end in disappointment.

Coccius also cites two passages as conveying the evidence of Athanasius
on this same point; one from the spurious letter addressed to Felix, the
pope; the other from the treatise to Marcellus, on the interpretation of
the Psalms. On the former, I need not detain you by any observation; it
would be fighting with a shadow. The latter, which only recognises what
I have never affirmed or denied here,--the interest in our welfare taken
by holy souls departed, and their co-operation with us when we are
working out our own salvation,--contains a valuable suggestion on the
principles of devotion.

"Let no one, however, set about to adorn these Psalms for the sake of
effect with words from without, [artificial and secular phrases,] nor
transpose, nor alter the expressions. But let every one inartificially
read and repeat what is written, that those holy persons who employed
themselves in their production, recognising their own works, may join
with us in prayer; or {186} rather that the Holy Spirit, who spake in
those holy men, observing the words with which his voice inspired them,
may assist us. For just as much as the life of those holy men is more
pure than ours, so far are their words preferable to any production of
our own."

But whilst there is not found a single passage in Athanasius to give the
faintest countenance to the invocation of saints, there are various
arguments and expressions which go far to demonstrate that such a belief
and such practices as are now acknowledged and insisted upon by the
Church of Rome, were neither adopted nor sanctioned by him. Had he
adopted that belief and practice for his own, he would scarcely have
spoken, as he repeatedly has, of the exclusion of angels and men from
any share in the work of man's restoration, without any expressions to
qualify it, and to protect his assertions from being misunderstood.
Again, he bids us look to the holy men and holy fathers as our examples,
in whose footsteps we should tread, if we would be safe; but not a hint
escapes him that they are to be invoked.

I must detain you by rather a long quotation from this father, and will,
therefore, now do nothing more than refer you to two passages expressive
of those sentiments to which I have above alluded. In the thirteenth
section of his Treatise on the Incarnation of the Word of God, he
argues, that neither could men restore us to the image of God, nor could
angels, but the word of