Answ. It is no wonder at all that blind men do not fee; and such as error has hoodwinked for generations, we cannot 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, than that a mortal creature (indebted himself more than 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. But the man, fearing this retort, would anticipate its force by an half confession and solution thus:

Papift. - There is no law of God which assures us, sin rigour of justice, of God's acceptance of the acts • of another man for my sins: yet this hinders not but " that they may prevail, by way of suffrage and impetration, for our pardon.'

Answ. If he could have given but one place of scripture, it would have helped 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 thall 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 sense 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, than that a man, unable to relieve himself, mould be the occasion of relief to others in the same condition, whether by appeasing divine justice, or by suffrage only; a word incongruous, and inapplicable in this place.

Belides, 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 that 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 the greatest enemies : for their holding that the end of the chastisements of purgatory is to prepare them for heaven; by how much the less they are chafn tised by those fiery afflictions, by so much the less they are purged, and confequently the more unfit for heaven.

So that since heaven is soonest attainable, as their souls come to be the foonest and most effectually purged, they in charity ought to pray, that God would mend his fire, add fuel to his flames, and double his fiery tortures, that they may be the sooner purged, and more refined for heaven.

Thus, while the Romanists are arguing for purga. tory, they confute themselves by not understanding it.

I shall conclude my sense 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. xii. 7. Gen. iii. 9. (then not to purgatory.)

Secondly, “ For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” Ecclef. ix. 19. (then none in purgatory.) Thirdly, “And they stoned Stephen, calling upon

God, and saying, Lord Jesus receive my spirit. Acts vii. 59. (no purgatory still, but a certain immu. table state.)

That it is against all Reason, I offer these conside

rations. ist. No man can merit for another : nor is it poffible a poor indebted man should pay another's debt (it may be greater than his own) and not be able to pay

bis own. 2. The repentance ought to be where the fin is. But the fin is bere ; therefore should the repentance be here also.

3. Where there is a ceffation from finning, there is a cessation from repentance, But there is a cessation from finning; therefore is there a ceffation from repentance.

4th. Whatever 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 foul after this 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 womens then they are never to be ransomed thence. But since the Romanists hold a redemption from thence, their confession of the temporariness of that state proves it a mere fiction : for when the soul is withdrawn from this visible mortal life, which stands in time, it is centered 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 we cease to work, we enter upon reward. But if purgatory were in being, the greatest work were to be done there: which, because it is absurd to affirm, we conclude, that after death we cease from all our labours, and enter upon our recompence of everlasting happiness or misery. I Thall subjoin some authorities from antiquity.

The sense of antiquity, and their own authors. The 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 ! how, ever the superstition of the Papists has driven them in to so foul an 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 ņurfé : for VOL. III.

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that

pires must be given and taken with a “ WE WILL, or

WE GRANT,” &c.-View those countries, and the universal

poverty of them impute to those swarms of locusts and caterpillars, who both corrupt and beggar them. This is a theft, though less sharking, yet more criminal.

6. They notoriously break the moral law, in that great command, “Thou shalt not bear false witness “ against thy neighbour;" which comprehends all truth-speaking. For as no witness is bound to answer, farther than by interrogatories he is provoked; so is it utterly impossible that ever truth should be told, or men fin in lying (whilst one of the greatest fins) if the Romish maxims were but once practised: some of which I shall touch upon in the sequel of this chapter, As to that

part of their confeffion which may relate to their keeping of promise, and paying subjection to the civil magistrates of what religion foever, and much more to those under whom they live; I purposely overlooked it, because it is well known, that they have been so far from yielding obedience to the magistrates of any religion, that they have not stuck to assassinate those of their own, to whose power they owed their civil and religious protection. And truly, if such double cords of duty cannot tie the hands of men from murdering their natural and religious princes (as Henry the Third and Fourth of France, both kings of their country, and therein of their religion; because a little refractory to the sinister designs of an infolent clergyman or two) I think it needless to give their plainer English of obedience, who so excellently render it in the paraphrase of their life.

I speak not this to incense the powers against them: for it is my real belief, that neither are all of them such, nor would I take the burden off my own shoulder, to lay it on theirs (being a professed abettor of an universal toleration): but this being matter of fact, as they cannot deny it, so should I gladly hear of their confession of these impieties; and that they disown the like practices, not by fine glosses, but an

amendment of life, and reformation of doctrine; which would really entitle them to that verity they do but hitherto fictitiously attribute to themselves.

The sense and opinion of their own authors.

First, Vasquez teacheth, That not only an image of God, but any creature in the world, reasonable or unreasonable, may without danger be worshipped with God, as his image. That we ought to adore ' the relicks of saints, though under the form of I worms. De Adorat, lib. 3. difp. 1. cap. 2.

Secondly, They teach, “That children may disobey their parents, in being nuns or friars : and this girls may do at twelve, and boys at fourteen years of

age.' But the council of Trent enlarged the parent's authority to fixteen. This wretched doctrine was taught and decreed by pope Clement the Third. Tho. Aquin, and after him his scholars, taught the fame. Cap. cum virum de regular. Aquin. 2. 2. qu. 88. art. 9. lib. 1. cap. 101. also in case the parents were hereticks.

Thirdly, 'If a nobleman be set upon (says cardinal "Tollet) and may escape by going away, he is not

obliged to do it; but may kill him that intends to • ftrike him with a stick.' Inftru£t. Sacerd. lib. 5. cap. 6. num. 15

Fourthly, · If a man be beastly drunk, and then « commits fornication, it is no sin.Lib. 14. cap. 13. n. 4. Also, · That a man may lie with women, to

satisfy his carnal desire, or for his health-fake.' Lib. 5. cap. 10, 13. A man may bed with his intended

wife; nay, it is good to do so if the marriage be

deferred;" says Emanuel Sa. Apbor. tit. debitum conjugale 6.

Fifthly, They instruct how to be an honest thief. . It is lawful to deceive or rob a brother, when to do 'fo is necessary to preserve a good name.

For no 'man is bound to restore stolen goods.' Thus Navar. cardinal Cajetan, and Tolet; who farther add, “That

( this

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