Service are guilty of Sixthly The Practice of your Church in Praying to the Saints is irrational and abominable because upon a due consideration of what manner of Saints you Invocate they are such whose Saintship nay whose Existence is by us justly to be question'd I pray call to mind what Cassander one of your own Church speaketh by way of complaint in his Chapter De Meritis Intercessione Sanctorum These are his words The People do now almost despise the Old Saints and serve with more Affection the New whose Holiness is less certain Yea there are some of them of whom we may justly doubt whether ever they lived in the World. I. You pray to some of doubtful Saintship or Holiness who instead of reigning in Heaven it may be are frying in Hell. You I suppose very well know that I do not now speak without Authority for it is a famous Saying of Gregory the Great That the Bodies of many Persons are Worshipped on Earth whose Souls are tormented in Hell. This is not only the opinion of one Doctor but Thomas of Aquine and Cardinal Cajetan and others do acknowledge that in a matter of Fact his Infallible Holiness may be mistaken and that his Holiness may be in an Errour in this very business of Canonization And many of your Church have taken great offence at that prostitution of Devotion usual in your Publick Assemblies to every upstart new Saint Do you not in this Worship many times ye know not what Christ put the Question to the Samaritan Woman give me leave to put the same to you I pray Who is it that you Worship How came they to be the Objects of your Worship and great Devotion paid to them in your Churches after they were dead whose Conversations were much questioned whilst alive against whom many Scandals were proved How many of your Saints Sir have been made fâ—r Money Many of them Traytors to the Government under which they then lived It would be an endless Task for me to make Observations upon the Lives of some of your Saints Murderers and common Disturbers of the Peace of Christendom Sir I will instance in the Lives of those Saints that have been of Note in the English Nation The first Instance that I shall give you is that of Austin the Monk and Archbishop of Canterbury who was sent into this our Nation by Gregory the Great and therefore called by your Church The Great Apostle of England this Monk with others were by this Gregory sent into this Island to turn the People to the Romish Religion which Augustine when through his pretended Holiness or rather Hypocrisie had got a Party to own him and had obtained of King Ethelbert to be Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of all England went into Wales where he found many Godly and Learned Bishops and Preachers of God's most Holy Word which sincerely and truly taught the Doctrine of the Scriptures and rightly administred the Sacraments according to Christ's Institution whom this Austin the Monk laboured to the best of skill and power to allure from the Sincerity and Simplicity of Christ's Religion unto the Superstition and Idolatry of your Church setting out that he was a Legate of the Most Holy Father the Pope sent from Rome and that he was made and ordained the chief Bishop and Primate of all England and therefore he commanded them to obey him and his Doctrine and to receive that Most Holy Father of Rome and his Religion but the Godly and Learned Fathers boldly answer'd That they were already true Christians and according to the Word of God they governed their Churches therefore would neither obey him nor submit themselves to the Authority of that strange Romish Bishop nor yet receive his strange Superstitious Ceremonies but continue as heretofore they had done in their old way of serving of God. For which cause Austin the Monk with his Companions departed and being not satisfied with the entertainment these holy men gave him he found a way to give these Christians great trouble because they would not obey him nor comply with the Bishop of Rome's pretended Title over them This develish Priest he complained to King Ethelbert that the Britains would neither obey him nor any man but only the Archbishop of Carleon which thing thus represented to the King it moved him to wrath and threatned to destroy them all Writing to Elfrid King of Northumberland that he would come to him with all the Force he could raise and that he would meet him at Leicester and from thence they would go into Wales and destroy the Archbishop of Carleon and all those who had refused to obey Austin and his Doctrine When these holy men heard of this and that the two Kings with their Armies did approach to the end they might destroy them they sent unto the Kings certain holy and good men who went barefoot and with all Humility and Meckness besought them to cease from so ungodly an Action But these wicked Kings would not speak to these holy men but presently order'd them to be slain which was presently done being in number five hundred and forty some say eleven hundred And from thence these Kings went to Bangor in order to destroy all the Britains but they having received notice of the intentions of these instigated Princes they assembled themselves and raised all the Force they could resolving to fight in the defence of their Religion and Country so that in the Battel King Ethelbert was slain by the just Judgment of God and Kind Elfrid was sore wounded in the Battel and forced most shamefully to fly the whole Army also were defeated and almost all destroyed Thus God gave his Servants Victory over their Enemies Ex Chron. Angl. This Sir is a Saint to whom great Devotions are paid by your Church for that as your Divines say he was the first that brought the Faith into this Land which is false the Faith having been Received by the Inhabitants thereof many hundred years before he was born But behold his Pride and Cruelty two Vices that did rather intitle him a Devil than a Saint His Pride is sufficiently set forth by Venerable Bede who tells us That he did disdain to rise up in token of Reverence to seven Bishops and other Learned and Grave men of Britain when they made their appearance at his Council And because of this his Pride they would not hearken to his Demands nor take him for their Archbishop thinking that if he carried himself so insolently to them whilst a Stranger what Respect might they hope for when they came under his Jurisdiction His Cruelty appears in stirring up two Kings to commit such barbarous Murders Now Sir what reason have we to pray to such a Saint as this that had stained his Life with such foul Crimes as these Besides I could never yet read of his Repentance for that Bloud which he had occasioned to be shed Nay see but the old Chronicle written in
ista vel figment a Mendacium hominum vel protent a fallacium Spirituum Let no man say it is true for that or this Man hath wrought this or that Miracle for that Men make their Prayers at the Tombs of our Dead and obtain their Desires or for that these or these Miracles be wrought there c. Away with these things they may be either the Juglings and Mockeries of deceitful Men or else Illusions of Iying Spirits Aug. de Vnitate Ecclesiae Cap. 16. Again St. Chrysostome saith Per Signa cognoscabatur qui essent essent veri Christiani qui falsi nunc autem signorum operatio omnino levata est mag is autem Invinitur apud eos qui falsi sunt Christiani In old time it was known by Miracles who were the true Christians and who the false but now the working of Miracles is taken quite away and is rather found amongst them that are false Christians Chrysost in Matth. Hom. 49. Therefore St. Augustine saith Contra illos mirabiliar is cautum me fecit Deus meus dicendo in novessimis diebus exsurgent pseudo Prophetae facientes signa portenta ut inducunt in errorem si fieri possit etiam Electos Against these Miracle-Mongers my God hath armed me saying In the latter days shall arise false Prophets working Signs and Wonders to deceive if it be possible the Elect of God. Aug. in Johan Tract 13. Sir you have told us of a great many Miracles that have been wrought by the Bodies and Relicks of Saints and Martyrs But I wonder you being of the Society of Jesus would not give us one touch of the Relicks of St. Xaverius in East-India and of his Relicks at Rome nay there is scarce a Colledge of Jesuits in Christendom but have of them more or less and by those Relicks many Miracles have been wrought Why did you not prove that he might be Worshipped all over Christendom as well as any other Saint Why did you not give an account of the Miracles of the Saints of your Order in India Who by their Holy Water have driven Mice out of the Country and made barren Women to bare Children and such other wonderful Miracles But you are a modest Gentleman and would not therefore take notice of them at this time lest the World should not at this time of day be under any obligation to believe them or any part of them and as the World is now cautious so have Learned Men in all Ages Alexander of Hales saith In Sacramento apparet Caro interdum humana procuratione interdum operatione Diabolica In the Sacrament itself there appeareth Flesh sometimes procured by Men and sometimes by the working of the Devil Alex. de Hales Par. 4. Quest 53. Mem. 4. Therefore from hence observe that Miracles are not the Signs always of true Doctrine especially of the Doctrine you defend viz. Praying to and Worshipping of Saints Love you know is bountiful and as it hath produced a very fair Account of the Miracles wrought by the Relicks of Saints and the Bodies of your Martyrs so give me leave on my part to tell you what Miracles I have seen wrought by the Preaching of the glorious Gospel of our dear Redeemer the Blind see and the Dumb speak the faint-hearted are made couragious our Bishops are stout in the Cause of our blessed Lord our Presbyters speak now with the Tongues of Angels the Voice of our God is heard amongst us and the People are turned from Darkness to Light and from the power of Antichrist to the obedience of the Gospel The Doctrine that is Preached amongst us is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Joynts and Marrow confounding Principalities and Powers Spiritual Wickednesses and High Places good Men are perfected the Body of Christ is edisied these Sir if you have Eyes to see are great Miracles Saint Chrysostom saith The Conversion of the World is a Miracle Chrysost in cor Hom. 6. St. Austin saith Modo Caro caeca non aperit Oculos Miraculo Domini Cor caecum aperit Oculos Sermone Domini Now adays the blind Flesh openeth not her Eyes by the Miracles of our Lord but the blind Heart openeth his Eyes at the Word of our Lord Aug. de verbis domin Secund. Mat. Ser. 18. Again Modo Aures corporis surdae non aperiuntur sed quam multi habent clausas Aures Cordis quae tamen verbo dei penetrante Patescant Now adays the deaf Ears of the Body be not opened but how many are there who have the Ears of their Heart shut up which notwithstanding are opened when the word of God that pierceth entereth I think that these Miracles are greater Arguments why we should Worship God through Jesus Christ then the Miracles of the Relicks and Monuments of the Martyrs are why you should Worship and Pray unto the Saints It may be you may not take it well if I should not take notice of your Miracles once more therefore I will I behold the Countenance of your Glorious Miracles Your Crosses they can speak and your Idols can go your Images can light their own Lamps your Holy Water is able to drive away Mice and to make barren women Fruitful and to calm the Sea. This I have learned from some of your own Writers but your Miracles and your Doctrine of Praying to Saints is much alike but I will conclude this Head with the Saying of St. Hierom Mendacium Antichristi Christi Veritas devorabit The Truth of Christ shall devour the Falshood of Antichrist Having examined your Doctrine that because the Relicks of the Martyrs are dispersed about into divers places and being honoured in their respective places where their Relicks are reposed that therefore they might be Worshipped in a thousand different places at one and the same time for which you produced several Witnesses and they being all considered you now proceed to shew that this Doctrine of Praying to Saints was authorised by four Councils held within the space of the first five hundred years after Christ By the Authority of those Councils you think you do your work First You cite the Council of Chalcedon and say That in the First General Council held there the Bishops belonging to the Patriarchate of Constantinople publickly in the Council and unopposed used this Invocation to Flavianus Flavianus lives after Death let the Martyr Pray for us And more you say you do not express in your Litanies to the Saints This was a Practice But I pray Sir where is the Injunction There is a Decree in your Chapter held at Tront That the Saints shall be Prayed unto If you can find such a Decree in the Council of Chalcedon I pray let us see it or else never pretend to cite the Authority of the Council I was big with expectation and truly did give myself the trouble to peruse and consider it but finding no
Decree in the case I therefore judge that your citing the Council was to little or no purpose the Practice of a number of Bishops being no Warrant for any Doctrine whatsoever unless approved allowed and decreed by a General Council You have met with sundry Debates amongst Learned Men that have not been opposed by the rest of the Council yet when the Question hath been put it hath been carryed against the Debates though they have appeared with a considerable Party But I will consider your Invocation here in the Council of Chalcedon The Words of your Invocation are these Flavianus lives after Death let him Pray for us I pray Sir do but consider the occasion of the Words There were two Persons that stood Candidates for the Bishoprick of Ephesus Bassianius and Stephen who both contended for that Bishoprick Bassianius appears before that Council and he having had this Flavianus to communicate with him in his Life-time and having been a great Favourite with him he because of that intimacy engaged the Bishops of the Obedience of Constantinople who cryed out in the Council in the behalf of Bassianius Flavianus the Martyr lives after Death he shall Pray for us Which is no more than this he shall intreat you to do us this favour as to give the Cause for Bassianus and confirm him Bishop of Ephesus let him Pray for us since he was a Martyr for the Faith let his Martyrdom oblige you to appear for his Friend These Bishops did not say Flavianus lives after Death he shall pray to God for us for you must understand these Bishops had made the Cause of Bassianus their own but he shall pray or intreat this Council for us This is a worthy proof for the Lawfulness of Praying to Saints for do but consider if it be given for granted that the intention of those Bishops was Let Flavianus pray to God for us What then doth it say Let us pray to Flavianus Here is not one Word of that nor indeed of the other Secondly You in the second place cite the Council of Gangrae Can. 20. If any one through Pride believing himself perfect accuse those Meetings which are had at the places where holy Martyrs Repose or in their Churches or believes that such Oblations as are made there ought to be slighted Let them be accursed But I pray Sir why do you put these words in that is need not the Intercession of the Saints that is the greatest Folly that ever Men could be guilty of What Man of Learning could ever give this Explication of a Canon which the thing will in no wise bear But Sir I will forfeit all the skill I have if you can bring any of the Doctors of Sorbonne or any of the Congregation De propaganda fide that would produce this Canon of the Council of Gangra to prove that Praying to Saints was enjoyned by the Catholick Church Nay I will appeal to any of the Learned of your own Society whether they in their Consciences do believe that it looks like a proof to justifie that Doctrine The Canon being taken as you have laid it down says no more that they are accursed who shall take down the Monuments of the Martyrs or should believe that the Oblations made in those Holy Places were to be slighted or should in any measure reflect on those that did frequent the Meetings had and held where the Bodies of the Martyrs did repose Here is not one word of Praying to the Saints or of the Saints making Intercession for us Thirdly You produce the Council of Laodicea held in the Year 320 as allowing the Worshipping of the true Martyrs of Christ mentioning Churches built in their Honour over their Monuments whether the Christians resorted I perceive you are faint-hearted and durst not say the Sence of the Council of Laodicea see the 35 Canon where it was determined by that Council That Christians ought not to leave the Church and go and call upon Angels and make Meetings which are things forbidden If any Man therefore be found giving himself to this secret Idolatry let him be accursed because he hath forsaken the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God and hath applied himself to Idolatry Theodoret in his Exposition upon the Epistle to the Colossians doth twice mention this Canon and declare the Sence of it upon Col. 3. 17. the Apostle saith He commandeth us to adorn our Words and Deeds with the Commemoration of our Lord Jesus Christ and to send up thanks giving to God and the Father by him and not by Angels The Synod of Laodicea follow also this Rule and desiring to heal this old Disease viz. Angel-Worship made a Law That they should not Pray unto Angels nor forsake our Lord Jesus Christ. And on Col. 2. he adds That this Vice continued long in Phrygia and Pisidia for which cause the Synod assembled in Laodicea a chief City in Phrygia forbad them by a Law to Pray unto Angels Oecumenius hath much the same words upon the same place and here I am sure you find nothing of Praying to Saints but rather forbidden for if it be unlawful to Pray to the Angels and that be Idolatry then it is unlawful to Pray to the Saints for without doubt the latter is as lawful as the former In the Sixth and thirty sixth Canons of that Council you say That the Worshipping of Martyrs was as it were allowed or that I may not be charged for a Misrepresenter you say That you produced that Council as allowing the Worshipping the true Martyrs With what face can you assert that when those Canons speak nothing of the Worship of the true Martyrs The Council makes mention indeed of the resort of the Christians to the Churches of the Martyrs where they did use to pray but there is nothing in that Council that intimates any thing of the lawfulness or the necessity of Praying to Saints but rather forbids it Fourthly The last Council you cited is the fourth Council of Carthage held you say in the Year 368 not only Authorizing Christiansto meet in Churches Dedicated to Martyrs and even where-ever any Monument of a Martyr should be but commanding that all Altars should be demolished if there be not an evident certainty of the Relicks over which they were erected What is all this to the purpose The Council of Carthage say you Authorised Christians to meet in Churches Dedicated to the Martyrs Ergo Prayers to Saints are lawful That the Councel ordered the demolishing of all Alters if there were not an evident certainty of the Relicks over which they were erected Ergo the Council did command Praying to Saints But if you will look into the third Council of Carthage you will find it against the Praying to Saints You are pleased to say that this was the most expressive method of authorizing Devotion to the blessed Saints The Council authorized Christians to meet in Churches Dedicated to the Martyrs this was indeed an expressive method