The Power of Godliness, Book 5 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Shewing that we must come to God in the Name of Christ, the onelyonly Mediatour betwixt God and man, who makes Intercession for us; And not pray to Saints, or Angels to intercede for us.
Question: MƲst we pray unto Christ as Mediatour?
A. We must call upon God, as the first Authour of all good things, and the Father, of whom are all things, and we by him: Christ is to be called upon,Buca…. loc. com. 35. q. 9. 1 Cor. 8.6. 1 Cor. 1.2. 1 Tim. 2.6. Ioh. 14.6, 13. & 16.23. Psal. 45.11. Psal. 72.11, 15. Phil. 2.10. Rom. 15.12. Ioh. 14.1. Heb. 1.6. Act. ….59. 2 Cor. 12.8. 1 Thes. 3.12. 2 Ioh. 3. Act. 9.14. Phil. 4.23. 1 Thes. 5.28. Gal. 6.18. Rev. 5.12.13. 2 Thes. 3.18. 2 Tim. 1.2. 2 Tim. 4.22. Phil. 2.25. as the only Mediatour betwixt God and man, by whom are all things, and we by him: or by whom God doth give unto us all saving blessings, and by whom we have access to God. Of this we have most illustrious Testimonies and Examples in the Scripture. The King shall greatly desire thy beauty; for he is thy Lord, and worship thou him. Yea, all Kings shall fall down before him; all Nations shall serve him. At the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow. In him shall the Gentiles trust. Let all the Angels in Heaven worship him. Steven prayed, Lord Jesus receive my spirit. I besought the Lord thrice, saith Paul, that it might depart from me. Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our way unto you. The Angels in Heaven, and the twenty four Elders sing in the Revelation, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. But we freely acknowledge that there is some difference betwixt the adoration of God, as he is God absolutely; and of Christ, as Mediatour betwixt God and man. And as faith in the acknowledgment of Christ doth discern his natures, and attribute unto him according to them both, what it ought according to the Scriptures: so it desireth that in the work of hearing, as the apotelesme of the Office, he would do according to each nature, what is proper to them.
Q. Why must we come to God in the Name of Christ?
A. 1. All access unto God requireth three things: that he be in a place to which we may come, that a way be prepared, that liberty be granted to come with confidence. But all these are obtained in Christ our Mediatour. For he is appointed of the Father,Rom. 3.25. that he should be our propitiation through faith in his blood, in whom a Throne of grace is erected for miserable sinners, to which we may approach with boldness and confidence,Heb 4.16. the Law which did convince, accuse, and condemn, being removed out of Gods sight. And he hath not only dedicated the new and living Way by his flesh, Heb. 0.9, 20. Joh. 14.6. Heb. 10.22.whereby we must come unto God, but is the true and living way leading directly unto the Father. Liberty to come unto God is granted unto us by the blood of Christ, who is entred into the heavenly Sanctuary for us, that with a true heart, and full assurance of faith we might have access unto God. Therefore the Scriptures do plentifully witness,Eph 2.28. & 3.12. Heb. 7.25. & 13.15. Eph. 2.1, 2. Rom. 5.10. Prov. 15.8, 25 Isa. 1.13, 15. Heb. 11.4. 1 Tim. 2.5. Col. 1.14, 20. 1 Joh 2.2. Heb. 7.25. Psal. 110.4. Rom. 8 3…. that we have no access unto the Father but in Jesus Christ, in whom he is become our loving Father, who not considered in him is a most terrible Judge, sitting upon the Throne of strict justice, most dreadfull to a sinner not able to stand before it. 2. We are all enemies of God by nature, ungodly and wicked: But the Prayers of enemeis, wicked and ungodly, God will not hear, cannot accept: Therefore we stand in need of a Mediatour by whom our Prayers being offered to him may be accepted. 3. Christ is our Mediatour, Redeemer, Advocate and Intercessour, who by the blood of the Cross hath reconciled us to God, and now sitteth at the right hand of the Father to make request for us; in whose Name our Prayers find acceptance. For he onelyonly can wash away the staines of our Prayers, and so sanctifie them that they may be acceptable and pleasant unto God.
Q. Why must we pray to God in the Name of Christ our Mediatour only?
A. 1. No man will assume this honour of Mediation or Intercession to himself, but he that was called thereunto of the Father. For it is a fault to thrust our selves into business no way belonging unto us;Heb. 5.4. Non est fine culpa, qui rei, quae ad cum non pe…tinet, se immiscet. De. Cretal. 6. lib. tit 12. de reg. juris. Digest. lib. 50. tit. 17. de reg. juris. 36. 1 Tim 2.5. 1 Joh. 2.2, 3. Heb. 2.17. & 4.14, 16. Eph. 3 12. & 2.18. As there is no secondary God, so no secondary Mediatour. That which is given to another without commssion from Christ, is taken from him. Rom. 8.34. Heb. 7.25. Quaedam sunt Dei nomina, quae quamvis Deo …conveniant propria quadam ratione, tamen hominibus etiam communicantur. Act. 10.4. Vers 31. At vicissim alia quaedam▪ quae non communicantur: & in his nomen Mediatoris. Dan. 10.12. Christ is no immediate Mediatour, unless men have as immediate access to him, as he hath to God the Father. Heb. 1.3. & 7.25. & 9.24. 2 Chron. 26.18, 19. Psal. 141.2. Hessel. in 1 Tim. 2. Bell. con. 7. lib. 1. cap. 17. Rhem. annot. in 1 Tim. 2. and a thing no way incident to the authority of man, to ordain who shall be his Intercessour unto God to procure acceptance unto his Prayers. But Christ only is ordained of the Father to he our Mediatour, by whom we have access unto the Father with confidence, who is both able and willing faithfully to plead the cause of all Believers with God. 2. He that is to offer up our Prayers to God, must be our Mediatour of Intercession and Redemption, who is able to save us both by merit and efficacy. For these two parts of the Priestly Office are so conjoyned, that neither can stand without the other, or be communicated severally to any person. But Christ only is our Mediatour of Redemption and Intercession, who is able to save both by merit and efficacy. 3. To offer our Prayers to God is to get them acceptance in his sight: For there can be no Mediatour to inform him, but only to grace and speed our suits. And therefore it is all one to say to Cornelius, thy Prayes are come up before God, and thy Prayers are accepted with God: All one to Daniel, thy words were heard, and thy suit was accepted. Besides, to imagine any other offering of our Prayers to God by the Ministry of any, then that which doth purge out their wants, and purchase their acceptance, is to speak of God as of a man, and to talk in a dream. But thus as a Mediatour to offer up our Prayers to God, we have only Christ, by whom only our Prayers, as our selves are made acceptable unto God. 4. The Scripture teacheth us, that Christ offereth our requests for us, in that he is our High Priest, and hath reconciled us to God. And the Law of shadowes allowed none to burn Incense, but the Priest that offered the burnt Offering, as the High Priests answer to Ʋzzia sheweth; to teach us that none can present our Prayers to God, which are spiritual Incense, but he which purgeth our sins. 5. The Papists themselves being convinced with evidence of truth, are forced to confess that Christ only as Mediatour doth present our Prayers before God; though they deny it again in praying to Saints and Angels as Mediatours and Patrones in a sort, as is to be shewed afterwards.
Q. May we pray to Christ to pray for us?
A. The Rhemists to cover their idolatry in praying to Saints and Angels as Mediatours,Thom. Aquin. tell us they may not pray to Christ, to pray for us; for that were to think or speak basely of him. But out of what Well draw they this water: but out of the filthy puddle and sink of their own brain? For why may we not pray unto Christ that he would pray for us? seeing it is his Office to pray for us.Joh. 14.15, 16. For we being priviledged to call upon him, or beseech him to do his Office, it followeth, that our warrant is also good to pray to him to pray for us. Again, whereof he hath given us promise,Joh. 16. thereof we may make request unto him: it being then evident in express words, that he hath promised to pray for us, it followeth that we may call for his promise. These fellowes make out-cryes against Calvin, as if he should overthrow the intercession of Christ, because he taketh away his praying upon knees in Heaven, as not fitting for the glorious estate whereunto he is received. But the Jesuits by these words at once, have made a clean dispatch of the intercession of Christ, that he should neither kneeling, standing, nor sitting pray for us: for seeing we may desire him to do whatsoever by his Office of Mediation he hath promised to do: it being (by the Jesuites Divinity) unlawfull for us to pray Christ to pray for us: it followeth, that it is no part of his Office to pray for us. Our Saviour saith to his Disciples,Joh. 16.26. At that day ye shall ask the Father in my Name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: But his meaning is not that he would not ask the Father,Maldon. in …oh. 16.26. but that the Father did so love them, was so favourable unto them, that he would give all good things unrequested, that it should not seem necessary, that he should make request for them.
Q. Do not the Angels offer up our Prayers to God?
1 Tim. 2.5. See D. Fulk. answ to the Rhem. in Col. 2.18.A. 1. There being but one Mediatour between God and man, and that in matter of Intercession, whosoever setteth a created Angel in the place of that Mediatour, must needs thrust out our Saviour Christ. 2. If the Angels offer up our Prayers, it is either to inform God and put him in remembrance, or to procure acceptance to our supplications. But God is not as man, that he should need an Informer; nor can they procure acceptance to our Prayers. 3. The holy Angels will not undertake an Office to which they are not called of God. But God hath not called them to offer up the Prayers of the Saints. See the Reasons before.
Q. In the Revelation it is said, that an Angel came and stood at the Altar, having a golden Censer,Rev. 8.3. Bell. de Sanct. beatit. cap. 16. sect. Tertia. and there was given unto him much Incense, that he should offer it with the Prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar, which was before the Throne.
A. This cannot be understood of any created Angel or ministring Spirit. For,Exo. 30.7. Lev. 16.12. Heb. 7.27. Zanch. ubi supra. 1. In the words there is an allusion to the ministry of the High Priest under the Law, and the Angel is propounded as a Priest ministring before the Lord. But that either the Name or Office of a Priest should be given to an Angel which is not partaker of flesh and blood, is a skrieking only heard in the wilderness of the Popish Church, never taught in the holy Scriptures. 2. The holiness of Angels which are not partakers of flesh and blood, although it were greater and perfecter then it is, cannot make any supply of our wants, whose defects must be made up by one of our own nature. But this Angel doth perfume the Prayers of the Saints with sweet Odours. 3. This Angel offer'd up the Prayers of all the Saints wheresoever dispersed, which cannot be done by all the creatures in Heaven and Earth, much less by one only creature. For if there were any one Angel which could be in all places at one time and in one moment, to hear the Prayers of all the faithfull, what needs so many Legions and ten thousands of Angels for the Ministry of the Saints. 4. The Jesuites themselves out of the verse before, have truly affirmed that it is our Saviour Christ: which is plain by the Reasons before alleged, and by the manner of speech used in this place, of another Angel,Mal. 3.1. Viega. com. in Apoc. cap. 8. sect. 2. De manu Angeli, & Christi. Nec rectè quidam crecentioribus dicunt, Christum nunquam Angelum absolutè dici: satis est ex consequentibus Christum esse colligere. Heb. 13.15. Aug. hom. 6. in Apoc. tom. 9. pag. 670. Trimas. in hunc loc. Beda in Ap. tom. 5. Ribera in Apoc. 8.5. Viega. ibid. whereby John usually noteth out our Saviour Christ in this Book, as one who differeth from other Angels, both in nature, in Office, in Authority, Dignity and Operation. For he alone is ordained of the Father to offer up our Prayers; the perfume and sweet Odours, wherewith the infection and imperfection of our Prayers, are perfumed, is his alone, and given to him; he hath reconciled unto God, and in him is the Father pleased. He, and he alone, doth appear in Heaven for us, pleading the cause of his Elect continually.
Q. May we not pray to the Saints or Angels as Mediatours or Advocates?
A. 1. The Papists themselves teach,Bell. con. 7. lib. 1. cap. 17. 1 Joh. 2.2. Joh. 14.6. Col. 1.19, 20. Breviar. Rom. Offic. Parv. B. Maria. ad completor. Offic. B. Mar. Virg. ad primam, & seq. For if these blessings be theirs by their merits and right of purchase, they may dispose of them at their pleasure. Concil. Trid. sess. 25. cap. 2. Bell. cont. 7. lib. 1. cap. Durand. in Sent. lib. 4. dist. 45. q. 4. Lombard. lib. 4. dist. 45. Alex. Ales. See Chem. exam. Par. 3. de Invoc. Sanct. pag. 232, &c. Catechis. Rom. In the Court of Heaven, he which appoints the supream, appoints the subordinate: and as no creature may assume, so no creature may yeeld, either supream or subordinate jurisdiction to any, in things of this nature, besides or without commission from the highest. But the distinction of Mediatour, Supream, and Secondary, is mans device. that we must not pray to the Saints as Authours of grace, glory, or any Divine blessing; nor yet as immediate Intercessours to God for us. Which they prove by this, that Christ is the propitiation, the way, and reconciliation. But herein they prove themselves to be gross Idolaters: for they do not only pray the Saints to pray for them, but they pray unto them as the givers of grace. They call the Virgin Mary the Mother of grace and mercy; they pray unto her, to protect them from their enemies, and receive them in the hour of death; and this they do, not only to the blessed Virgin, but unto that saintless saint and sinfull Souldier of the Pope, Thomas Becket. 2. They teach not that it is necessary to invocate the Saints departed, or holy Angels: but that well and profitably according to the rules of piety it may be done. But they speak of Divine invocation directed to them being absent, as our omniscient Patrones and Mediatours. And they maintain that they are to be prayed unto in three respects. First, That by their Prayers they would vouchsafe to make intercession for us. Secondly, That by and for their merits they would obtain what is desired. Thirdly, That they would grant the benefits which are asked. For the Saints departed (according to their Doctrine) have more free access to God and Christ, then the faithfull remaining alive, as being more nigh to God; by their works of supererogation done in this life, they have merited that God should hear their Prayers; and they are appointed of God the administrators of the good things which are craved of them. Thus they are made to be Mediatours, both in merit and efficacy, betwixt Christ and the faithfull living in this world. By which their deceit is manifest, when they pretend that they pray not to them as Authours of Divine blessings: for no man can be called the Authour of Divine blessings according to piety and truth: but the Saints departed are called Authours of their own benefits; amongst which they reckon their merits For every one according to the Papists, is the Authour of his merit; and why not of the communication of it? And if we ask grace or glory to be given for their merits, do we not make them in a sort Authours of those benefits? And all this is done by our Adversaries. For they use formall Prayers, and do as devoutly and religiously invocate Saints as the Lord himself. They make difference between their apprehension of God in their Prayers, and of the Saints: but the matter, gesture, and devotion of Prayer is all one. In their Saint invocation they kneele down, elevating their eyes to Heaven, uncovering their heads, and prostrating their souls and bodies, with sighes and groanes, they say: Oh, blessed Apostle Paul, I beseech thee to deliver me from the Angel of Satan, and from the wrath to come, and conduct me to Heaven. And to Stephen; Oh, the first Martyr and Levite of Christ, oh, holy Stephen I fly to thee, I invocate thee, I humbly and devoutly beseech thee. Bonaventure saith; Oh Virgin, be thou to me a strength against my sinnes that I go not to hell, encrease daily in me the flame of charity: warm my soul with thy love, pluck me forth of the kennell of vice; take away the filth of my sinne, thou which art whiter then snow, and together with thy Sonne grant my request, making me a Citizen of Heaven! Also in their Prayers, they offer up the merits of Saints to God, with the same form of words they do the merits of Christ,Vis. White Orthod. pag. 55. 56. White Def. of the way pag. 98, 99. saying to Thomas Becket: Oh God, who hast granted us to celeberate the translation of blessed Thomas, we humbly beseech, that by his merits and Prayers we may be translated from vice to vertue, and from prison to thy Kingdom! And which is more monstrous, they use the same words to the Saints, they do to Christ, and apply to the creature, what belongs to the Lord alone. This they excuse by a silly shift, that though they use the same Titles and Formes of speech in the service of Saints, as they do to Christ, yet their meaning is not to attribute unto them the same holiness and merits that they ascribe to Christ, but an inferiour, and such as depends upon his holiness and merits. But it becomes the true Church of God,Bell. cont. 7. lib. 1. cap. 17. The deniall of true and reall honour to the Saints fully answerable to the Titles which they give them, must needs be as true and reall a mockery of them, as it would be to a Gentleman if his inferiour should thus salute him, God bless your honour, meaning your worship. 2 Tim. 1.13. not only to mean well, but to speak well; and such therein as will keep the Catholike faith, must also hold the Catholike form of words. Again, albeit they mean not such merits and dignity as belongs to Christ, yet they mean more then of right appertains to any meer creature. For there is no merit or dignity in any creature capable of these speeches, or of any other that are used in their Saint invocations: but the least that is meant, is more then belongs to any, but the Lord Jesus. 3. If we allow their words that immediate grammaticall construction, that belongs to all words, they can import no less, than the same service that is given to Christ, both really and formally. Nor can many of their Prayers be excused with that more then unlikely interpretation: for they give such Titles to the holy Virgin, calling her the Mediatour of God, the repairer of the world, the end of our exile, the washing away of our sinne, the ladder of Heaven, the gate of Paradise, as will not admit that excuse. And by such like glosses, all Idolaters in the world may excuse themselves in the worship of their Idols; for when the Jew to his Calf, and the Gentile to his Image bended the knee, and called it God, they did not esteem it in that degree, that they did God himself, but onelyonly gave it an inferiour honour, such as they thought an Image capable of; and when they were put to it, would answer as our Adversaries do, though the word or action were one, yet the honour was farre different: But we truly reply unto them, that the inward estimation and opinion of the mind, determining the said words, Prayers, and gestures, to such inferiour worship, as is mentioned, doth not remove the reason of Idolatry thereby from the said words and Prayers: because such as it is, it remains Divine worship attributed to a creature. And whereas they talk of the merits of Saints depending upon the merits of Christ, this will not stop the gap: for Christ hath by his obedience so merited or purchased all things for us, that he hath done it solely, immediately, and incommunicably; which are the three conditions of his merits: and therefore he that but subordinates the merits of a creature to the merits of Christ, robs him of his Office; in that his merits have no condition to elevate, or advance the merits of another, to the making of Intercession. Christ is not only robbed of his Office, by denying of his merits, or not using them, but also by using and applying them otherwise then we ought, and not rightly; which is done when we believe him to be the root of all merit, but other merits notwithstanding procure us favour, and reconciliation, and eternal life with God. Therefore according to the Scriptures we affirm, that this Invocation of Saints [which our Adversaries teach,] is unnecessary, neither pious, nor profitable, but impious, unprofitable, idolatrous, injurious to Christ Jesus.