But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for [then] had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.
Ver. 17. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth.] Heb., We will doing do every word that hath gone forth from our mouth; that we may be dicti nostri dominae, as big as our words, our vows especially, as Jer 44:25 which we made to worship the queen of heaven, in case we came safe into Egypt.
To burn incense to the queen of heaven.] See Jeremiah 7:18 .
As we have done, we and our fathers, our kings and our princes.] Antiquity is here pleaded, and authority, and plenty and peace. These are now the Popish pleas, and the pillars of that rotten religion. It is the old religion, say they, and hath potent princes for her patrons, and is practised in Rome, the mother Church, and hath plenty and peace where it is professed, and where they have nothing but mass and matins. These are their arguments, but very poor ones, as were easy to evince. But as women, counted the devouter sex, have always carried a great stroke with their husbands, as did Eve, Jezebel, Eudoxia, &c., the women of Antioch could much against Paul and Barnabas; Act 13:50 so the people are indeed a weighty but unwieldy body, slow to remove from what they have been accustomed to. a The Irish will not be persuaded to put gears and harness on their horses, but will have the plough still tied to their tails as they have been; neither in matters of religion will they be drawn to leave their old mumpsimus b for the new sumpsimus, c so powerful is usage, and so sweet our present though perverse opinions and persuasions.
For then had we plenty of victuals.] Just so doth the Church of Rome borrow her mark from the market's plenty or cheapness of all things. But one chief reason of that is the scarcity of money that was in our fathers' days, and the plenty thereof that is in ours, by means of the rich mines in the West Indies, not discovered till the days of Henry VII. Holinshed saith that some old men he knew who told of times in England when it was accounted a great matter that a farmer could show five shillings or a noble together in silver.
And were well, and saw no evil.] Ubi utilitas ibi pietas, saith Epictetus; and deos quisque sibi utiles cudit, saith another: for profit men will be of any religion. If the belly may be filled, the back fitted, &c., modoferveat olla, so the pot may boil, much will be yielded to. d It is well observed that the Papists are most corrupt in those things where their profit, ease, or honour is engaged. In the doctrine of the Trinity, and other points that touch not upon these, they are sound.
a Plus valet malum inclitum quam bonum insolitum.
b One who obstinately adheres to old ways, in spite of the clearest evidence that they are wrong; an ignorant and bigoted opponent of reform.
c A correct expression taking the place of an incorrect but popular one
d ' Oπαυ το συμφερον εκει το ευσεβες. Si ventri bene, si lateri. - Horat.