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
rarely spoken of in ancient Times because less common 'T was compil'd sometime before our Saviours comming with the addition of those Books which were Written after the Collection of the First Canon Lib. 2. Cont. Appion Joseph the Jew assures us of such an addition made where he cites the Text of Ecclesiastick as part of their Scripture which Book is not found in the Collection of the First Canon of the Jews and was written near Two Hundred Years after it This suppos'd I am of the Discoursers mind that the Books of Maccabees were not by the Jews acknowledg'd as part of the First Collection of Canonical Scripture they were written near Three Hundred Years after the First Collection made by Esdras But can the Discourser prove to me that these Books were not by the Jews receiv'd as part of the Second Collection of Canonical Scripture If the Discourser notwithstanding this reasonable Distinction remains unsatisfied and still scruples their Authenticness and continues to say that the Jews did not receive them as Canonical I le humour him in this and grant him what he asks But are we Jews If the Jews did not the Church of Christ receiv'd them as Canonical Scripture S. Jerome 't is true says In Praef. Salom that the Church did not look upon them as part of that Canonical Scripture which was contain'd in the First Canon of the Jews and which was universally receiv'd from the beginning by all Christians So did S. Gregory the Great Lib. Moral 19. c. 13. Neither of them deny the Maccabees to be part of that entire Canon of Scripture which the Church of Christ appprov'd of and read in their dayes In this entire Canon of Scripture Canon 47. Sunt autem Canonicae Scripturae Maccabaeorum Libri duo the Third Council of Carthage which all well-meaning Christians alwayes look'd upon as Orthodox number'd the Maccabees So did Innocent the First Head of the Universal Church of Christ upon Earth in his Letter to Exuperius Bishop of Tholouse S. Austin in express Words says That the Jews do not receive the Books of Maccabees as Canonical S. Aug. l. 18. de Civit. Dei. c. 37. Maccabaeorum Libros non Judaei sed Ecclesia pro Canonicis habet but the Church does And in the Second Age the Valentinian Hereticks asserted That the Bible no where patroniz'd it to be lawful to venture their Lives for GOD ALMIGHTY's sake And Origen instanc'd that Famous Example of the Mother and seven Sons who died upon this Account out of the Second of Maccabees as part of Holy Scripture and confuted them Reasons without exception that if the Jews did not Christians number'd these Books with the rest of Canonical Scripture In S. Matthew We read an other Confirmation of this Truth where Christ himself says Chap. 12. v. 32. That the Sin against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven neither in this World nor in that to come I cannot chuse here but take Notice how wittily the Discourser Reasons upon the World to come He will have the World to come to be in this present World and not to be till this World end Thus he delivers himself They Catholicks suppose That the World to come Page 19. must signify the time between every mans Death and the General Resurrection The World to come cannot be till this World end i. e. till the time be That Purgatory shall be no more which now is in this Present World. I expected the acuteness of so sharp a Wit could have distinguished between Life and Death this World and the next especially when Scripture had done it before him We therefore following the distinction which Scripture gives understand by this World this present Life which all Mankind more or less enjoys and by that to come the State of Man after Death a middle State where some Sin is to be expiated 'T is certain that by this passage neither in this World nor in that to come is meant that the Sin against the Holy Ghost in which Man dies is never to be forgiven For if it were ever to be forgiven certainly it would be pardon'd in this World or that to come for no other place can be assign'd where Pardon is to be expected S. M. c. 3. v. 29. And thus S. Mark interprets the Phrase He hath not Forgiveness for ever and shall be guilty of an eternal Sin. From hence Roman Catholicks infer That there are some Sins not eternal to be pardon'd in the next World and if to be pardon'd without dispute in a middle state of Souls for whose delivery Prayers are offer'd by the Faithful living Our Reason is because Scripture assigns this World and that to come as the only two places where Sin may be pardon'd saying That the Sin against the Holy Ghost shall in neither of them or never be pardon'd Let those sayes S. Bernard who deny Purgatory ask of him S. Bern. super Cantica Serm. 66. Quaerant ergò ab eo qui dixit quoddam peccatum esse quod neque in hoc saeculo neque in futuro remitteretur Cur hoc dixerit si nulla manet in futuro remissio purgatione peccatis who said there is some Sin which shall neither be forgiven in this World nor in that to come Why did he say this if there remain in the World to come no forgiveness or purgation of Sin S. Isidore of Spain is more express Lib. 1. de off Eccles. c. 18. Nam cum Dominus dicit qui peccaverit in Spiritum sanctum non remitteretur ei neque in hoc saeculo neque in futuro demonstrat quibusdam illic dimittenda peccata quodam purgatorio igne purganda For when our Lord says whosoever shall sin against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this World nor in that to come he demonstrates that Sin is forgiven to some there and expiated in a certain Purgatory Fire And to the same Words of CHRIST S. Austin gives the like Interpretation S. Aug. Civit. Dei l. 2. c. 24. De Defunctis quibusdam vel ipsius Ecclesiae vel quorundam piorum exauditur Oratio neque enim de quibusdam veraciter diceretur quod non eis remittatur neque in hoc saeculo neque in futuro nisi essent quibus etsi non in isto tamen remittetur in futuro For some Souls departed the Prayers of the Church or pious Persons are heard for otherwise it would not be truly said of some that it should not be forgiven them neither in this World nor in that to come unless there were some to whom if not in this it shall be forgiven in the World to come And I am of opinion if the Discourser will but seriously consider our Saviours own Words that he will acknowledge some Sins to be pardon'd in this Life and some after Death I shall instance only one Example somewhat of the like nature to convince him If
THE BELIEF OF PRAYING FOR THE DEAD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A holy and Godly Thought Maccab. l. 2. c. 12. Permissu Superiorum London Printed and Sold by Matthew Turner at the Lamb in High-Holbourn 1688. THE Introduction I Lately met in the Country with a Discourse concerning Purgatory and Prayer for the Dead wherein the Author endeavours by many waies to wean me from my Faith in these Points First He begins to discountenance the Belief of the Roman-Catholick Church which teaches me to Pray for the Deceased by telling me She was beholden for This to Her Worthy Forerunners the Poets and Heathen Philosophers Then he labours to intangle it with the ancient Custom of the Primitive Church Praying to GOD for all the Saints After he proceeds to contradict it by the opposite Profession of the Greeks who never receiv'd any such Doctrine from their Ancestors And he finally resolves to lose it amidst the divers Opinions of the Fathers concerning the State of Men after Death But all this in vain For we know who is the Master of Confusion and Contradiction And the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against that Faith which is built on the Rock CHRIST 'T is here Roman Catholicks fix their Article of Praying for Souls departed Read without Prejudice judge without Partiality confess your Conviction without Obstinacy THE BELIEF OF Praying for the Dead CHAP. I. Of Pagans Praying for the Dead THE Discourser troubled at the early Practice of Praying for the Dead in the Church of GOD allows this Custom with a smile Page 3. to have been of very venerable Antiquity and to have exceeded even Christianity it self for some Hundreds of Years The Ghost of Elpenor in Homer Hom. Odyss 12. Virg. Aeneid 6. and of Palinurus in Virgil abundantly shew this Jests are not seasonable in serious debates of Religion Nor do Roman Catholicks believe Prayers to be profitable for the Dead because the Poets have described many Ceremonies used for their deliverance which nearly resemble the present Practice of the Roman Church Which of our Authors have given this loose Account Where has our Church thus explicated the Reason of Her Belief When Pagans speak like Christians we do not condemn them And if the Poets seem to hint in their Fancies at something of our Faith we still continue to profess it Praep. Evang. l. 11. c. 16. Eusebius recounts of Plato that he divided Mankind into three States Some who excell'd in Holiness of Life enjoy eternal Felicity which it is neither possible for any Words to express nor Thoughts to conceive Others who abandon'd themselves to Vices and Wickedness he supposed were at their deaths convey'd to Hell there to be tormented for ever But now besides these he speaks of a middle sort who though they had sinn'd yet had repented of it and these he thought went down for some time into Hell to be purg'd and absolv'd by grievous Torments but after this they should be remov'd and share in Honours prepared for them The Discourser catches hold of this third State and will have the Church of Rome beholden to Paganism for it which introduc'd it before Christianity was heard of some Hundreds of Years This is very remarkable But Is not Hell and Heaven too as Christians believe them describ'd by this Pagan Philosopher Will he call Hell a piece of Paganism and renounce Heaven upon the same score as he does Purgatory or a middle State where the Dead are reliev'd by the Prayers of the Faithful because these Doctrines are of very venerable Antiquity and exceeded Christianity for some Hundreds of Years I warrant ye the Discourser will in his next Pamphlet condemn for the same reason the Old Testament which was writ long before Christianity and call in question the New Testament too which exceeded even the Religion by Law establish'd many Hundreds of Years CHAP. II. Of the Primitive Church Praying that GOD would be mindful of the Saints 'T IS one thing to Pray to God with reference to the Saints and another to Pray to God for Souls departed The Primitive Church meant by praying to God for all the Saints to honour the Blessed Citizens of Heaven and beg'd that God being mindful of them would at their intercession grant the Faithful upon earth their Petitions These Prayers were Thanksgivings She pray'd to God for Souls departed that he would be pleased to remit to them those lesser faults which they had through humane frailty contracted and for which they suffer'd in a middle State. These Prayers were Expiations The present Church performs her Devotions after the same manner Prayers for the Deceased are offer'd as an Expiation to God for their Sins * Con. Trid. Sess 22. cap. 2. Docet Sancta Synodus Sacrificium verè propitiatorium esse pro Defunctis in Christo nondùm ad plenum Purgatis The holy Sacrifice is an Expiation says the Council of Trent for the Departed in Christ not yet throughly purg'd Prayers for the Saints are directed as a Thanksgiving to God for their Happiness whose Favour we covet * Et. cap. 3. De Sanctorum victoriis gratias agens eorum patrocinia implorat Giving Thanks to God continues the same OEcumenical Synod for their Victories whose protection we implore Had the Discourser taken this distinction he would not have told us that he needed no other Evidence than the Liturgies of the Primitive Church in which we find them to have pray'd for the best of persons Pag. 49. for our B. Lady for the holy Apostles c. to shew that they did not pray for the Dead with any intent to relieve them from Purgatory or place of punishment by their Suffrages And I answer we need no other Evidence than these publick Records and the very places of those Liturgies he cites to prove that the Primitive Church meant by praying that God would be mindful of His Saints to beg their Intercession and by praying for Souls departed to relieve them Lit. Aegyp ex Arab. Con. Ush In the Liturgy of the Church of Aegypt ascrib'd saies the Discourser to S. Basil S. Gregory Nazianzene and S. Cyril of Alexandria thus they pray Be mindful O Lord of thy servants which have pleased thee from the beginning our holy Fathers the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Evangelists and all the Souls of the Just which have died in the Faith especially the holy glorious and ever more Virgin Mary Mother of God S. John the Forerunner the Baptist and Martyr S. Stephen the first Deacon and Martyr S. Mark the Apostle Evangelist and Martyr See how fervent the Primitive Church was in this Devotion which alledges the Memories of Her Saints thereby to move God's mercy towards Sinners This is confirm'd in the Book of Exodus Chap. 32.13 where we read the like prescription of Prayer Remember Abraham Isaac and Israel thy servants to whom thou swarest by thy own self and saidst unto them I will multiply your Seed as
We earnestly hope You will import to these Imprison'd Freedom from Griefs which encompass them and Consolation Hear us abject and miserable Creatures praying to Thee Give Rest to the Souls of thy Servants before our dayes departed in a bright place a flourishing place a place of Cheerfulness where there is no more any pain sorrow and sighing and seat their Souls in the Tabernacles of the Just and of Peace and Forgiveness In the Paracletica the Greek Church thus sings In Paraclet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From Tears and Bewailings which are heard in Hell deliver thy Servants O SAVIOUR Hell is an usual Word which signifies the Place of the Damned and expresses likewise the Middle State of Souls Thus the Word Prison expresses the Place where Hainous Malefactors are detained and signifies also the Goal into which those who commit only Petty Faults and Misdemeanors are conducted We cannot here by the Word Hell understand the everlasting Confinement The Greek Church holds the Wicked and Impious without Redemption Nor can the Damned be called the Servants of Christ Deliver thy Servants O Saviour They are his greatest Enemies In Offic. Exeq. in Euchol Goar p. 526. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Office they pray O let the Soul Lord of thy deceased Servant N enjoy rest in a place of brightness a place of pleasantness and delight whence all pain grief and anguish are banish'd Forgive as a clement and merciful God whatever offence may be by him committed in word deed and thought In Officio Fun. the Priest prays that our B. Lady would intercede to God In Offic. Fun. ibidem pag. 572. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 577. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to free the Deceased from bitter Torments Afterwards he says With a doleful Voice we beg the Creator of all things to release the Deceased and take pitty on him Nich. Athenarum Metropolis in Offic. Ol. S. in Orationibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Officio Olei Sancti they pray O God Give rest to the soul of thy Deceased Servant Ease him of Evils deliver him from darkness take him out of Prison and lodge him where the Just inhabit Loose his Chains save him from stripes lead him out of Prison and Darkness and associate him with your Elect. Against the Second Reason The Greek Church in the Council of Florence Ratifies what we have deliver'd concerning Prayers for the Dead The Council call'd and assembled the Latines forthwith proposed the Question of Purgatory or place where the Dead are tormented and help'd by the Prayers of the Faithful The Greeks gave this Answer The Greeks truly hold Conc. Gen. Labbei Paris pag. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That in the World to come there is pain sorrow and a place of pain but no Fire The Greeks then never disputed the being of Purgatory where Souls departed undergo pain and sorrow And the Latins believe no more For In the Last Session the Procession of the Holy Ghost agreed too on both sides all embroils untangled and disturbances quieted the Debate of Purgatory was moved again and resolved by both Churches the Latin and Greek joyning jointly together that there were Three States of the Dead of Saints in Heaven of the Wicked in Hell and of a middle State of Souls in a place of Torments viz. of those Christians who had sinn'd repented of it and confess'd yet had not performed Works of satisfaction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 515. in Def. Conc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for which Prayers and Alms are offer'd and given In this Sence Joseph Patriarch of Constantinople confess'd a Purgatory of Souls And all the Greeks except one or two subscrib'd to the Definition of the Council worded after this manner If truly penitent they died in the Love of God before they satisfied by worthy fruits of repentance for what they committed and omitted their souls after death are to be purg'd in Purgatory pains and that they may be reliev'd in these pains the suffrages of the Faithful living holy Sacrifices Alms-deeds perform'd according to the Church's Institution are beneficial to them Against the Third Reason The Greek Church after the Council of Florence No doubt carried home what She had alwaies profess'd and subscrib'd to in the Council Paludanus asks How does the Synod prove Souls to be purg'd after Death Palud in Discep pro Conc. Fl. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Answers first From our own Practise and after From the Testimonies of the Holy Fathers And the very Liturgies that they formerly had in Esteem the Greeks now reverence The publick Prayers they Antiently offer'd are the same which they now-a-daies pour forth Missa S. P. Joan. Chrysost Pag. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Priest prays thus in the Mass which the present Greeks now say in Rome for the Dead O GOD that the soul of thy departed servant N may enjoy Rest and obtain Pardon seat it in the place of Light where no sorrow nor bemoanings are heard place it where it may wait on the splendor of thy Countenance Gabriel Severus assures us that as the well-meaning Greeks alwaies did so do they at present pray with intent to free the Detained in a middle State of pain and sorrow Gab. Sever. Philadelphien de Purg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostles says this Greek and who succeeded them the Prelates and Priests and the whole Order of Orthodox Persons pray'd like servants with dejected minds and now pray GOD for the faithful Orthodox deceased Christians that they may be freed from their Torments and obtain Pardon of their Sins I end this Chapter with the misfortune of Marcus Eugenicus For what is worse Georg. Sch. ult sess conc Florentini 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Georgius Scholarius in the Council of Florence What is worse than that one man of what Dignity soever he be should oppose an OEcumenical Synod which represents the Vniversal Church of GOD. The Greek Church then alwaies held Prayers for the Dead as part of a Christians duty and this too with intent to free those Christians who had sinned but repented yet had not perform'd Works of satisfaction from a Middle State of souls a Prison of confinement tears sorrows sighings pains darkness evils stripes chains and bitter torments If this be not to pray with design to deliver souls departed out of Purgatory I know not what it means CHAP. IV. Of the diverse Opinions of the Fathers concerning the State of Men after Death A Midst the Variety of Opinions the Discourser singles out Three which he guessed to be most fit to his present purpose and which seem to have been among the ancient Fathers concerning the State of Men after Death more generally received Bellar. de SS Beat. 1. c. 5. I. That the Souls departed do not straightway go to Heaven but remain in a place of sequester a pleasant State free of trouble and pain yet earnestly expecting