Of the second cause of Popular Errors; the erroneous disposition of the
People.
Having thus declared the infallible nature of Man even from his first
production, we have beheld the general cause of Error. But as for
popular Errors, they are more neerly founded upon an erroneous
inclination of the people; as being the most deceptable part of Mankind
and ready with open armes to receive the encroachments of Error. Which
condition of theirs although deducible from many Grounds, yet shall we
evidence it but from a few, and such as most neerly and undeniably
declare their natures.
How unequal discerners of truth they are, and openly exposed unto
Error, will first appear from their unqualified intellectuals, unable to
umpire the difficulty of its dissensions. For Error, to speak largely,
is a false judgment of things, or, an assent unto falsity. Now whether
the object whereunto they deliver up their assent be true or false, they
are incompetent judges.
For the assured truth of things is derived from the principles of
knowledge, and causes which determine their verities. Whereof their
uncultivated understandings, scarce holding any theory, they are but bad
discerners of verity; and in the numerous track of Error, but casually
do hit the point and unity of truth.
[Sidenote: _Arguments of sensitive quality most prevailing upon vulgar
capacities._]
Their understanding is so feeble in the discernment of falsities, and
averting the Errors of reason, that it submitteth unto the fallacies of
sense, and is unable to rectifie the Error of its sensations. Thus the
greater part of Mankind having but one eye of Sense and Reason, conceive
the Earth far bigger than the Sun, the fixed Stars lesser than the Moon,
their figures plain, and their spaces from Earth equidistant. For thus
their Sense informeth them, and herein their reason cannot Rectifie
them; and therefore hopelesly continuing in mistakes, they live and die
in their absurdities; passing their days in perverted apprehensions, and
conceptions of the World, derogatory unto God, and the wisdom of the
Creation.
Again, being so illiterate in the point of intellect, and their sense so
incorrected, they are farther indisposed ever to attain unto truth; as
commonly proceeding in those wayes, which have most reference unto
sense, and wherein there lyeth most notable and popular delusion.
For being unable to wield the intellectuall arms of reason, they are
fain to betake themselves unto wasters, and the blunter weapons of
truth: affecting the gross and sensible ways of Doctrine, and such as
will not consist with strict and subtile Reason. [SN: _Fable._] Thus
unto them a piece of Rhetorick is a sufficient argument of Logick; an
Apologue of _Esop_, beyond a Syllogysm in _Barbara_; parables than
propositions, and proverbs more powerful than demonstrations. And
therefore are they led rather by Example, than Precept; receiving
perswasions from visible inducements, before electual instructions. And
therefore also they judge of human actions by the event; for being
uncapable of operable circumstances, or rightly to judge the
prudentiality of affairs, they only gaze upon the visible success, and
therefore condemn or cry up the whole progression. And so from this
ground in the Lecture of holy Scripture, their apprehensions are
commonly confined unto the literal sense of the Text, from whence have
ensued the gross and duller sort of Heresies. For not attaining the
deuteroscopy, and second intention of the words, they are fain to omit
the Superconsequencies, Coherencies, Figures, or Tropologies; and are
not sometime perswaded by fire beyond their literalities. And therefore
also things invisible, but into intellectual discernments, to humour the
grossness of their comprehensions, have been degraded from their proper
forms, and God Himself dishonoured into manual expressions. And so
likewise being unprovided, or unsufficient for higher speculations, they
will alwayes betake themselves unto sensible representations, and can
hardly be restrained the dulness of Idolatry: A sin or folly not only
derogatory unto God but men; overthrowing their Reason, as well as his
Divinity. In brief, a reciprocation, or rather, an inversion of the
Creation, making God one way, as he made us another; that is, after our
Image, as he made us after His own.
Moreover, their understanding thus weak in it self, and perverted by
sensible delusions, is yet farther impaired by the dominion of their
appetite; that is, the irrational and brutal part of the soul, which
lording it over the soveraign faculty, interrupts the actions of that
noble part, and choaks those tender sparks, which _Adam_ hath left them
of reason. And therefore they do not only swarm with Errors, but vices
depending thereon. Thus they commonly affect no man any further than he
deserts his reason, or complies with their aberrancies. Hence they
imbrace not vertue for it self, but its reward; and the argument from
pleasure or Utility is far more powerful, than that from vertuous
Honesty: which _Mahomet_ and his contrivers well understood, when he set
out the felicity of his Heaven, by the contentments of flesh, and the
delights of sense, slightly passing over the accomplishment of the Soul,
and the beatitude of that part which Earth and visibilities too weakly
affect. But the wisdom of our Saviour, and the simplicity of his truth
proceeded another way; defying the popular provisions of happiness from
sensible expectations; placing his felicity in things removed from
sense, and the intellectual enjoyment of God. And therefore the doctrine
of the one was never afraid of Universities, or endeavoured the
banishment of learning, like the other. And though _Galen_ doth
sometimes nibble at _Moses_, and, beside the Apostate Christian, [SN:
_Julian._] some _Heathens_ have questioned his Philosophical part, or
treaty of the Creation: Yet is there surely no reasonable _Pagan_, that
will not admire the rational and well grounded precepts of Christ; whose
life, as it was conformable unto his Doctrine, so was that unto the
highest rules of Reason; and must therefore flourish in the advancement
of learning, and the perfection of parts best able to comprehend it.
[Sidenote: Non sani esse hominis, non sanus juret Orestes.]
Again, Their individual imperfections being great, they are moreover
enlarged by their aggregation; and being erroneous in their single
numbers, once hudled together, they will be Error it self. For being a
confusion of knaves and fools, and a farraginous concurrence of all
conditions, tempers, sexes, and ages; it is but natural if their
determinations be monstrous, and many wayes inconsistent with Truth. And
therefore wise men have alwaies applauded their own judgment, in the
contradiction of that of the people; and their soberest adversaries,
have ever afforded them the stile of fools and mad men; and, to speak
impartially, their actions have made good these _Epithets_. Had
_Orestes_ been Judge, he would not have acquitted that _Lystrian_ rabble
of madness, who, upon a visible miracle, falling into so high a conceit
of _Paul_ and _Barnabas_, that they termed the one _Jupiter_, the other
_Mercurius_; that they brought Oxen and Garlands, and were hardly
restrained from sacrificing unto them; did notwithstanding suddenly
after fall upon _Paul_, and having stoned him drew him for dead out of
the City. It might have hazarded the sides of _Democritus_, had he been
present at that tumult of _Demetrius_; when the people flocking together
in great numbers, some crying one thing, and some another, and the
assembly was confused, and the most part knew not wherefore they were
come together; notwithstanding, all with one voice for the space of two
hours cried out, Great is _Diana_ of the _Ephesians_. It had overcome
the patience of _Job_, as it did the meekness of _Moses_, and would
surely have mastered any, but the longanimity, and lasting sufferance of
God; had they beheld the Mutiny in the wilderness, when, after ten
great Miracles in _Egypt_, and some in the same place, they melted down
their stoln ear-rings into a Calf, and monstrously cryed out; _These are
thy Gods_, O Israel, _that brought thee out of the land_ of Egypt. It
much accuseth the impatience of _Peter_, who could not endure the staves
of the multitude, and is the greatest example of lenity in our Saviour,
when he desired of God forgiveness unto those, who having one day
brought him into the City in triumph, did presently after, act all
dishonour upon him, and nothing could be heard but, _Crucifige_, in
their Courts. Certainly he that considereth these things in God's
peculiar people will easily discern how little of truth there is in the
wayes of the Multitude; and though sometimes they are flattered with
that _Aphorism_, will hardly believe, The voice of the people to be the
voice of God.
Lastly, being thus divided from truth in themselves, they are yet
farther removed by advenient deception. For true it is (and I hope I
shall not offend their vulgarities,) if I say, they are daily mocked
into Error by subtler devisors, and have been expressly deluded by all
professions and ages. Thus the _Priests_ of Elder time, have put upon
them many incredible conceits, not only deluding their apprehensions
with Ariolation, South-saying, and such oblique Idolatries, but winning
their credulities unto the literal and down right adorement of Cats,
Lizzards, and Beetles. And thus also in some Christian Churches, wherein
is presumed an irreprovable truth, if all be true that is suspected, or
half what is related; there have not wanted many strange deceptions, and
some thereof are still confessed by the name of Pious Frauds. Thus
_Theudas_ an Impostor was able to lead away Four thousand into the
Wilderness. and the delusions of _Mahomet_ almost the fourth part of
Mankind. Thus all Heresies, how gross soever, have found a welcome with
the people. For thus, many of the Jews were wrought into belief that
_Herod_ was the _Messias_; and _David George_ of _Leyden and Arden_,
were not without a party amongst the people, who maintained the same
opinion of themselves almost in our days.
[Sidenote: _The Author's Censure upon Judgment by Urine._]
Physitians (many at least that make profession thereof) beside divers
less discoverable wayes of fraud, have made them believe, there is the
book of fate, or the power of _Aarons_ breast-plate, in Urins. And
therefore hereunto they have recourse, as unto the Oracle of life, the
great determinator of Virginity, Conception, Fertility, and the
Inscrutable infirmities of the whole Body. For as though there were a
seminality in Urine, or that, like the Seed, it carried with it the
_Idea_ of every part, they foolishly conceive, we visibly behold therein
the Anatomy of every particle, and can thereby indigitate their
Diseases: And running into any demands, expect from us a sudden
resolution in things, whereon the Devil of _Delphos_ would demurr; and
we know hath taken respite of some dayes to answer easier questions.
[Sidenote: _Places in_ Venice _and_ Paris, _where Mountebanks play their
pranks._]
_Saltimbancoes_, _Quacksalvers_, and _Charlatans_, deceive them in lower
degrees. Were _Esop_ alive, the _Piazza_ and _Pont-Neuf_ could not but
speak their fallacies; mean while there are too many, whose cries cannot
conceal their mischief. For their Impostures are full of cruelty, and
worse than any other; deluding not only unto pecuniary defraudations,
but the irreparable deceit of death.
_Astrologers_, which pretend to be of _Cabala_ with the Starrs (such I
mean as abuse that worthy Enquiry) have not been wanting in their
deceptions; who having won their belief unto principles whereof they
make great doubt themselves, have made them believe that arbitrary
events below, have necessary causes, above; whereupon their credulities
assent unto any Prognosticks; and daily swallow the Predictions of men,
which, considering the independency of their causes, and contigency in
their Events, are only in the prescience of God.
Fortune-tellers, Juglers, Geomancers, and the like incantory Impostors,
though commonly men of Inferiour rank, and from whom without
Illumination they can expect no more than from themselves, do daily and
professedly delude them. Unto whom (what is deplorable in Men and
Christians) too many applying themselves, betwixt jest and earnest,
betray the cause of Truth, and sensibly make up the legionary body of
Error.
[Sidenote: _The people of_ Rome, _why never suffered to know the right
name of their City._]
_Statists_ and _Politicians_, unto whom _Ragione di Stato_, is the first
Considerable, as though it were their business to deceive the people, as
a Maxim, do hold, that truth is to be concealed from them; unto whom
although they reveal the visible design, yet do they commonly conceal
the capital intention. And therefore have they ever been the instruments
of great designes, yet seldom understood the true intention of any,
accomplishing the drifts of wiser heads, as inanimate and ignorant
Agents, the general design of the World; who though in some Latitude of
sense, and in a natural cognition perform their proper actions, yet do
they unknowingly concurr unto higher ends, and blindly advance the great
intention of Nature. Now how far they may be kept in ignorance a greater
example there is in the people of _Rome_; who never knew the true and
proper name of their own City. For, beside that common appellation
received by the Citizens, it had a proper and secret name concealed from
them: _Cujus alterum nomen discere secretis Ceremoniarum nefas habetur_,
saith _Plinie_; lest the name thereof being discovered unto their
enemies, their _Penates_ and Patronal God might be called forth by
charms and incantations. For according unto the tradition of
_Magitians_, the tutelary Spirits will not remove at common
appellations, but at the proper names of things whereunto they are
Protectors.
Thus having been deceived by themselves, and continually deluded by
others, they must needs be stuffed with Errors, and even over-run with
these inferiour falsities; whereunto whosoever shall resign their
reasons, either from the Root of deceit in themselves, or inability to
resist such trivial deceptions from others, although their condition and
fortunes may place them many Spheres above the multitude; yet are they
still within the line of Vulgarity, and Democratical enemies of truth.