Treatise Roman Catechism With Reply
| Author | John Wesley |
|---|---|
| Type | treatise |
| Year | None |
| Passage ID | jw-treatise-roman-catechism-with-reply-015 |
| Words | 379 |
They are not agreed in the nature and condition of the
place: For the Catechism saith, “They were sustained by
hope, and were without any sense of grief.” (N. 3.) And
presently, that, “although they were without other sense
of grief, yet, being kept in suspense, they were tormented with
the hope of that blessed glory which they did expect.” (N. 4.)
REPLY. But the Scripture tells us, that the state where
Abraham was, was not only a state of rest, but also of comfort. (Luke xvi. 25.)
Q. 27. How and when were they delivered thence? A. They were delivered by Christ at his descent into hell;
(Catech. Rom, ibid., n.5, 6;) so that ever since that place
remains empty. (Bellarm. de Purg., l. 2, c. 6, sec. Octava est.)
REPLY. The Scripture says not one word of this. Q. 28. What use do they make of this doctrine? A. Hereby they give a reason why there is neither precept
nor example in the Old Testament for the invocation of saints
departed, (Bellarm. de Sanct. Beat., l. 1, c. 19, sec. Item
Exod,) because they were, for their punishment, enclosed in
this place, and were there held bound by the devils, till delivered
by Christ. (Catech. Rom, ibid., n. 5.) And so the people of
those times only prayed to God; and did not use to say,
“Holy Abraham, pray for me.” (Bellarm, ibid.)
REPLY. There is neither precept nor example for the invo
cation of saints in the New Testament; and if that be a reason
for a limbus before Christ, it may be a reason for a limbus
still; and they may as well exclude the saints from heaven
now as then, if there be no more for their invocation in the
New Testament than was in the Old. Thus Salmero, a
learned disputant in the Council of Trent: “Invocations
of saints have no express ground in all the Scriptures.”
(Ad 1 Tim. 2, Disp. 7, sec. Sed cum autem et nec obstat.)
QUESTION 29. Of what doth the service in the Roman
Church consist? ANswer. It consists of prayers and hymns offered to God,
angels, and saints; of lessons taken out of the Scriptures,
and legends; and of profession of faith in the creeds. REPLY.