THE REFVTATION OF AN EPISTLE WRITTEN BY A CERTAIN DOCTOR OF the Augustins Order within the Citie of Leige TOGETHER WITH THE ARGVMENTS which he hath borrowed from Robert Bellarmine to proue the inuocation of Saints By IOHN POLYANDER Minister vnto the French Church in Dort And now translated by HENRY HEXHAM out of French into English 1. PETER 4. 11. If any man speake let him talke as the words of God AT LONDON Imprinted by F. K. for Thomas Man 1610. TO THE HONORABLE AND RIGHT WORTHIE SIR HORACE VERE Knight Lord Gouernour of his Maiesties Cautionarie Towne of Briel in Holland and chiefe Commander vnder his Excellencie of all the English Forces in the seruice of the Lords the States of the vnited Prouinces RIght Honourable and my best Lord it shal not offend any that know your Lordship how God hath honoured you with the eminent markes of Honour in your noble Birth great Exploits true vertues and vnfained godlinesse so much the greater by how much the rarer dignities that I stile you right Honourable and I trust it will not offend you that I call you my best Lord whom I haue long followed and next vnder God doe depend vpon If ought need excuse it is then this boldnesse that I presume vpon your fauour so much as to dedicate this Treatise vnto your name and that without your Lordships priuitie The Treatise right worthy being considered in it selfe is not vnworthie a noble Patron being written of a notable argument and by a notable Minister and in my opinion so much the more agreeable vnto you by how much you declare your self a zealous louer of that Truth which this author maintaineth and haue with losse of blood and hazard of life defended with your sword what this man by his pen. As touching my part therein which is the least and the translation though it be not so well worthie of you yet because it is due to you being done by one of your Lordships Companie and in the towne of your Garrison where it was also penned and by me that haue deuoted my selfe vnto your seruice in any dutie I can performe I hope your Lordship will not only pardon my boldnesse but accept my dutifull affections in this which in my prayers to God for you shall euer shew themselues to be such as becommeth me Your Lordships Souldier euer to be commanded Henry Hexham TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THe extreame libertie which this scribling age taketh of writing and publishing idle and vnprofitable pamphlets and the double diligence of Popish Writers in painting the old and withered face of their Iezabel not onely may but ought to prouoke those that can dee it to set forth wholesome things as counter-poysons or preseruatiues against the foresaid poysons of manners and doctrine Hereupon I confesse to haue encouraged the translator of this present Treatise to publish the same in our language into which hee had and so farre as I can indge both faithfully and fitly turned it out of French that our countrey-men might see how the Ministers of other Churches are assaulted and do make their iust defence with the same weapons with which our owne Touching the author of this booke I may not conceale that he is a man of singular note for his learning grauity pietie and conuersation and hath so stood in the seruice of the French Church at Dort in Holland for the space of eighteene yeeres to the praise of God Concerning the worke I will not so much ouervalew my selfe or vndervalew it as to recommend it vpon my word vnto the Churches of God for who am I but signifie that the seuerall impressions of it in French the translating thereof into the Dutch tongue and the good respect thereof in the French and Dutch Churches doe more then sufficiently commend it vnto all men wherefore good Reader I leaue it thus commended vnto thee and pray God to make it profitable to thee as it hath bin to many others Thine in the Lord Iohn Burges Preacher to the English at the Hagâ—â—e in Holland TO THE FRENCH CHVRCH ASSEMBLED together at Dort THere is no exercise most deare and worthie Brethren in the Lord more needfull nor more conuenient for a Christian man then to call vpon his Creator and Sauiour For sith that hee receiueth from his hand all manner of blessings aswell for this present life as for that which is to come he is therefore bound continually to inuocate and call vpon him for aide who is the Father of lights from whom commeth downe euery good giuing and euery perfect gift Beside it is also that marke by which the children of light are discerned from the children of this world who as it is written in the 14 Psalme haue no care to call vpon the Lord. Moreouer it is one of the parts of that Christian acknowledgement whereby wee make profession to beleeue that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seeke him as the Apostle witnesseth in the 11. Chapter to the Hebrewes and sixth verse It is a sweete communication and a familiar discourse with God whereby wee freely declare to him our necessities and beseech him to returne an answere to our petitions in due time It may also be called an ambassage or a trusty Post which swiftly mounting vp to heauen knocketh at the gate of Gods palace there to present before him all our requests Finally it is the very soule of our soules and like as our bodies cannot liue nor subsist without our soules so likewise cannot our soules perseuere in the faith and hope of the grace of God which is the fountaine of life without the exercise of prayer Which point the Fathers of the old Testament considering ere they betooke themselues to any of their affaires began them euermore by calling vpon the name of God saying Our helpe is in the name of the Lord which hath made heauen and earth Which also the Iewes from the godlinesse of their forefathers hold yet vnto this day and obserue it so carefully that they addresse their prayers to none but to that sole Creator of all things Wherein these ignorant people which neither know the Sonne nor the Father shew themselues farre more wise and religious then the Papists which call themselues Christians and Catholikes and yet notwithstanding are so blockish and superstitious that in stead of addressing themselues to the only God Almightie immortall they implore the aide of the dead and their Idols not considering what the Lord speaketh by his Prophet Esay in the 42. chap. and 8. verse that his glorie he will not giue to another neither his praise to grauen Images But what the diuell sworne enemie against the honour of God and mans saluation hath with such an efficacy breathed this impiety into the hearts of those lying Doctors that albeit they are conuicted by an infinit number of sentences of holy Scripture by which God expressely forbiddeth vs not to worship any but
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
alone giuer of light our great Physitian our King our only Lord and the Christ or anointed of God his Father who alone is capable to make intercession in heauen for vs as hee who hath borne our corruptions and sorrowes vpon him who only hath established poore sinners againe which were not only halfe dead but alreadie rotten in their graues and who heretofore and yet vnto this present hath of his owne gratious affection preserued vs contrary to our owne hope and expectation Finally that none of those which are in heauen had that power to reestablish mankinde and to deliuer him from the perdition whereinto hee was fallen but this only Sauiour Iesus Christ. Therefore to this intent it is written of Constantine the Emperour in the fourth booke of his Ecclesiasticall Historie chap. 21 that he was so zealous at his prayers and calling vpon the name of God that euery day for certaine houres hee locked himselfe into some secret place of his palace falling downe vpon his knees and speaking vnto God crauing of him that which he had need of Furthermore that hee commanded his officers and souldiers daily to pray for him and the prosperitie of his kingdome and to call only vpon God according to the rules and instructions of holy Scripture and in praying to say Lord we acknowledge no God but thee thou art our King wee call vpon thee for our succour through thee wee haue obtained victories from thee we expect felicitie both present and to come Moreouer because the Christians should not only inuocate God the Father but also his sonne Iesus Christ S. Athanasius disputing against the Arrians to proue the Godhead of our Lord Iesus Christ groundeth principally his argument vpon this holy and commendable custome of the ancient Church Neuer any saith he ser. 4. hath prayed to receiue any thing of God and of the Angels or of some other creature and neuer any man hath conceiued such a forme of words as God and the Angels grant it thee but contrariwise from the Father and the Sonne because of the vnion and vniforme reason of giuing And as touching that that Iacob blessed Ephraiâ— and Masasseh saying The God which hath fod me all my life long vnto this day The Angel which hath deliuered me from all ouill blesse the children c. He hath not ioyned with God the Creatour andy of the created Angels and which of their owne nature were Angels he hath not for saken God his nourisher to craue his blessing of an Angel vpon his little sonnes but insomuch that he exprosly spake of that Angel which had deliuered him from all euill he hath shewne sufficiently that his meaning was not to speake of any one of the Angels created but of the Sonne of the Father whom he ioyned as a companion with his Father in his prayers by whom God deliuereth such as it pleaseth him for hee had acknowledged him for the Angel of the great Counsell and hath not by his words signified any other then he alone which blesseth and deliuereth from euill For he meant not that the blessing which be craued of God should be giuen to him and his little sonnes by an Angel but by him only which elsewhere he prayeth vnto saying I will neuer forsake thee except thou blesse me And he was God as Iacobs words make mention when he saith I haue seen God face to face and vnto him say I Iacob prayed for to blesse his children For Iacob called vpon no other then God saying Lord deliuer me from the hands of my brother Esau c. Nor Dauid also called on no other for his deliuerance saying Lord I haue cried vnto thee in my tribulation and thou hast heard me Lord deliuer my soule from lying lips c. Likewise the Apostle S. Paul God in whom we haue hoped hath deliuered me from euill and will deliuer me c. And thereby thou maist perceive that it appertaineth to none but vnto God to blesse and deliuer for no other could deliuer Iacob but God and Iacob called only vpon him as his deliuerer It appeareth then that this Patriarch did not couple with God any one is his prayers but the Word of God of whom S. Iohn writeth to wit that in the beginning it was God with God which Redeemer he calleth an Angel because it is he alone which reuealeth and sheweth God vnto vs and which thing the Apoctlâ— S. Paul doth also oftentimes when he saith Grace be with you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ. And in his second sermon it is written Be my protector O God and a fortresse for my refuge to the end thou maist defend me Item The Lord is made the refuge of the poore and all the rest which is found semblable in the holy Scripture But if our aduersaries maintaine that these words haue been spoken of the Sonne as it is most likelie let them then know that the Saints doe not intreat of a creature that he should be their aid and hereafter let them referre these words he hath been made he hath made he hath created to Christs comming in the flesh when he hath taken vp to the crosse our sins vpon him and said Come vnto me all ye which are laden and I will ease you In like manner Arnobius in his dispute against the Pagans who through the intercession made vnto their little gods and mediatours addressed themselues to the principals signifieth vnto them in his third booke that to serue the Godhead it sufficeth vs to worship the chiefest God who is the soueraigne Father the supreme Lord Creator and conductor of all things and that in him only we serue whatsoeuer is to be serued religiously and worship whatsoeuer is to be worshipped And in the end hee concludeth speaking to the Gentiles of the intercession of our only aduocate Iesus Christ Ye must learne saith he of vs that soules cannot receiue the force of life and saluation from any but from him which this great king hath established in this charge because the almightie Emperour was willing that hee should be the way vnto saluation and as I may say the gate of life through him there is an entrance into light for by no other way can we attaine or enter in by force all other be shut vp inaccessible and fortified with an inumcible fortresse All these prayers and exhortations of the first successors of the Apostles are as so many faithful witnesse which all with one consent doe testifie that these ancient Fathers haue maintained carefully the adoration of one only God to wit of the Father the Sonne and of the holy Ghost more then for three hundred yeeres after the natiuitie of our Lord Iesus Christ. And although that shortly after some Monkes and disciples of the Gentiles newly come foorth of Egypt and Syria with the old leauen of their idolatries sought to bring vp the inuocation of Angels and Saints departed into the
answere I neuer knew you To this end also S. Gregorie Bishop of Rome saith Because oft times miracles are done through the inspiration of the diuell my brethren loue not those signes as are common with the reprobate And S. Austin saith The diuels doe miracles like vnto those which were done by the seruants of God c. Considering therefore that the wicked Spirit hath often times done miracles among the Iewes and Gentiles and that it was foretold that Antichrist and his supporters shall in great number doe them in the latter daies to establish their errors and seduce the elect of God if it were possible it is a follie in you to conclude that the miracles done through the inuocation of the departed Saints is a seruice pure and approued by God But to reproue the course of your fine discourse adorned with this figure of preuention There is one thing will some man say which troubleth much these heretikes and what is it how they cannot vnderstand nor imagine that the Saints doe heare vs affirming that it is vnpossible for a man praying beneath on earth to be heard of the departed Saints into heauen Which according to the scope of your writing is the second point which wee haue yet to examine It were to be wished that in this examination you were more discreet and sincere You consider not that in tearming vs heretikes because we will not beleeue that the Saints deceased vnderstand and heare the prayers of those which call vpon them you also reproue Salomon the wise of heresie who teacheth vs in the first booke of Kings and 8. chapter that there is none but God only who knoweth the hearts of all men and that that is one of the principall causes wherefore we should call vpon him and to expect from him alone the accomplishment of our desires Lord saith he what prayer and supplication soeuer shall be made of any man or of all thy people Israel when euery one shall know the plague in his owne heart and stretch foorth his hand in this house Heare thou then in heauen in thy dwelling place and be mercifull and doe and giue euery man according to all his waies as thou knowest his heart for thou only knowest the hearts of all the children of men Moreouer in stead of speaking seriously you at your pleasure flout at Caluin and our arguments You say that our strongest arguments and that which we most set by is that which wee hold from our Captaine Caluin who asketh you in the third booke of his Institutions chap. 20. sect 24. Who hath reuealed to you this secret that the departed Saints haue so long eares to stretch them downe vnto your words and so sharp eyes that they can behold your necessities It is maruell that you who so diligently set foorth your tongue with the colours of Rhetorique vnderstand not that hee maketh this demaund of you by an Ironia or manner of mockage and laugheth at your foolish imagination that the Saints which are aboue in heauen heare and see what is done here beneath on earth For without searching any further Caluin confesseth in that very section that the soules of the blessed albeit they are separated from their bodies and vse no more the instruments of eyes and eares yet vnderstand many things which concerne the aduancement of the glorie of God and his kingdome Yea and that they seeke it with a setled and vnmoued will which may bee proued by some texts out of the Bible but hee condemneth the boldnesse of your Sophists who without any testimonie of holie Scripture dare affirme that the brightnesse of Gods face is so great that in the contemplation thereof the Saints may behold as in a mirrour the things which in this world do happen But whilest you bark against this demand of Caluins you dissemble our arguments and accuse your selues of falsehood and deliberate malice seeing you vaunt that you haue read the writings of our Ministers and haue therein obserued the reasons which they propound against the second point of your doctrine If it be true that you haue perused the principall reasons of our Pastors why then do you let passe in silence that which they haue drawne out of the fountaine of the holy Scriptures and namely in the 9. chapter of Ecclesiastes vers 6. That the loue and the hatred of the dead is now perished and they haue no more portion for euer in all that is done vnder the Sunne And in the 63. chapter of Esay and 16. verse Lord thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not Whereupon this argument of our Teachers is grounded The holy Scripture manifestly instructeth vs in those aboue said texts y ◠the Saints deceased this world haue no more portion in the things which are done vnder the cope of heauen nor any knowledge of our affaires Therfore it is a folly in them which yet walk in this vaile of miserie to call vpon them But to proceed on with the course of your inuectiue you say that the disciples of Caluin and Luther to shew themselues wiser then their Masters haue begun since that to demaund of the Catholiques some expresse texts and examples taken out of the holy Scripture whereby it might appeare that the Saints aboue in Paradise vnderstand heare our prayers Whereunto I replie that Luther and Caluin haue not required of you any expresse texts by the which it might appeare that the deceased Saints heare our Prayers because they knew exceeding well that there could not be found for it so much as one only word in the Word of God For what saith Caluin thereof in his 3. booke and 20. chapter sect 21 What angell or diuell euer reueiled to any man any one syllable of this intercessiō of Saints which these men haue forged For in the Scripture there is nothing said thereof What reason had he then to seeke it there And as for vs which are none of Luthers or Caluins disciples but Christs wee require of you some proofes taken out of the marrow of the holy Scripture not for that wee thinke it is possible for you but because wee might haue the greater occasion to confute you of leasing euen by your own consciences And when all is said and when we come to that ye feare the blowes to saue your selues from them you answere vs reciprocally by a demaund whether wee can proue our negatiue by some text to wit that the Scripture teacheth vs not that the Saints which are in heauen can heare our prayers In your inuectiue against Caluin you reproch him in that hee wanteth Philosophie but herein I may rebuke you by an argument farre more forcible that you haue not learned the lawes Dialecticae that is of Logick which teacheth vs Quod affirmanti incumbat probatio to wit that he which affirmeth any thing is bound to proue his affirmation So it is
and heare our supplications And albeit that God in his word hath coÌ„manded vs to succour one another with our mutuall prayers with promise to heare vs notwithstanding hee sheweth vs that to purchase the fauour of God wee haue no neede of any other helpe then by addressing our selues to our only Sauiour Iesus Christ we haue free accesse vnto his grace and stand sure in the same God saith he in his fifth sermon vpon the 8. chapter of S. Matthew will not grant vs so much of his grace at the request of them which pray for vs as when wee our selues pray to the end wee might vse freedome in speaking to him and that desiring to reconcile him vnto vs we may reforme our selues For so tooke he pitie on the Canaanitish woman so on the theefe without either the intercession of aduocate or mediatour And wilt thou learne this that we in praying for our selues do more good with God then when others pray for vs The Canaanitish woman cried and as the disciples came vnto him they besought Christ saying Send her away for she crieth after vs and Christ Iesus answered I am not sent but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel but when she came her selfe and continued on her crying saying Truth Lord yet indeed the whelps eate of the crummes which fall from their masters table then hee did her good and said Be it vnto thee as thou desirest Thou maist see hoâ— hee put her off when others prayed for her and heard her when she her selfe prayed In like manner in his 16. sermon vpon certain texts of the Gospel according to S. Matthew he saith Is God farre from thee that thou goest to seeke him in some place He is not shut vp in any place but alwaies he is by thee And he which no place can containe faith will containe him For if thou wilt pray vnto a man thou enquirest what he doth and he to whom thou speakest heareth thee dreamingly or hath not the leisure or will not vouchsafe to answere thee With God all this is needlesse but in what place soeuer thou art if thou callest on him hee is at hand Thou â—ast no neede of an vsher mediatour or seruant doe but say take pitie on me and as soone as thou hast spoken he is there neither canst thou haue finished thy speech but hee will say here I am Againe in his discourse vpon the Canaanitish woman Tell me woman how durst thou addresse thy selfe to Iesus Christ thou which art sinfull and wicked I knew well what I doe answered she Behold the wisedome of the woman she prayeth not to Iames she addresseth not her selfe to Peter she cares not for all the Apostles she seeketh no Mediatour but in stead of all these she taketh repentance along with her for her conâ—vanion which was in place of a Mediatour for her and so is gone vnto the souraigne fountaine For said she therefore is he descended from heauen therefore tooke he flesh vpon him and made himselfe man that I might dare to speake to him aboue in heauen the Cherubims tremble before him the Seraphiâ—s feare him and heere beneath on earth a woman of a wicked life speaketh vnto him and saith haue mercie on me ô admirable aboue trembling beneath boldnesse haue mercie on me I haue no need of a Mediatour He repeateth this doctrine in his treatise of Repentance God only saith he can cure the heart who hath made the heart of euery one and who euery day vnderstandeth our affaires He then can enter into our consciences which is not possible for the Angels and Saints departed to touch our spirits and bow our soules Knowing then these things let vs haue our recourse vnto God who will and can separate our vexations For when wee haue to doe with men to obtaine any thing at their hands we must first meete with porters then perswade flatterers and oftentimes take a great iourney With God there is no such thing without either mediatour or spokesman he is inclined to heare thee without either money or charge he yeeldeth to thy prayer It is sufficient if thou criest only to him with thy heart or sheadest thy teares he is then quickly moued to mercie He addeth vpon the fourth Psalme Thou canst not say I am afraid to come neere and pray vnto God for thou hast no need of any vshers which should bring thee vnto him nor guards nor friends but when thou art alone by thy selfe then is the principall time in which he will heare thee for euen so did he with the Canaanitish woman when Peter and Iames came vnto him he did not grant her request but when she persisted on then he gaue her that which she craued From whence he draweth this conclusion in his sermon of the profit and aduancement of the Gospell Thou hast no need of any aduocates vnto God nor of any long discourse but although thou beest alone without an aduocate and praiest thy selfe vnto God thou shalt obtaine thy desire Touching the intercession of the Saints departed he determineth nothing thereof particularly but writing to Râ—parius he admonisheth vs in generalâ— that we ought not to worship neither Reliques Angels nor any other creature whatsoeuer And so oft as he treateth of prayer he exhorteth vs not to haue our recourse to any creature but vnto God only and to follow in our prayers that forme of prayer and instruction of our Lord Iesus Christ which hee recommendeth vnto vs in his 14 Sermon vpon S. Matthew where hee saith that hee which prayeth not as Christ hath taught is none of Christs disciples and that the Father willingly heareth the prayer which his Sonne hath indited because the Father knoweth the intention and words of his Sonne neither receiueth any thing but what his wisedome hath expounded reiecting all that men haue inuented and followed through custome and vsurpation So is it then that Iesus Christ the only Sonne of God hath taught vs to call vpon our heauenly Father but in his name And S. Chrysostome expounding the fifth verse of the first Epistle to Timothy Chap. 2. There is one God and one Mediatour betweene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus noteth vpon this place that Christ to be our Mediatour ought to be ioyned with God and Man and that if hee were separated from the substance of the Father and had no naturall communion therewith he could in no wise be our Mediatour And to the end wee should not thinke that God is pleased with doing vs good and giuing â—are to our requests for the sake and merit of any other Saint he signifieth to vs that all men except our Redeemer Iesus Christ haue been defiled here with some sinne God saith he in his 40. Sermon on Genesis permitted that sometimes the righteous through their owne will should fall into sinne to the intent that he alone should be without sinne From hence it chanced that Abraham hath sinned
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
and in what manner they may heare your Prayers and Supplications For to build the first point you lay downe two Articles and principles most false The one That this hath alwaies beene the doctrine of the Christian Church to say and teach that this was a thing more then reasonable and most profitable to man to inuocate the Saints yea that the Church hath taught the same for the space of 1605 year unto this day The other How certaine Heretikes which are sprung vp within this fortie or fiftie yeares haue meant to preach and teach the cleane contrarie to wit those whom you call Lutherans and Caluinists who but a few yeares ago endeuoring to â—uerthrow so auncient a doctrine according to your opinion haue said and say still that we must not call vpon any of the Saints but vpon God onely I say that your first foundation is false because as Eckius one of your principall Doctours plainely confesseth in his booke of the worshipping of Saints that it is impossible for you to alledge one onely text either out of the old or new Testament whereby you can prooue that either Christ his Euangelists or Apostles haue commanded vs to adore the Saints or haue recommended this seruice to vs as very profitable or reasonable Also Petrus à Scoto confesseth that the inuocation of Saints is not taught in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles but is there insinuated And likewise some of the Iesuits say that it is not manifestly represented in them but obscurely and mystically or by certaine consequences which are pretended and not well grounded And for this cause the Councell of Trent recommending it vnto the Christians makes no mention of the authority of the holy Scripture but of the ancient custome only of the consent of fathers and of the decreâ—s of holy Councels From whence followeth that this commandement of inuocating the Saints hath not bene giuen to the Christians as you write a thousand sixe hundred and fiue yeares ago or thereabouts but hath bene a long time after forged as I will prooue in due place by your Predecessors who haue made no conscience to teach for doctrine of saluation their owne traditions and humaine inuentions Which hauing shewed your second foundatioÌ„ wil tumble downe of it selfe that is how this rule of worshipping God alone hath bene inuented by those whom wrongfully you terme Lutherans and Caluinists for wee acknowledge none for our soueraigne Doctour and Master but our Lord Iesus Christ the only perfect wisedome and essential word of his Father who hath spoken heretofore to our Fathers by the auncient Prophets and since being manifested in our flesh hath spoken himselfe by his sacred mouth to his Disciples and after his Ascension by his Apostles who as faithful Secretaries and dispensators of the secrets of God haue left vs in writing the fundamentall points of pure Religion and touching this point haue taught vs that God only and no other ought to bee called vpon by vs in our necessities And although this is as cleere as the Sun shine in a bright day at noone yet because you are blinde and leaders of the blinde as your predecessors the Scribes and Pharisies were in the time of Iesus Christ wee will alleage against you some certaine proofes for that which is abouesaid to the end they may serue as a cleere light to those which wink not with their eyes that they might not see in seeing but open them with a holy desire to behold this light When God saith in the first Commandement of his law giuen by Moses to our Fathers * Thou shalt haue none* other Gods before me what doth hee signifie by this prohibition but only that we ought not to acknowledge any other God and Sauiour but him nor to attribute to any one that honour which is proper to him that is to call vpon him only in our anguishes according to that expresse command which he giueth vs in Deuteronom Thou shall worship the Lord thy God and serue him And by the Prophet Asaph in the 50 Psalme verses 14. 15. Offer vnto God praise and pay thy vowes vnto the most high and call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And to stirre vs vp the more thereunto he denounceth by the Prophet Esay chap. 42. and 8 verse I am the Lord this is my name and my glorie will I not giue to another neither my praise to grauen Images And in the 45 chap. and 21 verse Haue not I the Lord and there is none other God beside me a iust God and a Sauiour there is none beside me And in the 22 verse Looke vnto me and yee shall be saued all the ends of the earth shall be saued for I am God and there is none other If hereupon you object against me that God commandeth not by these places that wee should only worship him and none other beside him The answere is cleere to wit that this commandement of God was so interpreted by the Prophet Samuel and in the fulnesse of time by our Soueraigne Doctor Iesus Christ himselfe For therefore you may see how the Prophet warneth all the house of Israel in the 7 chapter of his booke and third verse where he saith If ye be come againe vnto the Lord with all your heart put away the strange gods from among you and Ashtoroth and direct your hearts vnto the Lord and serue him only and hee shall deliuer you out of the hand of the Philistims By which you may see that the Prophet Samuel sheweth vnto the children of Israel that the meanes and way to conuert and direct themselues vnto the Lord with all their hearts is to serue him only and to take away from before his eyes the Idols of the Heathen which hee calleth the gods of the strangers Euen so also our Lord Iesus Christ being tempted in the wildernesse by the wicked spirit which had transported him vpon a high mountaine and shewed him all the kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them with promise that he would giue them all vnto him if so be he would fall down and worship him he alleageth against Satan that which is written in the sixt chapter of the book of Moses called Deuteronomie expounding the intention of his father as he which is his Counsellour witnesse the Prophet Isaiah in his ninth chapter and fifth verse he addeth thereto this word only when hee answereth Satan that in that place it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue as though he would haue said That the seruice which is due vnto God only is to worship him and to prostrate our selues before him And to this end and purpose the sonnes of Korah who composed the 44 Psalme teach vs in the 20 and 21 verses that to call vpon any other besides God is to forget and denie him If say they
we haue forgotten the name of our God and holden vp our hands to a strange god shall not God search this out for hee knoweth the secrets of the heart And when the Apostle S. Paul maketh this demaund in his Epistle to the Romanes How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued he sheweth thereby that as man is forbidden to beleeue in any other but in God only so is he not permitted to pray vnto any other then to the Creator of heauen and earth seeing that inuocation is the companion of faith And therefore King Dauid in his Psalmes addresseth his prayers to none but onely vnto God with a full assurance of faith oftentimes calling him his buckler his shield his retreat his foundation his deliuerer his tower his fortresse his defender and the horne of his saluation According to which the Prophet Asaph in the 73 Psalme and 25 verse signifieth That God only is his refuge in his distresses For saith hee whom haue I in heauen but thee and I haue desired none in the earth with thee Also it is written in the 2. of the Chron. 20. 9. that King Iehoshaphat being afraid of the Moabites and Ammonites which were come to assaile him disposed himselfe to pray vnto the Lord and in the prayer which he made in the temple in the name of his people saith If euill come vpon vs as the sword of iudgement or pestilence or famine we will stand before this house and in thy presence for thy name is in this house and will crie vnto thee in our tribulation and thou wilt heare and helpe But to come now vnto your Argument which scornfully you call The great peece of Canon wherewith wee thunder against the walles of the towne and city of God which is his Church this it is That whosoeuer addresseth himself to any other but to God doth wrong to God For proofe whereof you adde that which wee alleage out of the first Epistle of S. Paul to Timotheus the second chapter and fifth verse That as there is but one God so there is but one Mediatour betweene God and men to wit the man Christ Iesus You shuffle together either through ignorance or malice the Questions that are distinct and seuerally handled by our Diuines The first is Who is it that we ought to call vpon whereunto wee answere God only The second In whose name whereunto we answere In the name of Iesus Christ who is our onely Aduocate and Intercessor For confirmation not of the first as you presuppose but of the second answere wee alleage the abouesaid text out of the first Epistle to Timotheus in the second chapter and fifth verse which I pray you against an other time to note and to take better aduice and consideration vpon our Arguments that you may propound them more sincerely Touching your exception though the Apostle S. Paul teacheth vs in that very text which I haue named that there is but one Mediatour yet you say that That hindreth not but there may be some which are subordinate and not soueraigne It shewes from what a spirit it commeth foorth euen from the spirit of lying and contradiction Of lying because you adde thereto that which is not found nor can bee gathered from that abouesaid text of the Apostle to wit that Iesus Christ is the soueraigne Mediatour onely in regard of others which are inferiour Of contradiction because you your selfe say thus Though that Iesus Christ be truly our only Mediatour sole Aduocate and only Redeemer that that hindreth not but there may be moe which are subordinate and not soueraigne For to be only Mediatour to haue some others besides as subordinate are things contradictorie And if you will that we should admit of such a glosse you must then grant to vs that out of this very text will follow that when the Apostle saith There is but one God he meaneth one soueraigne God and albeit that verely hee is onely God yet notwithstanding there be others subordinate which one can neither speake nor thinke without blasphemie Heereupon you alleage two replies of our Ministers The first How can these things agree together that Christ is our onely Mediatour and sole Intercessor for vs and neuerthelesse there are some others besides him to wit the Saints The second If the Saints may also be called Mediatours and are so indeede how then is it that Iesus Christ is called the only Mediatour To speake properly these two replies are but one now let vs see your answere vpon the latter and the answere which you alleage therein with share reproch that our Ministers are either ignorant of them or maliciously hide and conceale them from the people Now what are they The first is that Iesus Christ is called the only Mediatour because that hee alone hath troâ—de vpon the grapes in the wine-presse and through the price of his blood hath paid our ransome and hath reconciled vs vnto God his eternall father not only in praying but also in paying that which wee did owe which the Saints haue not done nor cannot doe All this is true but that which you adde is false that Iesus Christ is the onely Mediatour that is to say only of Ransome and Redemption and this is that which S. Paul meanes in the place alleaged for after he saith We haue one Mediatour betweene God and men which is the man Christ Iesus in explaining himselfe hee presently addeth these words Quit dedit redemptionem semetipsâ—m pro omnibus that is who gaue himselfe a ransome for all men For although the Apostle maketh no mention in this place but of the first effect of the mediation of our Lord Iesus Christ it followeth not from thence that his intent was to exclude the second which he setteth downe elsewhere expressely and namely in his Epistle to the Romanes and 8. chapter vers 34. where hee ioyneth together those two fruites of the mediation of our Redeemer for when he first demaudeth this Who shall condemne vs and answereth himselfe It is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe to wit for to deliuer vs from condemnation in those words he setteth downe the first effect and going forward in answering who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs hee likewise setteth downe the second and giueth vs sufficiently to vnderstand that Iesus Christ is our Mediatour and Aduocate towards God not only in so much as he hath redeemed vs but also in so much that hee maketh intercession vnto God his father for vs and presents to him our supplications And albeit that the Apostle in the abouesaid text to Tim. chap. 2. speaketh nothing of the intercession of Iesus Christ yet neuerthelesse S. Austin hauing respect to that which the Apostle admonisheth vs of in the verses going before that is to make requests vnto God for all men and that in the name