saints; of lessons taken out of the Scriptures, and legends; and of profession of faith in the creeds. Q. 30. In what language is their service performed? A. It is performed in all places among them in the Latin tongue, which is in no place vulgarly understood. Q. 31. Is the having the service in an unknown tongue enjoined in the church of Rome? A. Yes it is required that it should be celebrated in the Latin tongue; and whosoever shall say that it ought only to be administered in the vulgar tongue, is accursed.* Hence when of late years the missal, or mass-book, was translated into French, it was declared by Pope Alexander VII. to be a seed-plot of disobedience, rashness, and schism; and he calls them that did it, sons of perdition, and doth condemn, reprobate, and forbid that missal. Concil. Trid. Sess. 23. s. 8. and Can. 9. Q. 32. What are the objects of worship in the church of Rome? A. Besides the blessed Trinity, angels, the Virgin Mary, and saints. Q. 33. What honour do they give to the angels? * A. 1. The church of Rome teaches that angels are to be worshipped, invoked, and prayed to. And they have litanies and prayers composed for this purpose. 1623. Catech. Rom. par. 3. c. 2. n. 8, 9, venerari, adorare, colere. + Ibid. n. 10. Litaniæ ss. Angelorum, vid. Horologium Tutelaris Angeli a Drexelio. p. 84. Cuac A. 2. They teach, that as every particular person hath a guardian angel from his birth, so it is fit to commit themselves more particularly to him ; after this manner, "Blessed angel! to whose care our loving Creator hath committed me, defend me this day, I beseech you, from all dangers, and direct me in the way I ought to walk."‡ *Catech. Rom. par. 4. cap. 9. sec. 1. n. 4. 6. The Child's Catechism. 1678, Horolog. Drex. p. 108. the lessons. But Pope Pius Quintus, who afterward undertook to reform it also, prohibited that of Quignonius,* and instead of the scriptures, placed legends again, and so it continues. * Bulla prefixa Breviar. Rom. Jussa Pii V. Edit. R. 30, 31. In divine worship (as in all other actions) the first thing to be considered is the end, and the next thing is the means conducing to that end. The end is the honour of God, and the edification of the church; and then God is honoured, when the church is edified. The means conducing to that end, are to have the service so administered, as may inform the mind, engage the affections, and increase devotion. But that cannot be done, where the tongue it is celebrated in, is not understood. Thus we are taught by the Apostle, 1 Cor. xiv. 2, He that speaketh in an unknown tongue, speaketh not unto men.' Verse 11, If I know not the meaning of the voice, he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.' Verse 16, If thou shalt bless with the Spirit [by the gift of an unknown tongue] how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say, Amen, at thy giving of thanks?' How can the people be attentive to the lessons, answer at the responses, be devout in the prayers, profess their faith in the creeds, when they do not understand what is read, prayed, or professed? Thus St. Ambrose on 1 Cor. xiv. "It is evident that the mind is ignorant where the tongue is not understood. The unskilful person hearing what he doth not understand, knows not the conclusion of the prayer, and doth not answer Amen." R. 32. Matt. iv. 10, our Saviour says, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.' As divine worship is due to God; so it is not lawful to give it to any other. The church of Rome doth acknowledge this, but says, The worship they give to saints and angels is not of that kind. Catech. Rom. Part 3. c. 2. n. 8. Part 4. c. 6. n. 3. But what worship is peculiar to God, if prayer is not? So thought St. Ambrose, "Thou only art to be invocated." De obitu Theodos For God alone can receive our prayer, or can give what we pray for, or be the object of our faith and trust. R. 33. We honour the holy angels, as they are God's ministers, and are sent forth to minister unto them that shall be heirs of salvation.' Heb. i. 14. But to worship or pray to them we dare not, as it is what they themselves refuse and abhor, Rev. xix. 10, and the Scripture doth condemn as a sign of a fleshly mind, vainly intruding into those things which we have not seen.' Col. ii. 18. Theodoret upon this text saith, That the practice of worshipping angels continued a long time in Phrygia and Pisidia: wherefore the Synod of Laodicea doth forbid praying to angels: "For Christians ought not to forsake the church of God, and depart aside and invocate angels, which are forbidden." Conc. Laod. Can. 35. Q. 34. What religious honour do they give to the saints? A. They pray to them as their intercessors, make confessions to them; offer incense, and make vows to them; venerate their images and relics. Q. 35. For what reason do they pray to saints? A. That by their help they may obtain benefits from God,* who doth confer many favours upon mankind, by their merit, and grace, and intercession.t *Concil. Trid. Sess. 25. de invocat. † Catech. Rom. par. 3. c. 2. sec. 12. Missal Rom. proprium Missarum de sanctis. Q. 36. After what manner do they pray to saints? A. They pray to them as favourites with God, that they would take them into their protection, and would obtain those things of God for them which they want. Therefore they plead that they have two dif ferent forms of prayer; for God they properly say, Have mercy upon us, hear us to a saint, Pray for us. Catech. Rom. par. 4. c. 6. n. 3. Q. 37. But have they not those forms in their missals, breviaries, and common books of devotion, which are particularly and immediately applied to the saints for obtaining what they want? A. Yes; it is too manifest to be denied; and though they have been more sparing of late years, yet nothing formerly more frequent. As for instance, in a missal printed at Paris, An. 1520, fol. 51, there is this prayer to St. Agnes. "O Agnes, woman of the Lamb, do thou enlighten us within. Destroy the roots of sin, O excellent Lady, after the grievances of the world do thou translate us to the company of the blessed." Q. 38. What is the worship they give to the Virgin Mary? A. They flee unto her as the advocatrix of the faithful, the mother of God, that by prayer to her they may obtain help, through her most excellent merits with God. Q. 39. Have they not some singular forms of devotion to her? A. Yes: for apprehending her to be in glory superior to all created beings, they offer a service to her, beyond what they give either to angels or saints. Q. 40. After what manner do they apply themselves to her? A. According to some missals, they ask her to command her Son, by the right and authority of a mother; or, as it is in the breviaries used at this day, "Show thyself a mother." They pray to her, that she would loose the bands of the guilty, bring light to the blind, would make them mild and chaste, and cause their hearts to burn in love to Christ † Brev. Rom. Fest. Assum. * Missal. Paris Anno 1520, Folio 65. In a book printed lately in London, the author saith, that " what R. 34, 35, 36, 37.There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all.' 1 Tim. ii. 5, 6. Rom. viii. 34. Who is he that condemneth? 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.' As there is but one God to us, though there are gods many, and lords many, (1 Cor. viii. 5.) so to us there is but one Mediator, or Intercessor, though we should grant there are many intercessors and mediators. For though the angels and saints may intercede for us in heaven, that no more makes them such intercessors as we may pray to, than because there are gods many, we may pray to them, as we do to the true God. The Scripture knows no difference between a Mediator of intercession and redemption; he alone makes intercession for us, that died and rose, and is at the right-hand of God. And he alone has a right to our prayers, and to him alone we may address them. So Origen: "All prayers, and supplications, and thanksgivings. are to be sent up to God the Lord of all, by that High Priest, who is above all angels, being the Living Word of God." L. 5. cont. Cels. p. 233. 239. So again : We ought to pray only to the God over all, and his only Sou the first-born of every creature, who as our High Priest, offers his prayers to his God, and our God." Lib. 8. p. 395. 402. To have other mediators and intercessors, is not to hold the head, (Colos. ii. 19.) in the judgment of the Apostle, and the council of Laodicea, where it is said, "Christians ought not to forsake the church, and invocate angels.—If any man therefore be found to give himself to this privy idolatry, let him be anathema; because he hath forsaken our Lord Jesus, the Son of God, and betaken himself to idolatry." R. 38. We honour this blessed virgin as the mother of the holy Jesus, and as she was a person of eminent piety; but we do not think it lawful to give that honour to her, which belongs not to a creature. and doth equal her with her Redeemer. R. 39, 40. We cannot but wonder at the applications made to the blessed Virgin in the church of Rome, whose acts on earth, and whose power in heaven, the Scripture doth very sparingly relate, or is altogether silent in. We read nothing there of her bodily assumption into heaven, nor of her exaltation to a throne above angels and archangels.* We read nothing there of her being the mother of grace and mercy,† the queen and gate of heaven, the advocatrix of sinners,t and of her power in destroying all heresies in the world,§ and being all things to all.|| * Brev. Rom. Estiv. Fest. Assump. † Officium parvum B. M. ad Matutin. Catech. par. 4. ‡ Completor. § Fest. Assump. P. 126. c. 5. n. 8. Missale Paris, ibid. et Le Psaultier de Jesus. Paris. 1620. When we read so much of the blessed Virgin in books of this kind. ever gifts are bestowed upon us by Jesus, we receive them by the mediation of Mary. No one being gracious to Jesus that is not devoted to Mary. That the power of Mary in the kingdom of Jesus, is suitable to her maternity."-" And though the condition of some great sinners may be so deplorable, that the limited excellency and merits cannot effectually bend the mercies of Jesus to relieve them; yet such is the acceptableness of the mother of Jesus to Jesus, that whosoever is under the verge of her protection, may confide in her intercession to Jesus." That the person devoted to her, is to beg of her to accompany him as his sacred guide, advocate, and champion. against the assaults of sin and sensuality."* *Contemplations of the life and glory of holy Mary, &c. p. 7, 8, 9. 14. Printed Anno 1685. Much after the fore-cited manner did the council of Constance invoke the blessed Virgin, as other councils used to do the Holy Ghost, calling her the mother of grace, the fountain of mercy; and they call on her for light from heaven. Q. 41. What external representations or memorials have they in the church of Rome, which they give veneration and worship to? A. They have the relics and images of the Virgin Mary and saints. Concil. Trid. Sess. 25. de invoc. Q. 42. What do they mean by relics? A. The bodies or remainders of them, or particular things belonging or relating to them when alive, as an arm, or thighs, bones, or ashes; and the part in which they suffered, or the things by which they suffered, as the chains with which St. Peter was bound. *Ex Decret. Regist. Præfix. Brev. Rom. † Catech. Rom. par. 3. c. 2. n. 15. Brev. Rom. par. Estiv. Aug. Fest. Petri ad vinc. Q. 43. For what cause do they show this regard to relics? 4. By the veneration of them they obtain the help of the saints,* whom the relics relate to; and many benefits are thereby conferred by God upon mankind; for by these the dead have been raised, the infirm cured, and devils cast out.f Concil. Trid. Sess. 25. de invocat. |