He was a
voluminous writer, and his writings were very diversified in their
character. {172} Whatever be our previous sentiments we cannot too
carefully examine the remains of this learned man. But in his writings,
historical, biographical, controversial, or by whatever name they may be
called, overflowing as they are with learning, philosophical and
scriptural, I can find no one single passage which countenances the
decrees of the Council of Trent; not one passage which would encourage
me to hope that I prayed as the primitive Church was wont to pray, if by
invocation I requested an angel or a saint to procure me any favour, or
to pray for me. The testimony of Eusebius has a directly contrary
tendency.
Among the authorities quoted by the champions of the invocation of
saints, I can find only three from Eusebius; and I sincerely lament the
observations which truth and justice require me to make here, in
consequence of the manner in which his evidence has been cited. The
first passage to which I refer is quoted by Bellarmin from the history
of Eusebius, to prove that the spirit of a holy one goes direct from
earth to heaven. This passage is not from the pen of Eusebius; and if it
were, it would not bear on our inquiry. The second is quoted by the same
author, from the Evangelica Praeparatio, to prove that the primitive
Christians offered prayers to the saints.
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