Questions of Religion, Commonplaces · Commonplace 7
The seuenth Common place. Of the relikes of Sainctes, images & such like things
The. xxxj. Question.
Whether they beleeue that the going on Pilgrimage to the bones & churches of the saincts, be not a godly thing?
The Answere.
THis question compriseth in it three others. First, what we thinke of Pilgrymages that are taken in hande for religions sake? Secondly, what we thinke of the reliques and bones of the Saincts? Thirdly, what wée thinke of their temples? To these wée aunswere: All those things are godlie which men do being therevnto comaū ded of God by his worde. Wherfore if you wil hauehave vsus iudge these Pilgrymages godlie, then shew vsus out of the scriptures where they were instituted and commanded of God. For we can finde no one letter or title of holy Scripture, where any mention is made of these pilgrymages, but most perfectly know that our Lorde hath taught vsus not to estéeme one place in this earth better than another, nor to gadde hither and thither for the obtaining of grace. For God is present and mercifull wheresoeuer the faithful hauehave néede of his grace and call vppon him with a true fayth: Psalm. 107. and. 145. Amos. 5. Jere. 7. 23. John. 4. 1. Timothe. 2. and many other places. Againe, sithe in the Questions before going, we hauehave alreadie shewed that the Sainctes sende vsus from them selues to God and to his sonne Jesus Christe, it is euidente that they allowe not of these Pilgrimages, and that they are not profitable nor healthfull for those which take them in hand, and therefore we ought not to doe them.
Touching the bones and Relikes ofOf the reliques of sainctes. Sainctes, there is thrée sortes of them: Either they are their wrytings, containing theyr Doctrine: or some partes or menibers of theyr bodyes: Or some exterioure things which they vsed as their garmentes and suche lyke. Their2. Pet. 1. wrytings therfore which containe their Doctrines, are the right Relickes, yea the vnspeakeable treasure of all good Christians, which ought therfore to be had in moste great honor.
Againe, the bones and bodyes of the Sainctes, are worthy of their honoure, as hauing parte in the Resurrection of the deade, for the which they looke, and were bisides, the houses of that moste excellent spirite with which they were fulfilled. But euen as the bodyes of the Patriarkes, of Moses, Aaron, Josua, the Kings, Prophetes, and the holy bodie of Christe, of John, Stephen, and other the Apostles, were moste honourably buried: So are the bones of the Sainctes cōmitted to the earthe, vntill the day of iudgemente, and are not to be digged vppe, nor sette to be worshipped of the Christians in their churches, as Athanasius hathe taughte in the life of blessed Anthonie.
Furthermore if we hauehave oughte, which we knowe the Sainctes vsed in the time of theyr life, yet oughte we not to woorshippe it: For as the aunciente Fathers hauehave taughte vsus, suche woorshipping is superstition, and displeaseth bothe God and the Saincts, as before it is said: what thing else may be said touching Relickes I héere omitte, bicause theyr deceites are euidently knowne. For oftentimes it happeneth that the heade, arme or some one or other mēber of a saincte is found to be in two or thre places, as though he had had thrée heades, or thrée armes more than any other man. Againe, in the stead of Reliques, fonde and foolishe things are offered vntounto men to be woorshipped, by meanes wherof the sainctes are rather dishonoured than honoured: yet in this their marchandise they so shamefully behaue themselues, that those whiche hauehave in them any sparke of honesty, although they delighte in Papisticall doctrine, yet are they dyspleased hereat. Lastely, Temples and Chappels areOf Te…ples dedicated to sainctes. not to be dedicated and built vntounto sainctes which now are in heauen, but they only ought to hauehave sepulchres or graues as becommeth mortal men. Wherfore although it may be supposed that our elders for some good intent did build temples vntounto the saincts, yet is it euident yt it displeseth both god & the saincts. For temples are not to be built in ye names of sainctes, nor congregations oughte to be collected in their names, for that honor is due to the creator onelyonly, as it may easily be proued by diuers authorities bothe of the scriptures & of men, which héer for breuities sake I do omit. Wherfore we iudge that the christians hauehave néede of churches to be built to the honor of god, & of our lord Jesus Christ, in the which his word ought to be preached, publike prayers to be made, ye sacramentes ministred, & almes to be bestowed. And of these churches we think very honorably, and therfore gladly cal them the churches or houses of god, & of Christe, and ought in no wise to be prophaned: as I hauehave already else where sufficiently taught.
The. xxxij. Question.
Whether they beleue that it is good and godly to light vp candels before the sacrament of the altare, and the images and relikes of sainctes?
The Answere.
THe vse of candels is necessaryThe vse of candels in the churches. in the churches in the nighte times, by reason of the darknesse, as in ye morning before day &c. And after this sorte did the apostles vse candels in ye church or congregation. Actes. 20. But to set vp light in stead of a sacrifice, to the woorshipping of sainctes, or for the saluation of soules, this is cleane contrary to the holy scripture, and therfore condemned by Lactantius a most auncient wryte….Lactan. inst. li. 6. cap. 1. Our hartes must be kindled vntounto God in the Newe testament, and we muste giuegive light by our good woorkes, and thatMath. 5. Rom. 22. shalbe an acceptable sacrifice vntounto God. And bicause the Lord commaundeth vsus to take and eate the sacrament, it is notLightes before the sacrament. lawful for vsus to kéepe it and shut it vp, but we must eate it: and therfore there is no neede to set lightes before it. But let them rather which are partakers of that sacrament, prouide that the bright and shining light of true fayth may bée in their hartes: for this setting vppe of lightes before the Sacrament is a new deuise found out of late, and vtterly vnknowne to the Primitiue Church. And as touching Images, this is our iudgement. First, God hath forbiddē to make Images to worship them, as appeareth in the seconde Commaundemente. Againe in the wrytings of the lawe, theOf Images. Prophetes and Apostles, he hathe altogither, and that very earnestly forbidden Images, yea, moste greeuously threatning all those which either make them, or woorshippe them. Wherefore, that which God abhorreth, calleth euil, and cursseth, we can not call the same good. Wherfore, if any man desire to sée any testimonies héereof, let him reade the twentieth of Exodus, Deuteronomie the fifth, fourthe and seuenth, and twentie seuen. Psalme an hundred and thirti…ne. Esay fortie, and fortie foure. Jeremie tenth. Rom. first, first Corrin. tenth, first Peter fourth, and first John the fifth. &c. And where as some of them say, they woorshippe not the Image, but him whome it signifieth, that is but a single souled reason: for neither God nor his Sainctes wil be so worshipped.God nor hys sainctes can by Images be represented. Againe, Images are not like vntounto God nor to the Sainctes. For God is a spirite that can not be measured, without beginning and without ending, of most …reate power and Maiestie, and canne …herefore be expressed by no Image, as the holy scripture doth euidētly teach vsus. Actes. 17. and in diuers other places. Againe, the Angels which are spirites, howe can there be made any image of them? The Sainctes while they heere liued on the earth, had bothe a body and a soule, that is consumed, and this remaines in heauen: howe therefore can they be expressed by any image? The image of their bodyes, can nothing at all helpe vsus to eternall life, and therefore althoughe we had them, they could nothing helpe vsus. Againe, that which is chéefest in the Sainctes, as the grace of God, faithe, and suche like giftes, can neuer be expressed vntounto vsus by any colour, woode or stone. To conclude, God, the Angels and Sainctes, are in heauen, indowed with a more excellent glorye than that they may be expressed or represented by any images: which images the holy Prophetes of God hauehave scorned and derided, as Esay. 44. and Baruch. 6. But if they say that images muste be made to teache and instructe only, then doe we knowe that we hauehave receiued a more perfecte and excellenter way héereunto from God, which is, his holy spirite and woorde. And bicause neither in the Apostles times, nor in the primitiue Churche, there was any vse at all of images, we cannot then truely call them good, sithe they are so condemned (as we hauehave saide) of God and his Sainctes. Touching Relikes, we hauehave spoken in the Question before going, and therfore contented therwith we will speake no more therof.
The. xxxiij. Question.
Whether they like well of the halowing of water, herbes, and other things vsed in the Christian Churche?
The Answere.
THe primytiue ApostolickeThe making of holivvate… & holy fire. churche, was altogether ignorant of these consecrations and blessings of water, fire, salt, butter, oyle, palm, herbs wafers, and suche like. And therfore, bicause they are abuses and méere inuentions of men, they can in no wise please vsus. For we beleeue, that Christe hathe blessed all those creatures whereof the faithfull hauehave neede, so as if they vse them moderately in faithe, wyth giuing of thankes, they cannot be hurtfull, but pure and good vntounto them, as Paul witnesseth. …. …. 4. and Tit. …. But to beleeue & trust that these halowed things, whereof we hauehave spoken, can defende and keepe vsus from euill, is meere superstitious, condemned of God, and reproued of all Gods faithfull ministers.