Page:Delineation of Roman Catholicism.djvu/387

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CHar. XII.] ?RO. TORY. 379 for indulgences ? Indulgences therefore began after men had a while trembled at the torments of purgatory."* To the foregoing we add the testimony of AIphonsus a Castro, which is as follows: "Concerning purgatory, there is almost no mention, especially among the (}reek writers. In consequence of which, even to this dlty, purgatory is not believed by the Greeks."t The consequences to be drawn from these quotations are: if purgatory was not known to the primitive church; if it was but lately known to th? portion of the Catholic Church which embraced it; if the fathers seldom or never make mention of it; if in the (}reek Church especially there was so great silence of it, that to this day it is not believed among the Greeks; then this doctrine was not an apostolic doctrine, nor primitive, nor catholic, but an innovation, and of yesterday. (2.) Though the ancient fathers very generally prayed for the dead, they never prayed for their deliverance out of purgatory, nor did they ever mean to do so. And yet the Church of Rome establishes her dec* trine of purgatory on the ancient usage of the church of praying for the dead; but this consequence is vain, as these prayers do not relate to purgatory. And this is so certain, that in the ancient Roman offices, we mean the vigils said for the dead, the anthems, versicles, and re* spouses macle, recommending the soul to God, the prayer is, "that he may be freed from hell and eternal death; and in the day of judgment he may not be judged and condemned according to his sins, but that he may appear among the elect in the glory of the resurrection ;" but not one word of purgatory or its pains. And though the fathers prayed for the departed souls of the pious, that God would show them mercy in the day of judgment; *' in that formidable and dreadful day, then, there is need of much mercy to us," as saith Chrysostom. Indeed, St. Paul thus prayed for Ones;photos, "that God would show him mercy in that day ;" that is, in the day of judgment, as the same Chry- sostom understood it. Devils themselves are "reserved in chains unto the judgment of the great day," Jude 6. And in that day they and the wicked shall be sentenced to everlasting fire, which, as yet, is prepard for the devil and his angels. There is a pard. on belonging to this world; and there is a pardon at the day of judgment, which shall con- firm and declare this pardon to the universe. And it is in reference to this declaxative pardon, at the day of judgment, that the ancient fathers pray, but not in reference to purgatory'.

  • Egovers originem qued mei eat muneris, qumritans nos? reperio ante fuime, qued

sciam, quum D. Gregorius ad suas st�ishes id prmmii proposuerit. Quapropter in rs param perspicui, utax testimonio Johannis Raffermis episcopi, qui in es opere qued nuper ?n Luthemm scripsit sic de ojusmodi yen;sram in;tie prodit :--Multos?'ortasse mayit indulgeugis istis non usque ade5 fiddro, qued earam usus in ecclesia �ideatur recentior, et sdmodum set5 .spud Christi�os repertus. Quibus ego respondes, non cert5 constare �quo primlira tradi craperunt. Fuit tamen nonnullis osram usus (ut aiunt) spud manes veldstiaa;mss, qued ex station?us inte!ligi petest et sub;it. Nemo certe dub;- tat orthodoxus an purgatorium sit, dequo taman spud pt;scoa, non ull� vel quant rarisame, riobat mentie. Sad et Grmcis ad hunc usque diem, non eat crediturn uamdiu enim nulls fuerat de putgat�io cut-a, name qumsivit indulgentins; sam ez o pondet omnis indulgentiarum axistimer;o: si tollas purgatorium, quoraum indul- gongis opus erit I. craperant igitur indulgent;ca, postquam ad purgatorii cruciatos ali- quandiu trap;datum est. Invent. Rerum., lib. viii, c. 1. Idrm p. 936. t De purgatorio fere nulls mango, potisaimum spud Grincos scriptores. Qua de causa, usque hadie .m. um .d. iem, pur?to. rium non eot.? Grmcis crediturn. Lib. iv, verb. Indulg. vide etiL'n lib. xii. Puff�enure. See D?fsu?J., as before. ' ' ,Google Digitize