For those relics, to which they give divine worship under another name, they are yet more numerous. So that upon the whole, if the Philistines had worshipped not only (e)the god of flies, but the flies themselves too, they would scarce have out-vied these in numbers. The Idolatrous Israelites, who worshipped the Host of Heaven, had a fair company of Idols; but the Egyptians might have more, who could sow gods in their Gardens, and make them spring up on their back-sides; but both put together, would come short of the Romanists ⟨p. 202⟩herein, both for number and quality, though they of Egypt became the scorn of the world, for the vileness of what they religiously worshipped. How they came by so many, when for three hundred years after Christ, we hear of none; we have an account from their own Authors: (f)out of Covetousness, says their Learned and Ingenuous Cassander, False relics were daily forged, feigned Miracles were published, Superstition thereby nourished; and sometimes by the illusion of the Devil, new relics were revived. So that in brief (to use the language of their own Author) the Devil helped their Church to some of them, and covetous Knaves to others. This stuff might be had cheap, and sold very dear; this encouraged many to take up the trade, and Monks are noted as prime Merchants for this traffic. They were such, who in Austin's time, (g)being employed, as he says, by Satan (whose Factors they were, and for whom the trade was driven,) sold the members of Martyrs, or what they pretended to be so. He was of the same profession(h), who declared he came out of Spain into France with relics; which being looked into, proved to be roots of Trees, the teeth of Moles, the bones of Mice, and the claws and fat of Bears. And they were Monks, who, as the same Author tells us, were found at Rome, near Paul's Church, digging up bodies, and confessed their design was to make relics of them. As for him, whom Glaber speaks of, (i)who furnished France with innumerable relics, it may seem strange that he should be counted a Cheat, when he was thus trading in another Country, since his stuff had the very same mark, which makes their other relics currant as good ware, unquestionably good, and than which their best have no better;
For those reliques, to which they give divine worship under another name, they are yet more numerous. So that upon the whole, if the Philistines had worshipped not only (e)the god of flies, but the flies themselves too, they would scarce have out-vied these in numbers. The Idolatrous Israelites, who worshipped the Host of Heaven, had a fair company of Idols; but the Aegyptians might have more, who could sow gods in their Gardens, and make them spring up on their back-sides; but both put together, would come short of the Romanists ⟨p. 202⟩herein, both for number and quality, though they of Aegypt became the scorn of the world, for the vileness of what they religiously worshipped. How they came by so many, when for three hundred years after Christ, we hear of none; we have an account from their own Authors: (f)out of Covetousness, says their Learned and Ingenuous Cassander, False reliques were daily forged, feigned Miracles were published, Superstition thereby nourished; and sometimes by the illusion of the Devil, new reliques were revived. So that in brief (to use the language of their own Author) the Devil help'd their Church to some of them, and covetous Knaves to others. This stuff might be had cheap, and sold very dear; this incouraged many to take up the trade, and Monks are noted as prime Merchants for this traffick. They were such, who in Austin's time, (g)being imployed, as he says, by Sathan (whose Factors they were, and for whom the trade was driven,) sold the members of Martyrs, or what they pretended to be so. He was of the same profession(h), who declared he came out of Spain into France with reliques; which being looked into, proved to be roots of Trees, the teeth of Moles, the bones of Mice, and the claws and fat of Bears. And they were Monks, who, as the same Author tells us, were found at Rome, near Paul's Church, digging up bodies, and confessed their design was to make reliques of them. As for him, whom Glaber speaks of, (i)who furnished France with innumerable reliques, it may seem strange that he should be counted a Cheat, when he was thus trading in another Country, since his stuff had the very same mark, which makes their other reliques currant as good ware, unquestionably good, and than which their best have no better;
- (e)[Greek or Hebrew] rendered by 70 [Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉 rendred by 70 〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
- (f)Avaritiae causa ad simplicem populum illiciendum falsae reliquiae supponebantur, & f•cta praedicabantur miracula—nonnunquam autem astu & illusione Daemonis hominum superstition abutentis, per insomnia & visa novae reliquiae revelabantur, & ejusdem operation miracula eddy videbantur, Consult. c. de reliquijs.Avaritiae causa ad simplicem populum illiciendum falsae reliquiae supponebantur, & f•cta praedicabantur miracula—nonnunquam autem astu & illusione Daemonis hominum superstitione abutentis, per insomnia & visa novae reliquiae revelabantur, & ejusdem operatione miracula edi videbantur, Consult. c. de reliquijs.
- (g)Augustin. de opere Monach. c. 28. tam multos hypocritas sub habitu monachorum usau quaque dispersit Satun—alij membra martyrum, si tamen martyrum venditant.
- (h)Gregor. Turon. hist. Franc. l. 9. c. 6.
- (i)Vid. Spondan. an. 1027. n. 3.
