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A37496
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A plain and necessary confutation of divers gross and antichristian errors, delivered to the vniversity congregation, the last commencement, anno 1653, by Mr. Sydrach Simpson, master of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge
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Dell, William, d. 1664.
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1654
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Wing D924; ESTC R207233
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64,161
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91
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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
Gods Law to preach it generally against sins in the Realm But wit ye worldly Clerks and feignedly Religious that God both can and may if it liketh him speed simple men out of the Vniversity as much to know the holy Scriptures as Masters in the Vniversity Wherefore he saith it is no great matter though men of good will be not poysoned with Heathen mens error nine or ten years together But let them live well and study the holy Scriptures and preach truly and freely against open sins till death Thus he Whereby he declares that the Scriptures are not to be understood by Humane Learning but by faith and love And that Humane Learning doth not prepare men to the knowledge of the word but rather corrupt them with Heathen mens Errors Tindal also that Apostle of England as Fox calleth him and blessed Martyr speaks thus to this matter They will say yet more shamefully meaning the Clergy that no man can understand the Scriptures without Philautia that is to say Philosophy A man must first be well seen in Aristotle ere he can understand the Scripture say they Now saith he Aristotles Doctrine is that the world was without begining and shall be without end and that the first man never was and the last never shall be And that God doth all of necessity neither careth what we do Without this Doctrine saith he Ironically how could we understand the Scripture that saith God Created the World of nought and God worketh all things of his free will and for a secret purpose and that we shall rise again and God will have accounts of all that we have done in this life Aristotle saith Give a man a Law and he hath power of himself to do or fulfill the Law and becometh righteous with working righteously But Paul and all the Scripture saith That the Law doth but utter sin only and helpeth not Neither hath any man power to do the Law till the Spirit of God be given him through faith in Christ Is it a not madness then to say that we could not understand the Scripture without Aristotle Moreover Aristotles felicity and blessedness standeth in avoiding all tribulations and in riches health honor worship friends and authority which felicity pleaseth our spirituality well Now without these and a thousand such like points couldst thou not understand Scripture which saith that Righteousness cometh by Christ and not of mans will And how that vertues are the fruits and gifts of Gods Spirit and that Christ blesseth us in tribulations persecution and adversity How I say couldst thou understand the Scriptures without Philosophy in as much as Paul Col. 2. warned them to beware lest any man spoyl them that is to say rob them of their faith in Christ through Philosophy and deceitfull Vanities and through the Traditions of men and Ordinances after the world and not after Christ And after But now ye drive them from Gods word and will let no man come thereto untill he have been two years Master of Art First they nuzzel them in Sophistry in bene fundatum And there corrupt they their judgements with apparent arguments and with alleadging to them texts of Logick of Natural Philosophy of Metaphysick and Moral Philosophy and of all manner of books of Aristotle and of all manner of Doctors which yet they never saw c. Again Huldricus Zuinglius speaks thus to this matter VVe must needs be taught of God and not of men to wit in the knowledge of the Gospel For this is the saying of the Eternal Truth which knows not how to lye Joh. 6. But and if you do not firmly believe that you may be taught of God Humane Doctrines being utterly rejected ye are yet destitute of true faith Neither have I my self devised this thing For Hilarie also is of this opinion But there is no need of his Testimony when we hear that both Christ and all the Apostles were of the same mind And here the whole use of School Divinity falls to the ground and whatsoever is drawn out of the Philosophers For all these things do lean on humane Reasons which when they have once possessed a mans mind he then thinks that the heavenly Doctrine is wholly to be directed and framed according to the Rule of Humane Learning which he judges to be most firm and infallible VVhich thing they sufficiently discover in their words saying ubi cessat Philosophus illic incipit Theologus where the Philosopher ceases there the Divine begins whereby they signifie thus much that he is able to judge most rightly in Divine things who comes most furnished with Humane Learning As if so be the light of our will were more excellent and more perspicuous then the Divine Glory when yet we hear Christ saying I receive not Glory of men but I know you that you have not the love of God in you Joh. 5. For they who have the love of God cleave to no word so constantly as to the word of God seeing this is the light that enlightens every man that comes into the world But no man is able to prove that Philosophy is such a light For which of the Philosophers instructed the Apostles Those simple and in the judgement of the world those foolish men unskilfull and unlearned fisherman were elected and instituted of God and then were sent forth to preach that they might become the Masters and Teachers of the whole world to wit that God according to the saying of Paul might make ashamed all the strength of the world and all the wisdom of the world Thus he Luther also saith It is an Error to say that a man cannot be a Divine but through Aristotle Nay saith he A man cannot be a Divine except he become one without Aristotle And again A man becomes a Divine by living yea by dying and by being damned to wit in his own sense not by studying reading or speculating And again In holy things we must not dispute or play the Philosophers but in Divinity we must only hear and believe and resolve in our heart that God is true though the things he speaks in his word seem never so absurd to reason And again We shall then do well if we leaving Logick or Philosophy in their own Sphear do learn to speak with new tongues in the Kingdom of faith without all Sphear For the affection of faith is to be exercised in the Kingdom of faith and not a Philosophical understanding And thus have these Godly men held forth and proved from the word that Humane Learning is rather a hindrance then a help to the Ministry of the Gospel and doth rather unfit then fit men for it and that the Grace and teaching of God only prepares and enables men to this Divine work and no Humane thing at all Wherefore let all true Christians be advised that Humane Learning is so far from fitting men for the Gospel and the Ministry thereof as is suggested