cerning the miracles performed after death, and concerning the cause for which they suffered death.*

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According to the decree of Urban VIII., no canonization or beatification can take place, in modern times, within fifty years after the person's death.t

"But for just causes, by dispensation from the pope, the case may be examined and decided before, as appears from the decrees of Alexander VII., Clement IX., and Clement XI."‡

2. As to the kind of worship rendered to the saints, Ferraris will instruct us, and for this purpose we will translate him. "That it may be fully understood," says he, "what worship or adoration is due to the saints, it is to be observed, that adoration is an act by which any one submits himself to another, in the recognition of his excellence. This is the common opinion. And this adoration or worship is civil or political; sacred or religious. Adoration merely civil or political, is that which may be offered to kings and supreme princes on account of the excellence of their station, or the excellency of human power which they possess beyond others, as is mentioned in Scripture, where some are said to have adored kings. So David, falling on his face, adored three times. 1 Kings, chap. xx. All the assembly blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed themselves, and adored God, and then the king. 1 Chron. xxix, 20. Where, as you see, the same word adoration refers to God and the king; although to God, the worship is latria, to the king it is only civil respect. Sacred or religious adoration is that which is offered to any one on account of sacred or supernatural excellence, as the adoration which is rendered to God, the blessed virgin Mary, and all the saints."

Of sacred or religious adoration there are three kinds, viz., latria, hyperdulia, and dulia. Adoration, or the worship of latria, is that which is due to God alone, and is given on account of his uncreated supremacy and infinite excellency. The adoration or worship of hyperdulia is that which is due and rendered to the blessed virgin on account of the maternity of God, and other excellent gifts, and her special supereminent sanctity beyond others. The adoration or worship of dulia is that which is due and given to the saints on account of the supernatural excellence of their sanctity and glory. These are common opinions."

We will now proceed to give,

IV. Examples showing in what manner, for what causes, in what sense, and with what confidence, Roman Catholics invoke saints and angels.

Some among them affirm that they do not approve of the errors, superstitions, and abuses of the vulgar, or of individuals, in the adoration of saints. And the Council of Trent says, "that all superstition should be removed from the invocation of saints." But then they do not explain what are superstitions: for if all that is superstitious, that is, all that is unscriptural, were removed from the worship of saints, nothing would be left about which we might contend.

We will present to our readers examples of their forms of prayer; not from private sources, but from the public authorized prayers of * See Ferraris's Bibliotheca, on the article Veneratio Sanctorum, tom. vii, pp 487-507, n. 97.

+ Id., n. 30.

+ Id., n. 32.

◆ Id., n. 35.

Il Id,. n. 36-39.

their church. We will quote from their Breviary, their Missals, and their acknowledged books of devotion. It is proper to say, however, that there are many pious and orthodox sentiments mingled with their forms of prayer, which we rejoice to receive and use. It is lamentable that these devout sentiments should be mingled with so many superstitious forms and unscriptural sentiments. We will arrange them under the following heads, viz. :

First. Instances in which they ask the saints in heaven to pray for them, as they ask the prayers of the saints on earth.

Secondly. Examples in which the intercessory, mediatory, and advocatory prayers of the saints are asked.

Thirdly. Instances in which latria, or supreme worship, is rendered to saints, or divided between them and God.

Fourthly. The worship paid to saints and angels, in which latria is shared between them and God, is the natural tendency of saint worship as taught and practised among them; and this, in fact, is actually the case.

And first, we will produce instances in which they ask the saints in heaven to pray for them, as they ask the help of the prayers of pious living persons.

The angelic salutation, or the ave Maria, hail Mary, is a prayer in constant use among Romanists, and is as follows:

"Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen."

The following invocation to the blessed virgin, the guardian angel and patron saint, is in common use. We give it as it is in the Christian's Guide, published by the permission of the most reverend Archbishop Whitfield, Baltimore, 1832, by John Kennedy, p. 23.

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O holy virgin, mother of God, my advocate and patroness, pray for thy poor servant; show thyself a mother to me and thou, O blessed Spirit, whom God in his mercy hath appointed to watch over me, intercede for me this day, that I may not stray from the path of virtue. Thou also, O happy saint, whose name I bear, pray for me, that I may serve God faithfully in this life, as thou hast done, and glorify him eternally with thee in heaven. Amen."

There are few prayers used in the Roman Church, in which saints in heaven are invoked, as the examples in Scripture teach respecting the asking of the prayers of the pious on earth. In the last prayer, quoted above, the mother of Jesus is represented as our advocate and patroness, and in most other prayers the merits or advocacy of the saints whom they invoke form a part of the prayers. But in the examples in Scripture, in which the pious ask the prayers of their living friends, there is no mention either of advocacy or merits. Hence there are few such forms of prayer used in the Church of Rome as those recorded in Scripture. The ave Maria comes nearer the model of Scripture example than any other; provided the virgin were yet alive, and provided, also, her name were not loaded with the idolatrous ignominy of their prayers, by which the majesty of God is lowered, and the intercession of Jesus Christ invaded. But we proceed.

Secondly. To furnish examples of prayers, in which the saints are

represented as intercessors, or advocates, and they are invoked in reliance on their merits.

1. The following are instances of prayers in which the saints are represented as intercessors, advocates, or mediators. We use here the "Roman Missal, translated into the English language for the use of the laity." We have also before us the Latin Missal published by the authority of their church in the United States. But we make use of their own translation, as it is in the English Missal.

Sanctify, O Lord, the offerings we have consecrated to thee, and, being appeased thereby, mercifully look down upon us, by the intercession of blessed Saturninus, thy martyr."*

"We humbly beseech thy divine majesty, O Lord, that as the blessed apostle Andrew was a teacher and pastor of thy church, so he may be with thee our perpetual intercessor."†

"Assist us, O merciful God, and vouchsafe, by the intercession of blessed Thomas the apostle, to preserve in us what thou hast bestowed on us."+

"O God, who, by delivering to the blessed apostle Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven, didst give him the power of binding and loosing; grant that, by his intercession, we may be freed from the bonds of our sins."

Innumerable other examples of a similar kind could be given were it necessary.

2. We here annex prayers in which the merits of the saints hold a conspicuous place, either without any expressed connection with the merits of Christ, or associated with them.

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May the holy prayers of blessed Andrew the apostle, we beseech thee, O Lord, render our sacrifice pleasing to thee; that what we solemnize in his honour, his merits may render acceptable."T

"O God, by whose favour we celebrate the glory of blessed Saturninus, thy martyr, grant that we may be assisted by his merits."**

"Mercifully receive, O Lord, the offerings consecrated to thee by the merits of blessed Felix, thy martyr, and grant they may be a continual support to us."††

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Graciously receive, O God, we beseech thee, the offerings we have made, and, in consideration of the merits of blessed Marcellus, thy martyr and bishop, grant they may procure for us the helps necessary to our salvation."‡‡

This list could be increased to a volume.§§

3. The subjoined examples present the merits and intercession of the saints as united or connected together.

"O God! who didst prepare an agreeable abode for thyself in the heart of blessed Gertrude the virgin, graciously cleanse our hearts, we beseech thee, through her merits and intercession, from all stains, and grant we may enjoy the same happiness with her, through Christ our Lord. AMEN."

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"O God, who by innumerable miracles hast honoured blessed * Roman Missal, p. 523. † Id., ↑ Id.. 524. p. p. 533. ⚫ Id., p. 538. See English Missal, pp 528, 557, 563, 564, 582, 584, 585, &c., &c.; Christian's Guide, pp. 81, 113, 148, 157, 183, &c., &c., where other examples may be found. English Missal, p. 525. ** Id., p. 522. tt Id., p. 535. it Id., p. See other instances in the Missal, pp. 567, 592, 585, 586, 588, and passim. Path to Paradise, p. 169.

538.

Nicholas the bishop, grant, we beseech thee, that, by his merits and intercession, we may be delivered from eternal flames."

"O God, who, to recommend to us innocence of life, wast pleased to let the soul of thy blessed virgin Scholastica ascend to heaven in the shape of a dove, grant, by her merits and prayers, that we may lead innocent lives here, and ascend to eternal joys hereafter."†

"O God, who wast pleased to send blessed Patrick, thy bishop and confessor, to preach thy glory to the Gentiles, grant that, by his merits and intercession, we may, through thy grace, be enabled to keep thy commandments."

The foregoing quotations furnish examples in which the saints are invoked to act as advocates, intercessors, or mediators. They are not merely asked to pray for us, but also to intercede for us; and their merits are also associated with this prayer and intercession. Hence the mediatorial character of Jesus Christ is grossly invaded. For we have no examples in Scripture in which the prayers of the living saints are associated with their merits; much less have we any examples of such an association respecting the dead saints.

Thirdly. There are many instances in which latria, or supreme worship, is rendered to saints, or shared between them and almighty God.

1. A general confession of sin is made to them and to God. We cite the Confiteor, which is a prominent form in the Breviary, and is a leading prayer in every book of devotion, and is in constant and general use.

66 THE CONFITEOR."

"I CONFESS to almighty God, to blessed Mary, ever virgin, to blessed Michael the archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech the blessed Mary, ever virgin, the blessed Michael the archangel, the blessed John the Baptist, the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints, to pray to the Lord our God for me."

May the almighty God have mercy on me, and forgive me my sins, and bring me to everlasting life. Amen."

"May the almighty and merciful Lord give me pardon, absolution, and remission of all my sins. Amen."¶

In this form of prayer, solemn confession of sin in general is made equally to God, an angel, and to the saints. Yet the Scriptures confine such a confession to God alone.

2. Many prayers are in constant and general use in which direct petitions and prayers are made to the saints and to God.

"We fly to thy patronage, O holy mother of God! despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, O ever glorious and blessed virgin.'

"O God, in defence of whose church the glorious prelate THOMAS fell

by the swords of wicked men, grant, we beseech thee, that all who implore his assistance may find comfort in the grant of their petition."* This was Thomas a Becket.

"The Salve Regina."

"Hail! holy queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope! to thee we cry, poor, banished sons of Eve, to thee we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears; turn then, most gracious advocate, thy eyes of mercy toward us, and, after this our exile is ended, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus; O clement! O pious! O sweet virgin Mary!"

"

Vers. Pray for us, holy mother of God!

Resp. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ."† 66 THE LITANY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN."

"WE fly to thy patronage, O holy mother of God! despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, O ever glorious and blessed virgin."‡

"A Prayer to our Angel Guardian."

"O holy angel! to whose care God in his mercy hath committed me ; thou who assistest me in my wants, who consolest me in my afflictions, who supportest me when dejected, and who constantly obtainest for me new favours, I return thee now most sincere and humble thanks; and I conjure thee, O amiable guide! to continue still thy care, to defend me against my enemies, to remove from me the occasions of sin, to obtain for me a docility to thy holy inspirations, to protect me, in particular, at the hour of my death, and then conduct me to the mansions of eternal repose."§

"A Commemoration of the blessed Virgin Mary.",

"O holy Mary! succour the miserable; help the faint-hearted; comfort the afflicted; pray for the people; intercede for the clergy; make supplication for the devout female sex; let all experience thy help who celebrate thy holy commemoration."

"Vers. Pray for us, O holy mother of God!

"Resp. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ."[[ "Hymn to the blessed Virgin."