read and believe the Scripture as most true and the infallible Word of God But Men of mature Learning and Judgment should dive into the profound Mystery and meaning of the Scripture you may read his words in the first Page of that Book The same Eusebius wrote three Books as Jerome reports of the Life of Pamphilus his great Friend which are not extant But c Lib. 1. Apol. adversus Ruffinum Script Sanctas non ad leg sed ad habendum tribuebat non solum viris sed feminis Jerome cites this Passage out of the third Book in commendation of Pamphilus Who is vertuous and not a Friend of Pamphilus who supplied food and necessaries to the poor and distributed the Holy Scriptures not only to Men but Women who were desirous to read them for which end he purchased many Bibles d In Psal 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Basil the Great tells us All Scripture is written by Divine Inspiration and profitable and therefore given by the Holy Ghost that every one of us might choose a proper remedy for his disease as out of a common Apothecaries shop f r his Soul Phil. As the Holy Scriptures have Physic for all Diseases so the Application should be well made by our Spiritual Physicians otherwise the Patient may miscarry and therefore we hold the People should hear and receive the Scripture from the Priests mouth Theoph. This gloss contradicts the Text for the Father saith e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every one should choose his proper remedy out of the common Tresury Again f Lib. de Parad. c. 12. Gentiles aut c. Ambrose directs a Gentile who would believe or a Catechumen who would receive farther Instruction unto the living Waters of the Holy Scripture without the corrupt Channels of Interpreters You see the Holy Scripture ought not to be with-held from Unbelievers and Unbaptized But Jerome for the Latine Church and Chrysostom for the Greek speak so fully to this Point that we may supersede all other Testimonies Jerome writes many Epistles to Virgins to Women concerning themselves and the Institution of their Children the Government of their Families and above all commends to them the diligent reading of the Scripture In his Epistle to Laeta a Noble Dame g De Instit filiae nec alibi reperiant nisi in adyto script Prophet Apostolos de spiritualibus sciscitantem c. He gives in charge to inure her beloved Daughter to the study of the Scripture That none should find her in the way of the World amidst the throng and tumult of Play-fellows and Kins-folk but in the recesses of the Holy Scripture consulting the Prophets and Apostles about Spiritual concerns Instead of fine Clothes and Jewels let her love the Book of God let her learn the Psalter and divert her self with those Songs In the Proverbs of Solomon let her learn Morals In the Ecclesiastes to despise the World In Job Patience and Vertue Let her proceed to the Evangelists and never lay them out of her hands so to the Acts of the Apostles and their Epistles and having enrich'd her heart with these Divine Tresures let her commit to memory the Prophets and the Pentateuch c. And at last without danger let her learn the Canticles In another Epistle to a Virgin a Al Demetriadem de Virg. servandâ Spendeounum illud tibi nata deo praeque dominibus unum praedicam repetens c. O thou that art born of God saith he This one thing above all I must give in charge repeating it over and over again That thou possess thy heart with the love of reading the Holy Scripture Love the Bible and wisdom will assuredly love thee In an Epistle to Salvina perswading her to keep her self a Widow he faith b Semper in manibus sit divina Lectio Let the Bible be always in thy hand to read it In an Epistle to Celautia concerning the government of her Family he presseth the same Exhortation c Semper in manibus jugiter in mente volvantur Let the Holy Scripture be always in thy hand and in thy mind In Marcella's Epitaph d Epistola ad Principiam div Script ardor erat incredib semper que cantabat In 〈…〉 rde meo abscondo eloq tua ut non peccem c. he gives this commendation of her She had an incredible thirst after the Holy Scripture and ever sang I have hid thy word within my heart that I might not sin against thee c. and that she became an Oracle to resolve doubts concerning the Scripture I might collect many more such passages out of this Author but I will content my self with one general Exhortation to read the Scripture instead of all e Praefatione in Epistelam ad Ephesies si quiequam est quod in hac vita c. If there be any thing saith the good Father which should make a wise man choose to live and weather out the storms and troubles of our present state it is the knowledge and meditation of the Scripture For whereas as he goes on herein we chiefly differ from other living Creatures that we are rational and can speak and all Reason and Language is contain'd in the Holy Scripture whereby we know God and are not ignorant wherefore we were created I marvel any there should be who either out of sloth and negligence will not learn themselves these excellent things or think others worthy reprehension who do study them And now tell me Have you not enough of Jerome Would he not marvel think you at your new Doctors who as much discourage the People from reading the Scripture as he with all his excellency of Grace and Eloquence doth excite them Phil. I must confess I never look'd to hear so much to this purpose Theoph. Have a little patience and you will find Chrysostom as full and emphatical Like advice he gives to Gaudentius for the Education of Pacatula his Daughter f Let her learn the Psalter by heart and before she f Discat Psalterium memoriter c. comes to maturity of age let her make the Books of Solomon the Evangelists the Apostles and Prophets her chief tresure In his first Tome he tells his hearers a Hom. 10. in Genesin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We may at home before and after meals taking into our hands the Holy Bible feed our Souls for as the Body doth want corporal nurishment so doth the Soul spiritual we being thereby strengthned against the assaults of the flesh and our restless enemy who sets upon us to captivate our Souls And therefore saith he the Prophet David calls him Blessed who meditates in the Law of the Lord day and night And then he adds This is our salvation this our spiritual wealth this our security If we arm our selves daily by spiritual bearing and reading and discourse we shall never be over come but frustrate all the
Gospel was preached not in which they were first written And altho Bellarmine here be positive yet in the same Chapter afterwards he speaks doubtfully of the Latin Tongue d Vt quidam volunt Latine c. They did write the Gospels and Epistles only in Hebrew and Greek and as some will have it in Latin For there are some who conceive that Saint Mark did write his Gospel at Rome in Latin and afterwards translated it into the Greek Tongue And for the proof he first sends us to Pope Damasus his Pontifical his Book of the Lives of all the Popes his Predecessors in the See of Rome where in the Life of Peter we are told e Hic scripsit duas Epistolas quae Canenicae nominantur Evangel Marel c. That Peter wrote two Epistles and the Gospel of Saint Mark for Mark was his Disciple and his adopted S 〈…〉 n his Baptism Now if Peter did write that Gospel as this Testimony asserts how is it call'd the Gospel of S t Mark more then the other two Canonical Epistles And yet so far we have nothing said concerning the Tongue wherein Mark did write his Gospel but it immediatly follows Posi omnem quatuor Evangeliorum â—â—ntem quae ad interrogationem testimonium Petri firmata sunt dum alius Grace alius Hebraice alius I aliue scribentes consonant omnia ejus Testimonio sum firmata A piece of Latin which I cannot make sense of only we may guess the meaning That by Peters Testimony all the four Gospels were confirm'd and confirm'd for the greater confirmation of Peter's supreme Autority the word firmata is without sense twice inserted while one of the Evangelists writing in Greek another in Hebrew another in Latin they all were consonant Now by this wise Enumeration there were but three Evangelists one writing in Greek another in Hebrew and another in Latin in what Tongue the fourth Evangelist did write must be reserved as a secret in due time to be reveled when France or Spain or some other Catholic Prince as they will have it hath attain'd an Universal Monarchy and then the Language of his Country shall be adopted into the Sacred Number Phil. I must confess this passage in the life of Peter is set down somthing imperfectly we may suppose an Error in the Printing Theoph. The whole deserves a deleatur For how could Peter by his supreme Autority confirm the four Evangelists when it is generally acknowledged that John wrote his Gospel long after Peters Martyrdom under Nero even in the Reign of Nerva Emperor of Rome who releas'd him of his banishment in Patmos whither Domitian had condemn'd him John returning to Ephesus upon the perswasion of the Asian Bishops did write his Gospel against Cerinthus and Ebion and other Heretics who denied Christs Divinity a Aug. Tom. 9. Praefatione in Joannem Occiso Domitiano cum permittente Nerva de exilio redâ—sset compulsus ab Episc Asiae c. But in truth this Pontifical is by themselves accounted spurious and falsly ascrib'd to Damasus as Binius asserts in the first Tome of his Edition of the Councils in a Note before Peter's Life b Hujus libri Pontifex Damasus author non est quod in unoquque fere Pontifice pugnantia contineat Damasus is not the Author of this Pontifical for almost in the Life of every Pope it contains thing repugnant one to another And he quotes Bar onius and Possevinus for his Judgment Now we may easily believe Bellarmine was too great a Scholar not to discover the Imposture and the Contradictions of the Book yet after his usual course when a Testimony makes for him he will take it altho himself be not ignorant of the forgery Phil. You find Bellarmine in that place brings other Authors to prove Mark did write his Gospel in Latin Adrianus Finus and Antonius Beuter Theoph. Writers so obscure that I cannot find their Books and Tirinus a Jesuit a in his Index Autorum shews the first to be a Writer of the last Century making no mention of the second Phil. Baronius likewise affirms that Mark wrote his Gospel in Latin and proves it because he was as Jerome calls him Peter's Interpreter and did write for the use and benefit of the Romans as Nazianzen affirms d Nazianzen in carmin de 4. Evangeliis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore probably he wrote in the Latin Tongue Theoph. You may urge the same Argument that Paul did write his Epistle to the Romans in Latin Phil. But Baronius observes likewise some Latin words adopted into the Greek Copy of S t Mark 's Gospel e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 6. ver 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 27. which makes it more then probable that the Greek Copy was translated out of the Latin Theoph. This Criticism will not help him for we find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all the other Evangelists Matth. 18. 28. Luk. 17. 41. John 6. 7. We find many other Latin Words in the Greek Test 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 19. 12. and yet S t Luke is observ'd of all the sacred Writers to write the purest Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 26. 53. And f In Comment in Epist 1. ad Cor. cap. 10. ver 25. Benedictus Justinianus a Jesuit derides this Argument instancing in many other Words of the like nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Leaving therefore these critical and new Discoveries will you hear what S t Jerome and Augustin c Adrianus Finus Ferrariensis edidit flagellum Judaeorum An. 1537. two Latin Fathers say to this point a Jer. in Praefati in 4. Evangelistas De novo Testam non lequor c. I speak not of the New Testament which without doubt is all Greek except the Gospel of Matthew which be first set forth in Judea in the Hebrew Tongue Augustin affirm's the same b Aug. Tom. 4. l. 1. De consensis Evangelistarum cap. 2. Of these four Evangelists only Matthew is said to write in Hebrew ceteri Graeco eloquio the others in the Greek Tongue To these accord many of their own Writers c Biblioth l. 1. Breve grace sermone scripsit Evangelium Sixtus Senensis saith expresly Mark wrote a brief Gospel in the Greek Tongue And you may observe by this passage and many others how Baronius and Bellarmine two great Pillars of the Roman See little regard the Testimony of the Fathers when it crosseth their great design to advance the reputation of the Church of Rome However I presume it appears by what you have heard that no part of the Holy Scripture was written in Latine originally and therefore the Latine Tongue in that respect is not Sacred and to have the preheminence above others Phil. But in the fore-mention'd place Bellarmine instanceth in other excellencies of the Hebrew Greek and Latine above all others in antiquity amplitude and gravity d Bell. l. 2.
de verba Dei cap. 15. Omnium consensis hae alâ—is praestant antiquitate amplitudine gravitate Theoph. For the Antiquity of the Roman Language let the Grammarians discourse it For the amplitude and universality thereof I acknowledg that it did spread far with the Roman Conquests especially in the Western Empire which was call'd Orbis Latinus so that it became the vulgar Tongue unto many Nations In Africa we have those Noble Orators Tertullian and Cyprian living in Carthage writing Tracts and Epistles in Latine unto all sorts unto Men and Women Lay and Clergy which shews that Language was then vulgarly understood Tertullian wrote two Books to his Wife in Latine A third De habitu muliebri A fourth De cultu seminarum unto Women A fifth to Virgins Develand Virginibus Cyprian writes his familiar Epistles to the Martyrs and divers others many of them of the common people Augustin Bishop of Hippo in Africa made all his Homilies and Lectures unto the people of his Congregation in Latine and therefore that Language was commonly understood for your self acknowledged that we ought to Preach in a known Language to the People nay he expresly tells us e Lib. 1. Retract cap. 20. Volens causam Donatistarum ad ipsius humillimi vulgi imperitorum at que idiotarum nobitiam pervenire psalmum qui ab â—is canttur latinas literas feci Ipse psalmus habetur Tom. 1. cap. 1. That being willing the Donatists cause might be understood even by the unlearned and vulgar sort of People be composed a Psalm according to the Latine Alphabet to be sung by all the people wherein the choice Heads of their Schismatical pretentions were contain'd The Psalm begins thus a Ipse Psalmus habetur Tom. 7. cap. 1. Omnes qui gaudetis c. The Latine Tongue therefore was become as the vulgar in Africa and so the Learned shew of many Countries in Europe by reason of the Roman Conquests and Colonies which for brevity I omit But in after Ages thro the Incursions of the Goths and Vandals and Lombards Gauls and Sarazens into the Western Empire there arose a great change and variety of Languages insomuch that neither in Italy it self nor in any other Country did the people understand the Latine Tongue and therefore the Argument of Universality for that Tongue now ceaseth For the Gravity of the Latine Tongue wherein that consists I do not understand and when Kemnitius urg'd as we do that the Latine was neither more sacred nor venerable then other Tongues b Non dicimus eam graviorem aut sanctioram si â—ererba spectemus sed hoc ipse esse gratiorem magis venerandam quod nonsit vulgaris Lib. 2. de ver Dei cap. 15. ad sinem Bellarmine acknowledges it to be true if we consider the words themselves but the Latine is more grave and venerable because it is not the vulgar Tongue Which answer of Bellarmine if it hath any shew of Truth and Reason doth as well prove the English Tongue to be more grave and venerable in France and Spain c. then their own proper Tongues because unto them it is not the vulgar Tongue And yet this is one of his special Arguments which he urgeth why the Majesty of Divine Service and public Offices should be in the Latine Tongue which is not understood because it requires a more grave venerable Language then are the vulgar Tongues of every Country c Ibidem Videtur omnino majestas divin offic requirere linguam â—agis gravem venerandam quam sunt illae quibus vnlgo utimur We see wise and learned Men in the defence of palpable Errors somtimes are put to shifts and urge Arguments of no weight and consequence to amuse only Children and Fools For ought therefore that hath bin offer'd to prove it the Latine Tongue appears not to be more grave and venerable then others Phil. Here hath been a long digression to no purpose Theoph. Confer notes and you will find it pertinent to the present business and it will be useful to other purposes hereafter Phil. I cannot divine what will be your future intendments neither can you deny the Latine Tongue to be the common Language in Europe better understood then any other at least by the Learned so that with that Tongue you may travel into all parts and meet with many who understand it Theoph. It is believed of late the French Tongue will carry us farther then the Latine but what Inference will you make if we grant your Postulatum that the Latine is the most communicating Language understood by the Learned in every Country Phil. It is most agreeable to the Communion of Saints in all parts of the World that public Praier should be made in lingua communissima as Bellarmine speaks a Ibidem Alias tolletur communicatio Ecclesiarum c. In that Language which will most communicate with other Nations and Churches that when Strangers and Travellers come among us some of them may understand our Service and join with us therein otherwise neither the learned nor unlearned will ever come to Church but in their own Country Theoph. This is an Argument of great charity towards Foreigners and of little regard to Natives that the Service of the Church should be at home in an unknown Language in Latine to the end that Strangers when they travel in any Country may understand some of them the Service and so be encouraged to come to Church And in truth this Argument concludes for us that public Praier should alwaies be in known and vulgar Tongues for if Foreigners will not come to Church if they understand not the Service for the same reason our Country-men will not come to Church if the Service should be perform'd in an unknown Tongue Phil. However the Latine Tongue hath had long possession thro-out the Western Church in the Divine Service of every Country until some new Masters and Reformers in divers places did thrust it out and the general practice of the Church should much prevail with sober Men. b Epistola 118. Si quid herum per â—rbem frequentat Ecclesia quin ita sit faciendum disputare insolentis insania S t Augustin saith It is most insolent madness to dispute whether that should be don which the Church thro-out the whole World doth practice Theoph. I have shew'd you how the Service of God in an unknown Tongue is contrary to Gods Word c Si divinae scrip praescribii autcritas non est disputandum c. And Augustin in the same Epistle immediatly before this Quotation of yours had concluded That if the Holy Scriptures have prescrib'd what is to be don it is not to be doubted but we must do as we read and are directed Again I have shew'd how the Service in an unknown Tongue is contrary to the great end of public Praier wherein all the People of God should join with heart and affection and
committing scandalous Offences should be degraded and lie under the severities of Church Discipline and Penance proportionable to their demerrit and if at all they are restored to the Communion of the Church they should be as Lay-men and not restored to the Priests Office they should receive the Sacrament without the Quire with the common People b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Phil. a Lib. 4. c. 24. de Sacramento Euch. Nulla distinctio notari potest c. Bellarmin makes sport at this ridiculous Answer Saith he This punishment was somtimes so inflicted that persons offending should not be reconcil'd and admitted to this Laic Communion but in peril of Death nay not then neither as you have heard in the second Canon of the Council of Sardica Now to sick Men upon their Death-bed what distinction can there be of place or what preheminence can a Priest have more then a Lay-man and so Communio Laica no punishment Theoph. This is Wrangling not Disputing We say as b Epistola 52. Communicet ut Laicus non usurpet locum Sacerdotis Cyprian A Priest so offending let him become a Lay-man and in that quality admitted after repentance unto the Communion whether in the Church or in his House but let him not return unto the Priests Office One of your French Bishops Gabriel Albaspinus hath sufficiently confuted Bellarmin and all his Disciples in this Point shewing this Communio Laica implied the condition of a Lay-person and not any difference from a Priest in receiving the Sacrament only in one kind c Lib. 1. Observat c. 4. de Communione Laicâ Tempore Concil quibus de Laica Commun fit mentio c. For saith he in Cyprian ' s time and when these Canons fore-mentioned were made the Communion was given to the People in both kinds He brings many Instances to prove it Phil. d Ibid. constat ab annis plus octingentis usum in quibusd Ecclestis communiionis sub una specie in publico coetu fidelium Et constat Graecos nunquam hoc Latinis objecisse Bellarmin brings another Argument drawn from the consent and testimony of the later Ages of the Church That it is evident for more then 800 Years That in some Churches in the public Assemblies the use was to give the Sacrament in one kind And the Greek Church saith he never objected this as an Error to the Latin Church which is an Argument they accounted it lawful for otherwise they were willing and quick-sighted to discover all our faults Theoph. This shews Bellarmins confidence To assert stoutly and prove faintly How doth he make good the use of 800. Years Phil. The Councils of Constance and Basil say It had been in use for some long time as you have heard before And so Th. of Aquin. before this Council tells us That in some Churches it was well observed to with-hold the Cup from the People for the greater reverence and caution Theoph. These proofs fall short by more then half of 800 years Aquinas liv'd in the 13 th Century and then the Communion in one kind had got but little footing only in some Churches as he acknowledgeth the Councils followed in the 14 th Century We acknowledg the with-holding of the Cup from the People began after 1200 Years after Christianity in the Western Church but never in the Eastern Church Bellarmin offers at another proof of a longer date in Bernards time related in the History of his Life written by one of his Contemporaries one William an Abbot but those Books of his Life are so full of Legends that I would not choose to rake in such a Dung-hill They make Bernard to work as many Miracles as our Blessed Savior Phil. It is your securest way of answering our Autorities by slighting them But I have one considerable Argument more out of Bellarmin to prove the Antiquity of giving the Sacrament in one kind in the public Administration thereof out of the a Ordo Romanus Roman Ritual which is conceiv'd to have bin compos'd by Alcquine Tutor to Charles the Great above 800 years since Theoph. Out of which Ritual we have expresly proved the contrary already Phil. Hereby you may judg how slightly you examine things and Books for in the Ordo Romanus you will find That the Wine is consecrated in a little Chalice and the Pope drinks of it and afterwards the Arch-Deacon pours out some of the Consecrated Wine into a great Flagon or Cup of other Wine and Water and so it is Sanctified for the Peoples drinking but not Consecrated Theoph. This Passage proves the People did drink of the Cup but the Pope it seems must have some preheminence above them and for the distinction of the Wine Sanctified but not Consecrated I understand it not b Ordo Rom. vinum etiam non consecratum sed sang Domini commixtum c. The Ritual saith enough for the Cup which was given to the People The Wine not Consecrated but mix'd with the Blood of Christ out of the first Chalice is Sanctified to all effects And Bellarmin acknowledgeth it was call'd The Cup of the Lords Blood Phil. I come now to shew the Motives which induc'd the Church to with-hold the Cup. Theoph. I wish'd long since you would come to this Chapter for I did suppose your Proofs and Testimonies out of Antiquity would be insignificant but if there be sufficient reason for the practice it might excuse in part altho in truth no human Reason should prevail against Christs Institution in such things as are the Sacraments meerly of Instituted Worship Phil. Gerson the Famous Chancellor of Paris eminent for his Books full of Piety and Learning was present at the Council of Constance and hath written in defence thereof and of their Act in prohibiting the Cup unto the Clergy and he gives the reason of the prohibition First c Casâ—aliquo profundi potuit circumgestari sine periculo nequit out of great Reverence to Christs pretious Blood which if communicated to many might be easily spilt upon the Earth by the Deacons stumbling who should carry it to the People d Aliqui Latcorum barbas habent Aliqui Paralytici sunt It might stick upon their Beards and a Palsie hand might shake and spill it Theoph. These Inconveniencies are accidental and if involuntary God will not impure Sin to them As for the Lay-mens Beards the Priests are not such Shavelings but that they may be liable unto the same Objection And the Disciples of Christ at Supper with him are pictur'd with very grave Beards And withal these Inconveniencies may follow the Bread Consecrated It may stick in their Teeth and the crumbs may fall to the ground and you know your Doctors teach that whole Christ Divinity Soul and Body are contain'd in every minute Particle of the Host Out of such pretended Reverence me thinks you might be as solicitous That the Pretious Body and Blood of Christ should
they were not expos'd to public view Phil. a Lib. de Pudicitia c. 7. 10. Procedant ipsae Picturae Calicum vestrarum Ib. Paâ—tor quem in Calice depingis Tertullian shews they had Pictures in the Church early Let the Pictures saith he engraven in your Chalices be produc'd Again The good Shepheard whom you Picture in your Chalice He relates to the good Shepheard bringing back the lost Sheep upon his shoulders which Parable was engraven upon the Eucharistical Cup. Theoph. These are pitiful proofs for Images in Churches and their Worship a Parable engraven upon a Goblet not visible at any distance unto the People so as to become the object of Adoration Phil. There is an account given by Nicephorus Simeon Metaphrastes and others how our Blessed Savior sent the Picture of his Face in a Linnen cloth to Agabarus King of Edessa who hearing of our Savior and his Miracles sent a Painter to take his Picture but his Eyes were dazzled with the Glory of our Saviors Countenance and his Art fail'd him Whereupon our Savior calls for a Napkin and wip'd his Face and left his Picture therein to be convey'd to the King and thereby Miracles were wrought Theoph. We may conclude this to be a Fable as from the Fabulous Authors so likewise because b Euseb l. 1. Hist Ecclesiast Prope finem Eusebius makes no mention thereof and yet gives an account how this King of Edessa did send a Letter to our Savior intreating him to come and heal him of his Disease and that our Savior return'd an Answer Phil. But the same Eusebius lib. 7. c. 18. speaking of the City Paneas of Caesarea Philippi mentions a report That the Woman of the Gospel who was cured of her Bloody Issue was honorable and rich in that City and in memory of that Cure caus'd her own Image to be made in Brass kneeling towards another Statue of a Man in Brass stretching forth his hand to touch her And at the pedestal of the Statue there did spring up an Herb which arising unto the hem of the Coat engraven had virtue to heal Diseases and this Image was by all the Inhabitants reported to be the Statue of Christ And Eusebius gives credit to the Relation shewing it was the Custom of the Heathen People to honor with Statues those whom they accounted Saviors and tells us himself had seen the Pictures of Christ and of Peter and Paul Theoph. You may observe he saith It was the custom of the Heathen to honor so their Benefactors and therefore Christians derive this practice from the Heathen Phil. But Divine Providence hath set his Seal unto it in those miraculous Cures which the Herb wrought that grew at the foot of Christs Statue And Sozomen relates farther lib. 5. c. 20. That the Apostate Julian in scorn took down this Statue and in the place set up his own which was struck with Lightning from Heaven and broke into many pieces Theoph. These things came to pass by a special Providence not to justifie the making of Christs Statue but in the sight of the Heathen to attest the Truth of those great Things which Fame had delivered of Christ whom they knew that Statue represented And to vindicate that Affront the Apostate Julian design'd to put upon our Savior Phil. We find they had the Pictures of Christ and the Apostles very frequent in S t Augustins time For some Enemies of the Gospel entitled Magic Books unto our Savior as by him written to his principal Disciples Peter and Paul Now Augustin observes how Paul was no Disciple of Christ in the days of his Flesh and so the Imposture was easily discover'd But because saith he they had often seen the Picture of Christ and of these two chief Apostles drawn together they concluded them to have bin his most beloved Disciples and so were induc'd to bring in Christ as communicating his Secrets and Mysteries of the Art of Magic to them Theoph. Bellarmin should have given you S t Augustins observation upon this passage a Lib. 1. c. 10. De cons Evangelist sic omnino errare meruerunt qui Christum Apostolos non in Sacris Codicibus c. So altogether they deserv'd to be mistaken and err who look upon Christ and his Apostles on painted Walls and not in the Holy Scriptures and it is no wonder to see such as are Forgers to be deceived by Painters Phil. The second Council of Nice as Bellarmin shews brings many other Testimonies of the Fathers occasionally in their Books making mention of the Pictures of Christ and of the Saints usual in their times Theoph. In the series of Discourse you have led us unto that Council and I shall chuse to accept your Appeal and thither we will go But first I will prepare the way and let you know That we do not declare against Images in themselves but as they are occasions of Superstitious Worship Men prize ancient Pieces representing Famous Men Suppose Julius Caesar or Tully or the Ancestors of their Family and much more should we value Pictures of Holy Men and Women or of our Blessed Savior But you must then shew they be true Resemblances and Copies of their Countenance Pictures very like them whom they represent whereas now in the Images of the Saints there is no regard had to their likeness but only to set up an Image that shall signifie and not represent An old Man with a Sword stands for Paul with Keys for Peter with a Cross decussat for Andrew so in our Saviors Pictures you shall observe as many Forms as there are Faces or Fancies of Men. If a Painter designing to draw our Ladies Picture should take a Beautiful Courtizan for his pattern it would serve Now such Pictures which have no likeness to the persons represented deserve no regard neither are they useful for Commemoration Should any one send you your Grand-fathers Picture much unlike him and drawn at all adventures you would not honor it so much as to hang it up in your Hall or Parlor But you and I both have been led out of the way by those who write upon this subject of Images instancing in some who have altogether rejected them and in others who have approved them whereas our chief Design is to shew the unlawfulness of Image Worship to allow no other use of Pictures then to put us in mind either of Things or Persons or for ornament of places If you are content herewith the dispute shall end between us always excepting against any Image of God whether Historical or Analogical or by what term soever you may distinguish Phil. If you see the Picture of Christ will you not worship him Theoph. When by occasion of his PIcture I am put in mind of my Savior my heart must honor and worship him as at any other time when I apply my self unto him in Meditation without a Picture to help the memory But we allow no Worship or Adoration due
hold That the Souls of the Faithful departed before Christs Resurrection did not enter into Heaven neither see the Face of God nor know the State of things here above them and therefore it was not usual in the Church to call upon them and say Holy Abraham pray for us Your Doctors hold a Bell. ib. c. 19. Notandum ante adventum Christi qui moriebantur non intrabant in Coelum non Deum videbant nec ordinarie poterant cognese preces sapplicantium That the Spirits of the Patriarchs and Prophets and People of God were shut up in Limbo Patrum as they call it in a subterraneous place the uppermost verge of Hell beneath us without pain and without joy in the Vision of God waiting for their redemtion out of that Prison by the coming of Christ who descended into Hell to set them at liberty and to conduct them triumphantly into Heaven When we urge that Text Isa 63. ver 16. Doubtless thou art our Father tho Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledgeth us not to shew how the Saints departed know not the Affairs and Transactions here below You answer So it was before Christs Ascension the Saints departed were not in Heaven until Christ opened the Kingdom to them but they were shut up from the Vision of God and from all knowledge of the concerns of this World and yet contrary to this their own Hypothesis you see how they give Instances of Moses and Samuel and Onias and Jeremiah praying for their People the Jews and sollicitous for them in their distress Phil. You may therefore observe the limitation of Bellarmine Non poterant ordinarie preces cognoscere c. In that state they understood not ordinarily the Affairs upon Earth nor heard the Prayers of the People but God might reveal them and so excite them to pray for the People upon which account some of our Doctors hold a Azorius Instit. Moral lib. 9. c. 9. Medina de Orat. Quaest 4. That Prayers might be made to the Fathers in Lymbo yea even to the Souls in Purgatory because they are in a state of Grace and Charity and by the gift of God or by the Ministery of Angels they may hear our Praiers Theoph. Upon the same ground we may daily implore the Assistance and Prayers of our Friends that are absent living at a great distance from us for God may reveal our Desires and Petitions to them but alas these are weak props and suppositions to uphold a feeble cause and hitherto your Learned Cardinal hath not bin demonstrative in the point Phil. Before we conclude I do not doubt but you shall change your note In the New Testament we read Rev. 5. 8. How the 24 Elders fall down before the Lamb having golden Viols full of Odors which are the Praiers of the Saints Theoph. What Argument can Bellarmin or you frame out of this Text I understand not his design Phil. Bellarmin shews how Interpreters understand by the Praiers of the Saints Intercessions made by the Saints in Heaven for the confirmation and support of their weak Brethren upon Earth Theoph. It seems then even the Saints in Glory make use of Mediators of the four Beasts and the twenty four Elders to present their Prayers to the Lamb. The more general Interpretation of that place is That these Odors filling the golden Vials are the Praiers of the Faithful upon Earth which are represented in the Psalm To ascend like the Incense Psal 141. ver 2. Phil. This gives as full testimony to our purpose as the other for thereby it appears the Praiers of the Saints on Earth are presented unto God and to the Lamb by the Saints and Angels in Heaven And to this effect we read Rev. 8. ver 3 4. how an Angel came and stood at the Altar having a golden Censer and there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it with the Praiers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the Throne And the smoke of the Incense which came with the Praiers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand Now this Incense offered up with the Praiers of the Saints on Earth we may suppose are the Merits and Intercession of the Saints in Glory Theoph. And we may suppose they are the Merits and Intercession of Christ whom Primasius understands by the Angel in this place we know it is said expresly Heb. 9. 24. That Christ is entred into the Holiest of all into Heaven it self to appear in the presence of God for us and that by him we offer up to God continually our Sacrifices of Praise Heb. 13. 15. and without all peradventure he is most properly said to add Incense and sweet Odours to our Praiers and Praises because for his sake only they are acceptable to the Father However I cannot but observe what a leap your Cardinal hath taken over all the New Testament to produce his first and cheifest Arguments out of the Revelations of S t John for the Saints hearing and presenting our Prayers unto God purposely to involve himself and others in mysteries and visions which can admit no clear Interpretation neither become useful to lay the Foundation of a Doctrine which takes up the greatest part of the peoples devotions in the Church viz. of the Invocation of Saints In a like case S t Augustine cried out to the Donatists a A Ferte aliquid quod non egeat Interpret Bring forth such proofs as want no Interpretation Suppose I should undertake to prove That the Souls of the just departed are not in Heaven neither do enjoy a perfect state in bliss Rev. 6. vers 9. c. because when the fift seal was opened S t John saw under the Altar the Souls of the Martyrs of them that were slain for the word of God and for the Testimony which they held and they cried with a loud voice saying How long O Lord Holy and true dost thou not judg and avenge our blood upon them that dwell on the earth and white robes were given unto every one of them that they should rest yet for a little season until their fellow servants and their Brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled Suppose I should from the same Text urge that the Martyrs do expressly pray for Divine vengeance upon their enemies but no mention is made of any intercession for their Freinds you would not well approve Arguments drawn from such mysterious visions and Revelations and therefore do not your self make use of them b Tom. 30. in Epistolis ad Paulinum ad Marcellam S t Jerom tells us That the book of the Revelations hath as many mysteries as words and that the whole is to be understood in a spiritual sense and not literal Phil. These things were certainly written for our Instruction and Bellarmine very well argues That if the Saints in Heaven and Martyrs do pray for jugdment upon their
est c. We must acknowledg that the dead do not know the things that are don upon Earth I shall give you a full account of this Book hereafter Next for S t Jerome Bellarmin saith he seems to say as much in his Book against Vigilantius where in truth the Father doth assert of the evil Angels That they wander far and wide thro-out the World and by their celerity are every where present But we must of necessity understand him only in a comparative sense their agility and swiftness makes them instantly to pass from place to place whereas gross Bodies required a slow and successive motion but Ubiquity and Omnipresence is an Attribute of God Incommunicable to a Creature Again These evil Angels may be conceiv'd present in all places by their numbers and multitude not by their individual persons Phil. But i Si Agnus est ubique ergo hi qui cum to sunt ubique sunt S t Jerome in that Book argues fully for the ubiquity of the Saints in Heaven because it is written of them That they follow the Lamb whither soever be goeth Rev. 14. 4. And if the Lamb be every where present therefore they that are with him Theoph. This Argument cannot hold for then much more the human Nature and Body of Christ united unto the Divine Nature should be omnipresent which I know none to assert and therefore S t Augustins Interpretation of that place is this k Lib. de Sancta Virginit c. 27. Quid est eum sequi nisi imitari To follow him is to imitate him not as he is the only Son of God by whom all things were made but as he is the Son of Man giving us an example of all things necessary to be sollowed Bellarmin knew well the Invalidity of S t Jeromes consequence and therefore did not urge it for an Argument Phil. But that you love to contradict and spin out your Discourse you need not have perplex'd your self and me with these Answers For you know Bellarmine approves of neither of these two ways of the Saints knowledg in Heaven Because saith he celerity cannot suffice but true ubiquity is requir'd to hear all the Praiers that shall be made to a Saint perhaps in all places of the World at the same time And again he saith That neither Angels nor Saints in Heaven altho they were present with us can naturally know our mental Praiers Theoph. We account these to be substantial Arguments against the Invocation of Saints and Angels because they cannot be every where present to hear Praiers made from all parts and because they know not our thoughts and mental Praiers Phil. But these are answer'd by the the two next ways he proposeth and approveth of the Saints comprehension and knowledg One is l Sanctos in Deo omnia videre quae ad ipsos aliquo modo tertinent That the Saints do sec all things in God that concerns them even from the first instant of their blessedness Theoph. I pray tell me why doth the Cardinal following Aquinas and other School-men put in that tearm of Limitation In the Face of God they see and know all things that concern them We know all things are in God and in him represented as in a Glass and Mirror and therefore Pope Gregory the Great asks the Question m Quid est quod ibi nesciant ubi scientem omnia sciunt What can they be ignorant of who know him that knoweth all things And therefore In speculo Trinitatis as the Schools speak in the Beatifical Vision one would think all things should be manifest to the Saints and Angels and not only such things as concern them Phil. The reason is plain God is Speculum voluntarium such a Glass as represents according to his good pleasure and what he thinks meet unto those who have the happiness to see his Face And therefore the Angels who alwaies behold the Face of God yet know not all things not the day of Judgment not the Mystery of Christs Incarnation and Mans Redemtion not the calling of the Gentiles c. until they learn'd these things by the Preaching of the Gospel amidst the Congregation of the Faithful so saith S t Paul Ephes 3. 10. To the end that now unto Principalities and Powers in Heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God Theoph. Your Answer is rational and excellently serves my purpose Such as see the Face of God do not in that Beatifical Vision see and know all things but only such things as pleaseth him to revele unto them And therefore the fourth Opinion which Bellarmin mentions was That God doth revele unto the Saints in every instant such Particulars as concern them and so when Praiers are made unto them the Lord makes the Blessed Saints to know and hear their Praiers by particular Revelation Hereupon I demand how this is prov'd That it is the good pleasure of God constantly to revele unto the Saints whatsoever doth concern them or all the Praiers that are made unto them Phil. I do not find the Cardinal attemts to prove this because he had reason to take it for granted Theoph. Or rather because he had no proof to offer and in truth he doth not so well approve this way of particular Revelation from God to the Saints because as he argues well n Si indigerent Sancti novâ revelatione Ecclesia non diceret omnibus Sanctis Orate pro nobis sed peteret aliquando à Deo ut eis revelaret preces nostras If the Saints know our Praiers which we make to them by Revelation from God we should not so constantly say to them Pray for us but rather somtimes beseech Almighty God that he would please to revele our Praiers to those Saints we Invocate Phil. He prefers that Opinion as most profitable That the Saints in Glory alwaies standing in the presence of God and beholding his Face do in that Beatificall Vision behold all things which relaâ—e unto them and need no particular Revelation and therefore in the Vision of God they know and hear the Praiers that are made unto them even from the first instant of their Beatitude Theoph. And so three waies Bellarmin doth not approve whereby the Saints and Angels are concern'd to know our state and hear our Praiers Now the fourth which he sticks too That from the first instant of their happiness all things which concern them are manifest and revel'd unto them This cannot be true for then the Saints must know when they shall reassume their Bodies which certainly concerns them and so by consequence They must know the Day of the general Resurrection and of Judgment which we deny They must also know all the Praiers that shall be made to them unto the Worlds end and so by consequence the end of the World So must the Angels from the beginning know the Praiers that shall be made to them the laps'd state of
this Canon as of the sixth general Council when he could not be ignorant how that Council made no Canons only he was willing to found the Doctrine of Saints Invocation upon the Autority of general Councils and you see how shamefully he hath pretended to them If this be the way to uphold their Church Let not my soul enter into their Councils Your Doctor cites likewise the next general Council the second Council of Nice of which I have given you formerly an Historical large account It instituted the worship of Images and did allow the Invocation of Saints but this was held 800 Years after Christ about which time this Superstitious Worship of the Saints was publicly avowed From the general Bellarmin proceeds to the Testimony of six Provincial Councils which speak not to his purpose They appoint the Litanies of their Churches to be solemnly used in the times allotted for them now because the Saints are praied to in their new Litanies therefore your Cardinal supposeth they were so in the old and wheresoever he finds a command for the use of Litanies there he infers Invocation of Saints commanded And the Council of c Bin. Tom 6. Concil Moguntinum c. 32. Adrogandum Deum c. Mentz is one of them which your Cardinal quotes and that Council held under Charles the Great Anno 813. tells us That Litanies or Rogations are solemnly appointed to beseech the Lord and implore his mercy viz. when some diresul Calamities are eminent not one word of calling upon the Saints Phil. Bellarmin in this place shews how Walfridus Strabo in the 8 th Book of Ecclesiastical Affairs chap. 28. declaring what these Litanies were mention'd in these Councils saith a Litaniam de qua agitur in bis Conciliis esse Sanctorum Invocationem They were the Invocation of Saints Theoph. Turn to the place and you will not find it so First Strabo gives an account of the original and use of Litanies and then for their matter he saith They are not only Invocations of Saints for help b In adiutorium â—um infirmitatis cuncta quae fiunt Orationibus but any Supplications to God are Litanies He adds farther That the Invocation of Saints was brought into the Litany after S t Jeromes days but how soon after he asserts not neither that those Councils which Bellarmin quoted did include the Invocation of Saints you have heard how the Council of Mentz did rather exclude them And therefore I pray now judg upon a sober recollection of the Cardinals proofs from Councils they are in part false in part impertinent It is almost incredible that in less then one page he should manifest unto as many as shall examin him so much deceit and imprudence but we impute all to his desperate cause which can be no otherwise maintain'd then by imposing upon the unwary Reader Farewel therefore unto the Testimony of Holy Scripture and the Testimony of any Council for more then 700 Years after Christianity unto your Doctrine of Saints Invocation Phil. I presume Bellarmin relied not much upon these Councils as you observe he hudled them up in few lines but his Testimony from the Fathers are numerous and significant Theoph. I presume he well knew there was little in those Councils for his purpose yet he was willing to make his credulous Reader believe he had the Autority of all these Councils on his side and I am much satisfied for my great trouble and pains in the full discovery of the contrary being destitute of any proof from Scripture and Councils be pleas'd to produce his Allegations from the Fathers of the Church for the Invocation of Saints departed Phil. He cites a full Testimony of Dionysius the Areopagyte who lived in the Apostles daies c Ecclesiast Hierarch c. 7. That as he who puts out his eyes in vain desires the light of the Sun d Sic qui Sanctorum preces flagitat c. so in vain do we desire the Praiers of the Saints whilst we live and act contrary to their purity Theoph. The passage refers rather to the Praiers of the Saints living then of the Saints deceas'd such as neglect holiness of Life shall not be benefited by others Praiers And he instanceth in Samuels Praying for Saul and the design of that Chapter principally concerns the Rites of Burial in the Church to shew how our Praiers for the living or for the dead at their Burial avail nothing except the Persons for whom we pray are worthy And for a second answer I must tell you this Book is falsly ascrib'd to Dionysius it discovers it self to be written after the Nicene Council as I may have occasion to prove hereafter Phil. However Bellarmin takes his next Argument to be most evident It is taken from the early Testimony of Ireneus a Lih. 4. c. 19. ut Virginis Evae Virgo Marin fieret Alvocata As Eve was temted to turn from God so Mary was well perswaded to obey him That the Virgin Mary might prove the Advocate of the Virgin Eve b Quidclarius What is more evident to the Point then this saith the Cardinal Theoph. It is his Artifice to set out a weak Argument with the greatest confidence for this place doth not prove the Point He should prove the Invocation of the blessed Virgin Mary and the Saints and he attemts to shew her Advocation Phil. If she be our Advocate we ought to implore her Intercession Theoph. Not so neither as you have bin often told the Saints in Heaven may pray for the Church in general the Blessed Virgin for the Generations of Adam and Eve and yet not hear our Praiers in particular or be sensible of our condition However this Passage out of Ireneus proves not so much That the Virgin Mary is the Advocate of the Virgin Eve as the Fathers words seem to declare for the Blessed Virgin was not in being until thousands of Years after Eve was a Virgin Neither can you conceive that now she makes Intercession for the Mother of all living None of your Doctors can be so cruel as to keep our Mother Eve so long in Purgatory Ireneus his plain meaning is this That as by the prevarication of the Virgin Eve all her Posterity did suffer so by the obedience of the Blessed Virgin to the Angels Message and by the Blessed Fruit of her Womb all Man kind is comforted and relieved We have not Ireneus his Works in Greek as they were first written Suppose his word he made use of was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you know that signifies as well a Comforter as an Advocate The Virgin Mary hath made amends for the transgression of her Sex in our Mother Eve This is the sense of that comparison in the Father Phil. What sense you will fix upon his Words I see must pass for currant Bellarmin brings the Testimony of Pope Cornelius in the third Century between whom and S t Cyprian there past many Letters
against any desire That the Faithfull living should assist us with their praiers Theoph. You should not join together the Mediation Intercession of Christ and of the Saints whether in Heaven or Earth And you may observe the Father speaks of k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intercessors in the plural as of many Implying That one is our Mediator between God and men even the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2. 5. And withall the Testimony is sufficient against that fond conceit That we are unworthy to draw neer to God in our own persons but by others Intercession Phil. You will draw out your discourse in infinitum by your rejoinders and remarks but I hast to an end The second Greek Father I propos'd was Theodoret a Learned Bishop of Cyprus who in his History of the Lives of Holy Fathers concludes each Life after this manner l Huic narrationi finem imponens rogo ut per horum intercess div cons cuxil I putting a period to this relation and history do pray and beseech that by the Intercession of these Saints I may obtaine Divine assistance Theoph. It is not here exprest that he did pray unto these Saints but we rather suppose to God upon the opinion of their Intercession That he might reap the benefit therof withall he was infected with the hereâ—y of Nestorius and wrote bitterly against Cyrill of Alexanria his twelve Theses and that work of his was condemn'd in the fift general Council and himself thro the violence of oppositions was compell'd against his judgment to pronounce Nestorius accurs'd yet we honor his great Learning and let his memory be precious Phil. I am glad to discover your moderation for there is another most considerable testimony out of him full to the point of Saints Invocation m Libro 8. De curandis Graec affectibus The Temples of the Martyrs are magnificent beautifull in them we often keep festivals such as enjoy health pray to the Martyrs to preserve it such as are sick desire health of them Men and Women who are unfruitfull ask of them Children Such as go a journey desire their conduct and after their safe return they pay their thanks to them owing their security to their favour Now saies he they do not pray to these Martyrs as to God but as unto Holy men whose Intercession they desire and that they often obtain'd their requests the numerous gifts devoted to these Martyrs do testify hanging up in the Martyrs Temples the pictures of theirs eyes and hands and legs in gold which their votaries recover'd by their merits and praiers and Intercession Theoph. These are high things and great assignments unto the Martyrs Methinks there should of right have bin som reflexions upon God in these deliverances and cures sure there was somthing in the wind that Bellarmin only refers to this passage and doth not set it down in full length being so full to his purpose in the 18 th chap. he hath part of this quotations but not the whole Perhaps the Cardinal was not fully satisfied with the person of Theodoret or rather with the book it self which n Niceph. l. 44 c. 54. Nicephorus doth not reckon up among Theodoret's Works when he gives an account of all his books these 8 books De curandis Graecorum affectibus are not mentioned o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Those which he wrote are these c. And withall your Learned Cardinal knew well That what Theodoret if this book were his did build with one hand he pull'd down with another as to this point of Invocation of Saints or Angels For in his Commentary upon the 2 d chap. of S t Paul to the Colossians vers 18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels I say Theodoret in his Commentary upon this place cuts off the sinews and foundation of Saints and Angels Invocation He shews how some Jewish Christians in Phrygia and Pisidia being zelous of the Laws did worship Angels by whom the Law was given and build Temples to S t Michael and others and that this course continued long among them p Bin. Concil Lacd Tom. 1. can 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And therfore that in the 4 th Century a Council of Bishops in Laodicea the Metropolis of Phrygia neer neighbor to Colosse did expresly forbid the worship of Angels calling it Idolatrie That Christians ought not to leave the Church of God and depart and call upon the Angels and make assemblies and if any be found to be conversant in this hidden Idolatrie let him be accursed Now this voluntary humility which S t Paul mentions refers to that humble pretence That sinners are not worthy to draw neer to God themselves but by the Intercession of Saints Angels Intruding into those things which he hath not seen vainly puft up in his fleshly mind saith the Apostle That is saith Theodoret a Propriis utens rationibus cogitationibus using his own reason and imaginations c. now saith he the b Synodus volens veteri illi morbo mederi cavit ne precarentur Angelos Synod of Laodicea desiring to cure this old dicease forbids them to pray unto Angels And you will grant if we must not pray to Angels neither to the Saints For you have deriv'd cheifly the Invocation of Saints from that of Angels Phil. c Ibid. cap. 20. Bellarmin hath answer'd this passage of Theodoret and of the Council of Laodicea and the Text of the Apostle together Namely d Apostolum damnare haeresin Simenis Magi qui decuit Angelos quasi minres c. That the Apostle condemns the heresie of Simon Magus who taught like Plato that the Angels should be worships as lesser Deities and that none could please the invisible God but by the Angels And he tells us That the Council e Concilium non damnat quamvis venerationem Ang. sed quae Deo propria did not condemn all worship of Angels but only such veneration as is proper to God Theoph. Observe the incongruity of this Answer as to several particulars He saith the Council condemns not all Veneration of Angels but only such as is proper to God the supreme Deity and yet according to his own relation Simon Magas and the Jewish Christians that worshipt Angels did not worship them as the Supreme Deity but only as subordinate Intercessors And S t Paul and the Councel of Laoduea condemns this That in voluntary humility they should deprive them selves of that priviledg to come to God themselves and so make way unto him by the Intercession of Angels The Apostle therefore and the Council sorbid this inferior worship as Theodoret observes f Ne precarentur Angelos That they should not pray to the Angels to make way for them unto the Great God And in the next chap. of S. Paul to the Colossians vers 17. the Apostle
contemn'd death might learn much more to contemn their Burial He shews That Funeral Solemnities are a Magis sunt vivorum solatiaquam subsidia Mortuorum rather comforts to the living then assistances to the dead And then coming near unto the Question touching the advantage of being buried in a Martyrs Temple He answers in those words which Bellarmin cites I see not how such a provision can benefit the Person deceas'd unless herein That whil'st his Friends remember where his Body lies Interr'd they may be apt to commend him to the Patronage of that Saint for assistance with God Phil. This plainly proves the particular Invocation of Saints departed Theoph. Have patience and S t Augustin in the next Chapter will shew what he meant by this recommendation The pious Mother saith he did desire her Son should be buried in the Martyrs Temple believing that so his Soul should reap some benefit from the Martyrs merits And then he immediatly adds b Hoc quod ita credidit suppli catio c. This belief of hens was a kind of Praier and if any thing did profit her Son This was it You plainly see how doubtfully the good Father speaks concerning the benefit of burial near a Martyr and how he expresly interprets praying to the Saint to be our believing that by his Merits we shall reap some advantage to our Souls He proceeds in that Book to shew That altho there have bin appearances of Ghosts complaining That their Bodies did lie unburied yet these things may come to pass by Divine permission thro the Ministry of good or evil Angels the Spirit departed knowing nothing of the Apparition He gives an Instance of an Executor who after his Fathers decease was much distressed with the demand of a great Debt which was supposd to have bin paid but having no Discharge to shew it was like to lie upon him Mean-while his Father appears to him and directs him to the place where he should find the Acquittance and a full discharge of the Debt Now by this Apparition Men may be apt to conclude That the deceas'd Father understood and compassionated his Sons condition and came to his relief and yet saith S t Augustin All this might come to pass by Divine Providence without his deceased Fathers knowledge And gives an Instance of himself appearing to a Friend of his in his Dream whilist himself knew nothing of it Eulogius was to read a solemn Lecture before a great Auditory in Carthage upon Tullies Rhetoric and one obscure passage there was which he did not well understand and was very solicitous how to interpret it And lo the night before saith S t Augustine as Eulogius declares I appeared to him in his Dream and shew'd him an apposite sense of the Words This is in the 11 th Chapter of the Book In the 13 th Chap. he concludes That of such Apparitions whether of Persons living or defunct are made to others themselves being altogether ignorant thereof And he concludes farther That there is no commerce between the living and the dead for otherwise saith he my most deer Mother would have often appear'd to me and manifested her care and love for God forbid That I should think she is become cruel by her state of Happiness And if our Parents and nearest Friends have no communion with us after death How should others thay are Strangers S t Augustin goes on to tell us That the Children of Abraham expresly say to God Isaiah 63. 16. Surely thou art our Father altho Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledge us not That Josiah was gathered to his Fathers that his eyes might not see the evil which should be brought upon Jerusalem 2 Kings 22. 20. implying That after death he should not know it Therefore saith he b Ibi sunt spiritus defuncti ubi non vident quae hic aguntur c. The Souls of dead Men are where they do not see what things are done here below And how then can they see their own Tombs And whereas Abraham did know Moses and the Prophets and their Writings when he directed Dives his Brethren unto them He might know them saith he by their own Relation after their decease In the 15 th Chapter he concludes fully c Fatendum est Nescire Mortuos quid hic agatur We must confess that the dead do not know what is here done unless somthing may be made known to them by the relation of Angels or persons lately deceas'd And whereas saith he at the Shrines and Monuments of Martyrs Miracles have bin wrought and Martyrs themselves have appear'd to the living yet they might not themselves know that they did appear as we read That Ananias appear'd to Saul in Damascus himself knowing not of it until the Lord acquainted him therewith The Lord said unto Ananias Acts 9. 11 12. Arise and go into the street which is called Strait and enquire in the House of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus for behold he Praieth and hath seen in a Vision a Man named Anaâ—ias coming in and putting his hand on him that he might receive his sight At length he concludes d An ista fiant Dei nutu per Angelicas potestates in honorem c. Such Miracles at the Shrines of Martyrs may be done by Gods permission thro the Ministry of Angels and Holy Powers in honor of the Saints and for the benefit of Men the Saints themselves being enter'd into the highest rest and attending unto more excellent things being sequestred from us and praying for us Phil. S t Augustin acknowledgeth you see that the Saints and Martyrs do pray for us Theoph. Yes in general as he expresseth it in the 16 th Chap. e Ipsis in loco suis meritis congruo ab omni mortalium conversatiens remotis c. They being remov'd from the society of Mortals in a place suitable to their merits and yet in general praying for the indigency of poor Supplicants As we pray for the dead with whom we are not present neither know we where they are or what they do Thus have I given an account of S t Augustins Judgment out of this Book to shew That he did not believe the Saints departed knew our conditions or that Praiers were to be made to them That which he mentions concerning the Praiers of the living for the dead that will fall into consideration hereafter Now as this excellent Father is voluminous so are there scattered in his Works many other Passages to take us off from the Invocation of Saints That even at their Shrines we ought not to pray to them but to God a Lib. 8. De civit Dei cap. ult He tells us That whatsoever Religious Obsequies are used in the Temples and Places of the Martyrs they are Ornaments of their Memory That we may give thanks to God for their Triumph and may encourage others to their Imitation from the renewing of their Memories
They were sheep and must be fed but they were not brute Beasts but a rational Flock e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and might so learn as in due time even to instruct their neighbors And so I hope this holy Father hath fully answered you Phil. f Lib. 2. de verb. Dei c. 16. Chrysost amplificat in concionibus utebatur Bellarmine and others observe Chrysostom to have bin a great Orator and to use Hyperbolies and Amplifications according to the occasion and he gives an instance pertinent to your purpose out of another place where he saith g It is impossible any one should obtain salvation unless he be alwaies conversant in reading Spiritual Books which you know cannot be true in a strict sense for many that cannot read may be saved Th. The Father speaks of Men that can read and by their neglect exclude themselves from a possibility of Salvation and that others who cannot read might be diligent to hear others reading the Scripture in the Church and in their Families And if this be your way to answer the Fathers when they fully declare against you to say They speak not Doctrinally but like Orators by way of Amplification you must needs carry all before you Put you will find in the Homily upon Lazarus how Chrysostom makes it his great business to exhort all his Congregation in the Preface to study the Scripture This saith he I Preach in public and this I exhort in private and will never desist from so doing b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That not only in the Church but also in your houses ye should diligently read the Scripture c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And I hate saith he that frigid answer and worthy all condemnation That because ye have Trades and worldly Business and Wife and Children therefore ye cannot be so well vers'd in the Scripture And that in your Opinion I should rather give this charge to study the Scripture unto Men separate from the World unto Monks and Hermits and the Clergy What saiest thou man as the Father goes on Is it not thy business to attend unto the Scripture because thou art incumbred with myriads of worldly affairs I tell thee for this very reason thou shouldst apply thy self to the Scripture more then such who are free from cares for amidst thy multiplicity of business thou dost want the help and conduct of the Scripture more then they who are secluded from the world Thy Wife may vex thee thy Children grieve thee thy Servant anger thee thy Friend envy thee thy Enemy beset thee with snares the Judge oppress thee thy Neighbor curse thee and against all these and other assaults how necessary will be the Panoply of the Scripture the only Physic against all the maladies of the World After all this judge whether Bellarmines shift will serve his turn touching Chrysostom ' s Oratory and Amplifications No it was the good Fathers business and principal part of Doctrine in many Homilies to recommend the study of the Scripture unto his Congregation Phil. But you may read another answer Bellarmine gives to these vehement Exhortations of Chrysostom d Quoniam dediti erant homines tâ—â—atris spect aliisque 〈◊〉 script divinas nunquam legebant Because the People of that great City Constantinople were much given to Plaies and Sights and other trisling Divertisements and such as were sit and able did not look into the Bible therefore he was so solicitous to quicken them a Hom. 3. in Lazarum Tom. 5. c. Theoph. Doth not the same Cause ever inforce the same Exhortation Are not Men too much addicted to the Vanities and Lusts and Cares of the World and therefore need these sacred Divertisements But by these whiffling Answers you may perceive how your great Bellarmin is a Trifler and so are all his Seconds who have the confidence without shew of reason to shift off Arguments and Texts of Scripture which are as clear as the Sun against them But such weak Answers fortifie our Objections and do in truth manifest They are so convincing that Men must be frivolous or silent in their Solutions Phil. I ascribe this Triumph before the Victory and this insulting over your Adversaries unto the partiality of your Judgment in your own cause Theoph. To decline this Imputation I shall choose to submit all to the impartial Reader and pass from the testimony of Holy Scripture unto the testimony of the Holy Fathers of the Church who exhort all Christians to the search and study of the Scripture And altho we meet with great variety of Testimonies collected by learned Protestants out of the ancient Fathers yet for brevity sake I will produce only such as I have had the opportunity to read my self and if occasion serves will hereafter be ready to produce the rest a Lib. de spectaculis ad finem Script sacris incumbat Christianus fidelis ibi inveniet condigna fidei spectacula Cyprian willing to withdraw Christians from the Roman Theaters and Sports having condemn'd them for their Idolatry and Impurities he directs Christians to the contemplation of Gods Works in the excellent frame and beauty and order of the Creation and more especially to read the Scripture Let the Believing Christian saith he make the holy Scripture his study where he shall find excellent discoveries agreeable to his pretious Faith Phil. This Testimony of Cyprian justifies Bellarmins former Answer That because the People were much given to frequent the Theaters and Scenes full of obscenity and vice therefore for that season Chrysostom did divert them by a better imploiment exhorting them to study the Scripture But this proves not that they should be alwaies read by the common people but only upon such special Considerations Theoph. When such Motives and Considerations are wanting let Men and Women lay aside their Bibles but as long as we live in a wicked World there will be alwaies need of the light and conduct of Gods Holy Word to lead us out of the works of Darkness and way of Unrighteousness But I pray hear others b Homil 9. in Levit. Oplamus ut operam detis non selum in Ecclesia c. Origen tells his hearers We do heartily wish that ye would labor not only in the Church to hear Gods word but also in your houses to be exercised in his Law day and night And he proceeds In vain do ye complain that the flesh is weak while ye neglect to nurish and fortifie the spirit by reading the Holy Scripture and by Praier and hearing the instruction of the Word And elsewhere as you have heard before he passionatly wisheth a Homil. 2. in Isaia Would God we all would follow that which is written Search the Scriptures b Lib. 12. de praepar Evang. Eusebius Caesariensis assigns the reading of the Holy Scriptures both unto Babes in Christ and unto strong Men with this difference The first sort must simply