saith he, "even at the very end and setting of thy temporal life, dost pray for thy sins, and call upon the only true God with confession and faith; pardon is given to thee confessing, and saving forgiveness is granted by the divine piety to thee believing; and at thy very death thou hast a passage unto immortality. This grace doth Christ impart, this gift of his mercy doth he bestow; by subduing death with the triumph of his cross, by redeeming the believer with the price of his blood, by reconciling man unto God the Father, by quickening him that is mortal with heavenly regeneration."

Where Solomon sayeth', that "man goeth to his everlasting house, and the mourners go about in the streets" St. Gregory of Neocæsarea maketh this paraphrase upon those words, "The good man shall go rejoicing unto his everlasting house; but the wicked shall fill all with lamentations." Therefore did the fathers teach that men should rejoice" at their death: and the ancient Christians framed their practice accordingly; "not" celebrating the day of their nativity, which they accounted to be the entry of sorrows and temptations; but celebrating the day of death, as being the putting away of all sorrows, and the escaping of all temptations." And so being filled with "a" divine rejoicing, they came to the extremity of death as unto the end of their holy combats;" where they did "more clearly behold the way that led unto

credentem pretio sanguinis sui, reconciliando hominem Deo Patri, vivificando mortalem regeneratione cœlesti, Cyprian. ad Demetrian. pag. 224.

s Ecclesiast. chap. 12. ver. 5.

* Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἀγαθὸς ἀνὴρ εἰς αἰώνιον οἶκον τὸν ἑαυτοῦ χαίρων πορεύσε ται οἱ δὲ γε φαῦλοι, πάντα τὰ αὐτῶν ἐμπλήσουσι κοπτόμενοι. Greg. Neocæsar, metaphras. in Ecclesiast.

" Aɛî dè ¿ñì Oaváry xaipuv. Anton. Meliss. part. 1. serm. 58. &c.

Nos non nativitatis diem celebramus, cum sit dolorum atque tentationum introitus; sed mortis diem celebramus, utpote omnium dolorum depositionem atque omnium tentationum effugationem. Author lib. 3. in Job, inter opera Origenis. Vide S. Basil. homil. in Psalm. 115. Op, tom. 1. pag. 374.

* Εν εὐφροσύνη θείᾳ πρὸς τὸ τοῦ θανάτου πέρας ἴασιν, ὡς ἐπὶ τέλος ἱερῶν ἀγώνων. et paulo post : Εν τούτοις μὲν οὖν ἡ τῶν ἱερῶν ἐστὶ κοίμη σις ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ καὶ ἀσαλεύτοις ἐλπίσιν εἰς τὸ τῶν θείων ἀγώνων ἀφικvovμivη πépag. Dionys. ecclesiast. hierarch. cap. 7.

* ̓Αλλ ̓ ὅλους αὐτοὺς ἀπολήψεσθαι τὴν χριστοειδὴ λῆξιν εἰδότες, ὅταν

their immortality, as being now made nearer, and did therefore praise the gifts of God, and were replenished with divine joy, as now not fearing any change to worse; but knowing well, that the good things which they possessed shall be firmly and everlastingly enjoyed by them."

The author of the questions and answers attributed to Justin martyr writeth thus of this matter: "After the departure of the soul out of the body, there is presently made a distinction betwixt the just and the unjust. For they are brought by the angels to places fit for them: the souls of the righteous to paradise, where they have the commerce and sight of angels and archangels, &c, the souls of the unjust to the places in hell." That "is" not death," saith Athanasius, "that befalleth the righteous, but a translation: for they are translated out of this world into everlasting rest; and, as a man would go out of a prison, so do the saints go out of this troublesome life unto those good things that are prepared for them." St. Hilary, out of that which is related in the Gospel of the rich man and Lazarus, observeth, that as soon as this life is ended, every one without delay is sent over either to Abraham's bosom, or to the place of torment, and in that state reserved until the day of judgment. St. Am

ἐπὶ τὸ πέρας ἔλθωσι τῶν τῇ δε βίου, τὴν εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν αὐτῶν ὁδὸν, ὡς ἐγγυτέραν ἤδη γεγενημένην, ἐμφανέστερον ὁρῶσι, καὶ τὰς δωρεὰς τῆς θεαρχίας ὑμνοῦσι, καὶ θείας ἡδονῆς ἀποπληροῦνται, τὴν ἐπὶ τὰ χείρω τροπὴν ούκετι δεδοικότες, ἀλλ' εὖ εἰδότες, ὅτι τὰ κτηθέντα καλὰ βεβαίως καὶ αἰωνίως ἕξουσιν. Ibid.

* Μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ σώματος ἔξοδον, εὐθὺς γίνεται τῶν δικαίων τε καὶ ἀδίκων ἡ διαστολὴ. ἄγονται γὰρ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγγέλων εἰς ἀξίους αὐτῶν τόπους. αἱ μὲν τῶν δικαίων ψυχαὶ εἰς τὸν παράδεισον, ἔνθα συντυχία τε καὶ θέα ἀγγέλων τε καὶ ἀρχαγγέλων, &c. αἱ δὲ τῶν ἀδίκων ψυχαὶ εἰς τοὺς ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ τόπους. Justin. respons. ad orthodox. quæst. 75. op. pag. 470.

· Οὐκ ἔστι γὰρ παρὰ τοῖς δικαίοις θάνατος, ἀλλὰ μετάθεσις· μετατίθενται γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, εἰς τὴν αἰώνιον ἀνάπαυσιν. καὶ ὥσπερ τὶς ἀπὸ φυλακῆς ἐξέλθοι, οὕτως καὶ οἱ ἅγιοι ἐξέρχονται ἀπὸ τοῦ μοχθηροῦ βίου τούτου εἰς τὰ ἀγαθὰ τὰ ἡτοιμασμένα αὐτοῖς. Athanas. de virginitate, Op. tom. 2. pag. 120.

a Nihil illic dilationis aut moræ est. Judicii enim dies vel beatitudinis retributio est æterna, vel pœnæ : tempus vero mortis habet unumquemque suis legibus, dum ad judicium unumquemque aut Abraham reservat aut pœna. Hilar. in Psalm. 2. op. pag. 51.

brose, in his book of the good of death, teacheth us that death" is a certain haven to them who, being tossed in the great sea of this life, desire a road of safe quietness; that it maketh not a man's state worse, but such as it findeth in every one, such it reserveth unto the future judgment, and refresheth with rest:" that thereby “a passage is made from corruption to incorruption, from mortality to immortality, from trouble to tranquillity.” Therefore he saith, that where "fools" do fear death as the chief of evils, wise men do desire it, as a rest after labours, and an end of their evils;" and upon these grounds exhorteth us, that "when that day cometh, we should go without fear to Jesus our Redeemer, without fear to the council of the patriarchs, without fear to Abraham our father; that without fear we should address ourselves unto that assembly of saints, and congregation of the righteous; forasmuch as we shall go to our fathers, we shall go to those schoolmasters of our faith; that, albeit our works fail us, yet faith may succour us, and our title of inheritance defend us."

Macarius, writing of the double state of those that depart out of this life, affirmeth, that when the soul goeth out of the body, if it be guilty of sin, the devil carrieth it away with him unto his place: but when the holy servants of God" remove out of their body, the choirs of

Et quia portus quidam est eorum qui, magno vitæ istius jactati salo, fidæ quietis stationem requirunt : et quia deteriorem statum non efficit; sed qualem in singulis invenerit, talem judicio futuro reservat, et quiete ipsa fovet, &c. Ambros. de bono mortis, cap. 4. Op. tom. 1. pag. 395.

c Transitur autem a corruptione ad incorruptionem, a mortalitate ad immortalitatem, a perturbatione ad tranquillitatem. Ibid.

d Insipientes mortem quasi summum malorum reformidant: sapientes quasi requiem post labores et finem malorum expetunt. Ib. cap. 8. pag. 403.

e His igitur freti, intrepide pergamus ad redemptorem nostrum Jesum, intrepide ad patriarcharum concilium, intrepide ad patrem nostrum Abraham, cum dies advenerit, proficiscamur: intrepide pergamus ad illum sanctorum cœtum, justorumque conventum. Ibimus enim ad patres nostros, ibimus ad illos nostræ fidei præceptores: ut, etiamsi opera desint, fides opituletur, defendat hæreditas. Ib. cap. 12. pag. 411.

* Όταν ἐξέλθωσιν ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος, οἱ χοροὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων παραλαμβανούσιν αὐτῶν τὰς ψυχὰς εἰς τὸ ἴδιον μέρος, εἰς τὸν καθαρὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ οὕτως αὐτοὺς προσάγουσι τῷ Κυρίῳ. Macar. Ægypt. homil. 22.

angels receive their souls unto their own side, unto the pure world, and so bring them unto the Lord;” and in another place, moving the question concerning such as depart out of this world sustaining two persons in their soul, to wit, of sin and of grace; whither they shall go that are thus held by two parts: he maketh answer, that thither they shall go, where they have their mind and affection settled. For" the Lord," saith he, "beholding thy mind, that thou fightest, and lovest him with thy whole soul, separateth death from thy soul in one hour, for this is not hard for him to do, and taketh thee into his own bosom, and unto light. For he plucketh thee away in the minute of an hour from the mouth of darkness, and presently translateth thee into his own kingdom. For God can easily do all these things in the minute of an hour ; this provided only, that thou bearest love unto him:” than which, what can be more direct against the dream of popish purgatory? "This present world is the time of repentance, the other of retribution: this of working, that of rewarding: this of patient suffering, that of receiving comfort :” saith St. Basil.

Gregory Nazianzen, in his funeral orations, hath many sayings to the same purpose; being so far from thinking of any purgatory pains, prepared for men in the other world, that he plainly denieth, that after the night of this present life there is any purging to be expected; and therefore he telleth us, "that it is better to be cor

5 Βλέπων ὁ Κύριος τὸν νοῦν σου, ὅτι ἀγωνίζῃ, καὶ ἀγαπᾶς αὐτὸν ἐξ ὅλης ψυχῆς, διαχωρίζει τὸν θανάτον ἐκ τῆς ψυχῆς σου μια ὥρᾳ (οὐκ ἐστὶ γὰρ αὐτῷ δυσχερές) καὶ προσλαμβανεται σε εἰς τοὺς κόλπους αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰς τὸ φῶς. ἁρπάζει γὰρ σὲ ἐν ῥοπῇ ὥρας ἐκ τοῦ στόματος τοῦ σκότους, καὶ εὐθέως μετατίθησί σε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ· τῷ γὰρ θεῷ ἐν ῥοπῇ ὥρας πάντα εὐχερῆ ἔστι ποιῆσαι, μόνον ἵνα τὴν ἀγάπην ἔχης πρὸς αὐτὸν. Id. hom. 26.

* οὗτος ὁ αἰὼν τῆς μετανοίας, ἐκεῖνος τῆς ἀνταποδόσεως· οὗτος τῆς ἐργασίας, ἐκεῖνος τῆς μισθαποδοσίας· οὗτος τῆς ὑπομονῆς, ἐκεῖνος τῆς παρακλησεως. Basil. proæm. in regulas fusius disputat. Εργασίας γὰρ ὁ παρὼν καιρὸς· ὁ δὲ μέλλων ἀνταποδόσεως. Greg. Nazianz. orat. 9. ad Julianum τὸν ἐξισώτην.

· Μηδὲ ὑπὲρ τὴν νύκτα ταύτην ἔστι τὶς κάθαρσις, Nazianzen. orat. 42. in pascha.

* ὡς βέλτιον εἶναι νῦν παιδευθῆναι καὶ καθαρθῆναι, ἢ τῷ ἐκεῖθεν βα

rected and purged now, than to be sent unto the torment there, where the time of punishing is, and not of purging." St. Hierome comforteth Paula for the death of her daughter Blæsilla, in this manner: "Let' the dead be lamented; but such a one, whom Gehenna doth receive, whom hell doth devour, for whose pain the everlasting fire doth burn. Let us, whose departure a troop of angels doth accompany, whom Christ cometh forth to meet, be more grieved if we do longer dwell in this tabernacle of death; because, as long as we remain here, we are pilgrims from God.”

By all that hath been said, the indifferent reader may easily discern, what may be thought of the cracking cardinal, who would face us down, that "all the ancients, both Greek and Latin, from the very time of the apostles, did constantly teach that there was a purgatory," whereas his own partners could tell him in his ear, that "in" the ancient writers there is almost no mention of purgatory; especially in the Greek writers, and therefore that by the Grecians it is not believed until this day." He allegeth indeed a number of authorities to blear men's eyes withal: which, being narrowly looked into, will be found either to be counterfeit stuff, or to make nothing at all to the purpose; as belonging either to the point of praying for the dead only, which in those ancient times had no relation to purgatory; as in the handling of the next article we shall see: or unto the fire of affliction in this life, or to the fire that shall burn the world at the

Id. orat.

σάνῳ παραπεμφθῆναι, ἡνίκα κολάσεως καιρός, οὐ καθάρσεως. 15. in plagam grandinis, indeque in locis communib. Maximi, serm. 45. et Antonii, part. 2. serm. 94.

Lugeatur mortuus; sed ille, quem gehenna suscipit, quem tartarus devorat, in cujus pœnam æternus ignis æstuat. Nos, quorum exitum angelorum turba comitatur, quibus obviam Christus occurrit, gravemur magis, si diutius in tabernaculo isto mortis habitemus. Quia, quamdiu hic moramur, peregrinamur a Domino. Hieronym. epist. 25. Op. tom. 4. par. 2. pag. 56.

m Omnes veteres Græci et Latini ab ipso tempore apostolorum constanter docuerunt purgatorium esse. Bellarmin. de purgat. lib. 1. cap. 15.

" Alphons. de Castro, advers. hæres. lib. 8. tit. Indulgentia. Jo. Roffens. assert. Lutheran. confutat. artic. 18. Polydor. Virgil. de invent. rer. lib. 8. cap. 1.