Serm. XIX. between God and Men. ven, in the fame Order of Brotherly Society with which we entreat our Brethren upon Earth to pray for us. But that this is not a true Reprefentation either oftheir Doctrine or Practice ïti this Matter, will appear by thefe following Confiderations. (I.) That they pray to the Angels and Saints in Heaven with the fame So- lemn Circumflances of Religious, Worfhip that they pray to God , hlmfelf in the fame Place, and in the fame humble Pofture, and in the fame Religious Offices and Services, in which they pray to God ; which furely is never done by any to their Brethren upon Earth. (2.) That in their Prayers and Thankfgivings, they joyn the Angels and the Blelfed Virgin and the Saints together with God and Chrift, as if (to` ufe their own Phrafe) it were in the fame Order of Brotherly Society, and as ifthey were all equally the Obje&s of our Invocation and Praife ; of which, in my laft Dif- courfè, I gave feveral plain Inftances; but this alfo is never done to our Brethren upon Earth. (3.) That in the Creed of Pope Pius IV, it is exprefly faid, That the Saints which reign together;with Chr, are to be worfhipped and invocated; but this furely they will not allow to be done to our Brethren upon Earth. And the Council ofTrent does exprefly ground the Worfhip and Invocation of Saints, upon their reigning with Chrill in Heaven ; and therefore this Worfhip and Invocation of Saints muff neceffarily be fomething more, than according to the fame Order ofBrotherly Society, with which we entreat our Brethren upon Earth to prayfor us : Otherwife the Reafon givenby the Council of their reigning with Chriftin Heaven, would be frivolous, if the faine thing may be done to our Brethren upon Earth. (k.) In the Publick Offices of their Church, they do not only pray to the Saints to pray for them, but they dire& their Prayers and Thankfgivings imme- diately to them, for all thofe Bleffings and Benefits which they ask of God, and thank him for. Of which innumerable Examples might be given out of their Publick Offices ; particularly in the 0 /lice of the Bleffed Virgin, they pray to the Angels thus ; Deliver no we befeechyour byyour Command, from all our Sins. And theWords ofthe Decreeof the Council ofTrent, [ad eorum orations, opera, auxiliumque confugere, to flee to their Prayers, Aid, and Help,] unlefs we will make them a meet Tautology, muff of neceffity fignify fomething more than begging of them to pray for us. And, indeed, thofe Words of their Aid and Help, feem tobe added on purpófe to give Countenance to thofe direft Prayers which are made to the Saints, for all Spiritual and Temporal Bleffings, and which . fíí11 remain without any Change in their Publick Offices ; and unlefs we will un- derftand them contrary to the plain and obvious Senfe ofthofe Prayers, they mutt fignify fomething more than Praying to the Saints to pray for us. 'Tis true, indeed, that the.C'atechifm which was framed by Order of the Council of Trent, for the explaining Of their Doftrines, makes the Difference be- tween their Prayers,to God, and to the Saints, to lie in this, that wefay to God, Have mercy on us, or hear our Prayers ; but to the Saints, Prayfor us. But I have !hewn before, that this is not the confiant Forni of Praying to Saints, but that frequently they make.dire&Addreffes to them for their Help and Aid. And this the Compilers of the Catechifm were fenfible of, and therefore they add, althougb it be lawful in another manner to ask of the Saints themfelves, that they would have mercy on us ; becaufe they are very merciful. And is not God fo too ? And then where is the Difference between their Prayers to God, and to the Saints ? If it neither lie in the Matter ofthem, nor in the Form, nor in the Reafon of them, ; if we pray to them for the fame Thing, and in the fame Form, Have mercy on us, and our Prayers to them be grounded upon the .fame Reafon that our Prayers to God are, namely, becaufe they are merciful ; where then is the Difference between them'? 4. I will mention but one Pretence more, which is, That by praying to the Saints in Heaven, they do not make them Gods ; and therefore there can be no Sufpicion or Danger ofIdolatry,in the. Cafe. T 2 To r39
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