ther's Invocation of faints, in the beginning of the 5th century; for St. Cyril fucceeded his uncle Theophilus in the fee of Alexandria, October 16. 412. But to this it may be answered,

1. That Binius, though a zealous pleader for the catholic caufe, (as the monks of Rome mifcall it) was of another opinion, for he takes no notice of this paffage in his notes (in calce part 3. Concil, Ephefini, tom. 2. p. 665, &c.) and most certainly, he would not have failed to urge it, if he had confidered it as a prayer, and believed it did prove the invocation of faints.

Senez. These amount to above 1600 councils. Note, Reader, the condemnation, the banishment of old John de Soanem (in the 80th year of his age) the most learned and excellent prelate in France, of his time, by Firebrand Tartuff, archbishop of Ambrun, and his council, (A. D. 1727, September 21.) was on account of the bishop's admirable paftoral inftruction against the execrable conflitution unigenitus, and the antichriftian formulary of pope Alexander the feventh; and because he recommended the reading of Pere Quefnel's very pious and fine Reflections Morales.-This famous FanJenift, and father of the oratory, Pafquier Quefnel, was the author of many books, (fome of them very good) and lived to a great age. He was born in 636, and died at last in prison (if I mistake not) a fufferer for religion. He was feverely perfecuted for

many years. VOL. III.

F

2. Nor

2. Nor does Bellarmine, in his treatife de fanctorum beatitudine, Henricus Vicus, de fanctorum invocatione, Gabriel Vafquez, de adoratione, or Gregorius de Valentia, de oratione, make use of this paffage of Cyril, though they do, ex profeffo, and datâ operâ, diligently quote all the councils and fathers they can, to prove invocation of faints.

3. As rhetorical apostrophes, or profopopaias, are ufual in all authors, facred or civil, this may be one in Cyril, and it feems very plain from the paffage, that it was intended for no more. It appears to be a rhetorical figure, and not a prayer; fuch a figure as the Greek fathers were wont very frequently to use in their orations and poems.

Cyril intending, as appears by the fequel, to answer his own queftion with a paffage in St. John's gospel, makes a long rhetorical apoftrophe to the apostle, as if he were there prefent, then adds, Annon dicentem audimus, Ουκέν ἀκέομεν λέγοντος But do we not hear him faying? Or, as Binius has the reading, Ουκέν ἀκέομεν Xeyovros, let us hear what St. John faith, audiamus itaque dicentem, as if they had heard John giving his anfwer, and then concludes

2

concludes with the first verfe of the first chapter of his gospel, 'Ev 'A ̧xñ ñv ó Móyos, &c. In the beginning was the word, &c.

It is therefore very plain, that this paffage of Cyril is only a part of his homily or fermon, and that in a rhetorical manner, he quotes a text from a gospel written by John about 330 years before, in anfwer to his own queftion, who the word was? For Cyril to pray to John to tell them what he had told them long before, were fenfelefs and ridiculous; but to defire the apostle to do it in a rhetorical apoStrophe, was allowable. It amounts to no more than the figurative expreffion in our liturgy, Hear what comfortable words our Saviour faith. Hear what St. Paul faith.

But if Cyril did in this paffage truly pray to St. John, that could be no argument for pcpifh invocation of faints; for, if an hundred fathers in the beginning of the fourth century, had preached up, and practifed invocation of faints, yet that could not make it lawful and right, fince we are taught by the fcriptures to direct our prayers neither to faint nor angel, but to God only, and in the name and mediation of Jefus Chrift only. We are not only pofitively ordered by the apostles to make all our adF 2 dreffes

dreffes and prayers to God only, and by the mediation and interceffion of Jefus Chrift; but are told, that God is omniscient, and fo able to bear all our prayers; all-fufficient, and therefore able to fupply all our neceffities; -and that his mercies in Jefus Christ are infinite. This makes our way fure in this particular.

On the contrary, the papists have no precept to pray to faints; nor any promife that they fhall be heard; nor any practice of the primitive church, for 300 years after Christ, to encourage them; and there fore, fuch popish invocation is a novel, groundless, and impious error.

Some remarks on the doc

trine of the invocation of faints.

We are told by St. Peter, (Alts v. 31.) that God had exalted the Lord Jefus Chrift to be a Prince and Saviour, that is, an interceffor.-By St. Paul, (Heb. vii. 25.) that Christ is able to fave to the uttermoft all that come to God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make interceffion for them; (chap. ix. 24) that be is gone to heaven (for this very end) to appear in the prefence of God for us: (1 Tim. ii. 5.) that there is no other mediator betwixt God and men but the man Chrift Jefus, that is, whofe prerogative it is to intercede

for

for finners to the Divine. Majefty; being an honour and dignity God hath exalted him unto, after his fufferings, and as a reward thereof:-Thus are we informed by the divine oracles, and yet, notwithstanding this, to make prayers and fupplications. to the Virgin Mary, and a thousand other faints, for aid or help; and to have by. their merit and interceffion, the gifts and graces they pray for conferred upon them ;this is a doctrine of fuch dangerous confequence, as it is a depriving of Christ Jesus of that grand dignity and prerogative he is now in heaven exalted to, as much as in men lies, that I fhould have admired how it ever came to be embraced by fuch as profess christianity, had not the fpirit of God foretold (1 Tim. iv. 4.) that fome fhould depart from the faith, giving beed to feducing Spirits, (that is, feducing men) and doctrines of devils, that is to say, doctrines concerning demons, or fouls of famous men. departed this life; which the heathens called demons; and to whom they gave the worship of prayer or invocation, as interceffors or inferior divinities. This prophecy hinders my wondering at the thing: but then I must call fuch modern invocation gentilifm chriftianized; a deplorable corruption.