I36 atilt Jcfits, the only Mediator Vol. I. worfhip her that was born of Anna ? And concludes, let May be had in Honour ; but let the Lord be worfhhipped. St. Cheyfoflom, in a long Difcourfe, perfwadesMen to addrefs their Prayers im- mediately to God, and not as we addrefs our felves to great Men by their Officers and Favourites ; and tells us, that there is no need offuck Interceffors with God, who is not fo ready togrant our Petitions, when we entreat him by others, as when wepray to him our felves. Laflly, St. Augufline, becaufe the Scripture pronounces him accurfed, that put- eth his trufl in Man; from thence he argues, that therefore we ought not to ask of any other, but of our Lord God, either the Grace to do well, or the Re- ward of it. The contrary to which I am fure is done in feveral of the Publick Prayers ufed in the Church of Rome. And, 1. 22. de Civ. Dei, he exprefly tells us, that theNames of the Martyrs were recited in their Prayers at the Altar ; but they were not invocated by the Priell, who did celebrate Divine Service. And in the Third Council of Carthage (which was in St. AugeJlin's time) it is enjoyned (Can. 33.) that all Prayers that were made at the Altar, fhould be direfled to the Father. Which how it is obferved in the Church of Rome, we all know. To conclude this matter, it cannot be made appear, that there were anyPrayers to Saints in the Publick Offices of the Church, till towards the end of the Eighth Century. For in the Year 754. the Invocation of Saints was condemned by a Council of 338Bifhops at Confiantinople, as is acknowledged by the Second Coun- cil ofNice, which firft eftablifh'd this Superftition, in the Year 787, and this very Council was condemned Seven Years after, in a Council at Frankfort, and declared void, and to be no otherwife efteemed of, than the Council of Ariminum. Thus you fee, when this Do/trine and Practice, fo contrary to the Doctrine and Practice of a great many of the firft Ages of the Chriftian Church, was firft eftablifhed, namely, at the fame time with the Worfhip of Images, and when the firft Foundation of Tranfubflantiation was laid ; which as they began at the fame time, fo they are very fit to go together. I fhould now have proceeded to the next thing which I propos'd, namely, to anfwer the chief Pretences which are made for this Doctrine and Practice. But of That in the following Difcourfe. The Third Sermon an thir Text. SERMON XIX. Chrift jefus, the only Mediator between God and Men. I TIM. ii. 5, 6. For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and Men, the Man Chrift jefus ; who gave himfelf a ranfom for all. IN the two former Difcourfes upon this Text, I have treated on the Second Propofition'I laid down from the Words ; viz. That there is but one Mediator between God and Men, the Man Chrifl yefus. In treating of this Propofition, I (hewed, Firfi, That it is agreeable to Scripture. Secondly, That it is agreeable to one great End and Defign of the ChriftianRe- ligion, andof our Saviour's coming into the World, which was to deftroy idolatry out of it. Thirdly,
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