Answer to Book by Romish Priests, Doctrine 36
XXXVI. That creatures cannot be ſanctified, or made more holy than they are already of their own nature.
Anſwer.
NO; not ſo much as to make them become Sacramental things, which have a power in them to purge away venial ſins, cure diſeaſes, drive away devils, preſerve from all dangers, and produce other ſuch-like ſupernatural effects; which they aſcribe to Holy Water, and many other bleſſed things. But that creatures may be ſet apart to holy uſes, we own by our practice; and withal acknowledg, That by Prayer and Thankſgiving to God, they may be bleſſed to us in the uſe of them, more than otherwiſe they would be. It is only the forementioned Sanctification of them, which we believe to be ſuperſtitious and magical; for we can find nothing in God's Word, to warrant ſuch conſecrations of creatures to thoſe ſupernatural effects.
St. Paul in 1 Tim. IV. 4.1 Tim. IV. 4. ſpeaks only of a general ſanctification of the things we eat and drink; which may be performed by any good Chriſtian; not of ſuch a ſpecial one as this man intends, made by the Biſhop: For doth any creature that we receive (tho ſanctified by the Word of God and Prayer) cure diſeaſes, lay ſtorms and tempeſts, preſerve from Thunder and Lightning, and ſuch-like miſchiefs? The Apoſtle plainly diſputes againſt thoſe who condemned the uſe of certain meats (as not only the Jews, but the Followers of Simon Magus, Ebion, and others did) which he proves from the words of Moſes, as Theodoret obſerves, are all good in their kind. And if they be received with Thanksgiving, in remembrance of God (who hath made theſe things, and by his Word given us allowance to eat them) they become more than good, ſaith the ſame Theodoret; being ſanctified by that holy action, which makes the uſe of them well-pleaſing to God. That's the moſt that can be meant by Sanctified: And ſo Emanuel Sa, one of his own Interpreters expounds it. It is ſanct fi…d, that is, made fit for food Which Claud. Guillandus, like a man of learning, thus further explains; It is ſanctified by the word of God, 'by which we believe that nothing is any longer common or unclean; and by Prayer, whereby we requeſt that ſuch things may be given us, and for which, being given, we return thanks to God. But the Popiſh Sanctification of Creatures, ſuppoſes, that they are not only unclean, but that the Devil is in them, or that they are under his power (the very opinion of the old Hereticks), which is the reaſon of their Exorciſms, that they may caſt the Devil out of them. Whereas, ſhould we grant they are any way unclean (as Theophylact and Menochius think the Apoſtle ſpeaks by way of Conceſſion) it is quite taken away and purged (that's all they underſtand by Sanctification, if we take this to be the ſenſe) by God's word, which allows the uſe of them; and by Prayer and Benediction, when we ſit down to eat our meat.
We need not be told, That in ancient time they ſent ſometimes part of the Conſecrated Bread unto their neighbours, in token of mutual love and fellowſhip in the ſame Faith: But this was forbidden by the Council of Laodicea; and when afterwards they ſent only Bread Bleſſed, not Conſecrated, unto thoſe who were not yet baptized, but in the number of Learners under inſtruction; that had the like meaning, to put them in hope they ſhould at laſt be taken into Church Communion. But what is this to the Bleſſing of Water, and Oyl, and Wax, &c. for ſuch purpoſes as Agnus Dei's are Conſecrated in the Roman Church? Which may be ſeen in ſeveral of our Authors out of the Ceremoniale.
His Texts out of XXIII. Matth. 17, 19. prove no ſuch Sanctification either of the Altar or Gift, but only the ſeparation of them from profane uſes; which doth not amount to the making them powerful againſt ſin, the Devil, and all manner of evil.
He bids us ſee more in 2 Kings II. where we find Eliſha caſt ſalt in the waters, and thereby made them wholſome to drink; but did not infuſe into them ſuch a vertue as they pretend to give to the water mixed with ſalt, which the Prieſt exorciſes in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, with Croſſes at the name of every one of them; that it may become an exorciſed water, to drive away all the power of the enemy, and to root out the Enemy himſelf, with all his apoſtate Angels; as their Church ſpeaks in the Office for this purpoſe.
Why he mentions Raphel's uſing the Liver of the Fiſh to drive away the Devil, and David's Harp to keep the evil Spirit from Saul, I cannot deviſe; for I never read, nor he neither, that they were ſanctified any way.
None of his Fathers, tho half of them are young ones, in compariſon, aſcribe any ſupernatural vertue to ſuch things; and therefore it is to no purpoſe to conſider what they ſay of any other kind of Holineſs.