Page 37
THe arguments which the Papists use to justifie their Invoca∣tion of Saints departed, are chiefly these which follow, to which I shall return an answer.
Obj. Saints doe pray for us, and therefore we may and ought to pray to them; that they pray for us is proved by these places of Scripture, viz. Exod. 32. 13. where Moses desireth God to remem∣ber Abraham, Isaac, and his servants. And Baruch. 3. 4. where he saith, O Lord God Almighty, heare now the prayer of the dead Israelites, with 2 Maccabees 14, 15. where Onias spake and said, this is a lover of the Brethren, who prayeth much for the people, Jeremiah the Prophet of the Lord.
Ans. To the testimony cited out of Baruch and the Macca∣bees, they prove nothing, because they are no Books of the Can∣nonicall Scripture. 2. The other testimonies are impertinently alleadged, for Moses maketh not mention of the prayers which Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob should make for the people, but of the Covenant which the Lord made with them; true, the Saints doe pray to God by their generall wishes that the kingdome of God were accomplished, as Rev. 6. 10. but our particular necessities they know not, and so doth not make particular requests for us; therefore the argument followeth not (that they pray by their generall desires for the Church) that therefore they pray for us in particular.
Again, seeing these Papists hold that the Patriarcks, and Fa∣thers of the Old Testament were in Limbus Patrum, a dungeon of darknesse, and a member or part of Hell, they doe absolutely contradict themselves, in making them Mediators, and Interces∣sors in heaven; neither was Moses request for the merits, or worthinesse of the Fathers, but in respect of the Messiah which was promised; for neither was Abraham himself justified by his merits, but by faith, as Paul sheweth, Rom. 4. 30.