A replie to Iesuit Fishers answere to certain questions propou[n]ded by his most gratious Matie: King Iames By Francis White D: of Div· deane of Carlile, chaplaine to his Matie. Hereunto is annexed, a conference of the right: R:B: of St Dauids wth the same Iesuit*

IESVIT.

Wherefore Saints pray for vs, that God would forgiue vs our sinnes, grant vs fauours that helpe vs towards eternall life, not for their merits, but for the merits of Christ. And when the Fathers in their Prayers alledge vn∣to [ D] God the merits of Saints, this is because their merits make them gracious in Gods sight, and worthie that the graces they craue for vs, be granted vnto vs; not by the application of their merits, but onely through the application of the me∣rits of Christ. Put case that a Prince should ransome a great multitude of his subiects taken prisoners, and held in miserable thraldome, paying for them a sufficient and abun∣dant ransome, yet so that none should haue the fruit of that [ E] Redemption, but those whom the King should singularly chuse and make worthie of that fauour. Suppose that some Noble man in the Court (whom his merits made gracious with the King) should by his intercedings obtaine, that the

benefit of that ransome should bee extended to some one [ A] whom hee particularly affects: surely this Captiue should be redeemed and deliuered, through the ransome paid by the King, not by the merits of the Noble man interceding for him, whose merits concurred thereunto onely remotely, and afarre off. To apply this similitude, Christ Iesus hath paid an abundant price for mans Redemption, yet none inioy the benefit thereof, but they to whom by especiall grace he apply∣eth the same. Sinners beseech him by the merits of Saints, [ B] that made them gracious in his sight, that he will vouchsafe to apply the merit of his Passion vnto them, for the obtai∣ning of fanours conducing vnto eternall life; Christ grants their Petition and request, and thereupon applies his merits vnto them. These men cannot be properly said to be saued through the merits of Saints, but only through the merits of Christ, specially because euen the merits of Saints that con∣curred thereunto, proceed originally from the merits of [ C] Christ.