Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Church Triumphant, Book I: On the Beatitude and Canonization of the Saints
Chapter 19: That the Saints Are 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).
There follows the fifth and last proposition. The saints, whether angels or men, are invoked by the living with devotion and with profit. It is proved first from Scripture. In Genesis 48 Jacob, blessing the sons of Joseph, speaks thus: “The angel that delivereth me from all evils, bless these boys.” Here holy Jacob openly invoked an angel. Likewise Job 5: “Call now if there be any that will answer thee, and turn to some of the saints.” Where by the name of saints he understands the angels, as St. Augustine expounds in the Annotations on Job; who also thinks that that of chapter 19, “Have pity on me, have pity on me, at least you my friends,” is said to the angels, according to what is said in chapter 33: “If there shall be an angel speaking for him, one among thousands, he shall have mercy on him, and shall say: Deliver him.” As also in chapter 15, when he says, “Behold among his saints none is unchangeable,” the angels are understood by the name of saints; for the same is had in chapter 4 in these words: “Behold they that serve him are not steadfast, and in his angels he found wickedness.” And although these words do not seem to convince, because they are not the words of the writer of the book himself, but of Eliphaz, Job's friend, yet they convince for this reason, that they show that there was then a custom of invoking the patronage of the holy angels.
Likewise in Exodus 32 Moses prays thus: “Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel thy servants.” Writing on which place, Theodoret, question 67 on Exodus, says that holy Moses, since he did not think himself sufficient to appease God, called in also the patronage of the patriarchs. Where it is to be noted that because before the coming of Christ the saints who died did not enter heaven, nor see God, nor could ordinarily know the prayers of those who besought them, it was therefore not the custom in the Old Testament to say, “St. Abraham, pray for me,” and so on; but the men of that time prayed only to God, and alleged the merits of the saints who had already died, that their own prayers might be helped by them.
Calvin answers that by words of this kind help is not sought from the merits of the saints, but only the covenant is recalled which God had made with the patriarchs about protecting and helping their posterity.
But the answer does not satisfy. For both the covenant of God and the justice of the saints were recalled together, as is plain from Psalm 131: “O Lord, remember David, and all his meekness.” And below: “For thy servant David's sake, turn not away the face of thy anointed.” Which words are Solomon's, praying to God through the merits of his father David, already dead, as is plain from book 2 of Paralipomenon, chapter 6. Hence too in book 3 of Kings, chapter 15, it is said: “But for David's sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, because David had done that which was right in the eyes of the Lord.” And Daniel 3: “And take not away thy mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham thy beloved, and Isaac thy servant, and Israel thy holy one.” And Moses, Exodus 34, Jeremias, chapter 32, and others, when they prayed to God, were wont to say at the beginning, “O God, who showest mercy unto thousands of them that love thee,” that is, who for the justice of the fathers often hast mercy on the children; which was to implore the merits of the just of old. Hence too blessed Augustine, question 149 on Exodus, speaks thus: “We are admonished,” he says, “when our merits weigh us down so that we are not loved by God, that we can be raised up with him by the merits of those whom God loves.” The same is taught by Chrysostom, homily 42 on Genesis and 27 on Matthew.
Besides, in both Testaments we often read that the living were invoked by the living. For in book 1 of Kings, chapter 7, the sons of Israel say to Samuel: “Cease not to cry to the Lord our God for us, that he may save us out of the hand of the Philistines.” Likewise Job, the last chapter: “Go to my servant Job; he shall pray for you.” In Romans 15 Paul says: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, that you help me in your prayers for me to God.” He repeats the same in Ephesians 6, 1 Thessalonians 5, 2 Thessalonians 3, Colossians 4 and Hebrews 13. Therefore it will be lawful now too to invoke the same saints reigning with Christ. For if now it is not lawful, it is either because they are unwilling; and this is not so, since they are endowed with greater charity than before, and (as Cyprian speaks in the sermon On Mortality) are secure of their own immortality and anxious for our safety. Or because they cannot; and this is not so, for if they could when they were pilgrims here, how much more will they be able now in the homeland? Or because they do not know what we pray; and this is not so, for since the angels now know the conversion of sinners, for which they rejoice so greatly in heaven, as is said in Luke 15, therefore the saints know our prayers. Or lastly because a wrong is done to God, or to Christ, if another than he is invoked; and this is not so, because then it would not be lawful to invoke the living.
And this argument the adversaries have never been able to undo. For Calvin only answers that the reason of the invocation of the living and of the dead is different, because all the living, resting on the one intercession of Christ, ask God both for themselves and for others, because they are members of one another; and because Scripture exhorts us to pray for one another, James 5. But this same can be said of the dead; for they too are members of the same Church, and rest on the one intercession of Christ; for whatever they ask for us, they ask from God through Christ.
It is proved third from the councils. And first, in the letter of the bishops of Europe written to the Emperor Leo, which is had after the Council of Chalcedon, it is said thus: “The most holy Proterius we place in the choir and rank of the holy martyrs, and by his intercession we ask to have God merciful and gracious.” And in action 11 of the Council of Chalcedon the Fathers say: “Flavian lives after death; may the martyr pray for us.” Then in the sixth general synod, chapter 7 of the canons lately published, it is said thus: “God the Creator alone being adored, let the Christian invoke the saints, that they may deign to intercede for him with the divine majesty.” Likewise the seventh general synod, action 6, at the end: “With fear,” says the synod, “let us do all things, asking the intercessions of the undefiled Mother of God, likewise of the holy angels, and of all the saints.” Likewise in the Council of Gerona, chapter 3; Orleans I, canon 29; Mainz under Charlemagne, chapter 33; Toledo V, chapter 1; Toledo VI, chapter 2; and Braga II, chapter 9, litanies are appointed to be recited, either on the three days before the Ascension or at other times. And these councils were almost all held nearly a thousand years ago. To these let there be added the act of Gregory, who appointed litanies in time of plague; the Life of Gregory, book 1, chapter 42, and Walafrid Strabo, chapter 28, are witnesses.
But perhaps they will object that here only the “Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison” is called litanies; for the Greeks call that the litany, as is plain from Basil, letter 63, and from the liturgy of Basil himself and of Chrysostom.
I answer that in the councils mentioned those very invocations of God and the saints which we now call litanies are called litanies. For in the first place Walafrid Strabo, in the book On Church Matters, chapter 28, explaining what the litany is that is treated of in these councils, and by name in the first Council of Orleans, says that it is the invocation of the saints. Then, the litanies were said then on the three days before the Ascension, and were said not standing, but walking and going round certain places; and now we see the same kept [at the same time and in the same manner; the line is damaged in the scan]; therefore the litanies were the same.
It is proved fourth by the testimonies of the Greek and Latin Fathers. Of the Greeks, first St. Dionysius the Areopagite goes before, who in chapter 7 of the Church Hierarchy [speaks of the prayers of the saints for those who are worthy of them; the quotation is badly damaged in the scan and is not rendered].
St. Irenaeus, book 5 against the heresies, chapter 19: “And as she” (Eve) “was seduced to flee from God, so she” (Mary) “was persuaded to obey God, that the Virgin Mary might become the advocate of the virgin Eve.” What clearer?
Eusebius, book 13 of the Preparation for the Gospel, chapter 7: “This we do daily,” he says, “honouring the soldiers of true piety as the friends of God; and we go to their tombs and make our prayers at them as to holy men, by whose intercession with God we profess to be helped not a little.”
Athanasius, in the sermon on the Gospel of the most holy Mother of God, that is, on the Annunciation, near the end: “Incline,” he says, “thine ear” (Mary) “to our prayers, and forget not thy people.” And below: “To thee we cry: remember us, most holy Virgin.” And below: “Intercede for us, O mistress, and lady, and queen, and mother of God.”
Basil, in the oration on the forty martyrs: “Whoever,” he says, “is pressed by some anguish flees to these; whoever rejoices, prays to these: the one that he may be freed from evils, the other that he may continue in things that gladden.” Likewise in the oration on Psalm 33, on that, “The eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and his ears unto their prayers”: “Some holy spiritual powers,” he says (the angels), “are called eyes, because they have taken up the care of watching over us; others ears, as those which receive our prayers.”
Gregory Nazianzen, in the oration on Cyprian, in the very middle, speaking of a certain holy virgin whom Cyprian, then a heathen and a magician, was tempting to unchastity through a demon: “She besought the Virgin Mary,” he says, “to bring help to a virgin in danger.” And below: “The virgin conquers, the demon is conquered,” and so on. The same at the end invokes Cyprian; as he also does at the end of the oration on Basil, and at the end of the oration on Athanasius, where he speaks thus: “But do thou look upon us graciously from above, and direct this holy people; and cherish and feed us in peace, but in battle direct us and receive us, and set us with thyself and with those who are such as thou, even if the petition is great.”
Chrysostom, homily 66 to the people, near the end: “For even he,” he says, “who is clothed in purple comes to embrace those tombs, and laying aside his pride stands to beseech the saints that they may intercede for him with God; and he who goes crowned with the diadem prays the tentmaker and the fisherman as his protectors.” The same exhorts us to beseech the saints in homilies 5 and 8 on Matthew, homily 43 on Genesis, homily 1 on the first to the Thessalonians, the sermon on Juventinus and Maximus, and elsewhere.
[A citation at the top of page 454 is badly damaged in the scan. What can be read asks a martyr to pray for us and to rouse his brethren, naming Peter, Paul, and John the theologian and beloved disciple; it appears to be Gregory of Nyssa's oration on Theodore.]
St. Ephrem, in the sermons on the praises of the holy martyrs: “I beseech you,” he says, “most blessed martyrs, who for the Lord's sake, and for love of him, willingly and bravely endured torments, and are therefore made familiar friends of the Lord, that you deign to entreat the Lord for us wretched sinners, full of the filth of sloth, that the grace of Christ may come upon us.”
Cyril, the fifth mystagogic catechesis: “When we offer that sacrifice, we make mention also of those who have fallen asleep before us: first of the patriarchs, prophets, apostles and martyrs, that God by their prayers may receive our prayers,” and so on.
Theodoret, in the History of the Holy Fathers, ends the single lives thus: “But I, putting an end to this narration, ask and pray that by the intercession of these I may obtain divine help.” He has much likewise on the invocation of the saints in book 8 to the Greeks, which is on the martyrs.
Damascene, book 4 On the Faith, chapter 16: “Through these” (the saints now dead) “demons are put to flight, the sick are healed, the blind see, lepers are cleansed, temptations and sorrows are loosed. Every good gift from the Father of lights descends through them to those who ask with unhesitating faith.”
Theophylact, on chapter 11 to the Hebrews: “Even now,” he says, “they have the earnest and pledge of honour” (the saints in heaven): “whence else would they have such power as to be able to help those who invoke them? Whence would they have confidence in interceding?”
Now from the Latins. St. Cornelius the pope, in letter 1, which is on the translation of the bodies of the apostles: “Praying God and our Lord Jesus Christ,” he says, “that by the intercession of his holy apostles he may cleanse the stains of your sins,” and so on.
St. Hilary, on Psalm 129: “Not the nature of God,” he says, “but our weakness needs the intercession of the angels. For they are sent for the sake of those who shall inherit salvation; God being ignorant of nothing of the things that are done, but our weakness needing, for asking and for meriting, the ministry of a spiritual intercession.” He says the like of the intercession of the holy apostles and prophets on Psalm 124.
St. Ambrose, in the book On Widows, past the middle: “The angels are to be besought, who were given us for a guard; the martyrs are to be besought, whose patronage we seem to claim for ourselves by a certain pledge of their bodies. They can pray for our sins, who washed away in their own blood their sins, if they had any. For these are God's martyrs, our guardians, the watchers of our life and of our actions. Let us not be ashamed to take them as intercessors for our weakness, because they too knew the weakness of the body, even when they conquered.” Likewise in book 10 on Luke, expounding chapter 21: “When the kings are dead,” he says, “the martyrs succeed for ever to the kingdom by the honour of heavenly grace; and those were suppliants, these are patrons.”
St. Jerome, in the epitaph of Paula, near the end: “Farewell,” he says, “O Paula, and help by your prayers the last old age of your worshipper. Your faith and works join you to Christ; being present with him, you will more easily obtain what you ask.”
St. Maximus, in the sermon on St. Agnes: “And so,” he says, “O thou who art splendid to Christ, beautiful to the Son of God, and pleasing to all the angels and archangels, we entreat thee with what prayers we can, that thou deign to remember us.”
Rufinus, book 2 of the History, chapter 33: “He” (Theodosius) “went round with the priests and the people all the places of prayer; he lay prostrate in haircloth before the shrines of the martyrs and apostles, and asked for himself sure help by the intercession of the saints.”
St. Paulinus, at the end of the panegyric poem on St. Celsus:
Celsus, help your brother, labouring with a shared devotion,
that we may have a place in your rest.
And in letter 12 to Severus, putting in certain verses on St. Clarus, he speaks thus:
In whatever region of the sky or of paradise you are set,
Clarus, you live blessed under eternal peace.
Graciously receive these vows of sinners who ask,
that you may be mindful of Paulinus and Therasia.
Prudentius at the same time wrote very many poems on the saints, in which he teaches that they are invoked by the living. Let us bring out a few by way of example. In the poem on St. Lawrence he speaks thus:
What each suppliant asks,
he carries off happily obtained,
and none goes back sad.
As if ever present you stand by,
and your nurslings of the city,
embraced in a nursing bosom,
you feed with a father's love.
Likewise in the hymn on St. Cassian:
He hears, believe me, all prayers, the martyr most favourable,
and grants those which he sees worthy of approval.
Likewise on St. Hippolytus:
I know I owe it to Hippolytus, to whom Christ God
gave power to grant whatever anyone asks.
St. Augustine, tractate 84 on John: “For this reason,” he says, “at that very table we do not commemorate them” (the martyrs) “as we do others who rest in peace, so as to pray for them too, but rather that they may pray for us.” Likewise sermon 17 on the words of the Apostle: “The discipline of the Church has it,” he says, “as the faithful know, that when the martyrs are named in that place at the altar of God, there is no prayer for them, but for the other dead there is prayer. For it is a wrong to pray for a martyr, to whose prayers we ought to be commended.” Likewise in the book On the Care to Be Had for the Dead, chapter 4: “I do not see,” he says, “what help it is to the dead that a place is provided for burying their bodies at the memorial of the saints, except for this, that while [the living] remember where the bodies of those they love are laid, they may commend them by prayer to those same saints, as to patrons who have taken them up, to be helped with the Lord.”
St. Victor of Utica, book 3 On the Vandal Persecution, near the end: “Be present,” he says, “angels of God; beseech, patriarchs; pray, holy prophets; be our supporters, apostles; and above all thou, blessed Peter, why art thou silent for the sheep and lambs commended to thee by the common Lord with great caution and care? Thou, holy Paul, teacher of the nations, see what the Arian Vandals are doing, and thy sons groan, mourning as captives; and all of you together groan for us, O apostles.”
St. Fulgentius, in the sermon on the praises of blessed Mary: “For this reason,” he says, “the Virgin Mary took on every course of nature in our Lord Jesus Christ, that she might come to the help of all women who flee to her.”
St. Leo, sermon 5 on the Epiphany: “Strengthen,” he says, “your friendships with the holy angels, and join yourselves to the patriarchs, prophets, apostles and martyrs; desire their riches, and by a good emulation seek their support.” See the same in the sermons on the anniversary of his elevation, and on Saints Peter and Paul, and on Lawrence.
St. Gregory, book 2 of the Dialogues, the last chapter, at the end: “Where the holy martyrs lie in their bodies, there is no doubt, Peter, that they can show many signs, as indeed they do, and show countless miracles to those who seek with a pure mind. But because it can be doubted by weak minds whether they are present there to hear, where it is certain that they are not in their bodies, there they must show greater signs, where a weak mind can doubt of their presence. But those whose mind is fixed in God have so much the greater merit of faith, as they know that the saints both do not lie there in the body and yet are not absent from hearing.”
St. Gregory of Tours, book 1 On the Glory of the Martyrs, chapter 94: “Cyprian,” he says, “most blessed of Carthage, both bishop and martyr, often gives health to the sick who beseech him.”
St. Bede, book 4 on the Canticles, near the end: “But let us also seek,” he says, “with swift flight the cleft of the wall, that is, let us seek the frequent intercessions of the saints, whether angels or men, for us with the mercy of our kind Creator; for these are the firmest and safest defences of holy Church.” He has the same in book 3 on Matthew, on that of chapter 15, “Who answered her not a word”: “The prayers of the saints,” he says, “are to be sought, that they may beseech for the Church.”
St. Anselm, in the book On the Excellence of the Blessed Virgin, the last chapter [the quotation is too damaged in the scan to render; it ends with a prayer that something may be given us mercifully through the blessed Mother].
St. Bernard, homily 2 on “Missus est”: “In dangers,” he says, “in straits, in doubtful things, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let her not leave your lips, let her not leave your heart; and that you may obtain the help of her prayer, do not forsake the example of her life. Following her you do not stray; asking her you do not despair; thinking of her you do not err. While she holds you, you do not fall; while she protects you, you do not fear; while she leads you, you do not tire; while she is gracious, you arrive; and so you prove in yourself how rightly it was said, And the virgin's name was Mary.”
Of these thirty ancient and most learned Fathers only five are later than Gregory; from which it appears how glaring was the lie of Philip, who wrote that the invocation of the saints was unknown before Gregory.
It is proved fifth from the miracles of blessed Bernard, done against this heresy. For it is written in book 3 of his Life, chapter 5, that when blessed Bernard was preaching at Toulouse against this very heresy, and crowds of people were offering loaves that the holy man might bless them, he blessed them, making the sign of the cross, with these words: “By this you will know that what we teach is true, and what the heretics urge is false, if your sick, having tasted these loaves, receive health.” And when the bishop of Chartres, who was present, said, “If they take them with good faith, they will be healed,” blessed Bernard added: “I did not say this; but truly, whoever tastes them will be healed, that you may know that we are truthful and true messengers of God.” And the author adds: “So great a multitude of the sick grew well after tasting that bread, that this word was spread through the whole province.”
Note that these miracles were not done properly to prove the merits of blessed Bernard; for he said expressly that the sick would be healed if what he had preached was true. And lest they should perhaps be attributed to the faith and devotion of the people, he added that all would be healed who had tasted, whether with faith or without faith; so that, namely, the whole miracle should be referred, as to its end, to the confirmation of the truth. Since, then, countless miracles have been done to confirm this our opinion, either it is true, or God was a witness to falsehood.
Let there be added lastly the numberless miracles by which the saints have very often shown that they hear the prayers of the living, and can and will help those by whom they are invoked. See on these miracles the letter of Nilus read in the seventh synod, action 4; Theodoret in the History, book 5, chapter 21, and book 8 to the Greeks; Ambrose, sermon 90, which is on St. Agnes; Augustine, book 22 of the City of God, chapter 8; Gregory of Tours in the books On the Glory of the Martyrs and of the Confessors; Gregory of Rome, book 3 of the Dialogues, chapters 23, 24 and 25; and Bonaventure in the Life of blessed Francis.
From these it can easily be seen how light are the answers of the adversaries. For the Magdeburgers, Century 4, chapter 4, speak most inconsistently; for at one time they grant that these are testimonies of the Fathers, but say that they erred; and at another they say that they were inserted into the works of the holy men by an evil spirit; which yet they prove no otherwise than because Ambrose, book 3 On the Holy Spirit, chapter 12, and Epiphanius in the heresy of the Collyridians say that God alone is to be adored. Nor will they notice that those Fathers speak of the adoration which is owed to God alone; in which sense we too grant that God alone is to be adored; with which yet what we say agrees well, that the saints are to be invoked, not as gods, but as friends of God.
Further, Brenz, chapter [21?] of the Württemberg Confession, tries to escape everything by the figure of prosopopoeia. For he says that the Fathers in their sermons invoke the dead saints as though they were alive, as sometimes in declaiming we address heaven, or earth, or dead men, whom yet we know for certain do not hear. But this invention, in the first place, if it had any place, would have it only in the testimonies of Basil, Nazianzen and certain others, who invoked the saints in the course of preaching. But it would have none in the testimonies of Dionysius, Irenaeus, Hilary, Ambrose, Chrysostom, Augustine and others, who either teach that the saints are to be invoked, or tell by whom they were invoked. And that it has no place even in the testimonies of Basil and Gregory is plain from this, that these Fathers in the same places promise themselves and others help from that invocation; and the miracles which were done show well enough that the invocation of the saints is not an empty prosopopoeia but an effective petition.
Now Calvin, book 3 of the Institutes, chapter 20, answers that the Fathers indeed wished to forbid this superstition, but could not break the rush of the crowd. This he shows from the third Council of Carthage, chapter 23, where it is forbidden that in the prayers which are poured out at the altar the prayer be directed to any other than the Father. From which Calvin would have it gathered that the Fathers of that council wished at least to prevent the mystery of the Supper from being profaned by the invocation of the dead. Which is confirmed too, he says, from St. Augustine, book 22 of the City of God, chapter 10, where he says that the saints are not invoked by the priest who sacrifices.
But Calvin's refuge is too weak. For that the Fathers did not desire to forbid the invocation of the saints is plain from their own words already cited, where they themselves urge, exhort and teach that the saints are to be invoked; and they themselves invoked them again and again; and in the councils held by them they commanded that they be invoked. Nor is there in the Council of Carthage one word on the invocation of the saints; but it is only commanded that the prayer of the priest offering the sacrifice be directed to the person of the Father, not of the Son or of the Holy Spirit; which we keep even now, although we sacrifice to the whole Trinity.
Blessed Augustine too teaches only that in the very prayer by which the sacrifice is offered the saints are not invoked, but God, to whom alone sacrifice is made. For that in the sacrifice itself memory is made of the martyrs, that they may be invoked to pray for us, the same Augustine expressly teaches, tractate 84 on John and sermon 17 on the words of the Apostle; and Cyril, the fifth mystagogic catechesis, as we cited above; and the same is plain from the liturgy of Chrysostom and of the other ancients; for in all of them the saints are invoked.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT .\1X.
Sa?ic/os esse invocandos.
Sequilur Qiiintn.ac poslrema proposilio: Sancli,
sivc ancjcU, sivc homincs pie. alque uliUler a vi-
voitibus invocantur. Probalur primo Scri[)lurii ,
Genes. 48. J;icob sic ail benedicens riliis Joseph :
.i?i(;p///s. inquit. (/wt or//?7 ?ne t/e cunctis moUs .
bcncdicdt pueris istis. Hic iiperle s. Jatob inige-
lum iuvocavit. Item Job o. Voca si quis esl. qui
tibi respondeat, et ad aliquem sanctorum con-
vcrterc. Ubi noniiiie sauctorum iutclligit aiigolos.
ut d. Auguslinus e.\ponit in iinuolationibus iu Job,
qui otiam illud, c. l9.J//S(!?'e??ii?tt ?)iei amici mei,
ad angclos dici exislimat. juxla quod dicitur, cap.
?t^.Sifuerit angeUis loquens pro eo unus demil-
Ubus, miserebitiw eis, el dicct. Et Ubera eum.i>\-
cul etiam cap. l.j. cuni dicit: Ecce i/t/tT sa?ic/o.>
cjus ncmo immulabiUs. Nomiue s;inclorum iniel-
liguntur angeli; nam idem habetur cap. 4. hisvcr-
bis: £cce qui seriiunt ei. non sunlstabiles, et in
awjeUs suis repcrit pravitatem. '^Juaravis auieiu
452
l)E SA^CTOni.M BE.VTITLDI.NI':
liacc verba non videanlur convincerc , qnia non
sunl ipsiu.s scriploris libri, sed Eliphiiz amici Job,
tanion idoo c.unvincnnl, quia indicanl lunc fuissc
consucludinoui invocandi palrociniuni sancloruui
angcloruni.
Itcui Exod. ^2. 3Ioyses ita oral: Bocordare Do-
mino Abrahamjsaac ct Isrdelservorum luoriim.
In quoui locuui scribens Theudorctus quaosl. 67.
in Evod. dicil sanclum Moysem; cum se non exi-
slimnrcl sullicienlem ad placandum Dcum , adhi-
buisse eliam palrocinium palriarcharum. Ubi no-
tandum csl, quia anle Chrisli advenlum.sancli qui
n)()ricl)anlur, non inlrabanl in coelum, ncc Dcum
vidcbanl, ncc cognoscere poleranl ordinarie pre-
ces supplicanlium; ideo non 1'uisse consuelum in
Tcslamenlo veleri, ul dicerclur : Sancle Abraliam
ora pro me clc. sed solum orabanl bomines ejus
lomporis Deum; el allegabanl merila sanctorum ,
(jui jam obieranl, ul illis ipsorum oralioncs juva-
rcnlur.
Respondel Calvinus: Non peli cjusmodi verbis
auxilium a merilis sanclorum , sed solum com-
mcmorari paclum . quod Deus cum palriarchis
nvcral dc prolegendis cl adjuvandis corum po-
sleris.
Alsolulio non salisfacit. nam et paclum Dei, et
justitia sauctoruin simul commcmorabanlur. ut pa-
lel ex \)Sii\. \'M. Mcmento Domine David, et o-
mnis mansueludinis ejus. Et inlra: Propter Da-
rid servum tuuni non avertas faciem Christi tui.
Quae vcrba Salomonis sunt orantis Dcum per me-
rila palris sui Davidis, jam defuncli, ut conslat cx
lib. 2. Paralipom. cap. (i. Unde etiam lib. 3. Reg.
cap. 15. dicilur: Propler David dedit ei Dominus
Deus suus lucernam inHierusalem, ut suscitaret
fllium ejus post eum, eo quod fecisset David re-
clum in oculis Domini. Et Danicl. 3. Ne auseras
misericordiam tuam a nobis propler Abraham
dilectum tuum. el Isaac servum tuum, et Israel
^anclum tuum. Et Hloyses Exod.34. Hiereni. cap.
32. cl alii, cum orabanl Deum, inilio diocre sole-
bant: Deus, qui facis misericordiam in millibus
his, qui diligunt le, id(\sl, qui proptcr jusliti;im
Patrum miscrcris sacpe liliorum, ([uod eral im-
plorare merita veterum justorum. Unde etiam b.
Augustin. quaesl. 149. in Exod. sic ait: Admonc-
mur, inquii, cum merita nostranos gravant, nc
diligamur a Deo, relevari nos apud eum illo-
rum mcritis posse, quos Dcus diligil. Idein do-
cet Chrysostomus homil. 42. in Genes. ct 27. in
3Ialth.
Praeterca in ulroque Teslamento saepe legimus
vivenlcs a viventihus invocalos; nam lib. 1. Hcgum
cap. 7. dicunl filii Israel ad Samuclem: />'e cesscs
pro nobis clamarc ad Dnminum Deumnostrum,
ut saivet nos de manu Philistinorum : Item Job
ultimo: Ite ad servum meum Job, ille orabit pro
vobis. Roinan. 1."). Paulus ait: Obsecro vos, fra-
trcs. ut adjuvctis me in orationibm pro me ad
Dcum. Idcm repclit Ephcs. 6. 1. Tlicssal. 'i. 2.
Thess. 3. Coloss.i.et llobr. 13 ergo li(;ebil ctiam
nunc invocare eosdcm sanclos cum Chrislo re-
gnanlcs. [Nam si nniic non licet, vcl quia nolunt;
et hoc non , cu!n sinl majori charitale pracdili ,
quam anlea, et ( ut loquitur Cyprianus serin. dc
morlalilate) de sua iminortalitale securi, et de no-
stra incolumitate sollicili : vel quia non possunl ;
ei hoc non, quia si polcranl cum hic essent pere-
grini, quanlo magis nunc polcrunl in palria ? vel
quod non sciaiit (|uid orcinui» : et hoc non , quia
uiuic sciunl aiigoli conversioncm pcccatorum, pro
qua tantopcre gaudenl in coclis , ut dicitur Luc.
13. indc sciunl sancti nostras prcces : vcl demum
quia llt injuria Dco, aul Clirislo, si alius quam ipse
invocelur , cl hoc non, quia lunc non licerel vi-
venles invocarc.
Alquehocargurnenluin adversarii numquamsnl-
vere potuerunt. Calvinus eniin solum rcspondcl ,
aliam esse rationem invocalionis vivorum el mor-
tuorum, quia vivi omnes subnixi una Chrisli inlcr-
ccssione lam pro sc, quam pro aliis Deum roganl,
quia sunl invicem membra ; et (luia Scriplura ,
horlatur, ul orcmus pro inviccm, Jacobi 5. Al hoc
idem de mortnis dici polesl; nam el iiti sunl mem-
bra cjusdcin Ecclesiac. el una Clirisli intcrccssio-
ne nituntur ; quidquid euim nobis pctunl , a Dco
per Chrislum pelunt.
Probatnr teriio ex conciliis, ac primuni in episL
episcoporum Europac scripta ad Lconera impera-
torem, quac habclur posl concilium chalcedonen-
se, sic dicilur : Sanctissimum vero Proterium in
choro, et ordinc sanctorum martgrumponimus.
etojus inlcrcessione misericordem, acpropilium
Deum habcre poslulamus. Et actione II. conciln
chalcedoncnsis , dicnnt Palrcs: Flaviamis post
morlem vivit, mnrlgr pro nobis oret. Deinde in
VI. synodo generali. cap. 7. ex canonibus recens
cditis, sic dicitnr : Solo Dco crealorc adorato, in-
vocet Cliristiayius sanclos. ut pro se inlerccdere
apud majcstalem divinam digncnlur. Ilem VII.
synodus gtmeralis aclion. 6. in finc: Cum timore,
iniiuit synodiis, omnia aganvis, postulanlcs in-
tercossioncs inconlaminalae Deiparac, item san-
ctorum angclorum, oniniumquc sanctorum. I-
tcm in concilio geriindcnsi. cap. 3. aurelianensi
I. can. 29. mogunlino sub Carolo Magno. cap. 33.
toletano V. cap. 1. et lolelano VI. cap. 2. et bra-
carcnsi II. cap. 9. indicunlur litaniae recilandae
vcl triduo aiile asccnsionem , vel aliis tempori-
bus. Sunl aulem isla conciiia fcrc omnia cclebra-
ta antc annos lcre inillc. llis accedal factum Gre-
gorii, qiii lilanias indixit lcmpore pestis, lib. 1.
vitae cjus, cap. 42. ct Walfridus Slrabo c. 28. le-
sles sunl.
Scd forte objicicnt, litanias hic vocari solum Ky-
rie elcison, Christc cleison; id enira vocant lila-
niam Gracci ; ul palcl cx Basilio episl. 63. el ex
liturgia ipsius Basilii cl Chrysoslomi.
Respondeo: In conciliis praediclis litanias vo-
cariillas ipsas invocationesDci etsanclorum, quas
nos modo vocamus litanias ; nam in priinis Wal-
fridiis Slrabo lib. de rehus ecclesiaslicis, cap. 28.
dcclarans , quid sil litaoia, de qiia agilur in his
couf^-iliis, ct nominalim in concilio I. aurclianensi,
dicil csse sanclorum invocationem. Dcind ; lunc
diccbantur lilaniae triduo ante asccusionem, el di-
cebanlur non stando, sed ambulando et circti-
mcundo aliqua loca: al nunc vidcmus scrvari idcui
tliiKll l'IIIWi
liHii|iiis i>l ('1111111111 I iliiiii ; cr^ii i>;ii;ilt;iii miiiI lila-
lllllC IIIIIIIIIHi.
Priiliiiliir (|iiiiilo lc^iiiiioiiiih (iniciMiniiii ol i.itli
iiiijiiiii l'iilriiiii. I'!\ (iriiiM^is |iriiiiiis iiriMlnil s. Dio-
iiyMiis inrii|iii^ilii, i|iii nip. i. Kcclr.^iiisl. Iiicnirili.
A'i(</( proffrUt, iii(|iiit, Uli^in fit, ac ni (/(Um HulfiHion
riiiliiisHiinis liiriiinili' iuiilis, sihi Driil
siilnris Inniinis piirhrrim livri postni'.. . . ..j
liossilUlinni snprrlhid. «/lo illa HiiHprnsu» val, ifni
Mnrlurnni Ihiiiilaf prrrvH, vl nniunn' ipHoruni
vonsrnlunriis snr.rdn oprralionvs iiliiiiil vlc.
S. Irriiiiriis lili. .'). ciiiilr.i li.iiMc.M'.^ iilini iiiiw
iliiiiii : l!t sivnt illa (Kv<i) Hvdnrta vst. nl vHnip-rrl
Hrnni, sir hnrr (.Miiii.i) siinsii. rst nhrilirr l>rt>. iil
virijinis l\viir. viriji) .Uiirlii lirrri iiilniriiln. (}u\<\
cliiiiiis ?
Kiiscliiiis lili. 11). |ii',ic|);ir;iliiiiiis (M.iii^cliciio .
Ci\\\.l. Iliivr niis. iiiqiiit, iiitoliilir fiirlitainns. iini
wrao. pirlalis inililrs, nl Hri ainiros lionnranlrs,
ad nionninrnla r/i<o(/u<' Ulonini avvviliinns , vo-
lii<inv ipsi> firiinns, luiniiiiain riris sanrlis. qno
rnin inlrrrrssionv ml Druin non parnin jinuri
prolilvinnr.
AtliiiiKisiu.s scrin. in cwmrfliiiin ili' s;iiiclissiiii.i
nci|i;ir,i, idi'sl, dc luuiuuciiitmiio ciicii liiuMii: lii-
clina, iiKiiiil, (i«/'('»u luain (.M;iriii) iii prvv.vs ?k)-
s/r(i,s\ vl nv ohlivisraris popnli Ini. Kl iiirni : Ad
Iv. vlainnnnt-i, rvrordarr iioslri sanrlissinia Vir-
ijO. VA iiilV.i ; Inlvrvvdv lirrii. vl domiiia, vl rriji-
71(1. vt inalrr Ihd pro nohis.
Hiisilms or;il. iii U). lUiuiyrcs : ()in ali<iuii. in
(luil, prvinilur aniiiL^lia, ad lios confunuil: qui
run^iiin Uiriaiur. Iios orel: ille ul a ■nialis lihere-
lur. Iiic iil durri in rchus lavlis. Ulcm or;iiioiie
iu ps.iiiu. ',V.). lu ilkiil: Oculi Doiuini supor jiislns,
cl iuircs cpis iu proccs iM)ruiu : Sanclav . iiKiuit,
apiriluulvs lirlulcs (aui^cli) aliiiuav, ocuU dicun-
tur, qiiod curain susvrpvrini nos inlcrvisvjidi
iionuulUu' aurcs, ul quac noslra-i cxcipiunl prc
ccs.
(irc-xorius ii;i/.i;inzeiius oriil. iu ("lypri^iuum, in
ipso luedio, loquciis dc, quiuhiin Siiucla virjiine ,
(|uain Cypiianus luiic cllinicus el magfus pcr dae-
luoucm ad sliiprum sollicilabal • Yirqiiiein Ma-
rinin. inquil, roiiavil.ut pcriclilanli Virfjiniopeni
fcrrcl. Va iutra : Vicil virno, vincilur daenioii
etc. Idein in lino Cyprianiim invocal ; sicul oliain
focit in tinc oratiouis iu H.isilium, ol iu iiu'^ oralio-
nis in .Vlhnuasium, ubi sic ail: Tuauleniesu-
pernis propHius nos respice, ot populum hunc
sanclum dirigc, oinos iii pacc quideni fove ct
compasce. iii ccrlaminc autem diriqe, elsnsci-
pe, el cuni le ipso slaluc. el iis qui lales sunt ut
tu, eliamsi macjnasitpelilio.
Chrysostomus liomil. GG. a'l populum. circafin.
Nam. inquil, ct ipsc qui purpuram iudutus est ,
accedit iUa complcxurus scpulchra, et fastude-
posilo statsanclis supplicaturus. ut pro se apud
Dcum intcrccdaiit. et scenarum, fahruni, etpisca-
iorcm ut protcclores orat qui diademate redimi-
tus iiicedit. Idoin liorlaiur ad sui)plicauduin san-
ctis ho;iiil. j. cl8. iu Mallli. lioinil. 43. in Gcnes.
homil. 1. iu prioren) Thes.>al. senn. iii Juvcnlium
el Maximum, el alibi.
BtLLABJUM Vol. II.
(Jnjifiin"""
•-allo. //'
411
'iiii'» oral. III ' '^''' '"'"tuill, rif.
|iiil, r/o (i' ' piUiia
m rl d 1
imrlurivnlvH. 1 1 miivH prnpHuun pro nuOt», ul
iiiiirt>ir pm . ■ ■ • f^_
\A iiiltu : " , . i ; ,
vnlionv < I aliunv, fratruin /'
7I///I (•(»(/»• rlinrinn, i'l cuiii oinnihii.- unn, di piV'
varr, ttiiinonr Vvlrn ' • ila 1'aitlinn, Juanucm
ilvinthrnloiiinn, lu lum liilrrluin vlr.
S. Kplirciii 111 S(Miiioiiil)iis (lc iiiudiliiis s.hh lo*
iiiiii iiiarlyruMi : Prrrannir , liiquil , hvatihsimi
nuirliirrs, qiii pro Itiiiiiiiui hiiIi alurv, proqiiv il-
liu.s rliaritatv Hponlv vt inipiurv- lorjncnln ««rwi-
slhi, uUinv idvii familiurinH hoininu viirijnnrti v-
slis, iil pro niihi.-< miscris vt pcvruthrihiiH, vl de
nviiliiirnliuv y.qiuiHorcHordcntihuH, Dominumin-
Ivrpolliire diqncinini, ut supcrvvnial in nos /yra-
/(■(/ Christi.
r.yrillus calcclicsi 5. mysla^fOKica: Cum hucm-
oriliviuni olfv.riinm, fucimus nientioucni etiam
vnruin. iiui <uilc nos ohdnriinrrnnl, priinum pa-
Iriiu-rluirum, prophvlarum, uposlidurum, inur-
liiritm, vL Ihius oraUonihus illorum , suscijdat
])rvrvs noslras otc.
Tlicodorctiis in hisloria snmMorum IVilnim, sin-
;^iil;is vil;is ila coucludil: Kijn uulcm huic mwra-
lioni finom impnnens ror/o el quae.M), ut por ho-
ruin inivrc<'ssionrm divinum consrqiuw au.ci-
lium. .Mulla ilem habct dc iiivociiliono sanclorum
lil). 8. ad (iraecos, qui cst dc raartyribus.
I);imasconus lib. 4. do fide, c;ip. IG. Pcr o,ns
esauelos jam dcrunctos) daemoncs abirjunlur. iu-
fwmi curaniur, caeci vidcnt, lcjrrosi mundan-
tur, tentationes et trislitiae solvuntur. Omnc dn-
num bonuui a Palrc luminum jicr i':os, qui in-
hacsiiabili fulc pctunt. dcsccndit.
Theophyl iclus in cap. 1 1 . ad Hacbr. Jain nunc,
inquil, nrrahoncm. etpiqnus honoris luihenl (sao-
cti in coolo ) unde aUas cis poloslas es^cl. ut suc-
currcre qucaiU iiivocantibussc? 1'nde ipsis.quod
fuluciani. habent inlorccdcnti?
Jain ex Lalinis. S. Corneliu^ papa iu cpisfol. 1.
quae esl do Irauslalioue corporum a|)0slolorurn :
Oranies, inquit, Deum ei Dominum noslrum Je-
sum Chrislum, ut inlercedcniibus sanctis suis
apostolis, macuhis veslrorumpurgei jKccatorum
etc.
S. Ililarius in psal. 12;). Inlercessione,^ inquit,
a.ngelorum non natura Dei indiget, sed infirmi-
tas nostra. Missi enim suntpropier eos, qui hae-
reditabunt sahitem, Deo nihit ex his quae agi-
rius ignorante. sed infuinilate noslra ad rogan-
dum el promercndum. spirituaiis intercessioyiis
ministerio indigente. Simiiia dicit de inlercessio-
ne sanctorum aposlolorum el prophelarum in psal.
124.
S. Ambrosius lib. de viduis, ullra m.odium : Ob-
sccrandi sunt angeli. qui nobis ad pracsidium
dati su7it. riiartgres obsccrandi. quorum vide-
mur nobis quoddam corj)oris jngnorc jiatroci-
nium vendicare. Possuntpro peccatis rogare no-
58
m
DL SA)\CTOIU 13 IIEATITLDWE
.s//'is, qui proprio sanguine, eiiamsi qua habue-
runt, peccata laverunl. hti enim snnt Dei mar-
lyres, noslri praesules, speculatores vilae, actu-
umque nostrorum. JSon erubescaynus eos inter-
cessores noslrae infirmitatis adliibere, quia ipsi
infirmitatem corporis, etiam cum vincerent, co-
gnoverunt. llemlib. 10. in Lucam exponens cap.
21. Mortuis regibus, inquil , in perpetuum mar-
tijres rcgnum coelestis graliae lionore succedunt,
el iUi fuint supplices, hi palroni.
S. Hieronynius iu epilophio Piiulae circa tinem :
Vale. inquil, o Paula. et culloris tui ultimam se-
neclutem oralionibus juva. fides et opera tua
Christo te sociant, praesensfacilius, quod poslu-
las, impetrabis.
S. Maximus in ser. de s. Agnele: Ilaque, in-
quil. 0 spleiidida Christo, pulchra Dei fiiio, et o-
mnibus angelis el archangelis grala, ut nostri
meminisse liigneris, quibus possumus precibus
exoramus.
Rumiius lib. 2. hist. cap. 33. Circuibat ( Theo-
(losius) cum sacerdotibus et populo omnium ora-
lionum loca, antemartyrum el apostolorumthe-
cas jacebat cilicio prostratus, et auxilia sibi fida
sanctorum intercessione poscebat.
S. Pauiinus in fine carminis panegyrici de san-
clo Celso:
Celaejuva fralrem aocia pielale laborans,
Ut vestra nobis sit tocus in reqaie,
El in epist. 12. ad Severum inserens quaedani car-
mina de s. Claro, sic ail:
Qualibet in regione poli silus atit paradisi,
Clare sub aelerna pace bealus aqis.
Ilaec peccalorurn bonns accipe vola roganlum,
VI sis Paulini, Tkerasiaeque memor.
Prudenlius eodem tempore plurima scripsil car-
mina de sanclis, iu quibus eos invocari a vivenli-
bus docet. Proferamus loco exempli pauca. In car-
mine de s. Laurentio, sic ait:
Quod quiiftque supplex postulal,
Ferl impalratuiH prospere.
El trislis haud ulLus redil.
Ceu praf.slo semper addes,
Tuosque almmios urbicos
Laclante complexus sinu
Palerno amore nvtrias.
Ilem inhymno de s. Cassiano.
Jvdil, crede, preces martyr prosperrimm omnes,
Halasquc reddit quas vides probabiles.
llera de s. Hippolyto:
Uippolyto scio me debcre, Deus cui ( hrislus
Posse dedil, quod quis poslulel, annuere.
S. Augustinus tract. 84. in Joan. Ideo quippe
ad ipsammensam, inquit, non sic eos (martyres)
commemoramus , quemadmodum alios qui in
pace requiescunt, ul etiam pro eis oremus. sed
magis, ut ipsi pro nobis orent. Ilcm serm. 17. ds
verbis apostoli: Habet, inquil, ecclesiaslica disci-
plina, quod ftdeles noverunt cum martyres eo
loco recitanl ad altare Dei, ubi non pro ipsis o-
retur, pro caeteris autem defunctis ordtur. Inju-
ria est enim pro martyre orare, cujus nos debe-
mus orationibus commendari. Ilein lib. de cura
j)ro morluis c. 4. Non video, inquit, quod sit ad-
jwnentum mortuorum provisus sepeliendis cor-
poribus apud memoriam sanctorum locus, nisi
ad hoc, ut dum recolunt ubi sint reposila eorum,
quosdiligunt, corpora, eisdem sanctisillos tam-
quam patronis susceptos apud Dominum adju-
vandos orando commendent.
S. Victor ulicensis lib. 3. dc persequutione wnn-
dnlica circa ilnem: Adestote, \(\qu\l, onqeli Uei,
doprecamini palriarchae, orate s. prophetac, e-
stote apostoli suffragatores , praecipue tu Pelre
beate, quare siles pro ovibus et agnis a commu-
ni Domino magna tibi caulela et sollicitudine
eommendalis ? Tu s. Paule gentium magister.
coqnosce quid Wandali faciunt Ariani. et fiiii
tuigemunt lugendo captivi, universique ingemi-
scite simul pro nobis apostoli.
S. Fulgenlius in spnn. de laudibus b. Mariae :
Ideo, inquit, omnes cursus naturae Yirgo Maria
in Domino noslro Jesu Christo suscepit, ut omni-
bus ad se confugienlibus foeminis subveniret.
S. Leo scrm. 5. de Epiphania : Confirmale, in-
quit, amicilias cum s. angelis etpatriarchis.pro-
phetis, aposlolis, martyribusque sociamini, ho-
rum divitias concupiscite et per bonam aeviu-
lationem ipsorum ambile sujfragia.^ide eundem
in sermonibus de annivcrsario suae assumplionis,
el de sanclis Pelro el Paulo, el Laurenlio.
S. Gregorius lib. 2. dialog. cap. ull. in fine: V-
bi, inquit, in suis eorporibus sanctorum marty-
res jacent, dubium Petre non est . quod multa
valeant signa demonstrare , sicut et faciunt, et
pura mente quaerentibus innumera miracula
ostendunt,sed quia ab infirmis potesl mentibus
dubitari, utrumne ad cxaudiendumibipravsen-
ies sint, ubi constat, quia in suis corporibus non
sint, ibi necesse est eos majora signa ostendere,
ubi de eorum praesentia potest mens infirma du-
bitare. Quorum vero mens in Deo fixa est, tanlo
mnjus habet fidei meritum, quanto illic eos no-
vit, et non jacere corpore, et tamen non deesse
ab exauditione.
S. Gregorius luronensis )ib. 1. de gloria marly-
rum cap. 94. Cyprianus, inquit. beatissimus car-
thaginensis, et antisles et martyr, salutem sac-
jnus infirmis supplicantibus praeslat.
S. Beda lib. 4. in Cantica, circa finem : Sed et
cavernam materiae, inquit, cilo volatu petamus,
idest, sanctorum vel angelorum , vel hominum
crebras pro nobis inlercessioncs apud misericor-
diampii conditoris quaeramus, haec sunt enim
firmissima ac tutissima sanctae Ecclesiae prae-
sidia. Idem habel lib. 3. in Matlh. in illud cap. ir;.
Qui non responditei verbum: Sanctorum, inquil,
sunt petenda suffragia, ut ipsi siipplicent pro
Ecclcsia.
1
I II.Dl IhlUl^ IIS
S. Aiihrliiiii^ III lili. lii' r\< rllriilM li. Nir^iiiDi 'ili. 23. 24. 2.1. qI. J'. Uiiiiatciilur.nii iii vM4 h.
Mntiiii) ('ii|i. iiltiiii. Iloiiniimn, iiii|iiil, (d huminn l''raiiriM'i.
/>i'r l/).Si(//( '//'ilOM/fl. r/l/K /(■ /Ml/.s ''/ iilllUll>ttti'HH l'.\ lils I iilll^l |ii)|rs|, (|I1,|||| hllll li'\ i's li.)i-| flit n
/^(^li.H .s((' ('.i;ii//(ii'i/. rloinniii liln f>niiin in):*»iliiUn niiii ri-N|iiiiiMMiir^, (|ikin .i<IIiiIji'IiI uil |i>i:ii i'.iliiiiii
v»se tlininvii, ijniilvnnH itliiiiHil iiiHHin uiihiH iin- u iinliih ( iliitn; iiinii .Mii^drhiiii^ciiKCH (ItMiliiriii 4.
jifliws i'l tihlinriis, t// /i/c/ti/t/i/o ijiuliiir , iiiinin ('ii|i. 4. iiii-oiihliiiilissitiir l(H|iiiiiiliir; iiijiic iMiim m*
iiirrnisli, in nuhis sic (//ictc/i//', (/i/n /iiit'/i(-//Mi(//i ^iio.Miiiit r.^si' P.ilriiiu Ic.aIiiiiiiih.i, hi:il (li(-iiiit i:uii
hrati iiiiiriiiii nohis inisrrirnrilitrr (yi(i(/(i/(i(/t((; itrriissi', iiuiii: vcro (liciiiil a iii;ili(;ii() N|tiriiij cit^i)
donrtnr. iii.scrtii iii o|MMiliii.t tiiiitoruiii vivoniiii. i|uo(l liitiK-ii
S. Itcriiiirdiis scriii. 'J. .Mi|ii'r c\.iii'.;i'liiiiii .Vi^.<<t(.s iioii tilitcr |irii|iiiiit, i|ii.iiii i|iiiii /Viiihrosius lil>. .'{.
i'»': iiii|inl, //( iirririilis, in iiiiijiisliis , in rrhns dc .S|iiiiiii siincio (-. 1:;!. cl l'i|ii|ili.iiiiiis iti lincrcsi
duhiin, Muriain coijilii, Miirinin invofa. Non m (lcdliniltJiiioruin, diciiiil solutti l)cititi cssij adoriui-
criiiil iih nrr. non rrrntnl n mrih' rt nl iiiiiirlrrti diiiii. \i'(- iidvcrlrrc \(diiiit cos l';drcs lo.|oi d(j
1'Jus orationis snljriiijinin^non tlrsrrus coinrr.sa- iidof.ilioiic. (|itii(j .soli dcbcliir l)co. iii (jiio sciisii
tionis (■.rc//(/j/((//t. Ii>siiin .scr/t/c/i.s non ilrvinH , cli.iiii iios riiliMiiiir. soliiin Dcutti adur.iitdiiin, cuiii
ipsain roijnns non drsiirras, iiisinn ctiijilnns non (|iio liiiiicii bciic coliiicrcl, i|iio(l dtciimis, s.iiiclys
vrrns. iiisa trnrntr non rorruis, /'/i.sit iirolrtjrntii iioii iil l>i'os. scd ul iiinicos l)(;i tnvoc.iiidos.
non inrtuis, iiK^adnrr non fntiijitris , iiisa /i/o Porro Itrctiliiis ciip. li. (-oiirissionis Wirtciiibcr-
pitia pervcni-i , rt sic in tcinetiimo exiirnris, giMisis, oiiinia con.ilur cliidiMC |icr lij^uriiiu proso-
qnain merito dicluin sit , cl noinrn YirijinLH popcj;ic. Dicil (Miiiii l';itrcs in coiic-ioniljiis tnvocii-
Maria. rc .^oltlos csso iioitiiii;i iiiorlitorutti nc si \i\ciciil,
l.\ his .'iO. nnliipiis cl doclissiinis Piilrilius.soli sicul inlcrduin inlcr (lccliiiuiinduiii iilloipiiiULir coc-
sunl (jiiiiKpic (Irci^iirio poslcrioics: c.\ ipio iippii- linn, vcl li-iriiiu, vd inorliios liomincs.tpios liimen
rcl, (piiiiii illiislrc lucril iiiciid;icium i'!iilippi, ipii ccrlu sciiiius tion iuidirc. /M lioc li^Miicnlum in |iri-
antc (jrcgoriuin i<;iiotum fiiissc scrijisil siiiicloruni inis, si iilliim liiibcrcl locuin, soliim liiil/ircl in tc-
invociilioiuMu. stimoiiiis n;isilii,i\;iziiiir/.cni.cl (pioruitdam iilionim,
l'rol);iliir (piinlo cx iuiiiiculis li. Hcni;inli l'iiclis (pii iiitiM' coiicioiKiiiilum s;iiiclos iiivociiv('roiil..>iil-
rontra liiinc li;icrcsim. Scnliiliir oiiim lib. '.\. \il;ie liim iiiilcm li;il)crcl in lcstiinoiiiis I)ioiiysii,ln'ii:i(;i
ejus cap. 5. quod cum b. Bcrnardus apud Tliolo- llilarii, Ambrosii, Cbrysostomi, Aui^'usliiii, cl alio-
s.im coiilra lianc ips;im liiicrcsim pr;icdiciircl, po- riim, (pii vol (loccul Siiiiclos iinocaiidos, vel n.ir-
j[)iilorum tiirliis ollcrcnlibus piiucs , ul cis vir san- raiil.a (piibus sinl invocali. Scd (piod nec in losli-
clus benodiccrct, ct benodiccbat illc sigiio crucis moniis IJasilii el Grt'j;orii locum liabeal, inde jiu-
cdito liis verbis: In Jioc scictis vcra es.se quae a lel, (piod isti I*alrcs ibidcm pollicenlur sibi, el u-
nohis, faha quac ah Uacrrlicis suadcntur . si liis au.xilium c\ illa iiivocalioiic, cl miraciila ipiae
inlirnii vcslri (justalis panihus islis, adrpti fue- lacla suiil, siilis o^lenduiil, iioii iiiimcm prosnpo-
riiU sospitalein. tt cum opiscopus Carnolcnsi , pcjiiin, sed petitioncm ollicaccm csse invocatio-
(pii iidcriit. dii'orcl: St /)o/ia fulc sunipscrinL . sa- iiciii siincloruni.
nahunlur.li. Ucnuirdiis addidil:.\o?i /loc e(]0 dixi, Jam Calvinus iib. 3. cap. 20. inslil. respondel,
sed vere quicumque guslavcrinl. sanabunlur , Pnlres voluisse quidem prohibere hanc supcrsli-
iU i'('/'os ?ios ct veraccs Dei nuncios csse scialis. lionem. sed non poluissc frangere impelum vuliji,
El subjungit auclor : 7a7/i inijrns viuUUudo lan- id quod ostendil e\ concilio carlhaginensi 111. cap.
gueiuiuin gustato iUo pane convaluit, lU per lo- 23, ubi prohibclur, ne in precibus, quae ad allare
tatn provinciain vcrhuin hoc diiulgaretur. fuiulunlur, oralio dirigalur ad alium, quara ad Pa-
Nola, miracula isla iiou ossc facla propric ad Irem. E\ quo vult Calvinus colligi, voluisse Palres
probanda morila b. Dcrnardi; nam ipsc diserle di- ejus coiicilii sallom impedire ne myslerium coenae
xil, ul sanarentur aegroli.si vera cranl.quac prae- profanaretur invocalione mortuorum. Quod etiam
dicavonil: ol ne foric Iribucronlur lidei ol dovolio- conrirmaUir ex s. Aiicjuslino lib. 22. de Civ. Doi
's'-
ni populorum addidil. omncs sanandos qui iiule c. 10 ubi dicit sanclos nou invocari a sacerdole sa-
gustassenl. sive cum lide. sive sine fide, ut nimi- crificanle.
rum lolum miraculum rclorrelur tamquam ad fi- Scd nimis innrmum esl Calvini refugiuni : i>'ara
iiom, ad confirmalionem vcrilatis: Ergo cum siut quod Palres non cupiverinl prohiberc invocalio-
1'acla iunumerabilia miracula ad hanc noslrain sen- nem sanctorum, palet e\ verbis ipsorum jam cila-
tcntiam confirmandam aul ipsa vera est, aut Deus lis. ubi ipsi suadent , horlantur, docenl, sanclos
lestis fuit falsilatis. invocandos, et ipsi eos passim invocaverunt, et iu
Accedanl poslremo infiuita miracula. quibus conciliis ase celebralis eos invocari praeceperunl.
sancli saepissime demonslrarunt, se audire pre- Neque in concilio carthaginensi habetur unum ver-
ces vivenliuni, et posse ac velle eos juvarc. a qui- buin de invocatione sandorum, sed solum praeci-
l»us invocanlur. Vide de his miraculis epislulam pitur, uloratio sacerdotis sacrificium offcrenlis di-
INili recitalam in Yll. synodo act. 4. Theodorelum rigalur ad personam Palris, non filii aut Spiritus
iu hislor. lib. 5. cap. 2t. el lib. 8. ad Graccos. simcti, quod etiain modo servamus , quamvii toli
Ambrosium sermou.i)0.qiii ost dc s.Agneto. Augu- sacrificemus Trinilali.
stinum lib. 22. de Civit. Dci cap. 8. Gregoriuin Bealus ctiam Augustinus solum docel, ipsa pre-
luronicum in libris de gloria m;irlyrum et confes- ce qua sacrificium offeriur, non invocari s;inclos ,
Jsorum. Gregorium romanura lib. 3. dialog. cap. sed Deura^ cui soli saenficalur : Nam qaod in ipso
456
DE SA^CTORliM BE.VTITLDINE
sncrificlo memoria lial marlyrum , fil invocenlnr,
iil pro iiDbis orciil, iciem Auguslinus (liscrlc (iocet
tractat. 8i in Joan. cl scrm. 17. dc verbis aposlo-
li, et Cyrillus calechesi '>. mysla^ogica , ul supra
oitavimus, ct icJem palet ex lilurgia Cln'ysoslomi,
et aliorum velerum ; nam in onmibus saneti invo-
canlur.