Purgatory and Prayers for the Dead
The doctrine of Purgatory and prayers for the dead, established from the books of Maccabees, which Reformers struck from the canon because they could not refute this teaching. Seeing no other escape and despairing of victory, they struck these books from the sacred canon.
Preface and Praise of Sacred Scripture
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I. The Old Testament Establishes Faith
— Maccabees most expressly establishes Purgatory and prayers for the dead; the Reformers struck these books from the canon out of fury and necessity.
"Who more expressly establishes Purgatory and prayers for the dead than the books of Maccabees? So much so that our Innovators, seeing no other escape, despairing of victory... struck them from the sacred canon"