Primitive Christian Worship: Or, The Evidence of Holy Scripture and the Church, Against the Invocation of Saints and Angels, and the Blessed Virgin MaryTyler, James Endell
Religion
Primitive Christian Worship: Or, The Evidence of Holy Scripture and the Church, Against the Invocation of Saints and Angels, and the Blessed Virgin Mary
Tyler, James Endell
Christian saints -- Cult; Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint -- Devotion to; Worship -- History -- Early church, ca. 30-600
Thus Flavian writing to Leo says, "Wherefore (in consequence of those
errors, and heresies, and distractions, which he had deplored) we must
be sober and watch unto prayer, and draw nigh to God." [Vol. v. 1330.]
And again, "Thus will the heresy which has arisen, and the consequent
commotion, be easily destroyed by your holy letters with the assistance
of God." [Vol. v. 1355.] Thus Leo in his turn writing to Julian, Bishop
of Cos, utters this truly Christian sentiment. "May the mercy of God, as
we trust, grant that without the loss of any soul, against the darts of
the devil the sound parts may be entirely preserved, and the wounded
parts may be healed. May God preserve you safe and sound, most honoured
brother!" [Vol. v. 1423.] Thus the same Bishop of Rome writing to
Flavian, expresses his hopes in these words: "Confidently trusting that
the help of God will be present, so that one who has been misled,
condemning the vanity of his own thoughts, may be saved. May God
preserve you in health and strength, most beloved brother!" [Vol. v.
1390.]
I will detain you by only one more reference to these most interesting
documents. The whole Council of Chalcedon, at the conclusion of all, and
when the {328} triumph was considered to have been secured over
Eutyches, and their gratitude was expressed that the heresies had been
destroyed--instead of referring to Mary as the "sole destroyer of
heresies," shout, as if with the voice of one man, from every side, "It
is God alone who hath done this!" [Vol. vii. p. 174.] Neither
antecedently did their chief pastors exhort them to raise their eyes to
Mary, and promise to "implore" the blessing they needed, "in humble
prayer from Peter and Paul." Neither "in the straitened condition of the
Lord's flock" did they invoke any other than God. And when truth
prevailed, and the victory was won, whilst they were lavish of their
grateful thanks to the emperor and his queen, who were present and had
succoured them; of help from the invisible world they make no mention,
save only of the Lord's; they had implored neither angel, nor saints,
nor Virgin to be their protector and patron; no angel, nor saint, nor
virgin, shared their praises;--God alone was exalted in that day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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