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,…

no not for any in Heaven, unless it be the will of God, that you should oppose his will in the one, and exercise you selves in things needless and unprofitable in the other; both which are far enough from his mind, and that Word, which I believe, at last, will be found, the only true and infallible rule of Worship and Devotion. When we pray for the sanctifying of God's Name, the coming of his Kingdom, the doing of his will, we still pray for the continuance of that which is as to outward manifestation, ⟨p. 405⟩in an alterable condition; for the Name of God may be more or less sanctified in the world; and for that which is future. But, to pray for them that are in Heaven, is to pray for that for them, which they are in the unalterable enjoyment of: and besides, to do and practise that in the Worship of God, which we have no precept, no precedent, no rule, no encouragement for, in the Scripture; nor the approved examples of any Holy men from the foundation of the world. Whatever Charity there can be in such prayers, I am sure, faith there can be none, seeing there is neither precept for them, nor promise of hearing them.

But it is Purgatory that must bear the the weight of this duty. This, saith our Author need not to be so condemned, being taught by Pagans and ancient Rabbis, and so came down from Adam by a popular Tradition through all Nations, a great many of whose names are reckoned up by him, declaring by the way, which of them came from Shem, which from Ham, which from Japheth, to whom the Hebrews are most learnedly assigned. For ⟨p. 406⟩the Pagans, Virgil, Cicero, and Lucretius, are quoted, as giving testimony to them. This testimony is true; in the first especially lies the whole Doctrine of Purgatory. Some Platonic Philosophers, whom he followed, have been the inventers of it. That some of the Pagans invented a Purgatory, and that Roman-Catholics have borrowed their seat for their own turn, is granted. What our Author can prove more by this Argument, I know not. The names of the old Hebrew Rabbins that had taught, or did believe it, he was pleased to spare; and I know his reason well enough, though he is not pleased to tell us. And it is only this, that there are no such old Rabbins, nor ever were in the world; nor was Purgatory ever in the Creed of the Judaical Church, nor of any of the ancient Rabbins. Indeed here and there one of them seemed to have dreamed, with Origen, about an end of the pains of Gehenna; and some of the latter Masters, the Cabbalists especially, have espoused the Pythagorean Metempsychosis; but for the Purgatory of the Pagans and Papists, they know nothing of it.