and wilfully [Page 40] you deny, though the Council defines of both in the same form and style of words, Sunt purgatae, they are now purged. Which cleerly imports a Purgation now past, and perfectly compleated.

But we Will take our rise a little Higher, from the very process of both the Greek and Latin Fathers in this business of Purgatory, now assembled at Ferrara, where this Coun­cil (though afterwards translated to Florence and so is called the Florentin Council,) began. For there in the very beginning of the Coun­cil in order to this Decree, this Question of Purgatory was handled. See tom. 4. Concil. Gen. oct. Synod. Quaestio de Purgatorio. And both the Latin and Greek Fathers lay down their several Positions of Purgatory. And First the Latins thus begin. We do believe in this world, a Purgatory fire: by which the souls guilty of lighter faults (that is) veni­al sins, are purged. For those who have con­fessed their sins, and have received the most sa­cred Body of Christ, and presently die before previous satisfaction: without doubt in the above­named fire, which is commonly called Purgato­ry, are purged; and together with the help of the Church, the prayers of Priests, Masses, and Alms, are expiated. After this the Greeks lay down their perswasion of Purgatory in this manner. We judge (say they) Purga­tory not to be a fire, but a darksome placee full [Page 41] of afflictions, in which souls now being, are de­prived of Divine Light; but that they are ex­piated and freed, from this darksome place and torments, by the help of the Church, the Pray­ers of Priests, Masses, Alms, &c. Now Sir, it were beyond all the degrees of mode­sty to assert that the question of Purgatory was not here disputed or defined: Or that they talked onely of Charity, as being an im­mediate disposition to bliss. And it is most cleer, that out of these several professions, in which both sides agreed against you, direct­ly and home to our Point in question, of an expiation and delivery from this Purgatory (either a fire, or a darksome place,) issu­ed out this definition (Being purged, uncloa­thed of this body, presently) opposite to your Errour. And I would have my Reader to ob­serve how positively, it was intended by the Council, to deliver us the Faith of the Church conformable to the unanimous Doctrine of both parties, both of the expiation or perfect Purging of Souls, when uncloathed of their bo­dies, and of their present delivery, whilest uncloated, for in all this, both the Greek and Latin Fathers cleerly agreed, against this new School: which when he shall have considered, I doubt not but he will rest satisfied, it can not be an act of the Vnderstanding, but of the [Page 42] Will, which forces the word Presently to sig­nifie (if it signifie any thing at all by these moderns) at the day of Iudgement, which was not the time, either the Latin or Greek Fathers ever thought of, but of the interme­diate time of separation, whirh is our busi­ness now in hand. But because this Point is excellently well handled, by an eminently Learned Person of out Nation, who with unavoidable strength pursues it more at large, in a Paper which came lately to my hands, I will presume to give it my Reader in his own words at the end of my discourse [Letter C.] And further Sir, for your more compleat and full satisfaction, since with confidence enough you strongly assert, That it is Incomparably false, that either the Pope or Council ever in­tended to settle this Point of the delivery of Souls out of Purgatory before reunion. I will add to the Paper of this great Divine, the an­swer of a School-fellow of yours, (yet if I mistake not, a much better proficient, in your Masters Doctrine, certainly much more ingenuous) who vanquished with the evidence of this Truth, acknowledges, what indeed he could not with any modesty deny, That this your new Doctrine of Purgatory stands con­demned by both the Bull and Council: and yet he was so captivated, that he endeavours to [Page 43] sustain it by other grounds, he had now learnt in your School. My Reader shall find his Letter at large, [Letter D.]

Sect. 17. But before I pass any further, since I have already told you, that both Ma­ster White, the Author of this Purgatory, and his abler Scholars are armed against the Au­thority both of Popes and Councils, it will not be out of my Readers way, but very much conducing to my design of giving him a pro­spect of this School, if now by some short re­flections on the Doctrine delivered both by this ingenious Gentleman, and Master White himself, I make good that charge. For by them it will appear to what unavoidable exi­gencies, the defence of new Fabricks in Re­ligion, drive those, who wedded to their preconceived Phylosophical fancies, are resol­ved ro square their belief to them.

This ingenuous Scholar confesses, That truly according to the opinion that the Holy Ghosts assistance in Councils and Consistories it without restriction or limitation: the Paper delivered [Letter C.] seems to him to evidence a deliverance of Souls out of Purgatory, before the Day of Iudgment. But according to the opinion, that the assistance of the Holy Ghost, in Councils and Consistories, is no longer then there is a diligent search to find out what Christ [Page 44] taught, and the Apostles delivered as so taught▪ there appears onely, that the Council of Flo­rence and Pope Benedict, did think it to be so, which may raise opposition to a disobedience, but not to an Heresie. &c. So that unless We shew that the Council of Florence and Pope Be­nedict determined conformably to Tradition; Mr. Blacklowes (that is Master Whites) cal­ling the doctrine and practice new, will not sa­vour the least of Heresie, &c. But foresee­ing the strange consequences of this Doctrine, he therefore Adds, This puts all to a loss; for how shall it be known, that Councils and Consistories apply themselves aright? Easily (says he) by examining Tradition of what you have seen and heard. This is the common light, and plain way promised, to keep even fools from straying from Christs Doctrine. Thus he.

Now Sir this Exterminating Doctrine was learnt in Master Whites School, where it is but too too frequent. And first, as to the infallibility of the Pope, without which no submission, as to Faith, can take place. Ma­ster WhiteSonus Bucci­nae, the Title of one of M^r. Whites Books. (now being constituted by God a speculatour) proclaims against it with sound of trumpet, and tells us, That to maintain the Pope to be infallible, is Hereti­cal. Son. Bu [...]. and Tabulae [Page 45] Suffragiales, tab. 19. nay Archiheretical, tab. 20. nay the most Horrid of all sins, the sin of sins; and for fear we should want Ex­amples, worse then violating sacred virgins on Altars; then treading the ever B. Sacrament of Christs body, under foot; Or bringing the Turk or Antichrist, into the Christian Domi­nions. Son. Buc. tract. 2. §. 22. Tab. Suff. tab. 21. And having thus rid his hands of the Pope, he proceeds against the infallibility of the Councils, in his Tab. Suff. tab. 22. This be­ing his signal Doctrine. Non est impossibile, &c. It is not impossible that the Pope or Council should attempt to establish that, (as now of Faith, which was some time before not of Faith) and by that very attempt fall into an error, and even promul­gate that error, &c. And further he tells us, As to a certain prophetick inspiration immediately and miraculously, enlightning the Council or Pope, if constantly and by the ordinary Law of God it be asserted to be required; it is alto­gether fabulous, and asserted without any solid ground. Thus he. Upon these grounds (I say) did this good proficient in this his Ma­sters School, endeavour to sustain your other­waies ruinous Fabrick of Purgatory; for in truth there is no other means left to support it, but by the destruction of all the Authority of both Popes and Councils to deliver us our holy Faith.

[Page 46] And now I desire my Reader to consider, (for his just and full satisfaction of the design of this School) that if these grounds be once admitted, Christian Faith, (which they now combat,) is a meer mockery. For if after all the Canons of Councils, all the Anathmaes pronounced against any Opinion, (the very Anathema it self carrying with it, and being an exercise of that power, invested in the Church to oblige us to submission and beleef,) it still remains to be showen, that the Pope or Council determined conformably to Tradition, or else Master Whites styling the doctrine and profession new, will not savour the least of He­resie; or that it is not impossible, a Council may err, and promulgate an errour, we are at an irrecoverable loss: For no Catholick claims any other assurance of his Faith, then upon this firm foundation, that our holy Mo­ther the Church, is his infallible Directress. That the Councils her mouth are the unerring Deliveres of Truth. Which if it stand no firm absolutely, but upon a supposition of a due application (it being impossible we should have any higher or more authentique proof, of this supposition, then the Council it self) there is no security, no assurance left of any thing delivered by them.

Not so (says he) We may easily know, [Page 47] when Councils and Consistories apply them­selves aright, by examining tradition, of what we have seen and heard. And shall I a private an illiterate Christian (not yet ac­quainted with these solid and cleer-sighted Persons) recall all the decrees of Councils to a new examine? is there still a higher Court, to which I may and ought to appeal, from their sentence, as to a superiour Iudg and Umpire over them? shall I take this liberty upon me, to censure their Proceeds, to ad­mit, to reject their definitions, as my weak­ness shall find them consonant to, or disso­nant from, what I have seen and heard? and if they were to receive their approbation from this Court: How can I (unless a sense­less pride blind me) hope, that my indu­stry in the search, my ability to find, shall not only equallize, but even exceed that of five hundred, perhaps a thousand Bishops and Prelates, and the scrutiny of numberless Divines, assisting them in this Inquest? And even to ease us of this sollicitude, you see what exact care is taken, in these proceeds. Pope Benedict here tells you of the holy Church, that she teaches nothing rashly, brings in nothing unwarily, introduces nothing in faith unadvisedly. And hence it is that all such sacred decisions are still ushered in, with some [Page 48] such expressions as these. After an humble invocation of the holy Ghost. After a careful examination of the matter. After a dilige [...] deliberation with our brethren, &c.

But if all this sollicitude in truth, signi­fie nothing, if we must not acquiesce here, but re-examine all in a higher tribunal; i [...] not this the utter Extermination of all that authority we hitherto have believed the Church is furnished with, to deliver us our holy Faith? Is not this to resolve finally (en dernier resort,) our Creed into our own brests, to make every idle head competent Judge of Popes, Councils, Consistories, All; And them Judges of just nothing? wherein do those loose bands of disagreeing Prote­stants, all disagree from us, and all agree a­gainst us, but in this that we acquiesce and submit to the holy Church, as the faithful keeper and dispenser of our Faith, and Tra­dition; and so submit, that from her sen­tence we admit no Appeal, against her de­crees, we admit no Contradiction, whilst they by a supereminent pride, assume to them­selves a power to judg this Pillar of Truth, and resolve All into their own capriccioes, pri­vate reason, spirit, fancies, pride, and nothing. And yet I pray you consider whether by this appealing from the Church to Tradition; [Page 49] what we have seen and heard: we are not sunk into a deeper sink of Errour, of Indepen­dancy, then they? for they appeal to Scri­pture, which (though irrationally) they ac­cept as Canonical; they admit their Transla­tions as authentick, and contest the sense onely with the Church, whilst this Do­ctrine affoords us a far more full and ample reserve to evacuate all Faith at our pleasures: since it is still in our power, and we compe­tent Judges, what is Tradition; what not: where the Council proceeded with due Appli­cation upon the depositum of Faith, where upon the uncertain wavering opinions of Schoolmen, or pretended assistance of the Holy Ghost: which extends to Creeds, Cate­chismes, Definitions, yea, the very Canon of Scriptures, and indeed All that any way be­longs to Christian Religion.

Nor will it avail, if this Gentleman, should tell me, that I do him wrong to rank his Do­ctrine with that of the Protestants, or indeed hold it worse then theirs, for the Protestants down right tell us the Church hath erred de fa­ct [...] in these & these Points in particular. He and Master White more modestly and shily mince the matter, and teach us that possibly onely, or not impossibly, the Council may err, and pro­mulgate an errour. And perhaps he will say [Page 50] that these inconveniencies are saved, by this his succeeding Doctrine in the same place. Tab. 22. For there having delivered this his Doctrine against the infallibility of Councils, he presently adds: But it is impossible that such an errour (thus promulg'd by the Coun­cil) should pass into an establisht Doctrine of the Church, and be accepted as a Doctrine de­livered by the Fathers, and preached by Christ.

For as to the first, it will presently appear even in this our question, that if their new model of Purgatory be subsistent, not only possibly, or not impossibly, but de facto, the Florentin Council and Church hath erred in this particular. And since to say, even not impossibly the Council may err, the founda­tion of all assurance is now pulled up; I know not but this Doctrine is as high, and higher Independancy then theirs: And as to those words of Master Whites. I answer, that they notwithstanding, it is still in his power by his former Doctrine (that it is not impos­sible the Council may err, and promulgate an error) to evacuate all the Canons of all the Councils at his pleasures; for however the Authority of the Council now stands ingaged in the definition of any Doctrine: however the Decree is now published to the whole [Page 51] world, however the Church accept of the De­cree, however all Catholiques submit to the Decree, yet it remains still in his power to say, It never passed into an established Doctrine of the Church, whilest he, or his cleer-sighted Scholars intend to shake it. And how far this his reserve of an establisht Doctrine, de­livered by Fathers, and preached by Christ, extends, will sufficiently appear in his very attempt of the Faith of the Church in our Question of Purgatory. (For I have reason to beleeve, he had a special regard to his be­loved Purgatory, when he renounced thus the Authority of Councils.) The consciences of all the illiterate Catholiques bear witness, that the delivery of Souls from Purgatory, is now their received Faith, from their present Pastors and Teachers; no Divine but knows, that for Three hundred years and upwards, ever since the promulgation of Pope Benedict his Bull, no Orthodox Writer but submits to his Decree as unquestionable: Master White himself tells us, That St. Gregory the great was the first Founder of that Faith (we now fight for) a thousand years ago, pursued and sustained by the numberless number of incomparably eminent Doctors and Saints. In sum, if there be any Article of our Faith witnessed, any establisht, it is this: not any [Page 52] one carrying after it a more ample continued practise, not any one testified by so many Foundations, Prayers, Masses, Almes, &c. as this. And yet this is no establisht Doctrine of the Church: It is not a Truth delivered by Fathers, as preacht by Christ. And there­fore he being overwhelmed with the consent of the whole Church for a thousand years, appeals with the Protestants to the Primitive Ages immediate to Christ; their plea and his being just the same, differing onely in this, that they say, the substance of Purgato­ry is not the establisht Doctrine of the Church as delivered by Fathers, preacht by Christ: He, that the delivery of Souls from thence, is not even yet established.

Sect. 18. This Doctrine then is not the way (as our ingenious Scholar says) to keep fools from straying, but the way to make fools stray, and supposes a high folly in him who accepts it; who leaves the received Doctrine of the holy Church, to gadd after new mo­dels of a modern Divine. But the way to keep both fools and wise men from straying, is that which all the wise men in the world have hitherto followed, to acquiesce, to submit, to the Church, the Pillar of Truth, without fur­ther dispute or reserve, without further exa­mination of her Decrees, by what we have seen [Page 53] and heard. We know assuredly, that he shall never have God his Father in Heaven, who hath not the Church his Mother on Earth.

And how injurious would he shew himself (sayes the pious Emperour Marcianus) to the most Re­verend Synod,In Edic. consir. Conc. C [...]lc. act. 3. who should at­tempt to question anew, and publickly dispute and controvert such points as are once judged and rightly determined. For who will grant (says Pegna) more authority to the Opinions of single persons disputing of Faith, according to their own Fancy, then to the definitions of Councils lawfully called and congregated, where the Fathers hearts are go­verned by the Holy Ghosts dictamen. Tis al­ready excellently well decreed, for many Rea­sons, That things once defined should be no more called in question. For if such Doctrines as are thus constituted and decreed, should be again brought under doubt and disputation; surely no Iudgment or Sanction would remain firm and strong against any Errours what so­ever: every establisht Truth and Definition of the Church being troubled afresh with the same Furies.G [...]l. Pap. 1. ad Ep. Dar. miratisumus. Grat. cau. 24. q. 1. C. majores. Thus Gelasius the First related by Gratian. By which my Reader will ob­serve, how far a different road, [Page 54] that ancient piety of Christians, walkt in, to Heaven, then what is now chalked out to us, by this School armed against the Authority of Popes and Councils.

Sect. 19. But before I leave this Point, I will mind my Reader, That if it were (as he supposes it) lawfull, for every man to call the Decrees of Popes and Councils to a new trial by this Touchstone of Tradition, by asking his very Question, What we have seen and heard? my Adversary hath lost his cause. For to this Question, being proposed in our present controversie of Purgatory, what can we with truth answer; but that we have seen innumerable Masses, Dirges, Alms, &c? and that we have constantly heard, that souls are delivered out of Purgatory by these power­full helps, before the Day of Iudgment? And what can we with truth answer; but that we have hitherto beleeved this; and if we are still our selves, and are not so inconstant as to be carried away wi [...]h the wind of a new Do­ctrine, we do beleeve it, and shall continue to believe it. And for the proof of this Asser­tion, I appeal safely even to the Consciences of those few Proselytes this new Master, Master White, hath gained: Whether till of late this new Systeme of Purgatory came to light, they ever entertained the least doubt [Page 55] of it? Whether it were not their full per­swasion? A Doctrine which they beleeved to have been delivered with as firm and con­stant an Authority, as any other whatsoever? Whether ever they divided this, from the rest of their Faith, and allowed it a less degree of assurance onely, as of Opinion? Nor will it avail my Adversary to say, That it was in­deed his full perswasion, bu [...] not his beleef; he never understood it, (though delivered to him from his present Pastors) as the Faith of the Church, but onely as the generally recei­ved Opinion of Divines: and that in truth he never ranked it among the Articles of his Creed, but in a lower form, of I know not what consent of Schoolmen. For the Experi­ence of all Mankind will refute this falshood. And confident I am, if a long perswasion of his now received Doctrine hath not effaced the memory of his past disposition of soul, his own conscience bears witness against him. For as to the whole Universality of Catho­liques, they still assert and sustain this Faith; they hear not of this novelty without horrour. And for that handfull of persons who are (thanks be to God) not one in a million, who have of late embraced the contrary: let them (for it highly concerns them) due­ly examine their consciences, Whether the [Page 56] private esteem of their Master, Master White, the Authour of this Doctrine; the comfor­table new apprehensions he introduces, in lieu of that great terrour and fear they before were in, of the sufferings of that state: the easing their Consciences from the incumbent care of assisting their departed friend [...], (for all this is immediately wrought by an acceptance of this Position) hath not wrought upon their inconstancy to abandon the Tents of the Church, and to list themselves in this new Squadron, to impugn their pious Mother: to forsake a formerly received Beleef, now to adhere to a new Doctrine, which certainly at the first proposal checkt their former perswa­sion, the holy Faith planted in their Souls. Nor▪ hath the contrary Assertion any thing but a bold confidence to warrant it; for we know, we feel, we experience in our selves this Beleef. We do beleeve the Councils can not misguide us. We do beleeve the delivery of Souls, before the Day of Iudgment. This is our Faith as firm as a Rock, not to be sha­ken by all the Sophistry of the world. If it were possible (as certainly it is not possi­ble) that it could be evidenced that our faith of both these is erroneous: yet certainly it could never carry any f [...]ce of probability, that we have not hitherto, or even yet do not [Page 57] beleeve them; every man being furnisht within his own brest, with an irrefragable wit­ness, stronger then all the wit and Logick of the world. The Protestants face us down that we make Idols of [...]ictures, against our own souls and knowledge: What impudence is this? And shall this new School have the confidence, against all mens experience, thus to give the Lye to the Consciences of the whole Christian world? So that I hope my Reader rests satisfied, that even this Cour [...] (to which he appeals) hath given sentence against him, even by this Question, what we have seen and heard.

And how happily hath this our great Ma­ster, Master White Arraigned himself (as the first Author of our new Purgatory, or any other the first Bro [...]cher of a new Doctrine) under the person of Luther. Sonus Buccinae Tract. 1. §. viii. before the Tribunal of his Bishop, or a Nuntius of the Apostolick See. That his own condemnation might be the more solemn, and the sentence pronounced against himself conceived in his own words: Thus then he makes Luthers, and his own Process; And let him be asked (sayes he) of the Doctrine of which he stands suspected (and much more if now he hath sustained in Print) whether he believes (this his new Doctrine of Purgatory) to be that Doctrin [Page 58] which this present Age he now lives in, recei­ved from their Fathers, of the immediate foregoing Age? Whether he received it in his childhood, when he was first instructed in Christian belief, and which, till he now became a Doctor, he followed? And let him answer for himself (for what other answer can he make) then that (this his new broach­ed Purgatory) is not that Doctrin he thus was taught, whilst he was yet a Child: But that it is better Doctrine then the former, which he himself hath now evinced out of sacred Mo­numents: Heathen Poets, out of the Bowels and Principles of Nature, by Demonstration, And that the contrary Doctrine to which he had been bred, took its rise onely from igno­rance of the nature of separated substances. And let the faithfull people (says he) en­compass the Tribunal, now educated in this faith, that the Authority of things which [...] stand bound to beleeve, descends, handel down from Christ our B. Saviour, and is otherwise, even till this Age: Will they n [...] cry out upon him as an Innovatour, a Pro­phane Person, an Heretick: will they not pro­claim and invoque to Prisons, Fire, with him; to rid such a plague out of the world? And he pursues.

[Page 59] But let the people be silent, and let the Iudge [...]erge him. And do you not know, Sir, this new Doctrine fights against the known Laws of your Country? that such an Author as you are first thrust out of the sacred Communion of the saithful, should expiate or pay for this his presumption with death? Do you not know that you now fight against the Fathers and Monuments of Antiquity? that you com­bate an immemorable custome? that you now impugne that reverence due to our most dear Parents; by whom above all things else, the contrary Doctrine (of Purgatory) is recom­mended to us as most profitable both for soul and body? And since it can not with any face be denyed, but that he knows he contends against all these: Let the Iudg further urge him. From whence Sir can you hope to draw any Argument of that evidence, which may in­force us and other prudent men to follow this no­veltie with an obdurate soul? And let him answer that out of the Scriptures. Aud the Iudg reply; and do not you know, that wil­fully you inhere to holy Scriptures? Do you not know that words, do not signifie naturally, but by institution? And therefore the con­struction of words is sub [...]ect to such variety, that it is impossible to pick out any sence de­monstratively, at least any one expresly re­pugnant [Page 60] to the Doctrine of so many wise men, who all of them indeavour the understanding of those sacred Texts as well as you. Or can you pretend Christian Faith is directed by the [...]ables of Heathen Poets, or that you now can demonstratively shew out of the Princi­ples of reason, that to be false, which we all have with unavoidable Authority, hitherto believed to be true; or that you now have attained to such a cleer understanding of the nature of separated souls, that all the learn­ing of mankind before you, could not reach that, which now you pretend to have demon­stratively and scientifically proved? Is it not evident (sayes he) that this large-wide mouth'd gaping promiser will produce nothing worthy the hearing, but must needs b [...] esteem­ed as a meer frantick and mad person? as he who Vaunts, he will do that, which all learned men know is impossible, and the very unlear­ned see is improbable. And further he pur­sues; let the same, or another Writer, (sayes he) being now unmindful of his own weakness, imagin to himself, that either by his own reason, or explication of Scriptures, he hath now found out that which all former ages were igno­rant of (to wit; that now in the third age or mans estate of the Church, we shall be directed by faith no longer [...] for [Page 61] the future by his demonstrations, which is the Position of this our Master, as we shall presently see.) And that this truth was left by God to him, to be revealed and manifested to the Church: Of which Position the vulgar Christians, as a sluggish Cattel not at all given to speculation know nothing, and so he contemns them; he laughs at the Doctours, he styles the Saints lyars, because men: but that he him­self is the first to whom God hath made known so great a mystery. But though he be a most arrogant person, let him weigh with him, and consider: Though I have hitherto contempla­ted this sublime and happy truth: But when I come to propose this Doctrine to others, they will presently object, and ask whether Chri­stian Faith hath any other ground of its secu­rity then a continued succession through all ages to our present time? Do you Sir promise this new light, of science, of Demonstration? If I deny it, will they not presently hiss me out? Will they not cry out to the faggot with me? And shall we believe that in such a disposition of the faithful people, that (such an Innova­tour) will dare to print or publish his novelty▪ or that he shall hope to find either buyers of his Book, or followers of his Doctrine, Thus he. And thus Sir, your great Master pleads the cause, and arraigns himself, and all the Pro­selytes [Page 62] of his new Purgatory, thus he thun­ders and lightens, and I think home to our purpose, for the consciences of all the faith­ful bear witness against it, the unlearned know it is improbable, and the learned see it is im­possible.

Having said this to the ingenuous Gentle­man, the Author of that Letter, who is a very able proficient in this new School. I hope he will pardon me, if I make his Let­ter publick without his name: I hope these short reflections on his and his Masters grounds, without which he acknowledges this Purgatory can not be sustained, will prove an effectual admonition to him, both to see and repent, that he hath entred himself a Scholar into this dangerous School, and therefore out of hand to withdraw his name.

Sect. 20. And now Sir I hope this better proficients judgment will be of some weight, since he is your School-fellow. I think an un­prejudiced understanding will be convinced, by that evidence I have already brought: the undoubted intention of the Pope was, to de­liver us our holy Faith, in all the several conditions of souls, which depart this mortal life, either in the state of grace, or out of it; either which need, or need not any Purgation [Page 63] in the next life, and for the Council, besides the strength of words of the De­cree, the very Process of it, the several Doctrines of the Latine and Greek Churches in order to this Decree, will evince that their intentions reach as home, to our purpose, as their words. But because the Reverend Esteem of [...]ur new Master, and of those solid, and cleer-sighted persons stop your eares against the voice of the Church: Let us try that Musick which certainly would cure you of this Tarantula. What if we could obtain your new Master to plead on the behalf of that Faith we now maintain? this certainly would prevail: Let us attempt it then; if you are not as yet so good a pro­ficient in your new School, that you are ready to believe, the Council erred in this particu­lar question of Purgatory: I doubt not to conclude you out of your Masters own grounds. Master White then layes you down this fundamental Doctrine. The Church (sayes he) in her definitions of Faith pro­ceeds onely on tradition: and declares to us, that Depositum of Faith, which was handed down from Christ, and his Apostles, by an in­numerable number of Fathers and Pastors, to their numberless children and flock, through age to age, even to any one detèrminate moment. [Page 64] When then any controversie is to be decided, and a Council is summoned to declare our Faith; what course is then taken? surely no other then this. The Fathers there gathered, lay down that Faith thus handed down to them, which they received from their precedent teachers, and was commended to them to deli­ver to posteri [...]y, as a sacred treasure not to be violated, since it is their light, their guide in their way to Heaven. This Doctrine pre­supposed; let it not be denyed, but the Flo­rentin Council proceeded in that very way he hath chalked out for them, in onr present question, and my work is done. Let us take a view of the Council. Both the Greek and La­tine Fathers meet first at Ferrara, afterwards at Florence; their business there is to declare the Faith of the Church, concerning the state of souls which depart this life; and in parti­cular, concerning the Souls which are detain­ed in Purgatory: both sides lay down their hitherto received Faith, in order to a decisi­on. Let us see how happily they agree with this new molded Purgatory. And first as to the Latins.

They [...]elieve a Purgatory Fire directly against Master White, who pretends to de­monstate, that no material agent can work upon the soul in its state of separation; they [Page 65] believe that souls guilty of venial impurities, are purged by this fire, directly against Master White who holds; there is no purging of the soul in the state of separation, neither by fire, nor not by fire; for this is reserved to the reu­nion, when her now torment, her irregular af­fections shall be changed. They believe that souls there detained, by this fire together with the help of the Church, the Prayers of the Priests, Masses, Almes, &c. are Expiated. directly against Master White, in the point in Question, both as to the indivisible duration of the state, he pretends to demonstrate, and the unchangeableness of it, and the continua­tion of it till the day of Iudgment. Being thus unfortunate with the Latins, who must needs have thrust this new School out of their Communion; let us see what favour it would find with the Greeks. These then profess this belief: That souls there, are detained in a dark­some place. Directly against Master White, who holds that souls in the state of separation doe not only abstract from place, but comprehend, and are in some manner governours, of all place: they believe souls are expiated and freed, di­rectly against Master White, who holds there is no expiating and freeing of souls, but at re­union with their bodies; they believe souls are freed by the Prayers and Sacrifices of [Page 66] Priests, Almes, &c. directly against Master White, in all the wayes before mentioned, both as to his indivisible measure, or duration of souls, the unchangeableness of their state, and the continuation of it, till the day of Iudgment. And most especially both sides una­nimously agree against him, in asserting the efficacy of Prayers, and Sacrifices of the Priests, for the dead; for in his new systeme (as shall be evidenced hereafter) these en­deavours advantage not the souls any thing at all.

What wonder then, if out of both the Greek and Latin Professions, thus directly opposite to him, should issue out a Decree directly destructive of this his Machin: or whilst neither part would admit him into their Communion; they should conspire to destory his errour. The sacred Council ap­proving: We define (say they) that the souls of them, who after Baptisme received, have contracted no blemish of sin, as also those souls, who after they have contracted the blemish of sin, are purged either in their bodies, or being uncloa­thed of their said bodies, are presently received into heaven. What wonders is it, we should have a purging of souls uncloathed of their bodies, and a p [...]esent Translation into Heaven, in which both sides agreed against him, destru­ctive [Page 67] of all this new Doctrine? And truly what to answer to this evidence but by those other grounds, that the Council did not proceed with due Application, and so erred; I cannot imagine. And now I think I have fulfilled my promise to my Reader, that either this new model of Purgatory cannot subsist, or else the Council, in our very point in question, hath not only possibly, or not impossibly, but de facto proceeded to an erroneous definition; de facto by this attempt hath fallen into an er­rour, and de facto publisht it to the World. And the Church which hath constantly im­braced this Faith, hath de facto erred as well as it.

And now I hope your peremptory When, hath received its answer, your so many times reiterated question. When is this purgation perfected, comp [...]eated, ended? Take the Popes answer (since I hope you are not so good a proficient as to detest and abhominate his authority, to teach you faith,) before the resumption of their bodies, and the general day of Iudgment: Let the Council satisfie you, (if you are not poysoned with that detesta­ble Doctrine that it may err too, as well as the Pope) being purged, even uncloathed of their bodies, presently. Agree and reunite your self to the Catholick Church, and be [Page 68] refractory no longer upon the itch of novel­ties, of seeming wiser then all the Christian World ever was before you.

Sect. 21. But still you bite the Bridle; these words so directly opposite to your er­rour, are in these sacred decisions: there they are, and there they must remain, maugre the Gates of Hell which shall never prevail a­gainst this Faith; and when you have turned your self into all your postures, you appear with this pitiful evasion; these words are [...]here indeed, but (say you, pag. 19 20. &c.) they reach not home to our point: The Popes ante reassumptionem, &c. before the reu­nion, depends on the precedent words; when after death they shall be purged, and after the aforesaid purgation, which words also should have stalked in great Letters; This purgation is indeed supposed, but no way defined: and for the Councils, Presently, it also depends on the foregoing words; being purged, uncloa­thed, &c. which presupposes a purgation held by some divines, in the state of separation, but no way Decrees it; and since the question was not then of the truth of this supposition, (as now it is,) but that then it was admittted without more adoe; you grant us, that in that supposition those words passed into the Pope and Councils Decrees: The Pope indeed [Page 69] was of the opinion, that the purgation [...]f souls might be compleated in the state of sepa­ration; but what does that concern you: You lawfully dissent from his Opinion if you find reason, but not from his Faith: where he opin [...]s, you follow him as far as his reason leads; but where he defines you submit.

Now Sir as to this, I wondered at your last word submit, for I understand not you, if you understand your Master. We are here in a business of Faith, and certainly you pass a very handsome complement upon the Pope, when you tell him you submit to his definiti­ons: If this be real, (since your submission in faith can not be grounded but upon the sup­position that he is infallible;) your Master will instantly discard you out of the School: For an Heretick an Arch-Heretick; for an intro­ducer of Antichrist into Christendome: This censure he hath fixt on this Doctrine, as I have told you before.

But as to your plea, though (to use your own Phrase) it is incomparably false, as is before evinced; nor can it according to your Masters own grounds take place in the Coun­cil, where they proceed upon the depositum of Faith: Yet to give you that satisfaction, we will joyn issue in this your subtility, as if your plea were allowable. And in truth, [Page 70] when you say that they proceeded on this as a supposition onely, Yonr moderate Reader will much blame the boldness of this attempt, because it will leave very ill consequences be­hind it; and besides he will tell you, that you had a very great disesteem both for the Pope [...] and Council: and that you fancied them to be admirably ridiculous Persons▪ who should proceed to definitions of Faith, to declar [...] us Articles of our belief, which regulate so much practis [...], on suppositions, not only false but impossible. The whole Christian World was in labour about the state of souls in Pur­gatory, the East and Western Churches meet, the diligent scru [...]iny of Divines make a search into all Libraries, Papers, Scrowls: and after all these Throwes, the issue is, n [...]n­sensical definitions upon not onely ridiculous and false, but impossible suppositions. If they had troubled their heads, to tell us that when the Sky falls, we shall catch Larks: it had been tollerable; the supposition had been foo­lish, not impossible: But to tell us, and make [...]uch a putther to tell us, when you remaining yet what you are, shall become an Angel? what then shall happen: when indeed nothing shall happen, or any thing may happen, is to render the supream Pastor of the Church, the sacred Assemblies of [...]h [...] shepheards of our souls a [Page 71] laughing stock to children. And yet this is our very case according to you; for upon this bare and impossible supposition; that the purgation of separated souls might be compleated before reu­ [...]ion, issued this impossible Doctrine, that they were presently, and before the day of Iudgment received into heaven. And if you had but weighed those very Examples you use (pag. 20. 21.) you would have observed this. What sense will this bear? A Prisoner when ac­quitted by Proclamation, becomes a free-man: or Fire applyed to combustible matter presently burns; if it be absolutely impossible the Prisoner should ever be acquitted by Procla­mation, or that fire should ever be applyed to combustible matter? what practise can we re­gulate by such Positions? and yet your self had a [...]winkling light of it p. 21. for having asked your friend, when you should see him in the Coantry? You complain of his canting answer, when he tells you, as soon as he comes down, he will visit you, since (as you say) it was the con­fidence of this, which made you inquire the other We must be confident then of the supposition, or else what is drawn out of it, is nothing. If it were impossible, your time should ever be out, under this your new Ma­ster, your setting up a new School for your self, would signifie nothing, If it be impos­sible [Page 72] That you should ever hav [...] performed your previous exercises, your presently proceed­ing Doctour would be out of doors. So [...]hat without being an Oedipus, if the supposition (as you will needs have it) that Souls may be purged uncloathed of their Bodies, be impossi­ble, the definitions both of the [...]ope and Councill are more silily ridiculous, then any Fable in Aesop or Ovid, for in these there is still some Morall or Physicall Mystery coucht for our Instruction, in them nothing at all.

But how do you parrallel pag 22, 23. your Adversaries proceed, in obscuring some words in an obscure Letter, or render it worse, then if he should set in Cpaital Let­ters, Christ is not risen from the dead, and our preaching is vain, in lieu of these words of St. Paul: If Christ is not risen from the dead: Then our preaching is vain, the ca­ses being so far different: for here St. Paul out of one absurdity which his adversary admitted, deduces an other absurdity, and presses it against him. And I pray you, when you write again, tell us, Whether the Coun­cill and Pope Dispute here only, and Define nothing, or whether they argue only as St. Paul did: If Souls be purged, uncloathed of their Bodies, they presently are received [Page 73] into Heaven before Iudgment: both which ac­cording to you, are impossible. And yet, Sir, I applaud your conceit as pretty, to pos­sess your Reader, that the Pope and Councill does not only not Define against you, but in­deed Define nothing at all, and only dispute against your Adversary, pressing out of one impossibility, which he admits, an other which follows it.

But you tell us, p. 28. and that very truly, that among the Divines in the Schools, many times such impossible suppositions are sta [...]ed, to clear a point in question. And yet you are somewhat unfortunate in your ex­amples; for in this example you bring, If Iudas had repented heartily, God had been merciful to him: This is so far from being a Question, that no Christian can hold the ne­gative. And for your other, If there had been no Trinity, there had been no Incarnation. The supposition indeed is impossible: but I would willingly know, what Divine Disputes it: Since it is impossible, we can have any light; that in case there should be but one Person in God, he would not have taken Humane Nature npon him. But though your questions be indisputable, others upon impossible suppo [...]itions are: where the que­stion cleers a formality which depends not [Page 74] on the impossibility of the supposition, (fo [...] so it would be nothing) but might be pro­posed in possible terms, though not so justly home to our understandings. As for exam­ple, the Divines dispute, Whether if the holy Ghost did not proceed from the Son, he would be distinguisht from the Son? which question is no way impertinent: it bearing this sense in other words, Whether the pro­cession of the holy Ghost from the Son, be the precise reasen of the distinction between those two Persons? And so for our better com­prehension of this nicity, is stated in that im­possible supposition. But though this and the like nice subtilities may be [...]it Metaphysicall Schoolmen, yet with reasou you were shye, and therefore tell us, p. 28. However it may suit with the gravity of the Supreme Pastors Decrees, to proceed on such Metaphysicall nicityes: whilst in truth, without these mea­ly mouth'd excuses you should have plainly told us, That both the Pope and Councill proceeded on such quiddities, however it beseemed, or misbeseemed their Gravities, or else you tell us nothing as to your pur­pose of building these Definitions upon impossible suppositions: much less will it be to our purpose to tell us, That per­fect Charity brings an immediate Heaven; [Page 75] which is not ours; nor the Popes Question, [...]in which he was, as you would perswade us, to ennmerate all possible and imaginary Cases: And yet you would possess your Reader, as if those sacred Assemblies, who are to deliver the World that Faith which is to regulate the practice of all and every Christian, should proceed onely on these niceties and formali­ties of School-men: For you insinuate, p. 29. that the Pope spake onely to them: as if we were bound to beleeve in our Metaphysical Di­sputes in the Schools, whatsoever our practise be out of them. And yet all our practise of Devotions for the Dead, stands on the firm­ness of this Doctrine: which if built on an impossible supposition, these formalities can regulate just nothing. So that the Objection you made to your self, still remains in full force: That this is but an evasion, which gra­tis, and without any ground you make use of, to evade an otherwise unavoidable Authority. I can not then but lament the misfortune of that Age, that this School was not then open­ed, or hearkened unto; that you your self were not called to counsel in this business: it would have saved both the Pope, and Coun­cils credit; you had quickly taught them what Suppositions to make; what decisions to build on them, and much more effectually; [Page 76] one Thomas the Englishman, appearing from the East of the Trinobants, had put a stop to this Torrent.

My Reader himself will easily observe, what a wide gate is laid open by this Sphistry, to evacuate the rest of that Bull, nay, the most of our holy Faith, and Doctrine of man­ners. Wha [...] if another Trinobant should rise and assert, That it is not possible any souls of just men can pass out of this life, without need to be purged in the next: What could this Bull avail against him, though he should ac­cept it? What can this definition, That such souls passe immediately to Heaven, be of force against him, whom my Adversary hath furnisht with this ready Answer: It depends on a false supposition [...] the Opinion, not the Faith, of the Pope. What if an other should sustain, That it is not possible any soul should leave this life in mortal sin: what could he be concerned in this Decree: That such descend immediately to Hell: whilest to him this Doctrine is built, on a false supposition, the Opiniou, not the Faith of the Pope. And in our other Beleef, what if a new Imp of Hell should arise, and admit onely a metaphorical, and not a real Son in divinis: How could this Blasphemy be repressed by Consubstan­tialem Patri, in the sacred Nicene Creed, [Page 77] whilest he is ready furnisht with his An­swer; This depends on this false supposition, That [...]here is a real Son, which I deny. And in our Doctrine of Manners, what if the same miscreant should say, That a moderate af­fection to a Concubine, is a less crime then [...]n immoderate love to a Wife, as less intangling our souls and hindring their pursuit of the Divine Love: what could the contrary Faith of all the Christian world, or the Do­ctrine of Christ, saying, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the Commandments, avail against him, who hath his Answer ready, That this Faith and Doctrine depends on this supposi­tion, That God hath forbidden the one, and not the other; whilst in truth, God hath neither commanded, nor forbidden any thing at all.

Sect. 22. And now having answered this, I know not any thing else, thar carries any ap­pearance of strength in your Book: So that I might fairly take leave of this Subject: But I will not be a Niggard to my Reader, I design to give him a cleerer view of your School, this will serve as an Introduction to those fur­ther discoveries I design for the future. And as to our present business of Purgatory; My Reader may perhaps have met this new Model, sustained in English: he hath perhaps [Page 78] heard, that the Faith we here fight for, is but a late device brought into the Church by St. Gregory the Great, the glorious Apostle of our now unhappy Nation, pursued by Ve­nerable Bede, Odilo, and a long Catalogue of eminent. Saints and Doctors, since that time, and so took its rise and continued sup­port, by pi [...]us, but sillily credulous Monks: for all those Lights of the Church are most severely whipt for their foolish credulity of Dreams, Fansies, Melancholy apprehensions, and nothings. And besides, because it is provoked (after the mode of our late cast­aways in Faith) to the primitive Ages im­mediate to Christ: I will (for my Readers just satisfaction) give him two or three of the most eminently learned Fathers of those A­ges, to which they appeal, and the rather be­cause it will appear how far different their sentiments were, both as to the Substance of those sufferings, as well as to the Co [...]tinuation of them, from those of this modern School. Let Great St. Augustine stand in the Front. We may not doubt (says he) but that the dead are helped by the Prayers of the holy Church, Aug. Ser. 32. de verb. Apostoli. and by the wholsome Sacrifice, and by the Almes, which are distributed for their souls, &c. For this is a Doctrine delivered [Page 79] by the Fathers, and observed by the whole Church. And afterwards; Now when works of Mercy are performed for their assistance; who doubts but that they help them, for whom prayers are not in vain offered up, to the Di­vine Majesty? &c. This place I choose to stand in the Front, because it strongly asserts the Essence of Purgatory derived by Traditi­on from the Fore-fathers, and observed by the whole Church, and because it is so home to the relief, those souls receive by our Pray­ers and Alms. And now this great Father having told us, what he hath thus received as to the Substance, let him also tell us what he hath received as to their Sufferings there, and Continuation of them. Let no man say, Aug. Ser. 41. de S. S. I care not how long I must tarry in the way, if at last I come to aeter­nal life; let no one say so, (dear Brethren;) For surely, that Purgatory fire will be more severe then any punishment which can be felt or imagined in this world. And again:Hom. 16. de 50. According to the greatness of the sin, shall be the length of the stay. And again:Serm. 41. de S. S. We must so long re­main in that Purgatory fire, until the aforesaid small sins [Page 80] (as it were Chips, Hay, Straw) are consu­med.

Let us add to him, Learned Origen, more ancient then St. Augustine; who though he afterwards erred, yet in all points stood cleer, when he writ those Learned Commentaries I here cite. Hom. 14. in Levit. The nature of the sin (says he) is like the matter which is consumed by the fire, which as the Apostle affirms, is built by sinners: who upon the Foundation of Christ, build Wood, Hay, Stubble: Whereby is plainly declared, That some sins are so light, as they may be com­pared to Stubble, to which if fire be applied, it can not stay long in it: Other sins are like Hay, which the fire also consumes without much difficulty; though it stayes somewhat longer then in the Stubble: And other sins are compared to Wood, in which, according to the quality of the crimes, the fire finds a lasting and great substance to feed upon. Thus there­fore each sin, according to its quality or quan­tity, is punished; but for how long time,lib. 8. in Ep. ad Rom. 11. or how many Ages this purgation (which is by the punishm [...]nt of fire) shall endure; he alone knows, to whom the Father hath committed all Iudgment.

[Page 81] Let's hear pious and learned S. Greg. Nyss. in that excellent disputation he had with h [...]s Sister Macrina. As they who purge Gold, (saves he) from its drossie mixture by the fire, do not onely melt that which is adulte­rate, but must of necessity melt that also, which is pure, together with the counterfeit, bad, and corrupted matter; which corruption being con­sumed, the Gold remains purified: In like sort, it is also necessary, that whilst the naughtiness and corruption is consuming in the fire of Pur­gatory; the soul, which is united to this naugh­tiness and corruption, must continue in the fire until that adulterate, gross, impure, and cor­rupt matter, be wholly abolisht and consu­med, &c. Wherefore the torment and sorrow there suffered, is measured by the quantity of the Vitiosity (as he terms it) and naughtiness, which is found in each one of the sufferers. For it is not meet, that both of them, to wit, he who for a long time hath wallowed in for­bidden evils, and he who hath faln into certain mean offences, should be equally tormented and afflicted, by the purgation of his vi [...]ious cu­stome, and habitude: but proportionably to the measure and quantity of the matter, shall that pain-bringing flame be inkindled, to continue for a longer or shorter space of time, according as it shall find fewel to nourish it. The Soul [Page 82] therefore that is clogg'd with a great inherent burthen of matter, must necessarily suffer a great and longer induring flame, which may waste that matter: But the soul to which that consuming fire is applied for a less space of time, the p [...]nishment doth remit, so much of its ve­hement and severe operation, by how much the subject hath a less measure of corrupti­on, vitiosity, and naughtiness to be consumed.

I hope, Sir, when you have perused and duely weighed the how long which rendred St. Augustine so sollicitous, his length of the stay, in propottion to the greatness of the sin: the whose Analogy of Wood, Hay, Stubble, (in which St. Paul had before delivered this Doctrine of Purgatory) exactly answered by the time of their sufferings, in Origen: his how long time, how many Ages: The whole design of St. Greg. Nyssen in his discourse, his kindling the flame for a longer, or shorter time: his so many times repeated a great and longer induring flame: his apply'd for a less space of time, you will see those Ages to which you appeal, had far other apprehen­sions of Purgatory then are consistent with your new Systeme; and perhaps a modest Christian Divine would have blusht to pronounce, That all these Apprehensions pro­ceed but out of ignorance of the nature of sepa­rated [Page 83] Souls. De Med. Stat. dimens. 17. And if He had had the least respect for Christian Religion, he would have sunk with shame, to appeal from all the Light of Christianity, to the ancient Fables and Fictions of Heathen Poets. How could those shameless words pass from his Pen; Much better then and more solidly then they, did the Poet Philosophyse in the sixth the Aeneads, where he fansied to have found his Purgatory, never admitted or thought of in Christs School? Pardon me, Sir, if a zeal hath transported me; I can not endure the confidence of a Christian Writer, who should prefer a Fable of Virgil, before the consent of all Christianity, and that now in point of Faith, of Purgatory. It is to give an approbation to an infamous slander I have read in a modern Enemy of the Catholick Church: That she hath pickt her Tenets out of the Poets, and now their Fables stand ca­nonized in her Creed.

But to the consent of these great Lights of the Church, let us add the publique Lyturgy, the great conveyer of Tradition to us; let it give testimony to this Faith. We find the Priest at the Propitiatory Sacrifice for the Dead, pow­ring forth his Devotions in this manner.

[Page 84] What new construction shall we have of this Ante diem rationis, ere the accounting day: and every where Grant them rest Eter­nall. Receive, O Lord, the Sacrifices and Prayers for those Souls we make a memory of this day make them pass from death to life. And more expresly in the Prayers and Post-communions. Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord, that the Soul of thy Servant being purged and discharged from his sins, by these now offered Sacrifices, may obtain mercy and Rest. What senseless Devotions are these whilst Separated Souls cannot be purged or discharged by any Sacrifice whatsoever, since that is reserved to the state of Reunion?

Sect. 23. But to this Clowd of witnesses, to all the Authority we can Imagin in the Ca­tholick Church, to the consent of all the Christian world, Fathers, Councils, Popes, to the Constant and Universal practice of all the faithful, not any Church, Chappel, Al­tar, Oratory, but speaking it alowd, in their continual Prayers, Dirges, Masses, Almes, Doales, &c. Master Whites Name in his Instit. Sac. What is oppos­ed? but, THOMAS ANGLVS E GE­NEROSA ALBIORVM IN ORIENTE TRINOBAN­TVM PROSAPIA ORIVN­DVS. [Page 85] THOMAS THE ENG­LISHMAN DESCENDED OF THE GENEROUS PROGE­NY OF THE ALBII(I think he Construes it Whites) IN THE EAST OF THE TRINOBANTS: A [...] which in good modest English is, Thomas White of Essex. Together with the autority of the Heathen Poets. Not so (you willx say) we have not this Thomas The Englishman, with this frightful title: but with his Reason, with his Demonstration: with that indisol­vable Chaine of necessary conclusions, pur­sued with Irrefragable evidence; through the most abstruse properties of Bodies, to the clear discovery of separated Substances, not onely of Souls, now severed from that Clay, which before inclosed them: but of Angels, those clean, pure Spirits, which never had any allay of drossy matter. Di­ves Promissis: To be rich in Promises may accompany very poor men: would your performance were answerable, though much short of the full proportion. This, truly Sir, is a very handsome invitation to your School. But is this the onely entertainment there? O no, we have an incomparably higher and nobler feast prepared for us. All this is but his Peripateticks: the atchievment [Page 84] [...] [Page 85] [...] [Page 86] of Thomas the Englishman of the Albii of the East-Saxons. What shall we hope for in his Theology, now he hath gotten this much nobler Title? What is it for the now great Trinobant to understand Men and Angels? This towring soul flyes much a higher pitch; by his Adamantine Chaine of Demonstrations, he soars up to theSee Institutiones Sacrae, in the beginning Ratio operis, where after a description of the Theology he delivers, Vide, &c. (saith he to the Reader) See what an execrable thing it is in such matters as these, after a proposition and a hope of Verity in them, to feed our hungry Souls with vain and lying tri­fles. Remember then thou art a man, born capable of truth, and that all these things are proposed to thee in a familiar language, that thou mightst un­derstand and enjoy them. He who hopes this with­out Demonstration, goes about to delude himself and thee. They object the obscurity of Faith, and the inaccessible darkness of the Divinity to our Rea­son. But this hinders nothing; for such Demon­strations may be given of the Mysteries, as is given of God himself, &c. Courage then, and dare thou to expect in Theology the full satiety of thy under­standing: Seek in it certainty, and the evidence of Science and Demonstration. And in the same Insti­tut. Sac. 2 Volume. lib. 3. Lect. 2. And since Grace is so implanted in Nature, that they draw each other with connected Members, and interlaced links: it is not to be doubted, but most of the Mysteries of Faith, may be Demonstratively known; so that the Church now proceeding to the midday, they are to be Demonstrated. in­accessible [Page 87] light of the Divinity, he leads us into the bosome of that incomprehensi­ble essence, and there evidences by cleer light, theSee ibid: Ratio operis. Theology is planted in na­ture, Faith is delivered to us, in humane language. What more sublime things are disputed in Theology, then Father, Son, Generation, Spiration, Nature, Person? &c. And yet we were taught all these things by Nature and Reason, even before Christ. But if these things now be rendered evident, there will no­thing at all remain obscure. See more fully in the same Book, lib. 2. where all these things are pre­tended to be demonstrated, by the Principles of natural Reason. Eternal Generation of the Word, the Pro­cession of the Holy-Ghost: There he in­lightens us cleerly to see, an Eternal Father, a Co-eternal Son, a substantial love, Generati­on, Processions, Nature, Persons, All: In sum whatever our astonisht humble Faith, hath hitherto only accepted by Reve­lation. See ibid. Ratio operis. A libertatis cavo sibil [...]t alter anguis: The other Snake hisses out of the Denn of Liberty. Where of these contingent Theological Truths, he largely promises demonstrations, and attempts is every where in his new Theology, where these mysteries are treated.And yet which is more admira­ble then All this, and which never yet fell into any mans hopes or thoughts that it [Page 88] could be possible, even of those contingent verities, to which the Divine Will is free; and where neither part of the contradiction determinately, can have any necessary tye to the Cause (as certainly, all created truths are, for God to any thing besides God, can have no necessary connexion) he with his in­comparable Chain, fixes even in such contin­gencies, this determinat part of the contra­diction. And all this after our great Knight, his standard bearer, Sir Kenelm Digby See ibid Ratio operis, Eadem Labyrintho, &c. In the same Labyrinth with Divinity, Phylosophy too, grew old. But Digby hath held forth his Torch: If now they dispair of it, is vanished: Dare, now greater things; his foot-steps will lead thee to the fortress of Theology, &c. What then dost thou fear? and trembling shunnest the Digbaean attempts? If the things thou learnest are false, reason it self will teach thee so, if they are true, the happy success will now provoke thee glad; if they are uncertain, dost thou loose any thing by seeking; set then the right foot forward, and gratefully hold on that path, trodden by other mens labours. had now held forth his new Torch, to the hitherto darkned World.

[Page 89] May Sir, this your great Master be happy in his glorious undertakings; may success at­tend and wait on his endeavours. Phaetont youthful attempt to drive the Sun, was no­thing to this enterprise; and yet—magnis excidit ausis. Happy we who are reserved to this third age of the Church which is no more to walk by Faith, but by Science! Hap­py we that now live, when this new Sun ap­pears from the East of the Trinobants, Exeg. on the A­pocalyps. Sec. x [...]. who gives the se­cond Wing of Knowledg, to the Woman, to the Church! but especially happy we to whom the ac­quaintance of this Miracle (for a Man I dare not style him, nor an Angel, since even to them, but by Revelation, these Mysteries are hidd,) hath not been denyed I May all other Doctrines be silen­ced, all other Schools shut up; they have hitherto led us in a Clowd, in a submission of our understandings to obscure unseen verities, upon the Authority of God the Revealer: whilst he (tearing this veile of ignorance, which incumbred our understandings,) hath displayed with light and evidence, and plac't All in the mid-dayes Sun, whatsoever we have groped for hitherto, in the dark ob­scurity of Faith.

[Page 90] Let us no more envy the happiness of those who conversed with our B. Saviour in Flesh, who heard that heavenly voice, who beheld that ravishing countenance, beauti­ful above the Sons of Men, who were eye­witnesses of those stupendious miracles he wrought, in confirmation of that Doctrine which he brought from the bosome of his Father. Let not an other bragg, he received his Faith from the mouth of S. Peter, the Rock: of S. Paul, the Vessel of Election: of S. Iohn the beloved of Iesus: but let all these worthily envy us, who now have a Do­cto [...]r, as far excelling all them, as Light excells Darkness: as Day, the Night: as Evidence, Obscurity it self. For alas! what did Peter, Paul, or Iohn, or our B. Savi­our himself? They layed down obscure Po­sitions, abstruse hidden mysteries, and in confirmation of the truth of what they deli­vered wrought Miracles: which certainly inforce no Assent, but leave us to our former liberty: leave the Object it self, in the same obscurity it was before: For since they are neither its cause, nor effect, but purely extrin­secal to it, they enlighten not at all the object in it self. What then was begotten in the souls of those holy Apostles and Disciples, who followed our B. Saviour by [Page 91] his Preaching? but a free, voluntary sub­mission of their understandings, to those ob­scure truths he deliver'd upon the Autho­rity only, of their heavenly Teacher. But our great Master promises a far other proceed: Not by an Attestation extrinsecal to the Object, will he confirm those truths which he delivers to us, but out of the cleare principles, and intime notions of the Objects, out of the very bowels of the Mysteries themselves, he will render all cleer, evident and perspicuous; and ravish our souls (even whether our selves will or no) into an Assent, not any more of an obscure, dark Faith: but of a cleer, apparent Science, even to theSee Instit. Sac. Ratio operis. Expect that full Satiety or surfet of thy Vaderstanding in Theology. full content and satiety of our truth-thirsty un­derstandings. Let him then possess the Chair; Let him be Inthroned; Let Peter, Paul and Iohn: nay, let our Master who came from heaven to teach us, give way; Let all other Doctors whatsoever, at­tend upo [...] his Triumph. Let the astonisht captivated world, shutting henceforth their ears to all others, hear him Alone. Why should we trouble our heads any more with the Gospels, with Paul? We find no Sati­ety of our understanding, in their bare, naked [Page 92] Assertions. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word: What if ten thousand miracles were wrought, in confirmation of this Do­ctrine? my Soul ha [...]h not its full content: I still thirst after light, after evidence, which here is not to be found. Let us then, shutting our ears to these drily proposed Doctrines, hear great Trinobant, and Satiate and glut our understandings with this his evident, cleer Demonstration. For thus what St. Iohn ob­scurely had told us, he makes apparent: That there is Vnity and Plurality in God▪ Inst. Sac. lib. 2 Lect. 1. without Repugnance. Since that God knows himself, and the thing defined being put, the definition is also to be put in him, (but to know is to be another thing, as another thing; and to be known is to be an other thing, as an other thing) the business is plainly ended: that God is in God as an other, in an other: and by consequence Aliety is truly and re­ally, and as a predicat of God, found in God, and not onely as a manner of predicating, or as it is in our Vnderstanding. Here is light, here is evidence able to ravish a soul; nay, Satiate and Surfet her, in the height of all her Thirst and longing after Truth.

[Page 93] Sect. 24. In truth, Sir, a sober Reader, though he were in a melancholy mood, would be tempted to smile, at this Demonstration, (as you did pag. 11. at the word verbatim.) And yet that Passion would justly give way to his indignation against this Presumption. No Christian, but hath heard, That the Faith our B. Saviour taught Mankind, was to con­tinue in his holy Spouse the Church on earth, till the consummation of the world, and his second coming to Judge. And can we cease to wonder, or indeed to conceive a just in­dignation, now to find a Thomas the Eng­lish-man, who after Forty or Fifty years stu­dy, should tell us, That in truth we have all been mistaken: there is no such matter: But that in the Infancy and Child-hood of the Church, She was to walk indeed by Faith, but now, in the third Age, or Mans estate, she is no more to be governed by Faith, Inst S. li. 3. lec. 2. & alibi. but by Science, by Demonstration. In this very Third Age or Mans estate of the Church, in which now we live, to begin undoubtedly from himself, (since he admits of no one Demonstration in any one former Schoolman; In the Letter of Vindication. and himself promises thousands:) And all this made out of the most prodigious [Page 94] explication of the Apocalypse that ever saw light, as if it were a meer Poem, and a Stage-play: And peculiarly of that passage, That there were two wings of a great Eagle, given to the Woman, that she might fly into the desart: He understanding this Woman to be the Church, Exeg. on the Apocalyps, sect. xi. these two Wings to be Faith and Science; Faith, which our B. Saviour gave her in his Oeconomy on Earth, by which she was to steer her course in her Nonage; But now She being come to Mans estate, He himself gives her the other Wing of Knowledg; for henceforth she is onely to be directed by his Demonstrations. And with this new Wing, he now gives her, fairly she may walk, if she please, unless she be able to fly, as she hath hitherto done for Sixteen hundred years, with one Wing alone, since this Wing quite destroys the other, Evidence and Science be­ing perfectly destructive of Obscurity and Faith.

But it is worth my Readers pains to see this admirable conception of his fancied demonstra­tive Third Age of the Church, described at large in the same Book, Sect. 9. and else­where. In the tenth Chapter (sayes he) be­gins and is perfected, the Enarration of the Third Age of the Church, which because it [Page 95] is to be prosperous and blessed, and subject to few evils, therefore it is described onely in gene­ral, &c. The Reason of this is, for since Grace prefects Nature, and since in rational nature there are three degrees, or species of knowledg, by which successively the soul receives increase, to wit Faith, which governs Children: Opinion, which steers young men as yet unexperienced and unskilful: And lastly, Science which di­rects men now perfect: It is necessary that in the Church, Nature ascend by the self same de­grees. Till Constantins time (the first Christi­an Emperour) Faith alone took place: From Constantin till our age, Hereticks, were comba­ted by Rhetorical and Logical dissertations, which because by little and little, is fitted to conduct men to Evidence, the immediat succeed­ing Age of the Church is to be expected, in which Evidence succeeding, there will be no place for Heresies, but the Church shall flourish in most perfect Peace and Prosperity.

And having thus adorned the scene, he brings himself down from Heaven, with these happy demonstrations in this manner. As in this Chapter (sayes he) S. John teaches, describing unto us, A strong An­gel; as fitting for mans estate: Descending from Heaven, from whence all good things are derived to us. Cloathed with a Clowd: [Page 96] That is with a celestial garment, as who brings heavenly things to us: not keeping himself a­loof from us, but even approaching and com­ing neer unto us: [...]nd the Rainbow, which is the symbol of Divine Peace, hung over his Head And his Face was like the Sun: To wit, as he who came to communicate per­fect light, to humane kind: And his Leggs in strength and firmness, as Pillars: And in activity, as Fire: And he had in his Hand, an open Book, that is to be read and understood by All, And in which there was no obscurity or involution: And He put his right Foot on the sea; that is, he subjected turbulent spirits by force and Power: And His left Foot on the Land; that is, confirming and strengthening the humble and meeek: And he cried out with a lowd voice, even like the roaring of a Lyon: Which apertains to the latitude of the Church, which is signified to be extended as farr as his voice might be heard, &c. And the effect of his voice was, that the seven Thunders might speak their Uoices; that is, have their effects: which the Apostle is forbidden, to write for the reasons above delivered; ne­vertheless, he is commanded, to seal them in his memory, perhaps to be told to pious men in privat, not publickly to be promulgated to the Church.

[Page 97] But least this could not be so happily a­dapted to himself, and his long lasting third age of the Church, steered by his Demonstra­tive Religion: since presently the Text intro­duces this same Angel swearing. That time should be no more, and S. Iohn is presently described to have devoured this open Book, which the Angel brought from heaven. Which might seem to regard the end of the World, when time shall be no more, but these circulations of the heavens shall re­ceive their last end and Period: he tells us, that this Oath of the Angel, and this de­vouring of the Book, by S. Iohn, belong to the preparation of the ensuing ruine of the World, and consummation of all things. And the Book though sweet to the tast, and hear­ing, yet was bitter in his stomack: And could not be contained, but forced him to preach the Doctrine of it, to others. Thus he:

But it is a good divertisement to see how after this sublime conception had fallen into his head, how he huggs it, and pleases him­self with the fancied happiness, of that state of the Church, which thus shall be steered by evidence, by his demonstrations: and how far he prefers it, before All whatsoe­ver we have hitherto been acquainted with in Christianity, and even Prophesies of our [Page 98] future happiness by it. ^a All Phylosophy shall be new molded, All Theology shall be refined, by his and his Knights Demonstrations. ^b Never were School-boyes so handled by an Imperious Master, as He (besides the cor­rection bestowed on all the Fathers for a thousand years) whips all the School-Doctours, none excepted, and with most exquisite contempt, persecutes all their Learning. [Page 99] And of the Church he foretels, in this third age there shall be, no perse­cution, no Heresies:Exeg. on the Apacalyps. Sec. 14. but she shall flourish by his demonstrative Religion in perfect tranquilli­ty. She shall now be furnished with persons of most sublime and eminent sanctity; and though there shall be no occasion of Martyrdom: yet the supream Saints, the first fruits to God and the Lamb, shall adorn this mans estate or midday of the Church;Master Whites Prophesie of the happy state of the Church, and civil Go­vernments gui­ded by his de­monstr [...]tive Re­ligion. Per­sons of most sublime contem­plation. And further as to the Civil Governments of Magistrates, and happiness under them; he Prophesies. Instit. Sac. lib. 3. lec. 2. Since this (sayes he) is the supream state of humane nature; it will also bring with it the bettering of the manners of men, the Governments, and commands of Soveraigns, and supream Ma­gistrates, shall be more mild and moderate; few warrs among Christians, the commodi­ties of life far greater: All excellent arts cultivated, and brought to the highest per­fection. And since the supream Governours shall find Forraign Warrs necessary for do­mestick security, they shall disburden the [Page 100] turbulent and ambitious spirits among Chri­stians, in Wars upon Barbarous Nations, and Infidels, the enemies of this demon­strative Religion: Whom since now they excell in Arts, they will easily conquer by Arms; and contain them in their du­ty, by an even handed, equal Government, And shall convert them to Christianity, and so Christ shall raign in the whole Globe of the Earth. Nor is it to be doubted, but that this state, being the very Flower and vigour of humane Nature, shall be of a most long continuance. Thus he rapt in an extasie Prophesies; such golden ages, melancholy men in love with their own long setled apprehensions, fancy, and dream of. And his Scholars will easily believe, (that He now having establisht an eternal Peace in our Nations, by that admirable Doctrin, in his Book of Go­vernment and Obedience: ground. 16. That a dispossest Magistrate is worse then an Infi­del, if he doe not renounce all his title and claim: And that All his subjects are ob­liged to resist his attempts:) their Masters demonstrations marcht of late to the con­fines, with the two great Ministers of State, and have now concluded a Peace be­tween France and Spain.

[Page 101] But this were tollerable, if this were All: Why should not every man enjoy his own thoughts? Why should not this great Master be as happy as his own Imaginations, and the Applause of his Scholars can make him? But thus to betray Christian Religion to A­theists, to Disbeleevers: To display his Ban­ner of Evidence; to open his School of Demon­stration, to reduce all those stupendious My­steries of Religion, to the natural force of our too too weak understandings, (and as I now exemplified in the Aeternal Generation of the Son of God, a Mystery naturally un­known to Men and Angels; for even those Celestial Spirits in their now state of Fruition, veil their faces with reverence, when they cry, Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, to the ado­rable and ineffable Trinity) to tell us, even in these sublime Mysteries we shall be fur­nisht with evident Demonstrations. And af­ter this, the Production is a discourse so fri­volous, so unconcluding: Assuming not one­ly what is false, but what is erroneous; and inferring quite another thing in the Conclusi­on, then was in the Premisses; so that no Phylosopher of two years course, but sees the emptiness of it, no Divine of one years stand­ing, but has learnt the Errour of it; is to ren­der our holy Faith ridiculous, vain, and [Page 102] contemptible to Naturalists, to Disbelee­vers.

Sect. 25. Why should we then wonder, if we have a new Purgatory? Alas, Sir, we have a new Systeme of a whole, intire, new Religion: We have a Doctour who with long melancholy thoughts, having fansied a world in the Moon, perswades himself, that all the Faith Christ taught us, shall be evacuated: all other Schools shall cease: and he, forsooth, for the future be the sole Pole-star of the World. It is not unworthy of our observation, by what wary sters this new Divinity (which fitted to the Genius of our times, I never read, but think I am in a Romance) walkt into the world. The first attempt was upon Scripture, where by a long Catalogue of its uncertainties, by the Transcribers, Transla­tors, In R [...]sh [...]orths Dialogues, Di­alog. 2. Printers mistakes, or the wilfull corruptions of Iews, Hereticks, half-witted and bold Readers: it would puzzle any mans Arith­metick, to count how many to one it is, there is not one true word of Scripture in Scripture. Up­on the sole score of the Transcribers mistakes, (in that supposition, that there were Two thousand Copies writ of the Bible in a hun­dred years) he concludes it sixteen to one, against any determinate word, that it is not [Page 103] the true word of Scripture, this onely saved, that the same errour might be in several Co­pies. After this succeeded the infallibility of the Pope, of which I have given my Reader his sense already. Then followed, that he should attaque the Authority of the Councils, Which, in truth, with a better grace, and a complement of a Non est impossibile, he sent packing out of his School: And yet all this while he bore us in hand, that he would save All, by manly sustaining Tradition, the uninterrupted Doctrine handed down and de­livered, by the succession of Fathers to Chil­dren, from Christ and his Apostles to any determinate Age: But because this Tradition could not, with any appearance be sustained, but that it carried or supposed, the Infalli­bility of Councils: Since there is nothing more universally and constantly beleeved: nor can we imagine any more Authentique proof of any Doctrine, that it is delivered by Tra­dition, then the Decree of a Council: And yet he being resolved, by the ruine of that Autho­rity, to make way for his Demonstrative Re­ligion: Tradition faded and dwindled, into this mysterious expression: That the Errour of a Council, though promulgated, should not pass into an established Doctrine of the Church, as delivered by Fathers, and preach­ed [Page 104] by Christ: by which he brought all into his own power again. And when he had thus (as he thought) cut all the sinews of Chri­stian-Beleef; the mystery of all the design is discovered: We must be governed by Faith no longer: Christ with his Doctrine hath posses­sed the Chair long enough: Master White with his Demonstrations, must now take place. And least my Adversary should tell me; I do him wrong, in asserting, That after the rest, he hath now laid Tradition aside: I de­sire him and his solid cleer-sighted Friends, to give me a Catalogue of all those Doctrines he admits into his new Theology, or prooves in his Institutiones sacrae (which are to be our Scriptures, Fathers, Councils, School-men, for the future) by Tradition, or on the score of Authority. Nor let him complain; I im­pose a heavy task upon him: Those who are acquainted with every Ressort of his Doctrine, will quickly answer it: The Catalogue will proove so slender, so short, it will cost him no considerable Pains: I could comprehend them All in this one Word, Nothing: For in truth, there is none at all: So safe a truth it is, that in lieu of Faith and Christian Religi­on, we have nothing in this School, but under the title of Peripatetick and Sacred Instituti­ons, an Epicurean, Lucretian Phylosophy; or [Page 105] rather a medley of both theirs, and Aristotles Phylosophy, and Pretended Demonstrations: not of our Faith, as Catholiques have hitherto understood it, but as now changing quite the Notions of the Mysteries, he is pleased to un­derstand it. Of which we shall see more here­after.

Sect. 26. Why then should we wonder at the Issues of this Brain? What should we wonder at these Productions, which out of an absolutely erroneous Method, were hatched, and brought to light? It is no marvel, if a most Exotick Phylosophy being presupposed, an equally or more Exotick Divinity is built up­on it. A little Errour in the beginning, prooves a great one in the last end. The at­tempt to square Theology, to (I know nor what) pretended Demonstrations, hath wrought this destruction. Nor need we the help of Divi­nity: Our own Experience and Reason suffici­ently evince, and discover this method to be ruinous. There is no man who hath made even a moderate progress in Sciences, but is sufficiently convinced how weak, how feeble our Understandings are: They are but Novi­ces in Sciences, who are puft into a vanity, as if they were even now become Masters. The better Proficients they grow, the more daily and howrly do they cleerly discover their [Page 106] own Ignorance. Let's consider it in parti­cular; there is no knowledg so certain, so connatural to our undexrstandings, as that of Quantity, the Object of Mathematiques: and yet all the wit of men, that ever yet have been in the world, come so far short of the discovery, that millions of Problemes might yet be proposed, which no man can solve. And now as to our knowledge of Natural Bodies, it is far inferior to the former; for of these we scarce understand any thing at all. Who ever comprehended the Composition, the Properties, or even the Essential notion of a Fly? What Phy­sitian ever understood fully the Nature, the operations, the effects, of any one Herb, any one Simple? Who ever knew how Ru­barb works on the innumerable parts of our bodies: how it purges, how it refines, how it abates, how it heightens the several hu­mours of it? St. Basill understood our weak­ness much better, who in his 168 Epist. to Eunom, prosecuting this subject, proposes a­bove twenty questions (to which twenty and twenty more may be added) of a contemp­tible Emmet: In none of which, the wit of man can satisfie his curiosity. And if we are thus short in those things we daily converse with, which we touch, and tast, what will [Page 107] our knowledge amount to in Separated Sub­stances, in Souls, in Angels, in God him­self? The true ground of this our ignorance being this: That our understandings in our present state of mortality, being onely natu­rally moveable from our Phansies, which depend wholly on the weak reports drawn from our Senses: we have not, in this state, without Revelation, any other notions but such as are abstracted from sensible Objects; so that the peculiar properties of abstract Substances (since we are not now possest of the peculiar essential notions of them) can not now by us, naturally, be known. And hence it is, that finding our selves so feeble, in things the most obvious even to our sen­ses, all the Wise men of the World, have ever been struck dumb, and ravisht in the consideration of that Omnipotent hand, which built both us, to honour and love him, and them for our use to that end; so that where his Authority is ingaged, as certainly it is, in all things that apperrain to Faith: we abase our prying proud curiosity, and square our weak apprehensions to them, and not these stupendious supernatural Mysteries, to our creeping groveling apprehensions of Nature.

It was then upon this mistake, that this [Page 108] new Purgatory came to light; it is one, and but one of a thousand of those unheard of productions, this new Phylosophical Theo­logy is stuft with. I could give my Reader many instances of Doctrines he never yet, not indeed the world was acquainted with: but I will conclude with that very Doctrin (be­cause it offers it self as neer allyed to this our present Subject) with which he concluds his Demonstrative Divinity. It is concerning the Damned Souls; for we have not onely a Poetical Purgatory, he hath also furnisht us with a most Romancical Hell: and who can but smile to think of those ridiculous mimick postures, he fancyes of Horse-cours­ers, Dancers, Fencers, Bowlers, and all other Brutals attempting now in Hell in all their se­veral postures; those very pleasures in which they constituted their final end in this life.Instit. Sac. 1. 3. Lcct. xi. Thus then of those Souls he concludes: Their misery (sayes he) depends on their present perverseness, so that if they them­selves would, they might even yet be happy. Out of the force and series of Nature, of which they are parts, nothing better (to wit, then to be damned) could happpen to them; neither to All of them in general, nor to Any one of them in particular. And least Nature or [Page 109] God should escape this Fatall Doctrin, he adds: And even Nature and God himself should have been worse, if they had been other­wise dealt with. Pagan Fatality! Out of the force and Series of Nature, nothing better, could happen to Iudas then to be damn'd; and if he had not been so, God had ceased to be God: as so, forsooth, Wisdom is justified against her children. Thus he con­cludes his Prodigious Theology.

Sect. 27. And now I hope my Reader hath some light of the Method and Genius of this our great Master and his new School. It will give him an introduction into the fur­ther discovery of their learning. But be­cause his pretended Demonstrations are now so cryed up by that little handful of his Scholars, whose itch after novelties hath rendred Proselites of his Doctrin; and since in the Entry to my Discourse, I have laid down those (as they would have us believe) unshakable grounds, of this new minted Pur­gatory: my Reader may justly challenge that we should take a Survey of them. And though this might seem weakly to antici­pate, what I heare far abler Pens have un­dertaken at large, yet why should we not take a short view of them, and that even in the very order they lye.

[Page 110] And first then, leaving his Gibberish No­tion of a Separated Soul, how Ridiculous is this Position: That the proper accidents (that is, those things that are in the Soul ac­cording to the Soul, its practical judg­ments, Its affections to friends and ac­quaintance, even to Corporal pleasures) are the Soul it self. Since that they are so, is not onely Indemonstrable, but Incompara­bly false: for the Soul is both Created without them, remains in the Body without them (in such as by grace have subdued these Inordinations) and much more in Hea­ven, both with, and without the Body, be­fore and after the Resurrection: And even in his Systeme of Purgatory, the Soul shall be divested of them at the re-union: and yet all the Peripateticks or Lucretian Phylosophy in the world, can never evince, that the Soul can be separated from it self: Therefore nor from these Affections if they be the Soul it self. And how came these immediately insuing words, to escape his wary Pen, That the Soul without them were more im­perfect? Are those very Affections which constitute Purgatory and Hell too,Inst. Sac. lib. 3 Lect. 9. perfections of the Soul? Or when she comes to divest her self of them [Page 111] at the Re-union, does she remain more imperfect in Heaven, then when she was in the state of suffering by Them? or is she then not her selfe because she is without them? or had she been less Perfect if she had passed out of this life, by perfect mortifi­cation without th [...]m? But because this Doctrin, That the Soul were more imperfect without these Affectinos, is very neer allyed to an other excellent Doctrin of our great Master (and which will much promote solid devotion) of the Corporal Pleasures themselves; let us compare them together, they agree very happily, and will illustrate one an other: Since Corporal life (sayes he) is made in order to the attain­ing of Beatitude, Inst. Sac. lib. 3. Lect. 1. and Corpo­ral pleasures are conformable to corporal life, and therefore of necessity that Corporal life in its kinde, is the best, which hath the most, and greatest Corporal pleasures: (as elsewhere is shewn more at large) And further, since the best Corporal life, doth best serve to the attaining of Beatitude, it is also necessary that the Christian discipline (which is the Mistriss of Beatitude) should even fill our lives with the pleasures of the Body, and those who live piously, should enjoy a hundred fold (of those Corporal pleasures) more then [Page 112] those who live ill. Might not this excellent Sermon very well become a St. Austen or a St. Paul? No truly, Sir, they never were acquainted with this Demonstration: They lived in the Non-age of the Church; they were steered by Faith not by this Evidence and Science. And so they walkt in Au­sterities; Tenances, Mortifications. They never fancyed, That that Corporal life was best in its kind, which abounded with most and greatest Corporal pleasures: much less, That such an one was best adapted to attain that Beatitude they thirsted after. They looked on Corporal Pleasures as the Bane of the Soul: But our Great Master being still himself, might well teach us, That the Soul without these Affections were more imperfect, since he placed the Perfection of a Corporal life, best adapted to attain Beatitude, in the injoyment of the Pleasures themselves. In earnest, Sir, I have a scruple to Translate such Doctrines as these are, which onely befit E­picurus his School, and the life of Hogs: (though you would perswade us they are truths which promote solid Devotion) if I were not confident of my Readers ver­tue, and that they will beget a just horror in his Soul, both against the Doctrines themselves, [Page 113] and those Principles that lead to them.

Sect. 28. Secondly, How frivolously he concludes, That the affections to corporal plea­sures accompany the soul in her state of separa­tion? Their rise, their origin is the Body. The Soul were untouchable by them, if it were not by reason of that union it hath, to that clay which now incloses her. How could the Soul be concerned to see, to hear, to touch, if she had neither eyes, ears, hands, or any other corporeal organs, by which these pleasures could be conveyed to her? especi­ally if she enjoyed her fill of those far more noble and excellent satisfactions (such as he puts of eminent compleat knowledge) pro­portionable to that state of separation And what Purgatory could a Scholar indure, who should pass out of this life with all his Af­fections regulated, save onely that to learning, since in that state, his soul should even be ra­visht with the injoyment of all that know­ledge which he inordinately long'd for in this mortal life? How then is not the soul divest­ed of those base affections, when she passes out of the body, which have their source from this earthly habitation? But let us compare this Doctrine, with an other admirable Non­sence of our Master. He tells us in his Peri­pateticks, lib. 5. lec. 1, n. 6. That the sepa­ration [Page 114] of the soul from the body, is of that efficacy, that the soul even in substance is changed: and that a separated soul is in truth an other thing (in substance) then it was in the body. As if forsooth it were this thing, this soul, which now informs my body, that offends God in this life; and an other thing, an other soul shall be punished for it in the next. And doth not this Doctrine evacuate all the fear of Purgatory, Judgment and Hell too? And let not my Adversary tell me he says it is an other thing, but says not, that it is an other soul: For I desire him to tell me, what other thing it is, if it be not an other soul; for still it is a soul, and nothing but a soul. A thing is a notion more uni­versal then a soul: and what are distinguished in a notion that is more universal, can not be the same in a notion that is less universal. No Logician ever fancied, that those things which are distinguished in the notion of Animal, can be the same in the notion of Homo. If then the separation render the soul, an other thing, an other soul; how should it not have other accidents and affections, which (accor­ding to him) are the soul it self? or must it not of necessity have so? But let this too be supposed.

Sect. 29. Thirdly, Whoever fancied, That [Page 115] a separated soul shall be tormented with a vast grief, by reason corporal pleasures are now im­possible to be injoyed? Who ever was con­cerned or tormented, because he could not do that, which he knew to be impossible? Who ever was intollerably afflicted, because he could not Fly? or render his body as incor­ruptible as a Diamond? or become an An­gel? Stay, (you'l say) I suppose an ardent [...]ffection to pleasures, not impossible absolute­ly, but onely by reason of the present state. And what then? The Soul is now Mistress of perfect Reason, euen of all knowledge, ac­cording to you: They are [...]hreneticks onely, who torment themselves, because they can not do that, which they see is impossible in their present state, whilst they cannot transfer themselves into an other state, in which the pleasure they so much covet may be possible. How ardent a thirst soever you have to the knowledge of all truth; yet since you see such knowledge is in this life impossible to be attained, (and you hope for it in the next) yet do I not beleeve you indure any vast grief, or even are much tempted to rid your self out of this world, that you may injoy it in the next. Besides, your Master tells us; The Will is either not distinct from the Vnderstand­ing, or at least, is adequately governed in the state [Page 116] of separation: How then can the Will be tor­mented with a vast grief, because of the impossi­bility of those pleasures, whilst the Understand­ing, shall cleerly represent to it, the Base­ness, Vileness, Vnworthiness of such Pleasures, and which at one blow, cuts off all the Wills pursuit, shall represent them, as Impossible? But the truth is, this Doctrine is grounded upon a pure mistake: For the absence, much less the impossibility of corporal pleasures, doth not torment with any vast or consi­derable grief, those souls, (even in this life) which are most of all immerst in the affections to them, (and by consequence, not separated souls; for (he tell us,) they remain in the state of separation, even in that same proporti­on they were in this life:) but just then, when the body prompts or calls for an injoyment. Let us consider the most luxurious, the most gluttonous person in the world, when the pre­sent capacity of his body is satiated with those pleasures, he indures no considerable torment, till the body again call for a reiterated enjoy­ment. It is not then rational to say, That a Soul which passes out of this life by a long continued Feaver, and therefore carries with it into the next world, a great affection to drink, shall be tormented in the next life with a vast grief, because she now can not [Page 117] injoy the pleasure of drinking, whilst in truth, she can never suffer any thirst.

And how sordid and low a fancy he had of Spiritual Substances in their state of separation: to conceive them thus tortured, because Cor­poral pleasures can not now be in [...]ayed? Which pleasures, pious Christians abominate, even in this their Pilgrimage; which the Pride and Ambition of Worldlings easily overcome; which the wise [...] sort of Pagans scorn; which Heathen Phylosophers would not stoop to; which Avicen, though a Turk, contemned, and his Master Mahomets Heaven, built up and fancied for Swine. It had been pious, and worthy a Phylosopher, to conceive them (as good Christians do) tormented with a vast grief, because they had so ungratefully offended Almighty God, and delayed their beatitude, for such low, contemptible, tran­sitory Pleasures. But this satisfied not his de­sign; it reacht not home, to build us up a Pur­gatory, out of which no delivery could be hoped for till the Day of Iudgment; This grief was rather a disposition for Heaven; and therefore he must find us out some unwor­thy and unchangeable Affection, which must detain Souls there, till he please to release them. Besides, it is frequent, that vicious men detest at their deaths those brutalities, [Page 118] the excess of which, hath ruined their Bo­dies, Fame, and Fortunes; and yet pass out of this life without true Repentance, to be punisht for them in the next, for all Eter­nity.

But let us also compare this, with an other signal Doctrine of this our Ma [...]er, De Med. Stat. dim. 12. He there disputing against those afflictions which he supposes his Adver­sary asserts, that the Souls suffers by some ex­ternal Agent; delivers us this unexpected Doctrine: thus arguing against him. From whence (sayes he) an unexpected Truth breaks forth; That all those pains (inflicted by an external Agent on the Soul) are Purely Plea­sures. For since on the one side, the souls thus to be purged, are supposed to be perfect in Cha­rity, and extremely thirsting of the eternal good, which they are certain to attain; and on the other side, cleerly understand, that corpo­real punishments are the onely means by which they may attain beatitude; it is evident they to these pains are, as a man of an invincible courage, in whom no weakness of mind can take place; who being highly inflamed to attain some good, ventu [...]es on things of great dif­ficulty, either in acting or suffering: In which, both Experience and Reason teach us, he would feel unspeakable pleasure. [Page 119] As if, forsooth, Pains and torments, cease to be such, and become purely pleasures, whilst the soul now perfect in charity, faints not in suffering them. As if with perfect con­formity to the Divine Will, and an absolute desire to satisfie the Divine Justice, an ear­nest longing after the ending of these griefs, and the enjoyment of beatitude, were incon­sistent: which necessarily includes and car­ries with it a high affliction. But how by this sudden, and unexpected Doctrin, all our apprehensions are changed in the sufferings of our B. Saviour? Who by a most perfect charity, inflamed with the thirst of redeeming mankind, under went all, with an invincible courage: for in him no weakness of mind could take place. We must now change all our pious meditations, no more must we con­sider the Scourges, Whips, Contempts, the Nails, and Cross to have been any other thing, but pure pleasures to him. An excel­lent Doctrin to increase our Love to our deer Saviour, who to redeem mankind was pa­tient, and resigned to suffer pure pleasures, and to incourage penance according to S. Paul, si compatimur & conglorificabimur. This is an other truth to promote solid devotion. Now then as to the Souls in Purgatory (which certainly being perfect Masters of Reason, [Page 120] and now in charity, and see their own affe­ctions to be unchangeable, can not be con­ceived to faint in their sufferings) let us now learn this unexpected sudden truth which now breaks out, that we have been hitherto quite mistaken: their sufferings are so far from being pains, that in truth they are no­thing but purely pleasures. O happy model of Purgatory! But let this be supposed too.

Sec. 30. Fourthly, to come to the other fundamental stone of this fabrick. It is in­comparably false, that separated Souls or An­gels, both as to their substance, and operati­ons are measured, by this indivisible durati­on or moment: or that to co-exist to a greater or less part of time, adds or diminishes nothing to them. What if the Omnipotent Hand of God should create in this moment a new Soul separated from any body: had the rest of souls departed their bodies many ages agoe, no greater duration, then this their even now created companion? What if the same Hand of God should now destroy one of those separated souls, shall the rest of them which shall co-exist to all future time, have there­fore no longer duration then she? What if there were no body, no motion, no time at all, could not God create a Soul, and destroy [Page 121] it at his pleasure? and yet not this in the same indivisible moment: For then it would follow, the Soul is and is not in the same in­stant; Therefore in some other posteriour moment. What if God should again repair this thus annihilated soul? We could not imagine, that this new second existence would be measured with the same duration that the first, for this would exclude the very suppo­sition of an interruption. Besides, Sir, Chri­stian Theology teaches us that Angels (whose duration is as indivisible as that of Souls) were not created in Termino, but in Viâ: The holy Angels were not Created in the State of Fruition; nor the Devils in the State of Damnation, but both in the way to these several States. And that first they were in the State of Grace, in which the good by adhering to God were afterwards transla­ted to Glory, whilst the Devils, by their pride and disobedience, were deservedly af­terwards thrust out headlong into Hell. Who hath rendred it evident that all this could be effected in one indivisible moment?

And further, Sir, as to this point, that my Reader may be cleared more fundamentally in it: We must observe, That since Eter­nity, which is devoid of all Succession, is the measure of a Perfectly Permanent being, that [Page 122] is, of God himself: as far forth as any thing recedes from a Permanent being, so far it recedes from Eternity, and comes to Succes­sion. Now though the being of Angels does not consist in motion, and therefore is not measured by our Time: Yet since the Es­sence of an Angel is neither its Vnderstand­ing, nor its Will, much less is it the Acts of these Powers: The substance of an An­gel is not measured by Eternity, since it hath Transmutation adjoyned to it: and so hath a proper duration, or measure between it and time. And further, since the Operations of Angels, have a real and true succession, they are measured by a true suc­cession and time, not that of bodies, or the motions of them, but by a time proper to the succession of those Operations; and if holy Writ deliver us any other then Meta­phorical truths, of separated Substances, it delivers this succession in them. Your Ma­ster himself takes notice in his Med. Stat. acc. 22. Of the Souls of the slain (describ­ed in the Apocalyps) resting under the Altar, and crying out to have the day of Iudgement hastned; which reaches home to our pur­pose, that they are concerned in the length of the stay, and that it is absolutely false, that there is no succession of Acts, even in [Page 123] Beatified Souls; or that, to coexist to a great­er, or less part of time, adds, or diminishes nothing to them: Though it fals much short of rendring our Prayers onely available for the hastning of that day (as we shall pre­sently see) for which end he there introduces it. And if you please to consider in the 10^th Chap. of Daniel, where the Angel appear­ing tels him, That the Prince (or Angel) of the Kingdome of the Persians resisted him one and twenty dayes: And behold Micha­el one of the first Princes (he who stands for the Children of the Jewish Nation) came to his help: You will easily observe, there is not this comprehension of all time, your Master fansied, in the workings, or beings, of Separated Substances.

Sect. 31. Fifthly, As to his grounds of the Immutability of that state, it is groundlesly assumed, That a Soul can suffer no altera­tion from a Body, but by identification (or by being the same thing) with that body. And indeed who ever fanfied that the soul could thus be identified, or become the very self-same thing, with the body? Who ever believed that now in this life, our Souls are really and truly our Bodies, and our Bodies are our Souls? Or if they were thus Iden­tified, or the same thing; how were it pos­sible [Page 124] they should ever be severed: since nothing can be imagined to be served from it self? Christian Phylosophy never ad­mitted this position, it is evidently destru­ctive of the Immortality of our Souls, and of all Religion: For if the Soul be Identifi­ed, (or the same thing) wi [...]h the body, it must of necessity be resolved into dust with the body: For no man can conceive, how any thing should supervive it self; so that this will put an end to Purgatory, Heaven, Hell and All Religion. We that walk by Chri­stian Faith, and not by new Lights, this Ig­nis Fatuus of Demonstrations, alwayes be­lieved, That the Soul and Body as two di­stinct parts, concurred to the building up of one Man: who is one, not by simplicity, not by Identification of the parts, or I know not what strange fancyed Transubstantiation of the Soul into the Body, but by substantial V­nion or Composition.

Further, Sir, It can never be evidenced, That not onely such an Inimaginable Identi­fication should be necessary, to the end that a Soul may be passive from the Body: but that even a Substantial union is requisite. We see that the Soul, in the state of Vnion, even Naturally, suffers by the Bodies Indis­position, as in Frensies, caused by Feavours, [Page 125] or other distempers: And who shall render it evident, that in the state of separation, not naturally, but by the Omnipotent Hand of God, she may not be passive by Fire, or some other External Agent: by some way our Vn­derstandings now reach not to?

Sect. 32. Sixthly, It is a purely voluntary and false Assertion, That a separated soul knows all things together and perpetually. The very holy Angels do not thus know all things: Our Blessed Guardians, of new know daily, and howrly, our actions; and represent our sighs and devotions in the sight of God, and since in these we are free, and not tyed neces­sarily to any thing but our selves, it is impos­sible they should know them, till we our selves have determined our selves to them: Nor even then immediately, (for God alone is the searcher of hearts,) till they have sal­lied out into some effect. And our B. Saviour himself tells us, The holy Angels themselves know not of that day and howr, (to wit, of Judgment) but onely the Father. Matth. 24. and they rejoyce at the new conversion of a sinner.

Sect. 33. Seventhly, Who ever rendred it Evident, that No Alteration can befall a separated Soul from any other Spirit, without the interposition of the Body? For Spirits can [Page 126] act on Spirits immediately, without such in­terposition; and the contrary Doctrine is de­structive of all the conversation of the holy Angels for all Aeternity; is destructive of the Doctrine holy Writ delivers us of the fall of the Devils, where the Dragon is de­scribed, to have drawn after him the third part of the Stars, or Angels, into his Rebel­lion. And if Angels can thus Act on An­gels, without this interposition of a body, why not on separated souls? Nor is that Foun­dation of this his Doctrine at all subsistent: For since (says he) All Spirits are indivisi­ble, their Operations must be indivisible: And consequently, perfected All of them in one moment. For this consequence is perfectly null. Nor will it ever be rendred evident, that an Act of a Spirit may not coexist to a great or less part of time; much less will it ever be evinced (as is already proved) that there is not a true and real succession in their operations. So that his Doctrine is absolutely false, when he tells us; If any thing be to be done among Spirits, it is so done and perfected in one moment, that afterwards an other action can not be begun And besides, when he as­sumes; An indivisible effect, the causes being put, of necessity exists in the same moment: Though he may say true for that one Act; but when [Page 127] he infers the same for all succeeding Acts un­to Aeternity, he errs most grosly: Imagi­ning this, (which is one of the most funda­mental Bases of all his Phylosophy and Divi­nity,) that all Causes are fixt and set, as to All Effects whatsoever, from the very begin­ning, unto all future succession: By which Doctrine, both God himself is necessitated so to do, that he can not do otherwise, then he doth do; and each intelligence so to know (by the connexion of existences) that it can not know, otherwise then it does know; which is most pure Pagan Fatality, destructive of the Liberty of God, and all contingency in all created things whatsoever.

Sect. 34. Lastly, That we may vindicate Christianity and the Church, from that igno­rance of separated Substances, he boldly and injuriously fixes upon Her, and the Angeli­cal St. Thomas, from a most gross abuse: let us take a survey of his 17 Accompt in his Middlè State of Souls. He there tells us, The delivery of Souls before Reunion, proceeded out of the ignorance, or not adhering to this Doctrine, of the incomparable St. Thomas and his School: That in Abstracted Spirits, there is neither discourse, nor any manner of composition; but purely a simple apprehension: so that errour and falsity can have no place in [Page 128] them. For these (sayes he) depend on the bo­dy, so that it is impossible, Indivisibles (or Spirits) should be capable of Succession. Now that my Reader may fully understand, both the Truth here contained, and his most erro­neous Consequences drawn from It; We must observe, that there is a double Compo­sition in Vnderstandong: both of the Praedi­cat to the Subject, and of the Conclusion to the Premisses: Both which take place in Vs, by reason of the weakness of our Vnderstandings, in this state of mortality. For neither do We at one single glance understand the Praedicat, though we cenceive the Subject; nor do we attain to the Conclusions included in the Prin­ciples, but by a long indeavour and succession of reasoning or discourse: So that our U [...]der­dandings arrive not to Truth, but by com­pounding or dividing the terms one with the other, and the Conclusion with the Premisses. But it happens otherwise in Angels; For they, by a cleer strength of Vnderstanding, appre­hend both the composition and division of Pro­positions with one simple sight, and the Con­clusions in the Principles, without this succes­sion of discourse. This is St. Thomas his Do­ctrine, 1 Par. quaest. 58. art. 3. & 4. Now it imports not our present business, to consi­der, Whether this knowledge of Spirits is a [Page 129] true discourse, since a succession of time is not perhaps requisit to that, but onely of causality, which is here found. But it im­ports us to consider, That out of this Doctrine of St. Thomas it no ways follows, That Er­rour or falsity can have no place in separated Substances. For the same St. Thomas dis­putes this, in the very next Article; and teaches us: That though in such things, as are thus naturally known, by the apprehensi­ons of the terms or Principles, Spirits can not err; yet in such things as depend on the supernatural Ordination of God, as far forth as they are supernatural; Errour may take place in them. And this (says he) happens not to the good Angels; because they judge not of those things which supernaturally belong to the Object, without due submission to the Di­vine Ordination; but it does in the Devils, who by their perverse will, withdrawing them­selves from the Divine Wisdome, judge erro­neously of supernatural things.

But that we may further see how injuri­ously he would improove the Doctrine of this great Saint and Doctour, both against him and the Church: we must further observe, that his Consequence, That Indivisibles (or Spirits) are not capable of succession: is both null, and against this holy Doctour every [Page 130] where. For in the first Article of this very Question, he teaches, That Angels are not alwayes in actual consideration of those very things, they know naturally. He tells us, That of those thinge which God reveals to them, of which they receive new revelations, by the occasions of affairs, they are in potentiality, or preceding ignorance. He tells us in the next Article, Those things whose knowledge depend on one onely Species, Angels know all together; but not those which depend on divers. He tells us in fine everywhere, That there is a real and true Succession in their Acts, which is measured by a real and true Succession of Time. And I can not admonish my Reader too of ten: of His fatal Necessity and Connexion of Causes, which runs through all his Doctrine, and grounds these his Positions, when he tells us, That a separated Soul is all other things by the con­nexion of existencies, and since she knows all things together, and for ever; by the course of Nature, there is no room left either for Ig­norance, or new Science: Which Doctrine is the Corner-stone of all his Fabrick of Purga­tory, and is perfectly destructive of all Reli­gion, because destructive of all Liberty in God and Creatures: And peculiarly destru­ctive of all the mysteries of Grace and Super­naturality; for all these depend on the pure [Page 131] freedom and Will of God who is not, nor can not be tyed to creatures: and therefore the same Angelical Doctor, in the precedent 57. Quest. Art. 3, 4, & 5. concludes, That Angels neither know all future contingen­cies, Nor the secrets of our hearts, Nor the mysteries of Grace, but as far forth as it pleases God to reveal these to them: which in their first Creation he did in some mea­sure: but more amply and fully after­wards, according as it did agree with their Offices and imployments in this Vniverse. This, Sir, is true Christian Theology (which reaches much more to souls in Purgatory) learnt by revelation from him, who neither can be deceived, nor deceive us: not out of Epicurean, Lucretian, Pagan, Principles of Fatality in things, and of Necessity in God, in order to his Creatures.

But if we should suppose all these Vn­christian principles and consequences to be true; that there is no Error, no Ignorance, no Succession in Separated Substances, now in their present state of Separation: How in­consequent is it (as he there tels us) That they are now just that, (as to their affections,) which this state of union with their bodies and mortality made them? What a frivi­lous discourse he introduces, arguing in the [Page 132] same 17 Acc. As an Embri [...] (sayes he) or seminal Mushrom delineates a future man, so the thoughts and affections of this life, design by their impressions, the future condition of the Soul: So that death produces such an Enti­ty, as from the man so disposed is naturally producible, thus to remain till Resurrection. For this hath no Connexion with the pre­cedent Doctrine of the Immutability of Souls in the state of Separation. If we should suppose, that there is no variety in them, no succession in that single state of Separation, how will it follow, there is no change of af­fections in these two, and those so different States of Separation and Vnion? Besides, Sir, if the Antecedent of this his Argument reach home to his purpose, it is a Position destru­ctive of all Christianity; if this Embrio, or seminal Mushrom delineate the future man, if the Soul be such as the quality of the mat­ter exacts and determines it to be (as he tells us) it is, at the first infusion into the body, and remains so, or else he tels us nothing to his purpose: Our liberty is destroyed. There remains no hopes, that these his Determina­tions by the matter or body; should be chang­ed by education, by vertue; should be cor­rected by Grace: Since then this his Doctrin is absolutely false, and since souls, in truth, [Page 133] by the assistance of Divine Grace, do per­fectly overcome (even whilst in their Bodies) what they contract, or are determ [...]nod by their Bodies, (as our holy Faith teaches) how excellently is it concluded, That Souls now in Separation do not Correct, what was in them by the commerce of that unworthy Clay, which before inclosed them? And how will it not be as well or more effectu­ally concluded, that Souls at their Re-union too, passing now from Separation to Union, (as well as before from Union to Separation,) carry with them their unchangable Affecti­ons? and so never get out of his Purgatory neither before nor at the day of Iudgment.

By these short reflections, my Reader will easily observe, how far these Ada­mantin, unshakeable grounds fall short of that so much boasted Evidence, even of Truth: some of them being most perfect falshoods, the rest groundless, uncertain, dreaming Assertions: and yet they are such as shall serve the levity of some men, to a­bandon the authority of the whole Catholick Church, and upon these shall be Errected a new modled Purgatory, as upon other the like they have built us a whole, new, faith­less Religion, of which they are so fondly inamoured, and peremptory, that now they [Page 134] boldly pronounce, The hither to received Faith of the Church, proceeded out of Ignorance of the Nature of Separated Substances.

Sect. 35. But to conclude my Adversa­ry and our business; if this his Position be true, That no Souls are delivered out of Pur­gatory, before the day of Iudgment: What serve for all our Devotions, Prayers, Alms, Offerings? Doth the holy Sacrifice of the Altar, which the Church hath defined to be Propitiatory even for the Dead, avail those distressed Souls nothing at all? No, my Adversary dares not, as yet, venture upon this. The Councils are so cleer, so home to this Point, his credit were ruined, if he should attempt to deny it. His new Pur­gatory then, must be furnished with some new way, by which our endeavours may be beneficial to those poor Souls, or else no Catholiques Ears could be open to his new Divinity. Is it perhaps, the intermitting at some times, or abating of the fury of their torments? O no, this Doctrin finds no ad­mission in his School. His indivisible du­ration admits of no intermission: and where the Soul, by her now unchangable affections, is her own executioner, no Allay, or A­batement of torment can be hoped for till Reunior, What then perhaps shall our [Page 135] Prayers be of force to obtain their Release? O no, this the least of all, It were against all their Demonstrations, and therefore is re­served to his new changeable state at the Resurrection. What then is the effect of all our tears and prayers? What benefit doe Separated Souls receive by them? This, and onely this, That the day of Iudgment is hastned by them. And is this all? Yes, tru­ly, this is all our new Systeme of Purgatory can admit of, as to the Assisting of the Souls detained in it. But what if this ac­celerating the day of Iudgment prove no advantage, no help at all to those distressed souls? Would not all Christians be justly charged with an intollerable folly? Would n [...]t the Church be unavoidably guilty of a [...]upereminent Error, in a Doctrin which draws so much practice after it? Whilst both the Florentin Council here, and that of Trent pronounce, and all Christians agree, That the Souls detained in Purgatory are assisted, deliver­ed, by the Prayers and Suffrages of the Faith­ful yet living. And yet certain it is, that the ha­stning of the day of Iudgment is no advantage to them, in these their Positions and grounds.

Let this great Master himself plead the Cause. Let him fairly deliver us his sublime sense, in his own words: Whe­ther [Page 136] our devotions assist those souls or no? Whether the hastning of the day of Iudg­ment be any way beneficial to them? and that by his very [...]bylosophical grounds, the basis and foundation of the duration of souls now detained in his new minted Purgatory. In spiritual acts (says he) whether they bring happiness or misery, there is no pro­portion to time: so as to make pain which lasts longer, to be greater or that which ends sooner, to be less, for these are the pro­perties of corporal things. Every act of a pure Spirit reflected on it self, being of its own nature out of the reach of time; not sub­ject thereto, but greater then the whole exten­sion of time, &c, If then to a thing (or se­parated soul) which co-exists to a longer part of time, nothing be thereby added, or to a thing (that is, a separated soul) which co­exists with a less part of time, nothing be di­minished: there can be no reason, why du­ration should represent either more, or less grievous, in these respective cases: So that whatsoever grief of a separattd soul is by the quality and force of its essence greater, the same grief (let its co-existence to time be what it will) must be more vehement, and that which is less, (by the force of its es­sence) less: Nothing being gained or lost [Page 137] by the perpetuating or contracting of the motions of the Sun, or other Celestial bodies: So that whatsoever time intervenes between death and the Restauration of the world (at the day of Judgment) is to separated souls as one moment. This doctrin presupposed, What can separated souls be concerned when the day of Judgment shall come? And hath not your admired Master made a fair hand of it? hath he not now compleately ended his work? This, and only this re­mained in his new Systeme: That the day of Iudgment is hastned by our prayers, that so the souls may be assisted by them, and he himself escape that brand of Heresie (whilst the Councils pronounce, They are assisted by us) which even vulgar eyes would pre­sently have fixt upon his Opinion. And now he hath fairly delivered us of that empty pretence. It is not, It can not be (accord­ing to him) That the pepetuating of the moti­ons of the heavens, or their even now ending their Circulations, can give any addition or diminution, to the torments and sufferings of souls in the state of separation. For in them to co-exist to one hower, to one minute and a million of Ages, is one and the same thing. Let the Angels Trumpet summon them this moment, let it be deferred ten thousand, [Page 138] thousand years; He tells us, and for fear we should not understand him, again and again, tells us, Their duration is still the same, Their moment one and the same, Their pains, their sufferings one and the same.

But how happily will he be surprized, if out of these grounds it be evinced, That those Souls (as to their present state of separation) can not be concerned, whether ever the Day of Iudgment come or no? Let us suppose, that the Providence of God had so ordered this machin of the world; that these circu­lations of the Heavens should never receive their last end and period: Separated Souls, most evidently, (according to his Positions,) would not at all be concerned in this our Sup­position; for where to coexist to one minute, howr, or a million of ages, is the same thing; the Soul, in that state, cannot be concerned whether Time ever or never receive an end. He himself tells us, Nothing is gained or lost by the perpetuating (that is, never ending) or even now contracting of these motions. And this will be rendred more evident, by the consideration of this our Supposition. For since to suppose the world shall last for ever, is but to suppose it shall last longer, then any determinable number of Ages; and since his indivisible duration of Souls, doth not onely [Page 139] comprehend this or that determinate number of years, but all time whatsoever: (He him­self teaches us, That every Act of a pure Spirit reflected on it self, is greater then the whole extension of time:) It follows, that this duration of Souls, it self remaining the very same, would comprehend all Time in that Supposition, that time should never have an End; and by consequence, a separated Soul, (as to its state of separation) is w [...]olly un­concerned, whether ever the world should have, or not have an end. And what influ­ence this his Doctrine will have, to evacuate our apprehensions of Eternity, I leave to my Readers consideration.

Away then with these idle Winter-tales; away with this Ignorance of the nature of se­parated souls: A Purgatory fire: A purging in the state of separation: A delivery from thence before re-union: An assistance given by our Prayers to their sufferings. Fables, Dreams, and Nothings. Farewel to Pray­ers, Offrings, Masses, Alms, Legacies, Foun­dations: Meer cheats and devices, Utensils of a thriving Devotion; imposed by the Church on the pious credulity of ignorant people. Here is a period put by our Thomas the Eng­lish-man to that sensless Devotion, which hath so long troubled the ignorant, silly [Page 140] world. And which then certainly shall have its period, when Scriptures, Fathers, Popes, Councils, and All other Schools shall cease: when the Faith Christ our Saviour taught us, shall be evacuated, and have an end; and great Trinobant be inthroned, to inlighten the hitherto darken'd world, by His and his Knights Demonstrations.

Sect. 36. But let us make an end. I have run through my Adversaries defence of his Purgatory against our present Bull and Coun­cil. I have given my Reader some small light into this School, Its Method, Its Design: I have given some touches upon Its Doctrines, Its Demonstrations: and we have concluded with this Devotion for the Dead. There re­mains onely, that I make some short reflexi­ons on what is added in this Letter; either as to the Publishers Persons, or other things, which did not directly pertain to our present Question of Purgatory.

And First, as to his Quarrel, pag. 1, &c. That the Publishers printed this Book with­out any application. A Medium, by which Mr. White might seem an Heretick, to the good women (as he tells us) of which there are not a few; and ignorant men, of which there are too many: Nay, their own Proselytes become such, by making [Page 141] private Interpretations; since this is to give themselves over to the private Spirit. I an­swer: The Faith of their Flock being at­tempted, their Pastoral Care obliged them to this proceed: They published the Con­demnation of this Doctrine, and pointed it out, which prooved effectual to their Design. When Creeds and Catechisms are proposed to the vulgar, without further application to this or that Opinion of a private Doctour, or Heresie: there is no fear Children should become Heretiques, but are instructed in Faith. It is those, who with Pride and Per­tinacy wrest these Sacred Texts to their own preconceived fancies, that run the hazard. To Master Whites person, neither they, nor I, have any Quarrel: It's an errour of Judg­ment, to conceive him an Heretique; For those onely are such, who voluntarisy and pertinaciously adhere to some one or more Doctrines, contrary to the received Faith of the Church: Those who deny all Faith, who pretend no Knowledge is necessary, but such as is establisht by natural Science and Demon­strations, are not Hereticks, but Naturalists, and Pagan Phylosophers. In your Third Age of the Church, which shall be directed by this new Light, there will be no pos­sibility of Heresies. When St. Pauls words, [Page 142] Without faith it is impossible to please God, shall be evacuated; his other Doctrine, Oportet Haereses esse, will find no place.

Secondly, [...]ow was this your Quarrel, usher­ed in pag. 4. with Tantoene animis coelestibus irae? The Publisher had not bewrayed the least impatience; there was nothing in the Book you pretend to answer, of his own: It was not he, but you, that pronounce your self guilty of Anger. And yet this was as pertinent, as your—Quid non mortalia pe­ctora cogis? is adapted to him, whom all good men (better acquainted with him,) have been more prone to censure, of the con­trary disposition, to that, which you now slily would fix upon him. But yet not alto­gether unhappily was your Defence of a Poe­tical Purgatory, ushered in with these Poeti­cal Exclamations.

Thirdly, You tell us, pag. 7, & 9. That Master White had long before appeal'd to these very Authorities, and urged them so home, that he had rendred it evident, They speak his Opinion, and against that Faith I sustain. My Reader may, if he please, for his satis­faction, peruse that mysterious place in his 16 dimens. De med. Stat. And I answer, That it is not altogether unhappy, in an ill Cause, to be able to say any thing without [Page 143] blushing. I have seen Criminals deride the Court, scorn the Iudge; but I never yet heard any of that eminent Confidence, that he durst Vaunt, the Court had pronounced in his favour, when he stood condemned by the Sentence. But because you have learnt to say so too, after your Master, an ordinary Rea­der will judge, That you verily beleeve you have no Credit to lose, when you will ven­ture your rest at this disadvantage. The Pope defines Souls being purged even before the re-assumption of their bodies, and before the general Iudgment, were, are, and shall be in Heaven. The Council defines, Souls being now purged uncloathed of their Bodies, are Pre­sently received into Heaven. I sustain this Faith; That Souls may be purged uncloathed of their bodies, and that such are received presently into Heaven, before the re-assumpti­on of their bodies and general Iudgment. You maintain the contradictory of this Position; and yet you have the confidence to tell your Reader, and even hope he beleeves you; That the Sentence is pronounced in your favour, and that I stand condemned by it.

Fourthly, You quarrel, pag. 10. at the Title of their Book, which is: Concerning the state of departed Souls. You fancy a Mystery which they never meant, and tell [Page 144] us, this is a false Title; the true one is, A defi­nition of certain Articles concerning the blessed vision of God, and the beatitude and damna­tion of Souls. Which yet is the very self­same with the other; in this onely differing, that what they comprehended in the word, state; is here declared by this division, Of beatitude and damnution.

Sect. 37. Fifthly, You tell us, pag. 11. the word Verbatim made you smile. Surely, Sir, you do not smile without some special grace; since you mind us so often of it. And presently you triumph about the gender of Synodus, which you insinuate, the Pub­lisher was ignorant of, he having added to it an Adjective in the Masculine gender: and you pursue your sport amain, and tell us, The Printer must take the fault upon him, or else the publisher will be suspected, to be better skil­led in transcribin [...] Three hundred lines of La­tin, then making three: and yet you safely pass this censure upon him, since the Printer was exact enough in all the Popes and Coun­cils Latin. And further, you read us a Grammar Lesson, that some words in [us] are of the Feminine, some in [a] of the Mas­culine gender. Now, Sir, we will suppose that you were very carefull to examine the Print; and yet (for all your care) Sacr [...] ­sanctum [Page 145] Ecclesiam escaped your eye: For since you came so lately from Grammar, I do not suspect you have forgot that Ecclesia [...] and Musa are of the Feminine gender, though Poeta indeed is (as you tell us) of the Mas­culine. But these are meer seven-years-old-School-boys imployments, unworthy your reflections, now you write Man, and would be tampering in Divinity.

But it unbeseems your Youth, thus to at­taque a person of Merit and Learning; who long before your new minted Purgatory ap­peared in the world, both read and sustained Orthodox Divinity, in a famous University, (and I hope I may say it without vanity) with Dignity and Honour to that Chair: which was not every ones good fortune, even after their Conclusions had passed the Press, as I am informed out of Portugal.

Sixthly, You laugh, pag. 18. at your Adver­saries, as if they were afraid to produce their Reasons against Master White; and therefore you must guess at their whispering Objecti­ons, by their stalking in great Letters. And elsewhere you tell us, We can not weild Rea­son, and therefore our weapons are Authority. What Goliath is this that exprobrates the Hoast of the Living God? The Church, Sir, is both armed with Authority against Novel­ties, [Page 146] and is not unfurnished with Reason to sustain her Faith against all the Pagan Phy­losophy of the world. If my indeavours re­ceive your approbation, I shall proceed to further discoveries, in this your faithless pre­tended Theology. And as to your complaint, That some words in their little Book stalkt in great Letters, 'tis grounded on your little conversation with Books; where Capital Let­ters are frequent, especially in citing Autho­rities: For there where the force of the proof lies in two or three words, they are pointed out thus to the Readers eye and ob­servation. You may, if you please, print in Capital Letters, Monachi subditi Episcopis, and Notent Monachi, and then, you will one­ly publish a little yet undigested Choler, in a Controversie again and again decided by that Tribunal, from which there is no appeal.

Seventhly, You tell us, pag. 14. Master Whites opposers acknowledge, that this Que­stion of Purgatory was not handled in Pope Benedict his dayes: since they accuse Master White for the first starter of this doubt. Your Adversary the Publisher of the Bull, hath no­thing at all of this: If his other Opposers ac­cuse him of it, I know not how they can justi­fie the Accusation. New Opinions are raked out of hell every day by the Heterodox party, [Page 147] of which we yet finde obscure footsteps in Antiquity. Many opinions were choaked by the authority of the Church even in their birth, and broached again. Your self ac­knowledge Pope Benedict, and many Doctors of the Latin Church, were of opinion, That Purgation might be perfected before Reunion, pag. 19. and it will not be improbable, if it was onely their Opinion (as you pretend) that others with Master White held the con­trary. But how can you parallel pag. 17. Master White (according to your Ad­versary) with him, who brake a Law before it was made; if Master White now breaks one, three hundred years after it was made; unless you will suppose, that no one Article of our Faith was establisht, till some one or other impugned it, for otherwise, his now Crime (or erroneous Doctrin) might stand condemned long agoe.

Sect. 38. Eightly, You would perswade your Reader, pag. 34, 35. that not You, but We stand condemn'd by this Bull and Council: because the sole design of the Pope was, to secure this sacred verity, That perfect Charity brings an immediate heaven. And since your Adver­sary holds, That every soul immediately up­on her separation, converts her self perfectly to God, and yet he detains her still in Pur­gatory, [Page 148] to suffer a dry and arbitrary punish­ment, which doth not redress the already rectified affections of the soul: It follows, He contradicts the Popes design, and stands con­demned by this his Sentence. I answer, first, That I have already charged you with imposing on the Pope, and if it were true, that the Pope doth here define, That per­fect Charity brings an immediate Heaven (which when you shew we shall be thank­ful for the miracle) yet does not your ar­gument against us, at all conclude: for where does your Adversary tell you, That immediately upon separation, all the affecti­ons of the soul are rectified and she in perfect Charity? much less that she hath satisfied the divine Justice for her irregularites in this mortal life. The Publisher hath not one word of this in his book you pretend to answer. (You are like a Romancical Knight, you make Gyants and kill them) but if he truely did hold this Doctrin which you impose up­on him: yet will your Argument be of no force against him. For this question being proposed, Whether souls immediately upon separation, rectifie all their affections? Your Adversary may take which side of the con­tradiction he pleases, and still sustain with the Pope and Council this their Doctrin [Page 149] of Purgatory against you. And first, let us suppose he should asser [...] with you, That in­ordinate affections do accompany the soul into the next life, yet he may sustain those Af­fections are purged and rectified before re­union: and what crime should he be guilty of, but of opposing your pretended Demon­strations? and so your mock Victory, and Pageant Triumph (whilst you would per­swade him, p. 35. to acknowledge with re­gret, that the Pope and Council pronounce against him) is at an end: the strength of your proof depending on An Imposition on the Pope, An Imposition on your Adversa­ry, and a non-concluding Argument drawn out of them both. I had almost forgot, that in this case, he should withstand the authority of Virgil, whose Phylosophy your Master magnifies above that of the Church: though the Poet describes both corporal punishments inflicted on the Souls, (which your master will needs understand after his too frequent Metaphorical manner) and ad­mits their passing into Elysium (his feign­ed heaven) before Resurrection, of which the Poet never dreamt. Nor even as to the proof that Affections to corporal plea­sures do remain in Separated Souls (for which end it is introduced) doth this [Page 150] place of this Poet reach home:

For these words doe not clearly carry this sense;

But however (to do him right) if this place do not reach home, this Doctrin is frequent with the Heathen Poets in their Fables, as in that of Narcissus 3. Metamor. where he stands condemned to gaze upon himself in the next life, because he passed out of this, in a doting self-love.

But if we should suppose the Publisher to approve: That such souls immediately upon separation, rectifie all disordered affe­ctions: how will you justifie, that this or perfect Charity is an immediate disposition to Beatifical Vision? What do you think of [Page 151] Lumen Gloriae, the Light of Glory, which is farther required? And if you fancy with your Master, lib. 5. Perip. Lect. 15. That God is a Sun, darting out existencies ac­cording to the several dispositions of Crea­tures. What doctrin shall we have from you of the Saints in this life? will you pronounce, That never any Saint had perfe­ctly regulated his affections but just in that very moment he passed out of this life? What do you conceive of the holy Apo­stles? of the Baptist? what in particular of St. Paul, when he tels us, I live now not I, but Christ lives in me? What of the holy Fathers ofx the old Law? What of the ever Blessed Virgin, even when she bore the Sa­viour of the world in her sacred womb? did all these injoy Beatitude, or were they imperfect in Charity? or did this Sun not dart forth his existencies as perfect Charity the immediate disposition to heaven required?

But let us consider your Argument, you tell us, that your Adversary conceiving the Souls now perfect in Charity, delayes their Beatitude and condems them to a dry and ar­bitrary punishment, pag. 35. This dry and ar­bitrary punishment you have out of your Ma­sters Doctrin, for he prosecutes it at length in his Middle State [...] Acc. 10, 11, &c. And first, [Page 152] he tells us, God doth not punish sinners upon the score of Revenge, nor for the satisfaction of Iustice; since he suffers no injury by our offences. Nor can the punishments of Souls be involuntary, or springing from an external, much less, from a material Agent; but from within. That such pains neither avail Them, nor Vs. Lastly, That these sufferings have no connexion with the sins: and yet God being a perfect Architect, hath so artificially framed his work; that of it self it performs all opera­tions without supplement, or future minute alterations, in any of its Members or Organs. And so he excepts against punishments which are supposed to remain due after the fault for­given. Acc. 13. All which is but to re­trive what the Heterodox party alledged long since, in their impugnations of Purgatory and Penance; and which stands condemned by this the 30 Canon of the Council of Trent, Sess. 6. de Iustif. occasioned by this Do­ctrine. If any one shall say, That to every penitent sinner, after the grace of Iustification received, that so the fault is forgiven, and the guilt of eternal punishment, that there re­mains no guilt of temporal punishment to be payd, either in this life, or in the future in Purgatory, before the passage to Heaven may be opened; let him be Anathema. Thus [Page 153] the Council. Where by the way you may observe a temporary punishment in Purgatory, against your Systeme: and after the remission of the fault, a punishment due.

But because this Truth is so fundamental in the Sacred Council, all its Doctrine of Sa­tisfaction, the third part of Penance, depend­ing on it: Let us compare its Sacred Oracles, with the Doctrine of our new Master. And first, Sess. 14. cap. 8. Of the necessity and fruit of Satisfaction. The Council declares this Doctrine (of Satisfaction) to have been the constantly received Faith of the Church by Divine Tradition, and is impugned now by those who have an outside of Piety, but have denied the vertue of it. Directly opposite to our new School, which teaches, That Pains remain not due, after the fault forgiven: under pretence of promoting solid Devotion. And the Council pronounces, That it is altogether false, and against the Word of God, that the fault is never remitted, but that All the pu­nishment is also forgiven. For besides Di­vine Tradition, there are illustrious exam­ples in holy Writ, which most manifestly con­vince this Errour. Thus the Council, direct­ly against our new Master, as will presently appear by his answer to this Doctrine. Fur­ther the Council pursues. Nay, the order of [Page 154] the Divine Iustice doth seem to require, that in an other manner sins should be pardoned in them who before Baptism offended by ignorance; then in those who after Baptism violate the Temple of God. And it becomes the Divine Clemency, that sins should not be pardoned (in Penance) without any satisfaction. Direct­ly against our Master, who tells us; No Pu­nishments are inflicted upon the score of satis­fying the Divine Iustice, since God suffers no injury by our offences. The Council holds on. Let the Priests of God have before their eyes, that the Satisfaction which they impose (on Penitents) be not onely as to the guard of a new life, or as a medicine of infirmity; but also as in revenge and chastisement of their past sins. And on this Doctrine, the Pra­ctice of the Church is grounded in the Sacra­ment of Penance, where Satisfaction is in­joyned after Absolution and forgiveness of the sin, and that in Revenge and Chastise­ment. Directly against our Master, who excepts against this Doctrine, That after the sin forgiven, Pains remain due. And the Council concludes: which whilst our Innova­tours will not understand, they so teach the best Repentance to be a new life, that they take away all the force and use of Satisfaction. And again, the same Council, Sess. 6. cap. 14. [Page 155] declares; That in the Penance of those who fall into sin (after Baptism) is not onely con­tained, Ceasing from sins, and a detestation of them, or a contrite and humbled heart; but a confession and absolution; and also Satisfacti­on by Fastings, Alms, Prayers, &c. Not for the Eternal punishment, which together with the fault is remitted by the Sacrament; but for the temporal punishment, which (as holy Writ teaches) is not All of it, alwayes re­mitted as in Baptism. Directly against Him: For the Fault is here remitted, together with the Guilt of Eternal punishment, by the Sa­crament, and yet Temporal pains remain due in Penance, but not in Baptism. You see, Sir, Punishments due, after the sin re­mitted; which Doctrine you would disgrace with your Epitheres of dry and arbitrary. Where by the way I would have you ob­serve, That sins are in an other manner re­mitted in Baptism, then in penance; for in this, a Temporary punishment remains due, not in That. And I pray you tell us, when you write again, Whether in Baptism recei­ceived with your Conditional affection to mortal sins, or an Absolute one to venial sins, if the Party should at that very moment de­part this life; your Master would not con­demn him to Purgatorry, even till the Day [Page 156] of Iudgment? though this Countil here de­clare, that the Fault, together with the Pu­nishment, is All of it remitted in Baptism; and the Council of Florence defines, That the Souls of them who after Baptism received, contract no blemish at all of sin, are Presently received into Heaven. I do very much sus­pect, this Presently will signifie at the Day of Iudgment, in your Doctrine.

But because the Council here mentions Il­lustrious Examples in Scripture, where the sin was forgiven, and yet a punishment in­flicted, which had no natural connexion to the sin it self, as all Divines understand in the case of Da­vid; Concilium Pro­vinciale Seno­nense Decreta fidei, cap. 12. where for his Crime, now forgiven, God took away his Son. It is not unworthy our observation, how our great Master was pinched with this Example, when he sustains, De Med. Stat. dimens. 13. That punishments are not inflicted by God, which have no con­nexion with the crime. For there having (most injuriously) tied God to Nature; and told us, That God being the Author of Nature, which flows from him as from its proper Cause, mu contradict himself, if he act any thing against it: And therefore can­not assign punishments bearing no connexion with [Page 157] the fault. Yet presently (in the same leaf) to answer this Case of David, he was forced to have recourse to a Miracle, or work beyond the usual and connatural course of causes, and the usual connexion between the fault and penalty, that God might signalize a revenge: (which according to his Doctrine, is to make God contradicts himself.) In which he contra­dicts all his former Positions and Grounds, both of Gods proceeding on the score of Re­venge and Justice; and this his now deliver­ed Doctrine, That he punishes not, but by a Penalty naturally connected, or flowing from the Crime. But presently he tells us, That such Examples are not to be drawn to the condition of ordinary punishments, which are usual in the common order of things. But why it may not be extended, that Gods Iu­stice may and doth require of separated Souls, a punishment not now flowing from their in­ordinate Affections, he doth not tell us: Nor indeed could he give other Reason then, that this Doctrine would not square with his Peripatetick Theology. For if either the in­ordinate [...]ffections of Souls, in that state, might be redressed, or the Divine Iustice be sa­tisfied by their sufferings, or our prayers before reunion; the design he had in molding his new Purgatory, (which he himself sufficiently [Page 158] declares, De Med. Stat. dimens. 22.) had been ruined and overthrown. Much better then, and more solidly did Calvin Phyloso­physe, Instit. li [...]. 3. cap. 5. §. 6. What is Purgatory (says he to Catholicks) but that satisfaction for sins which the souls of those who depart this life suffer? So that if this Opinion of satisfaction be destroyed, out of hand Purgatory it self is quite pulled up by the very roots. And when you write again, Sir, I expect your mo­desty should tell us; That this Council too, as well as that of Florence, doth not decree any thing against your Master, but against me. The Bells will happily chyme your unchangeable brutish Affections in separated Souls: No punishments due after the sin forgiven: No temporary Punishment in Purgatory: No pu­nishment in Revenge and chastisement: No pu­nishment inflicted by God, but such as natural­ly flow from the Crimes.

Sect. 39. But what is all This, if Master White (as you tell us, pag. 33.) say it is de­monstrable, that Souls being purged are imme­diately in Heaven? Or if you can not beat it, with all this indeavour, into our heads, that charity is the immediate disposition to bliss: since this is the ground of his envied Book, for­sooth, of the Middle State of Souls? (as you say, pag. 34.) For what can all the Councils [Page 159] prevail against a Demonstration? And were it not worth my Readers pains to see, and satiate his soul, with the excellent Demon­stration of this sacred Verity? the Pope in our present Bull declares, Souls now purged see the divine Essence. And we having, touch­ed something of his new Hell, why should we not see how his A [...]amantine Chain reach­es to Heaven too? Thus then, Instit. Sac. Tom. 2. lib. 3. Lect. 6. he with incompara­ble evidence, sufficient to destroy the hither­to onely Faith of the world demonstrates, That Souls perfect in Charity, enjoy the Bea­tifical Vision. And first presupposing, That souls in the next life attain a plenary know­ledge of all things. He thus pursues, Ne­vertheless (sayes he) since God is one onely for­mality, which is so elevated above the rea­sons of all possible, and existent things, that it is superior to gender (genus) it self, and hath no common reason: it is evident that an intellect by force of the intellection of all pos­sible things, much less of existents, can not be erected by consequence, and as it were vir­tual discourse, to the knowledg of such a for­mality, which is (as we may say) as it were, the diffinition of God: and therefore can not intuitively see God. Again, it is evident, [Page 160] That those who have lived holily, that is, exercised themselves to have God for the last end, and s [...]le good, having now received this plentitude of knowledg, out of that, that they more strongly and evidently know this truth, do infinitely increase in the affection to see God: and since the Will is a reflection of existence upon essence, by which the vertue of the entity is exercised and applyed to the desired effect: such a Saint, not to be any other thing, then a man exercised according to the whole vertue and Entity, in respect of the Vi­sion of God. Since that then as to know him­self, is to be himself to be, so to know God, is to be God: that is, [...] to be (of) to be ( [...] esse esse) but since the vertue of a thing to be, is nothing but a potentiality, especially in respect of to be subsistent, which is both essence and to be: it is concluded such a Saint, by all which is in him, not to be any thing else, but an actual and exercised potentiality of being God. Since therefore on the part of God, out of that that he is to be it self, (or speaking more especially, it is to be understood in act it self, or to be in act understood, which is to be his own to understand passively: so that to be understood, is not in him a denomination, but a real quality (that very quality which con­stitutes [Page 161] the Father) and this quality or pro­perty is subsistent, and by consequence proper to no power but to any one accommodated) no­thing can be wanting which appertains to the reason of act and actuality: it is concluded, That the Saints and God are one by power and act, that is, that the Saints cleerly see God. And now, truly Sir, if my Readers patience hath held out, as mine hath to Translate this long Demonstration, just as it lyes, for fear of spoiling the Non-sense, I think he desires me to make it his humble re­quest to that Ingenious Gentleman, who Translated your Masters Middle State of Souls, who hath so well delivered us Vir­gils sense, to put this admirable Demonstra­tion in Rhime, it will go rarely to a Jewes Trump. And I desire you to tel me when you Write again, in what Moode and Figure this Syllogisme concludes. But now having Demnostratively understood, That the Saints perfect in Charity immediately see God. Let us see how you pursue the way that Separated Souls attain to this perfection by Re-union, And so;

Sect. 40. Ninethly, You tell us, pag. 37. Master White endeavours to finde a state in which the soul may be changeable to more ho­ly [Page 162] desires, and a connatural cause to give her those desires, to wit, the corporal and men­tal sight of her dearest Saviour, &c. For what state more fit for changeableness, then a corporeal one? and what more powerful to ravish the whole affections of a soul, then the divine face of her Spouse? My Reader will not wonder at the inventions your Ma­ster finds out, now he is a little acquainted with the head that finds them. Yet this invention is worth our observation, which I suspect, you will hardly shew in any former writer, and so justly he may be proud of it. The Souls then have been all the time of their separation, in a state of suffering only, by their irregular affections: which being wholly unchangeable in that state, they are as yet not purged, or cleansed at all, but perfectly the same they were at the mo­ment of death: but now by reunion with the body they are put into a new state of changeableness. Now, Sir, Christians that have hitherto walked by Faith, do all con­ceive that the way or Pilgrimage of men to the future life, is ended at death. They never heard that Souls at the Resurrection are returned to Act again in order to Eterni­ty. If that state do render Souls change­able [Page 163] and free, and their actions then, have such an influence on their future state, it will just­ly be feared, that many of them may drop out of Purgatory into Hell. Nor will the sight of the Divine face of their Spouse, quite evacuate this apprehension: For if the Soul be not necessarily, but freely and voluntarily ravisht, the doubt will remain, Whether she will still continue her inordinate affections, or avert her self wholly from God, and so either remain in his Purgatory still, or nowpass into Hell? And how happily, Sir, doth this change of affections (which is your sole and onely purging or cleansing of the Soul, wrought by the sight of the Divine face of Christ, which sight is doubtless an incompa­rable pleasure, and such an one as ravishes the whole affections of the Soul) agree with the Decrees of these Councils: That of Florence, when it defines; The Souls are purged by the pains of Purgatory. That of Trent, when it teaches; After the sin remitted, temporary pains are due in Purgatory. When now we are taught, that souls are purged by pure plea­sures, the sight of their dear Spouse. And in earnest, Sir, I know not why the world is not more inamoured of your Doctrine: You have now filled our lives with the pleasures of [Page 164] the body; you have quite turned the pains and afflictions of Souls in the state of separa­tion, into Pure pleasures: And now at the Re-union, you fancy the Souls affections chan­ged; (that is her self purged) by an incom­parable pleasure, which even ravishes all her affections. And to compleat a most pleasant Divinity, I could pursue it, even to your Masters pleasant Hell: who, Instit. Sac. lib. 3. lec. 9. describes the damned so plea­sed with their torments, that they are in love with them, and would not be without them. But I reserve that to an other discovery. Onely I will for the present mind you, that since the inordinate Affections of the damned are their torment, (according to your Ma­ster in that same place,) and those affections remain in them, in the same proportion they were in this life; and since doubtless where pleasures are possible, and easie to be attain­ed, and we continually pressed by our bodies to the enjoyment; the refraining from them is a far greater torment, then where the tem­ptations are not so impetuous, or none at all; and the injoyment represented as impossible, which at one blow outs off all the Wills pur­suit: It will follow, That those who restrain themselves from these pleasures, are in a [Page 165] greater Hell in this life, then those who are damned in the next. And therefore it would not seem very rational, that any man should precipitate himself voluntarily now into a greater Hell, where is duration and successi­on, to avoid a less in the future life, the du­ration of which, is but as one moment. And let me further beg of you, to render us a cleer account, How it should happen, that the Souls of the damned at the re-union should not all of them rectifie their now disordered affections, and fly to Heaven: For since your Master hath already taught us, That the damned Souls are now furnish­ed with all knowledge, Inst. Peri [...]. lib. 5. lec. 4. all er­roneous judgments corrected in them: their grief depending on this, that their affections to corporal plea­sures are greater then in proportion to other de­sires, which ought to be preferred: it would not be inconsequent to t [...]is Doctrine, That those damned souls now seeing most evident­ly, that other desires ought to be preferred before these affections to corporal pleasures, (since this errour is now rectified) and they in a condition, by re-union with the body, of changeableness, they should also rectifie their affections, which are but these judg­ments, [Page 166] and by consequence become now De­nizons of Heaven, which also might seem to become the Mercies of God, and render the state of the Blessed more happy there, by their company.

Sect. 41. Tenthly, You entertain your Reader, pag. 36, &c. with scoffing at hal­lowed Grains, sanctified Beads, the extending of Indulgencies to the next World, which you style External devices, Vtensils of a thriving Devotion, deluding Priviledges, &c. which perfectly befits a Scholar trained up in Lu­thers School; thus he began. And you are not content with this, you retrive again, (in the same place,) and fix upon your Adver­sary, that signal calumny long since fixt up­on the Church, (for the use of such things,) That she goes to Heaven by such things, not by holy desires: Nor even pretends, that such things promote souls in holy desires, or increase sanctity in them. In which you speak against your own Soul and Conscience: For you very well know, the Church is not guilty of this; nor your Adversary, who will tell you, that he beleeves with St. Paul, that if he had faith able to remove mountains, yet it would not avail him without charity; and further tells you, That such things as you here enumerate, [Page 167] do increase sanctity and holy desires in us, and render our prayers more effectual for the Souls in Purgatory.

Eleventhly, You tell us, (in your Post­script,) That private calumnies are whispered against Master White, as holding strange O­pinions, which his own Books contradict. I have also heard something of this, and I think our informations jump; you may peradven­ture find it hinted at in this discourse: Nor need that Gentleman fear your title of a Calum­niatour, or that his Authority will not carry it, nor indeed will it be engaged in the Quar­rel; he is provided of a Defence; I have shewed him that very Doctrine in terms, in your Masters Book, which he had told him in Private; it is ready for you, you shall have it when you please to call for it: And I wonder those solid persons, acquainted with every ressort of his Learning, did not see it.

Lastly, You add, Your Master hath this comfort, That his carriage needs neither fear the exemplarity of his Adversaries lives, nor his unparalled Learning the force of their Ar­guments. In which, your Reader will be perswaded, that you were not a perfect Scho­lar in Galateus his School. The Publisher [Page 168] against whom you write, is a Person of emi­nent exemplarity; and for my part, where your Masters Pen is not engaged, I have been edified by him, even in his Wri­tings I find some things most excellent; but why comparisons should be made, I do not understand. You and I being private per­sons, hope still the best, and pray for all those whom we desire to better by our exam­ple: But because it is both laudable and law­full to magnifie the good and pious lives of men, I joyn heartily with you in this Encomi­um of your Master: And if you now design to advance in order to his Canonization, and can make good his Faith, (which is the first Quaere of that Court,) I shall very willingly give testimony to the exemplarity of his Life. I wish from my Soul, his Doctrine would appear intirely and fully Catholick; and for the rest, you have my Vote; he may be beleeved, as holy, as St. Iohn Bap­tist.

Sect. 42. And now, Sir, I hope to have given you some satisfaction in our point in controversie. We as yet have proceeded upon this unshakeable ground, That the Councils are unerrable in their Decrees; and upon this I have received a very ample and [Page 169] full▪ one my self. I do beleeve, That Souls are purged uncloathed of their Bodies, and presently received into Heaven before re-union with them. And that the Council and Pope deliver this Position, I must see, if I have eyes; and I hope you will, by what is said. And this hope is heightned in me, because my Conscience tell me, I have proceeded with as even a hand as I could, in balancing what you have said against it, with that which I have said for it. If I am byassed naturally on either side, it is on yours: Nature prompts me still to wish, the Church and her Faith were not engaged against you: Your opinion would, at one blow, ease me of that incum­bent care to assist my dead Friends: But I have learnt this work of mercy from a Child, to pray for the Dead, which in your Systeme (as I have evinced) is fruitless. But alas, Sir, this business of Purgatory is not that which so much troubles my head, though it be one: I have a deeper fear: I am pressed with the consideration of this new molded Theology, I see this demonstrative Doctrine, this pretence of reducing the mysteries of Faith to our narrow brains, this hope of introducing Science in lieu of Faith into the World, strikes much deeper then yet You imagine. Nor am I at all [Page 170] confident of your solid cleer-sighted Friends, who are acquainted with every resort of Ma­ster Whites Doctrine. I fear, and I think not without Reason, the Church and He have nothing common, but words; for the notions and significations are quite different: But our Faith lies not in the sound of words, but in the sense and meaning of them. When I am told, Souls are not purged in the state of se­paration, but onely at re-union; though the word Purgatory yet remain, my Faith remains not of this Article. And so it will fare with the rest. I do beleeve Faith, Hope, and Cha­rity are infused by the Holy Ghost, into our souls in Baptism. I do beleeve holy Iustif [...] ­ing Grace (by which we are the Sons of God) is something inhaerent in our souls; and my notion of these things which are supernatu­ral, is, that they are of a different order and series then Nature. But when I am now taught, God is the Author of Nature, but showrs not down into us an other series of things of an other or differing order; Reason is Nature to us, and the perfection of Reason is Demonstration: Though at the same time we are taught, That God perfects Nature by supernatural things; yet I suspect the word supernatural, being still the same, [Page 171] that now it is become aequivocal, and signifies an other thing with him then it does with me. I do believe the ever Blessed Trinity to be Three real Persons, Fa­ther, Son and Holy Ghost: Yet where I find this most sublime mystery pretended to be Demonstrated by what is Essential in God (to know and love himself,) when I find it so brought down to our capacities, that it is pretended, The examples of Lo­gick and Natural Phylosophy equalize this Mystery; when I am taught, That the Fa­ther and Son (in Divinis) are Metaphors: I have a great apprehension that this Doctrin and my hitherto received Faith agree but in words, not in the things signified by them. I do believe, That God most freely, and of his own goodness built this Vniverse: I believe, He is not necessarily tyed to the order or course of Nature: And when I am now taught, That God must contradict himself if he Act any thing against Nature. That, Out of the force and series of Nature, nothing could hap­pen better to Iudas, then to be damned. In fine, God should cease to be God, if this Flye should not now be in nature. I fear though we agree in this word God, our apprehen­sions jump not at all. Christians appre­hend [Page 172] and adore the liberal free hand of their Maker; but a God tyed to any thing be­sides himself, is not a Christian God, but a Pagan Iupiter. I do believe upon Christs words, That if I keep the Commandments I shall enter into life: and this is the foun­dation of my Doctrin of manners. And when I am now taught, That God neither commands nor forbids any thing. Howe­ver we agree in these words, Thou shalt not Steal: Thou shalt not commit Adultery: my whole Doctrin of Morality is banished by this assertion. It will hereafter appear your Master hath furnished us with a fa [...] other Morality then ever Escobar thought of. What do you think of this Position of your Master in his book of Government and Obedience, ground 6. speaking of himself, An other man (says he) is no otherwise to me, then a peece of Cloath or Wood, which I cut and shape after my own will, fittingly for my use: Even though I do him harme, or seek his ruine; It follows not I wrong him. How well doth this agree with that Principle of Nature, That we ought so to do to others, as we would have them do to us? In summ, where I see a pretender to Demonstrate all the Mysteries of our holy Faith, and that [Page 173] Faith shall cease and Evidence take place, I justly fear though the words are still re­tained, this is but to supplant Christ and his Doctrin; our notions and significations of words must be changed, or else these stupendious Mysteries can not be levelled to our weak capacities. But though these be my apprehensions, yet I wish I were mi­staken: I wish these new Doctrines may receive such Explications, that they may ap­pear no less Catholick then those I profess, and shall be as happy to receive satisfacti­on, as you to give it me; but, withal, I must frankly promise you, that I shall require your satisfaction both in these and many other Doctrines. I do acknow­ledge with thankfulness, that one may be instructed by Master White, whose excel­lent Wit and Pen, if duly applyed, is ad­mirable; but if I mistake not, he hath flown beyond the bounds fixed by an unerring hand: and therefore desire you to accept of this serious Protestation, That I have an intire respect for his Person, and if any harsh word hath escaped my Pen, it is the Doctrine not He that is concerned in the Epithete: the same I speake and intend to your self. Though if you consider the [Page 174] case aright (where not only whatsoever is sacred to Catholicks, but what the Heterodox-Party agree with them in, is thus attaqued; Where the foundations of Christianity and of all Religion, the Liberty of God, and Contingency of Creatures, is thus attempted by a Lucretian Galamawfry Phylosophy, to make way for a new Demonstrative Religi­on) such an exotick design deserves not a more mild censure then what I have fixed upon it: and yet I hope you will nor find your too too frequent Calumniating Adver­saries, or any thing like it in my whole booke. If you think there is any animo­sity in my Discourse, I heartily beg your pardon: we daily say, Sicut & nos dimit­timus, where these heats are easily allayed; and for our present Controversie of Pur­gatory, let us patiently expect the determi­nation of our undoubted Superior, the Pre­sent soveraign Pastor, who (as the Flo­rentin Council here tell us) holds the Pri­macy over the whole World: Who is the Successor of St. Peter, the Prince of the A­postles: and the true Vicar of Christ, and the Head of the whole Church, and the Fa­ther and Teacher of all Christians: And who finally had full power delivered unto [Page 175] him by our Lord Iesus Christ in St. Peter to Feed, to Rule, and to Govern the Vniversal Church. To whom we will Candidly, Fair­ly and Religiously, (and not by any false suggestions or surprising friends, as you most strangely suspect, pag. 40. and thereby at once condemn both that Supream Court of Weakness, if not of Corruption, and your adversaries of Dishonesty) remit the whole Controversie, and humbly submit to his Judg­ment, both in this Particular, and in all other Disputable Points whatsoever.