golden censer there was given unto him much incense that he shou'd offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the throne the smoake of the incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hands we read in the 2. book of the Maccabees c. 15. that Judas Machabeus had seen Onias the high Priest and Jeremiah the Prophet after their death interceding to God for the people of Israel and that this book is Canonical I will prove in my answer to the next point we read also in the 15 c. v. â of Jeremiah that the Lord spoke unto him saying thus Tho' Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my minde cou'd not be towords this people cast them out of my sight and let thââ go forth which words our Lorâ wou'd not have said If Moses â Samuel tho' dead were not woââ to interced for the Jewes whiââ may be confirm'd out of Exodâ c. 32 v. 13. where we read thââ Moses himself beg'd of the Lorâ to shew his mercy to the peoplâ for the sake of Abraham Isaac aââ Israel his own servants for as Theodoret q. 67. on Exod sayeâ Moses thinking himself so ââ insufficient to pacifie the Lordâ he sets down not only his oââ promise but also the aforsaiâ Patriarchs merits that the rebâ the Lord might be more williââ to have commisseration upon thâ people and pardon them whicâ then he did as is manifest by the 14 v. of the same chap. Moses also endeavour'd an other time to pacifie the Lord's fury thro' the aforsaid Patriarchs merits assistance as is evident out of Deut. c. 9. v. 27 wherre he sayes thus remember they servaÌts Abraham Isaac and Jacob looke not unto the stoubbornness of this people nor to their wickedness nor to their sinne Was it not for the sake of Abraham tho' dead his son Isaac obtain'd several requests favours from the Lord Genesis c. 26. v. 3. 4 5. 24. wou'd not the Lord divide Salomon's Kindom give it to his servants If it had not been for the sake of David as may be seen ïn the 3 book of Kings c. 11. v. 11. 12. was it not for the sake of David Aby as obtain'd that his son Asa reign'd in Jerusalem as may be seen in the same book c. 15. v. 4. was it not also for the sake of David tho' dead the Lord sav'd the city of Jerusalem from being destroy'd by the Assyrians as is evident out of the 4th book of Kingâ c. 19. v. 32 3â â 20. v. 6. when Salomon beg'd any great request from the Lord was not he wont to set down the merits of David that thereby he might the sooner obtain his request as may be seen in the 131. Psalm v. 1. 10. which is in the Protestant bible the 132. Psalm Now let the reader consider what a great happiness it is to have a faithfull friend and Patron in great honour and request with God almighty thro' whoâe merits and intercission one may obtain several benefits which otherwise wou'd not be granted as the premisses do evidently make-out for as God almighty was graciously pleas'd thro' the bountifullnesse of his infinite mercy to grant for the merits and intercession of these Patriarches who then were but in Limbo Patrum so many benefits and requests to those whom they protected in this world why also now in the law of grace wou'd not the same God most mercyfully grant us any lawfull request for the intercession and great merits of his holy Mother beloved Apostles faithfull Martyres and true Confessors who are in great honour and request residing with himself in âeaven Especially being this dose not derogate to the honour of Christ as I will prove by the following passage If it be unlawfull to invocate Angel Saints either it is because they kânown not what we say or because it wou'd derogate to the honour of Christ who is said to be the mediator betwen God man according to that of John in his first Epist c. 2. v. 1. not for the first as I have already shew'd and shall confirm it by the following examples We read in the 4th book of Kings c. 5. v. 26 that Eliâha knew tho' abâeÌt Gehazie's Simonie and in the c 6th v. 12. that Elisha also knew what was said in the King of Syria's private Chamber in the 15th c. v. 10. of Luke that the Angels of God doth rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner which is the greatest secret that one can have yet it can be known to the Angels and also to the Saints in heaven either by a distinct revelation from the clear vision of God's essence or by the visioÌ of themselves as S. Gregorie in his 2. book of Dialogues c. 3. affirms saying thus what is it that there they know not where they know him who knowes all Neither dose it derogate to the honour of Christ for the Church of Rome certainly believes Christ to be the chief Mediator betwen God and man as St Paul affirms in his Epist to Timothy c. 2. v. 5. therefore she dose not allow to invocate Angels or Saints in order to obtain any request immediatly and directly from themsleves for she acknowledges that to be a folly consequently not to be in their power So that she only allows to beg of them to join their prayers intercessioÌ with those of the faithfull that thereby they might the sooner easier obtain from God their requests thro' the meriââ and inâeâcession of Jesus Christ which is manifest out of St. Leo's 2 Oration de Jejunio and also by the publick Orations of the Church wherein she implores the intercession of Angels and Saints for she wou'd have them to be efficacious thro' the assistance and merits of Christ it is therefore they alwayes end with the following words Per Domiâum nostrum Jesum Christum Filiâm ââum qui tâcum vivit et regnaâ in unitate spiritus sainti Deus per osnnia saecula saeâulorum A men whereby the reader may plainly perceâve that the invocations of Saints dose not derogate to the honour of Christ otherwise St Paul might be accus'd for beseeching the Romans Colossians Hebreâs Theslalonians to assist himself in his prayers and also to pray for him to God as is eâident by St Paul's own Epistles to the Romans c 15 v. 30. to the Hebrews c. 13. v. 18. 19. to the Colossians c. 4. v. 3. in his first and sâcond to the Thessalonians c. 5 v. 25. c 3. v. 1 so that the Adversary must either Confess the invocation of Saints not to derâgate Christ's honour or else to condemn St Paul's Doctrine for I dâfie him ever to make-out that the intercession of those who live in this world is acceptable to God nât the intercession of âhose who are coÌfirm'd in grace glory or that one is prejudice to Christ
for the Martyres as they did for other people who dy'd because they knew that they did not want their payers but they wanted the Martyres ârayers and in his 29. Ser of the Saints speaking of St Peter's Miracles he sayes thus If then the shadow of his body coul'd relieve how much more now the plenitude of his vertue If then a certain noise of him passing âprevaic'd to these who beseech'd him ââ much ãâã âhis ãâã graâs âf the ãâã ãâã he may see âore of St ãâã Aâthorities ãâã ãâã Vârbis Aposâoli ââ his ãâã Qâââ ãâã his book ãâã ãâã ãâã c. 4. and in ââ ãâã ân the 19. â of ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã proââ ãâ¦ã with the Authââ ãâã ãâã General Coâcil of ãâ¦ã Faâers ãâã ââââ earnestâ ãâã Flââianus then ãâ¦ã themselves as ãâã ââ by the ââ Action we ââreâd in the Bishopâ of Euââps ãâã to ââeo the Empâââr ãâ¦ã in the âater end of this Council that they declar'd themselves to acknowledge that holy Proâerius was register'd in the Cathologue of Marty res that they beg'd God Almighty to be favourable mercifull to themselves thro' his intercessioÌ all which Authorityes do evideÌtly make out that the Catholicks of the Primitive Church where accustom'd to invocate Saints Chap. 10 Proving that Purgatory was believ'd by those of the Primitive Church For the better intelligence of this point let the reader know that altho' the sinners crime is forgiveÌ yet the sinner under gose some temporal punishment as is manifest Numb c. 12. v 1. 2 10 14 where we read that when the sin of murmuring was forgiven to Mary by Moses intercession yet in punishment thereof she had the leprofie for the speace of seven dayes and was oblig'd to levâ the whole camp during that time When the Israelites sinn'd against God and offer'd to rebel against Moses tho' their sinnes âeâe forgiven thro' the Lord's infinite mercy and by the intercession of Moses yet in punishmeÌt of their crime several of them dy'd in the wilderness and never âas admited to come to the land of promise Num â 14 v. 19. 20 ââ â 24 3 7. also when David sinn'd against the Lord his crime was forgiven but in punishment thereof his son dy'd the â book of Kings â 12 v 13 14 18 finally we read in St Paul's first Epist to the Cormthians â 11 v 30 that several of the Cormthians were mortifi'd by the Lord and also that some of them dy'd because they receiv'd unworthily the holy Sacrament but then their sins has been forgiven as is evident by the 32 v where St. Paul sayes the following words but when we are judg'd we ãâã chastized by the Lord that we shu'd not be condemn'd âhereby the reader may plainly ãâã that God dose not ãâã the punishment as ãâ¦ã forgiven the ãâ¦ã âemency and infinite mercy changes that eternal punishment into some temporal affliction ãâã if the sinner dose not undergo in this world he must suffeâ for it after his dâath before ever he shall enter into the KiÌgdom of âeaven for nonâ is receiv'd there untill he is even as clean fâom all manner of sin and fault as he was immediatly after his Baptism as witnesseth that of Iohn ãâã c 21. v 27 This presuppos'd I may lawfully inferr that therâ must be some place of temporâl punishment ââ order to purifie and cleanse nosââouls who doe not perform ãâ¦ã world and ãâ¦ã sins to which âternal punishmeÌt is not due for it wou'd be a most uÌreasonable thig of us to believe that he who immediatly has been in the state of grace and dyes suddenly after speaking an idle word or committing some other smal offence shu'd be oblig'd to everlasting torments even as he who suddenly dyes without any kind of repentance after committing murder adultry or some other great crime therefore being he cannot inter the into heaven by reason of that small offence he must go to some other place untill he is purââi'd which I shall prove by the following argument what ever the old and new Testament the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Primitive Church several Councils true and wonderfull revelations affirms ought to be believ'd by all Christians but the old and new Testament the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Primitive Church several Councils true and wonderfull revelation affirms that which the Church of Rome calls Purgatory to be a place of temporal punishment wherin some souls are chastiz'd and purifi'd after leÌving this world therefore Purgatory ought to be believ'd by all Christians the consequence is evident âs we shall see hereafter and the major cannot be deny'd by any true Christian as for the minnor I will prove it after the same order wâereiâââ's fâââ'd therefore I âill begân ãâã the Auââoââes of the old Testament We finâ in the 6â Psâââ which is the ãâã ân the ãâã English ãâã 3. ãâã in ãâã â18 ãâã O sââ c. ãâã â8 ât ãâ¦ã his perpetualây and âo câasâen one in his ãâã ãâã is âo punish hiâ seveâly ãâã this âite iâ order ãâ¦ã and so concluds wâââ the following words O Lord ãâã pâeas'd to ãâ¦ã in this woâld thââ I ãâã âot wânt thaâ correctiÌg âire And it âhall ãâã to pâsse that he that is leât iâ zâââ and âe that remaineth in Jerâsalem shaâl be call'd âoây when tâe Lord that haâe wash'd away the ãâã of the daâgââers of zion shall have puâg'd the bloâd of Jerusalem from the âidât the âo by the spirit of jugedment and by the spirit of burning Isaih c. 4. v 3. and 4. which text according to St. Augustin in his 20th book of the City of God c. 25. mââns the releasment âhich souls do get from the burning fire of Purgatory Micah c. 7. v. 7. 8. and 9 â will look unto the Lord. I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will heare me rejoice not against me O! mine enemy when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be light onto me I will beare the indignatioÌ of the Lord because I have sinn'd against him untill he plead my case and execute judgement for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousnesse Which words as St. Hierome affirms in his commentary on the last c. of I saiah means the releasment of those souls who do suffer in Purgatory fire Zechariah c. 9. v 11. you also by the blood of they covenant have brought forth your prisoners out of the pât wherein there is no water Sâ Peteâ speakïg of those Prisoneâs in his ãâã Ep. c. 3. v. 18. 19 20 sayes thus for christ also hath once suffer'd for sins the just for the unjust that he might briÌg us to God beiâg put to death in the flesh but quickened by the spirit by which also he went and preach'd unto the spirits in prison which sometimes were disobedâent when once the long suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah while
the âhosple the charge of the whâle Church to have been committâd by the âord to Peter the Prince of all the Apostle And the General Council of Calcedon wherein 630 Fatherâ were assembled call'd action 3 S. Peter the Rock and pillar of the Church All which proofs do sufficiently make-out that it was alwayes believ'd and acknowledg'd by those of the Primitive Church St. Peter to have been instituted a supream pastor but the same charge still remains being the office of a pastor is an ordinary and a perpetual office and as long as there are sheep to be feed so long there ought to be a pastor to feed them which because St. Peter did not perform in his own person those many hundred years there must needs be some other lawfull successor to execute the office in his place for we see by daily experience many strifes and contentions to happen amonghst the flock in matters of faith and discipline who then shall appease reconcile them you will say the Bishops but how often doth differences of this sort araise and happen amonghst the Bishops themselfs perhaps you will answer that they ought to appeal to Primates and Patriarches but what if they be also at variance as Flavianus and Dioscorus Cyrill and Nestor were peradventure you may say that they ought to goe to temporal princes and civil Magistrates but t is not their part to ingage themselves in Ecclesiastical affairs and their factions may be more dangerous then any of the former to whom then shall the people appeal it will be said to a general Council but who shall summon who shall order or who shall direct and guide that assembly what if they decline from the true faith of Iesus Christ as the Council of Ariminium the second Council of Ephesiââ ' and several other Schismatical Councils did who then shall Iudge their case who shall deside their dissentions unless some certain head be appointed by the divine providence of the holy Ghost whose decrees are infallible whose censures ought to be obey'd and in respect of whom St. Peter may be still said to performâ his duty and feed the sheep intrusted to his charge as the premisses do plainly make-out Now let us see if those of the Primitive Church did belive and acknowledge the Popes of Rome successiuely from age to age since Peter's death to have been that Supream head of the Universal Church as St Peter was in hâs own time St. Irenous who liv'd in the year 180 in his 3 book Chap 3 sayes the following words The fouâders of the Church deliver'd the Episcopaây of over-seeing the Church to Linus and Anacletus succeeded Linus Clemens Anacletus Evaristus Clemens c. numbring all the rest of the Popes of Rome who govern'd the Church from St. Peter's time to that very instant St. Basil who liv'd in the 4 Century in his 52 Epist which is to St. Athanasius sayes thus It is convenient that we shu'd write to the Bishop of Rome that he might take notice of what is done here and produce his sentence and use his Authority in the case choese some sound men who can cârrect those stoburn and crosse people that are here with us and cancel what has been done by force ud violânce in Ariminium St. Athauasius in his Ep written in the name of all the Bisâops in Egypt to Marke Pope of Rome sayes the following words To the holy and Venerable Marke Pope of the Vniversal Church ruler of the holy Apostoâical sea we desire by the Authority of your holy sea which is the Mother and hâad of all Churches that we may know by the present legates what ought to be done for the recovery and correction of the faith full Orthodox foâ being supported by your Authority and sârânthn'd by your Prayers we can escape safe from the enemyes of God's Church and ours and be able to root-out those committed unto us such an other convincing Authority may be seen in St Athanasius's Epist to Felix and also in St Cyprian's Epistles to Cornelius Lucius and Stephen Popes of Rome St Hierome in his Epistle to Pope Damas sayes thus altho' your grandeââ terrisies me yet yââr mildness invicts me I do crave from the Priest the victim of Salvation from the Pastor succoâr to a sheep I speake to the succâssor of the fisher and disciple of the cross following none buâ Christ I do joyne with your holynesse in communion that is to say with the chaier of Peter for I know the Church to have been built upon that Rocke whosover shall eat the âamb out of this house is prophane St Crysostome in his first Epist to Pope Innocentius beseeches him to declare the proceedings of the Eastern Bishops void and of no effect and to punish with Ecclesiastical Censure the promoters of the discorde and in his 2 book de Sacerdotio Châp ââ he syes the fallowing words speaking of Christ why did he sâed his own blood certainly it was to purchase those sheep whose care he committed both to Peter and to Peter's succesors Theodoretus in his Epist to Pope Leo sayes thus I do expect the sentence of your Aposlolical sea and I humbly beseech and Pray your holynesse that your just and upright judgment may aâde me appealing to you and command mâ to come before you in his Epist to Renatus he also sayes thus I beseech you to perswade the most holy Archbishop Leo to use his Apostolical Authority and command me to appear at your Council for that holy sea has the Goverment of all Churches thro' the whole world St Augustin in his 262 Epist which is to Pope Caeleâstinus sayes the following words I congratulate your merits that our Lord estabâish'd you in that sea without any opposion of the people secondly I do inform your holynesse of what is committed near us here that not only by praying for us but also by advising and assisting us you may relâef us I beseech you thro' the blood of Christ and remembrance of the Apostle Peters who admonish'd the chifest of the Christian people not to sufer these things to be done All which Authorityes do plainly make-out that the holy Fathers and Doctors of the primitive Church firmly believ'd and acknowledg'd the Popes of Rome to have been successively from age to age the Supteam head of the Universal Church on earth Which may be further confirm'd by the coÌtinual practice and consent of several Nations who in the primitive Church appeal'd to the Popes of Rome acknowledging each of them in his own time to have been Christ's Vicar-generall on earth As for exemple to whose high tribunal did Flavianus the Patriarch of Constantinople appeal from the â Ephesian Councilâ but to that of Leo Pope â Rome as Liberatus in his breviate c 12. writes whose assistance diâ Athanasius Bishop of Alexandrâ depos'd by the Aerians imploreâ but the assistance of Marke Feliâ and Iulius Popes of Rome â St. Athanasiu's own Epistles â the
the other not Now letus héare the holy Fathers Authorityes and the practice of the Primitive Church St Ireâaeusâ who liv'd in the 2 Century in his 5th book against hereses sayes thus and as Eve was seduc'd that the might avoid God even so maây was advis'd to obey God that she might become Eves advocate Origines who liv'd in the 3 Century in his first homily on Ezech sayes thus come Angel and receive the converted from the former error from the devilish Doctrine call the rest of your compaâions that ye may together instâuct in the faith all those who formerly has âeen deceiv'd more of Origen's Authorityes may be seen hom 3. in Diversa Loca Novi Tâestamenti hom 16. in âosue and hom 26 in Nume Cornelius who liv'd in the same century in his first Epist sayes thus we are Praying God our Lord Jesus Christ that by the intercessions of his own holy Apostles he may purge out the blemishes of your sinnes St. Cyprian who also liv'd in the 3. Century in his book de Disiplina et Habitu Virginum speaking to the Virgins sayes thus peform spiritually come prosperously and be mindfull of us Eusebius Caes who liv'd the year 326. in his 13. book de Evang. Praep. c. 7. sayes we âouldiers of true pieây do daily practise these thing honouring the friend s of God praying to them by whose intercession to God we do freely acknowledge to be much favour'd S. Athansius wâo liv'd in the same Century in his ser in Evangelium speaking of the blessed Virgin Mary sayes the following words incline they hearing to our prayers and do not forget they people we cry to thee be mindfull of us most holy Virgin who also after your delivery contânu'd a Virgin Lady Mistress and Queen and Mother of God intercede for us St Hilarius who liv'd the year 355. in psal â 9 sayes that the nature of God dose not want the intercession of Angels God being ignorant of nothiÌg that we do but our own weakness wants it he has such another Authority speaking of the Apostles and Prophets intercession expounding the 124. Psalm St. Basil who liv'd in the same age in his Oration of the 40. Martyâes sayes thus whosoever is oppress'â with trouble let him sly for refuge tâ these martyres that he may be ridd oâ his troubles and whosoever rejoyces let him Pray to them âhat he âay continue in his prosperityes And in his 205. Epist which is to Julian after specifying several points of faith which himself beliv'd he sayes the following words and I do embrace the holy Apostles Prophets and invocate them in my supplication to God that by their intercession he might be mercyfull to me S. Cyrill of Jerusalem who liv'd about the same time Catech. 5. sayes thus when we offer this sacrifice we also make mention of those who dâ'd before us first of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and Martyres that God may receive our prayer by their intercession S. Ephraem who also liv'd in the same Century in his ser de Laudibus Martyrum sayes the following words we beseech ye most holy Martyres who for the sake of the Lord readily and willingly suffer'd torments for which ye are all now most faââliar with God that ye may be pleas'd to intercede to the Lord for us poor sinners that the grace of Christ might light upon us St. Gregorie Nazianzen who liv'd the year 370 in his Oration speaking to S. Athanasius after his death sayes thus and look upon us favorably from alove and govern this holy people nuâish and feed us in peace direct and take us up in the battel and place us with your self and with those who are in the same condâtion with you he implores also St. Cyprian St. Basil's assistance in his Orà tions of them after their death St. Ambrose who liv'd the same time sayes the following words the Angeâs who are employ'd to asist us ought to be pray'd to and the Marâyres they can intercedâ for our sins who with their proper blood wash'd a way if they had any sins let âs not be asham'd to apply them a intercessors of our weakness More of this holy Doctors Authority may be seen in his 2. book de Virg. in his 10 book in Lucam expounding the 21. â and in his Preparation before mass where he begs the assistance and intercession of the Apostles Martyres CoÌfessors S. Gregorie Nysen who liv'd the year 380 in his Oration of St. Theodâr Mârâyer sayes thus we stand iâââed oâ great favours intârcâde aâd pâay eaânâstly to the âniversal Kiââ ãâã Lord for the Counâey for we ãâ¦ã âe exââct dangers the wicked Sâithioâs are ât far oâ dâclariâg war against âs ãâã for us as a Souâdier as a marâyer âse the liberty of ãâã for your fellow ârvant altho' you haâe âeâs the world ãâã you knâw thâ disposition interest ââd ãâã of ãâã nâture beg ãâã that these âublick assemblyes âay not give over ãâã the âurious wiââed and âorbârous ãâã woâ'd âaise agaiÌst us and assââls our Churchââ and Altars but if it be requisite ââ have more assistance and prayers gather your consorts the Martyres and pray along with them for the prayers oâ many righteous doth wash away the ãâã of many admonish Peter move Paul and John thât beloved Disciple thaâ they may take care of those Churches for whose sake they endur'd chains suffer'd dangers and death S. Hierome who liv'd the year 390 in his OratioÌ on Paula sayes thus âearwel O Paula and help with your prayers thy worshipper in his old age foâ you who is present will more easily obtain what you demand S. Chrisostome who also liv'd the same time in his 45. homily speaking of St. Meletuis sayes thus therefore let us all together men and women both young and old pray to holy Miletius c. In his ser speaking of the blessed Lady he sayes the followiÌg words ât us recurr to the most holy Virgin Mary Mother of God that by her interââssion âe may obtain our request we beseech ââee to intercede for us daily to our Lord Jesus Christ thy own son that ây thee thro' his grace and benignity âe may be pardon'd in his 66. hom to the people of Antioch he sayes thus he who gose in his purple âd royal crown laying by his pride âraws near the Saints sepulchres humbly beseeching them to intercede for him â God c. More of St. Chrysostoms Authorityes may be seen in his 5th hom in Matt. in his ser de Juventio and Maximio and in his first hom on St. Paul's first Epist âo the Thessalonians where he Numbers several benefitâ graÌted by the Saints intercession thro' their merits S. Augustin who liv'd the year 4â0 in his 7 book against the Donaââsts ãâã speaking of St. Cyprian sayes the âollowing words we beseech him to aâââââ us with his prayers c. in his 84. Treatise in John he sayes that it was therefore they did not pray