Answer to a Popish Pamphlet Called the Touchstone of the Reformed Gospel, Part 2 · Subpart 35 – Subpart 36
35 THat the bones and Reliques of ſaints are not to be keeped, no vertue proceeding from them after they be once dead.
VVHichWhich he ſayeth is contrarie to 2. King. 13. 21. wher it is written, That the bones of Elize…s being …o…ched by one that was dead, they did revive him. To which I anſwere 1. That it is not ſaid there, that the bones of Eliſha did revive that dead man, but that when he was let down into Eliſha's ſepulcher, & touched the bones of Eliſha …e revived, this vertue proceeding not from the bones of the Prophet, but frō God, who for confirming theſe that wer then preſent, that hee was a true Prophet, wrought this miracle, but wee reade not that thereupon they raiſed his bones, & inſhryned them as Reliques, to bee carried about in proceſſion or adored, as the Popiſh practiſe is.
The ſecond place is, Act. 5. 14. 15. where it is ſaid, That the ſicke were brought furth to the ſtreets in their beds, that at leaſt the ſhaddow of Peter paſſing by might over ſhaddow them. To which I anſwere, as to the former, but in their owne Gabriel Biels words on the canō of the maſſe, lect, 47. ſaying, S. peter by his ſhaddow healed the ſick, as we reade in the acts, but (ſayeth he) who will ſay that the vertue of that healing was in his ſhaddow? which is no exiſtent thing, but a privation of light, wherunto no activitie can be competent, therfore it was God himſelf (ſayeth he) to manifest the trueth of that faith which Peter preached. And ſo let any judge, if this proveth that the bones or Reliques of ſaints are therfore to bee keeped above the earth, and that vertue proceedeth from them after they be dead, and if argueing heere for this from a ſhaddow, bee not meer ſhaddowiſh it ſelf, having no ſoliditie.
The third place is Act. 19. 11. That God wrought ſundrie miracles by the hands of Paull. To which I anſwer, Who denyeth this? or who can ſay that this proveth that the bones of his hands, as holy reliques ſhould therefore beene keeped aboue the earth, ſet on altars, and adored, or that they wrought miracles after he was dead? But ſeing in all this he dryveth at the adoration of Reliques, we would gladlie know, amongſt ſuch a multitude & variety of forged Reliques, how to diſcern the true from the falſe. Seing as their own Caſſander ſpeaketh (conſult. art. 21. printed at Paris, 1616.) That thorow the avarice of Prieſts to deceive ſimple people falſe Reliques ar obtruded for true, and fained miracles are taught unto them, by which their ſuperſtition is foſtred, and ſomtimes by the deceat and deluſion of the Devill, abuſing mens ſuperstitious credulitie by dreams and viſions new Reliques (ſayeth he) hauehave beene revealed, and by the ſame working of ſatan, miracles ſeemed to bee wrought. Examples of which ſort their owne Eraſmus on Math. 23. 5. mentioneth, ſaying. You may now everie where ſee held out for gaine, Maries milk, which they honour as much almost as Chriſts owne bodie (ſayth he) alſo ſo many pieces of the Croſs, that if they were all gathered together a great ſhip would ſcarce carrie them. Heere alſo S. Francis hood is ſet furth to behold, there the Waſtcoat of the virgin Marie in one place, Anna's comb in another, Ioſephs ſtocking in a third place & Thōas of Canterberries ſhoe, in another place Chriſts foreskin, which they worſhip more religiouſlie than Chriſts owne perſon. Neither do they ſ…owe theſe things (ſayth he) as things that may be borne with, and to pleaſe the common people, but they place all religion in them. And of which foreskin of Chriſts, one is ſhowne at Rome, with his ſandals and this inſcription, Circumciſa caro Chriſti, ſandalia clara, ac umbelici viget hic praeciſio chara. Another is to be ſeen at Antuerp, a third in Bezanſon in Burgundie, a fourth in the town of Aken, & a fifth in the abbay of Poytiers in France.
The like alſo may be ſaid of the nailes which nailed Chriſt to the Croſs, which from three ar multiplied to near threeſcore. As alſo the ſpeare that pierced Chriſts ſide, to the image wherof they aſcrive the opening of heaven… gate, praying thus to it as if it heard them. Ave ferrum triumphale, intrans pectus in vitale, Coeli pande oſtia. Than which what can be greater blaſphemie & idolatrie?
As for Fathers whom he onlie citeth but ſets not down their words, never one of thē proveth any adoratiō of Reliques, yea Ierome epiſt. 53. ad Ripariū, ſayeth, Wee are ſo far from worſhiping the Reliques of Martyrs, that we will not worſhip the Sunn or moone, Angels nor archangels. And as for Ambroſe his alleaged words, which he telleth not wher they are to be found, yet I anſwer to them, that they prove nothing, for hee ſayeth onlie, that Hee honours the wounds and aſhes of the Martyrs, which is only the memorie of their conſtant ſufferings.
36 THat the Creatures cannot be ſanctified, or made more holy than they are alreadie of their own nature.
VVHichWhich he ſayeth is contrarie to 1. Tim. 4. 4. where it is ſaid, That everie creature of God is good, if it be received with thanksgiving. To which I anſwere 1. That this proveth nothing againſt us, for their owne Eſtius, as alſo Lombard, on this place ſhoweth, that the Apoſtle ſpeaketh onlie of the ſanctified uſe to believers of meate and drink, being received with praier and thanksgiving. 2 This place maketh rather againſt poperie, to wit, their prohibition of certaine ſorts of meates, at certaine times, for conſcience ſake, which is contratie altogether unto Chriſtian libertie. As for Math. 23. 17. and 19. Himſelf confeſſeth That the Altar is ſaid to ſanctifie the gift, and the Temple the gold, as thinges ſeparate from a cōmon, to a holie uſe, a… ſaid to be holy by deſtinatiō, but not by in…eſion. But the hallowing of the creature of which this man meaneth, is the popiſh hallowing of their bells, (which they alſo baptiſe) as alſo of their beads, holy water, and agnus Dei &c. by plaine ſocerie conjuring the dead & ſenſleſſe creatures, & ſpeaking to thē, as if they both heard and underſtood, & aſcribing to thē divine & miraculous operatiō, one example or two wherof, inſtead of many, I ſhall inſtance of their conjuring their holie water, as is ſet down in their owne Miſſall, ſaying, I conjure thee, thou creature of water, in the Name of the Father, Sonne, and Holie Ghost, that thou become a choſen water, to take away all the power of the Devill, & to drive him away, with all his wicked angels. The like they ſpeake to the ſalt which they mixe with the water. And which doubtles driveth away the Devill from the prieſts breaſt that conjureth the ſame, as farre as a hungrie dog would flee from a fatt morſell, the ſprinkling alſo of which holie water, might hauehave beene a good meane to hauehave driven away the devil from pope Sylveſter the ſecond, when he came to him, and rent his bodie in pieces. as Platina, and all other Roman Hiſtorians record. And what equal vertue to Chriſts blood, and miraculous operation they aſcrive in likemanner to their hallowed Agnus Dei, which they carrie about with them, may bee ſeene by theſe verſes which Pope Ʋrban ſent with one of them, to the Emperour of Grecia. ſaying▪ Peccatum frangit ut Chriſti ſanguis, & angit, &c. and thereafter, Portatus mundae de fluctibus e…ipit undae. which if the Spaniſh Armado found true in 88. themſelves beſt could tell.