Now touching the suffrages or waies of succour, wherby soules are dispatched out of Purgatorie, Popish doctors appoint foure meanes: That is, the healthfull offering of the sacrifice in the Sacrament of the aultar, almes giuing, prayer, fasting. And vnder these members, they comprise all other, as vowed pilgrimages, visiting of Churches, helping of the poore, and the furthering of Gods worship and glory, &c. But aboue all, they extoll their Masse, as a thing of greatest force to redéeme soules out of misery: of whose wonderfull effect, and of the rest euen now recited by vs, they alleage many straunge examples.
Of these things they moue many questions, the which who so lust to sée, let him search their bookes which haue bin written and published of this matter.
A notable deede to relieue soules.
Neither only in their writings, but in open pulpit also they haue taught, how excellent and noble an act it is, for men touched with compassion, with these foresaid workes to ridde the soule that appeareth vnto them and craueth their help, out of the paines of purgatorie: or if they cannot so doo, yet to ease and asswage their torture. For say they, the soules after their deliuerance, ceasse not in moste earnest maner to pray for their benefactors, and helpers. On the other side, they teach that it is an horrible and heynous offence, if a man giue no succoure to suche as séeke it at his hands, especially if it be the soule of his parents, brethren and sisters. For except by them they might conueniently be released of so manifolde miseries, they woulde not so earnestly craue their helpe. Wherefore say they, no man should be so voyd of naturall affection, so cruell and outragious, that he should at any time deny to bestowe some small wealth, to benefit those, by whom he hath before by diuers and sundry waies bene pleasured.
If they were not the soules of the dead which craue helpe and succour, but diuellish spirits, they would not will them to pray, fast, or giue almes for their sakes: for that the diuels doo hate those, as also all other good workes.
CHAP. III.
What hath followed this doctrine of the Papists, concerning
the appearing of mens soules.
