and is effectual: the prayer therefore is vain. For what kind of praying is it, in this sort to come unto Anne or George? 'I pray unto thee, but I doubt whether thy intercession do me good; I doubt whether thou hearest me, or helpest me.' If men understood these hid sins, they would curse such kind of prayers, as they are indeed to be cursed, and are heathenish. Afterward, of such faults, what outrages ensue? flocking and praying to particular images, craving certain benefits of every one: of Anne, riches are begged, as of Juno; of George, conquests, as of Mars; of Sebastian and Paul, freedom from the plague; of Anthony, safeguard for swine: although the adversaries say they like not these things, yet they keep them still for gain's sake, as plainly appeareth.

Now let us add the third reason. It is expressly written, "There is one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus: " 1 Tim. ii. 5. on him ought we, in all prayer, to cast our eyes, and to know the doctrine of the Gospel concerning him, that no man can come unto God but by confidence in the Mediator, who together maketh request for us; as himself saith, "No man cometh to the Father, but by the Son." John xiv. 6. And he biddeth us fly unto himself, saying, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy leaden, and I will refresh you :" Matt. xi. 28. and he himself teacheth the manner of invocation, when he saith, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you." John xvi. 23. He nameth the Father, that thou mayest distinguish thy invocation from heathenish, and consider what thou speakest unto; that thou mayest consider him to be the true God, who, by sending his Son, hath revealed himself; that thy mind may not wander, as the heathenish woman in the tragedy speaketh, I pray unto thee, O God, whatsoever thou art, &c;' but that thou mayest know him to be the true God, who, by the sending, crucifying, and raising up again of his Son, hath revealed himself, and mayest know him to be such an one as he hath revealed himself. Secondly, that thou mayest know, that he doth so for a certainty receive and hear us making our prayers, when we fly to his Son the Mediator, crucified and raised up again for us; and desire that, for his sake, we may be received, heard, helped, and saved; neither is any man received or heard of God by any other means. Neither is the praying uncertain; but he biddeth those that pray on this sort to be resolved through a strong faith, that this worship pleaseth God, and that they who pray on this manner are assuredly received and heard: therefore he saith, "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name;" that is, acknowledging,

and naming or calling upon, me as the Redeemer, High Priest, and Intercessor this High Priest alone goeth into the holiest place, that is, into the secret council of the Deity, and seeth the mind of the Eternal Father, and maketh request for us, and, searching our hearts, presenteth our sorrows, sighs, and prayers unto him.

It is plain, that this doctrine of the Mediator was obscured and corrupted, when men went to the Mother Virgin, as more merciful, and others sought other mediators. And it is plain, that there is no example to be seen in the prophets or apostles, where prayer is made unto men; Hear me, Abraham;' or, "Hear me, O God, for Abraham's sake:' but prayer is made unto God, who hath revealed himself, to wit, to the Eternal Father, to the Son our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the Holy Ghost, that he would receive, hear, and save us for the Son's sake. It is also expressly made to the Son, as in 2 Thess. ii. 16, 17. "Our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who hath loved us, strengthen you, &c." And Jacob nameth God, and the Son the Mediator, when he saith, "God, before whom my fathers walked, and the Angel that delivered me out of all troubles, (that is, the promised Saviour,) bless these children." Gen. xlviii. 15, 16. Therefore we use these forms of invocation: 'I call upon thee, O Almighty God, Eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of heaven and earth, together with thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, and thy Holy Spirit, O wise, true, good, righteous, most free, chaste, and merciful God, have mercy upon me, and for Jesus Christ's sake, thy Son, crucified for us, and raised up again, hear and sanctify me with thy Holy Spirit. I call upon thee, O Jesus Christ, the Son of God, crucified for us, and raised up again; have mercy on me, pray for me unto the Everlasting Father, and sanctify me with thy Holy Spirit.' In these forms we know what we pray unto. And seeing there are testimonies of God's word to be seen, which shew that this praying pleaseth God, and is heard, such praying may be made in faith. These things are not to be found in that invocation which is made unto men. Some gather testimonies out of Augustine and others, to show that the saints in heaven have care of human affairs. This may more plainly be showed by Moses and Elias talking with Christ. And there is no doubt but that such as are in happiness pray for the church. But yet it followeth not thereupon that they are to be prayed unto.

*

See the first observation upon this Confession above, in the First Section, Of Doctrine.

And albeit we teach that men are not to be prayed unto, yet we propound the histories of those that are in the blessed state unto the people. Because it is necessary that the history of the Church be by some means known unto all, by what testimonies the church is called together and founded, and how it is preserved, and what kind of doctrine hath been published by the fathers, prophets, apostles, and martyrs. In these histories we command all to give thanks unto God, for that he hath revealed himself, that he hath gathered together his Church by his Son, that he hath delivered this doctrine unto us, and hath sent teachers, and hath shewed in them the witnesses of himself. We command all to consider of this doctrine, and to strengthen their faith by those testimonies which God hath shewed in them that they likewise consider the examples of judgment and punishments, that the fear of God may be stirred up in them: we command them to follow their faith, patience, and other virtues; that they learn that in God is no respect of persons, and desire to have themselves also received, heard, governed, saved, and helped, as God received David, Manasseh, Magdalene, the thief on the cross. We also teach how these examples are to be followed of every man in his vocation: because error in imitation, and preposterous zeal, is ofttimes the cause of great evils. We also commend the diligence of the saints themselves, who took heed of wasting God's gifts in vain. And, to conclude, they that are not fools may gather great store of doctrine out of these histories; which doctrine is profitable to be published to the people, so that superstition be set aside.

XI.-FROM THE CONFESSION OF WIRTEMBURG.

Chapter 1. Of God, and of Three Persons in one Godhead. We believe and confess that there is one only God, true, eternal, and infinite, Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible; and that in this one and eternal Godhead there are three properties or persons of themselves subsisting, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost as the prophetical and apostolical Scriptures teach, and the Creeds of the Apostles, of Nice, and of Athanasius declare.

Chapter 2. Of the Son of God.

We believe and confess that the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, was begotten of his Father from everlasting, true and ever

Concerning wasting and losing of the Spirit, and of the gifts of the same, see the first observation upon this Confession, in the Fourth Section following, On the Difference of Sin.

lasting God, consubstantial with his Father, &c. (See the rest in the Sixth Section.)

Chapter 3. Of the Holy Ghost.

We believe and confess that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from God the Father, from everlasting; that he is true and eternal God, of the same essence, and majesty, and glory with the Father, and the Son; as the holy fathers, by authority of the holy Scripture, well declared in the Council of Constantinople against Macedonius.

Chapter 23. Of the Invocation of Saints.

There is no doubt but the memory of those saints, who, when they were in this bodily life, furthered the church either by doctrine, or by writings, or by miracles, or by examples, and have either witnessed the truth of the Gospel by martyrdom, or by a quiet kind of death fallen on sleep in Christ, ought to be sacred with all the godly and they are to be commended to the church, that by their doctrine and examples we may be strengthened in true faith, and inflamed to follow true godliness.

:

We confess also, that the saints in heaven do, after their certain manner, pray for us before God, as the angels also are careful for us;* and all the creatures do, after a certain heavenly manner, groan for our salvation, and travail together with us, as Paul speaketh. But as the worship or invocation of creatures is not to be instituted upon their groanings, so upon the prayer of saints in heaven we may not allow the invocation of saints. For, touching the invocating of them, there is no commandment nor example in the holy Scriptures. For seeing all hope of our salvation is to be put, not in the saints, but in our Lord God alone, through his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; it is clear, that not the saints, but God alone is to be prayed unto. How shall they call on him," saith Paul," in whom they believe not?" Rom. x. 14. But we must not believe in the saints: how then shall we pray unto them? And seeing it must needs be, that he who is prayed unto be a searcher of the heart, the saints ought not to be prayed unto, because they are no searchers of the heart. Epiphanius saith, Mary's body was holy indeed, but yet not God; she was indeed a virgin, and honourable, but she was not propounded for adoration; but herself worshipped him, who, as concerning his flesh, was born of her.' Contra Collyridianos. Augustine saith, Let not the worship of dead men be any religion unto us;

66

See Note to the Saxon Confession, in the First Section, Of Doctrine.

because if they have lived holily, they are not so to be accounted of, as that they should seek such honour; but rather they will have him to be worshipped of us, by whom themselves being illuminated rejoice, that we should be fellow-servants of their reward. They are therefore to be honoured for imitation, not to be worshipped for religion's sake.' De Verá Religione. Cap. ult. And again, in the same place, We honour them with love, not with service. Neither do we erect temples unto them, for they will not have themselves so to be honoured of us; because they know that we ourselves, being good, are the temples of the high God.' And elsewhere, Neither do we consecrate temples, priesthoods, holy rites, ceremonies, and sacrifices unto the same martyrs; seeing not they, but their God, is our God, &c. We neither ordain priests for our martyrs, nor offer sacrifices.' De Civitate Dei. Lib. 8. Cap. 27. So Ambrose upon the Romans, Chap. 1. They are wont to use a miserable excuse, saying, that by these, men may have access unto God, as to a king by earls. Go to: is any man so mad, I pray you, that, being forgetful of his own salvation, he will challenge, as fit for an earl, the royalty of a king?' And straight after, These men think them not guilty, that give the honour of God's name to a creature, and, leaving the Lord, worship their fellow-servants.'

4

But we, say they, worship not the saints, but only desire to be holpen before God by their prayers. But so to desire, as the service of Litanies sheweth, and is commonly used, is nothing else but to call upon and worship saints: for such desiring requireth, that he who is desired be everywhere present, and hear the petition. But this majesty agreeth to God alone; and if it be given to the creature, the creature is worshipped.

Some men feign that the saints see in God's word what things God promiseth, and what things seem profitable for us: which thing although it be not impossible to the majesty of God, yet Isaiah plainly avoucheth, that "Abraham knoweth us not, and Israel is ignorant of us:" Isa. lxiii. 16. where the ordinary gloss citeth Augustine, saying that The dead, even saints, know not what the living do, &c.'

For that the ancient writers oftentimes in their prayers turn themselves to saints, they either simply, without exact judgment, followed the error of the common people, or used such manner of speaking, not as Divine honour, but as a figure of grammar, which they call Prosopopaia. Whereby godly and learned men do not mean that they worship and pray to saints, but do set out the unspeakable