13 8 Chrift ` ofs, the only Mediator Vol. I. to be taught it is their Duty to do, they are, by Virtue of this Article, required to worfhip andpray to Saints. And if the Publick Office of their Church be the Publick Worfhip, and Pope Pius's Creed the Publick Faith of the Rosnifh Church, no Man can be either of the Faith, or in the Communion of. that Church, who does not only hold it lawful, but his Duty, to worfhip the Saints inHeaven, and to pray to them, and accordingly does jóyn in the Worthip of them, and Prayers to them, as much as in any other part of Divine Service. 2. Another Pretence for this Do&rine and Pra&ice, is, that the Saints in Hea- ven do pray for us ; and what is this but to be Mediators and Interceffors with God for us ? And if fo, why may not we pray to them, to intercede with God for us ? To this I anfwer.four things. (t:) We do not deny that the Saints in Heaven pray for us that are here upon Earth, becaufe they may do fo for any thing we know ; but that they do fo, is more than can be proved, either by clear Teftimony ofScripture, or by any con- vincing Argument fromReafon, and therefore no Do&rine or Pra&ice can be fafe- ly grounded upon it. (2.) Tho' it were certain, that the Saints in Heaven do pray for us ; yet they are not Mediators and Interceffors, properly fo called : For all Interceffion, aridly and properly fo called, is in Virtue of a Sacrifice offered by him that intercedes;. and therefore he only by whom Expiation of Sin is made upon Earth, can be properly an Interceffor with God in Heaven; but this, no Angel or Saint hath done, nor can do. And (as I have 'hewed in fome of the former Difcourfes) it is the plain Scope of a great part of the Epiftle to the Hebrews to prove this very thing, that under the Gofpel we have an High-Priefl that livesfor ever, and appears in the Pretence ofGodfor us, in the Virtueof that Blood which hefhed, and that Sacrifice which he offeredupon the Crofs for the Expiation of Sin And that by this High-Priefi only we have Accefs , with Freedom and Confidence, to the Throne of Grace, and by him do offer up all our Prayers and Thankfgivings, and all other A&s of Religious Worfhip, to God : And this the Apoftle fhews was typify'd in an im- peded manner, by the Yewifh High-Priefi under the Law, who was but one, and none but he only could enter into theHolyofHolies,with the Bloodof the Sacrificer, that were (lain andburnt without, by whichBlood he made an Atonement, and in- tercededfor the People ; and though every Prieft might pray for the People, and the People for one another, which is a kind of Interdefflon ; yet that peculiar kind of Intercejon, which was performed by the High-Priefl, in the Holy of Holies, in virtue of the Sacrifice that was (lain without, could not be made, but by the High-Prie/l only. By all which was typify'd our High-Prieff under the Gofpel, who only .bath made Expiation of Sin, by the Sacrifice of himfelf, and is enter'd into Heaven, fo appear in the Prefence ofGodfor us, where he lives for ever, to make Interceffion for us, in virtue of that Blood which wasfhed for the Expiation of Sin, and which can only be prefented to God by him that fhed it. And this is properly Interceflion, like that of the High-Priefl under the Law for the People of ¡rael ; and this kind of Interceffion can be made by none in Heaven for us, but only by the High-Prie/l ofour Profe ion, fetus the Son ofGod, and by none elfe can we offer up our Prayers and Services to God ; and confequently we cannot ad- drefs our felves to any other, Angels or Saints, as Mediators with God for us. (3.) Suppofing it certain, that the Saints do pray for us ; yet we may not ad- drefs Solemn Prayer to them to pray for us, becaufe Prayer and Solemn Invocation isa part ofthat Religious Worship which is peculiar to God. (4.) Suppofing it only certain that the Saints in Heaven do pray for us, but likewife that they might be proper Mediators and Interceffors with God for us ; yet we ought not to pray to them, becaufe they cannot hear_us, as I {hall have occafion to thew fully byand by. 3. Another of their - Pretences or Excufes for this Pra&ice, is, That praying to Saints to pray for us, is no more than what we do to Good Men upon Earth, when we delire them to pray for us. So the late Expounder of the Catholick - Faith, namely the Bifhop of Meaux, tells us, that they pray to the Saints in Hea- ven
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