occasions of mentioning it if ever Christ had instituted a Headship in the Church gâ—ven it to S. Peter and his Successors in the See of Rome 19. For as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lord's death till he come 1 Cor. 15.26 The Apostle speaking to all Communicants plainly shews that the Institution of Christ was That all should partake of both Kinds and so to continue to do as long as this Sacrament was to shew forth the Death of Christ viz. till his Second coming And there is no colour for asserting the Christian Church ever looked on observing Christs Institution in this matter as an indifferent thing no not for a thousand years after Christ. Altho the Practice and the Obligation are two things yet when the Practise was so agreeable to the Institutâ—on and continued so long in the Church it is hardly possible for us to prove the sense of the Obligation by a better way than by the continuance of the Practise And if some Traditions must be thought binding and far from being indifferent which want all that Evidence which this practise carries along with it How unreasonable is it in this Case to allow the Practise and to deny the Obligation 20. And whom he justified them he also glorified Rom. 8.30 But whom God justifies they have the Remission of their Sins as to Eternal Punishment And if those who are thus justified must be glorified what place is there for Purgatory For there is not the least intimation of any other state of Punishment that any who are justified must pass through before they are admitted to Glory We grant they may notwithstanding pass through many intermedâ—aâ—e trials in this World but we say where there is Justification there is no Condemnation but where any part of guilt remains unremitted there is a Condemnation remaining so far as the punishmâ—nt extends And so this distinction as to Eternal and Temporal Pains as it is made the Foundation of Purgatory is wholly groundless and therefore the Doctrine built upon it can have no Foundation in Scripture or Reason 21. I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with the Understanding also 1 Cor. 14.15 What need this Praying with the Understanding if there were no necessity of attending to the sense of Prayers For then praying with the Spirit were all that was required for that supposes an attention of the Mind upon God And I can hardly believe any Man that thinks with Understanding can justifie praying without it especially when there are Exhortations and Invitations to the People to joyn in those Prayers as it is plain there are in the Roman Offices 22. Then Peter opened his mouth and said Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of Persons but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted with him Acts 10.34 35. Whereby we perceive that God doth not limit the possibility of Salvation under the Gospel to Communion with the See of Rome for if S. Peter may be believed the capacity of Salvation depends upon Mens fearing God and working Righteousness and it is horrible Uncharitableness to exclude those from a possibility of Salvation whom God doth not exclude from it 23. That ye should earnestly contend for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints Jude v. 3. Therefore all necessary Doctrines of Faith were at first delivered and whatever Articles cannot be proved to have been delivered by the Apostles can never be made necessary to be believed in order to Salvation Which overthrows the additâ—onal Creed of Pius IV. after the Council of Trent and puts them upon the necessity of proving the Universal Tradition of those Doctrines from the Apostolical Times and when they do that we may think better of them than at present we do for as yet we can see neither Scripture nor Reason nor Antiquity for them THus I have Represented that kind of Popery which our Author who complains so much of Misrepresenting allows and I have in short set down how little ground we have to be fond of it nay to speak more plainly it is that we can never yield to without betraying the Truth renouncing our Senses and Reason wounding our Consciences dishonouring God and his Holy Word and Sacraments perverting the Doctrine of the Gospel as to Christ's Satisfaction Intercession and Remission of Sins depriving the People of the Means of Salvation which God himself hath appointed and the Primitive Church observed and damning those for whom Christ died We do now in the sincerity of our Hearts appeal to God and the World That we have no design to Mis-represent them or to make their Doctrines and Practâ—ses appear worse than they are But take them with all the Advantages even this Author hath set them out with we dare appeal to the Judgments and Consciences of any impartial men whether the Scripture being allowed on both sides our Doctrines be not far more agreeable thereto than the New Articles of Trent which are the very Life and Soul of Popery Whether our Worship of God be not more suitable to the Divine Nature and Perfections and the Manifestations of his Will than the Worship of Images and Invocation of Fellow-Creatures Whether the plain Doctrine of the necessity of Repentance and sincere Obedience to the Commands of Christ do not tend more to promote Holiness in the World than the Sacrament of Penance as it is delivered and allowed to be practised in the Church of Rome i. e. with the easiness and efficacy of Absolution and getting off the Remainders by Indulgences Satisfactions of others and Prayers for the Dead Whether it be not more according to the Institution of Christ to have the Communion in both Kinds and to have Prayers and the Scriptures in a Language which the People understand And lastly whether there be not more of Christian Charity in believing and hoping the best of those vast Bodies of Christians who live out of the Communion of the Church of Rome in the Eastern Southern Western and Northern Parts than to pronounce them all uncapable of Salvation on that Account And therefore out of regard to God and the Holy Religion of our Blessed Saviour out of regard to the Salvation of our own and other Souls we cannot but very much prefer the Communion of our own Church before that of the Church of Rome But before I conclude all I must take some notice of his Anathema's And here I am as much unsatisfied as in any other part of his Book and that for these Reasons 1. Because he hath no manner of Authority to make them suppose they were meant never so sincerely And if we should ever object them to any others of that Church they would presently say What had he to do to make Anathema's It belongs only to the Church and the General Councils to pronounce Anathema's and not to any private Person whatsoever So that if he would have
the People believe any Divinity to be in the Images or put any Trust or Confidence in them then the Council of Trent it self owns such to be like the Heathen Idolaters Now how shall it be known when the People believe Divinity to be in Images but by some more than ordinary Presence or Operation in or by them by their having a greater Opinion of one Image than of another of the same Person by their going long Pilgrimages to certain Images in hopes of Relief when they might easily cause Images to represent at home And that such are no extravagant Imaginations is known to all who have heard of Loretto or Compostella or other places nearer home I need not mention the Complaints of Polydore Virgil Cassander or Wicelius to this purpose who all died in the Communion of the Church of Rome for the same is very lately complained of by a considerable Person in that Communion who saith The greatest part of the Devotion of the People of Italy Spain and Portugal consists in prostrating themselves before Images and going in Pilgrimage to them and hoping for Remission of their Sins by so doing And another very lately yields That to avoid the peril of Idolatry to which he saith the People is evidently exposed by the use of Images it would be necessary to take them away from the Altars and by no means to have them allowed for the Objects of Religious Worship The Question now is Whether the Council of Trent hath taken any effectual Course to prevent these Abuses If not what Mis-representing is it to charge the Abuses upon the Doctrines and Practices allowed by it The Remedies prescribed by the Council are these 1. Declaring that there is no Divinity or Vertue in them for which they should be worshipped and that nothing is to be desired of them nor any Trust or Confidence to be put in them 2. Expressing their earnest desire that if any Abuses have crept in they may be removed But in the mean time the Council decrees the Images not only to be useful to be set up in Churches but to have due Honour and Worship given them there for the sake of those they represent as not only putting off the Hat but falling down before them And the Roman Catechism declares That this Worship is very beneficial to the People and so much is to be told them and that Images are to be in Churches not meerly for Instruction sed ut colantur that they may be worshipped But what could the Council do more than to desire all Abuses may be taken away and is it not then the fault of others and not of the Council if they be not I grant the Council doth desire Abuses may be taken away if any such be but then it enumerates those Abuses in Heterodox Images in making Gain of Images in painting them too wantonly but besides it doth say that all Superstition be removed in the Sacred Vse of Images but it doth not say in the Worship of them and so it may relate to Magick and Divination But that the Council could not prevent or design to prevent the Abuses mention'd in the Worship of Images will appear by these things 1. The Cuoncil of Trent allows the highest relative Worship to be given to them it setting no bounds to it so it be for the sake of the Prototypes 2. It allows a Worship to be given to the Images themselves too for it confirms the second Council of Nice which decreed an inferiour Adoration to be given to them 3. It disapproves no Customs then practised among them in the Worship of Images which were all known and by many complained of both as Pilgrimages to them and the carrying of them about in Procession and the solemn Consecration of them the Form whereof is not only inserted but inlarged in the new Pontifical since the Council of Trent And it is to be observed that in the old Pontifical A. D. 1511. there is no Form for consecrating an Image in that of Paul the 3 d it is inserted but out of Durandus but in that of Clement the 8 th it is put in more largely and as authentically as if it had been always there And is not this the way to reform the Worship of Images To come now to our Author's Reflections on the Mis-representation he saith hath been made as to this Point 1. A Papist represented believes it damnable to worship Stocks and Stones for Gods to pray to Pictures or Images of Christ the Virgin Mary or any other Saints These Expressions are capable of a double Sense and therefore this is not fair Representing 1. To worship Stocks or Stones for Gods may signifie two things 1. To believe the very Stocks and Stones to be Gods And this we do not charge them with 2. To give to Images made of Wood and Stone the Worship due only to God and so by construction of the Fact to make them Gods by giving them Divine Worship And if they will clear themselves of this they must either prove that External Adoration is no part of Divine Worship notwithstanding the Scripture makes it so and all the rest of Mankind look upon it as such even Jews Turks and Infidels or that their external Adoration hath no respect to the Images which is contrary to the Council of Trent or that Divine Worship being due to the Being Represented it may be likewise given to the Image And how then could the Gnosticks be condemned for giving Divine Worship to the Image of Christ which Bellarmine confesses and is affirmed by Irenaeus Epiphanius S. Augustine and Damascen 2. To pray to Images of Christ or the Blessed Virgin may likewise be taken in two senses 1. To pray to them so as to expect to be heard by the meer Images and so we do not charge them with it 2. To pray to them so as to expect to be rather heard by themselves for praying to them by their Images And if this be not so to what end are the Prayers made in the Consecration of Images for those that shall pray before them To what purpose do so many go in long Pilgrimages to certain Images if they do not hope to be better heard for praying there But he goes on 2. He keeps them by him indeed to keep in his mind the memory of the things represented by them And is this all in good Truth We will never quarrel with them if this be true Representing No that he dares not say But 3. He is taught to use them But how by custing his Eye upon the â—ictures or Images and thence to raise his Heart to the Prototypes And is this all yet No. But 4. He finds a double conveniency in the use of them 1. They represent at one glance and Men may easily make good Reflections as upon the sight of a Death's Head or Old Time painted with his Fore-lock Hour-glass and Scyth And will he undertake that Images
shall be used in Churches for no other End Was the Picture of Old Time ever consecrated or placed upon the Altar or elsewhere that it might be worshipped as the Roman Catechism speaks of their Images 2. They cure Distractions for they call back his wandring Thoughts to the Right Object What is this Right Object the Image or the Person represented And that must be either a Creature or God himself If it be a Creature doth not this imply that it is made a Right Object of Worship If God himself how doth an Image cure our Distraction in the Worship of an infinite invisible Being when the very Image is most apt to distract our Thoughts by drawing them down from his Divine and Adorable Perfections to the gross and mean Representations of an Image But are we yet to come to the utmost use of them No. But 5. He cannot but love honour and respect the Images themselves for the sake of those they represent Will this content them And will he promise to go no further It is hard to part upon Terms of meer Respect and decent Regard where there is no encroachment upon Divine Worship And here we are at a stand But he goes further 6. And so he is come at last to Veneration before Images And is this all Dares he deny Veneration to Images when the Council of Trent hath determined it Eisque venerationem impartiendam What is this Veneration before Images only Bellarmine hath a Chapter on purpose to prove that true and proper Worship is to be given to Images And was he a Misrepresenter Suarez saith It is an Article of Faith that Worship is to be given to them But if the Veneration be only before them why are they consecrated and set up in places proper for Adoration But 7. To satisfie any one that he is far from making Gods of his Images he is ready to break them into a thousand pieces What a Consecrated Image Dares he take a Crucifix from the Altar and tear it in pieces This doth not look like the Love Honour and Respect he mentioned before not to name Veneration And I am afraid this is a strain beyond true Representing Yet at length he hath found some pretty Parallels for the Veneration of Images themselves and so we are come at last to the main Point But this is not directly owned yet in the way of his Representing it is fairly insinuated by his Parallels 1. A Christian loves and honours his Neighbour because he bears the Image of God in his Soul But doth he therefore take him and set him before him when he kneels at his Devotion to raise his Mind and cure his Distractions Would he set him upon the Altar and burn Incense before him because of the Image of God in him Is there no difference between the Object of Christian Love and of Divine Worship Nor between a Spiritual Invisible Divine Image in the Souls of Men and a Material and Corporeal Representation 2. We may kiss and esteem the Bible because it contains and represents to Vs Gods Word But when we kiss and esteem the Bible we remember the second Commandment is in it and we dare not break his Law when we pretend to honour his Word But we think there is some difference between Reverence and Respect to the Bible and falling down before an Image The Circumstances of the one declare it to be meer Respect and a Religious Decency and if the other be not External Adoration we know not what it is 3. A good Preacher is loved because he minds Men of their Duty But what should we say to him that should therefore kneel down and say his Prayers and burn Candles and Incense before him out of a Respect to his good Doctrine Did S. Peter or S. Paul like this when Men would have worshipped them A good Preacher would tell them of their Duty as they did and take Men off from the Worship of any Creature animate or inanimate and direct them to worship God alone who made Heaven and Earth II. Of Worshipping Saints HE makes Gods of Dead Men such as are departed hence and now are no more able to hear or see or understand his necessities And tho' God be so good as to invite all to come unto him and to apply themselves to their only and infinite Mediator Jesus Christ Yet so stupid is He that neglecting and as it were passing by both God and his only Son and all their Mercies he betakes himself to his Saints and there pouring forth his Prayers he confides in them as his Mediators and Redeemers and expects no Blessing but what is to come to him by their Merits and through their hands And thus without scruple or remorse robs God of his Honour HE believes there 's only one God and that 't is a most damnable Idolatry to make Gods of Men either living or dead His Church teaches him indeed and he believes That it is good and profitable to desire the Intercession of the Saints reigning with Christ in Heaven but that they are Gods or his Redeemers he is no where taught but detests all such Doctrine He confesses That we are all redeem'd by the Blood of Christ alone and that he is our only Mediator of Redemption But as for Mediators of Intercession that is such as we may desire lawfully to pray for us he does not doubt but 't is acceptable to God we should have many Moses was such a Mediator for the Israelites Iob for his three Friends Stephen for his Persecutors The Romans were thus desir'd by Saint Paul to be his Mediators so were the Corinthians so the Ephesians so almost every sick man desires the Congregation to be his Mediators that is to be remembred in their Prayers And so he desires the Blessed in Heaven to be his Mediators that is that they would pray to God for him And in this he does not at all neglect coming to God or rob him of his Honour but directing all his Prayers up to him and making him the ultimate Object of all his Petitions he only desires sometimes the Iust on Earth sometimes those in Heaven to joyn their Prayers to his that so the number of Petitioners being increas'd the Petition may find better acceptance in the sight of God And this is not to make them Gods but only Petitioners to God 't is not to make them his Redeemers but only Intercessors to his Redeemer he having no hopes of obtaining any thing but of God alone by and through the Merits of Christ for which he desires the Saints in Heaven and good men on Earth to offer up their Prayers with his the Prayers of the Iust availing much before God But now how the Saints in Heaven know the Prayers and Necessities of such who address themselves to them whether by the Ministry of Angels or in the Vision of God or by some particular Revelation 't is no part of his Faith nor is it much
of this distance between him and them Now it is hardly possible to keep it up if in the Publick Offices of Religion in the solemnest postures of Devotion with Eyes lifted up to Heaven they do make Addresses both to God and to his Creatures 3. Men are sure when they pray to others on Earth to pray for them that they do no more than they can justifie in point of Discretion when they speak or write to those that can understand what their desire is But no man on Earth can be certain that the Saints in Heaven can do it For it is agreed they cannot do it without Revelation and no Man can be assured there is a Revelation and it is not reasonable to expect it for they pray to Saints to pray to God for them and they cannot tell what they pray for unless God to whom they are to pray reveal to them what it is they must pray to him for Is it not then the better the safer the wiser way to make our Prayers to him who we are sure is able to hear and help us and hath promised to grant what we ask in his Son's Name But there is no other Name either under Heaven or in Heaven whereby we can be saved or our Prayers accepted but his alone But our Author saith It is no part of his Faith how the Saints in Heaven know the Prayers and Necessities of such who address themselves to them But how comes it to be any part of his Faith that they know them However he doth not doubt but God can never want means of letting the Saints know them And is this a sufficient ground for solemn Invocation of Saints God doth not want Means to let the Emperor of Iapan know a Request any one here hath to make to him but is this a reasonable Ground for him at this distance to make it to him God doth not want Means to let the Pope know what a mighty Service it would be to the Christian World to make a wise and truly Christian-Reformation in the Church but would this be a Ground sufficient for me at this Distance to make a Speech to him about it I knew a Man who understood not a word of Latin but yet would needs go to hear a Latin Sermon some asked him afterwards what he meant by it and the chief Reason he gave was much like this God did not want Means to let him know what the Preacher meant But after all Suppose God should make known to the Saints what is desired of them I ask Whether this be sufficient Ground for solemn Invocation when Socinus was not able to defend the Invocation of Christ himself supposing that he could know our Hearts only by Relation And he had nothing material to say but only that there was a Command for it which can never be so much as pretended in this Case As to what he alledges of the Elders falling down before the Lamb having Vials full of Odours which are the Prayers of the Saints Apoc. 5.8 It must be strained hard to be brought to this purpose when both Ancient and Modern Interpreters take it for a Representation of what was done upon Earth and not in Heaven And if it were in Heaven Prophetical Visions were never intended for a Measure of our Duties If the Angels do pray for Mankind Zech. 1.12 Doth it therefore follow we must pray to them But we say as the Angel did to S. Iohn Revel 19.10 in a like Case See thou do it not worship God III. Of Addressing more Supplications to the Virgin Mary than to Christ. HE believes the Virgin Mary to be much more powerful in Heaven than Christ and that she can command him to do what she thinks good And for This reason he honours her much more than he does her Son or God the Father For one Prayer he says to God saying ten to the Holy Virgin HE believes it damnable to think the Virgin Mary more powerful in Heaven than Christ Or that she can in any thing command him He honours her indeed as one that was chosen to be the Mother of God and blessed amongst all Women And believes her to be most acceptable to God in her Intercession for us But owning her still as a Creature and that all she has of Excellency or Bliss is the Gift of God proceeding from his meer Goodness Neither does he at any time say even so much as one Prayer to her but what is directed more principally to God because offered up as a thankful Memorial of Christ's Incarnation and an acknowledgment of the Blessedness of Iesus the Fruit of her Womb. And this without imagining that there 's any more dishonouring of God in his reciting the Angelical Salutation than in the first pronouncing it by the Angel Gabriel and Elizabeth Or that his frequent Repetition of it is any more an idle Superstition than it was in David to repeat the same words over twenty six times in the 136 Psalm III. Of Addressing more Supplications to the Virgin Mary than to Christ. HEre is no need of farther starting the Question this only relating to the extraordinary Service of the Blessed Virgin And therefore we are presently to atttend his Motions He believes it damnable to think the Virgin Mary more powerful in Heaven than Christ or that she can in any thing command him But in good earnest Is is not damnable unless a man thinks the blessed Virgin more powerful than Christ Suppose one should think her to have an equal share of Power with Christ Is this damnable or not Is it not setting up a Creature equal with God But what thinks he then of those who have attributed an universal Dominion to her over Angels Men and Devils What thinks he not only of Psalters but of a Creed Litany and all the Hymns of Scripture being applied to her All which was done by a Canonized Saint in their Church and the Books printed out of the Vatican Manuscripts and dedicated to the Pope And there we find something more than an Ora pro nobis in the Litany for there is Parce nobis Domina Spare us good Lady and Ab omni malo libera nos Domina From all evil Good Lady deliver us What thinks he of another Canonized Saint who said these two Propositions are both true All things are subject to God's Command even the Virgin and all things are subject to the Command of the Virgin even God Was this damnable in a Canonized Saint What thinks he of the noted Hymn O felix Puerpera nostra pians scelera Iure Matris impera Redemptori Was not this damnable And I have not only seen it in the old Paris Missal but Balinghem a Jesuit saith it was in the Missals of Tournay Liege Amiens Artois and the Old Roman I could produce many other Passages cited by him out of the old Offices to the same purpose but I forbear But I cannot omit the Approbation given
after it And it is no great advantage to Purgatory for him that commends Self-murder to have introduced it The most probable account I can give of it is That the Alexandrian Iews of whose number Iason of Cyrene seems to have been had taken in several of the Philosophical Opinions especially the Platonists into their Religion as appears by Philo and Bellarmine himself confesses that Plato held a Purgatory and they were ready to apply what related to the Law to their Platonick Notions So here the Law appointed a Sin-offering with respect to the Living but Iason would needs have this refer to the dead and then sets down his own remark upon it That it was a holy Cogitation to pray for the dead as our Author renders it If it were holy with respect to the Law there must be some ground for it in the Law And that we appeal to and do not think any particular Fancies sufficient to introduce such a Novelty as this was which had no Foundation either in the Law or the Prophets And it would be strange for a new Doctrine to be set up when the Spirit of Prophecy was ceased among them But S. August held these Books for Canonical and saith they are so received by the Church l. 18. de Civit. Dei To answer thâ—s it is sufficient to observe not only the diffâ—rent Opinions of others before mentioned as to these Books but that as Canus notes it was then lawful to doubt of their Authority and he goes as low as Gregory I. whom he denies not to have rejected them And I hope we may set the Authority of one â—gainst the other especially when S. Augustine himself being pressed hard with the fact of Razias confâ—sses 1. That the Iews have not the Book of Maccabees in their Canon as they have the Law the Prophets and the Psalms to whom our Lord gave Testimony as to his Witnesses Which is an evident Proof he thought not these Books sufficient to ground a Doctrine upon whâ—câ— was not found in the other 2. That however this Book was not unprofitably received by the Church if it be soberly read and heard Which implies a greater Caution than S. Augustine would ever have given concerning a Book he believed truly Canonical But saith Bellarmine his meaning is only to keep men from imitating the Example of Razias whereas that which they pressed St. Augustine with was not meerly the Fact but the Character that is given of it Sanctaâ—um Scâ—ipâ—urarum Auctoritate laudasus est Razias are their very Words in S. Augustine And therefore the Caution relates to the Books and not meerly to his Example And he lessens the Character given by the Author when he saith He chose to dye nobly It had been better saith he to have died humbly But the other is the Elogium given in the Heathen Histories and better becomes brave Heathens than true Martyrs Can any one now think S. Augustine believed this Writer Divinely inspired or his Doctrine sufficient to ground a Point of Faith upon And I wonder they should not every jot as well commend Self-murder as an Heroical Act. as prove the Doctrine of Purgatory from these words of Iason or his Epitemizer For the Argument from the Authority of the Book will hold as strongly for one as the other And yet this is the Achilles for Purgatory which Natalis Alexander whom our Author follows in this matter saith is a demonstrative place against those that deny it But I must proceed 2. Purgatory is plainly intimated by our Saviour Matt. 12.32 Whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this World neither in the World to come By which words Christ evidently supposes that some Sins are forgiven in the World to come I am so far from discerning this plain Intimation that I wonder how any came to think of it out of this place Well! But doth it not hence follow that Sins may be forgiven in the World to come Not near so plainly as that Sins will not be forgiven in the World to come Not that particular Sin but others may How doth that appear What intimation is there that any Sins not forgiven here shall be forgiven there Or that any Sins here remitted as to the Eternal Punishment shall be there remitted as to the Temporal And without such a kind of Remission nothing can be inferred from hence But if there be a Remission in another World it can be neither in Heaven nor Hell therefore it must be in Purgatory But those who own a Remission of Sins in another World say it will be on the day of Judgment For the actual Deliverance of the Just from Punishment may be not improperly called the full Remission of their Sins So S. Augustine whom he quotes plainly saith Si nulla remitterentur in judicio illo novissimo c. Iulian l. 6. c. 5. where it is evident S. Augustine takes this place to relate to the Day of Judgment and so in the other De Civit. Dei l. 21. c. 24. But as he supposed a Remission so he did a Purgation as by Fire in that day In illo judicio poenas quasdam purgatorias futuras De Civit. Dei l 20. c. 25. And so he is to be understood on Psal. 37. to which he applies 1 Cor. 3.15 But our Author was very much out when he saith S. Augustine applied 1 Pet. 3.15 to some place of temporal Chastisement in another World when Bellarmine sets himself to confute S. Augustine about it as understanding it of this World And therefore he hath little cause to boast of St. Augustine's Authority about Purgatory unless he had brought something more to the Purpose out of him Hâ—s other Testimonies of Antiquity are not worth considering which he borrows from Natalis Alexander that of Dionysius Areopag Eccl. Hierarch c. 7. is a known Counterfeit and impertinent relating to a Region of Rest and Happiness And so do Tertullian's Oblations for the Dead De Cor. Milit c. 3. For they were Eucharistical as appears by the ancient Liturgies being made for the greatest Saints St. Cyprian Ep. 66. speaks of an Oblation for the Dead and he there mentions the Natalitia of the Martyrs but by comparing that with his Epist. 33. it will be found that he speaks of the Anniversary Commemoration of the Dead which signifies nothing to Purgatory for the best men were put into it and St. Cyprian threatens it as a Punishment to be left out of the Diptychs but surely it is none to escape Purgatory Arnobius l. 4. only speaks of praying for the Dead which we deny not to have been then used in the Church not with respect to any temporary pains in purgatory but to the Day of Judgment And therein lies the true state of the Controversie with respect to Antiquity which is not Whether any solemn Prayers were not then made for the dead but whether those Prayers did
the Church hath so ordered it And that is the thing we complain of as done against St. Paul against the Primitive Church against the natural sense of Mankind who think it is sit for them to know what they do especially in the Worshâ—p of God But it is to preserve Unity Methinks however Unity in Spirit and Understanding is better than without it There are other good Reasons I know not one good one and if there were more he would have produced them The greatest part is said in a low Voice that it is not possible he should hear it And to what purpose should it be spoken louder if they are not to understand it But why so low in publick Yet the People might have Books and joyn if they understood what was said But why should not the rest be understood which is spoken as if it were 2. As to other Offices he saith He is taught that he may perform them in a Language which he understands not with great benefit to his Soul and the acceptance of God if at those occasions he endeavours to raise his Thoughts to Heaven and fix his Heart upon his Maker But the Question is not Whether a Man may not have devout Thoughts at that time but whether he can perform his part in the publick Offices with true Devotion without Understanding for the publick Offices of Devotion were designed for the uniting the Hearts and Desires of the People in the same things It is not whether one Man may not pray for Heaven and another for fair Weather and another for pardon of his Sins and a Fourth for Patience and so on in the same place and at the same time for all this may be done as well in a silent Meeting where not a Word is spoken But there being one Form of Prayer for all to joyn together in that with the united force of the whole Congregation their Petitions may go up to Heaven The matter now in dispute is Whether it be not necessary in order to this united Devotion that the People all know what they pray for And one would think nothing need to be said to prove this But what our Author adds in Justification of this overthrows all publick Devotion for he saith It is not necessary to have attention on the Words or on the Sense of Prayers but rather purely on God Which is to make all publick Forms unnecessary and to turn all Devotion into Prayer of Contemplation For if this be true all Forms whatsoever are not only useless but burthensome and by the stinting the Spirit do hinder the nimbler flights of the Soul in pure silence towards God And this Principle must lead men to Enthusiasms and unintelligible Unions and make them despise Forms as a mean and dull Dispensation But at last he saith A petitioner may accompany his petition with an earnest desire of obtaining it though the Language in which it is written be unknown to him Very true if he indâ—ted the matter of the Petition and trusted another to put it into that Language which the Person to whom he makes it doth understand but not his own But all Languages are alike to God's Infinite Wisdom and so there can be no pretence on that account to keep only to some particular Tongues tho unknown to the Party and if it were so to all men no man would have a Petition presented in a Language which he did not know But in Prayer to God the design of it is not to acquaint him with something which he knew not but to excite the Hearts and Affections of men to an earnest desire of the things which are fit for them to ask Now let any man undertake to prove thâ—t mens affections are as easily moved by Words they do not understand as by those they do and I will give up this Cause XXV Of the Second Commandment HE is kept in Ignorance as to an Essential part of his Duty towards God never being permitted to know the Commandments but by halves For in the Books deliver'd to him for his Instruction such are Catechisms and Manuals the Second Commandment is wholly left out And he by this means Superstitious Worship and is taught to fall into all sorts of down right Idolatry And then the Commandments he does learn are in such disorder by a confusion of the two first into one and a cutting the last into Two by putting only three in the first Table and seven in the second That no reason can be able to justifie this mangling and chopping in opposition to all Authority and Antiquity HE is instructed in his whole Duty towards God and most especially in the Ten Commandments He is taught to understand them all and every one that there 's an Obligation of observing them under pain of eternal Damnation and that whosoever breaks any one of them loses the Favour of God and as certainly hazards the loss of his Soul as if he broke them all And tho in the short Catechisms and Manuals in which the whole Christian Doctrine is deliver'd in the most compendious and easie method in condescendence to weak Memories and low Capacities the Second Commandment as 't is reckon'd by some be wholly omitted yet it is to be seen at length in other Catechisms and Doctrinal Books to be met with every where in great plenty And if any one should chance not to see any of these yet would he be out of all danger of falling into any Superstitious Worship or Idolatry for that having read his First Commandment Thou shalt have no other Gods before me he is taught that by this he is commanded to Serve Love Adore and Worship one only True Living and Eternal God and no more That 't is forbidden him to Worship any Creature for a God or to give it the Honour due to God and that whosoever Worships any Idols Images Pictures or any graven thing whatsoever the Object be whether in Heaven above in the Earth beneath or in the Waters under the Earth for God breaks the Commandment by committing Idolatry and stands guilty of an inexcusable and most damnâ—ble sin Now having been taught that this is the intent of the first Precept of the Decalogue he thinks there can be but little danger of his becoming Superstitious in his Worship or an Idolator for want of the Second there being nothing in this but what he is fully and expresly inctructed in by having learn'd the First it being rather an Explication of this than any New and distinct Precept And for this reason he finds them in his Books put together as One or rather as the first Commandment with its explication by which means it comes about that there are only Three in the first Table teaching him his Duty towards God and seven in the latter concerning his Duty to his Neighbour which is the Division assign'd by St. Augustine And tho St. Hierom observes not this method but divides them into Four and Six yet there
from the Papist as to what he is in himself The One is so absurd and monstrous that 't is impossible for any one to be of that Profession without first laying by all thoughts of Christianity and his Reason The Other is just contradictory to this and without any farther Apology may be expos'd to the perusal of all prudent and unpassionate Considerers to examine if there be any thing in it that deserves the hatred of any Christian and if it be not in every Point wholly conform to the Doctrine of Christ and not in the least contrary to Reason The Former is a Papist as he is generally apprehended by those who have a Protestant Education such as whensoever reflected on is conceiv'd to be a perverse malicious sort of Creature Superstitious Idolatrous Atheistical Cruel Bloody-minded Barbarous Treacherous and so Prophane and every way Inhumane that 't is in some manner doubted whether he be Man or no. The Other is a Papist whose Faith is according to the Proposal of the Catholick Church which by Christ's Command he is oblig'd to believe and hear and whose whole design in this World is for obtaining Salvation in the next And is it not strange that these two Characters so directly opposite so wholly unlike one the other that Heaven and Hell is not more should agree to the same person 'T is certainly a strange piece of Injustice and yet not at all strange to those who know that they that follow Christ shall be hated by the World that those who study the Wisdom of Heaven shall have the repute of Fools and that as many as attend the Lamb shall be painted in the Livery of Satan Our Fore-fathers were so before us all the Primitive Christians the Apostles and even the Lamb himself our Redeemer Calumny ever follow'd them Mis representation waited upon them and what wonder that Infamy was their constant Attendance And now if the Orthodox Christians have thus in all Ages had their double Character one of Justice exactly drawn from what they really believ'd and practis'd the other of Malice copied from them as Mis-represented 't is not at all strange to find it so now in our days when Calumny Malice Ignorance c. are as powerful as ever who though from the beginning of the World that is above five thousand Years they have made it their chief business to Paint Copy and Represent Things and Persons yet they never did it with so much injury so altogether unlikely as they do now to the Papists there being scarce any one Point of their Faith and Profession which they do not blindly mistake or basely disguise The Papists believe 't is convenient to pray before Holy Images and give them an inferiour or relative Respect These describe the Papists Praying to Images and Worshipping them as Idols The Papists believe 't is good to desire the Prayers of the Saints and Honour them as the Friends of God These paint out the Papists as believing Saints to be their Redeemers and Adoring them as Gods The Papists believe that Christ left a Power in the Priests of his Church to absolve all truly Penitent Sinners from their Offences These Representing the Papists as believing That the Priests can infallibly forgive all such as come to Confession whether they Repent or no. The Papists believe there 's Power in the Supreme Pastor upon due Motives of granting Indulgences that is of releasing to the Faithful such Temporal Penalties as remain due to their past Sins already remitted as to their guilt on condition they perform such Christian Duties as shall be assign'd them i. e. humble themselves by Fasting confess their Sins with a hearty Repentance receive worthily and give Alms to the Poor c. These make the Papists believe That the Pope for a sum of Money can give them leave to commit what Sins they shall think â—it with a certain Pardon for all Crimes already incurr'd and that there can be no danger of Damnation to any that can but make a large Present to Rome at his death The Papists believe That by the Merits of Christ the good Works of a just Man are acceptable to God and through his Goodness and Promise meritorious of eternal Happiness These report That the Papists believe they can merit Heaven by their own Works without any dependance on the work of our Redemption The Pâ—pâ—sts worshâ—p Christ really present in the Sacrament true God and Man These say they fall down to and worship a piece of Bread Some Papists maintain the Deposing Power These will have it to be an Article of their Faith and that they are oblig'd to 't by their Religion Some Papists have been Traytors Rebels Conspirators c. These make these Villanies to be Meritorious among the Papists and that 't is the Doctrine of their Church And thus there is scarce any one thing belonging to their Faith and Exercise of their Religion which is not wrong'd in the describing it and injuriously Mis-represented And if any be so curious as to desire to be satisfied how this comes about let him but stand by any of the Undertakers while they are taking the Copy of Popery and observe their Method and he may soon come to the bottom of the Mystery He may see them seriously viewing some of her Tenets and upon a short Consideration immediately to fall to the making Inferences and deducing Consequences then down go these for so many Articles of Popery They go on and see other of her Tenets and these containing Mysteries such as Reason cannot reach to when Faith is not an Assistant they are presently follow'd with variety of Absurdities and seeming Contradictions And down go these to the former for so many Articles of Popery They pâ—ssâ—on to others and these being not conform to the Principles of their Education several Misconstructions are presently rais'd upon them and down go these for so many Articles of Popery They look forward and seeing others in the practice of which many Abuses have been committed then down go the Abuses for so many Articles of Popâ—ry Heâ—ce they turn to the Court of Rome and as many Dâ—sorders and Extravagances as they find there so many Articles of Popery They enquire into the Actions and Lives of her Pastors and Prelates and as many Vices as many wicked Designs they discover there so many Articles of Popery They examine the Behaviour of her Professors and whatsoever Villanies whatsoever Treasons and Inhumanities they find committed by any that own themselves Members of that Communion down they all go for so many Articles of Popery They hear the Reports of such as have deserted her Authority and tho through thâ—â—r Extravagancies and rashness they deserve not credit even in a trifle yet their whole Narrative shall be accepted and all their idle Storâ—es be summ'd up for so many Arâ—icles of Popery They peruse every scurrilous Pamphlet and abusive Libel and such ridiculous Fâ—bles as are only sit for a Chimney-corner
Merits and Pâ—ssion of Christ he câ—n Merit Salvation by his own good Works or make condign satisfaction for the guilt of his sins or the pains Eternal due to them R. Amen VIII Cursed is he that contemns the Word of God or hides it from the People on design to keep them from the knowledge of their Duty and to preserve them in Ignorance and Error R. Amen IX Cursed is he that undervalues the Word of God or that forsaking Scripture chuses rather to follow Humane Traditions than it R. Amen X. Cursed is he that leaves the Commandments of God to observe the constitutions of Men. R. Amen XI Cursed is he that omits any of the Ten Commandments or keeps the people from the knowledge of any one of them to the end they may not have occasion of discovering the Truth R. Amen XII Cursed is he that Preaches to the People in unknown Tongues such as they understand not or uses any other means to keep them in Ignorance R. Amen XIII Cursed is he that believes that the Pope can give to any upon any account whatsoever Dispensation to lie or swear falsly or that 't is lawful for any at the last hour to protest himself Innocent in case he be Guilty R. Amen XIV Cursed is he that encourages sins or teaches Men to defer the amendment of their Lives or presumption of their Death-bed-Repentance R. Amen XV. Cursed is he that teaches Men that they may be lawfully drunk on a Friday or any other Fasting-day tho they must not taste the least bit of Flesh. R. Amen XVI Cursed is he who places Religion in nothing but a pompous shew consisting only in Ceremonies and which teaches not the People to serve God in Spirit and Truth R. Amen XVII Cursed is he who loves or promotes Cruelty that teaches People to be bloody-minded and to lay aside the meekness of Iesus Christ. R. Amen XVIII Cursed is he who teaches it lawful to do any wicked thing tho it be for the Interest and Good of Mother-Church or that any Evil Action may be done that Good may come on it R. Amen XIX Cursed are we if amongst all those wicked Principles and damnable Doctrines commonly laid at our doors any one of them be the Faith of our Church And cursed are we if we do not as heartily detest all those hellish Practâ—ces as they that so vehemently urge them against us R. Amen XX. Cursed are we if in an answering and saying Amen to any of these Curses we use any Equivocations Mental Reservations or do not assâ—nt to them in the common and obvious Sense of the Words R. Amen And can the Papists then thus seriously and without check of Conscience say Amen to all these Curses Yes they can and are ready to it whensoever and and as often as it shall be requir'd of them And what then is to be said of those who either by Word or Writing charge these Doctrines upon the Faith of the Church of Rome Is a lying Spirit in the mouth of all the Prophets Are they all gone aside Do they bâ—ck bâ—te with their Tongue do Evil to their Neighbour and take up Reproach against thâ—ir Neighbour I 'll say no such thing but leave the impartial Considerer to judge One thing I can safely affirm That the Papists are foully Mis represented and shew in publick as much unlike what they are as the Christians were of old by the Gentiles that they lie under a great Calumny and severely smart in good Name Persons and Estates for such things which they as much and as heartily detest as those who accuse them But the Comfort is Christ has said to his Followers Ye shall be hated of all men Matth. 10.22 and Saint Paul We are made a Spectacle unto the World and we don't doubt that who bears this with Patience shall for every loss here and content receive a hundred fold in Heaven For base things of the World and things which are despiâ—ed hath God chosen â— Corinth 1.28 An Answer to the Conclusion HAving thus gone through the several Heads which our Author complains have been so much Mirsrepresented it is now fit to consider what he saith in his Conclusion which he makes to answer his Introduction by renewing therein his doleful Complaints of their being Misrepresented just as Christ and his Apostles and the Primitive Christians were I hope the former Discourse hath shewed their Doctrines and Practices are not so very like those of Christ and his Apostles and the Primitive Christians that their Cases should be made so parallel but as in his Conclusion he hath summed up the substance of his Representations so I shall therein follow his Method only with this difference that I shall in one Column set down his own Representations of Popery and in the other the Reasons in short why we cannot embrace them Wherein Popery consists as represented by this Author 1. IN using all external Acts of Adoration before Images as Kneeling Praying lifting up the Eyes burning Candles Incense c. Not merely to worship the Objects before them but to worship the Images themselves on the account of the Objects represented by them or in his own Words Because the Honour that is exhibited to them is referred to the Prototypes which they represent 2. In joining the Saints in Heaven together with Christ in Intercession for us and making Prayers on Earth to them on that Account 3. In allowing more Supplications to be used to the Blessed Virgin than to Christ For he denies it to be an idle Superstition to repeat Ten Ave Maria's for one Pater-Noster 4. In giving religious Honour and Respect to Relicks Such as placing them upon Altars burning Wax Candles before them carrying them in Processions to be seen touched or humbly kissed by the People which are the known allowed Practices in the Church of Rome 5. In adoring Christ as present in the Eucharist on the account of the Substance of Bread and Wine being changed into that Body of Christ which suffered on the Cróss 6. In believing the Substance of Bread and Wine by the Words of Consecration to be changed into his own Body and Blood the Species only or Accidents of Bread and Wine remaining as before 7. In making good Works to be truly meritorious of Eternal Life 8. In making Confession of our Sins to a Priest in order to Absolution 9. In the use of Indulgences for taking away the Temporal Punishments of sin remaining due after the Guilt is remitted 10. In supposing the Penitent Sinner may in some measure satisfie by Prayer Fasting Alms c. for the Temporal Pain which by order of God's Iustice sometimes remains due after the Guilt and the Eternal Pain are remitted 11. In thinking the Scripture not fit to be read generally by all without Licence or in the Vulgar Tongue 12. In allowing the Books of Tobit Judith Ecclesiasticus Wisdom Maccabees to be Canonical 13. In preferring the Vulgar Latin Edition
his concern it should be determin'd For his part he does not doubt but that God who acquainted the Prophets with the knowledge of things that were yet to come many hundred years after That inform'd Elijah of the King of Syria's Counsel tho' private resolv'd on in his Bed-chamber and at a distance 2 Kings 6.12 can never want means of letting the Saints know the desires of those who beg their Intercession here on Earth Especially since our Saviour tells That Abraham heard the Petitions of Dives who was yet at a greater distance even in Hell and told him likewise the manner of his living while as yet on Earth Nay since 't is generally allow'd that even the very Devils hear those desperate wretches who call on them Why should he doubt that Saints want this Priviledge in some manner granted to sinful men and to wicked Spirits who tho departed this life are not so properly dead as translated from a mortal life to an immortal one where enjoying God Almighty they lose no Perfections which they enjoy'd while on Earth but possess all in a more eminent manner having more Charity more Love and being more acceptable to God than ever becoming like Angels And as these offered up their Prayers for Ierusalem and the Cities of Iudah Zach. 1.12 so undoubtedly they likewise fall down before the Lamb having every one of them Harps and golden Vials full of Odours which are the Prayers of the Saints Apoc. 5.8 II. Of Worshipping Saints FOr the clear stating this Controversy these things are to be premised 1. We do not charge them that they make Gods of dead men i. e. that they believe the Saints to be Independent Deities For this our Author confesses were a most damnable Idolatry 2. We do not say that the State of the Church of Rome with respect to the Worship of dead men is as bad as Heathenism For we acknowledge the true Saints and Martyrs to have been not only good and Vertuous but extraordinary Persons in great Favour with God and highly deserving our Esteem and Reverence as well as Imitation whereas the Heathen Deified Men were vile and wicked Men and deserved not the common Esteem of Mankind according to the Accounts themselves give of them And we own the common Doctrine and Advantages of Christianity to be preserved in the Church of Rome 3. We do not deny that they do allow some external Acts of Worship to be so proper to God alone that they ought to be given to none else besides him And this they call Latria and we shall never dispute with them about the proper signification of a Word when the Sense is agreed unless they draw Inferences from it which ought not to be allowed To this Latria they refer not only Sacrifice but all that relates to it as Temples Altars and Priests so that by their own Confession to make these immediately and properly to the Honour of any Saint is to make a God of that Saint and to commit Idolatry 4. They confess that to pray to Saints to bestow Spiritual or Temporal Gifts upon us were to give to them the Worship proper to God who is the only giver of all good things For else I do not understand why they should take so much pains to let us know that whatever the Forms of their Prayers and Hymns are yet the Intention and Spirit of the Church is only to desire them to pray for us and to obtain thngs for us by their Intercession with God But two things cannot be denied by them 1. That they do use solemn Invocation of Saints in places of Divine Worship at the same time they make their Addresses to God himself with all the Circumstances of External Adoration with bended Knees and Eyes lifted up to Heaven and that this Practice is according to the Council of Trent which not only decrees an humble Invocation of them but declares it to be impiety to condemn mental and vocal Supplication to the Saints in Heaven 2. That they do own making the Saints in Heaven to be their Mediators of Intercession but not of Redemption although Christ be our Mediator in both senses And upon these two Points this Controversy depends Let us now see what our Representer saith to them 1. His Church teaches him indeed and he believes that it is good and profitable to desire the Intercession of the Saints reigning with Christ in Heaven but that they are either Gods or his Redeemers he is no where taught but detests all such Doctrine There are two Ways of desiring Intercession of others for us 1. By way of Friendly Request as an Act of mutual Charity and so no doubt we may desire others here on Earth to pray for us 2. By way of Humble Supplication with all the external Acts of Adoration and we cannot think St. Peter or St. Paul who refused any thing like Adoration from men would have been pleased to have seen men fall down upon their Knees before them and in the same posture of Devotion in which they were praying to Almighty God to put their Names into the middle of their Litanies and so pray them then to pray for them But how are we sure that their Church teaches no more than this I have read over and over the Council of Trent and the Roman Catechism about it and I can find no such limitation of their sense there where if any where it ought to be found The Council of Trent mentions both the Prayers and the Help and Assistance of the Saints which they are to fly to If this Help and Assistance be no more than their Prayers why is it mentioned as distinct Why is their reigning together with Christ in Heaven spoken of but to let us understand they have a Power to Help and Assist For what is their Reigning to their Praying for us But I have a further Argument to prove the Council meant more viz. the Council knew the common Practices and Forms of Invocation then used and allowed and the general Opinion that the Saints had power to Help and Assist those who prayed to them If the Council did not approve this why did it insert the very words upon which that Practice was grounded They likewise very well knew the Complaints which had been made of these things and some of their own Communion cried shame upon some of their Hymns Wicelius saith one of them Salve Regina c. is full of downright Impiety and horrible Superstition and that others are wholly inexcusable Lud. Vives had said He found little difference in the Peoples opinion of their Saints in many things from what the Heathens had of their Gods These things were known and it was in their power to have redressed them by declaring what the Sense of the Council was and that whatever Forms were used no more was to be understood by them but praying to them to pray for them Besides the Council of Trent in the very same
Session took care about reforming the Missal and Breviary why was no care taken to reform these Prayers and Hymns which they say are not to be construed by the Sense of the Words but by the Sense of the Church There was time enough taken for doing it for the Reformed Missal was not published till six Years after the Council nor the Breviary till four In all that time the Prayers and Hymns might easily have been altered to the Sense of the Church if that were truly so But instead of that a very late French Writer cries out of the necessity of Reforming the Breviaries as to these things wherein he confesses Many Hymns are still remaining wherein those things are asked of Saints which ought to be asked of God alone as being delivered from the Chains of our Sins being preserved from Spiritual Maladies and Hell-Fire being inflamed with Charity and made fit for Heaven In good Conscience saith he is not this joyning the Saints with God himself to ask those things of them which God alone can give And whatever Men talk of the Sense of the Church he confesses the very Forms and natural Sense of the Words do raise another Idea in Mens minds which ought to be prevented But doth not the Roman Catechism explain this to be the Sense of the Church I have examined that too with all the care I could about this matter And I cannot find any necessity from thence of putting this Sense upon them I grant in one place where it explains the difference of the Invocation of God and Saints it saith We are to pray to God as the Giver and to Saints that they would obtain things of God for us and then it adds the Forms differ that to God is Miserere Nobis and Audi Nos that to Saints is Ora pro Nobis Very well And is there then no other Form owned or allowed in the Church of Rome to Saints besides this Hold a little saith the Catechism for it is lawful to make use of another Form and that is we may pray to Saints too Vt nostri misereantur And how doth this now differ from that to God but only in Number But it adds that the Saints are very pitiful then surely we are encouraged to pray to them for Help and Pity Yes saith the Catechism we may pray to them that being moved with pity toward us they would help us with their Favour and Intercession with God But yet this doth not clear the Matter for elsewhere the Roman Catechism attributes more to Saints than meer Intercession and we may pray to them for what is in their Power For where it undertakes to give an exact Account of the Reason of Invocation of Saints and Angels it there parallels them with Magistrates under a King and saith they are Gods Ministers in governing the Church Invocandi itaque sunt quod perpetuo Deum intuentur Patrocinium Salutis nostrae libentissimè suscipiunt What is this Patrocinium salutis nostrae Is it only Praying and Intercession with God That cannot be for it instances presently in Deliverances by Angels and Jacob 's praying to the Angel to bless him and not meerly to intercede for him But though this is spoken of Angels yet from hence it infers the Invocation of Saints too But what need we insist more on this since they do own the Ministry of Saints as well as Angels with respect to the Church and do Canonize Saints for particular Countries as lately S. Rosa for Peru. And where there is such a particular Protection supposed what incongruity is it to interpret the Form of their Prayers according to a Doctrine so received and allowed But of this more under the next Head 2. He confesses that we are all redeemed by the Blood of Christ alone and that he is our only Mediator of Redemption but as for Mediators of Intercession he doth not doubt but it is acceptable with God we should have many I would ask concerning this Distinction the Question which Christ asked concerning Iohn's Baptism Is it from Heaven or of Man No doubt there may be such a Distinction of Mediators if God please to make them But who hath Authority to appoint Mediators with him besides himself Is it not usurping his Prerogative to appoint the great Officers of his Kingdom for him Would any Prince upon Earth allow this viz. when he hath absolutely declared his Pleasure that his own Son should present Petitions to him that others shall take upon them to set up Masters of Requests themselves Can any thing be plainer in the New Testament than that God hath appointed the Mediator of Redemption to be our Mediator of Intercession And that his Intercession is founded upon his Redemption As the High Priest's going into the Holy of Holies to intercede for the People was upon the Blood of the Sacrifice of Expiation which he carried in with him If there were no Revelation in this Matter there might be some reason for it But since the Revelation is so clear in it this Distinction looks just like the Socinians Distinction of a God by Nature and a God by Office which was framed on purpose to avoid the plain Texts of Scripture which called Christ God So doth this look as if it were intended to avoid that clear Text which saith There is one Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Iesus Which is presently answered with this Distinction although there be not the least ground in that or any other Text for it Yes saith our Author Moses was such a Mediator for the Israelites Job for his three Friends Stephen for his Persecutors The Romans were desired by S. Paul to be his Mediator and the Corinthians and Ephesians so almost every sick Person desires the Congregation to be his Mediator that is to be remembred in their Prayers But is there no difference between Men praying for one another and desiring others to pray for them here on Earth and an humble Invocation of the Saints in Heaven to be our Mediators of Intercession with God there There is a threefold disparity in the Case 1. Here upon Earth we converse with one another as Fellow Creatures and there is no danger of our having an Opinion thereby that were able to assist one another any other way than by our Prayers But the case is very different as to the Saints in Heaven who by being addressed to there by such solemn Invocation may too easily be conceived to have the Power of bestowing such Blessings upon those who call upon them 2. Heaven is looked upon by all Mankind who direct their Devotions thither as the particular Throne of God where he dwells and discovers himself after another manner than he doth upon the Earth And we are directed to pray to our Father in Heaven where he is represented as infinitely above all his Creatures and the great Concernment of Religion is to keep up the apprehension