this cause that euen I might come and speake vnto him Therefore in conclusion to their perswasions that direct and inuite me otherwise then to call vpon Me. Without more ado I answere with Nazianzene in another case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let vs stand as we doe all things considered we haue no reason to change for the worse Hold that fast which we haue receiued from our Elders the ancient Christians of the purest times the eldest Tradition of the Church who neuer were acquainted with such diuersions from the right and direct way And their contrary Doctrine is both a nouelty and foolery It is a nouelty I auerre and will auow to vse such Intercession Not heard of for practice ordinary in the Church for aboue fiue hundred yeares after Christ It is foolery to goe so about the bush when without much adoe the bird may be had It cannot be proued by any Romane Catholique nor all the Roman Catholiques liuing that Saints departed of what Rancke Condition Quality Mansion or Degree soeuer can vnderstand ordinarily our Needes Necessities Votes Desires or Petitions and therefore as vnfit for this imployment are not ordinarily to be Called vpon for Helpe Assistance or Reliefe Origens conclusion will hold and shall be defended and made good against all Opponents Vtrum sancti qui cum Christo sunt aguni aliquid laborant pro nobis in particular vpon particulars est inter mysteria occulta Dej And therefore not so rashly to be resolued affirmatiuely Without any ground It is no point of Faith fundamentall or secundary neuer so resolued for many ages in the eldest times of the Church no practice of the faithfull ancient imposed or vniuersall no tradition for it much lesse Scripture no ground in reason or in Diuinity It is but folly in time of necessity to rely vpon their mediation The best course is The vsed course hath beene euer the surest way is euer without their mediation to haue immediate addresse vnto God in Christ If any Papist liuing or all the Papists liuing can iustifie the practice of their Church herein against the Doctrine and practice of the Church of England I will subscribe vnto all Popery And yet we are wronged And yet we deny no honour to the blessed Saints and deepely calumniated by foule mouthed detractors as iniurious vnto God in the dishonour of his Saints because we giue them not the honor which is not due vnto them wherof they are not any way capable Those blessed ones with God that haue fought a good fight kept the Faith finished their course as they are now regnant in glory with their Redeemer so are they honourable amongst the Righteous vpon Earth for euer They haue left a name behind them so that their praise shall be remembred for euermore The Lord hath gotten great glory by them and therefore with renowne hee will reward them No Christian will deny or enuy them their due And for my selfe I say with Nazianzene or Basil I am sure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It doth me good at heart to see them honoured I admire reuerence adore them in their kinde their Triumphs and Trophees ouer Death and Hell my Tongue and Pen shall most willingly set out to life with all the poore skill and faculty I haue Thrice happy Reapers of that mighty Booz that did so worthily in Ephrata and were so famous in Bethleem that sowed in teares when you went out weeping but reape now the fruit of your labours in ioy you haue left some gleanings for Ruth to gather after you to the comfort and cherishing of her poore widow mother Thrice happy guests of that royall Ahashuerosh admitted to eat at his Table in his Pallace that Non-such of God to drinke the sweet wine of felicity in the cuppes of immortality clad in the wedding garments of immutability Blessed Soules and immaculate it hath beene your turnes already being purged with the Oyle of Purification and perfumed with the Odors of the Lambes innocency to goe into the Chamber of that great King and to be married vnto him by immortality Spies of that Land of promise which indeed floweth with milke and hony to whom that Captaine of the Armies of the Lord of Hosts the Ioshua in truth and not in type hath giuen rest from all enemies round about Faire Flockes of that great Shepheard of Israel that feede vpon the Mountaines of Eternity and repose your selues in Pastures by the waters of life wee know you affoord vs your best wishes and desires refresh vs with the crummes of your delicacies there compassionate our yet Pilgrime estate that lye among Lyons feed with the Wolfe and goe to water with the Dragons We cannot forget we must not be vnmindfull of your worth Iohn Peter Paul Iames Stephen Luke Andrew Tecla those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrifices for Christ Pag. 76. as Nazianzene calleth them such as with them after them and before them Pro veritate periculis se obiecerunt cum igni ferro belluis tyrannis malis praesentibus et denunciatis alacri animo velut in alienis corporibus non suis imò vt expertes corporum dimicarunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These you honour not but disgrace what you may so he expostulateth with and chargeth Iulian that Renegado but he neuer intended so to honour them as Honorificentiam regis deferre Comiti But that which is onely due vnto their Maker to giue them the honour due vnto their Maker This I must not I cannot I dare not presume to doe For how can I answere it vnto my Master who hath denounced My honour shall no man haue nor will I part stakes with any other Nay how vnto those Grandies themselues the Saints so iealous of their Redeemers honour that before all they first would plead against me and cast me vpon enditement of high Treason so farre are they from admitting or patronizing mine excesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I confesse with Origen they deserue to be honoured Contra Cels 1. but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to be worshipped or adored 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The honour they expect the most and greatest we can doe vnto them saith Chrysostome To. 5. pa. 625. is to goe after them in their worth and to be followers of their good deseruings Nazianzene enlargeth himselfe much vpon this point and concludeth Hoc honorum genere magis oblectatur Cyprianus Oâ—at 18. quam cunctis alijs in vnum congestis Haec et cum apud Homines versaretur vita moribusque praesiabat et absens per nostram vocem omnibus in mandatis dat quam obsecro ne contemnatis si tamen aut illius in dolorum acerbitatibus tolerantiae ac certaminum pro virtutis defensione susceptorum aut etiam mei qui hac legatione fungor apud vos vlla habetur ratio Nazianzene did not in this nor doe we with him and all antiquity vnder-valew their worth or esteeme lightly of their atchieuements 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men saith Chrysostome that feare GOD â—o 5. pa. 721. when they refuse to adore the Creature doe not vilifie or despise the Creature but rather giue honour to the Creator The godly man hateth not the Sunne because with Pagan Infidels he adoreth not the light thereof but giueth that respect thereto which is due Thus wee answere in this point of Inuocation and make our Apology against detraction for dishonouring or disparaging Gods holy Saints That GOD glorious in them now and euer grant vs of his grace through their Intercession for his Church in Christ that we may so passe through things temporall that finally wee loose not things eternall but together with all the Saints departed may rise againe to immortall Life FINIS Errata Pag. 2. lin 29. meere p. 3. l. 3. loue l. 17. miserentur p. 8. l. 1. alongè p. 14 l 2 reserued p. 20 l. 7. nor man p. 26.14 which doth l. 27 casâ—e dis patch p. 35.27 know not what p. 37.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 107. l. 11 ius petes p. 110. l. pen. Non enim p. 136. l. 14 possunt p. 145. l. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 146. l. 5. vnto p. 178 l. 8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 23. for vs to p. 182. l. 13 to a Christian Virgin ber l. 28. and of p. 189. l. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 210. l. 19. Exercitui END
troubled the whole World It is an opinion receiued and hath beene long that if not euery man each sonne of Adam yet sure â—ach Christian man regenerate by water and the holy Ghost at least from the day of his Regeneration and new birth vnto God if not from the time of his comming into the World hath by Gods appointment and assignation an Angell Guardian to attend vpon him at all assayes in all his wayes at his going forth at his comming home Who though hee goe inuisibly and assist insensibly as his Nature is yet is supposed to attend vpon vs to bee present with vs continually Parum est fecisse Angelos tuos fecisti Custodes paruulorum who Continually behold the face of their Father in Heauen This being supposed to bee so So that it were also rightly vnderstood It being resolued that hee doth not leaue vs at all the time of our life it being beleeued that he is euermore present at hand and neere vnto vs vnder correction to say now which I said not then I see no absurditie in Nature no incongruitie vnto Analogie of Faith no repugnancie at all vnto sacred Scripture much lesse impietie for any man to say Sancte Angele custos ora pro me This in priuate discourse I might say vnto him talking vpon this as wee did vpon many other particulars disputed of betwixt the sides of Protestant and Romane Catholikes It is no impietie it can be no foolerie thus to resolue only vpon the former supposition For as to my Brother or to my Friend at hand neere vnto me I may say Good Friend or good Brother let mee haue your good Prayers vnto God for me so good Angell Keeper pray for mee supposing him present and alway at hand as if he be Guardian perpetuall he must be And therefore Caluine obserueth against this Romane tenet of Inuocation Nor if wee granted Inuocation for all Angels as well as this would thâ—t 〈◊〉 the Inuocation of Saints that the case is not the same betwixt Angels and Saints because Angels are appointed which Saints are not and deputed to protect vs though in particular hee grant no Angell Custos It is true that Inuocation of Saints is a point of Foolery it being at least vncertaine whether they are and in what manner they can be acquainted with our wants seeing their condition is not to attend vs and they are remooued farre aboue our reach and Call Though for them we grant not for the Angell Guardian we might better grant it though wee call vnto them neuer so often or so loude but the case of Angell Guardians is farre different being euer in procinctu nigh at hand vnto vs continually and neuer abandoning vs all our dayes If my selfe at London should say vnto a friend at Constantinople or in the Indies Sir helpe me I might be laughed at deseruedly for my folly This case commeth home to their practice of Inuocation But if I speake vnto him that is present with me standeth by me to helpe and assist mee I commit no absurditie in Reason nor in Pietie And this vpon supposall of Angell Keepers which I vrge not as a point of beliefe or Pietie Wee doe not vrge 〈◊〉 certaine truth the case it selfe of Angel Keepers is not so resolued but only mention as of congruitie because it is most probable there are such Keepers If thus my selfe resolued doe inferre Holy Angel Keeper pray for mee I see no reason to bee taxed with point of Poperie or Superstition much lesse of absurditie or impietie But bee this as may be Salus Reipublicae non vertitur in istis a man may goe to Heauen that vseth it and he that denyeth it may goe thither also as likewise they may hoc non obstante goe either of them the contrary way to the contrarie place through breach or obseruation of things of an higher nature and greater allay tendred vnto vs vnder that strict forme Beleeue this and liue But to returne to our Perswaders for Prayer vnto Saints But whatsoeuer we grant or denie they are eloquent Orators for the Inuocation of Saints too they vse to tell vs many long and plausible Discourses of the happie and blessed estate of the Saints in Heauen of the fruition and enioying of his presence in Glorie with whom is the fulnesse of ioy at whose right hand is pleasure for euermore They discourse of their Charitie and good affection vnto vs their Brethren militant in the Church vpon earth the great desire they haue to doe vs good their readinesse to helpe and to assist vs at need The grace and fauour they are in with God and the possibilitie they haue to bee heard in their desires and to haue whatsoeuer they aske granted to them As if it were questioned at all by vs whether quoad statum they did see God or not or were as yet quoad locum in Heauen with God or no. Some haue doubted of both in the Church of Rome I grant especially for statum more materiall of the two as Iohn 22. and that Renegado a man of no Religion as appeareth by his owne Profession nor Conscience who publikely taught little lesse then this not by way of Probleme but Position as I am more particularly assured of it who disswaded him from doing so but he would not heare mee Wee make question of neither Place or State but in Faith and full assurance hold them partakers and possessed alreadie of that state of happinesse and glory with Christ Iesus Vrging what we doe not denie de â—oco sâ—atu who in the highest Heauens sitteth at the right hand of God in Glorie which winneth infallibly leadeth indeclinably holdeth inseparably vnto and with God Foelix anima as Saint Augus tine meditateth vpon this state and condition of the Righteous Quae terreno corpore resoluta libera Coelum petit secura est tranquilla Non timet hostem neque mortem Habet enim praesentem cernitque indesinenter Dominum Deum pulcherrimum sui seruiuit quem dilexit ad quem tandem laeta gloriosa peruenit But what is this to purpose But to no purpose their being with God enioying God preuayling with God louing vs to the purpose of ordinary power to assist vs practice of Intercession to mediate for vs What is iâ— to mee what another is in himselfe if it be not otherwise ad me that I receiue some benefit or aduantage Not any of these nor all these indowments and atchieuements come home to the point of power and possibilitie ordinarily to heare the Petitions of any at any time in any place necessarily required and to bee assured before I can say Ora pro me Nor is it to purpose or for aduantage that they come in vpon the Seconds with a faire Discourse vnto Nouices and their Proselytes of that loue and deare affection which they beare vnto their Brethren And therefore doubt not And with as little
Councell within the time prefixed of 550. yeares and I subscribe As for miracles And the miracles which they report least of all to be belieued I beleeue them when I see them Sure I am there is much cosinage and collusion in them The Donatists were wont to brag much of them Quae figmenta mendacium hominum vel portenta fuerunt fallacium Daemonum in the opinion of Saint Augustine For euen the Diuels those Gods of the Gentiles wrought miracles and true ones substantially for the confirmation of Paganisme and Idolatry Orata in Iudaâ— 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For euen the Diuell saith Chrysostome hath by his Art and cunning cured many diseases and restored men vnto their health againe What then Shall we therefore subscribe vnto and partake of their impiety God forbid And who knoweth not Hereticks haue euer run this course to confirme their impieties from such delusions Adijcient multa de authoritate cujuque doctoris â—aeretici illos maximè dostrinae suae sidem confirmasse mortues suscitasse debiles reformasse futura significasse vâ—i merito Apostoli crederentur Quasi nec hoc sâ—riptum sit venturos multos qui etiam virtutes maximaeâ— ederent ad fallatiam munieâ—dam corruptae praedicationis 〈…〉 44. So that in opinion of Tertullian it is no safe proceeding by this Mirabiliatian courses to iustifie Inuocation of Saints or Angels So that no reason but to embrace Chrysostomes resolution For either they confirme nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Credit is to be giuen to the Scripture rather then vnto Miracles whatsoeuer But to grant them true truely done by the onely finger of God yet being as they are extraordinary workes of wonder whensoeuer they confirme that for which they are alledged we may doe well to remember that what they so confirme are also extraordinary dispensations Or nothing but extraordinary dispensations not to be drawne into practice ordinarily and so nor they nor their effects any thing to purpose And so they must euery way faile in the 〈◊〉 of Intercession Shew me to conclude any positiue practice in antiquity not one or two examples of some priuate parties A receiued resolution for the verity thereof concluded dogmatically Demonstrate vnto me infallibly by reason Scripture authentick tradition that Saints departed are call of them or any of them interessed ordinarily rebus viuentium That by either Euening or Morning knowledge Naturall indowments or acquired accruments By diuine reuelation Angelicall relation Till they haue found vs better assurance that they know and are interessed in our affaires or other meanes they doe or can know and vnderstand my necessities exigences prayers or practico in any time or place when I call vpon them or vnto them and I will vnfainedly ioyne hands of fellowship and say Saint Peter Saint Paul pray for me Vntill that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so I thinke will any desire to be excused for Inuocation For to bee perswaded as some haue told me they are that in their opinion Saints nor doe nor can be priuy vnto my necessities nor heare my prayers and yet to pray vnto them is to my vnderstanding so poore a part of Piety that it is without warrant of common sense It is peraduenture possible saith Saint Augustine that the dead know something done here amongst vs by relation of Angels Qui rebus quae aguntur hic praesto sunt and beholding the actions and occasions of mortall men with whom they conuerse peraduenture make report of them in Heauen Such things and no moe and no other then those are which he to whom all things are aperta and in subiection thinketh fit and conuenient for them to know Somewhat God may be pleased to reueale and let them know immediately from himselfe Vnlesse as we by particular Reuelation may know of theirs Some men may haue at some certaine times particular reuelation or peraduenture apparitions from the dead as Saint Paul yet liuing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was rapt vp but how into the third Heauen Verum ista diuinitus exhibentur longè aliter quam se habet vsitatus rerum ordo singulis creaturarum generibus attributus saith Augustine All these being extraordinary dispensations no ordinary rules of practice are not to be made ordinary Precedents especially in cases of Religon and Piety or of such humane exigences as require quicke dispatch and certaine assurance for deliuerance Specially since we haue a surer and speedieâ— way of dispatch with 〈◊〉 them Can I expect through the Meanes Mediation or Intercession of any Saint or all the Saints of Paradise any spedier admittance then I can haue from God himselfe any readier dispatch then he immediately affordeth Call vpon me and I will heare Inuitation out of Mercy promise of Grace are not so farre a sunder in the text of Dauid and as instantly consequent in Gods performance The word is no sooner out of thy mouth Heare me O Lord but it is in the Eares of the Lord of Hosts and instantly findeth grace and acceptance For streight he commeth in with I wil heare and deliuer thee Abrahams seruant a good seruant of such a Master in that great imployment To take a Wife for Isack Gen. 24. Hath recourse vnto the God of his Master Abraham Immediate addresse without aide or assistance and what successe such as none could expect or desire better For vers 15. Before he had left speaking behold Rebekah came out The party prouided for him So God instantly heard his prayer and granted his request No man I suppose would desire better Audience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If thou haue any suite to To. â— pag. 195. or businesse with man thou first enquirest if he be at leasure to be spoken with He that attendeth on him answereth my Master is a sleep he cannot be spoken with But no such matter if thou addresse thee vnto God Goe to him and Call he instantly answereth and giueth eare No businesse hindereth No Mediator needeth No seruant or attendant to keepe thee out But say Lord haue mercy vpon me and eft-soones behold God is at hand While yet the Word is in thy mouth he returneth answere Loe here am I. Thy Petition is dispatched before thy suite be fully ended No long suite No great charge not much trouble or attendance in Call and I will heare It is not man thou hast recourse vnto that so thou shouldest follow him farre or repaire vnto the place of his abode God is alway neare euer at hand Thus to purpose And againe in the case of the woman of Tyre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 190. She doth not addresse her selfe to Peter shee supplicateth not vnto Iohn shee doth not intreat Iames to helpe her but passeth through the middest of them to Christ I neede no Mediator quoth she but with true repentance my companion I come personally vnto the spring head Hee came downe from Heauen hee tooke flesh for