The Institution of Christian Religion

Now let them no more trouble us with their purgation, because it is with this axe already broken, hewed down, and overthrown from the very foundations. For I do not agree to some men, that think best to dissemble in this point, and make no mention at all of Purgatory, whereupon (as they say) great contentions do arise, but small edification is gotten. Truly I my self would also think such trifles worthy to be negligently passed over, if they did not account them earnest matters. But for as much as purgatory is builded of many blasphemes, and is daily upholden with new blasphemes, and raiseth up many and grievous offences, truly it is not to be winked at. This peradventure might after a sort have ben dissembled for a time, that it was invented by curious and bold rashness without the word of God: that men believed of it by, I wot not what revelations, feigned by the craft of Satan: that for the confirmation of it, certain places of Scripture were fondly wrested. All be it the Lord giveth ⟨p. 155⟩not leave to mans presumptuousness so to break into the secrete places of his judgements, and hath severely forbidden men to enquire for truth at dead men,¹ neglecting his word, and permitteth not his word to be so unreverently defiled. But let us grant, that all those things might for a while have been borne with, as things of no great importance. But when the cleansing of since is sought else where then in the blood of Christ, when satisfaction is given away to any other thing, then it is most perilous not to speak of it. Therefore we must cry out not only with vehement stretching of our voice, but also of our throat and sides: that Purgatory is the damnable deuyse of Satan, that it maketh void the Cross of Christ, that it layeth an intolerable slander upon the mercy of God, that it febleth and overthroweth our faith. For what else is Purgatory among them, but the satisfaction that the souls of men departed do pay after their death? So that overthrowing the opinion of satisfaction, Purgatory is immediately overthrown by the very roots. But if in our former discourse it is more than evident that the blood of Christ is the only satisfaction, propitiatory sacrifice & cleansing for the since of the faithful: what remaineth but that Purgatory is a mere and horrible blasphemy against Christ?

Now let them no more trouble vs with their purgation, because it is with this axe already broken, hewed downe, and ouerthrowen from the very fundations. For I do not agree to some men, that thinke best to dissemble in this point, and make no mention at all of Purgatorie, whereupon (as they say) great contentions do arise, but small edification is gotten. Truely I my selfe would also thynke suche trifles worthy to be negligently passed ouer, if they did not accompt them earnest matters. But for as muche as purgatorie is bulded of manye blasphemes, and is daily vpholden with new blasphemes, and raiseth vp many and greuous offences, truely it is not to be winked at. This peraduenture might after a sort haue ben dissembled for a tyme, that it was inuented by curious and bolde rashenesse without the worde of God: that men beleued of it by, I wote not what reuelations, fained by the crafte of Sathan: that for the confirmation of it, certayne places of Scrypture were fondlye wrested. All bee it the Lorde geueth