A treatise of the sibyls so highly celebrated, as well by the antient heathens, as the holy fathers of the church : giving an accompt of the names, and number of the sibyls, of their qualities, the form and matter of their verses : as also of the books now extant under their names, and the errours crept into Christian religion, from the impostures contained therein, particularly, concerning the state of the just, and unjust after death / written originally by David Blondel ; Englished by J.D.

CHAP. XXXVII. A particular consideration of the Sentiment of St. Augustine, and his Prayers for his Mother.

THe particular Relation of all these proceedings concerning departed persons, and their Interments irrefutably proves; That neither St. Augustine, nor his Company, nor those of Ostia, who came to visit him in the time of his Affliction, were any way doubtfull of her felicity, who was then newly departed this life; since that, instead of imagining her detained in any place of Torment, and, upon that accompt, of standing in need of their Tears, and the assistance of their Prayers, necessary (ac∣cording to the presuppositions at present) for her deliverance, they had their thoughts unanimously inclined to Exercises, which presupposed no such thing; as the singing of the one hundred and first Psalm, whence there cannot be any thing inferred, relating to the state of the dead, in as much as it contains onely a Protestation to glorifie God in living well; and, afterwards, to familiar Discourse, such as was suitable to the time, and oc∣casion. Besides, St. Augustine, in the precedent Words, had given an e∣qually-evident Testimony of his intention; when, after he had made a

description of the grief, which had lain so heavy on him, during the A∣gony of his Mother, he had added, a 1.1 Tum, ubi efflavit extremum spi∣ritum, puer Adeodatus exclamavit in planctum, atque ab omnibus nobis coër∣citus tacuit, &c. At the Instant of her giving up the Ghost, the Boy Adeoda∣tus brake forth into a loud lamentation; but, reprehended by us all, he held his peace. I will not argue, whether St. Monica was reduced to the suffer∣ing of some Torment, but onely, if her Beatitude was (in any manner con∣ceiveable) delayed, what could be more just, then the Lamentation of little Adeodatus, or more unjust, and inhumane, then the check given by all the company, to make him forbear lamenting what was truly to be lamented? And what less could be expected of a Son, who was, and would be thought good-natured, then to be guilty of such a flintiness, as not to afford so much as a Tear for so good a Mother; a Mother so much the more deserving his compassion, the further she was (if the Maintain∣ers of Purgatory may be believed) from the attainment of her happiness?

I will not deny, but St. Augustine was overcome with an excessive Grief upon her Departure; but I maintain, from his own Testimony, that his affliction was for himself, and not properly for her. For, after he had said, that the silenced his Son Adeodatus, who broke forth into Lamenta∣tions, he expresses what his own dispositions were in these Terms: b 1.2 Hoc modo meum quiddam puerile, &c. Nay, there did also slip from my self some shew of childishness that way; but I repressed it by the discretion of a man, and held my peace. Nor did we think fit to solemnize that Funeral with weeping, and howling Complaints; because such demonstrations of sorrow are wont to deplore the misfortune, or, as it were, utter destruction of those, who dy miserably: whereas she neither died miserably, nor indeed died at all, as we were assured, both by her true faith, and exemplar Life, and by other certain Reasons. What was then the cause, why inwardly this Green Wound did so extremely grieve me; but onely the sudden breaking off of that Custom, which I had to live in her most sweet, and most dear conversation, &c? Because therefore I was de∣prived of so great a comfort, my Soul was wounded, and my life was, as it were, torn in pieces, which, till then, had consisted of mine, and hers, &c. And, because I was very much troubled, that these humane respects had such power over me; which yet cannot but sometime happen, according to the course of nature, and our condition, I bewailed my former Grief, and was afflicted with a double sor∣row, &c.

He resented then, it seems (by his own confession) two different Af∣flictions: one, the Principal, occasioned by the regret of his loss; the other accessary, arising from the regret he conceived to see himself sub∣ject to that humane Infirmity of bewailing a dead person; and all the day (as he says) he could think of nothing else, though he endeavoured, as much as lay in his power, to conceal it. After the Solemnity was over, he went to the Bath; hoping to rid himself of his Grief by diversion: but he re∣turned also thence as much afflicted, as before; the smart of his Wound admitting no remission, till he had slept. And then, having with a greater settledness of Spirit, called to minde the whole Life of his Mo∣ther, and being exposed to the sight of none, but God onely, he gave way to those Tears, which he had all day, with much violence to himself, kept

in; saying, Libuit flere in conspectu tuo de illa, & pro illa; de me, & pro me: & dimisi lachrymas, quas continebam, ut effluerent quantum vellent, &c. I took pleasure to weep in thy sight concerning her, and for her; and concerning my self, and for my self: and to those Tears, which I had formerly repressed, I gave the liberty to run their full Carriere, &c.

It seems, with some Pretense conclusible from the foregoing words, that he was troubled about the Condition his Mother might be in; but there are Two things oblige us to believe the contrary.

The First is, That, if he had been instructed in the Belief of Purga∣tory, taught by the Church of Rome, he could not, without a kinde of injury to Piety, and Charity, have delayed, till he had slept, the contri∣bution of his Lamentations, and Tears, for the ease, and relief of a Person so dear; and spent the whole Day in Discourses, and Divertisements, which he thought might have disburthened him of his Grief, but proved ineffectual.

The Second, That, considering with himself, that his action might be thought ridiculous, and unreasonable, he accuses it, upon that very ac∣compt, that he thinks himself obliged to excuse it; saying, Legat, qui volet, &c. Let him read it, who will, and interpret it, as pleaseth him; and, if he think it a sin in me, to have bewailed my Mother for a small part of an hour (that Mother, I say, who was dead to my eyes, and had wept for me so many years, that before thine eyes I might live) let him not deride me, but ra∣ther (if he be full of Charity) let him weep for my Sins to Thee, who art the Father of all the Brethren of thy Christ our Lord, &c. If the Opinion of Pur∣gatory had been, at that Time, crept into the Church; who could, with any Justice, either have accused him of having done amiss in deploring, with unfeigned sorrow, and tears, the hard Condition of his Mother, confined (whether for a short, or a long time, it matters not) in a place of Torments? or excuse him, that he had not,

First, Bethought him, assoon as ever the Breath was out of her Body, to assist her with his Suffrages, and quitted all other kinde of Discourse.

Secondly, That (when it came into his minde to discharge that sad Du∣ty) he had bestowed but a small part of an hour in the Exercise of an Of∣fice, then which there could not be any of greater Concernment to her, to whom he ought his Life, and (under God) his Conversion? Would the Church of Rome, which approves of the Reitoration of the Service of the Dead for hundreds of years for the same Person, think it rational at the present, that any one of her children should promise himself the deliver∣ance of his Friends in the turning of a man's Hand, and at so easie a rate, as a short Prayer, or the weeping of a quarter of an hour amounts to?

Thirdly, That he had not been able to forbear spending some part of that little time, which he had designed for his Tears, in fruitless be∣wailings of his own loss; expressing the resentment he had conceived thereof by these words, I took a pleasure to weep concerning my self, and for my self; as if it had been seasonable, even at the very Time, that he was (as is pretended) to represent to himself the extraordinaty Exi∣gences of his Mother, to look another way, and make any reflection on his own concernments?

Fourthly, That he did not (for ought appears to us) engage himself,

to any kinde of continuance, of either his Devotions, or his Tears, which he had kept in from the beginning, with a certain violence; as con∣ceiving an indignation, that the frailty of Nature tempted him to shed them? Is it suitable to the Maxims of the Church of Rome, and the Practice of those of her Communion for some Ages past; that a Childe, not without some trouble induced, either to bewail the misery of his Fa∣ther, or to beg his deliverance out of it, shunning the performance of his Duty, assoon as he were obliged, should forbear applying any remedy thereto? Yet is this the manner of proceeding, which, it seems, may be objected to St. Augustine. He had stay'd till the Night after his Mother's Death, e're he beset himself, either to do his Devotions, or Weep on her behalf; he spent in that Exercise but a small part of an hour, and never (that we could hear of) offered to reiterate it that Night, or the next Day, or the days ensuing, but absolutely gave over, as if he had, with one word speaking, discharged all his Duty. And to represent his Acti∣on more truly, and naturally, I have used several Expressions, attri∣buting to him, either Vows, or Devotions, or Tears; in as much as these words, I took a pleasure to weep concerning her, and for her, do not necessari∣ly signifie, I took a pleasure to pray for her; but may bear this sence, I have wept for her sake, and deplored for her: not onely that she is Dead, but that she was forced to submit to the necessity of Dying, e're she had come near Old Age, viz. in her fifty sixth year: Secondly, That she died out of her Country; and, Thirdly, Without any hope of being disposed into the Sepulchre she had prepared for her self at Tagaste. For, as all these Accidents were prejudicial to him, so might they well occasion Tears, yet he, that shed them, not be engaged to pray for her; and, ac∣cording to the Rule of Contraries, I see no more Reason to conclude, He wept for his Mother, therefore, He prayed for her, then that, when we read, that St. Chrysostome advises in several places to mourn for the Ca∣techumens, who died in their Ignorance, any one should thence think to conclude, that he (contrary to the intention of the Church) ordered, that men should expiate their Crimes by Tears, and Prayers, that is to say, vainly attempt what is impossible.

'Tis true, that most Divines, as well Antient, as Modern, acknowledg that David wept for his Son Absalon, and that so much the more bitter∣ly, in as much as his affliction was (in his judgment, at least) beyond all consolation; since that unhappy Parricide, pursued by the Wrath of God, and taken away by a violent Death, suitable to his Crime, was not capable of any assistance, either by his Prayers, or otherwise. But in regard St. Augustine c 1.3 affirms of himself, that, at the hour of his Mo∣ther's Burial, the accustomed Service of the Church of his Time was ce∣lebrated, and, that he prayed to God, I am willing to grant, that he re∣newed his Supplications the Night following; and that, when he says, He had wept for her, his meaning was to have it understood, that he had prayed for her weeping. So that, without debating the matter of Fact, and presupposing it such, as it may be pretended, it shall be my Business to observe;

First, That he neither thought, there should be any great accompt made of that kinde of Office, since he conceived he had discharged his

Duty in the performance thereof; though he had spent in it but a small part of an hour; nor that there was any great necessity of it, since he continued it not; nor that it was well-grounded, since he conceived there might be Sin in it, in as much as (according to the true Belief of the Church of Rome) he engaged himself to demand a thing already done; praying for her, whom he esteemed (as advanced to Glory) not to stand in need thereof. To give this last Consideration its full Weight, and to raise it to an higher Pitch of Evidence, I am onely to produce what he adds immediately after, fastening his Discourse to the Time, when he Writ his Confessions. d 1.4 Ego autem, &c. But (now my heart being recovered of that Wound, for which it might be blamed of a carnal affection) I pour out to thee, O our God, in the behalf of that thy Servant, a kinde of Tears far different; which flow from a contrite Spirit, out of a consideration of the dan∣ger of every soul, that dies in Adam. Where I intreat the Reader to note, that he attributes to an Heart wounded with carnal affection, and such, as was worthy blame, the Tears he had shed for his Mother, the night after her Decease; and that, making it his Business to give us a Relation of it, he was obliged to change his former Disposition, and all this no less, then nine years after that Accident; in as much as his Mother died at Ostia on the fourth of May, 389. and was interred the same Day.

Secondly, That the Night between the Fourth, and the Fifth, he wept concerning her, and for her.

Thirdly, That in the year 389. (according to the Observation we have of his own, in his Retractations) he writ his Confessions, which he there ac∣knowledges composed after his Questions dedicated to Simplicianus, al∣ready Arch-Bishop of Milan; and who, (according to the Antient Or∣der of Ordinations) could not, before Sunday, April the twelfth, the day of Quasi-modo, have taken the place of St. Ambrose; who departed this World on Easter-Eve, April the fourth, 397.

And whereas, after he had dried up his first Tears; and recovered of the Wound of his Heart, whereof he had been his own accuser, in the beginning of the tenth year after his Mother's Death, he thought good to open another Source of Tears; proposing to himself, with a compas∣sionate Spirit, his deceased Mother exposed to some danger; and with∣all, that it were neither just, nor becoming the respect we ow his Blessed Memory, uncircumspectly to impute to him what the Poet said of Per∣sons in Love, that sibi somnia fingunt; as if this Great Man, merely to ex∣ercise his Wit, coud have taken pleasure in imagining Accidents without any occasion, and feigning (especially speaking to God) what was not; Let us see how far his Discourse may agree with his own Principles, and forbearing to interpose our Judgment in what concerns his man∣ner of proceeding) be content to receive it from himself, and abso∣lutely to submit to his own Rules.

In the first place, it is manifest, he admitted but two Receptacles for the Souls, that had left their Bodies; for thus he determines, in the tenth Treatise upon the First Epistle according to St. John; Ille, qui vixit, & morticus est, rapitur ad alia loca anima ipsius; corpus ipsius ponitur in terra: an fian▪ illa verba, an non fiant, non ad eam pertinet; tamen aliud agit, aliud patitur; aut in sinu Abrahae gaudet, aut in igne aeterno aquae modicum deside∣rat,

&c. He, who hath been alive, is also dead, his Soul is carried away into other places, his Body is put into the Earth; whether those words (which he recommended, expiring) come, or come not, to pass, does not concern him at all; yet he does, or endures something, he either rejoyceth in Abraham's Bo∣som, or he begs a drop of Water in everlasting Fire. Now, as, according to this Doctrine, the two Conditions of eternal misery, and felicity, Abra∣ham's Bosom, and everlasting Fire, are immediately opposite; so is it neces∣sary, that whoever departs this life, must immediately enter either into the Joy, which is unspeakable, and glorious, which shall never be taken away from him, or into a Misery incapable of Comfort, and such, as shall never end.

Secondly, It is no less certain from the Testimony of St. Augustine for∣merly alledged, that Abraham's Bosom is the rest of the Blessed, where there is no place for Temptation.

Thirdly, It is not possible, he should have thought his Mother, after her Departure, any where, but in Abraham's Bosom; since he thought it not fit to celebrate her Funeral with Tears; that he was of this Opinion, that she could not die miserably, or, rather, that she could not die at all; that he ac∣knowledged, that e 1.5 being quickened, and renewed in Christ, she had so lived, as that the Name of God had been praised both in her Belief, and Life; that he thought himself obliged to give God Thanks with Joy for her good actions; that he numbered her among the Children of God, and Inhabitants of the Heavenly Jerusalem, who have the privilege to answer the Accuser, that their Debts are discharged, and who have done works of Mercy, and have freely from their hearts forgiven their Debtours.

All this (which cannot any way be contradicted) presupposed, I ask, what Consideration of danger could prevail upon the Spirit of Saint Augustine to make him shed Tears for a Mother, whom he thought so dead in Adam, as that she rested in the Lord; since that, if he conceived he ought to say, she was dead in Adam, in regard of the dissolution of her Body, he was withall as much obliged to confess, that she was also dead in the Lord, in as much, as she had ended her Life in the Faith of his Name; and that the dissolution of her Body (in some manner, changing its Nature) was become to her an happy passage to the true Life of her Spirit, which he acknowledged had been before quickened in Christ, and by him discharged of all Sins? For, what danger can there be for those, who, dying in the Lord, do (according to the saying of the Holy Spirit) thence∣forth f 1.6 rest from their labours; Are not g 1.7 the Gifts, and Calling of God without repentance? And, as it is not possible h 1.8 to separate from the love of God those, whom he hath loved in Jesus Christ; so is it also true, that i 1.9 None can pluck them out of his hand, nor lay any thing to their charge, nor condemn them; and consequently; that There is no condemnation for tham, that k 1.10 They shall not see death; and that l 1.11 They are already passed from Death to Life. Saint Augustine confesses it, and proclaims it, say∣ing, in the fourty eighth Treatise upon St. John, Quid potest Lupus? &c. What can the Wolf do? What can the Thief, and Robber, do? They destroy onely those, that are predestinated to Death, &c. Of those Sheep (such as was, according to his own description, his good Mother, St. Monica) neither shall they be the prey of the Wolf, nor shall the Thief take them away, nor the Robber

kill any of them; he, who knows what they cost him, is secure as to their Number.

I most willingly acknowledg, that the ensuing Considerations of St. Augustine are most just, and well-grounded; Non audeo dicere, &c. I dare not affirm; that from the time, that thou didst regenerate her by Baptism, there issued no word out of her mouth against thy Commandment; and it is said by thy Son, who is Truth it self, that, If any one call his Brother Fool, he shall be guilty of Hell-fire; nay, wo be even to those, who lead commendable lives, if thou examine them without Mercy. For, since St. John protests of himself, and all the Faithfull, m 1.12 If we say, that we have no sin, we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in us, and we make God a Lyar; since the Prophet (to whose Oracle St. Augustine expresly refers himself) cryes out, n 1.13 Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be ju∣stified; since Job, a man (according to the judgment of God himself) upright, and just, fearing God, and shunning evil, since Job, I say, being come to himself, found himself obliged to make this humble Confession o 1.14 I have uttered that I understood not, &c. wherefore I abhor my self, that I spoke in that manner, and repent in Dust, and Ashes; who would be so far out of himself as to deny, either of St. Monica, or any other of the Blessed Saints, that he ever sinned in speaking against the Commandment of God, since his Baptism, or imagine, that his Life in the profession of Christianity hath been so perfect, as might stand to the disquisition of a judgment without mercy?

But, allowing all the pious, and necessary Considerations made by St. Augustine upon the course of his Mother's Life, I am still to seek, and cannot finde the reason of the Consequence, he would have drawn thence, to think himself obliged, as one shaken by the fear of some imminent danger, to pray for her, who (by his own confession) had obtained a dis∣charge for all her sins, and (as St. Cyprian said of all the Faithfull) delivered out of the Tempests of this world, had reached the Haven of eternal safety. Nay, what sin soever she might be supposed to have committed after her Baptism, having seriously repented of it, and deplored her condition with a faithfull recourse to the p 1.15 good Ointment of Christ, q 1.16 whose Blood (as St. John declares) cleanseth us from all Sin, her r 1.17 Conscience being purged by that precious Blood, and fully purified from dead Works, is so absolutely discharged in the sight of God, as St. Augustine himself, ex∣pounding the Words of St. John, acknowledges; saying, s 1.18 Magnam securitatem dedit Deus, &c. God hath given us a great assurance, with good reason is it, that we celebrate the Pasch; since the Blood of our Lord, where∣by we are cleansed from all sin hath been shed (for us) let us fear nothing: The Devil kept the Writing of Slavery against us; but it hath been cancelled by the Blood of Christ, &c. If, through the infirmity of Life, sin hath crept unawares upon thee, discover it immediately, be offended at it immediately, con∣demn it immediately, and, when thou shalt have condemned it, thou wilt come confidently before the Judg: there thou hast an Advocate, be not afraid to lose the Cause of thy Confession.

Since then St. Monica expired, t 1.19 recommending her Soul to her faith∣full Creatour, and imploring his Mercy through the eternal Merit of that blessed Blood, the v 1.20 pure Oblation whereof had already washed off her

Original Sin, and consecrated her for ever, nothing could hinder her from going with a joyfull Heart, and certainty of Faith, towards the Holy Places, into which that truly-divine blood had purchased her the Privilege to enter. Nor indeed could St. Augustine, who had not (when she dislodged out of the Body, to be with Christ) any just cause of fear, conceive (nine years after her admittance to the fruition of her happiness) any neces∣sity of requiring on her Behalf; that God would forgive her Sins, that he would not enter into Judgment with her, that he would glorify his Mercy above his Judgment, and, in a word, do what was already done. And indeed he immediately acknowledges as much; ingenuously saying, Et, credo, jam feceris, quod te rogo; sed voluntaria oris mei approba, Domine, &c. And I believe, thou hast already done what I intreat thee to do; but yet approve, O Lord, this Prayer, which so willingly I make.

Thus we see (by his own Confession) what Office St. Augustine un∣dertook to render his Mother; amounting to no more, then a demand, purely arbitrary of what had been accomplished before, and which, for that reason, was not to be demanded. But what moved him, after so long time, to make such earnest, and particular requests for his Mother, who had always, from her Infancy, been an Example of a rare, and con∣stant Virtue; and who had been enflamed with so great Zeal for Piety, that she had gained to the Lord her whole House; not to say ought of his Father, who had been a man of a turbulent Humour, and so little in∣clined to Godliness, that he could not be won to embrace Christianity, till towards his last days? Not to make any mention of him, I say; but onely occasionally, and by the way, with this little Expression, which shews, that he thought him in Happiness, May she be in peace with her Husband; was Patricius more assured in the Possession of Peace, and did he stand less in need of the Suffrages of his Son; then Monica, who had ever excelled him in good Endowments, and had been the Instrument of his Conversion to God? I answer, that St. Augustine, who hath given such a particular accompt of the different Dispositions of his Parents, could not have fallen into so great an Errour, as to imagine his Prayers more necessary for his Mother, then for his Father; who, having been less re∣commendable, should seem to stand in greatest need thereof; and that he was induced to make particular Addresses for his Mother, was not (as might be imagined) out of any compliance with the general Custom of the Church of his Time, which being of equal Obligation towards all) would as well have obliged him to speak of his Father, as to make men∣tion of his Mother; but in obedience to the command, which his Mo∣ther had, expiring, lay'd upon him, and the desire he had to submit to her last Will, whereof he would rather be an Executour, then a Censour. This desire, I say, prevailing with him, above all other Considerations, he not onely thought it a kinde of pleasure to weep for her, the night after her Departure, but nine years after, engaging himself to Write the History thereof, and to give an accompt of her last Words. Which the more fully to satisfy, he gave way to a tenderness so great, as if he represent∣ed her to himself in some danger, that he might accordingly address to God the same Supplications, as might be made for those, who were still engaged in the Combats of this Life; though he confessed withall, they

had already been accomplished. Then calling to minde the last Com∣mand he had received from her, that was long before dead (not questi∣oning, whether it were then seasonable to do what he did) he conform∣ed himself thereto, as before, and at last required his Readers to under∣take (in what time, or place soever) the execution thereof. With a design therefore to give an accompt of his Prayer, viz. that the Lord would vouchsafe to accept the voluntary Words, or Offerings, of his mouth; he adds, Namque illa, imminente die, &c. For she, whom the day of her Death drew near, desired not, that her Body might be sumptuously adorned, or enbalmed with Spices, and Odours; nor desired she any curious, or choice Monument, or cared she to be conveyed into her Native Countrey. These things she recommended not to us; but onely desired to be remembred at thy Altar, &c. Let nothing separate her from thy Protection; Let not the Lion, and Dragon, either by force, or fraud in∣terpose himself between thee, and her. For she will not answer, that she hath no Sin, lest she be convinced, and overcome by that crafty Accuser; but she will answer, that her sins are forgiven by him, to whom no Creature can repay what he lai'd out for us, whilest himself owed nothing. Let her therefore rest in pe••cewith her Hus∣band, &c. And inspire, O Lord, my God, inspire thy servants, my Brethren; thy Children, my Lords (whom with Heart and Tongue, and Pen I serve) that whoso∣ever reads these Confessions, may, at thy Altar, remember thy servant Monica, with Patricius her Husband, through whom thou broughtest me into the world, though in what sort I know not. Let them with a Pious Affection remember those, who were my Parents in this transitory life, and who were my Brethren in respect of thee, who art our common Father in the Catholick Church our Mother, and who are to be my Fellow-Citizens in the eternal Jerusalem; for which the Pil∣grimage of thy People doth groan from their Birth unto her Death; that what she made her last desire to me, may be more abundantly performed to her, through the Prayers of many, as well by means of these my Confessions, as particular Prayers.

I have hitherto alledged the Words of St. Augustine, which justify, in the first Place, That the onely Motive, which had in the year 398. pre∣vailed with him to make Prayers for his Mother, Dead nine years before, and from that time (according to his own Presuppositions) in Happiness, was onely the Injunction she had, at her Death, lai'd upon him to re∣member her.

Secondly, That these Prayers (by his own Confession) neither were, nor could be of any necessity, or benefit to her; for whom they were, or might be made: since she had reason to answer the Accuser, That her Debts were discharged, and accordingly she had nothing to fear, as to the Consequences thereof. For, who can be separated from the Protection of God, but by Sin, which alone (according to the Saying of the Prophet Esay) does properly make a separation between man, and his God; causing him to hide his face, and not to hear, that he might protect? But can Sin (which hath no longer being, assoon as it is once expiated, and dis∣charged) any way prejudice him, who hath been once delivered from it? Or, is any man able to conceive, that what is not, is, or may be cause of any thing: since that to be Cause does not onely imply Being; but, in some manner, both Being, and Activity? Who is so much liable to the interpositi∣on of the Lion, and Dragon, to endure the open Ravage of his Violences, and

the secret mischief of his Ambushes, as he, who (like an undischarged Debtour) is dragged before the dreadfull Tribunal of God's avenging Justice? Can Debts (of what nature soever they are) be Legally exacted of those, who are (by the Acquittance of the Creditour) absolutely dis∣charged? Are they, in fine, to fear any Unhappiness, whose x 1.21 Sins our Lord bore in his own Body upon the Tree, and y 1.22 blotted out the Hand-wri∣ting that was against them?

Thirdly, That the Church of Rome (in whose Communion there is not any one, that prays for St. Monica, whom the said Church hath taken out of their Rank, for whose benefit she designs her Suffrages, to raise her into the Sphear of z 1.23 Glorious Spirits, whose Intercession she begs; how∣ever she may make a great stir about the Example of St. Augustine) does not onely not satisfy the Intreaty of that Great man any more, then the Protestants, whom she accuses, as desertours of the antient Tradition: but conceives it neither just, nor rational, to satisfy it. And, as she does not think her self guilty of any breach of Duty in forbearing to pray for St. Monica; because she accompts her to be in Bliss, and (as such) not in a capacity to receive the assistance of the Living in their Prayers; nor that they should (according to the desire of St. Augustine) expect inspi∣rations from God, such as might incline them to demand things already done, and undertake what she conceives neither rational, nor feasable: so the Protestants (who in this particular are the more willing to follow his Sentiment, the more consonant they finde it to the Word of God, and to Reason) cannot (whatever the Church of Rome may say to insinuate the contrary) be perswaded, they err in not-acknowledging any Object of Religious Adoration (however it may be conceived) other then a 1.24 God alone, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, blessed for ever, according as the Church of Rome, her self, expresses it in the first of her Commandments, b 1.25 One onely God shalt thou adore; nor any Advocate properly so called, other then him, who is proposed to all Christians by St. John, as a c 1.26 pro∣pitiation for the sins of all the World. For, as they have learn'd of St. Paul, that d 1.27 there is one Mediatour between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all; whence Avitus, Arch-Bishop of Vienna inferred, e 1.28 That if our Saviour was not, according to his Humane Na∣ture, taken into the Unity of Person, passed into the Nature of Divinity, he could not onely not have cancelled, by any Intercession, the Obligation of man∣kinde, but also had himself born the Forfeiture of his Father's Hand-wri∣ting against us. They religiously stand to the Protestation made by the Primitive Christians concerning their Martyrs, viz. f 1.29 We adore him, who is the Son of God, but we love (according as it is required of us) the Mar∣tyrs, as Disciples, and Imitatours of our Lord, and Saviour: and to that of St. Augustine, g 1.30 We honour the Martyrs by a Worship of Dilection, and Society; by which the Holy men of God are in this life also honoured. Whence they conclude, That (according to the common Sentiment of the purest part of Antiquity) there cannot be done to the Citizens of the Jerusalem, that is on high, any Honour, but what may be called a civil Honour, or of Society, Whether they are actually received into that blessed Habitati∣on, or are in their way thereto; that they have been, and ever shall be, entertained there, immediately upon their departure out of this

World, and that the honourable Solemnities, which accompany their Bodies, when they are deposited in the Earth, never had any Ceremony, which served not to demonstrate the assurance, and joy, which the sur∣viving had conceived of their happy Condition.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Confess. lib. 9. cap. 12.
• b 1.2

  Ibid.
• c 1.3

  Nec in tis precibus, quas tibi fudimus, cum offerretur pro ea sacrifi∣cium precii nostri, jam juxta sepulchrum po∣sito cadavere, priusquam de∣poneretur, sicut illic fieri solet, nec in aliis pre∣cibus ego flevi.
• d 1.4

  Aug. Con¦fess. lib. 9. cap. 13.
• e 1.5

  Illa in Christo vivisi∣cata, &c. Sic vixit, ut laude∣tur nomen Tu∣um in side, mo∣ribúsque ejus, &c. Sepositis ejus bonis actibus, pro quibus tibi, gaudens, gratias ago, &c. Scio misericor∣diter operatam, & ex corde di∣misisse debita debitoribus suis, &c.
• f 1.6

  Apoc, xiv. 13.
• g 1.7

  Rom. xi. 29.
• h 1.8

  Rom. viii. 32, 33, 38, 39.
• i 1.9

  John x. 28.
• k 1.10

  Joh. viii. 5.
• l 1.11

  John v. 24.
• m 1.12

  1 Joh. 1. 8, 10.
• n 1.13

  Psal. cxliii. 2.
• o 1.14

  Job xlii. 3, 6.
• p 1.15

  Cant. i. 3.
• q 1.16

  1 Jo. i. 7.
• r 1.17

  Hebr. ix. 14.
• s 1.18

  In Joan. Tract. 1.
• t 1.19

  1 Pet. iv. 19.
• v 1.20

  Hebr. x. 14, 19, 20.
• x 1.21

  1 Pet. ii. 24.
• y 1.22

  Colos. ii. 14.
• z 1.23

  See the Martyrologies of May 4.
• a 1.24

  Rom. ix. 6.
• b 1.25

  Deut. vi. 13. Mat. iv. 10.
• c 1.26

  1 Joh. ii. 2.
• d 1.27

  1 Tim. ii. 5, 6.
• e 1.28

  Epist. 2.
• f 1.29

  Apud Eu∣sebium, lib. 4. cap. 15.
• g 1.30

  Advers. Faust. lib. 2. cap. 21.