Worshipping of Saints Departed
or not to do it. But in Corinth, upon special circumstances, he was bound in conscience to preach it freely as he did by reason of the false teachers, who would otherwise have taken occasion to disgrace his ministry and have hindered the glory of God. Now it was Paul's duty by all means to prevent the hindrances of the gospel and the glory of God—and if he had not so done, he had abused his liberty (v.
18). Therefore, he did no more in that case than the law itself required. For an action indifferent, or an action in our liberty, ceases to be in our liberty and becomes moral in the case of offence. What is more free and indifferent than to eat flesh? Yet in the case of offence
Paul said he "would not eat flesh as long as the world stood" (1 Cor.
8:13).
Of the Worshipping of Saints, Specially of Invocation I. Our Consent Conclusion 1.
The true saints of God—as prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and such like—are to be worshipped and honored, and that [in] three ways: 1.
By keeping a memory of them in godly manner. Thus the virgin Mary —as a prophetess—foretells that "all nations shall call her blessed"
(Luke 1:48). When a certain woman poured a box of ointment on the head of Christ, He says, "this fact shall be spoken of in remembrance of her, wheresoever that gospel should be preached throughout the world" (Mark 14:9). This duty also was practiced by David towards
Moses, Aaron, Phineas, and the rest that are commended (Psalms 105 and 106), and by the author of the epistle to the Hebrews upon the patriarchs and the prophets—and many others that excelled in faith in the times of the Old and New Testament. 2. They are to be honored by giving of thanks to God for them, and the benefits that God vouchsafed by them unto His church. Thus Paul says, that when the churches heard of his conversion, they "glorified God for him,"
or, "in him" (Gal. 1:23). And the like is to be done for the saints departed. 3. They are to be honored by an imitation of their faith, humility, meekness, repentance, the fear of God, and all good virtues wherein they excelled. For this cause, the examples of godly men in the Old and New Testament are called a "cloud of witnesses" by allusion. For as the cloud did guide the Israelites through the wilderness to the land of Canaan, so the faithful now are to be guided to the heavenly Canaan by the examples of good men that have believed in God before us and have walked the straight way to life everlasting.
Conclusion 2.
Again, their true relics, that is, their virtues and good examples left to all posterity to be followed, we keep and respect with due reverence.
Yes, if any man can show us the bodily relic of any true saint and prove it so to be, though we will not worship it, yet will we not despise it, but keep it as a monument if it may conveniently be done without offence. And thus far we consent with the Church of Rome.
Further we must not go.
II. The Dissent Our difference stands in the manner of worshipping of saints. The papists make two degrees of religious worship. The highest they call latria, whereby God Himself is worshipped and that alone. The second, lower than the former, is called doulia, whereby the saints and angels that be in the special favor of God, and glorified with everlasting glory in heaven, are worshipped. This worship they place in outward adoration, in bending of the knee, and bowing of the body to them being in heaven: in invocation whereby they call upon them; in dedication of churches and houses of religion unto them; in Sabbaths and festival days; lastly, in pilgrimages unto their relics and images. We likewise distinguish adoration or worship, for it is either religious or civil. Religious worship is that which is done to Him that is Lord of all things, the searcher and trier of the heart, omnipotent,
everywhere present, able to hear and help them that call upon Him everywhere, the Author and first cause of every good thing; and that simply for Himself because He is absolute goodness itself. And this worship is due to God alone, being also commanded in the first and second commandments of the first table. Civil worship is the honor done to men set above us by God Himself, either in respect of their excellent gifts or in respect of their offices and authority whereby they govern others. The right end of this worship is to testify and declare that we reverence the gifts of God and that power which He has placed in those that be His instruments. And this kind of worship is commanded only in the second table and in the first commandment thereof, "Honor thy father and mother" (Ex. 20:12).
Upon this distinction we may judge what honor is due to everyone.
Honor is to be given to God and to whom He commands. He commands that inferiors should honor or worship their betters.
Therefore, the unreasonable creatures, and among the rest images, are not to be worshipped—either with civil or religious worship— being indeed far baser than man himself is. Again, unclean spirits, the enemies of God, must not be worshipped; yes, to honor them at all is to dishonor God. Good angels, because they excel men both in nature and gifts, when they appeared were lawfully honored; yet so, as when the least signification of honor was given that was proper to God, they refused it. And because they appear not now as in former times, not so much as civil adoration in any bodily gesture is to be done unto them. Lastly, governors and magistrates have civil adoration as their due, and it cannot be omitted without offence.
Thus, Abraham worshipped the Hittites [Genesis 23] and Joseph his brethren [Genesis 50]. To come to the very point, upon the former distinction we deny against the papists that any civil worship in the bending of the knee or prostrating of the body is to be given to the saints—they being absent from us—much less any religious worship, as namely invocation signified by any bodily adoration. For it is the very honor of God Himself; let them call it latria, or doulia, or by what name they will.
Our Reasons
Reason 1.
All true invocation and prayer made according to the will of God must have a double foundation: a commandment and a promise. A commandment, to move us to pray; and a promise, to assure us that we shall be heard. For all and every prayer must be made in faith; and without a commandment or promise, there is no faith. Upon this infallible ground I conclude that we may not pray to saints departed.
For in the Scripture there is no word, either commanding us to pray unto them or assuring us that we shall be heard when we pray. No, we are commanded only to call upon God, "Him only shalt thou serve" (Matt. 4:10). And "how shall we call upon him in whom we have not believed?" (Rom. 10:14). And we have no promise to be heard, but for Christ's sake. Therefore, prayers made to saints departed are unlawful. Answer is made, that "Invocation of saints is warranted by miracles and revelations, which are answerable to commandments and promises."
Answer.
But miracles and revelations had an end before this kind of invocation took any place in the church of God—and that was about three hundred years after Christ. Again, to judge of any point of doctrine by miracles is deceitful unless three things concur: the first is, doctrine of faith and piety to be confirmed; the second is, prayer unto God, that something may be done for the ratifying of the said doctrine; the third is, the manifest edification of the church by the two former.
Where any of these three are wanting, miracles may be suspected, because otherwise false prophets have their miracles to try men whether they will cleave unto God or not [Deut. 13:1, 3]. Again, miracles are not done—or to be done—for them that believe, but for infidels that believe not. As Paul says, "Tongues are a sign, not to them that believe, but to unbelievers" (1 Cor. 14:22). And to this agree Chrysostom, Ambrose, and Isidore, who says, "Behold, a sign is not necessary to believers which have already believed, but to infidels, that they may be converted." Lastly, our faith is to be confirmed, not by revelation and apparitions of dead men, but by the writings of the apostles and prophets [Luke 16:29].
Reason 2.
To pray unto saints departed—to bow the knee unto them while they are in heaven—is to ascribe that unto them which is proper to God
Himself: namely, to know the heart with the inward desires and motions thereof, and to know the speeches and behaviors of all men in all places upon earth at all times. The papists answer that saints in heaven see and hear all things upon earth not by themselves (for that were to make them gods) but in God, and in the glass of the Trinity, in which they see men's prayers revealed unto them. I answer first, that the saints are still made more than creatures because they are said to know the thoughts and all the doings of all men at all times, which no created power can well comprehend at once. Second, I answer, that this glass, in which all things are said to be seen, is but a forgery of man's brain, and I prove it thus. The angels themselves, who see further into God than men can do, never knew all things in God, which I confirm on this manner: In the temple, under the law, upon the ark, were placed two cherubim, signifying the good angels of God. And they looked downward upon the mercy seat covering the ark, which was a figure of Christ. And their looking downward figured their desire to see into the mystery of Christ's incarnation and our redemption by Him; as Peter alluding, no doubt, to this type in the Old Testament says, "Which things the angels desire to behold" (1 Peter 1:12). And Paul says, "The manifold wisdom of God is revealed by the church unto principalities and powers in heavenly places" (Eph. 3:10), that is, to the angels. But how, and by what means? By the church, and that two ways: First, by the church, as by an example in which the angels saw the endless wisdom and mercy of God in the calling of the Gentiles. Second, by the church, as it was founded and honored by the preaching of the apostles. For it seems that the apostolical ministry in the New Testament revealed things touching Christ which the angels never knew before that time. Thus
Chrysostom, upon occasion of this text of Paul, says that "The angels learned something by the preaching of John the Baptist." Again,
Christ says that "they know not the hour of the last judgment" (Matt.
24:36). Much less do the saints know all things in God. And hence it
is that they are said to be under the altar where they cry, "How long, Lord, holy and true! Wilt thou not avenge our blood?" (Rev. 6:10), as being ignorant of the day of their full deliverance. And the Jews in affliction confess Abraham was ignorant of them and their estate
[Isa. 63:16].
Reason 3.
Christ refused so much as to bow the knee to Satan, upon this ground, because it was written, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy
God, and him only shalt thou serve" (Matt. 4:10). Hence it was that Peter would not suffer Cornelius so much as to kneel unto him, though Cornelius intended not to honor him as God. Therefore, neither saint nor angel is to be honored so much as with the bowing of the knee, if it carries but the least signification of divine or religious honor.
Reason 4.
The judgment of the ancient church. Augustine, "We honor the saints with charity and not by servitude; neither do we erect churches to them." And, "Let it not be religion for us to worship dead men." And,
"They are to be honored for imitation, and not to be adored for religion." Epiphan., "Neither Thecla, nor any saint is to be adored, for that ancient error may not overrule us, that we should leave the living God, and adore things made by Him." Again, "Let Mary be in honor; let the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost be adored. Let none adore
Mary—I mean neither woman nor man." Again, "Mary is beautiful, holy, and honored, yet not to adoration." When Julian objected to the Christians that they worshipped their martyrs as God, Cyril grants the memory and honor of them, but denies their adoration.
And of invocation he makes no mention at all. Ambrose on Romans 1: "Is any so mad that he will give to the Earl the honor of the King?— yet these men do not think themselves guilty who give the honor of God's name to a creature, and leaving the Lord adore their fellow servants, as though there were anything more reserved for God."
III. Objections of Papists Objection 1.
"Let the angel that kept me bless thy children" (Gen. 48:16). "Here," say they, "it is a prayer made to angels." Answer. By the angel is meant Christ, who is called the angel of the covenant [Mal. 3:1], and the angel that guided Israel in the wilderness [1 Cor. 10:9 compared with Ex. 23:20].
Objection 2.
[Ex. 32:13.] "Moses prays that God would respect His people, for Abraham's sake, and for Isaac and Israel His servants, which were not then living." Answer. Moses prays [for] God to be merciful to the people, not for the intercession of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but for His covenant's sake which He had made with them [Ps. 132:10–11].
Again, by popish doctrine, the fathers departed knew not the estate of men upon earth, neither did they pray for them—because then they were not in heaven but in Limbo Patrum.
Objection 3.
"One living man makes intercession to God for another; therefore, much more do the saints in glory, that are filled with love, pray to God for us." Answer. The reason is naught—for we have a commandment, one living man to pray for another, and to desire others to pray for us. But there is no warrant in the Word of God for us to desire the prayers of men departed. Second, there is a great difference between these two: to request our friend—either by word of mouth or by letter—to pray for us, and by invocation to request them that are absent from us and departed this life to pray for us. For this is indeed a worship, in which is given unto them a power to hear and help all that call upon them at what place or time forever—yes, though they be not present in the place in which they are worshipped
—and consequently, the seeing of the heart, presence in all places, and infinite power to help all that pray unto them, which things