The spiritual sacrifice, or, A treatise wherein several weighty questions and cases concerning the saints communion with God in prayer are propounded and practically improved by Mr. Alexander Pitcarne.

Sect. 2. To whom ought we not pray? No: to Angels, Saints, or any other creature.

WE will not so far expatiat and enlarge this discourse, as to confute the fanatick dreams and delusions of, 1. Pagans, who did worship and invocate, not only their good and evil Genius, but also loathsome beasts; nor 2. these vile (rather monsters then) haereticks the Satanici, who worship∣ed the devil, not only that he might not tempt and vex them, but also as the procurer and author of much good; nor 3. the Ophits, who worshiped the serpent by which Eve was de∣ceived, as being the author of salvation.

O! let us rather labour to be thankful to God, that he hath not given us over to such strange delusions, then busie our selves in admiring and declaiming against such abjects, who being judicially plagued and deserted of God (because while they knew, or by the volum of creation and provi∣dence, might have known him, they glorified him not as God) have fallen into such vain, and more then brutish imaginati∣ons. O! let us beware, least if we like not to retain God in our knowledge, God give us (as he did them, Rom. 1.28.) over to a reprobate mind.

And were not Popery that large and over-reaching net, that now catcheth so many and great fish of the world, yea there, where the Gospel is preached and professed, we should no lesse reject their foolish and idolatrous way of worship, as be∣ing unworthy of refutation; for these superstitious wretches (being judicially blinded, and made(a) 1.1 drunk with the wine of fornication of the great whore that sitteth upon many wa∣ters) have gone beyond many Pagans in their idolatry, and least they should appear to mince the matter, they have not spared the rule; but having first mutilated the first table of the decalogue (in diminishing the number of commandments belonging to it, and making the second to be but an appendix of the first) they have quite overturned that second com∣mandment

by their strange glosses and misinterpretations, while they tell us, that only the images of false Gods are there forbidden, that this precept is only ceremonial, and doth lay no obligation upon us Christians. But their idolatry hath not stayed in the maner, but doth extend also to the object of worship, for they have set up so many new gods and goddes∣ses, to whom they have(b) 1.2 dedicated their temples, and offer daily sacrifice of prayer and praises: Nay, in this they have exceeded the Athenians, the old Romans, and the most superstitious Heathens, who have lived in any age; and the Pope by his canonization, hath made moe petty gods, then any of the Pagan nations did acknowledge; for in Popery, every Countrey, City, Family, yea, and person, hath his peculiar Saint and tutelar Angel, whom he doth worship and invocate; nay every state and condition, every disease and malady, every art and trade, hath its proper mediator and protector, to whom recourse is made for preventing and removing of the evil, and the giving continuance and increase of the good wtihin their several spheres and diocesses; thus they have made Gallus their geese-god, Wendilin their sheep-god, Eulogius their horse-god, Antonius their swine-god, &c. Rochus their plague-physician and protector, Appollonia their tooth-ach doctrix, John a god of the Epi∣lepsy, Eutropius of the Hydropsy, and Dame Catharine is lady of the mid-wives, &c.

O! what mater of astonishment is it to consider, that these who professe the Gospel should be so far left of God, as thus to lick up the very dregs of Pagan superstition and idolatry; and that so many learned Rabbies should come to that height of impudence, not only to borrow from such, and learn of them their way of worship, but also to make use of those reasons and arguments, which blind heathens alledged for their maner of devotion; yea, and that after the Fathers (whose doctrine they would seem to own with so much care and zeal) had razed from the ground that foolish building. It were no hard task for one of ordinary parts and reading, to demonstrate from the writings of the primitive and most anci∣ent Doctors of the Church, that the popish Saint-worship is

all one (mutato nomine, the name of Saturn, Mars, Venus, &c. being changed into Francisce, Catharin. &c.) with the Pagan multiplicity of gods, and that it doth stand upon the same foundation and pillars. They who will take a little vieu of(c) 1.3 Origen and Ambrose, need go no further for making out this parallel: and if we will hearken to what Pagans say for themselves, and compare their writings with the popish; we need not run to an arbiter to give sentence: for as in(d) 1.4 water, face answereth to face, so the pagan and popish way of worship; for albeit, the poor Pagans did wor∣ship many gods, yet they(e) 1.5 acknowledged only one supream God, and though many of them did not know who he was, and what name to give him, yet they knew there was such an absolute majesty, whom they did fear and worship; and thus (as it were) with the Athenians, they did consecrate an altar to the unknown God, and through this blindness and igno∣rance, they fell into many strange apprehensions concerning this infinite Deity, and particularly to our purpose, they ima∣gined it to be below this great God to take notice of sublunary affairs, and of maters which were not of great and publick concernment, and that he had committed the care of such things to some deputies and officers of trust, whom he had appointed to be the overseers and dispensators of these things that concern the sons of men, to whom they should have their recourse, as to inferior gods, who were more familiar and condescending, and who would not stand at such a distance from mortals, as being by nature nearer unto them, and so more compassionate and easie to be entreated; and thus thinking it too great boldness in them to make an immediate addresse to the great God, they made use of these inferior gods as mediators and patrons, by whom they might get their busi∣ness dispatched, as having power and moyen with, and com∣mission from the great God for that effect. And the Plato∣nicks (who were the best refined, and most polished Pagans) did(g) 1.6 constitute two sort of patrons, to whom they did run, and by whom, as mediators, their prayers might be pre∣sented to the great God; viz. their Damones or Angels, and their Heroes, or the souls of the defunct; and is not this the

very popish doctrine? can one(g) 1.7 egge be more like to ano∣ther? If it be askt when, and by what steps did this pagan doctrine creep into the Church? Ans. Although idolatry was the epidemical disease of the Jewish Church; they were ready to worship the(h) 1.8 host of heaven, the sun, moon and stars, and in their mad zeal to cause their children passe through the(i) 1.9 fire to Molech, yet we(k) 1.10 read not of their worshiping and invocating of Angels or Saints departed; yea even then, when they were on the declining ••and. And all the true Israelits did only have their recourse to God in Christ, disclaiming all other mediators and advocates, as be∣ing ignorant of them and their condition: We have their confession of faith, as to this article, Isa. 63.16. Doubtlesse thou art our father (saith that Church to God) though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not, thou, O Lord, art our father and redeemer. But what now (since they were cut off and scattered among the nations) they professe or practise, cannot be so well known, nor is it needful to enquire; they being(l) 1.11 now Lo-ammi and Lo-ruhamah, their carriage can be no precedent or rule to us: neither can it be imagined, that now they keep that uniformity in wor∣ship, which they observed, while they were united in one in∣corporation; and as to this particular, it would appear from Philo their great Rabbi, that not a few of them after their dispersion, were tainted with this leaven; for he being a Platonick, and having from his master(m) 1.12 learned that point of divinity, he would not want followers amongst that people; who might also, from the nations amongst whom they lived, learn this lesson.

As for the Christian Church, many of them being lately converted from the heathenish superstition and idolatry, it would appear that they stood in some hazard to look back again to their former way of devotion; so that the Apostle had need to warn them (as he did the Colossians, Col. 2.18.) to beware, least any man beguile them in a voluntary (or without warrant and command) humility in worshiping of Angels; and it would appear, that the heresie of the Ange∣lici did then creep in, which shortly after (as(n) 1.13 Epiphanins

doth witnesse) was universally disclaimed, and had none to own it. O! who can admire the impudence of Papists who acknowledging the Fathers and Councels to be a rule of faith, and yet read that heresie of Angel-worship and in∣vocation so generally condemned by these, will notwith∣standing lick up that venom and hold it out to their followers as a cordiall, and that upon the very ground(o) 1.14 alledged by these old hereticks, and condemned by the Apostle, to wit, a pretended humility, in not daring to make an immediat ad∣dresse to God.

But though some few did fall into that(p) 1.15 error, yet its certain from Ecclesiastick history, that the Christian Church, for the space of some hundreth years, was kept free of creature-worship and invocation; all Churches and Incorporations condemning these few Angelick Hereticks. And as for the worship and invocation of Saints, or the souls of the defunct, it was not so much (for ought that can be known from hist∣ory) as once named amongst Christians for the space of two hundred years and above; the Church for that time, being for the most part in the furnace, (one storme following upon the back of another, like the Waves of the sea) did re∣tain her(q) 1.16 virginity, and continued all that while a chast spouse to Christ; and as in other things, so also in this; as she gave to him her heart, so also her outward service, wor∣ship and obedience: but after these stormes were over, and while under the reign of Constantine and other Christian Emperours, the world began to smile upon her, she began to gad after other lovers, and (as being ashamed of Christ and the simplicity of the Gospel) to deck her self with Orna∣ments of her own devising, till at length the mystery of ini∣quity came to its maturity, and a bill of divorcement must be put in the hand of the strumpet and great whore, so that she was no longer to be accounted a spouse.

The popish Doctors apprehending it to be a great prejudice to their cause to have these first and purest times not only silent, and not to speak for them, but also to condemn and abominat their doctrine, as being the very dregs of Pa∣gan superstition and idolatry, (though a litle purified and

refined by subtile wits) they have adventured upon a strange remedy, (which to the intelligent, maks their disease to ap∣pear the worse and more desperat) they have, 1. dared to wrest, change, corrupt and expunge severall monuments of purest antiquity, and have been bold to publish to the view of the world their indices expurgatorii; and as that had not been enough, they have, 2. without all modesty published their own late dreams, under the name of ancient Doctors; and thus have fathered upon them whom they call fathers, such children as were not conceived till some hundreth years after the death of their supposed parents; so that it is an usuall trick for Monks (as in ano∣ther sense so also in this) to father their own children on other parents.

But when these covers could not hide their nakednesse, they confesse something; but yet, like some impudent strum∣pets, they still plead not guilty; and they will give you reason for it, why they may play the harlot, though other women were chast, and then least they should seem singular, they tell us that they want not companions; though others be more modest and will not avouch it, yet they are as guilty; for(r) 1.17 1. they will shew you why they may invocat the Saints, though the Iewish Church did not, and might not call upon them. 2. As for the Apostles and first founders of the Christian Church ye must believe that they did approve this Saint-invocation, but in modesty did conceal it, least they should be thought ambitious and to desire that they them∣selves after their death should be worshiped and invocated. And thus Paul, least he should seem arrogant, must become a(s) 1.18 liar, and make the elders of Ephesus witnesses of his lie, while he protesteth that he hath not shunned to declare unto them all the councel of God, Act. 20.26, 27. But as such groundlesse pretences shew the weaknesse of their plea, so this extorted confession, and concession doth clearly hold out the novelty of this Popish device, and that (as Christ said of the Jewish divorcement, Mat. 19.8.) from the be∣ginning it was not so.

The first who did lay a stone in this foundation, seemeth to

be Origen about the yeare 240; for overturning of which we need not run to the common answer, and put Papists in mind that his Doctrine hath alwayes been suspected, and that his greatest followers and admirers, when they could stand no longer to his defence, have been forced to confesse that his writings have been miserably adulterated by haere∣ticks; so that much weight cannot be laid upon any testi∣mony brought from thence. Yet let us hear how Origen doth plead their cause. O!(t) 1.19 saith he, It shall not be amisse to think that the Saints departed, have a care of our salvation, and that they help us by their prayers. And(u) 1.20 else where, Whether the Saints who have left their bodies and are now with Christ, do care and labour for us as the Angels who are imployed in the ministry of our salvation, let this remain amongst the(x) 1.21 hidden and secret mysteries of God, which are not to be committed to writing. I would know what Papists can collect from these testimonies; Is there any orthodox Divine who will scruple to say as much? yea some have positively determined what he pro∣pounds as a mystery, and at the best but an Apocryphal tra∣dition; what though the saints do pray for us? must we therefore make idols of them, and pray to them? I might(y) 1.22 cite many passages where this learned man doth condemn and confute Saint-invocation as a pagan delu∣sion.

But Cyprian about the year two hundred and fiftie, did ad∣vance this error a step further: for this holy man, supposing as certain what Origen had delivered with much haesitation, viz. that the Sa••nts in glory did pray for us, though he was far from thinking, that we should therefore pray to them, yet he did(z) 1.23 exhort the people of God, that after their death they would remember one another, and that after they came to their fathers house they would not forget their bre∣thren on earth, nor neglect to pray for them. But the Arrian haeresie (which a litle after Cyprians time began to spread it self) did so choak this seed, that for a considerable space it lay, as it were, dead and rotten; for, amongst the many arguments which the orthodox Doctors did bring

against the Arrians this was not the least; He(a) 1.24 whom we should worship and invocat must be God; But we must wor∣ship Christ and pray to him: Ergo.

And thus by the good providence of God, one poyson did prove a remedy and antidote against another, untill about the year three hundred and sixty four, by the help of Basil, Nazianzen and Nissen, this idolatrous creature invocation was advanced a considerable length further; for they, not content with the simplicity of the Gospel, and affecting too much humane eloquence, by adorning their panegyrical ora∣tions in the praise of Martyrs, with such artificial flowers, such apostrophe's, prosopopaea's and rhetoricisms, in sup∣posing of things or persons to do, speak and appear, when re∣ally there was no such thing: at length they thus un∣awares hatched this cockatrice egge: for while they, by sup∣position and fiction, did in these orations direct their speech to the Martyrs, as if they had been present and did hear; this in processe of time, was deemed to be really done; albeit the whole strain of their discourse might shew their scope to the intelligent, yea some times they would add a word for warding off such a mistake, telling, they directed their speech to the defunct, only by way of fiction and apostrophe; thus Nazianzen, in his first invective against Julian, O! thou soul of great Constantine (if thou(b) 1.25 hast any understand∣ing of these things) hear, and, &c. And in his funerall ora∣tion on his sister Gorgonia, while he speaketh to her, he add∣eth, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. If thou hast any care of the things done by us, and if holy souls receive this honor from God to have any feeling of these things, receive this oration &c. And in his Fathers epitaph, having insisted in the like Apostrophe, he addeth by way of correction, If it(c) 1.26 be not too great boldnesse to speak so. And Jerome in Ne∣potianus his epitaph, whatsoever I say seemeth mute, (as if I spak not) because he heareth not; —Then let us never leave off to speak of him, with whom we cannot speak. Thus while it would appear that he speaketh to him, he tells us he cannot speak to him, he cannot but by way of supposi∣tion, and according to a rhetorick apostrophe; and thus

they might as well, yea, and did speak to inanimat creatures; So the same(d) 1.27 Nazianzen to the Ordinance of the Passe∣over, O great and holy Passeover, &c. But though these ancient Doctors may, and should thus, for the most part, be interpreted, because (as we heard) they thus interpret them∣selves: yet it cannot be denyed, that by this affected elo∣quence they laid snares, not only to simple(e) 1.28 monks, but also to themselves (which may serve for warning to all Mini∣sters not to seek after applause, and to please the ear with the melodious found of humane literature) for they afterwards, forgetting these figures and elegancies, followed the letter, properly invocating them, to whom at first they did speak only by way of fiction and supposition; though they per∣formed that new piece of wil-worship alwaies with much wavering and haesitation doubting both of its warrant and successe.

Thus we have seen by what steps and authors, this idola∣trous worship did creep in, but as yet it durst not appear in the day time, but was only received and entertained in a clandestine way, and like stollen wares, which the resetters durst not avouch nor own: all this while it was only the pri∣vate opinion of some few Monks and private persons, and was not generally received, nor approven by any Councel for a catholick and certain doctrine, but on the contrary, was condemned by the (d) Councel of Laodicea, and their own Adrian, the Pope approved and retained that thirty fifth article (which did condemn creature-worship as idolatrous) in his epitome of the Canons,(f) 1.29 which long after he delivered to Charles the great: And many ancient Fathers, from time to time, did testifie against this abomination; yea, these who are reputed to be the chief authors and promoters of it, have once and again disowned and disclaimed it, as their writings (notwithstanding of their late purgation by the popish Doctors) can testifie.

But we have too long insisted on the discovery of this in∣vention, and need add no more; especially since(g) 1.30 Chemni∣tius,

Vsher and Forbesse, have said enough for vindicating the truth and the first and purest times, from popish imputa∣tions; and we might to good purpose here set down Dr.(h) 1.31 Forbesse his twelve rules, which he bringeth for vindicating the Fathers, as being useful not only in this, but in several other controverted points of divinity. But that we may close this historical narration, its observable that the main, if not authors, yet owners and spreaders of this idolatrous in∣vocation, were (as is thought) some women, and therefore its called by Epiphanius, the(i) 1.32 womans heresie. And the first, who laboured to have the Saints publickly invocated in the publick prayers of the Church, was one Peter(k) 1.33 Gna∣pheus a Fuller, who about the year 407. was condemned for an haeretick by the fifth general Council.

You will say, but when was it generally received? Ans. Albeit, it were great arrogance in any one to affirm, that he had perused all the monuments of antiquity; yet since many(l) 1.34 orthodox Divines, have long since put Papists to it, to shew them the least shadow of Saint-invocation in the first & purest times, and that to this day (so far as we have seen or heard) they have not been able to produce one testimony, or to make a reply that deserveth consideration; we may, upon this ground, together with positive evidences, from the most learn∣ed, judicious and most approven Fathers affirm, that albeit, 1. In the dayes of Nazianzen, there were several ground-stores brought for this work, to wit, the rhetorical Dialogues, and apostrophes to the defunct, which, 2. were afterwards laid by some foolish builders, yet with much doubting and haesi∣tation; and 3. though some did call to the martyrs, yet they did not invocat them, they were (as(m) 1.35 one speaketh) only vocati, not invocati, they were desired (as we do the living) to pray with us, but were not prayed unto. 4. Though some did call upon them, yet with some moderation, not pleading their merits, and only in their private devotion; Yet 5. till after the death of Epiphanius and Augustine (these two great opposers of this idolatrous invention) it came not to its height; but after a little while, it fell into the hands of some(n) 1.36 Poets, who without all modesty, used a licentious

liberty to passe all bounds, and by a strange kind of metamot∣phosis to make new gods and mediators of holy men and mar∣tyrs; but all this time it was kept, as it were, within doors, in the private or domestick worship, till about the year six hundred. For albeit, Gnapheus before that time essayed to have insert it into the publick Liturgies, yet he and his moti∣on were rejected; that great work being reserved for Grego∣ry the great, who, for that and his other superstitious conceits, may well be called the grand innovator and father of super∣stition: and then lastly, Adrian the third, about the year eight hundred eighty five, did put on the cop-stone, claiming to himself and his successors, the power of Canonization, and making Gods of men.

We need not stay long in confuting this dream, yea, one of its patrons, the learned Swarez, doth furnish us with an argu∣ment (confirmed by the authority of their master Thomas) in which we may rest, viz. No(o) 1.37 religious act can without idolatry be terminated in the creature; But must only be directed to God; But prayer is a religious act: Ergo. And before he brings this, he tells us, that the conclusion of it must be supponed as certain: You will then say, the controversie is at an end. O! but hearken and ye shall hear a limitation, its certain (saith he) that prayer under some consideration, as it belongeth to their cultus latriae, doth only belong to God; but as it falls under cultum duliae, so it may be ten∣dred to Saints, We will not now meddle with these strange terms; but, in a word, he grants, that prayer, as it is a religi∣ous(p) 1.38 act, cannot be made to any creature without grosse impiety, and thus he hath hit right; for their idolatrous Saint-invocation, being a most impious and idolatrous abomi∣nation, can be no religious performance, nor savour of piety and devotion.

1. We may argue thus, we must not call on him in whom we do not believe, Rom. 10.14. But wo to him that belie∣veth, or trusteth in any meer creature, and makes it his arme and citty of refuge, Jer. 17.5. Ergo. O saith Bellarmine, the Prophet Jeremy must be mistaken, for otherwise Saint-invocation must be disclaimed; for(q) 1.39 none can be said to

call upon the Saints, who doth not in his own way trust and hope in them: But, thus saith the Lord, cursed be the man that trusteth in man, under what pretence soever, for his heart must depart from the Lord: If any thing of it thus be let out towards the creatures, He will accept of none of it, He dow not away with a corrival.

You will say, they give God the first place, and they acknow∣ledge him to be the first(r) 1.40 author. Reply, Instruments and means must not share with the first author in what is due to him alone; while we use the creature, we must only con∣fide and trust in God. Whatever we make an object of our faith, confidence, or hope, must be either an Idol or God; and the most vile Pagan idolater might run to this popish plea; for though they worshiped many inferiour gods, yet they acknowledged only one, viz. their great Jupiter, to be the first and chief author of all.

As for the two texts Bellarmine citeth, the first, viz. Gen. 48.16. It is most impertinently alledged, and it is as impertinently applied, viz. not to the present point of trust∣ing in, but of calling upon, the Saints: and thus also he con∣tradicteth himself, while he grants that the Saints were not invocated under the old Testament; and the text speaks only of the adoption of Manasseh and Ephraim, to be accounted as Jacobs sons; and thus to become heads of two distinct Tribes; and now Jacob, by these words of his blessing per∣forms what he said, ver. 5. As for the other place, we remit him to their own(s) 1.41 Cajetan, who hath so much modesty as to blush at the popish glosse, and will not have the Saints there (viz. Philem. ver. 5.) to be named as the object, but as the(t) 1.42 subject of faith; so that Philemon there is com∣mended for that faith, which he had with all Saints, and not which he had in the Saints; but as to the genuine sense of the words, we rather close with Theodoret, viz. that the Apostle having named faith and love, doth assign to each of these its proper object, so that(u) 1.43 faith must be terminated in the Lord Jesus, and love in the Saints.

2. These who teach for doctrines the commandments of men, do in vain worship God, Mat. 15.9. Wo to such

presumptuous fools, what plea will they be able to bring, when it will be said to them (as it was said to that people, Isa. 1.12.) who required these things at your hand? But the Scriptures hold out, 1. no warrant or command, as we shall hear the Papists anon confesse. 2. No promise or reward to such a performance; and 3. no threatning or punishment, for neglecting and slighting it; and 4. No example of holy men, who have performed it with successe and approbation; but on the contrary, when through ignorance and infirmity, and being under a surprisal, they have tendered but a little of their homage, and that worship they owe to God unto the creature, though never so eminent and excellent, though an Apostle or Angel, they have been admonished of, and rebu∣ked for, their errour, as Act. 10.25, 26. Rev. 19.10. and 22.8, 9.

O! but may Saint-worshipers say, what is refused in modesty, should not therefore be denied or withheld. O! but hearken, and ye shall hear reason for their refusing, yea, and abominating that service and homage. O! saith(x) 1.44 Peter to Cornelius, why wilt thou fall down at my feet? Ah! am not I a man, and wilt thou make an idol of me? and see thou do it not (saith the Angel to John) for I am thy fellow servant and of thy brethren, worship not me but God. We may here admire(y) 1.45 Bellarmines impudency in pleading Johns practice as a rule and ground for ours; Whe∣ther (saith(z) 1.46 he) did John or the Calvinists best know if Angels should be worshiped? And wherefore are we repre∣hended for doing what John did? Ans. Because John him∣self is reprehended, and who knowing what he saith, would affirm that we should practise what is condemned in him, and make that for which he was rebuked a rule whereby we should walk. Albeit Balaams asse, when she saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way, turned aside; yet these men, though they hear an Angel from heaven crossing their way, and cal∣ling to them to halt, they will notwithstanding drive on and go forward. Its true, John was the Disciple whom Christ loved, and an eminent Saint, but not free of sin, untill by death, he was freed of the body of sin and death, which was

derived to him from the first Adam, he was subject to mistakes failings and infirmities: and whether shall we think that John, or the Angel, was in an errour? for both could not be right, there being such an opposition; the Angel condemn∣ing what the Apostle practiseth, and holding out a reason for his reproof; and Johns relapsing into the same fault, is a fur∣ther proof of his weakness, while he was surprised with the glorious appearance of the Angel; but it no wayes helps Bel∣larmin's cause: But the Angels renewed reproof, is a new confirmation of his errour; for though, Mala non sunt bis facienda; yet pulchra & vera sunt bis dicenda, eoque magis observanda. The oftner an evil is committed, it is the worse; but the oftner a truth is inculcated, it should be the more hea∣ded and observed. Then, while Papists shall be able, 1. to con∣vince us, that they know better how to entertain Saints and Angels, then they themselves know how they should be used by us; yea, 2. While they shall make good, that the holy Angels can dissemble, and, like men, in their vain complements, refuse what is due to them, and bring a lye to back their complement; and, 3. Till they can prove that their canoni∣zed Saints are not yet(a) 1.47 men, their fellow servants and creatures, they must have us excused if we challenge them of idolatry, while they give the worship wich is due to God unto the work of his hands.

3.(b) 1.48 We should only pray to him, who is, 1. omnipotent and able to save and deliver, and to do(c) 1.49 exceeding abun∣dantly, above all that we can think or ask; 2. Omnipresent, and alwaies at hand, who is not on a journey (as(d) 1.50 Eliah mockingly said of Baal, while his Priests were crying unto him) and far from home when we knock; 3. Omniscient, and knows the very(e) 1.51 thoughts and desires of our hearts, he must know our wants and hear our cryes and complaint, he must not be a sleep, or diverted by talking with some other petitioner; so that like Baals Priests, we should cry aloud to awaken him, or wait till he be at leasure to hearken to us: but there is only one Omnipotent, to whom all things are possible, Mat. 19.26 One who is omni-present, from whose presence we cannot flee, run where we will, Ps. 139.7, 8, 9.

And only he is omniscient, from whose eyes nothing is hid, and he it is (and he only) with whom we have to do, Heb. 4.13. Ergo. Albeit Papists dare not so impudently blas∣pheme, as to ascribe any of these divine attributes to the creature, yet (say they) the Saints in glory have power with God, and he hath put in their hands the dispensation of mercies, and by beholding his face, they see there, as in a glasse, though not all things whatsoever, yet what concern∣eth them, and is pertinent to them to know, and thus they must know and hear when we pray unto them. Ans. Yet Scripture holds forth the ministry of Angels, Heb. 1 14. but it doth not speak of any such ministry committed to the Saints after their removal; but supposing it were so, should we therefore rob the master, and give to his servant that honour and glory, that is due to him alone? I am the Lord (saith the holy one) that is my name, and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images, Isa. 42.8. Idolatry in the Word, is frequently called whoredome: now it were a poor plea for the whorish wife to say to her hus∣band, ye sent your servant to wait upon me, and minister unto me; or, I knew such a one to be your friend and have moyen with you, and why might I not then use him as my husband? since ye loved him, why might I not deal kindly with him for your sake? And should not the honest servant, if tempted by an impudent woman, say with(f) 1.52 Joseph, my kind master hath committed(g) 1.53 all to my hand, neither hath he kept back any thing (in that he hath given me himself) ex∣cept his glory, how then can I do this great wickedness to rob him thereof? We heard how Peter and the Angel would not, durst not rob him thereof; and how zealously did Bar∣nabas and Paul protest against their madness, who would have sacrificed unto them? And little know these deluded creatures with what(h) 1.54 indignation the holy Angels and the spirits of just men, do abhor these spiritual sacrifices of prayers and praises, which deluded idolaters do offer up unto them.

As for that glasse of the trinity, in which they imagine the Saints to behold all things that concern them, and so what

prayers are offered up unto them; many Papists, long since, have dasht it in pieces, as being ashamed of such a groundless invention; So Scotus, Bonaventura, Gabriel, C••••••m and(i) 1.55 others, whom the Jesuit Becan citeth and followeth; to which we may add Henricus Gandavensis, quo••••. 6. art. 4. (whom(k) 1.56 Bannez will have the first who removed the black from the back of that glass) and our learned Country∣man, Io. Major, in 4. sent. dist. 49. quaest. 5. So that(l) 1.57 Didacus Alvarez hath wronged himself, while he would abuse the reader in making him believe that all Theologs, with Thom. 1. part. quaest. 12. art. 6. (but as he hath mistaken the thing, so also, he or the Printer, the figure; for in that sixth article, Thomas speaketh not one word to that question, but art. 8.) do teach, that the Saints, by beholding of God, do(m) 1.58 see in him all things that belong to their state.

You will say, what prospect have they who reject this glass, found for the Saints to look down from heaven to earth? Ans. Martin(n) 1.59 Becan, for healing the wound he had made, bringeth three sorts of plaisters (nor knowing any thing on which he could rely) 1. The report of those who daily come from earth; (as if the dead, after their arrival in heaven, made it their work to shew to their brethren what was do∣ing on earth when they removed from it.) 2. The rela∣tion of Angels; as if these ministring Spirits, for the heirs of salvation, did minister unto them after they were brought home to their Fathers house; they are indeed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; they are ministring Spirits to them who shall be (not to these who al∣ready are) heirs and inheritors of salvation, Heb. 1.14.) 3. Revelation from God, as if the Lord did say unto them, pity such and such a man, for he prayeth unto you; but will not the Lord rather pity and shew mercy of himself then wait upon, and thus, as it were, deal with others, that they may deal with him for that effect? And then I would ask,

what warrand they can produce for such a revelation? and how they came to know it before it was revealed unto them? and whether it be an extraordinary dispensation or not? whether the Lord maketh such a revelation to the Saints im∣mediatly, or by some signes and instruments? and what these are▪ &c.(o) 1.60 Bellarmine finding himself at a loss here, hav∣ing alledged four opinions of the Roman Rabbies, he leaveth the question with this uncertain determination, that one of these four, (viz. that dream of the glass of the Trinity) is most probable; and another, (viz. the last of Becans sub∣terfuges concerning divine revelation) is more fit and effi∣cacious for convincing of haereticks, and that the other two are not satisfactory.

We may fitly here alledge Erasmus, his pithy Sarcasme, as being more pertinent then Arguments, while we have to deal with such obstinat adversaries. There was one (saith(p) 1.61 he) who in the time of a storm, being in great danger, and seing every one to run to his tutelar Angel, reasoned thus with himself, If I should now call upon our Nicholaus, (to whom the care of Sea-men is committed) perhaps he will not hear me, and is ignorant of my hazard; and though he know my condition and hear what I say, yet, what know I but he may be so busied and taken up with the complaints of others, that he hath no leasure to help me; therefore he resolves to take the surest and shortest out, and immediately to run to God in Christ, who is able and willing to pity us, and who hath commanded us to call on him in the day of trouble, and pro∣mised to deliver us, Ps. 50.15. Surely, that(q) 1.62 Nobleman that was with George, Duke of Saxony, at the time of his death, did rightly determine the controversie that was among the Moncks; some counselling him to pray to Mary, some that he would pray to the Angels, others to this and that Saint: O! saith this Nobleman, your Highness, as to civil and politick affairs, used alwayes to say, that the streight way was the shortest and best: wherefore then suffer ye your self to be misled, by looking after these Maeanders, these crooked and by-wayes? and do not rather directly run to God in Christ, who is able and ready to help all these that come un∣to him.

[Arg. 4] 4. We must pray in faith, nothing wavering, Jam. 1.6. But Papists cannot pray to Saints in faith, they must waver and doubt, 1. of their warrant; for there is no such thing enjoyned in the Word, as we shall hear themselves confess; O but, saith the Lord, what thing soever I command you, observe to do it, thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it, Deut. 12.32. Thou must (saith(r) 1.63 Austin) so worship God, as he hath prescribed; and if thou pray otherwise then he hath taught thee, thou offerest to him the sacrifice of a fool, thou must not make thy reason a rule for his service. 2. They must doubt, whether these new patrons will accept of that piece of homage from their hands, since in the Scrip∣tures we read of none, who would thus suffer their master to be robbed of his glory. 3. They must waver and doubt, con∣cerning the state of those to whom they pray, whether they be in hell or heaven; thus their Rabbies,(s) 1.64 Cajetan, Canus, Mirandula, &c. have confessed, that the Pope may erre in the canonization of Saints; and Bellarmine himself grants, that the histories of some of their canonized Saints are apo∣cryphal and uncertain; yea, saith(t) 1.65 Mirandula, we should as well believe the Church when it passeth a sentence of con∣demnation, as in its canonization of Saints; But we are not (as Thomas saith) to believe that these are in glory, which the Church hath canonized for Saints (and shall we pray to these, who are in hell and dare not pray for them∣selves?) yea, we may upon good grounds question if ever there were such men and women in the world, as some of their deified Saints, such as St. Christopher, St. George, St. Ca∣tharin, &c.

4. They must also waver and haesitate, to whom of the Saints rather then to others, they should have their recourse, they have made unto themselves so many Patrons and Adve∣cats

that they know not whom to employ; and therefore(u) 1.66 Franciscus Borgia did appoint, that that controversie should every moneth be determined by lot, which custome is punctually observed by the Jesuits, who (as(x) 1.67 Lorinus testifieth) from moneth to moneth by lot make choice of new gods and patrons, and others throw the dyce and make it decide the question.

5. They must doubt, whether, 1. their patron they have chosen doth hear and take notice of them; whether, 2. he be otherwise employed in dispatching businesse for those who have prevented them, and have more moyen with him; whether, 3. he hath gotten a commission to be their guardian, and if he will intrude himself on that office without a call from his master, &c.

[Arg. 5] 5. That perfect pattern of prayer which Christ did teach his Disciples and hath left on(y) 1.68 record for our copy, doth shew us to whom we should direct our prayers; viz. only to our heavenly Father, and to whom we must ascribe the Kingdom, Power and Glory. The meanest man and the great∣est Angel (saith(z) 1.69 Tertullian) have one and the same ob∣ject of worship. Our King stands not in need of a deputy, all his subjects may make an immediat addresse to him in Christ.

Bellarmine answereth, 1. That according to this pattern we must neither invocat the Son nor holy Ghost, but only the Father. Repl. By what reason can Bellarmine prove that the Father there is taken, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, personally for the first person of the Trinity, and not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, essentially as it is com∣mon to all the persons in the Trinity? 2. Supposing that it were there taken personally, yet his inference is naught, and doth not beseem the learning of so great a Doctor; but I should rather think that he goeth against his own light, while he argueth against the rule acknowledged by(a) 1.70 him∣self and all orthodox Divines in their disputs against the Ar∣rians, (viz. that when one of the persons of the blessed Tri∣nity is named in reference to the creatures, (yea though there were an exclusive particle added, yet) the other two must not be excluded. 2. He Ans. that Christ there did not teach his

Disciples to whom, but for what they should pray. Reply, 1.

Then that Pattern must not be perfect. 2. Why did Christ suppresse that which was most materiall? for there is greater hazard in mistaking the one way then the other. But he an∣swereth, that the Disciples did well know, that God, yea and only God, should be invocated as the first author of all good. Reply, But why doth he add that limitation? it is contrary to his own confession; for before that time the Saints were not at all invocated; because (saith(b) 1.71 he) they were then kept in a prison of hell viz. in limbo patrum, and there∣fore neither did the Disciples desire, nor Christ prescribe a directory for worshipping of any creature; and therefore Saint-invocation must be a popish anti-scripturall invention.

Before the time of the(c) 1.72 Reformation, there was a great debate in the University of St. Andrewes, whether the Pa∣ter noster should be said to the saints; and after much dis∣put a simple fellow was judged to give a wiser decision of the question then all the Doctors with their distinctions. O! (said he to the Sub-prior) Sir, To whom should the Pater noster be said but to God only? give the saints aves and creeds enew in the devils name (so he after his rude way of speech) for that may suffice them. But(d) 1.73 Bellarmine con∣demneth those learned Fathers, and all others who say the Pater noster to any creature, as simple and stupid; yet it may be questioned, whether the Popish cause doth ow more to him for disallowing that vile prostitution of the name of God, his kingdom, power and works to the creature; or to them who are loath to disclaim that pattern of prayer, which our blessed Lord hath left on record for our use till he come again?

[Arg 6] 6. Why should we stay to multiplie arguments, while we have to do with those who professe the name of Christ? Its long since he told the devil and all his emissaries, that we should worship the Lord our God, and Only serve him, Mat. 4. v. 10. This stopt the devils mouth, v. 11. but yet his factors will not be silent; but will tell you of a dulia and latria, which in scripture do signifie one and the same thing▪ and looking to the Etymon and common use of the wor••••

their Dulia, which they give to Saints, doth import more servitude, reverence and subjection then their Latria, which they allow to God; and therefore,(e) 1.74 Bellarmine had rea∣son to confesse this their appropriation of these termes to be apocryphall, and to have been excogitated in their Scholes, (which have been a very nursery and seminary of supersti∣tion and idolatry) to be a cloak to cover their apostasie. yea, in the preface to that disput, he grants that Saint-invocati∣on is eximium adorationis genus. And(f) 1.75 Azorius saith, that the Saints are to be worshiped Divinô cultu & honore, qui est relligionis actus. And did ever any pagan go a greater length? What can be given more to God then they allow to the poor creature? for what use then serveth their distinction of Dulia and Latria?

[Arg. 7] 7. While Papists look on these Scriptures, Lev. 17.7, Deut. 32.17, Ps. 106.37. 1 Cor. 10.20. How should they tremble, be amazed and confounded at their creature-wor∣ship and invocation? We do not read in all the Scriptures, that the Israelits at any time, professedly and purposely, did worship the devil; yea there were but a few of the Gentiles, and these most rude and barbarous so far demented. O! but faith the Lord (in the places cited) both of the Jewes and of all the Gentiles, the most sober and intelligent who did wor∣ship and other but God, they worshiped and sacrificed to devils. If thou make an idol of the creature, whatever that creature be in it self, though very good and excellent, yet it becometh a devil unto thee, though the Jewes and Gen∣tils might have made use of the same plea which Papists run to: we have seen how Pagans take them to that same city of refuge, and that the idolatrous Israelits did cover them∣selves with the same mantle, we need not question, while they worshiped the host of Heaven and sacrificed to the Queen of Heaven, yet they did not forget the King of Heaven. Thus after they had chosen new Gods, and Aaron had said of the golden calf, These be thy Gods, O Israel; yet he immediatly subjoyneth to morrow is a feast to the Lord, Exod. 32.5. though Jeroboam said of the calves he had made, Behold thy Gods, O Israel, 1 King. 12.28. yet he still

acknowledged the true and great God; therefore he desired the man of God to pray to God for him, Ch. 13.6. and sent to Ahijah the Prophet of the true God, Ch. 14.2. But why do 〈◊〉〈◊〉 insist on particulars, we have the maner of wor∣ship of all Idolaters, whether Pagans or Israelites, set down 2 King. 17.33.41. &c. They fear the Lord and serve their own gods, they would give to the great God the first place, and mainly fear and reverence him, though they would allow to their inferiour gods and patrons, some inferiour piece of service and worship. But both they and Papists are in a grosse mistake, while they estimate prayer to be an inferiour part of worship; yea, it is such an eminent part of it, that sometimes to shew its excellency, its put for the whole worship of God, as Gen. 4.26. Ps. 79.6. Jer. 10.25. Isa. 64.7. and thus also the place of Gods worship, is called the house of prayer, Isa. 56.7. Mat. 21.13. Yea,(g) 1.76 Thomas granteth, that its most certain that prayer is a religious act; and all the(h) 1.77 School-men confesse, that Religion hath God only for its object, to which it must be directed. And I would ask of Papists, 1. where they do read any description of prayer in any Divine, till these last and idolatrous dayes, in which there is mention of any other object of invocation but God alone? And, 2. I would know what are these affections, which they exercise and pour out in their prayers to God, which they do not imploy (yea, as to the measure and degree) in their prayers to the Saints? Nay, we shall hear, how they do more reverence and religiously worship the creatures, then the infinit Creator. And(i) 1.78 Bellarmine, notwithstanding of all the fig-leaves he gathereth to cover the nakedness of the whorish Church, yet is forced to confess, in the very Porch to the dispute, that Saint-invocation is a notable and eminent kind of worship. And must it not then be as evident as the Sun to shine, that Papists are egregious idolaters?

And then, 7. Prayer, according to the Scripture phrase, Mat. 1.11. Ps. 141.2. Rev. 8.3, 4. by Divines, [Arg. 7] a•••••• and modern, is called a Sacrifice; and the Apostle giveth it a distinguishing epithet, for discriminating it from the Leviti∣cal Oblation, while he calls it a spiritual sacrifice, 1 Pet. 2.5.

And so it must be more noble and excellent, then these outward and material offerings. It is not (saith(k) 1.79 one) a true sacrifice, which is brought from the coffer or herd, but which proceedeth from the heart; not that which is offered by the hand, but by the mind and soul. But it was alwayes unlawful to offer sacrifice unto any, but to the true and living God: and therefore it must be unlawful to pray to any but to him. And(l) 1.80 Thomas well proveth, that it must be so; because in prayer, we offer up our heart and soul, and professe our reverence and subjection to him to whom we pray: But it were vile idolatry to offer up our heart, and to professe the subjection of our souls to any creature; and therefore it must be a strange abomination to pray to any creature.

[Arg 8] 8. O! that blind Papists would remember, that we have an advocate with the Father, who stands not in need of deputies under him, or of agents to put him in mind of his clients plea, 1 Joh. 2.1. Heb. 7.25. He cannot be so divert∣ed, or taken up with the multitude of clients and causes, as to forget or slight thee, he will not send thee to another, he cannot, he will not reject any who come unto him; he hath such bowels towards his supplicants, and is so touched with the feeling of their infirmities, that they need not fear their cause shall miscarry in his hands, Joh. 6.37. Heb. 4.15. O! let us then hearken to the exhortation, ver. 16. Let us in him come boldly to the throne of grace. And wo to those deluded creatures, who run to other advocates and patrons; is he not as ready to undertake for thee, as when he invited(m) 1.81 all those, who were heavy loaden and weary to come unto him? Can he weary of employment, who is the same yesterday, to day, and for ever, Heb. 13.8? and who ever liveth to plead his peoples cause, and interceed for them, Heb. 7.25, 24? In the outward Court and Taber∣nacle the whole congregation might pray, but none might enter into the Holy of Holies, but the high Priest with blood, Heb. 9.6, 7. All Saints may joyn on earth in this lower and outer Court; but in the heavens, that Holy of holies, only our high Priest appeareth for us, presenting our sacrifi∣ces, and mingling his blood (that excellent perfume) there∣with, Heb. 6.20.

But Papists would cloak the matter with a distinction be∣tween a Mediator of intercession and a Mediator of redempti∣on; and they say they do not wrong Christ, while they sub∣stitute many intercessors, since they only acknowledge him to be the Redeemer. Repl. But if we beleeve the Scriptures, then we must grant, that as there is but one God, so there is but one Mediator between God and man, to interceed with God for man; to wit, the man Christ Jesus,(n) 1.82 1 Tim. 2.5, 6. Heb. 9.15. Where also we have the ground of his mediation; from which we may argue thus, 1. None can be a Mediator to interceed for sinners, but he who hath offered himself a ransome for sin; but no Angel or man did, or was able to pay a farthing of our debt. Ergo. 2. He who is our Patron and Advocate, must be able in point of law and justice to carry our cause, and so he must be (according to the Apostles inference, 1 Joh. 1, 2.) the propitiation for our sins, but Christ is the alone propitiation, and therefore the sole advocate of sinners. It was well said by(o) 1.83 Austin, He for whom none interceedeth, but he for all, must be the alone and true Mediator. But such is(p) 1.84 Bellarmines, rather im∣pudence then ingenuous confidence, that he dare cite this pas∣sage for clearing one of his distinctions: But yet he is pleased to take notice of Calvins abuse (as he would make us beleeve) of that place: yet in effect saith nothing to that, which mainly striketh at the root of Saint-invocation, viz. that Christ is the alone and true Mediator, and therefore all other mediators, to whom we offer our prayers, must be so many empty shadows and lying waters, which will not refresh the weary passenger. And the following words (which Bellarmine either hath not been at the pains to read and pon∣der, or else of purpose passeth over) will sufficiently vindicate Augustine from the popish false glosses; for, saith he, Nam si esset mediator Paulus, essent utique & caeteri co-apestoli ejus, ac sic multi Mediatores essent, nec ipsi Paulo constaret ratio qua dixerat, unus enim Deus, unus Mediator Dei & hominum, homo Christus Jesus, Aug. loc. cit. But as redemption and intercession must not be separated in the Mediator, neither have the authors of that distinction sepa∣rated

these in their practice, but to whom they have run as un∣to intercessors, to them they have leaned as unto(q) 1.85 Redeem∣ers. Thus in their Litanies and forms of prayer, and particularly in Mary her Psaltery, published to the view of the world, they call to the Saints as authors and procurers of mercies spiritual and temporal. O! what blasphemy hath been vented in their blind zeal towards these strange gods? The learned(r) 1.86 Chemnitius hath set down a large catalogue of this kind of abomination and impudent idolatry, especially in their supplications to the virgin Mary, in which they call her the queen of heaven, the mother of mercy, their hope, life, refuge, strength, &c. and in her Psalter they have as∣cribed to her, what was said by the Prophet in the Psalms, for proclaiming the glory and majesty of God, viz. that(s) 1.87 the heavens declare h••r glory; In thee, O Lady, have I put my trust, let me never be confounded; save me, Lady, by thy name; O come, let us sing unto our queen that brings salva∣tion, her mercy endureth for ever; except our Lady build the house of our heart, the building will not continue, &c. Be astonished, O ye heavens, and be confounded, O ye earth, (who to this day declare the glory of your Maker) to see the sons of men (for whose use ye were made) thus to dishonour their Master, and to give his glory to the poor creature. If their set forms compiled by the learned, be laden with such stuffe, what must then the licentious liberty be, which the rude(t) 1.88 multitude takes to themselves at their private devotion? And albeit Bellarmine, Suarez and others, dare not own these execrable blasphemies in point of dispute, yet take their best refined speculations, and view them narrowly, and they shall appear to be nothing else but a nursery of such abominations; and though in their debates, they will not (because they cannot) defend, yet who is he amongst them that freely rebukes, or takes pains to remedy this evil, though so publickly and frequently committed?

Yea not only their Postillators, with the rable of their ignorant and blind preachers, but their most learned and sub∣tile Rabbies do lay the foundation for such a superstructure; their(u) 1.89 Lombard, Thomas, Scotus, Summa Tabiena, Bel∣larmine, Vasquez, Suarez, Valentia, Bannez, Beca∣nus, &c. do maintain and plead, that the Saints by their merits do obtain, and thus with their money purchase an an∣swer to our prayers. I needed not have named any for this, it being the doctrine of all the popish Clergy; who of them have written on this subject, who doth not make the merits of the Saints the ground of Saint-invocation? According to their(x) 1.90 masters doctrine, Orationem porrigimus sanctis ut eorum precibus ac meritis orationes nostrae sortiantur effe∣ctum, We pray to the Saints (saith Aqui••as) that through their prayers and merits we may be heard, and obtain a return of our prayers. Yet the Fathers of the(y) 1.91 Council of Trent judged it safest to suppresse this ground in their Canon about Saint-worship and invocation. And thus its evident that the popish Church hath made their canonized Saints their mediators not only of intercession, but also of redemption, upon whose purchase and merits they rely for a return to their prayers: So that in these creature-worship∣pers, is verified what our blessed Redeemer said, Mat. 6.24. that no man can serve two masters, unlesse he rob the one of his due, and that they who commit one evil in hewing out (with that people, Jer. 2.13.) broken Cisterns that can hold no water, will add the second evil, and also with them forsake the true fountain of living waters. For since Papists began to worship the creature, and make it their city of refuge, they have proceeded from one step to another, till(z) 1.92 Jesurun-like they have lightly esteemed, and kicked at the rock of their salvation. Its long since(a) 1.93 Bodin ingenu∣ously acknowledged and complained of this madness. That St. Anthony by many in Italy and France was more feared, and zealously worshiped then the immortal God. And(b) 1.94

Cassander grants, That some well meaning men, having cho∣sen some Saints to be their patrones, do trust more in their merits and intercession then Christs. And(c) 1.95 Vives lam••nt∣eth, that many are come to that height of Idolatry, that they worship their he and she Saints no otherwise then God himself. Nay saith(d) 1.96 Biel, many of us are often more affected to∣wards Saints, then towards God. And Jacobus de Valentia is not ashamed to professe, that there is no other refuge lose for us in this our pilgrimage, but to run to the mediatrix the virgin Mary. I might easily add to these: But any who will look on their psalms and hymns on the virgin Mary, and on their prayers to the Saints (though digested and pub∣lished in print) shall find there no more mention of God, and no petition in any of these put up to him, more then to the devil. And thus they have dealt worse with the great God, then Pagans did with their Jupiter: And(e) 1.97 Vives confes∣seth, that he could see little difference between their opinion of, and carriage towards the Saints, and the vilest heathens estimation of their gods.

As for the Mediator, there be three things which in a special maner proclaim his glory, and declare his admirable love towards the sons of men; and they have robbed him of all th••se. 1. His bowels and tenderness, his compassion to∣wards and his readiness to welcome and receive all weary and humbled sinners; and that his pity and love to lost ones is such, that he prevents them with his loving invitations, and becometh the first seeker; that he will not take a repulse, but will draw in all his rans••med ones, and pull them with a strong hand from the snare, Heb. 4.15. Mat. 11.28. Cant 1.4. &c. 2. His death and bitter sufferings, that he is the propitiation, and gave himself to be a ransome for sinners, 1 Tim. 2.6. R••m. 5.8. 1 Joh. 2.2. &c. 3. That thus he is the way to life and happiness, that in him we may come bold∣ly to the Throne of grace, and in his name ask what we will, that he is our advocate and maketh continual intercession for us, Joh. 14.6. Eph. 3.12. Rom. 5.2. 1 Cor. 3.22, 23. 1 Joh. 2, 1. Heb. 7.25. &c.

As for the first, not only do they hold out the Father as an angry and implacable one, to whom sinners dare not ap∣proach, (though he so loved the world, that he spared not his only begotten Son, that it might not perish, Ioh. 3.16. 1 Ioh. 4.9.) but also the compassionat Redeemer, who did not spare his blood that he might slay the enmity, and be∣come the propiciation for reconciling us to God, Eph. 2.16. 1 Ioh. 2.2. And they have appealed from him (as being too rigid and severe to poor sinners) unto the throne of the Vir∣gin Mary, as being more compassionat and condescending, and more ready to receive and do good to such: Hence their axiome and article of Faith (acknowledged by(f) 1.98 Bellarmine and(g) 1.99 Suarez) opus est mediatore ad mediatorem; We stand in need of a mediator to plead for us at the Mediators hands: and particularly as to the virgin Mary, they tells us, that(h) 1.100 mercy and justice being the two Jewels of the crown of heaven, God hath divided his kingdom (as Ahasue••us offered to give the half of his to Esther) between himself and the virgin, giving to her mercy, and reserving only justice to himself. Hence they(i) 1.101 appeal from the sons justice, to the mercy of his mother, and therefore she is commonly cal∣led the mother of(k) 1.102 mercy, and the(l) 1.103 Queen of mercy, regina misericordiae, & mater misericordiae.

As to the second, they do not only undervalue Christs sufferings and merits as being unsufficient, by joyning with them the merits of these new mediators, to make up (as it were) what was wanting on Ch••ists part, but they so far undervalue what he did and suffered for sinners, that they will not vouchsafe once to ment••on his name or mer••ts in their prayers; (as may be seen in many of their printed forms) and at other times, they dare take his glorious name in their mouths in such a contemptible maner, that if they had not had the confidence to commit it to paper, it would scarce have been believed upon the testimony of others;

while as they pray to the Virgin, that by the right of a mother shee would(m) 1.104 command, yea and(n) 1.105 compell him to shew mercy to sinners; for(o) 1.106 both law and reason do hold out the mothers power over the son, &c. O! the abominable Doctrine of merit in the poor creature, hath sent many a soul to hell; and hath so bewitched and infatuated many great and learned ones, till at length they have reverenced and worshiped the creature more then the Creator.

As to the 3. they are so far from acknowledging him to be the alone stor-house and conduit of mercy, that they have hew••d out to themselves so many empty and broken cisterns, as there are evils they fear, or good things they desire: they have multiplied their Gods, not only according to the num∣ber of their cities, (as is said of back-slyding Judah, Jer. 2.28.) but to the number of the inhabitants; non tantum pro∣numero(p) 1.107 urbium sed pro numero capitum. Nay one and the same person must have his recourse to as many gods as there be mercies he stands in need of; they must commend their oxen to St. Pelagius, their horse to St. Eulogius, their sheep to St. Wendilin, &c. And thus what is said of Christ, Col. 3.11. Eph. 3.12. &c. they may apply to their new mediators, whom they have substituted in his room. They are all, and in all to them, they are the way, and their propitiation, in them they have accesse with confidence, &c. Yea some of them have not stayed here, but as if it had been too litle thus to undervalue, passe over, and for∣get the blessed Mediator, and put a Saint in his room, they have also been so bold as to make a comparison: as to their Practise, we heard Cassanders ingenuous confession, that many did more trust and confide in the merits and intercessi∣on of th••ir Saints, then in the merits of Christ. But you'll say, can any be so shamelesse as to avouch, that of them∣selves? yet we heard also Jacobus de Valentia his impu∣dence, in professing (that we have no other refuge in our ca∣lamities but to run to the Virgin Mary the mediatrix, to pa∣cifie her sons wrath; quae iram filii sui placabit. and O! saith another(q) 1.108 it is a more expedite and ready way to heaven by St. Francis, then by Christ. But I am weari∣ed

in relating such abominable blasphemies and ridiculous dreams.

We will not lose time in returning an answer to obj••ctions, so many of our Divines having so fully vindicated these few Scriptures which some Papists, contrary to their own light, wrest, (as they 2 Pet. 3.16.) unto their own destruction; one of the most judicious and searching wits of the Jesuitick School, Fran. Suarez, having employed all his strength for finding out arguments, yet behold the result of all his labour, the custome and appointment of the Church, which is the pillar of truth, may (saith(r) 1.109 he) suffice for con∣firming this truth. (as if the lustings and whoredoms of an adulterous wife, should be a rule to the chast spouse.) And yet he not daring to lean to this pillar, concludeth, that(s) 1.110 the best reason he can fall upon is to answer the hereticks (so he calleth the orthodox) arguments.

As for the scriptures of the old Testament, not only(t) 1.111 he, but Bellarmin, Pigkius, Salmeron &c. do confesse that they hold out no warrant for saint-invocation; and that it had been in vain to have gone to poor prisoners, (such they will have the saints to have been till Christ went to hell and ••e¦livered them from the prison) and to supplicat their help: but Eccius (as we heard) cleareth both new and old Testament from any imputation that Saint-worshippers can lay on them; and Dominicus(u) 1.112 Bannez confesseth and pleadeth that neither explicitly or implicity, directly or by conse¦quence, hold out to us any ground for praying to the Saints.

When Papists therefore cite Scripture for this their Pagan dream, they hold out to us a torch for letting us see what is their temper, and that in this, as in many other cases, they are too like their brethren, these hereticks whom the Apostle mentioneth Tit. 3.11. They are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; They are self convicted and condemned; but we remit them to their own consciences, to be sentenced there; and if they would speak what it faith, and some of them have been so ingen∣nous as to confesse, they would not want for a reply from us.

Yet we deny not (and will ye therefore think that we deal more kindly with them, then some of their own number) but freely confesse, that in Scripture they may find both an exhor∣tation or command, and practices or examples, if they be pleased to make use of these since they can find no better; thus, Mat. 4.9. we have an exhortation to creature-wor∣ship: But Ah! it was but a temptation suggested by Sathan. Secondly, for examples, we find Saul seeking after Samuel, and making his addresse to him, 1 Sam. 28. But Ah! first he went to the Witch at Endor, and by her enchantments did meet with the supposed, but not the true Samuel. And then, Luk. 16. the rich man in hell calls to Abraham: But he learned that point of Divinity in hell; and what successe he found, we may read from ver. 25.

As for reasons; the most of these they have borrowed from Pagans, a long time after that ancient Christians had sufficiently answered and confuted them. There be only three other grounds, viz. 1. the mutual prayers of the living for one another. 2. the pretended miracles in confirma∣tion of Saint-invocation. 3. the honour we ow to them. Of these in a word.

As to the first; Though the Saints desire the prayers of their brethren, they do not pray to them, nor worship them; and there be several reasons for such a practice. 1. Because the Saints while in via and on their journey, are in a praying condition; they pray for themselves, and why not also for their brethren? 2. They may know, and easily be acquainted with the tryals and wants of their brethren. 3. They have a command to pray for one another. 4. They have a promise of audience and successe; and 5. The unquestionable and con∣stant practice of the godly in all ages, for their encourage∣ment in the performance of this duty. And thus the disparity between the living and the dead, as to the present case, is mani∣fest; and therefore we have no such ground to call for the prayers of the dead as of the living.

Yet if Papists did only plead, that the dead did pray for the living, we should not condemn them upon this account; since many reformed Divines do in the general grant this;

the Augustan, the Saxonick, and the Wirtenbergick confessi∣on, Melancthon, Brentius, Chemnitius, Tilenus, Diodati, Paraeus, Durham, &c. Yea, 2. If they did only desire the prayers of the Saints, as we do of the living, and did not pray to them and worship them, though we would pitty them in this their fruitlesse and unwarrantable labour, while they took pains to solicite them, who neither did hear, know, nor take notice of them, yet we could not accuse them of idolatry and creature worship: And this one of them(x) 1.113 (George Cassander a moderate Papist) doth professe to be his judgment, Our interpellaetions, saith he, should be ex∣pounded by way of wishing and desiring that they would pray to God for us without any act of worship. But I know not a second who doth joyn with him in this; but for his mode∣sty in this and other particulars, he is accounted by the rest to be a luke-warm Catholick: but thus, if they would only(y) 1.114 pray the Saints, and not pray to the Saints to pray for them, we should rather commiserate them, then take pains to confute them.

As to the second, The miracles (which(z) 1.115 Bellarmine will have to be infinit) wrought in confirmation of this, are not all of one size. 1. The Histories of many are fabulous, being invented by some idle Monks and lying Poets. 2. A great part of these miracles ar counterfeit, for fostering the deluded multitude in their superstition; such is their restoring the sight to those who never wanted it, and their curing ma∣ny diseases in them, who are as whole as the Physicians. 3. We deny not, that something like a real miracle may be wrought by him and his emissaries, whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, 2 Thess. 2.9. O! If Papists would ponder that which fol∣loweth, ver. 10, 11, 12. they durst not make use of this objection.

As to the third. We do not wrong the Saints in glory, while we refuse to take the crown off Christs head and put it on theirs; they cast their crowns down at his feet, Rev. 4.10. and shall we throw down Christs crown at their feet? they fall down and worship him, as being worthy to receive

glory and honour, having created all things for himself, ver 10, ••1. and shall we idolize and worship the poor creature? Oh! how do these holy spirits abominate that honour and worship, that is given unto them? and if they were on earth, and did converse with the living, they would joyn with us, and with indignation say to Papists (as Paul and Barnabas did in the like case, Act. 14.14, 15.) Sirs, why do ye these things? we were also men, of like passions with you, and are yet your fellow-creatures and brethren; Ah, turn from these vanities unto the living God.

We say with Augustine,(a) 1.116 Honorandi sunt propter imita∣tionem, non adorandi propter religionem; honoramus eos charitaete non servitute;(b) 1.117 nominantur a Sacerdote, non in∣vocantur. We honour the Saints with the honour of love, not of servitude, for imitation not for adoration; and the Pastor doth name them for their vertue, but doth not call upon them as gods and patrons: though we make not idols of them, yet their memory is precious with us; as we praise God for that measure of grace he gave to them, so we love and reverence them, because they were thus beloved of our Father, and because they honestly endeavoured to improve his talents to the honour of his name, and we labour to imi∣tate them in their humility, faith, patience, zeal, &c.

But praise be to our God,* 1.118 who hath not left us to the care of such Patrons, who are ignorant of us, and know not what we stand in need of; and praise to him, who will not shut the door on us till these Courtiers make way for our ad∣mission: Though all Angels and Saints in glory be ignorant of us, and do not acknowledge us, yet we may (with that people, Isa, 63.16.) to our comfort say, Doubtlesse thou art our father, and as a father pittieth his children, so thou will pitty us, and welcome us when we draw nigh to thee. Ps. 103, 13. His eyes are still over us, and his ear open to our prayers, Pet. 3.12. Men would purchase at a dear rate such a priviledge on earth, alwaies to have the Kings ear, that he would but hearken to their desires, that they might but alwaies have accesse to him; but we have this liberty purchased to us by the blood of the Kings son, we may

alwaies draw nigh to the King of Kings; we have moyen at Court; and we have not only the priviledge to come, but also our acceptance and successe made sure unto us by the word of the King and the purchase of his Son, and now we may ask what we will and it shall be given us. Praise be to him, who hath such bowels towards poor sinners, and will not send them to the empty Cisterns of creature-compassion and bounty: And all praise and honour be for ever ascribed to him, who is the propitiation, in whom we have accesse with boldness unto the throne of grace. What need we other advocates to plead our cause? Doth not our Redeemer live for ever? doth he not live to make intercession for us? We neither want a Priest nor(c) 1.119 Altaer; why do we not then dayly bring our offering; our Priest will not mingle our blood (as(d) 1.120 Pilat did the Galileans) but his own with our sacrifices; the smoak of his incense ascends for ever; his blood cryeth while we are silent; he is our ALL, he is all to us, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption, 1 Cor. 1.30. And from him as the fountain, all our streams do flow, all the good and great things we have and hope for, must be conveyed to us through this Conduit, 1 Cor. 3.22, 23. O what a spirit of delusion and despe∣rate folly, must blind-fold and act these miserable wretches, who do despise this open and full fountain, and run to the empty and dry pools, which have no water to spare: Though the wife virgins now have their vessels filled to the brim, yet they have no oyl to spare; though they have more now then while they did wait the coming of the bridegroom, yet they have no more to spare; all their flock and treasure, being for their own use and employment: And since they had not one(e) 1.121 penny wherewith they might buy for themselves, how shall they be able to lend to others? Their reward was not of(f) 1.122 debt, but of grace. And if with the foolish virgins we trust to their money, and come to them for a supply, we will speed no better then they did. Long may deluded Papists knock at their gates before they open; the doors are shut, and they do not look out; and to what purpose should they open? they have not an almes to give: If they did speak,

they would return this answer. Oh Sirs, ye are wrong, what do ye mean? why come ye unto us who live upon mercy, as if we had purchased a stock whereon ye and we might live? and do ye think, that the unsearchable riches of Christ are so far spent, that there is nothing left for you? Ah, leave these vanities, and go to the right and only fountain, that of its fulness ye may receive, that ye may drink and be satisfied, and may taste of that pure river of(g) 1.123 pleasures, that are at his right hand for evermore.

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  Rev. 17.1, 2.
• (b) 1.2

  Costerus in Enchirid. cap. 9. yea and Bellar. de sanct. beat. lib. 1. cap. 12. grants that God hath re∣served that kind of wor∣ship to himself alone. yet cap. 13. & lib. de cult. sanct. cap. 4. sect. 4. he contradicts his former conces∣sion, and lay∣eth down his position sacrae domus non solum Deo sed etiam san∣ctis recté aedi∣ficantur & dedicantur. and concer∣ning the wor∣ship and invo∣cation of saints, vid. lib. 1. de sanct. beat. per to∣tum, & alias passim.
• (c) 1.3

  Vid. ar∣gument Cels∣apud Orig. sub. fin. lib. 7. & init. lib 8. contra Celsum. & Ambros. in epist ad Rom. cap. 1. (si auctor fit istius commentaril) hanc Ethnicorū stultitiâm re∣darguentem, corumque va∣nam excusati∣onem.
• (d) 1.4

  Prov. 27.19.
• (e) 1.5

  Thus Au∣gustine (in Ps. 96. nobis 97.) bringeth in one of the Pagans excu∣sing their ido∣latry, non il∣lud colo, seu adoro quod video, sed ser∣vio ei quem non video, quis est iste? numen quod∣dam invisibi∣le quod praesi∣det illi simu∣lacro, &c. vid. etiam. in Ps. 113. & Chry∣sost in Eph. 5. Hom. 18.
• (g) 1.6

  Vid. Euseb. lib. 15. de praep. evan. & August. in li∣bris de civit. Dei.
• (g) 1.7

  non ovum ovo s••milius.
• (h) 1.8

  2 King 17.16.17.
• (i) 1.9

  2 King. 23.10, 11.
• (k) 1.10

  Though Papists run to some apocry∣phal texts con∣trary to their own concessi∣ons, as we shall hear.
• (l) 1.11

  Hos. 1.6.9.
• (m) 1.12

  Vid. Phil. Judaeum lib. de exceratione sub finem, pag. (mihi) 594.
• (n) 1.13

  Apud August lib de haer. ad Quodvultde∣um, haeres. 39. Angelici in angelorum cultum incli∣nati quos Epi∣phanins jam omnino defe∣cisse testatur: haec August. vid. Theodo∣ret. in Col. 2.18. & Concil. Laodic. can. 35.〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.
• (o) 1.14

  Vid. Theo∣phil. in Col. 2.18.
• (p) 1.15

  Viz. Of Angel-worship.
• (q) 1.16

  Eusebius with Egisip∣pus calls the Church a pure and chast Vir∣gin for the space of the first two hun∣dred years. vid. Eus. hist. lib. 3. cap. 31.
• (r) 1.17

  Vid Ecci∣um in Enchi∣rid. Bellarm. de sanct. beat. lib. 1. cap. 19. Suarez. in, 3. Tom. 2. dis. 42. sect.
• (s) 1.18

  Thus his modesty must 1. make him unfaithfull in concealing his masters will. 2. a liar, in attest∣ing and pro∣testing that he had concealed nothing.
• (t) 1.19

  Orig. Hom. 3. in Cant. & in Jos∣hom. 16.
• (u) 1.20

  In Epist. ad Rom. lib. 2. cap. 2.
• (x) 1.21

  Habeatur hoc quoque in∣ter occulta Dei, nec chartis committenda mysteria.
• (y) 1.22

  Vid. lib. 7. cont. Cels. sub sin. & init. lib. 8. & hom. 6. in lib. Jes. Na∣ve hom. 5. in diversos & in Epist ad Rom. lib. 8. cap. 10. &c.
• (z) 1.23

  Cyp. lib. 3. epist. 18.
• (a) 1.24

  Vid. Atha¦nas. orat. 3. cont. Arrian. & orat. 4.
• (b) 1.25

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, upon which words the greek Scho∣liast saith, that it is an Isocra∣tisme; for Iso∣crates once and again useth this forme of speach to the dead in his orations.
• (c) 1.26

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• (d) 1.27

  Naz. orat. insanct. pasch.
• (e) 1.28

  About that time the monastical kind of life is thought to have its rise; yea, some af∣firm that Basil himself was the first father and inventor of it amongst Christians, though not a few do rather think that Paul the The∣ban, was the first that practised it, about the year 260. and that Anthony did first plead for it, and per∣swade unto it, anno, 300.
• (f) 1.29

  See that Council (as to that particu∣lar) fully vin∣dicated by Dr. Usher, in his answer to the Jesuits chal∣lenge, pag. 460. &c.
• (g) 1.30

  Chemn. exam. conc. Trid, in can. de invocat. Dr. Usher loc, cit. pag. 418. &c. Forbes. instr. histor, theol. lib. 7. cap. 1, 2, 3, &c.
• (h) 1.31

  Ibi. cap. 5.
• (i) 1.32

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Epiphan. Heres. 79.
• (k) 1.33

  Vid. Chemn. loc. cit. pag. (mihi) 339. & W. Per∣kins demonstr. probl. 2. vol. pag. 529.
• (l) 1.34

  Usher, Perkins, Chemnitius, loc. cit.
• (m) 1.35

  Usher loc. cit. pog. 444. and Geo. Cassand. a moderate Pa∣pist, thinks it yet sufficient only to present our wishes and desires to them, and not to pray to them, satis est si dicamus per modum desiderri eas interpellatio∣nes explicari posse, &c. oper. pag. 1109. vid. Uss.
• (n) 1.36

  Such as Prudentius, Paulinus For∣tunatus, &c.
• (o) 1.37

  Religio∣nis virtus cir∣ca solum De∣um versatur sed oratio est proprius actus religionis &c. Swar. loc. cit. cap. 9. sect. 2.
• (p) 1.38

  Ibid. cap. 7. & 8.
• (q) 1.39

  Non po∣test sanctos in∣vocare qui'suo modo in eos non credit & in iis non spe∣rat, Bell. de sanct. beat. lib. 2. cap. 20. sect. ad primum.
• (r) 1.40

  Primito auctor bono∣rum. Bell. ibid.
• (s) 1.41

  Cajet. in Philem.
• (t) 1.42

  Fides re∣fertur in sanctos tan∣quam conser∣tes fidei.
• (u) 1.43

  Yet here there is an in∣version of or∣der, vid. Calv, in loc.
• (x) 1.44

  What Peter abomi∣nateth while he was on earth, he will not accept while he is in heaven, until the reason he used prove null, and he leave off to be a man, or fel∣low-creature with us.
• (y) 1.45

  Bell. de sanct. beat. lib, 1. cap. 14. sect. ad 4. dico.
• (z) 1.46

  num me∣lius Johanne norunt Calvi∣nistae? &c.
• (a) 1.47

  Accord∣ing to that usual synec∣doche totius pro parte, the soul (as being the nobler part) gets the denomination of the whole.
• (b) 1.48

  Arg. 3.
• (c) 1.49

  Eph. 3.20.
• (d) 1.50

  1 King. 18.27.
• (e) 1.51

  1 King. 8.39.
• (f) 1.52

  Genes. 39.8, 9.
• (g) 1.53

  Qui ba∣bet habentem omnia, habet omnia.
• (h) 1.54

  Nemo di∣cat, timeo ne irascatur mihi angelus si non illum colo, tunc tibi ira∣scitur quando illum colere volueris; bo∣nus est enim & Deum a∣mat, &c Au∣gust. in Ps. 96.
• (i) 1.55

  Quos sim∣pliciter illud cōmentum re∣jicere affirmat (inter quos e∣numerat ipsum Thomam sect. 9. & om∣nes Thomistas sect. 14. & omnes Theolo∣gos, sect. 15. ex quorum pla∣citis argumen∣tatur contra hoc fictitium speculum) Mart. Becan. theol. schoi. part. 1. tract. 1. cap. 9. q. 13.
• (k) 1.56

  Dom. Bannez in 1. tom. 1. ad quaest. 12. art. 8.
• (l) 1.57

  Quilibet beatus videt in verbo (hee est, in essentiâ divinâ) tan∣quam objecto cognito, ut ex∣plicatur ab aliis, ea omnia quae pertinent ad suum sta∣tum, ut docent communiter omnes theologi cum S. Tho. 1. p. q. 12. art. 6. haec Alvar. in 3. quaest. 10. art 3. disp. 55. § it.
• (m) 1.58

  Rectè Calvin. in 1. Cor. 13.8. imaginantur (inquit) Papistae, sanctos ex reftexo lumine quod haebent ex conspectu Dei videre totum mundum, sed profanum est figmentum & prorsus gemilitium quod Aegyptiacam Theo∣logiam magis recipit quam Christianae philosophiae conveniat, &c.
• (n) 1.59

  Becan. loc. cit.
• (o) 1.60

  Bell. de sanct. beat. lib. ••. cap. 20.
• (p) 1.61

  Apud Chemn. loc. cit pag. (mihi) 296.
• (q) 1.62

  Vid Chem. ibid.
• (r) 1.63

  August. de consens∣evang. 1.2. Deum sic cole∣re oportet quo∣modo scipsum colendum esse praece••it-••ora∣re aliter quam Deminus do∣cuis, non igno∣rantia solum sed culpa est. quare hono∣randus esse non intelligi∣tur nisi ipse docuerit hono∣randum, dei ho¦norem per De∣um docemur; non est de Deo humanis judi∣clis sention∣dum, Aug de trin. lib. 5.
• (s) 1.64

  Cajet. tract. de in∣dulg. Canus lib. 5. cap. 5. Joan. Pic. Mirand. apo∣log. quaest. 7. Bell. loc. cit. § respondeo sanctorum.
• (t) 1.65

  Tanta est fides adhibenda eccles•••• in damnatione alicujus quanta est adhibenda in canonizatione sanctorum; sed dicit, Thom. ult art. quodl. 9. quod sanctos canonizatos ab ecclesiá non tenemur de necessitate sidel credere esse in gloria; fundamentum Thomae est quia in his tantum tenemur de necessitate salutis ecclesia credere quae ad substantiam fidei pertinent. Mirand. loc, cit. sub finem quaest. fol. (mihi) 55. vid. etiam fol. 51.
• (u) 1.66

  Ribadi∣neira in vita Borg.
• (x) 1.67

  Lorin. in 1 Act.
• (y) 1.68

  Mat. 6.9. Luk. 11.2.
• (z) 1.69

  Quod co∣lit uminus An∣gelus id colen∣dum ab homine ultimo Tertul. advers Marci∣on. lib. 4.
• (a) 1.70

  De Christo lib. 1. cap. 17. &c.
• (b) 1.71

  Quod illi adhuc inferni carceribus clausi detine∣rentur Bell, ord. dis. de beat. & canoniz.
• (c) 1.72

  Anno 1550. See ••po••sw. hist. Ch. Sect pag. 91.
• (d) 1.73

  Bell. loc. cit cap. 10. § 6. ibid.
• (e) 1.74

  Bell. loc. cit. cap. 12.
• (f) 1.75

  Azor, in∣stit. moral. tom 1. lib. 9. cap. 10.
• (g) 1.76

  Thom. 22. quaest. 83. art. 3. con∣clus. art. ma∣nifestum est quod est pre∣priae religionis actus.
• (h) 1.77

  Vid. Thom. ibid. & quast. 81. art. 1, 2, 3.
• (i) 1.78

  Est eximi∣um adoratio∣nis genu••. Bell. ord. disp. de ••eat. & Canoniz. vid. Azor. in••••••t. moral. tom. 1. lib 9. cap. 10.
• (k) 1.79

  Sacrifici∣um verum non est quod ex ar∣câ, sed quod ex corde pro∣fertur, nec quod manu sed quod mente libatur. Lactant. de opif. Dei cap. 2.
• (l) 1.80

  Thom. 22. quaest. 83. art. 3 orando tradit homo mentem suam De, quam ei per reverenti∣am subjicit & quodamodo praesentat. And yet he makes it the subject of the following article, to shew, that we should pray to the Saints.
• (m) 1.81

  Mat. 11 28.
• (n) 1.82

  Its obser∣vable that the Apostle here, while he speaketh of prayer exclu∣deth the medi∣ation of all others, as Calvin well observeth, at∣que horum quoque in∣su••sitatem co∣argu•• loci circumstantia quandequi∣dem hie de precibus ex professo tractatur. Calvin in 1 Tim. 2, 5••
• (o) 1.83

  Pro quo autem nullus interpellar sed ipse pro emni∣bus, hic unus verusque me∣diator est Aug. lib. 2. cont. Parm, cap. 8.
• (p) 1.84

  Bell. loc. cit. cap. 20. § hanc ratio∣nem secutus est B. Au∣gust.
• (q) 1.85

  Vid. Cal∣vin in 1 Tim. 2.5.
• (r) 1.86

  Chem. exam. Conc. Trid. part 3. in decr. de in∣vocat, See al∣so Dr. Usher lol. cit.
• (s) 1.87

  Psalter B. Mar•• virg. Ps. 18. Ps. ••7. Ps 30. &c.
• (t) 1.88

  Let us hear Calvin who was better ac∣quainted with their practice then we who live at suc a distance. Quod Satan sub papatu eousque per∣duxit ut vix millesimus quisque me∣diatorem Christum vel titulo tenus agnosceret — ita illis nomen est invisum ut si quispiam Christi Mediatoris faciat mentionem praeteritis sanctis mox suspicione gravetur haeresios Calvin. in 1 Tim. 2.5.
• (u) 1.89

  Magist. sent. lib. 4. dis. 45. Scot. ibid. q. 4. Thom. 2.2. quaest. 83. art. 4. in corp. summa Tab. 5. orare Bel∣larm. de sanct. beat. lib. 1. cap 20. Suarez. loc. cit lib. 1. de or. cap. 10. § 12. &c. I might here fill some pages with citations.
• (x) 1.90

  Thom. loc. jam cita∣to.
• (y) 1.91

  Vid. de∣cret. publica∣um, sess. ult. t die 3. Dec. 1563. de pur. invoc. &c,
• (z) 1.92

  Deut. 32.15.
• (a) 1.93

  Bodin in method. hist. cap. 5. pag. 100. S. An∣tonius a ple∣risque in Ita∣lia & Gallia Narbon••nsi ardentiori vo∣to certe majo∣ri metu colitur quam Deus immortalis.
• (b) 1.94

  Cast. cons. art. 21. quidam homines non mali certos sibi sanctos tanquam patronos deligunt inque eorum moritis & intercessione plus quam in Christi merito fiduciam ponunt.
• (c) 1.95

  Vives in lib. 8 August. de civil. Dei cap. ••7.
• (d) 1.96

  Biel in canone. Mis. lect. 30.
• (e) 1.97

  loc. cit,
• (f) 1.98

  Bell. loc. cit. cap. 17. § 2. probatur.
• (g) 1.99

  Suar. ubi supra § 17. ex Ber. ser. de B. Virgine.
• (h) 1.100

  Pater cae∣lcstis cum ha∣beat justitiam & ••isericor∣diam tanquam potiora sui regni bona justitia sibi re∣tenta miseri∣cordiam ma∣tri virgini concessit Gab. Biel in c••n. miss. lect. 80 vid. etiam Berchorium lib. 19. mora∣lit. cap. 4. & Jo. Gerson tract. 4. super magnisicat.
• (i) 1.101

  Et ideo si quis seusit se gravari a foro justitiae Dei appellet ad forum miseri••ordiae ma∣tris ejus. Bernard. de bust. maral. part, 23. serm, 3.
• (k) 1.102

  in o••sto••o beatae Mariae.
• (l) 1.103

  Berchorius loc. cit.
• (m) 1.104

  Jure ma∣tris impera fi∣lio tuo dilectis∣simo Bonav in Cor. B. mar. virg. &. oper. tom. 6.
• (n) 1.105

  Inclina vultum filii tui super nos, coge illum. &c. Psalt. Bon. seorsim edit. Paris.
• (o) 1.106

  Ʋt docet lex divina, tu illius es domi∣na, nam lex ju∣bet & ratio matrem praeesse filio, haec ex li∣bro cui titul. Antidotum animae. O faelix puer∣pera nostra pia∣ns scelera jure matris, impera redemptori missal. Rom.
• (p) 1.107

  Its observ∣able that Bel∣larmine reck∣oneth this a∣mongst Calvins calumnies and yet returneth no answer unto it Bell. loc. cit. cap. 16. § 4 dicit
• (q) 1.108

  Expedition in calum est via per Francis∣cum quam per Christum apud Wendil. Christ. theol lib. 2. cap. 5.
• (r) 1.109

  Swar. loc. cit. cap. 10. § 3.4.
• (s) 1.110

  Ratio potis∣s••ma sumenda est ex responsi∣one ad argume∣ta haerti••orum ibid § 3.
• (t) 1.111

  Ibid § 3. Alb Pigh contr. 13 Bellar. loc. cit. cap. 19. &. ced. disp. Salmer in 1 Timoth. 2. disp. 8. &c.
• (u) 1.112

  Dom. Ban∣n••z in 2.2. art. 10. in quadam (nam varias ha∣bet conclusiones iste tractatus.) conclus. 2. pag (mihi) 107. ne∣que apertè neque obscurè, neque expressè, neque impressè, &. in∣volute sacrae lite∣rae docent orati∣ones esse ad san∣ctos facieudas &c.
• (x) 1.113

  Crede∣bam ad calum∣nias non∣nullorum re∣pellendas sa∣tis esse si dica∣mus per mo∣dum desiderii eas interpella∣tiones explica∣ri posse quod minus habet absurditatis & divinarum literarum ex∣emplis congru∣it, &c. Cas∣sand. epist. 19. ad Molin. vid. etiam schol. in hym. eccl. operum pag. 242.
• (y) 1.114

  The first of these (accor∣ding to our way of speech) only importing a desire and request, but the second an act of worship.
• (z) 1.115

  Acce∣dunt postreme infinita mira∣cula, &c. Bell. loc. cit. cap. ••9.
• (a) 1.116

  August. de ver. relig. cap. 55
• (b) 1.117

  de civit, Dei lib. 22. cap. 10,
• * 1.118

  Ʋse
• (c) 1.119

  Heb. 13.10.
• (d) 1.120

  Luk. 13.1.
• (e) 1.121

  Accepe∣runt justi, non dederunt coro∣nas; & de fortitudine fi∣delium exem∣plae natae sunt patientla non dona justitiae. L••o. 1. Papa epist. 83. ad Palist. epis. cap 4.
• (f) 1.122

  Rom. 4.4, 5.
• (g) 1.123

  Ps. 16.11