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CHAP. XCVII.
Of Scholastick Theologie.
IT remains that we discourse concerning Theologie. I shall pass by the Theologie of the Gentiles, men∣tioned
Page 332
in Orpheus, Musaeus, and Hesiod, which all men ac∣knowledge to be Poetical and fictitious, and which La∣ctantius, and Eusebius, and many other eminent Doctors of the Christians have convinced by most strenuous Ar∣guments. Nor shall we speak of the Religion of Plato or the rest of the Philosophers, whom we have already shew'd to be the teachers of nothing but Er∣rour. But we shall here discourse concerning the Christian Religion. This onely depends upon the faith of its Doctors, seeing that it can fall under no Art or Science. And first of Scholastick Divinity, a certain Hodge-podge, or Mixture, of Divine Precepts, and Philosophical Reasons; looking like a Centaur; written after a new manner, far different from the an∣tient way of delivery; diffus'd into little Questions, and subtil Syllogisms, without any Elegancie of speech; and which has brought not a little profit to the Church in the convincing of Hereticks. The first Authors whereof, and who were most excellent therein, were Thomas Aquinas, Albertus sirnamed the Great, and ma∣ny other famous men; besides Johannes Scotus, a most subtil and acute Writer, though a little more given to Contention. Hence Scholastick Theologie sell into So∣phisms; while those newer Theosophists, and as it were Sutlers of the Word of God, never worthy of the title of Divines, but for their money, of so sub∣lime a Studie and Contemplation made a meer Logo∣machie; wandring from School to School, starting little Questions, framing Opinions, forcing the Scri∣ptures, inducing a strange sence with intricate words, and more nimble to ventilate than examine, presum'd to erect Seminaries of Strifes, out of which litigious Sophisters gain matter of Contention; distracting the Intellect, abstracting the Forms, and misrepresenting Genus and Species; what they take from one, adding to another; and every one striving to confirm their
Page 333
own Opinion: exposing our holy Faith among the Wise of the Age (of which Thomas Aquinas complains) to Laughter and Misbelief. For they neglect the Cano∣nical Scriptures of the Holy Ghost, and chuse onely hard Questions about Divine things, fit for Dispute; wherein they exercise their Wit, and consume their time; placing the whole Doctrine of Theologie in those things onely, wherein while they study to con∣tradict the Scripture, they may hear the Scripture say∣ing, The letter kills, is hurtful, is unprofitable. But they will say, We are to search out that which lies hid in the Scripture. Then binding all their mindes to ex∣pound, interpret, make Glossaries and Syllogisms, they rather chuse any other sence than that which is most genuine. If you require Reason, or be earnest in ap∣posing, you shall receive ill language, and be call'd Fool. What is hid in the letter you must not under∣stand, but must feed like a Serpent upon the dust. So that none are accounted Divines among them, unless they be such as ate egregrious Branglers, and can give an Instance upon every Proposition, feign readily, finde out new Interpretations, make a noise with uncouth words, not so much to be understood for the difficulty of the matter, as the strangeness of the word. And then they are call'd Doctors, when they are come to that pass that they can hardly be understood. These have a multitude of Followers, who whatsoever they have drawn from those men, believe it fetcht out of the hidden treasuries of Theologie: they swear to their Masters words, and believe it not to be within the com∣pass of thought, if any thing be unknown to him; and they are so captivated with his Opinions, that they are not to be overcome with any other reasons; will yield to no Scripture, but, like Antaeus, seek to renew their strength, while they repair to the brest of their mother who brought them forth, calling these Doctors to their aid.
Page 334
The Vulture carkass leaving then behinde,
Hastes to his own, and takes away the best:
This is the food the Vulture hath design'd,
To feast his Palate while he builds his nest.
Hence it comes to pass, that the sublime Studie of Scho∣lastick Divinity is so subject to Errour and Impiety; these evil Hypocrites and audacious Sophisters have in∣troduced so many Sects, and so many Heresies; who as S. Paul saith, preach Christ not for good-will, but for contention: so that it is far easier for Philosophers than Divines to agree: who have eclipsed the ancient glo∣ry of the ancient Theologie with humane Opinions, and new Errours; and professing a detestable Do∣ctrine consisting in false Titles, and Labyrinths of Dispute, have usurpt the name of Sacred Theologie by Theft and Rapine; and abominating the Names and Institutions of the old Fathers, have increas'd new Fa∣ctions, as it was formerly said in the Church, I am of Apollo, I of Paul, I of Cephas; pretending altogether to their Studies whose Works they first learnt, and ad∣miring onely their own Masters, despise all others; not minding what is said, but by whom it is said. And yet are these men very much divided among them∣selves: for some of them, who are of riper ingenuities, and would be thought more skilful than the Prophets and Apostles, believe that they can finde out and de∣monstrate those things which are onely to be believ'd by faith; Philosophizing in Divine things in most mi∣serable Questions, and with a prodigious confidence contend about absurd Opinions; as, when some di∣stinguish the Divine Essence, some by the thing it self, or others by Reason: others constitute infinite Reali∣ties, as they call um, like Plato's Idea's; which some again deny, and some laugh at. Then they frame to
Page 335
themselves so many monstrous shapes of God, so many forms of the Divine Being, so many Idols and Phan∣tomes of their own Imaginations about divine things; and dismember their very Saviour Christ with the per∣versness of their Opinions. Him they dress in so many various Disguises of Sophisms, and like an Image of Wax, form and deform him with their absurd suppo∣sitions into what shape or figure they please; so that their Doctrine proves meer Idolatry. But those other, whose duller capacities cannot soar so sublimely, these make Legends of the Saints full of godly lyes, feign Reliques, make Miracles, invent plausible or terrible Examples; Number Prayers, weigh Merits, invent Ceremonies, sell Indulgencies, distribute Pardons, set to sale their Benedictions, and devour the sins of the people. As for Apparitions, Exorcisms, and Answers of the Dead, they are very exact in um; and being taught their lessons out of the Books of Tundal and Brandarius, they act the Tragedies of Purgatory, and Comedies of Indulgences and Pardons; and from the Pulpits, as from a Stage, with a Souldier-like impu∣dence, and boldness of Thraso, with confident eyes, countenance chang'd, extended arms, and more sorts of gestures than are ascribed to Proteus, thunder out their Vanities among the people. But those who pre∣tend to be more Learned, and to understand a greater Decorum of Elegancie; they, while they bawl, I should say declaim, rehearse Poems, tell Stories, dispute Con∣troversies, cite Homer, Virgil, Livie, Strabo, Varro, Se∣neca, Cicero, Aristotle and Plato: in stead of preaching the Gospel, and Word of God, making onely an empty noise of words; spreading a new Gospel, adulterating the Word of God, which they preach not to set forth Grace, but for Gain and Lucre; living in the mean time not according to the Word of God, but accor∣ding to the pleasure of the flesh; and after they have
Page 336
in the day-time made an erroneous Harangue or Ex∣hortation in the Pulpits to vertue, at night exercise their Buttocks in their lurking holes with nocturnal labour. And this is the way by which they go to Christ-Lastly, when Vices are to be reprehended, 'tis won∣derful with what ill language they rail, with what in∣solencie of gesture they behave themselves, with what scurrilous language their Choler rages, what loud Ex∣clamations they make; as if Christ rather chose to have the Preachers of his Word not Fishers drawing on the right hand with a soft Net, but persecuting Hunters and Archers, shooting and wounding from the left: or as if they themselves were not men, or not liable to the same faults, if not guilty of greater. Thus those Fishers of men, whose tongues ought to be a Net to draw sinners to salvation, become Hunters and perse∣cutors of men to their ruine: their mouthes are Bowes of falshood, their tongues are wounding Arrows. But let us now hasten to the Right Theologie, which is twofold; Prophesie, and Interpretation. Of the later first of all.
Of Scholastick Theologie.
IT remains that we discourse concerning Theologie. I shall pass by the Theologie of the Gentiles, men∣tioned
Page 332
in Orpheus, Musaeus, and Hesiod, which all men ac∣knowledge to be Poetical and fictitious, and which La∣ctantius, and Eusebius, and many other eminent Doctors of the Christians have convinced by most strenuous Ar∣guments. Nor shall we speak of the Religion of Plato or the rest of the Philosophers, whom we have already shew'd to be the teachers of nothing but Er∣rour. But we shall here discourse concerning the Christian Religion. This onely depends upon the faith of its Doctors, seeing that it can fall under no Art or Science. And first of Scholastick Divinity, a certain Hodge-podge, or Mixture, of Divine Precepts, and Philosophical Reasons; looking like a Centaur; written after a new manner, far different from the an∣tient way of delivery; diffus'd into little Questions, and subtil Syllogisms, without any Elegancie of speech; and which has brought not a little profit to the Church in the convincing of Hereticks. The first Authors whereof, and who were most excellent therein, were Thomas Aquinas, Albertus sirnamed the Great, and ma∣ny other famous men; besides Johannes Scotus, a most subtil and acute Writer, though a little more given to Contention. Hence Scholastick Theologie sell into So∣phisms; while those newer Theosophists, and as it were Sutlers of the Word of God, never worthy of the title of Divines, but for their money, of so sub∣lime a Studie and Contemplation made a meer Logo∣machie; wandring from School to School, starting little Questions, framing Opinions, forcing the Scri∣ptures, inducing a strange sence with intricate words, and more nimble to ventilate than examine, presum'd to erect Seminaries of Strifes, out of which litigious Sophisters gain matter of Contention; distracting the Intellect, abstracting the Forms, and misrepresenting Genus and Species; what they take from one, adding to another; and every one striving to confirm their
Page 333
own Opinion: exposing our holy Faith among the Wise of the Age (of which Thomas Aquinas complains) to Laughter and Misbelief. For they neglect the Cano∣nical Scriptures of the Holy Ghost, and chuse onely hard Questions about Divine things, fit for Dispute; wherein they exercise their Wit, and consume their time; placing the whole Doctrine of Theologie in those things onely, wherein while they study to con∣tradict the Scripture, they may hear the Scripture say∣ing, The letter kills, is hurtful, is unprofitable. But they will say, We are to search out that which lies hid in the Scripture. Then binding all their mindes to ex∣pound, interpret, make Glossaries and Syllogisms, they rather chuse any other sence than that which is most genuine. If you require Reason, or be earnest in ap∣posing, you shall receive ill language, and be call'd Fool. What is hid in the letter you must not under∣stand, but must feed like a Serpent upon the dust. So that none are accounted Divines among them, unless they be such as ate egregrious Branglers, and can give an Instance upon every Proposition, feign readily, finde out new Interpretations, make a noise with uncouth words, not so much to be understood for the difficulty of the matter, as the strangeness of the word. And then they are call'd Doctors, when they are come to that pass that they can hardly be understood. These have a multitude of Followers, who whatsoever they have drawn from those men, believe it fetcht out of the hidden treasuries of Theologie: they swear to their Masters words, and believe it not to be within the com∣pass of thought, if any thing be unknown to him; and they are so captivated with his Opinions, that they are not to be overcome with any other reasons; will yield to no Scripture, but, like Antaeus, seek to renew their strength, while they repair to the brest of their mother who brought them forth, calling these Doctors to their aid.
Page 334
The Vulture carkass leaving then behinde,
Hastes to his own, and takes away the best:
This is the food the Vulture hath design'd,
To feast his Palate while he builds his nest.
Hence it comes to pass, that the sublime Studie of Scho∣lastick Divinity is so subject to Errour and Impiety; these evil Hypocrites and audacious Sophisters have in∣troduced so many Sects, and so many Heresies; who as S. Paul saith, preach Christ not for good-will, but for contention: so that it is far easier for Philosophers than Divines to agree: who have eclipsed the ancient glo∣ry of the ancient Theologie with humane Opinions, and new Errours; and professing a detestable Do∣ctrine consisting in false Titles, and Labyrinths of Dispute, have usurpt the name of Sacred Theologie by Theft and Rapine; and abominating the Names and Institutions of the old Fathers, have increas'd new Fa∣ctions, as it was formerly said in the Church, I am of Apollo, I of Paul, I of Cephas; pretending altogether to their Studies whose Works they first learnt, and ad∣miring onely their own Masters, despise all others; not minding what is said, but by whom it is said. And yet are these men very much divided among them∣selves: for some of them, who are of riper ingenuities, and would be thought more skilful than the Prophets and Apostles, believe that they can finde out and de∣monstrate those things which are onely to be believ'd by faith; Philosophizing in Divine things in most mi∣serable Questions, and with a prodigious confidence contend about absurd Opinions; as, when some di∣stinguish the Divine Essence, some by the thing it self, or others by Reason: others constitute infinite Reali∣ties, as they call um, like Plato's Idea's; which some again deny, and some laugh at. Then they frame to
Page 335
themselves so many monstrous shapes of God, so many forms of the Divine Being, so many Idols and Phan∣tomes of their own Imaginations about divine things; and dismember their very Saviour Christ with the per∣versness of their Opinions. Him they dress in so many various Disguises of Sophisms, and like an Image of Wax, form and deform him with their absurd suppo∣sitions into what shape or figure they please; so that their Doctrine proves meer Idolatry. But those other, whose duller capacities cannot soar so sublimely, these make Legends of the Saints full of godly lyes, feign Reliques, make Miracles, invent plausible or terrible Examples; Number Prayers, weigh Merits, invent Ceremonies, sell Indulgencies, distribute Pardons, set to sale their Benedictions, and devour the sins of the people. As for Apparitions, Exorcisms, and Answers of the Dead, they are very exact in um; and being taught their lessons out of the Books of Tundal and Brandarius, they act the Tragedies of Purgatory, and Comedies of Indulgences and Pardons; and from the Pulpits, as from a Stage, with a Souldier-like impu∣dence, and boldness of Thraso, with confident eyes, countenance chang'd, extended arms, and more sorts of gestures than are ascribed to Proteus, thunder out their Vanities among the people. But those who pre∣tend to be more Learned, and to understand a greater Decorum of Elegancie; they, while they bawl, I should say declaim, rehearse Poems, tell Stories, dispute Con∣troversies, cite Homer, Virgil, Livie, Strabo, Varro, Se∣neca, Cicero, Aristotle and Plato: in stead of preaching the Gospel, and Word of God, making onely an empty noise of words; spreading a new Gospel, adulterating the Word of God, which they preach not to set forth Grace, but for Gain and Lucre; living in the mean time not according to the Word of God, but accor∣ding to the pleasure of the flesh; and after they have
Page 336
in the day-time made an erroneous Harangue or Ex∣hortation in the Pulpits to vertue, at night exercise their Buttocks in their lurking holes with nocturnal labour. And this is the way by which they go to Christ-Lastly, when Vices are to be reprehended, 'tis won∣derful with what ill language they rail, with what in∣solencie of gesture they behave themselves, with what scurrilous language their Choler rages, what loud Ex∣clamations they make; as if Christ rather chose to have the Preachers of his Word not Fishers drawing on the right hand with a soft Net, but persecuting Hunters and Archers, shooting and wounding from the left: or as if they themselves were not men, or not liable to the same faults, if not guilty of greater. Thus those Fishers of men, whose tongues ought to be a Net to draw sinners to salvation, become Hunters and perse∣cutors of men to their ruine: their mouthes are Bowes of falshood, their tongues are wounding Arrows. But let us now hasten to the Right Theologie, which is twofold; Prophesie, and Interpretation. Of the later first of all.