This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this text, in whole or in part. Please contact project staff at eebotcp-info@umich.edu for further information or permissions.
THat Angels and Saints do know things done vpon E∣arth, and pray tor vs, Piscator and Bullinger confesse of Angels,(1) That they reioyce at our repentance. Fulke,(2) That
they know our fruites and true effects thereof. Piscator,(3) That we should be ashamed to commit any vncleane actions, seeing that they do behould and obserue all our actions. Fulke, and others,(4) That they do wayte for our preseruation.
Bullinger that,(5) They offer the prayers of the faythfull in Gods presence. Others(6) that both Saints and Angells such as are in hap∣pines do pray for the Church: and that(7) we ioyne in prayer with all Saints in heauen and Earth: Also that(8) The Saints in heauen, do not cease to make Intercession for vs.
The Lutherans that write the Apology for the Con∣fession of Augusta, do gather from the forcyted place of Za∣chary, that(9) Angels pray for vs.
Oecolampadius(10) affirmeth that, The Saints in heauen burning yet with their Charity do not cease to pray for vs. And in an∣other place,(11) The blessed Spirits &c. are not without desire of our Saluation, which I thinke to be their prayers: And so Peter and Paul do pray with vs. Thy kingdome come.
Melancthon is so confident heerein, as that he saith,(12) I will cyte a manifest place out of the New Testament, prouing that the dead are carefull of the Church and vs, for so Matthew sayth(13) E∣lias and Moyses spake with Christ of things to come. It is certayne that the Saints which are in heauen in care of vs, are affected towards the Church of those that liue vpon earth: Euen as they there disputed with Christ of his Passion, & the gathering of the Church through the whole world.
Brentius proposeth this Question(14) Do the dead then pray for the liuing? And now he giueth his answere, Surely it cannot be denyed, but these who liue in Christ, do wish well to the Church and her members: for if they Angels pray for vs, as(15) Za∣chary witnesseth, and if Christ himselfe pray for vs to his Father, how then are not the Saints affected towards vs in Charity in Christ, and by Christ, and with vs all happines of God.
Faber writeth thus plainly.(16) I do not doubt but the sou∣les of the dead remember their parents, brethren, Sisters, and kins∣folkes, which they haue left heere, and pray, to God that he will also deliuer them out of the vale of teares &c The example of the rich mā Luc. 16. confirmeth this doctrine: for if a damned soule remembreth his (friends) much more a blessed Soule is so affected towards Pa∣rents,
Children, Brethren, Sisters, and kinsfolkes.
And wheras P••ot. to auoyd the history of Lazarus and Diues, which plainly sheweth that soules departed this lyfe do yet know things done vpon Earth, do affirme, that it is only a Parable: Yet Caluin for his part thinketh otherwise with vs, saying,(17) Although to some it seeme only a single Para∣ble, yet because the name of Lazarus is expressed, I rather thinke, that a thing done is declared.
Concerning the Patronage of Angels, Caluin writeth,(18) They say, the prayers of Angels are often read of, and not this only, but the prayers of the faithfull are said to be carried by their hands into the sight of God: I confesse it. And a little after, It is as∣signed to the Angels that they be ministring spirits, to whom the mini∣stery is committed of the care of our Saluation, to whom the Charge is giuen of keeping vs in all our wayes, who may compasse vs about, who may admonish, and comfort, and may watch for vs. And againe,(19) God appointed Angels ouer vs, to take care of our safety: wherupon they frequent the holy assemblyes, and the Church is to them a Thea∣ter in which they admire the different and manifold wisdome of God. To conclude, I dare not affirme for certayne, whether to euery one of the faithfull seuerall Angels be appointed.(20) Truly when Daniel bringeth in the Angell of the Persians, and the Grecians, he signifyeth that certaine Angels are deputed, as Gouernours ouer kingdomes and Prouinces. Christ also when he saith,(21) The Angels of Children do alwayes see the face of the Father, doth insinuate, that there are certaine Angels to whom their safety is committed. But I know not whether from thence it may be gathered, that euery one hath his An∣gell to haue charge ouer him. And somewhat after, There is one place a litle cleerer then the rest, which seemeth to confirme it: for when(22) Peter brought out of Prison knocked at the gates of the howse in which the brethren were gathered togeather, seeing they could not sus∣pect that it was he, they said it was his Angell. It seemeth this came into their mindes from the common conceipt, that Angels are assigned as Gouernors to euery one of the faithfull. With Caluin agreeth Luther saying,(23) Euery Emperour King Prince, yea euery man hath his Angell. And,(24( The Scripture testifyeth euery Christian to haue his Angell.
Add yet heerunto the professed faith of sundry of our
English Foxian Martyrs, Lambert belieued that,(25) The Saintes departed pray for vs. The like also did(26) Bilney. La∣timer also acknowledged the same saying,(27) There be two manner of Mediators, the one by way of Redemption, the other by way of Intercession. And againe,(28) Take worshipping of Saintes for praying to them, I neuer denyed but that they might so be worshiped, & be our Mediators &c. by way of Intercession. Of like beliefe was the Church in the tyme of K. Henry the Eight, and so also were sundry other Prot. Martyrs in M. Fox his Monuments, whome we do not fynd charged with the contrary Do∣ctrine.
Iohn Husse was accustomed to inuocate the B. Virgin and other Saintes,(29) I aske also (sayth he) for my very ac∣cusers the most chast Virgin the Mother of my Sauiour, the repayrer of mankind, the Queene of heauen, which by the title of grace added to nature, excelleth the Angelicall nature; who amongst all the blessed ex∣cepting her sonne, is more blessed, by singular Priuiledge, more glo∣rious, by grace and the guiftes of glory, more fruitfull. Of whose ful∣nes, saith Bernard, all receyue; the sick health, the sorrowfull comfort, the Angels ioy, the sonne of God the substance of humane flesh, the whole Trinity glory. And in another place,(30) We haue an Ad∣uocate, to wit, in matters of Soules, not of possessions. And not only an Aduocate, but also an Aduocatresse: whereupon we sing, Eia ergo Ad∣uocata. And to other Saintes he prayeth also,(31) Peter and Paul glorious Martyrs, so ioyned to the K of glory, vouchsafe to pray for vs, that by their help we being made strong, by suffering humbly, may be partakers of their glory. Againe, he inuocateth S. Iohn Baptist saying,(32) Vouchsafe to pray for vs vnto our Lord Iesus Christ, Amen.
To try now what Martin Luther thinketh,(33) I ne∣uer denyed (sayth he) vs to be holpen by the merits and prayers of Saintes, though imperfect. And,(34) I neuer thought the Inuoca∣tion of Saintes to be offensiue &c. this do our hereticall Picards and Bohemians know. And in another place he sayth,(35) Suffer them to implore the Patronage of Saintes, since they so will, yet with that Condition, that they know they must take heed, least they put any trust and presumption in any of the Saintes, being induced therto by a false persuasion. And yet more fully;(36) Concerning
the Intercession of Saintes, I agree with the whole Christian Church, and iudge that the Saintes are to be inuocated and honoured, for who can contradict those things which God doth wonderfully, and visibly worke, euen to this present day at the Sepulchers of Saintes? Yea his aduise is this,(37) At the houre of death, let him not cease to inuo∣cate the B. Virgin, his Apostle, and the rest of the Saintes, whom he hath serued in his lyfe, that they may pray for him to our Lord. And now he teacheth the manner how we may lawfully pray to Saintes saying,(38) Some man may heere say, of what vse, and in what steed shall Saintes be to vs? Thou vsest them as thou vsest thy Neighbour, for as thou sayest to him, Pray to God for me, so thou mayest say to them, S. Peter pray for me. Againe,(39) I said, Ma∣ry would not be a Goddesse, she maketh nothing: God worketh all things. She ought to be inuocated, that God by her may giue and worke what we aske, and in this sort all the rest of the Saintes are to be in∣uocated &c. So Catholickly Luther.
With Luther agreeth Oecolampadius saying,(40) Nei∣ther will I affirme it to be Idolatry, to request the Patronage of Sain∣tes, for the Saints in heauen burning yet with their Charity, do not cease to pray for vs, and what euill is it, if we request that to be, which we belieue God would, although he hath not commanded any such thing &c. This do Chrysostome and Nazianzene; and this also almost all the Churches of the East and West do obserue.
Bucer affirmeth, that(41) If any weighing the infinite In∣dulgence &c. of God towards his Saints &c. And do intreat them to make intercession to God for them, although that be not taught in the Scripture, yet if it be done, none of vs condemne it. And in another place he iustifieth our Catholike māner of praying to Saints saying,(42) Seeing in these prayers whatsoeuer is ascribed to the In∣tercessions and merits of Saints, al that is asked is not from the Saints thēselues▪ but from the mercy of God by our Lord Iesus Christ: heerby such as pray thus, confesse and testify themselues to acknowledge those things to be the free giftes of God, which they beg of God by the inter∣cession and merits of Saints.
Haffenrefferus(43) affirmeth, that the Deuines of Po∣lonia in their late Synod, defended prayer to Saints with this moderation, as namely, that they should be inuocated not as gran∣ters, but as Intercessours.
And somewhat agreably heerunto say sundry Prot.(44) If we will speake of the true and great Mediatour, there is but one Mediatour betweene God and man, Iesus-Christ: (but) If we will speake of the Mediatour of praying, euery godly man is made a media∣tour ech for other: according as it is said,(45) Help me with your prayers:(46) Brethren pray for vs And this kind of Intercession doth not (as the Prot. Viril confesseth)(47) take any thing away from the Intercession of Christ.
So euident it is both by Scriptures, Fathers, and Prote∣stants, that euery man hath his Angell guardian, that the Angels and Saints do heare our praiers, do pray for vs, and that we may pray to them.
Vol. 1. Thes. p. 96. sec. 47. & p. 294. sec. 27. Bulling. in his Dec. in Engl. p. 739. and see Luc. 15.10.
Ag. Rhem. Test. f. 115.
Pisc. vbi supra p. 98.
Fulke vbi sup. in Mat. 18. sect. 2. Bulling Dec. p. 741. Hip∣pius metho. Theol. l. 2. p. 290.
Ib. p. 665.
Conf. of Sax. in the Harm. p. 43.
Ib p. 12.
Oecolamp. ad serm. Chry∣sost. de Iuuen∣tio & Maxi∣mo. Brent. ad c. 10. Luc. Chytr. ad c. 25. Mat. Cru¦ciger in Conc. de Natiu. See Fox in Apoc. c. 8. p. 127.
Apol. Confess. Au∣gust. de inuo∣cat. Sancto∣rum fol. 179.
Ad orat. Chrys. de Iuuent. & Max.
Ad c. 12. Danielis.
In loc. com Manlij. fol. 151.
Mat. 17.3.
Ad. c. 10. Lucae.
C 1.12.
De statu defunctorum. c. 7.
Harm. in Luc. 16.19.
Inst. l. 3. c. 20. §. 23. Edit. Gal. 1562. 1563. See. l. 1. c. 14. §. 7.
Inst. l. 1. c. 14. §. 7.
Dan. 10.13.20. & 12.1.
Mat. 18.10.
Act. 12.15. It is his Angell.
Ad. c. 2. Zachariae.
Ad. c. 18. Matthai.
Act. Mon. p. 549. a. initio.
Ibid p. 462. b. post. med.
Ibid. p. 1312. a. init
Ibid p. 2315 a. paulo ante med.
In fidei suae Elucida∣tione.
In 1. Io. c. 2.
Ep. 22.
Ep. 30.
Resp. ad Louan. in Tom. Wit∣temb.
In Ep. ad Georg. Spalatinum.
In Ep. ad Erphordien∣ses.
In pur∣gatione quo∣rundam Ar∣ticulorum.
De praep. ad mort.
In fest. Ioan Bapt.
Super Magnificat. Tom. 6. Germ. fol 21. and see de 1. Praecepte.
Ad orat. Chry∣sost. de Iu∣uentio & Maxim•• Martyribus.
In De∣fens. cont. Abrincen∣sem Episco∣pum.
In Disp. Ratisb. de publicis Ecclesiae pre∣cibus.
Loci Theol. l. 3. stat 4. loco. 5. p. 463.
Wit∣temberg. in the Harmo∣ny. p. 172.
Rom. 15.30.
1. Thess. 5.25 & 2. Thess. 3.1. & Col. 4.2.
Trea∣tise concer∣ning the principall grounds of Chr. Relig. p. 188.