Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Church Triumphant, Book I: On the Beatitude and Canonization of the Saints
Chapter 17: How the Saints Are Not to Be Invoked
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. II, De Ecclesia quae Triumphat in Coelis, the fourth general controversy. The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
Chapter 17. How the Saints Are Not to Be Invoked
Now, that the truth of the matter may be made plain, we will set down and prove some propositions.
The first proposition. It is not lawful to ask of the saints that they, as the authors of divine benefits, grant us glory or grace or the other means to beatitude. This is against the first error, and against the slander of the Calvinists. It is proved first from Scripture, Psalm 83: “The Lord will give grace and glory.” And Psalm 120: “I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from whence help shall come to me. My help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” The mountains are holy men, as Augustine expounds on this psalm, and more fully in tractate 1 on John, and in the book On the Shepherds, chapter 8. We are commanded, then, to lift up our eyes to the mountains, that is, to the saints, and to await help from them; but that we may understand that help is to be awaited from them not as from authors but as from those who obtain it, it is added at once: “My help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Likewise James 1: “Every best gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.”
Second, it is proved from the use of the Church. For in the prayers which are read in the Mass, or in the Office on the feasts of the saints, we never ask anything else than that benefits be granted us by God through their prayers.
Third, by reason. For the things we need surpass the powers of a creature, and so of the saints too: therefore we ought to ask nothing of the saints except that they obtain from God the things that are useful to us.
Fourth, from Augustine, book 8 of the City of God, the last chapter, and book 22, chapter 10, and from Theodoret, book 8 to the Greeks, who teach expressly that the saints are not to be invoked as gods, but as those who can obtain from God what they wish.
It is to be noted, however, that when we say nothing ought to be asked of the saints except that they pray for us, we are not treating of the words but of the sense of the words. For as regards the words, it is lawful to say: “St. Peter, have mercy on me, save me, open to me the entrance of heaven”; likewise, “Give me health of body, give patience, give me fortitude,” and so on; provided we understand, “Save me and have mercy on me by praying for me; give me this and that by your prayers and merits.” For so Gregory Nazianzen speaks in the orations on Cyprian and on Basil, and many others of the ancients; and also the whole Church, when in the hymn to the Virgin she says:
Mary, mother of grace,
Mother of mercy,
Protect us from the enemy,
And receive us at the hour of death.
And in the hymn of the apostles:
To whose command are subject
The health and sickness of all,
Heal those sick in their ways,
Restoring us to the virtues.
And as the Apostle says of himself, Romans 11, “That I may save some of them”; and 1 Corinthians 9, “That I might save all”; not as God, but by helping with sermons, prayers and so on.
The second proposition. The saints are not our immediate intercessors with God; but whatever they obtain for us from God, they obtain through Christ. Note that three persons can be considered when we pray to God: one, God himself, from whom we ask benefits; the second, Christ, through whose merit we desire them to be given us; the third, him who asks benefits through Christ. Of these three persons the first cannot be attributed to the saints, as we have already proved; nor the second, as we will now show; but only the third.
So we ask the saints only for this, that they do what we do, because they can do it better and more effectively than we; [and that] they and we together [may ask], rather than we alone. [The top of page 449 is damaged in the scan; the sense is clear.] The proposition is now proved. Christ alone is he who reconciled us immediately to God, and who merited for us glory and grace and all things necessary to salvation. Colossians 1: “Because in him, it hath well pleased the Father, that all fulness should dwell; and through him to reconcile all things unto himself, making peace through the blood of his cross, both as to the things that are on earth, and the things that are in heaven.” And 1 John 2: “He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.”
And hence Christ is called the door, John 10, and the way, John 14, because, as he himself says, “No man cometh to the Father, but by me.” Hence too he says, John 16, “Ask in my name.” Hence he is called the mediator of God and men, 1 Timothy 2; and in 1 John 2 he is called our advocate with the Father. Therefore we can ask nothing of the saints except that they intercede with God, that the merit of Christ may be applied to us, and that through Christ we may obtain grace and glory.
Second, it is proved from the words of the saints. Ambrose, in the book On Isaac, chapter 8: “He, Christ,” he says, “is our mouth, through which we speak to the Father; our eye, through which we see the Father; our right hand, through which we offer to the Father.” Augustine, on Psalm 108, expounding that, “May his prayer be turned to sin”: “Prayer,” he says, “which is not made through Christ, not only cannot blot out sin, but itself becomes sin.” Bernard, in the sermon on the Blessed Virgin which begins “A great sign”: “There is need,” he says, “of a mediator to that Mediator, and none is more useful to us than Mary.” By which words he teaches that Christ is the immediate intercessor, who obtains by himself, and that the saints are mediate, who obtain only through the Mediator Christ.
Third, it is proved from the prayers of the Church. For all those which are of the saints have this form: “Grant us, O God, by the intercession of this saint, such a benefit, through Christ our Lord.”
Chapter 18. That the Saints Pray for Us
We have, then, how the saints are not to be invoked. Now, that we may understand how they are to be invoked, let the third proposition be added. The saints pray for us, at least in general, according to the Scriptures.
It is proved from those Scriptures which treat only of holy men. The first is Jeremias 15: “The Lord said to me: If Moses and Samuel shall stand before me, my soul is not towards this people.” Therefore Moses and Samuel, already dead, could pray and were wont to pray for the people of the Jews; therefore it is false that it is not had in the Scriptures that the dead saints pray for the living.
Calvin answers in two ways. First, that from this place the contrary is rather gathered; for when it is said, “If they shall stand,” namely to pray, it is signified that they [did not stand, nor pray; the rest of this sentence is damaged in the scan].
But on the contrary: because even if it is perhaps signified that they did not pray then, because they understood the matter was desperate, yet it is signified that at other times they were wont to pray, when they thought they could obtain; otherwise the saying would be foolish. For if someone said, “If my beast of burden prayed for you, it would obtain nothing,” he would speak foolishly. Why? Because beasts cannot pray. And likewise if someone said, “If Cicero or Demosthenes lived here, they would not persuade me,” he would speak foolishly, because the dead are not wont to come here. So then God too (which God forbid) would speak foolishly when he says, “If Moses and Samuel shall stand before me,” if they could not, or were not wont to, entreat God. It would be otherwise if Scripture said, “if they stood,” that is, if, by an impossibility, they were now alive and praying. But in fact it says, “If they shall stand,” in the Greek ean stē [the rest of the Greek is damaged in the scan], in the Hebrew im ya'amod Moshe, if Moses shall stand.
Second, he answers that the sense of this place is this: if now two other notable men, such as Moses and Samuel once were, shall stand before me, yet they will obtain nothing. But against this we set the weightiest authors, Chrysostom, homily 1 on the first epistle to the Thessalonians, and Jerome on this place, and Gregory, book 9 of the Morals, chapter 12, who teach that God speaks of the very Moses and Samuel.
The second place is 2 Machabees, the last chapter, where Judas in a certain vision saw Onias the high priest and Jeremias the prophet, who had already died, praying for the people of the Jews. To this place Calvin has nothing to answer except that this book is not canonical. But we prove that it is canonical by an argument which Calvin cannot reject if he wishes to be consistent. For he himself, against the invocation of the saints, brings as a chief argument the testimony of the third Council of Carthage, as we shall see in the answer to the arguments; and in that same council, chapter 47, it is said thus: “Likewise it was resolved that besides the canonical Scriptures nothing be read in the Church under the name of the divine Scriptures. Now the canonical Scriptures are: Genesis, Exodus,” and so on; and below: “of Esdras two books, of the Machabees two books,” and so on. Either then let Calvin receive the books of the Machabees as canonical and divine, or let him not frighten us from the invocation of the saints by the authority of this council; for it must not be said that those Fathers were wise in one thing and raved in the other.
The third place is Apocalypse 5, where the twenty-four elders are described in heaven as falling down before the throne of God, having golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints. Expounding which place, Primasius, Richard, the Greek scholia in Oecumenius, and Gagnaeus say that those prayers are intercessions for the steadfastness of the weak.
The fourth place is 2 Peter 1: “And I will endeavour that you frequently have” (namely, commended, or in mind) “after my decease, whereby you may keep a memory of these things.” For so the Greek scholia in Oecumenius expound it. Some of the ancients not unfittingly gathered from here that the saints after death have care of the living. And although this is [not] an evident argument, yet it is probable. [The “not” is missing in the scan; the sense requires it.]
The fifth place is Luke 16, where the rich glutton prays for his brothers: therefore much more do the just pray for the whole Church.
The sixth is Apocalypse 6: the souls of the holy martyrs with a loud cry ask vengeance on their persecutors: therefore much more do they ask mercy for their brethren. Brenz answers that these prayers are understood figuratively; for the dead saints are said to cry to the Lord because the prayers which they poured out while living still sound in God's ears. But on the contrary: for the rich glutton, while he lived, did not pray for his brothers. The holy martyrs too, while they lived here, did not ask vengeance from God on their persecutors, but rather that they might be forgiven: therefore the prayer by which they ask vengeance is new. For while they lived, because they could sin, and there was danger lest if they asked for punishment they would do it out of passion, they did not ask it; but now they ask it out of regard for justice and love of it, as Bede rightly expounds.
Let this be added last, that the Scriptures openly teach the communion of the Church triumphant with the militant. For in Hebrews 12 the Apostle says that we have come to the Church of the firstborn who are in heaven, that is, that we are their fellow citizens, Ephesians 2; and Galatians 4 he says that our mother is the Jerusalem which is in heaven. And Colossians 1 and Ephesians 4 he says that Christ is head over the whole Church; and surely the heavenly Church is not excluded. But this communion requires of necessity that the members be careful for one another and help one another; for this is the nature of members living under one head, as the Apostle teaches, Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12. Hence it appears how false is what Calvin says, book 3 of the Institutes, chapter 20, section 21 [so the scan], that God willed that we should have no dealings with the dead saints, nor they with us. But how can these things be true, if we are one commonwealth, one people, one body? See Augustine, book 20 of the City of God, chapter 9, where he proves this very thing.
The fourth proposition. The saints who reign with Christ pray for us, not only in general, but also in particular. It is proved first: the angels pray for us, and have care of us, even in particular, as is plain from Tobias 12, Zacharias 1, Apocalypse 8, Daniel 10, Psalm 90 and Matthew 18; therefore much more do the spirits of blessed men do it. For in the first place they lack nothing of what the angels have, as far as belongs to this office, since they are endowed with intelligence and will, and are always present to God, and love us greatly, and lastly are equal to the angels, as is said in Luke 20. Then they have something beyond the angels, in that they are members of the body of the Church more closely joined to us than the angels are, and have experienced our miseries and dangers, which the angels have not experienced.
Calvin answers that this argument concludes if we can show that, as the angels are set over men and guard them and are present in their affairs, so too do the holy spirits of men. For he thinks (as Vigilantius once did) that all the saints are shut in a certain court as in a free custody, and never go out from there, or bear any care of us.
But we will easily show that the faithful who are living are ruled and governed not only by the angels but also by the spirits of blessed men. And let this be the second argument. For Christ promised this, Apocalypse 2: “He that shall overcome, and keep my works unto the end, I will give him power over the nations. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron, and as the vessel of a potter they shall be broken, as I also have received of my Father.” And chapter 3: “He that shall overcome, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God.” And below: “To him that shall overcome, I will give to sit with me in my throne: as I also have overcome, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Here John speaks of the spirits of the dead, as is plain from those words, “And keep my works unto the end”; and he speaks of the time before the resurrection, as is plain from this, that he says, “He shall rule them with a rod of iron.” For to rule with a rod of iron does not signify to punish, which will be done after the resurrection too, but signifies to rule with the shepherd's rod, which is done only before the resurrection. And it is called a rod of iron because it cannot be bent to injustice, as in Psalm 44: “The sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of uprightness,” that is, a most straight rod, and also everlasting; for “of his kingdom there shall be no end.” And what follows, “And as the vessel of a potter he shall break them,” does not signify that men are to be destroyed, but sinners, Christ breaking and blotting out their sins, as Augustine expounds on Psalm 2, according to that of Acts 10, “Kill, and eat.” Or else the elect are ruled, or fed, with a rod of iron, while the reprobate are broken like a potter's vessel.
That this is what “to rule with a rod of iron” signifies is plain, first, from the Hebrew word which David uses in Psalm 2 [damaged in the scan], and from the Greek of John, Apocalypse 2, 12 and 19, which is poimaneis, that is, thou shalt feed, or rule as a shepherd.
Second, from this, that it is said in Apocalypse 12, “She brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with an iron rod”: but Christ does not punish all nations, but rules them as a shepherd.
Third, because in Psalm 2, from which John took his words, Christ is said to rule his whole inheritance with a rod of iron: “Ask of me,” and so on; and yet we cannot suspect that the whole Church is to be destroyed by Christ.
Fourth, because so Hilary, Augustine and Theodoret on Psalm 2, and Primasius and Bede and Rupert on chapter 2 of the Apocalypse, expound “to rule with a rod of iron.” We have, then, that the spirits of blessed men after death, before the day of resurrection, receive power over the nations, and rule and feed them; and also that they are pillars in the temple of God, that is, they hold up the Church, which Chrysostom teaches properly befits the holy martyrs, at the end of the sermon on Juventinus and Maximus; and lastly that they sit on the throne of Christ, that is, preside with him over the whole world, and rule and govern the Church.
The same is gathered from that of Matthew 24: “Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come he shall find so doing. Amen I say to you, he shall place him over all his goods.” For the goods of the Lord are the Church, as Hilary teaches; which we also read openly in the Preface of the Apostles, which Pope Pelagius II, who went before St. Gregory, testifies in decretal epistle 4 to be one of the nine most ancient. In that Preface it is said: “That thou, eternal Shepherd, wouldst not forsake thy flock, but through thy blessed apostles keep it with continual protection; that it may be governed by those same rulers whom thou didst set over it as vicars of thy work to be its shepherds.” And the Fathers teach the same.
Basil, in the oration on the forty martyrs, says: “O [holy choir]! O common guardians of the human race, best companions of our cares,” and so on.
Gregory Nazianzen, oration on Cyprian: “Look upon us from above,” he says; “direct our speech and our life, and feed this holy flock,” and so on.
Hilary, on Psalm 121 [so the scan]: “Neither is the guardianship of the saints lacking, nor the defences of the angels.”
Ambrose, book 8 on Luke, at the end: “As the angels [are set over us],” he says, “so too are those who have deserved the life of angels.” [The line is damaged in the scan.]
Likewise Leo, sermon 2 on the anniversary of his elevation: “Peter,” he says, “now more fully and more powerfully carries out the things committed to him, and fulfils all the parts of his offices and cares in him through whom he has been glorified.” And he has the like in sermon [1?] on the same subject. Likewise Maximus, in the sermon on the martyrs of Turin: “With these,” he says, “we have familiarity; for they are always with us, they abide with us; that is, they both guard us while we live in the body, and receive us when we depart from the body.”
Lastly Theodoret, book 8 to the Greeks, near the end: “Those who are about to set out on a journey,” he says, “ask them to be companions on the way, or rather guides of the journey; and those who have come back safe give thanks, acknowledging the benefit received.” We have, then, from the Scriptures according to the explanation of the Fathers, that the saints pray for us.
The same is proved, second, by the testimonies of the Fathers. Cyprian, book 1, letter 1: “If one of us,” he says, “goes hence first by the speed of the divine favour, let our love continue with the Lord; let not our prayer for our brothers and sisters cease with the mercy of the Father.”
Gregory Nazianzen, oration [19?], which is on the death of his father Gregory: “Now,” he says, “he profits us more by his prayers than before by his teaching, as he is nearer to God, now that he has laid down the bonds of the body.”
John Chrysostom, in the sermon on Juventinus and Maximus: “For as soldiers,” he says, “showing the king the wounds inflicted on them in battle, speak with confidence, so these too, carrying their cut-off heads and bringing them into the midst, can obtain whatever they wish from the King of heaven.”
Jerome proves this very conclusion of set purpose in the book against Vigilantius; and in the letter to Paula on the death of Blaesilla: “She prays the Lord for you,” he says, “and obtains for me pardon of sins.”
Augustine, book 7 On Baptism against the Donatists, chapter 1: “May Cyprian help us,” he says, “by his prayers, labouring in the mortality of this flesh as in a dark cloud, that by the Lord's gift we may imitate his good things as far as we can.”
Leo, in the sermon on the anniversary of his elevation [the passage is damaged in the scan; what reads is that the apostle] does not cease to pray for us. And in sermon 1 on Saints Peter and Paul: “As [they were given] to us [the rest of the clause is damaged], so we believe and trust that amid all the labours of this life we are always to be helped, to obtain the mercy of God, by the prayers of our special patrons.” To these belong all the testimonies which we shall bring for the following conclusion; for those who say that the saints are to be invoked without doubt confess that they pray for us.
It is proved lastly from the appearances of the saints, who have openly testified that they pray for us even in particular. Eusebius writes, book 6 of the History, chapter 5, that St. Potamiaena promised her executioner that when she had come to the Lord she would obtain something for him; that then, three days after her martyrdom was complete, she appeared to the executioner by night and placed a crown on his head; and that a little after, according to the martyr's prediction, he too, from an impious executioner, was made a pious martyr of Christ.
Augustine, in the book On the Care to Be Had for the Dead, chapter 16: “That Felix the confessor,” he says, “appeared not only by his benefits but even to the very sight of men, when Nola was besieged by the barbarians, we have heard not by uncertain rumours but from sure witnesses.” See very many other things of this kind in Basil, in the oration on St. Mamas; Gregory Nazianzen, in the first oration against Julian and in the oration on St. Caesarius; Gregory of Nyssa, in the Life of Gregory of Neocaesarea; Theodoret, book [5?] of the History, chapter [24?]; Evodius and Lucianus, on the finding and the miracles of St. Stephen; Ambrose, in the sermon on Saints Gervasius and Protasius, and sermon [90?] on St. Agnes; Prudentius, the hymn on St. Fructuosus; Paulinus, the eighth birthday poem of St. Felix; Sulpicius, in the Life of St. Martin. All these authors flourished more than a thousand years ago.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT XVII.
Quomodo sancti invocandi non sint.
Nunc ut rei vcrilas maiiircsla fial, poncmus el
probabimus aliquol proposiliones.
Primn proposilio.Afm iicetasanclispetere.utno-
bis lamquam auclores divinorum henejiciorum,
gloriam,vd (jratiam,aliaque ad beatitudinem mc-
dia concedant.lliidc esl conlra priinum errore(n,et
conlra calumniam Calvinislurum. Probnlur Primo
Scriplura,psal.83. Gratiam et gloriam dabit Domi-
«us.Ei ps.l20.Iei;(Mrt oculos nieos inmontes,unde
xcniet av.ciiium nvihi , auxiliummeum a Domi-
no, qui fecit coelum et lerram. Monlcs sunl ho-
niines sancti, ul cxponil Augiistinus in hunc psal-
nuiin. el lusius tract. 1. in Joanncm, el libro de
pnsloribus, cap. 8. jubemur crgo lcvare oculos nd
nionles. idesl, ad sanctos , el ab eisnuxilium ex-
spcclare, sed ul intelligamus. ab eis auxilium ex-
spcclandum csse, non ul ab aucloribus, sed ut ab
impiilruloribus: id(!0 slnlim subditur: Auxiiium
meum a Domino, qui fecit coeluni et terram.
Ilem Jncub. 1. Omne datum optimum, et onino
donum perfecium, desursum est descendens a
Patre iuminum.
Secundo probalur ex usu Ecclesiaeninm in ora-
lionibus, quae legunlur in missa, vel in oflicio in
celebrilalibus sanclorum, nihil unquam aliud peli-
mus, quam ut eorum precibus a Dco nobis benefi-
cia concedantur.
Terlio ralione: nam oa quibus indigemus. supe-
ranl vires creaturae. nc proindc etiam sanctorum:
ergo niliil debemus a sanclis pelere, nisi ul a Deo
impelreiit, quae nobis utilia sunl.
Quarlo ex Auguslino lib. 8. de Civit. Dei, cap.
uli. el lib. 22. cap. 10. ct ex Theodoreto lib. 8.
nd Graccos, qui diserle docenl, snnctos non esse
invocnndos ut Dcos, sed ut qui a Deo impetrare
possunt quod volunt.
Esl lamen nolnndum. cum dicimus, non dcbere
peti a sanclis, nisi ul orenl pro nobis, nos non a-
gere de verbis, sed de sensu verborum:nam quan-
tum ad verba, licel dicere: Sancle Pelre misererc
mei, salva me. apcri mihi aditum coeli: ilem da
mihi sanilalem corporis, da patienliam, dn mihi
forlitudinem etc. dummodu inlelligamus. snlvn mc
el miserere inci orando pro me, dn mihi hoc et
illud luis precibus et meritis. Sic enim loquitur
Gregorius nnzinnzenus orat.in Cyprianum et iu Ba-
silium, cl alii mulli veteriun:necnon Ecclesia uni-
versa, cum in hymno ad Virgincm dicit:
JiJaria mater graliae,
Maler iniaericordiae,
Tu nos ab lioste prolege,
Et hora morlis suscipe.
El in hymno aposlolorum:
Quoram praeceplo subdilur
Salus el langvor omnium,
Sanate aegros moribus,
Nos reddenles virtuLibus.
El sicut apostolus de se dicit, Roman. 11. Vt
salvos facerem cdiquos ex illis. El 1. Cor. 9. lll
07nnes facerem salvos, non ut Deus, sed juvandoi
coiicionibus, preciBus elc.
Secunda proposilio. Sancli non sunt immedia-
ti inlercessores nostri apud Deum, sed quidquid:
a Deo nobis impetrant, per Chrislum impeirant.
Nota, tres personas posse considerari, (|uando nos
Deum ornmus; unam ipsius Dei,a quo petimus be-
neDcia; alterum Chrisli, per cujus merilum ea cu-
pimus nobis dari; lertiam ejus qui pelil bencficia
per Chrislum. Ex his tribus personis non polest
prima sanctis Iribui, ut jaiii probavimus; nec se-
cunda, ut nunc ostendemus; sed solum lorlia.
i.iiii.ii riiiMi;s
110
ltiit|iio sntwlos lovdrnmiis :i(l lioc miIiiiii, iil fa-
riiiiil 1(1, i|iii)il iDis r,ii'iiiiti>, i|iii,i iiicliiit rl tnicii-
(lilis i|iHi riicrro |Hissiiiil (|iiiiiii iiiis, liinliiis illi rl
iKis siiiiiil, 1)1111111 inis sdli. I*iii|i;iliir j.iiii iMnirliisid;
Sdliis r.lin.sliis csl. 1)111 iiiiiiiiliiin rndiinliiivil llcu,
(>l ijiii iiit'1'iiil iiiiliis ^'liii liiiii rl ^riiiiiiiii,i'l 11111111,1 iii>-
C(*ssiiriii iiil siiliilniMil ))iii('i Onliiss. \.i}tiitiin ipsn
comphicuil, Dinncin iilrniliulincin inluiltiinn', rt
jirr vHin rfconrilinrr inniiid, /M/n/inn/.s prr min-
iiuinc.invrnci^ cjns.<iuiic in lcrrii>,cl tinnc in nic-
lissunt, ]'][ \. .Iiiiiii.2.//is(' csl i>n>i>iliiiliit pri> i>cc-
riilis ;io.>i//'ls, 11(111 /»/■() iin\lri-< tinirni t-nilinii m'</
vliani pro toliiis niundi
Alqiic liinc ('.linsliis (liciliir ostinin Ju.iii. 10. rl
'('((i .loiin. H. (|iiiii, iit i))sc tiil, }tc//t() rcnil lut l'n-
trcrn, iiisi )u>r i))siiiii. ilinc cliinn ilicil .luiiii. \{\.
Pctitc in noniinc mco. liiiic diciliir mcdiiitor Dci,
ot liominiiin I. 'riniotli. 2. cl 1. .loiiii. 2. (liciliir
uilvociiln.s ii))ii() l*,itrciii: cr;;o iiiliil ii siinciis iiclcrc
|)ossiim(is, iiisi iil intcrcciliint ii|)iiil Dcnni ()iio lui-
l)is (Uirisli incriliim ii))|)licciiir , ct [icr Cliristiim
^Tiiliiim ct ^loriiim coiisc()iiiimnr.
Secnmlo |)r()li:itur c\ vcrhis snnclnriim. Amliro-
siiis lil). (Ic Isiiiic, ciip. 8. Ipac Clirislns , iii()iiil ,
cst os noslruin, per qnod Pnlri loiiuiiniir: ocuhis
iioslcr, pcr (/ito/i Palrrni vidnnns: dr,v.lcra ?io-
slra, pcr quan^nos l\ilri ojfcriinus. .\u^nstinus
l^salm. lOS. c\|)oiiciis illnd: (ir:ilii) cjiis liiil in )ic(:-
ciitnm: Oralio, in()iiil, (juac •non jil pcr Christmn,
non solumnon putcsl dclcre peccatuvi.scd cliani
ipsa fit pcccalum. llciiiiirdiis scrmonc (ic l).Virj,M-
nc, (jiii iiici))il. Isijriinni nuijiiuim: Opus (•.s/,in(]nil,
mcdiatorc ad mcdialorcni istum. ncc allcr nobis
ulilior,quam 3i(//m.Quil)us vcrbis doccl Cliristum
ossc iiitorccssorcm iminciliiilnm . qui )u>r se imjic-
Irat, siiiiflos csso mcdiiilos, ()ui iion nisi por uic-
diiitorcm Clirislum impclrant.
Torlio ))rob;itiir ox orationibiis Ecclosiac.Omncs
ouim, (]uao do sanclissunt. illaui rorm:iiii li:il)ciU :
Conccde nobis Dcus inlercessiono hujus sancli
talr bcnclicium.per Christuni Dominumnoslrum.
C.\PIT XVIII.
Sanctos pro nobis orare.
llabcmus ifiilur, quoniodo sancli invocandi non
sint. Nunc. ut intcllisianuis (junmodo invocandi
sint. aocedal Tcrlia proposiiio: Sancti oranl pro
nobis saUcm in gcnc.re . sccundum Scripluras.
Probiitnr ex iis Scripluris , quae agiinl solum de
Siinolis liominibus. iMimns ost Ilior! 1 j. Diail Do-
minus ad me, si stetcrint Moijs.s et Snmuel co-
ram me. non est anima mea ad populum islum.
Ergo .Moyscs ol Samuol jam morlui poteranl.el so-
lebanl orarc pro populo Judaeorum ; ergo faisum
esl in Scripluris non babcri , quod sancti niorlui
orent pro vivis.
Rospondcl Calviuus duobus modis. Primo. cx
lioc lc)co colligi polius conlrarium; cum enim dici-
tur, sistclcrint, nirairum ad orandum, signiiicalur
( (is iico slolissr, iirr nrnKsc , ( i ni inll prafrrlpiii
)irop)ii'tiii- iion orubiilil, (|iiiililo iiiiiiiih uIii?
Al ronlr.i, (juiii clnl forti- hi|,'iiillri'liir , eoN liiiie
tioii oriissc, qiiiii iiil('ll'Ki'lniil nni •'sm!j*iiii (li'sp(!-
nitiiiii, liiiiicn si^'iiillc;iiur •-<•» iiliii'« ouiri' ((iiihui'-
Mssc, i|uiiiiilo Hi! iiiipidniri' pn^sc |iiilii|i,iiil,iiliiji|iii
iiicplii (!ssi!l |iiii'rl>i;l liii|iiiiliii..\tiiii M (jiilx ilirfrirl,
si jutiD-iitniii iiicniii nniviTil pro ic, inhil iiiipclrii-
hil: iiicptc |ii()ui-i('liir. (,Mi.ii(:'/ Oiii.i jiiiiiciilu iiiMi
possiinl iiriirc; cl siiiiililcr »1 (|tiii ilirfrrcl. iti viriie-
I it hiic Ciccni vcl llciiioslhciic^, iion |icrsn:idi-|iiiiit
iiiihi, inc|itc |()(|iicrcttir. qiiia morliii hur vcnin:
iioii solcnl. Ila cr^M) (!l llciis ((|ii(iii iiIimI ) JncpU)
l(i()iii'rcliir, (11111 dicil: .S'i nlclcrint cormn inc Moy-
scs cl Sainucl. Si illi iioii |miss(!|iI , \(| iiini soh"
rciil hciiin inlcrpclliirc. Aliiid cssct . si Scripliirii
diccrcl, si slarciil, idest , si pcr impossihili! nuiic
vivcrcnl cl (iriircnl. Al iiiiiic ail: Si slctrrinl, d
^'i;iccc rVav a'in, ikiii zti io":^;!'! h(-hriiicc Vicy' >>i
stiihil .Moyscs.
Sccnmlo rcs))oiidct , sciisum liiijns loci hiiiic.
cssc, si nuiu- stclcrint iiirain tiu: duo :ili(|iii insi-
t;ncs viri, (|iialcs olim craiit .Moysi^s cl Saiiiucl, l;i-
nicn iiiliil ohliiichiinl. .\l contrii i))i|ii)nimiis ^'ravi^-
siin-is iinclorcs . Clirysiislomnni homil. 1. iii cjii.si.
I. iid Thcssiilon. ct llici'(iiiyiiiiiiii in liiiiu; hiciim ,
cl tlrcgoriiim lih. 9. inoral. ca)). 12. qui doccnl
Doiim lo()iii de ipso vcro Miiysc ct Saiiinclc.
So(-undns locus cst 2. Macliiib. uil. iibi .IikIiis m
visionc quadani vidil Oiiiam pontiliccm cl IIicii'
imain ))r(i))hct:iin, (jiii jiiiii obior;inl , or;intcs )in>
|)opulo Jiidiicnmm: ad (|tiom locuin niliil h;ibcl .
()Uod ros)Mindciil Ciilvinus. nisi liunc Iibruiii noii
cssc canonicum. Alnos ))robiimus csse canoiiicnin
ariinmonto. qnod Ciilviiins iion (lolost rcji(-crc. si
vult sibi constnrc: i|)S(! cnim roiilni iiivociitioncm
sanctorum allcrt t;iiiquaiii ariiumentiim potissimuni
icslimonium com-iiii III. (-;irlhaginensis, ul vidchi-
nuis in soliiliouc arirumcnlorum: in ilio aulcm co-
ilcm concilio ca)). 47. sic dicilur: llcm placuil. nt
jiraclcr Scripturas canonicas nihil lefjutur iii
J^cclcsia sub nomine divinarum Scripturarnm.
Sunt auleni canonicae Scripturac.Gencsis. Exo-
dvs etc. El inrr:i: Esdrae libri duo , Machabaco-
rumlibri diio rtc. Vcl igitur Calvinus rocipial ii-
bros M;ioliab;icorum, ut canonicos el divinos, vel
non dclerreal noshujus concilii tiucloritate a san-
ctoruin invooalionc: nec cnim diccndtim esl , eos
P;itres in uno sapere. et in allero delir;irc.
Terlius loi us esl Apoc, 5. ubi desoribunlur 25.
scniores in coclo procidisse corani Ibrono Dei.hii-
lionles phiabis aurcas plen;is odoramcnlorum.quae
sunl uraliones sanctorum. Quom locum cxponen-
tt,'s Primasius. Riohardus.s^holia graeca apud Oe-
oumcnium, ot Gagnojus.dicunt oraliones illas cssc
inlcrcessiones pro iiifirmonim slabililale.
Quartus locus est. 2. Pelri \. Dabo auiem opc-
rom. etfrequenlcrhabere vos, nimirum commen-
dalos.sive in aiiimo, pos/ obilum meum.ut liorum
mcmoriam facialis. It enim exponunl scbolia
graeca apud Oecumoniura. aliqui veteres non inc-
))te hinc colligebant. sanclos posl obitura gercre
curara viventium.Elquamvis hoc sit evidens arga-
mentum, tamen est prob.ibile.
4jO
DE SANCTOHUM nEATmnhMi
QiiinUis lociis osl Liic. !G. uhi divcs opulo or;it
IH-o IViilribus suis: crgo uuilto ningis orant jusli
pro lota Eoclcsia.
Soxlus esl Apocalyps.G.nnimac sanrtoruin ninr-
lyruMi luaguo clatnorc petunl viiidictam dc iidcrre-
cloribus suis : ergo inulto magis inisericordiani
peliinl fratribus siiis. Uespondet Brenliiis islas o-
ralioiies inlciiigi liiiurale ; dicuntur eniin sancli
luoilui clatnare ad Duininum, quia preces.quas vi-
veiiles «'iruderunL adliiic resonanl in auribus Dei.
Al coiitra: nain dives Epulo diim viveret, iion ora-
vil pro b'atribus suis. Sancti elimn inarlyres dum
bic viverenl,non pelebant a Deo vindictam de per-
seculoribus, sed polius ut eis ignosceretur: crgo
oralio, qua pelunl vindiclam, nova esl; nam duin
viverent, quia peccare poterant, el periculum erat
ne si ullionem pcterenl, id facerent ex cupidilale.
p.ou pelebant: nunc aulein cam pelunt inluilu, et
amore jusliliae, ul recte ex[)onit Beda.
.\ccedat ultiuio, quod Scriplurae aperle docent
cominunionem Ecclcsiae triumplianlis cuin niili-
tanle: nam llebr. 12. apostolus dicit , nos acces-
sisse ad Ecclesiam primilivoruin, (lui sunlin coe-
lis. idest, cives iilorum esse , Eplies. 2. et Galal.-
4. dicit, matrem nostram esse Ilierusaiem , quae
<sl iii coelis. Et Coloss. 1. et Eplies. 4. dicit,Cbri-
^luni esse caput super omnem Ecclesiara, el cerle
iion cxcludilur Ecclesia coelestis: at coininunio
ista exigit necessario, ul membra pro invicem soi-
liciln sint, et invicem se juvent. Ilacc eniin est
uatura membrorum sub uno capite vivenlium, ut
apostolus docet Uoman. 12. et 1. Cor. 12. Ilinc
apparet quam falsum sit, quod Calvinus dicit lib.
3. Inslitut. cap. 20. § 21. Deum voluisse , ut nul-
lum nobisesset commerciuin cum sanclis mortuis,
sed nec illis nobiscura.At quoinodo baecvera esse
possunt, si sumus una respublica, unus popiilus,
unum coipus?Vide Auguslinum lib.20.deCivit.Dei,
cap. 9. ubi hoc ipsum probal.
Quarla proposilio. SancAi , qtii regnant cum
Cliristo, pro nobis orant, non sotum rin genere ,
sed eliaminpart.iculari. 1'robatur /jimo angeli
orant pro nobis, et curam nostri ger/?nt, etiam in
speciali, ut patel Tob. 12. Zachar. 1. Apocalyps.
H. Dauiel. 10. psalm. 90. et Matlh. 18. ergo multo
inagis id spirilus hominum beatorum faciiint: nam
in primis nihil eis deest ^5 orum.quaeangelihabent,
quanlum ad hoc raunus pertinel,cum sint praediii
mtelligenlia et volunlate , et adsinlsemper Deo,et
nos vehenienler diligant, ac demum sint aequales
angelis.ut dicitur Liicae 20.Deinde aliquid habent
prae angelis.quod sunt membra corporisEcclesiae
nobis magis conjuncta, quam sint angeli. et exper-
li sunt miserias etpericula noslra,quae angeli non
sunt experti.
Kespondet Calvinus: Hoo argumentQm conclu-
dere, si possimiis oslendere, sicut angeli praesunt
hominibus, eosque custodiunl, alque eorum rebus
intersunt, ila etiam sanctos hominum spiritus fa-
cere.Existimat enim ipse (ut olim Vigilantius) san-
clos omnes in atrio quodam quasi in libera cuslo-
dia inciusos esse, ncc inde unquam egredi,aul ul-
lam de nobis sollicitudinem gerere.
i\os autem lacile ostendemus non solum ab an-
gelis, scd etiani a spirilibus bealorum hominum
regi ct gubernari (idehis vivenles: El sit hoc argu-
mentum secundum; id enim promisit Chrislus. A-
pocal. 2. Quivicerit, inquit, et custodierit nsque
in flnem opera mea, dabo illi potestatem super
gentes, et reget eas in virga fcrrea, et tamquam
vas flgibli confringentur.sicul et ego accepra Pa-
tre meo. Et cap. .'i. Qui vicerit, faciam itlum co-
lumnam in temptoDei mei. Et infra: Quivicerit ,
dabo ei sedere mecum in throno meo,sicut ctego
vici. cl sedi cum Patre meo in throno ejus. Hic
loquitur Joannes de spiritibus mortuorum, ut patet
cx illis verbis: El custodierit usque in fmem opc-
ramea; et loquilurde tempore anle resurreciio-
nom, ul palet cx eo quod A\c\\,:Reget eas in virga
ferrea. Nain regere in virga fcrrea,non significat,
punire. quod etiam post resurrectionem fiet, sed
signiticat regere virga pastorali , quod solum sit
anle losurrectionem. Dicilur aulem virga ferrea ,
quia inilexibilis estad injusliliam , ut psalm. 44.
Virga directionis, idest virga rectissiraa, tir^/ft re-
gni tui, el etiam sempiterna; nam regni ejus non
eril finis. Quod autem sequitur: Et tamquam vas
figuli confringct cos, non slgmiicQi homines per-
dendos, sed peccatorcs, Chrislo peccata conlercn-
te el delente , ul exponit Augustinus in psal. 2.
juxta illud Ar.lor. 10. Occide, etmanduca. Vel re-
guiilur, sive pascuutur electi in virga ferrea , re-
probi autem lamquam vas figuli confringunlur.
Quud vero hoc significet,regere, in virga ferrea,
palet primo ex verbo hebraeo , quo ulitur David
psalm. 2. Dy'!!!. Etexgraeco Joannis Apocaly-
psis 2. 12. ei 19.quod est Troijjiavs'^, idest, pasces,
sive pasloraliler rcges.
Secundo ex eo. quod dicitur Apoc. 12. Peperit
fdium, qui rccturus eral omnes gentes in virga
/errea:Christus autemnon punitomues genles,sed
regit pastoraliler.
Terlio, quia psal. 2.unde Joannes verba sua de-
sumpsil,dicilur Christus lotara suam haeredilatem
regere in virga ferrea: Postula a nie ete. nec ta-
men suspicari possumus totam Ecclcsiam a Chri-
slo esse destruendam.
Qiiarlo, quia sic exponunt, regcre in virga fer-
rea, llilarius, Auguslinus el Theodoretus in ps.
2. et Primasius ac Beda, et Rnperlus in cap. 2. A-
pocalypsis. Hahemus igitur, spirilus hominum bea-
torum post mortem anle diein resurrectionis acci-
pere poteslalein in gentes . cl regcre, et pascerc
eas ; necnon esse columnas in templo Dei, idest ,
suslentare Ecclesiam, quod proprie sanctis marty-
ribus convenire docel Chrysostoinus in fine sermo-
nis de Juvenlio et iMaximo , ac demum sedere in
Irhono Chrisli, idest, cum illo praesidere toti mun-
do. et Ecclesiam regere el gubernare.
idera colligitur ex illo Matlh. 24. Beatus ille
servus,quem cum venerit Dominus,invenerit sic
facie7item; amen dico vobis, super omnia bona
sua conslituet eum. Bona eniin Domini Ecclesia
est, ut Hilarius docet, quod eliam aperte legiraus
in praefalione de apostolis, quara unam esse ex no-
vcm anliqiiis^imis testatur Pelagius papa II. qui s,
Gregorium praecessit. in epist. 4. decretali. In ea
praefalione dicitur : Gregem tuum pastor aeterne
uiii.li I lilML:>
4SI
/ii)u (Irfrrati, ticd i>n' hfitto» itj)o(i/o(uf( tuint ronli-
nnd initlrctinnii vuntinliuH, ul ((«(/(^r/i rfrtnrUiun
jlliltrnirlili', tjiinn o/iC/ws liii rininifi riilnn nni
lllllsli jniirrssr /ik.s/o/t.s.IiI i|iiiiiI i l l',itics iIim rlc
ilucoill.
IIiimIiii.> tu.iliniic iii i|ii.iiIim^'IiiI.i iii.ii Imi"^, <Iici( :
0 riiiiriiiii t/M'.r/)i»i//i((/i//c;M .' o rituimunrs ijrnr
ris liinnitui nislinlrs, ()/i//»/ji ruruvuui sorti rlr.
KMirc^Miriiis iin/.iiiii/.iMiii.s ornt. iii Oypriiiiiiiiii: Tu,
iii(|iiil, ith (illn itos vrsitirr, niislvuiiniiir srviito-
nrin, ur vilniu iLtviijr, rl sdiirluin ovilr lior /ki-
«(;«. nt siinul una rnjr rlr.
Ilil;irni> iii |ts;iliii. 121. .V('f/)/c ilrsiinl slivr lo
/c/j///>l/.s .s(i;ic/o/a//i nisloilior, //(•(///(• oiKirhtriiiii.
inuuilionrn.
Aiiilirosiiis lili. S. iii l.iiciiiii. iii linc : .S'jc)// an-
//('//' iiviirsunl, iininil. lUirl hi, i/i// viluiu inrriir-
rinl (inijrhiritin.
ItiMii l.co scriii. 2. (l(Mtniiivors!irio sii;ic assiini-
plioiii.s: /'c//*ij.s, iiKpiil. 7i////c plrniiis rl iiolru-
lius ("((, (/»(JCSl/)/ C()//l//J/.s,s(t .S///J/, iirvdijil. rl o-
mnrs purtrs olfirioriim. uhiurrururtnn. tu j/)S(».
;)('/• (/)/('/// rsl ijlorilirdtus. r.rriiuitiir. \'A smiil;.i
liiibcl scriii. I. ci:i. cjusilcm iir^umoiili. Ilcm .M.i-
xiimis in scrm. dc miirlyrilms 'riiuricis: /,'»t?»i /i/.s,
iniiuit, ?i()/)j.s fainHidritds rst.srmiirr rnim nohis-
ruin sunt , nohisruin inoranlur. Iioc rst. rt in
roriiorr. no» vivmlrs rustoiliant. e/ dc r.orpurr
rrcrdcntrs c.vcipiunt.
Pcnii|uo 'riunxlorcliis lil). S. nd ('ir;i(^c(is. circ;i
(iiiom: Qui prrnjrr. intiuil, (///(///o proliriscuii-
tur. potunt mdrliirrssihicomitcs cssc in via, aul
jiotius itincri^ diiccs : qni vcro jinii sosititrs rc-
dicrunt. ijrdlins ajHnt, acccpluin hcnrlirium
roulilcntcs. Ilibtinus igilur o.\ Scri|)luris socuii-
(lum Palruin e\|)licalioucin, sauclos orarc pro lui-
bis.
Idcm probalur Sccumlo lostimoniis Patrum. Cy-
priiinus lib. l. opi>l. 1. St t/Jti.s hinc nostrum. iii-
<piil, prior divinar diijiuitionis ccUnildlc prac-
ccsscrit. pcrscvcrct apud Dcum nostra dilcctio,
pro fratrihus fit sororihus nostriii, apud miscri-
cordiam patris non ccssct oratio.
(.Jrojiorius luizian/.ouus oral. II. (luao osl dc o-
biiu Grcgorii piilris sui: Sunc mdf/is. iiiquil. pro-
licU nobis prccihus. quam, anlea doctrina. quan-
to etiam l)co propinquior c.sl. postquam vincula
dcposuit corporalid.
.luanues Chrysostoinus in serm. de Juvenlio et
SI;i\iu)o. lom '^. Klcnim sicul miUlcs, in(]iiit. vul-
ncra in pnwliis sihi inlUcta rcfii monstranlcs //-
dcnlcr loquuntur. ita c.t HU ahsccta capila (ic-
stantcs . cl in mcdiuni alfercntes, quaeciunque
volucrint apud rejcm coclorum impctrarc j^os-
sunt.
iiieronymus banc ipsaui conclusionem ex insli-
luio probal libro coulra Vigilanlium, in opislola ad
Paulam dc obilu Blaesillao: Pro le. inquit , honu-
nunirogat.mihiquevemamimpelratpcccatorum.
Auguslinus lib. 7. d(i baptismo contra Donali-
st;is. cap. \. Adjuvet, iuquit, nos Cyprianus ora-
lionibussui^. inistius ciwnis mortaUtate tam-
quam incidiqinosa nubc laborantcs, ut donante
Djmino quanUunpossumus,bona ejus imitemur.
I.cu Morni.it.ili! aiinivi-rnariu kiiiin nH>tii(nplMiiii<«
.\ii»r, iiiipiil,7»(((r«/(i/itm Dtnnini pim jmnlitr t\'ti-
triH) c.c.(C(/(((/ij»', ronlirindiiH n 'lortdlinniliun
MiiH. ri p\it nohn iirurr non ■ ■ ■> , til uultn
trn atinnr, Kuprrrmur. Kl In H«rin. I. dc ««.'P©*
In» cl P.iiilo: Sirul, iliipiil, ?i»»M r.iitrrti numun. rt
nnslrt prnhdvrrr indjnrrH, c'rci/l»»ii(x ntqur r.nnfi-
dimUH tntrr ninnrH tahorrn inltUM ritnr ud tthli-
nrnitum iniHrrirordtdui hri nrmprr uoh npvria-
tinm pdlronorum ordlionihtiH ddjuvandoH. IIim
iicccil.iiit oiiiiii.i lcsiiiiioiii.i , (piiic .illcrciiiii^ |irit
siMpiiMili concliisiono ; iiiiin (pii (iiciinl Mtmclos iii*
voc.iiiilo>, siiic diibio r.iliiiliir (los or;ir(; pro iinbis.
Piiib.iliir ulliiiio c\ iippiirilioiiibus siiiicloniiii ,
(pii aporlo lostiili siinl, so orari; pro nobis cliniii i(i
p.irliculiiri. Scribit Kiiscbiiis lib. (». Iiistor. i'ii|iili:
.'i. s. l'ol,imi(ii'ii;iin cirnillci promisissc , sc riini
iid !)oiiiiiiiim porvi;nisscl, iilnpiiil ci iioiii iiiipi.Mrii-
luriiiii:dciiiilo |iosl Iros dius a consniniiiiitu niiirly-
rio ciiriiiliii pcr (piiotcm iipp.iruissi; , ;il(pi(; ojiis
Ciipili coroiiiiui imposuisso. p:iuloipii; posl jii\i:i
niiirlyris praodiolioiicm, ot ipMiin c\ iinpio carniii-
C(; piiim (iliriNli iiiiirlyrcm oircclum.
Aii^Mi.^liiius lib. d(; ciir:i pro inorliiis , c:i|). 11».
i\'oti .so//t»»i.iii(piil./>(;/i(7/'''t(»/*it//i clfrrtihus. vcruvi
ctidm ipsis liominiim dsprrtihus confrssorrm ap-
jiiwuissc frtirrm.rum a hiwharis i\ola oppufjna-
rctur.audivimits non inrrvlis rumovihns, scd te-
stibus ccrtis. Alia id frcnus plurima vidc apud ibi-
silium iu oriil. do s. .)l;iiii;iiit(;: (;ro<»orium ii;i/iiin-
zciium oriiliunc priiu;i lu Juliauum , ol or;ilioiii' do
s. Caesario; Circgorium nyssenum in vila (licjjorii
n(;ocacs;iriciisis; Thcodorolum lib. Vt. liistor. ci!|t.
2'i-. l'Jv()dium ct Luci;iiium di; inventiono cl iiitr.i-
cuiis s. Slephani; Ambrosiuiu iii scrm.de ss. (ier-
vasio et Prulhasio, cl serm. DO. de s. AjTnclo; Pru-
donljum liymno de s. Fruoluoso: Paulinum iiatali
octiivo s. Folicis; Sulpilium iii vila s. M.irlini, (]iii
omucs auctores iintc mille annos floruerunt.