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
vnderstanding of man And the like they do euen in this subject whereof we now intreat And therefore because they cannot conceaue how the blessed ones do heare vs they say and preach they cannot heare vs. They must also then deny that God of nothing hath created this world for it is impossible to comprehend how God was able to create of nothing so huge a frame as this whole world is and yet notwithstanding both they and we stedfastly beleeue that God euen of nothing was able to create it though our vnderstandings cannot conceaue a iot of it Let them then also denie the generall resurrection of the dead if one must denie all things which they cannot vnderstand or let them shew me how God is able to restore againe vnto man his owne flesh his owne bones and the rest of the parts of his body and not anothers after it hath bene eaten vp of wormes so many thousand yeares before and yet neither we nor they make doubt thereof though we vnderstand it not The like could I say vnto them of the mysterie of the holy Trinitie and many other things contained in the holy Scripture that albeit they are hard to be beleeued yet they cease not to be true Therefore it were much better for my masters the Ministers to confesse with humilitie their weaknesse with the good father Saint Austine and with him and vs to beleeue that the Saints can heare and assist vs. But what Heresie is too proude and the Heretikes will neuer be ouercome they may be conuinced as Saint Bernard saith but not ouercome because they are too passionate in maintaining their errours One may confound them rather then make them confesse their fault and as the prouerb saith Rather breake then bend Now to the end the Caluinists and Lutherans because we say with our father S. Austine that this is a very hard demaund to be vnderstood should not thinke that wee seeke an escape through the boggs and that the truth maketh not for vs we wil let downe before them the doctrine of that same Doctour S. Austine in his abouesaid booke De cura pro mortuis agenda For S. Austine minding particularly to declare how Abraham knew that the rich glutton had taken his pleasure in his life time and that Lazarus had suffred so much giueth vs three maner of waies whereby the soules departed may know and vnderstand that which is done in this world First by the arriuall of those which depart out of this life and goe from hence vnto them who to wit may aduertise them of the things which happen vpon the earth and especially of that which most of all concernes them The second by the report of the Angels which on a sudden mount vp into heauen and on a sudden againe euen in a trice are about vs. The third by the reuelation of Gods spirit which may beare it selfe towards the blessed departed into heauen euen in like maner as heretofore it bore it selfe towards the Prophets vpon the earth reuealing secret things to them and such as should be done a long time after them as the Scripture witnesseth so that God who seeth and knoweth all things whatsoeuer we do say and thinke may reueale vnto them our prayers S. Gregory lib. 12. Mor. c. 13. giueth vs beside these another sort or manner saying that the Saints beholding the face of God see all that which in any sort and manner appertaineth vnto them and consequently that they also heare our prayers So then by the doctrine of these holy Fathers we may somewhat gather how the blessed Saints heare vs when we call vnto them I wil make one more small argument against all these Heretikes and therewith I will conclude the whole All the holy Fathers and Doctours of the Church haue inuocated and prayed vnto the Saints they heare then our prayers The Antecedent hath bene alreadie prooued when we cited a great number of those which haue called vpon them The Consequence is cleare for seeing that so godly and learned personages prayed vnto them it is a signe and followeth necessarily how they beleeued with the Church that the Saints could well heare our prayers otherwise they would not haue bene so simple as to haue prayed vnto them To say as sometimes the Ministers say against vs that they were men and as men might haue erred that were too absurd to answere vs. For could it be possible that among so great a number of admirable vertuous and wise Doctours all of them should faile and that not one of them should haue thought whether the Saints could heare them or no Could it be possible that the whole Church should be in errour for a thousand and so many yeares and that in so many ages the Church should haue bene ignorant of that which the Lutherans and Caluinists pretend to know since so small a time Could it be possible that all the auncient Fathers and such excellent personages as S. Denis S. Athanasius S. Basil S. Iohn Chrysostome S. Iohn Damascenus S. Ambrose S. Hierome S. Gregorie S. Austin and many other lights of the Church haue presented so many prayers and petitions to those which neither had eares to heare them nor eyes to behold their necessities and so consequentlie haue cast their prayers into the wind into the aire and at randome Shall we beleeue that of them Shall we beleeue that all haue erred and that our Ministers onely say well That all haue benâ— blinde and that our Ministers onely are cleare sighted That all of them haue bene simple Schollers and disciples and our Ministers their Doctours and Controllers No we will neuer beleeue any such thing Wee had rather heare the voice of our auncient godly and wise Doctours then the voice of new and vnlearned which for this cause deserue not the name of Pastours and Shephards but Mercenaires onely suffering their sheepe to be deuoured vp yea themselues through their pernicious doctrine casting them into the throat of that infernall wolfe from whom Sir I pray God through his infinite mercie to preserue you beseeching you to take in good part this which in haste I send you though vnknowne vnto you protesting before God who knoweth the hearts of all men that all this which heere I haue spoken is only for his glory and your soules health Farewell from Leige this fifth of August 1605. AN ANSWERE TO THE ABOVESAID DOCTORS EPISTLE of the Augustins order Vpon the subiect of the inuocation of Saints HAuing of late seene and read your Letter touching that controuersie which is betweene you and vs Whether it is true or how it is possible that the Saints which are aboue in heauen can heare the Prayers that you make unto them from here beneath on earth I held it my dutie to answere thereunto and chiefly to these two points whereof the first is That it can be no otherwise then very good to pray and recommend vs to the Saints the second signifieth How
poore Lazarus had there endured Thirdly hee saw and knew the estate and condition of that wicked wretch and heard his prayer although he was not heard when he cried Father Abraham haue mercie on me and send Lazarus c. Notwithstanding there was a great distance betweene the one and the other as Abraham answered him finally albeit that the rich Glutton was damned saw he not Abraham heard he not his answere gaue he not his replies albeit there was a great gulfe set betweene them Now there is no man that dares deny all this because it is the Gospell and a storie pronounced by the mouth of him which cannot lie but is the very truth himselfe euen Iesus Christ. And if this thing and storie be true as it is I now charge all the Caluinian and Lutherian Ministers and say vnto them If Abrahâ—m my Masters being shut vp in Limbo and not enioying at that time the sight of God nor being blessed but through hope knew notwithstanding the things of this world the estate and miserie of the rich Glutton and heard him make his prayer and demaund will you thinke that the Saints in Paradise beholding God and his most bright sight are better priuiledged then Abraham I will reduce your paradox and superfluitie of words into this summarie If say you Abraham in Limbo being not yet blessed but through hope knew the things of this world as appeareth by the historie thereof contained in the 16. chapter of S. Luke the Saints in paradise enioying the most glorious countenance of God are not lesse priuiledged in that then Abraham Now you presuppose that this is a sure foundation that Abraham after his death knew the affaires of this world and from thence you conclude that the consequence which you draw from it is good and true I say that in your discourse you interlarde many things false and vncertaine For first you presuppose that Abraham was in Limbo and in the place of such as are not blessed but through hope when Christ spake of him and Lazarus to his disciples Whereof we can shew you the contrarie in the 8. chapter of S. Matthew and eleuenth verse where Christ saith that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen In which text you may see that Iesus Christ promiseth all those which shall beleeue in his doctrine that their soules shall be transported into the kingdome of heauen where were then at that time the soules of Abraham Isaac and Iacob From whence one may easily gather that Iesus Christ vnderstood in S. Luke by the bosome of Abraham that which in S. Matthew hee calleth the kingdome of heauen In consideration whereof sundrie of the ancient Fathers haue expressed those words of Abrahams bosome by the name of Paradise Likewise there are some of them which haue concluded from the abouesaid chapter of S. Luke and some other places of holy Scripture that men at their departure out of this life enter as touching their soules either into eternall rest or into eternal torment and so consequently there is neither Limbo or Purgatorie There are two waies saith Lactantius in his sixth booke of Baptisme by which it is necessary that humane life must passe the one will carrie and lift men vp into heauen the other will cast them downe headlong into hell And Origen saith in his booke of Workes that soules which depart this world are either distributed into hell or into the bosome of Abraham In like manner S. Epiphanius in his Treatise of Heresie saith in his 19. chapter that after death there is no succour no pitie no repentance For Lazarus commeth not to the rich Glutton nor the rich Glutton to Lazarus neither doth Abraham let fall his robes from on high to inrich that wofull wretch nor the rich Glutton obtaineth not also his request though hee besought it of pitifull Abraham with many prayers For the chambers are sealed vp the time accomplished the combat atchieued the lists made voide the Crowne giuen and those which haue fought doe rest and those which haue not gained before are departed from thence and those which haue not fought cannot offer themselues any more for that purpose and those which haue lost it in the lists are put out and all things are fully accomplished after our departure out of this world S. Ierome teacheth vs the like in his discourse vpon the death of Paula Let it not grieue vs saith he for hauing lost her or rather for hauing her still for all things liue to God and all they which returne to the Lord be as in the number of his familie we account that we haue lost her but she is lodged in heauen For when Paula was in her bodie she was absent from the Lord saying I am a pilgrim and a stranger here as all my Fathers were I desire to be separated from this body and to bee with Christ. She now enioyeth the blessings which no eye hath seene no eare hath heard nor which euer could enter into the heart of man Whereof Iustine the Martyr also speaketh very cleerely in his 60 and 75. questions In the storie saith hee of Lazarus and the rich Glutton there is a declaration which conteineth this doctrine that after the soule is issued foorth of the body men cannot receiue any further succour by any care or prudence After the soule is dislodged from the body there is presently a distinction made betweene the righteous and the vnrighteous For the soules of the righteous are carried by the Angels into the places of Paradise whereof they are worthy where they haue the conuersation and view of Angels and Archangels yea euen the sight of our Lord Iesus Christ according to that which is said Being absent from the body we are present with the Lord But the soules of the vnrighteous goe into the places of hell as it is said of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon Hell beneath is moued against thy comming and that which followeth And all soules are kept in these two places till the houre of the resurrection Whereunto S. Ambrose subscribeth by the exhortation which hee made to Christians in his Treatise of the Good of Death chap. 12. When the day of our death shal come saith he let vs march straight forward without feare into the companie of the Saints for we shall goe to our fathers and to those which haue taught vs the faith to the intent that if our workes doe faile vs our faith may succour vs and our inheritance may defend vs. Also the soule flies from hence on high she goeth to dwell with that pure good which is both perpetuall and immortall c. The soules rest is in the land of the liuing whereunto no sinnes can penetrate where liueth the glorie of vertues According to which saying S. Austine giueth vs this remonstrance in his 80. Epistle to
thinke that the Saints and those which are in the kingdome of heauen see not or know not what wee doe vpon the earth Poore Diuine that thou art which vnderstands not yet that which the holy Scripture teacheth vs so cleerly in many places that the zeale and charitie to the glorie of God and the desire of our neighbours saluation are vertues proper in the fourth degree as in schooles they teach it only to the elect and children of God and are neuer found in the damned after this life which are sworne enemies against God and the children of his kingdome If then the reprobate are without charity and are glad to see many companions of their distresses as some of your new Doctors confesse what a stupiditie is it then in you not to consider that Christ as alreadie we haue touched attributeth to the rich Glutton the care of his brethren by a parable or similitude as also the speech of a liuing man vsing his tongue and other members of his bodie which neuerthelesse was separated by buriall from the soule cast downe into hâ—ll I am much more astonied because that Saint Austin whom as it seemeth by your writing you haue read saith expressely of the rich Glutton that albeit he prayed Abraham to send Lazarus vnto his brethren yet hee knew not what his brethren did nor what did then happen to them But to beate you with your owne rod you present vs a proofe that the Saints which are in heauen see vs because they behold God who seeth all things From whence I argue by the contrarie that forasmuch as the damned which are cast into vtter darknesse see not the brightnesse of the face of God therefore they see not a iot nor haue any knowledge of our affaires Afterward you stirre the pot about and fall againe into your beginning holding as an article worthie of beleefe that which you haue not proued nor euer can prooue by holy Scripture to wit that the Saints and all blessed soules departed this life know the things of this world and thereupon you build your argument which is called in Schooles From the lesse to the greater If the departed Saints know all things in this world must they not much more know and heare the prayers which men make vnto them Againe If they can vnderstand and heare the voyce of the dâ—mned is it possible that they should not vnderstand the prayers of such as are desirous to be saued Beside if the damned themselues as appeareth by the storie of the rich Glutton would procure that there happen no euill to their brethren and friends will those which are saued be lesse charitable will they not aduance as much as they can the saluation of their friends and Christian brethren and that so much the more because they see and heare that men doe seeke vnto them for it To speake properly your first argument is no argument but a troublesome repetition of the principij that is to say of the principall question which needeth a proofe of better stuffe then as yet you haue offered to satisfie vs withall The others depend on the former and haue been refuted alreadie I will then goe on with the course of your Treatise and aduertise you that neither hee to whom you haue written your Epistle not they vnto whom he hath communicated it to be read and examined doe giue any beleefe to your false affirmations that the Christians are commanded to inuocate the Saints departed or that they doe heare their prayers Hereupon you propound this question how the Saints can heare vs and you acknowledge that to say the truth this is a hard question to be resolued but neuerthelesse that your doctrine is true To this point you produce that which S. Austin writeth thereof in his Treatise De cura pro mortuis gerenda cap. 16. In truth saith S. Austin this question surpasseth the force of my vnderstanding being vnable to comprehend how and in what manner the Martyrs helpe those which we certainly know to be helped by them I will here briefly repeate that which heretofore I haue shewne to wit how this sentence of S. Austins is contrarie to those which I haue gathered out of his writings into which some since his departure haue maliciously sowne many tares and wicked seed which is the cause that wee hold this passage in suspition And though it were S. Austins yet are we not bound to receiue it seeing it is contrarie to the holy Scripture But to refute you by that very booke which you attribute to S. Austin answereth not he himself to this question whether the Saints departed intermeddle with our affaires that hee is of an opinion they doe not Doth he not reason in the same manner as we haue reasoned afore to shew that his opinion is grounded in the holy Scriptures I will here recite his owne words to the end the moderate reader may iudge of them Let euery man take saith Austin as he will what I shall speake If the soules of the departed were present in the businesses of the liuing and so that we should see them they would speake to vs in dreames to say nothing of others my good mother then would not leaue me one night alone who for to liue with me hath followed me by sea and land But that which is sung in the Psalme is true My father and my mother haue forsaken mee but the Lord hath receiued me If then our fathers haue left vs how can they meddle with our affaires and if our fathers and mothers be not present in them what others of the dead are there which know the things that we doe and that which we suffer The Prophet Esay saith Thou art our father for Abraham is ignorant of vs and Israel hath not knowne vs. If these Patriarchs were ignorant of that which this people did precreated from them how can the dead busie themselues to succour the liuing in their actions and affaires and how could we say it were well with those which are departed this world before the euils which followed their death had happened if after their death they should likewise feele the things which come to passe in the calamities of humane life or else wee should speake these things erroneously and should we hold those to be in rest which are in paine because of their suruiuers which haue no repose in this life What is that then which God promised to holy King Iosiah as a great blessing that he would take him to himselfe by death that hee might not see the euils which hee threatned the people Behold saith the Lord I will gather thee to thy Fathers and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace and thine eyes shall not see all the euill which I will bring vpon this place and vpon the inhabitants of the same The spirits then of the deceased are in that place where they see not the things which are done
by them euery good thing commeth from the Father of lights in fauour of those that craue it with a stedfast faith Furthermore S. Ambrose saith in his booke Deviduis that It behoueth vs to inuocate the Angels which are giuen vs for our sauegards and to pray to the Martyrs also whose fauour we pretend through the alliance of the same nature that they make intercession for our sinnes hauing by their owne blood washed off those which themselues might haue These the Martyrs of God are our Prelats and beholders of our liues and actions Let vs not then be afraid to take as Intercessors those which in the midst of their victories knew their owne infirmitie Saint Hierom in his Epitaph to Paula inuocating this holy Lady Paula said Farewell O Paula helpe by thy praiers the later age of thy deuoted seruant thy faith and thy works associat thee with Iesus Christ and being there present thou maiest more easily obtaine thy request And the most learned and most deuout Doctor S. Austin in his Mediations cap. 40. calling vpon the Virgin saith Holy and immaculate Virgin mother of God Mary the mother of our Lord Iesus Christ deigne to make intercession for mee vnto him of whom thou hast been made the holy temple through thy vertues and merits And afterward hauing inuocated all the Saints in order he concludeth I am become so bold to beseech thee that it may please thee to pray for me to the end that I may merit to bee plucked out of Satans throte and from eternall death I let slip many other excellent speeches which this Doctor hath written in his 18. sermon made of Saints I will not here recite S. Leo and S. Gregory which were Popes neither S. Gregory of Tours S. Anfelmus S. Bernard and many moe which teach the same in this matter for the confirmation of our faith of whom the halfe were more then too sufficient to make all Lutherans and Caluinists to blush if they had any bloud in their hearts I will let passe in silence the many miracles done through the inuocation of Saints which the holy Father S. Austin of whom my masters the Ministers so willingly doe helpe themselues but would to God it were to a good end setteth downe before vs in his 22. booke of the Citie of God cap. 8. I cite the booke because they might reade them and to the intent they would cease from calling vs Idolaters seeing we doe it after the example of all these holy and wise Doctors with whom these new Doctors deserue not to be compared In the yeare two hundred and twentie when Doctor Origen prayed vnto the holy Prophet Iob was he an Idolater In the yeare three hundred and sixtie when S. Gregory Nazaanzeâ—us prayed vnto S. Basil in the Oration which he made for him was he an Idolater At that time as S. Basil cryed to the 40. Martyrs when S. Hierome recommended himselfe to the prayers of the holy Lady Paula and likewise S. Austin to those of the Virgin Maries were all these excellent and learned men Idolaters I beleeue no. Why then should these new Reformers or rather deformers of the Church call vs Idolaters seeing we do the same after all these holy Doctors But there is one thing you will tell me which troubleth much these Heretikes that is that they cannot vnderstand nor imagine that the Saints can heare vs affirming it is impossible that a man which is praying vpon the earth can be heard of them into Heauen Behold this is the second point which in the beginning of this Epistle we haue propounded let vs now come to examine it Know then that the Ministers and Preachers among some of their arguments which in them I haue noted and in their writings this of all other they esteeme the most strongest and that which they most set by Their Captaine Caluin in the third booke of his Institutions Chap. 20. sect 24. thinking to alledge some rare and new-found thing against vs setteth downe one thing which is most ridiculous and vnmeete I say not of a Doctour in Diuinitie but euen for a simple Scholar discoursing in this manner Who hath reueiled to vs saith he that they haue eares so long as to reach downe vnto our words and eyes so sharp that they can consider of our necessities By these words he would say that the Saints to vnderstand our prayers ought not only to haue both eyes and eares as they had vpon the earth but besides that they must haue long eares and great eyes which should penetrate downe vnto the earth Wherin this good Doctour shewes that he hath failed as well in Philosophie as in Diuinitie and that he himselfe neuer had either eyes or eares in his soule to know the truth It was pitie that he had not spoke this in some of the ancient Philosophers Schoole how had he bene mocked For what a folly or what an ignorance is it to thinke that Soules being separated from their bodies cannot vnderstand without the instruments of the bodie Men neuer yet found Philosophie which acknowledgeth not euen by naturall light only that the soule being freed from the body knoweth more yea better and much more easily then when it was within the bodie Therefore to account that one should haue long eares to heare the better it is to bring Asses eares into great request And if so be that all Asses could speake as well as that Asse which was the false Prophet Balaams I beleeue they would confesse that the length of their eares makes them neuer a whit the quicker of hearing but would say that such as thinke it so are greater Asses then themselues So then this great Doctor Master Caluin hath abused himselfe in his doctrine And since his time his and Luthers schollers to shew themselues wiser then their Masters haue begun to require of the Catholiques some expresse texts and examples taken out of the holy Bible whereby it might appeare that the Saints which are aboue in Paradise can vnderstand and heare our prayers But he that will answere them well should demaund also of them because they referre the deciding of euery question to the Scripture some certaine places and texts by which the contrarie might appeare to wit that the Saints cannot heare our prayers and were not this enough would they not be confounded and ouerthrowne yes vndoubtedly for they could neuer be able to produce so much as one onely text either out of the old or new Testament let them reade ouer the Bible as oft as they list and this were an excellent way to conuict them by answering them in this maner But to the end they should not thinke that we would vse shifts as they do in this point and in all other occurrences rather then by giuing a good answere we will shew them that the Scripture faileth vs not in this point and that it maketh for vs seeing they will haue it so Note then how this is one expresse text
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
or which happen in the life of man These are the words of S. Austin which purposely you haue omitted to deceiue the ignorant and to take an occasion from an imperfect allegation of his discourse touching the obscuritie and difficultie of this matter of rising vp furiously against vs and falsely to impose vpō vs by a great medley of vaine words that which we cannot nor will not beleeue with S. Austin to wit that this surpasseth the capacitie of our vnderstanding For as we beleeue the creation of the world the mysterie of the holy Trinity and the resurrection of the flesh though we cānot mete them by the measure of our vnderstanding and that because they are plainly taught vs in the holy Scripture so when you shall prooue vnto vs by expresse tearmes out of the writings of the Prophets that the Saints heare vs and ought to be adored and called vpon by vs that are here beneath on earth then wee will be obedient to your counsell and will subscribe in all humilitie and reuerence to that article But what you would not that men should rebuke you nor likewise should thinke that you seeke an escape through the bogges and besides in stead of bringing in some authenticall testimonie of the Bible you begin againe to alleage to vs three manner of waies whereby S. Austin which might erre and by his retractations roundly confesseth his errors thought that the departed Saints might heare our requests The first is By the arriuall of those which depart this life and goe from hence to them who may aduertise them of the things which happen on earth and especially of that which concernes them most The second By the report of the Angels which sometimes mount vp into heauen and sometimes againe euen in an instant are about vs. The third By the reuelation of Gods spirit which may comport I retaine your fine speeches or beare it selfe with the soules of the blessed in heauen neither more nor lesse then heretofore it did comport it selfe with the Prophets on earth reuealing to them secret things and that which should be done a long while after them as the Scripture testifieth it Whereunto you adde yet a fourth manner of speech inuented by Saint Gregorie which is this That the Saints seeing the face of God see whatsoeuer appertaines to them in any sort and consequently heare also our prayers From whence you conclude that by the doctrine of the Fathers we may conceiue somewhat how the blessed ones heare vs when we call vpon them We now come to refute this fourth meane forged out of mens braines without any ground of holy Scripture First I will only aduertise the reader that it is not likely this sentence to wit that the departed Saints beholding the face of God doe see all things was forged by S. Gregorie seeing in the same chapter that you haue alleaged in your Epistle he saith the contrarie to wit that as they which are liuing know not the estate of soules departed so likewise is vnknowne vnto the dead the manner of life which those leade that remaine after them in the flesh For the life saith he of the spirit is farre different from the life of the flesh and as things corporall and spirituall are differing in nature so are they likewise in knowledge Now it resteth that we should examine those three former waies of the particular knowledge which you attribute to the Saints departed I answere then to the first that nothing is written thereof by the ancient Prophets nor Apostles and therefore wee are not bound to beleeue it Moreouer it often happeneth that the citizens which dwel in one citie know not the affaires of one another how can they then after their departure declare them to the soules of the blessed which they finde in heauen Besides there are many which in praying cast their eyes vp towards heauen whilest none of their neighbours happen to decease who is it then that should doe their message to the Saints departed And notwithstanding if so be there should be at that instant some one ready to die when one prayeth and to carry the newes to heauen what man among you can shew me by diuine scripture that God hath enioyned to him that speciall charge not one Or if you would that one should approue your first manner you necessarily must grant me that there is no Purgatory For if that soules must passe through Purgatory and stay there for some time according to the number of Masses which are caused to be said for their deliuerance how can it be possible for them to aduertise in time the departed Saints of the prayers which were made vnto them so long before Your second and third meanes are of no more certaintie then the others because it is neither written in the old Testament nor in the new that the departed Saints know our necessities by the report of the Angels neither that God indueth y e Saints after their departure with the spirit of prophecie and reuelation as at sometimes hee did to his holy seruants according as the necessitie did require to make them capable of their extraordinarie calling whereunto he had called them Now followeth your last argument which you your selfe calles least of all and that for a good reason For you number vp many of the Fathers which haue inuocated the Saints departed and afterward you close vp your Epistle with flouts against the Ministers of the reformed Churches But whatsoeuer you heape vp against them is 〈◊〉 winde and smoake yea dung in respect of the puritie and excellencie of the word of Iesus Christ and his Apostles which we had rather follow then that of men for we haue no certaine testimonie that their doctrine was diuinely inspired as we haue of the Prophets and Apostles and that these men of God were not led by a humane wil but were moued thereunto by the spirit of our principall Pastor and Bishop Iesus Christ in whose name I admonish you no more to protest so lightly before God his Father that whatsoeuer you haue said tendeth to his honour and the saluation of him to whom you haue sent your Epistle most preiudiciall and contrarie to the glorie of God and the repose of the true members of Iesus Christ vnto whom I pray to giue me his grace constantly to maintaine his pure truth and to accompanie this mine answere with the vertue of his holie Spirit to the end that thereby hee may moue your heart to conceiue your errors and to renounce them for the aduancement of his glorie the acquitting of your conscience and the augmentation of his kingdome FINIS Iames 1. 17. Heb. 11. 6. Psal. 124. 8. Esay 42. 8. 2. Cor. 13. 8. 1. Epist. chap. 4. vers 1. The summe of the demand The answere thereof diuided into two parts Although that Christ be our only mediator yet the Saints are called mediators for three reasons In French Sequestre Other proofes taken from the