Of Religion
Religion and the worship of God is a thing so necessary and of such importance as without all doubt it not only draweth a number of people with it but also causeth much commerce together.
And the cities that in this kind excel and flourish in authority and reputation above all others have also the better means to increase their power and glory.
Jerusalem, as Pliny writeth, was the chiefest and most flourishing city of all the East and principally for religion whereof he was the Metropolitan, as also of the kingdom. The high priests, the prelates and the Levites kept their residence, there offered they their beasts, there celebrated they their sacrifices and rendered unto God their prayers and petitions, thither repaired thrice a year all the people almost of Israel. Insomuch as Josephus reckoneth that at the time that Titus Vespasian laid his siege unto it there were in the city two millions and a half of people, a number in truth very strange, that I may not say incredible, in respect the city was not much above four miles about. But it is written by a man that might have perfect knowledge of it, and had no cause to lie.
Jeroboam, when he was chosen king of Israel, advisedly considering his subjects could not live without exercise of religion and use of sacrifice, and that if they should repair to Jerusalem to celebrate and make their sacrifice his people would soon unite themselves with the tribe of Judah and the House of David, casting religion off he set up straight idolatry. For he caused to be made two calves of gold, and sending them to the uttermost parts of his kingdom, turning to his people he said unto them: Nolite ultra ascendere in Hierusalem; ecce dii tui Israel qui te eduxerunt de terra Aegypti.
Religion is of such force and might to amplify cities, to amplify dominions, and of such a virtue attractive that Jeroboam, to give no place to his Competitor in this part of allurement and entertainment of the company, impiously brought in idolatry in place of true religion. And this man was the first that for desire to reign did openly tread down the law and all due worship unto God, and thereof gave a lewd example to posterity. A notable note in truth, not so much of folly as of extreme impiety.
Some that arrogate too much wisdom to themselves in matters of state and government spare not to say and teach that to hold the subjects in due obedience to their prince man's wit and policy prevaileth more than divine or godly counsel: a speech and invention in very truth rather of a miscreant and caterpillar of a commonweal than of a lover and a favourer of the majesty of a state. For such are the ruins of kings, the plague of kingdoms, the scandal of Christianity, the sworn enemies of the Church, nay rather of God, against whom, to the imitation of the ancient giants, they build up a new tower unto Babel which shall breed and bring unto them in the end confusion and utter ruin. Qui habitat in coelis irridebit eos, et Dominus subsannabit eos.
Hear, ye princes, what the prophet Isaiah saith of the counsellors of King Pharaoh: Sapientes consiliarii Pharaonis dederunt consilium insipiens; deceperunt Aegyptum angulum populorum eius. Dominus miscuit in medio eius spiritum vertiginis, et errare fecerunt Aegyptum in omni opere suo, sicut errat ebrius et vomens.
