that we with all thofe that are departed in the true Faith of thy Holy Name, may have our perfect conSummation and Blifs, both in Body and Soul, in thy eternal and everlasting Glory, thro Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. But thofe Prayers for the Dead which we cannot allow of, are fuch as fuppofe the Perfons whom we pray for, to be in a ftate of torments. For this practice we think there is no foundation; and this I hope to evince by examining what is alledg'd in favor of it.

1. We are prefs'd with the words of Tubit, who when he had given his Son many excellent Inftructions relating to the conduct of his Life, particularly ' concerning Alms, and Neighborly Offices, amongst the reftinjoins him to pour his bread upon the bu-" rial of the fuft, Chap. 4. 17. Now this was done, fay our Adverfaries, that the poor who receiv'd the Alms, viz. the Bread pour'd upon the Burial of the Juft, might pray for his Soul. But will it follow! from hence, that the Soul of the Juft was then in torments, and wanted the affiftance of the Poor to be deliver'd from them? Why might not the Poor, who were then reliev'd, pray as the Church of Eng land do's, for the fpeedy confummation of the Juft Perfon's Blifs, by God's haftening his coming to Judgment? Nay, what neceffity is there of fuppofing, that the poor Perfons pray'd at all? For why might they not receive a Dole upon that occafion, without praying for the dead Perfon? Nay farther, why muft we fuppofe, that the poor did then receive the Bread; fince the Text do's not mention either the Poor or the Rich? Surely 'tis unreasonable for our Adverfaries to feign old Cuftoms, and to name the Perfons, and make Reasons, and then build an Article of Faith upon them.

But, to speak the plain truth, Good old Tobit's

words

words have no manner of difficulty in them. For it seems it was an old Cuftom, which continues to (a) this day,for the Jews to fend diverfe forts of the beft provifion to the Friends of a Perfon lately dead, and to feaft and alfo make lamentation with them. This was a teftimony of Good-will and Condolance, and an inftance of Neighbourly kindness.

This is plain from the Prophet Jeremy, who fpeaking of those that were to die of grievous deaths, faies, They fhall not be lamented; neither fhall they be buried; but they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth, and they shall be confumed by the fword, and by famine; and their carcafes Shall be meat for the fowls of Heaven, and for the beasts of the earth. For thus faith the Lord, Enter not into the house of Mourning, neither go to lament, nor bemoan them: for I have taken away my peace from this people, faith the Lord, even loving-kindness and mercies. Both the Great and the Small fhall die in this land: they shall not be buried, neither shall men lament for them, nor cut themselves, nor make themselves bald for them. Neither shall men tear themselves for them in mourning, to comfort them for the dead, neither Shall men give them the cup of Confolation to drink for their father or for their mother. Thou shalt not allo go into the boufe of feasting, to fit with them, to eat and to drink. Chap. 16. verf. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Thus also the Prophet Ezechiel, being commanded not to mourn for the dead, is forbidden to fhew the ufual teftimonies of forrow; and amongst the reft he is forbidden to eat the bread of Men, Chap. 24. 17, 21. There is mention alfo made of this cuftom in the Epiftle of Jeremy,where speaking of the actions of the Heathen Priefts he uses these words, They roar and

cry

(a) See Buxtorf's Synag. Jud. cap. 49. Bafil. 1680. and Leo de Modena's Hiftoria de gli Riti Hebraici,parte quinta,cap.8. Parigi 1637.

S

before

before their Gods, as Men do at the Feast when one is dead, or as the original, reads it, as at the Supper of a dead Man, Baruch. 6. 32.

Now this kind Office Tobit commands his Son to. perform; but not upon the death of every Man. He was willing that he fhou'd be a friend to the Righteous only; and to the Relations of the Righteous for his fake.And therefore the aged Father adds, And give not to Sinners; because he wou'd not fuffer his Son to keep up any acquaintance with theUngodly. And now let our Adverfaries prove Prayers for the Dead from these words of Tobit, if they can.

I might add, that the Book is not Canonical; but I fhall not infift upon that, becaufe the Argument is fo very eafily answered without entring upon another Controverfy.

2. Our Savior fays, Make to your felves friends of the Mammon of unrighteoufnefs; that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations, Luke 16. 9. By failing, fay our Adverfaries, we are to understand Dying; and by friends we are to understand the Saints that reign with Chrift: from whence it follows, that the Dead are helped by the Prayers of the Saints. But the Text implies nothing of this Nature. The moft that can be concluded from it, even granting our Adverfaries Interpretation of it, amounts only to this; viz. Make the Saints your Friends, by giving Alms of the Mammon of unrighteoufnefs; that when ye die, the Friends you have made, viz. the Saints in Heaven, may receive you into everlasting habitations, And is not this an excellent Proof of Prayers for the Dead? Will our Adverfaries argue thus: The Saints Shall receive charitable Perfons into Heaven, when they die; and therefore thofe that are alive must pray for fuck Dead Perfons, as are suppos'd to be, not in Heaven, but in Purgatory?

But

But the true meaning of our Savior's words is barely this; that Men ought to give the Mam. mon of unrighteousness, or money unjustly gotten, to the Poor, whom God has made the receivers of fuch. ill-gotten goods as cannot be reftor'd to the right owners; that when they fhall depart this life, they may be happy in the next. But he speaks not a fyllable of the Saints Praying for the Dead; much lefs do's he say, that they do pray for the delivery of fuch Souls as are fuppos'd to be in torments.

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3. St. Paul faies, If the Dead rife not at all, why are they then Baptized for the Dead? 1 Cor. 15. 29. that is, fay our Adverfaries, why are they then afflicted with many fevere penances, and forced to make many Prayers for the Dead? For we are told that being Baptiz'd do's often fignify being afflicted. But will our Adverfaries fay also, that being baptiz'd do's often fignify Praying? If not; why then do they fay, that being baptiz'd for the dead muft fignify praying for the Dead? But I fhall not trouble my felf to confute this abfurd Notion.

This Text, I confefs, is generally thought ob fcure; and our Adverfaries feem refolv'd to prove what they pleafe, whenever they find a Text which they cannot explain. But whatever be the meaning of it, 'tis manifeft, that it cannot import any Prayers or penance for the Souls in Purgatory. Because the Apoftle is now proving the truth of the Refurrection; whereas, if being Baptiz'd for the Dead fignifies enduring penance or Saying Prayers for the Souls in Purgatory, his argument is impertinent and unconclufive. For what Apoftle wou'd argue thus, fome Perfons do endure penance and fay Prayers for the Souls in Purgatory, and therefore they believe that we shall all rife again at the last day? Perhaps this may be call'd-reafoning by our Adverfaries;

S 2

but

Part II. but I am perfuaded, St. Paul wou'd never have us'd it.

Now there are feveral other explications of these words, each of which makes the Apoftle's argument very strong; and confequently makes the explication of our Adverfaries utterly needlefs. Some think, that is expor fignifies for the Dead Jefus; others for the Refurrection of the Dead; 0thers because of the Dead; others upon the Dead, that is, the Places or Tombs, where the dead Men's bodies lie; and others have entertain'd ftill different opinions concerning the Senfe of these words. Let us therefore try thefe expofitions, and fuppose our Apostle arguing from any one of them. 1. If the dead rife not at all, why are they then Baptiz'd for (or becaufe of) the dead Jefus? Why do Men receive Baptifm in the Name of Chrift, and profefs his Religion, and hope to be fav'd by it, if there be no Refurrection of the dead? 2. If the dead rife not at all, why are they then Baptiz'd for the Refurrection of the dead? Why do Men pretend at their Baptifm to believe the Refurrection of the Dead; if there be no Resurrection of the dead at all? 3. If the Dead rife not at all, why are they then Baptized because of the Dead? Why do's the example of thofe Martyrs, who are dead, prevail upon Men to become Chriftians, and be afflicted in this Life, and expofe themselves to the fame torments; if there be no Refurrection of the Dead, at the time of which they may be rewarded for all their Labours? 4. If the dead rife not at all, why are they then Baptiz'd upon the Tombs of the Dead? What fools are thofe that are Bap¬ tiz'd over the Tombs of Martyrs, that they may thereby do honour to the memory of fuch as laid down their Lives in expectation of a bleffed Re

furrection;