Answer to Book by Romish Priests, Doctrine 28 – Doctrine 30
XXVIII. That we may not Pray to them.
Anſwer.
HERE he ſpeaks ſome Truth again; and a great many of his own Church ingenuouſly confeſs, That there is no command in Scripture, nor ſo much as an example of Praying to them.
The Text they have moſt in their mouths, who aſſert we may Pray to them, is this which he firſt quotes,XLVIII. Gen. 16. XLVIII. Gen. 16. But by this Angel, a great number of the Fathers underſtand Chriſt himſelf, St. Cyril, for inſtance, (to whoſe Authority, I told you, they dare not always ſtand) thus expounds it, L. 3. Theſaur. C. 1. And ſo doth Novatianus in his Book of the Trinity, C. 15. St. Athanaſius alſo againſt the Arians, Orat. 4. And St. Chryſoſtome upon the place (Hom. 66. in Gen.) and divers others. Therefore this is no ſorry ſhift, (as this ignorant man preſumes to call it) having ſuch very great Patrons to maintain it. And what if St. Chryſoſtom in another place, underſtands this of an Angel, which attends (not every man, as this Writer pretends, but) every Believer (as his words are expreſly, and St. Baſil's) it is no more than ſome Proteſtants do, even Mr. Calvin himſelf is content with this Expoſition in his Inſtitutions, (tho in his Commentaries on Geneſis he ſaith it is meant of Chriſt), but they of the Church of Rome gain nothing at all from this conceſſion. For Jacob's words are no direct formal Invocation or Compellation of the Angel, (for he doth not ſay, O Angel of God, bleſs the l…ds) but only an earneſt deſire that they might have the Angelical Protection; for which he prays to God, That he would ſend the Angel to preſerve them, as he had done him.
Tobit himſelf meant no more in the place which he next alledges, V. Tob. 16. That God who dwells in Heaven, would proſper their Journey, by ſending his Angel to keep them company. For it is certain, that the Jews never prayed to Angels; and it is as certain, that they conſtantly define Prayer by a direct and expreſs relation to God, and none elſe. And therefore it is not to be thought, that any good man among them, ever joyned Prayer to God and an Angel together in the ſame breath; as he makes Tobit do in this place. No, this is contrary to the ſenſe of the greateſt Divines in his own Church.
XII. Hoſea 4.Before he ventured to alledge the next place, XII. Hoſ. 4. he ſhould have been ſure that the Prophet ſpeaks of a Created Angel, and not of the Son of God, who in the Opinion of Juſtin Martyr, Euſebius, St. Hilary, and many more Fathers, appeared to Jacob, and bleſſed him. Whence it is that he called the place Peniel, having there ſeen the face of God. And to this ſenſe the next verſe inclines, where he is called the Lord God of Hoſts, who found Jacob in Bethel. Which the Fathers in the Council of Sirmium thought ſo certain, that they denounce a Curſe againſt thoſe that maintain'd it was the unbegotten Father, not the Son, (for God they concluded he was) that wreſtled with Jacob. But ſuppoſe it was an Angel, the H…brews are ſo far from thinking that Jacob m…de ſupplication to him, that they conceive (many of them) the Angel made ſupplication to Jacob, for he prayed him to let him go. Take it otherwiſe; it ſignifies no more but that he deſired him to give him his bleſſing: which we deſire of men here upon Earth, to whom we do not properly pray.
From hence he paſſes to ſatisfy Scruples, which he ſaith ſome have: who ſay, they would pray to them, if they could be aſſured that they hear us, &c. Who they are that ſay thus, I know not: they are none of us. For we do not think it lawful to pray to them, though they could hear us. But how doth he prove that they can hear us? Why, he brings the common place, XV. Luke 10. which ſaith there is joy in their preſence, that is, in heaven (as it is, v. 7.) over one ſinner that repenteth. Which ſhews they know when there is joy in Heaven, and what that joy is for; becauſe they are in Heaven: but it doth not prove they know all things that paſs upon earth; but only thoſe things, of which notice is given in Heaven. At this rate we may prove, that good men know all that is done on Earth, becauſe they rejoice at the Converſion of of a Sinner: that is, when they hear of it; and the Angels rejoice no other ways.
They that like his Performances upon theſe Texts, may look into the reſt: and ſee how, to fill up the number, he alledges the ſame over again, XII. Hoſ. 4. and now alſo quotes XIX. Gen. 18, &c. to prove we may pray to Angels, which in the foregoing Section, he brought to prove, that they pray for us. Nay, ſends us to the Song of the three Children; where I can find nothing of praying to the Angels, no more than of praying to the Sun, and Moon, and Stars.
His quotation out of St. Auſtin's Annotations on the Book of Job, is not worth our regard. For St. Auſtin *See his Retract. L. 2. C. 13.himſelf was doubtful whether he ſhould own them, being put forth by others, rather than him; and ſo corruptly, that he would ſcarce ſay they were his. And being admitted for his, he doth not ſpeak home to this man's purpoſe: For he only ſays, Job ſeems to intreat the Angels, that they would deprecate for him; or rather the Saints, that they would pray for a Penitent. Now this is not the Religious invocation, which the Romaniſts plead for; but only ſuch a deſire as we make to a Friend here on Earth, to help us by his prayers. But whatſoever St. Auſtin may be ſuppoſed to ſay, it is manifeſt, he that thus interprets the place, miſtakes very much; fancying thoſe to be Friends in Heaven, who are Friends on Earth; of whom Job moſt certainly ſpeaks.V. Job 1. And ſo doth the next place; V. Job 1. which ſpeaks not at all of praying to the Saints, but of deſiring them to appear for him, and teſtify to his innocence. Thus Menochius himſelf expounds it, The meaning ſeems to be, I (that is Eliphaz) have already told thee my Opinion, If thou haſt any Patron among the Saints, or whoſe teſtimony thou canſt bring forth in thy defence; do not delay, but produce it before us. They can tell of none (as others enlarge upon the words) who was ever oppreſſed with ſuch Calamities as are fallen upon thee, unleſs they deſerved them for their ſins. If theſe words relate to Angels, as ſome Proteſtants think they do (becauſe the LXX. here have Angels, inſtead of Saints) the meaning is the ſame: If thou haſt ſeen an Angel, as I have done (IV. 15.) he can give thee no other anſwer. Thus the ſame Menochius.
Proteſtants hold, he ſaith, XXIX. That the Angels cannot help us.
Anſwer.
THIS man ſeems to have been in love with lying: elſe he could not have invented ſuch a ſenſeleſs falſhood. For no Proteſtant ever was ſo fooliſh as to ſay, they cannot help us. We believe they both can, and do: and we thankfully acknowledge their miniſtry, in our Publick Prayers on Michaelmas day. But we look upon them only as Miniſters; who can do nothing of themſelves, but as they are ordered. For they are not ſet over us as Lords, to act according to their own pleaſure: but ſent by the great Lord of all, to do us ſervice as he appoints them.
Neither his Scriptures, nor Fathers, ſay more than this, and we ſay the ſame: therefore what a Trifler is this, who blots Paper to prove the Sun ſhines!
XXX. That no Saint deceaſed, hath afterward appeared to any upon Earth.
Anſwer.
THIS is juſt ſuch another Falſhood, deviſed on purpoſe to have ſomething, right or wrong, to object againſt us: For no Proteſtant is of this mind. He ſaith, he hath met with ſome ſuch: But for my part, I cannot give any credit to one, who hath told ſo many untruths.
The Scriptures therefore which he alledges, need not be conſidered; much leſs his Story out of the Maccabees. And his Fathers are ſuch as were impoſed on by Fabulous Relations, deviſed to make way for the belief of Purgatory. And ſuch Apparitions we have great reaſon to doubt of.