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The fourth Canon.
In the daies of Origen, (who liued about the yeare of our Lord 233.) the first seede of the inuocation of Saintes began to be sowen.* 1.1 Which seed so sowen by Origen, was but a step or degree to popish inuocation. For besides that Origen onely taught this, that saintes in heauen doe pray for vs, and not that we on earth should pray to them; this his doctrine was not de∣finitiue and resolute, but doubtfull, opinatiue, and disputable. This Canon Origen himselfe hath deliuered to vs,* 1.2 whose ex∣presse words are these. Sed requiris qui sunt isti qui pugnant, & quae est illa pugna quam illi gerunt. Ego sic arbitror, quod omnes illi qui dormierunt ante nos patres, pugnent nobiscum, & adiuuent nos orationibus suis. Ita namque etiam quendam de se∣nioribus magistris audiui dicentem. But thou requirest who they are that fight, and what that battaile is, which they fight. I am of this opinion, that all the fathers which are before vs and are dead, doe fight with vs, and doe helpe vs with their praiers; for so I heard one of our old maisters say. Againe, in another place thus;* 1.3 Sed & omnes sancti qui de hac vita decesserunt, habentes adhuc charitatem erga eos qui in hoc mundo sunt, si dicantur curā gerere salutis eorum & iuuare eos precibus suis, atque in∣teruentu suo apud deum, non erit inconueniens. But also all saints which are departed hence, and haue still charitie towards them which are in this world, if wee say they haue care of their saluation, and help them with their praiers and intercession be∣fore God, it shal not be a thing inconuenient. Out of which say∣inges [ 1] of Origen I note first, that he speaketh only of the prai∣ers which saintes in heauen make for vs, and not one word of our praying to them. I note secondly, that to holde that the [ 2] saintes in heauen doe pray for vs, is not a constant position in Origens doctrine; but only an opinion and disputable question. I proue it, because he saith (arbitror, I think.) Again, because he saith; non erit inconueniens, it shal not be incōuenient. Third∣ly, because he saith (audiu•• ita dicentem; I heard one say so.)