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
the starrs of Heaven and our Lord repented was pacified of the evil which he thought to do unto his People Thus Moses pray'd to God by the Mediation of the holy Patriarchs A Form of Prayer so pleasing to Heaven that God having declar'd a little before how He would consume the Israelites for their Sin of Idolatry the Memories of His holy Servants though not yet in Heaven being but laid before Him He presently pardon'd them And how much more easily will he yield himself to be overcome by the Intercession of those who sing His perpetual Praises in eternal Felicity This is just the * Con. Trid. Sess 22 Cap. 3. Roman Catholicks praying to Saints How agreeable to the practice of the Primitive Church How conformable to Scripture In the Liturgy of Constantinople S. Chrys Lit. edit Goar in Euchol p. 78. Par. 1647. continues the Discourser said to be Saint Chrysostom's we find the very same We offer unto Thee this reasonable service for those who are at Rest in the Faith our Fore-Fathers Fathers Patriarks Prophets and Apostles Preachers Evangelists Martyrs Confessors Religious Persons and for every Spirit perfected in the Faith especially for our most Holy Immaculate and most Blessed Lady the Mother of God the ever Virgin Mary Here the Discourser wisely ended the Prayer before he came to Amen Or rather found his Mistake and so made a Pause The Liturgy goes on raising the Praises of Our B. Lady beyond those of Seraphims Then adds the Saint whose Memory we celebrate and all the Saints Ibidem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whose Intercession we beseech Thee O GOD to protect us This is the Reason which the Liturgy gives of the Primitive Church praying GOD to be mindful of his Saints If you now ask but why did She pray for Souls departed the following Words of the same Liturgy will satisfy you He the Priest says for the Dead For the Rest and Remission of the soul of thy servant N O GOD instate it in a lightsome place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where there is no more any Grief or Weeping seat it where it may see the splendour of Thy Face The Priest prays for Rest the Departed therefore is in Pain the Priest prays for his Remission which shews him to be in Sin. This is so plain of its self That Nicholaus Cabasila admir'd how any one of ordinary Capacity could so grosly mistake the sence of the Liturgy as the Discourser has done Some here are deceiv'd says this Author taking the Commemoration of Saints as a Prayer made to GOD for them In Exposit Liturg c. 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not as a Thanksgiving What gave occasion to this Thought I cannot imagin For neither the things themselves nor the Words of the Sacrifice afford any the like Conception But what do we pray for in reference to them who sleep For Remission of their sins for their Inheritance of the Kingdome of GOD for their Rest in the Bosome of Abraham with the consummated Saints Thus the Greek Church pray'd S. Aug. Serm. de Verb. Aplic 1. Ideoque habet Ecclesiastica disciplina quod fideles noverunt cum Martyres eo loco recitantur ad Altare Dei ubi non pro ipsis oratur pro caeteris autem Defunctis oratur injuria est enim pro Martyre orare cujus nos debemus orationibus commendare And this is what St. Austin affirms of the Latin Church's pious Custome though not well understood by Strangers The Faithful says this Father know what means this Ecclesiastical Duty when the Martyrs are repeated in their place at the Altar of GOD where Prayers are not offer'd for them but for other Commemorated Souls they are offer'd For it is an Injury to pray for a Martyr to whose Intercession we ought to recommend our selves And elsewhere he tells us how Prayers benefit other Commemorated Souls * Enchir. cap. 110 Pro non valdè bonis Propitiationes sunt They are Expiations says He for those who are not very bad CHAP. III. Of the Greek Church Praying for the Dead THE Discourser offers Three Reasons to prove That the Greek Church never pray'd for the Dead with intent to free them from Purgatory or a Middle State where they suffer Pain and Anguish for the Remainder of their Offences I. Discourse p. 7. Their Apology penn'd by Marcus Eugenicus Archbishop of Ephesus and presented to Cardinal Cusan declares as much II. The Deputies of the Council of Basil the Year before positively declare That they neither had received any such Doctrine from their Ancestors and therefore they would never accept it III. The Proceedings of the same Marcus and of the Greek Church after neither of which would be drawn to consent to this Vnion If what is related by the Discourser may be supposed to have been transacted which is much to be suspected the Three Reasons alledged must of necessity be understood of some other Controversy than what is under Debate for this was never contradicted by the Greek Church Indeed some single Persons may unfortunately have fallen into Errour and so share in the forgoing Reasons And in this sence the First Reason evidences of what mind Marcus was before the Council of Florence but the Greek Church alwaies profess'd the contrary Doctrine The Second Reason foretells how Marcus with his Deputy would not own in the Council to have received any such Tradition from his Ancestors and therefore would never accept it but the Subscription of the Greek Church is there extant and Recorded against him The Last Reason concludes Marcus continued firm in his former erroneous Resolution but the Greek Church carried home what She had publickly consented to and sign'd in the Synod But Marcus never consented to the Council's Determination nor did Arius to the Nicean And Macedonius was averse to that of Constantinople and Nestorius never approv'd of the Third oecumenical Council O strange Proceeding The Discourser's Cause is so desperate that he 's forc'd to rely on an Apostate from Faith to support it The Greek Church before the Council of Florence Against the First Reason Perform'd this Christian Duty to Souls departed in the sence already set down This is not an Opinion pick'd out of some single Writer or warranted without any Tradition It is the general Practice of their Church Authorized in their Liturgies and acknowledg'd in their publick Offices and Devotions The Liturgy which is Ascrib'd to St. Chrysostom prays That the Souls departed may change their Sins into Pardon their Pain into Rest their Griefs and Weepings into Joys and Jubilees of never ending Satisfaction The Words are already mention'd in the foregoing Chapter S. Basil's Liturgy on Whit-sunday Feast S. Bas Precat tertia in Pentacosten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uses the same Language O GOD Who vouchsafest on this perfect and all-saving Feast to receive the Suffrages and Supplications made for the Detained in Hell or place of Purgation
from the Apostles themselves For the Catholick Church every where observes this Nor would She give Alms or offer Sacrifice for Souls Departed unless she believ'd the Faithful Deceased receiv'd pardon of their Sins Nothing can be more fully exprest for Roman Catholicks First Prayers are offer'd for the Faithful deceased Secondly For their Rest and Remission of their Sins Thirdly The Catholick Church thorow the whole world practis'd the same Fourthly 'T was believ'd Apostolical Tradition And shall a pretended Reformer start up without any warrant of a new Revelation from Heaven and banish this Pious Devotion and contradict the whole Church of God and teach contrary to what the Blessed Apostles deliver'd S. Gregorie the Great Eminent for Learning and Piety and with whom the whole Church of Christ communicated in Religion page 6. the Discourser of his own accord gives up as one of ours so would he if he were just give us all the Fathers The Council of Calcedon Or the Fourth General which the Religion by Law Establish'd reverences approves of the same Doctrine Recording to Posterity what was laid to Dioscorus's Charge who was condemn'd by the Synod Amongst others of the Accusations which were brought against him we find that he was impeach'd and said to have dispos'd of a great summ of Money contrary to the Deceased's desires who gave it with intent to be pray'd for Conc. Calc an 451. Tom. 4. Conc. Lab. Pag. 401. Act. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But no body says the Acts of this OEcumenical Synod is ignorant of the business of the Renowned Peristeria of Happy Memory For She Commanded in her last Will and Testament a considerable summ of Money to be given for her Soul to Monasteries Hospitals Alms-Houses and to the Poor of the Aegyptian Province And yet by the disposal of Dioscorus things were so Order'd That as much as lay in him even Incense was not offer'd from the Sacrifice to GOD in Remembrance of the most Illustrious deceased Peristeria The Acts take Notice First That this Lady gave Money with intent that after her Death the Prayers of the Faithful should benefit her Soul. In Bulla pii Pont. This is our Article of Faith which obliges us firmly to hold that the Dead are help'd by the Prayers of the Living Secondly This was the Practice of the whole Church because spoken of with approbation in an OEcumenical Council and no body say the Acts was ignorant of it Thirdly The hinderance of this Devotion was look'd upon as a great Crime 'T was laid to Dioscorus's Charge In as much as lay in him Sacrifice was not offered for the Deceased Theodoretus Who liv'd at the same time that this general Council was assembled gives us another confirmation not of a private Person praying in his Oratory for the Soul of his deceased Friend but of the Emperor Theodosius prostrating himself before the Reliques of St. John Chrysostom Theod. l. 5. Histor c. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and praying for the Souls of his deceased Parents Arcadius and Eudoxia His looks sayes this Historian and eyes fix'd on the Tombe of this Holy Man St. Chrysostom he let tears fall for his Parents and he beg'd that he the Saint would obtain pardon for them of their faults contracted through ignorance For long before this his Parents were dead and he was left very young and an Orphan St. Austin Is so clear in this Controversy for Roman Catholicks that Calvin had not confidence enough to deny it These are the Saints words St. Aug. Serm. 34. de verbis Apostoli Orationibus St. Ecclesiae Sacrificio salutari eleemosynis quae pro illorum spiritibus erogantur non est dubitandum mortuos adjuvari ut cum eis miseri cordiùs agatur à Domino quam eorum peccata meruerunt Hoc enim à Patribus traditum universa observat Ecclesia ut pro eis qui in corporis sanguinis Christi communione defuncti sunt cum ad ipsum sacrificium loco suo commemorantur Oretur Funeral Pomps attendance of Obsequies rich constructure of Monuments are some Comfort to the Living and no Relief to the Dead But it is not at all to be doubted that the Prayers of the holy Church the wholesome Sacrifice and Alms-deeds given for the deceased are beneficial to the Dead that God might deal more mildly with them than their sins have deserv'd For this which was delivered by our fore-Fathers the Vniversal Church observes to pray for those who are departed in the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ when they are commemorated in their place at the Sacrifice Thus S. Austin And thus Roman Catholicks We pray for the Faithful deceased S. Austin prays for the same for those who are departed in the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ We pray with intent that God may ease their Sufferings so did S. Austin That God might deal more meekly with them than their Sins have deserv'd We look upon this as part of our Christian Duty so did S. Austin For this which has been deliver'd by our fore-Fathers the Vniversal Church observes Nor is this Learned Father contented here He reckons the opposite Errour Heretical The Aerian Hereticks De Haeres num 53. de Aerio Aëriani ab Aerio quodam sunt nominati qui cum esset Presbyter doluisse fertur quod Episcopus non potuit ordinari in Arianorum haeresim lapsus propria quoque dogmata addidisse nonnulla dicens orare vel offerre pro Mortuis oblationem non oportere contra ista sentit Ecclesia Catholica sayes he take their Name from Aerius who being a Priest was griev'd that he could not get a Bishoprick and being fallen into the Arian Heresy he added some of his own peculiar Doctrines saying We ought not to pray nor offer sacrifice for the Dead The Catholick Church teaches the contrary This Aerius is the first Man we read of who deny'd Prayers for the Dead In what sense he deny'd them S. Austin declares viz. in the sense opposite to what the Vniversal Church observ'd Now the Universal Church pray'd as this Holy Father observes with intent to ease the Deceased in their Sufferings That GOD might deal more meekly with them than their Sins deserv'd S. Hierome Vindicates himself from Origen's Error in which some would involve him In Proverb cap. 2. Mortuo homine iniquo nulla erit ultra Spes Heu misere hanc sententiam pertransijt Origenes qui post universale extremumque judicium vitam credit omnibus impiis peccatoribus dandum Notandum autem quod etsi impiis post Mortem spes veniae non est sunt tamen qui de levioribus peccatis cum quibus obligati defuncti sunt post Mortem absolvi possunt vel poenis videlicet castigati vel suorum precibus eleemosynis Missarumque celebrationibus sed haec quibuscunque fiunt ante judicium de levioribus fiunt erratis writing thus