Bernard who was Abbat of the Cloister of Claitual liued in Burgundie one of the principall Prouinces of France and was there in greater reputation then al the other Monkes of his Order His bookes doe plainly witnesse that hee was more inclined to the inuocation of our only God and celestiall Father then to the adoration of Saints and that he beleeued that no man could haue sure accesse vnto his throne of grace but by the merit of the death of our only Sauiour Iesus Christ. Your Fathers haue brought in and receiued his bookes in their Church without any contradiction and euen vnto this present you haue them in your Cloisters and handle them daily And yet for all this you loue rather to affirme against your owne consciences that S. Bernard constantly maintained the inuocation of Saints then roundly to confesse that he spake thereof with some scruple of conscience and very doubtfully as appeareth by his writings In the repetition of the prayers which our Fathers haue addressed to the departed Saints you nominate that prayer of Origens and aske me whether Origen that Doctor praying to the Prophet Iob about the yeere of Christ 220 Was an Idolater But sith that Origen was before S. Ieromes time S. Chrysostomes S. Cyprians S. Austins S. Iohn Damascenus and many other Doctors of the Primitiue Church according to S. Ieromes testimonie who saith that in the yeere of Christ 203 Origen was then of the age of seuenteene yeeres it is maruell why you haue not done him that honour to place him in his ranke and to cite his prayers aswell as others Moreouer it is a wonder that you doe this wrong to Origen to attribute this prayer to him O S. Iob pray for vs miserable wretches that the mercie of God may deliuer vs. True it is that Origen had many strange and dangerous opinions in such sort that S. Ierome saith of him that hee commended his spirit but not his faith that he set greatly by his translations but not by his doctrines and expositions which hee tearmeth venomous and farre from the sense of holy Scriptures and doing them violence but howbeit as wee haue alreadie proued by his disputations against Celsus the Philosopher that he spake well of the inuocation of Gods name and maintained that religious adoration appertaineth onely to God and the presentation of out prayers to our only Mediatour and Intercessor Iesus Christ. If Celsus reproched Origen that he and the other Christians worshipped our Lord Iesus Christ and from thence sought to conclude that the Christians worshipped after the fashion of the Gentiles some other then God would not he Celsus also haue replied that hee and his followers called vpon the Prophet Iob and that they beleeued they offended not God in seruing religiously his seruant would hee not likewife in good earnest haue flouted at this distinction of Origens that the Christians worshipped no other but God in calling on the name of Iesus Christ forasmuch as Christ was not a simple man as the Prophets other departed Saints were nor likewise a simple creature as the Angels but forasmuch as hee was also one God with the Father and Lord of all things And what likelihood is there that hee besought Iob to pray for him when he himselfe prescribed this rule to all Christians to offer their prayers only to God through his only Sonne and protesteth in his eighth booke against Celsus to haue followed it with the other Christians His rule is That wee must adore the only soueraigne God and present our prayers to the only Sonne of God who is his Word and the first borne of all creatures that as a high priest he might offer them vp to his God and to our God to his Father and according to his word the father of all liuing The practise agreeable to this rule is expressed in these words We worship as much as we can through supplications and seruices one only God and his only Sonne his word and his image offering our prayers to God the Lord of all things by his only Sonne to whom first we doe addresse them beseeching him that being propitiatour far our sinnes he would vouchsafe as high priest to offer vnto God our prayers sacrifices and intercessions and therefore our faith lieth in God through his Son who hath confirmed it in vs. It is not credible then that Origen hath inuocated Iob not the other departed Saints not the Virgin Mary likewise sith that hee himselfe in his sermons comprehendeth them all together in the number of sinners which are not entred into heauen through their owne merits but by the only faith in Iesus Christ. Shall we thinke saith he in his 27. Sermon and 2. tome that all the Apostles were offended in our Lord and that his mother was exempted If she hath suffered no scandall in the passion of the Lord then Iesus died not for her sinnes But if all haue sinned and haue all need of the glorie of God to be iustified and redeemed through his grace surely Mary was offended in that very houre And this is it which Simeon prophecied saying And thy soule also which knowest thou hast conceiued without a man and who hast heard by Gabriel that the holy Ghost should come vpon thee and the power of the most High should ouershadow thee euen thine shall a sword pearce thorow and thou shalt bee smitten with the blade of doubtfulnesse and thy thoughts shall distract thee when thou shalt see him to be crucified and put to death whom thou hast heard called the Son of God and knewest to be begotten without the seede of man But what will you say if I should shew you that your owne men haue not held these Commentaries vpon Iob nor Origens Lamentations wherein hee praieth the Saints to prostrate themselues for him to the mercies of God for authenticall bookes For as Pope Gelasius hath reiected the booke of Lamentations attributed to Origen and iudged to be Apocrypha so Sixtus Senensis sheweth in his fourth booke that the Treatise vpon Iob and some such like books were not composed by him but by some other author which certaine of our Fathers suspected of heresie For in his second booke he compareth these three diuine persons to wit the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost to three hornes of the Diuell and tearmeth the doctrine of the holie Trinitie a sect and a heresie of three Gods All men of reason and discretion taking heede to the falsehood of these allegations will they not haue in abomination your audaciousnesse and impudencie to proue the anciencie of the adoration of Saints by witnesses of no credit and by depraued bookes cast off a long while agoe by your predecessors Moreouer as the Arrians Montanists and sundrie other heretikes haue mixed their poyson among the sound doctrine contained in the bookes of the ancient Fathers and like as diuers superstitious persons haue annexed to the wholesome
Now the Saints as well in this world as in the other although they be mediators and intercessors for vs in reconciling vs vnto God through their praiers yet neuerthelesse haue had need of Iesus Christ to be reconciled vnto God themselues through his intercession and in his name they obtaine all whatsoeuer they doe obtaine for vs. But Iesus Christ saith S. Paul of himselfe without the interposition of any man approcheth vnto God to make intercession for vs. This reason hath beeen noted by S. Austin that great Doctor of the Church when he speaketh thus The Christians saith he pray for one another but he for whom no man maketh intercession and who maketh intercession for all men is the onely and true Mediator We then which are Catholikes doe confesse that according to these abouesaid significations Iesus Christ is truly the sole and true Mediator onely Aduocate and Intercessor But wee say also againe and that with all truth against these heretikes that that hindereth not but the Saints liuing or departed may be so also after their manner For truth whereof I will refer my selfe to the holy scripture For in the fifth Chapter of Deuteronomie Moses calleth himselfe a Mediator saying thus I haue been an vmperer and a Mediator betweene God and you that is speaking of the Hebrewes Vnto which words S. Paul making an allusion in the 9. Chapter of the Hebrewes calleth Iesus Christ Mediator of the new Testament to make a difference betweene him and Moses which had been so of the old And S. Gregory Nazianzenus calleth the Martyrs Mediators betweene God and vs and Saint Cyril saith the same of the Apostles and Prophets For more ample confirmation thereof is it not certaine that we haue but one Sauiour of the world which is the same Iesus Christ Verily there is nothing more sure And neuerthelesse the scripture which cannot lie giueth the same title of honour to others though it be not for the same reason without doing wrong or dishonour to Iesus Christ as namely to Othoniel in the third chapter of the booke of Iudges and Nehemiah also in the 9. Chapter of his booke confirmeth the same King Pharaoh likewise as appeareth in the 41. Chapter of the booke of Genesis calleth Ioseph in the Egyptian tongue not onely Sauiour but Sauiour of the world Therefore by these three small reasons it is easie to be vnderstood how the Saints may also be Mediators and Intercessors vnto God for vs. And if they are so wee may and ought to call vpon them in our necessities and humane miseries Neither will follow from thence that we doe reiect the Sonne of God seeing we alwaies giue vnto him the first ranke of being the true and only Mediator according to the fashion aboue said and the Saints in their sort and maner So then it can be no otherwise then exceeding good to call vpon them as euermore they haue done in our Catholike Church which we will shew you by the authoritie of generall Councels and by the holy Fathers and Doctors which haue all approued the inuocation of Saints Let vs come to the Councels First in the Epistle sent to all the Bishops of Europe which is annexed to the Councell of Chalcedonie and solemnized vnder the Emperor Leo you snall there finde these words We put the most holy Father Proterius into the ranke of the Martyrs crauing the mercy of God Secondly in the eleuenth Action of that Councell the holy Fathers being there assembled and treating vpon Flauian the Martyr say all with one consent as followeth Flauian Martyr which liuest after thy death pray for vs. Thirdly in that generall Councell cap. 7. it is thus said The Christian hauing adored one onely God let him pray vnto the Saints that they might vouchsafe to make intercercession for him to the diuine Maiestie Furthermore in the seuenth general Councell the holy Fathers speake in this maner Let vs do all things with a conuenient feare crauing the intercessions of the most pure mother of God of the holy Angels and of the Saints Behold therefore we say the Letanies which are certaine praiers addressing our selues to the Saints first to the most holy Trinitie to the glorious Virgin Mary to the Apostles to the Martyrs to the Confessors and to the Virgins And these aboue said Letanies haue been commanded by many generall Councels as by that of Gerund by the fifth and sixth of Toledo in Spaine by the eleuenth of Brachara in Portugall by the first of Orleans in France and finally by that of Magence in Germany which was solemnized vnder Charles the Great All which Councels being graced with a number of excellent and learned personages commanded for the good and vtilitie of the Christians to say these aboue said Letanies three daies before our Lords ascension and also at other times appointed Which commandement and ordinance is for vs that are Catholikes a cleere euident and a generall testimonie of the inuocation of Saints as a thing which for a long time hath been beleeued receiued approued and practised in the Church of God For as much as these aboue said Councels haue all of them been solemnized almost a thousand yeeres agoe Let vs now shew that the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church haue all of them with one consent taught the same Saint Denis the disciple of S. Paul cap. 7. Eccle. Hierarc saith thus He which requireth the intercession of Saints and will not imitate their holy works is like vnto the man that putteth out his eies and yet would be partaker of the beames of the Sunne The same doctrine S. Irenaeus teacheth in his 5. booke against Haeres cap. 19. treating of the virgin Mary and Eue. S. Athanasius in his most deuote sermon de aâ—nunt of the most glorious Virgin praieth thus vnto her Mary incline thine eare to our praiers and forget not thy people And presently after he saith We cry vnto thee Remember vs most holy Virgin And a little lower he addeth Make intercession for vs our Mistris our Lady our Queene Mother of God Saint Basil in his sermon of the Martyrs saith If any man be in tribulation let him haue his recourse to these Saints He which is in ioy let him call vpon them also the one to be deliuered from his euill the other to bee confirmed in his good And S. Iohn Chrysostome in his 66. Hom. ad Populum The Emperor saith he which is clothed in scarlet commeth for to imbrace the sepulchers and laying aside all pompe standeth vp to intreat the Saints to make intercession for him and hee which marcheth crowned with a diademe praieth vnto a tent-maker and a fisher-man as protectors of the diademe Saint Iohn Damascenus lib. 4. des fide cap. 16. treating of the profit and benefit that commeth vnto vs through the inuocation of Saints saith By the Saints the diuels are chased away the sicke healed the blinde see the leprous cleansed tentations and vexations ouercome and
you equal hir with our redeemer in calling hit Reparatrix and Salâ—atrix of mankind The queene of mercy the valiant woman which hath broken the serpents head and she alone that hath rooted out all the heresiâ—s in the world Cardinall Bâ—nauenture makes no conscience to appropriate to hit all that Dauid in his psalmes hath attributed to God the father the sonne and the holy Ghost Blessedâ— is that man saith he which liueth Mary which giueth praise vnto 〈◊〉 name which putteth his trust in hir which hopeth in hit Come vnto hir all ye that are wearie and she will giue rest vnto your soules The heauens declare thy glorie The earth and hir fulnesse is thine thou raignest eternally with God blessed are those which make much of thee because in thy mercies thou wilt wash their sins haue mercie on me mother of mercie and according to the bowels of thy mercies wash me from all mine iniquities Wicked serpent whereof bostest thou thy selfe put thy necke vnder Mary ô Ladie bruse him by the vertue of thy foot cast him down by thy force into the bottomlesse pu Saue me in thy name and deliuer me from mine vnrighteousnesse take pitie on me for my heart is readie to receiue thy will Lord for our sinnes thou hast repulsed vs and because of the virgin Marie hast taken pitie on vs. Let Marie arise and all hir enemies shall be destroyed Lord giue thy iudgement to thy sonne and thy mercy to the queene his mother God is the God of vengance Ladie saluation and life consists in thy hand O how good is God vnto them that worship his mother Come and let vs adore the Ladie let us giue praise vnto the virgin that hath saued vs. Let vs worship hir and confesse vnto hir our sinnes The Lord reigneth Mary fitteth vpon the Cherubins at his right hand whâ— dwelleth vnder hir wing is vnder a safe protection haue remembrance ô Ladie of Dauid and of all those which call vpon thy name The Lord said to my Ladie sit my mother at my right hand thou hast taken pleasure in goodnesse and holinesse and therefore shalt thou raigne with me Praise the Lord because he is good for his mercie is giuen by Mary You transferre in like manner to the Virgin that which in all humilitie of heart she sung to the honor of her Creator and Sauiour And in stead of that which she sung as the Euangelist S. Luke witnesseth in the first chapter and 45. verse My soule magnifieth the Lord and my spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour c. Because he that is mighty hath done for me great things c. you say My soule magnifieth my Ladie and my heart reioyceth in my Ladie because hee that is mightie hath done for mee great things through Mary his mother What should I say more You celebrate in your Canticles the Virgin Mary as Lady of the Angels espouse and Mother of the eternall king Promise of the Patriarches Veritie of the Prophets Teacher of the Apostles Mistrâ—s of the Euangelists Lady of the Word and Queene of Heauen And hereupon you beseech her that she would saue her people Likewise you craue of her in expresse tearmes all that which God himselfe will or can giue vnto vs by his onely sonne Iesus Christ Impetra nobis veniam applica nobis grattam praparâ— nobis gloriam that is to say Obtaine pardon for vs applie grace vnto vs prepare glorie for vs. You haue corrupted Simeons song and in stead of that which the Euangelist Saint Luke reciteth in the second chapter and 29 verse how this good Father holding the Sauiour of the world in his armes blesseth God and saith Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people you misturne these his words to the handmaide of the Virgin Mary saying Lord now lettest thou depart in peace the handmaid of the Virgin Mary for mine eyes haue seene the saluation of Mary which thou hast prepared before the face of all people a light to inlighten the Gentiles c. You hold her for the true saluation the true felicitie the greatnesse of charitie the largenesse of pietie vnto whom the Angels obey as by one of your Letanies appeareth Which is worse your Cardinals and Bishops assembled in the Councel of Constance in which they condemned to death Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prague both of them Bohemians constant in the true faith to adde vnto the heape of their crueltie against these Martyrs some token of their impietie and hatred against the holy Ghost which had endowed these two witnesses with his truth and with such a mouth and wisedome against which these good fathers were not able to resist they thought good to applie vnto the Virgin Mary that prayer which is made to the honour of the holie Ghost and in stead of saying as before Veni sancte Spiritus c. to haue made them sing Veni maier gratiae fons misericordiae miseris remedium veni lux Ecclesiae tristibus laetitiâ— â—â—ne infundâ— radium Simonis nanicula fiâ—y tunicula 〈◊〉 scindatur prohibe quae DeuÌ„ hominibus 〈◊〉 inngis ô puerpera Hereses interime schismataque reprime firmâ— pacis fâ—â—era That is to say Come mother of grace fountains of mercie remedie of the wretched câ—â—e light of the Church shed vpon these heauie soules the beame of ioy the small ship of Simon surnamed Peter suffer not the little coatâ— of thy sonne to be torne in peeces ô mother in childbed which coâ—ioynest God with men and the inferiour creatures with the celestiall abâ—lish Heresies represse Schismes and establish the couenants of peace I am astonished at the blasphemies of Barnardine de Busto and Anthonine Archbishop of Florence who set the Virgin Mary aboue the onely sonne of God for see what Barnardinâ— saith of her in his Mariall Men may say of the Virgin Mary that she is the light of the Genâ—les and the glory of her people Israel For God at her natiuitie said vnto her I haue giuen thee as a light to the Gentiles to the end thou maist be our saluation to the ends of the earth a light to lighten the Gentiles All graces saith he come downe vpon vs from the Father and the Sonne by the Virgin Mary mediatrix between God and men no grace coÌ„meth from heauen but by her hands All graces enter into her and come foorth from her They are in Christ â—s in the head from whence they flow they are in Mary as in the neck which distributeth them Moreouer If any man feele himselfe grieued at Gods iustice hee may appeale to the Virgin Mary which hath been signified in the booke of Ester chap. 5. where it is said that King Abashuerosâ— being in anger and wroth against the Iewes Queene Ester came to appease him and found such fauour with the King that hee said vnto her What
light of men And the light shined in the darknesse and the darknesse comprehended it not Hitherto saith he 〈◊〉 finde no prayer nor cause nor place of 〈◊〉 But because 〈◊〉 immediatly after he saith And the Word was made flesh and dâ—â—lt among vs thou hast a Godhead to which thou addressest thy prayer and a humanitie which prayeth for thee This was spoken by the Apostle euen since the resurrection of our Lord which sitteth at the right hand of God and soliciteth for vs because he hath vouchsafed to be our Mediatour And what is hee but a Mediatour betweene God and men not betweene the Father and men but betweene God and men What is that God The Father the Son and the holy Ghost What are men Sinners contemners of God and mortall Betweene this same Trinitie and the infirmitie and iniquitie of men was made a Mediatour a man not vniust but neuerthelesse weake to the end that in as much as 〈…〉 hee might ioyne vs to God in that that he was weake he might draw neere to thee and therefore to the intent hee might be a mediatour betweene God and men the Word was made flesh that is to say the Word was made man And vpon this sentence our Lord Iesus Christ saith I am the way the truthâ— and the life I am saith the Lord the truth and the life wilt thou 〈◊〉 I am the way wilt thou not be deceiued I am the truth wilt thou not die I am the life This thy Sauiour saith Thou hast no where to goe but only to me thou hast none to goe by but by me Goe by Christ man and thou shalt come vnto Godâ— If thou goest to him thou must goe by him seeke not any way by which thou maist come vnto him but by him he was made the way by which thou art to come I say not to thee seek the way he which is the way is come vnto thee Rise thou â—p and walke Walke with manners and not with feete Whosoeuer runneth out of this way and not by him the more hee runneth the more bee straâ—eth because he withdraweth himselfe the further out of the way Moreouer vpon the 94. Psalme If thou seekest saith he thy Mediatour to leade â—hee vnto God he is in heauens there prayeth for thee euen as he dâ—ed for thee in earth being entred into the sanctuary of heauen he only can present the prayers of the people which haue no neere accesse vnto God The same author noteth the words of the Apostle S. Iohn 1. Epistle chap. 2. vers 1. If any man sin we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust Where this Apostle taketh heed of making himselfe a companion with our aduocate Iesus Christ Surely saith he he was a iust and a great man who dranke out of the Lords bosome the secrets of his mysteries Being notwithstanding such a man he hath not said ye haue an aduocate with the Father but If any man hath sinned we haue an aduocate Neither did he say ye haue nor did he not say ye haue me nor likewise ye haue Christ but he propoundeth Christ and not himselfe and said we haue and not ye haue He chose rather to ranke himselfe in the number of sinners to the end that Christ might be his aduocate then to place himselfe an aduocate in stead of Christ to be accounted among the damnable proud ones BrethreÌ„ saith he we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust he is the propitiation for our sinnes who so holdeth that committeth no heresie nor hath made any schisme or partie For from whence are diuisions come from hence that men say wee are iust we sanctifie the vncleane we iustifie the wicked we pray we obtaine But what said Iohn If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust Againe in his disputation against Parmenian lib. 2. cap. 2. If the Apostle S. Iohn had said He is the propitiation for your sinner it should haue seemed that hee would haue separated himselfe from sinners as if he had had no need of that propitiation which by the Mediatour is made who sitteth at the right hand of the Father and maketh request for vs. Which if hee had said hee had said it not only proudly but falsely Also if hee had said I haue written to you that yee might not sinne and if any man sinne ye haue me for a Mediatour with the Father and I obtaine the remission of your sins as Parmenian who in some place hath made the Bishop mediatour betweene the people and God what good and faithfull Christians could haue borne it who would haue respected him as the Apostle of Christ and not rather as Antichrist For Christian men saith he recommend one another vnto God through their mutuall prayers but hee which prayeth for all men and for whom none prayeth is the true and only Mediatour And for that his figure was represented to vs in the person of the High-priest of the old Testament it is not found that any should pray for the Priest Likewise S. Paul recommendeth himselfe to the prayers of the faithfull as one of the members of Christ neither doth he make himselfe any mediatour betweene God and the people but hee requireth that all the members of the body of Christ pray for him because that the prayâ—rs which the members make that yet are labouring on the earth mount vp to the Head which is gone before into heauen in whom is the propitiation for our sinnes Moreouer speaking of the Martyrs and other Saints departed in his Treatise of true Religion he expressely faith that the seruice of the dead ought not to be reckoned among Christians for religion and that wee ought to honour them by way of imitation and not to adore them by way of religion His words are Honorandi sunt propter imitationem non adorandi propter religionem And likewise of the Angels We honor them saith he through charitie and not through seruice And to the intent we might not think that we doe wrong to the Saints departed and Angels or should offend them in addressing or prayers only to God he proueth by certaine places of holy Scripture that neither the Angels nor the Saints deceased at any time heretofore or now would be worshipped of vs but that they rather call vs backe to our Creator desiring that wee should worship with them the same and one only God through whose contemplation they are blessed Heare â—aith Saint Austin on the 96. Psalme the Angel of the Lord and the instructor of the Apostle S. Iohn who fell down before him to haue worshipped him at it is written in the 19. chapter and 10. verse of the Reuelation This Angel which sought not but the glorie of his Lord said to him Arise what doest thou worship God I am thy fellow seruant and one of thy brethren What then my brethren let no man say
Whosoeuer is called ought to come vnto God without waiting for any other name The sighes of the heart penetrate the heauens We ought to woâ—ship in the Temple but not the TeÌ„ple The Father hath exalted his Sonne aboue all creatures by that voyce which speake fâ—oÌ„ heauen Heare him The sinne of those which pray in another name then Iesus participates not so much of ignorance as of scorne God will neuer reiect the requests which himselfe hath commanded vs to addresse vnto him It is the humanitie in our Mediatour which prayeth for vs and his Godhead which decreeeth vpon our prayers Christ being true man commeth vnto his equals and through his righteousnes he reuniteth theÌ„ with God There is no way to come vnto God but by the Sonne of God himself The Apostle saith we haue and not you haue to shew that he himself hath need of a Mediatour The dignitie of the Apostles hath not exempted them from the necessitie of falling downe at the feete of God The Apostle desired to be assisted with the prayer of the Saints for asmuch as they were addressed to him who is the head of the Saints It is to dishonor the Saints and to grieue them â—o attribute to them that which they know appertaines vnto God Reuel 19. 10. The Angels and the faithful which know that God will not giue his â—onor to another of which he is iealous will neuer present theÌ„selues to haue part thereof If Iesus Christ were but simply men hee could not be capable to bring vs vnto God By the vaile of Christs humanitie we enter into the Sanctuary We ought not to flie from the meanes of him who hath suffred for our miseries As from ill manner good lawes are proceeded so are calumnies against the truth of the constitutions of Councels and good Doctors What prudeÌ„ce cannot take away patience doth beare withall Satan letteth slip no opportunitie to sow his cockle Satan seekeâ—h euermore to authorize his Ragins to the preiudice of the truth The time wherein S. Denys Areopagite liued The celebration of the vertues of some is charitable but it is impietie to pray vnto theÌ„ The conâ—ereÌ„nce of these words of S. Irenaeus with that which the Iesuite imposeth discouereth more plainly his impudency Impudencie discouered We ought not to alleage that which is done for that which ought to be done Leasings would faine couer themselues Iohn Damâ—soenus S. Ambrose and S. Ierome c. haue passed their limits and we ought to note but not to imitate that which they haue said As the ancieÌ„ts did often bring in the Saints speaking so spake they sometimes to them as if they had been present The aduersary is driuen into absurditie by good strong reasons The soule of him which shal haue sinned shall be that which shal die Wise words of two women in great extremitie The Papistical Doctors make no conscience to discouer the shame of their fathers seeing they attribute to them such shamefull matters We auouch that superstition got the vpper hand but we denie that we ought to cleaue vnto it A formular of Anselmus his prayers A similitude Our demerits are forgiuen through the merit of the Sonne of God Another forme of Anselmus to comfort the sick S. Bernard sends vs to Christ. As we are of Christ and not of another so ought we to stay with Christ. The Virgin Mary seeketh not to disrobe her sonne or to be clothed with his robes The wel-spring of our merits is in the grace of God and not in the righteousnesse of meÌ„ The time and place when S. Bernard florished A double dishonor done to Origen Albeit that Origen was an impure writer in some other points yet he hath shewed himselfe pure in the article of inuocation There is no likelihood that Origen who sent vs vnto God only should addresse himself to meÌ„ The words of Origen are very expresse against the inuocation of Saints What might haue been the offence of the Vrgin Mary The Papists imposture appeareth not only in that they aâ—de and diminish to the word of God but in that they make the Doctors of the Church to say what iâ— pleaseth them The Papists take delight in troubling the â—ountaine of liuing waters The mysterie of Satan appeaâ—eth notably in the lesuits Index exâ—urgatory Shreds of the abouesaid Index whereby one may haue knowledge of the whole peece As Rauâ—ns turne aside froÌ„ the sound parts of a carkesse and fall vpon the rotten so the Iâ—suâ—ts reiect that which is most holy in the writings of the Fathers and stand vpon the impure It is an easie matter for the Iesuits to fight with the bones of the dead which cannot speake Those which are proued falsiâ—iers ought to be no more reputed as worthie of credit and beleefe Mariners in the obscuritie of a tempest haue their recourse to their compasse and needle and Christians to the law A saying of S. Austins very worthie to be noted Deut. 13. 1. The reprobats theÌ„selues haue done guilefull miracles Matth. 24. 23. 24. 25. 2. Thess. 2. By how many meanes Satan shal exalt himselâ—e against the faithfull Why Antichrists signes are called lies A notable sentence of Charles the Great touching miracles The pretended miracles of Popedome are rather a presumption of a false then of a true seruice The subiect for which the Papists tearme vs heretikeâ— declareth them to be imposters and heretikes themselues 1. Kings 8. 38. Caluin speaketh to the foolish according to their folly If the Saints see all things within the mirrour of eternitie it would follow that they should see the day of the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ which is false Eccles. 9. 6. Esay 63. 16. Luther and Caluin haue not bound their aduersaries to proue the inuocation of Saints by the Scripture The Papists are to make good that which they affirme and not in vs which denie disproue the inuocation of Saints We neither denie nor affirme any thing of our own sense but from the authoritie of the holy Scripture Eccle. 9. 16. Esâ—y 63. 16. Two false principles and grounds of the Papisticall Doctors The Papists caÌ„ neuer proue that the Angels are the reporters of the prayers of the Saints before God Our conformitie with the Angels is not yet but when we shal be glorified From things or persons which are vnlike we ought not to draw like conclusions An argument from the least to the greatest which hath more colour then strength It is impietie to say Abraham was in Limbo Matth. 8. 11. Lactantius Origen Epiphanius S. Ierome A notable saying of Iustine the Martyr An excellent doctrine of S. Ambroses The doctrine of S. Austin touching the place of our retreate at our departing this world Neither the holy Scripture nor the Catholike Fathers giue any third places to soules after their decease The historie of Lazarus is parabolicall Though Abraham should haue heard the complaints of the rich Glutton it followeth not from thence that the Saints heare our prayers The Trinitie serueth not as a mirror in heauen to coÌ„template all things therein Albert Master vnto Thomas of Aquin denieth that which other of the Popish Doctors his successors doe affirme Charitie is the marke of the children of God and not of the reprobate The aduersaries argument retorted VpoÌ„ bad foundation theâ—e can be made no good building Places suspected of S. Austins S. Austin doth absolutely deny that the Saints meddle with our affaires A good argument from the greater to the lesser Absurdities that followe if we should grant that the Saints departed haue to do with our affaires Three pretended meanes of the Papists whereby the Saints might heare our prayers There is no likelihood that S. Gregorie took pleasure in coÌ„tradicting himselfe The examination of those three meanes abouesaid of the vnderstanding of our prayers