Heb. xii.

The pur

gatory of

the mem

bers to the

cross of

purgatory, which is Christ's cross: I mean not his material cross that he himself died on, but a spiritual cross, which is adversity, tribulation, worldly depression, &c. And this is called the rod or scourge of God, wherewith he scourgeth every son that he receiveth, that we may remember his law, and mortify the old Adam and fleshly lust, which else would wax so rebellious that it would subdue us, reign in us, and hold us thralled under Christ. sin. Whensoever we have committed a crime, then is God present with this rod, as he saith, (Psalm Ps. lxxxix. lxxxix.) If they defile my ceremonies and not observe my commandments, then with a rod shall I punish their sins, and with beatings shall I reward their iniquities, but yet my mercy shall I not take from him, neither will I deceive him of my promise.

This cross must we receive with a glad heart, and thank our loving Father for it, for it is but a medicine to heal our infirmity, and to subdue our rebellious members. But when our members are fully mortified, that is, when death hath subdued our corruptible body, and our flesh committed to rest in the earth, then cease the purgatories that God hath ordained, and then are we fully purged in his sight.

God nailthe cross to infirmities.

eth us to

heal our

So evil was

the life of

the Papists,

imagined

If our clergy could have found in their hearts to have taken these purgatories upon them, they had never needed to imagine any other; but since that they their life began to wax so dissolute, specially since a purgatory they should be the salt of the earth and lanterns of light, it was necessary for them to imagine purgatory after this life, for else they might be

for them

selves.

The wisdom of the

world fool

ishness

afore God.

sure that the most part of them were never like to come in heaven.

Judge, Christian reader, which hast the spirit to discern, and knowest the voice of Christ, what reasons Rastell hath brought, and how he hath solved them; for in my mind both his reasons and solutions are so childish and unsavoury, so unlearned and barren, so full of faults and phantasies, that I rather pity the man's deep ignorance and blindness (which hath so deceived himself through philosophy and natural reason,) than I fear that he by his vain probations should allure any man to consent unto him.

Judge, and confer the Scriptures which Sir Thomas More and my Lord of Rochester allege for their opinion, and I doubt not but that God shall open thine eyes to espy that thing which hath blinded them.

Judge, and compare the Scriptures together which I have brought to confirm my purpose; ponder their reasons and my solutions unto them, and I am sure thou shalt perceive that my small learning hath condemned their high eloquence, that my folly hath brought to nought their wisdom, and that my youth hath disclosed their old and festered ignorance.

And this is even the old practice of God: to choose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, to choose the weak to confound the mighty,—and to choose the vile things, which are of no reputation, to confound them of high degree; that no flesh might boast itself in his sight, to whom only be praise and thanks for ever. Amen.

A PROLOGUE,

WHEREBY A MAN MAY THE BETTER PERCEIVE THE

OCCASION AND WHOLE CAUSE OF THIS BOOK.

of the book

of the Supplication of

Beggars.

THERE was a brother of ours, named Simon Fish, Simon Fish (which now; I trust, resteth in God's hands) whose the maker eyes God had opened, not only to espy the wily walking of hypocrites and ruin of the realm, which through their means was nigh at hand, but also to mark and ponder the peril of men's souls, and how that the ignorant people, by their seduction, was fallen into that frantic imagination, that they more feared the Pope and his decrees, which are but vanity, than God himself and his law, which are most righteous and eternal. This man, therefore, of a fervent and burning zeal that he bare to the wealth of the commonalty, brake out and touched these hypocrites, in a little treatise, which he called The Supplication of Beggars, willing that we Our riches should give the abundance of our riches unto the poor, stowed on to whom it is due by the law of God, and that we the poor. should no longer suffer ourselves to be despoiled and robbed of a sight of sturdy lubbers, which under a false cloak of virtue and prayer, deceive the poor of their living, and both the poor and the rich of their souls' health, if credence be given unto them.

are to be be

there is no

And where these wily foxes would have pretended Either the cloak of purgatory, affirming that it were due unto purgatory, them, because they pray for their friends' souls that else the Pope is they might come to rest; he answered unto that point merciless. preventing their objection, and proved that either there could be no such purgatory, or else that the Pope were a merciless tyrant, which (as he saith himself) may deliver them from thence, and will not except he have

Whereat
M. More

to fume

against such as deny purgatory.

Rastell fol

loweth

M. More.

money. At this point began M. More to fume, and first began took upon himself to be proctor for purgatory, (I will not say that he was hired thereto of our spiritualty, although many men dare swear it,) and to confirm his purpose, he wrested sore the Scriptures, and triumpheth also that the very miscreants and idolaters believe that there is a purgatory. He addeth thereto (to establish his matter withal) that there is no man which believeth that there is a God, and that the soul of man is immortal, but he must needs grant that there is a purgatory. There took Rastell his hold, which is a Printer, dwelling at Paul's Gate in London, and of Master More's alliance, which also coveteth to counterfeit his kinsman, although the beams of his brains be nothing so radiant nor his conveyance so commendable in the eyes of the wise. Notwithstanding this, Rastell hath enterprised to dilate this matter, and hath divided it into three Dialogues, imagining that two men dispute this matter by natural reason and philosophy, secluding Christ and The names all scripture. The one of them (that should dispute this matter) he calleth Gingemin, and feigneth him to be a Turk, and of Mahomet's law. The second he nameth Comingo, an Almany, and of Christ's faith. And he maketh the Turk to teach the Christian man what he should believe.

of the dis

puters in the matter

of purga

tory.

The sum

and contents of Rastell's three dialogues.

The first Dialogue goeth about to prove by reason that there is a God, which is merciful and righteous. The second intendeth to prove, that the soul of a man is immortal. Against these two dialogues I will not dispute, partly because this treatise should not be over long and tedious, and partly because that those two points, which he there laboureth to prove, are such as no Christian man will deny; (although many of his probations are so slender, that they may well be improved.) But as concerning his third Dialogue, wherein he would prove purgatory, it is wholly injurious unto the blood of Christ, and the destruction of all Christian faith, if

men were so mad as to believe his vain persuasions. And therefore I thought expedient to compare this third dialogue with all the deceitful reasons unto the true light and pure word of God, that at the least Rastell himself might perceive his own blind ignorance, and return again into the right way. And if any man have been deceived through his book, (as I trust there are but few, except they be very ignorant,) that they may repent with him and glorify God for his inestimable mercy, which hath sent his light into this world to disclose and expel their dark and blind ignorancy, that they may see his ways and walk in them, praising the Lord eternally. Amen.

THE FIRST BOOK,

WHICH IS AN ANSWER UNTO RASTELL'S DIALOGUE.

THERE is no man as I think that hath a natural wit, but he will grant me that this book of Rastell's making is either true or false. If it be false, then, howsoever it seem to agree with natural reason, it is not to be allowed; if it be true, then must we approve it. Natural reason must be ruled by Scripture. If natural reason conclude against the Scripture, so is it false; but if it be agreeing to Scripture, then is it to be heard.

reason con

Of this I may conclude, that if Rastell's book be If natural agreeing to Scripture, then is it true, and to be allowed; if it determine contrary to the Scripture, then is it false, and to be abhorred, howsoever it seem to agree with natural reason.

Now is there no Christian man but he believeth

against the then is naScripture,

tural reason false.