trive a parable in such a way that the representation of it would be false.

4. John (Rev. xiv, 13) declares that he heard a voice from heaven, which said, "Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, for they rest from their labours, and their works do follow them." Here those that die in Christ are said to rest from their labours; it is therefore certain that none of them are punished or tormented after death. For how can rest from labour consist with dreadful miseries and sufferings, such as souls in purgatory are said to undergo? If this doctrine were true, they would not have a rest from their labours, but a change of them.

5. There are many passages of Scripture which speak a language inconsistent with the doctrine of purgatory, such as the following: "When we are absent from the body, we are present with the Lord,” 2 Cor. v, 8. "The night cometh when no man can work," John ix, 4. "If our earthly house were dissolved, we have a house eternal in the heavens," 2 Cor. v, 1.

6. The doctrine of purgatory is inconsistent with justification. For, "being justified by faith, we have peace with God," Rom. v, 1. Such a state of peace with God cannot agree with purgatory.

And hence the justified are not condemned. "There is now therefore NO CONDEMNATION to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit," Rom. viii, 1. Again: "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?" Rom. viii, 33. If there be no charge or accusation, whence arises condemnation? "I am persuaded, that neither life, nor DEATH, nor angels, nor principalities shall be able to separate us," &c., verses 35, 38, 39. The believer in Christ "shall not come into condemnation," John v, 24.

7. The tenet of purgatory, from its very principle and declared object, is entirely opposed to the full and complete redemption of Christ. Sinners can only be delivered from the guilt and pollution of sin through the blood and sacrifice of Christ. "He, by his own blood, entered once into the holy place, having obtained ETERNAL REDEMPTION for us," Heb. ix, 12. "Nor yet that he should offer himself often-for then must he often have suffered-but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared, TO PUT AWAY SIN by the sacrifice of himself," verses 25, 26. "We are sanctified through the offering of Jesus Christ, once for all-after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down at the right hand of God-for by one offering he hath PERFECTED FOR EVER them that are sanctified," Heb. x, 10, 12, 14. "When he had by himself PURGED OUR SINS, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high," Heb. i, 3. "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son CLEANSETH US FROM ALL SIN. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS," 1 John i, 7, 9. "Christ loved us, and WASHED us from OUR SINS in his OWN BLOOD." Rev. i, 5. "These have WASHED THEIR ROBES and MADE THEM WHITE through the BLOOD OF THE LAMB," Rev. vii, 14. Now if these scriptures be true, where is the necessity or benefit of a future purgatorial cleansing?

8. The doctrine of purgatory is dishonourable to God the Holy Ghost, since purgatorial fire is said to be cleansing, sanctifying, purifyIf so, the work of the Holy Spirit is deficient.

* Beliar. de Purg., lib. i, c. 1.

V. The testimony of the fathers is urged to support the doctrine of purgatory.

1. But their testimony, except as far as it agrees with Scripture, can avail nothing. Nevertheless, the earliest fathers of the Christian church certainly did not teach purgatory, though they had many crude notions respecting a future state, some of which may be brought to favour the Romish doctrine. But properly, their contradictory opinions can prove nothing, except that they held several erroneous sentiments respecting a future state. We may confidently say, that there is not one father, nor one council, of the primitive church, that is owned by the Church of Rome themselves, for five hundred years after Christ, that ever taught the doctrine of purgatory, as they now teach and believe it; and, on the other hand, we can produce several passages from primitive fathers that overturn the doctrine. But before we adduce the testimony of the fathers, we premise the following observations:

(1.) Either none, or very few of the Greek fathers, mention the doctrine of purgatory; and all the Latin fathers did not believe it; but by degrees the opinion, in various shapes, became current; though the catholic or general church received it only in part. The words of Ruffensis, (John Fisher, bishop of Rochester, beheaded June 22, 1535.) in his 18th article against Luther, are these: "He that pleases, let him read the commentaries of the old Greeks, and, as I suppose, he shall find none, or very rare mention of purgatory. But neither did the Latins at one time, but by little and little conceive the truth of this thing."* And again: "For a long while it was unknown; it was lately known to the Catholic Church. Then it was believed by some by little and little; partly from Scripture, partly from revelations." The following quotation from Polydore Virgil, who quotes Fisher, bishop of Rochester, will place this subject in a still clearer light: "As it regards the origin of this matter, as far as I can ascertain, after inquiry, I do not find it before Saint Gregory presented it in reference to his stations. Wherefore, in a subject of so much obscurity, I use the testimony of John, bishop of Rochester, who, in that work which he lately wrote against Luther, thus declares the matter in the beginning of his concessions on this point:- Probably he moved many not to trust much to indulgences, because their use appeared more recently in the church, and found out very lately among Christians.' To this I answer, that it does not appear certainly from what time they first began to teach indulgences. They were used among some (as they say) of the ancient Romans, which can be collected from their stations, and follows of course. No orthodox Christian doubts respecting purgatory; concerning which, nevertheless, there is no mention among the ancients except very rarely. But even among the Greeks to this day it is not believed: for as long as there was no care about purgatory, nobody inquired after indulgences; for all the value of indulgences depends on purgatory; if you take away purgatory, what use is there

Legat qui velit, Græcorum veterum commentarios, et nullum, quantum opinor, aut quam rarissimum, de purgatorio sermonem inveniet. Sed neque Latini simul omnes, at sensim hujus rei veritatem conceperunt.-Art. 18, cont. Luth. as quoted by Bishop Jeremy Taylor, Dissuasive, second part, book ii, sec. 2, Of Purgatory, vol. ii, p. 935. † Aliquandiu incognitum fuit; serò cognitum universæ ecclesiæ. Deinde quibusdam pedetentim, partim, ex Scripturis, partim ex revelationibus creditum fuit.-Idem.

for indulgences? Indulgences therefore began after men had a while trembled at the torments of purgatory."* To the foregoing we add the testimony of Alphonsus a Castro, which is as follows: "Concerning purgatory, there is almost no mention, especially among the Greek writers. In consequence of which, even to this day, purgatory is not believed by the Greeks." The consequences to be drawn from these quotations are: if purgatory was not known to the primitive church; if it was but lately known to the portion of the Catholic Church which embraced it; if the fathers seldom or never make mention of it; if in the Greek Church especially there was so great silence of it, that to this day it is not believed among the Greeks; then this doctrine was not an apostolic doctrine, nor primitive, nor catholic, but an innovation, and of yesterday.

(2.) Though the ancient fathers very generally prayed for the dead, they never prayed for their deliverance out of purgatory, nor did they ever mean to do so. And yet the Church of Rome establishes her doctrine of purgatory on the ancient usage of the church of praying for the dead; but this consequence is vain, as these prayers do not relate to purgatory. And this is so certain, that in the ancient Roman offices, we mean the vigils said for the dead, the anthems, versicles, and responses made, recommending the soul to God, the prayer is, “that he may be freed from hell and eternal death; and in the day of judgment he may not be judged and condemned according to his sins, but that he may appear among the elect in the glory of the resurrection ;" but not one word of purgatory or its pains. And though the fathers prayed for the departed souls of the pious, that God would show them mercy in the day of judgment; "in that formidable and dreadful day, then, there is need of much mercy to us," as saith Chrysostom. Indeed, St. Paul thus prayed for Onesiphorus, "that God would show him a mercy in that day;" that is, in the day of judgment, as the same Chrysostom understood it. Devils themselves are "reserved in chains unto the judgment of the great day," Jude 6. And in that day they and the wicked shall be sentenced to everlasting fire, which, as yet, is prepared for the devil and his angels. There is a pardon belonging to this world; and there is a pardon at the day of judgment, which shall confirm and declare this pardon to the universe. And it is in reference to this declarative pardon, at the day of judgment, that the ancient fathers pray, but not in reference to purgatory.

*Ego vero originem quod mei est muneris, quæritans non reperio ante fuisse, quod sciam, quum D. Gregorius ad suas stationes id præmii proposuerit. Quapropter in re parum perspicuâ, utar testimonio Johannis Raffensis episcopi, qui in eo opere quod nuper in Lutherum scripsit sic de ejusmodi veniarum initio prodit :-Multos fortasse mavit indulgentiis istis non usque adeò fidere, quod earum usus in ecclesià videatur recentior, et admodum serò apud Christianos repertus. Quibus ego respondeo, non certò constare a quo primum tradi cæperunt. Fuit tamen nonnullis earum usus (ut aiunt) apud Romanos vetustissimos, quod ex stationibus intelligi potest et subiit. Nemo certe dubitat orthodoxus an purgatorium sit, dequo tamen apud priscos, non ulla, vel quam rarissme, fiebat mentio. Sed et Græcis ad hunc usque diem, non est creditum esse; quamdiu enim nulla fuerat de purgatario cura, nemo quæsivit indulgentias; nam ex illo pendet omnis indulgentiarum existimatio: si tollas purgatorium, quorsum indulgentiis opus erit? cæperunt igitur indulgentiæ, postquam ad purgatorii cruciatus aliquandiu trepidatum est. Invent. Rerum, lib. viii, c. 1. Idem p. 936.

De purgatorio fere nulla mentio, potissimum apud Græcos scriptores. Qua de causa, usque hadiernum diem, purgatorium non est a Græcis creditum. Lib. iv, verb. Indulg. vide etiam lib. xii. Purgatorium. See Dissuas., as before.

Besides, the fathers made prayers for those who, by the confession of all sides, were never in purgatory. They prayed for the patriarchs, apostles, the Virgin Mary, &c. This is a direct and perfect overthrow of the doctrine of purgatory. Cyril declares as follows: "Then we pray for the deceased fathers and bishops, and finally for all who among us have departed this life. Believing it to be a very great help of the souls, for which is offered the absecration of the holy and dreadful sacrifice." Epiphanius writes as follows: "We make mention of the just and of sinners; for sinners, that we may implore the mercy of God for them; for the just, the fathers, the patriarchs, the evangelists and martyrs, confessors, bishops, and anchorets, that following the Lord Jesus Christ with a single honour, we separate these from the rank of other men, and give due worship to his divine Majesty."†

(3.) The fathers often speak of a fire of purgation after this life, but at the day of judgment, and which destroys the doctrine of the intermediate purgatory. Origen seems to be the first who mentions this, and Basil, Hilary, Jerome, Lactantius, follow him in the opinion: we say opinion, for it was not an article of faith. All men, except Christ, according to them, and even the Virgin Mary, are to pass through this fire.

(4.) Another opinion, which is fatal to purgatory, also obtained among the fathers that before the day of judgment the souls of men are kept in secret receptacles, reserved unto the sentence of the great day; and that before then no man fully receives his reward. Now, if this opinion be true, the doctrine of purgatory is false; if it be not true, the doctrine of purgatory, as founded on it, must also be untrue. The Roman writers are very much troubled at this doctrine of the fathers.

(5.) The doctrine of purgatory was never owned by the fathers as an article of faith, or of apostolical tradition, as will appear from the three following considerations :—

First. Nothing was received by them as an article of faith except what they received on the authority of Scripture. Other things that they assert may be viewed as private opinions of particular persons; but articles of faith were received as such, because God revealed them. And, therefore, when they speak their own opinions, and not what God hath revealed, these opinions can never be received as articles of faith. To prove, therefore, that the fathers did own purgatory as an article of faith, it is necessary also to prove that they spoke of it as the doctrine of the church, and supported by divine revelation.

Secondly. They did not receive the doctrine as an article of faith, because they deduced it from passages which they acknowledged to be obscure. And since they confess these passages to be very difficult, which they adduced to support their theory of purgatory, they could not look on the doctrine contained in them as an article of faith. For instance, Augustine in several places‡ asserts, that all things necessary to be believed are clearly revealed in Scripture; and yet he

Mysta. Catech. 5. Jer. Taylor, b. ii, sec. ii, Dissuas., p. 938.

Hæres. 75. Idem, 938; also 939, 940, where several examples can be found from the liturgies of St. James, Basil, the Egyptians, Chrysostom, and the Greek fathers; the old Latin Missal.

Aug. de Fide et Oper., c. 15, 16.

:

says that the place (1 Cor. iii, 15) is very difficult and obscure, and one of those places in St. Paul which Peter pronounces hard to be understood and therefore Augustine would not make that a matter of faith which he founds on that place. And this was the principal place on which he and other fathers founded their doctrine of purgation in a future state.

Thirdly. That cannot be an article of faith to such persons as express their doubts concerning its truth. So Augustine expressed himself doubtfully respecting a future purgation. But he did not so express himself respecting the incarnation, the trinity, &c., which Romanists place with purgatory as articles of faith.

2. These things being premised, we proceed to examine the testimony of the fathers concerning purgatory.

Though Polycarp discusses the resurrection of the dead, he wholly omits the doctrine of purgatory.†

Ignatius asserts that two states only exist in the future world, a state of death and a state of life; so that every one who departs shall go to the one or the other place.‡

Irenæus overturns purgatory when he says, "The souls of the dead shall depart into an invisible place prepared of God for them, where they shall abide in constant expectation of the resurrection and reunion of the body."

Though Athenagoras wrote a treatise on the resurrection of the dead, he says not one word concerning purgatory.||

Justin Martyr declares, "that immediately after death there is made a separation between good and bad men, and that the good are carried into paradise."T

Cyprian, who flourished about the middle of the third century, says, "When once we have departed hence there is no longer any place for repentance, no longer any effectiveness of satisfaction. Here life is either lost or held; here we may provide for our eternal salvation by the worship of God and the fruitfulness of faith. Let not any one, then, be retarded, either by sins or by length of years, from attaining to salvation. To a person, while he remains in this world, repentance is never too late. Those who seek after, and understand the truth, may always have an easy access to the indulgence of God. Even to the very end of your life pray for your sins, and by confession and faith implore the one only true Deity. To him who confesses, pardon is freely granted: to him who believes, a salutary indulgence is granted from the divine pity: and IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEATH HE PASSES TO A

BLESSED IMMORTALITY.'

* De Fide et Oper., c. 16. Ench., c. 69. + Epist. ad Philip., sec. n, iii. Epist. ad Magnes., sec. v. Advers. Hæres., lib. v, c. 26, sec. ii, iii. De Resur. Mort. in Oper. TQuest. ad Orthdox., 75. ** Quando isthinc excessum fuerit, nullus jam locus pœnitentiæ est, nullus satisfac. tionis effectus. Hic vita aut omittitur, aut tenetur. Hic saluti æternæ cultu Dei et fructu fidei providetur. Nec quisquam aut peccatis retardetur, aut annis, quo minus veniat, ad consequendam salutem. In isto adhuc mundo manenti pœnitentia nulla sera est. Patet ad indulgentiam Dei aditus, et quærentibus atque intelligentibus veritatem facilis accessus est. Tu sub ipso licet exitu et vitæ temporalis occasu pro delictis roges, et Deum, qui unus et verus est, confessione et fide agnitionis ejus implores, venia confitenti datur, et credenti indulgentia salutaris de divina pietate conce ditur, et ad immortalitatem sub ipsa morte transitur.-Cyprianus ad Demetrianum, in fine, tom. i, p. 404.