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Subsections
Works Against Bellarmine: Purgatory
Prayer for the Dead
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Order of Contents
Purgatory 6+
Limbo: Fathers 3
Limbo: Infants 4
Indulgences 4
Roman Jubilees 2
Latin 4
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On Purgatory
See also ‘Sins Forgiven After Death?’ and ‘Reformed vs. Aquinas: Purgatory’.
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Articles
1500’s
Zwingli, Ulrich – Commentary on True & False Religion eds. Jackson & Heller (1525; Labyrinth Press, 1981)
‘Purgatory’, pp. 283-93
‘Purgatory’ in II. ‘Reply to Emser’, pp. 394-98
Calvin, John – 5. ‘Of the Modes of Supplementing Satisfactions, viz., Indulgences & Purgatory’ in Institutes of the Christian Religion tr. Henry Beveridge (1559; Edinburgh: Calvin Translation Society, 1845), vol. 2, bk. 3, pp. 235-52
Bullinger, Henry – 8. ‘Of Purgatory & Prayers for the Dead’ in Questions of Religion Cast Abroad in Helvetia [Switzerland] by the Adversaries of the Same, & Answered… tr. John Coxe (1560; London, 1572), pp. 75-83
Vermigli, Peter Martyr – ‘Of Purgatory, the Papistical Fire’ in ch. 9, ‘Of the Works of Supererogation, & Imagined Perfection of the Papists’ in The Common Places… (d. 1562; London: Henrie Denham et al., 1583), pt. 3, pp. 232-45
de Brès, Guy – ‘Of Purgatory’ in The Staff of Christian Faith… for to Know the Antiquity of our Holy Faith… gathered out of the Works of the Ancient Doctors of the Church… (London, 1577), pp. 147-74
de Bres (1522-1567) was a Walloon pastor, Protestant reformer and theologian, a student of Calvin and Beza in Geneva.
Viret, Pierre
A Christian Instruction… (d. 1571; London: Veale, 1573), The Sum of the Principal Points of the Christian Faith
18. Of the Virtue of the Death & Passion of Jesus Christ, and of the true purgatory of the Christians 17-18
19. Of the Purgatory & Satisfaction of the Papists 18-19
The Christian Disputations… Dialogue-wise tr. John Brooke (d. 1571; London: East, 1579)
Dialogue 1, ‘The Alchemy of Purgatory’ 21-60 Index
Dialogue 4, ‘The Age of the Mass & of Purgatory’ 174-99 Index
Dialogue 6, ‘’They Rest in Peace’, of Purgatory’ 261-301 Index
Perkins, William – 17. Of Purgatory in A Reformed Catholic… ([Cambridge] 1598)
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1600’s
Rivet, Andrew – 39. ‘On Purgatory & Indulgences’ in Synopsis of a Purer Theology: Latin Text & English Translation Buy (1625; Brill, 2016), vol. 2, pp. 498-558
Voet, Gisbert – ‘On the Purgatory of the Papists’ tr. by AI by Onku in Select Theological Disputations (Utrecht, 1655), vol. 2, pp. 1240-48 Latin
Ussher, James – ch. 6, ‘Of Purgatory’ of Answer to a Jesuit & other Tracts on Popery (Cambridge, 1835), pp. 150-68
In the context against Romanism, Ussher surveys the Early Church and demonstrates that the doctrine of a middle-Purgatory between Heaven and hell was a later invention of Romanism.
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1700’s
à Brakel, Wilhelmus – ‘Purgatory is a Human Invention’ in ch. 100, ‘Concerning Death & the State of the Soul After Death’ in The Christian’s Reasonable Service, vol. 4 ed. Joel Beeke, tr. Bartel Elshout Buy (1700; RHB, 1992/1999), pp. 322-27
a Brakel (1635-1711) was a contemporary of Voet and Witsius and a major representative of the Dutch Further Reformation.
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On the Limbo of the Fathers
See also, ‘OT Saints went Directly to Heaven upon Death’ and ‘Reformed vs. Aquinas: Limbos’.
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Articles
1500’s
Viret, Pierre – pp. 219 & 223-27 in Dialogue 5, ‘The Hells’ in The Christian Disputations… Dialogue-wise tr. John Brooke (d. 1571; London: East, 1579), pp. 210-60 Index
Olevian, Caspar – An Exposition of the Apostle’s Creed (London, 1581), pt. 2, ’He descended into hell’
Olevian (1536–1587) was a significant German reformed theologian, and has been said to be a co-author of the Heidelberg Catechism along with Zacharias Ursinus (though this has been questioned).
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1600’s
Willet, Andrew – Synopsis Papismi
Turretin, Francis – question 11, ‘Whether the souls of the fathers of the Old Testament were immediately received into heaven after death or were cast into limbo. The former we affirm; the latter we deny against the papists’ in Institutes, ed. James Dennison Jr. (P&R), 12th Topic, ‘The Covenant of Grace’, pp. 257-62
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Latin Article
1600’s
Voet, Gisbert – 3. On the Limbos (of the Fathers & of Infants) in Syllabus of Theological Problems (Utrecht, 1643), pt. 1, section 2, tract 6 Abbr.
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On the Limbo of Infants
See also ‘Reformed vs. Aquinas: Limbos’.
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Order of
Articles 2
Quote 1
Latin 1
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Articles
1500’s
Viret, Pierre – pp. 219 & 223-27 in Dialogue 5, ‘The Hells’ in The Christian Disputations… Dialogue-wise tr. John Brooke (d. 1571; London: East, 1579), pp. 210-60 Index
Willet, Andrew – Synopsis Papismi
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Quote
1700’s
Barthold Holtzfus
‘Theological Dissertation on Sin & its Distinctions’ (Frankfurt: Schwartz, 1712), ch. 2, ‘On Original Sin’, pp. 16-18 Holtzfus was a German reformed theologian, and a hypothetical universalist respecting the atonement.
Ҥ45. Concerning infants who die without baptism, in what place or state they are and will be, various opinions are fostered. We think it is not to be doubted that the infants of Christians are comprehended in the covenant of God and pertain to the Church. Wherefore the apostle in 1 Cor. 7:14 declares infants born of only one Christian parent to be holy, with a federal or ecclesiastical sanctity, since in the civil forum the infants of citizens pertain to the republic, and are capable and partakers of the rights of the republic, and are heirs of their paternal goods, and therefore can be saved, even if they are snatched away before receiving baptism.
§46. But as for what pertains to the infants of gentiles, there was someone who believed that the souls of such infants are reduced to nothing. “As for me,” he says, “I would gladly believe that those little souls are annihilated,” according to the testimony of Jaquelot in Examination of the Theology of Bayle, pt. 2, ch. 1, pp. 201-2.
Otherwise Gregory Nazianzen, Ambrose, and the author of the Questions attributed to Athanasius have dictated for these little ones a punishment not of destruction, but of exile, and not inclusion in Hell, but exclusion from heaven, and have taught that they are in a middle condition between reward and punishment, from which opinion Augustine himself did not initially abhor.
Vincentius Victor asserted that all infants are saved. Because, however, Pelagius came close to this opinion, and was said to have said: “Where they do not go, I know; where they do go, I know not,” (in Augustine, On Original Sin, ch. 21), Augustine therefore impugned it in bk. 2 of the Imperfect Work against Julian:
“You make two eternal felicities, one which is in the kingdom of God, the other which is outside the Kingdom of God,” (add Sermon 14, On the Words of the Apostle).
Although, however, Augustine happily destroyed the alien opinion, he with difficulty found what he himself might construct. For so he says in Epistle 28 to Jerome:
“When it comes to the punishments of little ones, believe me, I am tormented by great anxieties, nor do I find at all what to respond… Although I desire it, I ask it, I wish for it with ardent vows and expect that the Lord may take away my ignorance of this matter through you, yet if I am minimally deserving, I will ask for patience for myself from the Lord our God.”
Meanwhile, Augustine, Prosper, Fulgentius and the fathers exiled in Sardinia (the Anti-Pelagians), and Gregory, and also the Councils of Carthage and Milevis, stated that infants dying without baptism are to be punished with an infernal, but a most mild, penalty, in such a way, however, that their condition is better than if they had not been born. (Augustine, bk. 3, On Free Will, ch. 25 & bk. 5 in Julian, ch. 8; also Enchiridion, ch. 93). Gregory of Rimini, formerly General of the Augustinian Hermits, alone renewed their opinion, though it seemed harsher to others, whence he was called the “Tormenter of Infants.” Hence the Augustinians in the Council of Trent vehemently insisted that (on account of the reverence due to Augustine) Gregory of Rimini not be condemned, nor that that article, which they acknowledged to be false, be declared heretical.
§47. The common opinion of the Roman Church today is that infants dying without baptism suffer a punishment not of sense, but of loss, which Thomas proposed nervously in On Evil, quest. 5, art. 2:
“The penalty is proportioned to the fault, and therefore to actual mortal sin, in which is found an aversion from the incommunicable good and a conversion to a communicable good, is due a penalty of loss, namely the lack of the divine vision, corresponding to the aversion, and a penalty of sense, corresponding to the conversion.
But in original sin there is no conversion to the creature, but only an aversion from God, or something corresponding to aversion, namely the destitution of the soul of original justice; and therefore to original sin is not due a penalty of sense, but only a penalty of loss, namely the lack of the divine vision,” etc.
And they wish that these infants suffer this penalty of loss in the Limbo, as they call it, of Infants.
§48. The Protestants:
1. Agree that this stain is in itself meritorious of eternal death and damnable, but does not always actually damn.
2. They deny the Limbo of Infants. Some, however, agree with Augustine thus far, that they feel the infants of infidels are damned, from 1 Cor. 5:12-13.
[3.] Others believe that all infants are damned [as they did not reach, and were not ordained to salvation through actual faith].
[4.] Others, that judgment should not be precipitated, believe that all infants, even of infidels, are saved. Such are Zwingli in Declaration on Original Sin to Urbanus Rhegius, tome 2, Opera, p. 120; Franciscus Junius in Collation on Nature & Grace contra Puccius, Reason 18, p. 331; J. Bergius in Der Wille Gottes, ch. 19, §1, 5, ff., pp. 213-25; G. J. Vossius in History of Pelagianism, bk. 2, pt. 2, th. 4 & pt. 3, th. 4; Ludovicus Crocius in Twelve Dissertations, VI, §3, ff., pp. 282-85, and also Dissertation XI, §53, pp. 685-86; Daille in Apology for the Two Synods, pt. 3, pp. 464-67 & pt. 4, pp. 636-39; Jaquelot in Examination of the Theology of Bayle, pt. 2, §1, p. 201.
§49. We subscribe to the benign judgment of these on account of reasons sought:
(1) From the Covenant of Grace, initiated with the repenting first parents (Gen. 3:15-16) and with Noah and Abraham (Gen. 18:18; 22:18; 28:14). Of which covenant are ordinarily those who have proceeded from covenanted parents, whether immediately, i.e., from a father and mother, or either one; or mediately, i.e., from covenanted ancestors, although with an interrupted continuation, as God says He will exercise mercy unto a thousand generations (Ex. 20:6).
(2) From the philanthropy of God and the universal ransom of Christ, by which the fault and guilt of Adam was expiated, and access to the celestial kingdom was opened to all, from which none are excluded except the voluntarily unbelieving, as is established from Rom. 5:15, 17-19, 21.
(3) Because no one is obligated to the impossible, which agrees with the words of Christ in Jn. 15:22, 24, “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin,” etc.
(4) Because not the privation, but the contempt of a sacrament damns; otherwise God would not have restricted circumcision to the eighth day.
(5) Because in the places on the Final Judgment, evitable sins are brought forth as the cause of damnation, as in Mt. 25:41 ff.; Jn. 3:17, 19; 5:29; 2 Cor. 5:10.”
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Latin Article
1600’s
Voet, Gisbert – 3. On the Limbos (of the Fathers & of Infants) in Syllabus of Theological Problems (Utrecht, 1643), pt. 1, section 2, tract 6 Abbr.
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On Indulgences
See also Reformed vs. Aquinas: Indulgences and Works Against Bellarmine: Indulgences.
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Articles
1500’s
Luther, Martin – Theses 20-91 of 95 Theses (1517)
Calvin, John – 5. ‘Of the Modes of Supplementing Satisfactions, viz., Indulgences & Purgatory’ in Institutes of the Christian Religion tr. Henry Beveridge (1559; Edinburgh: Calvin Translation Society, 1845), vol. 2, bk. 3, pp. 235-52
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1600’s
Rivet, Andrew – 39. ‘On Purgatory & Indulgences’ in Synopsis of a Purer Theology: Latin Text & English Translation Buy (1625; Brill, 2016), vol. 2, pp. 498-558
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Latin Articles
1600’s
Voet, Gisbert
Voet, Gisbert – 2. Of Human Satisfactions (with many absurd questions, including about Purgatory, Intercessions for the Dead, Indulgences, Release from Purgatory, Vows, Things Vowed & Pilgrimages) in Syllabus of Theological Problems (Utrecht, 1643), pt. 1, section 2, tract 3 Abbr.
Select Theological Disputations (Utrecht: Waesberg, 1655), vol. 2
19. ‘Of Indulgences’, pp. 286-91
20. ‘Of the Same’, pt. 2, pp. 291-304
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On Roman Jubilees, Releasing Souls from Purgatory
Latin Articles
1600’s
Voet, Gisbert
Voet, Gisbert – 2. Of Human Satisfactions (with many absurd questions, including about Purgatory, Intercessions for the Dead, Indulgences, Release from Purgatory, Vows, Things Vowed & Pilgrimages) in Syllabus of Theological Problems (Utrecht, 1643), pt. 1, section 2, tract 3 Abbr.
vol. 3
98. On the Jubilee [of Romanism] 1354
99. Short Appendix: Jesuit Jubilee 1381
vol. 5
A Historical-Theological Question on the Trajan’s Soul having been Liberated from Hell [Inferno] 538
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Latin
1600’s
Voet, Gisbert – Syllabus of Theological Problems (Utrecht, 1643), pt. 1, section 2 Abbr.
tract 3, 2. Of Human Satisfactions (with many absurd questions, including about Purgatory, Intercessions for the Dead, Indulgences, Release from Purgatory, Vows, Things Vowed & Pilgrimages)
tract 6
4. Of Purgatory (On its Essence & Nature, Site & Place, Punishments, Duration, Relaxation of Punishment, Liberation out of, its Torturers & of the Condition of the Souls in it)
Appendices:
(1) Of the Repose, Refreshment & Sight of Blessed Souls
(2) Whether there be a Passage through Fire Burning to the Last Day?
77. ‘Of the Purgatory of the Papists’ in Select Theological Disputations (Utrecht: Waesberg, 1655), vol. 2, pp. 1240-48
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