his blood doth not cry for vengeance against his brethren, as Abel's did: but it calls for peace, grace, and mercy for the greatest sinners, who have their hearts touched with repentance.

Again, 1 John, 2: 1, 2. "We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." Note, that Jesus Christ pleads the cause of all those whose sins he has expiated by his death. He is the advocategeneral of all Christians; and his mouth alone, by which we speak unto the Father.

Note, that he hath the charge to present the prayers of the Church of God, it is his part also to cover their defects, and to render them acceptable to God. This was in old times shadowed in the person of the High Priest, who was to carry upon his mitre a plate of pure gold, in which was engraven "holiness to the Lord." Which God speaks of, Exo. 28: 37, 38. "Thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre, upon the fore front of the mitre it shall be. And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts: And it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord." This is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who is the body and the truth of all the ancient figures.

1 Pet. 2:5. "Ye also, as lively stones, are built

up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." But there is not any of the creatures that by his holiness or merit, can cover the defects of our prayers, or render them acceptable to God. This is the reason why there is neither Saint nor Angel that can be our mediator with God, or that can present our prayers unto him.

CHAPTER XXI.

That we ought to pray to the Saints, whom God had received into his glory. Bellarm. de Sanctorum beatitudine, lib. 1. cap. 19. Conc. Tridert. sess. 25.

In the Holy Bible it is written, Rom. 10: 14. "How then shall they call upon him, in whom they have not believed?" But no one believes on the Saints; if he does, he must add a new article to the creed. No one, then, ought to pray unto them.

Psalm 50: 15. "Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." Let any one show us a like commandment to call upon the Saints, and we will instantly do it.

Psalm 145: 18. "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth." Can any one say so of the Saints? But their essence is not infinite, to be in all the places of

the world, near unto all those that cry unto them.

Matt. 11:28. "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Note, that as persons that are very sick, address themselves to the ablest physicians, so the greatest sinners ought to address themselves to Jesus Christ. Though the reason should be less evident, yet the commandment is express for that.

Luke, 11:1. "And it came to pass, that as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples." Note, that they said not, teach us to pray to God, but in general, teach us to pray. For at that time, to pray absolutely, and to pray to God, was taken for one and the same thing. Let us see the model then according to which we ought to form all our prayers.

Verse 2. "And he said unto them, when ye pray, say, Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name," &c. But one cannot say to a Saint, or to an Angel, Our Father, &c. they acknowledge themselves to be our brethren, and our companions in service, Rev. 22:9; and chap. 19:10. Then one ought not to pray to them.

John, 14: 13. "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." But he hath made no such promise to those that shall call upon God in the name of the Saints.

CHAPTER XVIII.

OF PRAYERS AND DIVINE SERVICE.

That Prayers and the Public Divine Service may be in a tongue not understood by the People, Conc. Trent, Sess. 22. can. 8. & can. 9. Bellarm. de verbo Dei, lib. 2. cap. 15.

In the Holy Bible it is written, 1 Cor. 14: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11. "Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you, either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? and even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? For ye shall speak into the air. There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian; and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me." This is that which comes to pass between the Priest and the people, when they sing Mass. For one is a barbarian to the other.

Verses 13, 14, 15 and 16. "Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue, pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth but my understanding is unfruitful, what is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also; I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. Else, when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?" When they say their prayers and give thanks in Latin, then, how should the common people be able to say Amen, seeing they understand not what is said?"

Verses 21, 22. "In the Law it is written, with men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people: and yet for all that, will they not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not." O ye abused people, open your eyes, and instead of admiring the pompous service of your Church, consider that this is a sign of the wrath of God, that they speak unto you in a language which is strange and barbarous to you,