A53665:316
Animadversions on a treatise entitled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…Animadversions on a treatise intituled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…
Animadversions on a treatise entitled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion, between papist and Protestant, Presbyterian and independent by a Protestant.Animadversions on a treatise intituled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion, between papist and Protestant, Presbyterian and independent by a Protestant.
London: printed by E. Cotes for Henry Cripps, 1662
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
CHAP. XXI.
Purgatory. SECT. 28.
WE are at length come to Purgatory, which is the Pope's Indies; his Subterranean Treasure-house, on the Revenues whereof he maintains a hundred thousand fighting men, so that it is not probable, he will ever be easily dispossessed of it. This is the only root of Dirge, though our Author flourishes, as though it would grow on other stocks. It is their Prayer for the dead, which he so entitles, and in the excellency of their Devotion in this particular he is so confident, that he deals with us as the Orator told Q. Caecilius, Hortensius would ⟨p. 403⟩with him, in the Case of Verres, bid him take his option and make his choice of what he pleased, and it should all turn to his disadvantage; Hortensius by his eloquence would make any thing that he should fix on, turn to his own end. He bids us on the matter, choose whether to think the souls they pray for, to be in Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory; all is one, he will prove praying for them to be good and lawful. Suppose they be in Heaven, What then? What then? may we not as well pray for them, as for sanctifying the Name of God, which will be done whether we pray or no. Suppose they are in Hell; yet we know it not, and so may show our Charity towards them; but suppose they be in Purgatory, It is the only course we can take to help them. [Of Purgatory we shall speak anon.] If there be no other receptacle for Saints departed, but Heaven and Hell, it is but a flourish of our Author, to persuade us, that Prayers for them in the Roman-mode, would be either useful or acceptable to God. Suppose them you pray for, to be in Hell; the best you can make of your Prayers, is but a vain babbling against the ⟨p. 404⟩