The second tome of homilies of such matters as were promised, and entitled in…The second tome of homilees of such matters as were promised, and intituled in…

Now then, is there any angel, any virgin, any patriarch or prophet among the dead, that can understand, or know the meaning of ¹the heart? The scriptures saith, it is God that searcheth the heart and reins, and that he only knoweth the hearts of the children of men. As for the saints, they have so little knowledge of the secretes of the heart, that many of the ancient fathers greatly doubt, whether they know any thing at all, that is commonly done on earth. And albeit some think they do, yet saint Augustine ²a Doctor of great authority, and also antiquity, hath this opinion of them: that they know no more what we do on earth, then we know what they do in heaven. For proof whereof, he allegeth the words of Isaiah the prophet, where it is said, Abraham is ignorant of us, ³and Israel knoweth us not. His mind therefore is this, not that we should put any religion in worshipping them, or praying unto them: but that we should honour them by following their virtuous and godly life. For as he witnesseth ⁴in an other place, the martyrs and holy men in times past, were wont after their death, to be remembered, and named of the priest at divine service: but never to be invocated or called upon. And why so? because the priest (saith he) is Gods priest, and not theirs: Whereby he is bound to call upon God, and not upon them. ⟨p. 239⟩Thus you see, that the authority both of scripture, and also of Augustine, doth not permit, that we should pray unto them. O that all men would studiously read, and search the scriptures, then ⁵should they not be drowned in ignorance, but should easily perceive the trueth, aswell of this point of doctrine, as of all the rest. For there doth the holy ghost plainly teach us, that Christ is our only mediator and intercessor with God, and that we must seek and run to no other. If any man sinneth saith saint John, we have ⁶