4 The best things have not commonly most voices, and it is a great presumption that1 the things are the worse, if they have a common consent. This part is great, therefore the worse, saith Seneca. So Aristotle, great and good is not all one: the first finder out of mans wisdom found out this, and always after made it his poesy; The most the worse. He found it by the earth, seeing much pot-earth, and little to make gold; so there is much pot-reason. And Aristotle giving a reason of the hardest & fairest, saith, first that they be so by nature: and secondly, because of the multitude of them, that resist it. This is a common proverb with Lawyers, such as be overcome appeal to the people. This is espied out of the heathen, and ye• our Christians cannot see. But let us come to the scripture, Gal 1. 10. If I 2should please men, I should not be the servant of God, i. the most men. The Angels come by two or three at the most, but the devils are said in the scripture to come by legions, the scripture willing us to fly the wicked, saith fly the world, because they are the most. Hosea compareth the good to gleaning after the harvest, then the great harvest is the devils, & a small number the Lords. Again, seeing they are so great a number, they must have a broad way, but it leadeth to destruction. Indeed it must be a great way, in the which most must travel; and the godly have a narrow way, and therefore David saith, Lord show me thy paths, and he looks at the journeys end. In heaven there is room enough, but hell, as Ezekiel saith, must be enlarged; so dangerous it is to follow a multitude which is always like it self, & ye may see how judgement passeth on their behalf, when it is put to them. There was a voice put up for making a golden Calf, and there was not one against it. There was a voice what should be done with Jesus, and all cried, crucify him. Another was, whether God should be God, or B•al should be God, and none held with God but Elijah. Also whether Christ or Barabbas should be loosed, and all chose Barabbas. And in a good matter, whether Joseph should go into the pit or no, and all but Reuben consented he should. In religion we can grant, that universality is no note of the truth: and if any object unto us, what, so many Princes, so many Nobles, and yet have they not the true religion? we can answer out of Paul:
4 The best things haue not commonly most voyces, and it is a great presumption that1 the things are the worse, if they haue a common consent. This part is great, therefore the worse, saith Seneca. So Aristotle, great and good is not all one: the first finder out of mans wisedome found out this, and alwaies after made it his poesie; The most the worse. He found it by the earth, seeing much pot-earth, and little to make golde; so there is much pot-reason. And Aristotle giuing a reason of the hardest & fairest, saith, first that they be so by nature: and secondly, because of the multitude of them, that resist it. This is a common prouerbe with Lawyers, such as be ouercome appeale to the people. This is espied out of the heathen, and ye• our Christians cannot see. But let vs come to the scripture, Gal 1. 10. If I 2should please men, I should not be the seruant of God, i. the most men. The Angels come by two or three at the most, but the diuels are said in the scripture to come by legiōs, the scripture willing vs to flie the wicked, saith flie the world, because they are the most. Hoseah compareth the good to gleaning after the haruest, then the great haruest is the diuels, & a smal number the Lords. Againe, seeing they are so great a number, they must haue a broad way, but it leadeth to destruction. Indeed it must be a great way, in the which most must trauell; and the godly haue a narrow way, and therefore Dauid saith, Lord shew me thy pathes, and he lookes at the iournies end. In heauen there is roome enough, but hell, as Ezechiel saith, must be enlarged; so dāgerous it is to follow a multitude which is alwaies like it selfe, & ye may see how iudgemēt passeth on their behalfe, when it is put to them. There was a voyce put vp for making a golden Calfe, and there was not one against it. There was a voyce what should be done with Iesus, and all cried, crucifie him. Another was, whether God should be God, or B•al should be God, and none held with God but Eliah. Also whether Christ or Barrabas should be loosed, and all chose Barrabas. And in a good matter, whether Ioseph should goe into the pit or no, and all but Ruben consented he should. In religion we can grant, that vniuersality is no note of the truth: and if any obiect vnto vs, what, so many Princes, so many Nobles, and yet haue they not the true religion? we can answere out of Paul:
- 1Great things are not always good, and the greatest number is not always best.Great things are not alwaies good, and the greatest number is not alwaies best.
- 2Vict• est provocare ad populum.Vict• est prouocare ad populum.
