A Defense of the Catholic Faith, Book 2 · Article 8
ARTICLE VIII. Touching prayers to Saints, and the ſeruice that is due vntounto them.
The KINGS Confeſſion.TS for prayer to Saints; Chriſt (I am ſure) hath commaunded vsus to Come all to him that are loaden with ſinne, and he will relieue vsus: and S. Paul hath forbidden vsus to worſhippe Angels, or to vſe any ſuch voluntary worſhip, Math. 11 28. Col 28.28.that hath a ſhew of humility in that it ſpareth not the fleſh. But what warrant we hauehave to hauehave recourſe vntounto theſe D…j Penates or Tutelares, theſe Courtiers of God, I know not, I remit that to theſe philoſophicall neotericke Diuines. It ſatisfieth me to pray to God through Chriſt, as I am commaunded, which I am ſure must be the ſafeſt way, and I am ſure the Safeſt way is the beſt way in points of ſaluation.
Hereupon Coeffeteau confounding the Kings whole diſcouery, he beginneth by a complaint that his Maieſty calleth Tutelary and familiar Gods thoſe leſſer Saints, to whom many of the people do vow themſelues in particular, and of whom they ſet the Images vponupon their Cupboords or ouer their Chimneyes. But his Maieſty doth not intend to call the Saints familiars nor Tutelarie Gods: neyther doth he ſay that in the Church of Rome they call them ſo, onelyonly he meaneth, that the Church of Rome hath ſubſtituted them in place of the Tutelarie and domeſticall gods, and that hee doth entertaine them after the ſame faſhion. For the Paynims had their tutelarie gods ouer eueryevery town, and ouer eueryevery Countrey. Iuno was Lady-gardian of Carthage: Venus of Cyprus and of Paphos: Pallace of the Countrey of Attica: Mars and Quirinus of Rome, &c. ſo the Church of Rome hath Saints that are Patrons of Cities and Countries: Saint Marke of Venice: S. Geneuiefue of Paris: S. Iames of Spain: S. Dennis of France, &c. and as the Paynims did diſtribute charges amongſt their gods; ſo in the Church of Rome eueryevery Saint hath his charge apart. The hunters did inuocate Diana, now adaies they hauehave recourſe to S. Euſtace, S. Nicholas, who now is called vponupon by the Pilots and Sea-faring men, hath taken the place of Caſtor and Pollux. The good Goddeſſe Lucina who was aſſiſting to women that trauelled in childe-birth, hath now giuen place to S. Margaret: for ſo her Legend ſaith that the Dragon hauing ſwallowed her downe ſhe made the ſigne of the Croſſe in his belly, wherewith he burſt aſunder, and ſhe came forth through the breach, which was a kinde of lying in. S. Chriſtopher with his huge body, hath ſucceeded Hercules: for ſo they make him alſo to carry a clubbe. There wanted yet a Queene of heauen in the place of Iuno, and this holy and glorious Virgin hath beene diſhonoured with ſo prophane a title: yea the very habites and furniture of the gods hauehave beene tranſported to the Saints. The Genij or Penates houſehold gods had a dogge by their ſide, and ſo hath S. Roche: The Image of Iames carried a Key, ſo doth that of S. Peter: Iupiter a man had hornes on his head, ſuch doe they giuegive to Moſes. Iſis carried a Timbrell, and S. Gennaſius a Violin. Thoſe circles which you ſee about the head of the Saints in picture, are thoſe Arches and ſhaddowes wherewith they couered their gods to fence them from the duſt. In like manner are the Officers diſtributed in Paradiſe in a goodly order, and with diuerſity of furniture and prouiſion. For his Holines and the Church of Rome hauehave taken order for it. We are aſhamed to produce theſe things, whiles they are not aſhamed to doe them: and we bluſh at that of which they hauehave no ſhame at all. If we would prolong this Diſcourſe, we would eaſily ſhew that a good part of theſe Patrons and Tutelary Saints, are Saints which neuer were, they liue without hauing euer beene borne, and are entred into the Church, without euer entring into the world, the painters are wonted to make characters & pictures in a manner ſpeaking, as when they paint Iuſtice with a paire of ballances: Time like an olde man winged: The Fryer like a lame god, becauſe the wood doth ſuſteyne him: ſo the auncients did figure the faith of a beleeuing man by a woman ſwollowed vp of Sathan, but who did get forth againe victoriouſly, and trample the Diuell vnderunder her feet. And of this Image they hauehave made their Saint Margaret: ſo the Chriſtian was painted as paſſing ouer a violent land-flood, but hauing Ieſus Chriſt with him,Praeſertim cum ſit manifeſtum in omnem Italiam, Galliam, Hiſpaniam, & Africam nullum inſtituiſſe Eccleſias niſi eos quos Apoſtolus Petrus aut ſucceſſores eius conſtituerūt. Legant autem ſi in his prouincijs alius Apoſtolus inuenitur aut legitur docuiſſe, &c. who did burden him indeede, but yet did conduct him. This Image hath produced a new Saint, whom they call S. Chriſtopher. Of the launce which pierced the body of our Lord, they hauehave made S. Longis becauſe that Lonchi in the vulgar pronunciation of the Greeke tongue ſignifieth a Launce. Men runne with incredible zeale to S. Iames of Compoſtella in Spaine, where they ſay that hee preached, and that his bones remaine there: and yet in the meane time it is well knowne that S. Iames was neuer in Spaine: Pope Innocent in the twelfth diſtinction, in the Canon Quis neſciat doth ſtoutly and ſtiffely maintaine, that there was neuer any Apoſtle in Spaine; and that neyther in Fraunce nor in Affrica, nor in Spaine any planted Church, ſaue they whom S. Peter and his ſucceſſors ſent thither. The Story alſo of his life recyted by Iohn Beleth and Iacobus de Voragine great perſonages, ſaith, that he came into Spaine before he was put to death by Herod, Act. 12. It muſt needes bee then that he came into Spaine almoſt about the time that Ieſus Chriſt ſuffered: for S. Iames ſuruiued Chriſt, but a while after his death: His body being put on Ship-boord, went of it ſelfe without Pilot or any guidance into Spaine. Queene Lupa raigning then in Spaine: Now it is well knowne, that at that time there was neyther King nor Queene in Spaine; and that it was wholly ſubiect to the Romane Empire. The ſame is to be ſaid of S. Denis the Areopagite, whom men ſay to hauehave planted the Goſpell in Fraunce; and hauing ſuffered Martyrdome vnderunder the Emperour Domitian as ſaith Methodius, he carried his head betweene his hands from Mont-Martre, as farre as S. Denis, where he lyeth interred. The reuiuing of learning and good letters hath diſcouered the falſhood of ſuch inuentions. For the moſt auncient Chriſtian Hiſtorian that euer was in Fraunce,Sub Aurelio Antonini filio perſecutio quinta agitata, ac tunc primum inter Gallias martyria viſa, ſerius trans alpes religione tranſgreſſa. is Sulpitius Seuerus, who in the ſecond booke of his ſtory ſheweth, that there were no Martyrdomes in Fraunce vnderunder Domitian nor a long time after; and that the firſt Martyrdomes which were ſeene in Fraunce, were vnderunder Marcus Aurelius the ſonne of Anthony, that is to ſay, in the yeare of our Lord 162. threeſcore and fiue yeares after the death of Domitian: whoſoeuer ſhall calculate the times, ſhall find that Denis the Ariopagite was then Iudge in Ariopagus, at the time when S. Paul conuerted him: whence it is to be preſumed, that he was at leaſt thirty or fiue and thirty yeare olde: which time if you extend as farre as to the raigne of Marcus Aurelius, he ſhould hauehave liued ſome hundred and fiftie yeares: and alſo ſhould die by torment before that he was broken by olde age. We could produce others in this point, but this ſufficeth to iuſtifie the King of great Britaine, who though he ſhould hauehave called the Saints that neuer were Tutelary gods, yet ſhould there not bee iuſt cauſe to reprehend him.
After this Caeffeteau comes to the authorities of the Fathers: ſurely this matter ſhould well deſerue ſome commaundement from God: One Ordinance of God had cut off al difficulty, and had been more of value then a thouſand teſtimonies of men. But Coeffeteau could finde none, for indeede there is none: Being not able then to draw out of the Diuine ſpring, he ſeekes heere and there for the Ceſternes of men. Our aduerſaries tell vsus that they receiue the Fathers for interpreters of the Scripture: but the paſſages are drawne out of phraſes of the Fathers, in which they doe not interprete the ſcripture: but what will become of the matter if theſe quotations be to no purpoſe, if indeede they be falſe? And that is it which we are to ſhew.
Baſill in his oration of the 40. Martyrs, ſaith indeed that ſome in their neceſſity had recourſe vntounto them, but he doth nor commaund to doe it as Bellarmine will hauehave it inbWhere he p… teth confugiat for confugit and oret for orat. falſifying this place,Aliud eſt quod docemus aliud quod ſuſtinemus— donec emendemus tolarare compellimur. a man muſt not maruaile if a people newly crept out of Paganiſme did retaine ſomething of their owne Cuſtome and oftentimes, the Biſhops, caryed away with the terrent of popular zeale, were conſtrained to tollerate theſe abuſes. Saint Auſtine in his twentieth booke againſt Fauſtus the Manichee, Chap. 21 confeſſeth that many dranke drunke ouer the Sepulchres of the dead, but withall he addeth it is one thing that we teach, another that we tollerate, it is one thing that which we are commaunded to teach, another thing we are commaunded to correct, and which we are conſtrained to beare withall, vntill that it bee amended. And in the firſt booke of the manners of the Catholicke Church, Chap. 24. I know many (ſaith hee) who doe adore the Sepulchres and pictures, I know many who drinke moſt exceſsiuely ouer the dead. The good Biſhops ſaw theſe maladies in their flockes, which being deſirous to amend, they hauehave beene often hindred by the ſedition of the people, as appeareth by the Counſell of Carthage, where the Biſhops of Affrica being deſirous to aboliſh the abuſe which was committed at the ſepulchres of the Martyrs, they feare to be hindred by the tumult of the rude people.foreign If (ſay they) men be hindred to doe this by the vprore of the people, at leaſt wiſe let the multitude be admoniſhed not to aſſemble in theſe places. Coeffeteau then had alleadged this to purpoſe if he had the generall cuſtome of the Church of thoſe times, or ſome prayer to Saints, made in the publicke ſeruice inſtead of producing the miſguided deuotion of ſome particular men.
In the ſecond place he aleadgeth the oration of Gregory Nyſſen in the praiſe of the Martyr Theodore which we hauehave heretofore evicted of falſehood.
After this he produceth the oration of Grogory, Nazianzen vponupon Saint Baſill. And here againe his vnfaithfull dealing appeareth, for hee deſſembleth the wordes, going before which ſerue for a ſolution, where Saint Gregory ſheweth, that that which he ſaide to Saint Baſill being deceaſed, is onelyonly by opinion and by coniecture. Theſe are his wordes And now Baſill is in the heauens, foreignoffering as I thinke ſacrifices for vsus, and praying for the people, hee ſpeaketh as being aſſured thereof, we know alſo, that the cuſtome of Orators, who ſpeake in praiſe of any man, is to make Rhetoricall appellation to the dead, and to ſpeake to the abſent, as to men preſent. The Bookes of the Paynims are full of theſe examples. See how Plinie ſpeaketh to Ciciro; long before deceaſed in his ſeauenth booke and thirtyeth Chapter.
Salue primus omnium parens patriae appellate.To Gregory, Coeffeteau addeth the Catechiſme of Cyrill, which are fal…ely attributed vntounto him. Geſner in his Bibliotheca, witneſſeth that this booke is found in written hand vnderunder the name of one Iohn of Ieruſalem. Gretzer a Germiane Ieſuit, in his booke for Pilgrimages, page. 354. witneſſeth the ſame. Harding in his Treatiſe of Accidents without ſubiect, Section the 6. ſaith that in his time this booke was not fou…d but manuſcript and knowne to a fewe. And the foolery which is found in the 24. Catechiſe, when he ſaith, that the wood of the Croſſe doth increaſe and multiply in ſuch fort that the earth is full thereof, ſheweth that this booke was written many ages ſince, doubtleſſe by this Iohn of Ieruſalem an aduocate for Images who liued in the yeare 767.See the Eccleſiaſticall Stories of Ʋigner in the yeare 767.
Afterwards commeth a place of Saint Auſtine, It is iniurie to pray for a Martyr, by whoſe prayers wee on the other ſide ought to be recommended. This place is found indeed in his 17. Sermon De verbis Apoſtoli; but not in the 80. Tract vponupon Iohn, as Coeffeteau alleadgeth it, who ſpake by other mens report, Now this place is not to the purpoſe, for hee ſaith onelyonly that the Saints pray for vsus, which thing wee hauehave neuer denyed: we doe out of Godly conſiderations preſume, that albeit they know not the neceſſity of particular men, yet they pray for the Church in generall. But that wee ſhould for this cauſe inuocate them, or yeeld them any religious ſeruice, Saint Auſtine doth not avouch,
Laſtly Coeffeteau addeth Saint Ambroſe, who in his booke of Widdowes, exhorteth Widdowes to pray to the Angells and Martyrs, whom he calleth beholders of our liues and actions. Here a man may ſee the humour of our Aduerſaries, which is to paſſe by the vertues of the Fathers, and to ſet forth nothing but their vices and blemiſhes, like Flyes who caſt themſelues vponupon gaules and botches of bodies, rather then vponupon the ſound parts, The Reader then ſhall be aduertiſed that Saint Ambroſe was choſen Biſhop before he was baptiſed. Hauing thus caſt himſelfe, at the firſt iumpe, into a charge, to the which hee was no way prepared, no man ought to maruaile, if in his beginnings he ſaid ſomthings, for which he afterwards corrected himſelfe. The booke of Widdowes, is one of his firſt works, wherein you may ſee more eloquence then diuinity, and we will no other proofe hereof then that place which ſaith, that the Martyrs if there remained any ſinnes vntounto them, they purged them by their bloud. what is there leſſe agreeing with the Goſpell, then to thinke that any Martyrs hauehave beene without ſinne, and that which is worſe that a man may waſh away and blot out his ſinnes by his owne blood. For the holy ſcripture doth giuegive vsus no other labor for our ſinnes then the blood of Ieſus Chriſt. Apoc: 1.5. To Ieſus who hath loued vsus, and hath waſted away our ſinnes by his blood. And in the 7. Chapter, The Saints do waſh their garments in the blood of the lambe, and to the end that no man ſhould deuiſe any other clenſing.Jdeo ad Regem per tribunos aut Cometos itur, quia homo vtique eſt Rex & neſcit quibus debeat Remp. credere. Ad Deum autē promerendum ſaffragatore non opus eſtſed mente deuota. Saint Iohn. 1. Epiſt. 1. ſaith, that the blood of Ieſus Chriſt doth clenſe vsus from ALL ſinne, yea Saint Ambroſe himſelfe hath not perſeuered in this error. But vponupon the firſt Chapter of the Epiſtle to the Romanes, he diſputeth againſt thoſe who ſaid, that they did as thoſe who goe to the King by his offices and hee calleth it, a miſerable excuſe, and addeth, Therefore men goe to a King by his Collonells and Nobles, becauſe the King is a man, and knoweth not to whom to commit the Common-weale. But to be receiued into grace and fauour with God, we need no ſpokeſman, but onelyonly a deuout Spirit. Himſelfe in the oration vponupon the death of Theodoſius. Et tamen tu ſolus Domine inuocandus es, tu rogandus.Thou ONELYONLY O Lord oughteſt to be inuocated and prayed vntounto.
Let this be noted in generall vponupon all the paſſages, that the King of great Britaine, demaunded authorities from the firſt fower ages, But all theſe allegations are but about the end of the fourth age, we muſt then helpe Coeffeteaus memorie, and bring him a little higher,
In the firſt age we hauehave the Apoſtles, who did not only not inuocate the Virgin Mary, nor any other of the Saints deceaſed, But who doe expreſly forbid vsus, to inuocate any other then God alone.
1 S. Paul, Rom. 10. How ſhall they cal vponupon him, in whom they hauehave not beleeued. He is of opinion then that a man cannot call vponupon any, but him in whom he beleeueth. Now we beleeue in God onelyonly. The Creede doth teach vsus to beleeue in the Father, and in the ſonne, and in the holy Choſt, but not to beleeue in any creature. And Ieſus Chriſt, Ioh. 14.1. You beleeue in God, beleeue alſo in me. If any man will here bring forth vntounto vsus two ſortes of Religious worſhip; he muſt be pleaſed to proue them vntounto vsus by the word of God.
2 The ſame Apoſtle, Rom. 14.23. ſayth, that whatſoeuer is done without faith is ſinne. And cap. 10. he ſaith, that faith commeth by hearing the word of God. Prayer therefore to Saints being not founded vponupon the word of God, it is without faith, and conſequently is ſinne.
3 S. Peter, Act. 1. calleth God ſearcher of the hearts, agreeable to that which Salomon ſaith, 2. Chr. 6.30 that God ONLY knoweth the hearts of men. If then the Saints know not our hearts, what an abuſe is it to call vponupon them? Muſt a man cry high? And how ſhall they know whether thou be an hypocrite or no? If it be ſo that they ſee all things in the face of God, as ſome ſay, then ſhould they hauehave an infinite knowledge, and by conſequent ſhould be infinite, and ſhould know the day of iudgement,*marc. 13. which is vnknowne to them. And their ſpirit in one onelyonly moment, ſhould apprehend and behold infinite diuerſity of things, which is a thing incompatible with the nature of the creature, whoſe life and being, and conſequently whoſe actions are fleeting by acontinuall ſucceſſion of parts: That is to ſay, that as the parts of their duration ſucceede one another: ſo their thoughts and action ſucceſſiuely follow one another. They doe not then apprehend infinite things in one moment. Thus is their imaginary looking-glaſſe broken, wherin nothing doth appeare but the temerity of theſe men, who affirme things that they cannot know; who ſpeake of heauen, and yet hauehave their noſe in the ground, deſcribing what is done there; as if they came but lately from thence. I further adde, that this is greatly to trouble the felicity of the Saints, to make them ſpectators of mens affaires. An holy woman that inioyeth the glory of heauen, would ſhe no feele an extreame greefe, if ſhe beheld from heauen one of her children tormented in Hell, another broken vponupon the wheele at the Greue in Paris, another giuen to Art-magicke, or bowing his knee before an Image, or adoring a God made and ſet vp by men?
4 The Apoſtle S. Paul, 1. Tim 2. There is one God, and one Mediator betweene God and men, the man Christ Ieſus. In the Greeke it is foreign: Vnicus Deus, vnicus mediator, Seeing that theſe things are thus coupled together, it is certain that as there is but one God, ſo is there but one Mediator. It is a coy niceneſſe to ſay, that he is the only Mediator of Redemption, but not of Interceſſion. But this diſtinction is not found in the Goſpell, and indeede it doth contradict it ſelfe, for Ieſus Chriſt is not the mediator of interceſſion, but ſo farre forth as he is our Redeemer: whence it followeth, that in Ieſus Chriſt to be mediator of redemption and mediator of interceſſion, is one and the ſame thing. And that which is more, the ſame Apoſtle, Rom. 8. doth teach vsus, that euen as touching the interceſſion, he is our onelyonly mediator: For he ſaith, Chriſt is he who died, nay rather who is riſen againe, who alſo is ſet at the right hand of God, & who maketh requeſt for vsus. Now he died onelyonly for vsus, he roſe onelyonly for our ſakes, and onelyonly is ſet downe at the right hand of God: and he alone then alſo it is, which maketh requeſt for vsus; for the courſe of the wordes and the drift of the place doth neceſſarily ſo require it. And that which is more, by this Diſtinction they condemne the Church of Rome, who maketh Saints alſo to bee mediatours of Redemption, as Bellarmine teacheth in the fourth Chapter of his firſt booke of Indulgences: and indeede the Church of Rome doth holde that their ſufferings doe turne to our aduantage: and the Prieſt in the Maſſe, doth eueryevery day craue ſaluation of God, not onelyonly for their prayers, but alſo for their merites, as if by their good workes they had merited ſaluation,Quorum precibus meritiſ que rogamus, &c. and the grace of God for vsus: Let a man read all the Letanies and publicke prayers of the Church of Rome, and he ſhall finde that they ſay, Petre Ora pro nobis, S. Nicholae Ora pro nobis. But to Ieſus Chriſt they neuer ſay Ora pro nobis, but Miſerere nobis, for they ſtrip him of his office of interceſſor, leauing him onelyonly the charge of Iudge.
5 Let vsus adde the example of the Angell, Apoc. 22. who would not be adored by S. Iohn, ſaith vntounto him, Take heede thou do it not, I am thy fellow ſeruant, worſhip God. Now S. Iohn did not thinke this Angell was God, for chap. 12.9. S. Iohn ſaith expreſly that it was one of the ſeuen Angels, who had the ſeuen vials. Hee knew then before hand that it was an Angell: if the Angell had approued any inferiour degree of adoration he would hauehave ſaid to S. Iohn, thou doſt adore me with a worſhip, which is too high for me. But he doth not receiue any at all but putteth himſelfe in the ſame rancke with S. Iohn, and acknowledgeth himſelfe to be his fellow ſeruant.
6 Some man will ſay, I am vnworthy to pray vntounto God, and it is good to goe vntounto the King by his officers. I anſwere, that there is not any greater vnworthines, then for a man to bee the enemy of God: and yet Ieſus Chriſt died to ſaue his enemies: By this ſame bounty and goodnes then hee will yet more ſupport thine vnworthines, when thou ſhalt pray vntounto him with an acknowledgement of thy myſerie. And as touching the Interuention of the officers of the King, I ſay that hee ſhould be fooliſhly modeſt, who ſhould follow that way, when the King himſelfe calleth him, and commaundeth him to come directly vntounto him. Now God calleth vsus with promiſe to here vsus, Pſal. 51. Cal vponupon me, and I will hear thee. And Ieſus Chriſt his ſonne doth inuite vsus to come vntounto him, ſaying in the eleuenth of Mathew, Come vntounto me all you that are heauy laden, and I will refreſh you. Should we feare then to goe directly to God, and to our father, who calleth vsus with ſo much ſweetnes?
7 If we be the children of God and brethren of Ieſus Chriſt, neede we any ſpokes-men to ſpeake for vsus to God or to Ieſus Chriſt? This crooked way doth ſauour of a ſeruile humour, and hath nothing of a ſonne like libertie.
8 Moreouer, ſeeing that it is God himſelfe that doth put into our hearts to pray vntounto him, and who doth ſtirre vp in vsus thoſe ſighes and groanes of which S. Paul ſpeakes, Rom. 8.25. what neede we any other interceſſors to recommend that prayer vntounto God which he himſelfe hath inſpired into vsus? Or to make that the voyce of the ſpirite of GOD ſpeaking in vsus, ſhould be pleaſing and acceptable to God?
9 It is alſo very conſiderable, how and in what ſenſe S. Iohn in his firſt Epiſtle, chap. 2. calleth Ieſus Chriſt our aduocate: for hee is an aduocate who doth not onelyonly pleade for vsus, but doth alſo pay for vsus: who not only maketh interceſſion for ſinners, but alſo of ſinners maketh them iuſt men: Thoſe for whom he maketh interceſſion he doth ſanctifie them alſo. He is an aduocate*Ioh. 21.41. whom the Father doth alwayes heare: who did already make interceſſion for the world, before hee came into the world. Doth it not ſuffice vsus to hauehave ſuch an aduocate? Or doe the Saints louelove vsus more then Ieſus Chriſt? ſeeing that the Saints hauehave neyther vertue before God, nor charity towards vsus, but that which Ieſus Chriſt hath giuen them?
Aboue all, the place of the Apoſtle, Coloſſ. 2. is very expreſſe, which his Maieſty of England doth produce, where S. Paul doth flatly forbid the ſeruice of Angels: Let no man at his pleaſure beare rule ouer you by humbleneſſe of minde, and worſhipping of Angels. Coeffeteau aunſwereth, that to inuocate the Saints, is no more to turne away from Ieſus Chriſt then when a man doth imploy the liuing. I anſwer, that a man doth turne away from Ieſus Chriſt diuers waies, either in forſaking himſelfe flatly, or in turning from his commaundement. It is in this ſecond kinde, that inuocation of Saints doth decline from Ieſus Chriſt, as we hauehave ſhewed. As for liuing men, whom we employ to pray for vsus; this is nothing like to the inuocation of Saints deceaſed: God willeth that the liuing ſhould pray one for an other, but he hath not commaunded to inuocate the dead: and he who recommendeth himſelfe to the prayers of the liuing, he doth not for all that acknowledge them to be ſearchers of the heart: He doth not fall downe on his knees before them; he doth not yeeld them any religious ſeruice: he doth not bring them offerings, nor light candles before them: hee doth not pray vntounto God for ſaluation through their merites. In a word, there is no compariſon betweene them.
Coeffeteau addeth, that S. Paul condemneth onelyonly ſuperſtition, which adoreth Angels in the quality of leſſer gods. This is a meere ſhift and an euident tergiuerſation, and which S. Paul had already preuented in the ſame place, in ſaying that this is done by humbleneſſe of minde, and voluntary deuotion. Now to acknowledge the Angels for Gods, is not for a man to humble himſelfe, but to exalt the Angels: Humiliation is rather in him, who acknowledging them no other then ſeruants and meſſengers of God, doth neuertheleſſe humble himſelfe beneath them by voluntary deuotion. And wee neede here no more vponupon this matter then Theodoret, whom Coeffeteau alleadgeth in his margent againſt himſelfe, whoſe words are theſe in his Commentaries vponupon Coloſ. 2. They who defended the law, induced men alſo to ſerue Angels, ſaying, the lawe was giuen by their interuention. Now this vice continued along time in Phrygia and Piſidia: Therefore the Synode node aſſembled at Laodicea the mother City of Phrygia, forbid them by expreſſe ordinance to pray vntounto Angels, and euen at this day we yet ſee amongſt them and their neighbours, the Oratories of S. Michael. Now this did they counſell, vſing humility, and ſaying, that the God of the whole world is inviſible, incōprebenſible and vnapproachable: and therefore it was neceſſary to to make God fauourable vntounto vsus by the Angels. And that is it which S. Paul hath ſaid in humility, and worſhipping of Angels. By theſe words it appeareth that Theodoret iudged that the Councell of Laodicea did abſolutely forbid prayer to Angels. Moreouer that thoſe whom he condemneth did not thinke the Aneglles to be Gods, but that they ſerued them as miniſtring ſpirits, whoſe ſeruice God had vſed for the publiſhing of the law. Now that the church of Rome hath thought that the Canon of the Coū cel of Laodicea was againſt her,foreign. it appeareth, for that it being in the Greeke. foreign. The Latine verſion which is in the Tomes of the Coun…ell hath turned it, abire & ad angulos idololatriae abominande congregationes facere, hauing put angulos for angelos.
Saint Ierome in the 10. Queſtion to Algaſia thinketh that Saint Paule in that place ſpeaketh againſt the ſuperſtition of the Iewes, if that be ſo, he doth not ſpeake againſt thoſe who did adore the Angels as leſſer Gods. For the Iewes ſince the Captiuity of Babylon hauehave not held this opinion; And if it were ſo, ſo is it notwithſtanding that Saint Paule condemning in generall the worſhip giuen to Angels condemneth by a conſequent that which the Church of Rome yeeldeth vntounto them.
All that which before hath beene alleaged, ſhould ſuffice to ouerthrowe the inuocation of Saints, For after the will of God,Baſill in Ethicis regu. 80. quicquid extra diuinam ſcripturā eſt cum ex fide non ſit peccatū eſt. in vaine doe wee waite for the teſtimony of men. The word of God is as ſtrong, when it is alone, as when it is accompanyed, the Law of God is not eſtabliſhed by cuſtome, it is full of ſtrength and force, euen from the ſpring,Haec ab alio orare non poſſumus quā a que ſcio me coſecuturum quoniam & ipſe eſt qui ſolus praeſtat, & egoſum cui impet rare dehetur famulus eius qui cum ſolum obſecro. Jam vero ſi etiam extra corpus poſiti ſancti qui cum Chriſto ſunt, agunt aliquid & laborant pro nobis, habeatur hoc quoque inter occulta Dei nec chartulae commit tenda myſteria. as tract of time doth not bring it any authority, ſo is there preſcription of time againſt it. How beit let vsus graunt this to the Malady of time, and to the depraued taſte of our age which bringeth the Fathers vponupon the Theator with pompe, and hideth the Lampe of the Goſpell vnderunder the buſhell.
Tertullian in his Apologetico. chap. 30. ſpeaking of the prayer made vntounto God, Wee cannot demaund theſe things of any other then of him of whom I know I ſhall obtaine it for ſo it is he alone which graunteth, and I am he who ought to be heard, to wit, his ſeruaunt who doe inuocate him alone.
Origen in his 2 booke and ſecond Chapter, vponupon the Epiſtle to the Romanes, If the Saints who being out of their bodies with Chriſt, doe any thing to imploy themſelues for vsus, let that remaine among the hidden ſecrets of God, neither let it be committed to prayer.
foreign.The ſame writing againſt Celſus in his fift Tome We muſt addreſſe all our requeſts, prayers, ſupplications, and giuing of thankes to him who is God aboue all, by the liuing word who is alſo God, &c. that is to ſay, by Ieſus Chriſt. And a little after, we hold that we ought not aforeign, &c.to call vponupon them, who them ſelues doe inuocate, for that they had rather that we ſhould addreſſe our prayers to God, whom themſelues doe call vponupon.
And in the eight Tome,bforeign &c. We ought to pray to none but God alone, and his onelyonly Sonne.
And in the ſame place,cforeign. we ought to make God alone fauourable and mercifull towards vsus, who is Lord of all things: We muſt ſeeke his fauor by piety, and by the other vertues: but if any man think, that beſide him we ought further to ſeeke the fauours of ſome others, let him conſider, that as the body mouing, the ſhadow doth ſtirre with it, in like manner when any man hath God propitious and fauorable vntounto him, he hath by a conſequent all the Angells and ſoules and ſpirits for his friends. Which is ſo much the more to be conſidered, becauſe in that very place he ſaith, that the Angells hauehave care of good men, and yet he will not that we inuocate any other but God.
Athanaſius and all the Fathers who diſputed againſt the Arrians, prooue the diuinity of Ieſus Chriſt by that we ought to inuocate him, and accuſe the Arians of Idolatry, for that they adored & prayed vntounto him, whom they thought to hauehave beene created. Read the Booke of the life of Saint Anthony and the booke of the Incarnation of the word, Therfore ſaith hedforeign. If thou adore the man Chriſt, becauſe the diuine word dwelleth in him, Adore by like reaſon the Saints, becauſe of God who dwelleth in them.
The ſame Athanaſius in his fourth Sermon againſt the Arians, Iacob did not inuocate any other but God, eforeign.deliuer mee O Lord, ſaid he, from the my brother Eſau, againe, Dauid did not call vponupon any other but God to be deliuered. And a little after, it is a thing cleare and plaine that the Patriarke did not adioyne any other in his prayers with God, but hee which is the word, which he calleth Angel, becauſe it is he alone who doth manifeſt the Father vntounto vsus. Which hath alſo beene practiſed by the Apoſtle when he ſaith, Grace bee vntounto you, and peace from God our Father, and from IESVS CHRIST. And a little before he mocketh at him, who prayeth thus, God and his Angell helpe thee. Now a dayes wee heare no other thing then theſe wordes, to pray vntounto God and his mother: againe, recommend your ſelfe to God, and Monſieur Saint Rock or Saint Fiacre.
Chryſoſtome in the Homily of the aduancement of the Goſpel.fTom. 3. col. 1046 Non opus eſt bi patronis apudt Deum ne que multo diſcurſu: ſed licet ſolus ſis, patrono que careas, & per te ipſum Deū preceris: omnino tamen voti compos eris Ne que enim tam facile Deus annuit cum alij pro nob is orant, vt cum ipſimet oramus, etiāſi plurimis pleni ſimus malis. Thou haſt no need of aduocates towards God, nor of much diſcourſe: for albeit thou art alone, and hauehave no aduocate, and that thou pray vntounto God by thy ſelfe, thou ſhalt obtaine thy deſire: for God doth not heare ſo willingly when others pray for vsus, as when wee pray our ſelues although we be full of many euills. And he ſheweth it by the example of the Woman of Canaan, who was not heard when the Apoſtles prayed for her, but when ſhe prayed her ſelfe.
The ſame in his 16. Homily vponupon diuers paſſages of Saint Matthew. If thou meane to make ſupplicatiō to a man, thou askeſt what he is doing, & he perhaps falls aſleepe in hearing thee, or hath not the leiſure, or elſe ſome ſeruant will not daigne to aunſwere thee, But towards God there is no neede of all this, but in what part ſoeuer thou be and thou call vponupon him, he heareth *foreign, &c.thee. There is no need of a Porter, nor of a mediator, nor of a ſeruant, or Officer, but onelyonly ſay, hauehave pitty vponupon me. Then he addeth, this Woman ſaith, I know no good workes in my ſelfe, I cannot repoſe confidence vponupon my good life: I hauehave recourſe to thy mercy who art the ſafe harbour for ſinners. Tell me woman, how durſt thou being a ſinner and wicked, approach vntounto him? I know ſaith ſhe, what I will doe. See the wiſedome of this woman: ſhe prayeth not Iames, She doth not beſeech Ioh. ſhe goeth not to Peter, ſhe doth not regard the whole company of the Apostles: ſhe ſeeketh no Mediator, but inſteed of all theſe, ſhee taketh Patience for her companion, which holdeth the place of her aduocate, and commeth directly to the firſt fountaine. For this ende came he down from heauen for this end did he take fleſh and was made man, to the end that I might ſpeake vntounto him.
There are found in this Father ſome paſſages, wherein he recommendeth the interceſſion of the Saints, but it is of the liuing Saints, for the ſcripture in a hundred places doth ſo call the faithfull. But our aduerſaries produce thoſe places for inuocation of the dead: being falſaries in this point as in others Adde, that we hauehave neuer denyed, but that the Saints doe intercede for the Church in general, but it doth not follow thervpon, that we ought to inuocate them or to ſerue them, God hauing not commaunded it, yea hauing forbidden it, and they not knowing our hearts, and beſides Ieſus Chriſt calling vsus vntounto himſelfe.
Saint Ierome in the Epitaph of Nepotian holdeth for a thing aſſured, that he is in the heauenly glory.gScimus N…potian… noſt…um eſſe cum Chr…ſto & ſanctorum mix… choris. We know ſaith he that our friend Nepotian is with Chriſt and mingled among the quier of Saints. And neuertheleſſe, he holdeth that Nepotian neither vnderſtood nor ſaw the things, which were ſaid or done in the earth. For he ſaith,hQuicquid dixero quia ill… no audit mutū videtur Whatſoeuer I ſhall ſay vntounto him, will ſeeme dumbe becauſe he heareth it not. iCum quo loqui non poſſumus de eo loqui nunquā deſinamus.Againe let vsus not ceaſe to ſpeake of Nepotian, with whom we can no longer ſpeake. Againe,kFelix Nepotianus qui haec non videt, qui haec non audit. happy Nepotian, who neither heareth nor ſeeth theſe thinges. Thence it came that many of the auncients did pray thoſe who were about to die, to hauehave them inremembrance, when they ſhould be in Paradiſe: becauſe they thought it would be to late to pray vntounto them after their death.
The ſame Ierome lLib 4 cap. 14. Quod ſi in aliquo fiducia eſt, in ſolo Domino confidamus. Maledictus enim omnis homo qui ſpem habet in homine, quāuis ſancti ſint, quāuis prophetae.vponupon Ezechiell, if there be confidence in any, let vsus put our confidence in God alone, for curſed is the man who truſteth in man, albeit they bee Saints, albeit they be Prophets.
Agreeable to Origen in the 4. Homilie vponupon Ezechiell towards the end.mAd cos qui in ſanctis fiduciam habent, non incongrue profertur exemplum Maledictus homo qui ſpem habet in homine. To thoſe who put their confidence in Saints, this example may fitly be applyed, curſed is the man who putteth his hope in the Saints.
There is among the workes of Saint Ierome, a commentary vponupon the Prouerbs, which whether it be of Beda or of Ierome, it conteineth this ſentencenLib. 1. cap. 2. Nullum inuocare id eſt in nos orando vocare, niſi Deum debemus. We ought not to inuocate, that is to ſay, to cal towards vsus by prayers any other then God.
Saint Auſtine in his twenty two tract vponupon Saint Iohn. oHoc tibi dicit Saluator tuus Non eſt quo eas niſi ad me. Non eſt quá eas niſi per me.This is it which thy Sauiour ſaith vntounto thee, thou haſt not whether to goe ſaue onelyonly to me, neither canneſt thou goe, ſaue onelyonly by me.
And vponupon the Pſalme 118.pOratio quae non ſit per Chriſtum non ſolum non poteſt delere peccatum, ſed etiam ipſa ſit in peccatum. the prayer which is not made through Ieſus Chriſt, cannot onelyonly not blot out ſinne, but it ſelfe is turned into ſinne: and againſt the Epiſtle of Parmenian,qLib, 2. cap 8 Nam ſi eſſet mediator Paulus, eſſent vti que & caeteri Apoſtoli ac ſic multi mediatores eſſent. Nec ipſi Pa…lo conſta retratio qua dixerat. Vnus Deus, Ʋnus mediator &c. if S. Paul were mediator, ſo ſhould the reſt of the Apoſtles be, and by that meanes there ſhould be many Mediatours, and ſo Saint Paul ſhould hauehave miſtaken himſelfe in ſaying, there is one onelyonly God, and one onelyonly Mediatour. Now it is to be noted, that he doth not ſpeake in that Chapter, but of Mediator of interceſſion; for he diſputeth againſt Parmenian who had called the Biſhop Mediator betweene God and men: howbeit Parmenian did not vnderſtand that the Biſhop was the Redeemer of the people. The ſame Doctor hath made a booke of the care to be had of the dead, wherein he diſputeth at large that the dead know not that which is done here beneath, neyther doe they intermeddle with the affaires of the liuing: his reaſons are, that if that were ſo, his deare mother Monica, who had followed him by Sea and by Land, would not hauehave forſaken him; but would hauehave ſtood by him eueryevery night. That Abraham himſelfe, father of the Iſraelites, knew not his poſterity, which alſo complayneth thereof in Eſay: that God himſelfe promiſed to Ioſias for a great bleſsing, that he ſhould not ſee the euils denounced againſt that people, but that he ſhould die before: whereupon he concludeth;rIbi ergo ſunt ſpiritus deſanctorum vbi non vident quaecunque aguntur, aut eueniunt in iſta vita hominibus. Quomodo ergo vident tumulos ſuos aut corpora ſua, vtrum abiecta iaceant an ſepulta? The ſpirits then of the deceaſed are in place, where they ſee not all the things which are done, or which happen vntounto men in this life. How then ſhould they ſee their graues or their corps, whether they lie caſt out and abandoned, or whether they be buried?
And in c. 15.ſProinde fatendum eſt neſcire quidem mortuos quid hic …gitur dum hic agitur: poſtea vero audire ab eis qui hinc ad eos moriendo pergunt. We muſt confes that the dead know nothing of that which is done here, whilſt it is a doing, but that they vnderstand it aftewards from thoſe, who dying, goe from hence vntounto them. Yet doubtleſſe not all things, but that which is permitted them to declare vntounto thoſe to whom it is granted to hauehave it in remembrance, and that which is expedient for them to know. They may alſo learne ſomething of the Angels, who hauehave intercourſe while things are done here below. I make the Reader Iudge, how we can call vponupon the Saints departed, if we muſt ſtand, till ſome one of our friends die to report our prayers vntounto them, or if it be neceſſary that an Angell ſhould goe from hence below, to aduertiſe them aboue. Obſerue alſo that this good Doctour neuer bethought himſelfe of that looking-glaſſe forged of late: for indeede he neuer tooke his degrees in the faculty of Diuinity.
As touching publique ſeruice, it is certaine that at the celebration of the Euchariſt, there was commemoration made of the Saints deceaſed, but without inuocating them, as S. Auſtin witneſſeth in his two and twentieth booke of the Citie of God, chap 10.tAd quod ſacrificium ſicut homines Dei qui mundum eius confeſſione vicerunt fuo loco & ordine nominantur. Non tamen a ſacerdote qui ſacrificat inuocantur. At this ſacrifice the Martyrs as men of God, who hauehave ouercome the world in confeſsing him, are named in their place and in their ranke, but They are not Inuocated by the Prieſt, who ſacrificeth. And to the ſame end the third Councell of Carthage in the three and twentieth Canon ordayneth very expreſly, uCum ad altare aſſiſtitur, ſemper ad patrem d rigatur Oratio.that when they ſtand at the Altar, the praier be alwayes addreſſed to God the Father: not then to the Saints, as they doe now adaies in many Maſſes.
In his twentieth booke againſt Faustus the Manichee:xCap. 21: Colimus martyres eo cultu dilectionis & ſocietatis quo & in hac vita coluntur ſancti homines. We honour the Martyrs with the ſame honour of louelove and ſociety, wherewith men honor the holy men of God, which are in this life. True it is that he acknowledgeth, that it is with more aſſurance, becauſe they hauehave ſurpaſſed all danger: but he alwaies acknowledgeth that it is one and the ſame kind of honour. It is not then to inuocate them or to adore them, and it is that ſeruice which is yeelded to liuing men, which he affirmeth to be called Dulia, whence it followeth that it is not a religious worſhip. And therfore alſo in his booke of the true Religion, c. 55.yTom: 1: Non ſit vobis religio cultus hominum mortuorum quia ſi pie vixerunt non ſic habentur, vt tales quaerant honores, ſed illum a nobis coli volunt, quo illuminante laetantur merito ſui nos eſſe conſortes: Let not the ſeruice, ſaith he, of men departed, be your religion, if they hauehave liued holily, they are in that ſtate that they craue not theſe honors. And a little after, We muſt honour them for imitation, but we muſt not adore them by any Religion.
The ſame Authour in his manuall to Laurentius cap. 114.zNon niſi a Domino Deo petere debemus quicquid ſperamus nos vel boni operaturos vel pro bonis operibus adepturos. We ought not to craue from any other, but from God, the good which we hope eyther to doe, or to procure as a Stipend of our good workes.
In his booke of Eccleſiaſticall Determinations, cap. 81.*Secreta cogitationis ſolus ille nouit ad quem dicitur: Tu ſolus noſti corda filiorum bominum: He alone knoweth the ſecrets of the hearts, to whom it is ſaid, Thou alone knoweſt the hearts of the ſonnes of men.
Theſe paſſages, a few amongſt many, ſhal ſuffice for this time, againſt which our aduerſaries produce ſome places drawne out of forged bookes, or out of the ill gouerned deuotion of ſome particular men contrary to the publicke beleefe. And if there be any examples found of ſome few who hauehave prayed Ad memorias Martyrum, before or neere the ſepulchres of the Martyrs, our aduerſaries perſwade the ignorant that theſe prayers were made vntounto the Martyrs, in ſtead that they were made vntounto God to praiſe him for the aſſiſtance giuen vntounto the Martyrs, and to craue of God the like grace.
Aboue all it is conſiderable, that Coeffeteau doth touch but the half of the queſtion, and wardeth but halfe the blows: for he endeuoreth to proue that we muſt inuocate the Saints, which is but a litle peece of the abuſe. For the Church of Rome doth not ſtay there, ſhe craueth of God ſaluation, not onelyonly through the interceſsion of the Saint, but alſo through their merites:Quorum precibꝰ meritiſ que rogamꝰ Which is not to goe to God by the Saints, but contrariwiſe to lead God to the Saints, and to repreſent him their merites. This is alſo to pray vntounto God with an indiſcretion; which would be accounted impudent in ſpeaking to a King: If any man ſhould aske him a fauour or benefite for the merites of another. And this ſo vnworthy a prayer is accompanied with a ſuperſtitious ieſture,Oramus te Domine per merita Sanctorum quorum relliquiae hic ſunt & omnium ſanctorum, vt indulgere digneris omnia p…ccata mea. when the Prieſt bowing himſelf ouer the Altar, ſaith, We pray thee, O Lord, by the merites of the Saints, whoſe reliques are here (for eueryevery Altar is a Tombe) and generally of all the Saints, that thou wilt vouchſafe to pardon all my ſinnes. Of ſuch a prayer Coeffeteau hath not been able to produce any example.
No more then of this damnable opinion, which holdeth, that the merites of the Saints doe ſerue to fill vp the meaſure of the merites of Ieſus Chriſt;Lib. 1: de Indulg. cap: 4. in that being adioyned to the merites of Ieſus Chriſt, and put together into the treaſurie of the Church, they are employed by the Pope for the redemption and diſcharge of the puniſhment of our ſinnes: whence alſo it is that Cardinall Bellarmine ſaith, that in ſome ſort they are our redeemers. How comes it to paſſe, that Coeffeteau holdeth his peace hereat, and alleadgeth not any father? and hath forgotten to excuſe the Prieſt, who in his Confiteor which he ſaith at the entrance of the Maſſe, confeſſeth his ſinnes to God, to the Virgin Marie, to Michael th'arch-Angell, and to the Saints, but not to Ieſus Chriſt.