A discourse concerning the object of religious worship, or, A Scripture proof of the unlawfulness of giving any religious worship to any other being besides the one supreme God part I.

SECT. VII.

2. LEt us now consider, whether the worship of Saints and Angels together with God, be a more per∣fect state of Religion than the worship of God alone, with respect to our selves; whether it puts us into a more perfect and excellent state. It does indeed migh∣tily gratifie the superstition of mankind to have a mul∣titude of Advocates and Mediators to address to, but there are three considerations which may satisfie any man, how far this is from a perfect state of Religion.

1. That it argues very mean and low conceits of God, for did men believe God to be so wise, so good, and so powerful, as really he is, they would be contented with one infinite God, instead of ten thousand meaner Advo∣cates. The worship of Saints and Angels▪ as I have al∣ready proved, is a great reproach to the Divine perfecti∣ons, and therefore such worshippers must have very im∣perfect and childish apprehensions of the Supreme Be∣ing, which is a plain proof what an imperfect state of Religion this is; for the perfection of Religion is al∣ways proportioned to that knowledge we have of God, who is the object of it.

2. This worship of Saints and Angels is a very ser∣vile

state, it subjects us to our fellow-creatures, who are by nature but our equals, however are not our Gods. It is a state of liberty, freedom and honour, to be subject to God, who is our natural Lord and Soveraign, but to fall down to our fellow Creatures, and to worship them with Divine honours, with all humility of address, and sacred and awful regards, is to debase our selves as much below the dignity of our natures, as we advance them above it. The excellency and perfection of reasonable Creatures principally consists in their Religion, and that is the most perfect Religion, which does most advance, adorn, and perfect our Natures; but it is an argument of an abject mind, to be contented to worship the most excellent Creatures, which is a greater dishonour than to own the vilest Slave for our Prince. Mean objects of worship do more debase the Soul, than any other the wilest submissions; and the more our dependancies are, and the meaner they are, the more imperfect our State and Religion is.

3. The greatest perfection of Religion, consists in the nearest and most immediate approach to God; which I think, these men cannot pretend to, who flye to the patronage and intercession of Saints and Angels, to ob∣tain their Petitions of him. Though we should allow it lawful to pray to Saints and Angels to mediate for us with God, yet we cannot but own it a more perfect state to do as the Saints and Angels themselves do, go to God without any other Advocate but Christ himself. It is a great happiness to have a freind at Court, to com∣mend us to our Prince, when we have no interest of our own, but it is a greater priviledge to go immediately to our Prince when we please, without any Favourite to introduce us. This is the perfect state of the Gospel, that we have received The adoption of sins,* 1.1 and be∣cause we are sons, God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son

into our hearts, crying Abba Father. That is, this Holy Spirit which dwells in us, teaches us to call God Father, and to pray to him with the humble assurance and con∣fidence of Children. This is the effect of Christ inter∣tercession for us,* 1.2 That we may now come boldly unto the throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in a time of need. The throne of Grace certainly is not the shrine of any Saints, but the immediate throne and presence of God, whether we may immediately di∣rect our Prayers through the merits and intercession of Christ. Upon the same account the whole body of Christians are called a Spiritual house, that is, the Temple of God, where he is peculiarly present to hear those Prayers which are made to him, An holy priesthood,* 1.3 to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. And a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people: This is a priviledge above what the Jews enjoyed, they had a Priesthood to minister in holy things, and to offer their Sacrifices for them, but the whole Nation was not a Priesthood, nor had such immediate access to God; but now every Christian has as near an access to God as the Priests themselves under the Law had; can offer up his Prayers and Spiritual Sacrifices immediately to God; and that very acceptably too, through Jesus Christ our great High Priest and Mediator; and if our Prayers be acceptable to God by Jesus Chrrist, we need no other Mediators or Advocates. This is the onely direction our Saviour gave his Disciples a little before his death, to ask in his name, with this promise, If ye ask any thing in my name,* 1.4 I will do it. Hi∣ther to have you asked nothing in my name, ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. And to give them the greater assurance of acceptance, he acquaints them with Gods great and tender affection for them, such as a Fa∣ther has for his Children. At that day ye shall ask in my

name;* 1.5 and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you, for the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me, and have believed, that I came out from God; a reason which equally extends to all those who shall be∣lieve in Christ, to the end of the world. And can we now imagine, that when our Saviour has purchast for us this liberty of access to God, he should send us round about by the shrines and Altars of numerous and unknown Saints to the Throne of Grace. When he will not assert the necessity of his own Prayers for us, while we pray in his name, because our heavenly Father hath such a tender affection for all the Disciples of Christ, can we think it necessary to pray to St. Paul and St. Peter, and the Virgin Mary to pray for us. This is none of our Saviours institution, nor can it be, because Christ by his death and sufferings and intercessions brings us nearer to God,* 1.6 as the Apostle to the Hebrews speaks, Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath con∣secrated for us through the vail, that is to say, his flesh, and having an high Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of Faith. But the worship of Saints and Angels removes us at a great distance from God, as not daring to approach his pre∣sence without the mediation of some Favourite Saint. And though the Church of Rome does sometimes pray directly to God only, in the Name and Mediation of Christ, as the Pagans themselves sometimes did to their Supreme Deity, yet it seems this is what they dare not trust to, and therefore joyn the Meditation of Saints with their Prayers to God, and never pray to God with∣out it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  4 Gal. 5, 6.
• * 1.2

  4 Hebr. 16.
• * 1.3

  1 Pet. 2 5, 9.
• * 1.4

  14 Joh. 13, 15. 16 Joh. 24.
• * 1.5

  26, 27.
• * 1.6

  10 Hebr. 19, 20, 21, 22.