truth it did not belong vnto them 3 That after the canon of the Scripture was perfected yet neuerthelesse the inuocatioÌ„ of Saints was vnknowen and that yet notwithstanding Christians might beelâ—ued as Iohn witnesseth of his Gospel â—ap 20 ver 31. 4 Seeing the Apostles wrote all things necessary to saluation Act 20 27. Ioh 20 31 and the holy Scripture is such as maketh a man perfect to euery good work 2 Timoth 3 17. It followeth heereof that either these things are not true which are heere spoken of the scripture or that it is a lye that inuocation of saints is necessary to saluation 5 It followeth that inuocation of Saints hath none other grounds than lying miracles froÌ„ which God dehorteth vs De 13 2 3. 2 Thes 2 9. Isay 8 19. 6. It followeth also that all those papists doe impudently and against their conscience which being of Eckius his minde do go about to proue inuocation of saints by sayings of the Scripture 7 It followeth also that because inuocation of Saints is not contained in Scripture were it neuer so voidâ— of sinne yet no man were bound to accept of it The Scripture biddeth vs worship and pray vnto God alone 1 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God him only shalt thou serue Mat 4 10 Deut 6. 13. and 10 20. 2. Call vpon Mee in the day of trouble Psa 50 15. 3. I will not giue My glory vnto an other Isa 48. 11. 4. Christ bid vs pray Our Father c. Matt. 6. 9. 5 Come vntoâ—e all ye that are weary c. Matth 11. 28. Hee is to be prayed vnto whom we may call vpon in faith But faith is by the Word of God Rom 10 17. Therefore because we haue no word to stir vp our faith with promise of being heard or to command vs so to do nay because it is an horrible sinne and religion forbiddeth vs to belieue on Saints doubtlesse it is vnlawfull also to pray vnto them But neither may wee pray vnto Saints as to mediatours because the holy Scripture doth ascribe the glory of mediation to none but to Christ alone 1. So he is called the Mediatour of the New Testament Heb. 9 15. 2. There is one GOD and one Mediatour betweene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus who gaue himselfe a ransome for all men 1 Timo 2 5 6. Now 1 This vnity is taken away if there be erected moe Mediatours 2 And the saintâ— gaue not themselues a ransome for vs therefore c. â— If any man sin we haue an Aduâ—cate with the Father Iesus Christ the iâ—st 1 Ioh 2 1. But Saints are noâ— Iesus Christ the Iâ—st â— Verily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in My Name Hee will giue it you Ioh 14 13 16 23. â— No man commeth vnto the Father but by Me Ioh 14 6. By the doctrine of the inuocatioÌ„ of Saints Christians are bereaued of that confidence in the loue mercy of Christ the Sonne of God in trust whereof they ought to pray as if Christ were not truly a brother toward vs as if He were not mercifull and a louer of mankinde but such a one as would not be appeased and a fearefull Iudge euen to the repentant vnlesse hee were first pacified by some Intercessour or Saint The contrarie whereof is proued in Scripture 1 In all things it became him to bee made like vnto his brethren that he might bee As the Priest was a mediator betweene God and the peoplâ— so Christ in one and the same word is called a Priest a Mediator He. 2 17 18 mercifull a faithfull High Priest in things concerning God that he might make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people for in that He suffered and was tempted Hee iâ— able to suâ—â—ouâ— them that are tempted 2 Seeing then that wee haue a great high Priest which is entred into heauen euen It 〈◊〉 â—lâ—â— Sonne of God let vs holde â—aâ—â— our profession For we haue not an higâ— Prâ—est which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in alâ— things tempted in like sort yet without sinne Let vs therefore goe bouldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receiâ—â— merâ—y and finde grace to help in time oâ— neede Heb. 4 14. 1â— 16. 3. Wherfore he is able also perfectly to save them which come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them Heb 7. 25. 4 The Lord is gracious and mercifull slowe to anger and of great mercie Psal 145 8. Num 14 18. Yea and God the Father also is mercifull towards repentant sinners for the intercessioÌ„ of his Sonne so that there is no â—â—â—dâ— of the intercession of Saints 1. The Lord is ful of compassion mercie slow to anger of great goodnes He will not alway chide nor keepe his anger for euer He hath not dealt with vs after our sins nâ—râ—â—warded â—s according to our iniquities Heere the implacable popish god is not proposed vnto vs to whom wee should not daâ—e to come but by the medâ—ation of Saints For as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercy toward theÌ„ that feâ—â—e him As far as the â—ast is fâ—oÌ„ the west so far hath he remoued our sins fâ—oÌ„ vs. As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feaâ—e him Psal 103. 8 9 c. 2 Hereto belong all the penitentiall fermoÌ„s of the prophets wherein God openeth his ready and willing minde Ezech 18 33 chap. and many other places 3 Paul in the 8 th to the Romans is wholy herein busied to shew vs with what confidence we should cometo God by his Son with the â—roâ—â—ings of the holy Spirit â—so that we should nothing doubt of the fauor of God toward vs. The â—iâ—â—â—cation of Saints is for this cause not to be â—oâ—n with be â—â—â—se the saints heare vs not yea they know not what is done on earth 1 Though Abraham be ignorant of vs Israel know vs not yet thou art our Father Isai â—3 â—6 â— Thus dooth the Prophet comfort Iosias Thou shalt bâ—â— put in thy graue in peace and thine eyes shall not see all the euill that I will bring vpon this placeâ— King 22 20. And because the most seruent prayers are often made without the voice or motion of the mouth and lippes but in the entralls of the heart and in the spirit if prayer bee directed to Saints hereby is deuine honour giuen vnto them as if they vnderstoode the thoughts of the heart which is proper to God alone 1 Thou alone knowest the hearts of all the Children of men 1 King 8 39. 2 I the Lord search the heart and trye the reines Ier 17 10. and â—0 12 Reu. 2 23. There are manie also in the popish catalogue of Saints of whom there is great doubt they be not glorified in Heauen And many of them
holpen 2 Augustine praying for his mother sayth he doubteth not but that God had done that long since which he desired for his mother 3 And the examples of christians which some times slip into a superstition are not rules to order our life by 8 In ancient time there was a remembrance kept of the deade in the celebration of the Eucharist Ans 1 This antiquity reacheth not so far backe as to the Apostles time Therfore it is not sufficient for vs. 2 The memory of them was ordained not that they doubted of the saluation and blessed estate of the godly departed but the examples of the dead were proposed to be imitated and thankes were giuen to God for his gifts bestowed vpon the faithfull departed while they liued grace was begged at Gods hands for imitation of them and the gift of perseuerance The remembrance then which was obserued of ancient time doth not suâ—e with that which is now a dayes kept in popery for the deliuerance of soules which remaine in Vtopia CHAP. 20. Of the Inâ—ocation of Saints QVESTION 1. IN this Chapter wee are enforced to proceede with an other methode than wee haue done in the former For whereas the papists cannot cleare themselues from the crime of idolatrie very boldely they beginne to denie that which is notoâ—iously knowne And as if the thing it selfe might bee mitigated with milder wordes they refraine from the word invocation place insteed thereof the word veneration After the same fashion they change their doulian or a certaine kinde of seruice with Latria or the worship due to God That these things then may be brought to light the state of the question truly rightly set downe let vs see out of a few exaÌ„ples in the praiers directed by Papists vnto Saints and as yet not cancelled in their Churches or disallowed heereby I say let vs see whether it be a bare veneration or reuerâ—ce or whether there be deuine worship therin which they giue to Saints That is whether they pray for any thing to Saints which is only to bee craued of God and doe ascribe vnto Saints that which is proper to God alone And the first that heere offereth it selfe is â— This psal ter was printed at Venice in the yeare â—476 by â—ohn de Hallis and there â—â—maiâ—e yet two other copies the one printed at Paâ—iâ—â— the other at Liâ— the Ladies Psalter wherein are contained these things following 1 Come vnto her that is Marie all ye that labour and are troubled and shee shall giue refreshing comfort to your soules Come vnto her in your tentations the gratiousnesse of her countenance shall stablish you Psal 2. 2 Deliuer vs by thy holy prayers from the gate of hell and the belly of the depth Psa 6. 3 I trust in our Lady because of the sweetnesse of the mercifulnes of her name c And let her mercie take away the multitude of your sinns let her fruitfullnesse acceptable to God procure to vs the plentie of merites Psal 10. 4 Arise O Lady preuent him that is our aduersarie and supplant him and destroy all his endeuours Psal 13. 5 Keepe me O Lady because I haue trusted in thee and mercifully grant vnto mee the droppings of thy grace Psal 15. 6 Vnto thee O lady haue I lifted vp my soule through thy prayers let me not be ashamed in the iudgment of God Psal 24. 7 I will offer vnto thee the sacrifice of praise and dâ—uoutly will I exalte thy glory Psal 29. 8 In thee O Lady haue I put my trust let If this bee not to worship Saâ—â—ts with the pâ—â— per worship of GOD what theÌ„ is Surely this whole psalm is due to GOD as Christ and Stephen did commend their soulâ—â— vnto God me not be confounded for euer receiue me into thy fauour incline thine care vnto me and make me ioyfull in my heaurnesse thou art my sâ—â—ength and refuge my comfort and protection vnto thee haue I cryed when my heart was troubled and thou heardâ—st me from the â—opp of the â—uerlasting hills Into thine hands O Lady doe I commend my spirit my whole life and my last day Psal 30. 9 Blessed are they whose hearts doo loue thee O Virgin Marie their sinnes shall be mercifully washed away by thee Psal 31. 10 By thy holinesse my sinnes are purged by thine integrity incorruptibilitie is giuen me Psal 44. 11 The Lord sayd vnto my Lady sit on my right hand Psal 〈◊〉 And infinite othâ—â— moe which the shortnesse of a Manwell wil not permit to set them down heere But by a few the reader may see that throughout the whole Psalter whatsoeuer the Psalmist ascriâ—eth to God and Iesus Christ his Sonne and such things as Dauid durst pray for to none but to God alone are all ascribed to the Virgin Mary And the hymâ— which they vse now to sing dayly in their Churches very deuoutly doth sufficieÌ„tly declare that they giue to the virgin Mary the titles of Christ and do pray to her for such things as are to be craued of Christ Now the hymne in English is on this wiâ—e All haile O Queene of mercy our life sweetnes and hope all haile Vnto thee we banished sonnes of Eue doe crye Vnto thee we sigh gâ—â—aning and â—eeping in this vale of teares Ah then our Aduocate turne those thy mercifull eyes vnto vs and shew vnto vs after this Exile Iesus the blessed fruite of thy wombe O gentle O sweet O godly Virgin Mary a Heereof see the Roman Breuiary printed at Antwerp in the yeare 1579 as also the booke called Horculus animae part 5. Heereto may be adioyned the titles by which they salute the Virgin Mary Aduocate Helper the gate of Heauen Enlightner Deliuerer Mediatour Sauiour Comfort it aduersity Refuge Rocke the Fountaine of Grace c. Which are ascribed euery where throughout the psalter to the blessed Virgine Mary and partly in the Rosaries and partly in that which they call Cursus horarum other prayers b These faâ—e â—â—tles are contained in the forecited Breuiary as also in the seruice of the blessed Virgin in officio beatae Virgiâ—s In the letany of the blessed Virgine these titles are giuen her the fountaine of mercy the streame of wisdome the rod of Iesse the tree of life the orient light splendâ—r the window of heauen the passable gate of paradise the true saluation blessednes the mother of orphanes c. c See that notable worke called mariale printed at Strasburge in the yeare 1493 there ye shal finde al these and in some points those that fâ—â—re excâ—ede them Moreouer there they craue of Mary that she would deliuer vs from all euill from all euill tentation â—â— from the wrath and indignation of God from danger and dispaire c. That she would vouch safe to keepe the holy Churchâ— c. There is a booke extant printed in Italy in Octauo Wherin he that prayeth speaketh to
hath beene sufficiently declared in the article of Iustification and the sayings of Scripture Acts 4 12. 1 Ioh 1 7. 2 1 2. doe witnesse 2 Errour They appoint a certaine measure to contritiâ— on and do teach that vnlesse it be sufficient there is no remission of sinnes granted We reiect this doctrine of sufficient contrition Because it breedeth a perpetuall doubting of the remission of sinnes the repentant sinner being alwaies in suspense and neuer knowing whether he be so contrite and sorrowfull as the measure of his sins do require therfore will alwaies be in doubt and anxiety whether his sinns be forgiuen Neither can his Confessor free him from this doubt For how shall he know certainly that the penitent mans contrition is sufficient for the greatnes and multitude of his sinnes And so at length he should thrust his penitent into the depth of desperation because he sendeth him to his owne sufficient contrition and not to the all-sufficient satisfaction of Christ By this doctrine of sufficient contrition the soule of maÌ„ is led to a thing simply impossible For how is contrition for all sins possible seeing the knowledge of all and euery sin in particular not only contrition for them is impossible and vnknowen vnto vs 1 Who can vnderstand his faults clense me from my secret faults Psal 19 12. 2 Thou hast set our secret sins in the light of thy countenance Psal 90 8. 3 Error They require satisfaction in their repentance or penance not the satisfaction of Christ but their owne which the priest receiuing confession must lay vpon him that confesseth that heereby satisfaction may be made to God by the sinner for his sinne Which same also cannot stand with the one alone satisfaction of Iesus Christ nor with the article of free iustification nor with the imperfeâ—tion of our good works Add heereto that those workes of satisfaction are for the most part works of their owne deuising which for that very respect are hatefull to God Which seeing they haue beene sufficiently handled before in their proper place it is not needefull now to repeate the same Let it suffice onely to note and reckon vp their errours The explication thereof the Readershall finde before in their due place 4 Errour In reckoning the parts of repentance they omit faith and take awaie as it were the soule or life of true Repentance For Contrition without faith is desperation as wee are taught by the most woefull examples of Cain and Iâ—das Iscarioâ— Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinn Rom 14 23. Therefore Repentance without faith cannot please God that sinnes may beforginen Repentance without faith profited Esau nothing Heb 12 17. 5 Errour Mens Consciences also with our Aduersaries are most miserably tormented while they driue them that confesse to a particular rehearâ—ing of all and euery of their sinnes and that with euery circumstance of the facte fondly affiâ—ming that this same particular confession is meritorious by reason of the shame that is ioyned with it which vexing of mens consciences in the Church of God is not to be borne with for these reasons â— Because it hath no precept nor example of Christ or his Apostles Such auricular confession as they call it hath no promise of grace in the Word of God The Gospell is turned into the law whiles the desert of remission of sinnes is placed in the reckoning vp of offences as it were out of the tables of the law The Conscience is brought into perpeâ—uall doubting and at length into desperation on while a man feareth lest he haue forgotten some of his sinnes or lest he haue not rehearsed his sinnes with all circumstances necessarie to the remission of his sinnes And therfore he must alwaies doubt of the remission of his sins which how terrible a tormeÌ„t of Conscience it is men of conscience may easily iudge Hence it came to passe that superstitious men in Popery coulde scarse euer make anie end of confessing and yet still there arose new prickes of conscience Agaiâ—â— mens workes which cannot stand in Gods iudgment are placed in the roome of Christs satisfaction and the free forgiuenesse of sinns whileâ— such confession is made meritorious The doubtfull consâ—ience is driâ—en to an impossibility as before was cited out of Psal 19 12. 90. 8. Contrariwise our Aduersaries do dispute 1 In the Primitiue Church publike confession of â—innes by circumstances was required Answere 1 It was a part of ecâ—lesiasticall discipline which was woont to be performed before the whole Church by such persons as had grieuously fallen before the Church had any Christian Magistrates But that popish auricular confession was vnknowen to all antiquity There are therefore foure termes 2 God exercised priuate confession in Adam when he sayd Adam where art thou in Cain when hee asked where is Abel thy brother Gen 3 9 4 9. Answ 1. Those places prooue nothing lesse For Neither did Adam nor Cain reckon vp their sinnes but endeuour to cloke them But to preaâ—h to the impenitent the acknowledging of their sinnes to receiue confession in the care are things very far different 2. Neither did either Adam or Cain deserue anie thing by that confession which was with much a doe wrunge from them For Caine despaired and Adam belieuing on the promised seede of the woman was saued by faith not by the confession of his sinne The Argument then hangeth not together 3 Hee that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but hee that confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercy Prou. 28 13. When I held my tongue my bones coÌ„sumed Psal 32 3. If we acknowledge our sinnes c. 1. Ioh. 1 9. therefore Auricular confession is grounded on the Scripture Ans 1. Seeing there is not one onely manner of confession but diuers they argue from that which is spoken indefinitely to the same taken definitely from a particular as from an vniversall for there is a confession before God there is a generall confession there is a particular before the Ministers before the Church before our brethren whom we haue offended c. All these things our Aduersaries do fondly confound together 4. The Iewes were baptized of Iohn and confessed their sinnes therefore he speaketh of Auricular confession Math. 3 6 Answer 1 There is more in the conclusion than in the Premisses for it followeth not they confessed themselues to be sinners therfore they confessed every one of their sinnes on the Popish manner 2 The text saith that Ierusalem all Iurie all the region about Iordan went out vnto Iohn c. of how much time then and how many tenne yeares had Iohn neede of if hee would haue heard the particular and secret enumeration of all and every their sinnes nothing therefore followeth 5. Christ saith Whosesoever sinnes yee remit they are remitted vnto them and whosesoevers sinnes yee retaine they are retained Ioh. 20 23. That it may therefore bee knowne what sinnes ought to be retained what not