they

Corinthians (or suppose any other common Chriftians) who are faid to be the Husbandry or Building (not the Labourers) of God: I fay, fhall declare, whether the Doctrines fo taught were found or perishable, true or falfe: If true and found, then they fhould receive the Reward of Commendation; if falfe or perishable, that of Reproof. And further to confirm this, that the Ministers of Christ, and Stewards of the Myfteries of God, were the Perfons here alluded to, he tells them, in the next Chapter, (i) That he had transferred this Matter by a Figure (i. e. by this figurative and allegorical Manner of alluding to Works and Workmen) unto himself and to Apollos (that the Corinthians might learn not to esteem either of them more than they ought, but only as the (k) Minifters or Stewards of Chrift, or hold to the one against the other) in order to put an End to thofe Divifions and Contentions which he had blamed in them from the Beginning of his Epistle.

But though I utterly deny, that the leaft Syllable, as I faid before, is here spoken of the Dead, or of the State after Death; I will, nevertheless, for Argument's Sake, fuppofe, that this Passage has Reference to the Dead, or to the State after Death. Surely, it will by no Means follow from thence, that the Fire there spoken of should be taken for a purgatorial Fire? Why might it not rather be taken for that of the general Con

(i) 1 Cor. iv. 6.

(k) 1 Cor. i. 10, 12.

flagration?

flagration? And then the Explanation might be thus: That whatever Pollutions the Bodies and Souls of Men had contracted in their Life-time, by the falfe Doctrines they had taught, the wrong Opinions they had followed, or the finful Practices they had committed, fhould be destroyed, and fuffer Lofs, even as Wood, Hay, &c. by that fiery Confiagration: But that whatever Honours or Efteem they had merited by teaching, believing, or practifing fuch good Doctrines, Opinions, or Practices, as were conformable to the Foundations laid by Chrift and his Apoftles, fhould fuffer no Lofs, but like Gold and Silver, which are not to be deftroyed by Fire, should remain unhurt by that general Conflagration, and fhould receive the Reward of Commendation at the Refurrection unto Life.

Further, the Notion of a purgatorial Fire is contrary to feveral Paffages in Scripture, which plainly determine, that there is no State of Trial or Satisfaction after Death. (1) Blessed are the Dead which die in the Lord, that they may reft from their Labours, and their Works follow them; the good Works which they did, whilft they were here in this Life, which is the only Place of Probation, fhall meet with the Praise and Commendation promised by our Saviour, of (m) Well done, good and faithful Servant, enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord; and, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World: The Faith and good Works which they professed and practised, (m) Matt. xxv. 21, 34. fhall

(1) Rev. xiv. 13.

Judge, and in whom they are faid to die, and through whom they are bleffed; and are said to reft from their Labours: But Purgatory is held to be a Place of Torment, not of Bleffedness, therefore they that die in the Lord, fhall not go into Purgatory. St. Paul fays, (n) We must all appear before the Judgment feat of Christ, that every one may receive the Things done in his Body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad: So that our Rewards or Punishments will be according to what we have done in the Body, that is, in this Life; not according to what Punishments we may fuffer in Purgatory after Death. And again he fays, (0) That God will render to every Man according to his Deeds; to thofe who by patient Continuance in Well-doing, feek for Glory, &c. eternal Life; but Indignation and Wrath upon every Soul of Man that doeth Evil. It is therefore what they have done in this Life; and not what they may fuffer in Purgatory; that will determine Mankind's being placed in eternal Blifs, or configned over to eternal Mifery.

I think I have now confidered every Article mentioned in the Postscript to your Letter of the 24th of Auguft, 1725, relating to your Wife's Belief; and will only add, that I have not, to my Knowledge, faid any Thing of the Practices of the Papifs, but what I think they are guilty of; or of their Principles, but what I am fatiffied may be either directly proved upon them, or fairly deduced from their Tenets; nor made (0) Rom. ii. 6, 7, 8.

(n) 2 Cor. v. 10.

ufe

ufe of any Argument against them, but what I think is juft. And I hope your Spouse will either read this Letter herself, or hear you read it, with all that Seriousness and Attention that a Matter of fo great Moment requires; and I cannot help fancying, that there are fome Things in this very long Epiftle (which fhould not have been fo tirefome, had I been in a Place that would have allowed me to fhorten it) that are set in so just a Light, as it is almost impoffible she should ever have had the Opportunity of knowing before; for which Reafon I hope they will be of fome Service to her.

I am extreamly glad to find, by what you fay, that he is eafy whenever you talk to her of thefe Things: I do affure you, my Dear, that I fhall always pray to God for her Converfion, with the greatest Seriousness imaginable; and heartily beg of him, that he will be pleased to enlighten her Mind with the Knowledge of his Truth.

I fent you, by the London, three Books relating to the Popish Controversy, which I hope you have received long before this. One of them, intituled, The Religion of Proteftants a Safe Way to Salvation, formerly written by the great Mr. Chillingworth, is, I think, extreamly well writ, and the Controverfy very logically difcuffed, and requires a very close Attention, for which Reafont I fend it you for your own Study. The other two are, one of them, A Difcourfe between two Proteftants, written by Mr. Rowlett, Author of the facred Poems you used to learn by Heart, when you was young. The other is intituled,

A Pre

Dean Sherlock, Author of the Difcourfe upon Death and Judgment; both these I make a Prefent of to my Daughter.

I fhall conclude this Letter with the Words of St. Paul to the Elders of the Church at Ephefus, a little varied; (p) Watch, and remember that during all the Time of your being with met (and fince that by Letters) I have not ceased to warn you; and now I commend you (and your Wife) to God, and to the Word of his Grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an Inheritance amongst all them that are fanctified. I am,

Dear GEORGE,

At Sea, April

15, 1727.

Your most affectionate Father,
And fincere Friend,

NATHANAEL TORRIANO.

(p) Acts xx. 31, 32.

I

POSTSCRIPT.

THOUGHT it neceflary to add fomething by way of Poftfcript to this Letter, in order thereby to bring to Light fome other Errors of the Romish Church, which my Father, I find, had omitted; and first of their Worship.

Which must be in an unknown Tongue; as appears by the Council of Trent, Seff. 22. c. 8. and Can. 9. where every Man, who fays it ought

to