CH.tP. XII.] s, uaO.&TOll?. $0t apostle represents the different c.hamcters, stations, and olllces of man- kind/n society by the different members of the body; perhaps as Me- nenins Agripi?. did, in his allegory of tAe belly ? tAe mem/?'s. By comparing schism in the church to schism in the body, he shows that it consists in a want of affection in some members toward others, whereby. contentions and animosities are produced..He teaches, far- ther, that by unity, co-operation, and proper suberd/nat/on, each, b?' the right exercise of his proper gifts, should assist his neighboar, add re- joice when his welfare is promoted. 3. The living members suffer not with the departed members; because the latter suffer not at all, seeing all tears are wiped from their eyes, (Rev. vii, 17,) and therefore they have no need of our prayers. That the saints on earth rejoice with the glorified brethren, because the)' have escaped the sor?s,.' sins, and snares of this world; and that the saints, as well as angels, in heaven do rejoice at the conversion of sinners, is readily allowed. But that there should be such an intercourse as the doctrine of purga* tory supposes, is inadmissible on many accounts. As t?s text seem to be the strongest for the doctrine of the suffrages of the living aiding the dead, it will hence be perceived that its support from Scripture is very inadequate to its establishment. They also quote the following passage: "If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death," &c., 1 John, v, 16: from wh/ch they in- fer, that as some sins are deadly. other sins are not; and for these last others may pray, in order to obtain forgiveness. But that this passage cannot authorize prayers for the dead, we infer: 1. Because the sin unto death may be the sin against the Holy Ghost, which hath no forgive- seas. 2. The text does not speak of praying for the dead, but for the living, and cannot refer to purgatory at all. Indeed, the text seems to speak of temporal life and death, and has, therefore, no reference to any such thing as praying for those that are dead. See this proved at large by Macknight on this text. But that prayers for the dead are unauthorized, the following reasons will sufficiently show. The ground of this doctrine, and the practice of praying for the dead, is the doctrine of purgatory. But as we have proved already there is no such place as purgatory, and consequently no souls detained there, praying for such is absurd and useless. No prayer is acceptable to God without faith. We must pray with- out wavering and doubting. But we cannot pray thus for the dead. We cannot tell u?o are there, /?o?o long they may continue, or indeed whether there be any such place. Our prayers cannot profit the dead, because there is no repentance or remission of sins after this life. Indeed, prayer for the dead is contrary to their own rule, which they have taken from Augustine: "Injurimn facit martyri, qui erst pro mar- tyre."* "He doeth wrong to a martyr who prayeth for a martyr." Ac- cordingly, in their old mass books, they prayed thus: "Ann/is nobis Demi,e, ut andram famuli tui Leo,is," &c. "Grant, Lord, that th/a oblation may be profitable to the soul of thy servant Leo." This form is now changed thus: "Quaysureas Demi,e, ut intercessioneft &c. + Serra. 17, de verbo A!xmtol. t Decret. Oreg., lib. iii, tit. 41, c. 6. 1
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