the Dispensers of the Mysteries of Christ resolving to turn from his evil ways and bring forth Fruits worthy of Penance there is then and no otherwise an Authority left by Christ to Absolve such a Penitent Sinner from his Sins which Authority Christ gave his Apostles and their Successors the Bâ—shops and Priests of the Catholick Church in those words when he said Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose Sins you shall forgive they are forgiven unto them c. II. Though no Creatare whatsoever can make condign satisfaction either for the Guilt of Sin or the pain Eternal due to it This satisfaction being proper to Christ our Saviour only Yet penitent Sinners Redeemed by Christ may as Members of Christ in some measure satisfie by Prayer Fasting Alms-Deeds and other Works of Piety for the Temporal Pain which by order of Divine Justice sometimes remains due after the Guilt of Sin and Pains Eternal are gratis remitted These Penitential Works are notwithstanding satisfactory no otherwise than as joyned and apply'd to that satisfaction which Jesus made upon the Cross in virtue of which alone all our good Works find a gateful acceptance in God's sight III. The Guilt of Sin or Pain Eternal due to it is never remitted by Indulgences but only such Temporal punishments as remain due after the Guilt is remitted These Indulgences being nothing else than a Mitigation or Relaxation upon just causes of Canonical Penances enjoyn'd by the Pastors of the Church on Penitent Sinners according to their several Degrees of Demerit And if any abuses or mistakes be sometimes committed in point either of granting or gaining Indulgences through the Remisness or Ignorance of particular Persons contrary to the ancient Custom and Discipline of the Church such abuses or mistakes cannot rationally be charg'd on the Church nor rendred matter of Derision in prejudice to her Faith and Doctrine IV. Catholicks hold there is a Purgatory that is to say a place or State where Souls departing this Life with Remission of their Sins as to the Eternal Guilt or pain or yet Obnoxious to some Temporal Punishment still remaining due or not perfectly freed from the Blemish of some Venial Defects or Deordinations as idle Words c. not liable to Damnation are purg'd before their Admitance into Heaven where nothing that is defil'd can enter Furthermore V. Catholicks also hold That such Souls so detain'd in Purgatory being the Living Members of Christ Jesus are Reliev'd by the Prayers and suffrages of their Fellow-members here on Earth But where this place is Of what Nature or Quality the Pains are How long each Soul is detained there After what manner the suffrages made in their behalf are apply'd Whether by way of satisfaction or Intercession c. are Questions superfluous and impertinent as to Faith VI. No Man though just can Merit either an Increase of Sanctity or Happiness in this Life or Eternal Glory in the next independent on the Merits and Passion of Christ Jesus the Good Works of a just Man proceeding from Grace and Charity are acceptable to God so far forth as to be through his Goodness and Sacred Promise truly meritorious of Eternal Life VII It is an Article of the Catholick Faith That in the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist there is truly and really contain'd the Body of Christ which was deliver'd for us and his Blood which was shed for the Remission of sins the substance of Bread and Wine being by the powerful Words of Christ charg'd into the substance of his Blessed Body and Blood the Species or Accidents of Bread and Wine still remaining Thus VIII Christ is not present in this Sacrament according to his Natural way of Existence that is with extention of parts in order to place c. but after a supernatural manner one and the same in many places and whole in every part of the Symbols This therefore is a real substantial yet Sacramental presence of Christ's Body and Blood not expos'd to the External Senses or obnoxious to Corporal Contingences IX Neither is the Body of Christ in this Holy Sacrament seperated from his Blood or his Blood from his Body or either of both disjoyn'd from his Soul and Divinity but all and whole living Jesus is entirely contain'd under either Species so that whosoever receives under one kind is truly partaker of the whole Sacrament and no wise depriv'd either of the Body or Blood of Christ True it is X. Our Saviour Jesus Christ left unto us his Body and Blood under two distinct Species or Kinds in doing of which he instituted not only a Sacrament but also a Sacrifice a Commemorative Sacrifice distinctly shewing his Death or Bloody Passion until he come For as the Sacrifice of the Cross was perform'd by a distinct Effusion of Blood so is the same Sacrifice commemorated in that of the Altar by a distinction of the Symbols Jesus therefore is here given not only to us but for us and the Church thereby enrich'd with a true proper and propitiatory Sacrifice usually term'd Mass XI Catholicks renounce all Divine Worship and Adoration of Images or Pictures God alone we Worship and Adore Nevertheless we make use of Pictures and place them in Churches and Oratories to reduce our wandring thoughts and enliven our memories towards Heavenly things And further we allow a certain Honour and Veneration to the Picture of Christ of the Virgin Mary c. beyond what is due to every prophane Figure not that we believe any Divinity of virtue in the Pictures themselves for which they ought to be Honour'd but because the Honour given to Pictures is refer'd to the Prototype or things represented In like manner XII There is a kind of Honour and Veneration respectively due to the Bible to the Cross to the Name of Jesus to Churches to the Sacraments c. as things peculiarly appertaining to God also to the glorify'd Saints in Heaven as Domestick Friends of God yea to Kings Magistrates and Superiours on Earth as the Vicegerents of God to whom Honouâ— is due Honour may be given without any Derogation to the Majesty of God or that Divine Worship appropriate to him Furthermore XIII Catholicks believe That the Blessed Saints in Heaven replenish'd with Charity pray for us their fellow-members here on Earth that they Rejoyce at our conversion that seeing God they see and know in him all things suitable to their happy state but God is inclinable to hear their Requests made in our behalf and for their sakes grants us many favours That therefore it is good and profitable to Desire their Juteocession And that this manner of Invocation is no more injurious to Christ our Mediator or superabundant in it self than it is for one Christian to beg the
should he doubt that Saints want this Priviledge in some manner granted to sinful Men and to wicked Spirits who tho' departed this life are not so properly dead as translated from a mortal life to an immortal one where enjoying God Almighty they lose no Perfections which they enjoy'd while on Earth but possess all in a more eminent manner having more Charity more Love and being more acceptable to God than ever becoming like Angels And as these offered up their Prayers for Jerusalem and the Cities of Judah Zach. 1. 12. so undoubtedly they likewise fall down before the Lamb having every one of them Harps and golden Vials full of Odours which are the Prayers of the Saints Apoc. 5. 8. 3. Of Addressing more Supplications to the Virg. Mary than to Christ HE believes the Virgin Mary to be much more powerful in Heaven than Christ and that she can command him to do what she thinks good And for This reason he honours her much more than he does her Son or God the Father For one Prayer he says to God saying ten to the Holy Virgin HE believes it damnable to think the Virgin Mary more powerful in Heaven than Christ Or that she can in any thing command him He honours her indeed as one that was chosen to be Mother of God and blessed amongst all Women And believes her to be most acceptable to God in her Intercession for us But owning her still as a Creature and that all she has of Excellency or Bliss is the Gift of God proceeding from his meer Goodness Neither does he at any time say even so much as one Prayer to her but what is directed more principally to God because offered up as a Thankful Memorial of Christ's Incarnation and an acknowledgment of the Blessedness of Jesus the Fruit of her Womb. And this without imagining that there 's any more dishonouring of God in his reciting the Angelical Salutation than in the first pronouncing it by the Angel Gabriel and Elizabeth Or that his frequent Repetition of it is any more an idle Superstition than it was in David to repeat the same words over twenty six times in the 136 Psalm IV. Of paying Divine Worship to Relicks HE believes a kind of Divinity to remain in the Relicks of his reputed Saints and therefore Adores their Rotten Bones their corrupted flesh their old Rags with Divine Honour Kneeling down to them kissing them and going in Pilgrimage to their Shrines Sepulchres And he is so far possess'd with a conceited Deity lying hid in those senseless Remains that he foolishly believes they work greater Miracles and raise more to life than ever Christ himself did HE believes it damnable to think there 's any Divinity in the Relicks of Saints or to Adore them with Divine Honour or to Pray to their rotten Bones old Rags or Shrines or that they can work any strange Cures or Miracles by any hidden Power of their own But he believes it good and lawful to keep them with a Veneration and give them a Religious honour and respect And this he thinks due to them in as much as knowing himself oblig'd to respect and honour God Almighty from his heart he looks upon himself also oblig'd to respect and honour every thing that has any particular Relation to him But this with an inferiour honour as the Jews did to the Ark to the Tables of of the Law to Moses's Rod to the Temple to the Priests So we generally allow to the Bible because it contains God's Word to the Church because it is God's House to Holy Men and Priests because they are God's Servants And so he does to Relicks because they appertain to God's Favourites and being insensible things are yet very sensible Pledges and lively Memorials of Christ's Servants dead indeed to us but alive with him in Glory And more especially because God himself has been pleas'd to honour them by making them Instruments of many evident Miracles he has visibly work'd by them as is manifest upon undeniable Record And this he believes as easie for God Almighty now and as much redounding to the honour of his Holy Name as it was in the Old Law to work such Miraculous effects by Moses's Rod by Gideon's Trumpets by Elia's Mantle after he was taken up into Heaven 2 Kings 2. 14. Eliseus's Bones 2 Kings 13. 21. and infinite other such like insensible Things And also in the New Law by the Hem of his own Garment Mat. 9. 21. by the Shadow of St. Peter Acts 5. 15. by the Napkins and Handkerchiefs that had but touch'd the Body of St. Paul casting out Devils and curing Diseases Acts 19. 12. and such like And thus by having a Veneration and Respect for these he honours God And does not doubt but that they that contemn and prophane these do the like to God as much as they did who prophan'd the Bread of Proposition the Temple and Vessels that belong'd to it V. Of the EUCHARIST HE believes it lawful to commit Idolatry and makes it his daily practice to Worship and Adore a Breaden God giving Divine Honour to those Poor empty Elements of Bread and Wine Of these he asks Pardon for his sins of these he desires Grace and Salvation These he acknowledges to have been his Redeemer Saviour and hopes for no good but what is to come to him by means of these household Gods And then for his Apology he alledges such gross contradictions so contrary to all sense and reason that whosoever will be a Papist must be no Man Fondly believing that what he adores is no Bread or Wine but Christ really present under those appearances and thus makes as many Christs as many Redeemers as there are Churches Altars or Priests When according to Gods Infallible Word there is but one Christ and He not on Earth but at the right hand of his Father in Heaven HE believes it unlawful to commit Idolatry and most damnable to Worship or Adore any Breaden God or to give Divine Honour to any Elements of Bread and Wine He Worships only one God who made Heaven and Earth and his only Son Jesus Christ our Redeemer who being in all things equal to his Father in Truth and Omnipotency he believes made his words good pronounc'd at his last Supper really giving his Body and Blood to his Apostles the Substance of Bread and Wine being by his powerful Words chang'd into his own Body and Blood the Species or Accidents of the Bread and Wine remaining as before The same he believes of the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist consecrated now by Priests That it really contains the Body of Christ which was deliver'd for us and his Blood which was shed for the remission of Sins Which being there united with the Divinity he confesses Whole Christ to be present And him he adores and acknowledges his Redeemer and not any Bread or Wine And for the believing of this Mystery he does not at all think it
meet for any Christian to appeal from Christ's Words to his own Senses or Reason for the examining the truth of what he has said but rather to submit his Senses and Reason to Christ's Words in the obsequiousness of Faith And that being a Son of Abraham 't is more becoming him to believe as Abraham did promptly with a Faith superiour to all Sense or Reason and whither these could never lead him With this Faith it is he believes every Mystery of his Religion the Trinity Incarnation c. With this Faith he believes that what descended upon our Saviour at his Baptism in Jordan was really the Holy Ghost though Senses or Reason could discover it to be nothing but a Dove With this Faith he believes That the Man that Joshua saw standing over against him with his Sword drawn Josh 5. 13. and the three Men that Abraham entertain'd in the Plains of Mambre Gen. 18. were really and substantially no Men and that notwithstanding all the information and evidence of Sense from their Colour Features Proportion Talking Eating and many others of their being Men yet without any discredit to his Senses he really believes they were no such thing because God's Word has assured him of the contrary And with this Faith he believes Christ's Body and Blood to be really present in the Blessed Sacrament though to all appearance there 's nothing more than Bread and Wine Thus not at all hearkning to his Senses in a matter where God speaks he unfeignedly confesses That he that made the World of nothing by his sole word That cured Diseases by his Word That raised the Dead by his Word That expell'd Devils That commanded the Winds and Seas That multiplied Bread That changed Water into Wine by his Word and Sinners into Just Men cannot want Power to change Bread and Wine into his own Body and Blood by his sole Word And this without danger of multiplying his Body of making as many Christs as Altars or leaving the right hand of his Father But only by giving to his Body a supernatural manner of Existence by which being left without eztension of parts and rendred independent of place it may be one and the same in many places at once and whole in every part of the Symbols and not obnoxious to any corporeal Contingencies And this kind of Existence is no more than what in a manner he bestows upon every Glorified Body Than what his own Body had when born without the least violation of his Mothers Virginal Integrity When he arose from the Dead out of the Sepulchre without removing the Stone When he entred amongst his Disciples the Doors being shut And though he cannot understand how this is done yet he undoubtedly believes That God is able to do more than He is able to understand VI. Of Merits and Good Works HE Believes Christ's Death Passion to be inneffectual and insignificant and that he has no dependance upon the Merits of his Sufferings or the Mercy of God for the obtaining Salvation but that he is to be sav'd by his own Merits And for this reason he very zealously buisy in Fasting in Whipping himself in Watching in going in Procession in wearing Hair-shirts and using a thousand such like Mortifications And having done this he thinks himself not at all beholding to God for his Salvation and that to give him Heaven will be no favour It being now his due upon the account of his own Meritorious Atchievements without any God-a-mercy to Christ's Passion or his Makers Goodness HE believes it damnable to say that Christ's Death and Passion is ineffectual and insignificant And that 't is the Doctrine of Devils to believe That he has no dependance for his Salvation upon the Merits of Christ's Sufferings or the Mercy of God but only upon his own Merits and good Works 'T is his Faith to believe That of our selves we are not sufficient so much as to think a good thought that the Grace by which we are justified is given us purely gratis upon the account of Christ's Merits moreover that no Man how just soever can Merit any thing either in this life or in that to come independant on the Merits and Passion of Jesus Christ Nevertheless that through the Merits of Christ the Good Works of a Just Man proceeding from Grace are so acceptable to God that through his Goodness and Promise they are truly Meritorious of Eternal Life And this he has learn'd from the Apostle 2 Tim. 4. 8. where he is taught that there is a Crown of Justice which our Lord a just Judge will render at the last day not only to Saint Paul but also to all those that shall have fought a good fight and consummated their course kept the Faith and lov'd his coming Knowing therefore that at the day of Judgement he is to receive according to his Works He endeavours by good Works to make his Vocation and Election sure And in following this Councel he thinks he no more offends against the fulness of the Merits of Christ's or God's Mercy than the Apostle does in giving it VII Of Confession HE believes it part of his Religion to make Gods of Men foolishly thinking that these have power to forgive sins And therefore as often as he finds his Conscience oppress'd with the guilt of his Offences he calls for one of his Priests who are commonly more wicked than himself and falling at his feet he unfolds to him the whole state of his Soul and having run over a Catalogue of his sins he asks of him Pardon and Forgiveness And what is most absurd of all he is so sillily stupid as to believe That if his Ghostly Father after he has heard all his Villanies in his Ear does but pronounce three or four Latin words making the sign of a Cross with two fingers and a thumb over his head his sins are forthwith forgiven him although he had never any thoughts of amendment or intention to forsake his wickedness HE believes it damnable in any Religion to make Gods of Men. However he firmly holds that when Christ speaking of his Apostles said Joh. 20. 21. Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven and whose sins you shall retain they are retained He gave to them and their Successors the Bishops and Priests of the Catholick Church Authority to Absolve any truly Penitent Sinner from his sins And God having thus given them the Ministry of Reconciliation and made them Christ's Legates 2 Cor. 5. 18. 19. 12. Christ's Ministers and the Dispensers of the Mysteries of Christ and given them power to loose on Earth whatsoever was to be loosed in Heaven Matt. 18. 18. he undoubtedly believes that whosoever comes to them making a sincere and humble confession of his sins with a firm purpose â—â—â—mendment and a hearty Resolution of turning from his evil ways may from them receive Absolution by the Authority given them from Heaven and not doubt but God ratifies
them that did not assist his Majesty either with Person or Purse or both And they can say that Charles the First was murder'd in cold blood by his Protestant Subjects after many hundred Papists had lost their Lives for the preventing that Butchery and that Charles the Second being pursued by the same Subjects for his Life sav'd it amongst the Papists XXI Of Communion in one kind HE believes that he is no longer oblig'd to obey Christ's Commands than his Church will give him leave And that therefore tho' Christ instituted the Sacrament under both kinds and commanded it to be receiv'd so by all yet he thinks it is not necessary for any to do so now but Priests because his Church forsooth hath forbidden the Cup to the Laity And put a stop to the Precept of Christ who said Drink ye all of this Mat. 26. In submission to which Church-Prohibition all the poor people of his Communion contentedly rest while they see themselves defrauded of great part of that benefit which Christ left them as his Last Will and Testament for the comfort of their poor Souls and the Remedy of their Infirmities HE believes that he is oblig'd to obey all the commands of Christ and that neither his Church nor any other Power upon Earth can limit alter or annul any precept of Divine Institution contrary to the intention of the Law-giver Neither is the Denial of the Cup to the Laity a practise any ways opposite to this his Belief He being taught that tho' Christ instituted the blssed Sacrament under both kinds and so deliver'd it to his Apostles who only were then present and whom he had made Priests just before yet he gave no command that it should be so receiv'd by all the faithful But left this indifferent as is evident from his own words where he attributes the obtaining life everlasting the end of the Institution sometimes to the receiving under both kinds sometimes under one as when he says If any Man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever He that eats Me even he shall live by me He that eats of this bread shall live for ever John 6. v. 51 57 58. And a curious Reader may find as many Texts for thus Receiving under one kind as for the other And St. Augustine was so far of this Opinion that he says that Christ himself administred the Sacrament to some of his Disciples under one kind only viz. to those two going to Emaus Luk. c. last 30. And that the Apostles afterwards did often practise the like when they assembled to break bread Acts 2. c. Which places He and other Fathers explicate of the Sacrament Aug. l. 49. de Cons Evà ng And that this was the Custom of the Primitive Christians to give it under one kind to Children to the Sick and that men on a Journey us'd so to carry it with them is attested by all antient Writers and modern Historians Nay he finds that this was the practice of the Church to Communicate under one kind only or else under both as every one thought good especially in all Private Communions for the first four hundred years after Christ and that the first Precept of Receiving under both kinds was given to the Faithful by Pope Leo I. in the year 443. and Confirm'd by Pope Gelasius in 490. not for the correcting any Abuse that had crept into the Church but for the discovering the Manichees who being of opinion that Christ had no true Blood and that Wine was the Gall of the Devil us'd to lurk among the Christians and receiving under the form of Bread only as the rest did remain'd un-distinguish'd till by this Obligation of all Receiving the Cup which they judg'd unlawful and abominable they were all detected And now if a thing till that time Indifferent was for these Motives determin'd by an Ecclesiastical Precept and so observ'd for many hundred years without scruple or questioning the Authority why should he doubt to submit to the same Authority when upon different Motives and Circumstances they Issue forth another Precept Few doubt of this in the matter of Eating strangled Meats and Blood which tho' forbid by the Apostles Acts 15. and so unlawful is now by another Order and upon other circumstances become a thing Indifferent and like other things And why then should he scruple in this especially since there 's no Injury done nor he defrauded of any thing For believing the Real Presence of Christ in the Sacrament he consequently believes whole and living Jesus to be entirely contain'd under either Species And that receiving under one kind he is truly partaker of the whole Sacrament and not depriv'd of either the Body or Blood of Christ XXII Of the MASS HE believes an insufficiency in the Sacrifice made by Christ upon the Cross And that his Death will little avail us in order to our Redemption unless we by daily Sacrificing him to his Father perfect what he began And therefore little taking notice of St. Paul's words to the Hebrews Chap. 10. 14. where he says that Christ our High-Priest by one Oblation hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified He thinks he shall never be sanctified but by the Offering made by his Mass-Priests upon their Altars when they say Mass and thus wholly relying upon this Superstition an invention of some crafty Pope for the deceiving Widows and Credulous Women he is taught to neglect the Passion of Christ and to put no hopes in his Merits and the work of our Redemption HE believes that the Sacrifice made by Christ upon the Cross was altogether sufficient That by It he Sav'd and Redeem'd us paying the Debt of sin and satisfying the Infinite Justice of his Father That by It he procur'd means for our Salvation which means are Faith and Good Works and most honourable to God is the Offering a Sacrifice And as Christ's Worshipping of God Christ's Fasting Christ's Praying and suffering for us does not hinder or evacuate our Worshipping of God our Fasting our Suffering our Praying for our selves So neither did his Sacrifice hinder or evacuate all Sacrifices for ever But as he instituted Fasting Praying and suffering for his Followers that by so doing they might apply what he did to themselves so also he instituted a Sacrifice that by It they might apply the merits of his Sacrifice and make it beneficial to their Souls So that though he firmly believes that Christ offered Sacrifice for our Redemption and by one only Offering spoken of by St. Paul perfected by way of Redemption the Sanctification of all those that are Sanctified Yet he also believes that to receive the benefit of this Offering we must also do our parts by our Good Works concurring with Christ so becoming Labourers together with God 1 Cor. 3. 9. and in some manner purifying our own selves 1 Joh. 3. 3. and therefore not omit the best of all Works which is Sacrifice proper to none but God Which our
Saviour Jesus Christ instituted at his last Supper when leaving unto us his Body and Blood under two distinct Species of Bread and Wine he bequeath'd as a Legacy to his Apostles not only a Sacrament but also a Sacrifice A Commemorative Sacrifice lively Representing in an unbloody manner the bloody Sacrifice which was offered for us upon the Cross and by a distinction of the Symbols distinctly shewing his death Christ's until he come This he gave in charge to his Apostles as to the first and Chief Priests of the New Testament and to their Successors to Offer commanding them to do the same thing he had there done at his last Supper in commemoration of him And this is the Oblation or Sacrifice of the Mass which has been observ'd perform'd frequented by the Faithful in all Ages attested by the General Consent of antient Canons universal Tradition Councils and the practice of the whole Church mention'd and allow'd of by all the Fathers Greek and Latine and never call'd into question but of late Years being that Pure Offering which Malachy Prophecying of Christ foretold should be offer'd among the Gentiles in every place Mal. 1. 11. as it is understood by several Fathers and particularly S. Cypr. l. 1. c. 18. advers Jud. S. Jerom S. Theodoret S. Cyril in their Commentaries upon this Text S. Augustine l. 18. c. 15. de Civit. S. Chrysost in Psal 95. and others XXIII Of Purgatory HE believes contrary to all Reason the Word of God and all Antiquity that besides Heaven and Hell there is a third Place which his Church is pleas'd to call Purgatory a Place intended purely for those of his Communion where they may easily have admittance after this life without danger of falling into Hell For that though Hell was designed first for the punishment of Sinners yet that now since the blessed discovery of Purgatory Hell may easily be skip'd over and an Eternal Damnation avoided for an exchange of some short Penalty undergone in this Pope's Prison where he never need fear to be detain'd long for that if he has but a friend left behind him that will but say a few Hail-Maries for his soul or in his Testament did but remember to order a small sum to be presented to some Mass-Priest he never need doubt of being soon Releas'd For that a Golden Key will as infallibly open the Gates of Purgatory as of any other Prison whatsoever HE believes it damnable to admit of any thing for Faith that is contrary to Reason the Word of God and all Antiquity And that the Being of a Third Place call'd Purgatory is so far from being contrary to all or any of these that it is attested confirm'd and establish'd by them all 'T is expresly in the 2d of the Machabees c. 12. where Mony was sent to Hierusalem that Sacrifices might be offered for the slain And 't is recommended as a Holy Cogitation to Pray for the Dead Now though these Books are not thought Canonical by some yet St. Augustine held them as such and says they are so received by the Church l. 18. de Civit. But whether so or no One thing is allow'd by all viz. That they contain nothing contrary to Faith and that they were cited by the Antient Fathers for the Confutation of Errors forming of good Manners and the explication of the Christian Doctrine Thus were they us'd by Origen for Condemnation of the Valentinan Hereticks Orig. in cap. 5. Ep. ad Rom. thus by St. Cyprian Lib. de Exhor Mart. c. 11. thus by Euseb Caesariensis Lib. Praepar Evang. 11. c. 15. thus by St. Greg. Naz. Ambros c. And he is in a manner certain that these Books would never have been put to this Vse by these Holy and Learned Fathers they would never with such confidence have produc'd their Authority nor would they have been read by the Church in those Golden times had this Doctrine of a Third Place and of Prayers for the Dead which they maintain been any Idle Superstition a meer Dream contrary to Reason the Word of God and Antiquity or had it been any Error at all The being also of a Third Place is plainly intimated by our Saviour Matth. 12. 32. where he says Whosoever speaks against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this World neither in the World to come By which words Christ evidently supposes that though these shall not yet some sins are forgiven in the World to come Which since it cannot be in Heaven where no sin enters nor in Hell whence there is no Redemption it must necessarily be some Middle-state And in this sense it was understood by St. Augustine nigh twelve hundred Years ago as is manifest in his Works Civ Dei l. 21. c. 13 24. lib. 6. cont Julian c. 15. so also by St. Bernard against the Hereticks of his time In the same manner does St. Gregory the Great L. 4. Diacl c. 39. so by St. Augustine understand those words of St. Paul 1 Cor. 3. 15. He himself shall be saved yet so as by fire Where he thinks him to speak of a purging fire Aug. in Psal 37. So the same Father understands that Prison of which St. Peter speaks 1 Pet. 3. 19. to be some place of Temporal Chastisement Aug. Ep. 99. And if this great Doctor of the Church in those Purer times found so often in the Bible a Place of Pains after this Life from whence there was Release how can any one say without great presumption that the Being of a Third Place is contrary to the Word of God Neither can the Antiquity of this Doctrine be more justly call'd in question of which is found so early mention not only by this Holy Father but even by others his Predecessors the Disciples of the Apostles and the best Witnesses of their Doctrine Dionys l. de Eccl. Hier. c. 7. In Actis SS Perpet Felicit mention'd and approv'd by S. Aug. l. I. de Anima ejus Orig. c. 10. l. 3. c. 9. l. 4. c. 18. Tertul. l. de Cor. Mil. c. 3. Cypr. Ep. 66. ad Cler. Arnob. l. 4. cont Gen. pag. ult and many others quoted at length by the Learned Natalis Alexand. Tom. 9. Hist Eccl. dissert 41. And as for the Reason of this Tenet he is bound to think it does not want it since he finds it abetted by such Virtuous Learned and Considering Men whom he dares not reckon Fools never hearing that these us'd to Believe but upon very good Grounds and substantial Reasons And he thinks he is able to give some himself by what he has learn'd from the Scriptures and these Fathers For having been taught by these First That when a sinner is reconcil'd to God though the Eternal Punishment due to his sins is always remitted yet there sometimes remains a Temporal Penalty to be undergone As in the case of the Israelites Num. 14. who by Moses's Prayers obtain'd Pardon for their Murmuring and yet
were excluded the Land of Canaan As in the Case of David 2 Sam. 12. who was punish'd in the loss of his Child after his sin was forgiven Secondly That there are some sins which of their own nature are Light and Venial such as cool the fervour of Charity but do not extinguish it from which even Holy Men are not exempt and of which it is said that the Just Man falls seven times Augustin Enchir. c. 70. lib. Quaest Oct. tr 9. 26. Thirdly That to all sins whether great or small some Penalty is due to the Justice of God who as he has Mercy to forgive has also Justice to punish so that as St. Augustin says in Enarr in Psal 50. Whosoever seeks to God for mercy must remember that he is just and that his sin shall not pass unpunished Fourthly That generally speaking few Men depart out of this life but either with the guilt of some light offences and venial sins or else obnoxious to some Temporal Punishment due to former sins forgiven From these Heads Discourse leads him immediately to the Necessity of some Third Place For since the Infinite Goodness of God can admit nothing into Heaven which is not clean and pure from all sin both great and small And his Infinite Justice can permit none to receive the Reward of Bliss who as yet are not out of debt but have something in Justice to suffer There must of necessity be some Place or State where Souls departing this life pardon'd as to the Eternal Guilt or Pain yet obnoxious to some Temporal Penalty or with the guilt of some venial faults are Purg'd and Purify'd before their Admittance into Heaven And this is what he is taught concerning Purgatory Which though he knows not Where it is of what nature the Pains are or how long each Soul is detained there yet he believes that those that are in this Place being the Living Members of Jesus Christ are reliev'd by the Prayers of their Fellow-Members here on Earth and that the Charitable Works perform'd upon their Death-bed and the Alms dispos'd on in their Last Will are very available afterwards in order to their speedier release XXIV Of Praying in an Unknown Tongue HE is counsell'd by his Church to be present at Sermons but never permitted to hear any he is able to understand they being all deliver'd in an unknown Tongue He is taught to Pray but it must be in Latin He is commanded to assist at the Church-Service and to hear Mass but it must be without understanding a word it being all perform'd in a Language of which he is altogether Ignorant And thus is miserably depriv'd of all the comfortable Benefits of Christianity Hearing but without Understanding Praying but without Reaping Fruit assisting at Publick Assemblies but like a Stock or a Stone without feeling or any the least sense of Devotion HE is counsell'd by his Church to be present at Sermons such as he is able to understand they being always deliver'd in the Vulgar Language of every Country In France French in Spain Spanish in Italy Italian in England if permitted English They being purely intended for the good Instruction of the Congregation present He is taught to Pray and always provided of such Books of Devotion as he is capable of understanding every Nation being well furnished with such helps extant in the Language proper to the Country He is commanded to assist at the Church-Service and to hear Mass and in this he is instructed not to understand the Words but to know what is done For the Mass being a Sacrifice wherein is daily commemorated the Death and Passion of Christ by an Oblation made by the Priest of the Body and Blood of the Immaculate Lamb under the Symbols of Bread and Wine according to his own Institution 't is not the business of the Congregation present to imploy their Ears in attending to the Words but their Hearts in contemplation of the Divine Mysteries by raising up servent affections of Love Thanksgiving Compassion Hope Sorrow for sins Resolutions of amendment c. That thus having their Heart and Intention united with the Priests they may be partakers of his Prayers and of the Sacrifice he is then offering than which he believes nothing is more acceptable to God or beneficial to true Believers And for the raising of these affections in his Soul and filling his Heart with the extasies of Love and Devotion he thinks in this case there 's little need of Words a true Faith without these is all-sufficient Who could but have burst forth into Tears of Love and Thanksgiving if he had been present while our Saviour was tyed to the Pillar Scourg'd and Tormented though he open'd not his mouth to the By-standers nor spake a word who would have needed a Sermon to have been fill'd with Grief and Compassion if he had seen his Saviour expos'd to the scorn of the Jews when he was made a bloody spectacle by Pilate with Ecce homo Lo the Man Who could have stood cold and senseless upon Mount Calvary under the Cross when his Redeemer was hanging on it though he had heard or not understood a word that he spoke Does any one think that those Holy Women who follow'd their Lord in these sad Passages and were Witnesses of his Sufferings wanted Holy Affections in their Souls because he spoke not or were they scandaliz'd at his silence Was not their Faith in him that suffer'd by which they believ'd him to be Christ Jesus true God and Man laying down his life for the Redemption of Man sufficient to excite in their Souls all the Passions due from a sinful Creature to his bleeding Redeemer to his Crucified Jesus The like Faith also is sufficient to fill him with Devotion when he is present at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass For believing that Christ is there really present before him under the Species of Bread and Wine and that He that lies upon the Altar is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the World What need of more to quicken in his Soul all the Affections of a Devout Lover Can he behold his Redeemer before him and not break forth into Love and Thanksgiving Can he see him that gives sight to the Blind health to the Sick and life to the Dead and yet stand still senseless and un-mov'd without putting any Petition to him without asking any thing for his blind sick and sinful Soul Can he believe that he that gives his life for the World and died for our sins is there before him and not be touch'd with sorrow and contrition for his Offence Can he see commemorated every doleful passage of his Saviour's sufferings in the several Misteries of the Mass and yet not be fill'd with grief and compassion Is not Jesus welcom to a devout Soul although he come in silence Is not the Presence of Christ a more forcing motive to a Christian than any Humane Words could be And if he
prayers and assistance of another in this World Notwithstanding all which Catholicks are taught so to relie on the prayers of Others as to neglect their own Duty to God in Imploring his Divine mercy and Goodness in mortifying the Deeds of the flesh in Despising the World in loving and serving God and their Neighbour in following the footsteps of Christ our Lord who is the Way the Truth and the Life to whom be Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS Apog c. 2. Sp. Anno 286. Par. 5. a Spond An. 362. b Id. Anno 66. c Apo. c. 40. d Apo. c. 3. e P. 1. pag. 936. Ep. ad Rom. Cor. Eph. Redemption in Christ a Eph. 2. 8. 1 Cor. 15. 22. applicable by Faith b Mark 16. 16. Heb. 11. 6. Which is but One c Eph. 4. 4. d Ja. 2. 10. Supernatural e 1 Cor. 1. 20. Mat. 16. 17 By the Divine Providence to be Learnt f Isa 35. 8. g Joh. 9. 41 h Mat. 11. 25. i John 15. 22. Nor from private Interpretation of Scripture k 2 Pet. 3. 16. Pro. 14. 12. Mat. 22. 29 l 1 Joh. 4. 1. 6. Pro. 12. 15. m Matth. 18. 17. Luk. 10. 16 n Psal 2. 8. Isa 2. 2. c. cap. 49. 6. Matt. 5. 14. and guided by the Holy Ghost for that end o Is 59. 21 Joh. 16. 13 Eze. 37. 26. Eph. 5. 25. 1 Tim. 3. 15 Mat. 16. 18 p Mat. 28. 23. Joh. 14. 16. q Deu. 17. 8 Mat. 23. 2. This Church is the same with the Rom. Cath. r Can. 6. 8. Joh. 10. 16. Rom. 15. 5. Joh. 17. 22 Phil. 2. 2. From the testimony of which we receive the Scripture to be Gods Word s Mat. 16. 18. 1 Tim. 3. 15 Mat. 18. 17. t Isa 59. 21 Joh. 14. 26. Divine Revelations onely matters of Faith What Heresie and what Schism u 1 Cor. 11. 19. Mat. 18. 17 x Tit. 3. 10 1 Cor. 1. 10. cap. 12. 25. How matters of Faith are propos'd by the Church y Joh. 5. 39 z Act. 15. per tot a 2 Thes 2. 15. cap. 3. 6. 2 Tim. 2. 2. b Ja. 2. 18. What is the Authority of GEneral Councils Gal. 1. 7 8. a Deu. 17. 8. Mat. 18. 17 Act. 15. per tot Luc. 10. 16. Heb. 13. 7. 17. An Explanation of the same Authority b 1 Tim. 6. 20. c Jo. 14. 16. A Deduction from thence concerning Allegiance A second Deduction concerning the same Declar. fac Sorb The Bishop of Rome Supreme Head of the Church but not Infallible d Mat. 16. 17. Lu. 22. 31. Jo. 21. 17. e Eph. 4. 11 c. Nor hath any Temporal Authority over Princes 1 Pet. 2. v. 12. c. The Church not responsible for the Errors of particular Divines King-Killing-Doctrine Damnable Heresie Conc. Const Sess 15. Personal misdemeanours not to be imputed to the Church No Power on Earth can authorise Men to Lie Forswear Murter c. Equivocation not allowed in the Church 2 Cor. 1. 12. a Ez. 18. 21. 2 Cor. 7. 10. Of Sacramental Absolution b Ps 32. 5. Pro. 28. 13. c Act. 19. 18. 1 Cor. 4. 1. Jam. 5. 16. d Lu. 3. 8. e Joh. 20. 21 c. Mat. 18. 18 f Tit. 3. 5. Of Satisfaction by penitential works g 2 Cor. 5. 3. h Acts 26. 20. Jonas 3. 5. c. Psa 102. 9. c. Ps 109. 23. Dan. 9. 3. Joel 2. 12. Luk. 11. 41 Act. 10. 41. i 1 Pe. 2. 5. Indulgences are not Remission of Sins but only of Canonical Penances k 1 Cor. 5. 5. c. l 2 Cor. 2. 6. Abuses herein not to be charged on the Church There is a Purgatory or State where Souls departing this Life with some blemish are purify'd m Numb 14. 20 c. 2 Sam. 12. 13. c. n Pro. 24. 16. Ma. 12. 36. and cap. 5. 22. 26. o Mat. 5. 26. 1 Cor. 3. 15. p Rev. 21. 27. Prayers for the Dead available to them q 1 Cor. 15 29. Coll. 1. 24. 2 Mac. 12. 42 c. 1 Jo. 5. 16. Superfluous Questious about Purgatory Of the merit of good Works through the merits of Christ r Jo. 15. 5. 16. s Mat. 16. 27. Cap. 5. 12. Cap. 10. 42. 2 Cor. 5. 10 2 Tim. 4. 8. Christ really present in the Sacrament of the Eucharist t Mat. 26. 26. Mar. 14. 22. Lu. 22. 19. 1 Cor. 11. 23 c. cap. 10. 16. But after a supernatural manner Whole Christ in either species Hence Communicants under one kind nowise depriv'd either of the Body or Bloud of Christ u Jo. 6. 48. 50 51 57 58. Acts 2. 42. Of the Sacrifice of the Mass x Luk. 22 19 c. y 1 Cor. 11. 26. z Heb. 13. 10. a Lu. 22. 19. b Mal. 1. 11. Worship of Images wrongfuly Imposed on Catholicks c Luk. 4. 8. d Ex. 25. 18. 1 Kin. 6. 35. Luke 3. 22. Num. 21. 8 Acts 5. 15. Yet there is some Veneration due both to Pictures And other sacred things e Jos 7. 6. Exod. 3. 5. Psal 99. 5. Phil. 2. 10. Luk. 3. 16. Act. 19. 12. f Jo. 12. 26. g 1 Pet. 2. 17. Rom. 13. 7. Prayers to Saints lawful h Rev. 5. 8. i Lu. 15. 7. k 1 Cor. 13. 12. l Ex. 32. 13 2 Chron. 6. 42. m Romaus 15. 30. Yet so as not to neglect our Duties n Jam. 2. 17. 30 c. o Rom. 13 14. p Ro. 12. 2. q Gal. 5. 6 r Joh. 14. 6