of Hell Fire If he fail as all of us do witness this Sentence of S. James We all offend in many things S. Jam. 3.2 before he may recover these Lapses Death may surprize him when he neither thinks of them nor of the World to come where then must these smaller Offences be Expiated Must the Delinquent go straight to Heaven This is not a place of Punishment Must he be thrown head-long down into Hell This is not a state of expiation The Justice of God will not punish this Delinquent eternally with the Damned because his divine Mercy has declar'd in this passage of S. Matthew that these lesser blemishes with which he died engag'd carry not along with them the Guilt of Hell Fire The Mercy of God will not as yet deck him with the beauties of Heaven Apocalyp because His Justice has pronounc'd That no unclean thing enters into Heaven and elsewhere he sayes Psal 14. Ingreditur sine Macula Who enters enters without stain There is then some middle place of Souls assign'd by the Divine Providence to punish these lighter Offences that Justice and Mercy may meet together This Roman Catholicks believe and call Purgatory Conclusion I Hope the Pretended Reformers will hereafter be so just as to grant That the Holy Fathers anciently pray'd with the same intent which the Church of Rome does at present to free Souls departed of their Lesser Offences and Pains in a middle State or Purgatory Petrus Venerabilis prays That their Sins not yet forgiven may be pardon'd S. Bernard That they may be Freed from Purgatory S. Isidore That their remaining Sins may be expiated in a certain Purgatory Fire S. Austin That GOD may deal more meekly with them than their sins deserv'd S. Jerome For lesser Faults Theodoretus For what thorough Imprudence they had committed S. Chrysostom To profit the Deceased and to appease GOD S. Epiphanius To extinguish not inexpiable but lesser sins Arnobius For their sins and satisfactions Tertullian For their ease and refreshment and Dionysius Areopagite For all their sins through human frailty committed These Authorities are so plain and convictive That to speak sincerely I cannot see how any Word of Reply may be given them Had these Holy Writers delivered their private Opinions one might have given them a put-off and said they were Men and so might erre But what they speak of either intimates the Practice of the whole Church in their Times or reckons it APOSTOLICAL TRADITION or hold it part of their Faith in which they cannot be said without Injury to mistake Would it not be injurious to say That the Learnedest Prelates of the Reformers might now mistake all of them in their Books delivering to Posterity that in England Service according to the Religion by Law Established is generally said in the Language of the People The Peasant knows as much and the very Ideot is not ignorant of it Sure the same may be granted to the FATHERS of the Church Then they cannot all be said with Injury to mistake in delivering what was the Belief of the Church in their dayes Petrus Venerabilis assures us that the Denyal of this pious Devotion for the Dead is a Breach of Faith S. Bernard believes this Article delivered in Scripture S. Isidore What is practised thorow the whole World and taught by the Apostles S. Austin What the Universal Church observes S. Chrysostom What is Instituted by the Apostles S. Epiphanius Which is ordained by the Church Eusebius What Christians did in the flourishing Encrease of the Church Arnobius How they pray'd for the Dead in time of Persecution Tertullian What Faith observes and Dionysius Disciple of S. Paul alledging the same Practice who can deny it to be Apostolical Tradition Or if it were nothing when the Pretended Reformers left the Roman Church to have utterly lost the whole Assembly of Fathers and renounc'd Apostolical Tradition yet it is considerable to overlook rather than believe this pious Devotion for the DEAD Recommended to us in the Maccabees in S. Matthew in S. Paul and in S. John the Beloved of CHRIST Good GOD What a state is that Christian in who rejects the Belief of the Universal Church of Christ contradicts Apostolical Order and struggles with Holy Scriptures The Apostles instituted what was right they were inspir'd by the Holy Ghost The whole Church erres not in her Belief the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against Her. Holy Scriptures agree in the Recommendation of the same Doctrine they are the infallible Word of GOD. Here I leave the Pretended Reformers to a serious Consideration of a speedy Conformity with the Church of Rome in this pious Practice and Belief of Praying for the DEAD THE END Ecclesiae Judicio subjiciantur
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
upon this passage of the Proverbs The Wicked Man dead all Hope is ended ah Misery Origen over-look'd this sentence who believ'd that Life would be given after the last and universal Judgment to all the Wicked and Sinners What follows is the Belief of the Church which S. Hierome stamps with a Notandum But take Notice sayes he although there be no Hope of Pardon after Death for the Wicked yet there are some who may be absolv'd after Death from lesser Faults with which they dyed ingag'd viz. expiated either by Pains or Prayers of their Friends or Alms-deeds or saying of Masses but these things for whomsoever they are perform'd are done before the Last Judgment and that too for lesser Offences If you ask what anciently were the Devotions for the Dead you have here Prayers and Alms-deeds and saying of Masses prescrib'd a word which is so disagreeable to the fondlings of New Religions If you would know why the Dead are detain'd in a middle State S. Jerome tells you because when they dyed they were involved in lesser Faults If you urge on and say they do not suffer there this Father replyes their Faults are expiated by suffering Pains Had the Discourser seen this evident Testimony sure he would not have triumph'd that in S. Jerome there was no mention of those Pag. 23. 24. who depart this Life in a state of Charity to be punish'd in Purgatory or a middle state of Souls sure he would not have vaunted that if he did not with Rufinus accuse him of being involv'd in the Error of Origen yet Bellarmin himself cannot deny him to have been charg'd with an Opinion not very much differing from it viz. that All Catholick Christians shall in the end be saved after they have been tryed and purifyed in the Fire of the last Judgment Rather than he will have a Father without Error he will be twice injurious to him When I find any passage of a Father dubious or hard to be understood I straightway compare it with clearer and easier about the same matter and so gather its meaning Thus if I should read in S. Jerome that all Catholicks shall in the end be saved after they are purifyed or that Christians if they be overtaken in their sins shall be saved after Punishment I straightway suppose if these sins be mortal they have repented of them and that all Catholicks whom God has order'd to be tryed and purifyed shall after be saved Now these cannot be all Catholick Christians generally speaking but only those who depart this Life in Charity which is compatible with lesser or venial Faults And these are to be purg'd not at the day of Judgment but before this dreadful day This is not my Opinion 't is S. Jerom's own interpretation in the end of the foregoing Testimony but by whomsoever Pains are undergone or Prayers offer'd they are done before Judgment and that too for lesser Offences S. Epiphanius Charges Aerius with the same Error which we have read S. Austin imputed to him that he opposed mentioning the Names of the Dead asking to what purpose they did it He that is alive prayeth or offereth the Sacrifice What shall this advantage the Dead But if the Dead are indeed profited thereby then let no man from henceforth trouble himself to live well only let him oblige his Friends or give Money to persons to pray for him that none of the inexpiable sins he hath commited may be required of him This is the Case of Aerius in the Discourser Disc p. 53. Can any Reformer Argue better against the Church of Rome than this Heretick does against S. Epiphanius Aerius asks to what purpose they pray for the Dead S. Epiphanius answers to benefit them Aerius presses forwards if Prayers profit the Dead let no man endeavour to live well only let him give Money to be Pray'd for That none of those inexpiable Sins he hath Committed may be required of him S. Epiphanius replyes that these Prayers do not extinguish all sort of Faults They only purify the stains of smaller Offences which this Father calls Slips of the Perfect But for the most part says he they therefore profit us because when we enjoy'd this World we wilfully S. Epiph. haec 75. pag. 911. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. yet with reluctancy fail'd an evident sign of a more perfect Condition We do therefore make Commemoration of the Just and of sinners of whose Salvation we have some hope For sinners we implore Gods Mercy For the Just we honour our Saviour Christ Here are Prayers manifestly offer'd for Expiation of Sin not for notorious Crimes for these no expiation can be made in the World to come They were offer'd for smaller Faults with which the Sinner laden departed and for which he suffers in a middle State and therefore Gods Mercy was implor'd for him Lastly S. Epiphanius assures us the Answer he gave was that of the Church unalterable and therefore not to be call'd in question by a private Reformer And I say pursues this Father Ibidem Num. ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church necessarily performs this Christian Duty who receiv'd it deliver'd to Her from Her Ancestors But can any one break the Order of his Mother or Law of his Father In Salomon 't is written Hear O Son the Words of thy Father and do not despise the Law of thy Mother declaring That the Father who is God His only begotten Son and the Holy Ghost have taught us by the written and unwritten Word and that our Mother the Church has some Laws in her own Hand which neither can be dissolv'd nor broken From these Laws establish'd in the Church which are laudable ones and full of administration this Impostor is convinc'd Language which I heartily wish the Pretended Reformers would learn to speak S. Chrysostom Is very copious in his exhorting Christians to pray for the Dead I'lle content my self with one single passage Hom. 3. in Ep. Phillip Edit Etonae P. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but so plain a one that none but a Roman Catholick could have spoken it Not in vain sayes he is it Enacted by the Apostles that in the dreadful Mysteries Commemoration be made of the Dead They the Apostles knew very well how much profit from hence and benefit accrews to their Souls For when all people stand at their Devotions before the Altar with lifted up Hands and the Quire of Priests and the dreadful Sacrifice exciting Veneration how shall we fail to appease GOD in praying for them And this truly is to be understood of those who departed in the Faith. S. Chrysostom says the Dead are help'd by the Prayers of the Living much profit from hence accrews to them And the Reformers deny it St. Chrysostom says the Pain hereby which the Dead suffer is alleviated how shall we fail to appease God in praying for them And is not his Anger attended with Punishment And the Reformers
intent these Obblations were made Tertullian teaches us elsewhere for lesser Faults for which the dead are imprison'd he GOD will cast thee into the infernal Goal Tertull. de Anima c. 35. Ille te in Carcerem mandet infernum unde non dimitteris nisi modico quoque delicto mora Resurrectionis expenso whence thou shalt not go forth until the smallest Fault be expiated in the delay of Resurrection And finally Tertullian affirms this middle state or prison where smaller Faults are to be expiated before the detained go to Heaven into the delay of Resurrection to be part of what the Church believ'd in these Words If you ask a Command for this in Scripture there is none to be found Lib. de Coron Mil. c. 4. Traditio tibi pretendetur auctrix consuetudo confirmatrix fides observator Tradition from the Apostles has increas'd this into a Precept Custom confirms it Faith observes it Dionysius Areopagita Makes mention of Three States of Men after death De Hierar Eccles. tom 1. c. 7. Edit Paris 1644. Pag 352. 357. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The First are the Wicked who die miserably and go straightway to Hell and for whom the Priest never prays at the Altar For the Wicked deceased he never prays The Second State is of the Just who go straightway to Heaven and of these he recounts two degrees Some liv'd a divine Life upon earth others not so fervent in Charity a holy Life both after death enjoy the sight of God. The Prelate prays for neither They want not his Prayers For both of them he gives Thanks to God Ib. pag. 352. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who leads here a divine says S. Denis and most holy Life as much as 't is possible for man to imitate God shall in the next World enjoy divine and happy Rest And whose Life is inferiour to this divine one yet likewise holy he will receive equal recompence for his Merits The blessed Prelate giving Thanks for this divine Justice goes on with the holy Sacrifice Thus the Roman Catholick Church holds prayers offer'd with reference to the Saints a Thanks-giving to GOD. Besides these Two States we find mention of a Third This cannot be Hell the place admits of Mercy It cannot be Heaven the detained are not yet fully purg'd from sin or lesser Faults And it is for the remission of these that the Prelate prays The Prayer of the Holy Prelate implores the Divine Goodness to pardon the deceased of all his sins committed by humane frailty Ib. Parag. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to transfer him into the light and region of the Living and to seat him in the Bosom of Abraham Isaac and Jacob in a place where there is no more any pain sorrow or sighing S. Maximus in his exposition of this passage S. Max. in Dionys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calls these Faults of human frailty little Sins and these are those venial Offences which accompanyed the dead to Purgatory there to be expiated before the detained change sorrow grief or weeping into joy and eternal felicity and of which the Church of ROME begs pardon in her Prayers for Souls departed And lest succeeding Ages should be forgetful of the dead or oppose this pious Devotion of the Faithful for them S. Denis guided with a Prophetick Spirit left in few words Three strong Motives which are of themselves proper to remind the Forgetful of this duty and able to convince any unbyas'd Understanding of it First he says That this Doctrine is divinely reveal'd Secondly That it is grateful to Heaven Thirdly That these Prayers will prove effectual to relieve the Dead Ib. Pag. 357 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy Bishop concludes this ancient FATHER asks what is divinely promis'd what is acceptable to God and what will certainly be granted And after this can any one pretend to be exempted from praying with intent to help Souls departed in a middle state of pain sorrow and sighing or of Purgatory where lesser Faults are expiated This is the sense the Greeks gave of Dionysius Areopagite and they understood his Language Mich. in Ep. ad Nilum Mona 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You have says Michael Glyca chiefly Dionysius the Great banishing the Opinion of no middle State and openly teaching what sins may and what may not be pardon'd For discoursing of those who died in Sin he adds this if they be small they receive help from Good Works which are done for them if they be notorious Faults GOD has concluded against them And Gabriel Severus a Greek Schismatick writing against the Latins about the being of real Fire in Purgatory which is no matter of Faith declares the Greeks agree with the Latins In as much as we the Greeks likewise affirm That the Souls of those who piously departed are help'd in those places in which they are kept Gab. Tract de Purgat adu Lat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and set free by Alms-deeds and Prayers which are offer'd for them as Dionysius Areopagite says The Discourser apprehended very much the pressing of this ancient Father's Authority and therefore would have us doubt of his Works and calls him the pretended Dionysius But the two Greeks above-mentined call him the true Areopagite so does S. Gregory the Great S. Greg. hom 34. Evang. Conc. 6. Gen. Act. 5. Relatio est aliud Testimonium è Codicillo S. Dionysij Episcopi Atheniensis Martyris Apud Niceph. l. 15. c 14. S. Greg. Naz. orat 42. in Pascha so does the sixth OEcumenical Council Juvenalis Bishop of Jerusalem who Liv'd at the Time of the fourth OEcumenical Synod affirms the same S. Gregory Nazianzen makes use of this Authority Dionysius Alexandrinus Commented upon him in the Third Age as S. Maximus assures us And the Monotholite Hereticks citing his Authority 't was explicated by the Fathers of the Church as that of Dionysius And I think these grave and weighty Authorities will easily sink down the light Pretension of a Discourser CHAP. VIII Of Scriptures recommending Prayers for the DEAD HOly Scriptures have in many places recommended this pious Office to the Faithful I 'le content my self with three or four Instances The First shall be what we read in the Second Book and Twelth Chapter of The Maccabees And the day following Judas came with his Company to take away the bodies of them that were overthrown and with their Kins-men to lay them in the Sepulchres of their Fathers And they found under the Coats of the slain some of the Donaries of the Idols that were in Jamnia from which the Law forbideth the Jews therefore it was made plain to all that for that cause they were slain All therefore Blessed the just Judgment of our Lord who had made manifest the hidden things And turn'd to Prayers they beg'd of him that the Sin committed might be perfectly blotted out Then Judas exhorted the People to keep themselves from
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
Sacrifice of the Altar the holy Synod commands c. Our Article of Belief is thus worded in our profession of Faith Apud Conc. Trid. Sess 25. in fine Constanter teneo Purgatorium esse Animasque ibi detentas Fidelium Suffragijs juvari couch'd in the Bulla of Pius the Fourth I firmly hold that there is a Purgatory or middle State and that the Souls there retained are help'd by the Suffrages of the Faithful In the Canon of the Mass the Priest makes this Commemoration of the Dead In Can. Miss Memento etiam famulorum famularumque tuarum N. N. qui nos praecesserunt cum signo Fidei dormiunt in somno Pacis Be mindful O Lord of thy servants N. and N. who are gone before us with the sign of Faith and rest in the sleep of Peace Here are mention'd such Dead as are pray'd for in particular Ipsis Domine omnibus in Christo quiescentibus locum refrigerij lucis pacis ut indulgeas deprecamur Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum Amen To whom O Lord and to all that rest in Christ grant we beseech Thee a place of refreshment of light and of peace through the same Christ our Lord Amen In Miss Defunct Fidelium Deus omnium Conditor Redemptor animabus samulorum famularumque tuarum remissionem cunctorum tribue peccatorum ut indulgentiam quam semper optaverunt Piis supplicationibus consequantur And in the Mass for the Dead he prays thus O God the Creator and Redeemer of the Faithful grant to the souls of thy servants both men and women remission of all their sins that by the pious supplications of the faithful for them they may obtain the Pardon they have alwaies wished for Tho' the Custom Intention and Belief of the Roman Catholick Church be fully laid down and manifested from these publick Records as to what She means by praying for souls departed yet perhaps the repeating of them in some few Reflections may not be ungrateful to meaners Capacities I. Reflection WE pray for all Sinners though never so great of whose Salvation we have some Signs and Hopes at their departing hour For these may be call'd the Faithful deceased Conc. Flor. Sess ult in Definit Fidei This is what the Council of Florence includes in these Words If they dyed truly penitent in the Love of God. They may be called the deceased in Christ as the Council of Trent expresses it Con. Trid. Sess 22. c. 2. and the Souls of thy Servants as the Priest prays for them in the Mass for the Dead Nor ought we to be blamed for complying with this pious Exercise though some of the deceased for whom Prayers are offer'd should be really in Heaven or in Hell for in doubtful things the securest is best to be chosen And Prayers some wayes or other still prove beneficial S. Austin illustrates this after his usual manner with great sense and approbation When Offerings either of the Altar says this Father or of Alms are ordered for all the Dead who were Baptised in Christ S. Aug. Enchir. 110. Cum ergo Sacrifica sive Altaris sive quarumcunque Eleemosynarum pro Baptizatis defunctis omnibus offeruntur pro valdè bonis gratiarum actiones sunt pro non valde malis propitiationes sunt pro valdè malis si nulla sunt Adjumenta Mortuorum qualescunque Vivorum Consolationes sunt if they be made for the very Good or Saints they are thanksgivings if for them who are not very Bad or in a middle State they are Expiations if for the very Wicked or the Damned although they prove not advantagious to these unfortunate Deceased yet they become Consolations to the Living They are Witnesses of the performance of their Christian Charity II. Reflection VVE pray that God would be pleas'd to lessen the pain which the Faithful deceased endure in a middle State. Conc. Flor. in Decret The Council of Florence declares we pray with intent to free them from their Sufferings that of Trent affirms Con. Trid. Sess 22. Can. 3. The sacrifice is offer'd as an Expiation for their pains the Priest at Mass in the Memento begs That God would grant them a place of Refreshment What this Pain substantially consists in the Church allowing of a Middle State concludes to be the suspension of seeing God which musts needs be grievous in regard the Object expected is so earnestly desired For Hope prolong'd Proverb Spes quae differtur affligit Animam as the wise Man teaches torments the Soul. How far this suspension of seeing God is extended whether accompanied with grief or darkness or anguish or real fire when these pains are to end where undergon in the dusky aire where the Devils dwell or under ground or elsewhere are School-Questions variously agitated by Divines and appertain not to Faith. But we are sure there is some pains to be endur'd because there is somthing of sins remain to be purg'd and pardon'd III. Reflection THe cause of Pain is Sin Sin consists of Two Parts The Fault which stains the Soul and the Guilt which Renders it Liable to punishment If the Sin be mortal eternal if venial it must be temporal For all Sin deserves some punishment Now besides eternal pain which the Fault of all mortal Sin carries along with it there remains sometimes at least the Guilt of some temporal penalty due to the Justice of God to be paid in this world or in the next The Church has pronounced this Truth in these Words of the Council of Trent Conc. Trid. Can. 30. Sess 6. Si quis post acceptam Justificationis gratiam cuilibet peccatori poenitenti ita Culpam remitti reatum aeternae poenae deleri dixerit ut nullus remaneat reatus poenae temporalis exsolvendae vel in hoc saeculo vel in futuro in Purgatorio antequam ad regna Coelorum aditus patere possit Anathema sit If any one shall say That the Fault after the Grace of Justification is so remitted to every penitent Sinner and the Guilt of eternal Punishment is so blotted out that there remains no Guilt of temporal pain to be paid for now or hereafter in Purgatory before there be an Entrance granted into the Kingdom of Heaven let him be Anathema And GOD has revealed the same in Holy Scriptures Is it not true That the Fault and Guilt of eternal Punishment of the first Sin which we call Original are both expiated and and quite wash'd away in the waters of Baptism And yet there remains a Guilt of temporal Affliction to be undergone that of Death Rom. 5.12 We must all die Again the Israelites grievously offended God by murmuring Moses interceded for them Numb 14. And our Lord said I have forgiven it And yet God with the same breath declares That he has not remitted the temporal Punishment which remains due to His Divine Justice This they are to pay Their Fathers
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
some of the Discoursers Companions should tell him that he had a Law-suit in hand and that he was certain never to win it neither at the Kings-Bench nor Court of Chancery I am perswaded the Discourser or any man of sense would infer from this Person 's talk that Law-suits were pleaded both at the Kings-Bench and in Chancery And why will he not infer from these Words of our Saviours Some sins shall never be pardon'd neither in this World nor in that to come that there are some sins both pardonable in this World and in that to come And if there be some sins there to be forgiven I suppose he will allow of some Pain there to be suffered for all sin deserves some Punishment And 't is upon this account the Roman Church prays for the Dead that their pain may be eased and sins forgiven S. Paul 1 Cor. c. 15. v. 29. Makes use of two Arguments to verify the Resurrection of Man Devotion perform'd for the Dead and the exposing of his own Life which was in danger preaching this ineffable Mystery which is the Foundation of Christian Religion Otherwise says the Text what shall they do that are baptised for the Dead if the Dead rise not at all Why also are they baptised for them Why also are we in danger every hour I expect here the Discourser will exclaim against the hardness of this passage I am somewhat of his opinion 't is so difficult that if I were a Reformer I could make no sence of it Mark 10. Orat. in S. Lumina This Word Baptism as hard as 't is S. Mark interprets to be pain or austerity And S. Gregory Nazianzen calls Purgatory Fire the last Baptism But let the word Baptism signify whatever affliction the Discourser shall please to assign Penance or Prayer it will still Literally be true that it is performed to benefit the Dead For if the Dead are not hereby helped why does S. Paul urge again so earnestly Why also to what end are they baptised or afflicted for them If this Devotion profit not the Dead might not we answer the Apostle and say to no end at all And so void and silence his pressing Forwardness Far be it from me Divine APOSTLE to contend against thy Testimony S. John The beloved Disciple of Christ speaks of Two states of Sinners after Death He speaks of those who we know depart in mortal or deadly sin For these he forbids us to pray They are without Redemption abandon'd by God. S. John speaks of an other sort of Sinners whom we know by outward signs of Repentance die not in deadly sin For these he does encourage us if he do not command us with confidence to pray And this is says the Scripture Ep. Catho 1. Chap. 5. v. 14. the Confidence which we have towards him that whatsoever we shall ask according to His Will He heareth us He that knoweth his Brother to sin a Sin not to Death let him him ask and Life shall be given him sinning not to Death Here is Encouragement for us to pray for those who die with Repentance And Two strong Motives excite us hereunto First We are encourag'd thus to pray because we ask What is according to GOD's Will And Secondly God will hear us pardon the Delinquent and give him Life everlasting The Text continues There is a sin to Death for that I say not that any man ask Here is an Inhibition to pray for any of whom we have no signs no Hopes of Repentance at their Death I do not expect here that the Discourser will deny S. John speaks of Praying for the Dead The Text is too plain against him And what is convincing neither the Church nor any Man is disswaded here from praying for any Sinner yet living nor for the Remission of any Sin in this Life I know the Montanist Hereticks held some sins not pardonable But the Church of Christ before the Death of any Sinner prays and is often heard for the sins of Hereticks Jews Turks Apostates or what other Infidels or ill-Livers soever in the World so long as Life is all have hopes of Pardon But S. John speaks here of a Sinner now placed in such a state that Prayer for him will not be available therefore he speaks of praying for the sins of the Departed Of these some die without repentance These we are not to pray for Others duly repent for these we are encouraged to pray and God will hear us and give them Life everlasting CHAP. IX Of Purgatory IF the Word Purgatory be not found in Scripture no pious Reader ought upon this sole account to scruple at it the sense of it is delivered in Holy Writ Do we read any where in the Bible of the Word Trinity We all of us believe in the blessed Trinity one GOD and three divine Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost The Word Catholick is not written in Scriptures We all of us profess in the Creed I believe one Catholick Church By the Word Purgatory we not improperly signify a middle state after Death where Souls departed endure some Pain for smaller Offences not forgiven in this World. That there is such a state of Souls I have already from Fathers and Scripture demonstrated for if both these teach us to pray as I have shewn that God will be pleased to deal with some Souls departed more mildly than their sins deserve to forgive them and to seat them in the Kingdom of Heaven who can justly refuse the being of Purgatory This is all we mean by it This is our Belief and of this I will add one more Proof very plain and easy There are two sorts of sin Mortal and Venial I call a Mortal sin that Crime which breaks Charity between God and the Delinquent and for which hee 's to suffer eternal pain I mean by Venial sin that Fault which lessens Friendship between God and the Just for which he must undergoe some Penalty because he has transgres'd yet not that of eternal Damnation I know that God might have punished all sins and this too with Justice eternally But the Divine Goodness considering the weakness of human frailty which failes almost at every step it makes will'd all Offences should not be Mortal or lyable to everlasting Torments This he has revealed to us in S. Matthew where we read Math. 5.23 Whosoever is angry with his Brother shall be in danger of Judgment whosoever shall say to his Brother Raca shall be in danger of Council whosoever shall say to his Brother thou Fool shall be guilty of Hell Fire Is not here an uncontroul'd difference of two sorts of sin Some are guilty of Hell Fire these I call Mortal Others are not guilty of Hell Fire but in danger of Judgment these I name Venial faults And they are these quotidian slips which the Prophet attributes to the Just who fails seven times a day If he be just hee 's GOD's Favourite and not guilty