Chritt why nowmoreangry with the third Sonday inLent. Ser.2I. the Pharifeesthan at other times, feare ofhis power, that they might the better incline their heartstokeepe his Lawes, TheSibarites, cameto the OracleofDelphos,toknowhow longtheir com- monwealth ibould continue. Platodifcourfingofa Commonwealth ingeneral, inhis BookesdeRepublica hathpat threefignes or tokens of their duration and continuance. The one,That theirPrincesfhouldnot lie. Theother, Thatthe bad fhould not be more than the good. The third, That thegoings out, fhould not be more thanthe commingsin. For, That the Princes fhouldbee Lyers , the good few, and their expences ex- ceffiue,are inall Commonweales fadvigilesof theirend. Butthe Oraclemade anfivere, That that Commonwealth fhould fo long laft and continue , whileft Manwasnot more efteemed amongftthem than God. Whereupon they were perfuaded,that theirCommonwealthfhould indure for euer : It not being able tofinkeinto their heads , that fogreat amonthoufneffeas thisIhould óncefuc- ceede in theirState . But itafterwards happened , that a delinquent fled for fuccourto the imageof Palas,& the Gouernor willinghis guardto layhold on hini,andto takehim from thence , he fhiftedhimfelfe from theGoddeffe, and clungdoleto the Statuaofthe Kings, father, fo that noneof the Officers durst offer to touch him ; and fo that Kingdome wasoucrthrolyne. So this defpifing ofGodscommandcments,and the preferringof their owne Traditions,was the diffolutionof theIewifh Synagogue. For, betides Anoftolicall andEcclefiafticalTraditions whichcarriefo great authoritie inthe Church, treating generallyof fuch Traditions, which are rel.- taine antientCuftomes inherited front ourfore-fathers; thereare certaineother Traditions in the World annexedto particular States, which in their owne na- ture are things indifferent. As your courtefies and-complementsamong(t Cour- tyers ; Thegiuingofthe right hand ; AndyourTitles of Worfhip, Lordfhip, Excellencie,and the like. Suchagreat Lordcals for drinke, his feruant brings ir, anddelivers it himvpon his knee. Thou fneczeft,hee that is nextvnto thee puts ofhis hat, not that that does hinderthyfarther fneezing,butbecaufe it is a Tra- dition,anda receiued cuftome fo to dò. Others, are reduced ro Sanetitie and Holineffe. AClergieman goesin a graue habit : A Friar, in apatch't frocke; Thou refpeCts himfor this and holdefthim theholier man,not that he is fo,but becaufe it is Tradition . The Dominicans, reckon leffe of thofe religious or- dersthatwearea hoodof cloth ; the Anguftines,of thofe thatweare one of Linfey-woolfie: not becaufe it mattereth much, butbecaufe it is Tradition. But to putas much obferuance inthefe Traditions, as inthe Lawes of God, is ade- fpifingofGod. 7rritumfecl(fi mandutumDei, Thou make/l the Commaundement of Godofnoe al. Ofthefe Saint t." often fayth, That euery one fhouldkeepe that cuftome,that he finds fhall make for the peace andquiet of the Church , asalfo of thofewee conuerfe withal'. titsmuch as inyoulytth,hauingpeacewithamen. Others there are, wherein the opinionofthe world candoe more than the faith of God. Your great Lords will impawne their eftate tomaintain a Tiltingor aTournying, or inmaking aMaske for to doe their Miftreffe feruice; They will bee liberal) and bountiful)to acommonBuffoon, or Iefter, but will feared giue a royal) rathepoore. And this isTradition. fulian the Apoftata made a Proclamation, that no Chriftian fhould, inioyyour Militarieornaments ; and tifa- ny tooke this for fuchanaffront, that theywhobeforewould haue fried at the Stake for God, diddenie him forworldly refpeCts, and forthe preferuing of H h 3 their 365 I Traditions, howfar forth tohe regarded Varietieof traditions.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=