CHAP. XVI.

1. THe next supposed Novelty is the Invocation of Saints departed: which says Doctor Pierce,* is no doubt an aged error, though not so aged as they would have it, (for the gaining of honor to the invention) because St. Augustin does deny it to have been in his dayes.

2. Though perhaps the Preacher may for some ends be unwilling, yet that other Pro∣testants may see the Innocence of the Church in this Point, and how free she is from any in∣tention of deterring any one from having ac∣cess in Prayer to our Lord immediately; or of diminishing the all-sufficient vertue of our Lords Merits and Intercession; or of i•ducing men to security by relying on the holynesse Page  179 and intercession of others, and neglecting the means of Salvation themselves, &c. (which are generally the grounds upon which Prote∣stants condemn this practise:) I will first set down the Churches Decision: And next, in or∣der to demonstrate the reasonablenesse of it, I will shew, for preventing such prejudices, what concessions are generally made by Ca∣tholics. Thirdly, I will confirm the Chur∣ches practise by the Testi•onies of the Primi∣tive times. And lastly, answer the Doctors on∣ly argument.

3. First, then touching the Churches Do∣ctrin, contained in the Council of Trent,* The Holy Synod commands all Bishops and others who sustain the Office and care of teaching, that, ac∣cording to the use of the Catholic and Apostolic Religion received from the primitive times, the consent of the Holy Fathers, and the •ecrees of the Sacred Councils▪ especially touching the intercession and invocation of Saints, &c. that they diligently instruct the Faithful, teaching them, that the Saints reigning together with Christ, do offer their Prayers to God for men, and that it is good and profitable hum•ly to invocate them, and to have recourse to their Prayers, help and assistance for the obtaining of benefits from God by his Son Iesus Christ our Lord, who alone is our Redeemer and Saviour. Let them like∣wise teach, that those who deny that the Saints, enjoying eternal felicity in Heaven, are to be in∣vocated; or who affirm either that they do not Page  180 pray for men, or that the invocating them to pray for us in particular also, is Idolatry, or that it is repugnant to Gods word and contrary to the honor of the one Mediator between God and Men Iesus Christ; or that it is a foolish thing to sup∣plicate with words or mind to them reigning in heaven [impie sentiunt] are impiously persuaded.

4. In the second place, in conformity to the doctrin of this Decree, Catholics believe and acknowledge. 1. That we have only one Me∣diator Iesus Christ, to whom only belongs the Merit that by it's just worth redeems us from eternal Death, and purchases for us eternal life: As likewise that as his Merits by satis∣faction, so also his Intercession is all-sufficient by way of impetration, to obtain all blessings for us. 2. Yet cannot it be deny'd but our Lords intercessi•n is not actually and absolutely beneficial to all, but that some Duties and qualifications on our part are necessary both that his Merits, and the benefits of his Inter∣cession should be effectually applyed unto us. 3. Among these Qualifications we are to rec∣kon not only our own Prayers for our selves, but mutual Prayers for one another: which therefore we may beg from one another, as St.* Paul himself did from the Ephesians,* Colos∣sians, &c. 4. Because the more holy any person is, the more effectual will his Interces∣sion be with God, therefore we may beg of known Saints their Prayers to God for us with greater hope of successe. 5. Such Page  181 begging of Prayers is farr from Idola∣try, Superstition or diminution to Christ's honor, since holy Persons (living or dead) are not invocated as Donors but Fellow-beg∣gers with God for us. 6. Though a Chri∣stian may be saved who prays to God alone, and requests not the prayers of others, yet to refuse the assistance of those, whose Prayers God more willingly hears, is a neg∣lect at least of using all means helpful to us. 7.* Neverthelesse we say with Saint Chryso∣stom, God will bestow salvation much rather on us praying for our selves, than for others▪ pray∣ing for us: And we are much more safe by our own Devotions (without others) then by others (alone:) And therefore we ought not to be slothful and secure, depending on other•s merits. For the prayers and supplications of Saints have indeed very great force with God in our behalf, but it is then truly when we with penance and humiliation beg the same thing also of God. And therefore saith the same Saint, Knowing these things,* let us neither neglectingly contemn the prayers of Saints, nor cast our selves wholly upon them.

5. Whatsoever hath been hitherto said, may indifferently be applied as well to Saints depart∣ed, as to Saints alive: If the Prayers to Saints de∣parted be prejudicial to the merits & interces∣sion of our Lord, so is the beging of the prayers of those alive: If one be unlawful, so is the o∣ther: nay, most certain it is, that if both be Page  182 lawful, the prayers of Saints departed will be incomparably more effectual, and therfore will better deserv to be made use of, than the other. Therefore, notwithstanding most of the Argu∣ments of Protestants against the Doctrin of the Church touching Invocation of Saints depart∣ed, do prove full as much against Prayer to the Living, and therefore are evidently un∣concluding: Yet those, who are most learned and sober, and will not wilfully mistake Ca∣tholic Doctrin, do free us from all imputation of Idolatry, superstition, or doing injury to Christ, and reduce the Controversie to a short point: For they question not whether the Saints pray in general for us, but rather wil∣lingly acknowledge it; yea they will not po∣sitively deny but they may and do pray perso∣nally for their former known acquaintance, as St. Augustin believ'd his Mother did for him: Likewise they will grant that though they be in Heaven, they may either by Gods reve∣lation, or by relation from Angels be in∣formed of the Prayers made to them by any o∣thers on earth: and that supposing such a knowledge, they will become Intercessors for them in particular.

6. But, you'l say, since there is no general certainty, that they understand our Prayers or wants, or interesse themselves in the parti∣cular necessities of the living, Therefore though it be not unlawful, as prejudicial to the honor and duty we owe to God, to invo∣cate Page  183 them in particular, yet it may be call'd unlawful, in regard it is uncertain.

To this Scruple, Catholicks acknow∣ledg the Church by no Decision hath declar'd that the Saints generally hear all the particu∣lar prayers of us on Earth: And consequently that it is not any Article of our Faith to believ they do so: Yea, several moderate Catholics re∣fuse to say peremptorily that it is so; yet in all Catholics Opinion this does not, nor ought to hinder them from acknowledging that the practise of Invocating Saints by name, is very beneficial to us, though they should have no particular knowledge of your Prayers.

7. And the grounds to prove this to be rational are these, First, Because though it were so that the Souls of glorifi'd Saints did not hear our prayers, or know our particular necessities, yet at least, it is certain the Holy Angels are continually present with us on Earth, and that it is by them we are defended from the Divels malice, who otherwise, ha∣ving such a wonderful strength exceeding ours, would destroy us all in our sins. Now, since God does not ordinarily inter∣pose his power immediatly in natural acti∣ons, nor substract his universal influence on his Creatures, it cannot be imagin'd (since the Devils will not be hindred by any Law or prohibition) by what other power, but that of Angels, they should be restrained from executing their malice against us. Adde Page  184 to this, that History tells us Magicians have the Divels alwaies ready to come at their call▪ Why then should not Angels be witnesses of our actions, and especially our prayers, which, as the Scripture saies, They offer as In∣cense to God, being alwaies assistant in the houses of Prayer. This being supposed, we are not to imagin that those holy Spirits stand upon niceties, and will not do any good unlesse particularly call'd upon: But on the contrary, will be charitably officious in help∣ing and delivering us, whensoever we implore the assistance of any of their fellow Citizens. And it is upon this matter that St.* Augustin, not doubting at all that great good arrives unto us by invocating the Martyrs, &c. (for the beginning of his Discourse is, Although that Question doth exceed the power of my under∣standing, How Martyrs succor those which cer∣tainly are in effect aided by them, &c.) very subtilly Disputes whether the Saints them∣selves hear us, or the Angels for them: And whether, when they seem to appear unto us, it be not the Angels which take their shape.

8. Again, How great the Spheare of the activity of the Saints glorified may be in re∣spect of this whole visible World, we know little. That it is finite we know: But how far it may be extended, viz. their faculties of seeing, hearing, and operating, especial∣ly since the Ascension and Glorification of our Lord, we know not. Thus the Arch∣bishop Page  185 of Spalato, no great Patron of Invo∣cation of Saints:* I do not think it unprobable, saith he, that there should be assigned to every Angel and beatified Soul very vast spaces both of the Superior and Inferior World, wherein they may operate: And perhaps the whole sensible world may be no more to one of them, than its pro∣per body is to a humane Soul informing it. And thus Vossius interprets St. Hieroms Speech of them;* That he held beatified Souls present at their Tombs, and like Angels passing most swiftly through spaces wonderfully distant; moreover, that they there know the necessities, and hear the request of those who have recourse to them. But suppose their agency and intelligence, as Spirits, con∣fined only to the Circuit of Heaven, yet how great the knowledge of these Saints, standing continually in Gods presence, may be by way of Revelation of things absent or future, of mans thoughts, &c. in the same manner, (tho' in a higher degree,) as also some special Saints have on earth, who can determine? If God said of Abraham, a Pilgrim on earth, Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I do?* How much more may we imagin that he hi∣deth not the mighty works of his Provi∣dence, Mercy and Justice here on earth from those his Domestick Servants? So we read, not onely an Angel, but every one of the Twenty four Elders to have in their hands golden Censers,* aud Vials full of odors, which are the Prayers of Saints; that is, of their Brethren on earth.

Page  186 9. Again, though there were no certain∣ly in this, that even the Angels are present to us, and execute the things we pray for, yet the practise of Invocating Saints ought not to be neglected; because, considering the un∣questionable proofs of a world of miraculous effects of such Prayers, both in modern and ancient times, recorded by the most Learn∣ed, Prudent, and Holy among the Primitive Fathers, of many of which themselves were eye witnesses, and the rest confirm'd by Testi∣monies irrefragable; Miraculous effects I say, not only of Prayers here directed to God, with relation to the acceptablenesse and In∣tercession of such Saints; but also of Prayers directed to the Saints themselves, as appears by the Quotations below: We may be assured that this practise pleases Almighty God, and is very benefical to us. Among other witnes∣ses of this, I will only name St. Gregory Nyssen,* and Theodoret for the Greek Church, and St. Augustin for the Roman. The first of these in his Oration on the Martyr St.* Theo∣dorus: The second through his whole 8th. Book intituled of Martyrs; and St. Augustin in his 22th. Book de Civitate Dei, through several Chapters, shew both that frequent Addresses were made to, and many wonder∣ful Miracles perform'd by the Intercession of Saints, especially Martyrs, which Miracles were shew'd rather in the places, where those Martyrs were particularly honour'd, and Page  187 where their Reliques reposed, then in others; and upon those, who Invocated their Inter∣cession and assistance, then on others, &c. which are demonstrative proofs that the Ve∣neration and Invocation of them are accepta∣ble to God.* St. Augustin relates that the mul∣titude of Miracles which were done at Hippo, the Seat of his Bishoprick, at the Memory of St. Stephen, and that within the two first years, after some part of his Reliques were brought thither from Ierusalem by Orosius, was so great (who also caused them to be en∣rolled, and for God's and the Saints glory, to be recited to the People the next Festival af∣ter they were done, of some of which also he was himself an eye-witnesse) so great I say, as that those that were registred amounted to near 70. (whereof he sets down a considera∣ble number in that 8th. Chapter) and those done at Calama to a far greater number. It is not yet two years since the memorial at Hippo Regius was erected, whereas the Books delivered in to us concerning these miraculous effects (yet many other, as we are most certain, not being given in) even to the time when I am writing this, a∣mount to some seventy. But at Calama, where the Memorial was set up sooner, and the Books brought faster, they are incredibly more in number. At Uzala too, a Colony adjoyning to Utica, we have been witnesses of sundry things of note done by the same Martyr; whose Memorial was erected there by Bishop Evodius, long before ours. And Page  188 St. Theodoret also, (who was a member of the 3d. and 4th. General Council) speaks of the peoples frequent repairing and presenting their requests to the Martyrs for so many Miracles received by them on this manner —Neither do we resort hither once or twice, or five times in a year, but frequently in them we keep our Festivals, yea, oftentimes for many daies together, we sing Lauds and Hymns to the Lord of these Martyrs. Where such as are in health petition the Martyrs for the continuance thereof; such as are sick petition them for health, &c. Not conceiting that they approach to Gods, but praying to these Martyrs of God as Divine men, invocating and petitioning them for their In∣tercessions with God. And that such, who have devoutly and faithfully invocated them, do obtain their requests, those several guifts do witnesse, which such, obliged by their Vows, do bring thi∣ther, being clear evidences of their unfeigned cures. For some hang up their Tablets of eyes, some of feet, others of hands, made of gold or silver. These things therefore exposed to the view of all, do evi∣dence the driving away of their diseases: These I say do demonstrate, what the power of those Mar∣tyrs is, which are buried there, &c. Thus Theo∣doret, whom, tho' some of the Reformed (upon a negative Argument, because Nice∣phorus mentions not this Book amongst o∣thers, but so he omits some which Gen∣nadius (mentions) deny to be the Author of this Book, yet Rivet is more candid, Page  189 saying,* Libris de Graec. affect. curand. non∣nulla addita esse malim dicere, quam de Au∣thore dubitare. And lastly, St. Gregory Nyssen speaks thus on the same Subject —After one hath thus delighted his eyes with the building, he desires further to approach the Monument it self, believing the very touching thereof to bring a benediction and hallowing along with it. But if any be suffered to take away any of the dust gathered from off the Martyrs Se∣pulchre, such dust is taken for a great guift, and this very Earth laid up as a precious Treasure. But if at any time such a happinesse befalls any, as to have the priviledge to touch the Reliques, how earnestly such a thing is to be wished and desired, being the reward of much importunitie, they know well, who have sought and obtained it. For then they view and embrace this body, as if it were alive and fresh; apply it to their mouth, their ears, and the other Organs of all their Senses: Moreover, powring out tears of du•y and affection upon the Martyr, as if he appear'd to them sound and entire, they offer up their humble prayers, that he would in∣tercede as an Advocate for them, begging of him as a Courtier of Heaven, and invocating him, as one that can obtain any thing he pleaseth. To what Prince is there such honour given?

10. In the third place I will adjoyn fur∣ther expresse Testimonies out of the ancient Fathers, all living within the Doctors deter∣minate times, and shewing the lawfulnesse and usefulnesse of this practise of Invocating the glorified Saints. Page  190 Thus then saies St.* Basil: Whosoever is in any pressure, let hin fly to the assistance of these Martyrs: And again, whoever is in a state of joy, let him pray to them: The former, that he may be delivered from misery: The latter, that he may be preserved in prosperitie.* Thus St. Chrysostom, The Emperor, who is cloathed with purple, takes a journey to visit these Sepulchres [of St. Peter and St. Paul] and laying aside his pomp, presents himself to make supplication to them, to the end they may intercede to God for him, be whose Temples are encompassed with a Diadem, praies to a maker of Tents, and a Fisherman, as his Protectors. And to the same purpose,* of the same Emperor, speaks Ruffinus. Thus St. Ambrose, We ought to pray to the Angles which are given us for guards: We ought to pray to the Martys, whose Bodies seem to be as it were gages and hostages, that we may challenge their Patronage and protection, &c. Let us not therefore be asham'd to employ them as Inter∣cessors for our Infirmitie; for they themselves by experience knew the infirmitie of our bodies, even then when they surmounted it. This St. Ambrose writ not, as Bishop Andrews imagins, when he was a Neophite, but a Bishop. See Voss. de In∣vocat. Disp. 2, Thes. 1. and Forbs de Invocat. cap. 3. their more candid concessions con∣cerning this Father.* Thus St. Hilary, It is not the nature of God, but our infirmitie that stands in need of the Intercession of Angels: For they are sent for the benefit of those which shall inherit Sal∣vation, God himself not being ignorant of the things Page  191 which we do, but our infirmitie needing this myste∣ry of a spiritual intercession for the imploring and obtaining for us (what is good for us). In which Testimony so much is clear, that the Angels know our necessities, &c. And this is sufficient to infer the lawfulnesse of reque∣sting them also to intercede for us. To these, many more Testimonies may be added out of other holy Fathers, as likewise the actual Prayers to Martyrs made and recorded by St. Basil, St. Gregory Nyssen, St. Gregory Nazianzen, St. Ephrem, Theodoret, St. Hierom, St. Pauli∣nus, Prudentius, &c. To which, I hope, Dr. Pierce will forbear to return the usual evasi∣on, that all these are but Rhetorical Apostro∣phe's: Since other expressions of the same Fathers, viz, That they are well perswaded that those Saints to whom they addresse these Requests,* have an inspection from Heaven on their affairs. That they do relieve the necessities of those who supplicate to them. That the people make addresses to these heavenly Courtiers, as to those who obtain guifts from God when they please. And that if the Lamb be every where, these Saints which are with the Lamb, ought to be believed to be any where, (or every where) as they please: Since, I say, these expressions do not consist with such a pretence of their invocating them only in an empty flourish; And since this is a put-off too vain, to get any credit with sober men, to say that such grave and holy Bishops, when preaching to the people, Page  192 would make petitions to these Saints to ex∣ercise their Rhetorick, and yet without any cautioning their hearers, that they did it in such a manner; which, if done seriously, would have been an injury to God, to Christ our Redeemer, ye•, Idolatry, &c. And lastly, since the Doctor may find Vossius and Forbes, for some of them at least, condem∣ning this evasion.

11. To these Testimonies, I may adjoyn the expresse confessions of Protestants, That Invocation of Saints was commonly in use in the Greek Church long before the 3d. and 4th. General Councils. For which, besides the confession of Chemnitius,* Vossius also is clear, whose words are; About the year of Christ, 370. those to whom the care of instructing the peo∣ple was committed, did by their practise lead them to invocate the Saints departed. And indeed, in the Greek Church the first, or at least very near the first of those which gave such Examples were Basil, Nyssen, Nazianzen: And in the West, at the same time, Ambrose of Millain, a diligent Reader and Imitater of the Greeks, followed the same custom. Now, since Dr. Pierce professes so ready a submission to the Judgment of the four first General Councils, and must grant, that several of these Fathers, whom Vossius acknowledges to have been Patrons of Invo∣cation, and to have used it even in the pub∣lick Assemblies, (for which they were never censured) did precede many years two of Page  193 these General Councils; I would gladly know if such a Question had been made before the third or fourth Council, concerning Invoca∣tion of Saints, as was, before that of Trent, Whether he can perswade himself, that those Fathers would not have justified such Invo∣cation for lawful in those Councils, which they practised as lawful out of, and before them, and would not have produced at least as high a stating of that Point, as the Coun∣cil of Trent did? And indeed a particular knowledg and agency of Saints deceased in in human affairs seems to be acknowledged in the fourth General Council, and Invocation in the third Person:* Whose words are, Let Flavian be had in everlasting memory: Behold Vengeance, [i. e. on his murderers.] Behold the Truth! Flavian lives after death! Let Flavian the Martyr pray for us.

12. It remains in the last place, that an Answer be given to the only A•gument out of Antiquitie, produced by the Doctor against this Doctrine, and to prove it's Noveltie. For, saies he,* St. Augustin denies invocation of Saints to have been in his daies: And his only proof that he does so, is from those words of his, The men of God (that is Sain•s departed) are named indeed in their due place and order, but they are not invoked by the Priest who Sacrifices.

12. To this passage, our Answer it, 1. That sure the Preacher had forgot he was to reckon, presently after, the Sacrifice of the Page  194 Masse among Novelties, introduced after the fourth General Council, when he produced this Testimony that expresly proves the con∣trary: Here is a Sacerdos brought in, and here he is brought in both praying and Sacrificing and yet, saies the Doctor, no such thing as a∣ny Christian Sacrifice. Or, if a Sacrifice, on∣ly a Sacrifice perhaps of praise and thanks∣giving. But St. Augustin will contradict him, who as hath been said, calls this indeed a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving in regard of glorified Saints commemorated in it: but a Sacrifice propi∣tiatory in regard of the faithful departed with some stains of sins remaining,

2. The same thing St. Augustin means here (i. e. That Saints are not soveraignly invocated by way of Sacrifice, as the Supream Donors and Fountain of all good that descends to mankind,) is taught by the Catholic Church even where she professes Invocation of Saints in the same sense as St. Augustin allows it, that is, as of our fellow-members and citizens, making ef∣ficacious intercessions for us to this Supream Deity to whom we Sacrifice. For thus saies the Council of Trent,* Although the Church be ac∣customed to celebrate Masses somtimes in the honour and memory of Saints; yet she does not teach that the Sacrifice should be offered to them, but to God a∣lone who has crown'd them: And hence it is that the Priest is never wont to say, O Peter, O Paul, I offer this Sacrifice to thee, but to God, to whom he gives thanks for their Victories, and implores their Page  195 patronage, that they may vouchsafe to intercede for us in Heaven, whole memory we celebrate on earth. A part of which Decree is taken out of S.* Au∣gustin himself in the same Treatise quoted by the Preacher.

3. Dr. Pierce could not possibly have made a worse choice of a place from whence to se∣lect a Testimony (as he would have us believe) denying all Invocation of Saints, whenas in the two Chapters of the same Book immediate∣ly preceding this, many stories are largely re∣counted to certifie the great good that Chri∣stians had found by the intercession of Saints, and all this, whilst in their Oratories they begg'd their intercession.

4 Perhaps he will not yet be content: but with Bishop Andrews| will urge, it is not here said by St. Austin, That the Saints are not Sacrificed to, but that they are not so much as invocated at the Altar. And if it be unlawful to invocate them there, it will be as well unlawful any where else. Hereto it is answered, That all this, taken in a right sense, is granted. For first, To this day in the Masse there is no kind of Invocation of Saints; yea more, according to the Council of Carthage,* till the Consecration be perfe∣cted, there are no Prayers directed to the Son of God, nor to the Holy Ghost, but only to God the Father. 2. But this argues not that (if the Church had so order'd it) it might not have been lawful even at the Altar Page  196 to have Invocated the Saints by such an infe∣riour Invocation or Compellation as the Church has determined, which is only accor∣ding to Card. Perron [prier pour prier] to de∣sire them to pray for us: As even in the Masse it self, the Priest requests the Assistants, saying, Orate fraires, ut meum ac vestrum Sacrificium acceptabile fiat apud Deum,* &c. To whom the people Answers, Suscipiat Dominus Sacrifici∣um de manibus tuis, &c. 3. But as for the Su∣pream sort of Invocation, which St. Austi• only intended in this passage, and which he calls Culium latriae, this is only due to God, and without impiety cannot be made to Saints: And thus St. Austin writing against Faustus,* the Manichean, fully justifies what he saith in this passage.

5. But after all this, that St. Austin allows Invocation of Saints in an inferior way, do but examin only these places in him—c. 4. De curâ pro mortuis (a Book which he wrote in Answer to a Quere of Paulinus, Whether it doth benefit any one after his death to have his body buried in the Memorial of some Saint)—When as (saith he) such conso∣lations of the living are looked after [that is, of burying their Friends in such sacred places] whereby their pious affection may appear to their Friends. I see not what advantages may accre• [hereby] to the dead, except this; that whilst they call to mind where the Bodies of those who are dear unto them are laid, they with their Prayers com∣mend Page  197 them to the same Saints, as it were to Pa∣trons, that by them they may be helped with our Lord, which also they might do, although they could not inter them in such places.—Whensoever therefore the minde recounts, where the body of some dear friend lies buried, and streight the place occurs renown'd for the name of some Martyr, the devotion of him, who thus remembers and prayes, forthwith commends this beloved soul to the same Martyr.

—

De diversis Serm. 32. & 33. (unquestioned that I know of, and which appear sufficiently Page  198 to be S. Austins, by comparing these with the conclusion of cap. 8. l. 22. de Civit. Dei.—

—De Baptism. l. 7. c. 1.—and l. 5. c. 17. being compared, This Father supposeth the Martyr Cyprian to know his affairs; and, in his handling that Controversie of Rebapti∣zation, contrary to St. Cyprians former judg∣ment, (in which Point he presumes that Saint now fully illuminated) yet hopes for his favour, and requests the assistance to him herein of his Prayers—

6. Upon these grounds Bishop Forbes grants,* that St. Austin doth allow Invocati∣on Page  199 of Martyrs; commends Bishop Montagues candor in acknowledging it; and there also censures Bishop Andrews for denying it, in these words: