IESVIT.

I answer, if any Catholike should offer to the blessed mo∣ther of God by way of sacrifice, any the least thing, he were seuerely to be rebuked and better instructed: for sacrifice is [ B] a religious homage due to God onely, in which respect the * sacrifice of the holy Eucharist is neuer offered vnto any but vnto God, in memorie and honour of Saints: herein the Collyridians women Priests did erre, who did sacrifice a wafer cake vnto the blessed Virgin: which kind of worship vnder the title of adoration, S. Epiphanius reprooues, * allowing the Catholike worship, as thereby tearming her honourable, not for humane or ciuill, but for diuine and su∣pernaturall [ C] respects.

True it is, that in Catholike countryes people offer vnto Saints, lights, flowers, and cheynes, not as sacrifices, but as ornaments, to set foorth their tombes and shrines, wherein they doe not dissent from antiquitie, nor from Gods holy will, who hath confirmed such deuotions by miracle, as di∣uers Authours worthy of all credit relate, particularly S. Augustine, by Protestants allowed as the most faithfull [ D] witnesse of antiquitie. He tells that a woman starke blind, * recouered her sight by laying to her eyes flowers, which had touched the shrine wherein were carried about the Relikes of the most glorious Martyr S. Stephan. A more wonder∣full * example in the same kind he relateth done vpon an old man of good note, who being sicke and readie to die, did yet very obstinately refuse to beleeue in Christ, and leaue his Idolatrie, although he was very earnestly mooued there∣unto [ E] by his children that were zealous Christians. His son in law despairing to preuaile by persuasion, resolued to goe and pray at the tombe of S. Stephan, and hauing performed his deuotions, with burning affection, with many groanes and 〈◊〉, being to depart, tooke with him some flowers Page  350 that were on the shrine, and laid them secretly vnder his [ A] father in law his head, the night as he went to sleepe. Be∣hold, the next morning the old man awaking outof his sleepe, cryeth out, desiring them to come to call the Bishop to baptise him; He had his desire, he was baptised: afterwards as long as he liued, he had this prayer in his mouth, Lord Iesu receiue my spirit; being altogether ignorant that that prayer was the last speech of S. Stephan, when he was sto∣ned to death by the Iewes, which also were the last words [ B] of this happy old man, for not long after, pronouncing these words, be gaue vp his soule.

Other oblations also Catholikes vse to offer vnto Saints, not as sacrifices, but as memories and monuments of bene∣fits receiued, as pictures of limmes, by Saints prayers mira∣culously cured, that therein they doe not deflect from anti∣ent Christian deuotion; and that the Christian Church in her best times, vsed vniuersally to make such oblations, [ C] Theodoret is a sufficient witnesse, who writing against the Gentiles, alleadgeth as a manifest signe of Christs God∣head * and omnipotencie, that Idols being excluded, he brought in Martyrs to be honoured in their roome, not superstiti∣ously as Gods, but Religiously as diuine men, inuocating and beseeching them to be Intercessours for them vnto God. And those that piously and faithfully pray, obtaine what they desire, as testifie the oblations which they (being there∣vnto [ D] bound by their vowes) present in the Chappels of the Saints, as tokens of health recouered; for some hang vp images of eyes, others of eares, others of hands, some made of gold, some of siluer. Thus he. So generall and so notorious euen vnto Infidells, was this Christian deuotion.