RELICKS. Reliquiæ. I do not pretend that the Word Reliquiæ, in any Passage of Scripture, is to be taken for Relicks, in the Sense it is understood by the Church [of Rome,] or for the Relicks of any Saints. Yet it cannot but be acknowledg’d, that the Hebrews had a Respect for such Relicks. They preserved for a long Time the Urn in which the Manna was kept, the Rod of Aaron, the brazen Serpent. They had a singular Veneration for the Tombs of the Patriarchs and Prophets; they repaired and adorned them. Elisha kept the Cloak of Elijah, as something very valuable; but this is not a proper Place to treat of this Matter.
Reliquiæ is commonly put for Posterity. Sunt Reliquiæ homini pacifico. The peaceable Man shall see a numerous Posterity; but the Posterity of the Wicked shall be rooted out. Reliquiæ impiorum interibunt. Often it is us’d for a small Number that escapes Numb. xxiv. 19. Judg. v. 13.out of a War, from Captivity, or the Pestilence. Perdat reliquias civitatis. Nobody shall remain alive in the City. Salvatæ sunt reliquiæ populi. The Remainder of the Israelites, who had escaped from the Cruelty of Jabin, or had avoided Slavery, were saved by Deborah and Barak. The Israelites that return’d from the Captivity of Babylon are call’d reliquiæ Israel, in this Passage of Scripture. For Example, De Jerusalem exibunt reliquiæ; Hebrews shall still be seen going out of Jerusalem, this Jerem. xlii. 15.City shall be restored. Audite verbum Domini reliquiæ Juda. O Remains of Judah, hear ye the Word of the Lord. The Remnant of Israel shall Wisd. iii. 13.not commit Iniquity; The Israelites, who shall return from Captivity, shall not fall into Idolatry as their Ancestors have done heretofore. A Remnant of Israel were Rom. ix. 27. xi. 5.saved by Faith in Jesus Christ. That is to say, though God rejected the Israelites, because of their Hardness and Infidelity, yet he has saved a Remainder; those to whom he has thought fit to give his Spirit, and the Grace of Faith; as a Conqueror spares a small Number of Rebels, when they implore his Clemency and Pardon.
Reliquiæ is also put for Provisions. Benedicta horrea tua, & benedictæ reliquiæ tuæ. The Frogs which God sent to Egypt fill’d their Houses, and spoiled Ex. viii. 3.the Provisions of the Egyptians. In reliquias ciborum tuorum. Lastly, Reliquiæ is put for the Remainder of any thing. They gather’d twelve Baskets full of the Remains, that were left by the five thousand Men, whom Jesus Christ had fed in Matt. xiv. 20.the Wilderness, with five Loaves and two Fishes. Tulerunt reliquias duodecim cophinos.