Philosophers understood nothing of for it is a great part of that wisdom that Paul said he spoke among them that were perfect Eph. 1. 4 5 6 7 8. and Eph. 3. 10 11. And there is scarce any Doctrine of the Christian Faith that the carnal and fleshly wisdom of man doth more contradict and oppose and argue and contend against than this high and mysterious and yet most comfortable Doctrine of the Christian Faith plainly and amply testified of in the holy Scriptures 13. And lastly The worldly Philosophy and fleshly Wisdom hath invented many Words Terms and Phrases that do rather darken and obscure the Truth than tend to discover it so that what God said unto Joh might well be said concerning them called Philosophers both ancient and late Who is this that darkneth Counsel with words without knowledge And multitudes of dark and obscure Words hath bred a multitude of dark obscure and fallacious distinctions and these have be got endless disputes and controversies in that called Natural Philosophy and as that called the Natural Philosophy is greatly corrupted with fallacious Terms Phrases Distinctions and Maxims or Axioms so called so the mixing or mingling that called Philosophy with Matters of Religion which is not for the most part true but false this hath done great hurt and hath occasioned a great corruption in the Doctrine relating to the Faith of Christ and the Christian Religion commonly called Divinity and Theology especially that taught in Universities commonly called School Divinity being stuffed with the Words Terms Phrases vain and fallacious distinctions definitions and Maxims of the World's Philosophy which has not a true Foundation in the truth of things but is only grounded on mens imaginations and traditional glosses that have but guess'd at things that hath led the minds of Men into a Labyrinth and Wilderness of Confusion and unprofitable jangling and disputing deservedly called by the Apostle Paul the Opposition of Science falsly so called for well may that be Science falsly so called that is only a sophistical Art of wrangling contending and opposing what another man saith whatever it be and so dispute things endlesly pro and contra insomuch that there is scarce any conclusion or assertion in that called Natural Philosophy but both the Affirmative and Negative by point-blank contradiction is defended by multitudes of Authors and what one builds another destroys what one proveth to be truth another as he thinketh proveth to be error and both pretend to Reason and Philosophy Beside that the Worldly Philosophy for the most part is rather a skill to talk of things with a multitude of words without any true knowledg than a real solid knowledg of them Hence it is that Paul defineth it to be the wisdom of words and the enticing words of man's wisdom also the wisdom of man which God will destroy 1 Cor. 1 and 2 Chapters And as many of them called Old Philosophers held many false and absurd Opinions directly contrary to the Christian Faith so do many of late pretending greatly to Philosophy among those called Christians especially the Masters and Professors so called of Philosophy in Universities and publick Schools of Learning in the Church of Rome tom whom too many Protestant Professors have borrowed some of their corrupt Leaven of false Philosophy which they have mingled with that they call Divinity or Theology but is not pure Divinity or Theology not being the Truth as it is in Jesus which is free from all mixtures of Error and Falshood whatsoever And of such Errors held by Popish Professors of Philosophy I shall first instance some concerning body or bodily substance and matter I. One gross Error held by them is That the quantity and other accidents of a Body can subsist or remain without the substance And on this absurd Error in that called Philosophy they build their false Faith that after the words of Consecration the quantity of the Bread and Wine and other accidents of Colour Smell Taste and Feeling in that called the Eucharist remain in the consecrated Wafer or Cake while the substance of the Bread and Wine is gone and ceaseth any more to be II. A second gross Error in their Philosophy is That there can be a penetration of bodies and bodily parts so that one whole body remaing a body still can be in the same place with another body of the same quantity occupying the same room and space at one and the same time and consequently that the whole substance of a man's body may occupy no more room or space than the least grain or atome of bread and on this absurd Error they build their false Faith That the same Body of Christ that was crucified and raised again and ascended into Heaven is in every grain or atome of the Eucharistical Bread III. A third gross error concerning bodies they teach is That one and the same body in all its parts undivided one from another can be in many places at once And on this absurd error they build their false faith That the visible Body of Christ is in many thousand places at once to wit not only in every consecrated Cake or Wafer but in every grain thereof IV. A fourth gross error they teach is That one body can be transubstantiated into another body which is to say That the substance or essence of the body is changed into another substance or essence And on this absurd error they build their absurd Doctrine of Transubstantiation affirming That the substance of the Bread and Wine in the Eucharist or Supper after Consecration is transubstantiated that is changed into the substance of Christ's Body But as the Popish error of Transubstantiation is exceeding gross and hurtful so is the error of some no less gross but rather much more both gross and hurtful who feign That the glorified Body of Christ is Omnipresent so not only attributing to it above what a Body is capable of in its highest exaltation but what is a proper and peculiar Attribute of God Almighty and essential to him Into which gross error having fallen by their great ignorance they seek to defend it by grosly pervetting that place of Scripture Eph. 4 10. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill all things But it is not said here nor any where else in Scripture That his Body that was raised from the dead filleth all things but it is expresly said Acts 3. 21. That the heavens must receive him until the time of the restitution of all things which must needs be understood of his Body or bodily presence concerning which Christ said himself The poor you have always with you but me ye have not always viz. bodily though spiritually present But I would not have any to think that I deny that Christ's glorified Body can extend its Vertue to men here on earth as he pleaseth for that I readily grant and believe that both his Soul and Body
held some gross errors and had very dark and Obscure Notions and Conceptions about God and Divine Things and spoke not very certainly and clearly of the Felicity of souls of Good Men after Death altho they did generally profess to believe the souls immortality and future rewards and punishments but not one of them believed the Resurrection of the Body as the Scriptures hold it forth for they generally believed the body was the soul's prison or grave and so it would be no Felicity to the soul to be re-united to it not understanding how the body at the Resurrection is so refined and dignified yea glorified that it shall be no Prison nor Grave to the Soul but a most beautiful Palace and Throne such as it was to Adam's Soul before he sinned and which at the Resurrection shall be enriched with greater Beauty and Glory than it then had Also both Plotinus and Porphirius were great Enemies to the Christians and wrote against them which plainly enough shews they were but dark men and had at best at that time but little acquaintance with the divine illumination in their experience notwithstanding their high profession of it as it is with too many at this day who profess the divine Light and talk much more of it than they walk in it for if either Plotinus or Porphirius had been faithful to that divine illumination given to them in common with all mankind it would have led them to befriend and not to oppose the Christians in that time when Christianity did flourish a great deal more in the Purity and true life and power of it than it did in after-ages And thus I have in 20 divers instances discovered the great hurt of the Worldly Philosophy its being a great hinderance to the Christian Faith and a great enemy to the Divine Wisdom and true divine Philosophy by which Worldly Philosophy I understand not only that taught by these called ancient Philosophers but even that lately and at present taught by many called Christians that containeth more hurtful errors than any thing which may happen to be taught by them of truth do profit So that to pass a free and impartial Judgment upon all that called commonly Philosophy both ancient and modern of all the sorts and sects of them called Philosophers it consisteth of a great mixture of error and falshood containing many dangerous and hurtful Opinions but mingled with some true Notions of things that lie so obscure and veiled under the clouds of their many great and dangerous errors that until it be better resined reformed and purged from the great dross filth and poyson of these many hurtful errors wherewithal it doth abound it seemeth to me as well as to many more that are impartial Judges in the case that the study of it in this state of so great mixture is rather hurtful than really profitable And to spend time in turning over the many Volumes of that called Philosophy to find the pure Truth either of Things Natural or Divine is not only to lose time but to expose the mind to the great danger of being leavened and corrupted with gross and hurtful errors tending to overthrow the Christian Faith and to beget in the mind of him that is studious in it a deep prejudice and enmity against the True Divine Philosophy and the Truth as it is in Jesus But the pious endeavour of some late Writers is greatly to be commended who have attempted to correct and reform the vulgar errors in that called Philosophy as the Author of the book called Enchiridion Physicae restitutae and the lately deceased and worthily esteemed Esq Boyl and others And here before I come to a conclusion of my intended matter I think to answer 2 weighty questions and that very briefly The first is What is the chief cause or reason that men generally professing to seek after the True Philosophy Wisdom or Knowledge of Things both Divine and Natural have so greatly miss'd it and instead of the pure Truth have embraced Error for the greatest part Ans The chief cause or reason is their too much relying upon their Humane Understanding and the bare exercise of Human Reason which they generally made the Rule and measuring Line to find out all Truth or True Knowledg in natural things even as Christians so called too generally do the same at this day and I wish they did not so do in the search of Divine Truth also and in the enquiry after the Knowledg of Divine Things Hence it is that some derive the Etymology of the word mens in Latin that signifieth the Mind in English from the Latin word metiri to measure as if the bare mind or humane understanding of man were the measure of all truth at least in the knowledg of natural things And because they did either wholly or for most part rely upon their humane understanding and bare exercise of humane Reason thence it came to pass that the divine gift of God even that divine principle of Light wherewithal Christ the eternal word had enlightned them was neglected and like the unfaithful and slothful servant this divine Talent wherewithal they ought to have occupied and traded they buried in the earth and thus professing themselves wise they became Fools And tho what was to be known of God had been in some measure made manifest in them God having shewed it unto them by the divine illumination of the eternal word yet as Paul declareth when they knew God they glorified him not as God nor were they thankful And because they did not like to retain God in their knowledge but held the Truth in unrighteousness therefore their foolish hearts were darkened and they were given up to vile affections and this was the more general state of them call'd Heathen or Gentile Philosophers yet I will not judg so hardly or uncharitably of them universally because the more sober and humble minded Gentiles did not profess so much but practised more and better and might be and I believe were in a better state and condition towards God And tho I shall be far from concluding that they are perished yet whoever of them are saved with eternal salvation it is not by any works of Righteousness which they had done in their meer Gentile state or by any Obedience to any Law or Light whatsoever without Faith in Christ Jesus but by Faith in Christ Jesus all who ever have been or shall be saved from the beginning of the world to the end of it have and shall obtain eternal Life and Salvation as Paul hath largely declared and proved in his Epistles to the Romans and Galatians and in his Epistle to the Ephesians he telleth them That by grace they were saved through faith and not by any works they had performed before faith was given them and wrought in them But how the true Faith of Christ was wrought in them in those days when it was not outwardly preached to them by the Ministry
of Men nor by the holy Scriptures is best to leave among the secrets of God till he be pleased further to reveal it seeing it is confessed generally on all hands that the Spirit of God was sufficient to work the true Faith in them without an Outward Ministry who worketh when where and how he pleaseth who can and doth no doubt preach to them born deaf and dumb whose ways are above our ways and his thoughts above ours as the Heavens are above the Earth The 2d question is this What is the true Divine Philosophy how distinguished from the Worldly Philosophy which the Apostle Paul bid the believing Colossians beware of saying Beware lest any spoil you thro' Philosophy and vain Deceit Col. 2. Ans The true Divine Philosophy is a measure of the Divine Wisdom and Knowledg whether of things Divine or Natural which the Mind of Man receiveth by Divine Illumination Revelation and Inspiration that cometh from the Spirit of Christ Jesus the which Spirit of Christ Jesus as it is a sanctifying Spirit sealing to Men their Adoption and is therefore called the Spirit of Adoption all true and sincere believers receive from the Man Christ Jesus through true Faith in him and from God the Father through Christ and this was that Spirit in the Prophets and Apostles that taught them their knowledge of God and of things both Divine and Natural and which not only revealed to them and in them the glorious Attributes and Perfections of the Great Creator and the great mysteries of his Divine Wisdom Counsel and Will but also shewed and taught them many things of the Creation and opened unto them the book of the Creatures as is largely to be seen by such as are spiritually minded in the holy Scriptures how excellently the Prophets as Moses David Isaiah and many others were taught in the knowledge of the Creation as well as of the Creator by his Divine Spirit and Light in them And this Divine Philosophy and Wisdom is distinguished from the worldly Philosophy which Paul bid the Colossians beware of chiefly and principally in this that the Divine Philosophy is after Christ that is to say the Spirit of Christ doth teach it to all the sincere Lovers and Professors thereof But the worldly Philosophy excepting some Fragments of Truth that some of these called Heathen Philosophers had from the common Divine Illumination which was in them and in all men but which they little heeded or regarded did proceed from the spirit of the world which is a spirit of error and leadeth its followers into all error as the spirit of Truth leadeth into all Truth and therefore the worldly Philosophy or Wisdom is called in Scripture the fleshly Wisdom that is enmity to God And as Paul called the Doctrines of some false Teachers that professed Christianity in his Day the Doctrines of Devils so well may the false Doctrines of them called Heathen Philosophers be called the Doctrines of Devils being so directly opposite to the true Christian Doctrine and Faith taught by Christ and the holy Prophets Evangelists and Apostles recorded in the holy Scriptures for indeed most or rather all the Heresies and gross Errors of the false Teachers pretending to Christianity since the days of the Apostles had their Rise and Original from the Errors of the Heathen Philosophers that went before them as the Heresies of the Arians Nestorians Eutychians Sabellians Macedonians Pelagians the Manichees and Gnosticks and many others as might be at large demonstrated if it were necessary And as the Divine Philosophy or Wisdom differeth from the worldly Philosophy in their Rise and Original as is above said so in their greatly differing effects The Divine Wisdom and Philosophy teacheth the pure Truth without any mixture of Error or Falshood the Worldly Philosophy or Wisdom teacheth nothing but Error Untruth and Falshood for what things were or are true that are found in the Sayings or Writings of the Heathen Philosophers do not properly belong to the worldly Philosophy but to that little Seed of Truth and Light which did at times shine in them but very obscurely or glimmeringly because of the great Darkness that did for most part prevail in them the which Truth they did generally hold in unrighteousness as Paul hath declared Again the Divine Philosophy or Wisdom maketh her Lovers pure peaceable meek and humble and full of good fruits but the worldly Philosophy being of an Opposite Nature hath the contrary effects maketh her followers impure wrathful contentious and proud and notwithstanding that many of the Heathen Philosophers pretended to great humility and purity and other Vertues and I cannot be so uncharitable as to conclude universally That none of them had not some real Vertues yet for most part as the History of their Lives do sufficiently prove they had more a shew of these Vertues than any real possession of them for such as their Wisdom was such were their Vertues but their Wisdom as Paul hath defined it was a shew or talk of Wisdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2 23. and so were their Vertues for most part And in their feigned humility they would not call themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. wise men as some of their Ancestors were called but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Lovers of Wisdom Pythagoras being the first that so called himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Philosopher i. e. a Lover of Wisdom But the Apostle Paul being taught by the Divine Wisdom telleth us what their Wisdom and Profession of it amounted unto professing themselves to be wise they became fools Rom. 1. 22. and therefore in order to mens attaining the true Wisdom he taught That men must first become fools That is to deny the Wisdom of this World even as Christ taught That for Judgment he came into this World that they that see might be made blind and they that are blind might see And now for a Conclusion I give this Warning and Caution That as the Errors of them called Philosophers whether Ancient or Late led men to oppugn the True Faith of Christ so have the ignorant vain false and foolish Reasonings of some men which they borrow from none of them called Philosophers but supposing Themselves to be able enough to find out Reasons to prove or disprove things they either like or dislike without any true Cause or Ground They are oft bold to bring forth their crooked and perverse Reasonings and make use of them against the holy Doctrines and Principles of the Christian Faith and Religion And none I find more ready by corrupt and false Reasons to contend against the Truth than such who in words cry out against Reason like whorish women that cry out against chaste women and most unjustly charge them with the Vice whereof they themselves are most guilty Therefore let all be warned from giving way to false and corrupt Reason or from making use of it to fight against any Doctrine or Principle of the Christian Faith or from medling to interpret any part of holy Scripture by their bare carnal human Reason as too many presume to do who instead of truly interpreting it do pervert it to their own Destruction But let their Human Reason be subjested unto the Obedience of Faith and let the spiritual Weapons be made use of which are mighty to pull down strong Holds casting down Imaginations the Greek hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Reasonings and every High Thing that exalteth itself against the knowledg of God and bringeth into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 45. THE END
drinking in bad Principles from his childish years which are not easily drove out after they have once got entrance will no doubt be more easily and readily inclined to embrace Error than Truth tho no mans mind or understanding embraceth any Error as Error but under a notion or supposition that it is Truth even as the VVill embraceth no evil as evil but as having some seeming appearance of good beside that the mind of man unless it be govern'd by the divine principle of Truth within it self is but too fruitful to bring forth the like Errors as others have formerly done as the Earth it self that is not well and carefully cultivated bp the Husbandman will be fruitful enough to bring forth Bryars and Thorns and hurtful Weeds And notwithstanding that some have objected against me That the Human Learning I received at the University in Arts and Sciences and Languages and that called Philosophy hath enabled me to dispute and contend for and otherways to hold forth both by word of mouth and by writing certain principles of Christian Doctrine as so believed by me and as if I gloried in my Abilities and furnishing of human Learning of such Arts Sciences Languages and that all d Philosophy as I had acquir'd in my younger years and trusted greatly or chiefly to that seeking to get a Name or Applause thereby among men I can and do with great freedom and clearness of mind declare That such who so judge of me do greatly judg amiss my Trust is in the Lord alone and my dependance is wholly and only upon him and hath been to receive of his Divine Wisdom and Power from day to day to strengthen and enable me in that work and service he hath called me unto even to bear Testimony to the great Truths of the Christian Faith and Doctrine and my knowledg and understanding I have in Christian Doctrine and Principles I have received from the spirit of Truth that hath opened my understanding to understand them and not from Natural Arts and Sciences and Languages and that called Philosophy which since ever I knew the Truth as it is in Jesus I never have magnified or highly esteemed nor valued my self upon that sort of Learning for I have abundantly seen to the Insufficiency of it to qualifie any man to be a true Preacher or Teacher of Divine Things or to be a true Minister of Christ Jesus whatever subservient use the True and Genuine part of human Learning may have to a Minister of Christ in subordination to the divine grace and gift of God the spurious and adulterate part of it having long since been rejected by me so far as it hath beeh discovered unto me And for such who through a prejudice in them against the many precious Things of the Truth of Christ that his divine light and spirit hath opened unto me and continueth still more and more to open unto me and enable me to bring forth either by word or writing are realy in their Ignorance to say as some have said These things are but the effects and product of Arts and Sciences human Learning and Philosophy They but too much manifest their want of a True savour and spiritual discerning whatever high pretences they make of it who thus unjustly and unchristianly judg of me and are of the Number of them Isa 5. that call light darkness good evil and sweet bitter while they are but too ready to call that which is darkness in themselves light and evil good and bitter sweet and so they have need to fear the woe that is pronounc'd against such as so do yet many have a better sense and savour of my Christian Testimony But to convince such if there be any room left for their conviction That the manner of Doctrine and Principles held forth by me is not from nor after the worldly Philosophy which is but worldly Rudimentss and human Traditions but from and after Christ as his holy spirit hath taught me and enlightned me and hath opened the holy Scriptures unto me is the design of this small Treatise whereby they may perceive that I am so far from deriving my Ability from that called the Philosophy of either Platonists Stoicks or Peripateticks or any others Ancient or modern of worldly minded Professors and Students that I have very plainly contradicted them and showed wherein many of their great Principles and Conclusions in that called their Philosophy do contradict the holy Christian Faith and Doctrine and upon a due examination they who seek to brand me with dangerous and hurtful Opinions of Philosophy will rather be found guilty themselves in that particular THE Arraignment of Worldly Philosophy c. Colos 2. 8. Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the Tradition of Men after the Rudiments of the World and not after Christ IT is very evident out of these Words of the Apostle Paul what that Philosophy is that he cautioneth the Colossians against to wit that which is after the Tradition of Men after the Rudiments and Elements of the World and not after Christ and which in the following words of this same Chapter he calleth the Commandments and Doctrines of Men and having a shew of Wisdom in will-worship and voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels v. 18. 23. and in v. 20. he calleth it a dogmatising the words in our English Translation why are ye subject to Ordinances are more duly translated why dogmatize ye or why are ye dogmatized That is subjected to mens Opinions and Doctrines that tend to overthrow and destroy your Faith such as many of the Opinions and Doctrines of them were that professed themselves to be Philosophers at that time Some of the particular Errors and hurtful Doctrines of these Philosophers he doth particularly mention as 1. the worshipping of Angels 2. a self-will'd Humility 3. the neglecting the body 4. abstaining from meats so as neither to touch taste nor handle them for some of the Philosophers of that time did forbid the use of certain meats and particularly of flesh as being hurtful to the study of Philosophy But the true Christian Faith and Doctrine taught by Christ and the Apostles alloweth the sober and moderate use of all meats that are not in themselves unwholesome to the body as some are Also he describeth the Effects of this vain and hurtful Philosophy of the Gentiles 1. It made them intrude into things not seen 2. It made them vain and puffed up the fleshly mind 3. It led from the Head Christ and from Faith in him But as Paul here cautioneth and giveth warning against the worldly Philosophy or wisdom of the Gentile Philosophers so he exalteth and commandeth the true Wisdom that is after Christ and setteth the one in opposition to the other the one being after the Traditions of Men and Rudiments or Elements of the World the other being after Christ in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge v.
3. as if he had said to them Why should ye look after that which is rather falsly called Philosophy among the Gentiles than that which is true Philosophy or Wisdom for granting that they may have some scraps and Fragments of some true Knowledge yet it being mingled and mixed with many hurtful Errors contrary to the Doctrine and Faith of Christ it is better to shun it than to look after it But if ye desire or love true Wisdom and Knowledg seek after it in Christ learn it of him for in him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg for who would go and eat scraps of Food mixed with Poyson when they can have a plentiful Table well furnish'd with all variety of wholesome meats without any mixture of any hurtful thing It is convenient in this place to take notice that it is only the hurtful and false Opinions of these called Philosophers that the Apostle Paul doth chiefly caution them against and because what things of Truth or true Knowledg they had or taught either by word of mouth or by their books and writings was so greatly mixed with many hurtful Errors it was more advisable for them that were weak to let the whole alone because not only all things of Truth or true Knowledge that the best of them had were not only to be learned from Christ without them but much more even all that was requisite or conducing to true happiness or satisfaction And as things receive their Name and Denomination from their greater part so the Philosophy of the Gentiles containing for the most part more Errors than Truth might well be termed hurtful and erroneous Yet strictly speaking it was not what they had of Truth or true Knowledg either of things divine or natural that the Apostle cautioned them against as fit to be rejected or disowned for whatever is of Truth to be found in any men is to be owned and acknowledged in its place and a good use and improvement may be made of it to convince them of the Errors that they hold for as all the parts of Truth are well coherent and consisting and stand in most excellent Harmony one with another so Truth and Error are very incoherent and break the Harmony and beautiful consistency of things Therefore by what a man holds of Truth in some small measure he may be convinced of his Errors when it is shewed to him in the clear light of divine illumination or even of the true Reason of Man that what Opinions or Perswasions he judgeth to be true are inconsistent with the Truths he doth hold that therefore they must needs be Errors and false and unsound Notions And after this manner Paul dealt with these called Philosophers at Athens Acts 17. citing a most true and excellent saying out of one of their own Authors That men or mankind is the Offspring of God and from this he took occasion whereby to convince them of their Idolatry and Superstition and such a method did the Ancient Fathers so called and Primitive Teachers in the Church after the Apostles days make use of in disputing against the Philosophers in these times who were commonly the greatest Enemies and Opposers of the Christian Faith by which they did mightily confound them and put them to silence and gain'd upon divers of them so that they received the Christian Faith and Doctrine And seeing it was not any thing of Truth or true knowledg that Paul did caution men against in them called Gentile Philosophers whether they had it by vertue of that common divine illumination given to all mankind or by the use of their true Reason as men in subordination to that more excellent principle jointly working together both which are the good gifts of God and are not to be disregarded but duly esteemed and valued in their several places the one to wit the divine illumination as the Master or Mistress the other as the Servant or Handmaid to wit the true Reason or reasonable understanding of man but it was chiefly or rather indeed only their gross Errors that did oppose and impugn the true Christian Faith and Doctrine that these called Philosophers did hold and which made them so great Enemies to the Christian Faith tha◠they neither did receive it themselves while they retain'd these Errors nor suffered their Hearers and Followers that believed them to receive it therefore it was that Paul did so warmly and earnestly warn them to whom he wrote this Epistle against that called Philosophy that was then among the Gentiles with whom they conversed and that he saith beware the Greek Word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is see as if he had said take nothing upon trust from men neither believe what they say upon their bare credit and authority but see with the Eyes of your understandings that God hath anointed and opened with his heavenly and divine Eye-salve and with these Eyes compare things with thing and by so doing ye will find that the Gentiles Philosophy teacheth many things contrary to the true Faith of Christ and their wisdom is for the most part contrary to the wisdom which Christ teacheth And that he saith beware or see lest any spoil you or make a prey of you or rob you through philosophy and vain deceit The latter words are explanatory as to say the Philosophy I caution you against it is not the true Philosophy or wisdom but vain deceit and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he calleth it a shew or talk of wisdom but not the true divine wisdom And whereas the Apostle Paul doth not enumerate all nor most of their Errors in this place nor any where else but only mentioneth a few in particular and giveth them a warning against the Philosophy profest at that time among the Gentiles in general as being hurtful and opposeth the wisdom of the world to the wisdom of God as 1 Cor. 1. after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe and so doth James set in opposition the wisdom from above and the wisdom from below with the qualities and properties of each calling that from below earthly sensual and Devilish as indeed the greatest part of the Learning or Philophy of them called Greeks at that time was no other It is not to be understood that the Apostle did reject or condemn the true exercise use and improvement of mens rational faculties either in the invention or cultivation of such useful Arts and Sciences as were really useful for the life of man as the skill of Husbandry Navigation Arithmetick or the knowledg of Numbers and use of them in Accounting Geometry Astronomy and other the like useful Arts which were for most part the result and improvement of Mans Nature Reason and Understanding as a Man however it may be allowed that in some cases and things God did teach some men these or the like things
THE ARRAIGNMENT OF Worldly Philosophy OR The False Wisdom It s being a great hinderance to the Christian Faith And a great Enemy to the True Divine Wisdom By GEORGE KEITH 1 COR. 1. 19 20 21. For it is written I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent Where is the wise where is the Scribe where is the Disputer of this World Hath not God made foolish the Wisdom of this World For after that in the Wisdom of God the World by Wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe LONDON Printed for R. Levis MDCXCIV The Preface to the Reader Friendly Reader I Thought fit by this Prefaceto prevent thy Offence at the Title of this small Treatise which I call the Arraignment of Worldly Philosophy as if thereby thou might suppose I did intend any true and real knowledge of things either Divine or Natural that any of these call'd Ancient Philosophers had or the real and sincere study enquiry and search into them that any of the children of men have had whether in former Ages from the beginning of the World or now have in this present Age so as to condemn the same But this is far from my Intention for on the contrary I do judge that the sincere study enquiry and search after Truth and the true knowledge of God and of his Creatures is most commendable and praise worthy and they are the most Noble Souls who in all Ages of the world have given and applied themselves unto the same for true Knowledg is of more value than all worldly Treasure being that which truly adorns the Mind and Soul of Man and is a perfection to it yea what eyes and sight is to the Body that true Knowledg is to the Soul and as we cannot love an outward and visible Object unless we see it or have some knowledg of it by some of our outward senses so we cannot love God our Creator unless we have the true knowledge of him And tho the highest and most excellent degree of the knowledg of God is to know him in a nearor and more immediate way than by the contemplation of the Creatures yet God hath set his Creatures and the glorious Fabrick of the visible Creation before us as a book in a large Volume whereby we may read and understand not only that God is but also whereby we may know in some sort his manifold divine perfections even his exceeding great Power Wisdom Goodness Purity Mercy and Justice But as no man can read a book that is blind or if he have eyes without light so none can truly and rightly read and understand the great book of God's Creation but as the eyes of his understanding are opened and as his eyes when opened are enlightned with a divine Light that cometh from God himself for let it be granted that mens rational faculties are as the eyes of their minds yet they can never see into the great wonders of the Creation of God without he the great Creator doth enlighten them as our natural and bodily eyes cannot see bodily Objects without a natural and bodily light for seeing God made all the Creatures by his eternal Wisdom nothing can give to man the true knowledge of them but the same Wisdom by which he made them and this is man's dignity and excellency above the Beasts of the field that he is capable to receive of this eternal divine Wisdom and be taught by it and as the Rivers that come from the Sea lead to the Sea so the Creatures in a secondary and subordinate way lead the Mind and Soul of Man to God that made them as the divine Light of the eternal VVisdom that shines in his heart is eyed and regarded that shews him how and after what manner this Current and Stream of the Creatures that come from God lead to him that so man may rest in him and not in them But if a man think by the bare search of his natural understanding and meer human Reason to know either God or the Creation without the divine Light he greatly erreth and this hath been the great Error of most of them called Philosophers that by the bare search of the natural understanding and meer human Reason without the divine Light they were busied to make their search into the wonderful works of God in his Creatures which they not being able to do they fell into many Errors which do contradict the true Christian Faith and Doctrine delivered by the Prophets and by Christ and the Evangelists and Apostles as the design of the following Treatise is to shew and therefore this is to inform the Reader in the entrance it is not any good thing or any matter of Truth or any true discovery of knowledge in things either divine or natural that this small Treatise points at and blames but the gross Errors in those called Philosophers which I have found too many at this to day be deeply tinctured and leavened with and these not only some that profess to be Students of Philosophy and Proficients in the same but many other persons either wholly or in great part illiterate and who neither esteem themselves nor are esteemed by others studious in Philosophy I have found deeply so tinctured and most tenariously adhering to these gross and pernicious Errors and when I have warn'd them of these Errors telling them that they were the noted Errors of them call'd Heathen Philosophers who did long ago in Ages past oppugn and gainsay the True Christian Faith and Doctrine in many things and the Errors of the Jesuits Philosophy and of some other Schoolmen in the Church of Rome stiffly maintained by them to defend the false Antichristian Doctrine that that Papal Society is guilty of They have reply'd to me They know neither the Philosophy of the Old Heathens nor of the late Schoolmen and Jesuits being simple unletter'd men But to this I have answer'd them That tho they know not that such Errors held by them are the Errors of the Old Heathens and of the late Schoolmen such as Jesuits and others yet they are these very Errors for even as in another case a man may have in his House some things that he may not know to whom they do properly belong so in this case men may hold erronious Opinions invented by others long ago and yet not know the Authors of them and they might have come by them without any curious search study or enquiry into the Writings or Books of the first Authors or Inventers of them either by having them occasionally mention'd to them or finding them by some accident in some one or other late VVriter that writ in their Mothers Tongue and the mind of man while it is more sway'd with Darkness than Light and with the spirit of Error than with the spirit of Truth beside the many disadvantages it hath by wrong Education and
can extend their Vertue as by Rays and Beams to the Saints upon Earth and no doubt but his Mediatory Spirit and Life doth extend it self into our souls But this is no proof that Christ's Body is every where where God is for so to affirm is a grosser error than that of the Popish Transubstantiation for the Popish Doctrine only teacheth a Transubstantiation of one body into another viz. of the body and substance of bread into Christ's Body but this teacheth the Transubstantiation of Christ's body into the Godhead which is most unreasonable as well as most contrary to Scripture and is a reviving of the Old Eutychian Heresie condemned and that most justly by ancient Christians many Hundred Years ago V. A 5th gross error held in common both by Papists and many call'd Protestants is That in the daily generation and corruption of bodies as when flesh or wood is consumed with fire the body of flesh or wood is substantially changed the former substantial form so called by them ceasing to be that was formerly in the flesh or wood and a new substantial form in the Fire or smoak and ashes being newly produced And accordingly they most falsly teach That the elements of fire air water and earth differ substantially in their substantial and essential forms and that a gross body cannot be changed into a spiritual and subtile body but that there must be a change of the substance Whence it is that Papists generally and too many call'd Protestants have such gross and carnal conceptions of the Resurrection-bodies of the Saints that shall be raised at the last day imagining they must be raised with gross flesh blood and bones as they now have otherwise they should not be the same bodies in substance as now they are Whereas the plain truth is that bodies can undergo great changes even the greatest that are possible from gross to be exceeding spiritual and subtile without any substantial change being only changed in accidental forms and modes but remaining the same in substance as when the Water was miraculously changed by Christ into Wine here was no Transubstantiation or change of the bodily substance but only a Transformation or change of the accidental forms and modes of the Water into new accidental forms and modes of Wine VI. A 6th gross error common generally both to Papists and many called Protestants in that called by them Philosophy is that many things which are real substances they hold them to be but accidents or accidental qualities as the light or influence of the Sun or of common fire they hold to be nothing but accidental qualities also the Emanations that commonly flow from Stones Minerals Metals Herbs and Animals causing sympathy and antipathy some whereof are more manifest that affect our gross senses of smelling tasting and feeling others more hidden and occult as that of the Loadstone that draweth Iron to it they hold them to be accidental qualities having no real substance Whereas the more true and sincere Philosophy teacheth that these things are real substances being either the Emission or Outflowings commonly called effluvia of the more subtile and spiritual parts of these bodies whence they come forth and proceed from or the Rays and Beams of some Spirits that may be lodged in them And on this error they build divers absurd errors in that called their Divinity both in relation to the bodies and souls of men as first in relation to the body The vertue that went forth from our blessed Lord's Person that healed the woman of her bloody Issue they hold not to be any substance but only an accident or quality And next in relation to the souls of men that divine vertue of grace light and life that cometh from Christ into the souls of men the Schoolmen commonly both among Papists and Protestants some excepted of Protestants who are more understanding hold That it is no substance but an accident or quality which otherways they call Habit and they commonly define the Grace of God in the souls of the Saints to be no substance but an infused supernatural habit and the vertues and fruits of the Spirit as Faith Hope Love c. they call supernatural and infused habits and qualities that are in themselves of a perishing Nature And the seed of God in the Saints they do not hold to be any substance but a quality or infused habit And the great occasion of this their Error That Grace is no substance but an accident viz. habit or quality which Aristotle placeth among the Predicaments of Accidents proceedeth from this That whereas they observe the Scripture distinguisheth betwixt Christ and the Grace of Christ as also betwixt God and the Grace of God and betwixt the Holy Ghost and that Divine influence that cometh from him into mens souls from thence they infer That seeing that seed or influence of God's Grace is not the Godhead it must be some accident habit or quality infused in the soul by God there being as they suppose no middle being of a middle Nature betwixt God and the souls of men but in this they are greatly mistaken for there is a middle being betwixt the Godhead and the souls of men which is that Mediatory Spirit and Divine Nature of Christ as he was the Heavenly Man Mediator Head and High Priest and Husband of his Church from the beginning of the World the which Mediatory Spirit of Christ dwells in all fulness in the Person of our blessed Lord that was born of the Virgin Mary who suffered death for our sins and rose again and is ascended into Heaven and still dwelleth in him and of his fulness we all receive our several measures as John hath declared John 1. and as Paul likewise hath said Eph. 4. 7. To every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ And tho the various measures of this Mediatory Spirit of Christ are not dividable nor separable one from another but most inseparably united yet a real distinction may and ought to be allowed as betwixt the Rays and beams of the Sun that are inseparably united one with another and all with the Body of the Sun yet one Ray is not another but have a real distinction so the particular measure of the Gift of Christ called by several Names and Denominations as Grace Truth Light and Life c. that is in one of the Saints is not the same particular and numerical measure that is in another And as we are taught not only by express words of Scripture but by the Saints experience that there are greater and lesser higher and lower measures of this Divine Mediatory Spirit Life and Nature and Divine Light this doth sufficiently prove that it is not the Godhead or Supream Infinite Being called in Hebrew Ensoph for there is nothing in the Supreme Being that can be called greater or lesser higher or lower seeing every thing in God is most infinitely and supreamly High and Great