Answer to a Jesuit in Ireland — James Ussher

Answer to a Jesuit in Ireland · James Ussher

OF PRAYER TO SAINTS.

THat one question of S. Paul, Rom. 10.14. How shall they call upon him, in whom they have not beleeved? among such as lust not to be contentious, will quickly put an end unto this question. For if none can be invocated but such as must be beleeved in; and none must be beleeved in but God alone: everie one may easily discerne, what conclusion will follow thereupon. Againe, all Christians have beene taught, that no part of divine worship is to be communicated unto any creature. for aMatth. 4.10.it is written: Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him onelyonly shalt thou serve. But prayer is such a principall part of this service, that it is bIerem. 10.25… Ioel. 2.32. Act 9.14. 1. Corinth. 1.2. Sic apud Optatum, lib 3. contr. Donatist. Vt negaretur Christus & Idola rogarentur. Item: Testamentum divinum legimus pariter; unum Deum rogamus.usually put for the whole: and the publick place of Gods worship, hath from hence given it the denomination of cEsai. 56.7. Matth. 21.13.the house of prayer. Furthermore, hee that heareth our prayers, must be able to search the secrets of our hearts; and discerne the inward disposition of our soules. For the pouring out of good words, and the offering up of externall sighes and teares, are but the carkase only of a true prayer: the life thereof consisteth in the dPsalm. 62.8. 1. Sam. 1.13, 15.pouring out of the very soule it selfe, and the sending up of those secret eRom 8.26.groanes of the spirit which cannot be uttered. But fRom. 8.27.he that searcheth the hearts, and onelyonly he, knoweth vvhat is the minde of the spirit: he g1. Kings. 8.39. 2. Chron. 6.30.heareth in heaven his dwelling place, and giveth to every man according to his wayes, whose heart he knoweth. for he even he ONELYONLY knoweth the hearts of all the children of men: as Salomon teacheth us in the praier which he made at the dedication of the Temple. wherunto we may add that golden sentence of his father David for a conclusion: hPsalm. 65.2.O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.

If it be further here ob…ected by us; that we finde neyther precept nor example of any of the Fathers of the old Testament, whereby this kinde of p…aying to the soules of the Saints departed may be warranted: Cardinall Bellarmine will give us a reason for it. iNam id circò ante Christi adventum non ita colebantur, ne que invocabantur spiritus Patriarcharū et Prophetarū, quemadmodū nunc Apostolos & Martyres colimus & invocamus: quòd illi adhuc inferni carceribus clausi detinebantur. Bellarmin. fin. Praefat. in Controvers. de Ecclesiá triumphante, in Ord. disputat.for therefore (saith he) the spirits of the Patriarches and the Prophets before the comming of Christ were neyther so worshipped nor invocated, as we doe now worship and invocate the Apostles and Martyrs: because that they were detayned as yet shut up in the prisons of Hell. But if this reason of his be grounded upon a false foundation (as we have alreadie shewed it to be) and the contrary supposition be most true; that the spirits of the Patriarchs and Prophets were not thus shut up in the prisons of Hell: then have we foure thousand yeares prescription left unto us, to oppose against this innovation. We go further yet, and urge against them, that in the New Testament it selfe we can descry no footsteps of this new kinde of Invocation, more then we did in the Scriptures of the old Testament. For this, Salmeron doth tell us, that kQuia Scripturas conditas & publicatas in primitivâ Ecclesiâ oportebat Christū fundare, & explicare, qui per tacitam suggestionem Spiritus Sanctos secum adducebat: & durum esset id Iudaeis praecipere; & occasio daretur Gentibus put…ndi sibi exhibitos multos Deos pro multitudine Deorum quos relinquebant. Alphons. Salmer. in 1. Timoth. 2. disput. 8.the Scriptures vvhichwhich were made and published in the primitive Church ought to found and explaine Christ, who by the tacite suggestion of the Spirit did bring the Saints with him: and that it would have beene a hard matter to enjoyne this to the Iewes; and to the Gentiles an occasion would be given thereby to thinke, that many Gods were put upon them in steed of the multitude of the Gods whom they had forsaken. So this new worship, you see, fetcheth his originall neyther from the Scriptures of the Old nor of the New Testament: but from I know not what tacite suggestion, which smelt so strongly of Idolatry, that at first it was not safe to acquaint eyther the Iewes or the Gentiles therewith. But if any such sweet tradition as this were at first delivered unto the Church by Christ and his Apostles: we demand further, how it should come to passe, that for the space of 360. yeares together after the birth of our Saviour, we can finde mention no where of any such thing? For howsoever our Challenger giveth it out, that prayer to Saints was of great account, amongst the Fathers of the primitive Church, for the first 400. years after Christ: yet for nine parts of that time, I dare be bold to say, that he is not able to produce as much as one true testimonie out of any Father, whereby it may appeare, that any account at all was made of it; and for the tithe too, he shall finde perhaps before we have done, that he is not like to carry it away so cleerly as he weeneth.

Whether those blessed spirits pray for us, is not the question here: but whether we are to pray unto them. That God onelyonly is to be prayed unto, is the doctrine that was once delivered unto the Saints, for which we so earnestly contend: the Saints praying for us doth no way crosse this (for to whom should the Saints pray, but to the lRevel. 15.3.King of Saints?) their being prayed unto, is the onelyonly stumbling block that lyeth in this way. And therefore in those first times, the former of these was admitted by some, as a matter of probabilitie: but the latter no way yeelded unto, as being derogatorie to the priviledge of the Deitie. Origen may be a witnesse of both: who touching the former writeth in this sort. mEgo sic arbitror, quòd omnes illi qui dormierunt ante nos patres, pugnent nobiscum & adjuvent nos orationibus suis Ita namque etiā quendam de senioribus magistris audivi dicentē. Origen. in Iosue. homil. 16.I doe thinke thus, that all those fathers who are departed this life before us, doe fight with us and assist us with their prayers: for so have I heard one of the elder Masters saying. and in another place. nIam veró si etiam extra corpus positi sancti, qui cum Christo sunt, agunt aliquid, & laborant pro nobis ad similitudinem angelorum qui salutis nostrae ministeria procurant. etc. habeatur hoc quoque inter occulta Dei, nec chartis committenda mysteria. Id. lib. 2. in epist. ad Roman. cap. 2.Moreover if the Saints, that have left the body and be with Christ, doe any thing and labour for us, in like maner as the Angels do vvho are imployed in the ministery of our salvation: let this also remaine among the hidden things of God, and the mysteries that are not to be committed unto writing. But because he thought that the Angels and Saints prayed for us: did he therefore hold it needfull, that we should direct our prayers unto them? Heare, I pray you, his owne answer; in his eighth booke against Celsus the philosopher. oforeign. Origen. lib. 8. contra Cels pag. 432.433.We must endevour to please God alone, who is above all things, and labour to have him propitious unto us, procuring his good will with godlinesse and all kinde of vertue. And if Celsus will yet have us to procure the good will of any others, after him that is God over all: let him consider, that as when the body is moved, the motion of the shadow thereof doth follow it; so in like maner, having God favourable unto us who is over all, it followeth that we shall have all his friends, both Angels and soules and spirits, loving unto us. For they have a fellow-feeling with them that are thought worthy to finde favour from God. Neyther are they only favourable unto such as be thus worthy, but they worke with them also that are willing to doe service unto him who is God over all, & are friendly to them, and pray with them, and intreate with them. So as wee may be bold to say, that when men which with resolution propose unto them selves the best things doe pray unto God, many thousands of the sacred powers pray together vvith them UNSPOKEN to.

Celsus had said of the Angels: pforeign Celsus, ibid. pag. 406.that they belong to God, and in that respect we are to put our trust in them, and make oblations to them according to the lawes, and pray unto them, that they may be favourable to us. To this Origen answereth in this maner. qforeign. Origen ibid.Away with Celsus his counsell, saying that we must pray to Angels: and let us not so much as afford any little audience to it. For we must pray to him alone who is God over all: and vve must pray to the Word of God his onelyonly begotten and the first bornè of all creatures; and we must intreat him, that he as high Priest would present our prayer (when it is come to him) unto his God, and our God, & unto his Father and the father of them that frame their life according to the word of God. And whereas Celsus had further sayd that we rforeign, Celsus, ibid. pag. 411.must offer first fruits unto Angels, and prayers, as long as we live; that we may finde them propitious unto us: answere is returned by Origen in the name of the Christians; that they held it rather fit to offer first fruits unto him which sayd; Let the earth bring forth grasse, the herbe yeelding seed, and the fruite tree yeelding fruite after his kinde. sforeign. Origen. ibid. pag. 411.412.And to whom wee give the first fruites, (saith he) to him also doe wee send our prayers; having a great high Priest that is entred into the Heavens, Iesus the Sonne of God: and we hold fast this confession whiles we live, having God favourable unto us, and his onelyonly begotten Sonne Iesus being manifested amongst us. But if we have a desire unto a multitude, whom we would willingly have to be favourable unto us: we learne that thousand thousands stand by him, and millions of millions minister unto him. who beholding them that imitate their pietie towards God, as if they were their kinsfolkes and friends; helpe forward their salvation who call upon God, and pray sincerely: appearing also, and thinking that they ought to doe service to them; and as it were upon one watchword to set forth for the …enefit and salvation of them that pray to God, unto whom they themselves also pray. For they are all ministring spirits, sent forth to minister for them, who shall be heires of salvation. Thus farre Origen, in his eight booke against Celsus: to which for a conclusion we wil adde that place of the fift booke. tforeign. etc. foreign (fort. foreign. Jd. lib. 5. pag. 239.All prayers and supplications and intercessions and thankesgivings, are to be sent up unto God the Lord of all, by the high Priest who is above all Angels, being the living Word and God. For to call upon Angels, we not comprehending the knowledge of them which is above the reach of man, is not agreeable to reason. And if by supposition it were granted, that the knowledge of them (which is wonderfull, and secret) might be comprehended: this very knowledge, declaring their nature unto us and the charge over which every one of them is set, would not permit us to presume to pray unto any other but unto God the Lord over all, who is aboundantly sufficient for all, by our Saviour the Sonne of God.

Tertullian and Cyprian in the bookes which they purposely wrote concerning Prayer, deliver no other doctrine: but teach us to regulate all our prayers according unto that perfect patterne prescribed by our great Master; wherein we are required to direct our petitions unto Our Father which is in heaven. (Matth. 6.9. Luk. 11.2) uHaec ab alio orare non possum, quàm á quo me scio consecuturum: quoniam & ipse est qui solus praestat, & ego sum cui impetrare debetur; famulus ejus qui eum solum observo, qui propter disciplinam ejus occidor, qui ei offero opimam & majorem hostiam, quam ipse mandavit, orationem de carne pudicâ, de animâ innocenti, de spiritu sancto profectam. Tertullian. Apologetic. cap. 30.These things (saith Tertullian in his Apologie for the Christians of his time) I may not pray for from any other, but from him of whom I know I shall obtayne them: because both it is he who is alone able to give, and I am he unto whom it appertayneth to obtayne that which is requested, being … servant who observe him alone, who for his religion am killed, who offer unto him a rich and great sacrifice, which he himselfe hath commanded, Prayer proceeding from a chaste body, from an innocent soule, from a holy spirit. where he accounteth Prayer to be the chiefe sacrifice, wherewith God is worshipped: agreeably to that which Clemens Alexandrinus wrote at the same time. xforeign. Clem. Alexandr. lib. 7. Stromat.We doe not without cause honour God by prayer; and with righteousnesse send up this best and holyest sacrifice. The direction given by Ignatius unto Virgins in this case, is short and sweete: yforeign. Ignat. epist. 6. ad Philadelph.Yee Virgins, have Christ alone before your eyes and his Father in your prayers, being inlightened by the Spirit. for explication whereof that may be taken, which we reade in the exposition of the Faith, attributed unto S. Gregory of Neocaesarea. zQui recté invocat Deum, per Filium invocat: & qui proprié accedit, per Christū accedit. Accedere autem ad Filium non potest sine Spiritu Sancto. Gregor. Neocaesar. foreign. á Fr. Turriano convers.Whosoever rightly prayeth unto God, prayeth by the Sonne; and whosoever commeth as he ought to doe, commeth by Christ: and to the Sonne he can not come, without the holy Ghost.

Neyther is it to be passed over, that one of the speciall arguments whereby the writers of this time do prove our Saviour Christ to bee truely God, is taken from our praying unto him and his accepting of our petitions. aSi homo tantummodo Christus; quomodo adest ubique invocatus, cùm haec hominis naturae non sit, sed Dei, ut adesse omni loco possit? Si homo tantummodò Christus; cur homo in orationibu… mediator invocatur, cùm invocatio hominis ad praestandam salutem inefficax judicetur? Si homo tantummodò Christus; cur spes in illum ponitur, cùm spes in homine maledicta referatur? Novatian. de Trinitat. cap. 14.If Christ be onelyonly man, (saith Novatianus) how is he present being called upon every where; seeing this is not the nature of man, but of God, that he can be present at every place? If Christ be onelyonly man: why is a man called upon in our prayers as a mediatour; seeing the invocation of a man is judged of no force to yeeld salvation? If Christ be onelyonly man: why is there hope reposed in him; seeing hope in man … sayd to be cursed? So is it noted by Origen, that S. Paul bSed & in principio epistolae quam ad Corinthios scribit, ubi dicit; Cum omnibus qui invocan… nomen Domini Iesu Christi in omni loco, ipsorum & nostro: eum, cujus nomen invocatur, Deum, Iesum Christum esse pronuntiat. Si ergo & Enos & Moses & Aaron & Samuel invocabant Dominum, & ipse exandiebat eos, sine dubio Christum Iesum Dominum invocabant: & si invocare Domini nomen, & adorare Deū, unum atque idem est, sicut invocatur Christus & adorandus est Christus: & sicut offerimus Deo Patri primò omniū orationes, ita & Domino Iesu Christo: & sicut offerimus postulationes Patri, ita offerimus postulationes & Filio: & sicut offerimus gratiarum actiones Deo, ita gratias offerimus Salvatori. Origen. lib. 8. in epist. ad Roman. cap. 10.in the beginning of the former epistle to the Corinthians, where he saith, With all that in every place call upon the Name of Iesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours; (1. Corinth. 1.2.) doth thereby pronounce Iesus Christ, whose Name is called upon, to be God. And if to call upon the Name of the Lord, (saith he) and to adore God, bee one and the selfe same thing: as Christ is called upon, so is he to be adored; and as we do offer to God the Father first of all prayers, (1. Tim. 2.1.) so must we also to the Lord Iesus Christ; and …s wee doe offer supplications to the Father, so doe we offer supplications also to the Sonne; and as wee doe offer thankesgivings to God, so doe we offer thankesgivings to our Saviour. In like maner Athanasius, disputing against the Arrians, by that prayer which the Apostle maketh, 1. Thessal. 3.11. God himselfe and our Father, and our Lord Iesus Christ, direct our way unto you; doth prove the unitie of the Father and the Sonne. cforeign. Athanas. orat. 4. contra Arian. pag. 259.For no man (saith he) would pray to receive any thing from the Father and the Angels, or from any of the other creatures: neyther would any man say; God and the Angell give thee this. And whereas it might be objected, that Iacob in the blessing that he gave unto Ephraim and Manasseh (Genes. 48.15, 16.) did use this forme of prayer: The God which fed me from my youth unto this day; The Angel which delivered me from all evills, blesse those children. (which Cardinall dBellarm. de Eccles. triumph. lib. 1. cap. 19.Bellarmine placeth in the forefront of the forces he bringeth forth to establish the Invocation of Saints.) Athanasius answereth, that eforeign. Athanas. ut supr. pag. 260.he did not couple one of the created and naturall Angels with God that did create them; nor omitting God that fed him, did desire a blessing for his nephews from an Angel: but saying, Which delivered me from all evills, hee did shew that it was not any of the created Angels, but the WORD of God (that is to say, the Sonne) whom he coupled with the Father and prayed unto. and for further confirmation hereof he alledgeth (among other things) that neyther fforeign etc. foreign. Id. ibid.Iacob, nor David did pray unto any other but God himselfe, for their deliverance.

The place wherein we first finde the spirits of the deceased to be called unto, rather then called upon; is that in the beginning of the former of the Invectives which Gregory Nazianzen wrote against the Emperour Iulian, about the CCCLXIV. year of our Lord. foreign. Heare ô thou soule of great Constantius (if thou hast any understanding of these things) and as many soules of the Kings before him as loved Christ. where the gSchol. Graec. in priorem Nazianzeni Jnvectivam, pag. 2. edit. Rtonens.Greek Scholiast upon that parenthesis putteth this note. foreign. He speaketh according to the maner of Isocrates; meaning, If thou hast any power to heare the things that are here, and therein he sayeth rightly: for Isocrates useth the same forme of speech, bo…h in his Euagoras and in his Aegineticus. foreign (or foreign. If they which be dead have any sense of the things that are done here. The like limitation is used by the same Nazianzen toward the end of the funerall oration which he made upon his sister Gorgonia: where he speaketh thus unto her. hforeign. Greg. Nazianz. orat. 11. in Gorg…n.If thou hast any care of the things done by us, and holy soules receive this honour from God, that they have any feeling of such things as these; receive this Oration of ours, in stead of many and before many funerall obsequies. So doubtfull the beginnings were of that, which our Challenger is pleased to reckon among the chiefe articles not of his owne religion onelyonly but also of the Saints and Fathers of the primitive Church, who (if his word may be taken for the matter) did generally hold the same touching this point that the Church of Rome doth now. But if he had eyther himselfe read the writings of those Saints and Fathers with whose mindes he beareth us in hand he is so well acquainted; or but taken so much information in this case, as the bookes of his owne new Masters were able to afford him: he would not so peremptorily have avouched, that prayer to Saints was generally embraced by the Doctors of the primitive Church as one of the chiefe articles of their Religion.

His owne Bellarmine (he might remember) in handling this very question of the Invocation of Saints, had wished him to iNotandum est quia ante Christi adventum Sancti, qui moriebantur, non intrabant in coelum, nec Deum videbāt, nec cognoscere poterant ordinarié preces supplicantiū: ideò non fuisse consuerum in Testamento veteri, ut diceretur; Sancte Abraham, ora pro me, &c Bellarmin de Sanct. Beatit. lib. 1. cap. 19.note, that because the Saints which died before the comming of Christ did not enter into heaven, neyther did see God, nor could ordinarily take knowledge of the prayers of such as should petition unto them; therefore it was not the use in the old Testament to say, Saint Abraham pray for me, &c. For at that time, saith Suarez, kQuòd autē aliquis directé oraverit Sanctos defunctos, ut se adjuvarent, vel prose orarent, nusquam legimus. Hic enim modus orandi est proprius legis gratiae, in quo Sancti videntes Deum, possunt etiam in eo videre orationes, quae ad ipsos funduntur. Fr Suarez. in 3. part. Thom. tom. 2. disput 42. sect. 1.we reade no where, that any man did directly pray unto the Saints departed, that they should helpe him, or pray for him; for this maner of praying is proper to the law of Grace, wherein the Saints beholding God, are able also to see in him the prayers that are powred out unto them. So doth Salmeron also teach, lDicendum est, ideò non fuisse morem in Veteri Testamento adeundi Sanctos intercessores, quia nondum erant beati & glorificati, ut modò sunt: ideò non debebatur eis tantus honos, quantus est iste. Alphons. Salmer. in 1. Timoth. 2. disput. 8.that therefore it was not the maner in the old Testament to resort unto the Saints as intercessors; because they were not as yet blessed and glorified, as now they be: and therefore so great an honour as this is, was not due unto them. And mAnt…à frustrà fuissent implorata ipso…um suffragia, utpote nondum conjunctorum cum Deo in gloriâ, sed ad reconciliationem us que & regni apertionem per sanguinem redemptoris Christi, loco quodam ordinato á Deo adhuc expectantium: & proptereà non percipientium orationes & vota viventium, ut quae, non propriâ rationis ad nos us que pertingentis efficaciâ, sed in verbi divini speculo (quod intue…i ipsis nondum datū erat) beati intuentur & audiunt. At post persolutum redemptionis nostrae pretium, sancti jam regnantes cum Christo in coelesti gloriâ, etiā nostras preces votaque exaudiunt: ut quae universa, in verbo, clarissimé intuentur, velut quodam speculo. Albert. Pigh. Controvers. 13.in vaine, saith Pighius, should their suffrages have beene implored, as being not yet joyned with God in glory, but untill the reconciliation and the opening of the kingdome by the blood of Christ the redeemer, wayting as yet in a certaine place appointed by God; and therefore not understanding the prayers and desires of the living. which the blessed doe behold and heare, not by the efficacie of any proper reason reaching from them unto us, but in the glasse of the divine Word; which it was not as yet granted unto them to behold. But after the price of our redemption was payd, the Saints now raigning with Christ in heavenly glory, do heare our prayers and desires: forasmuch as they behold them all most clearely in the Word, as in a certaine glasse.

Now, that diverse of the chiefe Doctors of the Church were of opinion, that the Saints in the New Testament are in the same place & state that the Saints of the Old Testament were in, and that before the day of the last judgement they are not admitted into Heaven and the cleare s…ght of God (wherein this metaphysicall speculation of the Saints seeing of our praiers is founded:) hath beene nSee above, from pag. 215. to 225. item pag. 259.260.265.266.270.343.344. &c.before declared out of their owne writings. where that speech of S. Augustin; oAugustin. in Psalm. 36. conc. 1.Nondum ibi eris: quis nescit? (Thou shalt not as yet be there: who knoweth it not?) sheweth that the opinion was somewhat generall, and apprehended generally too as more then an opinion. By the Romanists own grounds then, the more generally this point was held by the ancient Fathers, and the more resolvedly: the lesse generally of force, and the more doubtfully must the Popish doctrine of praying to Saints have beene intertayned by them. And if our Challenger desire to be informed of this doubt that was among the ancient Divines (touching the estate of the Saints now in the time of the New Testament) by the report of the Doctors of his owne religion, rather than by our allegations: let him heare from Franciscus Pegna, what they have found herein. pOlim controversum fuit, num animae S…nctoru… usque ad diem judicij De…m viderent, & divinâ visione frueren…ur: cùm multi insignes viri & doctrinâ & sanctitate clari tenere viderentur, eas nec videre nec frui us que ad diem judicij, donec receptis corporibus unâ cum illis divinâ beatitudine perfruantur. nam Irenaeus, Iustinus martyr, Tertullianus, Clemens Romanus, Origenes, Ambrosius, Chrysostomus, Augustinus, Lactantius, Victorinus, Prud…ntius, Theodoretus, Aretas, Oecumenius, Theophylactus, & Euthymius hujus referuntur fuisse sententiae: ut commemorant, Castrus, & Medina, & Sotus. …r. Pegna, in …art. 2 D…re…io… Inquisitor comment 21.It was a matter in controversie (saith he) of old, whether the soules of the Saints before the day of judgement did see God, and enjoy the divine vision: seeing many worthy men and famous both for lea… ning and holinesse did seeme to hold, that they doe not see nor enjoy it before the day of judgement, untill receiving their bodies together with them they should enjoy divine blessednesse. For Irenaeus, Iustin Martyr, Tertullian, Clemens Romanus, Origen, Ambrose, Chrysostom, Augustin, Lactantius, Victorinus, Prudentius, Theodoret, Aretas, Oecumenius, Theophylact, and Euthymius are said to have beene of this opinion: as Castrus and Medina and Sotus dorelate. To whom we may adjoyne one more of no lesse credit among our Romanists then any of the others: even Thomas Stapleton himselfe, who taketh it for granted, that qTot illi & tam celebres antiqui patres, Tertu…lianus, Irenaeus, Origenes, Chrysostomus, Theodoretus, Oecumenius, Theophylactus, Ambrosius, Clemens Romanus, D Bernardus, huic sententiae (quae nunc in Concilio Florentino magnâ demùm conquisitione factâ ut dogma fidei definita est) quòd justorum animae ante diem judicij Dei visione fruuntur, non sunt assensi; sed sententiam contrariam tradiderunt. S…ap…eton. Desens. Ecclesiastic. authorit. cont…a Whitake…. lib. 1. cap. 2.these so many famous ancient Fathers, Tertullian, Irenaeus, Origen, Chrysostom, Theodoret, Oecumenius, Theophylact, Ambrose, Cl…mens Romanus, sss and Bernard, did not assent unto this sentence (which now, saith he, in the Councell of Florence was at length after much disputing defined as a doctrine of faith) that the soules of the righteous enjoy the sight of God before the day of judgement; but did deliver the contrary sentence thereunto.

We would intreat our Challenger then, to spell these things and put them together: and afterward to tell us, whether such a conclusion as this may not be deduced from thence.

Such as held that the Saints were not yet admitmitted to the sight of God; could not well hold that men should pray unto them, in such maner as the Romanists use now to do. because the Saints not enjoying the sight of God, are not able ordinarily to take notice of the prayers that are put up unto them.

But manie and verie famous Doctors too among the ancient, did hold, that the Saints are not yet admitted to the sight of God.

Therefore manie and verie famous Doctors among the ancient, could not well hold, that men should pray unto the Saints in such maner as the Romanists use now to doe.

The first proposition is given unto us by Bellarmine and his fellow Iesuites; the second by Stapleton and other Doctors of the Romish Church: yet all of them with equall boldnesse agree in denying the Conclusion. rCerta est & manifesta Conciliorum definitio, perpetuo ab Apostolorum temporibus usu, & omnium Graecorum & Latinorum patrū authoritate firmata; Sanctos esse orandos et invocandos. Jo. Azor. Insti…ut. Moral. tom. 1. lib. 9. cap. 10.It is the certaine and manifest definition of the Councells (saith a Iesuite) confirmed by perpetuall use from the times of the Apostles, and by the authoritie of ALL the Greeke and Latin Fathers; that Saints are to be prayed unto and invocated. sOmnes Patres Graeci & Latini docent, Sanctos esse invocandos. Bellarmin. de Eccles. triumph. lib. 1. cap. 6.ALL the Fathers Greek and Latin teach this: saith Bellarmine. tPatres universi, tam Graeci quàm Latini, perpetuò Sanctos interpellârunt Alphons Salmer. tit 1. Timoth. 2. d…sput. 7.ALL the Fathers, aswell Greeke as Latin, perpetually have called upon the Saints: saith Salmeron. and uStapleton, Forness. part. 1. chap. 9.this is cleere by ALL the writers of the first sixe hundred yeares: quoth Stapleton. for these kinde of men have so enured their tongues to talke of all fathers and all writers; that they can hardly use any other forme of speech: having told such tales as these so often over, that at last they perswade themselves that they be very true indeed.

The memorie of the Martyrs indeed was from the very beginning had in great reverence: and at their Memorialls and Martyria, that is to say, at the places wherein their bodies were layd (which were the Churches whereunto the Christians did in those times usually resort) prayers were ordinarily offered up unto that God for whose cause they layd down their lives. Where, the Lord being pleased to give a gracious answere to such prayers, and to doe many wonderfull things for the honouring of that Christian profession which those worthy champions maintayned unto the death men began afterwards to conceive, that it was at their suite and mediation that these things were granted and effected. Which was the rather beleeved, by reason that the Martyrs themselves were thought to have appeared unto diverse that were thus releeved, both at the places of their memorialls and other where. Notwithstanding, in what sort these things were brought about, S. Augustin professeth that it did passe the strength of his understanding to define. xVtrùm ipsi per seipsos assint uno tempore tam diversis locis, & tantâ inter se longinquitate discretis, etc. Augustin. de Curâ pro mortuis, cap. 16.whether the Martyrs themselves were in their owne persons present at one time in such diverse places, so farre distant one from another: or whether they remaining in a certaine place removed from all commerce with the affayres of men here, yEt tamen generaliter orantibus pro indigentiâ supplicantium. ibid.but praying in generall for the necessities of suppliants; God by the ministery of Angels did effect these things when, where, & in what maner he pleased, but zmaximeque per eorum memorias; quoniam hoc novit expedire nobis ad aedificandam f…dem Christi, pro cujus illi confessione sunt passi. I…si….especially at the Memorialls of the martyrs, because he knew that to be expedient to us for the building of the faith of Christ, for vvhose confession they did suffer. aRes haec altior est, quàm ut á me possit a…ting…, & abstrusior quàm ut á me valeat perscrutari: & ideò quid ho…ū duoru… sit, an veró fortassis utrum que sit, ut aliquando ista fiant per ipsam praesentiā martyrum, aliquando per Angelos suscipientes personam martyrū, definere non audeo. Ibid.This matter is higher (faith he) than that it may be touched by me, and more abstruse than that it can be searched into by me: and therefore whether of these two it be, or whether peradventure both of them be; that these things may sometimes be done by the very presence of the Martyrs, sometimes by Angels taking upon them the person of the Martyrs, I dare not define.

The first of these opinions pleaseth S. Hierome best: who alledgeth for proofe thereof that place in the Revelation; bRevel. 14.4.These follow the Lambe, whethersoever he goeth. whereupon he inferreth a conclusion, which hath neede of a very favourable interpretation. cSi agnus ubique: ergo & hi, qui cum agno sunt, ubique esse credendi sunt. Hieronym. advers. Vigilant.If the Lambe be every where: therefore they also that are with the Lambe, must be beleeved to be every where. From whom Maximus Taurinensis seemeth not much to differ, where he sayth: dLicèt universi Sancti ubique sint, & omnibus prosi…t: specialiter illi tamen pro nobis interveniunt, qui & supplicia pertulêre pro nobis. Maxim. homil. in Natali Taurinorum martyrum.Although all the Saints be every where, and profit all men: yet they specially doe labour for us, who have also suffered punishments for us. So one Eustratius a priest of Constantinople made a collection of divers testimonies both out of the Scriptures and the writings of the Fathers; to prove, eforeign. Eustrat. in Photij Bibliothecâ, cod. 171.that the soules which oftentimes and in different maners appeare unto many, doe themselves appeare according to their proper existence; and it is not the divine power, assuming the shape of the holy soules, that sheweth forth these operations. And so strongly did this opinion prevayle, when superstition had once gotten head; that at length this Canon was discharged against those that should hold otherwise. fforeign. Canon. Synodi á Michaële Syncello citat. in Ignatij Patriarch. C.P. Encomio.If any man say, that the Saints themselves doe not appeare, but their Angels onelyonly; let him be anathema. The author of the Questions to Antiochus, commonly attributed unto Athanasius, thus determineth the matter on the contrary side. gforeign. Athanas. quaest 26. ad Antioch.Those adumbrations and visions which appeare at the chappels and tombes of the Saints, are not made by the soules of the Saints; but by holy Angels transformed into the shape of the Saints. For how otherwise (tell me) can the soule of S. Peter or S. Paul, being but one, appeare at the same instant being commemorated in a thousand Churches of his throughout the whole world? For this can neyther one Angell doe at any time: it being proper unto God alone, to be found at the same instant in two places and in the whole vvorld. And Anastasius Sinaita or Nicanus, in the selfe same maner. hforeign. Anastas. Sinait. Quaest. 89.It is fit we should know, that all the visions which appeare at the chappels or tombes of the Saints, are performed by holy Angels, by the permission of God. For how else should it be possible, that the resurrection of the bodies being not yet made, but the bodies and the flesh of the Saints being as yet dispersed; that these should be seene in shape compleat men, and oftentimes appeare upon horses armed? And if thou thinkest that thou mayest contradict these things: tell me, how can Paul or Peter, or any other Apostle or Martyr, being but one, appeare oftentimes at the same houre in many places? For neyther is an Angel able to be at the same instant in diverse places; but God onelyonly who is uncircumscriptible. Whereunto we may further adde those judicious observations of S. Augustine touching this matter.

iSi ergo me potest aliquis in somnis videre, sibi aliquid quod factum est indica…tem, vel etiam quod futurum est praenu…ciantem; cùm id ego prorsus ignorē, & omninò non curem, non solùm quid ille somniet, sed utrùm dormiēte me vigilet, an vigilante me dormiat, an uno eodemque tempore vigilemus ambo sive dormiamus, quando ille som…ium videt & in quo me videt: quid mirum si nescientes mortui, nec ista sentientes, tamen á viventibus videntur in somnijs, & aliquid dicunt, quod evigilantes verum esse cognoscant? August de curâ pro mortuis, cap. 10.If one in his sleepe may see me, telling unto him something that is done, or foretelling also something that is to come; when I am altogether ignorant thereof, and have no care at all, not onelyonly of what he dreameth, but whether he awaketh I being a sleepe, or he sleepeth I being awake, or whether both of us at one and the some time doe eyther wake or sleepe, when he seeth the dreame in which he seeth me: what marvell is it if the dead, not knowing nor perceiving these things, are yet seene in dreames by the living, and say somewhat which they being awake may know to be true? kSic autem infirmitas humana sese habet, ut cùm mortuum in somnis quisque viderit, ipsius animam se videre arbitretur; cùm autē vivum similiter somnia verit, non ejus animam, neque corpus, sed hominis similitudinem sibi apparuisse non dubitet: quasi non possint & mortuorum hominum, eodem modo nescientium, non animae sed similitudines apparere dormientibus. Ibid. cap. 11.But such is mans weak…esse, that when any one seeth a dead man in his sleepe, he thinketh that he doth see his soule; but when he dreameth in like maner of one that is alive, he maketh no doubt, that it is neyther his soule nor his body, but a similitude of the man that did appeare unto him: as if not the soul…s but the similitudes of dead men, not knowing it, might not also after the same sort appeare. So he telleth of one Eulogius a rhetorician in Carthage, who lighting upon a certaine obscure place in Ciceroes Rhetorickes which he was the next day to reade unto his schollers, was so troubled therwith that at night he could scarce sleepe. lQuâ nocte somnianti, ego illi quod non intelligebat exposui: immò non ego, sed imago mea nesciente me, & tam longé trans mare aliquid aliud, sive agente, sive somniante, & nihil de illius curis omnino curante. Ibid.In which night (saith S. Augustin) I expounded unto him while he was in a dreame, that which he did not understand: nay not I, but my image, I not knowing, and so farre beyond the sea eyther doing or dreaming some other thing, and nothing at all caring for his cares. The like he doth also note to happen unto those that are in raptures and extasies. mEt his enim apparent imagines vivorum at que mortuorū: sed cùm fuerint sensibus redditi, quoscunque mortuos vidisse se dixerint, veré cum eis fuisse creduntur: nec attendunt qui haec audiunt, similiter ab eis absentium atque nescientiū quorundam etiam imagines visas esse vivorum. Ibid. cap. 12.For unto these also doe appeare images as well of the living as of the dead: but after they have been restored unto their senses, as many of the dead as they say that they have seen, with them they are truely beleeved to have beene: neyther doe they marke who heare these things, that the images of some living men, that were absent and ignorant of these things, were in like maner seene by them. And for the confession of the Divels in parties possessed, he bringeth in a memorable instance, of that which fell out in nNam Mediolani apud sanctos Protasium & Gervasium martyres, expresso nomine, sicut defunctorum quos eodem modo commemorabant, adhuc vivum daemones Episcopum confitebantur Ambrosium, atque ut sibi parceret obsecrabant; illo aliud agente, atque hoc cùm ageretur omnino nesciente. Ibid cap. 17.Millaine, at the place of the memoriall of the martyrs Protasius and Gervasius. where the Divels did not only make mention of the Martyrs that were dead, but also of Ambrose the Bishop then living; and besought him that he would spare them: he being otherwise employed, and being utterly ignorant of the thing when it was a doing

But as S. Augustin doth put us in minde in that discourse, that oAliquando autem fallacibus som…ijs (al. visis) hi homines in magnos mittuntur errores: quos talia perpeti justum est. Ibid. cap. 10.men are sometimes ledd into great errors by deceitfull dreames or visions; and that it is just, that they should suffer such things. so S. Chrysostom giveth a good admonition, that little heed should be taken of the Divels sayings. pforeign. …hrysost. de Lazaro, conc. 2. tom. 5. edit. Savil. pag. 235.236.What is it then (saith he) that the Divels doe say; I am the soule of such a Monke? Surely for this I beleeve it not, because the Divels say it: for they deceive their hearers. And therefore Paul (Act. 16.18.) silenced them, although they spake truth; least taking occasion from thence, they might mingle false things againe with those truthes, and get credi… to themselves. and touching dreames and apparitions of the dead, he addeth further. qforeign. Id. de Lazar. conc. 4. ibid pag 256.If at this time, the dreames that appeare oftentimes in the shapes of them that have departed this life, have deceived and corrupted many: much more if this were once setled in mens mindes, that many of those that are departed did returne againe unto us; that wicked Divel would plot a thousand guiles, and bring in much deceit into our life. And for this cause God hath shut up the doores, and doth not suffer any of the deceased to returne back and tell the things that are there: least he, taking occasion from thence, should bring in all his own devices. It was the complaint of Synesius in his time, that there were rforeign. Synes. epist. 54.many both private men and Priests too, who fayned certaine dreames, which they called Revelations· and in ancient writings we meet with sundry visions, which if they be truely related, may more justly be suspected to have been illusions of deceitfull spirits, than true apparitions of blessed eyther Soules or Angels.

He that will advisedly reade over Basilius Seleuciensis his narration of the miracles of S. Thecla (for example) must eyther reject the worke as strangely corrupted, or easily be drawne to yeeld unto that which I have said. For who can digest such relations and observations as these? that sBasil. Sele…e. de miraculus S. Theclae, lib. 2. cap. 10.they who watch the night that goeth before her festivitie, doe at that time yearely see her driving a fiery chariot in the ayre, and removing from Seleucia unto Dalisandus, as a place which she did principally affect, in regard of the commoditie and pleasantnesse of the situation. that both shee and other of the Saints deceased do tforeign. Ibid. cap. 21.rejoyce much in solitary places, and doe ordinarily dwell in them. that after her death she should uforeign. Ib. cap 24.affect Oratory and P…ëtry, and be continually delighted with such as did more accurately set forth her prayses: (even as Homer bringeth in Apollo, xforeign. Hom. Iliad. ….tickled at the heart with hearing the songs that were made unto him in the campe of the Grecia…s:) of which he produceth two speciall instances: the one of Alypius the Grammarian, unto whom being forsaken of the physicians Thecla (he saith) did appeare in the night, and demanded of him, what he ayled, and what he would. He, to shew his art, and to win the Virgins favour with the aptnesse of the verse; returneth for an answer unto her that verse, wherewith Homer maketh Achilles to answer his mother Thetis, in the first of the Iliads:

foreign;

Thou knowest why should I tell it thee that knowest all?

Whereat yforeign. Basil Seleuc. ut supr. cap. 24.the Martyr smiling, and being delighted partly with the man partly with the verse, and wondring that he had answered so aptly; conveyed a certaine round stone unto him, with the touch whereof he was presently set on foot from his long and perillous sicknesse. For …he other instance the writer reporteth that which happened unto himselfe. For zforeign Ibid. cap. 27.the Marty… (saith he) is such a lover of learning, and taketh such a delight in these oratorious p…ayses; that I will tell somewhat of those things that were done to my selfe and for my selfe: vvhichwhich the Martyr, who did it, doth know to have beene done, and that I lye not. Then he telleth, how having prepar…d an oration for her anniversarie festivitie, the day before it should be pronounced, he was taken with such an extreame paine in his eare, that the auditorie was like to be quite disappointed: but that the Martyr the same night appeared unto him, and shaking him by the eare tooke all the paine away. He addeth further, that the same Martyr used often to appeare unto him in his studie at other times: but once more specially, while he was in hand with writing this selfe same book. For having begunne to be aforeign, Ibid. cap. 16.weary of the labour, the Martyr (saith he) seemed to sit by close in my sight, where I used to be at my booke; and to take the quaternion out of my hand, in which I transcribed these things out of my table-booke. Yea and she seemed unto me to read it, and to rejoyce, and to smile, and to shew unto me by her looke that she was pleased with the things that were written, and that it behoved me to finish this worke and not to leave it unperfect.

These things doe I here repeat, not with any intention to disgrace antiquitie (whereof I professe my selfe to be as great an admirer as any) but to discover the first grounds from whence that Invocation of Saints did proceed, whereby the honour of God and Christs office of mediation was afterwards so much obscured. That saying of S. Augustin is very memorable, and worthy to be pondered. bQuem invenirem, qui me reconciliaret tibi? An e…ndum mihi fuit ad Angelos? Quâ prece? quibus sacramentis? Multi conantes ad te redire, ne que per seipsos valentes, sicut audio, tentave…unt haec; & incid…unt in deside…ium curiosaru… visionū, & digni habiti sunt illusionibus Augustin. Confes… lib. 10. cap. 42.Whom should I finde, that might reconcile me unto thee? Should I have gone unto the Angels? With what prayer? with what sacraments? Many endevouring to returne unto thee, and not being able to doe it by themselves, as I heare, have tryed these things; and have fallen into the desire of curious visions, and were accounted worthy of illusions. Whether they that had recourse unto the mediation of Martyrs, in such sort as these had unto the mediation of Angels, deserved to be punished with the like delusions; I leave to the judgement of others: the thing which I observed was this; that such dreames and visions as these, joined with the miraculous cures that were wrought at the monuments of the Martyrs, bredd first an opinion in mens mindes of the Martyrs abilitie to helpe them; and so afterward ledd them to the recommending of themselves unto their prayers and protection. where at first they expected onelyonly by their intercession to obtaine temporall b…essings (such as those cures were that were wrought at their t…mbes, and other like externall benefites) but proceeded af…erward to crave their mediation for the procuring of the remission of their sinns and the furthering of their everlasting salvation. cQuotiescumque, Fratres charissimi, sanctorum Martyrum solennia celebramus; ita ipsis intercedentibus expectemus á Domino consequi temporalia beneficia, ut ipsos Martyres imitando accipere mereamur aeterna. Serm. de Martyrib. ad calcem fe…monum Leonis 1 & tom. 1. Oper. Augustin. serm. 47. de Sanctis.As often, dear brethren, as we do celebrate the solemnities of the holy Martyrs; let us so expect by their intercession to obtaine from the Lord TEMPORALL benefits, that by imitating the Martyrs themselves we may deserve to receive eternall: saith the author of the sermon of the Martyrs, which is found among the homilies of S. Augustin and Leo, and in the *Breviar. Roman. in Communi plurimorum Martyrum extra tempus Paschale, lect. 4.Romane Breviary is appointed to be read at the common festivall dayes of many Martyrs. dforeign. Basil homil. 26 de S. Mamante.Be mindfull of the Martyr (saith S. Basil in his Panegyricall oration upon Mamas) as many of you as have en…oyed him by DREAMES; as many of you as comming to this place, have had him a helper to your praying; as many as to whom, being called by name, hee shewed himselfe present by his workes; as many travailers as he hath brought back againe; as many as he hath raysed from sicknesse; as many as he hath restored their children unto being now dead; as many as have received by his meanes a longer terme of life

Here a man may easily discerne the breedings of this disease, and as it were the grudgings of that ague that afterwards brake out into a pestilentiall feaver. The Martyr is here vocatus onelyonly, not invocatus yet: not called upon by being prayed unto, but called to joyne with others in putting up the same petition unto his and their God. For as here in the Church militant we have our fellow-souldiers eRom. 15.30.foreign striving together with us, and f2. Cor. 1.11.foreign helping together with their prayers to God for us; and yet because we pray one for another, we doe not pray one to another: so the Fathers which taught that the Saints in the Church triumphant doe pray for us, might with S. Basil acknowledge that they had the Martyrs foreign fellow-helpers to their prayer; and yet pray with them onelyonly, and not unto them. For howsoever this evill weed grew apace, (among the superstitious multitude especially) yet was it so cropt at first by the skilfull husbandmen of the Church, that it gott nothing neere that height which under the Papac… we see it is now growen unto. Which that we may the better understand, and more distinctly apprehend, how farre the recommending of mens selves unto the prayers of the Saints, which began to be used in the latter end of the fourth age after Christ, came short of that Invocation of Saints, which is at this day practised in the Church of Rome: these speciall differences may be observed betwixt the one and the other. First in those elder times, he that prayed silently was thought to honour God in a singular maner; as one that gQui in silentio orat, sidem defert, & confitetur quòd Deu… scrutator cordis & renis sit, & orationem tuā antè ille audiat, quàm tuo ore fundatur. Ambros. de Sacrament. lib. 6. cap. 4.brought faith with him, and confessed that God was the searcher of the heart and reynes, and heard his prayer before it was powred out of his mouth: the understanding of the present secrets of the heart, by the generall judgement of the Fathers, hforeign. Quaest. 99. ad Antioch. tom. 2. Oper Athanasij, pag. 303. edit. Graecolat.being no more communicated by him unto the creatures, then the knowledge of things to come. for before the day wherin the secrets of the heart shall be manifested, iEt priùs quidem solus omnipotens Deus cernit occulta, dicente sermone Euange…ico; Et pater qui videt in abscondito. Et in alio loco: Scrutans corda & renes Deus. Et in Regum volumine. Tu solus nosti corda cunctorum filiorū hominū. Hi…ronym. lib 5· in Ezech. ca. 16. Vid. eund. lib. 4. in Ezech. ca. 14. li. 4▪ in Ierem. cap. 20. & lib. 1. in Matth cap. 9 (suprá. pa. 112.) lo. Chrysost. in Matth homil. 29▪ edit Graec. vel 30. Latin. Gennadium de Ecclesiasticis dogmatib. cap. 81. Jo Cassian. Collat. 7. cap. 13. Sedulium in Rom. 2. Paeschasium de Spiritu Sancto, lib 2. cap. 1. & alios possim.almightie God alone doth behold the hidden things: saith S. Hierome, alledging for proofe of this the text, Matth. 6.4. Thy Father that seeth in secret. Psalm. 7.9. God searcheth the hearts and reynes. and 1. King. 8.39. Thou onelyonly knowest the hearts of all the children of men. But now in the Church of Rome mentall prayers are pre…ented to the Saints, as well as vocall: and they are beleeved to receive both the one and the other.

Secondly, in the former times kRespondeo magnā quidē esse quaestionē, nec in praesentia disserendam, quòd sit ope…is prolixioris; utrum, vel quatenus, vel quomodo ea quae circa nos aguntur noverint spiritus mortuorum. Augustin. in Psal. 108. …narrat. 1.it was a great question, whether at all, or how farre, or after what maner the spirits of the dead did know the things that concerned us here: and consequently, whether they pray for us onelyonly lVid. eund. de Curâ pro mortuis, cap. 16 suprá citatum, initio pag. 392. Sanctos in genere sollicitos esse pro Ecclesiâ, & orare posse, at que etiam reipsâ orare; fatentur Philippus in Apologiâ Confessionis Augustanae, articulo de invocatione Sanctorum, Brentius in Confessione Wirtembergensi, capite de invocatione Sanctorum, Kemnitius in tertiâ parte Examinis Concilij Tridētini: Calvinus quoque lib…o t…rtio Institut. cap. 20. sect. 21. & 24. non repugnat huic sententiae. Bellarmin. de Missa, lib 2. cap. 8.in generall, and for the particulars God answereth us according to our severall necessities, where, when, and after what maner he pleaseth. Anselmus Laudunensis in his interlineall Glosse upon that text; Abraham is ignorant of us, and Israel knoweth us not: (Esai. 63.16) noteth, that mAugustinus dicit: Quia mortui nesciunt, etiā sancti, quid agant vivi, etiā eorū filij Gloss. inte…lineal in Esai 63.Augustine sayeth, that the dead, even the Saints doe not know what the living doe, no not their owne sonnes. And indeed S. Augustine in his booke of the Care for the dead, maketh this inference upon that place of Scripture. nSi tanti Patriarchae quid erga populum ex his procreatū ageretur, ignoraverunt, quibus Deo credentibus populus ipse de illorū stirpe promissus est: quo modo mortui vivorum rebus at que actibus cognoscendis adjuvandis que miscentur? Augustin. de Curâ pro mo…tuis, cap. 13.If such great Patriarches as these were ignorant, what was done toward the people that descended from them, unto whom (beleeving God) the people it selfe was promised to come from their stocke: how doe the dead interpose themselves in knowing and furthering the things and actes of the living? a…d af…erward draweth these conclusions from thence, which oLib. de Spiritu & Animâ, tom. 3. operum August qui idē est cū libro 2. de Animâ, inter opera Hugonis Victorint.Hugo de Sancto Victore borrowing from him, hath inserted into his booke De Spiritu & animâ, cap. 29. pIbi sunt spiritus defunctorum, ubi non vident quaecunque aguntur, aut eveniunt in istâ vitâ hominibus. …ugustin. de Curâ …ro mortuis, cap. 13.The spirits of the dead be there, where they doe neyther see nor heare the things that are done or fall out unto men in this life. qIta illi (Diviti) fuit cura de vivis, quanvis quid agerent, omnino nesciret: quemadmodum est nobis cura de mortuis, quanvis quid agant, omnino uti que nesciamus. Ibid. cap. 14.Yet have they such a care of the living, although they know not at all what they doe, as we have care of the dead, although we know not what they doe. rProínde fatendum est, nescire quidem mortuos quid hîc agatur, sed dum hîc agitur; posteà veró audire ab eis, qui hinc ad eos moriendo p…rgunt. Non quidē omnia, sed quae sinuntur indicare, qui sinuntur etiam ista meminisse; & quae illos, quibus haec indicant, oportet audire. Possunt & ab Angelis, qui rebus quae aguntur hic praesto sunt, audire aliquid mortui, quod unumquenque illo…um audire debere judicat cui cuncta subjecta sunt. etc. Possunt etiam spiritus mortuorum aliqua quae hîc aguntur, quae necessarium est eos nosse, & quae necessarium non est eos non nosse, non solùm praeterita vel praesentia, verumetiam futura spiritu Dei revelante cognoscere. Ibid. cap. 15.The dead indeed doe not know what is done here, while it is here in doing: but afterward they may heare it by such as die and goe unto them from hence; yet not altogether, but as much as is permitted to the one to tell and is fit for the other to heare. They may know it also by the Angels which be here present with us, and carry our soules unto them. They may know also by the revelation of Gods spirit such of the things done here as is necessary for them to know. Hitherto Hugo out of S. Augustin: who is herein also followed by Gratian, in the second part of the Decrees, caus. 13. quaest. 2. cap. 29. where the Glosse layeth downe his resolution thus. sFacit Grat. quamdam incidentem quaestionem; utrùm defuncti sciunt quae in mundo geruntur á viris? & respondet, quòd non: & hoc probat auctoritate Isaiae. Gloss. in 13. q. 2. De mortuis.Gratian moveth a certaine incident question; whether the dead know the things that are done in this world by the living? and he answereth, that they doe not: and this he proveth by the authority of Esai. (vz. Esai. 63.16.)

The like question is moved by the Master of the Sentences; tSed fortè quaeris; Nunquid preces supplicantium Sancti audiunt, & vota postulantium in eorum notitiam perveniunt? Non est ineredibile, animas Sanctorum, quae in abscondito faciei Dei veri luminis illustratione laetantur, in ipsius contemplatione ea quae foris aguntur intelligere, quantum vel illis ad gaudium, vel nobis ad auxiliū pertinet. Sicut enim Angelis, ita & Sanctis qui Deo assistunt, petitiones nostrae innotescunt in Verbo Dei quod contemplantur. Petr. Lombard. Sentent. lib. 4. distinct, 45.Whether the Saints doe heare the prayers of suppliants, and the desire of petitioners doe come unto their notice? and this answere is returned thereunto: It is NOT INCREDIBLE, that the soules of the Saints, which in the secret of Gods presence are joyed with the illustration of the true light, doe in the contemplation thereof understand the things that are done abroad, as much as appertayneth eyther to them for joy, or to us for helpe. For as to the Angels, so to the Saints likewise which stand before God, our petitions are made knowne in the Word of God which they contemplate. Upon which place of the Master, Scotus disputing, groweth to this conclusion. uDico, quòd non est necesse ex ratione beatitudinis, quòd beatus videat orationes nostras: neque regulariter sive universaliter in Verbo, quia non est aliquid quasi necessaria sequela beatudinis; neque quòd revelentur, quia ne que talis revelatio nec…ssariò sequitur beatitudinem. etc. Tamē probabile est, quòd Deus beatis revelat de orationibus sibi, vel …eo in nomine ejus oblatis. Io. Scotus, in 4. dist 45. quaest. 4.I say, that it is not necessary in respect of the beatitude, that one in blisse should see our prayers: neyther regularly or universally in the Word, because it is not such a thing as is a necessarie sequele of beatitude; nor yet that they be revealed, because that neyther such a revelation doth necessarily follow upon beatitude. Notwithstanding (for a reason which we shall heare of afterward) hee saith, it is PROBABLE, that God doth specially …eveale unto him that is in blisse such of our prayers as are offered unto him, or unto God in his name. The same conclusion doth Gabriel Biel make in his lectures upon the Canon of the Masse. for having shewed, first, that xDicendum, quòd Sancti in patriâ qui de facto in coelis sunt, naturali cognitione putà vespertinâ, quae est cognitio rerum in proprio genere, nullas orationes nostrum in terrâ consistentium, neque mentales n…que vocales cognoscunt propter immoderatam distantiam inter nos & ipsos Gabr. Biel, in Canon Miss. …ect 31.the Saints in heaven, by their naturall knowledge, which is the knowledge of things in their proper kinde, know no prayers of ours that are here upon earth, neyther mentall nor vocall, by reason of the immoderate distance that is betwixt us and them. secondly, that yNon est de ratione beatitudinis essentialis; ut nostras orationes, aut alia facta nostra, matutinâ cognitione videant in verbo. Ibid.it is no part of their essentiall beatitude, that they should see our prayers or our other actions in the Word; and thirdly, that zVtrùm autem videre nostias orationes pertineat ad eorum b…atitudinem accidentalem; non per omnia certum est. I…id.it is not altogether certayne, whether it doe appertaine to their accidentall beatitude, to see our prayers: he thus at length concludeth. aVnde probabili…e… dicitur, quòd licèt non necessariò sequitur ad s…nctorum beatitudinem, ut orationes nostras audiāt de co…gruo: tamē Deu… eis revelat omnia quae ipsis ab h…minib…s off…runtur, si…e ipsos magnificando & la…dando, sive eos orando & auxili… implorando Ibid.It is therefore sayd PROBABLY, that although it do not follow necessarily upon the Saints beatitude, that they should heare our prayers of congruitie: yet that God doth reveale all things which are offered unto them by men; whether in magnifying and praysing them, or in praying unto them and imploring their helpe. Cardinall Bellarmine supposeth, that bS… indigerent Sancti novâ revelatione, Ecclesia non diceret ita audacter omnibus Sanctis; Orate …ro nobu: sed peteret aliquando á Deo, ut & rev…laret preces nostras. Bellarm. de Eccles. triumph. lib. 1. cap 20.if the Saints should have neede thus of a new revelation, the Church would not so boldly say unto all the Saints; Pray for us: but would sometimes intreat of God, that he would reveale our prayers unto them. Yet because cSuperfluum videtur ab eis (qui sunt in Purgatorio) ordinarié petere, ut pro nobis orent: quia non possunt ordinarié cognoscere quid agamus in particulari, sed solùm in genere sciunt nos in multis periculis versari Id de Purgator. lib. 2. cap. 15.it seemeth unto him superfluous, to desire ordinarily of them that they shoul… pray for us, which cannot ordinarily unde…stand what wee doe in particular, but know onelyonly in generall that we are exposed to many dangers: he resolveth, that dEtsi dubitatio esse possit, quemadmodum cognoscant absentia, & quae solo cordis affectu interdum proferuntur; tamen certum est eos cognoscere Id de Eccles. triumph. lib. ca…. …0.although there may be some doubt, in what maner the Saints may know things that be absent, and which are somtime delivered by the affection of the heart alone; yet it is certain that they doe know them. And you must eNotandum est, quod est de fide, beatos cognoscere orationes quas ad eos fundimus. Pesa…t. in 1. part. Thom. quaest. 1….note, saith another Iesuite, that this is to be held for a point of faith, that the Saints doe know the prayers which we poure unto them. So that to make good the Popish maner of praying unto Saints, that which at the first was but probab…e and problematicall, must now be held to be de fide, and an undoubted axiome of Divinitie.

Thirdly, in the Popish Invocation, formall and absolute prayers are tendred to the Saints: but the compellations of them used at first, were commonly eyther wishes onelyonly, or requests of the same nature with those which are in this kinde usually made unto the living; where the requester is oftentimes superior to him whose prayers he desireth (which standeth not well with the condition of fEst enim oratio actus quidam rationis, quo unus alteri supplicat, inferior videlicèt superiori. Bella…min. de bonis operib. in particulari, lib. 1. cap. 7.Prayer properly so called) and they that are requested, be evermore accounted in the number of those that pray for us, but not of those that are prayed unto by us. Of this you may heare, if you please, what one of the more moderate Romanists writeth. gSi Prophetae licuit appellare Angelos, & universum coelestem exercitum, eosque hortari ut Deū laudent, quod tamen nullo etiam monente assidué faciunt; quo sané nihil aliud quàm abundantia quaedam studij divinae gloriae amplificandae declaratur: cur etiam non liceat beatos illos spiritus ejusdem corporis societate nobiscum conjunctos, ex quâdam pij desiderij redundantiâ compellare, atque exhortari, uti id faciant, quod eos ultro facere credimus? ut perinde valeat; Omnes Sancti orate Deum pro me: ac si dicatur. Vtinam omnes Sancti Deum orent pro me quàm velim ut omnes Sancti Deum orent pro me Georg. Cassand. Schol. in Hymn. Ecclesiastic. Op…rum pag. 242.If it were lawfull for the Prophet to call to the Angels and the whole hoaste of heaven, and to exhort them that they would prayse God, which notwithstanding they doe continually without any one admonishing them, whereby nothing else but a certaine abundance of desire of the amplifying of Gods glory is declared: why may it not be lawfull also, out of a certaine abundance of godly desire to call upon those blessed spirits which by the societie of the same body are conjoyned with us; and to exhort them, that they should doe that, which we beleeve they otherwife doe of themselves? That to say; All ye Saints, pray unto God for me: should import as much, as if it were said; Would to God, that all the Saints did pray unto God for me! I wish earnestly, that all the Saints should pray to God for me! Thus writeth Cassander, in his notes upon the ancient Ecclesiasticall Hymnes, published by him in the yeare 1556. who being challenged for this by some others of that side, added this further to give them better satisfaction. hCùm viderē non necessarium, ut statuamus Sanctos intelligere nostras preces; credebam ad calumnias nonnullorum repellendas satis esse si dicamus per modū desiderij eas inter pellationes explicari posse: quod minus habet absurditatis, & divinarum literarum exemplis congruit. Si quis autem hujusmodi compellationes pro intimatione quoque desiderij, & directâ (ut ita loquamur) alloquutione haberi velit; non repugno. Crediderim tamen hujusmodi intimationi tacitam conditionem subesse debere; qualem Gregorius Nazianzenus in oratione funebri sororis Gorgoniae exprimit, cùm ait. Proinde si nostri sermones vel parumper tibi curae sint, honorque talis sanctis á D…o debetur animabus, ut talia resciscant; suscipe & tu sermonem nostrum. Id. epist. 19. ad Io. Molinaeum. pag. 1109.When I did see that it was not necessary, that we should hold that the Saints doe understand our prayers; I thought it was sufficient to put backe the calumnies of some, if we should say that these interpellations might be expounded by way of wishing or desiring: which hath lesse absurditie in it, and is agreeable to the examples of the holy Scriptures. But if any man would have such compellations as these to be taken also for an intimation of the desire, and a direct speaking unto them; I doe not gainesay it. Notwithstanding I would thinke that a tacite condition ought to be understood in such an intimation: such as Gregory Nazianzen doth expresse in the funerall oration of his sister Gorgonia, when he saith. If thou hast any care at all of our speeches, and holy soules receive this honour from God that they have notice of such things as these; doe thou accept this Oration of ours.

Yea in the very darkest times of the Papacie there wanted not some, who for certaine reasons (recited by Guilielmus Altissi dorensis and Gabriel Biel) resolved that neyther the Saints doe pray for us, neyther are we to pray unto them. iHis & similibus rationibus decepti sunt dicti hae…etici. Decipiuntur & nunc nonnulli nostro tēpore Christiani. Gabr. Biel, in Canon. Miss. lect. 30.With these and such like reasons, saith Biel, were the heretickes deceaved: and some Christians in our time are now deceaved. kPropter istas rationes & consimiles dicunt multi, quòd nec nos oramus Sanctos, nec ipsi orant pro nobis, nisi improprié: ideò sc. quia oramus Deum ut Sanctorum merita nos juvēt unde: Adjuvent nos eorum merita. etc. Guillerm. Altissiodor. in Summ. part. 4 lib. 3. tract. 7. cap. de Orat. quaest. 6.For these and the like reasons, saith Altissiodorensis, MANY doe say, that neyther we pray unto the Saints, nor they pray for us, but improperly: in respect we pray unto God, that the merits of the Saints may helpe us. according to that: Adjuvent nos eorum merita, &c. where if any poyson doe remayne hidden under the name of merits, (of which we are to consider in his proper place:) the Breviarie of the Praemonstratersian Order ministreth unto us this antidote against it.

lBreviar Praemo. str…teus. in Ommum Sanctorum officio. Vid. Poëmata De corr…pto Ecclesiae statu, edit. Basil. an. 155… pag. 28.29. & Catalog. test. veritat. edit. ibid. an. 1562. pag. 390.Adjuvent nos eorum merita,

Quos propria impediunt scelera?

Excuset eorum intercessio,

Quos propria accusat actio?

At tu qui eis tribuisti

Coelestis palmam triumphi,

Nobis veniam non deneges peccati.

Can their merits helpe us, whom their owne sinnes hinder? Can their intercession excuse us, whose owne action doth accuse themselves? But thou, who hast bestowed upon them the palme of the heavenly triumph, deny not unto us the pardon of our sinne. And this many serve to make a.

Fourth difference betwixt the Popish prayers and the Interpellations used in the ancient time. for by the doctrine and practise of the Church of Rome, the Saints in heaven are not only made joint petitioners with us (as the Saints are upon earth) but also our Atturneyes and Advocates: who carry the suit for us, not by the pleading of Christs merits alone, but by bringing in their owne merits likewise; upon the consideration of the dignitie or condignitie whereof it is beleeved, that God yeeldeth to the motions they make unto him in our behalfe. mOramus Sanctos, ut intercedant pro nobis, id est, ut merita eo…um nobis suffragentur, & ut ipsi velint bonum nostrum: quia eis volentibus Deus vult, & ita fiet. Petr. Lombard. Sentent. lib. 4. distinct. 45. & Iacobus de Vitriaco, in Litaniâ maiori.Wee pray unto the Saints (saith the Master of the Sentences) that they may intercede for us, that is to say, that their merits may helpe us, and that they may will our good: for they willing it God doth will it, and so it will be effected. nRogare debemus Apostolos & omnes Sanctos in omni necessitate nostrâ: quia ipsi sunt advocati nostri, & medij inter nos & Deum, per quos Deus ordinavit nobis omnia largiri. Hug. Prate…s. sermon. 35.We ought to intreat the Apostles and all the Saints (saith Hugo Pratensis) in all our necessities: because they are our advocates, and the meanes betwixt us and God, by whom God hath ordayned to bestow all things upon us. oQui congruum est beatum esse coadjutorem Dei in procurando salutem electi, eo modo quo hoc sibi potest cō petere; & ad iflud requiritur sibi revela…i orationes nostras specialiter, quae sibi offeruntur, quia illae specialiter innituntur meritis ejus tanquam mediatoris perducentis ad salutem, quae petitur: ideò probabile est, quòd Deus beatis revelat de orationibus sibi, vel Deo in nomine ejus oblatis. Io. Scot. in 4. Sent. d…st. 45. quaest. 4.Because it is a thing fitting (saith Scotus) that he that is in blisse should be a coadjutor of God in procuring the salvation of the elect, according to such maner as this may agree unto him; and to this it is requisite, that our prayers which are offered unto him should specially be revealed unto him, because they leane specially upon the merits of him as of a mediator bringing us to the salvation which is sought for: therefore it is probable that God doth specially reveale unto him that is in blisse such of our prayers as are offered unto him, or unto God in his name. But this is an open derogation to the high prerogative of our Saviours meritorious Intercession, and a manifest incroachment upon the great office of Mediation, which the most religious and learned among those Fathers, who desired to be recommended unto the prayers of the Saints, were so carefull to preserve entire unto him. pQuid enim tam proprium Christi, quàm advocatum apud Deum patrem adstare populorum? Ambros. in Psalm. 39.For what is so proper to Christ, saith S. Ambrose, as to stand by God the Father for an advocate of the people? qIpse Sacerdos est, qui nunc ingressus in interiora veli, solus ibi ex his qui carnem gestaverunt interpellat pro nobis. In cujus rei figurâ in illo primo populo, & in illo primo templo unus sacerdos intiabat in sancta sanctorum, populus omnis foras stabat. August. in Psam. 64.He is the Priest, saith S. Augustin, who being now entred within the vayle, ALONE there of them that have beene partakers of flesh, doth make intercession for us. In figure of which thing, in that first people and in that first Temple the Priest onelyonly did enter into the Holy of holyes, and all the people stood without. And therefore where S. Iohn saieth; These things write I unto you, that yee sinne not: and if any man sinne, vvee have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous. (1. Iohn. 2.1.) S. Augustin in his exposition upon that place maketh this observation thereupon: that S. Iohn being so great a man as he was, rNon dixit, habetis, nec me habetis dixit, nec ip…um Christū habetis, dixit: sed & Christum posuit, non se, & habemus dixit, non habetis. Maluit se ponere in numero peccatorum, ut haberet advocatum Christum: quàm ponere se pro Christo advocatum, & inveniri inter damnandos superbos. Augustin. tractat. 1. in 1. epist. Iohan. cap. 2.did not say, YEE have, nor Yee have MEE, nor YEE have Christ himselfe: but did both put in Christ, not himselfe; and also sayd, WEE have, not YEE have. because he had rather put himselfe in the number of sinners, that he might have Christ to be his advocate: than put himselfe for an advocate in steed of Christ, and be found among the proud that should be damned. and from thence draweth this conclusion against Parmenian the Donatist. sSi ita diceret; Hoc scripsi vobis ut non peccetis, & si quis peccaverit, mediatorē me habetis apud Patrem, ego exoro pro peccatis vestris: (sicut Parmenianus quodam loco mediatorem posuit Episcopum inter populum & Deum:) quis eum ferret bonorum at que fidelium Christianorum? Quis sicut Apostolum Christi, & non sicut Antichristum intueretur? Id. lib. 2. contr. epist. Parmenian. cap. 8.If he had sayd thus; I have written this unto you, that you sinne not, and if any man sinne, you have me a mediator with the Father, I make intercession for your sinnes: (as Parmenian in one place doth make the Bishop a mediator betwixt the people and God:) what good and faithfull Christian would endure him? who would looke upon him as the Apostle of Christ, and not as Antichrist rather? The doctrine therefore and practise of the Church of Rome in this point, by this learned Fathers judgement, must needes be held to bee ungodly and Antichristian.

Fiftly, the recommendation of mens selves unto the prayers of the Saints deceased, which was at first admitted in the ancient Church, did no way impeach …he confidence and boldnesse which we have gotten in Christ, to make our immediate approach unto the throne of grace: which by the Invocation of Saints now taught in the Church of Rome, is very much impayred. For to induce men to the practise of this, the great Majestie of God and the severity of his Iustice is propounded unto poore sinners on the one hand, and the consideration of their owne basenesse and unworthinesse on the other. whereupon it is inferred, that aswell for the manifesting of their reverence to Gods Majestie, as the testifying of their submissenesse and Humilitie, they should seeke to God by the mediation of his Saints; like as men doe seeke to the King by the mediation of his servants. which motives can have no more force to encourage men to the Invocation of Saints, then they have to discourage them from the immediate Invocation of God and his Christ. So among the causes alledged by Alexander of Hales, why we ought to pray unto the Saints: one is, tVlteriùs propter nostram inopiam in contemplādo: ut qui non possumus summā lucem in se aspicere, eam in suis Sanctis contemplemur. Tertió, propter inopiam in amando: quia nos miserabiles homines, vel plerique nostrûm magis afficimur circa Sanctum aliquem aliquando, quàm etiā circa Dominū; & ideò Dominus eompastus nostrae miseriae, vult quòd oremus Sanctos suos. Alexand. de Hales, Summ. part. 4. quaest. 26. memb. 3. artic. 5.in respect of our want in contemplating; that we who are not able to behold the highest light in it selfe, may contemplate it in his Saints. another, in respect of our want in loving: because we miserable men (miserable men indeed that doe so) or some of us at least are more affected sometimes unto some Saint, than unto our Lord himselfe: and therefore God having compassion on our misery, is pleased that we should pray unto his Saints. and a third, uPropter Dei reverentiam: ut peccator, qui Deum offendit, quia non audet in propriâ personâ adire, recurrat ad Sanctos, eorum patrocinia implorando. Id. ibid.in respect of the reverence of God: that a sinner who hath offended God, because he dareth not to come unto him in his owne person, may have recourse unto the Saints, by imploring their patronage. The like we read in Gabriel Biel, handling the same argument. xPeccatoribus singularis est consolatio, qui ad Sanctorum interpellationem quando que magis animantur quàm Iudicis: quorum etiam sanctitatis defectum supplere potest probitas aliena. Gabr. Biel in Can…n. M…ss lect. 30.This is a singular consolation (saith he) to sinners, who have oftentimes more minde to the interpellation of the Saints then of the Iudge: whose defect of holinesse also other mens goodnesse is able to supply. and it maketh yPropter Dei reverentiam: ut sc. peccator qui Deum offendit, quasi non audens in personâ propriâ, propter peccati scoriā, coram majestate altissimâ pariter & tremendâ apparere, recurreret ad Sanctos purissimos & Deo gratos; qui peccatoris pr…ces altissimo praesen…ent, easqu suis adjunctis meritis & precibus magis redderent ex…udib les, placidas. atque gratas. Ibid. lect. 31.for the reverence of God: that a sinner who hath offended God, as it were not daring for the drosse of his sinne to appeare in his proper person, before the most high and dreadfull majesty. should have recourse unto the Saints who are most pure and gratefull to God: who may present the sinners prayers unto the most High, and by adjoyning their merits and prayers thereunto, might make the same more fit for audience, more pleasing and more gratefull. Therefore Salmeron the Iesuite sticketh not to deliver his opinion plainely; that the praying unto God by the Saints seemeth to be better then the praying unto him immediately, as for other reasons, zTertió, quia Ecclesia quae Christi Spiritum ha…er, f…equent…ssimé pe… Sanctos recurrit ad Deum, rariùs per se ad Deum accedit Quartò, precatio Dei per invocationem Sanctorum arguit majorem humilitatem; sicut videre est in Centurione. Alph. Salmer. in 1. Timoth. 2. d…spu…. 7. sect. ult.so because the Church, which hath the Spirit of Christ, (though S. Augustin surely would have judged such a Church to be led by the spirit of Antichrist rather then of Christ) most frequently hath recourse unto God by the Saints, but commeth more rarely unto God by it selfe: and also, because the praying of God by the invocations of Saints doth argue greater humilitie; as may be seene in the Centurion, Luc. 7.6, 7. whereunto he applieth also the saying of David, aPsalm. 102.17.He hath had respect to the prayer of the humble, and did not despise their prayers. and of Iudith: bJudith ….16.The prayer of the humble and meeke hath alway pleased thee.

Thus in the dayes of the Apostles themselves, under the pretence of cColoss. 2.18.Humilitie some laboured to bring into the Church the worshipping of Angels: which carried with it dIbid. vers. 23.a shew of wisedome, (as S. Paul speaketh of it) and such a shew as was not farre unlike unto that wherewith our Romish Doctors do cozen simple people now a dayes. For eforeign. …heodoret. in Coloss. cap. 2.this (saith Theodoret) did they counsell should be done, (namely, that men should pray unto Angels) pretending humility, and saying, that the God of all things was invisible, and inaccessible, and incomprehensible▪ and that it was fit wee sho…ld procure G…ds favour by the meanes of Angels. whereas S Chrysostom treating of Christian hum…litie …heweth that the faithfull who are furnished with that grace do notwithstanding fforeign. Ch…ysostom. in Matth. homil. 65 edit. Graec. 66 Latin.ascend beyond the highest toppes of heaven, and passing by the Angels, p…esent themselves before the Regall throne it selfe. yea gforeign. Id in Psalm ….by earning thus to speake with God in prayer, he sheweth that the man himselfe is made a kinde of an Angel the soule is so set loos… from the bonds of the body; the reasoning is raysed up so high; he is so translated into heaven, he doth so overl…oke these worldly things, he is so placed by the Regall thr…ne it selfe: although he be a poore man, although a servant, although a simple man, although an unlearned Neither is it to be forgotten, that the heathen Idolaters also, to cover hSolent tamen pudorem passi neglecti Dei, miserâ uti excusatione, dicentes per istos posse ire ad Deum, sicut per comites pervenitur ad Regem, Ambros. in Rom. cap. 1.the shame of their neglecting of God, were wont to use this miserable excuse; that by these they might goe to God, as by officers we goe to the King: which is the very selfe same ragg our Romanists have borrowed from them to cover their superstition with, that the nakednesse thereof might not appeare. But S. Ambrose (or who ever else was author of those commentaries upon S. Pauls epistles that are found among his workes) hath mett well with them, and sufficiently discovered the vanitie of these grosse and carnall imaginations. iAgè, nunquid tam demens est aliquis, aut salutis suae immemor, ut honorificentiam Regis vindicet comiti; cùm de hâc re si qui etiam tractare fuerint inventi, jure ut rei damnentur majestatis? Et isti se non putant reos, qui honorem nominis D…i deferunt creaturae, & relicto Domino conservos adorant; quasi sit aliquid plus quod servetur Deo. Nam & ideò ad Regem per tribunos aut comites itur, quia homo utique est Rex, & nescit quibus debeat Rēpublicam credere. Ad Deum anté (quem uti que nihil latet, omnium enim merita novit) promerendum suffragatore non opus est, sed mente devotâ. Vbieun que enim talis locutus fuerit ei, respondebit illi. Ibid.Go too, (saith he) is there any man so mad, or so unmindfull of his salvation, as to give the Kings honour to an officer: whereas if any shall be found but to treat of such a matter, they are justly condemned as guiltie of high treason? And yet these men thinke themselves not guiltie, who give the honour of Gods name to a creature, and leaving the Lord adore their fellow servants; as though there were any thing more, that could be reserved to God. For therefore doe men goe to the King by Tribunes or officers, because the King is but a man, and knoweth not to whom he may commit the state of the commonwealth. But to procure the favour of God, from whom nothing is hid (for he knoweth the merits or workes of all men) we need no spokes-man, but a devoute minde. For wheresoever such a one shall speake unto him, he will answer him.

But of all others, S. Chrysostom is most plentifull in setting out the difference of the accesse which we may have to God & to the great ones in this world. kforeign. Chrysost. in Matth. citat. á Theodoro Daphnopat. in Eclogis (tom. 7. edit. Savil. pag. 768.) Maximo, in loc. commun. serm. 14. & Io Damasceno in Parallel. lib 2. cap. 15. ubi ab editore Pontificio ad marginem appositum est hoc pharmacum: Haec foreign dicuntur non foreign.When we have suit unto men (saith he in one place) vve have need of cost and money, and servile adulation, and much going up and downe and great adoe. For it falleth out oftentimes that we cannot go straight unto the Lords themselves and present our gift unto them and speake vvith them; but it is necessary for us first to procure the favour of their ministers and stewards and officers, both with paying and praying and using all other meanes unto them, and then by their mediation to obtaine our request. But with God it is not thus. For there is no need of intercessors for the petitioners: neyther is he so ready to give a gracious answer being intreated by others, as by our own selves praying unto him. lforeign. Chrysost. serm. 7. de Poenitent. tom. 6. edit. Savil. pag. 802. qui in alijs editionib. est serm. 4. de Poenitent.When thou hast need to sue unto men, (saith he in another place) thou art forced first to deale with d…ore-keepers, and to intreat parasites and flatterers, and to goe a long way. But with God there is no such matter: without an intercessor he is intreated, without money without cost he yeeldeth unto thy prayer. It sufficeth only that thou cry in thine heart, and bring teares with thee; and entring in straightway thou mayest draw him unto thee. mforeign. Id. in Psalm. 4.Amongst men (saith he in a third place) it behoveth him that commeth unto one, to be a man of speech, and it is required that he should flatter all those that are about the Prince, and to thinke upon many other things, that he may finde acceptance. But here there is need of nothing, save of a watchfull minde onelyonly: and there is nothing that hindereth us from being neare to God. So in his sermon upon the woman of Canaan, which hee made in his latter dayes, after his returne from his first banishment: nforeign. Id. in d…mission. Chananaeae. tom 5. edit. Savil. pag. 195.God is alwayes neare, saith he. If thou wilt intreat man; thou askest what he is a doing, and he is asleep, he is not at leisure, or the servant giveth thee no answer. But with God there is none of these things. Whithersoever thou goest and callest, hee heareth: there is no want of leisure, nor a mediatour, nor a servant that keepeth thee off. Say, Have mercy upon me; and presently God is with thee. For while thou art yet a speaking, saith he, I will say; Behold here I am. (Esai. 58.9.) And therefore he biddeth us to oforeign. Ibid pag. 190.marke the philosophy (as he tearmeth it) or the wisedome of the woman of Canaan. She intreateth not Iames (saith he) she beseecheth not Iohn, neyther doth she come to Peter, but brake through the whole company of them; saying. I have no need of a mediatour, but taking repentance with me for a spoakes-man, I come to the fountaine it selfe. For this cause did he descend, for this cause did he take flesh; that I might have the boldnesse to speake unto him. I have no need of a mediatour: have thou mercy upon me. Hitherto S. Chrysostom.

Sixthly, the Romanists repose such confidence in the intercession of the Saints; that they look to receive farre greater benefite by them, then by their own prayers. Which conceit how distastefull it was unto the ancient Doctors, S. Chrysostom may be a sufficient witnesse: who laboured exceedingly to root out this erroneous opinion, when it first beganne to shew it selfe in his time. And therefore hee is bold to affirme, not onelyonly that pforeign. Chrysost. in Act. 16. homil. 36.vvee have no such need of others, that vve may intreate by them; but also that God qforeign. Id. ibid.then doeth most, when we doe not use the intreatie of others. For as a kinde friend, (saith he) then blameth he us most, as not daring to trust his love, when we intreate others to pray unto him for us. Thus use we to doe vvith those that seeke to us: then we gratifie them most, vvhen they come unto us by themselves, and not by others. But, thou wilt say, vvhat if I have offended him? Cease offending, and shedd teares, and so come; and thou shalt quickly make him appeased for the things that are past. Say onelyonly; I have offended: say it from thy soule and a sincere mind; and all is loosed. Thou dost not so much desire to thy sinnes to be forgiven thee, as he doth desire to forgive thy sinnes unto thee. Thus doth S. Chrysostom write upon the 16. of the Acts: and upon the fourth Psalme, to the same effect. rforeign. Id, in Psalm. 4.Thou mayest alwayes and continually sollicite him, and thou shalt meet with no difficultie. For thou shalt have no need of any doore-keepers to bring thee in, nor stewards, nor procurators, nor keepers, nor friends: but when thou thy selfe commest by thy selfe, then will he most of all heare thee, even then, when thou intreatest no man. We do not therefore so pacifie him when we intreat him by others, as when we doe it by our own selves. For by reason he loveth our friendship, and doth all things that vve may put our confidence in him: when he beh…ldeth us to do this by our selves, then doth he most yeeld unto our suites. Thus did he deale with the woman of Canaan: when Peter and Iames came for her, he did not yeeld; but when she her selfe did remaine, he presently gave that which was desired.

The same lesson doth he repeat in his 44. homily upon Genesis: that sforeign. Id. in Genes cap. 19. homil. 44.our Lord being mercifull, doth not so yeeld when he is intreated for us by others, as he doth when he is by our own selves. and for proofe thereof telleth us againe of the woman of Canaan; that tforeign. Id ibid.having the disciples petitioning for her, she could obtaine nothing, untill she by her selfe being instant drew forth the clemency of the Lord: to the end we might thereby learne, that we doe not so prevayle when we intreat by others, as when by our selves; if we come with fervour and with a vigilant minde. The like observation is made by him and by Theophylact in their expositions upon that part of the Gospell wherein this historie is related. uforeign. …d. in Matth 15. homil. 52. edit. Graec. vel 53. Latin.Marke me, (saith the one) how the Apostles being put downe and not prevayling, she her selfe prevayled: of so great force is the assiduity of prayer. For God would be petitioned unto by us that are guiltie, in our owne cause, rather then by others for us. And xforeign. Theophylact. in Matth. cap. 15.observe (saith the other) that although the Saints doe pray for us, as the Apostles did for her; yet we praying for our selves, do prevayle much more. One place more I will yet lay down out of Chrysostoms sermon of the profiting of the Gospell: and so make an end of this observation. yforeign. Chrysostom. serm. in Philip. 18. de p…ofectu Euangel. tom. 5. edit. Savil. pag. 416.With God (saith he) thou hast need of no intercessours, nor of much running about, nor to flatter others: but although thou be alone, and hast no patrone, thou by thy selfe praying unto God shalt certainely obtaine thy request. He useth not to yeeld so soone, being prayed unto by others for us, as when we our selves do pray unto him, although we be replenished vvith a thousand evils. And to prove that zforeign. Ibid. pag. 416. & paulo pòst. foreign; pag. 417.praying by our own selves vve prevayle more with God, then praying unto him by others: he bringeth in againe the historie of the woman of Canaan, and wisheth us to observe, aforeign; Ibid. pag. 417.how, when others intreated, he put her back: but when she her selfe cryed out praying for the gift, he yeelded. and at last concludeth with this exhortation. bforeign. Ibid.Seeing then we have learned all these things, although we be in sinne and unworthy to receive, let us not despaire; knowing that by perseverance and constancie of minde we may obtaine our request. although we be solitarie and without any patrones, let us not be d…scouraged; knowing that this is a great patronage, that thou by thine own selfe mayst come to God with much alacritie.

Seventhly, and principally it is to be considered, that Invocation is attributed to Saints in the Church of Rome as a part of the worship due unto them: yea as eximium adorationis genus (for so doth Cardinall cBellarmin. Praefat. in controvers de Eccles triumphant. in Ord…ne disputat.Bellarmin pronounce it to be) an eminent kind of adoration. For dSanctos non solùm honoramus eo cultu, quo viros virtute, sapientiâ, potentiâ, aut qualibet aliâ dignitate praestantes; sed etiam Divino cultu, & honore, qui est religionis actus nam ille cultus, qui viris primarij… defertur, non est religionis; sed alterius longé inferioris virtutis, quae observantia vocatur, actus & officium. Sed divinos cultus & honores Sanctis non damus propter ipsos; sed propter Deum, qui eos Sanctos effecit. Io. Azor. Institut. Moral. tom. 1. lib. 9. cap. 10.we do not honour the Saints (saith Azorius the Iesuite) with that worship onelyonly, wherewith we do men that excell in vertue, wisedome, power, or any other dignitie; but also with DIVINE worship and honour, which is an act of Religion. for that worship which is given to men of excellencie, is an act and office, not of Religion, but of another inferiour vertue, which is called Observance. And whereas it is as cleare as the noone day, that the giving of divine honour and worship unto any creature is flat Idolatry: the poore man weeneth that he and his fellowes may be excused from being Idolaters; because they doe not give divine vvorship and honour unto the Saints for themselves, but for God who hath made them Saints: as if God, who cannot endure that his eEsai. 428. & 48.11.glory should be given unto another, wou…d be mocked with such toyes as these. Indeed they were wont heretofore to delude men commonly with an idle distinction of Dulîa and Latrîa ▪ but now fQuid si & una religionis virtus sit, quae latriam, duliamque contineat? Certé plurimis at que sapientissimis ea est opinio. Nicol. Serarius, in Litaneutico 2. Quaest. 27. in fineit is the opinion of the most and the wisest of them, that it is one and the selfe same vertue of Religion, which contayneth both Latrîa and Dulîa. Whereas it hath beene the constant doctrine of the ancient Church, that all religious worship (whereof Prayer by the judgement of all men, as well gVirgil. Aeneid. 3. Iunonis magnae primùm prece numen adora. Ovid. T…ist. lib. 1. eleg. 3. Hâc prece adoravi superos ego, pluribus uxor. D… natus in …eren…ij Phormion. act. 2. scen. 1. ad il…ud: At ego Deos penate… hinc salutatum domum D…vortar Salutatum.] Adoratum primâ post reditum prece.Heathen as Christian, hath beene alwayes esteemed to be an especiall part) is so properly due unto God alone, that without committing of Idolatry it cannot be communicated unto any creature. For hIdeoque divine ac singulariter in Ecclesiâ catholicâ traditur, nullam creaturam colendam esse animae (libentius enim loquor his verbis quibus mihi haec insinuata sunt) sed ipsum tantummodò rerum quae sunt omnium creatorem Augustin. lib. de Quantitate animae, cap. 34. Vid. eund. de morib. Eccles. Catholicae & Manich. lib. 1. cap. 30.in the Catholick Church it is divinely and singularly delivered, that no creature is to be worshipped by the soule, but he onelyonly who is the creator of all things: saith S. Augustin. And therefore the ancient Doctors who thought it not amisse, that men should recommend themselves unto the praiers of the Saints departed; held it a thing intolerable notwithstanding, to impart unto any man or Angell the worship of Invocation. for to request the help of the prayers of our fellow-servants, is one thing, and to worship them with the service of Invocation is another▪ as may be seen in the case of our brethren upon earth, who may not refuse the former without the violation of charitie, nor accept the latter at our hands without an open breach of pietie.

Now that the Fathers judged no otherwise of Prayer, then as hath beene said, this may be one good argument; that when they define it, they doe it with expresse reference to God, and no other: as may be seen in those five severall definitions thereof which iBellarm. de bonis operib. in particular. lib. 1. cap. 1.Bellarmine himselfe repeateth out of them. the first whereof is that of Basil: kforeign. Basil. orat. in Iu…itiam martyr.Prayer is a request of some good thing, which is made by pious men unto GOD. The second, of Gregory Nyssen: lforeign Gregor. Nyssen. orat. 1. de Oratione.Prayer is a conversing or a conference with GOD. The third, of the same Father: mforeign. Id. orat. 2. de Orat. Dòminic. vel, foreign Id. tractat 2. de inscriptionib. Psalmor. cap. 3.Prayer is a request of good things, which is offered with supplication unto GOD. The fourth, of Iohn Chrysostom: nforeign. Chrysost. in Genes. homil. 30. Vid. eiusd. lib. 1· de Orando Deū, tom. 6 edit. Savil. pag. 754.Prayer is a colloquy or discourse with GOD. The fifth, of Iohn Damascen: oforeign. Damascen. de fide Orthodox. lib. 3. cap. 24.Prayer is an ascension of the minde unto GOD, or a request of things that are fit from GOD. Therefore where pAd quod sacrificium, sicut homines Dei, qui mundum in ejus confessione vicerunt, suo loco & ordine nominantur: non tamen á sacerdote, qui sacrificat, invocantur. Aug. de Civit. Dei, lib. 22. cap. 10.the names of the Martyrs were solemnly rehearsed in the publick Liturgie of the Church, S. Augustin interpreteth it to be done for an honourable remembrance of them: but utterly denieth, that the Church therein had anie intention to invocate them. So for other particular prayers: qSed tamē tu solus, Domine, invocādus es; tu rogādus, ut eū in filijs repraesentes. Ambr. de obit. Theodos.Thou alone art to be invocated O Lord, saith S. Ambrose in his funerall oration upon Theodosius the Emperour; thou art to be requested, to supply the misse of him in his sonnes. and; rCui alteri praeter te cla mabo? August. Confess. lib. 1. cap. 5.To whom else should I cry, besides thee? saith S. Augustin, and it is Gods pleasure, Esse nihil prorsus se praeter ubique rogandum, that nothing beside himselfe should every where be prayed unto: saith Dracontius in his book of the Creation, revised by Eugenius Bishop of Toledo at the command of Chindasuindus King of Spaine. Hereupon S. Chrysostom, upon those words of the Apostle, 1. Corinth. 1.2. With all that call upon the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ; giveth this exposition. sforeign. Ch…ysost. in 1 Corinth. homil. 1.Not of this man and that man, but upon the name of the Lord. and he elsewhere telleth us, that it was the DIVELS doing to draw men unto the calling upon Angels; as envying them the honour of their immediate accesse and admittance unto Gods owne presence. tforeign; Jd. in Coloss. 3. homil. 9.For this cause (saith he) did the Divel bring in this of the Angels; envying us this honour. These be the enchantments of Divels. Though he be an Angel, though an Archangel, though they be Cherubims; endure it not. For neyther will these Powers themselves admit it, but reject it; when they see their Lord dishonoured. I have honoured thee, saith he, and have sayd; Call upon me, and doest thou dishonour him? And therefore did the Fathers in the Councell of Laodicea directly conclude that this Invocation of Angels was a secret kinde of Idolatry, by the practise whereof the communion both of Christ and of his Church was forsaken. uforeign. Concil. Laödicen. can. 35.For Christians (say they) ought not to forsake the Church of God, and depart aside, and invocate Angels, & make meetings: which are things forbidden. If any man therefore be found to give himselfe to this privy Idolatry; let him be accursed. Because hee hath forsaken our Lord Iesus Christ, the Sonne of God, and betaken himselfe to Idolatry.

Pope Adrian, in the Epitome of the Canons which he delivered to Charles the great at Rome in the year of our Lord DCCLXXIII. doth thus abbridge this decree: ut anathema sit, quicunque relictâ Ecclesiâ, Angelos colere, vel congregationes facere praesumpserit. that whosoever, leaving the Church, did presume to worship Angels, or to make meetings, should be accursed. Where Henricus Canisius, who was the first publisher of this Abbridgement in the 6. tome of his Ancient reading, fearing belike that the curse not only of the Fathers of Laodicea, but (which was more dreadfull) of Pope Adrian also might light upon him and his companions, who acknowledge themselves to be of the number of those that wo…ship Angels: giveth us warning in his margent, that in steed of angelos here xAngulos fortè legendū. pag. 424. tom. 6. Antiquae lectionis Henr. Canisij. SS. Canonum in A…adem Ingolstad. professoris primarij.peradventure should be read, angulos; that is to say, corners in steed of angels ▪ which although it be a no…e that evill beseemeth a man who would be thought to be conversant in ancient reading, and such a one especially as professeth himselfe to be a chiefe professor of the Canons: yet in that he leaveth the text untouched, and contenteth himselfe with a peradventure too in his marginall annotation, he is more to be excused then his fellowes before him, Carranza, Sagittarius, and Ioverius, who setting forth the Canons of the Councells, without all peradventure corrupted the text it selfe, removing the angels out of their place, and hiding them in corners. Notwithstanding this also may be alledged in some part of their excuse too, that they were not the first authors of this corruption of the Canon: that blame must light eyther upon Isidorous Mercator (the craftie merchant, with whose dealings I acquainted you ySupr. pag. 12.before) or upon Iames Merlin the Popish Doctor, who first caused his zTom. 1. Concil. edit. Colon. an. 1530. & Paris. an. 1535.Collection of Decrees to be printed. But Friar Crabb deserveth no excuse at all: who having store of good copies to direct him, did not onelyonly content himselfe with the retayning of angulos in the text of Isidorus, as he found it printed before him; but pluckt out angelos, and chopt in aTom. 1. Concil. edit. Colon. an. 1538.angulos into the old translation of Dionysius Exiguus also, which affoorded no roome for any such corners as these. For howsoever in that version, or perversion rather of the Canon which is extant in the text of Isidorus it might stand with some reason to reade: Non oportet Christianos derelictâ ecclesia abire, & ad angulos idolatriae abominandae congregationes facere. It is not lawfull for Christians, forsaking the Church, to go and make assemblies of abominable idolatry in corners. yet in the old translation of Dionysius, where the Canon was rightly rendred; Quòd non oporteat ecclesiam Dei relinquere, & abire, atque angelos nominare, & congregationes facere: it was contrary to all sense to thrust this reading upon us. It is now lawfull for Christians to forsake the Church of God, and goe and nominate or invocate CORNERS (a wise speech no doubt) and make meetings.

But, veritas non quaerit angulos: the truth will admit none of these corners. For the Greek veritie (aswell in all the editions of the Canons that have come forth by themselves, as in the Collections of Harmenopulus, Zonaras and Balsamon likewise) expressely readeth foreign, which in that tongue hath no affinitie at all with corners: and the ancient Collectors of the Canons among the Latins, bDe his qui Angelos co…ūt. Cres…on. Breviar. Canon. sect. 90. Dionys. Exig. in Codice Canonū, num 138.Cresconius and Dionysius and cVt nullus ad Angelos congregationem faciat. Fulgent. Ferrād. Breviat. Canon. sect. 184.Fulgentius Ferrandus, have Angelos: and Theodoret in his exposition of the epistle to the Colossians, doth twice make mention and declare the meaning of this Canon. once, upon those words of the Apostle in the third chapter: Whatsoever yee do in word or deed, doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus, giving thankes to God and the Father by him. dforeign. Theodoret. in Coloss. 3.for because they commanded men to worship Angels, (saith Theodoret) he injoyneth the contrary; that they should adorne their words and their deeds with the commemoration of our Lord Christ▪ and send up thankesgiving to God and the Father by him, saith he, and not by the Angels. The Synod of Laodicea also following this rule, and desiring to heale that old disease, made a law that they should not pray unto Angels, nor forsake our Lord Iesus Christ. and againe, upon the second chapter of the same epistle. eforeign. Id. in Coloss. 2.This vice continued in Phrygia and Pisidia for a long time. for which cause also the Synod assembled in Laodicea the chiefe city of Phrygia, forbad them by a Law to pray unto Angels. And even to this day among them and their borderers, there are Oratories of S. Michael to be seene. The like hath Oecumenius after him, upon the same place. fforeign. Oecumen. MS. in Coloss. 2. ab Hoeschelio citatus in notis ad Origenis libros contra Celsum, pag. 483.This custome continued in Phrygia: insomuch that the Councell of Laodicea did by a Law forbid to come unto Angels and to pray unto them. from whence it is also, that there be many Churches of Michael, the chiefe captaine of Gods hoste, among them. This Canon of the Laodicean Fathers, Photius doth note to have beene made against the gforeign. Phot. Nomocanon tit. 12. cap. 9.Angelites: or the Angelickes rather. for so do…h S. Augustin name those heretickes that were hAngelici, in angelorum cultu inclinati. Augustin. de haeresi ca. 39.inclined to the worship of Angels: being from thence iAngelici vocati, quia an gelos colunt. Isido…. Or…gin. lib. 8 cap. 5.called Angelici, as Isidorus noteth, because they did worship Angels.

To transcribe here at large the severall testimonies of the Fathers, which condemne this worshipping of Angels or any other creature whatsoever, would be an endlesse worke. Gregory Nyssen in the beginning of his fourth (or fifth book rather) against Eunomius, layeth this downe for an undoubted principle. kforeign. Gregor. Nyssen. con…r. Eunom. oras. 4. tom 2 edit. Graecolaetin. pag. 144.That none of those things which have their being by creation is to be worshipped by men, the word of God hath by law ordayned: as almost out of all the holy Scripture vve may learne. Moses, the Tables, the Law, the Prophets afterward, the Gospels, the determinations of all the Apostles, doe equally forbid the looking unto the creature. Then having shewed that the neglect of this was the cause of the bringing in of a multitude of Gods among the Heathen: lforeign. Id. ibid. pag. 146.least the same things should happen unto us, saith he, who are instructed by the Scripture to looke unto the true Deitie; we are taught to understand that whatsoever is created is a different thing from the divine nature, and that we are to worship and adore that nature only which is uncreated; whose character and marke is, that it neyther at any time beganne to be nor ever shall cease to be. But our Romanists have long since overthrown this principle: and so altered Moses, and the Tables, and the Law; that of the mHieronym. Zanctinus, de foro conscientiae & cont…ntioso, sect. 1…8.24. mortall sinnes, whereby they say the first Commandement is broken, they reckon the first to be committed by him, Qui colit extra Deum vel Sanctos quod que creatum, who worshippeth any created thing beside God and the Saints. And whereas nA…ton. Meliss. lib. 1. serm 1.Antonius in his Melissa had set downe the foresaid sentence of Nyssen; that vve have learned to worship and adore that nature ONELYONLY which is uncreated: the Spanish Inquisitors have taken order, that a peece of his tongue should be cut off; and given commandement, that oDeleatur dictio, SOLUMMODO. Index Expurgator. Gasp Quiroga Ca…dinalis iussis editus; de consilio supremi Senatus Generalis Iniquisit. Madrit. an. 1584.the word ONELYONLY should be blotted out of his writing. not considering that this was the principall word, upon which the whole sentence of Nyssen mainely did depend: and that Nyssen was not the onelyonly man that had taught us this lesson.

Athanasius before him had used the very same argument against the Arrians, to prove that the Sonne of God was of an uncreated nature. pforeign. Athanas. orat. 3. contra Arrian.For Peter the Apostle (saith he) did forbid Cornelius, when he vvould have worshipped him, saying; Because I my selfe also am a man. (Act. 10.26.) The Angell also did forbid Iohn, when he would have worshipped him in the Revelation, saying: See thou doe it not; for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the Prophets, and of them which keepe the sayings of this book: worship God. (Revel. 22.9.) Wherefore it appertayneth to God only to be worshipped. and this doe the Angels themselves know well: that although they doe surpasse others in glory, yet they are all but creatures; and are in the number, not of those that are to be adored, but of them that adore the Lord. So we have heard S. Ambrose qAmbros. in Rom. cap. 1. supr. pag. 414.before reprehending those that doe adore their fellow servants. And Epiphanius refuting the heresie of the Collyridians, concludeth, that rforeign, etc. foreign; Epiphan. haeres. 79. pag 448.neyther Elias, nor Iohn, nor Thecla, nor any of the Saints is to be worshipped. For that ancient error (saith he) shall not prevayle over us, to forsake the living God, and to worship the things that are made by him. for they served and worshipped the creature above the Creator, and became fooles. For if hee will not have the Angels to be worshipped; how much more would he not have her that was borne of Anna? sforeign. Id. ibid pag. 450.Let Mary then be had in honour: but let the Lord be worshipped. Lastly S. Augustin (to omit all others) in the book which he wrote of true religion, delivereth this for one of the maine grounds thereof; that tNon sit nobis religio cultus hominum mortuorum: quia si pié vixerunt, non sic habentur ut tales quaerant honores; sed illum á nobis coli volunt, quo illuminante laetantur meriti sui nos esse consortes. Honorandi ergo sunt propter imitationem, non adorandi propter religionem. Augustin. de verâ relig. cap. 55.the worshipping of men that are dead should be no part of our religion. because (saith he) if they did live piously, they are not held to be such as would seeke that kinde of honour; but would have him to be worshipped of us, by whose enlightening they doe rejoyce that we are made partners of their merit. They are to be honoured therefore for imitation, not to be adored for religion. The same doth he also there say of Angels: that uQuare honoramus eos charitate, non servitute. Nec eis templa construimus. Nolunt enim … sic honorari á nobis; quia nosipsos cùm boni sumus, templa summi Dei este noverunt. Recté ita que scribitur, hominem ab angelo prohibitum ne se adorar…t, sed unum Deum sub quo ei esset & ille conservus. Id. ibid.we doe honour them with love, not with service; neyther do we build temples unto them. For it is not their desire, that they should be so honoured by us: because they know that we our selves, if wee be good, are the temples of the high God. and therefore it is rightly written, that a man was forbidden by an Angell, that he should nor worship him, but God alone under whom he was his fellow servant. (Revel. 22.9.)

But, what saith Cardinall Bellarmine now, thinke you, unto these testimonies of the Fathers? xDico eos loqui contra errores Gentiliū, qui ex hominibus sceleratis veros Deos faciebant; eis que sacrificia offerebant. B…llarm. de Eccles. triumphant. lib. 1. fine. cap. 14. collat. cum fine cap. 11.I say (saith he, not knowing indeed what he saith, nor wherof he affirmeth) that they doe speake against the errours of the Gentiles, who of wicked men did make true Gods; and did offer sacrifices unto them. wherein you may discerne the just hand of God, confounding the mans witts, that would thus abuse his learning to the upholding of Idolatry. For had he been here his owne man, and not been strangely overtaken with the spirit of slumber, he could no possibly have fayled so fowly, as to reckon the Angels & the Saints, & the verie mother of God her self (of whom these Fathers do expressely speake) in the number of those wicked persons whom the Gentiles did take for their Gods. And here also out of Epiphanius we may further observe, who were the masters, or the mistresses rather (for this was yforeign. Epiphan. haeres. 79. pag. 445. foreign; Ibid. pag. 446.the womens heresie) from whom our Romanists did first learne their Hyperdulîa, or that transcendent kind of service wherewith they worship the Virgin Mary. namely, the Collyridians: zId. in Anacephalaeosi, pag. 529. foreign, (hoc vocabulum enim ibi addendum) foreign.so called from the Collyrides or cakes, which at a certaine time of the yeare they used to offer unto the blessed Virgin. against whom Epiphanius doth thus oppose himselfe. aforeign. Id. haeres. 1…. pag. 448.What Scripture hath delivered any thing, concerning this? Which of the Prophets have permitted a man to be worshipped, that I may not say a woman? For a choyse vessell she is indeed; but yet a woman. bforeign. Id. ibid. pag. 449.Let Mary be in honour; but let the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost be worshipped: let no man worship Mary. This mysterie is appointed, I doe not say for a woman, nor yet for a man neyther, but for God: the Angels themselves are not capable of such kinde of glorifying. cforeign. Id. ibid.Let none eate of this errour touching holy Mary. for although the tree be beautifull, yet is it not for meate: and although Mary be most excellent, and holy, and to be honoured, yet is she not to be worshipped. dforeign. Id. ibid. pag. 447.The bodie of Mary was holy indeed, but not God: the Virgin indeed was a virgin and honourable; but not given unto us for adoration, but one that did her selfe worship him who was borne of her in the flesh and came from heaven out of the bosome of his Father.

Thus did this learned Father labour to eforeign. Id. ibid. pag. 446.cut the roots of this Idolatrous heresie, when it first began to take hold of the feminine sexe: animating all that were of masculine spirits to the extirpatiō therof, in this maner. fforeign. Id. ibid.Go to then, ye servants of God, let us put on a manlike mind, and beat down the madnes of these women. But when this disease afterwards had gotten a farther spredd, and had once throughly seized upō men as wel as women: it is a most wonderfull thing to consider, into what extremitie this frenzie brake out; after the time of Sathans loosing especially. For then gDe cujus Imperij ad similes effectus aequalitate cum filio, non desunt, qui construant illud ab Angelo ipsi praenunciatū; Ave gratiâ plena, Dominus tecum. id est, Sicut & ipse, ita & tu eâdem dominandi excellentissimâ dignitate perfiueris. Emanuel de Valle de Moura, Doct. Theol. ac Inquisitionis Deputa…us Lusitan. Opusc. 1. de Incantationib. seu Ensalmis, sect. 1. cap. 1. num. 46.there wanted not such as would interprete that speech of the Angel unto the holy Virgin, Haile full of grace, the Lord is with thee; of the equality of her Empire with her Sonnes. as if it had beene said. Even as he, so thou also dost enjoy the same most excellent dignitie of ruling. hAd quem sensum facilè accommodari possunt praecitata Angeli verba; Dominus tecum, gratiâ plena. Id est, in gratiae plenitudine redundantiae, & effusione in creaturas, ita Domini potentia ac voluntas ad tuam accō modatur, ut tu prior in eo, & diademate, & tribunali esse videaris. Dominus tecum: non tam tu cum Domino, quàm tecum Dominus in eo munere. Ibid.In the redundance and effusion of grace upon the creatures, the Lords power and vvill is so accommodated unto thine, that thou mayest seeme to be the first in that, both diadem, and tribunall. The Lord is with thee: not so much thou with the Lord, as the Lord with thee, in that function. Then it was taught for good Divinitie, that iA tempore enim quo Virgo mater concepit in utero Verbum Dei, quandam (ut sic dicam) jurisdictionem seu auctoritatem obtinuit in omni Spiritus sancti processione temporali; ita quòd nulla creatura aliquam á Deo obtinuit gratiam vel virtutem, nisi secundùm ipsius piae matris dispensationem. Bernardin. Senens serm. 61. artic. 1. cap. 8.from the time wherein the Virgin mother did conceive in her wombe the Word of God, she hath obtained such a kind of jurisdiction (so to speake) or authoritie in all the temporall procession of the holy Ghost; that no creature hath obtained any grace or vertue from God, but according to the dispensation of his holy mother. that, kEt quia talis est mater filij Dei qui producit Spiritum sanctum; ideò omnia dona, virtutes & gratiae ipsius Spiritus sancti quibus vult, quando vult, quomodo vult, & quantum vult, per manus ipsius administrantur. Id. ibid.because she is the mother of the sonne of God who doth produce the holy Ghost; therefore all the gifts, vertues, and graces of the holy Ghost are by her hands administred, to whom she pleaseth, when she pleaseth, how she pleaseth, and as much as she pleaseth. That lNulla gratia de coelo nisi eâ dispensante ad nos descendit. Hoc enim singulariter officium divinitùs ab aeterno adepta est▪ sicut Proverb. 8. ipsa testatur, dicens. Ab aeterno ordinata sum; sc. dispensatrix coelestiū gratiarum. Id. ibid. artic. 3. cap. 3.she hath singularly obtained of God this office from eternitie; as her selfe doth testifie Proverb. 8.23. I was ordained from everlasting, namely, a dispenser of celestiall graces; and that mIn Christo fuit plenitudo gratiae, sicut in capite in fluēte; in Mariâ veró sicut in collo transfundente. Vnde Cantic 7. de Virgine ad Christum Salomon ait: Collum tuum sicut turris eburnea. Nam sicut per collū vitales spiritus á capite descendunt in corpus; sic per …irginē á capite Christo vitales gratiae in ejus corpus mysticum transfunduntur. Id. ibid. artic. 1. cap. 8. & artic. 2. cap. 10. ex Pse…d. Hieronymi sermone de assump…. Ma…iae. Sicut enim á capite, mediante collo, descendunt omnia nutrimenta corporis: sic á Christo per beatā Virginem in nos veniunt omnia bona, & beneficia, quae Deus nobis confert. Nam ipsa est dispensatrix gratiatū & beneficiorum Dei. Ioan Herolt. in Sermon. Discipuli de Tempore, serm. 16…. Per Collum, Virginis apud Deum gratia, & intercessio intelligitur: ita ut ejus intercessio sit veluti collū, per quod á Deo omnes gratiae, praesidia que in homines transfunduntur Blas. Viegas in Apo…al…ps cap. 12 cōment. 2. s…ct. 10. num. 1. Collū enim dicitur; quia per Virginē universa in nos á Deo tanquā á capite beneficia derivantur Id. ibid. num. 2.in this respect, Cantic. 7.4. it is said of her: Thy neck is as a tower of Yvorie. because that as by the neck the vitall spirits do descend from the head into the bodie; so by the Virgin the vitall graces are transmitted from Christ the head into his mysticall body: the fulnesse of grace being in him as in the head from whence the influence cōmeth, & in her as in the necke through which it is transfused unto us. so that nQuasi sublato Virginis patrocinio, perinde a… que halitu intercluso, peccator vivere diutiùs non possit. Viegas ibid. sect. 2. num. 6.take away the patronage of the Virgin, you stop as i… were the sinners breath, that he is not able to live any lōger.

Then men stuck not to teach, that unto her oData est tibi omnis potestas in coelo & in terrâ. Petr. Dami…n serm. 1. de nativit. B. Mariae. tom. 5. Surij, Septemb. 8.all power was given in heaven and in earth. So that for heaven, when our Saviour ascended thither, this might be assigned for one reason (among others) why he left his mother behinde him: pFortassis Domine, ne tuae coelesti Curiae veniret in dubiū, cuj potiù… occurreret; tibi videlicèt Domino suo, regnū tùū in assumptâ carne petenti, an ipsi Dominae suae, ipsum regnū jam suū materno jure effectū ascendenti. Anse…. Cantuar. de excellentiâ B. Virginis, cap. 7. & eum secuti, Bernard. de Busti in Mariali, part 11. serm. 1. part. 3. & Sebast. Barrad. Iesuit. Concord. Euangel lib. 6. cap. 11.least perhaps the court of Heaven might have beene in a doubt, whom they should rather go to meet, their Lord or their Lady. & for earth, qO igitur Regina nostra serenissima, profectò tu dicere potes illud, 1. Esdrae 1. Omnia regna terrae dedit mihi Dominus. Et nos tibi dicere possumus illud Tobi 13 In omnia secula regnū tuū. & Psal 144. Regnū tuū regnū omniū seculorum &c. &. Dan. 2. Regnū quod in aeternū non dissipabitur. Veni ergo, & super nos regnum accipe, Iudic. 9. De regno enim tuo dici potest illud, Psalm. 103. Et regnum ipsius omnibus domi…abitur. & Luc. 1. Et regni eju… non erit finis. Bernardin. de Bust. Marial. part. 12. serm. 1. part. 1.she may rightly apply unto her selfe that in the first of Ezra; All the kingdomes of the earth hath the Lord given unto me. and we may say unto her againe, that in Tobi 14. Thy kingdome endureth for all ages: and in the 144. or 145 Psalme; Thy kingdome is a kingdome of all ages. That howsoever she was rQuamvis autem benedicta Virgo fuerit nobilior persòna quae fuerit vel futura sit in orbe terrarum, tantaeque perfectionis, quòd etiamsi non fuisset mater Dei, nihilominùs debuisset esse Domina mundi: tamen secundùm leges quibus regitur mundus, jure haereditario omnem mundi hujus meruit principatum & regnum. Bernardin. Senens. se…m 61. artic. 1. cap. 7.the noblest person that was or ever should be in the world, and of so great perfection, that although she had not beene the mother of God, she ought neverthelesse to have beene the Lady of the world: yet according to the lawes whereby the world is governed, by the right of inheritance she did deserve the principality and kingdome of this world. That sDe monarchiâ autem universi nunquam Christus testatus est: eo quòd sine matris pra judicio nequaquam fieri poterat. Insuper noverat, quòd potest mater filij irritare testamentum, si in sui praejudicium sit confectum. Ex his omnibus apertissimé claret, quòd mater Iesu Maria haereditario jure omnium qui sunt infra Deum habet regale dominium & inclytum obtinet principatum Id ibid.Christ never made any legacie of this Monarchy: because that could not be done without the prejudice of his mother; and he knew besides, that the mother could make voyde the Testament of the sonne, if it were made unto her prejudice. And therefore that by all this it appeareth most evidently, that Mary the mother of Iesus, by right of inheritance hath the regall dominion over all that be under God. That tTot creaturae serviunt gloriosae Virgini Mariae, quot serviunt Trinitati. Omnes nempè creaturae, quemcunque gradum teneant in creatis, sive spirituales ut Angeli, sive rationales ut homines, sive corporales ut corpora coelestia vel elementa, & omnia quae sunt in coelo & in terrâ, sive damnati sive beati, quae omnia sunt divino imperio subjugata, gloriosae Virgini sunt subjecta. Ille enim qui Dei filius est & Virginis benedictae, volens (ut sic dicam) paterno principatui quodammodo principatum aequiparare maternum; ipse qui Deus erat matri famulabatur in terrâ. Vnde Lucae 2. scriptum est de Virgine & glorioso Ioseph: Erat subditus illis. Praetereà haec est vera: Divino imperio omnia famulantur & Virgo. & iterùm haec est vera: Imperio Virginis omnia famulantur & Deus. Id. ibid. cap. 6.as many creatures doe serve the glorious Virgin Mary, as serve the Trinitie. namely all creatures, whatsoever degree they hold among the things created (whether they be spirituall as Angels, or rationall as men, or corporall as the Heavenly bodies or the Elements) and all things that are in Heaven and in Earth, whether they be the damned or the blessed: all which being brought under the governement of God, are subject likewise unto the glorious Virgin. for asmuch as he who is the sonne of God and of the blessed Virgin, being willing as it were to equall in some sort his Mothers soveraigntie unto the soveraignty of his Father; even he who was God, did serve his mother upon earth. Whence Luke 2.51. it is written of the Virgin and glorious Ioseph: He was subject unto them. that as this proposition is true; All things are subject to Gods command, even the Virgin her selfe: so this againe is true also; All things are subject to the command of the Virgin, even God himselfe. that, uCùm beata Virgo sit mater Dei, & Deus filius ejus; & omnis filius sit naturaliter inferior matre & subditus ejus, & mater praelata & superior filio: sequitur quòd ipsa benedicta Virgo sit superior Deo, & ipse Deus sit subditus ejus ratione humanitatis ab eâ assumptae. Bernardin. de Bust. Marial. part. 9. serm. 2.considering the blessed Virgin is the mother of God and God is her sonne, and every sonne is naturally inferior to his mother and subject unto her, and the mother hath preeminence and is superior to her sonne; it therefore followeth that the blessed Virgin is superior to God, and God himselfe is subject unto her, in respect of the manhood which he assumed from her. that xIpsa benedicta Virgo, licèt sit subjecta Deo inquantū creatura; superior tamen illi dicitur & praelata, inquantū est ejus mater. Vnde Luc. 2. de Christo Daeo & homine scriptū est, quòd erat subditus illi. O ineffabilis dignitas Mariae, quae imperatori omnium meruit imperare. Id. part. 12. serm. 2.howsoever she be subject unto God inasmuch as she is a creature; yet is she said to be superior and preferred before him, inasmuch as she is his mother.

Then men were put in minde, that yPeccando post Baptismum videntur contemnere & despicere passionem Christi: & sic nullus peccator meretur quòd Christus ampliùs intercedat pro ipso apud Patrem; sine cujus intercessione nemo potest liberari á poenâ aeternâ, nec temporali, nec culpâ quam ipse voluntarié perpetravit. Et ideo fuit necesse ut Christus constitueret matrem suam praedilectam mediatricem inter nos & ipsum. Iacob. de Valentiâ episc. Christopolitan. in exposit. …antic. virg. Mariae. Magnificat.by sinning after Baptisme they seemed to contemne and despise the passion of Christ: and so that no sinner doth deserve that Christ should any more make intercession for him to the Father; without whose intercession none can be delivered eyther from the eternall punishment or the temporall, nor from the fault which he hath voluntarily committed. And therefore that it was necessary, that Christ should constitute his welbeloved Mother a Mediatrix betwixt us and him. zEt sic in hâc peregrinatione non relinquitur nobis aliud refugium in nostris tribulationibus & adversitatibus; nisi recurrere ad virginem Mariam mediatricem, ut velit placare ira… Filij. Id. ibid.and so in this our pilgrimage, there is no other refuge left unto us in our tribulations and adversities, but to have recourse unto the Virgin Mary our mediatrix; that she would appease the wrath of her Sonne. That aSicut ille ibi ascendit ut continué appareat vultui Dei pro hominibus; Hebr. 9 it… ego debeo ibi ascendere, ut appaream vultui ipsius filij pro peccatoribus: & sic humanum genus habeat semper ante faciem Dei adjutorium simile Christo ad procurandam suam salutem. Bernardin. de Bust. Marial. pa…t. 11. serm. 2. membr. 1.as He is ascended into heaven, to appeare in the sight of God for men; (Hebr. 9.24.) so Shee ought to ascend thither, to appeare in the sight of her Sonne for sinners: that so mankinde might have alwayes before the face of God a Helpe like unto Christ for the procuring of his salvation. That bTantae autē auctoritatis in coelesti palatio est ista Imperatrix, quòd omnibus alijs Sanctis intermedijs omissis, ad ipsam licet ab omni gravamine appellare. Licèt enim secundùm jura civilia debitum medium servetur in appellationibus: (l. Imperatores ff. de appel. reci.) tamē in ipsâ servatur stylus juris Canonici, quo omisso quolibet medio appellatur ad summū Pontificem. (C. si duobus. extra. de appel) Id. part. 3. serm. 3. in excellent. 4.this Empresse is of so great authoritie in the palace of Heaven, that it is lawfull to appeale unto her from any grievance, all other intermediall Saints omitted. for howsoever according to the Civill law the due meane must be observed in Appeales: yet in her the style of the Canon law is observed, wherein the Pope is appealed unto, any intermediall whatsoever omitted. That cNos autem dicere possumus, quòd beatissima Virgo est Cancellaria in coelesti curiâ. Nam videmus quòd in Cancellariâ Domini Papae conceduntur tria genera literarū. etc. Istas autē literas misericordiae dat (B. Virgo) solùm in praesenti vitâ. Nam animabus decedētibus quibusdā dat literas purae gratiae: alijs veró simplicis justitiae, & quibusdā mixtas, sc. justitiae & gratiae. Quidā enim fuerunt sibi valdè devoti: & istis dat literas purae gratiae, per quas mandat ut detur eis gloria sine aliquâ Purgatorij poenâ. Alij autem fuerunt miseri peccatores & ejus indevoti: & istis dat literas simplicis justitiae, per quas mandat ut eis fiat condigna vindicta. Alij veró fuerunt in devotione tepidi & remissi: & istis dat literas justitiae & gratiae simul; per quas mandat ut & gratia eis fiat, & tamen illis infera…ur aliqua Purgatorij poena propter negligentiā & torporē. Et ista significantur in Hester reginâ, quae (ut habetur Hest. 8.) scripsit li…eras ut Iudaei salvarētur, & hostes interficerentur, & pauperibus munuscula darentur. Id. part. 12. serm. 2. membr. 1. in excellent. 12.she is a Chancellour in the Court of heaven: and giveth letters of mercy onelyonly in this present life; but for the soules that depart from hence, unto some letters of pure gra…e, unto others of simple justice, and unto some mixt of justice and grace. For some (say they) were much devoted unto her: and unto them shee giveth letters of pure grace, whereby shee commandeth glory to be given them without any paine of Purgatorie. Others were miserable sinners and not devoted to her: and unto them she giveth letters of simple justice, whereby shee commandeth that condigne punishment be taken of them. Others were lukewarme and remisse in devotion: and unto them she giveth letters of justice and grace together; whereby shee commandeth that both favour be done unto them, and yet some paine of Purgatorie bee inflicted upon them for their negligence and sluggishnesse. And these things they say are signified in Queene Esther; who wrote letters that the Iewes should be saved, and the enemies should be killed, and to the poore small giftes should be given. Yea further also, dConfugimus autem primò ad beatissimā Virginem coelorum Reginā: cui Rex regū, pater coelestis, dimidiū regni sui dedit. Quod significatū est in Hester reginâ: quae cùm ad placandum Assuerum regē accessisset, dixit ei Rex; Etiam si dimidiam partem regni mei petieris, dabitur tibi. Sic pater coelestis, cùm habeat justitiam & misericordiam tanquā potiora regni sui bona; justitiâ sibi retentâ, misericordiam matri Virgini concessit Gabr. Biel in Canon Missae, lect. 80. Vide Iohan. Gerson. tract. 4. super Magnificat.where King Assuerus did profer unto the said Esther even the halfe of his Kingdome: (Esth▪ 5.3.) thereby they say was signified that God bestowed halfe of his kingdome upon the blessed Virgin. that having Iustice and MercieMercy as the chiefest goods of his Kingdome, he retayned Iustice unto himselfe, and granted merciemercy unto her. & eIsta imperatrix figuravit imperatricem coelorum, cum quâ Deus …egnum suum divisit. Cùm enim Deus habeat justitiam & misericordiam: justitiam sibi in …oc mundo exercendam retinuit, & misericordiam matri concessit. Et ideò si quis sentit se gra…a…i á foro justitiae Dei, appellet ad forum misericordiae matris ejus. Bernar…in. de Bust. Marial part. 3. serm. 3. in excellent. 4.therefore that if a man do finde himselfe aggrieved in the court of Gods justice, he may appeale to the court of merciemercy of his mother: (shee being that fId. ibid. excellent. 5. & part. 5. serm. 7 in fine.throne of grace, whereof the Apostle speaketh, Hebr. 4.16. Let us goe boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may receive merciemercy, and finde grace to helpe in time of neede.

They tell us, that gAd ornamē tum regni terren… est, quòd habeat Regem & Reginā. Et propter hoc quando aliquis rex non habet uxorem, ejus subditi plerum que ei supplicant ut eam accipiat. Supernum ergo coelorum regnum volens Rex aeternus & Imperator omnipotens decorare; fabricavit hanc beatissimam Virginē, ut illam regni & imperij sui faceret Dominam & Imperatricem: ut verificaretur prophetia David, Psal 44. ei dicentis; Astitit regina á dextris tuis in vestitu deaurato, circundatavarietate Jd. part. 9. serm. 2.it is for the ornament of an earthly kingdome, that it should have both a King & a Queene: and therefore when any King hath not a wife his subjects often doe request him to take one. Hereupon they say, that the eternall King and omnipotent Emperor minding to adorne the kingdome of heaven above, did frame this blessed Virgin, to the end he might make her the Ladie and Empresse of his kingdome and empyre: that the prophecie of David might be verified, saying unto her in the Psalme; VponUpon thy right hand did stand the Queene in clothing of gold. That hEst etiam Imperatrix, quia aeterni Imperatoris est sponsa; de quo dicitur Iohan. 3. cap. Qui habet sponsam, sponsus est. Quando veró Deus illi tradidit imperium orbis & omnium contētorū in eo: dixit ei illud quod habetur 1. Aeneid. Id. part. 3. serm. 3. in excellent 4.she is an Empresse, because she is the spouse of the eternall Emperor; of whō it is said, Ioh. 3.29. He that hath the bride is the bridegrome. and that when God did deliver unto her the empyre of the world and all the things contayned therein; he sayd unto her that which wee reade in the first of the Aeneids:

His ego nec metas rerum nec tempora pono;

Imperium sine sine dedi.

That shee is iBeata Virgo est imperatrix coeli & terrae: quia ipsa genuit coelestem Imperatorem. et ideò potest ab eo petere quicquid vult et obtinere. quod figuratum fuit 3. Reg. 2. ubi mater Salomonis dixit ei: Petitionem unam pero á te; ne confundas faciem meam. tunc enim faciem suam confunderet, quando illud quod peteret denegaret. Si ergo imperat filio ratione maternalis jurisdictionis, qui fuit subditus illi (ut habetur Luc. 2.) multo magis imperat omnibus creaturis filio suo subjectis. Id. ibid.the Empresse also of heaven and earth, because she did beare the heavenly Emperour: and therefore that shee can aske of him what she will and obtaine it. that this was figured in the historie of the Kings, where the mother of Salomon said unto him: I desire one petition of thee, doe not confounde my face: for then should hee confound her face, if he did denie that which she requested. and that if in respect of her maternall jurisdicton she hath command of her Sonne, vvho was subject unto her: (as vve reade, Luke 2.51.) then much more hath she command over all the creatures that are subject to her Sonne. That this kMatrem quippe suam praepotens ille Deus divinae majestatis potestatisque sociam, quatenus licuit, adscivit. Huic olim coelestium, mortalium que principatum detulit: ad hujus arbitrium (quoad hominum tutela postulat) terras, maria, …oelum, naturamque moderatur: hâc annuente, et per hanc divinos thesauros mortalibus, et coelestia dona largitur. Vt omnes intelligant, quicquid ab eaterno illo augusto que bonorum fonte in terras profluat, fluere per MARIAM. Horat. Tursellin. Iesuit. in epist. dedicator. Historiae Lauretanae ad Cardinalem Aldobrandinum.mightie God did (as farre as he might) make his Mother partner of his divine majestie and power: giving unto her of old the soveraignetie both of celestiall things and mortall: ordering at her pleasure (as the patronage of men did require) the earth, the seas, heaven, and nature: at her liking, and by her, bestowing upon mortall men his divine treasures and heavenly gifts. So as all might understand, that whatsoever doth flowe into the earth from that eternall and glorious fountayne of good things, doth flowe by MARIE. That lConstituta quippe est super omnem creaturam; & quicumque Iesu curvat genu, matri quo que pronus supplicat: & filij gloriam cum matre non tam communem judico, quàm eandem. Arnold. Carnotens tract. de laudib. Virginis.she is constituted over every creature, and whosoever boweth his knee unto Iesus, doth fall downe also and supplicate unto his mother: so that the glory of the Sonne may be judged not so much to be common with the Mother, as to be the verie same. That mTanta est gloria Virginis matris Dei; quòd tantum excedit in gloriâ naturam angelicam & humanam simul junctam, quantum circumferentia firmamenti excedit in magnitudine suum centrum: cùm intelligat in filio suo se quasi alterum ipsum Deitate vestitam. Bernardin. de Bust. Marial. part. 12. serm. 2. in excellent. 21.so great is her glorie, that she exceedeth the nature of Angels and Men, joyned together, as farre in glorie, as the circumference of the firmament exceedeth his center in magnitude: when shee understandeth her selfe in her Sonne to be, as his other selfe, clothed with the Deitie. That she being nQui enim alicui rei innititur, virtutem ejus sibi assumit, & eâ sicut vult utitur. Et similiter ipsa Dei mater de omnipotentiâ filij sui cui …st innixa, quantum vult sibi assumit. Id. part. 12. serm. 2. in excellent. 28.the mother of God, doth assume unto her selfe o… the omnipotencie of her Sonne (upon which she leaneth) as much as shee pleaseth. and that shee oAccedis ante illud aurei… humanae reconciliationi… altare, non solùm rogans, sed imperans; Domina, non ancilla. Petr. Damian se…m. 1. de nativit. B. Mariae.doth come before the golden altar of humane reconciliation, not intreating onelyonly, but commanding; a Mistresse, not a mayde.

They tell us, that the blessed Virgin her selfe appeared once unto Thomas Becket, & used this speech unto him. pGaude & laetare, ac exulta mecum; quia gloria mea excellit dignitatem & laetitiam omnium sanctorum & cunctorum spirituum beatorum, & majorem gloriam habeo ipsa sola quàm omnes simul Angeli & Sancti. Gaude. quia sicut Sol illuminat diem ac mundum, sic claritas mea illuminat totū orbem coelestē. Gaude, quia tota militia coeli mihi obedit, me veneratur & honorat. Gaude, quia filius meus mihi semper est obediens, & meam voluntatem, & cunctas preces meas semper exaudit. Gaude, quia Deus semper ad beneplacitum meū remunerat servitores meos in hoc seculo & in futuro. Gaude, quia proxima sedeo sanctae Trinitati, & vestita sum corpore meo glorificato. Gaude, quia certa sum & secura, quòd haec mea gaudia semper stabunt & nunquam finientur vel deficient. Et quicumque cum his gaudijs spiritualibus laetando in hoc seculo me venerabitur, in exitu animae suae de corpore praesentiam meam obtinebit; & ipsam animam ab hostibus malignis liberabo, & in conspectu filij mei ut meeum gaudia possideat praesentabo. Bernardin. de Bust. Marial. part. 10 serm. 2. sect. ult.Rejoyce and be glad, and bee joyfull with mee: because my glorie doth excell the dignitie and joy of all the Saints & all the blessed spirits; & I alone have greater glorie than all the Angels and Saints together. Rejoyce, because that as the Sunne doth inlighten the day and the world, so my brightnesse doth inlighten the whole celestiall world. Rejoyce, because the whole hoaste of heaven obeyeth me, reverenceth and honoureth me. Rejoyce, because my Sonne is alwayes obedient unto me, and my will, and all my prayers he alwaies heareth. (or as others doe relate it: *Quòd summae Trinitatis & mea est una voluntas; & quodcun que mihi placuerit, tota Trinitas ineffabili favore consentit. Promptuar. Discipuli, de miraculi B. Mari…, exempl. 14. (pag. 8. edit. Mogunt. ann. 1612.)The will of the blessed Trinitie and mine is one and the same; and whatsoever doth please me, the whole Trinitie with unspeakeable favour doth give consent unto.) Rejoyce, because God doth alwayes at my pleasure reward my servitors in this world and in the world to come. Rejoyce, because I fit next to the holy Trinitie, and am cloathed with my bodie glorified. Rejoyce, because I am certaine and sure, that these my joyes shall alwayes stand and never be finished or …ayle. And whosoever by rejoycing with these spirituall joyes shall wo…ship me in this world, at the time of the dep…rture of his soule out of the bodie he shall obtaine my presence: and I will deliver his soule from the malignant enemies, and present it in the sight of my Sonne, that it may possesse joyes with me. They tell us, that manie (qM…ltae meretri…es in die Sabbati…on pecca…ent propter reverentiā Virginis Et multi videntur beatam Virginem in majori veneratione habere, quàm Ch…istum filiū ejus; magis ex simplicitate moti quàm scientiâ. Sed quia honor matris redundat in filium, Prov. 17. patientiam habet filius Dei, de hâc quorundam virorū & mulie…um simplicitate. Bernardin. de Bust. pa…t. 6. serm. 2. memb. 3. many whoores for example, that would not sinne on Saturday, for the reverence of the Virgin; whatsoever they did on the Lords day) seeme to have the blessed Virgin in greater veneration than Christ her sonne; moved thereunto out of simplicitie more than out of knowledge. Yet that the Sonne of God doth beare with the simplicitie of these men and women: because he is not ignorant, that the honour of the mother doth redound to the childe (Prov. 17.6.) They argue further, that rSi hoc privilegium habet Cardinalis, quòd si ponat pileum sive cape…lum suum super…caput illius qui ducitur ad justitiam, liberatur: (secundùm Baldū & Paulū de Castro, in …addictos. C. de appel.) á fortiori, pallium beatae. Virginis potest nos ab omnibus malis liberare. Tam lata enim est ejus misericordia, quòd si aliquem devoté facientem Coronam suam viderit in medio millium daemonū trahi ad supplicium; eum protinùs liberabit: nec permittet aliquem malé finiri, qui ejus Coronā reverenter studuerit facere. Id. part. 12. serm. 1. mem…r. 3.if a Cardinall have this priviledge, that if he put his cap upon the head of one that is ledd unto justice, he is freed therby: then by an argument drawn from the stronger, the cloake of the blessed Virgin is able to deliver us frō all evil. her mercy being so large, that if she should see any man who did devoutly make her Crowne (that is to say, repeate the Rosarie or Chaplet of prayers made for her worship) to be drawn unto punishmēt in the midst of a thousand Divels; she would presently rescue him, & not permit that any one should have an evil end, who did study reverētly to make her Crown. They add moreover, that sSic in summâ erunt ducenta septuaginta tria millia septingenti quinquaginta octo dies indulgentiae pro qualibet coronâ. Felicis autē recordationis Sixtus Papa quartus, omnibus dicētibus in statu gratiae infrascriptā orationē sive salutationē ipsius Virginis, quae á multis dicitur in Coronâ, concessit indulgentiā duodecim millium annorū pro qualibet vice quâ dicitur. Ave sanctissima Maria, mater Dei, regina coeli, porta para disi, domina mundi. Singularis & pura tu es virgo. Tu concepisti Christū sine peccato. Tu peperisti creatorē & salvatorem mundi, in quo non dubito, Libera me ab omni malo; & orapro peccatis mei… Amen. Jbid.for every of these Crownes a man shal obtaine 273758. dayes of Indulgence: and that Pope Sixtus the fourth granted an indulgence of twelve thousand years for every time that a man in the state of grace should repeat this short orizon or salutation of the Virgin, which by manie is inserted into her Crowne. Hayle most holy Mary, the mother of God, the Queene of heaven, the gate of Paradise, the Ladie of the world. Thou art a singular and pure virgin: thou didst conceive Christ without sinne: thou didst beare the creator and saviour of the world, in whom I doe not doubt. Deliver me from all evill, and pray for my sinnes. Amen.

In the Crowne composed by Bonaventure, this is one of the orizons that is prescribed to be sayd. tImperatrix & Domina nostra benignissima, iure matris impera tuo dilectissimo Filio Domino nostro Iesu Christo, ut mentes nostras ab amore terrestrium ad coelestia desideria erigere dignetur. Bonaventur. Corona B Mariae Virginis, Operum tomo 6. edit. Rom. an. 1588.O. Empresse and our most kinde Ladie, by the authoritie of a mother command thy most beloved Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ, that he would vouchsafe to lift up our mindes from the love of earthly things unto heavenly desires. which is sutable unto that versicle which wee reade in the 35. Psalme, of his Ladies Psalter. uInclina vultum Dei super nos: coge illū peccatoribus misereri. Id. in Psalterio B. Mariae Virg. ibid.Incline the countenance of God upon us: compell him to have merciemercy upon sinners. the harshenesse whereof our Romanists have a little qualified in some of their editions, reading thus, xInclina vultum filij tui super nos: coge illum precibus nobis peccatoribus misereri Psalt…r. Bonaventur seorsim. edit. Parisijs, an. 1596. in Capeleto Dominicae 2.Incline the countenance of thy Sonne upon us: compell him by thy praiers to have merciemercy upon us sinners. The psalmes of this Psalter doe all of them begin as Davids doe: but with this maine difference, that where the Prophet in the one aymeth at the advancement of the honour of our Lord, the Fryar in the other applieth all to the magnifying of the power and goodnesse of our Lady. So in the first Psalme: yBeatus vir qui diligit nomen tuū Maria virgo: gratia tua animam ejus confortabit. Psalm. 1.Blessed is the man (quoth Bonaventure) that loveth thy name, O Virgin Marie: thy grace shall comfort his soule. & in the others following. zDomina, quid multiplicati sunt qui tribulant me? in tempestate tuâ persequêri… & dissipabis eos. Psalm. 3.Lady, how are they multiplied that trouble me? with thy tempest shalt thou persecute and scatter them. aDomina, ne in furore Dei sinas corripi me: neque in ira ejus judicari. Psalm. 6.Ladie, suffer me not to be rebuked in the furie of God; nor to bee judged in his wrath. bDomina mea, in te speravi: de inimicis meis libera me Domina. Psalm 7.My Ladie, in thee have I put my trust: deliver me from mine enemies, O Ladie. cIn Dominâ confido; propter dulcedinē misericordiae nominis sui. Psalm. 10.In our Ladie put I my trust; for the sweetenesse of the merciemercy of her name. dVsquequo Domina oblivisceris me; & non liberas me in die tribulationis? Psal. 12.How long wilt thou forget me, O Ladie, and not deliver me in the day of tribulation? eConserva me Domina, quoniam speravi in te: mihique tuae stillicidia gratiae impartire. Psalm. 15.Preserve me, O Ladie, for in thee have I put my trust: and imparte unto me the droppes of thy grace. fDiligam te, Domina coeli & terrae: & in gentibus nomen tuū invocabo. Psalm. 17.I will love thee, O Ladie of heaven and earth: and I will call upon thy name among the nations. gCoeli enarrant gloriam tuam: & unguentorum tuorum fragrantia in gentibus est dispersa. Psalm. 18.The heavens declare thy glorie: and the fragrance of thine oyntments is spread among the nations. hExaudias nos Domina in die tribulationis: & precibus nostris converte clementem faciem tuā. Psalm. …9.Heare us, Ladie, in the day of trouble: and turne thy mercifull face unto our prayers. iAd te Domina levavi animā meā: in judicio Dei, tuis precibus non erubescam. Psalm. 24.VntoUnto thee, O Lady, have I lifted up my soule: in the judgement of God, by thy prayers, I shall not be ashamed. kIudica me Domina, quoniā ab innocentiâ meâ digressus sum: sed quia sperabo in te, non infirmabor. Psalm. 25.Iudge me, Lady, for I have departed from mine innocencie: but because I will trust in thee, I shall not be weakned. lIn tè Domina speravi, non cōfundar in aeternum: in gratiâ tuâ suscipe me. Psal. 30.In thee, O Ladie, have I put my trust, let me never be confounded: in thy favour receive me mBeati quorum corda te diligunt, virgo Maria: peccata ipsorum á te misericorditer diluentur. Psalm. 31.Blessed are they whose hearts doe love thee, ô virgin Marie: their sinnes by thee shall mercifully be washed away. nIudica Domina nocentes me: & contra eos exurge, & vindica causam meam, Psalm. 34.Lady, judge those that hurt me: and rise up against them, and plead my cause. oExpectans expectavi gratiam tuam: & fecisti mihi secundùm multitudinem misericodiae nominis tui. Psal. 39.Waiting have I waited for thy grace: and thou hast done unto me according to the multitude of the merciemercy of thy name. pDomina refugium nostrū tu es in omni necessitate nostrâ; & virtus potentior conterens inimicū. Psalm. 45.Lady, thou art our refuge in all our necessities; and the powerfull strength treading downe the enemie. qMiserere mei Domina, quae mater misericordia… nuncuparis: & secundùm viscera misericordiarum tuarum, munda me ab omnibus iniquitatibus meis. Psal. 50.Have merciemercy upon me, O Ladie, who art called the mother of merciemercy; and according to the bowels of thy mercies, cleanse me from all mine iniquities. rDomina in nomine tuo… salvum me fac: & ab in…ustitijs meis libera me. Psalm. 53.Save me, Ladie, by thy name; and deliver me from mine unrighteousnesse. sMiserere mei Domina, miserere mei: quia paratū est cor meū exquirere voluntatē tuā: & in umbrâ alarū tuarum requiescā. Ps. 56.Have merciemercy upon me, O Ladie, have merciemercy upon me: because my heart is prepared to search out thy will; and in the shadow of thy wings will I rest. tExurgat Maria, & dissipentur inimici ejus: conterantur omnes sub pedibus ejus. Psal. 67.Let Marie arise, and let her enemies be scattered: let them all be troaden downe under her feete. uIn te Domina speravi, non cnfundar in aeternum: in tuâ misericordiâ libera me, & eripe me. Psalm. 70.In thee, O Lady, have I put my trust, let me never be put to confusion: deliver me in thy merciemercy, and cause mee to escape. xDeus judicium tuum Regida; & misericordiam tuam Reginae matri ejus. Psal. 71.Give the King thy judgement, O God, and thy merciemercy to the Queene his mother. yDomina, venerunt gentes in haereditatem Dei: quas tu meritis tuis Christo confoederâsti. Psalm. 78.Lady, the gentiles are come into the inheritance of God: whom thou by thy merits hast confederated unto Christ. zMisericordias tuas, Domina, in sempiternum decantabo. Psalm. 88.Thy mercies, O Lady, will I sing for ever. aDeus ultionum Dominus: sed tu Mater misericordiae ad miserandum inflectis. Psalm …93.God is the Lord of revenges: but thou the mother of merciemercy dost bowe him to take pitie. bVenite, exultemus Dominae nostrae: jubilemus salutiferae Mariae Reginae nostrae. Psal. 94.O come, let us sing unto our Ladie: let us make a joyfull noise to Mary our Queene that brings salvation. cCantate Dominae nostrae canticū novū: quia mirabilia fecit. Psal. 97.O sing unto our Lady a new song: for shee hath done marveilous things. dConfitemini Domino, quoniā bonus: cōfitemini matri ejus, quoniā in saeculū misericordia ejus. Ps. 106. & 117.O give thankes unto the Lord, for he is good: give thankes unto his mother, for her merciemercy endureth for ever. eDomina, laudem meā ne despexeris: & hoc dedicatum tibi Psalterium digneris acceptare. Psal. 108.Lady, despise not my prayse: and vouchsafe to accept this Psalter vvhichwhich is dedicated unto thee. fDixit Dominus Dominae nostrae: sede mater mea á dextris meis. Psalm. 109.The Lord sayd unto our Lady: sit thou, my mother, at my right hand. gQui confidunt in te, mater Dei, non timebunt á facie inimici. Psal. 124.They that trust in thee, O mother of God, shall not feare from the face of the enemie. hNisi Domina aedificaverit domum cordis nostri: non permanebit aedificium ejus. Psalm. 126.Except our Lady build the house of our heart: the building thereof will not continue. iBeati omnes qui timent Dominam nost…ā: & beati omnes qui sciunt facere voluntatem tuam, & beneplacitum tuū. Psalm. 127.Blessed are all they who feare our Ladie: and blessed are all they who know to doe thy will, and thy good pleasure. kDe profundis clamavi ad te Domina: Domina exaudi vocem meam. Psalm. 129Out of the deepe have I cried unto thee, O Ladie: Ladie, heare my voice. lMemento Domina David; & omnium invocantium nomen tuum. Psalm. 131.Ladie, remember David, and all that call upon thy name. mConfitemini Domino quo…iam bonus est: quoniam per suam dulcissimam matrem Virginem Mariam datur misericordia ejus. Psalm. 135.O give thankes unto the Lord, because he is good: because by his most sweete mother the virgin Mary is his merciemercy given. nBenedicta si… Domina, quae instruis servos tuos ad praelium: & eos roboras contra inimicum. Ps. 143.Blessed be thou, O Ladie, which teachest thy servants to warre; and strengthenest them against the enemie. and so the last Psalme is begun with, oLaudate Dominā in sanctis ejus: laudate eam in virtutibus & miraculis ejus. Psal. 150.Prayse our Ladie in her Saints; prayse her in her vertues and miracles: and ended accordingly, with, Omnis spiritus laudet Dominam nostram. Let everie spirit (or, everie thing that hath breath) prayse our Ladie.

To this we may adioyne the pPsal…erium meditationum B. Mariae, vocatur á Io Pithio, de illustr. An…l. Scriptorib. pag. 380.Psalter of the salutations of the Virgin, framed by Iohn Peckham archbishop of Canterburie, which is not yet printed. His preface he beginneth thus:

Mente concipio laudes perscribere

Sanctae Virginis; quae nos à carcere

Solvit per filium, genus in genere

Miri vivificans effectus opere.

and endeth with a prayer to the blessed Virgin, that shee would release the sinnes of all those for whom hee prayed, and cause both his owne name and theirs to be written in the booke of life.

Nec non & omnibus relaxes crimina,

Pro quibus supplicans fundo precamina:

Nostrum que pariter & horum nomina

Conscribi facias in vitae paginâ.

Then followeth his first Psalme; wherein he prayeth, that she would make us to meditate often Gods Law, and afterwards to be made blessed in the glorie of Gods kingdome.

Ave Virgo virginum parens abs que pari,

Sine viri semine digna foecundari:

Fac nos legem Domini crebró meditari:

Et in regni gloriâ beatificari.

His other 149. Psalmes (which are fraught with the same kinde of stuffe) I passe over. But Bernardinus de Senis his boldnesse may not be forgotten: who thinketh that qSola benedicta virgo Maria plus fecit Deo vel tantùm (ut sic dicam) quàm fecit Deus toti generi humano. C…edo etenim certé quòd mihi indulgebit Deus, si nunc pro Virgine loquar. Congregemus in unum quae Deus homini fecit: & consideremus quae Maria virgo Domino satisfecit &c. Reddendo ergo singula singulis, sc. quae fecit Deus homini, & quae fecit Deo beata Virgo; videbis quòd plus fecit Maria Deo, quàm homini Deus: ut sic pro solatio dicere liceat, quòd propter beatam Virginem, quam tamen ipse fecit, Deus quodammodo plus obligetur nobis, quàm nos sibi. Bernardin. Senens. serm. 61. artic. 1. cap. 11.God will give him leave to maintaine, that the Virgin Marie did more unto him, or at least as much, as he himselfe did unto all mankinde; and that wee may say for our comfort (forsooth) that in respect of the blessed Virgin (whom God himselfe did make notwithstanding) God after a sort is more bound unto us, than wee are unto him. With which absurd and wretched speculation Bernardinus de Busti after him was so well pleased: that hee dareth to revive againe this most odious comparison, and propose it a fresh in this saucy maner. rSed ô virgo gratissima, nunquid tu aliquid …ecisti Deo? Nunquid vicem ei reddidis…i? Profectò (si fas est dicere) tu secundùm quid majora fecisti Deo, quàm ipse Deus tibi & universo generi humano. Volo ergo ego dicere, quod tu exhumilitate reticuisti. Tu enim solùm cecinisti; Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est: ego vero cano & dico; Quia tu fecisti majora ei qui potens est. Bernardin. de Bust. Marial. part. 6. serm. 2. membr. 3.But O most gratefull Virgin, didst not thou something to God? Didst not thou make him any recompence? Truely (if it be Lawfull to speake it) thou in some respect didst greater things to God, than God himselfe did to thee and to all mankinde. I will therefore speake that, which thou out of thy humilitie hast past in silence. For thou onelyonly didst sing: He that is mightie hath done to me great things. but I doe sing and say: that thou hast done greater things to him that is mightie. Neyther is that vision much better, which the sId. part. 9. serm. 2. assimilat. 2.same author reciteth as shewed to S. Francis, or (as tSpeculum vitae Francisci & fociorum eius: part. 2. c. 45. edit. Guilielmi Spoelberch. Item, Speculum Exemplorum, dist. 7. exempl. 41.others would have it) to his companion Fryar Lion; touching the two ladders that reached from earth unto heaven. the one redd, upon which Christ leaned: from whence many fell backward, & could not ascend. the other white, upon which the holy Virgin leaned: the helpe whereof such as used, were by her received with a cheerefull countenance, and so with facilitie ascended into heaven. Neyther yet that sentence, which came first from Anselme, and was after him used by Ludolphus Saxo the Carthusian, and Chrysostomus à Visitatione the Cistercian Monke: that uVelocior est nonnunquam salus memorato nomine Mariae, quàm invocato nomine Domini Iesu unici Filij sui. Anselm de excellentiâ B. Virginis, cap. 6. Ludolph. Carthusian de Vitâ Christi, part. 2. cap. 68. & Chrysostom. á Visitatione, de Verbis Dominae, tom. 2. lib. 2. cap. 2.more present reliefe is sometimes found by commemorating the name of Mary, then by calling upon the name of our Lord Iesus her onelyonly Sonne. which one of xHenr. Fitz-Simon, of the Masse. lib. 2. part. 2. chap. 3.our Iesuites is so farre from being ashamed to defend, that he dareth to extend it further to the mediation of other Saints also: telling us very peremptorily, that as our Lord Iesus worketh greater miracles by his Saints then by himself· (Iohn. 14.12) so often he sheweth the force of their intercession more then of his owne.

All which I doe lay downe thus largely, not because I take any delight in rehearsing those things, which deserve rather to be buried in everlasting oblivion: but first, that the world may take notice, what kinde of monster is nourished in the Papacie under that strange name of Hyperdulia: the bare discoverie whereof, I am perswaded, will prevaile as much with a minde that is touched with anie zeale of Gods honour, as all other arguments and authorities whatsoever. secondly, that such unstable soules as looke backe unto Sodome, and have a lust to returne unto Egypt againe, may be advised to looke a little into this sinke, and consider with themselves whether the steame that ariseth from thence be not so noysome, that it is not to be indured by one that hath any sense left in him of pierie. and thirdly, that such as be established in the present truth, may be thankefull to God for this great merciemercy vouchsafed unto them, and mak… this still one part of their prayers. From all Romish Dulîa and Hyperdulîa, good Lord deliver us.

Answer to a Jesuit in Ireland, Treatise · Section 8

p. 377OF PRAYER TO SAINTS.

OF PRAYER TO SAINTS.