A treatise of the sibyls so highly celebrated, as well by the antient heathens, as the holy fathers of the church : giving an accompt of the names, and number of the sibyls, of their qualities, the form and matter of their verses : as also of the books now extant under their names, and the errours crept into Christian religion, from the impostures contained therein, particularly, concerning the state of the just, and unjust after death / written originally by David Blondel ; Englished by J.D.

CHAP. XIX. Saint Epiphanius's seventh Motive Considered.

IN the last place, St. Epiphanius affirms, that, in his Time, Men prayed for the Saints, and the Just, whoever they were, upon this accompt, that there might be a distinction made between them, and our Saviour; who, in∣terceding for all, does not stand in need of any one's intercession: and to shew, that there ought not to be parallelled with him any of those, who were most recommendable for their Piety. Upon which last Hypothesis it may be said; that from most certain Principles, to wit, that we must be tender of the honour of Jesus Christ, and distinguish him from the men redeemed by him, and by no means suffer, that any one compare them to their Saviour; it draws a false Consequence, to wit, that we must pray for them. For, if it were admitted, it were also necessary to pray for the Faithfull, as well after their Resurrection, and the last Judgment, as before; since the honour proper to the Son of God, will be no less due after the Resurrection, then before, and that it will be, at all times, impiously done to take away the distinction there is between him, and men, for whom he died, and inter∣ceded, by making any one equal to him.

Thence it appears, how weak St. Epiphanius's Reason is, even from this; that it proves more, then he had proposed to himself; nay, more, then the Church of Rome at this day desires: the Church of Rome, I say; which hath not onely for the space of 1200. years past, left off Praying for the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Evangelists, Martyrs, &c. but would look on that kinde of Devotion as injurious, having grounded her proceed∣ing on this Discourse of St. Augustine, copied by Beda, upon the twelfth Chapter a to the Hebrews, and others. Habet Disciplina Ecclesi∣astica, &c. It is according to Ecclesiastical Discipline, as the Faithfull know; that, when [the Names of] the Martyrs are recited before the Altar of God, men pray not for them; but for all others, that are Commemora∣ted, Prayers are made. For it is an injury to pray for the Martyr, by whose Prayers we are to be recommended. And yet what (to use the Terms of this

Father) the Ecclesiastical Discipline of the Christians of Africk, Rome, and in a word, of all the West, thrust, as injurious, and ill-grounded, out of the both Publick, and Private Service; after they had quitted the Hypotheses of those, that had preceeded them, is continued in the Offices of many other Churches. Whence we read, in the Liturgie of the Arme∣nians, Da aeternam pacem omnibus, qui nos praecesserunt in fide Christi, San∣ctis Patribus, Patriarchis, Apostolis, Prophetis, Martyribus, &c. Give eter∣nal peace to the holy Fathers, Patriarchs, Apostles, Prophets, Martyrs, who have preceeded us in the Faith of Christ.

In that, which goes under the Name of Saint Mark, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. O Lord, our God, give rest unto the Souls of our Fathers, and Brethren, who are departed before us in the Faith of Christ; being mindfull of the first Fathers, who lived in the beginning of the World, the Fathers, Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessours, Bishops, Saints, Just men, the spirits of all those, that have had their accomplishment in the Faith of Christ, of whom we this day make Commemoration, as also of our holy Fa∣ther, the Apostle, and Evangelist St. Mark, who hath shewn us the way of Salvation.

In that of St. Chrysostome, though very much altered, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. We offer unto thee this reasonable service for those, who rest in Faith, our Ancestours, Fathers, Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Preachers, Evangelists, Martyrs, Confessours, continent persons, and every spi∣rit accomplished in Faith, especially for the absolutely-holy, undefiled, blessed above all things, our glorious Lady, the Mother of God, and ever Virgin, Mary.

In the Sacramentary of St. Gregory; Divina mysteria Sanctis tuis prosint ad gloriam, &c. Let the divine Mysteries be profitable to thy Saints for their glory.

We might finde as much in that, which St. Epiphanius had seen in use among the Christians of Cyprus, Palestine, Syria, and all the other Provinces; not excepting even Africk it self: if we had them at present, since that in the year 250. St. Cyprian in his 34^th Epistle, speaking of Celerina, Grand∣mother to Laurentinus, Uncle by the Father's side, and of Ignatius, Uncle by the Mother-side to Celerinus, Confessour, and Reader in the Church of Carthage, said, Palmas à Domino, & coronas illustri passione meruerunt; sacri∣ficia pro eis semper (ut meministis) offerimus, quoties Martyrum passiones, & dies, anniversariâ commemoratione celebramus, &c. They have, by their illustrious suf∣ferings, obtained of the Lord Palms, and Crowns. We dayly offer sacrifices for them (as you remember) as often, as we celebrate the Anniversaries of the Passions, and Days of the Martyrs. But they have been either abolished, or so altered; that they contain not any thing of what was in them before, of greatest consideration. And thence it is come to pass, that in those, who go under the name of St. James, St. Peter, St. Basil, and St. Gregory, we meet not with (as in the first) Prayers to God for the Saints, but Prayers to the Saints; the fear of making them equal with Jesus Christ being by degrees vanished, and experience forcing us to acknowledg, that all the imaginations of men, as well what are good, as what bad, pass away; but that Jesus Christ, alone, is, and shall be the same eternally; as St. Paul, to our comfort, gives us to observe in the 8^th Verse of the 13^th Chapter to the Hebrews.

Notes

• a

  De verbis Apost. Serm. 27.