A defence of the Apology of the Church of England containing an answer to…A defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge an answeare to…

Likewise, ye say, That we report of Pope John, is most false. Our report is,¹ That Pope John denied the Immortality of the Soul: not thoroughly, and altogether, but only in that he said, Until the time of the Last Judgement, the Soul lieth still, as in a trance, as doth the body, without sense of joy, or pain. Wherein he, not only withstood the express Word of God, but also unawares quite overthrew his own whole Kingdom of Purgatory, which is the greatest, & fairest of all his three Crowns. For what avail his Pardons, & Trentals, if the soul lie still a sleep until the day of Judgement, & feel no pain? Verily, after the last Judgement, by common consent, there shall be no Purgatory. Now, if there be no place of Purgatory, neither before, nor after the last Judgement, then may we well conclude, that absolutely, & without doubt there is no Purgatory. The first Authors of this error,² as S. Augustine saith, were the Heretics called Arabici. Touching Pope Johns error, Gerson saith thus, Johannes Papa. 22. decrevit, &c. Pope John. 22. decreed, that the Souls of the wicked should not be punished, before the day of the last Judgement: which error the University of Paris condemned for Heresy, and caused the Pope to recant. One of your own Companions of Louvain saith, Pope John kept this error secretly to him self, and never had the open consent of the Church of Rome. And, for better excuse hereof, he saithe,³ Petrus, non Fidem Christi, sed Christum, salua Fide, negavit: Peter denied, not the Faith of Christ, but, his Faith saved, he denied no more but Christ. And so, by this pretty shift of your Lovanian Divinity, ye have both Christ without Faith, & also Faith without Christ. Thus, M. Harding, it is plain by your own Doctors, & Fellows, y• our report of Pope John is neither a false slander, as you say,⁴ nor proceedeth of detestable, and wicked malice.

Likewise, yée saie, That weé reporte of Pope Iohn, is moste false. Our reporte is,¹ That Pope Iohn denied the Immortalitie of the Soule: not thorowly, and altogeather, but onely in that he saide, Vntil the time of the Laste Iudgement, the Soule lieth stil, as in a traunse, as doothe the body, vvithout sense of ioie, or paine. Wherein he, not onely withstoode the expresse Woorde of God, but also vnwares quite ouerthrewe his owne whole Kingedome of Purgatorie, which is the greatest, & fairest of al his three Crownes. For what auaile his Pardōnes, & Trētalles, if the soule lie stil a sléepe vntil the daie of Iudgemēt, & feele no paine? Verily, after the laste Iudgement, by common consente, there shalbe no Purgatorie. Nowe, if there be no place of Purgatorie, neither before, nor after the laste Iudgement, then maie wée wel conclude, that absolutely, & without doubte there is no Purgatorie. The firste Authours of this erroure,