Article XXI (IX): Of the Invocation of Saints.
1] The Twenty-first
Article they absolutely condemn, because we do not require the
invocation of saints. Nor on any topic do they speak more eloquently
and with more prolixity. Nevertheless they do not effect anything
else than that the saints should be honored; likewise, that
the saints who live pray for others; as though, indeed, the
invocation of dead saints were on that account necessary. 2]
They cite Cyprian, because he asked Cornelius while yet alive
to pray for his brothers when departing. By this example they
prove the invocation of the dead. They quote also Jerome against
Vigilantius. "On this field" [in this matter], they say, "eleven
hundred years ago, Jerome overcame Vigilantius." Thus the adversaries
triumph, as though the war were already ended. Nor do those
asses see that in Jerome, against Vigilantius, there is not
a syllable concerning invocation. He speaks concerning honors
for the saints, not concerning invocation. 3] Neither
have the rest of the ancient writers before Gregory made mention
of invocation. Certainly this invocation, with these opinions
which the adversaries now teach concerning the application of
merits, has not the testimonies of the ancient writers.
4] Our Confession
approves honors to the saints. For here a threefold honor is
to be approved. The first is thanksgiving. For we ought to give
thanks to God because He has shown examples of mercy; because
He has shown that He wishes to save men; because He has given
teachers or other gifts to the Church. And these gifts, as they
are the greatest, should be amplified, and the saints themselves
should be praised, who have faithfully used these gifts, just
as Christ praises faithful businessmen, 5] Matt. 25,
21. 23. The second service is the strengthening of our faith;
when we see the denial forgiven Peter, we also are encouraged
to believe the more that grace6]truly superabounds
over sin, Rom. 5, 20. The third honor is the imitation,
first, of faith, then of the other virtues, which every one
should imitate according to his calling. 7] These true
honors the adversaries do not require. They dispute only concerning
invocation, which, even though it would have no danger, nevertheless
is not necessary.
8] Besides,
we also grant that the angels pray for us. For there is a testimony
in Zech. 1, 12, where an angel prays: O Lord of hosts,
how long wilt Thou not have mercy on 9]Jerusalem?
Although concerning the saints we concede that, just as, when
alive, they pray for the Church universal in general, so in
heaven they pray for the Church in general, albeit no testimony
concerning the praying of the dead is extant in the Scriptures,
except the dream taken from the Second Book of Maccabees, 15,
14.
Moreover, even supposing
that the saints pray for the Church ever so much, 10]
yet it does not follow that they are to be invoked; although
our Confession affirms only this, that Scripture does not teach
the invocation of the saints, or that we are to ask the saints
for aid. But since neither a command, nor a promise, nor an
example can be produced from the Scriptures concerning the invocation
of saints, it follows that conscience can have nothing concerning
this invocation that is certain. And since prayer ought to be
made from faith, how do we know that God approves this invocation?
Whence do we know without the testimony of Scripture that the
saints perceive the prayers of each one? 11] Some plainly
ascribe divinity to the saints, namely, that they discern the
silent thoughts of the minds in us. They dispute concerning
morning and evening knowledge, perhaps because they doubt whether
they hear us in the morning or the evening. They invent these
things, not in order to treat the saints with honor, but to
defend lucrative services. 12] Nothing can be produced
by the adversaries against this reasoning, that, since invocation
does not have a testimony from God's Word, it cannot be affirmed
that the saints understand our invocation, or, even if they
understand it, that God approves it. Therefore 13] the
adversaries ought not to force us to an uncertain matter, because
a prayer without faith is not prayer. For when they cite the
example of the Church, it is evident that this is a new custom
in the Church; for although the old prayers make mention of
the saints, yet they do not invoke the saints. Although also
this new invocation in the Church is dissimilar to the invocation
of individuals.
14] Again,
the adversaries not only require invocation in the worship of
the saints, but also apply the merits of the saints to others,
and make of the saints not only intercessors, but also propitiators.
This is in no way to be endured. For here the honor belonging
only to Christ is altogether transferred to the saints. For
they make them mediators and propitiators, and although they
make a distinction between mediators of intercession
and mediators [the Mediator] of redemption, yet they
plainly make of the saints mediators of redemption. 15]
But even that they are mediators of intercession they declare
without the testimony of Scripture, which, be it said ever so
reverently, nevertheless obscures Christ's office, and transfers
the confidence of mercy due Christ to the saints. For men imagine
that Christ is more severe and the saints more easily appeased,
and they trust rather to the mercy of the saints than to the
mercy of Christ, and fleeing from Christ [as from a tyrant],
they seek the saints. Thus they actually make of them mediators
of redemption.
16] Therefore
we shall show that they truly make of the saints, not only intercessors,
but propitiators, i.e., mediators of redemption. Here
we do not as yet recite the abuses of the common people [how
manifest idolatry is practised at pilgrimages]. We are still
speaking of the opinions of the Doctors. As regards the rest,
even the inexperienced [common people] can judge.
17] In a propitiator
these two things concur. In the first place, there ought to
be a word of God from which we may certainly know that God wishes
to pity, and hearken to, those calling upon Him through this
propitiator. There is such a promise concerning Christ, John
16, 23: Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name,
He will give it you. Concerning the saints there is no
such promise. Therefore consciences cannot be firmly confident
that by the invocation of saints we are heard. This invocation,
therefore, 18] is not made from faith. Then we have also
the command to call upon Christ, according to Matt. 11, 28:
Come unto Me, all ye that labor, etc., which certainly
is said also to us. And Isaiah says, 11, 10: In that day
there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for
an ensign to the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek.
And Ps. 45, 12: Even the rich among the people shall entreat
Thy favor. And Ps. 72, 11. 15: Yea, all kings
shall fall down before Him. And shortly after: Prayer
also shall be made for Him continually. And in John 5, 23
Christ says: That all men should honor the Son even as they
honor the Father. And Paul, 2 Thess. 2, 16. 17, says, praying:
Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even
our Father, ... comfort your hearts and stablish you.
(All these passages refer to Christ.] But concerning the invocation
of saints, what commandment, what example can the adversaries
produce from the Scriptures? 19] The second matter in
a propitiator is, that his merits have been presented as those
which make satisfaction for others, which are bestowed by divine
imputation on others, in order that through these, just as by
their own merits, they may be accounted righteous. As when any
friend pays a debt for a friend, the debtor is freed by the
merit of another, as though it were by his own. Thus the merits
of Christ are bestowed upon us, in order that, when we believe
in Him, we may be accounted righteous by our confidence in Christ's
merits as though we had merits of our own.
20] And from
both, namely, from the promise and the bestowment of merits,
confidence in mercy arises [upon both parts must a Christian
prayer be founded]. Such confidence in the divine promise, and
likewise in the merits of Christ, ought to be brought forward
when we pray. For we ought to be truly confident, both that
for Christ's sake we are heard, and that by His merits we have
a reconciled Father.
21] Here the
adversaries first bid us invoke the saints, although they have
neither God's promise, nor a command, nor an example from Scripture.
And yet they cause greater confidence in the mercy of the saints
to be conceived than in that of Christ, although Christ bade
us come to Him 22] and not to the saints. Secondly, they
apply the merits of the saints, just as the merits of Christ,
to others; they bid us trust in the merits of the saints as
though we were accounted righteous on account of the merits
of the saints, in like manner as we are accounted righteous
by the merits of Christ. Here we fabricate nothing. 23]
In indulgences they say that they apply the merits of the saints
[as satisfactions for our sins]. And Gabriel, the interpreter
of the canon of the Mass, confidently declares: According
to the order instituted by God, we should betake ourselves
to the aid of the saints, in order that we may be saved
by their merits and vows. These are the words of Gabriel.
And nevertheless, in the books and sermons of the adversaries
still more absurd things are read here and there. What is it
to make propitiators if this is not? They are altogether made
equal to Christ if we must trust that we are saved by their
merits.
24] But where
has this arrangement, to which he refers when he says that we
ought to resort to the aid of the saints, been instituted by
God? Let him produce an example or command from the Scriptures.
Perhaps they derive this arrangement from the courts of kings,
where friends must be employed as intercessors. But if a king
has appointed a certain intercessor, he will not desire that
cases be brought to him through others. Thus, since Christ has
been appointed Intercessor and High Priest, why do we seek others?
[What can the adversaries say in reply to this?]
25] Here and
there this form of absolution is used: The passion of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the merits of the most blessed Virgin
Mary and of all the saints, be to thee for the remission
of sins. Here the absolution is pronounced on the supposition
that we are reconciled and accounted righteous not only by the
merits of Christ, but also by the merits of the other saints.
26] Some of us have seen a doctor of theology dying,
for consoling whom a certain theologian, a monk, was employed.
He pressed on the dying man nothing but this prayer: Mother
of grace, protect us from the enemy; receive us in the
hour of death
27] Granting
that the blessed Mary prays for the Church, does she receive
souls in death, does she conquer death [the great power of Satan],
does she quicken? What does Christ do if the blessed Mary does
these things? Although she is most worthy of the most ample
honors, nevertheless she does not wish to be made equal to Christ,
but rather wishes us to consider and follow her example [the
example of her faith and her humility]. 28] But the subject
itself declares that in public opinion the blessed Virgin has
succeeded altogether to the place of Christ. Men have invoked
her, have trusted in her mercy through her have desired to appease
Christ, as though He were not a Propitiator, but, only a dreadful
judge and avenger. 29] We believe, however, that we must
not trust that the merits of the saints are applied to us, that
on account of these God is reconcile d to us, or accounts us
just, or saves us. For we obtain remission of sins only by the
merits of Christ, when we believe in Him. Of the other saints
it has been said, 1 Cor. 3, 8: Every man shall receive his
own reward according to his own labor, i.e., they
cannot mutually bestow their own merits, the one upon the other,
as the monks sell the merits of their orders. 30] Even
Hilary says of the foolish virgins: And as the foolish virgins
could not go forth with their lamps extinguished, they
besought those who were prudent to lend them oil; to whom they
replied that they could not give it because peradventure there
might not be enough for all; i.e., no one can be aided
by the works and merits of another, because it is necessary
for every one to buy oil for his own lamp. [Here he points
out that none of us can aid another by other people's works
or merits.]
31] Since,
therefore, the adversaries teach us to place confidence in the
invocation of saints, although they have neither the Word of
God nor the example of Scripture [of the Old or of the New Testament];
since they apply the merits of the saints on behalf of others
not otherwise than they apply the merits of Christ, and transfer
the honor belonging only to Christ to the saints, we can receive
neither their opinions concerning the worship of the saints,
nor the practise of invocation. For we know that confidence
is to be placed in the intercession of Christ, because this
alone has God's promise. We know that the merits of Christ alone
are a propitiation for us. On account of the merits of Christ
we are accounted righteous when we believe in Him, as the text
says, Rom. 9, 33 (cf. 1 Pet. 2, 6 and Is. 28, 16): Whosoever
believeth on Him shall not be confounded. Neither are we
to trust that we are accounted righteous by the merits of the
blessed Virgin or of the other saints.
32] With the
learned this error also prevails, namely, that to each saint
a particular administration has been committed, that Anna bestows
riches [protects from poverty], Sebastian keeps off pestilence,
Valentine heals epilepsy, George protects horsemen. These opinions
have clearly sprung from heathen examples. For thus, among the
Romans, Juno was thought to enrich, Febris to keep off fever,
Castor and Pollux to protect horsemen, etc. 33] Even
though we should imagine that the invocation of saints were
taught with the greatest prudence, yet since the example is
most dangerous, why is it necessary to defend it when it has
no command or testimony from God's Word? Aye, it has not even
the testimony of the ancient writers. 34] First because,
as I have said above, when other mediators are sought in addition
to Christ, and confidence is put in others, the entire knowledge
of Christ is suppressed. The subject shows this. In the beginning,
mention of the saints seems to have been admitted with a design
that is endurable, as in the ancient prayers. Afterwards invocation
followed, and abuses that are prodigious and more than heathenish
followed invocation. From invocation the next step was to images;
these also were worshiped, and a virtue was supposed to exist
in these, just as magicians imagine that a virtue exists in
images of the heavenly bodies carved at a particular time. In
a certain monastery we [some of us] have seen a statue of the
blessed Virgin, which moved automatically by a trick [within
by a string], so as to seem either to turn away from [those
who did not make a large offering] or nod to those making request.
35] Still
the fabulous stories concerning the saints, which are publicly
taught with great authority, surpass the marvelous tales of
the statues and pictures. Barbara, amidst her torments, asks
for the reward that no one who would invoke her should die without
the Eucharist. Another, standing on one foot, recited daily
the whole psaltery. Some wise man painted [for children] Christophorus
[which in German means Bearer of Christ], in order by the allegory
to signify that there ought to be great strength of mind in
those who would bear Christ, i.e., who would teach or
confess the Gospel, because it is necessary to undergo the greatest
dangers [for they must wade by night through the great sea,
i.e., endure all kinds of temptations and dangers]. Then
the foolish monks taught among the people that they ought to
invoke Christophorus, as though such a Polyphemus (such a giant
who bore Christ through the sea] had once existed. And although
36] the saints performed very great deeds, either useful
to the state or affording private examples, the remembrance
of which would conduce much both toward strengthening faith
and toward following their example in the administration of
affairs, no one has searched for these from true narratives.
[Although God Almighty through His saints, as a peculiar people,
has wrought many great things in both realms, in the Church
and in worldly transactions; although there are many great examples
in the lives of the saints which would be very profitable to
princes and lords, to true pastors and guardians of souls, for
the government both of the world and of the Church, especially
for strengthening faith in God, yet they have passed these by,
and preached the most insignificant matters concerning the saints,
concerning their hard beds, their hair shirts, etc., which,
for the greater part, are falsehoods.] Yet indeed it is of advantage
to hear how holy men administered governments [as in the Holy
Scriptures it is narrated of the kings of Israel and Judah],
what calamities, what dangers they underwent, how holy men were
of aid to kings in great dangers, how they taught the Gospel,
what encounters they had with heretics. Examples of mercy are
also of service, as when we see the denial forgiven Peter, when
we see Cyprian forgiven for having been a magician, when we
see Augustine, having experienced the power of faith in sickness,
steadily affirming that God truly hears the prayers of believers.
It was profitable that such examples as these, which contain
admonitions for either faith or fear or the administration of
the state, be recited. 37] But certain triflers, endowed
with no knowledge either of faith or for governing states, have
invented stories in imitation of poems, in which there are nothing
but superstitious examples concerning certain prayers, certain
fastings, and certain additions of service for bringing in gain
[where there are nothing but examples as to how the saints wore
hair shirts, how they prayed at the seven canonical hours, how
they lived upon bread and water]. Such are the miracles that
have been invented concerning rosaries and similar ceremonies.
Nor is there need here to recite examples. For the legends,
as they call them, and the mirrors of examples, and the rosaries,
in which there are very many things not unlike the true narratives
of Lucian, are extant.
38] The bishops,
theologians, and monks applaud these monstrous and wicked stories
[this abomination set up against Christ, this blasphemy, these
scandalous, shameless lies, these lying preachers; and they
have permitted them so long, to the great injury of consciences,
that it is terrible to think of it] because they aid them to
their daily bread. They do not tolerate us, who, in order that
the honor and office of Christ may be more conspicuous, do not
require the invocation of saints, and censure the abuses in
the worship, of saints. 39] And although [even their
own theologians], all good men everywhere [a long time before
Dr. Luther began to write] in the correction of these abuses,
greatly longed for either the authority of the bishops or the
diligence of the preachers, nevertheless our adversaries in
the Confutation altogether pass, over vices that are even manifest,
as though they wish, by the reception of the Confutation, to
compel us to approve even the most notorious abuses.
40] Thus the
Confutation has been deceitfully written, not only on this topic,
but almost everywhere. [They pretend that they are as pure as
gold, that they have never muddled the water.] There is no passage
in which they make a distinction between the manifest abuses
and their dogmas. And nevertheless, if there are any of sounder
mind among them, they confess that many false opinions inhere
in the doctrine of the scholastics and canonists, and, besides,
that in such ignorance and negligence of the pastors many abuses
crept into the Church. 41] For Luther was not (the only
one nor] the first to complain of [innumerable] public abuses.
Many learned and excellent men long before these times deplored
the abuses of the Mass, confidence in monastic, observances,
services to the saints intended to yield a revenue, the confusion
of the doctrine concerning repentance [concerning Christ], which
ought to be as clear and plain in the Church as possible [without
which there cannot be nor remain a Christian Church]. We ourselves
have heard that excellent theologians desire moderation in the
scholastic doctrine, which contains much more for philosophical
quarrels than for piety. And nevertheless, among these the older
ones are generally nearer Scripture than are the more recent.
Thus their theology degenerated more and more. Neither had many
good men, who from the very first began to be friendly to Luther,
any other reason than that they saw that he was freeing the
minds of men from these labyrinths of most confused and infinite
discussions which exist among the scholastic theologians and
canonists, and was teaching things profit able for godliness.
42] The adversaries,
therefore, have not acted candidly in passing over the abuses
when they wished us to assent to the Confutation. And if they
wished to care for the interests of the Church [and of afflicted
consciences, and not rather to maintain their pomp and avarice],
especially on that topic, at this occasion, they ought to exhort
our most excellent Emperor to take measures for the correction
of abuses [which furnish grounds for derision among the Turks,
the Jews, and all unbelievers], as we observe plainly enough
that he is most desirous of healing and well-establishing the
Church. But the adversaries do not act so as to aid the most
honorable and most holy will of the Emperor, but so as in every
way to crush (the truth and] us. 43] Many signs show
that they have little anxiety concerning the state of the Church.
[They lose little sleep from concern that Christian doctrine
and the pure Gospel be preached.] They take no pains that there
should be among the people a summary of the dogmas of the Church.
[The office of the ministry they permit to be quite desolate.)
They defend manifest abuses [they continue every day to shed
innocent blood] by new and unusual cruelty. They allow no suitable
teachers in the churches. Good men can easily judge whither
these things tend. But in this way they have no regard to the
interest either of their own authority or of the Church. For
after the good teachers have been killed and sound doctrine
suppressed, fanatical spirits will rise up, whom the adversaries
will not be able to restrain, who both will disturb the Church
with godless dogmas, and will overthrow the entire ecclesiastical
government, which we are very greatly desirous of maintaining.
44] Therefore,
most excellent Emperor Charles, for the sake of the glory of
Christ, which we have no doubt that you desire to praise and
magnify, we beseech you not to assent to the violent counsels
of our adversaries, but to seek other honorable ways of so establishing
harmony that godly consciences are not burdened, that no cruelty
is exercised against innocent men, as we have hitherto seen,
and that sound doctrine is not suppressed in the Church. To
God most of all you owe the duty [as far as this is possible
to man] to maintain sound doctrine and hand it down to posterity,
and to defend those who teach what is right. For God demands
this when He honors kings with His own name and calls them gods,
saying, Ps. 82, 6: I have said, Ye are gods, namely,
that they should attend to the preservation and propagation
of divine things, i.e., the Gospel of Christ, on the
earth, and, as the vicars of God, should defend the life and
safety of the innocent [true Christian teachers and preachers].
