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CHAP. IX.

Against Praying to Saints and Angels.

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S to their Saint and Angel Worship, it is also a Piece of revived Paganifm. The Gentiles, befides their Dii Superi, Gods by Nature, had their Demons, and their Hero's, the Spirits of brave Men departed, whom they worshipped, (just as our Papifts do) not fimply and abfolutely, but as Interceffors for them to the fuperior Deities. Hence, Tully, in his Book de Legibus, "Let the Gods be worshipped, as well, those of

the upper House, who were always counted Celestial, "as those whom their own Merits have called into Hea"ven." And again, "Let the Rights of the Ghoft "Gods be kept inviolable, and let them after Death be

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worshipped as fecond-rate Deities." You may fee how exactly our Catholick Romans have revived these idolatrous Laws of their heathen Anceftors. The Offices the Gentiles attributed to their Demons, were the very fame which our Papifts expect from their Saints; that is, to be as Mediators, or Agents for them: So Plato in Sympofio, "All Intercourfe be"tween Gods and Men is perform'd by Demons, they "are the Carriers of Mens Prayers to the Gods, and "they bring back Rewards of Devotion to Mortals." So that you fee, they did not afcribe an abfolute, but

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only an interceffive Power to them, as appears more plainly by thefe Words of Apuleius, in Damon. Socr. "All Things, fays he, are done by the Will, Power, and Authority of the celeftial Gods; but by the Means, Difpatch, and Administration of Demons."

Thus much for the Original of Saint-worship; now, to the Thing it felf, we fay, Saints departed are to be horoured three Ways; First, By an honourable Memorial: So the Virgin Mother foretels, that, (a)" Henceforth "all Generations fhou'd call her bleffed."

Secondly, (b) By rendring Thanks to God for the Gifts and Graces which he bestowed upon them for the Good of his Church. Thirdly, By imitating their holy and humble Lives, as the Apoftle (c) ules their Example," to stir up those he writes to. All this we freely grant and practife: But to offer any religious Worship, pray to them, or esteem them as Interceffors for us, we dare not, for these Reasons, amongst many others.

ift, No religious Worship is to be instituted without the Command of God, for otherwife it will be Will-worfhip, not of Faith, (d) and confequently Sin. But for fuch Worship or Invocation of Angels or Saints there is no Command, nor even Example, (but on the contrary, the fame is forbidden) for our Saviour tells us, (e) "Thou "fhalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only fhalt "thou ferve." And very particularly by St. Paul, who blames them, "Who with religious Refpects did Ser"vice unto them which by Nature are no Gods." (The Original is remarkable, curate, the very Word whence Douleia, whereby Papifts exprefs the Worfhip they give to Saints is derived.) Therefore, this Sort of Worship ought not to be inftituted.

(a) Luke 1.48. (d) Rom. 14. 23.

(b) Gal. 1. 24. (e) Matt. 4. 10.

(c) Heb. 11.

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2dly, (a) We ought not to call upon, or pray unto any in whom we do not believe. But we do not believe in any Saint, for God pronounces a Curfe againft fuch as (b)" Trusteth in Man." And, St. Auffin (c) fays very well," We that are Chriftians do not believe in l'eter, but in him whom Peter himfelf believed." As not in Peter, fo in no other Saint; therefore no Saint is to be invocated.

3dly, (d)" God will not have his Glory given to ano"ther: "But Invocation is a principal Part of God's Glory; therefore it is an Infringement upon God's Prerogative, and high Treason against the King of Kings, to transfer it upon any other.

4thly, There is but one Mediator between God and Man, the Man Chrift Jefus, without whom none can come to the Father. But Interceffionis Part of the Office of Mediator, therefore not without the higheft Sacrilege, to be afcribed to any but Chrift: For he alone redeemed all, and therefore alone can intercede in particular for all, becaufe the Virtue and Efficacy of Interceffion, depend on that of Redemption.

5thly, Our Lord, teaching his Difciples to pray, commanded them to direct their Prayers to God, and fay, "Our Father which art in Heaven," not "O thou Mo"ther of Mercy, O ye Saints, or holy Angels, &c.” And why fhou'd Christians forsake fuch a Teacher, to follow their own Inventions?

6thly, If we pray to God, in Chrift's Name, we have an affured Promife that we shall obtain; " Verily, verily, "whatsoever ye fhall ask the Father in my Name, he will give it you.' "But no fuch Affurance is made to those

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(a) Rom. 10. 14. (b) Fer. 17. 5. (c) De Civit. Deh, Lib. 18. Cap. 18. (d) Ifai. 42. 8.

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that call upon Saints or Angels: Nay, they may rather expect a Curfe than a Bleffing, Since by worshipping the (a)" Creature inftead of the Creator, they change the Truth of God into a Lye."

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7thly, The holy Scriptures teach us, that God only is our Succour, Refuge, Help, Defender, and Protector, to whom in publick and private Prayers, and all our Neceffities we are to have Recourse, as in the 18, 46, and 134 Pfalms throughout. And the Lord faith, (b)" Thou "fhalt know no God but me: For there is no Saviour "besides me." Again, (c) " Every good and perfect "Gift is from above, and cometh from the Father," To withdraw us from honouring the Creatures, we are taught, (d)" Not to truft in them." And that all Grace is through Chrift, and that the best of Men can challenge nothing through their own Merits. Therefore the Prayers of Pap.fts to Saints and Angels, are impious, and utterly repugnant to Scripture: Nay, plainly tending to fubvert the whole Order of God's Worship, and to rob our moft gracious Saviour of the Glory which for his boundless Mercy belongs to him; of whofe loving Kindnefs the Scripture hath given fuch ample Testimony, that it cou'd proceed from none but the Devil and Antichrift, thus to make Saint-Mediators, and Saint-Interceffors, when there is none in Heaven or in Earth fo propense to Mercy as himself. (e)" With everlafting Kindness will I "have Mercy on thee, faith the Lord thy Redeemer. (f)" The Mountains fhall depart, and the Hills fhall be removed, but my Kindness shall not depart from thee, "neither fhall the Covenant of my Peace be removed, "faith the Lord that hath Mercy on thee. (g) "Before "they call, I will anfwer, and whiles they are yet fpeak"ing, I will hear. (b)" In all Things he was made "like to his Brethren, that he might be a merciful and

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"faithful High-Prieft in Things pertaining to God, to

make Reconciliation for the Sins of the People." Certainly thefe Promifes are both fo free and fo full that it is the greatest Ingratitude and Impiety in the World to doubt them. One Man gives Credit to another in the Courfe of Dealing, and a few Lines of Writing fecure the greatest Contracts; and fhall the Promifes of the Son of God, fealed with his Blood, be called into Queftion? After he has given us his Word, his Oath, his Life for it, fhall we diftruft his Mercy? What provoking Madness is it then to court the Followers, when we may fo eafily addrefs the Prince; or to hew out unto our selves broken Cisterns, and to run after puddled Streams, when we may thus freely have Accefs to the Fountain of Mercy and Lite?

8thly, Thofe that pray to Saints departed, must acknowledge them to know Mens Hearts and Thoughts, elfe how fhail they understand the Sincerity of their Devotions, and the Defires of their Minds? They must also believe them to be Omniprefent, elfe how fhall they attend to, and hear fo many thousand several Perfons Prayers, in all Nations at the fame Moment: But 'tis God alone that knows Mens Hearts, and he alone that is every where prefent; therefore to pray to Saints, is not only unwarrantable, but moft abfurd and blafphe

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9thly, We read that Angels refufed to be worshipped, and earnestly forbad it, saying, (a)" See thou do it not.' And that Saints deny'd to accept of any kneeling to them, that might feem to import Adoration, giving for a Reafon, that (b)" they were but Men." Now, what an odd Sort of People are our Papists, who pretend fuch an exceffive Devotion towards Saints and Angels, and yet will not take their Words?

(a) Rev. 19. 10. er 22, 8. (b) Alts 10. 26.

10thly,

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