not we degenerate into the lower Rank of Animals and very deservedly pull God's vengeance upon us for disappointing the end of our Creation which was to serve our Creatour in all Faithfulness and Truth it being a fault never to be forgiven for any Creature to say that he is not beholding to God for giving him a Being unless he may be freed from the dreadfull apprehensions of that everlasting punishment which is due against all such as wilfully offend so good and wise so holy and just a God Wherefore let no vain expectations of escaping the wrath to come betray us into so great a sottishness as to put off our Repentance or to defer making provision for Eternity to be throughly regenerate is a harder task than to mumble over so many Pater Noster's or Ave-Mary Prayers I fear those ignorant People whose Religion hangs on a string of Beads and whose Prayers are set upon Tallies understand very little what true Sanctification imports what reconciliation with the nature will and mind of God signifies unless we are thus qualified for the enjoyment of God no Flames of Purgatory will ever prepare us for it Now therefore is the time of working out our Salvation the next World will be the time of giving an account of what we have done either good or evil as this Life leaves us so eternal Life will find us what advantages then we have to day of knowing the will of God and of learning his statutes let us make use of them that we may be able to stand before his Judgment Seat and receive the rewards of good and faithfull Servants in order to the acquitting our selves well at this Bar we have the direction of holy Scripture which we may search as curiously as we please we have all God's institutions to guide us we have the assistance of God's Spirit to help and encourage our endeavours and the promises of the Gospel to assure us that our labour shall not be in vain These are the benefits of the present time but what warrant have we from Scripture that those duties may be performed hereafter which are now neglected No we are told the quite contrary because I called saith God and ye would not answer I will then laugh at your destruction and mock when your fear cometh so St. Luke 15. The rich Glutton is tormented who was always for spending his present time in Riot and Luxury he applauds himself in his wisedom and foresight when he had made such plentifull provisions for many years ease and pleasure but alas how soon is his unprepared Soul surprized with a sad arrest of Death how blank did the Fool then look when he heard the fatal News that that Night should put an end to all his hopes How was he confounded with the terrours of the other World poor wretch how did he tremble when he found himself beset with Devils and damned Spirits On the other side Lazarus is comforted because he did his work in this World through much poverty and hardship he got at last to Heaven This is the case of all Men an eternity of happiness or misery awaits them hereafter there is no other state of things so great and so unalterable the Divine Providence hath made use of all the best and wisest methods to disabuse the enchanted reason of Man that he may not be miserable but happy for ever and if Men could be brought to reflect seriously on the dismal and astonishing events of a wicked Life they would never suffer themselves to be so much imposed upon by Cheats and Impostours who recommend to them an implicite Faith and a belief in such a state as Purgatory whereby their eyes are shut that they may not be affrighted by the sight of their misery The fears of one Parâ—y betray Men into Superstition the vices of another into Atheism the covetousness of a third draws them into the most pernitious mistakes about the World to come But if Men would be at the pains to enquire into the affairs of Religion and be not indifferent whether their condition hereafter be happy or miserable they will easily discover its principles to be highly reasonable and the keeping of its Commandments to be their highest interest they will plainly see the paths of Truth and Blessedness for it sets down the most easie rules both for living well and for believing right because errours in Belief are no less destructive of Christianity and the ends thereof than a general viciousness of manners is But if Men will be Fools and follow trifling opinions no wonder if they perish by their own folly do they believe the immortality of the Soul a future state or a judgment to come if they believe all this to what a degree of madness do they act that will venture the fury of an Almighty vengeance for the sake of obeying one sort of Men who have contrived New and Antiscriptural Articles of Faith who will run the hazard of forfeiting an eternal Happiness and of being cast into an eternal Flame because they fansie their Church is an infallible guide whereas St. Paul writing to the Romans speaks not one word of their privilege of infallibility but rather puts them in fear in the 11. Chap. that they aswell as the Jews were in danger of falling way St. Peter also in his Catholick Epistles doth not once acquaint the Christians whom he writes to what Guide they were to follow after his departure there was no need for any such thing for they had all along told them that by following the Scripture they may be saved having then an infallible way there was no use at least no necessity of an infallible Guide But as the Church of Rome without any colour of reason sets up for an infallible Guide in points of Controversie so with like boldness she may lay claim as some of her disciples do to demonstration in matters of Faith whereas if we will define Faith to be that assent by which we receive the word of God as such and upon account thereof give our assent to all things which therein are propounded to us to be believed then there are to be assigned two several acts of Faith one of which is that judgment by which we acknowlege that word to be truly divine the other is that assent which we give to all those things that are contained therein Faith in the former respect is less certain than Science but in respect of adherence is more certain than the other Now there cannot be so great a certainty in Faith as in Science the Mathematicks for instance because Faith is more lyable to doubting than Science is if any Man perceives the strength and force of a Geometrical Demonstration he cannot in the mean while doubt of the conclusion but now a true Believer doth often struggle with doubting and unbelief wherewith his Faith is assaulted and yet it ceaseth not to be true Faith We must confess that the mind doth less
ADVERTISEMENT A Demonstration of the Messias In which the Truth of the Christian Religion is proved especially against the Jews By Richard Kidder in Octavo Printed for B. Aylmer A DISCOURSE AGAINST PURGATORY LONDON Printed for Brabazon Aylmer at the Three Pigeons against the Royal Exchange in Cornhill MDCLXXXV A DISCOURSE AGAINST Purgatory AMONG all the Errours of the Church of Rome the Superstructures she hath made of hay and stubble upon the substantial Doctrine of Christianity this Fable of Purgatory is one of the most notorious invented on purpose to encrease the treasury of the Church by putting the grossest abuses upon the ignorant and unwary People over whom she hath got such an absolute dominion as that she can make them believe what she pleases and then can impose her additions to the word of God as infallible decrees How easily are the multitude led into bye-paths when that light of Scripture is taken away from their eyes which God revealed on purpose that by the search thereof they might find Eternal Life For the Scriptures are the most full and complete systeme of God's Laws the most sufficient and certain means of Man's Salvation I cannot then but wonder how it came to pass that this middle state called Purgatory hanging thus between Heaven and Hell was not known to the Pen-men of God's word or if it were known that they should either be so envious of the Churches happiness or so forgetfull of the work they took in hand which was to write the whole Gospel of Christ as not so much as one of them should give us notice of this place But this new Doctrine with many others was introduced when the World was in the dark for in the ninth and tenth Centuries such a General ignorance and stupidity had seized the minds of Men that scarce any one knew what the Doctrine of Christ was when the Wolrd was thus stupid and Superstitious Men were inclined to believe strange things upon this fair opportunity some cunning Men drew the simple People into the Belief of the most absurd Doctrines under the notion of being great and profound Mysteries the gallantry of Faith they imagined was mightily shewn in swallowing downright Contradictions when this breach was once made upon the minds of Men then any errour might enter though as senseless and ridiculous as Purgatory it self Which Opinion I will first shew to have no foundation in the Canonical Scripture Secondly For what reasons it was introduted Thirdly What we are to believe in this matter Lastly I shall conclude with some reflexions upon the Authours of this and other new-invented Doctrines in the Church of Rome First I am to prove that this opinion hath no foundation in Scripture The Papists themselves are sensible enough of this therefore they put all the false glosses they can upon it so that the People may discern nothing in the Scripture it self though it be as clear as the Sun for by this craft they have their living as Demetrius and his Crafts-men had herefore But let them fairly and honestly lay open the Books of God to every one's eye without any unreasonable interpretations or spurious additions made to it and I doubt not but the vanity of asserting Purgatory will soon appear Now in Scripture there are matters of a different nature I. Ancient Records the History of former Times and these things were far better known than they are now at this distance of time II. There are things that are wholly expired and out of date and so of less use to us as the whole Mosaical Dispensation III. In Scripture there are matters of Prophecy fitted for those times which they then far better understood than we do now and wherein they were far more concerned than we are for they are transactions partly of things performed which when fulfilled were best understood IV. There are matters of deep Philosophy aswell as great Mysteries which do not belong to the business of Religion Lastly There is the moral part of Religion and our Savior's Doctrine in which two our Regilion consists and this is that Doctrine which hath brought life and immortality to light but hath not revealed any such thing as Purgatory which will appear if we consider what Bellarmine hath alledged in the defence thereof both out of the Old and New Testament According to him the Texts for Purgatory in the Old Testament are first the Fasting of David for Saul and Jonathan 2 King 1.12 and again 2. Sam. 3.35 for the death of Abner Which Fasting of David must be as he fansies for the obtaining of something for them at God's hands after their deaths and when nothing can be obtained for Mens Souls that are already in Heaven or Hell it follows that some Mens Souls are in neither of those places but must be in Purgatory We Answer that Mourning and Fasting were never practised upon a design of procuring thereby any benefit to the Deceased but they were customs onely and ceremonies made use of to testifie the honour and respect they had for their Friends departed and all Nations have had their particular ways of discharging their last Duty to their Friends when they have left this World without any thought of doing them any service thereby in the World to come The Cardinal is not contented with this Argument but he produces other places of the Old Testament to support his opinion in the behalf whereof he cites almost every Text wherein there is the word anger or fire or burning or purging or cleansing it were an infinite task to answer every thing he alledges and altogether needless because there is not so much as any shew or colour of proof in any one of them Therefore we will pass to those Texts of the New Testament which he says are for him First He alledges that of St. Matthew 12.32 Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man it shall be forgiven him but whosoevrer speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world nor that which is to come This world to come if you will believe him must needs be Purgatory Now by the world to come nothing else is meant in Scripture but that everlasting state which we shall enter upon after death in which all agree there shall be no middle state between that of Heaven and the other of Hell therefore the world to come and Purgatory are inconsistent for one Scripture is the best Comment upon another so that this way of Expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither in this World nor that which is to come is made easie and plain by St Mark c. 3. v. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now this manner of Expression in St. Matthew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world nor in that which is to come signifies just so much and no more as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath never forgiveness but is in danger of Eternal Damnation as
as little in the principles of God's Creation or in that which we call Natural Religion If this be so I wonder with what face they can still stand up for Purgatory or imagine such a state in which the Souls of Men are for a time shut up untill they are set at liberty by the Prayers of the Living or a Pope's Indulgence but to justifie themselves in this unpardonable abuse of the Christian Religion they tell us that some Christians in Old Time did make use of Prayers and Commemorations for those who died in the true Faith of our Saviour Jesus Christ Now the question is whether the Suppplicants that used this kind of Devotion intended by these means to obtain a pardon for the Criminals that were condemned to this Prison The right understanding of this Custome will put an end to the Controversie and who can better inform us of their meaning than they themselves or those that lived in the same Age with them amongst whom may be reckoned Dionysius the Areopagite who treats particularly of the Rites used in their Burials of the Death this Authour tells us that the Bishop was wont in the midst of the Congregation to make a Prayer of Thanksgiving unto God for his restraining the power of the Devil over Mankind as also for his mercifull admittance of sincere Penitents into his Grace and Favour And farther prays that God would place them in the Land of the Living seat them in Abraham's Bosome where now they rest from their Labours here they may be received into a place of Light Peace and Joy everlasting this was the end of their Prayers for those that Rest in the Lord. Now lest by mistake we should infer from hence as some have done that the Souls of good Men departed this Life are not yet in Paradise but remain for some time in a condition of darkness loss and pain there to be prepared for Heaven by certain Purgations and thence to be discharged by the satisfactions and prayers of the Living the same excellent Write hath mentioned onely two divisions of the Dead of those that have lived well and of those that have lived ill whereas the upholders of Purgatory have lodged them in three distinct Apartments But the Primitive Church knew but two places of entertainment for the Dead after this Life Heaven and Hell the first for good the latter for evil Men one for the Believer the other for the Infidel Heaven is for him whose sins are remitted and Hell is for him whose sins are retained Indeed some Ancient Doctours did seem to doubt what that place was which the Souls of Men did abide in till they should be reunited to their Bodies in the Resurrection supposing for a while they lay under the Altars But afterwards the Church of Rome found it more profitable to build for them this place of Purgatory a place wherein she pretends the Souls of Men are cleansed by Burning and made fit for Heaven For as soon as the World was put into a great Fright about Purgatory then came in the sale of Indulgences which the subtile Priest put off for securities against the vain fears and dangers to be met withall in this place this indeed is a Doctrine of good advantage to the Churh of Rome but most disgracefull to the Christian Religion for what can be more so than to defraud Christ himself of the Title and Merit which he ever had of being The onely Redeemer of Mankind as if he had not by his Sacrifice on the Cross fully satisfied the Divine Justice but that this great work was to be done by Pope's Bulls Indulgences and Masses But for all this we will oblige our selves to believe the Roman Confessours if they can from Scripture Reason or untainted Tradition shew us where God hath told Men that he is pleased with these things and is resolved to accept of them instead of a good and Christian Life For this was always the Faith of the Primitive Church that the state and condition of a Man into which he passeth after Death shall never be changed this I could prove out of Justin Martyr ad Orthodoxos and out of St Cyprian ad Demetrianum but my Design is not to fill this brief Discourse with Quotations and indeed there is no necessity for it because we have Scripture the common sense of Mankind and the Faith of the best and purest Ages on our side Wherefore in the third place I will shew what our Belief ought to be in this matter We all know very well that we are to believe as the Scripture directs and herein we are taught that Heaven and Hell are fixed for the two eternal states of good and bad Men who if after this Life they had any hopes of gaining the first or escaping the latter by the Prayers or the Gifts of their surviving Friends this expectation would in a great measure frustrate the intend of Christ's coming into the World which was to teach Men how in this present life they must work our their Salvation how through patient continuance in well-doing they must here be brought to goodness and real vertue the practice whereof in all probability would be quite laid aside if they should depend upon such foolish hopes as these are If we do but consider the reason of those promises and threatnings which God makes use of in Scripture to reclaim the Disobedient we must be convinced that there can be no such place as Purgatory For promises and threatnings are made use of in Scripture to work upon our hopes and fears two the most prevailing passions of the mind we have the promise of present assistance to encourage our endeavours in a vertuous life and to make this work the more easie we have the assurance of a future reward Whereas Religion would be thought in its strictest duties to be a burthen too heavy for Men to bear if so be they should once entertain the hopes of getting Heaven by such cheap and easie methods as the Church of Rome prescribes persons that are her Proselytes will not be wrought upon by that fear which is the proper product of the threatnings of the Gospel when the most dreadfull condition that can be feared hereafter may be avoyded as they think by the charmes of Masses or some legacy to the Church But these are cunningly devised Fables which the Scripture warns us of which Gospel because of the terrours of it is said to be the mighty power of God to salvation for great fear makes difficulties easie it awakens all our powers and quickens all our motions it turns our feet into wings and enables Men to doe many things with ease which without so strong a motive they would never be perswaded to attempt The lively apprehension of the danger of their Souls and the sad issues of a wicked life is enough to make the most profane Man stop his course it will incite him to summon all his powers to resist so