Sect. 3. Some of them would have us believe, that they give not Divine honour to Relics, but a sort of Religious Worship, which they call [Greek or Hebrew]: but the Scripture (and secular Authors too, (m)as is acknowledged) make no difference between the terms of their distinction, but appropriate both to God. And the people make no difference in their practice, as is confessed, but Worship Saints, (and so their Relics,) even as they Worship God. And their Teachers, and learned writers encourage them to give that to Relics, which is Divine Worship indeed, viz. To put their trust in them, to swear by them, to bring them oblations, to burn incense, and pray to them. So they are taught to give them the thing, which is confessed to be Divine Worship, only they will not give it the name (for though they be real Idolaters, yet it is not convenient to be called so). Nor is this all, there ⟨p. 189⟩are a world of Relics, to which they will have thing and name given, even [Greek or Hebrew] expressly. For it is their common Doctrine (*)That the Relics of Christ, are to have the same Worship with Christ himself. And under the notion of these Relics, they take in (as of the Saints also) not only the parts of his body, but all that belonged to him, yea all that touched him, or was touched by him. Accordingly Aquinas (whose Doctrine is highly approved, not only by all the Jesuits, but in a manner by all their Universitiesn) teaches (o)that, not only the Cross is to have Divine Worship, because it touched Christ, but all things else, that belong to Christ, by virtue of this contact, and Damascene (whom he quotes) will have all things near (p)to Christ [Greek or Hebrew] Worshipped on that account. 'Tis true they distinguish here, some things touched him innocently, others injuriously. Waldensis seemed loath to grant, these latter should be Worshipped; lest he should be brought to adore, the lips that betrayed him, or the hands that buffeted him: but he is run down by the stream, both of their Doctrine, and practice. For the things which they worship especially, and will have worshipped as Christ himself, are the instruments of his sufferings. The knife, wherewith he was circumcised; the Pillar, at which he was scourged; the cord, wherewith he was bound; the 28. steps of white marble, up which he was led, in his passion, to Pilate's house;
Sect. 3. Some of them would have us believe, that they give not Divine honour to Reliques, but a sort of Religious Worship, which they call 〈non-Latin alphabet〉: but the Scripture (and secular Authors too, (m)as is acknowledged) make no difference between the terms of their distinction, but appropriate both to God. And the people make no difference in their practice, as is confessed, but Worship Saints, (and so their Reliques,) even as they Worship God. And their Teachers, and learned writers incourage them to give that to Reliques, which is Divine Worship indeed, viz. To put their trust in them, to swear by them, to bring them oblations, to burn incense, and pray to them. So they are taught to give them the thing, which is confessed to be Divine Worship, only they will not give it the name (for though they be real Idolaters, yet it is not convenient to be called so). Nor is this all, there ⟨p. 189⟩are a world of Reliques, to which they will have thing and name given, even 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 expresly. For it is their common Doctrine (*)That the Reliques of Christ, are to have the same Worship with Christ himself. And under the notion of these Reliques, they take in (as of the Saints also) not only the parts of his body, but all that belonged to him, yea all that touched him, or was touched by him. Accordingly Aquinas (whose Doctrine is highly approved, not only by all the Jesuits, but in a manner by all their Ʋniversitiesn) teaches (o)that, not only the Cross is to have Divine Worship, because it touched Christ, but all things else, that belong to Christ, by vertue of this contact, and Damascen (whom he quotes) will have all things near (p)to Christ 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 Worshipped on that account. 'Tis true they distinguish here, some things touched him innocently, others injuriously. Waldensis seemed loath to grant, these latter should be Worshipped; lest he should be brought to adore, the lips that betrayed him, or the hands that buffeted him: but he is run down by the stream, both of their Doctrine, and practice. For the things which they worship especially, and will have worshipped as Christ himself, are the instruments of his sufferings. The knife, wherewith he was circumcised; the Pillar, at which he was scourged; the cord, wherewith he was bound; the 28. steps of white marble, up which he was led, in his passion, to Pilate's house;
- (m)Secundum profanos Authores idem significant. Bellarm. de sanct. l. 1. c. 14. p. 1463.
- (*)De fide esse adorandum (signum crucis) adoratione latriae sicut adorantur spinae, lanciae, clavi, praesepe & aliae reliquiae quae Christum tetigerunt—ita S. Thou.—& alij communiter. Bonacin. tom. 2. disp. 3. q. 1. punct. 3. r. 6.
- nPossevin. Biblioth. Select. l. 1. c. 10.
- (o)Crux Christi—propter membrorum Christi contactum latria adoranda est—Dicendum quod quantum ad rationem contactus membrorum Christi adoramus non solum cru•em sed etiam omnia quae sunt Christi par. 3. q. 25. art. 4.
- (p)[Greek or Hebrew] Orthod. sid. l. 4. c. 12.〈non-Latin alphabet〉 Orthod. sid. l. 4. c. 12.
