Propositions and Principles of Divinity Disputed, Section 63
PRINCIPLES TOVCHING THE INVOCATION OF GODS NAME. LXIII.
WEE HAVE DONE WITH THE WORDE and the Sacraments, being the two markes of the Church, wherevnto, ſeeing Praier, or the inuocation of Gods name is inſeparablie ioyned: it is conuenient, that in this place, we deale therewith.
1 THe inuocation of God, is an ardent affection bent towards God, whereby we do both craue and exſpect of God, onelyonly for Chriſt his ſake, ſpirituall and corporall bleſsings, according vntounto his commaundement and promiſes: and alſo doe giuegive thanks vntounto him for bleſsings receiued.
2 The ſame is neceſſarie vntounto all Chriſtians, that are come to yeares: Firſt, becauſe it is that eſpeciall worſhippe of God, which the couenaunt of grace doth require of vsus: Next, becauſe this is the meanes, whereby God will hauehave his elect to obtaine and keepe the grace of the holy Spirit, and all the reſt of his benefites: Brieflie, it is a teſtimony of Gods couenant in our hearts. For whoſoeuer doe call vppon the name of God, they are indued with the Spirite of the adoption of Children, and receiued into the couenant of God.
3 True inuocation ariſeth firſt, from the true feeling of our wants, & the knowledge of the ſufficiency of God, and vponupon the promiſe of being hard, which is apprehended by faith.
4 Inuocation is due onelyonly vntounto GOD the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghoſt: both becauſe, hee alone is the onelie Authour of all good things; and alſo, becauſe that to bee able to heare-and heale all that call vponupon him in all places, belongeth vntounto none, ſaue onelyonly vntounto the omnipotent God.
5 Now, whereas no man is worthie to preſent himſelfe in the preſence of God; the heauenlie Father, to the ende that he might driue away from vsus, all ſhamefaſtnes & feare, hath giuen vsus the onelyonly Mediator, in whome alone he doth looke vponupon vsus, as beeing reconciled, and heareth our prayers. Now the holy Ghoſt is he, who giueth vsus the true contrition of the heart, and true faith in him vponupon whome we call; and doth inwardlie teach vsus, what wee ought to pray: ſo that we doe call vponupon the Father, in the name of the Son by the holy Ghoſt.
6 Neither of the three perſons of the Deity therfore, is to be omitted in true praier, though they bee not alwaies diſtinctlie named: but wee may ſometimes call vponupon God ſimplie, and ſometimes direct our praiers vntounto the father, ſometimes vntounto the Sonne, and ſometimes vntounto the holie Ghoſt.
7 By the interceſsion of Chriſt with the father, is ment, not any praiers proceeding in ſome maner of geſture from him (now in heauen) on our behalfe: but the price of that redemption of his, wherevpon, when the Father looketh, hee heareth his: and alſo this; namely, that when wee call vppon the Father in his name, hee in ſome ſort doth offer our praiers according vntounto the tender care, whereby he is euen now vnſpeakablie affected towards his members; yet after his owne manner, which is altogeather vnſearchable vntounto vsus.
8 Seeing Chriſt doth make interceſsion for vsus, and with vsus; in ſuch ſort as we hauehave ſpoken: we holde, that the praiers of the faithfull are alwaies acceptable vntounto God, thogh he doth neither alwais giuegive vntounto vsus that which we rightly ask, nor at the time wherein we aske.
9 And ſeing our praiers are to be framed, according vntounto the rule of Gods word; we may ſimply without exception, aske thoſe thinges, which God hath ſimplie and without exception promiſed vntounto vsus; as the increaſe of faith, the ſtrength of the Spirite againſt temptations, remiſsion of ſinnes, and ſuch like. All other things not ſpecially expreſſed; as the deliuery from this or that danger, and ſuch like; are to be deſired with exception; namely, as farre as it bee expedient for Gods glory, & according as (and alſo when) hee thinketh meet, who onelyonly knoweth what is expedient to be granted vntounto vsus.
10 The father hath deliuered vntounto vsus, by his deare ſon, a moſt perfect generall forme of praier: yet are we not tied vntounto the very words thereof.
11 The chiefe end of true Praier, is the glorie of God, or ſome profite that we hope to receiue thereby.
12 It is meet, that a certaine place & time be apointed, (if it may be conueniently done) in eueryevery church for publik praier; yet is it meere ſuperſtition, to thinke, that praiers made in a certaine place, or time, are of themſelues more effectuall.
13 The dedications of Temples, and the rites vſed in this action, are the reliques, partly of Paganiſme, and partlie of Iudaiſme, and therefore to be vtterly abolliſhed.
14 Priuate Praiers alſo, are carefully to be practiſed, in the vſe whereof, it is the part of eueryevery man to conſider, what is expedient.
15 There are foure ſorts of Praiers, reckoned vppe by PAVLE, 1. TIM. 2.1. ſupplications, praiers, interceſsions, and giuing of thankes; vnderunder which foure ſorts, hee comprehendeth all other.
16 Theſe foure ſortes may be thus diſcerned; Supplication is, when wee deſire to bee deliuered from the euills, that hang ouer vsus: Praier is, when wee craue a better ſucceſſe of our affaires; For as by Supplication, we intreat the taking away of inconueniences; ſo by Praier, we craue the ſupplie of thoſe things that are good for vsus: Interceſsion is, when as one of vsus doth intreat, for the neceſsitie of an other; beeing of charitie mooued therevnto: or when as wee complaine vntounto God, of injuries done vntounto vsus: Brieflie, by thanks-giuing, we praiſe God for the benefites that we hauehave receiued, and ſhew, that wee are beholding vntounto him, for al the benefits, both ſpirituall and corporall, that we hauehave obtained.
17 The fruits which we reape by Praier, are diuers. 1. Our heart is inflamed, with an earneſt deſire to ſeek, louelove, and worſhippe God, when as we are accuſtomed in all our neceſsities to flie vntounto him, as vntounto an holie anchor. 2. No deſire cometh to our minde, whereof wee are aſhamed to make him a witneſſe, when as wee poure out our whole hart before him. 3. We are framed to receiue his benefits with thanks-giuing. 4. Hauing obtained that which we did craue, wee are more feruentlie carried to meditate of his louing kindnes. 5. Laſtlie, vſe and experience it ſelfe, doth confirme vntounto our ſoules, his prouidence, vertue, and goodnes towards vsus.
18 Hence it appeareth, that Inuocation, which is that true worſhip of God, is altogeather ouerthrowen in Poperie.
19 Firſt of all, becauſe the Papiſtes doe teach men to bring their owne merites, as that Phariſie did, although they are beholding vntounto God for them: The which doctrine doth damme vp that eſpeciall ſpring of true Prayer, namelie, the ſenſe of our want.
20 Next, that they either bring in fained promiſes, or inuent merites that hauehave no promiſe.
21 Thirdlie, in that they profeſſedlie place doubting in ſtead of faith: as though to bee aſſured that GOD will heare vsus, were a ſecuritie full of Preſumption.
22 Herevnto is to bee adjoyned, that both they conceaue priuate and publicke prayer, in a ſtraunge vnknown tongue: (which is nothing elſe but a manifeſt mocking of God,) and that they pray by nomber. Brieflie, in that they teach, (which is vtterlie wicked) that thoſe prayers of theirs, doe deſerue remiſsion of ſinnes, and other benefites.
23 To be ſhort, herein they are moſt godleſſe, in that they appoint Saints departed, as ſubſtitute interceſſours vnderunder Chriſt, not onelie raſhlie and in vaine, beſides and contrarie to the word of God, and therfore without faith; but alſo vnprofitablie, ſeeing that cannot bee held, but they muſt make the Spirits of thoſe that are dead, to be the ſearchers of harts, and attribute vntounto them, that which is proper vntounto GOD onelie: namelie, that they may heare thoſe that call vponupon them eueryevery where.
24 This ſinne is augmented euen by an other two-fold impietie: the one, in that they honor the Virgine MARIE, and the ſigne of the Croſſe, by a certaine peculier inuocation: the other, in that they doe yeeld vntounto Images both painted and grauen, the verie ſame worſhip, whereby they would honour Chriſt, if he were preſent.
25 Touching thoſe degrees of their religious adoration by LATRIA, DVLIA, and HYPERDVLIA, wee affirme them to be altogether vaine.
26 Vaine alſo is that diſtinction, of the Mediator of redemption and interceſsion.
Defended by IOHN CRVCIVS a Flemming.