Page:Delineation of Roman Catholicism.djvu/392

 384 Scripture, u Petms a Sore, Perienius, Bullonsar, Petms Pichere!lus, Barns,** &c., who have expressly denied the doctrine itself, and confuted the pretended reasons which are brought for its support. We acknow- ledge, however, that these opinions are not genera], and those who hold them, or would hold them, as Roman Catholics, could not be tole- raied by their church, which takes care _tb the im'#oLr of those who would renounce their sentiments are secured, if silence cannot be ira. posed on their pes and tongues.' 4. A few words may here be added respecting.the doctrine of the (}reek Church on purgatory. The Eomanists affirm thai their doctrine is the same with that of the Latins, than which nothing is more incor- rect. It is to be acknowledged, however, that at the Council of Flo- rence dertain opinions respecting purgatory were imposed on the Greeks, as the doctrine of their church on this topic. But thai the (}reek Church do not believe in the popish purgatory the followin reasons will show: 1. The Greek Church always dissented from the Church of Rome on this point, ever since the latter abandoned the doc- trine of the ancient church on this matter, and adopted their novel docu'ine of purgatory. 2. At the Council of Basil the Greeks made their Apology in oplosition to purgatory. 8. Though ai the Council of Florence the doctnne is imposed upon them, those who were there were divided about receiving it; they were pressed into it by their ne- cessities, and the influence of Pope Eugenius; they never gave their full consent to the doctrine; they protested against having their half consent put into the instrument of union; they were consained even to this by the influence of their chiefs, who were bribed by the pope; when they returned to Greece they were reprimanded for their inconstancy. 4. The Greek Church never acknowledged this doctrine, and broke up the union, the articles of which recognized purgatory. These things are so well known, that they need no particular dis- cussion.'l' It may not, however, be improper to give some exlracta from the Apology of the Greeks to the Council of Basil, held from 1431 to 1443. They say, "We own no purgatory fire, nor any temporary punishment by fire which shall have an end; for we received no such thing by tradition, nor doth the eastern church confess it." And aPterward they say, "We ny that any souls pass through this life to eternal fire; for in saying so we should weaken the consent of' the whole church: and it is to be feared, if we would assert such a temporary- fire, that people would be apt to believe that all the fire in the othe life were-onlr emporary, by which means they would fall into such neglect and carelessness, that they would make more fuel for eternal fire." Their Apology ends as follows: "For these causes the doctrine pro- posed, of a purgatory fire, is to be cast out of the church, as thai which tends to slacken the endearours of the diligent, and which hinders them from doing their urnost to purge themselves in this life since another purl'aion is expected after it." The Greeks, indeed, do not believe See S 'ullinffleet's Grounds, peri iii, clmp. 4, Grounds, pert ii, chap. 4, pqe 3. 1

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