and to address them in those supplications called Litanies." *

The pretext assigned by Roman Catholics for invoking such unauthorized mediators between: God and man, may in few words be stated thus. As in many places of holy Scripture we have examples of Christians intreating the prayers of their fellow Christians, and of God's hearing such prayers; therefore it is lawful and profitable for Christians on earth to pray to departed saints reigning with Christ in glory. It is assumed, but no proof is adduced, that departed saints pray for us. For Christians to pray for each other in this world is clearly a scriptural duty-that God hears and answers their prayers for each other is distinctly stated in the Scriptures as an encouragement to this duty. To argue from this state of things, that the saints who reign with Christ in glory hear prayers addressed to them, or that as mediators of intercession, they pray for us, is an assumption unwarranted by sacred Scripture. Papists assume, also, that saints in glory are intimately acquainted with all things relating to their brethren on earth but admitting this, of which, however, no certain proof can be given, it does not follow that they engage in the work of intercession and prayer. What proof is there that the saints in

* Errors and Corruptions of the Church of Rome, by Rev. J. Smith, p. 223, 224. See also, Spanheim's Ecclesiastical Annals, p. 301, 326. Mosheim, vol. ii. p. 34, 35.

heaven to whom the church of Rome invites me to pray know me, or my circumstances, or that they hear my prayers? Is not this to attribute to angels and departed saints the attributes of omniscience and omnipresence? " It cannot be good and profitable to invoke the aid and intercession of the saints, unless the saints can hear and attend to such invocation. If they can do this they must possess universal knowledge and if they possess that knowledge that fits them at one and the same moment to attend to the prayers and supplications of Christians in every part of the world, they must possess the attributes of divinity. But this cannot be supposed without the grossest impiety; and therefore the practice of such invocation is unwarrantable and absurd."* It may also be demanded, where is the necessity of such mediators of intercession? It is pretended that they intercede with Christ to intercede with his Father. Is this necessary, after the assurances he has given us of his ability and willingness to save unto the uttermost all who come to him; and after the many commands and promises he has given to encourage our direct and immediate application to himself, for all the blessings that we need? St. Chrysostom thus rebukes the vanity of this invocation of angels and saints:" When thou hast need to sue unto men, thou art forced first to deal with door-keepers, and to entreat parasites and flatterers, and to go a long

* Fletcher's Lectures, p. 211.

way. But with God there is no such matter: without an intercessor, he is entreated, without money, without cost, he yieldeth to the prayer." Quoting the example of the woman of Canaan, he adds" She entreateth not James, she beseecheth not John, neither doth she come to Peter; but breaks through the whole company of them, saying, I have no need of a mediator, but taking repentance with me for a spokesman, I come to the fountain itself. For this cause did he descend, for this cause did he take flesh, that I might have the boldness to speak to him: I have no need of a mediator, have thou mercy upon me."

The church of England not only protests against the practice of the church in approaching God by unauthorized mediators, as in the article given at the beginning of the chapter; but in all her formularies of devotion teaches her members to expect acceptance of God alone, through Christ the one Mediator. In consistency with this, she every where points to Jesus Christ as the sinner's only Advocate with the Father. In all the book of Common Prayer there is not a single petition presented either to angel or to saints in glory. In her homilies, the popish doctrine of invocation of angels and saints as mediators is decidedly protested against. The following extract from the homily on prayer is most decided on this point :

"Thus, then, it is plain, by the infallible word of truth and life, that in all our necessities we must

flee unto God, direct our prayers unto him, call upon his holy name, desire help at his hands, and at no other's: wherefore, if we will yet have a farther reason, mark that which followeth. There are certain conditions most requisite to be found in such a one that must be called upon, which if they be not found in him to whom we pray, then doth prayer avail us nothing, but is altogether in vain. The first is this, that he to whom we make our prayers be able to help us. The second is, that he will help us. The third, that he be such a one as may hear our prayers. The fourth is, that he understand better than we ourselves what we lack, and how far we have need of help. If these things be to be found in any other saving only God, then may we lawfully call upon some other besides God. But what man is so gross, but he well understandeth that these things are only proper to him which is omnipotent, and knoweth all things, even the very secrets of the heart?—that is to say, only and to God alone; whereof it followeth, that we must call neither upon an angel, nor yet upon saint, but only and solely upon God, as St. Paul doth write: How shall men call upon him in whom they have not believed? (Rom. x.) So that invocation or prayer may not be made without faith in him on whom they call: but that we must first believe in him before we can make our prayer unto him, whereupon we must only and solely pray unto God. For to say that we should believe

either in angel or saint, or in any other living creature, were most horrible blasphemy against God and his holy word, &c. But that the truth hereof may the better appear, even to them that be most 'simple and unlearned, let us consider what prayer is. St. Augustine calleth it a lifting up of the mind to God; that is to say, an humble and lowly pouring out of the heart to God. Isidorus saith, that it is an affection of the heart, and not a labour of the lips. So that, by these places, true prayer doth consist not so much in the outward sound and voice of words, as in the inward groaning and crying of the heart to God. Now, then, is there any angel, any virgin, any patriarch or prophet among the dead, that can understand or know the meaning of the heart? The Scripture saith, (Ps. vii. 9; Rev. ii. 23; Jer. xvii. 10; 2 Chron. vi. 30,) it is God that searcheth the heart and the reins, and that he only knoweth the hearts of the children of men. As for the saints, they have so little knowledge of the secrets of the heart, that many of the ancient Fathers greatly doubt whether they know any thing at all that is commonly done on earth.”*

Bishop Hooper, (martyr,) writing on the intercession of Christ, admirably remarks—“ This intercession of Christ only sufficeth. No man should seek any other mediator of intercession or expiation of sin, as Paul saith, declaring the sufficiency and Hom. xix. on Prayer. Second Part.

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