Is Arcadius, at this time, guilty ; who has brought into Thrace the bones of the ancient prophet Samuel ? Are all the Bishops not guilty only, but to be deemed fools, who carried those sacred Relics, enveloped in silk, and reposed in golden vessels? Finally, are the people of all the Churches fools, who met them; who, in exultation, received them, as if they had seen the holy Prophet present before them? From Palestine to Chalcedon, as from a hive, the multitude flocked together, and in one voice poured out praises to God.” Lib. Adversus Vigilant. T.iv. Pars. 11. p. 282.-“ We worship not, we adore not the Relics of the Martyrs ;-- but we honour the Relics of the Martyrs, that our minds may be raised to him, whose Martyrs they are.
We honour the servants, that the honour of the servants 'may redound to the Lord, who says: He that receiveth you, receiveth me.And if the remains of Martyrs deserve not this honour, what mean the words: Precious in the sight of God is the death of his Saints ? If he that touches them is defiled, how could the body of Eliseus restore life to the dead man?” Ep. xxxvii. ad Riparium. Ibid. p. 279.
CENT. V.
St. CHRYSOSTOM, G.C. “ I admire this City (Rome), not for its abundant gold, nor for its columns, or any other vain display ; but for those pillars of the Church (SS. Peter and Paul). Oh! who will give me to embrace the body of Paul—to cling to his sepulchre—to contemplate even the dust of his body! The dust, I say, of that mouth by which Jesus Christ has spoken to us, and from which came forth a light more resplendent than lightning:-Yes, I could wish to see the tomb, which incloses those weapons of justice and
