mance, where 'tis extreme difficult to distinguish truth from lies.

poftate Ba

Martyr be

Reliques.

For near 350. years, there was not a miracle under Fwrought by Reliques ever heard of. But under lian the Athe reign of falian the Apoftate, who fucceeded bylas the the children of Conftantine, Babylas the Martyr, gins fometime Bishop of Antioch, made a Martyr in work miraDecius's perfecution, interred in a Suburb of An- cles by his tioch called Daphne, more than a hundred years after his death, thought of working the firft miracles. Julian the Apoftate would confult the Oracle of Apollo of Daphne, who not being willing to anfwer, and conjured at least to tell the reafon of his filence faid it came from hence, that the bones of the Martyr Babylas were interr'd near his Temple. This is the most ancient History of a miracle wrought by Reliques, that we have been able to discover. So the corruption of Chriftianity began in the fame place, where the faithfull began to be called Chriftians. It was not very long, before miracles were feen wrought by other Reliques. Saint Ambrofe was inform'd in a vifion, where the bones of the Martyrs Gervais and Protais were interred they went to feek them, they carried them in great pomp to the Church, and they did not fail immediately to work great miracles. This was found fo good and fo proper to beat down the remainders of Heathenifm, that this torrent gained ground every where.

But that which is highly obfervable, is, that Miracles the Autheurs who report thefe facts as true, con- Reliques fefs, that this was new, and had not been seen were look'd fince the Apostles time. Saint Chryfoftom speaking new int of Babylas, faith; if any one will not believe the 4th Age. things done by the Apoftles, let him mind thofe that verfus are done in this age, and ceafe impudently to deny Gentes,

the

new the

Orat. ad

Epift. ad

Marcell. Soros, 17.

the truth. He doth not fend them back to the times immediately fore-going, he doth not fay, if any one will not believe the Miracles that are always wrought in the Church, let him believe that which he fees at prefent. But he fends them back to the Apostles, as if nothing of the like nature had been feen fince them. St. Ambrofe alfo faith it plainly enough, fpeaking of the Miracles wrought by the Reliques of Gervais and Protais. He reckons up the Miracles of thefe two Saints, and finds nothing like it fince the Apostle's time. Wherefore after he hath made an enumeration of the Miracles of these Saints he makes one of thofe of Jefus Chrift and his Apoftles, which he fees renewed, and faith nothing of any that were wrought in the ages immediately fore-going. St. Austin, that was very fond of the fame fuperftition, makes the fame acknowledgement in the 8th Chapter of the 22th Book of the City of God, whence the Papifts pretend to draw fo great advantage to themselves. 'Tis true, he there makes a Hiftory of many Miracles wrought by Reliques, but he acknowledgeth this is all new. We have given order, faith he, for the making publick memoirs and books, for the reading of thefe Miracles before the people, feeing that in our time the figns and miracles of the ancient times were renewed. It was therefore new, and had not been fince the ancient times.

Now it is certain, that these pretended miracles had for their Author the Spirit of lying, and for their spring the Hypocrify of Lyars. It was The fable the Devil that abused thefe good men, to lead of Protais them to fuperftition and idolatry. That which St. very plain Ambrofe himself faith of thofe Saints Gervais and in St. Am St. Protais, is very proper to make one fufpect a

and Gervais

brofe.

cheat,

cheat. The inhabitants of Milane defire him to build in their City a Temple like that at Rome. Iubilupr. will do it, faith he, provided I can but find fome Reliques. He had them not as yet, he knew not where to find them, but lo, he is in queft of them, and hereupon fubiit veluti cujufdam ardor prafagii; behold, he was inflamed with a certain fire, that favoured of prefage and inspiration. He makes them fearch in a certain place, he there finds two bodies of Gyants. We found two men of extraordinary bigness, such as the ancient time did yield. In venimus mira magnitudinis viros duos, ut prifca atas ferebat; Offa integra, fanguinis plurimum. The bones were yet entire, and there was a great deal of blood. Would you not fay, that he fpeaks of the time wherein Polyphemus and the old Giants lived? Men, I warrant you, were much bigger in the third Age under the Empire of Decius, than under that of Gratian and Valentinian. I don't know whether it be apparent, that God chofe martyrs from among the Giants. They are affort of people, the enormous mafs of whose bodies is ufually a fign of the vices of their fouls; at leaft of that fury and warlike heat, which is not the Character of a Saint. But it was neceffary every thing in the fable fhould be great, even to the bodies of those that were found.

This fpirit of lying and fables increased and grew with the reign of Idolatry. In the fixth Age the two Gregories, one the Bishop of Rome, the other the Bishop of Tours, stufft their Books with thefe Fables, defigned to establish Idolatry, and make us invocate the Saints as our patrons. He of Tours made a book on purpose, entituled de Gloriâ Martyrum. Thefe Fables go to this very point of impudence, as to bring in the martyrs

them

7

Metaphra

fles tending to make men

themfelves defiring of God, that the men that invoke them and the prayers that are made in The Fables their name, may be heard. Simeon Metaphraftes of Simeon reports, that Saint Barba, as fhe was a dying, defired of God, that all those who fhould in their prayers make mention of her combat and her marinvocate tyrdom, should be kept from all forts of contagious the Saints. difeafes, and that they, should not be touch'd with any evil in their bodies and their perfons. And he faith of St. Blaife, that on a certain day he pray'd to God in thefe words; If any evil happen to any man, or child, or even any beast, and my name be called upon over them, saying, Haften to help by reafon of the interceffion of thy fervant Blaife, give prefently a cure every where, to the glory of thy holy name. He makes him alfo speak after the fame rate to a Woman, to whom he had reftored her Hog, which a Wolf had eaten up, and who return'd him thanks for it: Woman, always celebrate my memory, and nothing shall be wanting in thy house; and if it shall come to pass, that any other in imitation of thee shall celebrate my memory also, he shall obtain of my God a perpetual Bleffing all the days of his life. One may eafily fee whither the fpirit of lying in thefe Fables tended; it was to caufe men to invocate thefe Saints.

We must alfo fee the History of the establishment of Images, and how many miracles were wrought to mtroduce this 'abominable devotion. 'Tis the fame with refpect to the Adoration ofthe Sacrament, of which they have made an Idol. Books are full of fabulous miracles, which the Devil wrought or made the Monks write, for the eftablishing this Idolatry. This is fo notorious, that it would be ufelefs to bring proof of it.

The

the Le

confcien

and hard.

225 The Apostle to perfect the pourtraiture of thefe The AuImpoftors, that have corrupted the Chriftian Re- thors of ligion in introducing Antichriftianifm, faith, that gends had they are feared in their confciences. All parts where ces feared, the Fire and the Searing-iron have paffed, be- infenfible come callons, hard, and confequently infenfible. The Apostle could not better defcribe to us the difpofition of thefe Authors of Lies, that have written Legends for us. For in truth they have loft their fenfe, they are fuch fools, ftupid and fenfelefs. There is nothing that is ridiculous and 'abfurd, which they are not capable of digesting. The most plain abfurdity and impiety they are not fenfible of, and their confcience is as if it were of iron and marble. They have a heart of lead, and a mouth of iron, faid Canus, Bishop of the Canaries, concerning them. The Fables of Heathenifm are not more filthy, nor more fhamefull than theirs. They introduce the Virgin Mary embracing the Monks, fuffering them to feel her bofom, giving them milk out of her breasts, wedding them, and marrying her felf with them. They make Images of wood and ftone to fpeak, they make their Saints do filthy and foolish actions, which they would have to pafs for miracles. This may be feen largely proved in the second part of our juft Prejudices.

noun Some

multitude.

I know not of any thing further in this Oracle The proof the fourth Chapt. of the first Epift. to Timothy, doth not that can leave any fcruple behind it, unless it be exclude the the pronoun Some; for this word doth not seem to agree with this fo general an Apoftacy: feeing on the contrary, it feems to fignify, that the number of Antichriftian Apoftates fhall not be great in comparison of others. 'Tis anfwered. ift. That the pronnoun Some doth not always.

exclude