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Vers. 15. §. Peters shadow.
Many miracles were wrought by the Apostles hands, and many as it seemeth by Peters shadow: but the Text hath left it so indifferent, that it is hard to determine whether it is to be taken in a good sense or a bad, and indeed some that have taken it the better way have made it the worst of all. Luke saith only thus, They brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. But it neither telleth who they were that laid them, nor a word at all that those were healed that were laid. And it may be thought they were unbelieving Jews that laid them as well as otherwise: for believers might have brought them to the Apostles, or brought the Apostles to them: And it may possi∣bly be thought that they laid them there either out of a superstitious blindness, thinking his shadow to be miraculous as well as his person, or out of a c••eating pervers∣ness, thinking to gain by his power though they would none of his doctrine: and that none of their sick were healed because there is no mention of any such healing at all. If we should thus understand the story, surely we should do less wrong to the Text, and to our own understandings than some have done that have taken it in a better sense. For be it, that God intending to magnifie Peter the Minister of the circumcision in the eyes of the circumcised, did give him a more extraordinary power of miracles, for their sakes that stood upon miracles so much, so that not only himself, but his shadow also could heal diseases, yet how ridiculous and sensless is that which Baronius would infe•• hereupon, namely, That Peter therefore was Prince of all the Apostles: and that there∣fore the shadows or images of holy men are of holy use and Religious Worship, and that the Pope who is Peters shadow and representation hath Peters power and quali∣fication?