ther fatisfaction, to thofe juft Treatifes which have been publish'd on this Subject.

And, Firft, N. C. tells us, 'That the 6 Heathen gave their Saints the Attributes of the Supream Being; but the Papists 'do not impute to their Saints any of the 6 Attributes of the true God.

What he means by the Heathens giving. their Saints the Attributes of the Supream Being, I cannot well tell; and indeed, there is fuch an impropriety of Expreffion runs thro' the whole Difcourse, that (unless N. C. is a Foreigner) 'tis unpardonable in one who pretends to fo much Reading and Learning, which I the rather remark, because I have been frequently oblig'd to tranfcribe his very words. But I fuppofe, by the Heathens giving their Saints the Attributes of the Supream Being, he must mean, That tho' the Heathens did generally believe that there was one Supream Being, yet they attributed to their inferiour Deities, or Pagan Saints, thofe Divine Perfections (fuch as Omnipotency, Omnifcience and Omniprefence) which were the incommunicable Attri butes of God: But the Papists do not think their Saints have any of thofe inherent Perfections, but derive all their Power and Sufficiency from God.

But,

But, First, 'tis evident, That tho' the Heathens did worship the Sun, Moon, and Stars, their Heroe's and Benefactors, and departed Princes, as an inferior fort of Deities, yet do we not find that they attributed to them thofe Divine Perfecions which were originally inherent in the Supream Being. They worship'd the Hoft of Heaven, fuppofing the Stars to be animated with Divine Understandings; and they look'd upon the Planets as Mediators between God and Men; and that they were all inhabited by fuch fpiritual Intelligences, as were of a middle nature between the uncreated and created Beings : And as for their Heroes and deceas'd Princes,they acknowledged them to have been mortal Men, who for the Benefits they did Mankind, and for their Wildom, were made immortal Deities, who had the Government of this lower World committed to them. And as they were inferior in their Nature to the Supream Being, fo thofe Perfections, they were poffefs'd of, were of a lower Kind, and only Streams deriv'd from this Fountain.

And just such fort of Beings do the Pa. pifts hold their Saints to be; an inferior fort of Deities to whom the Supream Being communicates the Tranfactions of this lower World, and gives them Power and

Efficacy

Efficacy to help thofe who pray unto them, and devoutly worship them.

Secondly, N. C. fays, That the Heathen Saints were guilty of all kinds of Licentiousness and Debauchery, but the 'Chriftian Saints are pure and holy Beings, < Men who laid down their Lives for the "Truth of the Christian Religion.

But this is nothing to the purpose; for the Charge of Idolatry will lie upon evéry one who pays Divine Worship to a created Being, tho' never fo good, tho' the most perfect Saint, or the moft glorious Archangel; for the Queftion is not concerning the Quality of the Object of our Worship, but whether our Worship is fuitable to its Object?

And as for the Romish Saints, 'tis certain, that they were not all endow'd with thofe good Qualities N. C. fo much glories in; fome of those whom the Pope has thought fit to make Saints, were not the best of Men, as Thomas Becket, and James Clement, and Ignatius Loyola himfelf. Several of their Saints are very probably thought to have been only the Product of fome Poet, or Painter's luxuriant Fancy; as Time is painted like an Old Man wing'd with a Scythe, and Justice with a pair of Scales: So St. Christopher and St. Margaret were only Hieroglyphical Representations of the different State

of

of Chriftians in this World; the one being only the Reprefentation of a Chriftian pailing over a Land-flood, carrying Jefus Christ on his Back, who did burthen him, but yet conducted him ; the other of a Woman attack'd by the Devil, but gaining the Victory, and trampling him under her Feet. And generally of all their Saints, there are fuch fulfome Stories told, fo inconfiftent with any fhew of Truth, as are fufficient to difparage thofe which are beft attefted; and tho' the bare rehear fing them would feem too light and ludicrous in a serious Difcourfe amongst Proteftants, yet are they firmly believ'd in Popish Countries.

.

But, Thirdly, N. C. tells us, That there ' is a great Difference as to the Worship of them; the Heathen Saints were worthip'd " upon account of their Power in Heaven 'who never were there. And may not this be faid of feveral of the Popish Saints too? The Heathens erected Altars, and offered Sacrifice to their Saints; and do not the Papifts do fo too? Do they not offer up unto them the Sacrifices of Prayer and Thanksgiving, which certainly are more acceptable to the Supream Being than any. other Sacrifices can be? The Devotion of our Hearts must needs be a more precious Offering than any outward Sacrifice; and therefore St. Auftin fpeaking of

the

the Sacrifice due to God, makes our Hearts the Altar, and Chrift our Priest, and our Prayers and Praifes offer'd up to God by a fervent Charity, to be a true Sacrifice. So that (to use the Words of a Learned Prelate,) 'tis evident, That on the fame account that the Heathens did give Divine Honour to their inferior Deities, thofe in the Church of Rome do fo to Angels and Saints: For the Heathens made a difference between their Sacrifices to the Supream God, and to their inferior Deities and Heroes; fo that if the putting any difference in the way of Religious Worship doth excufe the one, it must do the other alfo. Did the Heathen use folemn Ceremonies of making any capable of Divine Worship? So does the Church of Rome. Did they set up their Images in Publick Places of Worship, and kneel before them, and invocate those represented by them? So does the Roman Church. Did they confecrate Temples, and erect Altars to them, and keep Festivals, and burn Incense before them? So does the Roman Church. Lastly, Did they offer up Sacrifices in in thofe Temples, to the Honour of their leffer Deities and Heroes? So does the Roman Church. For Bellarmine reckoning up the Honours belonging to cancnized Saints, befides thofe before-mentioned,