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person as the only begotten Son of God.

And in inculcating this false view, he is mainly aided by the church of Rome, whose theologians constantly assert it.

"You lament," says Dr. Mil

ner, "that your prayers to God are not heard ;-continue to pray to him with all the fervour of your soul; but why not engage his friends and courtiers to add the weight of their prayers to your own? Perhaps his Divine Majesty may hear the prayers of the Jobs, when he will not listen to those

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of an Eliphaz," &c.* Beg of her, then (the Virgin) with affection and confidence, to intercede with Jesus for you."+ "The saints," says Dr. Wiseman, "look down upon us with sympathy, take an interest in all that we do and suffer, and make use of the influence they necessarily possess with God towards assisting their frail and tempted brethren on earth." "We may turn to them in the confidence of brethren, and ask them to use their influence with their Lord and Master, which their charity and goodness necessarily move them to exert." §

Now what is the drift and inevitable effect of all this ;-but to convey an impression to the penitent and praying mind, that there are others in heaven whose ears are more open to his prayers, and whose hearts more readily sympathize with his griefs and necessities, than either "the Father of mercies,' 66 or the Good Shepherd, who bears the lambs in his arms and carries them in his bosom, and gently leads those that are with young." The whole tenor of this system, then, is to augment the distance between Christ and the sinner; to separate and drive apart those

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* Milner's End of Cont. 18mo. p. 370. + Ibid. p. 371.

Wiseman's 13th Lecture, p. 98.

§ Ibid. p. 98.

whom the gospel was intended to reunite and make one; and to hinder men from seeking help where alone it is to be found, in their almighty and all-merciful God and Saviour. And therefore I maintain, that it is opposed to the whole tenor and purport of the gospel dispensation.

But further, or rather as a necessary consequence,-it contradicts the plain declarations of Scripture.

Most explicitly does Christ declare of himself, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John xiv. 6.) "If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." (v. 14.) "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you." (ch. xvi. 23.)

St. Paul is equally clear on this point: "It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again; who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Rom. viii. 34.)

"There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (1 Tim. ii. 5.)

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Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people: For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted," (Heb. ii. 17, 18.)

"We have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (ch. iv. 15, 16.)

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Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he

ever liveth to make intercession for them." (ch. vii. 25.)

"And for this cause he is THE MEDIATOR of the New Testament." (ch. ix. 15.)

"For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.' (ch. ix. 24.)

St. John follows in the same strain:

"If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John ii. 1, 2.)

"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." (1 John v. 14, 15.)

And I would boldly ask, whether language could possibly be more distinct and full on this point, that Christ is our ONE MEDIATOR; that he ever heareth the prayer of the penitent; and that by Him no one is ever sent empty away. What folly then, or rather, what satanic delusion is it, to turn away from this great High Priest, the appointed channel of communication between God and man, and to prefer our petitions to Gregory, or Januarius, or Mary, rather than unto him.

But although the apostles chiefly dwell on the truth in this matter, and seem not to have had much presage of the false doctrine that should arise, they do once or twice allude to this subject, and with the strongest abhorrence. Writing to the Colossians, St. Paul counsels them,

"Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels,

intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind: (Col. ii. 18.)

And to Timothy he writes,

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils, (or demongods)." (1 Tim. iv. 1.)

Such, then, is the clear and broad testimony of Scripture on this point; and let it be remembered, that on the other side not a word can be found, as we have already seen, which gives the least countenance to the notion of the propriety of seeking other intercessors or mediators, than " the ONE MEDIATOR between God and man, the man Christ Jesus."

But I must now proceed, in the last place, to show that this practice, a tendency to which I admit to have shown itself in the church as early as the third and fourth centuries, but which was fixed and consolidated by the Romish ecclesiastical power;-I must now go on, I repeat, to show that this practice, when carried to the extent to which Rome has carried it, amounts to nothing less than absolute and positive IDOLATRY.

For what is Idolatry? It is the setting up a strange god; the giving to some creature of God's hand, or some invention of our own fancy, the place and the rightful dominion of God himself.

Now this worship of " demons," or dead men, is chargeable with this guilt, in two particulars :

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1. That it ascribes to human beings the incommunicable attributes of God; and,

2. That it devolves upon the same human beings the peculiar offices and honours of Christ.

It ascribes to " demons," or dead men, the incommunicable attributes of God.

Among these we may chiefly name his omnipresence and omniscience. These are constantly spoken

of in Scripture as God's own peculiar and distinguishing attributes.

"Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even THOU ONLY, knowest the hearts of all the children of men.)" (1 Kings viii. 39.)

"Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart." (Psalm xliv. 21.)

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Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?" (Ps. cxxxix. 3, 4, 7.)

66 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord." (Jer. xxiii. 24.)

"Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." (Heb. iv. 13.)

And it is the persuasion of this peculiar and all-important fact, which draws forth man's faith and prayer. It is because "in Him we live, and move, and have our being," that "the eyes of all wait upon Him, and He giveth them their meat in due season." And thus it is that the Psalmist addresses God, by an allusion to this attribute, as essentially his own: "O THOU THAT HEAREST PRAYER, unto Thee shall all flesh come.

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I might proceed to argue, next, upon the absolute impossibility of this attribute being communicated to, or conferred upon, any mere creature. There is nothing irreverent in saying, that there are attributes which God himself could not confer upon another. A creature, for instance, who was formed only yesterday, cannot be made to be eternal, or from before all time. But I forbear urging this point, as

I do not wish to plunge into metaphysical discussions. I prefer to press this plain doctrine, that to ascribe one of these great and peculiar attributes of God to a mere human being, without the least ground for so doing, either in Scripture or in common sense, is to be guilty of an act in the highest degree dishonourable to God, and partaking largely of blasphemy.

To come to particulars: The Church of Rome causes perpetual supplications to be sent up, from every corner of the globe, and from the secret of the heart, as well as by audible voices, to the Virgin Mary: Now, I beg to know what ground any one can have for supposing that any one of these supplications are really heard by the Virgin?

Rom. I think that Dr. Wiseman has shewn that the belief of the church, from the third century down to the present time, has been, that prayers were offered for us by the saints in heaven, and that it was therefore our interest and our duty to apply to those saints for their intercessions.

Prot. I have already told you, that the opinion of this or that father, or of a whole array of fathers, cannot establish a doctrine without the aid of scripture. Nor would "the general consent of antiquity,"-which, however, I do not admit to be wholly in favour of saint-worship, prevent me from asking this practical question, How do you know that these whispered or secret petitions to Mary, breathed at the same moment in Italy, in Mexico, and in Hindoostan, are ever known or heard by her?

Rom. Nay, why may I not as well ask you, How do you know that they are not?

Prot. Because, when you teach a worship no where commanded in scripture, you are clearly bound to shew that it is grounded on some principle reconcileable with

common sense. Whereas, every man's own knowledge and experience is opposed, at first sight, to your theory. We know that a creature, a human soul, cannot be in two places at once. And even if we were to imagine it possible for the soul of the Virgin to be conscious of a whispered prayer breathed forth by a nun in Sicily, we should still find it difficult to conceive the possibility of her being also aware, at the same instant of time, of other prayers offered up in Canada or in Tranquebar. Now I admit, willingly, that all such difficulties as these must be surrendered the moment the words of inspiration are heard. But I cannot submit to any thing less authoritative. I cannot give up the conclusions of my own reason merely out of deference to the opinions of Basil or of Hilary. I ask, therefore, do you mean to ascribe to the Virgin the language used only by God himself, "Do I not fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord?" Or do you mean to alter the words of the Psalmist, and to say, "The eyes of Mary are in every place, beholding the evil and the good." What, in short, do you wish us to understand to be your belief, touching the mode in which your "saints" are made acquainted with the petitions of their worshippers?

Rom. I do not know how I can better answer this question, than by a passage from Bellarmine on this very point.

"Concerning the manner in which they know what is said to them, there are four opinions among the doctors,

"1. Some say that they know it from the relation of the angels, who at one time ascend to heaven, and at another time descend thence to us.

"2. Others say that the souls of the saints, as also the angels, by a certain wonderful swiftness which is natural to them, are in JULY 1838.

some measure every where, and themselves hear the prayers of the supplicants.

3. Others, that the saints see in God all things, from the beginning of their beatitude, which in any way appertain to themselves; and hence even our prayers which are directed to them.

“4. Others, lastly, that the saints do not see in the Word our prayers from the beginning of their blessedness, but that our prayers are only then revealed to them by God, when we pour them forth." *

Inq. Nay, I must say that if one of your greatest men, as I suppose Bellarmine to have been, could give no more rational account of the matter than this, it looks as if your case were indeed a bad one. Christ says, in one of the texts we heard just now, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, hewill give it you." Instead of which, according to the first of these imaginations, the angels are employed in carrying our prayers to the saints, who in their turn carry them either to Christ or to the Father! Is this circuitous course to be preferred to the plain path described by Christ, without the clearest necessity, or the most distinct injunctions? As to the second fancy, quickness of motion is not omnipresence, nor can it ever answer the same end. But the third and fourth are still more preposterous. God, it is supposed, hears our prayers, and reveals them to the saints, that they may repeat them to him! Why, a system is self-condemned at once that is only to be defended by such hypotheses as these!

Prot. The simple truth is, that there is no middle course. Either the Virgin Mary, and not the Virgin only, but all the Ursulas, and Benedicts, and Dunstans, and Gregorys in the Romish calender, are absolutely omnipresent, and

* Bellarm. De Sanct, Beat. li. i. c. 20. 2 R

are therefore, so many Gods; or else, if they remain creatures, confined to one place at a time, and knowing only what is communicated to them by such channels as are consistent with their finite and created state and character, then there must ever remain the utmost uncertainty, and in fact improbability, as to the safe passage or conveyance of each prayer we offer up to them. In a word, if they hear all the prayers addressed to them, then they are Gods, and not creatures: but if they are not Gods, but finite and imperfect creatures, then they cannot hear all the breathed or whispered aspirations which ascend towards them, from twenty nations of the earth at the same moment of time. If you embrace the latter supposition, then give up saint-worship. But if you will not do this, then admit that you make to yourselves new

Gods!

God is dishonoured, then, by our ascribing his essential and incommunicable attributes to divers of his creatures. But still more is his displeasure excited when his way of salvation is set at nought, and the offices and honours which he conferred upon Christ are attributed to some of those poor sinners whom Christ came to save. Now this is constantly done by those who pray to the saints instead of praying to Christ, and ask of them those very blessings which it is his peculiar pleasure and glory to bestow. "Come unto ME," says Jesus himself, "all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Rather turn, says Dr. Wiseman, to the saints, and "ask them to use their influence" with Christ.

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No, says St. Paul,

"there is one God and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus." But, rejoins Dr. Wiseman, it adds immensely to his glory,' it is paying him the highest homage, when we thus give occasion for the prostration of the

saints before him on our behalf. On the contrary, we reply, what greater disrespect can we show, than by neglecting the course prescribed, and choosing other ways of approach unto God. "I am the way, the truth, and the life," saith Christ. "No man cometh unto the Father, BUT BY ME." I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall in and out, and find pasgo ture." And St. Paul declares, again and again, and in the strongest and clearest terms, that he is our great High Priest, our only Intercessor, and that he has entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for And he therefore argues, Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

us.

Rom. You forget one of Dr. Wiseman's reasons, namely, that "the saints look down upon us with sympathy; and that we may turn to them with the confidence of brethren,' " and ask them to use their influence with their Master.

Prot. No, I have not forgotten that which is indeed one of the greatest affronts that can possibly be offered to Christ. "Greater love, said the compassionate Saviour, "hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." friends." "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

It is little to say, that no human records have pourtrayed, nor has the mind of man conceived, a character of such exceeding love and sympathy, as is that of Christ. The truth is, that even the outlines and rapid lineaments of that character which are afforded us in the brief narratives of the Evangelists, are beyond the reach of our minds and souls. The tenderness and compassion of that heart, which yearned, even to weeping, over a city whose inhabitants, he well

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