men and philosophers so often endeavour to invalidate the argu- ments for the existence of God, and advance opinions inconsistent with Theism ; arguing, as they in many cases do, to prove either that there is no evidence of the existence of any power in the universe other than of physical force, or that no knowledge, con- sciousness, or voluntary action can be predicated of an infinite Being. This is done in apparent unconsciousness that they are undermining the foundations of all religion and morality ; or that they are exhibiting a state of mind which the Scriptures pro- nounce worthy of reprobation.
§ 5. The Invocation of Saints and Angels.
Saints and angels, and especially the Virgin Mary, are confess- edly objects of worship in the Romish Church. The word " wor- ship," however, means properly to respect or honour. It is used to express both the inward sentiment and its outward manifesta- tion. This old sense of the word is still retained in courts of law in which the judge is addressed as " Your Worship," or as " wor- shipful." The Hebrew word mnntpn and the Greek Trpocncvviut, often translated in the English version by the word " worship," mean simply to bow down, or prostrate one's self. They are \ised whether the person to whom the homage is rendered be an equal, an earthly superior, or God Himself. It is not, therefore, from the use of any of these words that the nature of the homage rendered can be determined. Romanists are accustomed to dis- tinguish between the cultus civilis due to earthly superiors ; SovXeCa due to saints and angels ; vTrepSovXeia due to the Virgin Mary ; and XarpeCa due to God alone. These distinctions, how- ever, are of little use. They afford no criterion by which to dis- tinguish between BovXeCa and wrep&ovXeCa and between virtpSovXcia and Xarpcta. The important principle is this : Any homage, internal or external, which involves the ascription of divine attributes to its object, if that object be a creature, is idolatrous. Whether the homage paid by Romanists to saints and angels be idolatrous is a question of fact rather than of theory ; that is, it is to be determined by the homage actually rendered, and not by that which is prescribed. It is easy to Bay that the saints are not to be honoured as God is honoured ; that He is to be regarded as the original source and giver of all good, and they as mere inter- cessors, and as channels of divine communications ; but this does not alter the case if the homage rendered them assumes that they possess the attributes of God ; and if they are to the people the objects of religious affection and confidence.
284 PART in. Ch. XIX. — THE LAW.
2. The whole thing is a deceit and illusion. If in fact departed saints are not authorized and not enabled to hear and answer the prayers of suppliants on earth, then the people are in the condi- tion of those who trust in gods who cannot save, who haye eyes that see not, and ears that cannot hear. That the saints have no such office as the theory and practice of invocation suppose is plain, because the fact if true cannot be known except by divine revela- tion. But no such revelation exists. It is a purely superstitious belief, without the support of either Scripture or reason. The conjectural methods suggested by Bellarmin of explaining how the saints may be cognizant of the wants and wishes of men, is a confession that nothing is known or can be known on the subject ; and, therefore, that the invocation of the saints has no Scriptural or rational foundation. If this be so, then how dreadfully are the people deluded! How fearful the consequences of turning their eyes and hearts from the one divine mediator between God and man, who ever lives to make intercession for us, and whom the Father heareth always, and causing them to direct their prayers to ears which never hear, and to place their hopes in arms which never save. It is turning from the fountain of living waters, to cisterns which can hold no water.
3. The invocation of saints as practised in the Church of Rome is idolatrous. Even if it be conceded that the theory as ex- pounded by theologians is free from this charge, it remains true that the practice involves all the elements of idolatry. Blessings are sought from the saints which God only can bestow ; and attri- butes are assumed to belong to them which belong to God alone. Every kind of blessing, temporal and spiritual, is sought at their hands, and sought directly from them as the givers. This Bellar- min admits so far as the words employed are concerned. He says it is right to say : " Holy Peter, save me ; open to me the gates of heaven ; give me repentance, courage," etc. God alone can grant these blessings ; the people are told to seek them at the hands of creatures. This is idolatry. Practically it is taken for granted that the saints are everywhere present, that they can hear prayers addressed to them from all parts of the earth at the same time ; that they know our thoughts and unexpressed desires. This is to assume that they possess divine attributes. In fact, therefore, the saints are the gods whom the people worship, whom they trust, and who are the objects of the religious affections.
The polytheism of the Church of Rome is in many respects analogous to that of heathen Rome. In both cases we find gods