The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

VI. Purgatory Errors Stem From Paganism, Not Scripture

1. PLATONIC PAGANISM SOURCE OF PURGATORY DOGMA

The learned Sir Samuel Morland, appointed historian of the Waldenses by Oliver Cromwell, made an exhaustive study of their original sources and, in 1658, published his findings in his monumental History of the Evangelical Churches of the valleys of the Piedmont, which was based on “authentic attestations.” ³⁴ It was an official report to the British nation. In the Introduction Morland traces the pagan, Platonic origin of various of the papal dogmas. When he comes to Purgatory, and “Services for the dead,” he gives the source as specifically from the “Heathens of old,” adopted and transmitted by th Papacy, but denied by the Waldenses. Addressing Roman Catholics, he asks, and answers, pointedly: CFF2 30.2

“From whence have you received the Doctrine of Purgatory, if not from the same [“pagan”] Source and Fountain? Plato in his Dialogue of the soul intituled Phadon, speaks plainly in this point ....” CFF2 31.1

“It is more then clear that the Heathens were the first that kindled the fire of Purgatory in the world; And the truth is, Bellarmine himself confesses so much, when he proves the Doctrine of Purgatory from the testimony of Plato, Cicero, and Virgil. CFF2 31.2

“If we do but consider a little your Prayers and Services for the dead, we shall finde that you are as much beholding to the Heathen for them, as any of the former.” ³⁵ CFF2 31.3

2. “YOUTH CATECHISM”: PURGATORY AGAINST “COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.”

In “The Ancient Discipline of the Evangelical Churches in the Valleys of Piemont”—in existence in the twelfth century, but according to Morland “written in their own Language several hundreds of Years before either Calvin or Luther”—Article IV of the “Catechism of the ancient Waldenses for the Instructing of their Youth,” begins as follows: CFF2 31.4

“The Minister. If one should demand Of you, who are you, what would you answer? CFF2 31.5

“Childe. A Creature of God, reasonable, and mortal.” ³⁶ CFF2 31.6

In touching upon the departures, or “seductions,” introduced by Antichrist, including Purgatory, which were “forged and contrived” in response to a question concerning that which has been substituted for the true faith and hope, the answer reads: CFF2 31.7

“The seduction of Antichrist to believe in other things beside Christ, that is to say, in Saints, in the power of that Antichrist, in his authority, words, and benedictions, in Sacraments, Reliques of the Dead, in Purgatory, which is but forged and contrived, in teaching that faith is obtained by those ways which oppose themselves to the truth, and are against the Commandments of God .... CFF2 31.8

“Forsaking the fountain of living water given by grace, and running to broken cisterns, worshipping, honouring, and serving the creature by Prayers, by Fastings, by Sacrifices, by Donations, by Offerings, by Pilgrimages, by Invocations, etc.” ³⁷ CFF2 31.9

The concluding question and answer in the series are: CFF2 31.10

“Min. Wherein consists eternal life?”
“Answ. In a living and operating faith, and in perseverance in the same. Our Saviour says John 17. This is life eternal to know thee the onely true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. And he that endures to the end shall be saved.” ³⁸ CFF2 32.1

3. “NOBLE LESSON”: REWARD AT DAY OF JUDGMENT

Also in the well-known Noble Lesson (a poem that epitomizes the Waldensian faith), for public reading, composed about 1100, ³⁹ and touching on contemporary times and the approaching “end of the world,” these sentences appear: CFF2 32.2

“No man living can know the end.
“And therefore we ought the more to fear, as not being certain,
“Whether we shall die to day or to morrow.
“But when the Day of judgment shall come,
“Every one shall receive their full Reward.” ⁴⁰ CFF2 32.3

Toward the close of the Lesson, after reference again to Antichrist, and the harbingers of the last days, the “Day of judgment,” and rewards and punishments following thereupon, these words occur: CFF2 32.4

“Many Signs and great Wonders
“Shall be from this time forward untill the Day of Judgment,
“The Heaven and the Earth shall burn, and all the Living die.
“After which all shall arise to everlasting Life.”
“And all Buildings shall be laid flat.”
“Then shall be the last judgment,
“When God shall separate his People, according as its written,
“To the wicked he shall say, Depart ye from me into Hell Fire, which shall never be quenched ....”
“He shall say to His Elect without delay;
“‘Come hither ye blessed of my Father,
“‘Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the World.’” ⁴¹ CFF2 32.5

4. “ANTICHRIST” TREATISE: NO SOULS IN PURGATORY

In the remarkable treatise, “Concerning Antichrist, Purgatory, Invocation of Saints, etc.,” already existent in 1120, Article II deals specifically with Catholicism’s “Purgatory Dream,” wherein it is claimed, by Antichrist, that souls are to “endure very sensible pains,” in order to be “throughly purged after this Life in Purgatory, and that being purged, they come forth thence, some sooner, some later, and others not till Doomes Day.” Then follows the significant statement: “And the people are grievously cheated and abused about the matter of their Souls.” ⁴² CFF2 32.6

Discussing the lack of any Scripture basis for Purgatory, and its “most sensible pains, being once departed their Bodies,” Article II continues: CFF2 33.1

“And as to the first part, viz. Scripture proofs, there is none at all to be found throughout the Bible for it; let us peruse the whole Law of God, we shall not meet with any one passage obliging or binding a Christian necessarily to believe, as an Article of Faith, that after this Life there should be such a place as Purgatory, as some aver. There is not one place in all the holy Scriptures, to shew it, neither can there be any evidence produced that ever there entered any one Soul in such a Purgatory, and came out again from thence.” ⁴³ CFF2 33.2

The Treatise declares that it was Pope Pelagius, in the sixth century, who instituted Masses for the dead. And it is to be noted that the noncanonical book of Maccabees is Catholicism’s only supporting reference, for “neither Christ, nor any of his Apostles, nor any of the Saints, next succeeding and living after them, ever taught any to pray for the Dead.” ⁴⁴ CFF2 33.3

5. “NOW IN HEAVEN” CONTENTION IS PAPAL INNOVATION

Article II, concerning “Invocation of Saints,” says that some of the “Masters and their adherents” claim that “the Saints departed, and being possest of the heavenly Countrey, ought to be prayed unto by us .... But we ought to believe no such matter.” ⁴⁵ The Article declares that there is only one true “Mediator [Jesus Christ] between God and Man.” ⁴⁶ Nor was this doctrine believed, the Article continues, “untill the Man of Sin got power to introduce this new Intercession of Saints.” ⁴⁷ CFF2 33.4

6. II MACCABEES CITED AS PAPAL GROUND FOR PURGATORY:

Denying that there is a “third place [Purgatory],” beyond Heaven and Hell, which belief was never held by the “Primitive church” until centuries had elapsed after Christ, the Treatise avers: “It is needless to believe the said Purgatory as an Article of Faith, and that there should be such a thing after this Life.” ⁴⁸ CFF2 34.1

Then comes this illuminating declaration of its Apocryphal and noncanonical origin of the related prayers for the dead: CFF2 34.2

“But whence is it then (one might wonder) that People now a days are so much taken with this opinion of assisting the Dead? seeing that in all the Scriptures there is nothing expressly taught concerning it, unless it be in the Book of Maccabees, which doth not belong to the Old Testament, nor is Canonical, and that neither Christ, nor any of his Apostles, nor any of the Saints, next succeeding and living after them, ever taught any to pray for the Dead.” ⁴⁹ CFF2 34.3

7. PAPAL INQUISITOR CONFIRMS WALDENSES’ REJECTION OF PURGATORY

Confirmation from the enemies of the Waldenses is also on record. In 1398 Peter the Inquisitor, in listing the “Errors” of the Waldenses, likewise declares that they deny Purgatory, and dismiss as useless, prayers and alms for the dead, together with indulgences. ⁵⁰ On the other hand, the later Waldensian barbe Georges Morel wrote a letter to Oecolampadius (1530) at the outset of the Reformation, similarly but independently declaring that they had ever asserted Purgatory to have been invented by Antichrist, contrary to truth, and they had therefore rejected it. ⁵¹ On this there was no devition throughout their long and eventful history. Thus the stage was set for the Protestant Reformation rejection. CFF2 34.4

Such was the explicit and repeated witness and protest of the medieval Waldensian Church against Purgatory and the invocation of saints, as expressly left on record in their own contemporary treatises, when such denials were bound to result in severe persecution. The great repudiation was already under way. It was inevitable that these related errors should come to issue in the great Protestant Reformation, when it broke forth early in the sixteenth century. CFF2 34.5

The Waldenses thus constituted an indispensable medieval link in the chain of witnesses concerning the soul, leading down to Wyclif, Luther, Tyndale, Frith, and those Reformers who followed. CFF2 35.1