Schools partly to their own private use and partly to slatterers many good men contributed of their own substance to the maintenance of Students who being content with a little defended true Doctrine stoutly against the Priests of Baal Object Doth not Beza in his marginal Note on Acts 6.9 call Universities Flabella Satanae Satan's slaps to keep away slyes Doth not Luther call them Cathedras pestilentiae Antichristi luminaria the seats of pestilence and lights of Antichrist Doth not another call them the Synagogues of perdition the pits of the Abyss by the smoak whereof the sun of the Gospel is obscured Answ What some worthy men have spoken of Jewish and Popish Universities See Dr. Arrowsmiths Orat. 1. Antiweigel pag. 3. that others have out of little Candor and great fury transferred to Universities reformed as what Beza spake of the Jewish Academies his words are Academiae jamolim falsis Doctoribus addictae and what Luther and others spake of the Pontifician or Popish Academies But the corruptions of some will not prejudice the Usefulness of Universities in general or of others Reformed and free from the same infection SECT III. Of Religion flourishing when Learning abounded THe second Argument Argum. 2. to prove the usefulness of Learning Learning hath not been in the same state in all Ages since Christ but ebbing and flowing like the water waxing and waning like the Moon But this is observable that in those Ages wherein Learning abounded most Religion hath flourished and the Truth of God hath had most Champipions Defenders and Witnesses of it and for it The fourth Century was as it is called Chronol ad Annum 365. a Learned Age. Hoc tempore fulserunt in Ecclesia Dei clarissima lumina saith Bucholcer Many famous Lights shone in the Church of God in this time who were the Hammers of Heretics The fifth Century was the like These two Centuries for choice of Learned men were compared to the golden Age and are stiled the two Learned Ages In the sixth and seventh Century there was as Authors observe a great decay in knowledge and scarcity of able men to defend Truth and furnish the Church withall There were few in Italy then as Baronius observes haud in promptu esset Annal. Tom. 8. Aâ—n 593. num 62. qui utriusque linguae peritus esset who were skilled both in Greek and Latine Yea Gregory the Great who lived in the seventh Century who was In his Critic Sacr. lib. 4. cap. 29. as Rivet saith Primus Papa ultimus Episcopus Romanus the last Bishop of Rome and the first Pope or the last of the good Bishops of Rome and the first of the bad ones This Gregory professeth that he was ignorant of the Greek Tongue Gregor Tom 2. 1 pâ—st lib. 9. lib. 6. Epist 29. Nam nos nec Graecum novimus That ignorant Age was a declining age wherein men came short of their Predecessors in some Truths as even Gregory himself did therefore it affords few and those not full Testimonies of the truth The Ages of the Church saith a learned man resemble the stars of the sky Dr. Featly Of the Names of visible Protest in all Ages In some Ages we may see many and glorious lights likestars of the first and second Magnitude in other Ages there are few Authors of any Note or bright lustre whose writings have come to Posterity and in some Ages none but obscure and unknown Authors The same Author saith that after we have passed the eighth Age of the Church we fall into Cimmerian darkness Of the ninth Age Bellarmine cannot speak with patience Saeculo hoc nullum extitit indoctius Lib. 4. De Romano pontifice cap. 12 ad linem aut infeliciuâ—â— in quo qui Mathematicis aut Philosophiae operam dabat vulgo Magus putabatur There was no Age more unlearned or unhappy then this in which whosoever studied the Mathematics or Philosophy was commonly accounted a Magician This is called an unhappy Age empty of men famous for wit or learning in which the light of knowledge was not to be found no not in Popes Bishops or Princes but this Age was full of palpable Egyptian darkness and it may be said of this Age that it yielded no eminent men Catholics or Heretics As this ninth Age so the tenth and some other after were barren of Learned Writers Dr. â—eatly and therefore no marvel saith my Author if the Harvest we gather in these Ages of the Professors of the Truth and defenders thereof by writing be very thin In the tenth Century Learning was decayed by the fall of the Roman Empire great corruption grew in this Century or thousandth year Biâ—ck Pâ—â—â—est 〈…〉 wherein as some think Satan was let loose For at this time Rev. 20.3 they of Rome forbad to marry and indulged uncleanness themselves they also devised a carnal presence of Christ in the Sacrament This ignorant Age was a Monkish Age much cumbred with Monkery or with the dotages of Monks and Legendary Fables wherein the Monks devised subtile tricks to delude the people as the Oracles of the Holy Rood c. and that illiterate herd of Monks and Friers bore the greatest sway and the blind led the blind into the pit In the fourteenth Century as some compute it Learning began to revive Idem there being a general Resurrection of all good Learning a little before the receiving of the Gospel at which the Monks were mad For as in the first Plantation of the Gospel in Europe Mellificâ—i Theolog. pag. 716. as Mr. Trap observes God shipped the Arts before into Greece that they might be as Harbingers unto it as Tertullian speaketh so in these latter Ages the Lord intending a Reformation of Religion set up the Turk to over-run Greece and by the cruelty of the Turks used against the Grecians such as they abhorred and by God's Providence over-ruling it divers learned men among the Greeks left as exiles those parts and fled into these Western parts and by their means the knowledge of Letters and study of Tongues especially the Greek and Latine began to spread abroad through diverse parts of the West These were God's first Instruments saith Mr. Trap to restore humane Learning that was almost lost out of the world as Chrysoloras Trapezuntius Gaza Argyrophylus Chalcondylas Cydonius and other In like sort also afterwards John Capnio brought the use of the Greek and Hebrew Tongues into Germany In the beginning of this Age Hebrew was first taught in Oxford Isaacson's Chronol ad Ann. Christ 1314. In this Age knowledge increased very much by the means of Printing ☞ which Art is said to be first invented at Strasburg in Germany by John Guttenburg Hereby the Languages were divulged and good Learning was generally communicated and Books were more easily dispersed then formerly the Manuscrips could be Shortly after there were printed at Paris Venice Antwerp and divers other places the
great abilities to pray and preach and may be carryed on with full gales of outward assistance Hieronymus Zanchius in Phil. 1. ver 12. ad 27. pag. 45. where this question is handled whether the Ministery of such men as are not sanctified may be effectual and is to be allowed in ver 18. pag. 38. hath these words Diversitas affectuum finium quibus adducebantur Ministri ad praedicandum Christum scilicet quod alii modo simulato ex invidia contentione alii animo vero sincero nihil impedivit profectum Evangelii cum ab omnibus idem Christus praedicaretur ac proinde ipse Philippenses aliaeque Ecclesiae habuerint causam cur debuerint debeantque de hac re magis gaudere quam de suis vinculis dolere And further De hoc dogmate propter vitia Ministrorum illorum legitimum Ministerium non desinere esse sanctum efficax in credentibus eoque non esse deserendum aut contemnendum convenit inter omnes Ecclesias quae verbum Dei sequuntur adeoque etiam inter nos Pontificios consonat Apostolus dicendo Gaudeo gaudebo Sed si vitia sint manifesta enormia ferendi non sunt praesertim si admomoniti non corrigantur David Paraeus in Rev. 3.1 speaks thus Efficacia Ministerii non fluit vel pendet a bonitate Ministri Deum enim quandoque per mortuos Episcopos Ecclesiam vivisicare regere exemplum praesens contra Donatistas testatur Pontificios Sophistas qui c. Theodorus Beza De veris visibilibus Ecclesiae Catholicae notis saith Nos non sentimus Ministrorum vitiis aboleri posse Ministerii vel dignitatem vel etiam efficacitatem I freely concur with these faithful servants of Chris in their Testimonies premised thus far viz. 1. That Grace is not absolutely necessary to a Minister of the Gospel 2 That a man may have good Ministerial Gifts though not saving Grace 3. That such a man may by his Gifts be instrumental for the good of others But as for the wicked profane and scandalous Ministers as well as Ignorant and Insufficient I judge them not fit especially after admonition without emendation to be tolerated in the Church either to preach or administer the Sacraments but worthy to be ejected to the end that better men may be brought into their places how unfit and unworthy then are such to be made Ministers I wish with Calvin De scandalis pag. â—31 Utinam tali hominum colluvie exonerari purgarique Ecclesia posset speaking of openly scandalous and vitious Ministers that the Church was purged or disburdened of them Objections against the former Assertion Object 1. It is required of a Gospel-Minister that he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy Tit. 1.8 Ergo Grace is essential to a Minister of the Gospel Answ There is a threefold holiness mentioned in Scripture from each of which persons are denominated holy scil by Profession Separation Inhesion 1. The first kind or mode of holiness is visible profession of Holiness reformation of life unblamableness of conversation to be free from all open and scandalous sins Such as have this work upon them may be called Saints by calling because they answer God's call in some degree scil by conviction of their judgement and outward profession and reformation though not totally and effectually by through-conversion to God and sanctification in Christ for such may fall away and discover themselves but Hypocrites at last because the root of the matter is not found in them Men may hold forth such a shew semblance or appearance of holiness in their lives under which there may be true Grace though there be not in some and for which they are counted holy by others in the judgement of charity they not knowing their hearts nor being able to discern any thing to the contrary in their lives Men have now no infallibility in their discerning even Paul was mistaken in Demas and in divers others Philip in Simon the Sorcerer the Church at Jerusalem in Ananias and Sapphira Such an holiness though more is most to be desired may qualifie persons to be Members of visible Churches and this holiness at the least ought to be in all that are called or allowed to be Ministers of the Gospel 1 Tim. 3.1 to 8. A Bishop must be blameless sober of good behavior given to hospitality not given to wine no striker nor greedy of filthy lucre not a brawler nor covetous c. 2. The second sort of holiness is by consecration to an holy use In Scripture-phrase many persons and things are said to be holy to wit by Dedication and Designation as being set apart from common use to holy service which were not inherently holy in themselves some of them being subjects not capable thereof the word of God abounds with instances of this kinde A Minister of the Gospel may be said to be holy in being set apart to the work of the Ministery which is an holy work or calling 1 Tim. 3.1 two ways 1. By his own inclination of heart bent of spirit a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or readiness of minde thereunto to serve God in the Ministery above any other calling being furnished with gifts suitable thereunto as he must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach 1 Tim. 3.2 2. By an outward call to it in way of Election and Ordination according to the Gospel whereby he is separated to the work 3. The third and best sort of Holiness is Inhesion of Grace in the soul or the Renovation of the inward man into God's image This is the sanctification of the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.2 or in Christ 1 Cor. 1.2 a true Regeneration this must be found in all that would be or shall be saved This inherent holiness is required to be in a Minister of the Gospel in respect 1. Of himself 2. Of his Office 1. In respect of himself it is his duty to be holy and necessary both necessitate Praecepti Medii both by God's commandment and as a necessary means of his own salvation Heb. 12.14 for without holiness no man can see God or save his own soul though he may by his Gifts promote the good of others 2. In respect of his office or Ministery to be inherently holy will conduce very much to the Ability and Efficacy of his Ministery to make him a more able fruitful Minister of the Gospel and will qualifie him better to be set apart to that work God doth call for inward sanctity in Ministers above others because of their near approach to God and that influence which their lives if holy will have upon others but open sinfulness is a discredit to the Gospel and dishonor to his Calling an obstruction to the success of his labors it carries a great aggravation and foul stain with it and may do much hurt to others by way of example But I conceive that though inherent Holiness be most necessary for a
preeminence by far for Eloquence a◠the Noble and Learned Philip Mornay De verit Religionis cap. 26. testifies that whosoever reads them both will say What is Cicero to Isaiah Then speaking of the Oration of Aeschines inveighing against Demosthenes which Tully so much admired he appeals to those that read both what Eloquence vehemency or sublimity is there in that in respect of the words of Isaiah threatning the Jews cap. 1 2 3 c. Hear O heavens and give car O earth c. See Franciscus Picus Mirandula a man well able to judge in lib. 2. de stud Philos cap. 2. and Theodorus Bibliander of the Elegancy of Isaiah cap. 25. as cited by Rivet in his Isagoge ad Scripturam cap. 28. and Budaeus de Asse lib. 5. fol. 292. 2. This may be observed in the Apostles and others in the New Testament Paul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 14.12 a Master of speech The Lycaonians called him Mercury whom they feigned to be the Interpreter of the will of their Gods because Paul here appeared to be the chief speaker There is as good Rhetoric found in Paul's Epistles as in any Heathen Orator whatsoever and some account the Eloquence of Cicero and Demosthenes but dull stuff to his Elegancies Beza in 2 Cor. 11.6 prefer'd Paul before Plato in grandiloquence before Demosthenes in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before Aristotle and Galen in exact Method of Teaching Paul affected plainness in condescending to vulgar capacities yet he could play the Orator excellently when he pleased and did sometimes which some have observed as at Athens Act. 17.22 and before King Agrippa Act. 26.2 and in perswading to unanimity Phil. 2.1 2. to unity Eph. 4.1 to 7. to charity 1 Cor. 13. in setting forth his sufferings 2 Cor. 11.23 c. Apollos was an Eloquent man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vir dicendi peritus Act. 18.24 and mighty in the Scriptures The Corinthians were enriched 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 1.5 See Annot. in 1 Cor. 1.5 in all speech or utterance that is as some interpret it not in affected strains of Rhetoric but in a gift of holy Eloquence such as Apollos is commended for which is a piece of a Christians riches 3. This is also observed that after the Apostles Times the Church had always eruditos eloquentes Doctores learned and eloquent Teachers Problem loc 118. pag. 375. as saith Aretius ex Oratorum numero conversos Cyprian was first a Rhetorician Great Encomiums are given of the Greek and Latine Fathers for their Eloquence Clark's Lives Hierom stiled Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea for his Eloquence Romani eloquii Tubam the Trumpet of Roman elocution He saith that Lactantius was quasi sluvius Tullianae Eloquentiae He flowed with Eloquence as Tully himself It is said of Gregory Nazianzen that the true beauty of his soul did shine forth in his Eloquence Rhetoric being both his companion and servant Chrysostome was a golden-mouth'd Preacher Mellitissimus Christi Concionator He was so admired for his Eloquence as that the people said Satius esse solem non lucere quam Chrysostomum non docere We had better want the sun then the preaching of Chrysostom Ambrose had an Eloquent Tongue 4. This is observable in Modern Divines Some of which have excel'd herein as Melanchthon Calvin and Viret whose singular Eloquence and skill to work upon the affections Zanchy greatly admired 2. Ground Eloquence may be of good use for Perswasion by soft and oily insinuations and for working upon the affections and to set a Lustre and an Edge on the Truthes and Messages of God Lactantius said Magis creditur ornatae veritati Truth the more decently it is trimmed the more readily it is embraced Good Matter clothed with good Language is ordinarily more acceptable and taking Experience shews that Eloquence is an excellent instrument and assistant to the Truth when rightly used but when abused it is potent and prevalent for the adverse party Eloquent Apollos was as effectual a Propugner of the Gospel as ever Tertullus the Orator was an Oppugner of the same Observe Gods blessing upon Eloquence or Elocution rightly used Augustine confesseth that he was converted by the Eloquence of Ambrose Veniebant in animum meum cum verbis quae diligebam etiam res quas negligebam Lib. 5 cap. 14. saith he in his Confessiions Ambrose his eloquent Tongue touched Augustine's heart with the knowledge and love of the Truth Peter Viretus as the Writers of his Life relate was so exceeding Eloquent that he drew many to be his Hearers who were no friends to Religion and they were so chained to his lips that they never thought the time long wherein he preached but always wished his Sermons longer Mr. Acts and Mon. Fox reports of Mr. Rogers and Mr. Bradford Martyrs that it was hard to say whether there was more force of Eloquence and utterance in their Preaching or Holiness of life and conversation in them But when men abuse Rhetoric or use it for ostentation or vain-glory not to woo souls to Christ but to win credit to themselves then God often blasts it and it looseth its lustre savor vigor and efficacy 3. Ground of the Use of Rhetoric for a Minister is this The holy Scriptures are full of Rhetoric of Tropes and Figures Many passages in Scripture must be Tropically or figuratively understood else Circumcision must be really Gods Covenant Gen. 17.13 and the Lamb must be the Lords Passover Exod. 12.11 Bread and wine must be flesh and blood Matth. 26.26 28. kine and ears of corn must be years Gen. 41.26 Christ must be a door Joh. 10.7 and a vine Joh. 15.1 and the Prophets hair must be Jerusalem Ezek. 5.5 and the Image must be the Calf Exod. 32.19 The interpreting of improper or Tropical Expressions in a proper sense hath as Glassius well observes occasioned uncouth and absurd Opinions Praesat Rhetor. Sacr. as that of the Anthropomorphites who attributed a real body and members to God and many Jewish fables Yea that deep-rooted perswasion the Disciples had of Christs Temporal Reign grew from their understanding those Prophecies of the kingdom of the Messiah according to the proper and genuine import of the words in which the majesty and greatness of it is set forth by Metaphors taken from the condition of earthly Kingdoms Hence it is that many Speeches of Christ were mistaken because Metaphorical and improper as when he bid his Disciples take heed of the Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadduces they understood him without a Metaphor Matth. 16.6 but he corrects their mistake ver 11 12 then they saw Leaven was to be taken in a borrowed sense for Doctrine so when he spake to the Jews about destroying the Temple Joh. 2.19.20 meaning his body ver 21. and giving his flesh to eat Joh. 6.51 52. to Nicodemus of being born again Joh. 3.3 4. to the woman of Samaria about living water Joh. 4.11 12 14
much use 1. Rom. 2.14 15. To declare that the Moral Law of God is written naturally in the Heart seeing divers of the Heathen who were amiably and laudably moral were never by Grace elevated above Nature 2 1 Cor. 11.14 Dr. Hall To shew what Dictates or Doctrines even Nature teacheth men Grace scorneth not to learn some things even of Nature 3 To shame Christians who enjoy Means of Grace the light of the Gospel yet come very short even of Heathen men in Moral virtues as in Justice Temperance Meekness Continency Patience Amity and fall sometimes into such foul Sins as are not named among the Gentiles scil without detestation as the incestuous person in the Church of Corinth did 1 Cor. 5.1 CHAP. VI. Of the Vsefulness of History SECT I. Of History in general as useful to understand Scripture THe knowledge of History both sacred and civil affords both profit and pleasure and is of great use to a Minister of the Gospel in three respects scil For knowing and improving 1. The word of God 2. The works of God 3. The examples of Men. First of all for understanding and improving the holy Scriptures Reas 1. Because the greatest part of Scripture is written in a way of History Reas 2. Much spiritual and profitable Doctrine is laid up in Histories to wit Of Persons Families Nations Polities in the Old Testament and of Churches in the New Yea some Scripture histories contain Gospel mysteries wrapt up in them As the Mystery of God's Election and Rejection in the History of Isaac and Ismael Rom. 9.6 7 8. of Jacob and Esau ver 11 12 13. the Mystery of God's wrath severity obduration and rejection in that of Pharaoh ver 17. Exod. 9.16 Of the two Covenants in the History of the two places Sinai and Jerusalem and of the two Mothers Sarah and Hagar Gal. 4.22 to the end Reas 3. Because many passages of Scripture both in the Old and New Testament cannot be well understood explicated illustrated or made use of to the benefit of our selves or others but out of Histories or without the knowledge of Histories As those Prophetical Scriptures which speak of the four Monarchies of the Pope and Turk of the various state of the Church of God in several Ages There is in Scripture a mixture of Civil with Sacred stories as Of the Jews affairs and transactions with the Nations round about them and with other Nations that were remote from them and what was done to the Jews God's people in the times of the Old Testament to Christ and his Church or to any of his members under the New by Kings Emperors Rulers or their Officers at their Command as by Herod Matth. 2.3 c. Acts 12.1 2 3. and by others as Claudius Acts 18.2 Nero 2 Tim. 4.17 Or what befell them in the times of these Kings or Emperors as of Cesar Augustus Luc. 2.1 2. of Claudius Cesar Acts 11.28 Many passages in the Prophets may be best explaned out of the Histories of the Times and Places to which they properly belong Mr. Rutherford A learned man saith that Josephus Herodotus Quintus Curtius Xenophon and other Heathen Writers conduce not a little to the Textual knowledge of Chronicles Nehemiah Esther Daniel as those that write of the Babylonish Assyrian and Persian Kingdoms and Empires and the Roman History may add light to the Prophets and Evangelists Acts and Epistles of Paul in the New Testament The Scriptures have much of the Antiquities Maners Customes both of the Jews and of other Countries also in them and there be many Allusions in them thereunto and the Scriptures receive illustration from them SECT II. Of Jewish History FIrst of the Jews Whence if not from the Jewish Records or Writers should we learn what the Scribes and Pharisees were what the Elders the Rulers of the Synagogue what the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 22.52 what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 19.43 what their Synagogues their Phylacteries and the enlarging of the borders of their Garments what was the rise of the Feast of Dedication John 10.22 seeing the Temple was thrice consecrated by solemn Dedication and of which that in John must be understood See Beza in Joh. 10.22 What a Sabbath-days journey what the Samaritanes were and where they worshipped John 4.20 This conduceth to understand the parable of the good Samaritan Luk. 10.33 and of Mat. 10.5 What those particular Customes of the Jews are which are hinted and referred to in holy Writ The knowledge hereof helps us more fully to understand Christ's Sermon on the Mount and Matth. 23. chap. and 21. chap. 8 9 12. Luke 7.44 45 46. and 11.44 Rev. 16.15 Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments This hath respect as some conceive to the twenty four Guards of Priests and Levites watching in the Temple every night Dr. Lightfoot's Temple-Service cap. 7. sect 1. where one walked the Round who if he found any of them asleep might set fire on his garment Revel 3.4 They shall walk with me in white De Dieu in loc for they are worthy This place seems to glance at that Custom of the Jews that when enquiry was made of the Genealogy and imperfections of the Priests whosoever was rejected as to his Genealogy had a black Garment put on him and went out of the Court but who so was found entire and right was invested with white and ministred with the rest of the Priests Luke 13.33 It cannot be that a Prophet perish out of Jerusalem which speech of Christ looks to that custom that none were to judge Prophets but the Sanhedrim or great Council of seventy one who used to sit onely in a part of the Temple at Jerusalem Matth. 17.24 They that received Tribute-money 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is half a Shekel demanded of every Jew yearly for the use of the Temple Of which see Grotius in loc and Schickards Jus Regium Hebr. pag. 84. It may be cleared from Jewish Writings how our Saviour could keep his last Passover a day before the Jews kept theirs for the day after he had eaten it and wherein he was crucified was but the preparation to theirs John 18.28 and 19.14 and yet keep it at the due time which Dr. Cudworth hath excellently made out in his Discourse of the Notion of the Lords Supper chap. 3. Lastly Those words Hebr. 11.35 Others were tortured not accepting deliverance c. have respect to Eleazar and the Mother with her seven Sons whose Faith and Constancy is recorded in the second of the Maccabees chap. 6. verse 19 30. and chap. 7. SECT III. The History of other Eastern Nations THe Scriptures have also in them the Customs of other Nations Both I. Of those that were nearest the Jews II. And of those that were more remote First Of those which were nearest the Jews round about them For they mention 1. Their Deities of which many in the Old Testament as
Athens was famous for the Study of Arts there was Plato's Academy hence Livy calls Greece Sal Gentium and in Egypt Alexandria yea the rude Indians had their Gymnosophists and the Romans had their Colledges of Augures I may add their Philosophers and Rhetoricians The Persians and Arabians had their Magi. Grotius in Mat. 2.1 The Gauls had their Druides All Sects whatsoever had their Schools to advance their Way Stephen met with some of them at Jerusalem Acts 6.9 and Paul at Athens Acts 17.18 It is observed that the Egyptians Chaldeans Babylonians Persians Grecians Romans erected Schools and by great Liberality and other ways promoted Learning and encouraged Scholars Now let us view the Schools of the Christians See Alsted Chron. cap. 30. ultim edit which upon the Planting of the Gospel were set up at Antioch and Alexandria the latter of which afforded many famous Men as Clemens Origen Ammonius Athanasius Didymus c. That the Primitive Church had her Schools wherein Youths did learn the Principles of Religion and the Liberal Arts and heard the holy Scriptures explaned and that Care was taken for setling Schools every where where Churches were built and for setting over them such Men as were invested with eminent Piety and Learning See Magdeb. Cent. 2. cap. 7. Cent. 3. c. 7. Ecclesiastical Histories do declare That there were many learned men in divers places in the first Ages of Christianity is an Argument that there were Schools in which they were educated In the time of Constantine the great when Religion had its free course the Christian Schools flourished which were after shut up by Julian It is observable that the University of Cambridge to which Chronologers give preheminence for Antiquity to most Universities in the World of a Christian Foundation was restored by Sigebert As Isaacson Alsted Helvicus a great Promoter of Christianity presently upon the Conversion of the East-Angles much furthered by him about the year of Christ 631. For there was a British Academy there long before of which some make Lucius the first Christian King of the Britains the Founder But it being ruined by the Saxons and the Britains shut up in Wales Dubritius a great Champion of the Truth against the Pelagians as was also David his Scholar who held a Synod against their Errors instituted an Academy in the latter end of the fifth Century on the River Wye and after at Caer-lion on Usk in Monmouthshire where many eminent Men were educated Of which see Mr. Fuller's Church-History of Britain This Necessity and Use of Schools Universities and Learning is as great now under the Gospel if not greater in some respects as ever it was under the Old Testament And God hath plentifully furnished all Countries that have entertained the Gospel of Christ especially all the reformed Churches in Europe with famous Schools and Academies and he hath wonderfully blessed them as these in England See Dr. Arrowsmâ—h 1. Orat. Antiweigel p. 3. Scotland Ireland and those in the Low-Countreys in Germany the Palatinate Bohemia so that these Universities have trained up and sent forth learned able eminent Scholars and godly Men choice useful Instruments of God's Glory and Service both in Church and Commonwealth The use and need of Schools and Universities which is evident in the holy Scriptures and by the light of Reason and practise and experience of all Nations as they are the means of Learning Qui vult finem vult media Fints est nobilior mediis infers and evinceth the need of Learning as it is the end thereof especially for the Ministers of the Gospel As there is necessity of Schools and Universities so of study and industry in them for the attainment of Learning For we cannot expect God should communicate these Gifts to us by Miracle or immediate infusion of the Spirit as he did to his Apostles but they must be acquired through the use of ordinary Means forementioned which to contemn or neglect and depend upon immediate and miraculous Infusions and Revelations is to tempt the good Spirit of God and to provoke him to give us up to strong delusions and to give heed to seducing Spirits and to doctrines of Devils Inspiration of such common gifts must be supplied by Education The way Paul directed Timothy unto even in reference to Ministerial abilities was Give attendance to reading 1 Tim. 4.13 c. meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all ver 15. As Timothy had not health by Miracle but in the use of Means 1 Tim. 5.23 so neither had he Gifts for the Ministery by Miracle but by Study In the Platform of Church-discipline agreed upon in the Synod at Cambridge in New England cap. 6. num 6. it 's said This we gladly acknowledge that Schools are both lawful profitable and necessary for the training up of such in good Literature or Learning as may afterwards be called forth unto the office of Pastor or Teacher in the Church Scholae non immerito vocantur Emporia Mercaturae bonarum literarum Scminaria Ecclesiae armamentaria Reipublicae vivaria Oeconomiae officinae Pietatis magistrae Humanitatis fontes Honestatis scaturigines Utilitatis nervi Morum Disciplinae horti Gratiarum uno verbo Cornu-copia omnimodae felicitatis O felices Ecclesias quibus haec pietatis domicilia sunt adjuncta Alsted in Orat. de causis corrupt Schol. Of the causes and uses of Publick Divinity Schools see Zanch. tom 7. orat 1. who saith in his fourth Tom. lib. 1. Thes 2. in quartum praeceptum pag. 812. It should be the great care of a pious Prince or Supreme Magistrate that beside the public and Ecclesiastical Ministery Schools should be constituted wherein beside Humane Learning and the Liberal Arts the holy Doctrine of Religion should be faithfully delivered to youth to conserve heavenly Doctrine in the Church c. and that maintenance should be provided for both Afterwards we see saith Zanchy that the Gentiles and all Nations Pag 813. that were not altogether Barbarous took care hereof whereby their Religion might be conserved and propagated for they saw Sine Scholis non posse consistere vel Religionem vel etiam Politiam that without Schools neither Religion nor Policy could consist that Nature it self should teach a Christian Prince that it is his office to take care of Schools and Colledges He adds Jeroboamus ille impius Rex Apostatarum ab Ecclesia c. That wicked Jeroboam King of Apostates from the Church and Kingdom of Juda as he corrupted Religion so he also overthrew the Schools in the Towns of the twelve Tribes because he knew that the purity of Doctrine and Religion was conserved there by the faithful Prophets But afterwards Elias and Elisha his Disciple knowing that Religion could not be kept pure without Schools restored them and when the wicked Kings had transferred the Revenues which were due to maintain the
Works of sundry Learned men stirred up by God to fetch the Arts back out of banishment Pag. 716 and 717. Mr. Trap names divers of them After that Humane Learning began thus to reflourish and lift up the head Divinity also that had been shamefully obscured and slurried with needless and endless Doubts and Disputes was vindicated and illustrated by the knowledge of Latine Greek and Hebrew In this fourteenth Age as also in the fifteenth and sixteenth Ages God raised up divers Worthies who by their Confessions Writings and Martyrdom gave a great and glorious Testimony to the Gospel of Christ and the Truths thereof as Wickliff Huss Hierom of Prague after them Luther Zuinglius Oecolampadius and many others Then grew up that golden Age of gracious and excellent Divines famous and matchless for depth of Learning and heighth of Holiness If the Times of greatest Ignorance Neglect and Contempt of humane Learning were the Times wherein Errors most prevailed Superstition and Idolatry was advanced and Truth suppressed and Popery did not fall till Learning did rise and if Religion flourished and was best defended when Learning most abounded then Learning is useful and needful for the Ministers of the Gospel SECT IV. Learning qualifies for all public Employments HUmane Learning qualifies Argum. 3. and is needful for all Persons in publick Places and Imployments as Kings Counsellors Judges Magistrates Lawyers Physicians for who would not take advice of Learned Lawyers about their Estates and of Learned Physicians for their Bodies and indeed for every ingenuous Imployment Henry the First King of England was bred up in Learning and such a Prizer of it as he used to say ☞ That An unlearned King was but a crowned Ass Then Learning is most needful for a Minister to fit and furnish him throughly for the work of the Ministery considering that no calling requires more abilities or acquired parts then the Ministry which work I. Is most Important Weighty and Worthy for it is the Minister's office to be conversant in the Matters of God and of Souls of Heaven and of Eternity which are of the greatest Interest and highest Concernment and of the largest and longest Consequence II. Is most comprehensive and manifold As 1. To give the Sense clear the Difficulties reconcile the Differences and seeming Repugnancies of the Scriptures 2. To handle positively all Points of Religion and to discuss and determine Controversies and Doubts about them 3. To resolve and satisfie Cases of Conscience and Scruples 4. Eph. 4.24 Gal. 5.1 To detect false Teachers and discover the many Evils Artifices Cheats Fallacies and Sophistries of Seducers and Impostors and of Satan in them whereby many poor simple Souls are deluded Therefore saith Paul Who is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2.6 Do not they call for the best accomplishments SECT V. Satan makes use of Learning to oppose the Truth LEarning is necessary to the Ministers of the Gospel Argum. 4. for defence of the Truth because Satan makes much use of Learning to oppose the Truth and fight against Religion to maintain his Cause uphold and promote his Kingdom and Satan makes choice and use of Learned men to be his Agents and Champions Advocates for Error and Adversaries to the Truth of God To this end 1. Satan stirred up Heathens who were endued with Learning to write books against the Christian Religion as Porphyry who was one of Julians bosom-birds Celsus Symmachus and others 2. Then Satan raised up Heretics within the Church men of corrupt minds destitute of the Truth but of Parts and Learning to devise defend and spread Errors Heresies and Blasphemies and resist the Truth of God with all their might as Arrius Nestorius Macedonius Donatus Pelagius and many others 3. How many learned Men hath Satan imployed and ingaged since in later times to be defenders of Popery or Romish-Idolatry as Jesuits and many others of Arminianism Socinianism Antinomianism Anabaptism Familism Libertinism and of several old Heresies newly raked up and revived It hath been the Jesuits brag that Imperium literarum est penes Jesuitas the Empire of Learning is within their Dominion and that we have not a Scholar Protestant 4. How hath Satan excited the Papists those friends of Antichrist and builders of Babylon to be at great pains cost and charges to advance Learning with them that they may the better overthrow the Truth of God with us Hence it is that they have errected so many Universities in Spain France Italy How are the Colledges of the Jesuits throughout the Pope's Dominions promoted so as to allure even foreiners thereunto Then do not the Protestant Reformed Churches stand in great need of Men eminently Learned to be able Defenders of the Faith and strenuous maintainers of the Truths of Christ against all Heathenish Heretical and Schismatical Adversaries thereof whether secret underminers or open opposers to convince and confute Learned Subtile Witty Adversaries as Heretics Jesuits and divers others May not Learning being well used be as great a help or advantage to the Truth and Cause of God as Learning abused is an hinderance to it an Engine or Bulwark for Errors Learning as one saith is part of the defensive Arms of true Religion Did not the Israelites need Smiths to make them Weapons to defend themselves against the Philistines as the Philistines did to offend Israel It is very observable how God accomplished some of his servants in all ages with excellent Gifts Graces and Learning to refute silence and non-plus the most acute and learned Adversaries of God's Truth and Grace which those times produced as Moses to withstand the learned Egyptians Athanasius to confute Arrius and Austin that learned Father to oppose Pelagius Jewel Whitaker Rainolds Cartwright Fulk Perkins men of great Learning to refute the Jesuits Moulin Ames Twiss to confute Arminius Yea the Devil can and doth sometime make use of Learning himself to serve his turn as he did in his speaking out of the possessed man See Mr. Rich. Rothwel's life in Mr Clark's Book of Lives John Fox in Nottinghamshire to Mr. Richard Rothwel he quoted many Scriptures out of the Old and New Testament both in Hebrew and Greek he cavilled and played the Critic and backed his Allegations with Sayings out of the Fathers and Poets in their own languages which he readily quoted So that the Company trembled to hear such things from the Man who understood not Learning nor moved either tongue or lip or rather from the Devil in the Man But Mr. Rothwel being not onely a gracious Man but a great Scholar was enabled by God to detect the Devil's Sophistry Was not his Humane Learning then of use to him SECT VI. Satan seeks by obstructing Learning to undermine Religion THe Necessity and Utility of Learning doth further appear by another Design of Satan Argum. 5. which is to undermine Religion by the obstructing of Learning and discouraging thereof This he hath practised by his Instruments
he was at first a Platonist and learned became both a Christian and a Martyr He labored and suffered much for the Religion of Christ He writ a book against all Heresies and famous Volumes against Marcion the Heretic he writ also Apologies for the Christians He was renowned in all ancient Histories for his great knowledge both in Religion and Philosophy Irenaeus was educated from his childhood in Philosophy and Arts. He was admired of all for his excellent learning and skill in humane and in divine things Tertullian calls him Omnium doctrinarum curiosum exploratorem an exquisite searcher out of all learning He was an exact resuter of Heresie He confuted the Valentinians and Gnostics who were the inventers as one saith of the most Chymical Divinity that ever came into the fancy of man He was laborious and prosperous in his Ministery and converted almost the whole city of Lyons in France from Paganism Clemens Alexandrinus Jerom saith of him Meo judicio fuit omnium eruditissimus quid in illius libris indoctum c. That in his opinion he was the most learned Daniel Heinsius saith In the Dedication of Clemens his Works to Gustavus Adolphus He was second to few in Antiquity to none in Learning and that he labored to be an healer of the superstition of the Greeks which at that time invaded the world Cui primo omnium errori vir sanctissimus gravissimo volumine medetur His writings contain a treasure of divine and humane learning and are full of eloquence He excell'd in History and in confutation of heresie Tertullian was skill'd in all kind of learning Lactantius and of chiefest esteem amongst the Latine Authors Jerom saith that his books against the Gentiles contain cunctam saeculi doctrinam all the learning of his age or all sorts of learning Pamelius in vita Tertulliam He was diligently conversant in the Mathematics and in Histories Scult Medull He opposed in those times with great zeal the Heretics as Marcion the Valentinians Praxeas Hermogenes as also the Jews He wrote a learned Apology in behalf of the Christians who were then falsly accused and persecuted and he demonstrated to the very Heathen the verity of Christian Religion and the innocency of Christians Origen was as is reported of him from In the third Century his infancy throughly grounded in all Learning and he was accounted a Mirror of Piety and Learning of all sorts Humane and Divine He had a great acuteness in confuting the Philosophers and those Arabians who would have Souls to die with their Bodies and Berillus the Heretic who denied the Eternity of Christ whom at length he reduced to the Truth as he did Ambrose from the error of the Marcionites He was a great honorer of Martyrdom a comforter of Martyrs His whole life was a continual study he would read at his Meals Cyprian was first a Rhetorician after a Learned godly Bishop and at length a glorious Martyr of Christ He confuted Novatus the Heretic whom he stiles in his Epistles an importunate Innovator a murtherer of Penitence Lactantius excelled all the Writers of the Church in Elegance In the fourth Century and lustre of Language Jerom saith of him that he was as it were a flood of Tullian Eloquence He wrote many Treatises which may be read with profit and pleasure Athanasius was educated in all sorts of learning He was a vigorous Opposer of the Arrians therefore he was called The Hammer of the Arrian Heretics by whom he was extreamly hated because they perceived the acuteness of his wit Learning and industry in confuting of Heresies in the Nicene Council therefore he was exposed to great trouble Theodoret calls him The Bulwark of Truth Naziazen stiles him The great Trumpet and pillar of the Church He was great for his Learning labors sufferings and constancy and courage even when not onely Bishops but Emperors Kingdoms Armies and Nations were set against him yet the Emperor Constantine gave this character of him Virum plane divinum existimo I hold him to be indeed a divine man Hilary was a man of excellent parts In his Epistle presixed to his works Erasmus saith that he was Ob vitae sanctimoniam insignem eruditionem Eloquentiam admirabilem aevi sui Lumen the light of his Age for sanctity of life eminent Learning and admirable Eloquence quanto stomacho saevit in Arrianos c. He was a great Antagonist to the Arrians whom he called Devils Antichrists blasphemers pests he writ several books against them Jerom calls him The Trumpet of the Latine Tongue perhaps because he was the first that confuted the Arrians in Latine and the Confessor of our time Cyril of Jerusalem a man of great Learning Prudence and Piety Ecclesiastical Writers testifie of him that he was Fortissimus Christi Athleta Orthodoxae fidei assertor constantissimus A most valiant champion of Christ and most constant defender of the Orthodox faith He suffered many persecutions through the rage of the Arrians Basil called Magnus Greg. Nazianz in vita Bahlii he was great every way as in wit and Learning in omni doctrinae genere summus saith Suidas skilful in all the liberal Sciences and in all the Mathematics Summus in cunctis apparuit he was so excellent in every one as if he had studied that onely one Great in eloquence Erasmus calls him the Christian Demosthenes great in contending for and in defending the truth in confuting and convincing Heretics Gregory Nazianzene was Learned in Grammar Vita Greg. Nazianz a Greg. Presbytero conscripta Rhetoric Philosophy both Natural and Moral Poetry Arithmetic Geometry Astronomy in all the Liberal Arts in the study of which he spent many years He was a man of great Authority and use in the Greek Churches that who so opposed his testimony was suspected of Heresie He is called A living Library of Philosophy and Divinity Epiphanius had great knowledge in the Hebrew being educated by one Tryphon a Jew He was a learned pious Divine Cornarius Medicus saith Cornarius who translated him out of Greek into Latine which work he undertook propter Authoris praesâ—ntiam operis raritatem for the excellency of the Author and rarity of the work He was a man saith one of a very good honest John Daille and plain nature He was semper Haereticorum acerrimus oppugnator alway a sharp opposer of Heresies He wrote a Learned book against 80 Heresies which contains variety of story in it He purged all Cyprus from Heresies and having obtained an Edict from Theodosius the Emperor he cast all the Heretics out of the Island Ambrose was Learned in the Liberal Arts and excellent in Eloquence He was very couragious for the truth He denied the Emperor Theodosius entrance into the Church until he had publickly confesed his fault scil that miserable slaughter caused by him at Thessalonica Daille saith he was one of the most firm Pillars of the
no not when he had opportunity but would say Plura pro Christo sunt toleranda We must suffer more for Christ then so and as he answered Felix the Arrian that dealt so ill with him Christiani est non ulcisci sese Deus enim ulturus injuriam suis illatam Isidore was called by Casaubon In the seventh Century pius eruditus Scriptor a godly learned Writer he was admired for his Learning and Eloquence he could fitly accommodate his speech both to the learned and to the ignorant it 's said He led an Angelical and Evangelical Life in the flesh Venerable Bede was very learned in Philosophy Astronomy Poetry in Greek Arithmetic Rhetoric but especially very conversant in and studious of the holy Scriptures he was said to be the Honor of England and the Mirror of his Time for Learning so famous for it and for Piety that he was sent for to Rome to help to settle the Churches peace Damascen was educated in Learning In the eighth Century got the knowledge of all the Liberal Sciences then he studied the Scripture and Divinity he was a diligent Preacher and Propagator of the Faith and Truth of Christ and a great Opposer of Heretics he was called a great Star in the Churches Firmament in that time when there was great darkness but he by his life and doctrine illuminated many Bernard had pregnant and admirable parts for wit memory and understanding a great Proficient in Learning and had an excellent faculty in preaching His Sentences were stuffed as one saith omni amoenitate pietate with all amoenity and piety he was in great repute for his sanctity of life and doctrine Thus I have given a brief Account of the ancient Fathers that they were learned whom God made eminently useful in and to his Church Let me add two things by way of Caution 1. Though they were learned and pious yet they had their infirmities and blemishes and were subject to errors and failings even in their Writings as hath been observed by many See Daille's Treatise They were not acted with an infallible spirit as the Pen-men of sacred Writ were therefore they must be read with consideration and discretion their Writings must be tried by the Touchstone of God's Word To be altogether exempt from Errors is the Priviledge of the holy Scriptures Divers Divines have given Rules for the right understanding of the Fathers See Scultet Medull Patr. Dan. Synops de Legendis Patribus John Daille in his Treatise concerning the right use of the Fathers 2. Lest any should think these ancient Fathers had no need of their humane Learning or might have been as well without it it 's true they stood in need of more Learning in some kinde then they had attained the want whereof was the Cause of their Errors and Mistakes Ex. gr Augustine by reason of his good insight into the Hebrew and Greek Tongue fell short and failed much of solid Interpretation in his Expository Books Luther instanceth in his Comment upon the Psalms he mentioned Hilary too Ambrose also by reason of his Ignorance in the Tongues erred oft in his Expositions See Luther in libello de Instit pueris where he shews that Patrum Errores in sacra Scriptura provenerunt ex Linguarum ignorantia pag. 442 443 444. The Errors of some of the Fathers grew from their Ignorance of the Tongues Had it not been better for them to have had more knowledge thereof So much of the Learning of the Fathers SECT IX Of the Learning of the first Reformers Secondly Now I shall shew briefly the Learning of the Modern Divines which may be cast into two Ranks I. Those former who were the happy Reformers of Religion or honored by God as Master-Builders to lay the Foundation and begin the Work of Reformation II. These later who vigorously carried on the Work of Reformation I. The Learning of those former Divines whom God raised up in pity to his poor Church when the Apostacy of Popery had so far overspread and prevailed They were many of them learned men of great skill in Arts and Tongues and others competently learned and all men of invincible courage and indefatigable pains excited and qualified by God to be the Restorers of the true Christian Religion from its bondage in Ignorance and Superstition and strong and stout Opposers of the Pope and Popery in the Points of Doctrine Worship and Practice These lived in or about the fourteenth and fifteenth Centuries Berengarius lived in the dismal darkness and depth of Popery Century 14. Ussertus de Christ Eccles succes cap. 7. pag. 196 197. he profited in the School above his Equals and was well-skill'd in the Liberal Arts an excellent Logician of great account for his Learning and Piety He was expert in the Scriptures and also in the Writings of the ancient Fathers He was a Champion for the Truth in the Point of Transubstantiation opposing the Corporal Presence of Christ in the Sacrament He had almost drawn all Italy France and England to his Opinion He was of a bold undaunted spirit and courage His Life and Conversation was so unblameable that therein as one saith he starved the Malice of all his Adversaries Fuller Petrus Waldus though he was not one of the Modern Divines yet something is observable in his Story which is useful to our purpose Alsted Chronol He was a rich Citizen of Lions in France ☞ converted by seeing one fall down dead in the streets upon which he betook himself to teach and admonish his House and Friends to repent and to study the Scriptures himself and he profited so well therein that he translated divers parts thereof out of Latine into French Friar Rainer an Adversary to the Truth and to the Waldenses saith That Waldus being tolerably learned taught those that resorted to him the Text of the New Testament in their Mother's Tongue and that the Waldenses who were his Followers and Auditors had above forty Schools In Dioeceli Pataviensi and divers Churches all within one Diocess yea they were as others witness of that ability that they had divers Conferences and Disputations with the Romanists and had the better Vide Usserium cap. 6 8. As for the Doctrines and Tenets of the Waldenses Vide Usserium in cap. 6 ad cap. 10. Protest Evidences they preached against the Doctrines and Practises of Rome as the Pope's Power Transubstantiation the Adoration of Images and of the Cross against Prayers for the dead Purgatory Invocation of Saints extreme Unction Auricular Confession with many more John Wickliff was brought up in Merton Colledge in Oxford he was famous both for life and learning he excell'd in the knowledge of the Arts and School-Divinity he was admired of all for his singular abilities and sweetness of demeanor he was Divinity-Reader in Oxford he was a diligent faithful Preacher of the Gospel under King Edward the third who always favored and protected
him against the rage of his Adversaries He denied the Pope to be the Head of the Church Mr. Fuller Mr. Clark and pronounced him to be Antichrist he confuted and condemned his Doctrines about Bulls and Indulgences Masses Transubstantiation c. He was a great Enemy to the swarms of begging Friars He wrote above two hundred fair Volumes most of which were burned by Subinck Arch-Bishop of Prague in Bohemia he wrote many Books of Philosophy and some of Metaphysics Dr. Featly The University of Oxford crowned his person and doctrine with a fragrant Garland of Praises whose doctrine was not onely favored by divers Nobles but also by the third part of the Clergy of England In all his sufferings he shewed an undaunted spirit John Huss was educated in Learning at Prague in Bohemia he was a great Scholar and a famous Preacher in that University he was converted by reading of John Wickliff's Books Mr. Fuller which Queen Ann's Courtiers who brought her being Sister to Wenceslaus King of Bohemia over into England to Richard the second King of England did here light on and carried them into their own Countrey which Huss had the happiness to read approve and disperse which proved a means of the Conversion of Bohemia for Wickliff's Books first discovered the Romish Superstitions unto them he stoutly opposed the Pope's proceedings and gave a blow to the man of sin under the fifth rib which in Scripture is always observed to be mortal The Gentry and Nobility of Bohemia did highly favor him Jerom of Prague had his first breeding there but he much enriched himself in Learning by his travels abroad to the most principal parts and Staple-places of learning At Paris he commenced Mr. of Arts and in the University of Colen and Heidleberg had the same degree confirmed unto him He was a man of admirable learning Eloquence Memory Courage and Zeal He was converted as John Huss by reading one of Wickliff's books by which he perceived the abominable superstitions then used in the Church and began by degrees first in his judgment to dislike them after in his practice to disuse them and lastly in his preaching to confute them He earnestly contended for the Truth against the enemies of it and openly opposed the doctrine of Purgatory and Prayers for the dead and thundered against the ill lives of the Monks and Friers He proclaimed and defended the innocency of John Huss and condemned his false accusers After his great and grievous sufferings being brought before the Council he so learnedly vindicated himself and refell'd his enemies that they were astonished at and silenced by his Oration which he concluded thus That all such Articles as Wickliff and Huss had written against the enormities pomp and disorder of the Prelates he would firmly hold and defend even to death Martin Luther born 1483. Century 15. at 14. years of age went to Magdeburg from thence his Parents removed him to Isenak a famous School there he perfected his Grammar-learning He went thence to the University of Erford Anno 1501. where he profited much in the knowledg of Logic and other Learning and read over Cicero Livy Virgil and other Latine Authors When he was twenty years old he was made Mr. of Arts and read as Professor Aristotle's Physics Ethics and other parts of Philosophy After his Conversion he began to read Augustine's works Mr. Fuller he also read over the Schoolmen especially Occam whom he esteemed for acuteness of wit before Aquinas and Scotus and he studiously perused Gerson In these Studies he spent five years in the Colledge at Erford When Luther was twenty six years old John Staupicius who endeavoured to promote the University of Wittenberg then lately begun removed Luther thither where at first he explained Aristotle's Logic and Physics yet intermitted not his study When he was 30. years old he was made Doctor in Divinity after the maner of the Schools at the charge of Duke Frederic Elector of Saxony The Prince hearing him preach admired his excellent parts Then he betook himself to the study of the Greek and Hebrew Afterwards Luther published his Propositions against Indulgences and opposed the Pope's Supremacy Purgatory and other Tenets of Popery Luther also confuted Nicholas Stork Mr. Fuller Thomas Muncer and other fanatical Ring-leaders broaching new Doctrines who pretended Revelations Angelical and conferences with God and denied the Baptism of Infants The Pope's Advocates promised Erasmus a Bishoprick of rich revenue if he would write against Luther but he answered that Luther was a man too great for him to write against and that he learned more from one short page of Luther's Writings then from all Thomas Aquinas his Books Bucer called Luther the first Apostle of the reformed Doctrine not simply for Wickliff Huss and those forenamed preached the same before but Luther was the first who in Bucer's age and memory publickly and successfully set on foot a general Reformation of the Church in these Western parts John Huss bare a torch before Luther and shewed him his way See more of Luther in his life Huldericus Zuinglius was sent to School at Basil at 10. Born 1487. years of age where he exceeded his School-fellows in learning At Bern he learned Rhetoric Poetry Oratory and Logic. At Vienna in Austria he studied Philosophy and perfected his former parts At Basil he taught others what himself had learn'd He commenced Master of Arts and studied School-divinity and Greek wherein he excell'd He was chosen Pastor at Zuric anno Christi 1521. where beside his Ministerial labors he studied Hebrew and was able to expound those two major Prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah He prevailed with the Senate at Zuric to erect a School for Latine Greek and Hebrew He was admired in Switzerland and famous at Zuric as Luther in Germany and at Wittenberg He was solid in all maner of learning and a diligent searcher of the Scriptures being expert in the Original Tongues He was so great an opposer of the Pope's Pardons Indulgences and proceedings that the Cardinals themselves as is reported sought by great gifts to allure him to their side At Zuric he disputed with Franciscus Lambertus a Frier about the Intercession of the Saints and the sacrifice of the Mass and convinced him of his error so that he confessed and forsook his error and gave glory to God Then crept in the opinion of the Anabaptists which he opposed with all his might His works are large witnesses of his gifts and graces parts and pains Oecolumpadius he was educated in Religion and Learning first at a School in Germany call'd Heelbronna then at Heidelberg Here he attained to that perfection in learning that at the age of 14 years he was made Batchelor of Arts with great approbation and continued there till he was Master of Arts. Afterwards he fell close to the study of Divinity and read the Schoolmen Aquinas Gerson and others with indefatigable pains and much profit He
studied Greek at Stutgard and Hebrew at Heidelberg Anno 1515. he was call'd to be Preacher and Pastor at Basil and commenced Dr. in that University about the same time that Erasmus came to Basil to print his Annotations on the New Testament for the perfecting whereof he used the assistance of Oecolampadius a man saith he (a) In his Preface to his Annotat on the New Testament eminent not only for piety but for skill in three Languages and confessed he was much helped by him The Writers of his Life give this character of him that he was a worthy instrument of advancing the truth of Christ which he defended against Eckius and Faber and others He was very successful in appeasing Sects and contentions that arose in the Church His fame both for piety and learning spread so abroad that Philip Prince Elector Palatine committed his youngest son unto his tuition He was a diligent faithful Preacher of the Gospel and promoter of Reformation in the Church into which he brought the right administration of the Sacraments and the censure of Excommunication He declared his judgement against the Mass and other Popish doctrines against sprinkling with holy water and many superstitious actions to which his doctrine sinking into his auditors hearts put a period He was famous in the City of Basil SECT X. The after-Promoters of Reformation were Learned I Have briefly declared the Learning of the former Modern Divines who first set Reformation of Religion on foot to wit their Education in Learning their study and increase of it and the means thereof scil Schools and Universities their need and use of it as to the work God gave them to do and the success thereof in their generation Now followeth 2. The Learning of the latter Divines Century 16 17. who carried on the work of Reformation vigorously in Doctrine and worship that was happily begun by the former and were Eminent for Learning as well as for Piety and were very instrumental in promoting the truth of God and in defending it against the Adversaries of it and in extirpating Errors Heresies and Superstitions and many of them were Pillars in the Church of God famous in the work of the Ministery for their labors in Preaching and also in Printing and for the success of both in the conversion of sinners and edification of Saints and the confirmation of staggerers and reduction of the erroneous in the planting and watering of Churches Who have set forth so many Learned Systemes Commentaries and Tractates and Disputations of Divinity as former Ages cannot parallel Their number being very great and their Lives being largely described by many Writers I shall refer you to them for information concerning their Learning and Godliness and usefulness what blessings they were in their Generation and onely name some of them that were of chief Note Outlandish Divines Paulus Fagius Cent. â—6 17. Martin Bucer Philip Melancthon Peter Martyr Wolfgangus Musculus John Calvin William Farel Peter Viretus Stephen Zegidine Peter Ramus Benedictus Aretius Henry Bullinger Emmanuel Tremellius Zachary Ursin Martin Chemnitius Ralph Gualter Hierom Zanchy Anthony Sadeel Lambert Danaeus Theodoreâ— Beza Daniel Tossanus Francis Junius Luke Trelcatius Amandus Polanus David Pareus John James Grynaeus Abraham Scultetus John Piscator English Divines John Frith Thomas Bilney William Tindal John Rogers Laurence Sanders Rowland Tailor John Bradford John Juel William Whitaker Alexander Nowel William Perkins John Rainolds Thomas Holland Robert Abbat Andrew Willet Robert Bolton William Wheatly Dr. Sibbs Dr. Taylor Dr. Preston Scottish Divines John Knox. Robert Bollock Cum multis aliis Vide Melch. Adamum de vit is Theologorum tum Germanorum tum exterorum The later Divines may be refered to three heads according to the several Forms of Church-discipline which they held forth in judgement and in practice Episcopal Presbyterial Congregational What man hath been famous and eminently instrumental in the work of the Ministry for labours and success under any of these Forms who have not been Learned or endued with a good measure of acquired parts as of knowledge in the Tongues and Arts. 1. For Episcopacy How many very Learned Laborious Godly Bishops hath England bred as Hooper Latimer Ridley Cranmer who were most zealous couragious faithful Martyrs for Christ and for the Truth And many since who have been famous for their Learning and Labors both in Preaching and Printing and for their piety and charity who by their worthy works yet speak though they be dead as Bishops Jewel Abbot Babington Cowper Davenant Downame Hall Usher who was a Magazine of Learning and Mirror of Sanctity Humility and Charity Beside many other pious Learned and useful men who were for Episcopacy though they were not Bishops 2. For Presbytery The old Non-conformists who opposed Episcopacy and Ceremonies were many of them Learned men Dr. Ames in his preface to Mr. Bayn's Diocesan's Tryal saith that Mr. Deering More Greenham Perkins Rogers Cartwright Fenner Parker Philips Hieron Bradshaw Brightman Dr. Rainolds Dr. Fulk and Whitaker with many others were apprehended as men agreeing in one spirit having had indeed the spirit of glory resting on them as their Works do shew together with those Letters Testimonial which they left written in the hearts of many thousand Christians To these may be added Gerson Bucer Century 16 â—â— John Dod Arthur Hildersham Robert Nicols John Ball Richard Rothwel Paul Bayns who were all as really Learned as truly Godly famous for their great Abilities and Labors Read their Lives and you shall see the same made out fully and clearly Besides many pretious Divines of great Note for Holiness and Learning both formerly and lately yea even at this day in all the Reformed Churches not onely in England and Scotland but in other Countries who were and are for Presbytery The Assembly of Divines that sate at Westminster by Authority of Parliament was a Demonstration of the excellent Learning of the Ministers of the Presbyterian Judgement 3. For Independency or the Congregational way Many Ministers of this both in Old England and in New have been choicely Learned and excellently accomplished with Gifts as well as Graces as Reverend holy and Learned Dr. Ames Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs Mr. Sidrach Simpson ☞ Mr. Carter Mr. Strong with many others some deceased others yet living Many Pastors and Teachers in the Churches of Christ in New England were eminently Learned as well as exemplarily Godly and very famous and successful in Ministerial Labors as Mr. Thomas Hooker Mr. Peter Bulkeley Mr. Davenport Mr. Thomas Shepherd Mr. Allen. Mr. George Philips Mr. Norton And Mr. John Cotton B. D. whose Name is as an ointment poured forth a most deservedly famous man of God of whom Mr. Norton his Successor as Teacher of the Church in Boston in New England relates In his Narrative of Mr. Corton's Lafe and Death that he was a General Scholar studious to know all things the want whereof might in one of his
118. pag. 375. speaking of Learning and Eloquence saith Contra illa non aliter disputat Apostolus c. The Apostle disputeth no otherwise against these then as they obscure the Cross of Christ and it must be granted saith he that eloquence and wisdom are good things in themselves and the gifts of God and if they be rightly used they adorn piety and may profit wonderfully SECT VI. Of Paul 's desiring to know nothing but Christ Obj. 6. PAul desired to know nothing but Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 Ergo not Arts and Tongues Answ 1. He knew humane Learning already being educated at Gamaliel's feet and he was a Pharisee and they excelled in knowledge and were great teachers thereof in Christ's time 2. Yet he valued it not in comparison of Christ and the knowledge of him Phil. 3.7 8. he counted it but dung 3. He desired to profess or teach no other skill but the knowledge of Christ This was his main yea his sole design which doth not hinder but that he might make use of Learning so far as it would be subservient to the advancing of it And indeed so we find him doing in the fifteenth Chapter of this Epistle verse 33. where he cites a Heathen Poet as was before observed The earnest intention of some one end doth not oblige to a neglect of any means that may conduce thereto A DETERMINATION OF THIS QUESTION Whether Grace is Essential to a Minister of the Gospel By the same Author Question WHether Grace be Essential to a Minister of the Gospel or Wwhether the want of Grace doth annul his Admission or be a sufficient cause of Ejection Answ Though Grace be a most desirable Qualification of a Gospel-Minister and a most excellent help and furtherance eminently useful to the work of the Ministery both for performance of the Duty and for success of Labors and I wish Oh that God would that all the Ministers of the Gospel were Preachers from Grace as well as from Gifts from conscience and experience as well as from science from their hearts as well as from their heads yet it appears not to me that Grace is Causa sine qua non or of so absolute necessity to the Ministery as without which a man cannot be or should not be allowed or continued to be a Minister of the Gospel To make good this Assertion I will give three Grounds I. Ministerial Gifts and saving Graces are things distinct in themselves and separable in the subject II. The Ministery of the Gospel is ordained by Christ principally for the good of others III. The Testimonies of eminent Divines in the Case First Ground Grace is not Essential to a Minister of the Gospel because Ministerial Gifts and saving Graces are things distinct in themselves and separable each from other in the subject Here I will first clear three things scil 1. What these Ministerial Gifts are 2. That they qualifie men for the work of the Ministery 3. That God is the Author and Doner of these Gifts to that end And afterwards I will shew the Distinction and Separability of Gifts and saving Graces First What these Ministerial Gifts are which dispose men for that work and are adequate to the end of the Ministery now these are the ordinary 1. Gifts of common Illumination Of Common Illumination and the effects thereof see Pemble's works pag. 60. and Dickson on the Hebr. 6.4 5 9. pag. 93. and knowledge of Religion and the Matters thereof which is attainable either by inward sense and experience or by intellectual Speculation and though both these do more exactly accomplish a man for the Ministery yet the latter onely may in some cases suffice especially considering that experience can assure us of nothing that I am to press upon others which Scripture also doth not suggest and confirm 2. The Gift of Preaching Prophecy or Interpretation of the Scripture of opening or unfolding and applying the same 3. The Gifts of utterance and of prayer 4. The Gifts of Arts and Tongues which are useful as handmaids to Divinity and to the Ministery 5. The Gift of Argumentation or reasoning to confirm or defend the Truth to confute errors and convince Gainsayers c. The second is that these Ministerial abilities do qualifie men for the work of the Ministery as they make them suitable and competent thereunto and fit them to perform their office and the several acts thereof by Gifts as to pray by a Gift of prayer to preach by a Gift of preaching and to dispute by a Gift or faculty of Disputation and not to preach other mens Sermons or say other mens prayers only Hence a man endowed with good parts natural and acquired by diligent reading study discourse and prayer to God for Illumination Direction Assistance c. 1. May attain to a large clear distinct knowledge of Religion and the several Principles and Points of it 2. May be able to teach the same plainly soundly and profitably to others to instruct convince reprove confirm and comfort others 3. May be through God's blessing instrumental for the good of others for edifying the body of Christ for building up in knowledge faith holiness and obedience for carrying on the work of the Lord promoting Reformation and furthering the salvation of others and for information of some who have Grace really of some things they knew not before and for resolution of some doubts and scruples 4. May be useful in the Church of God to defend and maintain the Christian Religion and all the Points of it especially Controversal against the Adversaries of the Truth and Grace of God as Papists Arminians Socinians and others that are Heterodox which some men of great Learning parts and studies but it 's questionable by their lives and ways whether they had true saving Grace have done more soundly and strenuously even to the convincing of Gainsayers and to the silencing or stopping the mouths of Adversaries then many who have true Grace but want such Gifts are able to do Probatum est For there are many real Christians who have good experience of the practical part of Religion yet want abilities for the Controversal part or defence of the Truth against the oppugners of it Hence also I infer that datur Medium or there is a Mean between a Ministers Preaching from Experience of the New Birth or work of Grace c. in his own soul which is indeed the most comfortable and effectual and a Ministers taking a Sermon out of a book which he never made and getting it by heart and saying or preaching it The mean between them is a Ministers making of a Sermon by a Gift God hath given him and by study and preaching it afterwards though he hath not the Experience of it in himself As there is a Mean between praying by the Spirit or the Spirit of Prayer and reading of a prayer out of a book or using a bare form of prayer and that Mean is praying by
Profession be denominated Ignorance The greater part of the Encyclopaedia he excelled in Those Arts which the University requires such a proficiency in from her Graduates he both digested and refined by his more accurate knowledge of them He was a good Hebrician in Greek a Critic and could with great facility both speak and write Latine in a pure elegant Ciceronian stile He was a good Historian no stranger to the Fathers Schoolmen Councils abundantly exercised in Commentators of all sorts His Library was great his reading and Learning was answerable himself a living and better Library But though he was a constant Student yet he had not all his Learning out of his books Yea some of the Separation have been Learned men I mean the leaders of them as Mr. Ainsworth Mr. Robinson Francis Johnson Mr. Smith and others Now if God hath used such as greatest Instruments of his Glory and of good in his Church even from one Generation to another who have been Learned men as I have made it appear by instances to wit in the ancient Fathers and Modern Divines yea even under the several Forms of Church-constitution and Government Then Learning is useful and needful for a Minister of the Gospel in these days and will be in succeeding Ages CHAP. XIII Objections against Learning answered SECT I. That the people may be better for the Learning of their Ministers MAny Objections are made against the use of Learning for the Ministers of the Gospel Object What are the people better for the Learning of their Ministers Answ The people which are unlearned may enjoy the benefit of all the Studies and Learning of their Ministers in the extract result refinement or quintessence thereof as a Learned man saith in and by their labors in preaching and writing by which they convey the same unto them which the people could not by their own private industry have attained So that the Ministers of the Gospel may be said to study even Learning as well as Piety for the People as Mothers and Nurses eat and digest food for their children to whom they give suck and the people suck Learning and Knowledge out of the Breasts of the learned labors of their Ministers both Sermons and Books in Translating and Expounding the Holy Scriptures in handling points of Divinity in deciding Controversies in resolving Cases of Conscience in composing Tracts c. In all which Learning is prepared and fitted for the Peoples reception and digestion and by all which they are made partakers of the Sap and Virtue of their Ministers Parts and Studies Gifts and Graces Hereby the people may be kept from Errors and Heresies from corrupting or rejecting wholesom Doctrine from perverting and wresting the holy Scriptures which as S. Peter saith they that are unlearned to wit in themselves 2 Pet. 3.16 and in their Teachers do unto their own destruction That saying is very true scil that judicious Believers can never be unthankful despisers of those Gifts of good Learning in their Ministers by whom they have been instructed foundly and plainly in the truth SECT II. That the Prophets Christ and his Apostles were learned THe Prophets in the Old Testament Obj. 2. Christ and his Apostles in the New had not Humane Learning Ergo there is no need of it for the Ministers of the Gospel They carried on their Ministery without the knowledge of Arts and Tongues may not Ministers do so now Answer in five Propositions The first Proposition Mr. Rutherford The Prophets and Christ and his Apostles were learned and had all the learning and Tongues that we now have and these Gifts are the same in them and in us in the names substance and proper use of them but otherwise acquired then ours are The maner of obtaining them is double scil 1. By Infusion Or 2. By Education I. By Infusion or inspiration from the Spirit of God immediately and extraordinarily without the help of Schools or study Thus the Prophets and Apostles were Act. 2.4 plentifully furnished with all gifts of knowledge and abilities 1. Of Learning to wit the Arts and Languages needful to carry on the work of Prophecy in the Old Testament and of preaching the Gospel of planting and watering Churches in the New 2. With the knowledge of God and his will of Christ and the mysteries of the Gospel and the things pertaining to the kingdom of heaven This came to the Prophets and Apostles from God by revelation Jesus Christ was filled with all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge both humane and divine Col. 2.3 by the spirit which he received above measure Joh. 13.34 wherewith he was anointed above and for his fellows The spirit of wisdom and counsel c. that made him quick of understanding Isa 11.2 3. Hence it is that when he was a child he disputed among the Doctors and learned men in the Temple Luke 2.46 among whom he was found Vers 48. when his parents had sought him sorrowing He grew in wisdom and knowledge so as Vers 40 52 according tothe proportion of his age the gifts of the Spirit were augmented in him He being greater then Solomon could not come short of Solomon's wisdom in any thing Matth. 12.42 II. The manner of obtaining learning is by Education in Schools and Universities by study and industry by the reading of books and teachings of men c. This is the ordinary means God hath appointed to serve his providence in for attainment of learning and knowledge both humane scil of Arts and Tongues and divine to wit of God and Christ of Law and Gospel c. The same knowledge of the doctrine of Moses and the Prophets and of the mysteries of salvation and of speaking with Tongues in the substance and nature of the gift which came to Paul by immediate Revelation from God Gal. 1.11 12. Eph. 3.2 3. and to others of the holy men of God 2 Pet. 1.21 Timothy acquired by Paul's teaching 2 Tim. 3.10 14. and chap. 2. ver 2. and by his parents education of him in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures from a child 2 Tim. 3.15 and by study and industry 1 Tim. 4.15 16. Thus the Prophets and Apostles had learning and knowledge both divine and humane infused and inspired into them by the Spirit immediately supernaturally extraordinarily and miraculously in respect of the maner and of the measure of their obtaining them which is now ceased and cannot be expected without tempting of God We must seek to acquire all these from God by pains and diligence in the use of the means God hath appointed for that purpose Paul exhorts Timothy thereunto to study and meditate and to give himself wholly to these things that his profiting may appear in all things or to all men and to stir up the gift that is in him for fitting himself more to the work of the Ministery 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15. Obj. The Council perceiving that Peter and John were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
truth and soundness of heart Phil. 1.18 he saith notwithstanding Every way whether in pretence or in truth Christ is preached I therein do and will rejoyce surely they were very bad men of whom he saith verse 15 16. that they preached Christ of envy to increase his grief and trouble when he was in bonds for the Gospel How could Paul rejoyce in such mens preaching will you say Certainly he knew though they were so bad in themselves yet their doctrine which was both for matter and maner sound might through Gods blessing upon his own Ordinance become effectual to the conversion and comfort of Gods Elect for be you sure of this that if Paul had been of that minde that he that is a wicked man himself cannot by his Ministery be the instrument of the conversion of another he would never have said of such men as these I do rejoyce that Christ is preached by them yea and I will rejoyce in it Doctor Airay upon Phil. 1.18 pag. 174. saith That a Minister and Preacher of the word is gladly and joyfully to be heard that preacheth Christ and the Doctrine of the Gospel soundly and truly with what minde soever he preacheth the same To which purpose also is that of Christ Mat. 23.3 where he willeth to hearken to the Scribes and Pharisees sitting in Moses seat whereby he meaneth that the Doctrine which the Scribes and Pharisees delivered faithfully out of Moses was gladly to be received howsoever in their actions and lives they were justly to be noted The Reason is because the word is the Lords which they bring with what minde soever they bring it or how vitious and bad soever they be that bring it Master Pemble in the Nature and Properties of Grace and Faith pag. 125. saith The common Grace of the Spirit whereby men are enlightened in the knowledge of heavenly things is the cause of an Historical Faith or general assent to the truth of the Scriptures which Grace God bestows upon the unregenerate and unsanctified more for others then their own good some light shines upon them whereby they may know and assent unto divine Truths for a common good of the Church yet others may be instructed by their teaching for Christ in the building of his Church doth also use the help and ministery of such men according as Solomon did in the building of the material Temple who imployed not the natural Israelites but the Reliques of the Canaanites and strangers that lived in the Land to be bearers of burdens and hewers of stone and overscers of the work 2 Chron. 2.17 and these men though unsanctified and such as do not themselves heartily esteem and affect that which they know yet in the general they believe it and willingly teach it to the benefit of the Church Master Samuel Hieron in his Treatise called The Preachers Plea saith That Ministers bad life is no sufficient Argument against Preaching or hearing them Put case it were so which thanks be to God it is not that all Preachers did confute their own Sermons with their evil lives and had Esaus hands with Jacobs voice and were like a sile which smootheth other things it self remaining rough yet this could make nothing against Preaching for is Physic nought because many Physicians perhaps live contrary to their own Rules of Physic or is Law damnable because some Professors thereof do live lawless giving Rules of equity to others themselves keeping none but ill Rules No man will be so without sense to affirm it Why then shall the course of Preaching be condemned for the supposed misdemeanors of them that Preach God forbid who but a Fool or a froward heart will tread the Holy Doctrine of God under his feet because he is a man not of a good carriage that delivereth the same Master William Fenner in his Sermons on Revel 3.1 called Christs Alarum to drowsie Saints saith I dare not say absolutely that a carnal Minister shall never have good success in his Ministery as if a Minister should conclude he was a good man because God hath blessed his labors No that is not a good Argument for 1. It is the Word that converts not the Person of the speaker I dare not tie God to the goodness of any mans Person God as he is a Creator is a wise God and can write well with a bad pen and cut well with a blunt naughty knife 2 Such may be sent of God and gifted for the Ministry and therefore for all that I know they may be an organ of Conversion sometime 3. Paul rejoyced that Christ was preached by the false Apostles though it were but of envy Phil. 1.15 16 17. Object How could he rejoyce in that that was a wicked maner of Preaching Answ Surely he could not rejoyce in it but that he thought it might do some good 4. If a carnal Minister cannot be the means of Conversion some man cannot be assured of his salvation 5. They may say at the last day Lord Lord c. 6. Why else doth Christ bid his people hear the Scribes and Pharisees but that he implies they may be a means of good unto them 7. Judas was sent out to preach Matth. 10.4 Christ said to him as well as to the rest When ye go Preach saying The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand verse 7. 8. Experience hath found this to be true some Godly Souls have confessed this very thing that such as now they see to be palpably carnal c. have been the means of their conversion God may make the crowing of a Cock to he a means of awakening Peter 's conscience the temptations of the Devil to be the means of Luther 's quickning Mr. Anthony Burgess in his Treatise Of Faith and Assurance pag. 503 504. saith A corrupt or ungodly Minister may be used by God for conversion because the Ministery is Gratia gratis data not Gratia gratum faciens it is appointed for the public good of others not for the Ministers good so much And pag. 114. I make no question but a man of abilities may do good by his gifts although he himself be naught otherwise Paul would not have rejoyced that some preached Christ out of envy nor would Christ have remitted his Disciples to the Scribes and Pharisees Ministery as he did when he bad them hear them as long as they sate in Moses chair deliver true doctrine from the Scriptures In pag. 503. he saith This was a question discussed of old between the Orthodox and the Donatists who held that if any Minister fell into gross sins neither the Preaching of the word nor the administration of the Sacraments could do any good to others See Danaeum de Haeresibus cap. 69. The Anabaptists now teach the same Mr. Thomas Manton in his Exposition on Jude verse 20 saith Sometimes this Gift I conceive he means of Prayer is given to carnal men because of their Service in the Church Gifts are for the body They may have