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Page 40
"Certainly, Mary; for it is undeniable that St. Augustine in his
Meditations calls on the Blessed Virgin, and all the angels and
apostles in heaven, to intercede with God in his behalf. Father
Mazzolin pointed out the passage no later than last week, to remove
the doubts which I confess I entertained, as to whether it was proper
and in accordance with the practise of the Fathers to implore such
intercession."
"And does your conviction rest on so frail a basis? Hear what the
Rev. Dr. Milner says on this subject, in the first volume of his
Ecclesiastical History;" and taking it from the shelf, Mary read:
'The book of Meditations, though more known to English readers than
any other of the works ascribed to Augustine, on account of the
translation of it into our language by Stanhope, seems not to be his,
both on account of its style, which is sententious, concise, abrupt,
and void of any of those classical elegancies which now and then
appear in our author's genuine writings; and also, on account of the
prayers to deceased saints which it contains. This last circumstance
peculiarly marks it to have been of a later date than the age of
Augustine. Frauds of this, kind were commonly practised on the works
of the Fathers in the monastic times.'
"And why, Florry, does it peculiarly mark it as spurious? Because, had
he entertained these views on so vital a point, the expression of them
would most certainly have occurred in his other very voluminous works.
I have searched his Confessions for instances of this invocation,
either from himself or anxious mother, and had he believed, as the
Catholic prelates assert, in this intercession of the dead, it would
most assuredly have been sought in the hour of his suffering and fear,
lest he should be given over. But I find none. On the contrary,
these two passages occur in his Confessions: 'I now sought the way of
obtaining strength to enjoy thee, and found it not, till I embraced
the mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ, who is above all, God,
blessed forever, calling and saying I am the way, the truth, and the
life.' And here, Florry, is another extract from the same book still
more conclusive--'Whom shall I look to as my mediator? Shall I go to
angels? Many have tried this, and have been fond of visions, and have
deserved to be the sport of the illusions which they loved. The true
mediator, whom in thy secret mercy thou hast shown to the humble, and
hast sent that by his example they might also learn humility, the man
Christ Jesus, hath appealed a mediator between mortal sinners and the
immortal Holy One, that he might justify the ungodly, and deliver them
from death.' Yet in your manuals you are directed to say 'Mother of
God command thy son;' and one of your prayers, Florry, is as follows:
'Hail, Holy Queen! Mother of Mercy--our life, our sweetness, and our
hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished sons of Eve, to thee do we send
up our sighs, mourning and weeping in the valley of tears. Turn thee,
most gracious Advocate, thy eyes of mercy toward us.' And at vespers
you say,
'Hail, Mary! queen of heavenly spheres,
Hail! whom the angelic host reveres!'
Florry, in all candor, let us investigate this subject; we will
consult both the Bible and the Fathers, or, if you prefer it, by the
words of the latter only we will decide; for truth we are searching."
"Mary, let me read a second time those passages from St. Augustine.
Strange I should have been so deceived," she continued, as, having
perused them, she returned the book to her cousin.
"Florry, can you perceive any encouragement there given to the
practise of invocation? Does not St. Augustine expressly denounce it?"
"There can be no doubt of his sentiments on this point; but, Mary,
this is only one decision, when I have been assured that the united
voices of many Fathers established it without a doubt, even supposing
there was no authority in Holy Writ for such a custom--which, however,
we have, for did not Jacob wrestle with an angel and did not his
blessing descend upon him?"
"But Christ had not then died; neither had the Christian dispensation
succeeded to the old Jewish rites and customs. If you will turn to
Jeremiah, you will also read how the curse of God was pronounced
against the idolaters who offered incense to the Queen of Heaven: yet
you do the same. Still, by the tradition of the elders, we will judge.
Hear the words of Paulinus on this subject--'Paul is not a mediator;
he is an ambassador for Christ. John intercedes not, but declares that
this mediator is the propitiation for our sin. The Son of Almighty
God, because he redeemed us with the price of his blood, is justly
called the true Redeemer,' Again, the great and good Ambrose--'We
follow thee, Lord Jesus, but draw us up that we may follow. No one
rises without thee. Let us seek him, and embrace his feet, and worship
him, that he may say to us, Fear not. I am the remission of sin, I am
the light, I am the life. He that cometh to me shall not see death;
because he is the fulness of divinity.' One more, Florry--'Come to
yourselves again, ye wretched transgressors! Return ye blind to your
light! Shall we not believe God, when he swears that neither Noah,
nor Daniel, or Job, shall deliver one son or daughter by their
righteousness. For this end he makes the declaration, that none might
put confidence in the intercession of saints. Ye fools! who run to
Rome to seek there for the intercession of an Apostle. When will ye
be wise? What would St. Augustine say of you, whom ye have so often
quoted?' Such, Florry, are the words of the celebrated Claud of Turin;
but as he is regarded by your church somewhat as a reformer, I will
just read one passage from Anselm, whose orthodoxy no Papist ever
questioned. Speaking of the intercession of Christ--'If the people sin
a thousand times, they need no other Saviour; because this suffices
for all things, and cleanses from all sin.' Florry, we have jointly
admired the character of one of the earliest martyrs, St. Cyprian.
Will you hear him on this subject?--'Christ, if it be possible, let us
all follow. Let us be baptized in his name. He opens to us the way
of life. He brings us back to Paradise. He leads us to the heavenly
kingdom. Redeemed by his blood, we shall be the blessed of God the
Father,' Yet you say in your prayers, 'We fly to thy patronage, oh!
holy Mother of God!' And again--
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