Augustine, Ambrose, and Jerome held nothing at all of purgatory. Gregory, being
in the nighttime deceived by a vision, taught something of purgatory, whereas
God openly commanded that we should search out and inquire nothing of spirits,
but of Moses and the prophets.
Therefore we
must not admit Gregory's opinion on this point; the day of the Lord will show
and declare the same, when it will be revealed by fire.
This sentence, "And their works do follow them,"
must not be understood of purgatory, but of the doctrine of good works, or of
godly and true Christians, and of heretics. Arius, the heretic, has had his
judgment; the fire of faith has declared it. For the last day will discover and
declare all things.
God has, in his Word, laid before us two ways;
one which by faith leads to salvation, - the other, by unbelief, to
damnation.
As for purgatory, no place in Scripture makes
mention thereof, neither must we any way allow it; for it darkens and
undervalues the grace, benefits, and merits of our blessed, sweet Saviour
Christ Jesus.
The bounds of purgatory extend not beyond this
world; for here in this life the upright, good, and godly Christians are well
and soundly scoured and purged.
