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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57125	A treatise of the necessity of humane learning for a Gospel-preacher shewing the use of I. Languages, II. Rhetoric, III. Logic, IV. Natural philosophy, V. Moral philosophy, VI. History, VII. Chronology, VIII. Arithmetic, IX. Geometry, X. Astronomy, XI. Geography, and the benefits of learning in all ages : also this question is determined, whether grace be essential to a minister of the Gospel? / by Edward Reyner ...	Reyner, Edward, 1600-1668.; Reyner, J. (John), b. 1624.	1663 (1663)	Wing R1232; ESTC R22136	152,217	372

made in the old but onely mends and rectifies it sanctifies and prepares it for those purposes to which it was designed by him but since grown indisposed The Candle of the Lord of which the Wise-man speaks Prov. 20.27 is not here extinguish'd but snuff'd that it may burn the brighter and encreas'd with illustrious accessions from above In short He that is a Christian must be a Man and he that is a Man must be rational For it is Reason that makes the Man and gives him so great advantage and preheminence above all other visible Beings Take this away and he becomes like the Beasts that perish which we sinde eminently verified in No●●●●adnezzar of whom when he came from grasing it 's said Dan. 4.34 That his Understanding or as it is Verse 36. his Reason for both these are the same thing returned to him upon which he broke forth into the Praises of the most High and made that excellent Confession in Verse 34 35 37. Those therefore who disclaim Reason cast off the badge and cognizance of Humanity and in effect give up their Names to an inferior Order of Beings with a foul ingratitude reproaching the Bounty of Heaven as if God had confer'd nothing valuable in that eminent favor and mark of excellency by which he hath distinguished them from brutish natures and rendred them capable of apprehending spiritual objects Heaven and future Happiness yea and of perceiving and enjoying himself of which the irrational Creatures are utterly incapable and that because they are devoid of Reason which gives the capacity though there be further qualifications requisite to an actual fitness for the fruition of God yet these are such as cannot possibly be where the other is not Let such then and such onely speak against it as affect to be inapprehensive and are in love with stupidity Surely no considerative person can account it the praise of those in 2 Pet. 2.12 that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as brute Beasts or which the words properly import as Animals without Reason Was it the Perfection of the Galatians that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unintelligent Gal. 3.1 Or did Agur commend himself when he said He had not the understanding of a man If it be of no moment and not worth the having why doth the Psalmist warn us not to be as the Horse or the Mule Psalm 32.9 with 8. that have no Understanding c. and therefore are unteachable not capable of any counsel or being moved with Arguments and Perswasions For if Men wanted an intellectual faculty in vain would be that instructing and teaching offered in the foregoing Verse Why doth God bid the Israelites after their absurd and irrational Idolatry Isaiah 46.8 remember and shew themselves Men that is make it appear they were reasonable Creatures by acting rationally Why doth he call them to reason with him Isai 1.18 and often appeal to the judgement of Reason for the justification of his proceedings as Isai 5.1 2 3 4. Jer. 2.9 10 11. Ezek. 18.25 to 29. Micah 6.2 to 5. And why doth he so frequently in Scripture require us to understand bring to minde search examine meditate consider judge all which are rational operations if Reason it self were useless to holy and divine intentions Which that it is not may abundantly appear from the use our blessed Savior made of it especially in his Conferences with Pharisees and Sadduces and his Apostles in their Discourses The Gospel was exceedingly propagated by Paul's reasoning and disputing Acts 17.2 3 4. and 18.4 and 19.8 9 10. For Reason may do excellent service in managing those Arguments advantageously which are for the Truth though they were suggested by the Spirit and in refuting such as are brought against it It is necessary to acquaint us with the vices of Ratiocination and detect false reasonings to discern the force of an Objection and level an Answer aright and in short to decide a Controversie to prove convince and perswade none of which can be performed without reason shewn All these things considered methinks none should in the least question the requisiteness of Reason without which we can neither think nor speak consistently Yet I finde an Objection Object urging the impertinency of it in divine matters from its uncapableness of them because it is said of the natural man one who hath no higher Principle then Reason that he receives not the things of God 1 Cor. 1.14 neither can he know them seeing they are spiritually discerned To which I return Solut. That divine matters or the things of God are of two sorts I. Some of them were publish'd in and by the Creation God having there contrived clear intimations of his own nature and minde into the constitutions and relations of things from whence by a necessary resultancy many verities and duties slow For those intimations are either speculative as That there is a God That he is wise powerful good c. or practical as That God is to be worshipped That we are to do as we would be done by That Parents are to be honored c. Now both these Reason may finde out by reflexion and discourse by considering the quality of the Objects and their intrinsic and essential respects and consequently natural Men though Heathens may apprehend them The Speculative they may because God hath shewed these to them by the things which he hath made Rom. 1.19 20. And the Practical because they have the work of the Law written in their hearts and while they want the Scripture do by Nature the things contained in the Law Rom. 2.14 15. By Nature that is by the information of Reason the onely knowing Principle in the Nature of Man which though imperfectly dictates to them the same things that the Moral Law set down in holy Writ requires And though it discover not all Natural Precepts yet when it hath received them from the Word of God and wistly looks upon them it cannot but acknowledge and embrace them with some natural resentments as akin to those Principles of prime note that are nearest alied to and have the strictest conjunction with it self which are so highly reasonable and of so clear and conspicuous a Goodness that it can readily approve and easily evince the dueness and equitableness of what it sees descended from them Hence that of our Savior to the people Luke 13.57 Yea and why even of your selves judge ye not what is right Of your selves i. e. by that natural ability which God hath given you for this very purpose to distinguish between Right and Wrong and discern what is in it self fit to be done and what not II. There are other divine matters declared onely by after-revelation which cannot possibly be collected and certainly concluded from the essence capacity or habitude of the things to which they relate because they do not result from them by any moral necessity but are the intire effects of a free and

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

of the Sun-shine of Divine Ordinances to refresh themselves in the shade and take the pleasures of a retired Walk where he hath led them on by degrees till the night hath overtaken them and by concealing their way rendred the offer of his Lanthorn acceptable who had ever an Ignis fatuus or some wisp of error ready to direct their goings as not ignorant that when men are benighted Lights of this nature will be more admired and followed then all the Stars of Heaven and there are no better guides to his black Mansion the pit of destruction He hath a great advantage for imposing upon such as he hath got into the dark for here rotten wood will shine and any cheap delusion serve to amuse the sight though sometimes he may go to the cost of a more solemn cheat of some garish apparition or splendid disguise of error yea he can match Mystery with falshood and teach the most shallow conceits to be profound He hath a new-fangled dress to recommend the vainest and most Antic Tenets and can cloath an ill-contrived opinion with a venerable obscurity By this means accommodating himself to minds of various conditions some of which are taken with the surperficial glistering others with the intricate dimness of what is propounded But lest the credit of his impostures which have been so successful might fall to support it and secure them from being detected he hath tryed to disparage all External Light and Internal too of which himself is not the Author and disoblige mens regard both to Divine Declarations published in holy Writ and to the Law of Nature and those notices of good and evil which are most intimate and familiar to the mindes of men and lastly to the sober judgements of Reason and the genuine deductions either of Scriptural or Natural Principles For it was easie to conclude that if he could fetch men off from attending to these he himself should have leave to indite their Creed and have their faith pliant to his proposals that he might be the Conductor of their Devotion and the Infernal sire lend the Coal with which their Incense should burn But if he cannot deprive the Scripture of that Authority which it carries with men he will endeavor to hinder them of a great part of the Contents and Advantages of it by decrying all use of Reason and Learning in sacred matters For if he can prevail with men to renounce the former then farewel so much of the Divine Will as is not set down in Scripture in express terms but onely though clearly implyed and flowing from what is written by a fair and necessary consequence which is the part of Reason to discern and deduce Nor is its help less requisite to the discovery of the genuine sense and importance of what is expresly recorded and needs to be interpreted which must be found out by observing the Tenor and Series the Scope and Design of the Discourse with the dependence of the several parts and the proportion any particular place bears to others by comparing obscurer Texts with clearer shorter with fuller those that have no limitations or restrictions with the like which have and carefully distinguishing the various acceptions of words especially the figurative from the proper All which are the operations of Reason which is further instrumental to put a difference between Ceremonial and Moral Precepts between those that are of particular concernment as restrained to some certain Nation Person or Time and those which are of a general Aspect binding all indifferently and perpetually For in as much as these are sometimes in Scripture immediately connected or mingled together in the same tenor of speech and enjoyned alike without the least note of discrimination there must be some other principle distinct from it to find out their difference and that is Reason which besides that it may infer it from the Scripture it self discerning which Commands are universal and perpetual by collation of other places which singular and temporary by consideration of circumstances is peculiarly fitted for acknowledging Moral Precepts because they are founded in Reason have an essential consonancy to and connexion with a rational Nature and are contained in that Law which God hath written upon the hearts of all men and publish'd by the voice of Reason which indeed is not more useful to distinguish commands then necessary to render us capable of them For therefore the bruits are exempted from the demands of obedience and have no Law imposed on them because they being creatures destitute of Reason it 's impossible for them to discern the differences of good and evil or to understand an injunction and consequently to frame their actions by it To which men are disposed by those rational faculties with which God hath invested them and so come within the compass of an obligation which could not else be fastened upon them Wherefore Conscience whose part it is to apprehend this obligation excite men to their duty and challenge them for their neglect must needs be an intelligent and rational Principle which evidently appears in that it operates by discourse and ratiocination whence its actings are stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reasonings Rom. 2.15 seeing it draws particular conclusions from universal rules collecting from the Law of God generally proposed what ought to be done in special cases and circumstances and from the agreement or disagreement of such and such actions to the Divine Will which it finds by comparing one with the other it judges them either good or bad and thence infers mens duty for the future and either their guilt or their integrity as to what is past while it directs accuses or acquits all which it performs by a Syllogistical Process He therefore must resolve to make no use of God's Commands who will not use his Reason and he that would banish it must send away his Conscience with it yea and his Religion too For it is a reasonable service Rom. 12.1 a service in which Reason or what is endued with it is presented to God Irrational Creatures were offered in Sacrifice under the Law but under the Gospel onely rational We must present our selves to God and not our Bodies onely but our Minds our reasonable faculties John 4.23 24. Matth. 22.37 Mark 12.33 for God will be worshipped in spirit we must se● him with our understandings and l●…●im with all our minds as well as with all our hearts Our Love must be intelligent as well as affectionate and not onely active but contemplative discovering it self in frequent thoughts and meditations of him and in diligent enquiries into his Nature and Will True Religion is so far from discarding or depressing that which is of greatest excellency in the constitution of man his Reason that it doth exceedingly raise and advance it it cures its blemishes and imperfections and consigns it to spiritual and divine employments God doth not destroy or void any thing in the new Creation which he

Jer. 8.7 to read a Lecture to his people against disregard of God and non-observance of his dealings with them Christ sends his Disciples to school to the Birds of the air and to the Lilies of the field to be taught Reliance upon the Providence of God Mat. 6.26 c. Many other Lessons may be learn'd from the Creatures if we know their Natures and properties See instances hereof in the several sorts of Creatures in Alsted's Theologia Naturalis ☞ Therefore if God hath made other beings as Glasses as One saith to represent as his own excellency so our duty we may safely conclude he would have us look in them Where God teacheth we must learn and have an eye there where the finger of God pointeth to us scil in his works which because all men cannot study and search into it 's necessary some should namely Ministers that declare them to others as David did The Creatures will not read Ethics to him that hath no insight into Physics Skill in Naturals may help to make good Morals Reas 7. From Examples which shew God to be the Author of Philosophy and it to be of great use and excellency That David was well acquainted with the works of Nature as well as with that of Grace may be gathered from divers passages in the Psalms especially from Psalm 104. if that be his as it seems to be because it begins and ends as the former Psalm doth which is his How often do we finde him contemplating the works of God and admiring him in them Solomon was a great Philosopher 1 King 4.33 and full of humane as well as of divine Learning Therefore it is said he spake or discoursed of all kinds of Plants that grow out of the earth from the Cedar to the Hyssop that springeth out of the wall He spake also of Beasts Fouls of creeping things and of Fishes Philosophy was part of that wisdom which God gave unto him and made him wiser then all men Solomon's wisdom excell'd the wisdom of all the children of the East Country Mat. 2.1 1 King 4.30 who were reputed the wisest in the world Dan. 2.2 Such were the Chaldeans and Arabian Philosophers and Astronomers and his wisdom excell'd all the wisdom of Egypt The Egyptians were famous for wisdom and knowledge in all Sciences Annot. Isa 19.11 12. Many famous Philosophers went to Egypt for increase of learning and wisdom The wisest among the Grecians professed they had their grounds of Philosophy from the Egyptians But some Authors conceive the Grecians Philosophy to have been but the Jews Cabala with a new Name and that other Nations derived their Philosophical knowledge from the Hebrews especially the Phenicians Phoenicia is sometimes put for Canaan who were their Neighbors and with whom Abraham sojourned from whom Learning was by Cadmus carried to the Grecians and received from them by the Latines and so spread into these Western parts of the world Yea it is probable that by means of Solomon's wisdom and knowledge Philosophy was improved and Physiology flourished even in Egypt Arabia Chaldea For it is said 1 King 4.34 that there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon from all Kings of the earth which had heard of it especially from Egypt because of his alliance with that King having married his daughter and from Arabia because the Queen of Sheba came thence who brought her hard Questions to him and carried away his Resolutions Thus must his knowledge needs be spread in those Countries where being cherished it raised their fame and invited those Grecians who after proved the most eminent Philosophers to undertake long journeys in pursuit of Learning Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians Acts. 7.22 that is in Philosophy and in all the ingenuous and liberal Arts of the Egyptians Job who is stiled the greatest of the sons of the East Job 1.3 and his friends were eminent for profound knowledge Their discourse evinced their acquaintance with Philosophical as well as Theological knowledge God gave Daniel Dan. 1.17 and his three Associates knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom that is as Calvin saith in the liberal Arts not in Magical Arts and in natural knowledge Nebuchadnezzar commanded they should be taught the learning and the Tongue ver 4. of the Chaldeans that is as some expound it the knowledge of Natural Moral and Rational things They were trained up through God's providence by their Chaldean Instructers in commendable learning scil of Arts and Sciences wherein they attained unto a greater perfection then any in so short a time as the space of three years and they were preserved from the corrupt and unlawful Arts the Chaldeans used as Magic Inchanting Judiciary Astrology and such like As they would not defile themselves with the King's meat so they would not be corrupted with the vain Arts of the Chaldeans or the superstitious precepts of their Teachers Daniel was the Master or superintendent of the wise men in Babylon Dan. 2.48 with 4.9 SECT II. Objections refuted Obj. 1. DOth not Paul condemn Philosophy when he cautioneth the Colossians against it Col. 2.8 Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy that is rob you of your souls or your souls of Christ or his Truth and Grace Ans The Apostle meaneth not all Philosophy but that which is vain and deceitful an imposture or seducement therefore said to be vain deceit by way of Explication or as a restraint as Calvin Zanchy Davenant and many others interpret the words Philosophy may be taken in a triple sense The first sense For the knowledge of the Natures and properties of the Creatures and the Rules concerning the same as also of Moral Vertues This is the most true proper and genuine signification thereof This Philosophy is lawful and useful for two Reasons Reas 1. It is the birth of right Reason or as one cals it the child of rectified reason it is the knowledge of Truth invented by the light of natural Reason which is put into man's mind by God himself Res Dei Ratio saith Tertullian True Philosophy is the Truth of God or a branch plucked from the eternal verity as some phrase it It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is to be known of God much of whom may be seen in the Creature Rom. 1.19 Psal 19.1 Acts 14.17 The book of Job is full of Arguments from things Natural to dictate and manifest the infinite wisdom and power of God Doth not the Word of God send us sometimes to the teachings of Nature and of natural things Reas 2. The knowledge of the Creatures or of natural things and of Moral Vertues may help in the knowledge of things spiritual and heavenly as a spectacle wherewith they may be better discerned and serve as a step to ascend to the clearer discovery thereof True Philosophy helps grace saith one better to apprehend Bains in Col. 2.8 and more fitly

to teach others the things it knoweth and it furthers and strengthens faith in a believer though he believe not for Reason when he seeth the consent of Reason Credimus supra rationem sed non temere aut irrationabiliter Nam ipsa ratio concipit illud cui fidem adhibemus sluere recte deduci ex principiis sacrae Scripturae Davenant in Col. 2.8 This Philosophy or Philosophy in this sense is good Acts 17.28 29. and allowed by Paul else he should condemn himself for he used it in disputing Philosophically with the Philosophers at Athens and confuting them out of their own writings The second sense Philosophy may be taken for the Errors of the Philosophers or of Heathens who excell'd in the knowledge of Philosophy affirming things false and contrary to the Word of God as the eternity of the world Vid. Zanch. in Col. 2.8 the mortality of souls of Purgatory fire after this life out of Plato of Stoical Fate Magick and Soothsaying of Heathenish deities and the worship of them and of divers devilish things the doctrine of Demons 1 Tim. 4.1 of the worship of Angels It 's probable the false Apostles under a pretence of secret wisdome sought to obtrude some new doctrines as this and others drawn it 's like Davenant on●● 2.18 out of the fountains of the Platonists upon the Colossians The Philosophers as the Stoies Epicureans Aristotelians Platonists and others do not always deliver the dictates of right Reason but sometimes the dreams or fancies of their own opinion We judge that true Philosophy delivered by all the Philosophers or others which is agreeable to right reason to truth and good Maners Hoc totum selectum appellamus Philosophiam saith Davenant Now the errors of Philosophers do not appertain to Philosophy tanquam partes sed pestes ejus ☞ as the parts but pests thereof as the errors of Divines do to Divinity and to introduce the errors of Philosophers into Divinity is dangerous and damnable The third sense Philosophy may be taken for the Misapplication of the Rules of Philosophy that are true in themselves in the course and order of Nature and agreeable to reason to impugne the mysteries of the Gospel and our faith therein or to overthrow the Principles of Religion which are far above Nature and above Reason As the Creation of the world the Resurrection of the body the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Divine Essence the Incarnation of Christ that a Virgin should conceive the Hypostatical Union of his two Natures the Justification of a sinner by the righteousness of another c. All which are to be drawn from higher Principles then the light of Nature because the like to all these is not in all Nature scil from the revealed will of God in his word and are to be effected not by the vertue of Natural Causes but by the omnipotency of God This is the abuse and perverting of Philosophy which is pernicious and hath helpt to breed heresie in many Articles of Faith and Religion Then Philosophy is vain deceit indeed and corrupts the soul with its delusions and draws the heart away from Christ and the simplicity of the Gospel Beza Zanch. Davenant when it is carried beyond its proper bounds and limits to determine of such things as are above the capacity of Nature and Reason and pertain to faith and depend only upon the revealed will of God and concern the worship of God and the salvation of man then it doth misere in nugas evanescere The errors of Philosophers and the abuse of Philosophy are condemned and disswaded from by Paul in this Text. Now the abuse of a thing takes not away the lawful use of it Protestants blame the Papists for making Philosophy a Mistress rather then an Hand-maid to Divinity and for following Aristotle rather then Paul Cartwright in Rhem. Test in their opinions of God's providence of Justification by works of Free-will and Purgatory and of many other things wherein their Philosophical Agar hath malapertly gainsayed her Theological Mistress Divinity and though we embrace the help of those weapons against the presence of Christ's body in the Sacrament which common reason puts into our hands yet we bring them not but sharpned and headed out of the holy Scriptures Fulk which declare the perfect humanity of Christ and all the essential properties of a true and natural body Mar. 16.16 Luke 24.39 Acts 3.21 Object 2. Did not the ancient fathers sometimes inveigh bitterly against Philosophers and Philosophy De Anima cap. 1. Adversus Hermogenem cap. 1. as Tertullian who calls them Animalia Gloriae Haereticorum Patriarchas Adulteros veritatis c. Lactantius Instit lib. 3. cap. 2. Hierom saith Philosophi sunt Primogeniti Aegypti Ad Ctesiph contra Pelag. cap. 1. Irenaeus adversus Haereses lib. 2. cap. 19. Answ The abuse of Philosophy by the Heretics of old Sophisters rather then Philosophers as is conceived gave those Fathers the occasion thereof For in other places where they speak of it as it is in it self they much commend and set it forth Ye● Tertullian though he was a keen opposer of those Philosophers yet gave this good Testimony of the use and need of Humane Learning De Idololatria cap. 1. Quomodo quis institueretur ad prudentiam humanam vel ad quemcunque sensum vel actum sine literis cum Instrumentum sit ad omnem vitam literatura quomodo repudiamus secularia studia sine quibus divina esse non possunt videamus igitur necessitatem literatoriae eruditionis c. Si Philosophiam damnaret rejiceret Apostolus rejiceret utique lumen Rationis Davenant in Col. 28. pag. 225. Deum ejus Authorem summa afficeret injuria Vere dicamus nullam esse partem Philosophiae aut humanae literaturae Idem p. 228 229. quae ab Interprete sacrarum literarum non advocetur quandoque quasi ad Symbolum suum conferendum Note Metaphysics I have omitted though there might be use of them because what is contained in them may be refer'd to Physics Logic and Divinity CHAP. V. Of the Vsefulness of Moral Philosophy or Ethics MOral Philophy is useful for a Minister to have the knowledge of Ethics Oeconomics Politics Reas 1. Because the holy Scriptures have much of all these in them they being a Rule of Maners to all sorts of men and in all Capacities and Relations especially the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes out of which Bishop Hall hath made an Extract of Solomon's Ethics Oeconomics and Politics Reas 2. A Minister may be much helped in the knowledge of virtues and vices and of the concernments of both and in aspirations after Goodness especially summum bonum and Tranquillity of Minde and in many other such things even by the Moral Philosophy of the Heathen who went onwards as their light leads them wherein very useful and excellent things are to be found This is of

Minister of God in respect of himself in order to his own salvation yet that it is required of him in respect of his Office to qualifie him to be a Bishop or Gospel Minister upon the ground of Expediency Conveniency or Commodity ad bene esse or as some other particulars are in Paul's Catalogue of qualifications in Titus 1.7 8. propter melius for the better not of absolute necessity as causa sine qua non or ad esse as if a man could not be a Minister except he had the real work of Grace or holiness in his heart He is most fit and able every way for the work of the Ministery who hath Grace as well as Gifts and is inherently holy but the bare or simple want of holiness doth not uncapacitate a man for the Ministery nor annul the same if other things concur in him as Gifts and a Call inward and outward and unblamableness of life Christ knew Judas to be a close Hypocrite yet he chose him to be one of the twelve and he was useful in the Church for a time Dr. Taylor in his Comment upon Titus 1.8 A Bishop must be holy saith Necessary it is for a Minister to be clothed with the robes of holiness both inward and outward yet this must not so be taken as that holiness is so Essential to a Minister as that he cannot be a Minister that wanteth it for Judas may be Disciple and a Devil too but that it is a dangerous estate to himself and hurtful to others for him to be destitute of Holiness Object 2. Unto the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or take my Covenant in thy mouth c. seeing thou hatest instruction c. Psal 50 16 17. Ergo None should be Preachers of God's Word and Testament but such as have Grace Answ To this I answer three things First O●● Psal 50.16 That Unto the wicked God saith Appellationem impii saith Musculus Scriptura dai non cuivis peccatori sed plane malitiosis qui ex destinata malitia non ex errore peccent The Scripture gives this name of wicked not to every sinner but to those that are malicious who offend of fore-thought malice not of error The wicked do offend far otherwise then those that sin through error See Musculus's Distinction of wicked men into two sorts in that place The worst kinde are they who cover the malice and impiety of their hearts with a counterfeiting or colour and pretence of Piety and probity in life who by Hypocrisie seek the name of Piety among men when in heart they are wicked and they cover these wickednesses which they design as wicked men with the paint or counterfeit of external and dissembled Piety therefore they are not aperte but occulte impii not openly but covertly impious Et hi sunt saith Musculus qui hoc loco reprobantur These are the wicked who are reproved by God in this place They had God's Covenant oft in their mouths that is they did in words or by external confession profess the Name of God and Piety before men and pretended to a Covenant with God and that they were his People yet they denied God in their hearts lives or works They were haters of Reformation contemners of the Word of God vers 17. addicted to theft lust or adultery vers 18. to evil or deceitful speaking vers 19. to slandering and calumniating near Relations vers 20. They transformed God into an Idol after their own fancy vers 21. By the description of their improbity it appears that these were obdurate obstinate wilful restractorily wicked though covertly and concealedly as much as they could To such as are so wicked God saith What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes c. Quamobrem usurpas tibi Statutorum meorum foederis administrationem ad te non pertinentem saith Musculus Why dost thou usurp to thy self the Administration of my Statutes and Covenant which doth not belong to thee Est ergo Deo prorsus abominabile c. The office of a wicked man is abominable sive illud siat praedicando c. whether it be done in preaching sive Ceremoniis externis ipsum colendo or in worshipping him in outward Ceremonies A man may be a sinner and not a wicked man Mr. Caryl shews the difference between them in five things in Job 10.7 15. Job confessed himself to be a sinner vers 6. but thou knowest saith he to God that I am not wicked The best of Saints are sinners on Earth and the worst of Saints are not wicked Sin is not inconsistent with Grace but wickedness is yea a man may have no Grace or be void in heart of the true fear of God and Piety and so be an unregenerate man and yet not be a wicked man in Scripture-sense or be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies an ungodly restless lewd turbulent man See his character Isaiah 57.20 And why such as are not wicked being fitted and called may not be allowed to preach the Word I do not see Yea a man may commit gross sins and yet not concealing the malice of his minde with hypocrisie not be in so high a degree wicked and abominable in the sight of God as those that cloak their Impiety and Hypocrisie Those that are so wicked and are known to be so are unworthy to be Ministers of God's Word The second thing is Though the Services which those that are Sinners perform in the general are displeasing to God as their Prayers Praises hearing the Word giving Alms Prov. 15.8 and 21.27 Isai 66.3 Yet 1. God doth require them to do the same 2. Though they sin in doing them yet it 's a greater Sin not to do them 3. God may reward them for the same 4. They may be instrumental for the good of others thereby I. They may be such things in themselves or for the matter of them as God requires or which are their Duty to do as Praying Hearing Praising God Duties of the Moral Law which all men even bad as well as good are bound unto As 1. To pray to God The neglect hereof is noted as a sin in the very Atheist that fool who saith in his heart There is no God Psal 14.1 4. in the workers of iniquity Psal 53.4 in the very Heathen for which God poureth forth his wrath and judgement Psal 79.6 Jer. 10.25 Even by the Light of Nature all men are bound to pray unto God as the Mariners in Jonah 1.6 acknowledged in a tempest and by the Law of Creation to seek to God for what they want 2. To praise and give thanks to God for his Mercies David excites all the Creatures to praise God as a natural Duty according to their several capacities Psal 148. and Psal 145.21 Let all flesh bless his holy Name And vers 10. All thy Works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee God hath given a general Command