Purgatory surveyed, or, A particular accompt of the happy and yet thrice unhappy state of the souls there also of the singular charity and wayes we have to relieve them : and of the devotion of all ages for the souls departed : with twelve excellent means to prevent purgatory and the resolution of many curious and important points.

§ 2. The Second, to dye in Reli∣gion.

ANother safe way to escape Purgatory, is to live, and die in a good Religious order, and at his death, to renew, and ratifie his Religious vowes. To prove this, I first call St. Bernard to witness, who doubts not to assure us, that there is a ready, if not an uninterrupted passage into Heaven, out of a Religious cell. Next I appeal, to those learned and holy Doctours, who give it for a certain sign of Prede∣stination, to die in Religion, be∣cause Christ has in a manner sworn, in his holy Gospel, to give a hundred fold, and life ever∣lasting, to all those, that shall leave Father, Mother, and other world∣ly concernments, for his sake. From whence it is, that holy

Church permits, the superiours of divers Religious orders, to make this solemne promise, at the profession of their novicies, for they have no sooner made their Vowes, of Poverty, &c. But the superiour answers, And I Child do promise thee Paradise, and eternal life.

3. Many Popes have granted a Plenary Indulgence, in forme of a Jubily, to all Religious persons, that either by word of mouth, or in their hearts, call upon the sa∣cred names of Jesus Maria, at the hour of their death. And what Religious person is there, that does it not, either when he dies, or not long before, not only once, but a thousand times.

To say nothing, that many are of opinion, that they gain this Indulgence at the hour of their death, whether they pronounce the words or no. For as other Indulgences are gained, by visi∣ting certain Churches, saying certain prayers, giving alm••••, or

exercising such other acts of ver∣tue, the supream Pastour of the Church, thought no act more worthy of a Jubily, then to die in a Religious order, in the act∣ual profession of voluntary pover∣ty, chastity, and obedience, with final perseverance in the austeri∣ty of a Religious life, and a pati∣ent acceptance of death, as from the holy hand of God. ••et us then suppose, a good Religious man to come to die, and besides the common benefit of the Sacra∣ments, and other holy rites of the Catholick Church, let him gain this Plenary Indulgence, which the Popes grant as freely, and with as much assurance, as any other, have we not all the reason in the world to hope, that he goes immediately into Heaven, or at most does but make a swift passage through Purgatory, or rather, as we read of many in the Ecclesia∣stical History, takes it in his way, to have the company of some of his friends there, whom he has the priviledge, to lead away with

him in triumph into Heaven.

4. Who can better deserve, to go directly into heaven then they, whose lives are a continual Pur∣gatory? They go in rough hair shirts, pine themselves with ri∣gourous fasts, tear of their flesh with cruel disciplines, drink up their own tears, live of nothing but mortifications, and perpetual hardships, and thus abundantly satisfie, for all the sins they have committed, and for those they never dreamt of, but had rather dya thousand times then commit. They that have no will but that of their superiour, they that breath nothing but holy sighs, and burn with ardent charity, how can they burn in Purgatory fire?

5. Divines furnish me with an∣other pregnant proofe, and it is this. It is certain, (say they) that a solemne Profession in Re∣ligon, brings with it a plenary In∣dulgence; or remission of all their sin••, not only because it is a se∣cond Baptisme, or a lingring kind

of martyrdom, which is not com∣pleated in a few moments, as o∣ther Martydomes are, but also, because in the opinion of the an∣gelical Doctour, it is so sublime and eminent an act, as surpasses all other acts in this life, so that if Daniel, (says he) could say, that by giving a little almes, we may blot out our sins, what may we not say, of this supereminent act of liberality, by which, a man gives unto God, all his goods, and present possessions, with all his fair hopes of improving them, his bo∣dy, his life, his honour, his will, his soul; with a million of worlds if h•• had them in his power. The same holy Doctour says else-where that a man, who sacrifices his will unto God, the most noble portion of his soul, and makes it to be∣come his eternal slave, gives God ful satisfaction for all his misde∣m••••uours, since a pure creature, cannot present him with a more noble gift, then to make him an entire Holocaust, of that which is

dearest unto him in this world, which is his will, and the absolute soveraignty over himself, and all his concernes. Others go yet further, and assure us, that as of∣ten, as a good Religious man, re∣news this his profession, he makes a new purchase of the same fa∣vour, and obtaines an entire par∣don, of all the pain due to his sins, and that these, and the like priviledges, are not tied only to solemne vowes, but are common to all vows, that make up the sub∣stance of a Religious man, of what order soever in Gods Church. And they say withall, that these favours are not in the nature of indulgences, granted by his Ho∣liness, but are inseparably annex∣ed unto the vowes themselves, which are so generous, and so precious acts, in the sight of God, that they move his goodness, to blot out the remembrance of their sins, and to cancel out a great part, if not all the pain, which was due for them.

Now put all this together; and it will necessarily follow, that since the Pope on the one side, grants a Jubily, unto all religi∣ous, at the houre of their death, and since they have it in their power, on the other side, to renew their vowes, before they dye, by which act they may fully satisfy, for all their sins, there cannot be a greater assurance of going di∣rectly into heaven then theirs, who have as I told you this double security of a general pardon, that one way or other, they can scarce sayl to obtain it.

What shall I say now of their perfect resignation, unto the will of God, their invincible patience, their love of God, their Virginal purity, their exact, and punctual obedience, with a million of o∣ther divine acts of vertue, which are so incident and connatural to a religious vocation, all which no doubt stand ready to assist them at the last houre, and to show them heaven gates open, and

ready to receive them, and how∣soever to assure them, that their stay cannot be long in Purgatory, since they leave behind them so many of their own order, who will be sure to ply them with Masses. Indulgencies, and other charitable works for their speedy deliverance,

Notes

• Ad fratres de monte dei à coella in coelum, &c.
• Plat. de bon•• stat. Relig.
• Sixt Greg. 13. Greg. 14.
• Jul. 2. bull.
• 2. 2. 4. ult. a. 3.
• Su. verb. Religio n. 27 &c.