Post by Admin on Oct 9, 2016 13:10:07 GMT
The Conclusion of the Work.
YOu therefore, O ye Asses, who are now with your children under the command of Christ, by means of his Apostles and Messengers, and Readers of true wisdom in his holy Gospel, being freed from the foggs and mists of flesh and bloud; if ye desire to attain to this divine and true wisdom, not of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but of the tree of life, set aside the Traditions of Men, and every enquiry and discourse of flesh and bloud, whether it concern Rea∣son, consideration of Causes or Effects; conversing now not with the Schools of Philosophers and Sophi∣sters, but with your own selves. For the Notions of all things are trusted within your own brests; which, as the Academicks confess, the Scriptures themselves do testifie, seeing that God created all things very good, that is to say, in the best degree they could consist: He therefore, as he created the trees full of fruit, so he crea∣ted our souls, which are like rational trees, full of Forms and Idea's; though through the sin of our first parents, all things were conceal'd, and Oblivion took place, the mother of Ignorance. But you that can re∣move the Veil from your Understandings, who are wrapt up in the darkness of Ignorance, vomit up that Lethe∣an Drench which has made ye drunk with Forgetful∣ness: awake in the true light, you that are drown'd in the sleep of Irrationality; and then forthwith with an open countenance ye shall pass from light to light: for
Page 365
ye are anointed, as S. John saith, by the holy Ghost, and know all things. And again, There is no necessity that ye should be taught by any, because his Anointing instructs ye in all things. For he alone it is that giveth language and wisdome. David, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Daniel, John Baptist, and many other Prophets and Apostles, were ne∣ver bred up in Learning; but of Shepherds, Husband∣men, and Fools, became throughly learned in all things. Solomon in a dream of one night was replenished with the knowledge of all things, both sublunary and cele∣stial; and with so much prudence in the administra∣tion of Government, that there was never any Prince equal to him. Yet all these were mortal men, as you are, and sinners. You will say perhaps, that this has happen'd to a very few; and those
—A few whom equal Jove
Would signalize by his transcending love;
Or such whose ardent zeal divinely fir'd,
With constant motion to the Stars aspir'd.
However, do not despair; the hand of God is not shortned to them that call upon him, that give a true obedience to his will. Anthony and the Barbarian Christian servant gain'd the full knowledge of Divine things by the help of thrre days prayer, as S. Austin te∣stifies. But you that cannot, like the Prophets, like the Apostles, like those other holy men, behold those things with a clear and unclouded Intellect, may procure Un∣derstanding from them who have beheld these things with a clear sight. There is also another way remain∣ing, as S. Jerome saith to Russinus, that what the Spirit hath suggested to the Prophets and Apostles, should be sought by you with diligent studie, I mean the study of that Learning which is deliver'd in the Bible, being the most sacred Oracles of the true God, and received
Page 366
by the Church with an unanimous consent: not of such things as have been invented by the Wit of men; for they do not enlighten, but darken the Understanding. And therefore we must have recourse to Moses, to Solo∣mon, to the Prophets, to the Evangelists, to the Apo∣stles, who shining with all sorts of Learning, Wis∣dom, Manners, Languages, Oracles, Prophecies, Mira∣cles and Holiness, of heavenly things have spoken from God himself, of inferiour things above men; deliver∣ing all the things of God, and secrets of Nature, di∣stinctly and clearly to us. For all the secrets of God and Nature, all manner of Customs and Laws, all un∣derstanding of things past, present, and to come, are fairly taught in the Books of the holy Scripture. Whi∣ther do ye therefore run headlong? why seek ye know∣ledge of them, who having spent all their days in sear∣ching, have lost all their time & labour, being unable to attain to any thing of certain truth? Fools and wicked men, who not regarding the gifts of the holy Ghost, strive to learn from lying Philosophers, and Doctors of Errour, those things which ye ought to receive from Christ and the holy Ghost! Think ye to draw know∣ledge from the ignorance of Socrates; or light out of the darkness of An•xagoras, or vertue out of the Wells of Democritus, and wisdom out of the madness of Em∣pedocles? Think ye to lave piety out of Diogenes's Tub, or sence out of the stupidity of Carneades, or wisdom from impious Aristotle, or perfidious Averroes; or faith out of the superstition of the Platonicks? Ye are in an Errour, being deceived by them, who were themselves deceiv'd. But recal your selves: you who are desirous of the Truth, descend from the clouds of mens Traditions, and adhere to the true light. Behold, a voice from heaven, a voice speaking from above, and shewing more apparent than the Sun, that ye are ene∣mies to your selves, and delay the receiving of wisdom.
Page 367
Hear the Oracle of Baruch: God is, saith he, and no o∣ther shall be compared to him: He hath found out all man∣ner of learning, and hath taught it to Jacob his son, and to Israel his beloved; giving laws and precepts, and or∣daining sacrifices. After this he was seen upon the earth, conversed with men, was made flesh, teaching us plainly with his own mouth, what was mysteriously deliver'd in the Law, and by the Prophets. And that ye may nor think the Scriptures relate onely to Divine, and not to natural things; hear what the Wise-man witnesseth of himself: He hath given the true know∣ledge of those things which are, that I might know the situation of the earths compass the vertues of the Elements, the beginning, ending, middle, and revolutions of the Times, the course of the Year, the influences of the Stars, the nature of Animals, Sympathy and Antipathy of Crea∣tures, the force of the Winds, Thoughts of Men, difference of Plants, and the vertues of Roots. In brief, I have learnt whatever things are hidden and conceal'd: for the Artificer of all things hath taught me wisdom. The Divine wisdom faileth in nothing: nothing escapes it, there is no addition to it: for it comprehends all things. Know therefore, that there needs not long Studie; but Humility of spirit, and Pureness of heart; not the sumptuous furniture of many Books, but a pure Understanding, made fit for the Truth, as the Lock is for the Key. For number of Books hinders the learner; and he that follows many Authors, erres with many. All things are contain'd and taught in the onely Volume of the Bible; but with this Proviso, That they are not to be understood but by those who are enlightned: for, to others, they are onely Parables and Riddles, seal'd up with many Seals. Pray then to the Lord God in saith, doubtful of nothing, that the Lamb of the Tribe of Judah may come and open his Sealed Book; which Lamb is onely holy and true,
Page 368
who onely has the key of wisdom and knowledge, wh• opens and no man shuts, and shuts what no man opens• This is JESUS CHRIST, the Word, the So• of God the Father, the true Teacher, made Man lik• unto us, that he might make us the children of God• like Himself, blessed to all Eternity. But lest 〈◊〉 should declaim beyond my Hour-glass, let this be th• End of our Discourse.
FINIS.
YOu therefore, O ye Asses, who are now with your children under the command of Christ, by means of his Apostles and Messengers, and Readers of true wisdom in his holy Gospel, being freed from the foggs and mists of flesh and bloud; if ye desire to attain to this divine and true wisdom, not of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but of the tree of life, set aside the Traditions of Men, and every enquiry and discourse of flesh and bloud, whether it concern Rea∣son, consideration of Causes or Effects; conversing now not with the Schools of Philosophers and Sophi∣sters, but with your own selves. For the Notions of all things are trusted within your own brests; which, as the Academicks confess, the Scriptures themselves do testifie, seeing that God created all things very good, that is to say, in the best degree they could consist: He therefore, as he created the trees full of fruit, so he crea∣ted our souls, which are like rational trees, full of Forms and Idea's; though through the sin of our first parents, all things were conceal'd, and Oblivion took place, the mother of Ignorance. But you that can re∣move the Veil from your Understandings, who are wrapt up in the darkness of Ignorance, vomit up that Lethe∣an Drench which has made ye drunk with Forgetful∣ness: awake in the true light, you that are drown'd in the sleep of Irrationality; and then forthwith with an open countenance ye shall pass from light to light: for
Page 365
ye are anointed, as S. John saith, by the holy Ghost, and know all things. And again, There is no necessity that ye should be taught by any, because his Anointing instructs ye in all things. For he alone it is that giveth language and wisdome. David, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Daniel, John Baptist, and many other Prophets and Apostles, were ne∣ver bred up in Learning; but of Shepherds, Husband∣men, and Fools, became throughly learned in all things. Solomon in a dream of one night was replenished with the knowledge of all things, both sublunary and cele∣stial; and with so much prudence in the administra∣tion of Government, that there was never any Prince equal to him. Yet all these were mortal men, as you are, and sinners. You will say perhaps, that this has happen'd to a very few; and those
—A few whom equal Jove
Would signalize by his transcending love;
Or such whose ardent zeal divinely fir'd,
With constant motion to the Stars aspir'd.
However, do not despair; the hand of God is not shortned to them that call upon him, that give a true obedience to his will. Anthony and the Barbarian Christian servant gain'd the full knowledge of Divine things by the help of thrre days prayer, as S. Austin te∣stifies. But you that cannot, like the Prophets, like the Apostles, like those other holy men, behold those things with a clear and unclouded Intellect, may procure Un∣derstanding from them who have beheld these things with a clear sight. There is also another way remain∣ing, as S. Jerome saith to Russinus, that what the Spirit hath suggested to the Prophets and Apostles, should be sought by you with diligent studie, I mean the study of that Learning which is deliver'd in the Bible, being the most sacred Oracles of the true God, and received
Page 366
by the Church with an unanimous consent: not of such things as have been invented by the Wit of men; for they do not enlighten, but darken the Understanding. And therefore we must have recourse to Moses, to Solo∣mon, to the Prophets, to the Evangelists, to the Apo∣stles, who shining with all sorts of Learning, Wis∣dom, Manners, Languages, Oracles, Prophecies, Mira∣cles and Holiness, of heavenly things have spoken from God himself, of inferiour things above men; deliver∣ing all the things of God, and secrets of Nature, di∣stinctly and clearly to us. For all the secrets of God and Nature, all manner of Customs and Laws, all un∣derstanding of things past, present, and to come, are fairly taught in the Books of the holy Scripture. Whi∣ther do ye therefore run headlong? why seek ye know∣ledge of them, who having spent all their days in sear∣ching, have lost all their time & labour, being unable to attain to any thing of certain truth? Fools and wicked men, who not regarding the gifts of the holy Ghost, strive to learn from lying Philosophers, and Doctors of Errour, those things which ye ought to receive from Christ and the holy Ghost! Think ye to draw know∣ledge from the ignorance of Socrates; or light out of the darkness of An•xagoras, or vertue out of the Wells of Democritus, and wisdom out of the madness of Em∣pedocles? Think ye to lave piety out of Diogenes's Tub, or sence out of the stupidity of Carneades, or wisdom from impious Aristotle, or perfidious Averroes; or faith out of the superstition of the Platonicks? Ye are in an Errour, being deceived by them, who were themselves deceiv'd. But recal your selves: you who are desirous of the Truth, descend from the clouds of mens Traditions, and adhere to the true light. Behold, a voice from heaven, a voice speaking from above, and shewing more apparent than the Sun, that ye are ene∣mies to your selves, and delay the receiving of wisdom.
Page 367
Hear the Oracle of Baruch: God is, saith he, and no o∣ther shall be compared to him: He hath found out all man∣ner of learning, and hath taught it to Jacob his son, and to Israel his beloved; giving laws and precepts, and or∣daining sacrifices. After this he was seen upon the earth, conversed with men, was made flesh, teaching us plainly with his own mouth, what was mysteriously deliver'd in the Law, and by the Prophets. And that ye may nor think the Scriptures relate onely to Divine, and not to natural things; hear what the Wise-man witnesseth of himself: He hath given the true know∣ledge of those things which are, that I might know the situation of the earths compass the vertues of the Elements, the beginning, ending, middle, and revolutions of the Times, the course of the Year, the influences of the Stars, the nature of Animals, Sympathy and Antipathy of Crea∣tures, the force of the Winds, Thoughts of Men, difference of Plants, and the vertues of Roots. In brief, I have learnt whatever things are hidden and conceal'd: for the Artificer of all things hath taught me wisdom. The Divine wisdom faileth in nothing: nothing escapes it, there is no addition to it: for it comprehends all things. Know therefore, that there needs not long Studie; but Humility of spirit, and Pureness of heart; not the sumptuous furniture of many Books, but a pure Understanding, made fit for the Truth, as the Lock is for the Key. For number of Books hinders the learner; and he that follows many Authors, erres with many. All things are contain'd and taught in the onely Volume of the Bible; but with this Proviso, That they are not to be understood but by those who are enlightned: for, to others, they are onely Parables and Riddles, seal'd up with many Seals. Pray then to the Lord God in saith, doubtful of nothing, that the Lamb of the Tribe of Judah may come and open his Sealed Book; which Lamb is onely holy and true,
Page 368
who onely has the key of wisdom and knowledge, wh• opens and no man shuts, and shuts what no man opens• This is JESUS CHRIST, the Word, the So• of God the Father, the true Teacher, made Man lik• unto us, that he might make us the children of God• like Himself, blessed to all Eternity. But lest 〈◊〉 should declaim beyond my Hour-glass, let this be th• End of our Discourse.
FINIS.