Rhemes against Rome: or, The remoouing of the gagg of the new Gospell, and rightly placing it in the mouthes of the Romists, by the Rhemists in their English translation of the Scriptures. Which counter-gagg is heere fitted by the industrious hand of Richard Bernard ...

Scriptures obiected, that wee may pray to God, to haue our Petitions granted in fauour and merit of Saints departed.

Exod. 32. 13. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel thy ser∣uants, to whom thou swarest, &c.

Answ. 1. Here is no merit of Saints vrged.

Secondly, their persons are mentioned by Moses, not for their owne worthinesse, but for the Couenant which by oath God confirmed to them; which Couenant Moses vrgeth, & not their deserts. For Moses speakes of Gods act to them, but not a syllable of any thing, that they either did, or spake; note it well.

2. Chron. 6. 16. Keepe with thy seruant Dauid my Father, that which thou hast promised.

Answ. 1. Here is no word, no worke of Dauid remembred, and therefore no merit of his vrged.

Secondly, that which Salomon alledgeth in his prayer, it Gods promise made vnto Dauid. So in 2. Chro. 1. 9. in 1. Chro. 29. 18. Dauid prayeth to God in that title which hee would be named by, and by which he named himselfe, Exo. 3. 6. So it is a calling vpon God by his name, and not praying to him through the merits of Saints departed.

Exod. 20. 5. And shewing mercy vnto thousands of them that loue me, and keepe my commandement.

Answ. This is no whit for Saints prayer, but altogether against merit. For the Text saith, that to those which loue him and keepe his commandements, God will shew mercy. If they did merit, what need they or mercy? The Gagger saith, that God will here reward the merits of good men; when hee onely saith he will shew mercy, and mentioneth no merit.

Psal. 132. 1. Lord, remember Dauid, &c.

Answ. 1. This Psalme penned by Dauid, is a Prayer made by himselfe for himselfe, and so nothing to the point of controuer∣sie. Secondly, if penned by some other, after Dauids time; here, by Dauid, is meant Gods promise made vnto Dauid, of which the Psalmist maketh mention in verse 11, 12, 17, 18.

Esai. 63. 17. Returne for: thy seruants sake.

Answ. That is, for thy Couenants sake, made vnto thy seruants. So Psal. 32. 10. For thy seruant Dauids sake: that is, for the Couenant and promise sake, made vnto Dauid, as the Verses 11, 12. following, shew; and not for the merit and intercession of Dauid. Also Dauid is here named, because hee was an excellent type of Christ, who therefore is called by the Name of Dauid, Ier. 23. 5. and 30. 9. Ezech. 37. 24. Osea 3. 4. So that if the words be taken for Dauid; then there is vnder∣stood Gods promises, the person put for the Couenant made to him: but taken for him that Dauid typed out; then is it for Christ his sake, conceiued in the name Dauid. And so the Text proues not prayer made to God, to be granted for the merits of Saints.