under both kinds, and afterwards by the makers of it under both kinds, and by the laity only under the species of bread; such a custom as this ought to be accounted a law, which must not be rejected, or at pleasure changed, without the authority of the church. They who assert the contrary are to be driven away as heretics, and severely punished by the diocesans of the places, or their officials, or by the inquisitors of heretical pravity." The council of Florence has the following paragraph, in relation both to this and the eucharist: "The priest, speaking in the name of Christ, maketh this sacrament; for, by virtue of the very words themselves, the bread is changed into the body of Christ, and the substance of the wine into his blood: yet so that whole Christ is contained under the species of bread, and whole under the species of wine; also in every part of the consecrated host and consecrated wine, when a separation is made, there is whole Christ."* "Art. XIX. I do firmly believe, that there is a purgatory, and that the souls kept prisoners there do receive help by the suffrage of the faithful."† That the souls of the patriarchs and holy men, who departed this life before the crucifixion of * L'Abbe Council. tom. xiii. p. 537. Pope Pius's Creed. Christ, were kept as in prison, in an apartment of hell, without pain.-That Christ did really go into local hell, and delivered the captive souls out of this confinement.*-Some of the fathers assert, that our Saviour descended into hell, went thither specially, and delivered the souls of the fathers out of that mansion."+ Bellarmine says, "there is a purgatory after this life, where the souls of those that are not purged, nor have satisfied for their sins here, are to be purged, and give satisfaction, unless their time be shortened by the prayers, alms, and masses of the living."‡ The council of Trent says, that souls who die in a state of grace, but are not sufficiently purged from their sins, go first into purgatory, a place of torment, bordering near upon hell, from which their deliverance may be expedited by the suffrages, that is, prayers, alms, and masses, said and done by the faithful.§ "Souls are to continue in purgatory till they have made full satisfaction for their sins, and are thoroughly purged from them; and * Bellarmine de Christo, lib. iv. cap. 11, 12. + Rhem. Annot. on Luke xvi. 27. Bellarmine de Purgat. lib. ii. c. vi. § Conc. Trident. sess. xxv. whoever says that there is no debt of temporal punishment to be paid, either in this world or in purgatory, before they can be received into heaven, is accursed."* In fine, "the Catholic church, being instructed by the Holy Ghost, having always taught, pursuant to the holy scriptures, and the ancient tradition of the fathers, that there is a purgatory, and that the souls there detained are comforted by the suffrages of the faithful, especially by the acceptable sacrifice of the altar, the holy council commandeth bishops to take particular care that the faith and belief of the faithful, concerning purgatory, conformable to the holy doctrine handed down to us by holy fathers and holy councils, be believed, and every where so taught and preached."† "Art. XX. I do believe that the saints, reigning together with Christ, are to be invoked, and that they do offer prayers unto God for us, and that their relicks are to be had in veneration."+ In answer to this question,§"What is the Ca * Concil. Trident. sess. vi. can. xxx. + The decree of the council, at the opening of the 25th sess. Pope Pius's Creed, article xx. § Grounds of the Catholic Doctrine, p. 37-38. tholic doctrine, touching the veneration and invocation of saints?" The answer is, we are taught, 1st, "That there is an honour and veneration due to the angels and saints;2d, That they offer prayers to God for us ;3d, That it is good and profitable to invoke them, that is, to have recourse to their intercession and prayers;-4th, That their relicks are to be had in veneration." When the reason of it is asked, the answer is, "Because the church, in all ages, has paid this honour and veneration to the saints, by erecting churches and keeping holidays in their memory: a practice which the English Protestants have also retained." The church, says Bossuet, in his Exposition on the Creed, in telling us, that it is beneficial to pray to the saints, teaches us to pray to them in that spirit of charity, and according to that order of brotherly love, which inclines us to request the assistance of our brethren living upon earth; and the catechism of the council of Trent teaches us to beg of them to be our advocates, only using this phrase, Pray for us. And in vindication of this their sentiment and practice, they allege, that the church of England still retains this collect upon the day of St. Michael and All Angels: "O everlasting God, who has ordained and constituted the service of angels in a wonderful order, mercifully grant, that as thy holy angels always do thee service in heaven, so by thy appointment they may succour and defend us on earth.”* "Art. XXI. I do firmly believe, that the images of Christ, of the blessed Virgin, the mother of God, and of other saints, ought to be had and retained, and that due honour and veneration ought to be paid unto them." All the devotion paid to their saints extends no farther than to desire their prayers, and that the pictures and images of them, which we see in their churches, are no more than mere memorials, designed to express the esteem which they retain for the persons so represented, or as helps to raise their affections to heavenly things; every child amongst them knows this to be true.‡ "Art. XXII. I do affirm, that the power of indulgences was left by Christ in the church, and that the use of them is very beneficial to Christian people.§❞ * Plain and Rational Account of the Catholic Faith, p. 48. Book of Common Prayer. + Pope Pius's Creed, art. xxi. |