the world by wisdom that is its Philosophy knew not God how can it by that wisdom reveal God and his things which it never knew Nay the Apostle doth clearly testifie against this carnal and corrupt Doctrine in 1 Cor. 2.7 8. saying We speak the wisdom of God in a mysterie even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory which none of the Princes of this world knew and by Princes of this world he means not only wordly Powers as Chrysostome affirms but also Philosophers and Orators who often obtained the chief Government among the nations God hath wrapped up his Gospel saith Paul into such hidden wisdom that they are never able to search into it or to discover the least part of it seeing God contrived it all and appointed it before the world unto our glory and all their knowledge is but from the world Yea he adds Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have ever entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him In which words God hath shut out the natural man for ever with all his study knowledge abilities and attainments from the having any right understanding of his Kingdom or the things of it For the eye of man hath not seen them at any time nor his eare heard them nor hath any knowledge of them entered into his heart so far is this Doctrine from truth that the Knowledg of heavenly things cannot come to us but by things on earth But the Apostle shews how the faithfull come to know these high holy spiritual and eternal things which lie infinitely beyond the knowledge and discovery of all men to wit by the Spirit saying But God hath revealed them to us by the Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God So that the people of God know the things of the Gospel not by earthly things as Mr. Simpson affirms nor by Philosophy and outward wisdom which only reaches to earthly things but by the Spirit Farther if all Divinity be swadled in Humane Learning then I do affirm that all such Divinity hath no great Depth seeing the bottom of Humane Learning is easily fathomed But can any Christian Heart think that all true Divinity which comprehends in it the heighth and breadth and length and depth of the love of God which passeth knowledge and all the unsearchable riches of Christ and all the infinite and incomprehensible Treasures of his wisdom power and righteousness of his love goodness truth faithfulness and of all the fulness of the Godhead wherewith he is filled can be contained and wrapped up in the narrow and scant bounds of Humane Learning How much truer Doctrine had it been to have taught that all true Divinity is contained in God and his word and that we can know nothing of God aright but by his word which holy men have spoken by the Spirit and believers do receive by faith and out of this word All the Learning in the world doth not contain in it self neither can it reveal to us aright the least thing of God or of his Mind and Will But I conceive he might speak thus that all Divinity is wrapped up in Humane Learning to deterr the common people from the study and enquiry after it and to cause them still to expect all Divinity from the Clergy who by their education have attained to that Humane Learning which the plain people are destitute of For it is the old and new design of Antichrist to make the People depend on the Clergy for all Divinity though the people have the Scriptures as near them and the Grace of God usually nearer to them then they seeing God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble Again if all Divinity be swadled in Humane Learning then must it sadly follow that all who want Humane Learning must needs also want Divinity And then how shall poor plain people who live in lawfull callings and have not the leisure to attain Humane Learning how shall they do to be saved Or what help must they have to teach them Divinity who have not opportunity to gain Humane Learning And yet farther if all Divinity be swadled in Humane Learning then Christ and his Apostles had no true Divinity for they had no Humane Learning to swaddle it in nor would have none Shall we say now according to Mr. Simpsons Doctrine that they had no Divinity I do with all boldness affirm that this Doctrine is contrary to the Christian faith 4. ERROR That Paul was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel and God took him so fitted to wit with Humane Learning and made him an able Instrument in his Church Answer Not so But God took Paul not a good Schollar and so made him an able Preacher but he took him as a Blasphemer and Persecutor and as a cruel and inraged enemy against Christ and his Truth and People and magnified the riches of his mercy by converting such an one and Paul having much forgiven him loved much and through his great love was the fitter to preach the Gospel according to that of Christ to Peter Peter dost thou love me feed my Sheep Yea Paul himself ascribes his painful and profitable preaching not to his Learning and Education under Gamaliel which also was or ought to have been only in the Law and Prophets as hath been proved but to the free Grace of God bestowed on him saying I laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but the Grace of God in me So that Paul became so excellent a Preacher not by his fitting through Humane Learning but through the Grace of God And here I shall mind Mr. Simpson of a passage which I have read in Chrysostome which comes home to this matter in hand it is in the third Homily on the first Epistle to the Corinthians where he saith That God had no need at the beginning of the Gospel of Learned men and Sophisters to preach the Gospel and to convince the world with Syllogisms but did only use the word of faith in the mouths of plain Handicrafts men and Artificers Wherefore saith he when the Greeks shall accuse the Disciples of Christ as ignorant of Letters and unlearned let us our selves who are Christians accuse them more Neither let any one say that Paul was wise and learned but let us say Their men were wise and learned but ours were rude and ignorant For in thus doing according to the truth we shall have the greater advantage against them For if Paul were unlearned and yet overcame learned Plato his Victory was the greater and the Grace of God the more glorious * Now this I say saith he because the other day I heard a certain Christian discoursing ridiculously with a Greek each of them in their Discourse prejudicing their own cause For the Greek spake that which the Christian should have said and the Christian spake that
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
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
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
their Ignorance is manifest to all and is judged of all and they through their rudeness can never long deceive the world but now when men are as destitute of the Spirit as they and yet have Humane Learning and the Letter of the word in a Philosophical sense to help them this is that that indangers and deceives the world the people supposing the doctrine of the Gospel according to Philosophical learning to be the Ministration of the spirit and to be sufficiently enough to instruct the Church And so Antichrists kingdome is set up with credit and renown by these whereas the Ignorant Teachers who are destitute of the Spirit are able to do him no considerable service But Christ will not have the Learned men to be Teachers in his Church through their Learning and as little will he have Ignorant men to teach in his Church because of their Ignorance but whether men be learned or ignorant according to the world it is no matter in Christs Church where each man is to speak in the Spirit of Christ which makes alike both the Ignorant and the Learned wise in Christ and so the Learned man becomes Ignorant in the Church to be Learned in Christ and the Ignorant man without worldly Learning forthwith becomes wise in Christ and the Learned and the Ignorant meet together onely in the wisdome of Christ which is the wisdome of God and swallows up at once all the Learning and Ignorance of the world alike and will have all wise alone in it self Wherefore all Universities being left and forsaken as to this matter let Learned and Ignorant men come alike to Christ to be made wise in him who is made unto us of God our only wisdome FINIS THE Right Reformation of Learning Schooles and Universities according to the State of the Gospel and the True Light that shines therein THough I do not pretend to that wisdome which might direct the world farther then the word of God is with me yet shall I be bold as one who desires to be faithful to Christ and profitable to his true Church to offer my apprehensions and advice to the Called Chosen and faithful Ones of Christ that either now are or hereafter may be in Authority in these Nations touching the instructing youth and ordering Schools 1. First therefore as to this matter I do judge there neither is nor can be any greater evil then to bring up children in ease and idleness and that they should have nothing to do but to do nothing and to live freely and without controule according to those natural lusts and corruptions which they bring along with them into the world which do soon wonderfully improve through such a careless and unnurtured life And such children and youth usually become an early prey to the devil who readily fills them with all the ungodliness and unrighteousness of the heathen 2. I conceive it meet that the Civil power or chief Magistrates should take great care of the education of youth as of one of the greatest works that concerns them and as one of the worthiest things they can do in the world inasmuch as what the youth now is the whole Commonwealth will shortly be 3. To this end it is meet that Schools if wanting be erected through the whole nation and that not onely in Cities and great Towns but also as much as may be in all lesser Villages And that the Authority of the Nation take great care that godly men especially have the charge of greater Schools and also that no women be permitted to teach little children in Villages but such as are the most sober and grave and that the Magistrate afford to this work all suitable incouragement and assistance 4. That in such Schools they first teach them to read their native tongues which they speak without teaching and then presently as they understand bring them to read the HOLY SCRIPTURES which though for the present they understand not yet may they through the blessing of God come to understand them afterwards 5. That in Cities and greater Towns where are the greater Schools and the greater opportunities to send children to them they teach them also the Latine and Greek tongues and the Hebrew also which is the easiest of them all and ought to be in great account with us for the Old Testaments sake And it is most heedfully to be regarded that in teaching youth the Tongues to wit the Greek and Latine such heathenish Authors be most carefully avoided be their Language never so good whose writings are full of the fables vanities filthiness lasciviousness idolatries and wickedness of the heathen Seeing usually whilest youth do learn the Language of the heathen they also learn their wickedness in that Language whereas it were far better for them to want their Language then to be possessed with their wickedness And what should Christian youth have to do with the heathenish Poets who were for the most part the Devils Prophets and delivered forth their writings in his spirit and who through the smoothness quaintness and sweetness of their language do insensibly instill the poison of lust and wickedness into the hearts of youth whereby their Education which ought to correct their natural corruption doth exceedingly increase and inflame it Wherefore my counsel is that they learn the Greek and Latine tongues especially from Christians and so without the lyes fables follies vanities whoredomes lust pride revenge c. of the heathens especially seeing neither their words nor their phrases are meet for Christians to take into their mouths and most necessary it is that Christians should forget the names of their Gods and Muses which were but Devils and damned Creatures and all their Muthology and fabulous inventions and let them all go to Satan from whence they came 6. It may be convenient also that there may be some Universities or Colledges for the instructing youth in the knowledge of the lâ—beral Arts beyond Grammer and Rhetorick as in Logick which as it is in Divinity as one calls it gladius Diaboli the Devils sword so in humane things if it may be of good use if Reason manage that Art of Reason but the Mathematicks especially are to be had in good esteem in Universities as Arithmetâ—ck Geometry Geography and the like which as they carry no wickedness in them so are they besides very useful to humane Society and the affaires of this present life There may be also in these Universities or Colledges allowed the studies of Physick and of the Law according to that Reformation which a wise and godly Authority will cause them to pass under both being now exceedingly corrupt and out of order both for practice and fees 7. But why these Universities or Colledges should be onely at Cambridge and Oxford I know no reason Nay if humane learning be so necessary to the knowledge and teaching of the Scriptures as the Universities pretend they surely are without love to their brethren who would have
they make sport with the Scriptures and cast lotts upon them as upon the Garments of Christ every one dividing to himself a share of them according to his own humane and Philosophical apprehension And he saith that the Doctors of these Universities are by the same providence called Doctores Scholastici i. e. Ludicri vel Illusorii School-Doctors that is mocking or May game Doctors Again he saith those most glorious Mothers of studies the Universities stink before God with most loathsome abomination These Universities are those Antichristian Souldiers who put a Reed into Christs right hand instead of a Scepter and this reed is Philosophy that vain deceit or as the Apostle else where terms it the Operation of Error by which Philosophy saith he the unhappy people of Christ began to be governed that is to be seduced and to be led away from the Gospel of God And this vain Reed they put into his right hand by preferring Learning before Godliness saying according to their usual manner of speaking he is a Learned and a godly man hereby making Learning to take place of Godliness And yet this Philosophy is nothing but a weak Reed which counterfeits a Scepter rather then represents it and so is nothing but vain deceit for there is nothing propounded in such Doctrine but vanity and lying though under the title of Knowledge and Religion In a word he calls them Antichristi Lupanaria the Stews of Antichrist Melancthon also terms the Universities Domos mendacii Houses of lyes and saith it is manifest that they are all heretical by their School Divinity which all the Schools in Europe have received from the University of Paris and are thereby infected with heresie and he saith the students in the Universities are not the people of the Gospel nor yet of the Law but are the people of Aristotles Morals And thus it is manifest that others have spoken freely and sharply against the Universities before now And therefore wise and Godly Christians will have no just cause to be offended at me who have spoken in like maner having the same cause Object Now if any shall Object that they all spake against Popish Universities and that our Universities are otherwise now then they were then and so there is not the same cause to speak against them now as there was heretofore Answ. To this I answer That though the outward form of gross Popery be taken away from them as also from the rest of the People of this Nation God having put it into the hearts of the Civil power to reject it after the light of the Gospel had begun to shine to them yet are the heart bowels bones marrow sinews and blood of the Universities the self-same now as heretofore and though the outside of it hath passed under a very little change yet the inner parts of it remain as before in the full strength of Antichrists Kingdom and that without any alteration at all For the self-same Statutes of the Universities and Colledges still remain with them in force which were at first given to them by their Popish Founders through the help of Antichrist and these Statutes are of such Authority with them that they depart from the Rule of Christs Gospel to walk by the rules of sinful men for worldly stipends and rewards Farther the same Philosophy or Heathenism and the same School-divinity or Antichristianism are yet instilled into the youth and students as were many hundred years ago in the darkest times of Popery and these things are all in all in the University Learning and Education insomuch that no man is of any esteem and reckoning with them know he the Gospel of Christ never so soundly and truly if he be not as they speak a good Philosopher and School-divine So that the University for its inside is the self-same now as it was in Wickliff Hus or Luthers time being informed and possessed with the same Heathenish and Antichristian Doctrine now as then Yea many of the self-same outward and Antichristian forms and follies still remain with them more then with any other people in the Nation again even to their Hoods Caps Scarlet Robes Doctoral Ring Kiss Gloves their Doctoral Dinner and Musique neither could they ever yet to this day find in their hearts to lay aside their very Praevaricator which is some notable Varlet picked out of the University and brought forth in the presence of all the Heads Students Schollars and all the great resort of Ministers and People at their publique Commencement to make shipwrack of Faith and a good conscience before them all and in open defiance of the Gospel which stands in faith and love to abuse and deride and jeer and reproach all sorts of persons of all ages sexes professions and this presently after their Divinity Acts which is a wickedness the very Heathen would be ashamed of and which plainly declares what kind of Divinity is taught and learned in the University which can endure allow countenance and be merry at that which so highly contradicts Gods Word and grieves his Spirit yet because it makes them merry after a full dinner and puts more joy into their hearts then the holy Scriptures they could hitherto dispense with all to this day And so however Religion for the outward form hath been much reformed in these Nations yet the Universities as the strongest Holds that Antichrist hath had amongst us have still remained much what the same not only as to the inward substance of all things to wit their Statutes Philosophy and Divinity but also in a great measure to their outward forms as they were in their first Antichristian Institution Wherefore it was necessary also that I should be plain and free for Christs sake and his Churches against these as Luther calls them stews of Antichrist and Dens of Thieves who have been and still are the constant and fruitfull seed of Antichrists Kingdom in the world out of which it might suddainly on all occasions and opportunities grow up afresh how greatly soever it had been before wasted and destroyed among the people by the clear word of God and his mighty Providences and Works accompanying it Now as it was necessary this work should be done so through the Grace of Christ was I made willing to do it seeing no body else more fit and able did appear And well knowing that he that provokes the Universities and Clergy against him provokes Principalities and Powers and the Rulers of the Darkness of this world against him as is evident in the example of Wickliff Hus Luther Tindal and others I have therefore according to Christs Counsel sate down and counted the cost of this undertaking and after all do say the Lord is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me And so I commit thee Christian Reader to that Grace which is from God to keep thee in this new hour of Temptation if the Lord suffer it to come forth upon the earth 4.
ERROR He brought that Scripture 2 King 6.1.2 Touching the Sons of the Prophets asking leave of Elisha to go and build at Jordan to prove the Lawfulness and Religiousness of the Vniversities in their present Vse and Customs c. Answer To this I Reply that there is a vast difference between those Schools and these Vniversities as in many other things so chiefly in this That in those Schools of the Prophets named by him the holy men of God freely taught the Youth who came willingly to them to learn especially in the corrupt times of Israel and Judah I say they taught them only the Knowledge of the Books of Moses and of the other Prophets then extant and no Heathenish knowledge or Disciplines of the Gentiles at all And these kinde of Schools began early in the Church For the Fathers before the Flood and the Patriarks after all taught their Children and Families the Word of God And so each of their Families was such a School And that we may not be at uncertainties in this matter it is manifest what Doctrine they taught by that which God himself saith of Abraham Gen. 18.19 I know Abraham saith God that he will command his Children and Household after him that they keep the way of the Lord and to do Justice and Judgement This was the summe of Abrahams Doctrine to his Family And this is farther confirmed by that of Asaph Psal. 78.2.3.4 Where he saith I will open my mouth in a Parable I will utter dark sayings of old which we have heard and known and our Fathers have told us We will not hide them from their Children shewing to the Generation to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and the wonderfull works that he hath done Where we plainly see what Doctrine the Children received from their Parents and the Parents taught their Children from one Generation to another to wit not vain Philosophy and the Disciplines of the Heathens but the praises of the Lord and his strength and wonderfull works This also is manifest by the practise of Jehosaphat King of Judah who sent his Princes with the Levites up and down throughout Judah and they onely took the Book of the Law of the Lord with them and no Heathnish Authors and taught the People 2 Chron. 17. And Ezra after the Prophets return from Babilon took onely the Book of the Law of Moses and read it to them and the Levites also read in the Book of the Law of God distinctly to the People and gave them the sense and caused them to understand it Nehem. 8. And this also James the Apostle witnesseth Acts 15.21 saying Moses of old time hath in every City them that Preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day So that the faithfull Prophets of the Lord during all the Old-Testament had the chief care in their Schools to keep the Word of the Lord among them in a right sense according to the mind of the Spirit For seeing the Lords People are his Portion they knew they were to be carefully Educated and Instructed in the right knowledge of the Scriptures to prepare them for the Lord and to make them meet for his Kingdom And the keeping of the Word and Doctrine of God pure is one of the greatest matters of all in the Church of God For as the Word is such is the VVorship such is the Faith such is the Conscience such is all Wherefore the Holy men of God would by no means bring in the Philosophy or Doctrine of the Heathens into their Schools to teach that to their Sons or Scholars but onely the true faithfull and unmixed word of God And if against this it be Objected That Moses was learned in all the Learning of the Egyptians To this I Reply But did Moses ever teach any of that Learning in the Church or publish any of the Doctrines of it or did he command or encourage any of the people of God to learn it Or did any other of the Prophets of the Lord many ages teach their Sons or Scholars any of the Egyptian Philosophy which was the Antientest or the Sinaradine Table of Hermes Trismegistus the pretended Scholar of Moses so much boasted of or any Heathnish Author whatsoever of which there were many then extant I say let them prove that but one Heathnish Author was read by any of the Prophets to their Scholars and then they will have some colour taught Jesus and the Resurrection from the dead Thus Peter first taught the Men of Judea and Inhabitants of Jerusalem That God had made Jesus whom they had crucified both Lord and Christ having raised him from the dead because it was not possible for him to be holden of death who was the Lord and Author of Life And Steven disputing with the Libertines Cirenians and Alexandrians and divers Philosophers of Cilicia and Asia did hold forth to them nothing but Christ and that He should put an end to the Temple and Law and should change all the Customs of Moses And they were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit by which he spake Act. 6. And Paul at the Vniversity of Athens reproved their Heathenism and taught nothing among the Epicureans and Stoicks and other sects of Philosophers but the Resurrection of Christ and his Kingdom and judgement Act. 17. He also disputed daily in the School of one Tyrannus and that for two years together and perswaded onely the things touching the Kingdom of God brought into the world by Jesus Christ Act. 19. And he so prevailed with his Doctrine that many which used curious Arts brought their books together and burnt them before all men and the prior of them was counted at fifty thousand pieces of silver So that as the Gospel prâ—vailed and the Name of Christ was magnified so did people renounce Philosophy and burn their books of curious Arts For which Books our Vniversity would give as much mony if they could procure it from good Benefactors as they were valued at So that as they through the efficacy of the Gospel of Heathens became Christians and threw away all other Learning and burnt their Books of great value least they should infect others So on the contrary in our Vniversities of pretended Christians men usually become true Heathens never valuing the precious Gospel of God our Saviour as they do other Heathnish and Philosophical Books Farther the same Paul dwelt after at Rome two whole years in his own hired house and during all that time Preached onely the Kingdom of God and taught those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness But taught not one word of Philosophy He also at Corinth a great and famous City of Greece full of Philosophers and Orators taught nothing among them but Christ Crucified to the Jews a Stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness But to them that believe both of Jews and Greeks Christ the power of
diligence and speed to procure fifty Volums of the Scriptures to be written in parchment well and Legibly and in such a bigness or Volume as might be carried with greatest ease for she further teaching and instructing of those that came to attain the knowledge of the Christian Religion Judging it most meet that Christian people should be instructed in the Doctrine of Christ And though afterwards when the suffering times of the Church began to be over Christians became more carâ—â—l and secure and that in the very days of Constantine and so began to decline the word of faith and to seek after Philosophy yet had God in all the ages of his Church some of his servants who did reject it and did cleave only to the word Among which I shall only for the present produce the Testimonies of Berno who lived above six hundred years ago and Zuinglius of latteâ— times Berno who lived about the year 1008 and was a man furnished with all sorts of Learning saith That he had for many years rejected aâ—â—ung the figments of the Poets and the Histories of the Heathens and the study of secular Letters and had converted the whole intention of his mind in the word of God and the Divine things contained therein And accordingly he taught no other Doctrine to any Hularicus Zuinglius also Pastor of Zâ—rich in Helvetâ—ae â—man who had been educated in all kind of Learning and was after through faith and the teaching of God an eminent Instrument in his Church he saith thus of himself When saith he I being yet a youth was exercised in all sorts of Learning I can truly say that I did not profit less then the rest of my equals But when about seven years ago I betook my self to the study of the holy Scriptures then the things that I had before sacked in or learned from Philosophers and Divines did procure me so much trouble that being then moved by the Authority of the Scriptures I judged that all those things were to be cast away and counted as dung and that the true minde of God was only to be received from his pure and simple word And therefore I began humbly to intreat the Lord that he would vouchsafe me his own light By which means it shortly came to pass that the reading of the holy Scripture did much delight and please me and they being nakedly and alone propounded did flow unto me with more ease then if I had read them divided and distracted with variety of Comments And as he rejected Philosophy wholly and entertained the word So did he only teach this word to faithful Câ—ristians who are the only true School of Christ in the world Now by all this it appears that the Schools of the Prophets and Apostles and of Christ himself the Head of them and of the most faithfull Christians that followed Christ in the first and latter ages were in no sort like the Schools in the present Vniversities where humane Learning according to the Statutes of the Vniversities prevails for the first seven years and they think youth cannot be made good Christians except they be first made good Heathens The Schools of the Prophets and Apostles would not meddle with the Philosophy of the Heathen but led the children and youth presently to the word of God and therein to the true Knowledge of God in Christ But these Schools first lead youth from God and his word several years together to the corrupt Reason Wisdom Notions Conceptions yea to the Idolatry Blasphemy Atheism Lusts Filthiness and Villanies of the cursed Heathen that thereby in a strange and Antichristian Method they may be the fitter to know and understand the Scriptures The Schools of the Prophets taught only Moses and the Prophets to the Jewish youth and the Schools of the Apostles taught Christ only and his Gospel to the children of Christians But the Vniversities lead men both from Moses and from Christ both from the Law and the Gospel to the Heathen to make men hereby able Christians and Divines The Queen of the South came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon And the Vniversities leave Christ who is Infinitely greater and wiser then Solomon and go to the utmost parts of the earth for wisdom there So that in these Vniversities there hath been the greatest Apostacy and withdrawing from Christ and the greatest dishonour and disparagement offered to him and his Gospel as ever was known For is it not a matter of greatest wonder and amazement that after that Word which was with God and was God and is God blessed for ever hath been manifested in the flesh and that flesh of his hath been justified by the Spirit to have the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in it bodily and that this wonderfull person hath come to his Church in the same common nature with it filled with all the Righteousness Wisdom Truth Power Life Peace and Joy and all the things of God I say is it not strange that He who alone comprehends the fulness of all things and in whom are hid all the Infinite Treasures of Divine and Heavenly wisdom and knowledge that he alone should not be counted sufficient and enough no not by those who pretend his name to make us wise to Salvation which is the only True Excellent and necessary wisdom in the world and to make the man of God perfect and the whole Church of God compleat but to the great dishonor of Christ yea to the very rejection of Christ the children of Christians must be led from the Doctrine of Christ the Son of the living God to the Doctrine and Disciplines of the Wretched Filthy Abominable Wicked and damned Heathen and to spend the prime and flower of their youth in these things Who but Antichrist himself could have brought in and set up such an Abomination of desolation in the Church of God And yet for the better credit of all things must these be them that their Divinity cannot be called the Doctrine of Christ but of Antichrist being wholly contrary to the word of faith And therefore Mr. Simpson was the more to blame to flatter them in their evils and to deceive the world in appropriating to them the glorious Title of the Schools of the Prophets who are in all things so contrary and contradictory to them Now the summe and certainty of this matter is this That the Congregations of Believers where only the word of the Gospel is truly taught according to the Ministration of the Spirit whether to youth or men they under the New Testament are answerable to the Schools of the Prophets under the Old who only taught Moses and the Prophets And the Vniversities wherein Philosophy is first taught the youth and after Divinity and then both are mingled together to the utter perverting and corrupting the Gospel of Christ I say these Vniversities in the time of the Gospel are answerable to the High-Places in
the time of the Law where a Doctrine and Worship prevailed which was not according to Gods word but mans will and where Judaism and Heathenism were mingled together into one mungrel Religion most odious and abominable to God and his People And so the Vniversities in the time of the Gospel are only answerable to the High Places in the time of the Law but not at all to the Schools of the Prophets as Mr. Simpson pretends And now for the Conclusion of this matter which I reckon to be of great concernment for the true Church to be thorowly instructed in I shall bring forth the Testimony of some Godly men of whom some shew how the Schools and Vniversities of Christians came first to be corrupted to wit by departing from the plain word of the Gospel and bringing in Philosophy And another foretels the Reformation of the Schools of Christians to wit by rejecting Philosophy again and bringing in the word of faith all which will serve as a Confirmation of what hath been already spoken Matthias Parisiensis a Bohemian by Nation who lived about the year 1380. wrote a large book against Antichrist whrein he affirms That Antichrist had seduced all Vniversities and Colledges of learned men so that now they teach no sincere Doctrine neither give any true light to Christians through their teaching to wit they being all corrupted through Philosophy and having through that corrupted all Divinity And John Hus that humble and faithfull servant of Jesus Christ and blessed Martyr saith That Antichrist hath seduced all carnal Christians from Divine wisdom which is full of Salvation and the Holy Spirit to the wisdom and Science of men and of the Princes of this world which wisdom and Science he hath exceedingly inlarged and increased and made Authentical and very gainfull of Riches and Honors in this world that so by this means Divine wisdom and science might be neglected of Christians and grow old and be covered over and be accounted as vile and unprofitable by them And that only that which is high with men to wit Humane Learning might be reckoned glorious and excellent and of great Authority with Christian people The same Hus saith That this Humane Learning Wisdom and Knowledge Antichrist doth perfectly subject to himself and his Service he being more mighty and subtil through the Operation of Satan then all worldly men whom with all their Learning Disciplines and Abilities he strongly subâ—ugates to himself and doth especially serve himself of these wherefore saith Job chap. 41. sub ipso erunt radii solis the heams of the Sun shall be under him that is the holy Scripture and the chief Doctors and Teachers of it and he shall prepare gold as dirt that is he shall have all the wisdom and learning of men at his pleasure and in great readiness and with much ease shall gain it to himself And Antichrist by such men saith I. Hus doth make his body or Church strong against the Saints of God and welfavoured and glorious that it may appear very taking to the world and may win in all men to it that are not taught of God and renewed by his Spirit And thus Antichrist serves himself of all Learning and Learned men whereas Divine Learning and the Teaching of God he could never in any measure subject to himself but is alwaies rejected discovered and overcome by it Martin Luther saith That whosoever it was whether Alexander of Hales or Thomas of Aquine who first instituted Vniversities he was a Star fallen from heaven to earth who received the key of the bottomless pit and opened it and brought forth into the Church Philosophy long ago dead and damned by the Doctrine of the Apostles and from the smoak of the bottomless pit that is Philosophy came forth Locusts on the earth that is saith he populus Vniversitatum è Philosophia natus the people of the Vniversities born and bred of Philosophy c. thus Luther Abbas Joachim Calaber who was long before these and flourished about the year 1230 in his Commentary on Jeremy the Prophet speaks to this purpose That the sixt Angel mentioned Revel. opens the bottomless pit and brings out Philosophy into the Church and out of the smoak of this Doctrine Locusts proceeded and are spread over all the Church into every fruitfull place and these Locusts he saith are Scholastici Magistri qui nunc facietenus blandiuntur ut decipiant nunc caudetenus feriunt unsubvertant simplices incautos that is the Locusts are Scholars and Masters according to the Academical degrees who sometimes flatter with their countenances to deceive and sometimes strike with their tails that they may subvert the simple and unadvised And to these Scholars and Masters the ignorant and common people resort and they open to them the old Cisterns of heathenish Learning and Disciplines long ago stopt up by the Doctrine of the Apostles and these Cisterns they open by teaching Philosophy to the people But they shut up the living fountain of saving water that is the word of faith But the spirit of the Lord saith he in the following Prophets whom the Lord shall raise up idola studiorum carnalium visitabit shall visit the Idols of carnal studies maintained and kept up by secular Stipends Further he saith that as Antichrist brings forth his mark which is Philosopical Doctrine in the Church of Christ and by this mark all his Teachers and People are known so there shall rise up against these such as have the mark of Christ or the sign of Thau in their foreheads that is the open and manifest Doctrine of Christ crucified And as the signs of Moses destroyed the signs of the Magicians so shall the word or preaching of the Cross destroy all Philosophical Doctrine and Humane and secular Learning out of the Church And then the children and youth and men of all ages sorts and conditions shall be taught no other Doctrine in the Church of Christ then that which is found in the Scriptures even in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and that not according to any humane and Philosophical understanding but according to the teaching and mind of the Spirit And God by all his true servants shall destroy the studies of carnal Doctors and Masters in Divinity and shall dissipate all secular and Philosophical Learning by the word of Truth in their mouths And so shall the Church be reformed aright when the Doctrine of Christ only shall be received and esteemed of and shall live and flourish among Christians And thus as Antichrist hath laid aside the Scriptures and all true spiritual and divine Learning out of his Schools and Vniversities and hath brought into them instead thereof Philosophy and Humane Learning and so these Schools are most unlike to the Schools of the Prophets so in due time when God shall undertake to reform his Church all this sort of Learning shall be cast out again
Salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God Praying always with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all Perseverance Here now are the true Christian weapons whereby he defends himself through the word and defends the word against all the world And the same Paul in 2 Cor. 10.3 saith For though we walk in the flesh we do not war after the flesh For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds Casting down Imaginations and every High thing that exalteth it self against the Knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the Obedience of Christ And having in a readiness to revenge all Disobedience So that the faithful do not defend the Gospel by Philosophy as is heathenishly suggested but by the Gospel they defend the Gospel and the Gospel hath in it self that Wisdom Righteousness Strength and those Vertues which are infinitely able to defend it self against all the world and against all the powers of darkness And how contrary is this Doctrine to Mr. Simpsons And thus much for his Outworks to the Gospel Now for his outer Court to the Gospel I know no other outer Court the Gospel ever had then the Law of Moses which Law was the preparation to the Gospel and the School Master to bring us unto Christ which Humane Learning never was But Humane Learning is the outer Court to Antichrists Temple it is the School-master to bring men to Antichrist And thus would Mr. Simpson also turn the Law out of its place and set up Humane Learning in the stead of the Law and so would make void both Law and Gospel for Humane Learning sake Surely one would think he hath some considerable advantage thereby that he thus fences for it 10. ERROR But what is the bottom saith he of all this that is of some mens appearing against Humane Learning as the Vnction of the Ministry and against the Vniversities as the Fountain of the Ministry but this That some say they are one with Christ and as Christ hath the Divine nature in Him so every Believer also hath and he that hath God in Him need not go to any man to Learn Whereas Joh. 17. Christ speaketh of Believers as at an infinite distance from Himself He their Lord they his Servants He in Glory they in the World And if they be so united to Christ then it will follow that Christ is not the only begotten Son of God and that Christ and we should be equal and He not our Lord c. Answer Now doth not all this declare a most woful Ignorance of and enmity to the Gospel of God our Saviour For is our Vnion with Christ the Foundation of error or have true Believers no real Vnion with Christ but imaginary Do not the Saints partake of the Divine Nature doth not Peter expresly affirm it 2 Pet. 1.4 where he saith exceeding great and pretious promises are made to us that we thereby should be made partakers of the Divine Nature and what is the divine Nature but the very Nature of God See Luther on the place Again are believers as he affirms at an infinite distance from Christ If this were true what sad news would it be to the Church of God How can this Doctrine agree with these Scriptures that Christ may dwell in your Hearts by faith and Christ in you the hope of Glory and of Him are ye in Christ Jesus Again saith Christ I am the true Vine and ye are the branches and so as the Vine is in the branches and as the branches are in the Vine so is Christ in Christians and so are Christian in Christ Again Joh. 14.20 At that day ye shall know saith Christ Himself that you need not doubt of the Doctrine that I am in my father and you in me and I in you And again Joh. 17.21 saith Christ I pray not for these alone that is who now believe but also for all that shall hereafter believe in me through their word that they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they may be one as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one that the world may know thee hast sent me and hast loved them 〈◊〉 thou hast loved me Here now is no infinite distance between Christ and Believers but a wonderfull and admirable Nearness and Oneness which the learned Ignorance of Philosophy understands not nor the ignorant Knowledge of any carnal Christian But sure this word of God is true and the Saints receive it in faith and will not be deluded with any Philosophical Sophistical or Antichristian glosses of False Teachers And thus doth the holy word of God affirm plainly enough that Christ and his Christians are most neerly Vnited And yet doth not this Vnion make an Equality and rob Christ of his due glory seeing Christ is the Head and they his Members Christ the first born and they his Brethren And so as Christ hath the Preheminence in all things above them all as becomes the Head and first born so They have Communion with Him in all things as becomes his Members and Brethren And whereas he jests and saith He that hath God in Him needs not go to man to learn I do affirm this is true enough and the Scripture hath affirmed it in several places Isaiah saith to the Spiritual Church All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord And Christ saith it is written They shall be all taught of God he therefore that had heard and learned of my Father cometh to me And John saith 1 John 2.27 The Annointing which ye have received from him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same annointing teacheth you all things and is Truth and is no lye And this Doctrine is so manifest from the Scriptures that he is of Antichrist that denies it For God inwardly teaches all his People by his Spirit his own self and they so hear the word by the Ministry of man that it is alwayes God that teaches them and not Man 11. ERROR Arts and Tongues are the Cups in which God drinks to us Answer In what a sad condition then are the common and plain people that they cannot pledge him But only the learned Clergie keep these cups to themselves as heretofore they kept the Cup in the Sacrament But what strange Phrase is this Savouring of the Ranters Religion as if God was the familiar companion of the Clergie and sometimes drank to them in a Cup of Hebrew sometimes in a Cup of Greek and sometimes in a Cup of Latine as if sometimes he drank to them in a Cup of Logick and sometimes in a Cup of Ethicks sometimes in a Cup of Metaphysicks Is not this truly Profana vocum novitas a Prophane Newness of Speech never before
heard of to my knowledge in the Church of God and which the Apostle utterly condemns 12. ERROR We shall never keep up Religion if we do not keep up Learning but when Learning goes down Religion goes down too Answer The Church is founded on Christ and Christ and His Church it seems are both founded on Humane Learning It is no wonder now that Mr. Simpson lays so great stress on it every where And that men of his Religion term the Vniversity Fundamentum Ecclesiae the Foundation of the Church And if Humane Learning do indeed uphold all Christian Religion let all Men and Magistrates come forth and uphold it in the Name of God But surely the Religion of the Gospel depends wholy on Christ as Christ on God and there is no need of Humane Learning to support this except God and Christ are insufficient We have a sure word and Doctrine of the Gospel that remains firm for ever and inviolable and inconquerable in and through Christ and his Spirit and the Father and all the World shall shatter in pieces and Humane Learning go down to Hell and this shall stand fast for ever Heaven and Earth shall pass away and not one jot or Tittle of my Word saith Christ Believers know that not one Point of your Religion depends on Humane Learning But all on Christ Himself who is the true and living Word Wherefore these are the fears of Antichrist and his Prophets that their Religion will go down with Humane Learning because it was set up by it But the true Religion of the Gospel of God our Saviour was at first set up without it and hath hitherto remained without it and will abide so for ever And to this the Spirit and the Bride give witness 13. ERROR Seeing Religious Foundations are so Antient then keep them up Your Destruction will never be but from your selves Answer Religious Foundations What Religion founded the Vniversities is well known For by the councel of four Monks the Schollars of Bede to wit Rabanus Albinus Claudius and John Scotus the Vniversity which had been translated from Athens to Rome was translated by Charls the great from Rome to Paris An. 791. And for our English Vniversities of Cambridge and Oxford Thus it is recorded That the Study of Cambridge was instituted Anno 630. By Sigiâ—bert King of the East Angles who after changed his Purple or Kingly Robes for a Fryars Cool or Hood And the Lectures here were begun by four Monks of which brother Ode as they termed him read Grammar according to Priscians Doctrine Terricus an acute Sophister read Aristotles Logick according to the Institutions of Porphyrius and Averrâ—es Brother William read Tullies Rhetorick and Gislebertus read Divinity to them on Sundays and Saints days And for Oxford that was founded by King Alfred Anno 895. by the perswasion of Neotus the Monk and rewards were propounded for those that would profess Learning there Afterwards both these Schools were made Vniversities in Edward the firsts time by the Court of Rome as Robert Remington affirms Yea farther by the very Names of the Colledges it is manifests what Religion set them up some being founded in the honor of one Saint some of another Saint one being founded in the honor of Christ another in the honor of Jesus another in the honor of Immanuel another in the Honor of the Trinity Whereby they have rent the Name of God in pieces each one seeking to honor that name of Christ most in the honor of which his Colledge was founded Yea some Colledges have bin founded in the honor of Christs body as the Colledges of orpus Christi in both Universities and one in Oxford for the help of all dead Souls and for their rescue out of Purgatory And so it is well known what Religion founded them And what Religion will in due time destroy these Foundations if they be not Reformed is as well known For Wickliff whom God raised up to be one of the most eminent Reformers of the Christian Religion since the Apostles times speaks thus touching Vniversities Colledges and Students Seeing Christ saith he hath not ordained these Vniversities or Colledges it is manifest that both They and the Graduations in them are nothing but so much vain Heathenism introduced in Testimony whereof as well the Collegiates as other Graduates do seek the things which are their own leaving the Rules of Charity From whence do arise envies and comparisons between Persons and Countries and many other seed-plots of the Father of Lyes Again he having spoken of other Sects saith Our Judgement concerning Colledges is the same as touching their General Studies For through them Persons and Countries are accepted against the Rules of Charity and inward envies are hâ—aped up with other sins Perjuries and Simonies against their own Statutes Notwithstanding it is granted that out of such Colledges many good things do arise aswell as out of other Sects yet not so many as by the occasion of the sin of the Devil and the sin of the first man And therefore let a faithfull man be ashamed to alledge the fruit of such Profit Again saith he If these Colledges are in their conversation rejected of the Lord who doubts but that to nourish them in this way is no alms but the foolish presumption of a Faction and party against Christ For all these Sects and all Newnesses which are not founded on Christ the Lord they tempt Christ with the Devil Mat. 4. seeing they despise the free Ordination of his Sect and do rather choose another sevile Sect less good as if they would not ascend into the heavenly Sion by the steps which God hath Ordained but would flye to the Pinacle of the Temple by the carrying of the Devil What alms therefore is it to cherish such a child of the Devil in Cains Castles against Christ He also affirms that one Ideot through the help of the Grace of God doth more good in the Church then many Graduates in the Schools and Colledges and that Gods Inspiration of such doth more profit the Community of the faithfull then all the Vniversities and all their Studies and Priviledges Thus hath VVickliff witnessed in this matter who was also Himself Master of Baliol Colledge in Oxford And Philip Melancthon gives this Testimony of Him Equidem sapientem virum judico fuisse VVicklefum Anglum qui omnium primus quod ego sciam vidit Vniversitates fuisse Satanae Synagogas that is I do indeed judge Wickliff of England to have been a wise man who for ought I know first of all saw Universities to have been the Synagogues of Satan John Hus also that excellent Instrument of Jesus Christ and blessed Martyr saith speaking on that Scripture Isa. 28. VVoe to the Crown of the Pride of Ephraim and the Crown of Pride shall be troden underfoot saith The Doctor-ships and Masterships of many who having the word of God wholly choaked in
so I do openly affirme that Degrees in Divinity for I meddle with none else given by the Universities to their children are plainly and grosly Antichristian being most manifestly contrary to the word of the Gospel and the light that shines in the New Testament For first In the Gospel of God our Saviour we learn That onely a new and heavenly birth makes men to be of the true Church and that the pouring forth of the spirit on these children of God according to the measure of the gift of God makes Christians of several Degrees in this Church and not Academical Graduations Secondly In this Gospel also we are taught that all the true Ministers of Christ are equal and not one superior to another as these Degrees make them Thirdly In this Gospel also we are taught that the true greatness amongst Christs true Disciples doth not stand in Academical Degrees or worldly honour and Dignities but in the faithfuls neer and exact following of Christ in word and conversation and that the sons of Zebedee in desiring superiority and pre-eminence above the other Disciples contrary to the life and doctrine of Christ did grievously offend and were therefore sharply rebuked of Christ Fourthly Yea here we hear Christ himself forbidding this very thing to his Disciples that Antichrist and his prophets might have no cloak for doing the contrary where his Gospel is truely taught and published For Mat. 23. Christ doth forbid his Disciples before all the multitude to be as the Jewish Rabbies or Doctors who saith Christ do their works to be seen of men and disguise themselves with different garments or habits from others that they might be the more taken notice of and have the more respect and do love the uppermost rooms at feasts and the chief seats in the Synagogues and greetings in the markets and to be called of men Doctor Doctor but saith Christ to his Disciples Be not ye called Doctor for one is your Master even Christ and ye all are brethren and so equal Whence it is evident that this practice of Universities and Colledges in giving men Degrees in Divinity as they call it and Titles Habits and Dignities accordingly is contrary to the express command of Jesus Christ and so is a meer Invention of Antichrist to put Honour and Reputation on his Ministers It is also manifest that this practise of the Universities hath all along made many Doctors in the Church which yet never were Christs true Dâ—sciples It is also manifest that these Degrees and Titles do cause men to be proud and to lift themselves up above their brethren and to think themselves something when they are nothing such Graduates uâ—ually proâ—ing Theologi Gloriae Divines of glory and not Theologi crucis Dâ—vines of the cross as Luther speaks that is proud and hâ—ughty clerks and not the humble Ministers of Christ cruâ—ified These Degrees also do break the simplicity of the people of God and do prejudice the communion of Saints Farther these Degrees are a dangerous snare to simple people causing them to receive all fâ—r good Doctrine that is delivered bâ—such men though it be never so erroneous and unsound inasmuch as their high titles which they have gotten in these High places and the reputation of their learning strikes an awe into them that theâ— dare not once question what such men deliver mâ—ch less contradict it Wherefore as much of the mystery of iniquity is discovered and dissolved already so there is no doubt but that this glorious relique thereof to wit Divinity-Degrees will also in due time follow as the lightnings of God shall enlighten the world And seeing so much of the light of the Gospel hath shined forth in thiâ—Age it were to be wished that the Universities Heads of Colledges and Clergy would not wilfully for worldly honour â—espects and advantage sake shut their eyes against it or rather with open eyes maliciously seek to extinguish it but that they would be contented to have all their honour lye in their lâ—keness to Christ who was in the Church as one that served and who was so far from receiving honour and taking titles from men to make himself of account in the world that being Lord of all he made himself of no reputation and that they would reject all the pompe and pride of the faâ—se Church which being destitute of faith and the spirit makes It self and its Ministers glorious in outward names and Titles Now though this be a plaine case in the Gospel and there needs no Testimony of men yet for the fuller conviction of the world I shall adde the witness of other believers that it may appear that I am not alone in this matter though to have been alone with the word would have been sure and safe enough In Edward the third's time there was an excellent dâ—scourse set forth called The Plowmans complaint c. which testifieth against these Divinity-degrees in these words Antichrist saith it maketh Masters too many who teach the people with their own teaching and leave Gods teaching which is needful and hide it with quaint glosses from the mean people But saith he these Glosers object that they desire not the state of Mastery to be worshipped thereby but the more to profit the people when they preach the word For they say the people will more believe the preaching of a Master that hath taken a state of School then the preaching of another man that hath not taken the state of Mastership To which he replyes That it is no need that Masters bear witness to Gods teaching or word that it is true and good neither saith he can any man by his state of Mastership which God hath forbidden draw any man from his sin rather then another man which is not a Master nor will be none because it is forbidden him in the Gosâ—el And a little after he saith Seeing we are to belâ—eve a mâ—ns woâ—ks more then his word the deed sheweth well of these Masters that they desire Mastership rather for their own worship then for profit of the people c. After John wicklâ—ffe that chosen servant of Christ did witness against these Antichristian Degrees who saith The Clergy do busily seek their own woâ—ldly wâ—rship and glory and by great gifts and vaâ—ne costs to be called Masters in divinity and to speak before Lords and to sit at meat with them and not to teach truely the Gospel to all manner of men by meek lâ—fe and freely as Christ bids The same Wickliffe on Mat. 23. cap. 4. saith Although in some studies the name of Doctor imports excellency seeing it is a heathenish Rite heaped together of many honors and states yet in the text of the Apostle it is taken more plainly for any faithful man who doth notably teach the catholike faith and so the name Doctor speaks desert and labour and takes away pride and eminency of State according to this world
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