Purgatory Surveyed

CONTENTS. Preface v Additional Note xi A Prefatory Address to the Catholic Reader xi THE FIRST SURVEY. Purgatory is laid open, with all the hellish pains with which the souls are tormented 1 Section 1. — Of the fire of Purgatory, and pain of sense Section 2. — Of the worm, and pain of loss 13 Section 3. — Other considerations, much aggravating these pains 25 Section 4. — How long the souls are detained in Purgatory 33 Section 5. — Whether their pains grow less and less 41 Section 6. — A notable example in confirmation of all the preceding doctrine 44 THE SECOND SURVEY. A glimpse of the Paradise of Purgatory, or of the ineffable joys and heavenly consolations of the souls there 47 Section 1. — How these excessive joys can be consistent with their unspeakable torments 48 Section 2. — Two grounds of their comforts; the double assurance they have of their salvation, and impeccability 52 Section 3. — More grounds of comfort, arising from their voluntarily suffering, their disinterested love of God, and exact conformity with His holy will 58 Section 4. — Another comfortable consideration, drawn from the desire they have to make themselves worthy of the sight of God 68 Section 5. — Their suffering without merit, and the free exercise of their virtues without impediment, are to them special motives of comfort 71 Section 6. — They joy in the continual decrease of their pains, and influence of pure heavenly consolations 76 THE THIRD SURVEY. That there is not in this world a more eminent or prudent act of fraternal charity, than to help the souls in Purgatory 81 Section 1. — The greatness of the charity to the souls in Purgatory is argued from the greatness of their pains and their helpless condition 84 Section 2. — Our charity for the souls departed is preferred before all other works of mercy 88 Section 3. — Of the great advantages we receive by this devotion for the souls departed 95 THE FOURTH SURVEY. Of the powerful means to quench the flames of Purgatory 106 Section 1. — What succour they receive from the Angels and Saints in heaven 107 Section 2. — Whether they are capable of being relieved by one another's prayers 111 Section 3. — That the dead may receive help from us that are living, and how we must be qualified to do them good 117 Section 4. — Of the particular ways we have to help them 123 Section 5. — Certain questions resolved, about the application and distribution of our suffrages 132 Section 6. — How dangerous it is to trust others with wbat concerns the sweet rest of our souls in the next world 138 Section 7. — Some motives, fetched even as far as the other world, to stir us up to be mindful of the dead 143. THE FIFTH SURVEY. How all antiquity was ever devoted to pray for the dead 153 Section 1. — Of the natural instinct of all nations to honour and comfort the dead 155 Section 2. — The constant practice of the Church in all ages, to pray for the dead 162 Section 3. — A continuation of the same subject, from the sixth age after Christ unto our days 168 THE SIXTH SURVEY. Of twelve excellent means to prevent Purgatory, or so to provide for ourselves, as not to make any long stay there 176 Section 1. — The first, Perfect Contrition 176 Section 2. — The second, to die in Religion 178 Section 3. — The third, to be an Apostolical Preacher 182 Section 4. — The fourth, to Serve the Infected 187 Section 5. — The fifth, a Tender Devotion to the Blessed Virgin 191 Section 6. — The sixth, an Humble Patience 195 Section 7. — The seventh, Devotion for the Souls in Purgatory 195 Section 8. — The eighth, to be a great Alms-giver 201 Section 9. — The ninth, Angelical Purity 205 Section 10. — The tenth, a Profound Humility 210 Section 11. — The eleventh, to Communicate well and often 212 Section 12. — The twelfth, a Faithful and Exact Obedience 217 THE CONCLUSION. Many curious and important questions are incidently resolved under this head 235 Digitized by Google. Reprint of the 1663 ed., Paris Description based on print version record Electronic reproduction Master and use copy. Digital master created according to Benchmark for Faithful Digital Reproductions of Monographs and Serials, Version 1. Digital Library Federation, December 2002 digitized Includes bibliographical references