PAP. Our Faith teaches us to Exercise Christian Charity, by humbling our selves before the divine Throne of Gods Mercy, to beg Forgiveness of the Debts and Trespasses of those middle sort of Christians (as Austine, and the Council of Florence call them) who had not brought forth sufficient Fruits of Repentance, dying in the Communion of the Faithful; which indigent condition of theirs, relievable by the Churches, or the Prayers of the Faithful surviving, speaks what the Ancient call Purgatory.
Answ. How much the Romish Faith, teacheth the holders of it, to exercise Christian Charity, the Martyrologies of these thousand years may testifie. But they would have you know, they don't intend such Persons as were active in those bloody Massacres: for the single merit of their horrid murders is superarogatory, or more then sufficient to deliver them from the fiery Furnace of a clensing Purgatory: they took a shorter cut to Heaven; for instead of travelling the main Continent, They (blown with the fresh gale of their own cruelty) sayld through the main Sea of Protestant-Blood.
But what Authorities have these men for their Assertion? First, St Austin; and secondly, The Council of Florence. To these I will speak in the close of this Head. Are these all? No, for says he,
Pap. (We are) Warranted herein, by the practice under the Law, recorded in the Maccabees, Which being in no sort reprehended by our Lord, or his Apostles, amongst the rest of the Jews unlawful practices, was and is justly presumed to have been allowed by him, as many of the Fathers understood him in the Mount, and by them, as is hinted by St. Paul; whereupon it hath been continued ever since, as even Grave-Stones, and all other Christian Monuments do witness.
{original page number 25} Answ. I must confess I do not wonder that so little reason should induce a Romanist to believe, then which, nothing scares him more. But I cannot otherwise then admire, that any Protestant should make such poor Instances a ground of his return to Popery.
1st, His Story of the Maccabees is not cited, nor does he very plainly refer us.
2d, He knows the Protestants deny it the credit due to other Scriptures, and the Papists cannot but be conscious to themselves of insufficiency to prove its Canon.
3d, 'Tis preposterously silly to say, that because Christ did not particularly condemn the practice of praying for the Dead, (suggested to have been used by the Maccabees) therefore it was a laudable Custom; since I may with equal reason argue, that because Christ never mentioned the Maccabees, nor did particularly own the Canon of their Writings, Therefore there was no such people, and their Writings (if any) of no Authority.
4th, The Fathers sense (if theirs) of these Scirptures, Matt. 5. 29. I Cor 15. 29. must needs be Non-sence in the abstract, with all but Papists, who notoriously deny themselves the use of Sense; although I am of Opinion, the Fathers are much abused by the Author of this Confession, or else we should have had their Names in Capitals; however, we will compare these Passages with this Opinion.
First, If thy Right-Eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; for its profitable for thee, that one of they Members should perish, and not that thy whole Body should be Cast into Hell Fire, Matt. 5. 29.
Ergo what? that there is a Purgatory after this Life (says the Romanist) O! Stupendious Folly & Weakness: Is there any thing plainer, then that Christ preacht a present practical Doctrine? as that which stood every man upon in this World, viz. The denial of his Lasts, and circumcision of his Corruptions. In short, Since Christ was in the World, when he spake it, since it was to people in the World, and a work then to be set about; it is most evident the
The Text proves; therefore there is no middle state; the contrary of Heaven may be affirmed, for Contrariorum eadem est ratio.
2d, Else, what shall they do that are baptized for the Dead? if the Dead rise not at all; why are they then baptized for the Dead? I Cor. 15. 29.
This Scripture is as much to his purpose as the former; and were I not used so frequently to meet with the like incoherences, 'twould amaze me to read such disjoynted matter, and unnatural consequences; Things in their own nature so remote and opposite: what relation has the Resurrection, to the Souls entering Purgatory, or that Popish middle state? Why are they that are baptized? And who those for whom they were baptized? And how have either any relation to Prayers for the dead men and Souls in Purgatory? But the Romanist thinks however, that God is not offended at this charitable Practice: hear what he says.
Pap. Neither can we discern, how possibly this may be conceived offensive to God; whose Justice herein we hope, and do humbly appease, by an exercise of brotherly compassion.
Answ. It is no wonder at all that blind men do not see, and such as Error has hood winkt for Generations, we can't think should discern Truth, till they dare trust their Eyes, Ears and Understandings, to answer the end for which God gave them.
There can be nothing conceived more offensive to God, as well as unreasonable with men; then that a mortal Creature (indebted himself, more then ever he can discharge) should be able to appease, the displeased Justice of an infinite God. The arrogancy of this saying, only fits the size and measure of a meritorious Papist.
Pap. There is no Law of God which assures us in rigour of Justice of Gods Acceptance of the Acts of another man for my sins; yet this hinders not but that they may prevail by way of sufferage and impetration for our pardon.
Answ. If he could have given but one place of Scripture, it would have helpt the matter: But we take leave to say, we will not be wise (in this case) above what is written, and quod non lego, non credo. I shall return this short answer to this evasion. It is a poor shift from the force of the Objection; for not only in the strictest, but largest sence too, God only, out of his free Gift and Mercy in Christ Jesus is Author of our Remission, and Forgiveness. Since there can scarcely be a more absurd position, then that a man unable to relieve himself, should be the occasion of relief to others, in the same condition, whether by appeasing Divine Justice, or by sufferage only; (a word incongruous, and inapplicable in this place.)
Besides, what need is there for praying for Souls in Purgatory? that they should be saved; that is held for granted before they go thither. Is it, they should be delivered thence? that is the consequence of the Opinion. Or would they, that God should forbear his hand, and mitigate his rigour? which seems the most natural consequence of their opinion.
If so, they are their greatest Enemies; for their holding that the end of the Chastizements of Purgatory is to prepare them for Heaven; by how much the less they are chastized by those fiery Afflictions, by so much the less they are purged, and consequently the more unfit for Heaven. So that since Heaven is soonest attainable, as their Souls came to be the soonest, and most effectually purg'd, they in charity ought to pray, that God would men his Fire, add Fuel to his Flames, and double his fiery Tortures, that they may be the sooner purg'd and more refined for Heaven.
Thus whilst the Romanists are arguing for Purgatory, they confute themselves by not understanding it.
I shall conclude my sence of this Point, with the Authority of Scripture, Reason, and Antiquity.
First, Then shall the Dust return to the Earth, as it was, and the Spirit unto God who gave it, Eccles. 12.7. Gen. 3. 9. (then not to Purgatory.)
Secondly, For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the Grave, whither thou goest, Eccles. 9. 10. (then none in Purgatory.)
Fourthly, And they stoned Stephen, Calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus receive my spirit, Acts 7. 59. (no Purgatory still, but a certain immutable state.)
That it is against all Reason, I offer these Considerations.
1st, No man can merit for another; nor is it possible a poor indebted man, should pay anothers Debt (it may be greater then his own) and not be able to pay his own.
2d, The Repentance ought to be, where the sin is; but the sin is here, therefore should the repentance be here also.
3d, Where there is a cessation from sinning, there is a cessation from repentance; but there is a cessation from sinning, therefore is there a cessation from repentance.
4th, What ever attends the Soul after separation from this mortal life, is Immortal and Eternal; this none can deny; but Purgatory is a state that attends the Soul after mortal life, and therefore say I, it is an Immortal and Eternal state. And if it be, it is either for something, or nothing; if for nothing, God makes things in vain: If for the Souls of men and women; then they are never to be ransomed thence. But since the Romanist holds a redemption from thence, their confession of the temporariness of that State, proves it a meer fiction; for when the Soul is withdrawn from this visible mortal life, which stands in time, it is centred in an invisible and immortal state, beyond the wings and reach of time.
In short, this World is the Stage, on which all men do act for Eternity; and every venture of theirs, brings its true weight of eternal life or death. Death is the consummation of all, and when
I shall subjoyn some Authorities from Antiquity.
The Sense of Antiquity, and their own Authors.
This Doctrine of praying for the Dead, we know was too old a practice, yet not so old as the Apostle. But how? as for Souls in a third place (for that these Romanists mean by their Purgatory, however modest they seem by their half expressions) nothing less! however the Superstition of the Papists, has driven them into so foul and apprehension. But the Ancients believing there would be a general Day of Judgment, prayed that God would shew Such Mercy in that Day. Gregory the first is said to be its Father: certain we are, that Superstition was both its Mother, and its Nurse: for that this fond Purgatorian opinion is altogether new, read both their own Authors, and the Fathers. Polyd. cap. 1. D. Inven. rerum. Alphons. a Castro lib. 8. verb. indul. lib. 12. lil. Purgat. so Sextus Sensis, Medina, Cassander, and Bellarmine himself.
That the Fathers disown'd it, in the sense asserted by the Romanists; and particularly their great Saint August. Let them peruse these places, Just. Martyr, Resp. ad quest. 75. Cyprian ad Demetrian. Sect. 16, 22. and in Serm. de lapsis. Greg. Nazian. Orat. 15. in plag. grandinis. August. Enchyrid. cap. 68, 69. Again de Dogmat. Eccles. 6. cap. 79. But above all, that the Romans should pray for those, to whom they pray to intercede for them, is most absurd; yet this is frequent. But for this time enough.