Our next “point” is—Prayer in the Latin language, of which I presume there was a fair specimen at your late proceedings at Pantasa. It would be a waste of words to write much upon this subject. I will therefore merely remind you of the statement of St. Paul in 1 Cor. xiv. 19. “In the Church I had rather speak five words with my understanding that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue,” which compels Cardinal Cajetan to acknowledge—inloco—that “it is more for edification that prayers should be offered in a language understood by Clergy and people, than in Latin.”
Our next point is—the Invocation of Saints. All Romish writers of the present day seem unanimous in asserting and practising this awful idolatry. There were some few before who seemed to shrink from it. Your Dr. Milner does not found the practice on holy Scripture but tradition. ’Tis true that he refers to Scripture—Letter xxxvi. but suddenly,—evidently from seeing the weakness of his references,—says,—“The Church, however, derived her doctrine on this subject from the Apostles, before the New Testament was written.” Alas, my Lord, how you “make void the word of God by your tradition!” What saith our Lord and Master? “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” Am I to be told that it is only forbidden to give latria, or supreme adoration, to any but the Almighty? Your words latreia and douleia are indifferently used in the Bible. Here you are forbidden to give the one to any being except God. In 1 Sam. vii. 3. you are forbidden to give the other to any creature. How then can you reconcile, with the orders of your God, the following most awful prayers?
“We fly to thy protection, O holy Mother of God; despise not our prayers in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin.”—Bishop Riley’s Catechism, Dub. 1830. p. 10.
“Most pure Virgin, conceived without sin, [10a] Thou art the sure refuge of penitent sinners, with reason therefore, I have recourse to Thee.”—Novenas of the B. V. Mary. Dub. 1833. p. 4.
“O Lady of Heaven and earth,” &c., Ib. p. 12.
“Most prudent Virgin, who by redeeming thy Son Jesus Christ, according to the law, didst co-operate in the salvation of the world; rescue our poor souls from the slavery of sin, that we may be always pure before God. Hail Mary.”—Ib. p. 21.
St. Joseph, who for so many centuries had actually no commemoration in the Roman calendar, is now exalted to a height of glory, from which the rest of the blessed company are excluded—
“There is no saint in heaven I worship like Thee,
Sweet spouse of our Lady! O deign to love me.”
And St. Mary is actually made our mediatrix with him—
“With her babe in her arms surely Mary will be,
Sweet spouse of our Lady! my pleader with Thee.” [10b]