whole cities, countries. If of meaner sort, by
stupidity, canonical obedience, blind zeal, &c. If of better note, by
pride, ambition, popularity, vainglory. If of the clergy and more eminent,
of better parts than the rest, more learned, eloquent, he puffs them up
with a vain conceit of their own worth, _scientia inflati_, they begin to
swell, and scorn all the world in respect of themselves, and thereupon turn
heretics, schismatics, broach new doctrines, frame new crotchets and the
like; or else out of too much learning become mad, or out of curiosity they
will search into God's secrets, and eat of the forbidden fruit; or out of
presumption of their holiness and good gifts, inspirations, become
prophets, enthusiasts, and what not? Or else if they be displeased,
discontent, and have not (as they suppose) preferment to their worth, have
some disgrace, repulse, neglected, or not esteemed as they fondly value
themselves, or out of emulation, they begin presently to rage and rave,
_coelum terrae, miscent_, they become so impatient in an instant, that a
whole kingdom cannot contain them, they will set all in a combustion, all
at variance, to be revenged of their adversaries. [6449]Donatus, when he
saw Cecilianus preferred before him in the bishopric of Carthage, turned
heretic, and so did Arian, because Alexander was advanced: we have examples
at home, and too many experiments of such persons. If they be laymen of
better note, the same engines of pride, ambition, emulation and jealousy,
take place, they will be gods themselves: [6450]Alexander in India, after
his victories, became so insolent, he would be adored for a god: and those
Roman emperors came to that height of madness, they must have temples built
to them, sacrifices to their deities, Divus Augustus, D. Claudius, D.
Adrianus: [6451]Heliogabalus, "put out that vestal fire at Rome, expelled
the virgins, and banished all other religions all over the world, and would
be the sole God himself." Our Turks, China kings, great Chams, and Mogors
do little less, assuming divine and bombast titles to themselves; the
meaner sort are too credulous, and led with blind zeal, blind obedience, to
prosecute and maintain whatsoever their sottish leaders shall propose, what
they in pride and singularity, revenge, vainglory, ambition, spleen, for
gain, shall rashly maintain and broach, their disciples make a matter of
conscience, of hell and damnation, if they do it not, and will rather
fo