Polemics

As to the first, they deny that concupiscence or tinder is prohibited by the law of God because they do not consider it to be a sin. … But the orthodox think concupiscence is both properly sin and is prohibited by the law.

Now who can believe that Paul would so often and so expressly have called that sin, if it was not true sin and properly so called, but only because it flowed from sin and inclined to sin (as the Council falsely maintained)?

He, then, who admits not that all the desires of the flesh are sins, and that that disease of concupiscence, which they call a stimulus, is a fountain of sin, must of necessity deny that the transgression of the law is sin.

Those who maintain that concupiscence is not sin, are wont to found on the passage of James, "Then, when lust has conceived, it bringeth forth sin," (James 1:15). But this is easily refuted: for unless we understand him as speaking only of wicked works or actual sins, even a wicked inclination will not be accounted sin. But from his calling crimes and wicked deeds the fruits of lust, and also giving them the name of sins, it does not follow that the lust itself is not an evil, and in the sight of God deserving of condemnation.

Falsely, therefore, do the Papists remove it from the number of sins and reckon it among the works of God.

Bellarmine says that this inordinate concupiscence is not properly sin. What then? Shall we say it is improperly called sin, even though in the very principles of nature it chains and restrains man like a ferocious beast? Is this credible? Let Bellarmine believe such absurdities—we do not.

Fifth, the last commandment of lust forbids the first motions to sin that are before consent. … Again, the philosophers knew that lust with consent was evil, even by the light of nature. But Paul, a learned Pharisee, and therefore more than a philosopher, knew not lust to be sin that is forbidden in this commandment [Rom. 7:7]. Lust therefore that is forbidden here, is without consent.

Lust in the bud; that is, the first risings of lust, even before the consent of the will to them; the first openings of particular lusts, sometimes not regarded nor noticed, and so neither approved nor disapproved; and sometimes checked in their very rising, Rom. 7:15. But however it be, they are sins here forbidden, though the Papists will not allow them to be so

If that law demands perfect conformity to the image of God, then these impulses of evil are clearly sinful. … The Protestant doctrine which pronounces these impulsive acts to be of the nature of sin is confirmed by the consciousness of the believer. He recognizes as evil in their own nature the first risings of malice, envy, pride, or cupidity.

These, whatsoever the Papists say to the contrary, as soon as ever they do but begin to heave and stir in our breasts, are truly sins; and do, in their measure, pollute and defile the soul: for the soul of man is like a clear mirror, upon which if you only breathe, you sully it, and leave a dimness upon it

But Protestants also believe that lust or concupiscence in the regenerate, as including a remaining tendency towards what is sinful, and the first or earliest motions of this tendency in the heart, though not deliberately consented to and followed out, is itself truly and properly sinful.

Is there any Queen of heaven constituted by God? It is denied. That name was taken from the ancient idolaters, and applied to the virgin Mary by the new ones.

We acknowledge the Blessed virgin to be the most excellent member of this spouse; and that, in this sense, she reigns with Christ, and with all the faithful. But that Christ administers his kingdom through her, as through the Queen of heaven, or that he has constituted her to have Dominion over all creatures with Royal power, since this is not proved from scripture; but is only fashioned by the most audacious men, she will never receive it; … nor can we defer it to her.

I hear again a Jesuit crying out, "You, Mother of God, CAN DO ALL THINGS in heaven and on earth." But I believe Christ, saying, (Matt. 28:18.) "All power is given to me in heaven and on earth." If he had said the same of his mother, we would have given faith to him: which we rightly withdraw from those who, without God's authority, crown a Queen, not only for themselves, but to rule over all creatures.

If God disapproved that men on earth constituted a King for themselves, without consulting him: what will he say of the worms of the earth, who without an oracle from God, constitute a Queen of heaven, and erect for her a throne of majesty, without asking at the mouth of God?

Hence we see how widely the Papists differ from her, who idly adorn her with their empty devices, and reckon almost as nothing the benefits which she received from God. They heap up an abundance of magnificent and very presumptuous titles, such as, "Queen of Heaven, Star of Salvation, Gate of Life, Sweetness, Hope, and Salvation." Nay more, to such a pitch of insolence and fury have they been hurried by Satan, that they give her authority over Christ; for this is their pretty song, "Beseech the Father, Order the Son." None of these modes of expression, it is evident, proceeded from the Lord. All are disclaimed by the holy virgin in a single word, when she makes her whole glory to consist in acts of the divine kindness. If it was her duty to praise the name of God alone, who had done to her wonderful things, no room is left for the pretended titles, which come from another quarter.

Except for those honorary titles which belong to God the Lord and to our only Saviour, one may give her the highest and most glorious titles. … But that we do not name her a Goddess, a Mediator between God and men, an all-knowing and almighty Queen of Heaven, a Gate of the Heavenly Paradise, a Redeemer, a Reconciler of the human race, and more suchlike honorary titles which were raised by men, comes solely therefrom, that suchlike honorary titles are adverse to the honour of God and of Our Saviour.

This phrase, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, doth not speak her the lady and queen of heaven, (as the papists style her), but it speaketh her humility and readiness to give up herself to the Lord's pleasure, her assent and consent unto God.

She was called the Queen of heaven, Queen of queens, said to be exalted above all principalities and powers; to be seated at the right hand of Christ, to share with Him in the universal and absolute power committed to his hands. All the blessings of salvation were sought at her hands, as well as protection from all enemies, and deliverance from all evils.

Or even the blessed Virgin, whom they call Queen of Heaven, Mistress of the Earth, and Star of the Sea (Stella Maris)—even though this is a wrong rendering of Drop of the Sea (Stilla maris)

It seems that the papists gathered of this place Salve Regina and Regina caeli laetare calling the virgin Mary Queen of heaven and so out of the blessed virgin and mother of our saviour Christ, made an idol; for here the prophet condemns their idolatry.

That is, they sacrifice to the sun, moon and stars, which they called the queen of heaven, Jer 44:17, 2Ki 23:5.

These men had constituted a Queen in heaven, not from God: they also offered her cakes and drink offerings. … Those Arab women imitated this custom, against whom and their followers Epiphanius writes, who in Christianity were the first to apply the name Queen of heaven to the Blessed virgin, and offered cakes to her, as the idolatrous Jews did to their queen of heaven.

But if "the Queen of the heavens" be adopted, then I am inclined to think that the moon is intended: and we know how much superstition has ever prevailed among most people as to the worship of the moon.

And as the heathens had, so the Papists have, their idols and images of things in heaven, of God, angels, saints; and want not their queen of heaven, as well as the Pagans had.

However, we cannot in any way acknowledge or accept what our opponents openly say, namely that Mary is to be invoked as a mediator between God and humans, or that she is our patron and advocate. We do not believe that this is either a tradition of Holy Scripture or a command from God. We believe that God, who alone grants all salvation for the present and future, is the one to be invoked alone. We believe that Christ alone [since He alone is true God and true man] is the true mediator between God and humans. We believe that He, who alone can satisfy all humans, is the patron and advocate with the Father.

In brief, there is scarcely one title given to Jesus Christ, nor one which prophesies of Him, which they do not attribute to her, calling her Queen of Heaven, Porter of Paradise, their life, their sweetness, treasurer of grace, the refuge and advocate of sinners—thus dishonoring Him and also making the poor people understand that they honor her contrary to the whole Word of God and the writings of the most ancient teachers.

Nothing is more frequent among them than to call the blessed virgin a redemptress and deliverer from sins.

Yes, they transform some of them into detestable idols, making them in truth mediators of redemption, especially the virgin Mary, whom they call "a Lady, a Goddess, a Queen, whom Christ her Son obeys in heaven, a mediatress: or life, hope, the medicine of the diseased."

It may be added also that the doctrine of the Papists that the saints or the Virgin Mary may act as mediators to procure blessings for us, is false. There is but "one Mediator;" and but one is necessary. Prayer offered to the "saints," or to the "Virgin," is idolatry, and at the same time removes the one great Mediator from the office which he alone holds, of making intercession with God.

This is especially evident with respect to the blessed virgin, to whom they not only frequently ascribe divine names and articles (when they call her "Goddess, Mistress, Queen of Heaven, Mother of Mercy, Redemptress, Our Omnipotent Mistress, the Refuge of sinners"), but also worship internal as well as external.

But can she not furthermore be venerated as a mediator and intercessor between God and us with the honour of invocation? Answer: No, since no one should be invoked except God alone in Christ, our only Mediator, Saviour, and Intercessor

More than this cannot be sought at the hands of God or Christ. The Virgin Mary is to her worshippers what Christ is to us. She is the object of all religious affections; the ground of confidence; and the source whence all the blessings of salvation are expected and sought.

Giving divine honor to the holy Virgin, or worshipping her with adoration, as Protestants say, due to God alone; of ascribing all the titles of Christ unto her, turning Lord in the Psalms in most places into Lady; praying to her, not only to entreat, yea, to command her Son to help and save them, but to save them herself, as she to whom her Son hath committed the administration of mercy, keeping that of justice to himself; with many other the like horrid blasphemies

They worship the saints departed, especially the virgin Mary, in whose worship they are so profuse, that they may be called Marians rather than Christians. To the saints they pray, make vows, swear by them, consecrate altars and temples to them, and offer incense. All which are parts of religious worship due to God alone.

Much less as one to whom we should pay a greater devotion than to her Son, and speak to her that she should command her Son, according to the blasphemous devotion and idolatry of the papists. Mary is very careful of giving succeeding generations any occasion from her expressions for any such superstitions.

So also, the Holy Virgin herself recognized the Lord Christ as her Saviour (Luke 1:47). But now whose Saviour the Lord Christ is, He makes whole and redeemed from sins, as God's Angel himself testifies (Matthew 1:21).

She knew herself to be a sinner who needed a Saviour, and that she could no otherwise rejoice in God than as interested in his salvation through the promised Messiah.

It is with great propriety, in speaking of the joy of her heart, that she gives to God the appellation of Savior. Till God has been recognised as a Savior, the minds of men are not free to indulge in true and full joy, but will remain in doubt and anxiety.

My Saviour—Mary, poor heart, never dreamt, we see, of her own "immaculate conception"—in the offensive language of the Romanists—any more than of her own immaculate life.

The Virgin Mary and the rest of the Saints being sinners, could not satisfy so much as for them selves.

This saying of Christ openly and manifestly warns men to beware lest, by too superstitiously elevating the honor of the name of mother in the Virgin Mary, they transfer to her what belongs exclusively to God. … For Mary has been constituted the Queen of Heaven, the Hope, the Life, and the Salvation of the world; and, in short, their fury and madness proceeded so far that they stripped Christ of his spoils, and left him almost naked.

Thirdly, It is a standing testimony against that idolatry which he foresaw his church would in after-ages sink into, in giving undue honours to the virgin Mary, a crime which the Roman catholics, as they call themselves, are notoriously guilty of, when they call her the queen of heaven, the salvation of the world, their mediatrix, their life and hope; … The Son of God is appointed our Advocate with the Father; but the mother of our Lord was never designed to be our advocate with the Son.

He hath also hereby taught us, that the blessed virgin is not to be preferred before her Son (as the papists do).

The Papists discover amazing stupidity by singing, in honor of Mary, those very words by which their superstition is expressly condemned, and who, in giving thanks, detach the woman's saying, and leave out the correction.

Now, as at other times, he put a comparative neglect upon his mother, which seemed purposely designed to obviate the extravagant respect which men in aftertimes would be apt to pay her. Our respect ought to be guided and governed by Christ's; now the virgin Mary, or Christ's mother, is not equalled with, but postponed to, ordinary believers, on whom Christ here puts a superlative honour.

Which is said not through ignorance or contempt, but either, as displeased with the interruption given him; or with a view to take an opportunity from hence of expressing his superior value to his spiritual relations; which looks with no favourable aspect on the superstitious notions, and veneration of the virgin Mary among the papists

As Christ alone is our mediator and redeemer, none of the saints nor even the most blessed virgin Mary (even though we recognize her as the most blessed among women and praiseworthy above all others as the mother of God) may be called mediators between God and men. Nor is it to be assigned to Mary to be the queen of heaven with lordship over all creatures, which is the province of Christ alone.

He is nevertheless our sole mediator, redeemer, defender that sits at the right hand of God the Father (1 Peter 2; Rom. 8). The saints are not mediators, intercessors, nor is the virgin Mary a mediatrix