mount above all the Quires of Angels and possibly soare up to the highest Seraphims O that I might but have leave to suffer here a while in her place how willingly would I do it that so my God might be the sooner and better glorified in heaven by this happy soul and a million of other souls upon earth receive comfort and protection from her powerfull intercessions I willingly resign up unto her all the right I have of being set free my self and if God permit I am ready to make her a deed of gift of all the suffrages which my dear friends have sent me for sure all the pains which shall fall upon me by this bargain can not but be amourously sweet since they are the cause of so great a good in the empirial Court of Heaven St. Christina was already lodged in Heaven says Cardinall Bellarmine l. de gemitu col c. de Purg. when she quit the glory of Paradise to exchange it for the flames of a thousand and a thousand most cruel Martyrdomes why may we not believe that so charitable soules would willingly yet remain in their flames that others more worthy then themselves may be sent out in their roomes to glorify God in Heaven VVhether God accept of these holy desires or no may be a question but at least it seems very credible that the souls who are so replenisht with perfect charity make such tenders of their service as farr as God gives them leave and as farr as it may stand with the laws of the Church patient But enough of what passes in the other world of which we have no certain revelation nor other clear light to guide us by Let us now turn our speech to the living and see what they are able to perform for the benefit of the dead §. 3. That the dead may receive help from us that are living and how we must be qualified to doe them good BE pleased to take notice what several meanings these 〈◊〉 eans impetration satisfaction c. three words import Satisfaction Impetration and Suffrage Satisfaction implies a good work accompanied with some grief or pain answerable to the pleasure we unadvisedly took in sinning whereby we make an honourable amends and satisfie the Laws of Justice by repairing the injury we have done Impetration is a kind of letter of request which we present to the mercy of God beseeching him to pardon those for whom we offer up the sacrifice of our devotions and the incense of our sighs and prayers so that our prayers addresse themselves to the sole mercy of God and crave an obsolute pardon or abolishment of the crime as a pure gift without offering any proportionable satisfaction save only that of our blessed Saviour or in general of the Church militant Suffrage is a tearm which comprehends both whether it be a penal work or a prayer only or both luckily united together The Church triumphant to speak properly cannot satisfie because there is no place for penal works in the court of Heaven whence all grief and pain are eternally banished Wherefore the Saints may well proceed by way of impetation and prayers or at most represent their former satisfactions which are carefully laid up in the treasury of the Church in lieu of those which are due from others but as for any new satisfaction or payment derived from any penal act of their own it is not to be lookt for in those happy mansions of eternal glory The Church militant may do either as having this advantage above the Church triumphant that she can help the souls in Purgatory by her prayers and satisfactory works and by offering up her charitable suffrages wherewith to pay the debts of those poor souls who are run in arreare in point of satisfaction due for their sins Had they but fasted prai'd labor'd or suffer'd a little more in this life they had gone directly into Heaven what they unhappily neglected we may supply for them and it will be accepted for good payment as from their bayles and sureties You know he that stands surety for another takes the whole debt upon himself this is our case for the living as it were entering bond for the dead become responsable for their debts and offer up fast for fast tears for tears in the same measure and proportion as they were liable to them and so defray the debt of their friends at their own charge and make all clear This then is the general sense The living may help the dead 〈◊〉 how 〈◊〉 of the Church that the living may help the afflicted souls all these several ways either by satisfying for them or by their prayers or by interposing the satisfactions of Christ Jesus who has left them at the disposition of the holy Church his beloved spouse And what rational person can deny this since they are all members of the same mistical body and consequently are tied in charity to yeild mutual assistance and comfort to one another and the rather for that every one in his turn may stand in need of the same friendship and look to be requited I am pertaker said Ps 118. 63 holy David with all those that fear God and holy Church to this purpose repeates that doleful ditty so full of tenderness out of Job take pitty on me at least you that are my friends for the Job 19. 21. hand of God has falne heavily upon me And otherwise we must discredite a world of good Authors a world of authentical records a world of most pregnan◠proofes and blast the reputation or venerable Antiquity which has ever held it as one of the maine points of Christian charity to pray fervently for the faithful departed to pay their debts and to strive by all means possible to help them out of their flames To which purpose by special favour almighty God has somtimes permitted souls to shew themselves visibly to their friends and kindred and to beg relief by Masses Prayers and other good works whereby to shorten and diminish the sharpness of their torments So did Pope Innocent the third and a thousand others as appears by unquestionable relations of grave Authors What they cannot of themselves they beg of us and beg it as an alms for charities sake and it were both sin and shame to deny them That which often costs us but little they esteem at a high rate and could they but give us a clear sight of the wonderful effects of our smal endeavours we should questionless take their cause more to heart then we do Howsoever St. Thomas and other divines assure us that even in rigour of justice our satisfactions are accepted in lieu of theirs since God has so ordain'd and past his word for it to his dear spouse the Church who really believes it to be so and proceeds accordingly So that we may rest confident that whosoever undertakes to provide for those distressed souls so he be qualified with the conditions which
what cannot so many millions of Angels and Saints do what can they be denied in so favourable a request for persons of so high merit I answear that they pray for them and pray iâ— good earnest and I say further that they are not content with a quarant hour now and then as our custome is in occasions of pressing necessity but they keep a perpetual and constant course of prayer in heaven in favour of these holy Souls This I take to be the pious belief Vid. Su. d. 48. Sect. 9 of the Catholick Church as delivered by the whole sacred Torrent of Doctors Nor is there the least reason why they should not do it being not only powerful but full of charity especially when they remember that the like charity was bestowed on many of them that their necessity is extream urgent that they are all Members of one body that they do not only concur to the glorification of their dear brethren but are themselves to receive an additional increase of accidental glory for having advanced the delivery of those precious souls who perhaps may be holier then some of their own blessed company Besides this is a charitable office sutes well with their happy state and there appears not the least inconvenience in it in this World And yet if this be so one would think they might soon turn all the souls loose and empty Purgatory so that it were impossible for any soul to make any long stay there Hold you must pardon me and not flatter your selves too much with this vain credulity You are to know that the Saints are not such strangers to the decrees of divine justice as to beg the souls release without punishment for that were the way to destroy all justice no they accommodate themselves to the Laws of heaven and willingly submit to the most equitable resolves of Gods justice amongst which it stands irrevocably decreed that this life should be the place for mercy but that justice should bear the sway in Purgatory Do not then wonder that the Saints do not obtain so extra vagant a favor the souls themselves who are the most nearly concerned in their own sufferings would be ashamed to demand it Is it not reason that God should be God in all his attributes and exercise his justice as well as his mercy We must take heed how we employ or rather abuse his clemency so as to break down the Laws of his justice Will you then know what the Saints do First They pray God to inspire The saints have many wayes to help them the living to offer up their satisfactory works for the dead and to find out a thousand inventious to help them Secondly They labour to shorten their time by procuring that the intension or sharpness of their pains may supply for the length and extension thereof wherein there is no wrong done to justice but only an exchange made of a long pain into a shorter one but more violent and yet this is an extraordinary favour for you cannot imagine what an incomparable treasure is one day in heaven advanced before the ordinary prefixed time Thirdly Many Saints have left behind them a great treasure of satisfactions above what was due for their sins so many holy innocent hermits so many chast Virgins so many great Saints of all orders in Gods Church who lead such austere lives Now is it not very likely that these good Saints may pray God to apply the superbundance of these their merits and satisfactions to the poor souls in Purgatory and who knows whether the infinite goodness of God may not accept it for good payment Fourthly Why may we not piously imagine that even those Saints who have no such remainder of merits pray those that have it to bestow it as an almes to relieve the poor souls Sure they are so courteous as not to deny any thing to one another especially in a case of so great commiseration and why should they hoard up these precious treasures which cannot availe them or how can they bestow them more charitably Fifthly What harme were it to say that the Saints beseech our blessed Lady and even Christ himself who has an infinite treasure of satisfactions in store to apply some of their precious merits this way I know the severer divines will not have it that the Siants have recourse in this to our blessed Saviour who has determined what and how he will have this applied according to the ordinary straine and set Laws of his divine justice but there be other Doctors of a milder temper believe he may be drawn somtimes to wave the extremity of rigour to dispense with his own Laws so that by extraordinary priviledge we may hope for this favour of sweet Jesus and his Saints And if other Saints have so much charity for the poor Souls you will think it but reasonable that the Fathers and Mothers the same is to be said of other near relations who are in Heaven and know that the Souls of their dear children are lockt up in that fiery furnace will use all their possible endeavour as far as God will give them leave to fetch them out But what shall I say of those saints who were lifted up into Heaven before their time by the extraordinary assistance of the living whose turne now it is to be in Purgatory is it not very credible they will now requite their courtesie and with usury too For example there may be a soul in Purgatory has helpt above a thousand other Souâ—â— out of that place of torments can it be imagined but that that regiment of Saints will do all they can and more if it were possible to deliver this their deliverer and to place him in the court of Heaven who had so great a hand in their timely preferment But because we are mere strangers to the stile of that court and nothing acquainted with the constitutions of that divine Monarchy let us conclude only thus That whatsoever the Saints can do for the comfort of these languishing souls we may be sure they do it and do it punctually without neglecting the least moment and where they cannot prevaile without breaking the just decrees of their Soveraigne there they willingly acquiesce and with due submission adore the divine justice So much for the Saints Let us now speak of the Souls themselves and see §. 2. Whether they are capable of being relieved by one anothers Prayers IT may be justly questioned They help one another whether the Souls though altogether incapable of helping themselves in their extream misery may not at least be permitted to help one another by their devout prayers For if they have the priviledg to pray for the Saints in Heaven that God will be pleased to encrease their glory if they can pray for the living as I endeavoured to evince in the last § Nay if a damned soul may have liberty to pray for his friends as it seems to be clear
in the case of the rich glutton why may they not be so kind as to pray for one another If the flames of Hell said the Devout Sales that worthy Prelate of Geneva were not sullied with the smoake of sin were they but pure flames of holy love O what a pleasure were it to be swallowed up by such flames or to be thus damned eternally to love God What should hinder then but that the Souls in Purgatory where the fire of love triumphs over their tormenting flames may display their ardent charity and vigorously apply themselves to assist and comfort one another as far as Gods providence will give them leave May we not presume to fancy that out of an excess of charity they are willing to dispoil themselves of all those helps and advantages which they receive of their friends to throw theÌ„ upon others offering themselves freely to suffer for one another Tertul. Apolog. Tertullian admires how prodigal the first Christians were in this kind of charity of suffering and even dying for one another how ready they were to leap into the very flames and expose themselves to the most cruel tortures that could be devised and all to save others for whom they were prepared What shall frail mortals who are made up of flesh and blood thus willingly suffer for one another and shall not the souls who have cast of with their bodies all humane weakness and imperfection have as much charity for other souls especially being certain of their salvation of which men in this life can have no assurance without a particular revelation St. Ambros de Virgin Didymas offered to dye for St. Theodora and in conclusion both died for her and with her Elizeas being dead himself raised another from death to life which was more then he did for himself St. Paul seems to have been content to be damned to save the Jews alwayes reserved that it might be without sin David would willingly have met with death in her uggliest attire so he might have saved his son Absalon and yet he knew him to be but a graceless unnatural parricide Shall not holy souls have as much kindness for other souls whom they see upon the point of being metamorphosed into Seraphins as David had for a meer reprobate and lost creature Many Saints in this world have beg'd it as a favour of Almighty God that they might suffer for the souls in Purgatory and have done it in good earnest freely renouncing their own conveniences for the souls comfort by a most heroical act of supernatural charity Do not you believe that the souls in Purgatory have a more refined love and that they actuate themselves in more heroical transcendent acts of charity since they are not only grown to be inpeccable but have withal a far clearer insight into the nature of this divine vertue I but they can merite nothing True but do you take them to be so selfish as to do nothing purely for Gods sake without seeking their own interest what say you to our Angel Guardians is it for any private lucre or merit or purely to please God and to do us a work of singular charity that they have so sollicitous a care of us And when God himself loves us is it I pray you for any interest of his own or out of an excess of his overflowing bounty and charity which Math. 5. 48. well becomes him â—e perfect saith he as I am perfect now the means to do this is to be well versed in these acts of heroical love as to love God for God because he deserves it as being the only charming object of our love I love said St. Augustine because I love I am resolved to love because I am beloved of him that loves me only because he will needs love me To love for meer love is the quintessence of divine love What shall we be so niggardly so mercinary or so mechanical as not to excercise an act of pure love without hope of reward Is not our love well requited if we please God and those whom God loveth They say Appelles would give away his Pictures for nothing he had so great a valew for them he thought no set price could be equal to their worth and that gold it self was too mean a thing to purchase such precious labours which he therefore chose rather to give away gratis then to expose to an unworthy sale so that the bare pleasure he took in bestowing them upon his friends was all the recompence he lookt for for those incomparable pieces And certainly it is a most noble and truly royal thing to give and to give without hope of requital Seneca spoke a word which shew'd a magnanimous and true Sen. l. de benef generous heart To give and to loose all benefit by his gift is no wonder but to loose all benefit and yet to be still giving is a divine Master-piece and an act worthy of God indeed Now when these charitable soules can gratifie others by giving away the charities which are bestowed on them why should they not do it To do a pleasure for another without incommodating himself is no more then what you may expect of an Arabian or Barbarian but to incommodate himself to lye burning in fire groaning under excessive torments and all this to make others happy is certainly an act worthy of those noble and generous souls who are all inflamed with pure divine love When they had a minde to flatter their Caesars the people would cry out O Jupiter take away some of our years shorten our lives decimate our dayes and give it all to prolong the life of our good Prince let him live at the charge of our lives we are all ready to lay them down at his feet that he alone may live and raign happily in the flourishing greatness of his Empire Shall Infidels have more kindness for a mortal man perhaps a wicked Tyrant or a profane Atheist then holy souls have for those that are about to be Canonized for Saints in the Church Triumphant I have heard of great servants of God who when they saw some famous Preacher or Apostolical Person draw near to his end would expresse themselves to this purpose O that I were permitted to dye in his Roome for I alas am but an unprofitable member of the Church all my services avail but little to advance Gods cause whereas this worthy person may do a world of good and be a comfort to infinite souls What should hinder a soul in Purgatory from having the like feelings may she not and with truth cry out I am well acquainted with my own abilities and can have a nearer guesse what I am able to doe in Paradise where I am like to be one of the meanest servants in the whole house of God and therefore may be well spared but there is such a soul had she but once cleard the petty debts she stands yet engaged for she would instantly
are requisite on his part shall infallibly relieve them Well but you long now to know what these conditions are with which we may be morally certain that our suffrages are effectual towards the purifying and releasing of the poor souls in Purgatory He that will have his works acceptable We must be in the state of grace to do them any good in the sight of God for the obtaining of any mercy for himself or others must in the first place be sure to be in the state of Grace that is Goâ—â— friend for how can God be pleased at the doings of his mortal enemies how can he relish or approve actions which proceed from a heart envenomed with the deadly poyson of mortal sin Could I work miracles and wanted but a graine of true charity all this sayes St. Paul were but wind it 1 Cor. 13. were all unprofitable Next unto this he must not fail to have an intention of doing such a good work to relieve the soul he either names himself or leaves to Gods determination and choice Besides the work must be good and vertuous of it self that is accompanied with all due circumstances The more love humility contrition and devotion you bring and the more penal your work is the more precious will it be in the sight of God and the greater miracles will it do in Purgatory rejoycing the afflicted souls quenching their flames and converting Purgatory into Paradise But let us now look a little into Whether the Mass of a wicked 〈◊〉 Priest 〈◊〉 availe 〈◊〉 the consequence of this Doctrine Does it not hence follow that all lewd and ungodly Priests are unprofitably employed for the good of the souls for since they are supposed to be in a damnable condition all they do seems to be as good as nothing and then what a world of Masses shall we have quite cast away what a world of foundations utterly lost since they may often fall into such wicked hands Away with these discourses which are not only false but very prejudicial to Purgatory Good divinity teaches that a Mass is alwayes a Mass alwayes Su. d. 48. Sect. 8. good and of an infinite valew that the Priest that sayes it or sings it as a Minister of Gods church let him be never so unworthy is alwayes acceptable for her sake in whose name he acts that if you take him as a private and particular person t is true all his prayers and devotions can availe nothing but as he represents the Church he cannot fail to do the maine deed we pretend and we need not scruple it You would be amazed should I further tell you that it may very well fall out sometimes that you may gain more by hearing the Mass of a loose or deboach'd Priest then of another for that which is common to both is that thâ—y both offer up the propitiatory sacrifice of the Mass which is alwayes pleasing in the sight of God they are both Ministers of the Church and under this qualification they are both acceptable persons both have the intention you require of relieving the soul you recommend unto them both performe all the holy rites and ceremonies which the Church prescribes in this case In this they differ that the one adds particular devotions of his own which are grateful to God because he is in the state of grace and one of his adopted children whereas the others personal actions are of no worth because we suppose him to be in an ill state Well but this is the cause why you that know it are fearful to loose by the bargaine bring so many Theological acts of Faith Hope and Charity of your own so many holy affections springing from a zealous devotion all inflamed with the love of God that the loss you were afraid of is abundantly recompenced and with no little advantage to your cause Be not then of the number of those fond persons who profess they are afraid to sound obits for their deceased kindred least the Masses should come to be said by ungodly and irreligious Priests It were meer simplicity to be afraid of clear cristal water because forsooth it issues out of the snoute of a black marble serpent or passes through the Jawes of a Lyon of Brass Would you refuse a million of Gold if it were sent you out of Turkie from some wicked renegado or should the Pope send you a Cardinals Cap would you be so nice as not to accept it because the messenger that brought it were an ill condition'd fellow Elias was not so dainty as to forbear his meat because it was brought by a Raven Do a Gods name what is fitting and leave the rest to God who out of his infinite goodness knows how to supply all these defects especially such as happen against your will and such as you know not how to prevent unless you were a Prophet §. 4. Of the particular wayes we have to help them THe holy Canons and Doctors of the Church comprehend all the means and advantages we have to relieve the dead under these four general heads 1. The Priests oblations sacrifices 2 The Prayers of devout people 3. Almes deeds 4. Fasting unto which you must reduce all kind of austerities all penal works that afflict the body what way soever and in a word all that goes under the common notion of suffrages For the enjoying of all which helps St. Augustin observes how greatly it may import to bury the dead in Churches where the bodies of Saints and holy Martyrs lie enterred not that the bare lying thâ—â—e can so much availe them but for this that devout people resorting more thither then to other places to perform their devotions to God and his Saints and seeing the Tombes of their deceased friends cannot but remember to apply their charitable suffrages for the help of such needy persons I am in love with that Religious Masses practice of Bolognia where upon funeral days they cause hundreds and thousands of Masses to be said for the soul departed in lieu of other superfluous and vain ostentations They stay not for the Anniversary nor for any other set day but instantly do their best to release the poor soul from her torments who must needs think the year long if she must stay for help till her anniversary day appears They do not for all this despise the laudable customes of the Church they bury their friends with honour they cloth great numbers of poor people they give liberall Almes but as there is nothing so certain nothing so efficacious nothing so divine as the holy sacrifie of the Mass they fix their whole affection there and strive all they can to relieve the souls this way and are nothing so lavish as the fashion is in other idle expences in importune Feastings which are often more troublesome to the living then comfortable to the dead But you may not only comfort the All kind of afflictions afflicted souls by procureing
Liturgia utrinsque St. Jacobi St. Math. St. Marci St. Clem. ep 1. St. Dion Eccles. hier c. 7. prayer for the dead prescribed in all the ancient liturgies of the Apostles Besiâ—es St. Clement tels us it was one of the chief heads of St. Peters sermons to be dayly inculcating to the people this devotion of praying for the dead and St. Denis sets down at large all the solemn ceremonies and prayers which were then used at funeralls and receaves them no otherwise then as apostolical traditions grounded upon the word of God and certainly it would have done you good to have seen with what gravity and devotion that venerable Prelate performed the divine office and prayer for the dead and what an ocean of tears he drew from the eyes of all that were present Let Tertullian speak for the next 2. Age. age He tells us how carefully devout people in his time kept Tertul. de cor mil. c. 3. the Aniversaries of the dead and made their constant oblations for de monogam c. 10. the sweet rest of their souls Here it is says this grave Author that the widow makes it appear whether or no she had any true love for her husband if she continue yearly to do her best for the comfort of his soul to neglect so necessary a peece of service were to tell the world how she joys in his death and was certainly long since divorced from him in affection Believe it all love is not expressed in setting out the solemnities of a noble fâ—â—eral hanging roomes in black and shutting out the sun at noonday to lye buried in darknes or appearing abroad with Coach and Lackies all in compleat Mourning Howling and crying and the like there is often more â—eremony or vanity in all this then love It is all rather to amuse the world then to benefit the poore Soule who God knows has more need of other helps then these vain shews of Pride and Ostentation All the day long you do nothing but whine and cry your deare Husband is gone and has left you such a debt and so great a charge of children to provide for that you know not which way to turn your self and all this while it is not in your thoughts what is become of this dear Husband of yours or what he suffers in the other world and what need he has of better comfort then can spring from your unnecessary lamentations Let your first care be to ransome him out of Purgatory and when you have once placed him in the Empireall heaven he will be sure to take care for you and yours I know your excuse is that having procured for him the accustomed Services of the Church you need doe no more for him for you verily believe he is already in a blessed state But this is rather a poore shift to excuse your own sloath and lazinesse then that you believe it to be so in good earnest For there is no man saye Origen l. 8. in Rom. c. 11. 3 d. age â—ut the Sonne of â—od can guesse how long or how many ages a soul may stand in need of the Purgation of fire Mark the word ages he seems to believe that a soul may for whole ages that is for so many hundred years be confined to this fiery lake if she be wholy left to her self and her own sufferings It was not without confidence 4 th â—ge Euseb l. 4. c. 60. 71 sayes Eusebius of reaping more fruit from the Prayers of the faithfull that the honour of our Nation and the first Christian Emperour Constantine the great took such care to be buried in the Church of the Apostles whether all sorts of devout people resorting to perform their Devotions to God and his Saints would be sure to remember so good an Emperour Nor did he faile of his expectation for it is incredible as the same Authour observes what a world of sighs and prayers were offered up for him upon this occasion Saint Athanasius brings an eligant q. 34. ad Antiochum comparison to expresse the incomparable benefit which accrews to the Souls in Purgatory by our Prayers As the Wine sayes he which is lockt up in the Cellar yet is so recreated with the sweet Odour of the flourishing Vines which are growing in the fields as to flower a fresh and to leap as it were for joy so the soules that are shut up in the center of the Earth feele the sweet incense of our Prayers and are exceedingly comforted and refreshed by it We do not busie our selves saies Saint Cyrill with plating crowns Cyril Hieros in Catechesi 5. mystag or strowing flowers at the Sepulchers of the dead but we lay hold on Christ the very sonne of God who was sacrificed upon the Crosse for our sins and we offer him up again to his eternal Father in the dreadfull Sacrifice of the Masse as the most efficacious means to reconcile him not only to our selves but to them also Saint Epiphanius stuok not to Heresi 7 5. blast Aerius for this damnable Heresie amongst others that he held it in vain to pray for the dead as if our prayers could not availe them Saint Ambrose prayed heartily S. Ambr. in Orat. in Fun. Theodosii for the good Emperour Theodosius as soon as he was dead and made open profession that he would never give over praying for him till he had by his Tears and Prayers conveyed him safe to the holy Mountain of our Lord whether he was called by his merits and where there is true life everlasting He had the same kindnesse for Oratione in Fun. Valent. in fun Satyr the soules of the Emperour Valentinian the same for Gratian the same for his Brother Satyrus and others he promised them Masses Tears Prayers and that he would never forget them never give over doing charitable Offices for Conc. Carth 3. can .. 29. them And much about this time it was that some out of too much care that the dead should as soon as might be have all the comfort they could afford them were grown into an abuse of making no scruple of saying Mass for them after Dinner so that it was sound necessary that the Church should make a severe decree against it Will you honour the Dead 5. Age. sayes Saint Chrysostome do not spend your selves in unprofitable lamentations chuse rather to sing Psalms to give Alms and to lead holy lives Doe for them that which they would willingly do for themselves were they to return again into the world and God will accept it at your hands as if it came from them Saint Augustine is every where very full of this subject but it may abundantly suffice here to set down a part of the ardent prayer which he made for his good Mother after her death Hearken to me I beseech thee O my God for Lib. 9. Confesse c. 13. his sake who is the true medicine of our wounds who hung
said that the greatest Charity that a man could have in this life was to give his life for his friends where by the way Saint Bernard notes that his charity must needs be greater then the greatest since he gave his divine life not only for his friends but even for his enemies What shall we then thinke of their charity who voluntarily sacrifice their lives for infected persons whether friends or enemies acquaintance or no acquaintance rich or poor and do it generously dying a thousand deaths for feare danger and paine before they come to dye in good earnest Does not the Church list them amongst other Saints in the Roman Martyrologe Does she not keep their feast and make an honourable commemoration of their glorious death on the 28 day of February does she not withall tell us that the faithful devout people were accustomed to honour them as Martyrs would you then have these kind of Martyrs who dye in the fire of charity go to Purgatory To what purpose to Metamorphose it into heaven For if a Virgin who is violently dragd away to the stews which is a kind of hell where they make a Massacre of chastity in the opinion of St. Ambrose changes it into a kind of heaven what can we thinke of those charitable souls but that if they were conveyed into the suffering church they would sodainly change it into a Church Tryumphant Hear a comfortable story to this purpose One Damian of the holy order of Annal. St. Fran. St. Francis had devoted himself to serve those that lay sick of the Plague with a burning desire to give them all the comfort he could by his charitable visits St. Francis met him one day and said my Son did'st thou but know what a crown in heaven is prepared for thee in reward of this charity of thine thou would'st be out of thy self for meer joy go on in Gods name for it will not be long before thou art translated into heaven to eternal glory The good Frier continued the employment till one day being in fervent prayer he rendred up his happy soul into the hands of his creatour Can you now believe that a man that sacrifices a good part of his life on the Altar of the highest charity which is in the world next unto Martyrdom it self one that looses his own life to make others live and dyes in the flames of a devout prayer that this man I say goes to Purgatory or rather do you not believe that heaven stoops to take him up and to crown him with immortal glory Eusebius takes a pleasure to relate the high esteem they had of b. 1. c 20. those good Priests Deacons and Secular persons who thus exposed themselves to the Plague and sometimes were seen to tumble into the same graves where they had newly laid others The fiery furnace says St. Chrysostome was so Hom. de tribus pueris astonisht to see those three innocent creatures there that it durst not touch them but vented all its fury against the cords and fetters which bound them Let us then suppose these holy souls to be cast into the furnace of Purgatory who chose rather to forsake their lives then to forsake poor infected and forlorne creatures can we imagine any thing less then that those subterraneous flames should yeild and with reverence submit unto the flames of heaven which have already seazed on those holy souls and that they should say with Ecclesiasticus Thou hast delivered me according Eccl. 51. 6. to the multitude of thy mercies from the oppression of the flame which hath compassed me and in the midest of fire I was not burnt What! shall purity have the power to resist fire so that many chast Virgins have received no harme by it and shall not charity in its perfection be as good a preservative against the fire of Purgatory §. 5. The fifth A tender devotion to the Virgin I Cannot be perswaded that a soul truly devoted to the honour and service of the mother of God can be long detained in Purgatory if she go thither at all For how should this be does our blessed Lady want power she that can do all things says St. Anselme or charity she that has no bowels but of charity she that has a heart so tender that though you suppose a heart to be made up of all the mothers hearts in the world it could not be more tender then hers which is all sweetness and tenderness St Brigit had a son lived not so good a life Osor in cone St. Brigit revel as to look for Heaven without passing through Purgatory This great servant of God who was not without the passion of a loving mother casts about how to save the poor youth who was grown careless enough of himself She resolves therefore to offer him up to the Blessed Virgin and to trust her entirely with his salvation She undertakes the trust and carries it on so luckily that in fine she saves him and at the hour of death takes up his soul into Heaven This she did by first working him to a perfect act of contrition which impt his wings for Heaven and then cutting of the thred of his life which should have held out one day longer So that the Devil finding himself thus cozened made his complaint to God the just judge of the world who returned this answer Know that my mother is Lady and Queen of Heaven and therefore has liberty to place there whom she pleases and what she does in this kind is well done and pleasing in my sight There is a world of examples of the like favours graciously showred down from the mother of mercy who has often taken the pains to conduct her good Children and faithful Servants into Heaven And when it stands not with Gods justice but that a soul must into Purgatory what does she not to help her out as well by her own powerful intercession which she will be sure to interpose as far as it may stand with the just decrees of heaven as by the prayers of her devout servants into whose hearts she inspires a thousand good thoughts of tenderness for their souls who were particularly devoted to her How many divine consolations and refreshments does she send them by their good Angels And since it is certain that she goes somtimes to visite them on their death beds why may we not piously imagine that she gives them the like comfortable visits when they lye tied to their beds of fire in cruel torments The Lionness and the Tigress though never so fierce by nature will leap into the fire to save their young ones or perish there God forbid we should make any comparison between the Blessed Virgin mother of the Lyon of Juda and these wilde beasts and yet since we must allow so much tenderness to such cruel and savage Mothers we may not doubt but that the Mother of mercy seeing her beloved Children in the fire of