like Prudentius (about 405) and Paulinus of Nola (died 431), to whom greater freedom is allowed, but even in all the prominent theologians and preach- ers of the Nicene and post-Nicene age. It was as popular as monkery, and was as enthusiastically commended by the lead- ers of the church in the East and West. The two institutions, moreover, are closely connected and favor each other. The monks were most zealous friends of saint-worship in their own cause. The church of the fifth cen- tury already went almost as far in it as the Middle Age, at all events quite as far as the council of Trent ; for this council does not prescribe the invocation of the saints, but confines itself to approving it as " good and useful " (not as necessary) on the ground of their reigning with Christ in heaven and their intercession for us, and expressly remarks that Christ is our only Redeemer and Saviour.' This moderate and prudent statement of the doctrine, however, has not yet removed the excesses which the Roman Catholic people still practise in the v/orship of the saints, their images, and their relics. The Greek church goes even further in theory than the Roman ; for the confession of Peter Mogilas (which was subscribed by the four Greek patriarchs in 1643, and again sanctioned by the council of Jerusalem in 1672), declares it duty and proprie- ty (xp^o<i) to implore the intercession {/lea-tTela) of Mary and the saints with God for us. "We now cite, for proof and further illustration, the most important passages from the church fathers of our period on nope in Pontus, became the patron of all mariners, and took the place of Castor and Pollux. At the daily meals on shipboard, Phocas had his portion set out among the rest, as an invisible guest, and the proceeds of the sale of these por- tions was finally distributed among the poor as a thank-offering for the prosperous voyage. ' Cone. Trid. Sess. xxv. : " Sanctos una cum Christo regnantes orationes suas pro hominibus Deo offere ; honum atque utile esse suppliciter eos invocare et ob beneficia impetranda a Deo per Filiimi ejus Jesum Christum, qui solus noster re- demptor et salvator est, ad eorum orationes, opera auxiliumque confugere." 438 THIRD PERIOD. A.D. 311-590. this point. In the numerous memorial discom*ses of the fathers, the martyrs are loaded with eulogies, addressed as present, and besought for their protection. The universal tone of those productions is offensive to the Protestant taste, and can hardlj be reconciled with evangelical ideas of the ex- clusive and all-sufficient mediation of Christ and of justifica- tion by pure grace without the merit of works. But it must not be forgotten that in these discourses very much is to be put to the account of the degenerate, extravagant, and fulsome I'hetoric of that time. The best church fathers, too, never sep- arated the merits of the saints from the merits of Christ, but