Theophilus. I am abashed, if their bulls, indulgences & pardons have such power. How Gregory hath passed them 1over, without making any mention of them, when he comprehended all the means by which the living, might comfort the souls of purgatory. For he did put a•d declare •nt four, and touched not one word of the bulls and pardons. But there is yet an other point, that which y• doctor Hostiensis, which is of great reputation among the papists, 2was not of opinion that the pope can do such things by his pardons and indulgences, but hath holden the contrary. •ea, and the other doctors, as Bonaventure, Thomas of 3Aquin, Alexander of Ales, Giles, D•rand, Richard, Peter of Tarentais•, and many other like, hau• had sometime the thing in doubt, and have only disputed of it, as of an opinion: afterwards have taken upon them baldness to define upon it, and to give their sentence, as if they were well assured of it. But if that which they do write of the bulls and pardons be true, it is great felly for the papists, to bestow any more any penny, nor half penny, ⟨image 294⟩neither for the funerals, nor for y• masses, vigils, nor other suffrages for y• dead, & that they should reject a• other manner 4of doings, for to hold themselves only to y• bulls & pardons, and to buy them for to draw the s•ules from Purgatory. For it should not cost them so much, & should have sooner dispatched & ri• away the poor souls from Purgatory. For if the Pope hath in his hands the treasure of the 5Church, & hath the power, as Alexander de Ales witnesseth, by the power of his keys, & by the means of his indulgences to distribute & bestow them, as well to the living as to the dead, the Papists have no more need of any other thing. For even as they have by their Masses and other inventions, abolished & put out the virtue of the death and passion, and of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, so the Popes, which have been the authors of the bulls and indulgences have abolished masses, suffrages, & all meritorious works, for the quick & for the dead, which their predecessors have invented, without the word of God. And so by that means one shall have no more need, not only of Jesus Christ, but also of their masses, nor of all that that they can do: but it is sufficient for all, to have paper & parchment written, and bulls signed & sealed with wax or with lead.
Theophilu•. I am abashed, if their buls, indulgences & pardons haue such power. How Gregory hath passed them 1ouer, without making any mencion of them, when he comprehended all the meanes by which the liuing, might comfort the soules of purgatory. For hée did put a•d declare •nt foure, and touched not one word of the buls and pardons. But there is yet an other pointe, that which y• doctor Hostiensis, which is of great reputatiō among the papises, 2was not of opinion that the pope can doe such thinges by his pardons and indulgences, but hath holden the contrary. •ea, and the other doctors, as Bonauenture, Thomas of 3Aquin, Alexander of Ales, Giles, D•rand, Richard, Peter of Tarentais•, and many other like, hau• had sometime the thing in doubt, and haue onely disputed of it, as of an opinion: afterwardes haue taken vpon them baldnesse to define vpon it, and to giue their sentence, as if they were wel assured of it. But if that which they do write of the buls and pardons be true, it is great felly for the papistes, to bestowe any more any pennye, nor halfe pennye, ⟨image 294⟩neither for the funerals, nor for y• masses, vigils, nor other suffrages for y• dead, & that they should reiect a• other manner 4of doings, for to hold themselues onely to y• buls & pardons, and to buy them for to draw the s•ules from Purgatory. For it should not cost them so much, & should haue sooner dispatched & ri• away the poore soules from Purgatory. For if the Pope hath in his hands the treasure of the 5
- 1Gregory. […]. hath made no mention of the bulls for the dead.Gregory. 〈…〉. hath made no mentiō of the bulles for the dead.
- 2Hostiensis contrary unto the bul•es.Hostiensis contrary vnto the bul•es.
- 3Scholastical doctors doubting of the bulles. Re•sperg. de mor. […]. ser. d•m. sexa.Scolastical doctours doubting of the bulles. Re•sperg. de mor. 〈…〉. ser. d•m. sexa.
- 4Bulls doing all things.Bulles doing all thinges.
- 5The treasor of the church, and the dispensation of the same. Alex. de A•es. In. 4. Sent. Re•sperg. de mor. virt. serm. D•m. in sexa.
