are excluded the Land of Canaan and die in the Wilderness And their Children wander forty Years in the Desert This Guilt of temporal Penalty which is oftentimes the remainder of mortal Sin remitted retains the name of Sin. Thus the Evening or Remainder of the day is not improperly still call'd day And it is upon this Account and for lesser or venial Sins whose Fault whilst the Sinner liv'd upon earth is not forgiven or Guilt not pardon'd that we generally pray God to remit to Souls departed Con. Flor. in Decret their Sins who have not sufficiently satisfied for their Offences says the Council of Florence for their Sins and Satisfactions decrees the Council of Trent Conc. Trid. Can. 3. Sess 22. for the Remission of all their Sins prays the Priest in the Mass for the Dead IV. Reflection I Close the Controversy between Catholicks and Protestants in this narrow Compass whether We ought to believe that the Dead in Purgatory are help'd by the Prayers of the Living as our Article of Faith words it or which is the same thing and contains all whether It be part of a Christians Duty to pray as the Priest does at Mass that God will remit to Souls departed their Sins The Discourser cannot blame me for omitting the word Pain in my Proposition For if there be any detained in a middle State whose Sins are not yet fully purg'd or if they be small ones and entirely remain there is without dispute some Penalty to be undergone for them This is undeniably true because all Sin as the Discourser acknowledges infers an Obligation to Punishment Page 31. CHAP. VI. Why Roman Catholicks believe the Dead are help'd by Prayers IF you ask me the Formal Reason Why Roman Catholicks believe it to be a part of a Christians duty to pray for the Faithful deceased I answer Because God has taught us so Apostolical Tradition assures us of it the Practise of the Vniversal Church confirms it Holy Scriptures authorise it We do not pretend that Sciptures have any where commanded this Doctrine Tertull. l. de Coron Mil. c 4. Si Legem expostules Scripturarum nullam invenies If you seek a Precept in the Scriptures says Tertullian you cannot find any Nor is this absolutely necessary to make it a part of Christian duty It is abundantly sufficient for this Obligation if first it be recommended to us by Revelation from Heaven and secondly propos'd to the Faithful or practis'd by the Universal Church of CHRIST The Will of GOD or Revelation is recommended to us in Holy Scriptures or convey'd to us by the Apostles and their Successors The Vniversal Church is either taken diffusively as it is spread over the World or collectively as it is assembled in an OEcumenical Synod which represents the whole Church All Four conspire together to confirm Roman Catholicks in their Belief of Praying for the Dead and to confound their Opposers The Holy Scriptures recommend it in many places to the Faithful The Apostles taught it The Universal Church practis'd it And General Councils have defin'd it As for General Councils I have alledg'd already Two very plain Ones that of Florence and that of Trent The Council of Trent pretended no Command in Scripture for this Doctrine We read it decreed by the Tridentine Fathers because the Apostles taught it according to the Tradition of the Apostles declares this OEcumenical Synod in the 2d Chap. 22d Session and because it is recommended in the Scriptures the same Council in the Decree of Purgatory determines Prayers for the Dead from the Scriptures CHAP. VII Of the Universal Church Praying for the Dead TO ackowledge Prayers offer'd by the Vniversal Church of CHRIST with intent to expiate the Sins of Souls departed in a middle State is to believe this Pious Custome came from the Divine Apostles S. Aug. Ep. 118. Quod universa tenet Ecclesia nec à Conciliis institutum sed semper retentum est nonnisi authoritate Apostolica traditum rectissimè creditur For as S. Austin observes What the whole Church holds and was not Instituted by Councils but was alwaies retain'd is most truly believed to come from Apostolical Tradition In finding out then one of these we learn both of them Our Masters shall be the holy Pen-men of Primitive Times Petrus Venerabilis Writing against the Petrobrusian Hereticks thus exhorts all Christians out of the Book of Maccabees to pray for the Dead The Faithful Jews pray'd for the heinous Offences of their Dead that what they had Committed Ep. 2. cont Petrob Cap. 5. Rogant fideles Judaei pro delictis tam gravibus defunctorum ut quod fecerant oblivioni traderetur non rogabunt fideles Christiani pro defunctis in spe bona fidelibus eundem Deum ut eis nondum plenè laxata Peccata remittantur Rogaverunt hoc illi adhuc in tempore irae non rogabunt hoc isti in tempore gratiae might totally he forgiven and the faithful Christians will not pray for their faithful piously departed that their sins not fully remitted may by the same GOD be Pardon'd The Jews pray'd in the time of Anger and Christians are negligent in the day of Grace Is not this to pray with intent as Roman Catholicks do that God will remit to souls departed their sins And what follows will not give you leave to doubt that this pious Devotion was believ'd the duty of Christians in those dayes * Ibidem Qui bona vivorum Mortuis qui digni sunt prodesse denegat ad communis fidei laesionem pertinere cognoscat Let him continues this Venerable Writer that denies the good Works of the Living to be advantagious to the Dead who deserve them know that he makes a Breach in Faith. S. Bernard Calls them who deny this pious Doctrine Hereticks and Hypocrites Is it not says this Saint Super Cantica Ser. 66. pag. 762. Non sufficit haereticos esse nisi hypocritae sint Mortuos viventium fraudantes auxilijs non credunt ignem Purgatorium restare post mortem sufficient for them to be Hereticks unless they be Hypocrites too They are Hereticks because they Defraud the Dead of help from the Living nor do they believe that there remaines after Death Purgatory Fire As Hypocrites they make a fair shew and pretending to follow the pure Word of God. S. Isidore of Spain Says Because sacrifice and prayers are offer'd thorow the whole world for the rest of the Faithful Deceased S. Isid Hisp l. 1. de Offic. Eccles. c. 18. Sacrificium pro Defunctorum fidelium requie offerri vel pro eis orari quia per totum hoc Orbem custoditur credimus quod ab ipsis Apostolis traditum sit Hoc enim ubique Catholica tenet Ecclesia quae nisi crederet fidelibus defunctis dimitti peccata non pro eorum spiritibus vel Eleemosynam faceret vel Deo sacrificium offerret we believe this Custom comes
of Hell Fire If he fail as all of us do witness this Sentence of S. James We all offend in many things S. Jam. 3.2 before he may recover these Lapses Death may surprize him when he neither thinks of them nor of the World to come where then must these smaller Offences be Expiated Must the Delinquent go straight to Heaven This is not a place of Punishment Must he be thrown head-long down into Hell This is not a state of expiation The Justice of God will not punish this Delinquent eternally with the Damned because his divine Mercy has declar'd in this passage of S. Matthew that these lesser blemishes with which he died engag'd carry not along with them the Guilt of Hell Fire The Mercy of God will not as yet deck him with the beauties of Heaven Apocalyp because His Justice has pronounc'd That no unclean thing enters into Heaven and elsewhere he sayes Psal 14. Ingreditur sine Macula Who enters enters without stain There is then some middle place of Souls assign'd by the Divine Providence to punish these lighter Offences that Justice and Mercy may meet together This Roman Catholicks believe and call Purgatory Conclusion I Hope the Pretended Reformers will hereafter be so just as to grant That the Holy Fathers anciently pray'd with the same intent which the Church of Rome does at present to free Souls departed of their Lesser Offences and Pains in a middle State or Purgatory Petrus Venerabilis prays That their Sins not yet forgiven may be pardon'd S. Bernard That they may be Freed from Purgatory S. Isidore That their remaining Sins may be expiated in a certain Purgatory Fire S. Austin That GOD may deal more meekly with them than their sins deserv'd S. Jerome For lesser Faults Theodoretus For what thorough Imprudence they had committed S. Chrysostom To profit the Deceased and to appease GOD S. Epiphanius To extinguish not inexpiable but lesser sins Arnobius For their sins and satisfactions Tertullian For their ease and refreshment and Dionysius Areopagite For all their sins through human frailty committed These Authorities are so plain and convictive That to speak sincerely I cannot see how any Word of Reply may be given them Had these Holy Writers delivered their private Opinions one might have given them a put-off and said they were Men and so might erre But what they speak of either intimates the Practice of the whole Church in their Times or reckons it APOSTOLICAL TRADITION or hold it part of their Faith in which they cannot be said without Injury to mistake Would it not be injurious to say That the Learnedest Prelates of the Reformers might now mistake all of them in their Books delivering to Posterity that in England Service according to the Religion by Law Established is generally said in the Language of the People The Peasant knows as much and the very Ideot is not ignorant of it Sure the same may be granted to the FATHERS of the Church Then they cannot all be said with Injury to mistake in delivering what was the Belief of the Church in their dayes Petrus Venerabilis assures us that the Denyal of this pious Devotion for the Dead is a Breach of Faith S. Bernard believes this Article delivered in Scripture S. Isidore What is practised thorow the whole World and taught by the Apostles S. Austin What the Universal Church observes S. Chrysostom What is Instituted by the Apostles S. Epiphanius Which is ordained by the Church Eusebius What Christians did in the flourishing Encrease of the Church Arnobius How they pray'd for the Dead in time of Persecution Tertullian What Faith observes and Dionysius Disciple of S. Paul alledging the same Practice who can deny it to be Apostolical Tradition Or if it were nothing when the Pretended Reformers left the Roman Church to have utterly lost the whole Assembly of Fathers and renounc'd Apostolical Tradition yet it is considerable to overlook rather than believe this pious Devotion for the DEAD Recommended to us in the Maccabees in S. Matthew in S. Paul and in S. John the Beloved of CHRIST Good GOD What a state is that Christian in who rejects the Belief of the Universal Church of Christ contradicts Apostolical Order and struggles with Holy Scriptures The Apostles instituted what was right they were inspir'd by the Holy Ghost The whole Church erres not in her Belief the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against Her. Holy Scriptures agree in the Recommendation of the same Doctrine they are the infallible Word of GOD. Here I leave the Pretended Reformers to a serious Consideration of a speedy Conformity with the Church of Rome in this pious Practice and Belief of Praying for the DEAD THE END Ecclesiae Judicio subjiciantur
rarely spoken of in ancient Times because less common 'T was compil'd sometime before our Saviours comming with the addition of those Books which were Written after the Collection of the First Canon Lib. 2. Cont. Appion Joseph the Jew assures us of such an addition made where he cites the Text of Ecclesiastick as part of their Scripture which Book is not found in the Collection of the First Canon of the Jews and was written near Two Hundred Years after it This suppos'd I am of the Discoursers mind that the Books of Maccabees were not by the Jews acknowledg'd as part of the First Collection of Canonical Scripture they were written near Three Hundred Years after the First Collection made by Esdras But can the Discourser prove to me that these Books were not by the Jews receiv'd as part of the Second Collection of Canonical Scripture If the Discourser notwithstanding this reasonable Distinction remains unsatisfied and still scruples their Authenticness and continues to say that the Jews did not receive them as Canonical I le humour him in this and grant him what he asks But are we Jews If the Jews did not the Church of Christ receiv'd them as Canonical Scripture S. Jerome 't is true says In Praef. Salom that the Church did not look upon them as part of that Canonical Scripture which was contain'd in the First Canon of the Jews and which was universally receiv'd from the beginning by all Christians So did S. Gregory the Great Lib. Moral 19. c. 13. Neither of them deny the Maccabees to be part of that entire Canon of Scripture which the Church of Christ appprov'd of and read in their dayes In this entire Canon of Scripture Canon 47. Sunt autem Canonicae Scripturae Maccabaeorum Libri duo the Third Council of Carthage which all well-meaning Christians alwayes look'd upon as Orthodox number'd the Maccabees So did Innocent the First Head of the Universal Church of Christ upon Earth in his Letter to Exuperius Bishop of Tholouse S. Austin in express Words says That the Jews do not receive the Books of Maccabees as Canonical S. Aug. l. 18. de Civit. Dei. c. 37. Maccabaeorum Libros non Judaei sed Ecclesia pro Canonicis habet but the Church does And in the Second Age the Valentinian Hereticks asserted That the Bible no where patroniz'd it to be lawful to venture their Lives for GOD ALMIGHTY's sake And Origen instanc'd that Famous Example of the Mother and seven Sons who died upon this Account out of the Second of Maccabees as part of Holy Scripture and confuted them Reasons without exception that if the Jews did not Christians number'd these Books with the rest of Canonical Scripture In S. Matthew We read an other Confirmation of this Truth where Christ himself says Chap. 12. v. 32. That the Sin against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven neither in this World nor in that to come I cannot chuse here but take Notice how wittily the Discourser Reasons upon the World to come He will have the World to come to be in this present World and not to be till this World end Thus he delivers himself They Catholicks suppose That the World to come Page 19. must signify the time between every mans Death and the General Resurrection The World to come cannot be till this World end i. e. till the time be That Purgatory shall be no more which now is in this Present World. I expected the acuteness of so sharp a Wit could have distinguished between Life and Death this World and the next especially when Scripture had done it before him We therefore following the distinction which Scripture gives understand by this World this present Life which all Mankind more or less enjoys and by that to come the State of Man after Death a middle State where some Sin is to be expiated 'T is certain that by this passage neither in this World nor in that to come is meant that the Sin against the Holy Ghost in which Man dies is never to be forgiven For if it were ever to be forgiven certainly it would be pardon'd in this World or that to come for no other place can be assign'd where Pardon is to be expected S. M. c. 3. v. 29. And thus S. Mark interprets the Phrase He hath not Forgiveness for ever and shall be guilty of an eternal Sin. From hence Roman Catholicks infer That there are some Sins not eternal to be pardon'd in the next World and if to be pardon'd without dispute in a middle state of Souls for whose delivery Prayers are offer'd by the Faithful living Our Reason is because Scripture assigns this World and that to come as the only two places where Sin may be pardon'd saying That the Sin against the Holy Ghost shall in neither of them or never be pardon'd Let those sayes S. Bernard who deny Purgatory ask of him S. Bern. super Cantica Serm. 66. Quaerant ergò ab eo qui dixit quoddam peccatum esse quod neque in hoc saeculo neque in futuro remitteretur Cur hoc dixerit si nulla manet in futuro remissio purgatione peccatis who said there is some Sin which shall neither be forgiven in this World nor in that to come Why did he say this if there remain in the World to come no forgiveness or purgation of Sin S. Isidore of Spain is more express Lib. 1. de off Eccles. c. 18. Nam cum Dominus dicit qui peccaverit in Spiritum sanctum non remitteretur ei neque in hoc saeculo neque in futuro demonstrat quibusdam illic dimittenda peccata quodam purgatorio igne purganda For when our Lord says whosoever shall sin against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this World nor in that to come he demonstrates that Sin is forgiven to some there and expiated in a certain Purgatory Fire And to the same Words of CHRIST S. Austin gives the like Interpretation S. Aug. Civit. Dei l. 2. c. 24. De Defunctis quibusdam vel ipsius Ecclesiae vel quorundam piorum exauditur Oratio neque enim de quibusdam veraciter diceretur quod non eis remittatur neque in hoc saeculo neque in futuro nisi essent quibus etsi non in isto tamen remittetur in futuro For some Souls departed the Prayers of the Church or pious Persons are heard for otherwise it would not be truly said of some that it should not be forgiven them neither in this World nor in that to come unless there were some to whom if not in this it shall be forgiven in the World to come And I am of opinion if the Discourser will but seriously consider our Saviours own Words that he will acknowledge some Sins to be pardon'd in this Life and some after Death I shall instance only one Example somewhat of the like nature to convince him If
THE BELIEF OF PRAYING FOR THE DEAD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A holy and Godly Thought Maccab. l. 2. c. 12. Permissu Superiorum London Printed and Sold by Matthew Turner at the Lamb in High-Holbourn 1688. THE Introduction I Lately met in the Country with a Discourse concerning Purgatory and Prayer for the Dead wherein the Author endeavours by many waies to wean me from my Faith in these Points First He begins to discountenance the Belief of the Roman-Catholick Church which teaches me to Pray for the Deceased by telling me She was beholden for This to Her Worthy Forerunners the Poets and Heathen Philosophers Then he labours to intangle it with the ancient Custom of the Primitive Church Praying to GOD for all the Saints After he proceeds to contradict it by the opposite Profession of the Greeks who never receiv'd any such Doctrine from their Ancestors And he finally resolves to lose it amidst the divers Opinions of the Fathers concerning the State of Men after Death But all this in vain For we know who is the Master of Confusion and Contradiction And the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against that Faith which is built on the Rock CHRIST 'T is here Roman Catholicks fix their Article of Praying for Souls departed Read without Prejudice judge without Partiality confess your Conviction without Obstinacy THE BELIEF OF Praying for the Dead CHAP. I. Of Pagans Praying for the Dead THE Discourser troubled at the early Practice of Praying for the Dead in the Church of GOD allows this Custom with a smile Page 3. to have been of very venerable Antiquity and to have exceeded even Christianity it self for some Hundreds of Years The Ghost of Elpenor in Homer Hom. Odyss 12. Virg. Aeneid 6. and of Palinurus in Virgil abundantly shew this Jests are not seasonable in serious debates of Religion Nor do Roman Catholicks believe Prayers to be profitable for the Dead because the Poets have described many Ceremonies used for their deliverance which nearly resemble the present Practice of the Roman Church Which of our Authors have given this loose Account Where has our Church thus explicated the Reason of Her Belief When Pagans speak like Christians we do not condemn them And if the Poets seem to hint in their Fancies at something of our Faith we still continue to profess it Praep. Evang. l. 11. c. 16. Eusebius recounts of Plato that he divided Mankind into three States Some who excell'd in Holiness of Life enjoy eternal Felicity which it is neither possible for any Words to express nor Thoughts to conceive Others who abandon'd themselves to Vices and Wickedness he supposed were at their deaths convey'd to Hell there to be tormented for ever But now besides these he speaks of a middle sort who though they had sinn'd yet had repented of it and these he thought went down for some time into Hell to be purg'd and absolv'd by grievous Torments but after this they should be remov'd and share in Honours prepared for them The Discourser catches hold of this third State and will have the Church of Rome beholden to Paganism for it which introduc'd it before Christianity was heard of some Hundreds of Years This is very remarkable But Is not Hell and Heaven too as Christians believe them describ'd by this Pagan Philosopher Will he call Hell a piece of Paganism and renounce Heaven upon the same score as he does Purgatory or a middle State where the Dead are reliev'd by the Prayers of the Faithful because these Doctrines are of very venerable Antiquity and exceeded Christianity for some Hundreds of Years I warrant ye the Discourser will in his next Pamphlet condemn for the same reason the Old Testament which was writ long before Christianity and call in question the New Testament too which exceeded even the Religion by Law establish'd many Hundreds of Years CHAP. II. Of the Primitive Church Praying that GOD would be mindful of the Saints 'T IS one thing to Pray to God with reference to the Saints and another to Pray to God for Souls departed The Primitive Church meant by praying to God for all the Saints to honour the Blessed Citizens of Heaven and beg'd that God being mindful of them would at their intercession grant the Faithful upon earth their Petitions These Prayers were Thanksgivings She pray'd to God for Souls departed that he would be pleased to remit to them those lesser faults which they had through humane frailty contracted and for which they suffer'd in a middle State. These Prayers were Expiations The present Church performs her Devotions after the same manner Prayers for the Deceased are offer'd as an Expiation to God for their Sins * Con. Trid. Sess 22. cap. 2. Docet Sancta Synodus Sacrificium verè propitiatorium esse pro Defunctis in Christo nondùm ad plenum Purgatis The holy Sacrifice is an Expiation says the Council of Trent for the Departed in Christ not yet throughly purg'd Prayers for the Saints are directed as a Thanksgiving to God for their Happiness whose Favour we covet * Et. cap. 3. De Sanctorum victoriis gratias agens eorum patrocinia implorat Giving Thanks to God continues the same OEcumenical Synod for their Victories whose protection we implore Had the Discourser taken this distinction he would not have told us that he needed no other Evidence than the Liturgies of the Primitive Church in which we find them to have pray'd for the best of persons Pag. 49. for our B. Lady for the holy Apostles c. to shew that they did not pray for the Dead with any intent to relieve them from Purgatory or place of punishment by their Suffrages And I answer we need no other Evidence than these publick Records and the very places of those Liturgies he cites to prove that the Primitive Church meant by praying that God would be mindful of His Saints to beg their Intercession and by praying for Souls departed to relieve them Lit. Aegyp ex Arab. Con. Ush In the Liturgy of the Church of Aegypt ascrib'd saies the Discourser to S. Basil S. Gregory Nazianzene and S. Cyril of Alexandria thus they pray Be mindful O Lord of thy servants which have pleased thee from the beginning our holy Fathers the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Evangelists and all the Souls of the Just which have died in the Faith especially the holy glorious and ever more Virgin Mary Mother of God S. John the Forerunner the Baptist and Martyr S. Stephen the first Deacon and Martyr S. Mark the Apostle Evangelist and Martyr See how fervent the Primitive Church was in this Devotion which alledges the Memories of Her Saints thereby to move God's mercy towards Sinners This is confirm'd in the Book of Exodus Chap. 32.13 where we read the like prescription of Prayer Remember Abraham Isaac and Israel thy servants to whom thou swarest by thy own self and saidst unto them I will multiply your Seed as
We earnestly hope You will import to these Imprison'd Freedom from Griefs which encompass them and Consolation Hear us abject and miserable Creatures praying to Thee Give Rest to the Souls of thy Servants before our dayes departed in a bright place a flourishing place a place of Cheerfulness where there is no more any pain sorrow and sighing and seat their Souls in the Tabernacles of the Just and of Peace and Forgiveness In the Paracletica the Greek Church thus sings In Paraclet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From Tears and Bewailings which are heard in Hell deliver thy Servants O SAVIOUR Hell is an usual Word which signifies the Place of the Damned and expresses likewise the Middle State of Souls Thus the Word Prison expresses the Place where Hainous Malefactors are detained and signifies also the Goal into which those who commit only Petty Faults and Misdemeanors are conducted We cannot here by the Word Hell understand the everlasting Confinement The Greek Church holds the Wicked and Impious without Redemption Nor can the Damned be called the Servants of Christ Deliver thy Servants O Saviour They are his greatest Enemies In Offic. Exeq. in Euchol Goar p. 526. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Office they pray O let the Soul Lord of thy deceased Servant N enjoy rest in a place of brightness a place of pleasantness and delight whence all pain grief and anguish are banish'd Forgive as a clement and merciful God whatever offence may be by him committed in word deed and thought In Officio Fun. the Priest prays that our B. Lady would intercede to God In Offic. Fun. ibidem pag. 572. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 577. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to free the Deceased from bitter Torments Afterwards he says With a doleful Voice we beg the Creator of all things to release the Deceased and take pitty on him Nich. Athenarum Metropolis in Offic. Ol. S. in Orationibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Officio Olei Sancti they pray O God Give rest to the soul of thy Deceased Servant Ease him of Evils deliver him from darkness take him out of Prison and lodge him where the Just inhabit Loose his Chains save him from stripes lead him out of Prison and Darkness and associate him with your Elect. Against the Second Reason The Greek Church in the Council of Florence Ratifies what we have deliver'd concerning Prayers for the Dead The Council call'd and assembled the Latines forthwith proposed the Question of Purgatory or place where the Dead are tormented and help'd by the Prayers of the Faithful The Greeks gave this Answer The Greeks truly hold Conc. Gen. Labbei Paris pag. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That in the World to come there is pain sorrow and a place of pain but no Fire The Greeks then never disputed the being of Purgatory where Souls departed undergo pain and sorrow And the Latins believe no more For In the Last Session the Procession of the Holy Ghost agreed too on both sides all embroils untangled and disturbances quieted the Debate of Purgatory was moved again and resolved by both Churches the Latin and Greek joyning jointly together that there were Three States of the Dead of Saints in Heaven of the Wicked in Hell and of a middle State of Souls in a place of Torments viz. of those Christians who had sinn'd repented of it and confess'd yet had not performed Works of satisfaction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 515. in Def. Conc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for which Prayers and Alms are offer'd and given In this Sence Joseph Patriarch of Constantinople confess'd a Purgatory of Souls And all the Greeks except one or two subscrib'd to the Definition of the Council worded after this manner If truly penitent they died in the Love of God before they satisfied by worthy fruits of repentance for what they committed and omitted their souls after death are to be purg'd in Purgatory pains and that they may be reliev'd in these pains the suffrages of the Faithful living holy Sacrifices Alms-deeds perform'd according to the Church's Institution are beneficial to them Against the Third Reason The Greek Church after the Council of Florence No doubt carried home what She had alwaies profess'd and subscrib'd to in the Council Paludanus asks How does the Synod prove Souls to be purg'd after Death Palud in Discep pro Conc. Fl. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Answers first From our own Practise and after From the Testimonies of the Holy Fathers And the very Liturgies that they formerly had in Esteem the Greeks now reverence The publick Prayers they Antiently offer'd are the same which they now-a-daies pour forth Missa S. P. Joan. Chrysost Pag. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Priest prays thus in the Mass which the present Greeks now say in Rome for the Dead O GOD that the soul of thy departed servant N may enjoy Rest and obtain Pardon seat it in the place of Light where no sorrow nor bemoanings are heard place it where it may wait on the splendor of thy Countenance Gabriel Severus assures us that as the well-meaning Greeks alwaies did so do they at present pray with intent to free the Detained in a middle State of pain and sorrow Gab. Sever. Philadelphien de Purg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostles says this Greek and who succeeded them the Prelates and Priests and the whole Order of Orthodox Persons pray'd like servants with dejected minds and now pray GOD for the faithful Orthodox deceased Christians that they may be freed from their Torments and obtain Pardon of their Sins I end this Chapter with the misfortune of Marcus Eugenicus For what is worse Georg. Sch. ult sess conc Florentini 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Georgius Scholarius in the Council of Florence What is worse than that one man of what Dignity soever he be should oppose an OEcumenical Synod which represents the Vniversal Church of GOD. The Greek Church then alwaies held Prayers for the Dead as part of a Christians duty and this too with intent to free those Christians who had sinned but repented yet had not perform'd Works of satisfaction from a Middle State of souls a Prison of confinement tears sorrows sighings pains darkness evils stripes chains and bitter torments If this be not to pray with design to deliver souls departed out of Purgatory I know not what it means CHAP. IV. Of the diverse Opinions of the Fathers concerning the State of Men after Death A Midst the Variety of Opinions the Discourser singles out Three which he guessed to be most fit to his present purpose and which seem to have been among the ancient Fathers concerning the State of Men after Death more generally received Bellar. de SS Beat. 1. c. 5. I. That the Souls departed do not straightway go to Heaven but remain in a place of sequester a pleasant State free of trouble and pain yet earnestly expecting
upon this passage of the Proverbs The Wicked Man dead all Hope is ended ah Misery Origen over-look'd this sentence who believ'd that Life would be given after the last and universal Judgment to all the Wicked and Sinners What follows is the Belief of the Church which S. Hierome stamps with a Notandum But take Notice sayes he although there be no Hope of Pardon after Death for the Wicked yet there are some who may be absolv'd after Death from lesser Faults with which they dyed ingag'd viz. expiated either by Pains or Prayers of their Friends or Alms-deeds or saying of Masses but these things for whomsoever they are perform'd are done before the Last Judgment and that too for lesser Offences If you ask what anciently were the Devotions for the Dead you have here Prayers and Alms-deeds and saying of Masses prescrib'd a word which is so disagreeable to the fondlings of New Religions If you would know why the Dead are detain'd in a middle State S. Jerome tells you because when they dyed they were involved in lesser Faults If you urge on and say they do not suffer there this Father replyes their Faults are expiated by suffering Pains Had the Discourser seen this evident Testimony sure he would not have triumph'd that in S. Jerome there was no mention of those Pag. 23. 24. who depart this Life in a state of Charity to be punish'd in Purgatory or a middle state of Souls sure he would not have vaunted that if he did not with Rufinus accuse him of being involv'd in the Error of Origen yet Bellarmin himself cannot deny him to have been charg'd with an Opinion not very much differing from it viz. that All Catholick Christians shall in the end be saved after they have been tryed and purifyed in the Fire of the last Judgment Rather than he will have a Father without Error he will be twice injurious to him When I find any passage of a Father dubious or hard to be understood I straightway compare it with clearer and easier about the same matter and so gather its meaning Thus if I should read in S. Jerome that all Catholicks shall in the end be saved after they are purifyed or that Christians if they be overtaken in their sins shall be saved after Punishment I straightway suppose if these sins be mortal they have repented of them and that all Catholicks whom God has order'd to be tryed and purifyed shall after be saved Now these cannot be all Catholick Christians generally speaking but only those who depart this Life in Charity which is compatible with lesser or venial Faults And these are to be purg'd not at the day of Judgment but before this dreadful day This is not my Opinion 't is S. Jerom's own interpretation in the end of the foregoing Testimony but by whomsoever Pains are undergone or Prayers offer'd they are done before Judgment and that too for lesser Offences S. Epiphanius Charges Aerius with the same Error which we have read S. Austin imputed to him that he opposed mentioning the Names of the Dead asking to what purpose they did it He that is alive prayeth or offereth the Sacrifice What shall this advantage the Dead But if the Dead are indeed profited thereby then let no man from henceforth trouble himself to live well only let him oblige his Friends or give Money to persons to pray for him that none of the inexpiable sins he hath commited may be required of him This is the Case of Aerius in the Discourser Disc p. 53. Can any Reformer Argue better against the Church of Rome than this Heretick does against S. Epiphanius Aerius asks to what purpose they pray for the Dead S. Epiphanius answers to benefit them Aerius presses forwards if Prayers profit the Dead let no man endeavour to live well only let him give Money to be Pray'd for That none of those inexpiable Sins he hath Committed may be required of him S. Epiphanius replyes that these Prayers do not extinguish all sort of Faults They only purify the stains of smaller Offences which this Father calls Slips of the Perfect But for the most part says he they therefore profit us because when we enjoy'd this World we wilfully S. Epiph. haec 75. pag. 911. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. yet with reluctancy fail'd an evident sign of a more perfect Condition We do therefore make Commemoration of the Just and of sinners of whose Salvation we have some hope For sinners we implore Gods Mercy For the Just we honour our Saviour Christ Here are Prayers manifestly offer'd for Expiation of Sin not for notorious Crimes for these no expiation can be made in the World to come They were offer'd for smaller Faults with which the Sinner laden departed and for which he suffers in a middle State and therefore Gods Mercy was implor'd for him Lastly S. Epiphanius assures us the Answer he gave was that of the Church unalterable and therefore not to be call'd in question by a private Reformer And I say pursues this Father Ibidem Num. ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church necessarily performs this Christian Duty who receiv'd it deliver'd to Her from Her Ancestors But can any one break the Order of his Mother or Law of his Father In Salomon 't is written Hear O Son the Words of thy Father and do not despise the Law of thy Mother declaring That the Father who is God His only begotten Son and the Holy Ghost have taught us by the written and unwritten Word and that our Mother the Church has some Laws in her own Hand which neither can be dissolv'd nor broken From these Laws establish'd in the Church which are laudable ones and full of administration this Impostor is convinc'd Language which I heartily wish the Pretended Reformers would learn to speak S. Chrysostom Is very copious in his exhorting Christians to pray for the Dead I'lle content my self with one single passage Hom. 3. in Ep. Phillip Edit Etonae P. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but so plain a one that none but a Roman Catholick could have spoken it Not in vain sayes he is it Enacted by the Apostles that in the dreadful Mysteries Commemoration be made of the Dead They the Apostles knew very well how much profit from hence and benefit accrews to their Souls For when all people stand at their Devotions before the Altar with lifted up Hands and the Quire of Priests and the dreadful Sacrifice exciting Veneration how shall we fail to appease GOD in praying for them And this truly is to be understood of those who departed in the Faith. S. Chrysostom says the Dead are help'd by the Prayers of the Living much profit from hence accrews to them And the Reformers deny it St. Chrysostom says the Pain hereby which the Dead suffer is alleviated how shall we fail to appease God in praying for them And is not his Anger attended with Punishment And the Reformers