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.
IN the second Age Dionysius. I constantly af∣firm, with the divine Scripture, that the prayers of the Saints are very profitable for us in this life after this manner; When a man is inflamed with a desire to imitate the Saints, and distrusting his own weakness, betakes himself to any Saint, beseeching him to be his helper, and petitioner to God for him; he shall obtain by that means very great assistance.
Eccles. Hierar. c. 7. par. 3. Sect. 3. prope ••inem▪
In the same Age S. Clement. We command you that the Martyrs be in all honor among you, even as James the Bishop, and Stephen our fel∣low Deacon hath been amongst us; for God hath made them blessed, and holy men have honored them. L. Apost. constitut. 5.
In the same Age Iustin Martyr. We worship and ••dore both God the Father and the Son, who came and taught us these things &c. and also the company of his followers and the good Angels, and we worship them both by words and deeds, and in truth, even as we our selves have been taught and instructed. In Apolog. 2. and Antoninum P••••m.
In the third Age Origen: I will begin to fall down on my knees, and pray to all the Saints to suc••••ur me, who dare not ask God for the ex∣ceeding greatness of my sin. O Saints of God! with teares and weeping I beseech you to fall down before his mercy for me a wretch. In La∣mentat.
And again: All the Saints departed bear∣ing yet charity towards the living, it shall not b•• inconvenient to say, that they have a care of their salvation, and help them with their prayers to God for them: for it is written in the Machabees, This is ••eremy, who alwayes prayes for the people, &c. Homil. 3. in Cantica.
In the fourth age S. Chrysostome: They ado∣red the same Saints that we do at this day▪ Hom. de Sanctis Juven. & Maxim.
In the same age S. Ambrose, He honours Christ that honours his Martyrs Sermon. 6. And again: We must pray to the Angels who are gi∣ven us to be our defenders, we must pray to the Martyrs, &c. for they are able to pray for our sins, who have washed away their own▪ &c. These are the Martyrs of God, our Governors, and watchful beholders of our life and actions, l. de viduis.
In the same age S. Chrysostome: If Moses and Samuel shall stand before me, (Jerem 15.) observe (saith he) how it is said of the two Prophets, if they shall stand before me, &c. because they both had prayed for them, and had not obtained, &c. yet let not us contemne the pray∣ers of the Saints, &c. but let us intreat them to pray for us, that we may obtain the promises, Homil. 1. in Epist. ad Thessalon. And again, The servants of Christ even when they are dead, are the protectors of the kings of this world, Hom. 26. in 2. ad Cor.
In the fifth age S. Augustine: The multitude of the Gentiles doth now adore with bended knees most blessed Peter the Fisher-man: Sermon. de Sanctis Pet & Paul. And again, We do not worship th••m as Gods, but as holy men, in Psalm. 96. And in another place, All the Martyrs
that are with Christ intercede for as, nor cease they to pray for us, unless we cease to sigh after them, in Psal. 85. And finally in the 40. chapter of his Meditations he prayes thus: O blessed Trinity! preserve me from all evill &c. by the prayers of the Patriarchs, by the intercession of the Apostles, by the constancy of the Martyrs, &c. and by the in∣ter••••ssion of all the Saints, &c. Then having in∣vocated the B. Virgin, and many Angels and Saints by name, he concludes saying, I beseech you intercede for me a sinner, unto God, that I m••y be delivered from the jawes of the Devil and ever∣lasting death.
The Council of Gangers defined, That if any man out of pride abominate the assemblies which are celebrated a•• the confessions of the Martyrs, or execrate the mysteries which are there done toge∣ther with their memories, be he Anathem••, Can. 20. an. Dom. 324.
The sixth Constantinopolitan Council defi∣ned, That a Christian, adoring onely God his Crea∣t••r, may invocate the Saints, that they would vouchsa••e to pray for him to the divine Majesty, c. 7. an. Dom. 676.
The second Nicene Council, L••t us do all things with the fear of God, asking the intercessi∣ons of the ••••spotted Mother of God, as also of the Angels and all the Saints, Act. 3. 6. an. Dom. 781.