that indeed there is nothing in greater enmity to Christ Crucified nor more contrary to the word of the Cross then that Yea nothing in all the world hath been such an Introducer Favourer Supporter and Inlarger of Antichrists Kingdom as Humane Reason Learning and Philosophy This hath brought in all the Hypocrisie Superstition false Doctrine false Worship Sects Schismes Divisions which have at any time prevailed in the Church during all the Reign of Antichrist And the Gospel of Christ and the true belief and practice of it hath not had at any time a greater and more subtile and plausible Enemy then this Yea farther the gross ignorance and blindness of the rude world hath not so perverted and falsified the word of the Gospel nor rendred it such contradiction and resistance nor hath brought such annoyance to the faithfull who have received and confessed it as Humane Science hath done For this hath enabled men stoutly to oppose the truth and subtilly to defend error as the truth this hath made men bold and cunning to suppress Gods mind from the World and to hold forth their own mind to them as if it were Gods under the pretence of the outward letter of the word and a multitude of other evils have sprung from this corrupt fountain Wherefore the Apostle Paul is so far from encouraging Christians to betake themselves to Humane Learning to fit them for the Gospel that He by the Spirit utterly forbids Christians Heathenish Philosophy lest they should be spoyled through the vanity of it and be led away from Christ And thus in this matter hath Mr. Simpson manifestly departed from the Doctrine of the Scriptures and of faithfull men who have spoken from it 5. ERROR That mens Hatred to God doth as well appear in their hatred to Humane Learning as if they hated the Scriptures Answer I conceive Mr. Simpsons heart was hot within him out of his great Zeal to Humane Learning the great goddess by which the Vniversity lives when he thus spake And it appears he is very tender of the Reputation and Glory of it who thus vindicates it at as high a rate as the very Scriptures But Sir do you know no more difference between the most precious word of our eternal Lord God and his Son Jesus Christ and the foolish corrupt and stinking Doctrine of men is there no more difference in your Divinity between the word of Righteousness Life and Salvation which God hath spoken by Christ and Christ by his servants and the word and Doctrines of wretched men full of sin death and destruction And if the Law it self given by the Ministration of Angels loseth its glory before the Gospel as the Apostle testifies How much more doth Heathenish Philosophy brought forth partly from the corrupt Reason of man and partly from the Inspiration of the Devil become â—oathsom abominable before it for ever And cannot we be enemies to this say yâ—u without hating the blessed word of God Nay the blessed word of God where it prevails in truth doth make men to hate this and to count it loss and dung and filth and the most loathsom baseness in the world in comparison of it self Wherefore through the grace of Christ we will so love the Scriptures which are Divine Learning as to hate Humane and Heathenish Learning for their sakes seeing it hath put a Veil of Darkness in the Church over this glorious Sun the word of faith 6. ERROR That if the Spirit teach without means men may as well be without the Ordinances as without the Vniversities and Humane Learning Answer We do not say that the Spirit usually teacheth without means in the Church of Christ But we say he teacheth by means of his own appointing And how will Mr. Simpson prove by any Scripture that Vniversities and Humane Learning are Means which the Spirit of God useth to teach his Church by where did ever the Lord speak one word that he would use the Disciplines of the Gentiles as means whereby to teach men to know the Mysterie of Christ Wherefore this is strange Doctrine that Arts and Sciences are the means wherebâ— the Spirit teacheth the Church For sure I am the Lord never taught his Church either of the Old or the New Testament by these Means Only Antichrist hath taught his Church after this manner and hath set up Humane Learning as an Ordinance of God yea as an Ordinance of the New Testament to learn Christ by that Christians might be trained upto know Christ the wisdom of God by Humane Learning the wisdâ—â—â— of the world which is in direct enmity to God The chief Ordinances whereby God helps his Church are the word of faith and the prayer of faith And by the Ministration of the Spirit he begins and carries on the Salvation of this Spiritual People And these Ordinances the true Church cannot want neither doth God do any thing in his Church without them But the Spiritual Church for ought that I could ever yet read in the word may well want their Divine Ordinance of Humane Learning and yet not want any Ordinance of God that he hath appointed and sanctified for the Vse of his true Church 7. ERROR That men now are not to receive the Spirit in that immediate way to understand the Scriptures in which it was given to them who wrote the Scriptures Answer Surely Mr. Simpson will not deny that the Spirit is given to that whole Church which is the body of Christ seeing Paul saith if any man have not Christs Spirit he is none of his he is no member of his Now the Spirit is alwayes given to whomsoever it is given by the Father and the Son as Christ taught his Disciples promising them that the Father would send the Spirit to them in his Name and also that he Himself would send it to them from the Father And was this promise only made to them and not to all the faithful also who should believe in Christ through their word doth not Paul say Rom. 12.13 of the whole Church that by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body and are all made to drink into one Spirit He saith also to the Galatians Chap. 4. because ye are Sons God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father And thus it is manifest that the whole Church of Believers and every true member thereof do receive the Spirit of God And do they not receive in alike immediatly from God Who can give the Spirit of God to man but God himself when God promised to pour out his Spirit in the last dayes upon all flesh did he name any difference in the pouring of it out saying some shall receive it immediately and some mediately No but all that are counted worthy to receive the Spirit of God do receive it alike immediately from him neither hath Christ left any Lieutenant or Deputy in the world to give his Spirit to
Againe saith he Every Sect State and operation which Christ doth not approve in his Gospel is in reason to be rejected and therefore seeing Christ doth not approve but reprove the forenamed heathenish Mastership it is manifest that it is to be discharged and cast out of the Church Againe saith he Note that the name of an office doth much differ from the name of a Scholastical Graduation heathenishly brought in He saith also That Christ hath specially forbidden his Disciples heathenish or Scholastical Mastership and that Christ would have the name of Master or Doctor singularly reserved to himself seeing he by reason of his hypostatical union hath a certaine excellenâ—y which cannot agree to any other of mankind And concludes That seeing there is danger in attributing to men the Title of Master or Doctor in Divinity therefore in good reason those Titles are to be shunned in the Church of God John Hus also saith That they who take to themselves Academical Degrees and Titles answerable do go in the apparel and harness of the mystical body of Antichrist who is the King of all the children of pride to wit of the Masters and Doctors in Divinity Again in another place he speaks to this purpose Christ saith he saith Joh. 8. Neither came I of my self but the Father sent me so the Saints have come in the name of the Lord Jesus and in the name of Jesus they have performed their Priesthood and he is the Crown of their glory * and by this they are distinguished from certaine who are otherwise crowned as Masters and Doctors and Batchelors and from others of other kind of Titles according to the manifold wisdome of this world for these excelling others by their pains and through their own science and learning are notably beautified with their own titles and crowns and therefore do rather perform their office in their own name then in Christs Thus he Luther Speaks much to this purpose also but I shall have occasion to use him more largely Zuinglius on that Scripture Mat. 23. Be ye not called Doctor for one is your master Christ c. saith thus Thou hearest here that these titles of Masters and Doctors are not of God seeing Christ forbids them Conradus Pellican also a godly preacher having the sense of this on his death-bed desired his friends that he might by no means be buryed as the manner then was in the habit of a Doctor quia sperabat se resurrecturum ad judicium non ut Doctorem sed ut humilem Christianum because he hoped he should rise to judgement not as a Doctor but as a humble Christian Now me thinks the clear and precious word of Christ alone should take off the Universities and Clergy from giving and receiving these Degrees and titles if they do in good earnest profess themselves to be his Disciples but how much ought they to be ashamed and confounded when they see other believers for the love of Christ and his word utterly renouncing these things before their faces that they if they persist may be left wholly without excuse before Christ and his Church And now for the conclusion of this matter I shall hold forth to the Universities the true Degrees which Christ the Son of God did himself take in the Church of God and which all his Saints are to take after his example Jesus Christ the Son of the living God the first and chief Teacher of the new Testament did neither commence Batchelour nor Doctor in Divinity but he took five other Degrees wherein the University-Graduates are usually wanting Christs first Degree in the Church was this that He was the Son of God as the Lord said to him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee and againe This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And this is the first Degree that Christ himself took in the Church his Divine Sonship according to his Humane nature And this Degree all the faithful take with him for they all are begotten of God and born of the immortal seed of his word and their being the children of God through faith is the first Degree also that they take in the Church 2. Christs second Degree in the Church was his unction with the spirit for being the Son of God the spirit of God came and sate upon him in the forme of a Dove which was his New Testament-Baptisme and his first Degree was confirmed to him by the Father when he took this second for whilst the spirit rested on him a voice from heaven said Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And this second Degree also all the faithful take with Christ for they all as his fellows are anointed together with him the chief among them they as members are anointed together with him the head with the same oile of gladness and being sons God sends the spirit of his Son into their hearts and the spirit of the Son in their hearts is a sure testimony they are sons and their second degree also confirmes their first to wit the Gift of the spirit their sâ—nship 3. Christs third degree was this that after he was anointed by the Spirit and declared to be the Son of God then for the proof of both He was led by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil fourty dayes and nights together and in all these temptations through his Sonship and unction he overcame the divel and came away Conqueror And this was his third degree in the Church of God that the anointed Son of God overcame the devil in all the greatest and most grievous temptations he could assault him with And this third degree also all the faithful take with Christ for when they are the anointed Sons of God Satan sets upon them with all sorts of Temptations and they are led by the Spirit of God to wrestle with principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses set in high places and the rulers of the darkness of this world and yet they in the strength of their Sonship and unction with Christ do also with him tread Satan under their feet and go away Conquerors through the Grace of God in them and this also is their third degree in the true Church 4 Christs fourth degree in the Churâ—h was this that after his Sonship unction and victory over the devil in all Temptations he then went forth as a fit and able Minister to teach the Gospel of the Kingdome against all the enmity and opposition of the world Devil and false Church as is taught us Mat. 4. v. 11. 17. And this fourth degree also all the truely faithful take with Christ For after they through faith are the sons of God and through their Sonship are anointed and through their unction overcome the devil in all his Temptations then also they preach the Gospel of the kingdome being all of them a chosen Generation
God and the wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. And as he made no use of Humane learning all this while So in 1 Cor. 2. he plainly renounces it and rejects it saying Ver. 1. And I brethren when I came to you came not with excellency of speech or wisdom declaring unto you the Testimony of God Ver. 2. For I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him Crucified Ver. 3. And I was with you in weakness and fear and much trembling Ver. 4. And my speech and preaching was not with entising words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and Power Ver. 5. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of man but in the power of God Ver. 6. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect Yet not the wisdom of this world nor of the Princes of this world which come to nought Ver. 7. But we speak the wisdom of God in a Mysterie even the hidden wisdom which God Ordained before the world unto our glory c. Ver. 13. Which things also we speak not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth but which the holy spirit teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual things In a word this whole Chapter tends to the utter rejection of Philosophy which is the wisdom of the world in the Kingdom of Christ which is the Kingdom of God He also in his Epistle to the Collossians chap. 2. gives forth another plain Testimony against Philosophy desiring ver. 2. that the hearts of the believers might be comforted and that they might be kniâ— together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the Mysterie of God and of the Father and of Christ in whom are hid all the Treasures of wisdom and Knowledge And this saith he I say least any man should beguile you with entising words Wherefore v. 8 saith he Beware least any man spoyl you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the Tradition of men after the Rudiments or Elements of the world and not after Christ for in him dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily and ye are compleat in Him who is the Head of all Principality and Power Here is a sufficient caution again Philosophy for the true Church for ever For what need we if we are true Christians to turn aside for Wisdom and Knowledge and Learning and curious Arts to the Heathen seeing God hath given Christ to us in whom is treasured up all the heights and depths and lengths and breadths of Wisdom and Knowledge whereby the whole world was made and every Creature formed and fashioned and in which it hath its being subsistence and operation Yea in this Christ dwells all the fulness of the Infinite and eternal God and he is the head of all Principality and Power in earth and Heaven and there is in him alone infinitely enough to make us wise and learned for ever without calling in the help and contributions of the vain Philosophers and their foolish wisdom It is enough for Christian Schools to be taught to know Christ by the Ministration of the Spirit and all other Learning that is out of Christ though it seem to be never so high and deep all faithfull Christians are to reject it as meer Sophistrie and Deceit And thus you see that the Apostles aswell as Christ taught their Scholars and Disciples only the Gospel and spake not one word for Philosophy but directly against it And the following Fathers and next Teachers of the Christian Church after the Apostles they also obeyed the command of Christ and followed the example of the Apostles in this matter For the Bishops and Presbyters that is the Overseers and Elders had tender regard to the children of Christians and did teach them aswell as the people the pure Doctrine of the Gospel They held forth to them Christ Crucified and did exhort them to faith new Obedience the Confession of Christ and patient suffering and did not at all â—ntermingle Philosophy with their Divinity but alwayes rejected and condemned it all along the first and purest times of the Christian Church till the Mysterie of iniquity began to arise and did cunningly insinuate it self into the Church by the means of Humane Learning And here it will not be amiss to Relate what Justine Martyr saith of himself as to this matter who was before his Conversion to the Christian Faith a great Philosopher and lived about 150. years after Christs Nativity He in his Dialogue which Tryâ—ho relates How first he joyned himself to that Sect of Philosophers called the Stoicks and after to the Peripateticks after to the Pythagorean Sect and after to the Platonists but had no satisfaction in his mind by all this knowledge But at last he beholding the torments and sufferings of Christians and seeing them bear them with such comfort and constancy he did thereby conceive that it was impossible for that kind of people to be subject to any vice or carnality which vices of their own nature are not able to sustain any sharp adversity much less the bitterness of death And hereupon he began to love and search after the Christian Religion and being afflicted in mind he did withdraw himself into a solitary place where there met him an old Antient Father of comely visage and gentle behavior who began to reason with him and to tell him that there was no knowledge of truth among the Philosophers who neither knew God nor were aided by his holy Spirit And did farther reason with him of the immortality of the soul of the reward of the godly and punishment of the wicked Then Justine being satisfied with his reasons yeilded to him and demanded of him how he might attain to that true knowledge of God whereof he had spoken Who counselled him to read the Scriptures adjoyning therewith prayer c. And as thisâ—ustine left all other Learning and betook himself only to theâ—criptures so in the understanding of the Scriptures he rejected all his Philosophy and Philosophical apprehensions Saying that the Interpretation of the Scripture is to be accommodated to the will of the Doctrine of the Spirit and not to Humane reasonings and that he might be sure and safe in all things he had constant recourse to the Scriptures thus understood So that Justine Martyr being effectually Coâ—verted wholly leâ—t his Philosophy and betook himself to the Scriptures and taught them to the Church as he had been taught them of God by his Spirit Constantine the Emperor though he were the first that brought in the Mysterie of Iniquity into the Christian Church by mingling the Civil and Ecclesiastical states and Laws together there being in his time a great increase of Christians through the Ministry of the Gospel and a great confluence of them to his Imperial Citie for the Words sake he wrote to Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia in a special Letter Wherein he desired him withall
as dirt and dung and the plain word of the Gospel only shall prevail and flourish among the Christian People which time the Lord hasten for his Elects sake 2. ERROR That they who have endeavoured to pull down Schools have alwayes been men who were found Enemies to Religion So Julian the Apostate shut up the doors of the Schools because he would have all Religion to go down Answer True it is that they who have sought the subversion of Christian Schools wherein the Doctrine of the Gospel is purely taught without the mixture of Philosophy and Heathenism they all have been and are very enemies to the true Religion But they that seek to put down Heathenish Schools and to erect Christian or to reform the Schools of Heathen into Christian or to remove Heathenism out of Christian Schools they are not before God and good men enemies to true Religion but the great friends of it Nay they that call Heathenish Schools by the name of Christian that they may still remain with the better credit in their Heathenism without any true Reformation according to the Gospel I rather judge them to be enemies to the true Religion and friends only to their profit preferment and ends Julian indeed did forbid that Christians should be instructed in the Disciplines of the Gentiles but saith Sozomen the Writer of the Ecclesiastical History he did this because he thought that by those Disciplines men might attain to a great faculty to perswade which advantage he would not have the Christians to gaine to the help of their Religion Now certainly this was done as Socrates another Writer of the Ecclesiastical History doth acknowledge by the singular providence of God For seeing then Christians had begun to degenerate from the Gospel and to betake themselves to Heathenish Learning Julian attribuâ—â—d all the glory and excellency of Christianity to that Learning and so thought with Mr. Simpson that if Humane Learning were denyed to Christians Christianity it self would soon be at end Wherefore the Lord stirred up Julian to put down the Doctrine of the Heathen in the Schools of Christians that it might appear to all the World That as the true Christian Religion is not helped by Humane Learning so neither is it hindred by the want of it And that there is more Light Knowledge Truth Wisdom Power Vtterance given to Christians by the Vnction of the Spirit alone which all receive who believe then through all Heathenish Disciplines And also that it might be manifest that true Christianity is founded on faith in Christ and the gift of his Spirit only and not at all on Humane Learning For what Humane Learning had Peter and John and yet in what Wisdom and Authority did they being ignorant and unlearned men Reprove Convince and Silence the greatest and ablest men of the Jews And what Humane Learning had Steven and yet he confuted the Libertines and Cyrenians and Alexandrians and all the Philosophers of Cilicia and Asia which disputed with him and they all were not able to resist not the Humane Learning but the Wisdom and Spirit by which he spake And Christ hath promised all his people that when for his Names sake they should be brought before Kings and Rulers who usually have the greatest accomplishment of Humane Learning that then they should not study beforehand what to say for he would give them in that very hour a mouth and wisdom which none of their Adversaries should be able to resist And the power and vertue of the Gospel and the wisdom knowledge and utterance of Gods Spirit is more gloriously manifest in plain men then in learned men For in the one the Grace and Vertues of the Spirit are attributed to Humane Learning But in the other to God only who dwells in them Wherefore that the Wisdom and Knowledge and Light and Power of the word of faith in true Christians might not be attributed to Humane Learning God stirred up an enemy to Christian Religion to be so serviceable to it as to hinder Heathenish Doctrine from being taught in the Schools of Christians that so the Câ—urch might be restored to be as in the dayes of its Youth when there flourished in it only the simple and plain word of faith without any intermingling Philosophy or Humane Doctrine And if Constantine had made such an order in his time Julian had not had such an opportunity to have renounced Christianity and turned Heathen For Julian being instructed in the Philosophy and Disciplines of the Heathen by Libanius his Tutor by this means he came to love Philosophy better then the Gospel and so by degrees turned from Christianity to Heathenisme which may be a fair warning to all Christians that they suffer not their children to be so educated lest at last with Julian they at least in their hearts loath and reject the Gospel and become with him Apostates and Pagans And hence it is most evident that Heathenish Philosophy is so far from being a profitable study for the children of Christians that it is very dangerous for them to be so educated as Socrates is forced to confess where he saith For Christians to be thorowly instructed in the Disciplines of the Gentiles there is none will grant that this is profitable to the Christian Religion For it is not without danger for Christians to be taught in the learning of the Heathens seeing this teacheth that there are many Gods And therefore saith he the Doctrine of the Heathen is not approved by Christ or any of his Apostles or Disciples Wherefore said Luther My counsel is that a youth should shun Philosophy and School Divinity as the death of his soul 3. ERROR That the Knowledge of Heavenly things cannot come to us but by things on earth and that all Divinity is swadled in Humane Learning Answer I conceive that all Christians at the first reading of this will acknowledge that this Doctrine is not Divine but Philosophical The Philosophers say that nothing is in the understanding but that which is first in the sense which is proportionable to that which Mr. Simpson speaks and yet they know not what they say when they say so But let us consider if this be so That the Knowledge of heavenly things cannot come to us but by things on earth then how shall we know the Mysterie of God even the Father and the Mysterie of Christ who is God manifest in the flesh Or how shall the Mysterie of faith and of our union with Christ through faith into one flesh and Spirit with him be known Or the new birth and new Creature which hath all things new in it and all those new things the things of God Or how shall the free Justification of a sinner through the death of Christ and his Reconciliation to God be known with all the rest of the things of the Gospel seeing nothing on earth can reveal the least part of these things And if
men in his absence But he himself is alwayes present in his true Church to the end of the world both to teach them and to give them his Spirit He is too much in the darkness of Antichrist that denies this It is manifest then that all the true Church alike receive the Spirit of God and that they all receive it alike immediately from God seeing no man nor Angel can give the spirit of God but God himself gives his own Spirit to whom he pleases by his own word which he himself Ministers by his own spirit And by this spirit did holy men speak the Scripture and by this spirit only do holy men of God understand the Scripture as Paul saith 1 Cor. 2 12. Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God among which his word hath a chief place and after saith that by the spirit they had the mind of Christ which others want who yet have the same Letter of the word and are destitute of the Spirit And so as the faithfull spake the word by the spirit of faith so through the same spirit of faith only so given do the faithfull understand it And though this thing be clear in it self yet I judge it convenient to add here the Testimonies of Luther and Calvin in this matter Luther saith The Scriptures are not to be understood but by that very spirit by which they were writ which spirit can be nowhere found more readily and effectually then in those holy Letters of his which he hath written And Calvin saith The same spirit that spake by the mouth of the Prophets it is necessary that that should pierce into our hearts to perswade us that they faithfully delivered that which was committed to them of God So that we must necessarily have the same spirit to know his mind that they had to utter his mind Wherefore it is evident that Mr. Simpson is not Orthodox in this point neither 8. ERROR That men now are to get knowledge to wit of the Scriptures by Studies and Humane Learning and not by Inspiration Answer This Doctrine carries the visible mark of Antichrist upon it For it is only the Inspiration of God that inables a man to know the things of God and not a mans study or Humane Learning It is not in this case in him that wills or runs but in God that shews Mercy Wherefore Christ hath said no man knows the Son but the Father and he to whomsoever the Father will reâ—eal him Wherefore Paul prays for the Ephesians that God would give them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of Christ without which Spirit of Revelation Christ and the Father can never be known What can Humane Learning and the studies of men find out of the Mysterie of Christ which was hidden from ages and Generations as Paul testifies till the Spirit revealed it Yea Christ hath taught that God hides these things of the Gospel from the wise and prudent that is the studying and learned men and reveals them to Babes and that this is his good pleasure so to do And so no man can know Christ and his Gospel and what is the faith hope and love of the Gospel but by the most present Teaching and Revelation of God himself by his Spirit Wherefore to deny the Inspiration of Gods spirit now and to ascribe all knowledge of the word of God to mens studies and to Humane Learning is the most gross and palpable Doctrine of Antichrist and his Prophets whereas all the People of God are taught of God Himself in all the things of God as Christ hath said Because no man by his own studies and pains can attain thereunto And in this matter I shall also add the Testimony of Luther and Latimer Luther saith No man sees one jot or tittle in the Scriptures but he that hath the Spirit of God For all men have a darkned Heart in such sort that if they could speak and knew how to bring forth all things of the Scripture yet have they not any true sense or right Knowledge of them For saith he the spirit is required to the understanding of the whole Scripture and of every part thereof And Latimer saith The carnal and Philosophical understanding of the Scriptures is not that wisdom of God which is hid from the wise and revealed to little ones 9. ERROR That Humane Learning is as the Outworks to the Fort of the Gospel and as the outer Court to the Temple of the Gospel and so if you will keep the Fort well you must keep the Outworks strong and if you will preserve the inner you must look to the outer Court Answer How highly hath Mr. Simpson honored Socrates Pythagoras Plato and Aristotles c. to make them a strong guard for the Person of Christ And how highly hath he honored their Learning to make it a defence for the Gospel And how weak and feeble hath he sought to render the word of faith that must be thus defended by the Arts and Disciplines of men as not being able to stand alone and to defend it self Doth this man truly believe in the Son of the living God who make him such an helpless Idol or doth he believe the word of the Gospel which hath given eyes to the blind and ears to the deaf and feet to the lame which hath raised the dead and cast out Devils and commanded the winds and waves and they have obeyed I say doth he believe this word to be of God which hath done the very works of God and yet openly affirms to the world that it cannot maintain it self or subsist without the help of Philosophy Is that word which mightily and perfectly saves all the Elect and that in despight of the world and the Devil and the gates of Hell not able to save it self without Humane Help Must that word be secured by Aristotle which delivers all the Elect from sin death and hell for ever Are Grammar Râ—thorick Logick Ethicks Physicks Metaphysicks Mathematicks the weapons whereby we must defend the Gospel Is Mr. Simpson so ill a Proficient in Christianity that he hath not read or doth not remember that of Paul Ephes. 6.12 where he saith We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities against Power against the Rulers of the Darkness of this world against Spiritual wickedness in high places Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand Stand therefore having your loynes girt about with truth and having on the brest plate of Righteousness And your feet shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace Above all taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked And take the Helmet of
and royal priesthood to show forth the vertues of him that hath called them out of darkness into his marvelous light as Peter testifies and they all speak as they do believe and have experience and their Sonship Unction and Victory over temptation is as sufficient a ground for them to teach as it was for Christ to teach and so they without any regard of the Laws of Antichrist or Orders of the Clergy go forth to teach the everlasting Gospel as Christ did before them and this is the fourth degree of the faithful in the Church 5. Christs fifth and last degree which he took in the Church was this that he having both preached and lived the word whereat the world and worldly Church were wholly offended and inraged did at the last willingly confirme his Doctrine with his death and seal to the truth of it with his blood exposing himself to the most shameful and ignominious death of the cross to confirme his Gospel to his Church and this was the highest and most glorious Degree that Christ took in his Church as Christ testifies when speaking of his suffering he saith Now is the hour come that the Son of man should be glorified And this fifth degree also all the truely faithful do take with Christ either in deed if need require or in preparation and readiness and that whilst they live in outward peace All the blessed Martyrs have taken this highest degree in the Church with Christ and all the rest of his seed have been and are ready to take it also when it is the good will of their heavenly Father seeing they can say in the same faith and spirit with Christ even in this matter Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me yet not my will but thine be done for they are come to do the will of him that sent them even to the laying down their lives Now these are the onely degrees that Christ himself took in the Church and which all the Saints take with him and the true spiritual Church of believers allows and approves no other Degrees but these And what now are the University-Degrees in Divinity to these they are Degrees in Antichrists Church onely and every heathen or humane creature Turke or Infidel may take them aswel as they with a little time and paines and money Wherefore that I may turn my speech a little to the University do thou University lay this to heart how much thou hast departed from the Gospel of Christ in this matter as well as in all the rest and hast received the Doctrine and Laws and Methods and Manners of Antichrist wherewith thou hast deceived thy self aswell as the Nations And thou University hast like thy own mother Babylon Mystery written on thy forehead for thou hast taken to thy self this title ALMA MATER the beautiful mother which onely belongs to Jerusalem from above and though thou hast brought forth a company of prodigious children heathenish foolish vaine vile and abominable yet hast thou called them learned and given them Degrees in Divinity contrary to the Degrees in the Gospel and hast sent them forth into every City County Town and Village as Ministers of Christ yea as Sons of the morning though unbelievers and destitute of the spirit And thus hast thou deceived the Nations and given them a false Ministery in stead of a true and by this false Ministery a false word in stead of the Gospel and the world hath not at any time received a greater wo nor more grievous plague then from thee Wherefore thus saith the word of the Lord The day of thy vengeance is coming and the yeers wherein thou shalt be made desolate and thy dainty and goodly things shall depart from thee and thou shalt finde them no more at all and the voice of Musitians and Pipers shall no more be heard in thee for in thee is found the blood of Prophets and of Saints and of all that have been slaine upon the earth thy humane learning to wit thy Philosophy and School-Divinity the false Ministery that they have set up and the false Christians that have proceeded from that Ministery have devised and executed all these murders and massacres on the true Saints of God FINIS Quis est sapiens intelliget haec The Testimony of Martin Luther upon the whole matter To wit touching Vniversities Humane Learning or Philosophy Vniversity-Degrees c. MArtin Luther in his Answer to Ambrosius Catharinus expounding the Vision concerning Antichrist Dan. 8. speaks thus The twelfth and last face of Antichrist is that Chaos and open gate of Hell yet very comely to behold to wit the Universities into which perjurie and the abuse of Gods Name are the entrance and the progress is a free and most licentious conversation in all manner of wickedness And yet under these sins and destructions Science and Sapience are promised Yea Titles and Degrees are given in stead of rewards But what do they perform at length First the more choice youth of christian people are here prostituted and are cast into the open throat of Hell that I verily think this destruction was figured by the Idol Moloch to whom anciently they made their choice children to pasâ— through the fire Afterwards Aristotle being read to them and not rightly understood the wits of christian youth are exercised with heathenish and humane learning yea are quite blinded and oppressed with it And in stead of the Word of God the doctrine of Antichrist is delivered that it may seem the devil himself could not bring forth a more subtile and effectual Invention and engine Eutterly to extinguish the Gospel then to set up Universities Wherein under the pretence of Christian Doctrine nothing should be taught but that which is most contrary to the Christian Faith And if at any time it seems good to call forth the choicest to the Government of the Churches they call them out of these Stews and Dens And truly to me this last face of Antichrist seems to be the most hurtful of all because this hath the pretence of the Word when all the rest have onely the colour of Example and this is plainly Schola Hidoth the School of Propositions of which anon For it is incomparably the greatest prejudice under the colour of the Word to teach things contrary to the Word seeing the face of Eâ—amples is formed and strengthened by the face of the Word which otherwise would soon come to nothing if the Word should reign in its genuine sense and also seeing the pretence of Examples doth onely deceive the manners but the pretence of the Word overthrows the Word But if by any Grace of God the Universities should receive the Word to wit instead of Philosophy and School-Divinity how soon would the Papacy with all its faces or appearances perish seeing this face to wit the Universities is the prop bones and whole strength of that kingdom of faces This deceitful face seems to
these studies thus confined to these places and do * swear men to read and teach them nowhere else certainly it is most manifest that these men love their own private gaine more then the common good of the people But now seeing by the hand of God a Kingdome is turned into a Commonwealth and Tyranny into freedome we judge it most prejudicial to the common good of a Commonwealth that these two Universities should make a Monopoly of Humane Learning to themselves especially as is said seeing they say no body can well understand or teach the Scriptures without it and so by reason of this their incroachment against the rule of love through the former Grants of Popes and Kingâ— all men should be necessitated to send their children hither from all parts of the Nation some scores or hundred mileâ— for liberal education to the great trouble and charge of Parents especially this considered that the Universities usually have been places of great licentiousness and profaness whereby it often comes to pass that Parents sending them children far from them young and hopeful have for all their care and cost after several yeers received them back againe with their tongues and Arts proud profane wicked abâ—minable and incorrigible wretches Wherefore doubtless it would be more suitable to a Commonwealth if we become so indeed and not in word onely and more advantagious to the good of all the people to have Universities or Colledges one at least in every great town or City in the Nation as in London York Bristow Exceter Norwich and the like and for the State to allow to these Colledges an honest and competent maintenance for some godly and learned men to teach the Tongues and Arts under a due reformation And this the State may the better do by provision out of every County or otherwise as shall be judged best seeing there will be no need of indowment of Scholarships inasmuch as the people having Colledges in their own cities neer their own houses may maintain their children at home whilst they learn in the Schools which would be indeed the greatest advantage to learning that can be thought of 8. It would also be considered whether it be according to the word of God that youth should spend their time only in reading of books whilst they are well strong active and fit for business For commonly it so falls out that youth lose as much by idleness as they gain by study And they being only brought up to read books and such books as onely containe wrangling jangling foolish and unprofitable Philosophy when they have continued any long time in the University in these unwarranted courses by God they are commonly in the end fit for no worthy imployment either in the world or among the faithful To remedy which great evil Colledges being as hath been spoken dispersed through the great cities and towns of the Commonwealth it may be so ordered that the youth according to Luthers counsel may spend some part of the day in learning or study and the other part of the day in some lawful calling or one day in study and another in business as necessity or occasion shall require And thus shall youth be delivered from that ease and idleness which fills the hearts of University-Students with many corruptions and noisome lusts whilst they fill their heads only with empty knowledge and foolish notions whereby neither can God be glorified nor their neighbour profited 9. And if this course were taken in the dâ—sposing and ordering Colledges and studies it would come to pass that twenty would learn then where one learns now and also by degrees many men on whom God shall please to pour forth his Spirit may grow up to teach the people whilst yet they live in an honest calling and imployment as the Apostles did And this would give them great efficacy and power in teaching whilst they lived by faith through their honest labour and were delivered from the mischief of idleness But and if the faithful shall desire any one that is more apt to teach and hath received a greater measure of the anointing then his brethren to spend more of his time in the word and prayer then his calling will afford at such times they ought to supply him and the law of love in the hearts of the faithful will be law enough in this matter without calling in the aide of the Magistrate And by this means may the chargeable and burdensome maintenance of Ministers by degrees be taken away and the Church of Christ and the very nations themselves be supplyed with a more faithful Christian and spiritual Ministery then now it hath at a far less rate For God hath promised in the last dayes to pour out his Spirit on all flesh and the sons and daughters and servants and handmaids shall prophesie and then shall knowledge cover the earth as waters the seas Now for conclusion I do conceive that none of the faithful and wise haâ—e any just cause to be offended for speaking for the use of humane learning in this reformed way which the Gospel will permit seeing by this means these two errors of Antichrist would be dissolved among us the one of making Unâ—versities the fountaine of the Ministery which one thing is and will be more and more as Christs Kingdome shall rise up and prevaile in the world a milstone about their necks and the other of making the Clergy a distinct Sect or Order or Tribe from other Christians contrary to the simplicity of the Gospel 2. Let the faithful consider that this reformed use of Tongues and Arts justly hath its place in the world For if all men cannot be Chrâ—stians as Paul saith all men have not faith yet let them be Men and improved in the use of reason and sober learning where by they may be servâ—ceable to the Commonwealth in their age whilst the Church of Christ hath its own members and officers through the call of God and unction of his Spirit onely For * humane learning hath it's place and use among humane things but hath no place nor use in Christs Kingdome as hath been sufficiently proved And thus have I freely offered my advice for mending things that are amiss and making strait the things that are crooked in this matter FINIS Omnes Scholas esse hareticas vel Theologia Scholastica arguit Melanct. in Apol. pro Mart. Luther The Rehearsal of the Errors 1. Error Answer No Heathenish Learning was taught in the Church of God all the time of the Old-Testament Object Answ. Peter Steven Paul The Primitive Christians and Believers taught no Philosophy Justine Martyr forsook Philosophy and betook himself only to the Scriptures Non ad humanaâ— cationes sed ad voluntatem Doctrinae Spirituâ— interpretatio est accommodanda Justin. in Exposit. fidei Constantine the Emperor took care for the teaching the Scriptures to Christians Eâ—s lib. 4. de vità Constaâ—tiâ— Berno Augiensis Abbas Se