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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49809	Dagon's fall before the Ark, or, The smoak of the bottomless pit scoured away by the breath of the Lords mouth, and by the brightness of his coming written primarily, as a testimony for the Lord, his wisdom ... : secondarily, as testimony against the old serpent his wisdom, which is foolishness with God ... : wherein as in a glass, teachers in schools and colledges may see their concern, neither Christian nor warrantable / by Thomas Lawson.	Lawson, Thomas, 1630-1691.	1679 (1679)	Wing L724; ESTC R226480	38,604	101

by Charles the great from Rome to Paris about the year 791. Thus Cambridge was made an University by King Sigebert of the Romish Faith and the Lectures there were begun by four Monks Fryer Ode read Grammar Tericus read Aristotles Logicks Fryer William read Tullies Rhetorick Dilsebert read Divinity to them on Sundays and Saints days so called About the year 895. King Alfred through the perswasion of Monk Neotus made Oxford a publick University and appointed Maintenance for the Professors of Learning there as saith Georg. Lilius in Chron. Britt After both these places of Literature were made or confirmed Universities in Edward the first his time by the Court of Rome as Robert Remington affirms The very names of the Colledges discover their Founders as Christs Colledge Jesus Colledge Immanual Colledge Trinity Colledge Corpus Christi that is Christs body Colledge and one in Oxford for the help of all dead Souls and for their rescue out of Purgatory called All Souls Colledge Now how these Collegians shew forth the Spirit of Christ by their Fruits and how their deportment is to such as in faith and patience wait for the Kingdom of Christ and the righteousness thereof or whether they be as the Lilie among the Thorns or as the Thorns Heave another pen to discover Universities to gain the greater profit to themselves give divers Degrees and Titles as Bachelors of Arts Masters of Arts Bachelors of Divinity Doctors of Divinty whereby saith Dell they gain Honour Reverence and Reputation among all that are under the delusion of Antichrist true it is a principio non it a fuit 'T was not so from the beginning till the Star fell from Heaven to Earth and the smoak arose out of the Pit darkening Sun and Air these things were not in seven years in Universities they are Masters of Art as an Apprentice is Master of his Trade having served seven years Papists made their Ministers in these places as the Protestants do now the Philosophy there taught now is the same that the Heathen Roman Emperors set up they caused to be taught Grammar and Logick and most of the seven Arts as now The Vicechancellor admitting a Bachelor of Divinity to his Degree uses these words We admit thee to preach all the Apostolical Epistles in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Spirit But Admitting a Doctor of Divinity to his Degree he saith We admit thee to preach all the Sacred Scriptures both of the Old and of the New Testament in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit cap. 20. de Ceremoniis in gradibus conferendis Zuinglius In the Primitive times such as were called of the Lord they waited for Heavenly Abilities to be capacitated to beget others into the life of Righteousness and to build them up in the most holy Faith they did not ambitioussy affect Titles out of the God-serving life the Pharisees were guilty of this as formal Christians were After the ingress and inrode of Apostasy Zuinglius on Matth. 23. said Thou heare herest that the Titles of Masters and Doctors are not of God because Christ forbids this thing and those Titles that are not of God nor of Christ they are of Antichrist so to be denyed by such as are branches of the true Vine Further Wilson in his Compleat Christian Dictionary said that ambitious seeking after Titles ought to be eschewed Obj. In the Apostles days there were several Titles as Evangelists Apostles Prophets Pastors Doctors Ans True it is but these and the rest made use of or mentioned in the New Testament were significant names names of Office befitting and expressing the work they were called unto and concerned in as I might particularize as for Doctor it might more properly be translated Teacher so a name of Office Wicklif touching this thing said a name of Office differs much from the name of a School Degree brought in by the Heathen Wicklif in sermone domini in Monte. While the Primitive purity Life Power Faith and Order was kept he that ministred he was to do it out of the ability which God gave 1 Pet. 4.11 The power of the Ministry was derived from the pure Spring of Divine ability but this ability being lost Schools were erected Heathen Learning was entertained where men are qualified now for the Ministry this muddy lake open in Rome-Heathen steamed into Apostatised Rome-Christian drunk up in Protestant Countreys and Kingdoms now To draw to a Conclusion you Teachers of Schools and Colledges it being that the specious Fabrick of the World being finished God looked upon every thing that he had made and behold it was very good Gen. 1.31 were it not more God-like more Christian-like to instruct Youth in the knowledge of God whom to know is life Eternal and in the knowledge of his works being very good and useful and necessary things then in the knowledge of Heathen Arts and Sciences brought in by the Serpent which in every Age and Generation the holy men of God yea and such as have lived in the midnight of Apostasie with some glimpses of Divine light in their Goshen bare Testimony against as the fore-mentioned Testimonies with others that might have been subjoyned sufficiently evidence David in the wisdom of God said The works of the Lord are wonderful sought out of all them that have pleasure therein Psal 111.2 Such as have pleasure in the Lord cannot but have pleasure in his works Now you that make Heathenism your concern you neither have pleasure in the Lord nor in his works which are very good Further David in the consideration of the Lord broke out saying Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom thou hast made them all the earth is full of thy riches so is the great and wide Sea also wherein are things creeping innumerable both small and great beasts Psal 104.24 25. If man should live the days of Mathuselah who lived 969. years yet is the Lord the Book of life and the Book of Creation sufficient for his observation I tell you in downright Tearms the Lord made man to eye him and his Creation but the Serpent dislocating man brought him to eye him and his products and all Heathen Authors Poems Comedies Tragedies Fables spoiling Philosophy Pagan Ethicks Physicks and Metaphysicks are the products of the Serpent so see what you do and where you are Rainold in his Orations said he is to be accounted a wise man who knows things that are profitable not he that knows many things Now if Languages must be Learned were it not more Christian like that out of Latin c. Books for that purpose provided Children and Youth read the Natures of Trees Birds Beasts Fish Serpents Infects Earths Metals Salts Stones Vulgar and Precious as also rules for Gardening Agriculture Grazing of Cattel Buildings Navigation Arithmatick Geography Chronology sound History Medicine knowledge in Law Improvement of Lands Chirurgery Traffick Government ordering of Bees

Dagon's Fall Before the ARK OR The Smoak of the Bottomless Pit scoured away by the breath of the Lords mouth and by the brightness of his coming WRITTEN Primarily As a Testimony for the Lord his Wisdom Creation products of his Power useful and necessary Knowledge capacitating people for the concerns of this Life Secondarily As a Testimony against the Old Serpent his wisdom which is foolishness with God his Arts Inventions Comedies or Interludes Tragedies lascivious Poems frivolous Fables spoiling Philosophy taught in Christian Schools Wherein as in a Glass Teachers in Schools and Colledges may see their concern neither Christian nor warrantable By Thomas Lawson Qui novit utilia non qui multa sapiens habendas Orat. D. Rainoldi Id verum quod prius prius quod ab initio ab initio quod ab Apostolis Tertul. Adam nunquam è beatitudinis paradiso pulsus fuisset nisi Serpente Magistro didicisset scire bonum malum Cornel. Agrip. de Van. Scient Printed in the year 1679. THE CONTENTS Of the following TREATISE Chap. 1. OF Heavenly wisdom and her Children being true and divine Philosophers Chap. 2. Of the rise and progress of Serpentine wisdom that is the wisdom of this World Chap. 3. Of the rise and progress of Pagan Philosophy worldly wisdom crept in among the Professors of Christianity and Testimonies of the Holy men of God against the same Chap. 4. A rehearsal of Testimonies borne by several men eminent in the Church since the Apostles days against Heathen learning or the teaching of it in Christian Schools as of others Chap. 5. A Memento to Schoolmasters and Tutors to turn from Heathen to the Godly and Christian education of Youth as also of the rise of Christian Schools and how the same came to be corrupted Chap. 6. Lastly a few Queries soberly proposed to the consideration of such as teach Heathen Authors in Christian Schools DAGON'S Fall before the ARK CHAP. I. Of Heavenly Wisdom and her Children being true and divine Philosophers THere is a wisdom whose Merchandize transcends the Merchandize of Silver whose gain surmounts the gain of the purest Gold more precious than Rubies than the Onyx Saphire Chrystal Coral or Topaz of Ethiopia her ways are ways of pleasantness all her paths are peace she is a Tree of Life By her Kings reign and Princes decree justice her fruit is better than Gold her revenue than choice Silver she was from everlasting or ever the Earth was before the Depths before the Fountains abounding with waters before the Mountains were settled before the Hills towered up before the Curtain of the Heavens was prepared before the Clouds above were established before the Sea had its decree before the foundation of the Earth was appointed before the Rain or pearly drops of Dew before the Ice and hoary frost of Heaven before the Pleides and the bands of Orion before Mazzaroth Arcturus and his Sons before the Bottles of Heaven were poured out In this wisdom Adam was created in purity innocency and righteousness a noble extract in this he had dominion over the Fish of the Sea over the Fowl of the Air over the Cattle over all the Earth and over every creeping thing through the virtue and influence of this he knew his Creator and had an understanding of the natures and properties of the Creation and gave names to all Cattle and to the Fowl of the Air and to every Beast of the Field and that significant names Through this Adam was all fair through a Garment conferred upon him out of the Wardrobe of Eternity while in the love and power of this he was a true Divine Philosopher that is a Lover of wisdom not tainted by the intermixture of the Serpent not his ensnaring inventions The living God saith the Paraphrast on the Samaritan Pentateuch formed Adam and filled him with the Spirit of wisdom and knowledge that from him as from a Fountain all useful Arts and Sciences might flow unto his posterity for besides the secret virtues of living Creatures of Plants of Stones of Metals and Minerals he perfectly knew the influences of supernal Bodies saith Theoph. Gale And if Adam and his posterity had persevered in that state of Heavenly wisdom innocency and sincerity in which he was created here had been no defilements of Astrologers Charmers Consulters with Familiar Spirits Diviners Inchanters Magicians Nicromancers Observers of Times Prognosticators Soothsayers Sorcerers Witches Wizards who all derive their power and foolish infernal knowledge from those lying Lips which seduced Adam and Eve from the Royal Court of the Lords blessed presence into the dead Sea of delusions and wicked estrangments from God Yea I say if Adam and his posterity had kept their standing in Heavenly wisdoms dominion we had had no lascivious Poems no wanton Comedies no vain Tragedies no foolish Fables no bewitching Orations no spoiling Philosophy no Pagan Ethicks Physicks or Metaphysicks which are the infatuating dregs of the Hellish dead Sea the smoak of the bottomless Pit as hereafter may more fully be touched About the tenth Generation after the Floud Abraham the Father of the faithful grew up among the Caldeans in the saving knowledge of the Lord he loved Heavenly wisdom and the products thereof the Creation so was a true Philosopher through Faith he obtained a good report and among other things this record remains concerning him Shall I hide from Abraham saith the Lord the thing which I do c. For I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment Gen. 18.17 18 19. This was the sum of Abraham's Doctrine to his Family this he and the faithful Patriarchs taught justifying Heavenly wisdom and the blessed order of it Heathenism they kept out through the shield of Faith and who are of Abraham they do the works of Abraham and shun Heathenism Moses grew up in the knowledge of the living God and of the Creation he loved the wisdom that was from above so was a true Divine Philosopher Clemens Alexandrinus wrote of him that he was a Divine and a Prophet Now if any alledge That Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians that is in prophane Arts and Sciences and was mighty in words and in deeds Acts 7.22 I answer True it is Moses was so learned which Egyptian learning faith Pererius was Pagan Mathematicks Ethicks Physicks Metaphysicks a chief part whereof was Hieroglyphicks but when he was to be concern'd for the living God to go his Message see how his prophane Arts and Sciences the Egyptian Hieroglyphicks furthered him he was mute Exod. 4.10 11 12. he said to the Lord O my Lord I am not eloquent The Lord said unto him Now therefore go and I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say Here he is drawn from the dirty puddle of prophane Arts and Sciences Egyptian wisdom Pagan Metaphysicks Hieroglyphicks In a word from

are desired even so the mind being carnalized Heavenly wisdom Bread of life Water of life Honey out of the Rock the food of the soul is loathed and spoiling Philosophy Satanical Arts Parts and endowments in a word the wisdom that is from below is unsatiably sought after Adam entring the barren Borders of Satanism from a Hellish Lake in the increase of that Kingdom collected gushed out a muddy stream of Diabolical Arts pernicious inventions and Artists hence came he ungodly Astrologers who from the observation of the Heavens take upon them to foretel what good or evil shall betide Men States Persons People so to determine things of future contingence Thence crawled out Charms who use Verses Words Ceremonies Spells to produce their desired ends as to heal or hurt people young or old Hence crawled out Diviners Wizards who by a Diabolical Spirit take upon them to presage or foretel things to come Hence crawled out observers of Times who superstitiously make difference of days and times as good or bad luckly or unlucky as they say for the doing of such a work or undertaking a Journey or appointing times for the doing of things Hence crawled out the Consulters of Familiar Spirits this was Sauls sin who sought to a woman that had a Familiar Spirit for which transgression the Lord brought this heavy Judgment upon him Hence crawled out Inchanters who by observing the events of things gather signs of good or evil luck as they say to themselves or others and who by secret slights and juglings deceive or delude the eye-sight Hence crawled out Witches Sorcerers having dealings with the Devil by compact or confedracy changing any thing before the sight by a Diabolical power Hence crawled out Necromancers speaking to the dead or to the Devil in the form of the dead making inquiry of the same as Saul did Hence crawled out the Magician who through covenant with Satan is skild in Magick Art Hence sprung in the Monthly Prognosticatours taking upon them to foretell the occurrents of each Month. Hence crawled out Southsayers who from the observation of the skie or flight of Birds take upon them to foretel things to come Hence came in Stargazers pretending knowledge of future events by the observation of the courses and conjunction of the Stars these Artists were first found among the Heathens after crept into Israel though expressly forbidden by the Lord and are found also as it is said among the professors of Christianity The Idolatrous Egyptians were great practitioners of Divination who as Writers affirm first of all derived their Divination from the four Elements some Divined from the observation of Fire hence Pyromancy Some Divined by the Air hence Aeromancy Some Divined by Water hence Hydromancy Some Divined by the Earth hence Geomancy After this wickedness and Satanical skill increasing a further progress was made For Some Divined by Fish hence Icthuomancy Some Divined by Herbs hence Botanomancy Some Divined by Figs hence Sycomancy Some Divined by Eggs hence Oomancy Some Divined by Rods hence Rabdomancy Some by the crowing of Cocks hence Alectrimancy Some by She-goats hence Aigemancy Some Divined by Dreams hence Oneiromancy Some Divined by Insense hence Libanomancy Some by Water in a Bason hence Licanomancy Some Divined by Smoak hence Capnomancy Some Divined by the Bay-tree hence Daphnomancy Some Divined by Wax hence Ceromancy Some by the lines of the Hands hence Chiromancy Some Divined by Sieve and Shears hence Cosciomancy This kind of Divination is as 't is said much in use now in the Northern parts by the frequenters of Horse Courses and Foot Races Some Divined by an Ax hence Axinomancy Some Divined by Lots hence Cleromancy Some by the inspection of Flour hence Alphitomancy Some Divined and gave answers out of their Bellies hence Gastromancy Some Divined by the observation of Birds some by the entrails of Beasts some of these if not many are crept in among the professors of Christianity Solomon knew what he said when he said God made man upright but they have fought out many Inventions Eccles 7. From the very same ground issued in Idolatry Superstition damnable Heresies pernicious Schisms strong Delusions perverse Disputings vagrant and wandring Desires fruitless Janglings inconvenient Jestings sinful oppositions of Sciences Inchanting Orations feigned Purgatory dreamed of by Plato the Philosopher and Virgil the Heathen Poet defended by many in the Apostasie Thus you see the wisdom of God being rejected and the wisdom of the old Serpent and his Teaching being entertained what Hellish Artists and Arts what ungodly and unlawful Inventions what strange and soul-destroying Doctrines are crept into the Stage of the World what an Eclipse is come upon the Sons and Daughters of men but the Sun of righteousness is risen and rising with an effectual healing vertue whereby the foggy exhaltation of sin iniquity and transgression of wicked Arts and frivolous inventions shall be scourged away CHAP. III. Of the Rise and Progress of Pagan Philosophy Worldly wisdom crept in among the professors of Christianity and Testimonies of the Holy men of God against the same Pagans of several Nations desirous of wisdom to some straps of Moses relating to Morals Naturals and Supernaturals added the corrupt ingredients of their own Inventions and imaginations so patch up their Ethicks Physicks and Metaphysicks so triumphed in the splendor of their wisdom and gained great esteem thorough the same and were as I may say pointed at by the fingers of others and were called Magi that is wisemen whatsoever saith Andrew Sympson Orpheus Homer Solon Pythagoras Plato and other Grecians Philosophers Poets Historians have left in Record concerning God and Divine things they took all out of the Books of Moses whereunto they added the intermixture of their own Inventions and imaginations depraved and wrested the same August de Civit. Dei to say the best Rabbins and Philosophers saith Trap sunt bona mista malis sunt mala mista bonis that is to say in them good is mixed with evil and evil with good The Greeks through this py-bal wisdom were called Sophoi that is wisemen now Pythagoras refused that Title as too ambitious and peculiar to Ens Entium the being of beings God alone and in way of modesty he called himself Philosophos that is a Lover of wisdom which Title Socrates Plato and others assumed in imitation of these Greeks the Romans called such Philosophy and imitation of the Romans in the English Orthography such are called Philosophers that is Lover of wisdom hence came the Philosophy of the Egyptians Phenicians Caldeans Phrygians Lybians Ethiopians Scithians Thracians Persians Indians Brachmans Spaniards Italians Greeks Druides of Pythagoras Socrates Plato Aristotle of the Cynicks Stoicks Scepticks Epicureans these say and many others received their Philosophy from the writings of Moses by them depraved and wrested adding the dregs of their own opinions inventions and imaginations they received of these things also one from another And of the agreement or rather disagrement

worship Christ Lactant. lib. 3. cap. 30. Vlpian the chief Lawyer Galen the chief Physician Porphiry the chiefest Aristotelian Plotinus the chiefest Platonist were profess'd enemies to Christ and his Truth Trapp Augustin Bishop of Hippo in Africa about the year 399. said the unlearned take Heaven by force but we with our learning are thrust into Hell It repented Augustin that when he was young he had preached more to please then to profit others Neither the Jews by their profound Doctors nor the Gentiles by their Wits and Wizards could grope out God Trapp on 1 Cor. 1.21 The Greeks sought after wisdom viz. of this World so shut out Heavenly wisdom Intus existens prohibet alienum they attained not what they sought Trapp on 1 Cor. 1.22 We that have obtained the knowledge of God by and through his Grace are far more Wise and more blessed then Plato Aristotle c. Piscat on 1 Cor. 1. In a natural man there is an impotency that is want of power to know and understand spiritual things Piscat Wisdom that is of the Flesh serves the Worldling as the Ostrich wings to make him out-run others upon Earth and in Earthly things but helps him never a whit towards Heaven Trapp on the Corinth Constantius the Emperor suspecting Julian's proneness to Paganism sent him to be carefully grounded in Christianity to Nicomedia but he frequented by stealth the company of Libanius and Iamblichus Philosophers who warped him wholly to their bent which brake out afterwards Trapp on Colos 2. In the year 220. the Artemonites a certain kind of Hereticks corrupted Scripture out of Aristotle and Theophrastus turning all into Questions as afterwards School-men did that evil generation of Dunghill Divines as one calleth them Trapp on Colos 2. The Gentiles could not be saved by their Philosophy without Christ and yet not only the Divines of Cullen set forth a Book concerning the Salvation of Aristotle whom they called Christ's forerunner in Naturals as John Baptist was in Supernaturals but also some of the School Doctors grave men saith Acosta do promise men Salvation without the knowledge of Christ Trapp on Colos 2.8 The Moral Philosophy of prophane Authors treating of the chiefest good and of the happiness of man and of virtue is no other thing then vain deceit Pisc Colos 2. Seeing we are complete in Christ they commit folly who have recourse unto prophane Philosophers The deep Theorems of Philosophy said King James make one learned but seldom better and oftentimes worse meer Atheists There is an Arabick Proverb Cum errat eruditus errat errore erudito that is a learned man hath learned errors Trapp on Acts 17. Aristotle wrote many things most absurdly concerning God as that he is a living Creature that he works not freely but by a kind of servile necessity and that therefore he deserves no praise sith he doth but what he must do yet at Stuckard in Germany was found a Doctor of Divinity that preached to the people that the Church might be sufficiently well taught and governed by Aristotle's Philosophy especially his Ethicks Trapp on Rom. 1.21 To use Heathen Authors for oftentation is to make a Calf of the Treasures gotten out of Egypt Trapp of Arts. Many saith one through their love to the Tree of Knowledge lose the Tree of Life Papists say that we may find their Holy-Water and sprinkling of Sepulchres in Juvenal's sixth Satyr their Lights in Sepulchres in Suetonius his Octavius Lamps lighted on Saturdays in Seneca's 96 Epistle distribution of Tapers among the people in Macrobius his Saturnals Purgatory in Virgil's Aeneids Trapp Thus proving their Doctrines by Heathen Authors not by Scripture Averroes an Arabian Physician so madly admired his Master Aristotle as that he said there was no errour to be found in his Works that his Learning was the chief Truth c. When he dyed he cryed out Sit anima mea cum Philosophis Let my Soul be where the Philosophers Souls are Trapp Justin Martyr tells us that he left his Gentilism upon reading a piece of Plato Trapp of Arts. Augustin acknowledgeth that nothing more cooled his affections towards that Book called Cicero's Hortensius then that he found not the name of Jesus in it and that on this confideration he was perswaded to the love of Heavenly wisdom and contemplation of things above Trapp The knowledge of Christ is the only Learning without which all other Learning doth but light men into utter darkness Trapp of Arts. As for Aristotle's Divinity which he calls his Metaphysicks whereof he wrote 14 Books it is saith Ramus the most foolish and impious piece of Sophistry that ever was written Trapp of Arts. Lotamus Lovaniensis wrote that there was no other Faith found in Abraham then was found in Cicero a Heathen Philosopher whereas Abram saw my day saith Christ and rejoyced he walked with God and was upright it was not thus with Cicero Trapp of Arts. Latimer was so wrought upon by Bilney's confession as that he began to smell the Word of God and to forsake School Doctors and such like fooleries and horrible barbarism which had overspread the eye of whole Christendom Trapp of Arts. The dignity and study of Latine Greek and Hebrew the Holy Spirit seems to intimate their continuance in the Church by the Inscription of Christ's Title on the Cross in those three Tongues and the utter eradicating of all frivolous and fruitless School Quirks Monkish Dotages Legendary Fables Trapp The Romans one time banished all Philosophers out of their City Gel. lib. 15. Trapp of Arts. Licinius the Emperor called Heathen Learning the plague and poyson of the Commonwealth Trapp of Arts. Pope Paul the second pronounced all Scholars Hereticks and seriously exhorted the Romans not to breed up their Children at School saying it was enough if they could read and write Trapp of Arts. The Heathen Romans having conquer'd this Nation and inhabiting in it for 500 years as Histories inform us they erected Schools in this Nation to teach the Britains and brought in their Heathen Poets Comedies Tragedies c. into Schools which to the shame and corrupting of the Nation are yet continued Julius Agricola a Roman Emperor's Lieutenant in Britain taught the Britains civility and prevailed with Noblemen to breed up their Sons in liberal Arts and brought them to affect the Roman Eloquence then they began to imitate the Roman Fashions the Gown proud Buildings Baths and Banquetings which the foolisher sort called Civility but was indeed a secret Art to prepare them for bondage Milton Edgar a Saxon King put forth a Canon that on Festival days every one should abstain from prophane Heathen Songs and from diabolical Games and Pastimes Further he enjoyned that every one abstain from the reading of fabulous and absurd things and from filthy and blasphemous Ballads Not well observed now I Martin Luther give notice to all that on Monday c. all the Books of the Pope be burned and of some of his Disciples

He gives a reason of this thing saying that they are mischievous false seducing wicked c. Luth. Tom. 2. Luther speaking of Popish Schools and Monasteries said This is my mind and desire that these Stables of two-footed Asses and Schools of the Devil should be levelled with the ground or changed into Christian Schools by a Godly transformation Luth. de institutione puerorum Heathen Learning saith Gell hath a ravishing and a bewitching beauty capta capit being taken it is much taking also and wins much upon mens affections and great danger there is saith he lest men court the Handmaid rather then the Mistress Earthly instead of Heavenly wisdom to their destruction Essential inward knowledge in the secret understanding is not from flesh and bloud nor from the multitude of Books but by a passive reception of Divine things not by study but by patience and submission Osw Crollius The Academical Spirit cannot understand the mystery of intrinsical Teaching only humility is capable of illumination Osw Croll The Schools of the Gentiles have had their time wherein they have become vain in their imaginations being exercised in vain Philosophy and opposition of Science falsly so called whereof the Apostle Paul admonished true Christians to take heed they were not deceived by it Thus saith the Translator of John Baptista Van Helmont's Physick Refined in his Premonition to the Candid Reader Further saith he the Wise men of the East by the direction of the Star came to worship the Child laying down all their wisdom at his feet for a lively token that all true wisdom was to be received from him in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge dwells Further saith he such hath been the subtilty of the fleshly Serpent that under a pretence of owning the name of Christ he hath taken up Paganish means and instruments to build withall calling the dregs and dross of Heathen Schools Handmaids of Divinity John Baptista Van Helmont in his Physick Refined said Logick is so far from leading to the knowledge of Universals that it rather thrusts men down into errors The World saith this Helmont hath suffer'd it self to be circumvented by Aristotle who boasted of Logick to be the Mother of Sciences Aristotle saith this Helmont extolled the method of Disputing invented by himself and he takes away all knowledge from a man unless he hath yielded himself to be instructed in Logick Jerom on Psal 140 and 143. doth not unworthily compare the Art of Syllogizing to the Plagues of Egypt and he calls Logical demonstrations Dog-like discourses Helmont Schools saith this Helmont supposing Logick as necessary do oppose themselves to the commands of the Apostle I wonder saith Helmont at the great blindness of Schools in so great magnifying Logick Let Schools saith Helmont tell me what Science Logick hath ever brought to light whether Geometry making of Glass Printing Husbandry Medicine conducting of Water of Minerals of Arithmetick of Building or any profitable Science verily none Schools of Logick saith this Helmont must needs confess that through boasting deceit and ignorance it hath deceived the credulous World To say that Logical discourse is very necessary for Divines to refute the subtilties of Heresies that thing saith this Helmont would be to be wise above the Apostle and to commend the abuses of Schools above the Holy Scriptures this were to dethrone Gospel-weapons and to inthrone Paganism Steven by the Sword of the Spirit and by Heavenly wisdom refuted the Libertines Cyrenians Alexandrians Cilicians not by Pagan Logick Acts 6.9 10. Christ promised his Disciples saying I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries shall not be able to gain-say nor resist Luke 21.15 he commended them not to Pagan Schools to Aristotle or Plato or any other Heathen to enable them to refute Heresies but to his own gift his wisdom Armour of proof his own Sword put into the hands enabling for his work We read not that the ancient Christians ever taught Philosophy openly and in Schools but that they rather gain-sayed it Pagan Gaudentius Theol de moribus seculi Let any one shew me saith this Author that Philosophy was taught by Christians in the time of Justinian or before Scarce any one can be perswaded saith this Author that Christian Emperors would command that a Heathen Philosopher in the Capitol of Rome should teach the opinions of Pagan Philosophers to Christians this would have been to introduce or bring in old Superstition Justin passed to the Church because he found no certainty in the School of Plato he turned from Plato and the rest of the Heathen Philosophers and addicted himself to the Scriptures of Truth Gaudentius de mor. seculi L. Celius Lactantius said I verily cannot call them Philosophers that study for wisdom because by that study they do not attain unto wisdom Richard Fitz-Ralph called Armachanus in a Sermon preached before the Popes Cardinals in the year 1360. said Laymen refrain from sending their Sons to the Universities fearing to have them taken from them chusing rather to keep their Sons at home and breed them to Husbandry then to lose them by sending them to the Schools In a Synod holden at Guernsey 1576. and confirmed by a Synod held there 1597. for the Estate of Guernsey and Jersey it was provided in behalf of School-masters that they should instruct their Scholars in the most pure Authors both for learning and language lest Children by reading lascivions and immodest writings should be infected with their venom as may be seen in a Book called Heylyn's Survey of the State of France Georgius Ederus in his Mateologia Haereticorum greatly inveighs against Wickliff and charges him with saying That Studies were vanities brought into the Church and profits the Church no more then the Devil doth In the days of Queen Elizabeth the Lords of her Privy-Councel sent Letters to her High Commissioners in Causes Ecclesiastical requiring them to write Letters to all the Bishops of this Realm and to require them to give commandment that in all Grammar and Free-Schools within their several Diocesses Christopher Ockland's Book intituled Anglorum praelia should be taught in place of some Heathen Poets saying the Youth of the Realm receives rather infections in manners then advancement in virtue from the Heathen Poets taught in Schools They prayed and required that this might be done for the encouragement of the said Ockland and others travelling in the like Studies and for the removing of lascivious Poets taught in Schools The names of the Lords of the Privy-Councel as also of her High Commissioners in Causes Ecclesiastical as also their Letters are to be seen at the beginning of the Book called Anglorum praelia The aforesaid Commissioners directed their Letters to all the Bishops of the Queens Dominions of England and Wales for the accomplishment of the aforesaid Men have neglected sound savoury and useful matter the very quintessence of Learning and have devoted themselves to an excess of fine speaking