The Modern Statesman, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Of the Piety of the Romans, the Evill and Danger of Mock-thanksgivings.
ANd firſt let us behold their Piety, which is not onelyonly the cheif, but the file-leader, and indeed the ground of all the reſt; this is that which bridles the moſt unruly, and ſtrikes an aw where reaſon cannot perſuade; let this be taken away, and with it all fidelity, juſtice, purity vaniſh, yea humane ſociety cannot ſubſiſt without it, as Cicero obſerves in his firſt Book de Nat. Deor.
Never did they begin any buſineſſe without frequent ſupplications. Civitas religioſa in principiis maximè novornm bellorum, ſupplicationibus habitis, & obſecratione circa omnia pulvinaria facta, Ludos Jovi, donumqui vovere Conſulem juſſit. Livie dec. 4. l. 1. Supplicatio▪ à Conſulibus in triduum ex Senatus-conſulto indicta eſt, obſecratique circa omnia pulvinaria Dii, quod bellum populus juſſiſſet, id bene, ac foeliciter eviniret. Idem in eodem.
Never did they obtain a victory, or receive a deliverance, but publick thankſgivings were decreed, and thoſe for one, three, or more dayes, according to the greatneſſe of the benefit; Magna victoria loetitiaque Romae fuit literis allatis, ſupplicatio in triduum decreta eſt, & 40. majores hoſtiae immiolari juſs…. Livy. Thus when Hannibal was forced to leave Italy after ſixteen years war, they no ſooner heard of it, but they ordered ſolemn and publick thanks. Decretum ut quinque dies circa omnia pulvinaria ſupplicaretur, victimaeque majores immolarentur centum & viginti.
Never ſhall we find them mocking heaven, giving thanks for a victory, when they had received a loſſe. A practice ſo ſuperlatively impious, that any leſſe than an Atheiſt muſt tremble but to think on; for what is this but to abuſe God, that man may be deceived, making the divine power (may it be ſpoken with reverence) as it were a ſtalking-horſe to drive the befool'd people into their nets? What is this other than a profeſt Declaration that their ſole confidence is in the arm of fleſh, not caring how they undervalew Gods glory, ſo they may maintain their own reputation, how they provoke him, ſo they may but keep up the ſpirits of theit own party? Flectere ſi nequeunt ſuperos Acheronta monebunt, Sith God hath forſaken them, they will try what the Devill will do; ſith Heaven refuſes, they will try what help Hel will afford them; poor wretches, not at all conſidering, that whilſt they endeavour to rally, and patch together a poor, routed and broken party of frail men, they make omnipotency their foe, defying the Almighty himſelf in ſo publick a manner, that he is engaged by that which is moſt dear to him, his own glory, to revenge the affront; It is evident then how good a match they are like to have of it. Neither doth their wickedneſſe ſtop here; tis not againſt God only they ſin, but men alſo; they are not only Traytours againſt the Majeſty of Heaven, but their truſt on earth, betraying their own poor people which repoſe their confidence in them, by rendring them obſtinate and proud upon hopes of falſe ſucceſſe, which knew they but the truth, and their own weakneſs, might make their peace to the preſervation of many of their lives, and much of their fortunes; and drawing the blood and miſeries of their neighbour-nations upon their own heads, falſely ſeduced to embarque with them in their ill-thriving quarrel, wherein unawares they often are oppreſt when they fooliſhly ſuppoſed all cock-ſure.
Yet hath this impious and treacherous piece of policy been acted again and again in our eyes, with horrour and amazement may we ſpeak it, even by thoſe who would be thought Chriſtians: yea may not this clothe many of the Oxford-thankſgiving dayes in red, and put our Dutch foes, if they have any ingenuity, to the bluſh, who not coutent by their emiſſaries abroad to abuſe all Europe with brags and lyes, have of late ordered a day of Publick Thankſgiving at home to gull their own people into conceit of victory, not without a Piaculum, which may coſt them dear before it be expiated. For he that is High and Mighty indeed, neither can be deceived, nor will be out-faced by any impudency whatſoever, and they had beſt conſider whether they are able to engage with him too, whom they dare affront in the ſight of Angels and Men.
Courage then brave Engliſhmen, you ſee what ſhifts your enemies are put to, you have beaten them out of their confidence in the rock of ages, and forced them to make lyes their refuge, a wretched defence, and ſuch as cannot long protect thē; behold what low-ſpirited foes you have to deal with, even ſuch as dare not take notice of a loſſe; alas how far ſhort come theſe of the Roman Fortitude as well as Piety, whom you ſhall ſee according to that of their own Virgil, Tu ne cede malis, ſed contrà audentior ito, ſo far from being baſely dejected by loſſes, though comming one on the back of another, that their courage rather encreaſed, being prick't on with ſhame and a deſire to regain their loſt honour, which ſtil buoied them up when in greateſt danger of ſinking? this is that true ſober valour grounded on a right ſenſe of honour, and due love to the publick, which needed neither gunpowder nor brand-wine to make them fight luſtick; this is that which rendred them victorious and triumphant, and which will enable, you if you imbrace it. But we ſhall have occaſion to ſpeak of this more hereafter; let us return therfore to our generous Romans, whom we find (I ſay) ſo far from this impious mocking of Heaven,
That on the contrary, upon the leaſt ſenſe or apprehenſion of their Gods diſpleaſure, They ſought by all humble and Publick addreſſes to pacifie and appeaſe their incenſed Dieties: for this we may ſee their frequent luſtrations and deprecations, the firſt to purge and cleanſe themſelves, the ſecond to avert and turn away their Gods anger. Horum Prodigiorum cauſa decemviri libris adire juſſi, et novē diale ſacrum factum, & ſupplicatio indicta eſt, atque urbs luſtrata. Liv. Dec. 4. l. 6.
Laſtly, beſieging an enemies City, they would invoke the Gods of that place, imploring their aid, and deprecating their anger, by inviting them to go with them to Rome with the promiſe of more magnificent Temples, and a more ſplendid adoration: ſo great a care had they not to provoke Heaven, and ſo fearfull were they to engage againſt it.