such sinners. The design of Judas was, that they might have a happy resurrection; but this does not imply any alleviating of torments by their prayers.2 2. Another text is produced in favour of Purgatory from 1 Cor. iii. 10-16. When St. Paul is reflecting on the divisions that existed among the Corinthians, and on that diversity of teachers that formed men into different parties, he compares them to builders. Some raised upon a rock an edifice, like the temple of Jerusalem, " of gold and silver and precious stones;" whereas, others, on the same rock, raised a mere hovel " of wood, hay, and stubble." Of both he says, every "man's work shall be made manifest. For the "day shall declare it, because it shall be re"vealed by fire, and the fire shall try every "man's work of what sort it is. If any man's "work abide which he hath built thereupon, he "shall receive a reward; and if any man's work "shall be burnt, he shall suffer loss, but he "himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire." Now, (1.) these words relate to a fire that was soon to appear, and that was to try every man's work. It was to be revealed, and every man's work was to be made manifest. It is plain, therefore, that they cannot refer to a secret purgatory fire. (2.) The meaning is this: some, with the Apostles, 2 See Stillingfleet's Works, v. vi. p. 567. were building up the Church not only upon the foundation of Jesus Christ, and the belief of his Gospel, but were also teaching doctrines and rules that were virtuous and good. Others, on the contrary, were mixing Judaism and Gentilism with the precepts of Christianity. It is declared therefore that a day would soon appear, (alluding perhaps to the destruction of Jerusalem, or to the persecution that was soon to break out,) in which those who had true notions and suitable practice would surmount the danger; whereas others that were entangled with weak and superstitious conceits would run a great risk, though their firm belief in the mission of Christ would preserve them; yet their opinions would involve them in such perils, that their escape would be difficult, as one who saves himself from a house which is on fire around him. It is evident, therefore, that this passage does not favour the doctrine of purgatory. 3. It is argued that Purgatory is a necessary doctrine in order to keep the world in awe and obedience. But though there may be these political reasons, yet 66 we have not so learned Christ." We ought not to lye even for God, much less for ourselves, and if the just apprehensions of his wrath and the guilt of sin will not reform the world, we must leave the result to his unsearchable judgments. II. 1st. The doctrine of purgatory is contrary to the sense of antiquity. "It is a fond thing, vainly invented." a The doctrine of purgatory was unknown in the Church for the first six hundred years, and has never been received by the Greeks. It is true that the fathers speak of a probatory fire, still it is evident that they conceived the souls of the faithful to be in a state of happiness. Thus, St. Augustin, in treating of this subject, speaks very doubtingly, and often contradicts himself. At one time, he seems positive for the existence of two states only, and at another he asserts an intermediate state in which the souls of good men might suffer grief for their past sins, and from which they might gradually arise to their consummation. These contests however were proposed with hesitation before the days of Gre The truth of this assertion is fully proved by quotations from the early fathers, in Archbp. Usher's Answer to the Jesuit's Chall. p. 163. Alphonsus a Castro confesses there is no mention of the dectrine in the early writers. Cont. Hær. 1. 8. p. 115. b The declaration of the Greek Church at the Council of Florence is remarkable: "As to the doctrine of a purgatory fire, neither have "we received it by tradition, nor do we know that the Church of "the East maintains it."-See Apol. Græc. de Purg. quoted by Archbishop Usher, in Ans. to Chall. p. 181. See De Civ. Dei, l. 21. c. 18. ad. 22. Enchir. c. 67, 68, 69. Ad Dulcid. quæst. prim. On the testimony of this writer, see Jewel's Def. of Apol. c. 16. Div. 1. gory the Great, in whose time the doctrine seems first to have been produced. It is objected to the denial of the antiquity of this doctrine, that in the primitive Church prayers were always made for the dead. This is evident from the testimony of Tertullian and Cyprian, and from the private liturgies of Chrysostom and others. Now prayers for the dead, it is argued, necessarily infer the doctrine of purgatory. But this conclusion by no means follows. It is undeniable that prayers were offered for the dead; still the terms in which they were expressed, prove that they had no allusion to a state of purgatory. The Fathers had various opinions about the state of departed souls; they supposed that they were capable of making a progress, and of having an early resurrection. They thought that it belonged as a peculiar privilege to Jesus Christ to be above all our prayers, but that praying for departed souls was an act of Church communion, which ought to be held with the saints in heaven. Thus, in the Apostolical Constitutions, in the books of a See Tertul. de Cor. Mil. c. 3. de Exhor. c. 13. Cypr. Ep. 34, 37. b This is evident from the fact that no oblations could be received for such as were called the αδεκτοι, and ακοινώνητοι ; that is, those who had not been communicants, or who (from excommunication or some other cause) had no right to join in Church communion.-See Apostol. Con. l. 4. c. 5. and 1. 3. c. 5. and Conc. Elib. c. 25. the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, and in the Liturgies ascribed to St. Chrysostom and St. Basil, they" offered unto God those prayers which "they thought their reasonable service, for those "who are at rest in the faith, their forefathers, "fathers, patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, 66 preachers, evangelists, martyrs, confessors, "and for every spirit perfected in the faith, es"pecially for our most holy, immaculate, most "blessed Lady, the Mother of God, the ever 66 b Virgin Mary." St. Austin prays for the soul of his mother Monica, at the same time intimating his belief that "God had granted all that he desired." Tertullian says, "we make "oblations for the dead, at their second nativity "(natalitia) once a year." Now the word "natalitia" means the saint's day of death, which they called a second birth day, as he was then born into heaven, whence it is plain that the prayers were made for those who were in a state of happiness. Again, when Epiphanius represents Ærius asking, "why those prayers were made for the dead," instead of answering, "in order to deliver them from purgatory," he merely asserts, "that it had been the practice of the Church." Lastly, the Greeks, who have never admitted purgatory, yet retain the custom of a See Dion. de Eccl. Hier. c. 7. с See Aug. Conf. 1. 9. c. 19. |