Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/69

Rh Fame. What then can be more dangerous to the Honour of Antiquity; than to set its Value at such a Rate, and to extol it so extravagantly, that it can never be able to bear the Trial, not only of envious, but even of impartial Judges? It is natural to Men's Minds, when they perceive others to arrogate more to themselves, than is their Share; to deny them even that, which else they would confess to be their Right. And of the Truth of this, we have an Instance of far greater Concernment, than that which is before us: And that is, in Religion itself. For while the Bishops of Rome did assume an Infallibility, and a sovereign Dominion over our Faith; the reformed Churches did not only justly refuse to grant them that, but some of them thought themselves obliged to forbear all Communion with them, and would not give them that Respect, which possibly might belong to so ancient and so famous Church; and which might still have been allowed it, without any Danger of Superstition.

But to carry this Dispute a little farther; what is this, of which they accuse us? They charge us with Immodesty in neglecting the Guidance of wiser and more discerning Men, than our selves. But is not this rather the greatest Sign of Modesty, to confess, that, we our selves may err, and all Mankind besides? To acknowledge the Difficulties of Science; and to submit our Minds to all the least Works of Nature? What kind of Behaviour do they exact from us in this Case? That we should reverence the Footsteps of Antiquity? We do it most unanimously. That we should subscribe to their Sense, before our own? We. are willing, in Probabilities; but we cannot, in Matters of Fact; for in them we follow the most ancient Rh