plainly deliver'd. And this is done by understanding it in that Sense, upon which the foregoing Paraphrafe is built.

However, 'tis impoffible for our Adverfaries to prove, that the Particle is not, or cannot be us'd thus in this place, and confequently my Paraphrafe cannot be difprov'd. So that, tho' these words may, feem to favor their Doctrine, if understood in their Senfe ; yet they cannot fhew, that their Senfe is certainly tight, because it cannot be prov'd that the other is wrong. But,

Secondly, Suppofe that Judas did pray, not be cause of, but for the benefit of the Dead; yet it will not prove what our Adverfaries mean by Prayers for the Dead. For they suppose, 1. That the dead Perfons whom they pray for, did not die in moft grievous fins, without having repented of them. 2. That they are in a state of Mifery, from whence they fhall certainly be deliver'd at the laft day, whether they be pray'd for, or no. Whereas, if Judas pray'd for the benefit of the Dead, they were fuch dead Perfons, as died even in the fin of Idolatry,without any the leaft mark of Repentance. And befides, he must be fuppos'd to have pray'd for them, that they (who must otherwife have been eternally damn'd) might have a bleffed Refurrection amongst the Juft, the fin they had committed being forgiven them for the fake of his Sin-offering.

Now this is utterly inconfiftent with the Opinion of our Adverfaries. For (not to infift upon their not fhewing any tokens of Repentance) I argue thus; Either they did repent in their very laft Minutes, or they did not. If they did not repent; then they went directly to Hell, according to our Adverfaries; and all the Prayers and Sacrifices that cou'd be offer'd, were not able to redeem them from thence.

thence. But if they did repent; then were they fure of being happy, and numbred amongst the Juft at the day of Judgment; fo that they wou'd obtain a bleffed Refurrection, whether Judas had facrific'd, or no.

Now 'tis plain, that if Judas facrific'd for their advantage, it was to obtain a joyful Refurrection for them; For, as the Hiftorian argues, if he bad not hoped, that they that were flain Should have risen again, it had been fuperfluous and vain to pray for the dead, verf. 44. So that his praying for the dead being fuppos'd not fuperfluous and vain, he obtain'd (not a bare Refurrection, for that all Men must have; but) a Joyful Refurrection for them. Now if Judas obtain'd a Joyful Refurrection for them, then they wou'd not have had a Joyful Refurrection without his Sacrifice; and confequently, they were not fuch Perfons as were fure of a Joyful Refurrection, whether he facrific'd or no. Befides, Judas did not pray for their delivery out of prefent torments, which is the Practice of our Adverfaries; but only that they might be happy at the Day of Judgment: whereas all that our Adverfaries pray for, are fure of being happy all that time; and confequently, Judas his Sacrifice was ftill fuperfluous and vain, unless he pray'd for a Joyful Refurrection.

Thus then it appears, that if Judas pray'd for the benefit of any dead Perfons, it was for fuch as wou'd otherwise have rifen to the refurrection of damnation: and I leave our Adverfaries to confider, whether fuch a Prayer be justifiable, or no. We that deny the Authority of this Book, can easily rid our felves of this Difficulty; but those that think it Canonical, are oblig'd to unfold it.

Now fince by fuppofing that Judas pray'd for

the

Part II. the benefit of the Dead, it must be also fuppos'd, that those who are doomed to eternal Miferies, may be refcued from damnation; 'tis plain, that our Adverfaries, who deny that fuch Perfons may be refcued, must allow that Judas pray'd or facrific'd because of the Dead. And if Judas pray'd because of the Dead, then the former Paraphrafe is a true Expofition of this controverted Paffage; and confequently, that Argument which our Adverfaries draw from it, is fully anfwer'd upon their own Principles.

Thus then I have examined and confuted thofe Reasons upon which our Adverfaries build their Doctrine of the Usefulness of Prayers for the Dead; and therefore, I think, I may juftly affirm, that this Doctrine, which they impofe as neceffary to Salvation, is vain and groundless.

I fhall conclude what I have faid concerning Satisfaction, Purgatory, and Prayers for the Dead, with one Obfervation; viz. That fince the Scriptures are filent in these Matters, 'tis not only reasonable for us to reject fuch Doctrines, but we are virtually commanded fo to do. For if the Apostles had known of any fuch Torments, which must be endur'd or fatisfy'd for; they have moft certainly been wanting to their Duty, because they have not inform'd us of them, that we might know what to expect, and make provision for our felves; that by enduring a little Penance in this World, we might be fecured from the dreadful Torments of the other. But furely we dare not charge the Apoftles with Negligence; and therefore, fince they have told us only of two ftates, viz. Heaven and Hell; we are obliged to believe that there are no more: and confequently, we are commanded to reject the groundlefs Fanfies of our Adverfaries.

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IS plain from the 16th and 24th Articles of the Popish Creed, that every Member of the Church of Rome is obliged upon pain of damnation to believe what the Council of Trent has Decreed concerning fuftification. Now of the Trent, Decrees concerning Juftification (a) this is one, If any Man fhall fay, that the good works of a juftify'd Perfon are the gifts of God in fuch a manner, that they are not alfo the justify'd Perfon's Merits; or that the justify'd Perfon does not truly deferve increafe of Grace, eternal Life, and (upon condition that he die in the Grace of God) the obtaining of eternal Life, and also an increase of Glory, by thofe good works which he do's by the Grace of God and the Merit of Jefus Chrift, of whom he is a living Member; Let him be accurfed. 'Tis plain therefore, that every Papift is obliged to believe the truth. of this Decree.

Now we may obferve in this Decree, 1. That the good Works here fpoken of are the good Works of a Juftify'd Perfon. 2. That the good

(a) Siquis dixerit hominis juftificati bona opera ita effe dona Dei, ut non fint etiam bona ipfius juftificati Merita; aut ipfum juftificatum bonis operibus, quæ ab eo per Dei gratiam & Jefu Chrifti Meritum, cujus vivum Membrum eft, fiunt, non vere mereri augmentum gratiæ, vitam æternam, & ipfius vitæ æter næ (fi tamen in gratia decefferit) confecutionem, atque etiam glorie augmentum; Anathema fit. Concil. Trident. Seff. 6. Can. 32.

Works

Works of a Juftify'd Perfon are faid to be the gifts of God. The queftion therefore is, whether the good Works of a Juftify'd Perfon, which are confefs'd to be the gifts of God, can properly be called Merits, or truly deferve increase of Grace, and eternal Life; or no. And this point may foon be determined, if we mark the difference be tween meriting in a proper, and in a figurative Sense.

That Thing or Perfon may be faid properly to Merit, or truly and really to deferve,the Merit or Defert of which arifes from it's own intrinfic worth: but that thing or Perfon, the Merit or Defert of which arifes, not from it's own intrinfic worth, but from fome other confideration, do's Merit or deferve only in a figurative Senfe. Thus for inftance, when a Subject has won many battels, or fav'd his Princes Life, or fecur'd the Goverment by prudent Counfels, or performed any other signal fervice; he do's properly Merit or truly deferve a reward at the hands of his Prince: because his actions have an intrinfic worth in them, from whence his Merit or Defert arifes. But if that fubject fhall not accept any reward for himfelf, but recommend a Friend to his Princes favor, and defire that the Perfon fo recommended by him may receive what is due for his Valor, Faithfulness or Counfel; or if that fubject fhall beg the life of a Criminal, earnestly requesting that what he has done for his Countries good may obtain a pardon for the condemned Perfon, upon condition that the condemned Per fon fhall ask pardon upon his knees: in either of thefe cafes the Friend or the Criminal may be faid to deserve the reward or his life in a figu rative Sense. Becaufe his Merit or Defert do's. not arise from his own intrinfic worth, but from,

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