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
the like Sin made a Collection among them of a considerable summ of Money and sent it to Jerusalem to offer Sacrifice for the Sin well and religiously thinking of the Resurrection Edit Sixti 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For unless he hop'd that they that were fallen should rise again it would seem superfluous and vain to pray for the Dead After considering that there is an excellent Reward laid up for those that die piously which was a Holy and Godly Thought he therefore made an Expiation for the Dead that they might be Absolv'd from their Sin. This is so plain and easy that I cannot imagin how any one except he wilfully will mistake should understand it otherwise than in the Roman Catholick Affirmation The Sin questionless that they committed whom GOD permitted to be cut off by the Enemy was mortal The Law forbad to covet Deut. 7. Josh 7. or take any thing appertaining to Idols They were commanded to destroy it and therefore because this People had taken the Donaries of Idols they were slain says the Text. Judas and his Company hop'd that their fellow-Souldiers repented before they died of their grievous Sin. There was sufficient Ground for this They fought in defence of their Country and their Religion For these they bravely Ventur'd their Lives As therefore the Justice of GOD punished their Crime by permitting them to be kill'd might not their surviving Associates hope the Divine Goodness would recompence the venturing of their Lives for GOD's Honour and Glory by Repentance before Death surpriz'd them His Mercy exceeds all other of the Divine Attributes At least this makes the case dubious And in ambiguous things a favourable Interpretation is approv'd of For who knows the sense of the Lord or who was His Counsellor If this be not satisfactory what follows will convince you for it is certain That Judas order'd Prayers to be offer'd for the slain because he hop'd they repented of their Sin Considering says the Text That there is an excellent Reward laid up for those that die godlily he therefore made an expiation for the Dead Is not a godly Death a mark of Repentance These Prayers order'd by Judas were offer'd as an Atonement for the Sin of the deceased That this was his design is apparent No body can dispute the being of a Sacrifice among the Jews which was offer'd for Sin. The Law of Moses in Numbers and Deuteronomy frequently makes mention of such a one And all the Tribes forthwith after the Battle agreeing in a general Collection of a summ of Money to be sent upon this Account to Jerusalem demonstrate that this Sin-Offering was extended to and allow'd of for the Dead Two Motives excited Judas hereunto First the Resurrection to Life For unless he hop'd that they that were fallen should rise again it would seem superfluous and vain to pray for the Dead And Secondly the Pardon of Sin after considering continues the Text That there is an excellent Reward laid up for those that die godlily he therefore made an Expiation for the Dead that they might be absolv'd from their Sin. By Sin for which Prayers were offered is meant the remainder of mortal Sin the Guilt which infers an Obligation to some temporal Penalty this is evident Judas hop'd that the Slain died godlily or repented but he could not be of this perswasion unless he likewise believ'd that the Fault of their notorious Crime was pardon'd For Repentance carries along with it Forgiveness Whensoever you shall invoke my Name saith the LORD I will hear you Now besides the Guilt of eternal Damnation which follows the Fault of grievous Offences as the shadow does the body both standing or perishing together there can nothing remain to which the Title of Sin may be given but the Guilt which infers an Obligation to temporal Punishment 'T is then this Guilt which is here call'd Sin for which Judas after the hope of Pardon and Repentance of the Fault as the Text affirms Considering That there is an excellent Reward laid up for those that die godlily who repent of their Sins and are pardon'd therefore made an Expiation for the Dead that they might be absolv'd from their Sin. This is further confirm'd in these other Words of the Text And turning to Prayers they beg'd of God That the Sin Committed might be perfectly blotted out The Sin then was before blotted out the Fault pardon'd but not perfectly blotted out the Guilt which deserv'd some temporal Penalty remain'd to be expiated For had they deem'd it had been before perfectly blotted out they would not have beg'd of God a perfect Forgiveness This had been already Granted There was then some Penalty that remain'd of which they beg'd forgiveness But the Pain of Sin is ordinarily speaking only compleatly satisfied with pain Nor can any one hope to be perfectly pardon'd of Sin according to the rate of God's ordinary Providence without entire satisfaction which if not paid now must hereafter be compensated This is exactly what Mr. de Meaux Writes of the Roman Catholick Belief in this point in his excellent Exposition of the Doctrine of the Church Exposit pag 17. Sect. 8. which all Christendom approves of Those who depart this Life says this Venerable Prelate in Grace and Charity but nevertheless indebted to the Divine Justice some Pains which it reserv'd are to suffer them in the other Life This is what Oblig'd all the Primitive Christians to offer up Prayers Alms-deeds and Sacrifices for the Faithful who departed in Peace and Communion of the Church with a certain Faith that they might be assisted by these means This is what the Council of Trent proposes to us to believe touching Souls departed in Purgatory Sess 25. de Purg. without determining in what their Pains consist or many other such like things concerning which this Holy Council demands great Moderation blaming those who divulge what is uncertain or suspected And to finish This passage of Holy Scripture out of the Second Book of Maccabees is so strong and convictive in behalf of praying for the Dead that our Adversaries can have nothing at all to say for themselves but with a strange Boldness to deny these Books to be part of the Bible Yet the old Editions of Scripture in English which were printed near the Beginning of the Pretended Reformation give them without distinction their proper place in the Bible What private Revelation the Reformers have had since to displace them and cast them out they never told us The Discourser indeed gives us this Reason for it that they were never receiv'd by the Jews as Canonical That we may well understand the Meaning of this Objection it will not be amiss to speak here of Two Canons of a Bible which the Jews used The First Canon of the Bible was composed by Esdras This is generally allow'd of The Second Collection was more ample and encreas'd by the superaddition of many Books to the former This was more
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
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