x.x.xI. I believe, that the Holy Sacrament of the _Eucharist_ is a true Sacrament, and I look upon it as one of the greatest Mysteries of Faith.
And what gives me the more Veneration for it is, that the Heretics themselves are persuaded, that it was inst.i.tuted by our Lord Jesus Christ.
I believe with St. _Augustin_ and the whole Church, that this Sacrament consists of Two Things, _viz._ The visible Elements of Bread and Wine, and the invisible Flesh and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. For this Reason I adore the Sacrament of the Eucharist. By this _Sacrament_ I understand the Body and Blood of our Lord. I suspend all my Senses, I wean my Mind from them, and believe with Submission, that the Holy Eucharist is really the Body of our Lord, that is to say, the very same Body which was born of the Virgin _Mary_, and which sitteth at the Right Hand of the Father everlasting. I believe, there remaineth nothing of the Substance of Bread and Wine, which I take intirely upon the Authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, who said, _Matt._ xxvi. 26, 28. _This is my Body, this is my Blood._ St. _Paul_ confirms me in this Sentiment, when, after having mention"d the Consecration of the Bread and Wine by Jesus Christ, he said to the _Corinthians_, I Ep. Chap. xi. Ver. 28, 29. _Let a Man examine himself, and so let him eat of that Bread, and drink of that Cup: For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh d.a.m.nation to himself, not discerning the Lord"s Body._ If this Sacrament was only the Memorial and Sign of the Pa.s.sion of Jesus Christ, as the Heretics will have it to be, I don"t think that St. _Paul_ would have us"d such earnest Expressions to exhort Believers to examine themselves before they approached to this Sacrament. The same Apostle St. _Paul_ a.s.sures us also of the real Presence of the Body of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, when he says in his first Epistle to the _Corinthians_, Chap. x. Ver. 16. _The Cup of Blessing which we bless, is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ? The Bread which we break, is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ?_ But besides these Words of the Apostle, Jesus Christ says in St.
_John_, Chap. vi. Ver. 51. _The Bread that I will give is my Flesh, which I will give for the Life of the World_: And a little after in Ver. 53. he adds, _Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his Blood, ye have no Life in you. For_, says he again, Ver. 55. _my Flesh is Meat indeed, and my Blood is Drink indeed_.
Besides all these Pa.s.sages of holy Writ, which are a Proof to me of the real Presence of our Lord in the Eucharist, the Testimony of all the holy Fathers ever since the Church had a Beginning, who have all unanimously believ"d the real Presence of the Body of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, farther confirms me in this Opinion. In fine, the real Presence is what the Church believes, which is enough for me, who acknowledge her Decisions to be infallible. But the Protestants will object to me; If, after the Consecration of the Eucharist, "tis really chang"d into our Lord"s Body, how comes it that you still call it Bread? To this I answer, That "tis because the Eucharist still preserves the Species and the Appearances of Bread, and retains the Property of nourishing the Body, which is one Quality of Bread. The Holy Scripture itself is likewise accustom"d to give Names to Things, according to their outward Appearance. "Tis said in _Genesis_, that Three Men appeared to _Abraham_, tho" in Fact they were Three Angels: And in the _Acts_ of the Apostles, those Angels that appear"d to the Apostles after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ are call"d Men.
Being therefore convinc"d of the real Presence of our Lord"s Body in the most holy Eucharist, I undoubtedly believe, that I ought to worship it: This I am commanded to do by the holy Council of _Trent_, Session XIII.
Canon 5. where, speaking of the Eucharist, it says, that it ought to be ador"d with the Worship due to G.o.d.
The Wis.e.m.e.n worshipp"d Jesus Christ when he came into the World in the Stable; and the holy Writ a.s.sures us, that he was worshipp"d by the Apostles in _Galilee_. Why then shan"t we worship him now in the Eucharist, since we are persuaded, that he really exists there? That"s the Doctrine which St. _Austin_ taught us upon the xcviiith Psalm, _Nemo illam carnem manducet, nisi prius adoraverit, et non solum non peccamus_ _adorando, sed peccamus non adorando_, i. e. Let none eat of that Flesh, till he has first ador"d it; for we not only do not sin by worshipping it, but we sin by not worshipping it.
As to the manner of communicating, I believe, "tis sufficient to receive the Communion in one Kind: First of all, because the Church has so thought fit, and had great Reasons for it: Secondly, tho" our Lord Jesus Christ, as the Council of _Trent_ says, inst.i.tuted this august Sacrament at the Supper under the Species of Bread and Wine, and gave it to his Apostles in both those Kinds, it does not from thence follow, that he establish"d it for a Law to distribute the holy Mysteries to all the Believers in both Kinds: For he himself often speaks but of one Kind, as when he says in St.
_John_, Chap. vi. Ver. 51. _If any Man eat of this Bread, he shall live for ever; and the Bread which I will give is my Flesh, which I will give for the Life of the World:_ And Ver. 58. _He that eateth of this Bread shall live for ever._
I believe, that the holy Eucharist was inst.i.tuted by our Lord Jesus Christ for Two Reasons: First of all, that it might serve as Nourishment for our Souls, for the Preservation of its spiritual Life; and in the second Place, that the Church might always have a Sacrifice to offer to G.o.d for the Forgiveness of our Sins: For as we offend G.o.d so often, and as our Sins incense him against us, the Church offers up the Sacrifice of the Eucharist, to engage G.o.d the Father to suspend the just Severity of his Wrath and Vengeance, and to obtain his Mercy.
The Paschal Lamb, which the _Israelites_ both offer"d up, and ate as a Sacrifice, and as a Sacrament, was the Type of the Eucharist. Our Lord could not give us a greater Token of the Love which he bore to us, than to leave us this visible Sacrifice, which is a Renovation of that b.l.o.o.d.y Sacrifice, which he offered himself to his Father upon the Cross, that we might honour his Memory to the End of all Ages.
By the Sacrifice of the Eucharist, I understand the holy Ma.s.s; and as the Sacrament of the Eucharist is an Action meritorious for us, and procures us great Advantages when we receive it, I believe, that I merit by the holy Sacrifice of the Ma.s.s, and that it is my Satisfaction to G.o.d for my Sins: I believe, that this Sacrifice is the very same which was offer"d upon the Cross: I believe, that "tis the same Victim, that is to say, our Lord Jesus Christ, who once offer"d himself up on the Tree of the Cross: And in Fact the Victim, which offer"d itself up in a b.l.o.o.d.y manner, and that which offers itself in an unb.l.o.o.d.y manner, is the same; there are not Two Victims. And this Sacrifice is renew"d every Day in the Eucharist, according to the Command which G.o.d gave us, when he said to us, _This do in Remembrance of Me_, Luke xxii. Ver. 19. I believe, that none but Jesus Christ is Priest in this Sacrifice: The Ministers, who consecrate the Body and Blood of our Lord, do not offer that Sacrifice themselves, but supply the Place of Jesus Christ himself: This is evident from the Words of the Consecration; the Priest does not say, _This is the Body of Jesus Christ_, but _This is my Body_; and by Consequence he says so, because he is in the Place of Jesus Christ, and because, by the Virtue of those Words, he changes the Substance of the Bread and Wine into that of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ: Therefore the Ma.s.s is not only a Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving, or a mere Commemoration of the Sacrifice which was completed upon the Tree of the Cross; but I also believe, that "tis an effectual Sacrifice, which reconciles me to G.o.d, and gains me his Favour.
And if we offer this holy Victim with a pure Heart, a lively Faith, and have a deep Sorrow for our Sins, I doubt not but G.o.d will shew us Mercy, and that we shall obtain the a.s.sistance of his divine Grace whenever we need it: Nay, I am persuaded, that "tis in a manner impossible, that, for the Sake of this sacred Victim, G.o.d should not grant us the Grace of Repentance, and the Remission of our Sins.
By Consequence the holy Sacrifice of the Ma.s.s is not only useful both to him that offers it, and to him that really partakes of it, but I also believe it to be advantageous to all the Faithful in general, both to the Living, and to those who die in the Grace of G.o.d, before they are purify"d from the Spots of their Sins. According to the constant Tradition of the Apostles, the holy Sacrifice of the Ma.s.s may be offer"d up for those Believers who die in the Grace of G.o.d before they are intirely cleans"d from their Faults; and "tis likewise offer"d up to remove Afflictions and public Calamities, and to atone for the Sins of the Living, and the Pains which they have deserv"d. From hence I conclude, that the Sacrifice of the Ma.s.s is offer"d particularly for the Benefit and Advantage of all the Faithful.
x.x.xII. I admit and receive _Penance_ for the Fourth Sacrament: It was own"d by the Church, and inst.i.tuted as such by our Lord Jesus Christ, to the end that there might be no room to doubt of the Remission of Sins, which G.o.d promis"d by those Words of _Ezekiel_, _If the Wicked repenteth, he shall live for ever._ I believe, that Jesus Christ initiated this Sacrament, that it might serve as a Ca.n.a.l to convey his precious Blood to us for the effacing of the Sins which we have committed after Baptism; and to the end that we might be intirely persuaded, that "tis to Jesus Christ alone we are beholden for the Grace of our Reconciliation with G.o.d.
I believe Penance to be a Sacrament in the same manner as Baptism is one: Baptism cancels all Sins, and particularly Original Sin; and for the same Reason Penance, which obliterates all Sins either in Thought or in Deed, that were committed after Baptism, must be truly and properly a Sacrament.
Besides, that which is perform"d externally by the Penitent and the Priest, shews the internal Operation in the Soul of the Penitent. "Tis absolutely necessary to believe, that Penance is a Sacrament, because it contains whatever is essential to a Sacrament: "Tis the Sign of a holy Thing; for on the one hand the Penitent expresses fully by his Words and Actions, that he departs from the Uncleanness of his Sins, and, on the other Hand, the Priest, by conferring this Sacrament, shews the Remission of Sins, which G.o.d in his Goodness grants to the Penitent: I am convinced of this Truth, by what Jesus Christ said to St. _Peter_ and the Apostles, _Matt._ xvi. Ver. 19. _And I will give unto Thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: And whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth, shall be bound in Heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth, shall be loosed in Heaven._ These Words leave me no room to doubt of the Forgiveness of Sins: Therefore the Absolution which the Priest p.r.o.nounces, shews the Remission of Sins, and "tis Absolution which operates it in the Soul of the Penitent.
The Sacrament of Penance differs from the other Sacraments, in regard that the Matter of the other Sacraments consists of something natural or artificial, whereas the Three Acts of the Penitent, Contrition, Confession and Satisfaction are, as it were, the Matter of the Sacrament of Penance: These Acts may also be call"d the Parts of this Sacrament: G.o.d absolutely requires them of the Penitent, and they are indeed absolutely necessary to make the Sacrament of Penance intire, and that the Penitent may obtain the intire and perfect Remission of his Sins. And when I say, that these Acts are, as it were, the Matter of Penance, "tis not that I think they are not the real Matter of it, but to shew, that I don"t think that they are of the Nature of the Matter of the other Sacraments: For the Matter of the other Sacraments is altogether external, with regard to the Person who receives them, as the Water in Baptism, and the Chrism in Confirmation. I look upon Confession, as a Part that is absolutely necessary in the Sacrament of Penance.
Tho" I believe, that perfect Contrition cancels all Sins, yet, as "tis absolutely necessary, that for producing this Effect it should proceed from a Love purely filial and disinterested towards G.o.d, that it should be lively, strong and fervent, and that the Sorrow which produces it in the Soul, may be proportionable to the Heinousness of the Sins committed; and as there are few Persons, whose Sorrow can attain to that Pitch, and by Consequence there would be few that could by this means hope to obtain the Pardon of their Sins; it was therefore necessary, that G.o.d, who is infinitely good, and infinitely merciful, should provide for our Salvation by giving us a more easy Method; and this he has done by granting to his Church the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: Therefore, according to the Doctrine of the Council of _Trent_, I look upon it as a certain Truth, that every Man who performs an Act of Contrition, which necessarily includes a Resolution not to offend G.o.d any more for the future, obtains, by virtue of the Keys which the Church has receiv"d, Pardon and Remission of his Sins, after he has confessed them to a Priest: And I believe, that he obtains such Remission of his Sins, even tho" his Sorrow be not of that Degree as to be able of itself to procure him such Pardon.
I receive and admit of the Doctrine of the Holy Fathers, who all unanimously teach, that Heaven is open"d to us purely by the Keys of the Church.
I believe, that our Lord Jesus Christ inst.i.tuted Confession, and that his Inst.i.tution of it was merely owing to his Goodness and Mercy, when the Apostles being a.s.sembled all together after his Resurrection, he breathed on them, and said, _John_ xx. Ver. 22, 23. _Receive ye the Holy Ghost; whosesoever Sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever Sins ye retain, they are retained._
"Tis therefore evident, that our Lord granted to the Priests the Power of retaining and remitting Sins, and that at the same time he made them the Judges: "Tis for this Reason that we ought to conceal nothing from them, and we are oblig"d to accuse ourselves of every Circ.u.mstance of our Sins, that they may be able to judge us, and prescribe a Penance to us proportionable to our Crimes. I do not only believe, that Jesus Christ inst.i.tuted Confession, but I believe also, that he commanded us the Use of it as necessary; and a Sinner, who has committed a mortal Sin, cannot recover the Life of his Soul but by this Means. The Saviour of the World clearly demonstrated this Truth to us, when he express"d the Power of administring this Sacrament by the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and as "tis impossible to enter into a Place that is shut up, but by means of the Person who has the Keys of it, in like manner n.o.body can enter into Heaven after he has caus"d himself to be shut out of it by Sin, unless the Priest, to whom our Lord has given the Custody of the Keys, open the Gates of it: Those Cases of Necessity must however be excepted, where perfect Contrition is sufficient without Confession: If it were otherwise, our Lord needed not to have said, _Whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth, it shall be loosed in Heaven_; nor would it have been necessary for Jesus Christ to have given the Keys of Heaven to the Church.
Finally, I believe Satisfaction to be absolutely necessary, and I take it to be of Two Sorts: The first is that, whereby we intirely satisfy G.o.d according to the utmost Severity of his supreme Justice for our Sins, of what Quality soever they be; and the Satisfaction by which we at last reconcile ourselves to G.o.d. "Tis to our Lord Jesus Christ alone that we are oblig"d for this Satisfaction; "tis he that has merited it for us by making full Satisfaction to G.o.d with the Blood which he shed upon the Cross, to redeem us from our Sins. There was no created Being, that could possibly discharge so great a Debt; but as St. _John_ says, 1 Ep. Chap.
ii. Ver. 2. _He is the Propitiation for our Sins, and not for ours only,_ _but also for the Sins of the whole World._ This Satisfaction, which flows from the Merits of Jesus Christ, is full and intire, and proportionable to the Enormity of all the Sins of Mankind.
I also receive and allow of a second Sort of Satisfaction, call"d Canonical, which is accomplish"d in a certain s.p.a.ce of Time prescrib"d by the Canons, and gives Power to the Priests to impose a Penance upon the Penitents, before they absolve them from their Sins, and this is that which worketh the Satisfaction.
Finally, I am persuaded, that Satisfaction is a sort of Remedy, which wipes out all the Stains which our Souls have contracted by the Foulness of Sin. By means of this Satisfaction we suffer the Punishment inflicted on us during a certain time for the Expiation of our Sins.
Upon the Whole I infer, that "tis absolutely necessary that we should be excited to the Practice of this Satisfaction; for tho" G.o.d remits to us in Penance the Guilt of Sin, and the Pains of everlasting Death, which are due to it, he does not therefore always remit to us the temporal Punishments which are due to Sin: This appears from several Instances in sacred Writ, as the Third Chapter of _Genesis_; the Twelfth and Twentieth Chapters of _Numbers_, and several other Pa.s.sages, and especially in that which speaks of _David_: For tho" the Prophet _Nathan_ told him, that G.o.d had forgiven him his Sin, and a.s.sur"d him that he should not die, yet _David_ voluntarily impos"d great Mortifications upon himself, and implor"d the Mercy of G.o.d in these Terms, _Psalm_ li. Vcr. 2, 3. _Wash me throughly from mine Iniquity, and cleanse me from my Sin: For I acknowledge my Transgressions, and my Sin is ever before me._ Tho" _David_ had perform"d that Act of Penance, tho" he had so earnestly begg"d for the Pardon of his Sin, yet G.o.d punish"d him by the Death of that Son, who was the Fruit of his Adultery, by the Rebellion of his Son _Absalom_, whom he lov"d tenderly, and by several other Afflictions, which he had threaten"d him with before. As to the Reason, why all the Punishments for Sin are not remitted to us by the Sacrament of Penance, as well as that of Baptism, I think it but Justice, as the Council of _Trent_ says, that they, who before Baptism have sinn"d thro" Ignorance, should be pardon"d after one manner; and that they should be pardon"d after another manner, who having been once delivered from the Captivity of the Devil and Sin, and having also receiv"d the Holy Spirit, have not fear"d to grieve it.
"Tis owing to the Goodness of G.o.d that he does not suffer our Sins to be remitted without the making a Satisfaction for them, to the end that we might not imagine them to be less than they are, and that we might not fall into greater Disorders by an injurious Contempt of the Holy Spirit, and thereby _heap up Wrath against the Day of Wrath_. For really the Penalties of Satisfaction are as a Bridle to check us in our Sins; they are sure Marks of our Sorrow for having offended G.o.d; and finally, "tis by those Punishments that we make Satisfaction to the Church our Mother, which we have highly offended by our Sins; for, as St. _Augustin_ says, tho" G.o.d does not reject a contrite and an humble Heart, yet, as the Sorrow we have conceiv"d in our Hearts for having offended G.o.d, can only be discover"d by Words and other external Signs, the Holy Fathers were in the Right to fix certain Times for Penance, to the end that we might make Satisfaction to the Church, in whose Bosom our Sins were committed.
x.x.xIII. I thank G.o.d, for that after he had given me Entrance into the true Life by the Sacrament of Baptism, he also inst.i.tuted the Sacrament of _Extreme Unction_, for my more easy Pa.s.sage into Heaven, after my Departure from this Life. I believe, that our Lord Jesus Christ inst.i.tuted the Sacrament of extreme Unction, when he sent out his Disciples two and two before him into the Towns and Villages. "Tis said, that they preach"d to the People, that they exhorted them to Repentance, that they cast out many Devils, and anointed several that were sick with Oyl, and cur"d them all. "Twas our Lord that commanded them to perform this Unction, which he inst.i.tuted rather for the Salvation of the Soul than for the Health of the Body, and he gave a Virtue to it which was altogether divine and supernatural: Several great Saints so evidently a.s.sure us of this Truth, that I have no room to doubt, but Extreme Unction is one of the Seven Sacraments of the Church, and that "twas inst.i.tuted for the Relief of the Sick when they are at the Point of Death: This is observable in the Epistle of St. _James_, Chap. v, Ver. 14, 15. _Is any sick among you? Let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray aver him, anointing him with Oyl in the Name of the Lord: And the Prayer of Faith shall save the Sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed Sins, they shall be forgiven him._ The Apostle, by telling us that Sins are forgiven by this Unction, gives us also to understand at the same time, that it is a true Sacrament: and this has been the Decision of several Councils, but chiefly that of _Trent_.
x.x.xIV. I esteem and honour the Sacrament of the _Ordination_, as the Sixth Sacrament of the Church, and I believe it to be absolutely necessary, because the other Sacraments intirely depend upon it: For, were it not for the Sacrament of Ordination, some of the Sacraments could not be administer"d, and others would also be depriv"d of all the solemn Ceremonies, and of all religious Worship. I believe therefore, that Ordination is one of the most eminent Sacraments: It renders the Priests and Bishops Interpreters of G.o.d"s Will; it enables them to represent G.o.d upon Earth, and to operate in Quality of his Subst.i.tutes; and for this Reason the Holy Scripture calls them Angels, and even G.o.ds. What can there be more miraculous than the Power which this Sacrament gives to the Priests to consecrate the Elements, to offer the Body and Blood of our Lord, and to forgive Sins? Have we not Cause to wonder, that the Apostles and Disciples were sent over all the World in the same manner as Jesus Christ was sent by his Father? The Priests were also sent abroad, _for the perfecting of the Saints, for the Work of the Ministry, and for the edifying of the Body of Christ_, _Ephes._ iv. Ver. 12.
I believe, that no Man can or ought to a.s.sume to himself the Character of Bishop or Priest, unless he has been call"d by the lawful Ministers of the Church, that is to say, by the Bishops. The Apostle, speaking to the _Hebrews_, says, _No Man taketh this Honour unto himself_, Chap. v. Ver.
4. And G.o.d himself says in _Jeremiah_, Chap. xxiii. Ver. 21. _I have not sent these Prophets, yet they ran._
As to the Power of Ordination, I believe, it extends to the Eucharist, and every thing that can relate to it: This is a Truth establish"d by sundry Pa.s.sages of Holy Scripture, and especially by that Saying of our Lord to his Disciples, _John_ xx. Ver. 21, 22, 23. _As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you; receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whosesoever Sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever Sins ye retain, they are retained._ And in St. _Matthew_, Chap. xviii. Ver. 18. he also says, _Verily I say unto you, whatsoever you shall bind on Earth, shall be bound in Heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth, shall be loosed in Heaven_.
x.x.xV. I believe, that _Marriage_ is the Seventh Sacrament of the Church.
It cannot be deny"d, that _Marriage_ was inst.i.tuted by G.o.d himself; "tis so very evident from _Genesis_, Chap. i. Ver. 27, 28. _Male and Female created he them, and the Lord blessed them, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply_: And in another Place, _viz._ Gen. ii. Ver. 18. he said, _It is not good that the Man should be alone, I will make him an Help meet for him_. Jesus Christ in the New Testament ascribes the Inst.i.tution of Marriage to G.o.d his Father in _Matt._ xix. and _Mark_ x.
I believe, that Marriage is a Sacrament not to be dissolv"d: _What G.o.d hath joined together, let no Man put asunder_, Matt. xix. Ver. 6. These are the very Words too of the Council of _Trent_. There are certain Cases however, wherein the Pope, as the Vicar of Jesus Christ, and Successor of St. _Peter_, may break and annul the Marriage.
What farther convinces me that Marriage is a Sacrament, is that Pa.s.sage of the Apostle St. _Paul_ to the _Ephesians_, Chap. v. Ver. 28 to 32. _So ought Men to love their Wives as their own Bodies: He that loveth his Wife, loveth himself; For no Man ever yet hated his own Flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church: For we are Members of his Body, of his Flesh, and his Bones. For this Cause shall a Man leave his Father and Mother, and shall be joined unto his Wife, and they two shall be one Flesh. This is a great Mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and the Church._ Since St. _Paul_ calls Marriage a Sacrament, I see no Reason why I should not regard it as such; nor do I know why the Heretics will not allow it to be a Sacrament.
Thus, my Lord, have I given you my Sentiments on the princ.i.p.al Articles of Religion: All that remains for me now is, to treat of Purgatory, the Invocation and the Worship of the Saints, Prayers for the Dead, and the Respect due to the visible Head of the Church. In giving your Lordship an Account of my Opinion in these Articles, I shall take Care, my Lord, to be as brief as possible, for fear you should think me tedious.
x.x.xVI. By _Purgatory_, I mean a Place where the Souls of the Faithful who die in Grace are detain"d to suffer, till they are intirely purify"d from what hinders their enjoying celestial Light, _into which any Thing that defileth, can in no wise enter_, Rev. xxi. Ver. 27. The Church was always of this Opinion, and St. _Justin Martyr_ own"d, that the Souls of Believers were in extreme Necessity of being reliev"d by the Prayers of the Living: That Purgatory was an Article of Faith was what Pope _Eugene_ declar"d, or rather he renew"d what had been all along believ"d by the Church. The Protestants are as much in the Wrong to say, that Purgatory is a new Invention of the Priests, as when they give the same Name to several other Articles of Faith that were always believ"d, tho" they have been renew"d by several Councils, as often as the Church saw there was Occasion: For Instance, in the Fourth Century, in the Time of that Heretic _Arius_, the Council of _Nice_ declar"d, that the Son of G.o.d was of the same Essence as the Father; yet this was a Truth which the Church had always believ"d. St. _Augustin_, to whose Opinions even the Heretics pay a Respect, a.s.sures me, that in his Time "twas the Custom throughout the whole Church, and what had been establish"d by Tradition, to pray for the Dead, to the end that G.o.d might deal mercifully with them. These Prayers could only be for the Souls of Believers that were in Purgatory; for the Blessed, instead of having any Need of our Prayers, do themselves pray for us: And as to the Reprobate, Prayers can be of no Service to them; they are d.a.m.n"d to all Eternity, and never can be releas"d out of their Pains: From hence I infer, that the Church has ever admitted a Third Place, which is Purgatory. Several ancient Councils a.s.sure me of this Truth, and particularly the Council of _Carthage_, Chap. XXIX. and since that the Holy Council of _Trent_. I also take that Pa.s.sage in St. _John"s Revelations_, Chap. v. Ver. 13. to be a favourable Explanation of my Sentiments on the Subject of Purgatory; _And every Creature which is in Heaven, and on the Earth, and under the Earth, and such as are in the Sea, and all that are in them, heard I, saying, Blessing and Honour, and Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever._ I cannot think these Words can be apply"d either to Devils, or to the Reprobate; they must necessarily refer to the Souls suffering in Purgatory; these the Apostle meant by Creatures that are _under the Earth_, because "tis certain, that the Devils and the Reprobate do not praise G.o.d.
Now, admitting it for a certain Truth, that there is a Purgatory, I believe, without making any Doubt of it, that we ought to pray for the Dead, and for the Deliverance of suffering Souls, because they are a Part of the Church, and a Part the more to be regarded, since, tho" they suffer, they are sure one Day of enjoying everlasting Felicity. Besides, those Souls that are deliver"d by my Prayers, and by the Sacrifices offer"d up for them, do afterwards become my Friends with G.o.d. But tho"
these Reasons were not sufficient, the Church prays for the Dead, and that"s enough for me.
St. _Austin_ and several of the Fathers of the Church a.s.sure me, that the Custom of Praying for the Dead came to them by Tradition from the very Time of the Apostles: And the Holy Scripture informs us, that this Custom was formerly establish"d in the Old Testament, which is clearly prov"d by that Pa.s.sage in the _Maccabees_, Chap. xii. Ver. 43. _And when he had made a Gathering throughout the Company to the Sum of Two thousand Drachms of Silver, he sent it to Jerusalem to offer a Sin-Offering, doing therein very well and honestly, in that he was mindful of the Resurrection_: And in the same Chapter, Ver. 45. _It is a holy and good Thought to pray for the Dead, that they may be delivered from Sin._----Methinks these Pa.s.sages plainly prove, that the _Jews_, of whom the true Church consisted before the Coming of our Lord, pray"d and sacrific"d for the Dead.
I believe therefore, that all manner of Persons may and ought to pray for the Dead: But the Sacrifice of the Holy Ma.s.s can only be celebrated by the Priests: and the Ma.s.s is profitable to him that says it, to the Person that causes it to be said, and to the Soul for whom it is said.
x.x.xVII. I firmly believe, that the _Invocation of the Saints_ is very useful to us for our Salvation, and that "tis not contrary to the Commands of G.o.d, as the Heretics affirm. For the Worship of G.o.d is nothing more than honouring G.o.d in his Saints, just as (if I may be permitted the Comparison) I honour my King by honouring his Ministers. Would G.o.d, who has commanded us to honour our Parents, Persons advanc"d in Years, our Governors and Superiors, forbid us to honour the Saints and Angels, who are his Ministers, and by Consequence our Superiors?
The Heretics, who so loudly condemn the _Invocation of the Saints_, and treat it as Idolatry, do nevertheless pray every Day in their Temples and particular Meetings, that it may please G.o.d to order their Guardian Angel to guide and preserve them. Now, if they grant, that an Angel is their Protector, can they, without Ingrat.i.tude, refuse Honour to their Benefactor? I believe with the Church, that the Angels and Saints preserve us, and deliver us every Day from several great Dangers both of Soul and Body. Charity engages them to pray for us, and to offer up our Prayers and Tears to the Lord: They watch continually over us, and guard us without Intermission. For this Reason Jesus Christ recommends to his Disciples, _Matt._ xviii. Ver. 10. _Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in Heaven their Angels do always behold the Face of my Father which is in Heaven._
The Invocation of Saints was a Practice even in the Old Testament Time: When _Jacob_ gave his Blessing to his Sons, _Gen._ xlviii. Ver. 16. he said these Words, _The Angel, which redeemed me from all Evil, bless the Lads; and let my Name be named on them, and the Name of my Fathers Abraham and Isaac, and let them grow into a Mult.i.tude in the midst of the Earth._ What can be a better Proof of the Invocation of the Angels, and the Holy Patriarchs? The Scripture gives us another Proof of it in 1 _Sam._ vii.
Ver. 8. where the Children of _Israel_ said to _Samuel_, _Cease not to cry unto the Lord our G.o.d for us, that he will save us out of the Hand of the Philistines._ From thence I infer, that by honouring the Saints who are dead in the Lord, by calling upon them, by worshipping their sacred Relics, we do in no wise rob G.o.d of any Part of his Glory; on the contrary, I believe, we augment it. The Honour, which we pay to the Saints, strengthens our Hope, renders it more lively, more vehement, and creates a greater Desire in us to tread in their Steps.
Jesus Christ himself was persuaded, that in his State, as Man, the Protection of the Angels was able to deliver him out of the Hand of the _Jews_; and of this he gave Demonstration, when he commanded St. _Peter_ to put up his Sword again into his Place, because, said he, _Matt._ xxvi.
Ver. 53. _Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than Twelve Legions of Angels?_ St. _Augustin_, in the Eighth Book of _The City of G.o.d_, Chap. xvii. says, _Summa Religionis est imitari quem colis_, i. e. _The Sum and Substance of Religion is, to imitate the Being you worship._ From hence I infer, that we ought to imitate the Saints, to honour and respect them; and by honouring them, we call upon them, because by honouring them, we have an Opportunity to lay our Necessities before them, to the end that they may obtain that a.s.sistance and Favour of G.o.d which is necessary for us.