Deities by them adored with all possible reverence were dogges and cats toades and crocodiles and the like Of whom among others the Latin Satyrist vvorthily Quis nescit Volusi Bithinica qualia demens Aegyptus portenta colat crocodilon adorat Pars haec illa pavet staturam serpentibus ibim Effigies sacri nitet aurea cercopitheci c. How they came first to resolve upon such horrible worship they that have most curiously searched into it as Diod. Siculus and others could never though they purposely conferred with the most learned Aegyptians of those dayes find out certainely It is most likely that they were at first compelled unto it by their princes and governours for some politick ends and considerations But in after ages when this worship how strange and uncouth soever at first was once become customarie and hereditary unto them with what approbation of judgement and affection of heart to the ready forsaking of their goods lives and liberties for it they then did embrace and practise it ancient histories such as cannot by any sober man bee questioned beare record unto this day I will not bring here what we read in some of them because it may be questioned with more colour of great advantages in wars wittingly and willingly forgone by the Aegyptians by reason of their superstition yea how they have chosen rather to yeeld themselves unto their enemies when they might have had the best of it then to violate though but the bare signes and pictures of those beasts which were sacred unto them But the testimonie of Diod. Siculus whose words among others are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. This superstition of theirs cleaveth so fast unto their soules or is so penetratively infused into their very soules and so immoovably bent and affected are they every one of them to the worship of these creatures c. and those instances that hee brings whereof he was an eye witnesse of their zeale to their religion no man can question with any colour of reason And Tullie speakes of it as of a thing known to all the World and whereof examples were obvious in his dayes Aegyptiorum morem saith he and marke by the way that hee cals it morem by which word he closely adscribes it unto custome quis ignorat quorum imbutae mentes pravitatis erroribus quamvis carnificinam priùs subierint quà m ibim aut aspidem aut felem aut canem aut crocodilum violent quorum etiam si imprudentes quippiam fecerint paenam nullam recusent Such was their zeale to their religion against nature reason and common sense grounded upon custome onely whereby it may appeare that bare zeale without due observation of other circumstances is but a weake and uncertaine triall of the Truth Now to instance as I have formerly in some things of our dayes likewise and in our owne practise it will bee hard for me to find an instance that will be generally thought so pertinent because though the matter bee of itselfe never so strange yet custome having made it familiar it will not seeme strange unto ordinary men whose understanding though they know it not is blinded by it the more dangerously blinded the lesse they suspect it to be so But to them that are yet free or at least will hereafter use the meanes to vindicat themselves into the libertie of a sound judgement according to truth and reason to them I dare boldly say that it is not more strange not more strange I say no more either that some people of the World should worship no God at all or that some should with those ancient Aegyptians whom we have spoken of worship dogs and cats for their Gods then that Christians contrarie not onely to reason and even common sense it selfe but also to the direct example of Christ the founder of their religion should behave themselves so prophanely in their Churches erected to the honour of their God and make so little reckoning of them as they doe in many places of Europe and not onely doe it but in some places which is strangest of all thinke themselves the purer and sounder Christians that they doe so Were it but for the sake of Iewes and Gentiles who cannot but abhorre that Religion that allowes of such profanesse in and about places dedicated to the worship of God were there no more in it then so Yet it is apparantly against the lawes of true Christianitie which of all others are most severe against all wilfull scandals that such irreverence should be allowed I am the bolder to say that it is against true Christianitie because I know it was not so when true Christianitie did most flourish And truely he that should have seene in the times of the primitive Church devout Christians not daring so much as to touch a Bible without first washing of their hands in token of reverence and in their Churches in great humilitie stooping sometimes to the very ground whence as I take it are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salutations or kissings of the holy pavements mentioned in the Ius Orientale yea directly terramfronte concutientes as Saint Augustine speakes in a place or as Saint Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prostrating themselves quite downe and beating the ground with their foreheads which though it were not absolutely required of any but such as were either to bee baptized or did solemne penance whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for prostratio as Billius hath long agoe taught us yet was voluntarily performed by them of the devouter sort as appeares by Saint Chrysostome tom vi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who cals them there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that did it in opposition to cold careles worshippers and the like And should now see holy Bibles prophanely tossed up and downe as they are ordinarie men entring into Churches with such gesture and countenance rather as if they entred with authoritie to dispossesse God then to humble themselves before him and in time of divine service carrying themselves in them accordingly moreover divers making no conscience to doe that about and against consecrated walls of Churches which common civilitie doth prompt us to forbeare about private houses those of our betters at lest certainely he would hardly be brought to beleeve that things so contrary could proceed from men of the same Religion or rather indeed to beleeve that men that had any sense of any religion at all be it what it will could be so securely and senselesly prophane However though it bee not unlikely in this atheisticall age that many doe it because they have said in their hearts that there is no God and in this sacrilegious age of purpose because it concernes their profit and ungodly designes that consecrated places bee made common and profaned Yet God forbid wee should judge so uncharitably of all that offend in this kind but rather judge and beleeve that it is nothing else but the power of custome and the want of due consideration that
otherwise would be due unto it Now the knowledge of Truth being a matter of such moment to happinesse as wee have said it is much to bee lamented that the search of it should bee so difficult as it is so beset with sundry rubbes and impediments so shadowed with many false colours and lineaments as it is to bee feared that many men after no small paines and studie to find out what Truth is in stead of finding what might satisfie them concerning the nature of Truth begin to doubt whether there be any such thing in rerum natura and by consequent whether any such thing truely and really as Vertue and Iustice according to that miserable complaint though uttered by him upon another occasion of dying Brutus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O wretched vertue hitherto have I carefully exercised thee as a thing true and reall but now I see that thou art meere words and wind And in very truth if a man shall as it were from some higher place raised with the wings of philosophicall contemplation as an indifferent judge or but spectator take a generall view of the surface of the earth diligently observe and looke into the actions and endeavours of mortall men hee shall cleerely see that that which all ingenuous men aime at and most even wretched worldlings doe pretend unto is truth but that truth so generally professed both by the one and by the other for truth in some whose grosse and earthly temperature is most uncapable of heavenly both thoughts and hopes to bee nothing else but meere policie and private secular interests in many others of a purer mould or metall whose meaning is good and sincere nothing else in effect but meere partialitie prejudice presumption resolute obstinacie and the like being all the fruits and effects of either blind ignorance the more blind the more confident alwaies in too much heate and eagernesse the naturall distemper of most men or lastly if not of all these together yet of some one of them especially of long use and custome Shewes and colours and appearances and pretences of truth in great store every where reall and solid truth hee shall see but little any where and that too in many places either silenced or forced by unjust violence into corners Vpon one of these impediments that I have mentioned I purpose at this time to fixe my contemplation being one of the chiefest if I bee not much mistaken my selfe of those many things that cause truth to bee mistaken by men and that is Custome That men both in their actions and in their judgements are most swaied by custome hath beene the observation of many wise men of old and is most apparant by daily experience to them that shall observe it with diligence Non ratione componimur sed consuetudine saith Seneca Epist 123 and elsewhere speaking of the actions of men As those things are which men are used unto so are their judgements saith Aristotle in his Metaphysicks lib. 1. parte 2. c. 3. Rabbi Ben Maimon commonly called Rambam the most judicious Rabbin that ever was known to the Christian World in his excellent booke called More Nevokim having insisted out of Alexander Aphrodisaeus as he professeth himselfe of three maine particulars which usually hinder men from the knowledge of truth addes a fourth of his owne observation as considerable in his judgement if not more then any of the former and that is saith hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Custome and Education What word was used by the Author himselfe I know not For he wrote this booke in Arabick and the Hebrew is but a translation But the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used by the Hebrew translator for custome is very proper in this place comming from a simple Verbe which among other things signifieth fallere dolosè agere which is the very thing the Author doth here charge custome of Amant enim homines saith he naturâ id ad quod sunt assuefacti propendent ad illud And then after some instances taken from daily experience goes on thus as the late Latin Translator renders him Idem planè accidere solet homini insententiis opinionibus quibus innutritus est ut pro amore illarum ab illis dimoveri nequeat Quae causa est ut homo saepe non possit apprehendere veritatem quia scilicet illa sequitur quibus assuefactus est c. Neither is there want of many plausible pretences to make this power or tyranny rather as Saint Chrysostome doth usually stile it of custome to seeme as reasonable as it is generall For first Naturalists tell us that Consuetudo tanquam altera natura so Aristotle and Gallen elegantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Custome is an adscititious Nature Both Civilians and Canonists tell us not onely that consuetudo optima legis interpres that is much that it should be so but plainly that consuetudo derogat legi abrogat legem yea some of them that consuetudo illicita licita facit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the resolution of the Councell of Nice in matters of the Church and to enquire of the former age and to stand upon the wayes and there to looke for the good old wayes is the way that the Prophet doth teach us both to truth and righteousnesse to wit to consult with Antiquitie which is nothing else but a continued custome as custome is nothing else but actus saepius multiplicati as it is defined by Lawyers and Schoole-men Besides Philosophers tell us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is in being and that wee call Truth are all one And what is custome but that which is in being And if any to shew a difference shall adde that Truth is that which is hath beene and shall bee which is as much as to say that it is eternall wise Salomon seemes to say as much of custome when intreating of the varietie of mens labours and actions hee useth these words The thing that hath beene is that which shall bee and that which is done is that which shall be done and there is no new thing under the Sunne Is there any thing whereof it may he said See this is new It hath beene already of old times which was before us So another a King too and as wise a King of a heathen as Salomon He saith he that seeth the things that are now hath seene all that either was ever or ever shall bee For all things are of one kind and all like one unto another And in another place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What ever it bee that is now done here is the same that hath alwayes beene and ever shall be and is now done in all places which is spoken by him as appeares there not of things naturall lest any man should mistake but of mens actions and fashions Anto. vi 34.x.12 To these things if any shall reply that consuetudo quae non est rationabilis is not properly consuetudo but corruptela and
ac plane ejusmodi qualem verisimile est fuisse in ipso aetatis flore descripsimus vero heic quod invenimus in alio libro simili de causa nobis allato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Robertus Constantinus Baro Gymatius Professor Graecarum literarum in Academia Montalbanensi Idemque assertor audibilis coelestisque harmoniae experientiâ quotidianâ plusquam viginti annorum Haec raptim exaravi in gratiam amiciss viri atque eruditiss D. Iohannis Davini Montalbani 24. Febr. Anno 1605. Robore constantia Hic est Rob. Constantinus qui olim apud Iulium Caesarem Scaligerum vixit postea Lexicon publicavit Caeterùm de hac longaevitate ipsius haud satis fidem illi habeo nam video ipsum non planè affirmare Quare more senum indulget sibi annorum suorum numerum nisi fallor aliquot supra fidem adauget So farre those written Adversaria Of this Constantinus you may read in Thuanus tom v. of his great age and good worth as a schollar and that hee was summus Bezae amicus one of Beza's chiefest and dearest acquaintance But of this pretended sensible knowledge of the Coelestiall Harmonie not one word there which hath made me the more willing to insert here and make publique what I had else-where in my private possession about it And so much shall suffice at this time concerning the power of custome in things naturall historically Now Philosophically and speculatively wee thus proceede First that it is not without danger nor according to exact Truth to say that Nature is alterable For what is Nature properly but the Order of God If that bee mutable and violable then is no more this World a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or orderly peece but a masse of confusion and that is it that the Atheists and the opposers of a Providence would have Neither can there be any truth properly in those things the nature whereof is altogether uncertaine therefore uncertain because unconstant And where there is no Truth there can bee no knowledge As to the World therefore confusion so to the understanding ignorance from this uncertaintie and inconstancie must necessarily ensue As for Miracles though above nature yet are they not properly against nature since they are his proper worke who is the Author of nature and therefore originally and sutably to his Nature did reserve unto himselfe a power to dispense with his owne lawes whensoever hee thought fit All Gods workes of themselves and in regard of God are equally naturall though not in regard of us Wee say therefore that custome is not alwayes to be considered as opposit unto Nature since it is the nature of sublunarie things to bee altered by custome And when custome hath once through continuance naturalized her selfe into any of them then custome to speake properly is no more custome but Nature according to that of old Evenus in Arist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that long use and exercise becomes at last nature Nature then we say by the ordinance and appointment of its first Author is two-fold originall and secundarie or adventitious and so Gallen plainely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 custome is a kind of adventitious or adscititious nature Neither is custome when it is once become naturall though adventitious lesse naturall in regard of the common Nature of the Vniverse from which at first it received the power and proprietie to turne in time into nature then that originall nature though in regard of the particular subject that it hath wrought upon it bee but adventitious When therefore it is commonly said that such or such a thing hath lost its nature it must bee understood of that particular nature and proprietie which it had at the first not absolutely as though it had departed from the law of Nature in generall since that Nature it selfe hath made it so alterable As of death wee say vulgarly that it is against nature though it bee as properly and truely the worke of Nature as birth or generation is and as naturall to the nature of the Vniverse And so is that true of Aristotle which wee have spoken before that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nature cannot bee driven away being understood of Vniversall Nature Gallen a great admirer of Nature and much to bee admired himselfe for his painefull travels in the search of it hath another way to reduce custome unto Nature His opinion is that any mans nature may bee known or at lest probably guest at by those things that he is used unto And therefore prefers those Phycsiians that allow unto their patients whatsoever they have been used to though cōtrary to art before them who keepe them strictly to the generall prescripts without respect to their proper constitution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Most men that use themselves to any thing whatsoever it bee they must be conceived to pitch upon such things as are most sutable to their owne Nature for that finding hurt by those things that are contrary unto it they are forced to forbeare them speedily Yea plainely that none can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 long continue in an evill custome contrary to their proper constitutions who are not extremely madde and senselesse By this custome and Nature should bee all one or at least custome for the most part nothing else but the fruits and effects of originall Nature For my part I should easily grant that any mans present constitution which you may call his Nature for the time though improperly may not unlikely bee judged of by those things that are customarie unto him But that a mans originall temper and constitution which is it that Gallen there speakes of may so bee knowne except we shall extend madnesse and senslesnesse very far common experience will disproove For what generally more naturall unto all men then temperance and sobrietie And what more generally practised in the World among all sorts of men then excesse and ryot and intemperance in some one kind or other if not in all But by the way If in the judgement of Gallen a heathen all such are to be reputed as mad men because they respect their health and corporall welfare no more what would hee have said of them had hee beene a Christian for their wilfull casting away of their soules so much more precious then the body by how much Heaven doth excell the earth by the said courses Certainly madnesse is a far more generall evill then most men thinke But this by the way onely When Phylosophers dispute as many doe whether Nature or education that is custome be more powerfull to frame and fashion a mans life it would be but an absurd question scarce fit to be proposed by any sober man much more unfit to bee so seriously disputed of by learned Philosophers if nature and custome in this sense come all to one But I shall here appeale from Gallen unto Gallen himselfe whose words in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
simplicitie His words are consuetudo initium ab aliquâ ignorantiâ vel simplicitate sortita in usum per successionem corroboratur de virgin vel c. i. Hee might have added which is added by others another ground of many Lawes and customes which is wilfull injustice and want of a good conscience the rarest thing of the world though nothing bee more commonly pretended It doth therefore much concerne every particular man them especially that take upon them to bee men of judgement and understanding as not to controle the received Lawes and customes of their countries the alteration whereof belongeth not unto them So to understand as neere as they may what Lawes and customes are absolutely good and warrantable in themselves and which are tolerated and maintained onely for the peace and concord of the Commonwealth Here therefore is a maine difference to be made betweene those things that the Law doth command and doth oblige us unto and those things which if wee doe the Law doth allow but not command betweene those things that wee doe as good subjects unto the King and his Lawes and those that wee doe of our owne inclination taking the advantage of the Law What Christ once said unto his Disciples If your righteousnesse exceed not the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharises the strictest men for their old lawes and customes that ever were you shall never enter into the Kingdome of Heaven is in this sense applyable unto all men Such a Legall life will never bring them unto Heaven Therefore the Canonists teach us that consuetudo may liberare à paenis civilibus indeed but cannot à paenis gehennae if in itselfe it bee unconscionable and unreasonable And they are not the Canonists onely that teach us this doctrine but even our owne Lawyers that have taken the greatest paines to uphold the credit and maintaine the Iustice of our Lawes Many unlearned persons saith one of them beleeve that it is lawfull for them to doe with good conscience all things which if they doe them they shall not bee punished therefore by the Law though the Law doth not warrant them c. and so goes on setting downe for example some particular cases of those things which a conscionable Christian is bound unto to save his soule though hee cannot be compelled unto it by the Law D r. and Stud. lib. 1. c. 19. And in such cases saith the same Author in another place he is in conscience as well bound if he will save his soule as hee were if hee were compelled thereto by the Law c. If there bee not then besides the Law of the Land a law of reason and conscience to regulat our actions by we are certainely but in bad case in point of eternall salvation HAving treated hitherto in this second part of the Varietie first then of the power and validitie of custome in things civill it will not be improper that I adde somewhat of words also and of the power that custome hath in matter of words and speeches For though many men for want of knowledge and experience thinke that words are but wind and therefore account no subject that is about words to bee very materiall or worthy the studie of a serious man yet wiser men know full well that in very truth there is nothing that setteth men on worke so much or causeth so much stirre in the World as words meere words doe and have alwayes done that words have beene the occasion of many warres by which many great Cities and Countries have beene overthrowne that words have caused bloudy strifes and persecutions even in the Church not words onely as they were intended and should have beene understood but even mistaken through ignorance It was once said of some ancient Philosophers Sentit idem Aristo quod Xenocrates quod Aristoteles loquitur alio modo ex hac autem non rerum sed verborum discordiâ controversia nata est c. A happy thing it were for the World that words were well understood every where and all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all strifes and contentions about words quite taken away But that will not bee as long as the World indures it is in vaine to wish it though not to wish it be the part of either an ignorant or uncharitable man But I have nothing to doe with words here but as custome my present subject hath to doe with them to wit to shew the power of custome upon words and some remarkable effects of this power A. Gellius saith well in a place consuetudo omnium rerum domina sed maximè verborum and Quintillian yet more fully that consuetudo est certissima loquendi magistra utendumque plane sermone ut numo cui publica forma est and againe Ridiculum malle sermonem quo locuti sunt homines quam quo loquuntur sane quid est aliud vetus sermo quà m vetus loquendi consuetudo So Horace and divers others who all agree in this that vvords and all right speaking goes by custome and whereas in other things custome as hath beene shewed is an usurper upon right here her soveraigntie is acknowledged to bee naturall right and custome in matter of words and language being in the judgement of wisest men but one thing for the most part Now therefore to speake of it somewhat more distinctly First custome makes vvords that were but sounds before to bee vvords that is to signifie somewhat As for example it makes the sound that those three letters G. o. and d. being put together doe make to signifie unto us of this nation the Lord and maker of all things For of itselfe vvhy these three letters should represent such a thing there is no ground in nature but custome It is true the Stoicks of old were of another opinion and it became a great controversie among Philosophers vvhether vvords vvere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by nature or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by imposition at pleasure Origin in few vvords states the question thus Aristoteles sentit positu nomina Stoici putant Naturâ esse indita imitantibus primis editis vocibus res ipsas ad quas nomina imposita sint qua ratione Etymologias inducunt And A. Gellius to the same purpose Nomina verbaque non posita fortuito sed quadam vi ratione naturae facta esse P. Nigidius in Grammaticis Commentariis docet rem sane in Philosophiae dissertationibus celebrem Queri enim solitum apud philosophos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Saint Augustine handles it at large in his de Dialectica to whom and to Gellius I referre them that would know more of it Hereupon the Stoicks did earnestly bestirre themselves to find out and penetrat into the Etymologie of every word and to shevv the reason of it in nature but to speake truth their labour tended rather to make sport unto the idle then to give satisfaction unto the soberly curious Yet the
pleasure making them that once were vile to become honorable and those that were honorable to become vile yea vvords of title to become words of reproach and words of reproach to become words of title What once knave and ballad were in old English when David was termed the knave of the Lord and the song of songs called the ballad of ballads is yet too fresh to be forgotten Notarius was once a Title for a Secretarie of State when Secretaries of State were at the highest and then Cancellarius was an obscure name and of little respect Now it is quite contrary and hee would bee thought and reason he should since custome hath otherwise commanded it to commit a monstrous soloecisme that should now use those Latine words as they were used when Latin was in use I doe not know any thing to the contrarie but that men were as scrupulous to tell a lye in former ages as they are now nay for some reasons I should thinke more As first because the art of equivocation was not then knowne much lesse the praises of it and againe because as Tullie hath taught mee the ancient Romans were so cautelous in their solemne attestations as that were they never so certaine of a thing yet they avoyded as much as they could religionis pudoris causa vvords of peremptorie and confident asseveration rather using which hee cals verbum consideratissimum the vvord arbitror Yet a man might have told another mentiris that hee did lye of the Latin word I find it observed by others and of the Hebrew wee have examples of it in Scripture as ii Reg. iv 16 without any great either offence or breach of civilitie which now to give though but to another bee he never so vile in the presence of a man of fashion is greatest incivilitie But of all things in this kind I most vvonder at that some tell us of the vvord Bastard which they say was once rather a Title of Honor among great ones then a note of infamie Soe Pontus Honterus Postremò saith he quam longē abfuerit nostrorum nasutulorum opinio ab ejus temporis nobilium sententia vel ex eo apparet quod nothi Burgundi è Philippo Bono nati omissis Ducum Comitum Marchionum Baronumque titulis aliis omnibus praetulerint BASTARDI nomen scribentes in armorū Gentilitiis scutis publicè ac privatim hoc tantum modo Corn. Ant. Phil. Bald. David c. Burgundiae BASTARDVS Ex to supreme powers whether Civill or Ecclesiasticall Caeremoniae Deorum sanctitas Regum saith Iulius Caesar in Suetonius that as religious worship is proper unto the Gods so unto Kings to be styled and accounted sacred But numen and altaria and the like I wonder how Christian eares could away with yet allowed time was even to Christian Emperors and used by them speaking of themselves as for example in the Code nostris altaribus suggestio offertur and de nostris altaribus petunt c. which is not likely their Christian eares would have borne had not the power of custome hardned them unto it Hee is not a civill man now of late yeares among us that thinkes much to subscribe himselfe servant though it be unto his equall or inferior Yet Sulpitius Severus was once soundly chid by Paulinus the Bishop of Nola for subscribing or rather proscribing as the custome was then himselfe his servant in a letter of his But you shall heare himselfe speake if you please and what hee thought of it In Epistolae titulo imitari praestantem in omnibus mihi fraternitatem tuam timui quia tutius credidi verè scribere Cave ergo posthac Servus Christi in libertatem vocatus hominis fratris conservi inferioris servum te subscribere quia peccatum adulationis est magis quà m humilitatis justificatio honorem uni Domino uni magistro super terram uni Deo debitum homini cuilibet ne dicam miserimo peccatori deferre His words are somewhat ambiguous whether hee meanes uni Domino uni Magistro and uni Deo all of one or rather as I rather beleeve partitively allowing us the use of this word to those that are truely our Lords and masters upon earth But whatever his meaning was it is certaine that the vvord is extreamely abused now adayes and most abused by them that know least and care as little to learne what belongs unto true humilitie and wherein it doth consist Now in this and the like cases it were happy if in all places if all places afford such some of the wiser and graver sort of men would agree by their joynt constancie and gravity to resist both in matter of fashions that belong unto cloaths and in those that belong unto vvords the vanitie ficklenesse foolishnesse of ordinarie worldly men vvho have nothing to busie their idle braines with but to invent and follow new fashions Then vvere it an easie thing for any sober man to maintaine and embrace consensum prudentum as wise men prescribe in other things the consent of some though fewer in number that are wise then vulgarem consuetudinem the custome of the common people ordinary wordlings I meane which commonly likes that best which is worst And certainely they should bee much to blame in my judgement that vvould not doe it But when a custome in this kind though vaine yet not absolutely impious is become so generall that a man cannot avoyd it except he will be singular a man I thinke may safely enough in these things which of their nature are indifferent condescend unto it to avoyd singularitie which alwayes relishes of some vvant of charitie and is oftentimes the effects of a worse disease pride and selfe-conceit And so much be spoken concerning vvords AS God both in regard of his will and in regard of his Nature is absolutely immutable in a transcendent kind of immutabilitie beyond all comparison nay beyond all imagination of man which Saint Iames to expresse in some sort after hee had said that there is no variablenesse with God not content with that addes elegantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or shadow of turning So it stands with reason that both the worship of God and the opinions of men touching God should be as invariable at lest more invariable then any other thing the object whereof is worldly and mutable Custome a man would thinke of all things in the world should have lesse to doe with things of this nature But it is quite otherwise For in very truth of all things in the World there is nothing generally that goes by custome so much as religion doth both in point of practice and in point of opinions So that there is nothing so horrible of itselfe or so ridiculous in the judgement of reason and common sense in point of opinions which long custome if men bee not very warie of it and with best care and diligence use those meanes to prevent it that sound reason and true philosophie doe
prescribe will not make most plausible and acceptable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 custome having once got the strength of long continuance insinuates errors and impostures bee they never so grosse into the minds of most men under the shape and representation of genuine truth So Iustin Martyr who fetcheth hence especially the origine of Idolatrie And Origin addes that of all Customes none sticke so fast in the mind when once settled there none so hard to bee wiped and washed off as those which he elegantly cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the customes of opinion and doctrine bee they right or wrong To this wee may adde the observation of Nicetas the Greeke Historian from domesticke experience who having particularly instanced in the ancient Christian inhabitants of the Pousgusian poole then halfe Turkish in their rites and customes concludes upon it generally that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Long custome hath more power then either nature or religion Hence it is perchance that the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly which often signifies custome is also taken sometimes for religion or doctrine Now the reason why custome can doe more in point of religion then it can in other things is first because the object of religion is of all others the furthest off both from the senses and from the reach of humane reason which makes men the more apt in things so abstruse and so far exceeding the strength of humane ratiocination to content themselves with what they have received from their forefathers presuming that they had it by some revelation or other from above This made Aristotle who did not love to speake of things but upon demonstrable grounds of reason and nature not to meddle much in all his writings with things divine concerning either God or religion as hee himselfe gives the reason of it in his de part animalium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 professing there that hee preferred the knowledge of things divine farre beyond any other knowledge but could say but little of it nevertheles for want of certaine grounds Plato hee was altogether for Divinitie it is true the immortalitie of the soule and the rewards of a godly life in the world to come and the like being his chiefest subject in almost all his Treatises for which as hee was much admired by the ancient Fathers of the Church so in all ages hee hath beene knowne by the Title of Divine Plato Yet Plato himselfe doth ingenuously acknowledge the imperfection of his knowledge in this kind as both deficient and uncertaine Witnesse this divine passage of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. In another place hee saith plainely that without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some divine revelation from above 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to know the certaintie of these things in this world is either absolutely impossible or extreamely difficult If therefore Plato himselfe coeteris philosophis gentium longè lateque praelatus saith Saint Augustine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that admirable Philosopher saith Eusebius who of all Heathen Philosophers and writers was the onely that reached unto the very porch of Truths Sacrarie if he nevertheles was so much to seeke himselfe and so unsatisfyed no wonder if ordinarie men unto whon the day starre of heavenly truth was not or is not yet arisen have thought it their safest course in all ages in point of religion especially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Athenagoras the Christian Philosopher speakes and shewes in the beginning of his Apologie to keepe them closely to the rites and customes of their forefathers bee they never so ridiculous and absurd Another reason why custome is so powerfull in matters of Religion is because men for the most part every where are for the things of this present World as profit or pleasure or the like as for those things that belong unto their soules they thinke of them as matters of another world indeed that is as matters that doe not much concerne them and for which they see no reason why they should overmuch trouble their thoughts It is true that faction and violent opposition are taken for zeale in most places and those men thought vulgarly very religious that hate them most fiercely that are not of their opinions of which kind of men there is store enough in all places and of all professions But religion or faith well grounded and if it be not well grounded how we can be ready to give an account of it unto others as Saint Peter would have us I know not is quite another thing Wee speake not here of illiterate men or women whose capacitie for no man is accountable for more then hee hath received so hee make good use of it to his utmost doth not reach to such either preparation or examination as both the Scriptures and right reason doe require to proceed rationally and with judgement in such a businesse It is to bee feared that of them that want not judgement and capacitie in other things of the world which they take more to heart there are but few to bee found in no place that make that use of either all prejudice and partialitie being layd aside that were fitting in matter of religion And so it comes to passe that every where and generally though few beleeve it or suspect it yet in very truth the beleefe of most men if it bee well looked into is rather custome then any thing else But to the end that the power of custome in matter of Religion may the better appeare unto them that are none of the most quicksighted of themselves nor disposed to take any great paines by the helpe of long tedious philosophicall speculations to penetrate into the truth of things wee will here take into our consideration some one of the many religions that have beene in great use and request among men in former dayes and of all the rest wee will make choice of that purposely which in the judgement of all men that were not bred and obliged unto it hath ever beene accounted the most ridiculous unnaturall and prodigious I will not therefore here speake of them that have worshipped the Sunne and the Moone and the starres c. the most glorious objects that sensuall worshippers could pitch upon and which some ancients grounding upon a wrong interpretation of the words of Moses Deut. 4.19 seeme to bee of opinion that it was in some manner permitted to the Nations of the world to doe till the comming of Christ Nor yet of them that have worshipped stocks and stones the worke of their owne hands whose plausible pretence for their grosse idolatrie hath beene in all ages that they worshipped not the figures themselves in sight but the invisible Deities represented unto them by those figures Those that I will instance in shall be they whose religion was to worship those things which reason and nature in the judgement of all other nations hath made unto man either contemptible or abominable the ancient Aegyptians I meane whose greatest