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CHAP. LVI.
Of Religion in General.
TO the perfect Weal of a State or Kingdome, Religion is of main concernment, which is a certain Discipline and Canon of outward Rites and Ceremonies, by means whereof, as by certain signes, we are admonished of our Internal and Spiritual Duties. Cicero defines it to be a Discipline teaching us to ex∣ercise the Ceremonies of Divine Worship with a reve∣rent Famulatu: which that it is most useful and ne∣cessary for all Cities and Governments, the same Ci∣cero, together with Aristotle, firmly holds. For thus saith he in his Politicks, It behoves a Prince above all others to seem Religious. For the People are of Opi∣nion, that such Rulers will do 'um no harm; and they will be the more afraid to Plot against them, by how much the more they think themselves defend∣ed by the Gods. Now Religion is so deeply Rooted in Men by Nature, that it makes the difference more plain betwixt them and Beasts, than Reason. Now that Religion is thus Naturally grafted in us, Aristotle confesses; besides that it is apparent from •his very experiment, That as often as we are oppressed with any suddain Dangers, or put to any suddain Affright, presently before we search into the Cause, or seek for any other help, we flye to Coelestial Invocation; Na∣ture it self teaching us, without any other Instructor, to Implore Divine Assistance. From the Beginning of
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the World we find, that Cain and Abel did Religiously Sacrifice to God; though Enoch were the first that taught the Forms and Ceremonies of Divine Worship: for which reason the Scripture saith, That then the name of the Lord first began to be call'd upon. After the Flood, how many several Laws and Ordinances of Religion were Instituted by several persons in se∣veral Nations! For Mercury and King Menna taught the Aegyptians their Forms of Worship. Melissus the Foster-Father of Jove, instructed the Cretans in their Ceremonies. Faunus and Janus Instituted the Rites of the Latines. Numa Pompilius, those of the Romans•Moses, those of the Hebrews. Cadmus also, the Son of Agenor, is said to have brought out of Phoenicia all those Solemn Mysteries, Consecrations of Images, Hymns, Festivals, and other Sacred Rites and Customs, performed in honour of the Gods▪ which were af∣terwards in use among the Graecians. Neither did they only give names to the Gods, but also Ordaina what Rites and Ceremonies should be due to each. They held, that there were certain Numens the Pro∣tectors of Criminal Offences, and ascrib'd a Deity to Diseases, and evil Accidents: Therefore did the Ro∣mans Worship Jove the Adulterer, and Dedicated a publick Temple to the Goddess Feaver, and in their Esquiliae plac'd an Altar to Misfortune. In Hell they also found out Deities to adore, and the Prince of Darkness, Satan, the most miserable, and the lowest of all, they made a shift to Worship, under the Names of Pluto, Dis and Neptune, assigning to him for a Keeper the Three-headed Cerberus, that greedy Monster that Compasses the Earth seeking whom he may Devour; sparing none, hurtful to all, the Accuser of all Men.
From Captive Souls, the Lord of Stygian Lands,
For past Offences, Punishment demands:
Page 163
'Gainst all the shades, remorseless Rage he breaths;
With Furies compass'd, and a thousand Deaths.
Here sundry sounds of sundry wayling Pains,
There Thousand Torments shake their dismal Chains.
Th' Aegyptians, together with their Deities, adore Brute Beasts and Monsters; and there are at this day that Worship Idols and Images. At this day likewise a great part of the World, as the Turkes, Saracens, Arabians and Moors, give Divine Honours to Mahomets; though the Author, or first Founder of a most ab∣surd Religion: and the Jews yet persisting in their folly, believe their Messiah yet to come. Among us Christians, several Popes, several Councils, several Bi∣shops have prescrib'd several Varieties and Forms of Worship; differing among themselves, either touch∣ing the manner of the Ceremonies, Meats lawful, Fasts, Vestments, Publick Ornaments: or else about Cleri∣cal Promotions and Tithes. But one thing overcomes the admiration of Wonder it self, to see how these Ambitious men think to climb Heaven, by the same wayes that Lucifer fell from it. Neither do all these Laws and Rules of Religion lean upon any other Foundation than the meer Opinions and Pleasure of their Founders. Consider from the Beginning of the World how many there were, how many there are several Inventions of Religion; how many Ceremo∣nies, how many Heresies, how many Opinions, how many Decrees, how many Canons; yet cannot Reli∣gion lead men in so many Ages to the right Path of Faith without the Word of God; which being once made Flesh, and Triumphing over his Enemies on the Cross, Temples and dols were thrown down, and the Powers of Numens and Oracles ceas'd.
The Voice of Pytho's gone, that seldom •rr'd.
Apollo too, so many Ages▪ heard,
Page 164
Is now in silence lock't.
Tby Service done, to thine own Country go;
Return to thine own Altars down below.
For no sooner the Word of God came to shine in the World by the manifestation of the Gospel, but all the Gods of the Heathen, being as it were Thunder∣struck, fell to Destruction, according to the saying of Christ in Luke, I saw Satan falling from Heaven like Lightning. How far this concerns Faith, Theology, and the Decrees of the Canonists, we shall discourse hereafter: For now we are only treating of Religion, so far as to those Mysteries contained therein, which concern the benefits of the Priest, or that suffice to render the outward face of the Commonwealth sump∣tuous with Images, Statues, Temples, Phanes, Chap∣pels, Dignities, Pomp and Riches of the Ministers and Ecclesiastical Officers, of which I have Disputed at large, in my Dispute upon the Theological Decrees, held by me at Collen, in the Year 1510: and therefore I shall the more briefly pass them over now, yet show you, that among those things which were set apart for the decency of Worship, and most proper for the safety of Mens Souls, not a little of the Tare of Va∣nity and Destructive Superstition has been mix'd.
Of Religion in General.
TO the perfect Weal of a State or Kingdome, Religion is of main concernment, which is a certain Discipline and Canon of outward Rites and Ceremonies, by means whereof, as by certain signes, we are admonished of our Internal and Spiritual Duties. Cicero defines it to be a Discipline teaching us to ex∣ercise the Ceremonies of Divine Worship with a reve∣rent Famulatu: which that it is most useful and ne∣cessary for all Cities and Governments, the same Ci∣cero, together with Aristotle, firmly holds. For thus saith he in his Politicks, It behoves a Prince above all others to seem Religious. For the People are of Opi∣nion, that such Rulers will do 'um no harm; and they will be the more afraid to Plot against them, by how much the more they think themselves defend∣ed by the Gods. Now Religion is so deeply Rooted in Men by Nature, that it makes the difference more plain betwixt them and Beasts, than Reason. Now that Religion is thus Naturally grafted in us, Aristotle confesses; besides that it is apparent from •his very experiment, That as often as we are oppressed with any suddain Dangers, or put to any suddain Affright, presently before we search into the Cause, or seek for any other help, we flye to Coelestial Invocation; Na∣ture it self teaching us, without any other Instructor, to Implore Divine Assistance. From the Beginning of
Page 162
the World we find, that Cain and Abel did Religiously Sacrifice to God; though Enoch were the first that taught the Forms and Ceremonies of Divine Worship: for which reason the Scripture saith, That then the name of the Lord first began to be call'd upon. After the Flood, how many several Laws and Ordinances of Religion were Instituted by several persons in se∣veral Nations! For Mercury and King Menna taught the Aegyptians their Forms of Worship. Melissus the Foster-Father of Jove, instructed the Cretans in their Ceremonies. Faunus and Janus Instituted the Rites of the Latines. Numa Pompilius, those of the Romans•Moses, those of the Hebrews. Cadmus also, the Son of Agenor, is said to have brought out of Phoenicia all those Solemn Mysteries, Consecrations of Images, Hymns, Festivals, and other Sacred Rites and Customs, performed in honour of the Gods▪ which were af∣terwards in use among the Graecians. Neither did they only give names to the Gods, but also Ordaina what Rites and Ceremonies should be due to each. They held, that there were certain Numens the Pro∣tectors of Criminal Offences, and ascrib'd a Deity to Diseases, and evil Accidents: Therefore did the Ro∣mans Worship Jove the Adulterer, and Dedicated a publick Temple to the Goddess Feaver, and in their Esquiliae plac'd an Altar to Misfortune. In Hell they also found out Deities to adore, and the Prince of Darkness, Satan, the most miserable, and the lowest of all, they made a shift to Worship, under the Names of Pluto, Dis and Neptune, assigning to him for a Keeper the Three-headed Cerberus, that greedy Monster that Compasses the Earth seeking whom he may Devour; sparing none, hurtful to all, the Accuser of all Men.
From Captive Souls, the Lord of Stygian Lands,
For past Offences, Punishment demands:
Page 163
'Gainst all the shades, remorseless Rage he breaths;
With Furies compass'd, and a thousand Deaths.
Here sundry sounds of sundry wayling Pains,
There Thousand Torments shake their dismal Chains.
Th' Aegyptians, together with their Deities, adore Brute Beasts and Monsters; and there are at this day that Worship Idols and Images. At this day likewise a great part of the World, as the Turkes, Saracens, Arabians and Moors, give Divine Honours to Mahomets; though the Author, or first Founder of a most ab∣surd Religion: and the Jews yet persisting in their folly, believe their Messiah yet to come. Among us Christians, several Popes, several Councils, several Bi∣shops have prescrib'd several Varieties and Forms of Worship; differing among themselves, either touch∣ing the manner of the Ceremonies, Meats lawful, Fasts, Vestments, Publick Ornaments: or else about Cleri∣cal Promotions and Tithes. But one thing overcomes the admiration of Wonder it self, to see how these Ambitious men think to climb Heaven, by the same wayes that Lucifer fell from it. Neither do all these Laws and Rules of Religion lean upon any other Foundation than the meer Opinions and Pleasure of their Founders. Consider from the Beginning of the World how many there were, how many there are several Inventions of Religion; how many Ceremo∣nies, how many Heresies, how many Opinions, how many Decrees, how many Canons; yet cannot Reli∣gion lead men in so many Ages to the right Path of Faith without the Word of God; which being once made Flesh, and Triumphing over his Enemies on the Cross, Temples and dols were thrown down, and the Powers of Numens and Oracles ceas'd.
The Voice of Pytho's gone, that seldom •rr'd.
Apollo too, so many Ages▪ heard,
Page 164
Is now in silence lock't.
Tby Service done, to thine own Country go;
Return to thine own Altars down below.
For no sooner the Word of God came to shine in the World by the manifestation of the Gospel, but all the Gods of the Heathen, being as it were Thunder∣struck, fell to Destruction, according to the saying of Christ in Luke, I saw Satan falling from Heaven like Lightning. How far this concerns Faith, Theology, and the Decrees of the Canonists, we shall discourse hereafter: For now we are only treating of Religion, so far as to those Mysteries contained therein, which concern the benefits of the Priest, or that suffice to render the outward face of the Commonwealth sump∣tuous with Images, Statues, Temples, Phanes, Chap∣pels, Dignities, Pomp and Riches of the Ministers and Ecclesiastical Officers, of which I have Disputed at large, in my Dispute upon the Theological Decrees, held by me at Collen, in the Year 1510: and therefore I shall the more briefly pass them over now, yet show you, that among those things which were set apart for the decency of Worship, and most proper for the safety of Mens Souls, not a little of the Tare of Va∣nity and Destructive Superstition has been mix'd.