AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST PURGATORY. OR Discourse, wherein is showed that Good-Workes, and Almsdeeds, performed in the Name of Christ, are a chief means for the preventing, or mitigating the Torments of Purgatory.  
Written by that Virtuous, and Right worthy Gentlewoman (the Honour of her Sex for Learning in England) Ms. JANE OWEN, late of Godstow, in Oxfordshire, deceased, and now published after her death.  
As Water doth extinguish Fire: so Almsdeeds do extinguish sin.  Eccles. 3. 
Printed M.DC.XXXIIII.   

TO THE WORTHY AND CONSTANT CATHOLICS OF ENGLAND: And more particularly, to such, who be of the best temporal Means.  
WORTHY and Noble Catholics: My charity towards the advancing of the spiritual good of your souls, is the main Allective, inviting me to write this small Treatise, (pardon I pray the boldness of my Sex herein.) The subject thereof is, First, to inculcate, & make deep impressions in your minds, of the horror, and most dreadful torments of Purgatory: Secondarily, to set before your eyes, the best means to prevent, at least to assuage, and mitigate them: gratum opus agricolis; A labour (I hope) pleasing to such, who are desirous to cultivate their own Souls, for gaining their spiritual and expected harvest.  
That you believe there is a Purgatory, your own Catholic Faith teacheth you; therefore presuming that you rest immoveable therein, without the least fluctuation of judgement, I hold it were but lost labour, to spend any time in proof thereof. Only I here covet, that you would deeply consider and meditate thereof; and thereupon that you would withal meditate and put in practise the means of avoiding the same.  
Touching the terribleness of the Torments of Purgatory, I have insisted in the Authority of the most Blessed Cardinal Bellarmine; out of one of whose spiritual books I have translated a whole passage concerning this subject, as hereafter I shall more fully show. Thus I make him the foundation or groundwork of this my ensuing Discourse; and the rest following I do build, and erect upon this foundation: so as this Miscelene work of mine, may perhaps resemble the statue of Nabuchodonozor, of which, part was gold, part silver, and part of base mettle. So I am sure, that what is taken out of the learned Cardinal's writings in this my Treatise, is perfect gold or silver; what is adjoined thereto by me, must (I willingly yield) endure the touch of the learned, to prove what mettle it is.  
But now, to proceed a little further: I could wish you (worthy Catholics) that you would have a feeling apprehension of the pains of Purgatory, though yet to come. True it is, that the Time present, and the Time future are in nature different; yet if a man could in some case, so lively paint to himself the face of the Time future, as that it might appear to him, to be the Time present, it were, felix Error, a happy mistaking or confusion of times, (to use the Catholic Churches like Dialect of the sin of Adam, calling it, felix Culpa:) For then would men apprehend the Future pains of Purgatory, as present, (and certainly once they must be present;) and consequently, would have a greater fear and dread of them, then commonly they now have. It is not in man's power to deprive God of his incommumnicable Attribute of justice, being even of the Essence of God.  
This then being so, why will you not seek to appease this his justice in this world, when small satisfactions will serve, rather than to perform those satisfactions incomparably far greater in a more horrible manner, in the next world, by enduring those Torments, which are not to be endured? And there to endure them, donec reddas novissimum Quadrantem, Matth. 5. These are the words of holy Scripture, and are understood in the judgement of the Ancient Fathers, of a Soul lying in Purgatory, and therefore must be performed: which forcing words, since they ought to be most dreadful to each Catholic, not performing his satisfaction in this life, I have therefore thought not amiss (though I grant in a most unusual manner) to set down in the lower part of every page; that wheresoever the Reader shall open these few leaves, his eye shall instantly meet with the said moving words, thereby to cause him to have a more intense and serious meditation of them.  
It is certain, that God is pitifully cruel (as I may say) since he is content to turn Eternity of punishments, into temporal pains; But withal it is no less certain, that a soul not performing its penance in this life before its dissolution from the body, can no more immediately ascend to Heaven, than the Patriarches which died in Egypt, could be buried in the land of Promise.  
Well now, the chiefest help for the preventing of the pains of Purgatory, is the practice of Works of Almsdeeds, and such other actions of Mercy, as hereafter in this short Treatise will more fully be proved. Works of this nature are the only Oil, which is to be poured into a Repenting soul, whose full satisfaction for its former sins, is not yet accomplished.  
God's sacred Word assureth you, that you may buy Heaven with Good Works: Venite possidete paratum vobis regnum; Esurivienim, & dedistis manducare &c▪ Matth. 25. Much more then, may you with Good Works (died in the blood of our Saviour, and not otherwise) buy out the pains of Purgatory. And though you do find a reluctation in your natural dispositions to relinquish a part of your state to that end, now in your life time; yet let that be made easy to you by Grace, which is hard and difficult by Nature; that so it may be said of you, as was said of Cornelius the Centurion, Act. 10. Eleemosinae vestrae commemoratae sunt in conspectu Dei. For assure yourselves, that the Grace of God ever seeketh a charitable Hart.  
And by this means, you may become more rich in your graves, than you could have been in your life time: Since to give away riches, in a man's life, for the good of the soul, is to carry them away after his death. And in this sense, they hold most, who have the most open hand in dispensing of their riches; So true is that sentence, to wit, It is no small riches, for God's sake, to abandon riches.  
But (alas) such are the pitiful times, wherein we live, & such is the scarcity of Virtue among us, as that instead of practising Works of Charity, men are commended and praised, if only they forbear to practise works of Injustice and Wrong. And thus we are glad to accept of a mere Privation of Vice, in place of a Positive, and real Virtue. O the miserableness of our days! The very Beasts do not, nor can sin, nor can they do any wrong; are they therefore virtuous?  
Well, I humbly besecch you to have a settled eye upon your souls good, for the preventing of future punishments; and remember, that our Saviour in the Gospel (Luc. 17.) commended the unjust Steward for hoarding up for the time to come; and shall then the slothful carelessness of Catholics be upbraided with that unjust steward's diligence? God forbidden! But before I do remit you to the perusal of this ensuing Discourse, I will put you in mind, that all Good Works stream from Charity, & that without it, there are no Good Works.  
Now, how necessary and efficacious Charity is in its own Nature, it being the Queen of all virtues (the which who hath it, cannot be damned, and who wanteth, cannot be saved) I will not only refer you to the Apostles just praises given thereof (1. Cor. 8.) but also to the learned and grave judgement of Cardinal Bellarmine herein, who thus writeth (lib. 5. de aeterna Felicitate cap. 6.) Audeo dicere, si oleum charitatis in animas damnatorum etc. I dare be bold to say, that if the oil of Charity could distil down into the souls of damned men, or into the Devils, we instantly should behold, both the damned Souls and the Devils, to ascend out of their torments. As on the contrary side, if this oil of Charity should forsake the holy Angels, Apostles, Martyrs, Virgins, etc. they instantly would become lumpish and heavy, & thereupon would descend into the lowest parts.  
Thus you see, what this learned Cardinal censureth hereof. Do not then sleight and neglect the worth of this Noble Virtue of Charity; and particularly the most healthful and fruitful effects, proceeding from thence; I mean Good Works, Mercy, and pious Liberality employed upon others; ascertayning yourselves, that the next and most speedy help to procure God, to be merciful, in mildly chastizing the relics of your sins, & to mitigate your temporal punishments, is to show yourselves merciful to others; Beati misericordes, quoniam ipsi misericordiam consequentur, Matth. 5. I mean prompt and ready in exercising the Works of Charity; since silver in a large degree bestowed in this manner, is the spiritual Water, which quencheth the flames of Purgatory.  
One thing here I wish you to remember, that every man (how young soever) through the wingy speediness of timc, is even flying towards his grave. And when he is once thither come, then hath he bidden his last Adieu, or Good Night to all the world. Therefore whiles the day lasteth, employ yourselves busily in Good Works: So true (and withal wholesome) is that Counsel in Holy Writ. Eccl. 9 Quodcumque facere potest manus tua, instanter operare etc. Whatsoever thy hand can do, do it instantly; because neither any work, nor reason, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, is beneath whither thou hastest.  
And with this (Worthy & dear Catholics) I remit you to the perusing of this little Treatise; Humbly beseeching his Mercy, that the reading of it may beget great and worthy effects in you; And then I shall hope, that you will vouchsafe me now and then, your charitable prayers; not only for the remitting of the guilt of eternal damnation, due for my infinite sins; but also, if so his Divine Majesty would vouchsafe me, (though most unworthy) so much favour and grace, that I may escape this most dreadful fire of Purgatory.  
Your Souls well-wishing Admonisher, JANE OWEN.   

The Contents of the several Sections ensuing.  
SECT. I. 
OF the inexplicable pains of Purgatory, and of other Circumstances accompanying the same pains; translated out of the spiritual Book of Cardinal Bellarmine, entitled; De gemitu Columbae lib. 2. cap. 9  SECT. II. 
Of the means to avoid, at least to mitigate, the pains of Purgatory.  SECT. III. 
A persuasory Discourse, for the putting in practice the means (which are Good Works) for the avoiding the pains of Purgatory.  SECT. iv 
Certain examples of Good Works, to be practised for the avoiding of Purgatory, propounded by the Author of this Treatise.    

Non exibis inde, donec reddas novissimum Quadrantem.  Matth. 5. v. 27. 
Thou shalt not go out from thence, till thou repay the last Farthing.  
Date Eleemosynam, & ecce omnia vobis munda sunt.  Luc. 11. v. 41. 
Give Alms, and behold all things are clean unto you.   


Of the inexplicable pains of Purgatory, and of other Circumstances accompanying the same; translated out of the spiritual Book of Cardinal Bellarmine, entitled: De gemitu Columbae. lib. 2. ca 9 THE I. SECTION.  
AMONG all the Passions of the mind, there is not any, which hath so great a sovereignty, and command over man, as the Passion of Fear. The reason hereof is evident, and even ingraffed in man's Nature. For every man taketh pleasure and delight in a sweet and quiet repose of his own being; and consequently flieth, and avoideth whatsoever may endanger to hinder, or take away his said quietness and rst; according to that Axiom in Philosophy: Omnis res cupit conseruare suum Esse. And hereupon it riseth, that the Passion of Love is nothing so potent and prevailing with men, as Fear. For we experimentally see, that most men are afraid to commit diverse impieties, more for Fear of punishment to be inflicted by the Law, then for Love of God, or Virtue.  
Now, to apply this to my present purpose. Whereas my project in these ensuing leaves is, to awaken the hearts and minds of diverse Catholics for the preventing, or at least lessening the pains of Purgatory by their good deeds and works of Charity, performed in their life time; therefore I have in the Front of this Treatise thought good to plant a Discourse touching the incomprehensible torments of Purgatory, and other circumstances accompanying the same torments; that so, such persons, for whose sake this labour is undertaken, (as not being blindfoulded under the veil of careless negligence) may have a greater Fear & Horror of the said torments; and consequently, may be more watchful and solicitous for their preventing of them, by their Almsdeeds, and other such works of Charity.  
Which kind of Fear was (as I may term it) the Genius of Reverend Antiquity, causing the livers in those ancient times, to be so dreadful not only of the torments of Hell, but even of Purgatory: So healthful to man's Soul is that admonition of Holy Writ, 1. Pet. 1. Walk you in fear, during the time of your earthly habitation. And upon this ground our Forefathers laboured so much to spread themselves in the doing of good works; and this with most just reason; since he is truly rich, who is rich in good-workes: and the want of them is a spiritual beggary. And therefore most deservedly is this Fear styled by the Wiseman, The beginning of Wisdom, Prou. 11. as also by some others, The Mother, & Daughter of wisdom; and so holy job had just reason to say: I feared all my works. job. 9  
The Discourse prefixed touching the Pains of Purgatory, I have wholly taken, and Translated out of one of the spiritual Books of the most Worthy Cardinal Bellarmine, entitled: De Gemitu Columbae. lib. 2. chap. 9 Therefore when the Reader peruseth it, let him remember, that it is Bellarmyne who speaketh, not I In this passage the learned Cardinal relateth certain dogmatic Miracles, touching the doctrine of Purgatory. I have thought it much more prevailing to deliver the contents thereof in the Cardinals own words, which are without any affectation of Oratory, or filed Speech, then by any other means or Method of my own, in altering the same. Since I presume, that the speeches of so worthy, so learned, so pious a man (being an Ornament of this presentage) will sway more with all good Catholics, by way of persuasion, than any words of mine can effect; And certain it is, that who speaketh persuadingly, speaketh Eloquently.  
And I hold it a greater Honour, to become a poor Translator of any part of his learned writings, doing thereby the more good; then to be accounted a skilful Composer of Books, doing therein the lesser good. And with this I refer the Reader to the passage of Bellarmyne by me Translated, wishing him not to be diffident of the truth of the Contents thereof; seeing he may see, that the Cardinal giveth full credit and assent thereto; and also, in that he is an over Material and Sensible Christian (as I may term him) who measures matters of Faith and Religion, by the false yard of natural apprehension. And great incredulity and dulness it is, to think of things touching the soul, only as he seethe them, abstracting them from the trutination of God's justice hereafter to come; themselves thus through supine heedlessness falling upon that dangerous sentence of the Wiseman: Ita securi viwnt, quasi justorum facta habeant. Eccles. 8. They live as securely, as if their works were of the Iust. But what doth there immediately follow? Hoc vanissimum. This is most vain.  

The discourse of Cardinal Bellarmine, touching the inexplicable pains of Purgatory.  
THose Souls, who remain in Purgatory, do afford to us yet living in the world, a great occasion & matter of tears; in so much that a due consideration & meditation of Purgatory may justly be termed a flowing well of tears.  
Now touching the pains of Purgatory, four principal heads or branches are to be considered; from the which we may in part conjecture of the greatness of those pains; and in regard of such their greatness, all good men may be the more easily induced, to pour out their tears in commiseration of their Christian Brethren, who are in the mean time tormented with those pains.  
The first of these Heads is, that the pains of Purgatory are greater & more intense, than any pains, which men can suffer in this life. The second, that the pains of Purgatory to them that suffer them, do for the most part endure longer, than any pains of this life can endure. The third, that the souls which lie in Purgatory, cannot help, or bring any ease to themselves. The fourth and last Head is, that the souls which are in Purgatory, are of huge number, and almost infinite in number. Now from all these different passages, it is clear, that the souls in Purgatory are in a pitiful state, and therefore most worthy of all commiseration; & that those men, who yet are living, are no less than half mad and distracted in judgement, who during their life time, are careless and negligent in satisfying for their sins, and had rather descend (upon their death) to those places of Torments, then to be deprived of any pleasure, while they live in this world.  
And now to begin with the first, which is, that the pains of Purgatory are greater, and more violent than all pains joined together, which in this life we can undergo; this verity is confirmed by the authority of S. Austin in Psal. 37. who thus writeth hereof: Domine, ne in indignatione tua arguas me etc. O Lord do not chastise me in thy wrath and indignation; Let me not be in the number of those, to whom thou shalt say; Ite in ignem aeternum, go into everlasting fire; neither otherwise correct me in thy anger, but that I may be made such, as that my said correction shall not be needful to be increased with that purging fire, in respect of such men, qui salui erunt, sic tamen quasi per ignem, who shallbe saved, but as by fire. And then a little after S. Austin thus further enlargeth himself: Et quia dicitur saluus erit, contemnitur ille ignis etc. And because it is said in the place above, they shallbe saved, therefore that fire is neglected and little feared. True it is, they shallbe saved by fire: gravior tamen erit ille ignis (saith he) quàm quicquid potest homo pati in hac vita: Notwithstanding that fire shallbe more heavy and intolerable, than any pains, which a man can suffer in this life. And you well know, what great torments diverse wicked men have here suffered, and are able to suffer; yea good and virtuous men have suffered as much as the former. For what pains or torments hath any malefactor, thief, adulterer, or any other wicked or sacrilegious person suffered, which Martyrs have not suffered for their confession of Christ?  
Therefore these Torments, which are in this world, are of a far more lower degree: And nevertheless, you see, how ready and prepared men stand to perform any thing commanded them, to prevent the suffering of them; with how much more reason than have men to do that, which God commandeth them, that so they may not undergo those (by many degrees more horrible) torments? Thus far S. Austin, whose judgement herein many other Fathers follow.  
Saint Gregory thus dilateth of the same point: Domine, ne in furore tuo arguas me etc. Lord, do not chastise me in thy fury, nor rebuke me in thy anger. I know well, that after the end of this lyfc some men's sins shallbe expiated & purged by the flames of Purgatory; others shall undergo the sentence of eternal damnation. Nevertheless, because I do firmly believe, that transitory fire to be more insufferable, than any tribulation in this world; therefore I thirst not only not to be abandoned and remitted to eternal damnation; but also I greatly fear, to be chastised in this temporal punishment of Purgatory. Thus much S. Gregory. Of the same judgement herein, are Venerable Bede, in 3. Psal Poenit. S. Anselme, in cap. 3. Ep. 1 ad Cor. S. Bernard de obitu Humberti etc.  
S. Thomas of Aquin l. 4. sent. d. 30. q. 1. art. 2. doth not only subscribe to the judgement of the former Fathers in this point; but he also further maintaineth, that the least pain in Purgatory is greater & more insupportable, than the greatest torment in this world; And yet notwithstanding all this, we observe daily, that men are not afraid to contemn those most insufferable torments in Purgatory, who cannot endure far less pains in this world. But this is the blindness of man's corruption, which is much to be deplored in this our vale of Tears.  
To proceed further. S. Thomas proveth this his former sentence and judgement from this following reason: It is (saith he) an inexpugnable and undeniable truth, that poena damni, the pain of the loss, incurred by sin, is far more grievous, then Poena sensus, than any pain of sense, or feeling. And it is further most evident and confessed, that all those, who are in Purgatory, during their stay these, do suffer Poenam damni, the pain of loss; that is, the loss of the vision of God.  
But to avoid the force of this Reason, it may be perhaps replied by some, that the perpetual punishment of loss, to wit, to lose for all eternity the sight of God (as such suffer, who are in Hell) is truly indeed a punishment and the greatest of all punishments; but during the time of a souls staying in Purgatory, the want of the divine vision and sight of God, is not properly to be accounted a punishment, or at least not a punishment or pain more fearful than those punishments, which Martyrs have suffered in this life; seeing that we, whiles we live here upon earth, do not see God, and yet we are nor said truly to suffer poenam damni, any pain of loss; because we shall see God in due time, if so we purge & free our hearts from sin, as is our duty to do. Yea the ancient holy Fathers, Patriarches, and Prophets, who remaining in Limbo Patrum, expecting the coming of the Saviour of the world, did not as then see God; and yet they were not afflicted with any poena damni, because they were to see God in a prefixed & designed tyme. For thus Abraham answers to the Rich glutton, Luc. 16. Remember son, that thou in thy life time receivedst thy pleasures, and Lazarus pains, now therefore he is comforted, and thou tormented.  
In which words, we do not find, that Abraham said; Lazarus was tormented with poena damni, with the punishment of loss; but that he was in solace & comfort, & consequently not in torment. And further, where S Simeon Luc. 2. saith: Nunc dimittis seruum tuum in pace etc. Now (O Lord) thou lettest thy servant departed in peace, was not of opinion, that through death he should descend to any most insupportable pains, but to a most sweet repose and peace.  
To conclude S. Gregory l. 3. moral. c. 22. teacheth, that the ancient patriarchs and Fathers during their being in the place, called Limbus Patrum, did not suffer there any torments, but did find rest & quietness. The force of this objection or argument is easily dissolved. The answer is this. Whiles we are living here upon earth, we do not easily apprehend, how heavy a matter it is, to want the vision and sight of God; both in regard, that what things we apprehend by means of corporal phantasms, and the ministry of the senses, we do but obscurely understand, as also, in that we being softened and cherished in corporal delights and pleasures, we solace and content ourselves therewith, and thereupon we are not much solicitous and seeking after spiritual contentments.  
The ancient Fathers and Prophets, were not tormented with any poena damni, pain of loss, in that they saw not God; because they well did know, that this procrastination & deferring of enjoying the vision of God, was not occasioned through any default in them, but because the prefixed time of that most blessed sight was not yet come.  
But here in our case, it falleth out otherwise, since touching those souls, who are condemned, and relegated (as it were) to Purgatory after the coming of Christ, it is impossible, but that they should be in the highest degree afflicted; for seeing they in that state are deprived both of body, and of all corporal senses, they cannot take further delight in sensible objects, as in meat, drink, riches, honours, in satisfying any carnal concupiscence etc. but they wholly breath and thirst after the contemplation of the first Truth, and their enjoying their Summum bonum, or chief good; for the obtaining whereof, as for their last end, they well know that they were created.  
Hereunto may be adjoined this other reason; to wit, that the souls in Purgatory do well know, that the kingdom of Heaven is now made open to the faithful Christians, and that the only hindrance of not present enjoying of it, is only the guilt of pain, contracted through their own peculiar sins; from whence it cannot but follow, that these souls are even offended & angry with themselves, in that they alone are the cause of their long dilation & deferring of their enjoying so great an happiness.  
These souls may well be resembled to a man in great extremity of hunger & thirst, though having a table before him furnished with all variety of meats, wines & choice waters; and yet the only reason and impediment of his not feeding of them proceedeth from some former miscarriage of the said man, which hath deservedly caused this his delay in tasting of them.  
We may add hereto, that the most ancient Fathers, Austin, Gregory, Beda, Anselme, and Bernard, do not speak de poena damni, of the pain of loss, which pain all acknowledge to be most great; but de poena ignis, of the pain of fire; & this pain, they all with one consent affirm to be more horrid & intolerable, than any torments in this life. For although here upon earth the torment by fire is great, yet that fire, which is not maintained & nourished with wood or oil, but is created as an instrument of God's justice, to burn and torment souls, must without all doubt be most violent, and sharp in the highest degree,  
Now, from the premises it is evicted, that though we would not acknowledge poena damni, the temporary pain of loss, which is in Purgatory (to wit of the loss of the vision of God for a long time) to be more insufferable than all the torments in this life; yet that the punishment of the fire in Purgatory is greater than any temporal afflictions in this life, is evidently proved from the authorities of so many ancient Fathers above produced.  
And because, there are many men, who can hardly be induced to believe any thing, which themselues have not seen, God sometimes therefore hath vouchsafed, to raise certain people from death to life; commanding them to relate to others living, what themselves touching this pain have seen.  
Among so many eye-witnesses (as I may term them) who have seen the torments of Purgatory, I will allege only two, the one being a man, the other a woman, whose testimonies therein are to be accepted without any doubt or diffidency.  
The one then, is Drithclmus an English man; the history of which man Venerable Bede writeth, & relateth this accident, as a thing well known & evident to himself, it happening in Bedes own life time, with great amazement to all of those days.  
Thus than Bede writeth hereof in his fifth book of the History of the nation of England cap. 13. His temporibus miraculum memorabile, & antiquorum simile in Britannia factum est etc. In these times a most memorable miracle (and like to the ancient miracles) did fall out in Britanny. For to incite the living, touching care to be had concerning the death of the soul, a certain Man being for the time dead, was after restored to life of Body, relating many things worthy of remembrance, of some of which I have thought good at this present to make particular mention. It is this.  
There was a certain Househoulder, or Father of a family in the Country-Norman, belonging to the Humbri. This man did lead with his whole house a very religious life. Who being taken with a sudden infirmity and sickness in body, and his pain more, and more increasing, he was brought to the hour of death, and died in the beginning of the Night. But at the appearance of the morning he returned to life again, and setting himself up in bed, all those, who accompanicd that night the dead Body, through fear and amazement presently fled away.  
But his wife, who loved him dear (though fearing) remained with him, whom he did comfort in these words: Fear not wife, for I am truly risen from death; with which this night I have been holden; and I am permitted to live again among men here upon earth; but not after the same manner as I was accustomed heretofore to live, but after a far different sort. Hereupon he presently did rise out of his bed, and went to the Oratory, or Chapel belonging to that village, spending the most part of the day in prayer. He instantly divided all his substance into three parts; of the which one part he gave to his wife, another to his children, and the third he distributed to the poor.  
And, he with great speed freeing himself from all care of the world, came to the Monastery called Mailros; and there taking the Tonsure, the Abbot provided for him a secret cell, into which he entered; and there continued till the day of his death, in such great contrition of mind and body, that his very life (though his tongue had been silent) did speak, that he had seen during the short time he was afore dead, many things both fearful, and to be desired. For he delivered the matter in this manner.  
Lucidus erat aspectu, & clarus indumento, qui me ducebat etc. One of a lightsome countenance, and bright in apparel, did lead me. We came unto a certain valley of a great largeness & profundity, but of an infinite length. That part of the valley, which was upon our left hand, was most terrible through scorching flames; The other part thereof was no less terrible through extremity of hail, frost, snow, and wynds. Both these wide passages of this valley were full of souls, of men and women, which seemed to be tossed to and fro (as it were) through force and violence of boisterous storms. For when they could not any longer endure the violence of so great an heat, the poor miserable souls did cast themselves into the midst of that insufferable cold, above related; and when as neither there they could find any rest, or ease, they then again leapt into those inextinguishable flames of fire.  
And whereas an infinite multitude of poor souls I saw thus to be tormented with this unfortunate vicissitude of torments, and without any intermission or ease, I began to call to mind, that perhaps this place was Hell, of the intolerable torments whereof I had before heard much spoken. My conductor (who went before me) answered to my present thought, saying; Do not so think, for this place, which thou seest, is not that Hell which thou supposest. Now the vision of Hell, and after of Paradise, being explained, which for brevity I omit; the conductor thus further said to the person raised from death: Scis omnia, quae vidisti? dost thou know all these things, which thou hast seen? The raised party said, No. I do not know them. To whom his conductor thus replied: That great vale, which thou hast seen most dreadful for flames of heat and fire, as also for insufferable cold, is that place, in which the souls of all those are to be purged and chastised, who in their life time delayed from time to time to confess their sins, and to makc satisfaction for the wickedness by them perpetrated; and yet in the very last hour of their life, obtained true penitency and contrition for their sins, and so departed out of their bodies; which souls because they made confession of their sins, and had penitency of them (though at the last hour of their death) do yet belong to the Kingdom of Heaven. And many of these poor souls are much eased by the prayers of the living, by Almsdeeds of their friends, by their strict fastings, and especially by the celebration of holy masses in their behalf; so as by these means diverse of them are freed from their torments before the day of judgement.  
Venerable Bede thus further addeth hereto; Cum ille incredibili austeritate Corpus suum vexaret etc. When as this man raised to life, did afflict his body with incredible austerity, praying, and praising God with hymns, he then standing in water frozen through cold with ice, his fellow Monks would say to him; It is wonderful, o Brother Drithelmus, that thou art able to endure such asperity of cold; He than replied, Frigidiora vidi, I have seen much more cold places. And when they in like sort said to him; mirum, quod tam austeram tenere continentiam velis etc. It is wonderful, that thou wilt keep this austere continency in meats etc. He answered: Austeriora vidi, I have seen greater austerity. And in this sort, through an indefatigable desire of the joys of Heaven he tamed and subdued his old feeble body until the day of his death, he much profiting many by his persuasions and conversation of life. Thus far S. Bede in his relation of this history.  
Now, that the contents hereof are most true, I little doubt, because it is agreeable to the sacred Scripture, in the book of job cap. 24 Ad nimium calorem, transeunt ab aquis nivium: from waters of snow, they pass to overmuch heat. Again S. Bede (a Venerable & most godly man) recordeth the same, as happening out in his own days and life-time. To conclude, there did follow out of this vision great spiritual benefit, the which God is accustomed to draw and extract out of such miraculous events, and not curiosity or vanity, but the health of many souls by their conversion to penance & virtue. In this next place will I come to the testimony of a most admirable woman, her name was Christina, whose life is written by Thomas Cantipratensis of the order of S. Dominicke, a man most worthy of credit, and who lived in the days of the said Christina.  
The same is in like sort witnessed by that Venerable man jacobus de Vitriaco (l. de vita & rebus gestis B. Mariae de Oegnies) a pious and learned Cardinal, who in a book of his maketh mention of diverse holy women, and particularly of this Christina Mirabilis, whose life he relateth most briefly in a short Compendium. Now this Virgin Christina doth thus speak of herself, instantly after she did rise from death to life in the sight of many then living: Statim ut è corpore excessi, etc.  
Presently after I did leave my body, certain Angels of God, being ministers of the light, received my soul, and brought it to an obscure, dark, and horrid place, being full and replenished with the souls of men and women. The torments, which I did behold in that place, were so extreme, violent, and insufferable, as that they cannot be delivered, in any words. I did see there diverse, with whom I was acquainted, whiles they here lived upon the earth. I did much pity those poor miserable souls. I demanded of my Conductours, what place this was, for I did imagine that it was Hell. They answered, that it was the place of Purgatory, reserved for such sinners, who had obtained true penitency of their sins before their death, but had not yet performed any actual satisfaction for their Crimes in their life time committed.  
After this, my Conductours brought me to behold the punishment of the damned in Hell, where also I did find certain persons known to me in their life tyme. After this I was conducted up to Paradise, even to the Throne of the divine Majesty, where I did behold our Lord wellcomming me. I rejoiced excessively thereat, as being then persuaded, that I should there remain with our Lord for all eternity. But he presently answered me, saying: Most welcome daughter, thou shalt with out all doubt finally stay with me, but here I put to thee an election, of which of these two things thou hadst rather make choice, to wit, whether thou hadst rather now stay with me for all eternity, or else to return unto the world and earth again, and there resuming thy former body to suffer pains, though without any danger to thy body, by which pains thou mayest free & set at liberty those souls, which thou beholding in Purgatory, didst commiserate & pity, that so by this means, men and women yet living upon the earth, through the example of thy penitent life, abstaining from commiting more facinorous Crymes, and performing in satisfaction of them, what they ought to do, may in the end (being enriched with store of merits and good deeds) be converted to me.  
Now I, without any pause or delay answered, that I had rather return to my body under the former condition proposed to me; and thereupon our Lord taking it well, that I shown myself so ready in the choice, commandeth my soul to be restored to its body. In the performance whereof it was wonderful to behold the incredible swiftness, and celerity of the blessed spirits. For even in that very hour, when it is said in the Sacrifice of the Mass, (which was then offered for me) Agnus Dei, O Lamb of God etc. my soul was placed before the divine Majesty, and at the third time of the saying of the foresaid words, Agnus, Dei; the Angels restored me to my body. And thus the matter standeth touching my departure out of this world, and my after return to life; since all this was done concerning my being restored to life, for the chastizing of men, and their amendment in manners and conversation.  
Therefore I would entreat all persons, that they would not be troubled, or affrighted with such things, as they shall see in me. The things do exceed man's understanding, which (God commanding) shallbe performed in me. Neither have such events at any time happened among mortal men.  
Thus much did she speak. And then the writer of her life adjoineth these words following, concerning her Cap. 6. Tum vero caepit illa exercere etc. Thtn she did begin to exercise and put in practise such severities, for the performance of which she was sent by our Lord: She did voluntarily enter into burning Ovens, & was tormented in those fires; so as through the straightness of the place and pains, she made a fearful & horrible noise; But after she came out of those places, there was not to be seen in her body any print, or mark of such her burnings.  
And then the foresaid Author thus further proceedeth in his discourse Cap. 7. Sub aquis Mosae fluminis hyberno tempore, cum rigerent omnia gelu etc. She very often & long stood in the waters of the river Mosa, in winter time, when it was congealed with frost, remaining there in such manner six days, and more.  
And then a little after the foresaid Author thus further saith, cap. 9 Interdum in aquis orans etc. She sometimes praying in the waters, was carried by them upon the wheel of a water mill, and so in most horrible manner was borne about with the wheel thereof, being notwithstanding perfect & unhurt in all the parts of her body.  
And the Author thus more writeth, ibid. Surgebat quandoque medijs noctibus, & totius Oppidi Trudonensis canes in se concitans etc. She often times rising about midnight, would stir up against her all the dogs of the town of S. Truyen, she running before them following her, like a swift Dear, through certain obscure places full of briars and thorns, in so much, as she was pricked & her skin torn in diverse places, as that no part of her body was free from wounds; and yet after her sheeding of much blood thereby, no prints, scars, or marks of any wounds or pricks were to be seen in her body. Thus far the foresaid Author.  
Now, that this his Narration of all set down, was most true, appeareth several ways; First, because, as I said above, he had jacobus Bishop and Cardinal of Vitriacum, (a most grave man) to bear witness thereof. Secondly, in that the author of this History did relate passages done in his own life time, and in the same Province, wherein himself lived, seeing he was Bishop, and suffragan to the Archbishop of Cambray. Thirdly, in that the matter and History itself even publicly (as it were) deposeth and averreth the truth hereof; to wit, that her body was so after conformed and strengthened by divine power, as that it should suffer pain by fire, and yet should not be dissolved; should receive wounds and sheed much blood, and yet no prints of those wounds should appear.  
In this sort this most blessed woman lived, not for the space of few days only, but during all the time of forty two years, after her return to life. And lastly; because by this course of her life she converted many to true penance and compunction of their sins, and after her death was glorious and eminent for miracles: therefore God by such examples above insisted upon, would stop the mouths of such incredulous persons, who are not afraid sometimes to demand, Who hath returned from Hell? who hath seen the torments either of Hell, or Purgatory?  
Behold here, we have two faithful Witnesses, a man and a woman, who have seen the most bitter and insufferable torments of Hell, and Purgatory; and therefore such men do wholly rest inexcusable, who do not bleeve these points: and yet those men are more inexcusable, who believing these & such like examples, do not withstanding neglect, and contemn them, forbearing to make satisfaction for their sins to God, in fasting, mourning, and bewailing the most poor state of their souls. But let us come to other heads above specified.  
The second Head was, the long and daily sufferance of the pains of Purgatory. I grant, that there is a writer (otherwise of a great name and worth) who did maintain, that not any soul remained tormented in Purgatory above twenty years, yea perhaps not above ten years; notwithstanding the use of the Catholic Church teacheth the contrary, which prescribeth Anniversary Sacrifices of the Holy mass to be offered up for souls de parted, not only for ten years, but even for a hundred years, and more.  
This point appeareth further from the vision, which we related above out of Venerable Bede, which showeth that many Souls are to remain to be tormented in Purgatory, even till the day of judgement And the same verity may receive its further warrant from the authority of Tertullian, a most ancient Author, who speaking of Purgatory under the name of Hell, thus writeth, l. de Anima cap. 17. In carcerem te mandet Infernum etc. Hell may send thee to that prison, from whence, until thy sins be expiated, thou shalt not departed, perhaps till the day of thy resurrection.  
But S. Cyprian Epist. 2. l. 4. discourseth of this point more perspicuously & plainly, thus saying: Aliud est pro peccatis longo tempore cruciatum purgari igne etc. It is one thing to be tormented with fire for ones sins, during a long time; and other thing, to have purged his sins through a man's own sufferance and severity of life. Which point receiveth its further proof from the vision of blessed Ludgardis, a most holy and eminent Virgin, whose life was written by Thomas Cantipratensis above mentioned, who had written the life of Christina Mirabilis. And because the matter is of Consequence, & concerneth much (by way of example) the Prelates of the Church, I will here set down the words of the Author himself, which are to be found in the second book of the life of holy Ludgardis (apud Surium tom 3. 16. junij.) The words are these.  
Hoc ferè tempore Dominus Innocentius Papa tertius etc. About this time Innocentius the third, being Pope, after the Council of Lateran was celebrated, departed this life, and did presently after appear visibly to Ludgardis. After she saw him compassed about on all sides with a great fire, she asked him, who he was. He answered, that he was Innocentius the Pope. But she replying with grief said, What, is the Common Father of us all, thus tormented for so long a time? He answered, I am in these flames for three causes. Which Crymes of mine had justly deserved, that I had been punished with eternity of torments; but that through the intercession of the most holy Mother of God, (to whom I did build & consecrate a Monastery) I had repentance of my said sins. And so it is, that I have escaped eternal damnation; Nevertheless I shallbe tormented with most cruel pains, even till the day of judgement. That I am permitted to appear to thee, thereby to entreat thee to procure prayers & suffrages to be said for me; this favour the mother of mercy obtained of her son in my behalf. And at the speaking of these least words, he instantly vanished away. Ludgardis did make known this his necessity to her sisters, that he might be helped with their prayers. But Ludgardis herself taking great commiseration of his poor state, did undergo wonderful austerities for his relief. Let the Reader take notice, that Ludgardis did acquaint us with those causes of this man's torments, which we for the reverence of so great a Pope, have thought good to conceal.  
Thus much the former Author, touching the vision of Ludgardis, which example hath often affected me with great fear and terror. For if so laudable a Pope, who in the eyes of men appeared not only good, but also holy, and worthy imitation, was in great danger of being eternally damned in Hell; yet in lieu thereof is to be punished with most insufferable flames, even until the day of judgement; what Prelate may not fear? Who ought not to search most narrowly, into every corner of his conscience? For I am persuaded that so great a Pope did not commit any mortal sins, except he committing them under the show of some good, was therein deceived by his flatterers, & such his Domestics, of whom it is said in the Gospel, Matth. 10. Inimici hominis domestici eius: A man's enemies shallbe they of his own househould. Therefore as being taught by this great example, let us all labour to make most diligent inquiry into our consciences, for fear they be not erroneous, though to ourselves they appear right and sincere.  
But let us return unto that point, from which we have digressed. It is not to be doubted, but that the pains of Purgatory may be extended to ten, twenty, a hundred, yea to a thousand years. But let us grant for the time, that those pains should endure but ten, or twenty years; who is able to endure most dreadful & inexplicable torments for the space of twenty years without any intermission or ease? Now, that those burnings are to be without any alleviation or rest, appeareth from the vision, which we have above related, out of Venerable Bede.  
Certainly, if a man were assured, that he should continue afflicted for the space of twenty years, without any intermission or relaxation, with the pain of the Gout, or of the stomach, or the Headache, or toothache, or of the Stone; & that he could not by reason of such his dolours, take any sleep or rest; no doubt such a man had rather make choice to dye, then to persever, and live in this miserable case. And if choice were given him, whether he would remain for twenty years without any respiration and ease in those foresaid pains, or would suffer loss of all his state and goods; Certainly he would with a most ready mind, seek to be deprived of all his temporal means, that so thereby, he might free himself from so continual & cruel pains: with how much more reason then, ought every wise man to make choice of undergoing of Penance, accompanied with its fruits, which fruits are, watching, Prayer, Fasting, Alms deeds, and especially tears, which are a sign of true Penance?  
Now if we add to the acerbity of these pains and the long continuance of them, this third Calamity; to wit, that the souls in Purgatory can in no sort help themselves, their infelicity & misery is much increased thereby. For here among men conversing on earth, there is hardly to be found any one so depressed in misery and calamity, but that either by flight, or by resistance, or by mediation of friends, or by appealing to another judge, or by humbly beseeching the mercy of the judge, or by some other means, he may free himself in some measure from the vexations, with which he is environed.  
But (alas) in Purgatory the Souls can do nothing, but only patiently suffer their punishment. True it is, that Holy Men living here on earth, may pray for the dead, may offer up alms, and other satisfactory works for the souls in Purgatory. But this privilege is not granted to the souls themselves being in Purgatory, except by a certain Privilege to some few, and this most rarely; to wit, to appear to living men, and to beseech aid and help by their charity. Therefore the state and condition of those souls are most miserable, who being in those torments, cannot beget any ease or help to themselves, or to the souls of their Father, Son, Brother, Mother, sister or wife▪ or of any other friend lying in Purgatory.  
But perhaps, It may be here suggested, that few are those Souls who come to Purgatory, and therefore the punishments there inflicted, are not much to be apprehended, but in a sort to be slighted, and smally regarded. But to this I answer, that the souls which lie cruciated & tormented in Purgatory, are innumerable; and so many, as that the number of them is sufficient to move and stir up mercy, though their torments were far more easy and light. This is evident, seeing we are instructed a little before from the history of Venerable Bede, that Drithelmus did see an infinite number of souls in Purgatory, as also from the life of Blessed Christina, that the place of Purgatory was a most vast & huge place, replenished, & filled with souls.  
Neither can it be otherwise, seeing nothing that is defiled, and contaminated, can enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but they only, are able to penetrate unto the sight of God, (which is a light, and in whom, there is not any darkness) and to that place of infinite purity who are truly holy and immaculate, & are members of that Church, in which there is not either macula, or ruga, spot, or wrinkle, Ephes. 5. Now, who these men are, are most rare and most few; and therefore it followeth, that all others, who belong to the number of the Elect, are to pass through the torments and pains of Purgatory.  
Now, from all the former passages of this discourse, it may necessarily be gathered, that the Dove hath just cause daily to lament and mourn for so many members of hers, which with an infinite desire thirst after their heavenly Country; and yet are in the mean time detained from thence by intolerable flames of fire, and are cruciated & afflicted with most bitter & inexplicable pains.  
Thus far doth the Godly Cardinal Bellarmyne discourse of these former four Heads, touching the Nature of Purgatory Which discourse (in regard both of his Learning & Sanctity) ought to sway and prevail much with all such good & pious English Catholics, who are solicitous, and careful of their own souls good. Now the Author of this Treatise will conclude this first Section, by adjoining a Reason drawn from School Divinity, which demonstrateth that the pains of Purgatory are far more atrocious and intolerable, than any pains or torments of this life can be. It is this.  
Three things do concur as well to grief or pain, as to joy. To wit; Potentia, Obiectum, & Coniunctio unius cum altero (as S. Tho. p. 2. q. 31. ar. 5. saith:) An intelligent, or at least a sentient Power, or Faculty; a convenient Object to that Power; and an Union or Conjunction of the Object with the Power. Now as concerning the Power, doubtlessly Potentia rationalis, a Rational Power or Faculty, is more capable of pain or grief, then Potentia animalis, a sensible Faculty, or Function; For if we respect Apprehension, or knowing, the Understanding in a Rational soul, is (as it were) a main Fountain; the Sense but a small River. So far as concerneth the Appetite or Desire, the will of a Rational Soul is a main Fountain also; The Appetite, (being inferior to it) is but like a small River. Seeing therefore the naked soul itself, is immediately tormented, the grief thereof aught to be the greatest, in respect of the Patient; for here in this life not so much the soul, as the body is tormented; & by reason of the pains of the body, some grief and dolour passeth into the soul.  
Now concerning the Object; The fire of Purgatory must be far more violent, horrible, & intense, than the fire in this world is; seeing that fire is created, and instituted, as an instrument of God's justice, who would show his power in the creation of it.  
Lastly, touching the Conjunction of the Power with the Object; the Conjunction of the Soul with the fire in Purgatory shall be most straight and (as it were) intrinsical. For here in this world, where all things are corporal and bodily, there is no Conjunction made, but only by the touch of the Extremities, or utmost parts of the bodies, and the Superficies of things; whereas in Purgatory, the torments and fire thereof, shall penetrate most inwardly the very soul itself. Thus fare, touching this first Section.    

Of the means to avoid, at least to mitigate, the pains of Purgatory. SECT. II.  
Having in the precedent Section, shown out of the judgement of the most learned Cardinal Bellarmyne, the atrocity of the pains of Purgatory, and some other Circumstances accompanying the said pains; in this next place it is convenient to set down the means, through force whereof the said pains may receive some alleviation and mitigation: I imitating herein the Physician, who first inquireth into the disease, & after prescribeth Medicines, for the curing of the same.  
These means (according to the Doctrine of the Catholic Church) are these following: To wit, the most holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Prayer, & Almsdeeds, or good works; according to those words of S. Austin (serm. 32. deverb. Apost.) Orationibus sanctae Ecclesiae, & sacrificio salutari, & Eleemosynis non est dubium mortuos adiwari; It is not to be doubted, but that the Souls of the dead are helped by prayers of the holy Church, by the healthful Sacrifice, and by Alms deeds.  
With whom accordeth S. Chrysostome (Hom. 41. in 1. ad Cor.) saying; Iwatur mortuus non lachrymis, sed precibus, supplicationibus, Eleemosynis. A dead man is helped, not with tears, but with prayers, supplications, and Almsdeeds.  
With which two former Fathers, Venerable Bede (to omit many other to avoid prolixity) doth conspire in these words. (l. 5. hist. c. 13.) Multos, preces viventium, & Eleemosynae etc. The prayers of the living, Alms-deeds, Fasting, and principally the Celebration of the Mass do help many who are dead, that they may be freed from their torments, before the day of judgement.  
But of these three several kinds of Suffrages for relief of the souls in Purgatory, I will chief insist in showing the force and efficacy of good works, or Almsdeeds. In the explication of which point I will first rest in the Authority of the Sacred Scriptures; Secondly in the judgement of the ancient Fathers. And First, touching the sacred Scriptures, I will allege diverse passages thereof, which although they prove immediately the great virtue of Good works, and Almsdeeds, for the gaining of the Kingdom of God, and remitting of the punishment of eternal Damnation; yet (as the Logicians phrase is,) à fortiori, they much more prove, that the Temporary punishments of Purgatory, may be taken away, and (as it were) bought out by the price of them.  
Now, to begin with the testimonies of Gods Holy writ, we first read thus therein: Eleemosyna ab omni peccato & à morte liberat, & non patitur animam ire in tenebras. Tob. 4. Almsdeeds free a man from sin and death, and suffer not the soul to descend into darkness. And in another place we read: Sicut aqua extinguit ignem, ita Eleemosyna extinguit peccatum. Eccl. 3 As water doth extinguish the fire, so do Almsdeeds extinguish sin. Yea Alms deeds, and Good works are so powerful, as that our Saviour after he had charged the Pharisyes with diverse great sins, yet thus concludeth, Luc. 11. Verumtamen date Eleemosynas, & ecce omnia munda sunt vobis; but notwithstanding, do you give Alms, and behold all things are clean unto you.  
And which is more, God's holy word extendeth the virtue of Almsdeeds even to the gentils and Heathens, for thus we find it said to Nabuchodonosor, who was a Pagan: Hear my Counsel (O King) and redeem thy sins with Alms, and thy Iniquities with works of Mercy. Dan 4.  
Now, if Good works of Charity, and Almsdeeds, performed even by Heathens and wicked livers, be so much respected by God; much more then, Good works of Christians and good livers, are accepted of God, not only for the preventing the pains of eternal damnation, but also (which is less) of the temporal pains of Purgatory.  
To come to the ancient Fathers: S. Cyprian calleth Eleemosyna, Solatium grande credentium, securitatis nostrae salutare praesidium: Almsdeeds a great solace of the faithful, a healthful safeguard of our security. Again the said Father, serm. de Eleemos. Sicut lavacro aquae salutaris Gehennae ignis extinguitur, ita Eleemosynis & precibus nostris delictorum flamma sopitur; As the fire of Hell is extinguished through our washing in that healthful water (meaning at the time of our Baptism) so the flame of our sins, is abated by our good works.  
To whose judgement S. Ambrose alludeth in these words. serm. 31. Eleemosyna quodammodo animarum aliud est lavacrum etc. Lavacrum semel datur, & semel veniam pollicetur; Eleemosynam autem quoties feceris, toties veniam promereris. Almsdeeds is a certain kind of Baptism etc. But Baptism (meaning the Sacrament of Baptism) is but once administered, and but once it promiseth forgiveness of sins; But as often, as thou shalt do some act of Almsdeeds, so often dost thou procure forgiveness of sins.  
S. Chrysostome thus averreth, Hom. 25. in act. Apost. Non est peccatum, quod non possit purgare Eleemosyna. There is no sin so great which Almsdeed cannot purge, and take away. And more: Omne peccatum infra illam stat: All sin is under Alms deeds; meaning that Almsdeeds, and Good Works can extinguish the greatest sin.  
To conclude, S. Leo thus writeth of this point, serm. 5. de Collectis: Eleemosynae peccata delent, mortem perimunt, & poenam perpetui ignis extingunt. Almsdeeds do blot out sin, destroy death, and extinguish the pain of perpetual fire.  
Thus we see, what wonderful efficacy and virtue both the Holy Scriptures, and the Ancient Father ascribe & attribute to works of Charity and Almsdeeds; from whence we may infallibly conclude; that since such goodworks are of force to extinguish the eternity of Hell fire, much more the temporary flames of Purgatory.  
Hear now I hold it expedient to answer two Objections, which such men who are in slavery to their riches, not having the magnanimity and resolution to part with their silver to any good and charitable uses, either for their own souls good, or for the benefit of others that are needful, are accustomed to insist upon. The first is, (say such men) My goods are my own, therefore I am not obliged to give any part of them, but to what end myself best pleaseth. Their second argument and more potent is, I have wife and children, I am bound by the Law of God to provide for them, and after my provision for them, I shall have nothing remaining to bestow upon good and charitable uses.  
To the first of these two Objections I answer; First, if we should dream for the time that a man's temporal goods were absolutely at his own disposal, & that therefore it were in his power, whether he would give any part thereof to good uses or no: to this I first say, that admitting for the present, that a man had sole dominion over his own goods, and might dispose of them, as best pleaseth himself; yet certain it is from the former authorities, both sacred and humane, that, that man who is so wholly drowned in his temporal state, as that he cannot endure to part with some reasonable share of them to pious uses, shall hardly enjoy Heaven (for without Charity a man cannot be saved) much less, shall he never escape the pains of Purgatory.  
Secondly, I affirm, that it is a false ground to maintain, that a man is so sole a Proprietary of the goods he possesseth, as that he may, as his own passion and appetite carrieth him, dispose of them without giving any part thereof to needful and charitable uses. And that this is most true, I produce in proof thereof the Authorities and words of these Reverend Fathers following.  
To begin with S. Bernard, who thus speaketh to rich Men, in the person of the poor (in Ep. ad Episc. Senonensem) Nostrum est pauperes clamant etc. The poor cry out, It is ours, which you wastefully spend; That is taken from us most cruelly, which you (rich men) waste vainly.  
S. Gregory writeth in this sort (in 3. parte Pastor curae admonit. 22.) Admonendi sunt etc. Men are to be admonished, and instructed, that the earth, of which we all are, is common to all men; and that therefore it affoardeth nourishment to all men: in regard whereof they but in vain and without cause repute themselves to be innocent herein, who peculiarly challenge to themselves, the common gift and liberality of God.  
S. Austin (Tract. in Psal. 147.) Superflua diviti, necessaria sunt pauperi; res alienae possidentur, cùm superflua possidentur. Those goods, which are but superfluous to every rich man, necessarily belong to the poor; Another man's substance is possessed, when superfluous riches are possessed.  
S. Chrysostome (Hom. 34. ad populum Antioch.) Non ad hoc accepisti etc. Thou hast not received thy riches, to consume them in wasteful expenses, but that thou shouldst bestow much of them in Almsdeeds. And again in the same place: Tuarum rerum etc. O man, thou art but a dispenser or steward of thy own substance; no otherwise, than he, who dispenseth and distributeth the goods of the Church.  
S Jerome (vide Gratian. dist. 42. Can Hospitale:) Aliena rapere convincitur, qui ultra sibi necessaria retinere probatur? He is convinced to take even by violence, those riches which belong to others, who is justly accused to retain to himself more, then is necessary to his state.  
S. Basill (in orat. in illud, Destruam horrea mea:) At tu nun spoliator es, qui quae dispensanda accepisti, propria reputas? Art not thou even a Robber, who takest those things & that substance for thy own, which thou hast received to distribute to others? The bread which thou hast in thy house, belongeth to the Hungry man, the Coat to the Naked man etc. Quocirca tot pauperibus iniuriam facis, quot dare valeres: Wherefore, thou dost injure so many poor men, how many thou art able to relieve.  
For greater brevity I will conclude with S. Ambrose, serm. 81. Sed ais, quid iniustum est, si cùm aliena non invadam, propria diligenter seruem? O impudens dictum! Propria dicis? Quae? And then after: Non minus est criminis, quàm habenti tollere, cùm possis & abundes, indigentibus denegare. But thou wilt say? What injustice is it in me, if so I do not invade other men's substance, but reserve my own proper riches only to myself? O impudent and shameless saying! Callest thou them thy proper riches? Which be they? It is no less a crime, to deny to give to the poor, when thou art able to give, and dost abound; then to take riches from those, who already do enjoy them. Thus far touching the Father's judgement in this point, wherewith to shut up the mouths of worldly and covetous men.  
Now, for the better understanding of the former Authorities, we are to conceive, that those who possess riches, be indeed true Lords over them, if so they be justly obtained and gotten: if the Comparison be here made in respect of other men; yet with reference to God, they are not to be accounted Lords, or absolute Proprietaries, but only dispensers of them. For God created all things, and ordained, that some men are rich, others poor; yet not in that sort, as some should be so rich, as that they shall abound with all superfluities; and others want necessaries, without having relief from those who are wealthy. The reason hereof being, in that God being the Father of all men indifferently, did create the world and all things therein, for the Common profit of all men; and therefore who retain superfluous riches to themselves, without distributing part of them to good and pious uses, do contrary to the will of God therein, and consequently do sin.  
Now, to come to that other excuse, that men are obliged to provide for Children, and that therefore they have nothing to spare for any good uses, thereby to redeem themselves from the future fire of Purgatory. And in thus Apologizing for themselves, they can readily allege that place of Scripture, 1. Tim. 5. Si quis suorum, & maximè domesticorum curam non habet, fidem negavit, & est infideli deterior; If any man hath not care of his own, and especially of those of his household, he denyeth his faith, and is worse than an Infidel.  
To this poor reason, shadowed under the veil of natural affection, and Paternal care, I thus answer. I do not disallow a moderate care to be taken for the provision of Children; for he were an inhuman monster who should neglect the same. But this is it I say, to wit, for a man to be on the one side so wholly absorbed & drunk in a thirsty pursuit of temporal riches, for a superfluous advancement of his own children; and on the other side, to be wholly negligent, careless, & incurious for the preventing of the horrible flames of Purgatory.  
This I say, is that, which may well be styled an insensible Lethargy in men. The Extremities I altogether dislike, the Mean I embrace. And according to this (O Catholics) your over great solicitude in these matters, diverse of you will make superfluous provision and charges in erecting a second House for a younger Son, and the like; because they are near to you, as being Proseminated from your own loins; But your own poor souls in the mean time you wholly forget, as if they were but strangers to you, or (as the Phrase is) but of the half blood: such cecity & blindness in men is greatly to be pitied.  
Be not unnatural to yourselves, in being natural to your Children. Let your own Souls (which are more near to you, than any Children) have at least a Child's Portion. When you look upon your children, look upon them, not with an eye of an over-indulgent, but of a Christian Father: And then may each of you say to yourselves in an inward reflex of your judgement: I love you all dear, with a Paternal love, but I love my own soul, more dear. I will provide for your temporal means in fitting manner, and according to my degree. But shall my over much care of your temporal advancement impoverish my soul? O, God forbidden!  
What pleasure will it be to my poor soul, lying burning in the most dreadful flames of Purgatory, for bestowing of that superfluity of means, which being otherwise bestowed for the good of my soul, might have redeemed me from those flames? Will yourselves think intensely, of my such calamitous state, incurred by my over great love towards you? and accordingly will you work means, by prayers, suffrages, and Almsdeeds in my behalf, for the lessening of those my torments? O, I fear you will not. And this I may probably gather, from the careless negligence in this point of many children towards other parents being now dead. And how can I promise to myself more from you, than we see by experience, other dead Parents have received from their living children? Let this be your speech in the secret Closet of your hearts, concerning your children.  
There is no Parent so kind, who would be content to suffer daily torments and rackings, to redeem his son from the like torments, to which by commiting some flagitious Crime he stands subject & obnoxious. Is not then that Parent (I will not say half distracted, but) of most weak judgement, who shall labour, and covet certainly to undergo most horrible torments (and incomparably far greater, than this world can afford) and this not for freeing his son from any pains at all; but only that his children may live in a more lautious, opulent, & full manner, than otherwise they should, though competent, and sufficient means would notwithstanding be left unto them?  
For is it not infinitely far better for the Parent, to leave his children, in fitting degree and quality, furnished with temporal means, and withal himself, by distributing a good part of his state in his life time to spiritual ends, wholly to prevent, or at least partly to diminish the pains of Purgatory; then to leave his issue in greater affluency and abundance of worldly riches, and himself to continue many years in that insufferable conflagration of fire; the grievousness whereof truly to conceive passeth our conceit? O, Ante faciem frigoris eius quis sustinebit? Psal. 147.  
Thus far I have thought good to draw out, and enlarge this Section, in stirring the mould about the root of this ordinary pretence, & excuse of Parents providing for their Children; by reason that most Parents (to the great prejudice of their own Souls) do shadow their want of Christian Charity to others under this pretext; and thereby they make their own Children to become Enemies to themselves: and so it falleth out to be most true, as is above alleged by the foresaid illustrious Cardinal: Inimici hominis, Domestici eius. Matth. 20.  
Yet before I conclude this Section, I only say; although according to the judgement of the Philosophers; No man knows, what kind of love that is which Parents bear to their children, but he that hath children; notwithstanding before I would endure an infinity of torments for their greater and more full advancement, I would in part lessen my temporal State, for the good of my own Soul: for though Children be most near to their Parents, yet that sentence is most true: Tu tibi Primus, & Ultimus.   

A Persuasory Discourse for the putting in practice the means (which are good Works) for the avoiding of the pains of Purgatory. SECT. III.  
IN the two former Passages are laid open, First the Horrid atrocity of the pains of Purgatory; Secondly, the means how to prevent, at least to lessen & mitigate them: It now followeth, that I spend some leaves in a paraenetical (as I may term it) or Persuasory discourse, thereby to invite Catholics too put in practise the said means, which are conducing for the preventing of those temporary direful flames. And whereas these my speeches are directed chief to such of you Catholics, which are most slothful and sluggish in the prosecution of the same means, I mean, in the performance of Good Works. Therefore I must here entreat you, to pardon my rudeness of style, since it best sorteth to point forth (for words are the Images of things) your most deplorable state herein. Dangerous wounds (you know) must have deep incisions; And matter of Tragedy (for I account yours to be such) is to be delivered in mournful Accents. Never ought we in this case to forbear the touching of the member affected with a hard hand. O no. The Apostle indoctrinateth us otherwise, in those his fervorous and fiery words, 2. Tim. 4. Praedica, Insta, oportunè, importunè, argue, obsecra, increpa etc. To such Catholics, which are fervorous in the performance of good and pious Actions, this my speech doth not extend.  
But here now I hold it convenient to marshal and range such men into several kinds, to which men this my Admonition belongeth. The first kind of these are such, as are yet Schismatics in the present course of their life, and other Catholics, who heretofore perhaps have lived for many years in a Schismatical state. Touching the first kind of actual Schismatics; admitting, that before their death, they become truly penitent of their former continuance in Schism; for otherwise their souls are infallibly to descend to Hell, not to Purgatory.  
But admitting (I say) the best; to wit, that they do dye in true repentance of their former sin, which only must proceed from the boundless Ocean of God's mercy; Yet, what inevitable Torments, and for how many years, do expect them in Purgatory, if otherwise they seek not to deliver themselves thereof, in their own life time by good works? This point will best appear by discovering in part the atrocity of Schism, and a Schismatical life. For the better explaining whereof I will insist in the Authorities of the Holy Scripture, & the most ancient Fathers.  
And to begin with God's word, we thus read, Galat. 5. The works of the flesh are adultery, fornication, & Sects: (meaning thereby Schisms) They which shall do such things, shall not inherit the kingdom of God. And in respect of the state of Schism, the Church of God, is styled in sacred Writ: One sheepfould (joan. 10.) One body (Rom. 12.) One Spouse, (Cant. 6.) and one Dove. But now Schism, as coming of the Greek verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, scindo, devideth that which is one, into parts: Therefore as a member cut of from the whole body, ceaseth to be a part of the said body; so a Schismatic by open profession of an Erroneous Religion, impugned by the Church of Christ, ceaseth thereby to be a member of the Church of Christ.  
To descend to the Fathers; Mark how they pencil out a Schismatic, or Schism: I will urge but two or three for brevity. S. Austin then thus writeth (l. de fide & Symb. c. 20.) schismatics though they believe the same points, which we believe; yet through their dissension they do not keep fraternal charity; therefore we conclude, that a Schismatic belongeth not to the Catholic Church, because he loveth not his neighbour. Thus S. Austin. Fulgentius thus teacheth, (l. de fide ad Petrum c. 38. & 39) Firmissimè tene etc. Believe for certain, and doubt not, that not only Pagans, but also jews, Heretics, & Schismatics, who die out of the Catholic Church, are to go to everlasting fire. To conclude, S. Cyprian thus averreth (l. 4 Epist. 9 ad Florent.) Qui cum Episcopo non sunt, in Ecclesia non sunt: who agree not with the Bishop (meaning the supreme Bishop & Pastor of the Church) are not in God's Church.  
Thus we see, what is the judgement both of Holy Scripture and of the ancient Fathers, passed upon the most dangerous state of schismatics. From whence we may infallibly conclude, that supposing the best, I mean, that Schismatiks do finally repent & dye in state of Grace, which is most doubtful, considering their long inveterate Schismatical lives; yet what imminent temporal torments (even hanging over their heads) are ready to rush upon them, instantly upon the separation of the soul from the body, and to seize upon their souls, for the satisfying of God's justice? But seeing the state of Schismatics is so desperate & dangerous, I am to be pardoned, if I sharpen my pen more peculiarly against the Schismatics of our own Country.  
Hear then, you Schismatics of England, who for saving your temporal goods, will endanger the loss of all eternal good; How much do you dishonour (yea vilify God) by persevering in your Schismatical state? Assure yourselves (You Schismatics) that it is not in your power to command at your pleasure, over Time & Repentance. God calleth every one, but how often he will call, no man knoweth; and be you afraid of that fearful Sentence of his Divine Majesty: My People would not hear my voice, and Israel would none of me; So I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts. Psal 81. O most dreadful Relegation!  
But admit, God will give you time to repent; yet the strength of your Arms is to weak to bend that Virgam ferream of God's justice, by the which he punisheth with eternal damnation final Irrepentance, and chastizeth sin (if so all such points be not with good works cleared afore in this world) with temporary (but most insupportable) pains of Purgatory.  
But yet to make you to cast a more feeling and intense Introversion upon your own most deplorable states; Suppose a Native Subject should through some temporal respect and end, bear himself most traitourously towards his King, daily perpetrating some Act of disloyalty, and ever banding himself openly with other his professed Enemies: how could this Man in reason think, that his submission could ever be sufficient for his after reconciling to his Sovereign, and obtaining Grace and favour, & future advancement to honour & Dignity? especially if the King were of that severe disposition, as that he was ever accustomed to punish (though often in a lower degree than the offence deserved) each act of Disloyalty and Disobedience committed against him?  
And is not the state of a Schismatic far more desperate and dangerous? This man committeth spiritual Treason against the Divine Majesty, by his daily communicating in Prayers and rites, with the Preaching Members of an erroneous Church, God's designed Adversaries: How then can he expect, with his so much gauled Conscience, to arrive to Heaven without extraordinary acts of Mercy to the poor, and other works of Piety in this world, or of suffering most exquisite and inutterable torments in Purgatory? Considering God is just, and severely chastizeth every sin, committed against him; Behold (saith he by his Prophet Isay) I will be revenged upon my Enemies, & will comfort myself in their destruction, Isa. 1. And again: God shall rain snares of fire upon sinners; Brimstone, with tempestuous winds, shallbe the portion of their Cup. Psal. 11.  
Poor wretch (I mean poor Schismatic) how wilt thou be able to suffer these insufferable pains, and this for many years at the best; that is, if finally thou die in true Repentance of thy former Schismatical Course, who with such anxiety, toil, & impatience art accustomed to endure the pain of the toothache, or other torment in this world? And is the Schismatic so sensible of a little pain in this life, & yet hopes he shall not be sensible of infinitely greater pains in the life to come?  
Therefore now in time raise yourselves out of this spiritual Lethargy, & awake; since the longer you continue in this your desperate state, you do but all that time (admitting you finally die repentantly) even heap fuel together for the nourishing of your flames in Purgatory. Remember the Wiseman's saying, Eccles. 10. Languor prolixior gravat Medicum. You cannot but know, that during your state in Schism, you are wholly deprived of God's Grace, by which we make claim to Heaven; (Gratia Dei, vita aeterna. Rom. 6.) since you wilfully deprive yours selves of the benefit of the Sacraments of God's Church; which Sacraments our Saviour hath instituted in his Church, as the ordinary means, or Conduits, for the deriving of God's grace into man's soul.  
Well, I will close this point of Schismatics with this one asseveration: To wit, that a poor Motley fool (be you not offended, for I speak the truth) to whom God hath afforded only the use of his five Senses, is in far more happy state, than you Schismatics are. This man (though most despicable in the eye of the world) as through want of the use of Reason, cannot merit; so he cannot demerit: You through your abuse of Reason, do not only, not merit; but in lieu thereof you increase the heap of your sins, through a daily coaceruation of your Schismatical Transgressions. This man is infallibly freed from the pains of Purgatory, much more of Hell: You are assured to suffer the pains of Purgatory at least, God grant (through your final irrepentance) not the pains of Hell.  
Briefly this man through the benefit of his Baptism, hath his Original sin canceled; & as for Actual sin, he stands not obnoxious thereto: You are indeed freed by your ablution in that sacred Font, from original sin; but than you repeal the worth & Dignity thereof, by your actual perpetrating of mortal sin. I speak in the sight of God, I had rather be one of these poor-rich fools, so to call them, (for he is rich, who is assured of his inheritance of Heaven) then to be the greatest, and most wealthy Schismatic in England; being resolved to continue year after year, in this his most wicked course of Schism; Quid proderit homini, si universum mundum lucretur, anima vero suae detrimentum patiatur? what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own Soul? Matth. 16.  
Well, in this next place to touch a little upon such, who are at this present actually catholics, yet have persevered many years in a Schismatical state, before they were incorporated into the Catholic Church; what satisfaction and deeds of extraordinary Mercy to others are they bound to perform, to peevent the pains of Purgatory, or else to endure them for many years? This partly appeareth, from the ugly state (so to call it) of a Schismatic, above in part described. And if he will not perform such abstersive Acts of penance in his own life time, by contributing, showing pity, and relieving of others; let him take heed, he fall not upon that dreadful sentence of the Apostle, jac. 2. judicium sine misericordia ei, qui non fecerit misericordiam. judgement without mercy is to fall to him, who will not practise mercy.  
Alas! Are you not men? Must you not once dye (and how soon God knoweth:) And are you not then to render a most strict account for your forepassed lyfetime, even to him, of whom it is said for his most exquisite and narrow search into our sins, Scrutabor jerusalem in lucernis. Sophon. 1. I will search the sins of jerusalem with a Candle. And will you then be so negligent, and careless, in preventing that dreadful time? Since God is no accepter of Persons, neither will Riches, Worldly pomp, nor any other such glorious miseries help a soul ready to departed out of its body, for the delivering it from Purgatory, except great Almsdeeds (besides other penitential works) be performed in the life tyme.  
Well then, my poor, and dear Catholic, who for many years, through thy wicked dissimulation in matters of Religion, hast most highly offended God; Imagine thyself, that at this very instant, thou wert lying upon thy death bed: (that bed, I say, which the Prophet calleth, Lectum doloris, (Psal. 40) the bed of grief,) worn away with pain and sickness, & not expecting to escape, but looking every minute for thy last dissolution; How would thy judgement be altered? and wouldst thou not thus (in all likelihood) reason and dispute with thy own Soul? True it is, I thank God, of his most infinite and boundless Mercy, that as a straying sheep, I am at length brought into Christ's sheep-fold, and I hope to dye (through the benefit of our Saviour's passion, and of the holy Sacraments) his servant, and in state of Grace, and finally to enjoy the interminable joys of Heaven. But alas, though the guilt of Eternal damnation (incurred by my long former Schismatical life, & by my many other infinite sins) as I hope, through God's infinite mercy, be remitted; yet temporal punishment due for all my former said sins, in most inexplicable torments of Purgatory doth expect me.  
My poor Soul must continue in those burning Flames (how many years, his divine Majesty only knoweth) for the expiating of my said sins, before I can arrive to Heaven. When I was in health, enjoying my temporal state in all fullness, how easily with a voluntary relinquishing of a reasonable part thereof to pious and religious uses, could I have avoided (at least mitigated) these now imminent and unavoidable torments? Good god! where then were my Wits? The very ploughman provides for the time of Winter; yea the Ant (to the which we are sent by God's word (Prou. 6.) to be instructed) hoards grains of Corn for his after sustenance; And have I so negligently carried myself, as to lay up beforehand no provision, against this tempestuous and rugged future storm? O beast, that I was! Sweet jesus, how far distant were my former course of life and daily actions from ever thinking of this unavoidable danger? I have lived many years in fullness of state: I have been labouring in laying out good sums of Silver, to heap land to land for my Children to inherit. I have lived (perhaps) in a most profuse or wasteful manner; I have spent to much, to gain the deceitful favour of the world, in sumptuous apparel, exceeding my state, in keeping an over wasteful house, and in over great & unnecessary Attendance about me. By means of some, or all of these extravagant Courses, I have spent much; And yet not once did I ever think to bestow the twentith part of these superfluous charges to pious uses, for the preventing of those flames, which within few days (perhaps few hours) my poor soul must suffer.  
O wretch that I am, that have thus senselessly so neglected this fearful day! Here now my former pleasures, and jollity are come to their last end and period. God's justice must, and will be satisfied; since nothing defiled and contaminated (except all the rust thereof be afore filed away) can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Whither then now, being encompassed on each side with such thorns of danger, & anxiety, shall I turn myself? To the world, and my former pleasures thereof? O God, the remembrance of them is most nauseous, and distasteful to me; since the fruition of them is a great cause of my future pains. To my former greatness and fullness of my temporal state? O, that I had been so happy, as to have made true benefit in time, of that Mammon of Iniquity, my wasteful spending whereof must give fuel to that fire! And we are taught, that, Divitiae non proderunt in die ultimo. Prou. 11. To my Friends, Kyndred, & former familiar acquaintance, which I shall leave behind me in the World? Woe is me, they are as wholly negligent of their own soul's danger, concerning this point, as myself have been. How then can I expect them to be solicitous & careful of mine?  
To thee then alone (most merciful and heavenly Father) who art Pater misericordiarum, (2. Cor. 1.) and who dost crown us in misericordia & miserationibus (Psal. 102.) I do fly. Who tookest mercy of the Woman of Canaan, of Mary Magdalen, of the Publican, and of the thief hanging upon the Cross. Between the arms of thy ineffable Compassion I cast myself. Lessen, (o Lessen) for thy own honour's sake, and the bitter passion of thy most Dear Son, my Saviour jesus Christ, these temporal pains, which now want for me. Let my present Compunction and Contrition of all my former sins (through thy mercy, & Sons precious death) arrive to that ascent and height, as that my Saviour may say to me with the good thief; to day thou shalt be with me in Paradise. So shall thy Mercy thereby overbalance thy justice; For to speak in the Church's Dialect; Plus potes dimittere, quàm ego committere: and it is my Comfort, that I read in holy Writ; Suaviss est Dominus universis, & miserationes eius super omnia opera eius, (Psal. 144.) Our Lord is sweet to all, and his mercy is above all his Works.  
O that I had been so happy, as to have followed the wholesome advice, given to me by way of Presage in a little Treatise, entitled, An Antidote against Purgatory: I than did read it, but with a certain curiosity, as thinking it nothing to belong to me. But (alas) I now find it to be a true Sibyl, or Prophet of my future Calamitous state.  
Well then, seeing my own hourglass is almost run out, let me turn my speech to you (Dear Catholics) in my health my chiefest Familiars; & with whom I did most consociate in my former pleasures. There is no difference between you and me, but the time present, and the time to come. You all must once be forced to this bed of sorrow, and be brought to your last Sickness. To you then, and to all others, who are negligent in providing against this Day, I do direct this my charitable Admonition. You are yet in health, & perhaps as improvident in laying up spiritual riches against this fearful day, as myself have been. O change your Course, whiles there is tyme. Let my present state preach to you, & suffer these my last dying words to give life to your future Actions; since they preach feelingly whose Pulpit is their deathbed. Be not in the number of those senseless creatures, who are buried so deep in earth, as that they have no taste or feeling of things to come; Nolunt intelligere, ut benè agant. (Psal. 35.)  
Do now therefore (Dear Friends) do now, what you can. Now while you have time, heap up together, that spiritual Wealth, which will buy out all ensuing pains; and turn the Current of your former superfluous Charges, into the fair stream of pious works, that so it may afford you water, for the quenchinge of those raging Flames. Consider how you shall be convented before the severe judge, from whom nothing can be hidden, of whom the Prophet saith: Tu cognovisti omnia, novissima & antiqua. (Psal. 138.) He is not appeased with gifts, nor admtiteth excuses, who out of his boundless mercy remitteth to us (upon our true repentance) the pains of eternal damnation; but yet chastizeth us with temporal punishment to satisfy his justice: misericordia & veritas obuiaverunt sibi, iustitia & pax osculati sunt. Psal. 81. Therefore now begin to spread yourselves in works of Piety. Lessen your temporal Pomp, descend in outward comportment under your selves, and let your sparing charges by this means saved, serve to redeem you from those horrid flames, which are hereafter to invade you.  
To these, and the like disconsolate and Tragical lamentations in the inward reflex of thy foul (my dear Catholic) shalt thou in thy last Sickness be driven, if thou seek not to prevent the danger in tyme. Therefore Remember, that he is truly Wise, who laboureth to be such in his health, as he wisheth to be found in God's sight, at the hour of his Death.  
But now to come to you other Catholics, who though you ever lived within the bosom of the Catholic Church; yet the state of many of you is otherwise most deplorable, who though you dye in state of grace (though many hundred Catholics, through their own vicious lives and final irrepentance do not) yet your Case (with reference to the torments of Purgatory) is lamentable. Most of you are wholly heedless & negligent in seeking by your good Works, and Almsdeeds to avoid Purgatory. How many of you, whose means are great, might without any stay after your Death, even post to Heaven by your Religious dispensing of a good part thereof; whereas others, through want of temporal means so to be distributed, must stay long in Purgatory? O, that Man should be so treacherous to his own Soul!  
It is daily observed (even with grief to all Zealous Catholics) that many of you are ready to lay out great sums of silver for the increasing of your temporal states; That others of you, who are devoted to the contentments and pleasures of this World, to dissipate a great part of your living in fruitless charges: Some in gallantry of apparel, others at Dice, in Running-Horses, in keeping wasteful Christmasses; yourselves & your Company feeding most lautiously upon all variety of curious meats & wines, whiles in the mean time your poor souls perhaps remain, even hunger-starved (as I may say) for want of spiritual nourishment. In all which courses it is be feared, that many, even mortal sins, are by you committed, of the which, though you after have purged yourselves by the holy Sacrament of Confession, yet what reckonings are there remaining touching the temporal punishments attending such your sins? which either in this world must be taken away by great satisfaction performed by you, or else all such rust must be purged and burned away in the Horrible Flames of Purgatory.  
Therefore it is not a simple Imprudency; It is not a weakness of the understanding; It is not a bare mistaking of the judgement: But it is mere Lunacy & Madness in you, thus to advance temporal respects either of gain or pleasure, before the preventing of those insufferable torments. And if any of you, who are of great states, do leave a hundred pounds at your deaths to be prayed for, O, you think, you have made a large and ample satisfaction for all your sins, and that after those Prayers are performed, you are sure instantly to go to Heaven. A self flattering, and credulous conceit! Think of the custom of the Venerable Bishops of the ancient Church, who were used to tie a sinner to perform penance seven years, for the committing but of one mortal sin: How much different was their judgement, from your judgement herein?  
Again, what small a proportion hath this so niggard an Almsdeeds of yours, with that of the man restored to life, and recorded by Venerable Bede, who gave the third part of his goods to the poor, the rest to his wife and Children; of whom Cardinal Bellarmyne did above speak in the first section of this book? Or how stands your Charity to good uses with reference to Zachaeus, spoken of in the Gospel, Luc. 19 who after he had seen Christ, gave instantly the half of his state to the poor. Truly I speak in all sincerity; I knew two Gentlemen in England, who were but esquires, (though of good states) and yet at the time of their deaths (besides many other most good and holy works done by them in their life time) the one of them did leave to good uses fifteen hundred pounds, and the other a thousand Marks. Therefore let such Catholics, who are careful of their Soules-good, be virtuously emulous of such men's devotion and charity; and let them remember, that saying of S. Chysostome (serm. 37. ad pop. Antioch.) Non dare, sed copiosè dare, Eleemosyna est. But to proceed.  
If any of you, upon your just Demerits, were to be racked for diverse months together; or if any of you were in the highest degree afflicted with some Corporal pain; what would you not give (if it were in your power) to redeem your selves from these torments? And yet the first of these pains might endure through the Clemency of the Prince, but few months (perhaps but few days) the other could not endure many years, through the extremity of the pain (for nullum violentum est perpetuum:) And will you then be so leaden, stupid, and dull in judgement, as willingly, and affectedly to undergo (it being in your power, by abandoning in your life time a little Dross, to prevent them) such pains for many years (perhaps for many hundred of years;) in reference and comparison of which, all the greatest torments in this world (in the judgement of the ancient Fathers) are to be reputed, as shadows, or tips of pains? where is man's understanding, where is the light of his Reason? But it seems, they are exiled, and in their room, are embraced a most sordid & earthly respect of temporal, & fading vanities.  
Therefore I may well here demand; Are such persons Catholics? Are they Christians? yea are they men? who thus be trample withal carelessness, and supine neglect the good of their own souls, and ravel out their time in idle toys and pleasures? Alas! what are riches, greatness of state, a needle's fruition of temporal pleasures, or that, which you call your reputation & honour (which withdraw many from doing of good deeds) able to perform?  
Sir john Oldcastle being exprobated of his Cowardliness, and thereby reputed inglorious, replied; If through my persuyte of Honour, I shall fortune to lose an Arm, or a Leg in the wars, can Honour restore to me my lost Arm, or leg? In like manner I here say to you, Catholics: Can your Riches, your worldly pomp and pleasures, or antiquity of your House, and Family redeem your Souls out of Purgatory? Or can this poor weak blast of wind or air, which you call your reputation (consisting in other men's words, passed upon you) cool the heat of those burning flames? Nothing less, since these toys (through your abuse of them) shall serve, as bellowes, the more to blow the Flames of Purgatory.  
I will urge one reason, which shall make you (negligent Catholics) to blush, and withal to grow pale; for it shall force you to be ashamed of your incredible negligence in this great business here treated of; and it shall put you (if so God's grace be in you) in extreme fear of your future Calamity. I will take it from the examples of certain most learned, pious, and ancient Fathers. The Fathers shallbe these following, S. Austin, S. Ambrose, S. Gregory, and S. Bernard; all whose pens were guided by the Holy Ghost.  
S Ambrose through the extremity of his fear of the flames of Purgatory, thus writeth (Serm. 20. in Psal. 118.) I shallbe searched & examined as lead, in this fire, till all the lead be melted away etc. S. Austin through his fearful and strong apprehension of this fire, thus breaketh out in words (in explic. Psal. 37.) O Lord, let me be made such, as that my Correction shall not be needful to be increased with that purging fire, in respect of such men, qui salui erunt, sic tamen quasi per ignem. And again S. Austin thus further saith (l 50. homil. 16.) O how happy are they, that who living well, and contented with necessary riches to their bodies, liberal of their own, chaste in themselves, and not cruel to others, do redeem themselves from this fiery Furnace? Of which fire the said S. Austin thus saith: in Psal. 27. Gravior erit hic ignis, quàm quis potest pati in hac vita. This fire shallbe more intolerable, than any man can suffer in this life.  
S. Gregory thus writeth (in Psal. 3. Poenit.) I esteem the purging fire (though it be transitory) to be more intolerable, than all tribulations, which in this life may be suffered; therefore I do not only desire, not to be rebuked in the fury of eternal damnation; but also I greatly fear to be purged in the wrath of transitory Correction.  
Lastly, to come to S. Bernard, whose trembling pen through fear of the pains of Purgatory, thus discourseth: (Serm. de sex tribul. 16. & 55. in Cant.) O would to God, that some man would now before hand, provide for my head abundance of water, and to mine eyes a fountain of tears; that so perhaps the burning fire should take no hold, where running tears had cleansed before.  
And now to reflect a little upon the Worth of these four former alleged Fathers; and then to draw our inference and deduction. S Ambrose for his learning (he writing many books in defence of the Christian Faith) as also for his sanctimony of life, obtained the title of being called (per Excellentiam) One of the four Fathers of the Primitive Church.  
S. Austin (gaining the like title) was of that eminency for learning and piety, that S. Jerome, thus extolleth him: (Tom. 2. Ep. 25. inter opera August.) I have always reverenced thy Sanctity with that honour, which is fitting; and I have loved our Lord and Saviour dwelling in thee.  
Thus much briefly of S. Austin, whose infinite pains, labour, and study (besides his extraordinary holiness in his conversation & course of life) in writing of so many, and so great Tomes, with such wonderful perfection of judgement & learning, and all in defence of the Christian and Catholic Faith, might seem in the eye of many, to be sufficient to expiate the temporal punishment due for his sins.  
S. Gregory was our Apostle, first planting Christianity in England, and of that Piety, as that M. Godwin the Protestant (in his Catalogue of Bishops. pag. 3.) thus commendeth him: That blessed & holy Father S. Gregory.  
To come to S. Bernard: This blessed man (as Osiander witnesseth in his Epitome p. 309.) was an Abbot, author of many monasteries, both in France & Flanders, instituting a Religious Order in God's Church: Yea he was eminent for working of Miracles; of whom in regard of his piety of life, even D. Whitaker our Adversary (lib. de Eccl. pag. 338.) thus celebrateth his worth: Ego qui dem Bernardum verè fuisse sanctum existimo.  
Now, if these four most worthy shining Lamps in the Church of God (or rather so many bright stars in the celestial Sphere) remarkable for learning, and more remarkable for piety and devotion; they spending their whole time in writing in defence of the true Religion; be trampling under their feet all temporal Honours and Preferments; living most chastely in Purity of body; & wearing themselves out in Fasting, Prayer, and severely punishing their own flesh: If these men I say) notwithstanding all this their rigorous course to flesh & blood did stand in such fear and horror of the torments of Purgatory (as we see above, by their own words and writings, they did;) what then (My dear Catholics) may be said of most of you, who enjoy the pleasures of the world, pamper your bodies, live in great riches and abundance, & yet do think to escape the flames of that fire? what is this, but madness and incredible partiality in the highest degree; you being thus become parasites to your own selves, in thus flattering your own most fearful state?  
But it may be, there are some of you, who, so you may enjoy Heaven eternally in the end, become thereby less careful of preventing the temporal pains of Purgatory, slighting the consideration of them. But S. Austin shall discover this vanity, who thus discourseth of this point, serm. 41. de sanctis. Some use to say, I care not greatly how long soever I stay in passing this fire; seeing at the last, I shall attain to life everlasting. To which words S. Austin thus answereth: But alas, (dear Brother) Let no man say thus, for that this Purgatory fire is more sharp, than any punishment, which in this life can be seen, imagined, or felt. And whereas it is said of the day of judgement: That one day shallbe as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day; how doth any man know, whether his passage through this fire be for days, months, or perhaps years? And he, that will now be loath to put one of his fingers into burning fire, aught to fear the torment of that fire, though it were but for a little tyme. Therefore let every man labour with all his force, that he may avoid mortal sins, which cast men into Hell; and to redeem lesser sins by good works, so as no part of them remain to be consumed by that fire. And then a little after in the same place: Who commit little, and daily sins, let them not cease daily to redeem them with good works; to wit, by continual Prayer, frequent Fast, & large Alms.  
Thus this blessed Father seriously meditateth in the secret of his soul upon this point. What may we say of such men, as read this, and are nothing moved therewith? Truly such men may be thought to have but the outward shape, or faces of men; that is, they wear fair , they talk, they walk together, they busy their minds in needles toys; but as for the true use of Reason (wherein the essence of man consisteth) so far forth as it may become serviceable to the advancement and spiritual good of their souls, they participate in their actions more with beasts who want souls, then with Rational Creatures: A grief not to be expressed, but in most deplorable Threnes and Lamentations.  
Nay, I dare be bold to say, that Beasts seem to have greater practice of Reason, then diverse of these men have. Strike a Horse, or an Ass once or twice, or thrust him into a deep or dangerous hole, out of which he can hardly get; he will conceive such Fear thereof, as that he will for a long time after seek to avoid both the strokes, and the hole: And yet, where the Scripture, the testimonies of the Ancient and holy Fathers, the several miracles exhibited in proof of the torments of Purgatory, do fully proclaim the horribleness of those pains, diverse Catholics who are infallibly hereafter to endure the same pains (if so they make no prevention in their life time) have no Fear, no Sense, no Feeling thereof. O God, that Men should thus cease to be Men, and Beasts (after a certain manner) should step in their place.  
Well, I will conclude this my discourse to you (Worthy Catholics) humbly beseeching you, even for the most precious, and bitter Passion of our Lord and Saviour, & for the future good of your own souls, to cast your eye upon all the Premises set down in this small Treatise, and have a feeling Consideration both of the extremities of the pains, and of the infallible authorities proving the undoubted certainty of those pains; and do not suffer your judgements to fluctuate or waver, touching the certainty of them. Therefore, I will only demand, Is there a Heaven? Is there a Hell? Is there a Purgatory? If you believe these things to have a true and real being, (as no doubt infallibly you do) where then (through your so much slighting of them) is your judgement? If you hold them (as God forbidden) but as intentional and airy Speculations of the brain, where is your Faith? And a most miserable Election it is, whether a man will be damned for all eternity, for want of practising necessary points of Christian Religion; or through want of Faith.  
But before I end this passage I will turn my pen, but withal gentle, and soften in part my style, in respect of the Persons to which I will direct these few ensuing lines. To you then (great Catholic Ladies) and other Catholic Gentlewomen of worth (to whom in regard of my Sex, I may be the more bold to speak freely) whose present Widowed states by reason of your deceased Husbands, stand enriched with more than ordinary affluency (during your lives) of lands, money, and other temporal goods: You I say (Noble Ladies, and others of Worth) though you be weak in Nature, yet know your own strength, and what great matters during your Widowhoods you are able, through God's assistance to perform, for the freeing you from the flames of Purgatory: and remember, that howsoever the nycenes & delicacy of diverse of you be such, as that in this world, you can brook nothing displeasing to you; yet in the next world, admitting you die in state of Salvation, you must infallibly undergo those horrible flames (so much spoken of in these leaves) except by your charitableness (and this in a most full degree) you redeem those pains.  
O what good Works might you do during your Widdowhoods? And yet I fear, you are most forgetful therein. Many of you (I know) are ready to bestow a hundred Marks, or more, upon one gown; and that gown must not serve two years, but another (as chargeable) must instantly be had. Again, some of you will be content to lose a hundred marks, or more, in one night at Gleek; and will wear about your necks jewels, worth many hundreds of pounds.  
O cut of these needles & fruitless charges, and bestow a good part thereof upon your Souls, with the preciousness of good and satisfying works, though your bodies in part be deprived of such glorious Ornaments. There is none of you, but besides your greater sins, you daily commit lesser sins; for it is said in holy Writ, Prou. 24. The lust man shall fall seven times a day. How many idle, and unnessary thoughts and words pass from you, but in one day? and yet you must make satisfaction for every such thought or word, either here or in Purgatory, before you can arrive to Heaven. For it is said, Prou. 19 They shall render an account of every idle Word, in the day of judgement.  
Now then in time of your Widowhoods, lay out a great part of your riches to spiritual usury (as I may term it) for the good of your Souls. I did know a young gentlewoman, now dead: she was left by her deceased Father two thousand pounds, and better in portion. She intended to marry (and so before her death she did) yet before she would subject herself, and her state to any man, (besides diverse good acts before) she gave at one time (I speak of certain and particular knowledge) three hundred pounds of her portion away, to the brining up of poor scholars beyond the Seas; saying thus to herself; If I shallbe content to enthrall myself, & seventeen hundred pounds at least, to the will of a stranger, who I know not how he will use me; have I not reason to give three hundred pounds away to my own Soul, for his sake, who will not suffer a cup of could water given in his name, to be unrewarded?  
This is an Example worthy of your taking notice of, thereby to put you in mind, to remember to prevent the flames of Purgatory, during the time of your Widowhoods. For if you be not solicitous thereof before your second marriage, when your states are in your own disposal; it is much to be feared, that your future Husbands will bridle you of all such (though most necessary) charges. This Example may also be worthily a Precedent for all other young Catholic gentlewomen of great portions, to provide for the good of their souls, before they tie themselves in marriage to any one.  
Well (Worthy Ladies) let a woman once preach to women, and since you are Women. Imitate that Blessed Woman so much celebrated for her charity to others, in God's holy writ, Prou. 31. Manum suam aperuit inopi, etc. She opened her hands to those that wanted, and stretched out her arms to the poor; and thereupon it followeth of her in the said word of God▪ Et ridebit in die novissimo; and she shall laugh at the last day, That is, at the day of her death she shall rejoice: and so (Noble Ladies, and others) it is in your power (if yourselves will) to enjoy the like felicity and retaliation, for your works of charity, with her. And with this I give a full close to this my Exhortative Discourse.   

Certain examples of good works to be practised, for the avoiding of Purgatory, propounded by the Author of this Treatise. SECT. iv  
THE first of these Good Works, so much wished by me, shallbe not only in a man's private Devotions & Prayers; but also by soliciting of others of our Catholic Clergy (though even of their own most ready propension and loyalty herein, I know they are not wanting) to pray for his Majesty of England, our most gracious King, and for his worthy Queen, and their Royal Issue.  
This is the Duty, which all Subjects (of what Religion soever) ought to perform; and the performance thereof is a pleasing, & most grateful spiritual Sacrifice to the Divine Majesty, and a good means (among others) to expiate our former Transgressions; Thus shall each of us fear the Lord, and honour the King. Prou. 24. And, give to Cesar, what is Caesar's. Matth. 22. For if the Prophet jeremy (sterned by God's holy spirit, and therefore spoke the truth) commanded the Israelits, being brought into Captivity to Babylon, to pray for the good state thereof, saying to them; In the peace thereof, you shall have peace. jerem. 29. And if further also the Israelites be counselled by God in his holy Writ, to pray for the life of Nabuchodonosor, and his son Baltasar. Baruch 1. How much more Reason then, have all Priests, and Catholics in England, even to besiege the ears of God with their daily and incessant Prayers and impetrations, for the spiritual and temporal good of their King Charles?  
Since the Israelites than prayed for their Enemy; We pray for our Dread Sovereign. They for him, who did lead them into Captivity: We for him, who keeps us in liberty, peace, & tranquillity. They for a mere stranger and Idolater; We being Christians, for our Native Christian Prince. Finally, they for a foreign Nation: We for our own Country, in which we are bred & brought up, and to which we own Omnes omnium charitates: So willingly we must remember, that it is said, 1. Pet. 3. We ought to be subject to the King, as excelling.  
Therefore in regard of so worthy a work, which even in duty ought to be performed by all English Catholics and Priests; I the poor author of this Treatise, will make bold, though a woman to Personate all the English Priests and good Catholics in myself, and will offer up to the Highest (in behalf of us all) this our most zealous and daily prayer: God preserve with his eye of Vigilancy, and care our most Noble Prince King Charles, and his most illustrious Queen, and most worthy Issue. God grant him to prosper in all true felicity, both temporal and spiritual; and give him the Privilege that he may in his Successors perpetuate his Issue from generation to generation: That so of him it may be said with the Prophet, Psal. 127. Filij tui sicut novellae olivarum, in circuitu mensae tuae. And grant, that in the close of their lives, they may all leave the Stage or Theatre of this world with spiritual Trophies and Triumphs, for the gaining of that Celestial Kingdom; in compare of which, all the kingdoms upon the Earth deserve not to be Types or adumbrations. And, to this my unfeigned Prayer, I wish all good English Priests, and Catholics to say, Amen.  
Now I will I descend to other pious deeds, and such as consist in charges of silver. And here I will insist (by way of Example) in certain courses taken by diverse of the more earnest Protestant's, whose intentions therein (supposing their Religion were true) are most commendable. I here may be the more bold to rest in such examples (I hope) without offence to any Protestant Reader (which willingly I labour to avoid,) because they are warranted by the Protestants own practise, though in a different Religion. Therefore their actions for the advancement of their Religion, may be a spur and incitement to us, to practise the like actions for the Honour of our Catholic Religion, which is most Ancient and infallible.  
For no small dishonour it would be to us Catholics, that those words of sacred writ should be averred herein of them and us: Filij huius saeculi prudentiores filijs lucis in sua generatione sunt. Luc. 16. The children of this world are more wise in their generation, than the Children of light. For shall such men, whose Faith even depresseth the merit of Good Works, exceed the Catholics in the practice of their supposed Good Works? O no. Let therefore our own practice of Good Works become a Scholia, to paraphraze our doctrine, & belief touching Good Works. And how preposterous would it be, that our Adversaries putting no confidence in Good Works, should nevertheless in their own judgements be ready to perform them? We, who put confidence in them, as receiving their worth from the Merits of Christ his Passion, and his promise of reward to them (& not otherwise) yet should be slow in the operation of them? Therefore may we not blush, that our own cold remissness in good actions, should become a foil to their greater seeming Actions of that Nature?  
Well then, to descend to particulars: We observe, that the more forward Protestants, finding Youths (though mere strangers unto them) of pregnancy and hope to be Scholars, will strain themselves & open their purses, to maintain them in our english Universities; that finally they may become Ministers, thereby more & more to disseminate in the Realm their own Protestant Religion. Now seeing the Catholic Religion is only true, for una fides, unum Baptisma, Ephes. 4. how meritorious and pleasing is it in the sight of God, for you to practice the like Charity to young poor scholars of hopeful expectation, for their bringing up in such places of literature, as that when they have ended their studies, they may be serviceable in the Catholic Church for the general good of others?  
I instance (for example) in a pregnant young boy of seventeen, or eighteen years of age; This boy through want of means, for his better preferment is to become a Servingman, a Clerk, a Prentice, or at the best (indeed the worst) a Minister; In all which states, considering the present stream of Protestancy in England, his soul is in all likelihood to perish eternally, for his not dying in a true Faith, and Religion. Now here observe the wonderful difference, rising from the performing, or omitting of such a charitable deed. If such a boy stay in England, then is his soul (as above is said) in great peril of eternally perishing, through his professing of an erroneous Faith: If he be Catholikly brought up, and sent over the sea's, he is to be instructed in the only saving Catholic Faith, to the most hopeful Salvation of his soul.  
If he be here sent to our English Universities, and finally become a Minister; he then, not only looseth his own soul, but is to be feared, will be the cause of the everlasting perdition of many other men's Souls, by his enuenoming, and infecting their judgements with his own Religion: If he be brought up in Catholic places, beyond the Seas, and proceed forward in his course, he then (living according to the strict course of his undertaken Profession,) not only saveth his own Soul, but is a subordinate Instrument under God, for the saving of many other men's souls partly by practising his function among such as be already Catholics; and partly by his persuasion (if so he prove learned,) of others yet remaining Protestants, to embrace the Roman Catholic Faith.  
And thus if you observe, either the preventing of the great Hurt, and Evil, which is in likelihood to come by the youths taking the one course of life; or the great Spiritual good to himself & others, by his undergoing the other State: You may think your silver employed to such an Act, to be most happily laid out; Assuring yourselves, that the work of the Evil here prevented, and the Good here performed (& all originally under God, by your means) shall find a great retaliation at Gods most merciful hands, both for the increase of your merits, as also for the expiating of your sins, which otherwise is to be performed in Purgatory.  
Why then therefore should such of you, as be of the greater Rank and best abilities, be slow in practising works of this nature? Therefore now, while you have time, lay wait by all convenient means to inquire after such occasions; Especially when such a particular worthy Act may oftentimes be performed with lesser charges, then diverse of you will bestow upon a good suit of apparel. O then, apparel and invest your Souls with such good works; and be less chargeable in gorgeous attire for your bodies. I do assure you, if I had great and abundant means for the practising of the works of Piety, I had rather make choice to distribute to this use of providing and maintaining of hopeful youths in learning, to the end above expressed, then to any other particular End whatsoever. For if neither any places of Residence beyond the Seas had been provided, and furnished with sufficient maintenance for the bringing up of English Scholars; nor that there had been any Catholics, who would have opened their purses to this noble End, Catholic Religion had been utterly extinct many years since, in England.  
This Zeal of many good Catholics both dead (and no doubt, alive) in this point, is the fuel, that hath nourished, and kept in, the fire of Catholic Religion in our own Country for many years past. Since if Youths were not sent over to be (after their studies ended) created Priests, how could the profession of Catholic Religion continue in these so great storms among us? Therefore what a great and inexplicable comfort will it be to you in your last Sickness, even for satisfaction of your temporal punishments, when you shall remember, that whereas such, or such a pregnant youth was in the high way of perdition, and of overthrowing his own, and other men's souls also, if he had proceeded in his former intended Course of life; yet you (through your charity) in laying out a little piece of money, did under God, thereby rescue the said youth, even out of the Devil's jaws, and have been a second means of saving both the youths own soul, & of the souls of diverse others?  
This being so, let me then entreat you (Most worthy Catholics) even for our Saviour's sake (who gave not silver (as is here only expected) but his most precious blood, for the ransoning of all souls out of the Devil's possession) that you would cast a most serious, and intense consideration of this one point. And thus far touching this particular kind of Almsdeeds.  
Only this much more I will annex, as an Appendix to the former, that I could wish the most able of you in temporal state, to have a feeling and sensible touch of diverse well-disposed young gentlewomen; who through the decay of their Parent's state, not having sufficient portions left them to enter into Religion (being of themselves otherwise most desirous to shake hands for ever with the world, by taking that course) are forced to forbear that their most Religious inclination, & for want of means to take some secular Course of life, either by marriage, or otherwise.  
Now here, how truly Worthy and Heroical a part of Christian Catholic Munificene and bounty were it in you, by increasing their Portions, to supply such their wants, & thereby to turn the channel of their otherwise dangerous course? Which if you do perform, what have you done? This you have done. You have caused a young Gentlewoman (otherwise exposed, & lying open to the dangers of the world) to Cloister herself within a wall, there to spend all her life time, in Chastity, Obedience, Voluntary poverty, and other devotions; rising at midnight (to forbear all other her austerities) when yourselves are taking your sweet repose & rest, to sing laudes to God, & to pray for her benefactors, & particularly for you, who have been the cause of such her most happy choice of life▪ she thus by your charity increasing the number of those, qui sequuntur agnum; quocumque inerit. Apoc. 14. Here is an Act deserving the true name of Christian charity, and such as shallbe able (through Gods most merciful acceptance thereof) to arm the Soul against the Flames of Purgatory.  
But to proceed to other sorts of good Deeds, practised by the forward Protestant▪ We see in most places of the Realm, that there are diverse earnest Protestants, who seeing some neighbouring places wanting preaching Ministers, are ready to plant such men there; affording them large allowance, & this to the end, the more to dilate their own Protestanticall Faith, over much already spread and disseminated. And hence it is, that so many Stipendiary Ministers are settled in several places of the Realm. Now, why should such of you as be of greater ability, be inferior in Zeal to the Protestants herein, as to suffer such vacant places, as are near to you, to be destitute of all such instruments in the Catholic Faith? I doubt not but that diverse of you, seeing a piece of land close by you, though rough and untilled; yet of it own Nature (through small charges) most fruitful: I doubt not (I say) but that diverse of you would be desirous, either to buy, or at least to take a Lease of the said land, thereby to better your states the more. There are diverse waist places adjoining to every one of you, wherein live many civil & moral men, yet their understanding (in regard of any Religion) are but as Tabulae Rasae, or unmanured land.  
Now here, what a most worthy and Christian attempt, and endeavour were it in you, to seek to plant spiritual labourers in such places, by whose pains the seed of Catholic Religion might be sown in men's souls; since the Georgikes of the mind (so to speak) are far more worthy & noble, than the Georgikes or Agriculature of land? And would not then those sacred texts of Scripture here be verified of you: Seminanti iustitiam merces fidelis, Prou 11. He that soweth righteousness, receiveth a sure reward: and again: Qui operatur terram suam, inaltabit aceruum frugum, Eccl. 20. Who tilleth his land, shall increase his heap of Corn; to wit Heavenly Corn?  
O what a spiritual increase might such of you make, who have full and open purses, by cultivating of diverse of these barren places? And how forcible would such pious endeavours be, for the expiating of the relics of your sins? Therefore let not the Puritan Gentlemen, and others, exceed and overgo you in their Zeal towards God (though Zeal not according to knowledge. Rom. 10.) in this point, who are most liberal in maintaining of their Preachers, and all to plant their Errors, to the spiritual Danger of the souls of their credulous and ignorant Hearers; But labour by secret means without contestation to the present state (to which you ought ever to bear all duty and reverence) to supererogate with them, in pious works of this Nature.  
An other point, wherein we may well follow the steps of our Adversaries, is this. The Protestant Gentlemen (though of very great worth and Rank) do often send their younger Sons to our English Universities, providing that they may become fellows of Houses; whose Terminus ad quem (as I may say) is finally to become Ministers, and thereby to be promoted to great and rich Ecclesiastical livings; in which store and abundance, England exceedeth all Nations in Christendom. Now to be emulous of our Adversaries proceeding herein: if Catholic Parents would seriously ponder this point, no doubt they would be more careful and willing to send over their younger sons to Catholic Colleges beyond the Seas, than they are; not to become scholars, only thereby to be advanced to spiritual livings (an over unworthy Allective) but to become Priests, (that through sheeding of their blood) even after an Apostolical manner, they may labour to reduce their own Country to its former ancient Catholic and Roman Faith.  
Now, such younger Brothers of Catholics, which have not their education abroad, but only bred up in England; into what (for the most part) do they finally resolve? They (for example) being left by their Parents Twenty, or Thirty, or perhaps forty pounds' Annuity (and sometimes less then, any of these) what course do most of these after their parent's decease, usually undergo? To be in service to any man or Knight or Nobleman of worth, or to be in any good employment abroad for their temporal advancement, many of them out of a long habituated idleness, and as being at their own disposal and liberty, will not. And what then commonly do they? Forsooth they rest content with their own poor Annuities, burdening commonly their Elder Brother (if he be a man of a good and kind Nature) for their diet; and they ravel out their years, walking up and down, and domineiring among their Eldest Brothers Tenants and Neighbours, with a Marlin, or Sparhauke on their fist, & a Greyhound, or water spanell following them (the very badge, or arms of most younger Brothers in diverse Shires) hiding themselves for the most part of the day, in some base Alehouse; and often becoming (through dissolution of life) Fathers, before they be Husbands. But in the end (belike for fear their House, from whence they descend, should be extinct for want of Heirs) they marry their Sisters-in-lawe waiting maid, or some other poor woman, and then they beget a litter of Beggars, both burdensome, and dishonourable to their Family and Stock.  
But now, if we cast our eye upon the other end of the balance: If such younger sons of Catholic Parents (being of good wits) were sent over in their Parent's life time, and that when their minds and wills were of a supple and waxed Disposition, as not being acquainted afore (through want of years) with any sin or Evil, and ready to receive the impression of Virtue & learning; how serviceable to the Church of God in time, might such men become? For by this means of education, many of them do undergo (as we find by experience) a most holy Function of life; spending their whole age after, in labouring to administer the Sacraments of the Church to Catholics, in reducing diverse Protestants to the only true and Catholic Faith, and in daily praying & offering up the most Venerable Sacrifice of Christ's body, for the souls of their dead Parents, and others their living or deceased Friends. O quantum distat ortus ab occasu? for so great is the Disparity between these two different courses of Younger Brothers here set down; not only in the eye of God, but even in the eye of the world.  
And here by digression I will touch a little upon the Daughters of Catholic Gentlemen. Hear in England diverse of them (as well as the Daughters of Protestants) take (through a blind affection, often cast upon some base man or other) a most unworthy Course, to the unutterable grief of their Parents, and overthrew of their temporal state. And if they be placed in marriage with their Parents consent answerably to their Degree; yet if either the Husbands prove unkind, or in course of life vicious; or their Children untoward and licentious, what a vexation is it then to the Parents? And how do they languishingly spend their days in inconsolable sighs and sorrow?  
But now, if the said Daughters, being in their Virginal, tender, and innocent age, be brought up in places of Religion, and that through the special grace of God, and means of their daily education, they proceed and become Religious women in the Church of God; How ineffable a comfort may this be to their Catholic parents? Since they then by these means, freeing themselues from all illaqueations and worldly entanglements, shall bestow the greatest part both of Day and Night in performing, & singing Hymns of Praises to his Divine Majesty, for the good of themselves & their Friends: To every one of which, at the Close of their life may be said in the Catholic Church's Dialect: Veni sponsa Christi, accipe coronam, quam tibi Dominus praeparavit in aeternum. (in Collect. Natalit. Virg.  
Thus far of this point. And I would to God, that Catholic Parents would apprehend this Paragraph or passage with a serious & feeling consideration. And thus far of these former Courses, in imitating the examples of our Adversaries; which examples were most worthy of all commendation, being incorporated in an Orthodoxal Religion. But yet here, in our Imitation of them, I ever wish, that what is attempted in this kind (or else not to be attempted) were performed (as before I intimated) with all sweetness, and moderation, and withal dutiful Respect to the state of our Realm. Since I hold it most repugnant to true judgement & Religion, to undertake to put in practice orderly things, by unorderly means; and therefore in all such our spiritual endeavours let us remember, to show all duty and reverence to the State, and that it is recorded in sacred Writ, (Rom. 13.) We are to be subject to higher powers; seeing there is no power, but of God. And there again: Who resisteth the Power, resisteth the Ordinance of God. In regard of which promptness of our duty, I hope these examples, as being taken by imitation from the Protestants themselves, will not be justly offensive to the grave Protestant Magistrate.  
There is yet another thing most worthy of your charitable commiseration. You see, that the Catholics throughout England pay yearly great sums of money for their Recusancy; Among whom, there are many hundred of poor Catholics, who are so overcharged with these yearly payments, as that their mean Estates are not able to support any long time such payments; of which his Majesty (who is most prone to commiseration and pity) little heareth in particular; this being effected only by certain Subordinate Magistrates, adverse to our Catholic Religion. And thereupon for their avoiding of the said payments, imposed upon them, diverse of these poor men and women have forsaken already (contrary to their conscience) externally their Religion, and are content to come to the Protestant Church.  
Now here I say, such of you, as be of great Abilities, how ample a field have you to sow your merits and satisfactions in; I mean by contributing out of your purses some yearly sums to these poor Catholics, thereby to ease, and lessen their yearly payments? In your worthy performance of this my propounded Motion, you do not only help and secure them touching their bodies; but (which is far more pleasing in the sight of God,) you so take pity of their souls, as you prevent, that diverse of them do not Apostatate & forsake their Catholic Religion, which perhaps through fear of want of means they would do; And so you are become a secondary great Instrument of their final Salvation.  
And can you then otherwise think, but that God (who is mercy itself) and who will take this Charity of yours as done to himself, would take the like pity of your own souls, both for the preventing of your eternal perdition, as also for mitigating your temporal punishments in Purgatory? For here our Saviour's words would be justified in you, Matth. 25. Verily I say unto you, in so much as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.  
In this next place, I will descend to acts peculiar only to us Catholics; & such as do insist, and rest in offering up the prayers both of ourselves, but especially of the general Liturgy of the most blessed Sacrifice of the Eucharist, offered up either for the benefit of ourselves, or of others. Of which most dreadful Sacrifice saith S. Chrysostome homil. 25. in Act. Apost. Hostia in manibus, adsunt Angeli, adsunt Archangeli, adest Filius Dei, cum tanto horrore astant omnes. And to begin; Think what a worthy, and charitable Act it were to concur by causing Sacrifices and Prayers to be made, for the redeeming of poor Souls out of Purgatory.  
There is no man of an Humane and sweet Nature, but he would commiserate a very beast (much more a man) lying in extremity of pains. And this Natural Pity is so grateful to our Saviour himself, as that he pronounceth, Matth. 5. Beati misericordes, quoniam ipsi misecordiam consequentur; Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy: So available & behooveful is pity and mercy to the performers thereof. But to proceed to another benefit of such a pious deed.  
If a prudent man, had a Cause of most great importance, to be tried before a severe, yet most just judge; And if at the same time, there were certain persons in prison, whom that judge did much respect, & to whose earnest solicitations in any reasonable point, he would lend a willing ear: Now would not this Suppliant lay wait by all means to redeem the said men out of Prison, if so he could (who during their stay there, were put to daily torments and rackings) as well assuring himself, that these Persons thus set at liberty by this man's means (being men of most good and grateful Natures & Dispositions) would be ready to speak to the judge, and be earnest and solicitous in his behalf? And then is it not most probable (if not certain) that this man would speed the better in determining his Cause?  
The case is here a like, and both are cast (as it were) in one mould. The souls in Purgatory (once from thence released) shall become most blessed Saints in Heaven, & shall be most pleasing and grateful to his Divine Majesty; who cannot, nor will not deny them the grant of any thing, which they shall demand, and petition for at his hands.  
Every Catholic (as all other men) are to plead their cause before God, the most just judge: Yet for the more easy obtaining of their Plea, it is in the power of each Catholic of good means (if his will be answerable thereto) to procure, at least much to further, by his liberal charges bestowed for the praying for the souls in Purgatory, the releasing and setting free of diverse of the said tormented souls.  
Now this being once performed, those then Happy Souls, shall no sooner leave their Goal and Prison, and ascend to Heaven; but as even abounding with a Seraphical Charity, shall in recompense of so great a spiritual ease and Relaxation procured to them, ever batter at the ears of our Almighty and merciful Lord, with their daily and incessant prayers; that his Divine Mercy would be most indulgent and pitiful to such men, for the preventing (or at least mitigating) of their temporal pains, by whose means those souls had a more speedy delivery from their torments in Purgatory.  
Hear then may a man, who is rich in temporal state (if so he be rich in charity) lay out his wealth to an infinite increase of spiritual gain. O how many peculiar Advocates and Intercessors of the than most blessed souls (released out of Purgatory) might a rich Catholic purchase to himself, by this former means, thereby to plead his cause before the Throne of Almighty God, in his greatest need? And fools (I will not say Madmen) are all such, upon whom God hath bestowed abundance of temporal riches; and yet themselves remain unwilling & slow in this spiritual traffic of a good and competent part of their said temporal state and means.  
But because this point of relieving by Good Works the souls in Purgatory, is of most great importance, both to the poor souls relieved, & the living party performing such a most charitable work to them: Therefore besides what is already delivered by me above, I will adjoin (as most moving any man of Piety and judgement) the discourse of the aforementioned learned and worthy Cardinal Bellarmine of this point; who maketh the ninth Chapter of the third book de Gemitu Columbae, the subject hereof: Thus than that blessed man writeth: We have showed above, that there are very many, or rather innumerable souls of the faithful in Purgatory; and that they are a most long time to be tormented, almost with incredible punishments. Now here we will declare the fruit, which may be gathered from this consideration. And certainly it cannot be doubted, but if the ponderation and weighing of this point be serious, long, attended, and full of faith and confidence; a most vehement commiseration, and full of horror and fear will result out of the said consideration.  
And in like sort it is certain, that an earnest and intense consideration of the said point, will engender in us a vehement desire of helping the said souls in Purgatory, by satisfactory works; to wit, Prayer, Fasting, Almsdeeds, and chief by the most holy oblation, and Sacrifice of our Lord's body. And indeed it is most admirable to observe, how gainful a negotiation (and this most just) may accrue unto us thereby. And this spiritual negotiation may well be resembled to the proceeding of a man, who should deliver one and the same silver (upon usury) to several Merchants; and yet should receive a full and entire Interest for one and the said Silver, from every one of the Merchants.  
Let us explain ourselves in few words. A man prayeth for the Dead, attentively, piously, with faith, and great confidence of impetration and obtaining the thing prayed for. This man so praying, by way of merit purchaseth to himself the gain of eternal felicity and happiness: since Prayer is a good work, & in that respect deserving eternal life, if it proceed from Charity. Of which gain our Lord speaketh in the Gospel in these words, Matth. 6. Tu autem cum oraveris etc. Thou, when thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber, and having shut the door, pray to thy Father in secret; and thy Father, who seethe thee in secret, will repay thee; To wit, a Reward answerable to the merit.  
Furthermore, this praying for the Dead, by way of satisfaction, doth profit the departed soul in Purgatory, for the which it is performed: seeing Prayer is (amongst others) a laborious work, and therein it is satisfactory; and consequently it is profitable for that soul, to which it is applied, according to the intention of him that prayeth, & the Doctrine of the Church. To conclude by way of impetration and humbly begging, it profiteth the said departed soul, whose freeing from Purgatory, at least whose ease and mitigation of those pains, is therein beseeched and desired. Since that, for which Just men pray to God, through Christ, is easily obtained: Our Lord himself saying Luc. 11. Petite, & accipietis &c. Ask, and you shall receive: and again, Marc. 11. Quicquid orantes, petitis etc. All things whatsoever you ask, praying, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come unto you. And more, joan. 16. Si quid petieritis etc. If you ask the Father any thing in my name, he shall give it you.  
Behold here a threefould gain, proceeding from prayer, made in behalf of the souls departed. But there may be adjoined a fourth benefit: That is, the souls, for which we pray, will not be ungrateful, when they shall arrive into their heavenly Country; but shall answer & recompense our prayers, with their like prayers in our behalf.  
To proceed; Fasting being performed by us, and applied for the deceased, obtaineth a manifold gain. For first, (as a meritorious work) it is profitable to him, who fasteth, even by the testimony of our Lord himself Matth. 6. Tu autem, cum ieiunas, etc. When thou dost fast, anoint thy head, and wash thy face, that thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father, which is in secret; and thy Father, which seethe in secret, will repay thee.  
Fasting also, as a satisfactory work, being applied for the dead, doth help the dead. For not without just cause, did David fast, with all his retinue and train even till night, when he was advertized of the overthrow of King Saul, and jonathas, and of a great part of the people of God.  
To conclude, Fasting (in an other manner) profiteth the party so fasting; to wit, in that the souls of the departed, when they shall ascend to Heaven, will not be forgetful of their Benefactors; but will power out prayers for them; and such their prayers, as proceeding from true Charity, shall be heard.  
Now, in this next place, to come to Almsdeeds. This kind of good Work also is accompanied with a threefould gain. For first, it profiteth the poor, to which the Almsdeeds are given, and maketh them to become our friends, that so when we fail, they may receive us into eternal Tabernacles. Luc. 16. Again, Almsdeeds being applied for the use of the souls departed, do bring a refreshing and refocillation to the said souls; and consequently make them also to become our friends, who having a title to the Kingdom of Heaven, will no doubt help us with their holy Prayers and Intercessions.  
Thirdly, Almsdeeds do (as I may say) bind God to be a debtor unto us; for thus the Holy Ghost speaketh by the mouth of Solomon: Qui miseretur pauperis, foeneratur Domino: Who taketh pity of the poor, doth put out his silver to interest, even to our Lord. Prou. 19 And Christ confirmeth the same in the Gospel, saying, Matth. 6. Te faciente Eleemosynam etc. When thou dost an Alms deed, let not thy left hand know, what thy right hand doth, that thy Almsdeed may be secret, and thy Father, which seethe in secret, will repay thee.  
To descend to the most blessed Sacrifice of Christ's body & blood; It is most clear and evident, that that oblation profiteth the party, who offereth it up, as a gift most grateful to God: It profiteth the faithful living, as also the faithful souls departed. And that this is most undoubtedly true, appeareth from the many most credible Visions or apparitions, manifesting that the faithful souls in Purgatory, do desire and expect nothing more, then that the most celestial oblation of the body and blood of Christ may be offered up for their refreshing, or freeing them from their pains. Of which point read S. Gregory lib. 4. Dialogorum. cap. 75. & sequent. Also the History of England written by Venerable Bede lib. 5. cap. 13.  
In like sort the Epistle of Petrus Damianus ad Desiderium, may be read; & finally the life of S. Nicolaus Tolentinus in Surius tom. 5. ad diem 10. Septembris: For to this blessed Priest appeared once a great multitude of souls, who with tears and most lachrimall voices desired of him the celebration of the most holy Sacrifice, as a principal Remedy for their pains in Purgatory. Now from all the Premises, it is evident, that we may receive a most preciable and incomparable gain, if we daily pour out our prayers, for the souls departed; or if we do distribute Alms to the poor, for the ease and refreshment of their pains; or if we do satisfy for the said souls, either by our Fasting, or other penitential works; or finally do celebrate the most holy Sacrifice of the Mass for their delivery out of Purgatory. Thus far learned Bellarmine discourseth of this point. Whose words I would desire every good Catholic Reader seriously to observe.  
But to enlarge myself a little further, I could wish all of you of good states, when just occasion is presented, that you would be most bountiful in relieving imprisoned Priests, and poor imprisoned Catholics. O how worthy an Act is this, and how do you suffer in their sufferings? And you may then infallibly interest your selves in the words of the Apostle, Hebr. 6. God is not unjust, that he can forget your good works, and charity, which you have showed in his name, and have, and do minister unto his Saints.  
I well remember, that some twenty years since, a certain Prison having in it some six or seven Priests, & far more poor lay Catholics, lying there in great want; there was a Catholic gentle woman of good account, who taking great commiseration of their wants, relieved all the Catholic imprisoned company, with weekly provision of meat for several months; and so she intended still to continue this her Charity, but that she was shortly after prevented by death. This was an Heroical and most Christian charity in her, able no doubt (through Christ's merciful acceptance thereof) even to abate the flames of Purgatory.  
In like sort, I could wish all of you, who are careful to prevent the raging flames or Purgatory, that what works of labour, or satisfaction, or Alms deeds you intent to do, that you would not defer the accomplishing of them, till the day of your departure out of this world; but perform them when you are in health. The difference is most great between a work of Charity done at the Hour of a man's death, and when he is in health not likely to dye.  
For in the first manner, the party dying, giveth away his goods to pious uses, because he cannot enjoy them any longer. In the second, it is in a man's power to keep his riches longer, & yet departing from them in his Health, he is content thereby actually to lessen in his own days his temporal means, and departeth with them with cheerfulness and alacrity of mind; a circumstance most pleasing to God, since we read) 2. Cor. 9 Hilarem datorem diligit Deus; God loveth a cheerful giver. In the former, the will of a dying man is not (for the most part) in all things performed, either through the Covetousness of the wife, Children, or negligence of the Executors: In this other, a man is assured his will shall be performed; since he is resolved to make his own Hands, his Executors, and his own Eyes, his Overseers.  
Lastly, Almsdeeds done after the first sort, do take effect only at the death of the Party & not before; whereas they being distributed after this second sort, they begin to work and obtain by degrees Indulgence, lessening of the future pains, even from that hour, in which they were first bestowed: So great a disparity there is between having a Candle going before a man, lighting him the way to the Kingdom of Heaven, & having a Candle only to follow him.  
I am persuaded, there are very few of you so simple, who if you did owe great sums of Money, and were infallibly to pay every penny of them, if other course in the mean time could not be taken; But that if by prevention of time (I mean by paying afore the day of payment comes) you might be suffered in lieu of the whole, to pay but the twentith part, and thereby to be discharged of the whole great debt; but that you would take course by all means possible (yea by taking your silver up at Interest) for the present discharge of the said twentith part, so to redeem your selves from the payment of all the rest. I do assure you even from the testimonies of all ancient & learned Fathers, that it is in your power to redeem not only the twentith part of your future torments in Purgatory, but even the greatest part, and perhaps all, by your charitable Deeds, liberality, and pious works, now done in your life time: And will you then be slow in taking the like course herein? O insensati Galatae, quis vos fascinavit? Gal. 3. But I will yet go further with you.  
There are not many of you (I speak of such of you as are much devoted to the world) but that, if you had a fair demayne of five hundred pounds yearly worth, though not in possession; yet that it were infallibly to descend to you and your Posterity for ever, after twenty years were expired: And that notwithstanding it were in your Power & Freedom, to buy out and redeem the said twenty years, thereby to have present possession of it; I say, there are not many of you, but that you would strive, though it were by impoverishing yourselves for the time, and by living under your own worth, thereby to procure means for the redeeming of the said term of twenty years.  
Heaven is your Inheritance, after the guilt of eternal damnation is once remitted; Yet thither it is impossible for you to arrive, until for certain years you have performed your temporal punishments yet remaining. These inexplicable punishments, which may endure for many scores of years, more than twenty, (yea it may be for several hundreds of years) you may redeem perhaps for less charges to your Purse, disbursed in your life time and health to pious & religious uses (through Christ's most merciful acceptance,) than you would be content to lay out, for the getting in of the former mentioned twenty years. And yet how Dull, and Backward are most of you to undertake the same? How can you here Apologise or excuse yourselves? Is Heaven not so good, as an earthly demaine? O men of little Faith! What a muddy disposition of the Soul is this, which lies so grovelling upon the earth, and wholly absorbed in terrene thoughts and cogitations?  
Well, ceasing to enlarge myself further upon the Premises, I earnestly desire every one of you, to procure now in time of Health, the most Reverend & Dreadful Sacrifice of the most blessed body and blood of our Saviour to be offered daily up, to two ends; to wit, for the spiritual good of your selves and your Children; and secondly, for the preventing of your future pains of Purgatory. And that you shall perceive of what ineffable virtue and efficacy for man's soul, the offering up of that most dreadful Sacrifice is, I have thought good to set down the judgmentes of some few ancient Fathers, pretermitting the greatest part of them, for greater brevity.  
First then we find S. Cyrill of Alexandria Epist▪ ad Nestor. to write, that by means of this daily Sacrifice, We are made partakers of the holy body and precious blood of Christ. S. Austin calleth the said Sacrifice, Precium nostrum, Our price. Confess. cap. 13. And further the same Father thus writeth lib. 4. de Trinit. cap. 14. Quid gratius offerri etc. What can be offered up, or accepted more thankfully, then that the flesh of our Sacrifice, should be come the body of our Priest?  
S. Chrysostome thus teacheth, Homil. 21. in Act. Apostolorum. Hostia in manibus etc. The sacred host being in the hands of the Priest, the Angels are present, the Archangels are present, the son of God is present, cum tanto horrore astant omnes, with so much fear and horror all of them are present. S. Gregory Nyssene thus expressly writeth, Orat. Cathech. c. 36. Fidelium corporibus etc. That body (meaning the body of) Christ in the Sacrifice of the Mass) is joined with the bodies of the faithful, that by the conjunction of the immortal body, man may be made partaker of immortality. S. Cyprian thus teacheth of the offering up of the body, and blood of Christ in the holy Eucharist (Serm. de coena Dom.) Perpes' est hoc sacrificium etc. This is a daily Sacrifice, and is a permanent or perpetual Holocaust. To conclude the forementioned S. Chrysostome thus writeth (hom. 2. in 1. ad Cor.) Dum in hac vita sumus etc. Whiles we are in this life, this mystery of the Eucharist maketh, that the earth itself, is a Heaven to us.  
And now having showed out of the testimonies of the ancient Fathers, the impreciable efficacy and virtue of the most Reverend Sacrifice of Christ's body and blood, for the spiritual good of man's Soul; we may from thence conclude, that the daily offering up of the said most dreadful Sacrifice (considering the worth of him there sacrificed) is most available & behooveful, both for the souls of men yet living, thereby to arm and strengthen them with grace, against all the temptations of the World and the devil; as also for the expiating of man's Sins in Purgatory. Sweet jesus! no other impetration, or prayer is more piercing in the ears of God, than this; since here (for remitting of our sins, and regulating our actions for the time hereafter with divine grace) the Son pleadeth to the Father, God to God; And the same man, is both the Priest, and the Sacrifice.  
Yea this most Reverend Mystery of the Sacrifice of the Mass, is the very centre of Religion, and hart of devotion; by means whereof his divine Majesty most bountifully imparteth, and poureth out his favours and graces to our souls: So certain and infallible it is, that our Prayers made in Union of this divine Sacrifice (whether for our spiritual good during our Peregrination in this world, or for the taking away of the pains of Purgatory,) have an inexplicable power and efficacy: And therefore those men are great Enemies to themselves, and their Children, who neglect this so sovereign a means, both for their own & their children's advancement in sanctity and Virtue  
Yet before I end this discourse, I must adjoin this ensuing Animadversion; that whereas most of the former examples of Good Works above alleged, & instanced, aim at great & high points; sorting only to such to perform, whose temporal states are great and rich, and to whom that admonition of S. Chrysostome (above alleged) peculiarly belongeth, Non dare, sed copiosè dare Eleemosyna est: Nevertheless we are to conceive, that the Charity of such, as be but poor in temporal faculties though, never so small, are most pleasing to his divine Majesty, for the mitigating of the torments of Purgatory. And in this sense we must understand, that even the poor Widow in the Gospel, who had but two mites, gave as much as Zachaeus, who contributed the half of his great substance to the poor; because, though the widow had lesser goods to give, yet she had the like will of giving; And though, that which was severally given by them both, were unequal & diverse; yet the fountain from whence they gave (to wit from a prompt and charitable disposition of relieving the poor) was the same. And thus did it fall out, that whereas the whole Widow's state was but small, yet the part thereof given, was great; Since he giveth no little, who freely and cheerfully giveth a part of a little. And therefore the foresaid S. Chrysostome accordingly thus teacheth (Hom. 34. ad pop. Antioch.) Eleemosinae magnitudo, non in pecuniarum multitudine iudicatur, sed in dantium promptitudine. With whom accordeth S. Leo (ser. 4. the Quadrag.) saying, Ex affectibus piorum, benignitatis mensura taxatur.  
Well, I will close up this small Treatise with referring the Catholic Reader, to the practice of a skilful Physician, who can extract medicinable and healthful Physic, out of hurtful and venomous drugs or herbs: So here I most earnestly wish, that all good Catholics (according to the different proportion of their states and power) would in their own life time, (for the preventing or lessening of the torments of Purgatory) put in daily practise that counsel of our Saviour: Luc. 16. Facite vobis amicos de Mammona iniquitatis, ut cum defeceritis, recipiant vos in aeterna tabernacula. Make you friends of the Mammon of Iniquity, that when you fail, they may receive you into eternal Tabernacles.   
FINIS.  
God save the King.