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CHAP. CI.
Of Masters of Arts.
NOw at length, that I may recollect my self again, ye have heard from those things which have been hitherto said, That Arts and Sciences are nothing else but the Traditions of men, received by us upon the good esteem we have of them; and that they all consist of nothing else but of things doubtful confirm'd by apparent Demonstrations; and that most of um are not so uncertain and doubtful, as they are deceitful and wicked: and therefore it is also an evil thing to be∣lieve that they can bring to us any heavenly advantage. It is true, that in times past it was the superstition of the Gentiles, that gave Divine worship to the Inventors of things, and to them whom they saw surpass others in any Art or Science, and plac'd them in the number of their Gods, dedicating to them Temples, Altars and Images, adoring them under several likenesses. Thus Vulcan among the Egyptians being the first Philoso∣pher, and referring the beginnings of Nature to the Fire, was by them worshipt as the God of Fire: and Esculapius, as Celsus saith, because he more subtilly pra∣ctised Physick, then rude and imperfect, was for that reason made the God of Physick. And this, and no other deification of Sciences, was that which the anci∣ent Serpent, the type of these Gods, promised to our first Parents, saying to them, Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Let him then boast the authority of this Serpent, that boasts in worldly knowledge. For no man can possess Knowledge without the favour of this Serpent, whose doctrines are nothing but delusions, and
Page 358
the end thereof evil. When it is a Proverb among the Vulgar, That the Learned are all mad. To which Aristo∣tle himself assents, saying, that there is no man of great knowledge, without a mixture of madness. And Austin witnesses, that many for the desire of knowledge have lost their wits. Neither is there any thing more contrary to Christian Faith and Religion, than Knowledge; nor any two things that less agree together. For we finde in the Ecclesiastical Histories, and are also taught by Experience, how Sciences went to wrack, when Chri∣stian Religion waxed strongest; so that the greatest part of them utterly perished, and those mighty Arts of Magick departed in such wise, that not the least signe of them remains: many Sects of Philosophy vanished; very little of the Peripatetick Philosophy known, and that imperfect. Nor was the state of the Church in more quiet, than when these Sciences were reduced to the lowest extremity; when Grammar was taught by one onely Alexander Gallus, Logick onely by Petrus Hi∣spanus, Laurentius Aquilegius was the onely Rhetori∣cian, a small Collection of annual transactions serv'd for a History, the Ecclesiastical Computation serv'd for Mathematical Instruction; and for the rest, one single Isidorus. But now, after that knowledge of Tongues, Eloquence, and number of Authors began to multi∣ply as formerly, the quiet of the Church began to be troubled, and Heresies arose. Neither is there any sort of men less fit to receive Christian doctrine, than they who have their mindes tainted with the know∣ledge of the Sciences: for they are so stiff and obsti∣•ate in their self-opinions, that they leave no place for the Holy Ghost, and do so assure themselves, and trust in their own strength and power, that they will allow of nothing else for truth; and they scorn and despise all those things which they cannot understand by their own Industry. Therefore hath Christ hidden these
Page 359
things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to little children; that is to say, to the poor in spirit, not enriched with the treasuries of humane knowledge; to the pure in heart, not defil'd with the vanity of Opini∣ons; and to the peace-makers, not followers of other men, not contentious overthrowers of the Truth with wrangling Syllogisms; and suffer persecution for the sake of Truth and Justice. Thus Socrates was poysoned by the Athenians, Anaxagoras condemned to die, Diago∣ras accus'd, but escap'd death by flight. Among the Jews, Isaiah was cut to pieces, Jeremiah stoned to death, Da∣niel condemned to the lions, Amos kill'd with a club, Micah cast headlong from a rock, Zachariah slain at the Altar, Elias persecuted by Jezebel, who slew many of the Prophets. Thus also were the Apostles and o∣ther Martyrs, witnesses of the Divinity of Christ, seve∣ral ways tormented to death: And all this for no o∣ther cause, but that they thought more holily of God than the Wise-men of the world. Behold these, who in purity of heart, poverty of spirit, and peace of Con∣science, resemble the humility and simplicity of little children, who are prepar'd to shed their bloud for the Truth. These are they to whom onely the true Deify∣ing wisdom is given, that is to bring us to the heaven∣ly Quires, and transforms us into Angels: As we read in the Sermon of Christ, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God: Blessed are the peace-ma∣kers, for they shall be call'd the sons of God: Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice sake. It is there∣fore better, and more profitable, to be Idiots, and with∣out knowledge; to believe by faith and charity, and to become next to God, than being lofty and proud, through the subtilties of the Sciences, to fall into the possession of the Serpent. Thus we finde in the Gospel how Christ was receiv'd of Idiots, of the vulgar people,
Page 360
and of the simpler sort, while he was rejected, despi∣sed, and persecuted even to death, by the High-priests, by the Lawyers, by the Scribes, by the Doctors and Rabbies. For this cause, Christ chose his Apostles not Scribes, not Doctors, not Priests, but unlearned per∣sons of the vulgar people, void of knowledge, unskilful, and Asses.
Of Masters of Arts.
NOw at length, that I may recollect my self again, ye have heard from those things which have been hitherto said, That Arts and Sciences are nothing else but the Traditions of men, received by us upon the good esteem we have of them; and that they all consist of nothing else but of things doubtful confirm'd by apparent Demonstrations; and that most of um are not so uncertain and doubtful, as they are deceitful and wicked: and therefore it is also an evil thing to be∣lieve that they can bring to us any heavenly advantage. It is true, that in times past it was the superstition of the Gentiles, that gave Divine worship to the Inventors of things, and to them whom they saw surpass others in any Art or Science, and plac'd them in the number of their Gods, dedicating to them Temples, Altars and Images, adoring them under several likenesses. Thus Vulcan among the Egyptians being the first Philoso∣pher, and referring the beginnings of Nature to the Fire, was by them worshipt as the God of Fire: and Esculapius, as Celsus saith, because he more subtilly pra∣ctised Physick, then rude and imperfect, was for that reason made the God of Physick. And this, and no other deification of Sciences, was that which the anci∣ent Serpent, the type of these Gods, promised to our first Parents, saying to them, Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Let him then boast the authority of this Serpent, that boasts in worldly knowledge. For no man can possess Knowledge without the favour of this Serpent, whose doctrines are nothing but delusions, and
Page 358
the end thereof evil. When it is a Proverb among the Vulgar, That the Learned are all mad. To which Aristo∣tle himself assents, saying, that there is no man of great knowledge, without a mixture of madness. And Austin witnesses, that many for the desire of knowledge have lost their wits. Neither is there any thing more contrary to Christian Faith and Religion, than Knowledge; nor any two things that less agree together. For we finde in the Ecclesiastical Histories, and are also taught by Experience, how Sciences went to wrack, when Chri∣stian Religion waxed strongest; so that the greatest part of them utterly perished, and those mighty Arts of Magick departed in such wise, that not the least signe of them remains: many Sects of Philosophy vanished; very little of the Peripatetick Philosophy known, and that imperfect. Nor was the state of the Church in more quiet, than when these Sciences were reduced to the lowest extremity; when Grammar was taught by one onely Alexander Gallus, Logick onely by Petrus Hi∣spanus, Laurentius Aquilegius was the onely Rhetori∣cian, a small Collection of annual transactions serv'd for a History, the Ecclesiastical Computation serv'd for Mathematical Instruction; and for the rest, one single Isidorus. But now, after that knowledge of Tongues, Eloquence, and number of Authors began to multi∣ply as formerly, the quiet of the Church began to be troubled, and Heresies arose. Neither is there any sort of men less fit to receive Christian doctrine, than they who have their mindes tainted with the know∣ledge of the Sciences: for they are so stiff and obsti∣•ate in their self-opinions, that they leave no place for the Holy Ghost, and do so assure themselves, and trust in their own strength and power, that they will allow of nothing else for truth; and they scorn and despise all those things which they cannot understand by their own Industry. Therefore hath Christ hidden these
Page 359
things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to little children; that is to say, to the poor in spirit, not enriched with the treasuries of humane knowledge; to the pure in heart, not defil'd with the vanity of Opini∣ons; and to the peace-makers, not followers of other men, not contentious overthrowers of the Truth with wrangling Syllogisms; and suffer persecution for the sake of Truth and Justice. Thus Socrates was poysoned by the Athenians, Anaxagoras condemned to die, Diago∣ras accus'd, but escap'd death by flight. Among the Jews, Isaiah was cut to pieces, Jeremiah stoned to death, Da∣niel condemned to the lions, Amos kill'd with a club, Micah cast headlong from a rock, Zachariah slain at the Altar, Elias persecuted by Jezebel, who slew many of the Prophets. Thus also were the Apostles and o∣ther Martyrs, witnesses of the Divinity of Christ, seve∣ral ways tormented to death: And all this for no o∣ther cause, but that they thought more holily of God than the Wise-men of the world. Behold these, who in purity of heart, poverty of spirit, and peace of Con∣science, resemble the humility and simplicity of little children, who are prepar'd to shed their bloud for the Truth. These are they to whom onely the true Deify∣ing wisdom is given, that is to bring us to the heaven∣ly Quires, and transforms us into Angels: As we read in the Sermon of Christ, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God: Blessed are the peace-ma∣kers, for they shall be call'd the sons of God: Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice sake. It is there∣fore better, and more profitable, to be Idiots, and with∣out knowledge; to believe by faith and charity, and to become next to God, than being lofty and proud, through the subtilties of the Sciences, to fall into the possession of the Serpent. Thus we finde in the Gospel how Christ was receiv'd of Idiots, of the vulgar people,
Page 360
and of the simpler sort, while he was rejected, despi∣sed, and persecuted even to death, by the High-priests, by the Lawyers, by the Scribes, by the Doctors and Rabbies. For this cause, Christ chose his Apostles not Scribes, not Doctors, not Priests, but unlearned per∣sons of the vulgar people, void of knowledge, unskilful, and Asses.