consent of the King the Lords Spiritual and Temporal the Approbation of the Universities the determination of the Convocation Thus it was carried on in the reign of his successor Edward 6 th When it was re-established under Queen Elizabeth it was in a regular way by a legal abrogation of those Statutes made in Queen Maryes time and the Revival of the Lawes made by King Edward with Synodical consent All which things are fully and Satisfactorily handled by Sir Roger Twisden and Dr. Heylin after the Re. establishment of the Reformation by Queen Elizabeth there were few or no Recusants known in England for many years as is constantly avouched by our Writers who lived near those times few of the Romish perswasion if at any time they went to Mass refused to be present at our service * Lord Cokes â—barge as Norwich 1606. and when afterwards Pius Quintus by his Bull had forbid those whom he called Catholicks to resort to our Prayers there appeared only few who adhered to the Romish Religion the Popes laboured hard to keep up their party here by founding Seminaries for the instructing of the English youth abroad and by frequent Missions of Priests hither to propagate and Defend the Romish Doctrine yet during the reign of Queen Elizabeth King James and King Charles the first Popery decayed till the troubles of our late warrs gave the Romish emissaries opportunity to pervert many unstable persons who either discontented with their sufferings at home or pinched with necessity or offended with the many Sects which the licentiousnesse of Warr had begot or couzened with pretenses of the Antiquity unity glory and splendor of the Romish Church or perhaps allured with the pleasing Doctrine and Opinions whereby many Romish Casuists gratifie Sinners revolted from us and whether the restauration of Peace and Order may reclaim those whose Sufferings and troubles alienated from us God only knowes There is great talk still of the increase of Popery the Papists striving to credit their cause by these reports of numerous Proselites though I hope it is not so as I see no reasonable ground that it should be so yet the reports of Enemies should at least alarum us to be as Active in maintaining our ground as they are in striving to gain it and unless we are weary of our Religion to shew as much zeal in defending as they do earnestness in assaulting This hath Occasioned the ensuing Discourse in which my desâ—gn is from the doubtfulness and perp'exity of the Romish Doctrine the Superstitious vanity of many allowed prastises in their Church the absurdities in their publique Offices and the contradictions betwixt their Prayers and Doctrins to disswade the fond Admirers of the Romish Religion and to endeavour to reclaim them who are ready to embrace their Errors for Catholick truth â—â—SSIVS MOLNA S. IGNATIVS LOYOLA SOCIETATIS IESV FVNDATOR VASQUEZ ESCOBAR Optabilir est Fur qua'm Mendax assiduus vtrique veró Perditionis hareditatem consequentur Eccles. 20 vers 25. Paâ—â— CHAP. I. The first Consideration I propose shall be from the doubtfulnesse and Vncertainty of many Doctrines in the Church of Rome IT is not Reasonable to Adhere to that Church which Commands us to believe under pain of damnation Doctrines which are uncertiane and dubious But the Church of Rome doth Require such things pro. In the Creed of Pius 4th * Bulla Pij 4th Super form Juram Profess fid There are several things Required as Conditions of Communion with that Church and which their Clergy are bound to swear that they truly Believe and will constantly defend and that they will take Care that they be taught to and Believed by those who are under their Charge and this also they Acknowledge to be the Catholick faith without which there is no Salvation But now many of these things which they are bound to hold according to the Letter of the Decree are Uncertain and Doubtfull and from their own Principles and Confessions will apear so 1. I instance in the Articâ—e that they acknowledge the holy Catholick Apostolick Roman Church to be the Mother and Mistrisse of all Churches But there is no Certainty of the truth of this Article for it is either meant of the Churches united under the Obedience of the Roman Bishop or else of the Particular Diocess of Rome It cannot be meant of the Universal Church which obeyes the Universal Vicar of Christ as Suarez phraseth it for all Churches are supposed by them members of that Universal Church and the Universal Church to be the Collection of all Churches Now it is improper to call the Universal Church A Mother of all Churches for all Churches are the same with the Vniversal Church and nothing can be called a Mother to it selfe Again it cannot be a Mistrisse of all Churches for it is only a Society of all Churches United together and Suppose all those Churches throughout the world of which this Universal Church is made I aske what is the Mistrisse to all these Churches either t is the Roman particular Church which I shall shew to be otherwise or else they must say that all these Churches United are a Mistrisse to all Churches when yet they suppose no other can be a Church but what is United with these which is absurd If they mean the particular Roman Church then first that cannot be a Mother of all Churches which in order of time was founded after some Churches unlesse wee could say the Mother might be born after the Daughter but the Roman Church was founded after the Church of Jerusalem and therefore St. Hierome * Com. in Iss 2. sayes the Church founded in Jerusalem begat the Churches of the whole world Ecclesia in Hierusalem fundata totius orbis Ecclesias seminavit and the Synodical Letter * Theodoret Eccl Hist. l. 5. 6. 9. from the Council of Constantinople to Damasus and the Western Bishops calls Cyril the Bishop of Jerusalem the Mother of all Churches Again the Roman Church was founded after the Church of Antioch where the Disciples were first called Christians Acts II. 26. Quae prima omnium ausa est proferre Christianum nomen atque Nascentis Evangelij gloriam praedicare saith Polidor Virgil * De Invent rerum l. 4. c. 2. I may ad after the Church of Britaine for Suarez * Defens Fidei Cathol l. 1. c. 1. confesseth it was from the first Rising of the Gospel and Baronius from some manuscripts in the Vatican affixeth it to the 35th year of our Lord which was near nine years before the founding of the Roman Church If then the Roman Church was founded after some other Churches it is then uncertain and doubtful how we can acknowledg it to be the Mother of all Churches and prosesse this as an Article of Faith without which there is no Salvation Secondly If it be not de fide that the Roman particular Church shall never err in matters of Faith then it
Imprimatur Tho. Tomkyns RR mo in Christo Patri ac Domino Domino Gilbert divina providentia Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi á sacris domesticis Ex Aed Lambethanis Oct. 31. THE UNREASONABLENESS OF THE ROMANISTS Requiring our COMMUNION With the present Romish Church Or a DISCOURSE Drawn from the perplexity and uncertainty of the Principles and from the Contradictions betwixt the Prayers and Doctrine of the present Romish church to prove that 't is unreasonable to require us to joyn in Communion with it LONDON Printed by T. R. for Richard Royston Bookseller to his most Excellent Majesty 1670. THE PREFACE AFter the Ascention of our Saviour the Apostles separated themselves for the Publishing of the Gospel through all the World and where they saw any likelyhood of a plentifull Harvest they bestowed there the greatest Paines in the Planting of the Christian Religion Their first care was for the converting of the Cities for the greater would draw after it the lesser and Religion settled in the Cities would sooner diffuse it self through the adjacent Villages By the same reason their Care was the Conversion of the Metropolis of the Roman World that from that head Religion might more opportunely be conveyed into all the members of that vast Empire And by its Authority and Example other Countries subject to that City might be moved to embrace the Faith Et cito pervios haberet populos praedicatio generalis quos unius teneret Regimen civitatis * Leo Serm. de Nat. Petri ◠Pauli In the Conversion of this place both the Doctor of the Gentiles and the Apostle of the Circumcision and Tertullian de praescriptionibus mentions also S. John bestowed their time and Labour Here they Preached here they Suffered quibus Romanis Evangelium Petrus Paulus sanguine quoque suo signatum reliquerunt and both founded this Church a gloriosissimis duobus Apostolis Petro Paulo Romae fundatur constituitur Ecclesia * Tert. adv Marco◠li. 4. Both exercised here their Apostolical authority and by Epiphanius Heres 27. are both called Bishops of Rome †Irenae lib. 3. cap. 3. Both of them appointed Linus to that Bishoprick Fundantes instruentes Ecclesiam Lino Episcopatum tradiderunt * Irenae ibi The Faith of this Roman Church was famous throughout the World their Sufferings were great for they usually endured the first heat of the Roman fury Their Bishops for the first 300 years were most of them Crowned with Martyrdom Polydor Virgil * De invent rerum Li. 9. cap. 1. saith that seven only of 32 escaped the Church thus founded in the Imperial City was most observed and Eyed both by the Heathen and by the Christian By the Heathen it was so eyed that usually it became the mark of their fury and their Edicts of Persecutions were first executed in the City before they were transmitted into the remoter Provinces The Martyrs here were so numerous that it became the businesse of 7 Notaries to record their sufferings as Platina reports This Church was much eyed by the Christians being placed in the chief City The Faith of this Church like a Candle on a Hill was more conspicuous and its suffering was more observed than in Remoter places The Bishops of Rome were commonly the most Eminent like the choicest Soldiers placed in the Front of the Battle The Clergy here were very numerous according to the largenesse of the City for in Pontians time which was about the year 231. there were 236 Cardinal Priests as Polydor Virgil * D Invent rerum ◠4. cap. 9. reports from Guido Archidiaconus and Franciscus Zabarella and these he explaines to be such who had chiefly cure of Soules This Church being thus advanced by the dignity of the City the eminency of its founders and the worth of its members was accounted the chief Church the Chair of Peter the Apostolick See and Valentinian in an Epistle to Theodosius saith Antiquity hath given the Bishop of the Roman City a Principality of Priest-hood above all After that the World came into the Church and the Ensign of Christianity became the Banner of the Empire the Roman Church encreased in Dignity Revenue and Credit for the Christian Emperours out of their respect to Religion honouring the Bishops enlarging their Revenue and increasing their Dignity did shew more particular kindnesse to the Church of Rome where was the Seat of their Empire and which had gained such esteem for the merit of its Founders In short time the Riches of the Roman Bishoprick or'e-topp'd the neighbouring places the Pomp of their Bishops was suitable to the magnificence of the City Now Communion with the Roman Bishop was made the Test and Mark of Orthodoxnesse in Religion Now it was decreed by the Emperours that it should not be Lawful for the Bishops of Gallia or other Provinces to attempt any thing without the Authority of the venerable Pope of the Eternal City * Apud Baron an 445. n. 9. and in all things they hast'ned to increase the Authority and Honour of that See per omnia properamus honorem Authoritatem vestrae Sedis crescere saith Justinian * L. Seder C. de Sum. trin But now the Roman Church which by the favour of Emperours and affection of Prelates in reverence of S. Peter and respect to the Imperial Seat had gained this dignity and honour began to swell with higher aimes and to Aspire to greater Priviledges If the Councel of Calcedon would advance Constantinople to the second Patriarchship upon the same reason as the Fathers bad dignified Rome Propter imperium civitatis illius and would now give equal Priviledges to new Rome judging it reasonable that the City adorned with the Empire and Senate should enjoy equal Priviledges with the elder Rome * Conc. Calced Act. 16. then Leo epist 58. to the Empresse Pulcheria durst pronounce Consensiones Episcoporum sanctorum Canonum apud Nicaeam Conditorum Regulis repugnantes in irritum mittimus per authoritatem Beati Petri Apostoli generali prorsus definitione cassamus we do make the agreement of the Bishops repugnant to the Canons of the Council of Nice for so he conceived the advancement of Constantinople to be null and by the authority of the blessed Apostle Peter do make them void If the Councel of Sardis * Conc. Sardic Can. 3. n. 8. to honour the memory of S. Peter appoints in the case of a Bishop or Priest that if he think he hath good reason why the cause should be examined over again those who heard the cause should write to Julius the Roman Bishop and if he think fit it should be re-examined that it may be so and he may appoint Judges and if he does not think it fit to be re-examined then what he doth determine shall be confirmed Or in case of a Bishop deposed if he appeal to the Roman Bishop that Bishop if he thinks fit may write to the Neighbouring Bishops
imploring But at the prime they go higher Maria Mater gratiae mater misericordiae tu nos ab hoste protege in horâ— mortis suscipe which the English office renders O Mary Mother whence grace flowes who Mother of sweet mercy Art Protect us from our dangerous foes receive us when we hence depart What tolerable excuse can be given for those words and generous Mary obtain pardon for us apply grace unto us and prepare glory for us * â—x cursâ— Hor Beat. Mariae Or that prayer in the Sequence †Missa Recoll fest Mâ—riae in Missal Sar. 1555. as they call it pro nobis obtine genitrix veniam reatum dilue dona patriam in arce siderum procure our pardon wash away our guilt and give us heaven or for that commendation of the Soul to the Virgin * Office of our Lady in English O holy Mary my Lady I recommend my self unto thy blessed trust and singular custody and into the bosome of thy mercy this day and daily and in the houre of my death as also my Soul and body and I yield unto thee all my hope and consolation all my distresses and my miseries my life and the end thereof that by thy most holy merits and intercession all my works may be directed and disposed according to thine and thy Sons will if we may place our hope and confidence in the B. Virgin in all our afflictions both in life and death what could we do more on Christ or how could they express greater affiance on Christ than they do here of the Virgin or in what fuller terms can they resigne â—p themselves to their Saviour than they use here to her when they commend themselves to her that by her merits and intercession all their workes may be directed according to her's and her sons will where then the Creature is drawn off from his intire confidence on Christ and perswaded to leane on a fellow creature that must be absur'd and impious but it is so in these prayers â—o Secondly In the titles they ascribe to her and the Prayses they give her I do not speak of those flattering expressions which some superstitious persons have used as Bernadinus Senensis Bernardinus de Bustis of whom the former faies * Bernaâ— â—enens Serm 61. Art 1. c. 11. That the Blessed Virgin did more for God or at least as much as he did unto all mankind and for our comfort we may say that in respect of the Blessed Virgin God himself is after a sort more bound to us than we to him The other saies * Bern. dâ— Bustis Mariale part 6. Serm. 2. memb 3. that though the Virgin sang he that is mighty hath done great things to me yet he duâ—st say thou hast done greater things to him who is mighty These I will not charge on them which may seem rather the extravagancies of private fancies than any allowed expressions yet if we consult their publick Offices we shall see those things ascribed to her which are absur'd and unfit to be ascribed to any Creature to call her the Star of the Sea which seeming like some title the Poets gave to Venus may pass by a Poetical licence but to call her Mother of Mercy Queen of Heaven Lady of Angels Empress of the World * Offic. B. Mariae ad Laudes Festo Purif Himâ—â— Ave Regina These we think are groundless Titles which â—avour rather of a luxuriant wit than any true piety for though she is blessed among women yet we do not find her exalted above Angels though she was full of grace yet here 's no reason to call her mother of grace though she be exalted into glory yet why must she be cal'd Queen of Heaven why do they pray Queen of Angels bring us into the kingdom of Heaven as it is in the Breviary of York * Infra Octa Assumpt â—ar 6. die Beâ—ed commun why do they sing in the Office of the Virgin on the Purification Hayle Queen the Heavenly armies guiding Hayle Lady over Angels biding Enough of this is to be had in the Salisbury Missal as that God hath â—iss recolâ— Fest. B. Mar. post oration secreâ—am done mercifully with us since he hath appointed his mother to be our Advocate in Heaven and in the Sequence sung on the Feast of the Conception that she is the mother of Orphans the ease of the oppressed the help of the weak and they add omnibus es omnia now what ground to ascribe these superlative honours to her what assurance that these are not unwarrantable Titles but they go further and tell us the reverâ—nce they shew to the mother is given to the Son and â—o with their whole desires and voices they insist on her praises and say that she in the bearing of her Son did destroy antiquum diabolicae seditionis Chirographum the ancient hand writing of devilish sedition and opened the kingdom of Heaven to believers * Breviar Ebor. commem B. Mar. Lect. 1. There is a prayer to the B. Virgin in which they call her Fountain of mercy Fountain of health and grace Fountaine of comfort and Indulgence Fountain of piety and joy Fountain of life and pardon †Offic. B. Mar. inter orationes If they ascribe to her these Titles then they give to the Creature what is due to the Creator God blessed for ever how can they call her Fountain of grace when it is the honour of Christ that of his fullness we receive grace for grace †Iohn 1. 16. and in him all fullness dwels †Colos 1. 19. or how is she the Fountain of life when 't is Christs peculiar houour to have life in him †1 Iohn 5. 11. and our life is hid in Christ or how can she be the Fountain of pardon when through Christ alone we have remission of sins by his blood Or how can they sing that redundancy of grace is given to the Virgin whereby all things are fragrant and acceptable to God O nimia redundantiâ— gratiae datae Virgini quâ cuncta sunt fragrantia grata summo numini †Himâ— Aeterni Patris in Prâ—s B. Mar. Paris apud Magâ— Goursette 155â— when 't is by Christ alone we are made acceptable to the Father This is the sum of this first Instance that in the Offices of the Virgin there are many prayers unfit to offer to any Creature and many Titles ascribed to her which are groundless absur'd and derogating from the honour of Christ Secondly I instance in the absur'd expressions which they use to the Cross for they direct their prayers not only to Christ crucified but if there be any sense in the expressions to the material Cross so in the Office of the Cross they say O venerable Cross which hast brought Salvation to wretches with what praises shall †Office of the Crâ—ss at Mattins in Englâ—sh I extoll thee for thou hast
merits but pardon their offences Thirdly I instance in the Doctrine of Purgatory with their Prayers for the dead the Doctrine of the Romanists is that the Souls in Purgatory are helped by the Suffrages of the Faithfull * Conc. Trident. Sess 25. for after Death those Souls which have not been throughly purged in this life are carried into a place of torment where they are detained till hey are throughly purged †S. C. Answer to Dr. Pierce c. 10. Sect. 12. and then are carried into Heaven and ê‘o they pray for those that God will forgive their sins and asswage their sufferings* c. for those who are very good they give thanks but for those who are in this middle estate they pray for pardon and Mercy and that not only on the day of their Buriall but also also the on third on the seventh on the thirtieth and on the anniversary of their death they say Mass for their Souls and by this hope to rid them quickly out of Purgatory now the Prayers they use are irreconciliable with this Doctrine For First there are Prayers for those whom they believe to be in Heaven even for the greatest Saints this S. C. * Answer to Dr. Pierce c. 10 Sect. 10. Confesses was anciently so but then they were not such Prayers as were Made for the imperfect i for remision of sins refreshment c. but for accession of glory to Saints already glorified but there is more than so for they use the same request for those who they say are in Purgatory and for those we all believe to be in glory they pray for all that rest in Christ that God would give them a place of refreshment light and peace * Commem pro. defunct in Can. Missa now if the Saints rest in Christ then they are included in this Prayer and they beg for the Saints who are glorified refreshment and peace which is the request S. C. Saies that is to be made for imperfect Christians And wee find such a prayer that God by whose mercy the Soul 's of the faithfull rest would grant to all thy servants here and every where resting in Christ pardon of sin that being absolved from all guilt they may rest with †In crationibus pro his qui in Caemit requiese thee for ever* and there was a prayer for St. Leo ut per haec placationis officia illum beata retributio comitetur * In festo Sancti Leonis oratio secreta that by these offices of atonement a blessed retribution may accompany him what do these words signefie not an increase of glory but simply that he may have glory not an addition of happines but simply that a blessed reward may accompany him and how can the Sacrifice they offer here be understood to be a thanksgiven for Leo as it must be for those who are very good when it 's call'd an office of atonement Secondly there are no prayers in their publique offices for deliverance from Purgatory that they may be quickly eased of their paines and delivered from torments and if there be no prayer for speedy ease of those pains and quick riddance from them then their prayers are not suitable to their Doctrine The Prayers are either First to prevent falling into punishment so in the office of buriall they Pray that God would receive the soul returning to him and cloath it with an Heavenly Garment and wash it with the holy fountain of eternal life and in the next Prayer they Pray * in offic Sepult O atio suscipe domine that God would receive the â—oul of his servant which he hath called from the prison of the body and free it from the Princes of darknes and the places of punishments that being delivered from the bond of his sins he may obtain the blessing of eternal rest and light and this Antiphona is sung when the body is caried to the Church * Offic. sepult Antiph subvenite help O ye Saints meet him O ye Angils of the Lord receiving his Soule and offering it in the sight of the highest let Christ receive thee who cal'd thee and carry thee into Abrahams bosome and so in the prayer O God to whom all things do live c. they intreat that God would command the Soul of his Servant to be received by the hands of his holy Angels and to be carried into the bosome of the Patriarchs and in the prayer fac quaesumus c. that he may not receive any recompence of his actions in punishments who hath in his desires kept thy will I 'le instance in one prayer more Deus origo pietatis c. where they desire that the Soul may indure no treacheries of the devil meeting him that God would free him from the infernall Gulfe and deliver him from the cruel burnings of a hot Hell placing it in the pleasure of Paradise Let it not feel O mercifull Father the heat of the flames the anguish of punishments or the horror of darkness but being prevented by thy bounty may obtain to escape the Judgment of revenge Now these prayers are not reconcileable with their grounds for 't is their Doctrine that those who dye in an imperfect state must necessarily go to that place of purgation but now in those prayers they desire that God would receive the Soul when it comes out of the body and free it from the Prince of darkness and places of punishments and that it may not feel the heat of the flames but being prevented by Gods bounty may escape the Judgment of revenge They pretend in their Doctrine that by their prayers they free the Souls from the punishments they feel for they necessarily must indure punishment but the prayers themselves speak of preventing the falling into punishment And ê‘o these prayers cannot be reconciled with their Doctrine Secondly there are Prayers which suppose the soule as yet in it's passage and ê‘o they desire that it may not fall into punishment but God would place it in the land of rest and light After the departure of the soul out of the body they pray that God would receive the soul returning to him let Michael the Angel of the testament be present with him and vouchsafe by the hands of thy holy Angel to place him in the bosome of thy Patriarch Abraham that being freed from the Prince of darkness and places of punishments no man may be Confounded with the errors of his nativity or ignorance c. Now though this may seem sutable when the soul is newly gone out of the body with those that think there is some space of time betwixt the Souls departure and its receiving its particular doome but without such a conceit how can they pray at the burial * Offic. sepult Orat. Te Domine c. that God would give his servant whom he cal'd out of the whirlepool of this world a place of refreshment and light that he may pass
by the gates of Hell and the punishments of darkness c. If at the burial they pray that it may pass by the gates of Hell then the Soul is still in its passage and further they pray that he may remain in the mansion of the Saints and his spirit may receive no hurt but if his spirit was in purgatory then it would receive hurt ê‘o by this prayer I understand it is yet in a capacity to receive no hurt and ê‘o the Soul must yet be in its passage and so it is plain from the Absolution where he saies the Lord Jesu Christ absolve thee from all the bond of thy sins and I pray thou mayest be absolved before the Tribunal of Jesus Christ this supposes that the Soul is yet in its passage to this Tribunal or why should he pray for this absolution before the Tribunal if he hath already received the sentence of that Tribunal there is another prayer that God would receive the Soul of his Servant freed from Corporal bonds into the peace of his Saints that being Translated into the Region of the living it may escape the place of punishment and the fire of Hell all this supposes that the Soul hath not yet its doome but is now in its passage and ê‘o when the body is carrying to the grave they desire that the Angels would meet him and receive his Soul and lead him into Paradise and the Martyrs receive him into their assembly and when the body is laid in the grave still they pray that the Soul being prevented with the gift of thy bounty it may obain to escape the Judgment of revenge * In Oraticne Deuâ— Origo pietatis c. Nor do they end here but they use such expressions on the Trental and Anniversary as in the Offertory in Anniversario defunctorum free them from the mouth of the Lyon let not Hell swallow them up let not them fall into the dark place but let the standard bearer St. Michael bring them into the holy Light c. and the prayers in the commendatio animarum which suppose the Soul even then in its passage are used at the Trental and Anniversary Offic. sepult sec usum Sarum in rubrica pag. 103. but why should those words which commend it in its passage be used at these times if they did not suppose the Soul yet in its way thus these prayers contradict their received grounds of Purgatory and prayer for the dead for if the prayers they use still suppose them in this passage and not come into torment then they must contradict their usual Doctrine which concludes them presently in torment and that by those prayers they may be speedily delivered from the torment they are in Thirdly There are other prayers which desire that the Soul may be freed from Eternal punishments that Hell may not swallow them up and they may not fall into the place of darkness * Missa â— in die obâ—â—â—s Offertâ—r and in the first prayer at that Mass they pray for the Soul of thy Servant whom thou hast commanded this day to depart out of this world that thou wilt not deliver him into the hand of the enemy nor forget it finally c. and because he hoped and believed in thee that he may not sustain the pains of Hell but possess joyes everlasting This prayer anciently run that he might not sustain paenas aeternas but now this is altered in poenas inferni yet still if they take the word Hell for Purgatory then they pray that God would not suffer it to come into Purgatory which is contrary to their own Doctrine that every man not throughly purged in this life must be purged in Purgatory If they understand it of the Hell of the damned and of eternal punishments as there is a Prayer to be used at the funeral of a Cardinal that by the assistance of Gods grace he may obtaine to escape the Judgment of everlasting revenge * Câ— râ—m Fâ—â—l Rom. l. 1. sect 15. c. 1. fâ—l 1â— 2. if they understand it thus then I aske whether they suppose those persons for whom they pray are very wicked or indifferently good if they be very wicked then it would be absurd to pray for their deliverance from everlasting damnation for it is certain saies Bellarmine * l. 2. de purgatoriâ— c. 18. that the Prayers do not profit the damned for they can not be helped if they be indifferently good such as dye in a state of grace though with some venial sins then why do they pray that he might not fall into Hell for this is already certain or that God would not forget them finally but command them to be received by the holy Angells and brought into the Country of Paradise for it is certain God cannot forget them finally but the longest duration of Purgatory is only till the resurrection or why do they pray that they may not sustain the pains of Hell but possess joyes everlasting and that they may escape Eternalâ— revenge if their only design was to free the Soul from the torments of Purgatory why is there nothing of â—ase in Purgatory nothing of quick riddance from thence as they pretend from the apparitions of Souls which have been in Purgatory and â—aid they were freed by the Masses and prayers of the living yea further there is one prayer which refers the pardon of sin to the resurrection in the prayer which begins Te Domine Sancte c. Offic. sopâ—lt sec usum Saâ—um they pray Let his Spirit receive no hurt but when the great day of the resurrection comes vouchsafe to raise him with the Saints and blot out all his offences and sins even unto the last farthing now if by the prayers of the living they can procure pardon then there would not be a farthing to be blotted out at the resurrection and so this prayer would be useless All this while we meet with no prayer to put an end to their torments to free them quickly from the pains they are now in they 'le tell us indeed they pray for refreshment and pardon of sins and where must they be for whom they pray thus except in Purgatory but this doth not follow for First There are ancient prayers extant in which they prayed even to give rest to them whom they believed already to be in rest and therefore this doth not suppose them in Purgatory so in St. James Liturgy as it is cal'd he prayes for all from Abel the just untill this present day that God would give them rest in the kingdom of heaven and so in Alcuinus * Offic. per Ferias Col. 228. Oper. Edit Paris 1917. he prayes for the spirits of thy servants and handmaids which thou hast called to thee from the beginning of the world that thou wouldest vouchsafe to give them a lightsome place a place of refreshment and ease Secondly I gather that they were not in Purgatory from that